* This transcript was created by voice-to-text technology. The transcript has not been edited for errors or omissions, it is for reference only and is not the official minutes of the meeting. [00:00:36] GOOD MORNING. WELCOME TO THE CITY COUNCIL REGULAR MEETING OF FEBRUARY 21ST, 2019. COUNCIL MEMBER VINNO. HERE. COUNCIL MEMBER HALL. COUNCIL MEMBER VIE GRAND HERE. COUNCIL MEMBER SALANA. HERE. COUNCIL MEMBER GONZALEZ. COUNCIL MEMBER BROCK HOUSE PRESENT. I WAS PRESENT, YES. THANK YOU. COUNCIL MEMBER SANDOVAL. COUNCIL MEMBER LIAS. COUNCIL MEMBER COURAGE PRESENT. COUNCIL MEMBER PERRY HERE. AND MAYOR NURENBERG HERE. MAYOR, WE DO HAVE A QUORUM. GOOD MORNING. WELCOME EVERYONE TO OUR CITY COUNCIL, A SESSION AGENDA. THE TIME IS 9:19 AM THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR YOUR PATIENCE. WE'LL BEGIN TODAY WITH AN INVOCATION, A GUEST OF COUNCIL MEMBER COURAGE. THANK YOU, MAYOR. THIS MORNING I'M PLEASED TO GO AHEAD AND HAVE, UH, US AS OUR INDICATOR REVEREND ADAM KNIGHT, WHO IS THE SENIOR PASTOR AT COCO UNITED METHODIST CHURCH, WHICH IS LOCATED IN THE SOUTHERN PORTION OF DISTRICT NINE AND REALLY PROVIDES INVALUABLE SERVICES TO THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO AND THROUGHOUT THE STATE OF TEXAS, COCO'S ELDERLY FOOD PROGRAM. THEIR FOOD PANTRY, THEIR SCHOOL SUPPLY PROGRAM ARE VERY VALUABLE THROUGHOUT DISTRICT NINE. AND ALSO THEY WERE, UH, REALLY INVOLVED IN THE HURRICANE, UH, HARVEY RECOVERY EFFORTS. AND SO THESE SHOULD BE, UH, YOU KNOW, ESPECIALLY COMMENDED AS HALLMARKS OF THEIR FAITHFUL COMMUNITY. SERVICE. COKER IS ALSO THE HOST TO THE LARGEST BASA BASH EFFORT IN DISTRICT NINE, WHICH HELPS KEEP SATO CREEK BEAUTIFUL YEAR ROUND. UH, WE ENJOYED THE OPPORTUNITY TO GO OUT AND CLEAN UP AROUND THAT AREA JUST THIS PAST WEEKEND. AND IN 2020, I KNOW COCO UNITED METHODIST CHURCH WILL BE AN EXCELLENT NEIGHBOR TO DISTRICT NINE'S, FIRST EVER SENIOR CENTER BEING DEVELOPED RIGHT NEARBY AT WALKER RANCH PARK. ADAM KNIGHT HOLDS A BACHELOR'S DEGREE FROM TEXAS TECH UNIVERSITY, A MASTER'S OF DIVINITY DEGREE FROM ASBURY THEOLOGICAL SEMINARY. AND HE IS OR AN ORDAINED ELDER IN THE UNITED METHODIST CHURCH AS A SPIRITUAL LEADER AND ADMINISTRATOR TO SO MANY VALUABLE COMMUNITY PROGRAMS. HE IS A VALUABLE LEADER IN OUR 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 BRITTANY, AND THEY ARE THE PARENTS OF RYLAND AND LAUREL. ADAM, THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE TODAY. THANK YOU, MR. K. THANK YOU, COUNSEL. LET'S PRAY. 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, AND 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. AMEN. UNITED STATES OF AMERICA AND REPUBLIC NATION. THANK YOU REVEREND KNIGHT. WE HAVE A ANNOUNCEMENT FOR TRANSLATION SERVICES INTERPRETERS. [00:05:01] ALL RIGHT, OUR FIRST ITEM ON THE AGENDA TODAY IS THE APPROVAL OF THE CITY COUNCIL MEETING MINUTES FROM JANUARY 14TH AND 15TH. ITS 16TH AND 17TH. SECOND. ALL RIGHT, THERE'S A MOTION AND A SECOND FOR APPROVAL OF THE CITY COUNCIL MEETING MINUTES JANUARY 14TH THROUGH 17TH. PLEASE VOTE. MOTION CARRIES. THIS TIME I'LL LIKE TO RECOGNIZE OUR COLLEAGUE, COUNCIL MEMBER GONZALEZ FOR A POINT OF PERSONAL PRIVILEGE. UH, THANK YOU MAYOR. AND, UH, I DO JUST WANNA TAKE A MOMENT HERE TO ACKNOWLEDGE, UH, MY EXECUTIVE ASSISTANT, XANDER AL XANDER, ARE YOU IN THE HOUSE? ARE YOU HERE SOMEWHERE? COME ON UP HERE. JUST ONE SECOND. UH, SO, UM, XANDER WAS, UH, UH, CAME TO ME HIGHLY RECOMMENDED FROM LETICIA EK'S OFFICE. HE HAD BEEN A CITY EMPLOYEE FOR AROUND THREE AND A HALF YEARS WHEN HE CAME, UH, OVER TO WORK WITH US. AND, UH, XANDER, UM, HAS RECENTLY BEEN TAPPED TO JOIN THE F B I, UH, AND WILL GO TO, UH, TO VIRGINIA TO DO SOME TRAINING AND THEN PERHAPS HAVE HIS CHOICE OF DESTINATIONS AFTER THAT, WHILE HE WILL SERVE IN SOME TYPE OF CLASSIFIED CAPACITY, WHICH HE WILL NOT SHARE WITH US. , GIVEN THE STATE OF THE F B I, HE MAY BE BACK, UH, SOON. SO, UM, , UH, BUT I DO JUST WANNA TAKE A MOMENT TO PUBLICLY THANK XANDER FOR ALL THE WORK THAT HE'S DONE IN MY OFFICE. AND NOT ONLY DO I FEEL LIKE WE'VE BEEN RUN REALLY EFFICIENTLY, UM, AND, UH, AGGRESSIVELY I'VE BEEN REALLY BUSY SINCE HE'S BEEN, UH, IN MY OFFICE. UH, BUT AT THE SAME TIME WE'VE HAD SO MUCH FUN. SO, UH, ALL THE LAUGHING AND THE ACTIVITY THAT Y'ALL HAVE HEARD FROM OUR OFFICE, UH, HAS COME IN LARGE PART BECAUSE WE'VE HAD XANDR IN OUR COMPANY. SO WE WISH HIM WELL AT XANDR. AND GOOD LUCK IN YOUR FUTURE ENDEAVORS. THANK YOU. THANK YOU, MAYOR. GOOD LUCK, XANDR. ALRIGHT. AT THIS TIME, UH, WE HAVE TWO ITEMS. ACTUALLY, THERE ARE NO ITEMS SCHEDULED FOR INDIVIDUAL CONSIDERATION. I'LL ASK MY COLLEAGUES IF THERE ARE ANY ITEMS FROM WHICH THEY WOULD LIKE TO PULL FROM THE CONSENT AGENDA. ITEM FIVE. FIVE. ANY OTHERS? HEY, MAYOR, I'LL PULL NUMBER NINE. NINE. OKAY. I HAVE ITEMS. MAYOR, UM, MAYOR NUMBER 23, 24, AND 25. 23. 24 AND 25. OKAY. I HAVE ITEMS 5, 9, 23, 24, AND 25 FOR INDIVIDUAL CONSIDERATION. ARE THERE ANY OTHERS? HEARING NONE. I'LL ENTERTAIN A MOTION FOR THE BALANCE OF THE CONSENT AGENDA. GO AHEAD. OKAY. THERE'S A MOTION AND A SECOND FOR THE BALANCE OF THE CONSENT AGENDA. ALL ITEMS SAVED. 5, 9, 23, 24, AND 25. UM, COUNCILMAN TNO. THANK YOU, MAYOR. UM, AND I WANT TO HIGHLIGHT, UH, ITEM NUMBER 11. WE'LL GO AHEAD AND JUST KEEP THIS ON CONSENT, BUT, UH, I'D LIKE TO HIGH HIGHLIGHT THIS ITEM BECAUSE THE SAN ANTONIO FIRE DEPARTMENT MUSEUM SOCIETY HAS DONE A PHENOMENAL JOB, UH, CARING FOR THE HISTORIC FIRE STATION, NUMBER ONE, AND, UH, THE ARTIFACTS OF SAN ANTONIO, OF THE SAN ANTONIO'S FIRE DEPARTMENT. UH, THEY HAVE BEEN A WONDER WONDERFUL STEWARDS OF OUR HISTORY AND HAVE PRESERVED THE LEGACY OF OUR FIRE DEPARTMENT. I WOULD LIKE TO, FIRST AND FOREMOST THANK HECTOR GARENA FOR HIS WORK AT THE FIRE MUSEUM. HE IS A STALWART SUPPORTER OF THE ALTA VISTA NEIGHBORHOOD, A SAN PEDRO SPRINGS PARK, CONSERVA CONSERVATIONIST, AND A RETIRED SAN ANTONIO FIREFIGHTER, FIREFIGHTER. HIS LAST ASSIGNMENT WITH THE FIRE DEPARTMENT WAS AT THE STATION IN, WHICH IS NOW OUR DISTRICT ONE FIELD OFFICE. UH, WE HAVE A DEEP RELATIONSHIP WITH HECTOR AND APPRECIATE HIS COMMITMENT TO OUR COMMUNITY. ADDITIONALLY, I WOULD LIKE TO THANK ALL THE FOLKS THAT ARE HERE, RETIRED FIREFIGHTER, UH, CHIEF ROBERT OJEDA, RETIRED DEPUTY CHIEF RODNEY FELDER, BOARD CHAIR, CAROL KELLY, MEMBER MEMBERSHIP CHAIR RANDY UZON. PAST PRESIDENT BOB HECKMAN, PRESIDENT JIM WST. AND, UH, I, OF COURSE, I ENCOURAGE MY COLLEAGUES TO, UH, AND RESIDENTS ALIKE TO VISIT THIS MUSEUM. THIS IS A TRUE HIDDEN GEM. AT THIS MOMENT, I'D LIKE TO ASK CHIEF HOOD TO MAYBE SAY A FEW WORDS ON BEHALF OF THE, UH, FIREFIGHTER MUSEUM. GOOD MORNING, MAYOR. MEMBERS OF COUNCIL. UM, 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, WITH THE RICH HISTORY THAT WE DO HAVE. ONE OF [00:10:01] THE WAYS THAT WE SAVE LIVES IS THROUGH PUBLIC EDUCATION, COMMUNITY ED, UH, COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT AND FIRE PROTECTION. BUT THIS IS A WONDERFUL PIECE OF FIRE PREVENTION, UH, THAT WE HAVE RIGHT HERE. WE'VE HAD ABOUT 16,000 VISITORS LAST YEAR. 80% OF THOSE ARE TOURIST. SO AGAIN, BEING AT THE, UH, FOOT OF THE ALAMO, UH, BEING, HAVING THIS FACILITY, IT'S AN AMAZING PLACE. SO, WITH THAT BEING SAID, I'M GONNA INVITE, UH, RETIRED, UH, DISTRICT CHIEF JIM WEIST UP, WHO'S A, THE PRESIDENT OF THE BOARD, UH, TO SAY A FEW WORDS AND BRING SOME OF THE MEMBERS UP. THANK YOU AGAIN. THANK YOU, SIR. MAYOR NURNBERG CITY COUNCIL. WE ARE HONORED AND THRILLED TO BE HERE, UH, 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, UH, 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, IT'S A LABOR OF LOVE, UH, AND WE CONTINUE TO TAKE PRIDE IN WHAT WE DO IN REPRESENTING THE SAN ANTONIO FIRE DEPARTMENT AND THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO. THANK YOU ALL FOR, FOR ALL YOU DO. AND, UH, AS SOMEONE WHO'S VISITED THE FIRE MUSEUM SEVERAL TIMES, I'VE SEEN THE PROGRESS. AND IT'S TRULY AMAZING ALL THAT YOU HAVE DONE TO NOT ONLY TAKE THE RESOURCES, UH, AND PUT 'EM TOGETHER IN THESE WONDERFUL EXHIBITS, YOU DO IT YOURSELVES. AND, UH, THAT'S TRUE TEAMWORK. IT'S, UH, AN EXAMPLE OF, OF REAL COLLABORATION AMONGST YOURSELVES. AND I, I COULDN'T BE PROUDER OF ALL THE WORK THAT YOU HAVE DONE AND WISH YOU CONTINUED SUCCESS, ESPECIALLY AS WE, UH, PLAN TO DO SOME GREAT THINGS AROUND THAT AREA. AND WISH YOU THE BEST ON THAT BUILDING, AS I KNOW YOU'RE PLANNING, DO SOME GREAT THINGS FOR THAT. BUILDING THE PARADE ROUTE FOR THE BATTLE OF FLOWERS WILL BE CUTTING THROUGH, UH, THAT SPECIFIC AREA AND HOPE TO, UH, MAYBE EVEN WORK WITH THEM IN CONCERT WITH A LOT OF YOUR EFFORTS. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. COUNCILMAN VIEL. THANK YOU. THANK YOU, MAYOR. WE HAVE ONE CITIZEN SIGNED UP TO SPEAK ON CONSENT ITEMS TODAY. UH, JACK FINGER? YES. THERE YOU GO. WELL, GOOD MORNING, MAYOR NURENBERG, ANOTHER MEMBERS OF OUR ILLUSTRIOUS SAN ANTONIO CITY COUNCIL FOR THE RECORD, MY NAME IS JACK M FINGER. COUPLE ITEMS WISH TO BRING UP TO YOUR ATTENTION ON THIS PORTION OF THE AGENDA. ITEM NUMBER 19 AND NUMBER 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 THEM. NUMBER 19, LOOK AT THE UNDERLINED AREA RIGHT THERE, IF YOU WOULD. MR. AUTO VISUAL MAN. IT SAYS, JOHN MCMILLAN IS SEEKING DAMAGES FROM AN ACCIDENT THAT OCCURRED TO AUGUST 22ND ON THE 21,000 B VERDE ROAD IN SAN ANTONIO, INVOLVING A BICYCLE BEING OPERATED BY MR. MCMILLAN AND A CITY OWNED V THE PARTIES HAVE REACHED A MUTUAL AGREEMENT TO SETTLE THESE CLAIMS WITH PAYMENT IN THE AMOUNT OF $95,000 SUBJECT TO CITY COUNCIL APPROVAL. TRY, UH, NUMBER 20 ALSO, MR. AUDIOVISUAL MAN, IT SAYS, UH, THE UNDERLINE AREA, STEVEN MCNEIL. O'NEILL IS SEEKING DAMAGES FROM AN AUTO ACTION OCCURRED IN NOVEMBER, 2015, AND THE ACCESS RULE ABOUT FOUR 10 PER AND ARY THE ACCIDENT INVOLVED. NATO BEING OPERATED BY MR. O'NEILL IN A CITY OWNED VEHICLE. PARTIES HAVE REACHED A MUTUAL AGREEMENT IN THE AMOUNT OF $220,000. THANK YOU, MR. OVIS. MAN, RETURN THE CAMERA IF YOU WOULD. NOW, I ROUTINELY COME BY HERE AND I ASK WHY, UM, 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, ARE ANYBODY, POSSIBLY ANYBODY, REPRIMAND THEM OR CHARGE THEM FOR THE AMOUNT THAT, THAT WE THE CITIZENS HAVE TO SHELL OUT FOR, FOR THESE CASES INQUIRING? MINES WOULD LIKE TO KNOW THE ANSWER TO THESE THINGS. YEAH. WELL, BUT, UH, WAYNE, WE NEVER SEE IT ON THE, UM, BACK DOCUMENTS. AND FINALLY, UH, TODAY, UH, JUST A LITTLE BIT OF HOUSEKEEPING TODAY, YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE A CEREMONY INVOLVING THE OUTGOING CITY MANAGER, CHERYL SCULLY, WHO'S NOT IN HER CHAIR RIGHT NOW. SHE ALWAYS SEEMS TO LEAVE WHENEVER A JACK FINGER COMES UP TO THE PODIUM. I DON'T KNOW WHY. I GUESS HER WAY OF SHOWING HER RESPECT TO ME, . ANYWAY, YEAH, UH, YOU'RE GOING, ALL KINDS OF FLOWERY THINGS ARE GONNA BE SAID ABOUT CHERYL [00:15:01] SCULLY. AND, BUT, UH, THAT'S TO IGNORE ALL THE, UH, THE COMPLAINTS THAT HAVE BEEN ABOUT CHERYL SCULLY, HER ETHICAL LAPSES, MORAL LAPSES, FINANCIAL LAPSES. BUT, UH, PLEASE UNDERSTAND THAT ANYBODY WHO COMPLAINS ABOUT, UH, CHERYL SCULLY, 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. YEAH. I MEAN, , MR. COURAGE, I THINK YOU WERE THE ONE CAMPAIGNING AGAINST HER LOUDLY, BUT WHEN YOU WERE DOING SO, BUT AS YOU GOT INTO OFFICE, THAT SEEMS TO HAVE TAPERED DOWN A BIT THERE. ANYWAY, FOOD FOR THOUGHT THERE. THANK YOU. THANK YOU, MR. FINGER. COUNCILMAN ELAS. UM, THANK YOU. COINCIDENTALLY, I ALSO WANTED TO TALK ABOUT ITEMS 19 AND 20, THE, UH, THE SETTLEMENTS. AND WHAT I WANTED TO POINT OUT WAS THAT WE HAVE A VERY ROBUST, UM, AND REALLY ONE OF THE BEST IN CLASS LEGAL DEPARTMENTS IN THE CITY. AND, YOU KNOW, SO OFTEN WE TALK ABOUT OUR, UH, YOU KNOW, THE HEROES IN OUR STREETS DEPARTMENTS, IN OUR, UM, IN OUR POLICE DEPARTMENTS, FIRE AND OUR E M S UNITS AND ALL THAT. BUT, YOU KNOW, THESE, THESE LAWYERS, THEY, THEY LIVE IN THE SHADOWS AND WE SO RARELY GET TO SEE THEM. UH, AND WE SO RARELY GET TO UNDERSTAND THE WORK THAT THEY DO. YOU KNOW, THERE ISN'T AN ITEM ON ANY OF OUR AGENDAS EVER THAT THESE FOLKS HAVEN'T HELPED US GET TO THE RIGHT RESULT. AND, UH, I WANT TO THANK YOU ALL FOR THE WORK THAT YOU GUYS DO. UM, AND YOU KNOW, PARTICULARLY IN THESE TWO CASES, I WANNA THANK YOU FOR KEEPING US OUTTA COURT. AND, YOU KNOW, WE RECENTLY SAW ONE OF THE LARGEST VERDICTS IN THE HISTORY OF BEXAR COUNTY OUT OF, UH, YOU KNOW, $706 MILLION A TOTAL RUNAWAY JURY. UM, AND YOU GUYS HELP US AVOID THOSE PITFALLS. AND SO, LIZ, ANDY, TO YOUR TEAM, UM, KEEP UP THE GOOD WORK. I'M PROUD OF YOU GUYS. WELL SAID. THANK YOU. COUNCILMAN PALAI. COUNCILMAN SALANA. THANK YOU, MAYOR. AND I JUST, UH, SIMPLY WANTED TO HIGHLIGHT AN ITEM THAT I, THAT WILL REMAIN ON CONSENT. IT'S ITEM NUMBER SEVEN. IT IS A, UH, CONTRACT TO EXPAND A SERVICE AT PEARSALL PARK. UH, REALLY WHAT WE, WHAT, WHAT IT WAS SORT OF OUR BAD IN BUILDING A, A PARK THAT WE DIDN'T REALIZE WAS GONNA GET AS MUCH, UH, ATTENTION AND FANFARE IS WE THOUGHT IT WOULD, IT WOULD FROM THE ENTIRE REGION. AND SO THIS, UH, 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, YOU KNOW, 24 HOURS, UH, OUT OF THE DAY FOR SOME OF THE FOLKS WHO COME IN. I DIDN'T WANNA PULL IT, BUT I DID WANNA HIGHLIGHT THE FACT THAT WE'RE GONNA CONTINUE TO INVEST, UH, INTO THE PARK. AND I'M EXCITED TO SEE WHAT THE NEXT PHASE OF THE PROJECT WILL DO. SO I JUST WANTED TO, UH, SHOUT OUT TO A FEW FOLKS. UH, XAVIER ORIA, MARK WINER, UH, VERONICA MORENO, SANDY JENKINS, UH, IN PARKS AND REC, AS WELL AS THE BENDER WELLS CLARK FIRM, WHO'S HELPING US, UH, PLAN OUT PHASE TWO. THANK YOU, MAYOR. THANK YOU. COUNCILMAN SALDANA. COUNCILWOMAN GONZALEZ. UH, THANK YOU, MAYOR. AND, UH, I, I JUST WANTED TO COMMENT ABOUT THE FIRE MUSEUM. UH, I HAVE THREE CHILDREN UNDER FIVE YEARS OLD, AND SO WE OFTEN, UH, JUST GO TO THE FIRE STATION, CLOSE TO US TO LOOK AT FIRE TRUCKS, UM, AND LET THEM SORT OF ADMIRE THEM. SO, I'M CURIOUS AS IF THE FIRE MUSEUM IS CHILD FRIENDLY. IT IS. IS IT, UH, FUN, UH, I GUESS SUITABLE FOR CHILDREN UNDER FIVE YEARS OLD? I WOULD HATE TO BRING 'EM AND THEN THEY CAN'T TOUCH ANYTHING. ? YES, MA'AM. WE ARE VERY CHILD FRIENDLY. OUR WHOLE, UH, 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. UH, WE DO, WHEN THE SCHOOL GROUPS, UH, GET ON OUR CALENDAR, WE HAVE VOLUNTEERS THAT DO FIRE SAFETY EDUCATION FOR THE CHILDREN. AND IT'S, IT'S REALLY BEEN VERY WELL RECEIVED. OH, I'M SO GLAD TO HEAR THAT. 'CAUSE I, UM, UH, YOU KNOW, OF COURSE ALL, LIKE ALL CHILDREN, MY SONS WANNA BE FIREFIGHTERS WHEN THEY GROW UP. SO, UM, I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO BRINGING THEM THERE. AND IS IT CURRENTLY OPEN TO THE PUBLIC? IT IS OPEN TO THE PUBLIC. WE'RE OPEN TUESDAY THROUGH SATURDAY FROM 10 TO FOUR. THE FIRST TUESDAY OF EVERY MONTH FROM NOON TO FOUR IS FREE ADMISSION FOR EVERYBODY IN SAN ANTONIO. THANK YOU. AND WHAT IS THE REGULAR ADMISSION ON THE DAY? REGULAR ADMISSION FOR AN ADULT IS $5, UH, $3 FOR CHILDREN, SENIORS, I'M SORRY, $3 FOR SENIORS, $2 FOR CHILDREN. OKAY. WONDERFUL. WELL, I'M LOOKING AND HOW ABOUT MILITARY DISCOUNTS? MILITARY IS FREE IF THEY'RE IN UNIFORM. IF THEY'RE IN. OKAY, WONDERFUL. WELL, I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO BRINGING MY CHILDREN THERE. UM, 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 A HIGHLIGHT OF THEIR LIVES TO, UH, PRETEND TO BE FIREFIGHTERS. WELL, IN SPRING BREAK IS COMING UP TOO, SO THAT'S ALWAYS A VERY BUSY TIME. SPRING BREAK FOR THE MUSEUM. WONDERFUL. THANK YOU. THANK YOU, COUNCIL. THANK YOU. COUNCILMAN GONZALEZ. OKAY, THERE'S A MOTION AND A SECOND FOR THE BALANCE OF THE CONSENT AGENDA. THAT'S ALL ITEMS SAVED, [00:20:01] 5 9 23, 24, AND 25. PLEASE VOTE. MOTION CARRIES ITEM NUMBER FIVE. ITEM NUMBER FIVE IS AN ORDINANCE APPROVING AN AGREEMENT WITH ECONOMIC AND PLANNING SYSTEMS INCORPORATED TO PROVIDE A COMPREHENSIVE STUDY OF LOCAL AVALOR PROPERTY TAX APPRAISAL FOR A ONE YEAR TERM COMMENCING NOT LATER THAN FEBRUARY 28TH, 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. OKAY. AND FOR THE RECORD, UH, THE CITY CLERK HAS RECEIVED WRITTEN TESTIMONY FROM THE SAN ANTONIO BOARD OF REALTORS IN SUPPORT OF ITEM FIVE. COUNCILMAN ELAS. THANK YOU, MAYOR. UM, YOU KNOW, I'LL, I'LL RESERVE MY COMMENTS UNTIL AFTER THE PRESENTATION. SO, FLOOR'S, YOURS. THANK YOU. GREAT, THANK YOU VERY MUCH. AND FIRST OF ALL, GOOD MORNING, MAYOR AND COUNCIL. UM, THIS ITEM NUMBER FIVE IS REQUESTING YOUR APPROVAL AND CONSIDERATION, UH, THE CONTRACT WITH ECONOMIC PLANNING SYSTEMS IN THE AMOUNT OF $79,780. THE FOCUS OF THIS CONTRACT IS REALLY MEETING THE REQUIREMENTS REQUESTED IN THE COUNCILMAN APPLIES TO C C R, SPECIFICALLY THE C C R FOCUSED ON REALLY FOUR PRIMARY AREAS, CONDUCTING A COMPREHENSIVE STUDY, EXAMINING HOW AD VELO VALUATION PRACTICES IN BEXAR COUNTY COMPARE TO OTHER TEXAS COUNTIES. IT ALSO DRILL DRILLS DOWN MORE GRANULAR, UM, ASKING HOW THOSE VALUATION PRACTICES, PROTEST APPEALS, ARBITRATION, AND LAWSUITS REALLY IMPACT OR DOWN TO THE LEVEL OF A DISTRICT AND CENSUS TRACT. THIRDLY, 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 C C R WAS PRESENTED LAST JUNE TO THE GOVERNANCE COMMITTEE. UM, WE AS STAFF RECOMMENDED, IN ORDER TO MOVE FORWARD WITH THIS, WE WOULD ISSUE AN R F P. THE R F P 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. UM, LOOKING AT THE BEXAR COUNTY APPRAISAL DISTRICT AND COMPARING THAT TO OTHER APPRAISAL DISTRICTS IN TEXAS. AND SECONDLY, UM, A SECOND PHASE REALLY CONTINGENT UPON THE RESULTS OF PHASE ONE WOULD BE LOOKING AT THE ECONOMIC IMPACT OF THE APPRAISAL PRACTICES. UM, WE'VE RECEIVED THE APPROVAL TO MOVE FORWARD WITH THE ISSUANCE OF THE R F P. WE CONDUCTED A, A PROCESS AND WE DID EXTENSIVE OUTREACH DURING THAT PROCESS TO IDENTIFY A FIRM OR FIRMS THAT COULD ACTUALLY CONDUCT THE SCOPE. AT THE END OF THE DAY, WE SOLICITED A RESPONSE FROM E P S, UM, HAD A LOT OF GOOD DISCUSSIONS WITH 'EM ABOUT THE SCOPE. THEY WENT OUT AND DID THEIR DUE DILIGENCE TO GET A GOOD, FAIR UNDERSTANDING OF THE SCOPE, AND CAME BACK WITH THE PROPOSAL. UM, AND ACTUALLY TO ACCOMPLISH THE REQUEST IN THE C C R, WE AS A CITY, EXCUSE ME, DO HAVE PRIOR EXPERIENCE WITH E P SS. THEY'VE WORKED WITH US IN THE PAST ON THE, THE MAYOR'S HOUSING POLICY AS WELL AS SA TOMORROW. UM, 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 SWARTZ, WHO IS THE EXECUTIVE VICE PRESIDENT OF E B E P S, AND HE'S HERE TODAY. IF YOU HAVE ANY SPECIFIC QUESTIONS OF THE FIRM. LOOKING AT THE SCOPE OF THE, UM, 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 BAIRD COUNTY APPRAISAL DISTRICT AND OTHER TEXAS APPRAISAL DISTRICTS. FROM A PURPOSE OF A SCOPE, YOU IDENTIFIED FOUR APPRAISAL DISTRICTS THAT WE BELIEVE ARE COMPARABLE IN SIZE AND VOLUME TO THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO. AND BE GOOD BENCHMARKS TO COMPARE THE BEXAR COUNTY APPRAISAL DISTRICT. THOSE WOULD BE THE APPRAISAL DISTRICTS OR COUNTIES, DALLAS COUNTY, HARRIS COUNTY, TRAVIS COUNTY, AND TARRANT COUNTY. THE SECOND AREA THAT 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 OF HOW THEIR EXPERIENCE COMPARES WITHIN THE BEXAR COUNTY APPRAISAL DISTRICT WITH RESPECT TO THOSE VALUATION PROCESSES AND THE PROTEST AND APPEALS PROCESS, HOW THAT COMPARES TO THOSE OTHER FOUR AREAS WE TALKED ABOUT. AND LASTLY, TAKING ALL THE DATA THAT'S BEEN GATHERED, ANALYZING IT, COMPARING IT, AND COMING UP WITH FINDINGS. AND, UM, DOCUMENTING THAT RESEARCH IN A REPORT BACK TO THE CITY COUNCIL. AS I MENTIONED, THIS CONTRACT WITH E P S WOULD BE A COST NOT TO EXCEED $79,780 FOR PHASE ONE. WE ARE ESTIMATING THAT TO ACTUALLY CONDUCT THE STUDY AND WORKING WITH THEM THAT TAKE APPROXIMATELY THREE MONTHS TO CONDUCT THAT, CONDUCT, THAT STUDY. IF THIS ITEM WAS APPROVED TODAY, WE WOULD START WITH A KICKOFF WITH THE BEXAR COUNTY APPRAISAL DISTRICT IN MARCH, UM, EARLY MARCH TO HAVE THAT CONVERSATION WITH THEM AND BEGIN THE [00:25:01] 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 OF THE SIMILAR ITEMS AS FAR AS THE SCOPE E P S BEING SELECTED AS A FIRM, AND WHAT WOULD BE THAT NEXT STEPS THAT WE'D WORK WITH THEM ON IN CONDUCTING THIS STUDY. AS I MENTIONED, DEPENDENT UPON THE RESULTS OF PHASE ONE, WE WOULD LOOK AT MOVING FORWARD WITH PHASE TWO. PHASE TWO WOULD ACTUALLY BE AN OPTIONAL PHASE AND BE REALLY FOCUSED ON THE IMPACT, UM, THOSE VALUATION PROCESSES AND APPEALS HAVE TO THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT WITHIN SAN ANTONIO, FOR EXAMPLE, AFFORDABLE HOUSING, OUR ANCHOR BUSINESS TENANT HERE IN SAN ANTONIO. AND WE'D ALSO MOVE FORWARD WITH THE COMMUNICATION STRATEGY, UH, SHORT PRESENTATION. UM, THAT CONCLUDES IT. AND BE HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS THAT YOU OR COUNSEL HAVE. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. WE HAVE TWO, UH, CITIZENS. SIGN UP FOR ITEM NUMBER FIVE. I'LL CALL THEM NOW. SOPHIE TORRES. GOOD MORNING. UM, I'M SOPHIE TORRES. I'M VICE PRESIDENT OF GOVERNMENT AFFAIRS FOR THE SAN ANTONIO HISPANIC CHAMBER OF COMMERCE. I'M HERE IN SUPPORT OF THIS. UM, WE WROTE A LETTER BACK WHEN COUNCILMAN PALAIS DID THE C C R AND IT WAS GOING THROUGH THE GOVERNANCE COMMITTEE. AND WE REALLY THINK THIS IS VERY GREAT PLAN TO HAVE TRANSPARENCY WITH THESE ISSUES. UM, WE HEAR FROM BUSINESS OWNERS TIMING, AGAIN, OF HOW THEIR TAX INCREASE, UM, REALLY AFFECT THEIR TAX BURDEN IN HOW THEY'RE GONNA INCREASE THEIR BUSINESS IF THEY'RE GONNA 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 IN THE FUTURE. THANK YOU. THANK YOU, MS. TORRES. SHERRY CHARRY. GOOD MORNING. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. I REALLY APPRECIATE THE OPPORTUNITY TO BE ABLE TO COME IN AND SPEAK TODAY. UH, I DO WANNA SAY THAT THE HOSPITALITY INDUSTRY IS OUT IN AUSTIN TODAY AS, UH, THE VERGE ON THE CAPITAL FOR HOSPITALITY. UH, I CHOSE TO STAY BACK TO BE ABLE TO SPEAK HERE TODAY ON THE HOSPITALITY INDUSTRY AND HOW IMPORTANT IT IS FOR THIS STUDY TO TAKE PLACE. UM, I DO SERVE ON THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS FOR THE CHOICE HOTEL OWNERS COUNCIL FOR THIS, FOR THE, UH, 6,000 HOTELS IN THE US UH, REPRESENTS ABOUT 31 INDIVIDUAL HOTEL OWNERS THAT ARE HERE IN SAN ANTONIO THAT ARE OWNER OPERATORS, AND THAT WE HAVE FELT VERY MUCH, UM, I GUESS, ABUSED IN THIS PROCESS OVER THE YEARS. AND WE FEEL THAT THIS IS A GREAT OPPORTUNITY FOR OUR CITY. 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 TO BE ABLE TO HAVE OUR PROPERTY TAXES REVIEWED ACCURATELY. AND WE REALLY DO APPRECIATE THAT THIS IS PASSED, AND THAT WE HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY FOR YOU TO GET REAL DATA ON HOW FAIR PROPERTY TAXES CAN BE EVALUATED ON SMALL BUSINESSES. 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 ACTUALLY HAVING TO WORK DOUBLE SHIFTS AT THEIR HOTELS. AND MANY OF THE HOTELS ARE, PEOPLE ARE GETTING OUT OF SMALL BUSINESSES BECAUSE THE BURDEN OF THE PROPERTY TAXES AND THE VALUATIONS THAT THEY FEEL ARE UNFAIR AND IMPOSED ON THEIR BUSINESSES. SO THANK YOU VERY MUCH, AND I DO HOPE THAT THIS PASS. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. THANK YOU, MS. CHAUDRY. COUNCILMAN BLA. THANK YOU VERY MUCH, MAYOR. UM, FIRST OF ALL, THANK YOU TO THE MS. CHAUDRY AND HER, UH, HER PARTNERS IN THE HOSPITALITY INDUSTRY. UH, LETTERS OF SUPPORT, UM, THAT I'LL BE HANDING OFF TO. UM, OUR CLERK, UH, LETICIA EK INCLUDE, UH, IT'S NOT ALL OF THEM, BUT INCLUDE, UM, SUPPORT FROM THE BUSINESS COALITION AND ALL THEIR MEMBERS, THE REAL ESTATE COUNCIL, THE, UH, SAN ANTONIO TOURISM COUNCIL, THE SAN ANTONIO BOARD OF REALTORS, UH, THE APARTMENT ASSOCIATION. AND, UH, INTERESTINGLY, AND OF COURSE, THE GREATER CHAMBER, UH, AND ALL THE OTHER CHAMBERS WHO WERE VERY SUPPORTIVE. BUT INTERESTINGLY, UM, WE'VE ALSO RECEIVED EXPRESSIONS OF SUPPORT FROM OUR FRIENDS OVER AT TEXAS, UM, ORGANIZED PROJECT TOP AND, UM, AND OUR FRIENDS AT MOVE. UM, I THINK THAT THE GENERAL CONSENSUS AMONG FOLKS WHO OBSERVE GOVERNMENT IS THAT MORE DATA IS GOOD, UH, BECAUSE THAT INFORMS, UM, ROBUST CONVERSATION, BUT [00:30:01] IT ALSO INFORMS OUR POLICY MAKING. SO LEMME TELL YOU WHAT THIS IS NOT, AND I WANNA MAKE SURE THAT, UM, YOU, BOTH OF YOU GENTLEMEN AGREE WITH ME. THIS IS NOT AN AUDIT OF BEXAR COUNTY APPRAISAL DISTRICT. UM, AND THIS IS NOT, UM, YOU KNOW, A, UH, DEEP DIVE INTO, UH, WHETHER OR NOT PEOPLE LIKE OR DISLIKE BCA. WHAT THIS IS, IS A, UH, COMPARATIVE STUDY ON A COUNTY BY COUNTY BASIS OF HOW SAN ANTONIANS EXPERIENCE THEIR APPRAISAL VALUES, UH, PROCESS AND OTHER, UH, COUNTIES AND REGIONS EXPERIENCE THEIRS. WHY IS THIS IMPORTANT? BECAUSE I TAKE, UH, UH, MY COLLEAGUE COUNCILMAN TREVINO'S WORD WHEN HE TELLS ME THAT THEIR'S B C AD IS A CONTINUOUS IMPROVEMENT ORGANIZATION, THE WAY THAT WE ARE A CONTINUOUS IMPROVEMENT ORGANIZATION. AND SO WHAT I WANTED TO DO WAS JUST GET A LOT OF QUESTIONS ANSWERED. SOME OF THOSE QUESTIONS INCLUDED. HOW DOES THIS IMPACT HOME OWNERSHIP, RIGHT? 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, YOU KNOW, OWNING THEIR VERY FIRST HOME. DOES THIS, DO OUR PRACTICES PLACE A BIGGER BURDEN ON SMALL BUSINESS? THEN IF THIS SMALL BUSINESS WOULD BE LOCATED IN TRAVIS COUNTY OR WEBB COUNTY OR HARRIS, IS THIS IMPEDING OUR ABILITY TO HELP OUR HOTELS GET THE MOST VALUE OUT OF BEING IN SAN ANTONIO VERSUS ANYWHERE ELSE? ARE WE CHASING JOBS OUTTA SAN ANTONIO? ARE WE, UM, NOT ATTRACTIVE TO PEOPLE WHO ARE INVESTING? ARE WE HELPING THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT FOUNDATION? ALL THOSE ARE QUESTIONS THAT I'M GONNA SIT DOWN WITH YOU GUYS AND ASK TO SEE IF, MAKE SURE THAT WE CAN INCLUDE IN THE STUDY. THOSE ARE QUESTIONS, BY THE WAY, UM, THAT WE HAVE EVERY RIGHT TO ASK. AND SO, LEMME TELL YOU SOME OBJECTIONS THAT I'VE HEARD, UH, IN THE PAST FROM DIFFERENT QUARTERS, UM, SAYING, NUMBER ONE, NONE OF OUR BUSINESS, WE SHOULD BE STAYING ON OUR OWN LANE AND LOOKING AT DATA THAT ONLY HAS TO DO WITH THE CITY. WELL, UH, WE LOOK AT DIABETES, WE LOOK AT, UH, YOU KNOW, TEEN PREGNANCY RATES. WE, YOU KNOW, UH, ANAS SANDOVAL, UH, LOOKS AT, UH, AIR QUALITY A LOT. UH, WE LOOK, MAYOR, YOU'RE FOCUSED ON COMPARING OTHER CITIES TO OURS WHEN IT COMES TO MOBILITY SOLUTIONS, UM, AND HOUSING SOLUTIONS. WE LOOK ALL THE TIME AT WHAT OTHER FEDERAL AND STATE AGENCIES ARE DOING ACROSS THE STATE AND HOW WE ARE DIFFERENT, TREATED DIFFERENT OR THE SAME. UM, THIS IS JUST ONE MORE, UH, COLLECTION OF DATA THAT'LL HELP US INFORM HOW BETTER WE CAN, UH, BLOCK AND TACKLE FOR OUR CONSTITUENTS AND MAKE SURE TO REMOVE IMPEDIMENTS TO THEIR ABILITY TO THRIVE WITH THAT. UM, I, I, 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. OKAY. THANK YOU. COUNCILMAN PLY. COUNCILWOMAN GRO. THANK YOU, MAYOR. UM, COUNCIL MEMBER, ARE YOU GONNA MAKE A MOTION LATER? OKAY. UM, ONE OF THE THING, THANK YOU VERY MUCH COUNCIL MEMBER FOR MOVING THIS FORWARD. I WAS GLAD TO SIGN ON TO IT AND, UM, HIGHLIGHTING THE AREAS OF WHERE WE CAN DO THAT CONTINUOUS IMPROVEMENT AND LOOK AT WHAT IS GOING WELL AND WHAT IS NOT GOING WELL, AND HOW DOES THAT IMPACT US AND OUR, UM, OUR PROPERTY OWNERS. I WAS VERY HAPPY TO SIGN ONTO THIS. 'CAUSE AS WE LOOK AT TRANSITION NEIGHBORHOODS, UM, 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, UH, STUDY MOVING FORWARD, WHICH I'M VERY PROUD TO DO. UM, AND WE NEED TO LOOK AT THIS BECAUSE AS WE PLAN OUR FUTURE AS THE CITY AND LOOKING AT, UH, TAX AT, UH, CAPS, ET CETERA, AT THE LEDGE, WE NEED TO SEE WHERE WE, UM, WE CAN HELP. UM, 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, UM, LOOKING THROUGH HER TAXES. IT SEEMED, UH, THAT IN 2011 WHEN MY FATHER PASSED AWAY IN 2012, THEY, THEY BEAR COUNTY APPRAISAL DISTRICT REMOVED HER HOMESTEAD EXEMPTION AND HER AND THE, UH, VETERANS TAX FROM THE HOMESTEAD. SO FROM ONE YEAR OF PAYING $840 IN TAXES 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 TO 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. SHE'S PAID HER TAXES, BUT HOW MANY PEOPLE ARE LIVING LIKE THIS RIGHT NOW THAT ARE OUR RESIDENTS THAT WE NEED TO DO THIS DUE DILIGENCE ON? AND THIS IS IN THE SOUTH SIDE OF SAN ANTONIO. SO, UM, AFTER SEEING THAT, KNOWING WHAT MY MOTHER IS GOING THROUGH AND OTHERS, UM, WE HA I'M PROUD THAT WE'RE MOVING FORWARD AND DOING THIS DEEP DIVE WHERE WE NEED TO. SO, UM, THANK YOU COUNCIL MEMBER. I'M PROUD TO, UH, SIGN ON AND I'LL BE HAPPY TO MAKE THE SECOND WHEN YOU MAKE IT. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. [00:35:01] COUNCILMAN VERON. COUNCILMAN COURAGE. THANK YOU, MAYOR. NOW, AS CHAIR OF THE AUDIT COMMITTEE, WE FREQUENTLY SEE DOZENS OF SELF-EVALUATIONS OF VARIOUS CITY DEPARTMENTS AND PROCESSES. AND IN SOME CASES, WE FIND A PROBLEM EXISTS AND, UH, WE WANT TO GET TO A REASONABLE RESOLUTION, UH, IN, BUT IN MOST CASES, WE JUST WANNA MAKE SURE THERE'S NOTHING WE'RE MISSING, OR IF WE'RE FOLLOWING BEST PRACTICES, UH, WE VERY WELL MAY FIND NOTHING UNUSUAL, UH, WITH THE WAY B CAT APPRAISES PROPERTIES. ON THE OTHER HAND, IF THERE IS SOMETHING OUTTA WHACK AS COMPARED WITH OTHER MUNICIPALITIES, UH, WE WANNA BE SURE THAT WE ARE DOING THE BEST. UH, AND THERE IS AN OPPORTUNITY. IF THERE IS AN OPPORTUNITY THAT WE MAKE IMPROVEMENTS. UH, WHAT DO WE, 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 DIRECTOR A SOTO, UH, PERTAINING TO RISK MITIGATION AND, UH, 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 AN ORDER FOR THIS COUNCIL TO TAKE THESE STEPS TO EXAMINE THE PROCESSES THAT ARE, ARE BEING USED. I HOPE THAT WE DO CONTINUE TO FIND AND IMPLEMENT BEST PRACTICES, UH, IN THE EVALUATION PROCESS IN BEXAR COUNTY. THANK YOU, MAYOR. THANK YOU. COUNCILMAN CUR, COUNCILMAN BROCK, HOUSE SUPPORT. THANK YOU, MAYOR. UH, JUST A QUICK THANKS TO COUNCILMAN ELIAS, UH, FOR PUTTING THIS TOGETHER. I KNOW, UH, COUNCILMAN PERRY AND I HAVE BEEN WORKING TOGETHER ON PROPERTY TAX ISSUES SINCE WE TOOK OFFICE. SO THIS IS A GREAT OPPORTUNITY TO GRAB ACTUAL DATA, UH, FOR US, UH, TO BE ABLE TO MAKE EVALUATIONS. AND WHAT'S IMPORTANT TO ME WHEN I SEE THIS IS ESPECIALLY THIS PORTION HERE ON INTERVIEWS WITH COMMERCIAL AND RESIDENTIAL PROPERTY REPRESENTATIVES, UH, I THINK WE'RE GONNA LEARN A LOT ABOUT THE BEAIRD COUNTY APPRAISAL DISTRICT. AND I'M GONNA PUSH JUST A LITTLE BIT FURTHER, COUNCILMAN POLIS, 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 HOPEFUL TO GET THAT INFORMATION AND REALLY TAKE THAT, UH, TO MAKE SOME TANGIBLE CHANGES AT THE BEXAR COUNTY APPRAISAL DISTRICT. I, I INTUITIVELY KNOW, I THINK YOU DO TOO, WHAT WE'RE GONNA GET FROM THOSE EVALUATIONS, UH, AND THAT THE PROCESS NEEDS TO CHANGE. THERE'S TWO WAYS TO PUT MORE TAX DOLLARS BACK IN SOMEONE'S PROPERTY, AND THAT'S TO LOWER THE RATE OR THE VALUATION. UM, AND YOU HAVE NOW ADDED THE SECOND PIECE. COUNCILMAN PERRY AND I CONTINUE TO TRY TO FIGHT FOR LOWER PROPERTY TAXES ON ONE SIDE OF IT. AND YOU'VE COME IN NOW ON THE OTHER SIDE, WHICH I WANT TO COMMEND YOU FOR 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 THAT THEIR $150,000 HOME ISN'T PRICED AT 225, AND THEY'LL NEVER SELL IT FOR THAT. THEY'LL NEVER GET THAT VALUE, BUT THEY'RE PAYING TAXES ON IT. SO I THINK YOU'VE, UH, YOU'VE ANSWERED THE SECOND HALF OF THAT. I WANTED TO THANK YOU AND YOUR TEAM FOR THAT. I LOOK FORWARD TO THE RESULTS FROM THIS. I THINK IT'S GONNA BE A, UH, IT'S GONNA BE A TOOL WE CAN USE TO DRIVE CHANGE. AND YOU'VE BEEN ON THIS ONE SINCE I SAW YOU REMEMBER AT THE BEGINNING OF THE TERM, UH, WHEN THE CHIEF APPRAISER CAME OUT AND YOU, YOU WERE PRETTY POINTED THAT THESE THINGS NEEDED TO GO. SO GOOD WORK. I APPRECIATE YOU FIGHTING ON BEHALF OF THE TAXPAYERS, AND I LOOK FORWARD TO JOINING YOU WHEN WE GET THE RESULTS BACK TO MAKING TANGIBLE CHANGES AT THE APPRAISAL DISTRICT. THANK YOU, MAYOR. THANK YOU. COUNCILMAN BHA. COUNCILWOMAN SANDOVAL. THANK YOU, MAYOR. I WOULD LIKE TO THANK COUNCILMAN FOR, UH, COMING FORWARD WITH THE C C R AND THIS IDEA AND FOR LETTING ME, UH, UH, PUT IN SOME SUGGESTIONS INTO THAT C C R LIKE CENSUS TRACK. SO THANK YOU. UH, THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR BEING OPEN TO THAT AND COMPLETELY AGREE WITH YOU THAT INFORMED POLICY POLICYMAKING REQUIRES, UM, AN UNDERSTANDING AND INFORMATION THAT MAYBE WE DON'T HAVE IN OUR HANDS RIGHT NOW. UM, YOU KNOW, I ALWAYS SAY THAT OUR CITY'S GROWING FASTER. WE ALL SAY THIS, THAT OUR CITY'S GROWING FASTER THAN IT EVER HAS BEFORE, AND THAT'S DRIVING UP OUR PROPERTY VALUES AND OUR PROPERTIES. UH, 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, TO OUR CHILDREN. UM, SO DRIVING UP VALUE SHOULD ACTUALLY BE A GOOD THING. UM, HOWEVER, UH, IN A PLACE WHERE WE DON'T HAVE AN INCOME TAX, WE REALLY ONLY HAVE OUR PROPERTY TAX, UM, IT'S, IT COMES WITH, UH, IT COMES WITH SOME, UH, DISADVANTAGES. UH, WHEN YOU HAVE AN INCOME TAX, YOU HAVE SOME LEVEL OF TRANSPARENCY ABOUT HOW THAT'S, UH, 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, ARE DONE, AND ESPECIALLY IN AN ERA OF, OF RAPID GROWTH, WE DON'T HAVE THAT PREDICTABILITY. [00:40:01] UH, I TOO HAVE STORIES OF HOMEOWNERS THAT HAVE SEEN AN, UH, A CHANGE THAT THEY DIDN'T EXPECT IN THEIR TAX BURDEN. AND IT'S NOT JUST, UH, HOMEOWNERS, BUT RENTERS AS WELL. UM, I HAVE A, A RESIDENT WHO, WHO, HE OWNS A HOME IN DISTRICT SEVEN AND RENTS OUT A COUPLE OF PROPERTIES IN SOME OF THE OTHER DISTRICTS AND, UH, IN NEIGHBORHOODS OF TRANSITION WHERE, UH, MAYBE THERE'S BEEN SOME HOUSES THAT HAVE BEEN RENOVATED AND GO FOR A REALLY HIGH PRICE, BUT HIS HASN'T. BUT HIS PROPERTY, HIS TAX BURDEN GOES UP AS WELL, AND HE HAS TO PASS THAT ON TO RENTERS WHO MAY NOT BE, UH, MAKING, UH, A LOT OF MONEY, AND THEY DON'T HAVE THE BENEFIT OF A HOMESTEAD EXEMPTION BECAUSE THEY'VE NEVER BEEN ABLE TO, TO PURCHASE A HOME. UM, SO THESE ARE THE TYPES OF THINGS THAT WE WANT TO, TO UNDERSTAND BETTER IS, UH, AND THAT'S REALLY WHY I ASKED FOR AN ANALYSIS BY GEOGRAPHY IS WHERE ARE THE PLACES WHERE WE'RE SEEING, UM, MAYBE, UH, A LOT RAPID, UH, A LOT HIGHER APPRAISALS FROM YEAR TO YEAR? UH, SO WE, OUR, OUR RESIDENTS EXPECT US TO UNDERSTAND THEM AND THEN HELP US RESOLVE, HELP THEM RESOLVE THAT ISSUE. SO THAT'S WHY WE NEED THAT, THAT INFORMATION. UM, I THINK THERE'S ALSO A LOT TO GAIN AND UNDERSTANDING WHO'S PROTESTING AND WHO'S NOT. THAT DEFINITELY BECOMES AN, AN ISSUE OF EQUITY IN OUR COMMUNITY BECAUSE, UH, NOT EVERYONE HAS THE TIME, THE AGENCY, THE WHEREWITHAL, THE COMPUTER SKILLS, UH, TO EFFECTIVELY PROTEST THEIR, THEIR APPRAISAL, WHEREAS SOME FOLKS DO. AND THEN WE, YOU KNOW, SOME END UP WITH A GREATER PROPERTY BURDEN THAN THEY WOULD HAVE A, A TAX BURDEN THAN THEY WOULD HAVE IF THEY'D HAD THOSE, UH, ABILITIES. SO I REALLY LOOK FORWARD TO THE RESULTS, UH, OF THIS STUDY AND, UH, LOOK FORWARD TO HOW WE CAN MAKE BETTER POLICY WITH THAT INFORMATION. THANK YOU VERY MUCH, COUNCILMAN. THANK YOU. COUNCILMAN SANDOVAL. COUNCILMAN PERRY. THANK YOU, SIR. WOW. THANK YOU, MAN. UH, COUNCILMAN PLY, THIS IS AWESOME. THIS, THIS SHOULD HAVE BEEN DONE A LONG TIME AGO. UM, I'M GLAD YOU'RE TAKING UP THE REINS. I'M JUST SORRY I DIDN'T GET TO SIGN THAT C C R, BUT, UH, MAYBE NEXT TIME. RIGHT? ALL RIGHT, WELL, LISTEN, UM, 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 ON A, 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 IN TO, UH, PROTEST THE PROPERTY, UH, VALUATION AND, AND WHAT THEY'RE SAYING MY PROPERTY IS WORTH, IT KICKS UP TO WHERE IT WAS SEVERAL YEARS AGO THAT I WAS ABLE TO PROTEST YEAR AFTER YEAR. BUT JUST ONE TIME, IT, IT, IT'S, THERE'S HORROR STORIES LIKE THAT ALL OVER THE PLACE AND, AND IT'S TIME THAT, UH, WE DO THIS. AND, UM, I DO HAVE A QUESTION FOR YOU THOUGH, UM, TROY, ON THE, UH, HAVE WE ACTUALLY REACHED OUT TO THE B C A AND TALKED TO THEM ABOUT THIS AND COORDINATED THIS WITH THEM AND, AND LET THEM KNOW WHAT WE'RE DOING AND WHAT WERE THEIR COMMENTS? YEAH, WE DID, BEN AND I MET WITH THE B C AD PROBABLY ABOUT 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, THE SCOPE OF THE STUDY, UM, KIND OF THE DATA THAT WOULD BE NEEDED, AND ALSO THAT WE WERE LOOKING TO RETAIN E P S TO DO IT. UM, THEY WERE COOPERATIVE. UM, THEY JUST WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT THE STUDY WAS GOING TO BE INDEPENDENT AND, AND OBJECTIVE, AND WHICH THE STUDY IS. OKAY, GREAT. UM, APPRECIATE THAT. I THINK THAT'S VERY IMPORTANT TO GIVE THEM NOTICE AND LET 'EM KNOW WHAT WE'RE DOING AND, UH, GET THEIR COOPERATION IN THIS, THIS WHOLE PROCESS. YOU KNOW, UM, I'VE GONE TO A NUMBER OF MEETINGS WITH, UH, UH, WHERE THEY'LL COME AND DO PRESENTATIONS AND, AND FOR SOMEONE TO BE PROUD OF THE FACT THAT THEY HAVE HUNDREDS AND HUNDREDS OF MILLIONS OF DOLLARS IN LAWSUITS AGAINST OUR BUSINESSES, UH, ACROSS SAN, UH, ACROSS BAYER 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, THAT REALLY STICKS IN MY CRAW ABOUT, UM, OUR CURRENT TAXING DISTRICT AND THEIR ATTITUDE TOWARDS NOT ONLY BUSINESSES, BUT HOMEOWNERS AS WELL. SO, UH, UH, I AM GONNA STICK OUT THERE. I'M LISTENING TO MY COLLEAGUES TALK AROUND THIS, UH, DAIS HERE ABOUT, UH, 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 THAT I'VE BEEN TRYING TO PUSH FOR, FOR THE LAST TWO YEARS IS, UH, PROVIDE A HOMESTEAD EXEMPTION. SO I'M GONNA BE PUSHING IN [00:45:01] THAT, GETTING THAT, UH, CONCEPT AGAIN THIS YEAR, AND OUR BUDGET WORKING GROUP. AND I HOPE MY COLLEAGUES WILL JOIN US THIS TIME TO OFFER SOMETHING BACK TO OUR HOMEOWNERS, UH, FOR PROPERTY TAX RELIEF. AND I, I THANK MY COLLEAGUE, JOHN, COURAGE FOR, UH, PUTTING A C C R TOGETHER, AND WE'VE GOT SOME SIGNATURES ON THAT TO PASS THAT ON THROUGH TO GOVERNANCE. AND I HOPE THAT WE ALL CAN JOIN TOGETHER TO SUPPORT THAT, TO OFFER THAT, THAT TAX RELIEF TO OUR HOMEOWNERS HERE. SO, UH, WITH THAT, I'LL TOTALLY SUPPORT THIS, AND THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR BRINGING THIS UP. COUNCILMAN PLA THANK YOU, SIR. THANK YOU. COUNCILMAN PERRY. COUNCILMAN SALANA. THANK YOU, MAYOR. AND, UH, I'M, I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO WHAT THE RESULT OF THE, THE, 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, UH, EQUIPPING OURSELVES WITH THE DATA TO SAY WE ARE OUTLIERS WITH RESPECT TO, UH, A BENCH TO MARK CITY IS IMPORTANT. BUT THAT, I SUPPOSE THE NEXT QUESTION IS, YOU KNOW, WHAT ARE YOU GONNA DO ABOUT IT? AND I THINK WE HAVE TO SORT OF FIGURE OUT WHERE, WHAT LEVERS WE HAVE TO PULL IN THAT. BUT I, I WILL SAY ON, ON THE CONCEPT HERE, IT'S IMPORTANT FOR FOR US TO REITERATE THIS IDEA THAT, UH, THERE'S A, UH, AN IMBALANCE WHEN IT COMES TO THE KNOWLEDGE IT TAKES TO TRY TO DRIVE DOWN YOUR PROPERTY TAXES. AND SOMETIMES, UH, THAT KNOWLEDGE BASE ISN'T SHARED, UH, IN AN EQUITABLE MANNER THROUGHOUT OUR CITY. SO I'M GRATEFUL TO KNOW THAT WHAT WE WILL HEAR IS THAT THERE, THEY'RE GONNA DO SOME STUDYING ON WHAT AREAS DO PROTEST AND, AND WHAT AREAS MAY NOT. UH, IT REMINDS ME OF, OF THE CONCEPT THAT WE HAVE FOR WHY WE STARTED THE VIDA PROGRAM, THE, UH, PROGRAM THAT HELPS SOME OF OUR LOWER INCOME RESIDENTS, UH, FILL OUT THEIR TAXES TO MAXIMIZE THE AMOUNT OF RETURN THEY GET. IN MANY CASES, FOLKS, UH, BECAUSE THEY DON'T HAVE ACCESS TO ACCOUNTANTS OR LAWYERS, UH, ARE PAYING MORE OR NOT GETTING ENOUGH BACK IN THEIR FEDERAL INCOME TAXES BECAUSE THEY JUST DON'T HAVE THE, THE WHEREWITHAL OR THE RESOURCES TO DO THAT. IT SOUNDS SIMILAR TO THE PROCESS WE HAVE NOW FOR PROTEST. AND I THINK OUR, OUR, 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 WHO REALLY PAY ATTENTION TO IT. SO I KNOW THAT IT IS ANOTHER LANGUAGE ENTIRELY TO A LOT OF OUR RESIDENTS. AND, UH, WHAT I HOPE COMES FROM THIS IS THAT WE'RE ABLE TO MAKE SENSE OF A DISCREPANCY OR AN OUTLIER THAT BEAR COUNTY MAY PLAY IF IT IS. SO, UH, COUNCILMAN, I KNOW THAT YOU'RE CHIMING BACK IN, SO IF YOU CAN JUST KINDA GIVE US A SENSE OF, YOU KNOW, WHAT SUCCESS LOOKS LIKE WHEN WE GET THIS REPORT BACK SO THAT WE MIGHT BE ABLE TO, UH, 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, WHAT, WHAT EQUIPMENT, WHAT TOOLS WE WOULD HAVE TO ACTUALLY DO SOMETHING ABOUT THIS. SO, UM, LOOK FORWARD TO SUPPORTING AND, AND, UM, GRATEFUL THAT WE'RE HAVING A CONVERSATION. THANK YOU, MAYOR. THANK YOU. COUNCILMAN SALDANA. COUNCILMAN POLITES. THANK YOU. SO THAT'S, THAT IS THE QUESTION, RIGHT? WHAT, ONCE YOU COLLECT THIS DATA, WHAT YOU'RE GONNA DO WITH IT, RIGHT? THAT, AND THAT'S WHAT EVERYBODY HAS. UH, WHO'S TAKEN AN INTEREST IN THIS HAS ASKED. THE ANSWER THAT I BELIEVE THAT EVERYBODY IS, UM, AGREES WITH, IS THAT THERE HAS NEVER BEEN DATA LIKE THIS EVER. UM, AND THAT, BECAUSE THERE HAS 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, RIGHT? UH, OR LOOKING AT THE SAME AL . UH, AND THEN 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, UM, 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 ON, UH, AND ECHOING, UH, COUNCILMAN BROCK HOUSE'S COMMENTS, IS THAT THIS WILL ALSO ARM B C AD'S BIGGEST CUSTOMER US, RIGHT? WITH THE INFORMATION THAT WE NEED TO BE ABLE TO GO SPEAK TO B C AD ABOUT OPPORTUNITIES FOR IMPROVEMENT. IF WE FIND OUT THAT IN FACT, THERE IS DISPARATE TREATMENT, TREATMENT OF BEXAR COUNTY RESIDENTS, AND, UH, GONNA, AS COMPARED TO OTHERS, UM, WE CAN EASILY SAY, LOOK, YOU KNOW, WE AS YOUR BIGGEST CUSTOMER, [00:50:01] WANT YOU GUYS TO BE AS VULNERABLE AS WE ARE TO, UH, YOU KNOW, OPPORTUNITIES TO IMPROVE, AND LET'S HAVE THAT CONVERSATION. AND THAT'S A CONVERSATION THAT'S NEVER BEEN HAD BECAUSE THE ONLY THING THAT WE'VE EVER HAD IS ANECDOTES. AND IT'S EASY TO SWAT ANECDOTES AWAY, RIGHT? AND SO, COUNCILMAN SAL, UH, SALDANA, THAT FOR ME IS, IS THE SUCCESS. WHAT HAPPENS AFTER THAT IS GONNA REQUIRE A CONVERSATION WITH THE DIFFERENT, UH, TAXING AUTHORITIES, RIGHT? UM, BUT I THINK IT'LL HELP US ALSO INFORM OUR SCHOOL BOARD TRUSTEES, UH, OUR FRIENDS OVER AT THE RIVER AUTHORITY, OUR FRIENDS AT, YOU KNOW, BEAR COUNTY, UM, TO REALLY LOOK AT, YOU KNOW, WHAT IT IS THAT, UM, NOT HAVING THE CONVERSATION HAS RESULTED IN OVER THE YEARS, WHICH IS, IN MY OPINION, POSSIBLY SHIFTING THE BURDEN ONTO POOR PEOPLE. UM, YOU KNOW, AS OPPOSED TO THE FOLKS IN MY NEIGHBORHOODS WHO LIVE IN THE DOMINION, THEY'VE GOT, THEY'VE GOT THE MONEY IT TAKES TO BE ABLE TO HIRE A LAW FIRM TO GO SUE AND WIN, UH, 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, UH, I KNOW THAT'S A, THAT'S A HEADY AND SORT OF MORE MACRO, UH, UH, ANSWER THAN YOU PROBABLY WANTED, BUT THAT'S THE, THAT'S THE ANSWER THAT, AND I HOPE THAT THAT SATISFIES YOUR QUESTION. UM, SO WITHOUT MAYOR, LET ME, LET ME TELL YOU THAT, UM, I DID LAST NIGHT HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK TO BCA LEADERSHIP. UM, BCA LEADERSHIP, UH, HAS, UM, YOU KNOW, BEEN VERY OPEN TO HEARING ME. UM, AND AT, AT FIRST THERE WAS SOME RETICENCE AND SOME ANGER AND, UH, SOME, UM, SOME CONSTERNATION ABOUT, YOU KNOW, WHAT IS THIS? YOU'RE LOOKING AT US, WE DON'T WANNA BE LOOKED AT. THIS IS, YOU KNOW, LEAVE US ALONE. WE DON'T LOOK AT YOU. RIGHT? UM, AND THEN, YOU KNOW, THERE, THERE ATTITUDES STARTED SOFTENING, UM, WHEN I TOLD THEM, YOU KNOW, LOOK, THIS IS AN OPPORTUNITY FOR ALL OF US TO IMPROVE, UM, AND IT'S, IT IS GOING TO POSSIBLY RESULT IN A DIFFICULT CONVERSATION. UM, AND I REMINDED THEM THAT WE ARE THEIR NUMBER ONE CUSTOMER. AND AS A NUMBER ONE CUSTOMER, YOU KNOW, OUR ANSWERS, YOU KNOW, UH, I'M SORRY. THE QUESTIONS THAT, UH, THAT WE'RE ASKING AND THE ANSWERS THAT WE'RE REQUIRING, UM, SHOULD BE TAKEN SERIOUSLY. AND, AND THEY DID. THEY SAID, YOU KNOW, WE, WE DO TAKE THAT SERIOUSLY. AND YOU'RE RIGHT, YOU'RE A NUMBER ONE CUSTOMER. THEY FREQUENTLY DO TALK, UH, ABOUT CUSTOMER SERVICE, UM, AND HOW THAT'S AN IMPORTANT, OR, YOU KNOW, ORGANIZATIONAL VALUE TO THEM. AND SO I'M, I'M HAPPY TO REPORT THAT AFTER THOSE CONVERSATIONS THAT WE HAD LAST NIGHT WITH BCA LEADERSHIP, UM, I INVITED THEM TO, TO DO THE RIGHT THING AND TO JOIN US IN THIS EFFORT TO DO THIS META ANALYSIS OF THEMSELVES AND HOW WE ALL FIT INTO, UM, YOU KNOW, THIS ECOSYSTEM OF TAXATION IN TEXAS. UM, AND I'M HAPPY TO TELL YOU ALL THAT I'VE GOT A TENTATIVE AGREEMENT, UH, FROM B C A D, UM, TO PARTNER WITH US ON, ON THIS ONE, UH, AND POSSIBLY HELP FUND THIS STUDY. I DON'T WANNA MISS OUT ON THAT OPPORTUNITY, WHICH IS WHY, AS UNEXPECTED AS IT MAY BE TO SOME OF YOU, I'M GONNA ASK YOU TO, UM, 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. AND, UH, IF IN FACT THEY CAN COME UP WITH THE, YOU KNOW, THE RESOURCES TO HELP PARTNER AND GET THIS THING DONE, THEN THAT'LL BE A GOOD DAY. BUT IT'LL BE A GOOD DAY NONETHELESS, BECAUSE THIS ITEM'S GONNA BE COMING UP ON APRIL 4TH, IF YOU ALL AGREE TO THAT, UH, FOR US TO, UM, UH, TO VOTE ON IT WITH OR WITHOUT, UM, THAT PARTNERSHIP. AND SO I'M ASKING, UH, FOR YOU GUYS TO HAVE SOME PATIENCE, UH, TO LET US HAMMER OUT, UH, A MORE CONCRETE, UH, AGREEMENT WITH THEM. BUT I DO THINK THAT THE RESULT IS GONNA BE THE SAME AS WE WOULD GET IF WE WOULD DO, UM, THE VOTE TODAY. AND TO YOUR POINT, COUNCILMAN, UH, PERRY, UM, YOU KNOW, RUNNING IT BY THEM AND GETTING COOPERATION IS AS IMPORTANT AS, UH, AS ANYTHING ELSE. AND SO, UM, I'M HOPING THAT, UM, Y'ALL WILL, UH, ACCEPT MY MOTION TO POSTPONE THIS, UH, TO THE BEGINNING OF APRIL, UH, AFTER BCAS, UH, YOU KNOW, HOPEFULLY THEY'LL CALL A MEETING IN MARCH, AND MY MOTION IS TO CONTINUE. SECOND, OKAY, THERE IS A MOTION AND A SECOND FOR CONTINUANCE OF ITEM NUMBER FOUR TO MAYOR APRIL 4TH, FIRST MEETING IN APRIL. OKAY, ITEM NUMBER FIVE, EXCUSE ME. COUNCILMAN GONZALEZ. OKAY. YES. I JUST WANTED TO, UM, I'M SORRY, DID YOU ALREADY HAVE A MOTION IN A SECOND FOR DELAY? WE WERE HAVING A SIDEBAR CONVERSATION HERE. SO, UM, IS IT, UH, I, YOU KNOW, I'M, I'M SORRY. FORGIVE ME FOR CHIMING IN LATE ON THIS ONE. UM, BECAUSE I WAS, I WAS ACTUALLY DOING A LITTLE INDEPENDENT STUDY, UH, MYSELF IN-HOUSE ABOUT SOME DATA. UH, THE BENEFIT OF HAVING PHDS AND PHD INTERNS ON YOUR STAFF IS THAT THEY LOVE DATA. AND SO WE WERE DOING SOME IN-HOUSE WORK, UM, AND WONDERED IF THERE'S POTENTIAL TO EXPAND THE SCOPE OF THE STUDY [00:55:01] TO WORK ON SOME OF THE THINGS THAT WE WERE WORKING ON IN HOUSE THAT HAVE TO DO WITH EVALUATIONS AND ADD DIFFERENT, UH, I WOULD HAVE TO ASK, UM, OFFLINE IF IT'S, 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? UH, IF THERE'S A POTENTIAL TO, UM, YEAH, SO, SO IF, IF, IF I MAY ANSWER THE, UH, I WOULD, 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, YOU KNOW, MAKING SURE THAT WE'RE INCLUDING ALL, UH, YOU KNOW, UM, 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, UM, BETWEEN NOW AND THE FIRST MEETING IN APRIL TO SIT DOWN WITH YOUR TEAM TO SORT OF INCLUDE SOME OF THESE, UH, YOU KNOW, ADDITIONS. UH, SO LONG AS OF COURSE IT DOESN'T DERAIL WHAT, WHAT YOU'VE ACCOMPLISHED BY PICKING THE I YEAH, I THOUGHT THAT WAS PROBABLY A, A QUESTION FOR YOU. YEAH, I THINK, UH, TROY TO SEE IF, UM, UH, ONLY BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, OF COURSE THE STUDY THAT WE'RE DOING IN HOUSE, UM, IT DID NOT GO OUT FOR AN R F P, UH, AND DID NOT, UM, INCLUDE ALL OF THE PROFESSIONALS. AND THEN SOMETIMES THEN THE REPORTS ARE NOT TAKEN, UH, AS TO BE AS VALUABLE, UH, BECAUSE WE DIDN'T GO THROUGH THE PROCESS, EVEN IF THE RESULT, UM, THAT I HAVE IS SIMILAR. UH, SO RATHER THAN SPEND THE TIME DOING IT MYSELF, COULD WE JUST INCLUDE IT IN WHAT YOU ALREADY HAVE? OR IS IT IF, IF THE P IF THE R F P IS ALREADY SET AND THE PARAMETERS ARE SET, UM, THEN, THEN THAT'S FINE. I, 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. AND I THINK WITH THE CONTINUANCE, THERE'S AN OPPORTUNITY TO DO THAT. I THINK WITH THE DISCUSSIONS WITH B C A COMING UP IN MARCH AS WELL IN JOINING WITH THEM, THERE MAY BE SOME ADDITIONAL SCOPE MODIFICATIONS AS WELL. SO I THINK THE ONLY LIMITATION WOULD BE IS JUST MAKING SURE THAT IT FITS WITHIN THE SPIRIT OF THE C C R. UM, WELL THEN, UH, THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR THAT. AND, UH, I APPRECIATE, THANK YOU. SO I APPRECIATE THE WORK. THANK YOU. SO, MAYOR, BEFORE I PRO, I PROMISE I'M DONE. UH, THE, UH, BE BEFORE I'M DONE, I, I WANNA MAKE, MAKE SURE THAT IT IS ABSOLUTELY CLEAR THAT MY HOPE IS, IS THAT WE CAN REACH SOME AGREEMENT WITH BCAT AS FAR AS THE SCOPE OF THE PARTNERSHIP IF WE DON'T, BETWEEN NOW AND THAT DATE. I'M BRINGING THIS FORWARD AGAIN, AND I'M GONNA ASK FOR YOUR VOTE THAT WE DO THIS INDEPENDENTLY, UM, OR, YOU KNOW, INDEPENDENTLY. 'CAUSE IT DOES NEED TO BE DONE, AND IT SEEMS LIKE THERE'S, THERE'S CONSENSUS AROUND THE TABLE. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. UH, COUNCILMAN GONZALEZ. COUNCILMAN BROCKO. THANK YOU MAYOR. UH, COUNCILMAN IMPLIES QUICK, UH, COUPLE OF CLARIFYING QUESTIONS FOR YOU. UM, IS THIS ABOUT THE, IS THIS A FINANCIAL SHARE? IS THAT WHAT THIS IS PREDOMINANTLY ABOUT FOR YOU? I'M, HELP ME UNDERSTAND WHY WE JUST DON'T GO RIGHT NOW. LIKE I, I I'M JUST, IS IT ABOUT THE CASH AND SPLITTING THE COST? YEAH, SO, UM, THERE'S ABSOLUTELY, FIRST OF ALL, I'LL PREFACE THIS BY SAYING THERE'S ABSOLUTELY NO COMMITMENT YET ON THE CASH AMOUNT, UH, 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. AND IF WE CAN FIGURE OUT A WAY TO SAVE $80,000, UH, THAT'S A GOOD THING. UH, BUT NUMBER TWO, UM, I WOULD MUCH RATHER HAVE THEIR COOPERATION DURING THIS STUDY THAN NOT. UM, BECAUSE IF THEY'VE GOT SKIN IN THE GAME, UH, THEN I DO THINK THAT WE'RE GONNA END UP GETTING THIS DONE FASTER. AND, UH, BUT THE CAVEAT OF COURSE, IS, AND THEN I'M DRIVING THIS HOME WITH THEM, IS THAT, YOU KNOW, 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, YOU KNOW, THIS IS OUR SCOPE AND THAT THE END RESULT NEEDS TO BE TRANSPARENT AND TRUSTWORTHY. OKAY. I, I WOULD JUST, I WOULD JUST TELL YOU TWO POINTS. UM, I THINK WE SHOULD GO TODAY. LIKE I DON'T THINK IT, WE SHOULD WAIT. UM, AND THEIR PORTION OF THEIR 39,000 OR $40,000, WHATEVER IT IS, AND THIS IS A FAR GREATER REACH FOR THE HOMEOWNERS, THAT I THINK THAT THAT'S CASH WORTH SPENDING. 'CAUSE THE LONG TERM, YOU TALK ABOUT R O I A 40 THOU, AND WE, WHAT WE'RE GONNA 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, TO QUANTIFY THESE ISSUES AND TO GET SOLID DATA. AND IF THE NO OFFENSE TO THE BEXAR COUNTY APPRAISAL DISTRICT LEADERSHIP, BUT I WOULD BE CONCERNED ABOUT WHO'S DRIVING THIS, IF THEY'RE PUTTING HALF THE CASH IN. REMEMBER WE'VE SEEN ON DIFFERENT PROJECTS WITH THE COUNTY, WHEN THEY COME IN AND DO A FEW THINGS, THERE'S A CONTROL PIECE GOING ON THERE. SO I FRANKLY WOULD NOT WANT THEM HAVING ANY PORTION OF, I LIKE THE THIRD PARTY INDEPENDENT PIECE, BUT, UM, I JUST WOULD HOPE THAT BECAUSE THEY PUT MONEY IN, IT DOESN'T BECOME IT THIS DIFFERENT CON CONVERSATION ABOUT THE CONTROLLING OF THE PROCESS [01:00:01] TO WHERE WE'RE NOT GETTING THAT FAIR DATA THAT COMES OUT AT THE END. SO, SO WHAT YOU DON'T KNOW, WHAT YOU JUST DID IS THAT I THINK YOU JUST VOLUNTEERED WITH ME TO MAKE SURE, TO KEEP A CAREFUL EYE ON THE FACT THAT THIS IS GONNA BE OUR STUDY AND NOT SUBJECT TO ANYBODY ELSE'S CONTROL. IF YOU CAN YEAH. IF YOU GET THAT COMMITMENT THAT, THAT, THAT'S, THAT'S SOMETHING YOU'RE SHOOTING FOR. YES, SIR. AND I'LL SUPPORT YOU ON YOUR POSTPONEMENT. IT'S, UH, I, I WANT TO GO RIGHT NOW. I THINK THE CITIZENS ARE DEMANDING IT AND HAVE BEEN FOR AT LEAST MY LAST COUPLE OF YEARS. UM, BUT, UH, NO, IF YOU, IF WE CAN MAKE SURE THAT THAT'S THE FOCUS AND THERE'S A CONTROL THAT'S THIRD PARTY AND THEY, IT, IT'S JUST, I JUST WANT THE BEST FOR THE RESIDENTS TO BE ABLE TO GET THE, THE TRUTH OUT OF IT AS QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE. BUT, SO I'LL SUPPORT YOU IN YOUR CALL FOR A POSTPONEMENT, BUT AGAIN, THANK YOU FOR THE WORK. IT, IT'S MUCH NEEDED FOR THE RESIDENTS. THANK YOU, MAYOR. THANK YOU. COUNCILMAN BROCK, HOUSE. COUNCILMAN GRO, UH, I THINK I DO HAVE CONCERNS ABOUT A POSTPONEMENT AND, UM, BECAUSE WE LOOKED AT THIS ORIGINALLY IN JUNE OF 2018, AND A LOT OF WORK HAS BEEN GONE, AND I'M GLAD YOU DID SPEAK TO THE B C AD LEADERSHIP LAST NIGHT, BUT WE KNEW THAT WE WERE MOVING FORWARD WITH THIS TODAY. UM, AND MY CONCERNS KIND OF ARE WRAPPED UP INTO THE WHOLE, UM, IF WE, SO I GUESS FOR CLARIFICATION POINTS, YOU'RE GOING TO MOVE THIS FORWARD IF THEY SAY, OKAY, THERE'S NOT GONNA 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 GONNA BE COOPERATIVE IF THEY'RE NOT PUTTING MONEY IN? UH, SO WE'RE, WE'RE MOVING FORWARD ONE WAY OR ANOTHER. YEAH. YEAH. SO, SO I'M, THE WAY I LOOK AT THIS IS I'M NOT GONNA LET THE, YOU KNOW, THE PERFECT, BE THE ENEMY OF THE GOOD HERE. AND, UH, YOU KNOW, IT SEEMS LIKE, UH, I'M HEARING, I'M GETTING ALL THE RIGHT SIGNALS FROM OUR FRIENDS AT B C AD, I WANT TO TAKE THEM AT THEIR WORD. UM, AND, UH, IF THEY TELL ME THAT THEY'RE GOING TO ENDEAVOR, UH, TO GET US THERE, UH, BY APRIL 4TH, UM, THEN I CAN'T DENY THEM THE REQUEST TO AT THE VERY LEAST HAVE THAT CONVERSATION WITH THEM. UM, AND I ADMIT, YEAH, IT'S LATE IN THE DAY. PART OF THAT IS MY FAULT, UH, TO BE HONEST WITH YOU. AND, UH, I, I ALSO COULD HAVE REACHED OUT TO BCA A LONG TIME AGO. UH, BUT AT LEAST THE CONVERSATION'S HAPPENING. AND AGAIN, BACK TO THE ORIGINAL ANSWER TO COUNCILMAN SANOS POINT, THE ONE THING THAT'S BEEN MISSING ALL ALONG IS CONVERSATIONS. UM, AND, YOU KNOW, I CONSIDER IT A SUCCESS THAT AT LEAST WE'RE BEING FRANK AND CANDID WITH EACH OTHER. UM, AND I, I, I GIVE YOU MY COMMITMENT THAT WHAT I'M HEARING FROM THEM IS THE RIGHT THING. UM, AND THAT'S, THAT'S THE BEST I CAN DO AS FAR AS ANSWERING YOUR QUESTION, COUNCILMAN. UM, OKAY. AND I WANT TO, AND I, I BELIEVE THAT YOU'RE INTERPRETING THAT THE WAY YOUR, YOUR PERCEPTION IS AS WELL. UM, MY CONCERN MOVING FORWARD IS, UM, THERE'S A LOT OF PEOPLE THAT, AND SO WHY APRIL? BECAUSE WE WERE SUPPOSED TO START THIS IN THE PRESENTATION IN MARCH. YEAH. SO THAT'S, THAT'S, UM, THAT ACTUALLY IS A CALENDARING ISSUE. THEY DON'T HAVE THEIR FIR 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. SO, UM, ALRIGHT. I UNDERSTAND WHAT YOU'RE SAYING AND I WOULD JUST, UM, I THINK WE'VE SAID THIS SO MANY TIMES ON THIS DAUS THAT THE, UM, THAT THE BEST WAY TO KILL SOMETHING IS WITH A DELAY. THAT'S RIGHT. SO WHAT I WOULD LIKE TO DO IS MAKE A MOTION TO, UH, MOVE FORWARD WITH STAFF'S RECOMMENDATION TODAY. OKAY? OKAY. THERE IS A MOTION, UH, FOR MOVING FORWARD OR MOVING ITEM NUMBER FIVE TODAY. IS THERE A SECOND? I'LL SECOND THE MOTION. OKAY. THERE IS A SECOND. ANDY, GO AHEAD. JUST A POINT OF ORDER, MAYOR, UH, IF, IF THE, WHAT COUNCILMAN TODAY IS TO TODAY COMES FROM , IT'S ALREADY ON AGENDA, SO I WOULD RECOMMEND YOU VOTE ON COUNCIL, COUNCIL VOTES ON THE ITEM TODAY. OKAY. YEAH. SO THE ORIGINAL MOTION IS PRIMARY FOR THE CONTINUANCE. WE'LL TAKE UP THE SECONDARY MOTION IF THAT FAILS. COUNCILMAN HALL. AND SO THE ONLY ADDITIONAL COMMENT I WOULD ADD, AND KIND OF ALONG THE LINES WITH COUNCILMAN BROADCAST AND COUNCILWOMAN VERAN IS THAT I, I THINK EVERYBODY WANTS TO MOVE ON IT NOW. UH, I THINK THE ISSUE IS THE AMOUNT. UM, I THINK WE, 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, UM, BY OURSELVES OR WITH A PARTNER. AND, UM, AND THAT WAY WE GET TO VOTE TODAY AND, AND WE CAN, WE CAN ALSO BE OPEN TO A PARTNERSHIP. THANK YOU. COUNCILMAN HALL, COUNCILMAN COURAGE. THANK YOU, MAYOR. UH, IT SEEMS TO ME THAT WHAT, UH, COUNCILMAN ELAS IS SUGGESTING IS REALLY, UH, THE BEST WAY TO GO. BECAUSE IF, [01:05:01] IF AS, AS WE WANT TO, WE HAVE THIS, UH, RESEARCH AND IT SHOWS THAT THERE ARE THINGS THAT, UH, COULD BE CHANGED, BEST PRACTICES THAT COULD BE IM IMPLEMENTED IF WE'RE DOING THIS ON OUR OWN, HOW DO WE GET BEXAR COUNTY APPRAISAL DISTRICT TO ACCEPT WHAT WE, WHAT WE'VE COME UP WITH? BUT IF THEY'RE PART OF THAT PROCESS, IT'LL BE A LOT EASIER FOR THEM TO START TO IMPLEMENT ANYTHING THAT TURNS UP THAT WOULD BE AN IMPROVEMENT FOR THE TAXPAYERS. IT'D BE A LOT HARDER FOR THEM TO RESIST IT IF THEY'RE PART OF THAT PROCESS. UNDOUBTEDLY, WE'RE GONNA HAVE TO LOOK AT INFORMATION THAT THEY HAVE AND THAT THEY USE WHEN THEY DO THEIR EVALUATIONS. UH, AND IF WE HAVE THEM AS A PARTNER, IT'LL 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 B C A D AS, UH, EVEN A JUNIOR PARTNER IN THIS, THEN WE'RE MISSING AN OPPORTUNITY TO EXPEDITE ANY IMPROVEMENTS OR BEST PRACTICES THAT WE FIND ARE, ARE NECESSARY. SO I WOULD SAY LET'S GO AHEAD AND DELAY THIS, UH, UNTIL APRIL. AND, UM, AND SO THAT WOULD BE MY RECOMMENDATION. THANK YOU. THANK YOU, COUNCILMAN. COURAGE. COUNCILMAN SALANA. THANK YOU, MAYOR. JUST TO SAY THAT I, I, I AGREE WITH COUNCILMAN COURAGE. IT, IT SEEMS THAT WE'VE HAD SUCH AN ANTAGONISTIC RELATIONSHIP WITH BCAT ALREADY. UM, AND I KNOW THAT IF ANYBODY IS GOING TO THREAD THE NEEDLE, UH, NOBODY MORE EQUIPPED THAN COUNCILMAN PALIS WHO'S BEEN AT THE DRIVER'S SEAT FOR THIS. BUT LET'S BE HONEST, THE REASON WE NEED TO DO THIS DELAY IS BECAUSE COUNCILMAN PALIS COULDN'T FIND HIS TIE THIS MORNING. SO 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, THE DELAY FOR THOSE TWO REASONS. THANK YOU. COUNCILMAN SALANA. OKAY. UM, AND I DON'T THINK THERE'S ANYBODY WHO'S BEEN A BIGGER CHAMPION OF WANTING TO GET THIS DONE THAN COUNCILMAN PALAIS. AND I KNOW HE'S DONE, UH, QUITE A BIT OF DUE DILIGENCE TO MAKE SURE IT'S DONE THE RIGHT WAY. UH, WE, HE HEAR THE CALLS FOR AN INDEPENDENT STUDY, AND, AND OF COURSE YOU HAVE 10 MEMBERS OF THE COUNCIL AS WELL AS ME, WHO ARE INTERESTED IN MAKING SURE THAT IT'S DONE INDEPENDENTLY. SO WE WILL ASSURE THE PUBLIC OF THAT. BUT, UH, AGAIN, NOTING THAT COUNCILMAN IMPLY IS THE DRIVING FORCE BEHIND GETTING THIS DATA. I'M GONNA FOLLOW HIS LEAD WITH THE CONTINUANCE. UH, SO WE'LL TAKE UP THE MOTION FOR THE CONTINUANCE TO APRIL 4TH OF ITEM NUMBER FIVE, PLEASE VOTE. MOTION CARRIES. OKAY. ALRIGHT. WE HAVE A TIME, CERTAIN, UH, AGENDA TODAY THAT IS GONNA REQUIRE US TO DELAY, OR EXCUSE ME TO RECESS AND COME BACK TO ITEMS 23 THROUGH 24, AS WELL AS ITEM NUMBER NINE. UH, 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. WOW. GOOD MORNING. UM, MAY I, MAYOR, I THINK I'LL GO TO THE PODIUM IF THAT'S OKAY. GOOD MORNING. I USUALLY ONLY DO THIS, UH, FROM THIS POSITION WHEN I PRESENT THE BUDGET, BUT THIS IS A SPECIAL DAY FOR ME, SO, UM, I THOUGHT I'D COME RIGHT UP TO THE PODIUM HERE AND TALK WITH YOU ALL. UM, THANK YOU MAYOR AND COUNCIL. AND, UH, I WANT TO THANK, I THINK I SAW MAYOR HARDBERGER, UH, COME IN JUST A MOMENT AGO. UH, RICHARD PEREZ, WHO WAS ON THE CITY COUNCIL IN 2005, I SAW HIM WALK IN ART HALL, WAS ALSO HERE ON THE CITY COUNCIL. AND YOU'RE IN A UNIQUE POSITION, ART BECAUSE, UH, YOU'LL PROBABLY BE THE ONLY CITY COUNCIL MEMBER WHO HIRED SOMEONE. AND THEN 13 YEARS LATER WAS ON THE CITY COUNCIL, UH, WHEN THAT CITY MANAGER LEAVES. SO, UH, TO ALL THOSE COUNCIL MEMBERS IN 2005 THAT BROUGHT ME TO SAN ANTONIO. I SAY, UH, THANK YOU. IT'S BEEN A PLEASURE AND HONOR TO LEAD THIS MUNICIPAL CORPORATION, AND I HAVE TO SAY THAT, UH, I HAVE APPRECIATED ALL THE COMMENTS I'VE RECEIVED SINCE I ANNOUNCED MY RETIREMENT, UH, BACK IN NOVEMBER, UH, FROM A VARIETY OF PEOPLE THROUGHOUT THE COMMUNITY. UM, I DO WANNA THANK, UH, ALL OF YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT DURING, UH, MY TENURE HERE AS WELL. UM, I WOULD LIKE TO INTRODUCE MY FAMILY AND I THINK MY MOTHER [01:10:01] IS ON HER WAY IN HERE WITH HER CAREGIVER IN JUST A MOMENT. BUT, UM, MY HUSBAND MIKE IS HERE, UH, WITH WHOM I COULD NOT HAVE DONE THIS JOB WITHOUT HIS SUPPORT, HUMOR, AND LOVE. UM, HE'S KEPT ME GROUNDED FOR MORE THAN 40 YEARS. AND, UM, I'M REALLY PLEASED THAT HE'S HERE TODAY AND I THINK HE'S MORE EXCITED ABOUT MY RETIREMENT THAN I AM . UM, , UM, OUR CHILDREN, COURTNEY AND COLIN ARE, UH, THE JOYS OF OUR LIFE. AND COURTNEY, WHO I REFER TO, SHE KNOWS AS MY FAVORITE GIRL IN THE WORLD, IS HERE TODAY FROM SAN FRANCISCO. SO COURTNEY, THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE AND MAKING THIS LONG TRIP. UM, OUR SON, COLIN AND HIS WIFE LIVE IN AUSTIN, BUT THEIR WORK SCHEDULES, UH, HAVE KEPT THEM AWAY TODAY. BUT I KNOW CAR, UH, COLIN AND AMANDA ARE HERE IN HEART. UM, MY MOTHER WILL BE COMING IN IN JUST A MOMENT AND, UM, I BROUGHT HER HERE THREE YEARS AGO. SHE, IS SHE HERE YET? SHE THINKS SHE'S STILL VISITING , SO JUST KIND OF GO WITH IT AT, AT LUNCH, PLEASE. . UM, IT'S SPECIAL THAT MY MOM, UH, THAT HER CAREGIVER, CINDY BLANKER IS BRINGING HER TODAY. UH, MY MOM AND DAD WERE HERE WHEN I TOOK THE OATH OF OFFICE IN 2005. UH, THEY WERE THERE WITH ME IN KALAMAZOO, MICHIGAN WHEN I WAS APPOINTED CITY MANAGER AND SWORN IN IN THAT POSITION. SO IT'S, UH, REALLY BEEN A FAMILY AFFAIR AND I APPRECIATE MY MOM BEING HERE, UH, TODAY, AND I KNOW DAD'S WATCHING DOWN ON US FROM ABOVE. AND MY YOUNGEST SISTER, UM, YOU KNOW, I'M THE OLDEST OF SEVEN AND MY YOUNGEST SISTER, MELANIE GERSKY IS HERE. SHE'S LIVED IN AUSTIN FOR MORE THAN 20 YEARS, SO SHE'S MORE OF A TEXAN EVEN THAN ME. UH, BUT I APPRECIATE HER BEING HERE TODAY AND FOR ALL OF THEM MAKING THE EFFORT, UH, TO COME, UH, TO MY FAMILY, MY FRIENDS, AND TO THE MANY ELECTED OFFICIALS WITH WHOM I 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 AND SAYS, UH, FIRST THEY INTRODUCE THEMSELVES AND THEN THANK ME FOR THE IMPROVEMENTS THAT WE'VE MADE. AND AS MIKE CAN ATTEST, MANY OF THOSE MOMENTS OF GRATITUDE EXPRESSED BY STRANGERS HAVE COME IN THE NEEDIEST OF MOMENTS AS I'VE 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, STAY THE COURSE, KEEP GOING. SO TO EACH ONE OF THOSE WHO SAID THANKS, AND I'M CERTAIN MANY MORE I CAN PROUDLY SAY TODAY, UH, WE DID MAKE A DIFFERENCE. UH, WHEN I WAS RECRUITED TO SAN ANTONIO, THE CITY COUNCIL WAS LOOKING FOR OUR WE'LL 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. NO SMALL TASKS. IN RECENT WEEKS, I'VE FREE FREQUENTLY BEEN ASKED WHAT I CONSIDER OUR GREATEST ACCOMPLISHMENTS. FIRST, LET ME SAY, UH, 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 STREET SIDEWALK, DRAINAGE, PARKS, LIBRARIES, FIRE STATION, POLICE BUILDINGS, ALL COMPLETED WITHIN BUDGET NON-SCHEDULE. AS WE WORKED ON THOSE COUNCIL PRIORITIES DIRECTED IN 2005, AND 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 A COUNCIL ADOPTED GOAL OF 60% BY THE YEAR 2025, CONSTRUCTING THE CONVENTION CENTER EXPANSION AND [01:15:01] ALAMO DOME IMPROVEMENTS SUCCESSFULLY HOSTING TO N C A A 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 IMPLE IMPLEMENTATION OF PRE-K FOR 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 IN 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 AND ROLL MARATHON THAT HAS BECOME A MAINSTAY EVENT PROMOTING WELLNESS AND ALIGNING WITH OUR PUBLIC HEALTH INITIATIVES. WE ACCOMPLISH THESE THINGS AND MANY MORE UNDER POLICY DIRECTION OF MAYORS AND COUNCIL MEMBERS. AND WITH OUTSTANDING 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, EXCELLENCE IN ALL THAT WE DO. WE HAVE A HIGHLY TALENTED AND DIVERSE EXECUTIVE TEAM. 43% ARE WOMEN, 40% ARE HISPANIC, 11% ARE AFRICAN AMERICAN, 4% ARE ASIAN. AND OTHER RACES FI 45% ARE WHITE. 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 WINNING WOMEN'S LEADERSHIP MENTORING PROGRAM FOCUS ON DEVELOPING NEXT GENERATION LEADERSHIP AND DIVERSE 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. UH, POLICE CHIEF BILL MCMANUS WAS ONE OF THE FIRST HIRES, UH, 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. WHERE'S MOM? OH, MOM. HI . HI. I THINK YOU SAT IN THAT VERY SAME SEAT BACK IN 2005 WHEN I WAS SWORN IN. OKAY, NOW FOR JUST A COUPLE OF COMMENTS ABOUT, UH, THE EXECUTIVE LEADERSHIP TEAM. UM, AND I'LL GO LEE SENIOR TO MOST TENURED, UH, ROD SANCHEZ FIRST, UM, 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 HOUSTON, UH, LORI WAS PROJECT MANAGER IN PUBLIC WORKS WHEN WE MET AT A DEPARTMENTAL BUDGET MEETING IN 2006. SHE WAS THE ONLY PUBLIC WORKS EMPLOYEE [01:20:01] IN THE ROOM WHO COULD ANSWER MY QUESTIONS. TOGETHER WITHIN THEN, CITY ATTORNEY MICHAEL BERNARD. WE UNDERTOOK THE SAN ANTONIO RIVER EXTENSION PROJECT THROUGH THE MUSEUM REACH, AND THIS WAS A PRIORITY PROJECT MAYOR HARDBERGER, AND WE DEDICATED THAT PROJECT COMPLETION MEMORIAL WEEKEND IN 2009. ON THE FINAL DAY, MAYOR HARDBERGER, UH, 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, UM, SEVERAL YEARS AGO. AND OVER THE YEARS WE'VE 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. MARIA VILLA GOMEZ. OKAY. STAFF, PARDON ME. BUT MARIA IS MY M V P. UH, WE COULD NOT HAVE ACCOMPLISHED ALL THAT WE'VE DONE WITHOUT MARIA'S HARD WORK ACCURACY AND THOROUGHNESS FROM A PUBLIC WORKS FINANCIAL ANALYST IN 2005 TO 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 CALLANAN HAS BEEN A VALUABLE MEMBER OF OUR EXECUTIVE LEADERSHIP TEAM FOR MORE THAN 10 YEARS, AND HE HAS WORKED IN, OF COURSE, THE COUNCIL OFFICE HELPING YOU ALL HIS PROFESSIONALISM AND TEMPERAMENT HAVE SERVED OUR ORGANIZATION AND THE DOZENS OF COUNCIL MEMBERS WELL OVER THE PAST DECADE. CARLOS CONTRERAS, WE RECRUITED CARLOS TO THE CITY 10 YEARS AGO AS THE I G R DIRECTOR AND 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 RECOVERY PROJECTS. HE HELPED WITH THE FINAL RIVER BARGE EVALUATION PROCESS AND OVERSAW OUR TRICENTENNIAL YEAR OF ACTIVITIES, SALVAGING WHAT COULD HAVE BEEN A DISASTER, AND INSTEAD MAKING IT A SUCCESSFUL YEAR OF CELEBRATION. THERE ISN'T A FINER CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER IN THE COUNTRY THAN BEN GO DELIBERATE, STEADY, ACCURATE. SOMETIMES STAFF WILL COME TO ME AND SAY, BEN IS TOO SLOW. WE'VE GOTTA GET HIM GOING. I'M LIKE, JUST STAND DOWN. LET LET BEN DO HIS WORK. BEN CAN DEVELOP WAYS TO ACCOMPLISH PROJECT GOALS WITHOUT, WITHOUT EVER COMPROMISING FINANCIAL INTEGRITY. HE TOO WAS ONE OF MY FIRST APPOINTMENTS IN JANUARY OF 2006. AS FINANCE DIRECTOR, WE, WE REORGANIZED THE FINANCE DEPARTMENT, VASTLY IMPROVED THE CITY'S FINANCIAL SYSTEMS AND STAFF SET A GOAL TO BECOME ONE OF THE BEST FINANCIALLY MANAGED CITIES IN THE COUNTRY. WE EARNED AAA 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. AND FOR MANY, MANY YEARS, I THINK ONE CITY, UM, WITH A POPULATION OVER 1 MILLION HAS SNUCK BACK INTO, UH, AAA RATING WITH ONE OF THE RATING AGENCIES. BUT, UH, FOR MANY YEARS WE WERE THE ONLY CITY WITH A POPULATION OF MORE THAN A MILLION TO EVEN EARN AAA RATING, LET ALONE FROM ALL THREE OF THE RATING AGENCIES. ANDY SEGOVIA AND LIZ PROVENCIO ARE OUR NEWEST ATTORNEYS, AND I'M PROUD TO HAVE RECRUITED ANDY FROM GENERAL MOTORS AND LIZ FROM A SAN ANTONIO LAW FIRM. UH, THEY ARE EXCELLENT LE LEGAL MINDS AND HAVE BEEN GREAT ADDITIONS TO OUR EXECUTIVE LEADERSHIP GROUP. PETER ZONI. PETER WAS BUDGET DIRECTOR WHEN I WAS APPOINTED CITY MANAGER. IT WAS THE ONLY CITY DEPARTMENT AT THE TIME THAT DID NOT NEED A COMPLETE OVERHAUL. THANKS TO YOUR GREAT WORK, PETER. UH, SOON AFTER I ARRIVED, THEN I APPOINTED PETER, ASSISTANT CITY MANAGER AND SUBSEQUENTLY TO DEPUTY CITY MANAGER OVER ALL CAPITAL CONSTRUCTION AND INFRASTRUCTURE. WE WORK TOGETHER ON ALL THREE BOND PROGRAMS, [01:25:01] AND I WILL SAY THAT THERE WOULD NOT BE A PRE-K FOR 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. LAST BUT NOT LEAST, MY SUCCESSOR AND BLINDSIDE PROTECTOR ON THE OFFENSIVE LINE. ERIC WALSH. HAVING WORKED CLOSELY WITH ERIC FOR 13 YEARS AND PROMOTED HIM TWICE, I AM MORE THAN CONFIDENT. HE IS THE BEST PERSON FOR THE JOB. YOU DID WELL, SMART, HONEST, EASYGOING, AND HARDWORKING. ERIC WILL SERVE THE CITY WELL AS THE 20TH CITY MANAGER. AND ERIC, I AM VESTED. WHERE IS HE? HE'S OVER HERE. I'M VESTED IN YOUR SUCCESS AND WE'LL BE CHEERING YOU FROM THE SIDELINES. SPECIAL THANKS TO TO MY OFFICE STAFF WHO BEHIND THE SCENES HANDLE ALL THE DETAILS OF EVERYTHING THAT I DO DO THEIR BEST TO TRY TO KEEP ME ON TRACK. JOHN PATEK, JAVIER VASQUEZ, KAITLYN CBOT, 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 . FINALLY, I, 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 MANAGER PLAN. AND MAYOR NIERENBERG, THANK YOU FOR BEING A STRONG SUPPORTER OF PROFESSIONAL MANAGEMENT AND OUR COUNCIL MANAGER FORM 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. I THANK ALL OF 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. THANK YOU, CHERYL. THAT'S ONE OF THOSE APPLAUSE, UH, ROUNDS OF APPLAUSE THAT WE THOUGHT WOULD NEVER END. UM, 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, AND IT'S HERE TODAY. BUT FIRST, LET ME JUST TELL YOU CHERYL, UH, HOW MUCH OF AN HONOR AND A PRIVILEGE, PRIVILEGE IT'S BEEN TO WORK A ALONG WITH YOU AND YOUR COLLEAGUES AS A COUNCIL MEMBER AND NOW AS MAYOR, UH, 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, UH, NOW, TODAY, SIGNIFICANTLY BETTER THAN WHEN YOU GOT HERE. FIRST. IT WAS A GREAT CITY THEN, BUT IT'S EVEN A GREATER CITY NOW. IT'S MORE EQUITABLE. OUR CITY GOVERNMENT'S GOVERNMENT IS MORE PROFESSIONAL. IT'S MORE EFFICIENT, CERTAINLY MORE DISCIPLINED. AND WE IN FACT ARE THE BEST RUN CITY IN [01:30:01] THE UNITED STATES. A TESTAMENT TO YOUR WORK IS THE FACT THAT YOU LOOK AT THE FIRST FEW ROWS OF THIS AUDITORIUM AND THEY'RE FILLED WITH PEOPLE WHO WOULD BE THE ENVY OF ANY CITY GOVERNMENT IN THE ENTIRE UNITED STATES. SO THANK YOU FOR BRINGING THAT KIND OF LEADERSHIP TO OUR CITY, CHERYL, AND MAKING US AN EMPLOYER OF CHOICE. BUT SOMEPLACE THAT PEOPLE ARE EXCITED TO BE ON THE TEAM, WE WON'T RECOUNT. I WON'T RECOUNT ALL OF YOUR ACCOMPLISHMENTS. THERE ARE MANY AND THAT WE'D BE HERE ALL DAY. BUT THE TRUTH OF THE MATTER IS, THERE HAS BEEN A LOT OF PROGRESS UNDER YOUR TENURE. PROGRESS SOMETIMES CREATES FRICTION, BUT YOU TRULY HAVE BEEN A TRAILBLAZER AND SOMEONE WHO'S OPENED DOORS AND CREATED THE CAREERS OF SO MANY PEOPLE ARE SERVING THIS CITY AND WILL CONTINUE TO DO SO. 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, UH, IT'S BEEN FUN HANGING OUT WITH YOU ON OCCASION. I HOPE WE GET TO DO THAT A LITTLE BIT MORE. UM, IT'S GREAT TO SEE YOUR MOM HERE, CHERYL. CONGRATULATIONS ON RAISING ONE TOUGH, TOUGH WOMAN, UH, TO LEAD OUR CITY. COURTNEY COLLIN, YOUR WHOLE FAMILY, THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR, UH, LETTING US HAVE CHERYL 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, CHERYL, IS THAT YOU, YOU'VE SAID, AND, 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, UH, BE IN YOUR FOOTSTEPS, IS THAT YOU CAN 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. THANK YOU SO MUCH CHERYL. AND I'M GONNA, YOU ALSO TAUGHT US HOW TO BE FIC EFFICIENT. SO I'M GONNA COME DOWN AND GIVE YOU A, A PLAQUE NOW AS WELL, . ALL RIGHT. IT'S MY HONOR NOW TO ASK FORMER MAYOR PHIL HARBERGER TO COME TO THE PODIUM. THANK YOU. THANK YOU FOR GIVING ME AN OPPORTUNITY TO SAY SOMETHING TODAY. IT'S REALLY FUN TO BE BACK HERE TO, UH, TO BE IN THIS ROOM AND BE ABLE TO TALK AND GIVE MY OPINIONS WITHOUT HAVING TO RUN FOR THE OFFICE. . UM, I HIRED CHERYL SCULLY, COUNCILMAN RICHARD PARIS AT THAT TIME, AND I ENTERED INTO A CAMPAIGN THAT WE CALLED CHERYL EVERY DAY AND EVERY NIGHT FOR A LONG TIME TO GET HER TO COME HERE. IT WAS THE BEST THING I EVER DID FOR THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO. IT WAS NOT AN EASY SELL. CHERYL WAS IN PHOENIX, A 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, HAD CHALLENGES. IT WAS THE CHALLENGES THAT FINALLY SOLD CHERYL ON COMING TO SAN ANTONIO. SHE KNEW SHE COULD MAKE A DIFFERENCE. AND DID SHE EVER SUCCEED? HER WORK PROPELS SAN ANTONIO [01:35:01] INTO THE TOP RANKS OF WELL-MANAGED CITIES IN THE UNITED STATES. AT THE SAME TIME, CHERYL BECAME THE BEST CITY MANAGER IN THE UNITED STATES. RICHARD AND MY ABLE CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS THAT SERVE WITH ME AND ART HALL, IT IS GREAT TO SEE YOU BACK THERE. YOU LOOK VERY NATURAL THERE. UH, 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 N B A CHAMPIONSHIPS AND CHERYL PUSHING OUR CITY FORWARD INTO THE TOP TIER OF US CITIES. IT WAS A GREAT RIDE. SHE WAS AN ON TIME ON BUDGET CITY MANAGER. IT WAS OUR GOLDEN AGE. MY DAD WAS A DRY LAND FARMER. HE WORKED HARDER THAN ANY MAN I HAD EVER KNOWN. SUN UP TO SUNDOWN SIX DAYS A WEEK. WHEN I WATCH CHERYL WORK, I REALIZE MY DAD WAS BESTED. MY DAD QUIT WHEN THE SUN WENT DOWN. CHERYL BEGINS THE SECOND PART OF HER DAY. THAT IS THE NIGHTTIME PART OF HER DAY. I'VE 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, CHERYL SCULLY. I OVERHEARD A CONVERSATION THE OTHER DAY BETWEEN TWO LAWYERS WHO WERE TALKING ABOUT CHERYL THE FIRST LAWYER, TALKING ABOUT HER LEAVING, SAID, WELL, WHAT WOULD SHE DO NEXT? AND THE OTHER LAWYER SAID, OH, WELL, I DON'T KNOW, PROBABLY RUN GENERAL MOTORS, . I HAD JUST FINISHED READING, BY THE WAY, THE BIOGRAPHY OF NEIL ARMSTRONG, YOU WERE CALLED. HE IS THE FIRST ASTRONAUT TO EVER SET FOOT ON THE MAN, THE MOVIE FIRST MAN. BUT THIS WAS A BOOK ABOUT HIM. HE WAS A PERFECTIONIST AND WERE 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 IF THERE WERE NO RESTRICTIONS, NO LIMITS, ANYTHING HE WANTED. WHAT WOULD HE TAKE UP TO THE MOON? HIS ANSWER WAS MORE FUEL. AND I'VE OFTEN THOUGHT THAT'S A SCULLY ANSWER IF I EVER HEARD ONE SHARP. QUICK TO THE POINT. WHAT I LIKE BEST ABOUT CHERYL 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 THEIR FIRST YEAR HERE. SHE CAME INTO THE OFFICE LOOKING FAIRLY TRIUMPHANT AND SAID THAT SHE HAD FOUND ANOTHER 30 AND A HALF MILLION DOLLARS THAT WE NOW COULD ADD INTO OUR INCOME. IT TURNED OUT THAT THIS IS MONEY FROM CITY BONDS. LONG SINCE PASSED INTO MEMORY WHERE THERE WAS MONEY LEFT OVER. THERE WERE PILES OF MONEY. SHE WENT BACK OVER 30 YEARS AND FOUND 30 AND A HALF MILLION DOLLARS, WHICH WE WERE ABLE TO PUT INTO THE GENERAL FUND. UM, 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 CHERYL CAME. IT WAS A LOCAL AFFAIR AND USUALLY, USUALLY YOU'D HAVE ABOUT 2000 CONTESTANTS. TODAY THERE ARE 20,000 CONTESTANTS. THEY COME FROM ALL 50 STATES [01:40:01] AND 26 COUNTRIES EACH YEAR. THAT EVENT HAS AN ECONOMIC IMPACT ON SAN ANTONIO OF OVER $25 MILLION FOR EACH RACE EACH YEAR. NOW A MAJOR MARATHON, CHERYL 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 CHERYL . THERE AREN'T ANY SECRETS IN THIS PLACE. , THE MUSEUM REACH OF THE RIVER IMPROVEMENT PROJECT COST $71.2 MILLION TO BUILD. IT SEEMED LIKE A LOT OF MONEY AT THE TIME, AND THEY'RE WERE THE INEVITABLE CRITICS THAT COMPLAINED ABOUT TOO MUCH MONEY AND EXCESSIVE SPENDING. TODAY THOUGH, PRIVATE INVESTMENTS THERE ARE TOPPING $500 MILLION 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 HAVE KEPT IT FOR NINE CONSECUTIVE YEARS. THAT'S A TOTAL CHERYL SCULLY TRI, THOUGH NOT FULLY UNDERSTOOD, BUT PUTTING IT PRACTICALLY, IT MEANS WE'VE SAVED $30 MILLION IN INTEREST PAYMENTS THAT OUR CITIZENS WON'T EVER HAVE TO PAY. WE MIGHT HAVE RAISED THAT MONEY A DIFFERENT WAY. WE COULD HAVE HAVE HIGHER SALES TAX, WE COULD HAVE HAD GREATER PROPERTY TAXES OR INCREASED C P S BILLS. ANY TAKERS ON THOSE THREE METHODS? WELL, I DIDN'T THINK SO. MAYBE IT'S BETTER TO JUST LET CHERYL TAKE CARE OF IT BY GETTING THOSE SUPERLATIVE RATINGS. MOST OF US HAVE NO GREAT DESIRE TO PAY MORE BILLS. SO THANK YOU CHERYL. 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 SOMEDAY. THERE'S MORE. 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. SO WE SUED THEM AND WE BEAT THEM. AND NOW WE HAVE BREATHING APPARATUSES THAT WORK. OH, WAIT A MINUTE. HERE IS ANOTHER PERSON'S STATEMENT OF ADMIRATION FOR CHERYL. I QUOTE, 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. QUICK QUIZ. WHO SAID THAT? ANSWER. CHRIS STEELE, PRESIDENT OF THE SAN ANTONIO PROFESSIONAL FIREFIGHTERS ASSOCIATION THAT CAN BE FOUND IN THE SAN ANTONIO EXPRESS NEWS. NOVEMBER THE 11TH, 2005 ON PAGE THREE B ONE LAST REMEMBRANCE. I REMEMBER CHERYL, WHEN SHE CAME TO [01:45:01] SAN ANTONIO UNASKED AND NOT BEING PAID ANYTHING TO HELP WITH THE HURRICANE EVACUEES AND OUR OWN CITIZENS WERE, 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. SHE WAS A CITY MANAGER TO BEEF, 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 IN BEING IN ONE OF THOSE AIR CONDITIONED HANGERS AT KELLY THAT HAD BEEN DISUSED FOR YEARS, THEY WERE IN BAD SHAPE. AND IT WAS REALLY HOT IN THERE. IT WAS THE MIDDLE OF A HOT SUMMER AND VERY LITTLE VENTILATION. AND I WAS WATCHING CHERYL SWEAT LIKE THE REST OF US, UH, WITH, UH, WIPING HER BROW. HER FACE WAS FLUSH. 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. IT DID BEYOND ALL EXPECTATIONS. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. THANK YOU MAYOR HARDBERGER. NOW I'D LIKE TO CALL UP OUR PRE-K FOR SA, C E O, SARAH BERE, AS WELL AS OUR FAMILIES. AND I BELIEVE WE HAVE A TEACHER HERE AS WELL. YOU CAN COME TO THE PODIUM. DR. BERE, MAYOR AND COUNCIL, THANK YOU FOR INDULGING US, UM, TO SAY, UM, A VERY PUBLIC THANK YOU TO THE CITY MANAGER BECAUSE, UM, YOU GET TO HEAR ME SAY ALL THE TIME HOW FANTASTIC PRE-K FOR ESSAY IS. AND, BUT I WANTED YOU ALL TO HAVE THE CHANCE TO HEAR FROM OUR FAMILIES AND, UH, A TEACHER WHO HAVE BEEN AFFECTED BY THIS PROGRAM ABOUT, UM, WHAT IT MEANS TO THEM AND, UM, WHAT A VISIONARY, UM, CITY MANAGER SCULLY WAS IN BRINGING THIS TO LIFE. AND SO I'M GONNA TURN IT OVER TO FIRST OF ALL, VERONICA MALONE, WHO IS OUR PARENT FAMILY COORDINATOR. UM, AND THEN SHE WILL INTRODUCE YOU TO OUR FAMILY. SO WE'RE ALSO GONNA SAY A FEW WORDS. OKAY. GOOD MORNING, CITY COUNCIL MAYOR, WE'RE VERY GRATEFUL TO HAVE THIS OPPORTUNITY TO THANK CITY MANAGER SCULLY 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 PRE-K FOR ESSAY CAN BEST BE TOLD THROUGH THE EYES AND THE WORDS OF OUR FAMILIES AND OUR TEACHERS. SO I'M GONNA HAND IT OVER TO OUR FIRST, UH, FAMILY THAT WILL SPEAK MS. SAMANTHA VARGAS AND HER DAUGHTER ELLIE. GOOD MORNING EVERYONE. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR HAVING US HERE TODAY. THANK YOU CITY MANAGER SKELLY, FOR MAKING THIS PROGRAM POSSIBLE. WHAT DOES PRE-K FOR SA MEAN TO ME AND MY FAMILY? THREE THINGS. OPPORTUNITY, GROWTH AND SUPPORT. THE OPPORTUNITY, THE OPPORTUNITY THAT PRE-K FOR 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 PRE-K FOR ESSAY SHARES IN THEIR MISSION. A SPECIFICALLY CONFLICT RESOLUTION. MY DAUGHTER IS ALREADY READING AND I CAN SEE THE IMPACT THAT THIS CURRICULUM IS HAVING ON HER DEVELOPMENT. SHE'S ONLY FOUR. SHE WON'T BE FIVE UNTIL APRIL. SHE ALSO HAS BECOME VERY INDEPENDENT AND VERY CONFIDENT IN HER SOCIAL SKILLS [01:50:02] FOR THE SUPPORT PRE-K FOR ESSAY HAS PROVIDED. IT IS A CONSTANT COMMUNITY SPIRIT THAT THEY FOSTER. WE HAVE PROGRAMS LIKE PARENTS AS PARTNERS WHERE WE ALL GET TOGETHER AND DECIDE HOW WE CAN IMPROVE THE PRE-K FOR ESSAY 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 SCULLY, FOR BEING A KEY PART OF THIS. CAN YOU SAY THANK YOU? THANK YOU. NOW, MS. BERTHA VIEL WOULD LIKE TO SHARE A FEW WORDS OF GRATITUDE. SO MS. BERTHA WILL SPEAK IN SPANISH AND I'LL TRANSLATE AFTERWARD. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. WHEN IS ANTONIO THE GRA CITY MANAGERS? SO, UH, MS. BERTA JUST SPOKE TO WITH GRATITUDE. MS. BERTA IS THE MOTHER OF TWINS, UM, RA AND MARIANA, AND THEY'RE BOTH IN TWO DIFFERENT CLASSES AT OUR SOUTH CENTER. AND SHE JUST WANTED TO THANK, UM, THANK, UH, CITY MANAGER SCULLY FOR HER SUPPORT. SHE'S SEEN HER CHILDREN GROW, SHE'S SEEN THEM DEVELOP AND REALLY, UM, SHE'S AN INTEGRAL PART OF OUR WORK AS, AS PARENTS, AS PARTNERS IN OUR LEADERSHIP WORK AT THE SOUTH CENTER. SO WE'RE, WE'RE GRATEFUL FOR HER. UM, NEXT WE'LL HEAR FROM MS. LOPEZ, UM, WHO'S HERE FROM OUR SOUTH CENTER. UM, MISS DEL LOPEZ IS ONE OF OUR CO-TEACHERS IN ONE OF OUR CLASSROOMS. SHE'S ALSO A PHENOMENAL ARTIST AND SHE WORKED HARD WITH THE CHILDREN TO, UM, PUT TOGETHER AN ORIGINAL ART PIECE, UM, AS A GRA A TOKEN OF GRATITUDE. UM, AND WE ALSO HAVE WITH US THE, UM, CENTER DIRECTOR OF OUR SOUTH CENTER, MS. BELINDA GONZALEZ. SO I'LL ASK MS. LOPEZ TO COME FORWARD AND SAY A FEW WORDS ABOUT, UM, WHAT THE CHILDREN DID TO SAY THANK YOU TO CITY MANAGER SCULLY. ONCE UPON A TIME IN THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO, QUE WAS BORN. GOOD MORNING EVERYONE. MY NAME IS ADE LOPEZ, BUT PLEASE DON'T TRY TO PRONOUNCE MY NAME. YOU WILL CHOKE ON IT. IT'S WITH AN H. WE DON'T USE THE H HERE. I'M A PRO MEMBER OF PREK FORESTAY. UH, I'M FROM THE SOUTH EDUCATIONAL CENTER AND I'VE BEEN WITH THE COMPANY FOR SIX YEARS ALREADY FROM DAY ONE. AND TODAY I'M GONNA SHOW YOU HOW THROUGH THE PROCESS OF A PAINTING, MY MASTER TEACHER, KELLY MCMANUS AND I ARE TEACHING OUR STUDENTS HOW TO BE RESILIENT WITHOUT KNOWING THE ENDING RESULTS. STUDENTS VENTURE TO PAINT OUTSIDE THE LINES USING UNCONVENTIONAL TOOLS. RIGHT HERE, WE'RE USING LEGOS. THEY MIXED ALL THE COLORS, THE PICKLEBALL COLORS, JUST LIKE ALL OF US DIFFERENT. AND THEY MIXED THEM, LIKE IN OUR COMMUNITY, DIFFERENT. WE USE CARDBOARD, LEGOS, CHALK, WE USE PASTELS. AND THEY WERE RESILIENT JUST LIKE ALL OF US. AND THEY ENJOYED THE PROCESS JUST LIKE WE ARE DOING IT RIGHT NOW IN PREK FOUR A AND THEY ADJUSTED AND THEY TRUST IT. AND AT THE END, WITHOUT KNOWING, THEY ACQUIRE [01:55:01] A VERY, VERY VALUABLE SKILL TO BE RESILIENT CITY MANAGERS CALLING ON BEHALF OF OUR STUDENTS AND THEIR FAMILIES. ON BEHALF OF EVERY STAFF MEMBER, ON BEHALF OF PREK FOUR S A AND FUTURE GENERATIONS WITH THIS PAINTING, WE WANNA THANK YOU FOR ALL YOUR SUPPORT. WE THANK YOU FOR HAVING COLOR OUTSIDE THE LINES. WE THANK YOU FOR BELIEVING IN OUR MISSION AND OUR VISION. WE THANK YOU FOR BEING RESILIENT. IT IS SUPPORTING US AGAINST ALL ODDS. THANK YOU SO MUCH. THANK YOU SO MUCH. YEAH, I'D LOVE TO. OKAY. THANK YOU. YOU , WILL YOU BE IN A, AS THEY'RE GATHERING, I, I REALLY HAVE TO SAY THANK YOU FOR ALL THOSE KIND WORDS. UM, THE PRE-K FOR ESSAY PROGRAM INITIATIVE OF COURSE WAS LED BY MAYOR JULIAN CASTRO. UH, COUNCILMAN SALANO, 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 BERE AS OUR C E O OF PRE-K FOR ESSAY. WE'RE IN OUR SIXTH YEAR OF THE PROGRAM, AND IF YOU'RE HAVING A BAD DAY, GO OUT TO A PRE-K FOR ESSAY 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 PRE-K FOR ESSAY BOARD IN THAT ENTIRE BOARD. WE HAD A BOARD MEETING JUST DAY BEFORE YESTERDAY APPROVING, UM, MORE WORK TO DO AND EXPAND THE PROGRAM IN THE COMMUNITY. SO I DO WANNA RECOGNIZE THEM AS LEADERS AND JOE ROBLES AND CHARLES BUTT, WHO CHAIRED THE ORIGINAL BRAIN POWER TASK FORCE THAT LED TO THE RECOMMENDATION TO UNDERTAKE PRE-K FOR ESSAY. SO THANK YOU. WANNA MAKE SURE THE KIDS ARE HOLD SHE'S GONNA GO THIS WAY. 1, 2, 1 MORE. OKAY. OKAY. YOU GOT, IT'S GOING. ALL KIDS LOOK RIGHT HERE. 1, 2, 3. BIG SMILE RIGHT HERE. 1, 2, 3. BIG SMILE. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. LET'S MOVE OUT. SO AM ALL THE ARTISTS SIGNED THE BACK. AW, THAT'S AWESOME. THANK YOU. THANK YOU SWEETIE. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. THANK YOU ALL. THANK YOU DR. BERE. APPRECIATE. ALRIGHT, BEFORE WE GO TO OUR LUNCHEON, UM, I'LL NOW INVITE MY COLLEAGUES TO MAKE A FEW REMARKS. START WITH COUNCILMAN COURAGE. THANK YOU, MAYOR. UH, CHERYL, UH, I JUST WANT TO, UH, START OFF BY THANKING YOU FOR HOW YOU'VE WORKED WITH ME. UH, YOU MAY HAVE HEARD, UH, CITIZEN TO BE HEARD A LITTLE EARLIER, UH, MENTION, UH, THAT I MIGHT NOT HAVE, UH, 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, UH, HOW THE COUNCIL WORKED INDEPENDENTLY OR DEPENDENTLY AT THE TIME. UH, AND 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 AND WHAT YOU HAVE DONE AND WHAT YOU'VE CREATED FOR OUR CITY IN THE WAY OF SUCH A STRONG MANAGEMENT TEAM. UH, YOU KNOW, WHEN YOU GET ON THE INSIDE, YOU SEE THINGS [02:00:01] A LOT DIFFERENTLY THAN WHAT YOU HAVE SEEN FROM THE OUTSIDE. AND IT'S NOT TO SAY THAT I HAVEN'T DISAGREED WITH YOU WHILE I'VE BEEN A COUNCILMAN, BUT YOU HAVE ALWAYS BEEN WILLING TO LISTEN TO, UH, HELP ME UNDERSTAND DIFFERENT SIDES OF THE ISSUES. UH, AND I'M JUST GENERALLY GRATEFUL FOR WHAT YOU HAVE DONE FOR ME AS A COUNCIL PERSON, BUT WHAT YOU HAVE DONE FOR THE CITY OVER 13 YEARS. SO THANK YOU FOR THAT SERVICE AND I WISH YOU THE VERY BEST GOING INTO THE FUTURE. THANK YOU. COUNCILMAN CURD. COUNCILMAN PERRY. THANK YOU, SIR. AS ANOTHER NEW MEMBER ON THIS COUNCIL, I WANT TO, UH, GIVE YOU, UM, CONGRATULATIONS AND ALL DUE RESPECT THAT, UH, YOU HAVE SHOWN TO ME, UH, DURING MY TIME. AND I AGREE WITH MY COLLEAGUE HERE THAT, UH, WE DIDN'T ALWAYS AGREE AND, BUT THAT'S OUR SYSTEM. THAT'S THE WAY WE'RE SUPPOSED TO WORK. WE, 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, I THINK THAT'S PART OF WHAT MAKES THIS CITY WORK UNDER YOUR LEADERSHIP. IT WAS ALWAYS ABOUT RESPECT AND, UH, UH, YOU WERE LOOKED UP TO FOR YOUR LEADERSHIP HERE IN SAN ANTONIO. AND THERE'S NO DOUBT THAT YOU HAVE CREATED A LEGACY HERE. AND I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO THE FUTURE ON HOW THAT LEGACY CONTINUES HERE FOR SAN ANTONIO. AND I KNOW IT'S GONNA BE CONTINUED BECAUSE YOU HAVE ESTABLISHED THAT LEADERSHIP TEAM HERE IN SAN ANTONIO THAT THEY KNOW HOW TO RUN THIS CITY. AND THAT'S WHAT'S IMPORTANT. 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, UM, WITH THAT, I, YOU KNOW, IF YOU AND MIKE EVER WANT TO COME OUT TO THE LAKE AND, AND JOIN ME ON BIG TROUBLE, THAT WOULD BE GREAT. UH, YOU KNOW, THAT'S, LEMME TELL YOU, I, IF I KNOW YOU, YOU'RE NOT JUST GONNA SIT BACK AND TOTALLY RETIRE YOU. I'M SURE YOU HAVE FUTURE PLANS ON WHAT YOU WANNA DO, AND THAT'S AWESOME. I, YOU KNOW, I TRIED THAT SITTING BACK FOR ABOUT FOUR YEARS ON, ON BEING TOTALLY RETIRED AND IT WAS GREAT FOR A WHILE, BUT THERE WAS STILL SOMETHING INSIDE ME WANTING TO SERVE. AND I, I BET YOU, YOU STILL HAVE THAT DRIVE IN YOU AS WELL. AND, BUT ENJOY SOME TIME OFF AND ENJOY LIFE, ENJOY THE FAMILY, AND, UH, SIT BACK AND EN AND HAVE A GOOD TIME. SO, CHERYL, THANK YOU VERY MUCH FROM THE BOTTOM OF MY HEART ON WHAT YOU'VE DONE, HOW YOU'VE HELPED ME, HOW YOU'VE HELPED DISTRICT 10 AND THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO. THANK YOU. THANK YOU, SIR. THANK YOU. COUNCILMAN PERRY. COUNCILMAN ELAS. UM, CHERYL, I STILL DON'T KNOW WHY PHOENIX EVER ALLOWED YOU TO LEAVE, UM, THAT IT'S, UM, 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 ARE ALL THE MORE, UH, LUCKY FOR HAVING THAT HAPPEN TO US. AND I, I GOTTA TELL YOU, MY MY WIFE JUST TEXTED ME AND SHE SAYS, I'M NOT GONNA LIE, THAT STANDING OVATION MADE ME TEAR UP. UM, AND IT, IT, IT DID FOR ME AS WELL. UH, I HAVE, UM, I'M A, YOU KNOW THIS, CHERYL, I'M, I'M A, I'M A STUDENT OF WORDS. AND THE ONE WORD THAT THAT COMES TO MIND IS INDELIBLE, RIGHT? AND, UM, THAT MEANS THAT, YOU KNOW, YOU MAKE MARKS THAT CAN'T BE ERASED. AND BOY, YOU'VE MADE A LOT OF MARKS AND, UH, I'M SO EXCITED JUST TO NAME A FEW THAT I GOT TO WITNESS FIRSTHAND. UM, YOU IN LARGE PART ARE THE REASON THAT BROOK CITY BASE IS A SUCCESS. AND PORT SAN ANTONIO IS A SUCCESS. YOU IN, UH, WERE THE ONE THAT MADE IT ABSOLUTELY POSSIBLE FOR TOYOTA TO ASSIMILATE AND TO LAND, UM, AND INCORPORATE ITSELF INTO THE FABRIC OF SAN ANTONIO. UM, YOU, I DON'T KNOW HOW YOU DID IT, BUT YOU CREATED A MINI SCHOOL DISTRICT CALLED PRE-K FOR SA AND IT'S, YOU KNOW, WORLD CLASS AND IT'S AMAZING. AND THEN FOR THOSE OF YOU THAT DON'T REMEMBER, UH, 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 CHERYL, YOU LED US THROUGH THAT TORNADO AND GOT US OUT THROUGH THE OTHER SIDE UNSCATHED. IN FACT, WE WERE ALL THE BETTER FOR IT. UH, I'M STILL SHOCKED THAT WE WERE ONE OF THE FEW CITIES THAT DID GREAT. UH, YOU KNOW, THROUGHOUT THAT WE ADDED JOBS AND WE ADDED INVESTMENT AND VALUE. UM, [02:05:01] ALSO ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I'VE ADMIRED MOST, CHERYL, IS THAT, UH, YOU TAKE THE TIME TO MENTOR YOUNG WOMEN. UH, I'VE SEEN YOU DO THAT. I'VE, I I'VE SAT WITH YOU AND YOU'VE TALKED A LOT ABOUT THAT, AND I'VE ALWAYS TAKEN INTEREST IN HOW DEDICATED YOU ARE IN THAT. YOU KNOW, SO MANY PEOPLE TALK ABOUT, YOU KNOW, THE ACCOMPLISHMENTS. BUT, UM, I, I ADMIRE YOU A LOT FOR THE INTEREST THAT YOU TAKE IN MENTORING FOLKS WHO ARE COMING UP IN THE RANKS. AND, UM, SO I, I WANT TO TELL JUST A QUICK ANECDOTE. AND I'VE ALREADY TOLD YOU, CHERYL, UM, MY LITTLE GIRL AND I, WE SPEND, UH, A LOT OF TIME IN THE CAR ON HER WAY TO SCHOOL. AND, YOU KNOW, WE, WE FREQUENTLY TALK ABOUT YOU AND THE PEOPLE THAT I WORK WITH. AND, UM, SHE WAS RELAYING TO ME THE STORY ABOUT A GIRL AT HER SCHOOL WHO WAS MAKING ALL THE OTHER GIRLS MAD, UM, BECAUSE SHE WAS BEING BOSSY. AND THEY WERE, THEY HAD A CONFRONTATION, UH, AND THEY FINALLY TOLD HER, PENELOPE, YOU'RE BEING BOSSY AND WE DON'T WANNA PLAY WITH YOU. AND, UH, AND I STOPPED SOPHIA AND I SAID, SOPHIE, YOU KNOW, I, I DON'T LIKE THAT WORD WHEN YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT OTHER GIRLS. I'M, YOU KNOW, IT'S, AND SHE GOES, PAPI, STOP. SHE GOES, SHE WAS BEING BOSSY, BOSSY. SHE WASN'T BEING LEADERSHIP BOSSY LIKE SHERYL SCULLY, UH, AND . AND, UM, SO, UH, CHERYL, YOU GOT BIG FANS AND EVEN MY LITTLE GIRL, UM, YOU KNOW, KNOWS EXACTLY WHAT, UH, WHAT THE IMPORTANT WORK YOU'RE DOING. SO THE OTHER, THE OTHER THING I ADMIRE ABOUT CHERYL IS THAT CHERYL 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 TALKING. AND, UH, I THINK I'M GETTING THAT LOOK. AND SO, UM, CHERYL, I, I'M A HUGE FAN AND, AND I CAN'T WAIT TO SEE WHAT, WHAT YOU DO NEXT. THANK YOU FOR EVERYTHING YOU'VE DONE FOR ME AND FOR THE CITY. THANK YOU. COUNCILMAN PLI. COUNCILMAN SANDOVAL. THANK YOU. UH, THANK YOU MAYOR. THANK YOU, CHERYL, FOR YOUR SERVICE. UM, I REALLY ENJOYED THE WORDS THAT YOU SHARED WITH US, AND I THINK IT'S VERY TELLING THAT YOU, UH, THAT YOU SPENT SO MUCH TIME HIGHLIGHTING AND DESCRIBING YOUR STAFF TO US. UM, WE KNOW THAT THEY'RE WONDERFUL AND I THINK, UM, JUST HEARING IT FROM YOU REALLY SPEAKS TO YOUR LEADERSHIP. AND I REALLY THINK THAT'S THE BIGGEST PART OF YOUR LEGACY, UH, THAT YOU LEAVE US, UH, WITH. SO THANK YOU FOR, FOR DOING THAT. YOU LEAVE US IN GOOD HANDS AND IT SPEAKS TO YOUR, UH, TEAMWORK, UH, MENTALITY. I, UH, WHEN I FOUND OUT THAT YOU WOULD, THAT YOU HAD ANNOUNCED YOUR RETIREMENT, UM, I WAS, UH, SURPRISED, UH, SHOCKED. BUT MOSTLY I HAD A SELFISH REACTION. AND THAT WAS, WAIT A MINUTE, I HAVEN'T COME UP WITH ALL MY GREAT IDEAS YET. SO CHERYL WON'T BE HERE TO HELP, UH, MAKE THEM HAPPEN, BECAUSE THAT'S WHAT YOU DO. YOU MAKE THINGS HAPPEN. UM, SO I DO, I DO, UH, LAMENT THAT, UH, FOR, FOR THOSE WHO MAY NOT KNOW, UM, CHERYL HAS BEEN CRITICIZED A LOT. UH, WELL, YOU PROBABLY KNOW THAT. BUT FOR THOSE WHO, WHO MAY NOT KNOW, CHERYL HAS BEEN VERY SENSITIVE TO THAT. AND, 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 CONSCIOUS OF THE FACT THAT HERE WE ARE IN A MAJORITY HISPANIC CITY AND THAT SHE IS AT THE HELM. AND, AND SHE KNOWS THAT, UH, 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, UH, YOUR SENSITIVITY AND LEADERSHIP ON WOMEN'S ISSUES AND MAKING SURE THAT WOMEN COME UP THE RANKS TO, I DEFINITELY APPRECIATE THAT AND I EXPECT ANYONE WHO FOLLOWS IN YOUR FOOTSTEPS TO CONTINUE THOSE EFFORTS AS WELL. AND, UH, LASTLY, I WANNA THANK, UH, YOU COULD HAVE GONE ANYWHERE IN THE US WITH THE SKILLS AND, AND THE ABILITIES THAT YOU HAD. UM, THANKS TO SOME MEN OVER THERE, YOU CAME HERE. UH, AND THIS ISN'T YOUR HOMETOWN. I HOPE YOU FEEL LIKE IT IS NOW. UH, BUT I WANNA 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. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. COUNCILMAN SANDOVAL. COUNCILMAN TREVINO. KNOW. THANK YOU MAYOR. UH, THANK YOU CHERYL FOR YOUR SERVICE. UH, MOST IMPORTANTLY JUST IN, IN BEING ABLE TO WORK WITH, TOGETHER WITH YOU ON, UH, SOME IMPORTANT PROJECTS. AND I THINK A LOT OF PEOPLE WE HEARD, WE HEARD UP HERE THAT, UH, SOME OF US SAY WE DON'T ALWAYS AGREE, BUT THAT'S, THAT'S THE MARK OF A PROFESSIONAL TO TELL IT LIKE IT IS. AND I THINK THAT'S EXACTLY WHAT YOU DID. UM, WE, SOME OF US UP HERE GET CRAZY NOTIONS AND YOU, YOUR JOB WAS TO BRING US RIGHT BACK. UM, YOU KNOW, I WANNA SAY THANK YOU FOR, FOR A LOT OF, UH, A LOT OF HELP THAT WE'VE HAD IN THE CITY AND, UH, YOU CERTAINLY HAVE LEFT YOUR MARK. I WANNA TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT WHAT EVERYBODY EXPECTS, RIGHT? UH, FOR EXAMPLE, THE WORK THAT WE DID TOGETHER ON THE ALAMO AND HOW, [02:10:01] HOW INCREDIBLE THAT WAS. MOST PEOPLE ARE NEVER GONNA KNOW THOSE PRIVATE MEETINGS THAT WE'VE HAD. IT'S A SMALL GROUP AND THE KNOCKDOWN, 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 WANNA SAY THANK YOU FOR BEING THAT GREAT PARTNER. I ALSO WANNA MENTION THAT I ESPECIALLY ENJOY SOME OF THE, THE MORE JUST REGULAR PERSONABLE MOMENTS THAT WE HAVE WHERE WE GET TO TALK JUST IN GENERAL. AND ONE OF THOSE WAS THIS LAST, UH, ROCK AND ROLL MARATHON, WHICH BY THE WAY, I COULD NOT KEEP UP WITH CHERYL. I'M NOT MAKING THAT UP. ACTUALLY, THAT'S, I MEAN, I KNOW IT'S, SOME PEOPLE MAKE THAT UP TO BE FUNNY, BUT THIS IS ACTUALLY EMBARRASSING, UM, . BUT THE, ONE OF THE BEST MOMENTS I HAD WITH YOU WAS THE BEGINNING OF THAT RACE. YOU ASKED IF YOU CAN JOIN ME AND I SAID, OH GOD. OH NO, I'M A, OH, I HOPE I CAN KEEP UP. LIKE YEAH, SURE, KEEP UP. AND UH, 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 GOOSEBUMPS. 'CAUSE I KNOW YOU CARE ABOUT THE CITY. I KNOW THIS MEANS A LOT TO YOU, AND I KNOW THAT, THAT, UH, THIS IS NOT YOU, UH, QUITTING THE CITY OR LEAVING THE CITY. 'CAUSE YOU WANT THE BEST FOR THE CITY. YOU TRULY HAVE PUT YOUR HEART INTO THIS. UM, SO I JUST WANTED TO MENTION THAT MOMENT. 'CAUSE 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 THE MARK TOWARDS YOUR CHARACTER. UH, YOU'RE A PROFESSIONAL AND YOU'RE A GREAT PERSON. THANK YOU, CHERYL. THANK YOU. COUNCILMAN TREVINO. COUNCILWOMAN GONZALEZ. THANK YOU, MAYOR. UM, WELL, CHERYL, IT WAS MENTIONED, UM, THAT I, YOUR WORK ETHIC IS IMMEASURABLE. UM, AS PHIL HARBERGER TALKED ABOUT HIS FATHER, UH, AND I THOUGHT ABOUT MY MOTHER AND HOW HARDWORKING SHE IS. I THOUGHT, WOW, CHERYL'S EVEN MORE DETERMINED THAN MY MOTHER. AND I'VE NEVER MET ANYBODY QUITE LIKE THAT. UM, NOT JUST IN YOUR WORK ETHIC AND YOUR ABILITY TO WORK FROM ALL HOURS OF THE DAY, BUT ALSO YOUR LEVEL OF DETAIL, UM, ON THE VERY SMALL THINGS AND ON VERY BIG THINGS IS SOMETHING THAT 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. UM, I THINK YOU LISTED MANY OF YOUR ACCOMPLISHMENTS, BUT THERE'S A FEW THAT YOU DIDN'T. AND I WANNA 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, UM, MIGHT BE MORE OF THE THINGS THAT YOU DIDN'T MENTION. UH, AND ONE OF THOSE IS THE EQUITY BUDGET. AND FOR MANY YEARS, UH, MY COLLEAGUES KNOW SINCE THE 1970S, UH, WE HAVE BEEN DELEGATING FUNDING BASED ON SINGLE OR ON ROUGH PROPORTIONALITY. UH, AND, UH, TWO YEARS AGO, WE USED A DIFFERENT FORMULA TO WHERE WE ARE SPENDING OUR RESOURCES BASED ON THE AREAS THAT NEED IT MOST. AND I HOPE THAT OVER THE COMING YEARS, WE'RE GONNA SEE THAT IMPACT, UH, ESPECIALLY IN THE NEAR WEST SIDE. ON THE NEAR SOUTH SIDE, WE'RE FINALLY STARTING TO SEE, UM, THE CHANGE IN THE INVESTMENT. AND I'M REALLY GRATEFUL THAT YOU TOOK THAT ON AND, UH, WE'RE ABLE TO IMPLEMENT THAT CITYWIDE. AND I HOPE THAT WE CAN CONTINUE THAT, UH, IN THE NEXT YEARS TO COME. THE OTHER THING THAT, UM, I THINK, UH, I WOULD LIKE TO TELL A STORY ABOUT, UM, THE WOMEN OF THE WORLD CONFERENCE. SO CHERYL 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, UM, CHERYL AND A COUPLE OF OTHER SPONSORED A GROUP OF US TO GO TO NEW YORK, UM, TO GET THE WOMEN OF THE WORLD CONFERENCE TO COME BACK HERE TO SAN ANTONIO. SO IT'S AN INCREDIBLE CONFERENCE THAT IS, UH, HOSTED, UM, UH, IN NEW YORK. IT'S A TINA, 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, UM, ENTREPRENEURS AND ALL KINDS OF, UM, UH, REALLY UNIQUE IMPORTANT THINGS HAPPENING. AND SO THAT WEEK THAT WE WERE SCHEDULED TO GO TO THE WOMEN OF THE WORLD CONFERENCE, UM, I FOUND OUT I WAS PREGNANT LIKE TWO WEEKS. I HAD THAT VERY, VERY EARLY ON. UM, AND [02:15:01] I WAS INCREDIBLY NAUSEOUS, UH, 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, UH, AT THAT TIME. UM, AND AT THE END OF IT, OUR FLIGHT GOT CANCELED, UH, 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 WANNA SAY ANYTHING. I REALLY JUST WANTED TO SIT IN A CORNER AND, UM, ALLOW WHATEVER TO HAPPEN, EVOLVE. BUT I DON'T KNOW HOW CHERYL 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 SEVEN O'CLOCK 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, UM, I'M NOT SURE HOW IT HAPPENED, BUT MAGICALLY, UM, WE WERE ALL VERY WELL TAKEN CARE OF. AND, UM, A FEW WEEKS LATER, AS I WAS ABLE TO CLEAR MY MIND AND, UH, AND FEEL A LITTLE, LITTLE BETTER, I THOUGHT, I NEED TO LEARN HOW TO NEGOTIATE, UM, IN SUCH A WAY THAT NOT ONLY DO I GET WHAT I WANT, UM, BUT AT THE END OF IT, EVERYBODY ELSE FEELS LIKE THEY GOT WHAT THEY NEEDED. UH, SO, UH, IT WAS QUITE AN INCREDIBLE SKILL. UH, AND I KNOW THAT CHERYL HAS USED THAT IN MANY AVENUES, UH, IN HER TIME AT THIS CITY, UH, TO MAKE SURE THAT AT THE END OF IT, UH, REGARDLESS OF WHAT ONE WENT INTO THE NEGOTIATION WITH, UM, THE CITY CAME OUT AHEAD AT THE END OF THE DAY. SO THANK YOU, UM, FOR ALL OF YOUR WORK. UH, I KNOW THAT, UM, WE DID HAVE MANY, UM, PRIVATE TIMES TOGETHER, AND I HAVE TO SAY THAT, UM, COURTNEY WAS ALWAYS, UH, ON THE FRONT OF YOUR MIND. I'M GLAD TO FINALLY SEE YOU IN PERSON. UH, CHERYL TALKED ABOUT YOU VERY OFTEN AND HOW PROUD SHE WAS, UH, OF HER DAUGHTER, AND, UM, HOW, UH, SHE WAS ALWAYS TRYING TO MAKE A BETTER WORLD FOR WOMEN. UM, I THINK NOT JUST FOR YOU, UH, COURTNEY, BUT FOR ALL OF US. UH, SO THANK YOU, UM, FOR YOUR DEDICATION, UH, CHERYL TO ALL OF US, UH, AND TO THE CITY. AND, UM, YOU KNOW, WE LOOK FORWARD TO WHAT'S COMING NEXT. HOPEFULLY BRINGING BACK THAT WOMAN OF THE WORLD CONFERENCE HERE TO SAN ANTONIO. UH, THANK YOU. THANK YOU, MAYOR. THANK YOU. COUNCILMAN GONZALEZ. COUNCILMAN BHA. THANK YOU MAYOR. THANK YOU MAYOR. UH, CHERYL ON BEHALF OF THE RESIDENTS AT DISTRICT SIX, I WANTED TO SAY THANK YOU, UH, FOR YOUR YEARS OF SERVICE. UM, I THINK YOUR GREATEST ACCOMPLISHMENT IS THE TEAM YOU'VE ASSEMBLED AROUND YOU. UM, PEOPLE OFTEN ASK ME, YOU KNOW, HOW I GET THINGS DONE DOWN THERE? LIKE, HOW, HOW IS THIS WORKING FOR ME? AND I SAID, I GOTTA TELL YOU, CHERYL HAS PUT TOGETHER A, A TEAM OF MEN AND WOMEN THAT IS PHENOMENAL, AND IT WILL BE YOUR LASTING LEGACY. WELL BEYOND ANY OF THIS. UH, AND EVERY TIME I MEET WITH ERIC AND THE BIG SHOES HE HAS TO FILL, AND THE REST OF THE TEAM, I'M GONNA BE HONORING THAT THE TEAM YOU PUT TOGETHER AND GIVE THEM THE BEST RESPECT I CAN. IF THIS JOB LASTS FOR THREE MONTHS OR EIGHT, SEVEN YEARS, MY COMMITMENT IS THAT, UH, I'M GONNA CONTINUE TO SUPPORT YOUR TEAM. 'CAUSE THEY'RE THE FINEST CITY TEAM IN THE NATION. UH, AND WE OWE THAT TO YOU. UM, I DON'T HAVE MANY REGRETS UP HERE, UH, ON THIS DIET. I LET IT FLY LIKE THERE IS NO TOMORROW. UM, ONE REGRET I DO HAVE IS NOT INCLUDING WITH YOU ENOUGH OF YOUR ACCOMPLISHMENTS. AND I LET SOMETIMES POLITICS GET TOO FAR IN IT. AND I DO NOT SAY THIS LIGHTLY, THAT YOU HAVE THE, YOU ARE THE FINEST CITY MANAGER THIS CITY HAS EVER HAD. UM, AND I WISH YOU NOTHING BUT THE BEST OF LUCK. AND I HOPE YOUR FUTURE HAS GREAT HAPPINESS AND SUCCESS, UM, AND TO YOU AND YOUR FAMILY. I WISH THE SAME. UM, BUT IT IS UNDER NO, UH, SIMPLE TERMS THAT I SAY THAT, UH, YOU KNOW, REALLY, WHEN I LOOK AT EVERYTHING YOU'VE DONE, AND WE'VE GONE THROUGH THIS DICE AND LISTED A TON OF THEM, UH, I SIT IN THE TOUGHEST CHAIR 'CAUSE YOU'RE LIKE RIGHT THERE ON ME TOO. LIKE, I, I KNOW IT'S JUST NOT, I DON'T KNOW HOW I, I, I WAS KIND OF HOPING INITIALLY MAYBE GET ME MOVED TO THE OTHER SIDE, BUT, UH, BUT, UH, BUT YOU'RE RIGHT THERE. I'VE WORKED FOR GENERALS, UH, IN THE MILITARY, CORPORATE EXECUTIVE CEOS, YOU'RE THE BEST. AND I THINK IT REFLECTS THAT IN EVERYTHING, EVERYTHING WE'VE SEEN IN THE CITY AND THE GROWTH IN EVERYTHING. AND, UH, I WANTED TO CONGRATULATE YOU, UH, AND THE DISTRICT SIX RESIDENTS, THEY ASKED ME ABOUT IT. AND WE, 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. THANK YOU. COUNCILMAN BROCK, HOUSE, COUNCILWOMAN GRO. THANK YOU, MAYOR. UH, THIS IS AN END OF AN ERA OF SORTS HERE IN THIS CHAMBER. UH, CHERYL, THANK YOU FOR ALL OF THE WORK. THANK YOU TO YOUR MOTHER WHO [02:20:01] IS HERE, WHO YOU SPEAK OF OFTEN AS WELL, JUST LIKE YOU DO TO COURTNEY AND COLIN AND MIKE. BUT WE GET TO SEE MIKE A LOT MORE THAN WE DO YOUR FAMILY. THANK YOU, UM, ALL FOR ALLOWING HER TO TAKE THE EARLY MORNING, LATE NIGHT PHONE CALLS, TEXT, UM, CHERYL AS I, AS I SEE EVEN ERIC, WALK IN AND OUT OF THE, THE ROOMS FROM NOWADAYS, I JUST THINK IT IS A TREMENDOUS, TREMENDOUS AMOUNT OF WORK THAT YOU DO AND THAT YOU HAVE DONE. AND, UM, WHEN YOU ANNOUNCED YOUR RETIREMENT, I STARTED ASKING SOME OF YOUR STAFF, IF THERE WAS JUST ONE THING, YOU CAN ONLY GIVE ME ONE THING THAT YOU WOULD SAY MAKES CHERYL A GREAT CITY MANAGER, WHAT WOULD IT BE? I ASKED VARIOUS STAFF MEMBERS AND THEIR RESPONSES WERE THEY VARIED. SOME SAID THAT, UM, SHE GAVE US THE OPPOR, SHE EMPOWERED US, SHE GAVE US CLEAR DIRECTION OF WHERE TO GO, AND THAT SHE BELIEVED IN OUR CAP ON OUR, 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 WHAT YOUR STAFF WOULD SAY IN CLOSED DOORS, JUST WHEN I ASKED THEM. AND THAT'S HONORING YOU AND WHAT THE WORK THAT YOU DID AND HOW YOU ACTIVATED THAT. I ALSO WANT TO THANK YOU FOR ELEVATING THE CONVERSATION AND EXPECTATION FOR ALL OF SAN ANTONIO AND SAN ANTONIO. WHAT WE SHOULD BE ADVOCATING FOR AND PERSISTENT ABOUT AND RELENTLESS ABOUT WHAT WE SHOULD BE, UM, REQUESTING OF DIFFERENT COMPANIES, INVESTORS OF OTHERS, WHAT WE SHOULD, WE, WE SHOULD BE WANTING. THANK YOU FOR ELEVATING THAT CONVERSATION AND BRINGING THAT TO OUR CONSCIOUSNESS IN THE CITY THAT WE MAY NOT HAVE HAD BEFORE, BECAUSE WE DIDN'T HAVE THAT PERSPECTIVE. WE DIDN'T HAVE THAT OUTSIDE THINKING BEFORE. BUT BECAUSE OF THAT, AND BECAUSE OF WHAT YOU BROUGHT HERE, YOU'VE ALLOWED US TO THRIVE AND 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 IN TO FURTHER YEARS HERE, ONE OF MY FAVORITE THINGS, UH, THAT YOU ALWAYS SAY, AND I REALLY CAUGHT ONTO IT A LOT, I THINK MY SEC OUR FIRST TERM. MY FIRST TERM, BECAUSE WE WENT THROUGH SO MANY COUNCIL MEMBERS, BUT YOU HAD MO. SO AS OF TODAY, HOW MANY COUNCIL MEMBERS HAVE YOU WORKED WITH? 47. 47. SO YOU ALWAYS TALK ABOUT DOING, UM, YOUR JOB IS THE DIRECTION OF THE COUNCIL. THAT'S A LOT OF DIFFERENT PEOPLE TO WORK WITH, AND THAT'S A LOT OF DIFFERENT PERSONALITIES AND THINGS CHANGE ALMOST EVERY TWO YEARS. SO THANK YOU FOR YOUR CONSISTENCY, BECAUSE YOUR BOTTOM LINE WAS ALWAYS TO MAKE SURE THAT THIS ORGANIZATION AND THE CITY WAS WELL RUN. THANK YOU, UM, CHERYL, FOR SETTING A NEW STANDARD OF EXPECTATION FOR ALL OF US IN THE CITY. FOR ME, SITTING HERE ON THIS DAIS, UH, WHAT, UH, COUNCILWOMAN GONZALEZ, UH, SHARED ABOUT JUST WATCHING YOU IN ACTION WAS SOMETHING TO, TO BEHOLD. YOU ARE A FORCE TO BE RECKONED 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 IN A GREAT HONOR AND A PRIVILEGE TO HAVE WORKED WITH YOU AS MY, UM, AS MY CITY MANAGER. I WILL SAY ONE OF THE OTHER THINGS THAT I WAS SO EXCITED, THANK YOU FOR HELPING ELEVATE DISTRICT THREE AND THE SOUTH SIDE OF SAN ANTONIO, AND THAT IN 2016 WE WERE ABLE TO MOVE FORWARD, UM, 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 THINK, 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, UM, AS A ROLE MODEL FOR MANY PEOPLE HERE IN THE CITY, THOSE THAT YOU DON'T EVEN KNOW, THOSE THAT WE SEE, THAT WE TALK TO, THAT TALK TO US, AND, UH, THE THOUGHT OF BEING IRON BUTTERFLIES, THAT WE KNOW HOW TO MOVE FORWARD AND WORK TOGETHER. I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO THIS, UH, LEGACY, TO SEE YOUR LEGACY IN PLAY HERE WITH ERIC WALSH MOVING FORWARD. AND WITH ALL OF OUR TEAM MEMBERS, MARIA, BEN, PETER, [02:25:01] EVERYONE STILL MOVING FORWARD TOGETHER AS OUR UNIT. SO THANK YOU, 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. SO THANK YOU. THANK YOU, MAYOR. THANK YOU. COUNCILMAN VERON. COUNCILMAN SALDANA. THANK YOU, MAYOR. AND YOU KNOW, FIRST I'D, I'D LIKE TO, UH, YOU KNOW, CHERYL, YOU TALK ABOUT YOUR MOTHER SO MUCH. I'M SO GRATEFUL THAT, UH, SHE'S JOINING US IN THE CHAMBER REPRESENTING HERSELF, BUT ALSO REPRESENTING AS THE, UH, THE PLACEMENT FOR YOUR FATHER AS WELL. UH, THEY DID A HECK OF A JOB IN RAISING YOU, AND I'M SURE THE SEVEN OTHER MELANIE INCLUDED WHO'S, UH, JOINING TODAY. UM, LET ME FIRST ALSO CONSIDER THAT YOU DON'T GET TO BE THE BEST CITY MANAGER WITHOUT HAVING TO SACRIFICE. AND, AND MIKE AND, AND COURTNEY AND COLIN, I DON'T KNOW IF, IF CHERYL WITH WHAT WE HAVE SEEN IS, IS EVER ABLE TO TURN IT OFF, UH, WHEN SHE GETS, UH, HOME. I, IN FACT, I RECALL A STORY IN WHICH CHERYL SAID SHE DIDN'T KNOW HOW SHE WOULD MANAGE THROUGH THE WEDDING PLANNING, UH, 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 FOLLOWED. UH, BUT I, I SAY THANK YOU TO YOU'ALL BECAUSE REALLY WE DON'T KNOW WHAT IS ON THE OTHER END OF CHERYL, BECAUSE CHERYL IS ALWAYS FUNCTIONING AT A HUNDRED MILES AN HOUR. AND, AND I'M, I'M SURE THAT THAT COMES WITH IT A GIVE AND TAKE. UH, AND I DON'T KNOW WHAT IT'S LIKE, I, I, CHERYL, AS YOU'RE, YOU KNOW, FINISHING THIS OFF AND THINKING ABOUT THE CHAPTERS IN THE BOOK THAT YOU'RE GOING TO WRITE, UH, I DON'T KNOW WHAT IT TAKES TO TO BE THE BEST. I'VE NEVER GET, I'VE NEVER GOTTEN THE PLEASURE OF BEING THE BEST AT SOMETHING. AND, AND I THINK ABOUT GOING INTO CLASSROOMS WHERE FOLKS WERE MUCH SMARTER THAN I AM, OR, OR PLAYING, UH, 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, I THOUGHT TO MYSELF, THIS PITCHER, WHO IS THE BEST PITCHER IN THE COUNTRY, MAKES EVERYBODY AROUND THEM BETTER. YOU HAVE A SENSE OF CONFIDENCE BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, WHEN HE'S ON THE MOUND AND HE'S THROWING A HUNDRED MILES AN HOUR, THE OTHER TEAM IS FRIGHTENED GOING INTO IT. IT MAKES THE REST OF THE TEAM JUST PLAY TO A DIFFERENT LEVEL AND TO A DIFFERENT STANDARD. UH, AND SO I NEVER QUITE ASKED HIM WHAT IT FEELS LIKE TO BE THE BEST. AND, AND WE THROW AROUND THE BEST WHEN WE INTRODUCE YOU AS THE BEST CITY MANAGER IN THE COUNTRY. UH, AND WE THROW AROUND THE BEST WHEN WE TALK ABOUT YOU IN TERMS OF THE, YOU KNOW, GREATEST HITS. UH, BUT IT, IT MUST FEEL NICE AT THE END OF A CAREER, UH, TO KNOW THAT WE'RE NOT BEING BIASED. AND, 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. STOP. NOTHING ELSE NEEDS TO BE SAID, UH, AFTER THAT. AND, YOU KNOW, AS COUNCILMAN BHA AND A FEW OTHERS HAVE SAID, WHETHER IT IS IN, UH, DEALING WITH THE TOP LEADERSHIP IN THE MILITARY OR IN THE PRIVATE SECTOR, IN EDUCATIONAL CIRCLES, EVEN WITHIN THE BUBBLE OF SAN ANTONIO, EVERYBODY LOOKS TO YOU AS ONE OF THE STRONGEST LEADERS THAT IS REPRESENTED, UH, IN OUR CITY. AND, UH, I I WILL SAY THAT WHENEVER WE HAVE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT PITCH TO GET A COMPANY HERE, A CONFERENCE HERE, UH, WE'RE RECRUITING FOR THE BEST TALENT FOR OUR POLICE AND FIRE CHIEFS. UH, WHAT MOST OF US THINKS, UH, IS, IS SIMPLY THAT WE'RE GLAD SHE'S ON OUR TEAM. UH, WE'RE GLAD THAT YOU KNOW, 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 YOU'LL COACH YOUR LAST GAME. UH, AND THE QUESTION IN 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 THAT YOU HAVE LEFT FOR THE CITY AND ITS ORGANIZATION, UH, IS AS HIGH AS IT'S EVER GONNA BE. AND, 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, UH, ARE YET TO BE SEEN. BUT FOR THOSE THINGS THAT WE CAN SEE, AND I KNOW THAT FORMER COUNCILMAN PEREZ IN DISTRICT FOUR IS HERE FOR THE FOLKS THAT LIVE IN MY DISTRICT, UH, WE CAN SEE THOSE BENEFITS, WHETHER IT'S IN THE NEW FIRE STATIONS OR THE NEW PARKS, UH, OR THE NEW INVESTMENTS IN IN STREETS AND SIDEWALKS. UH, WE CAN SEE THOSE THINGS. AND THEY DON'T HAVE, YOU KNOW, YOUR NAME ON THEM. THEY'RE, THEY'RE, THEY'RE ACTUALLY ALMOST ALWAYS REPRESENTED BY ELECTED OFFICIALS WHO WANT TO TAKE ALL OF THE CREDIT. UM, AND WE DO, UH, IN MOST CASES, BUT AT THE END OF THE DAY, THERE'S SOMEBODY WHO'S GOTTA BE UP THERE THROWING EVERY PITCH TO MAKE SURE THAT THE REST OF US AND YOUR TEAM, UH, PLAY TO THE LEVEL THAT THEY CAN. AND SO, UH, WE'RE LOOKING FORWARD TO, UH, [02:30:01] WHAT YOU'RE GOING TO DO NEXT, UH, TO YOUR NEXT ERA, UH, TO, TO MIKE AND COLIN AND COURTNEY. UH, I HOPE YOU'LL ENJOY HAVING MOM AND YOUR WIFE BACK, BUT, UH, WE CERTAINLY KNOW THAT WE'RE GONNA MISS GETTING TO SEE HER, YOU KNOW, LEXUS PARKED AT, UH, THE PARKING SPOT THAT IT SEEMS TO BE PERPETUALLY SITUATED IN, UH, DAY AND NIGHT. UH, BUT, UH, CHERYL, WE'RE LOOKING FORWARD TO WHAT YOU DO NEXT. WE WISH YOU NOTHING BUT LUCK, AND I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO, UH, READING YOUR BOOK ONCE YOU'RE FINALLY DONE WRITING IT. THANK YOU, MAYOR. THANK YOU. COUNCILMAN SALANA, COUNCILMAN HALL, UH, THANK YOU MAYOR. AND, UH, I'VE SAID PLENTY ABOUT CHERYL OVER THE LAST FOUR WEEKS AND KNOW, I KNOW THAT THE, UH, HOUR IS WELL SPENT AND WE'VE GOT AN EVENT, UH, RIGHT, RIGHT AFTER THIS. SO IF YOU, WITH YOUR PERMISSION, MAYOR, I, I'D LIKE TO SEE TWO MINUTES OF MY TIME, MEANING 30 SECONDS EACH, AND WE CAN TIME THAT LETICIA, UH, TO FOUR OTHER COUNCIL MEMBERS WHO ARE ON THE COUNCIL WITH ME, UH, AND, AND MAYOR HARDBERGER WHEN WE, UM, UH, BROUGHT CHERYL IN. IF SO, IF THE FOUR OF THEM CAN COME UP ALTOGETHER, 30 SECONDS EACH AND SAY, JUST SAY A QUICK, UH, COUPLE COMMENTS ON THIS STAGE. UH, COUNCILMAN RICHARD PEREZ, UH, COUNCILMAN DELICIA RERA, UM, UH, COUNCILWOMAN PATTY RADDLE, UH, CHIP CHIP HA AND, UH, RA GUDO, IF THEY COULD, 30 SECONDS EACH. CHERYL, YOU KNOW WHAT I'M GONNA SAY? YOU ARE MY ROLE MODEL AND HAVE BEEN SINCE 2005, AND I STILL WANNA BE YOU WHEN I GROW UP. AND IF IT WASN'T FOR YOU, I WOULDN'T HAVE DONE THAT FIRST ROCK AND ROLL MARATHON, AND THEN I STILL HAVE THAT GIFT HE GAVE ME, UM, IN MY HOUSE. THANK YOU. AND WHAT MUST NEVER BE FORGOTTEN THAT EVERY SINGLE DECISION MAJOR, EVERY MAJOR DECISION THAT HAS HAPPENED IN SAN ANTONIO SHOW HAS BEEN A PART OF, AND IF IT WASN'T FOR HER, THEY WOULDN'T HAVE HAPPENED. THANK YOU. UM, CHERYL, I FEEL I'VE SEEN YOUR HEART, AND I KNOW SOMETIMES IT'S NOT EASY TO SEE IN THE, 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. I THANK GOD FOR THAT. HELLO, CHERYL. UM, 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 THEN, 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. THANK YOU. JUST LIKE A TEAM, I'M GONNA LET RICHIE HIT CLEAN UP ART. THANKS FOR, UH, THANKS FOR GIVING US THE OPPORTUNITY. I MEAN, EVERYONE SAID SO MANY THINGS, BUT CHERYL, I WOULD JUST SAY THANK YOU, RIGHT FROM A, YOU KNOW, UH, A 25 YEAR OLD 2003 DISTRICT 10 CITY COUNCIL MEMBER WHO, YOU KNOW, FRANKLY FOUND, UH, 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, UM, YOU KNOW, HELPED ME GET PROJECTS DONE FOR A COUPLE OF YEARS. I MEAN, WE, WE HAD TWO, TWO YEAR TERMS. IT WAS GONNA BE REAL, REAL HARD TO MAKE SWEEPING CHANGES, BUT I ALWAYS FELT LIKE I HAD CONFIDENCE IN YOUR LEADERSHIP, AND I'M, I'M VERY APPRECIATIVE TO HAVE HAD THAT EXPERIENCE TO WORK WITH YOU. AND THEN, JUST ON A PERSONAL NOTE, I MEAN, THANKS FOR JUMPING IN WITH BOTH FEET AND, AND BECOMING A, A SAN ANTONIAN. I MEAN, I THINK, YOU KNOW, THAT'S NOT, THAT CAN'T BE EASY, RIGHT? AND, AND YOU DID IT WITH GRACE. UH, AND THEN AGAIN, PERSONALLY, UH, THANK YOU FOR BEING SUCH A GOOD FRIEND. IT'S JUST, YOU KNOW, IT'S DIFFERENT AND IT'S UNIQUE AND, UH, I'M PLEASED TO HAVE HAD THE EXPERIENCE TO WORK WITH YOU. AND I WISH YOU ALL THE BEST. I KNOW YOU'RE GONNA ENJOY THIS NEXT STAGE. UH, AND SO I LOOK FORWARD TO KEEPING TOUCH. RICHIE, THANK YOU, CHIP. WELL, YOU, YOU'VE HEARD ABOUT THE TRANSFORMATION THAT 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 GONNA HAPPEN. WHEN THERE'S A POTHOLE THAT GETS FIXED, WHEN THERE'S AN ISSUE WITH POLICE, THE POLICE SHOWS UP OR THERE'S A FIRE. AND SO THE BUSINESS COMMUNITY HAS A THOUSAND PERCENT CONFIDENCE IN THE WORK THAT YOU'VE DONE. YOU HAVE GIVEN US [02:35:01] THE ABILITY TO BE SUCCESSFUL BECAUSE OF THIS GREAT RUNNING CITY AND, AND ALL OF YOU THAT ARE HERE, AND ALL OF US THAT HAVE SERVED. BUT IT'S A PARTNERSHIP, AND THAT PARTNERSHIP BELONGS TO YOU, AND IT WILL ALWAYS BE YOURS. AND IT'S THE ELEVATION OF OUR COMMUNITY TO THE NEXT LEVEL. THANK YOU, CHERYL. AND, AND MAYOR. MAYOR, I, I THINK I'VE GOT 30 SECONDS LEFT ON MY TIME. UH, I DO SEE COUNCILMAN GALLAGHER, UH, HERE. AND, UM, UH, IF WITH YOUR PERMISSION, ADDITIONAL 30 SECONDS. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. APPRECIATE THAT. GLAD THAT I WAS ABLE TO BE SEEN. UH, CHERYL, JUST WANT YOU TO KNOW FROM AN AIR FORCE PERSPECTIVE, HAD YOU BEEN IN THE AIR FORCE WITH MIKE GALLAGHER, YOU'D BE A FIVE STAR GENERAL THANK YOU JOB MAYOR, DO I HAVE 30 MORE SEC? NO, I'M JUST A . WELL, THANK YOU VERY MUCH, EVERYONE. UH, WE HAVE A LUNCHEON FOR CHERYL NOW IN THE BACK, WE'RE GONNA PROCEED TO, SO WE ARE GOING TO RECESS THE REST OF OUR AGENDA UNTIL ONE 30. OKAY. GOOD AFTERNOON, EVERYONE. WELCOME BACK. CITY COUNCIL'S RECONVENED FROM ITS RECESS. TIME IS 1:37 PM THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR YOUR PATIENCE. UH, WE'RE WAITING FOR ONE OF OUR COLLEAGUES, BUT IN THE MEANTIME, WE'RE GONNA TAKE UP ITEMS 23 THROUGH 25 MM-HMM. . AND WE HAVE SEVERAL CITIZENS SIGNED UP TO SPEAK ON THOSE ITEMS. UH, IF THEY'RE STILL IN THE CHAMBER, WE'LL START WITH ANTONIO CASTANEDA. AMELIA, WOULD YOU LIKE TO SPEAK? AND THEN IF ANTONIO GETS HERE, THEN SHE CAN TAKE THE TIME. UH, YEAH. UH, WE WEREN'T, UH, EXPECTING A RECESS, SO, UH, IF YOU GIVE ME A LONG TIME, UM, SHE COMES IN. GO AHEAD. THANK YOU, MAYOR. IS THERE A, IS THERE A STAFF PRESENTATION? YES. IT MIGHT GIVE US A LITTLE BIT MORE TIME FOR THE OTHERS TO BE HERE. OKAY. IT IS MANUEL CILLO HERE. YES, SIR. AND THEN WE'LL TAKE THE SET PRESENTATION. HELLO, MY NAME IS MANUEL CILLO. I'M JUNIOR. I'M REPRESENTING MY DAD AS MAN. UM, WE ARE THE OWN, MY DAD'S THE OWNER OF THE PROPERTY ON THE, THE JOHN MCMULLEN AREA. WE HAVE A 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 THE GENERAL MCMULLEN AND, AND, UM, OFFER OPPORTUNITIES FOR THE COMMUNITY. AND ONCE WE GET STARTED WITH THE PLANS, I MEAN, WE'LL MAKE SURE TO PRESENT IT TO THE CITY TO MAKE SURE, UM, EVERYTHING'S IN COMPLIANT AND WE GET THE PERMITS AND THE OKAY TO BUILD THERE. SO THAT IS OUR ULTIMATE GOAL. UM, THANK YOU VERY MUCH, COUNCILMAN AND WOMEN. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. OKAY. THANK YOU VERY, VERY MUCH. MR. SAD COUNCILMAN GONZALEZ. 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. UH, COUNCIL MEMBERS, MAYOR, UH, COUNCILWOMAN GONZALEZ, FIRST OF ALL, I WANTED TO SAY, UH, THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR TAKING THE, UH, OPPORTUNITY TO ACTUALLY COME AND VISIT THE PROPERTY. UH, TO ACTUALLY TAKE A LOOK AT THE, UH, THE ENTIRETY OF THE, 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 SCREEN. SOMEWHERE OVER ON THE LEFT HAND SIDE, THE TOP CORNER, THE, I FOUND A, AN 1886 SAN ANTONIO MAP THROUGH THE TEXAS, UH, LAND OFFICE THAT BASICALLY DEPICTED THAT CORNER, UH, WHICH IS TWO 19 NORTH SAN MARCOS. AND THAT, THOSE ARE THE PROPERTIES THAT I OWN. THE BOTTOM RIGHT HAND PROPERTY, UH, OR MAP, UM, ACTUALLY DEPICTS 2016. AND AS YOU CAN TELL, THE, THE STRUCTURE AT TWO 19, WHAT IT WAS IN 1886 AND WHAT IT IS NOW, HAS TOTALLY BEEN CHANGED, MODIFIED. UM, [02:40:01] 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, UH, SINCE THEN IS BASICALLY GONE. UH, BUT I LOOK FORWARD TO DISCUSSING IT FURTHER IF NECESSARY. THANK YOU. UH, UH, SHANNON IS YOUR PRESENTATION. WHY DON'T YOU COME AND GIVE YOUR PRESENTATION AND WE'LL GIVE, UM, ANTONIO A FEW MORE MINUTES. AND, UM, AMELIA, OH, HERE. YEAH, SO HERE SHE COMES. WHY DON'T YOU GO AHEAD AND GIVE YOUR PRESENTATION. OKAY. I, I CAN BE, UH, VERY BRIEF. UM, THIS IS A, AN I A PROPERTY AT THE, AT TWO 19 NORTH SAN MARCUS. AND, UM, IT WAS THE, THE, UM, THERE'S A MAP THAT SHOWS WHERE IT IS, OBVIOUSLY IT'S IN DISTRICT FIVE IN THE PROSPECT HILL NEIGHBORHOOD. AND, UM, WHAT PROMPTED THIS CONSIDERATION WAS INITIALLY THE SUBMISSION OF A DEMOLITION REQUEST. AND THEN, UM, WE NOTIFY THE NEIGHBORHOOD ABOUT DEMOLITION REQUESTS, AND WE RECEIVED A REQUEST FOR REVIEW OF HISTORIC SIGNIFICANCE FROM SARAH GOULD REPRESENTING THE W P A. AND SO, UM, STAFF REVIEWED IT AND FOUND THAT IT WAS ELIGIBLE FOR HISTORIC DESIGNATION. AND THEN, UM, THE H D R C ALSO AGREED THAT IT WAS ELIGIBLE FOR HISTORIC DESIGNATION AND RECOMMENDED IT, UM, TO CITY COUNCIL. OBVIOUSLY, IF THE RESOLUTION IS PASSED TODAY, THAT WOULD BE TO INITIATE THE DESIGNATION PROCESS FOR THE PROPERTY. AND SO IT WOULD THEN GO TO ZONING COMMISSION FOR A RECOMMENDATION, AND IT WOULD COME BACK TO YOU FOR ACTION ON THE ACTUAL DESIGNATION. UM, THE PROPERTY DOES MEET FIVE OF THE 16 CRITERIA THAT ARE LISTED IN THE U D C. AND IN ORDER TO BE ELIGIBLE FOR HISTORIC DESIGNATION, A PROPERTY MUST MEET AT LEAST THREE. UM, SO WE DO, WE DO, UM, FIND THAT IT IS ELIGIBLE FOR DESIGNATION. AND THE H D R C, UM, DID RECOMMEND THAT IT BE DESIGNATED AS A HISTORIC LANDMARK. ANY QUESTIONS? AND THE OTHER PROPERTY, DO YOU WANT, DO YOU WANT ME TO GO AHEAD AND TALK ABOUT ALL THREE? YEAH, GO AHEAD AND DO BOTH. YEAH, I MEAN, YES, ALL THREE BECAUSE, UH, I THINK TWO OF THEM SPOKE ALREADY AND THEN WE HAVE SOME OTHERS. SO, SURE. WHY DON'T YOU GO AHEAD, PULL UP THE 4 28 PRESENTATION. IT'S COMING. SO THIS ONE, UM, THE, THERE, THE NEXT TWO ARE ACTUALLY NEIGHBORING PROPERTIES. UM, THEY'RE ALSO IN DISTRICT FIVE, OBVIOUSLY, UM, IN THE LAS PALMAS AREA, DISTRICT FIVE, UM, CURRENTLY ZONED R FOUR, UM, SIMILAR SITUATION. WE RECEIVED A DEMOLITION REQUEST AND THAT WAS, UM, SENT TO THE NEIGHBORHOOD BY WAY OF NOTIFICATION. AND WE RECEIVED A REQUEST FOR REVIEW OF HISTORIC SIGNIFICANCE FROM THE W P A, JUST LIKE, UM, THE OTHER TWO PROPERTIES THAT ARE UP FOR CONSIDERATION. UM, IN THIS PARTICULAR CASE, IT WOULD BE SIMILAR. IF COUNSEL WERE TO APPROVE THE RESOLUTION TODAY, THEN IT WOULD GO TO ZONING COMMISSION AND BACK HERE TO CITY COUNCIL FOR ACTUAL DESIGNATION CONSIDERATION. UM, IF THE RESOLUTION IS DENIED, THEN THE DEMOLITION PERMIT WOULD BE ISSUED. UM, THIS PROPERTY MEETS FOUR OF THE CRITERIA, AND AS I STATED BEFORE IT, A PROPERTY MUST MEET AT LEAST THREE IN ORDER TO BE ELIGIBLE FOR HISTORIC DESIGNATION. UM, STAFF DID FIND THAT IT MEETS THE CRITERIA AND THE HISTORIC AND DESIGN REVIEW COMM COMMISSION RECOMMENDS IT FOR DESIGNATION. AND THEN THE LAST ONE IS THE NEIGHBOR TO THIS ONE. IT'S FOUR 30 ST. AUGUSTINE. UM, AND IT REALLY, I MEAN, I'LL FLIP THROUGH THE PRESENTATION SO YOU CAN SEE THE PHOTOS, BUT I WON'T, UH, I MEAN, IT'S THE SAME SITUATION AS THE OTHERS. IT WAS, UM, INITIATED BY A DEMOLITION REQUEST. AND THEN, UM, THE WEST SIDE PRESERVATION ALLIANCE SUBMITTED THE REQUEST FOR REVIEW OF HISTORIC SIGNIFICANCE. UM, THERE'S THE LOCATION PHOTO, AND THERE'S ANOTHER PHOTO SH UM, ALSO SHOWING THAT ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA, ANOTHER PHOTO. AND, UM, AND THIS ALSO MEETS THE, THE MINIMUM OF THREE, AND WE BELIEVE IT IS ELIGIBLE FOR HISTORIC DESIGNATION. OKAY. THANK YOU, SHANNON. SURE. SO I THINK THAT, UM, AMELIA AND, UM, AMELIA, OKAY, COME ON UP. AND I KNOW WE WERE WAITING FOR ANTONIO. I DON'T KNOW IF SHE'S ARRIVED YET, BUT HELLO, MY NAME IS AMELIA VALDEZ, AND I'M THE PRESIDENT OF THE HISTORIC WESTSIDE RESIDENT ASSOCIATION. AND TO BE HERE IN SUPPORT OF THE, THE THREE ITEMS AT 23, 24, 25, IT'S HISTORICALLY IN FAVOR OF A HISTORICAL DESIGNATION. AND, UM, ANTONIO HAD A LETTER, UNFORTUNATELY, UM, HOPEFULLY SHE CAN MAKE IT BACK UP HERE. BUT, UM, JUST WANNA SAY, AS A PART OF THE NEIGHBORHOODS IN [02:45:01] THAT ARE PART OF THIS, THE ADDRESSES FOR THESE, UH, THREE, UH, THE PROPERTIES, UM, THAT, UH, WE ARE HERE TO SAVE BUILDINGS AND TO HELP REHAB BUILDINGS AND TO HOPEFULLY 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. UM, WE HOPE THAT, UH, WE CAN HISTORICALLY DESIGNATE THESE PROPERTIES. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. UH, THANK YOU, AMELIA. OKAY. YES. OKAY. THANK YOU. UM, SO THANK YOU, UH, MAYOR. AND, UM, I DID HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO VISIT BOTH THE SITES. UH, I HAD AN OPPORTUNITY TO VISIT WITH MR. FERNANDEZ, AND, UM, ALSO WENT BY THE PROPERTY, UM, WHERE THE CITY OF FAMILY IS. AND, UH, BOTH OF THEM DO HAVE, UM, SOME DESIRE TO, UH, SEE THE PROPERTY REVITALIZED AND REDEVELOPED. UM, BOTH OF THEM, UH, ARE THE OWNERS OF THE PROPERTY AND, UM, WE'RE LOOKING FORWARD TO THEM DOING SOMETHING WITH THEM BEYOND DEMOLITION. UH, WE KNOW THAT WE NEED MORE SMALL BUSINESSES IN OUR NEIGHBORHOOD. WE WANNA PUT THESE PROPERTY ON THE TAX ROLLS AND HOPEFULLY, UH, GENERATING SOME ACTIVITY FOR OUR NEIGHBORHOODS. UM, AND SO WITH THE BOTH OWNERS IN OPPOSITION OF THE HISTORIC DESIGNATION, UM, I MOTION TO DENY. OKAY, THERE'S A MOTION AND A SECOND FOR DENIAL OF ITEMS 23, 24, AND 25, PLEASE VOTE. CARRIE. MOTION CARRIES ITEM NUMBER NINE. 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. BUILT BUILD, UH, BUILT CONTRACTING, CONCOR INCORPORATED, DAVILA CONSTRUCTION, INC. JAMAL AND SMITH CONSTRUCTION, LP, KEN CONN, L T D L M C CORPORATION, THE SAAL GROUP, AND TEJAS PREMIER BUILDING CONTRACTOR, INCORPORATED FOR THE PROVISION OF JOB WATER CONTRACTING AS AN ALTERNATIVE PROJECT DELIVERY METHOD FOR CONSTRUCTION, RENOVATION, REHABILITATION, AND MAINTENANCE PROJECTS IN CITY FACILITIES. COUNCILMAN PERRY. THANK YOU, SIR. UM, UH, THIS PARTICULAR JOCK CONTRACT HAS BEEN, UH, LET'S SEE, RAZZIE. CITIZENS. CITIZENS, OKAY. UM, THAT'S FINE. I APOLOGIZE, COUNCILMAN, WE, WE DO HAVE SOME CITIZENS SIGNED UP TO SPEAK, SO LEMME CALL THEM UP FIRST ON ITEM NUMBER NINE. WE'LL START WITH JEANETTA TINSLEY, FOLLOWED BY KEITH. TONY, GOOD AFTERNOON. MY NAME IS JEANETTA TINSLEY. 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. UH, WE ARE ONE OF THE RESPONDERS TO THIS R F P ON THIS CONTRACT AND READING SOME OF THE ATTACHMENTS TO, UM, THE COUNCIL AGENDA ON THIS ITEM. I SEE WHERE, UM, THE SOUTH ON THE STAFF'S RECOMMENDATION, THEY SAY THAT ONE OF THE OPTIONS IS THAT THE COUNCIL CAN, UM, INCREASE THE POOL ON THIS FROM 10 TO, UM, A NUMBER, ANY NUMBER. AND THAT'S CERTAINLY ONE OF THE POSITIONS THAT I WOULD TAKE ON THIS, IS THAT, YOU KNOW, UM, THAT THE NUMBER GOES FROM 10 TO 13 OR POSSIBLY EVEN, UM, MORE THAN THAT. BUT WITH STRAIGHT LINE MANAGEMENT, WE ARE ONE OF THE CONTRACTORS UNDER THE CURRENT DOCK CONTRACT. AND WITH THAT CONTRACT, WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO, UM, INCREASE OUR CAPACITY. WE WENT FROM A COMPANY WHERE WE HAD FIVE EMPLOYEES AND NOW WE HAVE 20. JUST RECENTLY BECAUSE OF THIS DOCK CONTRACT, WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO BRING ON A SELF-PERFORMING TEAM WHERE WE CAN DO CONCRETE, UM, DRYWALL, FRAMING, UH, 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, UM, THE PEOPLE IN OUR COMMUNITY. WE HAVE TWO OFFICES IN DISTRICT TWO, 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 DO THE SELF, WHERE WE CAN'T SELF PERFORM, WE LOOK FOR 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. [02:50:01] 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, UM, A NUMBER ON A PIECE OF PAPER WHEN YOU SEE A SCORE IN 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 LARYNGITIS AND, YOU KNOW, SOME OF THE THINGS THAT COME ALONG WITH SEASONAL ALLERGIES, BUT IKA ARCH IS IN THE AUDIENCE. AND, UM, IF ANYTHING COMES UP WHERE YOU ALL HAVE QUESTIONS, WE'RE HERE TO ANSWER WHATEVER QUESTIONS THAT YOU ALL MAY HAVE. GREAT. THANK YOU. MS. TINSLEY. KEITH, TONY, JOAQUIN ARCH. JOAQUIN. TONY, CAN SOMEONE ELSE MEET? HE HAS TO BE HERE FOR HIS TIME. UH, KEITH, TONY HAS TO BE HERE FOR HIM TO SEE THIS TIME, BUT, UH, ARE YOU MR. ARCH? I'M OKAY YOUR TIME. GOOD AFTERNOON, COUNSEL. UM, MY NAME IS JOAQUIN ARCH. I'M A BUSINESS DEVELOPER AT STRAIGHT LINE MANAGEMENT. UM, I HAPPEN TO BE WITH STRAIGHT LINE MANAGEMENT SINCE THE ITS CONCEPTION. I'M ORIGINALLY FROM THE EAST SIDE OF SAN ANTONIO. SIKA ARCH IS MY WIFE. WE STARTED THIS COMPANY AS A HUSBAND AND WIFE TEAM. WE STARTED JUST ME AND HER. NOW WE'RE UP TO 20 PEOPLE. THESE PROGRAMS HAVE BEEN ESTABLISHED TO HELP US GROW OUR CAPACITY. I KNOW THAT'S BEEN THE CITY'S PLIGHT FOR SUCH TIME NOW. 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 REINVEST, REVITALIZE, WE'VE DONE OVER 13 PROJECTS OF OUR OWN, WITH OUR OWN MONEY FROM PROFITS THAT WE'VE MADE FROM PROJECTS THAT WE ARE 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 THE REGENTRIFICATION IS NOT HAPPENING. AND A LOT OF THESE PRO PROJECTS AND PROPERTIES THAT WE OWN, WE MANAGE OURSELVES AND MAKE SURE THAT UNDERSERVED IS STILL BEING SERVED. UM, AND THE AUDIENCE WHO I WAS GONNA TRY TO GET SOME OF MY TIME DEFERRED TO IS A SMALL COMPANY. THEY LIVE IN THE COMMUNITY, BUT THEY WOULDN'T HAVE NEVER HAD AN OPPORTUNITY TO WORK ON A JOCK CONTRACT. AND THEY'VE BEEN ABLE TO GROW THEIR CAPACITY AND 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 ON THE JOCK AT SUBCONTRACTORS NOW WE'RE PROM CONTRACTORS. WE'VE WORKED ON THE ALAMO, DON, WE'VE WORKED ON THE AT T SO, AND AT THE AIRPORT. SO OUR RESUME SPEAKS FOR ITSELF, AND I THINK THAT NEEDS TO BE HELD INTO ACCOUNT. UM, 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 CONTRACTS ASSOCIATION, BECAUSE IN, IN 2005 WE DIDN'T HAVE A SEAT AT THE TABLE. AND NOW THOSE OPPORTUNITIES HAVE BEEN AFFORDED TO US. AND I THINK THAT NOW WE ARE BACK HAVING 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. 'CAUSE IT'S NOT A GUARANTEE THAT SOME OF THESE COMPANIES THAT HAVE BEEN AROUND FOR 20, 30, 40, 50 YEARS ARE GONNA GIVE ANYBODY A HAND UP. WE WANNA SEE PROOF OF THAT 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 HAVE A SEAT. THANK YOU, MR. ARCH. CHRISTOPHER HERRING PUT UP NOW. YEAH, SURE. OKAY. MAYOR CITY COUNCIL. I'M CHRISTOPHER HERRING. I'M THE CHAIRMAN OF THE TEXAS ASSOCIATION FOR AFRICAN AMERICAN CHAMBERS OF COMMERCE. I CHAIR THE SMALL BUSINESS ADVOCACY LAST MEETING. UM, I WANT TO COMMENT ABOUT, UH, COUNCILMAN PERRY'S COMMENTS ABOUT, UM, THIS LAST MINUTE INTERJECTION THAT CHANGED THE, UH, WAY IN WHICH WE'RE LOOKING AT THIS BUSINESS. UM, AS A CITIZEN, I'VE BEEN VOLUNTEERING TO DO JUST THIS WORK, UH, FOR EIGHT YEARS. SO IT WAS NOT A POP-UP. UH, WHENEVER WE SEE HIGH VALUED CONTRACTS THAT LOOK LIKE THEY'RE GOING WRONG, WE DO SPEAK UP. AND THAT'S WHAT I DID. I WANNA SAY THAT, UM, WHEN WE LOOK AT THE ASPIRATIONAL GOAL, WHICH IS RIGHT ON THE SCREEN FOR AFRICAN AMERICANS IN CONSTRUCTION, THE CITY HAS NE NEVER, NEVER, NEVER MADE THE GOAL. AND SO I ASKED SIMPLY TO EXPAND THE JOCK, AND I THOUGHT IT WAS REASONABLE. I WENT TO SEE T C I THIS WEEK [02:55:01] AND T C I AFTER I ASKED THE QUESTION, CAN WE MAKE ANY TYPE OF COMPROMISE ON THIS? AND THE ANSWER WAS NO. AND AS A TAXPAYER, UH, OUR DEPARTMENT SHOULDN'T JUST SAY NO. THEY SHOULD TRY TO FIGURE OUT A WAY TO HELP AND TO EXPAND OPPORTUNITIES. UH, THIS IS A CAPACITY BUILDING OPPORTUNITY AND EVERY PERSON THAT'S SITTING HERE KNOWS THAT WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE COMPANIES THAT ARE IN YOUR DISTRICTS, THAT YOU WANT TO SEE CAPACITY BE, UH, 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, 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, FOR ANY OF YOU TO THINK OF THE OPPORTUNITY HERE THAT'S BEING PRESENTED TO EXPAND THE POOL, BUT NOT ONLY EXPAND THE POOL, BUT TO USE THE ENTIRE POOL BECAUSE I KNOW THAT THAT'S ALSO AN OPTION. THEY CAN EXPAND THE POOL. AND THEN T C I WILL WALK AWAY NOT BEING COMMITTED. COUNCILMAN BROCK HOUSE SAID AT THE LAST, UH, 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 7% OF THE POPULATION. AND WE'RE TALKING AGAIN ABOUT, AGAIN, 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 MILITARY CITY, U S A WHERE I RETIRED FROM, THAT'S JUST NOT ACCEPTABLE. WE NEEDED TO LAY 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 MANAGERS TAKE PICTURE TODAY, I DIDN'T SEE AN AFRICAN AMERICAN THAT STOOD UP AS A CITY MANAGER. THERE'S NO ONE IN THE WAITING, THERE'S NO ONE BEING PREPPED. THERE'S NO ONE THAT THAT'S, THAT WAS STANDING HERE. TODAY 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. THANK YOU. SO COUNCILMAN PERRY. THANK YOU SIR. UM, RAJI, CAN YOU GIVE US A, A REFRESHER HERE ON THIS, UH, PARTICULAR CONTRACT? COUNCILMAN? WE START JOC PROGRAM IN 2007. ORIGINALLY WAS A SMALL PROGRAM AS WE USED THE NEED END UP INCREASING. WE HAD BIG BOND THREE LAST BIG BOND PROGRAM WHEN, AND WE END UP USING THIS ONE MORE. THE EXISTING JOCK PROGRAM HAS 10 CONTRACTOR TODAY. THEY'RE EXPIRING NEXT MONTH. WE PUT PROPOSAL OUT LATE LAST YEAR. WE RECEIVED THOSE. WE HAD VERY CLEAR CRITERIA HOW WE ARE GOING TO GRADE THEM. THEY RESPONDED BACK TO US. WE GOT 16 OF THEM. WHEN WE ADVERTISE FOR THIS PROJECT, WE HAD IDEA HOW MUCH DOLLAR FIGURE WE ARE GOING TO ASK FOR. WE ARE GOING TO ASSIGN EACH CONTRACT. WE DID NOT KNOW HOW MANY WE ARE GOING TO PICK BECAUSE USUALLY THAT'S DEPEND ON HOW SCORING COMES. IF SCORING COMES VERY CLOSE, WE LOOK FOR GOOD SEPARATION. THEREFORE, WE REALLY DON'T KNOW WE ARE GOING TO SELECT EIGHT OR 10. BUT FROM PRIOR EXPERIENCE, WE WERE LOOKING BETWEEN EIGHT AND NOT MORE THAN 10 BECAUSE WE DON'T WANNA REALLY SELECT THE FIRM AND NOT BE ABLE TO GIVE THEM PROJECT. BECAUSE WHEN WE SELECT THEM BASED ON OUR SELECTION, WE ARE LETTING THEM TO KNOW YOU GO EXPAND YOUR BUSINESS. YOU HIRE PEOPLE, YOU BUY EQUIPMENT. THAT'S ALWAYS, WE ARE CONCERNED 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'RE GOING TO HAVE DIFFICULTY TO KEEP THAT TEAM. THEY CREATE WORK TO WORK FOR US BUSY BECAUSE WE ARE NOT GIVING THEM A THEM A JOB. OUR SELECTION CRITERIA WAS TOTAL OF A HUNDRED POINT. FROM THAT 30 POINT 20 POINT WAS FOR SMALL BUSINESS AND WOMAN OWNED MINORITY BUSINESS. MAJORITY OF THOSE FIRM IS FROM 11 TO 16. THEY RECEIVE, FOUR OF THEM RECEIVE ALL 20 POINT, TWO OF THEM RECEIVE 15 POINT. THE OTHER CRITERIA WAS THE EXPERIENCE. WHEN WE LOOK FOR THE PROPOSAL, WE LOOK TO SEE IF THEY HAVE WORK FOR US. WE LOOK FOR THE QUALITY OF WORK THEY HAVE DONE FOR US. [03:00:01] WE LOOK TO SCHEDULE, BUDGET, COMMUNICATION, CUSTOMER SERVICE, QUALITY CONTROL PLAN, HAVE THEIR CONTROLLING THIS PROJECT ADMINISTRATION ISSUE. DID THEY HAVE YET ADMINISTRATION ISSUE, WAGE AN HOUR, TIMELY RESPONSE REQUEST. IF THE FIRM NEVER HAS DONE WORK FOR US. ALSO, WE HAVE A AREA THEM TO SHOW THEY CAN DO THE JOB. WE ASK THEM ON THE PROPOSAL TO PROVIDE US THREE PROJECT SHEETS. TELL US THREE PROJECT IS RELEVANT, WHAT WE ARE PLANNING SELECT YOU FOR. IT HAS TO BE SIMILAR. WHAT WE ARE SELECTING THE TYPE OF THE WORK AND THE SIZE OF THE WORK JOG IS MOST OF THE TIME UNDER UNDER THOUSAND DOLLAR. WE ARE NOT LOOKING FOR $10 MILLION PROJECT. WE ARE LOOKING SMALLER PROJECT TO FIT THE JOG. 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 RECEIVE THOSE. WE WANNA BASICALLY EVALUATE EVERYBODY FOR THE SAME PROJECT. WE WANNA MAKE SURE IS A VERY AS FAIR AS CAN BE. SAME PROJECT DESCRIPTION EVERYBODY GOT AND THEY RESPONSE 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 DOES A COST ESTIMATE FOR THAT PARTICULAR PROJECT. WE DO OUR OURSELF AND ALSO WE HAVE A SOFTWARE WE RUN, WE KNOW THE PROJECT. WE ARE ASKING HOW MUCH IT'S GOING TO COST. WE DON'T REALLY LOOK TO SEE IF IT'S A 10% OR NOT. WE WANNA SEE DO THEY REALLY KNOW HOW TO DO A COST ESTIMATE. IT MEETS OUR NEED. THE RATING IS DONE BASED ON THIS. WHEN WE GOT TOGETHER, WE HAD A COMMITTEE CONSIST OF CITY MANAGER'S, OFFICE, T C I DEPARTMENT, AND WE ALSO INCLUDE TWO OTHER DEPARTMENT MAINLY USES THE JOCK PARK AND RECS AND B E S T. WE GOT TOGETHER, OUR INTENTION WAS TO SELECT EIGHT FIRM BECAUSE WE REALLY DIDN'T WANNA HIRE MORE THAN WE HAVE ENOUGH JOB. BUT NUMBER 10 AND NUMBER NINE ON SCORING WAS SO CLOSE TO EIGHT. WE DECIDED IT'S BETTER TO SELECT 10 BECAUSE THERE IS A GOOD GAP BETWEEN 10 AND 11. THAT'S THE REASON WE ARE RECOMMENDING SELECTION OF THE 10 JOCK TO BE USED ONE YEAR AND TWO ADDITIONAL ONE YEAR AT 3 MILLION EACH. OKAY. UM, GREAT. WE, WE DO HAVE, THIS IS THE SCORING MATRIX. UH, TALK US THROUGH THIS SCORING MATRIX TO SHOW US WHAT WHAT YOU'RE REALLY MEANING HERE. UM, YOU'RE, YOU'RE SHOWING THE TOP SCORE WAS 94.62 THROUGH 10 WAS 65 POINT 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. UM, AND THEN IN THE FIFTIES FOR THE LAST THREE, UM, WHAT, WHAT WAS THE UH, WITH, UH, AND THERE'S A LOT OF NUMBERS THERE, BUT WHAT WAS THE BIGGEST DRIVER IN UM, 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 A 30 POINT. THEY'RE GETTING 20 OR MORE. THE ONE IS FALSE BEHIND THEY ARE LESS THAN 17. THEY'RE GETTING 50% OF WHAT THE EXPERIENCE POINTS ALLOWS. OKAY. THAT MEANS THEY ARE ON THE EXPERIENCE SITE IS SLIGHTLY BEHIND THOSE 10. WE ARE RECOMMENDED EXPERIENCE AND, AND PAST PERFORMANCE COR CORRECT. OKAY. EXPERIENCE AND PAST PERFORMANCE KEY PERSONNEL THEY PROVIDED ON THEIR PROPOSAL AND JOB ORDER CONTRACTING. SO YOU, YOU'RE SAYING IT'S IN, IN WHICH I'M LOOKING AT. IT'S, IT'S PRETTY CLEAR WHERE THE BIG BREAKS ARE AND UH, UH, WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE EXPERIENCE AND [03:05:01] UH, PAST PERFORMANCE THERE, THERE'S A SIGNIFICANT DROP OFF, UH, AFTER NUMBER 10. UM, OKAY. SO WHO WAS ACTUALLY ON THE SELECTION COMMITTEE? SOURCE SELECTION TEAM IS CITY MANAGER'S OFFICE. DO YOU HAVE A LIST OF THOSE NAMES? I KNOW THE LIST. IT'S WELL, PETER ZONI, MYSELF, MAC MCKENZIE, CINDY JENKINS FROM PARKS AND REC AND GUY G RON GGO FROM P S T. AND CAN YOU GIMME AN IDEA ON HOW MANY DIFFERENT SOURCE SELECTIONS THAT THIS TEAM HAS BEEN ON IN THE PAST? I MEAN, I HAVE BEEN ON MORE THAN ONE, REMEMBER AT LEAST MORE THAN HUNDREDS. OKAY. I'M ASSUMING PETER HAS BEEN MANY AND MOST OF OUR STAFF AND PROBABLY SANDY HAS BEEN ON MANY ALSO. AND THE GOOD NEWS IS WE DON'T REALLY KNOW AVI'S PO UNTIL THE TECHNICAL IS IN PLACE. WE HAVE NO IDEA WHO'S GETTING FROM HOW MANY OF THE 20 POINTS. OKAY. THAT COMES AFTER THE TECHNICAL AFTERWARDS POINT IS ESTABLISHED AFTERWARDS. CORRECT. OKAY. SO WE'VE GOT SOME VERY EXPERIENCED PEOPLE LOOKING AT THESE PROPOSALS IS WHAT, WHAT WHAT I'M GETTING AT A LOT OF EXPERIENCE IN PAST PROPOSALS AND DOING THESE EVALUATIONS AND, 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, UH, TEAM AS THEIR RECOMMENDATION LAST TIME DIDN'T HAPPEN? I DON'T RECALL ANY PRIOR THAT. OKAY. SO YOU DON'T RE LAST TIME WE RECOMMEND 10 AND IT CANCELED, APPROVED 10. SO AS FAR AS, YOU KNOW, ON ALL PREVIOUS CONTRACTS LIKE THAT, ON THIS TYPE WHERE THERE'S MULTIPLE AWARDS, THE COUNCIL IS APPROVED, WHAT HAS BEEN RECOMMENDED. THAT'S WHAT I'M REMEMBERING. CORRECT. OKAY. ALL RIGHT. AND THEN, UM, COUNCIL MEMBER ONE ADDITIONAL INFORMATION. LAST TIME WE HAD TONY, JUAN SUBMITTED AND WE SELECT 10. OKAY. THE STEM 16 WAS SUBMITTED. WE SELECTED. OKAY, SO, SO 21 PROPOSERS AND 10 SELECTED. DID ANYBODY COME FORWARD ON THE LAST ONE SAYING, HEY, WE, WE WANT ANOTHER SHOT AT THIS TO GET ADDED TO THE, TO THE JOB? I'M SORRY, I, SHE WAS BRIEFING ME IN 2004. IT IS POSSIBLE THEY CHANGED THE NUMBER STEPH HAD RECOMMENDED, BUT SHE'S NOT SURE. OKAY. BUT THIS LAST TIME, UM, LAST TIME WAS 10. WE PROPOSED AND CANCELED THE APPRO. WERE THERE ANY ISSUES WITH THAT AWARD? NOT TO MY KNOWLEDGE. OKAY. AND WHY, WHY THIS CAME TO THE AUDIT AND ACCOUNTABILITY MEETING AND, UM, IT WASN'T BRIEFED INDIVIDUALLY. IT WAS ON THE CONSENT AGENDA. RIGHT. CONSENT AGENDA. CORRECT. AND WHY WAS THAT? WHY, WHY WAS IT ON THE CONSENT AGENDA? I, I DON'T KNOW. 'CAUSE WE DON'T DO THE COUNSEL. WE DON'T DECIDE WHICH IS SUPPOSED TO BE ON INDIVIDUAL OR NOT DECIDE. NO COUNCILMAN. IT'S A VERY TYPICAL TYPE PROJECT. IT'S NON-CONTROVERSIAL. WE DO THE SAME THING WITH OUR TASK ORDER CONTRACTS. THEY GO ON CONSENT. UM, AND SO THAT'S THE NORMAL PROCESS THAT WE GO THROUGH. IT WAS ON CONSENT FOR PRES SOLICITATION AS WELL AS POSTS SOLICITATION LAST MONTH. BUT NORMALLY THESE TYPES OF CONTRACTS, YOU KNOW, THE, THE TEAM PUTS TOGETHER THEIR RECOMMENDATIONS. WE DON'T HAVE ANY ISSUES. AND THEY SELL, SELL ON THROUGH THE SYSTEM? THAT'S CORRECT. AND THE LAST TIME OUTTA THE 21 PROPOSERS, ONLY 10 WERE AWARDED. UM, AND WE DIDN'T HAVE THIS KIND OF ISSUE COME UP LAST TIME, CORRECT? CORRECT. OKAY. ALRIGHT. UM, OKAY. UM, THAT, THAT GIVES A GOOD WRAP UP ON, ON WHAT THE PROCESS WAS AND WHAT THE RECOMMENDATIONS ARE ON THIS PARTICULAR JOCK CONTRACT. UM, GOOD WRAP UP. THANK YOU OZZY. UH, WITH THAT, SIR, I'D LIKE TO MAKE A MOTION TO APPROVE THIS CONTRACT. SECOND. OKAY. THERE'S A MOTION AND A SECOND FOR APPROVAL OF ITEM NUMBER NINE. COUNCILMAN HALL. AND THANK YOU MAYOR. UH, 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. GOOD AFTERNOON, MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL. UM, I'M HERE TODAY IN SUPPORT OF STRAIGHT LINE MANAGEMENT AND ALSO IN SUPPORT OF [03:10:01] YOU GUYS EXTENDING THE POOL AND ALLOWING, UH, THE OTHER CONTRACTORS TO BE, UH, A PART OF THAT POOL, NAMELY THE BLACK CONTRACTORS, UH, THE AFRICAN AMERICAN CONTRACTORS. THE REASON, ANOTHER REASON WHY I'M HERE IS BECAUSE I NEED TO KNOW WHAT THE EQUITY LENS DEFINITION IS WHEN IT COMES TO EVERYBODY IN THIS CITY. UM, WHEN IT COMES TO BLACK CONTRACTORS, UH, 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 WANNA BE A CITY ON THE RISE. WE WANNA BE A CITY THAT'S FAIR FOR EVERYONE. SO BEFORE YOU MAKE THE, 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. UH, 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, 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 OUTTA PRISON. UH, PEOPLE WHO ORDINARILY WOULDN'T WANNA WORK AND WE DON'T WANNA LOSE, UH, 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, UM, FROM THIS POOL. AND, UH, 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. IT IS, IT IS, IT'S GONNA 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, AND, UM, CONSIDER EXPANDING THE POOL. THANK YOU SO MUCH. AND MR. POWELL, IS HE STILL HERE? GOOD AFTERNOON. MY NAME IS JOSEPH POWELL AND I'M A CONCERNED CITIZEN FROM DISTRICT TWO. UH, FOR SOME OF YOU I'M REITERATING, UH, REGARDING THIS, UH, POLICY OF, OR THIS MOVEMENT TO ADD THREE ADDITIONAL SLOTS TO THE LIST OF JOCK CONTRACTORS. UM, THESE, I, 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 MULTIFACETED APPROACH THAT WE NEED TO ADDRESS WHAT I THINK IS ONE OF SAN ANTONIO'S, UH, MOST PRESSING ISSUES OF ECONOMIC SEGREGATION. UH, I'LL REITERATE THAT CRIME IS A VERY LARGE ISSUE WHERE I LIVE. UM, THE STORE VERY CLOSE TO MY HOUSE HAS BEEN ROBBED AT GUNPOINT SEVERAL TIMES IN THE PAST YEAR. WHEN I WENT LAST WEEK TO DONATE SOCKS TO A SHELTER, UH, THERE WAS A MAN JUST BLEEDING ON THE GROUND. UM, 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. UM, AND AS I WATCHED ON THE VIDEO WHEN THIS WAS SUGGESTED, IT KIND OF WENT AROUND AND IT WENT, WE HAD SOME COUNCILMEN THAT SAID, THIS SEEMS LIKE A GOOD IDEA. AND I THINK PEOPLE WERE 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, UH, 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. AND LET ME SEE IT. OKAY, I THINK THAT LOOKS GOOD. BUT THEN COUNCILMAN PERRY, UH, KIND OF SHOWED THESE STRONG OBJECTIONS, UM, WITH THE GENTLEMAN ESPECIALLY, UH, WITH, ON THE ADVICE OF THE GENTLEMAN WHO'S JUST SPEAKING UP HERE. AND I WOULD LIKE TO POINT OUT THAT THERE WAS NO, UM, OUTSIDE EVALUATOR. UM, AND THOUGH THERE'S LOGIC IN MR. PERRY'S REASONING, I FEEL THAT, AS I SAID, THIS IS A MORAL ISSUE AND IT'S ONLY ETHICAL UNLESS YOU'RE GONNA DEVOTE RESOURCES TO ACTUALLY PROVE THAT THE, UH, [03:15:01] 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, MOVEMENT 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, UH, JUST WHAT YOU'RE DOING. IF YOU DON'T ACCEPT THESE THREE ADDITIONAL CONTRACTS, IT'S A JOB KILLER. SO THANK YOU AND THANK YOU. THANK YOU GENTLEMEN, AND THANK YOU MAYOR FOR ALLOWING THOSE. A COUPLE OF ADDITIONAL COMMENTS. UH, FIRST OF ALL, LET ME, UM, UH, SAY TO COUNCILMAN PERRY, I, I, I APPRECIATE HIS PERSPECTIVE, PARTICULARLY ON THE, THE PROCESS. UH, I'M VERY MUCH PROCESS ORIENTED AS WELL, AND, UM, YOU KNOW, I LIKE TO SEE KIND OF THINGS LINED OUT, AND THEN WE FOLLOW THAT, THAT PROCESS. I THINK THE ONLY DIVERGENCE HERE, I THINK WE FOLLOWED THE PROCESS ALL, ALL THE WAY THROUGH. UM, BUT, BUT AT THE END IT'S JUST A, IT'S JUST A MATTER OF DETERMINATION OF HOW MANY YOU WANNA, UH, SELECT. AND SO IT'S EITHER EIGHT OR 10 OR MORE. AND SO I WANNA MAKE THAT KIND OF JUST, JUST A SIMPLE, UM, DECISION POINT THAT WE HAVE, UH, RIGHT NOW. UH, LEMME ALSO SAY, JUST SAY THANK YOU TO RAZZY AND THE TEAM. UM, THEY DID A, THEY'VE DONE A WONDERFUL JOB. I THINK THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO IN GENERAL HAS DONE A LOT BETTER THAN WE HAVE PREVIOUSLY ON, UH, SWIM BEE CONTRACTS. WE HAVE A LOT OF WORK, WORK TO DO. UM, UH, CHRIS, I, I AGREE WITH YOU. WE'VE GOT WORK TO DO, PARTICULARLY ON THE AFRICAN AMERICAN SIDE, AND, AND, UH, WE'VE GOTTA, WE'VE GOTTA PUSH THE CITY. UH, BUT AT THE SAME TIME, WE ALSO GOTTA PUSH OURSELVES. AND SO, UM, UH, THERE'S, THERE'S LOTS OF WORK TO DO ALL THE WAY AROUND. UH, RAZZI, I APPRECIATE YOU WALKING ME THROUGH MY QUESTIONS. UH, WALKING ME THROUGH YOUR EVALUATION SYSTEM. UH, I THINK WHAT WAS VERY ENLIGHTENING TO ME IS, IS I MEAN, THEY'VE GOT, THEY EVALUATE EVERY SINGLE PROJECT THAT EVERY SINGLE, UH, CONTRACTOR DOES, UH, FROM PICTURES TO DESCRIPTIONS TO AND SO FORTH. AND, UH, WHAT I RECOMMENDED TO HIM IS THAT, UM, JUST LIKE WE DO, AT LEAST ON MY JOB, WE HAVE A TWO-WAY STREET ON EVALUATION. AND, AND I TRY TO DO THAT AS OFTEN AS I CAN WITH MY BOSS. AND THAT IS, I JUST SIT DOWN AND SEE, UM, HOW I DID, UH, WHERE I WAS STRONG AND WHERE I WAS WEAK. AND I THINK DOING THAT WITH, WITH CONTRACTORS, I THINK WOULD BE BENEFICIAL FOR THEM TO JUST BE ABLE TO SEE, UH, YOUR LENS AND YOUR TEAM'S LENS AND WHAT THEY LOOK FOR WHEN THEY EVALUATE HOW, HOW, UH, HOW A PROJECT HAS BEEN DONE. AND I WOULD ENCOURAGE ANY OF OUR CONTRACTORS TO, TO GO THROUGH THAT PROCESS, SIT WITH, UH, SIT WITH THE CITY STAFF AND GO THROUGH AND, AND, AND SEE HOW YOU DID AND, UH, HOW THE CITY MIGHT BE EVALUATING ON, UH, YOU ON THAT, BECAUSE I DO THINK THAT THAT MAKES YOU A STRONGER COMPANY, UH, ANY COMPANY, A STRONGER COMPANY GOING FORWARD, UH, TO BE ABLE TO CORRECT MISTAKES AND, AND DO BETTER, UM, NEXT GO ROUND. SO, UH, THE EVALUATION SYSTEM THAT THE CITY HAS IN PLACE FOR ME WAS, WAS, WAS VERY THOROUGH. IT WAS VERY DETAILED, UM, FROM PICTURES AND SO FORTH, ONWARD. AND I WOULD ENCOURAGE THAT FROM EVERYBODY, I THINK, UM, AND, AND I UNDERSTAND RISING AND THE TEAM'S INTENT OF, YOU KNOW, WE'RE GOING FROM A SYSTEM WHERE YOU HAD FOUR YEARS AT $2 MILLION, UM, SO TO, TO A SYSTEM WHERE YOU'RE PUSHING FOR THREE YEARS AND $3 MILLION. SO YOU WANT, WANT A LITTLE BIT LESS TIME, BUT MORE MONEY. AND SO WITH THE IDEA THAT THAT CAPACITY BUILDING IS, IS BASED ON MORE MONEY GOING TO INDIVIDUAL, UH, 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. UM, IN THIS PARTICULAR SCENARIO, YOU CAN HAVE A SMALLER POOL WITH LARGER AMOUNTS OF MONEY, AND I THINK THAT'S WHAT STAFF IS PROPOSING. UH, WHAT I'LL BE PROPOSING IS, IS A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT TAKE, TAKE ON, UH, BUILDING CAPACITY, AND THAT IS A LARGER POOL WITH PERHAPS A LITTLE BIT LESS MONEY. UH, 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, AS, AS THE SOME OF THE CITY MANAGER FOLKS HAVE SAID BEFORE. AND THE RIGHT THING IS WE WANNA BUILD CAPACITY, UM, PARTICULARLY FOR OUR, UH, OUR SWIM B ORGANIZATIONS, WE MIGHT JUST MIGHT HAVE A DIFFERENT PER PERSPECTIVE ON, ON HOW TO GET THAT DONE. AND SO, UH, I'LL BE, I'LL BE MOVING MAYOR, TO, TO AMEND THE BASE MOTION, UM, TO ALLOW FOR 13, UM, COMPANIES IN THE POOL AS OPPOSED TO THE 10. AND, UH, THAT, SO I'LL MAKE THAT MOTION FIRST AND THEN LET ME JUST SAY THIS, THAT IF, IF, IF YOU'RE ON THE BOTTOM SIX OR BOTTOM LEVEL OF THAT, UH, OF THE GROUPING, THAT DOESN'T MEAN YOU'RE A BAD COMPANY, RIGHT? WE GOT, WE GOT HUNDREDS OF COMPANIES HERE IN SAN ANTONIO AND WE HAD 16 APPLY. UM, A LOT OF 'EM GREAT AND GOOD COMPANIES IN LOTS OF DIFFERENT WAYS, UH, BUT JUST BECAUSE YOU'RE ON THE BOTTOM JUST DOESN'T MEAN YOU'RE BAD. YOU JUST DIDN'T RANK, UM, IN THE TOP 10. AND SO, UH, I THINK WE GOTTA UNDERSTAND [03:20:01] THAT, THAT THAT TOP 10 IS JUST, DOESN'T MEAN THEY'RE THE ONLY ONES THAT THAT CAN DO THE JOB. WE GOT LOTS OF OTHER COMPANIES THAT CAN DO THE JOB AS WELL. UH, BUT FOR THAT, FOR THIS PARTICULAR GROUPING OF CONTRACTS, UM, UH, THE RANKING WAS, WAS ONE THROUGH 10 AND, AND THOSE FOLKS AT THE BOTTOM JUST DIDN'T MAKE THAT RANKING. AND SO THAT DOESN'T MEAN YOU'RE A, UH, YOU'RE A BAD COMPANY AND, AND THOSE THAT ARE, UM, YOU KNOW, WE'RE GONNA FLUCTUATE. AND SO THE IDEA IS WORK HARD AND CONTINUE TO WORK HARD, CONTINUE TO BUILD, UM, OURSELVES, CONTINUE TO LOOK AT THOSE EVALUATION NUMBERS AND, UH, AND SEE IF WE CAN GET ABOVE THAT, THAT THRESHOLD. UM, SO I WANTED TO MAKE THAT POINT AS WELL. BUT THAT MAYOR, THAT'S MY MOTION AND, UM, AND MY COMMENTS. THANK YOU. OKAY. THERE'S A MOTION AND A SECOND FOR AMENDING NUMBER NINE TO INCLUDE 13 COMPANIES RATHER THAN 10 COMPANIES. UH, SO I'M GONNA ASK MY COLLEAGUES TO TAKE UP THAT MOTION FIRST. UH, SO, UH, PLEASE CONTAIN YOUR COMMENTS TO THE MOTION THAT'S ON THE FLOOR REGARDING THE AMENDMENT. COUNCILMAN BROCKO? UH, THANK YOU, MAYOR. I JUST WANTED TO, UH, PUT MY RATIONALE OUT ABOUT, UH, MY SECOND FOR COUNCILMAN HALL. I THINK THAT, UM, LOOK, THESE THINGS, UH, CAN'T GET DIFFICULT AND I PROCESS IS WHAT SAVES US, AND I'M 100% ON BOARD WITH RAZZY AND THE TEAM AND THE PROCESS THAT WAS HANDLED HERE FOLLOWED TO A T SCORED APPROPRIATELY, AND THAT'S THEIR PIECE. BUT AT THE END OF THE DAY, I JUST WANT TO JUST IN CASE, WANNA REMIND EVERYBODY THAT 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 THE CITY 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. AND I AM NO RUBBER STAMP. THAT DOESN'T MEAN THAT THE STAFF'S NOT DOING GREAT WORK AND THERE AREN'T 10 QUALIFIED CONTRACTORS. WHAT IT MEANS IS THAT A PARTICULAR POINT IN TIME, I MAY SEE SOMETHING WHERE THERE IS A PROBLEM THAT I THINK WE CAN FIX BY BEING BROADER OR MORE INCLUSIVE IN OUR ANALYSIS. THAT'S IT. 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 UNDER UNDERSTOOD. BUT THE ONLY WAY THAT WE CAN GET THEM BETTER, THE ONLY WAY WE HELP THEM GROW IS TO PUT THEM IN THE GAME. THAT'S IT, IS TO GIVE THEM THE OPPORTUNITY. AND I WOULD BE WITH YOU IF 100% OF THE TIME, WE FOLLOWED STAFF RECOMMENDATION 100% OF THE TIME, BUT GUESS WHAT? WE DON'T. 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. THE GOODWILL IS THE VOTE THAT THAT'S IT. AND DO I THINK THEY CAN GET BETTER AT IT? YES, THEY CAN. AND, AND IF THEY GET THE JOB AND MAYBE THEY SCORED A 14.8 OUTTA 20 ON WHATEVER IT IS, THE NEXT JOB THEY HAVE, THEY'RE GONNA BE A LITTLE BIT BETTER. THE NEXT TIME THE PAINT AND THE EDGES ARE GONNA BE CUT, RIGHT? THE DRYWALL'S GONNA BE DONE A LITTLE BIT BETTER. THE MORE WORK THEY GET, THE BETTER THEY GET EACH OPPORTUNITY AND EVENTUALLY THEY'RE THE PRIME FOR, FIRST OF ALL, WE SHOULDN'T BE HAVING THIS CONVERSATION, RIGHT? I MEAN, AT THE END OF THE DAY, IT'S, WE'RE HAVING THIS CONVERSATION AND IT'S JUST WRONG PERIOD. BUT WE HAVE TO HELP CHANGE THAT PIECE. SO DUE RESPECT TO MY COLLEAGUE, WE HAVE THE VOTE AND WE DON'T ALWAYS FOLLOW THE STAFF. THAT'S WHY WE'RE HERE. 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, UH, IT'S A STRETCH. WE GOTTA GO, WE GOTTA GIVE SOMEBODY A SHOT. AND I'M, I'M 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. UM, AND IT COULD BE THAT IT'S A HISPANIC CONTRACTOR, SMALL, YOU KNOW, LIKE A CIA. HERRERA WAS HERE EARLIER. SHE'S A A FEMALE LA LATINA, SMALL, SMALL BUSINESS CONTRACT. YOU KNOW, THOUGH THOSE ARE RARE TOO. LIKE WE HAVE, I MEAN THERE, THERE'S, IT REALLY IS' ABOUT THAT PARTICULAR PORTION. WHAT IT IS, IS IT'S A SMALLER COMPANY, THE SMALL BUSINESS THAT NEEDS THE SAME SHAKE AND OPPORTUNITY. SO I'LL SUPPORT YOU TODAY, COUNCILMAN HALL, BECAUSE I BELIEVE, UH, THAT THE COMMUNITY DESERVES THE OPPORTUNITY AND CHANCE. THE, THE, THE STATISTICS THAT CHRISTOPHER POINTED OUT, UH, YOU'RE RIGHT. DO WE, ARE WE GONNA MIRROR THE PERCENTAGES? EXACTLY. NO, WE'RE NOT. BUT IF THERE'S X AMOUNT OF PERCENTAGE OF A PARTICULAR GROUP IN OUR COMMUNITY AND THAT THE CONTRACTING IS FAR LESS, AND THAT'S AN ERROR WE NEED TO FIX, WE NEED TO WORK ON GETTING BETTER [03:25:01] AT IT. AND IT'S NOT GONNA HAPPEN OVER THIS. BUT I THINK YOU ALSO MADE A GOOD POINT WHEN YOU SAID IT'S MORE MONEY IN 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, UH, TO BRING, UH, A LITTLE MORE, UH, EQUITY, TO USE THAT WORD. I GUESS WE'LL APPLY IT ON THIS ONE, RIGHT? TO THIS SELECTION PROCESS. SO IT'S FUNNY THAT, UM, EQUITY APPLIES IN SOME PLACES IN THIS CITY, BUT IT DOESN'T APPLY IN OTHERS, RIGHT? SO MY VOTE TODAY IS TO LEAST MAKE US A LITTLE MORE CONSISTENT. THAT EV EQUITY GOES EVERYWHERE. THANK YOU, MAYOR. THANK YOU. COUNCILMAN BROCK, HOUSE. COUNCILMAN COURAGE. THANK YOU, MAYOR. UH, RAZZI, I'VE GOT A COUPLE OF QUESTIONS. UM, OF THE 10 THAT ARE BEING RECOMMENDED RIGHT NOW, UH, HOW MANY OF THEM ARE MINORITY OWNED BUSINESSES? EIGHT OF THE 10 IS A SMALL BUSINESS. I'M GLAD YOU ASKED. COUNCILMAN. SEVEN IS MINORITY BUSINESS, TWO WOMEN-OWNED BUSINESSES, ONE AFRICAN AMERICAN OWNED BUSINESSES AND ONE NATIVE AMERICAN BUSINESSES. SO 10% OF THE BUSINESSES BEING RECOMMENDED ARE AFRICAN AMERICAN OWNED AT THIS POINT IN TIME? CORRECT. OKAY. AS A PRIME. AND ALSO WE HAVE 4% AS A SUB, EVERY CONTRACTOR MUST MEET THAT ONE. SO THAT MEANS LAST TIME WE HAD 3%, THEY EXCEEDED OVER A HUNDRED PERCENT END UP BEING 6.3, AND WE ARE ANTICIPATING TO BE MUCH, MUCH MORE THAN FOUR IN CONSTRUCTION. YOU KNOW, YOU CANNOT JUST STOP A CERTAIN PERCENTAGE. IF THE CONTRACTOR IS SUB IS REPLACING THE CARPET, HE'S GOING TO REPLACE NO MATTER IT'S A 7% OR 10%. THEREFORE, WE ARE ANTICIPATING THAT FOUR PER PERCENT TO BE MUCH, MUCH HIGHER. RIGHT. SO THEN 10% OF THE PRIME OR MINORITY OWNED, UH, ARE AFRICAN-AMERICAN OWNED BUSINESSES. CORRECT. AND I THINK YOU SAID 80% ARE MINORITY OWNED BUSINESSES? CORRECT. AND EACH OF THOSE PRIMES, UH, WILL BE REQUIRED TO HAVE AT LEAST 4% AFRICAN-AMERICAN SUBCONTRACTORS. I'M SORRY, 80% IS A SMALL BUSINESS, EIGHT OF THEM, RIGHT? SEVEN IS MINORITY. 70% IS MINORITY. OKAY. OKAY. UM, YOU KNOW, THERE WAS A QUESTION RAISED A MINUTE AGO, UH, ABOUT, UM, EQUITY LENS. AND UH, I BELIEVE THAT EIGHT OF THESE CONTRACTORS HAVE ALL RECEIVED, UH, S BETA POINTS, WHICH ARE GEARED TOWARDS LEVELING THE PLAYING FIELD FOR, UH, WOMEN, MINORITY OWNED BUSINESSES, ET CETERA, RIGHT? CORRECT. EIGHT OF THEM. SO I THINK THAT KIND OF ADDRESSES HOW ARE WE TRYING TO EMPLOY AN EQUITY LENS? WE GIVE EXTRA POINTS IF YOU'RE A WOMEN OWNED BUSINESS, A MINORITY OWNED BUSINESS, AFRICAN-AMERICAN OWNED BUSINESS, ET CETERA. SO THAT'S ALREADY BUILT IN TO OUR SYSTEM IS 20%. 20% OF THE POINTS CORRECT. OKAY. UM, I JUST WANT TO, UH, CLARIFY SO THAT THE PUBLIC UNDERSTANDS HOW THIS PROCESS WORKED, UH, THROUGH OUR AUDIT COMMITTEE. THE AUDIT COMMITTEE, UH, HAD THIS COME BEFORE US PREVIOUSLY. AND, UH, WHAT WE DO IS WHEN, WHEN THESE ISSUES COME BEFORE US, WE MAKE SURE EVERY MEMBER OF THE COUNCIL, AND BY, BY THE WAY, THERE ARE THREE CITY COUNCIL PEOPLE ON THAT COMMITTEE. THEY'RE, UH, GIVEN COPIES OF THESE PROPOSALS. THEY'RE ASKED TO LOOK 'EM OVER. UH, 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, UH, 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 FROM FURTHER CONSIDERATION? ALSO, WE ALLOW THE PUBLIC TO GO AHEAD AND ADDRESS OUR COMMITTEE IF THEY HAVE ANY QUESTIONS ABOUT ANY OF THE, UH, 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, OUR, ALL OF THE APPLICANTS INFORMED OF WHO IS GOING TO BE RECOMMENDED TO THE COMMITTEE, UH, AT THE TIME THE COMMITTEE RECEIVES THOSE RECOMMENDATIONS, CAN YOU DO LATER? IN OTHER WORDS, DO WE SAY IT A COMPANY'S ONE THROUGH 10? UH, THE COMMITTEE WILL BE, UH, YOU KNOW, VOTING ON THAT. UM, SO FOR CLARIFICATION, I'M SORRY, COUNCILMAN COURAGE. UM, THEY ARE NOTIFIED AT THE TIME THAT WE MAKE THE SELECTION. THEY ARE NOTIFIED THAT THEY ARE, EITHER THERE'S AN INTENT TO AWARD TO THEM OR THEY WERE NOT [03:30:01] SELECTED. SO WE DO SEND THEM NOTIFICATION. OKAY. UM, SO THEN YOU DID HAVE, UH, COUNCILMAN BROCK HOUSE, YOUR FELLOW COUNCIL MEMBER LOOKING AT THESE. SO IT WASN'T JUST A DECISION MADE BY A BUREAUCRACY. NOW, WHEN THESE WERE BROUGHT FORWARD, UH, WE LOOKED AT THE CRITERIA. UH, WE RECOMMENDED THESE TO THE CITY COUNCIL FOR APPROVAL. NOW, AT OUR LAST MEETING, IT WAS BROUGHT TO OUR ATTENTION THAT THERE WERE 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. UH, 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 USED, AND STAFF CAME AND WAS PREPARED TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS THAT I MIGHT HAVE HAD ABOUT THEIR DECISION. UH, AND SO I FELT COMFORTABLE IN REAFFIRMING THEIR DECISION AS BEING FAIR AND EQUITABLE AND A PROCESS THAT WE SHOULD STAND BY. AND SO I, UH, MAYOR, AM GOING TO RECOMMEND WE DEFEAT THE MOTION TO ADD ADDITIONAL, UH, GROUPS AND STICK WITH THE ORIGINAL 10. AND, UH, SO THOSE ARE MY REMARKS. THANK YOU. THANK YOU, COUNCILMAN. COURAGE. COUNCILMAN SANDOVAL. . THANK YOU, MAYOR. UH, JUST SOME QUESTIONS FOR, FOR STAFF. THANK YOU. UM, CAN YOU TELL ME HOW DO YOU DISTRIBUTE THE WORK AMONG THAT, 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 T C I, MOST OF OUR T C I WORK IS A HEAVY CONSTRUCTION, AND MOST OF THESE WORK IS REALLY DONE IN YOUR COUNCIL, DISTRICT, LIBRARY, PARKS, COMMUNITY CENTER. MOST OF THE TIME THEY'RE REMODELING, REPLACING CARPET, PAINTING AND OTHER, WE REALIZE WE FIRST OF ALL IDENTIFY THE TYPE OF THE WORKS, SEE WHO'S THE RIGHT FIT FOR THIS WORK AND WHO'S SECOND IN LINE WE ASSIGN FOR THEM. CERTAIN DEPARTMENT HAS SPECIAL NEED. FOR EXAMPLE, WE DO PROVIDE THESE 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. IT'S A BUSINESS DECISION. AND THERE'S FEW. JOCK IS REALLY END UP BEING ASSIGNING FOR AVIATION BECAUSE THEY'RE ALREADY BADGE, THEY'RE 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 POSSIBLE AND ALSO DEPEND ON THEIR WORKLOAD. THAT'S THE WAY WE DECIDE. OKAY. SO THERE'S NO PRIORITY TO THE ONES THAT HAVE SCORED HIGHER OR THEY'RE ALL TREATED THE SAME ONCE THEY'RE IN THE POOL, NUMBER ONE DOESN'T GET THE BIGGEST JOB. OKAY. UM, GREAT. AND THEN A, A QUESTION FOR, UH, COUNCILMAN HALL. I JUST WANTED TO KNOW, HOW DID YOU, UH, DRAW THE LINE AT 13? YEAH, SO TO BE HONEST, IT, I THINK THE 13TH WAS THE AFRICAN, I THINK THERE'S TWO AFRICAN-AMERICAN COMPANIES WITHIN THAT, THAT THREE, THE ADDITIONAL THREE. AND UH, THE PUSH WAS, WAS TO MAKE SURE THAT WE HAVE MORE AFRICAN-AMERICAN REPRESENTATION IN THE POOL. I'M SORRY, MORE OR MORE, IS THERE ALREADY ANY AFRICAN-AMERICAN REPRESENTATION IN THE POOL? YES. YES. ONE OF THEM. OKAY. ACTUALLY ONE NEW ONE. IT USED TO BE SUB GROWING UP TO BE PRIME. NOW STILL THERE IS OPPORTUNITY FOR THOSE NOT GOING TO SELECTED TO BE SUB. AND THERE'S OTHER OPPORTUNITY. THIS IS THE ONLY, ONLY, IT'S NOT THE ONLY CONTRACT. WE HAVE BE BIT LOW BID. WE BID COMPETITIVE SEAL PROPOSAL. ON MAJORITY OF THE PROJECT, WE HAVE REQUIREMENT OUR PRIME MUST GET A E B E AND ALSO OTHER MINORITY. ON THIS ONE, WE HAVE 24% MINORITY PARTICIPATION AND 4% A E B E. MM-HMM. . OKAY. SO THIS IS A QUESTION EITHER, EITHER FOR YOU OR FOR, UM, ONE OF THE, UH, ASSISTANT CITY MANAGERS REALLY IS, I, 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, UH, CONTRACTOR, UH, LIST. SO WHATEVER HAPPENS WITH THE VOTE, WHAT WILL YOU DO OR WHAT CAN YOU DO DIFFERENTLY, [03:35:01] UH, IN ORDER TO GROW THAT POOL IN IN THE FUTURE? THANKS FOR ANSWERING THAT, ASKING THAT QUESTION, COUNCILMAN. I THINK COUNCIL'S 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 S BETA PROGRAM, IN TERMS OF ALWAYS LOOKING AT THE OPPORTUNITY AND THE AVAILABILITY OF FIRMS, MINORITY FIRMS IN PARTICULAR WOMEN-OWNED FIRMS. AND SO AS AN EXAMPLE FOR THIS, UH, 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. THAT'S EXACTLY WHY WE MAXIMIZED THOSE POINTS. SO WE'RE ALWAYS LOOKING FOR OPPORTUNITIES WITHIN EACH INDIVIDUAL PROCUREMENT TO MAXIMIZE THE TOOLS THAT COUNCIL HAS AFFORDED US. IN ADDITION TO THAT, I DO THINK, UH, WHAT'S GETTING LOST A LITTLE BIT IS THE SUBCONTRACTING OPPORTUNITIES. UH, RAZZI MENTIONED IT THERE TOWARDS THE END, BUT THERE IS A REQUIREMENT THAT 24% OF THE CONTRACT DOLLARS, UH, BE SUBCONTRACTING. AND OF THAT, UH, A MINIMUM OF 4% OF IT GO TO A A B E. AND SO THAT'S FROM A POLICY STANDPOINT, THE WAY WE DRIVE THAT FROM A CA CAPACITY BUILDING STANDPOINT, WE'RE ALWAYS LOOKING TO BUILD THE CAPACITY OF THE SMALL. SO WE HAVE VERY ROBUST MENTOR PROTEGE PROGRAMS, UH, 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. UH, IT'S A SIX CLASSES BOOTCAMP THROUGH ELMO COLLEGES AND THEN A TWO YEAR ROTATION WITH A MENTOR. SO THERE ARE MANY DIFFERENT INTERVENTIONS AND THE LIST GOES ON, ON, ON AND ON. COUNCIL'S ALSO APPROVED A 0% INTEREST LOAN BUY DOWN PROGRAM, UH, THAT WE PROMOTE, UH, IN ADDITION TO TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE THROUGH LIKE LAUNCH SA. SO LOTS OF INTERVENTIONS SPECIFIC TO, TO PROCUREMENT THOUGH IT'S THE TOOLS AGGRESSIVELY APPLYING THESE, THE, UH, PREFERENCE POINTS UP TO 20 AND THEN AGGRESSIVELY APPLYING SUBCONTRACTING GOALS AND, AND, AND IT'S VERY MEANINGFUL. IN TERMS OF THE LAST CONTRACT, THE SUBCONTRACTING GOALS ACTUALLY LAST AND WE GOT 17 DIFFERENT UNIQUE AFRICAN AMERICAN FIRMS THAT PARTICIPATED. THIS IS ABOVE AND BEYOND THE PRIME CONTRACTING, UH, POOL THAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT. SO I DON'T WANT IT TO BE, UH, UM, DIMINISHED IN TERMS OF, UH, WHAT COUNCILMAN BROCK HOUSE WAS SAYING, BUILDING THE CAPACITY SO THEY CAN ONE DAY BE PRIMES. THANK YOU, RENEE. JUST A, A QUICK QUESTION FOR RAZZY. IN YOUR UNDERSTANDING, DO YOU BELIEVE ANY OF THE FIRMS IN THE TOP 10 MIGHT SUB TO THE FIRMS BELOW THE FIRMS THAT RANKED LOWER? WE, WE BELIEVE SO. WE DON'T KNOW EXACTLY WITH WHOM, BUT WE WILL, RIGHT? YES. OKAY. ALRIGHT. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. THANK YOU, MAYOR. THANK YOU. COUNCILMAN SANDOVAL. COUNCILMAN PERRY. THANK YOU, SIR. JUST, JUST GOT A COUPLE MORE QUESTIONS, RAZZI. THANK YOU. UM, OUTTA THAT TOP 10, HOW MANY OF THOSE CONTRACTORS ARE REPEAT CONTRACTORS? SEVEN OF THEM. SO SEVEN, CORRECT. A REPEAT. SO WE GOT THREE NEW CONTRACTORS IN, IN YOUR RECOMMENDATION, AND ONE OF THEM IS A B AFRICAN AMERICAN. SO WE ARE BUILDING THAT CAPACITY, AS ONE OF MY COLLEAGUES WAS POINTING OUT. YEAH, WE SHOULD, WE SHOULD LOOK AT THAT. AND, AND YEAH, I'VE BEEN ONE OF THOSE THAT HAS VOTED AGAINST, UH, STAFF PROPOSALS BEFORE AS WELL. UH, BUT IN THIS INSTANCE WHERE WE ARE MEETING OUR SMALL BUSINESS GOALS ACROSS THE BOARD AND EVEN MAKING THEM BETTER, UH, WE'RE BEATING THOSE GOALS AS, AS OUR HISTORY HAS SHOWN. UM, AND HERE WE'RE BRINGING IN THREE NEW CONTRACTORS, UH, OUT OF THOSE BOTTOM, WELL, THE, UH, REMAINING SIX, HOW MANY OF THOSE HAD THIS CONTRACT BEFORE? TWO OF THEM. SO TWO OF THEM. SO THEY'VE, THEY'VE ACTUALLY HAD THAT CONTRACT BEFORE, CORRECT. AND THEY, THEY, THEY WERE BUILDING THAT CAPACITY AND THEY HAD THAT OPPORTUNITY TO, UH, BE A PRIME. SO WE'RE, WE'RE MOVING TWO OFF THAT LIST, AND WE'RE BRINGING THREE NEW ONES ON THAT LIST, RIGHT? CORRECT. CORRECT. UM, THE, I, I KNOW THE BREAKDOWN OF THE THROUGH 13, BUT WHAT ABOUT THE LAST THREE CONTRACTORS? ARE THEY MINORITY COMPANIES AS WELL? AND WHAT ARE YES. WHAT IS THEIR CLASSIFICATION? YES, THEY ARE MINORITY. WHAT ARE THEIR CLASSIFICATIONS? THEY ARE SS, P [03:40:01] E M B E, AND ONE OF THEM IS A W B E ALSO. OKAY. SO YOU GOT, WE'RE WE'RE BEING ASKED TO ADD THREE MORE TO THIS CONTRACT. AND ME AS A, IF I WERE A CONTRACTOR PROPOSING ON THIS, AND I WAS NUMBER 15, I'D SAY, HEY, WAIT, WHAT'S GOING ON HERE? WHY ARE THEY, WHY ARE THEY GETTING, UM, 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 THAT, FROM THE THREE ABOVE US. SO, UM, I, I WOULD LOOK AT THAT SAYING, WOW, UM, I THINK WE'RE NOT BEING EQUITABLE HERE ON THIS COUNCIL IF WE DON'T BRING ALL OF 'EM ONTO THIS. AND I, I SAY, IF WE'RE GONNA BUST THE R F P PROCESS TO, UH, BRING ON THREE ADDITIONAL, I THINK WE OUGHT NEED JUST LET'S GO AHEAD AND GIVE IT TO EVERYBODY AND, UH, BE EQUITABLE ACROSS THE BOARD. SO, UH, UM, 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, UM, THE PROPOSAL FROM THE STAFF, AND I THOUGHT IT WAS RIGHT ON, RIGHT ON TARGET WITH THE 10 AWARDEES. UM, I UNDERSTAND COUNCILMAN HALL ON WHAT, WHAT YOU'RE TRYING TO DO, BUT, UM, YOU KNOW, ON, 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, I THINK WE'RE, WE'RE RIGHT ON TARGET HERE. AND, UH, BRINGING ON ADDITIONAL CONTRACTORS IS, IS NOT REALLY WARRANTED ON THIS. I, BUT I WILL, I TELL YOU WHAT, I'LL, I'LL DO A FRIENDLY AMENDMENT SAYING, HEY, IF WE'RE GONNA BRING ON THREE ADDITIONAL CONTRACTORS, LET'S GO AHEAD AND MAKE AN AWARD TO ALL OF 'EM, 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 'EM. SO, SIR, THAT, THAT IS MY FRIENDLY AMENDMENT TO THE, UH, AMENDMENT OF COUNCILMAN HALL AND MA MAYOR THAT'S FRIENDLY. I'LL ACCEPT THAT IF THE SECOND ACCEPTS, BUT I, I, I CAN TELL YOU, I, I DO NOT AGREE WITH EXPANDING THIS, SO I'LL, I'LL, I WON'T EVEN SUPPORT MY AMENDMENT IN THE VOTE. THANK YOU, SIR. OKAY. UM, SO THERE'S A LEVEL OF ABSURDITY HERE THAT ILLUSTRATES WHY IT SHOULD BE UNDER THE MOST RARE CIRCUMSTANCES THAT COUNCIL GETS INVOLVED IN THE PROCUREMENT POLICIES WHEN WE ARE VERY CLEARLY MEETING THE GOALS OF A VERY LAUDED SAB BETA PROGRAM, AND WHEN WE'RE MEETING THE GOALS. AND WE CAN DEMONSTRATE THAT IN THE PAST CONTRACT ORDERS, AND IN ADDITION, THE SELECTION OF THE CONTRACTORS FOR 2019, WHICH ARE CLEARLY, UH, 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 JOCKS. SO I'M GONNA SUPPORT THE MAIN MOTION, UM, AND WE'LL GO AHEAD AND TAKE UP THE AMENDMENT AT THIS TIME. SO THERE'S A MOTION AND A SECOND FOR, UH, THE AMENDMENT TO EXPAND THE LIST OF CONTRACTORS TO 16 FROM THE ORIGINAL 10, PLEASE VOTE. THIS IS A VOTE ON THE AMENDMENT TO EXPAND THE LIST TO 16 CONTRACTORS FROM THE ORIGINAL 10. OKAY. MOTION FAILS. NOW WE'LL GO TO THE ORIGINAL AMENDMENT, WHICH IS THE STAFF RECOMMENDATION MOTION BY COUNCILMAN PERRY. THERE'S A MOTION AND A SECOND, PLEASE VOTE. MOTION CARRIES. OKAY, THAT IS THE EXTENT OF OUR MORNING AGENDA. WE'RE NOW GONNA MOVE TO OUR PREVIOUSLY SCHEDULED TWO O'CLOCK ZONING AGENDA. AND AT THIS POINT, I WOULD 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, P ONE AND Z FOUR, P THREE, AND Z SIX, Z NINE, Z 13, Z 14, Z 15, AND Z 18. ARE THERE ANY OTHER ITEMS FROM WHICH THEY WOULD LIKE TO PULL FROM THE CONSENT AGENDA? Z 18? I'VE GOT THAT ONE. THIS ONE? OKAY. YES, PLEASE. [03:45:25] OKAY. UM, 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. ALRIGHT, IF THERE ARE NO OTHER OTHER ITEMS, I'LL ENTERTAIN A MOTION FOR THE BALANCE OF THE CONSENT AGENDA. THAT'S ALL ITEMS SAVED FOR P ONE Z FOUR, P THREE Z SIX, Z NINE, C 13 Z 14, Z 15, AND Z 18. SECOND. OKAY, THERE'S A MOTION AND A SECOND FOR THE BALANCE OF THE CONSENT ZONING AGENDA. ONE MOMENT, PLEASE. WE DO HAVE SOME CITIZENS SIGNED UP TO SPEAK ON CONSENT ZONING ITEMS. WE'LL CALL, UH, JACK FINGER. WELL, MAYOR NURNBERG, OTHER MEMBERS OF OUR ILLUSTRIOUS SAN ANTONIO CITY COUNCIL FOR THE RECORD, MY NAME IS JACK M FINGER. A FEW ITEMS WISH TO BRING TO YOUR ATTENTION ON THIS PORTION OF THE AGENDA. A COUPLE ITEMS THAT, UH, YOU DID NOT PULL FOR INDIVIDUAL CONSIDERATION. AND, UH, THOSE DEAL WITH, UH, WELL, WHAT I CALL ALCOHOL VARIANCES. YES, MR. HALL, IN YOUR DISTRICT, YOU HAVE, YOU HAVE A SCHOOL CALLED, UH, PRE-K FOR ESSAY IN THE EAST EDUCATION CENTER, PRE-K FOR SA. AND THEY, THEY WANT TO SELL ALCOHOL WITHIN 300 FEET OF IT. SIR, STATE LAW IS SAYING YOU CAN'T DO THAT UNLESS THEY'RE SPECIAL CIRCUMSTANCES, WHICH WHERE THE ELECTED BO LOCAL ELECTED BODY WANTS TO JUST WAVE THOSE THINGS. WELL, IF WE BELIEVE SO MUCH IN PRE-K FOR ESSAY, SIR, WHY ARE WE ALLOWING ALCOHOL TO BE SOLD PRACTICALLY RIGHT NEXT TO THE SCHOOL GROUND? HUH? MAYBE YOU'D WANT TO, UH, PULL ITEM 28, 4 4, THAT VERY PARTICULAR REASON THERE. THAT'S PRE-K SOMETHING ALCOHOL, RIGHT NEXT TO A PRE-K FOR SA. UM, MR. PERRY, I GOTTA WAIT FOR THE, THE CONVERSATION TO FINISH HERE. DEAR FLOOR, JACK, GO AHEAD. WELL, MR. CLAYTON PERRY, CITY COUNCIL FOR DISTRICT 10 I THERE SIMILAR SITUATION IN YOUR DISTRICT, SIR? THE, UH, THE ST. PIUS CATHOLIC SCHOOL HAS A, IS RIGHT NEXT TO A PROPOSED AREA FOR SELLING ALCOHOL. I TALKED WITH A FEW PEOPLE THERE, AND THEY WERE, 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, UH, 29 AS WELL. THERE, SIR? YEAH. YEAH. OKAY. UH, ELSEWHERE, DO WE HAVE Z SIX? Z SIX? WELL, YEAH. WHAT IS IT ON Z SIX? WELL, BASICALLY IN DISTRICT, ONCE AGAIN, MR. HALL IN YOUR DISTRICT? YEAH, THE, UH, GET THIS STRAIGHTENED OUT HERE, THE IDEA OF, UM, WHAT I CALL SHOEHORNING ABOUT 10 DIFFERENT RESIDENCES INTO A TINY LITTLE AREA. IN FACT, LET'S LOOK, LET'S LOOK AT THAT. UH, MISS MR. HALL. WELL, WHAT WAS THE MAIN, UH, HERE YOU GO. PUT THAT ON THERE. IF YOU WOULD, LOOK AT THE UNDERLINED AREA IF YOU WOULDN'T, MR. AUDIOVISUAL WOMAN THERE. WHAT IS IT? WHAT, WELL BLOW THAT UP A LITTLE BIT. YEAH. WHAT IS GOING ON HERE? THE IDEA IS THAT THE, THE HISTORICAL, UH, DEPARTMENT SAYS IT DOES NOT SUPERSEDE ANY REQUIREMENTS FOR DESIGN REVIEW OUTLINED IN THE ARTICLE. TO DATE, THERE'S NO APPLICATION MADE FOR THIS THING. ALSO, LACK OF SEPARATION BETWEEN, BETWEEN THE STRUCTURES. THAT'S, YES, THAT'S THE BIG ONE RIGHT THERE, SIR. THEY, THEY'RE, THEY'RE PRACTICALLY JUST ADJACENT THERE, SO YES, YOU MAY WANNA SAY NO TO THAT. THANK YOU, MR. FINGER. ROY DE LA CRUZ, UH, MAYOR AND, UH, COUNCIL PEOPLE. MY NAME IS R LA CRUZ. UH, I'M AT 1 27 GREEN LAWN. I, UH, AM ASKING TO BE GIVEN THE TITLE OF CLASSIFICATION OF DESTINATION. [03:50:01] THE REASON BEING IS THAT OUR HOUSE WAS BUILT IN 1932, UH, AND, UH, WE WANT TO HAVE THE HOUSE AND THE FAMILY. SO, UM, WE HAVE, UH, MY WIFE IN THE HOUSE, AND, UH, WE HAVE OUR SON WHO ALSO IN THE HOUSE, UH, WAS IN THE HOUSE. AND THEN WE HAVE A, A GRANDSON, HIS NAME IS TRISTAN. UM, THAT WE WANT TO CARRY OUT THE, UM, THE TRADITION TO KEEP THE HOUSE AND THE FAMILY. UM, I'M A VETERAN. I'M VIETNAM VETERAN. AND, UH, I'M ASKING YOU TO PLEASE GRANT US THE, UM, DESIGNATION, THE CLASSIFICATION OF HISTORICAL, UH, STATUS. THANK YOU, MAYOR. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. THANK YOU. MR. DELA CRUZ. OKAY. ALRIGHT. UH, DIANE SPIRE. MS. SPIRE, GOOD AFTERNOON. I'M HERE REPRESENTING MY COMPANY. UH, THEY'RE PUTTING A MULTI-FAMILY BUILDING NEXT TO US WHERE WE DIDN'T HAVE ANY PROBLEMS. WE DIDN'T OBJECT TO ANY OF THE REZONING TO RESIDENTIAL. UH, WE WERE GETTING PLANS NOW WHERE THEY'RE BUILDING A SITE PLAN WHERE THEY LOOK LIKE THEY'RE WITHIN FIVE FEET OF OUR BUILDING. UM, WHERE THE PROXIMITY JUST SEEMS TO BE TOO CLOSE FROM THE SITE PLAN. IT LOOKS LIKE THEY HAVE PORCHES, JUST LIKE RIGHT ON THE BACKSIDE OF OUR BUILDING. WE'RE CONCERNED THAT ONCE PEOPLE DO START MOVING IN, WE'RE, OUR SHOP IS GONNA BE TOO NOISY. WE'RE GONNA START GETTING NOISE COMPLAINTS. WE'VE BEEN THERE FOR 60 YEARS, WE'RE NOT GONNA GO ANYWHERE, AND WE JUST WANNA KEEP DOING WHAT WE DO BEST AND, UM, 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'RE FOR IT. WE JUST WANT A LITTLE BIT OF SPACE. WE'RE ASKING FOR, UM, 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, UH, THAT IT'S NOT GONNA HAPPEN, THAT THEY CAN CHANGE IT, BECAUSE THIS WAS A, BEFORE A PRE 2018 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. THANK YOU. THANK YOU, MS. SPIRE. COUNCILMAN PERRY. THANK YOU, SIR. I JUST WANNA MAKE A COMMENT ON, UH, ITEM NUMBER 29. UH, IT WAS MENTIONED ABOUT THE ALCOHOL VARIANCE, UH, ACROSS THE STREET FROM ST. PIUS CATHOLIC, UH, CHURCH AND SCHOOL. YOU KNOW, IF YOU KNOW WHERE THAT'S AT, YOU WOULD KNOW THAT THAT'S THE OLD CRUMPETS. AND MANY OF YOU PROBABLY EATEN THERE AT CRUMPETS. AND YES, THEY HAVE SERVED ALCOHOL THERE FOR ALMOST 30 YEARS. ST. PIUS IS FINE. IN FACT, UH, THEY'RE, THEY'RE, SO, THEY USE THE FACILITY FOR WEDDINGS AND THINGS LIKE THAT, UH, AND THAT, UH, THEY SOLD IT TO A DIFFERENT COMPANY. AND YOU CAN'T TRANSFER THE LIQUOR LICENSE, UH, WITHOUT, UH, GOING BACK THROUGH THIS, THIS PROCESS. SO JUST WANT EVERYBODY TO KNOW THAT'S THE OLD CRUMPETS, AND WE'RE DOING THIS FOR THE, THE NEXT NEW OWNERS. AND THEIR ST. PIUS IS VERY HAPPY TO KEEP 'EM THERE. THEY'VE BEEN GOOD NEIGHBORS. JUST WANTED TO MAKE THAT COMMENT. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. COUNCILMAN PERRY. COUNCILMAN TNO. THANK YOU, MAYOR. AND I JUST, UH, WANTED TO COMMENT, UH, ABOUT THE, THE, THE LADY THAT SPOKE ON ITEM, UH, Z ONE. WE DID ADDRESS THE SITE PLAN ISSUE, UH, AND VERIFIED IT THIS MORNING WITH, UH, THE APPLICANT. UM, UH, WE, WE FEEL THAT, UH, EVERYTHING HAS BEEN SATISFIED, UH, SO THAT WE, WE'LL CONTINUE TO LEAVE ON CONSENT. I ALSO WANNA RECOGNIZE BERT BARR, WHO'S HERE, UH, TO, UH, THANK HIM FOR THE GREEN LAWN DESIGNATION. AND, UH, WE'RE ALSO KEEPING THAT ON CONSENT, BUT THANK YOU FOR, FOR YOUR WORK ON THAT. UH, CERTAINLY LOOK FORWARD TO THAT DESIGNATION MOVING FORWARD. THANK YOU, MAYOR. THANK YOU. COUNCILMAN TREVINO. ALRIGHT, THERE IS A MOTION AND A SECOND FOR THE BALANCE OF THE CONSENT ZONING AGENDA. THAT'S ALL ITEMS SAVED, P ONE Z FOUR B THREE Z SIX Z NINE Z 13 Z 14, Z 15, AND Z 18. PLEASE VOTE. MOTION CARRIES ITEMS P ONE AND Z FOUR P 20 18 9 0 8 IN ZONING [03:55:01] CASE Z 20 18 9 0 5. AMENDING THE NORTH CENTRAL COMMUNITY PLAN FROM LOW DENSITY RESIDENTIAL TO COMMUNITY COMMERCIAL FROM OH TWO TO C ONE, LOCATED AT 51 0 1 SAN PEDRO AVENUE. STAFF PLANNING AND ZONING COMMISSION RECOMMEND APPROVAL. 34 NOTICES MAILED ZERO IN FAVOR, SEVEN OPPOSED. NORTH MOORE AND OLMOS PARK TERRACE NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION ARE OPPOSED. AND I BELIEVE THE APPLICANT HAS AN AMENDMENT, UM, HERE AT THE PODIUM. CAN WE GET THE APPLICANT UP HERE PLEASE? MY NAME IS NATI. I'M THE OWNER OF 51 0 1 SAN PEDRO. I WOULD LIKE TO AMEND MY PLAN. AMENDMENT TO NEIGHBORHOOD COMMERCIAL. THAT'S IT. THANK. YES, THANK YOU, SIR. UM, I WANT A MOTION TO APPROVE AS AMENDED. SECOND. OKAY, THERE'S A MOTION AND A SECOND TO APPROVE ITEMS P ONE AND Z FOUR AS AMENDED, PLEASE VOTE. MOTION CARRIES ITEM P THREE AND Z SIX P 20 18 9 0 3 AND ZONING K Z 20 18 9 14 AMENDING THE GOVERNMENT HILL NEIGHBORHOOD PLAN FROM LOW DENSITY RESIDENTIAL TO LOW DENSITY MIXED USE FROM R FIVE TO I D Z FOR 10 RESIDENTIAL UNITS LOCATED AT 1943 I H 35 NORTH. PLANNING COMMISSION RECOMMENDS APPROVAL. STAFF RECOMMENDS DENIAL WITH AN ALTERNATE RECOMMENDATION. ZONING COMMISSION RECOMMENDS APPROVAL. 26 NOTICES MAILED ONE IN FAVOR, ZERO OPPOSED. AND THE APPLICANT IS AMENDING THEIR REQUEST TO EIGHT UNITS WITH AN UPDATED SITE PLAN. AND STAFF RECOMMENDS APPROVAL WITH THE AMENDED SITE PLAN, AND I THINK WE HAVE A FEW CITIZENS TO BE HEARD. SO WE'LL HEAR FROM, UH, CINDY TOWER, FOLLOWED BY CHARLES MASSEY. I'M CINDY TOWER. THANK YOU FOR HEARING ME TODAY. I'D LIKE TO, UM, START OUT INTRODUCING MYSELF. I BASICALLY AM A WORKING ARTIST FROM BROOKLYN, NEW YORK. AND I, I MOVED HERE SEVEN YEARS AGO. I HAD BEEN, UM, 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 MARSHA KING, MY FRIEND, WHO WAS A MIL MILLENNIAL, ARTISTS OF SAN ANTONIO, HER ART EXHIBITION AT THE MUSEUMS. AND, UM, SHE SHOWED ME, ACTUALLY, GOVERNMENT HILL. AND THIS IS IN 2000. AND, UM, I ENDED UP, UM, BUYING WITH MY PARTNER AN ABANDONED HOUSE IN GOVERNMENT HILL 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, RACIALLY, ECONOMICALLY, IT WAS ARTISTIC. AND, UM, IT'S THE HEALTHIEST NEIGHBORHOOD BECAUSE IT'S A REAL NEIGHBORHOOD. NOBODY CAN DESTROY A TRUE NEIGHBORHOOD. WE ARE ACTUALLY VERY UNITED. AND THE REASON NO MORE PEOPLE ARE NOT HERE IS BECAUSE THERE'S A FUNERAL, FUNERAL TODAY AT ST. PATRICK'S CHURCH. AND I HAVE A LITTLE MORE TIME TO TALK THANKS TO CHARLES MASSEY, MY NEIGHBOR, WHO'S A, WHO'S RIGHT HERE. HE'S A, UM, RENTER AND HE'S A FELLOW ARTIST. WE GO PAINTING TOGETHER IN GOVERNMENT HILL. HE'S A VIETNAM, A 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, UH, GOVERNMENT HILL BEING A VERY, WE'VE, WE VOTE, WE WE'RE A HISTORIC DISTRICT, AND THIS IS THE FOOTPRINT NOW. THIS IS THAT LITTLE GR YEAH, THE, IT IS GOING TOO FAST AS POWERPOINT, BUT THAT'S 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, UM, ALONG NEW BRAUNFELS OBVIOUSLY THIS POWERPOINT'S GOING TOO FAST FOR ME TO EXPLAIN IT, SO I'LL JUST CONTINUE. UM, SO WE HAVE A VERY STRONG COMMUNITY AND THIS IS A DIRECT RESULT OF LOW DENSITY. AND I HAVE TO EXPLAIN WHY. UM, YOU KNOW, IT'S NOT ONLY ABOUT PRESERVING THIS UNIQUE, OLDEST HISTORIC NEIGHBORHOOD IN SAN ANTONIO, UM, BUT IT'S ALSO, UM, PROTECTION. UH, I JUST LOST MY NEXT DOOR NEIGHBORS. THEY'RE DISPLACED PERMANENTLY. THEIR HOUSE BURNT TO THE GROUND FEBRUARY 2ND. [04:00:01] MY HOUSE IS ONLY 10 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. UM, THE, IN A 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. THAT IS JUST ONE ASPECT. THE THIRD THING THAT, THAT I REALLY THINK LOW DENSITY DOES, I KNOW YOU'LL THINK I'M CRAZY, BUT I AM A VETERAN NEW YORKER. I'VE LIVED IN NEIGHBORHOODS. IT'S BECAUSE THERE'S, IT'S, YOU'RE ABLE TO GET TO KNOW YOUR NEIGHBORS AND PARTICIPATE IN THEIR, YOU KNOW, HAVING BARBECUES, BACKYARDS, CHILDREN PLAYING. UM, JUST THIS WEEKEND WE ALL HUNG OUT IN, UM, ROSE AND RAUL'S BACKYARD, DESPITE THEIR HOUSE BURNING DOWN. WE HAD, UM, YOU KNOW, AN EXTENSION CORD TO MY YARD AND A HOSE FROM MY YARD. AND WE HAD A NEIGHBORHOOD BARBECUE, EVEN THOUGH THEY ARE BEING FORCED TO LEAVE THE NEIGHBORHOOD AND IS PERMANENTLY DISPLACED 'CAUSE THEY CANNOT AFFORD TO REBUILD. MY OTHER NEIGHBORS ARE ALL LEAVING IN, UM, DROVES BECAUSE, UM, PROPERTY VALUES, THEIR, 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 TIPPY TOES TRYING TO TALK TO YOU GUYS. THIS IS REALLY UNCOMFORTABLE. OKAY? THE REASON THEY'RE MY FRIENDS IS THAT I COULD NEVER HAVE RESTORED AN ABANDONED HISTORIC HOME. THANK YOU SO MUCH BETTER WITHOUT THEIR HELP. SO, UM, JOE ASHCRAFT GAVE ME ALL THE DOORS, THE, THE DOORKNOBS AND LOCKS TO MY 1890 DOORS MARK RODARTE HANDMADE SCREENS. THE, THE MARIAS TAUGHT ME HOW A TRANSOM WINDOW WORKED AND EXPLAINED THAT I CAN'T PUT INSULATION IN MY HOUSE BECAUSE THE HOLLOW WALLS ACT IN THE 1850S AS RADIATORS. AND THAT'S WHY THE CEILING HEIGHTS ARE HIGH. I'VE LEARNED SO MUCH. BUT WE SHARE RESOURCES, WE HELP EACH OTHER. WE SHARE FRUIT, WE SHARE GRAPEFRUIT, LEMONS, LETTUCE. WE, I GO TO THE ST UM, PATRICK'S POTLUCK DINNERS. THIS, UH, IN THIS DENSITY INCREASE IS CAUSING INDIRECT DISPLACEMENT. AND, AND THE OTHER THING I NEED TO TELL YOU IS I HAVE A PETITION HERE OF 250 SINGLE HOMEOWNERS IN GOVERNMENT HILL THAT ARE AGAINST REZONING FOR THIS VERY CASE. AND, UM, WE MADE A MAP, WHICH IS SHOWN, I CAN SHOW YOU THIS LATER. THIS IS A, WE ALSO HAVE MEETINGS, OUR OWN COMMUNITY MEETINGS. WE DON'T NEED A NEIGHBORHOOD GROUP. IN FACT, THE PEOPLE THAT I HAVE A PACKET OF ALL THE PEOPLE KICKED OUT OF THE N THE NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION FOR NO REASON. THIS IS THE RETURN MEMBERSHIP FORMS AND RETURN CHECKS BECAUSE THEY HAD NO, BUT THEY ALL SIGNED THE PETITION AGAINST REZONING. SO I DON'T KNOW WHY THEY WERE KICKED OUT, BUT I THINK IT'S SOMETHING TO DO WITH THAT. I ALSO HAVE PROOF MR. TOWER OF NO TRANSPARENCY FROM THE DEVELOPER. IS THAT IT? I GOT, THANK YOU, MR. TOWER. I DON'T, I GET HIS TIME. I THINK YOU GOT THE TIME ALREADY. SORRY, I HAVE A LOT MORE. IF YOU HAVE SOMETHING THAT YOU WANT, UH, THE COUNCIL TO HAVE, IF YOU, IF I DON'T, IF YOU WANNA SEE WHAT I BROUGHT? SURE. YOU'RE WELCOME TO GIVE IT TO THE, UH, TO, UH, YEAH. JOANNE. MARIA, I'M GONNA SAVE MY TIME. OKAY. GIL, GIL, MARIO. MR. MARIO? YEAH. YOU'LL HAVE SIX MINUTES. MR. MARIO. GOOD AFTERNOON, MAYOR AND, UH, CITY COUNCIL REPRESENTATIVES. I AM GILBERT J MARIA, RESIDING AT 1955 I H 35 NORTH, AND OWNER OF THAT PROPERTY, MY WIFE AND I HAVE BEEN, UH, 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 MEMBER OF THE GOV GOVERNMENT, HILL UNITED. I HAVE, UH, HAVE HAD A REAL ESTATE LICENSE FOR 25 YEARS. I AM FOR THE GOVERNMENT NEIGHBORHOOD PLAN AND RESPECTFULLY [04:05:01] REQUEST, YOU DENY THE PROPOSED LAND USE FOR LOW, FROM LOW DENSITY RESIDENTIAL TO LOW DENSITY MIXED USE APPROVING ALSO GIVES AN OKAY TO THE PENDING ZONING CASE. THESE PROJECTED MULTI RENTAL AND COMMUNI, UM, 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 GIVE 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 LIVED PRESENTLY IN PEACE, HARMONY, AND AFFORDABLE HOUSING. YOUR PREES REJECTED A SIMILAR MIXED USE PROPOSAL, UH, SOME TIME AGO AT 3 0 9 PIER STREET. THIS MADE POSSIBLE AN OCCUPIED, NEWLY CONSTRUCTED SINGLE RESIDENCE OF APPROVED HISTORICAL DESIGN AND REAL ESTATE CONFORMITY. ADDITIONALLY, A GROUNDBREAKING IN JULY AT 3 0 4 PIERS, UH, ALSO, UH, UH, HAPPENED THAT MEETS, UH, THE GENERAL HERE PLANNING STANDARDS. THE HOME WILL BE COMPLETED IN SIX TO EIGHT WEEKS. WHAT IS BEFORE YOU IS A CHOICE BETWEEN ONE COMPREHENSIVE PLANNING MODEL BY THE EAST SIDE CHOICE NEIGHBORHOOD AND THE SOON INITIATE EAST SIDE COMMUNITY AREA PLAN. YOU HAVE IDENTIFIED AND ENACTED RESOURCES, POLICIES, PROGRAMS, PROJECTS, AND THEIR OUTCOME AND COST IN THIS SOCIALLY 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 VESTMENT INVESTMENT. LET ME ADD A FOOTNOTE TO THAT. UM, IN, UH, RECOGNITION WITH, UH, 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 PRINCIPLE AND INTEREST PAYMENT. THIS DIRECTLY AND INDIRECTLY CONTRIBUTES TO RISING PROPERTY TAXES, DISLOCATION, GENTRIFICATION, IMPACTING SENIORS, RENTERS, FIXED INCOME, FAMILIES, SPECIAL NEEDS, SPOKES, YOUNG ADULTS, AND OTHER MARGINABLE 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. THANK YOU. THANK YOU, MR. MARIO ROSE HILL. GOOD EVENING, MAYOR CITY COUNCIL. MR. HALL. MY NAME IS ROSE HILL, PRESIDENT OF GOVERNMENT, HILL NEIGHBOR ASSOCIATION. 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 [04:10:01] TO THE NEIGHBOR ASSOCIATION. WE DO NOT TAKE ANY, UH, MAKE ANY DECISIONS. WE TAKE IT TO THE COMMUNITY ON JANUARY. IN NOVEMBER, THEY CAME TO US IN DECEMBER, THEY CAME TO US. I ASKED THEM TO PULL IT NOT ONCE, BUT TWICE FROM H G R C TO COME BACK TO THE COMMUNITY, TO HAVE THE COMMUNITY HAVE INPUT. WE HAD THREE VARIOUS MEETINGS, NUMEROUS MEETINGS. AND THEN ON JANUARY 28TH, A VOTE WAS TAKEN. BELIEVE COUNCILMAN HALL'S REPRESENTATIVE WAS THERE WHEN WE TOOK THE VOTE. UH, G S A G H A SUPPORTS THE, THE, THE PROCESS. BECAUSE THERE WAS A PROCESS. IT'S NOT BECAUSE WE'RE WANTING TO JUST COME IN AND PUT A A BUILDING UP. THE DEVELOPER HAS REACHED OUT TO US, HAS CUT DOWN NUMEROUS, UH, PARTS OF THE DESIGN HAS COME DOWN FROM 10 DOWN TO EIGHT UNITS. UH, THERE WAS COMPROMISE. THERE HAS BEEN SUPPORT, UH, FOR THE PROJECT, BUT ALSO WE HAVE TO UNDERSTAND THAT THERE'S ALSO A LOT OF OTHER PEOPLE THAT THERE'S NOT, THERE'S TWO SIDES OF THE STORY HERE. THERE ARE THE PEOPLE THAT DO OPPOSE AND I RESPECT THEIR, THEIR, UH, YOU KNOW, THEIR OPINION. BUT THERE ARE ALSO THOSE THAT WANT SEE GROWTH COMING INTO OUR NEIGHBORHOOD. EVERYBODY WANTS TO LIVE IN GOVERNMENT HILL. GOVERNMENT HILL, BECAUSE THE PEARL HAS TAKEN OFF TREMENDOUSLY. WE DIDN'T KNOW IT WAS GONNA HIT US AT HEART, 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. WE LOVE, I LOVE I WAS RAISED AND GROW GROWN IN, UM, IN GOVERNMENT HILL. THAT'S MY, I GREW UP THERE. WE'RE NOT TALKING ABOUT KNOCKING DOWN HOUSES OR, OR 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, UN NEGLECTED, UM, NOT CARED FOR. AND SO THEREFORE, I ASK YOU THAT YOU TAKE IN CONSIDERATION ALSO THE OTHER SIDE THAT ALSO IS LOOKING AT IT IN A DIFFERENT MANNER. UM, GROWTH, AGAIN, GROWTH, UM, NUMEROUS MEETINGS, PROJECT FALLS WITHIN H D R GUIDELINES. AND ALSO, I WANNA TAKE CONSIDERATION ACCORDING TO OUR MASTER PLAN. IT DOES IT, THIS PROJECT ALSO FALLS INTO OUR MASTER PLAN. AND I, WE ARE TRYING TO EDUCATE OUR COMMUNITY. WE, IF WE, IF WE ARE WANTING TO FOLLOW IT, WE NEED TO GO WITH OUR MASTER PLAN. AND ALSO, BUT WE HAVE TO ALSO STOP, LOOK AND LISTEN TO EVERYBODY. THE, THE COMMUNITY IS GROWING. WE'RE DIVERSE, 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, UM, AND THE RESPONSIBILITY THAT FALLS ON THE SHOULDERS OF THE ORGANIZATION. WE ARE NOT, WE CAN'T PLEASE EVERYBODY, BUT WE TRY AND I'M SORRY THAT SOMETIMES THAT'S JUST THE WAY IT IS. THANK YOU. THANK YOU MS. HILL. COUNCILMAN HALL. THANK YOU MAYOR. AND I APPRECIATE EVERYBODY, UH, COMING OUT TO SPEAK TODAY. UH, CAN I GET, UH, THE STAFF RECOMMENDATION AS AGAIN FOR BOTH THE PLAN AND THE, THE AMENDMENT, THE PLAN AND THOSE ZONING CASE, THE, UH, APPLICANT HAS AN AMENDMENT, IF THEY CAN READ THAT INTO THE RECORD. OKAY. THAT WOULD BE VERY HELPFUL. ALRIGHT, I APPRECIATE THAT. GOOD AFTERNOON, MAYOR. UH, COUNCIL MEMBERS CAROLINE MCDONALD WITH BROWN ORTIZ ONE 12 EAST PEON. UH, AS MS. RAMIREZ STATED, I DO HAVE AN AMENDMENT TO THE APPLICATION WHERE WE WORK REQUESTING 10 UNITS. WE ARE NOW REQUESTING EIGHT, AND I HAVE A SITE PLAN TO SUBMIT FOR THE RECORD. UM, I'M HERE FOR ANY QUESTIONS. THANK YOU. AND, AND DID WE RESOLVE THE ISSUE WITH THE HISTORIC DESIGN? YES, SIR. UM, WE HAVE ALSO SUBMITTED A LETTER TO BE INCLUDED WITH THE ZONING CASE THAT THIS SITE PLAN, THE I D Z SITE PLAN DOES NOT SUPERSEDE, UH, THE H D R C UH, DESIGN APPROVAL PROCESS. AND THANK YOU FOR THAT. UH, THANK YOU CAROLINE. THANK YOU. AND THANK YOU STAFF FOR THE, THAT INFORMATION AS WELL. YOU KNOW, IT'S TOUGH SOMETIMES WHEN YOU, UM, HAVE DEVELOPMENT AND, UH, NOT EVERYBODY AGREES. AND SO, UH, THAT, THAT'S THE CONSTANT CHALLENGE THAT WE HAVE TO FACE WITH REGARD TO PLAN AMENDMENTS, BUT IN ZONING AS WELL. UM, AND AS ROSE SAID, AND I, I APPRECIATE THIS ROSE. YOU KNOW, HER, HER JOB IS TOUGH AND OURS JOB IS, IS AS WELL, UH, BECAUSE SHE'S GOTTA LISTEN. UH, SHE'S GOTTA MAKE A DECISION. SHE HEARS ALL SIDES AND SHE'S GOTTA BE OPEN AND RESPECTFUL TO, TO, TO FOLKS ON THE OPPOSITE SIDE. AND SO WE'VE DONE THAT TODAY. SHE'S DONE THAT HISTORICALLY IN THE PAST. AND SO I APPRECIATE ALL THOSE THAT, THAT OPPOSE, UH, THE, THE PLAN AND THE ZONING, UM, UH, ITEM TODAY. UM, BUT I ALSO TAKE NOTE THAT, THAT, YOU KNOW, GOVERNMENT HILL IS CHANGING. UH, WE GOT A ASSOCIATION IN PLACE THAT IS EVALUATING THIS. THEY'VE GOT A PROCESS. THEY GOT, THEY GOT STEPS. THEY MEET WITH FOLKS. UH, THEY, THEY'VE DEVELOPED A MASTER PLAN. WE'VE GOT A PIECE OF PROPERTY THAT'S ON I 35 THAT'S BEEN VACANT FOR 30 YEARS. AND SO, UH, WHEN WE LOOK AT TRYING TO DO SOMETHING GOOD FOR THE, FOR THE PROPERTY OWNER NUMBER, OWNER NUMBER ONE, BUT ALSO THE NEIGHBORHOOD, I'VE GOTTA TAKE IN ALL, ALL THOSE ITEMS INTO CONSIDERATION. AND SO WITH THE, UH, RECOMMENDATION FROM BOTH STAFF AND THE PLANNING, PLANNING AND ZONING COMMISSIONS AND THEN, UM, WITH THE AMENDMENT THAT'S, UH, [04:15:01] BEEN RECOMMENDED PLUS THE LETTER, UH, I I'M GONNA MOVE APPROVAL SECOND. OKAY, THERE'S A MOTION AND A SECOND FOR APPROVAL OF ITEM NUMBER. WHICH ONE? THREE. OKAY. P THREE AND Z SIX. THANK YOU. PLEASE VOTE. MOTION CARRIES ITEM NUMBER Z NINE Z 20 18 9 6 5 FROM NP 10 TO R FOUR. GENERALLY LOCATED NORTHWEST OF NO GRAY TOWN ROAD AND BAIG 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%. OKAY. ALRIGHT. COUNCILMAN HALL, WE DO HAVE SOME CITIZENS SIGNED UP TO SPEAK. LET ME CALL THEM FIRST AND THEN, OKAY. ALRIGHT. ERNEST THOMPSON. MR. THOMPSON, YOU'LL BE FOLLOWED BY CAROLYN WILLIAMS. THANK YOU. GOOD AFTERNOON, MAYOR CITY COUNCIL. I'M ERNEST THOMPSON, A RETIRED AIR FORCE VETERAN HERE TO BEHOLDS Z NINE TO REZONE THAT PARCEL OF LAND OF OKE AND GRAY TOWN ROADS. NOW, UM, OUR NEIGHBORHOOD OF LOWER HEIGHTS IS LOCATED IN THE TRI AREA. THIS TRI AREA CONSISTS OF SHIRTS, CONVERSE, AND, UH, THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO. WHILE MY ADDRESS BELONGS TO THE CITY OF SHIRTS, THE MAJORITY OF MY TAXES GO TO BEAR COUNTY. AND DEPENDING ON THE SITUATION, I HAVE TO GO TO A DIFFERENT MUNICIPALITY TO RESOLVE AN ISSUE. IT'S DISAPPOINTING AS A VETERAN, UM, WHERE I ATTENDED THE REZONING MEETING THE OTHER DAY. AND, UH, MR. JOHN BUSTAMONTE 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 BEAR COUNTY AND THE CITY OF CHURCHS TO EXERCISE MY RIGHT AND VOICE MY OPINION OF THIS REZONING. ALSO, UM, THE DEVELOPER, I BELIEVE SHOULD BE NEIGHBORLY AND CONTACT US AND INVOLVED US IN THIS, UM, IMPORTANT DECISION THAT'S GONNA BE MADE HERE TODAY. UM, THE HOMES THEY'RE WANTING TO BUILD, IT'S GONNA CAUSE A LOT OF TRAFFIC. THAT'S ALREADY A LOT OF TRAFFIC IN MY NEIGHBORHOOD. UM, THERE'S SIGNIFICANT ROAD DAMAGE TO THIS AREA. THERE'S A LOT OF POTHOLES AND THE COMMUNITY THAT SIGNED THIS M O U THAT THIS DEVELOPER, UM, 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 THE CITY, THE SHIRTS BASICALLY LIKE, WE DON'T MATTER. AND IT'S, AGAIN, IT'S DISAPPOINTING TO HAVE THIS BECAUSE THESE INDIVIDUALS, THIS AFFECTS MY COMMUNITY. I'M RIGHT THERE, RIGHT THERE IN THIS AREA. SO, MR. HALL, PLEASE, I WOULD LIKE FOR YOU TO, UM, REALLY CONSIDER THE DECISION YOU'RE GONNA BE MAKING. I SERVED MY COUNTRY FOR OVER 22 YEARS. UM, THIS IS MILITARY CITY, U S A, YOU ALL. UM, THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME AND AGAIN, I OPPOSE THIS DECISION. THANK YOU, MR. THOMPSON. CAROLYN WILLIAMS, MS. WILLIAMS, YOU'LL BE FOLLOWED BY ALFRED WILLIAMS. MAYOR, UH, COUNSEL. MY NAME IS TERRELL WILLIAMS. I CAN YIELD MY TIME TO, UM, KELLEN WILLIAMS. OKAY. YOU, YOU'RE, UH, ALFRED WILLIAMS. TERRELL WILLIAMS. OKAY. I THINK WE HAD A MISPRINT ON THERE. OKAY. YOU HAVE SIX, SIX MINUTES, MS. WILLIAMS. I WALKED AWAY OVER HERE. OH, OKAY. UM, AND YOUR NAME WAS, I'M SORRY, TERRELL? YES, SIR. OKAY. YOU HADN'T SIGNED UP TO SPEAK, SIR? YES, I SIGNED UP, SIR. OKAY. YOU'RE NOT ON OUR LIST, BUT GO, GO AHEAD MS. WILLIAMS. ALRIGHT. GOOD AFTERNOON, MAYOR. COUNCIL MEMBERS. MR. HALL. I'M CAROLYN WILLIAMS AND I ASKED HER TO PUT UP ON THE SCREEN, UM, I'M ONE OF THE HOMEOWNERS AND YOU, I, YOU'LL SEE A BLUE THAT LIVE IN THE 200 FOOT AFFECTED AREA. THERE'S ROUGHLY EIGHT OF US. WHAT'S BEFORE YOU TODAY IS FOR THEM TO REZONE WHAT IS CURRENTLY IN P 10 TO R FOUR? UH, 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 COULD ALL LIVE WITH. THAT HAPPENED. I ATTENDED A MEETING WITH MR. HARTMAN, ALONG WITH, UM, MR. AND MRS. LEWIS. [04:20:02] UH, MR. HALL SENT SOMEONE FROM HIS OFFICE, ADELL BROOKS. IT WAS, UH, MR. HARTMAN'S, PROJECT MANAGER AND HIS ATTORNEY, MR. ORTIZ, WHEN WE LEFT, OR WHILE WE WERE DISCUSSING THE MEETING IT WAS A PRETTY OPEN FRANK CONVERSATION. WHAT'S HAPPENING IS PART OF THE LAND HE'S NOT BUILDING ON BECAUSE IT'S CONSIDERED A P Z, WHICH IS THE ACCIDENT ZONING OUTSIDE OF RANDOLPH. SO AS A RESULT, HE'S LOSING, UH, ROUGHLY 35 ACRES. SO HE IS TRYING TO NOW MAKE UP FOR HIS LOST LAND AND PUT THESE 357 LOTS IN BETWEEN OUR SUBDIVISION AND SHIRTS AND LOWER HEIGHTS. CURRENTLY, WE ARE ALL ON ROUGHLY A HALF ACRE LOTS. THE ATTORNEYS LIKE TO CALL THIS LOW DENSITY HOUSING. IT IS ANYTHING BUT FROM WHAT WE UNDERSTAND, IT'S GONNA BE 4,000 SQUARE FOOT, ROUGHLY LOTS, SINGLE CAR GARAGE HOMES, WHICH IS CRAMMED IN THERE. UM, WHEN WE TOOK AWAY, WE, UH, MR. HARTMAN ASKED US TO GO BACK AND TALK TO OUR RESIDENTS. UH, HE GAVE US A TO-DO LIST. HE SAID, UH, WE COULD POSSIBLY HAVE A REPRESENTATIVE ON THE BOARD. WE COULD BECOME OUR OWN H O A. AND WE ALSO ASKED, I ASKED HIM POINT BLANK, WHY ARE YOU GOING FROM NMP 10 TO R FOUR? COULD YOU NOT START SOMEWHERE ELSE? COULD YOU NOT DO A NMP EIGHT FIRST AND WORK YOUR RATE DOWN? HIS ANSWER WAS, HE DIDN'T THINK ABOUT THAT. SO HIS TAKEAWAY WAS, OKAY, WE'LL SEE. I DON'T WANT TO COMMIT TO ANYTHING, BUT GO BACK AND, AND I WROTE DOWN WHAT HE SAID. HE SAID, YOUR TO-DO LIST IS TALK TO YOUR COMMUNITY ABOUT A REPRESENT REPRESENTATIVE ON THE BOARD BECOMING YOUR OWN H O A A VARIETY OR ACCUMULATION OF EITHER OUR EIGHTS, AND WE WEREN'T ASKING FOR ALL OF IT. WE JUST ASKED, COULD YOU PLEASE ON THE FENCE LINE, 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'S GONNA HAVE SEVEN HOUSES THAT BACK UP TO HIS ONE LOT, WHERE IN OUR STREET OF EIGHT, WHO ARE CURRENTLY LIVING SEVEN HOMES ARE VETERANS. MY HOME, MY HUSBAND AND I ARE BOTH 20 YEAR VETERANS. MR. THE GREGORYS NEXT TO US ARE BOTH VETERANS. CANDIDO, THE PERSON WHO GAVE ME HIS TIME, WE'RE ALL VETERANS. WE CAME HERE FOR A REASON TO PEACE AND QUIET. SO THIS M O U THAT THEY REFERENCED, IT WAS SIGNED UNDER, I'M GONNA SAY DURESS. I SIGNED IT, BUT THEN I COULDN'T TURN IT IN BECAUSE AT THE END OF THE DAY, THE, THE NEGOTIATIONS THAT WE THOUGHT WE WERE GETTING IS NOT WHAT HAPPENED IN THE FOLLOW-UP MEETING. IT BECAME A ONE OR THE OTHER. YOU CAN EITHER HAVE BIG LOTS ON THE BACK FENCE OR I'LL GIVE YOU A BUFFER ZONE, WHICH IN THE NEW M O U SAYS IT COULD, EXCUSE ME, POTENTIALLY BECOME A DRAINAGE DITCH OR UTILITY EASEMENT. SO THAT'S WHAT WE WON. 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. YOU GOTTA PICK AND CHOOSE, WHICH IS WORSE, SEVEN HOUSES BEHIND YOUR HOUSE OR 350 FAMILIES USING YOUR, UH, SUBDIVISION AS A THROUGHWAY THROUGH FAIR. THERE ARE 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. I MEAN, THESE WERE ALL ASSURANCES HE MADE TO US. BUT IN THE M O U THAT WE GOT THE NIGHT BEFORE THE ZONING MEETING, I GOT IT AT 8:32 PM I GO TO WORK IN THE MORNING, I GO UP AT FIVE. I DUNNO HOW MUCH TIME I HAVE TO GET UP AND MAKE THESE DECISIONS. YOU KNOW, THE LAST SPEAKER SAID, YOU KNOW, THIS IS SUPPOSED TO BE VETERAN U S A A, THIS IS WHAT IT IS, A MILITARY CITY, BUT HE DOESN'T SEEM TO CARE ABOUT US VETERANS OR EVEN OF THE OTHER HOMEOWNERS. MR. HARTMAN'S NOT AT A HARDSHIP HERE. HE CAN BUILD ANYWHERE. HE DOES BUILD ANYWHERE, ANY VARIETY OF HOMES FROM LOW INCOME. THE DEVELOPMENT I'M IN IS MR. HARTMAN'S, AND I ASSURE YOU MY 400,000 PLUS DOLLAR HOME, AND I'M NOT SAYING THAT BECAUSE IT'S AT VALUE, THAT'S JUST THE, THE VARIANCE HE COULD EASILY HAVE PUT SOMETHING BEHIND US COMPARABLE WITH MYSELF AND THE SHIRTS AND THE OTHER SUBDIVISIONS RESERVE. BUT HE CHOSE NOT TO. HE'S CHOSEN TO, TO PUT ONE STEP ABOVE TOWNHOMES IN BETWEEN AN AREA, AND IT IS NOT CONSISTENT WITH THE FOOTPRINT. SO I ASKED THAT YOU GUYS RECONSIDER WHAT HE'S ZONING AND SENDING BACK TO THE DRAWING BOARD BECAUSE THIS NEGOTIATION NEGOTIATIONS DID NOT HAPPEN. THANK YOU. THANK YOU, MS. WILLIAMS. ALFRED WILLIAMS, [04:25:03] MR. WILLIAMS, YOU'LL BE FOLLOWED BY TRAVIS ARMSTRONG, MAYOR CITY COUNCIL. WE ARELY ASKING YOU TO RECONSIDER TO OPPOSE THIS OB THIS UM, THIS PROPOSITION HAS BEEN STATED. WE ARE VETERANS AND WE SERVE THE COUNTRY, AND WE HAVE COME HERE TO RETIRE. AND WE CHOSE THE AREA TO RETIRE AS BEING A GOOD, QUIET AREA. THINGS TO CONS, THINGS TO CONSIDER. E M S FIRE POLICE. YES, THE BEAR COUNTY JUST BUILT A, A SUBSTATION THERE AROUND THE CORNER RIGHT THERE BY R BY RANDOLPH. HOWEVER, WHERE FAR SUPPORT GONNA COME FROM AMBULANCE SERVICE TO SUPPORT THIS. NOT ONLY DO WE HAVE TO CONSIDER THAT TRAFFIC IN THE, IN THE AREA, LEMME BUILD YOU A PICTURE HERE AT THE VERY END OF GRAND CHANNEL ROAD. YOU GOT 1604. WHENEVER 10 GETS GETS JAMMED UP, PEOPLE START COMING THROUGH THE NEIGHBORHOOD. YOU GOTTA STOP RIGHT THERE AT THE END OF 1604. WHEN THAT, WHEN THAT GETS JAMMED UP, GUESS WHERE THEY'RE GONNA GO? THEY'RE GONNA START GOING THROUGH OUR NEIGHBORHOODS AS WELL. SO IF I COULD BUILD ONE OF THE VEHICLES TO CONSIDER THE INFRASTRUCTURE SUPPORT, LOOKING AT THE INFRASTRUCTURE, WE ALREADY HAVE A DRAINAGE PROBLEM THERE. SO HOW ARE WE GONNA FIX IT? CITY OF TOWN, ANTONIO, READY TO TAKE THAT ON. SO IN CLOSING, I'LL BUILD THIS PICTURE FOR YOU. YOU, YOU'RE, YOU'RE STACKING DOMINOES UP AND YOU'RE TRYING TO STACK 'EM UP FOR YOUR CHILD. AND SO YOU GOT THE ONE DOMINO AT THE VERY END, YOU'RE GONNA LET YOUR CHILD PUSH THE DOMINOES OVER, YOU KNOW, YOUR CHILD. SO, SO THE ONE DOMINO AT THE VERY END IS THIS IS THIS HOUSING AREA, THE ZONING ISSUE. YOU HAVE THE POWER TO STOP THAT ONE DOMINO FROM RU RUINING YOUR, YOUR CREATION. SO WE ASK YOU TO CONSIDER OUR REQUEST IN OPPOSING THIS OPPOSITION. THANK YOU. THANK YOU, MR. WILLIAMS. TRAVIS ARMSTRONG, MR. ARMSTRONG, YOU'RE FOLLOWED BY CATHERINE FINLEY. UH, THANK YOU MAYOR AND, UH, COUNCIL FOR ALLOWING US TO SPEAK TODAY. I'M ALSO IN DISTRICT TWO, UM, ALSO A VETERAN AS WELL. UH, I'M HERE TO OPPOSE THIS, UH, PROPOSITION. UH, RIGHT NOW WE'RE AT THE CORNER OF I 10 AND 1604, RIGHT THERE, UH, EAST SIDE, THERE ARE FOUR, ALREADY FOUR, UH, SUBDIVISIONS THAT ARE MP 10 LOT SIZES. NOW, THE DEVELOPER WANTS TO COME IN AND LIKE ANOTHER GENTLEMAN MENTIONED SHOEHORN AND ADDITIONAL ALMOST 350 HOUSES INTO A SMALL NUMBER OF ACRES. AND THAT'S JUST NOT RIGHT. AND WE TALK ABOUT NOBODY. UM, SOMEONE EARLIER MENTIONED PROPERTY VALUES. WHEN YOU'RE TALKING, MOVING FROM ONE HOUSE PER HALF ACRE INTO 4, 5, 6 HOUSES PER ACRE, THAT'S GOING TO DRAMATICALLY AFFECT OUR PROPERTY VALUE. WE ALREADY PAY TAXES IN TWO COUNTIES, GUADALUPE AND BEARER COUNTY. SO MOVING THESE TYPES OF, UH, UH, HOUSES INTO THIS SMALL AREA, YOU'RE REALLY GONNA SHOEHORN THOSE ENDS. TRAFFIC, TRAFFIC IS GOING TO GET WORSE. AND SOMEONE ELSE MENTIONED, UH, E M S SERVICES. UH, GRAY TOWN, UH, ROAD IS A, UH, DISASTER, WHICH WE ARE LIVING IN CHURCHS. WE HAVE NO SAY SO OVER 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, UH, BEAUTIFICATION, KEEPING BEAUTIFICATION OF THAT PARTICULAR AREA. NOW WE UNDERSTAND THAT DEVELOPMENT, UH, SAN ANTONIO IS GROWING, DEVELOPMENT IS BURSTING, BUT LET'S TRY TO STAY WITHIN BOUNDS OF WHAT'S CURRENTLY THERE NOW, BECAUSE THOSE TYPE OF HOMES, IT JUST NOT CONDUCIVE TO WHAT'S THERE NOW. SO, UM, WE APPRECIATE YOUR TIME AND AGAIN, WE OPPOSE THIS, THIS, UH, PARTICULAR PROPOSITION. THANK YOU. THANK YOU, MR. ARMSTRONG. CATHERINE FINLEY. GOOD AFTERNOON, MAYOR. GOOD AFTERNOON, LADIES AND GENTLEMEN. THAT'S MY SECOND TIME THIS WEEK DOING PUBLIC SPEAKING, WHICH I ABSOLUTELY HATE. SO . UM, I AM HERE TO OPPOSE, UH, THE REZONING OF THE PROPERTY LOCATED BY BONY ROAD IN GRAY TOWN, AS IS [04:30:01] PRESENTED NOW. UM, EVERYBODY HAS MADE PRETTY MUCH THE POINTS THAT I WANT TO, UH, WE LIVE ON WHAT IS AN NP 10 AND RESERVE A SHIRTS, UM, 15,000 SQUARE FEET MINIMUM LOT PER HOME. UM, AND THEY'RE LOOKING TO PUT IN THE ZONING CHANGE FOR AN R FOUR, WHICH IS 4,000 SQUARE FEET MINIMUM. LOT SIZE PER HOME. PER HOME. UM, JUST WANNA ADD THAT MY NEIGHBORHOOD IS A LARGE COMMUNITY OF RACIALLY DIVERSE MILITARY VETERANS. UM, WE DO PAY BOTH BEAR AND GUADALUPE TAXES. UM, AND I JUST WANNA ASK THAT YOU RESPECT, I RES RESPECTFULLY REQUEST THAT YOU HELP US IN PRESERVING OUR NEIGHBORHOOD AND BY OPPOSING THE ZONING CHANGE AS IS. THANK YOU. THANK YOU, MS. FINLEY. COUNCILMAN HALL. UH, THANK YOU MAYOR. AND I'M GONNA ASK, UH, MS. ORTIZ FROM, FROM THE, UH, REPRESENTING THE DEVELOPER OR THE PROPERTY OWNER TO GIVE, UH, AN IDEA OF OF THE PROPERTY AND, AND SPECIFICALLY, UM, WHAT ARE YOU CHANGING? WHAT, WHAT SORTS OF NEGOTIATIONS HAVE YOU BEEN INVOLVED WITH, WITH, WITH FOLKS FROM THE NEIGHBORHOOD? UH, WHAT'S BEEN THE OUTREACH, IF ANY, TO, TO SHIRTS? UH, AND THEN UNDER THE CURRENT ZONING, WHAT'S THE, UH, I GUESS MINIMUM, UH, DENSITY, UH, THAT'S AVAILABLE. OKAY, UH, GOOD AFTERNOON, COUNCILMAN MAYOR, UH, COUNCIL DANIEL ORTIZ, ONE 12 EAST PECAN HERE ON BEHALF OF THE PROPERTY OWNER DEVELOPER. THIS IS, UH, UNDOUBTEDLY A UNIQUE PIECE OF PROPERTY. IT IS, UH, THE PROPERTY OWNER DEVELOPER OWNS A TOTAL OF 102 ACRES AT THIS, UH, IN THIS AREA. UH, THE ZONING CASE ONLY COVERS APPROXIMATELY 67 ACRES OF THE 102 ACRES THAT HE CONTROLS THERE, HE HAS AN M D P ALREADY APPROVED FOR THE OVERALL 102 ACRES, WHICH ESSENTIALLY MEANS THAT HE COULD BUILD UP TO, UM, 290 HOMES TODAY. SO IT'S NOT A SITUATION WHERE THE REZONING REZONING IS ALLOWING FOR SINGLE FAMILY HOMES THAT WOULD OTHERWISE NOT AT ALL BE POSSIBLE. FIRST OF ALL, UH, BUT OUT OF DIRECT CONVERSATIONS WITH J B S A, ONLY 67 ACRES IS BEING REZONED TO THE R FOUR TO SET ASIDE APPROXIMATELY 35 ACRES THAT WILL NOT BE DEVELOPED FOR SINGLE FAMILY HOMES AT ALL. OUT OF RESPECT OF THE J LS AND CONVERSATIONS WITH J B SS A FOR THE, FOR THE RANDOLPH AIR FORCE BASE. UM, ON TOP OF THAT, UM, WE ARE LITERALLY AT THE, UH, CITY LIMITS LINE BETWEEN SHIRTS IN SAN ANTONIO. SO THAT'S ANOTHER PRESSURE POINT TO ACCOMMODATE IN THE OVERALL LAND PLANNING. TYPICALLY, AS YOU KNOW, WE HAVE AN A T J 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 FOUR REZONING, UM, AS WAS ALREADY, UH, DESCRIBED EARLIER, UH, WE DID HEAR OPPOSITION FROM BOTH CHANDLER CROSSING, WHICH IS THE H O A, WITH WHICH WE ACTUALLY SHARE A BOUNDARY LINE IN THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO AND RESIDENTS FROM SHIRTS ON THE OTHER SIDE OF BEEG BONNE. I'VE HEARD IT PRONOUNCED BOTH WAYS. UH, SO WE DID AT ZONING COMMISSIONS DIRECTION, UH, TAKE A CONTINUANCE, GO BACK, UM, REASSESS THE REZONING, AND AT THAT POINT, YES, WE, 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, UM, TO YOUR PROPERTY? UM, IN THE MEANTIME, I THINK IT'S WORTH NOTING THOUGH, WE DIDN'T HAVE OUR FIRST MEETING WITH THE RESIDENTS UNTIL, I WANNA SAY OFF THE TOP OF MY HEAD, JANUARY 29TH. BY THAT POINT, THE SHIRTS, THE SHIRTS RESIDENTS HAD APPROACHED CITY COUNCIL AND SHIRTS AND, AND PROPOSED A RESOLUTION, UH, TO WEIGH IN ON THIS. AND THAT SORT OF CHANGED THINGS, UH, QUITE FRANKLY FOR US. I THINK AT THAT POINT, COUNCIL WAS SPEAKING TO COUNCIL, THEY JUST OPPOSED THE REZONING. SO, UH, WE, WE DEFINITELY FOCUSED ON, UH, CHANDLER CROSSING, H O A, THAT AGAIN IS OUR NEIGHBORS, IMMEDIATE NEIGHBORS. IN SAN ANTONIO, WE HAD SEVERAL, TWO IN-PERSON MEETINGS WITH DIFFERENT RESIDENTS THAT SHOWED UP. PLENTY OF PHONE CALLS, PLENTY OF EMAILS. AND THE RESULT WAS AN M O U THAT'S BEEN REFERENCED. IT'S BEEN SIGNED BY, UH, EIGHT PEOPLE, SIX HOUSEHOLDS, WHICH WAS ABOUT 15% OF THE OPPOSITION THAT WAS AT ZONING. SO WE, WE MADE, UH, WE MOVED THE NEEDLE IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION, BUT SOME OF THE ITEMS THAT WE, THE PROBABLY THE MOST IMPORTANT THERE WAS, THERE WAS DIALOGUE BETWEEN LARGER LOT SIZES ON THAT ABUTTING SIDE OR A BUFFER, UH, OR MAYBE A COMBINATION THEREOF. BUT AT THE END, IN THE LAST MEETING, WHAT WAS SENT BACK TO THE RESIDENTS WAS, UH, A BUFFER OR MP EIGHT LOTS. WHAT WE HEARD BACK WAS, WE'RE LESS CONCERNED ABOUT THE MP EIGHT LOTS. WE'D RATHER HAVE NOT JUST A BUFFER, BUT A LARGER BUFFER. SO WE INCREASED IT TO 50 FEET. SO EVERYONE HAS THEIR OWN PERCEPTION IN A, IN A NEGOTIATION. [04:35:01] UM, BUT IT WAS A DISCUSSION BACK AND FORTH. WE DIDN'T LITERALLY JUST SAY, HERE, PICK AND CHOOSE, AND THIS IS, 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 H O A. THOSE WERE ALL THINGS THAT WERE ASKED OF US. UH, THEY WEREN'T NECESSARILY THINGS THAT WE WOULD'VE BROUGHT UP AS PART OF THE ZONING CASE, BUT LONG STORY SHORT, THE M O U, UH, WAS NEGOTIATED IS SIGNED BY RESIDENTS, UH, IN, UH, CHANDLER CROSSING. AND IT, AND IT DOES INCORPORATE A BUFFER. IT DOES, UH, REDUCE THE OVERALL LOT COUNT, UM, TO APPROXIMATELY THREE 40 AT THIS POINT. UM, AND AND MOST IMPORTANTLY, I WOULD SAY THIS, I THINK THERE'S BEEN A LOT OF FOCUS ON THE MINIMUM LOT SIZE R FOUR. YES, TECHNICALLY THE U D C AS YOU ALL KNOW, SAYS MINIMUM LOT SIZE OF 4,000, BUT THE PRELIMINARY LAND LAYOUT, A TYPICAL LOT SIZE IS ABOUT 4,800 SQUARE FEET. AND IN DIFFERENT PARTS OF THE PROPERTY, THEY'RE MUCH LARGER THAN THAT. FOR EXAMPLE, IN THE CUL-DE-SACS, THEY'LL BE ANYWHERE FROM THE TYPICAL LOT SIZE UP TO 6,000 AND SOME EVEN 10,000 AND SOME EVEN BIGGER THAN THAT. SO IT'S NOT, UM, IT'S SORT OF MISLEADING TO SAY IT'S R FOUR AND THEREFORE IT'S 4,000 SQUARE FOOT LOTS ACROSS THE BOARD. THAT WILL NOT BE THE CASE. I HOPE THAT ANSWERS YOUR QUESTION. ALRIGHT, SO WHAT, WHAT WOULD THE AVERAGE LOT SIZE BE THEN? A TYPICAL LOT SIZE WOULD BE 4,800 SQUARE FEET, BUT THAT'S NOT, UM, AGAIN, DEPENDING ON WHERE YOU ARE IN THE PROPERTY, THERE COULD THERE BE, WE'RE ALREADY SHOWING 6,000 SQUARE FOOT LOT SIZES, 10,000 AND EVEN SOME 12,000 SQUARE FOOT LOT SIZES. OKAY. AND COULD YOU JUST DESCRIBE IN, IN, YOU KNOW, IN, IN QUICK FORM, UH, SOME OF THE ELEMENTS OF THE M O U? SURE. UM, AGAIN, IT'S A COMBINATION OF SORT 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 THAT WE WOULD'VE OTHERWISE THOUGHT OF, BUT THEY WERE IMPORTANT TO CHANDLER CROSSING. SO, UM, QUICKLY THE 50 FOOT BUFFER BETWEEN CHANDLER CROSSING IN OUR, IN OUR, UH, PROPOSED COMMUNITY NOT CONSTRUCTING AN ACCESS POINT FOR VEHICULAR TRAFFIC OR REALLY ANY, ANY ACCESS BETWEEN THE TWO COMMUNITIES. EVEN THOUGH YOU SAW THE LAND PLAN THAT WAS ON THE SCREEN EARLIER, IT ACTUALLY SHOWS THE STREET CONNECTING. THAT WAS THE ORIGINAL CONCEPT. THAT IS NO LONGER THE CASE. UH, WE'LL COORDINATE WITH THE CITY TO IMPLEMENT THE INFRASTRUCTURE IMPROVEMENTS ON GREAT TR ROAD AS QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE, UH, TO INCLUDE, UM, A FULL SIGNAL AT 1604 IN, IN GRAY TOWN, WE'LL RELEASE CONTROL OF THE CHANDLER CROSSING H O A COMPLETELY TO THEM IMMEDIATELY, EVEN THOUGH IT'S NOT NEC THEY HAVEN'T TRIGGERED THE NUMBER OF, UH, RESIDENTS YET THAT WOULD OTHERWISE REQUIRE THAT, UH, WE WILL HAVE A COMPLETELY SEPARATE H O A THE, THE CONCEPT WAS TO MERGE THEM ORIGINALLY AND WE WILL, UH, ACTUALLY REINFORCE THEIR EXISTING FENCE THERE. AND THEN FINALLY, IT'S NOT PART OF THE M O U, BUT WORTH NOTING, WE MOVED ACCESS POINTS ON GRAY TOWN TO ACCOMMODATE SOME REQUESTS THAT WE RECEIVED FROM RESIDENTS ON THE OTHER SIDE OF GRAY TOWN OUTSIDE OF CHANDLER. ALRIGHT, THANK YOU MR. ORTIZ. AND AGAIN, ZONING IS, IS, UH, IS TOUGH. IN THIS PARTICULAR CASE, THERE'S NO ORGANIZED, UH, NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION SIMPLY BECAUSE IT'S A, IT'S A NEW AREA. UH, HOWEVER, I WAS CONTACTED BY, UH, SOME OF THE FOLKS IN PARTICULARLY IN CHANDLER CROSSING, AND SO I IMMEDIATELY PUT THEM IN TOUCH WITH, UH, WITH THE, THE PROPERTY OWNER DEVELOPER, UH, TO MAKE SURE THAT SOME OF THESE ITEMS IN THE M O U GOT, UH, WERE WERE DISCUSSED AND PREPARED. UM, AND I'LL TELL YOU, MR. THOMPSON, UH, WHETHER YOU'RE IN CITY OF SAN ANTONIO OR CHURCH, WE'RE ALL NEIGHBORS AND SO, YOU KNOW, WE'RE GONNA, WE'RE GONNA LISTEN. UH, I WILL TELL YOU THAT THE MAYOR SEARCH REACHED OUT TO ME. I KNOW HE REACHED OUT TO, TO OUR MAYOR. HE ALSO REACHED OUT TO THE, UH, UH, TO THE, TO THE PROPERTY OWNER. AND SO, UH, THEY'VE HAD THOSE DISCUSSIONS AND WE'RE SENSITIVE TO, TO ALL THE ISSUES HERE. BUT AT THE END OF THE DAY, IT'S, IT'S, IT'S PROPERTY. UM, IT'S ALREADY ZONED, UM, FOR SOMETHING. SO IF SOMETHING'S GONNA BE BUILT, UH, WHAT WHAT I TYPICALLY DO IS PUT THOSE NEIGHBORHOODS, SO NEIGHBORHOODS IN, IN TOUCH WITH THE DEVELOPERS SO THAT YOU, WE CAN HELP GUIDE THAT DEVELOPMENT. AND I THINK WE'VE HAD, UH, GUIDANCE HERE. UH, BUT AGAIN, NOT EVERYBODY, YOU CAN'T PLEASE EVERYBODY. UM, UH, BUT A LOT OF THE FOLKS THAT WE'RE IN WE'RE IN OPPOSITION, CAME BACK AND SUPPORTED. UH, I KNOW IT MAY NOT HAVE BEEN EVERYTHING THAT EVERYBODY WANTED, BUT AT THE END OF THE DAY, I THINK WE'VE GOT SOMETHING THAT, UH, MOST FOLKS CAN WORK WITH, PARTICULARLY WITH REGARD TO THE, TO THE AROUND 4,800, UH, LOT SIZE. SO WITH THAT, MAYOR, I'M GONNA MOVE APPROVAL, UH, WITH THE CONSIDERATION OF THE MOUS THAT HAVE BEEN, UH, ADDED SECOND. OKAY, THERE'S A MOTION AND A SECOND FOR APPROVAL OF ITEM NUMBER Z NINE. COUNCILMAN COURAGE. THANK YOU, MAYOR. UH, SO THIS, THIS CURRENTLY IS ZONED FOR LARGER TRACKS? THAT'S CORRECT. OKAY. AND THE APPLICANT'S, UH, ZONING CASE WAS APPROVED BY THE ZONING COMMISSION FOR 4,000 SQUARE FOOT TRACKS? YES, SIR. FOR THE R FOUR. RIGHT. UH, AND THAT COULD, UH, LEAD TO APPROXIMATELY 350 HOMES, APPROXIMATELY? YES, SIR. ACCORDING TO THE APPLICANT, AND, [04:40:01] UH, 20% OF THE RESIDENTS, UH, OF THE SURROUNDING TRACKS, WHICH ARE ALL LARGER SIZE, WERE OPPOSED TO THIS ZONING MORE THAN 20%. UH, AT THIS POINT WHEN WE, UH, CALCULATED THE NUMBERS, WE HAD 28%. OKAY. YOU KNOW, I UNDERSTOOD FROM MY ZONING COMMISSION APPOINTEE THAT MANY OF THE CURRENT PROPERTY OWNERS ARE RETIRED AFRICAN-AMERICAN VETERANS, AND WE'VE SEEN THAT TODAY. THEY'VE STEPPED UP AND SPOKEN UP, UH, MANY OF WHOM, UH, HAVE EXPRESSED THEIR DESIRE TO SEE THEIR COMMUNITY REMAIN A MORE RURAL SETTING THAT THEY MOVED INTO ON THEIR RETIREMENT. UH, YOU KNOW, AND I, I DEFINITELY SYMPATHIZE WITH THAT. UH, 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, THE EVALUATION THAT DEVELOPMENT SERVICES DOES AND ASSOCIATED WITH, UH, TRAFFIC IMPACT IN THAT AREA. UH, STORMWATER, THE EVALUATION OF THE HOME IS, IS A DISCUSSION THAT PROBABLY NEEDS TO BE COMING MAYBE EITHER FROM THEIR APPRAISAL DISTRICT AND OR FROM MAYBE THE APPLICANT CAN PROVIDE A LITTLE BIT OF FEEDBACK ON THAT. WELL, CERTAINLY, UH, TRAFFIC, WHAT DID YOU DETERMINE WHEN IT COMES TO TRAFFIC? SO THOSE WILL BE THE NEXT STEPS IN THE DEVELOPMENT PROCESS THAT WILL NEED TO BE ADDRESSED. UM, WHEN THEY COME IN FOR PLATTING, THE TRAFFIC IMPACT ANALYSIS WILL BE DONE. THEY'LL, UH, LOOK AT THE STORM WATER. SO THERE'LL BE A FULL EVALUATION AT THAT LEVEL TO DO, UM, MORE ANALYSIS FOR THOSE, THOSE SCENARIOS. ARE THERE EVER CASES WHEN EITHER OF THOSE REPORTS CAN STOP A, A DEVELOPMENT FROM GOING THROUGH? I THINK THE, WHAT THE GOAL IS, IS TO MAKE SURE THAT THE IMPROVEMENTS ARE DONE. SO, YOU KNOW, 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. HAS J B S A SUBMITTED ANY KIND OF WRITTEN DOCUMENTATION ON CONCERNS THAT THEY HAVE ABOUT THIS DEVELOPMENT, EITHER PRO OR CON? J B SS A DID SUBMIT A LETTER TO US. UH, WE DO COMMUNICATE WITH THEM WITH ALL DEVELOPMENT ACTIVITY WITHIN FIVE MILES OF BASIS AND THEY PROVIDED US A LETTER WITH NO OBJECTION TO THE DEVELOPMENT. OKAY. YOU KNOW, I, I, UH, SYMPATHIZE WITH PEOPLE WHO LIVE THERE, BUT I ALSO KNOW THAT WE ARE A GROWING CITY AND UH, WE ARE LOOKING AT THE FUTURE AND NEEDING TO PROVIDE, I HOPE, MORE AFFORDABLE HOMES FOR PEOPLE. UH, THIS IS REALLY A TOUGH ONE TO DECIDE ON, UH, BUT I APPRECIATE THE INFORMATION. THANK YOU. OKAY. THERE IS A MOTION AND A SECOND FOR APPROVAL OF ITEM Z NINE. AND THIS IS A MOTION THAT WOULD REQUIRE A SUPER MAJORITY FOR APPROVAL. PLEASE VOTE. MOTION CARRIES. ALRIGHT, ITEM NUMBER Z 13 Z 20 18 2 56 FROM R SIX TO C TWO NA LOCATED AT 2311 WESTWARD DRIVE. STAFF RECOMMENDS DENIAL ZONING. COMMISSION RECOMMENDS DENIAL. 20. NOTICES MAILED ZERO IN FAVOR FOR OPPOSED CABLE. WESTWOOD NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION IS OPPOSED. COUNCILMAN BROCK HOUSE? THANK YOU MAYOR. I, UH, WOULD LIKE TO MOTION TO CONTINUE TO MARCH 21ST. OKAY. SECOND. OKAY, THERE'S A MOTION AND A SECOND TO CONTINUE. ITEM Z 13 TO MARCH 21ST PLEASE VOTE. MOTION CARRIES ITEM Z 14 Z 20 18 2 85 FROM R SIX AND C TWO TO I ONE LOCATED AT 1621 SOUTH CALLAHAN ROAD. STAFF AND ZONING COMMISSION RECOMMEND DENIAL. 15. NOTICES MAILED THREE IN FAVOR AND TWO OPPOSED. COUNCILMAN BHA. THANK YOU MAYOR. THANK YOU MAYOR. I'D LIKE TO MOTION, UH, TO CONTINUE THIS UNTIL MARCH 21ST. OKAY. THERE'S A MOTION AND A SECOND FOR CONTINUANCE OF ITEM Z 14 TO MARCH 21ST PLEASE VOTE. MOTION CARRIES ITEM Z 15 Z 20 18 9 29 FROM C TWO TO C TWO SS WITH A SPECIFIC USE AUTHORIZATION FOR A CAR WASH LOCATED AT 73 50 CALLAHAN ROAD. STAFF AND ZONING COMMISSION RECOMMEND APPROVAL WITH CONDITIONS. NINE. NOTICES MAILED ONE IN FAVOR AND ZERO OPPOSED. OKAY, WE HAVE A FEW CITIZENS SIGNED UP TO SPEAK ON ITEM Z [04:45:01] 15. WE'LL START WITH IAN COCHRAN. I THINK HE LEFT. HE LEFT. MR. COCHRANE'S NOT HERE. OKAY. MARK GRANADOS. HE LEFT TOO. MR. GRANADOS IS NOT HERE AS WELL. I BELIEVE THERE'S GOING TO BE A CONTINUANCE ON THIS ITEM, SIR. OH, OKAY. ALRIGHT. UH, COUNCILWOMAN SANDOVAL, I'D LIKE TO MOVE TO CONTINUE TO MARCH 21ST. OKAY. THERE'S A MOTION AND A SECOND FOR CONTINUANCE OF ITEM Z 15 TO MARCH 21ST PLEASE VOTE. MOTION CARRIES ITEM Z 18 Z 20 18 9 1 15 FROM C TWO TO C TWO C D S WITH THE CONDITIONAL USE FOR A SPECIFIC USE AUTHORIZATION FOR OUTSIDE STORAGE LOCATED AT 17,115 REDLAND ROAD. STAFF AND ZONING COMMISSION RECOMMEND APPROVAL FOR NOTICES MAILED ONE IN FAVOR AND ZERO OPPOSED. AND I BELIEVE THE APPLICANT HAS SOME CONDITIONS TO ADD TO THIS CASE. COUNSEL PERRY. THANK YOU SIR. YES. UH, CAROLINE, CAN YOU, UH, COME UP AND TELL US WHAT WE'VE AGREED TO? YES. UH, GOOD AFTERNOON MAYOR COUNCIL MEMBERS CAROLINE MCDONALD WITH BROWN AND ORTIZ ONE 12 EAST PECAN. UH, I JUST WANNA SAY THANK YOU TO CITY STAFF AND DISTRICT 10. WE DID COME TO AN AGREEMENT ON SOME CONDITIONS FOR THIS CASE. UM, NUMBER ONE, UH, THERE WILL BE A 50 FOOT SETBACK ON ALL OUTDOOR STORAGE AND BUILDINGS FROM REDLAND ROAD. UH, TWO, THERE WILL BE A COMBINATION OF SOLID AND OR LANDSCAPE SCREENING ON THREE SIDES, INCLUDING A ROOF LIKE STRUCTURE FOR ANY OUTSIDE STORAGE ON THE SUBJECT PROPERTY. AND LASTLY, UH, 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. THANK YOU. THANK YOU MA'AM. UH, WITH THAT, UH, MOTION TO APPROVE WITH THE CONDITIONS. SECOND, THERE IS A MOTION AND A SECOND FOR APPROVAL OF ITEM Z 18. WITH CONDITIONS AS READ, PLEASE VOTE. MOTION CARRIES. THAT'S THE REMAINDER OF OUR ZONING AGENDA FOR THIS AFTERNOON. WE ARE ADJOURNED. HAVE A GREAT AFTERNOON. * This transcript was created by voice-to-text technology. The transcript has not been edited for errors or omissions, it is for reference only and is not the official minutes of the meeting.