* 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. [00:03:32] WOULD YOU PLEASE HAVE A SEAT? PLEASE TAKE YOUR SEAT. WE'RE ABOUT TO GET STARTED. [00:05:41] PAY YOUR ATTENTION, PLEASE. WOULD YOU PLEASE TAKE YOUR SEAT? I HAVE CHEESE MCMANUS HERE. PLEASE TAKE, PLEASE TAKE YOUR SEAT. HELLO. HELLO. HELLO. HELLO. GOOD EVENING. GOOD EVENING. GOOD EVENING. WOW, EVERYBODY'S ALIVE. NOW. [00:10:01] I AM MARVIN HURST. I AM THE SATURDAY MORNING ANCHOR AND REPORTER ATKINS FIVE TV. EH, THANK YOU. AND I EAT QUITE A BIT OF FOOD ON A FOOD SEGMENT CALLED NEIGHBORHOOD EATS, AND I WANT TO THANK THEM FOR PUTTING ME BACK WHERE THE FOOD WAS BEFORE EVERYTHING STARTED. THIS, SHE, IT IS MY HONOR TO BE HERE. I'VE NEVER REALLY DONE IT FROM THIS SIDE BEFORE, SO THIS IS GONNA BE FUN. I'VE HAD AN OPPORTUNITY TO CHAT WITH A LOT OF THE PEOPLE IN THE BAT. I CAN ESPECIALLY SAY I ENJOYED MY CONVERSATION WITH THE MAYOR'S MOTHER, WHO HAS SOME REALLY INTERESTING IDEAS. YOU GOTTA TALK ABOUT THAT. UM, SO THIS IS THE PART WHERE I'M SUPPOSED TO INTERJECT HUMOR. THE THING IS, DENISE TOOK ALL OF THE GOOD, GOOD STUFF FROM ME. , UH, I CAN'T SAY THIS, I CAN'T SAY THAT I CAN'T. SO WHAT I WILL SAY IS THAT, UM, IN DECEMBER I GOT A DIAGNOSIS FOR THROAT CANCER. AND TODAY I AM HAPPY TO STAND IN FRONT OF YOU AS A BENEFACTOR, NOT A SURVIVOR. NOT JUST A SURVIVOR, BUT A BENEFACTOR OF HAVING THROAT CANCER. AND THAT BROUGHT ME TO THE MOMENT OF THINKING ABOUT GRATITUDE AND SERVICE. I WATCHED THIS WHOLE PROCESS OF PEOPLE GETTING PEOPLE IN PLACE AND THE CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS. AND I THOUGHT INSTEAD OF SAYING SOMETHING FUNNY, LET'S TAKE THIS MOMENT AND THANK EVERYBODY WHO PUTS THIS CITY IN ACTION EVERY DAY. WOULD YOU PLEASE JOIN ME IN GIVING ME, GIVING THEM A ROUND OF APPLAUSE FOR THE FIRST TIME? I AM SEEING MY CITY WITH NEW EYES. WE HAVE SOME LEADERS WHO HAVE BEEN ON THE COUNCIL BEFORE. WE HAVE SOME NEW LEADERS. AND I AM JUST ABSOLUTELY HAPPY TO WELCOME YOU TO THE 20 19 20 21 CITY COUNCIL AND MAYORAL INAUGURATION. THAT'S WHERE YOU COLLAPSE . I TELL YOU, MY AUDIENCE IS ON POINT THIS EVENING, . SO LET ME INTRODUCE YOU TO A FEW FOLKS THAT YOU MAY OR MAY NOT KNOW. CITY MANAGER ERIC WALSH. OH, THIS GUY GETS TIRED OF HEARING FROM ME. CITY ATTORNEY ANDY SEGOVIA. AND I FINALLY HAVE THE PLEASURE OF MEETING LETICIA VASIN. SO AUDIENCE, IF YOU WOULD, AT THIS TIME, I'D LIKE TO INTRODUCE YOU TO THE 20 19 21 CITY COUNCIL AND THEIR GUESTS. THAT'S YOUR PART FROM DISTRICT ONE CITY COUNCIL MEMBER ROBERTO TREVINO. COUNCIL MEMBER TREVINO IS BEING ACCOMPANIED BY HIS MOTHER, ROSARIO WRAL. SHE IS HOT OFF THE ELECTION TRAIL. LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, FROM DISTRICT TWO, COUNCIL MEMBER JADA, ANDREW SULLIVAN, JADA IS BEING, HOLD ON. I HAVE TO SAY THIS. I HAVE TO SAY THIS. JADA IS HAVING THIS MOMENT WITH HER MOTHER, ZENNY ANDREWS [00:15:08] NEXT UP FROM DISTRICT THREE. YOU MAY KNOW HER, REBECCA GAN. AND, AND, AND I HAVE TO SAY THIS, HER MOTHER WANTED ME TO MAKE SURE I GOT HER NAME RIGHT. PLEASE GIVE HER A ROUND OF APPLAUSE. MISS BECKY. VIA FROM DISTRICT FOUR COUNCIL MEMBER ADRIANA ROCHA GARCIA, WHO IS ACCOMPANIED BY HER SON, STEVEN GARCIA, THE SECOND. AND HER PARENTS. HER PARENTS, BY THE WAY, ARE ANO AND PETRA ROCHA. I KNOW THIS LADY FROM DISTRICT FIVE. SHIRLEY GONZALES, COUNCILWOMAN COUNCILWOMAN GONZALEZ IS ACCOMPANIED BY HER HUSBAND KEVIN BARTON CHILDREN IAN ZACHARY AND SELENA AND HER MOTHER, THE TIMELESS MISS ELOISE GONZALEZ. OKAY, YOU'RE GONNA HAVE TO GET USED TO HEARING THIS NAME FROM DISTRICT SIX. MELISSA CAO . SHE IS HERE WITH HER HUSBAND, JASON, AND THEIR CHILDREN. QUENTIN TRUMAN AND TRINITY. SHE LOVED IT SO MUCH, SHE HAD TO COME BACK. RIGHT? DISTRICT SEVEN COUNCIL MEMBER EE SANDOVAL, ACCOMPANIED BY HER PARENTS, TOMAS AND JULIA SANDOVAL AND MARIO BRAVO. I AM GLAD HE GOT ELECTED FOR ANOTHER TERM SO I COULD LEARN HOW TO SAY HIS NAME. RIGHT. , DISTRICT EIGHT COUNCIL MEMBER MANNY ELAS, JOINING HIM, BY THE WAY, HIS WIFE DIANA AND THEIR CHILDREN. SOPHIA AND MAX FROM DISTRICT NINE. COUNCIL MEMBER JOHN COURAGE, ACCOMPANIED BY HIS WIFE, ZETA TRUE COURAGE [00:20:12] DISTRICT 10. COUNCIL MEMBER CLAYTON PERRY, ACCOMPANIED, ACCOMPANIED BY HIS PARENTS, HAZEN HELEN PERRY. COUNCILMAN PERRY. I THINK THE KIDS SAY THAT THAT HAT IS LIT. . FINALLY, LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, FRESH OFF THE CAMPAIGN TRAIL HIMSELF, RETURNING FOR ANOTHER TERM. MAYOR RON NIERENBERG. OF COURSE, HE WAS WITH FIRST LADY ERICA PROSPER AND THEIR SON JONAH, WHOSE JACKET I REALLY WISH I COULD WEAR. . WELL, YOU KNOW HOW WE DO IT IN SAN ANTONIO. WE DON'T START ANYTHING OFF WITHOUT AN INVOCATION. SO IF YOU WOULD PLEASE RISE. OUR INDICATOR THIS EVENING IS REVEREND HERMAN PRICE JR. HE'S THE HIGH SPIRIT AND AN AFFECTIONATE PASTOR OF ST. JOHN BAPTIST CHURCH. PASTOR PRICE IS A NATIVE OF NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA, AND SERVED HIS COUNTRY PROUDLY AS A NON-COMMISSIONED OFFICER IN THE UNITED STATES AIR FORCE. PASTOR PRICE HAS SERVED HIS COMMUNITY IN MANY CAPACITIES. CHAIRMAN OF THE M L K COMMISSION, A BOARD MEMBER OF PROJECT QUEST, ONE OF THE LEADING ADVOCATES FOR PRE-K FOR ESSAY. AND ST. JOHN HAS GROWN FROM AN OLD TRADITIONAL CHURCH OF LESS THAN 150 FAITHFUL MEMBERS IN THE COMMUNITY OF KENWOOD TO A MEMBERSHIP OF OVER 800 AND GROWING IN LEON VALLEY. WELCOME PASTOR PRICE. THANK YOU. LET US BRING OH LORD, OH LORD, HOW EXCELLENT IS THY NAME AND ALL THE EARTH LORD, THERE IS NONE LIKE YOU AND ALL THE EARTH FATHER GOD, FORGIVE US OUR SINS AND CLEANSE US FROM ALL EVIL AND MAKE US GLORIOUS IN THY SIGHT. HOW? WE THANK YOU FOR THIS DAY, FOR YOUR LOVE AND KINDNESS. YOU HAVE SO GRACIOUSLY LAVISHED UPON US. GOD, I PRAY THAT, THAT YOU WOULD DO WHAT ONLY YOU CAN DO. AND THAT IS CONTINUE TO BLESS THIS CITY, TO BLESS MAYOR RON AND HIS FAMILY, OUR CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS AND THEIR FAMILIES. GOD KEEP WATCH OVER THIS CITY AND FILL OUR MAYOR AND COUNCIL WITH YOUR DIVINE WISDOM, YOUR KNOWLEDGE, LOVE, AND COMPASSION FROM ON HIGH. GOD, I PRAY THAT YOUR GRACIOUS HAND IS IN THIS CITY GOVERNMENT. I PRAY, FATHER GOD, THAT YOU WILL GIVE OUR MAYOR AND OUR CITY COUNCIL HEART FOR ALL THE PEOPLE OF THIS CITY. AND GOD, WE WILL BE CAREFUL TO GIVE YOU THE HONOR, THE GLORY AND THE PRAISE FOR IT IS IN THE NAME OF JESUS, THE CHRIST MY SAVIOR. I PRAY MAN. THANK YOU REVEREND PRICE, PLEASE. LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, PAY ATTENTION. GUARD YOUR HEARTS. COVER YOUR HEARTS. AS A SAN ANTONIO POLICE DEPARTMENT, HONOR [00:25:01] GUARD PRESENTS THE COLORS FOLLOWED BY THE NATIONAL ANTHEM, WHICH WILL BE SUNG BY SIMPLY RAIN. WE WILL ALSO HAVE THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE, WHICH WILL BE LED BY BOY, BOY SCOUT, TROOP NUMBER 66 AND CAK 1947. OH, SAY, CAN YOU SEE BY THE EARLY WHAT'S SO PROUDLY HELD AT THE TWILIGHTS LAST CLAIMING WHO'S BROAD STRIPES AND BRIGHT STARS THROUGH THE FIGHT OR THE RAM WE WATCH? WHO WAS SOLY STREAMING AND THE BUMPS BURSTING, GAVE PROOF THROUGH THE NIGHT THAT A FLAG WAS STILL THERE. OH, THAT STARTS. WHO OR THE LAND OF THE, AND THE HOME OF THE BRAVE IN LIBERTY. AND [00:30:01] THANK YOU LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, YOU MAY BE SEATED. THANK YOU SO MUCH TO THE SAN ANTONIO POLICE DEPARTMENT'S. HONOR GOD, HONOR GUARD. IT MAKES ME PROUD TO BE A SAN ANTONIO AND AN AMERICAN. THANK YOU ALSO TO THE CUB AND BOY SCOUTS. I REMEMBER WALKING IN THOSE SUITS AND THOSE HOT PARADES TODAY, THEY'RE IN THE AIR CONDITIONING AND LEADING US IN OUR PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE. WE THANK THEM AND NOAH PETERSON AS WELL. WE ALSO WANT TO THANK THE MARIACHI, UH, GROUP. IT'S AN ALL GIRL BAND FOR THEIR OPENING ENTERTAINMENT. THEY'RE SUPER AWESOME. AND NOW I WANNA GET BACK TO SIMPLY RAIN, WHO WAS JUST RUNNING ALL OVER THE NATIONAL ANTHEM THERE. THANK YOU. SIMPLY WAYNE. SHE'S NOT DONE YET. LEMME TELL YOU A LITTLE ABOUT HER. SHE'S AN EMERGING, MULTIFACETED ENTERTAINER WHO HAS APPEARED IN FILM, TELEVISION, MUSIC FESTIVAL, SPORTING EVENTS, FASHION RUNWAY SHOWS, ANTI-BULLYING CAMPAIGNS AND AWARD CEREMONIES. SIMPLY RAIN HAS PERFORMED AS AN OPENING ACT FOR MAINSTREAM ARTISTS. MUSICAL ARTISTS SUCH AS KHALI, LIL WAYNE, TRAVIS SCOTT MIGOS, BECKY G, KEITH SWEAT, AND DOUG E. FRESH. HERE TO INSPIRE OUR NEWLY ELECTED MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS SIMPLY REIGN, WE'LL SING ONE OF MY FAVORITE SONGS, HIGHER GROUND BY STEVIE WONDER. KEEP ON LEARNING. HEY. OKAY, SO WELL KEEP ON WARREN TURNING BECAUSE IT WON'T BE TOO LONG. NO, KEEP ON HANGING. WELL KEEP ON HANGING AND KEEP ON TURNING BECAUSE IT WON'T BE TOO LONG. NO BABY. ALRIGHT. Y'ALL KNOW THIS PART RIGHT HERE. I'M SO DON GLAD HE LET TRY IT AGAIN THE LAST TIME. AND I FELL A WHOLE WORLD OF SIN. I'M SO HAPPY THAT I KNOW. KEEP ON DRAGGING TILL I REACH MY HIGHER GROUND. THAT'S RIGHT. DO I HAVE ANY TEACHERS IN THE BUILDING? LEMME SPEAK TO YOU. MY TEACHERS KEEP ON TEACHING AND MY PREACHER KEEP ON PREACHING AS WELL. KEEP ON TURNING. YEAH, BECAUSE IT WON'T BE TOO LONG ON. NO, NO, NO. YEAH. ALRIGHT. ONE MORE TIME. LET'S GO. LISTEN, I'M SO GLAD HE LET, LEMME TRY IT AGAIN. THE LAST TIME I, THE LITTLE WORLD OF SIN, I'M SO THAT I GONNA KEEP ON DRAGGING. SHALL I REACH MY HIGHER GROUND? ALRIGHT, SO THIS PART I WOULD LOVE FOR Y'ALL TO HELP ME OUT. CAN Y'ALL SAY, TILL I REACH MY HIGHER GROUND, DON'T BE SCARED. THIS IS A CELEBRATION. LEMME HEAR Y'ALL SINGING IT. COME ON TIL REACH MY HIGHER GROUND. GROUND. WOW. JUST A LITTLE BIT LOUDER. NOT TO DO BETTER THAN THAT. [00:35:01] COME ON TO REACH MY HIGHER GROUND, EVERYONE SINGING IT. COME ON. OKAY. ONE MORE TIME. MAKE IT COUNT. Y'ALL WERE GREAT. THANK YOU. THANK YOU SO MUCH. SIMPLY RAIN. SO NOW THE MOMENT HAS ARRIVED, RIGHT? COMING FORWARD TO ADMINISTER THE SWEARING IN OF OUR NEW CITY COUNCIL AND MAYOR, CITY CLERK LETICIA FSIC. OKAY. WOULD THE MAYOR AND COUNCIL PLEASE STAND, RAISE YOUR RIGHT HAND AND REPEAT AFTER ME. I STATE YOUR NAME. I DO SOLEMNLY SWEAR. SWEAR THAT I WILL FAITHFULLY EXECUTE THE DUTIES, FAITHFULLY THE DUTIES OF THE OFFICE OF STATE, YOUR OFFICE OF THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO, OF THE CITY OF TEXAS, AND OF THE STATE OF TEXAS. THE STATE OF TEXAS. AND WELL, TO THE BEST OF MY ABILITY, AND WELL, TO THE BEST OF MY ABILITY, PRESERVE, PROTECT, AND DEFEND, PRESERVE, PROTECT, DEFEND THE CONSTITUTION, THE CONSTITUTION AND LAWS AND LAWS OF THE UNITED STATES. AND, AND OF THIS STATE. AND OF THE STATE. SO HELP ME, GOD. SO HELP ME. CONGRATULATIONS. GOOD EVENING, EVERYONE. WELCOME, UH, TO A WONDERFUL DAY OF RENEWAL HERE IN THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO. UH, I JOINED MY COLLEAGUES IN BEING VERY GRATEFUL, UH, FOR YOUR PRESENCE TONIGHT AS A, AS A SYMBOL OF UNITY FOR OUR CITY MOVING FORWARD. UH, SO AT THIS TIME, I KNOW OUR COLLEAGUES HAVE, UH, HAVE BEEN WAITING A LONG TIME TO ADDRESS YOU, UH, THEIR FRIENDS AND FAMILY SUPPORTERS, NEIGHBORS, AND EVERYONE ELSE IN THE CITY. SO WE'LL BEGIN WITH THE COMMENTS NOW AS WE HAVE, UH, OFFICIALLY TAKEN SEATS AS YOUR 20 19 20 21 CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO. SO WE'LL START WITH OUR DISTRICT ONE CITY COUNCIL COLLEAGUE, COUNCILMAN ROBERTO TREVINO. THANK YOU MAYOR, AND THANK ALL OF YOU FOR, FOR BEING HERE TONIGHT. UH, I TOO AM VERY GRATEFUL, UH, TO BE IN THIS POSITION. IT IS, UM, IT IS A HUGE RESPONSIBILITY TO BE ON THE CITY COUNCIL, AND I JUST WANT TO THANK ALL MY COLLEAGUES FOR THEIR COMMITMENT. I LOOK FORWARD TO WORKING WITH EACH AND EVERY ONE OF YOU ON YOUR PRIORITIES AND THE PRIORITIES OF THE CITY MOVING FORWARD. UH, WE HAVE A GREAT CITY STAFF LED BY A GREAT CITY MANAGER, ERIC WALSH, UH, ANDY SEGOVIA AS OUR CITY ATTORNEY, AND MANY OTHER FOLKS THAT ARE HELPING TO GUIDE THE CITY FORWARD. I WANNA SAY THAT I, GOING INTO MY THIRD TERM, I CAN, I CAN TRULY SAY THAT THIS IS A TRUE HONOR BEING UP HERE, BUT IT'S A HUGE RESPONSIBILITY AND I'M COMMITTED TO HOLDING THAT IN HIGH REGARD. SO, UH, WITH THAT, I JUST WANNA SAY IN CLOSING, UH, HOW MUCH I LOOK FORWARD TO SERVING, UH, THE NEXT TWO YEARS TO HELP KEEP OUR, OUR MOMENTUM HERE IN SAN ANTONIO, MOVING FORWARD, MOVING STRONGLY, MOVING THOUGHTFULLY, AND MOVING IN A WAY THAT WE CAN ALL APPRECIATE A CITY LIKE SAN ANTONIO. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. COUNCILMAN TREVINO. COUNCILWOMAN JADA, ANDREW SULLIVAN. IT IS AN HONOR, A PRIVILEGE AND A HUMBLING EXPERIENCE TO SIT IN FRONT OF THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO AND TO TRULY SERVE MY DISTRICT, DISTRICT TWO, I HAVE MANY THAT HAVE BROUGHT ME HERE. SO I DID NOT DO THIS BY MYSELF AND TO MY TEAM. I THANK YOU [00:40:01] TO MY MOTHER, I LOVE YOU, AND TO MY KIDS, THANK YOU FOR TRUSTING YOUR MOTHER TO STEP OUT AND DO SOMETHING THAT SOMEBODY TOLD HER YEARS AGO SHE COULD NOT DO TO THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO. AND TO MY DISTRICT ESPECIALLY. THANK YOU FOR TRUSTING ME TO SERVE YOU. I LOOK FORWARD TO SERVING YOU HUMBLY, WHOLEHEARTEDLY, AND TO BRINGING DIGNITY, HONOR, RESPECT, LOVE, LOYALTY, AND A PROGRESSION THAT THE DISTRICT TO AREA HAS BEEN NEEDING FOR THE LAST SEVERAL YEARS. I SIT IN FRONT OF YOU AS YOUR CITY COUNCILWOMAN BECAUSE YOU DECIDED TO USE YOUR VOICE TO PUT ME HERE. I WILL NOT TAKE THAT LIGHTLY TO MY COLLEAGUES, TO THOSE WHO HAVE BEEN SUCH A MENTOR TO ME. TO OUR MAYOR, THANK YOU TO OUR CITY MANAGER. THANK YOU FOR WHAT YOU DO TO THE CITY STAFF AND ATTORNEYS. I LOOK FORWARD TO SERVING AND LEADING FORWARD IN PROGRESSION, THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO, WHICH IS ONE OF THE BEST CITIES THAT YOU CAN EVER PUT YOUR FEET ON. SO, AGAIN, THANK YOU GUYS. I LOVE YOU AND GOD BLESS. THANK YOU, COUNCILWOMAN ANDREW SULLIVAN. COUNCILMAN REBECCA GRO. THANK YOU, MAYOR. UM, THANK YOU ALL VERY, VERY MUCH. THANK YOU ALL VERY MUCH. UM, THIS IS MY FINAL TERM AS COUNCIL MEMBER FOR DISTRICT THREE. SO I'M GONNA TAKE A MINUTE OR TWO OR THREE OR SOME MORE. SO, SO MUCH COULD BE SAID TODAY. AND MY HEART IS FILLED WITH JOY AND EXCITEMENT. BUT WHAT IS RESOUNDING IS MY SPIRIT, IS THAT WE ARE IN A SEASON OF BREAKTHROUGH, OF COURAGE AND A SEASON OF STRENGTH. AND IT STARTS WITH ME AND WITH THIS COUNCIL, AND WITH THIS CITY BREAKTHROUGH HERE IN THIS CITY, THE SEVENTH LARGEST CITY IN AMERICA, WITH A POPULATION WHOSE MAJORITY IS MINORITY WOMEN. WE IN SAN ANTONIO ARE A NATIONAL LEADER DECLARING FROM COAST TO COAST THAT THE WAY TO GO IS WITH FEMALE ELECTED LEADERS, SPECIFICALLY, SPECIFICALLY THESE WOMEN OF COLOR, WHO WILL PUSH HARDER AND STRONGER TO ENSURE THAT THINGS GET DONE. OVER THE PAST SIX YEARS, WE HAVE SEEN A GREAT BREAKTHROUGH IN DISTRICT THREE, THE SOUTH AND THE SOUTHEAST SIDE OF SAN ANTONIO, ARISING OF PEOPLE WHO ARE NOT SETTLING FOR MEDIOCRITY, BUT WHO ARE REACHING OUT AND WILL NOT SETTLE BACK FOR JUST BACK TO BASICS. WHY? BECAUSE WE HAVE MOVED SO FAR BEYOND BASIC, AND WE ARE DETERMINED TO USE OUR VOICE AND BE COURAGEOUS. COURAGE. WE DON'T WANT TO JUST SAY WE'RE WORKING ON THIS, BUT COURAGE THAT WILL LEAD US TO ACT AND GET THE THINGS DONE. THERE IS NO ALTERNATIVE. THIS SEASON WILL TAKE ALL OF US COMING TOGETHER, COMMUNICATING WITH ONE ANOTHER, AND WORKING TOWARDS GOALS THAT WILL BRING OUT THE BEST OF SAN ANTONIO AND SAN ANTONIO. SO ALL THOSE WHO DWELL FOR ALL THOSE WHO DWELL AND VISIT OUR BELOVED CITY, WE WILL DRAW OUR STRENGTH FROM EACH OTHER AND OUR STORIES. WE WILL WORK IN A COLLABORATIVE EFFORT. THIS WILL BE CRITICAL AND KEY. NO, JUST GOING ALONG TO GET ALONG. TOO MANY VOTED FOR US TO SPEAK UP AND GIVE A PERSPECTIVE THAT ASK FOR INCLUSION AND CONSIDERATION. AND NO MORE VILIFYING ONE SIDE AND SHUTTING DOWN THE CONVERSATION. WE ARE HERE TO GOVERN A DIVERSE AND VIBRANT POPULATION. I I SPEAK TO YOU TODAY AS THE DEAN OF THE SAN ANTONIO CITY COUNCIL. IT HAS BEEN AN HONOR TO SERVE DISTRICT THREE, AND I WOULD LIKE TO THANK THE VOTERS OF DISTRICT THREE WHO BELIEVED THAT WE MOVED FO MOVED BEYOND THE BASICS, WHO HAVE JOINED US IN A MOVEMENT WHERE DISTRICT THREE DOES REPRESENT THE PAST, THE PRESENT, AND THE FUTURE, AND WHO'VE CONSISTENTLY VOTED TO NOT SETTLE FOR CLICHES OF THE PAST. THANK YOU FOR YOUR STRENGTH, YOUR COURAGE, AND YOUR VOTE TO CONTINUE THE WORK DISTRICT THREE RESIDENTS THIS TIME. TWO YEARS AGO IN MY, DURING MY INAUGURATION SPEECH AT THE RIVER, I SPOKE OUT ABOUT HOW WE WOULD NOT ROMANTICIZE POVERTY AND WORK TOGETHER TO MITIGATE AND END ECONOMIC SEGREGATION. WE'VE IMPLEMENTED AN INCLUSIVE GROWTH STRATEGY THAT NOW CHANGES INCENTIVES [00:45:01] AND ABATEMENT POLICIES THAT WILL LOOK TO ALL AREAS OF TOWN. TWO YEARS AGO, I SPOKE HOW I WOULD CONTINUE TO LIFT WOMEN UP BECAUSE WE WERE STILL A LONG WAY FROM EQUAL AND INCLUSIVE REPRESENTATION AND HOW I WOULD CALL OUT INSTITUTIONAL RACISM AND SEXISM. WELL, AS I LOOK OUT AT THE MAJORITY OF THIS COUNCIL, I AM SO PROUD OF SAN ANTONIO. AND NOTE THAT THE OLD WAYS OF DOING THINGS ARE JUST THAT OLD, THE OLD WAS REACTIVE. WE WILL BE PROACTIVE, PROACTIVE SOLUTIONS TO ELIMINATING THE GENDER DISPARITIES AND PROTECTING WOMEN IN SAN ANTONIO. PROACTIVE SOLUTIONS TO TRANSPORTATION CONGESTION THAT IS COMING IN THE SOUTH SIDE, AND THAT IS STARTING IN THE SOUTH SIDE AND PROACTIVE SOLUTIONS TO GROWING OUR SMALL BUSINESSES AND MAINTAINING URA DE SAN ANTONIO. AS I ENTER INTO THIS FA FINAL TERM AS COUNCIL MEMBER, I KNOW WE HAVE A SENSE OF URGENCY. WE ARE IN THE MIDST, MIDST OF A TRANSFORMATIVE DECADE OF DISTRICT THREE. AND I WILL NOT SLOW DOWN. THANK YOU TO MY CAMPAIGN TEAM WORKERS, VOLUNTEERS WHO WORKED TO MAKE SURE WE GOT THE JOB DONE. FOUR FOR FOUR WITHOUT A RUNOFF. Y'ALL. UM, TO MY COUNCIL TEAM WHO WORKS HARD DAY IN AND DAY OUT, THEY TAKE MY IDEAS AND RUN WITH THEM. AND THEY KNOW THAT WHAT WE DO IS NOT FOR OURSELVES, BUT FOR A BIGGER CALLING. THEY MAKE A DIFFERENCE IN THE LIVES OF ALL SAN ANTONIANS. CHRIS RUBIN, SALVADOR, NINA, KELLY ROSE, ENRIQUE, DEBBIE IDA AND DEBRA HOSEY AND ANNA GALINDO. THANK YOU VERY, VERY MUCH. THANK YOU TO MY FRIENDS, FAMILY AND SUPPORTERS TO MY COUNCIL. MOM, MOM THAT YOU, YOUR, YOUR LOVE FOR ME AND YOUR PATIENCE AND ENDURANCE WITH ME. THANK YOU TO MY SISTER PHYLLIS. THANK YOU FOR KEEPING PHYLLIS. THANK YOU FOR KEEPING ME GROUNDED. I LOVE YOU ALL, BOTH VERY MUCH TO MY AUNTS AND UNCLES AND FAMILY AND COUSINS WHO HAVE STOOD WITH ME AND STAYED WITH ME AND CONTINUE TO MY DAD, WILLIE VIE GRAND HAPPY FATHER'S DAY IN HEAVEN. AND THANK YOU FOR INSTILLING IN ME THE LOVE OF COMMUNITY, FAMILY, YOUR HARD WORK ETHIC, AND ALWAYS TAKING THE LONGER ROUTE TO PLACES BECAUSE YOU SHOWED DIFFERENT AREAS OF THE CITY THAT I KNOW AND LOVE TODAY. AND IT WILL TAKE COURAGE AND RISK AND MAYBE SOMETIMES EVEN STANDING ALONE. BUT WE MUST STAND AND LEAD. WE MUST WORK TO CAPTIVATE, MOTIVATE, VALIDATE, AND ELEVATE ALL PEOPLE TO WORK ON OUR BEAUTIFUL STORY. THIS IS MORE THAN A SEASON OF STRENGTH. THIS IS A SEASON OF COURAGE AND IT TAKES ALL OF US. I LEAVE YOU THIS AFTERNOON WITH A VERSE FROM THE BOOK OF JOSHUA, CHAPTER ONE, HAVE I NOT COMMANDED YOU? BE STRONG AND COURAGEOUS. DO NOT BE AFRAID. DO NOT BE DISCOURAGED. THE LORD YOUR GOD WILL BE WITH YOU WHEREVER YOU GO. THANK YOU. AND GOD BLESS SAN ANTONIO. THANK YOU. COUNCILWOMAN GRO. COUNCILWOMAN, ADRIANA, ROTO GARCIA. I JUST WANNA SAY DITTO, WHAT MY COLLEAGUE JUST SAID, . BUT THANK YOU SO MUCH. UM, THANK YOU FOR THE HONOR THAT YOU ALL HAVE, UH, BESTOWED UPON ALL OF US TO SERVE THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO. I'D LIKE TO TAKE A QUICK MOMENT TO THANK MY MOM AND MY DAD IN SPANISH TO MY SON STEVE, WHO'S, UH, SITTING IN THE FRONT ROW. THANK YOU FOR ALWAYS, UH, BELIEVING IN ME. THANK YOU FOR BEING, UM, THE PERSON WHO'S ALWAYS, UH, AT MY SIDE FOR BEING MY BODYGUARD, SOMETIMES MAKING SURE THAT I DRANK WATER THROUGHOUT THE CAMPAIGN. AND, UH, YES, HE PLAYED DANCING QUEEN FOR ME WHEN I WAS GETTING TIRED ON THE CAMPAIGN TRAIL. SO THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR THAT. THANK YOU TO ALL OF THE VOLUNTEERS, UH, WHO HELPED GET US TO HERE. THANK YOU FOR THE TEAM. THANK YOU TO THE D FOUR TEAM WHO HAS HELPED ME NAVIGATE THIS LAST FEW WEEKS, UM, TO THE COSA STAFF WHO I'VE ALREADY BEEN WORKING WITH, UH, FOR A GOOD WEEK OR SO, AND WHO I FELT LIKE I WAS COMING HOME TO AGAIN. AND REALLY LOOKING FORWARD TO WORKING WITH YOU ALL. UM, TO MY FRIENDS FROM LEADERSHIP SAN ANTONIO. I KNOW SOME OF Y'ALL ARE IN THE HOUSE, AND MY TEXAS EXES, OF COURSE, UM, WOULD REALLY NOT HAVE MADE IT THROUGH HAD IT NOT BEEN FOR ALL OF YOUR HELP AND SUPPORT. UM, THANK YOU. [00:50:01] ALSO, UH, TO MY FAMILY WHO'S HERE, MY COUSINS, UM, I HAVE NEVER FELT ALONE. I'M AN ONLY CHILD, BUT I HAVE NEVER FELT ALONE DURING THE CAMPAIGN TRAIL. AND I WILL NEVER FEEL ALONE BECAUSE I HAVE YOUR LOVE AND YOUR SUPPORT. AND I HOPE THAT ONE DAY I CAN REPAY YOU BACK. UM, IN AS MUCH LOVE AS YOU HAVE OFFERED ME, UH, UA HAVE CONTRIBUTED ALONG, ALONG THE WAY TO THE RESIDENTS OF DISTRICT FOUR FOR VOTING, FOR BELIEVING IN ME, FOR GIVING ME THE OPPORTUNITY TO SERVE YOU. I LOOK FORWARD TO WORKING WITH YOU AND TO MY FEMALE COLLEAGUES. I AM SO PROUD AND HONORED TO WORK WITH YOU ALL AND TO MY MALE COLLEAGUES AS WELL. DON'T WORRY, I WON'T LEAVE YOU OUT . UM, BUT THANK YOU AGAIN FOR THE HONOR TO SERVE YOU, AND I AM JUST HAPPY ABOUT THE OPPORTUNITY AND GOD BLESS ALL OF US. PRAY FOR US. YOU TOO. THANK YOU. COUNCILMAN ROCHA GARCIA. COUNCILMAN GONZALEZ. THANK THIS IS GONNA BE SO MUCH FUN. I AM SO EXCITED. THIS IS, UH, TRULY AS AN ELECTED, THIS IS THE KIND OF THING THAT YOU DREAM OF WORKING HAND IN HAND WITH INCREDIBLE COLLEAGUES, WOMEN, WOMEN FOR THE FIRST TIME, ALL OF US ELECTED TO WORK TOGETHER, UH, FOR A, A COMMON CAUSE. AND, AND HOPEFULLY THE THINGS THAT REALLY MATTER TO A CITY LIKE SAN ANTONIO. WE'RE A VERY YOUNG CITY. PEOPLE MAY NOT KNOW THAT WE'RE, AND WE'RE A VERY LATINO CITY. WE KNOW THAT. UH, BUT WE ALSO KNOW THAT THE MAJORITY OF PEOPLE THAT VOTE, THE MAJORITY OF PEOPLE THAT PARTICIPATE IN PUBLIC SERVICE ARE WOMEN. AND WE'RE FINALLY SEEING THAT BEFORE US TODAY. AND I AM SO EXCITED I GOT ON FU BECAUSE WE ARE TAKING OVER AND WE'RE, AND WE'RE GONNA LOVE EVERY MINUTE OF IT ALWAYS, BUT ALWAYS, UH, WITH AN, AN IDEA IN MIND THAT WE DO IT, UH, FOR YOU ALL, FOR ALL OF THE CITIZENS, UH, THAT COME AND SUPPORT US EVERY DAY. THAT WHENEVER WE THINK WE'RE GETTING A LITTLE TOO CONFIDENT, UH, THEY REMIND US. SO JUST WHEN YOU FEEL LIKE YOU'VE GOT IT ALL FIGURED OUT, UH, YOU'LL HAVE YOUR CONSTITUENTS THERE TO REMIND YOU THAT THERE IS STILL SO MUCH WORK TO BE DONE. . UH, I WANNA, UH, TAKE A MOMENT ALSO TO THANK MY STAFF AND ALSO TO, UH, POINT OUT, UM, UH, AN INCREDIBLE CHIEF OF STAFF THAT HAS COME INTO MY LIFE, UH, AT A VERY NECESSARY TIME. AND, UH, THERESA MENENDEZ, UH, WHO, AND I, SHE AND I WENT TO HIGH SCHOOL TOGETHER, BUT I KNEW SHE WOULD BE A GOOD CHIEF OF STAFF WHEN I RAN INTO HER AT A DIFFERENT EVENT. AND SHE SAYS, ARE YOU PREGNANT? AND I SAID, YES. AND SHE SAID, AREN'T YOU 45 ? AND I SAID, YES. AND SHE SAID, GIRL, ARE YOU CRAZY? AND I THOUGHT, YOU ARE SOMEBODY THAT I NEED TO BRING ON MY TEAM, . UH, AND SO THANKS TO, UH, THERESA MENENDEZ, SAMANTHA ROSA, LINDA DORA, WHO HAS BEEN MY, BY MY SIDE FROM DAY ONE, UH, ALWAYS, ALWAYS, UH, IN THE MIX, UM, REALLY AFTER LONG, LONG HOURS, PUTTING ON FABULOUS EVENTS THAT I'M NOT REALLY SURE HOW GET PULLED OFF. BUT I'M SO VERY GRATEFUL FOR ALL HER WORK. UM, DANIELLE JEAN, MY SENIOR POLICY ADVISORS, UH, REMINDING ME THAT WHEN I THINK I HAVE A BRILLIANT IDEA, THEY TELL ME WE DID THAT LIKE 30 YEARS AGO. DON'T THINK THAT YOU'RE COMING UP WITH ANYTHING NEW. BUT, UM, ALWAYS HERE TO, UH, WORK ON BEHALF OF THE CONSTITUENTS. XANDER, WHO I THINK IS VISITING US TODAY, AND JUAN, UH, AND THE MANY OTHERS THAT HAVE SERVED IN THE FIELD OFFICE, UH, UM, AT LAS PMA AND AT COLLINS GARDENS. UH, ALWAYS WORKING OVER TIME, ALWAYS WORKING ON BEHALF OF OF THE CONSTITUENTS, UM, BUT ALWAYS THERE, UH, TO GET MY BACK AND SUPPORT ME, UH, AT EVERY TURN. ALSO, UH, WE GET SO SENTIMENTAL WHEN WE TALK ABOUT OUR MOTHERS. UH, I SAW RAY ALDANA NEARLY FALL TO PIECES THIS AFTERNOON TALKING ABOUT HIS PARENTS, UH, AND ALL OF US. I KNOW THAT THAT'S HOW WE ALL FEEL. WHAT A HOW GRATEFUL FOR MANY OF MY COLLEAGUES TO HAVE BOTH OF THEIR PARENTS HERE WITH THEM TODAY. UH, AND, UM, I WISH SO MUCH, UH, THAT I COULD HAVE, UM, MY FATHER HERE WITH US TODAY, BUT DAD SOMETIMES WOULD SELL, WOULD TELL ME, I MIHA. HE WOULD TELL ME, YOU SHOULD LEARN TO RELAX. UH, HE WOULD SAY, LIFE IS VERY STRESSFUL. YOU SHOULD LEARN TO RELAX. THOSE WERE HIS WORDS TO ME. UH, SO SOMETIMES WHEN THINGS GET REALLY TOUGH, [00:55:01] I DO, UH, REMEMBER THAT DAD WOULD ALWAYS REMIND ME TO RELAX, UH, AND, UM, ALWAYS, UH, TO MY MOTHER FOR BEING SUCH A WONDERFUL, UH, SUPPORTIVE MOM. AND, UM, I HAVE TO SAY, I, I, I REGRET VERY, VERY FEW THINGS IN THIS LIFE. UM, BUT ONE OF THEM HAS BEEN THAT IT HAS TAKEN ME SO LONG TO APPRECIATE MY MOTHER. SO THANK YOU ALL FOR YOU DO FOR ME, TO MY MOM AND TO MY CHILDREN. MY HUSBAND, WHO ON A MOMENT'S NOTICE, WILL PUT ON A TUXEDO. AND WE GET IN THE CAR AND HE SAYS, WHERE ARE WE GOING? UH, AND, UH, IT TAKES A VERY SPECIAL PARTNER, UM, TO DEAL WITH, UH, THOSE OF US. UH, WE KNOW THAT. AND, AND ONE OF MY VERY FIRST TIMES ON COUNCIL, WHEN I TOOK THE SEAT, I SAID, UH, I THINK WOMEN WOULD COMPLETELY RULE THE WORLD IF THEY HAD A HUSBAND LIKE MINE. AND SO, THANK YOU FOR ALWAYS GETTING MY BACK. UH, MY CHILDREN WHO THINK THAT MY NAME IS SHIRLEY GONZALEZ, CITY COUNCIL DISTRICT FIVE . UM, 'CAUSE THAT'S HOW THEY'VE GROWN UP, UH, EVERY STEP OF THE WAY. AND SO WHEN YOU ASK THEM, WHAT IS YOUR NAME? THAT'S WHAT THEY'LL TELL YOU. SHIRLEY GONZALEZ, CITY COUNCIL DISTRICT FIVE. SO VERY HAPPY TO BE WITH YOU ALL FOR ANOTHER TWO YEARS. I GOT STEPE. WE'RE HERE. THANK YOU. THANKS. THANK YOU, MAYOR. THANK YOU. COUNCILMAN GONZALEZ. COUNCILMAN CAVEO. HAVADA. THANK YOU MAYOR FOR SAYING MY NAME. EXACTLY RIGHT. , THANK YOU. THANK YOU SO MUCH EVERYBODY FOR JOINING US TODAY. UM, YOU KNOW, BEARING THROUGH OUR, OUR SPEECHES, BUT WE WORK SO HARD TO GET HERE. SO GIVE US JUST A LITTLE BIT OF LEEWAY. UM, I'M VERY GRATEFUL AND HUMBLED TO THE VOTERS OF DISTRICT SIX. I'VE WORKED FOR THIS FOR LONGER THAN MAYBE SOME OF YOU KNOW. UM, BUT I'M, I'M MOSTLY GRATEFUL BECAUSE THEY'VE TRUSTED ME WITH THE OPPORTUNITY TO REPRESENT THEM, TO BE THEIR VOICE. I'M REALLY PROUD TO SAY I'M BORN AND RAISED IN DISTRICT SIX. I'M GONNA GO AHEAD AND ANSWER THE SAN ANTONIO QUESTION. I WENT TO TAFT HIGH SCHOOL. UM, SO I'M, I'M REALLY GRATEFUL FOR THAT OPPORTUNITY. 'CAUSE I HAD A WONDERFUL EDUCATION THROUGH, UM, NORTHSIDE, I S D. I LOOK FORWARD TO WORKING WITH MY COUNCIL COLLEAGUES. I THINK THIS IS MY NEW COUNCIL FAMILY. AND I'M, I'M VERY GRATEFUL FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO GET TO KNOW ALL OF YOU BETTER AND TO WORK WITH YOU AND REALLY HELP TO MAKE OUR CITY A STRONGER PLACE TO LIVE AND, AND WORK, AND, AND GROW. I NEED TO, OF COURSE, THANK MY, MY, UH, LOVE OF MY LIFE, JASON HDA, WHO HAS ENDURED, UH, THIS WITH ME NOW, LAST TIME AROUND THIS TIME AROUND. AND WHO, UM, YOU KNOW, HAS REALLY SUPPORTED ME AND ALWAYS REMINDS ME TO STAY GROUNDED AND REMEMBER WHERE I COME FROM AND WHO I REALLY AM. AND MY KIDS WHO ARE MY NORTH STAR, WHO ARE LAUGHING AT ME RIGHT NOW, , UM, WHO ALWAYS, YOU KNOW, WHE WHETHER THEY KNOW IT OR NOT, KEEP ME FOCUSED. AND REMIND ME WHY I WANTED TO DO THIS IN THE FIRST PLACE. THANK YOU, BABY. UM, MY FATHER, WAY IN THE BACK. GOD VEO JR. AND TO MY LATE MOTHER IN HEAVEN, HIM THANK YOU FOR TEACHING ME TO NEVER, NEVER, NEVER GIVE UP, UH, SORRY. AND TO ALWAYS HELP THOSE PEOPLE THAT DO NOT HAVE WHAT I HAVE TO ALWAYS WHEN I CLIMB UP THE LADDER, NOT TO KICK IT DOWN BEHIND ME. SO I'M GRATEFUL FOR THAT. MY BIG MEXICAN FAMILY IS THE LEFT SIDE OF THIS AUDITORIUM. , THANK YOU ALL FOR ALWAYS BEARING WITH ME, AND AGAIN, REMINDING ME WHO I AM AND, AND, AND WHERE I COME FROM. AND TO MY TEAM, MY CAMPAIGN TEAM. YOU ALL GOT ME HERE. SOME OF YOU'RE UP HERE, SOME OF YOU'RE OVER THERE. THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE. THANK YOU FOR, FOR TRUSTING ME AND PUTTING YOUR FAITH IN ME BECAUSE WE'RE HERE AND I'M GRATEFUL, UH, TO THE, TO DISTRICT SIX VOTERS, RESIDENTS, THE PEOPLE OF DISTRICT SIX. MY PROMISE TO YOU IS THAT I WILL PUSH FOR YOU. I WILL FIGHT FOR YOU. AND I WILL ABSOLUTELY HEAR YOU ALWAYS. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. COUNCILMAN HA VERDA. COUNCILMAN SANDOVAL. THANK YOU, MAYOR. UH, THE FIRST THING I WANNA SAY IS THAT I AM VERY INTIMIDATED BECAUSE COUNCILMAN LIAS HAS BEEN WRITING PROBABLY WHAT'S GOING TO BE A TREMENDOUS SPEECH. SCRIBBLING HARD. UM, BUT IT'S A PLEASURE TO WORK WITH YOU, COUNCILMAN. UM, THANK YOU, MAYOR. UH, I DO WANNA SAY THANK YOU TO A NUMBER OF FOLKS WHO ARE HERE. UH, SO I SAID, NOW THAT THE CAMERA'S ON THEM, I HOPE THEY'LL SMILE BECAUSE THEY'RE VERY SERIOUS. , UH, PEOPLE. GRA UH, I ALSO WANNA THANK, UH, MY TREMENDOUS CAMPAIGN TEAM. UH, MANY OF THEM ARE HERE TONIGHT. UM, [01:00:01] AND OF COURSE, UH, MARIO BRAVO. I THINK YOU'RE HERE TOO. YOU WALKED IN WITH ME. THANK YOU FOR EVERYTHING YOU DO. UM, AND I SAID THIS THE, THE NIGHT OF THE ELECTION, AND I WANNA SAY IT ONE MORE TIME 'CAUSE YOU GUYS WEREN'T ALL THERE WITH ME. UH, IS THAT, UM, I, MY NAME MAY HAVE BEEN ON THE BALLOT, BUT IT WASN'T JUST ME. PEOPLE WERE VOTING FOR, THEY WERE VOTING FOR THE WORK OF ALL OF MY COUNCIL STAFF. SO IF YOU ARE HERE, I KNOW YOU'RE HERE. I SEE YOU. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR ALL THE WORK. AND HERE WE GO AGAIN. UH, ROUND TWO. THANKS FOR STICKING WITH ME, UH, THIS TIME. UH, AND IN TERMS OF BEING UP HERE WITH THE MAJORITY FEMALE COUNCIL, THE FIRST ONE, UH, TO HAVE BEEN ELECTED IN, I AM SO EXCITED. FIRST, LET ME GIVE THE THANK YOU FOR TO THE WOMEN WHO CAME BEFORE US, AND I SEE A NUMBER OF THEM IN THE AUDIENCE. UH, COUNCILWOMAN CONNOR, COUNCILWOMAN G**O, AND I THINK COUNCILWOMAN, UH, VAL, UH, MAY BE HERE TOO. THANK YOU FOR BEING OUR, OUR INSPIRATION AND FOR, FOR PAVING THE WAY FOR US. UM, THE, THE BAD THING ABOUT HAVING A MAJORITY FEMALE COUNCIL IS THAT A GIRL'S NIGHT OUT, UH, MAY VIOLATE THE OPENS MEETING ACT . SO I , SO I'M SORRY LADIES, WE'RE GONNA HAVE TO TAKE TURNS WHEN, WHEN WE DO THAT. UM, BUT, UH, BUT VERY EXCITED ABOUT IT. UM, THE NEXT TWO YEARS ARE GONNA BE, ARE GONNA BE VERY CHALLENGING. UH, THERE'S GONNA BE A LOT OF OPPORTUNITY, AND I SEE SO MANY OF OUR PARTNERS HERE. THANK YOU FOR, FOR BEING HERE TO SUPPORT US VIA C P S, THE DA'S OFFICE. WE'RE GONNA DO SO MANY WONDERFUL THINGS TOGETHER IN, IN THE COMING TWO YEARS. SO THANK YOU FOR, FOR SHOWING YOUR SUPPORT IN BEING HERE. UH, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I AM VERY EXCITED ABOUT, AND HOPEFULLY IN THE NEXT FEW DAYS, UH, SOME OF YOU WILL JOIN ME IN, OH, I CAN'T TALK COUNCIL BUSINESS IF IT'S NOT AGENDA, SORRY, IN FILING A C C R, UH, WE HAD A GREAT TURNOUT, UH, FOR OUR LAST ELECTION. UH, WE ALMOST HIT, WHAT, 20%, 15%. 15%. AND WE NEED TO CHANGE THAT. SO IN THE NEXT, UH, FEW DAYS, I'LL BE PROPOSING THAT WE COLLABORATE WITH, UH, OUR PARTNERS SUCH AS THE SCHOOL DISTRICTS, SARAH, ALL THOSE OF US WHO ARE HAVING OUR ELECTIONS IN MAY, AND CHANGE THAT 20% OR THAT 15% TO SOMETHING BIGGER. BECAUSE LET ME TELL YOU, IF THIS COUNCIL IS SUPPOSED TO REPRESENT THE PEOPLE WHO LIVE IN OUR COMMUNITY, THOSE PEOPLE ALSO NEED TO BE AT THE BALLOT BOX. AND IT'S OUR RESPONSIBILITY TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY'RE THERE. SO, UH, I HOPE YOU'LL, I HOPE ALL OF YOU WILL JOIN US IN THAT CHALLENGE. AND CITY STAFF, ERIC, UM, VERY EXCITED TO WORK WITH YOU AND THE TEAM YOU'RE ASSEMBLING, UH, LOOK FORWARD TO A WONDERFUL TWO YEARS. THANK YOU, MAYOR. THANK YOU. COUNCILWOMAN SANDOVAL, COUNCILMAN ELA. THANK YOU VERY MUCH, MAYOR. UM, COUNCILWOMAN GONZALEZ. UH, I ALSO GET CALLS FROM THE SAME PERSON, QUEDO, AND THAT'S MY MOM. SHE CALLS ME QUITE OFTEN TO TELL ME THAT, UM, HEY, FOLKS, UH, I KNOW THAT WE'RE ALL HAVING A GREAT TIME AND TODAY WE, WE ARE CELEBRATING. UM, I, I WANT YOU TO KNOW THAT I'M CELEBRATING TOO. AND, AND I CELEBRATE WITH A, WITH A HEARTFUL OF GRATITUDE. UH, THE SUPPORT I RECEIVE FROM MY CONSTITUENTS, UH, FROM MY FAMILY, DIANA MAX AND SOPHIA, UH, FROM MY STAFF WHO'S ALL THE WAY BACK THERE. UH, THANKS GUYS FOR SHOWING UP. UM, AND, AND MY COLLEAGUES ON CITY COUNCIL. AND, AND THANK YOU TO ERIC AND, AND ANDY AND THE TEAM, UH, FOR EVERYTHING THAT YOU DO TO MAKE US LOOK LIKE WE'RE BRILLIANT. UM, BUT I, I, I WANNA TELL YOU, I'M ALSO CELEBRATING WHAT WE'VE ACCOMPLISHED IN THE PAST TWO YEARS UNDER THE LEADERSHIP OF OUR MAYOR, UM, AND WHAT WE ARE GOING TO CONTINUE TO ACCOMPLISH. UM, AND I SEE NOTHING BUT BEAUTIFUL HORIZONS AND BRIGHT FUTURE FOR ALL OF US. I I WILL TELL YOU THAT DESPITE OUR CELEBRATING, I, I AM NOT DOING MY JOB UNLESS I ALSO REMIND MYSELF AND REMIND ALL OF US THAT THERE'S A LOT OF FOLKS TONIGHT WHO ARE NOT CELEBRATING. UM, SOMEBODY TODAY GOT LAID OFF. SOMEBODY TODAY IN SAN ANTONIO GOT EVICTED. SOMEBODY TODAY HAS TO MAKE A VERY DIFFICULT CHOICE BETWEEN PAYING FOR THEIR SAWS, BILL, THEIR C P S BILL OR THEIR CAR PAYMENT. SOMEBODY TODAY IS SLEEPING UNDER A BRIDGE FOR THE VERY FIRST TIME IN THEIR ENTIRE LIFE. THERE'S ANOTHER PERSON TODAY WHO'S AFRAID TO GO HOME BECAUSE HER HUSBAND MIGHT HIT HER. SOMEBODY TODAY IS A SENIOR CITIZEN WHO STILL WANTS TO WORK, BUT [01:05:01] CAN'T FIND A JOB BECAUSE NOBODY'S OUT THERE HIRING SENIOR CITIZENS DESPITE THE FACT THAT HE'S SKILLED AND TALENTED AND HAS A LOT OF GREAT EXPERIENCE. SO I HAVE TO REMIND MYSELF THAT THAT'S WHO WE SERVE. AND THE ONE THING THAT HAPPENS TO US HERE ON CITY COUNCIL IS THAT WE'RE SURROUNDED BY PEOPLE WHO TELL US THAT WE'RE ALWAYS RIGHT, THAT WE'RE SMART, RIGHT? AND, UM, I HAVE TO CONSTANTLY, UH, YOU KNOW, REMIND MYSELF THAT THERE'S A LOT THAT I DON'T KNOW, THAT I DON'T EVEN KNOW WHAT I DON'T KNOW, RIGHT? SO THERE'S TWO PEOPLE HERE IN THE ROOM TONIGHT, UH, MAX AND SOPHIA, CAN YOU GUYS WAVE? UM, THOSE ARE MY KIDS. MAX IS, UH, 13. SOPHIA IS 11, GOING ON 28. UM, AND REALLY, GUYS, THIS IS FOR YOU. I, I, I WANT TO POINT OUT SOMETHING. UM, EVERYBODY IN THIS ROOM, NOT JUST THE FOLKS UP HERE, BUT EVERY SINGLE PERSON THAT YOU'VE SEEN TODAY OUT HERE IS HERE BECAUSE THEY UNDERSTAND THAT SERVICE IS IMPORTANT. THIS IS NOT A CORONATION. THIS IS A GREAT PARTY, AND I'M LOVING IT, AND WE'RE HAVING A GREAT TIME, BUT IT'S NOT A CORONATION, OKAY? WHAT YOU'RE SEEING TODAY IS AN AFFIRMATION THAT ALL OF US ARE DEDICATED TO SERVING. ALL THOSE FOLKS THAT I JUST LISTED OFF AND MANY, MANY OTHERS, THIS IS NOT ABOUT US. THIS IS NOT ABOUT WINNING. THIS IS ABOUT WORKING TOGETHER FOR THE RIGHT THING. THIS IS ABOUT VALUES. THIS IS ABOUT DOING WHAT'S WRONG. THIS IS ABOUT TELLING PEOPLE NO, WHEN THEY'RE DOING THINGS THEY SHOULDN'T. THIS IS ABOUT HOLDING OURSELVES AND OTHERS ACCOUNTABLE. AND THIS IS ABOUT TAKING LESS AND GIVING MORE, AND TALKING LESS AND LISTENING MORE. I WILL POINT OUT, I WILL POINT OUT THAT AS, AS SMART AS YOU GUYS THINK I AM, MAX AND SOPHIE, I AM NOWHERE NEAR AS SMART AS THE FOLKS THAT ARE UP HERE WITH ME ONE OF THESE DAYS. THEY'RE GONNA DISCOVER, I HAVE NO IDEA WHAT I'M TALKING ABOUT. UM, BUT I WILL TELL YOU THAT WE DON'T ACCOMPLISH ANYTHING UP HERE WITHOUT PARTNERS. OKAY? SO THE LESSON I WANT YOU TO LEARN TODAY IS THAT THERE ARE PARTNERS OF OURS IN THIS ROOM THAT I'M GONNA NAME OFF FOR YOU THAT MAKE EVERYTHING THAT WE DO POSSIBLE. WE HAVE A NEW DISTRICT ATTORNEY NAMED JOE GONZALEZ. JOE, THANKS FOR BEING HERE. WE HAVE A SHERIFF, A SHERIFF WHO WORKS IN CONCERT, JAVIER SALAZAR, WHO WORKS IN CONCERT WITH OUR SS A P D. THANKS, THANKS FOR BEING HERE. SHERIFF SALAZAR, SOPHIA, WE'VE GOT A BUSINESS COMMUNITY REPRESENTED BY A LOT OF FOLKS HERE. AND, UH, YOU'RE GONNA MEET A LOT OF VERY SMART BUSINESS WOMEN. HOPE ANDRA IS ONE OF MY HEROES. YOU'RE GONNA SEE, YOU KNOW, YOU VERTO, GUERRA, JOHNNY HERNANDEZ. THINGS IN SAN ANTONIO HAPPEN BECAUSE OF THEM, BUT THEY ALSO HAPPEN, SOPHIA, BECAUSE OF PEOPLE LIKE BOB CUOMO AND PEOPLE LIKE, UM, UH, OUR FRIENDS AT THE LABOR COUNCIL. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR EVERYTHING THAT LABOR DOES TO MAKE SURE THAT PEOPLE THRIVE AND DO WELL HERE. AND LASTLY, I'LL TELL YOU, SOPHIA AND MAX IN PARTICULAR, AND ON TV, ALL YOU SEE COMING FROM WASHINGTON DC AND FROM AUSTIN IS PEOPLE ACCUSING OUR FRIENDS IN THE MEDIA OF USING THEIR PAGES AND NEWSPAPERS AND USING THEIR BANDWIDTH FOR EVIL TO HURT FOLKS. NOT IN SAN ANTONIO. WE HAVE A VERY, VERY HEALTHY MEDIA WHO REPORTS ON THE GOOD THINGS THAT WE DO HERE. TOMORROW YOU'RE GONNA SEE NEWSPAPER ARTICLES LIKE YOU DO EVERY SINGLE DAY THAT HIGHLIGHT SAN ANTONIANS WHO ARE DOING GOOD AND WHO ARE DOING GOOD FOR OTHER PEOPLE. YEAH, EVERY ONCE IN A WHILE WE'LL SEE A TV STATION, YOU KNOW, REPORT ONE TOO MANY CAR ACCIDENTS AND ALL THAT, BUT FOR THE MOST PART, THEY DO GOOD. AND HERE WE ARE NOT A CITY OF DIVISION. WE ARE NOT A CITY OF HATE. WE'RE NOT A CITY OF BIGOTRY. WE'RE A CITY THAT WORKS TOGETHER TOWARDS ONE COMMON GOAL. AND THAT'S A COMMON GOAL OF MAKING SURE THAT EVERYBODY HAS AN OPPORTUNITY. OKAY? SO GUYS, MAX, SOPHIE, I'M GLAD YOU'RE HERE. ENJOY ALL THE SNACKS. THERE'S GONNA BE A LOT OF 'EM. AND THANK YOU MAYOR, FOR GIVING ME THIS TIME. THANK YOU. COUNCILMAN PALIS. COUNCILMAN COURAGE. I GOTTA SAY, WOW, FROM WHAT I'VE HEARD FROM SO MANY OF MY FELLOW COUNCIL MEMBERS SO FAR, UH, IT'S BEEN GREAT. UH, I'VE BEEN, UH, BUT I, I HAVE TO SAY, I'VE BEEN WORKING WITH MAJORITY WOMEN FOR MANY, MANY YEARS. UH, MY WIFE AND MY TWO DAUGHTERS, UH, I WAS A TEACHER. I WAS A REAL ESTATE AGENT. WOMEN HAVE DOMINATED MOST OF WHAT I'VE DONE IN MY LIFETIME. SO I AM PREPARED TO WORK WITH THESE GREAT WOMEN ON THIS COUNCIL. AND, AND I'M REALLY, I AM TRULY HUMBLED AND HONORED TO HAVE BEEN REELECTED. AND FOR THE PEOPLE WHO LIVE IN MY PART OF TOWN, DISTRICT NINE, NORTH CENTRAL AREA, TO HAVE [01:10:01] THE CONFIDENCE IN ME AND IN MY TEAM THAT WE ARE GOING TO CONTINUE TO DO THE BEST THAT WE CAN TO REPRESENT THEM AND THEIR CON CONCERNS AND THEIR ISSUES. I'VE TOLD PEOPLE SINCE THE DAY I WAS RUNNING FOR OFFICE, I'M JUST YOUR NEIGHBOR ON THE CITY COUNCIL. I'M THE KIND OF NEIGHBOR THAT YOU TALK TO OVER THE FENCE OR OUT IN THE FRONT PORCH. YOU TALK ABOUT WHAT'S GOING ON, UH, WHAT THE PROBLEMS ARE, WHAT THE CONCERNS ARE, WHAT, WHAT IS THE GOOD AND THE BAD. AND THEN I JUST BRING THAT CONVERSATION BACK HERE TO CITY COUNCIL AND SHARE IT WITH MY FELLOW COUNCIL MEMBERS SO THAT WE ALL RECOGNIZE THAT THIS IS SOMETHING THAT WE'RE ALL IN TOGETHER. UH, AND SO IT'S, IT'S REALLY AN HONOR TO BE ABLE TO DO THIS. AGAIN, I HAVE TO THANK THOUGH, FIRST AND FOREMOST MY WIFE AND MY FAMILY. UH, MY WIFE, ZETA, TRUE COURAGE PUT ME HERE. AND, UH, SO YOU HAVE HER TO BLAME OR HER TO THANK. BUT ALSO WHILE I'VE SERVED, IT REALLY HASN'T BEEN ME. AND YOU'VE HEARD THE OTHER COUNCIL MEMBERS SAY THIS, WE DON'T DO THIS ALONE. AND I HAVE, AGAIN, BEEN HONORED TO SERVE WITH SOME OF THE BRIGHTEST, MOST COMMITTED YOUNG MEN AND WOMEN IN THIS CITY. UH, MY D NINE TEAM OF DEREK, AND ZACH, AND COLT, AND BRIAN, AND BABET, AND MILLIE AND MONIQUE JUST DO SUCH A WONDERFUL JOB SERVING THE ENTIRE COMMUNITY. NOT JUST DISTRICT NINE, BUT EVERYWHERE WE CAN. AND IT JUST, IT MAKES ME LOOK GOOD. IT MAKES ME FEEL GOOD, AND I THINK IT SERVES OUR COMMUNITY VERY WELL. I ALSO THINK IT, WE ALL NEED TO THANK THE PROFESSIONALS IN THIS CITY HALL. WE HAVE THE MOST PROFESSIONAL PEOPLE THAT I'VE EVER RUN INTO. THEY KNOW THEIR STUFF, THEY'RE WILLING TO WORK WITH US, THEY HELP US, THEY MAKE US LOOK GOOD. AND, UH, I JUST HOPE THAT THEY'RE ALL GONNA CON CONTINUE. ERIC WALSH IS THE NEW GREAT LEADER FOR THAT TEAM. SO I JUST WANT TO CONTINUE DOING WHAT I BELIEVE IS RIGHT. WHAT I'M GONNA WORK FOR THAT I THINK IS RIGHT. I'LL BE LISTENING TO MY COMMUNITY, MY DISTRICT, I'LL BE LISTENING TO EVERYONE ELSE IN THE COMMUNITY. I'LL BE LISTENING TO MY STAFF. I'LL BE LISTENING TO THE CITY STAFF. AND I HOPE THAT WHENEVER I MAKE A DECISION, IT'S A REASONABLE AND RESPONSIBLE DECISION THAT'S GONNA BENEFIT THE ENTIRE COMMUNITY. SO, THANK YOU. THANK YOU. COUNCILMAN COURAGE. COUNCILMAN PERRY. THANK YOU, SIR. ALRIGHT, THANK YOU. THANK YOU. UM, I THINK EVERYTHING'S BEEN SAID. THANK Y'ALL. NO, I . UH, FIRST OF ALL, I'M GRATEFUL AND I'M HONORED TO BE BACK IN THIS POSITION AGAIN. IT IS A VERY BIG RESPONSIBLE POSITION, AND I'M, I'M, I'M VERY EXCITED ABOUT IT. IN FACT, TWO YEARS AGO OUT AT ARNESON THEATER, UH, I PROBABLY SAID THE WORD EXCITED FOUR OR FIVE TIMES. AND YOU KNOW WHAT? I'M STILL EXCITED ABOUT THIS JOB, . AND, UH, YEAH, I'M GONNA, I'M GONNA KEEP BEING EXCITED ABOUT IT BECAUSE WE'RE ALL HERE FOR A JOB AND WE'VE BEEN PLACED THERE BY OUR NEIGHBORS IN OUR DISTRICTS TO DO THIS JOB AND TO DO THE BEST FOR THEM AS WELL AS THE ENTIRE CITY. SO THAT'S WHERE I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO WORKING WITH THE REST OF THIS, UH, COUNCIL HERE, MY COLLEAGUES, TO MOVE THIS CITY FORWARD. UM, I'M VERY THANKFUL THAT A LOT OF MY SUPPORTERS ARE HERE TODAY. UH, THAT HELPED ME WITH MY CAMPAIGN. AND AS WELL, YOU'VE ALREADY MET MY MOM AND DAD. THEY CAME ALONG, MY SISTER-IN-LAW, DEBBIE BROUGHT, BROUGHT THEM UP HERE FOR LONG, WAY AWAY FROM GIDDINGS, TEXAS. THEY CAME UP HERE THIS MORNING. SO, AND, UH, MY, MY OLDEST SON, BO CAME DOWN FROM AUSTIN AS WELL TO PARTICIPATE TODAY. AND I'M VERY HAPPY THAT THEY WERE ABLE TO JOIN ME. UM, I ALSO WANNA SAY THANK YOU FOR MY STAFF. YOU KNOW, I'M, I'M VERY, VERY BLESSED TO HAVE THE STAFF THAT I HAVE. UH, THEY'VE DONE AN EXCELLENT JOB OVER THE LAST TWO YEARS. I KEPT SEVERAL OF 'EM OVER FROM THE LAST ADMINISTRATION. WELL, I KEPT 'EM ALL. AND, UM, THEY'VE DONE A WONDERFUL JOB. UH, PAUL, UH, LANDRY, STEVE, UH, RAUL, SAMANTHA AND CYNTHIA. AND WE JUST HAD SOMEBODY LEAVE FOR, NOT BECAUSE THEY WANTED TO LEAVE ME, BUT THEY GOT A BETTER JOB OPPORTUNITY, WHICH IS GREAT, REBECCA. AND I WANTED TO JUST SAY THANK YOU TO ALL OF THEM FOR THE OUTSTANDING WORK THAT THEY DO. BUT BOTTOM LINE, I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO THIS NEW COUNCIL. YOU KNOW, EVERY TWO YEARS THERE'S, THERE'S [01:15:01] SOME CHANGES. BUT I'M REALLY EXCITED ABOUT THIS COUNCIL FOR A NUMBER OF DIFFERENT REASONS, AND I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO WORKING WITH EVERYBODY HERE TO MOVE THIS CITY FORWARD AND, UM, MAKE SAN ANTONIO EVEN BETTER THAN WHAT IT IS TODAY. SO WITH THAT, THANK Y'ALL VERY MUCH, AND GOD BLESS. THANK YOU, COUNCILMAN PERRY. AND I'LL WRAP UP COMMENTS, UH, BY FIRST SAYING GOOD EVENING AGAIN TO EVERYONE WHO'S HERE TONIGHT. UH, I WAS REALLY LOOKING FORWARD TWO YEARS AGO OF OPENING THE MICROPHONE FOR THE FIRST TIME AS YOUR MAYOR AND SAYING, WELCOME TO SAN ANTONIO, A CITY FOR ALL. AND I THINK THAT'S WORTH REPEATING AGAIN, WELCOME TO SAN ANTONIO, A CITY FOR ALL. AND, AND JUST REMEMBER, YOU'RE SITTING HERE. THERE ARE MANY PEOPLE OUTSIDE, UH, PERHAPS LISTENING. UH, THIS IS YOUR HOUSE, THIS IS CITY HALL. IT'S THE PEOPLE'S HOUSE. AND WE THANK YOU FOR YOUR PARTICIPATION IN IT. MY FELLOW NEIGHBORS, COUNCIL MEMBERS, THEIR FAMILIES, CITY MANAGER, WALSH AND STAFF, AND TO THE PEOPLE OF SAN ANTONIO. I AM HERE TODAY GRATEFUL FOR YOUR TRUST IN OUR VISION, HUMBLED BY THE CHALLENGE AHEAD AND DETERMINED TO MAKE PROGRESS TOGETHER AND TO MOVE OUR CITY FORWARD. THERE'S A LOT OF PEOPLE TO THANK HERE IN THE AUDIENCE, BUT FIRST, UM, LET ME THANK MY PARTNER, MY WIFE, UH, THE ROCK OF OUR FAMILY, ERICA PROSPER. THANK YOU, SWEETHEART. I REALLY DON'T KNOW HOW YOU DO IT, UH, BUT YOU DO. AND I'M GRATEFUL, UH, TO HAVE YOU IN MY LIFE AND TO KEEP, UH, WAKING UP WITH YOU AND YOU GETTING ME BACK ON MY TWO FEET, ON OCCASION TO MY SON JONAH, FOR YOUR LOVE AND FOR YOUR INSPIRATION. WHEN I RAN FOR COUNCIL THE FIRST TIME, UH, I TOLD YOU THAT IT WOULD BE YOUR HORIZON THAT WE WOULD GOVERN TO. THAT HAS NOT CHANGED EVEN THOUGH YOU HAVE GOTTEN OLDER. UH, BUT I AM STILL WORKING SO HARD, SON, UH, TO MAKE SURE THAT I DO RIGHT BY YOU WHEN I GET HOME AT NIGHT. SO THANK YOU VERY MUCH, JONAH. I LOVE YOU. THE MOST IMPORTANT TITLE I HAVE IN MY LIFE, UH, IS NOT MAYOR. IT IS HUSBAND AND DAD. SO THANK YOU, UH, BOTH FOR STANDING WITH ME, UH, THROUGH ALL OF THE GREAT TIMES, UH, AND EVEN THE TOUGH ONES. I HAVE A NUMBER OF FAMILY HERE TODAY. UH, WHO ARE THE MOST ARDENT VOLUNTEERS AND SUPPORTERS? UH, MY MOM, CHARLOTTE IS HERE. THANK YOU MOM FOR BEING HERE TODAY. UH, MY DAD, KEN, UH, WHO HAS GOTTEN A LOT OF SUNBURNS OVER THE LAST MONTH OR TWO. THANK YOU, KEN, FOR BEING HERE. UH, MY STEPMOTHER CAROL IS HERE. THANK YOU, CAROL. UM, AND OF COURSE MY BROTHER, MARK AND HIS KIDS, UH, KAYDEN AND KELBY ARE HERE AS WELL. THANK YOU GUYS FOR MAKING THE TRIP AND, AND JOINING US TONIGHT. UM, IT'S BEEN A LONG ROAD. IT'S BEEN A TOUGH ROAD, BUT IT'S A WOR ROAD WORTH, UH, TRAVELING. AND SO ON OCCASION, WHEN THE TIMES GET A LITTLE BIT TOUGH, UH, YOU TEND TO LOOK AROUND AND SEE WHO'S STANDING WITH YOU. AND I HAVE TO SAY, I'VE NEVER FELT PROUDER OF MY CITY. I'VE NEVER FELT, FELT MORE GRATEFUL TO BE HERE, UH, THAN OVER THE LAST MONTH AND SEEING LITERALLY AND FIGURATIVELY A RAINBOW COALITION OF SAN ANTONIANS WHO ARE DOGGEDLY PURSUING OUR PROGRESS. THANK YOU. THE HARDWORKING MEN AND WOMEN OF SAN ANTONIO, WHO WE HAVE FOUGHT SO HARD FOR TO CONTINUE THE GREAT PROGRESS OF THIS CITY THAT HAS RISEN, THAT CONTINUES TO RISE, UH, TO MY CAMPAIGN TEAM, UH, OUR STAFF, OUR VOLUNTEERS, PAID AND UNPAID, UH, JUST HOW MUCH WORK YOU PUT IN TO GET US TO THIS POINT. I'M TRULY GRATEFUL AND INSPIRED BY YOU. AND THEN OF COURSE, UH, THE TEAM THAT HELPS ME GOVERN, UH, MY CAMPAIGN, EXCUSE ME, MY, UH, MAYOR'S OFFICE HERE IN THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO. UH, THEY HAVE PUT IN SO MANY HOURS JUST TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE STAYING ON THE RIGHT TRACK IN THE CITY DESPITE ALL OF IT. UH, AND I'M TRULY GRATEFUL FOR ALL OF YOU AND THE HARD WORK YOU PUT IN, UH, ON BEHALF OF THE CITY. AND OF COURSE, THANK YOU TO ALL OF THE VOLUNTEERS AND SUPPORTERS WHO ORGANIZED FOR THEIR CANDIDATE, WHOEVER IT WAS, AND TO THE 120,977 PEOPLE WHO VOTED, AND TO THOSE WHO STAYED HOME. YOUR VOICE IS HEARD. INAUGURATIONS ARE A CELEBRATION OF DEMOCRACY. THAT, BUT THEY'RE NOT A VICTORY FOR ANY ONE PERSON. IT'S A TRIUMPH OF PEOPLE WORKING TOGETHER TO BETTER OUR COMMUNITY AND TO IMPROVE OUR FUTURE TOGETHER. TODAY, MARKS THE START OF A NEW TERM [01:20:01] AND A NEW CHAPTER IN OUR CITY'S HISTORY WITH THE NEW MAJORITY OF WOMEN. WE ARE A MORE PERFECT REPRESENTATION OF OUR COMMUNITY. WE SHOULD BE GRATEFUL FOR THAT. THANK YOU. UP AND DOWN THIS DAIS. THE VOTERS GOT IT RIGHT, AND WE WILL SEE THAT UNFOLD OVER THE NEXT COUPLE OF YEARS. WITH THE DIVERSITY OF THIS COUNCIL, I SEE THE TALENT AND THE VIBRANCY OF OUR ENTIRE CITY. SO TO MY CITY COUNCIL COLLEAGUES, I PLEDGE TO BE YOUR GREATEST SUPPORTER, A PARTNER FOR COLLABORATION AND YOUR CHAMPION FOR OUR CITY'S PROGRESS. TO THE FOLKS OUTSIDE OF THIS CHAMBER, I PROMISE TO BE YOUR PEOPLE'S MAYOR. HONEST, OPEN, INCLUSIVE, AND ALWAYS ACCOUNTABLE TO YOU. OVER THE LAST TWO YEARS, WE HAVE BUILT A SOLID FOUNDATION TO BE THE MOST FAIR, THE MOST EQUITABLE, AND THE MOST PROSPEROUS CITY IN AMERICA. OUR NEIGHBORHOODS ARE SAFER BECAUSE OF IT. OUR ECONOMY IS ADDING HIGH PAYING JOBS, AND WE'RE ADDRESSING OUR GREATEST CHALLENGES SO THAT WE GROW WITH GRACE. THIS ELECTION TAUGHT US A LOT. IT CERTAINLY DID, BUT THE ONE THING THAT IT TAUGHT ME THE MOST IS THAT WE HAVE TO FIGHT FOR PROGRESS AT EVERY STEP. AND WE MAY LIVE IN AN ERA HERE WHERE PROGRESS IS NOT GOING TO BE EASY ANYMORE. IT REQUIRES YOU TO PARTICIPATE, IT REQUIRES YOU TO BE PART OF THE STRUGGLE. AND FOR THOSE OF YOU WHO DID, I'M GRATEFUL, I HOPE YOU CARRY THAT LESSON TO THOSE AROUND YOU SO THEY CAN BE PART OF IT TOO. THAT'S WHAT WE'RE GOING TO DO. OUR VISION FOR PROGRESS HAS BEEN REAFFIRMED, AND NOW IS THE TIME TO BE BOLD. WITH OUR AMBITION, WE WILL BE A CITY COUNCIL AND AN ADMINISTRATION OF ACTION TOGETHER. AS WE ENTER INTO A DEFINING DECADE FOR SAN ANTONIO, WE WILL USHER IN A NEW ERA OF MOBILITY, PHYSICAL, SOCIAL, AND ECONOMIC MOBILITY FOR EVERYONE TOGETHER. WE'LL MAKE PROGRESS FOR EVERY PERSON, FOR EVERY NEIGHBORHOOD, AND FOR OUR ENTIRE CITY. PROGRESS ON TRANSPORTATION AND CONNECT SA PROGRESS ON AFFORDABLE HOUSING SO THAT EVERYONE CAN LIVE IN DIGNITY, PRO PROMISE ON CLIMATE ACTION SO THAT WE CAN LEAVE OUR COMMUNITY AND OUR WORLD IN A BETTER PLACE FOR THE NEXT GENERATION. AND PROGRESS ON EDUCATION AND THE ALAMO PROMISE. UNITED BY OUR SHARED VALUES AND OUR COLLECTIVE VISION FOR GREATER EQUITY AND PROSPERITY. FOR EVERY SAN ANTONIO, WE WILL PUT OUR COMPASSION INTO ACTION. SO ON BEHALF OF THE 1.6 MILLION PEOPLE THAT SHARE OUR COMMUNITY AND THE MILLIONS MORE WHO WILL COME, THANK YOU. I LOOK FORWARD TO WORKING TOGETHER WITH YOU AND VIVA SAN ANTONIO. VIVA THE FOREIGN ARM IS A NEO SOUL OUTFIT, FOUNDED BY A VOCALIST AND A GUITAR GUITARIST, NICK BLEVINS AND VOCALIST, ANDREA VOCAB SANDERSON. YOU KNOW, YOU GOT A WORD IF YOUR MIDDLE NAME IS VOCAB, RIGHT? , THE BAND PLAYED THEIR DEBUT SHOW AT THE BIBLIO TECH, THE FIRST ALL DIGITAL LIBRARY IN THE COUNTRY. THE BAND IS PLAYED AT THE PRESTIGIOUS TOBIN CENTER FOR THE PERFORMING ARTS, ACCOMPANIED BY THE YOUTH ORCHESTRA OF SAN ANTONIO AND THE INAUGURAL ROME MAYOR'S BALL AT THE EMPIRE THEATER. THE GROUP CAN BE SEEN ON A MORE REGULAR BASIS AT THE BRICK, AT THE BLUE STAR IMAGINE BOOKS AND RECORDS. AND AT THE MCNAY MUSEUM, LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, THE FOREIGNER. I WROTE THIS POEM A YEAR AND A HALF AGO, AND THERE WAS SO MUCH BEAUTIFUL FESTIVITIES HAPPENING AT THAT INAUGURAL BALL THAT I DIDN'T GET A CHANCE TO SPEAK IT FOR OUR MAYOR, BUT I HANDED IT TO HIM AND I HOPED THAT ONE DAY IN THIS VERY ROOM, I WOULD BE ABLE TO SPEAK AND, UH, HE'D HEAR IT. SO DREAMS ARE ASCERTAINABLE AND HERE WE ARE, RIGHT . I HAVE NO ROSARY BEADS TO RUB AND SUPPLICATION [01:25:01] TO THE PATRON SAINT OF LOST THINGS. BUT I OFFER THIS PSALM TO ARISEN KING. AND THANKS FOR MY CITY. MY CITY SAN ANTONIO IS GATHERED HERE LIKE HANDS CLASPING TOGETHER IN PRAYER AND SONG FROM THE TIPTOP OF A NEEDLE POINT, TOWERING HEIGHTS ABOVE OUR HEADS TO THE BASIN OF THE BLUE HOLE THAT STILL BABBLES THE HOLLOWED WORDS OF YANA. WE ARE A FIERCELY LOVING CITY. TOUGHER ON THE OUTSIDE, BUT SMOOTH. THAT'S PEON SHELLS. WE ARE SWEET AS THE CHEWY, MEATY TREASURE WRAPPED INSIDE. WE ARE A PEOPLE THAT DANCE WITH FIESTA PRIDE AND WORK EVEN HARDER WITH PAINTED FACES. WE THROW HOWLING RITOS FROM OUR LIPS. WE LACE OUR WORK BOOTS AND OUR TONGUES WITH TEX-MEX SLANG. WE LIVE OUT OUR LIVES WITH BOWED HEADS, NOT OUT OF SHAME, BUT BECAUSE WE HONOR OUR ANCESTORS. UNDERSTANDING THAT DIA DE LOS MUERTOS ISN'T JUST ONE CALENDAR DAY, BUT OUR FOREFATHERS WALK AMONGST US STILL. THEY PRAY FOR US. LEST THE FERVOR OF THEIR DEDICATION FADE TO DUST. THEIR SPIRITS PAVE THE VERY ASPHALT ROADS THAT WE TRAVEL TO A FUTURE BURNING BRIGHT WITH POSSIBILITIES. WE ARE A PEOPLE WITH THREE CENTURIES OF PROMISE. THE STOKING FLAMES OF UNITY ARISE HIGH AS BURNING HICKORY WOULD. OUR PASSION FOR TRADITION HAS STOOD THE TEST OF TIME. WE'VE COME FROM LINEAGE OF MIGRANT WORKERS AND FORMER SLAVES. GENERATIONS THAT STAYED PLANTED AND GREW DESCENDANTS LIKE CROP. WE SPREAD OUT A THICKEN. MY EASE OF PEOPLE STICKING TO THE RIBS OF THE CITY, UNWRAPPING OUR HUSKS AND LETTING THE LAND ENRICH OUR FLAVOR. AND WE ARE NO STRANGER TO FLAVOR. WE ARE NO FOREIGNERS TO SPICE. WE ARE FULL OF ECCENTRICITIES AND PIZZAZZ. IT'S THE JAZZ IN OUR SUMMERS THAT FLOATS THROUGH BAI'S HEIGHTS. IT'S THE SIZZLING OUR FAJITAS THAT BLAZE OUR NIOSA NIGHTS. IT'S THE TECHNIC COLORS AND LASER LIGHTS IN A BRILLIANT FLAMM BOW PARADE, IT'S STITCHED INTO THE SILVER AND BLACK FLAGS THAT WE RAISE EVERY SINGLE PLAYOFF SEASON FOR OUR FIVE TIME CHAMPIONS. YEAH. SO YES, WE ARE ACQUAINTED WITH SPICE AND DIVERSITY. IT'S BURGEONING FROM THE BOSOM OF OUR CITY, SPILLING OVER THE BRIM OF OUR TIPPED GALLON HATS. THE CHALICE IN OUR WORN PALMS IS SATURATED WITH THE SWEAT OF A HARD DAY'S WORK AND FILLED WITH A FERMENTED WINE OF A LIFE WELL CELEBRATED. WE ARE A DEDICATED CITY REFLECTING THE VIRTUE OF OUR LEADERSHIP. WE ARE A BEAUTIFUL MIX OF THICK TONGUE LINGUISTICS AND STURDY HIP TEJANOS. WE FLAUNT OUR ORIGINALITY LIKE YELLOW ROSES AND OUR HAIR. WE EXPRESS OUR PASSION WITH EVERY SQUEEZE B CORTO THAT WE BILLOW OUT IN THE HUMID TEXAS AIR. IT IS OUR HARMONIOUS PRAYER TO A GOD WHO MADE OUR CITY STRONG AS OUR MAYOR. AND EVEN BEFORE THE SOLSTICE OF 2017, YOUR PASSION FOR THIS CITY WAS BURNING BRIGHTLY AS A SUMMERTIME. AND WE ARE GATHERED HERE TO HONOR YOU, MAYOR RON NUREMBERG, AT THIS INAUGURAL AFFAIR, TO RUB SHOULDERS LIKE ROSARY BEADS WITH THE CHOSEN FEW WHO WILL LEAD US FIERCELY FEARLESSLY TOWARDS ANOTHER CENTURY OF PROMISE AND PURPOSE. AND WE WILL BE FOUND IN THE FUTURE OF ST. ANTHONY'S EMBRACE AS AN ANSWER TO A PRAYER FOR US ALL. AMEN. THE FOREIGN ARM. LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, MAY I CALL YOU VOCAB VOCAB IF I, IF I DIDN'T THINK I'D BREAK IT, I'D DROP THE MIC FOR YOU. THAT WAS AWESOME. AWESOME. SO NOW WE ARE ABOUT TO WRAP THINGS UP, BUT WE HAVE TO END JUST LIKE WE STARTED WITH A PRAYER. THIS TIME WE GET THE BENEDICTION FROM FATHER, FATHER DAVID GARCIA. FATHER GARCIA IS THE DIRECTOR OF THE OLD SPANISH [01:30:01] MISSIONS OF THE ARCHDIOCESE HERE IN SAN ANTONIO. THE FOUR MISSIONS ARE A PART OF SAN ANTONIO'S MISSION OF THE SAN ANTONIO MISSIONS NATIONAL HISTORICAL PARK, AND ARE A UNESCO WORLD HERITAGE SITE. FATHER GARCIA IS GETTING READY TO RETIRE FROM ACTIVE MINISTRY ON JULY 1ST. YOU GOTTA COME WITH ME ON NEIGHBORHOOD EATS AND EAT BARBECUE SOMEWHERE, RIGHT? ? LET'S DO THAT. JUST YOU AND I. AND HE PLANS TO SPEND SOME OF HIS TIME TRAVELING AND PURSUING THE HIS HOBBIES OF EXERCISE, READING AND GARDENING. LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, WOULD YOU PRE PLEASE RISE FOR THE BENEDICTION? LET US BOW OUR HEADS IN PRAYER. LORD GOD, THANK YOU FOR THE WONDERFUL GIFTS YOU HAVE GIVEN OUR CITY AS WE GATHER TODAY TO CELEBRATE THE INAUGURATION OF OUR MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL. WE ARE A CITY FOUNDED ON FAITH, A FAITH THAT IS GIVEN LIFE TO OUR SPIRITS FOR OVER 300 YEARS. LET THIS NEW BEGINNING TODAY, LORD, BE A REMINDER THAT A CITY IS ABOUT GIVING AND SUSTAINING LIFE. THE LIFE OF EACH PERSON DWELLING HERE AND THE CITY IS ALSO EACH OF US, NOT JUST OUR GOVERNMENT, ALL OF US ARE CALLED TO GIVE LIFE TO EACH OTHER. WE ARE CALLED TO LIFT UP, TO SUPPORT, TO CREATE OPPORTUNITY SO THAT EVERYONE CAN DEVELOP THEIR GIFTS AND LEAD A DIGNIFIED LIFE. OH GOD, THIS FAITH MAKES US ALSO BE PEOPLE OF WELCOME TO ALL WHO COME. LET US BE REMINDED TODAY TO ONCE AGAIN STRIVE TO BE A WELCOMING COMMUNITY TO THE VISITOR, THE TOURIST, THOSE WHO COME TO WORK, TO THE IMMIGRANT, THE FOREIGNER, THE ASYLUM SEEKER, THOSE DIFFERENT FROM US WHO COME HERE. LORD, OUR CITY FOUNDED ON A RIVER THAT ONCE WAS VERY DEEP AND LARGE IN GIVING OF LIFE TO MANY CREATURES, NEEDS ALWAYS TO BE REMINDED OF OUR OBLIGATION TO CARE FOR ALL CREATION. FOR MOTHER EARTH, OUR COMMON HOME. THE SACRIFICE WE MAKE TODAY TO PRESERVE OUR ENVIRONMENT IS THE GIFT WE LEAVE TO THE CHILDREN BEING BORN THIS YEAR IN THIS COMMUNITY. OH GOD, LET THE VISION FOR THE FUTURE OF OUR CITY AND THE HEARTS OF ALL OF US TODAY INCLUDE A SPIRIT OF RESPECTFUL DIALOGUE AS WE CONFRONT ISSUES THAT WILL DETERMINE WHERE WE GO. LET THERE BE COMPASSION AND GENEROSITY SO THAT EVERYONE PARTICIPATES IN FORGING THE FUTURE AND NO ONE IS LEFT BEHIND BECAUSE OF WHERE THEY LIVE OR WHAT FAMILY THEY WERE BORN INTO. BLESS OUR MAYOR AND COUNCIL. LET THEIR EFFORTS TO SERVE NOT ONLY BRING US TOGETHER, BUT REMIND US THEY CANNOT DO IT ALL, AND THEY CANNOT DO IT ALONE. INSPIRE US TO BE INVOLVED IN HELPING THEM MAKE THE CITY A BETTER PLACE. ARM THIS WE ASK IN YOUR NAME. AH, AMEN. YOU MAY BE SEATED JUST FOR A MOMENT. UH, WE NEED TO LET THE COUNCIL OUT OF HERE, BUT BEFORE THEY GO, I WANT TO, UH, THIS IS NOT ON THE SCRIPT. DENISE, I WANT TO THANK YOU FOR PULLING THIS TOGETHER. IT'S NOT AN EASY TASK. I KNOW SOMETIMES IT FEELS LIKE A THANKLESS JOB, BUT PLEASE KNOW THERE ARE PEOPLE WHO LOVE YOU. CONGRATULATIONS TO THE MAYOR AND THE NEW CITY COUNCIL. WE ARE ROOTING FOR YOU. WE WANT YOU TO MAKE THIS DIAMOND THAT IS ALREADY SHINING IN SOUTH TEXAS, EVEN BRIGHTER AND FOR MY FELLOW CITIZENS. THANK YOU FOR HANGING OUT WITH US FOR A LITTLE BIT. WILL YOU HANG OUT WITH US A LITTLE BIT LONGER AND HAVE SOME FOOD? HOW ABOUT THAT? YES. THANK YOU FOR COMING OUT. SO LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, WITH THAT, NOAH PETERSON, LET'S GET THE COUNCIL OUTTA HERE SO THEY CAN RELAX A LITTLE BIT WITH THEIR FAMILY AND FRIENDS. THANK YOU ALL FOR COMING OUT. * 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.