[1. Briefing by the San Antonio Metropolitan Health District on next steps to reach ozone attainment including an outline of the Ozone Attainment Master Plan. [Colleen M. Bridger, MPH, PhD, Interim Assistant City Manager; Jennifer Herriott, MPH, Interim Director, Health]]
[00:02:19]
>> DR. BRIDGER: GOOD AFTERNOON.
I APPRECIATE THE OPPORTUNITY TO BE HERE.
I'M GOING TO BE PRESENTING THE OZONE ATTAINMENT MASTER PLAN.
THESE ARE THE ACTIVITIES BY THE VARIOUS CATEGORIES THAT ARE FOUND IN THE PLAN THAT WE WILL BE UNDERTAKING BETWEEN NOW AND DECEMBER 2020, SO IF YOU'RE A 50,000-FOOT VIEW KIND OF PERSON, HERE'S YOUR DOCUMENT.
I AM GOING TO GO INTO A LITTLE BIT MORE DETAIL HOWEVER FOR THIS AFTERNOON'S PRESENTATION.
AND THERE IS ALSO THE WRITTEN DOCUMENT THAT IS 31 PAGES LONG THAT HAS BEEN E-MAILED TO YOU FOR YOUR REVIEW AND COMMENTS OVER THE NEXT SIX WEEKS.
WE WILL GO AHEAD AND GET STARTED THINKING ABOUT THE OZONE ATTAINMENT PLAN IS HOW IS THIS DIFFERENT FROM THE CLIMATE ACTION AND ADAPTATION PLAN? AND THE WAY THAT I DESCRIBE IT IS THAT THE OZONE ATTAINMENT MASTER PLAN IS A VERY COMMON DOCUMENT, IT'S A VERY TARGETED SET OF ACTIVITIES THAT WE HAVE IN FRONT OF US.
WE KNOW THAT IT NEEDS TO BE DONE BY DECEMBER OF 2020, WE KNOW THAT WE NEED TO GET THE OZONE DOWN TO 70, AND WE KNOW EXACTLY WHAT WILL HAPPEN IF WE FAIL TO DO THAT.
SO WE ARE DEALING WITH A MUCH MORE CONCRETE SET OF CHALLENGES THAN THE -- THE CAP.
A COUPLE OF REMINDERS, OCTOBER 1ST IS WHEN THE EPA LOWERED THE OZONE STANDARDS TO 70 PARTS PER BILLION.
IN SEPTEMBER IS WHEN SAN ANTONIO WAS DESIGNATED AS BEING IN MARGINAL NONATTAINMENT.
AS THE CITY MANAGER MENTIONED, THAT'S THE HIGHEST LEVEL OF NONATTAINMENT, CLOSEST TO ATTAINMENT.
AND FAILURE TO GET OUR OZONE LEVELS TO 70 BY DECEMBER OF 2020 WILL ADVANCE US TO THE NEXT CATEGORY OF NONATTAINMENT, WHICH IS MODERATE NONATTAINMENT.
THAT IS SOMETHING THAT WE'RE WORKING VERY HARD TO AVOID.
THE PLAN THAT I'M GOING TO PRESENT TO YOU YOU'LL SEE, WE'VE ALREADY STARTED DOING A LOT OF WORK, AND GOES -- SO IT BASICALLY GOES FROM NOW UNTIL DECEMBER OF 2020.
[00:05:05]
SO TALKING ABOUT -- WHEN WE'RE TALKING ABOUT OZONE, WE'RE TALKING ABOUT THE BAD OZONE, OR THE GROUND-LEVEL OZONE.AND THE PRINCIPLE COMPONENTS THAT HAVE TO BE IN THE ATMOSPHERE IN ORDER FOR OZONE TO FORM ARE NOX AND VOCS, AND THEN HEAT AND SUNLIGHT, AND WHEN WE HAVE ALL OF THOSE THINGS COME TOGETHER, THAT CREATES OZONE.
FOR US, POINT SOURCES SUCH AS INDUSTRIAL SOURCES ARE THE LARGEST CONTRIBUTOR TO THOSE NOX AND VOC CHEMICAL SOUP, BUT ALSO CARS AND TRUCKS CONTRIBUTE SIGNIFICANTLY TO -- TO THAT EQUATION.
SO WHY IS IT IMPORTANT? WELL, THE -- THE FIRST REASON IS IT'S A PUBLIC HEALTH ISSUE.
OZONE IS BAD FOR YOUR LUNGS AND PEOPLE WHO ARE AT RISK FOR PROBLEMS LIKE ASTHMA, COPD, OTHER BREATHING PROBLEMS, REALLY SUFFER WHEN THE OZONE LEVELS ARE HIGH.
AND, YOU KNOW, I'VE TALKED TO YOU ABOUT THIS STUDY BEFORE, BUT THE -- AVOIDED EACH YEAR IN SAN ANTONIO IF THE AIR QUALITY WERE TO LOWER TO THAT 70 PARTS PER BILLION.
WE ALSO CARE ABOUT IT BECAUSE OF POTENTIAL ECONOMIC COSTS.
SO AS I MENTIONED TO START THIS OUT, WE KNOW THAT IF WE FAIL TO GET TO 70, THERE WILL BE FEDERAL REGULATIONS THAT WILL BE IMPOSED UPON THE CITY.
AND THESE FEDERAL READ LAITIONS LAITIONS -- REGULATIONS COULD CAUSE A LACK OF -- AUDIO] -- EXPANSION.
NOW, THAT SAID, THERE ARE LOTS OF BIG CITIES HERE IN TEXAS THAT ARE CURRENTLY IN MODERATE NONATTAINMENT, WHO ARE GROWING JUST FINE.
AND SO AFTER AN ADJUSTMENT PERIOD, YOU FIGURE OUT WHAT TO DO ABOUT IT.
BUT WE DON'T EVEN WANT TO DEAL WITH AN ADJUSTMENT PERIOD HERE IN SAN ANTONIO SLOWING OUR ECONOMIC GROWTH.
A SHOUT OUT TO THE PARTNERS, A LOT OF THEM ARE IN THE ROOM TODAY.
THIS WAS -- THIS PLAN WAS DEVELOPED WITH LOTS OF INPUT FROM ALL OF THE PEOPLE WHO REPRESENT US, WHO ARE HERE IN THIS ROOM.
LOTS AND LOTS OF WORK WENT INTO THE DEVELOPMENT OF THIS PLAN TO MAKE SURE THAT IT MAKES SENSE, IT'S DOABLE, IT'S UNDERSTANDABLE, AND 99% OF IT IS BASED ON VOLUNTARY ACTIVITIES THAT THE COMMUNITY IS COMING TOGETHER TO IMPLEMENT.
SO I WANT TO GIVE A SHOUT OUT ALSO TO WHAT I'VE DECIDED TO CALL THE O TEAM, SO WE HAVE AN OZONE ATTAINMENT TEAM, AND RICARDO AND WENDELL, IF Y'ALL WILL STAND UP AND JUST GET THE RECOGNITION.
SO WENDELL STARTED TWO AND A HALF WEEKS AGO, RICARDO STARTED ABOUT A MONTH AGO -- AUDIO] -- WRITING OF THE PLAN.
SO TONS AND TONS OF PEOPLE WERE DEVELOPING EVERYTHING WE WERE GOING TO DO, BUT SOMEBODY HAD TO WRITE IT ALL DOWN, AND THOSE TWO FOLKS WORKED NIGHTS, WEEKENDS, AFTER HOURS, TO MAKE THIS HAPPEN, SO THEY WILL ALSO BE THE TEAM THAT WORKS ON WORKING WITH THE COMMUNITY TO IMPLEMENT THIS PLAN.
WE ALSO FORMED -- BECAUSE I'M A PRETTY CONCRETE, SIMPLE PERSON, WE FORMED A COMMITTEE THAT I CALLED THE "GETTING TO 70 COMMITTEE" AND THE WHOLE POINT OF THIS COMMITTEE WAS WHAT CAN WE DO HERE IN THE CITY AND THE COUNTY TO GET TO 70.
WHAT DO WE NEED TO DO TO GET THERE? AND SO IN ORDER TO KIND OF KEEP OUR EYES ON THE GOAL, THE NAME OF THE COMMITTEE WAS "GETTING TO 70." SOMETIMES WHEN YOU FORGET THE QUOTES, THOUGH, IT READS LIKE WE'RE TRYING TO GET TO 70 COMMITTEES, AND THAT'S NOT THE POINT.
SO THIS GETTING -- "GETTING TO 70" GROUP HAD SOME SUBCOMMITTEES, AND THE AREAS THAT THEY FOCUSED ON ARE THE DIFFERENT CHAPTERS IN ■THE PLAN.
SO COMMUNICATIONS, THE VW SETTLEMENT, BEST PRACTICES.
SO WHAT ARE OTHER CITIES WHO ARE
[00:10:03]
CURRENTLY IN NONATTAINMENT DOING? WHAT ARE THOSE CITIES WHO HAVE DONE REALLY WELL, WHAT ARE THEY DOING.Q. -- HOW CAN WE -- AUDIO] -- NOXES AND VOCS AND GETTING THOSE BACK UNDER CONTROL, WORKING EXPLICITLY WITH THE COMMUNITY, AGAIN, ON A VOLUNTARY BASIS, AND THEN A KIND OF CATCH Y'ALL -- CATCH-ALL CATEGORY.
I'M GOING TO GIVE YOU AN UPDATE ON WHERE WE ARE IN EACH OF THOSE MAJOR CATEGORIES.
SO WHAT YOU'LL SEE IN THIS PRESENTATION IS A SLIDE THAT TALKS ABOUT WHAT HAVE WE DONE UP TILL NOW, SO WHAT IS OUR PROGRESS TO DATE.
AND THEN THE NEXT SLIDE WE'LL LOOK AT, AND WHAT ARE WE GOING TO DO AS PART OF OUR MASTER PLAN? SO THOSE ITEMS THAT ARE SHOWING UP HERE ON THIS ONE-PAGER ARE THE ONES THAT ARE SHOWING UP ON THE SECOND SLIDE FOR EVERY ONE OF THOSE CATEGORIES THAT DEALS WITH THE MASTER PLAN, WHAT ARE WE GOING TO DO FROM HERE ON OUT? SO FOR COMMUNICATIONS -- IN AUDIO] -- PROGRESS HAPPENED WITHIN THE LAST YEAR.
THERE ARE ONE OR TWO EXCEPTION, BUT THINGS THAT HAVE HAPPENED WITHIN THE LAST YEAR SPECIFIC TO OZONE.
OF COURSE, Y'ALL ARE FAMILIAR WITH THE BREATHE TODAY SA TOMORROW CAMPAIGN LAUNCHED BY THE OFFICE OF SUSTAINABILITY AND THEN RUN IN PARTNERSHIP BETWEEN SUSTAINABILITY AND HEALTH.
AGAIN, ALL OF THE PREWORK THAT LED UP TO THE CLIMATE ACTION PLAN VETTING THAT'S HAPPENING NOW.
A LOT OF THE FOCUS WAS ALSO ON HOW WE CAN REDUCE NOX, VOCS, AND ULTIMATELY OZONE.
THE CITY HAS HAD DEPARTMENTAL OZONE ACTION DAY PLANS, AND SO FOR, YOU KNOW -- LAST YEAR WHEN THERE WAS AN OZONE ACTION DAY, AN E-MAIL WENT OUT TO ALL EMPLOYEES THROUGHOUT THE CITY LETTING THEM KNOW, TOMORROW'S GOING TO BE AN OZONE ACTION DAY, HERE ARE SOME THINGS YOU CAN DO TO DECREASE OZONE.
SO THOSE ARE THINGS THAT WE WERE ALREADY DOING.
AND THEN, OF COURSE, THE OFFICE OF SUSTAINABILITY'S CLEAN AIR FOR KIDS, ANTI-IDLING AROUND SCHOOLS CAMPAIGN HAS ALSO BEEN PART OF THE WORK THAT WE'RE -- WE'VE BEEN DOING. -- WE REALLY WANT TO CONCENTRATE IT ON DAYS WHEN IT'S ON THE TOP OF EVERYBODY'S MINDS.
THE OTHER WAY THAT WE'RE TARGETING IT IS AS WE KNOW FROM SOME OF DR. JEFFREY'S PRESENTATIONS, THE MAJORITY OF THE OZONE EXCEEDENCES ARE BEING CAUSED BY OCCURRENCES THAT HAPPEN WITHIN A 10-MILE RADIUS AROUND THE MONITORS.
AND SO WE WANT TO TARGET OUR COMMUNICATIONS TO THOSE GEOGRAPHIC AREAS SO THAT PEOPLE ARE AWARE THAT IF THEY ARE LIVING IN ONE OF THESE AREAS, THEY NEED TO BE HYPERVIGILANT TO TAKE THOSE STEPS THAT WE'VE IDENTIFIED FOR THEM TO DECREASE EITHER THEIR NOX OR THEIR VOC CONTRIBUTION TO THE ATMOSPHERE.
SO SOME OF THE THINGS WE'RE DOING, SOME GRASSROOTS MARKETING.
ONE OF THE THINGS I REALLY LIKE THAT WENDELL BROUGHT TO US FROM NORTH CAROLINA IS A LIVING PLANT INSTALLATION.
SO IT'S A WAY TO DRAW PEOPLE'S ATTENTION TO AN ADVERTISEMENT,
[00:15:02]
BECAUSE THE ADVERTISEMENT IS MADE OUT OF A LIVING PLANT.SO IT MAKES A LOT OF SENSE TO USE PLANTS TO COMMUNICATE THE IMPORTANCE OF PROTECTING OUR CLEAN AIR.
ALSO DOING BUSINESS OUTREACH, SCHOOL DISTRICT OUTREACH, POPUP POPUPS, CAMPUS OUTREACH, COLLEGE STUDENTS ARE -- ARE GREAT AMBASSADORS FOR THIS MESSAGE, AND WE REALLY WANT TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THAT.
LOOKING AT INFLUENCERS, DOING SOME BLOGS WITH VARIOUS GROUPS WHO CAN HELP GET THE MESSAGE OUT, WORKING WITH BIKERS BECAUSE THEY'RE VERY SENSITIVE TO OZONE WHEN THEY'RE OUT RIDING THEIR BIKES, AND SO THEY CAN HELP US SPREAD THE WORD AS WELL.
DOING DIGITAL OUTREACH, DOING TARGETED PSAS.
ONE OF THE THINGS WE KNOW WORKS REALLY WELL FROM OTHER THINGS DONE IN THE CITY IS THE PHOTO CHALLENGE, OF SOMEBODY TAKING A PICTURE OF THEMSELVES NOT GOING THROUGH THE DRIVE-THRU ON AN OZONE ACTION DAY.
THEN THEY GET ENTERED INTO A RAFFLE FOR A PRIZE.
THIS WAS EXTREMELY POPULAR WITH SOME OF THE OTHER THINGS WE DID.
I WANT TO SAY THE YOUNG KIDS LIKE THIS, BUT I PROBABLY SHOULDN'T SAY THAT.
SO IT'S VERY POPULAR AMONG THE MORE SAVVY TECH PEOPLE THAN SOMEBODY LIKE ME.
TARGETED PSAS, AGAIN, MAKING SURE THAT IT'S HAPPENING GEOGRAPHICALLY AND ON OZONE ACTION DAYS, AND THEN REALLY WORKING THE PR ANGLE TO MAKE SURE THAT ALL OF OUR -- TCEQ HAT YET RELEASED THE APPLICATIONS FOR THE VW SETTLEMENT.
WE HAD HOPED THAT IT WOULD HAVE BEEN RELEASED BY NOW, BUT IT HAS NOT.
THEY ARE STILL IN NEGOTIATIONS WITH THE TRUST, AND SO WE ARE STILL WAITING FOR THEM TO LET US KNOW HOW THEY WISH TO PROCEED.
MEANWHILE, WE'VE BEEN WORKING WITH OUR PARTNERS LIKE AACOG, EDF, OFFICES OF SUSTAINABILITY, THE COUNTY, TO REALLY GET ALL THOSE DOMINOES LINED UP AND READY TO BE PURELY BASED ON A FIRST-COME FIRST-SERVE BASIS, SO WE WANT TO BE READY TO GET A QUICK START OUT OF THE GATE.
THE OTHER THING THAT WE'RE DOING TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE AHEAD OF THE GAME IS THE OFFICE OF SUSTAINABILITY ELECTRIC VEHICLE CONVERSION AND INFRASTRUCTURE DEPLOYMENT STUDY.
SO THAT IS SOMETHING THAT COUNCIL FUNDED IN THIS FISCAL YEAR'S BUDGET, AND WILL ALLOW US TO ALREADY HAVE A PLAN FOR WHERE IT'S MOST LOGICAL TO PLACE THESE VEHICLE CHARGING STATIONS THROUGHOUT THE CITY.
AS FAR AS THE MASTER PLAN GOES FOR THE VW SETTLEMENT, SOME OF THE BIG CATEGORIES OF THINGS THAT WE'RE LOOKING AT AND THE MASTER PLAN ITSELF GOES INTO MUCH MORE DETAIL ABOUT THIS, BUT THE BIG CATEGORIES THAT WE'RE LOOKING AT ARE THE -- SOME COSA FLEET REPLACEMENTS, SOME ELECTRIC VEHICLES, THE INFRASTRUCTURE FIRST AND THEN OTHER VEHICLES THAT WE CAN PURCHASE THAT CAN BE ELECTRIC.
AND THEN THE NUMBER ONE PRIORITY FOR PRETTY MUCH EVERYBODY IN THIS REGION IS WORKING ON REPLACING OLD SCHOOL BUSES.
SO IF WE CAN HELP THE ISDS PREPARE THEIR APPLICATIONS, FIND THE MATCHING FUNDS THAT THEY NEED AND WE CAN REPLACE SOME OF THESE OLD, DIRTY DIESEL BUSES, WE WILL MAKE SOME REAL PROGRESS AROUND KIDS AND IN THE NOX AND VOCS THAT GET EMITTED INTO THE ATMOSPHERE.
SO THAT'S ONE OF OUR NUMBER ONE PRIORITIES.
SO BEST PRACTICES, I MENTIONED THAT BEST PRACTICES WAS A REVIEW THAT THE "GETTING TO 70" GROUP DID TO IDENTIFY WHAT ARE OTHER CITIES DOING THAT SEEMS TO HAVE WORKED.
WE WENT THROUGH A LONG LIST OF THINGS AND WE IDENTIFIED HERE'S CITIES WHO HAD HIGH OZONE WHOSE OZONE HAS COME DOWN BECAUSE OF THINGS THEY HAVE DONE, WHAT THAT HAVE THEY DONE? THEN WE FILTERED OUT, ALL RIGHT, WHAT ARE WE ALREADY DOING? BECAUSE OBVIOUSLY WE'VE BEEN WORKING ON OZONE AND AIR QUALITY FOR A WHILE.
SO THIS SLIDE REPRESENTS CURRENT INITIATIVES THAT THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO WAS DOING, SO WE'VE
[00:20:06]
GOT ALTERNATIVE -- AUDIO] -- WE'VE GOT THE ANTI-IDLING ADMINISTRATIVE DIRECTIVE, SO, AGAIN, THAT'S SPECIFIC TO INTERNAL OPERATIONS HERE AT THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO.BASICALLY TELLING CITY EMPLOYEES THAT THEY SHOULD NOT LEAVE THEIR VEHICLES IDLING WHILE THEY'RE WORKING.
WE'VE GOT THE OZONE ACTION DAY PLANS AND WE'VE GOT THE SOLAR PROJECTS.
SO PUBLIC, PRIVATE PARTNERSHIP AGREEMENTS WHERE THE OFFICE OF SUSTAINABILITY IS WORKING WITH CP S AND A PRIVATE ENTITY TO BRING MORE SOLAR TO THE COMMUNITY.
WHEN YOU LOOK AT PROGRESS TO DATE, THAT IS MORE POLICY-ORIENTED, MORE OF THE ORDINANCES THAT WE HAVE IN PLACE.
WE'VE GOT THE ANTI-IDLING ODDER NANSZ, THAT PRIMARILY -- ORDINANCE, THAT PRIMARILY APPLIES TO HEAVY DUTY VEHICLES.
THERE ARE RIGHT MANY EXCEPTIONS TO THAT, BUT WE DO HAVE THAT ORDINANCE IN PLACE.
WE'VE GOT THE BUSINESS REGISTRATION PROGRAM WHERE BUSINESSES THAT HAVE A CERTAIN LEVEL OF EMISSIONS MUST REGISTER WITH THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT, AND WE HAVE OVER 1,000 BUSINESSES WHO ARE REGISTERED IN THAT.
COUNCIL PASSED A COAL TAR SEALANT BAN WHICH DECREASES VOC EMISSIONS AND ALSO PASSED A TREE ORDINANCE WHICH HELPS WITH DECREASING HEAT, WHICH CAN ALSO DECREASE ENERGY UTILIZATION WHICH DECREASES NOX AND VOCS.
SO THOSE ARE SOME THINGS THAT ARE ALREADY IN PLACE.
HERE ARE THE THINGS THAT WE ARE RECOMMENDING FOR MOVING FORWARD IN THE MASTER PLAN.
AND ONE OF THEM IS TO RELOOK AT THE ANTI-IDLING ORDINANCE AND SEE IF WE CAN TIGHTEN IT UP A LITTLE BIT, ELIMINATE SOME OF THE EXCEPTIONS.
SO THAT WILL BE SOMETHING THAT WE WILL BE COMING BACK TO YOU ONCE THIS PLAN IS FINALIZED, PROBABLY IN THE NEXT TWO TO THREE MONTHS, WITH RECOMMENDATIONS ON HOW YOU COULD TIGHTEN UP THE ANTI-IDLING ORDINANCE.
OTHER THINGS THAT WE'RE LOOKING AT, TELECOMMUTING, REALLY ENCOURAGING EMPLOYEES AND THEIR SUPERVISORS TO FIGURE OUT HOW WE CAN DO A BETTER JOB WITH TELECOMMUTING.
THERE ARE A LOT OF JOBS THAT THE CITY HAS WHERE SOMEBODY DOESN'T HAVE TO DRIVE-IN TO THE OFFICE EVERY DAY IN ORDER TO EFFECTIVELY DO THEIR JOB.
SO WE ARE CLOSE TO FINALIZING THAT POLICY AND THAT WILL NEED THE CITY MANAGER'S APPROVAL.
ALSO LOOKING AT FLEXIBLE -- THEY COULD DO FOUR 10-HOUR DAYS, AND THAT WOULD ELIMINATE -- AT BEING MORE FLEXIBLE WITH OUR WORK SCHEDULES.
BUS AND VAN-POOL PROGRAMS, THAT WAS ANOTHER AREA WHERE WE SAW OTHER AREAS WERE DOING IT BETTER THAN WE ARE, AND SO WE REALLY WANT TO PUSH OUR CREATIVENESS IN THAT AREA, FIGURE OUT HOW WE CAN DO A BETTER JOB AT ENCOURAGING PEOPLE TO TAKE THE BUS, ENCOURAGING PEOPLE TO USE VAN-POOLS AS THEY EXIST AND, AGAIN, DECREASE THE AMOUNT OF CARS THAT ARE TRAVELING INTO THE CITY EVERY DAY.
YOU KNOW, WE WANT TO KEEP DOING -- COULD GO PUT UP A STATION AT THE ALAMODOME WHENEVER THERE'S A FOOTBALL GAME, AND NOW WE HAVE A NEW FOOTBALL TEAM SO THERE ARE MORE FOOTBALL GAMES, AND WE COULD EDUCATE, YOU KNOW, 25, 35,000 PEOPLE AT A TIME ABOUT WHY IT'S IMPORTANT AND WHAT THEY CAN DO TO DECREASE THEIR NOX AND VOC CONTRIBUTIONS.
AND THEN WE WANT TO CONTINUE THE REALLY GOOD WORKING RELATIONSHIP WE HAVE WITH VIA AND EXPLORE WHAT OTHER THINGS WE CAN DO IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THEM TO IMPROVE EVERYBODY'S OPPORTUNITY TO UTILIZE MASS TRANSIT INSTEAD OF ONE PERSON IN ONE CAR EVERY DAY.
SO THE NEXT CATEGORY IS TO IDENTIFY POINT SOURCES, AND THEN MITIGATE THOSE POINT SOURCES.
AND I'M SURE ALL OF YOU REMEMBER DR. JEFFRIES' PRESENTATION, AND HIS RESEARCH FINDINGS.
AND ESSENTIALLY, JUST A REMINDER, HIS RESEARCH FINDINGS WERE THAT THE POINT SOURCES FOR NOX AND VOCS WERE FAIRLY CLOSE TO THE MONITORS.
[00:25:03]
BETTER JOB OF IDENTIFYING EXACTLY WHERE THOSE POINT SOURCES ARE AND THEN WORKING WITH THEM TO DECREASE EMISSIONS.OF COURSE, WE HAVE OUR AIR POLLUTION CONTROL PROGRAM THROUGH METRO HEALTH THAT REGISTERS BUSINESSES THAT HAVE EMISSIONS.
WE HAVE -- FOR A WHILE, WE'VE BEEN MAPPING SOME TCEQ DATA THAT LOOKS AT WHERE ARE THE MONITORS, WHERE ARE THE LARGE EMITTERS, AND WE'RE STARTING TO GET INTO MAPPING WHERE THE SMALLER BUSINESSES ARE THAT ARE -- FACILITIES ARE THAT ARE EMITTERS.
AND THEN WE ALSO ISSUED -- SO BASICALLY WE SAID, ALL RIGHT, WE NEED TO BE ABLE TO IDENTIFY WHERE THESE POINT SOURCES ARE, BUT WE'RE NOT REALLY SURE THE BEST WAY OF HOW TO DO THAT.
SO WE ISSUED AN RFI, SO WE WENT OUT TO THE EXPERTS AND SAID, HOW WOULD Y'ALL DO THIS IF YOU WERE US? AND WE GOT FIVE RESPONSES BACK, AND THEY WERE EACH AND EVERY ONE OF THEM WAS COMPLETELY DIFFERENT FROM THE OTHER, WHICH WAS INCREDIBLE.
THAT'S LIKE THE BEST-CASE SCENARIO FOR AN RFI.
AND SO WE USED THAT INFORMATION AND DEVELOPED AN RFP.
AND I'M GETTING AHEAD OF MYSELF, SO I'M GOING TO GO TO THE NEXT SLIDE.
I GET EXCITED ABOUT THE TECHY STUFF SOMETIMES.
SO WE THEN USED THAT RFI TO ISSUE THE RFP.
THAT RFP HAS BEEN ISSUED, IT IS CURRENTLY POSTED.
IT WILL BE POSTED FOR SIX WEEKS.
AND WE ARE LOOKING FOR A CONSULTANT WHO CAN USE ANY OF THOSE METHODS THAT WE IDENTIFIED THROUGH THE RFI TO HELP US IDENTIFY POINT SOURCES, AND THEN WE WILL WORK TO REDUCE THOSE EMISSIONS.
OUR AIR POLLUTION CONTROL PROGRAM, RICARDO IS PART OF THE O TEAM, HE'S GOING TO BE WORKING MORE CLOSELY WITH BUSINESSES AND DOING SOME PROACTIVE EDUCATION WITH BUSINESSES, NOT JUST WHAT THEY CAN DO TO DECREASE EMISSIONS, BUT ALSO WHAT THEY CAN DO TO HELP EDUCATE THEIR EMPLOYEES ABOUT WHY IT'S IMPORTANT AND ABOUT WHAT EACH INDIVIDUAL PERSON CAN DO TO REDUCE THEIR CONTRIBUTION TO NOX AND VOKS.
WE'RE GOING TO EXPAND THE MAP THAT WE HAVE SO WE CAN REALLY PINPOINT THE AREAS THAT WE'RE CONCERNED ABOUT -- AUDIO] -- AND THEN WE DID CONTRACT WITH DR. JEFFRIES FOR PART 2 OF HIS WORK TO, AGAIN, HELP US BETTER UNDERSTAND WHAT'S GOING ON CLOSER TO THE MONITORS.
WE HAVE -- CAN ANALYZE AND HELP US UNDERSTAND SPECIFICALLY WHERE SOME OF THE VOC EMISSIONS ARE COMING FROM.
SO MOVING ON TO THE BUSINESS COMMUNITY, PROGRESS TO DATE WE'VE HAD A LOT OF MEETINGS.
THESE ARE THE BIGGER MEETINGS THAT WE'RE HIGHLIGHTING AS PART OF THE PRESENTATION.
DR. JEFFRIES FIGURES PROMINENTLY IN THE MEETINGS WITH BUSINESSES.
HE'S WORKED VERY WELL IN HOUSTON WITH BUSINESSES AND EMPOWERING THEM TO COME TOGETHER AND TAKE ACTION AND FIGURE OUT WHAT NEEDS TO HAPPEN.
SO WE'RE RELYING ON HIS EXPERTISE THERE.
AND WE ALSO WORKED CLOSELY WITH AACOG ON A MEETING TO HELP PRIORITIZE WHAT PHOTOCHEMICAL MODELING OF LOCAL CONTROL STRATEGIES WE WOULD DO FIRST.
SO WE HAD THAT MEETING AND HAD GOOD PARTICIPATION AND CAME UP WITH SOME PRIORITIES.
SO THE NEXT SLIDE LIST WHAT THOSE PRIORITIES ARE.
THE CITY AND THE COUNTY HAVE A CONTRACT WITH AACOG TO DO OUR PHOTOCHEMICAL MODELING.
THE FIRST SIX THINGS THAT THEY ARE ALREADY WORKING ON MODELING FOR US IS WHAT WOULD HAPPEN IF WE TOOK THESE ACTIONS? AND WE ALREADY HAD SOME PRELIMINARY DATA THAT SAID THESE WOULD BE GOOD THINGS TO DO, SO NOW WE'LL GET THE MORE COMPLETE ANALYSIS THAT AACOG IS DOING THAT WILL SAY IF WE DO THIS, THEN THIS WILL HAPPEN.
THAT WILL HELP US FURTHER TARGET AND PRIORITIZE SOME OF THE ACTIONS THAT WE'RE ABLE TO TAKE.
SO FOR THE MASTER PLAN FOR THE BUSINESS COMMUNITY, WE BASICALLY HAVE THREE THINGS GOING ON.
ONE IS WE WANT TO EXPAND THE BUSINESS STAKEHOLDER OZONE ATTAINMENT GROUP.
AND WE WANT THIS TO BE BY BUSINESSES FOR BUSINESSES, WHICH
[00:30:01]
IS THE MODEL THAT HAS WORKED IN HOUSTON.AND WE WANT THIS GROUP TO BE ABLE TO MEET AND SAY HERE ARE SOME THINGS THAT WE THINK BUSINESSES CAN DO IN ORDER TO DECREASE NOX AND VOCS.
ALSO AS WE MENTIONED WE REALLY WANT THE BUSINESS' HELP IN EDUCATING THEIR EMPLOYEES ABOUT TELECOMMUTING, FLEXIBLE SHIFTS, ALL OF THE THINGS THAT THEY CAN DO EITHER DURING THE WORK HOURS OR ON THEIR OWN TIME TO DECREASE NOX AND VOC EMISSIONS.
AND THEN THE CITY AND THE COUNTY ARE PARTNERING ON AN ANTI-IDLING DIESEL CONSTRUCTION EQUIPMENT PILOT.
AND THAT'S WHERE WE WANT TO WORK WITH VARIOUS CONSTRUCTION EQUIPMENT OPERATORS TO HELP THEM UNDERSTAND -- AUDIO] -- THEY CAN BE TURNED OFF AND TURNED ON UNLIKE THE OLDER ONES WHERE IT WAS REALLY KIND OF HARD ON THE ENGINE TO -- IN AUDIO] -- WORKING WITH THEM ON INCENTIVIZING THAT EDUCATION AND THAT PRACTICE.
SO THE NEXT CATEGORY, THE LAST CATEGORY, IS KIND OF THE CATCHALL CATEGORY, AND THAT'S POLICY, ADVOCACY AND FUNDING.
WE'VE DONE A LOT IN THIS AREA, SO WE'VE GOT THE AIR POLLUTION ORDINANCE, WE'VE GOT THE ANTI-IDLING ORDINANCE.
OVER THE LAST SEVERAL MONTHS, GPA HAS BEEN VERY BUSY HELPING US SEND LETTERS MOSTLY TO THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT ABOUT NOT ROLLING BACK CAFE STANDARDS, DON'T -- YOU KNOW, DON'T UNDERMINE THE WORK WE'RE TRYING TO DO TO MEET YOUR OZONE STANDARD BY CHANGING ALL OF THESE OTHER REQUIREMENTS THAT WILL ULTIMATELY INCREASE THE AMOUNT OF NOX THAT GOES INTO THE AIR.
SO GPA'S BEEN EXTREMELY HELPFUL WITH US FOR THAT.
AND THEN THE CITY ALLOCATED ADDITIONAL FUNDING, SO THEY ALLOCATED FUNDING FOR THE POINT SOURCE RFP, THEY ALLOCATED FUNDING FOR ADDITIONAL STAFF, THE O TEAM, TARGETED COMMUNICATIONS, WE HAVE AN ADDITIONAL $50,000 IN ORDER TO DO THAT TARGETED COMMUNICATIONS, AND THEN IN THIS YEAR'S BUDGET, THEY ALSO ALLOCATED $150,000 TO DO THE EV DEPLOYMENT STUDY.
SO FOR THE MASTER PLAN PIECE OF THIS CHAPTER WE'RE GOING TO BE WORKING ON CONTINUING TO EDUCATE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO EMPLOYEES, REALLY I THINK OUR FOCUS IS REALLY GOING TO BE ON OZONE ACTION DAYS.
HERE ARE THINGS THAT WE REALLY NEED YOU TO DO.
SO, FOR EXAMPLE, ON OZONE ACTION DAYS, DON'T DRIVE TO A MEETING, CHANGE THE MEETING SO THAT YOU ALL CAN CALL IN.
DON'T GO THROUGH THE DRIVE-THRU.
GET OUT OF YOUR CAR, WALK IN AND GET YOUR FOOD, OR JUST BRING YOUR LUNCH.
SO THOSE ARE TYPES OF THINGS THAT WE'RE GOING TO BE FOCUSING ON.
WE'RE GOING TO BE INCREASING PARTICIPATION IN THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT'S BUSINESS REGISTRATION PROGRAM.
WE'LL CONTINUE TO MONITOR STATE AND FEDERAL LEVEL LEGISLATION TO EITHER SUPPORT OR OPPOSE, IF IT'S ROLLING BACK CERTAIN STANDARDS, AND THEN WORKING WITH ALL OF OUR PARTNERS, RESEARCHING FOR ONGOING FUNDING AND LOCAL MATCH DOLLARS SPECIFICALLY FOR THE VW SETTLEMENT.
SO THE LAST SLIDE IS TALKING ABOUT WHAT ARE THE NEXT STEPS, SO WHERE WE ARE IS WE'RE PRESENTING TO YOU FIRST THE DRAFT MASTER PLAN.
THEN WE WILL GO OUT FOR STAKEHOLDER INPUT AND ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE'RE EXPLORING IS HOW TO REPLICATE THE INCREDIBLE SUCCESS THAT OTHER DEPARTMENTS HAVE HAD USING THE TELEPHONE TOWN HALL SYSTEM AND GETTING PEOPLE'S INPUT INTO WHAT DO YOU THINK, WHAT DID WE MISS, WHAT CAN YOU DO? THEN WE WILL BRING BACK TO YOU IN MAY THE MASTER PLAN FOR APPROVAL.
THEN AT THE END OF OZONE SEASON, WE WILL GIVE YOU AN UPDATE THAT SAYS, OKAY, WELL, HERE'S WHAT OUR DESIGN VALUE IS FOR OUR OZONE LEVEL FOR THIS YEAR, WHETHER WE'VE -- YOU KNOW, HOPEFULLY WE'VE GONE DOWN TWO POINTS, THAT'S OUR GOAL.
AND THEN HERE'S WHAT WE'VE DONE IN THE PLAN, WHERE WE ARE IN THE PLAN, HERE'S OUR PROGRESS TO DATE.
YOU KNOW, NINE MONTHS LATER, AND ANY CHANGES THAT WE'RE GOING TO MAKE BASED ON OUR EXPERIENCES WITH THIS PLAN.
THEN WE'LL DO IT AGAIN AT THE END OF THE 2020 OZONE SEASON, LET YOU KNOW WHAT OUR ULTIMATE FINAL DESIGN VALUE IS, WHETHER --
[00:35:02]
NOT, BUT OUR EXPERIENCES HAVE BEEN AT THE DIFFERENT ACTIONS THAT WE'VE TAKEN TO GET THERE.SO THAT IS THE END OF MY PRESENTATION, AND I'M HAPPY TO TAKE QUESTIONS.
MAIRMS THANK YOU VERY MUCH, DR. BRIDGER, FOR THE PRESENTATION.
ONE IS HOW REFLESHING IT IS, I KNOW YOU'RE ASSISTANT CITY MANAGER NOW ZERO BUT HOW TO HAVE THE DIRECTOR OF THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT TO GIVE US AN AIR QUALITY BRIEFING.
WITH REGARD TO THE NUMBERS OF DEATHS ASSOCIATED WITH RESPIRATORY ISSUES, IT SHOWED THERE 19 DEATHS ARE DIRECTLY ATTRIBUTABLE TO OZONE; IS THAT -- AM I READING THAT CORRECTLY?
>> DR. BRIDGER: YES MAIRMS WHERE IS THAT DATA FROM?
>> DR. BRIDGER: THAT WAS THE ENRON STUDY THAT WAS DONE RIGHT BEFORE I GOT HERE.
>> MAYOR NIRENBERG: DR. SO TWO YEARS AGO.
I REMEMBER READING SOMETHING FROM A MEDICAL ASSOCIATION THAT SAID ROUGHLY 52 DEATHS.
COUNCILMAN, YOU REMEMBER THAT DATA? YEAH, I'M SURE YOU DO.
CAN YOU TELL US WHEN THAT WAS?
>> SANDOVAL: I THINK IT WAS A STUDY DONE BY THE AMERICAN THORACIC ASSOCIATION AND A SCHOOL AT CORNELL, AND THE NUMBER WAS A LITTLE BIT HIGHER BECAUSE THE THRESHOLD THEY USED FOR OZONE EXPOSURE WAS LOWER, SO I THINK OURS USE 70 PARTS PER BILLION AND THAT ONE USED 65 PARTS PER BILLION.
I THINK THAT'S IMPORTANT TO HAVE THAT UP FRONT AND CENTER SO WE CAN REMIND OURSELVES WHY WE'RE DOING THIS.
THE REGULATORY ENVIRONMENT OBVIOUSLY CHANGES FROM ONE ADMINISTRATION TO THE NEXT.
I THINK WE CAN ALL SAFELY SAY THAT OVERALL IF WE LOOK LONG TERM, WE KNOW THE DIRECTION OF THE REGULATORY ENVIRONMENT FOR US, SO THIS IS ABOUT GETTING AHEAD OF WHAT WE KNOW WILL BE ULTIMATELY A MANDATE SOON, BUT WE ALSO DO IT FOR PUBLIC HEALTH, MOST IMPORTANTLY FOR PUBLIC HEALTH.
I MEAN, WHICH -- WHICH LEADS ME TO MY NEXT COMMENT, WHICH IS THAT THIS IS A VERY INTERESTING CASE STUDY ON YOUR FIRST OR SECOND SLIDE, YOU MADE THE DISTINCTION BETWEEN WHAT THE CLIMATE ACTION PLAN IS WHICH THERE'S A LOT OF PUBLIC DIALOGUE GOING ON AND WHAT THIS IS, WHICH IS A TARGETED INTERVENTION.
I JUST WANTED TO POINT THIS OUT.
WE'RE UNDERGOING A TREMENDOUS AMOUNT OF REVIEW AND ANALYSIS ON CHOICES THAT WE WILL MAKE AS IT RELATES TO THIS TARGETED INTERVENTION ON A GOAL THAT WE SET A LONG TIME AGO.
SO IF PEOPLE WANT SOME INSIGHT INTO HOW WE'RE GOING ABOUT THIS AS A CITY AND HOW WE WILL GO ABOUT IT AS A COMMUNITY, ALL THE DIFFERENT TARGETED INTERVENTIONS AND GREAT BIG PLANS LIKE WE ARE TALKING ABOUT WITH CLIMATE OR ANYTHING ELSE, CARRY WITH IT A LOT OF ENGAGEMENT FROM THE COUNCIL, FROM THE COMMUNITY, FROM BUSINESSES, STAKEHOLDERS, BEFORE WE WERE TO MAKE ANY ACTION, AND I THINK THAT'S COMFORTABLE TO KNOW, BECAUSE THERE'S A PRETTY VIGOROUS REVIEW OF WHAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT RIGHT HERE, WHICH IS JUST IN -- THE WORK THAT YOU'RE DOING, DR. BRIDGER, AND I THINK WE'VE CAST IT AS A CITY IN THE RIGHT FRAME SO I LOOK FORWARD TO CONTINUING -- AUDIO] -- COUNCIL COMMENT?
>> GONZALES: SOME TIME AGO, AT LEAST THAT WE WERE GOING TO HAVE THIS OZONE ACTION PLAN.
AND SINCE THEN, WE'VE HAD A CLIMATE ACTION PLAN, WE PREVIOUSLY HAVE SA TOMORROW, WE HAVE A CONNECTSA, IF WE JUST FOLLOW THIS, DO WE NEED A CLIMATE ACTION PLAN?
>> DR. BRIDGER: SO THIS ONLY GETS YOU TO DECEMBER 2020.
THE CLIMATE ACTION PLAN GETS YOU TO 2040, 2050.
THIS IS ONE STEP IN THAT JOURNEY THAT IS MADE UP OF MULTIPLE PLANS.
>> GONZALES: BUT IF WE -- BECAUSE I BELIEVE IN THIS.
ON IMMEDIATELY, I FELT THIS WAY WHEN WE PRESENTED IT SOME TIME AGO, AND THEN THERE WAS AN ASTHMA STUDY --
>> GONZALES: -- WHERE IS THAT FITTING IN HERE?
[00:40:03]
>> DR. BRIDGER: SO THE ASTHMA INITIATIVE WAS FUNDED IN THE BUDGET, AND THAT IS HAPPENING.
SO IT IS -- I MEAN, ASTHMA IS EXACERBATED BY OZONE.
IT'S ALSO EXACERBATED BY PARTICULATE MATTER, WHICH IS ANOTHER ASPECT OF AIR QUALITY, BUT THIS WOULD DEFINITELY HELP WITH THE ASTHMA INTERVENTION THAT WE HAVE IN PLACE.
>> GONZALES: SO WHAT IS THAT STUDY GOING TO SHOW THAT WOULD BE DIFFERENT FROM THE -- IN AUDIO] -- OR IS THAT STRICTLY ANTI-IDLING?
>> DR. BRIDGER: SO BREATHE TODAY SA TOMORROW IS KIND OF THE UMBRELLA, AND THEN THE ANTI-IDLING AT SCHOOLS IS UNDER -- TUCKED UNDER THAT UMBRELLA, AND IT'S PRIMARILY BECAUSE CAR EXHAUST CAN ALSO EXACERBATE ASTHMA.
SO ALL OF THESE THINGS ARE WORKING TOGETHER IN ORDER TO IMPROVE THE PUBLIC'S HEALTH.
ONE OF THOSE THINGS IS ASTHMA, ESPECIALLY IN KIDS.
>> GONZALES: SO I GUESS I -- I KNOW I WAS VERY SUPPORTIVE OF THAT, AND I THINK THE RESEARCH SHOWS MORE KIDS SUFFER FROM ASTHMA IN MY DISTRICT THAN ANY OTHER, AND THAT WE HAVE VERY HIGH INCIDENTS OF HEALTH OUTCOMES IN MY NEIGHBORHOOD -- SHORTER LIFE EXPECTANCY DUE TO A LOT OF FACTORS.
>> GONZALES: I GUESS WHEN I SEE THIS, I FEEL VERY SUPPORTIVE, I FEEL LIKE WE SHOULD MOVE ON THESE THINGS IMMEDIATELY.
AND I -- I WANT TO -- YOU KNOW, TO SEE US TAKE SOME OF THOSE STEPS, I JUST WOULD HOPE THAT WHEN WE SEE THE RESULT OF -- SO THIS IS THROUGH 2020, I THINK YOU MENTIONED.
>> GONZALES: THAT WE'RE NOT MAKING IT -- WHAT I'M TRYING TO SAY IS THAT WE'RE NOT OVERCOMPLICATING CERTAIN ISSUES.
>> GONZALES: AND WHEN WE HAVE LIKE THESE MULTIPLE, LIKE, PLANS THAT ARE REALLY COMPLICATED AND -- LIKE YOU LIKE THESE KIND OF THINGS, DR. BRIDGER, I THINK THERE'S SOME PEOPLE IN THIS ROOM --
>> DR. BRIDGER: I ACTUALLY DON'T.
>> GONZALES: -- THAT LIKE BIG STUDIES AND LIKE BIG DATA AND LIKE TO SPEND A LOT OF TIME AND MONEY CREATING DOCUMENTS --
>> GONZALES: -- THAT I BELIEVE IN, BUT I FEEL LIKE WE COULD JUST DO THIS, AND THAT WOULD ULTIMATELY IMPACT WHAT I THINK IS IMPORTANT FOR MANY OF MY CONSTITUENTS WHICH IS THEIR IMMEDIATE HEALTH.
YOU KNOW, THEIR IMMEDIATE WELL-BEING, THEIR IMMEDIATE QUALITY OF LIFE.
I MEAN, IF WE DID THESE, I THINK IT COULD HAVE THAT IMPACT IMMEDIATELY.
>> GONZALES: ESPECIALLY THE SCHOOL BUSES AND STUFF LIKE THAT.
I HAVE NOTICED THAT A LOT OF SCHOOLS ARE ENCOURAGEING PARENTS TO GET OUT.
>> GONZALES: AND SO I -- YEARS AGO, BEFORE THERE WAS A CLIMATE ACTION PLAN AND BEFORE THERE WAS A TRANSPORTATION PLAN, I WAS GOING TO VISIT MY NEIGHBORS, CAMPAIGNING AS WE ALL DO, AND THE PARENTS WOULD SAY, THERE'S TOO MUCH TRAFFIC TAKING MY CHILD TO SCHOOL.
AND I WOULD SAY, YOU MEAN, THAT SCHOOL, THE ONE THAT'S RIGHT ACROSS THE STREET? WHY ARE YOU DRIVING YOUR CHILD TO SCHOOL? WHY ARE YOU JUST NOT GETTING OUT AND WALKING? BECAUSE ANY WAY, WE'RE GETTING TO A POINT WHERE THE SCHOOLS ARE SAYING, YOU CAN'T DRIVE YOUR CHILD AND IDLE IN THE PARKING LOT ANY MORE, OR IDLE IN A CAR LINE ANYMORE.
WE'RE GOING -- AND I KNOW WITH MY CHILDREN, WE CAN'T DO THAT ANYMORE, AND IT'S -- IT MAKES IT HARD, BECAUSE I HAVE BABIES, I HAVE TO GET EVERYBODY OUT OF THE CAR AND WALK THE CHILD IN AND COME OUT.
AND SO -- BUT WE'RE MOVING IN THAT DIRECTION ANYWAY, SO I JUST -- I REALLY LIKE WHAT I SEE HERE AND I DON'T SEE ANY REASON TO DELAY THE THINGS THAT WE HAVE.
I JUST HOPE THAT WE DON'T GET BOGGED DOWN IN A LOT OF STUDIES AND A LOT OF DATA AND THESE SORT OF BIG-PICTURE ITEMS WHEN WE CAN JUST IMPLEMENT THIS TODAY.
>> DR. BRIDGER: YEAH, I HEAR YOU.
>> MAYOR NIRENBERG: THANK YOU, COUNCILWOMAN GONZALES.
>> SANDOVAL: THANK YOU, MAYOR.
THANK YOU DR. BRIDGER FOR YOUR PRESENTATION.
IT LOOKS LIKE A JOB WELL DONE, EXTREMELY THOROUGH AND BROAD IN WHAT YOU'VE ADDRESSED AND THE PARTNERS THAT YOU'VE BROUGHT N AND THANK YOU TO AACOG ON THEIR WORK FOR THIS FOR YEARS AND FOR HELPING US GET TO -- TO THIS POINT WHERE WE ARE TODAY.
I THINK THAT COUNCILWOMAN GONZALES IS RIGHT IN TERMS OF THERE ARE SOME VERY PRACTICAL THINGS HERE THAT WE CAN GET GOING ON, AND I BELIEVE SOME OF THEM ARE REALLY UNDERWAY
[00:45:01]
ALREADY.>> SANDOVAL: BUT I'M PROBABLY ONE OF THOSE PEOPLE SHE'S REFERRING TO IN TERMS OF LOVING BIG DOCUMENTS.
GIVE ME MORE INFORMATION ALWAYS.
I DO WANT TO ALSO AGREE WITH THE MAYOR IN TERMS OF THIS BEING A HEALTH ISSUE, THAT'S WHY WE'RE HERE, THAT'S WHY WE HAVE HEALTH-BASED STANDARDS, AND YOU LAD THE MORTALITY NUMBER IN THERE, BUT THERE IS ALSO A LOT OF ILLNESS WITH THIS THAT WASN'T QUANTIFIED IN THAT STUDY,S MA ATTACKS, -- ASTHMA ATTACKED, MISSED SCHOOL OR WORKDAYS THAT WE DON'T HAVE ALL QUANTIFIED, BUT CERTAINLY SOMETHING THAT WE SHOULD KEEP IN MIND AS WE DO THIS.
AND -- REALLY IMPRESSED BY ALL THE WORK YOU HAD COLLECTED, AND I SAID, YOU KNOW, I USED TO WORK AT AN AGENCY DEDICATED TO PROTECTING PUBLIC HEALTH FROM THE HARMS OF AIR POLLUTION AND WE HAD 300 EMPLOYEES, AND THERE ARE THREE OF YOU DOING THIS WORK HERE, SO I -- I REALLY COMMEND YOU FOR HOW LASER FOCUSED YOU'VE BEEN ON GETTING THIS DONE.
LAST, THAT DOES MEAN THERE IS A HUGE UMBRELLA WHEN IT COMES TO AIR QUALITY AND YOU ARE FOCUSED ON WHAT -- EXACTLY WHAT YOU WERE TASKED WITH, WHICH IS THIS GETTING TO 70 SOMEBODY.
I THINK WHEN WE GET BEYOND 2020, I THINK WE SHOULD CONSIDER ADDITIONAL THINGS WE CAN DO.
THERE'S A HOST OF OTHER AIR POLLUTION CONTROL STRATEGIES THAT ARE NOT IN HERE.
>> SANDOVAL: AND YOU AND I TALKED ABOUT WHY THEY WOULDN'T BE IN HERE RIGHT NOW.
>> DR. BRIDGER: SO THE FACT THAT WE HAVE UNTIL DECEMBER OF 2020 LIMITS SOME OF THE POLICY REGULATORY OPTIONS THAT WE MIGHT HAVE FOR CONSIDERATION BECAUSE IT WOULD TAKE US UNTIL DECEMBER 2020 TO GET THOSE ROLLED OUT AND OPERATIONAL.
SO OUR FOCUS HAS BEEN ON WHAT CAN WE DO RIGHT NOW THAT CAN AFFECT OUR OZONE LEVELS THIS SUMMER.
AND, YOU KNOW, WE CAME TO THE REALIZATION THAT THERE REALLY ISN'T A LOT OF REGULATIONS THAT WE COULD IMPLEMENT RIGHT NOW IF THE COUNCIL WANTED TO THAT WOULD MAKE A DIFFERENCE IN THE DEADLINE THAT WE HAVE OF DECEMBER 2020.
BUT WHAT YOU ARE PROPOSING ARE ALL THINGS THAT ARE GREAT FOR HEALTH AND WILL HOPEFULLY SAVE US -- SAVE US MONEY AND SAVE OUR RESIDENTS MONEY, YOU'VE IMPLEMENTED.
I AM LOOKING FORWARD TO THE -- TO THE REVIEW OF THE ANTI-IDLING ORDINANCE, I THINK THERE'S DEFINITELY SOME OPPORTUNITIES TO GET MORE EMISSIONS BENEFITS FROM THAT.
SO ONE THING I WANT TO TALK ABOUT GOING BEYOND 2020 IS LOOKING AT ADDITIONAL MONITORS.
RIGHT NOW WE'RE DEFINITELY FOCUSED ON THE ONE THAT HAD THE EXCEEDENCE WHICH IS IN THE FAR NORTHWEST, AND DR. JEFFRIES' STUDY HAS FOCUSED IN LOOKING AROUND THAT AREA AND SEEING WHERE IS THAT, WHERE ARE THOSE EMISSIONS COMING FROM THAT MAY BE CONTRIBUTING TO THIS, BUT THE TRUTH IS THERE IS A LOT OF -- THERE'S THE REST OF SAN ANTONIO, RIGHT, WHICH MAY ALSO BE EXPERIENCING EXCEEDENCES IN OZONE IN HIGH LEVELS WHICH CAUSE ADVERSE HEALTH IMPACTS.
AND IF WE ONLY FOCUS ON THE NORTHWEST, SORT OF IGNORING THE POSSIBILITY OF IMPROVING HEALTH IN THE OTHER AREAS -- AUDIO] -- JUST WANTED TO MENTION THAT I THINK THAT SHOULD NOT REALLY FALL OFF OF OUR RADAR, IT'S NOT JUST ABOUT THE NUMBER 70, IT IS ABOUT PROTECTING HEALTH IN THOSE OTHER AREAS AS WELL.
>> MAYOR NIRENBERG: THANK YOU, COUNCILWOMAN SANDOVAL.
DR. BRIDGER, THANK YOU FOR THE PRESENTATION HERE.
I DO HAVE A FEW QUESTIONS HERE FOR YOU.
THE -- YOU KNOW, IT WOULD BE NICE TO OPEN THIS WITH THE CHART THAT WE HAVE THAT SHOWS THE PROGRESS THAT WE HAVE MADE TO DATE.
>> PERRY: HOW MUCH PROGRESS HAVE WE MADE OVER THE LAST SEVERAL YEARS?
>> DR. BRIDGER: WE'VE MADE SIGNIFICANT PROGRESS.
>> PERRY: AND HOW MUCH IS THAT SIGNIFICANT?
>> DR. BRIDGER: WE WENT FROM 78 -- YEAH, WE WERE CLOSE TO 80, AND WE'RE NOW DOWN AT 72.
AND THAT WAS DOING WHAT OVER THAT PERIOD OF TIME?
>> DR. BRIDGER: VOLUNTARY ACTIONS.
SO YOU CAN LOOK OVER THE LAST SEVERAL YEARS AND SEE THAT SLOPE GOING IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION.
>> PERRY: SO CAN WE MAKE ANY CORRELATION AT ALL IF WE KEPT DOING WHAT WE'RE DOING TODAY, THAT THAT SLOPE WOUSLLD KEEP GOG IN THAT DIRECTION?
[00:50:01]
SOME OF THE MODELS THAT AACOG HAS RUN SHOW US GETTING TO 70 IN 2022.THE PROBLEM IS IF WE DON'T GET THERE BY 2020, THAT'S WHEN THE FEDERAL REGULATIONS GO INTO EFFECT.
>> DR. BRIDGER: SO WE'RE TRYING TO SPEED UP THE PROCESS THAT'S IN PLACE IN ORDER TO AVOID THE CONSEQUENCES OF BEING IN MODERATE NONATTAINMENT.
>> PERRY: SO THE MODELING FROM AACOG SHOWS 2022.
>> DR. BRIDGER: WASN'T THAT RIGHT, STEVEN?
BUT IT WOULD STILL BE GREAT TO SEW WHAT WE'VE DONE THROUGH THE VOLUNTARY ACTIONS UP TO THIS DATE.
>> PERRY: IT WOULD BE GREAT TO -- HEY, LET'S SHOW WHAT WE'VE DONE ALREADY INSTEAD OF JUST, HEY, LET'S KEEP BEATING FOLKS UP THAT WE HAVEN'T MADE ANY PROGRESS BECAUSE WE'VE MADE SIGNIFICANT PROGRESS OVER THE LAST SEVERAL YEARS.
WE'LL INCLUDE THAT IN THE MASTER PLAN.
>> PERRY: THEN ON SLIDE NUMBER FIVE, LET'S GET BACK TO SLIDE NUMBER FIVE.
THERE'S BEEN SOME DISCUSSION ON THAT ALREADY.
IT SAYS 2010 TO 2014, 4768 RESPIRATORY DEATHS -- AUDIO] --
>> DR. BRIDGER: THE OZONE DEATHS ARE AT 19.
SO WE DON'T KNOW WHAT -- WHAT THAT 4,768 RESPIRATORY DEATHS --
>> DR. BRIDGER: WELL, THE MAJORITY IS PNEUMONIA.
>> PERRY: I WOULD LIKE A LITTLE BIT DEEPER DIVE INTO THAT AS TO HOW WE'RE ATTRIBUTING THE ADDITIONAL DEATHS OR -- BY REDUCING OUR OZONE.
IS THERE A STUDY THAT SHOWS DIRECT --
>> DR. BRIDGER: THAT IS THE STUDY.
BUT WHAT'S THE DATA TO SUPPORT THAT? WHERE ARE THEY GETTING THESE NUMBERS FROM AND HOW DO THEY CORRELATE THOSE -- THAT NUMBER TO ONLY OZONE?
WELL, WE CAN INCLUDE THAT AS AN APPENDIX IN THE PLAN.
IT'S A PRETTY THICK STUDY, BUT WE CAN INCLUDE THAT AS AN APPENDIX IN THE PLAN.
AND WHERE WAS THAT STUDY DONE? DREZ HERE.
I PRESENTED IT -- IT WAS ONE OF THE FIRST THINGS I'VE DONE.
>> PERRY: I DIDN'T GET A COPY.
>> DR. BRIDGER: YEAH, YOU GOT A COPY.
IT'S LIKE ONE OF THOSE THINGS NOW I'VE GOT TO CONCENTRATE.
>> PERRY: NOW, I'D LIKE TO READ THE THING.
WELL, YES, I'D LIKE TO TAKE A LOOK AT THAT.
YOU KNOW, THERE'S MULTIPLE REASONS FOR RESPIRATORY, CARDIOVASCULAR, ASTHMA, AND I'M HAVING A DIFFICULT TIME SAYING YES, THOSE ADDITIONAL DEATHS OR THOSE AVOIDED DEATHS ARE CONTRIBUTED DIRECTLY TO OZONE.
I'M JUST HAVING A DIFFICULT TIME UNDERSTANDING THAT.
SO IF YOU COULD HELP ME WITH THAT.
>> DR. BRIDGER: I DON'T KNOW, BUT I'LL GET YOU THE REPORT.
AND THEN ON THAT CHART, WHAT -- WHAT POPULATION IS THAT BASED ON? OUR CURRENT POPULATION OR 2010.
>> DR. BRIDGER: NO, IT'S OUR CURRENT POPULATION.
SO WE'RE SUPPOSED TO BE GROWING, RIGHT? WE'RE GROWING.
HOW DOES THAT FIGURE INTO THIS WELL, BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, WITH THE GREATER POPULATION, YOU WOULD EXPECT THAT THERE WOULD PROBABLY BE GREATER -- GREATER DEATHS IN THAT BLUE LINE, RIGHT?
AND THAT WASN'T WHAT THEY ASKED THEM TO DO IN THE SUMMER THAT THAT STUDY'S GOING TO ANSWER THAT QUESTION, BUT I THINK LOGICALLY, YOU ALREADY ARE KIND OF HITTING ON THE ANSWER, WHICH IS AS OUR POPULATION INCREASES, WE'RE GOING TO HAVE AN INCREASE IN THE NUMBER OF DEATHS DUE DIRECTLY TO OZONE.
>> PERRY: REGARDLESS -- BUT IT'S -- IT'S GOING TO BE --
>> DR. BRIDGER: IF WE DON'T GET TO 70.
>> DR. BRIDGER: NOW THE RATE WON'T CHANGE, BUT THIS IS JUST REPORTING A NUMBER.
SO THAT NUMBER WILL LIKELY GO UP.
LET'S TALK ABOUT THESE MONITORS, WE'VE HAD A LOT OF DISCUSSION ABOUT THESE MONITORS.
THAT'S THE THREE MONITORS IN THIS AREA, RIGHT?
>> DR. BRIDGER: THAT'S CORRECT.
ARE THERE ANY OF THEM THAT ARE
[00:55:02]
IN COMPLIANCE?>> DR. BRIDGER: THE ONE IN THE SOUTHERN SIDE HAS NOT BEEN IN EXCEEDENCE --
>> DR. BRIDGER: THE OTHER TWO IN THE NORTHERN AREA WERE BOTH IN EXCEEDENCE.
>> PERRY: WHICH ONE HAS BEEN THE ONE THAT'S BEEN THE WORST?
>> DR. BRIDGER: THE ONE THAT'S THE WORST IS CAMP BULLIS, RIGHT?
>> PERRY: AND I KNOW YOU'RE TALKING -- I MEAN, YOU CAN LOOK AT THAT AREA AND SEE, YOU KNOW, THROUGH AERIAL PHOTOGRAPHS WHAT'S OUT THERE THAT COULD BE CAUSING THOSE ISSUES? I MEAN, TO ME IT DOESN'T MAKE SENSE.
UP THERE IN THAT NORTHWEST PART OF TOWN THAT IT'S EXCEEDING UP IN THAT AREA.
>> DR. BRIDGER: WELL, YEAH, AND I MEAN WE DON'T KNOW THE ANSWER TO THAT QUESTION.
>> PERRY: WHAT ARE THOSE HYPOTHESES.
>> DR. BRIDGER: THE -- THE MOST LOGICAL HYPOTHESIS IS THAT IT'S NOT JUST ONE SOURCE.
AND SO THE METHODS THAT WE'VE USED IN THE PAST TO WORK WITH THE BIGGEST INDUSTRIES WITH THE BIGGEST EMISSIONS, THOSE INDUSTRIES ARE DOING QUITE WELL AT CONTAINING THEIR VOC AND NOX EMISSIONS.
IT'S THE LITTLE PLACES, IT'S THE GAS STATIONS, IT'S THE PAINT SHOPS, IT'S THE LITTLE PLACES THAT ARE INADVERTENTLY CAUSING SOME EMISSIONS THAT THEY DON'T EVEN KNOW ABOUT.
AND SO THAT'S WHY WE WANT TO WORK WITH THEM TO HELP FIND THEM AND THEN HELP THEM NOT.
>> PERRY: COULD IT -- IS THERE ANYTHING -- I MEAN, HAVE WE WORKED WITH CAM LP BULLIES ITSELF --
>> DR. BRIDGER: THEY'VE BEEN INCREDIBLE, YES.
>> PERRY: HAVE WE -- ISN'T THERE LIKE A SEWER STATION RIGHT THERE THAT COULD POSSIBLY BE AFFECTING IT?
>> DR. BRIDGER: AND THEY HAVE AGREED TO DRAIN THAT AND USE ALTERNATE SEWAGE DURING THE SUMMER MONTHS.
>> DR. BRIDGER: SO WE'VE HAD THOSE CONVERSATIONS WITH THEM, AND THEY'RE DOING OTHER THINGS IN ADDITION TO THAT.
THEY'VE JUST BEEN INCREDIBLY HELPFUL AND WILLING TO ROLL THEIR SLEEVES UP AND FIGURE THIS OUT.
>> PERRY: AND WHEN DO WE START TAKING READINGS?
>> DR. BRIDGER: WELL, WE TAKE READINGS ALL THE TIME.
>> DR. BRIDGER: WE EXPECT THEM TO START GOING UP WHEN WE ADD THE HEAT TO THE EQUATION.
SO THAT'S WHAT -- AS SOON AS IT STARTS GETTING HOT IS WHEN WE'LL START TO SEE THOSE OZONE READINGS GO UP.
>> PERRY: SO WHEN IS THE EARLIEST WE'LL KNOW IF THIS PARTICULAR SEWAGE TREATMENT PLANT --
>> DR. BRIDGER: SORRY, WE WON'T BE ABLE TO LINK THAT PARTICULAR CHANGE TO WHAT OUR MONITORS ARE DOING.
WE'LL BE ABLE TO TELL YOU ON A DAILY BASIS WHAT THE MONITOR'S READINGS ARE, AND IF THEY DON'T EVER EXCEED, THEN WE'LL BE ABLE TO LOOK AND SAY, WE'VE GOT ALL OF THESE THINGS THAT WE'VE BEEN DOING IN AGGREGATE, AND THEY HAVE WORKED TO DECREASE OUR OZONE.
ON THE RFI, YOU SAID YOU GOT FIVE RESPONSES BACK, AND THEY WERE ALL DIFFERENT.
EXPLAIN TO ME HOW THE RFP IS GOING TO GO OUT? IS IT THAT BROAD AGAIN OR ARE WE FOCUSING IN ON A PARTICULAR STRATEGY?
>> DR. BRIDGER: SO WE -- THE RFI HELPED US UNDERSTAND THE RANGE OF POSSIBILITIES TO INCLUDE IN THE SCOPE OF WORK IN THE RFP.
SO WE WERE ABLE TO THEN TAKE THAT INFORMATION FROM THE RFI AND REALLY MAKE SURE THAT THE SCOPE OF WORK THAT WE HAD FOR THE RFP MADE SENSE FOR ANY OF THOSE STRATEGIES.
AND NOW PEOPLE CAN RESPOND TO THAT RFP AND INDICATE WHAT COMBINATION OF STRATEGIES THAT THEY WILL BE USING IN ORDER TO HELP US IDENTIFY THE POINT SOURCES.
>> PERRY: THERE WERE ONLY FIVE RESPONDENTS TO THE RFI.
>> DR. BRIDGER: TO THE RFI, WHICH WAS MORE THAN I EXPECTED TO BE HONEST WITH YOU.
ACTIONS WE'VE GOT ADDITIONAL STAFF, YOU TALKED ABOUT INCENTIVES AND, YOU KNOW, WORKING COMMITTEES AND ALL THAT.
WHAT'S THE TOTAL BUDGET THAT WE'RE PUTTING AGAINST THIS THIS YEAR IN 2019?
>> DR. BRIDGER: SO IT'S RIGHT AROUND 400,000.
>> DR. BRIDGER: RIGHT AROUND 400,000.
AND THAT'S JUST THE COST TO OUR BUDGET.
>> PERRY: HAVE WE LOOKED AT ANY OTHER COSTS ACROSS THE COUNTRY OR AACOG THAT'S ALL BEING
[01:00:02]
IMPACTED BY THIS ON WHAT THEY'RE DOING TO ADD TO THIS PROGRAM MANPOWER-WISE, YOU KNOW, ANY PROGRAMS, THAT KIND OF THING?>> DR. BRIDGER: NO, SIR, WE HAVE NOT.
THEN JUST IN THE CITY, WHERE DO WE SEE THE BUDGET GOING ON THIS? STAYING THE SAME.
>> DR. BRIDGER: ABOUT THE SAME, YEAH.
>> DR. BRIDGER: DECEMBER 2020.
I MEAN, THAT'S OUR -- THAT'S THE END OF THIS PLAN.
NOW, WE'LL SEE WHAT HAPPENS IF WE DON'T ACHIEVE THE 70 GOAL, THEN WE'LL HAVE TO FIGURE OUT WITH THE EPA WHAT THAT MEANS FOR THE CITY.
AND THIS PLAN, EVERYTHING THAT YOU'VE IDENTIFIED UP TO THIS POINT, IS THAT GOING TO BE TIED IN FOR THE NEXT 20 YEARS FOR US?
>> DR. BRIDGER: WELL, SOME OF IT'S ONE AND DONE.
SO, FOR EXAMPLE, IF WE REPLACE THE SCHOOL BUSES, THEN THAT REPLACEMENT HAS HAPPENED.
IF WE HAVE -- AUDIO] -- ELECTRIC VEHICLE GRID -- THOSE ARE INVESTMENTS THAT WE'RE MAKING NOW THAT WILL LAST INTO THE FUTURE, BUT WON'T REQUIRE -- ARE MORE TEMPORAL, WE'LL HAVE TO TAKE ON A YEAR-BY-YEAR BASIS AND FIGURE OUT DO WE NEED TO CONTINUE TO DO THE TARGETED EDUCATION.
IF THAT'S WORKING, THEN I THINK THAT'S $50,000 WELL SPENT.
ONE OF THE NUANCES ABOUT THE -- BEING IN MARGINAL NONATTAINMENT IS THAT EVEN IF YOU DO GET BACK TO 70, YOU'RE STILL UNDER THE WATCHFUL EYE OF THE EPA, AND IF YOU EVER GO ABOVE 70, YOU KICK BACK INTO NONATTAINMENT.
SO IT'S NOT THAT WE CAN GET TO 70 AND THEN SIT BACK AND WASH OUR HANDS AND SAY, OH, WE'RE DONE.
WE HAVE TO MAINTAIN THAT 70 OR THE EPA BECOMES INVOLVED.
>> PERRY: SO WE CAN PICK AND CHOOSE WHAT WE WANT TO DO OVER THE NEXT 20 YEARS IF WE -- IF WE DON'T ACHIEVE ATTAINMENT?
>> DR. BRIDGER: NO, I DON'T THINK THAT'S WHAT I SAID.
>> PERRY: IN OTHER WORDS, THIS PLAN, ARE WE WALKING OURSELVES IN THROUGH THIS PLAN.
>> DR. BRIDGER: THIS PLAN IS THROUGH DECEMBER 2020.
BEYOND THAT, Y'ALL WILL HAVE INPUT WHAT Y'ALL WANT TO DO AND BEYOND THAT, IT WILL DEPEND ON WHAT OUR OZONE LEVELS ARE.
SO THIS IS JUST -- AUDIO] -- THAT'S THE ONLY THING THAT YOU'RE COMMITTING -- IN AUDIO]
>> PERRY: AND YOU KIND OF TOUCHED ON IT A LITTLE BIT, LIKE THE ELECTRIC, YOU KNOW, PLUG-IN STATIONS, THE BUS REPLACEMENTS AND ALL THAT.
DO WE HAVE ANY ESTIMATES FOR THE IMPACTS OF THIS PLAN? WHAT'S THE COST ASSOCIATED WITH WHAT WE'RE SAYING WE'RE GOING TO DO IN THIS PLAN?
>> DR. BRIDGER: THE COST TO THE CITY.
>> DR. BRIDGER: SO FOR THE VW SETTLEMENT, FOR EXAMPLE, AS WE'RE REPLACING THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO'S FLEET THROUGH THE VW GRANT PROGRAM, VW GIVES US 80% OF THE COST, AND THE CITY HAS TO FIND THE OTHER 20% OF THE COST.
>> PERRY: AND THAT'S WHAT I'M GETTING AT.
I -- I DIDN'T SEE ANY KIND OF COST IMPACTS TO THE CITY IN YOUR PRESENTATION.
>> PERRY: I WANT TO SEE COST IMPACT TO THE CITIES, NOT ONLY THIS YEAR BUT IN FUTURE YEARS UP TO DECEMBER 2020 WHEN THIS COMES -- WHAT'S IT GOING TO COST TO IMPLEMENT THESE PROPOSALS.
>> DR. BRIDGER: SO QUESTION FOR YOU, ON THE FLEET EXAMPLE, WE HAVE MONEY IN OUR BUDGET EVERY YEAR TO PURCHASE VEHICLES.
A PORTION OF THAT FUNDING WOULD GO AS THE MATCH FOR THE VW SETTLEMENT, AND WOULD ACTUALLY DECREASE OUR COST OF PURCHASING VEHICLES BECAUSE THEY'RE GOING TO COVER 80%.
SO IS THAT THE KIND OF THING YOU'RE LOOKING FOR?
>> PERRY: YEAH, SURE, I MEAN -- OF COURSE THAT'S A ONE-TIME PAYMENT FROM THE VW.
>> PERRY: IT'S NOT GOING TO COME EVERY YEAR.
SO WHAT -- WHAT ARE WE AS TAXPAYERS HERE IN SAN ANTONIO GOING TO HAVE TO PUT UP TO SUPPORT THIS PLAN EVERY -- EVERY PORTION OF IT? THAT'S WHAT I WOULD LIKE TO SEE.
>> PERRY: WHAT'S THE FINANCIAL IMPACT TO THE BUDGET? I MEAN, WE NEED TO KNOW THAT.
>> DR. BRIDGER: IT'S NOT MUCH MORE THAN $400,000.
>> PERRY: THAT'S WHAT I'M GETTING AT.
>> I THINK THE OTHER PART THAT YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT IS THE -- THAT YOU MAY BE REFERRING TO IS THE CONVERSION AND INFRASTRUCTURE DEPLOYMENT STUDY THAT WAS BUDGETED IN THIS YEAR'S BUDGET AND WHAT THAT'S DESIGNED TO DO IS CAPTURE EXACTLY WHAT YOU'RE DESCRIBING, WHAT IS THE
[01:05:03]
POTENTIAL IMPACT FINANCIALLY -- NOW, AND WE'LL INCORPORATE THAT AND SHARE THE RESULTS WITH YOU LATER ON BEFORE WE MAKE FINANCIAL DECISIONS ABOUT -->> MAYOR NIRENBERG: I MEAN, THE REALITY IS, WE'RE DOING -- DON'T REACH OUR NUMBER IN TERMS OF NONATTAINMENT.
I THINK IT JUST NEEDS TO BE -- YOU KNOW, EACH ONE OF THOSE ITEMS UP THERE -- AUDIO] -- EVERY PORTION OF THIS PLAN.
>> AND AS WE DEVELOP -- IN AUDIO] --
THOSE POLICIES, THOSE ARE THINGS THAT WE'LL SHARE WITH THE COUNCIL, BECAUSE FRANKLY, I WANT TO KNOW THE -- AUDIO] -- THERE'S ASSOCIATED COST WITH ALL I'LL ADD ONE OTHER THING THAT DR. BRIDGER MENTIONED.
THIS IS THE PLAN THROUGH 2020.
THE COMMITTEE TO 70 COULD COME UP WITH A WHOLE LIST OF THINGS FOUR MONTHS FROM NOW THAT WE WANT TO TRY, BUT I THINK THE FOCUS HERE IS THAT WE CAN ENACT QUICKLY AND IT WILL HAVE A SIGNIFICANT IMPACT.
>> PERRY: YEAH, WE'RE ALREADY STARTING OUR 2020 BUDGETING PROCESS.
SO WHAT'S IT GOING TO COST US? THAT'S ALL I'M ASKING FOR.
>> WALSH: WE'LL GET THAT TO YOU.
>> MAYOR NIRENBERG: THANK YOU, COUNCILMAN PERRY.
AND THANK YOU, DR. BRIDGER, FOR THAT PRESENTATION.
I THINK WE HAD TO DO ALL THESE THINGS.
AND THANK YOU FOR ALL YOUR HARD WORK.
I THINK YOU'RE AN ASSET TO OUR CITY.
I GUESS I WOULD ONLY HAVE A COUPLE OF QUESTIONS -- AND YOU'LL KNOW WHERE I'M COMING FROM BECAUSE I KEEP TALKING ABOUT THIS WITH YOU.
AND I'M TALKING ABOUT OUR BUILDINGS, RIGHT? THE BUILT ENVIRONMENT.
I THINK WHEN I LOOK AT THE COSA CURRENT POLICIES, WHICH WE ALL AGREE ON AND HAVE BEEN HELPFUL.
BUT I THINK THERE'S OPPORTUNITIES TO ENDORSE SOME OF THE THINGS WE ARE DOING IN TERMS OF SORT OF ONE-TIME EXPENSE WHEN IT COMES TO HEAT MITIGATION AND THE BUILT ENVIRONMENT.
BECAUSE THE OTHER PORTION OF THIS IS ACTUALLY NOT ONLY HOW YOU BUILD SOMETHING AND WE ARE BUILDING, WE'RE GROWING.
BUT THE HEAT THAT IS PRODUCED.
I WAS JUST WALKING A NEIGHBORHOOD WHERE A PERSON GOT ONE OF THE UNDER ONE ROOF ROOFS, IT'S A WHITE ROOF.
AND RIGHT NEXT DOOR WAS A FAMILY THAT HAD JUST REDONE THEIR ROOF AND IT WAS BLACK AUDIO].
CONNECT THE DOTS THERE FOR THOSE FOLKS.
SOME, OBVIOUSLY, NEED THAT PROGRAM.
SO THEY ALSO DIDN'T KNOW THE BENEFITS OF SIMPLY HAVING A HIGH REFLECTIVE ROOF.
CAN YOU SPEAK TO THAT AND CAN THAT BE INCORPORATED AS PART OF THE STRATEGY?
>> DR. BRIDGER: SO ONE OF THE LOCAL CONTROL STRATEGIES THAT WE HAD ON OUR LIST, IT DIDN'T MAKE THE TOP SIX BUT IT'S STILL ON THE LIST, IS THE EFFECT OF THE WHITE ROOFS.
SO THAT IS SOMETHING -- I'M LOOKING OVER AT YOU, STEVEN.
THAT IS SOMETHING THAT'S ON THE LIST AND WE WILL GET THERE.
WE WILL BE ABLE TO DO THAT PHOTOCHEMICAL ANALYSIS MODELING TO BE ABLE TO BETTER QUANTIFY THE EFFECT OF THE WHITE ROOF PROGRAM ON REDUCING NOX AND VOCS.
AND I THINK YOUR POINT IS A GOOD ONE BECAUSE THERE ARE A LOT OF ONE-OFFS THAT ARE NOT REFLECTED IN THIS PLAN THAT ARE DONE FOR ANOTHER PRIMARY REASON BUT THAT HAVE SECONDARY BENEFITS TO CLIMATE AIR QUALITY OZONE.
AND SO WE DO NEED TO TAKE THAT INTO CONSIDERATION AS WE'RE KIND OF REPORTING OUT ABOUT THE ACTIVITIES THAT WE'RE DOING TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE CAPTURING THOSE OTHER KIND OF ANCILLARY PROGRAMS THAT WERE DESIGNED FOR ANOTHER REASON BUT ARE HAVING
[01:10:01]
POSITIVE EFFECTS ON AIR QUALITY.>> TREVINO: I THINK -- AND TO THAT POINT, IT'S SIMPLY ABOUT THAT CONNECTIVITY.
AND THE PREVIOUSLY COUNCIL MEMBER WAS ASKING QUESTIONS ABOUT BASICALLY THE RETURN ON INVESTMENT, THE COST AND WHAT DOES THIS MEAN FOR US.
AND I THINK THAT WHEN WE CONNECT PEOPLE IN EVERY WAY POSSIBLE TO WHO RECEIVES THIS HIGH REFLECTIVE ROOF AT HOME NOW SEES, WAIT A MINUTE, THIS IS ACTUALLY SOMETHING THAT WORKS AND HELPS ME RIGHT IN MY OWN HOME.
IT'S, I GUESS I'M SIMPLY SAYING THIS IS A WAY TO ALSO EDUCATE OUR COMMUNITY ABOUT THE BENEFITS OF THOUGHTFUL DESIGN AND IMPLEMENTING THINGS THAT NEED TO HAPPEN REGARDLESS.
YOU KNOW, WE HAVE TO HAVE THESE IN PLACE.
AND IF WE'RE JUST SIMPLY SMARTER ABOUT THOSE CHOICES, THEY ADD TO THIS BENEFIT AND ADD TO YOUR MASTER PLAN.
YOU KNOW, TO ME, ROOFS, SIDEWALKS, AND TREES I THINK EDUCATE EVERYBODY ABOUT THE BENEFITS OF AIR QUALITY AND WHY REDUCING THE OVERALL AMBIENT AIR TEMPERATURE IN SAN ANTONIO IS SO IMPORTANT.
IT'S SO IMPORTANT, NOT JUST AS A CITY, BUT RIGHT THERE IN THEIR OWN HOME.
I WOULD LIKE US TO REALLY CONNECT THOSE PIECES BECAUSE WE TALK ABOUT -- WE SEE IT HERE.
WE HAVE LISTED THE TREE ORDINANCE, BUT WE KNOW ONE OF THE BIGGEST INFLUENCERS FOR PEOPLE TO REQUEST MORE TREES IS PEOPLE WHO GET NEW SIDEWALKS.
WHEN WE DO A ROOF PROJECT WE GIVE THEM NEW TREES AS WELL.
SO I GUESS I'M HOPEFUL THAT WE CAN EDUCATE PEOPLE ABOUT THE PROGRAMS WE ARE DOING NOW AND HOW WE HAVE QUANTIFIED THE AMOUNT OF HEAT THAT IS REDUCED WITH UTSA.
DR. LEE, A QUICK SHOUT OUT FOR HIS WORK BECAUSE HE HAS DEMONSTRATED THE IMMEDIATE IMPACT.
IT'S THE PEAK DEMAND RESPONSE THAT CPS HAS TO DEAL WITH ON A VERY HOT DAY THAT WE HAVE ALMOST FLATTENED OUT WITH THIS PASSIVE TECHNOLOGY.
AND SO I JUST WANT US TO EXPLORE THAT.
AND, OF COURSE, I HAVE TO SPEAK TO AN AREA THAT IS PROBABLY THE MOST BUILT OUT, THE CENTER CITY, DISTRICT 1 DOWNTOWN.
AND WE HAVE A LOT OF PARKING LOTS AND WE HAVE A LOT OF CITY-OWNED PROPERTY THAT WE REALLY NEED TO -- WE CAN START TO INVESTIGATE WAYS TO REDUCE THE HEAT ISLAND IMPACT THAT IS PRODUCED BY SIMPLY ADDING SOME HEAT MITIGATION STRATEGIES, SHADE DEVICES, MORE TREES.
TRULY COOLING DOWN DOWNTOWN BY AS MUCH AS 14 DEGREES BY SIMPLY, YOU KNOW, UNDERSTANDING THESE HEAT MITIGATION AND I BELIEVE YOU NEED ALL THE HELP YOU CAN GET, TO YOUR POINT.
YOU JUST -- YOU WANT TO GET ALL HANDS ON DECK AND I REALLY BELIEVE THAT WHEN IT COMES TO THE BUILT ENVIRONMENT, THIS IS ONE OF THOSE WE CAN BOTH REDUCE EMISSIONS BUT ALSO JUST SIMPLY REDUCE THE AIR TEMPERATURE IN A VERY SIGNIFICANT WAY.
>> DR. BRIDGER: I TOOK ALL SORTS OF NOTES.
>> TREVINO: THANK YOU, DR. BRIDGER.
>> MAYOR NIRENBERG: THANK YOU, COUNCILMAN TREVINO.
>> PELAEZ: DR. BRIDGER, EXCELLENT PRESENTATION.
I'LL TELL YOU THAT MY TAKEAWAY FROM THIS IS THAT NONE OF THIS HAPPENS WITHOUT THE PARTNERSHIP WITH AACOG.
AND THEY'RE AN ESSENTIAL COMPONENT OF MAKING SURE WE HIT OUR TARGETS HERE.
I THINK THAT NEVER BEFORE HAVE WE BEEN THE BENEFIT OF SUCH THOUGHTFUL AND STRONG LEADERSHIP AT AACOG AS WE ARE TODAY AND WE HAVE VERY BRAINY PEOPLE WHO ARE GOOD PARTNERS IN THIS.
>> THEY ARE EXCEPTIONAL PARTNERS.
>> PELAEZ: I WOULDN'T BE DOING MY JOB AS AN AACOG MEMBER IF I DIDN'T MENTION THAT.
I DO WANT TO REMIND YOU THAT THERE IS A DOCTOR, ERICA GONZALES, WHO IS GOING TO BE THE IN-COMING CHAIRWOMAN BUT SHE'S A RECOGNIZED EXPERT WHEN IT COMES TO RESPIRATORY MEDICINE AND ASTHMA AND ALLERGIES.
[01:15:01]
WEEK.>> PELAEZ: TO RECRUIT HER IN THIS EFFORT BECAUSE SHE'S GOT ACCESS TO A LOT OF FOLKS AS WELL, AND HER VOICE IS IMPORTANT.
SO JUST MAKING SURE THAT YOU AND I ARE BOTH ON THE SAME PAGE.
THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT IS TELLING US THAT IF WE DON'T HIT 70 THEY'LL KICK US IN THE TEETH.
>> PELAEZ: AND IT'S NOT JUST GOING TO COST US IT'S GOING TO COST LOCAL BUSINESSES AS WELL.
AND YOU'RE TELLING US THAT'S AN ATTAINABLE GOAL?
>> DR. BRIDGER: IT'S ALL-HANDS ON DECK BUT, YEAH.
>> PELAEZ: IN ORDER TO MAKE SURE TO AVOID MILLIONS OF DOLLARS OF COST TO US AND TO LOCAL BUSINESSES, WE'RE GOING TO SPEND CLOSE TO $400,000.
>> DR. BRIDGER: WE'LL QUANTIFY THAT BETTER BUT IT'S SIGNIFICANTLY LESS THAN THE PENALTIES WOULD BE.
>> WALSH: AND TO THE QUESTION, WE HAVE COUNTY FOLKS HERE, THERE'S RESOURCES.
THERE'S A LOT OF EFFORT AND I THINK IF WE PROBABLY PUT A DOLLAR AMOUNT TO ALL THAT TIME, THERE IS A COMMUNITY IMPACT HERE.
>> PELAEZ: SO, YOU KNOW, THE LOCAL BUSINESSES AND THE CHAMBERS AND ALL THAT, THEY SPEND A LOT OF MONEY AND RESOURCES ON ADVOCATING AND COMING AND LOBBYING US, RIGHT? HAS ANYBODY COME AND TOLD YOU PLEASE DON'T DO THIS?
>> PELAEZ: NOBODY FROM THE BUSINESS COMMUNITY HAS SAID THIS IS BAD FOR US?
>> PELAEZ: IN FACT, THE OPPOSITE IS TRUE.
>> DR. BRIDGER: EVERYBODY UNDERSTANDS IF WE DON'T FIX THIS PROBLEM WE UNDERSTAND EXACTLY WHAT THE CONSEQUENCES WILL BE.
>> PELAEZ: THEY HAVE COME BACK AND SAID AFFIRMATIVELY WE NEED TO BE A PART OF THE SOLUTION.
>> MAYOR NIRENBERG: THANK YOU, COUNCILMAN PELAEZ.
I JUST -- I HAD SIGNED UP BEFORE THE MAYOR AND MANNY, AND COUNCILMAN PELAEZ MENTIONED THE COST OF NOT MEETING THE 70 PARTS PER BILLION TARGET AND THE IMPLICATIONS OF THAT, NOT JUST TO DIRECT COST BUT ADDITIONAL REGULATIONS THAT WE WON'T HAVE THE ABILITY TO SAY NO TO.
>> SANDOVAL: RIGHT NOW WE CAN CHOOSE BUT IF WE DON'T GET TO 70 WE MAY HAVE TO DO SOMETHING LIKE VEHICLE INSPECTIONS OR A HOST OF OTHER NEW-SOURCE REVIEW AND A HOST OF OTHER REQUIREMENTS, WHICH ARE MORE CUMBERSOME THAN WHAT WE'RE CONSIDERING RIGHT NOW.
SO I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT POINT IS CLEAR.
NOW, WHEN IT COMES TO $400,000 AND SAVING 19 LIVES -- OR EXTENDING 19 LIVES, I THINK THAT'S A PRETTY GOOD DEAL.
AND I THINK THAT'S A GREAT INVESTMENT OF OUR FUNDS, IF WE'RE ABLE TO DO THAT.
AND I'LL JUST MENTION TO THE COUNCILMAN, THOSE STUDIES, THEY'RE ABSOLUTELY NOT EXACT.
THERE'S A LOT OF ESTIMATION THAT GOES INTO THEM.
AND I'VE HAD TO DO THEM FOR WORK AND FOR SCHOOL.
SO THEY'RE NOT EXACT BUT THEY'RE THE BEST ESTIMATE WE HAVE IF WE HAVE TO PUT SOME QUANTIFICATION ON WHAT IS THE HEALTH IMPACT, WHICH WE WANT TO KNOW, THEN WE TRY.
AND THAT'S HOW WE GET TO THOSE NUMBERS.
AND IT'S A GREAT READ, I GUARANTEE YOU.
AND THEN I ALSO JUST WANTED TO HIGHLIGHT -- I FORGOT TO MENTION THIS EARLIER.
BUT WHEN WE TALK ABOUT OZONE AND THE EFFECT THAT IT HAS ON CHILDREN AND EVEN THE ELDERLY, WE'RE TALKING ABOUT REDUCING THE ABILITY OF A FULL LUNG DEVELOPMENT IN CHILDREN WHEN THEY'RE EXPOSED TO OZONE, RIGHT? SO IF THEY'RE REGULARLY EXPOSED TO THAT THEIR LUNGS NEVER GROW TO BE AS BIG AS THEY WOULD HAVE BEEN OTHERWISE.
AND THAT'S A BIG DEAL, BECAUSE AS YOU GET OLDER, THEIR LUNG CAPACITY IS GOING TO BE EVEN SMALLER AND QUITE POSSIBLY SHORTEN THE LENGTH OF THEIR LIVES BECAUSE OF THAT EARLY EXPOSURE AS A CHILD.
SO I JUST THINK IT'S IMPORTANT TO REMEMBER THAT IT'S A VERY REAL HEALTH IMPACT.
AND, DR. BRIDGER, A MOMENT AGO YOU MENTIONED THAT WE WERE DECLINING IN TERMS OF OUR NUMBERS AND A LOT OF IT WAS DUE -- I THINK YOU SAID IT WAS ALL DUE TO VOLUNTARY --
>> DR. BRIDGER: LARGELY DUE TO VOLUNTARY.
THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO HAS IMPLEMENTED SOME ORDINANCES DESIGNED TO LOWER OZONE.
THE OTHER THING I WANT TO ADD IS THAT THERE'S A REGULATORY FRAMEWORK OUTSIDE OF THE CITY, AND THAT'S AT THE STATE AND FEDERAL LEVEL.
AND THERE HAVE BEEN FEDERAL REGULATIONS THAT TRICKLE DOWN TO US.
FOR EXAMPLE, THE CAR STANDARDS.
>> DR. BRIDGER: CAFE STANDARDS.
>> SANDOVAL: BECAUSE OUR CARS HAVE GOTTEN MORE EFFICIENT, THAT
[01:20:01]
MEANS WE'RE TURNING OVER INTO MUCH CLEANER CARS.SO WITHOUT THAT REGULATORY FRAMEWORK GOING ON AND CONTINUING TO ADVANCE AT THE FEDERAL LEVEL, THAT PUTS A GREATER BURDEN ON US TO HAVE LOCAL REGULATIONS TO HELP US MEET THAT LEVEL.
SO I THINK IT'S GREAT THAT WE ARE WEIGHING IN IN TERMS OF THE ADVOCACY AT THE FEDERAL LEVEL.
IF THOSE CAFE STANDARDS DON'T CONTINUE TO REDUCE, THEN WE LOSE THAT TOOL, NATURAL DECLINE THAT WE'RE SEEING IN OZONE NUMBERS.
WE MAY NOT CONTINUE TO SEE THAT.
SO THAT'S JUST WHAT I WANTED TO MENTION.
I UNDERSTAND THAT YOU'RE NOT GOING TO HAVE THE EXACT DOLLAR FIGURES FOR EVERY ONE OF THESE ORDINANCES RIGHT NOW, BECAUSE EACH OF THOSE HAS TO GO THROUGH THEIR OWN PROCESS FOR THAT TO HAPPEN.
AND WE SHOULDN'T HOLD UP ON ADOPTING THIS PLAN FOR THOSE.
I MEAN, THOSE WILL BE DEVELOPED WHEN THE TIME COMES.
AND I ALSO THINK WE SHOULD RECOGNIZE THE TIME THAT'S BEING DONATED IN KIND BY ALL THOSE PARTNERS THAT YOU MENTIONED.
IF YOU HAD TO QUANTIFY THE DOLLARS, I'M SURE IT'S COMPARABLE TO WHAT WE'RE SPENDING AS WELL.
>> DR. BRIDGER: PLEASE DON'T MAKE ME.
>> SANDOVAL: I THINK WE'RE NOT ALONE IN PUTTING IN MONEY FOR THIS AND IT IS A TEAM EFFORT.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH, DR. BRIDGER.
>> MAYOR NIRENBERG: THANK YOU, COUNCILWOMAN SANDOVAL.
DR. BRIDGER, I WOULD LOOKING AT THE PICTURE ON SLIDE 4.
AND AS I LOOK AT THAT IT'S KIND OF A SCARY PICTURE.
YOUR RECOMMENDATIONS RIGHT NOW ARE NOT MANDATING ANYBODY DOES ANYTHING TODAY.
CHANGE HOW THEY DRIVE OR WHERE THEY GO OR WHEN THEY CAN DRIVE OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT.
>> DR. BRIDGER: WE'RE ASKING THEM IF THEY WOULD PLEASE, ON DAYS WITH HIGH OZONE, LIMIT THE USE OF THEIR CAR OR DO SO EARLY IN THE MORNING OR LATE AT NIGHT.
>> COURAGE: SO IT'S EDUCATIONAL, IT'S OPTIONAL.
>> DR. BRIDGER: IT'S VOLUNTARY.
>> COURAGE: WE'RE NOT ASKING FACTORIES TO DO ANYTHING, TO SHUT DOWN, TO DO ANYTHING TO THE WAY THEY DO BUSINESS, WHETHER IT'S A FACTORY OR A BUSINESS THAT MANUFACTURES OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT?
FOR EXAMPLE, WE ARE INQUIRING THAT THEY WOULD BE WILLING TO NOT TEST THEIR GENERATORS, FOR EXAMPLE, ON HIGH-OZONE DAYS AT 2:00 IN THE AFTERNOON.
BUT WE'RE NOT TELLING THEM THAT THEY CAN'T.
WE'RE JUST EDUCATING THEM ABOUT THE BENEFITS OF THAT.
AND IT'S THE SAME WAY WITH PEOPLE NOT MOWING THEIR LAWN ON OZONE DAYS, THINGS LIKE THAT.
>> COURAGE: SO THERE REALLY ISN'T ANYTHING IN HERE BEYOND TRYING TO EDUCATE PEOPLE OF THEIR OPPORTUNITIES, EDUCATING THE BUSINESS COMMUNITY OF THEIR OPPORTUNITIES OF CONTRIBUTING TO LOWERING THE NOX AND THE VOCS AND HELPING TO LOWER OUR THRESHOLD TO BELOW 70.
AND THERE ARE SOME OTHER EDUCATIONAL PLANS AND OUTREACH TO HELP PEOPLE UNDERSTAND THAT AS PART OF THIS PLAN, RIGHT?
AND I HOPE THAT WE'RE VERY SUCCESSFUL IN INFORMING THE COMMUNITY ABOUT THE ADVANTAGES TO KIND OF LOOKING AT THESE GUIDELINES AND FOLLOWING THEM.
>> MAYOR NIRENBERG: THANK YOU, COUNCILMAN COURAGE.
THANK YOU, DR. BRIDGER SO MUCH.
ON THE CURRENT INTERNAL OPERATIONS -- NOT THE INTERNAL OPERATIONS, BUT OUR CURRENT POLICIES.
CAN YOU SEND, PLEASE, THAT SLIDE? SLIDE 15.
I KNOW THE TREE ORDINANCE, WE'VE HAD IT FOR A VERY LONG TIME AND WE'VE DONE A LOT OF WORK ON THAT, BUT COULD YOU SEND JUST THE DATES OF WHEN THOSE POLICIE, PLEASE?
>> VIAGRAN: THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
>> MAYOR NIRENBERG: THANK YOU, COUNCILWOMAN VIAGRAN.
[Executive Session]
GREAT JOB.WE LOOK FORWARD TO THE UPDATE.
WE DO HAVE NOW AN EXECUTIVE SESSION.
THE TIME IS NOW 3:32 P.M. ON THIS 20TH DAY OF MARCH, 2019.
PURSUANT TO THE AUTHORITY GRANTED BY CHAPTER 551 IN THE TEXAS GOVERNMENT CODE, TEXAS OPEN MEETINGS ACT, THE CITY COUNCIL WILL NOW RECESS INTO EXECUTIVE SESSION TO DISCUSS ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT NEGOTIATIONS PURSUANT TO TEXAS GOVERNMENT CODE SECTION 551.087, THE PURCHASE, EXCHANGE, LEASE, OR VALUE OF REAL PROPERTY PURSUANT TO TEXAS GOVERNMENT CODE SECTION 551.072, REAL PROPERTY.
LEGAL ISSUES RELATED TO COLLECTIVE BARGAINING PURSUANT TO TEXAS GOVERNMENT CODE SECTION 551.071,
[01:25:02]
>> MAYOR NIRENBERG: GOOD AFTERNOON.
IF YOU COULD BEGIN TO TAKE YOUR SEATS, WE'LL GO AHEAD AND GET STARTED.
CITY COUNCIL IS RECONVENED FROM ITS EXECUTIVE SESSION.
[Ceremonial Recognitions]
ALL RIGHT.WELCOME, EVERYONE, TO OUR CHAMBERS.
AND OUR CEREMONIAL AGENDA FOR THIS EVENING.
WE HAVE THREE CEREMONIAL ITEMS ON THE AGENDA THIS EVENING.
I'LL START WITH THE FIRST WHICH IS THE COMPASSIONATE SAN ANTONIO AWARDS.
THE MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL WILL HONOR AREA RESIDENTS WHO REPRESENTS SAN ANTONIO'S COMPASSIONATE S.A. VALUES.
THE PURPOSE OF THE AWARD IS TO RECOGNIZE INDIVIDUALS OR GROUPS WHO SERVE OUR COMMUNITY THROUGH ACT OF KINDNESS AND COMPASSION MAKING A DIFFERENCE IN THE LIVES OF OTHERS.
THESE RESIDENTS PERFORMED GOOD DEEDS AND IMPACTED LIVES OF OTHERS IN A VERY POSITIVE WAY.
SO I'LL GO AHEAD NOW AND START WITH TODAY'S EDITION OF THE COMPASSIONATE SAN ANTONIO AWARDS.
SARAH WILL COME IN AND ASSIST ME IN JUST A MOMENT.
THE SAN ANTONIO COMPASSIONATE SAN ANTONIAN AWARDS ARE AN OPPORTUNITY FOR THE MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL TO HONOR AREA RESIDENTS WHO DEMONSTRATE SAN ANTONIO'S COMPASSIONATE S.A.
TODAY WE HAVE A SPECIAL EDITION OF THE COMPASSIONATE SAN ANTONIO AWARDS.
REVEREND ANN HELMKE HAS NOMINATED SEVERAL CONGREGATIONS.
THE MAJORITY OF WHICH ARE LOCATED IN DISTRICT 3.
THEY ENTERED INTO A COLLABORATION IN JANUARY 2018 AND SHARED EARTH TO MEETING THE NEEDS OF THE HUNGRY AND HOMELESS IN THEIR NEIGHBORHOODS.
WORKING IN CLOSE PROXIMITY, THEY'VE MADE GREAT STRIDES WITH BROADCAST ].
AT THIS TIME I WOULD LIKE TO WELCOME REVEREND ANN HELMKE ON WHAT THESE CONGREGATIONS WHO HAVE BEEN ABLE TO COME TOGETHER FOR A COMMON COMPASSIONATE PURPOSE.
FIRST OF ALL, I JUST WANT TO NOTE, THAT WEDNESDAY NIGHT IS CHURCH NIGHT.
>> SO NEVER DOUBT THE PEOPLE OF FAITH IN SAN ANTONIO AREN'T INVOLVED AND ENGAGED, BECAUSE MY GUESS IS BY THE TIME TONIGHT IS OVER, YOU'LL NOTICE THAT ALL OF THE PEOPLE HERE ARE FROM CONGREGATIONS.
THIS GROUP CAME TOGETHER AS A PILOT PROJECT OUT OF THE FAITH-BASED INITIATIVE, JANUARY 30TH OF 2018.
WHEN THEY FIRST GATHERED, ABOUT 15 CONGREGATIONS TOOK A LOOK AT THIS MAP THAT DESCRIBED AND BLOCKED OUT WHERE THE GAPS ARE IN SERVICE, OF THE WORK THAT THEY'RE DOING, AND IN ABOUT FIVE MINUTES THEY RECOGNIZED THAT, OH, MY GOSH, WE NEED MORE FOOD PANTRIES, AND THAT WAS THE BEGINNING.
SO MUCH HAS HAPPENED IN THIS LAST YEAR.
MOST OF THESE CONGREGATIONS DIDN'T KNOW EACH OTHER BEFORE.
BUT THEIR WHOLE INITIATIVE WAS TO BECOME RESOURCING CENTERS IN THEIR NEIGHBORHOOD.
WE HAVE ONE CONGREGATION, I DON'T EVEN KNOW HOW MANY PASTOR JORGE HAS, BUT EVERYTHING FROM DAY CARE TO FUNERAL ARRANGEMENTS BROADCAST ].
TO SUPPORT GROUPS OF EVERY KIND.
ONE CONGREGATION FOUND OUT ABOUT HOW IMPORTANT I.D. RECOVERIES ARE, AND THROUGH VOLUNTEERS I.D.
RECOVERY, AND THEY AVERAGE ABOUT ONE A DAY.
IF YOU FIGURE THAT OUT, THAT'S ABOUT 400 I.D. RECOVERIES IN THE LAST YEAR.
THEY HAVE SINCE SET UP A HALF A DOZEN OTHER I.D. RECOVERY LOCATIONS IN OTHER CONGREGATIONS THROUGHOUT THE CITY AND DISTRICTS.
FOUR NEW FOOD PANTRIES WENT IN THE VERY FIRST MONTH, AND WE ESTIMATE A GOOD 700 FAMILIES ARE NOW BEING FED THAT WERE NOT BEING FED BEFORE.
EACH OF THESE CONGREGATIONS KIND OF FINDS OUT WHAT THEIR HIGHEST SKILL-SET IS AND THEN THEY WORK TOGETHER.
SO ANOTHER CONGREGATION, SOME OF THEIR SKILL-SETS ARE EDUCATION, AND THEY PROVIDE FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT CLASSES.
AND IN THE FIRST MONTH, LAST FEBRUARY, A YEAR AGO, THEY GRADUATED 60 RESIDENTS IN THAT MANAGEMENT P CLASS.
THOSE FOOD PANTRIES ARE EVERYTHING FROM ON-SITE TO D DRIVE-BY FOOD BOXES TO A MOBILE UNIT TO AN ENGAGEMENT WITH THE FOOD BANK AS WELL.
ANOTHER ONE, I HOPE THEY'RE HERE TONIGHT, BUT I KNOW MANY OF YOU KNOW ABOUT PROJECT COOL THAT COLLECTS BOX FANS IN THE SUMMER.
[01:30:02]
YOU KNOW WHAT? WE CAN DO BETTER THAN THAT.SO THEY WENT BACK TO THEIR CONGREGATION, FIGURED OUT WHO IN THEIR CONGREGATION NEEDED BOX FANS.
THEY COLLECTED SO MANY, THAT THEY WENT AROUND THE CONGREGATION IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD KNOCKING ON DOORS AND ASKED WHO NEEDED BOX FANS THERE.
AND THEN THEY TOOK THE REMAINDER TO THE FIRE DEPARTMENT, LIKE EVERYBODY ELSE DID.
IF WE START TO REPLICATE LIKE THAT, IT WILL MAKE ALL THE DIFFERENCE IN THE WORLD.
AND THAT'S HOW THIS HAS REALLY BEEN GROWING, ONE PERSON TO ANOTHER, SO WE HAVE ONE CONGREGATION HERE FROM DISTRICT 2, AND THEY SAW WHAT WAS HAPPENING IN DISTRICT 3, AND NOW THEY'VE ALSO GOT THREE MORE CONGREGATIONS WORKING WITH THEM IN DISTRICT 2.
IT WORKS FROM ONE COUNCIL PERSON TO ANOTHER, SO COUNCILWOMAN VIAGRAN AS WELL AS COUNCILMAN BROCKHOUSE FROM DISTRICT 6, HE REPLICATED IT THERE.
AND ALSO, THE CLERMY ARE GOING, HEY, WAIT A MINUTE, HOW ABOUT THIS.
SO DISTRICT 1 A GROUP OF CLERGY CAME TOGETHER AND SAID WE WANT THAT MAP AND WE WANT TO START DOING SOMETHING, AND DISTRICT 8 HAS DONE THAT AS WELL.
SO I OFFER ALL OF THIS FOR YOU TO KNOW THAT THE COMMUNITY OF FAITH IN SAN ANTONIO IS HERE.
BE CAREFUL WHAT YOU PRAY FOR, RIGHT? [APPLAUSE]
>> MAYOR NIRENBERG: THANK YOU, REVEREND HELMKE.
AT THIS TIME I WOULD LIKE TO CALL UP THE INDIVIDUAL CONGREGATIONS TO RECEIVE A CERTIFICATE.
AND I'D ASK MY COLLEAGUES IN DISTRICT 3 AND DISTRICT 2, IF THEY WOULD LIKE TO JOIN ME HERE FOR A PHOTO.
WE'LL START WITH BAPTIST TEMPLE CHURCH.
>> MAYOR NIRENBERG: RIGHT IN THE MIDDLE.
>> MAYOR NIRENBERG: ALL RIGHT, OUR NEXT CONGREGATION IS BROOK HILL BAPTIST CHURCH.
[APPLAUSE] IS BROOK HILL HERE? OH, OKAY.
>> MAYOR NIRENBERG: ALL RIGHT.
CHURCH OF JESUS CHRIST OF LATTER DAY SAINTS.
[01:35:01]
[APPLAUSE] [APPLAUSE] [APPLAUSE]>> MAYOR NIRENBERG: EPWORTH UNITED METHODIST CHURCH.
[APPLAUSE] DO WE HAVE EPWORTH HERE?
[01:40:26]
>> MAYOR NIRENBERG: GOOD NEWS LUTHERAN CHURCH.
>> MAYOR NIRENBERG: HIGHLAND HILLS SEVENTH DAY ADD VEADVENTI.
>> MAYOR NIRENBERG: NEW LIFE BAPTIST CHURCH.
>> LAST BUT NOT LEAST, TRINITY LUTHERAN CHURCH.
[01:46:32]
>> MAYOR NIRENBERG: ALL RIGHT.
WE HAVE LOTS MORE TO CELEBRATE AND WE'LL START WITH THE SECOND CEREMONIAL ITEM TODAY WHICH IS A CITATION FOR MISS TEXAS U.S.A.
ALIA BENEVIDEZ, A PROUD SAN ANTONIO NATIVE WAS CROWNED MISS TEXAS U.S.A. 2019 AND WILL BE REPRESENTING TEXAS AT THE NATIONAL MISS U.S.A.
SHE'S AN AVID LEADER, LOVES WRITING LITERATURE AND POETRY.
THIS PASSION HELPED HER CREATE CAMPAIGN WHICH ENCOURAGES SCHOOL CHILDREN ACROSS THE NATION IN READING, WRITING AND GOAL SETTING.
SHE LOOKS FORWARD TO RECEIVING A PH.D., BECOMING AN IVY LEAGUE PROFESSOR AND A PUBLISHED AUTHOR.
SHE BELIEVES THAT TEACHING AT THE COLLEGIATE LEVEL IS THE BEST WAY FOR HER TO FOCUS ON THE AREAS THAT SHE TRULY LOVES, AND SO I'D LIKE TO PRESENT ALIA WITH THIS CERTIFICATE, A CITATION IN RECOGNITION OF WINNING THE MISS TEXAS U.S.A. 2019 TITLE.
YOUR POISE AND ELEGANCE COUPLED WITH YOUR EXPRESSIVENESS AND DISTINCTIVE BEAUTY IS TESTAMENT TO YOUR CROWNING VICTORY RI.
THIS WILL SERVE AS AN EXCELLENT OPPORTUNITY FOR ADVANCING YOUR CAREER AND PERSONAL GOALS AND HEIGHTENING YOUR READ THE WAY CAMPAIGN.
NOW, THEREFORE, I, RON NIRENBERG, MAYOR OF THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO AND ON BEHALF OF THE CITY COUNCIL PROUDLY EXTEND CONGRATULATIONS TO YOU ON THIS OUTSTANDING ACHIEVEMENT AND OFFER BEST WISHES FOR MAN MORE YEARS OF SUCCESS.
[APPLAUSE] [APPLAUSE] CONGRATULATIONS, ALIAA.
[01:50:01]
RECOGNITION OF CESAR E.[APPLAUSE] THE 23RD ANNUAL CESAR E.
CHAVEZ MARCH FOR JUSTICE WILL BE BE HELD ON SATURDAY, MARCH 30, 2019, THOUSANDS OF CITIZENS WILL COME TOGETHER TO CELEBRATE THE LEGACY OF AN OUTSTANDING AMERICAN.
CESAR CHAVEZ FOUNDED THE NATIONAL FARMWORKERS ASSOCIATION AND PERS VEEFD TO ENSURE FARMERS RECEIVE BENEFITS AND THAT INDIVIDUALS WOULD NOT HAVE TO I HAVE L OR WORK IN UNDESIRABLE CONDITIONS.
AND SO WE HAVE MR. ERNEST MARTINEZ TO ACCEPT THE PROCLAMATION, WHICH I WILL READ NOW.
WHEREAS CESAR E. CHAVEZ LEGACY AND EDUCATIONAL FOUNDATION WILL HOST THE 23RD ANNUAL CESAR E. CHAVEZ MARCH FOR JUSTICE ON MARCH 30, 2019 TO COMMEMORATE THE LIFE OF AN OUTSTANDING AMERICAN WHO BATTLED FOR ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL JUSTICE AND WHEREAS CESAR E. CHAVEZ, A MAN OF HUMBLE GUNGS FOUNDED THE NARCOTIC FARMWORKERS ASSOCIATION IN 19612 TO BRING DIGNITY AND RESPECT TO FARMWORKERS AND ENSURE THAT NO ONE WOULD HAVE TO LIVE OR WORK IN UNDESIRABLE CONDITIONS, AND WHEREAS HIS INFLUENCE EXTENDED FAR BEYOND AGRICULTURE AND THROUGH HIS PERSEVERANCE, FARMWORKERS RECEIVED BENEFITS AND LAWS WERE ENACTED TO PROTECT THEM BEFORE THE COURTS, AND WHEREAS THE LATE JAMIE P.
MARTINEZ FOUNDED THE MARCH FOR JUSTICE TO ENERGIZE PEOPLE WITH THE POWER OF CIVIC ENGAGEMENT AND TO PROVIDE A BEAUTIFUL TRADITION FOR ALL CITIZENS TO ENJOY TODAY AND FOR GENERATIONS TO COME.
NOW THEREFORE I, RON NIRENBERG, MAYOR OF THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO IN RECOGNITION THEREOF TWO CLAIM MARCH 30, 2019 TO BE CESAR E. CHAVEZ MARCH FOR JUSTICE AND PEACE DAY.
THANK YOU, MAYOR, MEMBERS OF CITY COUNCIL, I CAN'T BELIEVE WE'RE CELEBRATING 23 YEARS.
IT'S BEEN -- THERE'S BEEN A LONG HISTORY HERE IN SAN ANTONIO.
AS WE ALL KNOW IN OUR CITY, WHEN IT COMES TO RECOGNIZING OUR HEROES IN SAN ANTONIO WE DO IT RIGHT, WHETHER IT BE OUR MILITARY VETERANS OR RECOGNIZING A GREAT ICON IN DR. KING WE DO IT RIGHT AND WE'LL DO IF RIGHT ON SATURDAY, MARCH 30 FOR CESAR CHAVEZ.
THIS YEAR'S THEME IS VOICES AND VOTES FOR EDUCATION, SOCIAL JUSTICE AND EQUALITY, AND ONE OF THE THINGS THAT MY FATHER WHEN HE STARTED THIS MARCH WITH MANY OTHER LEADERS HERE LOCALLY IN SAN ANTONIO, WAS ALSO AT THE CORE OF THAT WAS EDUCATION.
SO WE AT THE FOUNDATION ARE COMMITTED TO THAT AND MAKING SURE THAT WE CELEBRATE A GREAT HUMANITARIAN IN CESAR CHAVEZ.
A GREAT ANNOUNCEMENT TODAY, THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO FOR THE FIRST TIME, FOR THE MARCH, VIA IS GOING TO OFFER FREE PARK AND RIDE FOR THE CESAR CHAVEZ MARCH FROM THE ALAMODOME AND FROM UTSA DOWNTOWN.
[APPLAUSE] SO WE'RE THANKFUL TO VIA, WE'RE THANKFUL TO THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO AND ALSO OUR FRIENDS OVER AT BEXAR COUNTY WHO HELPED MAKE THAT POSSIBLE, AND OF COURSE WE START EVERY YEAR IN THE HEART OF THE WEST SIDE DISTRICT 5, COUNCILMAN SHIRLEY GONZALES, THANK YOU FOR YOUR LEADERSHIP AND YOUR SUPPORT OVER THE YEARS, AND OF COURSE EVERYONE HERE ON THE COUNCIL.
SO THANK YOU, MAYOR, AND MEMBERS OF CITY COUNCIL.
[APPLAUSE] JUST ONE LAST NOTE.
ON YOUR -- ON THE DAIS THERE YOU SHOULD SEE A POSTER, THE YES WE CAN CAMPAIGN.
LET'S MAKE IT A DAY OF GIVING BACK.
WE COLLABORATED WITH THE SAN ANTONIO FOOD BANK WHERE WE CAN GIVE BACK TO OUR COMMUNITY.
WE ALL KNOW SPANISH], YES, WE CAN FOR THE DAY OF THE MARCH.
PLEASE BRING YOUR CANNED GOODS.
THE SAN ANTONIO FOOD BANK WILL BE THERE READY TO RECEIVE YOUR CANNED GOODS.
WE'LL MOVE ON TO COUNCIL MEMBER COMMENTS.
>> THANK YOU, MAYOR, AND I JUST WANT TO -- I SAY I'M EXCITED ABOUT THE MARCH 30 MARCH.
THERE IS SO MUCH TO THINK ABOUT WHEN WE CONSIDER WHY IT IS THAT WE MARCH AND THE FACT THAT THIS IS 23 YEARS IN, YOUR FATHER, OF COURSE, LAYING THE LEGACY, AND YOU TRAIL BLAZING PAST WITH THE CONTINUED SUPPORT OF WHAT THE MOST IMPORTANT ELEMENT IS TO ANY SOCIAL MOVEMENT, ANY SOCIAL CHANGE, AND IT'S REMINISCENT OF WHAT I SEE WHEN I LOOK OUT IN THE AUDIENCE TODAY, WHICH IS PEOPLE AND THE VOICES THAT YOU ARE LIFTING UP IN PURSUIT OF JUSTICE.
AND IT EVOLVES OVER TIME AND TAKES ON ISSUES, AND YOU REMIND US EVERY SINGLE TIME YEAR IN AND YEAR OUT ABOUT PAYING TRIBUTE TO THE LEADERS WHO UNDERSTOOD JUSTICE IN THEIR TIME AND REMINDED LEADERS TODAY ABOUT OUR RESPONSIBILITY TO JUSTICE AND THE IMPORTANT ELEMENT, THE FUEL OF THOSE MOVEMENTS, WHICH IS PEOPLE.
AND I'M CERTAIN WE'RE GOING TO SEE THOUSANDS AND THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE AT THIS MARCH BEHIND JUSTICE, AND WE HAVE YOU TO THANK, ERNEST.
THANKS FOR CARRYING THE TORCH FOR YOUR FATHER AND
[01:55:01]
FOR THE ORGANIZATION.>> PELAEZ: ERNEST, I'M SITTING UP HERE THINKING ABOUT YOUR DAD AND I FEEL MY TEAR DUCTS GETTING ACTIVATED.
I WANT YOU TO KNOW THAT I LOVED YOUR FATHER VERY VERY MUCH.
HE WAS ONE OF MY HEROES, AND YOUR DAD TAUGHT ME HOW TO DO SOMETHING VERY POWERFUL, AND THAT IS HOW TO SHOW MY CHILDREN WHAT LEADERSHIP LOOKS LIKE.
AND MAX AND SOPHIA HAVE BEEN AT YOUR MARCH A NUMBER OF TIMES AND MAX AND SOPHIA WERE AT THE BIKE GIVE AWAY AND THEY WERE AT THE THANKSGIVING AND CHRISTMAS EVENTS, AND ONE OF THE THINGS THAT YOUR DAD TAUGHT ALL OF US AND I THINK IT'S ONE THING THAT I HOPE IS NEVER FORGOTTEN IS THAT NO IS SOMETHING PEOPLE WILL TELL YOU, BUT YOU DON'T HAVE TO ACCEPT IT, AND YOUR DAD WAS A FORCE OF NATURE, AND JUST THROUGH SHEER WILLPOWER HE GOT AMAZING THINGS DONE.
ASIDE FROM THE FACT THAT HE'S ONE OF MY FAVORITE TRUMPET PLAYERS EVER, YOUR DAD WAS ALSO A VERY SWEET MAN, AND I KNOW THAT HE AND I SAT DOWN MANY, MANY TIMES TALKING ABOUT WHAT WILL HAPPEN TO THIS ORGANIZATION ONCE HE PASSES, AND TOWARDS THE END OF HIS LIFE ALL HE WOULD TALK ABOUT IS HOW PROUD HE IS OF YOU AND YOUR EFFORT.
AND SO TODAY, I KNOW YOUR POP IS LOOKING DOWN AND, YOU KNOW, AT ALL OF YOU WHO ARE STANDING NEXT TO ERNEST RIGHT NOW, AND ERNEST AND, YOU KNOW, HE'S GIVING YOU ALL THE THUMBS-UP, BUT ALSO HE'S, YOU KNOW, PROBABLY WORRIED THAT YOU'RE SPENDING MORE TIME HERE THAN ACTUALLY MAKING THE PHONE CALLS AND GETTING THE THINGS ORGANIZED FOR THE MARCH.
[LAUGHTER] AND SO CONGRATULATIONS, GUYS.
I'M SO IMPRESSED AND I'M SO HONORED TO BE A PART OF JUST A LITTLE BIT -- A LITTLE PART OF YOUR SUCCESS.
WELL, THANK YOU, WE ARE ALL LOOKING FORWARD TO THE MARCH AGAIN.
ON MARCH 30, THEY MARCH FOR JUSTICE, CESAR E. CHAVEZ MARCH FOR JUSTICE.
WE'VE BENEFIT MARCHING NOW FOR 23 YEARS AND EVERY YEAR THAT I'VE BEEN THERE THE WEATHER HAS BEEN GREAT, AND SO WE HAD GREAT CROWDS, AND WE HOPE TO GROW THAT CROWD EVEN MORE WITH VIA'S PARK AND RIDE SERVICE.
SO WE MAKE IT EASY FOR EVERYONE TO GET THERE.
IS IT FREE, THE PARK AND RIDE --
THAT'S IMPORTANT INFORMATION FOR EVERYONE TO KNOW, THAT IT WILL BE FREE PARK AND RIDE SERVICE, SO COME ON DOWN TO THIS YEAR'S MARCH FOR JUSTICE.
WE WERE ABLE TO GIVE MORE FUNDING THIS YEAR TO THE MARCH TO HELP WITH COORDINATED EFFORTS, MARKETING, AND WHATEVER IT IS THAT YOU ALL NEEDED TO HELP THE MARCH GROW.
SO WE ARE LOOKING FORWARD TO SEEING EVERYONE OUT THERE, RAIN OR SHINE.
SO WE PRAY FOR GREAT WEATHER, AND I'LL LOOK FORWARD TO SEEING EVERYBODY IN THIS AUDIENCE THAT CAN WALK THE 2.5 MILES TO THE MARCH TO KEEP IN MIND ALL THE WORK THAT CESAR E.
THE LOUCHAK CONTINUES AND WE'LL HOPE TO SEE YOU THERE ON MARCH THE 30TH.
>> SO I SAY SPANISH] JAIME MARTINEZ.
WE'LL SEE YOU ALL ON SATURDAY.
>> COURAGE: THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR.
I JUST WANT TO ADD MY CONGRATULATIONS.
I KNOW ALL OF YOU HERE HAVE BEEN INVOLVED FOR MANY, MANY YEARS ON THIS GREAT PROJECT AND CONTINUE TO BE INVOLVED, AND OF COURSE YOUR DAD WAS SUCH A GREAT LEADER FOR THIS ORGANIZATION FOR SO MANY YEARS, AND ERNEST, I'M SO HAPPY TO SEE THAT YOU'VE STEPPED UP AND THAT YOU'RE CONTINUING THAT TRADITION.
AND I KNOW THAT THIS IS REALLY BECOMING AN IMPORTANT CULTURAL AND CIVIC PART OF THE COMMUNITY IN SAN ANTONIO, AND SO I'D JUST LIKE TO ENCOURAGE YOU TO CONTINUE AND ENCOURAGE ALL SAN ANTONIANS TO JOIN IN THE MARCH, AND ENJOY THE IDEA THAT WE'RE ALL MARCHING FOR JUSTICE.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR CONTINUED GOOD WORK.
>> TREVINO: THANK YOU, MAYOR PRO TEM.
AND I TOO JUST WANT TO ECHO THE SENTIMENTS, ERNEST, GREAT WORK.
GREAT WAY TO CARRY ON AN INCREDIBLE LEGACY HERE IN OUR CITY.
IT'S A WONDERFUL MARCH AND OF COURSE WE HAVE -- LOOKS LIKE WE HAVE A PACKED ROOM HERE, AND OF COURSE I THINK EVERYBODY IN THIS ROOM IS INVITED TO COME OUT MARCH 30 TO JOIN THIS HISTORIC MARCH, IT'S SOMETHING THAT WE'RE ALL VERY, VERY PROUD OF TO HAVE HERE IN SAN ANTONIO.
THANK YOU AGAIN FOR THIS LEGACY, FOR THIS INCREDIBLE OPPORTUNITY TO CELEBRATE SOMEONE SO SPECIAL TO US, AND OF COURSE THE LEGACY YOU'RE CARRYING ON FOR YOUR FATHER.
YES, I LIKE THE WAY YOU STARTED OFF YOUR TALK ABOUT OTHER MARCHES, YOU KNOW?
[02:00:02]
THERE'S -- THERE'S OTHER MARCHES HERE IN SAN ANTONIO AND ACROSS THE U.S., AND THIS IS A NEW ONE TO SHOW SOLIDARITY AND MARCHES FOR JUSTICE HERE ACROSS THE U.S., AND PARTICULARLY HERE IN SAN ANTONIO WHERE WE HAVE THE LARGEST MARCHES, RIGHT? AND WANT TO CONTINUE THAT.SO LOOK FORWARD TO A GREAT DAY AND GREAT SUNSHINE.
>> AND AT THIS POINT I HAVE THE PRIVILEGE OF SAYING THAT MR. ERNEST MARTINEZ IS A RESIDENT IN DISTRICT 7 AND WE'VE BEEN PLANNING THIS MARCH ALL YEAR LONG, RIGHT?
>> NO, BUT THANK YOU ALL VERY MUCH FOR YOUR WORK, AND I THINK, MAYOR, WHEN YOU OPENED UP AND YOU SPOKE ABOUT THIS, YOU REALLY REMINDED US, CESAR CHAVEZ WAS A HUGE LEADER, AND I TOLD YOU, ERNIE, ABOUT IN COLLEGE EVERYTHING I LEARNED AND HOW I STOPPED EATING GRAPES AND ALL OF THAT BECAUSE OF THE PESTICIDES.
BUT IT'S NOT JUST ABOUT ONE MAN, RIGHT? IT'S REALLY ABOUT A MOVEMENT, AND THAT'S OUR LABOR MOVEMENT.
AND I THINK WE NEED TO REMEMBER WHEN WE'RE MARCHING THAT DAY, WHAT DOES THAT MEAN TODAY FOR OUR WORKERS HERE IN SAN ANTONIO AND BEYOND, THAT WE NEED TO REMEMBER TO PROVIDE THEM WHAT'S FAIR, WHAT'S JUST, AND A BETTER WORKING CONDITION ALWAYS.
>> MAYOR NIRENBERG: THANK YOU.
WELL, AND ERNEST, AND TO THE WHOLE FOUNDATION, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR CONTINUING AN IMPORTANT TRADITION SET MANY YEARS AGO NOW AT THIS POINT, BUT I WAS -- WE'VE BEEN THROUGH SOME BUMPS IN THE ROAD ALONG THE WAY, BUT ONE THING WAS VERY CLEAR, EVERY SINGLE YEAR THE MARCH GETS BIGGER.
AND SO I AM REMINDED THAT THE MARCH THAT WE CONDUCT, THAT WE PARTICIPATE IN IS ABOUT REMEMBERING, NUMBER ONE, THE ACCOMPLISHMENTS THAT HAVE PAVED THE WAY FOR US TO HAVE MORE EQUAL SOCIAL JUSTICE AND WORKERS' RIGHTS AND ALL OF THE INJUSTICES THAT WE'VE DEFEATED.
BUT IT'S ALSO A REMEMBRANCE THAT WE HAVE A LONG WAY TO GO.
AND SO AS WE WALK THROUGHOUT THE REST OF THE YEAR, BUT CERTAINLY ON THE DAY, WE WILL NOTE THAT THE MISSION IS NOT OVER, THAT THE MARCH CONTINUES, AND THAT WE HAVE ALL OF THE POWER WITHIN THE PEOPLE WHO DEMONSTRATE THAT EVERY DAY.
SO THANK YOU VERY MUCH, ERNEST.
[02:05:38]
>> MAYOR, BEFORE YOU GET STARTED WITH THE PUBLIC HEARING, COUNCILMAN PERRY AND COUNCILMAN VIAGRAN NEED TO LEAVE FOR A PUBLIC -- A NEIGHBORHOOD MEETING.
THANK YOU, EVERYONE, FOR YOUR PATIENCE.
[2. Public Hearing for Substantial Amendment #1 to the FY 2019 Action Plan and Budget to reprogram Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) Funds in an amount not to exceed $2,701,242.90 to the following eligible activities consistent with the Five Year Consolidated Plan; (a) up to $1,300,000.00 for Zarzamora Service Center Environmental Remediation; (b) up to $500,000.00 for the Air Conditioning Partnership for Public Housing Residents; (c) up to $250,000.00 for House of Neighborly Services Facility Improvements; (d) up to $200,000.00 for East Meadows Infrastructure Improvements; (e) up to $200,000.00 for the Short-Term Emergency Rental Assistance Program; and (f) up to $251,242.90 for Public Infrastructure Improvements Supplemental Funding. [Peter Zanoni, Deputy City Manager; Verónica R. Soto, Director, Neighborhood and Housing Services]]
AGENDA FOR THIS EVENING.WE DO HAVE ONE PUBLIC HEARING THAT'S TIME CERTAIN, A LITTLE LESS TIME CERTAIN NOW, BUT THE PUBLIC HEARING FOR SUBSTANTIAL AMENDMENT NO. 1 TO THE FY 2019 ACTION PLAN AND PROGRAM COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT BLOCK GRANT FUNDS IS NOW OPEN.
ALL PERSONS WISHING TO EXPRESS THEIR VIEWS MAY DO SO.
COMMENTS MUST BE LIMITED TO MATTERS REGARDING SUBSTANTIAL AMENDMENT.
EACH PERSON WILL HAVE THREE MINUTES AND EACH GROUP WILL HAVE UP TO NINE MINUTES TO EXPRESS THEIR VIEWS.
MENTION OF ANY OTHER MATTER OR SUBJECT MAY RESULT IN TERMINATION OF THE SPEAKER'S PRESENTATION.
AGAIN, THIS IS JUST THE PUBLIC HEARING ON THE CDBG AMENDMENT.
WE'LL BEGIN WITH REGULARLY SCHEDULED CITIZENS TO BE HEARD AS SOON AS THIS PUBLIC HEARING IS DONE.
SO I'LL BEGIN NOW WITH THE PRESENTATION -- ACTUALLY, DO WE HAVE A PRESENTATION? NO PRESENTATION.
I'LL ASK THE CLERK TO READ THE CAPTION ON THE CDBG AMENDMENT.
ITEM NO. 2 IS A PUBLIC HEARING FOR SUBSTANTIAL AMENDMENT NO. 1 TO THE FISCAL YEAR 2019 ACTION PLAN AND BUDGET TO REPROGRAM COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT BLOCK GRANT FUNDS, CDBG FUNDS, IN AN AMOUNT NOT TO EXCEED $2,701,242.90, TO THE FOLLOWING ELIGIBLE ACTIVITIES CONSISTENT WITH THE FIVE-YEAR CONSOLIDATED PLAN.
ITEM A, UP TO 1.3 MILLION FOR ZARZAMORA SERVICE CENTER ENVIRONMENTAL REMEDIATION.
ITEM B, UP TO $500,000 FOR THE AIR-CONDITIONING PARTNERSHIP FOR PUBLIC HOUSING RESIDENTS.
ITEM NO. C, UP TO $250,000 FOR THE HOUSE OF NEIGHBORLY SERVICES FACILITY IMPROVEMENTS.
ITEM D, UP TO $200,000 FOR THE EAST MEADOWS INFRASTRUCTURE IMPROVEMENTS.
ITEM E, UP TO 200,000 FOR THE SHORT-TERM EMERGENCY RENTAL ASSISTANCE PROGRAM.
AND ITEM F, UP TO $251,242,000.90 FOR PUBLIC INFRASTRUCTURE IMPROVEMENTS SUPPLEMENTAL FUNDING.
THERE ARE A FEW CITIZENS SIGNED UP TO SPEAK ON THE PUBLIC HEARING.
I'LL CALL THE FIRST NAME ON THE LIST.
I'LL CALL THE NEXT NAME IF YOU CAN BE PREPARED TO COME FORWARD.
DO WE HAVE AN ANNOUNCEMENT FOR TRANSLATION SERVICES BEFORE WE DO, THOUGH?
>> MAYOR NIRENBERG: THE FIRST CITIZEN SIGNED UP TO SPEAK IN THE PUBLIC HEARING IS ARTMAN BLAND.
MR. BLAND WILL BE FOLLOWED BY ANTONIO DIAZ.
>> I THINK I'LL WAIT FOR CITIZENS TO BE HEARD BECAUSE I'M NOT THAT FAMILIAR WITH THE -- WHAT DID YOU CALL IT?
>> MAYOR NIRENBERG: THIS IS FOR THE PUBLIC HEARING ON CDBG REALLOCATION, MR. BLAND.
>> MAYOR NIRENBERG: YOU'RE SIGNED UP FOR CITIZENS TO BE HEARD?
>> YES, SO, I'LL WAIT BECAUSE I'M NOT THAT FAMILIAR WITH BUT I KNOW --
>> MAYOR NIRENBERG: OKAY, I'LL CALL YOU UP DURING CITIZENS TO BE HEARD AS WELL.
>> I KNOW THEY TRY TO GOBBLE UP EVERYTHING.
>> MAYOR NIRENBERG: ALL RIGHT.
[02:10:01]
ANTONIO DIAZ? DEANNA URRIEGAS.DEANNA Y? KYLE KENNEDY? KYLE KENNEDY? OKAY.
THAT'S EVERYONE WHO SIGNED UP TO SPEAK FOR THE PUBLIC HEARING PORTION OF THE EVENING.
HAVING HEARD ALL COMMENTS FROM THOSE CITIZENS WISHING TO BE HEARD, THE PUBLIC HEARING FOR SUBSTANTIAL AMENDMENT NO. 1 TO THE FY 2019 ACTION PLAN AND BUDGET TO REPROGRAM COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT BLOCK GRANT FUNDS IS CLOSED.
CITY COUNCIL WILL VOTE ON THIS ITEM AT THE MARCH 21, 2019 CITY COUNCIL MEETING STARTING NO EARLIER THAN 9:00 A.M. IN THE CITY COUNCIL CHAMBER.
WE'LL NOW PROCEED TO THE REGULARLY SCHEDULED CITIZENS TO BE
* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.