[00:00:39]
WELCOME TO THE CITY COUNCIL REGULAR MEETING OF FEBRUARY 21ST, 2019.
>> MAYOR, WE DO HAVE A QUORUM.
>> MAYOR NIRENBERG: GOOD MORNING.
[1. Invocation]
COUNCIL A SESSION AGENDA.THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR YOUR PATIENCE.
WE'LL BEGIN TODAY WITH AN INVOCATION, A GUEST OF COUNCILMAN COURAGE.
THIS MORNING I'M PLEASED TO GO AHEAD AND HAVE AS OUR INVOCATOR, ADAM KNIGHT, HE IS THE SENIOR PASS OF COKER UNITED METHODIST CHURCH AND REALLY PROVIDES INVALUABLE SERVICES TO THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO AND THROUGHOUT THE STATE OF TEXAS.
COKER'S ELDERLY FOOD PROGRAM, THEIR FOOD PANTRY, THEIR SCHOOL SUPPLY PROGRAM ARE VERY VALUABLE THROUGHOUT DISTRICT 9.
AND ALSO THEY WERE REALLY INVOLVED IN HURRICANE HARVEY RECOVERY EFFORTS.
AND SO THESE SHOULD BE -- YOU KNOW, ESPECIALLY COMMENDED AS HALLMARKS OF THEIR FAITHFUL COMMUNITY SERVICE.
COKER IS HOST TO THE LARGEST BASH EFFORT IN DISTRICT 9 WHICH HELPS KEEP SOLADO CREEK BEAUTIFUL YEAR ROUND.
AND IN 2020 I KNOW COKER UNITED METHODIST CHURCH WILL BE AN EXCELLENT NEIGHBOR TO DISTRICT 9'S FIRST-EVER SENIOR CENTER BEING DEVELOPED NEARBY AT THE PARK.
ADAM NIGHT HOLDS A BACHELOR'S DEGREE FROM TEXAS TECH UNIVERSITY.
A MASTERS OF DIVINITY DEGREE FROM ASBURY THEOLOGICAL SEMINARY, AND HE IS AN ORDAINED ELDER IN THE UNITED METHODIST CHURCH.
AS A LEADER AND ADMINISTRATOR TO SO MANY COMMUNITY.
IN ADDITION TO HIS DUTIES AT COKER, ADAM IS CURRENTLY CHAIR OF THE BOARD OF ORDAINED MINISTRY FOR THE RIO TEXAS ANNUAL CONFERENCE OF THE UNITED METHODIST CHURCH.
ADAM IS MARRIED TO BRITNEY AND THEY ARE THE PARENTS OF RYLAN AND LAUREL.
ADAM, THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE TODAY.
GRACIOUS AND LOVING GOD, YOUR GRACE IS NEW EVERY MORNING.
AND AT THE BEGINNING OF THIS NEW DAY WE GIVE YOU THANKS FOR YOUR GRACE THAT MEETS US HERE.
WE PRAY THAT AS THESE LEADERS GO ABOUT THE WORK YOU HAVE CALLED THEM TO THAT YOU WOULD GRANT THEM WISDOM FOR THE TASK THAT IS AT HAND.
WE ASK YOUR BLESSING UPON OUR CITY THAT WE WOULD REFLECT YOUR GOODNESS AND LOVE IN THE WAYS WE DO LIFE TOGETHER.
NOW, LORD, AS WE MOVE ON TO ALL THAT IS BEFORE US THIS DAY, LEAD US BY YOUR HOLY SPIRIT AND BE HONORED BY ALL THAT WE DO AND ALL THAT WE ARE.
IT IS IN THE NAME OF JESUS WE PRAY, AMEN.
[2. Pledge of Allegiance]
[3. Approval of Minutes of the City Council Special Meetings of January 14 - 14, 2019 and the City Council Regular Meetings of January 16 - 17, 2019.]
[00:05:07]
>> MAYOR NIRENBERG: ALL RIGHT.
OUR FIRST ITEM ON THE AGENDA TODAY IS THE APPROVAL OF THE CITY COUNCIL MEETING MINUTES FROM JANUARY 14 AND 15 AND 16 AND 17.
>> MAYOR NIRENBERG: ALL RIGHT.
THERE'S A MOTION AND A SECOND FOR APPROVAL OF THE CITY COUNCIL MEETING MINUTES FOR JANUARY 14 THROUGH 17.
[Additional Item]
MOTION CARRIES.AT THIS TIME I WOULD LIKE TO RECOGNIZE OUR COLLEAGUE, COUNCIL MEMBER GONZALES FOR A POINT OF PERSONAL PRIVILEGE.
>> SANDOVAL: I WOULD LIKE TO LIKE TO ACKNOWLEDGE MY EXECUTIVE ASSISTANT ZANDER.
SO ZANDER WAS -- CAME TO ME HIGHLY RECOMMENDED FROM LETICIA VACEK'S OFFICE.
HE HAD BEEN A CITY EMPLOYEE FOR AROUND AND WILL GO TO VIRGINIA TO DO SOME TRAINING AND THEN PERHAPS HAVE HIS CHOICE OF DESTINATIONS.
AFTER THAT HE WILL SERVE IN AUDIO] BUT I DO JUST WANT TO TAKE A MOMENT TO PUBLICLY THANK ZANDER FOR ALL THE WORK HE'S DONE IN MY OFFICE.
NOT ONLY DO I FEEL LIKE WE'VE BEEN ACTIVITY THAT Y'ALL HEARD FROM OUR OFFICE IS IN A LARGE PART BECAUSE WE HAVE HAD ZANDER IN OUR COMPANY.
WE WISH HIM WELL, ZANDER, AND GOOD LUCK IN YOUR FUTURE ENDEAVORS.
[Consent Agenda]
>> MAYOR NIRENBERG: GOOD LUCK, ZANDER.
AT THIS TIME WE HAVE TWO ITEMS -- ACTUALLY THERE ARE NO ITEMS SCHEDULED FOR INDIVIDUAL CONSIDERATION.
I'LL ASK MY COLLEAGUES IF THEY HAVE ANY ITEMS FROM WHICH THEY WOULD LIKE TO PULL FROM THE CONSENT AGENDA.
>> GONZALES: MAYOR, NO. 23, 24, 25.
>> MAYOR NIRENBERG: 23, 24, AND 25? OKAY.
I HAVE ITEMS 5, 9 -- ARE THERE ANY OTHERS? HEARING NONE I'LL ENTERTAIN A MOTION FOR THE BALANCE OF THE CONSENT AGENDA.
THERE'S A MOTION AND A SECOND FOR THE BALANCE OF THE CONSENT AGENDA, ALL ITEMS SAVE 5, 9, 23, 24, 25.
WE'LL GO AHEAD AND KEEP THIS ON CONSENT BUT I WOULD LIKE TO HIGHLIGHT THIS ITEM BECAUSE THE SAN ANTONIO FIRE DEPARTMENT MUSEUM SOCIETY HAS DONE A PHENOMENAL JOB.
WONDERFUL STEWARDS OF OUR HISTORY AND HAVE PRESERVED THE LEGACY OF OUR FIRE DEPARTMENT.
I WOULD LIKE TO FIRST AND FOREMOST THANK CARDENAS FOR HIS WORK.
HE IS A STALWART SUPPORTER OF THE AL TA VISTA NEIGHBORHOOD, AND A RETIRED SAN ANTONIO FIREFIGHTER.
HIS LAST ASSIGNMENT WITH THE FIRE DEPARTMENT WAS AT THE STATION IN WHICH IS NOW OUR DISTRICT 1 FIELD OFFICE.
WE HAVE A DEEP RELATIONSHIP WITH HECTOR AND APPRECIATE HIS RELATIONSHIP TO HIS COMMUNITY.
ADDITIONALLY I WOULD LIKE TO THANK ALL THE FOLKS THAT ARE HERE, RETIRED FIREFIGHTERS.
CHIEF ROBERT, RETIRED DEPUTY CHIEF, RODNEY, BOARD CHAIR, CAROL.
AT THIS MOMENT I WOULD LIKE TO ASK CHIEF HOOD TO SAY A FEW WORDS ON BEHALF OF THE FIREFIGHTER MUSEUM.
>> GOOD MORNING, MAYOR, MEMBERS OF THE COUNCIL.
IT'S A REAL HONOR TO BE UP HERE THIS MORNING JUST TO SPEAK FOR A FEW MINUTES ON THE SIGNIFICANCE OF HAVING A FIRE MUSEUM SUCH AS THIS IN THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO
[00:10:01]
WITH THE RICH HISTORY THAT WE DO HAVE.ONE OF THE WAYS WE SAVE LIVES IS THROUGH PUBLIC EDUCATION, COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT, AND FIRE PROTECTION.
BUT THIS IS A WONDERFUL PIECE OF FIRE PREVENTION THAT WE HAVE RIGHT HERE.
WE'VE HAD ABOUT 16,000 VISITORS LAST YEAR.
SO, AGAIN, BEING AT THE FOOT OF THE ALAMO, HAVING THIS FACILITY, IT'S AN AMAZING PLACE.
SO WITH THAT BEING SAID, I'M GOING TO INVITE RETIRED DISTRICT CHIEF JIM UP, WHO IS PRESIDENT OF THE BOARD, TO SAY A FEW WORDS AND BRING SOME OF THE MEMBERS UP.
MAYOR NIRENBERG, CITY COUNCIL, WE ARE HONORED AND THRILLED TO BE HERE TODAY.
IT'S BEEN A LONG JOURNEY FOR THE SAN ANTONIO FIRE MUSEUM.
I WOULD ASK MY COLLEAGUES TO PLEASE STAND UP AT THE PODIUM WITH ME BECAUSE NONE OF THIS COULD HAVE HAPPENED WITHOUT THEIR INVOLVEMENT.
OUR VOLUNTEERS -- THIS IS A COMPLETELY VOLUNTEER ORGANIZATION.
AND LAST YEAR THEY VOLUNTEERED 14,650 HOURS TO MAKE THAT MUSEUM WORK.
IT'S A LABOR OF LOVE AND WE CONTINUE TO TAKE PRIDE IN WHAT WE DO IN REPRESENTING THE SAN ANTONIO FIRE DEPARTMENT IN THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO.
>> TREVINO: THANK YOU ALL FOR ALL YOU DO.
AND SOMEBODY WHO HAS VISITED THE MUSEUM SEVERAL TIMES I'VE SEEN THE PROGRESS, AND IT'S TRULY AMAZING ALL THAT YOU HAVE DONE TO, NOT ONLY TAKE THE RESOURCES AND PUT THEM TOGETHER IN THESE WONDERFUL EXHIBITS, YOU DO IT YOURSELVES.
I COULDN'T BE PROUDER OF ALL THE WORK THAT YOU HAVE DONE AND WISH YOU CONTINUED SUCCESS, ESPECIALLY AS WE PLAN TO DO SOME GREAT THINGS AROUND THAT AREA.
AND WISH YOU THE BEST ON THAT BUILDING, AS I KNOW YOU'RE PLANNING TO DO SOME GREAT THINGS FOR THAT BUILDING.
THE PARADE ROUTE FOR THE BATTLE OF FLOWERS WILL BE CUTTING THROUGH THAT SPECIFIC AREA AND HOPE TO MAYBE EVEN WORK WITH THEM IN CONCERT WITH A LOT OF YOUR EFFORTS.
>> THANK YOU, COUNCILMAN TREVINO.
>> MAYOR NIRENBERG: WE HAVE ONE CITIZEN SIGNED UP TO SPEAK ON CONSENT ITEMS TODAY.
>> WELL, GOOD MORNING, MAYOR NIRENBERG AND OTHER MEMBERS OF OUR ILLUSTRIOUS SAN ANTONIO CITY COUNCIL.
FOR THE RECORD, MY NAME IS JACK M. FINGER.
A COUPLE OF ITEMS I WISH TO BRING UP TO YOUR ATTENTION ON THIS PORTION OF THE AGENDA.
ITEM NO. 19 AND NO. 20 ARE LAWSUITS THAT YOU, THE CITY COUNCIL ARE GOING TO SETTLE WITH SOME PLAINTIFFS.
WHAT WERE THEY? WELL, LET'S TAKE A LOOK AT NO.
LOOK AT THE UNDERLINED RIGHT THERE IF YOU WOULD, MR. AUDIO-VISUAL MAN.
SEEKING DAMAGES FROM AN ACCIDENT THAT OCCURRED AUGUST 22 ON BULVERDE ROAD IN SAN ANTONIO INVOLVING A BICYCLE BEING OPERATED BY MR. MCMILLAN IN A CITY OWNED VEHICLE.
TRY NO. 20 ALSO, MR. AUDIO-VISUAL MAN.
STEVEN O'NEILL IS SEEKING DAMAGES FROM AN AUTO ACCIDENT THAT OCCURRED IN NOVEMBER 2015 .
OPERATED BY MR. O'NEILL IN A CITY OWNED VEHICLE.
PARTIES HAVE REACHED A MUTUAL AGREEMENT IN THE AMOUNT OF $20,000.
I ROUTINELY COME BY HERE AND ASK WHY, IF THESE ACCIDENTS ARE CAUSED BY CITY EMPLOYEES OPERATING CITY-OWNED VEHICLES, THE BIG QUESTION IS DO THESE CITY EMPLOYEES EVER GET SPANKED? YEAH.
IF THEY CAUSE THE ACCIDENT, DO THEY OR ANYBODY, POSSIBLY ANYBODY REPRIMAND THEM OR CHARGE THEM FOR THE AMOUNT THAT WE, THE CITIZENS, HAVE TO SHELL OUT FOR ONE OF THESE CASES? INQUIRING MINDS WOULD LIKE TO KNOW THE ANSWER TO THESE THINGS.
YEAH, WELL, BUT WE NEVER SEE IT ON THE BACK UP DOCUMENTS.
AND, FINALLY, TODAY JUST A LITTLE BIT OF HOUSEKEEPING.
TODAY YOUR GOING TO HAVE A CEREMONY INVOLVING THE OUTGOING CITY MANAGER SHERYL SCULLEY, WHO IS NOT IN HER CHAIR.
SHE ALWAYS SEEMS TO LEAVE WHEN I COME TO THE PODIUM.
HER WAY OF SHOWING HER RESPECT
[00:15:03]
TO ME.ALL KINDS OF FLOWERY THINGS ARE GOING TO BE SAID ABOUT SHERYL SCULLEY, BUT THAT'S IGNORING ALL THE ETHICAL LAPSES AND FINANCIAL LAPSES.
PLEASE UNDERSTAND THAT COMPLAINTS ABOUT SHERYL SCULLEY, YOU HAVE TO UNDERSTAND THAT IT WAS YOU GUYS, THE CITY COUNCIL, THAT ALLOWED HER THE FREE REIGN THAT SHE DID AS SHE PERFORMED HER DUTIES HERE.
SHE WOULDN'T BE ABLE TO GET AWAY WITH ANYTHING UNLESS YOU GUYS ALLOWED FOR IT, FOR THE MOST PART .
MR. COURAGE, I THINK AUDIO] BUT AS YOU GOT IN OFFICE, THAT SEEMS TO HAVE TAPERED DOWN A BIT THERE.
ANYWAY, FOOD FOR THOUGHT THERE.
>> MAYOR NIRENBERG: THANK YOU, MR. FINGER.
>> PELAEZ: THANK YOU, COINCIDENTALLY I ALSO WANTED TO TALK ABOUT ITEMS 19 AND 20, THE SETTLEMENTS.
WHAT I WANTED TO POINT OUT WAS WE HAVE A VERY ROBUST AND REALLY ONE OF THE BEST IN CLASS LEGAL DEPARTMENTS IN THE CITY.
AND, YOU KNOW, SO OFTEN WE TALK ABOUT OUR, YOU KNOW, THE HEROES IN OUR STREETS DEPARTMENTS AND OUR POLICE DEPARTMENTS, FIRE, AND OUR EMS UNITS AND ALL THAT.
THESE LAWYERS, THEY LIVE IN THE SHADOWS AND WE SO RARELY GET TO SEE THEM.
AND WE SO RARELY GET TO UNDERSTAND THE WORK THAT THEY DO.
THERE ISN'T AN ITEM ON ANY OF OUR AGENDAS EVER THAT THESE FOLKS HAVEN'T HELPED US GET TO THE RIGHT RESULT.
AND I WANT TO THANK YOU ALL FOR THE WORK THAT YOU GUYS DO.
AND, YOU KNOW, PARTICULARLY IN THESE TWO CASES I WANT TO THANK YOU FOR KEEPING US OUT OF COURT.
WE RECENTLY SAW ONE OF THE LARGEST VERDICTS IN THE HISTORY OF BEXAR COUNTY OUT OF, YOU KNOW, $706 MILLION, A TOTAL RUNAWAY JURY.
AND YOU GUYS HELP US AVOID THOSE PITFALLS.
LIZ, ANDY, YOUR TEAM, KEEP UP THE GOOD WORK.
>> MAYOR NIRENBERG: WELL SAID.
AND I JUST SIMPLY WANTED TO HIGHLIGHT AN ITEM THAT WILL REMAIN ON CONSENT.
IT IS A CONTRACT TO EXPAND A SERVICE AT PEARSALL PARK.
IT WAS SORT OF OUR BAD IN BUILDING A PARK THAT WE DIDN'T REALIZE WAS GOING TO GET AS MUCH ATTENTION AND FANFARE AS WE THOUGHT IT WOULD FROM THE ENTIRE REGION.
AND SO THIS VOTE TODAY IS FOR THE INSTALLATION OF THE EXPANSION OF THE FILTRATION SYSTEM FOR THE SPLASH PAD, BECAUSE WE HAVE TO KEEP IT ON LITERALLY 24 HOURS OUT OF THE DAY FOR SOME OF THE FOLKS WHO COME IN.
I DIDN'T WANT TO PULL IT BUT I DID WANT TO HIGHLIGHT THE FACT THAT WE'RE GOING TO CONTINUE TO INVEST INTO THE PARK, AND I'M EXCITED TO SEE WHAT THE NEXT PHASE OF THE PROJECT WILL DO.
SO I JUST WANTED TO GIVE A SHOUT OUT TO A FEW FOLKS.
XAVIER, MARK, VERONICA, SANDY IN PARKS AND REC, AS WELL AS THE BENDER AS WELL AS CLARK FIRM WHO IS HELPING US PLAN OUT PHASE TWO.
>> MAYOR NIRENBERG: THANK YOU, COUNCILMAN SALDANA.
>> GONZALES: THANK YOU, MAYOR.
I JUST WANTED TO COMMENT ABOUT THE FIRE MUSEUM.
I HAVE THREE CHILDREN UNDER 5 YEARS OLD AND SO WE OFTEN JUST GO TO THE FIRE STATION CLOSE TO US TO LOOK AT FIRE TRUCKS AND LET THEM ADMIRE THEM.
SO I'M CURIOUS IF THE FIRE MUSEUM IS CHILD FRIENDLY.
IS IT SUITABLE FOR CHILDREN UNDER 5 YEARS OLD? I WOULD HATE TO BRING THEM AND THEN THEY CAN'T TOUCH ANYTHING.
OUR WHOLE AREA IN THE BACK IS SET UP WITH THEATERS.
WE'VE GOT FIRE TRUCKS THAT THEY CAN GET UP ON, PUT THE BUNKER GEAR ON.
WE DO, WHEN THE SCHOOL GROUPS GET ON OUR CALENDAR, WE HAVE VOLUNTEERS THAT DO FIRE SAFETY EDUCATION FOR THE CHILDREN.
AND IT'S REALLY BEEN VERY WELL RECEIVED.
>> GONZALES: I'M SO GLAD TO HEAR THAT BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, OF COURSE, LIKE ALL CHILDREN, MY SONS WANT TO BE FIREFIGHTERS WHEN THEY GROW UP.
SO I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO BRINGING THEM THERE.
>> WE'RE OPEN TO THE PUBLIC TUESDAY THROUGH SATURDAY FROM 10:00 TO 4:00.
THE FIRST TUESDAY OF EVERY MONTH FROM NOON TO 4:00 IS FREE ADMISSION FOR EVERYBODY IN SAN ANTONIO.
AND WHAT IS THE REGULAR ADMISSION?
>> REGULAR ADMISSION FOR AN ADULT IS $5, $3 FOR CHILDREN -- SORRY, $3 FOR SENIORS, $2 FOR CHILDREN.
>> GONZALES: MILITARY DISCOUNT?
>> MILITARY IS FREE IF THEY'RE IN UNIFORM.
I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO BRINGING MY CHILDREN THERE HOPEFULLY IN THE NEXT FEW WEEKS WHEN THEY ARE OFF FOR THE SUMMER WE'LL HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO GO AND LET THEM EXPERIENCE THAT.
IT REALLY IS THE HIGHLIGHT OF THEIR LIVES TO PRETEND TO BE FIREFIGHTERS.
>> WELL, AND SPRING BREAK IS COMING UP TOO, SO THAT'S ALWAYS A VERY BUSY TIME FOR THE MUSEUM.
>> MAYOR NIRENBERG: THANK YOU, COUNCILWOMAN GONZALES.
THERE'S A MOTION AND A SECOND FOR THE BALANCE OF THE CONSENT
[00:20:03]
AGENDA, ALL ITEMS SAVE 5, 9, 23, 24, AND 25.[5. Ordinance approving an Agreement with Economic & Planning Systems, Inc. to provide a comprehensive study of local ad valorem property tax appraisal for a one year term commencing not later than February 28, 2019, in an amount not to exceed $79,780.00. Funding for this contract is included and available in the FY 2019 General Fund Budget. [Ben Gorzell, Chief Financial Officer; Troy Elliott, Deputy Chief Financial Officer, Finance]]
MOTION CARRIES.>> ITEM NO. 5 IS AN ORDINANCE APPROVING AN AGREEMENT WITH ECONOMIC AND PLANNING SYSTEMS, INCORPORATED TO PROVIDE A COMPREHENSIVE STUDY OF LOCAL AD VALOREM PROPERTY TAX APPRAISAL FOR A ONE-YEAR TERM COMMENCING NOT LATER THAN FEBRUARY 28, 2019 IN AN AMOUNT NOT TO EXCEED $79,780, FUNDING FOR THIS CONTRACT IS INCLUDED AND AVAILABLE IN THE 2019 FISCAL YEAR GENERAL FUND BUDGET.
>> MAYOR NIRENBERG: TESTIMONY FROM THE SAN ANTONIO BOARD OF REALTORS IN SUPPORT OF ITEM 5.
I'LL RESERVE MY COMMENTS UNTIL AFTER THE PRESENTATION.
>> MAYOR AND COUNCIL, THIS ITEM NO. 5 IS THE CONTRACT WITH ECONOMIC AND PLANNING SYSTEMS IN THE AMOUNT OF $79,780.
THE FOCUS IS MEETING THE REQUIREMENTS REQUESTED IN THE COUNCILMAN PELAEZ'S CCR.
SPECIFICALLY THE CCR FOCUSED ON REALLY FOUR PRIMARY AREAS.
EXAMINING HOW AD VALOREM VALUATION PRACTICES IN BEXAR COUNTY COMPARED TO OTHER TEXAS COUNTIES.
IT ALSO DRILLS DOWN MORE GRANULARLY ASKING HOW THOSE VALUATION PRACTICES AUDIO] LOOKING AT THE IMPACT OF THOSE VALUATION PRACTICES ON THE CITY'S ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT.
AND LASTLY, DEVELOPING A COMMUNICATION PLAN OR A PROPOSAL TO IMPROVE COMMUNICATION WITH TAXPAYERS.
THIS CCR WAS PRESENTED LAST JUNE TO THE GOVERNANCE COMMITTEE.
WE AS STAFF RECOMMENDED IN ORDER TO MOVE FORWARD WITH THIS WE WOULD ISSUE AN RFP.
THE RFP WOULD HAVE TWO PRIMARY FOCUSES, OR PHASES, IN ORDER TO ACCOMPLISH THE REQUEST.
PHASE ONE WOULD REALLY BE A GATHERING AND AN ANALYTICAL APPROACH TO THE DATA THAT'S AVAILABLE.
LOOKING AT THE BEXAR COUNTY APPRAISAL DISTRICT AND COMPARING THAT TO OTHER APPRAISAL DISTRICTS IN TEXAS.
A SECOND PHASE REALLY CONTINGENT UPON THE RESULTS OF PHASE ONE WOULD BE LOOKING AT THE ECONOMIC IMPACT OF THE APPRAISAL PRACTICES.
WE'VE RECEIVED THE APPROVAL TO MOVE FORWARD WITH THE ISSUANCE OF THE RFP.
WE CONDUCTED A PROCESS AND WE DID EXTENSIVE OUTREACH TO IDENTIFY A FIRM OR FIRMS THAT COULD ACTUALLY CONDUCT THIS SCOPE.
AT THE END OF THE DAY, WE SOLICITED A RESPONSE FROM EPS, HAD A LOT OF GOOD DISCUSSIONS WITH THEM TO GET A FAIR UNDERSTANDING OF THE SCOPE AND CAME BACK WITH THE PROPOSAL.
THEY ARE REALLY EXPERIENCED AND HAVE THEIR EXPERTISE IN THE AREAS OF LAND USE POLICY, REAL ESTATE ECONOMICS, AND LOCAL GOVERNMENT FINANCE.
ALSO HAVE DAVID SCHWARTZ, WHO IS THE EXECUTIVE VICE PRESIDENT OF EPS.
HE IS HERE TODAY IF YOU HAVE ANY SPECIFIC QUESTIONS OF THE FIRM.
LOOKING AT THE SCOPE OF THE CONTRACT, TALK ABOUT PROBABLY THREE MAIN AREAS IN PHASE ONE AT A VERY HIGH LEVEL.
THE FIRST AREA OF THE SCOPE IS TO RESEARCH AND COLLECT DATA FROM THE BEXAR COUNTY APPRAISAL DISTRICT AND OTHER TEXAS APPRAISAL DISTRICTS.
WE IDENTIFIED FOUR APPRAISAL DISTRICTS THAT WE BELIEVE ARE COMPARABLE APPRAISAL DISTRICTS.
THOSE WOULD BE THE APPRAISAL DISTRICTS, OR COUNTIES, DALLAS COUNTY, HARRIS COUNTY, TRAVIS COUNTY, AND TARRANT COUNTY.
THE SECOND AREA WE WOULD FOCUS ON WOULD BE INTERVIEWS WITH COMMERCIAL AND RESIDENTIAL PROPERTY OWNERS IN THE SA METRO AREA AND OTHER TEXAS CITIES.
THIS WOULD ALLOW US TO BASICALLY GET AND JUDGE THE EXPERIENCE OF A BUSINESS OWNER OR A RESIDENT IN SAN ANTONIO AND HOW THEIR EXPERIENCE COMPARES WITHIN THE BEXAR COUNTY APPRAISAL DISTRICT WITH RESPECT TO THOSE VALUATION PROCESSINGS AND APPEALS PROCESS.
AND LASTLY TAKING ALL THE DATA THAT'S BEEN GATHERED, ANALYZING IT, COMPARING IT AND COMING UP WITH FINDINGS AND DOCUMENTING THAT RESEARCH AND REPORT BACK TO THE CITY COUNCIL.
AS I MENTIONED, THIS CONTRACT WITH EPS WOULD BE A COST NOT TO EXCEED $79,780 FOR PHASE ONE.
WE ARE ESTIMATING THAT TO ACTUALLY CONDUCT THE STUDY AND WORK WITH THEM, IT WOULD TAKE APPROXIMATELY THREE MONTHS TO CONDUCT THAT STUDY.
IF THIS ITEM WAS APPROVED TODAY WE WOULD START WITH A KICKOFF WITH THE BEXAR COUNTY APPRAISAL DISTRICT IN MARCH, EARLY MARCH,
[00:25:01]
TO HAVE THAT CONVERSATION WITH THEM AND BEGIN THE STUDY.WE DID HAVE A -- BEN AND I DID HAVE A CONVERSATION WITH THE APPRAISAL DISTRICT IN ADVANCE OF THIS MEETING TODAY AND TALKED THROUGH SOME SIMILAR ITEMS AS FAR AS THE SCOPE, EPS BEING SELECTED AS THE FIRM AND WHAT WOULD BE THE NEXT STEPS WE WOULD WORK WITH THEM ON IN CONDUCTING THE STUDY.
AS I MENTIONED, DEPENDENT UPON THE RESULTS OF PHASE ONE, PHASE TWO WOULD ACTUALLY BE AN OPTIONAL PHASE AND BE REALLY FOCUSED ON THE IMPACT, THOSE VALUATION PROCESSES AND APPEALS HAVE TO THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT WITHIN SAN ANTONIO.
FOR EXAMPLE, AFFORDABLE HOUSING, OUR ANCHOR BUSINESS TENANTS HERE IN SAN ANTONIO.
AND WE WOULD ALSO MOVE FORWARD WITH THE COMMUNICATION STRATEGY.
SHORT PRESENTATION, THAT CONCLUDES IT AND I WOULD BE HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS THAT YOU OR COUNCIL HAVE.
>> MAYOR NIRENBERG: WE HAVE TWO CITIZENS SIGNED UP FOR ITEM NO. 5.
I'M SOPHIE TORRES, VICE PRESIDENT OF GOVERNMENT AFFAIRS FOR THE SAN ANTONIO HISPANIC CHAMBER OF COMMERCE.
WE WROTE A LETTER BACK WHEN COUNCILMAN PELAEZ DID THE CCR AND IT WAS GOING THROUGH THE GOVERNANCE COMMITTEE.
AND WE REALLY THINK THIS IS A VERY GREAT PLAN TO HAVE TRANSPARENCY WITH THESE ISSUES.
WE HEAR FROM BUSINESS OWNERS TIME AND AGAIN OF HOW THEIR TAX INCREASE REALLY AFFECT THEIR TAX BURDEN AND HOW THEY'RE GOING TO INCREASE THEIR BUSINESS IF THEY'RE GOING TO HAVE TO DECREASE THEIR BUSINESS OR BE ABLE TO HIRE EMPLOYEES, DEPENDING ON THE ASSESSMENT.
AND SO WE'RE REALLY EXCITED TO SEE THE DEVELOPMENT OF THIS PLAN AND THE OUTCOME, AND REALLY HOPE TO BE PART OF IT IS IN THE FUTURE.
>> MAYOR NIRENBERG: THANK YOU, MS. TORRES.
I REALLY APPRECIATE THE OPPORTUNITY TO BE ABLE TO COME IN AND SPEAK TODAY.
I DO WANT TO SAY THAT THE HOSPITALITY INDUSTRY IS OUT IN I CHOSE TO STAY BACK TO BE ABLE TO SPEAK HERE TODAY FOR THE HOSPITALITY INDUSTRY AND HOW IMPORTANT IT IS FOR THIS STUDY TO TAKE PLACE.
I DO SERVE ON THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS FOR THE CHOICE HOTEL OWNERS COUNCIL FOR THE 6,000 HOTELS IN THE U.S.
IT REPRESENTS ABOUT 31 INDIVIDUAL HOTEL OWNERS THAT ARE HERE IN SAN ANTONIO THAT ARE OWNER-OPERATORS.
AND I'D LIKE TO THANK OUR CITY COUNCIL FOR TAKING THE OPPORTUNITY TO GO THROUGH THIS PROCESS, TO EVALUATE IT, TO MAKE SURE THAT IT'S FAIR.
THAT WE HAVE THE EQUAL RIGHT AND PROCESS.
THAT THIS IS PASSED AND WE HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY FOR YOU TO GET REAL DATA ON HOW FAIR PROPERTY TAXES CAN BE EVALUATED AUDIO].
MOST OF THE HOTELS ARE ACTUALLY IN THE PROCESS OF BORROWING FUNDS YEAR TO YEAR TO PAY FOR PROPERTY TAXES.
MOST OF THE SMALL OWNERS ARE HAVING TO WORK DOUBLE SHIFTS AT THEIR HOTELS BECAUSE THE BURDEN OF THE PROPERTY TAXES AND VALUATIONS THAT THEY FEEL ARE UNFAIR AND IMPOSED ON THEIR BUSINESSES.
AND I DO HOPE THAT THIS PASSES.
>> PELAEZ: THANK YOU VERY MUCH, MAYOR.
FIRST OF ALL, THANK YOU TO MS. CHADRY AND HER PARTNERS IN THE HOSPITALITY INDUSTRY.
LETTERS OF SUPPORT I'LL BE HANDING OFF TO OUR CLERK INCLUDE, NOT ALL OF THEM, BUT INCLUDE SUPPORT FROM THE BUSINESS COALITION AND ALL THEIR MEMBERS, THE REAL ESTATE COUNCIL, THE SAN ANTONIO TIRZ COUNCIL, THE SAN ANTONIO BOARD OF REALTORS, AND INTERESTINGLY, OF COURSE THE GREATER CHAMBERS AND ALL THE CHAMBERS THAT ARE VERY SUPPORTIVE.
INTERESTINGLY I RECEIVED EXPRESSIONS OF SUPPORT FROM OUR FRIENDS OVER AT TEXAS ORGANIZED PROJECT, TOP, AND OUR FRIENDS AT MOVE.
I THINK THAT THE GENERAL CONSENSUS AMONG FOLKS THAT OBSERVE GOVERNMENT IS THAT
[00:30:02]
BECAUSE THAT INFORMS ROBUST CONVERSATION, BUT IT ALSO INFORMS OUR POLICYMAKING.SO LET ME TELL YOU WHAT THIS IS NOT.
AND I WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT YOU, BOTH OF YOU GENTLEMEN AGREE WITH ME.
THIS IS NOT AN AUDIT OF BEXAR COUNTY APPRAISAL DISTRICT.
AND THIS IS NOT, YOU KNOW, A DEEP DIVE INTO WHETHER OR NOT PEOPLE LIKE OR DISLIKE BCAD.
WHAT THIS IS A COMPARATIVE STUDY ON A COUNTY BY COUNTY BASIS OF HOW SAN ANTONIANS EXPERIENCE THEIR APPRAISAL VALUES PROCESS AND OTHER COUNTIES AND OTHER REGIONS EXPERIENCE THEIRS.
WHY IS THIS IMPORTANT? BECAUSE I TAKE MY COLLEAGUE, COUNCILMAN TREVINO'S WORD, WHEN HE TELLS ME THAT BCAD IS A CONTINUOUS IMPROVEMENT ORGANIZATION THE WAY WE'RE A CONTINUOUS IMPROVEMENT ORGANIZATION.
WHAT I WANTED TO DO WAS JUST GET A LOT OF QUESTIONS ANSWERED.
SOME OF THOSE QUESTIONS INCLUDED HOW DOES THIS IMPACT HOME OWNERSHIP? THE COST OF OWNING YOUR HOME.
HOW DO OUR LOCAL PRACTICES IMPACT WHETHER OR NOT WE'RE PUSHING PEOPLE INTO THE ARMS OF LANDLORDS VERSUS AWAY FROM OWNING THEIR VERY FIRST HOME? HELP OUR HOTELS GET THE MOST VALUE OUT OF BEING IN SAN ANTONIO VERSUS ANYWHERE ELSE.
ARE WE CHASING JOBS OUT OF SAN ANTONIO? ARE WE NOT ATTRACTIVE TO PEOPLE WHO ARE INVESTING? ARE WE HELPING THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT FOUNDATION? ALL THOSE ARE QUESTIONS THAT I'M GOING TO SIT DOWN WITH YOU GUYS AND ASK TO MAKE SURE WE CAN INCLUDE IN THE STUDY.
THOSE ARE QUESTIONS, BY THE WAY, THAT WE HAVE EVERY RIGHT TO ASK.
LET ME TELL YOU SOME OBJECTIONS I'VE HEARD IN THE PAST FROM DIFFERENT QUARTERS SAYING, NUMBER ONE, NONE OF OUR BUSINESS.
WE SHOULD BE STAYING IN OUR OWN LANE AND LOOKING AT DATA THAT ONLY HAS TO DO WITH THE CITY.
WE LOOK AT TEEN PREGNANCY RATES.
ANA SANDOVAL LOOKS AT AIR QUALITY A LOT.
MAYOR, YOU'RE FOCUSED ON COMPARING OTHER CITIES TO OURS WHEN IT COMES TO MOBILITY SOLUTIONS AND HOUSING SOLUTIONS.
WE LOOK ALL THE TIME AT WHAT OTHER FEDERAL AND STATE AGENCIES ARE DOING ACROSS THE STATE AND HOW WE ARE TREATED DIFFERENT OR THE SAME.
THIS IS JUST ONE MORE COLLECTION OF DATA THAT WILL HELP US INFORM HOW BETTER WE CAN BLOCK AND TACKLE FOR OUR CONSTITUENTS AND MAKE SURE TO REMOVE IMPEDIMENTS TO THEIR ABILITY TO THRIVE.
WITH THAT, I WILL HAVE COMMENTS AT THE END AND A SUGGESTION ON HOW TO PROCEED, MAYOR, BUT I HAVE A FEELING THAT MY COLLEAGUES HAVE QUESTIONS.
>> MAYOR NIRENBERG: THANK YOU, COUNCILMAN PELAEZ.
COUNCIL MEMBER, ARE YOU GOING TO MAKE A MOTION LATER? OKAY.
ONE OF THE -- THANK YOU VERY MUCH, COUNCIL MEMBER, FOR MOVING THIS FORWARD.
I WAS GLAD TO SIGN ON TO IT AND HIGHLIGHTING THE AREAS OF WHERE WE CAN DO CONTINUOUS IMPROVEMENT AND LOOK AT WHAT IS GOING WELL AND WHAT IS NOT GOING WELL AND HOW DOES THAT IMPACT US AND OUR PROPERTY OWNERS.
I WAS VERY HAPPY TO SIGN ON TO THIS BECAUSE AS WE LOOK AT TRANSITION NEIGHBORHOODS -- AND I HEAR MY SMALL BUSINESSES AND MY COMMERCIAL PROPERTIES, I'M ALSO LISTENING TO A LOT OF NEIGHBORS THAT SAW THIS AND HAVE SENT LETTERS OF SUPPORT ASKING US TO SUPPORT THIS STUDY MOVING FORWARD, WHICH I'M VERY PROUD TO DO.
BECAUSE AS WE PLAN OUR FUTURE AS A CITY AND LOOKING AT CAPS, ET CETERA, AT THE LEDGE, WE NEED TO SEE WHERE WE CAN HELP.
AND I AM GOING TO JUST SHARE A STORY OF JUST WHAT HAPPENED THIS PAST WEEKEND.
MANY OF YOU ALL KNOW COUNCIL MOM, MY MOTHER.
LOOKING THROUGH HER TAXES IT SEEMED THAT IN 2011 WHEN MY FATHER PASSED AWAY, IN 2012 THEY, THE BEXAR COUNTY APPRAISAL DISTRICT, REMOVED HER HOMESTEAD EXEMPTION AND THE VETERANS TAX FROM THE HOMESTEAD.
SO FROM ONE YEAR AUDIO] TO THE VERY NEXT YEAR JUMPING UP TO $3,000 IN TAXES.
SHE IS A SENIOR, BUT BACK THEN THEY WERE JUST SENDING CONDOLENCE LETTERS AND THE RESIDENTS HAD TO TAKE THE INITIATIVE AND CALL AND SAY PUT THIS BACK ON.
NOW THAT JUST CHANGED A YEAR AGO, BUT WE JUST FOUND OUT ABOUT THIS THIS PAST WEEKEND.
AND SHE'S INVOLVED IN CITY GOVERNMENT.
SHE KNOWS WHAT'S HAPPENING HERE.
BUT HOW MANY PEOPLE ARE LIVING LIKE THIS RIGHT NOW THAT ARE RESIDENTS THAT WE NEED TO DO THIS DUE DILIGENCE ON? AND THIS IS IN THE SOUTH SIDE OF SAN ANTONIO.
SO AFTER SEEING THAT, KNOWING WHAT MY MOTHER IS GOING THROUGH AND OTHERS, WE -- I'M PROUD THAT WE'RE MOVING FORWARD AND DOING THIS DEEP DIVE WHERE WE NEED TO.
I'M PROUD TO SIGN ON AND I'LL BE HAPPY TO MAKE THE SECOND WHEN YOU MAKE IT.
[00:35:02]
THANK YOU.>> MAYOR NIRENBERG: THANK YOU, COUNCILWOMAN VIAGRAN.
NOW, AS CHAIR OF THE AUDIT COMMITTEE, WE SEE DOZENS OF VALUATIONS OF VARIOUS CITY DEPARTMENTS AND PROCESSES AND IN SOME CASES WE FIND A PROBLEM EXISTS.
AND WE WANT TO GET TO A REASONABLE RESOLUTION.
BUT IN MOST CASES WE JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE THERE'S NOTHING WE'RE MISSING , OR IF WE'RE FOLLOWING BEST PRACTICES.
WE VERY WELL MAY FIND NOTHING UNUSUAL WITH THE WAY BCAD APPRAISES PROPERTIES.
ON THE OTHER HAND, IF THERE IS SOMETHING OUT OF WHACK AS COMPARED WITH OTHER MUNICIPALITIES, WE WANT TO BE SURE THAT WE ARE DOING THE BEST AND THERE IS AN OPPORTUNITY -- IF THERE IS AN OPPORTUNITY WHAT WE DO KNOW IS THAT RESIDENTS CONTINUE TO TELL US THAT THEY'RE FEELING THE PRESSURE OF INCREASED TAXES AS A RESULT OF INCREASED PROPERTY VALUES.
JUST YESTERDAY IN A COMPREHENSIVE PLANNING COMMITTEE MEETING WE HEARD FROM VERO SOTO PERTAINING TO RISK MITIGATION AND RESIDENT FEEDBACK WHICH IS TELLING US THAT TAXES AND SOARING PROPERTY VALUES ARE A CONTRIBUTING FACTOR WHEN IT COMES TO DISPLACEMENT AND PEOPLE HAVING TO GIVE UP THEIR HOMES.
SO I THINK THAT IT'S CERTAINLY IN ORDER FOR THIS COUNCIL TO TAKE THESE STEPS TO EXAMINE THE PROCESSES THAT ARE BEING USED.
I HOPE THAT WE DO CONTINUE TO FIND AND IMPLEMENT BEST PRACTICES IN THE EVALUATION PROCESS IN BEXAR COUNTY.
>> MAYOR NIRENBERG: THANK YOU, COUNCILMAN COURAGE.
>> BROCKHOUSE: THANK YOU, MAYOR.
JUST A QUICK THANKS AUDIO] WORKING TOGETHER ON PROPERTY TAX ISSUES SINCE WE TOOK OFFICE.
SO THIS IS A GREAT OPPORTUNITY TO GRAB ACTUAL DATA.
FOR US TO BE ABLE TO MAKE EVALUATIONS.
AND WHAT'S IMPORTANT TO ME WHEN I SEE THIS, ESPECIALLY IN INTERVIEWS WITH COMMERCIAL AND PROPERTY REPRESENTATIVES, I THINK WE'RE GOING TO LEARN A LOT ABOUT THE BEXAR COUNTY APPRAISAL DISTRICT.
AND I'M GOING TO PUSH JUST A LITTLE BIT FURTHER, COUNCILMAN PELAEZ, THAT WE TAKE THAT DATA AND WE FORCE CHANGES AT THE BEXAR COUNTY APPRAISAL DISTRICT.
SO TO ME IT'S A LITTLE MORE THAN JUST INFORMATION GATHERING.
I THINK IT'S A VERIFICATION OF WHAT PEOPLE FEEL ABOUT THEIR TAXES, HOW THEY FEEL ABOUT THE SERVICE, AND I'M HOPING TO GET THAT INFORMATION AND REALLY TAKE THAT TO MAKE SOME TANGIBLE CHANGES AT THE APPRAISAL DISTRICT.
I INTUITIVELY KNOW, I THINK YOU DO TOO, WHAT WE'RE GOING TO GET FROM THOSE EVALUATIONS AND THE PROCESS NEEDS TO CHANGE.
THERE'S TWO WAYS TO PUT -- THAT'S TO LOWER THE RATE OR THE VALUATION.
YOU HAVE ADDED THE SECOND PIECE.
COUNCILMAN PERRY AND I CONTINUE TO FIGHT FOR LOWER PROPERTY TAXES ON ONE SIDE OF IT AND YOU HAVE COME IN NOW ON THE OTHER SIDE TO SAY, OKAY, BUT THE VALUATION IS JUST AS IMPORTANT.
IF I CAN'T GET THEM THE LOWER RATE I CAN SURE AS HECK MAKE SURE THEIR $150,000 HOME ISN'T PRICED AT 225.
THEY'LL NEVER SELL IT FOR THAT OR GET THAT VALUE, BUT THEY'RE PAYING TAXES ON IT.
I THINK YOU HAVE ANSWERED THE SECOND HALF OF THAT.
I WANTED TO THANK YOU AND YOUR TEAM FOR THAT.
I LOOK FORWARD TO THE RESULTS OF THIS.
IT'S GOING TO BE A TOOL WE CAN USE TO DRIVE CHANGE.
YOU HAVE BEEN ON THIS ONE SINCE I SAW YOU AT THE BEGINNING OF THE TERM, WHEN THE CHIEF APPRAISER CAME OUT AND YOU WERE PRETTY POINTED THAT THESE NEEDED TO GO.
I APPRECIATE YOU FIGHTING ON BEHALF OF THE TAXPAYERS AND I LOOK FORWARD TO JOINING YOU IN MAKING TANGIBLE CHANGES AT THE APPRAISAL DISTRICT.
>> MAYOR NIRENBERG: THANK YOU, COUNCILMAN BROCKHOUSE.
>> SANDOVAL: THANK YOU, MAYOR.
I WOULD LIKE TO THANK COUNCILMAN PELAEZ FOR COMING FORWARD WITH THIS CCR AND THIS IDEA AND LETTING ME PUT IN SOME SUGGESTIONS INTO THAT CCR, LIKE CENSUS TRACTS.
I COMPLETELY AGREE WITH YOU THAT INFORMED POLICYMAKING REQUIRES AN UNDERSTANDING AND INFORMATION THAT MAYBE WE DON'T HAVE IN OUR HANDS RIGHT NOW.
YOU KNOW, I ALWAYS SAY -- WE ALL SAY THIS, THAT OUR CITY IS GROWING FASTER THAN IT EVER HAS BEFORE AND THAT'S DRIVING UP OUR PROPERTY VALUES.
AND OUR PROPERTIES, WHETHER YOU'RE A BUSINESS OWNER, WHETHER YOU'RE A HOMEOWNER, PROPERTIES ARE HOW WE CREATE WEALTH IN OUR COMMUNITY, WEALTH THAT WE CAN PASS ON TO OUR CHILDREN.
SO DRIVING UP VALUES SHOULD ACTUALLY BE A GOOD THING.
HOWEVER, IN A PLACE WHERE WE DON'T HAVE AN INCOME TAX, WE REALLY ONLY HAVE OUR PROPERTY TAX, IT COMES WHEN YOU HAVE AN INCOME TAX YOU HAVE A LEVEL OF TRANSPARENCY ABOUT HOW YOUR TAX BURDEN IS ARRIVED AT.
YOU ALSO HAVE SOME PREDICTABILITY ABOUT IT.
BUT WHEN IT COMES TO A PROPERTY TAX, YOU REALLY DON'T HAVE THAT TRANSPARENCY.
WE DON'T EXACTLY KNOW HOW THE APPRAISALS ARE DONE.
[00:40:01]
RAPID GROWTH WE DON'T HAVE THAT PREDICTABILITY.I TOO HAVE STORIES OF HOMEOWNERS THAT HAVE SEEN A CHANGE THAT THEY DIDN'T EXPECT IN THEIR TAX BURDEN.
AND IT'S NOT JUST HOMEOWNERS, BUT RENTERS AS WELL.
I HAVE A RESIDENT WHO HE OWNS A HOME IN DISTRICT 7 AND RENTS OUT A COUPLE OF PROPERTIES IN SOME OF THE OTHER DISTRICTS.
IN NEIGHBORHOODS OF TRANSITION WHERE MAYBE THERE'S BEEN SOME HOUSES THAT HAVE BEEN RENOVATED AND GO FOR A REALLY HIGH PRICE.
BUT HIS TAX BURDEN GOES UP AS WELL.
AND HE HAS TO PASS THAT ON TO RENTERS WHO MAY NOT BE MAKING A LOT OF MONEY.
AND THEY DON'T HAVE THE BENEFIT OF A HOMESTEAD EXEMPTION BECAUSE THEY'VE NEVER BEEN ABLE TO PURCHASE A HOME.
SO THESE ARE THE TYPES OF THINGS THAT WE WANT TO UNDERSTAND BETTER.
IT'S REALLY WHY I ASKED FOR AN ANALYSIS BY WHERE WE'RE SEEING MAYBE A LOT RAPID -- A LOT HIGHER APPRAISALS FROM YEAR TO YEAR.
OUR RESIDENTS EXPECT US TO UNDERSTAND THEM AND THEN HELP THEM RESOLVE THAT ISSUE.
SO THAT'S WHY WE NEED THAT INFORMATION.
I THINK THERE'S ALSO A LOT TO GAIN IN UNDERSTANDING WHO IS PROTESTING AND WHO IS NOT.
THAT DEFINITELY BECOMES AN ISSUE OF EQUITY IN OUR COMMUNITY.
BECAUSE NOT EVERYONE HAS THE TIME, THE AGENCY, THE WHEREWITHAL, THE COMPUTER SKILLS TO EFFECTIVELY PROTEST THEIR APPRAISAL.
AND THEN, YOU KNOW, SOME END UP WITH A GREATER PROPERTY BURDEN THAN THEY WOULD HAVE -- A TAX BURDEN THAN THEY WOULD IF THEY HAD THOSE ABILITIES.
I REALLY LOOK FORWARD TO THE RESULTS OF THIS STUDY AND LOOK FORWARD TO HOW WE CAN MAKE BETTER POLICY WITH THAT INFORMATION.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH, COUNCILMAN.
>> MAYOR NIRENBERG: THANK YOU, COUNCILWOMAN SANDOVAL.
THIS SHOULD HAVE BEEN DONE A LONG TIME AGO.
I'M GLAD YOU'RE TAKING UP THE REIGNS.
I'M JUST SORRY I DIDN'T GET TO SIGN THAT CCR, BUT MAYBE NEXT TIME.
WELL, LISTEN, I CONTINUALLY HEAR HORROR STORIES OUT THERE, NOT ONLY FROM BUSINESSES BUT FROM HOMEOWNERS ABOUT THE PROPERTY TAXES AND THE VALUATIONS AND WHAT THEY HAVE TO GO THROUGH.
I HAVE MY OWN HORROR STORIES THAT I HAVE TO DEAL WITH YEAR AFTER YEAR AFTER YEAR.
IF I MISS ONE TIME THAT I GO INTO PROTEST THE PROPERTY VALUATION AND WHAT THEY'RE SAYING MY PROPERTY IS WORTH WHERE IT WAS SEVERAL YEARS AGO I WAS ABLE TO PROTEST YEAR AFTER YEAR.
BUT JUST ONE TIME -- THERE'S HORROR STORIES LIKE THAT ALL OVER THE PLACE.
AND IT'S TIME THAT WE DO THIS.
AND I DO HAVE A QUESTION FOR YOU, THOUGH, TROY.
HAVE WE ACTUALLY REACHED OUT TO THE BCAD AND TALKED TO THEM ABOUT THIS AND COORDINATED THIS WITH THEM AND LET THEM KNOW WHAT WE'RE DOING AND WHAT WERE THEIR COMMENTS?
>> BEN AND I MET WITH THE BCAD PROBABLY TWO TO THREE WEEKS AGO AND HAD A SIMILAR DISCUSSION WITH THEM THAT WE'RE HAVING WITH Y'ALL TODAY.
BASICALLY TALKED TO THEM ABOUT THE SCOPE OF KIND OF THE DATA THAT WOULD BE NEEDED AND ALSO THAT WE WERE LOOKING TO RETAIN EPS TO DO IT.
THEY JUST WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT THE STUDY WAS GOING TO BE INDEPENDENT AND OBJECTIVE, WHICH THE STUDY IS.
I THINK THAT'S VERY IMPORTANT TO GIVE THEM NOTICE AND LET THEM KNOW WHAT WE'RE DOING AND GET THEIR COOPERATION IN THIS WHOLE PROCESS.
YOU KNOW, I'VE GONE TO A NUMBER OF MEETINGS WHERE AUDIO] AND FOR SOMEONE TO BE PROUD OF THE FACT THAT THEY HAVE HUNDREDS AND HUNDREDS OF MILLIONS OF DOLLARS IN LAWSUITS AGAINST OUR BUSINESSES ACROSS BEXAR COUNTY, THAT'S THE WRONG ATTITUDE.
YOU SHOULDN'T BE PROUD OF THAT.
YOU SHOULD BE WORKING TO REDUCE THAT AND NOT BE PROUD OF THAT FACT.
AND THAT REALLY STICKS IN MY CRAW ABOUT OUR CURRENT TAXING DISTRICT AND THEIR ATTITUDE TOWARDS NOT ONLY BUSINESSES BUT HOMEOWNERS AS WELL.
I AM GOING TO STICK OUT THERE.
I'M LISTENING TO MY COLLEAGUES TALK AROUND THIS DAIS HERE ABOUT, YOU KNOW, WHAT THEY'RE HEARING FROM THEIR CONSTITUENTS OUT THERE IS PROPERTY TAX RELIEF.
WHAT CAN WE DO HERE AS A CITY? WELL, I CAN TELL YOU WHAT WE CAN DO.
I'VE BEEN TRYING TO PUSH FOR THE LAST TWO YEARS IS PROVIDE A
[00:45:01]
HOMESTEAD EXEMPTION.SO I'M GOING TO BE PUSHING AGAIN THAT CONCEPT THIS YEAR IN OUR BUDGET WORKING GROUP, AND I HOPE ANY COLLEAGUES WILL JOIN US FOR PROPERTY TAX RELIEF.
AND I THANK MY COLLEAGUE, JOHN COURAGE, FOR PUTTING A CCR TOGETHER.
AND WE'VE GOT SOME SIGNATURES ON THAT THAT'S GONE THROUGH TO GOVERNANCE.
AND I HOPE WE CAN ALL JOIN TOGETHER TO SUPPORT THAT, TO OFFER THAT TAX RELIEF TO OUR HOMEOWNERS HERE.
WITH THAT, I'LL TOTALLY SUPPORT THIS AND THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR BRINGING THIS UP, COUNCILMAN PELAEZ.
>> MAYOR NIRENBERG: THANK YOU, COUNCILMAN PERRY.
AND I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO WHAT THE RESULTS OF THE STUDY THAT WE ARE COMMISSIONING WOULD BE AND ALSO AT THE SAME TIME WHAT OUR OWN MEASURE OF SUCCESS LOOKS LIKE IF WE GET RESULTS AND FIND THAT THERE IS SOMETHING THAT WE MIGHT BE ABLE TO DO SOMETHING ABOUT.
I THINK EQUIPPING OURSELVES WITH THE DATA TO SAY WE ARE OUTLIERS WITH RESPECT TO A BENCHMARKED CITY IS IMPORTANT, BUT THAT I SUPPOSE THE NEXT QUESTION IS WHAT ARE YOU GOING TO DO ABOUT IT? AND I THINK WE HAVE TO SORT OF FIGURE OUT WHAT LEVERS WE HAVE TO PULL IN THAT.
I WILL SAY ON THE CONCEPT HERE, IT'S IMPORTANT FOR US TO REITERATE THIS IDEA THAT IN AUDIO] TO THE KNOWLEDGE IT TAKES TO TRY TO DRIVE DOWN YOUR PROPERTY TAXES.
AND SOMETIMES THAT KNOWLEDGE BASE ISN'T SHARED IN AN EQUITABLE MANNER THROUGHOUT OUR CITY.
I'M GRATEFUL TO KNOW THAT WHAT WE WILL HEAR IS THEY'RE GOING TO DO SOME STUDYING ON WHAT AREAS DO PROTESTS AND WHAT AREAS MAY NOT.
IT REMINDS ME OF THE CONCEPT THAT WE HAVE FOR WHY WE STARTED THE VITA PROGRAM, THE PROGRAM THAT HELPS SOME OF OUR LOWER INCOME RESIDENTS TO FILL OUT THEIR TAXES TO MAXIMIZE THE AMOUNT OF RETURN THEY GET.
IN MANY CASES FOLKS, BECAUSE THEY DON'T HAVE ACCESS TO ACCOUNTANTS OR LAWYERS, ARE PAYING MORE OR NOT GETTING ENOUGH BACK IN THEIR FEDERAL INCOME TAXES BECAUSE THEY JUST DON'T HAVE THE WHEREWITHAL OR THE RESOURCES TO DO THAT.
IT SOUNDS SIMILAR TO THE PROCESS WE HAVE NOW FOR PROTESTS.
AND I THINK OUR CHIEF APPRAISER HAS DONE A REALLY GREAT JOB IN EXPLAINING THAT THERE IS A GREAT PROBABILITY OF YOU LOWERING YOUR RATE IF YOU ACTUALLY GO AND PROTEST.
AND I THINK IT'S THAT IF YOU ACTUALLY GO THAT MAKES UP A LARGE MAJORITY OF OUR RESIDENTS.
BECAUSE I'M CERTAINLY CONFUSED ABOUT WHAT THE PROCESS LOOKS LIKE.
IT IS HIEROGLYPHICS TO FOLKS THAT PAY ATTENTION TO IT SO I KNOW IT IS ANOTHER LANGUAGE ENTIRELY TO SOME OF OUR RESIDENTS.
I HOPE WE ARE ABLE TO MAKE SENSE OF A DISCREPANCY OR OUTLIER BEXAR COUNTY MAY PLAY, IF IT IS.
COUNCILMAN, JUST GIVE US A SENSE OF WHAT SUCCESS LOOKS LIKE WHEN WE GET THIS REPORT BACK SO WE MIGHT BE ABLE TO EXPLAIN TO THE COMMUNITY THAT WE'RE NOT JUST GOING OUT TO DO A STUDY FOR THE SAKE OF A STUDY, WE'RE TRYING TO GET A SENSE OF WHAT EQUIPMENT, WHAT TOOLS WE WOULD HAVE TO ACTUALLY DO SOMETHING ABOUT THIS.
SO LOOK FORWARD TO SUPPORTING AND GRATEFUL THAT WE'RE HAVING THE CONVERSATION.
>> MAYOR NIRENBERG: THANK YOU, COUNCILMAN SALDANA.
SO THAT IS THE QUESTION, RIGHT? ONCE YOU COLLECT THIS DATA WHAT ARE YOU GOING TO DO WITH IT? AND THAT'S WHAT EVERYBODY HAS -- WHO HAS TAKEN AN INTEREST IN THIS HAS ASKED.
THE ANSWER THAT I BELIEVE THAT EVERYBODY IS -- AGREES WITH IS THAT THERE HAS NEVER BEEN DATA LIKE THIS, EVER.
AND THAT BECAUSE THERE'S NEVER BEEN DATA LIKE THIS THE ONLY THING THAT WE'VE HAD TO DISCUSS IS THE ANECDOTES THAT WE SHARE WITH EACH OTHER.
AND THAT IT IS NOT GOOD ENOUGH TO HAVE AN INFORMED CONVERSATION WITHOUT THE DATA.
AND SO THE FIRST GOAL THAT EVERYBODY AGREES WITH IS THAT THEY FINALLY, AFTER MANY YEARS, WANT TO HAVE AN ACCURATE CONVERSATION.
AND EVERYBODY BE SINGING OFF THE SAME HYMNAL OR LOOKING AT THE SAME HYMNAL.
AND ONCE THAT DATA IS BROUGHT TOGETHER I WOULD CONSIDER IT A HUGE SUCCESS TO PUBLISH THIS TO EVERY SINGLE TAXPAYER WHO HAS AN INTEREST IN FIGURING OUT WHY GOVERNMENT IS THE WAY IT IS.
AND HOW IT IS THAT WE AND THE OTHER GOVERNMENT AGENCIES ARE VULNERABLE ENOUGH AND WILLING TO BE VULNERABLE TO DO A META ANALYSIS OF HOW WE IMPACT THEIR LIVES.
THAT IN AND OF ITSELF, WITHOUT ANYTHING ELSE, IS VALUABLE AND IS A SUCCESS.
NOW, THE SECOND THING IS, FOLLOWING UP AND ECHOING IN AUDIO] NEED TO BE ABLE TO GO SPEAK TO BCAD ABOUT OPPORTUNITIES FOR IMPROVEMENT.
IF WE FIND OUT THAT IN FACT THERE IS DISPARATE TREATMENT OF BEXAR COUNTY RESIDENTS AS COMPARED TO OTHERS, WE CAN EASILY
[00:50:16]
THE ONLY THING THAT WE HAVE EVER HAD IS ANECDOTES, AND IT'S EASY TO SWAT ANECDOTES AWAY.COUNCILMAN SALDANA, THAT, FOR ME AUTHORITIES, RIGHT? BUT I THINK IT WILL HELP US ALSO INFORM OUR SCHOOL BOARD TRUSTEES, OUR FRIENDS OVER AT THE RIVER AUTHORITY, OUR FRIENDS AT, YOU KNOW, BEXAR COUNTY TO REALLY LOOK AT, YOU KNOW, WHAT IT IS THAT NOT HAVING THE CONVERSATION HAS RESULTED IN OVER THE YEARS, WHICH IS, IN MY OPINION, POSSIBLY SHIFTING THE BURDEN ON TO POOR PEOPLE, YOU KNOW, AS OPPOSED TO THE FOLKS IN MY NEIGHBORHOODS WHO LIVE IN THE DOMINION.
THEY'VE GOT THE MONEY IT TAKES TO BE ABLE TO HIRE A LAW FIRM TO GO SUE AND WIN.
BUT EVERY DOLLAR THAT THEY SAVE IS PAID BY SOMEBODY ELSE AND THAT'S -- WE NEED TO KNOW WHERE THE CANCER IS IN ORDER TO CURE THAT CANCER.
AND SO I KNOW THAT'S A HEADY AND SORT OF MACRO ANSWER THAN YOU PROBABLY WANTED, BUT THAT'S THE ANSWER -- AND I HOPE THAT THAT SATISFIES YOUR QUESTION.
WITH THAT, MAYOR, I DID LAST NIGHT HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK TO BCAD LEADERSHIP.
BCAD LEADERSHIP HAS BEEN VERY OPEN TO HEARING ME.
AND AT FIRST THERE WAS SOME RETICENCE AND SOME ANGER AND SOME CONSTERNATION ABOUT WHAT IS THIS.
WE DON'T WANT TO BE LOOKED AT.
WE DON'T LOOK AT YOU, RIGHT? AND THEN, YOU KNOW, THEIR ATTITUDE STARTED CHANGING WHEN I TOLD THEM, LOOK, THIS IS AN OPPORTUNITY FOR ALL OF US TO IMPROVE.
AND IT IS GOING TO POSSIBLY RESULT IN A DIFFICULT CONVERSATION.
AND I REMINDED THEM THAT WE ARE THEIR NUMBER ONE CUSTOMER.
AS THE NUMBER ONE CUSTOMER, THE QUESTIONS THAT WE'RE ASKING AND THE QUESTIONS WE'RE REQUIRING SHOULD BE TAKEN SERIOUSLY.
THEY SAID WE DO TAKE THAT SERIOUSLY AND, YOU'RE RIGHT.
YOU'RE OUR NUMBER ONE CUSTOMER.
THEY FREQUENTLY DO TALK ABOUT CUSTOMER SERVICE AND HOW THAT'S AN IMPORTANT ORGANIZATIONAL VALUE TO THEM.
AND SO I'M HAPPY TO REPORT THAT AFTER THOSE CONVERSATIONS WE HAD LAST NIGHT WITH BCAD LEADERSHIP, I INVITED THEM TO DO THE RIGHT THING AND JOIN US IN THIS EFFORT TO DO THIS META ANALYSIS OF THEMSELVES AND HOW WE ALL FIT INTO, YOU KNOW, THIS ECOSYSTEM OF TAXATION.
AND GOT A TENTATIVE AGREEMENT FROM BCAD TO PARTNER WITH US.
AS UNEXPECTED AS IT MAY BE TO SOME OF YOU, I'M GOING TO ASK YOU TO GIVE THEM THE BENEFIT OF THE DOUBT AND GIVE THEM THE OPPORTUNITY TO MEET IN MARCH SO THAT WE CAN BRING THIS ITEM BACK UP ON APRIL 4TH.
IF IN FACT THEY CAN COME UP WITH THE RESOURCES TO HELP PARTNER AND GET THIS THING DONE, THAT WILL BE A GOOD DAY.
BUT IT WILL BE A GOOD DAY NONETHELESS, BECAUSE THIS ITEM IS GOING TO BE COMING UP ON APRIL 4TH, IF YOU AGREE ON THAT, FOR US TO VOTE ON IT WITH OR WITHOUT THAT PARTNERSHIP.
AND SO I'M ASKING FOR YOU GUYS TO HAVE SOME PATIENCE, TO LET US HAMMER OUT A MORE CONCRETE AGREEMENT WITH THEM.
BUT I DO THINK THE RESULT IS GOING TO BE THE SAME AS WE WOULD GET AS WE WOULD GET THE VOTE TODAY.
TO YOUR POINT, COUNCILMAN PERRY, GETTING COOPERATION IS AS IMPORTANT AS ANYTHING ELSE.
AND SO I'M HOPING THAT Y'ALL WILL ACCEPT MY MOTION TO POSTPONE THIS TO THE BEGINNING OF APRIL AFTER BCAD -- HOPEFULLY THEY'LL CALL A MEETING IN MARCH, AND MY MOTION IS TO CONTINUE.
>> MAYOR NIRENBERG: THERE IS A MOTION AND A SECOND FOR A CONTINUANCE OF ITEM NO. 4 TO APRIL 4.
>> GONZALES: I JUST WANTED TO -- SORRY.
DID YOU ALREADY HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND FOR A DELAY? WE WERE HAVING A SIDEBAR CONVERSATION HERE.
FORGIVE ME FOR CHIMING IN LATE ON THIS ONE BECAUSE I WAS ACTUALLY DOING A LITTLE INDEPENDENT STUDY MYSELF IN-HOUSE ABOUT SOME DATA.
THE BENEFIT OF HAVING PH.D.S AND PH.D. INTERNS ON YOUR STAFF IS THEY LOVE DATA.
WE WERE DOING SOME IN-HOUSE WORK AND WONDERED IF THERE'S
[00:55:01]
POTENTIAL TO EXPAND THE SCOPE OF THE CITY -- STUDY TO WORK ON SOME OF THE THINGS WE WERE WORKING ON THAT HAS TO DO WITH VALUATIONS AND DIFFERENT -- I WOULD HAVE TO ASK OFFLINE IF IT'S POSSIBLE TO ADD SOMETHING TO THE STUDY.IS IT ALREADY SET TO THE EXTENT CAN WE EXPAND WHAT THAT STUDY MIGHT INCLUDE IF THERE'S A POTENTIAL TO --
SO IF I MAY ANSWER, I WOULD LOVE IF WE COULD MAKE SURE THAT THE FIRST GO ROUND WE GET IT RIGHT.
AND IF GETTING IT RIGHT MEANS ANSWERING QUESTIONS THAT YOU'VE GOT ALSO AND MAKING SURE THAT WE'RE INCLUDING ALL, YOU KNOW, POSSIBILITIES FOR COLLECTING GOOD DATA, THEN THAT, FOR ME, IS SOMETHING I CELEBRATE AND I ENCOURAGE.
WHICH MEANS THAT THAT WOULD GIVE US THE TIME NECESSARY IN THE FIRST MEETING IN APRIL TO SIT DOWN WITH YOUR TEAM TO INCLUDE SOME OF THESE ADDITIONS.
SO LONG, OF COURSE, THAT IT DOESN'T DERAIL WHAT YOU HAVE ACCOMPLISHED.
>> GONZALES: I THOUGHT THAT WAS PROBABLY A QUESTION FOR YOU, TROY, TO SEE IF -- ONLY BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, OF COURSE THE STUDY THAT WE'RE DOING IN-HOUSE DID NOT GO OUT FOR AN RFP AND DID NOT INCLUDE ALL OF THE PROFESSIONALS.
AND THEN SOMETIMES THEN THE REPORTS ARE NOT TAKEN TO BE AS VALUABLE BECAUSE WE DIDN'T GO THROUGH THE PROCESS.
EVEN IF THE RESULT THAT I HAVE IS SIMILAR.
SO RATHER THAN SPEND THE TIME DOING IT MYSELF, COULD WE JUST INCLUDE IT IN WHAT YOU ALREADY HAVE? OR, IF THE RFP IS ALREADY SET AND THE PARAMETERS ARE SET, THEN THAT'S FINE.
>> I THINK WE CAN SIT DOWN AND LOOK AND SEE IF THERE'S A FIT WITH THE CURRENT SCOPE, AND IF IT FITS, WE CAN INCLUDE IT.
WITH THE CONTINUANCE THERE'S AN OPPORTUNITY TO DO THAT.
I THINK WITH THE DISCUSSIONS WITH BCAD IN MARCH AND JOINING THEM, THERE MAY BE SOME ADDITIONAL SCOPE MODIFICATIONS AS WELL.
I THINK THE ONLY LIMITATION WOULD BE THAT IT FITS WITHIN THE SPIRIT OF THE CCR.
>> GONZALES: THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR THAT.
>> PELAEZ: MAYOR, I PROMISE I'M DONE.
BEFORE I'M DONE I WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT IT IS ABSOLUTELY CLEAR THAT MY HOPE IS THAT WE CAN REACH SOME AGREEMENT WITH BCAD AS FAR AS THE SCOPE OF THE PARTNERSHIP.
IF WE DON'T BETWEEN NOW AND THAT DAY, I'M BRINGING THIS FORWARD AGAIN AND I'M GOING TO ASK FOR YOUR VOTE THAT WE DO THIS INDEPENDENTLY OR, YOU KNOW, INDEPENDENTLY.
BECAUSE IT DOES NEED TO BE DONE AND IT SEEMS LIKE THERE'S CONSENSUS AROUND THE TABLE.
>> MAYOR NIRENBERG: THANK YOU, COUNCILWOMAN GONZALES.
>> BROCKHOUSE: THANK YOU, MAYOR.
COUNCILMAN PELAEZ, A COUPLE OF CLARIFYING QUESTIONS FOR YOU.
IS THIS ABOUT -- IS THIS A FINANCIAL SHARE? IS THAT WHAT THIS IS PREDOMINANTLY ABOUT FOR YOU? HELP ME UNDERSTAND WHY WE JUST DON'T GO RIGHT NOW.
I'M JUST -- IS IT ABOUT THE CASH AND SPLITTING THE COST?
SO FIRST OF ALL PREFACE THIS BY SAYING THERE'S NO COMMITMENT YET ON THE CASH AMOUNT OR WHETHER OR NOT THEY'RE WILLING TO THROW MONEY IN, BUT THAT'S THE CONVERSATION WE'RE HAVING.
AND THIS EXTRA TIME GIVES ME THE OPPORTUNITY TO FLESH THAT OUT.
IF WE CAN FIGURE OUT A WAY TO SAVE $80,000, THAT'S A GOOD TING.
BUT, NUMBER TWO, I WOULD MUCH RATHER HAVE THEIR COOPERATION DURING THIS STUDY THAN NOT.
BECAUSE IF THEY'VE GOT SKIN IN THE GAME, THEN I DO THINK THAT WE'RE GOING TO END UP GETTING THIS DONE FASTER.
BUT THE CAVEAT, OF COURSE, AND I'M DRIVING THIS HOME WITH THEM, IS THAT THEIR PARTNERSHIP AND THEIR CONTRIBUTION DOES NOT OBVIATE THE NECESSITY FOR THIS TO BE OBJECTIVE AND DOES NOT TAKE AWAY THE FACT THAT THIS IS OUR STUDY AND THAT THIS IS OUR SCOPE AND THAT THE END RESULT NEEDS TO BE TRANSPARENT AND TRUSTWORTHY.
>> BROCKHOUSE: I WOULD JUST TELL YOU TWO POINTS.
LIKE I DON'T THINK WE SHOULD WAIT.
AND THEIR PORTION OF THEIR $39,000 OR $40,000, WHATEVER IT IS, THIS IS A FAR GREATER REACH FOR THE HOMEOWNERS THAT I THINK THAT THAT'S CASH WORTH SPENDING.
BECAUSE THE LONG TERM, YOU TALK ABOUT ROI, WHAT WE'RE GOING TO LEARN FROM THIS IS HUGE.
THE SECOND PIECE IS IF THEY BEGIN TO SHARE INTO IT I'M CONCERNED, LIKE YOU'VE CREATED SOMETHING HERE THAT IS A TOOL FOR THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO AND ITS RESIDENTS TO FIND OUT THE TRUTH ABOUT WHAT'S REALLY HAPPENING AND TO QUANTIFY THESE ISSUES AND GET SOLID DATA.
NO OFFENSE TO THE BEXAR COUNTY APPRAISAL DISTRICT LEADERSHIP, BUT I WOULD BE CONCERNED ABOUT WHO IS DRIVING THIS IF THEY'RE PUTTING HALF THE CASH IN.
REMEMBER WE HAVE SEEN ON DIFFERENT PROJECTS THERE'S A CONTROL PIECE GOING ON THERE.
I FRANKLY WOULD NOT WANT THEM HAVING ANY PORTION.
I LIKE THE THIRD PARTY INDEPENDENT PIECE.
BUT I JUST WOULD HOPE THAT BECAUSE THEY PUT MONEY IN IT DOESN'T BECOME --OM IT'S A
[01:00:01]
DIFFERENT CONVERSATION ABOUT THE CONTROLLING OF THE PROCESS TO WHERE WE'RE NOT GETTING THAT FAIR DATA THAT COMES OUT AT THE END.>> PELAEZ: SO YOU DON'T KNOW WHAT YOU JUST DID.
I THINK YOU JUST VOLUNTEERED WITH ME TO KEEP A CAREFUL EYE THAT THIS IS OUR STUDY AND NOT SUBJECT TO ANYBODY ELSE'S CONTROL.
>> BROCKHOUSE: IF THAT'S SOMETHING YOU'RE SHOOTING FOR LAST COUPLE OF YEARS.
BUT, NO, IF WE CAN MAKE SURE THAT THAT'S THE FOCUS AND THERE'S A THIRD PARTY.
I JUST WANT THE BEST FOR THE RESIDENTS TO BE ABLE TO GET THE TRUTH OUT OF IT AS QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE.
SO I'LL SUPPORT YOU IN YOUR CALL FOR A POSTPONEMENT.
AGAIN, THANK YOU FOR THE WORK.
IT'S MUCH NEEDED FOR THE RESIDENTS.
>> MAYOR NIRENBERG: THANK YOU, COUNCILMAN BROCKHOUSE.
>> VIAGRAN: I THINK I DO HAVE CONCERNS ABOUT A POSTPONEMENT.
BECAUSE WE LOOKED AT THIS ORIGINALLY IN JUNE OF 2018 AND A LOT OF WORK HAS BEEN DONE, AND I'M GLAD YOU DID SPEAK TO THE BCAD LEADERSHIP LAST NIGHT, BUT WE KNEW WE WERE MOVING FORWARD WITH THIS TODAY.
AND MY CONCERNS KIND OF ARE WRAPPED UP INTO THE WHOLE IF WE -- SO I GUESS FOR CLARIFICATION POINTS, YOU'RE GOING TO MOVE THIS FORWARD IF THEY SAY, OKAY, THERE'S NOT GOING TO BE A MONETARY ISSUE AND THAT THE SCOPE WILL STILL BE OURS AND THAT WE'LL HAVE COOPERATION.
BUT IF THEN NEXT WEEK THEY SAY -- OR IN MARCH THEY SAY THEY'RE NOT GOING TO, ARE THEY STILL GOING TO BE COOPERATIVE IF THEY'RE NOT PUTTING MONEY IN?
>> PELAEZ: SO THE WAY I LOOK AT THIS IS I'M NOT GOING TO LET THE PERFECT BE THE ENEMY OF THE GOOD HERE.
BCAD, I WANT TO TAKE THEM AT THEIR WORD.
AND IF THEY TELL ME THAT THEY'RE GOING TO ENDEAVOR TO GET US THERE BY APRIL 4TH, THEN I CAN'T DENY THEM THE REQUEST.
I GIVE YOU MY COMMITMENT THAT WHAT I'M HEARING FROM THEM IS THE RIGHT THING.
AND THAT'S THE BEST I CAN DO AS FAR AS ANSWERING YOUR QUESTION, COUNCILWOMAN.
AND I WANT TO -- AND I BELIEVE THAT YOU'RE INTERPRETING THAT THE WAY YOUR PERCEPTION IS AS WELL.
MY CONCERN MOVING FORWARD IS THERE'S A LOT OF PEOPLE THAT -- WE WERE SUPPOSED TO START THIS IN THE PRESENTATION IN MARCH.
THAT ACTUALLY IS A CALENDARING ISSUE.
THEY DON'T HAVE THEIR NEXT MEETING UNTIL APRIL.
AND SO THE COMMITMENT I'VE GOTTEN FROM THEM IS THEY'LL EXPLORE THE POSSIBILITY OF BUMPING THIS UP TO MARCH, SOONER THAN LATER.
AND THE EARLIEST THEY COULD DO IT IS IN MARCH.
I UNDERSTAND WHAT YOU'RE SAYING.
AND I WOULD JUST -- I THINK WE'VE SAID THIS SO MANY TIMES ON THIS DAIS THAT THE BEST WAY TO KILL SOMETHING IS WITH A DELAY.
SO WHAT I WOULD LIKE TO DO IS MAKE A MOTION TO MOVE FORWARD WITH STAFF'S RECOMMENDATION TODAY.
THERE IS A MOTION FOR MOVING FORWARD -- MOVING ITEM NO. 5 TODAY.
>> BROCKHOUSE: I'LL SECOND THE MOTION.
>> JUST A POINT OF ORDER, MAYOR -- COUNCIL VOTES ON THE ITEM TODAY.
SO THE ORIGINAL MOTION IS PRIMARY FOR THE CONTINUANCE.
WE'LL TAKE UP THE SECONDARY MOTION, IF THAT FAILS.
>> HALL: THE ONLY ADDITIONAL COMMENT I WOULD ADD, I THINK EVERYBODY WANTS TO MOVE ON IT NOW.
I LIKE THE IDEA OF LEAVING THE MAXIMUM AMOUNT AT WHATEVER IT IS, $79,780 AND GIVING STAFF THE FLEXIBILITY TO GO BELOW THAT IF WE COME UP WITH A PARTNERSHIP.
THAT WAY WE'RE COVERED EITHER WAY BY OURSELVES OR WITH A PARTNER.
AND THAT WAY WE GET THE VOTE TODAY AND IT CAN ALSO BE OPEN TO A PARTNERSHIP.
>> MAYOR NIRENBERG: THANK YOU, COUNCILMAN HALL.
IT SEEMS TO ME THAT WHAT COUNCILMAN PELAEZ IS SUGGESTING IS REALLY THE BEST WAY TO GO,
[01:05:05]
BECAUSE IF, AS WE WANT TO, WE HAVE THIS RESEARCH AND IT SHOWS THERE ARE THINGS THAT COULD BE CHANGED, BEST PRACTICES THAT COULD BE IMPLEMENTED.IF WE'RE DOING THIS ON OUR OWN, HOW TO GET THE BEXAR COUNTY APPRAISAL DISTRICT TO ACCEPT WHAT WE HAVE COME UP WITH.
BUT IF THEY ARE PART OF THAT PROCESS IT WILL BE A LOT EASIER FOR THEM TO START TO IMPLEMENT ANYTHING THAT TURNS UP THAT WOULD BE AN IMPROVEMENT FOR THE TAXPAYERS.
IT WOULD BE A LOT HARDER FOR THEM TO RESIST IT IF THEY ARE PART OF THAT PROCESS.
UNDOUBTEDLY WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO LOOK AT INFORMATION THAT THEY HAVE AND THAT THEY USE WHEN THEY DO THEIR VALUATIONS.
AND IF WE HAVE THEM AS A PARTNER IT WILL BE A LOT EASIER TO GET THAT INFORMATION AND TO PUT IT TO GOOD USE.
I AGREE THE CITY SHOULD BE THE DRIVING FORCE BEHIND THIS.
BUT I THINK THAT IF WE DON'T BRING IN BCAD AS EVEN A JUNIOR PARTNER IN THIS, THEN WE'RE MISSING AN OPPORTUNITY TO EXPEDITE ANY IMPROVEMENTS OR BEST PRACTICES THAT WE FIND ARE NECESSARY.
SO I WOULD SAY LET'S GO AHEAD AND DELAY THIS UNTIL APRIL.
AND SO THAT WOULD BE MY RECOMMENDATION.
>> MAYOR NIRENBERG: THANK YOU, COUNCILMAN COURAGE.
JUST TO SAY THAT I AGREE WITH COUNCILMAN COURAGE.
IT SEEMS THAT WE'VE HAD SUCH AN ANTAGONISTIC RELATIONSHIP WITH BCAD ALREADY, AND I KNOW IF ANYBODY IS GOING TO THREAD THE NEEDLE, WE NEED TO DO THIS DELAY BECAUSE COUNCILMAN PELAEZ COULDN'T FIND HIS TIE THIS MORNING.
IF WE DELAY IT AT LEAST A MONTH AND A HALF HE CAN PROBABLY GET A TIE ON FOR THE NEXT COUNCIL MEETING TO VOTE ON THIS.
I'LL SUPPORT HIM ON THE DELAY FOR THOSE TWO REASONS.
>> MAYOR NIRENBERG: THANK YOU, COUNCILMAN SALDANA.
I DON'T THINK THERE'S ANYBODY WHO'S BEEN A BIGGER CHAMPION OF WANTING TO GET THIS DONE THAN COUNCILMAN PELAEZ.
AND I KNOW HE'S DONE QUITE A BIT OF DUE DILIGENCE TO MAKE SURE STUDY.
AND OF COURSE YOU HAVE TEN MEMBERS OF THE COUNCIL, AS WELL AS ME, WHO ARE INTERESTED IN MAKING SURE IT'S DONE INDEPENDENTLY.
COUNCILMAN PELAEZ IS THE DRIVING FORCE BEHIND GETTING THIS DATA, I'M GOING TO FOLLOW HIS LEAD WITH THE CONTINUANCE.
SO WE'LL TAKE UP THE MOTION FOR THE CONTINUANCE TO APRIL 4TH OF ITEM NO. 5.
WE HAVE A TIME CERTAIN AGENDA TODAY THAT IS GOING TO REQUIRE US TO DELAY -- EXCUSE ME, TO RECESS AND COME BACK TO ITEMS 23 THROUGH 25.
[27. City Manager's Report]
BUT BEFORE THAT WE HAVE SOME CEREMONIALS TODAY, BECAUSE THIS IS A BIG DAY.AND I'D LIKE TO ASK NOW OUR CITY MANAGER FOR HER REPORT.
MAYOR, I THINK I'LL GO TO THE PODIUM, IF THAT'S OKAY.
THIS IS A SPECIAL DAY FOR ME, SO I THOUGHT I'D COME RIGHT UP TO THE PODIUM HERE AND TALK WITH YOU ALL.
I WANT TO THANK -- I THINK I SAW MAYOR HARDBERGER COME IN JUST A MOMENT AGO.
RICHARD PEREZ, WHO WAS ON THE CITY COUNCIL IN 2005.
AND YOU'RE IN A UNIQUE POSITION, ART, BECAUSE YOU'LL PROBABLY BE THE ONLY CITY COUNCIL MEMBER WHO HIRED SOMEONE AND THEN 13 YEARS IN 2005 THAT BROUGHT ME TO SAN ANTONIO.
IT'S BEEN A PLEASURE, AN HONOR TO LEAD THIS MUNICIPAL CORPORATION.
AND I HAVE TO SAY THAT I HAVE APPRECIATED ALL THE COMMENTS I'VE RECEIVED SINCE I ANNOUNCED MY RETIREMENT THROUGHOUT THE COMMUNITY.
I DO WANT TO THANK ALL OF YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT DURING MY TENURE HERE AS WELL.
I WOULD LIKE TO INTRODUCE MY FAMILY.
[01:10:02]
AND I THINK MY MOTHER IS ON HER WAY IN HERE WITH OUR CAREGIVER IN JUST A MOMENT.BUT MY HUSBAND, MIKE, IS HERE.
WITH WHOM I COULD NOT HAVE DONE THIS JOB WITHOUT HIS SUPPORT, HUMOR, AND LOVE.
HE'S KEPT ME GROUNDED FOR MORE THAN 40 YEARS.
AND I'M REALLY PLEASED THAT HE'S HERE TODAY.
AND I THINK HE'S MORE EXCITED ABOUT MY RETIREMENT THAN I AM.
>> SCULLEY: OUR CHILDREN, COURTNEY AND COLLIN ARE THE JOYS OF OUR LIFE.
AND COURTNEY, SHE KNOWS, AS MY FAVORITE GIRL IN THE WORLD, IS HERE TODAY FROM SAN FRANCISCO.
COURTNEY, THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE AND MAKING THIS LONG TRIP.
OUR SON COLLIN AND HIS WIFE LIVE IN AUSTIN, BUT THEIR WORK SCHEDULES HAVE KEPT THEM AWAY TODAY.
BUT I KNOW COLLIN AND AMANDA ARE HERE IN HEART.
MY MOTHER WILL BE COMING IN IN JUST A MOMENT.
I BROUGHT HER HERE THREE YEARS AGO.
IS SHE HERE YET? SHE THINK SHE'S STILL VISITING.
[LAUGHTER] SO JUST KIND OF GO WITH IT AT LUNCH, PLEASE.
IT'S SPECIAL THAT MY MOM, THAT HER CAREGIVER, CIN IS BRINGING HER TODAY.
MY MOM AND DAD WERE HERE WHEN I TOOK THE OATH OF OFFICE IN 2005.
THEY WERE WITH ME IN KALAMAZOO, MICHIGAN WHEN I WAS APPOINTED CITY MANAGER AND SWORN IN IN THAT POSITION.
I KNOW DAD'S WATCHING DOWN ON US FROM ABOVE.
AND MY YOUNGEST SISTER -- YOU KNOW I'M THE OLDEST OF SEVEN.
AND MY YOUNGEST SISTER MELANIE IS HERE.
SHE'S LIVED IN AUSTIN FOR MORE THAN 20 YEARS, SO SHE'S MORE OF A TEXAN EVEN THAN ME.
BUT I APPRECIATE HER BEING HERE TODAY, AND FOR ALL OF THEM MAKING THE EFFORT TO COME.
TO MY FAMILY, MY FRIENDS, AND ELECTED OFFICIALS WITH WHOM I'VE WORKED OVER THE PAST 13 YEARS, THANK YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT, ENCOURAGEMENT, AND THE OPPORTUNITY AND PRIVILEGE TO SERVE THIS GREAT CITY.
AND TO THE RESIDENTS OF SAN ANTONIO, THANK YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT AND GRATITUDE, FOR THE CHANGES WE'VE MADE TO IMPROVE OUR CITY.
A DAY DOESN'T GO BY THAT A RESIDENT STOPS ME -- FIRST THEY INTRODUCE THEMSELVES AND THANK ME FOR THE IMPROVEMENTS THAT WE'VE MADE.
IN THESE MOMENTS OF GRATITUDE AGONIZED OVER THE DEGREE TO WHICH WE HAVE TRULY MADE A DIFFERENCE.
AND IT NEVER FAILS THAT IN SOME OF THOSE TOUGHER MOMENTS SOMEONE WILL WALK UP AND SAY, THANK YOU.
SO TO EACH ONE OF THOSE WHO SAID THANKS, AND I'M CERTAIN MANY MORE, I CAN PROUDLY SAY TODAY WE DID MAKE A DIFFERENCE.
WHEN I WAS RECRUITED TO SAN ANTONIO, THE CITY COUNCIL WAS LOOKING FOR -- ART WILL RECALL, A TREMENDOUS AMOUNT OF CHANGE AND IMPROVEMENT.
MY CHARGE WAS TO TURN THE ORGANIZATION UPSIDE DOWN TO IMPROVE CITY SERVICES, TO ELEVATE THE PROFESSIONALISM OF STAFF, TO FIX THE BROKEN SPOKES, AND DEVELOP THE LARGEST BOND PROGRAMS WE THOUGHT WE COULD HANDLE.
IN RECENT WEEKS I FREQUENTLY HAVE BEEN ASKED WHAT I CONSIDER OUR GREATEST ACCOMPLISHMENTS.
FIRST, LET ME SAY THE CALIBER AND COMMITMENT OF OUR CITY EXECUTIVE STAFF THAT LEAD OUR 40-CITY DEPARTMENTS.
SECONDLY, THE FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT OF THE CITY, MAKING SAN ANTONIO ONE OF THE BEST FINANCIALLY-RUN CITIES IN THE UNITED STATES.
AND, THIRD, THE THREE LARGEST BOND PROGRAMS IN THE CITY'S HISTORY.
A TOTAL OF $2 BILLION, APPROVED BY VOTERS IN THREE CITY ELECTIONS WITH MORE THAN 400 STREETS, SIDEWALKS, DRAINAGE, PARKS, LIBRARIES, FIRE STATIONS, POLICE BUILDINGS, ALL COMPLETED WITHIN BUDGET AND ON SCHEDULE.
WE WORKED IN PARTNERSHIP WITH COMMUNITY STAKEHOLDERS AND THE BUSINESS COMMUNITY.
WE DEVELOPED MANY OTHER PROJECTS ALONG THE WAY.
HAVEN FOR HOPE, OVERHAULING DEVELOPMENT SERVICES, CONSTRUCTING THE MUSEUM REACH OF THE RIVER EXTENSION, WHICH WAS A PRIORITY OF MAYOR HARDBERGER.
AUTOMATING GARBAGE COLLECTION, REDUCING COSTS, AND INCREASING OUR RECYCLING RATE FROM 6% TO 40% OF THE TOTAL WASTE STREAM WITH THE COUNCIL ADOPTED GOAL OF 60% BY THE YEAR 2025.
[01:15:01]
CONSTRUCTING THE CONVENTION CENTER EXPANSION AND ALAMODOME IMPROVEMENTS, SUCCESSFULLY HOSTING TWO NCAA MEN'S FINAL FOUR BASKETBALL TOURNAMENTS, AND EARNING ANOTHER IN 2025.AND A WOMEN'S FINAL FOUR IN 2021.
CONSTRUCTING TERMINAL B AND THE CONSOLIDATED CAR RENTAL FACILITY AT THE INTERNATIONAL SAN ANTONIO AIRPORT.
REORGANIZING ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT FUNCTIONS AT THE CITY AND IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT FOUNDATION.
THE IMPLEMENTATION OF PRE-K 4 SA, A SUCCESS THAT NOW SERVES AS A BEACON OF HOPE FOR BETTER EDUCATIONAL OUTCOMES FOR OUR FUTURE WORKERS.
7,000 MORE HOUSING UNITS IN DOWNTOWN AND THE FIRST NEW HIGH-RISE OFFICE TOWER FOR FROST BANK'S HEADQUARTERS, THE APPROVAL OF THE ALAMO MASTER PLAN, AND OUR 11-YEAR-OLD SAN ANTONIO ROCK 'N' ROLL MARATHON THAT HAS BECOME A MAINSTAY EVENT PROMOTING WELLNESS AND ALIGNING WITH OUR PUBLIC HEALTH INITIATIVES.
WE ACCOMPLISHED THESE THINGS AND MANY MORE UNDER POLICY DIRECTION OF MAYORS AND COUNCIL MEMBERS AND WITHOUT STANDING CITY STAFF AND COMMUNITY PARTNERS.
TOGETHER WE'VE ACCOMPLISHED WHAT WE SET OUT TO DO IN 2005, I THINK.
ADD VALUE, DELIVER THE BEST SERVICE FOR DOLLARS PAID BY THE TAXPAYERS, ALWAYS DO WHAT'S IN THE BEST INTEREST OF THE RESIDENTS THAT WE SERVE, AND LEAVE THE CITY A BETTER PLACE THAN WHEN WE STARTED.
AND, AS STAFF, WE WERE ABLE TO DO SO MUCH BY STAYING TRUE TO OUR ORGANIZATIONAL CORE VALUES.
TEAMWORK, INTEGRITY, INNOVATION, AND PROFESSIONALISM.
WE HAVE A HIGHLY-TALENTED AND DIVERSE EXECUTIVE TEAM.
43% ARE WOMEN, 40% ARE HISPANIC, 11% ARE AFRICAN AMERICAN.
AND I'M PROUD TO HAVE APPOINTED ALL OF THEM.
WITH OUR SUPERVISORY MID MANAGER AND EXECUTIVE TRAINING PROGRAMS, WE ARE GROOMING FUTURE LEADERS.
OUR MANAGEMENT FELLOWSHIP PROGRAM AND AWARD-WINNING WOMEN'S LEADERSHIP MENTORING PROGRAM FOCUSING ON DEVELOPING NEXT GENERATION LEADERSHIP AND GENDER-DIVERSE ADVANCEMENT.
OVER THE PAST DECADE WE HAVE PROUDLY BECOME AN EMPLOYER OF CHOICE.
AS I CLOSE THIS MORNING, I'D LIKE TO BRIEFLY COMMENT ON OUR EXECUTIVE LEADERSHIP TEAM.
BUT FIRST I'M GOING TO COMMENT ON OUR POLICE AND FIRE CHIEFS.
POLICE CHIEF BILL MCMANUS WAS ONE OF THE FIRST HIRES THAT I MADE IN EARLY 2006.
AND WE RECRUITED FIRE CHIEF CHARLES HOOD TO SAN ANTONIO IN 2007.
BOTH CHIEFS HAVE SERVED THE CITY WITH HONOR AND DISTINCTION, TRANSFORMING UNDERPERFORMING DEPARTMENTS WITH SUBPAR SERVICE DELIVERY INTO HIGH-PERFORMING AGENCIES THAT ARE WELL RESPECTED BY OUR RESIDENTS AND NATIONALLY RECOGNIZED AS BEST IN CLASS.
WE'VE ALSO MORE THAN DOUBLED THE NUMBER OF WOMEN IN OUR POLICE AND FIRE DEPARTMENTS OVER THE PAST DECADE.
I THINK YOU SAT IN THAT VERY SAME SEAT BACK IN 2005 WHEN I WAS SWORN IN.
NOW FOR JUST A COUPLE OF COMMENTS ABOUT THE EXECUTIVE LEADERSHIP TEAM.
AND I'LL GO SENIOR TO MOST TENURED.
I APPOINTED ROD SANCHEZ, DIRECTOR OF DEVELOPMENT SERVICES, BACK IN EARLY 2006.
AND HE HELPED TO OVERHAUL THAT DEPARTMENT WITH THE HELP OF A TASK FORCE THAT WAS CHAIRED BY ED KELLY AND APPOINTED BY MAYOR HARDBERGER THAT FIRST YEAR.
WHAT WAS REFERRED TO AT THE TIME AS THE LAST STOP OR FINAL STOP CENTER IS NOW AN ACCREDITED DEPARTMENT AND THE ENVY OF OTHER PUBLIC SECTOR ORGANIZATIONS.
I PROMOTED ROD TO ASSISTANT CITY MANAGER IN 2017 AND HE CONTINUES TO DO EXCELLENT WORK IN THIS NEW ROLE AND STILL OVERSEES THE DEVELOPMENT SERVICES OPERATIONS, AMONG OTHER DEPARTMENTS.
LORI WAS PROJECT MANAGER IN PUBLIC WORKS WHEN WE MET AT A DEPARTMENTAL BUDGET MEETING IN
[01:20:01]
2006.SHE WAS THE ONLY PUBLIC WORKS EMPLOYEE IN THE ROOM WHO COULD ANSWER QUESTIONS.
TOGETHER WITH THEN CITY ATTORNEY MICHAEL BERNARD, WE UNDERTOOK THE SAN ANTONIO RIVER EXTENSION PROJECT THROUGH THE MUSEUM REACH.
THIS WAS A PRIORITY PROJECT OF MAYOR HARDBERGER, AND WE DEDICATED THAT PROJECT COMPLETION MEMORIAL WEEKEND IN 2009 ON THE FINAL DAY MAYOR HARDBERGER WAS IN OFFICE.
I SELECTED LORI TO HEAD THE CENTER CITY DEVELOPMENT OFFICE AND THEN PROMOTED LORI TO ASSISTANT CITY MANAGER IN 2015.
SHE IS AS SHARP AS ANYONE IN NEGOTIATING COMPLEX DEVELOPMENT AND HOUSING PROJECTS.
I KNOW THAT SHE WILL CONTINUE TO DO VERY WELL.
NOW JEFF COYLE I HIRED AS OUR INTERGOVERNMENTAL RELATIONS DIRECTOR SEVERAL YEARS AGO.
AND OVER THE YEARS WE HAVE EXPANDED HIS ROLE TO HEAD UP GOVERNMENT AND PUBLIC AFFAIRS.
JEFF, AS YOU KNOW, IS A PRO WITH THE MEDIA, THE LEGISLATURE, AND OUR PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT PROGRAMS. HE AND HIS TEAM CREATED AND LAUNCHED OUR SA SPEAK UP PROGRAM.
STAFF, PARDON ME, BUT MARIA IS MY MVP.
WE COULD NOT HAVE ACCOMPLISHED ALL THAT WE HAVE DONE WITHOUT MARIA'S HARD WORK, ACCURACY, AND THOROUGHNESS.
FROM A PUBLIC WORKS FINANCIAL ANALYST, ASSISTANT BUDGET DIRECTOR TO BUDGET DIRECTOR AND AS AN ASSISTANT CITY MANAGER APPOINTED IN 2015, MARIA EXCELS IN EVERYTHING SHE DOES, AND NO ONE WORKS HARDER AND SMARTER THAN MARIA.
I'M PROUD TO HAVE PROMOTED HER THREE TIMES.
CHRIS CALALLEN HAS BEEN A VALUABLE MEMBER OF OUR EXECUTIVE LEADERSHIP TEAM FOR MORE THAN TEN YEARS AND HE HAS WORKED IN, OF COURSE, THE COUNCIL OFFICE HELPING YOU ALL.
HIS PROFESSIONALISM AND TEMPERAMENT HAVE SERVED OUR COUNCIL MEMBERS WELL OVER THE PAST DECADE.
WE RECRUITED CARLOS TO THE CITY TEN YEARS AGO, THE IGR DIRECTOR.
I PROMOTED HIM TO ASSISTANT CITY MANAGER IN 2012.
CARLOS HAS WORKED WITH OUR CONVENTION AND SPORTS FACILITIES, THE AIRPORT, AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT.
HE'S ALSO BEEN MY GO TO MAN ON PROJECTS.
HE HELPED WITH THE RIVER BARGE EVALUATION PROCESS AND OVERSAW OUR TRICENTENNIAL YEAR OF ACTIVITIES.
WHAT COULD HAVE BEEN A DISASTER AND INSTEAD MAKING IT A SUCCESSFUL YEAR OF CELEBRATION.
THERE ISN'T A FINER CHIEF IN AUDIO].
SOMETIMES STAFF WILL COME TO ME AND SAY BEN IS TOO SLOW.
HE TOO WAS ONE OF MY FIRST APPOINTMENTS IN JANUARY OF 2006 AS FINANCE DIRECTOR.
BOND RATING FOR THE FIRST TIME IN THE CITY'S HISTORY BACK IN 2008.
AND EVEN MORE IMPRESSIVE IS THAT THOSE AAA RATINGS WERE REAFFIRMED NINE TIMES.
WITH ONE OF THE RATING AGENCIES.
BUT FOR MANY YEARS WE WERE THE ONLY CITY WITH A POPULATION OF MORE THAN A MILLION TO EVEN EARN A AAA RATING, LET ALONE FROM ALL THREE OF THE RATING AGENCIES.
ANDY SEGOVIA AND LIZ PROVENCIO, OUR NEWEST ATTORNEYS.
AND I'M PROUD TO HAVE RECRUITED ANDY FROM GENERAL MOTORS AND LIZ FROM A SAN ANTONIO LAW FIRM.
THEY ARE EXCELLENT LEGAL MINDS AND HAVE BEEN GREAT ADDITIONS TO OUR EXECUTIVE LEADERSHIP GROUP.
IT WAS THE ONLY CITY DEPARTMENT AT THE TIME THAT DID NOT NEED A COMPLETE OVERHAUL, THANKS TO YOUR GREAT WORK, PETER.
SOON AFTER I ARRIVED THEN I ARRIVED PETER ASSISTANT CITY MANAGER AND SUBSEQUENTLY TO DEPUTY CITY MANAGER OVER ALL CAPITAL CONSTRUCTION AND INFRASTRUCTURE.
[01:25:01]
WE WORKED TOGETHER ON ALL THREE BOND PROGRAMS. AND I WOULD SAY THERE WOULD NOT BE A PRE-K 4 SA PROGRAM WITHOUT HIS STEADY LEADERSHIP AND HARD WORK.PETER WILL TELL IT LIKE IT IS -- YOU ALL KNOW THAT.
AND HE'LL ALSO SCALE TALL BUILDINGS TO DELIVER THE BEST PRODUCT FOR OUR RESIDENTS.
HAVING WORKED CLOSELY WITH ERIK FOR 13 YEARS AND PROMOTED HIM TWICE, I AM MORE THAN CONFIDENT HE IS THE BEST PERSON FOR THE JOB.
SMART, HONEST, EASY GOING, AND HARD WORKING.
>> SCULLEY: SPECIAL THANKS, TOO, TO MY OFFICE STAFF WHO BEHIND THE SCENES HANDLE ALL THE DETAILS OF EVERYTHING THAT I DO.
THEY DO THEIR BEST TO TRY TO KEEP ME ON TRACK, DON PATERIC, JAVIER VASQUEZ, KAITLYN AND ALSO CINDY AT THE FRONT DESK.
CITY MANAGEMENT IS TOUGH BUSINESS, ESPECIALLY IN BIG CITIES.
THE COMPLEXITIES AND ISSUES AND TREMENDOUS RESPONSIBILITIES ARE REASON TO THINK TWICE ABOUT SUCH A CAREER, AND WE GET TO DO IT ALL IN THE MEDIA SPOTLIGHT, GOD HELP US.
>> SCULLEY: FINALLY, I WOULD BE REMISS IF I DIDN'T COMMENT ON THE VALUE OF PROFESSIONAL MANAGEMENT.
PROFESSIONAL CITY MANAGEMENT MATTERS.
THROUGHOUT THE WORLD, THE BEST MANAGED LOCAL GOVERNMENTS ARE MANAGED BY CITY MANAGERS WITH EXPERIENCE, APTITUDE, INTEGRITY AND A COMMITMENT TO PUBLIC SERVICE, WORKING WELL WITH THE ELECTED LEADERSHIP.
SAN ANTONIO WOULD BE ILL-SERVED TO ABANDON THE COUNCIL MANAGEMENT PLAN.
MAYOR NIRENBERG, THANK YOU FOR BEING A STRONG SUPPORTER FOR PROFESSIONAL MANAGEMENT IN OUR COUNCIL MANAGER SUPPORT OF GOVERNMENT AND THANK YOU FOR BEING SUPPORTIVE OF ME.
WE'VE BEEN EXCELLENT PARTNERS WHICH IS WHAT IT TAKES FOR OUR CITY TO BE SUCCESSFUL, SO I THANK YOU.
THANK YOU, MAYOR, AND COUNCIL, FOR THE SUPPORT.
THANK YOU TO MY EXECUTIVE LEADERSHIP TEAM.
THANK YOU TO THE 13,000 EMPLOYEES WHO DAY IN AND DAY OUT SERVE 1.5 MILLION RESIDENTS OF SAN ANTONIO.
IT'S BEEN MY HONOR AND PRIVILEGE TO SERVE AS YOUR LEADER.
>> MAYOR NIRENBERG: SHERYL, THAT'S ONE OF THOUSANDS -- THOSE APPLAUSE -- ROUNDS OF APPLAUSE THAT WE THOUGHT WOULD NEVER END.
THINGS MOVE SO FAST HERE AT THE CITY, WE RARELY GET A CHANCE TO REFLECT, AND UNFORTUNATELY WE ALL KNEW THIS DAY WOULD COME EVENTUALLY, AND IT'S HERE TODAY.
BUT FIRST, LET ME JUST TELL YOU, SHERYL, HOW MUCH OF AN HONOR AND A PRIVILEGE IT'S BEEN TO WORK ALONG WITH YOU AND YOUR COLLEAGUES AS A COUNCILMEMBER AND NOW AS MAYOR.
CERTAINLY ONE OF THE PROFESSIONAL PRIVILEGES OF MY LIFE, SO THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
THERE'S NO QUESTION THAT THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO IS A BETTER PLACE, AS YOU SAID NOW TODAY, SIGNIFICANTLY BETTER, THAN WHEN YOU GOT HERE FIRST.
IT WAS A GREAT CITY THEN, BUT IT'S EVEN A GREATER CITY NOW.
[01:30:01]
PROFESSIONAL, IT'S MORE EFFICIENT, CERTAINLY MORE DISCIPLINED, AND WE, IN FACT, ARE THE BEST CITY IN THE UNITED STATES.A TETSMENT TO YOUR WORK IS THE FACT THAT YOU LOOK AT THE FIRST -- THEY'RE FILLED WITH THE ENVY THAT WOULD BE THE CITY GOVERNMENT IN ANY UNITED STATES, SO THANK YOU FOR BRINGING THAT KIND OF LEADERSHIP TO OUR CITY, SHERYL SHERYL AND MAKING US AN EMPLOYER OF CHOICE AND A PLACE THAT PEOPLE ARE EXCITED TO BE ON THE TEAM.
I WON'T RECOUNT ALL OF YOUR ACCOMPLISHMENTS, THERE ARE MANY AND WE'D BE HERE ALL DAY.
THE FACT OF THE MATTER IS, THERE HAS BEEN A LOT OF PROGRESS UNDER YOUR TENURE, PROGRESS SOMETIMES CREATES FRICTION, BUT YOU TRULY HAVE BEEN A TRAIL BLAZER AND SOMEONE WHO'S OPENED DOORS AND CREATED THE CAREERS OF SO MANY PEOPLE WHO ARE SERVING THIS CITY AND WILL CONTINUE TO DO SO FOR YEARS TO COME.
I WANT TO THANK YOUR FAMILY FOR LENDING US TO YOU FOR THE YEARS THAT YOU'VE BEEN HERE.
MIKE, IT'S BEEN FUN HANGING OUT WITH YOU ON OCCASION, I HOPE WE GET TO DO THAT A LITTLE BIT MORE.
IT'S GREAT TO SEE YOUR MOM HERE, SHERYL.
CONGRATULATIONS ON RAISING ONE TOUGH, TOUGH WOMAN, TO LEAD OUR CITY.
COURTNEY, COLIN, YOUR WHOLE FAMILY, THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR LETTING US HAVE SHERYL FOR AS LONG AS WE DID.
THE LAST THING I'LL SAY, AND THEN I WANT TO CALL UP A FEW PEOPLE WHO ARE VERY SPECIAL TO THE CITY, BUT CERTAINLY SPECIAL IN YOUR LIFE, SHERYL, IS THAT YOU HAVE SAID, AND I THINK WE CAN ALL RECOGNIZE, THAT CITY MANAGEMENT IS TOUGH BUSINESS, BUT THE EXAMPLE THAT YOU'VE SET AND WILL BE FOLLOWED IN THE YEARS TO COME BY THE PEOPLE WHO WILL BE IN YOUR FOOTSTEPS IS THAT YOU D BE TOUGH, YOU CAN BE KIND, YOU CAN BE EFFECTIVE, AND YOU CAN BE RESILIENT, BUT IT TAKES A LITTLE BIT EXTRA TO BE THE VERY BEST CITY MANAGER IN THE COUNTRY, AND THAT'S EXACTLY WHAT YOU'VE BEEN FOR 13 YEARS.
[APPLAUSE] AND I'M GOING TO -- YOU ALSO TAUGHT US HOW TO BE FIRNLT, SO I -- EFFICIENT, SO I'M GOING TO COME DOWN AND GIVE YOU -- IN AUDIO] -- NOW AS WELL.
>> MAYOR NIRENBERG: ALL RIGHT.
IT'S MY HONOR NOW TO ASK FORMER MAYOR PHIL HARDBERGER TO COME TO THE PODIUM.
THANK YOU FOR GIVING ME AN OPPORTUNITY TO SAY SOMETHING TODAY.
IT'S REALLY FUN TO BE BACK HERE TO BE IN THIS ROOM AND BE ABLE TO TALK AND GIVE MY OPINIONS.
EVERY DAY AND EVERY NIGHT FOR A LONG TIME TO GET HER HERE.
IT WAS THE BEST THING I EVER DID .
PHOENIX, A RISH, PROGRESSIVE -- RICH, PROGRESSIVE CITY WITH LOTS OF PEOPLE THAT HAD A LOT OF MONEY.
SHE ALREADY HAD A STRING OF VICTORIES THERE.
THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO, AS MUCH AS WE LOVE HER, IT WAS THE CHALLENGES THAT FINALLY SOLD SHERYL ON COMING TO SAN ANTONIO.
SHE KNEW SHE COULD MAKE A DIFFERENCE.
[01:35:01]
HER WORK PROPELLED SAN ANTONIO INTO THE TOP RANKS OF WELL-MANAGED CITIES IN THE UNITED STATES.AT THE SAME TIME, SHERYL BECAME THE BEST CITY MANAGER IN THE UNITED STATES.
RICHARD AND MY ABLE-CITY COUNCILMEMBERS THAT SERVED WITH ME.
AND ART HALL, IT IS GREAT TO SEE YOU BACK THERE.
YOU LOOK VERY NATURAL THERE AND THANK YOU FOR ALWAYS BEING SUCH A HELP TO ME.
I WANT YOU TO KNOW I APPRECIATE IT.
BUT THOSE OF US THAT SERVED HAD FRONT-ROW SEATS TO WATCH HOW SHE DID WHAT SHE DID.
OUR JOB WAS TO SET AND SELL THE VISION.
HER JOB WAS TO MAKE IT HAPPEN.
BETWEEN THE SPURS WINNING THE NBA CHAMPIONSHIPS AND SHERYL PUSHING OUR CITY FORWARD INTO THE TOP TIER OF U.S. CITIES, IT WAS A GREAT RIDE! SHE WAS AN ON-TIME, ON-BUDGET CITY MANAGER.
HE WORKED HARDER THAN ANY MAN I HAD EVER KNOWN.
SUN UP TO SUN DOWN, SIX DAYS A WEEK.
WHEN I WATCH SHERYL WORK, I REALIZED MY DAD WAS BESTED.
MY DAD QUIT WHEN THE SUN WENT DOWN.
SHERYL BEGINS THE SECOND PART OF HER DAY; THAT IS, THE NIGHTTIME PART OF HER DAY.
I WORKED WITH SOME OUTSTANDING PEOPLE IN MY LIFE.
TWO OF THEM, BOTH MEN, BECAME FRIENDS AND ROLE MODELS.
NOW, I HAVE A THIRD, A WOMAN, SHERYL SCULLEY.
I OVERHEARD A CONVERSATION THE OTHER DAY BETWEEN TWO LAWYERS WHO WERE TALKING ABOUT SHERYL.
THE FIRST LAWYER, TALKING ABOUT HER LEAVING SAID, WELL, WHAT WILL SHE TO NEXT? AND THE OTHER LAWYER SAID, WELL, I DON'T KNOW.
I HAD JUST FINISHED READING, BY THE WAY, THE BIOGRAPHY OF NEIL ARMSTRONG, YOU WILL RECALL HE IS THE FIRST ASTRONAUT TO EVER SET FOOT ON THE MOON.
THE FIRST MAN, THIS IS A BOOK ABOUT HIM.
HE WAS A PERFECTIONIST AND RATHER SPARSE WITH HIS LANGUAGE, BY THE WAY.
BEFORE HIS FAMOUS MOON FLIGHT, HE WAS ASKED BY A REPORTER WHAT HE WOULD TAKE TO THE MOON, ANYTHING HE WANTED UP TO THE MOON.
AND I'VE OFTEN THOUGHT, THAT'S A SCULLEY ANSWER IF I'VE EVER HEARD ONE.
WHAT I LIKE BEST ABOUT SHERYL FROM A MAYOR'S POINT OF VIEW WAS HOW MUCH MONEY SHE BROUGHT INTO SAN ANTONIO.
IT IS A POPULAR SPORT IN SOME CIRCLES TO CRITICIZE HER SALARY.
BUT WHAT IS NOT GENERALLY KNOWN IS HER PRODUCTIVITY GREATLY EXCEEDED HER SALARY.
OR TO PUT IT IN PLAIN ENGLISH, SHE REALLY MADE US A BUNCH OF MONEY.
IN THE FIRST YEAR HERE, SHE CAME INTO THE OFFICE LOOKING FAIRLY TRIUMPHANT AND SAID THAT SHE HAD FOUND ANOTHER $30.5 MILLION THAT WE NOW COULD ADD INTO OUR INCOME.
IT TURNED OUT THAT THIS IS MONEY FROM CITY BONDS, LONG SINCE PAST INTO MEMORY.
WHETHER IT WAS MONEY LEFT OVER, THERE WERE PILES OF MONEY.
SHE WENT BACK OVER 30 YEARS AND FOUND $30.5 MILLION.
THEN THERE WAS THE ROCK AND ROLL MARATHON, AND SHE MENTIONED IT, AND WE ALL KNOW WHAT IT IS.
ACTUALLY, WE HAD A LITTLE MARATHON HERE IN SAN ANTONIO BEFORE SHERYL CAME.
IT WAS A LOCAL AFFAIR, AND USUALLY YOU'D HAVE ABOUT 2,000 CONTESTANTS.
[01:40:01]
CONTESTANTS.THEY COME FROM ALL 50 STATES AND 26 COUNTRIES.
EACH YEAR THAT EVENT IMPACT ON SAN ANTONIO OF OVER $25 MILLION FOR EACH RACE EACH YEAR.
SHERYL HERSELF RUNS EVERY YEAR.
SHE'S NO LONGER IN THE WINNER'S CIRCLE, BUT SHE FINISHES EVERY RACE, AND THAT'S NO GREAT SURPRISE, THOUGH SHE IS NOW 66.
I'M SORRY, SHERYL, THERE ARE NO SECRETS IN THIS PLACE.
>> THE MUSEUM REACH AUDIO] ON $.2 MILLION TO BUILD.
IT SEEMED LIKE A LOT OF MONEY AT THE TIME, AND THERE WERE THE INEVITABLE CRITICS THAT COMPLAINED ABOUT TOO MUCH MONEY AND EXCESSIVE -- AUDIO] -- AND THE WHOLE COMPLEX AND THE WAY IT'S BEEN BUILT NOW IS ALSO KICKING OFF ANOTHER 500 MILLION, SO WHEN YOU CAN GENERATE A BILLION DOLLARS ON A $71 MILLION INVESTMENT, YOU'VE HAD A PRETTY GOOD DAY'S WORK.
ON THE AAA BOND RATING, WHICH WE GOT IN 2008 AND THAT'S A TOTAL SHERYL SCULLEY TRIUMPH, THOUGH NOT FULLY UNDERSTOOD.
BUT PUTTING IT PRACTICALLY, IT MEANS WE'VE SAVEED $30 MILLION IN INTEREST PAYMENTS THAT OUR CITIZENS WON'T EVER HAVE TO PAY.
WE COULD HAVE HAD GREATER PROPERTY TAXES OR INCREASED CPS BILLS.
ANY TAKERS ON THOSE THREE METHODS? WELL, I DIDN'T THINK SO.
MAYBE IT'S BETTER BY GETTING THOSE SUPERLATIVE RATINGS.
MOST OF US HAVE NO GREAT DESIRE TO PAY MORE BILLS, SO THANK YOU, SHERYL.
AND WHILE WE'RE AT IT, THANKS FOR INCREASING OUR CITY'S FINANCIAL RESERVES FROM 3% TO 10%.
WE MIGHT ACTUALLY HAVE TO USE IT SOME DAY.
THANKS FOR NEVER BUSTING A BUDGET, LOWERING OUR TAX RATES FOUR TIMES IN 10 YEARS, HIRING 650 NEW POLICE AND FIREFIGHTERS, ADDING EIGHT FIRE STATIONS AND EQUIPPING OUR FIREFIGHTERS AND POLICE WITH THE BEST EQUIPMENT THAT MONEY CAN BUY, AND SUING THE MANUFACTURERS WHO SOLD US SOME INFERIOR SELF-CONTAINED BREATHING EQUIPMENT, WHICH MEANS WHEN YOU'RE IN A FIRE AND YOU CAN'T GET AIR ANY OTHER WAY, YOU HAVE TO RELY ON THIS.
AND IT WASN'T VERY GOOD, THE EQUIPMENT.
AND NOW, WE HAVE BREATHING APPARATUSES THAT WORK.
SUCH FAST ACTION WAS NEARLY UNHEARD OF IN CITY GOVERNMENT.
WE ARE VERY, VERY MUCH APPRECIATIVE OF YOUR WORK TO GET THINGS MOVING FORWARD IN SUCH A RAPID MANNER, END QUOTE.
WHO SAID THAT? ANSWER: CHRIS STEELE, PRESIDENT OF THE SAN ANTONIO PROFESSIONAL FIREFIGHTERS ASSOCIATION.
THAT CAN BE FOUND IN SAN ANTONIO EXPRESS-NEWS NOVEMBER THE 11TH, 2005.
ONE LAST REMEMBRANCE, I REMEMBER
[01:45:01]
SHERYL WHEN SHE CAME TO SAN ANTONIO UNASKED AND NOT BEING PAID ANYTHING TO HELP WITH THE HURRICANE EVACUEES AND OUR OWN CITIZENS WHICH THE CITY WAS ALL WORKING TOGETHER AS A PIECE.BUT HERE CAME A STRANGER IN OUR MIDST WHO WAS NOT YET THE CITY MANAGER.
BUT WE HAD NOT ASKED HER TO COME, WE HAD NOT PAID HER TO COME.
WE HAD NOT EVEN PAID HER EXPENSES, BUT SHE CAME HERE AND HELPED US FOR THE BETTER PART OF A WEEK.
AND I REMEMBER, AND BEING IN ONE OF THOSE AIR CONDITIONED HANGARS AT KELLY, THAT HAD BEEN DISUSED FOR YEARS.
AND IT WAS REALLY HOT IN THERE.
IT WAS THE MIDDLE OF A HOT SUMMER, AND VERY LITTLE VENTILATION AND I WAS WATCHING SHERYL SWEAT LIKE THE REST OF US WITH -- WIPING HER BROW, HER FACE WAS FLUSHED, SHE HAD HER SLEEVES ROLLED UP.
THIS PARTICULAR VOLUNTEER THAT BECAME OUR CITY MANAGER.
AND I KNEW THEN WITHOUT A SINGLE DOUBT THIS PARTNERSHIP IS GOING TO WORK.
>> MAYOR NIRENBERG: THANK YOU, MAYOR HARDBERGER.
KNOW, -- NOW I'D LIKE TO CALL UP OUR PREK FOUR SA CEO, CHERYL BURET, AS WELL AS OUR FAMILIES, AND I BELIEVE WE HAVE A TEACHER HERE AS WELL.
>> MAYOR AND COUNCIL THANK YOU FOR INDULGING US TO SAY A VERY PUBLIC THANK YOU TO OUR CITY MANAGER.
I WANTED Y'ALL TO HAVE THE CHANCE TO HEAR FROM OUR FAMILIES AND A TEACHER WHO HAVE BEEN AFFECTED BY THIS PROGRAM, ABOUT WHAT IT MEANS TO THEM AND WHAT A VISIONARY CITY MANAGER SCULLEY WAS IN BRINGING THIS TO LIFE.
AND SO I'M GOING TO TURN IT OVER TO, FIRST OF ALL, VERONICA MALAGON, WHO IS OUR PARENT COORDINATOR AND THEN SHE WILL INTRODUCE YOU TO OUR FAMILY.
>> GOOD MORNING, CITY COUNCIL, MAYOR.
WE'RE VERY GRATEFUL TO HAVE THIS OPPORTUNITY TO THANK CITY MANAGER SCULLEY FOR HER WONDERFUL SUPPORT AND ADVOCACY FOR ALL THE CHILDREN OF SAN ANTONIO.
SO I'D LIKE TO START OFF BY JUST SAYING THAT WE'RE VERY GRATEFUL FOR ALL THE SUPPORT, AND I THINK THE STORY OF PREK FOUR SA CAN BEST BE TOLD THROUGH THE EYES OF OUR FAMILIES AND TEACHERS.
SO I'M GOING TO TURN IT OVER TO OUR FIRST FAMILY WHO WILL SPEAK, MRS. SAMANTHA VARGAS AND HER DAUGHTER ELLIE.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR HAVING US HERE TODAY.
THANK YOU, CITY MANAGER SCULLEY FOR MAKING THIS PROGRAM POSSIBLE.
WHAT DOES PREK FOUR SA MEAN TO MY FAMILY? THREE THINGS, OPPORTUNITY, GROWTH AND SUPPORT.
THE OPPORTUNITY THAT PREK FOUR SA HAS PROVIDED ME AND MY FAMILY IS ACCESS TO HIGH-QUALITY EDUCATION.
I WOULDN'T NECESSARILY HAVE HAD THIS ACCESS OTHERWISE.
AND IT FILLS THE GAP FOR A LOT OF OTHER FAMILIES IN MY SITUATION.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR COMING UP WITH THAT PROGRAM.
FOR GROWTH, I HAVE GROWN AS A PARENT BY EMULATING THE SKILLS THAT PREK FOUR SA SHARES IN THEIR MISSION.
SPECIFICALLY CONFLICT RESOLUTION.
MY DAUGHTER IS ALREADY READING, AND I CAN SEE THE IMPACT THAT THIS CURRICULUM IS HAVING ON HER DEVELOPMENT.
SHE WON'T BE FIVE UNTIL APRIL.
[01:50:02]
INDEPENDENT AND VERY CONFIDENT IN HER SOCIAL SKILLS.FOR THE SUPPORT PREK FOUR SA HAS PROVIDED, IT IS A CONSTANT COMMUNITY SPIRIT THAT THEY FOSTER.
WE HAD PROGRAMS LIKE PARENTS AS PARTNERS WHERE WE ALL GET TOGETHER AND DECIDE HOW WE CAN IMPROVE THE PREK FOUR SA PROGRAM FOR THE FAMILIES.
IT HAS MEANT A LOT TO ME TO BE A PART OF THIS PROGRAM.
AND IT HAS GREATLY IMPACTED MY FAMILY.
THANK YOU SO MUCH CITY MANAGER SCULLEY, FOR BEING A KEY PART OF THIS.
>> NOW MRS. BERTHA VILLARREAL WOULD LIKE TO SHARE A FEW WORDS OF GRATITUDE.
>> SO MRS. BERTA WILL SPEAK IN SPANISH AND I'LL TRANSLATE AFTERWARD.
>> SO MRS. BERTHA JUST SPOKE WITH GRATITUDE, SHE'S THE MOTHER OF TWIN, AND THEY'RE BOTH IN TWO DIFFERENT CLASSES AT OUR SOUTH CENTER.
AND SHE JUST WANTED TO THANK CITY MANAGER SCULLEY FOR HER SUPPORT.
SHE'S SEEN HER CHILDREN GROW, SHE'S SEEN THEM DEVELOP, AND REALLY SHE'S AN INTEGRAL PART OF OUR WORK AS PARENTS AS PARTNERS IN OUR LEADERSHIP WORK AT THE SOUTH CENTER.
NEXT WE'LL HEAR FROM MRS. LOPEZ, WHO IS HERE FROM OUR SOUTH CENTER.
MRS. DELL LOPEZ IS ONE OF OUR COTEACHERS IN ONE OF OUR CLASSROOMS. SHE'S ALSO A PHENOMENAL ARTIST AND SHE WORKED HARD WITH THE CHILDREN TO PUT TOGETHER AN ORIGINAL ART PIECE AS A TOKEN OF GRATITUDE, AND WE ALSO HAVE WITH US THE CENTER DIRECTOR OF OUR SOUTH CENTER, MRS. BELINDA GONZALES.
SO I'LL ASK MRS. LOPEZ TO COME FORWARD AND SAY A FEW WORDS TO CITY MANAGER SCULLEY.
>> ONCE UPON A TIME THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO PREK FOUR SA WAS BORN.
MY NAME IS DELIA LOPEZ, BUT PLEASE DON'T -- -- I'M A PROUD MEMBER OF PREK FOUR SA.
I'M FROM THE SOUTH EDUCATIONAL CENTER AND I'VE BEEN WITH THE COMPANY FOR SIX YEARS ALREADY FROM DAY ONE.
AND TODAY, I WANT TO SHOW YOU HOW THROUGH THE PROCESS OF A PAINTING, MY [INDISCERNIBLE] KELLY MCMANN THIS AND I ARE TEACHING OUR STUDENTS HOW TO BE RESILIENT.
WITHOUT KNOWING THE ENDING RESULTS [INDISCERNIBLE] TO PAINT OUTSIDE THE LINES PASTELS.
AND THEY WERE RESILIENT JUST LIKE ALL OF US.
AND THEY ENJOYED THE PROCESS, JUST LIKE WE'RE DOING --
[01:55:01]
IN AUDIO] -- AND AT THE END, WITHOUT KNOWING, THEY ACQUIRED A VERY, VERY VALUABLE SKILL.CITY MANAGER SCULLEY, ON BEHALF OF OUR STUDENTS AND THEIR FAMILIES ON BEHALF OF EVERY STAFF MEMBER, ON BEHALF OF PREK FOUR SA AND FUTURE GENERATIONS, WITH THIS PAINTING, WE WANT TO THANK YOU FOR ALL YOUR SUPPORT.
WE THANK YOU FOR HAVING COLORED OUTSIDE THE LINES.
WE THANK YOU FOR BELIEVING IN OUR MISSION AND OUR VISION.
WE THANK YOU FOR BEING RESILIENT AND SUPPORTING US AGAINST ALL ODDS.
>> SCULLEY: AS THEY'RE GATHERING, I REALLY HAVE TO SAY THANK YOU FOR ALL THOSE KIND WORDS.
THE PREK FOUR SA PROGRAM INITIATIVE OF COURSE WAS LED BY MAYOR JULIAN CASTRO, COUNCILMAN SALDAÑA, YOU WERE PART OF THAT INITIAL EFFORT.
WHAT PETER AND I WERE ABLE TO DO WAS PUT TOGETHER THE BUSINESS PLAN AND IMPLEMENT THE PROGRAM AND WE'RE VERY PROUD TO HAVE HIRED DR. SARAH BERET AS OUR CEO OF PREK FOUR SA -- AUDIO] -- TO A PREK FOUR SA CENTER.
YOU KNOW WE'RE DOING THE RIGHT THING WHEN YOU SEE ALL THESE WONDERFUL CHILDREN AND FAMILIES LEARNING, AND ALSO SPECIAL THANKS TO ELAINE MENDOZA WHO CHAIRS THE PREK FOUR SA BOARD AND THAT ENTIRE BOARD.
WE HAD A BOARD MEETING JUST DAY BEFORE YESTERDAY APPROVING MORE WORK TO DO AND EXPAND THE PROGRAM IN THE COMMUNITY.
SO I DO WANT TO RECOGNIZE THEM AS LEADERS.
AND JOE ROBLES AND CHARLES BUTT -- MAIRPZ THANK YOU, ALL.
BEFORE WE GO TO OUR LUNCHEON, I'LL NOW INVITE MY COLLEAGUES TO MAKE A FEW REMARKS.
I'LL START WITH COUNCILMAN COURAGE.
SHERYL, I JUST WANT TO START OFF BY THANKING YOU FOR HOW YOU HAVE WORKED WITH ME.
YOU MAY HAVE HEARD CITIZEN TO BE HEARD A LITTLE EARLIER MENTION THAT I MIGHT NOT HAVE THOUGHT VERY HIGHLY OF THE CITY MANAGER WHILE I WAS A CANDIDATE RUNNING FOR CITY COUNCIL.
I HAVE TO SAY, I WAS SKEPTICAL.
I WAS SKEPTICAL OF WHAT I THOUGHT I KNEW ABOUT HOW THE CITY WAS OPERATING UNDER YOUR LEADERSHIP AS CITY MANAGER, HOW THE COUNCIL WORKED INDEPENDENTLY OR DEPENDENTLY AT THE TIME.
YOU KNOW, I THINK THAT MANY PEOPLE OUTSIDE OF CITY GOVERNMENT GET SKEPTICAL FROM WHAT THEY HEAR, WHAT THEY READ ABOUT, WHAT THEY THINK THEY KNOW.
BUT MY SKEPTICISM HAS REALLY LED OVER THE YEAR AND A HALF OR MORE THAT I'VE BEEN ON THIS COUNCIL AND WORKED WITH YOU, TO GREAT UNDERSTANDING AND APPRECIATION FOR WHAT YOU DO, WHAT YOU HAVE DONE AND WHAT YOU HAVE CREATED FOR OUR CITY IN THE WAY OF SUCH A STRONG MANAGEMENT TEAM.
[02:00:05]
YOU KNOW, WHEN YOU GET ON THE INSIDE, YOU SEE THINGS A LOT DIFFERENTLY THAN WHAT YOU HAVE SEEN FROM THE OUTSIDE.UNDERSTAND DIFFERENT SIDES OF THE ISSUES.
AND I'M JUST GENERALLY GRATEFUL -- SO THANK YOU FOR THAT SERVICE.
AND I WISH YOU THE VERY BEST GOING INTO THE FUTURE.
>> MAYOR NIRENBERG: THANK YOU, COUNCILMAN COURAGE.
AS ANOTHER NEW MEMBER ON THIS COUNCIL, I WANT TO GIVE YOU CONGRATULATIONS AND ALL DUE RESPECT THAT YOU HAVE SHOWN TO ME DURING MY TIME.
I AGREE WITH MY COLLEAGUE HERE THAT WE DIDN'T ALWAYS AGREE, AND -- BUT THAT'S OUR SYSTEM.
THAT'S THE WAY WE'RE SUPPOSED TO WORK.
WE SHOULD BE ALL SPEAKING REPRESENTATIVE OF OUR DISTRICTS, BUT ALSO LOOKING AT IT AS A WHOLE FOR SAN ANTONIO AS WELL.
AND I -- I HAVE TO SAY THAT YOU'VE ALWAYS TREATED ME WITH RESPECT, AND I REALLY APPRECIATE THAT.
AND I THINK THAT'S PART OF WHAT MAKES THIS CITY WORK, UNDER YOUR LEADERSHIP.
YOU WERE LOOKED UP TO FOR YOUR LEADERSHIP HERE -- AUDIO] -- HERE MANY -- IN SAN ANTONIO.
YOU HAVE CREATED A LEGACY HERE, AND I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO IT CONTINUING HERE FOR SAN ANTONIO, AND I KNOW IT'S GOING TO BE CONTINUED BECAUSE YOU HAVE THEM HERE IN SAN ANTONIO THAT -- THEY KNOW HOW TO RUN THIS CITY.
AND I'M -- I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO THAT AND CONTINUING THAT -- THAT PROCESS AS WELL AS THE PROGRESS THAT WE HAVE SEEN HERE IN SAN ANTONIO.
SO WITH THAT, I -- YOU KNOW, IF YOU AND MIKE EVER WANT TO COME OUT TO THE LAKE AND JOIN ME ON BIG TROUBLE, THAT WOULD BE GREAT.
>> PERRY: LET ME TELL YOU, IF I KNOW YOU, YOU'RE NOT GOING TO JUST SIT BACK AND TOTALLY RETIRE.
I'M SURE YOU HAVE FUTURE PLANS ON WHAT YOU WANT TO DO, AND THAT'S AWESOME.
YOU KNOW, I TRIED THAT SITTING BACK FOR ABOUT FOUR YEARS ON BEING TOTALLY RETIRED AND IT WAS GREAT FOR A WHILE, BUT THERE WAS STILL SOMETHING INSIDE ME WANTING TO SERVE.
AND I BET YOU YOU STILL HAVE THAT DRIVE IN YOUR -- YOU AS WELL.
ENJOY SOME TIME OFF, ENJOY LIFE, ENJOY THE FAMILY AND SIT BACK AND HAVE A GOOD TIME.
SO, SHERYL, THANK YOU VERY MUCH FROM THE BOTTOM OF MY HEART ON WHAT YOU HAVE DONE, HOW YOU'VE HELPED ME, HOW YOU'VE HELPED DISTRICT 10 AND THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO.
>> MAYOR NIRENBERG: THANK YOU, COUNCILMAN PERRY.
>> PELAEZ: SHERYL, I STILL DON'T KNOW WHY PHOENIX EVER ALLOWED YOU TO LEAVE.
THAT -- IT'S -- IT'S A MYSTERY TO ME HOW THEY COULD POSSIBLY HAVE ALLOWED YOU TO SLIP THROUGH THEIR FINGERS AND SEND YOU ALL THE WAY OVER HERE, BUT WE'RE ALL THE MORE LUCKY FOR HAVING THAT HAPPEN TO US.
I'VE GOT TO TELL YOU, MY WIFE JUST TEXTED ME AND SAID I'M NOT GOING TO LIE, THAT STANDING OHVATION MADE ME TEAR UP.
I HAVE -- YOU KNOW THIS, SHERYL, I'M A STUDENT OF WORDS, AND THE ONE WORD THAT COMES TO MIND IS INDELIBLE, RIGHT, AND IT MEANS THAT, YOU KNOW, YOU MAKE MARKS THAT CAN'T BEER -- BE ERASED.
AND, BOY, YOU'VE MADE A LOT OF MARKS.
I'M SO EXCITED JUST TO NAME A FEW THAT I GOT TO WITNESS FIRSTHAND.
YOU IN LARGE PART IS THE REASON THAT BROOKS CITY BASE IS A SUCCESS AND PORT SAN ANTONIO IS A SUCCESS.
YOU WERE THE ONE THAT MADE IT ABSOLUTELY POSSIBLE FOR TOYOTA TO ASSIMILATE AND TO LAND AND INCORPORATE ITSELF INTO THE FABRIC OF SAN ANTONIO.
YOU -- I DON'T KNOW HOW YOU DID IT, BUT YOU CREATED A MINI SCHOOL DISTRICT CALLED PREK FOUR SA AND IT'S WORLD CLASS AND IT'S AMAZING, AND THEN FOR THOSE OF YOU THAT DON'T REMEMBER, SAN ANTONIO WAS ONE OF THE CITIES OF THE UNITED STATES, THE SAME UNITED STATES THAT WENT THROUGH THE WORST RECESSION IN THE HISTORY OF THIS COUNTRY, AND SHERYL, YOU LED US THROUGH THAT TORNADO AND GOT US OUT THROUGH THE OTHER SIDE UNSCATHED.
IN FACT, WE WERE ALL THE BETTER FOR IT. I'M STILL SHOCKED THAT WE'RE ONE OF THE FEW CITIES THAT DID GREAT, YOU KNOW, THROUGHOUT -- THAT WE ADDED JOBS
[02:05:01]
AND WE ADDED INVESTMENT AND VALUE.ALSO ONE OF THE THINGS I ADMIRED MOST, SHERYL, WAS YOU TAKE THE TIME TO -- I'VE SEEN YOU DO THAT AND YOU'VE TALKED A LOT ABOUT THAT.
AND I'VE ALWAYS TAKEN AN INTEREST IN HOW DEDICATED YOU ARE IN THAT.
SO MANY TALK ABOUT THE ACCOMPLISHMENTS, BUT I ADMIRE YOU A LOT FOR THE INTEREST THAT YOU TAKE FOR MEN FORKING FOLKS WHO ARE -- PEN -- MENTORING FOLKS COMING UP IN THE RANKS.
MY LITTLE GIRL AND I WE SPEND A LOT OF TIME IN THE CAR ON OUR WAY TO SCHOOL, AND, YOU KNOW, WE FREQUENTLY TALK ABOUT YOU AND THE PEOPLE THAT I WORK WITH.
AND SHE WAS RELAYING TO ME THE STORY ABOUT A GIRL AT HER SCHOOL WHO WAS MAKING ALL THE OTHER GIRLS MAD BECAUSE SHE WAS BEING BOSSY.
AND THEY WERE -- THEY HAD A CONFRONTATION AND THEY FINALLY TOLD HER, PENELOPE, YOU'RE BEING BOSSY AND WE DON'T WANT TO PLAY WITH YOU.
AND I STOPPED SOPHIA AND I SAID I DON'T LIKE THAT WORD WHEN YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT OTHER GIRLS.
SHE WAS BEING BOSSY BOSSY, SHE WASN'T BEING LEADERSHIP BOSSY LIKE SHERYL SCULLEY.
SO, SHERYL, YOU'VE GOT BIG FANS.
AND EVEN MY LITTLE GIRL KNOWS THE IMPORTANT WORK YOU'RE DOING.
THE OTHER THING I ADMIRE ABOUT SHERYL IS THAT SHERYL CAN GIVE YOU THAT ONE LOOK, AND SHE DOES IT TO ME OFTEN, THAT YOU LOOK AT HER AND SHE SAYS, YOU KNOW WHAT? YOU'VE MADE YOUR POINT.
NOW WOULD BE A GOOD TIME TO STOP TA UKING.
AND I THINK I'M GETTING THAT LOOK.
SO, SHERYL, I'M A HUGE FAN, AND I CAN'T WAIT TO SEE WHAT YOU DO NEXT.
THANK YOU FOR EVERYTHING YOU'VE DONE FOR ME AND FOR THE CITY.
>> MAYOR NIRENBERG: COUNCILWOMAN SANDOVAL.
>> SANDOVAL: THANK YOU, MAYOR.
THANK YOU, SHERYL, FOR YOUR SERVICE.
I REALLY ENJOYED THE WORDS THAT YOU SHARED WITH US, AND I THINK IT'S VERY TELLING THAT YOU -- THAT YOU SPENT SO MUCH TIME HIGHLIGHTING AND DESCRIBING YOUR STAFF TO US.
WE KNOW THAT THEY'RE WONDERFUL, AND I THINK JUST HEARING IT FROM YOU REALLY SPEAKS TO YOUR LEADERSHIP AND I REALLY THINK THAT'S THE BIGGEST PART OF YOUR LEGACY, THAT YOU LEAVE US WITH, SO THANK YOU FOR DOING THAT.
YOU LEAVE US IN GOOD HANDS, AND IT SPEAKS TO YOUR TEAMWORK MENTALITY.
I -- WHEN I FOUND OUT THAT YOU WOULD -- THAT YOU HAD ANNOUNCED YOUR RETIREMENT, I WAS SURPRISED, SHOCKED, BUT MOSTLY, I HAD A SELFISH REACTION AND THAT WAS WAIT A MINUTE.
I HAVEN'T COME UP WITH ALL MIGRATE IDEAS YET, SO SHERYL WON'T BE HERE TO HELP MAKE THEM HAPPEN, BECAUSE THAT'S WHAT YOU DO.
FOR THOSE WHO MAY NOT KNOW, SHERYL HAS BEEN CRITICIZED A LOT -- WELL, YOU PROBABLY KNOW THAT, BUT FOR THOSE WHO MAY NOT KNOW, SHERYL HAS BEEN VERY SENSITIVE TO THAT, AND I DON'T MEAN LIKE IT'S BROKEN HER DOWN.
THAT'S NOT WHAT I MEAN AT ALL.
WHAT I MEAN IS, SHE'S VERY CONSCIENCE OF THE FACT THAT HERE WE ARE IN A MAJORITY HISPANIC CITY, AND THAT SHE IS AT THE HELM, AND SHE KNOWS THAT THOSE ARE CHALLENGES AND SHE'S BEEN VERY SENSITIVE TO THOSE AND HAS TAKEN THOSE INTO ACCOUNT.
AND I REALLY APPRECIATE THAT YOU'VE DONE THAT.
AND YOUR SENSITIVITY IN LEADERSHIP ON WOMEN'S ISSUES IN MAKING SURE THAT WOMEN COME UP THE RANKS, TOO, I DEFINITELY APPRECIATE THAT, AND I EXPECT ANYONE WHO FOLLOWS IN YOUR FOOTSTEPS TO CONTINUE THOSE EFFORTS AS WELL.
AND LASTLY, I WANT TO THANK -- YOU COULD HAVE GONE ANYWHERE IN THE U.S. WITH THE SKILLS AND THE ABILITIES THAT YOU HAD.
THANKS TO SOME MEN OVER THERE, YOU CAME HERE, AND THIS ISN'T YOUR HOMETOWN, I HOPE YOU FEEL LIKE IT IS NOW, BUT I WANT TO THANK YOU AND MIKE FOR DEDICATING 13 YEARS OF YOUR LIFE TO MAKING MY HOMETOWN A -- BETTER.
I CAN'T THANK YOU ENOUGH FOR THAT.
>> MAYOR NIRENBERG: THANK YOU COUNCILWOMAN SANDOVAL.
>> TREVINO: THANK YOU, MAYOR, THANK YOU, SHERYL, FOR YOUR SERVICE.
MOST IMPORTANTLY, JUST IN BEING ABLE TO WORK TOGETHER WITH YOU ON SOME IMPORTANT PROJECTS, AND I THINK A LOT OF PEOPLE -- WE HEARD UP HERE THAT SOME OF US SAY WE DON'T ALWAYS AGREE, BUT THAT'S THE MARK OF A PROFESSIONAL.
AND I THINK THAT'S EXACTLY WHAT YOU DID.
WE -- SOME OF US UP HERE GET CRAZY NOTIONS AND YOUR JOB WAS TO BRING US RIGHT BACK.
YOU KNOW, I WANT TO SAY THANK YOU FOR A LOT OF -- A LOT OF HELP THAT WE'VE HAD IN THE CITY AND YOU CERTAINLY HAVE LEFT YOUR MARK.
I WANT TO TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT WHAT EVERYBODY EXPECTS, RIGHT? FOR EXAMPLE, THE WORK THAT WE DID TOGETHER ON THE ALAMO AND
[02:10:03]
HOW -- HOW INCREDIBLE THAT WAS.MOST PEOPLE NEVER GOING TO KNOW THOSE PRIVATE MEETINGS THAT WE'VE HAD.
AND THE KNOCK DOWN DRAG OUT FIGHTS THAT WE HAD TO REALLY REPRESENT THE CITY, TO REPRESENT SOMETHING THAT IS IMPORTANT TO ALL OF US.
THAT'S -- THAT, TO ME, WAS SOMETHING I GOT TO SEE AND I GOT TO SHARE WITH YOU.
AND I WANT TO SAY THANK YOU FOR BEING THAT GREAT PARTNER.
I ALSO WANT TO MENTION THAT I ESPECIALLY ENJOY SOME OF THE MORE JUST REGULAR PERSONABLE MOMENTS THAT WE HAVE, WHEN WE GET TO TALK JUST IN GENERAL.
AND ONE OF THOSE WAS THIS LAST ROCK AND ROLL MARATHON, WHICH BY THE WAY, I COULD NOT KEEP UP WITH SHERYL.
>> TREVINO: KNOW SOME PEOPLE WOULD MAKE THAT UP TO BE FUNNY, BUT THIS IS ACTUALLY EMBARRASSING.
>> TREVINO: BUT ONE OF THE BEST MOMENTS I HAD WITH YOU WAS BEGINNING OF THAT RACE.
YOU ASKED IF YOU COULD JOIN ME, AND I SAID, OH, GOD, OH, NO, I HOPE I CAN KEEP UP.
AND WE'RE RUNNING DOWN THE STREET AND WE'RE SEEING ALL THESE GREAT PEOPLE AND YOU SAID, DOESN'T THE CITY LOOK BEAUTIFUL? IT GAVE ME GOOSE BUMPS AUDIO].
I KNOW THIS MEANS A LOT TO YOU, AND I KNOW THAT THIS IS NOT YOU QUITTING THE CITY OR LEAVING THE CITY, BECAUSE YOU WANT THE BEST FOR THIS CITY.
YOU'VE TRULY PUT YOUR HEART INTO THIS.
SO I JUST WANT TO MENTION THAT MOMENT, BECAUSE I THOUGHT THAT WAS REALLY GREAT.
AND I GOT TO SHARE THAT WITH YOU, I GOT TO SHARE A LOT OF OTHER BIG MOMENTS THAT MOST PEOPLE EXPECT, BUT I THINK THAT REALLY IS A MARK TOWARD YOUR CHARACTER.
>> MAYOR NIRENBERG: THANK YOU, COUNCILMAN TREVINO.
>> GONZALES: THANK YOU, MAYOR.
WELL, SHERYL, IT WAS MENTIONED THAT YOUR WORK ETHIC IS IMMEASURABLE, AS PHIL HARDBERGER TALKED ABOUT HIS FATHER, AND I THOUGHT ABOUT MY MOTHER AND HOW HARD-WORKING SHE IS.
I THOUGHT, WOW, SHERYL'S EVEN MORE DETERMINED THAN MY MOTHER, AND I'VE NEVER MET ANYBODY QUITE LIKE THAT, NOT JUST IN YOUR WORK ETHIC AND YOUR ABILITY TO WORK FROM ALL HOURS OF THE DAY, BUT ALSO -- SOMETHING I HAVE NEVER EXPERIENCED IN ANY OTHER PERSON, AND THAT, OF COURSE, IS ONE OF THE QUALITIES THAT MADE YOU SUCH A GREAT CITY MANAGER.
I THU YOU LISTED -- THINK YOU LISTED MANY OF YOUR ACCOMPLISHMENTS, BUT THERE'S A FEW THAT YOU DIDN'T, AND I WANT TO HIGHLIGHT THOSE, BECAUSE WHILE THE THINGS THAT YOU DID WERE REALLY INCREDIBLE, SOME WERE MORE IMPORTANT TO ME THAN OTHERS, AND I THINK YOUR LEGACY MIGHT BE MORE OF THE THINGS THAT YOU DIDN'T MENTION.
AND ONE OF THOSE IS THE EQUITY BUDGET.
AND FOR MANY YEARS, MY COLLEAGUES KNOW, SINCE THE 1970S, WE HAVE BEEN DELEGATING FUNDING BASED ON SINGLE -- ON ROUGH PROPORTIONALITY.
AND TWO YEARS AGO, WE USED A DIFFERENT FORMULA TO WHERE WE ARE SPENDING OUR RESOURCES -- TO SEE THAT IMPACT ESPECIALLY IN THE NEAR WEST SIDE, ON THE NEAR SOUTH SIDE.
WE'RE FINALLY STARTING TO SEE -- ABLE TO IMPLEMENT THAT CITYWIDE.
AND I HOPE THAT WE CAN CONTINUE THAT IN THE NEXT YEARS TO COME.
THE OTHER THING THAT I THINK I WOULD LIKE TO TELL A STORY ABOUT THE WOMEN OF THE WORLD CONFERENCE.
SO SHERYL WAS REALLY INSTRUMENTAL IN BRINGING THE WOMEN OF THE WORLD CONFERENCE HERE TO SAN ANTONIO, AND WE EXPERIENCED IT A COUPLE OF YEARS, BUT IT WAS GETTING REALLY TOUGH COMPETITION, AND SHERYL AND A COUPLE OF OTHER SPONSORED A GROUP OF US TO GO TO NEW YORK TO GET THE WOMEN OF THE WORLD CONFERENCE TO COME BACK HERE TO SAN ANTONIO.
SO IT'S AN INCREDIBLE CONFERENCE THAT IS HOSTED IN NEW YORK.
TINA BROWN IS THE HOST AND SHE BRINGS IN ALL THESE INCREDIBLE WOMEN FROM ALL OVER THE WORLD TO TALK ABOUT HOW THEY'VE OVERCOME OBSTACLES AND ENTREPRENEURS AND ALL KINDS OF REALLY UNIQUE IMPORTANT THINGS HAPPENING.
AND SO THAT WEEK THAT WE WERE SCHEDULED TO GO TO THE WOMEN OF THE WORLD CONFERENCE, I FOUND OUT I WAS PREGNANT, LIKE TWO WEEKS, I HAD THAT VERY, VERY
[02:15:02]
EARLY ON AND I WAS INCREDIBLY NAUSEOUS.AND I REALLY COULDN'T ENJOY IT BECAUSE I WAS SO SICK AND SO TIRED.
AND I WAS TRYING TO HOLD OFF AND NOT TELL ANYONE AND, OF COURSE, I DIDN'T -- IT WAS VERY EARLY ON, SO I DIDN'T FEEL COMFORTABLE SHARING IT AT THAT TIME.
AND AT THE END OF IT, OUR FLIGHT GOT CANCELED ON OUR WAY BACK.
AND I DON'T REMEMBER THE DETAILS OF HOW IT GOT CANCELED, BUT I WAS SO SICK, I REALLY DIDN'T WANT TO SAY ANYTHING, I REALLY JUST WANTED TO SIT IN A CORNER AND ALLOW WHATEVER TO HAPPEN EVOLVE.
BUT I DON'T KNOW HOW SHERYL DID IT, I REALLY DID WATCH HER AND I OBSERVED HER ABILITY TO NEGOTIATE FOR US NOT JUST A ROOM NIGHT, TRANSPORTATION BACK TO THE HOTEL, AND A FLIGHT -- A DIRECT FLIGHT THE VERY NEXT DAY AT 7:00 IN THE MORNING ON THE WAY HOME.
AND I WATCHED HER DO IT SO CALMLY WITHOUT BEING AGGRESSIVE TOWARDS ANYONE, JUST BEING PERSISTENT AND DEMANDING AND SAYING, NO, WE'LL JUST WAIT FOR YOU TO GET A ROOM FOR US.
WE'LL WAIT HERE WHILE YOU GO GET... I'M NOT SURE HOW IT HAPPENED, BUT MAGICALLY, WE WERE ALL VERY WELL TAKEN CARE OF.
AND A FEW WEEKS LATER, AS I WAS ABLE TO CLEAR MY MIND AND FEEL A LITTLE BETTER, I THOUGHT, I NEED TO LEARN HOW TO NEGOTIATE IN SUCH A WAY THAT NOT ONLY DO I GET WHAT I WANT, BUT AT THE END OF IT, EVERYBODY ELSE FEELS LIKE THEY GOT WHAT THEY NEEDED.
SO IT WAS QUITE AN INCREDIBLE SKILL AND I KNOW THAT SHERYL HAS USED THAT IN MANY AVENUES IN HER TIME AT THIS REGARDLESS OF WHATE WENT INTO THE NEGOTIATION WITH, THE CITY CAME OUT AHEAD AT THE END OF THE DAY.
THANK YOU FOR ALL OF YOUR WORK.
I KNOW WE DID HAVE MANY PRIVATE TIMES TOGETHER, AND I HAVE TO SAY COURTNEY WAS ALWAYS ON THE FRONT OF YOUR MIND.
I'M GLAD TO FINALLY SEE YOU IN PERSON.
SHERYL TALKED ABOUT YOU VERY OFTEN AND HOW PROUD SHE WAS OF HER DAUGHTER AND HOW SHE WAS ALWAYS TRYING TO MAKE A BETTER WORLD FOR WOMEN.
I THINK NOT JUST FOR YOU, COURTNEY, BUT FOR ALL OF US.
AND, YOU KNOW, WE LOOK FORWARD TO WHAT'S COMING NEXT.
HOPEFULLY BRINGING BACK THAT WOMEN OF THE WORLD CONFERENCE HERE.
>> MAYOR NIRENBERG: THANK YOU, COUNCILWOMAN GONZALES.
>> BROCKHOUSE: THANK YOU, MAYOR.
SHERYL, ON BEHALF OF THE RESIDENTS OF DISTRICT -- IN AUDIO] -- I THINK YOUR GREATEST ACCOMPLISHMENT IS THE TEAM YOU'VE ASSEMBLED AROUND YOU.
PEOPLE OFTEN ASK ME HOW I GET THINGS DONE DOWN THERE, LIKE HOW IS THIS WORKING FOR ME.
I SAID, I'VE GOT TO TELL YOU, SHERYL HAS PUT TOGETHER A TEAM OF MEN AND WOMEN THAT IS PHENOMENAL, AND IT WILL BE YOUR LASTING LEGACY WELL BEYOND ANY OF THIS.
EVERY TIME I MEET WITH ERIC AND THE BIG SHOES HE HAS TO FILL AND THE REST OF THE TEAM, I'M GOING TO BE HONORING THAT, THE TEAM YOU PUT TOGETHER AND GIVE THEM THE BEST RESPECT I CAN.
IF THIS JOB LASTS FOR THREE MONTHS OR SEVEN YEARS, MY COMMITMENT TO YOU IS I'M GOING TO CONTINUE TO SUPPORT YOUR TEAM BECAUSE THEY ARE THE FINEST CITY TEAM IN THE NATION.
I DON'T HAVE MANY REGRETS UP HERE ON THIS DAIS, I LET IT FLY LIKE THERE IS NO TOMORROW, ONE REGRET I DO HAVE IS NOT INCLUDING WITH YOU ENOUGH OF YOUR ACCOMPLISHMENTS AND I LET SOMETIMES POLITICS GET TOO FAR IN IT.
I DO NOT SAY THIS LIGHTLY, YOU ARE THE FINEST CITY MANAGER THIS CITY HAS EVER HAD, AND I WISH YOU NOTHING BUT THE BEST OF LUCK, AND I HOPE YOUR FUTURE HAS GREAT HAPPINESS AND SUCCESS, AND TO YOU AND YOUR FAMILY, I WISH THE SAME.
BUT IT IS UNDER NO SIMPLE TERMS THAT I SAY THAT, YOU KNOW, REALLY WHEN I LOOK AT EVERYTHING YOU'VE DONE AND YOU'VE GONE THROUGH THIS DAIS AND LISTED A TON OF THEM.
I BECAUSE YOU'RE LIKE RIGHT THERE ON ME, TOO.
I DON'T KNOW HOW I -- I WAS KIND OF HOPING INITIALLY MAYBE GET ME MOVED TO THE OTHER SIDE, I'VE WORKED FOR GENERALS IN THE MILITARY, CORPORATE EXECUTIVE CEOS, YOU'RE THE BEST.
AND I THINK IT REFLECTS THAT IN EVERYTHING WE'VE SEEN IN THIS CITY AND THE GROWTH IN EVERYTHING, AND I WANTED TO CONGRATULATE YOU AND DISTRICT 6 RESIDENTS, THEY ASKED ME ABOUT IT.
WE DO KNOW IT'S YOU AND THE TEAM THAT GETS THAT WORK DONE.
SO THROUGH ALL THE MUCK OF POLITICS AND ALL THAT OTHER STUFF, I CLEAR ALL THAT AWAY TODAY AND I SAY THANK YOU ON BEHALF OF ALL OF US.
YOU HAVE MADE US PROUD AND I WISH YOU THE BEST OF LUCK.
>> MAYOR NIRENBERG: THANK YOU, COUNCILMAN BROCKHOUSE.
THIS IS AN END OF AN ERA OF SORTS HERE IN THE --
[02:20:01]
AUDIO] -- THANK YOU TO YOUR MOTHER WHO IS HERE, WHO YOU SPEAK OF OFTEN AS WELL, JUST LIKE YOU DO TO COURTNEY, COLIN AND MIKE, BUT WE GET TO SEE MIKE A LOT MORE THAN WE DO YOUR FAMILY.THANK YOU -- AS I SEE EVEN ERIC WALK IN AND OUT OF THE ROOMS NOW A DAY, I JUST THINK, IT IS A TREMENDOUS, TREMENDOUS AMOUNT OF WORK THAT YOU DO AND THAT YOU HAVE DONE.
AND WHEN YOU ANNOUNCED YOUR RETIREMENT, I STARTED ASKING SOME OF YOUR STAFF IF THERE WAS JUST ONE THING YOU COULD ONLY GIVE ME ONE THING THAT YOU WOULD SAY MAKES SHERYL A GREAT CITY MANAGER, WHAT WOULD IT BE.
I ASKED VARIOUS STAFF MEMBERS.
AND THEIR RESPONSES WERE -- THEY VARIED.
SOME SAID THAT SHE GAVE US THE OPPORTUNITY -- SHE EMPOWERED US.
SHE GAVE US CLEAR DIRECTION OF WHERE TO GO.
AND THAT SHE BELIEVED IN OUR ABILITIES IN WHAT WE CAN DO.
AND SHE PROVED THAT, AND SHE SHOWED US THAT SHE BELIEVED IN OUR ABILITIES AND IT HELPED US BECOME STRONGER AND BETTER LEADERS.
THAT IS HONORING YOU AND THE WORK THAT YOU DID AND THE HOW YOU ACTIVATED THAT.
I ALSO WANT TO THANK YOU FOR AND PERSISTENT ABOUT AND -- SHOULD BE REQUESTING -- IN AUDIO] -- WHAT WE SHOULD BE WANTING.
THANK YOU FOR ELEVATING THAT CONVERSATION BACK TO OUR CONSCIENCENESS IN THE CITY THAT WE MAY NOT HAVE HAD BEFORE BECAUSE WE DIDN'T HAVE THAT PERSPECTIVE -- AUDIO] -- BUT BECAUSE -- IN AUDIO] -- BECAUSE OF WHAT YOU -- PROSPER INTO A NEW REALM THAT WE HAD NOT HAD BEFORE.
AND THIS LEADER -- THIS EXECUTIVE TEAM LEADERSHIP THAT YOU HAVE THAT IS GOING TO BE -- CONTINUING TO TAKE US INTO FURTHER YEARS HERE.
CITY, FOR ME SITTING HERE ON THIS DAIS, WHAT COUNCILWOMAN GONZALES SHARED ABOUT JUST WATCHING YOU IN ACTION WAS SOMETHING -- A FORCE TO BE RECKON WITH, AND YOU USE THAT FORCE IN SUCH A POSITIVE WAY FOR THE PEOPLE IN THE CITY AND FOR THOSE THAT ARE UP HERE THAT GET TO WORK WITH YOU.
I CONSIDER IT A GREAT HONOR AND A PRIVILEGE TO HAVE WORKED WITH YOU, AS MY -- AS MY CITY MANAGER.
I WILL SAY ONE OF THE OTHER THINGS THAT I WAS SO EXCITED, THANK YOU FOR HELPING ELEVATE DISTRICT 3 AND THE SOUTH SIDE OF SAN ANTONIO.
AND THAT IN 2016, WE WERE ABLE TO MOVE FORWARD AT AT THE CITY LEVEL TO RECEIVE EXTRA MATERNITY LEAVE FOR BOTH PARENTS.
THAT HAPPENED IN 2016, BUT IT TOOK ALL OF US COMING TOGETHER AND WORKING HARD FOR IT.
THANK YOU FOR MAKING THAT SOMETHING THAT WAS IMPORTANT FOR YOU AND FOR ALL OF US.
I HAVE TO SAY THANK YOU TO MAYOR HARDBERGER AND THAT ENTIRE COUNCIL THAT BROUGHT YOU AND SELECTED YOU AS OUR CITY MANAGER, BECAUSE YOU MADE US A BETTER CITY AS WE MOVE FORWARD.
YOUR WORK AS -- -- PEOPLE HERE IN THIS CITY, THOSE THAT YOU DON'T EVEN KNOW, THOSE THAT WE SEE, THAT WE TALK TO, THAT TALK TO US AND THE THOUGHT OF BEING IRON BUTTERFLIES, THAT WE KNOW HOW TO MOVE FORWARD AND WORK TOGETHER.& I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO THIS LEGACY, TO SEE YOUR LEGACY IN PLAY HERE WITH ERIK WALSH MOVING FORWARD, AND WITH ALL OF OUR TEAM MEMBERS, MARIA, BEN, PETER,
[02:25:04]
EVERYONE STILL MOVING FORWARD TOGETHER AS OUR UNIT.THANK YOU FOR BRINGING WOMEN'S ISSUES MOVING FORWARD FOR THOSE DIFFICULT CONVERSATIONS WE'VE HAD TO HAVE, FOR THOSE THINGS THAT ARE STILL NEEDING TO BE FIXED IN THE CITY, YOU HAVE MY COMMITMENT THAT I'LL CONTINUE TO WORK ON THEM AS WELL.
>> MAYOR NIRENBERG: THANK YOU, COUNCILWOMAN VIAGRAN.
AND, YOU KNOW, FIRST, I'D LIKE TO -- SHERYL, YOU TALK ABOUT YOUR MOTHER SO MUCH.
I'M SO GRATEFUL THAT SHE'S JOINING US IN THE CHAMBER REPRESENTING HERSELF, BUT ALSO REPRESENTING AS THE PLACEMENT FOR YOUR FATHER AS WELL.
THEY DID A HECK OF A JOB IN RAISING YOU AND I'M SURE THE SEVEN OTHER, MELANIE INCLUDED THAT'S JOINING TODAY.
LET ME FIRST ALSO CONSIDER THAT YOU DON'T GET TO BE THE BEST CITY MANAGER WITHOUT HAVING TO SACRIFICE.
AND MIKE AND COURTNEY AND COLIN, I DON'T KNOW IF SHERYL -- WITH WHAT WE HAVE SEEN IS EVER ABLE TO TURN IT OFF WHEN SHE GETS HOME.
IN FACT, I RECALL A STORY IN WHICH SHERYL SAID -- HOW SHE WOULD MANAGE THROUGH THE WEDDING PLANNING BECAUSE SHE HAD SO MUCH ADVICE ON -- AND SHE WANTED TO TURN INTO A CITY MANAGER TO MANAGE THE OPERATIONS FOR THE REHEARSAL DINNER AND FOR THE CEREMONY THAT BUT I SAY THANK YOU TO YOU ALL BECAUSE REALLY WE DON'T KNOW WHAT IS ON THE OTHER END OF SHERYL BECAUSE SHERYL IS ALWAYS FUNCTIONING AT 100 MILES PER HOUR.
AND I'M SURE THAT THAT COMES WITH IT A GIVE AND TAKE.
AND I DON'T KNOW WHAT IT'S LIKE.
SHERYL, AS YOU'RE FINISHING THIS OFF AND THINKING ABOUT THE CHAPTERS IN THE BOOK THAT YOU'RE GOING TO WRITE, I DON'T KNOW WHAT IT TAKES TO BE THE BEST.
I'VE NEVER GOTTEN THE PLEASURE OF BEING THE BEST AT SOMETHING.
AND I THINK ABOUT GOING INTO CLASSROOMS WHERE FOLKS WERE MUCH SMARTER THAN I AM OR PLAYING BASEBALL WITH TEAMMATES WHO WERE MUCH BETTER THAN I WAS.
BUT I HAD THE HONOR ONCE OF GETTING TO PLAY WITH THE BEST PITCHER IN THE COUNTRY ONCE.
AND I THOUGHT TO MYSELF THIS PITCHER, WHO IS THE BEST PITCHER IN THE COUNTRY, MAKES EVERYBODY AROUND THEM BETTER IN THE SENSE OF CONFIDENCE.
YOU KNOW, WHEN HE'S ON THE MOUND GOING INTO IT, IT MAKES THE REST OF THE TEAM JUST PLAY TO A DIFFERENT LEVEL AND TO A DIFFERENT SOMETHING.
AND SO I NEVER QUITE ASKED HIM WHAT IT FELT LIKE TO BE THE BEST.
AND WE THROW AROUND THE BEST WHEN WE INTRODUCE YOU AS THE BEST CITY MANAGER IN THE COUNTRY.
AND WE THROW AROUND THE BEST WHEN WE TALK ABOUT YOU IN TERMS OF THE, YOU KNOW, GREATEST HITS.
BUT IT MUST FEEL NICE AT THE END OF A CAREER TO KNOW THAT WE'RE NOT BEING BIASED -- AND I THINK WE'RE BEING AS OBJECTIVE AS WE CAN.
YOU'RE NOT JUST THE BEST FEMALE CITY MANAGER, YOU'RE THE BEST CITY MANAGER, PERIOD.
NOTHING ELSE NEEDS TO BE SAID AFTER THAT.
AND, YOU KNOW, AS COUNCILMAN BROCKHOUSE AND A FEW OTHERS HAVE SAID, WHETHER IT IS IN DEALING WITH THE TOP LEADERSHIP IN THE MILITARY OR IN THE PRIVATE SECTOR AND EDUCATION, EVEN WITHIN THE BUBBLE OF SAN ANTONIO, EVERYBODY LOOKS TO YOU AS ONE OF THE STRONGEST LEADERS THAT IS REPRESENTED IN OUR CITY.
I WILL SAY THAT WHENEVER IN AUDIO] ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT PITCH TO GET A COMPANY HERE, CONFERENCE HERE, WE'RE RECRUITING FOR THE BEST TALENT FOR OUR POLICE AND FIRE CHIEFS, WHAT MOST OF US THINK IS SIMPLY WE'RE GLAD SHE'S ON OUR TEAM.
WE'RE GLAD THAT YOU'RE LEADING THE EFFORTS.
AND IT IS TRUE THAT, LIKE ANY GREAT PITCHER OR ANY GREAT ATHLETE OR ANY GREAT COACH, YOU'LL THROW YOUR LAST PITCH OR COACH YOUR LAST GAME AND THE QUESTION AND THE WONDERING ON EVERYONE'S MIND IS WILL THE ORGANIZATION OR THE TEAM SURVIVE? AND WE ALL, I THINK NOW, PLAY TO A DIFFERENT STANDARD.
THE WATERMARK YOU HAVE LEFT FOR THE CITY AND ITS ORGANIZATION IS AS HIGH AS IT'S EVER GOING TO BE.
AND YOU HAVE A LOT TO POINT TO, BUT YOU HAVE A REAL LEGACY WITH A LONG TAIL THAT I THINK IS GOING TO REVERBERATE IN RIPPLES THAT ARE YET TO BE SEEN.
BUT FOR THOSE THINGS THAT WE CAN'T SEE -- I KNOW THAT FORMER COUNCILMAN PEREZ AUDIO] THAT LIVE IN MY DISTRICT, WE CAN SEE THOSE BENEFITS, WHETHER IT'S IN THE NEW FIRE STATIONS, PARKS, INVESTMENTS IN NEW STREETS AND SIDEWALKS, YOUR NAME IS ON THEM.
THEY'RE ACTUALLY ALMOST ALWAYS REPRESENTEDLY ELECTED OFFICIALS WHO WANT TO TAKE ALL THE CREDIT, AND WE DO, IN MOST CASES.
BUT AT THE END OF THE DAY THERE'S SOMEBODY WHO'S GOT TO BE UP THERE THROWING EVERY PITCH TO MAKE SURE THAT THE REST OF US AND YOUR TEAM PLAY TO THE LEVEL
[02:30:01]
THAT WE CAN.SO WE'RE LOOKING FORWARD TO WHAT YOU'RE GOING TO DO NEXT.
TO MIKE AND COLLIN AND COURTNEY, I HOPE YOU'LL ENJOY HAVING MOM AND YOUR WIFE BACK.
BUT WE CERTAINLY KNOW THAT WE'RE GOING TO GET TO MISS SEEING HER LEXUS PARKED AT THE PARKING SPOT.
THAT IT SEEMS TO BE PERPETUALLY SITUATED IN DAY AND NIGHT.
SHERYL, WE'RE LOOKING FORWARD TO WHAT YOU DO NEXT.
WE WISH YOU NOTHING BUT LUCK, I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO READING YOUR BOOK ONCE YOU'RE FINALLY DONE WRITING IT.
>> MAYOR NIRENBERG: THANK YOU, COUNCILMAN SALDANA.
>> HALL: I HAVE SAID MUCH ABOUT SHERYL AND WE HAVE AN EVENT RIGHT AFTER THIS.
WITH YOUR PERMISSION, MAYOR, I WOULD LIKE TO CEDE TWO MINUTES OF MY TIME, MEANING 30 SECONDS EACH TO FOUR OTHER COUNCIL MEMBERS WHO ARE ON THE COUNCIL WITH ME.
AND MAYOR HARDBERGER WHEN WE BROUGHT SHERYL IN.
AND SO IF THE FOUR OF THEM CAN COME UP, ALL TOGETHER, 30 SECONDS EACH, JUST SAY A COUPLE OF COMMENTS ON THIS STAGE.
COUNCILMAN PEREZ, COUNCILWOMAN HERRERA, COUNCILWOMAN PATTY RADLE, CHIP HAUS, AND ALETA GUAJUARDO, 30 SECONDS EACH.
>> SHERYL, YOU KNOW WHAT I'M GOING TO SAY.
YOU ARE MY ROLE MODEL AND HAVE BEEN SINCE 2005.
AND I STILL WANT TO BE YOU WHEN I GROW UP.
[LAUGHTER] AND IF IT WASN'T FOR YOU I WOULDN'T HAVE DONE THAT FIRST ROCK 'N' ROLL MARATHON, AND I STILL HAVE THAT FIRST GIFT YOU GAVE ME IN MY HOUSE.
AND WHAT MUST NEVER BE FORGOTTEN, EVERY MAJOR DECISION THAT HAS HAPPENED IN SAN ANTONIO, SHERYL HAS BEEN A PART OF.
AND IF IT WASN'T FOR HER, THEY WOULDN'T HAVE HAPPENED.
>> SHERYL, I FEEL I'VE SEEN YOUR HEART.
AND I KNOW SOMETIMES IT'S NOT EASY TO SEE WITH THE LIGHT OF BUSYNESS AND ALL THAT HAS TO BE DONE, BUT I FEEL I'VE SEEN IT AND IT IS GORGEOUS.
AND IT'S MADE THE DIFFERENCE IN EVERYTHING.
ONE OF THE BEST-KEPT SECRETS IN SAN ANTONIO IS WHEN THESE COUNCIL MEMBERS GOT TO MEET YOU INDIVIDUALLY, AND NO ONE KNEW ABOUT IT.
AND MAYOR HARDBERGER CALLED ME AND SAID, WHAT DO YOU THINK ABOUT HER? AND THIS IS WHAT I SAID.
I SAID, MAYOR, THAT HANDSHAKE IS THE HANDSHAKE OF OUR FUTURE.
AND IT HAS BEEN THE TRUEST STATEMENT.
AND SO THANK YOU FOR EVERYTHING.
BECAUSE YOU BROUGHT THIS CITY TO THE NEXT LEVEL.
AND I'M PROUD OF MY COLLEAGUES AND I THAT WE GOT TO SEE THE FIRST STEPS OF BRINGING IT TO THE NEXT LEVEL.
>> JUST LIKE A TEAM, I'M GOING TO LET RITCHIE HIT CLEAN UP.
ART, THANKS FOR GIVING US THE OPPORTUNITY.
I MEAN, EVERYONE HAS SAID SO MANY THINGS.
SHERYL, I WOULD JUST SAY THANK YOU FROM, YOU FROM, YOU KNOW, A 25-YEAR-OLD, 2003 CITY COUNCIL MEMBER WHO FRANKLY FOUND YOU TO BE JUST SUCH A SOBERING FORCE IN THE DISTRICT, AND FOR ME PERSONALLY, BECAUSE YOU BROUGHT SUCH A PROFESSIONALISM TO THE CITY AND, YOU KNOW, HELPED ME GET PROJECTS DONE FOR A COUPLE OF YEARS.
WE HAD TWO TWO-YEAR TERMS. IT WAS GOING TO BE HARDD TO MAKE SWEEPING CHANGES.
BUT I ALWAYS FELT LIKE I HAD CONFIDENCE IN YOUR LEADERSHIP, AND I'M VERY APPRECIATIVE TO HAVE HAD THAT EXPERIENCE TO WORK WITH YOU.
AND THEN JUST ON A PERSONAL NOTE, THANKS FOR JUMPING IN WITH BOTH FEET AND BECOMING A SAN ANTONIAN.
I THINK, YOU KNOW, THAT CAN'T BE EASY, RIGHT? AND YOU DID IT WITH GRACE AND THEN AGAIN PERSONALLY THANK YOU FOR BEING SUCH A GOOD FRIEND.
YOU KNOW, IT'S DIFFERENT AND IT'S UNIQUE.
AND I'M PLEASED TO HAVE HAD THE EXPERIENCE TO WORK WITH YOU.
I KNOW YOU'RE GOING TO ENJOY THIS NEXT STAGE, AND SO I LOOK FORWARD TO KEEPING IN TOUCH.
YOU'VE HEARD ABOUT THE TRANSFORMATION SHE'S DONE HERE, SO I'LL TALK ABOUT THE CONFIDENCE THAT SHE HAS BEEN ABLE TO CREATE IN THE BUSINESS COMMUNITY.
YOU KNOW, BUSINESS WORKS BECAUSE WE'RE CONFIDENT IN THIS PLACE THAT WE CALL HOME .
WE'RE CONFIDENT THAT WHEN WE TURN THE LIGHT IT'S GOING TO HAPPEN.
WHEN THERE'S A POTHOLE THAT GETS FIXED.
WHEN THERE'S AN ISSUE THE POLICE SHOW UP, OR THERE'S A FIRE.
[02:35:01]
1,000% CONFIDENCE IN THE WORK YOU HAVE DONE.YOU HAVE GIVEN US THE ABILITY TO BE SUCCESSFUL BECAUSE OF THIS GREAT-RUNNING CITY.
ALL OF US WHO ARE HERE AND HAVE SERVED, BUT IT'S A PARTNERSHIP.
AND THAT PARTNERSHIP BELONGS TO YOU.
AND IT'S THE ELEVATION OF OUR COMMUNITY TO THE NEXT LEVEL.
>> AND, MAYOR, I THINK I'VE GOT 30 SECONDS LEFT OF MY TIME.
I DO SEE COUNCILMAN GALLAGHER HERE.
WITH YOUR PERMISSION, ADDITIONAL 30 SECONDS.
GLAD THAT I WAS ABLE TO BE SEEN.
SHERYL, JUST WANT YOU TO KNOW FROM AN AIR FORCE PERSPECTIVE HAD YOU BEEN IN THE AIR FORCE WITH MIKE GALLAGHER, YOU WOULD BE A FIVE-STAR GENERAL.
>> HALL: MAYOR, DO I HAVE 30 MORE SECONDS? I'M JUST JOKING.
>> MAYOR NIRENBERG: WELL, THANK YOU VERY MUCH, EVERYONE.
WE HAVE A LUNCHEON FOR SHERYL NOW IN THE BACK.
WE ARE GOING TO RECESS THE REST OF OUR AGENDA UNTIL 1:30.
[23 - 25. 23. Resolution to initiate historic landmark designation for 219 N San Marcos and a waiver of application fees fees totaling $842.70. Funding for the application fees is available in the Office of Historic Preservation General Fund FY 2019 Adopted Budget. [Roderick Sanchez, Assistant City Manager; Shanon Shea Miller, Director, Office of Historic Preservation] 24. Resolution to initiate historic landmark designation for 428 S San Augustine and a waiver of application fees totaling $842.70. Funding for the application fees is available in the Office of Historic Preservation General Fund FY 2019 Adopted Budget. [Roderick Sanchez, Assistant City Manager; Shanon Shea Miller, Director, Office of Historic Preservation] 25. Resolution to initiate historic landmark designation for 430 S San Augustine and a waiver of application fees. [Roderick Sanchez, Assistant City Manager; Shanon Shea Miller, Director, Office of Historic Preservation]]
THE CITY COUNCIL'S RECONVENED FROM ITS RECESS.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR YOUR PATIENCE.
WE'RE WAITING FOR ONE OF OUR COLLEAGUES BUT IN THE MEANTIME, WE'RE GOING TO TAKE UP ITEMS 23 THROUGH 25.
AND WE HAVE SEVERAL CITIZENS SIGNED UP TO SPEAK ON THOSE ITEMS. IF THEY'RE STILL IN THE CHAMBER, WE'LL START WITH ANTONIO CASTANEDA? AMELIA, WOULD YOU LIKE TO SPEAK?
>> YEAH, WE WEREN'T EXPECTING A RECESS, SO -- [INDISCERNIBLE]
>> MAYOR, IS THERE A STAFF PRESENTATION? IT MIGHT GIVE US A LITTLE BIT MORE TIME FOR THE OTHERS TO GET HERE.
>> MAYOR NIRENBERG: IS MANUEL SERILLO HERE? AND THEN WE'LL TAKE A STAFF PRESENTATION.
>> HELLO, MY NAME IS MAN YELL SERILLO, JR.
WE ARE -- MY DAD'S THE OWNER OF THE PROPERTY ON THE GENERAL MCMULLEN AREA.
WE HAVE WELL ESTABLISHED BUSINESSES, RESTAURANTS, AND THE GOAL HERE FOR THIS PROPERTY IS REALLY TO OPEN UP ANOTHER SMALL RESTAURANT AND A SMALL STRIP CENTER TO HELP IMPROVE THE AREA OF GENERAL MCMULLEN AND OFFER OPPORTUNITIES FOR THE COMMUNITY, AND ONCE WE GET STARTED WITH THE PLANS, I MEAN, WE WILL MAKE SURE TO PRESENT IT TO THE CITY, TO MAKE SURE EVERYTHING'S IN COMPLYING AND WE GET THE PERMITS AND THE OKAY TO BUILD THERE, SO THAT IS OUR ULTIMATE GOAL.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH, COUNCILMEN AND WOMEN.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH, MR. SERILLO.
>> GONZALES: THERE'S A DAVID FERNANDEZ THAT ALSO WANTED TO SPEAK ON THIS ISSUE? I THINK, MR. FERNANDEZ ARE YOU HERE NOW? OKAY.
IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO GO AHEAD AND...
>> GOOD AFTERNOON, COUNCILMEMBERS AND MAYOR.
COUNCILWOMAN GONZALES, FIRST OF ALL, I WANTED TO SAY THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR TAKING THE OPPORTUNITY TO ACTUALLY -- VISIT, ACTUALLY TAKE A LOOK AT THE ENTIRETY OF THE PROPERTY.
MOST IMPORTANTLY FOR ME IS BASICALLY THE BUILDING IS, IN MY OPINION, NOT HISTORIC IN ANY WAY, SHAPE OR FORM.
IT'S BEEN MODIFIED SINCE 1886.
I DON'T KNOW IF I CAN -- PERHAPS PUT THIS UP ON THE SCREEN SOMEWHERE.
OVER ON THE LEFT-HAND SIDE, THE TOP CORNER, THE -- I FOUND AN 1886 SAN ANTONIO MAP THROUGH THE TEXAS LAND OFFICE THAT BASICALLY DEPICTED THAT CORNER, WHICH IS 219 NORTH SAN MARCOS, AND THOSE ARE THE PROPERTIES THAT I OWN.
THE BOTTOM RIGHT-HAND PROPERTY, OR MAP, ACTUALLY DEPICTS 2016.
[02:40:01]
STRUCTURE AT 219, WHAT IT WAS IN 1886 AND WHAT IT IS NOW HAS TOTALLY BEEN CHANGED, MODIFIED, SO...AND I'VE COME TO FIND OUT THROUGH MY OWN RESEARCH THAT THE PROPERTY HAS BEEN MODIFIED AT LEAST THREE OTHER TIMES, SO THE ACTUAL HISTORICNESS OF THE STRUCTURE SINCE THEN IS BASICALLY GONE.
BUT I LOOK FORWARD TO DISCUSSING IT FURTHER, IF NECESSARY.
>> GONZALES: SHANNON, IS THERE A PRESENTATION? WHY DON'T YOU COME AND GIVE YOUR PRESENTATION AND -- AUDIO]
THIS IS A PROPERTY AT 219 NORTH SAN MARCOS AND IT WAS -- THERE'S A MAP THAT SHOWS WHERE IT IS, OBVIOUSLY IT'S IN DISTRICT 5 IN THE PROSPECT HILL NEIGHBORHOOD.
AND WHAT PROMPTED THIS CONSIDERATION WAS INITIALLY THE SUBMISSION OF A DEMOLITION REQUEST, AND THEN WE NOTIFY THE NEIGHBORHOOD ABOUT DEMOLITION REQUESTS AND WE RECEIVED A REQUEST FOR REVIEW OF HISTORIC SIGNIFICANCE FROM SARAH GOLD REPRESENTING THE WPA.
AND SO STAFF REVIEWED IT AND FOUND THAT IT WAS ELIGIBLE FOR HISTORIC DESIGNATION, AND THEN THE HDRC ALSO AGREED AND RECOMMENDED IT TO CITY COUNCIL.
OBVIOUSLY IF THE RESOLUTION IS PASSED TODAY, THAT WOULD BE TO INITIATE THE DESIGNATION, SO IT WOULD THEN GO TO ZONING COMMISSION FOR A RECOMMENDATION AND IT WOULD COME BACK TO YOU FOR ACTION ON THE ACTUAL DESIGNATION.
THE PROPERTY DOES MEET FIVE OF THE 16 CRITERIA THAT ARE LISTED IN THE UDC, AND IN ORDER TO BE ELIGIBLE FOR HISTORIC DESIGNATION, A PROPERTY MUST MEET AT LEAST THREE.
SO WE DO FIND THAT IT IS ELIGIBLE FOR DESIGNATION, AND THE HDRC DID RECOMMEND THAT IT BE DESIGNATED AS A HISTORIC LANDMARK.
ANY QUESTIONS? GONZALEZ AND THE OTHER PROPERTY?
>> GONZALES: AND THE OTHER PROPERTY?
>> MILLER: DO YOU WANT ME TO GO AHEAD AND DO ALL THREE?
THE NEXT TWO ARE ACTUALLY NEIGHBORING PROPERTIES, THEY'RE ALSO IN DISTRICT 5, OBVIOUSLY, IN THE LAS PALMAS AREA, DISTRICT FIVE, CURRENTLY ZONED R4.
SIMILAR SITUATION, WE RECEIVED A DEMOLITION REQUEST, THAT WAS SENT TO THE NEIGHBORHOOD BY WAY OF NOTIFICATION, AND WE RECEIVED A REQUEST FOR REVIEW OF HISTORIC SIGNIFICANCE FROM THE WPA JUST LIKE THE OTHER TWO PROPERTIES THAT ARE UP FOR CONSIDERATION.
IN THIS PARTICULAR CASE, IT WOULD BE -- AND BACK HERE TO CITY COUNCIL FOR ACTUAL DESIGNATION CONSIDERATION.
IF THE RESOLUTION IS DENIED, THEN THE DEMOLITION PERMIT WOULD BE ISSUED.
THIS PROPERTY MEETS FOUR OF THE CRITERIA, AND AS I STATED BEFORE, A PROPERTY MUST MEET AT LEAST THREE IN ORDER TO BE ELIGIBLE FOR HISTORIC DESIGNATION.
STAFF DID FIND THAT IT MEETS THE CRITERIA AND THE HISTORIC AND DESIGN REVIEW COMMISSION RECOMMENDS IT FOR DESIGNATION.
AND THEN THE LAST ONE IS THE NEIGHBOR TO THIS ONE, IT'S 430 SAN AUGUSTINE, AND IT REALLY -- I MEAN, I'LL FLIP THROUGH THE PRESENTATION SO YOU CAN SEE THE PHOTOS, BUT I WON'T -- IT'S THE SAME SITUATION AS THE OTHERS.
IT WAS INITIATED BY A DEMOLITION REQUEST AND THEN THE WEST SIDE& PRESERVATION ALLIANCE SUBMITTED THE REQUEST FOR REVIEW OF HISTORIC SIGNIFICANCE.
AND THERE'S ANOTHER PHOTO ALSO SHOWING THE ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA, ANOTHER PHOTO.
AND THIS ALSO MEETS THE MINIMUM OF THREE, AND WE BELIEVE IT IS ELIGIBLE FOR HISTORIC DESIGNATION.
>> GONZALES: SO I THINK THAT AMELIA AND -- AMELIA -- COME ON UP.
AND I KNOW WE'RE WAITING FOR ANTONIA, I DON'T KNOW IF SHE'S ARRIVED YET, BUT...
>> HELLO, MY NAME IS AMELIA VALDEZ AND I'M THE PRESIDENT OF THE HISTORIC WEST SIDE RESIDENT ASSOCIATION AND TO BE HERE IN SUPPORT OF THE THREE ITEMS AT 23, 24, 25.
HISTORICALLY IN FAVOR OF A HISTORICAL DESIGNATION.
[02:45:01]
ANTONIA HAD A LETTER, UNFORTUNATELY -- HOPEFULLY SHE CAN MAKE IT BACK UP HERE, BUT JUST WANT TO SAY AS PART OF THE NEIGHBORHOODS THAT ARE A PART OF THE ADDRESSES FOR THESE THREE -- THE PROPERTIES, THAT WE ARE HERE TO SAVE BUILDINGS AND TO HELP REHAB BUILDINGS AND TO HAPPILY BE ABLE TO SAVE LANDMARKS THROUGHOUT THE WEST SIDE.AND THESE ARE JUST PART OF THE WORK THAT WE'RE DOING THROUGHOUT THE WEST SIDE.
WE HOPE THAT WE CAN HISTORICALLY DESIGNATE THESE PROPERTIES.
>> GONZALES: THANK YOU, MA'AM.
AND I DID HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO VISIT BOTH THE SITES, I HAD AN OPPORTUNITY TO VISIT WITH MRY THE PROPERTY WHERE THE SERILLO FAMILY IS.
BOTH OF THEM DO HAVE SOME DESIRE TO SEE THE PROPERTY REVITALIZED AND REDEVELOPED, BOTH OF THEM ARE -- THE OWNERS OF THE PROPERTY AND WERE LOOKING FORWARD TO THEM DOING SOMETHING WITH THEM BEYOND DEMOLITION.
WE KNOW THAT WE NEED MORE SMALL BUSINESSES IN OUR NEIGHBORHOOD, WE WANT TO PUT THIS PROPERTY ON THE TAX ROLLS AND HOPEFULLY GENERATING SOME ACTIVITY FOR OUR NEIGHBORHOODS.
AND SO WITH BOTH OWNERS IN OPPOSITION OF THE HISTORIC DESIGNATION, I MOTION TO DENY.
THERE'S A MOTION AND A SECOND FOR DENIAL OF ITEMS 23, 24 AND 25.
[9. Ordinance approving ten one-year Job Order Contracts in an amount not to exceed $3,000,000.00 annually per contract with the option to renew for two, one-year extensions for a total amount each not to exceed $9,000,000.00 with Alpha Building Corp., Amstar, Inc., Belt Built Contracting, Con-Cor Inc., Davila Construction, Inc., Jamail & Smith Construction, LP., Kencon, Ltd., LMC Corp., The Sabinal Group, and Tejas Premier Building Contractor, Inc. for the provision of Job Order Contracting as an alternative project delivery method for construction, renovation, rehabilitation and maintenance projects in city facilities. [Peter Zanoni, Deputy City Manager; Razi Hosseini, Interim Director, Transportation & Capital Improvements] (Continued from February 14, 2019)]
MOTION CARRIES.>> CLERK: ITEM NUMBER NINE IS AN ORDINANCE APPROVING A 10 YEAR JOB ORDER CONTRACTS IN AN AMOUNT NOT TO EXCEED $3 MILLION ANNUALLY PER CONTRACT WITH THE OPTION TO RENEW FOR TWO ONE-YEAR EXTENSIONS FOR A TOTAL EACH NOT TO EXCEED $9 MILLION WITH ALPHA BUILDING CORPORATION, AMSTAR, INC., BELT BUILT CONTRACTING, CON-COR, INC. RATED, DAVILA CONSTRUCTION, INK, JAMAIL & SMITH CONSTRUCTION, LP, KENCON LIMITED, LMC CORP, THE SABINAL GROUP AND TEJAS PREMIER BUILDING CONTRACTOR, INC., FOR THE PROVISION OF JOB ORDER CONTRACTING AS AN ALTERNATIVE PROJECT DELIVERY METHOD FOR CONSTRUCTION, RENOVATION, REHABILITATION AND MAINTENANCE PROJECTS IN CITY FA SILLS THE.
>> MAYOR NIRENBERG: COUNCILMAN PERRY?
THIS PARTICULAR CONTRACT WAS -- LET'S SEE, ROZ, DO YOU WANT TO TO --
>> MAYOR NIRENBERG: I APOLOGIZE, COUNCILMAN.
WE DO HAVE SOME CITIZENS SIGNED UP TO SPEAK.
WE'LL START BY JENETTA KINSLEY FOLLOWED BY KEITH TONY.
MY NAME IS JENETTA KINSLEY, I'M A PROJECT MANAGER WITH STRAIGHT LINE MANAGEMENT AND I WANTED TO COME FORWARD AND JUST GIVE YOU A LITTLE INFORMATION ABOUT STRAIGHT LINE MANAGEMENT.
WE ARE ONE OF THE RESPONDERS TO THIS RFP ON THIS CONTRACT.
IN READING SOME OF THE ATTACHMENTS TO THE COUNCIL AGENDA ON THIS ITEM, I SEE WHERE THE -- ON THE STAFF'S RECOMMENDATION, THEY SAY THAT ONE OF THE OPTIONS IS THAT THE COUNCIL CAN INCREASE THE POOL ON THIS FROM 10 TO A NUMBER, ANY NUMBER.
AND THAT'S CERTAINLY ONE OF THE POSITIONS THAT I WOULD TAKE ON THIS, IS THAT, YOU KNOW, THAT THE NUMBER GOES FROM 10 TO 13 OR POSSIBLY EVEN MORE THAN THAT, BUT WITH STRAIGHT LINE MANAGEMENT, WE ARE ONE OF THE CONTRACTORS UNDER THE CURRENT JOB CONTRACT.
AND WITH THAT CONTRACT, WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO INCREASE OUR CAPACITY.
WE WENT FROM A COMPANY WHERE WE HAD FIVE EMPLOYEES, AND NOW WE HAVE 20.
JUST RECENTLY BECAUSE OF THIS CONTRACT, WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO BRING ON A SELF-PERFORMING TEAM WHERE WE CAN DO CONCRETE, DRYWALL, FRAMING, ACOUSTICAL CEILINGS.
AND IF WE ARE ABLE TO HAVE ANOTHER CONTRACT, WE CAN INCREASE OUR CAPACITY EVEN MORE.
WHAT WE'VE DONE IS MADE A COMMITMENT TO THE PEOPLE IN OUR COMMUNITY.
WE HAVE TWO OFFICES IN DISTRICT 2.
AND WHAT WE'VE DONE IS, WHEN WE NEED TO HIRE, WE HIRE FROM WITHIN OUR COMMUNITY.
WHEN WE LOOK FOR OUR SUBCONTRACTORS IN AREAS WHERE WE CAN'T SELF-PERFORM, WE LOOK FOR
[02:50:02]
CONTRACTORS OR SUBCONTRACTORS WHERE WE CAN ALSO HELP THEM GROW IN THEIR CAPACITY.SO AS WE GROW, WE TRY TO REACH OUT AND HELP OTHERS GROW.
AND SO I JUST WANTED YOU ALL TO TAKE A LOOK AND JUST KIND OF GET TO KNOW US A LITTLE BIT AND KNOW THAT WE'RE MORE THAN JUST A NUMBER ON A PIECE OF PAPER WHEN YOU SEE A SCORING MATRIX.
WHAT I WANTED TO DO IS INTRODUCE YOU TO OR LET YOU KNOW THAT THE OWNER OF STRAIGHT LINE MANAGEMENT IS IN THE AUDIENCE.
SHE COULDN'T COME FORWARD TODAY JUST BECAUSE OF LAIRN GUY TIS AND SOME OF THE THINGS THAT COMES ALONG WITH SEASONAL ALLERGIES, BUT SHARIKA LARCH IS IN THE AUDIENCE AND IF ANYTHING COMES UP, WE'RE HERE TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS YOU MAY ALL HAVE.
>> MAYOR NIRENBERG: KEITH TONY HAS TO BE HERE FOR HIM TO CEDE HIS TIME.
MY NAME IS JOAQUIN ARCH, I'M A BUSINESS DEVELOPER AT STRAIGHT LINE MANAGEMENT.
I HAPPEN TO BE WITH STRAIGHT LINE MANAGEMENT SINCE ITS CONCEPTION.
I'M ORIGINALLY FROM THE EAST SIDE OF SAN ANTONIO, SHARIKA ARCH IS MY WIFE.
WE STARTED IT AS A HUSBAND AND WIFE TEAM.
WE STARTED IT WITH JUST ME AND HER.
THESE PROGRAMS WERE ESTABLISHED TO HELP US GROW OUR CAPACITY.
AND YOU GUYS HAVE HELPED US GROW OUR CAPACITY, AND BECAUSE OF THAT, WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO GO INTO OUR COMMUNITY, AND NOT ONLY REINVESTS, REVITALIZE, WE'VE DONE OVER 13 PROJECTS OF OUR OWN WITH OUR OWN MONEY FROM PROFITS THAT WE'VE MADE FROM PROJECTS THAT WE'RE ON.
SO WE'RE NOT ONLY COMMITTED TO THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO, WE'RE ACTUALLY COMMITTED TO THE GROWTH AND REBIRTH OF THE EAST SIDE AND MAKING SURE THAT REGENT TRIIFICATION IS NOT HAPPENING.
AND A LOT OF THESE PROJECTS AND PROPERTIES THAT WHICH OWN WE MANAGE OURSELVES AND MAKE SURE THAT UNDERSERVED IS STILL BEING SERVED.
IN THE AUDIENCE OF WHO I WAS TRYING TO GET SOME OF MY TIME DEFER TO IS A SMALL COMPANY, THEY LIVE IN THE COMMUNITY, BUT THEY WOULDN'T HAVE EVER HAD AN OPPORTUNITY TO WORK ON A JOB CONTRACT AND THEY'VE BEEN ABLE TO GROW THEIR CAPACITY.
OVER THE LAST COUPLE OF YEARS, THEY'VE BEEN ABLE TO TAKE ON LARGER PROJECTS.
THAT'S OUR COMMITMENT TO THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO.
THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO HAS OFFERED US OPPORTUNITY, WE'VE WORKED WITH SEVERAL OF THE OTHER CONTRACTORS THAT ARE ON THE JOB AS SUBCONTRACTORS.
WE'VE WORKED ON THE ALAMODOME, WE'VE WORKED AT THE AT&T AND AT THE AIRPORT SO OUR RESUME SPEAKS FOR ITSELF.
I THINK THAT NEEDS TO BE HELD INTO ACCOUNT.
IT'S ABOUT, YOU KNOW, MAKING SURE THAT WE HAVE A SEAT AT THE TABLE, AND THAT THE CITY, AS A WHOLE, LOOKS LIKE THE CITY EVEN ON THE CONTRACT BASIS.
I AM ONE OF THE ORIGINAL FOUNDERS OF THE BLACK CONTRACTORS ASSOCIATION, AND THE REASON WHY WE STARTED THE BLACK CONTRACTORS ASSOCIATION BECAUSE IN 2005, WE DIDN'T HAVE A SEAT AT THE TABLE.
AND NOW THOSE OPPORTUNITIES HAVE BEEN AFFORDED TO US.
I THINK THAT NOW WE'RE BACK, HAVING HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO MAKE A DECISION TO BE ABLE TO EXPAND THE POOL AND GIVE US AN OPPORTUNITY TO CONTINUE TO GROW OUR CAPACITY AND CONTINUE TO PROVIDE OPPORTUNITIES FOR THOSE THAT LOOK LIKE US, OUR BROWN BROTHERS AND SISTERS IN THE COMMUNITY, BECAUSE THAT'S WHERE OUR COMMITMENT IS, TO MAKING SURE THAT THE SMALLER COMPANIES CONTINUE TO GET PULLED UP.
BECAUSE IT'S NOT A GUARANTEE THAT SOME OF THESE COMPANIES THAT HAVE BEEN AROUND FOR 20, 30, 40, 50 YEARS, ARE GOING TO GIVE ANYBODY A HAND UP.
BECAUSE THAT'S WHAT WE'RE COMMITTED TO, MAKING SURE THAT THE SAME THINGS DON'T CONTINUE TO HAPPEN OVER AND OVER AGAIN.
THERE'S NO QUESTIONS FOR ME, I'LL HAVE A SEAT.
>> MAYOR NIRENBERG: THANK YOU, MR. ARCH.
I'M THE CHAIRMAN OF THE ASSOCIATION FOR AFRICAN-AMERICAN CHAMBER OF COMMERCE AUDIO] LAST MEETING I WANT TO COMMENT ABOUT COUNCILMAN PERRY'S COMMENTS ABOUT THIS LAST MINUTE INTERJECTION THAT CHANGED THE WAY IN WHICH WE'RE LOOKING AT THIS BUSINESS.
AS A CITIZEN, I'VE BEEN VOLUNTEERING TO DO JUST THIS WORK FOR EIGHT YEARS.
WHENEVER WE SEE HIGH-VALUED CONTRACTS THAT LOOK LIKE THEY'RE GOING WRONG, WE DO SPEAK UP, AND THAT'S WHAT I DID.
I WANT TO SAY WHEN WE LOOK AT THE ASPIRATIONAL GOAL WHICH IS ON THE SCREEN FOR AFRICAN-AMERICANS IN CONSTRUCTION, THE CITY HAS
[02:55:01]
NEVER, NEVER, NEVER MADE THE GOAL.AND SO I ASK SIMPLY TO EXPAND THE JOCK, I THOUGHT IT WAS REASONABLE.
I WENT TO SEE TCI THIS WEEK, AND TCI AFTER I ASKED THE QUI, CAN WE MAKE ANY TYPE OF COMPROMISE ON THIS, AND THE ANSWER WAS NO.
AS A TAXPAYER, OUR DEPARTMENT SHOULDN'T JUST SAY NO, THEY SHOULD TRY TO FIGURE OUT A WAY TO HELP AND TO EXPAND OPPORTUNITIES THIS IS A CAPACITY-BUILDING OPPORTUNITY.
AND EVERY COMPANY THAT'S SITTING HERE WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE COMPANIES THAT ARE IN YOUR DISTRICT, YOU WANT TO SEE CAPACITY GROWN ACROSS THE BOARD.
AND SO WHEN STRAIGHT LINE STOOD UP TODAY AND THEY SPOKE TO YOU, THEY'RE SPEAKING BECAUSE THEY DO REPRESENT THAT BEACON OF HOPE.
AND EVERYBODY WANTS TO BE THAT BEACON OF HOPE IN THEIR OWN COMMUNITIES.
IT'S NOT TOO MUCH TO ASK FOR ANY OF YOU TO THINK OF THE OPPORTUNITY HERE THAT'S BEING PRESENTED TO EXPAND THE POOL.
NOT ONLY EXPAND THE POOL, BUT TO USE THE ENTIRE POOL, BECAUSE I KNOW THAT'S ALSO AN OPTION, THEY CAN EXPAND THE PULL AND THEN TCI WILL WALK AWAY NOT BEING COMMITTED.
COUNCILMAN BROCKHOUSE SAID AT THE LAST COUNCIL MEETING THAT IT'S IMPORTANT TO LEVEL THE PLAYING FIELD.
WELL, THAT'S WHAT THIS IS ALL ABOUT.
HISTORICALLY, WE KNOW THAT AFRICAN-AMERICANS IN BUSINESS SUFFER.
ACROSS THE STATE OF TEXAS, AFRICAN-AMERICAN PROCUREMENT IS LESS THAN 1% OF THE STATE'S PROCUREMENT, YET WE REPRESENT 12% OF THE POPULATION.
IN THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO, WE REPRESENT AT LEAST SEVEN% OF THE POPULATION AND WE'RE TALKING AGAIN ABOUT GIVING US THE FAIR OPPORTUNITY TO BE ABLE TO WORK UNDER CONTRACTS.
AND IT'S NOT TO MAKE ANY OF YOU LOOK BAD, BUT IT'S JUST SIMPLY TO SAY THAT WE'VE NEGLECTED A COMMUNITY, AND THEN WE ASK THE QUESTION, WHY IS SAN ANTONIO ONE OF THE MOST ECONOMICALLY SEGREGATED CITIES IN THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA? AND BEING A MILITARIED CITY USA WHERE I RETIRED FROM, THAT'S JUST NOT ACCEPTABLE.
WE NEED TO RAISE THE BAR IN TERMS OF HOW WE SEE OUR CITY, HOW WE SEE OUR PEOPLE, AND GIVE EVERYONE A CHANCE.
WHEN I SAW THE CITY MANAGER'S TAKING A PICTURE TODAY, I DIDN'T SEE AN AFRICAN-AMERICAN THAT STOOD AS THE CITY MANAGER.
THERE'S NO ONE IN THE WAITING, THERE'S NO ONE BEING PREPPED.
THERE'S NO ONE THAT WAS STANDING HERE TODAYCH I LOOK AT THE SAN ANTONIO ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT BOARD, THERE'S NO AFRICAN-AMERICAN CHAMBERS OR ASIAN CHAMBERS AT THE TABLE SO WE DO IT TO OURSELVES.
>> MAYOR NIRENBERG: THANK YOU, MR. HERRING.
ROZ, CAN YOU GIVE US A REFRESHER HERE ON THIS PARTICULAR CONTRACT .
>> WE START JOC PROGRAM IN 2007, ORIGINAL WAS A SMALL PROBLEM, WE HAD BIG BOND, THREE LAST BIG BOND PROGRAM AND WE END UP USING THIS ONE MORE.
THE EXISTING JOC PROGRAM HAS 10 CONTRACT CONTRACT CONTRACT CONTRACTORS TODAY THAT ARE EXPIRING NEXT MONTH.
WE PUT PROPOSAL OUT LATE LAST YEAR.
WE HAD VERY CLEAR CRITERIA HOW WE ARE GOING TO CREATE THEM.
WHEN WE ADVERTISED FOR THIS PROJECT, WE HAD IDEA HOW MUCH DOLLAR FIGURE WE ARE GOING TO ASK -- WE ARE GOING TO ASSIGN EACH CONTRACT.
WE DID NOT KNOW HOW MANY WE ARE GOING TO PICK BECAUSE USUALLY THAT'S DEPENDENT ON HOW THE SCORING COMES.
IF THE SCORING COMES VERY CLOSE, WE LOOK FOR GOOD SEPARATION; FLFER, WE REALLY DON'T KNOW -- THEREFORE, WE REALLY DON'T KNOW IF WE'RE GOING TO SELECT EIGHT OR 10.
BUT FROM PRIOR EXPERIENCE, WE WERE LOOKING BETWEEN EIGHT AND NOT MORE THAN 10 BECAUSE WE DON'T MONETARILY WANT TO SELECT A FIRM AND NOT BE ABLE TO GIVE THEM A PROJECT BECAUSE WHEN WE SELECT THEM, BASED ON OUR SELECTION, WE ARE BET -- LETTING THEM TO KNOW YOU GO EXPAND YOUR BUSINESS, YOU HIRE -- AUDIO] -- THAT'S ALWAYS BEEN OUR CONCERN ABOUT SELECTING ENOUGH FIRM TO PROVIDE THEM ENOUGH JOB.
AND ALSO EACH FIRM CREATES A TEAM FOR US TO DO OUR WORK.
WHEN WE DON'T HAVE ENOUGH JOB, THEY ARE GOING TO HAVE DIFFICULTY TO KEEP THAT TEAM THEY CREATE TO WORK FOR US BUSY BECAUSE WE'RE NOT GIVING THEM -- FROM THAT, -- 20-POINT WAS FOR SMALL BUSINESS AND WOMAN-OWNED OR MINORITY BUSINESS.
MAJORITY OF THOSE FIRM IS FROM 11 TO 16, THEY RECEIVE -- FOUR OF THEM RECEIVED ALL 20 POINTS, 12 OF THEM RECEIVED 15-POINT.
[03:00:01]
EXPERIENCE.WHEN WE LOOK FOR THE -- IN AUDIO] -- IF THEY HAVE WORKED FOR US, WE LOOK FOR THE QUALITY OF WORK THEY HAVE DONE FOR US.
WE LOOK AT THE SCHEDULE, BUDGET, COMMUNICATION, CUSTOMER SERVICE, QUALITY CONTROL PLAN, HOW ARE THEY CONTROLLING THIS PROJECT, ADMINISTRATIVE ISSUE.
DID THEY HAVE ANY ADMINISTRATIVE ISSUE.
WAGE AND HOURS, TIMELY RESPONSE TO REQUESTS.
IF THE FIRM NEVER HAS DONE WORK FOR US ALSO WE HAVE AN AREA FOR THEM TO SHOW THEY CAN DO THE JOB.
WE ASK THEM ON THE PROPOSAL TO PROVIDE US THREE PROJECT SHEETS, TELL US THREE PROJECTS THAT ARE RELEVANT TO WHAT WE ARE PLANNING TO SELECT YOU FOR.
IT HAS TO BE SIMILAR WITH WHAT WE ARE SELECTING.
THE TYPE OF THE WORK AND THE SIZE OF THE WORK.
JOC IS MOST THE TIME UNDER $1,000.
WE ARE NOT LOOKING FOR $10 MILLION PROJECT.
WE ARE LOOKING SMALLER PROJECT TO FIT THE JOC.
THE SECOND THING WE DO, WHICH WE HAD DONE, WE DID GIVE THEM A -- TWO SAMPLE PROJECT.
WE DESCRIBE PROJECT VERY CLEARLY, THIS IS THE SCOPE OF THE PROJECT, YOU WRITE YOUR PLAN HOW YOU ARE GOING TO DO THIS PROJECT.
GIVE US YOUR SCHEDULE AND GIVE US YOUR PROPOSAL.
WE RECEIVED THOSE, WE WANT TO BASICALLY EVALUATE EVERYBODY FOR THE SAME PROJECT.
WE WANT TO MAKE SURE IT'S A VERY -- AS FAIR AS CAN BE.
SAME PROJECT DESCRIPTION EVERYBODY GOT, AND THEY RESPOND BACK TO US.
AND THEY GIVE US COST ON THAT ONE.
IN ORDER WE MAKE SURE WE HAVE DONE OUR JOB, WE HAVE OUR ON-CALL INDEPENDENT CONSULTING, THERE'S A COST SYSTEM FOR THAT PARTICULAR PROJECT.
WE DO OURSELF AND ALSO WE HAVE A SELF-EVALUATION DONE.
WE KNOW THE PROJECT WE ARE ASKING HOW MUCH IT'S GOING TO COST.
WE DON'T REALLY LOOK TO SEE IF IT'S AT 10% OR NOT.
WE WANT TO SEE DO THEY REALLY KNOW HOW TO DO A COST ESTIMATE THAT MEETS OUR NEED.
THE RATING IS DONE BASED ON THIS.
WHEN WE GOT TOGETHER, WE HAD THE COMMITTEE CONSIST OF CITY MANAGER'S OFFICE, TCI DEPARTMENT, AND WE ALSO INCLUDE TWO OTHER DEPARTMENT MAINLY -- WE GOT TOGETHER, OUR ENINTENTION -- INTENTION WAS TO SELECT EIGHT FIRM.
BECAUSE WE REALLY DIDN'T WANT TO HIRE MORE THAN WE HAD ENOUGH JOB.
BUT NUMBER 10 AND NUMBER NINE SCORING WAS SO CLOSE TO EIGHT, WE DECIDED IT'S BETTER TO SELECT 10 BECAUSE THERE'S A GOOD GAP BETWEEN 10 AND 11.
THAT'S THE REASON WE ARE RECOMMENDING SELECTION OF THE 10-J OC TO BE USED ONE YEAR, AND TWO ADDITIONAL ONE-YEAR AT 3 MILLION EACH.
WE DO HAVE -- THIS IS A SCORING MATRIX.
TALK US THROUGH THIS SCORING MATRIX TO SHOW US WHAT YOU'RE REALLY MEANING HERE.
YOU'RE SHOWING THE TOP SCORE WAS 94.62 THROUGH 10 WAS 65.10.
AND THE NEXT ONE DOWN WAS 11 AT 61.94.
AND YOU GO DOWN TO THE NEXT ONE, 60.29 AND THEN THE 13TH, 57.65.
AND THEN IN THE 50S FOR THE LAST THREE.
SO WHAT WAS THE -- AND THERE'S A LOT OF NUMBERS THERE, BUT WHAT WAS THE BIGGEST DRIVER IN THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN NUMBER 10 AND NUMBER 11?
>> IF YOU REALIZE, NUMBER 10 AND NUMBER 11 ALMOST FOUR POINT OFF.
AND YOU LOOK AT THE EXPERIENCE AND MAJORITY OF THE FIRM WE ARE RECOMMENDING THEY ARE GETTING AN EXPERIENCE FROM 30 POINT, THEY'RE GETTING 20 OR MORE.
THE ONE IS -- FALLS BEHIND THEY ARE LESS THAN 17, THEY'RE GETTING 50% OF WHAT THE EXPERIENCE POINTS ALLOWS.
>> THAT MEANS THEY ARE ON THE EXPERIENCED SIDE IS SLIGHTLY BEHIND THOSE 10 WE ARE RECOMMENDING.
>> PERRY: EXPERIENCE AND PAST PERFORMANCE?
EXPERIENCE AND PAST PERFORMANCE.
>> KEY PERSONNEL THEY PROVIDED ON THEIR PROPOSAL AND JOB ORDER CONTEXTING.
[03:05:01]
IT'S -- IN WHICH I'M LOOKING AT, IT'S PRETTY CLEAR WHERE THE BIG BREAKS ARE, AND WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE EXPERIENCE AND PAST PERFORMANCE, THERE'S A SIGNIFICANT DROPOFF AFTER NUMBER 10.SO WHO WAS ACTUALLY ON THE SELECTION COMMITTEE, SOURCE SELECTION TEAM?
>> PERRY: DO YOU HAVE A LIST OF THOSE NAMES.
PETER ZAKNOWN ZANONI, MYSELF, MAC MCKENZIE, CINDY FROM PARKS AND REC AND RON -- AUDIO]
>> PERRY: AND CAN YOU GIVE ME A DIFFERENT IDEA ON HOW MANY DIFFERENT SOURCE SELECTIONS THIS TEAM HAS BEEN ON IN THE PAST?
>> I HAVE BEEN ON MORE THAN I WANT TO REMEMBER, MORE THAN 100S.
>> I'M ASSUMING PETER HAS BEEN MANY.
AND MOST OF OUR STAFF AND PROBABLY CINDY HAS BEEN ON MANY ALSO, AND THE GOOD NEWS IS WE DON'T REALLY KNOW -- AUDIO] POINTS UNTIL THE TECHNICAL IS IN PLACE.
WE HAVE NO IDEA WHO'S GETTING FROM HOW MANY OF THAT 20 POINTS.
>> THAT COMES AFTER THE TECHNICAL POINT IS ESTABLISHED.
>> PERRY: SO WE'VE GOT SOME VERY EXPERIENCED PEOPLE LOOKING AT THESE PROPOSALS IS WHAT I'M GETTING AT, A LOT OF EXPERIENCE IN PAST PROPOSALS AND DOING THESE EVALUATIONS AND MOVING THOSE EVALUATIONS FORWARD.
HAVE WE EVER HAD ANY OF THESE TYPES OF CONTRACTS CHANGED IN THIS MANNER COMING UP TO COUNCIL WHERE WE'VE ADDED CONTRACTORS TO THE LIST THAT CAME FROM THE -- FROM THE TEAM AS THEIR RECOMMENDATION?
I DON'T RECALL ANY PRIOR THAT.
>> LAST TIME WE RECOMMENDED 10 AND COUNCIL APPROVED 10.
>> PERRY: SO AS FAR AS YOU KNOW ON ALL PREVIOUS CONTRACTS LIKE THAT, ON THIS TYPE WHERE THERE'S MULTIPLE AWARDS, THE COUNCIL HAS APPROVED WHAT HAS BEEN RECOMMENDED.
>> THAT'S WHAT I'M REMEMBERING, CORRECT.
>> COUNCILMAN, ONE ADDITIONAL INFORMATION.
LAST TIME WE HAD 21 SUBMITTED AND WE SELECT 10.
THIS TIME, 16 WAS SUBMITTED, WE SELECTED 10.
DID ANYBODY COME FORWARD ON THE LAST ONE SAYING WE WANT ANOTHER SHOT AT THIS TO GET ADDED TO THE JOC?
>> I'M SORRY, I -- SHE WAS BRIEFING ME IN 2004, IT IS POSSIBLE THEY CHANGED THE NUMBER THAT WERE RECOMMENDED, BUT SHE'S NOT SURE.
>> THE LAST TIME WAS 10 WERE PROPOSED AND COUNCIL APPROVED PEREZ.
>> PELAEZ: WERE THERE ANY ISSUE --
>> PERRY: WERE THERE ANY ISSUES WITH THAT AWARD.
>> PERRY: THIS CAME TO THE AUDIT AND ACCOUNTABILITY MEETING AND IT WASN'T BRIEFED INDIVIDUALLY.
IT WAS ON THE CONSENT AGENDA, RIGHT? AND WHY WAS THAT?
WE DON'T DECIDE IF IT'S SUPPOSED TO BE ON INDIVIDUAL OR NOT.
>> COUNCILMAN, IT'S A VERY TYPICAL TYPE CONTRACT, IT'S NOT CONTROVERSIAL.
WE DO THE SAME THING WITH OUR TASK ORDER CONTRACTS, THEY GO ON CONSENT.
IT WAS ON CONSENT FOR PRESOLICITATION AS WELL AS POST SOLICITATION LAST MONTH.
>> PERRY: BUT NORMALLY THESE TYPES OF CONTRACTS, THE TEAM PUTS TOGETHER THEIR RECOMMENDATIONS, WE DON'T HAVE ANY ISSUES AND THEY SAIL ON THROUGH THE SYSTEM.
>> PERRY: AND THE LAST TIME, OUT OF THE 21 PROPOSERS, ONLY 10 WERE AWARDED, AND WE DIDN'T HAVE THIS KIND OF ISSUE COME UP LAST TIME.
THAT GIVES A GOOD WRAPUP ON -- ON WHAT THE PROCESS WAS AND WHAT THE RECOMMENDATIONS ARE ON THIS PARTICULAR JOC CONTRACT.
THANK YOU, ROZZI, WITH THAT, SIR, I'D LIKE TO MAKE A MOTION TO APPROVE THIS CONTRACT.
THERE'S A MOTION AND A SECOND FOR APPROVAL OF ITEM NUMBER NINE.
THERE WERE A COUPLE OF ADDITIONAL PEOPLE THAT MISSED THE SIGN-IN, AND SO, MAYOR, FOR PART OF MY TIME, I'D LIKE TO INVITE WALTER PERRY TO MAKE A COUPLE COMMENTS AND THEN FOLLOWED BY MR. POWELL.
[03:10:04]
>> GOOD AFTERNOON, MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL.
I'M HERE IN SUPPORT OF STRAIGHT LINE MANAGEMENT AND ALSO IN SUPPORT OF YOU GUYS EXTENDING THE POOL AND ALLOWING THE OTHER CONTRACTORS TO BE A PART OF THAT POOL, NAMELY THE BLACK CONTRACTORS, THE AFRICAN-AMERICAN CONTRACTORS.
THE REASON -- ANOTHER REASON WHY I'M HERE IS BECAUSE I NEED TO KNOW WHAT EQUITY -- AUDIO] -- DEFINITION IS WHEN IT COMES TO EVERYBODY IN THIS CITY, WHEN IT COMES TO BLACK CONTRACTORS, WHEN IT COMES TO ASIAN CONTRACTORS, WOMEN CONTRACTORS.
WHAT IS THE DEFINITION OF THE EQUITY LENS THAT WE SPEAK SO MUCH OF? WE TALK ABOUT THAT, WE WANT TO BE A CITY ON THE RISE, WE WANT TO BE A CITY THAT'S FAIR FOR EVERYONE.
SO BEFORE YOU MAKE THE DECISION, I WOULD LIKE FOR EITHER THE MAYOR OR SOMEONE FROM CITY COUNCIL TO DEFINE WHAT IT IS WHEN WE SPEAK OF THE EQUITY LENS AND WHO DOES THAT APPLY TO AND WHAT DOES THAT APPLY TO WHEN IT COMES TO CITY SERVICES, CONTRACTS, WHATEVER? BECAUSE WE WANT TO, AS CITIZENS AND TAXPAYERS AND AS SOMEONE WHO'S, YOU KNOW, IN THE CITY EVERY DAY TALKING TO RESIDENTS, WE WANT THEM TO FEEL LIKE THEY MATTER.
WE WANT THEM TO FEEL LIKE THEY'RE INCLUDED, AND WE WANT BUSINESSES LIKE STRAIGHT LINE MANAGEMENT, WHEN WE PASS BY ON NEW BRAUNFELS, WE FEEL PROUD TO SEE THAT BUSINESS THERE BECAUSE WE KNOW THAT THEY'RE GIVING JOBS TO PEOPLE WHO ARE GETTING OUT OF PRISON, PEOPLE WHO ORDINARILY WOULDN'T WANT TO WORK, AND WE DON'T WANT TO LOSE A COMPANY LIKE THAT.
MR. ARCH AND HIS WIFE HAS BEEN SHINING EXAMPLES OF WHAT WE NEED IN OUR COMMUNITY, AND I THINK IT WOULD BE TOTALLY UNFAIR TO OMIT THEM FROM THIS POOL.
AND LET'S BE CLEAR ABOUT THIS: EVERYONE IS GOING TO BE ON THE RECORD TODAY WITH YOUR VOTE, AND IT'S GOING TO SAY -- IT'S GOING TO RESOUND -- IT'S GOING TO VIBRATE AMONGST THE CITY ABOUT HOW Y'ALL FEEL ABOUT AFRICAN-AMERICAN CONTRACTORS.
AND WE JUST WANT TO ADVOCATE FOR PEOPLE THAT LOOK LIKE US AND WHEN I GO HOME AND LOOK AT MY AFRICAN-AMERICAN CHILDREN, I WANT THEM TO KNOW THAT THEY HAVE A PLACE HERE.
AND SO WE -- WE URGE YOU GUYS TO LOOK INTO YOUR HEARTS ON BLACK HISTORY MONTH AND CONSIDER EXPANDING THE POOL.
>> HALL: AND MR. POWELL, IS HE STILL HERE?
>> GOOD AFTERNOON, MY NAME IS JOSEPH POWELL AND I'M A CONCERNED CITIZEN FOR DISTRICT 2.
FOR SOME OF YOU, I'M REITERATING REGARDING THIS POLICY OF -- OR THIS MOVEMENT TO ADD THREE ADDITIONAL SLOTS TO THE LIST OF JOC CONTRACTORS.
THESE -- AS YOU KNOW, ARE ALL AFRICAN-AMERICAN OWNED BUSINESSES AND I WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK IN FAVOR OF THIS, BECAUSE I THINK POLICIES LIKE THIS, SPECIFICALLY GROWING AFRICAN-AMERICAN OWNED BUSINESSES ARE PIVOTAL TO THE MULTIFACETTABLE APPROACH WHICH WHICH ADDRESS ONE OF SAN ANTONIO'S SEGREGATION.
I'LL REITERATE THAT CRIME IS A VERY LARGE ISSUE WHERE I LIVE.
THE STORE VERY CLOSE TO MY HOUSE HAS BEEN ROBBED AT GUN POINT SEVERAL TIMES IN THE PAST YEAR.
WHEN I WENT LAST WEEK TO DONATE SOCKS TO A SHELTER, THERE WAS A MAN JUST BLEEDING ON THE GROUND, AND I SAY THIS BECAUSE THERE'S A HOST OF EVIDENCE SHOWING THAT ECONOMIC SEGREGATION EXACERBATES CRIME AND FOR THE BUSINESS COMMUNITY, IT DETERS GROWTH.
AND AS I WATCHED ON THE VIDEO WHEN THIS WAS SUGGESTED, IT KIND OF WENT AROUND AND IT WENT -- WE HAD SOME COUNCILMAN THAT SAID THIS SEEMS LIKE A GOOD IDEA.
AND I THINK PEOPLE ARE REALLY THINKING BACK TO, LIKE, YOU KNOW, KIND OF WHEN THEY WERE IN KINDERGARTEN AND THEY WERE REALLY LEARNING WHAT THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN RIGHT AND WRONG IS.
I HAVE A DAUGHTER THAT'S IN THIRD GRADE AND THEY'RE DOING BLACK HISTORY MONTH RIGHT NOW, AND SHE IS SO PROUD OF MARTIN LUTHER KING AND ALL OF THE HISTORY THAT GOES WITH THAT, AND THIS THING WENT AROUND AND PEOPLE SAID, YES, YES.
BUT THEN COUNCILMAN PERRY KIND OF SHOWED THESE STRONG OBJECTIONS WITH THE -- ESPECIALLY ON THE ADVICE OF THE GENTLEMAN WHO WAS JUST SPEAKING UP HERE, AND I WOULD LIKE TO POINT OUT, THAT THERE WAS NO OUTSIDE EVALUATOR.
AND THOUGH THERE'S LOGIC IN MR. PERRY'S REASONING, I FEEL THAT, AS I SAID, THIS IS A MORAL
[03:15:02]
ISSUE.IT'S ONLY ETHICAL -- UNLESS YOU'RE GOING TO DEVOTE RESOURCES TO ACTUALLY PROVE THAT THE -- DILUTING THE POOL OF WORK AVAILABLE IS MORE HARMFUL THAN ADDING THESE THREE CONTRACTORS, I THINK IT SHOULD BE GIVEN THE BENEFIT OF THE DOUBT, MOVING ALONG A LEARNING CURVE IS VERY DYNAMIC AND NEW FIRMS, THEY CAN JUST DO SO MUCH BETTER IN A SHORT PERIOD OF TIME IF YOU TAKE THEM -- THE WORST THING YOU CAN DO FOR A BUSINESS IS ALLOW IT TO GROW AND INVEST AND THEN TAKE AWAY WORK FROM IT.
IT'S JUST -- WHAT YOU'RE DOING, IF YOU DON'T ACCEPT THESE THREE ADDITIONAL CONTRACTORS, IT'S A JOB KILLER.
THANK YOU, GENTLEMEN, AND THANK YOU MAYOR FOR ALLOWING A COUPLE OF THOSE ADDITIONAL COMMENTS.
FIRST OF ALL, LET ME SAY TO COUNCILMAN PERRY, I APPRECIATE HIS PERSPECTIVE, PARTICULARLY ON PROCESS.
I'M VERY MUCH PROCESS-ORIENTED AS WELL.
AND, YOU KNOW, I LIKE TO SEE KIND OF THINGS LINED OUT AND THEN WE FOLLOW THAT PROCESS.
I THINK THE ONLY DIVERGENCE HERE, I THINK WE FOLLOWED THE PROCESS ALL THE WAY THROUGH, BUT AT THE END, IT'S JUST A MATTER OF DETERMINATION OF HOW MANY YOU WANT TO SELECT.
AND SO IT'S EITHER EIGHT OR 10 OR MORE.
AND SO I WANT TO MAKE THAT KIND OF JUST AS SIMPLE DECISION POINT THAT WE HAVE RIGHT NOW.
LET ME ALSO JUST SAY THANK YOU TO ROZZIE AND THE TEAM, THEY'VE DONE A WONDERFUL JOB.
I THINK THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO HAS DONE A LOT BETTER THAN WE HAVE PREVIOUSLY ON CONTRACTS.
CHRIS, I AGREE WITH YOU, WE'VE GOT WORK TO DO, PARTICULARLY ON AFRICAN-AMERICAN SIDE AND WE'VE GOT TO PUSH THE CITY, BUT AT THE SAME TIME, WE'VE ALSO GOT TO PUSH OURSELVES.
AND SO THERE'S LOTS OF WORK TO DO ALL THE WAY AROUND.
ROZZIE I APPRECIATE YOU WALKING ME THROUGH MY QUESTIONS, WALKING ME THROUGH YOUR EVALUATION SYSTEM.
I THINK WHAT WAS VERY ENLIGHTENING TO ME IS -- I MEAN, THEY'VE GOT -- THEY EVALUATE EVERY SINGLE PROJECT THAT EVERY SINGLE CONTRACTOR DOES FROM PICTURES TO DESCRIPTIONS TO -- AND SO FORTH.
AND WHAT I RECOMMENDED TO HIM IS THAT JUST LIKE WE DO -- AT LEAST ON MY JOB, WE HAVE A TWO-WAY STREET ON EVALUATION.
AND I TRY TO DO THAT AS OFTEN AS I CAN WITH MY BOSS, AND THAT IS I JUST SIT DOWN AND SEE HOW I DID, WHERE I WAS STRONG AND WHERE I WAS WEAK.
AND I THINK DOING THAT WITH CONTRACTORS, I THINK WOULD BE BENEFICIAL FOR THEM JUST TO BE ABLE TO SEE YOUR LENS AND YOUR TEAM'S LENS AND WHAT THEY LOOK FOR WHEN THEY EVALUATE HOW -- HOW A PROJECT HAS BEEN DONE.
AND I WOULD ENCOURAGE ANY OF OUR CONTRACTORS TO GO THROUGH THAT PROCESS, SIT WITH THE CITY STAFF AND GO THROUGH AND SEE HOW YOU DID.
AND HOW THE CITY MIGHT BE EVALUATING YOU ON THAT, BECAUSE I DO THINK THAT THAT MAKES YOU A STRONGER COMPANY, ANY COMPANY, A STRONGER COMPANY GOING FORWARD TO BE ABLE TO CORRECT MISTAKES AND DO BETTER THE NEXT GO-ROUND.
SO THE EVALUATION SYSTEM THAT THE CITY HAS IN PLACE FOR ME WAS VERY THOROUGH, WAS VERY DETAILED, FROM PICTURES AND SO FORTH ONWARD.
AND I WOULD ENCOURAGE THAT FROM EVERYBODY.
I THINK -- AND I UNDERSTAND, ROZZIE'S AND THE TEAM'S INTENT, WE'RE GOING FROM A SYSTEM WHERE YOU HAD FOUR YEARS AT $2 MILLION TO A SYSTEM WHERE YOU'RE PUSHING FOR THREE YEARS -- AUDIO] -- SO YOU WANT A LITTLE BIT LESS TIME BUT MORE MONEY, AND SO WITH THE IDEA THAT CAPACITY BUILDING IS MORE MONEY GOING TO INDIVIDUAL TEAMS. AND I THINK AT THE END OF THE DAY, WHEN I THINK ABOUT THE CONCEPT OF BUILDING CAPACITY, YOU CAN DO IT IN EITHER ONE OF TWO WAYS IN THIS PARTICULAR SCENARIO: YOU CAN HAVE A SMALLER POOL WITH LARGER AMOUNTS OF MONEY AND I THINK THAT'S WHAT STAFF IS PROPOSING.
WHAT I'LL BE PROPOSING IS A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT TAKE ON BUILDING CAPACITY, AND THAT IS A LARGER POOL WITH PERHAPS A LITTLE LESS MONEY.
IN EITHER SCENARIO, I DON'T THINK WE'RE GOING WRONG.
BECAUSE AT THE END OF THE DAY, WE'RE ALL TRYING TO DO THE RIGHT THING AS SOME OF THE CITY MANAGER FOLKS HAVE SAID BEFORE.
AND THE RIGHT THING IS, WE WANT TO BUILD CAPACITY, PARTICULARLY FOR OUR SWMBE ORGANIZATION, WE MIGHT JUST HAVE A DIFFERENT PERSPECTIVE ON HOW TO GET THAT DONE.
SO I'LL BE MOVING, MAYOR, TO M A MEND THE -- AM MACHINED -- AMEND THE BASE MOTION TO ALLOW FOR 13 COMPANIES IN THE POOL AS OPPOSED TO THE 10, AND THAT -- SO I'LL MAKE THAT MOTION FIRST.
>> HALL: AND THEN LET ME JUST SAY THIS: SO -- IF YOU'RE ON THE BOTTOM SIX OR BOTTOM LEVEL OF THAT -- OF THE GROUPING, THAT DOESN'T MEAN YOU'RE A BAD COMPANY.
RIGHT? WE'VE GOT HUNDREDS OF COMPANIES HERE IN SAN ANTONIO, AND WE HAD 16 APPLY.
A LOT OF THEM GREAT AND GOOD COMPANIES IN LOTS OF DIFFERENT WAYS, BUT JUST BECAUSE YOU'RE ON
[03:20:01]
THE BOTTOM DOESN'T MEAN YOU'RE BAD.YOU JUST DIDN'T RANK IN THE TOP 10.
AND SO I THINK WE'VE GOT TO UNDERSTAND THAT TOP 10 DOESN'T MEAN THEY'RE THE ONLY ONES THAT CAN DO THE JOB.
WE'VE GOT LOTS OF OTHER COMPANIES THAT CAN DO THE JOB AS WELL, BUT FOR THIS PARTICULAR GROUPING OF CONTRACTS, THE RANKING WAS 1 THROUGH 10, AND THOSE FOLKS AT THE BOTTOM JUST DIDN'T MAKE THAT RANKING.
SO THAT DOESN'T MEAN YOU'RE A BAD COMPANY.
AND THOSE THAT ARE -- YOU KNOW, WE'RE GOING TO FLUCTUATE.
AND SO THE IDEA IS WORK HARD AND CONTINUE TO WORK HARD, CONTINUE TO BUILD OURSELVES, CONTINUE TO LOOK AT THOSE EVALUATION NUMBERS, AND SEE IF WE CAN GET ABOVE THAT THRESHOLD.
SO I WANTED TO MAKE THAT POINT AS WELL.
THERE'S A MOTION AND A SECOND FOR AMENDING NUMBER NINE TO INCLUDE 13 COMPANIES RATHER THAN 10 COMPANIES.
SO I'M GOING TO ASK MY COLLEAGUES TO TAKE UP THAT MOTION FIRST.
SO PLEASE CONTAIN YOUR COMMENTS TO THE MOTION THAT'S ON THE FLOOR REGARDING THE AMENDMENT.
>> BROCKHOUSE: THANK YOU, MAYOR.
I JUST WANTED TO PUT MY RATIONALE OUT ABOUT MY SECOND FOR COUNCILMAN HALL.
I THINK THAT, LOOK, THESE THINGS CAN GET DIFFICULT.
AND I'M 100% ON BOARD WITH ROZZIE AND THE TEAM AND THE PROCESS THAT WAS HANDLED HERE, FOLLOWED TO A T BUT AT THE END OF THE DAY, IT'S NOT A STAFF-DRIVEN DECISION.
THE DECISION COMES FROM THE BODY.
AND FOR ALL OF THEIR WORK THEY DO, IT'S ULTIMATELY US THAT MAKES THE VOTE.
SO JUST LAST WEEK WE WERE HAVING THIS CONVERSATION ABOUT THE CONTRACTING PIECE AND THE ITEM BEFORE THAT, WE WENT AGAINST STAFF RECOMMENDATION WHEN IT CAME TO HOUSING TAX CREDITS.
GOING AGAINST STAFF RECOMMENDATION IS NOT AN UNKNOWN OR UNCHARACTERISTIC ACTION FROM COUNCIL.
THE REASON WE GO FOR OR WITH OR AGAINST STAFF RECOMMENDATION IS BECAUSE WE LEAD THE CITY.
OTHERWISE, I'M A RUBBER STAMP FOR ANYTHING THAT COMES MY WAY.
THAT DOESN'T MEAN THAT THE STAFF'S NOT DOING GREAT WORK AND THERE AREN'T 10 QUALIFIED CONTRACTORS.
WHAT IT MEANS IS THAT AT A PARTICULAR POINT IN TIME, I MAY SEE SOMETHING WHERE THERE IS A PROBLEM THAT I THINK CAN BE FIXED BY BEING BROADER OR MORE INCLUSIVE IN OUR ANALYSIS.
DO I THINK THAT THE 12TH AND 13TH CONTRACTOR CAN GET BETTER AT THEIR WORK? YES, BY ALL MEANS.
AND WE CAN GO DOWN THE LIST AS TO WHY -- AND COUNCILMAN PERRY, YOU WENT DOWN THE LIST AND YOU LISTED EACH ITEM WHERE THEY WERE DEFICIENT AND HOW THEY SCORED LOWER THAN THE TOP 10.
BUT THE ONLY WAY THAT WE CAN GET THEM BETTER, THE ONLY WAY WE HELP THEM GROW IS TO PUT THEM IN THE GAME.
IT'S TO GIVE THEM THE OPPORTUNITY.
AND I WOULD BE WITH YOU IF 100% OF THE TIME WE FOLLOWED STAFF RECOMMENDATION 100% OF THE TIME.
AND OUR VOTE IS THAT PRECIOUS TO WHERE WE CAN CHANGE COMMUNITY POLICY, WE CAN CHANGE THE ACTIONS OF WHAT HAPPENS FOR FAIR CONTRACTING, WHETHER IT'S AFRICAN-AMERICAN, WHETHER IT'S LATINO, IT DOESN'T MATTER WHAT IT IS, THAT THOSE WHO DON'T HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY GET IT AS A RESULT OF OUR GOODWILL TO MAKE IT HAPPEN.
AND DO I THINK THEY CAN GET BETTER AT IT? YES, THEY CAN.
AND IF THEY GET THE JOB AND MAYBE THEY SCORED A 14.8 OUT OF 20 ON WHATEVER IT IS, THE NEXT JOB THEY HAVE, THEY'RE GOING TO BE A LITTLE BIT BETTER.
THE NEXT TIME THE PAINT AND THE EDGES ARE GOING TO BE CUT RIGHT, THE DRYWALL'S GOING TO BE DONE A LITTLE BIT BETTER.
THE MORE WORK THEY GET, THE BETTER THEY GET EACH OPPORTUNITY AND EVENTUALLY THEY'RE THE PRIME.
FIRST OF ALL, WE SEEM TO BE HAVING THIS CONVERSATION.
AT THE END OF THE DAY, WE'RE HAVING THIS CONVERSATION AND IT'S JUST WRONG, PERIOD, BUT WE HAVE TO HELP CHANGE THAT PIECE.
SO WITH DUE RESPECT TO MY COLLEAGUE, WE HAVE THE VOTE, AND WE DON'T ALWAYS FOLLOW THE STAFF.
THAT'S WHY I RAN FOR OFFICE WAS TO MAKE THINGS RIGHT WHEREVER I FELT I COULD, AND TO GIVE SOMEBODY A LEG UP THAT WAS LEFT OUT.
IN THIS CASE, IT'S A STRETCH, WE'VE GOT TO GO AND WE'VE GOT TO GIVE SOMEBODY A SHOT.
AND I'M IN FULL SUPPORT OF MOVING IT TO 13 AND AN OPPORTUNITY TO DRAW IN A FEW MORE AFRICAN-AMERICAN CONTRACTORS SO THAT THE NEXT TIME THEY'RE NUMBER SEVEN AND SIX, NOT 12 AND 13.
AND IT COULD BE THAT IT'S A HISPANIC CONTRACTOR, SMALL -- YOU KNOW, LIKE DELL HERRERA WAS HERE EARLIER, A FEMALE LATINA SMALL BUSINESS CONTRACTOR.
I MEAN, IT REALLY ISN'T ABOUT THAT PARTICULAR PORTION.
WHAT IT IS IS A SMALLER COMPANY, A SMALL BUSINESS THAT NEEDS THE SAME SHAKE AND OPPORTUNITY.
I'LL SUPPORT YOU TODAY, COUNCILMAN HALL, BECAUSE I BELIEVE THAT THE COMMUNITY DESERVES THE OPPORTUNITY AND CHANCE, THE STATISTICS THAT CHRISTOPHER POINTED OUT, YOU'RE RIGHT, ARE WE GOING TO MIRROR THE PERCENTAGES EXACTLY? NO, WE'RE NOT, BUT IF THERE'S X AMOUNT OF PERCENTAGE OF A
[03:25:01]
PARTICULAR GROUP IN OUR COMMUNITY AND THAT THE CONTRACTING IS FAR LESS, THAT'S AN ERROR WE NEED TO FIX.WE NEED TO WORK ON GETTING BETTER AT IT.
AND IT'S NOT GOING TO HAPPEN OVER THIS, BUT I THINK YOU ALSO MADE A GOOD POINT WHEN YOU SAID IT'S MORE MONEY AND FEWER YEARS, SO THE OTHER CONTRACTORS ESSENTIALLY AREN'T LOSING OUT, WE'RE JUST BROADENING THE POOL OF OPPORTUNITY.
SO THE VOTE TODAY, MY SUPPORT FOR YOU, COUNCILMAN, IS A VOTE FOR OPPORTUNITY TO BRING A LITTLE MORE EQUITY, TO USE THAT WORD, I GUESS WE'LL APPLY IT ON THIS ONE, RIGHT, TO THIS SELECTION PROCESS.
SO IT'S FUNNY THAT EQUITY APPLIES IN SOME PLACES IN THIS CITY BUT IT DOESN'T APPLY IN OTHERS, RIGHT? SO MY VOTE TODAY IS TO AT LEAST MAKE US A LITTLE MORE CONSISTENT THAT EQUITY GOES EVERYWHERE.
>> MAYOR NIRENBERG: THANK YOU, COUNCILMAN BROCKHOUSE, COUNCILMAN COURAGE.
ROZZIE, I'VE GOT A COUPLE OF QUESTIONS.
OF THE 10 THAT ARE BEING RECOMMENDED RIGHT NOW, HOW MANY OF THEM ARE MINORITY-OWNED BUSINESSES?
>> EIGHT OF THE 10 IS SMALL BUSINESS.
I'M GLAD YOU ASKED, COUNCILMAN.
TWO WOMEN-OWNED BUSINESSES, ONE AFRICAN-AMERICAN-OWNED BUSINESSES, AND ONE NATIVE AMERICAN BUSINESSES.
>> COURAGE: SO 10% OF THE BUSINESSES BEING RECOMMENDED ARE AFRICAN-AMERICAN OWNED AT THIS POINT IN TIME.
EVERY CONTRACTOR MUST MEET THAT ONE.
>> THEY EXCEEDED OVER 100%, IT ENDED UP BEING 6.3.
AND WE'RE ANTICIPATING TO BE MUCH, MUCH MORE THAN 4.
IN CONSTRUCTION, YOU KNOW YOU CANNOT STOP AT CERTAIN PERCENTAGE.
IF THE CONTRACTOR IS -- SUB IS REPLACING THE CARPET, HE'S GOING TO REPLACE NO MATTER IF IT'S 7% OR 10%, THERE WE'RE ANTICIPATING THAT 4% TO BE MUCH, MUCH HIGHER.
SO THEN 10% OF THE PRIME ARE MINORITY OWNED -- ARE AFTER AFRICAN-AMERICAN OWNED BUSINESS.
>> AND I THINK YOU SAID 80% ARE MINORITY-OWNED BUSINESSES.
>> AND EACH OF THOSE PRIMES WILL BE REQUIRED TO HAVE AT LEAST 4% AFRICAN-AMERICAN SUBCONTRACTORS.
YOU KNOW, THERE WAS A QUESTION RAISED A MINUTE AGO ABOUT EQUITY LENS.
AND I BELIEVE THAT EIGHT OF THESE CONTRACTORS ARE ALL RECEIVED SAN ANTONIO -- SBADA POINTS WHICH ARE GEARED FOR LEVELING THE FIELD FOR WOMEN AND MINORITY-OWNED BUSINESSES.
>> COURAGE: SO I THINK THAT SHOWS HOW WE ADDRESS THE EQUITY LENS.
SO THAT'S ALREADY BUILT IN TO OUR SYSTEM.
I JUST WANT TO CLARIFY SO THAT THE PUBLIC UNDERSTANDS HOW THIS PROCESS WORKED THROUGH OUR AUDIT COMMITTEE.
THE AUDIT COMMITTEE HAD THIS COME BEFORE US PREVIOUSLY, AND WHAT WE DO IS WHEN THESE ISSUES COME BEFORE US, WE MAKE SURE EVERY MEMBER OF THE COUNCIL, AND BY THE WAY, THERE ARE THREE CITY COUNCIL PEOPLE ON THAT COMMITTEE.
THEY'RE GIVEN COPIES OF THESE PROPOSALS, THEY'RE ASKED TO LOOK THEM OVER.
THEY'RE ASKED IF THERE ARE ANY QUESTIONS TO GO AHEAD AND CONTACT YOUR OFFICE OR ANOTHER DEPARTMENT, IF IT'S RELATED TO ANOTHER DEPARTMENT, TO TRY AND ANSWER THOSE QUESTIONS AHEAD OF TIME.
IF THERE ARE NO QUESTIONS, IF THE COMMITTEE MEMBERS, WHETHER THEY'RE THE CIVILIAN COMMITTEE MEMBERS OR THE COUNCIL COMMITTEE MEMBERS FEEL LIKE IT'S VERY CLEAR TO THEM WHAT THE RECOMMENDATIONS ARE, THEN WE PUT THEM ON CONSENT.
NOW, EVEN AT THE MEETINGS, I ASK, IS THERE ANYBODY WHO WOULD LIKE TO PULL ANYTHING FROM CONSENT FOR FURTHER CONSIDERATION? ALSO, WE ALLOW THE PUBLIC TO GO AHEAD AND ADDRESS OUR COMMITTEE IF THEY HAVE ANY QUESTIONS ABOUT ANY OF THE -- ANY OF THE ISSUES COMING BEFORE OUR COMMITTEE.
AND SO WE HEARD NO OBJECTIONS FROM ANY OF THE COMMITTEE MEMBERS, WE HEARD NO ONE FROM THE PUBLIC COME AND SPEAK AT THAT TIME, AND BY THE WAY, ALL OF THE APPLICANTS INFORMED OF WHO IS GOING TO BE RECOMMENDED TO THE COMMITTEE AT THE TIME THE COMMITTEE RECEIVES THOSE RECOMMENDATIONS? IN OTHER WORDS, DO WE SAY TO THE COMPANIES 1 THROUGH 10, THE COMMITTEE WILL BE, YOU KNOW, VOTING ON THAT?
>> SO FOR CLARIFICATION, I'M SORRY, COUNCILMAN COURAGE, THEY ARE NOTIFIED AT THE TIME THAT WE
[03:30:01]
MAKE THE SELECTION, THEY ARE NOTIFIED THAT THEY ARE EITHER -- THERE'S AN INTENT TO AWARD TO THEM OR THEY WERE NOT SELECTED.SO WE DO SEND THEM NOTIFICATION.
SO THEN YOU DID HAVE, COUNCILMAN BROCKHOUSE, YOUR FELLOW COUNCILMEMBER LOOKING AT THESE, SO IT WASN'T JUST A DECISION MADE BY A BUREAUCRACY.
NOW, WHEN THESE WERE BROUGHT FORWARD, WE LOOKED AT THE CRITERIA, WE RECOMMENDED THESE TO THE CITY COUNCIL FOR APPROVAL.
NOW, AT OUR LAST MEETING, IT WAS BROUGHT TO OUR ATTENTION THAT THERE WAS SOME OTHER CONSIDERATIONS WE SHOULD CONSIDER.
AND SO THIS COUNCIL DECIDED IT WOULD GO AHEAD AND FOREGO APPROVING THEM AT THE LAST MEETING AND WE WERE GIVEN A WEEK TO GO AHEAD AND TAKE ANOTHER LOOK AND TO HEAR ANY OTHER INPUT THAT WE'VE HEARD.
NO ONE CALLED ME DIRECTLY AND TRIED TO OFFER ANY OTHER INFORMATION TO ME.
I WENT BACK AND REVIEWED VERY CAREFULLY THE ENTIRE MATRIX THAT WE USE AND STAFF CAME AND WAS PREPARED TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS THAT I MIGHT HAVE HAD ABOUT THEIR DECISION.
AND SO I FELT COMFORTABLE IN REAFFIRMING THEIR DECISION AS BEING FAIR AND EQUITABLE IN A PROCESS THAT WE SHOULD STAND BY.
AND SO I, MAYOR, AM GOING TO RECOMMEND WE DEFEAT THE MOTION TO ADD ADDITIONAL GROUPS AND STICK WITH THE ORIGINAL 10, AND SO THOSE ARE MY REMARKS. THANK YOU.
>> MAYOR NIRENBERG: THANK YOU, COUNCILMAN COURAGE.
>> SANDOVAL: THANK YOU, MAYOR.
JUST SOME QUESTIONS FOR STAFF.
CAN YOU TELL ME HOW DO YOU DISTRIBUTE THE WORK AMONG THAT LIST OF WHETHER IT IS 10 OR 13?
>> WE USUALLY -- WHEN WORK COMES UP, MAJORITY OF THE WORK IS COME FROM DIFFERENT DEPARTMENT, NATURALLY FROM TCI.
MOST OF OUR TCI WORK IS HEAVY CONSTRUCTION.
AND MOST OF THIS WORK IS REALLY DONE IN YOUR COUNCIL DISTRICT, LIBRARY, PARKS, COMMUNITY CENTER.
MOST OF THE TIME THEY ARE REMODELING, REPLACING CARPET, PAINTING AND OTHER.
WE REALIZE -- WE FIRST OF ALL IDENTIFIED THE TYPE OF THE WORK, SEE WHO'S FIT FOR THIS WORK, AND WHO'S SECOND IN LINE.
CERTAIN DEPARTMENT HAS SPECIAL NEED.
FOR EXAMPLE, WE DO PROVIDE SERVICES FOR AVIATION DEPARTMENT.
AVIATION HAS VERY RESTRICTED SECURITY REQUIREMENT, BADGING, AT NIGHT WORK.
EVERY CONTRACTOR JOB DOES NOT WANT TO PUT THEIR PEOPLE THROUGH THAT PROCESS BECAUSE IT'S JUST -- THEY DON'T WANT IT.
AND THERE'S A FEW JOC REALLY END UP BEING ASSIGNING FOR AVIATION BECAUSE THEY'RE ALREADY BADGE, THEY ARE COMFORTABLE, THEY KNOW THE AREA, THEY KNOW AT NIGHT WORK, THEY'RE WILLING TO DO THAT.
MOST OF THE AVIATION WORK GOES FOR THOSE FEW.
AND THE OTHERS, WE TRY TO DISTRIBUTE AS EVENLY AS POSSIBLE.
AND ALSO IT DEPENDS ON THEIR WORKLOAD.
SO THERE'S NO PRIORITY TO THE ONE WHOSE HAVE SCORED HIRE, THEY'RE ALL TREATED THE SAME ONCE THEY'RE IN THE POOL.
NUMBER ONE DOESN'T GET THE BIGGEST JOB.
AND THEN A QUESTION FOR COUNCILMAN HALL.
I JUST WANTED TO KNOW HOW DID YOU DRAW THE LINE AT 13?
>> HALL: YEAH, TO BE HONEST, I THINK THE 13TH WAS THE AFRICAN -- I THINK THERE'S TWO AFRICAN-AMERICAN COMPANIES WITHIN THAT THREE, THE ADDITIONAL THREE, AND THE PUSH WAS TO MAKE SURE THAT WE HAVE MORE AFRICAN-AMERICAN REPRESENTATION IN THE POOL.
>> SANDOVAL: I'M SORRY, MORE OR...
>> SANDOVAL: IS THERE ALREADY AFRICAN-AMERICAN REPRESENTATION IN THE POOL?
STILL THERE'S OPPORTUNITY FOR THOSE NOT SELECTED TO BE SUB.
AND THERE'S OTHER OPPORTUNITY.
THIS IS THE ONLY -- THIS IS NOT THE ONLY CONTRACT WE HAVE.
WE BID LOW BID, WE BID COMPETITION FOR PROPOSAL ON MAJORITY OF THE PROJECT, WE HAVE REQUIREMENT OF PRIME MUST GET AN ABE, AND ALSO THER MINORITY.
THIS ONE WE HAVE 24% MINORITY PARTICIPATION AND 4% IBE.
>> SANDOVAL: SO THIS IS A QUESTION EITHER FOR YOU OR ONE OF THE ASSISTANT CITY MANAGERS, REALLY, I THINK WHAT YOU'RE HEARING FROM THE COUNCIL IS -- WHICHEVER WAY THIS VOTE GOES TODAY IS THAT THERE'S CONCERN ABOUT BRINGING MORE MINORITY BUSINESSES INTO THE APPROVED
[03:35:02]
CONTRACTOR LIST.SO WHATEVER HAPPENS WITH THE VOTE, WHAT WILL YOU DO -- OR WHAT CAN YOU DO DIFFERENTLY IN ORDER TO GROW THAT POOL IN THE FUTURE?
>> THANKS FOR ASKING THAT QUESTION, COUNCILWOMAN.
I THINK COUNCIL HAS BEEN VERY, VERY DIRECT IN TERMS OF WHAT OUR ANSWER IS TO ADDRESS THE DISPARITY IN CONTRACTING.
AND HAS ESTABLISHED A VERY AGGRESSIVE PROGRAM, THE SBEDA PROGRAM IN TERMS OF ALWAYS LOOKING AT THE OPPORTUNITY AND AVAILABILITY OF FIRMS, MINORITY FIRMS IN PARTICULAR, WOMEN-OWNED FIRMS, AND SO AS AN EXAMPLE, FOR THIS PROJECT, THE GOAL-SETTING COMMITTEE HAS UP TO 20 POINTS TO AWARD FOR THAT SPECIFIC CATEGORY TO PROVIDE THAT HELPING HAND, TO ADDRESS THAT DISPARITY.
SO WE LOOK AT IT CASE-BY-CASE.
IN THIS CASE, WE COMPLETELY AGREE THAT THIS WAS A GREAT OPPORTUNITY TO BUILD SMALLS AND TO CONTINUE TO DRIVE OUR GOALS TOWARDS MORE INCLUSION AND THAT'S EXACTLY WHY WE MAXIMIZED THOSE POINTS.
WE'RE ALWAYS LOOKING FOR OPPORTUNITIES IN EACH PROCUREMENT TO MAXIMIZE THE TOOLS COUNCIL HAS AFFORDED TO US.
IN ADDITION, I THINK WHAT'S GETTING LOST A LITTLE BIT IS THE SUBCONTRACTING OPPORTUNITIES.
ROZZIE MENTIONED IT THERE AT THE END.
THERE IS A REQUIREMENT THAT 24% OF THE CONTRACT DOLLARS BE SUBCONTRACTING, AND OF THAT A MINIMUM OF 4% OF IT GO TO AABE.
AND SO THAT'S FROM A POLICY STANDPOINT, THE WAY WE DRIVE THAT.
FROM A CAPACITY-BUILDING STANDPOINT, WE'RE ALWAYS LOOKING TO BUILD THE CAPACITY TO SMALLS, SO WE HAVE VERY ROBUSTS, MENTOR PROTEGE PROGRAMS THAT ARE VERY WELL ATTENDED SO THAT SMALLS WHO ARE LEARNING AND TRYING TO BUILD THEIR CAPACITY CAN ATTEND THOSE.
WE DO HAVE ONE SPECIFIC TO CONSTRUCTION.
IT'S SIX CLASSES, BOOT CAMP THROUGH ALAMO COLLEGES, AND THEN A TWO-YEAR ROTATION WITH A MENTOR.
SO THERE ARE MANY DIFFERENT INTERVENTIONS.
COUNCIL'S ALSO APPROVED 0% INTEREST LOAN BUYDOWN PROGRAM THAT WE PROMOTE IN ADDITION TO TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE THROUGH LAUNCH SA.
SPECIFIC TO PROCUREMENT, IT'S THE TOOLS, AGGRESSIVELY APPLYING THESE -- THE PREFERENCE POINTS OPPORTUNITY AND THEN AGGRESSIVELY APPLYING SUBCONTRACTING GOALS.
AND IT'S VERY MEANINGFUL IN TERMS OF THE LAST CONTRACT, THE SUBCONTRACTING GOAL WAS ACTUALLY LAST AND WE GOT 17 DIFFERENT UNIQUE AFRICAN-AMERICAN FIRMS THAT PART PATED.
THIS IS ABOVE AND BEYOND THE PRIME CONTRACTING POOL THAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT.
SO I DON'T WANT IT TO BE DIMINISHED IN TERMS OF WHAT COUNCILMAN BROCKHOUSE WAS SAYING, BUILDING THE CAPACITY SO THEY CAN ONE DAY BE PRIMES.
JUST A QUICK QUESTION FOR ROZZIE.
IN YOUR UNDERSTANDING, DO YOU BELIEVE ANY OF THE FIRMS IN THE TOP 10 MIGHT SUBTO -- SUB TO THE FIRMS BELOW, THAT RANKED LOWER.
WE DON'T KNOW EXACTLY WHICH ONE, BUT WE WILL TRY.
>> MAYOR NIRENBERG: THANK YOU, COUNCILWOMAN SANDOVAL.
JUST GOT A COUPLE MORE QUESTIONS, ROZZIE.
OUT OF THAT TOP 10, HOW MANY OF THOSE CONTRACTORS ARE REPEAT CONTRACTORS?
>> PERRY: SO SEVEN ARE REPEAT.
>> PERRY: SO WE'VE GOT THREE NEW CONTRACTORS IN YOUR RECOMMENDATION.
>> AND ONE OF THEM IS AABE, AFRICAN-AMERICAN.
>> PERRY: SO WE ARE BUILDING THAT CAPACITY.
AS ONE OF MY COLLEAGUES WAS POINTING OUT, YEAH, WE SHOULD -- WE SHOULD LOOK AT THAT.
AND, YEAH, I'VE BEEN ONE OF THOSE THAT HAS VOTED AGAINST STAFF PROPOSALS BEFORE AS WELL.
BUT IN THIS INSTANCE WHERE WE ARE MEETING OUR SMALL BUSINESS GOALS ACROSS THE BOARD, AND EVEN MAKING THEM BETTER, WE'RE BEATING THOSE GOALS, AS OUR HIRS TRI -- HISTORY HAS SHOWN, AND HERE WE'RE BRINGING IN THREE NEW CONTRACTORS.
OUT OF THOSE BOTTOM -- WELL, THE REMAINING SIX, HOW MANY OF THOSE HAD THIS CONTRACT BEFORE?
SO THEY'VE ACTUALLY HAD THAT CONTRACT BEFORE.
>> PERRY: AND THEY WERE BUILDING THAT CAPACITY AND THEY HAD THAT OPPORTUNITY TO BE A PRIME.
SO WE'RE MOVING TWO OFF THAT LIST AND WE'RE BRINGING THREE NEW ONES ON THAT LIST, RIGHT?
>> PERRY: I KNOW THE BREAKDOWN OF THE -- THROUGH 13, BUT WHAT ABOUT THE LAST THREE CONTRACTORS, ARE THEY MINORITY COMPANIES AS WELL?
[03:40:01]
AND WHAT IS THEIR CLASSIFICATION?>> PERRY: WHAT ARE THEIR CLASSIFICATIONS.
>> THEY ARE SBE, MBE, AND ONE OF THEM IS A WBE ALSO.
SO YOU'VE GOT -- WE'RE BEING ASKED TO ADD THREE MORE TO THIS CONTRACT, AND ME AS -- IF I WERE A CONTRACTOR PROPOSING ON THIS AND I WAS NO. 15, I'D SAY, HEY, WAIT, WHAT'S GOING ON HERE, WHY ARE THEY -- WHY ARE THEY GETTING A BUMP UP INTO THE PRIME AND WHAT ABOUT US? WE SPENT RESOURCES, WE PUT TOGETHER PROPOSALS, WE COMPETED ON THIS, AND IF YOU LOOK AT OUR SCORES, WE'RE NOT THAT FAR OUT FROM THE THREE ABOVE US.
SO I WOULD LOOK AT THAT SAYING, WOW, I THINK WE'RE NOT BEING EQUITABLE HERE ON THIS COUNCIL IF WE DON'T BRING ALL OF THEM ONTO THIS.
AND I SAY IF WE'RE GOING TO BUST THE RFP PROCESS TO BRING ON THREE ADDITIONAL, I THINK WE OUGHT TO JUST -- LET'S GO AHEAD AND GIVE IT TO EVERYBODY.
AND BE EQUITABLE ACROSS THE BOARD.
SO I -- BEING ON THE AUDIT AND ACCOUNTABILITY MEETING, WHICH I HAD AN OPPORTUNITY TO REVIEW THIS, AS COUNCILMAN COURAGE SAID, I LOOKED AT IT, I SAW THE RATIONALE, I SAW THE PROPOSAL FROM THE STAFF, AND I THOUGHT IT WAS RIGHT ON -- RIGHT ON TARGET WITH THE 10 AWARDEES.
I UNDERSTAND COUNCILMAN HALL ON WHAT YOU'RE TRYING TO DO, BUT, YOU KNOW, ON LOOKING AT WHAT WE HAVE DONE IN THE PAST AND WHAT WE'RE CONTINUING TO DO ON SUPPORTING MINORITY AND SMALL BUSINESSES ACROSS SAN ANTONIO, I THINK WE'RE RIGHT ON TARGET HERE.
AND BRINGING ON ADDITIONAL CONTRACTORS IS NOT REALLY WARRANTED ON THIS.
BUT I WILL -- I TELL YOU WHAT, I'LL DO A FRIENDLY AMENDMENT SAYING, HEY, IF WE'RE GOING TO BRING ON THREE ADDITIONAL CONTRACTORS, LET'S GO AHEAD AND MAKE AN AWARD TO ALL OF THEM, BECAUSE THERE ARE MINORITY BUSINESSES BELOW THE 13 ALL THE WAY THROUGH 16.
SO I'M SAYING, LET'S GO AHEAD AND GIVE IT TO ALL OF THEM SO, SIR, THAT IS MY FRIENDLY AMENDMENT TO THE AMENDMENT OF COUNCILMAN HALL.
>> HALL: MAYOR, THAT'S FRIENDLY.
I'LL ACCEPT THAT IF THE SECOND ACCEPTS.
>> PERRY: BUT I CAN TELL YOU I DO NOT AGREE WITH EXPANDING THIS, SO I'LL -- I'LL -- I WON'T EVEN SUPPORT MY AMENDMENT IN THE VOTE.
SO THERE'S A LEVEL OF ABSURDITY HERE THAT ILLUSTRATES WHY IT SHOULD BE UNDER THE MOST RAREST CIRCUMSTANCES THAT COUNCIL GETS INVOLVES IN THE PROCUREMENT POLICIES WHEN WE'RE VERY CLEARLY MEETING THE GOALS OF A VERY LAUDED SBEDA PROGRAM.
AND WHEN WE'RE MEETING THE GOALS AND WE CAN DEMONSTRATE IN THE PAST CONTRACT ORDERS AND IN ADDITION THE SELECTION OF THE CONTRACTORS FOR 2019 WHICH ARE CLEARLY OVER AND ABOVE THE ASPIRATIONAL GOALS THAT WE'VE HAD PREVIOUSLY, I SEE NO REASON WHY THE COUNCIL SHOULD INVOLVE ITSELF IN MANIPULATING THE NUMBER OF CONTRACTORS FOR THE JOC.
SO I'M GOING TO SUPPORT THE MAIN MOTION AND WE'LL GO AHEAD AND TAKE UP THE AMENDMENT AT THIS TIME.
SO THERE'S A MOTION AND A SECOND FOR THE AMENDMENT TO EXPAND A LIST OF CONTRACTORS TO 16 FROM THE ORIGINAL 10.
THIS IS A VOTE ON THE ORIGINAL AMENDMENT FROM 16 THAN THE ORIGINAL 10.
NOW WE'LL GO TO THE INITIAL MOTION MADE BY COUNCILMAN PERRY.
THERE'S A MOTION AND A SECOND.
[Zoning Consent Agenda]
OKAY.THAT IS THE EXTENT OF OUR MORNING AGENDA.
WE'RE NOW GOING TO MOVE TO OUR PREVIOUSLY SCHEDULED 2:00 ZONING AGENDA.
AND AT THIS POINT I'D LIKE TO ASK MY COLLEAGUES IF THERE ARE ANY ITEMS FROM WHICH THEY WOULD LIKE TO PULL FROM THE ZONING AGENDA.
SO FAR I HAVE ITEMS P1 AND Z4, P3 AND Z6.
ARE THERE ANY OTHER ITEMS FROM WHICH THEY WOULD LIKE TO PULL FROM THE CONCEPT AGENDA? -- CONSENT AGENDA.
>> MAYOR NIRENBERG: I'VE GOT THAT ONE.
[03:45:35]
>> MAYOR NIRENBERG: I HAVE HEARD NO OTHER ITEMS FROM WHICH MY COLLEAGUES WOULD LIKE TO PULL FROM THE CONSENT AGENDA.
I'LL REPEAT THE ONES THAT ARE ON INDIVIDUAL CONSIDERATION.
DO YOU HAVE THE LIST? ALL RIGHT.
IF THERE ARE NO OTHER ITEMS, I'LL ENTERTAIN A MOTION FOR THE BALANCE OF THE CONSENT AGENDA, THAT'S ALL ITEMS PAVE FOR P1, Z4, P3.
THERE'S A MOTION AND A SECOND FOR THE BALANCE OF THE CONSENT ZONING ITEMS. WE DO HAVE SOME CITIZENS SIGNED UP TO SPEAK.
>> WELL, MAYOR NIRENBERG AND OTHER MEMBERS OF OUR ILLUSTRIOUS SAN ANTONIO CITY COUNCIL.
FOR THE RECORD, MY NAME IS JACK M. FINGER.
A FEW ITEMS I'D LIKE TO BRING TO YOUR ATTENTION TON THE PORTION OF THIS AGENDA, A COUPLE ITEMS YOU DID NOT PULL FOR INDIVIDUAL CONSIDERATION AND THOSE DEAL WITH WHAT I CALL ALCOHOL VARIANCES.
YES, MR. HALL, IN YOUR DISTRICT, YOU HAVE -- YOU HAVE A SCHOOL CALLED PREK FOUR SA IN THE EAST EDUCATION CENTER.
PREK FOUR SA, AND THEY WANT TO SELL ALCOHOL WITHIN 300 FEET OF IT, SIR.
STATE LAW IS SAYING YOU CAN'T DO THAT UNLESS THERE ARE SPECIAL CIRCUMSTANCES WHERE THE LOCAL ELECTED BODY WANTS TO JUST WAIVE THOSE THINGS.
WELL, IF WE BELIEVE SO MUCH IN PREK FOUR SA, SIR, WHY ARE WE ALLOWING ALCOHOL TO BE SOLD PRACTICALLY RIGHT NEXT TO THE SCHOOL GROUND, HUH? MAYBE YOU'D WANT TO PULL ITEM 28 FOR THAT VERY PARTICULAR REASON THERE? PREK -- SELLING ALCOHOL RIGHT NEXT TO A PREK FOUR SA.
MR. PERRY, I'VE GOT TO WAIT FOR THE CONVERSATION TO FINISH HERE.
>> MAYOR NIRENBERG: IT'S YOUR FLOOR, JACK.
>> WELL, MR. CLAYTON PERRY, SIMILAR SITUATION IN YOUR DISTRICT, SIR.
THE ST. PIOUS CATHOLIC SCHOOL IS RIGHT NEXT TO A PROPOSED AREA FOR SELLING ALCOHOL.
I TALKED WITH A FEW PEOPLE THERE AND THEY DIDN'T SEEM VERY -- THEY KIND OF SEEMED KIND OF UPSET ABOUT THAT AND THEY SAID THEY WANT TO GET IN TOUCH WITH YOU ABOUT THAT.
JUST MAYBE YOU'D WANT TO CONTINUE ITEM NUMBER 29 AS WELL THERE, SIR.
Z6, WELL, WHAT IS IT ON Z6? WELL, BASICALLY IN DISTRICT -- ONCE AGAIN, MR. HALL, IN YOUR DISTRICT, YEAH, THE -- GET THIS STRAIGHTENED OUT HERE.
THE IDEA OF WHAT I CALL SHOE HORNING ABOUT 10 DIFFERENT RESIDENTS INTO A TINY LITTLE AREA.
IN FACT, LET'S LOOK AT THAT, MR. WHAT WAS THE MAIN -- HERE YOU GO, IF YOU CAN PUT THAT ON THERE, IF YOU WOULD, LOOK AT THE UNDERLINED AREA IF YOU WOULD, MR. AUDIO VISION WOMAN THERE.
WHAT IS GOING ON HERE? THE IDEA IS THAT THE HISTORICAL HISTORICAL -- AUDIO] -- OUTLIE IN THE ARTICLE.
TO DATE, THERE'S NO APPLICATION BEEN MADE FOR THIS THING.
BETWEEN THE STRUCTURES, THAT'S -- YES, THAT'S THE BIG ONE RIGHT THERE, SIR.
THEY'RE PRACTICALLY JUST AGE JAY -- ADJACENT.
SO, YES, YOU MAY WANT TO SAY NO TO THAT.
>> MAYOR NIRENBERG: THANK YOU, MR. FINGER.
MY NAME IS ROY DE LA CRUZ, 123
[03:50:04]
GREEN LAWN, I'M ASKING TO BE GIVEN THE TIME OF CLASSIFICATION OF DESIGNATION, THE REASON BEING THAT OUR HOUSE WAS BUILT IN 1932 AND WE WANT TO HAVE THE HOUSE IN THE FAMILY, SO WE HAVE MY WIFE IN THE HOUSE AND WE HAVE OUR SON WHO ALSO IS IN THE HOUSE, WAS IN THE HOUSE. AND THEN WE HAVE A GRANDSON, HIS NAME IS TRISTEN THAT WE WANT TO CARRY OUT THE TRADITION TO KEEP THE HOUSE IN THE FAMILY.I'M A VETERAN, A VIETNAM VETERAN AND I'M ASKING YOU TO PLEASE GRANT US THE DESIGNATION CLASSIFICATION OF HISTORICAL STATUS.
>> MAYOR NIRENBERG: THANK YOU, MR. DE LA CRUZ.
I'M HERE REPRESENTING MY COMPANY, THEY'RE PUTTING A MULTIFAMILY BUILDING NEXT TO US WHERE WE DIDN'T HAVE ANY PROBLEMS, WE DIDN'T OBJECT TO ANY OF THE REZONING TO RESIDENTIAL, WE WERE GETTING PLANS NOW WHERE THEY'RE BUILDING A SITE PLAN WHERE THEY LOOK LIKE THEY'RE WITHIN 5 FEET OF OUR BUILDING.
WE'RE -- THE PROXIMITY JUST SEEMS TO BE TOO CLOSE.
FROM THE SITE PLAN, IT LOOKS LIKE THEY HAVE PORCHES JUST LIKE RIGHT ON THE BACK SIDE OF OUR BUILDING.
WE'RE CONCERNED THAT ONCE PEOPLE DO START MOVING IN, WE'RE -- OUR SHOP IS GOING TO BE TOO NOISY, WE'RE GOING TO START GETTING NOISE COMPLAINTS.
WE'VE BEEN THERE FOR 60 YEARS, WE'RE NOT GOING TO GO ANYWHERE, AND WE JUST WANT TO KEEP DOING WHAT WE DO BEST AND MAKE EVERYBODY HAPPY.
WE DIDN'T OPPOSE THE 320 UNITS GOING ACROSS THE STREET.
WE KNOW THAT THE CITY IS ALL ABOUT GROWTH AND WE WERE FOR IT.
WE JUST WANT A LITTLE BIT OF SPACE.
WE'RE ASKING FOR A 15-FOOT SETBACK AND MAYBE SOME LANDSCAPE BUFFERS TO SEPARATE US FROM THE BUILDING SO THAT IT MIGHT HELP WITH THE NOISE FOR THE TENANTS AND WE ARE UNDER THE IMPRESSION IF IT'S NOT WRITTEN INTO THE ORDINANCE, THAT IT'S NOT GOING TO HAPPEN, THAT THEY CAN CHANGE IT BECAUSE THIS WAS A BEFORE -- A PRE2018 ZONING THING BEFORE IT STARTED.
SO WE'RE LOOKING TO SEE THAT IF WE DO GET THIS SETBACK THAT WE'RE LOOKING FOR, THAT IT'S WRITTEN IN THE ORDINANCE SO THAT WE CAN MAKE SURE THAT IT'S ADHERED TO.
>> MAYOR NIRENBERG: THANK YOU, MRS. SPIRE.
I JUST WANT TO MAKE A COMMENT ON ITEM 29.
IT WAS MENTIONED ABOUT THE ALCOHOL VARIANCE ACROSS THE STREET FROM ST. PIOUS CATHOLIC CHURCH AND SCHOOL.
YOU KNOW, IF YOU KNOW WHERE THAT'S AT, YOU WOULD KNOW THAT THAT'S THE OLD CRUMB PETS.
AND MANY OF YOU HAVE PROBABLY EATEN THERE AT KRUMPET'S, AND, YES, THEY HAVE SERVED ALCOHOL THERE FOR OVER 20 -- 30 YEARS.
ST. PIOUS IS FINE, IN FACT, THEY'RE SO -- THEY USE THE FACILITY FOR WEDDINGS AND THINGS LIKE THAT.
IN THAT THEY SOLD IT TO A DIFFERENT COMPANY AND YOU CAN'T TRANSFER THE LIQUOR LICENSE WITHOUT GOING BACK THROUGH THIS PROCESS.
SO JUST WANT EVERYBODY TO KNOW THAT'S THE OLD KRUMPET'S AND WE'RE DOING THIS FOR THE NEXT NEW OWNERS, AND ST. PIOUS IS VERY HAPPY TO KEEP THEM THERE.
JUST WANTED TO MAKE THAT COMMENT.
>> MAYOR NIRENBERG: THANK YOU, COUNCILMAN PERRY.
>> TREVINO: THANK YOU, MAYOR, AND I JUST WANTED TO COMMENT ABOUT THE LADY THAT SPOKE ON ITEM Z1, WE DID ADDRESS THE SITE PLAN ISSUE AND VERIFIED IT WITH THE APPLICANT.
WE FEEL THAT EVERYTHING HAS BEEN SATISFIED SO THAT WE'LL CONTINUE TO LEAVE ON CONSENT.
I ALSO WANT TO RECOGNIZE BERT BARR WHO'S HERE TO THANK HIM FOR THE GREEN LAWN DESIGNATION AND WE'RE ALSO KEEPING THAT ON CONSENT.
BUT THANK YOU FOR YOUR WORK ON THAT, CERTAINLY LOOK FORWARD TO THAT DESIGNATION MOVING FORWARD.
>> MAYOR NIRENBERG: THANK YOU, COUNCILMAN TREVINO.
THERE IS A MOTION AND A SECOND FOR THE BALANCE OF THE CONSENT ZONING AGENDA.
ALL ITEMS SAVE P1, Z4, P3, Z6, Z9, Z13, Z14, Z15 AND Z18,
[P-1 & Z-4. P-1. PLAN AMENDMENT CASE # PA-2018-900008 (Council District 1): Ordinance amending the North Central Community Plan, a component of the Comprehensive Master Plan of the City, by changing the future land use from “Low Density Residential” to “Community Commercial” Lot 13, Block 8, NCB 9121, located at 5101 San Pedro Avenue. Staff and Planning Commission recommend Approval. (Associated Zoning Case Z-2018-900005) Z-4. ZONING CASE # Z-2018-900005 (Council District 1): Ordinance amending the Zoning District Boundary from "O-2 AHOD" Office High-Rise Airport Hazard Overlay District to "C-1 AHOD" Light Commercial Airport Hazard Overlay District on Lot 13, Block 8, NCB 9121, located at 5101 San Pedro Avenue. Staff and Zoning Commission recommend Approval, pending Plan Amendment. (Associated Plan Amendment 2018-900008)]
PLEASE VOTE.[03:55:03]
ITEMS P1 AND Z4.>> CLERK: P218908 AND ZONING CASE 905 AMENDING THE NORTH CENTRAL COMMUNITY PLAN FROM LOW DENSITY RESIDENTIAL LOCATED AT 5101 SAN PEDRO AVENUE.
STAFF PLANNING AND ZONING COMMISSION RECOMMEND APPROVAL.
34 NOTICES MAILED, 0 IN FAVOR, SEVEN OPPOSED.
NORTH MAR AND OLMOS PARK TERRACE NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION ARE OPPOSED AND I BELIEVE THE APPLICANT HAS AN AMENDMENT HERE AT THE PODIUM.
>> TREVINO: CAN WE GET THE APPLICANT UP HERE, PLEASE.
>> MY NAME IS [INAUDIBLE] I'M THE OWNER OF 5101 SAN PEDRO.
I WOULD LIKE TO AMEND MY PLAN AMENDMENT TO NEIGHBORHOOD COMMERCIAL.
I WANT TO MOTION TO APPROVE AS AMENDED.
THERE'S A MOTION AND A SECOND TO APPROVE ITEMS P1 AND Z4 AS AMENDED.
[P-3 & Z-6. P-3. PLAN AMENDMENT CASE # PA-2018-900003 (Council District 2): Ordinance amending the Government Hill Neighborhood Plan, a component of the Comprehensive Master Plan of the City, by changing the future land use from “Low Density Residential” to “Low Density Mixed Use” on 0.411 acres out of NCB 1276, located at 1943 IH 35 North. Staff and Planning Commission recommend Approval. (Associated Zoning Case Z2018-900014) Z-6. ZONING CASE # Z-2018-900014 (Council District 2): Ordinance amending the Zoning District Boundary from "R-5 H AHOD" Residential Single-Family Government Hill Historic Airport Hazard Overlay District to "IDZ H AHOD" Infill Development Zone Government Hill Historic Airport Hazard Overlay District for 10 Residential Units on 0.411 acres out of NCB 1276, located at 1943 Interstate 35 North. Staff recommends Denial with an Alternate Recommendation, pendng Plan Amendment. Zoning Commission recommends Approval. (Associated Plan Amendment 2018-900003)]
MOTION CARRIES.>> PA2019 AND ZONING CASE 914 AMENDING THE GOVERNMENT HILL NEIGHBORHOOD PLAN FROM LOW DENSITY RESIDENTIAL TO LOW DENSITY MIXED USE FROM R5 TO IDZ FOR 10 RESIDENTIAL UNITS LOCATED AT 1943 IH-35 NORTH, PLANNING COMMISSION RECOMMENDS APPROVAL.
STAFF RECOMMENDS DENIAL WITH AN ALTERNATE RECOMMENDATION.
ZONING COMMISSION RECOMMENDS APPROVAL.
26 MAILED, ONE IN FAVOR, 0 OPPOSED AND THE APPLICANT IS AMENDING THEIR REQUEST 28 UNITS WITH AN UP DISAITED SITE PLAN AND STAFF RECOMMENDS APPROVAL WITH THE AMENDED SITE PLAN.
>> TREVINO: AND I THINK WE HAVE A FEW CITIZENS TO BE HEARD SO WE'LL HEAR FROM CINDY TOWER FOLLOWED BY CHARLES MASSEY.
THANK YOU FOR HEARING ME TODAY.
I'D LIKE TO START OUT INTRODUCING MYSELF.
I BASICALLY AM A WORKING ARTIST FROM BROOKLYN, NEW YORK, AND I MOVED HERE SEVEN YEARS AGO.
I HAVE BEEN GENTRIFIED A COUPLE TIMES IN NEW YORK CITY, COULDN'T AFFORD TO LIVE THERE, AND I FELL IN LOVE WITH SAN ANTONIO WHEN I CAME HERE TO VISIT AND SEE MARCIA KING, MY FRIEND, WHO WAS A MILLENNIAL ARTIST OF SAN ANTONIO.
HER ART EXHIBITION AT THE MUSEUMS, AND SHE SHOWED ME ACTUALLY GOVERNMENT HILL, AND THIS WAS IN 2000, AND I ENDED UP BUYING WITH MY PARTNER AN ABANDONED HOUSE IN GOVERNMENT HILLS SEVEN YEARS AGO, AND I LOVE THE NEIGHBORHOOD.
AND I'D LIKE TO TELL YOU WHY I LOVE THE NEIGHBORHOOD, BECAUSE I LOOKED ALL AROUND SAN ANTONIO, BUT GOVERNMENT HILL WAS THE MOST DIVERSE RARE -- RACIALLY, ECONOMICALLY, IT WAS ARTIST TICK, AND IT'S THE HEALTHIEST NEIGHBORHOOD BECAUSE IT'S A REAL NEIGHBORHOOD.
NOBODY CAN DESTROY A NEW NEIGHBORHOOD.
WE ARE ACTUALLY VERY UNITED AND THE REASON MORE PEOPLE ARE NOT HERE IS BECAUSE THERE'S A FUNERAL TODAY AT ST. PATRICK'S I HAVE A LITTLE MORE TIME TO TALK, THANKS TO CHARLES MASSEY, MY NEIGHBOR, WHO IS RIGHT HERE.
HE'S A RENTER AND HE'S A FELLOW ARTIST.
WE GO PAINTING TOGETHER IN GOVERNMENT HILL.
HE'S A VIETNAM VET AND A MARINE.
AND I JUST WANT YOU TO REALLY EMPHASIZE THAT THIS IS A NEIGHBORHOOD.
I'D LIKE TO START SHOWING MY POWERPOINT, PLEASE, BECAUSE GOVERNMENT HILL BEING A VERY -- WE ARE A HISTORIC DISTRICT.
AND THIS IS THE FOOTPRINT -- NOW THIS IS THAT LITTLE -- IT'S GOING TOO FAST, THIS POWERPOINT, OKAY.
I DID SOME POWERPOINT TO SHOW YOU THAT WE'RE FOR DEVELOPMENT.
WE JUST WANT THE DEVELOPMENT TO BE IN THE APPROPRIATE PLACES, WHICH IS ALONG NEW BRAUNFELS.
OBVIOUSLY THIS POWERPOINT'S GOING TOO FAST FOR ME TO EXPLAIN IT, SO I'LL JUST CONTINUE.
SO WE HAVE A VERY STRONG COMMUNITY.
AND THIS IS A DIRECT RESULT OF LOW DENSITY.
YOU KNOW, IT'S NOT ONLY ABOUT PRESERVING THIS UNIQUE OLDEST HISTORIC NEIGHBORHOOD IN SAN ANTONIO, BUT IT'S ALSO
[04:00:01]
PROTECTION.I JUST LOST MY NEXT DOOR NEIGHBORS.
THEY WERE DISPLACED PERMANENTLY.
THEIR HOUSE BURNED TO THE GROUND FEBRUARY 2.
MY HOUSE IS ONLY TEN FEET AWAY.
MY HOUSE SUFFERED EXTREME SMOKE AND WATER DAMAGE.
SO MUCH SO THAT THE FIVE HOURS OF WATER FROM THE FIRE DEPARTMENT HAS MADE MY FOUNDATION SHIFT AND IT NEEDS TO BE RELEVELED.
IN AN HISTORIC NEIGHBORHOOD YOU HAVE TO MAINTAIN THE SETBACKS.
THIS DEVELOPER HAS ZERO SETBACKS.
IT'S WAY TOO DENSE FOR THE NEIGHBORHOOD.
THAT IS SOMETHING YOU REALLY NEED TO LOOK AT.
THE THIRD THING THAT I REALLY THINK LOW DENSITY DOES -- I KNOW YOU'LL THINK I'M CRAZY, BUT I AM A VETERAN NEW YORKER.
IT'S BECAUSE THERE'S -- YOU'RE ABLE TO GET TO KNOW YOUR NEIGHBORS AND PARTICIPATE IN THEIR HAVING BARBECUES, BACKYARDS, CHILDREN PLAYING.
JUST THIS WEEKEND WE ALL HUNG OUT IN ROSE AND RAUL'S BACKGROUND, DESPITE THEIR HOUSE BURNING DOWN.
WE HAD, YOU KNOW, AN EXTENSION CORD FROM MY YARD AND HOSE FROM MY YARD AND WE HAD A NEIGHBORHOOD BARBECUE.
EVEN THOUGH THEY ARE BEING FORCED TO LEAVE THE NEIGHBORHOOD AND IS PERMANENTLY DISPLACED, BECAUSE THEY CANNOT AFFORD TO REBUILD.
MY OTHER NEIGHBORS ARE ALL LEAVING IN DROVES BECAUSE PROPERTY VALUES, THEIR HOUSES, THE TAXES HAVE INCREASED 67% IN THREE YEARS.
SO I AM LOSING PEOPLE THAT HAVE BECOME MY BEST FRIENDS.
AND THE REASON THEY'RE MY BEST FRIENDS -- I HAVE TO TELL YOU I'M STANDING ON MY TIPTOES TRYING TO TALK TO YOU GUYS.
I COULD NEVER HAVE RESTORED AN ABANDONED HISTORIC HOME -- THANK YOU SO MUCH.
JOE ASHCRAFT GAVE ME THE DOORKNOBS AND LOCKS TO MY 1890 DOORS.
THE MURILLOS TAUGHT ME HOW A TRANSOM WINDOW WORKED AND EXPLAINED THAT I CAN'T PUT INSULATION IN MY HOUSE BECAUSE THE HOLLOW WALLS ACT IN IN AUDIO] AND THAT'S WHY THE CEILING HEIGHTS ARE HIGH.
I'VE LEARNED SO MUCH, BUT WE SHARE RESOURCES.
WE SHARE GRAPEFRUIT, LEMONS, LETTUCE.
I GO TO THE ST. PATRICK'S POTLUCK DINNERS.
THIS DENSITY INCREASE IS CAUSING INDIRECT DISPLACEMENT.
THE OTHER THING I NEED TO TELL YOU IS I HAVE A PETITION HERE OF 250 SINGLE HOMEOWNERS AUDIO].
WE MADE A MAP -- I CAN SHOW YOU THIS LATER.
WE DON'T NEED A NEIGHBORHOOD GROUP.
IN FACT, THE PEOPLE THAT I HAVE A PACKET OF ALL THE PEOPLE KICKED OUT OF THE NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION FOR NO REASON.
THIS IS A RETURN MEMBERSHIP FORMS AND RETURN CHECKS.
BECAUSE THEY HAD NO -- BUT THEY ALL SIGNED THE PETITION AGAINST REZONING.
I DON'T KNOW WHY THEY WERE KICKED OUT BUT I THINK IT WAS SOMETHING TO DO WITH THAT.
>> MAYOR NIRENBERG: THANK YOU.
>> NO TRANSPARENCY FROM THE DEVELOPER.
IS THAT IT? DON'T I GET HIS TIME?
>> MAYOR NIRENBERG: I THINK YOU GOT THE TIME ALREADY.
>> MAYOR NIRENBERG: IF YOU HAVE SOMETHING YOU WANT THE COUNCIL TO HAVE.
>> IF YOU WANT TO SEE WHAT I BROUGHT, SURE.
>> MAYOR NIRENBERG: YOU'RE WELCOME TO GIVE IT TO -- YEAH.
YEAH, YOU'LL HAVE SIX MINUTES, MR. MURILLO.
>> GOOD AFTERNOON, MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL REPRESENTATIVES.
I AM GILBERT J. MURILLO RESIDING AT 1955 IH-35 NORTH AND OWNER OF THAT PROPERTY.
MY WIFE AND I HAVE BEEN ST. ST.
PATRICK'S PARISHIONERS FOR 44 YEARS.
WE HAVE BEEN CO-LEADERS OF THE SENIOR MINISTRY THERE FOR THE LAST 14 YEARS.
I AM ONE OF THE THREE FOUNDERS AND A FORMER PRESIDENT OF THE GOVERNMENT HILL ALLIANCE.
I AM A MEMBER OF THE GOVERNMENT HILL UNITED.
I HAVE HAD A REAL ESTATE LICENSE
[04:05:01]
FOR 25 YEARS.I AM FOR THE GOVERNMENT NEIGHBORHOOD PLAN AND RESPECTFULLY REQUEST YOU DENY THE PROPOSED LAND USE FROM LOW DENSITY RESIDENTIAL TO LOW DENSITY MIXED USE.
APPROVING ALSO GIVES AN OKAY TO THE PENDING ZONING CASE.
THESE PROJECTED MULTI-RENTAL AND COMMERCIAL UNITS ARE ESSENTIALLY AN ENCROACHMENT AT THE HEART OF A HISTORICAL DISTRICT.
THE REASONS FOR REJECTING THE PROPOSED LAND USE CHANGES ARE THE GOVERNMENT HILL AMENDED IN 2011 EMPHASIZED MIXED USE ONLY ON THE EASTERN AND WESTERN BOUNDARIES OF THE GOVERNMENT HILL HISTORICAL AREA.
THAT, OF COURSE, WAS APPROVED BY THE CITY COUNCIL.
NUMBER TWO, THE PROPOSED AMENDMENT VIOLATES THE BASIC REAL ESTATE PRINCIPLE OF CONFORMITY.
THIS MEANS SIMILARITY IN LOCATION, TYPE, SPACE, AND SCALE.
THE MULTI-UNIT COMPLEX WITH AN ESTIMATED VALUE OF $2.2 MILLION WOULD DOMINATE THOSE CLOSELY WHO LIVE PRESENTLY IN PEACE, HARMONY, AND AFFORDABLE HOUSING.
YOUR PREDECESSORS REJECTED A SIMILAR MIXED USE PROPOSAL SOMETIME AGO AT 309 PIERCE STREET.
THIS MADE POSSIBLE AN OCCUPIED NEWLY-CONSTRUCTED SINGLE RESIDENCE OF APPROVED HISTORICAL AND REAL ESTATE CONFORMITY.
ADDITIONALLY, A GROUNDBREAKING IN JULY AT 304 PIERCE ALSO HAPPENED THAT MEETS THE GENERAL HERE PLANNING STANDARDS.
THE HOME WILL BE COMPLETED WHAT IS BEFORE YOU IS A CHOICE BETWEEN ONE COMPREHENSIVE PLANNING MODEL BY THE EAST SIDE CHOICE NEIGHBORHOOD AND THE SOON INITIATED EAST SIDE COMMUNITY AREA PLAN.
YOU HAVE IDENTIFIED AND ENACTED RESOURCES, POLICIES, PROGRAMS, PROJECTS, AND THEIR OUTCOME AND COST IN THIS SOCIAL EQUITY AND JUSTICE TREND.
AND, TWO, THE OTHER CHOICE IS ROOTED IN THE CURRENT TRENDS THAT RESULTED FROM LAND DEVELOPMENT BASED SIMILARLY, MAINLY ON ECONOMIC FACTORS.
THAT IS, RETURN ON INVESTMENT.
LET ME ADD A FOOTNOTE TO THAT IN RECOGNITION WITH OUR FORMER CITY MANAGER.
THIS RESULTED -- WELL, WITH RESPECTFULLY QUALIFIED WITH WHAT SHE'S DONE.
THIS RESULTED IN 1 BILLION IN THE CITY'S 1 BILLION TOTAL DEBT OBLIGATION WITH A $250 MILLION ANNUAL PRINCIPAL AND INTEREST PAYMENT.
THIS DIRECTLY AND INDIRECTLY CONTRIBUTES TO RISING PROPERTY TAXES, DISLOCATION, GENTRIFICATION, IMPACTING SENIORS, RENTERS, FIXED INCOME FAMILIES, SPECIAL NEEDS, YOUNG ADULTS, AND OTHER MARGINAL GROUPS.
I REQUEST YOU DENY THE PROPOSED USE AND YOU TAKE THE FIRST CHOICE.
THIS WILL KEEP US ON THE PATH OF SOCIAL EQUITY AND JUSTICE.
>> MAYOR NIRENBERG: THANK YOU, MR. MURILLO.
>> GOOD EVENING, MAYOR, CITY COUNCIL, MR. HALL.
MY NAME IS ROSE HILL, PRESIDENT OF THE GOVERNMENT HILL NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION.
[04:10:01]
THE ASSOCIATION IS IN FAVOR OF THE PROJECT.WE HAVE A PROCESS WE HAVE FOLLOWED THROUGH ALL DEVELOPMENT COMING THROUGH GOVERNMENT HILL.
THE ACTUAL DEVELOPER COMES TO THE NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION.
WE TAKE IT TO THE COMMUNITY IN JANUARY.
ON NOVEMBER THEY CAME TO US, IN DECEMBER THEY CAME TO US.
I ASKED THEM TO PULL IT NOT ONCE, BUT TWICE FROM HDRC TO COME BACK TO THE COMMUNITY TO HAVE THE COMMUNITY HAVE INPUT.
WE HAD NUMEROUS MEETINGS AND THEN ON JANUARY 28 A VOTE WAS TAKEN.
I BELIEVE COUNCILMAN HALL'S REPRESENTATIVE WAS THERE WHEN WE TOOK THE VOTE.
GHA SUPPORTS THE PROCESS BECAUSE THERE WAS A PROCESS.
IT'S NOT BECAUSE WE'RE WANTING TO JUST COME IN AND PUT A BUILDING UP.
THE DEVELOPER HAS REACHED OUT TO US, HAS CUT DOWN NUMEROUS PARTS OF THE DESIGN, HAS COME DOWN FROM TEN DOWN TO EIGHT UNITS.
THERE HAS BEEN SUPPORT FOR THE PROJECT.
BUT ALSO WE HAVE TO UNDERSTAND THAT THERE'S ALSO A LOT OF OTHER PEOPLE THAT -- THERE'S TWO SIDES OF THE STORY HERE.
THERE ARE THE PEOPLE THAT DO OPPOSE -- AND I RESPECT THEIR, YOU THEIR, YOU KNOW, THEIR OPINION.
BUT THERE ARE ALSO THOSE WHO WANT TO SEE GROWTH COMING INTO OUR NEIGHBORHOOD.
EVERYBODY WANTS TO LIVE IN GOVERNMENT HILL BECAUSE THE PEARL HAS TAKEN OFF TREMENDOUSLY.
WE DIDN'T KNOW IT WAS GOING TO HIT US THAT HARD, BUT IT HAS.
IT'S PROBABLY DIVIDED US, BUT THERE'S GROWTH COMING INTO OUR NEIGHBORHOODS.
WE'RE NOT TALKING ABOUT KNOCKING DOWN HOMES, BECAUSE ABSOLUTELY WE WOULD NOT HAVE THAT.
I LOVE -- I WAS RAISED AND GROWN IN GOVERNMENT HILL.
WE'RE NOT TALKING ABOUT KNOCKING DOWN HOUSES.
WE'RE TALKING ABOUT PRESERVING THE CHARACTER OF THE HOMES.
BUT HERE WE'RE TALKING ABOUT A VACANT LOT THAT'S BEEN VACANT FOR 30 YEARS, NEGLECTED, NOT CARED FOR.
THEREFORE I ASK YOU YOU TAKE INTO CONSIDERATION ALSO THE OTHER SIDE THAT IS ALSO LOOKING AT IT IN A DIFFERENT MANNER.
GROWTH -- AGAIN, GROWTH, NUMEROUS MEETINGS, PROJECT FALLS WITHIN HDR GUIDELINES.
ALSO I WANT TO TAKE CONSIDERATION, ACCORDING TO OUR MASTER PLAN IT DOES.
THIS PROJECT ALSO FALLS INTO OUR MASTER PLAN.
AND WE ARE TRYING TO EDUCATE OUR COMMUNITY.
IF WE ARE WANTING TO FOLLOW IT, WE NEED TO GO WITH OUR MASTER PLAN.
BUT WE HAVE TO ALSO STOP, LOOK, AND LISTEN TO EVERYBODY.
BUT AT THE SAME TIME WE HAVE TO LOOK AT GROWTH.
AND I HAVE -- IT'S A VERY DIFFICULT SITUATION, COUNCIL.
I DON'T THINK YOU REALIZE HOW MUCH TIME AND THE RESPONSIBILITY THAT FALLS ON THE SHOULDERS OF THE ORGANIZATION.
WE CAN'T PLEASE EVERYBODY BUT WE TRY.
AND I'M SORRY THAT SOMETIMES THAT'S JUST THE WAY IT IS.
>> MAYOR NIRENBERG: THANK YOU, MS. HILL.
AND I APPRECIATE EVERYBODY COMING OUT TO SPEAK TODAY.
COULD I GET THE STAFF RECOMMENDATION AGAIN FOR BOTH THE PLAN AND THE AMENDMENT? THE PLAN AND THE ZONING CASE.
>> THE APPLICANT HAS AN AMENDMENT.
IF THEY COULD READ THAT INTO THE RECORD, THAT WOULD BE VERY HELPFUL.
>> HALL: I WOULD APPRECIATE THAT.
>> GOOD AFTERNOON, MAYOR, COUNCIL MEMBERS.
CAROLINE MCDONALD WITH BROWN AND ORTIZ, 112 EAST PECAN.
AS MS. RAMIREZ STATED I DO HAVE AN AMENDMENT TO THE APPLICATION WHERE WE WERE REQUESTING TEN UNITS, WE ARE NOW REQUESTING EIGHT.
I HAVE A SITE PLAN TO SUBMIT FOR THE RECORD.
>> HALL: DID WE RESOLVE THE ISSUE WITH THE HISTORIC DESIGN?
WE HAVE ALSO SUBMITTED A LETTER TO BE INCLUDED WITH THE ZONING CASE THAT THE IDZ SITE PLAN DOES NOT SUPERCEDE THE HDRC DESIGN APPROVAL PROCESS.
AND THANK YOU, STAFF, FOR THAT INFORMATION AS WELL.
YOU KNOW, IT'S TOUGH SOMETIMES WHEN YOU HAVE DEVELOPMENT, AND NOT EVERYBODY AGREES.
SO THAT'S THE CONSTANT CHALLENGE THAT WE HAVE TO FACE WITH REGARD TO PLAN AMENDMENTS AND ZONING AS WELL.
AND, AS ROSE SAID -- AND I APPRECIATE THIS, ROSE.
SHE HEARS ALL SIDES AND SHE'S GOT TO BE OPEN AND RESPECTFUL TO FOLKS ON THE OPPOSITE SIDE.
SHE'S DONE THAT TODAY AND HISTORICALLY IN THE PAST.
I APPRECIATE ALL THOSE THAT OPPOSE THE PLAN AND THE ZONING.
BUT I ALSO TAKE NOTE THAT, YOU KNOW, GOVERNMENT HILL IS CHANGING.
WE GOT AN ASSOCIATION IN PLACE THAT IS EVALUATING THIS.
WE'VE GOT A PIECE OF PROPERTY THAT'S ON I-35 THAT'S BEEN VACANT FOR 30 YEARS.
AND SO WHEN WE LOOK AT TRYING TO DO SOMETHING GOOD FOR THE PROPERTY OWNER, NUMBER ONE, BUT ALSO THE NEIGHBORHOOD, I'VE GOT TO TAKE IN ALL THOSE ITEMS INTO CONSIDERATION.
AND SO WITH THE RECOMMENDATION
[04:15:02]
FROM BOTH STAFF AND THE PLANNING AND ZONING COMMISSIONS AND THEN WITH THE AMENDMENT THAT'S RECOMMENDED PLUS THE LETTER, I'M GOING TO MOVE APPROVAL.THERE'S A MOTION AND A SECOND FOR APPROVAL OF ITEM NO. 3.
[Z-9. ZONING CASE # Z2018-900065 (Council District 2): Ordinance amending the Zoning District Boundary from “NP-10 AHOD" Neighborhood Preservation Airport Hazard Overlay District to "R-4 AHOD" Residential Single Family Airport Hazard Overlay District on 66.47 acres out of NCB 16555, generally located northwest of North Graytown Road and Boenig Drive. Staff recommends Approval. Zoning Commission recommendation pending the February 19, 2019 hearing.]
MOTION CARRIES.>> Z2018965 FROM NP-10 TO R-4 GENERALLY LOCATED NORTH OF GRAYTOWN ROAD AND BOENIG DRIVE.
STAFF AND ZONING COMMISSION RECOMMEND APPROVAL.
19 NOTICES MAILED, ZERO IN FAVOR, TWO OPPOSED.
THIS WILL REQUIRE NINE VOTES TO APPROVE AS THE OPPOSITION EXCEEDS 20%.
>> MAYOR NIRENBERG: ALL RIGHT.
WE DO HAVE SOME CITIZENS SIGNED UP TO SPEAK.
MR. THOMPSON, YOU'LL BE FOLLOWED BY CAROLYN WILLIAMS.
>> GOOD AFTERNOON, MAYOR, CITY COUNCIL.
I'M ERNEST THOMPSON, A RETIRED AIR FORCE VETERAN HERE TO OPPOSE Z-9.
TO REZONE THAT PARCEL OF LAND OF BOENIG AND GRAYTOWN ROADS.
NOW, OUR NEIGHBORHOOD OF LAUREL HEIGHTS IS LOCATED IN THE TRIAREA.
THIS CONSISTS OF SCHERTZ, CONVERSE, AND THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO.
WHILE MY ADDRESS BELONGS TO THE CITY OF SCHERTZ, THE MAJORITY OF MY TAXES GO TO BEXAR COUNTY.
AND DEPENDENT ON THE SITUATION I HAVE TO GO TO A DIFFERENT MUNICIPALITY TO RESOLVE AN ISSUE.
IT'S DISAPPOINTING AS A VETERAN WHERE I ATTENDED THE REZONING MEETING THE OTHER DAY, AND MR. JOHN BUSTAMANTE CHASTISED OUR COMMUNITY TO CONSIDER WHERE WE LOCATE OUR HOMES WHEN WE RETIRE AND BASICALLY DON'T TELL THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO HOW TO CONDUCT THEIR BUSINESS.
WELL, I TELL YOU I BELIEVE MY TAX DOLLARS GIVES ME THE RIGHT TO BOTH BEXAR COUNTY AND THE CITY OF SCHERTZ TO EXERCISE MY RIGHT AND VOICE MY OPINION OF THIS REZONING.
ALSO THE DEVELOPER, I BELIEVE, SHOULD BE NEIGHBORLY AND CONTACT US AND INVOLVE US IN THIS IMPORTANT DECISION THAT'S GOING TO BE MADE HERE TODAY.
THE HOMES THEY'RE WANTING TO BUILD IS GOING TO CAUSE A LOT OF TRAFFIC.
THERE'S ALREADY A LOT OF TRAFFIC IN MY NEIGHBORHOOD.
THERE'S SIGNIFICANT ROAD DAMAGE TO THIS AREA.
AND THE COMMUNITY THAT SIGNED THIS MOU THAT THIS DEVELOPER HAS PROBABLY PRESENTED TO YOU AGREEING TO THIS REZONING, DIDN'T INVOLVE MY COMMUNITY AT ALL.
THEY JUST BASICALLY SAID, HEY, YOU KNOW WHAT? Y'ALL ARE THE CITY OF SCHERTZ, BASICALLY LIKE WE DON'T MATTER.
AGAIN, IT'S DISAPPOINTING TO HAVE THIS, BECAUSE THESE INDIVIDUALS, THIS AFFECTS MY COMMUNITY.
SO MR. HALL, PLEASE, I WOULD LIKE FOR YOU TO REALLY CONSIDER THE DECISION YOU'RE GOING TO BE MAKING.
I SERVED MY COUNTRY FOR OVER 22 YEARS.
YOU ALL, THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME.
AGAIN, I OPPOSE THIS DECISION.
>> MAYOR NIRENBERG: THANK YOU, MR. THOMPSON.
CAROLYN WILLIAMS. MS. WILLIAMS, YOU'LL BE FOLLOWED BY ALFRED WILLIAMS.
>> MAYOR, COUNCIL, I YIELD MY TIME TO CAROLYN WILLIAMS.
I THINK WE HAD A MISPRINT ON THERE.
>> MAYOR NIRENBERG: YOU'RE NOT ON OUR LIST.
>> I'M ONE OF THE HOMEOWNERS, AND YOU'LL SEE IN BLUE, THAT LIVE IN THE 200-FOOT AFFECTED AREA.
WHAT'S BEFORE YOU TODAY IS FOR THEM TO REZONE WHAT IS CURRENTLY MP-10 TO R-4.
THE INITIAL ZONING MEETING, THE OPPOSITION WAS SO HIGH THAT THE ZONING BASICALLY TOLD MR. HARTMAN, THROUGH HIS ATTORNEYS , TO GO BACK, SIT DOWN WITH US, AND SEE IF WE CAN COME UP WITH AN AGREEMENT THAT WE CAN
[04:20:01]
ALL LIVE WITH.I ATTENDED A MEETING WITH MR. HARTMAN, ALONG WITH MR. AND MRS. LEWIS.
MR. HALL SENT SOMEONE AUDIO] AND HIS ATTORNEY, MR. ORTIZ.
WHEN WE LEFT -- WHILE WE WERE DISCUSSING THE MEETING, IT WAS A PRETTY OPEN AND FRANK CONVERSATION.
WHAT'S HAPPENING IS PART OF THE LAND HE'S NOT BUILDING ON BECAUSE IT'S CONSIDERED IN AUDIO].
SO, AS A RESULT, HE'S LOSING ROUGHLY 35 ACRES.
HE IS TRYING TO MAKE UP FOR HIS LOST LAND AND PUT THESE 357 LOTS IN BETWEEN OUR SUBDIVISION AND SCHERTZ AND LAUREL HEIGHTS .
CURRENTLY WE ARE ALL ON ROUGHLY A HALF-ACRE LOTS.
ATTORNEYS LIKE TO CALL THIS LOW DENSITY HOUSING.
FROM WHAT WE UNDERSTAND, IT'S GOING TO BE 4,000 SQUARE FOOT LOTS, SINGLE-CAR GARAGE HOMES, WHICH IS CRAMMED IN THERE.
MR. HARTMAN ASKED US TO GO BACK AND TALK TO OUR RESIDENTS.
HE SAID WE COULD POSSIBLY HAVE A REPRESENTATIVE ON THE BOARD.
AND WE ALSO ASKED -- I ASKED HIM POINT-BLANK WHY ARE YOU GOING FROM NP-10 TO R-4.
COULD YOU NOT START SOMEWHERE ELSE? COULD YOU NOT DO AN NP-8 FIRST AND WORK YOUR WAY DOWN? HIS ANSWER WAS HE DIDN'T THINK ABOUT THAT.
I DON'T WANT TO COMMIT TO ANYTHING, BUT GO BACK -- HE SAID YOUR TO-DO LIST IS TALK TO YOUR COMMUNITY ABOUT A REPRESENTATIVE ON THE BOARD, BECOMING YOUR OWN HOA.
A VARIETY OR ACCUMULATION OF EITHER R-8S -- WE WEREN'T ASKING FOR ALL OF IT.
WE JUST ASKED COULD YOU PLEASE, ON THE FENCELINE, DO BIGGER LOTS AND MAYBE GIVE US A SMALL GREEN BELT TO SEPARATE US.
YOU'LL SEE ONE HOMEOWNER IN PARTICULAR, MR. RAMIREZ IS HERE.
HE HAS SEVEN HOUSES THAT BACK UP TO HIS ONE LOT.
IN OUR STREET OF EIGHT, WHO ARE CURRENTLY LIVING, SEVEN HOMES ARE VETERANS.
MY HOME, MY HUSBAND AND I ARE BOTH 20-YEAR VETERANS.
THE GREGORIES NEXT TO US ARE BOTH VETERANS.
CANDIDO, THE PERSON WHO GAVE ME HIS TIME, WE'RE ALL VETERANS.
WE CAME HERE FOR A REASON, FOR PEACE AND QUIET.
UNDER -- I WOULDN'T SAY DURESS.
I SIGNED IT BUT I COULDN'T TURN IT IN.
BECAUSE AT THE END OF THE DAY THE NEGOTIATIONS THAT WE THOUGHT WE WERE GETTING IS NOT WHAT HAPPENED IN THE FOLLOW-UP MEETING.
YOU CAN EITHER HAVE BIG LOTS ON THE BACK FENCE OR I'LL GIVE YOU A BUFFER ZONE, WHICH IN THE NEW MOU SAYS IT COULD POTENTIALLY BECOME A DRAINAGE DITCH OR UTILITY EASEMENT.
BUT, IF WE DON'T AGREE TO IT, WE RISK HIM COMBINING OUR HOAS AND THREATENING TO POSSIBLY PUT A ROAD CONNECTING OUR 60-PLUS HOUSES TO THEIR 357 HOUSES.
THAT'S WHY EVERYBODY SIGNED IT.
IT'S NOT BECAUSE THAT'S WHAT WE WANTED.
OTHER CONCESSIONS MADE, BUT AT THE LAST ZONING MEETING IT WAS, OH, I'LL PAVE THE ROAD.
THE LAST MEETING WAS, WELL, SOMETHING THEREOF.
MAYBE WE'LL WORK WITH THE CITY.
IN THE MOU WE GOT THE NIGHT BEFORE THE ZONING MEETING, I GOT IT AT 8:32 P.M.
I'VE GOT TO WORK IN THE MORNING.
I DON'T KNOW HOW MUCH TIME I HAVE TO GET UP AND MAKE THESE DECISIONS.
YOU KNOW, THE LAST SPEAKER SAID THIS IS SUPPOSED TO BE VETERAN USA.
BUT HE DOESN'T SEEM TO CARE ABOUT US VETERANS OR EVEN OF THE OTHER HOMEOWNERS.
MR. HARTMAN IS NOT AT A HARDSHIP HERE.
ANY VARIETY OF HOMES FROM LOW-INCOME TO THE DEVELOPMENT I'M IN.
AND I ASSURE YOU MY 400,000 PLUS DOLLAR HOME -- I'M NOT SAYING THAT BECAUSE IT'S THAT VALUE.
HE COULD HAVE EASILY PUT SOMETHING BEHIND US COMPARABLE WITH MYSELF AND THE OTHER SUBDIVISIONS SEEM TO PUT ONE STEP ABOVE TOWNHOMES IN AN AREA.
AND IT IS NOT CONSISTENT WITH THE FOOTPRINT.
SO I ASKED THAT YOU GUYS RECONSIDER WHAT HE'S ZONING AND SENDIG BACK TO THE DRAWING BOARD.
[04:25:02]
BECAUSE THIS NEGOTIATION DID NOT HAPPEN.>> MAYOR NIRENBERG: THANK YOU, MS. WILLIAMS. ALFRED WILLIAMS. MR. WILLIAMS, YOU'LL BE FOLLOWED BY TRAVIS ARMSTRONG.
WE ARE ASKING YOU TO RECONSIDER, TO OPPOSE THIS PROPOSITION.
AS BEEN STATED, WE ARE VETERANS AND WE SERVED OUR COUNTRY.
AND WE HAVE COME HERE TO RETIRE.
AND WE CHOSE THE AREA TO RETIRE AS BEING A GOOD QUIET AREA.
YES, THE BEXAR COUNTY JUST BUILT A SUBSTATION THERE AROUND THE CORNER, RIGHT THERE BY RANDOLPH.
NOT ONLY THAT, TRAFFIC IN THE AREA.
LET ME BUILD YOU A PICTURE HERE.
AT THE VERY END OF GRAYTOWN ROAD YOU HAVE 1604.
WHATEVER 10 GETS JAMMED UP PEOPLE START COMING THROUGH THE NEIGHBORHOOD.
INTO 1604, WHEN THAT GETS JAMMED UP, GUESS WHERE THEY'RE GOING TO GO? THEY'RE GOING TO START GOING THROUGH OUR NEIGHBORHOODS AS WELL.
SO IF I COULD, ONE THING TO CONSIDER, THE INFRASTRUCTURE SUPPORT.
LOOKING AT THE INFRASTRUCTURE WE ALREADY HAVE OUR DRAINAGE PROBLEM THERE.
SO HOW ARE WE GOING TO FIX IT? CITY OF SAN ANTONIO IS READY TO TAKE THAT ON? SO IN CLOSING, I'LL BUILD THIS PICTURE FOR YOU.
YOU'RE STACKING DOMINOES UP AND YOU'RE TRYING TO STACK THEM UP FOR YOUR CHILD.
AND SO YOU GOT THE ONE DOMINO AT THE VERY END.
YOU'RE GOING TO LET YOUR CHILD PUSH THOSE DOMINOES OVER.
SO, THE ONE DOMINO AT THE VERY END IS THIS HOUSING AREA, THIS ZONING ISSUE.
YOU HAVE THE POWER TO STOP THAT ONE DOMINO FROM RUINING YOUR CREATION.
SO WE ASK YOU TO CONSIDER OUR REQUEST IN OPPOSING THIS.
>> MAYOR NIRENBERG: THANK YOU, MR. WILLIAMS. TRAVIS ARMSTRONG.
MR. ARMSTRONG, YOU'RE FOLLOWED BY CATHERINE FINLEY.
>> THANK YOU, MAYOR AND COUNCIL FOR ALLOWING US TO SPEAK TODAY.
I WOULD LIKE TO OPPOSE THIS PROPOSITION.
RIGHT NOW WE'RE AT THE CORNER OF I-10 AND 1604, RIGHT THERE EAST SIDE.
THERE ARE FOUR -- ALREADY FOUR SUBDIVISIONS THAT ARE NP-10 LOT SIZES.
NOW THE DEVELOPER WANTS TO COME IN AND, LIKE ANOTHER GENTLEMAN MENTIONED, SHOEHORN AN ADDITIONAL ALMOST 350 HOUSES INTO A SMALL NUMBER OF ACRES.
AND WE TALK ABOUT SOMEONE EARLIER MENTIONED PROPERTY VALUES.
WHEN YOU'RE TALKING MOVING FROM ONE HOUSE PER HALF ACRE INTO FOUR, FIVE, SIX HOUSES PER ACRE, THAT'S GOING TO DRAMATICALLY AFFECT OUR PROPERTY VALUE.
WE ALREADY PAY TAXES IN TWO COUNTIES, GUADALUPE AND BEXAR COUNTY.
SO MOVING THESE TYPES OF HOUSES INTO THIS SMALL AREA, YOU'RE REALLY GOING TO SHOEHORN THOSE IN.
TRAFFIC IS GOING TO GET WORSE.
AS SOMEONE ELSE MENTIONED, EMS SERVICES, GRAYTOWN ROAD IS A DISASTER, WHICH WE LIVE IN SCHERTZ, WE HAVE NO SAY SO ON THAT, BUT WE STILL HAVE TO TRAVEL THAT ROAD.
SO, AGAIN, SHOEHORNING AN ADDITIONAL 350 HOMES INTO THAT SMALL AREA IS JUST NOT CONDUCIVE TO MAINTAINING OUR PROPERTY VALUE AND ALSO BEAUTIFICATION -- KEEPING BEAUTIFICATION OF THAT PARTICULAR AREA.
NOW, WE UNDERSTAND THAT DEVELOPMENT, SAN ANTONIO IS GROWING.
BUT LET'S TRY TO STAY WITHIN BOUNDS OF WHAT'S CURRENTLY THERE NOW.
BECAUSE THOSE TYPE OF HOMES IS JUST NOT CONDUCIVE TO WHAT'S THERE NOW.
SO WE APPRECIATE YOUR TIME AND, AGAIN, WE OPPOSE THIS PARTICULAR PROPOSITION.
>> MAYOR NIRENBERG: THANK YOU, MR. ARMSTRONG.
GOOD AFTERNOON LADIES AND GENTLEMEN.
IT'S MY SECOND TIME THIS WEEK DOING PUBLIC SPEAKING, WHICH I ABSOLUTELY HATE.
I AM HERE TO OPPOSE THE REZONING
[04:30:03]
OF THE PROPERTY LOCATED BY BOENIG ROAD AND GRAYTOWN AS IS PRESENTED NOW.EVERYBODY HAS MADE PRETTY MUCH THE POINTS THAT I WANT TO.
WE LIVE ON WHAT IS AN NP-10 IN SCHERTZ.
15,000 SQUARE FEET MINIMUM LOT PER HOME.
AND THEY'RE LOOKING TO PUT IN THE ZONING CHANGE FOR AN R-4, WHICH IS 4,000 SQUARE FEET MINIMUM LOT SIZE PER HOME.
JUST WANT TO ADD THAT MY NEIGHBORHOOD IS A LARGE COMMUNITY OF RACIALLY DIVERSE MILITARY VETERANS.
WE DO PAY BOTH BEXAR AND GUADALUPE TAXES.
AND I JUST WANT TO ASK THAT YOU RESPECT -- I RESPECTFULLY REQUEST THAT YOU HELP US IN PRESERVING OUR NEIGHBORHOOD.
AND BY OPPOSING THIS ZONING CHANGE AS IS.
>> MAYOR NIRENBERG: THANK YOU, MS. FINLEY.
I'M GOING TO ASK MR. ORTIZ FROM THE -- REPRESENTING THE DEVELOPER OR THE PROPERTY OWNER TO GIVE AN IDEA OF THE PROPERTY.
AND SPECIFICALLY WHAT ARE YOU CHANGING, WHAT SORTS OF NEGOTIATIONS HAVE YOU BEEN INVOLVED IN WITH FOLKS FROM THE NEIGHBORHOOD? WHAT'S BEEN THE OUTREACH, IF ANY, TO SCHERTZ.
AND UNDER THE CURRENT ZONING, WHAT'S THE, I GUESS, MINIMUM DENSITY THAT'S AVAILABLE?
>> GOOD AFTERNOON, COUNCILMEN, MAYOR, DANIEL ORTIZ, 112 EAST PECAN HERE ON BEHALF OF THE PROPERTY OWNER, DEVELOPER.
THIS IS UNDOUBTEDLY A UNIQUE PIECE OF PROPERTY.
THE PROPERTY OWNER/DEVELOPER OWNS A TOTAL OF 102 ACRES IN THIS AREA.
THE ZONING CASE ONLY COVERS APPROXIMATELY 67 ACRES OF THE 102 ACRES THAT HE CONTROLS THERE.
HE HAS AN MDP ALREADY APPROVED FOR THE OVERALL 102 ACRES, WHICH ESSENTIALLY MEANS HE COULD BUILD UP TO 290 HOMES TODAY.
SO IT'S NOT A SITUATION WHERE THE REZONING IS ALLOWING FOR SINGLE-FAMILY HOMES THAT WOULD OTHERWISE NOT AT ALL BE POSSIBLE, FIRST OF ALL.
BUT OUT OF DIRECT CONVERSATIONS WITH JBSA, ONLY 67 ACRES IS BEING REZONED TO THE R-4 TO SET ASIDE APPROXIMATELY 35 ACRES THAT WILL NOT BE DEVELOPED FOR SINGLE-FAMILY HOMES AT ALL, OUT OF RESPECT OF THE JLUS AND CONVERSATIONS WITH JBSA FOR THE RANDOLPH AIR FORCE BASE.
ON TOP OF THAT, WE ARE LITERALLY AT THE CITY LIMITS LINE BETWEEN SCHERTZ AND SAN ANTONIO.
SO THAT'S ANOTHER PRESSURE POINT TO ACCOMMODATE IN THE OVERALL LAND PLANNING.
TYPICALLY, AS YOU KNOW, WE HAVE AN ETJ THAT SEPARATES US FROM ANOTHER CITY.
IN THIS CASE IT'S LITERALLY ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE ROAD.
SO WHEN WE STARTED THE PROCESS WE SUBMITTED FOR R-4 REZONING, AS WAS ALREADY DESCRIBED EARLIER.
WE DID HEAR OPPOSITION FROM CHANDLER CROSSING, WHICH IS THE HOA WITH WHICH WE ACTUALLY SHARE A BOUNDARY LINE IN THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO, AND RESIDENTS FROM SCHERTZ ON THE OTHER SIDE OF BOENIG.
SO WE DID, AT ZONING COMMISSION'S DIRECTION, TAKE A CONTINUANCE, GO BACK, REASSESS THE REZONING.
AT THAT POINT, YES, WE STARTED TO FOCUS SOLELY ON CHANDLER CROSSING BECAUSE WE DO, AGAIN, ABUT THEM.
AND THAT WAS THE LOUDEST PART OF WHAT WE HEARD FROM ZONING COMMISSION.
WHAT ARE YOU DOING ABOUT THE TRANSITION FROM THE EXISTING COMMUNITY THERE TO YOUR PROPERTY? IN THE MEANTIME, I THINK IT'S WORTH NOTING, WE DIDN'T HAVE OUR FIRST MEETING WITH THE RESIDENTS UNTIL -- I WANT TO SAY JANUARY 29TH.
BY THAT POINT THE SCHERTZ RESIDENTS HAD APPROACHED CITY COUNCIL IN SCHERTZ AND PROPOSED A RESOLUTION TO WEIGH IN ON THIS.
AND THAT SORT OF CHANGED THINGS, QUITE FRANKLY, FOR US.
I THINK AT THAT POINT COUNCIL WAS SPEAKING TO COUNCIL.
THEY JUST OPPOSED THE REZONING.
SO WE DEFINITELY FOCUSED ON CHANDLER CROSSING HOA THAT, AGAIN, IS OUR IMMEDIATE NEIGHBORS IN SAN ANTONIO.
WE HAD TWO IN-PERSON MEETINGS WITH DIFFERENT RESIDENTS THAT SHOWED UP.
PLENTY OF PHONE CALLS, PLENTY OF E-MAILS, AND THE RESULT WAS AN MOU THAT'S BEEN SIGNED BY EIGHT PEOPLE, SIX HOUSEHOLDS, WHICH WAS ABOUT 15% OF THE OPPOSITION THAT WAS AT ZONING.
SO WE MADE -- WE MOVED THE NEEDLE IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION.
BUT SOME OF THE ITEMS THAT -- PROBABLY THE MOST IMPORTANT THERE WAS THERE WAS DIALOGUE BETWEEN LARGER LOT SIZES ON THAT ABUTTING SIDE, OR A BUFFER.
OR MAYBE A COMBINATION THEREOF.
BUT AT THE END, IN THE LAST MEETING WHAT WAS SENT BACK TO THE RESIDENTS WAS A BUFFER OR NP-8 LOTS.
WE HEARD WE WERE LESS CONCERNED ABOUT THE NP-8 LOTS, WE WOULD
[04:35:03]
RATHER HAVE A LARGER BUFFER.SO WE INCREASED IT TO 50 FEET.
EVERYONE HAS THEIR OWN PERCEPTION IN A NEGOTIATION, BUT IT WAS A DISCUSSION BACK AND FORTH.
WE DIDN'T LITERALLY SAY HERE, PICK AND CHOOSE, AND THESE ARE THE ONLY OPTIONS.
THERE WAS, IN OUR MINDS, A BACK AND FORTH ABOUT WHAT THE FINAL LAND PLAN MIGHT LOOK LIKE.
IN ADDITION TO THE BUFFER, NOT CONNECTING THE ROAD, NOT MERGING THE HOAS, HANDING OVER CONTROL OF THE EXISTING HOA, THOSE WERE ALL THINGS THAT WERE ASKED OF US.
THEY WEREN'T NECESSARILY THINGS THAT WE WOULD HAVE BROUGHT UP AS PART OF PART OF THE ZONING CASE.
BUT LONG STORY SHORT, THE MOU WAS NEGOTIATED, WAS SIGNED BY RESIDENTS IN CHANDLER CROSSING.
AND IT DOES INCORPORATE A BUFFER.
IT DOES REDUCE THE OVERALL LOT COUNT TO APPROXIMATELY 340 AT THIS POINT.
AND MOST IMPORTANTLY I WOULD SAY THIS.
I THINK THERE'S BEEN A LOT OF FOCUS ON THE MINIMUM LOT SIZE, R-4.
TECHNICALLY THE UDC SAYS MINIMUM LOT SIZE OF 4,000.
BUT THE PRELIMINARY LAND LAYOUT, A TYPICAL LOT SIZE IS ABOUT 4800 SQUARE FEET.
IN DIFFERENT PARTS OF THE PROPERTY THEY'RE MUCH LARGER THAN THAT.
IN THE CUL-DE-SACS, THEY WILL BE UP TO 6,000 AND SOME EVEN 10,000.
AND SOME EVEN BIGGER THAN THAT.
IT'S SORT OF MISLEADING TO SAY IT'S R-4 AND THEREFORE IT'S 4,000 SQUARE FOOT LOTS ACROSS THE BOARD.
I HOPE THAT ANSWERS YOUR QUESTION.
>> HALL: SO WHAT WOULD THE AVERAGE LOT SIZE BE?
>> A TYPICAL LOT SIZE WOULD BE 4800 SQUARE FEET.
BUT, AGAIN, DEPENDING ON WHERE YOU ARE IN THE PROPERTY, WE'RE ALREADY SHOWING 6,000 SQUARE FOOT LOT SIZES, 10,000, AND EVEN SOME 12,000 SQUARE FOOT LOT SIZES.
>> HALL: CAN YOU DESCRIBE IN QUICK FORM SOME OF THE ELEMENTS OF THE MOU.
AGAIN, IT'S A COMBINATION OF TRADITIONAL ZONING LAND USE ITEMS AND SOME NON-LAND USE ITEMS. BUT I THINK THE NON-LAND USE ITEMS WERE IMPORTANT BECAUSE THEY CAME TO US.
THEY WERE NOT THINGS WE WOULD HAVE OTHERWISE THOUGHT OF.
BUT THEY WERE IMPORTANT TO CHANDLER CROSSING.
SO QUICKLY, THE 50-FOOT BUFFER BETWEEN CHANDLER CROSSING AND OUR PROPOSED COMMUNITY, NOT CONSTRUCTING AN ACCESS POINT FOR VEHICULAR TRAFFIC, OR REALLY ANY ACCESS BETWEEN THE TWO COMMUNITIES, EVEN THOUGH YOU SAW THE LAND PLAN ON THE SCREEN EARLIER, IT ACTUALLY SHOWS A SECRET CONNECTING.
THAT WAS THE ORIGINAL CONCEPT.
WE'LL COORDINATE WITH THE CITY TO IMPLEMENT THE INFRASTRUCTURE IMPROVEMENTS ON GRAYTOWN ROAD AS QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE TO INCLUDE A FULL SIGNAL AT 1604 AND GRAYTOWN.
WE'LL RELEASE CONTROL OF THE CHANDLER CROSSING HOA COMPLETELY TO THEM IMMEDIATELY, EVEN THOUGH THEY HAVEN'T TRIGGERED THE NUMBER OF RESIDENTS YET THAT WOULD OTHERWISE REQUIRE THAT.
AND WE'LL HAVE A COMPLETELY SEPARATE HOA, THE CONCEPT WAS TO MERGE THEM ORIGINALLY.
AND WE'LL REINFORCE THEIR EXISTING FENCE THERE.
AND THEN FINALLY, IT'S NOT PART OF THE MOU, BUT WORTH NOTING.
WE MOVED ACCESS POINTS ON GRAYTOWN TO ACCOMMODATE SOME REQUESTS THAT WE RECEIVED FROM RESIDENTS ON THE OTHER SIDE OF GRAYTOWN OUTSIDE OF CHANDLER.
>> HALL: THANK YOU, MR. ORTIZ.
AGAIN, ZONING IS TOUGH IN THIS PARTICULAR CASE.
THERE'S NO ORGANIZED NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION SIMPLY BECAUSE IT'S A NEW AREA.
HOWHOWEVER, I WAS CONTACTED BY E OF THE FOLKS IN CHANDLER CROSSING SO I PUT THEM IN TOUCH WITH THE PROPERTY OWNER/DEVELOPER TO MAKE SURE SOME OF THESE ITEMS IN THE MOU WERE DISCUSSED AND PREPARED.
AND I'LL TELL YOU, MR. THOMPSON, WHETHER YOU'RE IN THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO OR SCHERTZ, WE'RE ALL NEIGHBORS.
I WILL TELL YOU THAT THE MAYOR OF SCHERTZ REACHED OUT TO ME.
I KNOW HE REACHED OUT TO OUR MAYOR.
HE ALSO REACHED OUT TO THE PROPERTY OWNER.
AND SO THEY'VE HAD THOSE DISCUSSIONS AND WE'RE SENSITIVE TO ALL THE ISSUES HERE.
BUT AT THE END OF THE DAY, IT'S PROPERTY.
IT'S ALREADY ZONED FOR SOMETHING, SO SOMETHING'S GOING TO BE BUILT.
WHAT I TYPICALLY DO IS PUT THOSE NEIGHBORHOODS IN TOUCH WITH THE DEVELOPER SO THAT WE CAN HELP GUIDE THAT DEVELOPMENT.
AND I THINK WE'VE HAD GUIDANCE HERE.
BUT, AGAIN, NOT EVERYBODY -- YOU CAN'T PLEASE EVERYBODY.
BUT A LOT OF THE FOLKS THAT WERE IN OPPOSITION CAME BACK AND SUPPORTED.
I KNOW IT MIGHT NOT HAVE BEEN EVERYTHING EVERYBODY WANTED, BUT AT THE END OF THE DAY I THINK WE HAVE SOMETHING MOST FOLKS CAN WORK WITH, PARTICULARLY AROUND THE 4800 LOT SIZE.
WITH THAT, MAYOR, I'M GOING TO MOVE APPROVAL WITH THE CONSIDERATION OF THE MOUS THAT HAVE BEEN ADDED.
THERE'S A MOTION AND A SECOND FOR APPROVAL OF ITEM NO. Z-9.
SO THIS CURRENTLY IS ZONED FOR LARGER TRACTS.
AND THE APPLICANTS' ZONING CASE WAS APPROVED BY THE ZONING COMMISSION FOR 4,000 SQUARE FOOT TRACTS.
[04:40:01]
>> COURAGE: AND THAT COULD LEAD TO APPROXIMATELY 350 HOMES.
>> APPROXIMATELY, YES, SIR, ACCORDING TO THE APPLICANT.
>> COURAGE: AND 20% OF THE RESIDENTS OF THE SURROUNDING TRACTS, WHICH ARE ALL LARGER SIZE, WERE OPPOSED TO THIS ZONING, MORE THAN 20%?
>> AT THIS POINT WHEN WE CALCULATED THE NUMBERS, WE HAD 28%.
YOU KNOW, I UNDERSTOOD FROM MY ZONING COMMISSION APPOINTEE THAT MANY OF THE PROPERTY OWNERS ARE RETIRED AFRICAN AMERICAN VETERANS.
THEY'VE STEPPED UP AND SPOKEN UP.
MANY OF WHOM HAVE EXPRESSED THEIR DESIRE TO SEE THEIR COMMUNITY REMAIN A MORE RURAL SETTING THAT THEY MOVED INTO ON THEIR RETIREMENT.
YOU KNOW, AND I DEFINITELY SYMPATHIZE WITH THAT.
WHEN WE DECIDE WE WANT TO RETIRE SOMEPLACE, WE HOPE TO BE ABLE TO ENJOY THE COMFORTS OF OUR RETIREMENT.
WHAT IS THE PROBABLE EFFECT OF THE FUTURE VALUES OF THEIR HOMES AND THEIR LAND WHEN 350 HOMES ARE ON 4,000 SQUARE FOOT LOTS ARE BEING BUILT RIGHT NEXT TO THEM?
>> THE EVALUATION THAT DEVELOPMENT SERVICES DOES IN ASSOCIATED WITH TRAFFIC IMPACT IN THAT AREA, STORM WATER, THE EVALUATION OF THE HOME IS A DISCUSSION THAT PROBABLY NEEDS TO BE COMING MAYBE EITHER FROM BEXAR APPRAISAL DISTRICT AND/OR FROM MAYBE THE APPLICANT CAN PROVIDE A LITTLE BIT OF FEEDBACK ON THAT.
>> COURAGE: WELL, CERTAINLY TRAFFIC.
WHAT DID YOU DETERMINE WHEN IT COMES TO TRAFFIC?
>> THOSE WILL BE THE NEXT STEPS IN THE DEVELOPMENT PROCESS THAT WILL NEED TO BE ADDRESSED WHEN THEY COME IN FOR PLATTING.
THE TRAFFIC IMPACT ANALYSIS WILL BE DONE.
THEY WILL LOOK AT THE STORM WATER AND THERE WILL BE A FULL EVALUATION AT THAT LEVEL TO DO MORE ANALYSIS FOR THOSE SCENARIOS.
>> COURAGE: ARE THERE EVER CASES WHEN EITHER THOSE REPORTS CAN STOP A DEVELOPMENT FROM GOING THROUGH?
>> I THINK THE GOAL IS TO MAKE SURE THE IMPROVEMENTS ARE DONE.
THERE IS THAT DISCUSSION BACK AND FORTH WITH THE APPLICANT TO PROVIDE THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO THAT INFORMATION FOR COMPLIANCE.
SO I WOULDN'T SAY THEY ARE STOPPED BUT WE NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY COME INTO COMPLIANCE WITH THOSE REGULATIONS.
>> COURAGE: HAS JBSA SUBMITTED ANY DOCUMENTATION ON CONCERNS THEY HAVE ABOUT THIS DEVELOPMENT?
>> WE DO COMMUNICATE WITH THEM WITHIN ALL ACTIVITY WITHIN FIVE MILES OF BASES, AND THEY PROVIDED US A LETTER WITH NO OBJECTION TO THE DEVELOPMENT.
I SYMPATHIZE WITH THE PEOPLE WHO LIVE THERE, BUT I ALSO KNOW THAT WE ARE A GROWING CITY.
AND WE ARE LOOKING AT THE FUTURE AND NEEDING TO PROVIDE, I HOPE, MORE AFFORDABLE HOMES FOR PEOPLE.
THIS IS REALLY A TOUGH ONE TO DECIDE ON.
BUT I APPRECIATE THE INFORMATION.
THERE IS A MOTION AND A SECOND FOR APPROVAL OF ITEM Z-9.
AND THIS IS A MOTION THAT WOULD REQUIRE A SUPER MAJORITY FOR APPROVAL.
[Z13. ZONING CASE # Z2018256 (Council District 6): Ordinance amending the Zoning District Boundary from "R-6 AHOD" Residential Single-Family Airport Hazard Overlay District to "C-2NA AHOD" Commercial Nonalcoholic Sales Airport Hazard Overlay District on Lot 15, Block 1, NCB 15586, located at 2311 Westward Drive. Staff recommends Denial, with an Alternate Recommendation. Zoning Commission recommends Denial. (Continued from January 17, 2019)]
MOTION CARRIES.>> Z2018256 LOCATED AT 2311 WESTWARD DRIVE.
ZONING COMMISSION RECOMMENDS DENIAL.
20 NOTICES MAILED, ZERO IN FAVOR, FOUR OPPOSED.
CABLE WESTWOOD NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION IS OPPOSED .
>> MAYOR NIRENBERG: COUNCILMAN BROCKHOUSE.
>> BROCKHOUSE: THANK YOU, MAYOR.
I WOULD LIKE TO MOTION TO CONTINUE TO MARCH 21ST.
THERE'S A MOTION AND A SECOND TO CONTINUE ITEM Z-13 TO MARCH 21ST.
[Z-14. ZONING CASE # Z2018285 (Council District 6): Ordinance amending the Zoning District Boundary from "R-6 MLOD-2 MLR-1 AHOD" Residential Single-Family Lackland Military Lighting Overlay Military Lighting Region 1 Airport Hazard Overlay District and "C-2 MLOD-2 MLR-1 AHOD" Commercial Lackland Military Lighting Overlay Military Lighting Region 1 Airport Hazard Overlay District to "I-1 MLOD-2 MLR-1 AHOD" General Industrial Lackland Military Lighting Overlay Military Lighting Region 1 Airport Hazard Overlay District on Lot P-13K, P-13L, P-B12, TR M, C-13, Block 62, NCB 13942, located at 1621 South Callaghan Road. Staff and Zoning Commission recommend Denial. (Continued from January 17, 2019)]
MOTION CARRIES.>> Z2018285 FROM R-6 TO I-1 LOCATED AT 1621 SOUTH CALLAGHAN ROAD.
STAFF AND ZONING COMMISSION RECOMMENDS DENIAL.
50 NOTICES MAILED, THREE IN FAVOR AND TWO OPPOSED.
>> MAYOR NIRENBERG: COUNCILMAN BROCKHOUSE.
>> BROCKHOUSE: THANK YOU, MAYOR.
I WOULD LIKE TO MOTION TO CONTINUE THIS UNTIL MARCH 21ST.
THERE'S A MOTION AND A SECOND FOR A CONTINUANCE OF ITEM Z-14 TO MARCH 21ST.
[Z-15. ZONING CASE # Z-2018-900029 S (Council District 7): Ordinance amending the Zoning District Boundary from “C-2 AHOD” Commercial Airport Hazard Overlay District to “C-2 S AHOD” Commercial Airport Hazard Overlay District with Specific Authorization for a Carwash on Lot 9, Block 2, NCB 12472, located at 7350 Callaghan Road. Staff and Zoning Commission recommend Approval with Conditions]
PLEASE VOTE.>> Z2018929 FROM C-2 TO C-2S WITH A SPECIFIC USE AUTHORIZATION FOR A CAR WASH LOCATED AT 7350 CALLAGHAN ROAD.
STAFF AND ZONING COMMISSION RECOMMEND APPROVAL WITH
[04:45:01]
CONDITIONS.NINE NOTICES MAILED, ONE IN FAVOR AND ZERO OPPOSED.
WE HAVE A FEW CITIZENS SIGNED UP TO SPEAK ON Z-15.
WE'LL START WITH IAN COCHRANE.
>> MAYOR NIRENBERG: MR. COCHRANE'S NOT HERE? OKAY.
>> MAYOR NIRENBERG: MR. GRANADOS LEFT AS WELL?
>> I BELIEVE THERE'S GOING TO BE A CONTINUANCE.
>> MAYOR NIRENBERG: ALL RIGHT.
>> SANDOVAL: I WOULD LIKE TO MOVE TO CONTINUE TO MARCH 21ST.
THERE'S A MOTION AND A SECOND FOR CONTINUANCE OF ITEM Z-15 TO MARCH 21ST.
[Z-18. ZONING CASE # Z-2018-900015 CD S ERZD (Council District 10): Ordinance amending the Zoning District Boundary from "C-2 ERZD" Commercial Edwards Recharge Zone District to "C-2 CD S ERZD" Commercial Edwards Recharge Zone District with Conditional Use and Specific Use Authorization for Outside Storage on 3.347 acres out of NCB 17338, located at 17115 Redland Road. Staff and Zoning Commission recommend Approval.]
MOTION CARRIES.>> Z2018915 FROM C-2 TO C-2CDS WITH A CONDITIONAL USE FOR A SPECIFIC USE AUTHORIZATION FOR OUTSIDE STORAGE LOCATED AT 17115 REDLAND ROAD.
STAFF AND ZONING COMMISSION RECOMMEND APPROVAL AUDIO] AND ZERO OPPOSED.
AND I BELIEVE THE APPLICANT HAS SOME CONDITIONS TO ADD TO THIS CASE.
>> MAYOR NIRENBERG: COUNCILMAN PERRY.
CAROLINE, CAN YOU COME UP AND TELL US WHAT WE HAVE AGREED TO?
>> GOOD AFTERNOON, MAYOR, COUNCIL MEMBERS.
CAROLINE MCDONALD WITH BROWN AND ORTIZ, 112 EAST PECAN.
I WANT TO SAY THANK YOU TO CITY STAFF IN DISTRICT 10.
WE DID COME TO AN AGREEMENT ON SOME CONDITIONS FOR THIS CASE.
NUMBER ONE, THERE WILL BE A 50-FOOT SETBACK ON ALL OUTDOOR STORAGE AND BUILDINGS FROM REDLAND ROAD.
TWO, THERE WILL BE A COMBINATION OF SOLID AND/OR LANDSCAPE SCREENING ON THREE SIDES, INCLUDING A ROOF-LIFE STRUCTURE FOR ANY OUTSIDE STORAGE ON THE SUBJECT PROPERTY.
AND, LASTLY, NUMBER THREE, THE PROPERTY OWNER WILL NOT OPERATE PAST 90 CALENDAR DAYS FROM CITY COUNCIL'S APPROVAL OF THE CONDITIONAL REZONING WITHOUT A PERMANENT HABITABLE STRUCTURE.
WITH THAT, MOTION TO APPROVE WITH CONDITIONS.
THERE'S A MOTION AND A SECOND FOR APPROVAL OF Z-18 WITH CONDITIONS AS READ.
THAT'S THE REMAINDER OF OUR ZONING AGENDA FOR THIS AFTERNOON.
HAVE A GREAT AFTERNOON.
* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.