[00:00:18]
IS NOW CALLED TO ORDER. PLEASE CALL THE ROLL.
>> CLERK: CHAIR, WE HAVE A QUORUM. >> CASTILLO: WE CAN NOW MOVE ON TO APPROVAL OF THE MINUTES FROM THE MEETING DECEMBER 4TH, TWO.
WE HAVE A MOTION AND SECOND. CAN WE PLEASE VOTE? AYE.
MOTION CARRIES. AND WE HAVE TWO INDIVIDUALS SIGNED UP FOR PUBLIC COMMENT. EACH PUBLIC COMMENTER WILL HAVE THREE MINUTES.
FIRST WE HAVE JACK M. FINGER ON ITEM 3. >> WELL, GOOD MORNING, MADAM CHAIR. OTHER MEMBERS OF THE COMMITTEE.
MY NAME IS JACK M. FINGER AND TODAY YOU ARE GOING TO DISCUSS ONE OF YOUR ITEMS ON THE AGENDA WHICH IS ABOUT -- WELL, LET'S SEE WHAT IT SAYS HERE.
BRIEFING ON THE ESTABLISHMENT OF THE LESBIAN , GAY, BISEXUAL, TRANSGENDER, QUEER, THAT SHOULD BE QUESTIONING AS IT WAS ORIGINALLY, YEAH, QUESTIONING ADVISORY BOARD. SO BASICALLY YOU'RE GOING TO TRANSFORM SOMETHING THAT WAS ADVISORY IN NATURE AND JUST TO THE MAYOR AND NOW COMMISSIONS FOR THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO. AS IF THE ADVISORY BOARD TO THE MAYOR WASN'T ENOUGH. YOU'RE GOING TO -- LET'S SEE, YOU ALSO HAVE A DEPARTMENT DEVOTED SPECIFICALLY TO DIVERSITY, EQUITY, INCLUSIVENESS, DEFENDING THE, I SAY, SO-CALLED RIGHTS OF INDIVIDUALS OF THAT COMMUNITY. YOU ARE SO -- LET ME TRY TO EXPLAIN THIS TO YOU.
THE CHURCH CALLS THIS ACTIONS IN THIS LIFESTYLE DISORDER.
IN OTHER WORDS, INTRINSICLY DISORDERED. IT MEANS IT'S EVIL.
AND TODAY YOU'RE GOING TO FURTHER HONOR THAT EVIL LIFESTYLE WITH ITS OWN BIG COMMITTEE FOR THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO. WHAT A PERVERSION.
I'D LIKE TO KNOW WHEN ARE YOU GOING TO ESTABLISH A COMMISSION FOR ALL THE HETEROSEXUAL INDIVIDUALS OF THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO. I'M JUST CURIOUS.
YOU'VE ESTABLISHED ONE FOR EVERY OTHER MINORITY OUT THERE.
WHY NOT STRAIGHT, WHITE INDIVIDUALS? I HAVEN'T SEEN ANY IMPETUS ON THAT ONE THERE SO FAR. YEAH, I THINK YOU SHOULD REALLY JUST SKIP THIS THING AND JUST SAY NO TO IT ANY TIME IT EVER COMES UP, IT REARS ITS UGLY HEAD.
THANK YOU. >> CASTILLO: THANK YOU, JACK.
NEXT UP FOR ITEM 2 WE HAVE TARA CARNES WRIGHT. >> WE JUST WANTED TO PROVIDE COMMENTS REGARDING ITEM 2. SO I'D FIRST LIKE TO SAY THANK YOU FOR HAVING US.
WE'RE EXCITED TO GIVE COMMENTS TODAY AND SUPPORT THIS INITIATIVE MOVING FORWARD. DEAR COUNCILMEMBERS, THANK YOU FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION OF HOW BEST TO INVEST IN THE PREVENTION AND ABUSE AND RECOVERY.
WE ARE ACUTELY AWARE OF THE ONGOING NEED FOR EVIDENCE-BASED APPROACHES TO REDUCE OPIOID DEATHS AND APPROVE TREATMENT ACCESS WITHIN OUR COMMUNITY.
OUR PROGRAM HAS TREATED OVER 10,000 TEXANS AND HAS SUPPORTED OVER 51,000 PEOPLE
[00:05:09]
THROUGHOUT THE STATE WITH RECOVERY SERVICES. WE DELIVER TELEHEALTH, RECOVER SERVICES AND THERAPY TO ADDRESS OUR NEEDS. WE APPRECIATE THE OPPORTUNITY TO SHARE OUR EXPERIENCES LOCALLY AND STATEWIDE.IT'S IMPORTANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE SAN ANTONIO CONTINUES TO OUTPACE THE REST OF THE STATE IN DRUG OVERDOSES AND DUG-RELATED DEATHS.
33% HIGHER THAN THE STATE AVERAGE. THESE TRENDS ARE DRIVEN BY SYNTHETIC OPIOIDS LIKE FENTANYL. MANY OF THESE SUBSTANCES ARE OFTEN TAINTED WITH FENTANYL. WE HAVE FOUND ACHIEVING HEALTHY RECOVERY REQUIRES ADDRESSING MULTIPLE SUBSTANCES OF ABUSE AND THE ACCOMPANYING NEEDS OF OUR PATIENTS. WHILE BOTH STATE AND FEDERAL INITIATIVES TO ADDRESS THIS OPIOID CRISIS ARE OPERATING LOCALLY, THEY TEND TO BE NARROWLY FOCUSED ON WHO CAN BE CARED FOR AND WHICH TREATMENT SERVICES. THIS CREATES A BIG CHALLENGE FOR OUR COMMUNITY AND US INCLUDING THE HOLISTIC CARE OF OUR PATIENTS THAT IS REQUIRED. IT IS VITAL YOU ARE CREATING LOCAL SOLUTIONS FOR THE PARTICULAR CHALLENGES THAT WE AS SAN ANTONIO FACE. AS YOU REFLECT ON HOW TO ADDRESS THIS DRUG CRISIS, RECOGNIZE THIS ENORMOUS OPPORTUNITY TO SAVE MORE LIVES. ONE MODEL PROGRAM IS THE SAN ANTONIO FIRE DEPARTMENT'S MOBILE INTEGRATED HEALTH UNIT WHICH HAS HAD OVER 1800 PATIENT CONTACTS FOR THE MEDICATIONS FOR OPIOID USE DISORDER. IT HAS BECOME A NATIONALLY RECOGNIZED MODEL AND WHILE THIS PROGRAM IS CREATING HEALTH SOLUTIONS, ITS IMPACT IS CONSTRAINED BY THE AVAILABILITY OF LOCAL TREATMENT SLOTS.
YOUR SUPPORT OF LOW-BARRIER ACCESS TO TREATMENT WHICH CREATES EXPONENTIAL RETURNS PARTICULARLY BY EXPANDING OFFERINGS THAT -- IN THE CONTEXT OF PATIENTS' OTHER SUBSTANCE USE AND NEEDS. THE REQUEST IS TIMELY AS THE CITY ANTICIPATES FOR THE ALLOCATION OF OPIOID SETTLEMENT FUNDS. WHILE THE SETTLEMENT WILL DRAW ATTENTION FROM MANY COMMUNITY INTERESTS, THE HIGHEST PRIORITY IS FOCUSING HEALTH AND WELL-BEING OF OUR COMMUNITY MEMBERS. THANK YOU FOR THE GREAT WORK YOUR TEAM IS DOING TO IMPROVE ACCESS TO LOW-BARRIER TREATMENT AND OTHER SUBSTANCE USE THROUGHOUT SAN ANTONIO AND LOOK FORWARD TO SUPPORTING
YOU IN HOWEVER YOU MAY NEED. >> CASTILLO: THANK YOU. ON ITEM 3 WE HAVE ANA
FLORES. >> HELLO, HOW ARE YOU ALL DOING TODAY, GOOD MORNING.
I'M HERE IN SUPPORT OF AN A FORMAL LGBTQ+ COMMUNITY. AT 17 I WAS LEFT HOUSELESS AND RAN STRAIGHT TO A BOOKSTORE WHERE I LEARNED ABOUT THE PEACE AND JUSTICE CENTER. THERE I MET SOME AMAZING PEOPLE.
THIS WAS IN '93. ANTONIO AND DR. NORMA CANTU. WHO ALSO IS A LGBTQ+ LEADER IN SAN ANTONIO. I'VE BEEN WORKING WITH CLEAR VOICES THE PAST SEVEN YEARS AND BEEN A MEMBER OF SAN ANTONIO YOUTH LITERACY AND I'M AN EDUCATOR AND EACHER OF SAISD, HAVE BEEN SUPPORTING THE LGBTQ+ COMMUNITY FOR THE PAST 30 YEARS IN ART. I BELIEVE IN STORY TELLING AND ART MAKING.
I BELIEVE WE NEED THIS. I BELIEVE WE NEED THIS FORMALLY IN PLACE IN SAN ANTONIO BECAUSE OUR PEOPLE WANT TO STAY ALIVE. I BELIEVE IN THE COMMUNITY, I BELIEVE IN ALL OF OUR INSTITUTIONS AS A CITY, AS NON-PROFITS, AS SCHOOLS.
I BELIEVE WE HAVE TO WORK TOGETHER AND THIS COMMISSION WILL MAKE THAT HAPPEN SO THAT WE DON'T KEEP ANY HUMAN BEING, ANY PERSON, ANY TRANSPERSON, ANY LIFE, WE DON'T LEAVE THEM IN THE STREETS, HIDDEN AND WE SAVE THEM FROM COMMITTING SUICIDE. I'M A MOTHER OF TWO QUEER DAUGHTERS.
I AM ALSO TRANS. I'M MARRIED TO THIS AMAZING WOMAN IN THE AUDIENCE.
WE HAVE A BEAUTIFUL FAMILY THAT IS NOT EVIL. I HAVE FOUGHT OFF JACK FINGER ON STAGE AS A PERFORMER AND STILL HERE, I'M STILL HAPPY, HEALTHY, I HAVE MARRIED MY DAUGHTER TO A TRANS HUSBAND IN NOVEMBER. THEY ARE SUPER HAPPY AND D1 RESIDENTS. THEY CONTRIBUTE TO THE COMMUNITY SO I ASK YOU PLEASE TO LET THIS HAPPEN, TO MAKE THIS FORMAL AND ORGANIZE FOR OUR LIVES.
THERE ARE 300 BILLS THAT WERE JUST PRESENTED THIS PAST WEEK.
[00:10:01]
IN UTAH THEY DECIDED TO GET RID OF PROTECTIONS FOR TRANS PEOPLE IN BATHROOMS. WE DO NOT WANT THAT HERE, IN OUR CITY. WE ARE A BEAUTIFUL PARADISE, SAN ANTONIO. IN TEXAS WE ARE A PARADISE, WE ARE AN ISLAND, LET'S KEEPIT LIKE THAT, KEEP US SAFE AND HAPPY AND THANK YOU. >> CASTILLO: THANK YOU.
MARIA CESAR. ON ITEM 3. >> GOOD MORNING, MY NAME IS MARIA CESAR AND I'M HERE TO SPEAK ON THE LGBTQ+ ADVISORY COMMITTEE.
I WORK FOR MAYOR NIRENBERG IN 2017 AND PART OF 2018. I ALSO SERVED AS THE CITY'S LGBTQ+ LIAISON AT THAT TIME. AND AFTER THREE YEARS OF LIVING IN OAKLAND, CALIFORNIA, I'M REALLY HAPPY TO BE BACK HOME. OUR OFFICE TOOK ON THE CHARGE TO ESTABLISH THE LGBTQ+ ADVISORY COMMITTEE AND I WANTED TO SPEAK A LITTLE ABOUT THE INTENT OF THAT COMMITTEE. PUT SIMPLY, WE WANTED TO ESTABLISH A DIRECT CONDUIT FOR THE VOICES OF SAN ANTONIO'S QUEER COMMUNITY. WE HOPED THE CREATION WOULD ESTABLISH BOTH AN OPPORTUNITY FOR MEMBERS OF THE COMMITTEE TO FLAG IMPORTANT ISSUES THEY AND THEIR PEERS WERE FACING AND ALLOW THE CITY TO BE PROACTIVE IN CONSULTING MEMBERS OF THIS COMMITTEE FOR INPUT ON ISSUES THAT WOULD AFFECT THEM.
THE FORMATION OF THIS COMMITTEE WAS ALSO SEEN AS A CHANCE TO PUT SAN ANTONIO ON PAR WITH OTHER GEORGE -- OTHER MAJOR CITIES IN TEXAS EMBRACING EFFORTS WE KNOW MAKE OUR CITY SAFER, DRAW PROFESSIONAL TALENT AND SUPPORT IT ECONOMICALLY.
SAN ANTONIO'S COMMITMENT TO THE LESBIAN, GAY, BISEXUAL AND TRAN AND QUEER
COMMUNITY. >> CASTILLO: THANK YOU. >> HI, MY NAME IS VICTORIA, I AM A LOCAL PUBLIC SERVANT, AN EDUCATOR. I HAVE BEEN ACTIVE IN THIS COMMUNITY FOR MY ENTIRE ADULT AND TEENAGED LIFE. I'M HERE TO SPEAK IN FAVOR OF A LGBTQ+ ADVISORY COMMITTEE. THE SAN ANTONIO QUEER COMMUNITY AND ITS SUPPORTERS HAVE ADVOCATED FOR THEIR OWN SOCIAL AND LEGAL PROTECTIONS WITH THE UNDERSTANDING THAT SUPPORT FROM PUBLIC-FACING OFFICES PROVES TO BE LARGELY SYMBOLIC. THE COMMITTEE WAS SPEARHEADED BY A GROUP OF FOLKS WHO WERE AND CONTINUE TO BE FAMILIAR WITH THE STRUGGLE MEMBERS OF THE COMMUNITY FACE AND A STATE THAT HAS FAILED TO PROVIDE REPRESENTATION OF THAT COMMUNITY AND TAKE THEIR NEEDS INTO CONSIDERATION WHEN CREATING POLICY.
THE DEVELOPMENT OF THIS BOARD WOULD ONLY PROVE TO BE A POSITIVE FOR THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO AND SYMBOLIZE IT CONTINUES TO BE A WELCOMING SPACE FOR ALL.
THANK YOU. >> CASTILLO: THANK YOU, VICTORIA.
FOR PUBLIC COMMENT. WE CAN NOW MOVE ON TO ITEM 2.
I BELIEVE CLAUDE JACOB IS IS PRESENTING ON ITEM 2. >> JACOB: GOOD MORNING.
THANK YOU. CLAUDE JACOB, DIRECTOR OF METRO HEALTH.
I WANTED TO DO SOME BRIEF INTRODUCTIONS. MANY OF YOU MAY KNOW JESSE HIGGINS IS OUR CHIEF OFFICER. WE ESTABLISHED THE INAUGURAL POSITION AS AN EXECUTIVE LEVEL COMMISSION AND I CAN'T SAY THANKS ENOUGH TO JESSE AND HER TEAM TO WORK ON THE GROUND. SHE IS AN AMBASSADOR HERE IN THE CITY. SHE WORKS WITH MULTIPLE PARTNERS HERE IN THE CITY ACROSS GREATER BEXAR COUNTY. WE HAVE TRAUMA INFORMED CARE.
JESSE ALSO SERVES AS A TRI- CHAIR OF THE OUR MEDICAL DIRECTOR AND LOCAL HEALTH AUTHORITY AND SHAUN GREEN WHO HEEDS OUR OFFICE OF POLICY AND CIVIC ENGAGEMENT AS WELL AS OUR FANTASTIC TEAM.
JULIE SANDOVAL OVERSEES OUR OPERATIONS AS WELL AS MARIO MARTINEZ, OUR DIRECTOR FOR ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH. THIS HIGHLIGHTS ABOUT THE LOCAL SUBSTANCE USE AND OVERDOSE DATA. WE'LL TALK ABOUT THE DOLLARS THAT ARE COMING TO OUR CITY OR HAVE ARRIVED HERE. WE'LL TALK ABOUT EXISTING SUBSTANCE USE ISSUES AND WE HAVE A PROPOSAL AND FRAMEWORK IN TERMS OF THE USE OF THESE SETTLEMENT FUNDS. JUST WANT TO SAY THANK YOU FOR THIS OPPORTUNITY AND
I'LL TURN IT OVER TO JESSE. >> THANK YOU, CLAUDE, FOR THAT INTRODUCTION.
[00:15:05]
THIS IS MY FIRST TIME TO PRESENT TO THIS COMMITTEE. GOOD MORNING, CHAIR AND COMMITTEE MEMBERS. I'M CHIEF MENTAL HEALTH OFFICER AND I'M GRATEFUL TO BE HERE WITH YOU TODAY TO EXAMINE THIS ISSUE OF SUBSTANCE USE IN OUR COMMUNITY. WE'RE GOING TO START BY LOOK A LITTLE THIS GRAPHIC FROM THE CDC THAT SHOWS DEATHS FROM OPIOID OVERDOSE SINCE 1999.THE TOP LINE IS ANY AND ALL OPIOIDS WHICH STARTED DOMINATING THE EARLY 2000'S.
AS PEOPLE BECAME ADDICTED TO PRESCRIPTION MEDICATIONS AND NO LONGER HAD ACCESS, WE SEE THE BLUE LINE SHOWING DEATHS FROM HAIR WINE RISING IN -- HEROIN FROM 2010, PENTAGON NATURAL STARTING TO RISE IN 2013 AND DEFINITELY SPIKING AS IT GOES ON.
FACTORS RELATED TO THE PANDEMIC SUCH AS STRESS, SOCIAL ISOLATION AND USING THESE SUBSTANCES WHILE ALONE LIKELY EXACERBATED THE INCREASE IN OVERDOSE DEATHS.
ADDITIONALLY, IT WAS CHALLENGING FOR PEOPLE TO GET IN-SERVICE TREATMENT AND EMERGENCY SERVICES. IN SAN ANTONIO, OUR SAN ANTONIO FIRE DEPARTMENT EMS OUTCOMES FROM ON-SCENE REPORTS SHOWS SUSPECTED INGESTION INCREASED 27% FROM 2019 TO 2022. AS WE TAKE A CLOSER LOOK INTO BEXAR COUNTY AND TEXAS, WE CAN DELVE INTO THE LOCAL LANDSCAPE. THE GRAY LINE IS THE U.S. AS A WHOLE, THE RED LINE IS TEXAS, AND THE TEAL LINE THE BEXAR COUNTY.
THIS GRAPH SHOWS PROVISIONAL DATA WE JUST NOW RECEIVED FROM 2022 AND SHOW A MORTALITY RATE SEPARATELY. OUR STIMULANT OVERDOSE DEATH IN BEXAR COUNTY OUTPAYS NATIONAL AND STATE LEVELS AND THE GAP IS WIDENING OVER TIME.
THE SECOND CHART ON THE RIGHT SHOWS THE NATIONAL OPIOID OVERDOSE DEATH RATE IN GRAY, FAR HIGHER THAN OUR STATE AND LOCAL LEVELS, BUT ALSO A RAPID RISE IN BEXAR COUNTY, AN INCREASE FROM 10 DEATHS PER 100,000 PEOPLE TO 13.7 PER 100,000 PEOPLE IN JUST A YEAR IN THE PROVISIONAL DATA. LOOKING AT 2022 PROVISIONAL DATA, OVERDOSE DEATHS ARE RISING AND STIMULANTS WE ARE INDEED AT AN IN FLEXION POINT AND THOUGHTFUL RESPONSE REALLY MATTERS.
ON THIS SLIDE WE HAVE ONE MORE GRAPH FOR YOU TO CONSIDER.
THIS DATA IS FROM BEXAR COUNTY MEDICAL EXAMINER. PEOPLE ARE NOT ONLY USING ONE DRUG AND THAT STIMULANTS AND OPIOIDS BOTH POSE A THREAT TO OUR COMMUNITY.
WE ASK THAT AS YOU ARE CONSIDERING POLICY AND BUDGETARY DECISIONS WITH THESE FUNDS, YOU SUPPORT THE SUBSTANCE USE CONTINUUM AS A WHOLE TO INCLUDE ALCOHOL USE AND NOT THINK OF ONE PARTICULAR SUBSTANCE OVER ANOTHER.
BEFORE WE GET TO POLICY RECOMMENDATIONS, I THOUGHT IT MIGHT BE HELPFUL TO REVIEW THE SETTLEMENT FUNDS. THE CITY, COUNTY AND STATE OF TEXAS JOINED LAWSUITS AGAINST OPIOID MANUFACTURERS AND DISTRIBUTORS. AND THE STATE OF TEXAS HAS SECURED MORE THAN 1.6 BILLION IN OPIOID SETTLEMENT FUNDS UP TO WHICH --H WILL BE PASSED THROUGH TO LOCAL GOVERNMENTS AT A FUTURE DATE, BUT WE HAVE NOT RECEIVED THESE FUNDS YET. THESE SETTLEMENT FUNDS DO HAVE SPENDING RESTRICTIONS ON THEM, BUT IN THE FIELD OF SUBSTANCE USE ABATEMENT THE FUNDS CAN BE USED PRETTY BROADLY. THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO ANTICIPATES RECEIVING A LITTLE OVER 6 MILLION AS ITS SHARE OF AN OPIOID LITIGATION SETTLEMENT TO BE PAID OUT OVER THE NEXT 18 YEARS. SO FAR WE HAVE RECEIVED ALMOST 1.4 MILLION AND THE REST OF THE BALANCE WILL BE COMING OVER THOSE 18 YEARS.
TODAY WE ARE GOING TO PRESENT A RECOMMENDED POLICY FRAMEWORK THAT WILL BE ABLE TO GUIDE HOW THESE FUNDS ARE SPENT OVER THE COMING YEARS AND RECOMMENDATIONS OF HOW TO SPEND A PORTION OF THESE FUNDS IN FY24. THERE ARE CLAIMS PENDING AGAINST ADDITIONAL DEFENDANTS THAT COULD BRING IN MORE FUNDS IN ADDITION TO THE DISBURSEMENTS THAT THE CITY MAY RECEIVE FROM THE STATE, BUT THE AMOUNTS ARE NOT KNOWN AT THIS TIME. I'D LIKE TO RECOGNIZE AND THANK BEXAR COUNTY DEPARTMENTS OF PREVENTIVE HEALTH AND BEHAVIORAL HEALTH FOR THEIR CONSIDERATION TO THIS PRESENTATION. WE WANTED TO SHOW YOU THE COUNTY AS WELL. TO DATE THE CITY HAS RECEIVED 1.4 MILLION AND HAS NOT SPENT OR DISBURSED THE FUNDS. THAT'S WHAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT TODAY. BEXAR COUNTY HAS RECEIVED 14.5 MILLION AND HAS SPENT
[00:20:02]
ABOUT [INAUDIBLE]. THE TOTAL THAT OUR COMMUNITY HAS RECEIVED TO DATE IS 15.9 MILLION AND THE CITY IS WORKING ALONGSIDE THE COUNTY TO STRENGTHEN THE SUBSTANCE USE CONTINUUM OF CARE AND SUPPORT OF WORK OF PROVIDERS IN THE COMMUNITY.THIS SLIDE SHOWS YOU THE CITY'S COMMITMENTS IN THIS FISCAL YEAR.
THESE PROGRAMS ARE FUNDED THROUGH SOURCES OTHER THAN OPIOID SETTLEMENT FUND LIKE THE GENERAL FUND OR ARPA DOLLARS. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT'S INTEGRATED HEALTH CARE PROGRAM PROVIDES OPIOID CRISIS RESPONSE AND POLL I SUBSTANCE RESPONSE. METRO HEALTH HAS CONTRACTS FOR HARM REDUCTION SERVICES.
THE DEPARTMENT OF HUMAN SERVICES HAS A CONTRACT FOR MEDICATION TREATMENT FOR 15 INDIVIDUALS WITH SUBSTANCE USE DISORDERS AND THROUGH THE END HIV EPIDEMIC INITIATIVE, METRO HEALTH HAS CONTRACTS FOR OUTREACH AND HARM REDUCTION SERVICES.
THANK YOU FOR GIVING ME A MOMENT TO PAINT THE PICTURE OF THE ACUITY OF THE SETTLEMENT ISSUES. THE CCR BEFORE YOU TODAY ASKS FOR A RESOLUTION WHICH DESIGNATES DRUG OVERDOSES, SPECIFICALLY OPIOID-RELATED OVERDOSES AND CALLS FOR THESE ACTIONS. EXPANDING THE USE OF NARCAN IN PUBLIC-FACING COSA DEPARTMENTS. DEVELOPING AND FUNDING A CITY SPONSORED PROGRAM FOR PREGNANT PEOPLE AND NEW MOTHERS EXPERIENCING OPIOID ADDICTION.
WE ASK THAT YOU CONSIDER THE FOLLOWING FOUR AREAS AS WE DEVELOP ANY POLICIES AND PRIORITIES FOR THESE FUNDS. PREVENTION, HARM REDUCTION, TREATMENT AND RECOVERY, GENERALLY ENCOMPASS THE WORK OF THE CONTINUUM OF CARE. IN OUR COMMUNITY ALL FOUR OF THESE AREAS HAVE GAPS AND ARE IN NEED OF OVERALL SUPPORT AND CANS IT BUILDING. -- CAPACITY BUILDING. SAFE PRESCRIPTIONS, SAFE DRUG DISPOSAL, SCHOOL AND FAMILY-BASED PREVENTION WOULD AUGMENT THE AREA OF PREVENTION. TO ENHANCE HARM REDUCTION EFFORTS, CAPACITY BUILDING FOR ORGANIZATIONS ALREADY PROVIDING SERVICES, COLLECTIVE IMPACT TO IMPROVE SERVICE DELIVERY FOR THESE ORGANIZATIONS AND TRAINING LAW ENFORCEMENT AND PROSECUTORS IN HARM REDUCTION METHODS, EDUCATION AND TACTICS WOULD SUPPORT THIS AREA OF HARM REDUCTION. WE CAN SUPPORT TREATMENT EFFORTS THROUGH DATA SHARING TO REDUCE WAIT LIST BARRIERS AT TREATMENT FACILITIES, SUPPORTING PSYCHIATRIC AND SUBSTANCE USE FOR PRIMARY CARE PROVIDERS AND GENERAL PRACTITIONERS.
INCREASING AND ENCOURAGING MOBILE MEDICATED ASSISTANT TREATMENT WHICH MITIGATES RACIAL AND SOCIOECONOMIC. IN THE AREA OF RECOVER, WE CAN SUPPORT PEER SUPPORT SPECIALISTS AND THOSE LIVING WITH LIVED EXPERIENCE BY CREATING BETTER GUIDELINES AND WORKING CONDITIONS. WE CAN SUPPLEMENT FUNDING EARLY RECOVERY HOUSING FOR FOLKS WHO ARE ABLE TO GET INTO A PLACE THAT'S MORE SUPPORTIVE OF THEIR RECOVER RECOVERY, AND WE CAN -- IN TREATMENT AND RECOVERY BOTH IN THE GENERAL PUBLIC AND AMONG HEALTH PROFESSIONALS. THESE FOUR AREAS OF PREVENTION, HARM REDUCTION, TREATMENT AND RECOVERY MUST BE SUPPORTED THROUGH ONGOING EFFORTS LIKE ESTABLISHING A DEDICATED FUND TO SUPPLEMENT RATHER THAN SUPPLANT EXISTING FUNDING.
THE FUNDING WE HAVE IS LIMITED AND WILL EVENTUALLY RUN OUT AND WE CAN USE IT TO BOLSTER ADDITIONAL FUNDING AND ADDRESS CUTE NEEDS AND CONTINUE TO SHARP -- ACUTE NEEDS FOR AN EXTERNAL EVALUATOR WHO CAN PROMOTE A BETTER AND MORE ROBUST DATA-DRIVEN RESPONSE. FOR OUR STAFF RECOMMENDATIONS, WE ASK THAT YOU FOLLOW THIS FRAMEWORK. THESE RECOMMENDATIONS ARE NOT MEANT TO BE COMPREHENSIVE RECOMMENDATIONS BUT A STARTING POINT USING THE FRAMEWORK. SO TO ADDRESS PREVENTION AND HARM REDUCTION, WE RECOMMEND THAT YOU FUND AN INITIATIVE TO CREATE SUBSTANCE USE, OUTREACH AND ENGAGEMENT GUIDELINES. STREET OUTREACH AND ENGAGEMENT REQUIRES A STRONG SENSE OF TRADITION, EXPERTISE, SPECIFIC SKILLS AND ROBUST INFRASTRUCTURE.
WE ADOPTION OF POLICY AND STRATEGIES AT A LOCAL LEVEL HOPING WE IN BEXAR COUNTY CAN SHOW OTHER CITIES IN OUR CITY WHAT WE'RE DOING. ADDRESSING HARM REDUCTION AND TREATMENT MEANS WE RECOMMEND WE COMMUNED
[00:25:06]
PREGNANT PEOPLE, NEW MOTHERS AND BABIES EXPERIENCING ADDICTION.WE HAVE ORGANIZATIONS LIKE UNIVERSITY HOSPITAL, U.T. HEALTH, THE CENTER FOR HEALTH CARE SERVICES AND CROSSPOINT THAT ARE WORKING WITH PREGNANT PEOPLE, NEW MOTHERS AND BABIES AND THIS FUNDING COULD BE USED TO SUPPORT THESE EFFORTS AND DESTIGMATIZE DURING PRE-NATAL CARE AND AFTER. ADDRESSINGRECOVERY EFFORTS, WE RECOMMEND WE INCREASE THE FUNDING FOR DHS TO PAY FOR TREATMENT FOR INDIVIDUALS EXPERIENCING BOTH HOMELESSNESS AND OPIOID ADDICTION WHO ARE IDENTIFIED BY STREET OUTREACH WORKERS. THIS PROVIDES A LIFE LINE AND ONLY NEED THE FINANCIAL BARRIER ADDRESSED IN ORDER TO MAINTAIN RECOVERY. FINALLY, WE KNOW THAT MORE FUNDS ARE COMING AT A LATER DATE AND RECOMMEND YOU ADOPT THE PREVENTION TO SUPPORT THE SYSTEM OF CARE FOR CURRENT AND FUTURE SPENDING PLANS.
THE NEXT STEPS AS I JUST MENTIONED WOULD BE TO ADOPT THIS FRAMEWORK AND WITH THE APPROVAL OF STAFF RECOMMENDATIONS, THE PLAN TO UTILIZE OPIOID SETTLEMENT FUNDS WILL BE PRESENTED AT B SESSION TO CITY COUNCIL AS PART OF THE FISCAL YEAR 2024 THREE PLUS NINE FINANCIAL REPORT. A RESOLUTION WHICH RECOGNIZES DRUG OVERDOSES AS PUBLIC HEALTH CRISIS WILL BE DRAFTED TO REPORT BACK TO THE COMMUNITY HEALTH COMMITTEE IN MAY. THANK YOU FOR ALLOWING US THE TIME TO GIVE ENTHUSIASM PRESENTATION. THIS WAS A COMBINED EFFORT WITH THE CITY ATTORNEY'S OFFICE, BUDGET OFFICE, CITY MANAGER'S OFFICE AND WITH BEXAR COUNTY. WE ARE ALL HERE TO ANSWER QUESTIONS AND HEAR YOUR
DISCUSSION. >> CASTILLO: THANK YOU FOR THE PRESENTATION AS WELL TO ALL STAKEHOLDERS WHO HAVE BEEN DOING THE WORK AND MOVING IT FORWARD.
I INITIATED THIS COUNCIL CONSIDERATION REQUEST FOR A NUMBER OF REASONS.
AS A GENERATIONAL RESIDENT OF 78207 WHERE WE SEE THE HIGHEST AMOUNT OF OVERDOSES IN BEXAR COUNTY, I HAVE GROWN UP WITH CLOSE EXPOSURE TO STIMULANTS AND OPIOIDS, WHETHER IT'S LOVED ONES, NEIGHBORS, CLASSMATES, IT'S SOMETHING WE'VE SEEN PERSIST IN OUR COMMUNITY FOR AS FAR BACK AS I CAN REMEMBER. WE HAD A CONSTITUENT, ALBERT CAMPO, WHO CAME INTO OUR OFFICE ABOUT TWO YEARS AGO REALLY UPSET ASKING WHAT ARE WE DOING. WHY AREN'T WE DOING MORE AND WHERE IS THE COMPASSION.
I WANTED TO THANK ALBERT FOR COMING TO OUR OFFICE WITH A SOLUTION AND DESIRE FOR US TO DO BETTER AS WELL AS COUNCIL COLLEAGUES WHO SIGNED ON TO TO REQUEST AND GAVE GREAT RECOMMENDATIONS TO MAKE IT BETTER. I'M REALLY EXCITED AND PLEASED TO SEE THE RECOMMENDATIONS TO EXPAND THE MAT RESOURCES IN OUR COMMUNITY. I KNOW IT'S NOT THE END ALL BE ALL, BUT IT'S DEFINITELY A TOOL THAT WE NEED IN OUR COMMUNITY AND I WANTED TO THANK THE SAN ANTONIO FIRE DEPARTMENT FOR THE MOBILE INTEGRATED HEALTH UNIT AND ALL THE GREAT WORK THAT THEY DO IN SAVING LIVES. FURTHER, ON SLIDE 16, I'M PLEASED TO SEE THE DEDICATED FUNDING ON THE ISSUE FOR THE OPIOID SETTLEMENT DOLLARS. WE KNOW THAT THEY ARE PRIMARILY GRANT FUNDED AND TO THE POINT OF THE PRESENTATION WE NEED TO ENSURE THAT WE'RE ADDING ADDITIONAL DOLLARS AND NOT JUST REPLACING DOLLARS SO WE CAN CONTINUE TO PROVIDE MORE CARE TO COMMUNITY MEMBERS. WITH CAPACITY BUILDING FOR CARE INFRASTRUCTURE, WITH SLIDE 13 AND 14, I WANTED TO FOCUS ON BUILDING CAPACITY AND PROMOTING A CONTINUUM OF CARE. AS WE KNOW WITH ISSUES OF SUBSTANCE USE, PEOPLE STRUGGLING WITH ADDICTION NEED STABLE HOUSING AND BASIC NEEDS MET IN ORDER TO RECEIVE CARE AND TREATMENT FOR MENTAL HEALTH AND OTHER SUPPORTIVE SERVICES. AND OUR TEAM HAS BEEN IN CONVERSATION WITH A NUMBER OF COMMUNITY STAKEHOLDERS LIKE BE WELL, AND I SEE MARIA HERE AS WELL, A NUMBER OF COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS THAT PROVIDE THAT HARM REDUCTION CARE OUT IN THE COMMUNITY. AND THEY'VE BEEN ABLE TO BRIEF US ON WHAT SOME OF THOSE GAPS ARE AND I'M PLEASED TO SEE CITY STAFF HAS ALSO IDENTIFIED SIMILAR GAPS AND IDENTIFIED WHERE WE NEED TO CONTINUE TO STRENGTHEN THOSE RELATIONSHIPS TO PROVIDE THAT CONTINUUM OF CARE. AND I THINK IT'S TIMELY THAT WE'RE DISCUSSING THIS TODAY BECAUSE OUR B SESSION ITEM OVERLAPS WITH WHAT WE'RE DISCUSSING TODAY. I WILL TURN IT OVER TO MY COLLEAGUES IF YOU COULD SIGNAL AND I'LL GET YOU IN THE CUE. COUNCILWOMAN ALDERETE
GAVITO. >> GAVITO: THANK YOU, OCCASION.
THIS WAS GREAT. THANK YOU FOR THE -- CHAIR. AND ALSO THANK YOU TO COUNCILMEMBER CASTILLO FOR PUTTING FORTH THE CCR. I THINK THERE'S GOING TO BE A LOT OF GREAT THINGS THAT COME FROM THIS. A COUPLE OF QUICK QUESTIONS.
ARE THERE ANY CURRENT PLACE FOR PREGNANT PEOPLE OR NEW
MOTHER WITH OPIOID ADDICTION? >> YES, THERE ARE.
[00:30:07]
IN THE COMMUNITY WE HAVE BOTH UNIVERSITY HEALTH HAS A WHOLE CLINIC FOR WOMEN EXPERIENCING ALL DIFFERENT KINDS OF AADDITIONS AND PREGNANT AND BABIES WHO ARE BORN WITH THOSE AADDITIONS A LOT OF TIMES WE HEAR ABOUT OPIOIDS, OBVIOUSLY IT'S A PREVALENT ADDICTION, BUT ALSO IT HAS A PRETTY GOOD ANECDOTE WITH NARCAN AND ALSO HAS GOOD TREATMENT WITH OTHER DRUGS. THERE ARE BABIES BORN ADDICTED TO METH, ADDICTED TO ALCOHOL AND UNIVERSITY HEALTH TAKES CARE OF THOSE BABIES IN THE IMMEDIATE -- YOU KNOW, THROUGH THE PREGNANCY CARE.THEN THERE ARE U.T. HEALTH, CROSSPOINT AND CENTER FOR HEALTH CARE SERVICES SUPPORT MOTHERS LIVING WITH THEIR BABIES IN TREATMENT AFTER THAT THROUGH PROGRAMS THAT
THEY HAVE, RESIDENTIAL PROGRAMS EVEN. >> GAVITO: THAT'S GOOD TO KNOW. DO WE HAVE AN ESTIMATE FOR NUMBER OF BABIES BORN IN
SAN ANTONIO WITH AN ADDICTION? >> WE CAN GET THAT FOR YOU.
IT'S OUT THERE. >> GAVITO: AWESOME. AND DO WE HAVE -- I WAS CURIOUS ABOUT THE DATA THAT WE MAY HAVE ON OVERDOSE -- OVERDOSE DEATHS OF PREGNANT
PEOPLE OR PEOPLE WITH CHILDREN. >> WE CAN LOOK INTO THAT
TOO. >> GAVITO: I WAS CURIOUS IF THE CITY HAS ANY DEPARTMENTS ALREADY UTILIZING NARCAN OR HAVE DIFFERENT PROGRAMS IN PLACE.
OBVIOUSLY ASIDE FROM THE FIRE DEPARTMENT. >> NOT AWARE OF ANYTHING -- OUR METRO HEALTH CLINICS THAT ARE PROBABLY RECEIVING THE PUBLIC AND OUR MEDICAL ARE MUST GO IT. I'M NOT -- USING IT. I'M NOT SURE IF OTHER
DEPARTMENTS ARE. >> GAVITO: I'M CURIOUS HOW WE'RE GOING TO DETERMINE WHICH COMMUNITY-BASED NON-PROFITS WOULD RECEIVE NARCAN THROUGH THIS PROGRAM
OR HAS THAT BEEN ESTABLISHED? >> NO, IT HASN'T AND THAT'S SOMETHING WE CAN HAVE DISCUSSION WITH HERE OR WE CAN HAVE DISCUSSIONS WITH COMMUNITY PARTNERS. THE CCR CALLED FOR SPECIFICALLY ALSO COSA, FRONT WARD-FACING DEPARTMENTS, I'M THINKING CONVENTION CENTER, PARKS, ANYONE OUT THERE INTERACTING WITH PEOPLE, WHICH IS MOST OF US, RIGHT? GETTING IN A OUT THERE AND GETTING THE ACCESS AND THE TRAINING.
THE NON-PROFITS WE COULD DO IT, YOU KNOW, BY WAY OF JUST APPLICATION IF PEOPLE JUST WANT THESE PLACES. NARCAN IS BEING USED MORE AND MORE, NOT THAT WE NECESSARILY GIVE IT TO SCHOOLS, BUT IT'S BEING USED MORE AND MORE WITH YOUTH AND TEENS AND I'M THINKING ABOUT ALL THE DELEGATE AGENCIES THROUGH DHS.
WE HAVE A HUGE NETWORK OF PEOPLE WHO COULD APPLY AND WE CAN HELP WITH THAT
SUPPLY. >> GAVITO: THERE WAS A REALLY -- SORRY, I'M A PODCAST JUNKIE. THERE WAS A REALLY GOOD EPISODE ON THIS AMERICAN LIFE LIKE THE CALL AND IT WAS ABOUT NEVER USE ALONE, A NON-PROFIT, A NATIONAL NON-PROFIT FOR PEOPLE TO NEVER USE DRUGS ALONE IN CASE THEY DO OVERDOSE, THEY ARE ON A CALL WITH SOMEONE, THEY CAN DISPATCH A PLANS. IT WAS A FASCINATING STORY OF ALL THESE PEOPLE INTERCONNECTED, KIND OF ON THE EAST COAST.
BUT I DEFINITELY RECOMMEND A LISTEN. BUT ONE OF THE STORY LINES, YOU KNOW, THEY TREATED AN OVERDOSE WITH NARCAN, AND THEN WHEN ONE OF THE PEOPLE INVOLVED WAS DETOXING, THAT'S A WHOLE OTHER SEGMENT IN AND OF ITSELF.
I WAS CURIOUS ON PREVENTION, HARM REDUCTION, TREATMENT AND RECOVERY, HOW MUCH ARE WE FOCUSING ON DETOX? I'M NOT SURE THAT'S THE RIGHT TERM.
>> NO, IT IS THE RIGHT TERM. DETOX WOULD BE IN BETWEEN HARM REDUCTION AND -- THE CENTER FOR HEALTH CARE SERVICES DOES PROVIDE FREE AND NO-COST DETOX TO PEOPLE WHO ARE UNINSURED AND UNDER INSURED AND OUR OUTREACH WORKERS NETWORK IS ACTIVELY ALWAYS WORKING WITH THEM TO GET PEOPLE IN. THEN OTHER DEFOX IS -- DETOX IS PROVIDED AS E.R. WE HAVE SOURCES FOR UNINSURED AND UNDER INSURED.
>> GAVITO: I'M ALSO CURIOUS, THIS IS ANOTHER TANGENT, WHAT OUR SUCCESS RATE FOR DETOX IS. HOW MANY PEOPLE ARE ABLE TO GET OFF AND STAY OFF AND WHAT WE'RE LEARNING FROM THERE AND THAT WE COULD SHARE WITH OTHER
NON-PROFITS. >> YEAH, SO WITHOUT BUILDING OUT THE REST OF THE TREATMENT AND RECOVERY PIECES, OUR SUCCESS RATE WILL ALWAYS BE LOWER THAN WHAT IT COULD BE. AND IT'S HARD TO FIND FAULT WITH INDIVIDUAL PROVIDERS WHETHER, YOU KNOW, WE'RE MISSING THE HOUSING PIECE AND MISSING OTHER MEDICATION --
>> GAVITO: ALL THE TRIGGERS. ONE MORE QUESTION, IF I MAY.
IT WAS GREAT TO SEE THE COUNTY'S INVESTMENT. I'M CURIOUS WHY THEY HAVEN'T
[00:35:08]
ACTIVATED SO MUCH OF THOSE FUNDS. >> YES, I KNOW A LITTLE BIT AND THEY WERE MAYBE GOING TO COME. SO THE COUNTY RECEIVED ARPA FUNDING ACTUALLY MORE THAN WE DID AND IT'S STILL IN THE PROCESS OF PUTTING OUT ARPA FUNDING WHICH HAS A TIME LIMIT ON IT. THIS IS VERY MUCH ON TOP OF THEIR MIND AND ACTUALLY WE HAVE A LOT OF CONVERSATIONS ABOUT HOW WE ARE AND COULD BE WORKING TOGETHER AND SPENDING FORECASTS. THAT IS MAIN DRIVER INTO
WHY. >> GAVITO: WE'VE JUST GOT TO PUT FIRE UNDER THEIR
BUTTS? >> THEY ARE ON FIRE. >> GAVITO: THANK YOU FOR
THE PRESENTATION. THANK YOU, CHAIR. >> CASTILLO: COUNCILMEMBER
ROCHA GARCIA. >> GARCIA: THANK YOU, CHAIR AND THANK YOU TO JESSE AND CLAUDE. WE APPRECIATE ALL THE WORK YOU DO.
THANK YOU TO MY COLLEAGUE CHAIR CASTILLO. COMMUNITY HEALTH AND SAFETY IS ALWAYS TOP OF MIND AND I APPRECIATE YOU BRINGING THIS UP.
LAST OCTOBER THE D4 TEAM AND I LEARNED HOW TO SAVE LIVES BY USING NARCAN.
AND SO WE WANTED TO ENSURE WE ARE PREPARED TO RESPOND IN CASE OF AN EMERGENCY.
AND I WANT TO THANK SPECIFICALLY THE SAN ANTONIO COUNCIL ON ALCOHOL AND DRUGS AWARENESS AND CIRCLES OF SAN ANTONIO COALITION BECAUSE THEY LED US DOWN THIS REALLY INFORMATIVE TRAINING. IT'S FASTER THAN YOU THINK.
WHEN YOU HEAR TRAINING, YOU MIGHT BE A LITTLE SCARED, BUT IT WAS SPECIFICALLY ON IDENTIFYING THE SIGNS OF FENTANYL OVERDOSE AND THE STEPS WHEN YOU ADMINISTER NARCAN. AND SO I WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT ALL OF OUR COUNCIL OFFICES ARE ABLE TO, SO I HAD ASKED EMILY, OUR LIAISON, IF WE COULD CONSIDER HAVING TRAINING OPEN TO ALL COUNCIL OFFICES AND SPECIFICALLY THE LGC STAFF. WE DID THIS WITH STOP THE BLEED TRAINING AND IT MIGHT BE NICE TO PACKAGE THAT TOGETHER. I'LL LET YOU ALL KNOW THAT THEY LEFT BEHIND SONAR CAN BOXES FOR US -- SOME NARCAN BOXES FOR US.
EN MY KID, HE SAID MAN, I WISH ALL OF OUR FRIENDS COULD GET TRAINED ON THAT BECAUSE WE ARE OUT AND THEY ARE GOING OUT REALISTICALLY. SO I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT TO ALSO CONSIDER COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIES AND HOW WE'RE TRAINING THEM.
AND I TEACH AT A UNIVERSITY SO I KNOW OUR STUDENTS ARE READY AND WILLING TO STEP IN. AND I HAD SIMILAR QUESTIONS TO THE COUNCILWOMAN ALDERETE GAVITO BECAUSE I WAS WONDERING HOW SUCCESSFUL BEXAR COUNTY HAD BEEN WITH THE NEW POLICY. AND IT SOUNDS LIKE THERE'S STILL SOME WORK TO DO OR SOMETIME TO SPEND SOME FUNDING, BUT I'M HAPPY THEY ARE TRYING TO WORK THROUGH IT. I DO HAVE SOME DISTRICT-SPECIFIC QUESTIONS, BUT THIS IS OFF LINE WHEN YOU GET A CHANCE. I WANTED TO SEE IF WE COULD HAVE DISTRICT BY DISTRICT OPIOID-RELATED OVERDOSES AND SPECIFICALLY WHAT DISTRICTS HAVE THE MOST ONES. AND I THINK I HAD SEEN THAT INFORMATION, BUT I DON'T REMEMBER WHERE EXACTLY, BUT MAYBE AN UPDATE ON THAT INFORMATION.
AND THEN HOW WE CAN WORK TOGETHER ON THE PREVENTION, TRAINING AND OUTREACH RECOVERY AND ADMINISTRATION, BUT IN JOINT PARTNERSHIP WITH THE COUNTY.
I ALSO WANTED TO SEE IF WE HAVE RATES OF RESPONSE RATES FOR EMS DURING AN OPIOID OVERDOSE. YOU ALL KNOW I KEEP TALKING ABOUT THIS, BUT THE CLOSURE OF THE HOSPITAL ON THE SOUTH SIDE HAS INCREASED THE RESPONSE TIME FOR RESIDENTS THAT ARE IN THE SOUTH. AND SO BUT OVERALL I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT BECAUSE FROM MY UNDERSTANDING BRAIN DAMAGE CAN OCCUR WITHIN THOSE FIRST FOUR MINUTES.
I JUST FEEL LIKE EVERYBODY SHOULD BE TRAINED AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE.
AND I'M ALSO WONDERING IF BECAUSE OF THAT, IS IT POSSIBLE TO MAKE MAYBE COUNCIL OFFICES OR LIBRARIES HAVE ACCESS TO THIS OR MAYBE EVEN HAVE SAFE DISPOSAL SITES? I FIGURED A LOT OF THIS MIGHT BE RISK-MANAGEMENT RELATED OR CITY ATTORNEY RELATED BUT THAT'S WHERE I'M THINKING, LIKE HOW CAN WE HAVE MORE ACCESSIBILITY FOR PEOPLE WHO ALREADY KNOW THAT THIS IS A PUBLIC PLACE AND THEY MIGHT BE ABLE TO SEEK HELP THERE. THOSE ARE ALL MY COMMENTS
AND QUESTIONS. THANK YOU, CHAIR. >> CASTILLO: COUNCILMAN
DR. KAUR. >> KAUR: THANK YOU FOR THE PRESENTATION AND GREAT FIRST PRESENTATION. YOU DID A WONDERFUL JOB. I HAVE A COUPLE OF QUESTIONS ON THE FUNDING PIECE. CAN WE GO TO THE SLIDE THAT SHOWS THE BEXAR COUNTY FUNDING? DO WE KNOW HOW THEY DECIDED WHERE THESE ORGANIZATIONS OR HOW THIS MONEY WAS GOING TO BE DISBURSED AND IS THIS THE REMAINDER OF THE MONEY
[00:40:04]
COUNCILMAN ALDERETE GAVITO WAS ASKING ABOUT WHY IT HASN'T BEEN DISBURSEDYESTERDAY? >> BEXAR COUNTY HAS LED SOME FORCES ABOUT OPIOID AND SUBSTANCE USE NEEDS AND DOLLARS. THE COUNTY HAS A LITTLE MORE AUTHORITY WHETHER IT COMES TO MENTAL HEALTH. THE COUNTY ALSO BECAUSE THE JAIL AND COURT SYSTEM IS UNDER THEIR PURVIEW HAS A VESTED INTEREST IN THESE FOLKS GETTING THE HELP THAT THEY NEED. AND SO THE 1.6 MILLION THAT THEY HAVE ACTUALLY ALREADY USED WENT TO A POSITION, SO A SUBSTANCE USE COORDINATOR INTERNAL. IT WENT TO ABOUT $47,000 OF IN IN A LOCKS SON PURCHASE APPS. AND THEN IT WE KNOW TO $1.5 MILLION TO AN ORGANIZATION CALLED CROSSPOINT WHICH HOSTS A WOMEN'S WELLNESS CAMPUS WHICH IS WHERE I WAS TALKING ABOUT WHERE WOMEN AND THEIR CHILDREN CAN LIVE AND GET SUBSTANCE USE TREATMENT SUPPORTED THROUGH U.T.
HEALTH SCHOOL OF NURSING. SO THEY'VE BEEN DOING MORE OF THESE COMMUNITY INPUT SESSIONS AND LOOKING AT THEIR OWN NEEDS WITH THEIR OWN POSITION IN THE
SHERIFF'S OFFICE, AND THEN SOME IN THE COMMUNITY. >> KAUR: BUT THE REST OF THAT LIKE ON SLIDE 8, THAT 12 MILLION STILL HAS TO BE DISBURSED.
>> THAT'S CORRECT. >> KAUR: THE 1.3, IS THAT FOR THE PROPOSED PROGRAM YOU
MENTIONED. >> YES. IF YOU WANT TO GO TO
SLIDE -- >> KAUR: I THINK THAT'S 17.
>> SLIDE 19 MAYBE. IF YOU -- WE HAVE ABOUT 1.4 MILLION NOW AND WE CAN USE IT TO ADDRESS THESE ISSUES. WEB ALSO USE IT TO ADDRESS THESE ISSUES OVER A COUPLE OF YEARS KNOWING OVER THE NEXT 17 YEARS OF PAYMENTS WE'RE GOING TO GET LESS THAN $300,000 A YEAR. IT'S A TRICKLE THAT'S COMING IN. AND WE ACTUALLY WOULD RECOMMEND THAT WE PLAN FOR A PORTION OF IT AND THAT WAY WE HAVE SOME IN RESERVE THAT AS NEEDS BECOME MORE ACUTE
OR NEEDS CHANGE, WE'RE ABLE TO ADDRESS THEM. >> KAUR: GOT IT.
CAN WE GO TO THE STAFF RECOMMENDATION SLIDE? I THINK MY NUMBERS ARE
DIFFERENT THAN THE ONES -- >> IS IT NEXT STEPS? >> KAUR: NOPE.
>> THIS ONE? >> KAUR: OH, I GUESS MY -- >>
>> KAUR: I DON'T HAVE THOSE. WHAT I WAS LOOKING FOR WAS THE ONE THAT TALKS ABOUT THE COSTS. WE HAVE 60K FOR A STAFFER AND 400K FOR CONTRACTUAL. CAN YOU TELL ME A LITTLE ABOUT WHAT THE CONTRACTUAL SERVICES ARE GOING TO BE USED FOR AND HOW THAT NUMBER WAS COMING UP WITH?
>> FOR THIS WE WOULD HAVE TO DEVELOP A COLLABORATIVE AND THAT'S WHAT THE STAFF MEMBER WOULD HELP TO DO. BUT IN ORDER TO ACTUALLY PILOT A MODEL AND DO THE WORK OF HARM REDUCTION AND GET OUT THERE ON THE STREETS AND WORK WITH PEOPLE, THAT'S WHERE THE CONTRACTUAL PIECE WOULD COME IN WITH ORGANIZATIONS DOING THIS WORK BUT ARE AGREEING TO LOOK AT HOW WE CAN DO IT BETTER AND BE MORE
COORDINATED ACROSS OUR COMMUNITY. >> KAUR: THAT'S MAINLY FOR
COMMUNITY PARTNERS THEN. >> THAT'S CORRECT. >> KAUR: THANK YOU, SHARE.
>> CASTILLO: COUNCILMEMBER VIAGRAN. >> VIAGRAN: THANK YOU.
SO THIS ITEM IS FOR BRIEFING TODAY. WHEN CAN WE -- WHEN WILL THIS COMMITTEE MOVE THIS FORWARD SO WE CAN GET THIS PROGRAM STARTED?
DO WE HAVE A TIME LINE? >> YES, SO WE WERE HOPING THAT WE COULD MOVE AN ACTUAL PLAN FOR YOU ALL COUNCIL TO CONSIDER IN FEBRUARY WITH THE THREE PLUS NINE.
MOVING IT TO THAT FINANCIAL PIECE WHERE NOW WE'RE GETTING TO IMPLEMENT AND
SPEND THE MONEY. >> VIAGRAN: I DIDN'T WANT TO WAIT FOR BUDGET.
THANK YOU. THREE PLUS NINE IS GREAT TO MOVE IT.
I DO WANT TO THANK COUNCILMEMBER CASTILLO AND GIVINGS ME THE OPPORTUNITY TO SIGN ON TO THIS CCR. GET REPORTS FROM NEIGHBORS ABOUT INDIVIDUALS OVERDOSING IN PARKS. HAVING TO CALL -- JUST THE TRAUMA THAT'S THERE.
SO I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT THAT WE MOVE AND WE MOVE SWIFTLY.
AND I'M HOPING THAT WE WILL GET OUR ENTIRE COUNCIL'S SUPPORT ON THIS.
AS A CITY AND THE STATE ARE WORKING TOGETHER TO HOLD CERTAIN ENTITIES ACCOUNTABLE FOR THE OPIOID CRISIS, I THINK THERE'S SOME THINGS WE NEED TO TAKE INTO CONSIDERATION THAT WE MAY ALSO NEED TO LOOK AT AND POSSIBLY IN THIS COMMITTEE IS OUR LEGISLATIVE AGENDA. BECAUSE I DO NOT THINK THAT SOME OF THE DOCTORS THAT ARE WRITING THESE PRESCRIPTIONS ARE BEING HELD ACCOUNTABLE FOR WHAT THEY ARE DOING, AND THEN WHERE IS THAT ACCOUNTABILITY TO THOSE THAT ARE -- ARE CONTINUE TO GO
[00:45:03]
LET THIS HAPPEN BECAUSE WE KNOW IT'S STILL HAPPENING. SO IF WE COULD TAKE A LOOK AT THAT. AND THEN IF WE COULD JUST ALSO AS WE IMPLEMENT THE PROGRAM, IF YOU COULD PROVIDE INFORMATION ABOUT HOW WE'RE GOING TO KEEP THE DATA IN TERMS OF AGES, THE PROVIDERS OF WHERE THEY ARE GETTING THIS.IF IT IS OFF THE STREET OR IF IT IS DOCTORS OR PILL MILLS, BECAUSE I KNOW THAT WAS HUGE IN SOME AREAS THAT ARE GETTING THIS, THIS IS WHERE THEY ARE GETTING THIS AND WHERE THEY ARE CONTINUING. ADRIANA AND TERI AND I WERE PART OF THE WALK FOR THE ANGEL MOMS ON FENTANYL POISONING.
AND I THINK WE TOOK ONE MINOR STEP TO WORK WITH THE STATE IN UNDERSTANDING JUST HOW HARD IT IS FOR OUR COMMUNITY HERE IN SAN ANTONIO, BUT I THINK ANOTHER THING WE NEED TO DO IS CONTINUE TO PROMOTE THE SUCCESS WE HAVE WITH THIS PROGRAM AT THE STATE LEVEL SO THEY CAN CONTINUE TO PROVIDE MORE FUNDS FOR THIS.
BECAUSE I THINK WE, UNFORTUNATELY, ARE GOING TO CONTINUE -- WITH THE NUMBERS YOU PROVIDED AS THEY ARE RISING, WE'RE GOING TO CONTINUE TO SEE JUST A MEANS OF HAVING TO HAVE LAWSUITS AND HAVING TO GET FUNDS SO THAT WE CAN GET PEOPLE INTO RECOVERY. AND THE ONE THING I THINK WE CANNOT LOSE IS THAT, ONE, WE'RE DEALING WITH A CRISIS, BUT RECOVERY IS OUT THERE AND PEOPLE CAN HAVE A LIFE OUTSIDE OF THEIR ADDICTION, AND I THINK WE NEED TO STRESS THAT AS WE CONTINUE TO BREAK THE STIGMA HERE. THANK YOU FOR ALL YOUR WORK. I LOOK FORWARD TO HEARING U MOVE THIS IN OUR LEGISLATIVE PRIORITIES BOTH AT THE FEDERAL AND THE STATE
LEVEL. THANK YOU. >> CASTILLO: THANK YOU.
HEARING THE CONVERSATION WHAT I HEAR IS THE URGENCY TO CONTINUE TO PARTNER WITH THE CITY ON MANY OF THESE ISSUES AND I UNDERSTAND THERE WAS A JOINT TASK FORCE IN THE PAST. BUT THERE'S JUST A DIRE NEED AND I HAD AN OPPORTUNITY TO TOUR THE TRAVIS COUNTY JAIL DIVERSION PROGRAM WHICH WAS DONE IN COLLABORATION WITH TRAVIS COUNTY AND HOUSTON, THE CITY OF HOUSTON. AND IT PROVIDES ADDITIONAL DEPOX BIDS, A QUICKER THE LOCATION AND THE CARE. IT'S IN A LOCATION WHERE THERE'S NOT MANY VICES.
AND IT'S JUST -- IT LOOKS LIKE A DORMITORY. I WAS VERY SURPRISED WHEN I WALKED THROUGH THE CAMPUS TO SEE WHAT I SAW AND I'M HOPEFUL THIS IS SOMETHING THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO AND BEXAR COUNTY CAN MOVE FORWARD.
AND I KNOW SHERIFF SALVAGED -- LA STAR HAS AN APPETITE FOR THAT AS WELL.
ANY MORE COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS ON THIS ITEM? GREAT.
THANK YOU ALL. WE CAN NOW MOVE ON TO ITEM 3.
>> GOOD MORNING, COUNCILMEMBERS. MY NAME IS DR. JENNIFER MATA, DIRECTOR OF DIVERSITY, EQUITY, INCLUSION AND ACCESSIBILITY.
IT IS AN HONOR TO BE WITH YOU AND PRESENT ON THIS VERY IMPORTANT WORK.
DIA BELIEVES THAT ALL MEMBERS OF OUR COMMUNITY SHOULD BE RESPECTED AND ALL MEMBERS OF OUR COMMUNITY SHOULD BE INCLUDED WITH THE FULLNESS OF THEIR HUMANITY.
THIS INITIATIVE HAS BEEN UNDERWAY FOR THE PAST THREE MAYORAL ADMINISTRATIONS.
WE ARE PLEASED TO HAVE IT COME BEFORE YOU TODAY. I WOULD LIKE TO THANK MEMBERS OF MY STAFF WHO HAVE DEDICATED HOURS OF WORK TO THIS INITIATIVE.
I WOULD ESPECIALLY LIKE TO THANK SAMANTHA SMITH, CIVIL RIGHTS MANAGER AND OUR EQUITY MANAGER FOR ALL THE LONG, COUNTLESS HOURS THEY HAVE PUT IN TO BRING THIS TO YOU TODAY. WITH THAT SAID, I WOULD LIKE TO PRESENT SAMANTHA SMITH.
>> GOOD AFTERNOON, COUNCILWOMAN. [LAUGHTER] AS DR. MATA SAID, MY NAME IS SAMANTHA SMITH, SHE, HER PRONOUNCE, CIVIL RIGHTS MANAGER FOR DEPARTMENT OF DIVERSITY AND ACCESSIBILITY, DEIA.
TODAY I'M PRESENTING A PROPOSAL FOR A NEW FORMALIZED BOARD.
THIS IS THE LESBIAN, GAY, BY SEXUAL, TRANSGENDER, YEAR PLUS ADVISORY BOARD.
THIS WILL ALLOW FOR THE COMMUNITY MAYORAL AD HOC ADVISORY COMMITTEE TO HAVE A CITYWIDE SPRAYS FOR DIRECT REPRESENTATION FOR OUR LGBTQ+ COMMUNITIES IN THE CITY. THE ITEMS IDENTIFIED IN THIS ADVISORY BOARD PRESENTATION
[00:50:04]
COME DIRECTLY FROM THE CURRENT COMMITTEE MEMBERS. THEY HAVE IDENTIFIED SPECIFIC PIECES AND IT'S REALLY WITH THEIR VOICE WE ARE PRESENTING THIS TODAY.SO THE PROPOSAL THAT WE ARE -- THAT WE HAVE FOR THE MAKE JUNE OF THE ADVISORY BOARD, WE ARE LOOKING AT HAVING 13 TOTAL MEMBERS. THERE WILL BE THREE MAYORAL APPOINTMENTS AND THEN TEN APPOINTMENTS FROM EACH COUNCIL DISTRICT.
SO WE WANTED TO HAVE THREE APPOINTMENTS, THREE MAYORAL APPOINTMENTS FOR TWO REASONS. FIRST OF ALL, WE WANTED TO HONOR THE HISTORY AND THE IMPORTANCE OF HAVING DIRECT REPRESENTATION IN THE MAYOR'S OFFICE STARTING WITH MAYOR JULIAN CASTRO'S ADMINISTRATION BACK IN 2013, AND THEN ALSO WE WANTED TO ALLOW FOR MORE DIVERSITY IN THE APPOINTMENTS WITHOUT LIMITING THE ABILITY FOR EACH COUNCIL DISTRICT TO BE ABLE TO APPOINT THEIR OWN REPRESENTATIVES ON THE BOARD. AS YOU CAN SEE HAVING DIVERSITY IN THE APPOINTMENTS IS GOING TO BE INCREDIBLY IMPORTANT. WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THE MEMBERS OF THIS COMMITTEE REFLECT THE CHALLENGES AND CONCERNS OF THE LGBTQ+ COMMUNITIES HERE IN THE CITY. WE'RE ALSO EXPLICITLY ENCOURAGING BROADLY DIVERSE MEMBERSHIP NOT JUST AMONG SEXUAL ORIENTATION, GENDER EXPRESSION, BUT ALSO LOOKING AT DIVERSITY AMONG RACE, ETHNICITY, NATIONAL OR BEGIN, ABILITY, ALL SORTS OF AREAS WE WANT TO MAKE SURE ARE TRULY REFLECTIVE OF OUR COMMUNITY. WE ALSO WANT TO ASK IN THE ORDINANCE THERE WILL BE EXPLICIT INCLUSION FOR MEMBERS MONTH ARE REFLECTIVE AND SENSITIVE TO THE NEEDS OF THE LGBTQ+ COMMUNITIES DIVERSE POPULATIONS. LOOKING AT PEOPLE WHO HAVE EXPERIENCE WORKING IN THE MENTAL HEALTH FIELD, FOR INSTANCE, OR OTHER CAREGIVERS IN THE COMMUNITY. SO THE PURPOSE THAT WE ARE PROPOSING FOR THE ADVISORY BOARD IS, OF COURSE, ADVISORY IN NATURE TO CITY COUNCIL AND THE CITY.
WE'RE LOOKING AT THEM MAKING SPECIFIC RECOMMENDATIONS TO IMPROVE THE LIVES FOR LGBTQ+ SAN ANTONIANS. THEY ALSO WOULD LIKE TO COORDINATE AND PARTICIPATE IN EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS. WE ALSO WANTED TO CALL OUT WORK SPECIFICALLY WITH OTHER COMMISSIONS TO ADDRESS ISSUES OF INTERSECTIONALITY, MAKING SURE THERE IS THAT CONVERSATION BETWEEN THIS COMMITTEE AND BOARD AND OTHERS SO WE CAN ACCOUNT FOR ALL THOSE DIFFERENT IDENTITIES THAT ARE HERE IN THE CITY.
LASTLY, THEY WILL CREATE, GUIDE AND SUPPORT CITY INITIATIVES THAT ARE GOING TO CONTINUE TO DO THIS WORK. THE STRUCTURE THAT WE'RE PROPOSING IS THAT THERE WILL BE A CHAIR AND VICE CHAIR THAT ARE ELECTED DIRECTLY FROM THE COMMITTEE MEMBERS.
AND THEN OTHERWISE IT WILL JUST FOLLOW THE GUIDELINES OF THE CITY CHARTER.
SO THE EXISTING COMMITTEE RECOMMENDED SOME SPECIFIC EVENTS IN SAN ANTONIO'S LGBTQ+ HISTORY TO MAKE SURE INCLUDED IN THE PREAMBLE FOR THE ORDINANCE.
FIRST THE PASSAGE OF THE NON-DISCRIMINATION ORDINANCE IN 2013.
THIS WAS AN OPPORTUNITY FOR THE CITY TO INCLUDE EXPLICIT PROHIBITIONS AGAINST DISCRIMINATION FOR PERSONS BASED ON SEXUAL ORIENTATION AND GENDER IDENTITY.
NEXT WE TALK ABOUT THE REPRESENTATION FOR THE LGBTQ+ COMMUNITY WITHIN THE MAYOR'S OFFICE. STARTING, OF COURSE, WITH MAYOR CASTRO'S ADMINISTRATION AND THEN MOVING THROUGH TO THE CURRENT COMMITTEE ESTABLISHED BY MAYOR NIRENBERG. ONE OF THE AMAZING THINGS ABOUT THIS CURRENT COMMITTEE IS THAT UNLIKE THE PREVIOUS ITERATIONS, EACH MEMBER OF THIS COMMITTEE HAD TO APPLY AND BE INTERVIEWED AND WAS SELECTED DIRECTLY FROM MEMBERS OF THE COMMUNITY. HAVING A FORMALIZED BOARD WILL HAVE THAT SAME KIND OF OPPORTUNITY WHERE WE HAVE THE MEMBERS APPLYING THAT WANT TO BE PART OF IT THAT HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO BE REPRESENTED ON THIS BOARD. WE ALSO TALK ABOUT THE OWNING OF THE CENTER. SO THE CENTER REALLY CREATED AN OPPORTUNITY FOR THE PRIDE CENTER SAN ANTONIO WHERE LGBTQ+ MEMBERS OF THE COMMUNITY COULD COME TO A PLACE TO BE ABLE TO ACCESS RESOURCES AND REFERRALS AND CASE MANAGEMENT THAT WAS SO DESPERATELY NEEDED IN THE COMMUNITY. LASTLY, WE TALK ABOUT THE LARGEST EVER SURVEY CONDUCTED OF LGBTQ+ INDIVIDUALS IN SAN ANTONIO IN 2020. THIS WAS DONE THROUGH THE STRENGTHENING COLORS OF PRIDE PROJECT. THAT'S A COLLABORATION BETWEEN THE CENTER AND TRINITY UNIVERSITY. THEY RELEASED A SURVEY THE STATE OF OUR COMMUNITY SURVEY THAT REALLY HELPED IDENTIFY SPECIFIC INITIATIVES AND THINGS
[00:55:01]
NEEDED IN THE COMMUNITY TO CONTINUE TO SUPPORT ALL OF OUR RESIDENTS.WE ALSO WANTED TO MENTION THAT THE CITY HAS SCORED CONSISTENTLY THE FULL 100 POINTS AVAILABLE ON THE HUMAN RIGHTS CAMPAIGN FOUNDATION MUNICIPAL EQUALITY INDEX. FOR THE SIXTH YEAR IN A ROW, WE HAVE BEEN RECOGNIZED FOR THE INCLUSIVITY IN OUR CITY POLICIES AND PROCEDURES ALONG WITH THE REPRESENTATION WE HAVE DIRECTLY IN OUR CITY COUNCIL.
THERE'S ALSO SOME SPECIFIC POLICIES AND INITIATIVES THAT THE GROUP HAS ALREADY BEEN WORKING ON THAT WE WANTED TO IDENTIFY. SO SPECIFICALLY SOME OF THE ADVOCACY AROUND HAVING GENDER NEUTRAL RESTROOMS IN CITY BUILDINGS.
WE ALSO WANTED TO TALK ABOUT THE TOWN HALL THAT THE COMMITTEE WAS ABLE TO PUT TOGETHER WITH THE MAYOR AND THE COMMUNITY TO LISTEN TO SOME OF THE NEEDS FROM THE COMMUNITY. AND THEN FINALLY THE CITY MANAGER'S DISPLAY OF THE SAN ANTONIO PRIDE FLAG OVER CITY HALL DURING THE MONTH OF PRIDE -- DURING THE MONTH OF JUNE IN CELEBRATION OF PRIDE MONTH, DONE IN COORDINATION WITH THE ADVOCACY DIRECTLY FROM THIS GROUP. SO THE TIME LINE, TODAY JANUARY 4TH, WE HAVE THE PRESENTATION. -- 24TH.
WE ARE GOING TO BE ASKING THIS COMMITTEE TO APPROVE AND REFER THIS ITEM TO A FULL A SESSION AND THEN HAVE THAT AVAILABLE ON THE NEXT A SESSION THAT IS GOING TO BE AVAILABLE. AS SOON AS THAT IS PASSED, ASSUMING IT IS BY FULL COUNCIL, THEN APPOINTMENTS WOULD BE ABLE TO HAPPEN IMMEDIATELY FOLLOWING THE PASSAGE. AND THAT IS IT SO THANK YOU ALL.
I'M HERE FOR QUESTIONS IF YOU HAVE THEM. >> CASTILLO: GREAT.
THANK YOU FOR THE PRESENTATION. I WANTED TO BE SURE I RECOGNIZE MARIA WHO IS A CIVIL RIGHTS CHAMPION. IF YOU HAD A COUPLE
COMMENTS, I DON'T KNOW IF YOU WANTED TO MAKE ANY. >> THANK YOU.
I'LL MAKE A FEW COMMENTS. MAY I INVITE REVEREND BROWN TO STAND UP AS WELL.
THANK YOU FOR THE INVITATION TO SPEAK. I AM LESBIAN, MY PRONOUNCE ARE SHE, HER, THEY AND THEM. I HAVE BEEN A RESIDENT OF THE CITY FOR ABOUT 30 YEARS NOW. I AM AFFILIATED WITH VARIOUS LGBTQ+ GROUPS AND HAVE WORKED WITH VARIOUS ORGANIZATIONS INCLUDING THE ESPERANZA PEACE AND JUSTICE CENTER, STONEWALL DEMOCRATS AND ONE OF THE ORIGINAL MEMBERS FOR THE LGBTQ+ ADVISORY COMMITTEE WHICH FORMED IN ABOUT 2018. THIS IS A GREAT HISTORY THAT WAS PROVIDED AND WHAT I WOULD LIKE TO POINT OUT IS SAN ANTONIO HAS COME A LONG WAY. IN 1997 -- THANK YOU. [LAUGHTER] I BELIEVE IT WAS 1999 THE CITY DEFUNDED THE JUSTICE ORGANIZATION BEING VERY CRITICAL OF SOME OF THE ARTS PROGRAMMING THAT IS GONE THERE.
TO GO FROM THAT EXPERIENCE TO SEEING THE PRIDE FLAG RAISED IN CITY HALL IS A TREMENDOUS -- IS TREMENDOUS MOVEMENT. WHAT IT MEANS IS THAT LGBTQ+, LESBIAN, GAY, BY SEXUAL, QUEER INDIVIDUALS ARE SEEN AND NOT ONLY SEEN BUT INVITED AND CAN PARTICIPATE IN THEIR CITY. SEVERAL YEARS AGO, HARVEY MILK SAID QUEER YOUTH HAD A COUPLE OF CHOICES, GO TO SAN FRANCISCO OR NEW YORK.
TWO, THEY COULD STAY IN THE CLOSET, COMMIT SUICIDE. AND THEN THERE WAS ANOTHER OPTION. THEY COULD STAY IN SAN ANTONIO AND FIGHT AND BE PRESENT. SO THIS COMMISSION IS IMPORTANT, ONE OF THE THINGS WE HOPE TO SEE IS THROUGHOUT OUR WORK BEING HERE IS THAT PEOPLE HAVE COME TO US AS THE ADVISORY COMMITTEE, BUT WE'RE VERY LIMITED IN WHAT WE CAN DO.
AND WE WANT TO FORMALIZE THIS COMMISSION SO THAT THERE IS ACCESS.
I THINK EVERY ONE OF THE COUNCILMEMBERS THAT ARE SITTING AT THE TABLE RIGHT NOW HAVE COME TO THE ADVISORY COMMITTEE ASKING HOW CAN WE HELP, BE OF ASSISTANCE. ONCE THE MAYOR IS GONE, WE'RE NOT SURE IF SUCH A COMMISSION IS GOING TO EXIST SO WE NEED TO ESTABLISH THAT CONTINUITY.
WE HAVE OTHER MEMBERS OF THE LGBTQ+ COMMUNITY. FIRST LET ME IDENTIFY [INAUDIBLE] WHO WAS OUR CO-CHAIR AT COSA WHICH WAS THE COALITION THAT LED TO THE ADOPTION, THE APPROVAL OF THE NDO. I WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE LUIS VASQUEZ, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR FOR THE CHAMBER OF COMMERCE. AND THEN WE ALSO HAVE HIS
[01:00:01]
COLLEAGUE FROM HRC SITTING IN THE BACK. AND WE HEARD FROM PUBLIC COMMENTS FROM OTHER MEMBERS OF OUR COMMUNITY AND ALSO THIS COMMISSION.IT IS VERY MUCH NEEDED THAT WE MOVE FORWARD WITH THIS COMMISSION SO THAT WE CAN ENSURE THAT THE NEEDS OF THE LGBTQ+ COMMUNITY. THE SURVEY DONE IN -- 2019-
2020 IT WAS DISCHARGED OUT TO THE COMMUNITY. >> I DON'T HAVE THE NUMBERS, BUT WHAT I CAN RECALL THERE WAS A NEED IN HOUSING, A NEED IN HEALTH, AND NEEDS IN LAW ENFORCEMENT. WHAT WERE THE NEEDS OF HOUSING? WELL, I CAN'T TELL YOU HOW MANY HOMELESS QUEER YOUTH WE HAVE ON THE STREETS BECAUSE WE DON'T COUNT THEM. BUT IT IS A NEED THAT NEEDS TO BE ADDRESSED.
WE HAD THE NEED IN HEALTH. THERE IS A GAP ON GETTING ACCESS TO HEALTH CARE SERVICES IF YOU ARE LGBTQ+, WHETHER YOU ARE A QUESTIONING YOUTH OR ELDER.
THIS COMMISSION WOULD HELP ADDRESS THOSE THINGS. >> THANK YOU, MARIA.
MY NAME IS NAOMI BROWN. I AM A THERAPIST AND MINISTER.
I AM DIRECTOR OF CLINICAL SERVICES AT THE PRIDE CENTER.
ONE OF THE THINGS WHICH CAME OUT SIGNIFICANTLY ON THIS SURVEY WAS THE NEED FOR MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES. THE PRIDE CENTER DOES OFFER CASE MANAGEMENT AND COUNSELING FREE, BUT IT IS NOT GOING TO EVEN TOUCH THE AMOUNT AND THE NEED IN OUR COMMUNITY. SO ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE HAVE BEEN DOING IN THE COMMITTEE IS ACTUALLY TALKING ABOUT WHAT THAT LOOKS LIKE.
YOU KNOW, HOW CAN WE ACCESS MORE SERVICES, AND SERVICES IN EX EXPEDIENT MANNER.
IF I SEND SOMEONE TO MOBILE AUTHENTIC SELVES. THIS COMMISSION WOULD GIVE US THE ABILITY TO HAVE THAT STANDING, LET'S SEE WHAT WE CAN DO AS A COMMUNITY BECAUSE IT TAKES THE COMMUNITY TO TAKE CARE OF THE COMMUNITY. THANK YOU.
>> CASTILLO: GREAT. THANK YOU. I WANTED TO THANK THE DEIA TEAM AS WELL AS MAYOR NIRENBERG FOR MOVING THIS ITEM WITH URGENCY TO MAKE SURE THAT THIS IS A PERMANENT COMMITTEE. AND I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO SUPPORTING THIS ITEM AND I'M OPEN IT UP FOR DISCUSSION. COUNCILMEMBER ROCHA GARCIA.
>> GARCIA: THANK YOU, CHAIR CASTILLO, AND THANK YOU TO ALL OF OUR WONDERFUL ADVOCATES. I'M HAPPY TO BE AN ALLY AND JOIN IN YOUR FIGHT.
I DO WANT TO RECOGNIZE THAT SAMANTHA SMITH DID AN THANK YOU.
VERY, VERY NICE. AND DR. MATA, THANK YOU FOR GROWING YOUR LEADERS WITHIN OUR DEPARTMENT. I REALLY, REALLY APPRECIATE THAT, THAT YOU HAVE THAT FORESIGHT. I DO WANT TO GIVE A SPECIALOUT-OUT, ONE OF COUNCILMAN ALDERETE GAVITO AND I WERE IN L.A. 300 AND VICTORIA IS HERE SO IF YOU SAW ME TAKING PICTURES AND FAN GIRLING, THAT'S WHY. SO I DO WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE ALSO THAT MARIA, WHO IS IN THE AUDIENCE, WELCOME BACK, I'M SO EXCITED TO HAVE YOU BACK. I DIDN'T KNOW YOU WERE BACK, SO GREAT.
I LOVE SHE BROUGHT THAT HISTORY TOO FROM THE COMMUNITY'S PERSPECTIVE.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR ADVOCACY THERE. I THINK THE WORK THAT OUR DEIA OFFICE DOES IS INCREDIBLE. WE NEED TO CONTINUE CHALLENGING OURSELVES AND SEEING WHERE IT IS WE CAN CONTINUE TO BRING POLICY AND POLICY THAT'S INCLUSIVE OF EVERYONE. RECENTLY A LEADER FROM THE GERMAN BISHOPS CONFERENCE SAID THAT WE NEED TO ACKNOWLEDGE AND APPRECIATE DIVERSITY OF LIFESTYLES AND I FULLY BELIEVE IN DOING THINGS LIKE THAT WE DO THAT.
IT ONLY HELPS US GROW. THE CREATION OF THE AD HOC COMMITTEE IS GOING TO BE YES, AN IMPORTANT STEP IN MAKING A MORE INCLUSIVE COMMUNITY.
I WAS WONDERING IF YOU ALL KNOW HOW MANY OTHER CITIES HAVE ALREADY ESTABLISHED THIS FORMALLY? DO YOU KNOW? ANYBODY KNOW?
OKAY. >> THERE'S A COUPLE OF CITIES IN THE STATE THAT CURRENTLY HAVE IT, BUT SORRY, MARIA. [LAUGHTER]
THERE ARE A BUNCH ACROSS THE COUNTRY. >> GARCIA: I WAS JUST WONDERING. WAIT, ARE WE THE FIRST? SO I JUST HAD TO ASK THAT QUESTION. AND THEN ALSO WHAT ARE SOME OF THE INCLUSIVE POLICIES?
[01:05:06]
YOU MENTIONED THE NDO, BUT I THINK THAT DEFINITELY SOME OF THE OPPORTUNITY TO BRING 13 PEOPLE TOGETHER ARE GOING TO HELP US, LIKE THINK ABOUT WHAT IS MISSING, WHAT HASN'T BEEN BROUGHT TO THE TABLE. THE DIVERSITY OF THOUGHT, DIVERSITY OF EXPERIENCE, ALL OF THIS LEADS TO THAT INCLUSIVITY. I WANTED TO ACKNOWLEDGE GABRIELLE FROM THE MAYOR'S OFFICE AND GABBY, THE CURRENT COMMITTEE.THANK YOU FOR BRINGING FORTH THE RECOMMENDATIONS. I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO THE ESTABLISHMENT. I ALSO WANT TO RECOGNIZE THAT IN THE CHURCH THAT I ATTEND, MY INSTITUTION, OUR CHURCH AS A WHOLE TEACHES RESPECT, COMPASSION, SENSITIVITY. AND IT ADVOCATES AGAINST ALL UNJUST DISCRIMINATION.
I THINK THIS IS THE FIRST STEP TOWARD THAT AND I JUST WANT TO SAY THAT CONGRATULATIONS FOR ALL THE WORK THAT YOU ALL HAVE DONE. WE HAVE A LONG WAY TO GO STILL, BUT YOU SEE THAT WE HAVE ALLIES HERE IN THE ROOM READY AND WILLING TO SUPPORT YOUR WORK. I'M READY TO MOVE THIS FORWARD.
THANK YOU FOR ALL THE ADVOCACY AND WORK. >> CASTILLO: THANK YOU,
COUNCILWOMAN DR. KAUR. >> KAUR: THANK YOU, CHAIR. THANK YOU FOR THE PRESENTATION. REALLY EXCITED TO SEE THIS ADVISORY COMMITTEE BECOME A PERMANENT ADVISORY COMMITTEE. I HAD A QUESTION WHICH IS THE COMPOSITION OF THE COMMITTEE SO FAR. I DON'T KNOW IF WE ASK FOR SELF-IDENTIFICATION WHEN WE APPOINT MEMBERS, BUT THE THING I'VE BEEN THINKING ABOUT IS HOW DO WE MAKE SURE THAT, ONE, YOU ARE GETTING WHAT YOU NEED OUT OF THE COMMITTEE, AND THAT WHETHER THERE IS A PERCENTAGE OF ALLIES THAT YOU MIGHT WANT ON THE COMMITTEE OR WHETHER THERE IS A MINIMUM PERCENTAGE OF PEOPLE THAT SELF-IDENTIFY IN THE DIFFERENT GROUPS EVEN. LIKE IS THERE A -- AT LEAST ONE MEMBER THAT YOU WANT THAT IDENTIFYS TRANS. OR JUST THINKING ABOUT IN GENERAL HOW COULD WE CREATE THE COMMITTEE TO BE AS DIVERSE AGO -- AS POSSIBLE, BUT HOW WE FLIP OUR COUNCIL AND STILL HAVE A MINIMUM NUMBER OF SELF-FOYERS REPRESENTED ON THE COMMITTEE SO DOESN'T GO IN AN IN AN OPPOSITE DIRECTION.
>> WE ARE SPECIFICALLY ASKING FOR HAVING THAT DIVERSITY.
I KNOW IT IS SOMETHING THAT IS ASKED BUT NOT NECESSARILY REQUIRED.
AND DEBBIE CAN SPEAK MORE TO WHAT THE APPLICATION IS FOR THE BOARD AND COMMISSION PROCESS GENERALLY. WE DON'T WANT TO NECESSARILY DICTATE SPECIFIC IDENTITIES OR ANYTHING IN THE ORDINANCE. WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT IT IS GOING TO BE SOMETHING THAT'S EVERGREEN AND THAT IS PROTECTIVE OF EVERYBODY'S CIVIL RIGHTS, THAT EVERYBODY HAS AN OPPORTUNITY TO BE A PART OF IT.
SO I THINK IT'S REALLY GOING TO BE UP TO ALL OF YOU ALL TO MAKE SURE THAT THERE IS THAT DIVERSITY OF VOICES, ESPECIALLY WITH PEOPLE THAT ARE APPOINTED TO IT.
>> KAUR: BUT IN THE APPLICATION FOLKS ARE ALLOWED TO SELF-IDENTIFY FOR
SEXUAL ORIENTATION? >> IT'S A GENERIC QUESTION THAT'S DO YOU IDENTIFY AS A
SEXUAL MINORITY. >> KAUR: IS THAT THE REQUIRED LANGUAGE LEGALLY?
>> NO, IT'S JUST OLD LANGUAGE. IT'S SOMETHING WE CAN LOOK
AT. >> KAUR: I WOULD LOVE TO SEE IF WE COULD UPDATE THAT SO AT LEAST WHEN WE'RE LOOKING AT APPLICATIONS, WE CAN KIND OF GET A BETTER UNDERSTANDING OF WHAT THE -- WHO WE'RE APPOINTING T LAST THING IS WE CAME TO YOU ALL, WE'RE EXCITED ABOUT THE NORTH MAIN AVENUE CULTURAL HERITAGE DESIGNATION AND THAT'S AN EXAMPLE SOMETHING YOU HAVE SPEARHEADED EVEN MORE.
THE PRIDE CENTER HAD COME TO US AND ASKED FOR THAT. WE'RE LOOKING FORWARD TO GETTING TO WORK WITH YOU ON THAT, BUT WE HAVE A LOT OF DIFFERENT ORGANIZATIONS AND NON-PROFITS THAT ARE IN THIS SPACE AND WHAT IS THE WORK YOU ALL COULD DO TO HELP SUPPORT AND ADVOCATE AND COORDINATE SOME OF THAT WORK TO SO THAT, YOU KNOW, WE ARE WORKING TOGETHER ALWAYS I THINK WOULD BE REALLY GREAT. EXCITED TO SUPPORT YOU ALL
WHEN IT COMES TO A SESSION. THANKS, CHAIR. >> CASTILLO: COUNCILMEMBER
GAVITO. >> GAVITO: THANK YOU, CHAIR.
SAMANTHA, YOU DID AN AMAZING JOB. THANK YOU FOR THE PRESENTATION YOU ANSWERED ONE OF MY QUESTIONS BECAUSE I WAS GOING TO ASK WHAT SPECIFIC ISSUES HAVE BEEN IDENTIFIED FOR THIS ADVISORY BOARD TO LOOK INTO, BUT WHEN YOU ALL TALKED ABOUT HOUSING, HEALTH AND LAW ENFORCEMENT, IT'S LIKE WE HAVE OUR WORK CUT OUT FOR US. YOU KNOW, SO IT'S ALSO SO GREAT TO SEE SO MANY ADVOCATES IN THE ROOM, AND VICTORIA, THIS IS YOUR FAN GIRL SECTION RIGHT HERE.
I'M HAPPY THAT THE MAYOR DID START THE AD HOC COMMITTEE, BUT I'M ALSO REALLY EXCITED
[01:10:04]
TO FORMALIZE THIS AND GIVE THIS COMMITTEE SOME TEETH THAT THAT WAY WE CAN START MOVING AND SHAKING ON THINGS. I'M LOOKINGS FORWARD TOSUPPORTING THIS. >> CASTILLO: COUNCILMEMBER VIAGRAN.
>> VIAGRAN: THIS TAKES A MOTION, CORRECT? I MAKE A MOTION WE MOVE THIS ITEM FOR THE NEXT AVAILABLE A SESSION FOR FULL COUNCIL VOTE.
>> SECOND. >> VIAGRAN: THANK YOU. AND THIS WAS SOMETHING THAT WHEN I CAMPAIGNED, MARIA KNOWS, I SAID THIS IS WHAT WE NEED TO DO COMPLETE.
TWO YEARS AND SIX MONTHS LATER HERE WE ARE AND I'M REALLY EXCITED ABOUT IT.
SO I THINK THE ONE THING THAT I'M GOING TO NEED CLEARED UP BEFORE A SESSION IS THAT PROCESS THAT THE BOARD MOMENT APPOINTMENTS. ONE IS I KNOW FOR THE AD HOC COMMITTEE, MY APPOINTEE CAME TO ME. I KNEW THAT -- WE WERE LOOKING AT SPECIFIC ISSUES BECAUSE IT WAS, YOU KNOW, BEING LGBTQ+ AND AGING AND HOW DO YOU DO THAT. AND SO I WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT -- AND THERE'S A WAY IN THE APPLICATION PROCESS THAT YOU CAN TELL YOUR STORY AND KIND OF SELF-IDENTIFY BY TELLING YOUR STORY AND LETTING PEOPLE KNOW IN TERMS OF SOME OF THE QUESTIONS, AND DEBBIE MAYBE YOU CAN DO THAT IN TERMS OF WHAT YOU WILL BRING TO THE COMMITTEE.
I'M GOING TO NEED THAT WHOLE PROCESS KIND OF WORKED OUT BEFORE WE GET TO A SESSION JUST BECAUSE WE HAVE SO MANY COMMITTEES AND THEN IN SOME COMMITTEES WE TRY AND SAY -- AND I'M THINKING ECONOMIC WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT, WE NEED THIS REPRESENTATIVE AND THIS REPRESENTATIVE, BUT FOR THIS COMMITTEE I REALLY FEEL THE CHALLENGES THAT COME THAT WE'RE GOING TO NEED INPUT ON, IT'S GOING TO CHANGE BY -- FROM SEASON TO SEASON AND WHO IS IN LEGISLATION AND AT THE FEDERAL AND STATE LEVEL.
SO I THINK THAT WE NEED TO JUST MAKE SURE THAT WE WORK WITH THIS NEW -- THIS NEW ADVISORY BOARD TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY HAVE AN IDEA WHAT GOALS THEY WANT TO SET AND WHAT THEY WANT TO WORK ON. SO I LOOK FORWARD TO GETTING THAT INFORMATION.
I LOOK FORWARD TO HEARING THIS ON A SESSION. I AM SAYING NOW THAT I SHOULD GET THE ENTIRE COUNCIL'S SUPPORT FOR THIS. BUT I THINK THAT THAT SHOULD
BE YOUR EXPECTATION TOO. THANK YOU. >> CASTILLO: THANK YOU, COUNCILWOMAN. WE HAVE A MOTION AND SECOND. ALL IN FAVOR SAY AYE.
MOTION CARRIES. CONGRATULATIONS, Y'ALL. [APPLAUSE] WE CAN NOW MOVE ON TO ITEM 4. PRESENTED BY JULIA MURPHY.
>> GOOD AFTERNOON. I'M JULIA MURPHY. I'M THE DEPUTY CHIEF SUSTAINABILITY OFFICER AND MY PRONOUNCE ARE SHE, HERS AND HERS.
TODAY I WILL BE GIVING A BRIEFING ON THE U.S. EPA CLIMATE POLLUTION REDUCTION GRANT. SO OUR OFFICE IS THE HOLDERS AND KEEPERS OF OUR SA CLIMATE READY PLAN. IT'S OUR CITY'S FIRST EFFORT AT GETTING TO CARBON NEUTRALITY BY 2050. THIS WAS PASSED BY CITY COUNCIL IN OCTOBER OF 2019. THE CLIMATE ACTION AND ADAPTATION PLAN COMMITS THE COMMUNITY TO ACHIEVING CARBON NEUTRALITY BY 2050 AND YOU CAN SEE IN THE CHARTS THAT ARE INCLUDED ON THIS SLIDE HERE HOW WE ARE TRENDING. THE COMMUNITY GAG INVENTORY IS ON THE CHART ON THE LEFT. AND THE DARK BLUE LINE THAT KIND OF STOPS RIGHT IN THE MIDDLE IS WHERE WE ARE TO DATE. FOLLOWED BY THE DOTTED LINE ABOUT WHERE WE NEED TO GET TO IN THE NEXT 25 YEARS OR SO. WE'VE GOT A WAYS TO GO.
THE CHART ON THE RIGHT SHOWS OUR MUNICIPAL INVENTORY, WHICH WE ALSO MEASURE.
AND YOU CAN SEE THAT WE WERE TRENDING DOWN UNTIL THE LAST TIME WE DID THE GREENHOUSE GAS INVENTORY AND WE WENT SLIGHTLY UP. THAT WAS DUE TO SOME INCREASED ENERGY USAGE IN FACILITIES AND SOME OF OUR SOLID WASTE MANAGEMENT, CLOSED LANDFILLS THAT WE ARE MONITORING AS WELL. SO THIS REQUIRES AN UPDATE EVERY THREE TO FIVE YEARS. WE PLEDGED TO DO THAT WHEN WE PASSED THE PLAN.
IN LARGE PART IT'S SO WE CAN UPDATE THE SCIENCE-BASED MEASURES AND DO NEW PROJECTIONS BASED ON CURRENT SCIENCE. SO THE GRANT THAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT TODAY IS THE U.S.
[01:15:08]
ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY REDUCTION GRANT AND IT'S BEING ROLLED OUT INTO TWO PHASES.THE FIRST PHASE IS A MILLION DOLLARS AND THAT WAS FOR PLANNING GRANTS .
THEY WERE NON-COMPETITIVE TO DEVELOP STRONG CLIMATE ACTION POLLUTION STRATEGIES FOR MSAS. SO BEYOND OUR BORDERS OF THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO, THIS IS FOR THE SAN ANTONIO-NEW BRAUNFELS METROPOLITAN STATISTICAL AREA.
THE PHASE 2 IS $4.6 BILLION, WHICH WILL BE AVAILABLE FOR COMPETITIVE IMPLEMENTATION GRANTS FOR REGIONS THAT HAVE INVOLVED THEMSELVES IN CLIMATE REDUCTION PLANNING FOR THEIR REGIONS. THE PROGRAM OBJECTIVES ARE TO ENCOURAGE REGIONAL COORDINATION AND PATHWAYS FOR REDUCING POLLUTION. IMPLEMENT AMBITIOUS MEASURES THAT WILL ACHIEVE SIGNIFICANT AND CUMULATIVE GREENHOUSE GAS REDUCTIONS BY 2030 AND BEYOND.
PURSUE MEASURES THAT WILL ACHIEVE SUBSTANTIAL COMMUNITY BENEFITS SUCH AS A REDUCTION OF CRITERIA AIR POLLUTANTS AND HAZARDOUS AIR POLLUTANTS, PARTICULARLY IN LOW INCOME AND DISADVANTAGED COMMUNITIES. COMPLEMENT AND LEVERAGE OTHER FUNDING SOURCES TO MAXIMIZE IMPACT AND BENEFITS. AND TO PURSUE INNOVATIVE POLICIES AND PROGRAMS THAT ARE REPLICATEBLE AND CAN BE SCALED UP ACROSS MULTIPLE JURISDICTIONS.
THE MAP ON THIS SLIDE SHOWS THE STATES IN YELLOW AND THE MSAS, WHICH ARE THE RED DOTS, WHO ARE PARTICIPATING IN THE PLANNING PROGRAM. AND THESE GRANTS WERE ALSO MADE AVAILABLE TO TRIBES AND TERRITORIES. SORRY ABOUT THAT.
LET ME SEE. I THINK I HAD ONE SLIDE THERE. THE CPRG AND THE SAN ANTONIO-NEW BRAUNFELS MSA. YOU CAN SEE THE 13-COUNTY REGION.
IT'S PRETTY BIG IN TEXAS. WE ARE EMBARKING ON OUR OWN SA CLIMATE READY PLAN UPDATE AND IN ADDITION TO THIS, AND AT THE SAME TIME, WE WILL BE WORKING WITH AACOG TO DEVELOP A REGIONAL PRIORITY COMPREHENSIVE CLIMATE ACTION PLAN. WE WERE AWARDED THIS MILLION DOLLAR GRANT ON AUGUST 31ST AND THE GRANT IS PAYING FOR A CONTRACT TO ESTABLISH NEW QUANTIFIABLE GREENHOUSE GAS MEASURES FOR THE REGION AT KIND OF A HIGH LEVEL.
IT'S A GRANT-FUNDED PERSONNEL FOR THREE YEARS AND WE ARE ALSO CONTRACTING WITH ANOTHER CONSULTANT THAT WILL CARRY US THROUGH THE PLANNING PHASE AND THAT WILL BE COMING TO COUNCIL SOON, ONCE THOSE PROPOSALS ARE EVALUATED. SO DEVELOPMENT OF THE PCAP, THE PRIORITY CLIMATE ACTION PLAN AND THE CCAP WILL ACCOMPLISH THREE INTER-RELATED GOALS .
AS I MENTIONED, IT WILL BE AN UPDATE OF THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO'S CLIMATE ACTION AND ADAPTATION PLAN WITH NEW SCIENCE-BASED TARGETS AND QUANTIFIED GREENHOUSE GAS EMISSION STRATEGIES. WITH AACOG AS THE LEAD AGENCY, WE WILL BROADEN THE SCOPE OF CLIMATE PLANNING AND AND WE WILL BE DEVELOPING AND PRIORITIZING GREENHOUSE GAS STRATEGIES THAT CAN BE IMPLEMENTED ON A REGIONAL SCALE. GRANT APPLICATIONS FOR THE IMPLEMENTATION PORTION OF THIS GRANT ARE DUE APRIL 1ST. SO WE'RE COMING UP QUICKLY ON THE DEADLINE AND WE WILL BE COMING BACK TO COUNCIL WITH POTENTIAL PROJECTS WE WOULD LIKE TO SUBMIT FOR GRANT FUNDING. SO THIS SLIDE JUST ILLUSTRATES THE KEY DELIVERABLES AND THE UPCOMING DATES THAT ARE OCCURRING.
WE'RE ON A VERY QUICK TIMELINE FOR PHASE 1. I WON'T READ THROUGH ALL OF THE MEASURES THAT ARE HERE, UNLESS YOU HAVE SPECIFIC QUESTIONS. BUT WE WILL REALLY BE FOCUSED ON OUR PARTICULAR UPDATE TO OUR GREENHOUSE GAS INVENTORY AT BOTH THE MUNICIPAL, COMMUNITY, AND THE REGIONAL GREATER SCALE. THAT IS THE MEASUREMENT THAT TELLS US HOW WELL WE'RE DOING WITH OUR GOALS TO REACH CARBON NEUTRALITY BY 2050.
STAKEHOLDER AND COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT WILL BE CORE TO THIS PROCESS, AS IT HAS BEEN THROUGHOUT ALL OF OUR CLIMATE PLANNING EFFORTS. AND WE'VE ALREADY BEGUN THAT WORK. WE WILL BE LEVERAGING OUR DEEP AND LOCAL COMMUNITY CONNECTIONS WITH BOTH IN THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO AND BEYOND WITH AACOG TO IDENTIFY UNDERSERVED COMMUNITIES SUCH AS ELDERLY, DISABLED, LOW INCOME, BIPOC AND LINGUISTICALLY ISOLATED.
SO AS I MENTIONED, THE COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT HAS JUST BEGUN.
[01:20:07]
HERE IS THE FIRST EFFORT TO GET THE WORD OUT. WE HAVE ESTABLISHED A SURVEY THAT WILL BE GETTING THE WORD OUT AND IT WILL BE LIVE IN THE NEXT COMING DAYS.AND THE MAIN MESSAGES THAT RESONATE WITH THE COMMUNITY THAT WE KNOW, YOU KNOW, KIND OF GET THE POINT ACROSS, ARE THAT CLIMATE REDUCTION EFFORTS, POLLUTION REDUCTION EFFORTS IMPROVE AIR QUALITY, PROTECT THE PUBLIC HEALTH, AND HELP ADDRESS EXTREME WEATHER EVENTS SUCH AS URBAN HEAT. OFFICE OF SUSTAINABILITY IS WORKING WITH COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT TO HELP GET THE WORD OUT TO THE SAN ANTONIO COMMUNITY IN BOTH ENGLISH AND SPANISH. AND WITH AACOG WE WILL REACH THE BROADER DISTRIBUTION THROUGHOUT THE 13-COUNTY REGION. I WOULD LIKE TO INTRODUCE PATRICIA MCWILLIAMS, WHO IS OUR GRANT FUNDED COORDINATE, WHO IS IN THE AUDIENCE, AS WELL AS OTHER MEMBERS OF THE OS TEAM. SO I THINK THAT IS IT.
SO IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS, PLEASE LET US KNOW. THANK YOU.
>> CASTILLO: THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THE PRESENTATION. TODAY'S GREAT.
WE'RE GETTING PRESENTATIONS FROM A LOT OF FOLKS WE HAVEN'T HAD PRESENT TO US.
GREAT JOB, EVERYONE, AND THANK Y'ALL. HEARING THE PRESENTATION, I WAS REMINDED OF A CONVERSATION DURING MY BRIEF TIME ON THE AMPO WHERE WE WERE HAVING LARGE-SCALE CONVERSATION ABOUT KEEPING THE COUNTY'S -- WORKING WITH THE PARAMETERS THAT THE EPA SETS. AND IT WAS JUST A VERY RICH DISCUSSION WITH THE WIDE SPECTRUM OF PERSPECTIVES. BUT ALL THAT TO SAY I'M REALLY EXCITED TO SEE THE WORK THAT'S BEING PROPOSED AND REALLY LOOKING FORWARD TO PHASE 2. I'LL OPEN IT UP FOR ANY
QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS. COUNCILWOMAN VIAGRAN. >> VIAGRAN: JULIA, THANK YOU. I KNOW THE OFFICE KNOWS DISTRICT 3 IS HAVING THEIR SUSTAINABILITY SYMPOSIUM ON SATURDAY, STOCK , STARTING AT 8:30.
THE QR CODE IS OUT THERE AND I'M HOPING WE CAN GET A LOT OF INFORMATION OUT TO THE COMMUNITY MEMBERS THERE, KIND OF PROMOTE THAT SAN ANTONIO IS A REFLECTION OF WHAT'S GOING ON GLOBALLY AND IF WE CAN MAKE PROGRESS HERE, WE CAN IMPACT WHAT'S GOING ON WORLDWIDE.
SO THANK YOU FOR PUTTING OUT THE EFFORT. KEY IS ALWAYS COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT. SO IT'S A LITTLE DISAPPOINTING TO SEE IT TICK A LITTLE UP BUT WE KNEW THAT WOULD HAPPEN AFTER THE PANDEMIC AND AS WE SAW THE GROWTH COMING INTO SAN ANTONIO. KEEP UP THE GOOD WORK. LET'S CONTINUE TO GET OUT THERE AND I'M EXCITED ABOUT MY DREAM WEEK EVENT ON SATURDAY AND HOPE TO SEE Y'ALL OUT THERE.
BUT I KNOW THERE'S A LOT OF GREAT THINGS GOING ON OUT THERE.
WE'LL GET THOSE SURVEYS DONE, FOR SURE. >> THANK YOU SO MUCH.
WE WILL HAVE A TABLE THERE STAFFED TRYING TO GET THE WORD OUT.
THANK YOU. >> CASTILLO: COUNCILWOMAN GAVITO.
>> GAVITO: THANK YOU, CHAIR. THIS WAS A GREAT PRESENTATION. WHAT EFFORTS HAVE CONTRIBUTED THE MOST TO REDUCTIONS OF GREENHOUSE GAS EMISSIONS UP TO THIS POINT?
>> ENERGY EFFICIENCY MEASURES, CERTAINLY FOR OUR MUNICIPAL BUILDINGS, EVEN THOUGH IT HAS TICKED UP, WE'VE DONE A REALLY GOOD JOB OF PUTTING ENERGY-EFFICIENT MEASURES IN OUR FACILITIES. AND WE CONTINUE TO DO THAT WORK.
WE HAVE OUR ENERGY MANAGER, WHO WORKS ON THAT WITH HER TEAM. THE OTHER THING THAT CONTRIBUTES A LOT BUT THAT HAS THE GREATEST OPPORTUNITY FOR REDUCTIONS IS IN THE TRANSPORTATION SECTOR. SO AS WE MOVE TOWARDS MAKING CHOICES FOR PEOPLE, BOTH GETTING OUT OF THEIR VEHICLES ALL TOGETHER, BY TAKING TRANSIT, CARPOOLING, ALTERNATIVE WORK SCHEDULES. THE OTHER OPPORTUNITY IS CLEANER FUELS FOR VEHICLES.
SO WE HAVE A ROBUST PROGRAM AROUND ELECTRIC VEHICLES BUT THERE ARE OTHER ALTERNATIVE FUELS THAT, YOU KNOW, DON'T CREATE AS MUCH GREENHOUSE GAS TAILPIPE EMISSIONS.
>> GAVITO: INTERESTING. WHAT PERCENTAGE OF THE CITY'S BUILDINGS HAVE BEEN -- BECAUSE YOU WERE MENTIONING A LOT OF THE CITY'S BUILDINGS HAVE -- I'M FORGETTING THE PROPER
TERM. >> THAT'S OKAY. ENERGY EFFICIENT.
SO WE GO IN AND LOOK FOR UPGRADES THAT WE CAN MAKE IN OUR AGING FACILITIES, SUCH AS SWITCHING OUT LIGHTS, UPDATING THE HVAC SYSTEMS, ET CETERA. DO WE KNOW A PERCENTAGE OR CAN YOU STATE HOW MUCH SAVED IN, YOU KNOW, IN OUR ENERGY BILLS, WHICH IS QUITE IMPRESSIVE.
>> GOOD AFTERNOON, EVERYONE. SINCE THE INCEPTION, REALLY PROBABLY I THINK 2010-2011 FOR ENERGY MANAGEMENT, WE HAVE SEEN ALMOST A 20% REDUCTION. OF COURSE SINCE THEN WE HAVE BUILT NEW FACILITIES AND ALL OF THAT. BUT AS FAR AS OUR BASELINE,
[01:25:01]
CLEARLY 20%. YEARS AGO WE DID THE -- WHAT WE CALL LOW-HANGING FRUIT.THE LIGHTING, HVAC UPGRADE, AND OF COURSE RETROCOMMISSION. WE CONTINUE TO DO THAT.
WE HAVE BEEN ON THE FOREFRONT WHEN WE HAD THE GRANT TO BE ABLE TO REDUCE OUR ENERGY CONSUMPTION. SO WE HAVE DONE OVER 400 ENERGY PROJECTS, GOTTEN REBATES.
AND WE CONTINUE TO DO THAT. >> GAVITO: AWESOME. THANK YOU.
WHY DO YOU THINK ENERGY EMISSIONS HAVE GONE UP RECENTLY?
>> AS COUNCILWOMAN VIAGRAN MENTIONED, WE ARE A HUGE GROWTH AREA SO WE CONTINUE TO MONITOR. PER CAPITA WE HAVE ACTUALLY GONE DOWN BUT FOR THE BIGGER PICTURE IT'S GONE UP BECAUSE THERE ARE MORE PEOPLE HERE, MORE BUSINESSES, MORE PEOPLE
DRIVING, MORE TRANSPORTATION ON OUR ROADWAYS. >> GAVITO: SO IN LOOKING AT -- NOT THIS SLIDE, THE SLIDE BEFORE. KIND OF THE, YOU KNOW, THE COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT. SO I'M GUESSING THE ASK HERE IS JUST TO COMPLETE THE SURVEY,
RIGHT? >> STARTING WITH THE SURVEY. SO WE WERE TRYING TO GET THE WORD OUT AS SOON AS POSSIBLE BECAUSE WE'RE COMPLETING OUR PHASE 1 IN ORDER TO COMPETE FOR COMPETITIVE DOLLARS. AND WE HAVE -- THAT'S DUE MARCH 1ST.
OUR PLAN. AND THEN WE WILL GO REALLY A DEEPER DIVE FOR THE NEXT THREE YEARS, APPROXIMATELY, WITH COMMUNITY MEETINGS, MEETING PEOPLE WHERE THEY'RE AT, USING OUR COMMUNITY-BASED ORGANIZATION NETWORK THAT WE ALREADY HAVE ESTABLISHED, AND ET CETERA. SO WORKING THROUGH Y'ALL'S OFFICES.
>> GAVITO: ABSOLUTELY. THANK YOU. I WAS JUST ABOUT TO OFFER THAT. PLEASE LET OUR OFFICE KNOW HOW WE CAN FURTHER SUPPORT.
AND THE REASON I WAS PULLING UP THIS THING, THIS PIECE, IS THAT I THINK RESIDENTS WANT TO KNOW EXACTLY WHAT THEY COULD DO THAT WILL MOVE THE NEEDLE. SO IF IT IS TRANSPORTATION -- I MEAN, I KNOW SOMETIMES IT'S THE BIGGER BANG FOR THE BUCK WHERE WE MAKE BUILDINGS MORE ENERGY EFFICIENT OR WE ALL, YOU KNOW, HAVE TO HOP ON PLANES FROM TIME TO TIME.
I KNOW THAT'S NOT VERY GOOD EITHER. BUT I'M NOT SURE WE'RE GOING TO
DISCOURAGE PEOPLE NOT TO FLY. >> OR DRIVE THEIR TRUCKS. WE NEVER SAY YOU CAN'T DRIVE YOUR TRUCK. BUT I THINK WE KNOW THE PEOPLE WE SPEAK WITH HAND TO HAND AND ONE-ON-ONE, THEY REALLY CARE ABOUT THIS ISSUE, ESPECIALLY OUR YOUTH ARE VERY PERCEPTIVE ABOUT WHAT'S GOING ON IN OUR WORLD. SO A LOT OF THIS IS TO GIVE A SENSE OF SECURITY AND, YOU KNOW, KIND OF COMMUNICATE THAT OUR CITY DOES CARE.
WE'RE WORKING ON THIS. AND SOME OF THE INITIATIVES ARE SORT OF INVISIBLE TO THE AVERAGE PERSON BUT WE DO GIVE THEM WAYS THAT THEY CAN EMPOWER THEMSELVES FOR THEIR OWN
LIVES. >> GAVITO: AWESOME. YEAH, THAT'S HELPFUL.
THANK YOU SO MUCH. THANK YOU, CHAIR. >> CASTILLO: THANK YOU,
COUNCILWOMAN. DR. ROCHA GARCIA. >> GARCIA: THANK YOU, CHAIR CASTILLO. THANK YOU, JULIA FOR THE PRESENTATION.
I AM HAPPY THAT WE HAVE THIS UPDATE. COUNCILWOMAN ALDERETE GAVITO AND I SIT ON THE AACOG BOARD. WE'RE ACTUALLY SUPPOSED TO BE THERE RIGHT NOW.
BUT IT'S OKAY. WE SENT DESIGNEES. WE DIDN'T WANT TO SKIP THE COUNCILWOMAN'S MEETING. WE KNEW THIS WAS IMPORTANT, BUT WE'LL CONTINUE TO BE ADVOCATES THERE FOR THE CITY. AND, BY THE WAY, WHEN COUNCILWOMAN ALDERETE GAVITO WAS SAYING THAT WE CAN ENCOURAGE. I WAS THINKING TAYLOR SWIFT, I HOPE YOU'RE HEARING THIS. WHAT ARE SOME OF THE AMBITIOUS PLANS THAT YOU'RE REDUCING GREENHOUSE EMISSIONS. TELL ME WHAT IS YOUR MOST AMBITIOUS PLAN?
>> SO PROBABLY THE MOST AMBITIOUS AND CHALLENGING IN THE STATE OF TEXAS IS JUST MOVING TO MORE RENEWABLES. TEXAS IS A LEADER IN RENEWABLE ENERGY BOTH FOR SOLAR AND WIND. HOWEVER WE NEED TO CONTINUE TO CHIP AWAY AT OUR RELIANCE ON THOSE FOSSIL FUELS THAT ARE REALLY THE CAUSE OF GLOBAL WARMING.
SO THAT'S ELECTRIFYING OUR BUILDINGS, USING MORE ALTERNATIVE FUELS IN OUR TRANSPORTATION SECTORS. BUT ALSO ANYTHING RELATED TO THE CIRCULAR ECONOMY, NATURE-BASED SOLUTIONS AS WELL, MITIGATING THE HEAT IN OUR CITY I KNOW IS A PRIORITY FOR COUNCIL. AND ALL OF THOSE THINGS THAT WE'RE WORKING ON TO MITIGATE HEAT ALSO WILL HELP WITH REDUCING GREENHOUSE GAS EMISSIONS JUST BY COOLING OFF
[01:30:02]
OUR OWN CITY. >> GARCIA: THANK YOU. HOW MUCH DO YOU THINK WE NEED OR HOW MUST WE REDUCE OUR CARBON EMISSIONS TO BE AT THAT NET ZERO BY 2050?
>> SO THIS IS THE BEST EXAMPLE. SO THE LEFT-HAND SIDE -- AGAIN, WHERE THAT RED BOX IS ON THE CHART, THAT'S WHERE WE WERE IN 2021.
WE DO OUR GREENHOUSE GAS INVENTORY EVERY TWO YEARS AND WE HAVE TO GET THE DATA FROM THE LAST COUPLE OF YEARS. SO WE NEED TO MOVE AGGRESSIVELY.
WE'VE KIND OF FLATTENED OUT. THIS IS NOT UNUSUAL. I THINK, YOU KNOW, WE ARE LEADING, IN A WAY, FOR CITIES AROUND THE COUNTRY. BUT EVERYONE IS FACING THESE
SAME ISSUES. SO IT'S A LOT. >> GARCIA: AND YOU MENTIONED A LITTLE BIT WHEN COUNCILWOMAN ALDERETE GAVITO WAS ASKING. BUT YOU MENTIONED ENERGY AND LOW ENERGY COSTS. I FEEL LIKE THERE'S AN OPPORTUNITY TO ENGAGE SPECIFICALLY SOME COMMUNITIES. COUNCILWOMAN CASTILLO AND I SHARE A COMMUNITY, THE QUINTANA AREA. SOME OF THE FOLKS LIVE IN HER AREA COME TO SCHOOL IN MY AREA, VICE VERSA. SOMETIMES THEY CONFUSE US BECAUSE WE LOOK ALIKE.
BUT ONE OF THE THINGS THAT OUR RESIDENTS ARE DOING IS TRYING TO PUT TOGETHER THEIR OWN TOWN HALLS. AND THEY'RE DOING A GREAT JOB OF WORKING WITH CPS ENERGY.
I'M JUST WONDERING HOW WE AS AN OFFICE OF SUSTAINABILITY CAN EMPOWER THEM TO BE ABLE TO CALL THESE MEETINGS AND SHOW KIND OF THE, I WOULD SAY, EMERGENCY. AND MAYBE HELP THEM KNOW THE GOALS SO THAT THEY COULD INCREASE THEIR PARTICIPATION AT THAT LEVEL.
>> ABSOLUTELY. PRIOR TO THIS PROJECT THAT I'M BRIEFING YOU ON TODAY, WE ACTUALLY LAUNCHED A CAMPAIGN AND WE DEVELOPED MATERIALS THAT WE MADE AVAILABLE TO THE COMMUNITY-BASED ORGANIZATIONS WHO WE ALSO GRANTED A LITTLE BIT OF MONEY TO FOR CAPACITY BUILDING. AND THEY WERE GIVEN A TOOLBOX TO PUT SOCIAL MEDIA AT THEIR EVENTS. THE MESSAGING WAS THERE. IT WAS ALREADY BRANDED AND THEY COULD TAKE IT AND RUN WITH IT. WE GOT BACK SO MUCH FEEDBACK, WAY BEYOND WHAT WE COULD HAVE DONE ON OUR OWN. SO THAT WILL CONTINUE TO BE PART OF THIS EFFORT.
WE MAY DO A LITTLE BRAND REFRESH AND GET IT OUT BUT WE'LL CERTAINLY HAVE A TOOLKIT READY FOR PEOPLE WHO WANT TO TAKE THIS FURTHER AND EMPOWER THEMSELVES AGAIN.
>> GARCIA: YEAH, AT THE GRASSROOTS LEVEL -- SO I ATTENDED ONE OF THE COMMUNITY SESSIONS A FEW MONTHS AGO AND THEY WERE JUST SO EXCITED AND THERE WAS A LOT OF PEOPLE THAT DIDN'T SPEAK ENGLISH. THEY WERE SPANISH SPEAKERS AND THEY WERE STILL EXCITED TO GIVE FEEDBACK, EVEN THOUGH IT TOOK THEM A LITTLE BIT LONGER TO TRANSLATE.
SO IT DOUBLED THE LENGTH OF THE EVENT BECAUSE MOST OF THEM SPOKE SPANISH.
BUT THEY WANTED TO DO THEIR PART. SO I KNOW THEY WANT TO HELP.
AND THEN JUST AGAIN WITH THE EQUITY CONVERSATION, THE AIR QUALITY ISSUES IN CERTAIN AREAS, DISADVANTAGED AREAS, I FEEL LIKE WE STILL HAVE SOME WORK TO DO THERE, SO ANYTHING
YOU CAN DO TO HELP THERE. >> ABSOLUTELY. THAT'S WHY PARTNERING WITH AACOG IS SO CRITICAL HERE BECAUSE THEY HAVE THEIR AIR QUALITY MONITORING TEAM AND THE SCIENTISTS ON STAFF. THEY'RE WELL VERSED IN THAT. I WANTED TO MENTION ONE MORE THING. SINCE WE'RE DEALING WITH A 13-COUNTY REGION THAT MAY NOT LOOK A LOT LIKE SAN ANTONIO, ESPECIALLY IN THOSE RURAL AREAS, WE'RE GOING TO BE VERY SENSITIVE TO HOW WE COMMUNICATE WITH THE RESIDENTS IN THOSE MORE RURAL COMMUNITIES.
AND WE KNOW AGAIN ONE OF THE MESSAGES THAT RESONATES IS, HEY, YOU CAN SAVE MONEY BY WEATHERIZING YOUR HOUSE. BY UPGRADING YOUR APPLIANCES. THERE'S REBATES FOR THOSE THAT THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT OFFERS. WE'LL BE REALLY FOCUSED ON THE MESSAGING.
>> GARCIA: GO GREEN AND SAVE GREEN. THANK YOU, CHAIR.
>> CASTILLO: COUNCILMEMBER DR. KAUR. >> KAUR: THANK YOU, CHAIR.
AND THANK YOU FOR STATING YOUR PRONOUNS. MY PRONOUNS ARE SHE/HER.
I FEEL LIKE WE SHOULD MAKE THAT A PRACTICE. I JUST HAVE A COUPLE OF QUESTIONS. SO SPECIFICALLY AROUND SOME OF THE GOVERNMENT OPERATIONS, I LIKE THE IDEA OF LEADING BY EXAMPLE AND WITH OUR NEW SOLAR PANELS THAT WE JUST INSTALLED, I FEEL LIKE THAT'S AN EXAMPLE OF US DOING THAT. I KNOW IN OUR FLEET POLICY WE HAVE WHAT IT WOULD TAKE TO GET ALL OF OUR CITY VEHICLES TO BE ELECTRIC.
IS THAT PART OF THE SA CLIMATE READY PLAN THAT YOU UPDATE AND PRESENT TO US IN AUGUST OF
2025, WHAT IT WOULD TAKE TO GET THERE? >> ANALYZING THAT. AS YOU KNOW OUR BES DEPARTMENT HANDLES OR CITY'S FLEET.
THEY HAVE REALLY MOVED AGGRESSIVELY TO THE VEHICLES WHERE THEY ARE NOW ELECTRIFIED
[01:35:07]
AND STILL MEET CITY OPERATIONS. THE VEHICLES WILL BE THE MEDIUM AND HEAVY DUTY VEHICLES THAT NEED TO BE OPERATIONAL THAT MIGHT NOT BE ABLE TO WAIT ON A CHARGER, PER SE. AND THAT TECHNOLOGY IS RAPIDLY EVOLVING.IT HAS A LOT TO DO WITH BATTERIES. AND SO WE'RE EXCITED TO SEE SOME OF THOSE NEW VEHICLES COME ONLINE AND MAYBE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO CAN BE RIGHT OUT THE
GATE WITH PURSUING SOME OF THOSE. >> KAUR: WE WOULD LOVE THAT.
COUNCILWOMAN ALDERETE GAVITO TALKED ABOUT PODCASTS. I LOVE TPR AND THE STORY TODAY WAS THAT THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT WAS GIVING FOLKS MONEY TO BE ABLE TO CHANGE SCHOOL BUSES INTO ELECTRIC VEHICLES -- OR ELECTRIC BUSES. THEY COST THREE TIMES AS MUCH BUT IF THEY USE THE BUSES, THEY COULD BASICALLY FUEL THREE DAYS OF HALF OF THE HOMES IN VERMONT OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT. ANYHOO, ALL THAT TO SAY THE POINT IS IF WE COULD MAKE A BUSINESS CASE FOR IT, HOW MUCH THE PURCHASE WOULD BE AND HOW MUCH WE COULD SAVE IN THE LONG RUN, IS THERE FUNDING AND BUSINESS CASES PRESENTED IN THE PLANS?
>> YES, WE WILL DEFINITELY MAKE SURE THAT WE BOTH QUANTIFY THE IMPACT.
OUR FIRST PLAN WE HAVE A WHOLE LIST OF GREAT STRATEGIES, BOTH MITIGATION AND ADAPTATION STRATEGIES. BUT WE DIDN'T REALLY IDENTIFY HOW MUCH THOSE WOULD COST TO IMPLEMENT. OR HOW MUCH IMPACT THEY WOULD TRULY HAVE OVER A LONG PERIOD OF TIME. SO WE WANT TO QUANTIFY IT AND ALSO KIND OF TRY TO ESTIMATE
WHAT THE DOLLAR IMPACT WOULD BE. >> KAUR: I THINK THAT'S THE MOST IMPORTANT THING THAT WE CAN DO. WE SAW THIS WITH THE SOLAR PANEL INSTALLATION WHERE WE WERE ABLE TO VERY QUICKLY IDENTIFY HOW MUCH OF AN IMPACT IT WAS GOING TO HAVE ON THE LONG RUN AND THEN IT'S HARD TO ARGUE AGAINST THAT.
SO I THINK THE MORE WE CAN MAKE SURE THAT THAT'S INCORPORATED THE MORE WE'LL BE ABLE TO GET THAT COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT AND BUY IN. TO COUNCILWOMAN VIAGRAN'S POINT, I THINK THAT'S THE BIGGEST CHALLENGE AND EVEN WITH ALL OF THE CLIMATE ISSUES THAT COME UP IS HOW DO WE BRING PEOPLE ALONG VERSUS JUST PUSHING THIS BIG POLICY AND
SAYING YOU GOT TO FIGURE OUT A WAY TO GET THERE. >> CAN I SAY A WORD ON THAT? ELECTRIC SCHOOL BUS PROGRAM, THERE'S A NATIONAL MOVEMENT TO REALLY GET THE WORD OUT TO SCHOOL DISTRICTS AND ALSO, YOU KNOW, GET THAT CHANNEL OF FUNDING GOING INTO THE SCHOOL DISTRICTS FOR THAT PURPOSE. BECAUSE ANALYSES HAVE BEEN DONE AT THE NATIONAL LEVEL.
IF THE NATION'S SCHOOL BUS FLEET WERE CONVERTED TO ELECTRIC -- AND IT'S NOT GOING TO HAPPEN OVERNIGHT. THERE ARE GIANT OBSTACLES AND FUNDING OBSTACLES, IN PARTICULAR. THAT WOULD BE A TIPPING POINT FOR THE TRANSPORTATION SECTOR TO LOWER GREENHOUSE GAS EMISSION FOR TRANSPORTATION. NOT TO MENTION OUR CHILDREN'S EXPOSURE TO THOSE TOXIC FUMES THAT ARE COMING OUT OF THEIR SCHOOL BUSES.
SO SAISD HAS BEEN KIND OF OUT FRONT PURSUING FUNDING FOR SCHOOL BUS ELECTRIFICATION.
I'M NOT SURE EXACTLY WHERE THEY ARE WITH THEIR PROJECT BUT THERE ARE A COUPLE OF RANDOM SCHOOL DISTRICTS ACROSS TEXAS BUT IT HASN'T CAUGHT ON LIKE A BIG MOVEMENT YET.
>> KAUR: IF YOU COULD KEEP US ABROTHER OR SI ABREAST, I KNOW THAT'S THE
BIGGEST IMPEDIMENT FOR SCHOOLS BECAUSE THEY'RE UNDERFUNDED . >> QUITE FRANKLY THERE'S A FEAR ABOUT APPLYING FOR FEDERAL FUNDING, YOU KNOW, THERE'S A LOT OF RED TAPE AND, YES, WE'LL
TRY TO GET AN UPDATE ON THAT FOR SURE. >> KAUR: THANK YOU.
THE LAST QUESTION I HAVE IS OUR OFFICE WAS BRIEFED ON THE TEXAS PACE PROGRAM AND I KNOW YOU ALL WORK WITH THEM. HOW IS THAT PROGRAM INCORPORATED INTO THE PLANS
THAT WE'RE GOING TO BE HEARING ABOUT? >> WELL, CERTAINLY PACE IS A GREAT TOOL IN THE TOOLBOX FOR PRIVATE DEVELOPERS TO ACCESS THAT LOW-COST FUNDING TO MAKE ENERGY EFFICIENT UPGRADES TO THEIR BUILDINGS. WE WILL CONTINUE TO PROMOTE THAT. ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT IS THE HOUSE OF THAT AS WELL AS AACOG, WORKING TOGETHER TO GET THE WORD OUT. I THINK MAYBE A ROBUST MARKETING CAMPAIGN COULD HELP WITH THE LENDING COMMUNITY TO GET THEM INVOLVED AS WELL.
>> KAUR: YEAH, I WOULD THINK THAT. THE REASON I'M ASKING IS BECAUSE WHEN WE COME UP WITH THE PLANS WE HAVE THE OVERALL ARCHING PLAN AND HOW THEY WORK TOGETHER SEEING THERE ARE ALL THESE RESOURCES TO HELP YOU GET THERE.
FIGURING OUT A WAY TO INCORPORATE ALL OF THE TOOLS WE ALREADY HAVE INTO THE PLAN AND
ENSURING THERE'S ENGAGEMENT WOULD BE REALLY GREAT TOO. >> WE REALLY APPRECIATE YOUR HELP GETTING THE WORD OUT. WE ARE ALWAYS AVAILABLE TO PRESENT OR INFORM ANY GROUPS
[01:40:01]
THAT MIGHT NEED SOME INFORMATION. BUT TO THE EXTENT THAT WE CAN KIND OF MAKE THIS A VIRAL EFFORT, IT'S REALLY WHAT'S NEEDED AND WE REALLY APPRECIATEIT. >> KAUR: THANK YOU SO MUCH. THANK YOU, CHAIR.
>> CASTILLO: GREAT. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THE PRESENTATION.
AND THAT CONCLUDES OUR MEETING AT 11:40. THANK YOU.
4
* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.