3. Approval of Minutes of the City Council Special Meeting of January 24, 2019 and the City Council Regular Meetings of January 30 - 31, 2019.

[18. Resolution to start landmark designation for 1411 W Ashby Place with a waiver of application fees and the authorization of a Memorandum of Agreement with the San Antonio Independent School District for SAISD to mitigate the loss of Beacon Hill #22 and implement mitigation strategies for structures of historical significance. Funds are available in the City’s FY 2019 General Fund Budget. [Roderick Sanchez, Assistant City Manager; Shanon Shea Miller, Director, Office of Historic Preservation]. (Part 1 of 2)]

PLEASE VOTE.

MOTION CARRIES.

ITEM 18.

>> ITEM NO. 18 IS A RESOLUTION TO START LANDMARK DESIGNATION FOR 1411 WEST ASHBY PLACE WITH A WAIVER OF APPLICATION FEES AND THE AUTHORIZATION OF A MEMORANDUM OF AGREEMENT WITH THE SAN ANTONIO INDEPENDENT SCHOOL DISTRICT FOR THE SAISD TO MITIGATE THE LOSS OF BEACON HILL NO. 22 AND IMPLEMENT MITIGATION STRATEGIES FOR STRUCTURES OF HISTORIC SIGNIFICANCE.

FUNDS ARE AVAILABLE IN THE CITY'S FISCAL YEAR 2019 GENERAL FUND BUDGET.

>> MAYOR NIRENBERG: OKAY.

BEFORE WE HAVE COUNCIL COMMENT, WE DO HAVE CITIZENS SIGNED UP TO SPEAK ON THIS ITEM.

I'LL BEGIN BY CALLING THEM NOW.

WE'LL START WITH LARREN NELSON.

LARREN NELSON.

>> [INAUDIBLE]

>> MAYOR NIRENBERG: PATTY RADLE.

COUNCIL MEMBER RADLE WILL BE FOLLOWED BY WILLY BURROWS.

>> GOOD MORNING.

I'M HERE TO EXPRESS MY GRATITUDE AND TO CELEBRATE THE POINT AT WHICH WE HAVE COME TO WITH THE ISSUE OVER THE BEACON HILL ACADEMY AND THE BUILDING BEING CONSIDERED FOR DEMOLITION.

I'M GRATEFUL BECAUSE IT HAS BEEN A CHALLENGING, BUT ALSO A BEAUTIFUL PROCESS TO WATCH FROM THE STANDPOINT OF EVERYONE ON THIS ISSUE KIND OF STOOD THEIR GROUND FOR WHATEVER IT WAS THEY FELT THEY NEEDED TO PROTECT.

WHETHER IT WAS THE OFFICE OF HISTORIC PRESERVATION, THE SCHOOL DISTRICT STANDING UP FOR THE NEEDS OF OUR EDUCATION FOR OUR CHILDREN CHECK AND VERY

[00:30:04]

IMPORTANTLY THE PARENTS WHO REALLY DROVE US TO THIS POINT.

SO VERY, VERY GRATEFUL FOR EVERYONE WHO WAS INVOLVED IN THIS PROCESS, ESPECIALLY IN THE LIGHT THAT IT HAS BEEN PUBLIC AND IT TAKES A CERTAIN AMOUNT OF HUMILITY WHEN YOU'RE STANDING YOUR GROUND AND REALIZE THAT TO GET TO A BETTER PLACE WE NEED TO COMPROMISE.

AND THAT CAN BE HUMBLING, BUT IT IS A GREAT THING TO CELEBRATE.

AND, AGAIN, I WANT TO REPEAT MY APPRECIATION FOR THE INVOLVEMENT FROM THE PARENTS, ALONG WITH EVERYONE ELSE, BUT THEY REALLY STRENGTHENED OUR COMMITMENT TO THIS.

AND I CELEBRATE THE FACT THAT THEY WERE ABLE TO SEE THEIR VOICES COMING FORWARD TO THIS COUNCIL, AND PEOPLE LISTENING TO THEM.

SO IN LIGHT OF THAT I DO ASK, AS PRESIDENT OF THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES FOR SAISD, THAT YOU PLEASE SUPPORT THIS ORDINANCE SO THAT WE ALL FIND OURSELVES IN A LITTLE BIT BETTER SITUATION FOR THE FUTURE OF OUR CHILDREN, AND ALSO FOR THE FUTURE OF THE EDUCATIONAL POSSIBILITIES WITHIN OUR DISTRICT AND PUTTING MORE EMPHASIS ON THE IMPORTANCE OF HISTORICAL BUILDINGS, BUT OUR CULTURE AND OUR HISTORY OVERALL.

SO, AGAIN, THANK YOU VERY MUCH TO EVERYBODY WHO'S BROUGHT US TO THIS POINT.

AND I DO ASK FOR YOUR VOTE IN FAVOR.

THANK YOU.

[APPLAUSE]

>> MAYOR NIRENBERG: THANK YOU, COUNCIL MEMBER RADLE.

WILLY BURROWS.

>> GOOD MORNING.

MY NAME IS WILLY BURROWS, I'M THE COO FOR SAISD.

BEEN HERE IN THE CITY NOW FOR A COUPLE OF YEARS.

AND EXCITED ABOUT BEING HERE.

AND THE SUPERINTENDENT IS OUT OF TOWN, SUPERINTENDENT MARTINEZ, AND SO I'M SPEAKING ON HIS BEHALF REGARDING THIS MATTER.

AND WE EXTEND OUR DEEP GRATITUDE TO COUNCILMAN TREVINO AND TO SHANNON MILLER AND THE STAFF AT THE OFFICE OF HISTORIC PRESERVATION FOR WORKING WITH US TO GET TO THIS RESOLUTION.

WE RESPECT COUNCIL MEMBER TREVINO'S COMMITMENT TO THE HISTORIC FABRIC OF OUR COMMUNITY AND APPRECIATIVE OF HIS WILLINGNESS TO LISTEN AND DISCUSS THE ISSUE.

ALTHOUGH WE ALL VALUE THE HISTORIC BUILDINGS, IN THIS CASE THE BUILDING'S REMOVAL IS THE RIGHT DECISION FOR OUR STUDENTS AND COMMUNITY.

AND SO, AGAIN, WE ASK MAYOR AND MEMBERS OF THE COUNCIL, WE RESPECTFULLY REQUEST YOUR SUPPORT IN DENYING THE HISTORIC DESIGNATION OF THE BEACON HILL SO THAT WE MAY MOVE FORWARD WITH THE DEMOLITION.

AGAIN, THANK YOU FOR ALL THAT YOU DO.

THANK YOU.

[APPLAUSE]

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

CHRISTINA MARTINEZ.

>> GOOD MORNING, MAYOR NIRENBERG AND COUNCIL PEOPLE.

GOOD TO SEE YOU THIS MORNING.

I AM CHRISTINA MARTINEZ, A PROUD SAISD PARENT WITH THREE STUDENTS IN OUR SAISD SCHOOLS.

ONE GOES TO SCHOOL WITH YOUR SON.

THEY'RE VERY EXCITED WHEN YOU COME TO THE CAMPUS.

THEY'RE LIKE, HE'S SUPER BUFF.

SO THANK YOU FOR BEING A GOOD EXAMPLE TO OUR STUDENTS AT THAT SCHOOL.

I'M HERE TODAY TO TALK ABOUT ALL THE GREAT WORK AND PARTNERSHIP AND CONVERSATION THAT HAS HAPPENED AT BEACON HILL.

IN THE SPRING OF 2017, I WAS APPOINTED TO THE SAISD SCHOOL BOARD TO SERVE THE FAMILIES OF THE EDISON FEEDER PATTERN.

I HAD BEEN ON THE JOB EXACTLY ONE MONTH WHEN I HAD BEEN INVITED TO A PRESENTATION OF THE GT CLASS AT BEACON HILL ACADEMY.

AND THIS IS ONE OF OUR GT STUDENTS THAT'S HERE WITH US TODAY.

AND I HAD NO IDEA WHAT THE PRESENTATION WAS GOING TO BE ABOUT, BUT THEY ASKED THAT WE TALK ABOUT THIS BUILDING.

THIS IS A PICTURE OF THE BEACON HILL BUILDING.

AND THE STUDENTS WERE VERY PASSIONATE ABOUT THE BUILDING.

THEIR PERCEPTION WAS THAT THERE WERE GHOSTS IN THE BUILDING.

PERHAPS SPIDERS OR BUGS LIVING THERE.

BUT THE IDEA, TOO, WAS THAT THERE WERE BRICKS FALLING OFF BUILDING.

SO THEIR PERCEPTION WAS THIS BUILDING WAS VERY SCARY AND NEEDED TO GO.

AND SHORTLY AFTER THAT, WE ALSO DECIDED TO FORGE A PARTNERSHIP WITH COPS METRO.

AND THIS WAS AN INTERESTING PARTNERSHIP.

COPS METRO HAD NOT WORKED WITH FAMILIES IN THE EDUCATIONAL SETTING BEFORE AND I SAID LET'S SEE WHAT HAPPENS.

AND SO COPS METRO ORGANIZED PARENTS AND BROUGHT US TO A MEETING.

IF YOU'VE EVER BEEN TO A COPS METRO MEETING, YOU MAKE I STATEMENTS, COMMITMENTS.

YOU HAVE TO COMMIT TO THINGS.

AND THERE WERE THREE THINGS THEY

[00:35:01]

ASKED ME AS THEIR SCHOOL BOARD MEMBER TO COMMIT TO.

ONE WAS TO SEEK RELIEF REGARDING THE OLD BEACON HILL BUILDING.

EITHER TO DEMOLISH IT OR FIND A PLAN WITH IT, BUT THEY WERE TIRED OF THAT BUILDING SITTING VACANT FOR 20 YEARS.

THE SECOND REQUEST FROM THEM WAS TO HELP SAVE THEIR DUAL LANGUAGE PROGRAM.

AT THE TIME, BEACON HILL'S ENROLLMENT HAD BEEN DECLINING.

AND BECAUSE THERE WERE NOT ENOUGH STUDENTS IN THE DUAL LANGUAGE PROGRAM THEY WERE ABOUT TO LOSE IT.

AND THE THIRD REQUEST WAS REGARDING SOME SAFETY ISSUES AROUND THEIR CAMPUS.

BUT THE FIRST REQUEST WAS A REALLY BIG DEAL FOR THE FAMILIES.

BECAUSE A LOT OF THEM WHO HAD GROWN UP IN THAT COMMUNITY, SOME OF THEM HAD ALSO ATTENDED TO THE OLD BEACON HILL BUILDING, THEY WERE JUST TIRED OF IT SITTING THERE.

AND AS A PARENT MYSELF, I CAN'T IMAGINE HAVING TO WALK MY CHILD EVERY DAY BY A BUILDING THAT WAS SITTING THERE THAT WAS UGLY, THAT WAS AN EYESORE.

AND KEEPING THEM FROM THE SPACE THEY REALLY WANTED.

SO, I WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE ALL THE PARENTS WHO ARE HERE TODAY.

PLEASE STAND.

IT'S BECAUSE OF THEM THAT WE ARE HERE AT THIS POINT TODAY.

THEIR ADVOCACY, THEY MET WITH MANY OF YOU.

I WANT TO THANK THE CITY STAFF, THE DISTRICT STAFF FOR GETTING US WHERE WE ARE TODAY.

BUT WE ARE ASKING FOR YOUR SUPPORT ON THIS ORDINANCE, BECAUSE IT'S THE RIGHT THING TO DO FOR OUR FAMILIES.

THANK YOU.

[APPLAUSE]

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

IS LARREN NELSON HERE? OKAY.

>> THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

AND PARDON MY TARDINESS.

I'M LARREN NELSON, THE PRINCIPAL OF BEACON HILL ACADEMY.

I WOULD LIKE TO BEGIN WITH A FEW FACTS THAT YOU MAY NOT KNOW ABOUT ALL OF THESE MEETINGS THAT YOU'VE BEEN A PART OF.

BUT THE MOST IMPORTANT ASPECT THAT THIS ACTUALLY BEGAN -- AND LET'S SAY RESURFACED -- IN APRIL OF 2017 WITH A GROUP OF OUR GIFTED STUDENTS.

THAT THIS WAS THEIR PROJECT.

THAT THIS BECAME THEIR PROJECT.

THAT THEY WANTED TO DO SOMETHING ABOUT THE BUILDING.

AND THESE 18 STUDENTS, LAURA, THOMAS, ABRAHAM, ALLISON, ELAINE, CAMILA, KEVIN, LAUREN, ELIZABETH, MARY LOU, NICHOLAS, PEDRO, MARRIANA, CHARLES, GUADALUPE, GIOVANNI, AND LAUREN -- SHE WAS UP HERE , DECIDED TO RESEARCH THE DEMOLITION OR RENOVATION OF THE OLD BEACON HILL.

BECAUSE THEY WANTED MORE SPACE FOR OUR SCHOOL.

AND THIS OPENED THE DOOR TO THIS NEW ADVENTURE THAT WE'RE ON RIGHT NOW.

THEY MET WITH COUNCILMAN TREVINO ON DECEMBER 11, 2017 TO DISCUSS THE TWO DIFFERENT PROPOSALS.

AND HE SHARED ALL OF HIS EXPERTISE ABOUT ARCHITECTURE.

SHORTLY THEREAFTER, WE HAD A COMMUNITY MEETING.

AND ON JANUARY 30, 2018 TO INFORM OUR COMMUNITY AND OUR PARENTS THE NEED OF OUR SCHOOL.

OUR GROUP OF PARENTS OF OUR MOTHERS, WHO ARE COURAGEOUS AND DETERMINED, PICKED UP THE TORCH THAT THESE STUDENTS LIT, AND HERE WE ARE TODAY.

WE HAVE 446 STUDENTS WHO ARE WATCHING LIVESTREAM RIGHT NOW.

AND 50 STAFF MEMBERS THAT ARE SEEING THIS IN ACTION RIGHT NOW.

JUST THINK OF THE LESSON THAT YOU ARE GOING TO TEACH THEM TODAY AND WHAT YOUR VOTE WILL SHOW THEM.

THEY ARE COUNTING ON YOU TO REMEMBER THEM.

TO BE ABLE TO HONOR THOSE 18 STUDENTS THAT STARTED THIS QUEST BACK IN 2017.

I WANT TO TELL THEM THAT THEIR VOICE MATTERS.

PLEASE HELP ME SHOW THEM THAT OUR DEMOCRATIC SYSTEMS WORK.

AND STANDING UP FOR WHAT YOU BELIEVE IN DOES AND CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE.

WE RESPECTFULLY REQUEST THAT YOU VOTE AGAINST THE HISTORIC DESIGNATION OF THE OLD BEACON HILL AND SHOW SAISD TO FULFILL ITS MISSION TO ITS STUDENTS, PLEASE VOTE NO AND TELL OUR STUDENTS THAT THEY MATTER AND, YES, TAKE THE FENCES DOWN AND LET US HAVE OUR PLAYGROUND!

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

COUNCILMAN TREVINO.

>> TREVINO: THANK YOU, MAYOR.

SO, FIRST JUST WANT TO MENTION THAT THIS HAS BEEN GOING ON FOR QUITE SOMETIME.

AND I WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE THOSE GREAT STUDENTS, THE GIFTED AND TALENTED, THIRD GRADERS.

GOT TO SPEND A LOT OF GREAT TIME WITH THEM.

YOU KNOW, I REMEMBER BEING IN THIRD GRADE.

I REMEMBER WHAT IT FELT LIKE TO

[00:40:05]

DREAM ABOUT WHAT YOU MIGHT BECOME SOME DAY AND WHAT THAT MEANS, RIGHT? I MEAN, THE TOOL IS EDUCATION.

THE TOOL FOR HOW YOU CHASE YOUR DREAMS -- THE BIGGEST TOOL, I THINK, IS EDUCATION.

AND, YOU KNOW, MYSELF -- I CAN TALK ABOUT MY EXPERIENCES AND MY JOURNEY TO BECOMING AN ARCHITECT AND NOW A COUNCIL MEMBER HERE.

AVAILABLE.

SADLY, IT FEELS LIKE MORE AND MORE WE'RE STEPPING AWAY FROM THE VERY VALUES WE SHOULD BE EMBRACING.

I MEAN, THAT'S WHY WE INVEST SO MUCH IN THE OFFICE OF HISTORIC PRESERVATION.

THIS IS WHY WE INVEST SO MUCH IN THE ARTS AND CULTURE.

IT'S NOT FOR SHOW.

THIS IS SERIOUS.

AND THIS DID NOT START APRIL 2017.

THIS STARTED MUCH, MUCH LONGER TIME AGO.

YOU KNOW, WE'RE NOT VOTING AGAINST SOMETHING.

WE'RE VOTING FOR SOMETHING TODAY.

SO FIRST LET ME JUST THANK A FEW PEOPLE.

I WANT TO THANK SHANNON MILLER.

YOU KNOW, IT'S TOUGH TO HAVE A JOB THAT CAN OFTEN BE MISREPRESENTED OR MISUNDERSTOOD.

AND THANK YOU FOR ALL YOUR HARD WORK, YOUR STAFF.

IT'S A TOUGH, TOUGH JOB IN SUCH A HISTORIC CITY LIKE SAN ANTONIO.

BUT WE'VE GOT TO PRESERVE THAT.

RIGHT? DEBBIE RACCA-SITTER, YOU'RE A STAR.

I APPRECIATE ALL YOU DO FOR ARTS AND CULTURE.

I KNOW, THAT WAS CORNY.

BUT I JUST, YOU KNOW, YOU TWO DESERVE A LOT OF CREDIT FOR HELPING TO SHAPE SOME OF THIS.

I WANT TO THANK ANDY RODRIGUEZ FOR HELPING CREATE A BRIDGE HERE.

I WANT TO SPECIFICALLY THANK SUPERINTENDENT PEDRO MARTINEZ, THE SAISD BOARD.

YOU KNOW, FAMILY THAT REMEMBERS THE ARCHITECT THAT WAS THEIR FATHER, WHO DESIGNED THIS INCREDIBLE BUILDING.

I WANT TO THANK THE AIA, AMERICAN INSTITUTE OF ARCHITECTS, THE SAN ANTONIO CONSERVATION SOCIETY WHICH, BY THE WAY, IT'S GREAT TO SEE, YOU KNOW, HERE'S A LETTER OF SUPPORT THAT I'M GOING TO SUBMIT, FOR THE RECORD, TO WHAT WE'RE GOING TO ACCOMPLISH TODAY.

AND WHAT I THINK WE'RE GOING TO ACCOMPLISH -- AND LEARNING THAT THESE THIRD GRADERS ARE LISTENING TODAY, OR THESE KIDS, HERE'S THE BIG LESSON TODAY, KIDS.

YOU'RE GOING TO LEARN A LOT ABOUT OUR HISTORY AND WHY WE TREASURE IT.

BECAUSE WE'RE GOING TO CREATE AN INCREDIBLE MEMORANDUM OF AGREEMENT, AND THE CONSERVATION SOCIETY AGREES.

I WANT TO THANK A LOT OF GREAT FOLKS THAT HAVE BEEN A PART OF THIS, ST. ANNE'S CATHOLIC CHURCH, OF COURSE THE BEACON HILL COMMUNITY.

AND WE KNOW THAT WE'VE TRIED EXHAUSTIVELY TO TRY TO FIND A WAY TO FIND OPPORTUNITIES TO RE-PURPOSE THIS STRUCTURE, AND WE REALIZE THIS IS A DIFFICULT COURSE OF ACTION.

WE UNDERSTAND THE NEEDS OF THE SCHOOL DISTRICT.

AGAIN, PRIMARILY CENTERED AROUND KIDS.

AND WE WERE ALL KIDS ONE DAY.

AND UNDERSTANDING THESE KIDS DESERVE THIS OPPORTUNITY TO LEARN SOMETHING QUITE SPECIAL.

AND I THINK WE'RE DOING THAT.

THEREFORE, WE MUST LOOK TO SEE HOW WE CAN USE THIS AS A LEARNING OPPORTUNITY TO INFORM OUR COLLECTIVE FUTURE ACTIONS.

PRESERVATION EFFORTS MUST BE BALANCED TO ENSURE OUR PAST IS REMEMBERED FOR AN ALLOWANCE OF GROWTH AND CHANGE WHEN PRESERVATION IS NOT VIABLE.

WE DO NOT PRESERVE FOR PRESERVATION'S SAKE.

WE PRESERVE OUR HISTORY SO FUTURE GENERATIONS MAY LEARN FROM THE PAST.

AND I'M SPEAKING TO YOU, KIDS.

I BELIEVE THIS MEMORANDUM OF AGREEMENT WITH THE SAN ANTONIO INDEPENDENT SCHOOL DISTRICT IS A PATH THAT FULFILLS THAT MISSION.

THE ONLY ONE OF ITS KIND.

WE CREATED THIS.

THAT SAID, I MOVE TO DENY THE RESOLUTION FOR INITIATION OF LANDMARK DESIGNATION AND APPROVE THE NEGOTIATION AND EXECUTION OF

[00:45:01]

A MEMORANDUM OF AGREEMENT WITH SAN ANTONIO INDEPENDENT SCHOOL DISTRICT TO MITIGATE THE LOSS OF THE BEACON HILL STRUCTURE AND IMPLEMENT MITIGATION STRATEGIES FOR SAISD STRUCTURES OF HISTORIC SIGNIFICANCE.

THANK YOU.

>> MAYOR NIRENBERG: THERE IS A MOTION AND A SECOND FOR DENIAL OF THE HISTORIC DESIGNATION ON ITEM NO. 18.

WE DO HAVE COUNCIL MEMBERS WHO WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK AT THIS TIME.

START WITH COUNCILMAN COURAGE.

>> COURAGE: THANK YOU, MAYOR.

I HAVE LIFE WITH SAISD.

I STARTED TEACHING THERE ABOUT 27 YEARS AGO.

AND I REMEMBER WHEN I FIRST BEGAN, THAT SCHOOL DISTRICT HAD SOMETHING LIKE 90,000 STUDENTS AND 100 SCHOOL BUILDINGS.

AND I WAS VERY PROUD TO BE A TEACHER THERE FOR MANY, MANY YEARS.

BUT OVER THE COURSE OF TIME I SAW THE DETERIORATION OF THE SCHOOL DISTRICT BECAUSE OF LACK OF THE KIND OF FINANCIAL COMMITMENT THAT THAT SCHOOL DISTRICT DESERVED.

AND I SAW A LOT OF BEAUTIFUL OLD SCHOOL BUILDINGS GET CLOSED AND THEN REHABILITATED OR CHANGED TO DIFFERENT PURPOSES, AND THINGS OF THAT NATURE.

I'M A TRADITIONALIST MYSELF.

I GUESS YOU'D SAY A HISTORIC PRESERVATIONIST.

I LOVE OLD SCHOOL BUILDINGS.

I THINK THEY'RE VERY SYMBOLIC AND HAVE AN IMPORTANT PLACE IN OUR COMMUNITY.

BUT I RECOGNIZE THAT BEACON HILL ELEMENTARY IS NOT ONE OF THOSE BUILDINGS THAT WE NEED TO CONTINUE TO SUSTAIN.

THAT THE VALUE THAT IT HAS NOW IS OPENING UP AN OPPORTUNITY FOR BETTER EDUCATION FOR STUDENTS THROUGH THIS NEW CURRICULUM THAT WE'RE DEVELOPING.

BUT THE VALUE ISN'T THAT THE BUILDING REMAIN.

SO I'LL BE SUPPORTING THE MOTION BEFORE THE COUNCIL AT THIS TIME.

BUT I HOPE THAT THE ENTIRE COMMUNITY CONTINUES TO PULL TOGETHER TO SUPPORT THE DISTRICT AND TO HELP WITH REHABILITATION OF A LOT OF THOSE GREAT SCHOOL BUILDINGS AND THAT THE DISTRICT CONTINUES TO FLOURISH AND THAT STUDENTS CONTINUE TO FLOURISH.

AND I HOPE OUR STATE DOES A GOOD JOB OF STEPPING IN AND PUTTING MORE MONEY INTO OUR PUBLIC SCHOOL DISTRICT.

THANK YOU.

>> MAYOR NIRENBERG: THANK YOU, COUNCILMAN COURAGE.

COUNCILWOMAN GONZALES.

>> GONZALES: THANK YOU, MAYOR.

IS THERE A PRESENTATION?

>> I DO HAVE A BRIEF PRESENTATION, IF YOU WOULD LIKE.

>> GONZALES: YEAH, PLEASE.

>> OKAY.

SO, OBVIOUSLY, THE SUBJECT PROPERTY IS THE BEACON HILL ELEMENTARY SCHOOL, WHICH IS ON ASHBY PLACE.

YOU CAN SEE HERE ON THE MAP.

IT IS LOCATED ON THE SAME PART OF THE SCHOOL THAT IS CURRENTLY IN USE, BUT IT HAS BEEN FENCED FOR SEVERAL YEARS AND HASN'T BEEN OCCUPIED.

AND SO THE HDRC -- STAFF DID RECOMMEND THAT THE PROPERTY IS ELIGIBLE FOR HISTORIC DESIGNATION AND THE HDRC RECOMMENDED BECAUSE THE PROPERTY CERTAINLY IS ELIGIBLE TO BE DESIGNATED HISTORIC.

AND SO THAT'S HOW WE GOT HERE TODAY.

AND SO THE OPTIONS ARE EITHER TO APPROVE A RESOLUTION TO PROCEED WITH THAT LANDMARK DESIGNATION, OR TO AUTHORIZE THE NEGOTIATION AND EXECUTION OF THE MEMORANDUM OF AGREEMENT.

IN THE MOA, WHAT IS PROPOSED ARE A NUMBER OF THINGS.

THE FIRST FEW ARE -- THE FIRST COUPLE ARE RELATED SPECIFICALLY TO THE BEACON HILL ELEMENTARY, AND THAT IS DOCUMENTATION OF THE BUILDING THROUGH PHOTOGRAPHS AND LASER SCANNING AND THINGS OF THAT NATURE TO MAKE SURE THAT IT IS PROPERLY DOCUMENTED.

THEN ALSO A SALVAGE AND REUSE PLAN FOR MATERIALS OF THE BUILDING SO THEY'RE NOT JUST TAKEN TO THE LANDFILL.

AND THEN THE SECOND TWO RELATE TO OTHER HISTORIC STRUCTURES IN THE SAISD INVENTORY.

ONE OF THE REQUIREMENTS IN AUDIO] IN THE SAISD PORTFOLIO.

AND THEN BEGIN THE CONVERSATION WITH THE OFFICE OF HISTORIC PRESERVATION AND DESIGN REVIEW COMMISSION ABOUT THE DESIGNATION OF OTHER HISTORIC PROPERTIES THAT AREN'T CURRENTLY.

THESE WERE CREATED WITH AN EYE TOWARDS TRYING TO AVOID A SITUATION LIKE THIS IN THE FUTURE.

AND THEN THE LAST TWO ARE RELATED TO EDUCATION AND CURRICULUM.

NUMBER FIVE IS A REQUIREMENT TO INCLUDE PRESERVATION TRADES EDUCATION AS PART OF THEIR CAREER AND TECHNICAL EDUCATION PROGRAMS.

[00:50:01]

AND THEN THE LAST ONE IS A DISTRICT-WIDE CULTURAL HERITAGE CURRICULUM.

AND THE OBJECTIVES OUTLINED IN THE MOA FOR THE CULTURAL HERITAGE CURRICULUM ARE ON THE SCREEN NOW, AND THEY INCLUDE STRENGTHENING COMMUNITY PRIDE THROUGH CONNECTING YOUTH WITH HISTORIC PLACES AND FOSTERING KIND OF A PRESERVATION ETHIC, AND PROVIDING EDUCATORS WITH TOOLS TO SUPPORT EFFORTS IN HERITAGE EDUCATION AND ARTS EDUCATION AND OTHER KIND OF HUMANITIES-RELATED ACTIVITY.

AND THEN REALLY, ALSO, THAT IMPORTANT I COULD HAVE GOTTEN HERE SOONER.

SO THAT IS REALLY, YOU KNOW, ULTIMATELY WE CREATE FUTURE PRESERVATIONISTS AND EXPOSE KIDS TO THOSE KINDS OF THINGS THAT THEY MAY NOT OTHERWISE HAVE BEEN EXPOSED TO.

>> GONZALES: OKAY.

THANK YOU, SHANON.

SO I'M FAMILIAR WITH THE CASE, PRIMARILY FIRST AND FOREMOST BECAUSE I HEARD ABOUT IT -- YOU CAN -- WELL, NO, I DO HAVE SOME QUESTIONS FOR YOU.

BUT I HEARD ABOUT IT FROM SOME PARENTS AT A COPS METRO MEETING TALKING ABOUT THIS SCHOOL.

AND SO THAT WAS MY FIRST INTRODUCTION.

BUT, YOU KNOW, I THINK SINCE THEN SOME THINGS HAVE EVOLVED, AND I ACTUALLY WAS NOT REALLY CLEAR ABOUT SOME OF THE THINGS BEING PRESENTED TODAY.

SO ONE OF THE QUESTIONS I HAVE IS IN THE MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING, THERE'S GOING TO BE SOME COSTS ASSOCIATED WITH ALL THOSE THINGS.

WHO'S GOING TO PAY FOR THAT?

>> SO THE COSTS ASSOCIATED WITH THE SURVEY AND ALL OF THOSE THINGS WOULD BE THE RESPONSIBILITY OF SAISD.

>> GONZALES: SO SAISD IS GOING TO TAKE CARE OF THOSE THINGS, INCLUDING THE CAPTURING OF THE MATERIALS AND ALL THAT.

AND SO, I DON'T KNOW, CAN I HAVE A REPRESENTATIVE FROM THE SAISD? I HAVE A COUPLE OF QUESTIONS FOR YOU AS WELL.

WHOMEVER CAN HELP ME WITH THAT.

>> YES, MA'AM.

>> GONZALES: I'M SORRY.

CAN YOU INTRODUCE YOURSELF.

>> WILLY BURROWS.

>> GONZALES: THANK YOU, MR. BURROWS.

I GUESS SOME QUESTIONS I HAVE, HAS THIS EVER BEEN DONE BEFORE?

>> IN SAISD?

>> GONZALES: THE REQUEST HERE.

HAS THIS EVER BEEN DONE BEFORE TO SAVE MATERIALS AFTER A DEMOLITION OR TO SURVEY AND ALL THIS STUFF THAT'S BEING REQUESTED?

>> I'M UNCLEAR ON YOUR QUESTION.

>> GONZALES: SO IN THE MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING IT SAYS -- IN FACT, CAN YOU BRING UP THAT MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING? REQUESTS OF THE STRUCTURE FOR MATERIALS.

IT'S IN THE PRESENTATION.

>> RIGHT.

IN TERMS OF SALVAGE PLAN?

>> GONZALES: YES.

>> YOU SAID HAS IT EVER BEEN DONE?

>> GONZALES: YES.

WITH SAISD.

>> YES.

FOR OTHER HISTORIC FACILITIES THAT HAVE BEEN PRESERVED, YES.

>> GONZALES: THAT IS THE MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING? IT SAYS DOCUMENT STRATEGIES, SALVAGE AND REUSE PLAN FOR MATERIALS, HISTORIC BUILDING INVENTORY, DESIGNATION OF OTHER SAISD BUILDINGS.

SO, THAT'S WHY I ASKED SHANON WHO WAS GOING TO BE DOING THAT.

AND SHE SAID SAISD WAS.

>> THAT'S CORRECT.

>> GONZALES: MY QUESTION IS HAVE YOU DONE THIS BEFORE? OR HAVE YOU DONE IT ALREADY?

>> TO MY UNDERSTANDING, WE HAVE NOT DONE A COMPREHENSIVE STUDY IN TERMS OF ALL OF OUR HISTORIC FACILITIES.

THERE HAVE BEEN A NUMBER OF FACILITIES THAT WE HAVE PRESERVED TO INCLUDE THE ALAMO CONVOCATION CENTER, WHERE THAT WAS REFURBISHED SEVERAL YEARS AGO.

SO TO SOME DEGREE WE HAVE, BUT IN TERMS OF A COMPREHENSIVE PORTFOLIO OF HISTORIC BUILDINGS WITH THE HISTORY OF THOSE BUILDINGS AND THAT SORT OF THING, THAT HAS NOT BEEN DONE TO DATE.

AND THAT'S WHY IT'S A PART OF THE MEMORANDUM OF AGREEMENT.

>> GONZALES: SO MY CONCERN IS THERE'S GOING TO BE A COST ASSOCIATED WITH THAT.

>> YES.

>> GONZALES: AND ALSO I THINK THE FAMILIES, AS I UNDERSTAND IT, HAVE BEEN PROMISED THAT THERE WAS GOING TO BE A PLAYGROUND OR THERE WAS GOING TO BE SOME IMPROVEMENTS TO THE PROPERTY WHEN THIS DEMOLITION HAPPENS.

AND IS THERE FUNDING FOR THAT?

>> SURE.

THERE'S NO LONG-TERM -- IT WILL BE CREATED INTO A GREEN PLAYFIELD.

THAT'S THE EXTENT OF THE FUNDING THAT'S CURRENTLY AVAILABLE.

>> GONZALES: BUT IS THERE -- SO THERE'S NO CURRENTLY, NOTHING THAT SAYS THAT YOU ALL ARE GOING TO DO THE PLAYGROUND? BECAUSE I THINK THE FAMILIES ANTICIPATE THAT THERE'S GOING TO BE SOME IMPROVEMENT -- MAYBE NOT A PLAYGROUND, BUT A GREEN SPACE, FOR SOCCER FIELDS OR BASEBALL,

[00:55:02]

SOME ACTIVITY FOR THEIR CHILDREN TO USE WHEN THIS DEMOLITION HAPPENS.

AND SO I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT PREVIOUS CONVERSATIONS, THAT THERE WILL, IN FACT, BE AN IMPROVEMENT TO THE AREA WHEN THE DEMOLITION HAPPENS.

>> THERE WILL BE A GREEN SPACE AVAILABLE, ONCE THE DEMOLITION OCCURS.

>> GONZALES: SO FAIRLY PROMPTLY? WILL IT BE BY THE FALL?

>> WELL, NOT BY THE FALL BECAUSE IT'S GOING TO TAKE SOME TIME TO ABATE THE BUILDING, TO DEMOLISH IT, AND THEN RETURN IT TO A GREEN SPACE.

SO WE'LL PUT TOGETHER A SCHEDULE BASED ON, YOU KNOW, THE IN AUDIO]

>> GONZALES: OKAY.

I THINK THAT'S REALLY IMPORTANT THAT THE FAMILIES HAVE SOME SORT OF ASSURANCE THAT SOMETHING WILL HAPPEN, THAT IT WILL BE DONE TIMELY.

BECAUSE I THINK THAT'S PART OF THIS WHOLE IDEA IS THAT SOMETHING THEN WILL HAPPEN AS A RESULT OF THE DEMOLITION OF THE BUILDING.

I WOULD LIKE TO SEE THAT THERE IS SOME SORT OF ASSURANCE.

YOU DON'T HAVE TO BRING THAT BACK TO THE COUNCIL, BUT I DO THINK THE PARENTS HAVE SOME OBLIGATION TO HEAR THAT THERE WILL BE A TIMELY IMPROVEMENT OF THE PROPERTY, NOT JUST A DEMOLITION.

THAT IT'S GOING TO STAY THAT WAY.

BECAUSE I THINK SOME OF THE REQUIREMENTS HERE -- I MEAN, THERE IS A COST INVOLVED AND THAT'S WHY I WAS TRYING TO ASK IF YOU ALREADY HAVE A SET ASIDE FOR HOW YOU'RE GOING TO DO THESE IMPROVEMENTS.

PATTY, DID YOU WANT TO ADD?

>> WE HAVE DEVELOPED ROUGH SCHEDULES BASED ON PROJECT DURATION IN TERMS OF IF THIS ACTION OCCURS AND WHEN THIS ACTION OCCURS, THERE IS A PERIOD OF TIME FOR DEMOLITION, RETURNING THE SPACE TO A GREENFIELD, AND THEN MAKING THOSE IMPROVEMENTS.

>> GONZALES: PATTY, DID YOU WANT TO ADD SOMETHING?

>> YES, I WOULD JUST LIKE TO ADD THAT OUR BOARD HAS TAKEN ACTION TO SAY THAT THEY ARE COMMITTED TO THIS TO, YOU KNOW, CREATING THE GREEN SPACE AND TO USING IT AS A SPORTS FIELD, WHATEVER WE DETERMINE THE BEST USE.

>> GONZALES: REALLY, WHATEVER THE PARENTS WANT.

IT SEEMS LIKE I DIDN'T REALLY GET ANY ASSURANCES IN PREVIOUS CONVERSATIONS THAT THERE WAS SOME SORT OF TIMELY --

>> WE FORMALLY SAID THAT WE WOULD, YOU KNOW, FUND THIS.

THAT WE WOULD TAKE CARE OF THIS.

IT'S A COMMITMENT FROM OUR DISTRICT.

>> GONZALES: GOOD.

WELL, I HOPE THAT THAT IS THE CASE.

SO THANK YOU FOR THAT.

THANK YOU, MR. BURROWS.

I GUESS SOME OTHER QUESTIONS I HAVE.

YOU KNOW, THERE WAS, YOU KNOW, I GUESS THIS IDEA -- COULD YOU BRING UP THE SLIDE AGAIN ABOUT CURRICULUM? SO CULTURAL HERITAGE CURRICULUM OBJECTIVES.

IS THE CITY AUTHORIZED TO MAKE CURRICULUM CHANGES TO A SCHOOL DISTRICT? THIS IS THE FIRST TIME I HAVE EVER HEARD THAT A COUNCIL OR A CITY HAS THE AUTHORITY TO DO THAT.

>> WELL, WE WOULD BE DOING IT IN COLLABORATION WITH SAISD.

THE PROPOSAL HAS BEEN DEVELOPED WITH THEIR CURRICULUM TEAM.

SAISD IS VERY MUCH IN SUPPORT OF THIS AND INVOLVED IN THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE CURRICULUM.

AND SO, NO, WE WOULDN'T BE MAKING THE DECISIONS THAT LICENSED EDUCATORS NEED TO MAKE.

BUT WE WOULD BE HELPING TO INFORM THE TYPES OF ACTIVITIES THAT COULD BE INCLUDED IN THE CURRICULUM.

>> GONZALES: AND SO, ANDY, IT SEEMS LIKE YOU WANTED TO APPROACH AND ASK.

I HAVE A LOT OF CONCERNS ABOUT US AS A COUNCIL DIRECTING CURRICULUM.

IT SEEMS LIKE THAT'S A PRETTY AMBITIOUS ASK AND THAT IT'S REALLY BEYOND OUR AUTHORITY TO DEMAND CURRICULUM FOR WHAT IS THE STATE'S RESPONSIBILITY.

>> THANK YOU, COUNCILWOMAN.

AS SHANON HAD MENTIONED, WE HAVE BEEN IN LENGTHY TALKS AND DISCUSSIONS WITH OUR DEPARTMENT, AND SO THE CITY IS NOT MANDATING ANY KIND OF CURRICULUM, PER SE, BUT THESE ARE DISCUSSIONS THAT WILL BE ONGOING, PROBABLY FOR THE NEXT COUPLE OF YEARS.

BUT WE'LL HAVE INPUT FROM THE DEPARTMENT OF ARTS AND CULTURE, FROM THE OFFICE OF HISTORIC PRESERVATION, AND OF COURSE WORKING VERY INTENSIVELY WITH OUR DEPUTY SUPERINTENDENT OF CURRICULUM TO MAKE SURE THAT ALL OF OUR STUDENTS UNDERSTAND THE COMMITMENT TO OUR CULTURE, PRESERVATION, AND OUR COMMUNITY.

>> MAYOR NIRENBERG: COUNCILWOMAN GONZALES, OUR CITY ATTORNEY WOULD LIKE TO COMMENT.

>> GONZALES: THANK YOU.

>> I WANT TO CONFIRM THAT YOU'RE CORRECT.

WE HAVE NO AUTHORITY TO MAKE ANY CURRICULUM BUT UNDER THIS MEMORANDUM WE CAN WORK WITH THE SCHOOL DISTRICT IN TERMS OF MAKING CURRICULUM CHANGES THAT THEY WILL CONTROL SO THAT WE MEET THE OBJECTIVES OF THE MOA.

>> GONZALES: AND SO I THINK IT'S A LOVELY IDEA.

DON'T GET ME WRONG.

BUT I THINK, YOU KNOW, AT SOME POINT IT'S NOT FOR THE CITY TO DECIDE WHAT SORT OF CURRICULUM HAPPENS AT OUR STATE SCHOOLS.

YOU KNOW, THIS OPENS A CAN OF WORMS FOR US TO START SETTING CURRICULUM, NOT JUST FOR SAISD, BUT FOR EDGEWOOD AND ALL OF THE

[01:00:02]

SCHOOL -- WE HAVE 17 INDEPENDENT SCHOOL DISTRICTS.

SO AT WHAT POINT IS THAT JUST NOT WITHIN OUR AUTHORITY?

>> I AGREE.

AND ACTUALLY THE MOA AND THE RESULTING ADDENDUM ACTUALLY JUST KIND OF PROVIDES SOME GUIDELINES.

WE'RE NOT CREATING ANYTHING NEW.

WE ARE JUST ADDING SOME COMPONENTS THAT ACTUALLY ALREADY EXIST AND TO ENHANCE THEM.

TO REALLY CREATE A MORE ROBUST, YOU KNOW, CULTURAL KINDS OF THREADS WITHIN OUR CURRICULUM.

AND PATTY CAN SPEAK MORE, BUT THIS IS SOMETHING THAT WILL BE DONE WITHIN OUR BOARD.

BUT THIS IS A PARTNERSHIP.

>> GONZALES: THANK YOU, PATTY.

>> YES.

I JUST WANT TO ASSURE YOU THAT WE WILL DIRECT THE CURRICULUM.

WE HAVE WONDERFUL PEOPLE THAT TAKE CARE OF THE CURRICULUM.

BUT, AT THE SAME TIME, I THINK IT WOULD BE UNWISE OF US NOT TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF AN OPPORTUNITY, THE EXPERTISE OF PEOPLE IN THE OFFICE OF HISTORIC PRESERVATION, HAVE THOSE CONVERSATIONS, GET MORE IDEAS OF WHAT TO INCORPORATE.

BUT DEFINITELY IT WILL NOT BE THE RESPONSIBILITY OF THE CITY TO CREATE THE CURRICULUM FOR THE CHILDREN.

JUST WANT TO ASSURE YOU OF THAT.

>> GONZALES: WELL, THERE'S A COST ASSOCIATED WITH THAT.

PEOPLE HAVE TO BE LICENSED, I IMAGINE.

THAT IT'S MORE COMPLICATED THAN US JUST SAYING WE WANT THIS IMPLEMENTED IN YOUR SCHOOLS.

JUST GIVEN THE PRESSURE THAT I KNOW THE TEACHERS ARE UNDER, THAT THE SCHOOL DISTRICT'S UNDER.

IT SEEMS UNNECESSARY AND AN ADDED LAYER.

I MEAN, I'M SUPPORTIVE.

I JUST THINK THAT IT'S A BIT OF A STRETCH FOR US TO BE DETERMINING CURRICULUM FOR A SCHOOL DISTRICT.

>> WELL, THANK YOU FOR THAT CONCERN.

MANY THINGS OUR DISTRICT HAS ALREADY COMMITTED TO.

INCORPORATING.

AND, YOU'RE RIGHT.

IT'S A BIG JOB.

WHAT'S GOOD FOR THIRD GRADERS MIGHT NOT BE GOOD FOR, YOU KNOW, A SOPHOMORE.

SO THERE'S A LOT OF WORK THAT GOES INTO IT.

AND WE ARE COMMITTED TO THAT RESPONSIBILITY.

AND, AGAIN, I'M VERY CONFIDENT THAT WE'LL BE ABLE TO GET IT IN PLACE, BEING SENSITIVE TO THE PRESSURES THAT OUR TEACHERS ARE UNDER.

BUT I THINK IT'S GOING TO BE A FUN OPPORTUNITY AS WELL AS AN IMPORTANT ONE.

BUT THANK YOU FOR THAT CONCERN.

>> GONZALES: THANK YOU, PATTY.

I DO THINK IT SOUNDS LOVELY AND A GREAT IDEA, BUT I FEEL THAT ON THIS COUNCIL WE'VE BEEN DOING THINGS THAT WE REALLY HAVE NO AUTHORITY TO DO.

WE DON'T HAVE THE AUTHORITY, AS A CITY, TO MAKE THAT DEMAND ON OUR SCHOOLS.

AND THIS IS NOT THE FIRST EXAMPLE.

AND I THINK THAT WE ARE, I BELIEVE, KIND OF GOING BEYOND WHAT IS REALLY WITHIN OUR CONTROL.

SO I'M HAPPY TO SUPPORT IT, AND I DO THINK IT SOUNDS LOVELY.

IF YOU COULD HAVE A CHILD AT AN EARLY AGE LEARN ABOUT THEIR CULTURE AND PRESERVATION AND WHY SAN ANTONIO IS SUCH A WONDERFUL CITY, I'M FULLY SUPPORTIVE OF THAT.

BUT IT ALSO DEPENDS ON WHO'S TEACHING AND WHAT ANGLE THEY TAKE.

AND THEN THAT BECOMES A WHOLE OTHER CAN OF WORMS. SO I DON'T REALLY FEEL LIKE THIS IS WITHIN OUR RESPONSIBILITY.

AND I WOULD HAVE BEEN PROUD TO SUPPORT THE DEMOLITION WITHOUT THE ADDED CURRICULUM.

I DON'T THINK THAT IT'S NECESSARY.

[APPLAUSE] FOR US TO DO THAT.

I DO THINK IT'S A STRETCH, AND I KNOW THAT, YOU KNOW, PATTY, I HAVE BEEN TOURING SOME OF OUR SCHOOLS.

I HAVE A CHILD ABOUT TO ENTER KINDERGARTEN.

AND I UNDERSTAND HOW THE PARENTS FEEL ABOUT THEIR CHILD GOING TO A SCHOOL.

BECAUSE OF THE SCHOOLS THAT I'VE TOURED MONTESSORI HAS AN OLD BUILDING.

AND I ASKED ON THREE DIFFERENT OCCASIONS, WHAT ARE THE PLANS FOR THIS BUILDING? AND NOBODY COULD ANSWER THE QUESTION.

AND THEY SAID, NO, IT'S GOING TO BE REDEVELOPED.

BUT WHEN? I MEAN, IS IT GOING TO BE REDEVELOPED IN THE NEXT YEAR? I DON'T KNOW.

I THINK THAT'S FOR ANOTHER DISCUSSION.

BECAUSE I KNOW THAT'S NOT WHAT WE'RE HERE TO TALK ABOUT.

I KNOW IT'S A PROBLEM -- IT'S AN ISSUE THAT THE SCHOOL DISTRICT HAS TO CONSIDER IS WHAT IS THE FUTURE OF OUR PHYSICAL BUILDINGS.

>> THAT CERTAINLY IS A CONSIDERATION.

AND AT OUR LAST WORK SESSION WITH THE BOARD WE HAD A PRESENTATION IN OUR DISTRICT AND WHAT A CHALLENGE WE HAVE.

AND WE WILL NEED TO CONSIDER ANOTHER MAJOR BOND.

AND IT'S CERTAINLY GOING TO TAKE SOME TIME BECAUSE OUR BUILDINGS HAVE BEEN NEGLECTED FOR LACK OF

[01:05:04]

FINANCES, AS COUNCILMAN COURAGE POINTED OUT.

BUT, AGAIN, WE ARE COMMITTED.

AND YOU CAN SEE IN OUR ACTIONS IN THE PAST OF HAVING SENSITIVITY TO THE HISTORY AND ARCHITECTURE OF OUR SCHOOLS.

WE HAVE DONE PRESERVATION.

THIS ONE WAS JUST A VERY CHALLENGING SITUATION FOR THE CONSIDERATIONS OF THE FUTURE OF THE SCHOOL.

>> GONZALES: WELL, THANK YOU PATTY.

AND THANK YOU ALL FOR BEING HERE, THE PARENTS ESPECIALLY.

I GOT TO ATTEND THE SAISD LUNCHEON THAT PEDRO MARTINEZ HAD A COUPLE OF WEEKS AGO.

AND ONE OF THE THINGS THAT HE SAID DURING HIS REMARKS WERE THAT OUR BUILDINGS SHOULD NOT REFLECT THE POVERTY OF OUR CHILDREN.

THAT STUCK WITH ME.

AND I FEEL THAT WAY ABOUT A LOT OF OUR PUBLIC FACILITIES.

I FEEL THAT WAY ABOUT POLITIC -- PUBLIC HOUSING.

WE HAVE BEEN HAVING A DISCUSSION ABOUT THIS.

THE ALAZAN, THE CASSIANO, LINCOLN, OUR OLDEST HOUSING PROJECTS IN THE DISTRICT REFLECT A POVERTY OF OUR FAMILIES .

THAT SHOULDN'T BE THE CASE WITH TAXPAYER DOLLARS.

I'M SUPPORTIVE OF THE DEMOLITION.

WHILE I THINK IT'S VERY TRAGIC SUPPORT THE DEMOLITION OF THE BUILDING, I DON'T SUPPORT THIS IDEA OF FORCING CURRICULUM ON ALREADY OVERBURDENED TEACHERS AND SCHOOL DISTRICTS.

AND I DON'T BELIEVE THAT IN ANY CASE -- I HAVE YOUNG CHILDREN -- TO WRITE CURRICULUM FOR ALL OF OUR KIDS IN SAISD.

I THINK THIS SETS A VERY BAD PRECEDENCE.

WHILE I WILL SUPPORT THE MOTION, BECAUSE I UNDERSTAND IT WAS MANY YEARS OF NEGOTIATION AND LOTS OF PEOPLE COMING FORWARD AND THERE WAS FINALLY A CONSENSUS, I CAN RESPECT THAT AS WELL.

BUT I REALLY WISH WE COULD SEPARATE THAT OUT AND NOT DO ANY KIND OF CURRICULUM IMPROVEMENT TO ANY SCHOOL DISTRICT.

I THINK IT'S WAY BEYOND OUR CAPABILITY AND WHAT WE HAVE THE CURRENT STAFF TO IMPLEMENT.

SO THANK YOU, MAYOR.

THANK YOU ALL FOR COMING THIS MORNING.

>> MAYOR NIRENBERG: THANK YOU, COUNCILWOMAN GONZALES.

COUNCILMAN PELAEZ.

>> PELAEZ: THANK YOU.

FOR THOSE OF YOU THAT DON'T KNOW, I USED TO BE THE CHAIRMAN OF BROOKS CITY BASE FOR A NUMBER OF YEARS.

AND ONE OF THE PROBLEMS THAT WE HAD OUT THERE WAS WE HAD THIS BEAUTIFUL, BEAUTIFUL HANGAR CALLED HANGAR NINE.

AND COUNCILWOMAN VIAGRAN, YOU KNOW HOW IMPORTANT A JEWEL THAT IS IN YOUR DISTRICT.

AND YOU ALSO KNOW THAT, YOU KNOW, IT WAS ALMOST FALLING APART.

IT WAS GETTING EATEN BY TERMITES.

IT WAS LEANING LIKE THE TOWER OF PIZA.

THERE WERE PEOPLE OUT THERE CALLING FOR ITS DEMOLITION.

THEN WE HAD THE MEDICAL SCHOOL WHERE JFK SPOKE LAST.

AND WE WERE ALSO BEING ENCOURAGED TO KNOCK DOWN SOME OF THOSE BUILDINGS.

DESPITE THAT, WE SACRIFICED AND MADE AN EFFORT TO RESCUE THOSE.

AND TODAY THAT IS ALSO A JEWEL IN DISTRICT 3, SOMETHING ABOUT WHICH I THINK YOU'RE VERY PROUD.

AND SO I GOT TO TELL YOU GUYS I'M REALLY DISAPPOINTED WITH THE WAY THAT THIS HAS GONE.

I AGREE, YOU KNOW, AUDIO] THAT AFTER THE BIG SHOW SUPERINTENDENT MARTINEZ PUT ON AND ALL THE ORGANIZING THAT HE DID THAT, YOU KNOW, HE'S GOT SOMETHING BETTER TO DO THAN SHOW UP TODAY.

AND IT ALSO DISAPPOINTS ME THAT SAISD ALLOWED THIS BUILDING TO FALL INTO TERRIBLE, TERRIBLE CONDITIONS OVER 30 YEARS.

AND NOW THEY'RE COMING BACK AND SAYING, HEY, YOU KNOW, WHAT? IT'S IN REALLY BAD CONDITION.

YOU SHOULD HAVE TAKEN CARE OF IT.

YOU COULD HAVE TAKEN CARE OF IT, BUT YOU DIDN'T.

THE OTHER THING THAT REALLY BOTHERS ME IS THIS STORY THAT, YOU KNOW, THE CHILDREN MIGHT GET HIT BY BRICKS.

I HAVE BEEN OUT THERE.

I LOOKED AT IT.

UNLESS SOMEBODY'S THROWING BRICKS OFF THE CEILING, CHILDREN AREN'T GOING TO GET HIT.

WHICH CALLS INTO QUESTION, WHAT ARE YOU DOING LETTING CHILDREN NEAR PLACES WHERE BRICKS ARE FALLING? I DON'T BELIEVE YOU.

I REALLY DON'T.

I THINK THAT WAS A PRETEXT.

ALSO, IF YOU'VE GOT STUDENTS AND STAFF WATCHING THIS, 400 PLUS IS WHAT I HEARD.

YOU KNOW, YOU WANT US TO TEACH THEM HOW GOVERNMENT WORKS, I HOPE THAT THEY ALSO LEARN THE LESSON THAT IT IS INCREDIBLY DISTASTEFUL TO TEACH THEM THAT NOT TAKING CARE OF ASSETS IS THE WAY TO GET WHAT YOU WANT.

AND BY SCARING FAMILIES IS THE WAY THAT YOU GET WHAT YOU WANT.

I THINK IT'S INCREDIBLY DISTASTEFUL AND WRONG TO BRING SOMEONE ELSE'S KIDS AND USE THEM AS PROPS TO BOLSTER YOUR ARGUMENT.

I THOUGHT THAT WAS REALLY TACKY.

I'M REALLY DISAPPOINTED THAT YOU GUYS DID THAT.

I WOULD BE FURIOUS IF SOMEBODY ASKED ME TO BRING MY KID TO USE

[01:10:01]

THEM AS A PROP.

I THINK THE THREATS MADE AGAINST OTHER CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS, I THINK THAT EXAGGERATIONS ARE NOT THE WAY THAT WE WANT LEADERSHIP IN SAN ANTONIO TO CONDUCT THEMSELVES.

I STOOD BY YOU AND YOU ASKED ME TO STAND BY YOU ON THIS ONE.

AND RECENTLY YOU'VE COME TO ME WITH A COMPROMISE.

GUYS, IN ONE OF THE MOST INTELLECTUALLY DISHONEST WAYS THAT I HAVE EVER SEEN A SCHOOL DISTRICT APPROACH US.

I REALLY WONDER WHETHER OR NOT YOU'RE GOING TO HOLD UP YOUR END OF THE BARGAIN ON THE MOA.

MY QUESTION FOR STAFF IS DO WE HAVE ANY ENFORCEMENT MECHANISMS OR ARE WE JUST TAKING THEIR WORD FOR IT?

>> I DON'T KNOW THAT I AM QUALIFIED TO SPEAK.

>> PELAEZ: I DON'T BLAME YOU AND I'M NOT GOING TO PUT YOU IN THAT POSITION, BECAUSE I HAVE A FEELING THAT THE ANSWER IS NO.

WITH THAT, I WILL TELL YOU I WAS WORKING IN HERE TODAY TO VOTE NO.

AND I AM GOING TO VOTE YES, WITH COUNCILMAN TREVINO, BECAUSE HE'S ASKED ME TO.

HE'S TOLD ME, PLEASE DON'T DO THIS BECAUSE I REALLY NEED -- JUST MAKE SURE THAT IT GOES BY AND THAT IT'S LESS PAINLESS.

OR IT'S LESS PAINFUL THAT IT NEEDS TO BE.

BUT WHEN YOU HAVE PATTY RADLE UP HERE TELLING ME IT NEEDS TO BE DONE.

PATTY, I TRUST YOU.

ANDY, I TRUST YOU.

WHEN YOU GUYS COME UP HERE AND TELL ME IT'S GOING TO BE DONE, I HAVE NO CHOICE BUT TO TAKE YOU AT YOUR WORD.

AND I'M HOLDING BOTH OF YOU ACCOUNTABLE.

I DON'T HOLD OUT MUCH FAITH, BECAUSE AT THE END OF THE DAY YOU'LL BE GONE AND YOU'LL STILL HAVE DR. MARTINEZ OUT THERE PEDDLING EXAGGERATIONS AND HYPERBOLE.

I ENCOURAGE YOU GUYS DON'T COME BACK WITH ANOTHER STORY ABOUT A BUILDING THAT NEEDS TO BE SAVED BECAUSE YOU DIDN'T DO ANYTHING ABOUT IT.

THANK YOU.

>> MAYOR NIRENBERG: THANK YOU, COUNCILMAN PELAEZ.

COUNCILWOMAN VIAGRAN.

>> VIAGRAN: THANK YOU, MAYOR.

I'D LIKE TO START OFF BY THANKING ALL OF THE PARENTS WHO ARE HERE TODAY.

[APPLAUSE] I'D LIKE TO ALSO THANK OUR SAISD MEMBERS WHO ARE HERE TODAY REPRESENTING WHAT WE SEE HERE TODAY.

DISTRICT 3 COVERS FOUR DIFFERENT SCHOOL DISTRICTS.

HARLANDALE, EAST CENTRAL, SOUTH SIDE, AND SAISD.

ONE OF THE THINGS, AS COUNCILMAN PELAEZ HIGHLIGHTED, IS IN OUR OLDER NEIGHBORHOODS AND IN OUR COMMUNITIES WE DO HAVE SOME OLDER, BEAUTIFUL BUILDINGS.

WHAT I DO A LOT -- AND I SAY THIS A LOT -- IS WE TRY TO PRESERVE, REVITALIZE, AND UTILIZE.

THAT IS WHAT WE DO.

AND WE HAVE THESE BEAUTIFUL MISSIONS IN DISTRICT 3 AS WELL.

AND WE HAVE THE UNESCO WORLD HERITAGE DESIGNATION.

BUT WHAT GOT OUR DESIGNATION IS THE OUTSTANDING UNIVERSAL VALUE AND THE INTANGIBLE, FROM THE COMMUNITY MEMBERS, IN AND AROUND THE AREA.

AS BEAUTIFUL AS THOSE MISSIONS ARE, IT IS THE COMMUNITY MEMBERS AROUND THERE THAT HAVE THE OUTSTANDING UNIVERSAL VALUE.

AND THE STORIES OF THE COMMUNITIES ARE THOSE THAT WE NEED TO TELL.

I AM SAD THIS BUILDING IS IN THE STATE THAT IT IS IN, AND WHY IT'S BEEN IN THIS STATE FOR SO LONG IS ANOTHER ISSUE THAT OUR ELECTED BOARD MEMBERS HAVE TO DISCUSS AND WORK WITH.

AND AS A RESIDENT OF SAISD, I MAKE MY VOICE HEARD AS WELL TO MY BOARD MEMBERS.

AND THAT'S WHAT YOU ALL ARE DOING HERE.

I WANT TO THANK COPS METRO, TOO, FOR BRINGING THIS FORWARD, TO MOVING THIS FORWARD.

AND THANKS TO MY COUNCIL COLLEAGUE WHO REALLY DID HAVE TO WORK TOGETHER AND HAVE THESE AREAS OF RECONCILIATION THAT WE'RE HAVING TO PUT TOGETHER TODAY.

HOW ARE WE RECONCILING THESE THINGS TOGETHER.

BUT WHAT I DO KNOW IS THAT WE HAVE, I THINK THESE GUIDELINES, THESE AGREEMENTS THAT ARE HERE, ONLY TO ENHANCE THE STORY, WHAT I HOPE TO BE THE STORY OF THE COMMUNITY.

THE STORY OF THE PEOPLE THAT BRING LIFE TO THESE BUILDINGS.

THEY'RE VERY PRETTY.

I MEAN, I'VE SEEN THE PICTURES OF THE INSIDES.

SOME BEAUTIFUL CRAFTSMANSHIP, SOME BEAUTIFUL WORK.

BUT THE SALVAGING OF THOSE ARE IMPORTANT.

BUT WHAT'S MOST IMPORTANT IS WHAT IS GOING TO BRING

[01:15:01]

INSPIRATION.

WHAT'S GOING TO BRING CURIOSITY.

WHAT'S GOING TO TELL, AS YOU MENTIONED, WHAT I BELIEVE, THE STUDENTS AND THE FAMILIES AROUND THIS ELEMENTARY SCHOOL THAT THEY MATTER, WHERE THEY LEARN MATTERS, AND THE WHOLE COMMUNITY MATTERS.

SO I HOPE THAT THIS CHANGING ENVIRONMENT WILL INSPIRE AND INSPIRE SOME GREAT THING WITH ALL OF OUR COMMUNITY.

I ALSO BELIEVE THAT -- I THINK WHAT WAS MENTIONED WAS WHAT IS NEXT AFTER THIS? AND THE STRATEGIC PLAN AND THE OUTLINE THAT SAISD WILL MOVE FORWARD WITH, WHAT'S NEXT FOR THIS AREA.

BUT ALL THE WHILE GETTING THE INPUT FROM THE PUBLIC AND FROM THE COMMUNITY.

I'M VERY PROUD TO SEE EVERYONE HERE, ALL THE FAMILIES HERE.

I'M PROUD THAT IN THIS WOMEN'S HISTORY MONTH WE HAVE A LOT OF WOMEN WHO ARE HERE STANDING UP, TAKING TIME AND BEING ENGAGED AND INVOLVED.

AND I AM GOING TO SUPPORT MY COUNCIL COLLEAGUE'S MOTION BECAUSE, ONE, I THINK HE HAS WORKED TOGETHER WITH ALL THESE PARTIES INVOLVED, BUT ALSO THAT YOU, THE PARENTS, YOU, COPS METRO MAKE SURE YOUR VOICES HEARD AND MAKING SURE THAT THE STUDENTS, WHAT THEY STARTED, THAT WE'RE GOING TO CONTINUE TO MOVE FORWARD WITH THIS TO TELL THEM THAT WE'RE GOING TO TEACH THEM ABOUT THE PRESERVATION AND THE REVITALIZATION OF OUR COMMUNITY AND ALL OF OUR AREAS.

SO THANK YOU ALL AGAIN FOR BEING HERE.

THANK YOU FOR ALL THE WORK THAT YOU'VE DONE.

THANK YOU, ANDY RODRIGUEZ, FOR ALL OF YOUR WORK ON THIS TOO, AND OUR BOARD MEMBERS.

AND I KNOW THIS HASN'T BEEN EASY BUT YOU KNOW WHAT? WE NEED TO DO SOMETHING WITH OUR COMMUNITY AND WITH OUR CHILDREN.

THANK YOU.

[APPLAUSE]

>> MAYOR NIRENBERG: THANK YOU, COUNCILWOMAN VIAGRAN.

COUNCILMAN PERRY.

>> PERRY: THANK YOU, SIR.

EXCUSE ME.

SHANON, I GOT A COUPLE OF QUESTIONS FOR YOU.

YOU KIND OF WENT OVER WHAT THE MOU IS AND THE RECOMMENDATIONS, THAT KIND OF THING.

AND MAYBE I JUST DON'T REMEMBER THIS COMING UP BEFORE.

BUT WHY IS THIS BUILDING -- GIVE ME SOME CRITERIA.

WHY IS THIS BUILDING EVEN CONSIDERED TO BE A HISTORICAL DESIGNATION?

>> WELL, SO THE BUILDING -- IN ORDER TO BE A HISTORIC LANDMARK, A BUILDING MUST MEET AT LEAST THREE OF 16 CRITERIAS IN THE UDC.

THIS BUILDING MEETS MORE THAN THREE.

>> PERRY: HOW MANY?

>> I BELIEVE IT WAS SEVEN.

I WOULD HAVE TO CONFIRM THAT.

I MEAN, DEFINITELY MORE THAN THREE.

AND, YOU KNOW, IT'S ASSOCIATED WITH THE DESIGN, THE ARCHITECTURE ITSELF.

AS COUNCILMAN TREVINO MENTIONED, IT WAS DESIGNED BY DEALMAN, WHO WAS A PROMINENT ARCHITECT IN SAN ANTONIO, DESIGNED OTHER SCHOOLS AND OTHER PROMINENT BUILDINGS IN THE CITY.

AND IT WAS JUST -- YOU KNOW, IT'S KIND OF INDICATIVE OF THAT SCHOOL STYLE IN 1915 WHEN IT WAS CONSTRUCTED.

AND IT IS VERY MUCH, YOU KNOW, THE ARCHITECTURE IS STILL INTACT.

AND WHILE THERE'S DETERIORATION, BECAUSE THE BUILDING HAS BEEN NEGLECTED, IT IS STILL A GOOD EXAMPLE OF THAT TYPE OF SCHOOL ARCHITECTURE FROM THE PERIOD.

AND THEN SOME OF THE OTHER CRITERIA RELATE TO THE NEIGHBORHOOD AND THE CULTURE AND, YOU KNOW, SO MUCH ABOUT PRESERVATION IS ABOUT THE FABRIC OF A NEIGHBORHOOD OVERALL.

IT'S NOT JUST AN INDIVIDUAL BUILDING, BUT HOW IT KIND OF TELLS THE STORY OF A LARGER COMMUNITY.

AND SO SOME OF THE CRITERIA THAT WERE MET WERE RELATED TO KIND OF THAT CULTURAL HISTORY OR SOCIAL HISTORY ASSOCIATED WITH THE SCHO NEIGHBORHOOD.

>> PERRY: WOW.

YEAH, I THINK I WOULD HAVE REALLY LIKED TO HAVE SEEN THE CRITERIA OF WHY YOU'RE MAKING THAT RECOMMENDATION THAT IT BE A HISTORICAL LANDMARK.

SO YOU SAID ABOUT SIX OR SEVEN ITEMS OUT OF 18?

>> 16.

>> PERRY: ALL RIGHT.

IF THIS MOU WEREN'T APPROVED, WHAT WOULD YOUR RECOMMENDATION ON THAT BE?

>> WELL, SO WE DO, OBVIOUSLY, BELIEVE THAT THE BUILDING IS ELIGIBLE FOR HISTORIC DESIGNATION.

THE OTHER ALTERNATIVE, OF COURSE, WOULD BE TO INITIATE A HISTORIC DESIGNATION.

AND WHERE WE ARE IN THAT PROCESS IS BECAUSE THE OWNER IS OBVIOUSLY NOT IN FAVOR OF DESIGNATION, COUNCIL WOULD PASS A RESOLUTION AND THEN THAT WOULD TAKE THE CONSIDERATION OF DESIGNATION TO THE ZONING COMMISSION.

AND THEN IT WOULD COME BACK TO COUNCIL FOR ACTION.

[01:20:02]

BECAUSE BASICALLY THE COUNCIL WOULD DIRECT STAFF TO INITIATE THAT DESIGNATION PROCESS.

>> PERRY: OKAY.

SO IT'S SPECIFICALLY FOR THIS BUILDING.

AND I GUESS I'M A LITTLE CONFUSED THAT YOU'RE SUPPORTING THE MOU.

BUT THAT REALLY DOESN'T HAVE ANYTHING TO DO WITH THIS BUILDING, OTHER THAN WHAT THE SCHOOL DISTRICT SAID THEY WILL DO ON CATALOGING AND THAT KIND OF THING.

BUT, YOU KNOW, THIS IS ESTABLISHING A CURRICULUM IN THE SCHOOL TO ACTUALLY, YOU KNOW, STUDY THIS TYPE OF HISTORIC PRESERVATION, WHAT IT TAKES.

AND STUDYING THAT WHOLE PROCESS.

YEAH, I'VE GOT A LITTLE BIT OF AN ISSUE WITH THAT THAT YOU'RE WILLING TO GO WITH SAYING, OKAY.

NOPE.

YOU'RE OKAY IT'S NOT -- I'M HAVING A PROBLEM WITH YOU HAVING THAT POSITION, BECAUSE IT SHOULD BE ABOUT THE BUILDING.

WHETHER IT'S HISTORIC OR NOT.

MOU OFF TO THE SIDE.

IN YOUR RESPONSIBILITY.

BUT YOU'RE SAYING IT'S OKAY IF WE ENACT THIS MOU.

>> SO, AGAIN, WE HAVE SAID FROM THE BEGINNING THAT IT IS ELIGIBLE FOR DESIGNATION.

AND WE DID RECOMMEND DESIGNATION OF THE PROPERTY, WHICH IS WHAT INITIATED THE PROCESS.

GIVEN THE SITUATION, I DO BELIEVE THAT THE MEMORANDUM OF AGREEMENT WILL PUT IN PLACE A NUMBER OF THINGS THAT WILL ENSURE WE DON'T GET TO THIS SPOT IN THE FUTURE.

IT'S A NEGATIVE -- I MEAN, OBVIOUSLY, IT'S A VERY UNFORTUNATE SITUATION THAT WAS CREATED AFTER YEARS OF NEGLECT OF THE PROPERTY.

AND SO THE DESIRE IS TO DO WHAT WE CAN TO MAKE SURE THAT WE AREN'T IN THIS POSITION MOVING FORWARD.

>> PERRY: OKAY.

THANK YOU, SHANON.

COUNCILWOMAN RADLE, I DO HAVE A COUPLE QUESTIONS FOR YOU.

THANK YOU.

I HAVE THE SAME CONCERNS THAT COUNCILWOMAN GONZALES STATED.

THAT BASICALLY WE'VE GOT A HAMMER IN ONE HAND SAYING WE'RE GOING TO DESIGNATE THIS AS A HISTORICAL LANDMARK, UNLESS YOU DO THIS MOU.

AND PART OF THAT MOU IS ABOUT THE CURRICULUM AND THAT KIND OF THING, THAT YOU'RE GOING TO DEVELOP THIS CURRICULUM.

WOULD YOU DO THAT CURRICULUM WITHOUT THIS MOU?

>> WELL, AS I MENTIONED, THE PROPOSAL OF THE CURRICULUM IS AN AFFIRMATION OF THOSE THINGS THAT OUR DISTRICT ALREADY BELIEVES IN AND WOULD BE ANXIOUS TO EDUCATE CHILDREN ABOUT.

THE SITUATION, I THINK, JUST KIND OF SHEDS LIGHT ON THAT AS AN IMPORTANT FACTOR WITHIN OUR CURRICULUM.

AND SO IT'S NOT, IN A SENSE, AN IMPOSITION UNLESS IT WAS BEING BROUGHT TO OUR DISTRICT AS SOME VERY NEW THING THAT WE HAVEN'T BEEN ENGAGED IN AS A DISTRICT.

AS I'VE MENTIONED, FOR INSTANCE LIKE WITH OUR LAST BOND, AS FAR AS ISSUES LIKE A SALVAGE.

WE MADE A POINT OF HOLDING ON TO THOSE THINGS THAT WOULD BE MEMORABLE, TAKING AN ENTRYWAY AND MAKING IT PART OF THE NEW CONSTRUCTION.

THOSE KIND OF THINGS.

AND THEN, ALSO, NOT JUST WITHIN THE DISTRICT, PEOPLE THEMSELVES, BUT ALSO WITHIN THE COMMUNITIES THAT HAVE ASKED FOR PRESERVATIONS OF DIFFERENT PARTS OF SCHOOLS.

WE'VE BEEN SENSITIVE TO THAT.

AND I THINK IT'S A GOOD IDEA TO EDUCATE OUR COMMUNITY, TO EDUCATE OUR CHILDREN ON THE IMPORTANCE OF THAT.

I THINK AS WE BECOME AN OLDER COMMUNITY, AS WE HAVE GROWN AS A COMMUNITY AND SO MANY THINGS CHANGING AND SO MUCH DEVELOPMENT IN SAN ANTONIO, THAT IT'S AN IMPORTANT ISSUE FOR ALL OF US TO LOOK AT AND WHY NOT START WITH THE CHILDREN.

>> PERRY: BUT YOU'RE SAYING THAT THIS IS SOMETHING THAT Y'ALL ARE CURRENTLY DOING OR YOU'RE INCORPORATING ALREADY IN YOUR DECISIONS AND THINGS MOVING FORWARD?

>> I THINK -- AS I SAID, I THINK IT FITS INTO AS AN AFFIRMATION OF OUR MINDSET AS A DISTRICT.

AND OF LATE IN THE LAST FEW YEARS WE'VE CERTAINLY PUT A GREATER EMPHASIS ON THINGS LIKE ART.

AND I THINK, YOU KNOW, ARCHITECTURE FALLS INTO THAT REALM.

AND CERTAINLY HISTORY AND CULTURE, AS WE HAVE SEEN IN DIFFERENT REALMS, WHETHER IT'S JUNIOR COLLEGE OR COLLEGE.

[01:25:01]

YOU KNOW, THE ATTENTION BEING GIVEN TO THAT.

IT SHOULD HAVE A SEGUE, I THINK, FROM EARLIER EDUCATION.

>> PERRY: OKAY.

GREAT.

I APPRECIATE THOSE COMMENTS AND I THINK THERE'S AN EVOLUTIONARY PROCESS GOING ON RIGHT NOW WITHIN THE SCHOOL DISTRICT AS A LESSON LEARNED ON THIS FACILITY THAT Y'ALL ARE GOING TO BE INCORPORATING BITS AND PIECES OR IN TOTAL WHETHER, TO ME, WHETHER THIS MOU IS PART OF THIS AGREEMENT OR NOT.

>> WELL, I THINK, AS I MENTIONED IN MY FIRST STATEMENT WITH CITIZENS TO BE HEARD, THERE ARE A LOT OF PIECES THAT BROUGHT US TO THIS POINT.

AND IT'S BEEN PUBLIC AND IT'S BEEN A LITTLE ROUGH.

BUT EACH ENTITY TRYING TO STAND FOR WHAT THEY'RE SUPPOSED TO BE PROTECTING, RIGHT? AND SO TO GET TO A PLACE WHERE THERE'S NOT THIS STALEMATE, AS IT IS COMPROMISE BRINGS US FORWARD AND WE DON'T ALL GET EVERYTHING THAT WE WANTED.

AND MAYBE WE WOULD LIKE TO BE ON OUR OWN TIMETABLE, YOU KNOW, ABOUT WHAT WE PUT IN OUR CURRICULUM.

SO I APPRECIATE THAT SENSITIVITY TO WHAT IT BRINGS TO THE DISTRICT.

BUT, AT THE SAME TIME, THOSE, YOU KNOW, WHO ARE TO STAND IN THE POSITION OF PROTECTING BUILDINGS AND PROTECTING HISTORY AND PROTECTING CULTURE, YOU KNOW, ARE LISTENING AND UNDERSTANDING OUR FUTURE NEEDS OF OUR STUDENTS.

AND SO THERE'S GIVE IN ON THAT PART.

THAT'S WHY I SAY IT TAKES A BIT OF HUMILITY IN SUCH A PUBLIC SITUATION TO BE ABLE TO SAY, OKAY.

WE'LL DO THIS.

WE'LL COME TOGETHER ON THIS.

AND, LIKE I SAID, IT'S NOT VERY DIFFICULT FOR THE DISTRICT BECAUSE THIS FALLS INTO THE REALM OF WHAT WE WOULD WANT TO SEE OURSELVES, TEACHING OUR CHILDREN.

>> PERRY: THAT'S WHAT I'M LOOKING FOR.

AND THAT'S MY POINT.

I JUST -- AGAIN, I TOTALLY AGREE WITH COUNCILWOMAN GONZALES THAT, YOU KNOW, WE'RE FORCING A SCHOOL DISTRICT INTO AN MOU TO DO THIS CURRICULUM.

OTHERWISE, WE'RE GOING TO CLASSIFY IT AS A HISTORICAL LANDMARK.

I JUST DON'T AGREE WITH THAT.

THAT'S NOT THE GOVERNMENT'S PLACE.

WE SHOULD EITHER SAY, YES, IT'S GOING TO BE A HISTORICAL MONUMENT OR LANDMARK.

OR NO, IT'S NOT.

AND NOT GET INTO TRYING TO TELL A SCHOOL DISTRICT HOW TO DO EXACTLY WHAT YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT.

HOW TO TEACH THE CHILDREN.

YOUR CORE COMPETENCY IS TEACHING CHILDREN.

ALL THOSE OTHER THINGS, BUILDINGS AND CONSTRUCTION AND MAINTENANCE AND ALL THAT OTHER STUFF, THAT'S NOT YOUR CORE COMPETENCY.

YOUR CORE COMPETENCY ARE THE CHILDREN, AND THAT'S WHAT YOU SHOULD BE FOCUSED ON.

AND WHETHER THAT COMES WITH, YOU KNOW, TEACHING THEM HISTORICAL PRESERVATION OR NOT, THAT'S YOUR BUSINESS.

THAT'S YOUR CORE COMPETENCY.

NOT ON THESE BUILDINGS.

>> COUNCILMAN, I WOULD LIKE TO SAY I APPRECIATE YOUR STATEMENT ON THAT BECAUSE OUR ATTENTION TO THE CHILDREN AND THEIR FUTURE AND THE FACT THAT WE'RE TURNING THE SCHOOL INTO, YOU KNOW, K THROUGH 8.

THEY WILL BE ADDING EIGHTH GRADERS NEXT YEAR.

WE ARE FOCUSED ON THE CHILDREN AND THE PARENTS CERTAINLY ARE TOO.

THEY SEE THE CONDITIONS THAT ARE NEEDED FOR THEIR CHILDREN AND THEY'RE EXPECTING THEM FROM US.

THIS HAS BEEN THE INITIATION OF OUR ACTION ON THIS.

>> PERRY: GREAT.

I REALLY APPRECIATE THAT.

THANK YOU, MA'AM.

YOU KNOW, THERE'S -- THIS IS DIFFICULT.

YOU KNOW, SAN ANTONIO PRIDES OURSELVES ON MAINTAINING AND KEEPING OUR HISTORICAL FACILITIES, PRESERVING OUR HISTORY.

BUT THERE COMES A TIME WHEN YOU MAKE HARD DECISIONS ON EXACTLY WHAT MS. RADLE WAS TALKING ABOUT, WHAT YOUR RESPONSIBILITIES ARE.

AND IN THEIR CASE, IT'S THE CHILDREN, NOT NECESSARILY MAINTAINING FACILITIES.

HOWEVER, WE HAVE RULES.

WE HAVE ORDINANCES ABOUT PROTECTING OUR HISTORY AS WELL.

I RAN INTO THIS WHEN I WAS ON THE BUILDING STANDARDS BOARD.

WE HAD CASES WHERE WE HAD HISTORICAL FACILITIES, HOUSES THAT THE LAND OWNERS, THE HOUSE OWNERS COULD NOT AFFORD TO KEEP THEM UP.

TAXES WERE GOING UP.

THEY COULDN'T AFFORD TO KEEP THEM UP, SO THEY'RE FALLING IN ON THEMSELVES.

THERE COMES A POINT IN TIME WHERE COMMON SENSE COMES IN SAYING, YOU KNOW, THAT HOUSE NEEDS TO BE TORN DOWN BECAUSE IT'S AFFECTING PROPERTY VALUES OF OTHER HOUSES IN THAT NEIGHBORHOOD.

VERY, VERY DIFFICULT DECISIONS.

[01:30:02]

AND I SEE THIS ONE AS ONE OF THOSE AS WELL WHERE THE SCHOOL DISTRICT DECIDED TO PUT THE MONEY INTO THE CHILDREN VERSUS A FACILITY.

YES, IT WOULD BE GREAT IF WE ALL HAD MONEY TO DO EVERYTHING.

BUT THAT WAS A DECISION.

AND NOW WE'RE AT THIS POINT TODAY THAT, YOU KNOW, THE CHILDREN THERE NEED PLAYGROUND SPACE.

I TOTALLY UNDERSTAND THAT.

BUT WITH ALL THAT BEING SAID, I STILL HAVE A PROBLEM WITH US MANDATING AN MOU ON THIS THAT WE'RE REQUIRING THE SCHOOL DISTRICT TO DO THIS IN ORDER FOR YOU TO GET THIS.

I GOT A PROBLEM WITH THAT.

SO, WITH THAT, I'LL MAKE A MOTION TO DELETE THE MOU OUT OF THIS AND SUPPORT THE OTHER PORTION OF THE MOTION TO TEAR THE BUILDING DOWN.

THAT'S MY MOTION, SIR.

>> MAYOR NIRENBERG: OKAY.

THERE IS A MOTION.

ANDY, I'M GOING TO NEED SOME CLARIFICATION ON THAT.

>> WELL, THE MOTION OFFERED BY COUNCILMAN PERRY IS TO REMOVE THE AUTHORIZATION OF A MEMORANDUM AGREEMENT THAT'S IN -- CURRENTLY CAPTIONED IN 18.

SO I WOULD VOTE ON THE AMENDMENT FIRST, MAYOR, BEFORE WE VOTE ON COUNCILMAN TREVINO'S.

>> MAYOR NIRENBERG: OR -- SO, COUNCILMAN, ARE YOU MOTIONING TO DENY THE ITEM BUT ALSO TO NOT INITIATE AN MOU.

IS THAT WHAT YOU'RE DOING?

>> PERRY: YES.

>> MAYOR NIRENBERG: I WOULD READ THAT AS A SECOND MOTION, IN WHICH CASE WE WOULD TAKE UP THE PRIMARY MOTION FIRST.

IF THAT FAILS, THEN WE WOULD DO THE SECOND?

>> MAYOR, AGAIN, I'M VIEWING THAT MORE AS AN AMENDMENT, REMOVING THE MOU FROM WHAT'S BEING CONSIDERED.

>> MAYOR NIRENBERG: OKAY.

IF YOU CAN RESTATE YOUR MOTION, COUNCILMAN, AS AN AMENDMENT TO COUNCILMAN TREVINO'S MOTION?

>> PERRY: MOTION TO AMEND THE MOTION TO DELETE THE MOU PORTION FROM THAT MOTION.

>> MAYOR NIRENBERG: OKAY.

SO THERE IS A MOTION AND A SECOND FOR -- ANDY, GO AHEAD.

>> AGAIN, I'M TRYING TO MAKE IT VERY CLEAR, MAYOR.

ITEM 18 CURRENTLY READS IT'S A RESOLUTION TO START LANDMARK DESIGNATION AND APPROVE THE MEMORANDUM OF AGREEMENT.

AND THEN COUNCILMAN TREVINO'S MOTION CHANGED THAT TO DENY THE LANDMARK DESIGNATION BUT STILL APPROVING THE MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING.

WHAT COUNCILMAN PERRY IS ATTEMPTING TO DO IS AMEND ITEM 18 TO REMOVE THE MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING.

SO THAT WHAT WOULD BE LEFT FOR THE COUNCIL WOULD ONLY BE CONSIDERATION OF WHETHER TO START THE DESIGNATION OR NOT.

I THINK THAT'S THINK THAT'S HOWD COUNCILMAN PERRY'S.

IS THAT CORRECT, COUNCILMAN?

>> MAYOR NIRENBERG: OKAY.

SO WE WOULD TAKE UP COUNCILMAN PERRY'S MOTION FIRST?

>> CORRECT, MAYOR.

>> MAYOR NIRENBERG: OKAY.

AND JUST SO I CAN HAVE SOME CLARITY ON WHAT -- WHAT'S GOING ON HERE, MY UNDERSTANDING IS THAT THE MOU THAT'S BEING DISCUSSED IS A VOLUNTARY ARRANGEMENT BETWEEN THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO AND SAISD.

SO IF THE PARTIES SO CHOSE, THEY CAN STILL INITIATE AN MOU, WITHOUT ANY DIRECTION FROM THE CITY COUNCIL.

IS THAT CORRECT?

>> MAYOR, BECAUSE THE MO -- THE MEMORANDUM -- THE MOA IS SIGNED BY THE CITY, YES, THE COUNCIL WOULD ULTIMATELY HAVE TO APPROVE IT.

>> MAYOR NIRENBERG: OKAY.

OKAY, WHICH WE COULD DO IF THE PARTIES SO CHOSE AT A LATER DATE, IF NECESSARY.

>> THAT'S CORRECT.

>> MAYOR NIRENBERG: OKAY.

ALL RIGHT.

COUNCILMAN HALL?

>> HALL: OKAY.

SO LET ME JUST FIRST SAY THAT I HATE TEARING DOWN OLD BUILDINGS CELEBRATING HISTORY PARTICULARLY THROUGH OUR STRUCTURES.

THE HIGH SCHOOL THAT I WENT TO IN LUBBOCK, TEXAS, LUBBOCK HIGH SCHOOL, WAS THE OLDEST HIGH SCHOOL IN THE CITY.

IT'S WHERE BUDDY HOLLY WENT TO SCHOOL, AND THE UNIVERSITY THAT I ATTENDED IS THE OLDEST UNIVERSITY IN THE COUNTRY AND SO A LOT OF THE STRUCTURES THAT I STUDIED IN WERE OLD STRUCTURES.

AND SO FOR ME THERE'S NOTHING MORE AND YOU AWE STRIKING, EXIG EXHILARA, HUMBLING, INSPIRING AND PRESTIGIOUS THAN TO BE ABLE TO STUDY IN AN OLD STRUCTURE, AND I KNOW TECHNOLOGY HAPPENS AND SO FORTH AND SOME OF THAT CAN BE INCORPORATED INTO OLD STRUCTURES, AT SOME COST, BUT AT THE SAME TIME I JUST -- I VALUE OUR

[01:35:01]

STRUCTURES, PARTICULARLY OUR HISTORY.

AND SO FOR ME I KNOW THIS IS -- IT'S A DIFFICULT DECISION.

I KNOW IT'S A DIFFICULT DECISION FOR A COUNCILMAN AND FORMER COUNCILWOMAN AND PRESIDENT OF ISD WHO ARE LOVERS AND PROTECTORS OF HISTORY AND ARCHITECTURE.

AND I AGREE WITH COUNCILMAN PELAEZ THAT I THINK THE DISTRICT MISSED AN OPPORTUNITY TO OBSERVE A BUILDING -- PRESERVE A BUILDING, AN HISTORIC BUILDING.

SANDOVAL AND I WERE TALKING IN THE BACK, MISSING OF THAT OPPORTUNITY CAME AT THE PRIORITIZATION OF OTHER THINGS THAT MAY MEAN LESS, SUCH AS, YOU KNOW, FOOTBALL FIELDS AND OTHER THINGS THAT MAY NOT HAVE AS MUCH OF AN IMPACT ON THE EDUCATIONAL SIDE.

SO I DO THINK THAT THAT -- THAT THEY DID MISS AN OPPORTUNITY.

HOWEVER, I THINK ALSO THAT THAT OPPORTUNITY MAY BE LONG PAST, AND IN THIS PARTICULAR CASE, FROM WHAT I'M HEARING FROM THE SCHOOL DISTRICT, FROM THE COMMUNITY AND OTHERS, IS THAT THEY ARE PRIORITIZING AT THIS POINT, AND WE SHOULD ALWAYS PRIORITIZE, IS OUR KIDS, AND THE OPPORTUNITY FOR A GOOD AND BENEFICIAL AND STRONG EDUCATION.

WE'VE ALL GOT CONFINED SPACE, LIMITED SPACE.

WE'VE GOT LIMITED RESOURCES.

IF THERE WAS AN OPPORTUNITY TO BE ABLE TO ADD ON TO THE STRUCTURE THERE AND PRESERVE IT, I WOULD CERTAINLY BE IN FAVOR OF THAT.

I DON'T KNOW IF THAT'S NECESSARILY AN OPPORTUNITY AT THIS POINT.

SO WHILE -- FOR ME IT'S DIFFICULT TO TEAR DOWN A BUILDING, HISTORICAL STRUCTURE, IN THIS CASE I THINK IT'S FOR THE COMMON GOOD AND A GREATER GOOD THANK YOU, MAYOR.

>> MAYOR NIRENBERG: THANK YOU, COUNCILMAN HALL.

COUNCILMAN BROCKHOUSE?

>> BROCKHOUSE: THANK YOU, MAYOR.

I KIND OF GOT A LITTLE SIDEWAYS, SO I'M TRYING TO MAKE SURE I HAVE MY THOUGHTS.

MY KEY POINT I THINK THIS BUILDING IS ELIGIBLE.

I THINK THE KEY WORD IS IT'S ELIGIBLE, I WROTE THAT DOWN, FOR DESIGNATION.

DOESN'T MEAN IT HAS TO HAPPEN, RIGHT? AND THAT'S THE BEAUTY OF THE VOTE TODAY.

WE DON'T HAVE TO DO THIS TO MOVE FORWARD TO MAKE IT A HISTORICAL BUILDING OR MAKE IT SUCH SO IT'S WITHIN OUR PURVIEW AND I T I BELIEVE THAT THE SCHOOL DISTRICT HAS MADE THE RIGHT CHOICE AND THE PARENTS THAT KIND OF GOVERNANCE.

THAT'S HOW THIS WORKS.

IT'S A MESSY PROCESS AND SOMETIMES IT COMES TO THIS, AND I JUST WANTED TO CHIME IN AND SAY THAT, YOU KNOW, I WAS A LITTLE DISTURBED EARLIER WITH SOME OF THE CHASTISING THAT WAS HAPPENING TO THE PEOPLE.

SO I WOULD JUST TELL YOU THIS.

DON'T EVER THINK YOU CAN'T COME HERE IN THE DIRTY OF POLITICS, RIGHT, AND TRYING TO GET THINGS DONE AND IT'S DIFFICULT, IT'S HARD WORK.

COUNCILMAN TREVINO GOT INVOLVED IN IT, THE COPS/METRO TEAM GOT INVOLVED WITH IT, THE PARENTS GOT INVOLVED WITH IT, THE SCHOOL DISTRICT WAS DOING THE BEST.

THEY CHOSE BABIES OVER BUILDINGS.

I'M OKAY WITH THAT, AND THAT -- THE MONIES THAT YOU HAVE AS A SCHOOL DISTRICT ARE SO LIMITED, YEAH, YOU'VE GOT BONDING CAPABILITY, YOU MAY HAVE MADE CHOICES TO PUT THE MONEY SOMEWHERE ELSE BUT YOU ARE OWN ELECTED BODY AND YOU MADE THE CHOICES.

I'M NOT GOING TO BEGRUDGE YOU OR CHASTISE YOU FOR THE CHOICES YOU MAKE.

I HAVE A CHOICE AS A COUNCILMAN TO DECIDE WHETHER THIS DESERVES HISTORICAL DESIGNATION AND THE FACT YOU CAME UP WITH A MEMORANDUM INDICATES YOU FOUND COMMON GROUND AND WORKED ON IT.

AM I HAPPY THAT THERE'S SOMETHING WITH THE CITY FORCING SOME EDUCATIONAL PIECE? FRANKLY, NO.

IT GETS ME A LITTLE UNCOMFORTABLE, TO COUNCILMAN GONZALES'S POINT, THAT WE'RE INTERJECTING OURSELVES SOMEWHERE WHERE IT REALLY DOESN'T BELONG, BUT AT THE END OF THE CONVERSATION THE SCHOOL DISTRICT IS OKAY WITH THE AGREEMENT, AND IF THEY'RE WILLING TO DO IT, YOU ARE YOUR OWN ELECTED BODY, ELECTED BY THE PARENTS AND RESIDENTS OF SAISD, AND YOU MADE THE CALL.

FOR ME TO SIT UP HERE AND TELL YOU OTHERWISE OR TO SAY HOW DARE YOU DO THIS OR THAT IS TRULY DISINGENUOUS FOR THIS COUNCIL TO DO THAT TO YOU.

SO I'M HERE TO TELL YOU DON'T EVER WORRY ABOUT COMING UP HERE AND FIGHTING AND USING ANY TOOL IN YOUR ARSENAL TO BE SUCCESSFUL.

THAT IS YOUR RIGHT.

[APPLAUSE] AND I WOULD DO IT TIME AND TIME AGAIN, TO MAKE MY POINT, TO FIGHT FOR WHAT I BELIEVE IS BEST AND RIGHT.

AND WE'RE NOT UP HERE FIGHTING FOR A DEVELOPMENT.

YOU'RE FIGHTING FOR YOUR BABIES.

SO IF YOU'VE GOT TO BRING SOMEONE UP -- USE SOMEONE AS A PROP -- I CAN'T BELIEVE WE CALLED SOMEONE A PROP -- BUT IF YOU'RE GOING TO DO THAT, IT'S WELL WITHIN YOUR RIGHT TO DO THAT.

THIS IS GOVERNMENT.

THIS IS YOUR ABILITY TO FIGHT FOR YOUR COMMUNITY AND DO WHAT YOU THINK IS RIGHT AND I ENCOURAGE YOU EVERY DAY OF THE WEEK, AND ALL THOSE KIDS STILL WATCHING, IF THEY'RE STILL WATCHING BECAUSE WE'RE TWO HOURS INTO THIS SUCKER -- TO EVERYBODY WATCHING THIS DO NOT BE

[01:40:01]

AFRAID TO FIGHT AND USE ANYTHING YOU CAN TO STAND UP FOR WHAT YOU BELIEVE IS BEST.

AND I JUST HAD TO SAY THAT BECAUSE TURNED OFF OTHER COSSMENTS REGACOMMENTS.

THE DECISION WAS THERE.

COUNCILMAN TREVINO PULLED THAT COMPROMISE OUT AND WORK IN TANDEM AND ALL THREE PARTIES GOT IT DONE.

SO I'LL SUPPORT THE MOTION, WHILE SOME TREPIDATION WITH REGARDS TO INVOLVING OURSELVES WITH THE SCHOOL DISTRICT BUT IF THE SCHOOL DISTRICT IS ON BOARD WITH IT AND THEY WANT IT AND THEY'RE OKAY WITH IT AND THERE'S A COMPROMISE, I AM NOT SOMEONE TO STAND ON THE OUTSIDE AND TRASH IT OR DEMEAN IT BECAUSE I'M NOT EXACTLY 100% ON BOARD WITH THIS.

SO IT EARNS MY SUPPORT, NOT JUST FOR THIS MOMENT RIGHT NOW BUT LOOK, IT'S FOR THE FUTURE OF THE SCHOOL DISTRICT AND THE KIDS THAT ARE THERE, AND LET'S GET THIS THING DONE AND MOVE ON.

I THINK IT'S WELL PAST TIME THAT THE SCHOOL DISTRICT GETS BACK TO THE BASICS AND THE THINGS THAT MATTER MOST AND THE BASICS ARE THE BABIES.

SO THANK YOU, MAYOR.

I APPRECIATE.

I WILL BE IN FULL SUPPORT OF COUNCILMAN TREVINO'S MOTION.

[APPLAUSE]

>> MAYOR NIRENBERG: THANK YOU COUNCILMAN BROCKHOUSE.

COUNCILWOMAN S SANDOVAL.

>> SANDOVAL: THANK YOU.

YOU SAID THAT WITH THIS INTONATION THAT SOUNDED LIKE I WAS GOING TO SAY SOMETHING VERY IMPORTANT,.

[LAUGHTER] BUT I'LL TRY.

TIME TO BE HERE.

I KNOW ALL OF YOU ARE PARENTS AND YOU PROBABLY HAVE OTHER THINGS YOU CAN BE DOING, BUT THIS IS IMPORTANT TO YOU, SO THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE.

I APPRECIATE YOUR TIME.

COUNCILWOMAN RADLE.

SO I JUST WANTED TO -- I WASN'T GOING TO CHIME IN, BUT OUR DISCUSSION HAS GOTTEN SO LONG, SO I WANT TO GO AHEAD AND JUST A COUPLE OF WORDS.

I -- MY SISTER USED TO WORK AT BEACON HILL.

IT WAS HER FIRST TEACHING JOB IN THE SPRING OF 1997.

SHE GRADUATED FROM UTSA MIDYEAR SO I THOUGHT SHE WASN'T GOING TO GET A JOB AS A TEACH YOUR BUT SHE DID, FORTUNATELY SAISD AND BEACON HILL HIRED HER AND SHE WAS IN THE OLD BUILDING.

AT THAT TIME THE NEW BUILDING CAME UNDER CONSTRUCTION.

SHE NEVER GOT A CHANCE TO MOVE INTO IT.

SHE LEFT RIGHT BEFORE THE MOVE HAPPENED.

SHE FINISHED OUT IN '99 AND I THINK THE MOVE WAS FOR THE NEXT SCHOOL YEAR, '99 TO 00.

BUT WHAT SHE WAS TELLING ME IS SHE REMEMBERS THERE WAS A BIG DEAL AT THAT TIME TO SAVE THE OLD BUILDING, AND SOMEONE ELSE HAD MENTIONED TO ME THAT EVEN SAISD HAD PASSED THE BOARD -- THE BOARD AT THAT TIME HAD PASSED A RESOLUTION.

THAT RESOLUTION STILL STANDS.

IS THAT SO IT WAS OVERTURNED? OKAY.

I WASN'T AWARE OF THAT.

BUT THE TRUTH IS EVERYONE WHO'S HERE TODAY SPEAKING ABOUT THIS ISSUE, YOU'VE INHERITED THIS SITUATION.

I KNOW YOU WERE NOT THERE WHEN THE DECISIONS WERE MADE, AND MAYBE YOU WOULD HAVE MADE A DIFFERENT DECISION AT THE TIME.

I UNDERSTAND.

THIS IS WHERE WE ARE AND THE DECISIONS WE MAKE ARE ONLY FROM HERE GOING FORWARD.

FRANKLY, LOOKING BACK I THINK THE DECISION WAS MADE -- OR THE INTENTION BY SAISD WAS PROBABLY TO DEMOLISH IT FROM THE BEGINNING, BECAUSE OTHERWISE WHY WOULD THEY HAVE BUILT A WHOLE NEW BUILDING INSTEAD OF REHABBING THE OLD ONE.

AND I THINK THAT WAS PROBABLY THE BEST TIME TO STEP IN, BUT WE CAN'T DO THAT ANYMORE.

I TOO SUPPORT -- I WILL BE SUPPORTING THE AUDIO] COUNCILMAN TODAY HISTORICAL STRUCTURES.

WE WERE JUST DISCUSSING OVER HERE THAT BEACON HILL IS PROBABLY A HOMAGE TO THE REVOLUTIONARY PERIOD HERE IN THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, WHERE A LOT OF THINGS HAPPENED, THE CRAIBL CRADLEOF LIBERTY SO IRONIC WE'RE TEARING DOWN THE BUILDING THAT'S NAMED AFTER THAT.

I WOULD NOT LIKE TO SEE THIS HAPPEN IN THE FUTURE, BUT I UNDERSTAND THAT WE ARE HERE TODAY.

THAT'S WHY I AM SUPPORTING THE COUNCILMAN, AND I REALLY APPLAUD HIM FOR HIS -- FOR HIS HARD WORK IN GETTING HERE.

I KNOW IT WAS NOT EASY AT ALL, BUT THANK YOU FOR YOUR WORK, COUNCILMAN, AND I THINK THE CITIZENS OF THE AREA HAVE A GOOD REPRESENTATIVE TO -- TO THERE ARE SOME OPINIONS BEING EXPRESSED OVER THERE BUT I DO THINK HE'S A GREAT REPRESENTATIVE FOR THE AREA.

SO THAT SAID, I'LL BE APPROVING THIS AS WE GO FORWARD AND I DO HOPE THAT THE MOU THAT'S BEEN DRAFTED UP, I THINK THERE'S

[01:45:01]

WONDERFUL OPPORTUNITIES IN THAT, AND I DO HOPE TO SEE THEM IMPLEMENTED AND FOR OUR CHILDREN TO LEARN THE VALUE OF BEING IN SAN ANTONIO.

WE HAVE SO MUCH RICH HISTORY, AND LIKE SHANNON SAID, AT LEAST I DIDN'T KNOW SOME OF THAT STUFF WHEN I WAS A CHILD, THE POCKETS THAT ARE THERE.

IN FACT, WHEN I WAS A KID THE ONLY PROFESSIONS I KNEW WERE TEACHING AND TEACHING.

[LAUGHTER] TEACHING AND MAYBE BEING A DOCTOR, BUT WE DIDN'T KNOW ANY PERSONALLY, SO I FELT LIKE MY CAREER PATHS WERE ACTUALLY LIMITED AT THAT TIME.

I DIDN'T HAVE AN IDEA OF THAT, SO I THINK IT'S SIMPLY -- IT'S GOING TO OPEN OPPORTUNITIES FOR -- FOR OUR CHILDREN.

SO I WANT TO THANK ALL THOSE OF YOU WHO HAVE WORKED WITH THE COUNCILMAN TO BRING US TO THE POINT WHERE WE ARE TODAY.

THANK YOU.

THANK YOU, MAYOR.

>> MAYOR NIRENBERG: THANK YOU, COUNCILWOMAN SANDOVAL.

COUNCILWOMAN SALDAÑA.

>> SALDANA: THANK YOU, MAYOR.

IT'S GETTING PRETTY CLOSE TO THE AFTERNOON TO MANY OF THE FOLKS WHO ARE HERE WITH US.

I'VE GOT TO SAY THAT I THINK BEACON HILL IS AWESOME, AND I'VE GOT A KID WHO IS FOUR MONTHS OLD IN FOUR YEARS.

IF HE COULD GO TO BEACON HILL I KNOW I WOULD SAY THAT WOULD BE A GOOD PLACE FOR HIM BECAUSE THERE IS THIS ORGANIZATION OF PARENTS AND COMMUNITY MEMBERS AND A PRINCIPAL WHO WILL COME TO CITY HALL TO SPEAK ON BEHALF OF THEIR STUDENT.

[APPLAUSE] I HAD A PRINCIPAL AND EDUCATOR WHO WERE FIGHTING FOR HI CHILD AS HARD AS YOU ARE FIGHTING FOR YOUR CHILDREN, YOUR STUDENTS AND YOUR SCHOOL, I'D BE VERY EXCITED TO BE SENDING MY KIDS TO THAT SCHOOL AND THAT DISTRICT, PATTY, SO I'M GRATEFUL TO SEE THAT, YOU KNOW, THE WORST OUTCOME WOULD BE SILENCE, AND A DECISION MADE WITHOUT YOUR INPUT.

SO I'M REALLY GRATEFUL THAT YOU ALL ARE HERE.

AND HERE'S SORT OF THE POINT ON BEACON HILL.

I'VE SEEN A LOT OF CITIZENS COME TO THE COUNCIL FOR HISTORIC DESIGNATIONS.

I THINK I'VE GOT A RECORD OF SUPPORTING MORE PRESERVATION AND SAVING OF BUILDINGS THAN I DO SUPPORTING DEMOLITION, BECAUSE EVERY BUILDING IS SALVAGEABLE.

YOU CAN RESTORE EVERY SINGLE BUILDING THAT HAS HISTORIC DESIGNATION, OR MIGHT HAVE HISTORIC DESIGNATION.

THE ONLY THING IT TAKES IS MONEY, AND IF I KNOW ANYTHING ABOUT FUNDING IN THE STATE OF TEXAS, I KNOW THE ONE THING THAT THE SCHOOL DISTRICTS AND EVERY SCHOOL DISTRICT IN OUR STATE IS R REALLY ACHING FOR IS FUNDING, AND WHAT THEY HAVE ON TOP OF THAT ABSENCE AND GAP OF FUNDING ARE UNFUNDED MANDATES.

SO I DON'T THINK IT'S A SURPRISE -- IT'S NOT A SURPRISE TO ME THAT AT SOME POINT IT WAS NOT THESE PARENTS, IT WAS NOT THIS SCHOOL BOARD PRESIDENT, IT WAS NOT THE SUPERINTENDENT, HAD TO COME UP WITH THE DECISION AS TO WHETHER THEY SHOULD PUT FORWARD THE RESOURCES TO SAVE BEACON HILL OR TO RESTORE IT OR AT LEAST KEEP IT TO A POINT WHERE SOMEBODY MIGHT BE ABLE TO SALVAGE THE BUILDING, OR IF THEY MIGHT DECIDE THAT THAT WOULD GO INTO TEACHERS' SALARIES OR TO COUNSELORS OR TO EXPANSION OF SERVICES AND PROGRAMS FOR STUDENTS.

AND I DON'T BEGRUDGE FOLKS WHO HAVE MADE THE TOUGH DECISION WITH TOUGH BUDGET DEFICITS THAT HAVE SEEN OUR SCHOOL DISTRICTS YEAR AFTER YEAR COMMIT TO.

I DON'T THINK IT IS REALLY A BURDEN OF RESPONSIBILITY ON YOU ALL TO FIGHT FOR THOSE SORT OF PREVIOUS MISTAKES THAT ARE MADE, BECAUSE I DO THINK YOU ALL ARE FIGHTING FOR THE FUTURE, FOR YOUR OLD COMING INTO YOUR DISTRICT -- YOU'LL NOW BE K-8.

I WOULD RATHER YOU SEE THAT INVEST THAT IN THE TEACHERS.

PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT, SERVICES AND PROGRAMS OFFERED TO STUDENTS WHO MIGHT BE AT RISK.

I'M GRATEFUL THAT YOU ALL ARE FIGHTING FOR THE OPPORTUNITY COST THAT WOULD BE IN FRONT OF YOU, BECAUSE THERE WOULD BE AN OPPORTUNITY COST TO INVESTING IN KEEPING UP THIS BUILDING IF IT WERE HISTORICALLY DESIGNATED, AND IT WOULD NOT BE INEXPENSIVE.

IN MANY CASES THESE ARE SOME OF THE MOST EXPENSIVE BUILDINGS TO UPKEEP, AND SO IN THE ABSENCE OF PUTTING MONEY INTO THAT, WHICH I THINK IS A TOUGH DECISION FOR SUPERINTENDENT MARTINEZ AND THE BOARD, WHAT YOU'RE TRYING TO DO IS AUDIO] INVESTED IN THE PROGRAM YOUR APPROACH, TO THE EXTENT THAT I THINK A LOT OF FOLKS HAVE BEEN -- EVEN SOME FOLKS ON THE DAIS TRYING TO ACHE TO GET BACK INTO SAISD, SO I THINK THOSE ARE GOOD SIGNS THAT YOU ALL ARE MAKING IMPORTANT DECISIONS.

IF I HAD THE CHOICE I'D MOVE INTO BEACON HILL BECAUSE I KNOW HOW POWERFUL THE VOICE OF THE PARENTS ARE.

SO I WANT YOU ALL TO KEEP THAT STUDENTS IN 2017 WHO BEGAN THIS VENTURE, NOT KNOWING THE FULL HISTORY, NOT KNOWING THE INS AND OUTS BUT KNOWING THEY WANTED TO FIGHT FOR SOMETHING AND I THINK AT THE VERY LEAST THEY WANTED TO BRING SOMETHING TO THEIR SCHOOL DISTRICT.

SO I WILL SUPPORT THE MOTION MADE BY COUNCILMAN TREVINO.

[01:50:02]

I DO HOPE THAT WE ARE NOT MAYBE SETTING A PRECEDENT.

I KNOW THE MOA IS NOT IN EXCHANGE FOR OUR VOTE, BECAUSE THAT WOULD BE A REALLY DANGEROUS PRECEDENT FOR US TO SAY THAT YOU HAVE TO HAVE -- SURE, TEAR DOWN THE BUILDING BUT TELL THE STORY, BUILD THE CURRICULUM.

WE CAN'T CREATE THAT KIND OF FRAMEWORK.

SO I THINK THAT DOES GIVE ME A LITTLE PAUSE, BUT AT THE VERY LEAST IF YOU AUDIO] AND YOU INCENTIVIZE THAT PARTNERSHIP BY SUPPORT, THEN I CAN AGREE WE SHOULD CONSIDER DOING THAT.

AND IF THE DISTRICTS DECIDE THAT'S NOT SOMETHING THEY'RE INTERESTED IN, THEN FAR BE IT FOR ME TO FORCE ANY DISTRICT TO IMPLEMENT CURRICULUM THEY DON'T NEED TO HAVE.

IT JUST TAKES MONEY, AND IF THE CITY IN THIS CASE IS NOT COMING FORWARD TO OFFER THAT MONEY TO REHABILITATE THE BUILDING, THEN I THINK WE JUST HAVE AS MUCH BUSINESS AS WE DO TODAY IN ALLOWING THE DISTRICT TO MAKE THEIR DECISION AND CONTROL THEIR FUTURE.

>> MAYOR NIRENBERG: THANK YOU, COUNCILMAN SALDAÑA.

DURING THAT TIME SAISD HAS HAD AT LEAST 30 BOARD MEMBERS WHO HAVE COME AND GONE AND HAVE MADE DECISIONS.

I DO NOT WANT TO BE HELD RESPONSIBLE FOR THE DECISIONS PRIOR COUNCIL MEMBERS MADE.

I LOOK AT WHAT'S IN FRONT OF ME TODAY AND I GO FORWARD AND MAKE THOSE KINDS OF DECISIONS.

AND I'M SURE THAT EVERY MEMBER OF THE SAISD BOARD OVER THOSE YEARS DID THE SAME THING.

THEY WERE LOOKING FORWARD ON WHAT THEY COULD DO WHILE THEY SERVED IN THAT CAPACITY AND WHAT WAS TO THE BEST INTEREST OF THE SCHOOL DISTRICT.

YOU KNOW, WE TALK ABOUT SPENDING MONEY.

WE -- WE HAD AN $850 MILLION BOA COUPLE OF YEARS AGO, AND THERE WERE A LOT OF THINGS THAT NEVER GOT ON THAT BOND ISSUE THAT PEOPLE IN, I KNOW, MY DISTRICT AND MANY OF YOUR DISTRICTS WERE SAYING, WELL, WE'D LIKE TO HAVE THIS TOO, BUT WE SAID, WELL, WE JUST CAN'T DO EVERYTHING.

AND I WOULD IMAGINE THAT BEACON HILL ELEMENTARY SCHOOL WAS SOMETHING THAT WAS TALKED ABOUT OVER THE 20 YEARS, BUT IT JUST DIDN'T SEEM TO BE ABLE TO MAKE THAT LIST BECAUSE THE DISTRICT WAS MORE CONCERNED ABOUT OTHER PRIORITIES FOR STUDENTS AND FOR SCHOOLS THAN THEY WERE IN REHABILITATING A BUILDING THAT THEY PROBABLY DIDN'T SEE ANY USE FOR.

AND SO I DON'T CONDONE THEM FOR THAT.

I THINK THAT WE SHOULDN'T BE DOING THAT EITHER, AND I DON'T THINK THAT WE SHOULD BE IN A POSITION TO MANDATE TO THEM THAT THEY NEED TO DO SOMETHING TO THAT BUILDING THAT THEY DON'T FEEL THAT THEY CAN AFFORD TO DO WHEN THEIR MONEY IS MORE IMPORTANTLY PLACED IN MORE CURRENT ACADEMIC NEEDS.

SO I AM VERY SUPPORTIVE OF ALLOWING THE SCHOOL DISTRICT TO MOVE FORWARD.

IT WILL PROBABLY COST THEM A MILLION DOLLARS TO TEAR DOWN AND CLEAR THE LAND, BUT IF THEY HAD TO REHABILITATE THAT BUILDING IT MIGHT COST THEM 3 MILLION, 5 MILLION, WE DON'T KNOW.

SO I DON'T THINK THAT WE SHOULD BE THE JUDGES OF WHAT THEY DO WITH THAT PROPERTY, AND I DON'T THINK THAT WE SHOULD LIMIT THEIR ABILITY TO DO SOMETHING WITH THAT PROPERTY BY GIVING IT A HISTORIC DESIGNATION.

NOW, THE MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING IS KIND OF AN ADDED INGREDIENT INTO THIS WHOLE DISCUSSION.

CONCEPTUALLY AT THE BEGINNING IT SOUNDED REASONABLE TO ME.

IT'S A MUTUAL AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE CITY AND THE SCHOOL DISTRICT TO ADDRESS A COMMON INTEREST AND MAKING SURE THAT PEOPLE ARE EDUCATED AND AWARE OF THE IMPORTANCE OF HISTORIC BUILDINGS KIND OF A SITUATION AGAIN, BECAUSE I'M SURE THERE'S AT LEAST A DOZEN OTHER SAISD BUILDINGS THAT COULD BE FACING THESE KINDS OF ACTIONS OVER THE YEARS.

BUT I DON'T THINK IT'S MANDATORY FOR US TO MOVE PRESERVATION DESIGNATION.

SO I'M GOING TO SUPPORT MY COLLEAGUE'S CHANGE TO THE ORIGINAL MOTION.

THE DISTRICT HAS THE IN AUDIO] ABILITY TO IN AUDIO] THE LAND AND THE RESOURCES AVAILABLE TO THEM.

I THINK THAT'S THE MOST CRITICAL THING.

SO I WILL GO AHEAD AND SUPPORT THE AMENDMENT THAT WAS MADE BY COUNCILMAN [INDISCERNIBLE].

IF THAT FAILS I'LL SUPPORT THE ORIGINAL MOTION THAT WAS PRESENTED BY COUNCILMAN TREVINO.

LET'S MOVE FORWARD AND LET THE SCHOOL DISTRICT DO ITS

[01:55:01]

JOB OF EDUCATING CHILDREN.

[APPLAUSE]

>> MAYOR NIRENBERG: THANK YOU, COUNCILMAN COURAGE.

HEARING ALL THE COMMENTS, I'LL JUST ADD A FEW THINGS.

ABOUT A YEAR AGO I GOT TO HAVE A CONVERSATION WITH MAYOR JOE REILLY OF CHARLESTON, SOUTH CAROLINA, WHO HAS IN HIS TIME BEEN VILIFIED FOR DOING SOMETHING THAT I THINK AUDIO] AND ALSO PEOPLE ACROSS THE COUNTRY BEING QUITE PRESSING.

AND THAT IS DURING THE COURSE OF HIS TENURE HE FIGURED OUT WAYS THAT WE CAN ENHANCE THE PUBLIC LANDSCAPE BY PRESERVING OUR HISTORY.

AND MANY PEOPLE DIDN'T LIKE WHAT HE WAS DOING IN SAVING SOME OF THE -- CHARLESTON'S HISTORY AND ITS BUILDING ENVIRONMENT, BUT HE ALSO REMINDED US THAT WHY WE DO THAT IS TO ENHANCE PEOPLE'S LIVES, TO MAKE SURE WE APPRECIATE WHERE WE CAME FROM, THAT WE ALSO HAVE A PLACE TO GATHER AND THAT OUR CHILDREN ARE BENEFITED BY THE HISTORY TOGETHER.

IN FACT, HE SERVED FOR TEN TERMS, 40 YEARS.

I THINK THE LONGEST SERVING MAYOR IN OUR CITIES -- EXCUSE ME, OUR COUNTRY'S HISTORY.

DURING THE ENTIRE TIME VERY CONTESTED AND THAT SORT OF SITUATION, AND SOME MAY SAY THAT HIS 40-YEAR TENURE ITSELF WAS A RECOGNITION THAT PEOPLE IN THEIR HEARTS ARE PRESERVATIONISTS.

BUT WE FIND OURSELVES HERE TODAY BECAUSE I THINK THAT PEOPLE HERE IN SAN ANTONIO RECOGNIZE WE HAVE THE SAME ISSUES.

WE ARE A GROWING CITY.

IN FACT, THE FASTEST GROWING CITY IN THE NATION, BUT WE ALSO HAVE SOME OF THE MOST TREASURED HISTORY IN AMERICA, CERTAINLY IN TEXAS.

AND MAYOR REILLY REMINDED ME THAT IN THIS BUSINESS OF CITY BUILDING OUR FIRST JOB IS TO NOT MAKE PERMANENT MISTAKES.

WE CAN IMAGINE THE DECISIONS THAT WERE MADE JUST A FEW BLOCKS FROM HERE IN ALAMO PLAZA THAT WE'D LIKE TO HAVE BACK, THAT WE DON'T, AND WE'RE GOING TO GO THROUGH A LOT OF TROUBLE TO TRY TO REACCOUNT FOR THOSE, BECAUSE THOSE ARE SOME OF THE MOST IMPORTANT LANDMARKS IN OUR WORLD'S HISTORY.

SO I JUST WANT TO SAY FIRST OF ALL TO THE STUDENTS WHO ARE WATCHING, THANK YOU FOR TUNING IN.

ALSO, THANK YOU FOR MAKING YOUR VOICE HEARD.

YOU ARE ABSOLUTELY RIGHT, AND I APPRECIATE EVERY SINGLE ONE OF THE PARENTS WHO HAVE TAKEN TIME AND THE ADMINISTRATORS AND TEACHERS WHO HAVE TAKEN TIME OVER THE COURSE OF THE LAST TWO YEARS TO MAKE THEIR AUDIO] UNDERSTANDING THAT YOUR VOICE MATTERS, THAT YOUR PRESENCE MATTERS, THAT THE REASON WHY WE DO ORDINANCES AND THAT WE BUILD PARKS AND WE SAVE BUILDINGS IS BECAUSE WE WANT TO IMPROVE PEOPLE'S LIVES HERE IN SAN ANTONIO.

AND YOU ARE THE ONES THAT WE ARE SERVING AND THAT'S WHY YOUR VOICE IS SO IMPORTANT TO BE ACCOUNTED FOR.

AND IT WILL CONTINUE TO BE.

I ALSO WANT TO SAY THAT COUNCILMAN TREVINO IS RIGHT.

I THINK SHANNON MILLER'S JOB IS ONE OF THE MOST DIFFICULT JOBS PROBABLY IN THE STATE OF TEXAS BECAUSE OF THE WORK SHE HAS TO DO FOR OUR CITY.

AND THE JOB OF FINDING COMMON GROUND IN THE WORLD IS NOT VERY EASY.

IN FACT, IT'S VERY, VERY DIFFICULT.

AND IF ANYONE IS UNDER THE IMPRESSION THAT THE DECISIONS WE'RE GOING TO MAKE AND THAT WE HAVE TO MAKE AS A COMMUNITY ARE GOING TO BE EASY, THEY'VE GOT ANOTHER THING COMING.

AND I WANT TO THANK MY COLLEAGUE, COUNCILMAN TREVINO, FOR NEVER SHYING AWAY FROM THE DIFFICULT -- THE DIFFICULT CONVERSATIONS, WHETHER IT'S THE ALAMO MIDDLE OF CONTROVERSY TO TRY TO BRING OUR COMMUNITY TOGETHER.

SO I APPLAUD THE WORK OF THE COMPROMISE IN THE SENSE THAT, NUMBER ONE, WE ARE REAFFIRMING THAT THOSE DOLLARS THAT COULD HAVE GONE TO THE PRESERVATION AND REHABILITATION OF A BUILDING WERE RIGHTFULLY GOING, AND THE DECISIONS WERE MADE, I THINK JUSTIFIABLY BY THE DISTRICT AND BY THE SUPERINTENDENT, TO GO INTO THE CLASSROOM, BECAUSE WE KNOW THAT THERE ARE TOO FEW DOLLARS AVAILABLE FROM THE STATE AND THE LOCAL GOVERNMENT, TO GO INTO OUR CLASSROOMS TO TEACH OUR CHILDREN.

AND SO I APPLAUD THOSE DECISIONS.

AND IT IS AN INHERITED, AS ONE OF MY COLLEAGUES SAID THAT WE CAN AGAIN PUT MORE ATTENTION ON THE PRESERVATION OF OUR HISTORY SO THAT WE CAN HAVE A SENSE OF WHY WE COUNCILMAN TREVINO'S EXRO COMPROMISE AND THE WORK OF SAISD, THE TEACHERS, THE PARENTS, THE STUDENTS AND OUR DISTRICT 1 OFFICE HAS DONE TOGETHER TO BRING US TO THIS POINT.

I THINK IT'S A VERY GOOD COMPROMISE AND IT'S ONE IN WHICH I THINK EVERYONE CAN FEEL LIKE THEY GOT WHAT THEY WERE LOOKING FOR.

SO WITH THAT WE ARE -- WE DO HAVE TWO MOTIONS.

ONE IS THE DENIAL OF THE HISTORIC REQUEST BY COUNCILMAN PERRY, WITHOUT

[02:00:01]

THE COMPROMISE MEMORANDUM OF AGREEMENT.

WE'LL TAKE THAT ONE UP FIRST.

SO THERE IS A MOTION AND A SECOND MADE BY COUNCILMAN PERRY.

WE'LL VOTE ON THAT ONE FIRST.

MOTION FAILS.

SO WE'LL TAKE UP THE BASE MOTION, WHICH WAS MADE BY COUNCILMAN TREVINO FOR THE DENIAL OF HISTORIC PRESERVATION, DESIGNATION AS WELL AS INITIATING THE MEMORANDUM OF AGREEMENT WITH THE STIFF AND SAISD.

MOTION CARRIES.

[20. Ordinance approving an Interlocal Data Sharing Agreement between the City of San Antonio, Bexar County Appraisal District, CPS Energy, San Antonio Housing Authority, San Antonio River Authority, San Antonio Water System, and VIA Metropolitan Transit. This ordinance has no fiscal impact. [Ben Gorzell, Chief Financial Officer; Craig Hopkins, Chief Information Officer, Information Technology Services]]

[APPLAUSE] THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

AND STUDENTS IT'S PROBABLY LUNCHTIME NOW SO THANK YOU FOR TUNING IN.

WE DO HAVE ONE MORE ITEM LEFT ON OUR AGENDA ITEM, ITEM 20.

>> ITEM 20 IS THE ORDINANCE APPROVING AN INTERLOCAL DATA SHARING AGREEMENT WITH THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO, BEXAR COUNTY APPRAISAL DISTRICT, CPS ENERGY, SAN ANTONIO HOUSING AUTHORITY, SAN ANTONIO RIVER AUTHORITY, SAN ANTONIO WATER SYSTEM, AND VIA METROPOLITAN TRANSIT.

THIS ORDINANCE HAS NO FISCAL IMPACT.

>> MAYOR NIRENBERG: COUNCILMAN .

>> TREVINO: THANK YOU, MAYOR.

AND I KNOW -- I'LL TRY TO BE BRIEF ON THIS.

I JUST WANTED TO HIGHLIGHT THIS.

CRAIG, I WANT TO THANK YOU FOR YOUR WORK AND YOUR TEAM ON THIS ISSUE, SAFE AND SECURE, CONNECTEDNESS IS EXACTLY WHY THIS IS IMPORTANT AND TIMELY ISSUE FOR OUR GOVERNMENT.

I WANT TO GIVE YOU AN OPPORTUNITY TO MAYBE DO JUST A BRIEF PRESENTATION.

>> THANK YOU, AND I WILL MAKE IT VERY BRIEF.