* This transcript was created by voice-to-text technology. The transcript has not been edited for errors or omissions, it is for reference only and is not the official minutes of the meeting. [00:00:35] GOOD MORNING. WELCOME TO THE CITY COUNCIL REGULAR MEETING OF JUNE 13TH, 2019. COUNCIL MEMBER TNO. HERE. COUNCIL MEMBER HALL HERE. COUNCIL MEMBER VERAN. HERE. COUNCIL MEMBER SALANA. COUNCIL MEMBER GONZALEZ. COUNCIL MEMBER BROCK HOUSE PRESENT. COUNCIL MEMBER SANDOVAL HERE. COUNCIL MEMBER LIA. COUNCIL MEMBER COURAGE RESIDENT COUNCIL MEMBER PERRY HERE. AND MAYOR NURENBERG HERE. MAYOR, WE DO HAVE A QUORUM. GOOD MORNING. WELCOME EVERYONE TO OUR CITY COUNCIL, A SESSION AGENDA. THANK YOU FOR YOUR PATIENCE AS WE GOT SEATED. THE TIME IS NOW 9:16 AM AND AS WE BEGIN, I'D LIKE TO RECOGNIZE OUR COLLEAGUE, COUNCILMAN KURTZ, TO WELCOME OUR INDICATOR. THANK YOU MAYOR. UH, [1. Invocation] OUR INDICATOR TODAY IS RABBI BEN RICHARDS. HE JOINS US THIS MORNING FROM THE CONGREGATION ATA SHAKIM, LOCATED ON HINA ROAD IN DISTRICT NINE. HE WAS RAISED IN A WONDERFUL COMMUNITY IN THE BEAUTIFUL SAN FERNANDO VALLEY IN LOS ANGELES. HE'S THE MIDDLE OF THREE SIBLINGS AND HAS OLD, AN OLDER BROTHER WHO IS A SCIENTIST IN SEATTLE AND A YOUNGER SISTER WHO'S AN ARTIST IN LOS ANGELES. RABBI BEN GREW UP IN THE CONSERVATIVE MOVEMENT, ATTENDING HEBREW SCHOOL AND HEBREW HIGH SCHOOL AT CHARE TORAH SYNAGOGUE. OUTSIDE OF HIS OWN JEWISH LEARNING, HE HAS SPENT TIME TEACHING HEBREW SCHOOL TUTORING BA AND BAR MITZVAH STUDENTS AND HELPING TO RUN A JEWISH DAY CAMP. RABBI BEN EARNED HIS BA IN JUDAIC STUDIES AT UC, SAN DIEGO, AND THEN SPEND A YEAR STUDYING AT THE CONSERVATIVE YESHIVA IN JERUSALEM BEFORE COMPLETING A FIVE YEAR PROGRAM AT THE ZIEGLER SCHOOL OF RABBINIC STUDIES IN LOS ANGELES. HE LOVES THEATER, SPORTS, MUSIC, AND SPENDING TIME WITH PEOPLE. RABBI BEN'S TRUE JOY COMES FROM HEARING OTHER PEOPLE'S STORIES AND SHARING HIS OWN. RABBI, THANK YOU FOR BEING WITH US TODAY. THANK YOU. IN THE JEWISH TRADITION, THERE'S A CUSTOM EVERY WEEK TO READ A CERTAIN SELECTION FROM OUR HOLY BOOK, OUR TORAH. AND EVERY WEEK WHEN WE READ IT, WE FIND THINGS THAT ARE RELEVANT TO OUR LIVES IN THAT SECTION. AND THIS WEEK IS NO DIFFERENT. THIS WEEK'S TORAH PORTION IS CALLED NASSAU. AND NASSAU TALKS ABOUT A LOT OF DIFFERENT THINGS. AND THERE ARE TWO THINGS I WANNA HIGHLIGHT THAT I THINK WE CAN LEARN LESSONS FROM. THE FIRST THING I WANNA HIGHLIGHT IS THAT THERE'S THIS STRANGE SECTION ALL ABOUT THE DIFFERENT TRIBES OF ISRAEL AND HOW THEY DONATED. BUT THE STRANGE THING OUR RABBIS TEACH US IS THAT ALL OF THE DIFFERENT TRIBES OF ISRAEL DONATED THE EXACT SAME THING TO THE TEMPLE. THEY DONATED SUCH AND SUCH AMOUNT OF MONEY AND SO MANY OBJECTS. AND THE RABBIS ASK THE QUESTION, WHY IS IT IF EVERYBODY DONATED THE SAME AMOUNT THAT WE RECOGNIZE EACH ONE SEPARATELY? AND THEY ANSWER THAT. THE REASON WHY WE DO THIS, WHY WE RECOGNIZE EACH TRIBE SEPARATELY, EVEN THOUGH THEY DONATE THE SAME AMOUNT, IS BECAUSE EVERYBODY DESERVES RECOGNITION. WHEN THEY PARTNER WITH ONE ANOTHER. EVERYBODY DESERVES TO HAVE THEIR ACHIEVEMENTS TALKED ABOUT AND ADMIRED. AND SO TOO, IN OUR BIBLE, WE RECOGNIZE THE SMALLEST AND THE LARGEST OF TRIBES AND THEY EACH GET THEIR SAY. THE SECOND THING I WANNA HIGHLIGHT IN OUR TORAH PORTION IS WHAT IS CALLED THE PRIESTLY BLESSING. PERHAPS THE MOST WELL-KNOWN OF ALL THE BLESSINGS IN THE JEWISH LITERATURE, IT'S A BLESSING THAT TALKS ABOUT GOD BEING GRACIOUS TO US, GOD'S HAVING FAVOR AND SHOWING IT TOWARD US, GOD BEING KIND TO US, AND GOD SPREADING PEACE THROUGHOUT OUR WORLD. AND THE RABBIS SAY THAT'S ALL WELL AND GOOD, BUT THEY DON'T UNDERSTAND WHY IT IS THAT THE PERSON WHO DECIDES TO GIVE THIS BLESSING IS GOD. WHAT POINT IS THERE IN HAVING GOD GIVE A BLESSING ABOUT GOD, GIVING A BLESSING? AND THE RABBIS SAY THE REASON WHY THIS IS DONE IS BECAUSE GOD DOES NOT ACTUALLY THINK IT IS GOD'S RESPONSIBILITY ALONE TO MAKE SURE THE WORLD IS COMPASSIONATE AND LOVING AND PEACEFUL. GOD SAYS YOU PEOPLE NEED TO GO OUT AND TEACH ONE ANOTHER HOW TO BE COMPASSIONATE AND LOVING AND HOW TO [00:05:01] SPREAD PEACE. AND IN DOING SO, OUR WORLD WILL BE BETTER AND MORE PEACEFUL AND MORE LOVING. AND SO I WANT TO BLESS THIS COUNCIL AND ALL OF THE PEOPLE IN IT THAT IN THE DAYS TO COME AND THE WEEKS, MONTHS AND YEARS, THAT EACH OF US FINDS THE TIME TO RECOGNIZE ONE ANOTHER AS AN INDIVIDUAL, WHETHER BIG OR SMALL FOR THEIR ACHIEVEMENTS. AND SECONDLY, THAT EACH OF US LEARNS HOW TO CULTIVATE COMPASSION AND LOVE AND PEACE, AND THEREBY MAKE OUR WORLD A BETTER PLACE, [2. Pledge of Allegiance] TO THE FLAG IN THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA AND TO THE REPUBLIC FOR WHICH IT STANDS, ONE NATION UNDER GOD WITH LIBERTY. AND THANK YOU VERY MUCH, RABBI. WE HAVE AN ANNOUNCEMENT FOR TRANSLATION SERVICES INTERPRET. OKAY [3. Approval of Minutes of the City Council Regular Meetings of May 15 - 16, 2019] AT THIS TIME, OUR FIRST ITEM ON OUR BUSINESS AGENDA TODAY IS THE APPROVAL OF THE CITY COUNCIL MEETING MINUTES FROM MAY 15TH AND 16TH. I'LL ENTERTAIN A MOTION FOR APPROVAL. OKAY, THERE'S A MOTION AND A SECOND FOR APPROVAL OF THE CITY COUNCIL MEETING. MINUTES FROM MAY 15TH AND 16TH. PLEASE VOTE. MOTION CARRIES. ALRIGHT, THERE'S [Additional Item] UH, MANY DISTINGUISHED MEMBERS OF OUR COMMUNITY HERE TODAY. UH, AND WE HAVE A SEVERAL POINTS OF PRIVILEGE IF YOU ALL WILL BEAR WITH US. UH, FIRST, UH, I'D LIKE TO RECOGNIZE MEMBERS, UM, AND EXERCISE A POINT OF PERSONAL PRIVILEGE TO RECOGNIZE SOME, UH, VERY IMPORTANT PEOPLE WHO ARE FIGHTING ON OUR BEHALF, UH, THE ENTIRE STATE OF TEXAS OVER THE LAST SEVERAL MONTHS. SEVEN MEMBERS OF OUR STATE DELEGATION ARE HERE THIS MORNING, AND I WANNA TAKE THIS OPPORTUNITY TO SINCERELY THANK THEM FOR THEIR EFFORTS IN THE 86TH LEGISLATIVE SESSION IN AUSTIN. THEY ARE SENATOR JOSE MENENDEZ, CHAIRMAN AND REPRESENTATIVE TREY MARTINEZ FISHER, REPRESENTATIVE STEVE ALLISON, REPRESENTATIVE DIEGO BURNELL, REPRESENTATIVE PHILIP CORTEZ, REPRESENTATIVE LEO PACHECO AND REPRESENTATIVE RAY LOPEZ. AND WE'RE GONNA INVITE YOU GUYS UP HERE TO TAKE A PICTURE WITH US HERE IN A SECOND. ACROSS THE BOARD, OUR DELEGATION SAW TREMENDOUS SUCCESS IN WHAT WAS A VERY CHALLENGING SESSION. REPRESENTATIVE ALLISON, A FORMER VIA BOARD MEMBER IN HIS VERY FIRST SESSION, AFTER REPLACING FORMER HOUSE SPEAKER, JOE STRAUSS WAS APPOINTED TO THE HOUSE PUBLIC EDUCATION COMMITTEE WHERE HE PLAYED AN IMPORTANT ROLE IN PASSING THE HISTORIC SCHOOL FINANCE REFORM BILL. HB THREE, REPRESENTATIVE ALLISON ALSO PASSED SEVERAL MEASURES VIA AMENDMENTS THAT PROTECT STUDENTS FROM BULLYING, PROVIDE MORE MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES, AND HELP COMBAT TEEN SUICIDE REPRESENTATIVE. AL, WE ARE ALL AWARE OF YOUR ROLE IN NEGOTIATING AND PASSING HB THREE, AND WE KNOW IT CAME FROM A LOT OF HARD WORK. AND BACK IN YOUR FIRST SESSION, VISITING EVERY SINGLE SCHOOL IN YOUR DISTRICT TO BETTER UNDERSTAND THEIR NEEDS. IT WAS INDEED A HISTORIC LEGISLATION AND YOU WERE AT THE VERY HEART OF IT, AND THIS ENTIRE COMMUNITY WILL THANK YOU FOR GENERATIONS. REPRESENTATIVE PACHECO ALSO IN HIS FIRST SESSION PASSED A NUMBER OF BILLS, INCLUDING ONE THAT PAVES THE WAY FOR INTER-COLLEGIATE ATHLETICS AT TEXAS A AND M SAN ANTONIO. WE WILL BE CHEERING YOU ON. REPRESENTATIVE CORTEZ, A FORMER COLLEAGUE OF OURS HERE ON THE CITY COUNCIL DIOCESE, PASSED A BILL THAT BENEFITS PORT SAN ANTONIO BY STREAMLINING UNDERUTILIZED TEXAS MILITARY REVOLVING LOAN PROGRAM. HE ALSO CARRIED AND PASSED THE CITY'S BILL TO ALLOW OUR CODE OFFICERS TO CARRY DEVICES THAT DETER DOG ATTACKS. BUT I WOULD ALSO, UH, THERE ARE SEVERAL OTHER MEMBERS HERE AS WELL. UM, AND ONE IS A FORMER COLLEAGUE, REPRESENTATIVE LOPEZ, WHO WON A SPECIAL ELECTION AND WAS SWORN IN ON MARCH 21ST, WELL, AFTER THE BILL FILING DEADLINE. BUT HE WAS ABLE TO GET TO THE HOUSE TO SUSPEND, GET THE HOUSE TO SUSPEND RULES SO THAT HE COULD FILE SOME BILLS, INCLUDING ONE TO START AN IMPORTANT CONVERSATION ABOUT INDEXING THE STATE GAS TAX TO FUND TRANSPORTATION PROJECTS [00:10:01] FOR A MORE CONGESTED FUTURE. BUT THE LAST TWO MEMBERS I'D LIKE TO RECOGNIZE ARE SENIOR MEMBERS, AND THEY ARE SENATOR JOSE MENENDEZ AND REPRESENTATIVE MARTINEZ FISHER. WE ALL KNOW THAT PLAYING SOLID DEFENSE ISN'T WHAT GETS YOU ON THE SPORTS CENTER HIGHLIGHTS. PLAYING DEFENSE ISN'T AS GLORIOUS AS, AND IT DOESN'T GET YOU THE HEADLINES, BUT IT'S CRITICALLY IMPORTANT. NO ONE HAS FOUGHT HARDER THAN THESE TWO MEMBERS IN TEXAS. AND DEFENDING THE COMMUNITY AND PROTECTING THE AUTHORITY OF THIS CITY COUNCIL AND OUR CITIZENS TO PASS ORDINANCES TO BENEFIT THE PEOPLE WHO ELECTED US TO REPRESENT THEM. COLLEAGUES, I WANNA SHOW YOU TWO BRIEF CLIPS BECAUSE I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT FOR THE PEOPLE HERE IN SAN ANTONIO TO SEE THEIR LEGISLATORS AT WORK. AND SO THE FIRST ONE IS OF SENATOR MENENDEZ, A FORMER COUNCILMAN HIMSELF, VAL VALIANTLY, DEFENDING THE ALAMO MASTER PLAN. THE SENATE HALF IS BEING PROPOSED TO BE MOVED APPROXIMATELY 500 FEET TO A MORE PROMINENT LOCATION WHERE THE ALAMO PLAZA, IN ORDER TO RECLAIM THE HISTORIC BATTLEFIELD, DELINEATE THE ORIGINAL MISSION FOOTPRINT, ALLOW FOR REENACTMENTS OF THE BATTLE IN THE PLAZA. THE SYNTA WAS A GIFT THAT WAS MADE MANY, MANY YEARS AFTER THE ALBUM. SO I, MY CONCERN, AND THE REASON THAT I WILL PROPOSE AN AMENDMENT TODAY IS THAT YOUR BILL UNDOES MILLIONS OF DOLLARS OF INVESTMENT AN ELECTION WITH OVER TWO THIRDS OF THE PEOPLE THAT THAT VOTED IN SAN ANTONIO, KNOWING WHAT THEY WERE VOTING FOR AN INVESTMENT IN THE, THE FUTURE OF THE ALBUM MASTER PLAN. JUST BECAUSE YOUR BILL AND THE PEOPLE WHO ARE ASKING YOU TO PUT, PUT THIS BILL FORWARD, DON'T LIKE THE FACT THAT WE WANNA PUT IT IN A DIFFERENT LOCATION TO RECLAIM THE BATTLEFIELD. SO THAT'S, THAT'S A CLIMAX IN THE LEGISLATIVE SESSION. ULTIMATELY FOUR DIFFERENT BILLS THAT WOULD'VE UPENDED THE ALAMO PLAN FAILED. THE ALAMO MASTER PLAN IS AN UNPRECEDENTED CITY STATE PARTNERSHIP, AND MILLIONS OF DOLLARS OF BOTH PUBLIC AND PRIVATE INVESTMENT WAS AT STAKE. SIMILARLY, HE CONTINUED HIS MULTI-SESSION EFFORTS TO PROTECT OUR MILITARY BASES SUCCESSFULLY. I MIGHT ADD, SENATOR, WE OWE YOU A HUGE DEBT OF GRATITUDE FOR THAT. WE CANNOT THANK YOU ENOUGH FOR THE MANY TIMES YOUR STAFF REACHED OUT TO OUR STAFF ASKING FOR INFORMATION TO EQUIP YOU TO WORK YOUR MAGIC ON THE SENATE FLOOR. THE SECOND CLIP IS OF CHAIRMAN MARTINEZ FISHER, WHO STEPPED UP TO THE MICROPHONE WHEN FOUR, WHEN MEMBERS FROM OTHER PARTS OF THE STATE WERE MISCHARACTERIZING OUR CITY, AND SOME OF THE ACTIONS TAKEN BY THIS BODY, THE POINT HAS BEEN MADE. UH, BUT I WILL RISE WHEN I FEEL THAT THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO, THE CITY WHERE I'M FROM, IS BEING SINGLED OUT. UH, AND THERE ARE THOSE THAT WOULD RATHER TAKE POLITICAL CHEAP SHOTS RATHER THAN DEBATE THINGS ON THE MERITS. CITY OF SAN ANTONIO, AS A COMMUNITY, AS YOU KNOW, WHEN HURRICANE KATRINA HIT THE GULF COAST, SAN ANTONIO DIDN'T HESITATE TO OPEN ITS DOORS, ITS CONVENTION CENTERS, ITS COLISEUMS TO PROVIDE HUMANITARIAN AID TO FELLOW CITIZENS. WE DIDN'T NEED PERMISSION FROM TYLER, TEXAS. WE DIDN'T NEED PERMISSION FROM THIS BODY. WE DID IT BECAUSE IT WAS THE RIGHT THING TO DO. AND AS WE SPEAK TODAY, THERE ARE MEN AND WOMEN WHO WORK FOR THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO WHO VOLUNTEER THEIR TIME AT AN IMMIGRANT TRANSITION CENTER FOR FOLKS WHO HAVE RECEIVED THEIR ASYLUM AND ARE WAITING TO PROCESS THROUGH IMMIGRATION COURTS WHERE THEY CAN GO GET A MEAL, THEY CAN SLEEP IN A CHURCH, THEY CAN GET MONEY TO GET A BUS TICKET. THEY DIDN'T NEED PERMISSION FROM TYLER TEXAS TO DO THAT. THEY DIDN'T NEED TO STAND UP HERE AND BE ACCUSED OF, OF BEING A CITY OF BIGOTS, CITY OF HYPOCRITES, CITY OF NON-CHRISTIANS. SO, LISTEN, I WON'T TOLERATE THAT. I, WE CAN DISAGREE AND WE HAVE DISAGREED ON A FEW THINGS FOR THE LAST 130 SOMETHING DAYS. BUT WE'VE DONE IT IN A VERY CIVIL AND A VERY RESPECTFUL MANNER, VERY CONSISTENT WITH THE TONE THAT WE ALL DECIDED TO SET, UH, WHICH IS UNIQUE AND RARE IN THIS POLITICAL ENVIRONMENT. SO I SIMPLY JUST WANT TO SAY, AS A YOUNG LAWYER, I WAS ALWAYS TOLD BY THE LAWYERS WITH MORE EXPERIENCE THAT IF YOU SIT IN A COURTROOM AND YOU NEVER OBJECT, THAT SILENCE BECOMES ACQUIESCENCE. I WILL NOT ACQUIESCE. THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO WILL NOT ACQUIESCE. THE COUNTY OF BEAR WILL NOT ACQUIESCE. AND JUST REMEMBER MEMBERS, THERE ARE TWO SIDES TO EVERY STORY. AND JUST BECAUSE YOU SAY SOMETHING LOUDER AND OVER AND OVER AGAIN DOESN'T MAKE IT TRUE. [00:15:07] CHAIRMAN, THE DEAN OF OUR HOUSE DELEGATION, YOU'VE NEVER SHIED AWAY FROM A CHALLENGE. AND WE ARE TREMENDOUSLY GRATEFUL FOR THE WORK THAT YOU'VE PUT BACK INTO THE LEGISLATURE. I KNOW FROM MY PERSONAL EXPERIENCE THAT AS A MEMBER OF WAYS, HOUSE, WAYS AND MEANS, YOU SPENT MANY, MANY HOURS NEGOTIATING THE PROPERTY TAX BILLS TO PROVIDE MEANINGFUL RELIEF IN A WAY THAT ALLOWS CITIES TO CONTINUE TO PROVIDE THE SERVICES THAT OUR RESIDENTS EXPECT OF US. AND I KNOW THAT IF NOT FOR YOU, WE WOULD NOT HAVE THE LEGISLATION THAT VASTLY IMPROVED THE WORKERS' COMPENSATION LAW FOR FIREFIGHTERS WITH CANCER. THESE ARE THE TYPES OF IMPORTANT BILLS THAT DON'T ALWAYS GET ATTENTION, BUT FRANKLY, CHAIRMAN MARTINEZ FISHER, SENATOR MENENDEZ AND OUR DELEGATES, I DON'T KNOW WHAT WE WOULD HAVE DONE WITHOUT YOU. SO COLLEAGUES AND EVERYONE HERE IN THE CHAMBER, I HOPE YOU WILL ENJOY ME. UH, JOIN ME IN GIVING OUR DELEGATION A STANDING ROUND OF APPLAUSE. AND IF MY COLLEAGUES CAN JOIN US, WE'LL TAKE A LITTLE PHOTO, UM, BEFORE WE MOVE ON. OKAY, SO THAT MEANS, SO THAT MUST MEAN I GO IN THE BACK. . OH, THAT'S WELCOME IN. YOU DO THIS BY HEIGHT. SIT , TAKE A KNEE, MAN, TAKE A KNEE. I AM SHORTER THAN YOU. YOU, I THINK WE WANT TO TRY NOW WE JUST WANNA THANK Y'ALL. IF YOU, IF YOU HAVE A SEC, GIVE US A SEC. OH, SURE. CAMERA MAN. YOU GOT A LOT OF PEOPLE HERE. CAN WE GET YOU IN THERE? RIGHT? THAT'S 1, 2, 3. 1, 2, 2 3. AND THEN 1, 2, 3. AND UH, CAN YOU HOLD IT THERE PLEASE? NEED A, YEAH, IT'S KIND OF WEIRD. ALRIGHT, ONE MORE. Y'ALL CAN'T TAKE I CAN'T TAKE RESPONSIBILITY. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. HEY, I HAVE TO TOUCH YOU 'CAUSE YOU MET M MIRANDA. THANKS. I'M GOOD. I'M SORRY. I GOTTA GET MORE SLEEP REPRESENTATIVE. OKAY. UH, REPRESENTATIVE, UM, MARTINEZ FISHER AND SENATOR MENEZ WOULD LIKE TO MAKE A FEW REMARKS. THANK YOU, MAYOR. THANK YOU COUNCIL. UH, WE JUST WANT TO THANK YOU ALL FOR THE COLLABORATIVE SUPPORT THAT YOU ALL PLAYED. I THINK MOST PEOPLE HAVE A TENDENCY TO PUT THEIR FOCUS ON US AS WE WORK UP IN AUSTIN, BUT FRANKLY, OUR WORK HAS SORT OF SHAPED AND FORMED BY THE AMOUNT OF COLLABORATION WE HAVE AT THE LOCAL LEVEL. AND SO I WILL SAY, UH, UH, A JOB WELL DONE, FIRST CLASS, UH, LEVEL OF COMMUNICATION AT AN ALL TIME HIGH. AND, YOU KNOW, SENATOR MENEZ AND I IN THE DELEGATION, WE DO OUR JOB. AND OUR JOB IS NOT TO BE ON THE RED TEAM OR TO BE ON THE BLUE TEAM. LET'S TO BE ON THE SAN ANTONIO TEAM. AND SOMETIMES WE TAKE THAT JOB AND WE APPLY MAXIMUM PASSION AND EFFORT. UH, I WISH SOME OF THE OUTCOMES OF THE SESSION WERE A LITTLE BIT BETTER, UH, FOR CITIES. I WILL SAY, SORT OF INGEST THAT IF WE WOULD'VE STAYED THERE ANOTHER MONTH, I'D WONDER WHETHER OR NOT YOU COULD HAVE YOUR CHARTER, UH, AFTER THE DIRECTION THAT, [00:20:01] UH, SOME STATE LEADERS, UH, CHOSE TO TAKE. BUT NEVERTHELESS, UH, I THINK SAN ANTONIO DOES IT VERY, VERY WELL. HE'S AN EXAMPLE FOR THE STATE. YOU MAKE OUR JOBS EASIER, AND I REALLY MEAN THAT. I THINK EVERY SINGLE ONE OF YOU, UH, MADE YOURSELF AVAILABLE BY PHONE IN PERSON, WHETHER IT BE THE SENATE HALF IN THE ALAMO, UH, WHETHER IT BE ABOUT TRANSPORTATION FUNDING, WHETHER IT BE ABOUT TAXES AND LOCAL CONTROL, WHETHER IT BE ABOUT PUBLIC EDUCATION. I, I, I THINK, YOU KNOW, OUR JOB IS CERTAINLY AIDED BY YOUR ENGAGEMENT. AND I'LL JUST ASK YOU TO CONTINUE TO DO THAT. I THINK YOU MAKE OUR JOB EASIER. YOU MAKE THE JOB OF THE DELEGATION EASIER. AND TOGETHER, I THINK WE REALLY CAN DEMONSTRATE AND PROVE THAT WHEN WE WORK TOGETHER, THAT WE CAN, YOU KNOW, BE A, A FORCE TO RECKON WITH. AND, AND THAT'S OUR JOB. SO, YOU KNOW, THANK YOU FOR THE RECOGNITION. WE APPRECIATE IT. UH, AND THANK YOU FOR ALLOWING ME TO DO MY WORK. AND SO I'LL YIELD TO SENATOR MENENDEZ. THANKS, MAN. THANK YOU. SO, MR. UH, MAYOR AND COUNCIL, UM, YOU KNOW, THE BEST TRAINING I EVER HAD AS AN ELECTED OFFICIAL STARTED RIGHT HERE. AND, UM, THOSE NEIGHBORHOOD MEETINGS THAT YOU GO TO, THAT'S WHERE THE RUBBER MEETS THE ROAD. YOU KNOW, THE CONSTITUENT SERVICES THAT YOU DO, UM, ASKING PEOPLE ABOUT THOSE FRONT DOOR ISSUES, THOSE ARE THE ISSUES THAT REALLY ARE WHAT PEOPLE WANT US TO FOCUS ON, THE THINGS THAT MATTER IN THEIR EVERYDAY LIFE. AND THAT'S WHAT MAKES IT SO FRUSTRATING WHEN WE GET TO AUSTIN AND PEOPLE TRY TO DISMISS YOUR DULY ELECTED OFFICE BECAUSE AGREE OR DISAGREE WITH WHATEVER YOUR, YOUR POSITION IS, YOU WERE DULY ELECTED BY THE SAME CONSTITUENTS THAT ELECT US. AND I BELIEVE THAT THE LEGISLATURE SHOULD HAVE THE SAME LEVEL OF RESPECT FOR YOUR DECISIONS THAT THEY EXPECT TO HAVE FOR OUR DECISIONS. AND I THINK IT'S DISINGENUOUS WHEN WE HAVE FOLKS IN THE CAPITOL IN AUSTIN SUING THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT FOR OVERSTEPPING THEIR BOUNDARIES AND COMING DOWN AND TELLING CITIES HOW THEY SHOULD ACT AND NOT ACT. UM, I I WANT TO TELL YOU THAT I, YOU MAKE ME PROUD TO REPRESENT YOU. I BELIEVE THAT, UH, YOU'RE BEING OUT IN THE COMMUNITY. I WAS JUST TALKING TO COUNCILWOMAN SANDOVAL. I COULDN'T BE SO MORE PROUD ABOUT YOUR RESPONSE ON THE STORM. I, I WISH I COULD HAVE BEEN THERE. WE HAD A FAMILY EMERGENCY THAT KEPT US FROM BEING THERE, BUT YOU'RE, YOU KNOW, JUST STEPPING UP AND, AND DOING WHAT IT TOOK WHEN IT, WHEN THE PEOPLE NEEDED IT. AND I THINK THAT'S WHAT SEPARATES US. NOW, YOU ALLOW US THIS HONOR AS, AS, AS THE TWO MORE SENIOR MEMBERS OF OUR DELEGATION. UM, BUT THE REALITY IS THAT THERE'S NOTHING THAT WE CAN DO WITHOUT THE TEAM AND BEXAR COUNTY SUCCESSFUL BECAUSE WE HAVE ONE OF THE STRONGEST DELEGATIONS IN AUSTIN, TEXAS. AND, UH, EVERY SINGLE MEMBER OF THE DELEGATION ADDS VALUE, EVERY ONE OF 'EM. AND, YOU KNOW, YOU MENTIONED HB THREE, UH, TRANSFORMATIVE PUBLIC EDUCATION BILL THAT'S ALSO GONNA HELP, UH, WITH RECAPTURE AND, AND HELP WITH THE TAXES ON PEOPLE'S PROPERTIES ON THEIR HOMES. AND SO, SO MANY GOOD THINGS IN THAT BILL THAT WOULDN'T HAVE BEEN THERE FOR NOT REPRESENTATIVE BERBER BERNARD. SO MANY THINGS THAT HAPPENED, UH, FOR NOT, THAT WOULDN'T HAVE HAPPENED WITHOUT OUR DELEGATION. AND YOU KNOW, ONE OF THE THINGS I'M SURE EVERY ONE OF YOU HEARD AT YOUR, UH, ESPECIALLY IF YOU HAVE SUBURBAN PARTS OF SAN ANTONIO ABOUT MALE THEFT, WELL, THAT WAS A, A A A MA, A MAJOR BILL IN MY OPINION, THAT WAS PASSED FROM THE HOUSE BY REPRESENTATIVE ENA MINHA. AND SO, UH, I'M TELLING YOU THAT THERE WAS A LOT OF GOOD THINGS DONE, BUT IT ONLY HAPPENS AS A TEAM. I HOPE THAT Y'ALL KEEP THAT SAME EXAMPLE. YOU GUYS, UM, ARE A SHINING EXAMPLE OF HOW CITIES SHOULD WORK. UH, I THINK THE FACT THAT Y'ALL WORK COLLABORATIVELY NO MATTER WHAT PART OF THE CITY YOU'RE FROM. AND, AND I LOVE THE FACT THAT YOU DON'T, YOU REMEMBER EVERY SINGLE PART OF THE CITY, NO MATTER WHAT THE PERCENTAGE OF PEOPLE VOTING OR NOT VOTING, AND THAT'S WHAT IT TAKES. AND IF YOU SHOW HOW CITIES CAN WORK FOR EVERYONE IN THE CITY, YOU BRING EVERYONE TOGETHER. THAT'S THE MODEL THAT WE NEED TO TAKE TO AUSTIN, TEXAS TO BE ABLE TO SAY WITH CONFIDENCE, UH, LEAVE THEM ALONE. THEY KNOW WHAT THEY'RE DOING. AND, AND SO IT'S, UH, WITH A GREAT DEAL OF PRIDE, UH, THAT I STAND BEFORE YOU, BUT I ONLY STAND BEFORE YOU HERE REPRESENTING ALL OF OUR COLLEAGUES. UM, I COULDN'T DO, I'LL TELL YOU, THE MONUMENT BILL THAT GOT OUT. WE, WE, WE BEAT IT UP AS MUCH AS WE COULD. AND WE, WE HEARD IT AS MUCH AS WE COULD. BUT IT WAS, WHEN I WENT OVER TO TALK TO TREY, HE SAID, WHAT ARE YOU GONNA DO? AND IS HIS RELATIONSHIP WITH THE CHAIR OF THAT COMMITTEE? AND SO IT WAS A COMBINATION, AND I THINK THE SENATE AND THE HOUSE HAS NEVER WORKED BETTER TOGETHER REPRESENTING THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO. AND LOOK, IT'S NOT LOST UPON US BECAUSE MANY OF THEM TRIED TO DIFFERENTIATE IN AUSTIN THAT IT'S, WE SHOULDN'T, IT'S ABOUT YOU VERSUS US. IT'S NOT, YOU REPRESENT OUR CONSTITUENTS. WE SHARE THE SAME CONSTITUENTS. AND IF THE, IF THEY'RE VOTING ON ISSUES THAT YOU'RE BRINGING BEFORE THEM, AND THEY SAY, WE WANT TO TACKLE THESE ISSUES AND YOU PASS A BOND ELECTION, WE NEED TO RESPECT THE WILL OF THE VOTERS JUST [00:25:01] AS MUCH AS THEY WANT US TO RESPECT THE WILL OF THE VOTERS IN AUSTIN, TEXAS. AND SO, UH, YOU HAD A GREAT TEAM. CARLOS AND JEFF AND EVERYONE ON THE TEAM WERE ALWAYS, UH, ABREAST OF SITUATIONS. THEY WERE ALWAYS TEXTING, CALLING, LETTING US KNOW WHAT WAS GOING ON. MAYOR, YOU CAME UP EARLY TO TALK ABOUT THE ISSUES THAT WERE A CONCERN. UH, ENJOYED THE MEETINGS AND EVERY ONE OF YOU WERE AVAILABLE WHENEVER WE NEEDED YOU. BUT, UH, THE, WE COULD'VE, WE COULDN'T HAVE DONE WHAT WE DID WITHOUT YOUR INVOLVEMENT. AND SO IT'S NICE OF YOU TO RECOGNIZE US. WE WERE TALKING ABOUT THIS. NONE OF US WHO WERE FORMER COUNCIL MEMBERS REMEMBER BEING, RECOGNIZING A FORMER DELEGATION. AND, UH, AND THIS MEANS A LOT AND WE APPRECIATE IT. UH, WE DO IT BECAUSE IT'S, IT'S OUR JOB AND IT'S OUR DUTY. BUT WE DO APPRECIATE SEEING YOU AND BEING ABLE TO SORT OF COME BACK AND DOING A DEBRIEFING. AND THE TIME TO GET READY FOR NEXT SESSION STARTS TODAY. SO WHATEVER WE NEED TO START DOING AND WORKING ON TO RECTIFY SOME OF THE WRONGS THAT WE'RE DONE, WE CAN START TODAY. THANK YOU. I THINK SENATOR MENENDEZ SAID IT VERY WELL. BUT JUST IN CLOSING, MAYOR, UH, AS WE TAKE A MOMENT TO THANK YOU AND YOUR STAFF, WE ALSO WANT TO TAKE A MOMENT TO ACKNOWLEDGE OUR STAFF AS WELL, THAT, YOU KNOW, IT'S NICE FOR US TO BE UP HERE, NICE PHOTO OP AND SHAKING HANDS, BUT REALLY THAT TRUE BEAUTY BEHIND THE SCENES IS THE HARDWORKING MEN AND WOMEN OF OUR STAFFS. THEY CONTINUE TO WORK THIS DAY. UH, AND I WOULD ALSO BE REMISS IF I DIDN'T RECOGNIZE AND TAKE A MOMENT OF PERSONAL PRIVILEGE TO, TO THANK OUR FAMILIES, UH, TO THANK OUR, OUR SPOUSES, OUR SIGNIFICANT OTHERS, OUR CHILDREN. GOING UP TO AUSTIN FOR 140 DAYS IS PRETTY TOUGH. UH, AND TO DO IT AWAY FROM YOUR FAMILY AND MISS THOSE PRIORITIES AND MISS THOSE THINGS THAT REALLY MATTER WHEN THE SESSION'S ALL OVER AND DONE WITH AND 20 YEARS DOWN THE ROAD. I MEAN, YOU THINK ABOUT THAT TIME YOU MAY HAVE LOST AS YOU DO, YOU KNOW, WITH YOUR HARDWORKING SCHEDULES. AND SO WE ALSO WANNA THANK OUR FAMILIES, UH, FOR, FOR THEIR EFFORT AND FOR THEIR SUPPORT IN ALLOWING US TO DO THE WORK THAT WE DO. SO, THANK YOU, MAYOR. THANK YOU COUNCIL, AND THANK YOU ALL FOR THANK YOU ALL FOR BEING HERE. AND WE ARE MAKING A LIST, SENATOR ALREADY. SO ONE TEAM, ONE FIGHT. WE'LL BE READY TO FIGHT AGAIN. IF YOU'LL CONTINUE TO INDULGE ME THOUGH, WHILE YOU'RE HERE. SINCE WE HAVE OUR LOCAL DELEGATION, I ALSO WANNA TAKE A MOMENT TO CELEBRATE ANOTHER ACHIEVEMENT FOR THIS COMMUNITY IN THE STATE OF TEXAS. THIS PAST WEEK, GOVERNOR ABBOTT SIGNED INTO LAW STATEWIDE LIMITATIONS ON THE SALE OF TOBACCO TO THOSE 21 AND OLDER. AND THIS, IT WAS THIS CITY COUNCIL JUST LATE LAST YEAR. THAT WAS THE FIRST IN TEXAS TO ADOPT TOBACCO 21 RULES. AND IT WASN'T EASY LOCALLY. IT WAS DRIVEN BY A COLLECTIVE WORK OF A LOCAL COALITION LED BY OUR VERY OWN DR. COLEEN BRIDGER. THIS INCLUDES PHYSICIANS, HOSPITALS, THE BEXAR COUNTY MEDICAL SOCIETY, AND EDUCATORS. MANY OF THEM ARE HERE TODAY, AND THEY ARE HERE TO BE RECOGNIZED STATEWIDE. RETAILERS LIKE WALGREENS AND H E B JOINED IN SUPPORT WITH THE MEDICAL COMMUNITY. AND WE COULDN'T BE MORE THRILLED THAT THIS HAS NOW BECOME A STATEWIDE LAW. SO I HOPE YOU'LL JOIN ME IN THANKING DR. BRIDGER AND OUR LOCAL COALITION FOR BEING COURAGEOUS AND FOR LEADING THIS CITY AND STATE TO A HEALTHIER TOMORROW. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THIS RECOGNITION, MAYOR AND COUNCIL. UM, THIS, THIS IS, THIS WAS BEYOND OUR WILDEST DREAMS, I WILL ADMIT THAT. BUT, UM, WHAT I SAID TO FOLKS WAS, YOU KNOW, WHEN SAN ANTONIO FIRST STARTED TALKING ABOUT TOBACCO 21, WE HAD A LOT OF PEOPLE SAY, OH, THAT'S NOT POSSIBLE. THAT CAN'T BE DONE. DO YOU KNOW WHAT YOU'RE TRYING TO DO? IT'S IMPOSSIBLE. AND I SAID, NO, WE CAN DO IT. AND WE HAD ALL THESE INCREDIBLE FOLKS WHO SAID, NO, WE CAN DO IT. AND WE STARTED WORKING TOGETHER, AND WE DID IT HERE IN SAN ANTONIO. AND THEN WE STARTED TALKING WITH A STATEWIDE GROUP ABOUT DOING IT THROUGHOUT THE ENTIRE STATE. AND THEY'RE LIKE, NO, THAT'S NOT POSSIBLE. IT'S IMPOSSIBLE. IT CAN'T BE DONE. AND I SAID, NO, HERE'S HOW YOU DO IT. WE DID IT IN SAN ANTONIO. WE WALKED UP TO THE IMPOSSIBLE THING THAT COULDN'T BE DONE. WE LIFTED IT TOGETHER AND WE SHOWED THAT IT WAS POSSIBLE, AND THE STATE OF TEXAS LOOKED AND SAID, OH, OKAY, MAYBE IT CAN BE DONE. SO I AM SO PROUD OF SAN ANTONIO AND THIS COALITION OF FOLKS THAT GATHERED TOGETHER VERY QUICKLY TO MOVE IT FORWARD VERY QUICKLY. AND I'M SUPER PROUD TO BE A TEXAN TODAY. THANK YOU. AND WHILE YOU'RE HERE, COUNCILMAN SANDOVAL, I ALSO WANNA THANK THE COALITION, UH, AND OF COURSE THE STATE DELEGATION FOR MAKING THIS HAPPEN. I WANNA THANK YOU FOR ALL OF YOUR WORK FOR MAKING THIS HAPPEN IN SAN ANTONIO. IT WAS LIKE IN THE BLINK OF AN EYE. YOU HAD YOUR T-SHIRTS, YOU HAD YOUR SIGNS, YOU'RE READY TO GO. ALMOST LIKE YOU'D BEEN THINKING ABOUT THIS FOR, FOR A WHILE ABOUT THE FACT THAT THIS LAW SHOULD BE IN PLACE. UM, AND MANY PEOPLE TOLD ME AS WELL THAT THERE WOULD BE ALL THESE HURDLES TO, TO OVERCOME. AND I'M GLAD YOU, UH, WORKED RIGHT THROUGH THEM. [00:30:01] AND I COULDN'T BE PROUDER EITHER. THANK YOU. YOU'RE SAVING LIVES, UH, LIVES THAT HAVEN'T EVEN BEEN BORN TODAY. PEOPLE WILL LIVE LONGER. AND I LOVE THE FACT THAT IT HELPS PEOPLE'S HEALTH. NO MATTER WHERE YOU LIVE IN SAN ANTONIO, NO MATTER WHAT ZIP CODE YOU ARE BORN IN, IN TEXAS, YOU WILL NOW HAVE A LONGER LIFE BECAUSE OF THIS LAW. THANK YOU. THANKS. THANK YOU. COUNCILMAN SANDOVAL. COUNCILMAN SALANA. THANK YOU, MAYOR. AND, AND JUST BRIEFLY, THERE IS A, UH, SAYING IN SPORTS THAT IT IS BETTER TO BE LUCKY THAN GOOD. UH, I WOULD SAY THAT YOU ALL ARE VERY GOOD. YOU WERE NOT LUCKY, UH, TO PASS IT HERE IN SAN ANTONIO BECAUSE THAT TOOK A TON OF LEGWORK. IT TOOK REPETITION OF MESSAGE, IT TOOK, UH, UH, OF STRINGING TOGETHER, OF COALITIONS. YOU'RE ONE UNIT TODAY, BUT YOU ALL HAVE DIFFERENT COALITIONS, DIFFERENT NONPROFITS, AND, AND BECAUSE YOU WERE SO GOOD HERE IN SAN ANTONIO, IN EXECUTING, UH, I WOULD SAY WE GOT PRETTY LUCKY AT THE STATE WITH AN, AN OPEN WINDOW FOR US TO TAKE OUR MESSAGE UP TO, TO THE STATE. UH, I, I THINK OUR DELEGATION, OUR DELEGATION IS NOT ONE THAT IS LUCKY. THEY ARE VERY GOOD. UH, AS YOU SAW A TESTAMENT HERE FROM OUR LEADERSHIP AND THEIR EXAMPLE OF, OF, OF, OF LAWS PASSED THIS SESSION. UH, SO WE WANT TO CONGRATULATE YOU FOR BEING VERY GOOD AT AT NEVER GIVING UP. AND I THINK THE WORK WAS NOT, UH, COMPLICATED, BUT IT WAS HARD. IT TOOK A LOT OF KNOCKING ON DOORS, PASSING OF THE MESSAGE, UH, GETTING UP WHEN FOLKS TOLD YOU IT WASN'T GONNA WORK OUT. AND ALL OF A SUDDEN, UH, WE GOT REALLY LUCKY. AND THE ENTIRE STATE FOLLOWED THE, UH, MESSAGE AND THE EXAMPLE OF SAN ANTONIO. SO, TO THAT, YOU SHOULD BE VERY GRATEFUL AS A COALITION. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. COUNCILMAN SALANI. COUNCILMAN PEZ. LET NO ONE EVER SAY THAT OUR METRO HEALTH DISTRICT, UH, AND THE PEOPLE WHO WORK THERE ARE ANYTHING BUT THE BEST. UH, AND ANYBODY WHO DOES SAY THAT, WELL, THEMS IS FIGHTING WORDS. AND, UH, THEY, YOU KNOW, I'M TELLING YOU IF THEY EVER SAY IT. UH, I, UM, THANK YOU, DR. BRIDGER, AND, AND THANKS TO THIS TEAM OF, UM, OF ADVOCATES. AND I, I DO WANNA POINT OUT THAT, YOU KNOW, THERE WAS A TIME WHERE PEOPLE IN SAN ANTONIO WOULD SMOKE IN EVERY SINGLE RESTAURANT. IT WAS REALLY GROSS. UM, AND WE HAD, UM, SOME BOLD FOLKS PROPOSE SOMETHING, WHICH AT THAT TIME WAS JUST OUTRAGEOUS, WHICH IS HOW ABOUT WE DON'T SMOKE IN RESTAURANTS ANYMORE, RIGHT? AND YOU HAD THE ENTIRE RESTAURANT COMMUNITY COMING AND SAYING, THAT IS GOING TO BRING THE RESTAURANT INDUSTRY TO ITS KNEES AND NOBODY WILL EVER COME AND EAT AT OUR RESTAURANTS AGAIN. AND THEY WERE WRONG. UM, AND, UH, FOLKS THEN SAID, YOU KNOW, OH MY GOSH, IF WE RAISE THE AGE OF TOBACCO TO 21, IT WILL BRING EVERYBODY, THE ENTIRE INDUSTRY OF PEOPLE WHO SELL CIGARETTES TO THEIR KNEES, AND THEY'LL NEVER DO ANYTHING EVER AGAIN. UM, AND THEY WERE WRONG. AND, UH, PEOPLE WILL STILL GO TO CONVENIENCE STORES AND PEOPLE WILL STILL SHOP AT H E B WHO SELLS A LOT OF CIGARETTES, BY THE WAY, UH, AND WALGREENS AND COSTCO AND ALL THAT. UM, SO I DO THINK THAT, YOU KNOW, THIS FIGHT IS A GOOD FIGHT, RIGHT? AND THE ONE THING THAT WE'VE SEEN IS THAT WE HAVE A, UH, COUN, WE LIVE IN A COUNTRY WHERE WE HAVE LOWER INCIDENTS OF, UH, YOU KNOW, UH, OF TOBACCO RELATED, UH, EMPHYSEMA AND, UH, LUNG CANCER BECAUSE OF THE PRESSURE, LIKE GROUPS LIKE YOURS HAVE PLACED. UM, YOU GO TO EUROPE AND YOU GO, YOU KNOW, TO ASIAN COUNTRIES. AND PEOPLE OVER THERE STILL ARE STRUGGLING VERY MUCH WITH THIS BECAUSE THEY AREN'T HAVING THIS BOLD CONVERSATION ABOUT, HEY, MAYBE IT'S OKAY TO NOT, UH, CONTINUE TO ENCOURAGE SMOKING, AND MAYBE IT'S OKAY TO, YOU KNOW, CREATE SAFE PLACES FOR, UH, FOR NON-SMOKERS. SO I'D LIKE TO CHALLENGE YOU GUYS TO CONTINUE THIS FIGHT. I DON'T THINK IT'S OVER. UM, AND DR. BRIDGER, MAYBE WE, WE CAN VISIT WITH THIS TEAM LATER ON ABOUT HAVING A CONVERSATION ABOUT CELEBRATING THOSE RETAILERS LIKE C V S WHO STOPPED SELLING CIGARETTES, RIGHT? AND SOMEHOW THEY STILL MANAGED TO DO BUSINESS, UH, WITHOUT A GOVERNMENT MANDATE. UM, AND INSTEAD JUST BY BEATING THE DRUM AND REMINDING FOLKS THAT SELLING CIGARETTES UNDER THE SAME ROOF AS YOU SELL DRUGS TO HELP WITH O C P D AND EMPHYSEMA IS REALLY OBSCENE. AND SO, UM, I, I APPRECIATE THAT AND I LOOK FORWARD TO WORKING WITH YOU GUYS. THANKS. THANK YOU. COUNCILMAN PLI. COUNCILWOMAN GONZALEZ. WELL, THANK YOU ALL SO MUCH FOR ALL THE WORK THAT YOU DID. AND I THINK IT, UH, FOR ME, IT WAS VERY MUCH A LEARNING EXPERIENCE. UH, WHEN I WAS APPROACHED BY DR. BRIDGER AND SOME OF YOU FOLKS, MY FIRST QUESTION WAS, DO PEOPLE EVEN SMOKE ANYMORE? ? I THOUGHT THAT THERE HAD BEEN SUCH A GREAT MOVEMENT TO ELIMINATE SMOKING THAT I WAS VERY SURPRISED THAT THERE ARE SOME PEOPLE STILL SMOKING. UM, BUT, UH, , UM, I CAME TO LEARN THAT IN FACT, IT WAS ON THE RISE, ESPECIALLY WITH YOUNG PEOPLE, THAT MAYBE THERE WAS A GAP THERE. AND THEN THAT MESSAGE HAD BEEN MISSED, UH, OVER THE YEARS. UH, AND THAT IN FACT, UM, [00:35:01] THE GREATEST NUMBER OF SMOKERS WERE STILL YOUNG PEOPLE. AND SO I THOUGHT THAT THAT WAS VERY IMPORTANT IN EDUCATIONAL FOR ME. I'M VERY AWARE OF THE HEALTH OUTCOMES FROM MY COMMUNITY, RECOGNIZING THAT IT WAS IN SOME WAY RELATED TO SMOKING. BUT MY THOUGHT IT WAS OLDER PEOPLE, BUT IT'S NOT, IT'S ACTUALLY YOUNG PEOPLE. AND SO I WAS VERY GRATEFUL FOR THE EDUCATIONAL PIECE THAT YOU ALL CAME AND EXPLAINED TO ME. ALSO, DIFFERENT METHODS OF VAPING AND OTHER PRODUCTS THAT I THINK ARE NEW. UH, AND SO I'M, UH, I I JUST THOUGHT IT WAS A GREAT, UH, EDUCATIONAL EXPERIENCE, AND I WAS VERY GLAD THAT, UM, THAT YOU CONVINCED ME BECAUSE I HAVE TO ADMIT, I WAS NOT YOUR FIRST SUPPORTER, UM, OF THIS INITIATIVE, UH, AT THE LOCAL LEVEL. AND THEN TO HAVE MOVED IT ALL ALONG TO THE STATE, I THOUGHT WAS A REALLY GREAT CLIMB. UM, SO I'M, I'M THANKS FOR ALL THAT YOU'VE DONE. AND ALSO, JUST TO TAKE A MOMENT TO, UM, HIGHLIGHT, UH, AT LEAST ONE THING THAT HAPPENED AT THE STATE LEVEL WITH OUR STATE DELEGATION. UH, MANY OF MY COLLEAGUES ARE FAMILIAR WITH, UM, ALSAN LOFTS. I HAD REQUESTED THAT THAT BE PRIORITIZED AT THE CITY, UH, BECAUSE IT WOULD START THE REDEVELOPMENT OF THE SISON APACHE COURTS. UH, AND, UH, WE WERE DENIED STATE FUNDING DUE TO POVERTY. AND IN FACT, THE T D H C A BOARD SHOWED THAT NOT ONLY, UH, ARE WE, UM, EXTREMELY HIGH POVERTY, NO NEWS TO PEOPLE THAT ARE FAMILIAR WITH THE AREA, BUT THAT IN FACT OUR POVERTY RATE CONTINUES TO INCREASE. AND WE ARE IN FACT, MORE POOR THAN WE'VE EVER BEEN. UH, BUT WE'VE HAD A GROUP OF FOLKS INCLUDING, UH, MEMBERS OF OUR STATE DELEGATION WHO CAME TO SHOW THAT WE ARE MAKING STEPS TO OVERCOME, UH, POVERTY. AND IN FACT, WE'RE GIVEN THE GREEN LIGHT FOR THAT FUNDING FOR, UM, ALASAN COURT. SO I'M VERY GRATEFUL FOR, UM, REPRESENTATIVE AL AND REPRESENTATIVE AND OUR STATE SENATOR MENENDEZ FOR HELPING US GET THAT OVER, UM, THE LINE. SO THANK YOU ALL FOR, UH, THE BIG ITEMS LIKE TEXAS 21 AND THE ALAMO, BUT ALSO FOR THE VERY SMALL ONES THAT WE KNOW WILL ULTIMATELY IMPACT PEOPLE'S LIVES, UH, EVERY SINGLE DAY. SO THANK YOU, UM, ALL OF YOU ALL WHO HELPED MAKE THAT HAPPEN AND TO OUR STATE DELEGATION FOR ALL OF THEIR WORK BEHIND THE SCENES. THANK YOU. COUNCILMAN GONZALEZ. COUNCILMAN COURAGE. THANK YOU, MAYOR. I JUST WANT TO COMMEND YOU ALL FOR THE, UH, VISION THAT YOU HAD TO, TO MOVE THIS FORWARD HERE IN SAN ANTONIO, AND THEN TO TAKE IT TO THE STATE. IT TOOK A LOT OF DETERMINATION AND PERSEVERANCE, AND I THINK THE IMPORTANT THING THAT ALL OF YOU NEED TO REMEMBER IS THAT, UH, YOUR HARD WORK WILL SAVE LIVES. AND SO FOR THAT, I THINK ALL OF US OWE YOU A GREAT, UH, DEBT, UH, OF GRATITUDE. THANK YOU. AND COUNCILWOMAN VILLA, THANK YOU. UH, JUST WANTING TO CONGRATULATE YOU. YOU CHANGED THE GAME IN SAN ANTONIO AND NOW YOU CHANGED THE GAME IN, UH, THE STATE OF TEXAS. WELL DONE. AND WHERE TEXAS GOES, THE REST OF THE NATION GOES. SO CONGRATULATIONS ON THAT. AND I THANK YOU. AND THIS INCLUDES VAPING, CORRECT? YES. THANK GOODNESS AS WELL, . SO THANK YOU ALL VERY MUCH AND CONGRATULATIONS. CONGRATULATIONS, AND THANK YOU ALL. THANK YOU. YOU SO WE'LL, UM, GET THAT OUT TO EVERYBODY. ALRIGHT, WE HAVE ONE ADDITIONAL, UH, POINT OF PERSONAL PRIVILEGE FROM COUNCILMAN ELIAS. UH OH. YEAH, YEAH, YEAH. LET ME, I'M GONNA PRESS MY, PRESS THE BUTTON HERE. SO I, I DO HAVE A POINT OF PERSONAL PRIVILEGE, THANK YOU. UM, AND I WANT TO RECOGNIZE PARTICULARLY, UH, PRESIDENT, UH, TAYLOR, AMY, UM, FROM U T S A AND, UH, LISA CAMPOS, UH, THEIR ATHLETICS DIRECTOR. UM, AND, AND I ASKED FOR THIS, UM, PO PERSONAL PRIVILEGE BECAUSE THEY'RE HERE. UH, AND SO THANK YOU TO U T S A FOR EVERYTHING THAT YOU DO. BUT, UH, FOR THOSE OF YOU THAT HAVEN'T LOOKED AT THE AGENDA, UH, I'M PROUD TO, I'M PROUD TO POINT OUT THAT THERE IS GOING TO BE A, UM, A FUNDING AGREEMENT FOR WATER DEMONSTRATION PROJECTS AT U T S A AS WELL AS, UM, IMPROVEMENTS THAT WE'RE GOING TO BE MAKING AT U T S A, UM, ATHLETIC COMPLEX AS PART OF THE 2017 BOND. AND, UH, IT'S IMPORTANT TO NEVER FORGET THAT OUR PARTNERSHIP WITH U T S A HAS NEVER BEEN STRONGER, UM, AS EVIDENCED BY THE FACT THAT THEY'VE CHOSEN TO, UM, MA YOU KNOW, INVEST IN A MAJOR EXPANSION DOWNTOWN AND CONTINUE TO, UH, LIFT THE, UM, UH, THE TIDE FOR ALL BOATS HERE IN SAN ANTONIO AND OFFER MORE OPPORTUNITIES. AND, UM, REMEMBER THAT THIS COLLABORATIVE RELATIONSHIP, [00:40:01] UH, IS SOMETHING THAT'S BEEN, UM, PAYING OFF DIVIDENDS FOR THE PAST FEW DECADES, AND IT WILL CONTINUE TO PAY OFF DIVIDENDS FOR MANY GENERATIONS TO COME. AND SO, UH, REALLY NO PRESENTATION REQUIRED AT THIS POINT OTHER THAN JUST TO THANK U T S A FOR ITS LEADERSHIP, AND ITS FOR ITS DEDICATION TO ALL SAN ANTONIANS. THANK YOU. ALRIGHT, THANK YOU COUNCILMAN. THAT IS ALL FOR OUR, UH, POINTS OF PERSONAL PRIVILEGE. WE'VE GOT, [Consent Agenda] UH, ITEMS ON, ON THE CONSENT AGENDA. COUNCILMAN . ALRIGHT, SO THE, THE ITEMS THAT I'VE, I HAVE ON THE POOL LIST ARE ITEM 23, 28, 29, 36, AND 38. ARE THERE ANY OTHER ITEMS THAT NEED TO BE PULLED FROM THE CONSENT AGENDA? ALRIGHT, UH, WE DO HAVE SEVERAL SPEAKERS ON CONSENT ITEMS, SO WE'RE GONNA ASK THAT THOSE INDIVIDUALS COME UP AT THIS TIME. FIRST, WE'LL HAVE, UH, REBECCA CILLO ON ITEM 35. SHE WILL BE FOLLOWED BY NANCY, UH, AVALARA ON ITEM 35 AS WELL. GOOD MORNING, MAYOR, MEMBERS OF COUNCIL AND STAFF. MY NAME IS REBECCA CILLO AND I'M HERE TO REPRESENT THE UNIVERSITY HEALTH SYSTEM IN OUR REQUEST TO CHANGE THE NAME OF BED STREET TO ROBERT B GREENWAY. ROBERT B GREENWAY IS THE, IS THE POINT PLACE FOR PUBLIC HEALTH FOR THE PAST 130 YEARS. WHEN 130 YEARS AGO, THE CITY AND THE COUNTY AT THAT TIME DECIDED THAT PUBLIC HEALTH NEEDED A PLACE TO BE ABLE TO SERVE ALL CONSTITUENTS IN SAN ANTONIO AND BEAR COUNTY. THE FIRST FOUNDATION WAS SET IN 1886 AS A HOSPITAL, PUBLIC HOSPITAL, AND THEN 30 YEARS LATER, THE SECOND FOUNDATION AND STANDING BUILDING IS NOW THE ROBERT B. GREEN. FOR THE PAST 130 YEARS, WE HAVE STOOD BY AND HAVE TAKEN OVER 900,000 PATIENT VISITORS PER YEAR. THIS PART OF ROBERT OF FETA STREET IS 844 LINEAR FEET LONG. WE ARE DISCONNECTED FROM THE REST OF BED STREET, WHICH RUNS BEHIND HAVEN FOR HOPE WAY AND CONTINUES FOR THREE MILES ALL THE WAY TO ROSEDALE PARK. THIS PART OF BED STREET WAS DISCONNECTED BACK IN THE URBAN RENEWAL MODEL CITIES DAYS WHEN BRIO STREET WAS WIDENED ON THIS PORTION OF BED STREET WHERE THE ROBERT B. GREEN RESIDES. WE ALSO HAVE TWO HISTORIC BUILDINGS THAT WERE, UH, THAT ARE STRUCTURES THAT WERE BUILT IN THE 18 HUNDREDS. ONE IS AN ADOBE HOUSE, ONE OF SEVEN THAT IS REMAINING IN BEXAR COUNTY, AND THE SECOND IS AN 1800 AND 1850S TWO STORY LIMESTONE BUILDING. BETA STREET IS, IS, IS DEFINITELY HISTORIC. IT IS WITHIN THE 36 SQUARE MILES, BUT THIS PORTION OF BETA STREET IS ALSO THE HOME TO PUBLIC HEALTHCARE. AND WITH THAT, WITH AND WITH THE RESTORATION OF THE TWO HISTORIC BUILDINGS AND THE DESIGNATION OF OUR OWN ROBERT B. GREEN HOSPITAL, IT, IT, WHICH IS NOW A NATIONAL ON THE NATIONAL REGISTER LIST, WE FEEL COMPELLED TO ASK FOR THIS STREET NAMED DESIGNATION FOR THIS 844 LINEAR FEET. WE ARE GLAD TO ANSWER ANY OTHER QUESTIONS, AND WE HOPE THAT YOU, UH, CONSIDER US FAVORABLY. THANK YOU. THANK YOU MR. D NANCY AVELAR, AND SHE WILL BE FOLLOWED BY JACK M FINGER. GOOD MORNING, UM, MAYOR AND COUNCIL. I'M NANCY AVELAR, FORMER PRESIDENT OF THE SAN ANTONIO CONSERVATION SOCIETY, AND I AM REPRESENTING OUR PRESIDENT, CURRENT PRESIDENT SUSAN BEVIN. TODAY WITH THIS STATEMENT, BETIS STREET PROVIDES A VITAL CONNECTION TO SAN ANTONIO'S EARLY 19TH CENTURY SPANISH HERITAGE AND SHOULD NOT BE RENAMED ITS NAME, HONORS LIEUTENANT COLONEL IGNACIO BEES ADD INTERIM GOVERNOR OF SPANISH, TEXAS, AND A FOUNDER OF AN INFLUENTIAL RANCHING FAMILY IN EARLY SAN ANTONIO. THIS STREET ALSO EMBODIES A RARE REMNANT OF THE WEST SIDE LATO NEIGHBORHOOD, BOTH IN ITS LANDMARK HISTORIC STRUCTURES AT TWO 15 AND TWO 19 BEDS. AND IN ITS NAME, THE SOCIETY IS LONG OPPOSED RENAMING HISTORIC STREETS. BECAUSE THIS ERODES PUBLIC KNOWLEDGE OF OUR SHARED HISTORY. WE JOINED WITH THE OFFICE OF HISTORIC PRESERVATION IN OPPOSING THIS NAME CHANGE IN 2012. AND AGAIN, THIS YEAR IN 2012, UNIVERSITY HEALTH SYSTEM WITHDREW ITS REQUEST TO RENAME THIS STREET IN JUDGE ROBERT B GREEN'S. HONOR MARK WEBB, A SENIOR VICE PRESIDENT, EXPLAINED TO THE SAN ANTONIO EXPRESS NEWS THAT, AND I QUOTE, WE DIDN'T REALIZE THE GREATER SIGNIFICANCE OF THE CURRENT NAME. SO OUT OF RESPECT, WE DECIDED TO WITHDRAW OUR REQUEST. WHETHER UNIVERSITY HEALTH SYSTEM REMAINS INTENT ON HONORING [00:45:01] ROBERT B. GREEN IN ADDITION TO THE MEDICAL CAMPUS NAME FOR HIM, OR IS SEEKING IMPROVED WAYFARING, UM, SIGNAGE, A COMPROMISED SOLUTION THAT PRESERVES THE FED STREET NAME MUST BE FOUND UTILIZING ROBERT B GREENWAY AS A MEMORIAL STREET NAME PROVIDES AN ALTERNATIVE TO SUPPLANTING A VERY SPECIFIC AND VISIBLE TIE TO OUR CITY'S SPANISH ROOTS. THANK YOU. THANK YOU MS. AVALARA. UH, JACK M FINGER, AND HE WILL BE FOLLOWED BY ELLEN BURKEY. UH, MR. MAYOR PRO, TIM, OTHER MEMBERS OF OUR ILLUSTRIOUS SAN ANTONIO CITY COUNCIL FOR THE RECORD, MY NAME IS JACK M FINGER AND A FEW ITEMS I WISH TO BRING TO YOU OR YOUR ATTENTION ON TODAY'S AGENDA. GONNA SKIP AROUND HERE. ITEM NUMBER 41 IS ORDERS APPROVING THE OZONE ATTAINMENT MASTER PLAN. THIS IS THE ONE WHEREBY WE, UH, WE ARE SUPPOSED TO COMPLY WITH SOME FEDERAL REGULATIONS REGARDING OUR AIR POLLUTION. OKAY, WELL, I DON'T KNOW IF YOU REALIZE IT, BUT WE HAVE A NEW ADMINISTRATION IN CHARGE AND THEY ARE A LITTLE BIT MORE REASONABLE WHEN IT COMES TO OUR AIR POLLUTION CONTROLS AND, UH, REQUIREMENTS. AND PERHAPS WE JUST WAIT A LITTLE BIT, INSTEAD OF GOING TO DRACONIAN MEASURES, UH, WE, UH, WE WON'T HAVE TO, UH, DO THE THINGS LIKE, WHICH I SAW IN YOUR BACKUP DOCUMENTS HERE. YEAH, MR. AUDIO VISUAL MAN, PUT THAT UP ON THERE. AND ITEM PAGE TWO. YEAH, THAT'S, SEE WHAT WE SHOW THERE? YEAH. UH, THIS IS WHAT SOME OF THE THINGS YOU'RE PROPOSING, COMPANIES MUST OFFSET PROJECTED EMISSIONS OF NEW PROJECTS OF MAJOR MODIFICATIONS BY PURCHASING UNUSED EMISSION CREDITS FROM OTHERS, OR BY REDUCING THEIR OWN EMISSIONS, HUH? YEAH. UH, PURCHASING UNUSED EMISSION CREDITS FROM OTHERS. UH, FLIP THE NEXT, FLIP OVER THE PAGE IF YOU WOULD, MR. OVISION. MAN. SEE WHAT, SEE SOME ALSO, UH, YOU WANNA HAVE A PILOT ANTI IDLING DIESEL CONS FOR CONSTRUCTION EQUIPMENT THERE, THE INCENTIVES FOR NOT IDLING DIESEL CONSTRUCTION EQUIPMENT INCENTIVES, SUCH AS, COULD IT BE, UH, REGULATION AND, UH, UH, LITIGATION FOR PEOPLE WHO DO IDLE THEIR, THEIR ENGINES? YEAH. RETURN THE CAMERA, IF YOU WOULD, TO THE PODIUM HERE, IF YOU WOULD. YEAH. UH, I THINK, UH, JUST MAYBE YOU DON'T WANT TO DO THESE THINGS. NO, NO. , WE DON'T NEED THAT. WE ELSEWHERE ON TODAY'S AGENDA, ITEM 23, THE HAYES STREET BRIDGE. YEAH. UM, IT WAS PUBLIC PARK LAND WE OWNED, AND AT ONE POINT WE WERE PLANNING ON GIVING IT AWAY TO, TO A, UH, A, A SOME PRIVATE PRIVATE COMPANY. HEY, JACK, WE'RE GONNA BRING YOU BACK UP ON ITEM 23 'CAUSE IT'S INDIVIDUAL. SO, UH, REFRAIN FROM THAT, UH, THOSE COMMENTS UNTIL THEN, IF YOU DON'T MIND. YEAH. WELL, AM I GONNA BE ALLOWED TO COME UP HERE WHEN 23 ARISES? YES. OKAY. THAT'S NICE. OKAY. WE'LL SEE. YEAH. THE, UH, ITEM 25, THE SAN PEDRO PLAYHOUSE ONCE AT LEASE TO THE SANCTUARY LITTLE THEATER NOW CALLED THE PUBLIC THEATER. PLEASE UNDERSTAND THAT WAS THE ONE THAT SOME YEARS AGO SHOWED THE, UH, THE, THE, UH, DESPICABLE PLAY OF, OF CALLED CORPUS CHRISTI, THE ONE THAT PORTRAYS JESUS CHRIST AND ITS APOSTLES AS HOMOSEXUALS. IT GAVE BIRTH TO, TO A WHOLE BUNCH OF, UH, CONSERVATIVE INITIATIVES HERE IN TOWN THAT WE DON'T LIKE. AND IT'S STILL GOING ON. JUST MAYBE Y'ALL WOULD WANT TO CONSIDER THAT CONTRACT AGAIN. THANK YOU, JACK. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. AND ELLEN BURKEY. GOOD MORNING. MEMBERS OF COUNCIL WHO ARE PRESENT. NOT ALL OF YOU ARE. AND, UM, I'M SPEAKING ON ITEM 19 BECAUSE WHAT I HAVE TO SAY HAS TO DO ABOUT, WITH TRANSPORTATION OF A VITAL RESOURCE WATER USING RIGHT OF WAYS PROVIDED BY THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO. MY NAME IS ELLEN BURKEY AND I REPRESENT THE LEAGUE OF INDEPENDENT VOTERS IN THE SAN ANTONIO METRO AREA. CONGRATULATIONS TO THE NEWLY ELECTED AMONG YOU AND CONDOLENCES TO ANY WHO FOUGHT THE GOOD FIGHT BUT DIDN'T QUITE MAKE IT. I KNOW YOU WILL HIT THE GROUND RUNNING AND I WOULD LIKE TO CONTRIBUTE A SIGNIFICANT ITEM TO YOUR PLATE THIS MORNING. [00:50:01] THERE IS A BILL ON THE GOVERNOR'S DESK THIS WEEK, WHICH REALLY NEEDS A VETO. THE BILL NUMBER, BUT NOT ITS CONTENT, CAME TO MY ATTENTION A FEW MONTHS AGO WHEN I HEARD A PRESENTATION AT THE SAN ANTONIO WATER SYSTEM BOARD OF TRUSTEES MEETING. THE BILL NUMBER HB 1806 WAS LISTED BY THE VICE PRESIDENT FOR GOVERNMENT RELATIONS AT SAS AS ONE WHICH SAS LOBBYISTS WOULD BE PAYING PARTICULAR ATTENTION TO. IN THE LEGISLATIVE SESSION, WHICH JUST ENDED TWO SAS TRUSTEES EXPRESSED GENERAL CONCERN THAT SAS STAFF WOULD BE GOOD NEIGHBORS IN THEIR DEALINGS WITH THE REST OF THE STATE. I KIND OF FORGOT ABOUT H B 1806 UNTIL RECENTLY WHEN THIS BILL CAME UP FOR A VOTE IN THE TEXAS SENATE WHERE IT PASSED THE VERY LAST WEEK OF THE SESSION. TURNS OUT SAS LOBBYISTS WEREN'T PARTICULARLY GOOD NEIGHBORS IN THIS LAST LEGISLATIVE SESSION. AFTER ALL FOLLOWING UP ON A DEPLORABLE PRECEDENT SET BY THE VISTA RIDGE PIPELINE PROJECT A FEW YEARS AGO, THE GREATER EDWARDS AQUIFER ALLIANCE SOUNDED THE ALERT TO ITS CONSTITUENT ORGANIZATIONS, OF WHICH THERE ARE MANY ABOUT THIS BILL, AND NOW A NUMBER OF THEM SUCH AS THE HILL COUNTRY ALLIANCE, SAVE OUR SPRINGS ALLIANCE, AND A COUPLE OF COUNTY JUDGES HAVE ADDED THEIR VOICE TO GIA BY REQUESTING THE GOVERNOR TO VETO HB 1806. UM, I WOULD LIKE TO ADD THE LEAGUE OF INDEPENDENT VOTERS SECOND TO A LETTER SENT BY THE DIRECTOR OF A GROUNDWATER DISTRICT RIGHT HERE IN BEAR COUNTY. MR. MCKAY SAYS IN PART, THIS BILL BROKERS WATER FROM SAN ANTONIO INTO THE BERNIE AREA AND KENDALL COUNTY SAWS EXPERTS EXPORT OF THIS WATER IS UNPRECEDENTED AS IT WOULD INCLUDE EDWARDS AQUIFER RESOURCES AND WOULD CIRCUMVENT THE EXISTING LAW THAT HAS PROTECTED THE EDWARDS AQUIFER SINCE 1993. PLEASE, IF YOU FEEL SO MOVED, READ THIS LETTER, WHICH I'M GOING TO HAND OUT AND CALL THE GOVERNOR BEFORE SUNDAY THIS WEEK AS SOON AS YOU CAN TO PLEASE ASK HIM TO VETO THIS BILL. THANK YOU, MS. BURKEY. ALRIGHT, SO WE'VE GOT, THAT'S ALL THE SPEAKERS ON CONSENT ITEM OR CONSENT AGENDA ITEMS. SO IS THERE A MOTION FOR, LEMME REPEAT ONE MORE TIME, THE ITEMS THAT ARE BEING PULLED, ITEM 23, 28, 29, 36 AND 38. THERE'S A MOTION TO APPROVE. THERE'S A SECOND MOTION TO APPROVE. AND A SECOND PLEASE VOTE. OH, I'M SORRY. HOLD ON ONE SEC. BEFORE WE, UH, BEFORE WE VOTE, UH, COUNCILWOMAN SANDOVAL. THANK YOU VERY MUCH, MAYOR PRO TEM. I WANTED TO HIGHLIGHT SOME OF THE ITEMS THAT ARE ON OUR, UH, CONSENT AGENDA. UH, BUT RIGHT BEFORE I JUMP INTO THAT, I WANNA GIVE A BIG WELCOME. WE HAVE SOME STUDENTS JOINING US FROM A SUMMER ACADEMY. IS THAT RIGHT? YES. FROM THE BONUM, THEY ARE HERE FROM THE . YES. SO I WANNA GIVE A BIG WELCOME TO THE STUDENTS PARTICIPATING IN THE MEXICAN AMERICAN STUDIES ACADEMY AT THE BONUM ACADEMY SUMMER PROGRAM. I HOPE YOU LEARNED SOMETHING TODAY AND, UH, AND WE WILL TRY TO BE GOOD SINCE WE'RE, UH, SINCE YOU'RE HERE WATCHING US TODAY. SO THANKS FOR JOINING US. UM, I'D LIKE TO HIGHLIGHT ITEM, UH, NUMBER 11, OR YOU GONNA HIGHLIGHT THAT TOO. IT'S AN ORDINANCE APPROVING A FUNDING AGREEMENT FOR THREE WATER QUALITY DEMONSTRATION PROJECTS. I'M JUST VERY EXCITED TO SEE THAT WE'RE GOING TO BE TESTING OUT, UH, PERMEABLE PAY PAVEMENT TO PROTECT OUR WATER QUALITY AS WELL AS SOME BIOSWALE. SO WE'RE LOOKING FORWARD TO SEEING THE RESULTS OF THAT PROJECT AND THANK YOU U T S A FOR, AND DR. AMY FOR YOUR PARTNERSHIP IN THAT. UM, AND THE OTHER ITEM I'D LIKE TO HIGHLIGHT IS, UH, NUMBER 41 THAT IS THE OZONE ATTAINMENT, UH, PLAN, I'M SORRY, LET ME HIGHLIGHT IT. THE OZONE ATTAINMENT MASTER PLAN. REALLY WANNA THANK STAFF FOR ALL OF THEIR WORK IN PUTTING THAT TOGETHER AND, UH, WE LOOK FORWARD TO IMPROVING AIR QUALITY AND PROTECTING PUBLIC HEALTH WITH ALL, WITH ALL OF THE WORK THAT'S GOING TO BE INCLUDED IN THAT. SO THANK YOU VERY MUCH, MAYOR. THANK YOU. COUNCILWOMAN COUNCILWOMAN VIA GRANT. THANK YOU MAYOR. UM, I TOO WOULD LIKE TO HIGHLIGHT TWO ITEMS, ITEMS NUMBER 13 AND 14. THEY'RE BIG DRAINAGE PROJECTS IN DISTRICT THREE OFF OF EAST HIGHLAND BOULEVARD AND SOUTH GS. THE COMMUNITY AND THE NEIGHBORHOODS HAVE BEEN SUFFERING FOR SO LONG WITH THIS DRAINAGE ISSUE AND SO I'M SO PROUD THAT WE ARE FINALLY GETTING THE, THE DRAINAGE PROJECTS MOVING AND UP AND RUNNING AND ALLEVIATING [00:55:01] THIS PROBLEM THAT'S BEEN HAPPENING FOR A WHILE. AND SO I WANNA THANK MY CONSTITUENTS AND THE BUSINESS OWNERS IN THE AREA WHO HAVE REACHED OUT TO OUR OFFICE. WE WORK TOGETHER AND WE'RE GETTING THINGS DONE. SO THANK YOU MAYOR. THANK YOU COUNCILWOMAN. ALRIGHT, SO WE HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND FOR ALL CONSENT ITEMS EXCEPT FOR 23, 28, 29, 36, AND 38. PLEASE VOTE. MOTION CARRIES. ALRIGHT, SO WE WILL TAKE, UH, THESE ITEMS IN THIS ORDER. ITEM 23, 28, 29, 36, AND 38. SO WE'LL START WITH ITEM [23. Ordinance authorizing the City Manager to negotiate and execute a Development Agreement with 803 N. Cherry, LLC to include the appropriation of $600,000 and declaring as surplus and approving the exchange of city-owned real property consisting of approximately 2.00 acres or an 87,120 square feet out of property located at 223 S. Cherry Street in exchange for the acquisition of two tracts of land out of commonly known as 803 N. Cherry Street totaling approximately 1.69 acres or 73,616 square feet from 803 N. Cherry, LLC. [Lori Houston, Assistant City Manager; John Jacks, Director, Center City Development and Operations]] 23. ITEM 23 IS AN ORDINANCE AUTHORIZING THE CITY MANAGER TO NEGOTIATE AND EXECUTE A DEVELOPMENT AGREEMENT WITH 8 0 3 NORTH CHERRY L L C TO INCLUDE THE APPROPRIATION OF $600,000 IN DECLARING AS SURPLUS AND APPROVING THE EXCHANGE OF CITY OWNED RAIL PROPERTY CONSISTING OF APPROXIMATELY TWO ACRES OR AN 87,120 SQUARE FEET OUT OF PROPERTY LOCATED AT 2 2 3 SOUTH CHERRY STREET IN EXCHANGE FOR THE ACQUISITION OF TWO TRACKS OF LAND OUT OF COMMONLY KNOWN AS 8 0 3 NORTH CHERRY STREET, TOTALING APPROXIMATELY 1.69 ACRES OR 73,616 SQUARE FEET FROM 8 0 3 NORTH CHERRY L L C. ALRIGHT, THANK YOU LETICIA. AND FOR THOSE OF THAT ARE EXITING THE CHAMBER, WE'RE GONNA ASK THAT YOU KEEP THE NOISE LEVELS TO, UH, UH, LOW LEVELS SO WE CAN HEAR UP, UH, UP HERE AT THE DIOCESE, LORI. OKAY. GOOD MORNING. ITEM NUMBER 23 IS A PROPERTY EXCHANGE FOR 2 2 3 SOUTH CHERRY AND 8 0 3 NORTH CHERRY. I HAVE A PRESENTATION. OKAY, SO THIS ITEM AUTHORIZES THE CITY MANAGEMENT TO NEGOTIATE AND EXECUTE A DEVELOPMENT AGREEMENT WITH 8 0 3 NORTH CHERRY L L C. IT ALSO APPROVES AN EXCHANGE OF TWO ACRES OF CITY OWNED REAL PROPERTY LOCATED AT 2 2 3 SOUTH CHERRY STREET IN EXCHANGE FOR 1.69 ACRES OF PROPERTY AT 8 0 3 AND 8 1 5 NORTH CHERRY STREET THAT'S OWNED BY 8 0 3 NORTH CHERRY STREET L L C. IT ALSO APPROPRIATE $600,000 FROM THE INNER CITY INCENTIVE FUND THAT WAS APPROPRIATED IN THE FISCAL YEAR 2019 BUDGET. THESE FUNDS WILL PROVIDE FOR SERVICES ASSOCIATED WITH A DEMOLITION OF A STRUCTURE ON THE SITE AT 2 2 3 SOUTH CHERRY STREET. THE ENVIRONMENTAL REMEDIATION NECESSARY TO MAKE THAT SITE, UM, AVAILABLE FOR RESIDENTIAL STANDARDS AS WELL AS THE RELOTTING OF THE PROPERTY. THE TIES IN QUESTION ARE 8 0 3 NORTH CHERRY, WHICH IS THE AREA HASHED IN RED AND 2 2 3 SOUTH CHERRY, WHICH IS THE AREA HASHED IN GREEN. THE BACKGROUND ON THIS PROPERTY IS, IS THAT IN 2012, CITY COUNCIL AUTHORIZED A MASTER ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AGREEMENT WITH ALAMO BEER COMPANY FOR THE CONSTRUCTION OF ALAMO BEER ON THE 8 0 3 NORTH CHERRY SITE. IN 2013, DUE TO SOME LITIGATION DELAYS, ALAMO BEER CONSTRUCTED THE BREWERY AT 4 1 5 BURNETT. HOWEVER, IN 2014, CITY COUNCIL AMENDED THE MASTER DEVELOPMENT AGREEMENT TO ALLOW THE 8 0 3 NORTH CHERRY SITE TO BE REDEVELOPED AND IT SPECIFICALLY IDENTIFIED MIXED USE AND MULTIFAMILY HOUSING. IN 2014, THERE WAS A TRANSACTION BETWEEN AMO BEER COMPANY AND 8 0 3 NORTH CHERRY STREET, WHERE ALAMO BEER SOLD THE PROPERTY TO 8 0 3 NORTH CHERRY L L C. AND THEN IN 2016, THE PROPERTY, UM, WAS ACTUALLY CONVEYED IN 2018, 8 0 3 NORTH CHERRY STREET. L L C WENT THROUGH THE H G R C PROCESS AND THE CITY MANAGER ADMINISTRATIVELY APPROVED THE DESIGN OF THAT PROJECT, PROVIDED IT MET THE DESIGN PARAMETERS AND ALSO RECEIVED THE NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION SUPPORT. IT DID RECEIVE THAT SUPPORT AND MET THOSE DESIGN PARAMETERS. SO IT DOES HAVE A CERTIFICATE OF APPROPRIATION AND THE PROJECT IS CURRENTLY, UM, READY TO BE PERMITTED PERMITTED AND THE DEVELOPMENT CAN BEGIN, UM, AS SOON AS THE DEVELOPER SUBMITS THE NECESSARY PAPERWORK. THE STAFF, ALONG WITH SEVERAL OF THE COMMUNITY MEMBERS HAVE BEEN WORKING TO DEVELOP A SOLUTION TO THIS, UM, CONCERN THAT WE'VE, WE'VE HEARD. AND WHAT WE'VE DECIDED IS THAT WE ARE RECOMMENDING THAT THE CITY CONVEY TWO ACRES OF CITY OWNED PROPERTY LOCATED AT 2 2 3 SOUTH CHERRY STREET. THIS IS THE FORMER SIGN SHOP PROPERTY THAT WAS VACATED THIS PAST DECEMBER. THAT [01:00:01] PROPERTY, JUST THE TWO ACRES APPRAISED AT $2.6 MILLION WE'RE PROPOSING THAT WE EXCHANGE THIS PROPERTY WITH THE 1.69 ACRE PROPERTY AT 8 0 3 8 1 5 NORTH CHERRY, WHICH IS THE PROPERTY THAT WAS CONVEYED TO THE ALAMO BEER PROJECT. AND THAT PROPERTY IS APPRAISED AT 2.58 MILLION. THE CITY HAS NEGOTIATED A TERM SHEET WITH 8 0 3 NORTH CHERRY L L C TO SERVE AS A FRAMEWORK FOR THE NEGOTIATION OF AN AGREEMENT WHICH THE CITY MANAGER WILL BE AUTHORIZED TO EXECUTE. AFTER TODAY'S ACTION, PER THE TERM SHEET, THE CITY SHALL FUND AND COMPLETE THE ENVIRONMENTAL REMEDIATION AND BUILDING DEMOLITION. WE MUST REPL 2 2 3 SOUTH CHERRY STREET. THE PROPERTY IS CURRENTLY 3.92 ACRES, WILL REPL TO BIFURCATE THE PROPERTY INTO TWO PROPERTIES, THE TWO ACRE SITE, AND THE 1.92 ACRE SITE. WE'LL CONVEY THAT TWO ACRE PORTION OF 2 2 3 SOUTH CHERRY STREET TO 8 0 3 NORTH CHERRY L L C, AND THEN WE'LL PLACE THE DEED IN AN ESCROW AND IT WILL BE RECORDED UPON RECEIPT OF A BUILDING PERMIT OR NO LATER THAN 36 MONTHS AFTER THE CITY COMPLETES THE ENVIRONMENTAL AND THE DEMO. THE TERM SHEET ALSO PROVIDES THE SAME SEED SHIP INCENTIVES TO THE NEW PROJECT THAT WERE PREVIOUSLY APPROVED FOR 8 0 3 AND 8 1 5 NORTH CHERRY STREET. SO THAT INCLUDES THE 10 YEAR TAX REBATE, THE CITY AND SS V WAIVERS. IN EXCHANGE, THE DEVELOPER SHALL CONVEY THE 1.69 ACRE PROPERTY AT 8 0 3 AND 8 1 5 NORTH CHERRY TO THE CITY. THEY MUST CONSTRUCT A FIVE STORY BUILDING FOR MULTI-FAMILY RESIDENTIAL ON THE TWO ACRE SITE. THE DESIGN MUST APPROVE, BE APPROVED THROUGH THE HISTORIC AND DESIGN REVIEW COMMISSION, AND THEY ALSO MUST WORK WITH THE CITY TO RETAIN, RECYCLE, AND REUSE UTIL UTILITIES AT 2, 2 3 SOUTH CHERRY. AND THEY MUST FOLLOW ALL CITY PROCESSES, WHETHER IT'S H D R C OR PLANNING COMMISSION REGULATIONS AND CODE REGULATIONS TO DEVELOP THE PROPERTY. THE FUTURE USE OF NORTH CHERRY, THE SITE IS TO BE USED FOR PUBLIC RECREATIONAL OR USE MEETING A COMMUNITY NEED BASED, UM, I'M SORRY, OR USE MEETING A COMMUNITY NEED BASED ON COMMUNITY INPUT. CITY STAFF AND DISTRICT TWO WILL SEEK INPUT FROM THE COMMUNITY PARTNERS TO INCLUDE THE HAY STREET BRIDGE RESTORATION GROUP, THE RESIDENTS OF DIG HILL, THE SURROUNDING NEIGHBORHOODS AND OTHER STAKEHOLDERS. THE PUBLIC INPUT WILL BE IN LINE WITH THE PUBLIC PARTICIPATION PRINCIPLES AND PUBLIC INPUT MAY CONSIDER VIEW SHEDS MAY CONSIDER. IT'LL ALSO CONSIDER THE MINIMUM CONCEPTUAL DESIGN AND IT'LL ALSO DISCUSS HOW WE CAN INTERPRET SUCH IMPORTANT OPPORTUNITIES SUCH AS THE TRAIN DEPOT AND INDIVIDUALS EMPLOYED BY THE RAILROAD. THIS IS THE PROPERTY THAT THE CITY SOLD IN 2014 AND THIS WILL BE THE PROPERTY THAT WE REGAIN AS A RESULT OF THIS TRANSACTION. THE FUTURE USE OF SOUTH CHERRY STREET. SO THIS IS A PROPERTY THAT WE ARE CONVEYING TO 8 0 3 NORTH CHERRY L L C. IT'LL BE REPLANTED INTO A TWO ACRE TRACT AND A 1.92 ACRE TRACT. TWO ACRES WILL BE USED FOR MULTIFAMILY AND IT'LL HAVE A FIVE STORY HEIGHT RESTRICTION. THE REMAINING 1.92 ACRES OF CITY OWNED PROPERTY WILL BE DISPOSED OF THROUGH AN R F P AS A MIXED INCOME RESIDENTIAL PROJECT. NOW IF WE GO THROUGH THAT PROCESS AND WE DETERMINE IT'S DETERMINED THAT A MIXED INCOME PROJECT IS NOT FEASIBLE ON THAT SITE, THEN ANY PROCEEDS FROM THAT PROPERTY WILL GO TO FUND AFFORDABLE HOUSING IN THAT NEAR EAST SIDE AREA. THIS IS HOW THE PROPERTY WILL BE REP PLATTED. SO THE TWO ACRE LOT THAT WE'RE EXCHANGING IS ON CHERRY IN IDAHO STREET AND THE CITY WILL ISSUE AN R F P FOR THE 1.92 ACRE CITY LOT ON CHERRY IN MONTANA. STAFF IS RECOMMENDING THE AUTHORIZATION TO NEGOTIATE AND EXECUTE A DEVELOPMENT AGREEMENT WITH 8 0 3 NORTH CHERRY AND ALSO IS RECOMMENDING APPROVAL OF THE EXCHANGE OF A TWO ACRE SECTION OF THE PROPERTY LOCATED AT 2 2 3 SOUTH CHERRY IN EXCHANGE FOR THE 1.69 ACRE PROPERTY AT 8 0 3 AND 8 1 5 NORTH CHERRY. AND WE'RE ALSO RECOMMENDING THE APPROPRIATION OF THE $600,000, WHICH WILL BE USED TO REPL AND SURVEY THE PROPERTY FUND, THE DEMOLITION OF THE BUILDING ON THE SITE, AS WELL AS FUND THE ENVIRONMENTAL, THE DEMOLITION, AND THE ENVIRONMENTAL WERE ALREADY PLANNED ON, UM, BEING [01:05:01] DONE AS A RESULT OF THIS PROPERTY BEING IDENTIFIED AS AN OPPORTUNITY FOR AFFORDABLE HOUSING. SO IT'S NOT SOMETHING WE ARE DOING ABOVE AND BEYOND WHAT STAFF WAS ALREADY PLANNING ON DOING. AND THAT CONCLUDES MY PRESENTATION. THANK YOU, LORI. AND WE'VE GOT, UH, SEVERAL SPEAKERS HERE. AND SO WE'RE GONNA TAKE THOSE SPEAKERS AT THIS TIME. AND, UH, BEFORE THE SPEAKERS COME UP, JUST KNOW THAT I PLAN TO, WHEN THE MAYOR RETURNS, I PLAN TO MAKE A MOTION THAT WILL, UM, UH, SPECIFICALLY DESIGNATE THIS, THE, THE LAND THAT WE'RE PURCHASING AS A PUBLIC PARK, SO THAT THAT LANGUAGE WILL COME UP A LITTLE BIT LATER. BUT I DID WANNA MENTION THAT, UH, BEFORE THE SPEAKERS CAME ON UP. AND I WILL TAKE A LITTLE BIT OF EXECUTIVE PRIVILEGE, UM, AND GO A LITTLE BIT OUTTA ORDER ON THE SPEAKERS. SO I'M GONNA ASK, UH, THAT GRACIELA SANCHEZ, UH, COME UP FIRST AND MS. NETTY HINTON, I WANT YOU TO KNOW I'VE GOT YOU ADDED ON THE VERY END. SO, AND THEN, UH, GRACIE GRACIE WILL BE FOLLOWED BY NICHOLAS VAR. OKAY. AND I'M INVITING SOME OF THE STUDENTS I WAS SUPPOSED TO SPEAK AT BONUM THIS, UH, MORNING. UM, AND I SAID, I, I HAVE TO CANCEL. AND SO THEY SAID, WE'LL COME TO YOU. SO I WANT THEM AND GO AHEAD AND SHOW THESE IMAGES SO THEY HAVE THE EXPERIENCE OF WHAT THIS IS ALL ABOUT. AND I THINK I ALSO HAD, UM, LAUREN, UM, AND, UH, TIMOTHY AND WHO ELSE WAS THE THIRD PERSON? SO I GET NINE MINUTES, I THINK. OKAY. SO I'VE GOT, UH, LAUREN BARTHOLOMEW AND WHO'S THE OTHER ONE? TIMOTHY TIM HERE. OKAY. YOU CAN COME UP HERE TOO. OKAY. ALRIGHT. TIMOTHY, WHAT WAS THE LAST NAME? PEREZ. PEREZ BETIS. OKAY. ANY OF Y'ALL WANNA COME? SEE? YOU'RE GONNA BE ON TV ON CHANNEL 21 IF YOU GET SO LOOK FOR IT. 'CAUSE IT RUNS WHAT DAYS? DON'T START ME. HEY, CAN I REAL QUICK? UH, OKAY. TIM TIMOTHY IS NOT ON THE LIST. OKAY. SO IS THERE ANOTHER YES, THERE'S SOMEBODY ELSE. KAYLEE. KAYLEE. KAYLEE, COME ON UP. KAYLEE. KAYLEE KING. YES, THERE. SHE'S OKAY. THANK YOU. YOU HAVE NINE MINUTES GARCIA. OKAY. WHEREAS IN 2001, THE RESTORATION GROUP RESEARCHED AND IDENTIFIED THE FEDERAL TRANSPORTATION EQUITY ACT FUNDING AS A POSSIBLE SOURCE OF FUNDING FOR THE RESTORATION OF THE HAY STREET BRIDGE. ENCOURAGED THE CITY TO JOIN ON THE APPLICATION, PROVIDED INKIND DONATION OF EXPERT ENGINEERING ANALYSIS, HELPED TO WRITE THE GRANT APPLICATION AND TOOK A, A BUSLOAD OF COMMUNITY MEMBERS TO AUSTIN TO MEET WITH THE STATE REPS IN TXDOT REPRESENTATIVES ON A BUS DONATED BY EASTSIDE BUSINESSWOMAN JUNE BRADFORD OF DAISY TOURS, ALL OF WHICH RESULTED IN THE $2.93 MILLION GRANT FOR THE BRIDGE PROJECT. AND WHEREAS IN 2002, THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO DRAFTED AND REQUIRED THE HAY STREET BRIDGE RESTORATION GROUP TO SIGN A FUNDRAISING CONTRACT, OBLIGATING THE GROUP TO RAISE CASH AND IN KIND DONATIONS FOR THE HAY STREETS BRIDGE PROJECT IN EXCHANGE, UH, FOR WHICH THE CITY PROMISED, PROMISED THAT ALL DONATIONS GENERATED BY THE GROUP WOULD BE USED FOR THE HAY STREET BRIDGE PROJECT. AND PURSUANT TO THIS CONTRACT, THE GROUP SOLICITED APPROXIMATELY $200,000 IN CASH, THOUSANDS OF HOURS OF ENGINEERING EXPERTISE, THE HAY STREET BRIDGE, THE LAND UNDERNEATH THE BRIDGE, AND THE CHERRY STREET LAND ADJOINING THE BRIDGE. AND WHEREAS IN 2005, THE HAY STREET BRIDGE GROUP, WITH THE KNOWLEDGE AND AGREEMENT OF THE CITY SOLICITED AND ARRANGED FOR THE DONATION OF 8 0 3 NORTH CHERRY TO THE HAY STREET BRIDGE PROJECT TO PROVIDE A HISTORY OF THE BRIDGE AND THE RAILROAD INDUSTRY IN SAN ANTONIO AND TO PROVIDE PARKING PUBLIC RESTROOMS AND THE LIKE. AND WHEREAS THE, IN 2007, CITY ACCEPTED THE DONATION OF 8 0 3 NORTH CHERRY AS PART OF THE HAY STREET BRIDGE RESTORATION PROJECT. AND THE CITY PARKS DEPARTMENT PROMISED DOUG STEADMAN THE RETIRED C E O OF W S SIMPSON ENGINEERING, AND A LEADER OF THE RESTORATION GROUP, THAT THE CITY WOULD HOLD THE LAND AT 8 0 3 NORTH CHERRY INTEREST UNTIL IT WAS IMPROVED AS PART OF THE HAY STREET BRIDGE PROJECT. AND WHEREAS IN 20 JULY, 2010, THE RESTORED BRIDGE WAS REOPENED AS A PUBLIC HIKE AND BIKE TRAIL, AND THE RESTORATION GROUP BEGAN PHASE TWO OF THE PROJECT. AND WHEREAS FROM 2011 TO 2012, A EUGENE SEYMOUR OR VERY PERSONAL CLOSE FRIEND OF MAYOR HARBERGER PURCHASED PROPERTIES ON BOTH SIDES OF THE BRIDGE HIRED TRADE CHECK JACOBSON, A FORMER A TO HARBERGER AND THE CURRENT CHIEF OF STAFF OF MAYOR NUREMBERG, TO LOBBY CITY OFFICIALS AND STAFF AND TO ARRANGE FOR SEAM MORE TO GET THE LAND AT 8 0 3 NORTH CHERRY AND LOTS OF PUBLIC MONEY TO BUILD A BREWERY FOR ALAMO BEER. AND WHEREAS ON AUGUST 2ND, 2012, CITY COUNCIL APPROVED A VERY, VERY SWEET DEAL FOR ALAMO BEER, INCLUDING THAT HE WOULD PAY $295,000 FOR NORTH CHERRY, BUT HE WOULD [01:10:01] GET A GRANT FOR $295,000. AND AS THE STUDENTS TOLD ME, THAT MEANT HE PAID NOTHING. ALAMO BEER WOULD GET FREE 10 YEAR LICENSES TO BUILD SKYWALKS TO THE BRIDGE. IN ORDER TO USE THE HISTORIC BRIDGE FOR A RESTAURANT. ALAMO BEER WOULD GET ADDITIONAL $449,000 FROM TOUR 11 FUND AND $50,000 FROM AN INNER CITY INCENTIVE FUND. AND WHEREAS THIS DEAL WAS NEGOTIATED IN BACK ROOMS WITHOUT OPEN BIDDING, NOBODY ELSE, NO OTHER SMALL BUSINESSES HAD THIS SWEETHEART DEAL WITHOUT PUBLIC INPUT AND WAS PROTESTED BY TESTIMONY AND PETITIONS BY SIGNED BY THOUSANDS OF COMMUNITY MEMBERS. AND WHEREAS IN DECEMBER, 2012, THE HAY STREET BRIDGE RESTORATION GROUP SUED THE CITY ALLEGING THAT THE TRANSFER OF NATO THREE NORTH CHERRY VIOLATED THE 2002 AGREEMENT. AND THE, AND IN SEPTEMBER OF 2014, THE JURY FOUND THAT THE CITY BREACHED THE 2002 AGREEMENT, AND THE DISTRICT COURT ORDERED THE CITY TO COMPLY WITH THE 2002 AGREEMENT. AND WHEREAS IN 20 13, 20 14, ALAMO BEERS SUCCESSFULLY BUILT THE BREWERY ON PRIVATELY OWNED LAND. AND WHEREAS THE ENTRY OF THE DISTRICT COURT JUDGMENT AGAINST THE CITY, THE CITY ATTORNEY AGREED TO NEGOTIATE WITH THE RESTORATION GROUP OVER THE CHERRY STREET LAND. THEY TRIED, WHEREAS ON DECEMBER 4TH, 2014, WITHOUT NOTIFICATION TO THE RESTORATION GROUP, LORI HOUSTON INSTEAD TELLS COUNSEL THAT ALAMO BEER NEEDS THE LAND FOR PARKING AND FOR OTHER BREWERY FACILITIES. AND THE COUNCIL APPROVES TRANSFER OF THE LAND AND BRIDGE TO ALAMO BEER. AND LATER THAT SAME DAY, AN ASSISTANT CITY MANAGER SIGNED A DEED GIVING THE LAND TO SEYMOUR'S PERSONAL SEYMOUR, TEXAS LAND COMPANY, NOT TO ALAMO BEER AS THE COUNCIL HAD AUTHORIZED. AND WHEREAS ON DECEMBER 9TH, 1820 14, THE RESTORATION GROUP FILES A MOTION FOR CONTEMPT CHARGING THAT THE LAND TRANSFER VIOLATED THE DISTRICT JUDGMENT. AND THE CITY FILED NOTICE THAT IT WAS APPEALING THE DISTRICT JUDGMENT, WHICH AUTOMATICALLY STATE THE GROUP'S CONTEMPT CHARGE. AND WHEREAS THE RESTORATION GROUP FILED AN OFFICIAL NOTICE IN THE BEXAR COUNTY LAND RECORDS NOTIFYING ALL POTENTIAL BUYERS OF THE LAND, THAT THERE WAS AN ONGOING DISPUTE AS TO THE TITLE AND THE USE OF LAND, AND THAT ANY PURCHASE OF THAT LAND COULD BE INVALIDATED. AND WHEREAS IN 2016, SEYMOUR TRANSFERRED 8 0 3 NORTH CHERRY, UH, UH, TO 8 0 3 NORTH CHERRY L L C SEYMOUR'S PARTNERSHIP WITH MITCH MEYER. AND WHEREAS IN 27 20 18, AN ONLINE PETITION PROTECT TO PROTECT PUBLIC ACCESS TO THE LAND AND BRIDGE COLLECTED MORE THAN 16,000 SIGNATURES FROM SAN ANTONIO RESIDENTS AND ALLIES FROM TEXAS, THE NATION AND THE WORLD. AND WHEREAS IN 2017, THE CITY AGREED TO GIVE MAYOR SEYMOUR L L C 1.2 MILLION IN SEA CHIP INCENTIVES, EVEN THOUGH THE PROJECT INCLUDED NO AFFORDABLE HOUSING. AND THIS DESIGN HAD BEEN, HAD NOT BEEN APPROVED BY H D R C AS REQUIRED BY THE CITY'S C CHIP RULES AND POLICIES. AND WHEREAS ON DECEMBER 6TH, 2017, THE HAY STREET BRIDGE COMMUNITY COALITION PRESENTED OVER FOUR HOURS OF UNIFIED OPPOSITION TO THE BRIDGE APARTMENTS PROPOSAL. AND THE HISTORICAL DESIGN AND REVIEW COMMISSION REJECTED THE PROPOSAL. AND WHEREAS IN 2018, THE OFFICE OF HISTORIC PRE PRESERVATION BEGAN A PROCESS OF IDENTIFYING LOCATIONS FOR POTENTIAL VIEWS SHED PROTECTION. HUNDREDS OF COMMUNITY MEMBERS IDENTIFIED VIEWS OF HAY STREET BRIDGE FROM CHERRY AND LAMAR, AND VIEWS FROM THE BRIDGE AS IMPORTANT TO SAVE AT THE OFFICE OF PRE HISTORIC PRESERVATION SUDDENLY DROPPED THE VIEWSHED PROTECTION EFFORT WITHOUT ANY EXPLANATION. AND WHEREAS IN MARCH 9TH, 2018, FOLLOWING HUNDREDS OF HOURS OF COMMUNITY CONVERSATION, THE HAS STREET BRIDGE COMMUNITY COALITION PRESENTED ANOTHER THREE HOURS OF POWERFUL TESTIMONY. AND THE H D R C AGAIN FOUND THE APARTMENT'S PROPOSAL DID NOT MEET APPLICABLE CITY GUIDELINES. AND ON WHEREAS ON MARCH 24TH, 2018, CITY MANAGER CHERYL SCULLY IGNORED THE H D R C PROCESS AND GRANTED CONDITIONAL APPROVAL TO THE APARTMENT PROJECT LEADING TO A CHAOTIC SERIES OF CLOSED MEETINGS INVOLVING CITY SELECTED COMMUNITY MEMBERS WHO WERE EXPOSED TO REPEATED BULLYING BY MAYOR AND OTHER SEA MORE MAYOR, LAWYERS, ARCHITECTS, AND OTHER REPRESENTATIVES. WHEREAS ON SEP SEPTEMBER 13TH, 2018, OVER 50 COMMUNITY MEMBERS TRAVELED TO AUSTIN TO WITNESS THE ORAL ARGUMENTS BETWEEN THE GROUPS, ONE PRO BONO ATTORNEY AND THE CITY'S FIVE HIGHLY PAID ATTORNEYS BEFORE THE TEXAS SUPREME COURT. WHEREAS IN MARCH 20, MARCH 15TH, 2019, THE TEXAS SUPREME COURT UPHELD THE 2014 DISTRICT COURT JUDGMENT RULED THAT THE CITY HAD NOT COMPLIED WITH THE JUDGMENT AND DETERMINED THAT THE CITY WAS NOT IMMUNE FROM THE SUIT AND JUDGMENT, [01:15:01] BE IT RESOLVED THAT THE CITY WILL STOP FUTURE HU SWEETHEART DEALS TO FAVORITE DEVELOPERS AND OTHER CRONIES, AND BE IT RESOLVED THAT THE CITY WILL ADOPT AND IMPLEMENT CITY BUDGETS DESIGNED WITH AN EQUITY LENS. AS MAYOR NUREMBERG HAS ADVOCATED, RECOGNIZING THAT HISTORICAL SEGREGATION, FINANCIAL REDLINING, AND RACIST DEED COVENANTS RESTRICTED BLACK AND LATINO COMMUNITIES TO THE EAST SIDE AND WEST SIDE, AND THAT FOR MORE THAN 300 YEARS, LATINOS AND BLACKS WERE RELEGATED TO SECOND CLASS CITIZENS. AND BE IT RESOLVED THAT THE CITY WILL HONOR AND IMPLEMENT THE RECOMMENDATIONS OF THE MAYOR'S HOUSING COMMISSION AND USE ALL SUITABLE CITY OWNED LAND FOR DEVELOPMENT OF AFFORDABLE HOUSING THAT IS GENERALLY AFFORDABLE FOR STUDENT RESIDENTS, MANY OF WHOM LIVE WITH HOUSEHOLDS, INCOMES OF 30% A M I OR BELOW AND MY TIME'S UP. AND THAT'S WHAT I HOPE YOU CONTINUE TO DO BECAUSE WE'VE LOST SO MANY BATTLES AND WE HAVE HEARD, AND YOU HAVE HEARD THAT WE WANT THIS CRONYISM, THESE CORRUPT DEALS TO STOP SOCIA. AND THANK YOU ALL. THANK YOU MS. SANCHEZ. THANK YOU MS. SANCHEZ. NICHOLAS VAR. HELLO. UH, THANK YOU, MR. MAYOR. THANK YOU COUNSEL. APPRECIATE THE OPPORTUNITY TO BE HERE. I'M HERE TODAY AS A CITIZEN, AS A RESIDENT OF THE DIGNITY HILL NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION, AS THE PRESIDENT OF THAT NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION AND AS A NATIVE SON OF SAN ANTONIO, I'VE LIVED HERE 28 OF THE 34 YEARS OF MY LIFE, AND I'M HERE SIMPLY TO SAY THANK YOU TO MR. ART HALL FOR ALL THE HARD WORK AND REALLY TO ALL OF YOU FOR PUTTING THIS TOGETHER. MR. MAYOR, UH, THE ENTIRE TEAM THAT'S DONE THIS, UM, THE COMMUNITY OF ACTIVISTS THAT HAVE BEEN FIGHTING FOR THIS CAUSE FOR A LONG TIME. UM, AND I WANT TO SAY THAT, THAT OUR COMMUNITY AS A WHOLE STANDS BEHIND THIS DEAL AND IS GRATEFUL FOR THE SPIRIT OF COMPROMISE, UM, AND THE OPPORTUNITY THAT LAYS BEFORE US. NOW, REALLY WHAT I'M HERE TO SAY BESIDES THANK YOU IS, UH, SIMPLY TO DELIVER A MESSAGE FROM THE NEXT GENERATION OF LEADERSHIP IN THIS CITY. AND SO WITH THAT, I WILL YIELD THE REST OF MY TIME TO MY COLLEAGUE AUDREY HERRERA. UM, AS A YOUNG PERSON, I THINK PEDESTRIAN SAFETY IS ONE OF THE BIGGEST ISSUES THAT I FACE. UM, THE, I SPENT THE BETTER HALF OF LIKE MY SENIOR YEAR LOOKING AT PEDESTRIAN SAFETY IN SCHOOL ZONES. AND, UM, I JUST THINK, UH, IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT THAT WE LIKE MOVE FORWARD WITH THIS ISSUE AND MAKE SURE THAT WE HAVE THESE SPACES FOR YOUNG PEOPLE AND THE FUTURE GENERATIONS TO FEEL SAFE IN THEIR COMMUNITIES AND TO HAVE THESE PUBLIC SPACES AND GREEN SPACES AND PARKS. SO THANK YOU. THANK YOU, MR. VAR. THANK YOU MS. HERRERA. MARIA GREEN. MS. GREEN, YOU'LL BE FOLLOWED BY JAMES GRANT. GOOD MORNING TO THE HONORABLE MAYOR RON NUREMBERG AND THE DISTINGUISHED MEMBERS OF THE CITY COUNCIL, INCLUDING OUR HARDWORKING DISTRICT TWO COUNCILMAN ART HALL. MY NAME IS MARIA GREEN, A MEMBER OF THE DENVER HEIGHTS NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION EXECUTIVE BOARD. THE EXECUTIVE BOARD OF THE DENVER HEIGHTS NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION IS THE OFFICIAL GOVERNING BODY OF THAT ASSOCIATION. TODAY I AM STANDING IN FOR OUR BOARD PRESIDENT, MR. AUBREY LEWIS, EXCUSED FOR MEDICAL REASONS. THE EXECUTIVE BOARD MET ON MONDAY, JUNE 10TH, 2019 TO REVIEW THE SERIOUS MATTER BEING CONSIDERED TODAY, FREQUENTLY REFERRED TO AS THE CHERRY STREET LAND SWAP. PRIOR TO MONDAY'S MEETING, THE BOARD MET WITH COUNCILMAN HALL ON THREE SEPARATE OCCASIONS REGARDING THE LAND SWAP. TWO OF THOSE THREE MEETINGS INCLUDED INPUT BY CITY OFFICIALS, HIS CITY MANAGER, ERIC WALSH, AND ASSISTANT CITY MANAGER LORI HOUSTON. UNFORTUNATELY, THERE WAS A LACK OF CONSISTENCY IN THE INFORMATION PRESENTED ABOUT THE SWAP AND ITS IMPACT AND THIS FACT DISAPPOINTED BOARD MEMBERS. IT IS APPARENT TO ALL OF US THAT GENTRIFICATION IS ALREADY TAKING PLACE AT AN ASTOUNDING RATE [01:20:01] IN DENVER HEIGHTS NEIGHBORHOODS, AND AFFORDABLE HOUSING IS A CRITICAL ISSUE. WHAT ARE THE BENEFITS OF THIS SO-CALLED LAND SWAP DEAL, WHICH INVOLVES PROPERTY, WHICH ACCORDING TO OUR UNDERSTANDING WAS PREVIOUSLY DESIGNATED FOR AFFORDABLE HOUSING. AND THERE SEEMS TO BE A DIFFERENCE OF OPINION AS TO WHAT IS THE DEFINITION FOR AFFORDABLE HOUSING. IT WAS EXPLAINED TO THE BOARD THAT A DECISION ABOUT THE LAND SWAP WAS NEEDED TO BE MADE AS SOON AS POSSIBLE TO MAKE THINGS EASIER FOR THE INCOMING DISTRICT COUNCIL PERSON. THERE SEEMS TO BE AN UNJUSTIFIED RATIONALE FOR THE EXTREME RUSH TO GET THIS VERY QUESTIONABLE LAND SWAP DEAL ENDORSED BY THE NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION AND PASSED BY THE CITY COUNCIL. WE MUST REMEMBER THAT THE TEXAS SUPREME COURT JUST RECENTLY SLAPPED THE CITY'S HAND ON THE EMBARRASSING FIASCO INVOLVING THE HAYES STREET BRIDGE. SOMETHING OF THIS MAGNITUDE, THIS DECISION SHOULD HAVE A WELL PUBLICIZED PUBLIC DISCUSSION WITH THE COMMUNITIES WHICH ARE BEING AFFECTED, BECAUSE AFTER ALL, IT'S THOSE OF US IN THE AFFECTED COMMUNITY WHO WILL HAVE TO LIVE WITH THE RESULTS OF THIS SO-CALLED DEAL EXTREME CAUTION MUST BE TAKEN WHEN MOVING FORWARD. I YIELD MY TIME. ARE YOU MR. GRANT? YES. OKAY, GO AHEAD MA'AM. EXTREME CAUTION MUST BE TAKEN WHEN MOVING FORWARD TO DETERMINE WHETHER THIS IS TRULY FOR THE BETTERMENT OF OUR COMMUNITY AND CITY. THE ASSOCIATION OWES THIS TO OUR DENVER HEIGHTS CONSTITUENTS. THEREFORE, BECAUSE THE DENVER HEIGHTS NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION IS IN VERY STRONG OPPOSITION TO THE SO-CALLED LAND SWAP DEAL INVOLVING THE THREE MENTIONED CHERRY STREET PROPERTIES, WE MAKE THE FOLLOWING RECOMMENDATIONS, ONE, THAT THERE BE A SEPARATE INDEPENDENT APPRAISAL OF THE PROPERTIES TO DETERMINE THEIR ACTUAL VALUE. IT SEEMS QUESTIONABLE ETHICS TO HAVE THE SAME APPRAISER DOING THE APPRAISING TWO, THAT ARRANGEMENTS BE MADE FOR A WELL ADVERTISED PUBLIC COMMUNITY. DISCUSSION ABOUT THE PROPOSED LAND SPOT AFTER THE APPRAISAL RESULTS BECOME AVAILABLE. THREE, THAT THE COUNCIL DEFER MAKING A DECISION TODAY AND POSTPONE MAKING ANY DECISION ABOUT A LAND SWAP UNTIL RECOMMENDATIONS ONE AND TWO HAVE BEEN COMPLETED. THANK YOU FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION IN THIS VERY IMPORTANT MANNER SIGNED BY OUR BOARD PRESIDENT, R B C LEWIS DENVER HEIGHTS NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION. THANK YOU FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION. THANK YOU, MS. GREEN. JESSICA GUERRERO, JESSICA GUERRERO. JESSICA GUERRERO. OKAY. DEANNA ORGA. DEANNA ORGA. MS. ORGA, YOU'LL BE FOLLOWED BY COLIN JONES. JESSICA, I, MS. GUERRERO. OKAY, HOLD ON. ENO. GOOD MORNING. MY NAME IS JESSICA GUERRERO. I AM FROM THE SOUTHEAST SIDE IN DISTRICT THREE, AND I SERVE ON THE STEERING COMMITTEE FOR THE CLIMATE ACTION AND ADAPTATION PLAN. AND ON THE CURRENT HOUSING COMMISSION, I ALSO WORK WITH FOR SONIDA IN THE SOUTHWEST SIDE. I'M GLAD THAT SOMEONE LIKE ME IS FINALLY ON THIS TYPE OF COMMISSION BECAUSE, BUT I STILL STRUGGLE TO MAKE MY VOICE HEARD AND TO HAVE MY ANALYSIS, WHICH IS INFORMED BY MY COMMUNITIES TAKEN SERIOUSLY. SO DO THOSE WHO ARE STRUGGLING TO LIVE IN THEIR HOME OR TO FIND A HOME WITH DIGNITY WHEN ISSUES LIKE HAY STREET BRIDGE COME UP DURING A MOMENT WHEN CITY HALL ACKNOWLEDGES THERE IS A HOUSING CRISIS AND SO MANY SAN ANTONIOS ARE SUFFERING FROM IT, HOW DO YOU MEASURE THE COMMON GOOD OF A DEVELOPMENT DEAL AS YOU DECIDE YOUR POSITION ON THE MATTER? TO ME, IT'S CLEAR THAT A VOTE TO APPROVE THE HAY STREET BRIDGE LAND SWAP IS A VOTE AGAINST HOUSING, AFFORDABLE HOUSING. THIS DEAL DOESN'T GO FAR ENOUGH. THIS DEAL, YET AGAIN BYPASSES ACTION ITEMS RECOMMENDED BY THE MAYOR'S HOUSING POLICY TASK FORCE. IT IS A VOTE THAT DISMISSES THE LACK OF TRUST OUR COMMUNITIES HAVE IN OUR MAYOR AND IN OUR COUNCIL REPRESENTATIVES. WHEN MISSION TRAILS MOBILE HOME COMMUNITY WAS REMOVED TO MAKE ROOM FOR LUXURY APARTMENTS, FAMILIES, [01:25:01] VETERANS, ELDERS AND CHILDREN HAD VERY LIMITED OPTIONS FOR WHERE TO GO LIVE. COMPOUNDING THE CHALLENGES THEY ALREADY FACED WAS THE LACK OF AFFORDABLE HOUSING OPTIONS AVAILABLE TO THEM. WHEN NEW OWNERS TOOK OVER SOAP WORKS AND TOWN CENTER APARTMENTS AND STARTED PUSHING THEIR TENANTS OUT TO ONE OF THE LAST, OUT FROM ONE OF THE LAST REMAINING NATURALLY AFFORDABLE HOUSING APARTMENTS, DOWNTOWN TENANTS ON FIXED INCOMES WERE FORCED TO MOVE FAR FROM THEIR WORKPLACE AND EVEN OUT OF THE STATE BECAUSE OF THE LACK OF AFFORDABLE HOUSING OPTIONS AVAILABLE TO THEM THIS YEAR. AS THE CITY STARTS TO CONSIDER THE GRAVITY OF THESE ISSUES, INCOMPLETE EFFORTS, LACKING INPUT FROM DISPLACED COMMUNITIES RESULTED IN AN INADEQUATE RISK MITIGATION POLICY THAT DOES NOT MEET A GOOD STANDARD FOR HOW TO ADDRESS OUR CITY'S HOUSING PROBLEMS. THESE POLICIES, THESE PROCESSES DON'T WORK FOR A FEW REASONS. THE MOST GLARING ONE THOUGH IS BECAUSE THERE IS A LACK OF AFFORDABLE HOUSING IN OUR CITY. DELAY THIS VOTE THAT GIVES AWAY AN OPPORTUNITY TO BUILD AFFORDABLE HOUSING IN OUR CITY. WORK INSTEAD TO CREATE OPPORTUNITIES FOR PEOPLE RATHER THAN FOR BUSINESS OWNERS WHO ARE REALLY NOT CONCERNED WITH OUR COMMUNITY AS I HOPE YOU ARE. GRACIAS. THANK YOU, MS. GUERRERO. GIANNA REGAS, FOLLOWED BY CULLEN JONES, UM, UH, AGAINST THE LANDS SLAP, UH, SWIPING, YOU KNOW, AND, UH, HAY BRIDGE. BUT I'M GETTING MY TIME TOO. UH, NETTY MI MS. HINTON'S ALREADY SIGNED UP. YOU'RE YOU'RE ON THE LIST, MS. HINTON? YES, BUT I TIME. OKAY. ALRIGHT. RIGHT. I'LL CALL MS. HINTON UP. UH, THANK YOU. AMBER CULLEN JONES. MR. JONES, YOU'LL BE FOLLOWED BY ANTONIO DIAZ. OKAY. UH, THANK YOU. GOOD MORNING, MAYOR CITY COUNCIL CULLEN JONES, 1123 NOLAN. UH, TO BEGIN WITH, MY SUPPORT FOR THE IS ABOUT A 75 80 25 20 SPLIT. HAVING SAID THAT, THOUGH, MY SUPPORTIVE ORDINANCE 19 4 7 9 4 DOESN'T MENTION THE ICONIC IRON LANDMARK AND ITS UNIQUE TRUSSES. MY SUPPORT DOESN'T SPEAK TO THE HISTORICAL SIGNIFICANCE OF THE HAY STREET BRIDGE. UH, I SUPPORT SOMETHING PERHAPS LESS TANGIBLE YET JUST AS IMPORTANT. THE ORDINANCE RECOGNIZES ALL VOICES IN ALL VIEWS, AND THEREFORE HAS PROMISED TO MOVE THIS CITY FORWARD. THE FIRST VOICE THAT OF THE COMMUNITY SPEAKS OF AN INCLUSIVE, WELCOMING CITY. HEARING ALL VOICES EQUALLY, THIS ORDINANCE PROVIDES AN OPPORTUNITY TO UPHOLD AND REFINE THE PRINCIPLES OF PUBLIC PARTICIPATION, WHICH ENSURE THE COMMUNITY VOICE IS CLEARLY AND ACCURATELY HEARD. THE SECOND VOICE THAT OF THE HAY STREET BRIDGE RESTORATION GROUP WILL ALSO BE HEARD. THE TIME, ENERGY, AND RESOURCES THIS GROUP HAS EXHAUSTED IN THE PAST CAN NOW COME TO FRUITION AS THEY PROVIDE INPUT FOR THE FUTURE. THE THIRD VOICE THAT OF THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO ALSO GAINS AN AUDIENCE. THE PAST EFFORTS OF SOLICITING, COLLECTING AND SYNTHESIZING INPUT REGARDING VIEW SHEDS WAS NO SMALL TASK. THEIR EFFORTS SPANNING THE ENTIRE CITY WILL ALSO PROVIDE INPUT FOR THE FUTURE. IN CONCLUSION, I SAY THANKS TO COUNCILMAN ART HALL, CITY MANAGER ERIC WALSH AND THEIR RESPECTIVE OFFICES. I HOPE INCOMING COUNCIL MEMBERS APPRECIATE AND ARE INSPIRED BY THE RESOLVE IN OVERCOMING THE ANGST LEADERSHIP DEMONSTRATED TO GET US HERE. I WOULD ALSO LIKE TO REMIND EVERYONE, THIS IS A SOLID EXAMPLE OF WITNESSING THE RE RESPECTIVE ROLES IN OUR FORM OF GOVERNMENT. THE CITIZEN SPEAKS ELECTED OFFICIAL, LISTENS, ELECTED OFFICIAL GUIDING PARTNERS WITH CSOSA TO ACCOMPLISH THE TASK. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. THANK YOU MR. JONES. ANTONIO DIAZ. MR. DIAZ, YOU'LL BE FOLLOWED BY JACK FINGER ALLY. UH, I AM, THIS IS A, A VERY HARD ISSUE AND, AND WHETHER TO SAY IT'S A PARODY TO DO ONE, SWAPPING ONE SITE FOR THE OTHER IS NOT RIGHT AFTER ALL THE WORK THAT HAS BEEN DONE TO ATTAIN IT FOR THE PUBLIC'S PARK. AND NOW THAT I'VE STUDIED IT, I STILL DON'T SEE HOW IT'S APPROPRIATE TO SAY THAT THERE'LL BE, UH, MONIES TOWARDS AFFORDABLE HOUSING. I DON'T AGREE WITH THE A M I [01:30:02] THAT'S USED FOR A, FOR TO, TO CONSIDER HOUSING AFFORDABLE IN SAN ANTONIO. IT, IT, IT JUST BOGGLES MY MIND TO SAY THAT SOMEONE HAS TO EARN UPWARDS OF $40,000 AND, AND TO BE CONSIDERED, UH, AS A SOMEONE THAT, THAT, THAT, THAT, THAT CAN AFFORD HOUSING WHEN, WHEN IT IS SUCH A LOW WAGE CITY. AND WE SEE THE DISPLACEMENT IN OUR INNER, IN THE CORE OF OUR INNER CITY CONTINUING. AND AS, UH, WE'LL SEE THE FULL NEWLY ELECTED CITY COUNCIL BY NEXT WEEK, WE WILL CONTINUE TO ADDRESS THIS ISSUE AND HOPEFULLY IN A, IN WE WILL ADDRESS THIS, UH, THE DEFINITION OF AFFORDABLE HOUSING AND THE USE OF THE A M I AND BECAUSE, UH, AN AVERAGE MEDIAN INCOME FOR SAN ANTONIO IS NOT WHAT IS PROJECTED, EVEN THOUGH AT 50 OR CLOSE TO $60,000 WE'RE STILL LOWER THAN THE, THE STATE AND THE REST OF THE NATION. IT IS A LOW WAGE INCOME CITY. AND WE NEED TO CONSIDER, EVEN THOUGH I UNDERSTAND 'CAUSE OF LENDING INSTITUTIONS WANTING THAT A M I TO BE AT THAT HIGHER STATE, IT DOES NOT MAKING, IT DOES NOT MAKE WHAT, WHAT WAS BEING OFFERED AFFORDABLE HOUSING. AND SO WHATEVER MONIES WILL BE PROJECTED TOWARDS CONSTRUCTING AFFORDABLE HOUSING WITHIN THAT SITE, I SAY THE A M I NEEDS TO BE LOOKED AT VERY, VERY, VERY CAREFULLY. THANK YOU TI THANK YOU MR. DIAZ. JACK FINGER. MR. FINGER, YOU'RE BE FOLLOWED BY JUDITH VEGA. WELL, MAYOR NURENBERG AND OTHER MEMBERS OF OUR ILLUSTRIOUS SAN ANTONIO CITY COUNCIL FOR THE RECORD, MY NAME IS JACK MFIN, THE HAYES STREET BRIDGE SITUATION LAND, ORIGINALLY OWNED BY THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO. AND THEN SOMEHOW A SWEETHEART DEAL ALLOWED IT TO BE GIVEN TO A PRIVATE COMPANY. SOME, SOME TIME AGO. UH, I THINK IT WAS EITHER A RESTAURANT OR, OR, UM, BREWERY OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT. IT WAS IN THE WAY IT WORKS. PEOPLE DIDN'T LIKE THAT. THEY PROTESTED. THEY SIGNED PETITIONS, THEY EVEN WENT TO COURT OVER IT. AND NOW WHAT DO WE HAVE HERE? A UH, SO-CALLED LAND SWAP. A LAND SWAP. AND SUPPOSEDLY THE CITY'S GOING TO A PART OF THE DEAL IS GOING TO ESTABLISH A FEW THINGS AND, AND THE PARK THERE. AFFORDABLE HOUSING, SOMETHING I'VE ALWAYS COMPLAINED ABOUT AFFORDABLE HOUSING IS ACTUALLY, ESSENTIALLY WORKS OUT TO BE WELFARE HOUSING. BUT, UH, STILL THE FACT REMAINS THAT THIS WHOLE THING SMELLS. IT, IT JUST STINKS TO HIGH HEAVEN. YOU'RE GOING TO GIVE, GIVE AWAY LAND THAT REALLY ORIGINALLY BELONGS TO US AND SHOULD REMAIN BELONGING, BELONGING TO THE CITIZENS OF SAN ANTONIO. WHY NOT JUST CANCEL THE WHOLE DARN THING? HMM. YEAH. I MEAN, WHY NOT? I MEAN, STOP THIS THING. STOP CAUSING ALL THE, UH, DISTRUST IN CITY GOVERNMENT THAT YOU HAVE DONE SO FAR AND, AND GIVE IT BACK TO THE PEOPLE WHERE IT BELONGS. HUH? THANK YOU. THANK YOU, MR. FINGER. JUDITH VEGA. MS. VEGA, YOU'LL BE FOLLOWED BY ASCO GOMEZ. HELLO, MY NAME IS JUDI VEGA. UM, MY FAMILY HAS LIVED IN THE EAST SIDE AND SOUTHEAST SIDE OF SAN ANTONIO FOR THE LAST 75 YEARS, UM, IN DISTRICT TWO AND DISTRICT THREE. AND I'VE COME TO BACK TO THE SAN ANTONIO AFTER MANY YEARS, AFTER 12 YEARS, AND I'M NOW RAISING MY FAMILY NEAR DOWNTOWN. UM, AS A MOTHER, I FEEL THAT MY CHILDREN NEED TO LIVE IN A COMMUNITY THAT IS SAFE, UM, WHERE PUBLIC, THERE ARE PUBLIC SPACES TO PLAY AND HANG OUT IN, AND WHERE THEIR CONTRIBUTIONS AS INDIVIDUALS ARE VALUED. UM, UNFORTUNATELY WHAT I'VE FOUND SINCE I'VE COME BACK TO SAN ANTONIO IS IT'S A CITY THAT EXPOUNDS EMPTY RHETORIC ABOUT IMPROVING THE QUALITY OF LIFE FOR COMMUNITIES OF COLOR AND POOR PEOPLE NEAR DOWNTOWN WHO HAVE LONG BEEN IGNORED AND NEGLECTED, AND MAKING BACKROOM DEALS WITH MONEY TO INTEREST THAT DO NOT BENEFIT THE COMMUNITY. UH, WE AS A COMMUNITY HAVE WON THIS, THIS LEGAL BATTLE IN THE TEXAS SUPREME COURT OVER THE LAND THAT WAS HELD IN TRUST [01:35:01] BY THE CITY, UM, BUT SOLD TO THE DEVELOPER. AND NOT ONLY ARE YOU IN CONTEMPT OF COURT BY NOT ALLOWING YOUR, BY NOT RETURNING THE LAND, UM, BUT BY ALLOWING YOURSELVES TO BE BULLIED BY DEVELOPERS TO GIVING INCENTIVES AND LAND. UM, YOU'RE PRIORITIZING THE ECONOMIC, DEVELOP THE ECONOMIC BENEFIT OF A FEW WEALTHY INDIVIDUALS, UM, AT THE EXPENSE OF THE MOST VULNERABLE. SO MY CHILDREN DESERVE BETTER. UM, ALL THE BEAUTIFUL CHILDREN IN THIS ROOM WHO ARE FROM THE EAST, WEST, AND SOUTH SIDES, AND FROM THE COMMUNITIES THAT ARE BEING MOST AFFECTED BY THIS GENTRIFICATION DESERVE A CITY THAT IS TRANSPARENT AND FAIR. UM, AS A MOTHER TOO, I TEACH MY CHILDREN THAT OUR ACTIONS, UH, SPEAK LOUDER THAN WORDS. THIS IS NOT EQUITY. THIS IS STRUCTURAL RACISM. THIS IS STRUCTURAL VIOLENCE. UM, AND BACKROOM DEALS ARE NOT PUBLIC PARTICIPATION. AND THIS IS NOT COMPASSION. UM, AND I, WE DESERVE BETTER AND I'M GIVING THE REST OF MY TIME TO NATASHA HERNANDEZ. THANK YOU. SO, UM, I KNOW THERE'S A LOT OF KIDS IN THIS ROOM AND I WANT ALL Y'ALL TO LISTEN UP RIGHT NOW BECAUSE I WANT ALL OF Y'ALL TO KNOW THAT Y'ALL ARE THE FUTURE OF THE CITY AND Y'ALL HAVE THE POWER TO MAKE CHANGES. Y'ALL HAVE THE POWER TO STAND UP FOR YOUR COMMUNITIES, AND I'M PROUD OF Y'ALL FOR DOING THAT TODAY. SO MY NAME IS NATASHA HERNANDEZ AND I LIVE IN DIGNITY HILL. I'VE LIVED ON THE EAST SIDE MY WHOLE LIFE. MY FAMILY ON THE EAST SIDE HAS LIVED THROUGH DEVELOPMENT, EVICTION, RISING PROPERTY TAXES, AND LAST MAY, MY NEIGHBORS ON THE RIGHT, ON THE LEFT AND BEHIND ME ALL MOVED OUT AT ONCE DUE TO RISING PROPERTY TAXES AND HOUSING COSTS. I WANT EVERYBODY HERE TO KNOW THAT MY COMMUNITY IS DISAPPEARING BEFORE MY EYES. AND I JUST WANT PEOPLE ON THE CITY COUNCIL TO TAKE INTO CONSIDERATION THE EFFECT THAT THE DECISIONS YOU MAKE HAVE ON LIVING PEOPLE, ON WORKING PEOPLE IN THIS CITY. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. ASCO GOMEZ. ASCO GOMEZ, FOLLOWED BY LIZ FRANKLIN. UM, OKAY, SO I'VE NEVER DONE ANYTHING LIKE THIS, BUT UM, I JUST FEEL LIKE CERTAIN PEOPLE IN THE CITY DON'T REALLY MATTER OR THEY HAVE LIKE LESS VALUE. LIKE I'M FROM THE EAST SIDE AND IT'S JUST LIKE, OH, THANK YOU FOR LIKE GIVING US LIKE THE LAND AND STUFF. BUT IT WAS ALREADY LAND THAT KIND OF LIKE, BUT BELONGED TO US. AND THEN IT, IT, IT'S, AND THEN YOU, YOU'RE GIVING IT BACK TO US AND ACTING LIKE IT'S SOMETHING WE SHOULD BE. BUT TO BE COMPLETELY HONEST, IT'S LIKE SOMETHING THE CITY MESSED UP ABOUT. THEY LIKE, THEY DID THIS WITHOUT US KNOWING. THEY DID THIS LIKE BEHIND OUR BACKS AND WE WEREN'T AWARE OF IT. AND NOW THEY'RE DOING LIKE SINCE THE CITY KIND OF, I'M NOT GONNA MESS, BUT I DON'T KNOW WHAT LIKE, BUT NOW THEY HAVE TO TRADE LAND TO THE DEVELOPERS 'CAUSE THEY PROMISED THE DEVELOPER'S LAND. AND REGARDLESS OF IF IT'S THE HAY STREET BRIDGE OR IT'S A FEW BLOCKS DOWN, IT'S STILL GENTRIFICATION. IT'S NOT DEVELOPMENT, IT'S GENTRIFICATION. THAT'S WHAT IT IS. AS CLEAR AS POSSIBLE. AND LIKE WE ARE THE COMMUNITY, NOT LIKE WHO ARE DEVELOPERS AND WHY ARE THEY, WHY, WHY DO THEY HAVE SO MUCH VALUE? LIKE MORE THAN US, IF IF WE'RE, IF WE'RE THE PEOPLE, IF WE'RE THE PEOPLE WHO LIKE ACTUALLY ACTUALLY LIVE THERE AND WE'RE THE ONES WHO THE LAND AND EVERYTHING'S SUPPOSED TO BELONG TO, WHY ARE LIKE PEOPLE WHO HAVE NOTHING TO MOST OF THE TIMES JUST COME TO THE CITY TRYING TO MAKE A PROFIT. AND I UNDERSTAND FOR THE CITY, IT'S A WAY FOR THE CITY TO GET MONEY. AND THAT'S IMPORTANT. THE CITY'S GOING TO GET WEALTHIER, BUT WE ARE NOT GONNA GET WEALTHIER. WE'RE, WE'RE, WE'RE DISCONNECTED FROM THAT. IT'S NOT, WE'RE NOT BENEFITING. THERE'S NO BENEFITS FOR US. LIKE, AND WE'RE JUST, AND THE LAND THAT, THAT, UH, THE CITY'S GONNA GIVE THE DEVELOPERS WAS SUPPOSED TO BE, UM, UH, WHAT'S IT CALLED? UH, WHAT'S IT CALLED? THE AFFORDABLE HOUSING. SORRY, I'M A LITTLE BIT NERVOUS, BUT, UH, IT WAS SUPPOSED TO BE AFFORDABLE HOUSING. AND NOW YOU'RE SAYING WE'RE NOT GONNA DO THAT. WE'RE GONNA DO THAT, BUT IT'S OKAY. 'CAUSE WE'RE GONNA HAVE MIXED INCOME. BUT THE GUIDELINES AS FAR AS MIXED INCOME ARE VERY FOGGY. AND, AND ALSO LIKE YOU'RE, YOU'RE TRADING DEVELOPMENT FOR MIXED INCOME. I MEAN, YOU'RE, YOU'RE TRADING, UH, LIKE GENTRIFICATION. YOU, YOU'RE, YOU'RE PUTTING GENTRIFICATION OVER, UM, AFFORDABLE HOUSING. LIKE HOW IS THAT, OKAY. AND HOW DOES THAT MAKE SENSE? I DON'T UNDERSTAND WHY WE'RE EVEN LIKE TALKING ABOUT THIS. LIKE, IT, IT'S THE PEOPLE, LIKE WE'RE THE PEOPLE AND I GET THERE MIGHT BE LIKE CERTAIN, [01:40:01] UM, LIKE, UH, OKAY, IS THAT IT? OH, OKAY, WAIT. THERE MIGHT BE LIKE CERTAIN, UM, LIKE COMMUNITY LIKE ORGANIZATIONS, BUT THEY DON'T REPRESENT LIKE OUR PEOPLE ARE UNDERREPRESENTED. LIKE THIS IS NOT, THIS IS NOT THE EAST SIDE. THIS IS NOT A LOT OF PEOPLE, THEY HAVE TO WORK. THEY CAN'T COME HERE AND LIKE, SO I JUST FEEL LIKE WE'RE, WE'RE KEPT IN THE DARK, WE'RE UNDERREPRESENTED AND WE DON'T HAVE LIKE A VOICE OR ANYTHING OR ANY WAY TO LIKE, LIKE TALK ABOUT THESE THINGS. AND WE, WE NEED TO TALK ABOUT THIS MORE. WE'RE NOT THIS, YOU GUYS DON'T KNOW ENOUGH ABOUT WHAT WE NEED YET. THANK YOU MR. GOMEZ. LIZ FRANKLIN. LIZ FRANKLIN. I'M GONNA ASK EVERYBODY'S COURTESY SO PEOPLE CAN HEAR THEIR NAME BEING CALLED. PLEASE KEEP, UH, THE APPLAUSE SO PEOPLE CAN HEAR THEIR NAME. THIS FRANKLIN DIGNITY HILL, HE'S RIGHT. EVERY SINGLE THING HE SAID IS RIGHT. AND I WOULD URGE YOU IN YOUR LEADERSHIP AND YOUR DELIBERATIONS AS YOU MOVE FORWARD AS A COUNCIL OVER THE NEXT TWO YEARS THAT WE CONSIDER SOMEBODY LIKE THAT YOUNG GUY, I'M SUPPORTING THE SWAP. I KNOW EVERYBODY HERE ALMOST. IT'S A CHALLENGE. IT WAS A DIFFICULT DECISION FOR ME, OKAY? BUT I MADE IT EASY ON MYSELF, ONLY MYSELF BECAUSE I'M KIND OF SELF-SERVING. THE REALITY OF THE SITUATION IS THE FIRST TIME I EVER BECAME AWARE OF THE HAY STREET BRIDGE, THERE WERE THREE PEOPLE PLAYING THAT GAME WITH ME. DOUG STEADMAN, NEDY HINTON, AND IVY TAYLOR. THAT'S THE REALITY OF WHERE IT WAS. ALL RIGHT, WITHOUT AMY CASTLEY, GRACIELA SANCHEZ AND THE ESPERANZAS PEACE AND JUSTICE CENTER, WE MIGHT EVEN NOT HAVE AN A SECOND OPPORTUNITY TO START TO GET THIS TO LOOK RIGHT. THE VERBIAGE THAT'S INCLUDED THAT SAYS PARK PUBLIC SPACE, I'M CLOSE, BUT I'M CONFLICTED OVER WORKFORCE HOUSING AND AFFORDABLE HOUSING. I'M NOT SENDING A MIXED MESSAGE. I'M SAYING THIS IS COMPLICATED. SOLVE ONE PROBLEM AT A TIME. NETTY IS 80 YEARS OLD. SHE'S BEEN FIGHTING THIS LONGER THAN SOME OF US HAVE SHOES. NOT WOMEN. WOMEN ALWAYS HAVE A LOT OF SHOES. OH, SORRY, LEMME GET BACK TO THE BUSINESS. LITTLE LEVITY. ALL RIGHT, AFFORDABLE HOUSING. I KNOW THAT WAS IMPORTANT TO THE LAST COUNCIL. I KNOW IT'S GONNA BE IMPORTANT. AGAIN, THERE'S 159 VACANT LOTS IN DIGNITY HILL. IF YOU WANNA TALK ABOUT GENTRIFICATION AND WHERE THAT LIES, WHY, WHY DOESN'T SOMEBODY ASK THE QUESTION WHY NONE OF THOSE WERE PUT INTO THE CITY INVENTORY TO GIVE SOME PEOPLE OF COLOR THAT ARE INVISIBLE, THE OPPORTUNITY TO STAY WHERE THEIR PEOPLE HAVE BEEN FOR A HUNDRED YEARS. I'M IN SUPPORT OF THE SWAP AND I'M CHARGING YOU AS WE ALL ARE, THAT WE HAVE A LOT OF WORK TO DO. THIS IS ONLY A SMALL PIECE. DO WE TRUST THAT IT WILL BE ALL RIGHT. PRINCIPLES OF PARTICIPATION, VIEW SHED PROTECTION, UH, IT'S A PARK. MAYBE WE GOT A LOT OF WORK TO DO. I NEED HOUSING THAT WE NEED THAT, BUT WE NEED TO SOLVE ONE PROBLEM AT A TIME. AND THAT'S WHERE I WENT WITH THAT TODAY. I WANT TO THANK ART HALL TIRELESS EFFORT. HE TOOK A BIG BEATING. YOU KNOW, IF YOU SEE ME ON THE OTHER SIDE, I CAN BEAT HARD. ERIC WALSH AND LAURA HOUSTON. WE WERE ON THE OPPOSITE SIDES ON MANY THINGS. I NEVER SAW ANYBODY COME BACK TO THE TABLE TO TRY AND GET IT RIGHT. I'M SORRY. I WANT A COUPLE SECONDS OVER. THANK YOU MS. FRANKLIN, BRIAN GORDON, BRIAN GORDON, MR. GORDON, YOU'LL BE FOLLOWED BY SUSANNA. SO WE, WE'VE BEEN SPENDING A LOT OF TIME WORKING ON THIS ISSUE. UH, I APPRECIATE THE ATTEMPTS AT THE LAND SWAP, BUT THE TIMING OF THIS, ALONG WITH THE UH, TEXAS SUPREME COURT'S DECISION REALLY JUST SHOWS THAT YOU GUYS ARE ACKNOWLEDGING THAT THERE'S, UM, UH, POTENTIALS OF, UH, LOSING THIS CASE AND YOU'RE TRYING TO FIND A SOLUTION THAT CAN SATISFY BOTH PARTIES, BUT HONESTLY, UH, THE DEVELOPERS SHOULDN'T EVEN BE AT THIS TABLE. UM, THIS LAND WAS NEVER EVEN, UH, [01:45:01] GIVEN ADEQUATE REVIEW, UM, ONTO FOLLOWING THROUGH WITH THE RESTORATION PROJECT. UM, THE GROUP JUST WANTS JUSTICE. WE WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE ANY WRONGDOING OF THE PAST TO SHOW YOUR HONORS COMMITMENT TO THE FUTURE. WE WANT YOU GUYS TO BE ACCOUNTABLE FOR THE ACTIONS THAT HAPPEN. WE WANT YOU TO HONOR THAT THIS WAS A A, A LAND SALE THAT DIDN'T HAPPEN AND IT DIDN'T HAPPEN IN YOUR, UH, COUNSEL. BUT WE NEED TRANSPARENCY. WE NEED TO SHOW THAT THE COUNCIL IS WILLING TO HONOR ANY MISTAKES THAT IT'S MADE AND UNDO ANY OF THOSE. UH, SECTION TWO, UH, PART E IT SAYS ALSO THE FUTURE OF 8 0 3 AND EIGHT 15 NORTH CHERRY WILL BE FOR PUBLIC RECREATIONAL USE OR FOR USE THAT MEETS COMMUNITY NEEDS BASED ON COMMUNITY INPUT. WE HAD DISCUSSIONS WITH ART HALL AND WE, WE HAD DEFINED WHAT WE WANTED TO SEE IN THAT. AND THIS HASN'T BEEN WRITTEN OUT, THE, OR THAT IS IN THERE PUBLIC OR RECREATIONAL USE OR FOR USE THAT MEETS COMMUNITY NEEDS. THAT POTENTIALLY MEANS THAT THIS COULD NOT BE PUBLIC OR RECREATIONAL USE. AND WE NEED THINGS THAT GUARANTEE THAT THIS PROCESS, IF THIS IS THE SOLUTION THAT GOES FORWARD, THAT THIS DOES THAT. BUT REALLY WE WANT AT THE MOST, WE WANT JUSTICE IN THIS CASE, WE WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE THAT THERE WAS WRONGDOING IN THE PAST AND THAT THE SOLUTION IS NOT TO BRING THESE PEOPLE BACK TO THE TABLE TO NEGOTIATE THESE OTHER THINGS. UH, THE SECOND WHEREAS ON THIS, UH, DOCUMENT IS ALSO HAVE, HAS A FALSE INFORMATION. WHEREAS THE CITY ALSO AGREES TO SELL 1.69 ACRES OF UNIMPROVED LAND LOCATED AT 8 0 3 NORTH CHERRY STREET TO ALAMO BEER COMPANY. THAT IS AN INCORRECT STATEMENT THAT WAS ACTUALLY, UH, DELIVERED TO, UH, EUGENE SEYMOUR'S COMPANY. UM, SO THIS DOCUMENT HAS SEVERAL, UH, HOLES IN IT. IT'S NOT EVEN A CORRECT STATEMENTS ON THERE. UH, THIS DOCUMENT IS RUSHED TO DISMISS THE ACTIVE LAWSUIT. PLEASE STOP, SLOW DOWN AND TAKE TIME TO LISTEN. UH, WE SPENT EIGHT YEARS SO FAR JUST WAITING FOR THIS CASE. WE NEED TO SEE THIS CASE FOLLOW THROUGH. I KNOW THERE'S BEEN, UH, COMMENTS THAT YOU GUYS AREN'T GONNA APPEAL ANYMORE OF THE CASE, BUT THAT DOESN'T HONOR OR SATISFY THE COMPLETION OF THIS CASE. AND WE NEED TO SEE IT ALL THE WAY THROUGH. THANK YOU MR. GORDON. SUSANNA RA, SUSANNA RA OH, BE FOLLOWED BY GIANNA RENDON, GIVING HER MY, OKAY. SO BEFORE YOU START MY TIME, I WOULD LIKE TO INVITE ALL THE YOUTH IN THIS ROOM, ESPECIALLY THE YOUTH THAT ARE HOLDING SIGNS TO PLEASE STAND HERE WITH ME AND CONGRATULATIONS, MAYOR ON YOUR REELECTION. CONGRATULATIONS EVERYBODY. BOYCOTT ALAMO BEER. OKAY, CONGRATULATIONS. YOU DIDN'T WIN THE FIRST ROUND, BUT YOU GOT THE SECOND ROUND. THE PEOPLE DECIDED TO GIVE YOU A SECOND CHANCE. CONGRATULATIONS. I'M HERE TO BE, UM, THE MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL'S COURT, JE TODAY I'M GONNA BE THE CITY JE BECAUSE I FEEL LIKE WE HAVE BEEN HERE SO MANY TIMES OVER AND OVER. WE KEEP POUNDING THIS ISSUE. WE ARE RIGHT, RIGHT IS RIGHT AND WRONG IS WRONG. WE WANT THIS CASE. YOU ARE MAKING FOOLS OF US. SO I'M GONNA STAND HERE AND LOOK LIKE A FOOL. I'M GONNA PUT THIS STUPID THING ON MY HEAD AND LOOK LIKE A FOOL. IT'S EMBARRASSING. Y'ALL ARE EMBARRASSING. YOU'RE EMBARRASSING THE COMMUNITY. YOU'RE NOT SUPPORTING THE PEOPLE. WHEN IS IT GONNA STOP? MAKE IT STOP HERE. MAKE IT STOP ART HALL. YOU WERE JUST TEMPORARY AND YOU DECIDED WHEN THIS SUPREME COURT ISSUE CAME UP THAT YOU ARE GONNA SOLVE THE DEAL. YOU MADE BACKROOM DEALS WITH PEOPLE. MITCH MEYERS DOES NOT DESERVE WHAT YOU ARE GIVING HIM. HE HAS NOT PROVEN TO BE GOOD FOR BUSINESS IN SAN ANTONIO. I KNOW THAT SOMEONE SAID EARLIER THAT MAYBE WE'RE GONNA MAKE MONEY FROM THIS DEAL. THE CITY'S NOT GONNA MAKE MONEY. HE HAS TAX ABATEMENTS, HE'S GOT SEA CHIP MONEY. WE'RE GIVING HIM A TON OF MONEY [01:50:01] AND WE'RE GIVING HIM MORE LAND. HE DOESN'T HAVE ANYTHING. MAYOR, I HEARD THAT YOU THOUGHT IF THIS VOTE DIDN'T GO DOWN TODAY IN HIS FAVOR, THE LAND SWAP DIDN'T HAPPEN. I HEARD THAT YOU THOUGHT HE WOULD JUST BREAK GROUND AND START BUILDING. I DON'T THINK HE HAS THE MONEY. CALL HIS BLUFF. I DON'T THINK HE HAS THE BACKERS. I DON'T THINK HE HAS. THE BANKERS CALL HIS BLUFF. HE SHOULD NOT BENEFIT ECONOMICALLY FROM THIS DEAL BECAUSE THAT'S MONEY THAT YOU ARE TAKING AWAY FROM THE COMMUNITY IN SAN ANTONIO. THAT'S MONEY THAT WE COULD BE USING FOR OUR SCHOOLS. THAT'S MONEY THAT WE COULD BE USING FOR PARK IMPROVEMENTS. THAT'S MONEY THAT WE COULD BE USING AND THIS MAN DOESN'T NEED. WHAT SHOULD HAPPEN IS YOU SHOULD TABLE THIS ISSUE. IF YOU CAN'T COME TO A CONCLUSION, I HOPE TO GOD THAT THIS DOESN'T HAPPEN AS IT USUALLY HAPPENS, WHERE ALL OF Y'ALL VOTE IN FAVOR OF THE ONE GUY THAT WANTS TO MAKE IT HAPPEN. ART HALL, IT USED TO BE A TIME WHEN ALL OF THE CITY COUNCIL PEOPLE WOULD ACTUALLY VOTE SEPARATELY AND IT WOULD BE LIKE FOUR TO FIVE, SIX TO SOMETHING AND IT, IT WOULD BE A KIND OF A, A REAL DEAL DECISION. AND NOW IT'S EVERYBODY JUST DEFERS TO THE COUNCIL PERSON AND JUST SAYS, WHATEVER ART HALL WANTS, LET'S MAKE IT HAPPEN. THAT IS NOT HOW TRANSPARENCY WORKS. THAT IS NOT A DEMOCRACY. IT'S NOT FAIR TO THE COMMUNITY. IT'S NOT FAIR TO THE PEOPLE OF SAN ANTONIO. THEY NEVER SHOULD HAVE HAD THAT LAND. THAT LAND WAS DONATED TO BE A PARK. IT WAS SUPPOSED TO BE AN AMENITY TO THE BRIDGE. Y'ALL HAVEN'T VOTED FOR US TO HAVE A VIEW SHED PROTECTION OF THAT CORNER OF CHERRY AND LAMAR. YOU SHOULD VOTE TO PROTECT THAT VIEW FOR ALL OF THE CITIZENS OF SAN ANTONIO AND ALL OF THE PEOPLE THAT COME TO SAN ANTONIO AND ALL OF THE PEOPLE THAT ARE NOT CITIZENS OF SAN ANTONIO, BUT LIVE IN SAN ANTONIO. ALL OF YOU, ALL OF YOU SHOULD DO THE RIGHT THING. YOU SHOULD NOT VOTE IN FAVOR OF THIS DEAL. THIS MAN SHOULD NOT BE GETTING ANY MONEY AND HE DEFINITELY SHOULD NOT BE GETTING LAND THAT WAS SUPPOSED TO BE AFFORDABLE HOUSING. THAT IS JUST EMBARRASSING. YOU'RE EMBARRASSING US. YOU'RE MAKING ME LOOK LIKE A CLOWN AND YOU'RE MAKING ALL OF US LOOK LIKE CLOWNS. IT'S, IT'S NOT IMPRESSIVE AT ALL. AND SO EVERYBODY'S HAPPY THAT WE HAVE A MAJORITY WOMAN ON THE COUNCIL NOW. AND I DON'T EVEN SEE ANY OF THE WOMEN AT THE TABLE SITTING HERE. WHERE'S AN SANDOVAL? WHERE'S REBECCA GANAN? WHERE'S SHIRLEY GONZALEZ? ALL OF SAN ANTONIO THAT IS GONNA BE WATCHING THIS ON PUBLIC ACCESS TV OVER AND OVER AND OVER OR POSSIBLY DOWNLOADING THIS VIDEO, SHOULD KNOW THAT ALL OF YOU HAVE STEPPED OUT OF THIS ROOM AT ONE POINT OR ANOTHER DURING THIS MEETING WHILE WE'VE BEEN TALKING ABOUT THIS VERY IMPORTANT ISSUE. BECAUSE THE PEOPLE WHO ARE ON TV WATCHING TV DO NOT SEE ALL OF YOU SITTING DOWN. THEY JUST SEE US STANDING HERE. SO YES, I'M CALLING PEOPLE OUT BY NAME. IF YOU'RE GONNA WALK OUT, THAT'S FINE. IT'S NOT THAT IMPORTANT TO YOU. THAT'S FINE. YOU CAN'T MAKE A DECISION, THAT'S FINE. TABLE THE ITEM, THEN DO THE RIGHT THING. YOU HAVE THE POWER TO DO THE RIGHT THING. THIS IS SOME OF Y'ALL'S LAST AND FINAL VOTE. RAY SALDANA INCLUDED. YOU'VE ALWAYS VOTED WITH THE PEOPLE. YOU'VE KIND OF STRUGGLED SOMETIMES, BUT YOU NEED TO DO THE RIGHT THING. THANK YOU, MS. URA. CONGRATULATIONS. AMELIA VALDEZ. AMELIA VALDEZ. OH, I'M SORRY. UH, YANETTE FLORES FIRST AND THEN AMELIA. MS. FLORES. THANK YOU [01:55:10] MS. FLORES. MS. FLORES'S. HI, MY NAME IS JEANNETTE FLORES. UM, AMELIA IS, I'M AMELIA VALDEZ. I'M GIVING MY TIME TO NETTE FLORES AND I HAVE A COUPLE OF FLO. ALL RIGHT. Y'ALL NEED TO KEEP IT DOWN BACK THERE BECAUSE HER TIME IS ALREADY GOING. YES. AND I HAVE A COUPLE OF STUDENTS THAT WANNA SHARE SOME COMMENTS AS WELL. OKAY. YOUR TIME IS GOING SO EVERYBODY'S GOTTA KEEP. YEAH. PERFECT. I'M PRETTY FAST. UM, GIO, IF YOU WANNA SHARE YOUR COMMENTS FIRST. HI, MY NAME'S HUNIN. I AM HE, I'M VOICED HERE FOR THE PEOPLE WHO COULDN'T COME AND SPEAK. I'M HERE BECAUSE WE CAN'T HAVE A PARK. THERE'S PEOPLE HERE IN OUR COMMUNITY WHO WANNA PARK AND THAT WE CAN'T HAVE THAT. THAT'S, THAT'S WRONG. THAT KIDS LIKE CAN'T HAVE THAT. AND ON THE EAST SIDE, IT'S, IT'S GOING TO LIKE, IT'S GOING TO, UM, WE DESERVE IT. WE LIKE, WE DESERVE A PARK AND IT'S GOING TO AFFECT MOST OF THE PEOPLE WHO LIVE ON CHERRY STREET. AND THAT'S WRONG. THAT'S REALLY WRONG. AND LIKE THIS IS, THIS IS US SHOWING US THAT WE WANNA PARK AND THAT WE HAVE VOICES TOO. AND THAT WE WANNA BE HEARD BY EVERY SINGLE. I WANT YOU GUYS TO HEAR US AND HEAR EVERY SINGLE PERSON HERE WHO HAS A VOICE AND WHO WANTS A PARK. AND FOR THE VERY FEW WOMEN HERE, MAKE OUR VOICES HEARD. OKAY? THANK YOU. THANK YOU. UM, SO QUICKLY, I WANNA NOTE THAT I HAD SOME DIFFICULTIES, UH, THIS MORNING WHERE THERE ARE A LOT OF COMMUNITY MEMBERS WHO ARE, UM, ON, THEY'RE WORKING, RIGHT? THEY'RE TAKING TIME FROM THEIR DAY TO BE HERE. I TRIED TO SIGN UP, UH, A FEW OF THEM AND I WAS UNABLE TO. AND A LOT OF THEM ARE NOT ABLE TO SHARE THEIR COMMENTS TODAY, RIGHT? WE, WE FIGURED IT OUT. WE HAD SOME FOLKS SIGN UP AND THEN GIVE THEIR TIME TO THEM. BUT THAT'S NOT OKAY, RIGHT? BECAUSE THEY SHOWED UP REGARDLESS, EXPECTING FOR THEIR COMMENTS AND THEIR VOICES TO BE HEARD. AND THIS CITY SILENCED THEM. SO I THINK WE GOT THEIR NAMES. THEY'RE ON THE LIST. NO, NOT ALL OF THEM. UM, FROM THE BEGINNING OF THIS STORY, UH, OF THIS LONG AND DRAMATIC STRUGGLE THAT SURROUNDS THE HAY STREET BRIDGE, YOU HAVE SHOWED ABSOLUTE DISRESPECT FOR THE COMMUNITY THAT SHAPES THIS CITY. OVER AND OVER AND OVER. YOU HAVE IGNORED, SHAMED, AND DEMONIZED US. THE FOLKS WHO HAVE NOT, WHO NOT ONLY HELPED TO SAVE THE HAY STREET BRIDGE. SHOUT OUT TO MS. NETTY HINTON BACK THERE, BUT THE REST OF THE COMMUNITY THAT CONTINUES TO FIGHT FOR OUR, OUR WELLBEING, RIGHT? AND YOU, AND YOU KNOW THAT YOU DEMONIZED US. YOU DO. WE HAVE NOTHING TO LOSE AND EVERYTHING TO WIN HERE. WE DESERVE ACCESS TO PUBLIC SPACES. THIS NEGOTIATION HAS BEEN NO DIFFERENT. IT HAS TAKEN PLACE BEHIND CLOSED DOORS. WE WERE NOT AT THE TABLE, WE WERE NOT A MEETING WITH US. DOESN'T REALLY COUNT. AND YOU HAVE FACILITATED YET ANOTHER GIVEAWAY TO THE PRIVATE SECTOR. YOU GIVE AWAY PUBLIC LANDS AGAIN. AND WHAT DO WE GET? WHAT DO WE REALLY GET? A LAST MINUTE COMMITMENT TO THE HAY STREET BRIDGE RESTORATION GROUP. THANK YOU FOR THAT. TRULY. BUT THAT REALLY SHOWS HOW MUCH YOU CARE ABOUT US. THIS DEAL HAS BEEN IN THE WORKS SINCE APRIL AND TODAY, THIS MORNING IS WHEN YOU FINALLY GOT THAT LANGUAGE IN FOR US. DOESN'T THAT SHOW SOMETHING ? I'LL SAY IT OVER AND OVER BECAUSE IT'S TRUE. THE DAY YOU START RESPECTING THE MOST VULNERABLE AND THE DAY YOU START WORKING FOR US WILL BE THE DAY THE CITY IS DOING, WILL BE THE DAY THAT THE CITY IS FINALLY DOING SOMETHING RIGHT. GIVEAWAYS TO THE RICH, FURTHER GENTRIFYING THE EAST SIDE. YOU ARE A PART OF THE PROBLEM. WE DESERVE ACCESS TO AFFORDABLE HOUSING. WE DESERVE ACCESS TO GREEN SPACES, AND WE DESERVE A GOVERNMENT THAT IS WORKING FOR US. AND SO FAR, YOU HAVE NOT BEEN DOING SO. HI, I'M JESSE OCHO VASQUEZ, AND I'M HERE BECAUSE I'M REPRESENTING MY VOICE AND I'M ALSO REPRESENTING THE VOICES OF THE PEOPLE IN OUR COMMUNITY, THE CHILDREN [02:00:01] IN OUR COMMUNITY. I WANNA POINT OUT THAT ALL OF YOU ARE REPRESENTING THE PEOPLE IN THIS ROOM AND THE PEOPLE IN SAN ANTONIO. AND I'M REALLY CURIOUS TO UNDERSTAND WHY FOR DECADES OUR VOICES HAVEN'T BEEN HEARD AND ARE WE ARE NOT BEING REPRESENTED. SO LOOK AROUND, LOOK AROUND THIS ROOM. SEE ALL OF OUR FACES. HAVE YOU, HAVE YOU REALLY SEEN THIS MUCH CHILDREN IN THIS ROOM BEFORE? LIKE WE'RE HERE AND WE HAVE SOMETHING TO SAY AND WE'RE SAYING IT REAL LOUD. WE ARE OUR VOICES AND WE ARE OUR FACES, AND WE ARE OUR ACTIONS. AND RIGHT NOW, THE WAY Y'ALL ARE REPRESENTING Y'ALL'S ACTIONS IS NOT HOW WE, WE WANNA BE REPRESENTED PEOPLE. SO REALLY WHAT WE KIND OF DEMAND FOR, FOR, FOR THE ACTION TO BE TAKEN IS THAT YOU DO REPRESENT US. 'CAUSE WE ARE THE PEOPLE. AND THAT'S Y'ALL'S JOB. SO KINDA LIKE, DO YOUR JOB. . THANK YOU. WOO. YOU ONE LAST THING. I'M LUNA MANTAS BY THE WAY. I JUST WANNA SAY SOMETHING. GOING BACK TO JESSE'S COMMENT. I MEAN, DO WE REALLY NEED A PRIVATE BEER COMPANY TO HELP THE COMMUNITY? I MEAN, I MEAN, DOES DOES IT REALLY MATTER? NO, BECAUSE THEN IT PUTS THE CITY IN MORE DANGER. BECAUSE WHEN PEOPLE ARE MORE INTOXICATED, THEY GET MORE DANGEROUS AND PASSIVE AGGRESSIVE. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. THANK YOU MS. MS. FLORES. THANK YOU ALL VERY MUCH. GUADALUPE SURA. GUADALUPE SURA IS, IS GUADALUPE RA HERE? OKAY, MS. RA, YOU'LL BE FOLLOWED BY ADOLFO RA. HELLO, MY NAME IS . I'M GIVING MY TIME TO MISS ELVA RENO. I'M, I'M SORRY TO ELVINO. YEAH, SHE'S GIVING ME HER TIME. OKAY, WE'RE HAVING TROUBLE HEARING. COULD YOU SPEAK? PARDON? CAN YOU SAY YOUR NAME AGAIN? EL ATTORNEY ELVA RENO. I COME HERE. I COME HERE TO BRING YOUR ATTENTION TO YOUR ACTIONS, TO CRITICIZE YOU AND TO JUDGE YOU. SHAMEFUL THAT WE ARE STILL HERE. TALKING ABOUT THE LAND AROUND THE HAY STREET BRIDGE. IT WAS A CORRUPT PROCESS THAT LED THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO TO FAIL TO ACT IN GOOD ACTION IN, IN GOOD FAITH. AND THAT LED TO THE LAND GIVEAWAY AROUND THE HAY STREET BRIDGE. IT IS A CORRUPT, A CORRUPT PROCESS THAT WOULD HAVE THE HAY STREET RESTORATION GROUP SIGN A MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING, AND THEN TO HOLD THEM RESPONSIBLE FOR SOLICITATING DONATED LABOR, MONEY IN KIND SERVICES AND LAND FOR THIS PROJECT. AT THE END, THE CITY BRIDGE, THE MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING THE COURTS HAD TO REMIND THE CITY THAT THE MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING WAS A CONTRACT. A CONTRACT THAT HAD BEEN BREACHED AND THE CITY COULD BE HELD ACTIONABLE AND ACCOUNTABLE. NOW TO FIX THE PROBLEM DUE TO THE COURT'S INTERVENTION, FORCING YOU ALL TO DO SOMETHING ABOUT THIS, THE CITY CONTINUES WITH ITS SHAMEFUL CONDUCT. FIXING THE PROBLEM BY TAKING LAND MEANT FOR AFFORDABLE HOUSING TO GIVE TO A PRIVATE DEVELOPER FOR PROFIT. YOU DO IT OVER AND OVER AND OVER AGAIN. AND WE KEEP VOTING FOR YOU, EXPECTING YOU TO DO DIFFERENT. BUT YOU'RE NO DIFFERENT. EVERY SINGLE ONE OF YOU HAS VOTED IN THIS PROCESS. EVERY SINGLE ONE OF YOU. HOW DARE YOU. HOW DARE YOU TAKE MONEY AND LAND THAT PEOPLE WORKED FOR, THAT YOU HELD THEM ACCOUNTABLE FOR, AND THEN YOU TOOK AWAY TO GIVE AWAY AND YOU KEEP GIVING IT AWAY. MEANTIME, YOU HAVE COMMITTED TO GIVING THIS PRIVATE DEVELOPER HIS LAND AND YOU ARE COMMITTING MORE MONEY TO ABATING THE PROBLEMS WITH THE LAND SO HE CAN BUILD WHAT HE WANTS FOR PROFIT. YOU DID THE SAME THING TO THE LAND AROUND THE HAY STREET BRIDGE. YOU INVESTED IN ABATING, [02:05:01] IN PUTTING INFRASTRUCTURE UNDER THE LAND, THE PLUMBING, THE ELECTRICAL. AND THEN YOU GAVE IT AWAY AND YOU KEEP DOING IT. BUT YOU WILL NOT COMMIT TO GIVING THE HAY STREET BRIDGE LAND OR THE LAND AROUND THE HAY STREET BRIDGE. 8 0 3 SHERIFF'S STREET. YOU WILL NOT COMMIT IT TO PUBLIC USE. WHAT IS YOUR PROBLEM? THIS, THIS COURTS HAVE INTERVENED, HAVE TOLD YOU YOU HAVE TO FIX IT. THIS IS NOT A FIX, THIS IS A PROBLEM TO A SOLUTION. YOU KEEP LOOKING FOR PROBLEMS BECAUSE YOU KEEP GOING BEHIND CLOSED DOORS. YOU KEEP USING THIS CORRUPT PROCESS. IT HAS TO CHANGE. THANK YOU, MR. VINO. ADOLFO SEGURA. MR. SEGURA, ARE YOU GONNA TAKE YOUR TIME? MY NAME IS, I USED TO HAVE FAITH AND BELIEVE IN YOU. I JUST HAPPENED TO HAVE THE HARD WORK OF KNOCKING ON DOORS FOR VOTE, VOTE, VOTE, POVERTY, THE EXCLUDED COMMUNITY, THE POWER THE POOR GOVERNMENTS COME AND GO. AND THOSE DOORS THAT I KNOCK, I SEE MORE PEOPLE, MORE POOR PEOPLE. THEY'RE ANGRY, DISPLACED. I FEEL LIKE A CRIMINAL FOR LETTING THEM DOWN ONE. AND ONCE AGAIN, I TELL 'EM THAT WE'RE GONNA BE GOOD NOW. WE'RE GONNA BE FINE. WE'RE GONNA CHANGE EVERYTHING FOR THE GOOD OF EVERYONE. THE RICH PEOPLE. RICH PEOPLE DO NOT COME HERE. I DON'T SEE THEM EVERYWHERE TO ASK FOR ANYTHING, ONLY TO INVEST THEIR MONEY AND TO ENRICH THEMSELVES WITH OUR CULTURE. WE'RE STILL MORE EVEN POORER. THEY CAN LEAVE THAT BRIDGE ALONE. IF THE IS OF THE CITY IS NOT GONNA BENEFIT FROM IT, LEAVE IT FOR THE PEOPLE BECAUSE THIS IS WHERE THE WORKERS USED TO CROSS CONS WITH DREAMS AND DISSOLUTIONS. TIRED, EXPLOITED AND MISERABLE. THEY CAN ALES, GENTRIFICATION. LEAVE THESE ALONE OUT WITH GENTRIFICATION, OUT WITH THE RICH THAT COME TO ENRICH THEMSELVES WITH OUR CULTURE TO COME TO ENRICH THEMSELVES ON OUR POORNESS AND SUFFERING. GRACIAS. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. I ALSO, CAN YOU TURN ON THE MIC FOR A MINUTE, A SECOND. I JUST WANNA POINT OUT THAT THIS PROCESS FOR SPANISH SPEAKERS IS VERY UNFAIR BECAUSE SHE HAS THREE MINUTES TO SPEAK AND IT'S TRANSLATING AT THE SAME TIME. SO SHE SHOULD HAVE SIX. DOES SHE NEED MORE TIME? HER TIME IS STILL GOING. OKAY. WE, WE GAVE HER MORE TIME. AND NOW I KEEP ON SAYING THAT TWO OR THREE YEARS AGO, THERE WAS SOME CAMPAIGN ON WEST SIDE, SO THE WEST SIDE COULD HAVE BETTER STREETS AND, UH, LIGHTING. AND I KEEP ON WALKING THOSE STREETS AND I SEE THE SAME MISERY. STREETS HAVE HOT HOLES AND TRASH ALL OVER DARK. WHERE WAS THAT MONEY? AND ALSO IN THE EAST SIDE, THERE'S A LOT OF POVERTY DISCRIM, A LOT OF DISCRIMINATION. AND I'M PRETTY SURE THAT THEY'RE NOT FIXING BECAUSE THEY'RE WAITING FOR THE RICH TO COME TO BUILD ELEGANT BUILDINGS. AND THAT'S WHERE THEY'RE GONNA, UH, FIX THE PARTS. YES, THE STREETS. I, THAT'S WHERE THEY'RE GONNA BUILD LIBRARIES AND TRANSPORTATION. I, THAT'S WHEN THEY'RE GONNA FIX ITING. WHERE'RE COMING NORTH SO THE RICH CAN WALK IN PRETTY PLACES IN AND NOT WITH TRASH. THANK YOU MS. AZAR. ALRIGHT, WANDA PEREZ. TOSCANO. [02:10:10] GOOD MORNING CITY COUNCIL OR GOOD AFTERNOON NOW MY NAME IS WANDA PERES TOSCANO AND I'M ANGRY AND TIRED OF OUR CITY PRIORITIZING PROFIT OVER PEOPLE. OUR COMMUNITY NEEDS HEALTHY ALTERNATIVES FOR YOUTH. INSTEAD OF A SPACE THAT ENCOURAGES ALCOHOLISM AND UNAFFORDABLE HOUSING. I NEED YOU TO RESPECT WHAT THE PEOPLE OF THE EAST SIDE HAVE FOUGHT TO PROTECT. THE HAY STREET BRIDGE SHOULD BE SAFE. IT SHOULD BE A SAFE ENVIRONMENT WHERE NOT ONLY CHILDREN AND FAMILIES FEEL COMFORTABLE AND WELCOME, BUT HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO LEARN FROM EACH OTHER. I AM NOT JUST ASKING FOR COMPASSION, I'M ASKING FOR JUSTICE. YOU STOLE THE LAND AND THE HARD EARNED MONEY THAT OUR COMMUNITY FOUGHT FOR IN PROTECTING THIS. BUT I KNOW FOUGHT FOR PROTECTING IN THIS HISTOR HISTORIC LANDMARK. I AM A 13 YEAR OLD KID AND I SHOULD NOT, AND I FEEL OBLIGATED TO SPEAK ABOUT THIS. AND THAT'S NOT SOMETHING A 13 YEAR OLD SHOULD BE DOING. BUT I KNOW THAT THE YOUTH WILL HAVE TO PICK UP THE PIECES FROM Y'ALL'S PHYSICIANS 'CAUSE Y'ALL AREN'T MAKING IT RIGHT. AND BEFORE YOU JUDGE US AND STEREOTYPE US, GET TO KNOW US. LISTEN TO OUR VOICES, HEAR OUR STORIES, AND PLEASE RECOGNIZE OUR NEEDS. TAKE THIS EXAMPLE. A DOG POUND, A DOG POUND PUTS DOGS TO SLEEP WHO CAN'T ADAPT OR BE ADOPTED. YOU ARE DOING THE EXACT SAME THING TO US. WHEN YOU GIVE US, WHEN YOU INVEST IN DEVELOPMENTS AND DISPLACE OUR PEOPLE WHO DON'T HAVE THE SAME OPPORTUNITIES AND LIVING WAGES AS OTHERS. BECAUSE OF THIS HISTORIC AND SY SYSTEMATIC OPPRESSION, WE ARE BEING THROWN OUT OF OUR OWN SIDE. THIS IS NOT ABOUT WHO'S RIGHT OR WHO'S WRONG. THIS IS ABOUT IF Y'ALL ARE WILLING TO HELP US AT THE END OF THE DAY. AND AS ONCE K R S ONE ONCE SAID, THERE COULD NEVER REALLY BE A JUST, THERE COULD NEVER REALLY BE JUSTICE ON A STOLEN LAND. YOU DO UNDERSTAND THAT, CORRECT? WE ARE TIRED OF THESE TYPES OF SITUATIONS. AND IT'S TIME FOR A CHANGE. NO MORE INJUSTICE. PLEASE. I'M BEGGING YOU. I'M TIRED OF SEEING THIS. AND WHERE'S THE MONEY GOING? JUST LIKE, QUICK QUESTION. WHERE'S THE MONEY GOING? 'CAUSE IT'S NOT GOING TO OUR SCHOOLS, IT'S NOT GOING TO OUR STREETS. IT'S NOT GOING TO OUR BILLS. IT'S NOT GOING TO BETTER HOUSING. IT'S JUST A QUICK QUESTION. JUST SAYING THANK YOU MS. TOSCANO. AMAYA SPIEL. AMAYA SPIEL. I'M GOING TO GIVE MY TIME TO JASMINE ALVAREZ. MS. ALVAREZ, UM, HELLO. MY NAME IS JASMINE ALVAREZ. I'M 14 YEAR OLD. 14 YEARS OLD. I'M NOT ONLY A STUDENT, BUT I'M A LEADER AND ATHLETE AT ABOUT AN ACADEMY IN DISTRICT TWO. I'M VERY PASSIONATE ABOUT SOCCER AND BASKETBALL. I'M ALSO PASSIONATE ABOUT THE ISSUES I SEE IN MY COMMUNITY. THE LAND SWAP DEAL IS NOT A SOLUTION BECAUSE IT WILL STILL BE UNAFFORDABLE. AS YOU MAY ALREADY KNOW RECENTLY, THERE HAS, OH, I MESSED UP. I'M SORRY. BUT I AM, I CAME HERE TO BE HEARD, NOT TO BE IGNORED. SO PAY ATTENTION TO WHAT I HAVE TO SAY. AS YOU MAY ALREADY KNOW, RECENTLY THERE HAS BEEN ONGOING GENTRIFICATION THROUGHOUT THE ENTIRE EAST SIDE COMMUNITY. GENTRIFICATION LARGELY FUNDED BY THE CITY, IS PUSHING FAMILIES OUT OF THEIR HOMES AND LEAVING THEM WITHOUT SOMEWHERE TO GO. THE HAY STREET BRIDGE IS AN IMPORTANT HISTORICAL LANDMARK TO THE EAST SIDE COMMUNITY. THE LAND AROUND THE HAY STREET BRIDGE WAS MEANT TO BENEFIT THE PE, THE COMMUNITY, NOT THE POCKETS OF THE WEALTHY. THE LAND SWAP DEAL IS NOT A SOLUTION BECAUSE IT WILL STILL BE UNAFFORDABLE. THE CITY, TAKING THIS LAND UNDER FALSE PRE PRETENSES TELLS THE EAST SIDE COMMUNITY THAT THE CITY DOES NOT RESPECT US AND WHAT WE WANT. I FEEL DISRESPECTED AND THAT THE PEOPLE WHO RUN THIS CITY DO NOT REPRESENT ME IN THE FUTURE. I ENCOURAGE YOU TO FOLLOW THROUGH WITH YOUR PROMISE TO REPRESENT THE PEOPLE, ESPECIALLY US THAT ARE TOO YOUNG TO VOTE. WE ASK THAT YOU MEET WITH THE COMMUNITY FIRST BEFORE YOU MAKE A DECISION. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. SAMANTHA KOVAR RUBIUS. LET'S GO SAMMY. GOOD AFTERNOON. MY NAME IS SAMANTHA GOIA. I AM 13 YEARS OLD AND I GO TO EDGAR ALLEN PALM MIDDLE SCHOOL. TODAY [02:15:01] I AM HERE TO SPEAK ABOUT THE CHANGES THAT ARE HAPPENING AT EAST SIDE. I'VE SEEN PEOPLE HAVING TO MOVE OUT OF THEIR HOUSES OF THE SITUATION I HAVE WITNESSED. THIS IS RENT RA RENT PRICES RAISING. WHEN I WAS ABOUT FIVE YEARS OLD, MY PARENTS RENTED A HOUSE, WHICH I HAVE LIVED IN MY WHOLE CHILDHOOD. UNTIL OUR RENT PRICES WAS RAISING, MY PARENTS COULDN'T AFFORD RENT NO MORE. AT THE MOMENT, I FELT LIKE THE PEOPLE WHO RAISED THE RENT WERE TAKING HALF OF MY CHILDHOOD. ALSO, WHAT'S PART OF MY CHILDHOOD IS THE HAY STREET BRIDGE. IT'S A LANDMARK THAT MOST PEOPLE ENJOY AND LOVE. THIS BRIDGE HAS SO MUCH MEMORIES AND HISTORY. I'M JUST ASKING FOR YOU TO THINK ABOUT WHAT WE, THE PEOPLE WANT AND TO REMEMBER THAT WHAT WE THINK ABOUT IS IMPORTANT TOO. AND OUR, MY QUESTION IS, WHERE'S THE MONEY GOING? 'CAUSE IT'S NOT GOING TO US. HAVE A NICE DAY. THANK YOU. MS. COVAR RUIZ. WOO. ISABELLA PRAA. ISABELLA PRAA. GOOD DAY TO YOU. MY NAME IS ELIZABETH RAZA. I AM 12 YEARS OLD AND I GO TO HERFF ACADEMY. I AM HERE TO SPEAK ON BEHALF OF THE EAST SIDE. I AM OUTRAGED ON THE LACK OF CONSIDERATION FOR THE PEOPLE THAT FOUGHT FOR THE HAY STREET BRIDGE. I FEEL VERY DISRESPECTED THAT THE CITY DID NOT LISTEN TO US AND THAT WE HAVE ALREADY AGREED TO BUILD. THE CITY DID NOT KEEP THEIR PROMISE. AND THE PEOPLE IN THE EAST SIDE ARE THE ONES THAT HAVE TO SUFFER YOUR THE CONSEQUENCES OF YOUR DECISIONS. I WANT THE CITY TO FIX THEIR FLAWS AND GIVE US THE PARK WE DESIRE TO HAVE. THE PARK WILL HELP CONTRIBUTE TO THE EAST SIDE. LUXURY APARTMENTS WILL ONLY CONTRIBUTE TO THOSE WHO HAVE THE MONEY, NOT TO THE POOR WHO COULD HARDLY PUT FOOD ON THE TABLE. I HOPE YOU TAKE ACTION AND PROVIDE REAL SOLUTIONS TO THE ECONOMIC CRISIS. THANK YOU FOR YOUR ATTENTION. THANK YOU, MS. PERZA ALFREDO GONZALEZ. HI. MY NAME IS ALFREDO GONZALEZ. I'M A MEMBER OF THE LIGHT CATCHES SOCIETY AND A COMMUNITY MEMBER OF THE EAST SIDE NEIGHBORHOOD, EAST LAWN. I HAVE LIVED ON THE EAST SIDE ALL MY LIFE AND SEEN MANY SMALL CHANGES HERE AND THERE, BUT NOT MANY BIG ONES LIKE I'VE SEEN IN THE LAST COUPLE OF YEARS. 2018 CAME WITH BIG SURPRISES. HOUSES WERE GETTING DEMOLISHED AND NEW EXPENSES, HOUSES WERE BEING BUILT, NOT FOR US. WE'VE SEEN HOUSES FOR 304, SORRY, NOT 300, 3004, 400,000, SORRY. NEXT TWO HOUSES THAT HAVE USUALLY BEEN SOLD FOR WAY LESS, MOST FOR ABOUT 50,000. 50,000. THESE NEWLY STYLED HOMES ARE TAKING OVER. SOME PEOPLE DON'T KNOW WHAT THIS MEANS. THIS MEANS DISPLACEMENT. WHAT DOES DISPLACEMENT MEAN? IT MEANS THAT THE PEOPLE I LOVE AND GO TO SCHOOL WITH HAVE THE, OH, SORRY, HAVE, LEAVE THE NEIGHBORHOOD, LEAVE THEIR HOMES AND MEMORIES, PLACES THAT MAKE THEM FEEL WANTED AND NEIGHBORS. THERE IS A MYTH, A LIE THAT GENTRIFICATION SOLVES CRIME. NOT ONLY IS THIS NOT TRUE, BUT IT IS MAKING EASTLAND EVEN MORE UNSAFE. A LOT OF THE ISSUES AND STRESS FROM THE NEIGHBOR NEIGHBORHOOD NEXT TO US. DAUDI HAS BEEN SQUEEZED ACROSS NEW BROWNFIELD STREET INTO OUR NEIGHBORHOOD, EASTON, CREATING A HUGE DUMP IN GUN VIOLENCE IN THE BLOCKS SURROUNDING OUR SCHOOL. SOME SAY THAT GENTRIFICATION IS SOON GOING TO WIN THE BAT. ITS BATTLE ACROSS THE UNITED STATES, BUT NOT MY NEIGHBORHOOD, THE EAST SIDE OF THE SAN ANTONIO, TEXAS. BUT WE CAN ONLY DO THIS WITH YOUR HELP. WE WOULD FIGHT THIS MONSTER UNTIL IT IS DEALT WITH, AND I WILL NEVER GIVE UP BECAUSE WE LIVE HERE. WE HAVE TO. MOST PEOPLE DON'T KNOW ANYTHING ABOUT THE EAST SIDE, ONLY WHAT THEY SEE ON THE 10 O'CLOCK NEWS. WE HAVE BEAUTIFUL FAMILIES, FAMILIES THAT HAVE LIVED HERE FOR GENERATIONS. EVERY HOME TELLS DETAILED AND BEAUTIFUL STORIES. LIKE I SAID, THE COMMUNITY MEANS THE WORLD TO ME. IT IS MY WORLD. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME, AND HERE ARE MY STATEMENT. [02:20:01] THANK YOU, MR. GONZALEZ. THANKS, SIR. ISABELLA, SAN MIGUEL. GOOD MORNING. MY NAME IS ISABELLA SAN MIGUEL, AND I AM A RESIDENT OF THE EAST SIDE EAST LAWN. I'M A SIXTH GRADE STUDENT AT BOOK A BOOKER T WASHINGTON, WHERE WE, WHERE WE ARE SEEING THE EFFECTS OF GENTRIFICATION IN EASTON, AS WELL AS HOW GENTRIFICATION IN DIGNITY IS AFFECTING US. AS A STATEMENT. I HAVE WRITTEN A POEM SET IN THE FUTURE. THIS NEIGHBORHOOD IS GREAT, ISN'T IT? WELL, WHAT ABOUT THE OLD ONE THAT LIES IN ITS REMAINS MY NEIGHBORHOOD. THAT'S RIGHT. YOU DIDN'T GET TO KNOW IT. I'LL TELL YOU ABOUT IT. IN MY NEIGHBORHOOD, EVERYONE KNEW EACH OTHER. IN MY NEIGHBORHOOD, WE ALL RELATED TO EACH OTHER. IN MY NEIGHBORHOOD, THERE WERE FRIENDS AROUND EVERY CORNER IN MY NEIGHBORHOOD. NO, IN MY FAMILY, WE ALL HELPED AND LOVED EACH OTHER FOR NO APPARENT REASON. NOW, THE HOUSES, OUR HOMES, OUR HOUSES OF MEMORIES WERE STOLEN AND DESTROYED. ALL THOSE DIFFERENT MEMORIES FROM DIFFERENT PEOPLE TAKEN AWAY IN A SNAP. EVERY CHRISTMAS, EVERY LAUGH, EVERY LITTLE THING GONE. AFTER OUR MEMORIES WERE TAKEN AWAY, WE LEFT. WE LEFT TO MAKE NEW ONES, WHETHER IT WAS ON THE STREETS OR IN NEW BASES. WE MADE NEW ONES. THESE NEW HOUSES, THEY COST ME AND MY NEIGHBORHOOD. FAMILY HEALTH, IT COST US PAIN. IT COST US LOSS. I'M SURE YOU DIDN'T KNOW WHAT YOU DID BY BUYING THAT HOUSE, BUT IT'S OKAY. I'M SURE YOU KNOW WHAT YOU DID AND ALL THOSE OTHER PEOPLE DID. NOW IN MY OLD NEIGHBORHOOD, JUST DON'T WANNA END IT OFF. UM, THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME. THANK YOU, MS. HE YOU DID A GOOD JOB. NETTY HINTON, DO YOU WANNA BE WITH NOW, MS. HINTON? YES, SIR. MS. HINTON, YOU'LL BE FOLLOWED BY ALEX BRUNELL. IF HE'S STILL HERE, IT'LL TAKE ME A WHILE. I'LL BE GOOD MORNING, MAYOR AND COUNCIL. MY NAME IS NETTY HINTON. IN JANUARY OF THIS YEAR, I, THE GOOD LORD GRANTED ME AN 80TH BIRTHDAY. I WAS BORN AND I WAS RAISED ON THE CORNER OF OLIVE AND CENTER STREET IN WHAT IS NOW KNOWN AS THE DIGNITY HILL HISTORIC AREA. IT'S RIGHT ACROSS THE STREET FROM THE CARVER COLORED LIBRARY AUDITORIUM. YEAH. WHEN I WAS BORN EIGHT YEARS AGO, FOLKS THAT LOOKED LIKE ME COULDN'T GO TO THE OTHER SCHOOLS, AND WE COULDN'T EVEN BORROW BOOKS FROM THE OTHER LIBRARY. BUT I TELL YOU WHAT, I HAD, I HAD A A, A FATHER WHO HAD A OLD GRADE DODGE THAT HE CALLED BLITZ, AND HE WOULD PUT MY BROTHERS AND MYSELF IN THE CAR, AND HE WOULD TAKE US ON AN ADVENTURE DOWN THE STREET AROUND THE CORNER, AND HE WOULD DRIVE US OVER THE HAYES STREET BRIDGE BECAUSE HE WANTED US TO SEE THAT THERE WAS AN ELEVATED TYPE OF LIFE THAT WE WOULD BE ABLE TO LIVE AT SOME POINT THAT DIDN'T REQUIRE US TO WALK ON THE JIM CROW SEGREGATED GROUND THAT WE HAD TO DEAL WITH EVERY DAY. THAT IT WAS POSSIBLE THROUGH INSPIRATION AND LIBERATING ACTIVITIES TO RISE ABOVE WHERE WE WERE, [02:25:01] TO BE ABLE TO ACHIEVE SOMETHING THAT WE DIDN'T HAVE AT THAT POINT IN TIME. AND IT'S WHY IT'S BEEN SO WONDERFUL TO SEE ALL OF THESE YOUNG PEOPLE WHO ARE STEPPING OUT AND SPEAKING UP TODAY. AND I'M SURE PAPA WOULD BE VERY HAPPY TO SEE, HAVE SEEN THEM, THOSE YOUNG PEOPLE, BECAUSE HE WAS TRYING TO INSPIRE ME AND MY BROTHERS TO BE THAT WAY. DURING JIM CROW TIMES. NOW, HAY STREET BRIDGE WAS, WAS BROUGHT TO SAN ANTONIO, UM, FROM UVALDE MANY YEARS AGO. THE RAILROAD CAME LATE TO SAN ANTONIO, AND WHEN THE RAILROAD DID COME, THE TWO MAJOR ARTERIALS IN AND OUT OF DOWNTOWN COMMERCE STREET AND HOUSTON STREET WERE REGULARLY BLOCKED BY TRAIN TRAVEL. SO THE BRIDGE WAS BROUGHT FROM UVALDE IN ORDER TO ALLEVIATE THE TRANSPORTATION GRIDLOCK OF THE DAY. AND, AND IT, IT, IT, IT DID OTHER THINGS AS WELL BECAUSE IT, WITH THE RAILROAD MADE SOMEBODY HAS DONATE THEIR, THEIR TIME TO ME, LET PEOPLE UNDERSTAND THAT THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE THEN HISTORIC POST EMANCIPATION EAST SIDE OF SAN ANTONIO WAS BEING FED BY THE JOBS THAT THE RAILROAD BROUGHT. MY GRANDFATHER LIVED ON DIGNITY STREET, AND HE CAME DOWN THE LITTLE SLOPE AND HE WENT TO THE EAST YARDS, AND HE WAS A RAIL CAR REPAIRMAN. PEOPLE IN MY COMMUNITY WORKED ON THE RAILROAD AT THE, AT THE STATION AND, AND ON THE RAIL CARS AS PORTERS AND COOKS AND WAITERS. AND IT WAS THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE RAILROAD THAT BROUGHT US WHAT IS NOW CALLED ST. PAUL SQUARE. AND THE CHURCHES, THE OLDEST CHURCHES FOR BLACK PEOPLE IN THIS CITY, BEING IN THAT AREA, FED BY THE HISTORY OF WHAT THE RAILROAD AND THE HILLS HAY STREET BRIDGE BROUGHT US. I, I GRADUATED FROM ST. PETER CLAVER ACADEMY IN THE AREA, AND I WAS A PART OF THAT FIRST GROUP OF BLACK STUDENTS WHO INTEGRATED MY ALMA MATER, THE UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS IN AUSTIN, MY DEGREE THERE, JANUARY OF 1960. FIRST AFRICAN AMERICAN FROM SAN ANTONIO TO EARN UNDERGRADUATE DEGREE FROM UT AUSTIN, HOOK 'EM HORNS. I'M TODAY, WHO I AM TODAY, HAVE ACHIEVED WHAT I HAVE ACHIEVED TODAY BECAUSE OF MY BEGINNINGS IN SEGREGATED HISTORICALLY BACK SIDE SAN ANTONIO AND THE COMMUNITY THAT FED ME AND THE RAILROAD AND THAT BRIDGE, AND MY FATHER WHO HELPED INSPIRE ME. NOW, I WENT AWAY TO WORK FOR THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT FOR 30 YEARS, REPRESENTED Y'ALL IN INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS IN ASIA, AFRICA, AND THE PACIFIC BASIN. I WAS BEING ESCORTED THROUGH THE BER PASS BY THE PAKISTANI MILITARY, JUST ME, JUST LITTLE OLD BLACK ME WHEN THE SOVIET UNION WAS INVADING AFGHANISTAN AND THE TALIBAN WERE OUR FRIENDS. I RETIRED AND CAME HOME, DIDN'T MOVE TO THE SUBURBS. I MOVED BACK TO MY HOOD, BORN ON OLIVE CENTER. I LIVE NOW ON HACKBERRY AND BURLESON. AND I WAS DISMAYED WHEN I CAME HOME AND DISCOVERED THAT THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO WANTED TO JUST MANTLE MY BRIDGE. SO WHAT I DID WAS I WROTE UP A PETITION AND I WENT OVER TO HAY STREET BRIDGE, MET SOME LADIES OVER THERE WHO WERE AS ACTIVIST AS I WAS IN MY OWN, IN THEIR OWN LITTLE WAY. WE GATHERED 200 SIGNATURES ON A PETITION, AND I PRESENTED IT TO COUNCILMAN MARIO ALALA HANDS FOR PEOPLE WHO KNOW MARIO SALAS. THE CITY BACKED AWAY FROM DISMANTLING THE BRIDGE. BUT WHAT WE DID WAS WED DREW ATTENTION TO THE BRIDGE AND WHAT WAS BEING CONSIDERED NOT IMPORTANT. AND THE CIVIL ENGINEERING COMMUNITY AND OTHER PEOPLE TOOK ON THE CHALLENGE. AND I STARTED WITH THEM, THE HAY STREET BRIDGE RESTORATION GROUP. AND THE PROJECT WAS TO RESTORE THE BRIDGE. AND BECAUSE THE LAND NEXT TO IT WAS VACANT, BUT OWNED BY THE DAWSON FAMILY THAT HANDLED THE BUDWEISER DISTRIBUTION IN SAN ANTONIO, TO GO TO THEM AND ASK THEM TO DONATE THE LAND. MS. SOTON, DO YOU HAVE ANYONE ELSE WHO WILL YIELD THEIR TIME? IF YOU HAVE, WOULD SOMEONE YIELD TIME TO ME PLEASE? STORY'S NOT FINISHED. AND WHAT'S YOUR NAME? I'M SORRY. [02:30:02] DISTRICT I GOT IT. THANK YOU, MS. ARADONDO. SO MARCY YZ WITH THE SAN ANTONIO CONSERVATION SOCIETY, OF WHICH I'M A MEMBER AS WELL, AND DOUG STEADMAN, WHO HAS UNFORTUNATELY PASSED AWAY FROM THE CIVIL ENGINEERING COMMUNITY. WE WENT TO BUDWEISER DISTRIBUTION, SAT WITH MR. DAWSON, EXPLAINED WHAT WE WANTED TO DO AS A PROJECT TO RES TO MAKE SURE THAT THE BRIDGE WAS RESTORED SO THAT IT WOULD NEVER BE DISMANTLED, THAT IT WOULD BE NAMED HISTORIC, AND THAT THE LAND NEXT TO IT THAT THE DAWSON FAMILY OWNED COULD BE DONATED TO THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO TO BECOME A PARK THAT WOULD THEN BE ABLE TO TELL THE STORY OF WHAT RAILROADING DID FOR THE BLACK COMMUNITY ON THE EAST SIDE, SO THAT PEOPLE WOULD UNDERSTAND. AND THAT OUR COMMUNITY NOW, WHICH WAS PREDOMINANTLY, UH, MEXICAN AMERICAN, NOW WE COULD BUILD A PALAPA SO WE COULD HAVE OUR QUINCEANERAS AND, AND CELEBRATE OUR, OUR WEDDINGS. WE COULD PUT THE, THE GREEN BOUNCY THINGIES OUT THERE SO WE COULD CELEBRATE THE, THE BIRTHDAYS. WE WOULD BE ABLE TO DO A, A SKATE PARK TOWARD LAMAR STREET SO THAT OUR YOUNG MEN WHO WERE, WHO WERE SKATEBOARDING ON THE, THE, THE HIGHWAY THINGS THAT ARE VERY DANGEROUS COULD NOT HAPPEN AGAIN. AND WE HAD PEOPLE WHO WERE GOING TO DONATE TO US HISTORIC RAILWAY CARS SO THAT WE WOULD BE ABLE TO TELL THE STORY OF THE RAILROAD AND HOW IMPORTANT IT WAS TO THE DEVELOPMENT OF POST EMANCIPATION EAST SIDE, NEAR S UH, DOWNTOWN SAN ANTONIO, OUR OWN UNESCO TYPE OF SITUATION RIGHT HERE IN OUR COMMUNITY. AND THE ONLY THING THAT THE DAWSON SAID IN DONATING THE LAND TO THE CITY WAS NAME THE PARK FOR OUR FAMILY. AND WE SAID, SURE ENOUGH, WE ALREADY GOT A DAWSON STREET. WHY NOT HAVE A DAWSON PARK? AND SO THEY DID. HOWEVER, WE DID NOT KNOW THAT SOMEONE IN GOVERNANCE ALREADY WAS LOOKING TO DO SOMETHING ELSE WITH THAT LAND THAT FELL INTO THEIR LAPS UNEXPECTEDLY. AND WHEN THEY ACCEPTED THE LAND, AND YOU JUST GO BACK AND TAKE A LOOK AT IT, THE THE DOCUMENT THAT CAME OUT FROM THE CITY HAD A WORD PUT IN THERE. AND THE WORD WAS, WE ACCEPT THE LAND, AND IF IT'S MADE INTO A PARK, WE'LL NAME IT FOR THE DAWSONS. SO WE HAD THIS COLLUSION RIGHT FROM THE GIDDYUP, AND I'M TELLING YOU, THAT'S NOT THE RIGHT WAY TO HAVE A CITY THAT'S SEVENTH LARGEST IN THIS COUNTRY AND WANTS TO BE THE, THE WONDERFUL THING THAT, THAT IT, IT IS PORTRAYING IT ITSELF INTERNATIONALLY. THANK YOU, MS. HINTON. DO THE RIGHT THING FOR THE RIGHT REASON. ALEX BRUNELL. ALEX BRUNELL. GERARDO. MAUREEN. GERARDO MARIN. OKAY. THAT'S EVERYONE WHO SIGNED UP TO SPEAK. WELL, NO, THERE. OH YES. I'M SORRY. HARMONY WILSON. GOOD EVENING. OH, SORRY. GOOD EVENING, COUNSEL. MY NAME IS HARMONY WILSON. I AM 12 YEARS OLD AND I GO TO LEGACY MIDDLE SCHOOL. I'M SPEAKING ON BEHALF OF THE YOUTH OF THE EAST SIDE. WE ARE WITNESSING A RAPID CHANGE IN OUR COMMUNITY, AND I AM SCARED OUR PEOPLE ARE BEING PUSHED OUT. THE HOMIES POPULATION IS INCREASING, THE VIOLENCE IS GETTING WORSE. OUR RENT IS GOING UP, AND THE LAND THAT WAS DONATED TO OUR COMMUNITY WAS SOLD ILLEGALLY TO BIG DEVELOPERS BEHIND THE CLOSED DOORS. I'M UPSET BECAUSE YOU ARE PRIORITIZING DEVELOPMENT WITHOUT PROVIDING THE COMMUNITY REAL RESOURCES TO BE SUSTAINABLE. OUR WAGES ARE INCREASING, SO WE CAN'T AFFORD THE EXPENSIVE FOOD, COFFEE, BEER, AND HOUSING YOU ARE BRINGING TO OUR COMMUNITY. IT SEEMS LIKE YOU ARE CREATING THESE SPACES AND INCENTIVES TO ATTRACT OUTSIDERS WITH MONEY INSTEAD OF HELPING YOUR OWN COMMUNITY. THE HAY STREET BRIDGE IS A HISTORIC LANDMARK ON THE EAST SIDE, AND IT IS A PLACE THAT OUR PEOPLE HAVE BEEN GOING TO FOR YEARS. PEOPLE FUNDRAISE AND FOUGHT TO PROTECT THAT BRIDGE. AND I NEED YOU TO RESPECT THEIR EFFORT. WE WANT THE LAND TO BE [02:35:01] SOMETHING THAT WILL BENEFIT THE COMMUNITY AND THE YOUTH OF THE EAST SIDE. GIVE US A SKATE PARK, NOT CONDOS, A PLACE WHERE WE CAN FEEL AT HOME AND NOT BE JUDGED OR FOLLOWED BECAUSE OF THE STEREOTYPES PEOPLE HAVE ABOUT US. I HOPE YOU TAKE OUR NEEDS INTO CONSIDERATION. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME. THANK YOU, MS. WILSON. OKAY. GERARDO MARIN. OKAY. IS ALEX HERE? UH, ALEX. OKAY. WE, WE WILL MOVE ON NOW TO COUNCIL COMMENT. WE'LL START WITH COUNCILMAN SALANA. ONE MORE, MORE THING. JUST A MINUTE. I'M SORRY. SO YIELDED HIS TIME FOR THE REMAINING. I KNOW MS. MS. HINTON HAD YOU HAD NINE MINUTES, THAT'S A MAXIMUM ALLOWED, BUT, SO IF A COUNCIL MEMBER WANTS TO RECOGNIZE YOU, YOU CAN GO AHEAD AND SPEAK. WE'LL START WITH COUNCILMAN SALANA. THANK YOU, MAYOR. I APPRECIATE IT. I'M GONNA YIELD TO, UH, TO COUNCILMAN HALL, WHO I'M SURE WE MIGHT YIELD TO YOU AND COUNCILMAN HALL, AND THANK YOU COUNCILMAN AND, UH, NETTY. UH, JUST A COUPLE MORE MINUTES. THANK YOU SO VERY MUCH. THE ONE THING THAT I WANTED TO MAKE CERTAIN WAS ON, ON THE TABLE IS THE FACT THAT WHEN THE CITY, UM, DEEDED THE LAND SO THAT IT COULD BE A PART OF THE BREWERY, THEY ALSO GAVE A LICENSING AGREEMENT SO THAT THE, THAT THE CITY WOULD ALLOW TABLES, CHAIRS, UMBRELLAS TO BE, UH, PLACED ON THE HAY STREET BRIDGE AND THAT PEOPLE WOULD BE ABLE TO EAT THEIR FOOD, DRINK THEIR BEER, THE LICENSING AGREEMENT WHEN THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT LEARNED. AND GUESS WHO TOLD THEM THAT THIS WAS A PART OF WHAT THE CITY HAD PLANNED? THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT TOLD THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO, SHOULD YOU COMMERCIALIZE THE BRIDGE IN ANY WAY, BE PREPARED TO RETURN THE $2.9 MILLION THAT WE GAVE TO RESTORE THE BRIDGE. MAKE CERTAIN THAT YOU UNDERSTAND THAT'S A PART OF YOUR DECISION AS WELL. THANK YOU. THANK YOU, MS. HINTON. AND SO, WELL, THANK, FIRST OF ALL, LEMME JUST SAY THANK YOU TO EVERYBODY THAT HAS COME FORTH, UM, AND SPOKEN ON THIS ISSUE. UM, THIS IS AN ISSUE THAT HAS BEEN ONGOING FOR MANY YEARS. UM, WE'VE SEEN DOCUMENTS AND DISCUSSION DATING AS FAR BACK AS 2002, AND THEN WE HAD ANOTHER ITERATION IN 2012. AND SO, UM, AND MOST OF US ON COUNCIL HAVE NOT BEEN INVOLVED IN, IN ANY OF THOSE, UH, DECISIONS. AND SO, UH, BUT WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO DO HERE TODAY IS, UM, DO OUR BEST TO, NUMBER ONE, RECOGNIZE THAT THERE HAVE BEEN WRONGS THAT WERE DONE, UM, AND DECISIONS THAT, THAT WERE MADE THAT MANY OF US ON COUNCIL NOW MIGHT NOT HAVE MADE THOSE SAME DECISIONS. UH, BUT WE HAVE A NEW COUNCIL AND A MAYOR, UM, WHO ARE INTERESTED IN DOING WHAT WE CAN, UH, TO RIGHT ANY WRONG, UH, THAT, THAT MAY HAVE BEEN DONE. AND SO I'M HOPING, AND I'VE HEARD A LOT OF COMMENTS BACK TODAY, THAT, THAT WE HAVE NOT LISTENED AND THAT WE, UM, UH, HAVE, HAVE, HAVE BROKEN THE, THE TRUST. UH, OUR GOAL TODAY IS TO LET YOU KNOW THAT WE ARE LISTENING. AND I THINK TAKING UP THIS ISSUE TODAY, UH, IN THE MANNER THAT WE ARE TAKING IT UP, UH, HOPEFULLY SAYS IN PART THAT WE, WE ARE, UM, AND THAT PART OF THE AIM TODAY IS TO BRIDGE AND REBUILD THAT TRUST AND, AND START A NEW AND WITH, WITH A RESET. BUT TO DO THAT, UH, WE HAD TO MAKE TOUGH DECISIONS. AND PART OF THOSE TOUGH DECISIONS, NUMBER ONE, WAS TO LOOK AT WHERE ARE WE RIGHT NOW AND HOW CAN WE MOVE FORWARD BASED ON WHERE WE ARE? AND FROM MY UNDERSTANDINGS FROM FROM OUR ATTORNEYS, UM, THAT THERE IS A PROPERTY OWNER THAT IS NOT THE CITY AND, UH, THAT PROPERTY OWNER HAS ENTITLEMENTS AND RIGHTS TO BUILD. AND SO AT LEAST FOR ME, COMING IN, UH, UH, TRYING TO HELP SOLVE THE ISSUE, I'VE GOTTA START FROM THAT PERSPECTIVE, RECOGNIZING THAT THERE HAVE BEEN ISSUES IN THE PAST. UH, BUT AT THE SAME TIME, I'VE GOT A, UH, EXISTING REALITY THAT I HAVE TO DEAL WITH IN ORDER TO BE ABLE TO RESOLVE, UH, THE ISSUE. AND SO, RECOGNIZING THE FACT THAT, UH, THERE IS A PROPERTY OWNER THAT IS NOT THE CITY, UM, I HAD TO APPROACH THAT PROPERTY OWNER AND SEE WHAT WE COULD DO TO EVEN BE AT THE TABLE. SO I, I WANNA FIRST THANK MITCH FOR BEING OPEN TO, TO SITTING AT THE TABLE WITH ME, UM, TO AT LEAST LOOK AT THE POTENTIAL OF THE CITY DOING SOMETHING SO THAT IT COULD REGAIN THAT PROPERTY AND, AND RE UH, PUT THAT, THAT PROPERTY OWNERSHIP BACK IN THE CITY'S HANDS. AND SO, UM, WE HAD SEVERAL DISCUSSIONS, UH, THERE, AND WE, [02:40:01] WHERE WE ARE TODAY, IT WAS VERY DIFFERENT FROM WHERE WE STARTED, UH, BECAUSE THERE WAS A LOT OF, UH, BACK AND FORTH. AND SO AT THE END OF THE DAY, WHAT I WAS TRYING TO DO WAS COME UP WITH SOMETHING THAT, UM, TOOK US FROM WHERE WE ARE, UH, BUT ALSO CREATED THE NOTION, WHAT I CALL VALUE TO VALUE. UH, I WANTED TO BE ABLE TO, UH, TO LET COUNCIL KNOW THAT, WELL, FIRST OF ALL, WE'VE GOT A PIECE OF PROPERTY THAT OVER TIME HAS BEEN, UM, IS IN AN AREA THAT HAS INCREASED IN VALUES. AND SO WE'VE GOTTA LOOK AT THAT. WE'VE GOTTA LOOK AT THE FACT THAT, THAT HIS ENTITLEMENTS, UH, WERE BASED ON, UH, RULES THAT WERE DIFFERENT THAN WHAT THEY ARE NOW. AND SO, UM, BASICALLY I WAS TRYING TO SEE IF I COULD LIFT THOSE SAME, UH, RULES AND STRUCTURES THAT WERE IN PLACE THAT BACK THEN INTO A NEW PIECE OF PROPERTY. UM, AND LOOKING PARTICULARLY AT THE, AT THE VALUE TO VALUE PROPOSITION BASED ON APPRAISALS. AND SO WE GOT APPRAISALS ON BOTH PROPERTIES. UH, WE USED THE SAME APPRAISER ON BOTH PROPERTIES, AND THAT APPRAISER WAS AN INDEPENDENT APPRAISER AND A CERTIFIED APPRAISER, UM, APART FROM THE CITY. AND SO I FEEL CONFIDENT THAT, THAT THE VALUE, UH, AND APPRAISAL, THE VALUATIONS THAT WERE PROVIDED BY THAT APPRAISER, UM, WERE ACCURATE AND, UH, REFLECTIVE OF THE, THE TRUE VALUE OF THE, OF THE PROPERTIES. ONE WAS 1.6 AND ONE THE OTHER WAS 1.5. SO THE, THE DIFFERENCE IS, IS IS SLIGHT THERE. SO I UNDERSTAND, UM, THE CONCERNS. UH, WE, MY UNDERSTANDING THAT THE ORIGINAL PURCHASE PRICE FOR THAT PIECE OF PROPERTY WAS 295,000. UM, THOSE ARE NOT THE VALUES THAT ARE IN THAT LOCATION TODAY. AND SO, UM, I, IN ORDER TO EVEN START THIS WHOLE PROCESS, I HAD TO BEGIN, UH, WITH A PROPERTY OWNER AND FIGURE OUT HOW WE COULD AT LEAST COME TO THE TABLE. AND, AND WE'VE DONE THAT FROM THERE. IT'S BEEN CONVERSATION AFTER CONVERSATION. I, I, I TELL FOLKS THAT THERE'S BEEN SIX GROUPS THAT I'VE HAD TO WORK WITH IN ORDER TO BE ABLE TO BE WHERE WE ARE TODAY. NUMBER ONE, THE PROPERTY OWNER. NUMBER TWO, THE HAY STREET RESTORATION GROUP. NUMBER THREE, DIGNITY HILL NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION. NUMBER FOUR, THE DENVER HEIGHTS NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION. UH, NUMBER FIVE, I'VE GOTTA WORK WITH COUNCIL TO BE ABLE TO, TO GET SOMETHING THAT THEY COULD SUPPORT. AND NUMBER SIX HAS GOTTA BE SOMETHING THAT THE COMMUNITY, UH, AS A WHOLE, UH, CAN SUPPORT. UH, THAT'S A LOT OF FOLKS, THAT'S A LOT OF STAKEHOLDERS, THAT'S A LOT OF INTERESTS, AND NOT ALL OF THEM ARE GONNA BE THE EXACT SAME THING. AND SO TO COME UP WITH A RESOLUTION, UM, AND A COMPROMISE REQUIRES JUST THAT COMPROMISE. AND I HEARD SOMEBODY SAY THAT WHEN YOU WORK TO, TO DEVELOP A COMPROMISE, UM, IT'S VERY DIFFICULT TO, TO HAVE COMPLETE A HUNDRED PERCENT CONSENSUS. I THINK, UH, LIZ SAID THAT. UM, AND SO I THINK IT'S CLEAR, CLEAR HERE TODAY THAT WE DON'T HAVE A HUNDRED PERCENT CONSENSUS, AND THERE ARE VERY FEW ISSUE ISSUES WHERE WE HAVE A HUNDRED PERCENT, UH, CONSENSUS, PARTICULARLY WHEN, UH, IT'S CONTROVERSIAL. SO OUR GOAL THEN IS TO DO WHAT WE CAN TO GET THE HIGHEST LEVEL OF CONSISTENCY THAT WE CAN, UM, TO SOLVE AN ISSUE. AND IN THIS PARTICULAR CASE, RIGHT OR WRONG. AND I THINK WE'VE GOTTEN TO A POINT TODAY WHERE, WHERE THAT CONVERSATION, UH, IS HAPPENING AND THAT RESOLUTION CAN HAPPEN AS WELL. I WANNA SAY THANK YOU TO THE HAYES STREET RESTORATION GROUP, UM, PARTICULARLY TO NETTY HINTON, UH, TO GARY HOUSTON, AND, UH, THE LATE DOUG STEADMAN. UM, YOU ALL FROM THE GET GO FROM 2002, UM, THIS WAS, THIS WAS YOUR PROJECT NETTING. YOU'VE, YOU'VE BEEN CERTAIN TO LET US KNOW THAT. UM, AND SO I APPRECIATE ALL THE EFFORT THAT YOU'VE, YOU HAVE GIVEN, UH, TO THIS ISSUE AND TO YOUR COMMUNITY TO MAKE SURE THAT IT STAYS AT THE, AT THE FOREFRONT, UM, AND WORKING WITH ESPERANZA GROUP TO, TO HELP PUSH. UM, AND THEY'VE DONE A, A GREAT JOB OF THAT GRACIELA, UH, JANNI, UH, AMY CASTLEY, WHO, UH, IS A VERY GOOD FRIEND OF MINE AND OUR CLOSE COLLEAGUE OF MINE WHO'S AWAY IN, UH, IN NEW YORK RIGHT NOW, UM, IN BEREAVEMENT. AND SO I WANNA RECOGNIZE, UH, HER, HER WORK AND THE VALUE THAT I HAVE IN HER AS A, AS A ANOTHER ATTORNEY, UM, WHO HAS DEDICATED HER LIFE AND HER, HER MISSION IN LIFE TO LOTS OF GREAT CAUSES FOR FREE. UH, SHE'S MY UNDERSTANDING IS DOING THIS WORK AND HAS BEEN DOING THIS WORK OVER THESE, YOU KNOW, SEVEN OR EIGHT YEARS, UM, PRO BONO. AND SO THAT SAYS A LOT ABOUT, AMY, UH, SAYS A LOT ABOUT THIS CAUSE THAT SHE STANDS FOR. AND SO I WANNA CERTAINLY RECOGNIZE THAT TODAY. AND SO TO ALL THOSE FOLKS WHO ARE PART OF THE RESTORATION GROUP, THANK YOU FOR CONTINUING TO ADVOCATE, CONTINUING TO PUSH EVEN WHEN SOMETIMES IT DOESN'T SEEM LIKE FOLKS ARE LISTENING. UM, I WANNA SAY, UH, ON BEHALF OF MYSELF AND THIS COUNCIL, THAT WE APPRECIATE YOUR ADVOCACY AND ALL THOSE WHO, UH, WHO CAME TO ADVOCATE TODAY AS WELL, [02:45:02] TO DIGNITY WITTY, UH, PARTICULARLY TO, TO LIZ AND TO NICHOLAS, UH, IF HE'S STILL HERE. UM, AND ALL THOSE FOLKS THAT, THAT I PERSONALLY MET AND, UH, I KNOW LAURA AND ERIC MET, UH, AND ANDY AS WELL. UH, WE APPRECIATE YOUR ADVOCACY AND, UM, WE KNOW THAT, AND OF COURSE WE KNOW THAT THERE WAS DIVISION WITHIN THE GROUP IN YEARS PAST. UM, BUT THE NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION HAD SUPPORTED THE PROJECT PREVIOUSLY. AND, UM, WE'RE STILL LOOKING AT SOME SORT OF ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT ON THIS, THIS PIECE OF PROPERTY, UH, DIG WINNEY HAS ADVOCATED FOR ELLA AUSTIN, UM, AND DOING SOMETHING BETTER, UH, FOR ELLA THAN WHERE THEY'RE CURRENTLY ADVOCATING OR CURRENTLY LOCATED. NUITY HAS ADVOCATED FOR AFFORDABLE HOUSING ON THIS LOCATION, UH, AND AFFORDABLE HOUSING JUST IN GENERAL. AND SO WE WANNA SAY I APPRECIATE THAT ADVOCACY. AND THEY'VE ALSO, UM, BEEN CONCERNED THAT, UH, AN ADDITIONAL PARK TO STREETS AWAY FROM A LARGER PARK AND, UM, FUNDING THAT, THAT, THAT IS SHORT ON THE LARGER PARK, UM, COULD CAUSE ISSUES IN, UH, WITH THIS PARTICULAR LOCATION JUST IN GENERAL. SO THEY ARE ADVOCATES FOR MORE MONEY FOR PARKS AND, UH, WHEN WE DO HAVE PARK SPACE, THAT WE MAKE SURE THAT WE, UH, DO WHAT IS RIGHT AND UTILIZE THEM AND, UM, UH, PROVIDE THOSE PARKS AND THOSE COMMUNITIES WITH, WITH THE SUFFICIENT FUNDING TO BE ABLE TO DO THAT. SO, PART OF THEIR HESITANCY, AND I WANNA RECOGNIZE THAT TODAY, WAS THAT ANOTHER PARK, UM, MAY NOT NECESSARILY GET THE ATTENTION, UH, THAT, THAT THOSE PARKS DESERVE. AND SO, PARTICULARLY WHEN WE HAVE SO MANY OTHER PARKS THAT, UH, THAT HAVE MANY NEEDS. SO I WANNA RECOGNIZE DIGNITY AND, AND THEIR ADVOCACY AND, AND, AND SOME OF THOSE ISSUES THAT THEY CITED AS WELL. UM, MS. GREEN AND, UH, AUBREY LEWIS FROM DENVER HEIGHTS, THANK YOU ALL FOR BEING OPEN TO TO MEETING, UH, SO MANY TIMES AS WELL. WE DID TAKE INTO CONSIDERATION YOUR NUMBER ONE ISSUE, WHICH WE HEARD UP FRONT, WHICH WAS THE HEIGHT, UH, AND LIMITING TO, TO, TO FIVE STORIES. AND SO, UM, THAT FROM OUR EARLY ON DISCUSSIONS WAS, UH, FRONT AND FRONT AND CENTER. AND SO HOPEFULLY, UM, THAT HELPS ON THAT PARTICULAR ISSUE. BUT I ALSO WANNA DO, WANTED TO ALSO SAY THANK YOU DENVER HEIGHTS, UH, AUBREY AND HIS TEAM, HIS LEADERSHIP TEAM, AND MARIA FOR ADVOCATING AGAIN FOR ELLA. AND I'M HOPING, UH, COUNCILWOMAN, UH, ANDREW SULLIVAN IS, IS IN THE, UH, CHAMBERS TODAY. UM, THAT THERE HAVE BEEN SEVERAL, AND I'LL ADD MY NAME TO THIS LIST, THAT ELLA AUSTIN IS IN A CITY FACILITY THAT, UM, NEEDS A LOT OF WORK. AND SO, UH, IF WE CAN'T DO THE WORK THERE AT THAT LOCATION, LET'S, LET'S, LET'S SUPPORT L AUSTIN SOMEWHERE. UM, AND, AND I APPRECIATE DENVER HEIGHTS. I APPRECIATE DIGNITY ADVOCATING FOR, FOR ELLA AUSTIN AND A LOCATION FOR ELLA AUSTIN, UM, PERHAPS IF, IF NOT ON THIS AREA, NOT, NOT ON THE EXCHANGE PROPERTY, BUT SOMEWHERE ELSE. AND THEY ALSO ADVOCATED FOR SAGE. THEY ALSO ADVOCATED FOR THE NAACP. SO I TALKED A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE SWAP. AND SO THAT'S PART OF THE, THE ISSUE THAT WE, UM, HAD THE FIRST CROSS THE HURDLE TO, TO GET TO WHERE WE ARE. AND SO THAT'S NOT A PERFECT SOLUTION, UM, BUT IT'S THE SOLUTION THAT'S ON THE TABLE AND THE SOLUTION THAT THAT GETS GOT US TO THE TABLE AND THE SOLUTION THAT WILL AT LEAST BEGIN THE DISCUSSION OF, OF FROM, FROM THE PROPERTY BEING BACK IN THE CITY'S HANDS. SO THEN THE SECOND ISSUE HAS BEEN, WHAT DO WE DO WITH THE PROPERTY 8 0 3 AND EIGHT 15, UH, ONCE IT'S BACK IN THE CITY'S HANDS. AND, UM, THERE WAS AGAIN, A WIDE VARIETY OF PERSPECTIVES. WE HAD ONE SIDE, UH, THAT WANTED TO REMAIN OPEN, OPEN TO ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, AFFORDABLE HOUSING STRUCTURES, THAT KIND OF THING. WE HAD THE OTHER SIDE, UH, THAT ONCE SOLELY DEDICATED TO A PARK. UH, THE ORIGINAL LANGUAGE THAT WE PUT IN THE ORDINANCE, UM, WAS KIND OF RIGHT IN THE MIDDLE, BUT WE HEARD LOUD AND CLEAR THAT THAT WAS NOT SUFFICIENT. AND SO, UH, I WILL BE MAKING A MOTION HERE IN A SECOND THAT, UH, GOES TO THAT EXTREME OF PLACING THE LAND, UH, BACK INTO A PUBLIC PARK IN THE CITY'S HANDS, NUMBER ONE. BUT AS A, AS A DESIGNATED PUBLIC PARK. AND WHATEVER COMMUNITY DISCUSSIONS HAPPEN FROM THERE, UH, START FROM THAT BASIS OF A PUBLIC PARK. AND I'LL TELL YOU TWO REASONS FOR, FOR DOING THAT. AND AGAIN, GOING FROM A MIDDLE POSITION TO ONE THAT, THAT RECOGNIZES AND DESIGNATES AS A PARK. NUMBER ONE, AND I APPRECIATE THE MAYOR FOR, FOR REMINDING, UH, ME OF THIS. AND THEN THE ENTIRE COUNCIL FOR ALSO REMINDING IS THAT, UM, WE HAVE A HISTORY HERE, AND PART OF THAT HISTORY HAS BEEN LITIGATION, AND WE WANT TO DO WHATEVER WE CAN TO JUST STOP THE FIGHTING AND, UM, AND GET AS CLOSE AS WE CAN [02:50:01] TO, TO STAYING OUT OF THE COURTS AND RESOLVING THE ISSUE, UH, ONCE AND FOR ALL. AND SO THE BEST WAY THAT WE CAN DO THAT AND LOOKING AT WHAT, WHAT HAS BEEN THE ISSUE, UM, IT'S NUMBER ONE OWNERSHIP, WHICH WE RESOLVING TODAY. BUT THE SECOND ISSUE IS A PARK. AND, UH, IF WE HAVE SOMETHING OTHER THAN A PARK AND DISCUSSION THAT MIGHT LEAD TO SOMETHING OTHER THAN A PARK, THEN WE OPEN OURSELVES TO UP TO, TO FURTHER BATTLES, FURTHER DIVISION WITHIN THE COMMUNITY. AND SO THAT POSITION WOULD NOT SOLVE THIS ISSUE. AND SO, UH, THE LANGUAGE THAT WE, WE WE'RE GONNA COME UP WITH HERE IN A SECOND WILL BE SOLVING THAT ISSUE AND GETTING TO, UH, THE DESIGNATION OF A PARK, AND THEN RECOGNIZING ALL THE HISTORY AND SO FORTH THAT GOES ALONG WITH IT. THE SECOND PIECE OF THAT, UH, OF, OF WHY WE'RE GOING TO THE, TO THE SIDE OF DESIGNATED THIS, UH, AS A PARK IS TO RECOGNIZE, AND GRACIE HAS MADE THIS POINT, AND I APPRECIATE THAT, UH, RECOGNIZE THE HISTORY THAT'S HERE, UM, THE HARD WORK, UH, THAT HAS BEEN BEEN ON THIS PIECE OF PROPERTY BY NETTY AND, UM, UH, MR. STEADMAN AND, AND, UH, GARY AND, AND OTHERS, UM, AND ALL THE HISTORY THAT HAS HAPPENED BEFORE. AND WE CAN'T NEGLECT THAT AND, YOU KNOW, PUT ASIDE THAT HISTORY. AND SO, UH, WHERE WE START FROM HERE TODAY, UM, SHOULD BE A RECOGNITION OF THAT HISTORY AND A COUPLE OF THINGS THAT GOD C L HAS SENT ME, UH, THAT I WOULD LIKE TO SET OR, OR, OR SUBMIT INTO THE RECORD TELL PART OF THAT HISTORY. UM, NUMBER ONE IN 2006, AND THIS WAS WHEN I WAS ON COUNCIL THE FIRST TIME AROUND, AND THIS WAS BY A, A GRANT APPLICATION BY TOM WENDORF, WHO, UH, HAS BEEN LONG SINCE GONE FROM CITY OF SAN ANTONIO, UM, AND OVERSAW, UM, WHAT WAS THE NAME OF THE DIVISION AT T C I PUBLIC WORKS. AND SO PUBLIC WORKS IS NO LONGER PUBLIC WORKS IS NOW T C I, BUT THIS, UH, GRANT APPLICATION WAS PRETTY DETAILED, UM, ABOUT THE CON THE COMMUNITY CONVERSATIONS THAT HAPPEN AND PRETTY DETAILED ABOUT A PARK AND DETAILED ABOUT WHAT SHOULD GO INTO THAT PARK, AND RECOGNITION OF THE DEPOT AND, AND FOLKS THAT WORK THERE AND SO FORTH. AND EVEN THOUGH WE DIDN'T GET THIS GRANT, IT STILL IS A RECOGNITION OF, OF WORK THAT WAS DONE AND COMMUNITY WORK THAT WAS DONE, UM, AND, AND ADVOCACY THAT WAS DONE BACK THEN. AND SO, UM, PART OF MOVING TODAY TO, TO DO A PARK INSTEAD OF SOMETHING RIGHT IN THE MIDDLE RECOGNIZES THIS. UM, SHE ALSO GAVE ME THE, THE 2007, UM, ORDINANCE FROM FROM COUNCIL THAT RECOGNIZES THE DONATION OF LAND FROM, FROM THE BUD CO COMPANY. AND I WOULD LIKE TO, I KNOW IT'S PART OF THE RECORD, BUT I'M GONNA SUBMIT THAT AS PART OF THE RECORD AS WELL. AND THEN SHE GAVE ME, UH, SOME INFORMATION ABOUT, UM, THE HISTORY OF THE BRIDGE AND SOME OF THE HISTORY OF THE WORK THAT'S BEEN DONE, UH, WRITTEN BY DOUG STEADMAN, WHO'S, WHO'S PASSED AWAY. AND SO, UH, ALL OF THIS IS IMPORTANT HISTORY. UH, WE TALK A LOT ABOUT, UM, HISTORY HERE ON THIS COUNCIL AND HOW IT IS, HOW IMPORTANT IT IS TO, TO CONTINUE TO RECOGNIZE THAT AND VALUE THAT. AND I'D LIKE TO DO THAT TODAY AND HOPEFULLY OUR DECISION TODAY, ALTHOUGH NOT A PERFECT ONE, ON, ON ON MANY DIFFERENT LEVELS, I DO THINK IT'S RESOLVES AND RECOGNIZES, UH, A LOT THAT SHOULD BE, UH, RECOGNIZED TODAY. AND SO THEN MY, MY FINAL STATEMENT IS I JUST WANNA SAY THANK YOU TO, TO MAYOR AND COUNCIL FOR ENTRUSTING ME, NUMBER ONE, AND JUST TO SIT IN THIS POSITION, UH, FOR THE TIME THAT I HAVE. AND, UM, AND THEN NUMBER TWO TO, TO TAKE ON THIS PARTICULAR ISSUE. I'VE TRIED TO SOLVE LOTS OF CONTROVERSIAL ISSUES DURING MY FIVE MONTHS ON COUNCIL, AND THIS IS ONE OF THOSE THAT, UH, FRANKLY, I SAW AND WANTED TO BE ABLE TO, TO, TO HELP RESOLVE AND PARTICULARLY FOCUS IN ON THE NEXT COUNCIL MEMBER, UH, TO MAKE SURE THAT THAT COUNCIL MEMBER HAS, HAS THE, UM, I GUESS SMOOTHEST OPPORTUNITY WITHOUT CONTROVERSY TO AS, AS A STARTING POINT. AND, UH, MY GOAL, UH, DURING THIS, THIS TIME PERIOD HAS BEEN TO RESOLVE AS MANY OF THOSE CONTROVERSIAL ISSUES THAT HAVE BEEN OUT THERE OUTSTANDING FOR A LOT OF YEARS. THERE HAVE BEEN SEVERAL OF 'EM, UM, AND TO GET THOSE RESOLVED SO THAT WHEN SHE STARTS, UH, NEXT THURSDAY, UM, THAT SHE HAS THE BEST OPPORTUNITY FOR SUCCESS AND NON CONTROVERSY AS AS POSSIBLE. SO THANK YOU MAYOR COUNCIL FOR, FOR ALL OF THAT, AND ERIC AND ANDY, UM, YOU GUYS HAVE BEEN THERE EVERY STEP OF THE WAY, AND I APPRECIATE THAT. UH, WHEN, WHEN THE CITY MANAGER SHOWS UP TO A MEETING AND WHEN THE, UH, CITY ATTORNEY SHOWS UP TO A MEETING, THAT MEANS SOMETHING, AND THAT MEANS THAT THEY'RE INVESTED, THEY'RE INTERESTED, THEY, UH, THEY'RE WORKING HARD TO, TO, TO SOLVE AN ISSUE WITH THE COMMUNITY. UM, BUT THEY'RE ALSO MAKING SURE THAT, THAT THEIR RESOLUTION IS ALIGNED WITH, WITH COUNCIL AND THE MAYOR, UM, AND ALL THOSE ISSUES THAT THEY'RE SUPPORTING. AND [02:55:01] SO I WANNA THANK ERIC AND, AND ANDY FOR, FOR ALL OF THAT. AND THEN I, UH, COUNCILWOMAN GONZALEZ HAS, HAS, HAS OFTEN SAID, PARTICULARLY ON THIS PARTICULAR ISSUE, THAT THERE, THERE IS NO HERO, UM, IN TODAY'S DECISION, UM, BECAUSE IT'S, IT'S, IT'S BEEN A, IT IS A CONSTANT OF, OF ISSUES. UM, AND SO, AND I APPRECIATE THAT, THAT THAT POINT AND THAT PERSPECTIVE. UM, BUT IF THERE WAS A HERO, UM, THE ONE PERSON THAT I WOULD LIKE TO RECOGNIZE AND SAY THANK YOU TO, UH, IS LORI. UH, LORI HAS BEEN, UM, A STRONG ADVOCATE, A STRONG HARD WORKER ON THIS PARTICULAR ISSUE. UH, WE'VE NOT ALWAYS BEEN ON THE SAME SIDE, BUT WE FIGURED OUT HOW TO GET ON THE SAME SIDE. UM, I NEVER REALLY HAD THE REAL OPPORTUNITY TO WORK REALLY CLOSELY TO, TO LORI BEFORE. UM, THIS HAS BEEN THAT OPPORTUNITY. AND, UM, I'VE EN I'VE ENJOYED WORKING WITH YOU, LAURA, YOU'VE, I'VE RESPECT YOU, I RESPECT YOUR ETHIC. UM, WE'VE BEEN TEXTING, EMAILING, YOU KNOW, SOMETIMES 1130 AT NIGHT. I REMEMBER ONE TIME WE WERE, WE WERE EMAILING AND TEXTING, UH, 11 30, 12 O'CLOCK AT NIGHT. AND I DIDN'T REALIZE ALL HER OTHER STUFF, BUT, BUT SHE WAS PRESENTING ON THE SCOOTERS THE VERY NEXT DAY AND DEALING WITH ALL THOSE, THOSE ISSUES, UH, THE VERY NEXT DAY. UM, BUT THAT JUST SHOWS HOW HARD OUR STAFF WORKS TO GET THINGS DONE, UM, TO, TO, TO ADDRESS THE ISSUES, UH, THAT COUNCIL RAISES. AND SO, I CERTAINLY, I, I WANT, I WANNA THANK YOU, LAURA, FOR EVERYTHING YOU'VE DONE ON, ON THIS PARTICULAR ISSUE AND ALL THE SUPPORT THAT YOU'VE GIVEN ME AND, AND COUNCIL ON ON THIS ISSUE. UH, SOMETHING I SAID ABOUT ERIC AND OTHERS WAY BACK WHEN, IS THAT, UM, THE GOOD FOLKS GET THE HEART ISSUES. AND THIS WAS A HARD ISSUE, AND YOU'VE HAD SOME, SOME OTHERS, UH, BUT I CERTAINLY KNOW THAT THIS WAS A, WAS A HARD ISSUE. AND I THINK YOU'VE GOT IT, UH, BECAUSE NUMBER ONE, YOU HAD EXPERIENCE WITH IT. BUT NUMBER TWO, UH, YOU ARE A HARD WORKER, AND, UH, YOU WERE GONNA HELP ME AND HELP COUNCIL FIGURE OUT HOW TO GET THAT, GET THIS DONE. AND SO I WANNA SAY THANK YOU FOR THAT. LEMME JUST SAY ONE LARGER COMMENT ABOUT AFFORDABLE HOUSING, AND, AND I SHOULD HAVE SAID IT EARLIER, BUT I'M GONNA SAY IT NOW. UM, WHEN I WAS INTERVIEWED FOR THIS POSITION AND JUST COMING IN, THERE WERE KIND OF THREE ISSUES THAT REALLY STOOD OUT. UM, SCOOTERS WERE AT THE TOP OF THE LIST, UH, THE EQUITY BUDGET AND BONDS AND SO FORTH THAT, THAT THIS COUNCIL HAS PRIORITIZED, AND THIS MAYOR HAS PRIORITIZED. UH, BUT THE THIRD ISSUE, AND REALLY IT WAS THE FIRST ONE, UM, HAS BEEN AFFORDABLE HOUSING. AND SO THAT EVERY COUNCIL HAS A THEME AND THINGS THAT THEY'RE FOCUSING ON. AND I WILL TELL THE COMMUNITY THAT FROM MY, FROM AN OUTSIDER COMING IN, UH, THE, THE NUMBER ONE ISSUE THAT THIS COUNCIL HAS BEEN FOCUSING ON HAS BEEN AFFORDABLE HOUSING. IT'S NOT BEEN, BEEN WITHOUT IT HICCUPS, AND THIS COUNCIL'S TRYING TO SOLVE THOSE HICCUPS. UM, BUT WHAT I, WHAT, WHAT I'M, WHAT I WANNA SAY TO YOU ALL IS THAT AFFORDABLE HOUSING IS, IS THE KEY ISSUE FOR THIS, UH, THIS COUNCIL. AND IT'S, AND IT WILL CONTINUE TO, TO BE SO, SO, I DON'T WANT ANYTHING DEALING WITH THIS VOTE, UH, TO DOWNGRADE THAT. UM, WE HAD A PIECE OF PROPERTY, HAVE A PIECE OF PROPERTY THAT'S BEEN DEDICATED TO AFFORDABLE HOUSING. WE'RE ONLY, WE'RE TAKING HALF OF THAT TO RESOLVE A BIGGER ISSUE, A BIG ISSUE. UM, THE OTHER HALF IS STILL GONNA BE DEDICATED TO AFFORDABLE HOUSING, EITHER ON THE PROPERTY ITSELF OR THE PROCEEDS GOING, UH, TO AFFORDABLE HOUSING. BUT AT THE SAME TIME, I WANNA ALSO RECOGNIZE THE FACT THAT AFFORDABLE HOUSING IS A HUGE ISSUE HERE IN SAN ANTONIO. AND, UM, I LOOKED AT EVERYTHING THAT WE'RE DOING. UH, LORI SENT ME A LIST OF EVERYTHING THAT WE'RE DOING AFFORDABLE HOUSING IN DISTRICT TWO. THERE ARE HUNDREDS, UH, I WANNA SAY THOUSANDS OF UNITS THAT HAVE BEEN BUILT FOR AFFORDABLE HOUSING AND ARE PLANNED TO BE BUILT FOR AFFORDABLE HOUSING IN DISTRICT TWO. AND THAT'S JUST A, JUST DISTRICT TWO. I'M SURE THERE'S SAME NUMBERS ALL ACROSS THE CITY. SO KNOW THAT AFFORDABLE HOUSING IS, IS AND WILL CONTINUE TO BE AN ISSUE FOR THIS COUNCIL. AND SOLVING ALL THE, UH, ISSUES RELATED TO AFFORDABLE HOUSING. WE'RE NOT GONNA SOLVE AFFORDABLE HOUSING WITH A 1.7 PIECE ACRE PIECE OF PROPERTY OR A FOUR ACRE PIECE OF PROPERTY. UM, AND THERE ARE LOTS OF OTHER PROPERTIES, AS LIZ HAS MENTIONED, THAT ARE OPEN AND AVAILABLE FOR AFFORDABLE HOUSING. AND SO THERE ARE OPPORTUNITIES THAT WE CAN CONTINUE TO PUSH FOR AFFORDABLE HOUSING IN DISTRICT TWO ON THE NEAR EAST SIDE OF DISTRICT TWO. AND I TRUST JADA AND OTHERS IN THIS COUNCIL WILL LOOK FOR EVERY OPPORTUNITY TO, TO CONTINUE TO DO THAT, WHAT WE'RE DOING TODAY. AND WE GOT LOTS OF DIFFERENT ISSUES THAT WE'RE PRIORITIZING. BUT IN THIS ONE INSTANCE, WE ARE PRIORITIZING AN ISSUE THAT'S BEEN AROUND FOR, FOR TWO DECADES. AND, UM, WE'LL KEEP, WE'LL CONTINUE TO TAKE ON THAT AFFORDABLE HOUSING ISSUE IN OTHER AREAS, BUT TODAY'S PRIORITY IS TO RESOLVE THAT, THAT ISSUE, RIGHT, THAT WRONG, AND MAKE SURE THAT, UH, THAT WE REBUILD AND REGAIN [03:00:01] AND RESTART THAT PROCESS OF GAINING THE TRUST WITH OUR COMMUNITY AND, AND IN PARTICULAR DISTRICT TWO. SO WITH THAT, MAYOR, I'M GONNA MAKE A MOTION, UH, BASED ON THE ORDINANCE THAT HAS BEEN LISTED WITH A FOLLOWING CHANGE TO SECTION TWO E. AND SO SECTION TWO E WILL NOW READ, AND I THINK THEY'RE GONNA PUT IT ON THE, UH, ON THE SCREEN, THE FUTURE USE OF 8 0 3 AND EIGHT 15 NORTH CHERRY WILL BE AS A PUBLIC PARK DEDICATED TO THE HISTORIC HAY STREET BRIDGE, WHICH STANDS AS SIGNIFICANT REMINDER OF 18TH CENTURY WROUGHT IRON ENGINEERING OF THE RAILROAD INDUSTRY, AND OF THE SAN ANTONIOS WHO WORKED ON THE RAILROADS, MANY OF WHOM WERE AFRICAN AMERICAN OR MEXICAN AMERICAN. ANY IMPROVEMENTS TO THE PARK WILL INCLUDE AT MINIMUM DRINKING WATER, RESTROOM, FACILITIES, TREES, AND OR SHADE STRUCTURES, PICNIC AREAS, AND INFORMATION ABOUT THE BRIDGE CITY STAFF AND THE DISTRICT TWO CITY COUNCIL OFFICE WILL SEEK INPUT FROM COMMUNITY PARTNERS TO INCLUDE RESIDENTS OF HAY STREET BRIDGE TO INCLUDE, THIS IS THE WORD A LITTLE BIT WRONG, BUT I'M GONNA CORRECT IT HERE TO INCLUDE THE HAY STREET BRIDGE RESTORATION GROUP, DIGNITY WITTY NEIGHBORHOOD, AND OTHER STAKEHOLDERS AND SURROUNDING NEIGHBORHOODS TO DEVELOP THE PARKS DESIGN, WHICH WILL CONSIDER HOW TO PROTECT THE VIEW OF THE BRIDGE. AND FROM THE BRIDGE AS IT RELATES TO 8 0 3 AND EIGHT 15 NORTH CHERRY, A FUNDING PLAN FOR BOTH CAPITAL AND OPERATIONS WILL BE, WILL BE DEVELOPED AND IDENTIFIED ON OR BEFORE DECEMBER 31ST, TWO, 2019. THE PROCESS WILL BE DONE IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CITY'S PUBLIC PARTICIPATION PRINCIPLES. AND SO, MAYOR, THAT'S MY MOTION. OKAY? THERE'S A MOTION AND A SECOND FOR APPROVAL OF ITEM 23, UH, AS AMENDED, UH, BY COUNCILMAN HALL. COUNCILMAN SALDANA. THANK YOU, MAYOR. AND THIS IS MY, MY LAST OFFICIAL COUNCIL MEETING THAT WE'RE ACTUALLY CONDUCTING BUSINESS IN. AND, UM, THERE WAS A PART OF ME THAT WAS HOPING THAT IT WAS GONNA BE ALL HAPPINESS, HUGS AND HANDSHAKES. UM, BUT I WAS WRONG. SO I, I, I, I RECOGNIZE THAT WE'RE PAST THE LUNCH HOUR, SO I, I WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT FOLKS KNOW THAT, UM, BECAUSE THIS IS MY LAST COUNCIL MEETING. I, I'M NOT TRYING TO BE LONG-WINDED, BUT I AM TRYING TO JUST MAKE SURE THAT YOU ALL UNDERSTAND, UH, WHAT'S IN, IN MY HEAD AS A POLICYMAKER. UH, STANDING A LITTLE BIT ON THE OUTSIDE OF DISTRICT TWO, UH, DISTRICT TWO, TRYING TO MAKE A DECISION, UH, FOR THE ENTIRE, UH, UM, DISTRICT AREAS IMPACTED RESIDENTS, PEOPLE WHO ARE COMING IN HERE FROM AREAS THAT ARE NOT SPECIFICALLY, UH, THE EAST SIDE. AND, AND THAT'S HOW I COME AT THIS, BECAUSE I, I DON'T REPRESENT THE AREA, BUT, UH, OBVIOUSLY THIS IS, UH, A STAKE IN THE GROUND THAT REPRESENTS MORE THAN JUST, UH, THE EAST SIDE. THIS IS AN ICONIC BRIDGE THAT IS RECOGNIZED BY WHETHER YOU, WHETHER YOU LOOK AT A NEWS STATION OR YOU WATCH A COMMERCIAL, EVERYBODY'S EYES SEEM TO BE PINNED ON THE HAY STREET BRIDGE, AND, AND IT'S FOR GOOD REASON. BUT BEFORE I MAKE THOSE COMMENTS, UH, I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT FOR US TO RECOGNIZE THAT WE ARE ONLY HERE TALKING ABOUT THIS BRIDGE, UH, BECAUSE THERE ARE PEOPLE WITH POWER. AND THE QUESTION OF POWER HAS COME UP A LOT. WHO HAS POWER? WHO GETS TO DEAL THE, THE, THE DECISIONS WITHIN THE CITY? AND THE ONLY REASON WE'RE TR WE'RE MAKING A DECISION ON THIS, THAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT HAY STREET BRIDGE IS BECAUSE OF, UH, OF THE, THE HAY STREET BRIDGE RESTORATION GROUP, UH, TO BE LED BY, BY NETTY HINTON. AND OF COURSE, THE FOLKS, UH, FROM, WHETHER IT'S GRACIELA, AMY CASTLEY, ANNETTE FLORES, THESE ARE FOLKS WHO HAVE BEEN LEADING EFFORTS OF PEOPLE TO TALK ABOUT THIS ISSUE. AND THEY'VE MADE HEADLINES BECAUSE THIS HAS TOUCHED A NERVE, UH, IN THE ENTIRE CITY. AND LET ME ALSO RECOGNIZE THAT THIS IS MOSTLY A GROUP OF, OF WOMEN WHO HAVE BEEN, YOU KNOW, POUNDING THE STREETS, DRUMMING THE, THE NARRATIVE AND THE BEAT, UH, THAT WE SHOULD CARE ABOUT HAY STREET BRIDGE. AND IT SHOULD BE SOMETHING THAT EVERYBODY WEIGHS IN ON. UH, AND THAT'S WHY I'M GLAD I HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO WEIGH IN AS A COUNCIL REPRESENTATIVE IN DISTRICT FOUR ON THE SOUTHWEST SIDE, TALKING ABOUT AN ISSUE ON THE EAST SIDE, UH, WITH THE PERMISSION OF OUR, YOU KNOW, UH, COUNCIL PERSON IN DISTRICT TWO WHO'S BEEN VERY OPEN, UH, UNLIKE, YOU KNOW, OTHER SITUATIONS WHERE SOMETIMES IT'S, HEY, THIS IS MY COUNCIL DISTRICT. I TAKE THE LEAD. YOU FOLLOW MY LEAD ON THIS. UH, YOU KNOW, COUNCILMAN HALL HAS BEEN MUCH TO THE CONTRARY, UH, OPEN TO OUR INPUT AND OUR FEEDBACK, FEEDBACK ON THIS. AND I WANNA JUST SAY THAT WHEN YOU COME TO CITY HALL AS A COUNCIL REPRESENTATIVE, YOU DON'T GET TO COME IN WITH A CLEAN SLATE. YOU HAVE TO COME INTO CITY HALL WITH ALL OF THE BAGGAGE AND THE BAD DECISIONS THAT THIS INSTITUTION HAS MADE. AND IF YOU WERE TO AVERAGE AND ADD UP ALL OF THE DECISIONS MADE ABOUT [03:05:01] AND TO THE EAST SIDE, THEY WOULD COME UP SHORT. WITH RESPECT TO A QUESTION THAT HAS COME UP HERE, WHICH IS THIS QUESTION OF JUSTICE. HAS PROPER JUSTICE BEEN DELIVERED TO DISTRICT TWO? HAS, HAS THE EQUALITY OF OF RESOURCES AND ATTENTION AND TIME BEEN PAID? IT'S DUE TO THE EAST SIDE, AND IT HAS NOT. IT COMES UP SHORT. WE AS A CITY COUNCIL, HAVE TO COME INTO THIS INSTITUTION, AND IT'S NOT JUST THE EAST SIDE, BUT WE HAVE TO COME INTO THIS INSTITUTION WHERE WE KNOW THERE'S THIS IDEA THAT YOU CAN'T FIGHT CITY HALL. AND I DON'T KNOW A BETTER EXAMPLE OF, OF WHAT THIS RESTORATION GROUP HAS DONE FOR THE LAST SEVEN YEARS, GOING THROUGH LAWSUIT AND LAWSUIT AND PRESS CONFERENCE AND RALLY, UH, WHAT THEY'VE DONE, BUT FIGHT CITY HALL AT EVERY STEP OF THE TURN. AND THE QUESTION IS, UH, CAN YOU FIGHT CITY HALL? AND IT COMES DOWN TO WHO HAS POWER. AND AGAIN, WE'RE ONLY HERE BECAUSE THE FOLKS THAT ARE MOST POWERFUL, THAT HAVE RAISED VOICES, THAT HAVE ORGANIZED AND HAVE GOT COMMUNITY MEMBERS TOGETHER, HAVE RAISED THE CONSCIOUSNESS OF, OF THIS CITY COUNCIL. AND, AND LOOK, HERE'S THE QUESTION. THERE'S TWO IN MY HEAD ON THIS ISSUE AND ON THIS VOTE, DOES THIS DEAL LAND SWAP INCLUDED, CORRECT. AN INJUSTICE THAT WAS DONE IN 2012? AND THE QUESTION OF, OF APPLYING ONE INJUSTICE TO CLEAN UP ANOTHER INJUSTICE DOESN'T MAKE SENSE IN MY HEAD, AND IT SHOULDN'T IN YOURS EITHER. SO HERE'S THE QUESTION ABOUT TRUST THAT KEEPS COMING BACK, BECAUSE I KNOW THAT THE EAST SIDE HAS STRUGGLED WITH THIS, AND TRUST IS A FRAGILE THING. IT'S EASY TO LOSE, AND IT'S INCREDIBLY HARD TO GAIN BACK. WE WILL VOTE ON THIS TODAY, AND WE WILL NOT GET THE COMMUNITY'S TRUST BACK. THAT TAKES MUCH MORE TIME THAN THE VOTE THAT WE'RE GONNA HA THAT WE'RE GONNA TAKE HERE TODAY. IT, IT, IT REALLY SORT OF HURTS ME TO SAY THIS, BUT THIS IS, THIS IS PART OF MY ATONEMENT FOR A DECISION THAT I WAS PART OF. I, I, I HAVE ATONEMENT TO PAY FOR MY NAME BEING ON A DECISION IN 2012 THAT REALLY STARTED THIS WHOLE THING. AND NOBODY ELSE ON THE COUNCIL CAN LAY BLAME AT THEIR FEET AS MUCH AS AS I CAN, BECAUSE I'M THE ONLY ONE STILL HERE, UH, ON THE CITY COUNCIL WHOSE NAME IS ON THE DECISION IN 2012 TO GO INTO THIS DEAL. AND THE IDEA BACK THEN, I'M GONNA OWN IT BECAUSE IT WAS WRONG, WAS THAT WE WANTED TO BELIEVE THAT, THAT THE EAST SIDE NEEDED MORE INVESTMENT. AND THE, THE PROPER WAY TO DO THAT WAS TO TRY TO GET SOME FOLKS TO INVEST IN THE EAST SIDE. AND I KNOW THAT SOMETIMES YOU GET EXACTLY WHAT YOU ASK FOR. AND, AND WE'VE SEEN THE DEVELOPMENT AND WE'VE SEEN HOW QUICKLY THE SPEED AND THE VELOCITY OF THAT HAS IMPACTED PEOPLE TO THE POINT, UH, THAT THEY'RE COMING HERE AND TELLING US THAT MY NEIGHBORHOOD IS NO LONGER LOOKING THE WAY IT DID, UH, BECAUSE I'VE GROWN UP HERE FOR 30, 40, 50 YEARS, 60 YEARS, AND SOMETHING IS HAPPENING AND CHANGING. AND, AND I HAVE TO ASK FORGIVENESS FOR, FOR NOT SEEING PAST, YOU KNOW, THE SEVERAL YEARS OF DEVELOPMENT THAT THAT WOULD OCCUR HERE. SO I WANT TO, I WANNA POINT SOMETHING OUT THAT ACO GOMEZ POINTED OUT, AND YOU'RE, YOU'RE WISE BEYOND YOUR YEARS, ASCO, I DON'T KNOW HOW OLD YOU ARE, UH, BUT YOU SAID YOU CAN'T GIVE SOMETHING BACK THAT WAS OURS TO BEGIN WITH. AND WE'RE TRYING TO CLEAN UP A MESS THAT IS NOT GOING TO BE TRULY JUSTICE IN, IN ANYONE'S MIND. UH, WE'RE TRYING TO, WE'RE TRYING TO TAKE BACK THIS LAND THAT WAS ORIGINALLY THE CITY OF THE SAN ANTONIOS. WE MADE A MISTAKE IN GIVING IT AWAY TO BEGIN WITH, BUT NOW WE'RE STUCK IN THIS POSITION WHERE WE'VE GOT TO CHEW ON AND SWALLOW THIS BITTER PILL THAT THE PERSON WHO OWNS IT IS, IS NOT IN MY EYES, THE THE KIND OF ACTOR THAT I WOULD EVER CONSIDER TO BE, YOU KNOW, UH, GOOD FAITH IN, IN HIS WILLINGNESS TO WANT TO SEE THE BEST FOR THE EAST SIDE COMMUNITY. UH, THAT'S NOT WHO WE'RE DEALING WITH HERE. UH, AND, AND THAT PERSON OWNS THE LAND. AND SO, AGAIN, DOES THE LAND SWAP CORRECT THE INJUSTICE? AND I DON'T THINK IT DOES. BUT THE SECOND QUESTION I HAVE IS, DOES IT AT THE VERY LEAST ACHIEVE THE GOALS OF THE FOLKS WHO'VE BEEN FIGHTING THE LONGEST FOR THIS? AND THE GOAL WAS, FROM WHAT I HEARD, AND I, AND I'M ALMOST TEMPTED TO CALL UP MEMBERS OF THE RESTORATION GROUP, BUT I WON'T DO THAT BECAUSE YOU DON'T NEED TO BE ON RECORD HERE. I THINK THIS IS THE GOAL THAT I HEARD WAS WE WANT THIS LAND TO BE OPEN AND PUBLIC, AND WE WANT THE VIEW SHED PROTECTED. AND THE LANGUAGE THAT THAT ART HAS OUR COUNCILMAN HALL HAS LAID OUT IS TIGHTER THAN THE LANGUAGE THAT YOU READ A A WEEK AGO. THIS IS NOT A DISCUSSION OF WHETHER THIS IS GOING TO BE A PARK AND WHETHER THIS IS GONNA BE LEFT UP TO THE COMMUNITY. HE CLEARLY LAID THAT OUT. THERE'S NO MORE DEBATE. THIS IS GOING TO BE PUBLIC OPEN LAND. THIS IS GOING TO BE PUBLIC OPEN LAND. [03:10:01] AND, AND, AND THAT'S WHAT WE WERE TRYING TO ACHIEVE HERE. I I, YOU KNOW, THERE'S THIS POPULAR NOTION, UH, ABOUT THE RESTORATION GROUP AND THE PEOPLE BEHIND IT THAT YOU'RE NEVER GONNA MAKE THEM HAPPY. UM, AND THAT'S, THAT'S NOT OUR GOAL. UM, WE DON'T, WE DON'T WANNA MAKE YOU HAPPY, BECAUSE I WOULD BE DISAPPOINTED IF THE ACTIVISTS AND THE VOICES AND THE FOLKS WHO COME UP HERE WITH, WITH SIGNS, WHO FIND A REASON TO COME TO FIGHT CITY HALL, I WOULD BE DISSATISFIED IF YOU WERE HAPPY, UH, BECAUSE YOU MAKE THIS PROCESS AS DIFFICULT AND AS TENSION-FILLED AND AS, UH, UH, UH, HURTFUL AS IT MIGHT BE TO US TO HAVE TO HEAR ABOUT HOW WE ARE DISINGENUOUS. WE NEED TO HEAR THOSE THINGS. SO I DON'T NEED YOU TO BE SATISFIED. I NEED YOU TO HAVE AN URGENCY TO CONTINUE TO WORK. I NEED YOU TO HAVE AN URGENCY TO CONTINUE TO FIGHT, ESPECIALLY 'CAUSE I'M ON MY WAY OUT. CONTINUE TO FIGHT THE REST OF, OF THIS COUNCIL AND CONTINUE TO FIGHT CITY HALL. BUT REMEMBER, WE'RE HERE BECAUSE OF YOU. UH, WE'RE HERE BECAUSE YOU DECIDED THAT THIS WAS AN ISSUE WORTH FIGHTING FOR. AND NETTY HINTON'S AND THE LEGACIES OF, OF, OF THIS BRIDGE, OF MR. STEADMAN'S AND, AND MR. HOUSTON'S LEGACY IS NOT GONNA FALL ON, ON DEAF EARS HERE. WE'RE TRYING OUR BEST TO, UH, CLEAN UP THIS MESS. IT WON'T BE CLEAN. WE WON'T GET EVERYBODY'S TRUST BACK. BUT THAT'S NOT THE POINT OF THIS VOTE. UM, AND I KNOW, AND I RECOGNIZE THAT PEOPLE ARE HURTING, UM, THAT THERE IS THIS HURT IN THE COMMUNITY, AND, AND WE FEEL IT, AND WE SEE IT IN THE, THE VOICES AND THE EYES OF THESE, UH, YOUNG PEOPLE WHO, WHO COME UP HERE. SO LET ME JUST FINALLY END UP, UH, WITH THIS, WHICH IS THAT, UH, THE BEST ADVICE THAT I WAS GIVEN ABOUT, UH, COMING INTO ELECTED OFFICE, UH, AECO, REMEMBER THIS, 'CAUSE YOU'LL BE UP, YOU'LL BE UP HERE SOON, IS THAT THE MOST COMFORTABLE PILLOW YOU CAN SLEEP ON AT NIGHT IS A CLEAN CONSCIENCE. AND I HAVE BEEN TRYING TO SLEEP ON THAT DECISION IN 2012, BUT THE MORE AND MORE THAT I KNOW ABOUT IT, THE MORE AND MORE THAT I'M EDUCATED ABOUT IT, IT MAKES IT SO HARD TO, TO, TO SLEEP ON THAT DECISION. SO I ASK FORGIVENESS FOR BEING PART OF THAT. AND, AND WE'RE TRYING IN SOME WAY TO, TO REGAIN, UH, THE TRUST THAT WE HAVE LOST. AND IT TAKES TWICE AS LONG TO REBUILD BRIDGES THAT YOU'VE BURNED, BUT WE'RE GONNA TRY TO DO IT, YOU KNOW, PIECE BY PIECE HERE. UM, AND SO, YOU KNOW, WITH THAT, UM, THANK YOU TO NETTY. UH, YOU'VE BEEN A REAL SHINING LIGHT LIGHTHOUSE ON THE EAST SIDE. IT'S, IT'S GONNA BE A, A REAL, YOU KNOW, UH, A GAP IN MY LIFE TO NOT SEE YOU AS OFTEN FROM THIS POINT, BUT I KNOW I'M GONNA SEE YOU IN THE COMMUNITY, WHETHER IT'S AT THE FRIENDLY SPOT OR FIGHTING YOUR NEXT FIGHT. UH, AND, AND WITH THAT MAYOR, I KNOW THAT THERE'S A LOT OF FOLKS WHO WANNA WEIGH IN ON THIS, BUT AGAIN, LET ME PAY MY RESPECTS TO, UH, THE WOMEN WHO HAVE LED THIS ORGANIZATION WHO HAVE, UH, LED THE MOVEMENT OF PEOPLE AND, AND, AND ARE TRYING TO GIVE POWER BACK TO THE SAME PEOPLE. THANK YOU, MAYOR. THANK YOU, COUNCILMAN SALDANA. COUNCILMAN AYAS, THANK YOU VERY MUCH. UM, THE, THE FIRST THING I WANNA POINT OUT IS, UH, ART HALL WAS BROUGHT ON AS THE COUNCIL MEMBER FOR DISTRICT TWO AND ART. YOU WOULD'VE DONE A PERFECTLY SATISFACTORY JOB IF YOU WOULD'VE BEEN A CARETAKER OF THAT SEAT AND JUST MADE SURE THAT THINGS DIDN'T FALL BETWEEN THE CRACKS. INSTEAD, UH, YOU DECIDED TO NOT BE THE CARETAKER. UH, AND YOU UNDERTOOK WHAT IS A, WHAT IS CLEARLY A VERY DIFFICULT AND PRICKLY ISSUE. UM, AND THAT'S BOLD. UH, AND I THINK YOU'VE GONE ABOVE AND BEYOND WHAT WAS EXPECTED OF YOU. UM, I KNOW A LOT OF FOLKS WHO I, WHO ADMIRE VERY MUCH, WHO I THINK WOULD'VE DONE A, A SATISFACTORY JOB, A GOOD ENOUGH JOB. UH, BUT TO YOU, UH, GOOD ENOUGH WASN'T GOOD ENOUGH. AND THAT'S WHY I'M SO HAPPY THAT WE CHOSE YOU, UH, TO BE ON THE SEAT. UH, I, I WILL TELL YOU, UH, THAT I THINK THE REASON THAT WE FINALLY REACHED A RESOLUTION ON THIS IS BECAUSE, UH, ART, YOU'RE ALSO, UM, AN ACCOMPLISHED AND ADMIRABLE MEDIATOR, UM, AS EVIDENCED BY THE FACT THAT ART BROUGHT TOGETHER ALL THE STAKEHOLDERS AND FREQUENTLY TOUCHED BASE WITH THE STAKEHOLDERS, AND REALLY HAD A GOOD FEEL FOR WHAT EVERYBODY WANTED AND WHAT EVERYBODY NEEDED, WHICH ARE OFTENTIMES TWO DIFFERENT THINGS, RIGHT? UM, AND THE ONE THING THAT, UM, IT COMES TO MIND IS WATCHING YOU GO THROUGH THIS PROCESS. ART IS A, IS AN OLD SAYING THAT THAT WAS TAUGHT TO ME BY A VERY OLD LAWYER THAT SAID, UM, YOU KNOW, TO ACCOMPLISH THE PERFECT, UH, A LITTLE IMPERFECTION HELPS, RIGHT? AND IN THIS CASE, THIS IS NOT PERFECT, RIGHT? UM, AND YOU KNOW, WE ALL KNOW THAT TRUE LEADERSHIP IS, UH, YOU KNOW, LEADERSHIP THAT RECOGNIZES THAT PERFECTION OFTENTIMES IMPEDES THE GOOD, RIGHT? AND IN THIS INSTANCE, I LOOK AT, I LOOK AT THIS RESOLUTION, AND FROM [03:15:01] EVERY SINGLE ANGLE, IT'S GOOD. UM, BUT FOR ME, THE MOST IMPORTANT REASON THAT IT'S GOOD IS BECAUSE IT, IT FINALLY RESOLVES AND SETTLES A DISPUTE. UM, THAT IN AND OF ITSELF IS GOOD. UM, AND THAT THAT WASN'T EASY ART. AND I KNOW HOW MUCH HAIR YOU'VE LOST OVER THIS. UH, UH, AND, UM, AND I, AND I THINK THAT, YOU KNOW, IT UNFORTUNATELY, WHEN THE HISTORY BOOKS ARE WRITTEN, YOU KNOW, THE WORDS, UH, ART HALL DID IT, UH, MAY NOT BE WRITTEN IN THAT HISTORY BOOK, BUT, BUT YOU DID IT. ART AND I, AND I DO THINK THAT YOU DESERVE, UH, A PLAQUE ON THIS BRIDGE. IF, IF, UH, IF THAT'S OKAY. UM, I, I DO WANNA, YOU KNOW, GRACIELA, I, I KNOW THAT YOU'RE, YOU'RE HERE AND, AND YOU'VE SPOKEN TO US A LOT. CAN I ASK YOU SOME QUESTIONS? COME ON UP. SO I, AND I JUST WANT, I HAVEN'T BEEN REALLY INVOLVED IN THIS AND YOU AND I HAVEN'T HAD A CHANCE TO TALK ABOUT IT, BUT I'M ASSUMING, UM, I'M CORRECT WHEN I SAY THAT YOU, YOU SPEAK FOR THE HAYS BRIDGE RESTORATION GROUP? I'M PART OF THE HAY STREET BRIDGE RESTORATION GROUP AND THE HAY STREET BRIDGE COMMUNITY COALITION. OKAY. ALRIGHT. UM, AND AS ONE OF THE PLAINTIFFS IN THE HAY STREET RESTORATION GROUP VERSUS CITY OF SAN ANTONIO LAWSUIT, I, YOU KNOW, I WENT THROUGH AND I LOOKED AT THE PETITION AND WHAT Y'ALL WERE ASKING FOR IN THAT WAS THAT WE HONOR THE ORIGINAL, UM, SPIRIT OF THE MEMORANDUM, WHICH IS TO MAKE THIS A PARK, UH, ACCESSIBLE TO THE PUBLIC. AM I RIGHT? YES. MM-HMM. , I'M SORRY, WAS, AM I RIGHT? YES. OKAY. SO THE BEING SAID, I THINK YOU HEARD TODAY A MOTION ON THE FLOOR AND A SECOND TO MAKE THIS A PARK ACCESSIBLE TO EVERYBODY IN SAN ANTONIO. AND, UM, I THINK THAT SATISFIES EXACTLY WHAT YOU WERE ASKING. AM AM AM I RIGHT IN ASSUMING THAT AS WELL? WE WERE ASKING FOR THAT AND WE ALSO, WHAT WAS NOT PART OF THE M O U BUT HAD BEEN PART OF THE CONVERSATIONS, UH, WERE WERE ALSO THE SAVING OF THE VIEW OF THE BRIDGE. UM, BECAUSE ANYTHING THAT'S MORE THAN SIX FEET OFF THE GROUND IS GONNA COVER THE VIEW. RIGHT. AND I GET IT. I'M WITH YOU ON THAT. SO, JUST TO MAKE SURE YOU AND I ARE ON THE SAME PAGE FOR THE PURPOSES OF THE LAWSUIT, YOU WERE ASKING FOR THE SPIRIT OF THE MEMORANDUM, WHICH IS A PARK TO BE HONORED. AND TODAY WE'RE DOING THAT NOW. AND, AND I JUST WANNA MAKE SURE YOU AND I ARE ON THE SAME PAGE BEFORE I VOTE YES ON THIS. THAT'S EXACTLY WHAT WE'RE DOING TODAY, RIGHT? AS OF, UH, NINE 30 THIS MORNING WHEN WE GOT THAT PIECE OF PAPER. YES. AND THAT PRETTY MUCH RESOLVES THE DISPUTE BETWEEN US, RIGHT? AS IT RELATES TO THE, THE PARK PARK, NOT AS IT RELATES TO ALL THE OTHER ISSUES THAT, YOU KNOW, THE COMMUNITY RAISED AND RIGHT. AND I GET THAT. AND THAT'S NOT THE PART THAT'S IN THE LAWSUIT THOUGH, RIGHT? ALL THE OTHER ISSUES ARE OTHER ISSUES. RIGHT. I THINK WE'RE NEVER GONNA BE SATISFIED IF, AND THAT WAS MY, MY LAST RIGHT. PART OF, YOU KNOW, RESOLVED THAT THE CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS DON'T CONTINUE TO JUST HAVE THESE, YOU KNOW, OTHER SORT OF DEALS AND ALWAYS CONTINUE TO, UM, MAKE THE WE WEALTHIER. RIGHT. , I, I GET IT. BUT NONE OF THAT WAS IN THE PETITION. THE ONLY THING IN THE PETITION WAS LET'S KEEP THIS A PARK, RIGHT? CORRECT. OKAY. WELL, SO HAVING DONE THAT IS, DO YOU HAVE ANY REASON TO BELIEVE THAT WE SHOULD CONTINUE THIS LAWSUIT? WE, UM, HAVE SAID WE'RE NOT GONNA, UNLESS SOMETHING CHANGES AND WE, YOU KNOW, WHO KNOWS WHAT'S GONNA HAPPEN WITH A NEW COUNCIL PERSON? RIGHT. UM, THAT'S WHY WE WANTED THE LANGUAGE TO BE MORE DIRECT AND CLEAR, BECAUSE IN 2007 WE THOUGHT IT WAS CLEAR RIGHT. AND IT DIDN'T, YOU KNOW, TAKE PLACE. SO WE FEEL THAT THE LANGUAGE IS A LITTLE STRONGER, AND WE JUST HOPE AND HONOR FOR THOSE OF THE COUNCIL MEMBERS THAT ARE STILL WITH US IN THE NEXT YEAR OR SO, YOU KNOW, CONTINUE NOT ONLY JUST TO, YOU KNOW, MAKE IT APART, BUT THEN FIGURE OUT WAYS TO FIND FUNDING, UH, WHICH WE DIDN'T INCORPORATE. WE WERE, YOU KNOW, ALSO GONNA RAISE MONEY. BUT AGAIN, DOUG STEADMAN, WHO WAS ONE OF THE LEADERS IN RAISING MONEY, IS GONE, RIGHT? YES, MA'AM. AND NETTY IS NOT, UH, YOU KNOW, RUNNING AROUND UP AND DOWN THAT BRIDGE LIKE SHE USED TO, UH, PE MONEY, BUT SHE AND PE AND PEOPLE WANT TO HELP RAISE MONEY, BUT WE ALSO WANT THAT THE CITY CONTINUE TO BE A PARTNER IN THIS VERY MUCH, YOU KNOW, COMMUNITY SPIRIT. BECAUSE AGAIN, EVERYBODY THAT DID ALL THIS WORK HAS DONE IT FOR FREE. AND I, AND I APPRECIATE THAT. AND, AND THAT'S, THAT'S REALLY ADMIRABLE. AND SO, BEFORE I MOVE ON TO THE NEXT TOPIC, I JUST WANNA MAKE SURE WE'RE IN AGREEMENT. THIS PRETTY MUCH RESOLVES THE DISPUTE THAT IS PENDING IN COURT, RIGHT? I'M NOT A LAWYER, BUT I THINK, UH, WE, WE, IF IT BECOMES A PUBLIC PARK, UH, WE SHOULDN'T BE GOING BEF GOING BACK, UH, TO CHALLENGE THE CONTEMPT CASE. I AGREE. THANK YOU SO MUCH. CAN WE ALSO AGREE ALSO THAT ART DID A LOT OF GOOD WORK HERE AND THAT HE REALLY DOES DESERVE OUR GRATITUDE? I LIKE ART. I'M [03:20:01] NOT SURE THAT WE'RE HAPPY ABOUT THE PROCESS, BECAUSE I THINK BY THE TIME WE WERE INVITED TO THE, THE, TO PARTICIPATE IN THE CONVERSATION, 90%, 95% HAD ALREADY BEEN RESOLVED WITH MITCH MEYER AND NOT, AND WE THINK, AGAIN, LOOK AT IT FROM THE PERSPECTIVE OF THE COMMUNITY, RIGHT? WE WON THE LAWSUIT IN 2014. WE WON AGAIN WITH THE TEXAS SUPREME COURT ON MARCH 15TH. AND ON MARCH 15TH, A LOT OF YOU, AS COUNCIL MEMBERS WERE SAYING, OKAY, LET'S FIGURE SOMETHING OUT. AND THEN BEFORE YOU KNEW IT, THE RESOLUTION, THE, THE, THE SOLUTION WAS TO TAKE CARE OF MITCH MEYER. READING THE ORDINANCE IS INSULTING. THAT'S WHY WHEN MY I SPOKE WAS JUST TO KIND OF TELL THE REAL HISTORY, BECAUSE AGAIN, THAT ORDINANCE IS ALL ABOUT TAKING CARE OF MITCH MEYER AND EUGENE. SO YOU AND I JUST SPENT A FEW MINUTES TALKING ABOUT HOW WE'VE RESOLVED THE DISPUTE AND HOW WE'RE GETTING VERY, VERY CLOSE TO EXACTLY WHAT IT IS YOU GUYS WANT, BUT YET YOU STILL FEEL INSULTED BY RESOLVING IT. I ONE DAY, I MEAN, AND I THINK, UH, COUNCILMAN SALANA SAID IT, YOU KNOW, THE CITY REACHED THE CONTRACT, AND I WISH THAT LANGUAGE WAS IN THERE. RIGHT. AND I SAID THAT, AND BECAUSE YOU DON'T DO THAT, IT MAKES PEOPLE CRAZY. OKAY? RIGHT. OKAY. IT, IT, IT DISHONORS AND, YOU KNOW, JUST, IT, IT, YOU JUST CONTINUE TO TELL A LIE. RIGHT? RIGHT. AND I DID ASK FOR LANGUAGE ALSO BECAUSE THE OFFICE OF HISTORIC PRESERVATION HAS A HISTORY OF THE HAY STREET BRIDGE, AND IT'S NOT ALL THERE. AND AGAIN, MY TIMELINE, YOU CAN USE IT AND THAT'LL TELL THE REAL STORY, AND MAYBE YOU CAN INCORPORATE THAT. 'CAUSE THE OFFICE OF HISTORIC PRESERVATION HISTORY, YOU KNOW, SOMEBODY SHOULD TELL THE TRUTH. THANK YOU. WELL, LISTEN, I, I, I DO WANNA TELL YOU, I REALLY ADMIRE THE ENGAGEMENT. I, I THINK YOU'VE CHANGED A LOT OF HEARTS AND MINDS UP HERE. UM, WHEN I FIRST CAME ON COUNCIL, TO BE HONEST WITH YOU, I REALLY DIDN'T CARE. UH, IT'S NOT IN MY DISTRICT. IT'S NOT MY BRIDGE. NOBODY IN MY CONSTITUENTS HAVE EVER TALKED TO ME ABOUT HAY STREET BRIDGE. UH, BUT CONSIDERING THE WORK THAT HE'S DONE AND THE HEAVY LIFTING, UM, AND JUST AGAIN, RESOLVING THE DISPUTE, THAT'S WHAT I CARED ABOUT THE MOST. AND TO SEE ALL OF YOU COME TOGETHER AND FINALLY, YOU KNOW, UM, ACCEPTING A COMPROMISE THAT IS ADMITTEDLY IMPERFECT, UH, I THINK REALLY HELPS THE COMMUNITY BEGIN HEALING. AND SO, TO ME, THAT'S JUST MY WAY OF SAYING THANKS, GRACIE. I APPRECIATE YOUR HARD WORK. WELL, AND AGAIN, WE WANNA HAVE YOU ALL RECOGNIZE THAT WHI LONG LAKE DOESN'T BELONG TO DISTRICT SEVEN. HEMISPHERE PARK DOESN'T BELONG TO DISTRICT ONE. HARBOR ER PARK DOESN'T BELONG JUST TO THE NORTH SIDERS. ALL OF THESE ARE PUBLIC LANDS PAID FOR BY THE COMMUNITY. MM-HMM. . SO WE WANT YOU ALL TO ACCEPT ALL OF THESE IN, IN ALL PARTS OF THE CITY. 'CAUSE WE TRAVEL AND WE HAVE FAMILIES ALL OVER THE CITY. RIGHT? OKAY. SO THANK YOU, GRACIELA, FOR YOUR HARD WORK. UM, LASTLY, AND I KNOW, I KNOW I'M STANDING IN THE WAY OF LUNCH, AND SO I, I DO WANNA TELL YOU THE OTHER THING THAT I ADMIRED A LOT WAS SEEING ALL THOSE KIDS HERE. UM, I THINK THAT WAS REALLY POWERFUL. UM, AND I, I WAS, I WAS SO IMPRESSED WITH, UH, YOU KNOW, HOW ARTICULATE THEY ARE. I'VE GOT A 13 YEAR OLD, UH, AND I'M GONNA GO HOME AND TELL HIM ABOUT, YOU KNOW, HOW HE REALLY NEEDS TO PICK UP HIS GAME. UH, AND, UH, BECAUSE I, I, YOU KNOW, REALLY HOW AMAZING IT IS THAT WE'RE TEACHING THESE KIDS, UM, YOU KNOW, THE POWER OF PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT. AND, AND I WANNA THANK WHOEVER BROUGHT THEM. UH, I, I WILL TELL YOU THOUGH, THAT WE'RE GETTING EMAILS AND WORD FROM PARENTS WHO HAD NO IDEA THAT THEIR KIDS WERE GONNA BE BROUGHT DOWN HERE TO HOLD PROTEST SIGNS, ESPECIALLY PROTEST SIGNS WITH SOME OBSCENITIES ON THEM. AND, UH, THOSE, IF WE DID BRING OTHER PEOPLE'S CHILDREN, UM, TO DO WHAT THEIR PARENTS DIDN'T THINK THEY WERE GONNA DO, UM, NETTE, YOU USED THE RIGHT WORD, . AND SOMEBODY, SOMEBODY REALLY NEEDS TO BE A LITTLE MORE HONEST WITH PARENTS, ASSUMING THAT'S TRUE. IF IT'S NOT TRUE, WELL THEN DON'T WORRY ABOUT IT. UM, THANKS, MAYOR. THANK YOU. COUNCILMAN PLIE. COUNCILMAN TREVINO. THANK YOU, MAYOR. THANK YOU, MAYOR. AND, UM, YOU KNOW, I, I TOO, JUST WANT TO ECHO A LOT OF THE SENTIMENTS THAT HAVE ALREADY BEEN SAID. AND FIRST I'LL JUST SIMPLY START OFF BY THANKING COUNCILMAN HALL. UM, THIS, THIS IS A DIFFICULT, UH, SUBJECT AND, UM, YOU KNOW, I WASN'T, WASN'T QUITE THERE. AND, AND HE HEARD ME OUT, AND I, I JUST WANNA THANK HIM FOR ALLEVIATING A LOT OF MY CONCERNS. UM, HE WAS PATIENT. AND, UH, I ESPECIALLY APPRECIATE THE PART OF ACKNOWLEDGING THE AFFORDABLE HOUSING COMPONENT, UM, WHICH IS SO, SO IMPORTANT FOR OUR COMMUNITY. AND SPEAKING OF OUR COMMUNITY, UM, YOU KNOW, I THINK WHAT WE SAW TODAY WAS FOLKS COMING UP TO, TO ASK US TO RECOGNIZE AND RESPECT, NOT JUST THEM, BUT THE VALUES THAT THEY BRING. THIS IS ABOUT OUR SHARED VALUES AS A CITY, AND HOW WE CAN GROW TOGETHER, HOW WE CAN HEAL AND, AND HOPEFULLY, UM, FIND THIS AS AN OPPORTUNITY, AS AN OPPORTUNITY TO, TO HELP SHAPE [03:25:01] BETTER POLICY IN THE FUTURE, BETTER ENGAGEMENT. UM, YOU KNOW, THE ENTIRE TIME I WAS LISTENING TO THE COMMUNITY, I WAS THINKING ABOUT, UH, THE LAST COUPLE OF WEEKS HAVE BEEN, UM, VERY, VERY UNIQUE FOR ME. UM, YOU KNOW, I, I SAW EDDIE HINTON, IT SEEMED LIKE, FOR AN ENTIRE WEEK IN A ROW, EVERY SINGLE DAY. IT'S TRUE, RIGHT? AND THEN I FOUND MYSELF, UM, SITTING AT A, AT A MEMORIAL FOR MARK RICHTER, AND YOU CAME IN AND YOU SAT RIGHT NEXT TO ME. AND THE FIRST THING I THOUGHT WAS, MY GOD, THIS LADY, I MEAN, SHE REALLY CARESS ABOUT THIS COMMUNITY. AND A LOT OF THE THINGS THAT WERE SAID ABOUT MARK RICHTER AND THAT I SAID AS WELL, WAS ABOUT WHAT HE VALUES, HOW MUCH HE CARED ABOUT THE COMMUNITY. AND THAT REALLY MEANT SO MUCH MORE KNOWING THAT THERE WAS PEOPLE LIKE YOU IN THE AUDIENCE, BECAUSE IT'S, IT WASN'T FALLING ON DEAF EARS. IT WAS, IT WAS HOW SO MANY GOOD PEOPLE SURROUND YOU. HOW MANY PEOPLE, UM, MAY SOMEDAY BE IN A PLACE LIKE THAT. LISTENING ABOUT WHO YOU WERE MADE ME THINK A LOT. AND I THINK THAT'S WHAT'S BEING EXPRESSED TODAY. AND I HOPE WE CAN EMPHASIZE OUR VALUES AS A COMMUNITY, AS A CITY COUNCIL, AS WE HEARD A LOT OF THE KIDS EXPRESS. YOU ARE RESPECTED, YOU ARE HEARD, AND WE DO ACKNOWLEDGE YOUR VALUES. UM, SO I WANNA THANK YOU, AND I MEAN, I REALLY ENJOY SEEING YOU. I, I RUN INTO YOU, WHETHER IT'S A SYMPHONY EVENT, AN ARTS EVENT, MEMORIAL LIKE THAT, OR JUST SIMPLY CROSSING THE STREET. UM, IT'S ALWAYS A PLEASURE TO SEE YOU. AND SO, AS IT RELATES TO THIS PARTICULAR VOTE TODAY, AND I APPRECIATE THAT WE, WE INCLUDED LANGUAGE ABOUT A PARK. AND I THINK WHAT I HEARD GRACIELA POINTING OUT WAS THAT, OF COURSE, THERE'S ALL THESE OTHER ISSUES. AGAIN, I WOULD PUT THAT IN, IN THE CATEGORY OF OUR VALUE. THE FACT IS, IT'S NOT JUST A PARK, IT'S WHAT IT'S ADJACENT TO, THE HISTORY THAT IT BRINGS, WHERE IT'S ACTUALLY LOCATED. AND SO, WHAT'S REALLY IMPORTANT IS HOW WE GET THERE. OKAY? 'CAUSE THIS IS JUST ONE STEP OF THAT PROCESS, AND WE, WE ARE ACKNOWLEDGING THAT. I, I WANNA THANK COUNCILMAN HALL FOR, UH, HE'S REALLY WORKED HARD TO GET THAT LANGUAGE IN THERE. AND I JUST WANNA SAY, I THINK THAT'S EXACTLY WHAT WE'RE SAYING TODAY. AND WE RECOGNIZE THAT THERE'S A LOT MORE WORK TO DO. UM, I'LL TELL YOU, YOU'LL, YOU'LL HAVE MY COMMITMENT TO, UH, TO WORK ON THAT, TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE, WE'RE ACKNOWLEDGING THIS HOLISTICALLY. IT'S NOT JUST THE PARK. IT'S ABOUT THE BRIDGE ITSELF, ABOUT THE HISTORY, ABOUT THE COMMUNITY, AND HOW WE CAN USE THIS AS A GREAT OPPORTUNITY TO DEMONSTRATE EVERYONE COMING TOGETHER, RIGHTING A WRONG, ACKNOWLEDGING THAT, THAT, YOU KNOW, SOMETIMES CITY COUNCIL GETS IT WRONG, AND SOMETIMES WE'RE GONNA FIND WAYS TO TRY TO MAKE IT RIGHT. IS EVERYBODY GONNA BE HAPPY? PROBABLY NOT. BUT WE CAN AT LEAST ACKNOWLEDGE THE VALUES, OUR COMMUNITY VALUES. WE CAN AT LEAST ACKNOWLEDGE THAT WE'RE ALL TRYING TO IMPROVE OUR COMMUNITY IN ONE WAY OR ANOTHER. SO, THANK YOU, COUNCILMAN HALL, UH, THANK YOU TO OUR CITY MANAGER, WALSH, ANDY SEGOVIA, AND, AND YES, LORI HOUSTON, UH, FOR ALL YOUR HARD WORK. AND I CAN TELL YOU THAT, YOU KNOW, I, AS SOMEONE WHO WORKS DAY IN, DAY OUT, UM, UH, AS A, AS A PARTNER, LORI HOUSTON IS, IS VERY COMMITTED TO MAKING SURE THAT WE'RE, WE'RE TACKLING THESE ISSUES HEAD ON. SHE PROVIDES, HER AND HER STAFF HAVE PROVIDED A LOT OF SUPPORT FOR US AS A COUNCIL. UM, AND A THANK YOU TO ALL THE FOLKS THAT CAME OUT TODAY, THE RESTORATION GROUP, ESPANZA CENTER, UM, ALL THE KIDS. UM, I LOOK FORWARD TO SUPPORTING THIS AND TAKING A STEP TOWARDS THAT HEALING. AND [03:30:01] AGAIN, ACKNOWLEDGING AND RECOGNIZING THE PAIN, BUT ALLOWING US TO MOVE FORWARD TODAY. THANK YOU, MAYOR. THANK YOU. COUNCILMAN TREVINO. COUNCILMAN BROCK HOUSE. THANK YOU, MAYOR. UM, JUST A COUPLE OF QUICK NOTES. AND, UH, YOU KNOW, SAME THING WITH MY COLLEAGUE FROM DISTRICT FOUR. UH, RAY AND I, UH, DEPARTING AT THE SAME TIME, AND I WOULD NOT THOUGHT THAT MY LAST VOTE WOULD BE IN CONCERT AND IN COMPLETE AGREEMENT WITH RAY, I THOUGHT IT'D BE YOU, CLAYTON. UH, BUT NO, I THINK COUNCILMAN SALANI HIT THE, HIT THE NAIL ON THE HEAD HERE AND REALLY STOLE SOME OF MY NOTES HERE. UH, COUNCIL MEMBER. UH, SO I'M GONNA JUST KIND OF PIGGYBACK ON WHAT RAY MENTIONED AND JUST ADD A LITTLE BIT INTO CONSENSUS. UH, AND WHEN, WHEN I WAS LISTENING TO, TO A LOT OF FOLKS TALKING, AND I'VE BEEN CONSISTENTLY, UH, YOU KNOW, AGAINST THIS ENTIRE PROCESS FROM THE BEGINNING, I FELT IT SHOULD HAVE BEEN PUBLIC LAND. THE CITY MADE A SERIES OF MISTAKES, UH, AND IT NEVER SHOULD HAVE GOTTEN TO THIS POINT, AND IT SHOULD HAVE ENDED A LONG, LONG TIME AGO. UM, AND, YOU KNOW, I'VE STOOD ON THAT GROUND PRETTY SOLID. UH, I CA COUNCILMAN SHAW, YOU'VE DONE EVERYTHING YOU COULD TO FIND A CONSENSUS, AND I APPRECIATE YOUR HARD WORK. SO MY COMMENTS ARE NOT A REFLECTION OF YOUR LACK OF EFFORT. UH, IT'S JUST A REFLECTION OF ANOTHER, WHICH SEEMS TO BE CONTROVERSIAL. VOTE FROM A LAME DUCK, YOU KNOW, LAME DUCK COUNCIL. WE'VE SEEN THESE TYPES OF THINGS COME THROUGH BEFORE THAT ARE RUSHED SO THAT YOU CAN GET A VOTE IN BEFORE THE NEXT COUNCIL SEATED, SO THAT THEY DON'T HAVE TO HANDLE THE CONTROVERSY. WELL, YOU RAN FOR CITY COUNCIL. WELCOME TO CONTROVERSY. I MEAN, I THINK, I THINK THE COUNCILMAN ELECT IS MORE THAN CAPABLE OF HANDLING, UH, MUCH MORE PUBLIC PARTICIPATION ON IT. I'VE SEEN IT. I VOTED FOR HER TO TAKE THE SEAT. SORRY, COUNCIL MICHELLE. UH, AND, YOU KNOW, AND I KNEW I, LIKE, I THINK THE COUNCILMAN, THE MEMBER COULD HAVE HANDLED IT. UH, COUNCILMAN ELECT COULD HAVE DONE THE WORK. SO THE RUSH TO ME TO MAKE A LOT OF SENSE, AGAIN, ANOTHER LAME DUCK VOTE REMINDS ME OF BARGE DEALS AND OTHER THINGS THAT ARE DONE, UH, QUICKLY, SO PEOPLE CAN HAVE LESS ACCOUNTABILITY NEXT, UH, WHEN THEY'RE SEATED IN THE NEXT COUNCIL. SO, I DON'T GET IT, I DON'T UNDERSTAND IT, BUT AT THE END OF THE DAY, IT'S HARD TO BUILD CONSENSUS, UM, OR HARD, HARD TO FIND CONSENSUS WHEN IT'S BUILT ON CORRUPTION. UM, SO AT THE END OF THE DAY, THE NEIGHBORHOOD, UM, WAS VICTIM OF A CORRUPT DECISION. INSIDER DEALS, BACKROOM DEALS, FORMER MAYOR HARDBERGER WITH EUGENE SEYMOUR, AND YOU GO RIGHT DOWN THE LINE, IT'S PRACTICALLY MONEY LAUNDERING. UM, YOU KNOW, THE CA IT'S, IT'S PRETTY, IT'S, IT'S PRETTY SIMPLE, STRAIGHTFORWARD PROCESS. WHAT HAPPENED HERE? SOMEBODY ON THE INSIDE GOT TAKEN CARE OF, AND THE NEIGHBORHOOD LOST. I MEAN, THAT'S SO, AND WHEN THE NEIGHBORHOOD LOST, WE'RE, WE'RE SITTING HERE, ACT LIKE WE'RE DOING SOMETHING GREAT FOR THEM WHEN IT SHOULD HAVE JUST NEVER HAPPENED IN THE FIRST PLACE. SO THEY, THE, THE NEIGHBORHOOD IS ALREADY AT A NET NEGATIVE NO MATTER WHAT. UH, AND THAT'S PROBABLY WHAT UPSETS ME THE MOST. AND MAYBE IT'S MY LAST CHANCE TO TALK ON COUNCIL. IT'S LETTING ME GO A LITTLE FREE WHEEL. BUT, UM, I, I'M JUST SORRY FOR THAT, THAT, THAT HAPPENED. UH, AND MY VOTE WILL BE A NO TODAY PERIOD, NOT IN A REFLECTION OF NOT THE HARD WORK OF COUNCIL MEMBER SHAW. IT'S A NO, IN A REFLECTION OF THIS WAS CORRUPT FROM THE BEGINNING, AND IT NEVER SHOULD HAVE HAPPENED. THE CITY SHOULD HAVE CONCEDED A LONG TIME AGO, NEVER FILED THOSE LAWSUITS, NEVER LOST ALL THE WAY UP TO THE SUPREME COURT. AND THEY SHOULD HAVE HONORED WHAT WAS BEST AND RIGHT ABOUT WHAT THE COMMUNITY WANTED. AND WHAT WE ARE WITNESSING HERE TODAY, I'LL BE HONEST WITH YOU, IT'S ABOUT A PARK. SURE. AND IT'S ABOUT THE HASTY B***H. BUT WHAT YOU'RE SEEING IS A COMMUNITY CLINGING TO ITS LIFE. THAT'S WHAT YOU'RE SEEING AND EVERYTHING. IT'S, AND NOW IT'S DENVER HEIGHTS. NOBODY SAID MUCH WHEN IT WAS DENO HILLS. AND WE GOT CONCERNED A LITTLE BIT. IT WAS MANKEY PARK, AND WE'RE PUMPING TENS OF MILLIONS OF DOLLARS INTO GENTRIFIED AREAS. AND WE'RE NOW, WE'RE MOVING DOWN INTO DENVER, DENVER HEIGHTS. DENVER HEIGHTS IS NOW SCREAMING. I MEAN, AT WHAT POINT ARE WE GONNA SAY, WE, WE HAVE TO BE VERY CAREFUL WITH THE LIFE THAT THESE PEOPLE HAVE BUILT THAT IS NOW GOING AWAY IN THE NAME OF, OF, OF GROWTH IN THE DECADE OF DOWNTOWN, OR WHATEVER THE HECK WE'VE CALLED IT OVER THE LAST 10 YEARS. PEOPLE ARE LOSING THEIR HOMES. AND WHAT YOU'RE SEEING IS ALL THE WAY DOWN TO THE YOUNG FOLKS NOW SAYING IT. AND I, I, THERE'S SCREAMING STOP. YOU KNOW, AT SOME POINT WE HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT, UM, THE HYPOCRISY OF SAYING, YOU'RE FOR AFFORDABLE HOUSING, AND THEN YOU TURN AROUND AND YOU DESTROY NEIGHBORHOODS BY PUMPING TENS OF MILLIONS OF DOLLARS IN DEVELOPMENT POCKETS. AND HERE YOU GO. SO YOU CAN'T HAVE, YOU CAN'T HAVE IT BOTH WAYS. THERE'S A MIDDLE GROUND. I GET IT. I DON'T THINK THIS IS A MIDDLE GROUND. MR. MEYER KNEW HE BOUGHT INTO A LITIGATED PROPERTY. I'M SORRY HE DID IT, BUT HE BOUGHT INTO A LITIGATED PROPERTY. UM, I DON'T KNOW, MR. MEYER AIN'T SPOKEN TO HIM, BUT IF YOU DIDN'T CARE ENOUGH TO COME TALK TO ALL THE COUNCIL MEMBERS, I'LL JUST TELL IT LIKE IT IS. YOU BOUGHT INTO A LITIGATED PROPERTY, AND NOW YOU ARE, UH, GETTING A, A PRETTY SWEETHEART DEAL TO MOVE ON DOWN THE STREET. UH, MAYBE NOT IN THE PRIMARY YOU WANT IT TO BE, BUT IT'S A PRETTY GOOD DEAL. THE SAME DEAL THAT EUGENE SEYMOUR GOT, BECAUSE HE'S BEST FRIENDS WITH PHIL HARDBERGER. I MEAN, AT THIS, YOU DON'T HAVE TO PUT TWO AND TWO TOGETHER. IT'S PRETTY SIMPLE. SO I THINK AT THE END OF THE DAY, UM, YOU KNOW, I'M GONNA VOTE NO IN HONOR OF WHAT IT SHOULD HAVE BEEN FROM THE BEGINNING. THANK YOU FOR THE HARD WORK. THANK YOU, NETTY GRACIE, AND EVERYBODY. YOU'VE DONE THE HARD WORK. AND I KNOW, UH, COUNCILWOMAN [03:35:01] ELECT, UH, SULLIVAN WOULD KNOCK THIS OUTTA THE PARK JUST THE SAME. SO YOU GET TO COME IN A LITTLE ON A CLEAN RIDE. I'M PRETTY SURE I'M GONNA BE LIKE A TEN ONE ON THIS ONE. BUT, HEY, WHAT'S NEW? WHAT A WAY TO CLOSE IT OUT, RIGHT? SO, UH, I'M, I'M VERY APPRECIATIVE WHEN I SEE THE NEIGHBORHOOD COMING UP AND THE YOUNG FOLKS, AND YOU'RE STANDING THERE AND ACO YOU AND COUNCIL MEMBER SALANI IS ON POINT. YOU'RE GONNA, YOU KNOW, YOU'RE PROBABLY GONNA BE UP HERE SOMEDAY. SO, UH, FANTASTIC WORDS. I SENT YOU A NOTE BECAUSE I THOUGHT THAT, DON'T LOSE YOUR PA HERE'S THE A KEY POINT FOR YOU, ASCO. AND, AND ANYBODY ELSE WHO'S STILL HERE, DON'T LOSE YOUR PASSION BECAUSE YOU LOSE A VOTE. DON'T DO THAT. I'VE LOST MANY OF THEM UP HERE, AND I KEEP GOING EVERY DAY, AND I'LL KEEP GOING STRAIGHT UP UNTIL ONE 15 TODAY OR WHENEVER IT ENDS FOR ME, IT'S BLESSED. SO DON'T LOSE YOUR PASSION WHEN YOU LOSE A VOTE, PLEASE, THE COMMUNITY CANNOT STOP THAT. IT DON'T GIVE UP JUST 'CAUSE IT DOESN'T GO YOUR WAY IF YOU, YOU'VE CHANGED THE DIALOGUE A LITTLE BIT. SO JUST 'CAUSE YOU DON'T WIN A VOTE DOESN'T MEAN YOU DIDN'T CHANGE A POLICY. DOESN'T MEAN IT'S NOT A LITTLE BETTER, OR IT'S A LITTLE DIFFERENT BECAUSE YOU FOUGHT FOR IT. SO YOU FOUGHT, YOU MAY LOSE THE VOTE OVERALL, BUT YOU'RE GONNA GET YOUR PARK RIGHT. AND I HOPE WE PROTECT THE VIEW SHED AND ALL THE THINGS THAT MATTER MOST. SO YOU'VE DONE A HECK OF A JOB TO GET HERE, AND I'M HONORED TO, TO THROW MY NO VOTE DOWN ON THIS TODAY FOR THE HARD WORK AND, AND THE YEARS YOU'VE DONE. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME AND YOUR ENERGY, AND I REALLY APPRECIATE IT. AND THOSE WHO DIDN'T STAY AS WELL. THANK YOU, COUNCIL MEMBER SHAW, I DO APPRECIATE WHAT YOU'RE ATTEMPTING TO DO HERE. IT WAS GOOD WORK. UH, BUT, AND, YOU KNOW, YOU'VE INHERITED A MESS. YOU DID THE BEST YOU COULD, BUT, UH, THANK YOU FOR YOUR HARD WORK AS WELL. THANK YOU, MAYOR. THANK YOU. COUNCILMAN BROCK, HOUSE. COUNCILMAN CURTIS. I, I SAY I SAW YOU COUNCIL MEMBER SHAW, DIDN'T I? I'M SORRY. COUNCIL MEMBER HALL. IT JUST HASAN'S EXACT SAME WAY TO ME. COUNCILMAN COURAGE. THANK YOU, MAYOR. UH, I WANNA LEND MY CONGRATULATIONS TO COUNCILMAN HALL FOR THE HARD WORK THAT HE PUT IN. AND I KNOW YOU DID WORK WITH THE STAKEHOLDERS, YOU WORKED WITH THE COMMUNITY, YOU LISTENED TO WHAT THEY HAD TO SAY, AND I THINK THAT'S VERY IMPORTANT. UH, I THOUGHT, I THINK WHAT WE SAW EARLIER HERE TODAY ALSO WAS VERY SPECIAL WHEN SO MANY YOUNG PEOPLE, UH, STOOD UP, UH, WENT TO THAT MICROPHONE, SPOKE FROM THEIR HEART, UH, SPOKE ON WHAT THEY BELIEVED OR WHAT THEY FELT. AND I THINK THAT'S ALWAYS SPECIAL, ALWAYS IMPORTANT, BUT IT WAS ALWAYS DIS ALSO DISHEARTENING TO ME AND CONCERNING, UH, AND I THINK IT'S BECAUSE I DON'T THINK MANY OF THOSE YOUNG PEOPLE, UH, WERE AS WELL INFORMED AS THEY SHOULD BE OR COULD BE. AND I THINK THAT'S A MATTER OF NOT HAVING THE RIGHT KIND OF ENGAGEMENT THAT THEY SHOULD HAVE HAD AND THAT THE ENTIRE COMMUNITY SHOULD HAVE HAD. I WAS A TEACHER FOR 27 YEARS, AND I TAUGHT FACTS, AND I TAUGHT TRUTH. TRUTH IS PRIOR DECISIONS DID NOT RESPECT THE BEST INTEREST OF THE COMMUNITY. AND THAT'S HOW WE GOT TO WHERE WE WERE TODAY ON THE BRIDGE. BUT THE REALITY IS, DOING SOME OF THE THINGS THAT PEOPLE WERE ADVOCATING, LIKE TAKING THE LAND FROM THE CURRENT LANDOWNER, OR TYING, UH, TYING IT UP IN COURT, UH, YOU KNOW, THAT WOULD'VE COST YOU AND I THOUSANDS, TENS OF THOUSANDS, MAYBE A MILLION DOLLARS OR SO, TO TRY AND RESOLVE THAT SITUATION. AND THAT WOULD'VE TAKEN A LOT OF MONEY AWAY FROM SO MANY OTHER IN IMPORTANT PROGRAMS AND SERVICES THAT WE HAVE IN OUR COMMUNITY. AND SO I COULD NOT SEE BECOMING MORE ENGAGED IN THOSE KINDS OF ACTIVITIES. THE LAND SWAP PROPOSED WILL SAVE YOU AND OUR COMMUNITY MONEY, AND THE LAND BEING SWAPPED, HOUSE CITY BUILDINGS, UH, IT WASN'T SCHEDULED TO BECOME AFFORDABLE HOUSING. BUT NOW WITH THIS SWAP, THERE ARE GREAT POTENTIALS THAT IT MAY BECOME AFFORDABLE HOUSING. AND LET ME TELL YOU, I'M A STRONG ADVOCATE FOR AFFORDABLE HOUSING. PEOPLE WHO KNOW ME KNOW THAT I AM, AND I'LL CONTINUE TO BE, AND WE'LL FIGHT FOR AFFORDABLE HOUSING IN ALL PARTS OF OUR COMMUNITY. BUT TODAY, THIS IS ABOUT LIVING UP TO AN UNDERSTANDING THAT THE COMMUNITY HAD ABOUT HAVING A PARK 8 8 0 3 CHERRY. AND THAT'S WHAT WE'RE HERE TO DO TODAY, AND THAT'S WHAT I'M HERE TO VOTE FOR, TO RIGHT A WRONG, AND TO GO AHEAD AND UNDERSTAND AND LIVE UP TO THE COMMUNITY'S EXPECTATIONS. THE CONCERNS ABOUT GENTRIFICATION AND AFFORDABLE HOUSING AND PEOPLE'S VOICES BEING HEARD AND RESPECTED, THOSE ARE REAL. AND THIS COUNCIL AND THIS CITY GOVERNMENT NEEDS TO MEET THOSE PROBLEMS AND LIVE UP TO THE COMMUNITY'S EXPECTATIONS. IT'S UNFORTUNATE, THOUGH, THAT SO MANY OF THE YOUNG PEOPLE WHO HAVE LEFT WON'T HEAR THAT FROM US, DID NOT KNOW THAT THAT WAS OUR INTENTION, AND THAT'S WHAT WE WANT TO DO. AND SO, I'M, I REGRET THAT THEY [03:40:01] LEFT THINKING THAT THIS GOVERNMENT WAS NOT FOR THEM OR FOR THE COMMUNITY. SO I HOPE THOSE OF YOU WHO BROUGHT THEM OUT WILL HELP THEM UNDERSTAND WHAT WE ARE DOING TODAY, AND THAT WE ARE GONNA BUILD THAT PARK, AND THAT WE DO WANNA TO LISTEN TO THEM, AND THAT WE DO WANT AFFORDABLE HOUSING, AND THAT WE DON'T WANT GENTRIFICATION TO TAKE THEIR HOMES. SO REMEMBER TO DO THE SECOND PART OF THE LESSON AFTER THIS IS OVER. THANK YOU. THANK YOU, COUNCILMAN COURAGE. COUNCILWOMAN GONZALEZ. UH, THANK YOU, LORI. I HAVE A FEW QUESTIONS, UH, REGARDING THE PRESENTATION. UM, SO, UH, I, YOU MET A, A PRESENTATION REGARDING, UM, SOME FUNDING FOR THE FUTURE USE OF, OF 8 0 3 AND EIGHT 13 OR CHERRY? NO, THE PRESENTATION WE TALKED ABOUT, THE FUNDING THAT'S BEING APPROPRIATE TODAY IS THE $600,000 THAT WILL BE USED TO CLEAN UP 2, 2 3 SOUTH CHERRY. SO WE NEED ABOUT 250 FOR THE ENVIRONMENTAL REMEDIATION AND ABOUT 250 FOR THE, UM, DEMOLITION OF THE STRUCTURE. AND THEN WE HAVE AT A HUNDRED THOUSAND FOR THE REPL AND SURVEY AND OTHER EXPENSES. SO THAT'S THE FUNDING THAT COUNCIL IS APPROPRIATING, UH, TODAY, IN THIS TODAY AGREEMENT. YEAH. AND SO THAT THE AMENDMENT THAT COUNCILMAN HALL MADE REGARDING, UM, THE FUTURE OF A PUBLIC PARK, THAT FUNDING IS YET TO BE IDENTIFIED. SO STAFF WILL BE WORKING ON DEVELOPING A FUNDING PLAN TO LOOK AT BOTH THE CAPITAL BUDGET FOR WHAT IT WOULD COST TO BUILD A PARK, AS WELL AS THE OPERATIONS AND MAINTENANCE BUDGET FOR WHAT IT WOULD COST TO OPERATE AND MAINTAIN THE PARK. SO ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I KNOW ABOUT DISTRICT TWO, SIMILAR TO DISTRICT FIVE, IS THAT WE ARE A VERY WALKABLE COMMUNITY, AT LEAST THE NEAR WEST SIDE. I KNOW, I MEAN, SORRY, NEAR EAST SIDE. UH, BUT THAT OUR NEIGHBORHOOD WAS DESIGNED, UH, ON A GRID NETWORK. SO WITHIN A SQUARE MILE IS A PARK, A CHURCH, A SCHOOL, UH, AND SO I KNOW THERE ARE ALREADY 49 PARKS IN DISTRICT TWO, SO THIS WOULD MAKE 50 PARKS IN DISTRICT TWO. UM, AND, YOU KNOW, THE RE ISSUE OF FUNDING AND THE MAINTENANCE OF OUR PARKS IS OF GREAT CONCERN. AND SO I, I AM, I, I HAVE SOME CONCERNS ABOUT THE FUND, THE CONTINUED FUNDING AND OPERATION OF MAKING THIS AREA A PARK, UH, THAT HAS YET TO BE IDENTIFIED. CORRECT. AND RIGHT NOW WE ARE LOOKING AT FUNDING SOURCES TO INCLUDE USING THE INNER CITY TOURS AS A POTENTIAL FUNDING SOURCE, BUT THAT WILL BE VETTED AND IT'LL RETURN TO CITY COUNCIL. AND, UH, SO I'M, I AM FAMILIAR WITH THE TOURS. UH, THE EAST SIDE TOURS ARE TOURS 11. YES. UH, AND, UM, THEN WHO WOULD BE THE PERSON GOING BEFORE THE TS BOARD FOR FUNDING? WOULD IT BE THE CITY, CITY BOARD? WOULD, UM, OKAY. UH, AND I KNOW THAT THE TSS BOARD HAS SUFFICIENT FUNDING FOR PARKS IMPROVEMENT IF THEY WANNA DO THAT, BUT, UM, I THINK THAT'S ALL TO BE DETERMINED. YES. UM, OKAY. THANK YOU, LORI. THAT'S, I THINK ALL THE QUESTIONS I HAVE FOR YOU, AND JUST SORT OF THE QUESTION THAT ALWAYS ARISES IS, YOU KNOW, THE CONTINUED MAINTENANCE OF FUNDING OF OUR EXISTING PARKS, BECAUSE WE DO HAVE MANY OF THEM. UM, I KNOW THAT DISTRICT ONE, I THINK HAS THE MOST PARKS BECAUSE IT INCLUDES DOWNTOWN, AND DOWNTOWN ORIGINALLY HAD ALL OF THE CITY, UH, I KNOW THAT DISTRICT TWO HAS 49 PARKS, DISTRICT FIVE HAS, UH, 29 PARKS. SO WE HAVE A, A VERY ROBUST PARK DEPARTMENT. AND I THINK THAT THERE'S WONDERFUL THINGS WE CAN DO, BUT I THINK THAT'S ALWAYS GONNA BE A QUESTION, IS HOW WE CONTINUE TO MAINTAIN AND OPERATE OUR PARKS. UM, AND THAT'S THE AMENDMENT THAT WE HAVE BEFORE US TODAY THAT COUNCILMAN HALL PRESENTED, UH, WAS PARKS. AND THEN, WHICH STANDS AS A SIGNIFICANT REMINDER OF 18TH CENTURY WROUGHT IRON ENGINEERING OF THE RAILROAD INDUSTRY, AND OF SAN ANTONIO'S WHO WORKED ON THE RAILROAD, MANY OF WHOM WERE AFRICAN AMERICAN, UH, OR MEXICAN AMERICAN. SO, UH, I, I THINK THAT THIS PERHAPS COULD BE A VERY UNIQUE PROJECT, UM, THAT WE COULD LOOK FORWARD TO FUNDING IN SOME FUTURE DATE. BUT I, I THINK THAT'S ALWAYS GONNA BE THE QUESTION, IS HOW WE FIND FUNDING TO DO PROJECTS LIKE THIS ONE. UM, AND, AND I ALSO THINK IT'S IMPORTANT JUST AS WE'RE GOING THROUGH THE PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT PROCESS, IS THAT WE ARE ELECTED COUNCIL MEMBERS BASED ON OUR COMMUNITY. AND I KNOW THAT I KNOW BEST [03:45:01] WHAT'S RIGHT FOR MY COMMUNITY. I SPEND MORE TIME THAN ANY OTHER PERSON DISCUSSING ISSUES AMONG ALL MY COUNCIL DISTRICT. UM, I SPEND MORE TIME THAN OTHER PEOPLE, UH, OTHER COUNCIL MEMBERS IN MY OWN DISTRICT. UH, AND I LISTEN TO MY CONSTITUENTS AND WHAT THEY REQUEST OF ME. AND THAT'S WHY WE ALWAYS WILL DEFER TO THE COUNCIL MEMBER, ESPECIALLY WHEN IT COMES TO SOMETHING LIKE A PARK OR A SMALL, UM, ACREAGE OF LAND. IN FACT, I'M SORRY, LORI, I'M GONNA CALL YOU UP ONE MORE TIME JUST TO CLARIFY THE, UH, AMOUNT OF LAND THAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT, WHICH I THINK IS 2.1 ACRES, THE 8 0 3 AND 8 1 5 NORTH CHERRY STREET. THE PROPERTY THAT THE CITY WILL BE KIDDING IN RETURN FOR THE OTHER PROPERTY IS 1.69 ACRES. THE SIGN SHOP PROPERTY IS 3.92 ACRES, BUT WE WILL BE EXCHANGING TWO ACRES OF THAT WITH THE PROPERTY OWNER. SO THE LAR THE FOOTPRINT THAT WE ARE TALKING ABOUT FOR A PUBLIC SPACE OR A PUBLIC PARK IS ABOUT TWO ACRES. IT'S 1.69 ACRES. YES. SO FAIRLY SMALL. AND, UH, THAT, THANK YOU, LORI. UH, AND THAT'S REALLY THE, JUST THE, SOME COMMENTS THAT I WANNA MAKE REGARDING THE SPACE. IT WILL BE FAIRLY SMALL, UH, AND THEREFORE SHOULD BE VERY INCLUSIVE OF THE PEOPLE WHO LIVE THERE. UM, AND WHILE I APPRECIATE THAT, MY COUNCIL MEMBER SALANA MADE HIS APOLOGY FOR WHY HE VOTED THE CERTAIN WAY, I FEEL CONFIDENT THAT HE DID IT AT THE URGING OF THE COUNCIL MEMBER WHO WAS THERE AT THE TIME, WHICH I WILL ASSUME, UM, I THINK WAS COUNCILWOMAN TAYLOR. AND SHE, AT THAT TIME, HAD A VISION FOR HER COMMUNITY AND WHAT IT SHOULD LOOK LIKE, AND I'M SURE SHE MADE THOSE DECISIONS WITH THE INPUT OF THE COMMUNITY. AND SO, I'M MAKING MY DECISION TODAY BASED ON THE RECOMMENDATION FROM COUNCILMAN HALL, WHO IS A COUNCIL MEMBER OF THE COMMUNITY, WHO KNOWS BEST WHAT'S RIGHT FOR HIS COMMUNITY BASED ON ALL OF THE INPUT AND ALL OF THE COMMUNICATION THAT HE HAD WITH EVERYBODY TO COME UP WITH A GOOD DECISION. AS COUNCIL MEMBERS, WE TAKE VERY SERIOUSLY THE RESPONSIBILITY OF REPRESENTING OUR COMMUNITY. AND I BELIEVE VERY CONFIDENTLY THAT THE MEMBERS THAT ARE HERE TODAY AND ALL THOSE THAT HAVE SERVED BEFORE, HAVE DONE SO ALWAYS WITH THE BEST INTEREST OF WHAT THEIR COMMUNITY ASKED FOR. SO, UM, I, I MAKE NO APOLOGIES FOR DECISIONS I MAKE ON THIS COUNCIL, ESPECIALLY IF IT HAS BEEN THE ASK OF THE COUNCIL MEMBER WHO LIVES THERE BECAUSE THEY ARE THE ELECTED MEMBER OF THEIR COMMUNITY. THEY REPRESENT THEIR COMMUNITY. AND I GET VERY CONCERNED WHEN I HEAR OTHER PEOPLE WHO DON'T LIVE IN AREAS HAVING THE, THE, UM, THE IDEA THAT THEY COME BEFORE THIS COUNCIL REPRESENTING THE AREAS WHEN THEY DO NOT. SO I AM, UM, UH, I THINK THIS COULD BE A VERY EXCITING PROJECT. I THINK THINK IT COULD BE VERY UNIQUE. I'M FAMILIAR WITH THE HAYES STREET BRIDGE PROJECT, OR RATHER, THE HAYES STREET BRIDGE BECAUSE, UH, WE DO COMMUTE OVER IT VERY OFTEN ON BICYCLES. IT'S ONE OF THE ROUTES WE USE TO TRAVEL THROUGH THE NEIGHBORHOODS, UM, CONNECTING OVER, AND THEN ULTIMATELY TO SATO CREEK, TO RIDE ALONG THE CREEK WAYS. UM, I THINK THAT THE, UH, EXAMPLE THAT, UM, MS. NETTY HOUSTON GAVE ABOUT USING RAIL CARS OR HAVING THAT KIND OF STORY COULD BE VERY UNIQUE. AND I WOULD LOOK FORWARD TO HEARING WHAT THE COMMUNITY DEVELOPS IN THIS SPACE. UH, BUT I DO KNOW THAT COUNCILMAN HALL, UM, HAS DONE HIS VERY BEST TO REPRESENT THE DESIRE AND THE INTERESTS OF THE NEIGHBORHOOD. AND ONE THING THAT, UM, I BELIEVE, UH, WHENEVER WE HAVE IMPORTANT DECISIONS TO MAKE ON THIS COUNCIL, UM, I PRAY, AND WHEN WE WERE DECIDING, UH, WHO SHOULD BE OUR CITY MANAGER, I PRAYED THAT WE MADE A GOOD DECISION. AND COUNCILMAN HALL, UH, CAME BEFORE US. AND WHEN I VERY FIRST DECIDED THAT I WANTED TO BE ON THIS COUNCIL, UH, I WOULD PRAY FOR GOOD INSIGHT. AND I GOT A CALL FROM COUNCILMAN HALL, UH, ABOUT SOMETHING COMPLETELY UNRELATED. UM, BUT WHEN WE GOT TOGETHER FOR LUNCH, AND I TELL HIM, HE SAID, NO, I WANTED TO TALK TO YOU ABOUT A SEPARATE ISSUE. AND I SAID, OH, I THOUGHT YOU WERE CALLING TO TALK TO ME ABOUT THE COUNCIL. UH, AND HE SAYS, NO, NO, I, I WAS NOT. UM, BUT HERE, I THINK THERE HAVE BEEN SOME VERY IMPORTANT DECISIONS THAT HAVE COME BEFORE US ON THIS COUNCIL, AND HAVE ALWAYS TRUSTED OUR HALL TO MAKE A VERY WISE DECISION. AND SO IT IS WITH THAT, THAT I SUPPORT, UH, THIS MOTION BEFORE US TODAY, THE MOTION THAT SUGGESTS THAT THE FUTURE LAND USE OF THIS PROPERTY WILL BE USED AS A PUBLIC PARK DEDICATED TO THE HISTORIC HAY STREET BRIDGE, WHICH STANDS AS A SIGNIFICANT REMINDER OF 18TH CENTURY WROUGHT IRON ENGINEERING OF THEIR RAILROAD INDUSTRY, AND OF SAN ANTONIO WHO WORKED ON [03:50:01] THE RAILROADS, MANY OF WHOM WERE AFRICAN AMERICAN OR MEXICAN AMERICAN. UH, THANK YOU, MAYOR. THANK YOU. COUNCILWOMAN GONZALEZ. COUNCILWOMAN SANDOVAL. THANK YOU, UH, MAYOR. AND, UH, FIRST, WE'LL, I'LL GO THROUGH THE THANK YOU. SO THANK YOU TO EVERYONE WHO, UH, GAVE UP SOME OF THEIR TIME TO BE HERE TODAY, AND THE PEOPLE WHO HAVE GIVEN UP A LOT OF THEIR TIME TO WORK ON, ON THIS ISSUE AS USUAL. GRACIELA, ANYTHING THAT'S CONTROVERSIAL HERE YOU ARE. I DUNNO HOW YOU HAVE THE ENERGY FOR IT. BUT, UM, UH, THANK YOU FOR, FOR ALL OF YOUR PARTICIPATION IN HARD WORK. AND OF COURSE, UH, THANK YOU TO THE CITY STAFF THAT'S, UH, BEEN WORKING ON THIS. AND OF COURSE, TO COUNCILMAN HALL, I TOLD YOU A FEW DAYS AGO, THIS WAS A BIG DEAL. AND IN THE WORDS OF OF JOE BIDEN, I DO THINK THIS IS A B F D WHERE, WHERE WE ARE, UH, TODAY. UM, SO I HAVE A, JUST SOME COMMENTS I WANNA SHARE. UH, I ALSO LISTENED TO JUST ABOUT ALL THE TESTIMONY THAT WE HAD FROM, UH, THE YOUNGSTERS HERE TODAY AND THE NOT SO YOUNGSTERS. AND I WAS NOT THERE WHEN THE RESTORATION GROUP WAS FORMED, BUT THANK YOU FOR FORMING IT. UM, AND I WASN'T THERE WHEN YOU MADE THAT AGREEMENT WITH THE CITY. UM, BUT IT SOUNDS LIKE IT WAS, UM, THERE WAS A LOT OF HOPE AND PROMISE IN THAT. AND I ALSO WASN'T HERE WHEN, UH, THE OTHER DECISION WAS MADE TO TRANSFER, UH, THAT LAND. AND I DON'T LIVE IN DISTRICT TWO, BUT WHAT I HAVE SEEN IS THE POWER OF THE BRIDGE OF THAT RESTORATION, THE, THE PRIDE THAT IT'S BROUGHT, NOT JUST TO THE PEOPLE WHO LIVE IN THAT AREA OR WHO HAVE LIVED IN THAT AREA, BUT TO ALL OF SAN ANTONIO. UM, I MET A YOUNG WOMAN WHO TOOK A PHOTOGRAPH OF THE, OF THE BRIDGE, AND SHE REALLY TAUGHT ME HOW PEOPLE COME TO SAN ANTONIO JUST TO SEE THAT VIEW PEOPLE COME FROM ALL OVER SAN ANTONIO TO ENJOY THAT VIEW. AND THAT IF SOMETHING WERE TO BE BUILT, UH, BLOCKING THAT VIEW, WE WOULD LOSE, UH, WE WOULD LOSE THAT. UM, SO, YOU KNOW, I SUBMITTED WITH COUNCILMAN SHAW, UH, A C C R, UH, ON PROTECTING VIEWS. AND PART OF THE REASON, IT, IT WASN'T WITHOUT CONTROVERSY, BUT PART OF THE REASON I SUBMITTED THAT WAS BECAUSE IN THIS ERA OF RAPID GROWTH THAT WE'RE EXPERIENCING IN OUR CITY, I WAS NOT READY FOR US TO LET GO OF SOME OF THOSE VISUAL ICONS BECAUSE I BELIEVE THEY ARE WHAT DEFINE OUR, OUR CITY. AND IF, UM, AND GROWTH WILL HAPPEN, BUT IF WE LET ALL OF THEM GO, THEN UH, WE GROW SO MUCH THAT WE'RE NO LONGER WHO WE WERE BEFORE. AND I, I DO WANT US TO HOLD ON TO, TO SOME OF THAT. UM, IT'LL COME AT A COST, I KNOW IT DOES, UH, IN, IN SOME WAY THEY'RE TRADE-OFFS, RIGHT? UM, FOR, SOMETIMES I'VE TOLD STORIES ABOUT LIVING IN THE BAY AREA, BUT ANYONE WHO HAD A VIEW OF THE GOLDEN GATE BRIDGE FROM THEIR APARTMENT, YOU BEST BE SURE THEY PAID A LOT MORE FOR THAT BRIDGE. AND THAT'S, WE MIGHT SEE SOME OF THAT HAPPEN AROUND THAT AREA, IS, UM, THE PRICES AREN'T GONNA BE ANY LOWER TO, TO RENT IN THE, IN THE EAST SIDE, IF YOU HAVE A VIEW OF THE HISTORIC BRIDGE. AND THE TRUTH IS, THE VIEW IS WORTH IT. RIGHT. UM, SO IN TERMS OF TRADING LAND, I, I PUT MORE VALUE ON THE LAND THAT WE'RE GETTING BACK THAN THE LAND THAT WE'RE TRADING. AND THAT IS WHY I AM GOING TO BE SUPPORTING TODAY'S MOTION, IS I THINK IT'S SO IMPORTANT TO HAVE THAT BACK, THAT I'M WILLING TO DO THIS TRADE. UH, SOME OF US ON COUNCIL, COUNCILMAN AL AND I IN THE PAST HAD TURNED TO, UH, COUNCILMAN SHAW, UH, AND TO THE PREVIOUS CITY MANAGER ABOUT FINDING A WAY TO GET THIS LAND BACK. AND IT DIDN'T SEEM LIKE IT WAS GOING TO BE POSSIBLE UNTIL YOU CAME ON BOARD COUNCILMAN HALL UNTIL THE SUPREME COURT DECIDED NOT TO, UM, UH, HEAR THAT DECISION. AND THEN THERE WAS SOME MOMENTUM TO DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT. SO I'M GONNA SEIZE ON THAT MOMENTUM AND VOTE FOR, AND, AND SUPPORT THIS, UH, THIS TRANSACTION. UM, NOW I DO HAVE, UH, SOME QUESTIONS ABOUT THAT TRANSACTION, UH, THAT I'D LIKE TO DISCUSS WITH STAFF. I WANNA MAKE SURE WE'RE CLEAR. AND FOR THE PEOPLE WHO ARE WATCHING, UM, IF WE WERE TO VOTE NO, WHAT WOULD HAPPEN OR WHAT DO YOU THINK WOULD HAPPEN IF WE WERE TO VOTE? NO, WE WOULD NOT HAVE A PROPERTY EXCHANGE. AND MITCH [03:55:01] MEYER, WHO IS 8 0 3 NORTH CHERRY L L C, COULD START THE PERMITTING PROCESS TO START CONSTRUCTION. OKAY. UM, SAY HE, HE CHOOSES NOT TO, OR HE, HE DOESN'T BUILD, HOW LONG CAN HE HOLD THAT LAND FOR? HE, HE OWNS THE PROPERTY, SO YOU CAN HOLD IT FOREVER. UM, IS THERE ANOTHER WAY, YOU KNOW, FOR THOSE OF US WHO, WHO HAVE SAID, HEY, WE SHOULDN'T HAVE EVER GIVEN THAT LAND AWAY OR SOLD THAT LAND, IS THERE ANOTHER WAY TO BRING THAT LAND BACK INTO, UH, PUBLIC OWNERSHIP? I'M GOING TO DEFER TO OUR CITY ATTORNEY, ANDY SEGOVIA, YOU COUNCIL, UH, UH, THE, UH, ONE OF THE OTHER OPTIONS THAT WOULD, WE WOULD HAVE TO REACQUIRE THE LANDIS TO USE OUR EMINENT DOMAIN IF WE'RE GONNA PUT IT TO A PUBLIC USE. HOWEVER, WE WOULD HAVE TO PAY THE OWNER OF MARKET VALUE FOR THE PROPERTY IF WE WERE GONNA DO THAT. OKAY. SO THIS IS EFFECTIVELY DO, DOING THAT IN A NOT, NOT PUBLIC, NOT EMINENT DOMAIN, IT'S EFFECTIVELY PAYING HIM MARKET VALUE IN A SENSE. YES. OKAY. OKAY. YES. OKAY. UM, SO EVEN, SO EVEN IF WE DID EMINENT DOMAIN, WHICH COULD BE CONTESTED BY THE PROPERTY OWNER, IS THAT TRUE? CORRECT. THAT, THAT IT'S A PROCESS THAT YOU START, UH, AND THAT'S THE, UNDER THE LAW, YOU HAVE TO PAY MARKET VALUE. OBVIOUSLY THERE'S WHEN A CITY'S EXERCISE THAT THERE'S SOMETIMES ARE DISPUTES AS TO WHAT MARKET VALUE IS, AND YES, IT COULD BE CONTESTED MM-HMM. . OKAY. UM, SO IF IT WERE CONTESTED, THERE'S A POSSIBILITY WE WOULD NOT BE ABLE TO PROCURE THE LAND OR, OR SECURE IT, UH, FOR PUBLIC USE. UM, CAN I, CAN I ASK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT HOW WE CHOSE THE PROPERTY THAT WE'RE TRADING? MM-HMM. , UM, IN DISCUSSIONS WITH THE DEVELOPER, MITCH MEYER, UM, HE WAS OPEN TO A SWAP IF WE FOUND A PROPERTY IN THE SAME AREA. OKAY. THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO LOOKED AT OUR INVENTORY, AND THE ONLY PROPERTY IN THIS AREA THAT YOU CAN BUILD ON IS THE CHERRY STREET LOT THAT WE'VE IDENTIFIED IN THIS TRANSACTION. AND THE OPERATIONS THAT WERE IN THERE RELOCATED IN DECEMBER OF 2018. SO THE LOT WAS AVAILABLE AS WELL. OKAY. AND, UM, THERE'S SOME LANGUAGE IN HERE ABOUT THE ENVIRONMENTAL, UH, THAT NEEDS TO BE DONE. WHAT TYPE OF ENVIRONMENTAL WORK NEEDS TO BE DONE ON THAT PROPERTY? AM GOING TO ASK MY REAL ESTATE MANAGER, PETE ALLEN EAST, TO SPEAK SPECIFICALLY TO THAT ISSUE. THANK YOU. UM, THERE IS SOME ENVIRONMENTAL SOIL, UH, WORK THAT NEEDS TO BE DONE AND REMEDIATED ALONG WITH ASBESTOS WORK, UM, WITHIN THE BUILDING ITSELF. AND, UH, I SEE WE'RE APPROPRIATE NOT, WE'RE PUTTING ASIDE $600,000 TO DO THAT. AND THE, AND THE PLANNING. HOW DID, HOW MUCH WILL THE ENVIRONMENTAL WORK COST? I, I APOLOGIZE. I THINK YOU ASKED THIS QUESTION ALREADY, RIGHT? RIGHT. WE'RE ESTIMATING BETWEEN, UH, 250 AND 300,000 FOR THAT ENVIRONMENTAL WORK, UH, PLUS ANOTHER 250 TO 300,000 FOR DEMOLITION AND THE SURVEY AND PLAT WORK. SO IF THE ENVIRONMENTAL WORK WERE TO COST MORE, WOULD THAT, UH, WHAT WOULD HAPPEN IN THAT CASE? UM, WE'VE DONE, UH, AN ESTIMATE WITH OUR T C I ENVIRONMENTAL TEAM AND WITH OUR EXTERNAL CONSULTANT TO COME UP WITH THAT PLAN, AND WE'RE READY TO ENGAGE THAT PLAN AS SOON AS, UH, THE VOTE, UH, MOVES FORWARD. I SPEAK TO THAT. OKAY. IT WAS 260,000, RIGHT? SORRY. THE ENVIRONMENTAL WAS TWO 60. WE HAVE, YES, WE HAVE AN ESTIMATE, AND OUR ESTIMATE CAME IN AT TWO 60. AND SO IF WE WERE TO GO FORWARD WITH THAT, WE CAN START IMMEDIATELY. AND THAT'S 260,000, AND WE FEEL COMFORTABLE WITH THE $600,000 APPROPRIATION THAT'LL PAY FOR THE THREE ITEMS, WHICH ARE THE RE PLATING, THE ENVIRONMENTAL REMEDIATION, AND THE DEMOLITION OF THE EXISTING STRUCTURE. OKAY. UM, ALRIGHT. THANK YOU. UH, UH, LORI, UM, SO I, I THINK I'M GONNA AGREE WITH COUNCILMAN, UH, SALDANA AND, UH, COUNCILMAN HALL AND, AND COUNCILMAN TREVINO AND SAY THAT THIS IS AN EFFORT TO, UH, TAKE US BACK TO WHERE WE, WE SHOULD HAVE BEEN TO LEAVE THE, UM, LAND IN, IN PUBLIC USE. UM, AND I'M, I'M GLAD TO SEE THAT, UH, THE PUBLIC PARTICIPATION PRINCIPLES ARE REFERENCED IN THE, IN THE RESOLUTION. UM, I KNOW THAT WE'RE NOT THERE YET IN TERMS OF FULLY IMPLEMENTING, UH, THEM, UH, IN EVERY COUNCIL DECISION, BUT I'M GLAD TO SEE THEY'RE REFERENCED. UM, I THINK THEY'RE A START. UM, I WROTE THAT C C R WITH THE FOUR MORE RECOMMENDATIONS AND A SUPPLEMENTAL MEMO, AND I, UH, I AM LOOKING FORWARD TO US IMPLEMENTING ALL OF [04:00:01] THOSE, UH, ALL OF THOSE ACTIONS. UM, BUT WE ALSO NEED TO DECIDE TO WHICH COUNCIL ACTIONS THEY APPLY. AND I THINK IT'S CLEAR FROM TODAY'S DISCUSSION THAT IT'S NOT JUST ABOUT THE PROPERTY AT, UH, NORTH CHERRY, BUT IT'S ABOUT HOW WE CONVEY PROPERTY, UM, AND HOW THE, THE PUBLIC BECOMES AWARE OF IT AND WHETHER OR NOT THEY HAVE A VOICE IN IT. UM, YOU KNOW, WHEN I SPEAK TO THE RESIDENTS OF DISTRICT SEVEN, NONE OF THEM ASK ME ABOUT HAY STREET BRIDGE. I HAVE TO BE HONEST, , I APOLOGIZE EXCEPT FOR, EXCEPT FOR MARIO VO, NOBODY ASKED ME ABOUT THE, THE HAY STREET, UM, THE HAY STREET BRIDGE. BUT WHAT THEY DO ASK ME ABOUT IS DEVELOPMENT IN THE CITY AND HOW THEY CAN HAVE A VOICE IN, UM, MAKING SURE THEY, THEY, THEY HAVE A VOICE IN SHAPING THE FUTURE OF THE CITY. SO I THINK WHAT WE DO HERE DOES SORT OF SET A STANDARD FOR WHAT WE DO IN OTHER PARTS OF, OF THE CITY. UM, AND I MEAN, THE TRUTH IS, PART OF THE REASON WE CAME UP WITH THAT C C R WAS WHAT WAS HAPPENING WITH THE HAY STREET BRIDGE IS IT WAS SO CONTENTIOUS. UM, AND IT WAS SUCH A BREAK OF TRUST THAT ALL I COULD ASK MYSELF WAS, HOW CAN WE TRY TO AVOID THIS SITUATION EVER HAPPENING AGAIN IN THE FUTURE? AND THE PRINCIPALS ALONE DON'T DO IT. IT'S GONNA TAKE A LOT OF WORK TO REBUILD THAT TRUST. BUT THAT IS, THAT IS AN EFFORT, UH, TO, TO DO THAT. UM, THERE WAS SOMEONE WHO, WHO CAME UP EARLIER, JANNI, RIGHT? WHO, UH, YOU TOLD ME THIS EARLIER ABOUT CALLING, UH, MR. MEYERS BLUFF, AND I THINK SOMEBODY ELSE, UH, SAID IT TO TODAY. UM, I WANNA SEE THIS LAND BECOME A PARK BEFORE WE LOSE ANY MORE PEOPLE. AND, UH, YOU KNOW, WE'VE LOST MR. STEADMAN AND I DON'T KNOW HOW LONG IT WOULD TAKE US TO GET THAT LAND BACK IF WE DIDN'T APPROVE TODAY'S, UH, TODAY'S AGREEMENT. AND THAT'S, THAT'S NOT A RISK THAT I WANT TO TAKE, UM, IF I HAVE A CHANCE TO GET IT BACK NOW FOR, FOR THE COMMUNITY. SO I KNOW THE WAY THIS WAS CARRIED OUT WASN'T EXACTLY PERFECT. UM, BUT IN THE END, I THINK WE'RE, WE'RE IN A, IN A BETTER PLACE. AND, UM, I HAVE TO TELL YOU THAT THE INTENTIONS OF, OF COUNCILMAN HALL, IF I CAN GUESS AT WHAT THEY WERE, WERE TO CORRECT THIS SITUATION. UM, AND OUR INTENTIONS ARE, AT LEAST MY INTENTIONS ARE TO, TO MAKE THINGS BETTER BETWEEN US, THE RESTORATION GROUP AND THE BROADER COMMUNITY WHEN IT COMES TO BUILDING PUBLIC TRUST. AND I THINK THIS IS A STEP IN, IN DOING THAT. UM, SO THOSE ARE MY COMMENTS, AND THANK YOU, MAYOR. THANK YOU. COUNCILWOMAN SANDOVAL, COUNCILWOMAN GRO. I'D LIKE TO THANK MS. NETTY FOR COMING UP HERE AND YOUR DILIGENCE, YOUR COMMITMENT, AND YOUR FIGHT FOR YOUR COMMUNITY. BUT OUR ENTIRE CITY, THANK YOU FOR TELLING YOUR STORY. THANK YOU. BECAUSE THAT LIVES IN THE ANNALS OF OUR HISTORY, SO I APPRECIATE YOU AND I APPRECIATE YOUR FIGHTING YOUR VIGOR. I WANT TO THANK EVERYONE WHO'S BEEN HERE, WHO'S BEEN ENGAGED AND INVOLVED AND ACTIVE IN THIS ENDEAVOR HERE. AND I WILL SAY TO, I THINK SPECIFICALLY ERIC, RIGHT NOW, I'M, I'M THERE. THIS IS A BITTERSWEET MOMENT, SPECIFICALLY BECAUSE OF THE SIGN SHOP THAT IS WHERE MY DAD SPENT 20 YEARS WORKING FOR THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO TO SO SEE THAT, UM, GO, IT'S, I WISH I COULD ENSHRINE THAT FOREVER, BUT WE KNOW THAT, UM, CHANGE DOES COME AND CHANGE HAPPENS. SO, UM, THAT'S WHY IT'S A LITTLE BIT, UH, BITTERSWEET HERE WITH ALL OF THIS. THANK YOU, COUNCIL MEMBER HALL FOR YOUR WORK, YOUR DILIGENCE, AND ALWAYS FOR ALL OF THE WORK THAT HE'S DONE, HE'S ALWAYS THINKING OF THE OTHER PERSON FIRST, ALWAYS THINKING OF THE OTHER FIRST ON THIS. AND I LOOK FORWARD TO WORKING WITH COUNCILWOMAN ELECT SULLIVAN ON THIS ISSUE AS WE MOVE FORWARD TO MAKE SURE IT IS TRULY EMBODYING WHAT, UM, ALL MEMBERS OF THE COMMUNITY WANT TO SEE. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. COUNCILMAN GRO. UH, COUNCILMAN PERRY. THANK YOU, SIR. UM, JUST REAL QUICKLY, I, YOU KNOW, WHAT, A TANGLED WEB RIGHT, GOES BACK FOR YEARS AND, UM, TRYING TO UNTANGLE A A A KNOT OR A A WEB LIKE THIS IS NOT EASY. AND, UH, I JUST WANTED TO SAY AGAIN, THANKS TO COUNCILMAN HALL FOR WORKING THIS DILIGENTLY TO COME UP WITH A COMPROMISE THERE. THERE'S SOME THINGS THAT BOTHERED ME ABOUT, UH, TODAY. I, I AGREE WITH COUNCILMAN COURAGE, UM, IN HIS COMMENTS. AND, UM, ANOTHER COMMENT THAT WAS MADE THAT, UM, ONE OF THE PARTIES [04:05:01] WILL NEVER BE HAPPY. I, YOU KNOW, THAT'S CONFUSING TO ME, ESPECIALLY WHEN THEY'VE BEEN BROUGHT IN TO TRY TO, UH, ACCOMMODATE, APPEASE, COME UP WITH CONSENSUS, THAT KIND OF THING. BUT TO HEAR THOSE KIND OF COMMENTS, THAT'S DISAPPOINTING TO ME. BUT, HEY, IF THAT'S THE WAY IT IS, THAT'S THE WAY IT IS. UM, A LOT OF WORK'S BEEN PUT INTO THIS, AND I THINK THE CITY STAFF, UH, FOR DOING THAT AS WELL. IS IT, IS THIS A PERFECT SOLUTION? I I DON'T THINK WE COULD GET TO A PERFECT SOLUTION, BUT I THINK PEOPLE SHOULD RECOGNIZE THE HARD WORK OF MULTIPLE ORGANIZATIONS THAT HAVE GONE INTO THIS TO MAKE, MAKE A RECOMMENDATION AND BRING IT TO COUNCIL TO, TO VOTE ON. YOU KNOW, I, AGAIN, I, I THINK THIS IS THE, THE BEST OF ALL WORLDS AT THIS POINT IN TIME. WHAT HAPPENED IN THE PAST, HAPPENED IN THE PAST, THIS IS SOMETHING TRYING TO DO TO CORRECT IT. IS THIS THE RIGHT TIME TO DO IT? COULD BE, MIGHT NOT BE, BUT THIS IS WHERE WE'RE AT TODAY, AND THIS IS WHAT'S BEEN WORKED OUT. SO, I, I, AGAIN, UH, IN MY POSITION HERE, I AGREE WITH, UH, COUNCILWOMAN GONZALEZ THAT WE ALL WORK TO REPRESENT OUR OWN DISTRICT, AND WE SHOULD KNOW WHAT'S BEST FOR OUR DISTRICT. BUT THERE'S A CAVEAT ON THAT, THAT WE SHOULD BE WORKING TOGETHER AND KNOW WHAT'S GOING ON IN THE REST OF THE CITY AND WORK TOGETHER AS A TEAM. THAT'S WHAT WE SHOULD BE DOING, NOT JUST REPRESENTING OUR DISTRICT, BUT REPRESENTING THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO AS WELL. SO, WITH THAT, I'LL, I'LL SUPPORT THIS MOTION AND, UH, WE'LL, WE'LL GO FROM HERE, BUT, UH, TRYING TO UNTANGLE THESE KNOTS AND THESE WEBS IS NOT AN EASY PROPOSITION. THANK YOU, SIR. THANK YOU, COUNCILMAN PERRY, COUNCILMAN HALL, AND NO REAL, UH, ADDITIONAL MAJOR COMMENTS, BUT I DID WANNA SAY ONE ADDITIONAL THANK YOU TO PETE ALANIS. UH, HE DOES A LOT OF OUR REAL ESTATE TRANSACTIONS THAT COUNCIL MEMBERS, WE REALLY, YOU KNOW, HE, UH, DON'T SEE AND, AND, UH, UH, DOES A LOT OF BEHIND THE SCENES WORK. SO, PETE, THANK YOU FOR ALL YOUR WORK ON THIS, UM, UH, ON THE APPRAISALS AND, UH, EVERYTHING REAL ESTATE. SO THANK YOU. THANK YOU, MAYOR. THANK YOU, COUNCILMAN HALL. UM, I'LL BE SUPPORTING THE MOTION TODAY, AND I HAVE SOME COMMENTS, I'LL BE BRIEF, BUT HOPEFULLY TO THE POINT. I'VE SAT UP HERE ON THIS DAAS FOR THE LAST SIX YEARS, AND I WOKE UP TODAY, UH, HOPEFUL THAT A VERY LONG AND UGLY CHAPTER FOR THE CITY'S HISTORY WILL FINALLY COME TO AN END. I STILL REMAIN HOPEFUL ABOUT THAT, AND I WANT TO APPRECIATE AND THANK, UH, MY OUTGOING COLLEAGUE, UH, COUNCILMAN SALANI FOR HIS, UH, WORDS. I THINK THEY RING TRUE IN EVERY SENSE, AND HE DESCRIBED IT AS A MOMENT OF ATONEMENT. UM, AND I AGREE WITH THAT. IN FACT, THAT'S THE REASON WHY WE'RE DOING THIS IN THE FIRST PLACE, IS THAT MANY PEOPLE IN OUR COMMUNITY HAVE BEEN SAYING THE SAME THINGS OVER AND OVER AND OVER AGAIN SINCE WE'VE BEEN HERE. AND YET WE FIND OURSELVES IN THIS PLACE. UM, THERE ARE SOME THINGS THAT CAN'T BE UNDONE AND SOME THINGS THAT CAN, AND THE TWO OVERARCHING QUESTIONS ABOUT TODAY ARE, WHAT DO WE DO FIRST TO OVERCOME, UH, AN INJUSTICE IN OUR COMMUNITY? AND TWO, HOW DO WE MAKE SURE THAT THAT NEVER HAPPENS AGAIN? UM, AS I WAS PREPARING TO COME IN TODAY, I HAD A THOUGHT THAT WAS JUST SEARING ACROSS MY MIND ALL MORNING. AND SO I WROTE IT DOWN AND IT SAID THAT THE ARROGANCE OF A BUREAUCRACY LIES NOT IN PEOPLE WITH BAD INTENTIONS, MAKING BAD DECISIONS. IT'S OF PEOPLE WITH THE BEST OF INTENTIONS MAKING NO DECISION AT ALL. TODAY, I'M GLAD TO HAVE A COLLEAGUE WHO IS LEAVING COUNCILMAN HALL, WHO HAS DECIDED TO URGE US TO ACTION IN A WAY THAT WE ANSWER THE FIRST QUESTION VERY WELL. WHAT ARE WE DOING TO OVERCOME AN INJUSTICE TODAY? YOU HEARD AN AMENDMENT OFFERED THAT MAKES SURE THAT AS THIS LAND COMES BACK TO THE PUBLIC, IT WILL BE A PARK, IT WILL BE A PARK THAT RECOGNIZES THE HISTORY OF THE BRIDGE THAT DOES JUSTICE TO THE MEMORY OF THOSE PEOPLE WHO WALKED ACROSS AND THEN ENSURES THAT THE NEXT GENERATION OF SAN ANTONIANS WILL UNDERSTAND THAT IMPORTANT PIECE OF LAND, UH, REMAINS A PART OF OUR HISTORY AND OUR HERITAGE AND PART OF OUR FUTURE. SO I'LL BE SUPPORTIVE, UH, FOR THAT REASON. THE SECOND QUESTION, THOUGH, HOW DO WE MAKE SURE THAT ANOTHER HAY STREET NEVER HAPPENS AGAIN? WE'VE TALKED A LOT ABOUT PUBLIC PARTICIPATION, AND I HEARD VERY CLEARLY THE [04:10:01] YOUNG LADY WHO CAME UP HERE, UH, WANDA, WANDA PEREZ, I THINK WAS HER NAME, MS. TOSCANO, SHE SAID THAT YOU GUYS SHOULD BE LISTENING TO US. UM, YOUR JOB IS TO LISTEN TO US. AND SHE SAID, DO YOUR JOB. IT'S NOT ENOUGH JUST TO BE UP HERE AND LISTEN. UM, BUT PEOPLE HAVE TO SEE ACTION. AND AGAIN, I'M, THAT'S, THAT'S WHY I'M, I'M GLAD TO HAVE A CITY STAFF, A MANAGER, COLLEAGUES WHO HAVE, UH, CHOSEN TO ACT TODAY, BUT TO HOW DO WE MAKE SURE THAT HAY STREET BRIDGE, UH, DOESN'T REVERBERATE FOR ANOTHER COUNCIL TERM OR ANOTHER GENERATION? UH, AND I'VE MADE VERY CLEAR AND, UH, TO MY COLLEAGUES AND TO OUR CITY MANAGER THAT WE WILL, UH, HENCEFORTH LEARN FROM HAY STREET BRIDGE AND MAKE SURE THAT THE PEOPLE'S LAND REMAINS THE PEOPLE'S PROPERTY SO LONG AS THEY ARE CALLING THE SHOTS. SO WE HAVE TO MAKE SURE THAT WE DEVELOP A PROCESS OF PUBLIC PARTICIPATION THAT ENSURES THAT ANY CONVEYANCE OF PUBLIC PROPERTY COMES WITH HEALTHY, ROBUST, AND COMPREHENSIVE PUBLIC INPUT. THAT'S MY COMMITMENT AS YOUR MAYOR TO MAKE SURE THAT WE SOLIDIFY THAT PROCESS. I THINK ONLY WHEN THAT HAPPENS WILL WE DO JUSTICE, UH, FOR THE ENTIRE TWO DECADES OF HAY STREET BRIDGE AND THE, AND THE CONTROVERSY. IT'S BECOME, AND IT IS UNFORTUNATE THAT THIS BRIDGE HAS BECOME A SYMBOL OF WHY PEOPLE'S TRUST IN GOVERNMENT HAS WANED IN LOCAL GOVERNMENT. BUT I HOPE AS A RESULT OF THIS ACTION AND THE SUBSEQUENT ACTIONS OF THIS COUNCIL AND THE FUTURE COUNCIL, WE WILL FINALLY SHOW THAT THAT BRIDGE CAN LIVE AS A MEMORY OF THOSE PEOPLE WHO FOUGHT HARD TO ENSURE THAT ITS GOVERNMENT SERVES ITS PEOPLE. SO THANK YOU VERY MUCH EVERYONE FOR COMING OUT. UM, I ALSO AGREE WITH COUNCILMAN SALANA. UH, IT IS VERY IMPORTANT FOR THOSE OF YOU WHO ARE HERE SPEAKING, THAT YOU DON'T GET SATISFIED. YOU KEEP US TRUE TO THE WORK THAT WE OUGHT TO BE DOING, AND THERE'S AN IMPORTANT ROLE IN THAT AS WE MOVE FORWARD, UH, INTO THE FUTURE. SO WITH THAT, WE DO HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND FOR APPROVAL OF ITEM NUMBER 23 AS AMENDED BY COUNCILMAN HALL. PLEASE VOTE. MOTION CARRIES. OKAY, WE'RE GONNA MOVE NOW TO, UH, THE REMAINING ITEMS ON OUR AGENDA THAT WERE PULLED FOR INDIVIDUAL CONSIDERATION. UM, I WILL NOTE THAT COUNCIL HAS A BUDGET SESSION TODAY THAT WAS PREVIOUSLY SCHEDULED FOR ONE O'CLOCK. WE WILL TAKE THAT UP, UH, RIGHT AROUND TWO, A LITTLE AFTER. UH, SO AFTER WE'RE DONE WITH THIS A SESSION AGENDA, WE'RE GONNA BREAK FOR ABOUT 15 TO 20 MINUTES AND THEN MOVE ON TO THE BUDGET SESSION. BUT WE'LL MOVE [28. Approving the following ordinances related to the Linear Creekway Development Project. Funding for the acquisitions of these properties for the Linear Creekways Development Project is available in the Proposition 2 Parks Development and Expansion Venue Project Fund included in the FY 2019 - FY 2024 Capital Improvement Program. [Colleen M. Bridger, MPH, PhD, Interim Assistant City Manager; Xavier D. Urrutia, Director, Parks & Recreation]] NOW TO, UM, ITEM NUMBER 28. YES, SIR. ITEM NUMBER 28 IS APPROVING THE FOLLOWING ORDINANCES RELATED TO THE LINEAR CREEK WAKE DEVELOPMENT PROJECT. FUNDING FOR THE ACQUISITIONS OF THESE PROPERTIES FOR THE LINEAR CREEK WASTE DEVELOPMENT PROJECT IS AVAILABLE IN THE PROPOSITION TO PARKS DEVELOPMENT AND EXPANSION VENUE PROJECT FUND INCLUDED IN FISCAL YEAR 2019 THROUGH 2024, CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PROGRAM. ITEM A IS THE ORDINANCE APPROVING THE ACQUISITION THROUGH NEGOTIATION OR CONDEMNATION OF APPROXIMATELY 19.511 ACRES AND N C B 1 8 5 8 9 LOCATED ALONG FRENCH CREEK AND DISTRICT SEVEN FOR THE LINEAR CREEK WAY DEVELOPMENT PROJECT, A 2015 PROPOSITION TO SALES TAX INITIATIVE FUNDED PROJECT PROPERTY BEING IN THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO, BURKE COUNTY, TEXAS, DECLARING THE FRENCH CREEK GREENWAY PROJECT TO BE PUBLIC PROJECT FOR PUBLIC USE, DECLARING PUBLIC NECESSITY FOR THE ACQUISITION OF PRIVATELY OWNED REAL PROPERTY AND AUTHORIZING THE CITY ATTORNEY AND OR HIS DESIGNEE, UH, TO FILE IMMINENT DOMAIN PROCEEDINGS. THE ESTIMATED FAIR MARKET VALUE OF THIS LAND ACQUISITION IS $13,700. ITEM B IS THE ORDINANCE APPROVING THE ACQUISITION THROUGH NEGOTIATION OR CONDEMNATION OF APPROXIMATELY 0.5 ACRES OF PROPERTY AND N CCB 180 5 57, LOCATED ALONG FRENCH CREEK AND COUNCIL DISTRICT SEVEN FOR THE LINEAR CREEKWAY DEVELOPMENT PROJECT, A 2015 PROPOSITION TO SALES TAX INITIATIVE FUNDED PROJECT PROPERTY BEING LOCATED IN CITY OF SAN ANTONIO, BEAR COUNTY, TEXAS, DECLARING THE FRENCH CREEK GREENWAY TRAIL PROJECT TO BE A PUBLIC PROJECT FOR PUBLIC USE, DECLARING PUBLIC NECESSITY FOR THE ACQUISITION OF PRIVATELY OWNED RAIL PROPERTY AND AUTHORIZING THE CITY ATTORNEY OR HIS DESIGNEE TO FILE INTIMATE DOMAIN PROCEEDINGS OF ESTIMATED FAIR MARKET VALUE OF THE LAND FOR THESE ACQUISITIONS IS $5,000. AND LASTLY, ITEM C IS THE ORDINANCE APPROVING THE ACQUISITION THROUGH NEGOTIATION [04:15:01] OR CONDEMNATION OF APPROXIMATELY FOUR ACRES OF PROPERTY IN NCBS 1 5 0 9 2 AND 1 8 8 2 8. LOCATED ALONG CULEBRA TRIBUTARY CREEK IN COUNCIL DISTRICT SIX FOR THE LINEAR CREEKWAY DEVELOPMENT PROJECT, A 2015 PROPOSITION TO SALES TAX INITIATIVE FUNDED PROJECT PROPERTY BEING IN CITY OF SAN ANTONIO, BEAR COUNTY, TEXAS, DECLARING THE CULEBRA TRIBUTARY CREEK GREENWAY TRAIL PROJECT TO BE A PUBLIC PROJECT FOR PUBLIC USE, DECLARING PUBLIC NECESSITY FOR THE ACQUISITION OF PRIVATELY OWNED RAIL PROPERTY AND AUTHORIZING THE CITY ATTORNEY TO FILE AN INTIMATE DOMAIN PROCEEDING. THE ESTIMATED FAIR MARKET VALUE FOR THIS LAND IS $40,000. THANK YOU. UH, COUNCILWOMAN SANDOVAL, I AM SO TEMPTED TO HEAR THE PRESENTATION ON THIS ITEM , BUT ESPECIALLY AFTER THE LAST DISCUSSION. BUT I WILL GO AHEAD AND MAKE A MOTION. I MOVE THAT THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO AUTHORIZE THE USE OF THE POWER OF EMINENT DOMAIN TO ACQUIRE PRIVATELY OWNED REAL PROPERTY FOR A PUBLIC USE PROJECT FOR THE FRENCH CREEK AND TRIBUTARY GREENWAY TRAIL PROJECTS BY ACQUIRING THE FOLLOWING PROPERTIES OR THE PROPERTIES DESCRIBED BY THE CLERK AND INCORPORATED AS PART OF THIS MOTION, THE, THE PRIVATE PROPERLY OWNED PROPERTIES FOR TEMPORARY AND PER PERMANENT INTEREST LOCATED IN SAN ANTONIO BEAR COUNTY, TEXAS CITY COUNCIL DISTRICT SIX AND SEVEN ARE OUT OF THE FOLLOWING, A FRENCH CREEK GREENWAY NEW CITY BLOCK 1 8 5 8 9 19 0.511 ACRES B FRENCH CREEK GREENWAY, NEW YORK CITY BLOCK, OR NEW CITY BLOCK, EXCUSE ME, 1 8 5 5 7 0.5 ACRES NC COLLABORATIVE TRIBUTARY GREENWAY NEW CITY BLOCKS 1 5 0 9 2 AND 1 8 8 2 8 4 ACRES. THESE PROPERTIES ARE DEPICTED IN THE EXHIBITS OF EACH RESPECTIVE ORDINANCE AND ARE INCORPORATED AS PART OF THIS MOTION. OKAY, THERE'S A MOTION AND A SECOND FOR APPROVAL OF ITEM 28 A, B, AND C. PLEASE VOTE. MOTION CARRIES ITEM [29. Ordinance approving the application and acceptance upon award of up to $1,500,000.00 from the 2019 Regional Catastrophic Preparedness Grant Program and approving a personnel complement of 2 positions. This action also authorizes the City of San Antonio to execute any and all documents related to the application and acceptance of this grant. [María Villagómez, Deputy City Manager; Charles N. Hood, Fire Chief]] 29. ITEM 29 IS AN ORDINANCE APPROVING THE APPLICATION AND ACCEPTANCE UPON AWARD OF UP TO $1,500,000 FROM THE 2019 REGIONAL CA CATASTROPHE PREPAREDNESS GRANT PROGRAM AND APPROVING A PERSONNEL COMPLIMENT OF TWO POSITIONS. THIS ACTION AUTHORIZES THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO TO EXECUTE ANY AND ALL DOCUMENTS RELATED TO THE APPLICATION AND ACCEPTANCE OF THIS GRANT. COUNCILMAN BELIE CHIEF, I, I DON'T NEED A PRESENTATION. OKAY. I JUST WANTED TO, UH, HIGHLIGHT SOMETHING FOR THE BENEFIT OF, OF MY COUNCIL MEMBERS. THIS IS A, UM, A GRANT THAT I UNDERSTAND WAS, UH, IS GONNA BE WORKED WITH IN CONJUNCTION WITH OUR FRIENDS AT ACOG, CORRECT? CORRECT. YEAH. AND SO, UH, MOST OF MY COUNCIL MEMBERS ARE PROBABLY SICK AND TIRED OF HEARING ME SAY THE WORD RESILIENCY. UM, AND HOWEVER, UH, IN THIS ONE INSTANCE I WANNA HIGHLIGHT THAT THIS IS, THIS IS A GRANT THAT IS GONNA BE FOCUSING ON, UH, HOUSING VULNERABLE POPULATIONS DURING EMERGENCIES. IS THAT RIGHT, CHIEF? CORRECT. UH, THE IMPLEMENTATION OF A HOUSING SOLUTION THAT EFFECTIVELY TAKES INTO CONSIDERATION YOUR WHOLE COMMUNITY. RIGHT. UM, AND ALL IN OUR NEEDS IS, IS VITAL AS TO RECOVERY FROM A CATASTROPHIC INCIDENT. SO THIS PAST TWO WEEKS, WE HAD THIS HORRIBLE STORM. COUNCILWOMAN SANDOVAL IS THE POINTY END OF THE STICK ON MAKING SURE THAT THE FOOD BANK IS, IS HELPING OUT A LOT OF FOLKS. AND WE HAD C P SS ENERGY IN THE CITY, UH, PUT TOGETHER COOLING STATIONS AND HELPING PEOPLE STAY OVERNIGHT. THIS IS THE KIND OF GRANT THAT WOULD HELP US ACCOMPLISH THOSE THINGS IN THE EVENT OF A FUTURE CATASTROPHE, RIGHT? CORRECT. WE ALL SAW THE CIRCUMSTANCES THAT PLAYED OUT DURING HURRICANE HARVEY AND OTHER CITIES, AND THIS WOULD HELP US BETTER PREPARE FOR THAT. SO, SO FOR MY COUNCIL MEMBERS, THE, THE ONE THING THAT CONCERNS ME IS THAT THIS IS A WINDFALL. THIS IS GREAT. CERTAINLY YOU GOT MY SUPPORT ON THIS ONE, BUT, UM, I DO THINK THAT WE DO NEED A COMPREHENSIVE RESILIENCY PLAN, UH, AS WE MOVE FORWARD AT, BECAUSE THESE MEGA STORMS ARE THE NEW NORMAL. UM, AND ONE-OFF PROJECTS LIKE THIS ARE, ARE CERTAINLY WELCOME, BUT, UH, I'M NOT SURE THAT WE'RE BEING AS THOROUGH AS WE NEED TO BE. AND SO ONE OF THE THINGS I'LL BE ASKING FOR YOUR SUPPORT, UM, THIS YEAR IS TO REALLY DIVE DEEP IN AS FAR AS STUDYING OUR RESILIENCY VULNERABILITIES, UM, TO FIND OUT WHERE ELSE WE CAN BE MORE. PERFECT. THANKS CHIEF. ALRIGHT. LOOK FORWARD TO IT. THANKS. THANK YOU, COUNCIL. AND WITH THAT I MOVE TO APPROVE. THANK YOU. COUNCILMAN PIAS. THERE'S A MOTION AND A SECOND FOR APPROVAL OF ITEM NUMBER 29. PLEASE VOTE. MOTION CARRIES. ITEM [36. Resolution supporting the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA), an update to the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA). [Carlos Contreras, Assistant City Manager; Rene Dominguez, Director, Economic Development]] 36. ITEM 36 IS A RESOLUTION SUPPORTING [04:20:01] THE U UNITED STATES MEXICO CANADA AGREEMENT. AN UPDATE TO THE NORTH AMERICAN FREE TRADE AGREEMENT. COUNCILMAN GRO. THANK YOU, MAYOR. WANTED TO, WE HAVE TO PULL THIS ITEM BECAUSE THERE WERE SOME CHANGES MADE TO OUR RESOLUTION. RENEE, DO YOU HAVE A QUICK BRIEF PRESENTATION? YEAH, LIKE SPARE PRESENTATION. I CAN KIND OF SUMMARIZE IT. I THINK IT GOES WITHOUT SAYING, WE ALL UNDERSTAND THE IMPACT THAT NAFTA HAD NOW WITH NAFTA 2.0 OR THE U S M C A, UH, THAT HAS BEEN NEGOTIATED. SO WE PRESENTED THAT TO I G R YESTERDAY. IT WENT VERY WELL, GREAT PRESENTATION. AND I THINK THE COMMITTEE HAD SOME GREAT RECOMMENDATIONS ON HOW TO BEEF UP THE RESOLUTION. AND THAT'S WHAT YOU SEE BEFORE YOU, SOME OF THE CHANGES WE DID MAKE TO IT WAS TO INSERT THE ROLE SAN ANTONIO PLAYED IN THE ORIGINAL SIGNING OF NAFTA. WE ALSO INCLUDED THE BENEFIT TO SMALL AND MEDIUM SIZED BUSINESS, THE NUMBER OF BUSINESSES IMPACTED, IN PARTICULAR IN SAN ANTONIO. THE FACT THAT NAFTA ALSO AIDED IN THE CREATION OF NAD BANK AND THE IMPORTANCE THAT THE U S M C A WILL PLAY IN TERMS OF OUR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT STRATEGY. ALL OF THAT'S BEEN INCLUDED IN THE NEW RESOLUTION. JUST HERE TO PRESENT THAT. THANK YOU, RENEE, AND TO MY COLLEAGUES. UM, PART OF THE RESOLUTION ALSO SAYS THAT MEXICO IS THE FIRST OR SECOND EXPORT DESTINATION FOR 26 US STATES, UM, WITH MANY OF THESE GOODS TRAVELING THROUGH SAN ANTONIO. SO IT IS VERY IMPORTANT THAT WE AS A UNIFIED VOICE COME TOGETHER WITH THIS RESOLUTION. AND, UM, I MAKE A MOTION TO APPROVE THIS RESOLUTION. AND I THANK MY CHAIRMAN, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER SALANA AND MY COUNCIL COLLEAGUES FOR THE DISCUSSION AT I G R YESTERDAY AND THE RECOMMENDATIONS AND CHANGES. AND I DO HOPE THAT WE AS A COMMUNITY WILL THEN LOOK FORWARD TO PASSING SOME SORT OF A RESOLUTION FOR THE AMERICAN AMERICAN DREAM AND PROMISE ACT THAT WAS PASSED BY THE HOUSE. THANK YOU. COUNCILMAN VERAN. COUNCILMAN SALANA. THANK YOU MAYOR. AND I WAS JUST GONNA MAKE A, A REQUEST OF, OF MY COLLEAGUES. SO NOW THAT COUNCILMAN, UH, PELLYS HAS SAID RESILIENCE AND BROCK HOUSE HAS LOST A 10 TO ONE VOTE. AGAIN, I HAVE JUST TWO MORE SLOTS ON MY COUNCIL. CITY COUNCIL. BINGO. SO IF WE, YOU KNOW, COUNCILMAN PERRY USES R O I AND COUNCILMAN COURAGE TALKS ABOUT RENTALS. YEAH. GOOD VICTORY FOR YOU. I FORGOT ARCHITECT. THANK YOU. THIS IS IMPORTANT TO WORLD HERITAGE . THANK YOU COUNCILMAN SALANA. OKAY, THERE'S A MOTION AND A SECOND. I APPRECIATE THE, UH, DISCUSSION AT I G R YESTERDAY. UH, I ALSO THINK IT'S, UH, IMPORTANT TO RECOGNIZE THAT, UH, THIS COMMUNITY HAS ALWAYS BEEN SUPPORTIVE OF FREE AND FAIR TRADE. UH, WE ALSO KNOW THAT THE U S M C A IS A BIT OF A WORK IN PROGRESS AT NOW. SO I THINK IT'S ALSO IMPORTANT TO PUSH FOR HIGHER LABOR STANDARDS, HIGHER WAGES, AND THE RIGHT TO ORGANIZE. I'M PROUD THAT MEXICO HAS ALREADY, UH, MOVED FORWARD ON THOSE ITEMS. UH, BUT THIS IS A GOOD DEAL WHEN IT'S A DONE DEAL. SO, UH, THANK YOU VERY MUCH TO MY COLLEAGUES. AND WE HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND FOR APPROVAL OF ITEM NUMBER 36. MOTION CARRIES. ALL [38. Ordinance approving an affiliation agreement with the Alamo Colleges District (ACD) in which the San Antonio Fire Department will provide clinical practice experience to ACD students in support of the San Antonio College's Allied Health and Nursing Education curricula. [Maria Villagómez, Deputy City Manager; Charles N. Hood, Fire Chief]] RIGHT. ITEM NUMBER 38 IS PULLED FOR RECUSAL. SO WE'LL WAIT FOR OUR COLLEAGUE COUNCILMAN HALL TO LEAD THE DAIS. UH, AND THEN WE'LL GO AHEAD AND TAKE IT UP. OKAY. OKAY. ITEM NUMBER 38 IS THE ORDINANCE APPROVING AN AFFILIATION AGREEMENT WITH THE L M O COLLEGES DISTRICT A C D IN WHICH THE SAN ANTONIO FIRE DEPARTMENT WILL PROVIDE CLINICAL PRACTICE EXPERIENCE TO A C D STUDENTS IN SUPPORT OF THE SAN ANTONIO COLLEGE'S ALLIED HEALTH AND NURSING EDUCATION CURRICULA, COUNCILWOMAN VIRON. AND THIS BEING THE LAST ITEM ON THIS COUNCIL THAT COUNCIL MEMBER HALL CAN'T BE HERE, BUT IT IS HIS LAST COUNCIL MEETING. I THINK HE WENT THROUGH ENOUGH. I MOTION TO APPROVE. THERE'S A MOTION AND A SECOND FOR APPROVAL OF ITEM NUMBER 38. PLEASE VOTE. MOTION CARRIES. ALRIGHT, UH, WE ARE GOING TO, UH, RECESS BRIEFLY. IS THERE A CITY MANAGER'S [53. City Manager's Report] REPORT? MAYOR, THERE IS, BUT I, I'M GONNA CUT IT DOWN TO ONE ITEM. I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT. UM, I, I DID WANNA RECOGNIZE AND THANK, UH, CITY CREWS THAT MOBILIZED, UH, LAST THURSDAY AFTER EVERYBODY HAD GONE HOME. UH, CREWS AT T C I SOLID WASTE, THE FIRE DEPARTMENT, PARKS AND REC, UH, D S D, UH, DEVELOPMENT SERVICES AND CODE COMPLIANCE OVER THE COURSE OF, UH, OF, UH, FIVE DAYS. AND CERTAINLY OVER THE WEEKEND. IT ACTUALLY STARTED THAT NIGHT. THURSDAY NIGHT, UH, THE CREWS STARTED PICKING UP BRUSH AND I DID WANT TO CERTAINLY WANNA THANK THE EXECUTIVE STAFF [04:25:01] AND THE CREWS THAT, UH, PUT IN A LOT OF HARD WORK OVER THE WEEKEND TO, UH, ADDRESS A LOT OF THE CLEANUP ISSUES RIGHT AWAY. SO. WELL, AND, UM, BEFORE WE, WE RECESS, I DID ALSO WANNA MENTION, UH, AND IT'S TOO BAD THE MEDIA ARE ALL OUT AT THIS POINT, BUT WE'RE AT LEAST, WE'RE STILL ON BROADCAST. CITY OF SAN ANTONIO RECENTLY REGISTERED A PRETTY NOTABLE ACCOMPLISHMENT. IT WOULD'VE GONE UNDER MOST PEOPLE'S RADAR, BUT THE, A FORBES MAGAZINE SURVEY FOUND THAT THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO RANKED AS THE 20TH BEST EMPLOYER IN THE ENTIRE STATE OF TEXAS, AND THE ONLY CITY ON THAT LIST TO CRACK THE TOP 100. SO CONGRATULATIONS TO OUR COUNCIL AND OUR STAFF, UH, FOR MAKING THIS A GREAT PLACE TO WORK. ALL RIGHT, WE ARE NOW, UH, RECESSING UNTIL 2:05 PM UH, PLEASE GRAB LUNCH AND WE'LL MEET YOU IN THE B ROOM. OKAY. CORRECTION, WE, WE ARE ADJOURNED. WE'LL RECONVENE AT TWO O'CLOCK. * This transcript was created by voice-to-text technology. The transcript has not been edited for errors or omissions, it is for reference only and is not the official minutes of the meeting.