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WELCOME TO OUR CITY COUNCIL SPECIAL SESSION FOR THIS AFTERNOON.
UH, I GUESS WE'LL GO AHEAD AND START WITH OUR ROLE, SIR.
COUNCIL MEMBER GONZALEZ PRESENT.
COUNCIL MEMBER BROCK HOUSE PRESENT.
COUNCIL MEMBER COURAGE PRESENT.
THE PURPOSE OF TODAY'S MEETING IS TO CONDUCT THE SECOND ROUND OF INTERVIEWS OF THE CITY MANAGER CANDIDATES, AND WE ARE DOWN TO OUR FINALISTS, THOSE BEING ERIC WALSH AND MARIA VILLA GOMEZ.
UH, WE WILL BE CONDUCTING AN EXECUTIVE SESSION, UH, TO SELECT THE FINALIST, UH, HAVING SOME FURTHER CONVERSATION.
HOWEVER, WE ALSO, UH, ARE GOING TO START THIS MEETING WITH, UH, SOME OPENING STATEMENTS, SOME COMMENTS FROM BOTH OF OUR CANDIDATES.
WE DREW NAMES AND, AND WE'LL FIRST HEAR FROM ERIC WALSH AND EACH OF THE CANDIDATES WILL HAVE FIVE MINUTES TO MAKE A PUBLIC STATEMENT.
AFTER BOTH CANDIDATES ARE STATEMENTS ARE CONCLUDED, UH, THEN WE'LL CONVENE FOR THE REST OF THE INTERVIEW.
CITY COUNCIL, UH, FOR TODAY AND THE OPPORTUNITY TO INTERVIEW FOR THE CITY MANAGER POSITION.
IT IS TRULY AN HONOR TO BE HERE.
UM, I'D LIKE TO SHARE WITH YOU A LITTLE BIT ABOUT WHO I AM, WHAT MY QUALIFICATIONS ARE, AND, UH, WHAT I BELIEVE THE IMMEDIATE PRIORITIES ARE FOR THE NEXT CITY MANAGER.
I GRADUATED FROM TRINITY UNIVERSITY WITH A BACHELOR'S AND MASTER'S DEGREE, AND TWO WEEKS LATER STARTED WORKING IN THE CITY'S BUDGET OFFICE.
UM, CHERYL APPOINTED ME ASSISTANT CITY MANAGER IN 2006, AND DEPUTY CITY MANAGER IN 2011.
UH, OVER THE COURSE OF MY CAREER, I HAVE SEEN THIS ORGANIZATION CHANGE GREATLY.
UM, IT HAS BECOME AN EMPLOYER OF CHOICE AND EXEMPLIFIES PUBLIC SERVICE IN WAYS THAT, UM, I THINK WE ALL RECOGNIZE ARE DYNAMIC AND PROGRESSIVE.
I'VE BEEN MARRIED TO MY WIFE, SANDRA, FOR ALMOST 16 YEARS.
UH, THE SPURS DON'T PLAY BASKETBALL WITHOUT A BACKBOARD, AND MY FAMILY IS MY BACKBOARD.
THEY KEEP ME CENTERED AND FOCUSED ON WHAT'S IMPORTANT IN LIFE, AND THAT'S EXTREMELY IMPORTANT IN THIS JOB.
IN MY CAREER AS AN ASSISTANT CITY MANAGER AND A DEPUTY CITY MANAGER, I'VE OVERSEEN THE SAN ANTONIO POLICE DEPARTMENT, THE SAN ANTONIO FIRE DEPARTMENT, EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT HEALTHCARE OR, UM, I'M SORRY.
THE, UH, METROPOLITAN HEALTH DEPARTMENT ANIMAL CARE SERVICES 3 1 1.
SOLID WASTE MANAGEMENT DEVELOPMENT SERVICES, INTERGOVERNMENTAL RELATIONS, AND THE BUDGET OFFICE.
I'VE BEEN FORTUNATE IN MY CAREER TO BE PART OF A LOT OF IMPORTANT GREAT INITIATIVES.
I'VE OVERSEEN CRITICAL CAPITAL PROJECT INFRASTRUCTURE IMPROVEMENTS TO OUR PUBLIC SAFETY FACILITIES.
I'VE LED STRATEGIC PLANNING EFFORTS AND WORKED ON IMPLEMENTATION PLANS.
I'VE WORKED TO IMPROVE AND MODERNIZE CITY SERVICES.
I'VE GUIDED THE ENHANCEMENT OF OUR CUSTOMER SERVICE SYSTEMS. I'VE ENGAGED AND WORKED WITH OUR LARGEST LABOR ORGANIZATIONS.
I'VE OVERSEEN EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT, PREPAREDNESS AND RESPONSES.
I'VE INTERACTED AND WORKED WELL WITH THE DEVELOPMENT COMMUNITY.
I NEGOTIATED THE FIRST OF ITS KIND OPERATING AGREEMENT WITH LYFT AND UBER, AND I'VE HAD THE OPPORTUNITY, OPPORTUNITY TO WORK WITH GREAT ORG COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS LIKE THE FREE SPEECH COALITION.
I'VE EXTENSIVE EXPERIENCE MANAGING OPERATIONS, ORGANIZATIONAL DEVELOPMENT, TEAM BUILDING, CONSENSUS BUILDING BUDGET, AND FISCAL POLICY AND NEGOTIATIONS.
I APPLIED FOR THIS POSITION BECAUSE I WANT SAN ANTONIO TO BE ECONOMICALLY VIABLE, SAFE AND CULTURALLY INSPIRING, AND A PLACE WHERE PEOPLE WANNA WORK, GROW, AND RAISE A FAMILY.
PERSONALLY, THAT'S IMPORTANT TO ME.
I BELIEVE THE CITY MANAGER'S IMMEDIATE PRIORITIES ARE, UH, THE FOLLOWING.
FOUR, UH, ONE FOCUS ON OUR STATE LEGISLATIVE AGENDA AND ANY POTENTIAL IMPACTS THAT MAY COME OUT OF AUSTIN.
TWO, CONTINUE IMPLEMENTATION OF OUR AFFORDABLE HOUSING BUSINESS PLAN.
SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT OF RESOURCES WE'RE DEDICATED IN THIS YEAR'S BUDGET, AND THERE'S A LONG LINE OF PRODUCTION THAT NEEDS TO GET DONE.
YOU RECENTLY RECEIVED AN UPDATE FOR THE FIRST QUARTER FROM THE STAFF LAST WEEK, AND, UM, THERE'S A LOT OF WORK THAT STILL NEEDS TO BE DONE.
THREE, IN DECEMBER THE COUNCIL ASKED FOR A LONG-TERM STRATEGY, FUNDING FOR HAVEN HOPE.
THAT INITIATIVE HAS BEEN KICKED OFF AND IS, AND IS ENGAGING, UH, A LARGER NUMBER OF STAKEHOLDERS.
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AND RECOMMENDATIONS WILL NEED TO BE, COME BACK, WILL NEED TO COME BACK TO COUNCIL IN SHORT ORDER.AND FOUR, I THINK WE NEED TO REVIEW THE, THE STATUS OF THE DOCKLESS VEHICLE PILOT PROGRAM, WHERE WE'RE AT IN THE PILOT, AND WHAT RECOMMENDATIONS OR ADJUSTMENTS WE NEED TO MAKE IMMEDIATELY OR IN THE IMMEDIATE TERM.
THERE ARE ALSO A NUMBER OF ORGANIZATIONAL ISSUES THAT I THINK FRANKLY ARE, ARE, UH, PRIORITIES OF THE NEXT CITY MANAGER OR SHOULD BE PRIORITIES OF NEXT CITY MANAGER.
THE MANAGER NEEDS TO BE ALIGNED WITH THE COUNCIL'S EXPECTATIONS, AND THAT NEEDS TO HAPPEN UPFRONT AND BE VERY CLEAR.
A SET CALENDAR OF MAJOR INITIATIVES THAT'LL BE BRINGING, THAT'LL BE BROUGHT FORTH TO THE, TO THE COUNCIL IN THE SPRING.
THAT CALENDAR SHOULD BE PUBLISHED AND SENT TO YOU AND THE, AND THE PUBLIC.
I'D LIKE TO BE ABLE TO ENGAGE MYSELF WITH THE COMMUNITY AND STAKEHOLDERS, CONNECT WITH THOSE THAT I KNOW AND INTRODUCE MYSELF TO THOSE THAT I DON'T KNOW, AND BEGIN WORKING ON PLANS TO FILL KEY EXECUTIVES.
THERE ARE MANY ISSUES WORKING IN THE PIPELINE, UM, BUT THOSE I THINK, WILL REQUIRE THE IMMEDIATE ATTENTION OF THE CITY MANAGER.
UM, AGAIN, I THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO GO THROUGH THIS PROCESS.
I THINK I'M THE BEST CANDIDATE TO EXECUTE THE COUNCIL'S POLICY DIRECTION AND LEAD A GREAT TEAM OF 12,000 CITY EMPLOYEES.
UH, KEEP UP THE GREAT WORK AND WE'LL SEE YOU IN THE UH, C ROOM SHORTLY.
WE READ THE ORDERS OF THE DAY.
UH, SO, UH, WE'RE HEARING FROM BOTH OF OUR CANDIDATES NOW, UH, ARE FINALISTS AND YOU WILL HAVE FIVE MINUTES FOR A STATEMENT.
THE CITY CLERK WILL KEEP YOUR TIME FOR YOU AFTER WHICH POINT WE WILL CONVENE ONE AT A TIME IN THE, UH, C ROOM FOR FURTHER INTERVIEW.
WELL, GOOD AFTERNOON, MAYOR AND COUNCIL.
I'M AN ASSISTANT CITY MANAGER WITH THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO.
I'M HUMBLE AND HONORED TO BE ONE OF THE TWO FINALISTS FOR THE NEXT CITY MANAGER FOR OUR CITY OF SAN ANTONIO.
THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY.
I HAVE BEEN A PUBLIC SERVANT FOR THE PAST 21 YEARS, SERVING OUR SAN ANTONIO COMMUNITY IN DIFFERENT CAPACITIES WITHIN OUR CITY ORGANIZATION.
I WAS BORN HERE IN SAN ANTONIO AND SPENT MY CHILDHOOD IN MEXICO.
I RETURNED WHEN I WAS 18 AND I OBTAINED A BACHELOR'S DEGREE FROM THE UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS IN SAN ANTONIO IN ACCOUNTING.
I'M ALSO A CERTIFIED PUBLIC ACCOUNTANT.
THE ROLE OF THE CITY MANAGER AS DEFINED BY OUR CITY CHARTER IS TO MANAGE THE DAY-TO-DAY OPERATIONS OF THE CITY IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CITY CHARTER AND TO PROVIDE PROFESSIONAL RECOMMENDATIONS TO THE COUNCIL ON ISSUES AND PROJECTS OF OUR CITY ORGANIZATION TO EXECUTE THE POLICY DIRECTION.
PROVIDED BY THE CITY COUNCIL, I HAVE THE EXPERIENCE AND THE SKILL TO DO SO.
I'M INTERESTED IN THE CITY MANAGER POSITION 'CAUSE I'M EXCITED ABOUT THE OPPORTUNITY TO CONTINUE TO WORK WITH YOU, THE CITY COUNCIL AND THE COMMUNITY AND THE CITY TEAM IN A DIFFERENT CAPACITY TO ACHIEVE OUR VISION OF BEING A PROSPEROUS CITY FOR ALL SAN ANTONIO RESIDENTS.
MY FINANCE AND BUDGETING EXPERIENCE IS EXTENSIVE.
I AM VERY COMFORTABLE WITH DEVELOPING, MONITORING AND MANAGING A BALANCED BUDGET FOR A 2.8 BILLION MUNICIPAL CORPORATION THAT DELIVERS SERVICES WITH OVER 12,000 EMPLOYEES TO ONE AND A HALF MILLION RESIDENTS.
CONTINUOUS IMPROVEMENT OF CITY SERVICES AND PROCESSES IS KEY IN LOCAL GOVERNMENT.
OVER THE PAST 12 YEARS, I HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO WORK VERY CLOSELY WITH THE CITY MANAGER, UTILIZING BEST PRACTICES AND PERFORMANCE DATA AND REORGANIZING CITY DEPARTMENTS, ELIMINATING ADMINISTRATIVE OVERHEAD AND USING TECHNOLOGY TO BETTER DELIVER CITY SERVICES TO OUR COMMUNITY.
USING THIS APPROACH, WE WERE ABLE TO RECOMMEND A BALANCED BUDGET WITH LITTLE TO NO IMPACT TO C CITY SERVICE DELIVERY AND NO INCREASE TO PROPERTY TAX RATE TO THE CITY PROPERTY TAX RATE DURING THE WORST RECESSIONARY PERIODS THAT WE EXPERIENCED IN CITY HISTORY.
I HAVE EXPERIENCE IN NEGOTIATING COLLECTIVE BARGAINING AGREEMENTS, BOTH FOR THE POLICE AND THE FIRE UNIONS.
I WAS PART OF THE TEAM THAT SUCCESSFULLY NEGOTIATED THE 2009 COLLECTIVE BARGAINING AGREEMENTS WITH BOTH THE POLICE AND THE FIRE UNIONS.
I WAS ALSO, UH, PART OF THE TEAM AND PLAYED A KEY ROLE IN THE 2016 SETTLEMENT AGREEMENT WITH THE POLICE UNION.
THREE YEARS AGO, I WAS PROMOTED TO ASSISTANT CITY MANAGER.
DURING THIS TIME, I HAVE PROVIDED LEADERSHIP AND STRATEGIC DIRECTION TO THE DEPARTMENTS OF HUMAN SERVICES, PARKS AND RECREATION ANIMAL CARE SERVICES, THE BUDGET OFFICE, AND THE BUDGET OF INNOVATION.
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I WAS GIVEN THE OPPORTUNITY TO LEAD THE IMPLEMENTATION OF AN EQUITY FRAMEWORK TO OUR CITY BUDGET AND PROGRAMS USING AN EQUITY ASSESSMENT.WHAT THIS MEANS IS THAT WE'RE FOCUSING ON THOSE AREAS OF OUR CITY THAT HAVE THE GREATEST NEEDS, AND TO ENSURE THAT THEY RECEIVE MORE ATTENTION AND RESOURCES TO BE MORE IMPACTFUL WITH OUR INVESTMENTS THAT RESULT IN A FAIR AND BETTER OUTCOMES.
TO THE UNDERSERVED RESIDENTS OF OUR COMMUNITY, MAYOR AND COUNCIL, I HAVE THE SKILLS AND EXPERIENCE TO BE YOUR NEXT CITY MANAGER.
AS A CITY MANAGER, I WILL WORK WITH YOU TO SUPPORT YOUR POLICY MAKING AND OVERSIGHT RESPONSIBILITIES.
I WILL PROVIDE YOU WITH PROFESSIONAL RECOMMENDATIONS FOR THE DAY-TO-DAY OPERATIONS OF THE CITY AND FOR OTHER CITY CHALLENGES.
IF SELECTED, MY IMMEDIATE PRIORITIES WILL BE EXECUTING CITY COUNCIL APPROVED PRIORITIES, INCLUDING AFFORDABLE HOUSING, TRANSPORTATION, STREET MAINTENANCE, MEANINGFUL PUBLIC PARTICIPATION, AND CONTINUING TO INVITE THE FIRE UNION TO THE TABLE TO NEGOTIATE A CONTRACT THAT IS FAIR TO OUR FIREFIGHTERS AND AFFORDABLE TO OUR TAXPAYERS.
ACCOMPLISHING THIS WORK IS NOT AN EASY TASK.
IT TAKES A GREAT TEAM, AND WE HAVE ONE FROM OUR EMPLOYEES WHO ARE OUT THERE RIGHT NOW FIXING OUR STREETS, PICKING UP TRASH, MAINTAINING OUR PARKS, HELPING OUR SENIORS OPERATING THE AIRPORT TO THE EXCELLENT EXECUTIVE TEAM HERE TODAY.
AS CITY MANAGER, I WILL CONTINUE OUR EFFORTS TO BE AN EMPLOYER OF CHOICE AND CONTINUE TO ATTRACT AND RETAIN TOP AND DIVERSE TALENT THAT REFLECTS OUR COMMUNITY.
MY PROFESSIONAL COMMITMENT TO YOU AND MY COMMUNITY IS TO SERVE WITH INTEGRITY, TRANSPARENCY, AND ACCOUNTABILITY TO MANAGE THE CITY IN A FISCAL AND RESPONSIBLE MANNER, AND WITH COMPASSION TO THE NEEDS OF OUR COMMUNITY.
KEEP UP THE GREAT WORK AND WE'LL SEE YOU IN THE SEA ROOM SHORTLY.
AND SO HERE'S THE, THE PUBLIC CAN GET A GLIMPSE OF WHAT A TASK THE CITY COUNCIL HAS IN FRONT OF IT.
THE TIME IS NOW 1:53 PM ON WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 16TH, 2019.
THE CITY COUNCIL, THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO, WILL NOW MEET IN EXECUTIVE SESSION TO CONSULT WITH THE CITY ATTORNEY'S OFFICE PURSUANT TO TEXAS, TO PURSUANT TO CHAPTER 5 5, 1 OF THE TEXAS GOVERNMENT CODE AND INTERVIEW CITY MANAGER CANDIDATES AND DELIBERATE THE DUTIES, APPOINTMENT AND EMPLOYMENT OF CITY MANAGER CANDIDATES PURSUANT TO TEXAS GOVERNMENT CODE SECTION 5 5 1 0.074 PERSONNEL MATTERS AND DISCUSS RELATED LEGAL ISSUES PURSUANT TO TEXAS GOVERNMENT CODE SECTION 5 5 1 7 1 CONSULTATION WITH ATTORNEY.
ALRIGHT, TIME IS NOW 7:47 PM ON WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 16TH, 2019.
AND THE CITY COUNCIL, THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO, WHILE NOW RECONVENE IN OPEN SESSION.
NO OFFICIAL ACTION WAS TAKEN IN EXECUTIVE SESSION.
UM, I JUST WANNA SAY THIS IS PROBABLY THE MOST DIFFICULT DECISION THAT ANYONE, UH, SITTING ON CITY COUNCIL IN OUR CAREERS WILL MAKE.
UH, WHAT HAS BECOME EVIDENT IN THIS WHOLE PROCESS, UH, HAS BEEN WHAT A REMARKABLE CITY STAFF THAT WE HAVE.
UH, NOT JUST THE FOLKS THAT WE'RE APPLYING FOR THE POSITION, BUT ALL THE SUPPORT STAFF DEPARTMENTS, UH, OUR HR DEPARTMENT, OUR LEGAL DEPARTMENT.
NOT ONLY WERE WE ABLE TO CONDUCT A PROFESSIONAL SEARCH AND APPOINTMENT, UH, PROCESS, UH, BUT IT WAS CONDUCTED IN A WAY THAT I, I THINK, UH, SETS A NEW STANDARD FOR TRANSPARENCY AND PROFESSIONALISM FOR A CITY OF OUR SIZE.
SO I'M VERY PROUD OF THE WORK THAT THEY DID.
I ALSO WANNA THANK MY COLLEAGUES 'CAUSE THIS HAS BEEN DIFFICULT.
IT'S BEEN A VERY DIFFICULT PROCESS.
WE WORKED WITH A NUMBER OF THESE INDIVIDUALS FOR A LONG TIME, UH, AND WE KNOW WHAT THE QUALITY OF OF PEOPLE WE WORK WITH ARE.
SO, UM, THANK YOU FOR TAKING IT, UH, IN THE MANNER THAT, UH, OUR COMMUNITY DESERVES.
UH, WITH ALL THAT BEING SAID, UH, THE PROPOSED CITY MANAGER FINALIST IS ERIC WALSH.
AND, UM, JUST WANT TO RE REEMPHASIZE THAT.
UH, THE NEXT PRO NEXT PHASE OF THIS PROCESS, WE'LL HAVE, UH, THE PROPOSED FINALIST MEETING WITH DIFFERENT CONSTITUENCIES.
THERE'S ALSO A PUBLIC SYMPOSIUM, UH, THAT WILL BE SCHEDULED, UH, VERY SHORTLY.
I BELIEVE IT'S ON THE 23RD OR THE 24TH.
THE 23RD, UH, THAT WILL BE OPEN TO THE PUBLIC.
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UH, SO YOU CAN HEAR FROM AND, AND ESSENTIALLY INTERVIEW, UH, THE NEXT CITY MANAGER.UM, AND THEN THE CITY COUNCIL WILL, UH, UH, HAVE TAKE ACTION ON A NEW CONTRACT AND APPOINTMENT FOR THE CITY MANAGER ON THE JAN ON JANUARY 31ST, UH, WITH NO FURTHER BUSINESS, TODAY'S MEETING IS NOW ADJOURNED.