[00:00:01]
WELCOME TO THE CITY COUNCIL B SESSION OF JANUARY THE NINTH, 2019.
HOUSE COUNCIL MEMBER SANDOVAL.
COUNCIL MEMBER COURAGE PRESENT.
OKAY, WELCOME EVERYONE TO OUR CITY COUNCIL B SESSION AGENDA.
TODAY WE HAVE ONE ITEM ON THE AGENDA, WHICH IS TO HEAR FROM AND INTERVIEW THE APPLICANTS FOR THE DISTRICT TWO CITY COUNCIL VACANCY.
AT THIS TIME, I'D LIKE TO RECOGNIZE OUR CITY CLERK TO READ THEIR PROCEDURES FOR THE DAY SLIDE.
SO THIS IS THE PROCESS FOR APPOINTING A REPLACEMENT FOR A CITY COUNCIL MEMBER FOR DISTRICT TWO.
AND THERE IT IS IN ACCORDANCE WITH ORDINANCE 2010 DASH FIVE DASH OH SIX OH.
THE NOTIFICATION PROCESS WAS FOLLOWED.
WE PUBLISHED THE NOTICE OF VACANCY, BOTH IN ENGLISH AND SPANISH, AND THE EXPRESS NEWS ON SUNDAY, DECEMBER 16TH.
WE ALSO PUBLISHED A NOTICE OF VACANCY ONLINE, WHICH IS REQUIRED BY THE ORDINANCE AND ON THE CITY'S PUBLIC ACCESS CHANNEL BY CLOSE OF BUSINESS ON MONDAY, DECEMBER 17TH, 2018.
ADDITIONALLY, NOTIFICATION WAS ALSO PLACED IN THE KIOSKS LOCATED BOTH IN THE MUNICIPAL PLAZA BUILDING AND ALSO IN THE CULTURAL COMMONS BUILDING THE APPLICATION PROCESS PER ORDINANCE, 2017 DASH 11 DASH 30 DASH NINE 20, APPLICANTS COMPLETED AN APPLICATION AND SUBMITTED SUPPLEMENTAL DOCUMENTATION OF RESIDENCY, LETTERS OF INTEREST, A RESUME AND FINANCIAL DISCLOSURE REPORTS, WHICH HAVE ALL BEEN PROVIDED TO YOU IN THAT PACKET.
APPLICANTS ALSO HAD THE OPTION TO SUBMIT ALL REQUIRED DOCUMENTATION IN PERSON OR ELECTRONICALLY TO OUR OFFICE OR OUR OFFICE.
THE APPLICATION PERIOD FOR THE DISTRICT TWO VACANCY BEGAN MONDAY, DECEMBER 17TH, 2018 AND ENDED AT 5:00 PM ON FRIDAY, JANUARY 4TH, 2019.
DURING THE JANUARY 9TH, WHICH IS TODAY BE SESSION, THE MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL WILL INTERVIEW ALL THE APPLICANTS AND SELECT UP TO THREE TO INTERVIEW ON THURSDAY, WHICH IS TOMORROW.
THE APPOINTEE WILL THEN IMMEDIATELY BE SWORN IN BY MYSELF AND TAKE HIS OR HER SEAT AT THE DAIS.
THE REMAINDER OF THE DISTRICT TWO UNEXPIRED TERM ENDS FRIDAY, MAY 31ST, 2019.
SO THE PROCESS FOR TODAY IS THAT EACH APPLICANT WILL BE PROVIDED UP TO THREE MINUTES TO PRESENT BEFORE THE MAYOR AND COUNCIL ON THEIR QUALIFICATIONS, THEIR VISION FOR DISTRICT TWO AND THEIR EFFECTIVENESS, UH, TO REPRESENT THE CITIZENS OF DISTRICT TWO.
EACH COUNCIL MEMBER MAY SPEAK OR ASK QUESTIONS REGARDING THE APPLICANT'S QUALIFICATIONS AND MERITS.
THEIR AFTER AN ADDITIONAL SEVEN MINUTES WILL BE PROVIDED FOR QUESTION AND ANSWERS BY THE CITY COUNCIL.
DENISE LUCKY WILL BE TIMING THE THREE MINUTES, FIRST AND FOREMOST, AND THEN THE ADDITIONAL SEVEN MINUTES FOR A TOTAL OF 10 MINUTES FOR EACH APPLICANT AT THAT TIME.
AFTER ALL APPOINT OR APPLICANTS ARE INTERVIEWED, THE MAYOR AND COUNCIL WILL RECESS INTO AN EXECUTIVE SESSION AND THEN THE MAYOR WILL THEN, UH, STATE IF THERE'S ANY ACTION TAKEN.
MAYOR, IS THERE ANYTHING ELSE YOU WOULD LIKE TO ADD? THAT'S IT.
AND WITH YOUR PERMISSION, UH, WE MAY BEGIN.
SO IF WHEN I CALL YOUR NAME, WOULD YOU PLEASE COME UP TO THE PODIUM? OKAY.
AND, UH, MADAME CLERK, I THINK, UH, SO JUST TO CLARIFY, YOU'VE DRAWN THE NAMES IN RANDOM ORDER.
WE WILL ANNOUNCE THE NAMES IN ORDER THAT THEY WILL BE INTERVIEWED.
ALL THE OTHER APPLICANTS WILL BE RE UH, SEATED IN THE C ROOM.
IS THAT CORRECT? THAT'S CORRECT.
SO ALL THE APPLICANTS PLEASE STAND, LETICIA SIGNS.
PLEASE RAISE YOUR HAND EVERYONE.
BUT WALTER PERRY, WOULD YOU PLEASE FOLLOW LETICIA SIGNS? AND DENISE, LUCKY, WHERE ARE YOU? OH, THERE, YOU'RE OKAY.
DENISE WILL BE KEEPING TIME AND AS SHE NOTATES THAT YOUR TIME IS UP, PLEASE.
UH, PLEASE BE MINDFUL OF THAT.
[00:05:04]
SO WOULD MR. WALTER PERRY PLEASE TAKE THE PODIUM? OKAY.AND AS A REMINDER, ALL OF THE CANDIDATES WILL BE ENTITLED TO 10 MINUTES TOTAL.
IT'S A THREE MINUTE OPENING STATEMENT, FOLLOWED BY SEVEN MINUTES OF QUESTION AND ANSWER FROM THE COUNCIL.
SO, WE'LL, UH, WE WILL KEEP ON TASK AND, UH, WE'LL GET FORWARD, GET MOVING AND, UH, GET THROUGH EFFECTIVELY TODAY.
I'M JUST GONNA GET RIGHT TO IT.
THE REASON WHY I WANNA BE DISTRICT TWO CITY COUNCILMEN IS BECAUSE OUR COMMUNITY HAS A LANGUAGE, UM, THAT'S BEING SPOKEN WITHIN THE COMMUNITY THAT'S NOT BEING HEARD.
IT HASN'T BEEN, IT HASN'T BEEN HEARD IN THE LAST 30 YEARS.
AS A MATTER OF FACT, IF YOU LOOK AROUND, THERE'S APATHY.
THERE'S UM, THERE'S NOT TRUST.
THERE ARE PEOPLE THAT ARE NOT BELIEVING IN THEMSELVES.
I COME FROM A COMMUNITY OF POVERTY.
I COME FROM THAT EAST SIDE COMMUNITY WHERE IT WAS DRUGS, IT WAS GANGS.
IT WAS PEOPLE WHO JUST DID NOT MEASURE UP TO WHAT THEY REALLY NEEDED TO BE.
I WAS MEANT TO, ACCORDING TO WHERE I COME FROM.
WE GET SHOT, WE GET KILLED, WE GET LIFE SENTENCES, WE STAY ON DRUGS.
BUT FOR SOME REASON, GOD PICKED ME TO BE AN EXAMPLE TO PEOPLE WHO COME FROM WHERE I COME FROM.
AND THE REASON WHY I WANNA BE COUNSELING IS BECAUSE A LOT OF PEOPLE WATCHING ME OVER THE LAST 10 YEARS COME FROM THAT, COME FROM THAT FILTH, COME FROM THAT THAT DOUBT COME FROM THAT THOSE LIES COME FROM THAT, YOU KNOW, THAT APATHY.
AND THEY WORKED WITH ME AND I FOLLOWED THE INSTRUCTION.
I LISTENED TO MY ELDERS, BUT I ALSO STAYED YOUNG ENOUGH AND KEPT MY SPIRIT TO LISTEN TO THE YOUTH.
AND I WORKED WITH THE YOUTH BY BUILDING MY OWN PROGRAM.
SOME OF THE THINGS I WANT TO DO IS WORK WITH THE YOUTH.
WE WANT TO GET THEM JOBS AND TRADE SCHOOLS.
SOME ARE PROGRAMS. WE WANT TO GET THEM EDUCATED.
PHILIP COLLEGE WITH THE EARLY HIGH SCHOOL, EARLY COLLEGE WITH THE HIGH SCHOOL, EARLY COLLEGE PROGRAM.
I HAVE THREE KIDS IN THERE RIGHT NOW DOING VERY WELL.
THEY'VE BEEN THERE LAST COUPLE OF YEARS.
I ALSO WANT TO GET WITH THE HOMEOWNERS.
I'VE BEEN A HOMEOWNER FOR THE LAST THREE YEARS.
IT WAS DIFFICULT COMING FOR WHY I CAME FROM HAVING A CONVICTION.
PEOPLE WERE DENYING US, BUT BY THE GRACE OF GOD, ME AND MY WIFE, WE, WE PULLED THROUGH.
I WAS AT THE MAYOR SUMMIT SITTING ON HIS PANEL ACTUALLY SPEAKING ABOUT MY EXPERIENCES AS A HOMEOWNER AND A RESIDENT.
SO I WANT TO HELP PEOPLE FIND WAYS TO GET HOMES, SMALL BUSINESSES.
MY EXPERIENCE AT SAGE ALLOWED ME TO WORK WITH THE SMALL BUSINESSES.
SO I KNOW ALL THE EAST SIDE BUSINESSES.
I WANNA CONTINUE TO WORK WITH THEM AND JUST LEARN AND JUST LISTEN AND FIND OUT EXACTLY WHAT THEY NEED.
OUR COMMUNITY NEEDS SOMEBODY WHO'S GONNA JUST LISTEN TO THEM.
THEY NEED SOMEBODY WHO'S GONNA ANSWER THE PHONE.
AND, AND, AND I CALL THEM BACK WHEN THEY MAKE A COMPLAINT OF SOMETHING.
I DID IT WITHOUT, WITHOUT GETTING A PAYCHECK.
I'M GONNA CONTINUE DOING IT WITHOUT A PAYCHECK.
AND BEFORE I LEAVE, I WANT TO, I WANNA LET EVERYBODY KNOW THAT SAGE JUST GAVE ME A SHOT.
THEY JUST GAVE ME A SHOT JUST TO BE SOMEBODY SO MUCH.
SO I SAT ON CHERYL SCULLY'S PANEL TO PICK THE POLICE COMMISSIONER.
AND SO I KNOW ABOUT RELATING TO THE CITY, AND I JUST ASK YOU JUST LOOK INTO YOUR HEARTS AND NOT LOOK INTO WHAT I DID AS A KID AND LET ME SERVE MY COMMUNITY.
WE'LL HAVE SOME QUESTIONS NOW FROM THE COUNCIL AND I'LL, I'LL GO AHEAD AND START, UM, BY ASKING, WE HAVE A NUMBER OF QUALIFIED CANDIDATES, IMPRESSIVE CANDIDATES THAT HAVE APPLIED FOR THIS POSITION.
WHAT MAKES YOU UNIQUELY QUALIFIED AMONG THEM? ALTHOUGH, UH, YOU ARE RIGHT, THEY HAVE THE EXPERIENCE.
UH, BUT I HAVE THE, THE COMMUNITY EXPERIENCE.
UH, I HAVE MY PERSONAL EXPERIENCE THAT I CAN RELATE TO THE PEOPLE THAT ARE GOING THROUGH SOMETHING RIGHT NOW, UH, IN MY COMMUNITY, UH, THERE ARE MORE RENTERS THAN HOMEOWNERS.
AND SO MY EXAMPLE, COMING FROM A RENTER, A LIFELONG RENTER, AND SHOWING THEM THE PROCESS AND LEADING THEM TO THAT PROCESS OF OWNING THEIR OWN HOME.
SIDEWALKS, DOGS OUT OF THE WAY.
CODE COMPLIANCE, SOMEBODY TO ANSWER THE PHONE, SOMEBODY TO ANSWER THE PHONE.
30 YEARS, WE HAVEN'T ASKED ANYBODY TO CALL PEOPLE BACK.
AND SO I WANT TO, I I WANNA SHOW MY COMMUNITY THAT THERE'S SOMEBODY WHO'S GOING TO NOT ONLY BE ATTAINABLE AND ACCESSIBLE, I'LL GIVE YOU MY PHONE NUMBER NOW, (210) 980-1596.
AND THAT'S HOW MUCH I LOVE THIS COMMUNITY.
THEY RAISED ME, SO I CAN'T FAKE WITH THEM.
I HAVE TO LISTEN TO MY ELDERS.
SO THAT'S WHY I FEEL LIKE I'M UNIQUELY QUALIFIED BECAUSE I SPEAK THE LANGUAGE OF TODAY.
[00:10:01]
MUCH FOR YOUR, UM, APPLICATION AND FOR YOUR, UM, ALL OF YOUR COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT THAT YOU'VE HAD.UM, THERE IS, UM, IT IS ABSOLUTELY EVIDENT TO ME AND TO MANY OF MY COUNCIL, WELL TO ME, THAT THERE IS A PRIDE AND IDENTITY THAT IS, UH, STRONG IN DISTRICT TWO.
AND I THINK YOU ARE A GREAT EXAMPLE OF THAT.
I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW, UM, HOW DO YOU INTEND TO CHAMPION THAT? AND PLEASE GIVE EXAMPLES OF HOW YOU INTEND TO ENGAGE THE COMMUNITY.
UM, IF SELECTED INTO THIS POSITION.
AGAIN, IT GOES BACK TO MY EXPERIENCE AT SAGE.
UM, JACKIE GORMAN, SHE'S HERE RIGHT NOW.
WHEN SHE, WHEN I CAME, SHE WAS LIKE, OH, YOU ROUGH, BUT I'M GONNA GIVE YOU A SHOT.
SHE WAS ALWAYS TELLING ME, LOOK, THE WORLD IS BIGGER THAN JUST WHAT'S IN YOUR HEAD, WALTER.
YOU HAVE TO LEARN HOW TO CONNECT WITH PEOPLE IN ALL AREAS.
AND THAT'S WHY SHE ALLOWED ME TO SIT ON YOUR PANEL.
THAT'S WHY SHE ALLOWED ME TO BE A PART OF OTHER THINGS LIKE JOB FAIRS, BECAUSE SHE STARTED MY, SHE SAW MY PASSION.
SHE SAW THAT I WAS REALLY SINCERE ABOUT THESE PEOPLE.
SHE JUST KNEW THAT I NEEDED THE OPPORTUNITY AND A LITTLE TRAINING.
UM, HOW I RELATE TO THESE PEOPLE IS THAT I WENT THROUGH WHAT THEY WENT THROUGH AND THESE PEOPLE, THEY TOLD ME, THEY TOLD ME THAT THEY'RE NEVER GOING TO BELIEVE THAT PEOPLE LIKE US CAN EVER CHANGE THEIR LIVES UNLESS THEY SEE ME.
SOMEBODY WHO WENT THROUGH WHAT THEY WENT THROUGH MAKE IT.
I GUARANTEE YOU, HOLD ON A MINUTE.
I GUARANTEE YOU IF I'M ALLOWED TO SIT ON THAT CITY COUNCIL, YOU'RE GONNA SEE A PRIDE IN THE COMMUNITY THAT'S NEVER BEEN SEEN BEFORE BY THE YOUNG PEOPLE, BY THE ELDERS, BECAUSE THEY'VE WORKED IN THIS COMMUNITY, BUT NOBODY'S REALLY HELPED THEM SEE THEIR THINGS THROUGH.
AND THERE'S GONNA BE OLD PEOPLE IN MY COMMUNITY THAT'S GONNA DIE NOT SEEING THEIR WORK THROUGH, AND I CAN'T LIVE WITH THAT.
I HAVE TO FIGHT FOR THEM AND THE YOUTH AND MY FAMILY AND ALL FAMILIES IN MY COMMUNITY.
SO THAT'S WHY I FEEL LIKE I'M, I'M THE BEST CANDIDATE BECAUSE I KNOW THAT WHEN SOMEBODY GETS SHOT IN THE COMMUNITY, I'M GONNA BE RIGHT THERE.
UM, WHEN SOMEBODY'S CRYING, SOMEBODY NEEDS LIKE, MONEY FOR THEIR LIGHT BILL, WE ARE GONNA RAISE THE MONEY AND GET IT FOR 'EM.
IT'S MORE THAN JUST BEING PRI AND PROPER.
IT'S ABOUT GOING OUT THERE AND DOING THE DIRTY WORK TOO, AS FAR AS GETTING YOUR HANDS DIRTY, GOING OUT THERE CRYING, GOING OUT THERE AND JUST SAYING, YOU KNOW WHAT? I DON'T KNOW Y'ALL.
IT'S PEOPLE RIGHT HERE IN THE COMMUNITY I WORKED WITH ON EVERY PROJECT.
BUT THEY'RE SITTING HERE RIGHT NOW ACTING LIKE I DON'T LOVE THE COMMUNITY.
THEY'RE GOING AFTER SOMEBODY ELSE WHO JUST POPPED UP, EVERYBODY JUST POPPING UP.
BUT WHEN PEOPLE WAS GETTING POPPED AND SHOT IN MY, IN MY HOOD, I DIDN'T SEE NONE OF THEM THERE.
THAT'S WHY I NEED TO BE THERE, Y'ALL.
IT'S JUST, IT'S THE PASSION IN ME.
USUALLY I'M THE GUY WHO IS MOST EXCITED AND WAVING HIS HANDS AND ALL THAT.
UH, AND YOU, YOU COME ACROSS AS A VERY SINCERE AND PASSIONATE PERSON, AND I'M ACTUALLY REALLY IMPRESSED.
UH, AND SO THANK YOU FOR THROWING YOUR HAT IN THE RING.
IT'S NOT EASY TO RAISE YOUR HAND AND VOLUNTEER.
UM, BUT THE HARDEST PART IS ACTUALLY THE SHOWING UP AND DOING THE WORK AND ALL THAT.
SO HOW ARE YOU GONNA BALANCE THE TIME BETWEEN WHATEVER IT IS YOU DO DURING THE DAY, RIGHT? UH, I IMAGINE, UH, YOU'VE GOT A JOB AND ALL THAT.
CAN YOU WALK US THROUGH THAT AND THEN, UM, YOU KNOW, THE RESPONSIBILITIES THAT COME WITH THIS, UM, WITH THIS POSITION.
UM, AND THEN ALSO, UM, YOU KNOW, DO YOU HAVE ANY OTHER OUTSIDE, UH, OBLIGATIONS OR ANYTHING THAT WOULD IMPEDE YOUR ABILITY TO DO THIS JOB? COMPLETELY? UM, RIGHT NOW I'M CURRENTLY A STUDENT AT TEXAS A AND M, SAN ANTONIO, WHERE I'M A BUSINESS MAJOR, PURSUING MY DEGREE IN MARKETING, UH, SPECIALIZE IN DIGITAL MARKETING.
THE REASON WHY I GOT INTO BUSINESS, I ACTUALLY STARTED IN FINANCE.
I GOT TIRED OF PEOPLE COUNTING MY MONEY.
I GOT TIRED OF LIKE, LOOKING AT THE NUMBERS AND NOT KNOWING.
AGAIN, IT GOES BACK TO MY KNOWLEDGE AT SAGE.
JUST WE, I, I GOT A SHOT TO DO THINGS THAT ORDINARY PEOPLE DIDN'T GET TO DO.
AND YEAH, YEAH, YOU ARE A FELON WALTER, BUT THAT DOESN'T MATTER BECAUSE GOD USED THE MOST IMPERFECT PEOPLE AND TURNED THEM INTO LEADERS, MURDERERS, DRUNKARDS.
AND IF HE CAN TAKE THEM, I'M PRETTY SURE HE CAN TAKE ME.
AND SO MY TIME AT SCHOOL ACTUALLY IS A PLUS BECAUSE I WORK WITH A LOT OF THE STUDENTS AT TEXAS AND SAN ANTONIO, AND THEY'RE LOOKING FOR, UM, UM, VOLUNTEERING OPPORTUNITIES.
SO AS A COUNCILMAN, I CAN CONNECT WITH THE STUDENTS AND CONNECT OTHER SCHOOLS SO THAT WAY
[00:15:01]
THEY CAN GET MORE INTO THE COMMUNITY.UM, AS FAR AS A JOB, BY GOING INTO SCHOOL, I STARTED A, I STARTED A LITTLE SMALL LITTLE CONSULTANT DIGITAL MARKET CALLED PAID THINKERS.
THE REASON WHY I STARTED THAT IS BECAUSE SEEING PEOPLE LIKE CHRISTOPHER HERRING, HE TALKS ABOUT BUSINESSES WITH AFRICAN AMERICANS DOING BUSINESSES, AND THEN JACKIE SAY, DON'T, DON'T ALWAYS BE SOMEBODY ASKING FOR HANDOUTS.
SO I WENT TO SCHOOL AND I LEARNED IT.
SO THAT WAY WHEN I GO TALK TO THE COMMUNITY, I CAN TELL 'EM, WELL, NOBODY DIDN'T GIMME THIS.
AND SO I CAN SHOW YOU, I CAN TEACH YOU HOW TO FISH.
SO, AND I LIVE IN DISTRICT TWO.
I LIVE RIGHT OFF F STREET IN LOKE, RIGHT IN THE HOOD AND THE STICKS.
SO I'M RIGHT IN ACTION, BEEN THERE.
SO ANYTIME SOMEBODY'S SHOOTING ON THE HILL, WHO'S RIGHT THERE, WALTER PERRY, NOT THOSE GUYS.
NOT NOT TAKING AWAY WHAT THEY DID BECAUSE IT'S RESPECTED, BUT IF YOU WANNA REACH THE PEOPLE RIGHT NOW, YOU NEED SOMEBODY WHO'S WILLING TO GO IN THERE AND DO THE DIRTY WORK.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH, MR. PERRY.
ALRIGHT, NEXT APPLICANT IS JAYDA.
I AM A LIFELONG DISTRICT TWO RESIDENT.
WE ARE LOOKING FOR SOMEONE THAT IS DESPERATE FOR CHANGE, WHICH IS WHERE I COME IN.
I BELIEVE IN THE PEOPLE OF OUR DISTRICT.
I BELIEVE THE CHILDREN IN OUR DISTRICT DESERVE A LOT BETTER THAN WHAT THEY'VE BEEN GIVEN.
WE DON'T EVEN HAVE A FACILITY FOR OUR CHILDREN TO GO TO WHERE IF PARENTS CAN'T AFFORD IT, THEY'RE JUST STUCK.
WHAT DO YOU DO WITH CHILDREN WHO CAN'T AFFORD TO BE IN A SPORT, WHO CANNOT AFFORD TO GO TO THE BOYS AND GIRLS CLUB? THAT'S EVEN COSTING MONEY THAT MOST OF THESE FAMILIES DON'T HAVE.
WE HAVE PARKS THAT ARE NOT BEING USED, THEY'RE THERE.
BUT WHAT ARE WE DOING? THERE'S TOO MUCH VIOLENCE.
FIRST TO SEND OUR CHILDREN OUTSIDE.
WE COULD GO OUTSIDE, WE COULD PLAY NOW, WE CAN'T.
OUR CHILDREN ARE NOW LIVING IN A WORLD WHERE EVERYTHING HAS TO BE ISOLATED.
AND THAT, FOR ME IS A PROBLEM.
DISTRICT TWO IS A, A PRIDE OF SAN ANTONIO.
A LOT OF TIMES WHEN I WAS AT SAM HOUSTON, YOU WOULD HEAR THE PRIDE OF THE ESOP.
WHERE'S THEIR PRIDE NOW, WHERE ARE THOSE THAT STAND UP AND FIGHT? FOR THOSE THAT CANNOT SPEAK? WHERE ARE THOSE THAT FIGHT? FOR THOSE THAT DO NOT KNOW? WE HAVE A SYSTEM WHERE NO ONE IS EDUCATED IN THE UNDERSTANDING OF WHAT CITY COUNCIL TRULY DOES FOR THAT DISTRICT.
WE HAVE PEOPLE THAT HAVE COME IN, HAVE TAKEN, HAVE LEFT, AND WE'RE STILL IN A SITUATION WHERE WE DON'T KNOW WHAT IS NEXT.
WE NEED TO HAVE A FORCE TO BE RECKONED WITH.
WE ARE A DISTRICT WHERE THERE IS HISTORY AND SO MUCH MORE RICH CULTURE THAT NEEDS TO BE CULTIVATED, ADAPTED, AND BROUGHT TO THE FOREFRONT.
I'M A FORCE TO BE RECKONED WITH BECAUSE MY VOICE MAKES A DIFFERENCE.
NOT ONLY DO I SPEAK, I MOVE, I MOVE IN MY COMMUNITY, I MOVE IN MY CHURCH, I MOVE IN MY FAMILY, AND I WILL MOVE FOR MY DISTRICT.
I WILL NOT HUMBLE MYSELF TO SAY THAT, NO, OUR DISTRICT DOES NOT NEED IT.
I WILL STEP UP AND I'LL SAY, THE PEOPLE HAVE SPOKEN, THEY HAVE SAID WHAT THEY'VE SAID, AND THIS IS WHAT IT NEEDS TO BE.
WHY? BECAUSE THOSE ARE THE PEOPLE THAT LIVE THERE, THEY KNOW BEST.
WHY NOT LISTEN, WHY NOT MOVE ON WHAT IT IS THAT NEEDS TO BE MOVED ON? YOU SAY, A LOT OF TIMES THERE'S VIOLENCE, IT'S GETTING OUTTA HAND, BUT WHAT DO WE DO? DO WE SIT BACK AND SAY, OH, WELL THAT'S THE NEXT PROBLEM SOMEBODY ELSE CAN DEAL WITH THAT.
SOMEBODY ELSE NEEDS TO COME IN AND SAY, WHAT ARE YOU GONNA DO NO MORE? WE HAVE A CHIEF THAT IS OF THE POLICE FORCE THAT YOU CAN SPEAK TO OPENLY, FREELY.
IT'S TIME TO TAKE BACK OUR STREETS.
IT'S TIME TO TAKE BACK OUR CHILDREN.
IT'S TIME TO TAKE BACK OUR COMMUNITY, AND IT'S TIME FOR US TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE.
I I'LL START THE QUESTIONS BY JUST ASKING, THERE'S, UH, A NUMBER OF VERY QUALIFIED CANDIDATES FOR THE POSITION TODAY.
UH, WHAT MAKES YOU UNIQUELY QUALIFIED TO SERVE DISTRICT TWO? I'M UNIQUELY QUALIFIED TO SERVE DISTRICT TWO BECAUSE I HAVE
[00:20:01]
AN EDUCATION WITHIN MY DISTRICT.I HAVE THE QUALIFICATIONS BEHIND THE NAACP, BEHIND MY SORORITY AS THE CHAPTER PRESIDENT, WHICH STRIVES ON COMMUNITY SERVICE.
I HAVE THE PUSH OF MANY OF THE SAN ANTONIO POLICE DEPARTMENT.
I HAVE THE PUSH OF MANY OF THE CHURCHES WITHIN OUR COMMUNITY, AND I STRIVE TO MAKE THAT DIFFERENCE.
EDUCATION IS NOT JUST THE FOREFRONT OF WHAT YOU KNOW, IT'S ABOUT YOUR HEART.
UM, THANK YOU VERY MUCH MS. SULLIVAN FOR APPLYING AND FOR STEPPING UP.
UM, AS YOU KNOW, DISTRICT THREE SHARES, UH, A LARGE BOUNDARY WITH DISTRICT TWO AS WELL AS MANY NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATIONS.
AND AS RECENTLY AS DECEMBER, UH, WE'VE HAD TOWN HALLS WHERE MANY RESIDENTS FROM DISTRICT TWO WERE HERE.
SO IT IS ABSOLUTELY EVIDENT TO ME THAT THERE IS A PRIDE IN IDENTITY THAT IS VERY STRONG IN DISTRICT TWO, THAT YOU DO ALSO, UM, EXEMPLIFY.
SO HOW DO YOU INTEND TO CHAMPION THAT? AND PLEASE GIVE SPECIFIC EXAMPLES OR HOW YOU INTEND TO ENGAGE THE COMMUNITY TO GET THEIR INPUT AND THEIR TRUST INTO YOU.
UM, WE HAVE COMMUNITY CENTERS THAT ARE CENTERED IN THE HEART OF DISTRICT TWO, UM, THAT ARE VERY ACCESSIBLE TO DISTRICT THREE AND OTHER AREAS.
UM, I PLAN TO HOLD DIFFERENT MEETINGS, DIFFERENT RALLIES.
WE USED TO HAVE COMMUNITY BLOCK PARTIES.
A LOT OF THE RESIDENTS OF DISTRICT TWO ARE OF SENIOR AGE, SO THEY DON'T HAVE COMMUNICATION DEVICES.
THEY DON'T HAVE, YOU KNOW, FACEBOOK OR EMAILS.
YOU HAVE TO GO AND REACH THOSE PEOPLE FACE-TO-FACE, HAND TO HAND, FOOT TO FOOT.
AND THAT'S WHAT I'M ABLE TO DO.
I'M ABLE TO SPEAK WITH THOSE THAT MANY WON'T SPEAK TO, AND THAT'S WHO NEEDS TO BE TOUCHED THE MOST.
IT'S NOT EASY TO RAISE YOUR HAND AND VOLUNTEER AND IT'S, IT'S BRAVE.
UM, IT'S ALSO VERY BRAVE TO TALK IN FRONT OF A BIG GROUP OF PEOPLE, AND YOU DO IT VERY WELL.
UM, THE, UM, I'M, THROUGHOUT THE DAY I'M ASKING THE CANDIDATES ABOUT TIME MANAGEMENT, RIGHT? AND I'LL TELL YOU, ONE OF THE MOST DIFFICULT THINGS THAT WE DO HERE IS MANAGE OUR TIME.
SOME OF US RUN BUSINESSES, OTHER OF US, YOU KNOW, WE ALL HAVE FAMILIES.
HOW DO YOU, UH, INTEND TO BALANCE THAT, RIGHT? THE, THE BIG AMOUNT OF WORK THAT COMES WITH THIS JOB, AND ALSO TAKING CARE OF WHAT NEEDS TO BE TAKEN CARE OF? UM, TIME MANAGEMENT FOR ME, UH, SERVING THE MILITARY TAUGHT ME HOW TO ORGANIZE VERY WELL.
UM, TIME MANAGEMENT IS OF THE ESSENCE IN THIS DISTRICT.
WE REALLY ARE PUSHED FOR TIME.
SO, UM, I DO ALL MY OWN BUSINESS, BUT IT'S ALL ABOUT SCHEDULING.
WHEN YOU HAVE A PRESENCE AND YOU HAVE TO BE SEEN, SOMETIMES YOU HAVE TO MAKE THE CHOICE TO BE ACCOUNTABLE FOR WHERE YOU'RE SUPPOSED TO BE AT THE TIME YOU'RE SUPPOSED TO BE THERE MAKING THINGS HAPPEN AT THE TIME THEY NEED TO HAPPEN.
AND THAT'S HOW WE'LL MANAGE THAT TIME.
MA'AM, CAN YOU LIST A COUPLE OF THINGS YOU WOULD WANT TO ACCOMPLISH IN YOUR DISTRICT OR SOLUTIONS THAT YOU WANNA SEE DEVELOP FOR PROBLEMS IN YOUR DISTRICT? CERTAINLY, I WOULD LOVE TO SEE FOR FIRST AND FOREMOST THERE BE AN ETIQUETTE SCHOOL PUT INTO OUR COMMUNITIES THAT TEACHES NOT ONLY ABOUT HOW TO REPRESENT YOURSELF AS A PERSON, BUT HOW TO REPRESENT YOUR COMMUNITY.
I WOULD LOVE TO SEE, FOR OUR YOUNG LADIES TO HAVE A PLACE WHERE THEY CAN GO FOR A SAFE HAVEN, UM, TO GET AWAY FROM THE WORLD AS WE KNOW IT.
UM, I BELIEVE THAT IF WE HAD A CHEER SCHOOL ON THE EAST SIDE OF SAN ANTONIO, OUR CHILDREN WOULDN'T HAVE TO GO WAY OUT TO 1604.
THAT IS THE DEVELOPMENT THAT WE DO NOT HAVE AT THIS TIME.
ON THE EAST SIDE, WE DO NOT HAVE A FREE COMMUNITY SERVICE CENTER WHERE THAT CHILDREN CAN GO IN AND PARTICIPATE WITHOUT HAVING TO PAY.
WE NEED TO ESTABLISH A FOOTBALL SYSTEM TO WHERE KIDS THAT CAN'T AFFORD TO BE ON POP WARNER CAN'T AFFORD TO GET UNIFORMS. A LOT OF THE ARTS ARE BEING CUT OUT OF SCHOOL.
SO WE NEEDED AN ARTS SCHOOL FOR OUR YOUTH.
ON THE EAST SIDE, WE HAVE TALENTS THAT ARE UNMATCHED AND THEY'RE NOT BEING TAPPED INTO.
I WOULD LOVE TO SEE THOSE THINGS DEVELOPED.
WE HAVE OLD BUILDINGS THAT ARE JUST SITTING ON THE SIDE OF THE ROAD RIDING, BUT IF WE SELL OUT TO CORPORATE CONTRACTORS, WHAT DOES THAT SAY ABOUT OUR COMMUNITY? WE NEED TO TAKE THOSE BUILDINGS AND REVE REDEVELOP THEM INTO SOMETHING BROADER.
WE NEED TO BUILD ACADEMIES FOR PARENTS THAT DON'T HAVE A COLLEGE EDUCATION OR HAVE NOT EVEN GRADUATED HIGH SCHOOL THAT HAVE REFORMS FOR CRIMINALS THAT ARE COMING OUT, BECAUSE A LOT OF TIMES THEY CAN'T GET A PLACE TO LIVE.
LET'S DEVELOP SOME OF THE OLD APARTMENTS THAT ARE BEING JUST RAVAGED WITH NOTHINGNESS AND TURN THEM INTO BUILDINGS THAT WE CAN USE TO, UH, COMPENSATE FOR THE HOMELESS POPULATION.
WE HAVE THOSE RESOURCES IN DISTRICT TWO TO MAKE THAT HAPPEN.
WE JUST HAVEN'T TAPPED INTO FULLY.
[00:25:01]
COUNCILMAN PERRY.AND MA'AM, THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR COMING TODAY.
IF YOU WERE APPOINTED TO THIS POSITION, WOULD YOU LOOK TO RUN FOR THIS POSITION IN MAY? I WOULD.
AND I'M NOT HERE JUST FOR THE SHORT HAUL.
AND, UH, HOW DO YOU THINK DISTRICT TWO WOULD VIEW THAT POSITIVELY OR NEGATIVELY? THEY'RE LOOKING FOR SOMEONE THAT'S LOOKING TO STAY OKAY.
THEY'RE NOT LOOKING FOR SOMEONE THAT'S BUILDING A PLATFORM FOR THEMSELVES TO MOVE ON WITHIN THE NEXT YEAR OR SO.
THEY NEED SOMEBODY THAT'S GONNA STAY AND PUT DOWN THEIR FOOT AND JUST CONTINUE TO RUN WITH THE MISSION.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH, MS. SULLIVAN.
THE NEXT APPLICANT IS, UH, DANIEL MARTINEZ.
UM, YOU HAVE SOME OUTSTANDING CANDIDATES AND I DON'T, UH, ENVY YOU ALL IN MAKING A DECISION, UH, WITH ME.
UH, IT'S ABOUT, UM, ISSUES IN OUR COMMUNITY AND DISTRICT TWO, UH, PRIMARILY A HOSPITAL.
AND THE VALUES THAT I HAVE ARE BASED ON, UH, THE ROTARY INTERNATIONAL, UH, FOUR-WAY TEST.
UM, SOME OF YOU MAY KNOW IT, UH, IT'S, UH, IS IT, UH, UH, IS IT TRUE? UH, WILL IT, UH, UM, BUILD, UM, UM, LET'S SEE, HOW DID IT GO
I'M, UH, AND, UH, AND POSITIVE, UH, I GUESS, UH, UM, FRIENDS.
AND, UH, THE THIRD IS, UM, UM, WILL IT, UH, BE BENEFICIAL TO ALL CONCERN? I THINK THAT'S THE FOURTH ONE.
BUT ANYWAY, UH, I VALUE, YOU KNOW, BEING HONEST WITH EVERY ONE AND, UH, NOT PLAYING GAMES.
YOU KNOW, WE, UM, SOMETIMES HAVE TO ENDURE ALL KINDS OF SITUATIONS.
AND, UM, YOU KNOW, IT'S, IT'S TYPICAL, BUT, UH, I WANNA WORK WITH PEOPLE, NOT DIVIDE PEOPLE.
AND, UH, WE NEED A LOT OF THINGS DONE AND WE RELY ON THE CITY AND OUR REPRESENTATIVES TO, TO ACTUALLY GET OUT THERE AND, AND FIGHT FOR US.
SO, UH, I'D LIKE TO, IF I WAS, IF I'M FORTUNATE ENOUGH TO GET, UH, UM, SELECTED, I WOULD LIKE TO SERVE ON THREE COMMITTEES OUT OF THE 10, UM, THE, UH, AUDIT, THE PUBLIC HEALTH AND PUBLIC SAFETY.
AND, UH, SO, UM, YOU KNOW, I'M FAMILIAR WITH THE OPEN MEETINGS, UH, ACT AND, AND THE WALKING QUORUM AND, AND ALL OF THAT, UH, BECAUSE I'VE BEEN INVOLVED JUST LIKE JOHN CURRY HAS, UH, WITH THE COLLEGE DISTRICT.
IT WAS QUITE AN EDUCATION THERE.
AND, UH, BELIEVE ME, UH, ADMINISTRATION SOMETIMES DO A LOT OF THINGS THAT THEY SHOULDN'T BE DOING.
AND, UH, BUT WE NEED TO BE VERY INVOLVED.
AND, UH, WITH REGARD TO STAFFING OF, UH, THE, UH, DISTRICT TWO, UH, INDIVIDUALS, I'M FOR CONTINUING THE CONTINUITY, UH, WITH THEM.
WE HAVE, UH, FIVE CONSTITUENT SERVICES, UH, STAFF MEMBERS ON DISTRICT TWO, AND THEY'RE DOING A GOOD JOB.
AND SO, ANYWAY, UM, IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS, THANK YOU VERY MUCH MR. MARTINEZ.
WHAT MAKES YOU THE BEST CANDIDATE? WELL, I DON'T KNOW WHETHER I'M THE BEST CANDIDATE OR NOT.
UM, I'M, UM, 79 YEARS OLD AND, UH, I'M IN GOOD HEALTH AND, UM, I'VE, UM, TRAVELED THE ROAD A LONG WAY.
AND, AND JOHN CURRY KNOWS ONE OF THE, THE, UM,
[00:30:01]
UH, DIFFICULTIES WE HAD IN ESTABLISHING THE PALO ALTO COLLEGE, AND I WAS, HAPPENED TO BE THE SWING VOTE THAT MADE, UH, PALO ALTO COLLEGE HAPPEN.AND SO, ANYWAY, BUT, UM, LIKE I SAID, I'M VERY FAMILIAR WITH ALL OF THE ISSUES I'M VERY INVOLVED IN, IN, UH, MY DEL CREST NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION IN THE EASTERN TRIANGLE.
I DID, I FOUNDED THE EASTERN TRIANGLE, UM, UH, COMMUNITY PLAN, AND WE WORKED WITH THE CITY OFFICIALS AND, UH, WE WERE SUCCESSFUL IN GETTING OUR COMMUNITY PLAN ADOPTED BY THE CITY COUNCIL.
SO, UM, THAT'S WHAT WORKING TOGETHER.
AND WE HAD 16 NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATIONS, UH, THAT CAME TOGETHER.
SO WE HAD TO DO A LOT OF WORK WITHIN THE TWO YEARS THAT IT TOOK US BEFORE, UH, WE GOT, UH, APPROVED BY THE COUNCIL.
THANK YOU SO MUCH MR. MARTINEZ, FOR APPLYING.
UM, YOUR, YOU HAVE THIS UNWAVERING COMMITMENT TO YOUR COMMUNITY, AND THAT IS WITHOUT A DOUBT, AND THAT I HAVE BEEN ABLE TO WITNESS BECAUSE OF THE EASTERN TRIANGLE, UM, ASSOCIATION THAT WE, WE SEE EACH OTHER AT, UM, OFTEN.
SO ONE OF THE THINGS I WANTED TO ASK IS, UM, YOU'RE PART OF DELVE, YOU'RE PART OF YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATIONS.
UM, BUT HOW DO YOU INTEND TO, UM, ENGAGE AND GAIN INPUT AND TRUST FROM ALL OF THE OTHER VERY, UM, DIFFERENT NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATIONS IN DISTRICT TWO? WELL, WE HAVE, UH, REGULAR MEETINGS IN THE EASTERN TRIANGLE, THE BOARD OF, UH, DIRECTORS, AND I'M THE REGISTERED AGENT FOR THE, UH, UH, EASTERN TRIANGLE AND, UH, OF COURSE, THE FORMER CHAIRMAN.
AND, UH, SO, UH, WE OUTREACH TO ALL OF THE NEIGHBORHOOD, UH, ASSOCIATIONS WITHIN THE EASTERN TRIANGLE, UH, AREA, AND IT'S A 15, UH, PLUS SQUARE MILE AREA.
SO, UH, WE, UH, YOU KNOW, HAVE THAT OUTREACH.
AND THEN I ALSO, OF COURSE SERVE AS CHAIRMAN EMERITUS OF THE SAN ANTONIO CRIME COALITION.
AND WE HAVE, WE STARTED IN DISTRICT TWO, BUT WE WENT, UH, CITYWIDE ON THAT.
SO WE HAVE A LOT OF, UH, ADVISORY BOARD MEMBERS, AND ONE OF THE STAFFERS FROM, UH, DISTRICT TWO IS, UH, ON OUR ADVISORY BOARD.
AND SO WE KEEP, UM, PEOPLE, UM, OPINIONS.
AND I'M ALSO, I GUESS I MIGHT POINT OUT, UH, LAST MONTH I RECEIVED A COMMUNITY ADVOCATE SEE AWARD FROM THE SAN ANTONIO COUNCIL ON ALCOHOL AND DRUG AWARENESS, UH, UM, FOR BEING ACTIVE.
AND I WAS PART OF THE, UM, TOBACCO 21, UM, PUSH FOR YOU ALL TO ADOPT.
AND I'M GLAD YOU ALL DID BECAUSE IT WAS LONG OVERDUE.
SO, UH, I'M VERY INVOLVED CITYWIDE, BUT, UH, UM, AT 79, I FEEL GOOD AND I NEED TO STAY BUSY.
AND IF I'M FORTUNATE ENOUGH TO GET ON THE, ON THE COUNCIL, I DON'T WANT YOU ALL BEATING UP ON ME, AND I WANNA BE ABLE TO WORK WITH YOU, AND YOU WORK WITH ME.
NO PROMISE WITH ME, BUT I CAN FIGHT BACK
THAT NEVER HAPPENS, MR. MARTINEZ.
MAYOR COUNCILMAN P THANK YOU, MR. MARTINEZ.
UM, AND THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE.
UH, THE, THE NAME OF THE GAME IN THIS, UH, BUSINESS IS SHOWING UP AND SHOWING UP OFTEN, AND THERE'S A LOT OF HOURS THAT WE PUT INTO THIS.
DO YOU HAVE, DO YOU HAVE THE, THE BANDWIDTH TO BE ABLE TO SHOW UP WEEKENDS AT NIGHTS, AND FOR ALL THE MEETINGS? OH, YEAH.
PEOPLE, PEOPLE OF DISTRICT TWO DESERVE A PERSON WHO'S JUST GONNA SHOW UP EVERY TIME.
WHEN I SERVED ON THE, UH, A C C D BOARD, YES, SIR.
UH, I MEAN, I GOT CALLS AT ALL HOURS OF THE DAY AND, AND NIGHT, UH, UM, THE COPS ORGANIZATION.
I MEAN, THEY WERE RELENTLESS WITH ME, UH, BEFORE WE PASSED, UH, THE PALO ALTO COLLEGE, UH, UM, VOTE.
AND SO, BUT, YOU KNOW, UH, IN ALL FAIRNESS, PEOPLE LOOK AT DIFFERENT, UH, THINGS, DIFFERENT ISSUES DIFFERENTLY, UM, BUT THEY DON'T REALIZE THAT YOU HAVE TO GO AHEAD AND COMPROMISE AND, UH, THAT'S THE NAME OF THE GAME.
YOU CAN'T HAVE IT ALL ONE WAY OR ALL THE OTHER WAY.
YOU GOTTA GO AHEAD AND BE ABLE TO COMPROMISE AND COME UP WITH SOMETHING THAT'S BENEFICIAL, UM, TO EVERYONE OR TRY TO, ANYWAY.
SO I, I AM AVAILABLE, LIKE I SAID, UH, I'M WIDOWED, UH, MY WIFE PASSED AWAY, UH, LAST NOVEMBER, AND SO I NEED
[00:35:01]
TO STAY BUSY.UH, DAN, I, I WOULD HAVE TO SAY, SHOULD YOU GET ELECTED, I'LL HAVE TO GIVE UP THE TITLE OF BEING THE OLDEST PERSON ON CITY COUNCIL
I DON'T KNOW IF I'M READY TO DO THAT, BUT
UH, WHAT DO YOU THINK IS THE GREATEST NEED IN DISTRICT NINE THAT YOU WOULD WANT TO ADDRESS? EXCUSE ME.
UH, IN DISTRICT TWO, DON'T RUN AGAINST ME, THEN.
UM, PEOPLE HAVE TO GO, UM, TO THE MEDICAL CENTER OR TO MISSION TRAIL HOSPITAL, YOU KNOW, WE NEED A FULL SERVICE HOSPITAL IN DISTRICT TWO.
AND, UH, I'VE ALREADY TRIED TO CONTACT, UM, A PROPERTY OWNER ON SOUTHEAST LOOP FOUR 10, AND HE IS GOT ABOUT 50 ACRES THAT HE USES FOR FARMING.
AND, UH, SO, UM, I'M WORKING ON THAT.
BUT I WOULD LIKE TO, OF COURSE, HAVE AN INITIATIVE STARTED AND GET A STUDY BY DEVELOPMENT SERVICES TO ACTUALLY SAY WE DO NEED A HOSPITAL.
AND, UH, YOU KNOW, THERE'S A LOT OF CONGESTION TOWARDS THE MEDICAL CENTER BECAUSE PEOPLE HAVE TO GO FROM ALL OVER THE CITY, OVER, UH, TO THE MEDICAL COMPLEX.
THEY MIGHT WORK OVER THERE AS WELL.
AND SO, YOU KNOW, YOU HAVE THE POPULATION ON THE EAST SIDE HAVING TO GO, UH, EVERY WHICH WAY.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH, MR. MARTINEZ.
AND, AND I WANNA THANK YOU ALL FOR ALL THE WORK THAT YOU ALL DO.
MICHELLE BAILEY IS THE NEXT APPLICANT.
SO THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR ALLOWING ME TO BE HERE AND SPEAK WITH YOU.
UH, MY NAME IS MICHELLE BAILEY, AND I AM HERE IN HOPES TO FILL THE DISTRICT TWO VACANCY.
I WENT TO SCHOOL AT MIAMI UNIVERSITY AND GRADUATED WITH MY JOINT DEGREE IN POLITICAL SCIENCE AND ANTHROPOLOGY.
MOST RECENTLY, AS OF OCTOBER OF THIS YEAR, I GRADUATED FROM COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY WITH A MASTER'S OF ARTS DEGREE IN ORGANIZATIONAL LEADERSHIP.
I'VE SPENT THE FA PAST FIVE YEARS OF MY LIFE AND MY CAREER, DEDICATING MYSELF TO IMPROVING THE LIVES OF STUDENTS, UM, AND ENCOURAGING EQUITY THROUGHOUT OUR SCHOOLS IN THE PUBLIC EDUCATION SECTOR.
SO, WHAT I DO RIGHT NOW IS I AM AN EDUCATOR.
I AM A SPECIAL EDUCATION TEACHER, UM, A SPECIAL EDUCATION AND DYSLEXIA TEACHER FOR GRADES KINDERGARTEN THROUGH SEVENTH GRADE AT DOUGLAS ACADEMY IN THE SAN ANTONIO INDEPENDENT SCHOOL DISTRICT.
SO I BRING A UNIQUE PERSPECTIVE, UM, TO THE COUNCIL ON THIS COUNCIL.
I HAVE RESEARCHED YOU GUYS HEAVILY.
UM, WE HAVE LAWYERS, WE'VE GOT MOTHERS, WE'VE GOT FATHERS, WE'VE GOT VETERANS, WE HAVE AN ARCHITECT.
AND I THINK THAT THAT IS BEAUTIFUL THAT YOU GUYS BRING THIS VERY UNIQUE, INTERESTING PERSPECTIVES, RIGHT? BUT YOU DON'T HAVE A PERSPECTIVE LIKE MINE.
MY PERSPECTIVE IS THE BOOTS ON THE GROUND EDUCATOR PERSPECTIVE.
THAT PERSON WHO WORKS WITH INNER CITY STUDENTS, THAT PERSON WHO IS COMPLETELY PASSIONATE ABOUT EDUCATION, ABOUT THE COMMUNITY, ABOUT OUR PARENTS, AND ABOUT OTHER PROFESSIONALS AND OUTSIDE STAKEHOLDERS, THAT'S WHO I AM.
AND THAT'S WHAT I WOULD BRING TO THIS COUNCIL.
I WANT TO ACCOMPLISH ALL OF THE KIND OF NORMAL BUSINESS THINGS, RIGHT? I WANNA UPKEEP OUR ROADS.
I WANT TO, UM, IMPROVE AND GIVE RECOGNITION TO OUR LOCAL BUSINESSES.
BUT MOST OF ALL, I WANT TO BRING THE BEAUTY THAT IS DISTRICT TWO, BACK TO DISTRICT TWO.
I OFTEN FEEL LIKE AS A MEMBER CONSTITUENT OF DISTRICT TWO, THAT MY VOICE IS NOT HEARD, BUT I AM PERSISTENT.
I WILL CALL 1000 TIMES IF I NEED TO.
I WILL GO AND I WILL FIGHT FOR OUR, UM, RESIDENTS, UM, BECAUSE I BELIEVE THAT I AM THE RIGHT VOICE FOR THIS POSITION.
UH, AS YOU'VE SEEN, WE HAVE A NUMBER OF QUALIFIED CANDIDATES FOR THIS POSITION.
UH, WHAT MAKES YOU THE BEST CANDIDATE? SO, LIKE I SAID, I THINK THAT I HAVE, UH, AN EXTREMELY UNIQUE, UM, PERSPECTIVE IN THAT, UM, I WORK IN THE EDUCATION FIELD, BUT OUTSIDE OF THAT, UM, I'M ALSO A FITNESS COACH.
AND SO, WHILE I SPEND MY DAYS WORKING WITH STUDENTS, UM, REALLY TRYING TO ENCOURAGE THEM TO FIND, UM, THEIR PASSION, UM, TO ENCOURAGE STUDENTS TO, I LOVE CALLING THE LIGHT BULB MOMENTS, THE MOMENTS WHERE A STUDENT UNDERSTANDS SOMETHING NEW THAT THEY DID NOT KNOW, UM, BEFORE AT NIGHT,
[00:40:01]
I SPEND MY TIME, UM, COACHING ADULTS INTO BELIEVING IN THEMSELVES, AGAIN, SEEING WHAT THEIR BODY CAN DO.AND SO THOSE TWO PERSPECTIVES, I DON'T THINK WE CURRENTLY HAVE.
AND I DON'T KNOW, UM, HOW MANY PEOPLE ACTUALLY HAVE THOSE TWO, UM, UH, PERSPECTIVES.
SO I WILL BRING FRESH IDEAS, BUT I'LL ALSO BRING THE UNIQUE PERSPECTIVE, UM, OF THAT EDUCATION AND ALSO THAT FITNESS PERSPECTIVE.
AND MS. BAILEY, I, I'M, UH, YOUR ENTHUSIASM IS, IS SHINING THROUGH AND, AND IT'S REALLY EXCITING THAT, UH, THAT YOU'VE STEPPED UP AND ARE DECIDING TO PUT YOUR NAME BEFORE THE COUNCIL TO CONSIDER THE, UH, INTERIM POSITION.
IT, YOUR EDUCATION BACKGROUND IS PROBABLY THE ONE OF THE MOST COMPELLING, AS I LOOK THROUGH A LOT OF THE, UH, THE, THE RESUMES THAT HAVE BEEN INCLUDED.
BUT I GUESS THE QUESTION'S PRETTY SIMPLE.
YOU'RE, YOU'RE CURRENTLY, UH, EMPLOYED BY SS A I S D.
IF YOU WERE TO BE SELECTED TO THE POSITION, WOULD YOU MAKE COUNCIL YOUR FULL-TIME, UH, UH, FOCUS EFFORTS? AND WOULD THAT, UH, BEAR INTO THE WORK THAT YOU DO WITH S A I S D IN SPECIAL ED SPECIFICALLY, THAT IT SEEMS TO BE THAT'S, THAT'S A TOUGH ISSUE OR A TOUGH AREA TO FIND QUALIFIED FOLKS LIKE YOURSELF? AND I'VE SEEN YOUR, YOUR RESUME, SO I JUST HAD THAT QUESTION FOR YOU.
I DO THINK THAT BOTH CAN WORK.
UM, AND I DON'T THINK THAT THAT IS SOMETHING, I THINK THAT THAT'S SOMETHING THAT I CAN MAKE WORK, TO BE HONEST.
UM, I, I HAVE BEEN IN THE DISTRICT FOR FIVE YEARS.
MY KIDS KNOW ME REALLY WELL, AND ALSO I DO WANT TO BE AND WILL BE COMMITTED TO THIS POSITION.
UM, I DO THINK THAT THAT WOULD BE A CONVERSATION WITH S A I S D AND SAYING, HEY, SO I'VE GOT THIS REALLY AMAZING OPPORTUNITY.
WHAT ARE SOME THINGS THAT WE CAN DO TO MAKE THIS WORK? UM, RIGHT NOW, S A I S D HAS THIS THING CALLED THE MASTER TEACHER, UM, INITIATIVE.
AND SO STUDENTS CAN BE KEPT FOR LONGER SCHOOL DAYS.
SO LET'S SAY THAT I HAVE TO BE HERE ON THURSDAYS AT 9:00 AM FOR SESSION A, RIGHT? UM, I CAN ACTUALLY PERHAPS TAKE ON A ROLE THAT I WORK LONGER DAYS, MONDAY, TUESDAY, WEDNESDAY.
AND, UM, I REALLY DO THINK THAT THAT CAN, I CAN MAKE THAT WORK BECAUSE I DO VALUE MY WORK AS AN EDUCATOR.
UM, I LOVE MY STUDENTS, AND I WOULD HATE TO SEE HAVING TO CHOOSE ONE OR THE OTHER.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR ANSWER, AND I, AND I APPRECIATE THE, THE HONESTY AT WHICH YOU BRING THE PASSION TOWARDS YOUR, YOUR FIRST JOB.
AND I THINK THAT SAYS A LOT IN YOUR ANSWER AS WELL.
YOU'LL, YOU'LL, I'M SURE, HAVE TO JUGGLE THE SAME WAY A NUMBER OF COUNCIL MEMBERS HAVE HAD TO JUGGLE BETWEEN THANK YOU, MULTIPLE JOBS.
THANK YOU, MAYOR COUNCILMAN GRO.
UM, IT IS SUCH A PLEASURE TO, TO MEET YOU, MS. BAILEY.
UM, DISTRICT THREE, UM, SHARES A LOT OF THE BOUNDARIES WITH DISTRICT TWO, AS WELL AS NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATIONS.
WE ALSO SHARE MANY CONCERNS AND ISSUES AS WELL.
UM, AND IT'S EVIDENT TO ME THAT THERE IS A PRIDE IN IDENTITY THAT IS VERY SPECIAL WITH THE DISTRICT TWO.
AND I'M GLAD TO, TO HEAR YOU CARRY THAT ON.
UM, HOW DO YOU INTEND TO CHAMPION THAT? AND CAN YOU PLEASE GIVE ME SPECIFIC EXAMPLES OF HOW YOU MAY ALREADY HAVE DONE THAT IN DISTRICT TWO? SO, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I THINK ABOUT IN DISTRICT TWO IS, UM, THE AMOUNT OF CULTURE, THE AMOUNT OF HISTORY, UM, AND REALLY JUST THE BEAUTIFUL PEOPLE THAT WE HAVE IN DISTRICT TWO.
THAT IS THE FIRST REASON WHY I DECIDED TO, UM, PURCHASE A HOME IN DISTRICT TWO.
AND THAT IS WHY I HAVE STAYED, UM, WITH MY SCHOOL, BECAUSE I LOVE, UM, OUR COMMUNITY, TO YOUR POINT, UM, WHAT THINGS HAVE I DONE TO KIND OF CHAMPION TO REALLY, UM, CONTINUE THIS, THIS, THIS ON? UM, AND A LOT OF IT HAS TO DO WITH THE INITIATIVES THAT I'VE COME UP WITH, UM, AT, ON MY SCHOOL CAMPUS.
SO, UM, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I CREATED WAS SOMETHING CALLED, UM, THE BREAKFAST CLUB.
ONE OF THE NEEDS THAT I SAW WAS THAT PARENTS, UM, THE WAY THAT WE ARE TEACHING OUR STUDENTS SOMETHING AS SIMPLE AS MATH, RIGHT? IT'S NOT VERY SIMPLE, BECAUSE THE WAY THAT I LEARNED HOW TO DO MULTIPLICATION IS NOT THE WAY THAT OUR PARENTS LEARNED HOW TO DO MULTIPLICATION.
AND SO I CREATED SOMETHING CALLED THE BREAKFAST CLUB.
I ESSENTIALLY SERVED BREAKFAST AND, UM, TAUGHT PARENTS, UM, AND ALSO COMMUNITY MEMBERS, HOW TO TEACH A SPECIFIC, UM, TOPIC SUCH AS, UM, CUBE MULTIPLICATION, SO THAT THEY WERE ABLE TO GO HOME AND TEACH THEIR CHILDREN HOW TO DO THAT.
UM, SO THAT IS ONE OF THE EXAMPLES OF HOW I, I GUESS, BRIDGED A APPARENT NEED, COMMUNITY NEED, UH, WITH SOMETHING THAT I COULD ACTUALLY DO IN MY COMMUNITY.
SO, FOLLOWING UP ON, UH, COUNCILMAN SAL'S QUESTION, I, I, I'LL TELL YOU, I'M, I'M VERY IMPRESSED, UH, BY YOU.
UM, IT SEEMS TO ME LIKE YOU'VE GOT AN ENORMOUS FRONTAL LOBE AND, AND A LOT OF DRIVE, UM,
OKAY? UM, AND SO, UM, I WOULD TELL YOU THAT THERE ISN'T ANYBODY HERE WHO'S PUTTING 40 HOURS A WEEK INTO THIS.
WE'RE PUTTING 50, 60 HOURS A WEEK AND NIGHTS AND WEEKENDS.
[00:45:01]
WANNA MAKE SURE THAT, YOU KNOW, YOU'VE GOT THE RIGHT EXPECTATIONS ABOUT WHAT, LIKE, WHAT REALLY SERVING IN THIS, UM, IS.AND SO, UM, A, A RED FLAG DOES, I'LL BE HONEST WITH YOU, A RED FLAG COMES UP WHEN YOU'RE TELLING ME THAT YOU, YOU, YOU KNOW, THAT YOU THINK THAT YOU MIGHT BE ABLE TO BALANCE THOSE.
AND SO THAT WOULD BE ONE THING I'D, I WOULD JUST CAUTION YOU TO SORT OF ADJUST YOUR EXPECTATIONS.
AND, YOU KNOW, LIKE YOU, I TOO AM A FITNESS COACH, UM, AND
AND SO IS EVERYBODY HERE MM-HMM.
AND SO, UM, YOU KNOW, DO THIS MASTER'S PROGRAM THAT YOU TALKED ABOUT AT S I S D, YOU REALLY THINK THAT, LIKE WHAT I JUST DESCRIBED FOR YOU, FITS WITHIN THAT.
SO I BELIEVE THAT DISTRICT TWO DOES DESERVE SOMEONE WHO CAN COMMIT TO FULL-TIME.
I BELIEVE THAT IF I HAVE, UM, A PASSION FOR EDUCATION, AND THAT IS MY, UM, MY JOB, I DON'T KNOW WHY WE CAN'T FIND A WAY TO MAKE IT WORK.
AND THAT'S NOT TO TAKE AWAY FROM YOUR POINT, WHICH IS YOU'RE SAYING THIS CAN BE 50, 60, 70, 80 HOURS A WEEK.
AND TO TELL YOU THE TRUTH, THAT'S HOW MANY HOURS I WORK FOR MY KIDS.
SO THIS IS NOT SOMETHING THAT I HAVE NOT DONE BEFORE.
IT'S NOT SOMETHING THAT I CAN'T MAKE WORK, AND IT'S NOT SOMETHING THAT I CAN'T FIT INTO MY SCHEDULE BECAUSE OUR RESIDENTS DESERVE IT.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH, MS. BAILEY.
THE NEXT APPLICANT IS CHRIS DAWKINS.
GOOD AFTERNOON, MAYOR, COUNCIL, AND ALL THE MEMBERS WHO ARE PRESENT TODAY.
UH, BEFORE I GO ANY FURTHER, UH, I'D LIKE TO THANK ALL OF THE CITY STAFF AND EVERYONE WHO'S REALLY HELPED TO MAKE THIS DAY, UH, POSSIBLE.
I WANTED TO HAVE BARBARA TO STAND WITH ME BECAUSE, UH, ONE OF THE THING, IT'S DORIS.
UM, BECAUSE OVER THE PAST TWO YEARS, UH, WE HAVE SERVED TOGETHER ON THE JOINT COMMISSION FOR THE ELDERLY AFFAIRS.
SO I, I WANTED HER TO BE ABLE TO COME UP WITH ME.
SHE'S SUPPORTED ME OVER THE LAST, UH, COUPLE OF YEARS, AND I REALLY APPRECIATE HER SUPPORT, AND I WANT TO THANK HER FOR COMING OUT TO SUPPORT ME.
UM, SO, UH, WHO IS CHRIS DAWKINS AND, UH, WHY IS HE RUNNING FOR THIS OFFICE OR WHY DOES HE WANT TO BE APPOINTED TO THIS OFFICE? UM, LET ME SHARE A LITTLE STORY WITH YOU.
UM, I NEVER SERVED IN THE MILITARY.
UM, SO AS A YOUNG MAN, I WANTED TO SERVE MY COMMUNITY, AND MY FATHER TAUGHT ME THAT TO SERVE WAS NOBLE.
SO EARLY ON, OUR FAMILY DIDN'T HAVE THE MONEY, BUT I UNDERSTOOD IF YOU DIDN'T HAVE MONEY, YOU NEEDED TO HAVE PEOPLE.
AND I'VE BEEN THE GUY WHO'S HAD THE PEOPLE THROUGHOUT MY LIFE, I'VE PATTERNED MYSELF AFTER MY DAD, WHO WAS, WHO WAS FROM A SMALL CARIBBEAN ISLAND CALLED JAMAICA.
GROWING UP, WE DIDN'T HAVE MUCH MONEY, BUT WHAT I KNEW IS WE HAD THE PEOPLE.
SO I QUICKLY UNDERSTOOD THAT THE PEOPLE HAD THE POWER.
SO I USED MY TALENTS ORGANIZING PEOPLE AND RESIDENTS WHERE I LIVED IN LAKESIDE.
TOGETHER, WE CREATED THE LAKESIDE NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION.
AND TOGETHER, DID YOU HEAR ME SAY, TOGETHER, WE WORKED TOGETHER TO WORK ON VARIOUS CITY AGENCIES OR WORK WITH THOSE AGENCIES, T C I, HUMAN SERVICES, PARKS AND RECREATION, TO IMPROVE THE LIVES OF THOSE INDIVIDUALS WHO WERE IN OUR AREA.
WE DIDN'T JUST TARGET CITY DEPARTMENTS, WE PARTNERED WITH CHURCHES AND BUSINESSES IN OUR AREA AND NEIGHBORHOODS, AND EVERYONE BENEFITED FROM THAT.
THESE ARE THE TWO AREAS THAT I FEEL THAT A COUNCIL PERSON MUST BALANCE BETWEEN DOING WHAT IS GOOD FOR SAN ANTONIO AND DOING WHAT'S GOOD FOR THE DISTRICT.
I KNOW THAT SAN ANTONIO IS REALLY GROWING UP.
WE'RE GONNA HAVE SOME, SOME GROWING PROBLEMS OVER THE NEXT COUPLE OF YEARS.
I BELIEVE SAN ANTONIO IS GOING TO BE CHALLENGED WITH A FEW ISSUES, CHOOSING OUR NEW CITY MANAGER, STRUGGLING
[00:50:01]
WITH CREATING AND UNDERSTANDING THE NEW ALAMO PLAZA AND WHAT COMES WITH THAT.I'M SURE YOU COUNCIL PEOPLE ALL KNOW ABOUT THAT.
AND THE STRUGGLES OF AFFORDABLE HOUSING, TRANSPORTATION, EDUCATING, BEG YOUR PARDON? WOW.
UM, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE A NUMBER OF VERY QUALIFIED CANDIDATES, EXCELLENT CANDIDATES, UH, IN THE POOL FOR THIS POSITION.
WHAT MAKES YOU THE BEST CANDIDATE? UH, I BELIEVE I'M THE BEST CANDIDATE BECAUSE ONE OF THE THINGS THAT YOU'LL FIND IS THAT I'M FROM THE NEIGHBORHOOD, AND I THINK NEIGHBORHOODS ARE THE MOST IMPORTANT THING THAT MAKE UP, UH, UH, AN INDIVIDUAL THAT SERVES ON COUNCIL.
IF YOU SERVE ON COUNCIL AND YOU DON'T UNDERSTAND NEIGHBORHOODS, THEN I THINK THAT THERE'S A PROBLEM.
SO, I'VE SERVED ON NEIGHBORHOODS, I UNDERSTAND NEIGHBORHOODS, AND I THINK I'LL BE THE BEST PERSON TO HELP WITH COUNCIL.
UH, IN ADDITION TO THAT, I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT TO UNDERSTAND THE BIGGER ISSUES THAT, UH, THE COUNCIL HAS TO DEAL WITH, WHICH IS GOVERNING ALL OF, UH, SAN ANTONIO, AND BEING ABLE TO DO THAT, UNDERSTANDING THOSE BIG ISSUES, WHICH I JUST MENTIONED, I THINK IS VERY IMPORTANT.
UM, FOR, FOR YOUR PRESENTATION AND, AND FOR YOUR APPLICATION, UM, WHAT YOU SAID IS ABSOLUTELY RIGHT ABOUT BALANCING THE NEEDS OF THE CITY AND, AND, UH, THOSE OF, OF DISTRICT TWO, WE EACH DO THAT EVERY DAY.
UH, BUT I THINK THIS, UM, HASN'T BEEN SAID YET, BUT I THINK IT'S IMPLIED THAT THIS IS A PARTICULARLY DIFFICULT DECISION FOR THE COUNCIL.
AND MY SENIOR COUNCIL MEMBERS HAVE, UH, COLLEAGUES HAVE GONE THROUGH THIS ALREADY, BUT I THINK IT'S SO ODD THAT HERE WE ARE MAKING A DECISION THAT THE VOTERS WOULD HAVE MADE THEMSELVES DIRECTLY.
SO THERE'S A, THERE'S A HUGE RESPONSIBILITY ON US, AND I JUST WANT YOU TO KNOW THAT WE TAKE THAT AT LEAST I'M SURE YOU ALL DO,
IT'S, UH, IT'S NOT TAKEN LIGHTLY.
AND, UM, AND I DON'T PRETEND TO KNOW EVERYTHING THAT DISTRICT TWO NEEDS, UH, BUT I'M GOING TO TRY MY BEST TO, TO MAKE THAT BEST DECISION.
UM, SO, UH, THAT SAID, I HAVE A COUPLE OF QUESTIONS FOR YOU.
UM, SO ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I HAVE BEEN WORKING ON HERE WITH SOME OF MY COLLEAGUES IS ADVANCING HOW WE DO PUBLIC PARTICIPATION IN, UH, IN CITY, IN CITY HALL, AND IN CITY PROCESSES.
I THINK WE DO A GREAT JOB, AND THAT THERE'S ALSO ROOM FOR, FOR IMPROVEMENT.
THE EXPECTATIONS ARE A LOT HIGHER IN THE COMMUNITY WITH THE TECHNOLOGY THAT WE HAVE AVAILABLE TODAY.
UM, SO I'D LIKE TO KNOW, HOW WOULD YOU PLAN TO ENGAGE WITH YOUR CONSTITUENTS ON A, THE RANGE OF TOPICS THAT WE DEAL WITH HERE AT CITY HALL, WHEN IT COMES, UM, FROM EVERYTHING HAVING TO DO WITH ZONING CHANGES TO POLICY CHANGES, WHAT WOULD BE YOUR APPROACH? I THINK THE ONE THING IS TO BE ABLE TO, UH, EDUCATE OUR, OUR RESIDENTS.
UH, THE ONE THING THAT I FOUND OUT, AND I'M SURE THAT EACH COUNCIL PERSON GETS THIS AS WELL, IS THAT WHEN SOMEBODY CALLS YOUR COUNCIL OFFICE, UH, A LOT OF TIMES THEY'LL CALL ABOUT SOMETHING THAT HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH CITY GOVERNMENT.
YOU'LL GET CALLS ABOUT, UH, STATE GOVERNMENT, YOU'LL GET CALLS ABOUT FEDERAL GOVERNMENT.
YOU GET A NUMBER OF CALLS ABOUT THINGS THAT REALLY DON'T DEAL WITH CITY GOVERNMENT.
I THINK THE FIRST THING THAT'S, THAT'S VERY IMPORTANT IS TO MAKE SURE THAT WE TRY TO GET OUR CITIZENS TO UNDERSTAND WHAT IS CITY GOVERNMENT AND HOW THEY CAN DEAL WITH THAT.
IN ADDITION TO THAT, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE DID IN LAKESIDE IS THAT WE BEGAN TO LOOK AT, UH, THOSE SITUATIONS AND CREATE, WE WOULD ASK THEM, WHEN YOU COME TO US WITH A PROBLEM, COME TO US WITH ALSO A SOLUTION.
AND THAT MEANT THAT THEY HAD TO UNDERSTAND CITY GOVERNMENT.
WE, I BELIEVE WE GOT A LOT DONE, AND I KNOW WE GOT A LOT DONE, BUT WHEN YOU COME WITH A SOLUTION, THAT MEANS THAT YOU HAVE UNDERSTOOD CITY GOVERNMENT, YOU KNOW WHERE THE MONEY'S GONNA COME FROM, OR HOW YOU CAN BE ABLE TO ASK FOR THE MONEY, OR BEFORE WE GO TO THE COUNCIL PERSON, WE KNOW WHERE, UH, THE BUDGET IS AND HOW YOU CAN GET THOSE THINGS ACCOMPLISHED.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH MR. DAWKINS, FOR ALL OF YOUR, UM, WORK AND YOUR ADVOCACY FOR YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD AND YOUR COMMUNITY AND FOR BEING PRESENT, UH, AT MANY OF THE EVENTS THAT WE HAVE.
UM, COULD YOU PLEASE SHARE WITH ME, HOW DO YOU, UM, YOU ARE MEMBER OF ONE OF THE NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATIONS, HOW WOULD YOU ALSO LIKE TO GAIN THE, UM, HOW DO YOU PLAN ON GAINING THE INPUT AND IN THE TRUST IN, IN ALL OF THE OTHER NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATIONS IN ALL OF THE OTHER, UM, RESIDENTS OF DISTRICT THROUGH IF, IF SELECTED? WE'VE BEEN WORKING ON SOMETHING THAT, UH, IS A VERY GOOD QUESTION, AND I THINK IT'S VERY IMPORTANT.
UH, WE'VE BEEN WORKING ON SOMETHING WE CALL THE COMMUNITY CONGRESS.
THE COMMUNITY CONGRESS IS BEING ABLE TO TAKE ALL OF THOSE NEIGHBORHOODS.
FIRST OF ALL, THEY HAVE TO BE REGISTERED WITH THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO.
THAT'S A BIG ISSUE THAT WE ARE HAVING, THAT THEY'RE NOT REGISTERED, OR SOME OF THEM ARE NOT
[00:55:01]
REGISTERED WITH THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO.AND MORE IMPORTANTLY, IT'S THE HOAS AS OPPOSED TO JUST NEIGHBORHOOD ORGANIZATIONS THAT ARE NOT REGISTERED WITH THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO.
SO THE FIRST THING WE WANT TO DO IS WE WANNA MAKE SURE THAT NEIGHBORHOODS ARE REGISTERING WITH THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO.
THE SECOND THING IS, WE WANNA MAKE SURE THAT THOSE HOAS AND THOSE BUILDERS WHO ARE BUILDING, WE WANNA MAKE SURE THAT THEY GET REGISTERED.
ONCE THEY'RE REGISTERED, THEN WE CAN BEGIN TO TAKE THOSE ORGANIZATIONS, PUT THEM TOGETHER, AND FIND OUT WHAT THEIR CONCERNS ARE.
AND I BELIEVE DOING THAT ON A MONTHLY BASIS, BRINGING THEM TOGETHER, WHAT WE CALL THE COMMUNITY CONGRESS, AND BEING ABLE TO DEAL WITH IT IN THAT WAY.
I THINK IT'S A VERY GOOD QUESTION, AND I REALLY HOPE THAT I HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO, UH, KIND OF BRING THAT TO REALIZATION.
THANK YOU, SIR, FOR, FOR VOLUNTEERING.
AND, UM, YOU KNOW, I'VE BEEN ASKING ALL THE CANDIDATES ABOUT TIME COMMITMENT, RIGHT? SO THIS IS A LOT OF OUR TIME THAT WE ALL GIVE UP AWAY FROM OUR FAMILIES AND OUR OTHER JOBS TO BE ABLE TO DO THIS.
AND I WAS TELLING THE PREVIOUS CANDIDATE THAT, YOU KNOW, WE'RE DOING THIS WAY MORE THAN 40, 50 HOURS A WEEK.
AND SO DO YOU, DO YOU HAVE ANY OTHER OBLIGATIONS OUTSIDE OF, OF, UH, YOU KNOW, THIS, IF THIS IS SOMETHING THAT WE BRING YOU ON BOARD TO DO, UM, WOULD YOU BE ABLE TO PUT IN ALL THE TIME IT TAKES, UH, WITH THE HELP OF MY WIFE, I THINK, UH, YES, SHE'LL ALLOW ME TO DO THAT.
UH, MY COLLEAGUE IN DISTRICT SEVEN ALREADY ALLUDED TO MY QUESTION, BUT I JUST KIND OF WANT TO JUST DIG INTO IT JUST A LITTLE BIT FURTHER.
I'D BE INTERESTED TO KNOW, YOU SAID THAT, UH, PEOPLE MATTER.
UH, IF YOU DON'T HAVE THE MONEY, YOU HAVE THE PEOPLE.
UM, SO HOW WOULD YOU PLACE AND VALUE THE PEOPLE'S VOICE, THE PEOPLE'S CHOICES IN YOUR DECISION MAKING? 100%.
I THINK THAT AS ELECTED OFFICIALS, WHETHER IT BE ON A LOCAL LEVEL, WHETHER IT BE ON A NATIONAL LEVEL, WE OFTEN FORGET THAT WE REPRESENT PEOPLE.
AND I THINK THAT THAT'S VERY, VERY, VERY IMPORTANT.
UH, YOU'VE GOTTA GO BACK TO THE PEOPLE AND DECIDE WHAT THE PEOPLE WANT.
I'M NOT A, UM, GAY PERSON, BUT I BELIEVE IF YOU ARE IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD AND YOU HAVE THOSE INDIVIDUALS IN YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD, YOU REPRESENT THEM AS WELL.
AND IF YOU FEEL THAT YOU CAN'T REPRESENT THEM, THEN YOU STEP DOWN.
OH, IS THAT A, THAT'S GOODBYE.
THE NEXT APPLICANT IS CHRISTOPHER GREEN.
UH, THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK HERE AT THE CITY COUNCIL, UH, MEETING TODAY.
MY NAME'S CHRISTOPHER GREEN, AND I'M HERE, UH, BECAUSE I BELIEVE I'M THE PERSON TO REPRESENT DISTRICT TWO.
UM, FIRST I WANTED TO START OFF BY SAYING THAT, UM, EDUCATION HAS BEEN AN IMPORTANT PART OF LIKE WHY I'M STANDING IN FRONT OF YOU.
UH, EACH DAY I WAKE UP AND, UH, REALIZE HOW LUCKY I AM TO BE IN THE PLACES, UH, THAT I OCCUPY.
UM, UM, I WAS BORN HERE IN SAN ANTONIO, UH, GREW UP ATTENDING, UH, LOCAL PUBLIC SCHOOLS, AND, UH, WENT OFF TO TEXAS STATE UNIVERSITY WHERE I STUDIED BROADCAST JOURNALISM.
AND WAS FORTUNATE ENOUGH THAT I DIDN'T GO INTO RADIO OR TELEVISION BECAUSE I HAVE, I FEEL LIKE I HAVE A MUCH MORE FULFILLING CAREER, UH, AS A, UH, PUBLIC EDUCATOR BECAUSE, UM, I WAS ABLE TO, YOU KNOW, MAKE THAT HAPPEN IN, IN MY LIFE AND HAVE PEOPLE TO SUPPORT ME.
BUT UNFORTUNATELY, UM, NOT ALL STUDENTS AND FAMILIES IN SAN ANTONIO ARE ABLE TO REALIZE THE, UH, TRANSFORMATIVE POWER, UH, THAT ATTAINING A POST-SECONDARY, UH, YOU KNOW, DEGREE OR CER CERTIFICATION, UH, CAN BRING.
SO I THINK IN ORDER, UM, TO REACH OUR FULL POTENTIAL AS A CITY, ESPECIALLY WITH DISTRICT TWO, AND WHERE I TEACH, UM, ON THE, ON THE WEST SIDE OF SAN ANTONIO, WE MUST INVEST IN OUR MOST PRECIOUS, UH, RESOURCE, WHICH IS OUR YOUNG PEOPLE.
UH, GENERATIONAL POVERTY, UH, MOST DEEPLY AFFECTS OUR CHILDREN.
UH, MY EXPERIENCE AS A TEACHER, UH, TIME AND TIME AGAIN, SHOWS ME THAT, UH, AMAZING THINGS ARE POSSIBLE WHEN WE TARGET OUR EFFORTS AT GREAT AREAS OF NEED.
UM, IF WE AS A CITY PROVIDE RESOURCES, UH, FOR MEMBERS OF OUR COMMUNITY WHO NEED IT MOST, UH, I'M CONFIDENT THAT WE CAN SEE OUR YOUNG PEOPLE DEFY OUR WILDEST EXPECTATIONS, UH, ABOUT WHAT IS POSSIBLE FOR THE CITY.
YOU KNOW, THINKING 10, 20 YEARS FROM NOW, AND FOR SAN ANTONIO TO ATTRACT, UH, EMPLOYERS BRINGING HIGH PAYING JOBS, UH, IT'S NECESSARY TO MAKE SURE THAT OUR POPULACE IS, IS EDUCATED ENOUGH TO, TO FILL THOSE
[01:00:01]
ROLES.AND WE HAVE THE POTENTIAL IN OUR YOUNG PEOPLE.
UM, BUT WE NEED TO RAISE, UM, THE BAR ON, ON EQUITY AND, AND EDUCATION AS A CITY TO MAKE THAT HAPPEN.
AND I, I THINK THAT I CAN BE IMPORTANT PART WITH MY EXPERIENCE, UH, AS AN EDUCATOR HERE IN SAN ANTONIO, UH, AND, AND PART OF CITY COUNCIL AND DISTRICT TWO.
SO, UM, YOU KNOW, TO CLOSE OUT, I'LL SAY THIS, THAT DISTRICT TWO DESERVES TO BE REPRESENTED BY SOMEONE WILLING, UH, TO BE A VOICE AND A VOTE FOR THE ENTIRE COMMUNITY, ESPECIALLY THOSE WHO'VE FELT IGNORED, UH, AND LEFT OUT OF SAN ANTONIO'S GROWTH AND PROSPERITY.
I WORK EVERY DAY TO ENSURE, UH, THAT THE STUDENTS IN MY CLASSROOM ARE SUCCESSFUL.
AND I'M ASKING YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY, UH, TO CONTINUE THAT WORK, UH, FOR SAN ANTONIO AND CITY COUNCIL DISTRICT.
ALRIGHT, THANK YOU MS. MR. GREEN, THERE ARE A NUMBER OF QUALIFIED CANDIDATES, VERY QUALIFIED CANDIDATES IN THIS POOL FOR ONE POSITION.
WHAT MAKES YOU THE BEST CANDIDATE? UM, I THINK THAT I'M A PERSON BECAUSE OF MY, YOU KNOW, MULTICULTURAL, UH, UPBRINGING WHO IS ABLE TO CONSIDER A, A VARIETY OF PERSPECTIVES.
UM, I THINK OF MYSELF AS A, A BRIDGE BUILDER, UM, A SOLUTION ORIENTED PERSON.
UM, YOU KNOW, COMING INTO EDUCATION WITHOUT HAVING AN EDUCATION DEGREE, I JUST LEARNED TO BE VERY RESOURCEFUL.
AND WHATEVER IT TAKES ON ANY GIVEN DAY IS, IS WHATEVER I'M GOING TO, TO DO AND TRY OUT.
AND, UH, AND FAILURE TO ME IS JUST A PART OF, UM, MOVING FORWARD AND, AND BEING SUCCESSFUL EVENTUALLY.
SO, UM, I THINK THAT THE VARIED EXPERIENCES THAT I'VE HAD, UM, AS AN EDUCATOR AND MY, MY UPBRINGING, UM, MAKE ME THE BEST CANDIDATE FOR THIS POSITION.
UM, IT SOUNDS LIKE, UH, YOU WANT THIS JOB TO GO ON BEYOND THE, THE APPOINTMENT.
IS THAT CORRECT? ARE YOU LOOKING AT THIS TO BE RUNNING FOR THIS, UH, UH, POSITION ON THE DISTRICT TWO COUNCIL PERSON? ONE THING, UM, IN CONSIDERING EVEN BEING HERE AND APPLYING IS I HAD TO MAKE SURE FOR MYSELF THAT I WAS SERIOUS, UM, ABOUT DISTRICT TWO AND ABOUT NOT JUST OCCUPYING THE POSITION UNTIL MAY, BUT UH, LONG TERM, LIKE, THIS ISN'T ME APPLYING FOR THIS, SO I CAN USE IT AS A SPRINGBOARD FOR SOMETHING ELSE.
WHICH, UM, YOU KNOW, I KNOW SOMETIMES, YOU KNOW, POLITICAL POSITIONS ARE, ARE LIKE THAT FOR CERTAIN PEOPLE.
IT'S LIKE, WELL, I'LL JUMP TO THIS AND I KNOW IT CAN GET ME HERE.
UM, I'M THINKING ABOUT IT AS SOMETHING LONG-TERM.
SO IF, IF THAT ANSWERS YOUR, YOUR QUESTION.
COUNCILWOMAN VIGUERA, THANK YOU.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR APPLYING.
UM, HOW DO YOU INTEND TO ENGAGE THE RESIDENTS FOR INPUT AND GAIN THEIR TRUST? SO ONE THING THAT I KNOW IS IMPORTANT IS, UM, AS A, AS SOMEONE WITH A COMMUNITY ORGANIZING BACKGROUND, UM, IS LISTENING TO ALL VOICES BECAUSE THE PEOPLE HAVE THE SOLUTIONS.
UM, THE PEOPLE HAVE ASSETS THAT ARE UNTAPPED IF WE'RE NOT TALKING TO THEM.
AND SO I KNOW THAT, UH, I'M NOT AFRAID OF, OF HAVING CONVERSATIONS WITH PEOPLE AND, AND LISTENING.
THE OLDER I GET, THE MORE I JUST TEND TO, TO LISTEN, BECAUSE THE, THE MORE I REALIZE I, THE MORE I KNOW, THE MORE I DON'T KNOW.
AND I RELY ON, UM, LISTENING AND LEARNING FROM OTHERS, UH, TO, YOU KNOW, BRING FORTH SOLUTIONS AND, AND BRING FORTH POSITIVE CHANGE.
AND SO, DEFINITELY, UM, I THINK WHOEVER REPRESENTS DISTRICT TWO, UH, HAS TO BE WILLING TO, TO LISTEN TO ALL PEOPLE FROM THE, THE YOUNGEST TO, YOU KNOW, THE, THE OLDEST MEMBERS OF THE COMMUNITY.
UH, MR. GREEN, UH, HOW LONG HAVE YOU LIVED IN DISTRICT TWO? SO, CURRENTLY, UM, I'VE BEEN THERE FOR JUST OVER TWO YEARS NOW.
UM, I'VE BEEN TEACHING IN SAN ANTONIO FOR FIVE YEARS, AND I PLAN ON MAKING DISTRICT TWO MY HOME BECAUSE, I MEAN, I DID, I GREW UP ON, ON THE EAST SIDE.
UM, AND SO I'M, IT'S BASICALLY RE RETURNING HOME.
I DIDN'T NECESSARILY LIKE, UH, I DON'T LIVE NOW WHERE I GREW UP, BUT I'M RE RETURNING HOME AS FAR AS LIVING IN DISTRICT TWO.
WELL, I, I JUST THINK IT'S IMPORTANT THAT THE COMMUNITY RECOGNIZES WHOEVER REPRESENTS THEM, REALLY UNDERSTANDS THE DISTRICT.
AND IF YOU GREW UP THERE, EVEN IF YOU HAD TO GO FOR SCHOOL OR WHATEVER, I'M SURE YOU DO.
UH, WHAT DO YOU THINK ARE, UH, AN IMMEDIATE NEED OR CONCERN THAT YOU WOULD WANNA ADDRESS RIGHT AWAY AS A COUNCIL PERSON? I
[01:05:01]
THINK IT'S MAKING SURE THAT NEEDS IN THE COMMUNITY ARE, ARE, ARE KNOWN AND, AND THOUGHT OF, AND, AND NOT JUST, UM, THE LOUDEST VOICES ARE HEARD THAT THE COUNCIL AND THE CITY IS ACTIVELY, UM, TRYING TO REACH PEOPLE TO, YOU KNOW, UH, FIND OUT WHAT NEEDS ARE AND FIND OUT WHAT SOLUTIONS ARE.UM, 'CAUSE I THINK THAT'S ONE OF THE ISSUES AND IS NOT BEING ABLE TO CONTACT PEOPLE BECAUSE OF THE WAY, YOU KNOW, FOR INSTANCE, A MEETING LIKE THIS, IT TAKES PLACE DURING THE DAY.
UM, IF YOU HAVE, YOU KNOW, I KNOW I, YOU KNOW, HAVE FAMILIES THAT I WORK WITH THAT HAVE, YOU KNOW, TWO, THREE JOBS, AND BECAUSE THEY'RE NOT ABLE TO ATTEND A, A SCHOOL FUNCTION AT FIVE O'CLOCK IN THE EVENING OR SIX O'CLOCK IN THE EVENING, THAT DOESN'T MEAN THAT THEY DON'T CARE.
THAT MEANS THAT WE NEED TO DO A BETTER JOB OF REACHING THEM WHERE THEY ARE.
AND SO I, I THINK THAT'S A PRIORITY FOR ME, UM, IS TO MAKE SURE THAT WE INVOLVE ALL VOICES IN, IN THE COMMUNITY, WHETHER THEY CAN COME TO A MEETING LIKE THIS OR NOT.
UH, YOU, YOU'VE HEARD, UH, SOME OF MY COLLEAGUES TALK ABOUT THE TIME COMMITMENT, AND IT IS VERY GREAT.
I KNOW HOW MUCH TIME I PUT IN AS A TEACHER, YOU'RE A TEACHER NOW, YOU KNOW HOW MUCH TIME YOU PUT IN.
ARE YOU WILLING TO SACRIFICE THAT, BECOME A FULL-TIME COUNCIL PERSON AT LESS PAY THAN YOU GET AS A TEACHER, UH, IN ORDER TO SERVE YOUR COMMUNITY? THAT IS SOMETHING THAT, UM, HAS GONE THROUGH MY MIND BECAUSE THE WAY THAT I TEACH REQUIRES NOT 40 HOURS A WEEK.
IT REQUIRES 60, 70 HOURS, UH, DEDICATED TO THE CRAFT.
SO I DO UNDERSTAND THAT, UM, IF THIS IS THE, THE CHOICE THAT IF, IF, IF THIS IS, YOU KNOW, DISTRICT, IF I'M THE DISTRICT TWO, UH, CANDIDATE THAT IS SELECTED, THAT THERE, I HAVE TO MAKE A CHOICE BETWEEN THE TWO BECAUSE I CAN'T REALISTICALLY DO BOTH UNLESS, UH, I FIGURE OUT A WAY BETWEEN NOW AND THEN TO CLONE MYSELF.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH, MR. GREEN FOR YOUR TIME.
NEXT APPLICANT IS DEREK HILLIER.
MY NAME IS DEREK HILLIER, LIFETIME RESIDENT OF THE EAST SIDE DISTRICT TWO SAN ANTONIO.
I'M A PRODUCT OF SAM HOUSTON HIGH SCHOOL, WHERE I GRADUATED WITH HONORS.
BEING A MEMBER OF THE NATIONAL HONOR SOCIETY, I, I RECEIVED A SCHOLARSHIP TO TEXAS A AND I UNIVERSITY, WHERE I WAS PART OF A NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP FOOTBALL TEAM ON AN ATHLETIC SCHOLARSHIP.
WE WERE LATER INDUCTED INTO THE COLLEGE HALL OF FAME.
AFTER COLLEGE, I RETURNED HOME, MARRIED MY HIGH SCHOOL SWEETHEART OF 35 YEARS.
SHE, TOO, IS ALSO A PRODUCT OF SAMUELSON HIGH SCHOOL.
SHE'S A GRADUATE OF INCARNATE WORD UNIVERSITY, MAGNA C*M LAUDE.
OUR TWO SONS, THEY'RE ALSO PRODUCTS OF SAM HOUSTON HIGH SCHOOL.
WE'RE MULTI-GENERATIONAL, AS YOU CAN SEE.
I DID MANY JOBS TO SUPPORT MY FAMILY ALONG THE WAY UNTIL A REWARDING CAREER WHEN THE SAN ANTONIO FIRE DEPARTMENT PRESENTED ITSELF.
THIS GAVE ME THE PLATFORM TO DO MANY GREAT THINGS IN MY NEIGHBORHOOD.
I MET A LOT OF GOOD PEOPLE, AND I'VE CONTINUED TO SERVE THEM WELL IN THE, IN THE SCHOOLS WHERE I MENTOR.
I SEE MANY YOUNG PEOPLE THAT ALL THEY WANT IS A, A CHANCE AND AN OPPORTUNITY TO DO GOOD, COME BACK TO THEIR NEIGHBORHOODS AND DO WELL.
MY SONS, THEY'RE STARTING THEIR FAMILIES, AND I LOOK AT THEM AND, AND TELL THEM, IT'S ALWAYS AN OPPORTUNITY OUT THERE FOR YOU.
PHILIP'S COLLEGE AND ATTAINED AN ASSOCIATE'S DEGREE WHILE ALSO WORKING AT THE FIREHOUSE, GOING TO NIGHT SCHOOL, I WANTED TO BE AN EXAMPLE TO 'EM ALWAYS THAT YOU'RE NEVER TOO OLD TO KEEP LEARNING, KEEP PUTTING INTO YOUR NEIGHBORHOODS.
AS I COME BEFORE YOU TODAY, SOME OF YOU MAY HAVE SOME CONCERNS OR ISSUES ABOUT ME.
I'VE HAD A REWARDING CAREER THAT, THAT I ATTAINED MANY SKILLS THAT I FEEL WOULD BE HELPFUL IN GOING FORWARD IN MY DISASTER PREPAREDNESS AND EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT SKILLS WILL SERVE WELL TO SAN ANTONIO, WHO IS A BOLD, INNOVATIVE, BUSTLING CITY THAT IS BRACING THEMSELVES FOR AN INFLUX OF MANY NEW RESIDENTS.
I FEEL THESE SKILLS WILL SERVE US WELL.
WITH THAT, I'D LIKE TO CLOSE BY TELLING YOU I'VE ALWAYS HAD THIS CITY FIRST, MY COMMUNITY FIRST.
THE HOAS THAT I'VE, THAT I KNOW THAT I SERVE, ALWAYS HAD A WORKING RELATIONSHIP WITH THEM.
[01:10:01]
VERY NEIGHBORHOODS IN WHICH I GREW UP, IT HAD A CALMING EFFECT ON PEOPLE DURING SOME OF THE MOST TRYING TIMES AND EVEN A COMFORTING EFFECT ON, ON THE WORST DAYS OF THEIR LIVES.SO I'M STILL IN MY NEIGHBORHOODS, STILL IN MY COMMUNITY SERVING.
I'VE RETIRED FROM THE SAN ANTONIO FIRE DEPARTMENT, BUT I'LL NEVER RETIRE FROM BEING A PUBLIC SERVICE TO MY NEIGHBORS AND FAMILY AND FRIENDS.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH MR. HILLIER, FOR YOUR SERVICE TO THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO.
MAYOR OF, UH, VERY QUALIFIED CANDIDATES FOR THIS POSITION.
UM, WHAT MAKES YOU THE BEST CANDIDATE? LIKE I SAN ANTONIO IS A, IS A BOLD, ASCENDING CITY.
WE'RE BRACING OURSELF FOR AN INFLUX OF A LARGE NUMBER OF NEW RESIDENTS.
IT'S NOT WHEN WILL A DISASTER HAPPEN, IT'S GOING TO HAPPEN.
AND WE HAVE TO HAVE SOME EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT SKILLS IN PLACE.
I THINK I'VE AMASSED A LOT OF SKILLS IN MY PREVIOUS CAREER THAT I COULD LEND TO THE CITY.
AND DISTRICT TWO IS A MICROCOSM OF SAN ANTONIO, VERY DIVERSE AND COULD SERVE WELL IN BEING CONNECTED WITH THE, WELL, THE GOOD WORKS THAT ALL THE COUNCIL PEOPLE ARE CURRENTLY DOING.
WE COULD BE GOOD NEIGHBORS SUCH AS, UH, COUNCIL PERSON, ILLA GRANT IN YOUR DISTRICT WHERE WE HAVE EMERGENCY OPERATIONS CENTER ALL THE WAY THROUGH DISTRICT 10.
WE CONNECT THE A CORRIDOR THAT RUNS THROUGH DISTRICT TWO.
THERE'S ALWAYS, UH, ROOM FOR IMPROVEMENT ALONG THAT CORRIDOR.
WE CAN ALL WORK TOGETHER AND THAT'S WHAT I LOOK FORWARD TO DOING.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH, UH, FOR APPLYING AND FOR STEPPING UP TO SERVE IN THIS PUBLIC SERVICE ROLE AS WELL.
UM, MY QUESTION IS, UM, WHAT DO YOU BELIEVE ARE THE TOP THREE PRIORITIES THAT YOU WOULD HAVE COMING FORWARD? EITHER DISTRICT TWO WISE OR FOR THE CITY? OR IT COULD BE BOTH FOR BOTH OF THEM.
I MENTOR SEVERAL SCHOOLS THROUGHOUT THE CITY, AND WHEN I LOOK IN THE FACES OF THOSE YOUNG PEOPLE THAT JUST WANT OPPORTUNITIES, WE HAVE TO BE RESPONSIBLE FOR THEIR FUTURES IN THE PLANNING AND INCLUDE THEM AND GIVE THEM AN OPPORTUNITY TO MAKE A, A LIVING FOR THEMSELVES.
HOPEFULLY BE GOOD CITIZENS AND RETURN TO THEIR NEIGHBORHOODS AND ALSO CONTRIBUTE.
THAT'S TRUE SUSTAINABILITY TO MY, THAT I THINK WOULD HELP SAN ANTONIO GOING FORWARD.
AGAIN, I LIKE TO RELY ON THE KNOWLEDGE THAT I HAVE, MY PEOPLE SKILLS AND COMMUNICATION SKILLS WHEN DEALING WITH ALL THE VARIOUS HOAS THAT ARE PEOPLE THAT JUST WANT TO HAVE A VOICE.
AND THAT'S WHAT I'M HERE TO REPRESENT.
THANK YOU, SIR, FOR VOLUNTEERING AND THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE TO THE CITY OVER THE PAST, UM, DURING YOUR CAREER AS A FIREFIGHTER.
UM, I'VE BEEN ASKING ALL THE CANDIDATES THE SAME QUESTION, SO I JUST WANNA MAKE SURE YOU'RE AWARE.
THIS IS FULL-TIME PLUS, RIGHT? I MEAN, WE, WE PULL IN NIGHTS, WE DO WEEKENDS.
UH, AS CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS, YOU, YOU HAVE THE BANDWIDTH TO HANDLE, UM, ALL THE HOURS REQUIRED TO BE ABLE TO DO THIS JOB.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR PRESENTATION AND YOUR APPLICATION.
UM, COULD YOU TELL US A LITTLE BIT ABOUT HOW YOU WOULD PLAN TO ENGAGE, UH, THE RESIDENTS OF DISTRICT TWO IN YOUR WORK HERE? EVERYTHING RANGING FROM A ZONING CASE TO THE POLICY DECISIONS THAT WE MAKE HERE AT COUNCIL? YES.
THERE ARE MANY MODES OF, OF COMMUNICATION THROUGHOUT THE CITY.
THE CITY PLANNERS HAVE DONE WONDERFUL JOB WITH THE, WITH THE WEBSITES AND CONNECTING, GIVING THE CITIZENS A VOICE, UH, DIGITALLY AS WELL AS OUTREACH REGIONAL CENTERS THAT ARE BEING DEVELOPED.
THERE ARE MANY MODES OF COMMUNICATION THAT YOU CAN HAVE WITH YOUR CONSTITUENTS, YOUR FRIENDS, YOUR FAMILIES, USING THEM ALL.
NOT ONE, ONE PIECE OF COMMUNICATION.
YOU HAVE TO USE EVERY POSSIBLE MODE OF COMMUNICATION.
UH, THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE TODAY.
UH, IT TAKES COURAGE TO COME UP HERE AND STAND IN FRONT OF THIS BODY FOR ALL 13, BUT I THINK WHAT HAS TRANSPIRED OVER THE LAST FEW DAYS, IT TAKES A LITTLE EXTRA COURAGE FOR YOU TO COME UP HERE AND STAND HERE AND ANSWER QUESTIONS.
UM, YOUR LOYALTY'S BEEN CALLED INTO QUESTION, AND I'M GONNA TEE IT RIGHT UP HERE 'CAUSE I THINK THE ANSWER, UH, IS NEEDED.
AND I DON'T NECESSARILY FEEL COMFORTABLE DOING IT, BUT I THINK IT'S THE CONCERN.
AND WHEN THE MAYOR'S CALLED YOU A PUPPET, I WANT YOU TO TELL US AND DESCRIBE JUST DIRECTLY AS POSSIBLE, HOW YOU'RE GONNA LEAD AND BE LOYAL TO THE RESIDENTS OF DISTRICT TWO.
I THINK THE QUESTION SHOULD BE ANSWERED, AND I THINK YOU DESERVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO STAND UP FOR YOURSELF AND DEFEND YOUR REPUTATION AND YOUR COMMUNITY.
[01:15:01]
UH, AND I LOOK FORWARD TO HEARING YOUR ANSWER, SIR.THANK YOU FOR THAT OPPORTUNITY.
SOME THINGS ABOUT ME HAVE BEEN CALLED INTO QUESTION, BUT I'M AN INDEPENDENT THINKER.
I, I SERVE MANY GREAT PEOPLE AND ORGANIZATIONS.
I'VE SERVED ON THE BOARD OF THE BOYS AND GIRLS CLUBS SAN ANTONIO, FIGHTING BACK WITH MR. WILLIE MITCHELL.
I'VE MADE A LOT OF CONNECTIONS IN MY COMMUNITY.
SO AS I WAS APPROACHING RETIREMENT, THEY ALL LOOKED TO ME AND SAID, HEY, WE, WE STILL NEED YOUR SERVICE.
LIKE I SAID, TOLD THEM I'LL NEVER RETIRE FROM BEING A PUBLIC SERVICE.
AND THAT WAS WHAT WHAT ENCOURAGED ME TO ALSO RUN.
AS I GO INTO SCHOOLS AND MENTOR, I LOOK IN THE FACES OF THE YOUNG PEOPLE THAT JUST WANT TO OPPORTUNITY.
WHEN I GREW UP, WE HAD SUMMER JOBS, WAYS OF MEANS THAT I COULD HELP MY WHOLE FAMILY, EVEN AS A YOUNGSTER, I DON'T SEE THAT.
I WANT TO TURN THAT LIGHT ON IN THE YOUNG PEOPLE'S FACES.
MAKE, MAKE 'EM A LITTLE BIT OF ECONOMIC EMPOWERMENT THAT THEY CAN GET TO AT LEAST LOOK FORWARD TO GOING BACK TO SCHOOL.
BUY YOUR OWN SCHOOL CLOTHES, START 'EM OUT EARLY, ENCOURAGE 'EM TO KEEP GOING.
I THINK JUST FROM A, A VISIBLE POSITION AS SUCH IN THE CITY AND BEING PART OF ALL THE PLANNING THAT ALL OF YOU, UH, TO BE COMMENDED FOR, THAT, THAT THAT SERVES GREATLY IN DISTRICT TWO IN MY COMMUNITY WHERE I CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE.
JUST WANNA FOLLOW UP REAL QUICK.
YOUR LOYALTY LIES WHERE? TO THE PEOPLE I SERVE, ALL THE HOAS.
ALL THE SCHOOLS THAT I'M IN, ALL THE YOUNG PEOPLE I SEE ALL MY FRIENDS, FAMILY AND NEIGHBORS WHO HAVE URGED ME TO TAKE THIS STEP.
AND THANK YOU FOR COMING OUT HERE TODAY.
UH, SO THIS IS, THIS IS NOT JUST A TEMPORARY APPOINTMENT TO YOU.
IF YOU DO GET APPOINTED, YOU, YOU, YOU INTEND TO RUN, UH, FOR THIS SEAT.
I, I INTEND TO RUN BECAUSE BEING A PUBLIC SERVANT IS NOT SOMETHING YOU CHECK IN, CHECK OUT.
IF YOU'RE A GOOD NEIGHBOR, AS I'VE ALWAYS URGED EVERYONE AROUND ME TO BE, YOU'LL BE THERE FOR YOUR FRIENDS, FAMILY AND NEIGHBORS, YOUR COMMUNITY MEETINGS, YOUR HOAS, THEY'RE ALL DOING GOOD WORK.
THEY'RE TRYING TO HELP AND BE A PART OF THE OVERALL PLAN FOR THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR YOUR TIME, MR. HILLIER.
THE NEXT APPLICANT IS AUBREY LEWIS, AND I'D LIKE TO MAKE AN ANNOUNCEMENT.
WILL, WILL ALL THE CANDIDATES OR APPLICANTS THAT HAVE BEEN INTERVIEWED, PLEASE REPORT BACK INTO THE C ROOM AT THIS TIME? THANK YOU.
IF ANYONE CAN TAKE THEIR SEATS, WE'LL GO AHEAD AND RESUME.
WE CAN STILL GOING RIGHT? OKAY.
IF WE CAN SET THE DOOR, WE'LL GO AHEAD AND GET STARTED.
ALL RIGHT, MR. LEWIS, THANK YOU FOR YOUR PATIENCE.
UH, GOOD AFTERNOON, MAYOR CITY COUNCIL.
I WANT TO THANK YOU FOR ALLOWING ME TO COME BEFORE YOU THIS AFTERNOON.
I GRADUATED FROM BRACKEN RIDGE HIGH SCHOOL, CONTINUING ON TO TEXAS SOUTHERN UNIVERSITY OF HOUSTON, TEXAS.
FROM THERE, I WENT ON TO THE GEORGE MINI LABOR CENTER IN SILVER SPRING, MARYLAND, AND I'VE ALSO COMPLETED THE, UH, COURSE AT, UH, FOR THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO IN LEADERSHIP ACADEMY.
UH, I'M CURRENTLY THE PRESIDENT OF THE DENVER HEIGHT NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION.
I'VE BEEN THE PRESIDENT SINCE APRIL OF 2000, UH, 2014.
UH, I'M CURRENTLY, UH, A BOARD MEMBER FOR THE DAVID SCOTT, Y M C A.
UH, I'VE JUST BEEN ELECTED TO THE SECOND VICE PRESIDENT POSITION FOR THE SAN ANTONIO BRANCH OF THE NAACP.
UM, AS THE PRESIDENT OF DENVER HEIGHT NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION, UH, MAINTAIN A GOOD WORKING RELATIONSHIP WITH, UH, UH, SS A P D CODE ENFORCEMENT AND OTHER CITY OFFICIALS.
AND I HAVE, UH, CONVERSED WEEKLY.
AND, UH, I LED HIS CAMP, HIS LEADERSHIP CAMPAIGN FOR 2017.
UH, WORKING CONTINUOUSLY WITH BUSINESS DEVELOPERS THAT COME INTO THE COMMUNITY, UH, THAT, UH, ARE WANTING TO, UH, BRING IN DIFFERENT BUSINESSES, UH, WORKED CONTINUOUSLY WITH THEM.
UH, ONE BEING, UH, THE TONY G'S RESTAURANT, WHICH, UH, PREVIOUSLY WAS LOCATED ON ST.
UH, WE ENCOURAGED HIM TO MOVE HIS RESTAURANT INTO THE DENVER HEIGHTS AREA, WHICH IS A PART OF THE EAST SIDE COMMUNITY.
AND, UH, UH, EVERY, UH, ONCE A MONTH, I VOLUNTEER FOR THE SENIORS THAT ARE LOCATED DOWN AT THE GRANADA SENIOR HOME, UH, ON VILLA STREET
[01:20:01]
DOWNTOWN.WE BRING, I BRING THEM OUT TO THE, UH, TONY G'S RESTAURANT FOR A GOOD HOT BREAKFAST AND, AND OUTING FOR THESE FOLKS.
AND, UM, I, I, I'VE DONE THAT, UH, CONTINUOUSLY.
IN FACT, I JUST FINISHED UP THIS MORNING, UH, UH, ALSO, UH, WHILE, UH, WHEN I RETIRED FROM GREYHOUND, UH, I WAS WITH GREYHOUND, UH, 28 AND A HALF YEARS.
I STARTED OFF AS A DRIVER THERE, UH, TRANSPORTATION.
AND I MOVED INTO, UH, MANAGEMENT.
AND FROM THERE I WENT ON TO BECOME THE REGIONAL VICE PRESIDENT, UH, FOR THE A T U, WHICH WAS A UNION THAT REPRESENTED GREYHOUND LIONS.
UH, I'VE NEGOTIATED A NUMBER OF CONTRACTS.
UH, WE'VE SETTLED A, A NUMBER OF, OF DISPUTES.
I'VE ALSO SERVED FOR, UH, THREE, THREE AND A HALF YEARS AS A GREYHOUND TRUSTEE FOR HEALTH AND WELFARE TRUST AND FOR THE DISABILITY PENSION TRUST.
AND, UH, THEN ALSO, EXCUSE ME, ALSO, WE, WE, WE WORK CONTINUOUSLY IN OUR, IN OUR COMMUNITY WITH THE, UH, UH, DIFFERENT, UH, UH, BUSINESSES THAT HAVE COME IN AND, UH, WE CONTINUE TO WORK THEM.
THERE ARE MANY QUALIFIED CANDIDATES, UH, IN THIS POOL OF APPLICANTS.
WHAT MAKES YOU THE BEST CANDIDATE? WELL, UH, I FEEL LIKE I WORK IN THE COMMUNITY CONTINUOUSLY.
UH, WE, WE REACH OUT TO THE DIFFERENT CITY OFFICIALS TO, TO BRING THE STAFF IN, TO EXPLAIN TO OUR COMMUNITY MEMBERS, UH, THE DIFFERENT, UH, BENEFITS, THE DIFFERENT PROGRAMS THAT ARE AVAILABLE TO 'EM.
SO MANY OF 'EM ARE NOT AWARE ABOUT THE DIFFERENT TAX BREAKS THAT THEY GET.
YOU KNOW, THE SE OUR SENIORS, UH, WHO HAVE BEEN NEGLECTED SO LONG, UH, A LOT OF THEM ARE TOTALLY UNAWARE THAT, UH, IF THEY'RE HOMESTEAD AND THEY GET THE SENIOR EXEMPTING, THEIR TAXES ARE STABLE.
AND A LOT OF PEOPLE HAVE HIT THE PANIC ZONE, ESPECIALLY OUR SENIORS.
WHEN THE NEW DEVELOPMENT COMES INTO THE AREA, THEY'VE BEEN TOLD, WELL, YOUR TAXES ARE GETTING READY TO GO UP.
AND SO WE TRY TO EDUCATE THEM.
AND SO I'VE, I'VE DONE A LOT TO, TO, TO EDUCATE OUR, OUR PEOPLE.
AND, UH, WE HAVE, UH, ONE OF THE LARGEST NATIONAL NIGHT OUT EVENTS IN THE CITY.
WE'VE GONE FROM EIGHT MEMBERS ATTENDING TO OVER 649 ATTENDING THROUGH THE YEARS.
AND, UH, THIS IS GETTING THE COMMUNITY INVOLVED IN WHAT'S GOING ON.
SO I'VE REACHED OUT TO THE COMMUNITY AND I DO THAT CONTINUOUSLY.
MR. LEWIS, THANK YOU FOR VOLUNTEERING AND THANK YOU FOR YOUR YEARS OF SERVICE TO YOUR COMMUNITY.
UM, YOU, I ACTUALLY HAVE TWO QUESTIONS.
YOU, YOU UNDERSTAND, UH, THE TIME COMMITMENT HERE, RIGHT? YOU, YOU GOTTA SEE MR. CRUZ SHAW, UH, PUT IN DAYS AND NIGHTS AND WEEKENDS AND HOLIDAYS INTO THIS JOB AND, AND THAT, THAT IS WHAT IS EXPECTED.
SO YOU'VE GOT THE BANDWIDTH TO BE ABLE TO DO THAT.
AND THEN, YOU KNOW, IT JUST OCCURRED TO ME AS I WAS SITTING HERE LOOKING AT ALL THE STAFFERS SITTING BEHIND US, UM, COUNCILMAN SHAW HAD TOGETHER AN EXCELLENT TEAM OF STAFFERS WHO'S BEEN VERY RESPONSIVE, AND THEY WORK JUST AS HARD AS HE DID IN MANY INSTANCES.
HAVE YOU HAD A CHANCE TO WORK WITH THEM? AND IS IT YOUR INTENTION TO CONTINUE WORKING WITH THEM IF YOU GET THIS POSITION? YES, I'VE HAD AN OPPORTUNITY TO WORK WITH ALL HIS, PRETTY MUCH ALL OF HIS STAFFERS, AND IT'S MY INTENTION TO KEEP EVERYONE IN PLACE.
HOWEVER, I WILL, UH, SIT DOWN AND, AND, AND HAVE A DISCUSSION, EVALUATE, AND HOPEFULLY EVERYONE WILL BE ABLE TO STAY ON BOARD, BUT IT'S MY INTENT TO KEEP IT ONE.
THANK YOU, MR. LEWIS, FOR YOUR SERVICE, UH, TO THE COMMUNITY AND FOR APPLYING FOR THIS POSITION.
IT IS, UM, NO EASY FEAT TO EVEN GET TO, TO THIS POINT, SO I APPRECIATE THAT.
ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I WOULD LIKE, YOU HAVE BEEN VERY ENGAGED WITH THE COMMUNITY, UM, BUT HOW DO YOU INTEND TO ENGAGE RESIDENTS, UM, FROM ALL OVER THE DISTRICT AND BEING, UH, IF YOU ARE SELECTED AS COUNCIL REPRESENTATIVE, AND HOW DO YOU INTEND TO GAIN THEIR TRUST AND THEN GAIN THEIR INPUT? WELL, ONE THING, MY INTENT TO CONTINUE, UH, COUNCILMAN SHAW'S AGENDA, WHICH I, I FEEL AND I BELIEVE WAS GETTING THE ENTIRE CITY ENGAGED.
SO BY CONTINUING HIS AGENDA, I THINK WE, WE, WE, WE WON'T HAVE A PROBLEM.
WE'LL CONTINUE WITH HIS AGENDA.
THANK YOU MR. LEWIS, FOR PUTTING YOURSELF FORWARD.
UH, I'D LIKE TO ASK, WHAT IS YOUR OPINION ON GENTRIFICATION, UH, SHORT TERM RENTALS, UH,
[01:25:01]
AND AFFORDABLE HOUSING IN, IN, UH, YOUR COMMUNITY? UH, AND WIDER IN, IN DISTRICT TWO? OKAY.IN TERMS OF, OF, OF, OF GENTRIFICATION.
UH, MY CONCERN IS THE FACT THAT WE'VE SEEN THE DEVELOPMENT COMING FOR A NUMBER OF YEARS.
THIS IS, THIS IS NOTHING THAT'S POPPED UP OVERNIGHT.
AND I THINK WHAT, WHAT, WHAT MORE THAN GENTRIFICATION IS LACK OF PREPARATION, NOT WANTING TO ACCEPT THE FACT THAT, UH, SAN ANTONIO IS GROWING AND IT'S GOING EAST, IT'S GOING WEST.
AND, AND IT BEING ABLE TO, TO ACCEPT THAT IS, IS THE MAIN THING.
ONE OF THE BIGGEST PROBLEM I'VE HEARD OUT THERE IN THE COMMUNITY IS FROM OUR SENIORS.
THEY'RE AFRAID OF BEING MISPLACED AND FORCED OUT.
SO THAT'S ONE PROBLEM WE ARE GOING TO HAVE TO WORK ON, UH, UH, AS PART OF THIS COUNCIL, I BELIEVE.
AND WHAT ABOUT CONTINUING TO HAVE AFFORDABLE HOUSING AVAILABLE IN DENVER HEIGHTS AND IN LOCAL COMMUNITIES AROUND THERE? ABSOLUTELY.
I MEAN, THAT'S, THAT'S VERY IMPORTANT.
UH, WITHOUT AFFORDABLE HOUSING, I MEAN, IT'S JUST GOING TO CREATE A, A BIG, UH, A BIG PROBLEM FOR THE WHOLE, WHOLE CITY.
YOU DON'T THINK THERE'S A CONFLICT WITH GENTRIFICATION AND PROPERTIES BEING TURNED INTO SHORT TERM RENTALS THAT WILL RAISE VALUES OF HOMES IN YOUR COMMUNITY TO WHERE AFFORDABLE HOUSING FOR FAMILIES THAT MIGHT WANNA WORK IN AT THIS MOVE IS DISAPPEARING AT THIS TIME? NO, SIR.
MR. LEWIS, THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR, UH, APPLYING AND FOR YOUR, AND FOR YOUR PRESENTATION HERE TODAY.
UM, I BELIEVE, UH, THAT IF YOU'RE SELECTED, YOU WOULD BE APPOINTED TO, UM, THE COMMUNITY HEALTH AND EQUITY COMMITTEE, WHICH I CHAIR, MAYOR.
IS THAT FINAL OR NOT FINAL? OKAY.
SO
SO I, I, UM, THAT COMMITTEE, UH, REVIEWS ITEMS THAT HAVE TO DO WITH HEALTH, ALSO WITH CLIMATE CHANGE, WITH AIR QUALITY, ET CETERA.
I JUST WANNA KNOW, UM, WOULD YOU HAVE THE TIME COMMITMENT TO ATTEND THOSE, UH, COMMUNITY, SORRY, THOSE COUNCIL COMMITTEE MEETINGS, AND, UM, WHAT IS YOUR PERSPECTIVE ABOUT THE ROLE OF CITY GOVERNMENT IN CARING FOR PUBLIC HEALTH? OKAY.
I'VE BEEN RETIRED FOR SOME TIME.
SO I'VE MADE THAT, THAT BIG ADJUSTMENT THERE.
AND, UH, I LOOK FORWARD TO, UH, SPENDING THE TIME WORKING ON THOSE, UH, DIFFERENT COMMITTEES.
AND WHAT WAS YOUR OTHER QUESTION TO THAT? YOUR, YOUR THOUGHTS ON THE PERSPECTIVE? SORRY, WHAT WAS MY QUESTION? YOUR, YOUR PERSPECTIVE ON THE ROLE OF OUR LOCAL GOVERNMENT WHEN IT COMES TO CARING FOR PUBLIC HEALTH, BECAUSE THAT'S ONE OF THE ISSUES THAT, THAT WE DEAL WITH.
WELL, I THINK WE'VE GOTTA KEEP AN OPEN MIND AND KEEP THE DOOR OPEN AND DEALING WITH, WITH PUBLIC HEALTH.
UH, WE'VE GOT TO LISTEN TO THE CONCERNS THAT ARE BROUGHT TO US AND, AND NOT CLOSE THE DOOR.
UH, KEEP AN OPEN MIND AND I THINK WE'LL BE OKAY.
UH, DO YOU SEE THIS POSITION THAT WE'RE GONNA APPOINT AS A PLACEHOLDER FOR YOU OR JUST FOR THE FIVE MONTHS, OR DO YOU SEE YOURSELF RUNNING FOR THIS POSITION IN MAY? NO, I SEE MYSELF RUNNING FOR IT IN MAY, SIR.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR YOUR TIME, MR. LEWIS.
NEXT APPLICANT IS LESTER BRYANT.
GOOD AFTERNOON, MAYOR NUREMBERG AND MEMBERS OF CITY COUNCIL.
MY NAME IS LUSTER BRYANT, AND I WOULD LIKE TO THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO APPEAR BEFORE YOU TODAY TO DISCUSS MY QUALIFICATIONS FOR THE DISTRICT TWO APPOINTMENT.
EACH OF YOU HAVE RECEIVED COPIES OF BOTH MY LETTER OF INTEREST AND MY RESUME.
RATHER THAN REHASH THAT INFORMATION, LET ME SPEND SOME TIME TALKING ABOUT WHAT I THINK IS ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT ATTRIBUTES YOU'RE LOOKING FOR IN THE PERSON SELECTED TO FILL THIS POSITION.
YOU HAVE BEEN WORKING TOGETHER AS A TEAM SINCE 2017.
NOW YOU'RE BEING ASKED TO SELECT A NEW MEMBER FOR THE TEAM.
IN ADDITION TO KNOWING AND UNDERSTANDING THE PROBLEMS AND ISSUES FACING BOTH DISTRICT TWO AND THE CITY, YOU NEED TO FIND SOMEONE WHO CAN JOIN YOUR TEAM WITH THE LEAST AMOUNT OF DISRUPTION YOU'RE LOOKING FOR.
SOMEONE WHO UNDERSTANDS THE CONFLICTING PRIORITIES THAT MEMBERS OF CITY COUNCIL OFTEN FACE, SOMEONE WHO UNDERSTANDS THAT THEY WILL BE CALLED ON TO MAKE DECISIONS THAT NOT ONLY IMPACT THE CITIZENS OF DISTRICT TWO, BUT ALSO THE CITY.
[01:30:01]
AND LETTER OF INTEREST, I HAVE SERVED THE CITIZENS OF BOTH DISTRICT TWO AND THE CITY IN VARIOUS CAPACITIES AT A VARIETY OF LEVELS OVER THE PAST SEVERAL YEARS.THIS SERVICE HAS GIVEN ME THE OPPORTUNITY TO DEVELOP RELATIONSHIPS WITH MANY OF YOU AS WELL AS MEMBERS OF YOUR STAFF.
MY RECENT SERVICE AND PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE GIVE ME BOTH THE HARD AND SOFT SKILLS TO MEANINGFULLY, MEANINGFULLY PARTICIPATE IN DISCUSSIONS AND DE DELIBERATIONS ON THE MAJOR ISSUES IMPACTING OUR CITY.
I THINK YOU'RE LOOKING FOR SOMEONE WHO HAS A HISTORY OF RECENT SERVICE TO THE CITIZENS OF BOTH DISTRICT TWO AND THE CITY.
SOMEONE WHO UNDERSTANDS THE IMPORTANT ISSUES THAT THE CITY COUNCIL WILL FACE OVER THE NEXT FEW MONTHS, SOMEONE WHO UNDERSTANDS THE IMPORTANCE OF COLLABORATION AND HAS DEMONSTRATED HISTORY OF COLLABORATIVE SERVICE.
IN SHORT, I BELIEVE THAT YOU'RE LOOKING FOR A PERSON TO JOIN YOUR HIGH PERFORMING TEAM AND BE AN IMMEDIATE CONTRIBUTOR.
I BELIEVE THAT I AM THAT PERSON.
THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO ADDRESS YOU THIS AFTERNOON.
THERE ARE A NUMBER OF QUALIFIED CANDIDATES, VERY QUALIFIED CANDIDATES IN THIS POOL OF APPLICANTS FOR ONE POSITION.
WHAT MAKES YOU THE BEST CANDIDATE? I LOOKING FOR SOMEONE THAT HAD, THAT UNDERSTANDS POLICY MAKING, SOMEONE THAT UNDERSTANDS GOVERNANCE, UH, SOMEONE THAT'S A CONSENSUS BUILDER AND SOMEONE THAT'S A TEAM PLAYER.
AND I HAVE DEMONSTRATED ALL OF THOSE ABILITIES IN MY ROLE HERE IN THE CITY DISTRICT TWO, AND ALSO NATIONALLY.
UH, WITH YOUR EXPERIENCE IN, IN A VARIETY OF CAPACITIES IN YOUR DISTRICT AND IN THE CITY.
NOW FOCUSING ON DISTRICT TWO, WHAT DO YOU THINK ARE SOME OF THE KEY PROBLEMS OR, AND SOLUTIONS THAT YOU WOULD LIKE TO BRING FORWARD AS THE NEW COUNCIL PERSON FOR FOR DISTRICT TWO? UH, THANK YOU FOR THAT QUESTION.
COUNCILMAN? UH, BIGGEST CHALLENGES FACING DISTRICT TWO RIGHT NOW ARE CHANGING DEMOGRAPHICS.
WE HAVE, UH, TRANSPORTATION, JOBS, AND EDUCATION.
MY SOLUTIONS TO THOSE PROBLEMS WOULD BE TO MEET WITH COMMUNITY LEADERS, THE, UH, HOAS, BECAUSE WE HAVE TO COME TOGETHER TO SOLVE SOME OF THESE PROBLEMS, YOU KNOW, AND AS WELL AS AFFORDABLE HOUSING.
AND THE MAYOR'S TASK FORCE ON HOUSING HAS CREATED A BLUEPRINT TO HELP ADDRESS THE HOUSING CONCERNS.
DO YOU SEE THE PROBLEM WITH GENTRIFICATION, UH, SHORT-TERM HOUSING RENTALS AND AFFORDABLE HOUSING AS, AS A CONFLICT OF INTEREST IN THOSE AREAS? A CONFLICT OF INTEREST? WELL, GENTRIFICATION, PEOPLE BUYING UP HOMES AND, YOU KNOW, UPGRADING THEM, UH, SHORT TERMINALS, PEOPLE BUYING HOMES IN NEIGHBORHOODS AND TURNING 'EM INTO MANY HOTELS, AND THEN TRYING TO CREATE AFFORDABLE HOUSING IN THOSE SAME COMMUNITIES OVER TIME WITH THESE CHANGES GOING ON.
YES, I THINK THAT THAT IS SOMETHING ANOTHER COUNCIL HAS DISCUSSED, THE AIRBNB SITUATION.
UM, AND GENTRIFICATION, UM, AS WE ALL KNOW, HAS NEGATIVE CON CONNOTATIONS WHEN YOU USE THAT WORD.
UM, I THINK WE NEED TO START LOOKING AT HOW, HOW DO WE CHANGE THAT NARRATIVE? BECAUSE IF YOU OWN A HOME IN THE DISTRICT, I CAN'T TELL YOU NOT TO SELL YOUR HOME.
UM, AND SO WE HAVE TO LEARN HOW TO, AS IN THE STATED IN THE POLICY, LEARN HOW TO USE THAT TO OUR BENEFIT AND ALSO LOOK AT A, POTENTIALLY A HEALING PROCESS FOR COMMUNITIES SO THAT WE DON'T LOSE THAT HISTORY FROM THE COMMUNITIES.
THANK YOU LESTER, SO MUCH FOR ALL OF YOUR WORK THAT YOU'VE DONE, UH, FOR THE CITIZENS AND FOR, UM, OUR COMMUNITY AND THE COUNTY, ACTUALLY.
ONE OF MY QUESTIONS IS, UM, WE, WE HAVE, WE KNOW THAT THE, THIS, THERE'S A STRONG, UM, IDENTITY AND PRIDE THAT IS EXISTENT WITHIN DISTRICT TWO.
HOW DO YOU INTEND TO CHAMPION THAT? AND HOW HAVE YOU, UM, BEEN DOING THAT AS A RESIDENT OF DISTRICT TWO? UM, YOU KNOW, GROWING UP ON EAST SIDE, UM, BACK DURING THE DAYS WHERE THERE WAS A LOT OF PRIDE, THERE WAS A LOT OF COMMUNITY AND
[01:35:02]
UH, JUST BECAUSE YOU MAY LIVE ON THE FAR EAST SIDE, THAT DOESN'T MEAN THAT WE DON'T SHARE THAT PRIDE OF THE EAST SIDE.SO INSTEAD OF OPERATING AS THE NEAR EAST SIDE, THE MIDDLE EAST SIDE, THE FAR EAST SIDE, WE NEED TO COME TOGETHER AS ONE EAST SIDE.
AND LET ME CORRECT MYSELF AS A DISTRICT, BECAUSE WE HAVE TO UNDERSTAND THAT DISTRICT TWO HAS FIVE SECTIONS TO IT, AND THAT OFTEN GETS MISSED.
YOU HAVE THE NEAR EAST SIDE, MIDDLE EAST SIDE FAR, UH, EAST SIDE, YOU HAVE THE NORTHEAST SIDE, AND THEN YOU HAVE THE BROADWAY QUARTER.
SO WE HAVE TO COME TOGETHER COLLECTIVELY FOR THE DISTRICT, AND WE'RE NOT THERE.
SO THAT'S GONNA TAKE SOME HARD WORK, GOING TO TAKE SOME COMMUNITY MEETINGS, IT'S GONNA TAKE LISTENING TO EVERYONE'S CONCERNS, BECAUSE THE ONLY WAY WE CAN CORRECT ANY PROBLEM IS BY LISTENING TO FIND OUT WHAT'S WHAT THE OTHER PERSON'S CHALLENGES ARE.
COUNCILMAN BELI, THANK YOU, SIR, FOR VOLUNTEERING AND THANKS FOR ALL YOUR SERVICE, UH, OVER THE YEARS.
UM, I ASK ALL THE CANDIDATES THE SAME QUESTION.
DO YOU HAVE THE BANDWIDTH, UH, TO BE ABLE TO COMMIT ALL THE TIME NECESSARY, UH, TO DO THIS JOB? WE ALL WORK DAYS, NIGHTS, WEEKENDS, HOLIDAYS, UH, YES SIR, I DO.
UH, AS YOU CAN SEE IN MY RESUME, I MANAGED A 24 BY SEVEN ENVIRONMENT, UM, OPERATING IN SEVERAL COUNTRIES FOR YEARS.
TWO O'CLOCK IN THE MORNING PHONE CALL, UM, BEING OUT WITH FRIENDS OR FAMILY, YOU GET A CALL AND YOU GOT, YOU KNOW, HEY GUYS, IT'S GREAT, BUT I GOTTA GO.
SO I, I UNDERSTAND THAT COMMITMENT.
COUNCILMAN PERRY? THANK YOU, SIR.
DO YOU SEE THIS AS A, JUST A TEMPORARY APPOINTMENT OR YOU CONSIDERING, OR WILL YOU BE RUNNING FOR THIS PERMANENTLY IN MAY AS OF THREE 40 TODAY? UM, I AM CONSIDER, I AM FOCUSED ON THE TEMPORARY, UH, APPOINTMENT, UH, AND DOING THE WORK OF DISTRICT TWO AND WORKING WITH THE COUNCIL.
I HAVE NOT COMMITTED ONE WAY OR ANOTHER TO RUNNING FOR OFFICE IN MAY.
I KNOW THAT THE FILING DEADLINE IS FEBRUARY 15TH, SO I KNOW THAT I HAVE, UH, A FEW WEEKS IF I'M APPOINTED TO BE ABLE TO ASSESS THE NEEDS AND RUN A CAMPAIGN, BECAUSE I WOULDN'T BE AS SEASONED AS YOU GUYS, YOU KNOW, TO BE ABLE TO DO YOUR JOBS AND ALSO RUN A CAMPAIGN.
NOT SAYING THAT I CAN'T WALK INTO BUBBLE GUM, BUT YOU GUYS ARE MORE EXPERIENCED IN THAT AREA THAN I AM.
ALRIGHT, COUNCILWOMAN SANDOVAL.
THANK YOU MR. BRYANT, FOR YOUR SERVICE TO THE CITIZENS OF SAN ANTONIO AND FOR APPLYING FOR THIS POSITION.
UM, COULD YOU TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT WHAT TECHNIQUES YOU'D USE TO ENGAGE YOUR RESIDENTS IN, UM, IN YOUR WORK? OKAY.
UM, FIRST THING IS GETTING WITH TALKING WITH YOU GUYS, THE MY 30 DAY PLAN, IF THAT'S A BETTER WAY TO PUT IT, A 30 DAY PLAN WOULD BE TO WORK WITH CITY STAFF, THE DISTRICT TWO STAFF, AND ALSO COUNCIL MEMBERS TO FIND OUT WHAT ARE THE HOT ISSUES RIGHT NOW FOR THE COMMUNITY IS HOLDING MEETINGS WITH THE NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATIONS, CIVIC LEADERS, AND THEN ALSO HAVING TOWN HALL MEETINGS TO FIND OUT, UH, WHAT THEIR CONCERNS ARE, HOW WE CAN WORK TOGETHER TO SOLVE THOSE ISSUES.
BECAUSE YOU HAVE TO BE ABLE TO COMMUNICATE AND AS GREAT AS TECHNOLOGY IS TODAY, NOTHING BEATS FACE-TO-FACE COMMUNICATION.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR MISS YOUR TIME, MR. BRYANT.
I'M DENISE GUTIERREZ HOMER, AND I COULD BE THE FIRST LATINA COUNCILWOMAN TO REPRESENT THE EAST SIDE WITH A DEGREE IN POLITICAL SCIENCE IN INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS AND FINE ARTS.
I KNOW IT'S A UNIQUE AND INTERESTING COMBINATION, BUT MY INTEREST, TALENTS, AND ADVOCACY ARE ALL PART OF MY DAILY LIFE ROUTINE.
[01:40:01]
OF YOU MIGHT RECOGNIZE ME,AS A DOWNTOWN RESIDENT, VOICING CONCERNS FOR MY NEIGHBORS IN MY DISTRICT, I ADVOCATE FOR MY NEIGHBORS, FRIENDS, SENIORS, VETERANS, AND EVEN PETS.
AND I'LL LEAVE THE PETS TO MY HUSBAND.
I, I LISTEN TO CONCERNS AND RESEARCH AND RESOLVE THE ISSUES FROM POSSIBLE.
AS A FORMER TEACHER, I UNDERSTAND THE COMPLEXITIES OF DEALING WITH DIFFERENT PERSONALITIES.
AS A BUSINESS OWNER, I DEALT WITH CLIENTS SUBCONTRACTORS.
I GUIDE MY CLIENTS WITH A PROCESS, HELP THEM MAKE DECISIONS, WORK WITH BUDGETS AND SCHEDULES.
I SEE HUGE POTENTIAL IN DISTRICT TWO.
WE NEED INCUBATORS SUCH AS MAESTRO CENTRO IN DISTRICT FIVE, THEY MENTOR BUSINESSES AND ENTREPRENEURS ON HOW TO GROW, LEARN TECHNOLOGY, LEARN TO NETWORK, AND LEARN HOW TO HAVE BASIC MANAGEMENT SKILLS.
AS A COUNCILWOMAN, I REALIZE A COMPROMISE IS ESSENTIAL, AND SO IS PRINCIPAL.
DISTRICT TWO IS DEALING WITH AMAZING GROWTH.
DOWNTOWN DEVELOPMENT SHOULD EXTEND FURTHER INTO THE NEIGHBORHOODS WITH LIGHTING, BETTER STREETS, TRANSPORTATION INFRASTRUCTURE.
TRANSPORTATION OPTIONS SHOULD BE LOOKED AT CLOSELY AND CONSIDERED FOR EVERYONE.
FOR OUR ENTIRE COMMUNITY, WE MUST OFFER RESIDENTS BETTER MOBILITY.
I WILL WORK WITH VIA TO CREATE BETTER SCHEDULES, EXPAND SERVICES FOR UNIVERSITIES, BUSINESSES AND TOURIST, CREATING OPTIONS FOR MORE SHUTTLE SERVICES, REMOTE SURFACE PARKING, LINKING COMMUTER SCHEDULE FOR FLEXIBLE RIDE SHARING.
I HAVE IDEAS AND SOLUTIONS FOR MANY CONCERNS FOR DISTRICT TWO AND SAN ANTONIO.
I'M NOT HERE TO CREATE ISSUES, BUT OFFER SOLUTIONS.
I WILL EMULATE THE BEST OF THE DISTRICT WEBSITES.
COUNCILWOMAN GONZALEZ HAS INFO ON HOME PAINTING ASSISTANCE.
DISTRICT EIGHT HAS LINKS ON INFRASTRUCTURE MANAGEMENT.
COUNCILMAN VRAN HAS SPAY SA LINKS.
DISTRICT ONE HAS A INEQUITY PROJECT.
RIGHT NOW, WE WANNA LEARN FROM THAT.
DISTRICT TWO WILL UPDATE AND ADAPT FOR DISTRICT TWO CITIZENS, AND I'LL ADD COMMUNITY CALENDARS, DISTRICT EVENT CALENDARS.
WHEN AN OPT FOR A PUSH NOTIFICATION, NOW I'M TAKING THE TEACHER MODE HERE, USE A SIMPLE BULLET POINT OF A LETTER.
C, C IS FOR CARING, CONSIDERATION, COMMUNICATION, COMPROMISE, AND THE MOST IMPORTANT CONSTITUENT, THE CONSTITUENT MUST BE RESPECTED.
SO I'M HERE AS A PROBLEM SOLVER.
I HAVE AN ART STUDIO IN DISTRICT ONE.
I LIVE IN DISTRICT TWO, AND MY HUSBAND'S HOSPITALS IN DISTRICT THREE.
I KNOW MY NEIGHBORS, I KNOW THE BUSINESS PEOPLE, AND I AM THE BEST CANDIDATE FOR DISTRICT TWO.
UM, WE DO HAVE SOME QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS NOW.
UM, SO THERE ARE MANY QUALIFIED CANDIDATES IN THE POOL OF APPLICANTS FOR THE DISTRICT TWO POSITION.
WHAT MAKES YOU THE BEST CANDIDATE? I'M READY.
I'M EAGER, I LIKE TO DO RESEARCH.
I HAVE BEEN IN FRONT OF THE CITY COUNCIL BEFORE BECAUSE I'M ACTUALLY INVOLVED WITH THE COMMUNITY.
I LIKE TO DO MY RESEARCH AND I CAN SEE POSSIBILITIES, SOMETHING THAT HAS BEEN UNTAPPED.
AS A DECORATOR, INTERIOR DESIGNER, RESTORATION EXPERT, I CAN BRING MORE IDEAS TO THE PLATFORM.
I HAVE TO MEET BUDGETS WHEN I HAVE TO DEAL WITH A CONSTRUCTION SITE, SO I KNOW I CAN DO IT.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR YOUR, UM, FOR APPLYING AND STEPPING UP HERE.
YOU, UM, AND I KNOW YOU ARE ENGAGED BECAUSE WE DID SEE YOU AT OUR, OUR TOWN HALL IN DISTRICT THREE.
SO YES, I WANNA THANK YOU FOR, UM, BEING OPEN AND, AND, UH, BEING OUT THERE WITH THE COMMUNITY.
BUT AS THE COMMUNITY, HOW DO YOU INTEND TO ENGAGE RESIDENTS AND GAIN THEIR TRUST AND GAIN GAIN THAT, UH, UNI UNITY, UH, FOR DISTRICT TWO? WELL, I'M PART OF THE DISTRICT.
I'M PART OF THE SAN ANTONIO DOWNTOWN AREA.
LIKE I SAID, I'M INVOLVED IN DISTRICT ONE.
I HAVE A BUSINESS IN DISTRICT THREE.
THEY SEE ME AROUND THE DOWNTOWN AREA, BUT I ALSO WANNA BE A PART OF SAN ANTONIO.
UM, I HAD TO GET INTO THIS SITUATION, BUT I ALSO HAD TO BRING MY HUSBAND INTO THE CONVERSATION BECAUSE HE HAS HIS PRACTICE IN THE SOUTH SIDE.
I'LL ACTUALLY HAVE ANOTHER OFFICE AT, AT HIS OFFICE.
'CAUSE THEY'RE GONNA COME TO HIM AND SAY, I SAW YOUR WIFE
SO WHAT ACTUALLY IS GONNA HAPPEN IS I'M GONNA BE MORE ACTIVE BECAUSE I'M GONNA HAVE THAT OPPORTUNITY TO INTERACT WITH SO MANY MORE PEOPLE AND THEY KNOW WHERE I'M GONNA BE.
[01:45:01]
SO THAT'S THE REASON WHY I WANNA BE A PART OF THIS, BECAUSE I KNOW I CAN HELP AND GET PEOPLE OUT THERE.THEY KNOW ME, THEY'VE SEEN ME, AND I HAVE A HARD TIME TALKING IN PUBLIC, BUT I PREFER THAT ONE-ON-ONE.
AND ONCE THEY KNOW ME, THEY REALIZE THAT
COUNCILMAN P THANK YOU, MA'AM.
JUST, I WANNA MAKE SURE YOU UNDERSTAND.
THIS IS A FULL-TIME GIG, RIGHT? I'M WEEKENDS, I'M READY.
WEEKENDS, DAYS, NIGHTS, UH, HOLIDAYS.
YOU'VE GOT THE BANDWIDTH TO DO THAT.
UH, THANK YOU MR. GUTIERREZ HOMER FOR BRINGING FORWARD, UH, YOURSELF AS A CANDIDATE.
UH, YOU'VE REPRESENTED YOUR NEIGHBORS BEFORE CITY COUNCIL.
UH, WHAT ARE YOU HEARING FROM YOUR NEIGHBORS THAT ARE THE BIGGEST CONCERNS THAT YOU THINK COUNCIL SHOULD BE ADDRESSING? WELL, PART OF MY SPEECH IS THE WORD RESPECT.
UM, I KNOW I FELT A LACK OF RESPECT.
I'M HEARING THAT FROM MY COMMUNITY.
WHEN WE REACHED OUT TO DISTRICT TWO, IT WAS VERY DIFFICULT TO GET A RESPONSE.
SO I MET WITH SOME OF THE OTHER COUNCIL AND REACHED OUT TO THEM BECAUSE IF WE HAD AN ISSUE, I NEEDED TO GET ANSWERS.
IF I COULDN'T GET 'EM IN DISTRICT TWO, YES, I DID MY RESEARCH, BUT I ALSO EXTENDED MYSELF OUT AND WENT AND KNOCKED ON DOORS TO SEE IF I CAN AT LEAST GET AN EAR, GET SOME IDEAS, AND DO SOME MORE RESEARCH.
SO THAT'S THE REASON WHY I KNOW I CAN DO THIS.
AND I KNOW THAT WE HAVE ISSUES THAT CAME IN FRONT OF THE CITY COUNCIL, BUT WE WORKED TOGETHER.
AND I, THAT'S ONE THING I REALLY HOPE I CAN DO.
SO IT CAN BE IN MY ACTUAL NEIGHBORHOOD OR IT CAN BE THE ENTIRE DISTRICT.
WE'RE, WE'RE ACTUALLY KIND OF IN A SITUATION WHERE WE NEED TO CATCH UP TO EVERYBODY ELSE, AND WE SHOULDN'T BECAUSE WE HAVE TALENT.
WE'RE A GROWING AREA OF DISTRICT TWO.
WE HAVE NEW YOUNG, TALENTED PEOPLE.
WE HAVE YOUNG FAMILIES THAT ARE MOVING INTO DISTRICT TWO, SO THIS IS THEIR HOME.
SO I KNOW WE CAN TAP INTO THAT.
WE CAN TAP INTO THAT ENERGY, AND WE HAVE TO ACTUALLY INCORPORATE THAT ENERGY WITH WHAT IS EXISTING RIGHT NOW AND LET THEM UNDERSTAND WE HAVE TO WORK TOGETHER.
COUNCILMAN PERRY? THANK YOU, SIR.
THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE TODAY.
UM, ARE YOU LOOKING AT THIS AS JUST, UH, PLACEHOLDER TILL MAY AND THEN YOU STEP ASIDE? OR ARE YOU LOOKING AT RUNNING AND, UH, FILLING THIS PERMANENTLY? WELL, I HAVE TO ADMIT THAT I HAD TO GET MY HUSBAND ON BOARD WITH THIS.
HE'S NOT GONNA RETIRE ANYTIME SOON.
IF HE WAS, HE WOULD BE TEMPORARY, BUT HE'S NOT GONNA RETIRE.
I'M VERY ARTISTIC AND I HAVE A COMMUNITY THAT I'M INVOLVED IN.
BUT THAT DOESN'T MEAN I CAN'T DO BOTH.
MY CREATIVE TIME IS USUALLY AT THAT TIME, LATE AT NIGHT.
BUT HAVING HIS SUPPORT AND KNOWING THAT WE ARE INVESTED IN THIS DISTRICT, AND HE'S BEEN INVESTED WITH ME FOR OVER 30 YEARS, WE'RE NOT GONNA GO AWAY ANYTIME SOON.
SO WE NEED TO BE A PART OF THE CONVERSATION, PART OF THE SOLUTIONS FOR SAN ANTONIO AND THE DISTRICT.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR YOUR TIME, MR. SURE.
THANK YOU MAYOR AND COUNCIL, CITY MANAGER SCULLY, FOR THIS OPPORTUNITY TO OUTLINE MY QUALIFICATIONS TO SERVE THE INTERIM DISTRICT TWO CITY COUNCIL POSITION.
BUT BEFORE I BEGIN, ALLOW ME TO SAY THANK YOU TO EACH AND EVERY ONE OF YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE, PARTICULARLY TO COUNCILMAN SHAW WHO'S NOT HERE.
WHILE IT IS AN HONOR AND GRATIFYING TO SERVE IN ONE'S, ONE'S COMMUNITY IN AN ELECTED POSITION, IT HAS ITS CHALLENGES AND CAN TAKE A TOLL.
99% OF THE CALLS THAT COME IN ARE COMPLAINTS.
AND RARELY DO YOU PEOPLE CALL TO SAY THANK YOU AND THAT YOU'RE DOING A GREAT JOB.
BUT I KNOW THAT YOU ALL UNDERSTAND THAT THE VALUE YOU ARE PROVIDING OUR COMMUNITY FOR NOW AND FOR YEARS TO COME OUTWEIGH ANY CHALLENGES.
COUNCILMAN SHAW, IN MANY WAYS REMINDS, UH, ME OF MYSELF.
HE, LIKE ME, IS NOT, IS A NON POLITICIAN.
IN FACT, I ALWAYS PREFER THE TERM STATESMAN.
THE TERM POLITICIAN OFTEN NEGATIVELY CONNOTES THE UNDERHANDED GAMES, MEANING ENGAGING UNDER THE GUISE OF COMMUNITY
[01:50:01]
FOR PERSONAL AND OTHER AGENDAS.BUT STATESMAN, CONNOTES THE NOTION OF ONE FOCUS ON ALWAYS ON WHAT IS RIGHT AND THE COMMON GOOD.
SOMETIMES GOING AGAINST THE GRAIN, WHAT MAY BE POPULAR OR POPULAR POSITION AT THE TIME, OR EVEN GOING AGAINST ONE'S OWN PERSONAL INTEREST AND THOSE HE OR SHE REPRESENTS IN ORDER TO STAND FOR WHAT'S RIGHT FOR A NON POLITICIAN, POLITICS CAN BE FRUSTRATING.
AND SO TO COUNCILMAN SHAW, I'D LIKE TO THANK HIM FOR HIS HONESTY, HIS REPUTATION FOR A NO GAMES, NO NONSENSE APPROACH, AND FOR HIS SERVICE.
WHEN I WAS RECENTLY ASKED WHY I AM INTERESTED IN APPLYING FOR THIS POSITION, THE ANSWER WAS SIMPLE.
DISTRICT TWO DESERVES, CONTINUED, EXPERIENCED, KNOWLEDGEABLE, AND PRINCIPLED LEADERSHIP, PARTICULARLY DURING THIS TIME WITH TRANSITION TO AN ELECTION IN MAY, AND PARTICULARLY DURING THIS CRITICAL PERIOD IN THE HISTORY OF OUR CITY, WITH THE SELECTION OF A NEW CITY MANAGER UNDERWAY AND IN THE WAKE OF CHARTER PROPOSITIONS AND ANY FINANCIAL AND OTHER IMPACTS THAT MAY FOLLOW, PARTICULARLY AS A NEW CITY COUNCIL WILL START NEW BUDGET DISCUSSIONS AGAIN IN JUNE AND JULY.
CENTRAL TO MY CANDIDACY IS MY PREVIOUS AND HONORABLE WITH SERVICE AS A CITY COUNCIL MEMBER.
I'M FAMILIAR WITH THE PRO PEOPLE, THE PROCESSES, THE BUDGET, AND THE VARIOUS DEPARTMENTS AND RESPONSIBILITIES, AND WILL WORK WITH, WELL WITH COUNCILMAN SHAW'S ALREADY EXISTING AND REPUTABLE TEAM.
DURING MY TERM ON CITY COUNCIL, I EITHER LED OR CO-LED THE INITIAL TEAM IN THE PROCESS TO TO SELECT OUR CITY MANAGER, THE SELECTION OF MUNICIPAL COURT, PRESIDING JUDGE, AND JUDGES THE IMPLEMENTATION OF A TWO YEAR BUDGETING CYCLE AND PLAN TO ANNUALLY INCREASE THE CITY'S FINANCIAL RESERVES, BOTH OF WHICH HELPED TO ACHIEVE THE CITY'S DOUBLE OR AAA BOND RATING AND THE HURRICANE KATRINA RESPONSE EFFORTS.
AND OUR CITY COUNCIL AT THE TIME SELECTED OUR, OUR CURRENT CITY CLERK, PASSED THE SMOKING BAN, RENEWED THE POLICE CONTRACT, AND PAID THE WAY FOR THE TEXAS A AND M SAN ANTONIO CAMPUS, AND THE TOYOTA'S LARGEST NORTH AMERICAN MANUFACTURING PLANT BUILT IN SOUTH SAN ANTONIO.
APART FROM THESE ACCOMPLISHMENTS, MY RECORD OF COMMUNITY AND PUBLIC SERVICE SHOW MY LOVE FOR DISTRICT TWO AND OUR LARGER COMMUNITY.
AND I AM TO CONTINUE THIS LEVEL OF SERVICE IF GIVEN THE OPPORTUNITY.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION.
THANK YOU, MR. HALL, UH, AND ALSO FOR YOUR SERVICE TO THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO.
UM, THERE ARE MANY QUALIFIED CANDIDATES IN THIS POOL OF APPLICANTS FOR ONE POSITION.
WHAT MAKES YOU THE BEST CANDIDATE? UH, I THINK IT'S AS SIMPLE AS WHAT I JUST MENTIONED IS, IS THAT MY EXPERIENCE ON CITY COUNCIL, UH, I THINK IT'S CRITICAL FOR DISTRICT TWO, PARTICULARLY DURING THIS TIME PERIOD, UH, AND WITH ME, THERE WILL BE NO LEARNING CURVE COMING ON THE, ON THE CITY COUNCIL.
UH, AGAIN, I'M FAMILIAR WITH THE PEOPLE, THE PROCESSES, UM, AND WE'LL LITERALLY BE ABLE TO TAKE AND, AND START FROM WHERE, UH, COUNCILMAN SHAW LEFT OFF.
UM, YOU KNOW, I'VE BEEN SAVING, I'M GONNA, I'M GONNA CHANGE GEARS WITH YOU.
EVERY EVERY CANDIDATE UP HERE, I ASK 'EM, DO YOU, ARE YOU UNDER, YOU KNOW, AWARE THAT THIS IS A FULL-TIME JOB AND ALL THAT, AND YOU'VE ALREADY DONE THE JOB, SO I KNOW THAT YOU, YOU'RE AWARE, UM, FOR, FOR THOSE OF YOU DON'T KNOW, UM, ART HALL WAS ONE OF MY LAW PROFESSORS IN I THINK 19 98, 99.
AND I ALWAYS, WHEN YOU'RE IN THE ROOM, I ALWAYS FEEL LIKE YOU'RE GRADING ME
UM, BUT, UM, YOU DID WELL, BY THE WAY.
UH, YOU'RE HIRED, YOU'RE HIRED,
UH, THE, UM, UH, I, I DID WANT TO ASK YOU THOUGH, UH, BECAUSE IT'S AN OBVIOUS, RIGHT? IF YOU WERE THE CITY COUNCILMAN FOR DISTRICT EIGHT, UM, AND NOW YOU'RE APPLYING FOR A POSITION FOR DISTRICT TWO, AND SO THERE ARE GONNA BE SOME PEOPLE OUT THERE SCRATCHING THEIR HEAD AND SAYING, HUH, YOU KNOW, IS HE STILL IN DISTRICT EIGHT? IS HE IN DISTRICT TWO? SO, CAN YOU, CAN YOU HELP ME ANSWER THAT QUESTION NOW? SO WE HAVE TWO HOUSES, AND I SERVED FOR YEARS AND, UH, UH, MY CITY COUNCIL TERM WAS, UH, IN DISTRICT EIGHT, AS YOU ARE AWARE.
UH, MAYOR NUREMBERG WAS MY, UH, UH, CITY COUNCILMAN AT THE TIME.
UH, BUT WE'VE ALSO INVESTED IN DISTRICT TWO AND MY OFFICIAL RESIDENCE, OUR OFFICIAL RESIDENCE IS IN DISTRICT TWO ON 5 0 2 BLUE BON.
AND SO WE DID THAT THREE YEARS AGO.
AND, UH, LOVE DISTRICT TWO, LOVE BEING PART OF THAT COMMUNITY.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH ART FOR ALL OF YOUR, UH, WORK AND YOUR SERVICE, UM, HERE AND IN ALAMO COLLEGES.
AND, AND, UM, ONE OF MY QUESTIONS THAT I'VE BEEN ASKING IS, WE KNOW THAT THERE IS A, UM, WHAT'S EVIDENT THAT THERE IS A GREAT SOURCE OF PRIDE AND IDENTITY IN DISTRICT TWO.
UM, HOW DO YOU THEN, EVEN IF IT'S FOR AN INTERIM TERM, UM, HOW WILL YOU BE THEN CHAMPIONING THAT, BE THE CHAMPION OF THAT AS WELL AS EN GAIN THE TRUST AND ENGAGE THE RESIDENTS OF DISTRICT TWO? WELL, I, I'LL FIRST SAY AS AN AFRICAN AMERICAN, UH, DISTRICT TWO, AND ALTHOUGH IT'S VERY DIVERSE AND UH, MAY NOT BE A MAJORITY AFRICAN AMERICAN, UH, POPULATION, UH, ANY AFRICAN AMERICAN THAT'S SUCCESSFUL WANTS TO BE IDENTIFIED WITH AND WORK CLOSELY WITH, UH, THEIR COMMUNITY.
AND PART OF THE REASON I TOOK A JOB EARLY ON SEVEN YEARS AGO FOR ST.
[01:55:01]
PHILLIPS'S COLLEGE WAS TO BE ABLE TO WORK AND BE IN THE EAST SIDE AND DISTRICT TWO.UM, I HAVE A PASSION FOR THE COMMUNITY.
UH, I HAVE A PASSION FOR AFRICAN AMERICANS GENERALLY, UH, BUT ALSO ALL POPULATIONS, DIVERSE POPULATIONS WITH WITHIN THE DISTRICT.
SO MY PASSION FOR, UM, UH, FOR THE EAST SIDE HAS BEEN THERE FOR, FOR MANY YEARS.
EVEN WHILE I WAS ON CITY COUNCIL REPRESENTING DISTRICT EIGHT, UH, I WORKED VERY CLOSELY WITH THE CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS FROM, FROM DISTRICT TWO TO MAKE SURE THAT THE NEEDS AND OBJECTIVES OF DISTRICT TWO WERE, WERE, UH, TAKEN CARE OF.
SO, UM, AND THAT WILL CONTINUE WHETHER OR NOT I'M A APPOINTED TO THIS POSITION.
UM, EVERY SUNDAY I'M THERE ON WW WHITE WORKING WITH, UH, KIDS THAT ARE PART OF THE NATIONAL SOCIETY OF BLACK ENGINEERS.
UM, I'VE BEEN INVOLVED IN MANY OTHER ASPECTS OF, OF, OF THE DISTRICT COMMUNITY, UH, DISTRICT TWO COMMUNITY.
SO I WILL CONTINUE TO BE, UM, A CHAMPION OF DISTRICT TWO, UH, ON THE ISSUE OF GAINING PEOPLE'S TRUST.
I MEAN, IT, IT'S, IT'S, IT'S A CHALLENGE FOR THOSE OF US WHO ARE NOT FROM SAN ANTONIO, UM, THAT'S ALWAYS A CHA CHALLENGE AND IT DOESN'T MATTER WHERE YOU'RE FROM OR WHAT, WHAT DISTRICT YOU'RE REPRESENTING.
UH, THAT ISSUE WILL COME UP AND, AND PARTICULARLY DOES COME UP IN DISTRICT TWO.
THE ONLY THING I CAN DO, UM, TO ANSWER THAT QUESTION IS QUALITY AND GOOD SERVICE.
UM, THAT'S WHAT I DID IN DISTRICT EIGHT.
UM, I THINK I WAS ASKED ONCE, UH, EARLY ON IN DISTRICT EIGHT WHERE I WAS FROM AND BEYOND THAT ALL THEY LOOKED AT IS MY QUALITY AS A, UH, AS A LEADER AND WHAT I DID FOR THE COMMUNITY.
AND AFTER THAT, THERE WAS NO OTHER QUESTIONS.
I HOPE TO DO THE EXACT SAME THING FOR DISTRICT TWO, UM, AND TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY'RE WELL REPRESENTED AND, AND, UH, WE CAN PAVE THE WAY FOR GOOD AND NEW LEADERSHIP COMING UP.
AND SO, MANNY'S BEEN ASKING THIS QUESTION, BUT HE, HE DIDN'T ASK YOU, UM, BECAUSE YOU ARE AWARE OF THE TIME COMMITMENT THAT THIS COUNCIL REQUIRES, AND GIVEN THAT YOUR TIME WILL BE SHORT AND THAT YOU'RE NOT ELIGIBLE TO SERVE, CAN YOU MAKE THE COMMITMENT NECESSARY FOR THE SIX MONTHS OR SO THAT YOU'LL BE SERVING, UH, GIVEN THAT YOU HAVE TO KEEP YOUR, UH, DAY JOB? UM, ARE THEY WILLING TO GIVE YOU LEAVE OR HOW CAN YOU MAKE THAT HAPPEN? BECAUSE, UH, I, I SUSPECT THAT IF YOU ARE, UH, GIVEN THE OPPORTUNITY TO SERVE, THAT YOU WILL GIVE A HUNDRED PERCENT OF YOUR TIME.
AND CAN YOU DO THAT? ABSOLUTELY.
UH, AND FIRST I'LL MENTION, I SERVED DURING THAT TIME WHERE CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS WERE PAID $20 A MEETING.
AND, UM, UH, DURING THAT TIME PERIOD, I WAS MUCH YOUNGER AND HAD A, WAS JUST STARTING A FAMILY, BUT I STILL MADE THE COMMITMENT AND WAS ABLE TO EFFECTIVELY REPRESENT MY DISTRICT.
I'LL DO THE EXACT SAME THING HERE.
UM, ALAMO COLLEGES IS AN, AN EXCITING ORGANIZATION AND THERE ARE A LOT OF GREAT THINGS HAPPENING, PARTICULARLY WITH DR.
FLORES ON BOARD AND BOB MCKINLEY COMING FROM U T S A.
UM, BUT THEY ALSO RECOGNIZE THE IMPORTANCE OF COMMUNITY AND I'VE ALREADY HAD DISCUSSIONS WITH MY DIRECT SUPERVISOR ON UP AND SO THEY ARE, UH, WILLING TO, TO FLEX HOURS SO THAT I MIGHT BE ABLE TO NOT ONLY SERVE THE DISTRICT, BUT ALSO, UH, UH, MAKE SURE THAT I ACCOMPLISH MY TASK AT THE ALMA COLLEGES.
SO, UH, THERE IS NO ISSUE WITH REGARD TO WORK AND SERVICE.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR YOUR TIME.
UH, THANKS FOR COMING IN TODAY.
YOU KNOW, I, IT'S BEEN REFERENCED THAT SINCE YOU HAVE SERVED YOUR TERMS ON CITY COUNCIL, YOU CAN'T, UH, RUN FOR THIS POSITION.
UH, WHAT'S A COMMUNITY? HAVE YOU GOTTEN FEEDBACK FROM THE COMMUNITY? ARE THEY ACCEPTANCE OF YOU? ARE THEY IN ACCEPTANCE OF YOU COMING IN JUST AS A PLACEHOLDER UNTIL SOMEBODY COMES ELSE, UH, TO RUN FOR THAT POSITION? OR WHAT, WHAT'S THE FEELING OUT THERE IN THE COMMUNITY? WELL, FIRST I'LL SAY THAT, UH, I DON'T KNOW IF IT'S NECESSARILY TRUE THAT I CAN'T RUN FOR THE POSITION.
I THINK THERE MAY BE LEGAL OPINIONS OUT THERE, UH, THAT WOULD SAY OTHERWISE, BUT I'M NOT GONNA PUSH THAT ISSUE.
MY COMMITMENT AT THIS POINT IS, IS NOT TO RUN FOR THE POSITION TO, TO ONLY SERVE FOR THE FIVE MONTHS, NUMBER ONE.
NUMBER TWO, I THINK, I THINK IF YOU TALK TO THE COMMUNITY, UH, THERE ARE PERSPECTIVES ON BOTH SIDES.
UH, SOMEONE TO BE ABLE TO, UM, SELECT SOMEBODY NOW SO THAT THEY HAVE AN ADVANTAGE IN MAY.
UH, OTHERS LIKE THE, THE FACT THAT I DO HAVE THE EXPERIENCE TO BE ABLE TO PICK UP WHERE COUNCILMAN SHAW LEFT OFF AND, UM, BE AN EFFECTIVE LEADER DAY ONE WHEN I WALK IN THE DOOR.
SO, UM, IT'S BALANCED AT THE END OF THE DAY.
THAT DECISION WILL BE IN YOUR HANDS AND, UH, I'M HOPING TO BE ABLE TO PAVE THE WAY FOR A FAIR ELECTION IN MAY FOR OTHER FOLKS WHO WANNA TO RUN FOR THE FULL-TIME POSITION GOING FORWARD.
ALRIGHT, THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR YOUR TIME, MR. ALRIGHT.
[02:00:02]
NEXT APPLICANT.THE NEXT APPLICANT IS WILLIAM B. JOHNSON.
HELLO, MY NAME IS WILLIAM B. JOHNSON, AND, UH, I'M HERE, OF COURSE, I'M APPLYING FOR DISTRICT TWO COUNCIL POSITION FOR THE FOUR AND A HALF MONTH PERIOD.
CAME TO SAN ANTONIO 1966, UH, WHILE I WAS IN THE AIR FORCE.
AND, UH, I'VE, UH, ATTENDED COLLEGE HERE.
MARY'S UNIVERSITY, CAME HERE AS A MARRIED INDIVIDUAL, TWO CHILDREN, AND I COMMUTED BACK AND FORTH TO ST.
WHY AM I DOING THIS? WELL, I'VE BEEN, UH, ON THE SCENE FOR SOME TIME AND I'VE BEEN SOMEWHAT INVOLVED, NOT ONLY MY NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION, WHICH I'M A CHARTER MEMBER OF, BUT I'M ALSO, UH, SOMEONE WHO IS INVOLVED IN VARIOUS OTHER ORGANIZATIONS.
I BELIEVE I'M IN SAN ANTONIO BY CHOICE.
I LIKE SAN ANTONIO AND I LIKE TO SEE THE CITY, UH, BE ALL THAT IT CAN BE.
UH, MY INVOLVEMENT INCLUDES NOT ONLY BOARD, UH, COMMITTEES, COMMITTEES IN VARIOUS OTHER WAYS, BUT I'VE ALSO, UH, SERVED ON VARIOUS CIVIL RIGHTS ORGANIZATIONS AND OTHER KINDS OF THINGS.
I BELIEVE THAT, UH, MY DUTY, UH, IN LIFE REALLY IS TO TRY TO DO WHAT I CAN TO MAKE THINGS BETTER FOR THE LEAST OF THESE.
AND BY THAT I'M TALKING WORKING CLASS PEOPLE.
SO ANYTHING THAT I CAN DO TO IMPROVE THEIR LOT OR IS THERE ANY WAY THAT I CAN SPEAK FOR THOSE WHO CAN'T OR CHOOSE NOT TO SPEAK FOR THEMSELVES, THEN I'M PREPARED, UH, TO DO THAT.
I DO THAT ALMOST DAILY, EVEN BY ENCOURAGING YOUNG PEOPLE, UH, THAT I HAPPEN TO COME ACROSS, WHETHER IT'S THE GROCERY STORE OR ANY PLACE ELSE, I CAN ENCOURAGE THEM TO DO BETTER AND TO BELIEVE AND TO IMPROVE THEMSELVES, UH, THAT LIFE CAN BE BETTER.
AND I SEE MYSELF AS AN EXAMPLE.
I DON'T KNOW HOW MUCH TIME I HAVE HERE, BUT I GUESS SOMEONE WILL LET ME KNOW THE TIME
UH, I'VE MADE A LOT OF CONTACTS IN THIS CITY, MADE SOME FRIENDS AND SUCH, UH, ALL THE WAY AROUND.
I MEAN, I KNOW A LOT OF DIFFERENT PEOPLE IN VARIOUS POSITIONS IN THIS TOWN.
UH, ONE POSITION THAT I'VE SERVED IN THAT I ENJOYED VERY MUCH WAS ON THE FIRE AND POLICE CIVIL SERVICE COMMISSION THAT I HAD THE CHANCE TO CHAIR, UH, FOR A COUPLE OF TIMES, FOR A COUPLE OF TERMS. UH, AND THAT POSITION, I BECAME FAMILIAR NOT ONLY WITH, UH, POLICE CHIEF, I THINK HE WAS RELATIVELY NEW IN TOWN WHILE I WAS THERE IN 2006 OR SO WHEN HE CAME ON BOARD, BUT ALSO HAD SOME INTERACTION WITH OTHER PEOPLE THAT, UH, HAS A LOT TO DO WITH THE WAY IN WHICH THIS TOWN RUNS.
UH, WE'LL, WE'LL HAVE SOME QUESTIONS NOW.
UM, THERE ARE MANY QUALIFIED APPLICANTS FOR THIS POSITION.
WHAT MAKES YOU THE BEST CANDIDATE? WELL, GOOD QUESTION.
UH, I HATE, I HESITATE TO SAY THAT WE HAVE A LOT OF GOOD CANDIDATES.
AND I'M NOT HERE TO SAY THAT, YOU KNOW, I HAVE SOMETHING ON THEM NECESSARILY, BUT, UH, BUT I BELIEVE I HAVE A FEEL FOR THE TOWN AND FOR THE PEOPLE AND WITHIN THE, UH, AND I'M A REALIST, SO FOR FOUR MONTHS AND FOUR AND A HALF OR FIVE MONTHS OR SO, I KNOW ONE CAN'T, UH, YOU KNOW, UH, DO A WHOLE REVOLUTION OF, OF WHAT'S NEEDED.
SO I'M NOT LOOKING AT IT AS A PIE IN THE SKY KIND OF SITUATION, BUT I THINK I CAN MAINTAIN WHAT HAS BEEN BEGUN BY THE CURRENT, BY THE, UH, FORMER, UH, COUNCILMAN.
I SEE MYSELF, I GUESS, AS A, UH, MAINTAINER OF THE STATUS QUO IN A WAY.
BUT IF SOME ISSUES ARISE, HAVING TO DO WITH HIRING PEOPLE OR SOME EMERGENCIES OF SORT, I FEEL LIKE I'VE BEEN AROUND THE BLOCK ENOUGH TIMES TO MAKE A DECENT AND A GOOD DECISION, AND I CAN BE PART OF THE POLICY MAKING APPARATUS TO TRY TO MAKE THE BEST DECISION.
I THINK THE BEST DECISION IS MADE WHEN YOU HAVE VARIOUS PEOPLE INVOLVED COMING FROM ALL WALKS OF LIFE.
SO I CAN BE A PARTICIPANT AND I THINK I CAN BE A GOOD FIT FOR THE COUNCIL, UH, BASED ON MY LIFE, MY HISTORY, AND MY EXPERIENCES.
[02:05:01]
THANK YOU.THANK YOU VERY MUCH MR. JOHNSON.
IT'S VERY GOOD TO SEE YOU AGAIN.
UM, HOW DO YOU PLAN ON ENGAGING THE RESIDENTS, UM, IF SELECTED FOR THIS POSITION, ENGAGING THE RESIDENTS FOR THE ISSUES OF THE CITY AND FOR DISTRICT TWO? WELL, I, I GUESS THE, UH, MAIN WAY IT'S DONE THESE DAYS IS VIA THE INTERNET, BUT I KIND OF LIKE THE OLD FASHIONED APPROACH OF, UH, HOLDING MEETINGS AND SCHOOLS, CHURCHES, OR WHAT HAVE YOU.
UH, AS WELL AS, UH, A MEETING, UH, ONCE IN A WHILE WITH VARIOUS COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS, THOSE THAT EXIST.
I KNOW MY COMMUNITY HAS A VOLUNTEER ORGANIZATION AND PERHAPS PAMPHLETS AND SUCH.
I THINK THERE'S A PLACE FOR, UH, HANDOUTS AND SUCH, IF THERE'S AN ISSUE THAT I BELIEVE CAN BE BEST, UH, LEARNED ABOUT VIA THE HANDOUTS.
SO THE NORMAL APPROACHES, I WOULD, I WOULD SAY, I CAN'T SAY THAT I HAVE A NEW APPROACH TO CONTACTING THE RESIDENTS EXCEPT WHAT'S NORMALLY DONE.
UH, I HAVE TO SAY THAT, UH, WILLIAM B. JOHNSON AND I GO BACK A FEW YEARS.
WE'VE KNOWN EACH OTHER FOR A LONG TIME, AND I ALWAYS, UH, HAVE BEEN PLEASED BY HIS HONESTY AND HIS INTEGRITY IN EVERYTHING THAT, UH, I KNOW HE'S DONE.
BUT OVER THE YEARS, YOU'VE BEEN VERY INVOLVED IN A LOT OF THINGS IN YOUR COMMUNITY, PARTICULARLY IN, IN DISTRICT TWO.
AND EVEN THOUGH YOU'RE ONLY ASKING TO SERVE A SHORT TIME TO COMPLETE THIS CURRENT, UH, SURE.
THIS CURRENT TERM, DO YOU HAVE A COUPLE OF THINGS THAT YOU WOULD LIKE TO WORK ON AS THE COUNCIL COUNCILPERSON FOR DISTRICT TWO DURING THAT PERIOD OF TIME? YOU KNOW, THE TIME IS, IS REALLY QUITE A SHORT PERIOD OF TIME, AND I CAN'T HONESTLY SAY THAT I HAVE A PROJECT THAT I LIKE TO START, UH, DURING THAT PERIOD OF TIME.
I THINK THERE'S SOME ISSUES THAT WILL COME BEFORE THIS BODY THAT I WOULD LOVE TO BE INVOLVED IN DEALING WITH SUCH AS, WELL, SUCH AS THE, UH, NEW CITY MANAGER.
PERHAPS THAT PROCESS HAS BEGUN, I SUSPECT.
AND THERE WILL BE OTHER THINGS THAT, UH, THAT I CAN GET INVOLVED IN.
PERHAPS THERE'S A CRIMINAL JUSTICE KIND OF INITIATIVE, UH, THAT'S NEEDED.
AND I REALLY BELIEVE THAT CRIMINAL JUSTICE IS AN AREA THAT WE ALL SHOULD, UH, FOCUS ON AND DO OUR DARNEST TO ENSURE THAT, UH, EVERYONE HAS DEALT WITH, UH, CONSTITUTIONALLY IN TERMS OF THEIR RIGHTS AND WHAT HAVE YOU.
BUT NO, I REALLY CAN'T SAY, I HAVE SOMETHING IN MIND THAT I'D LIKE TO TRY TO DO BETWEEN NOW AND MAY 31ST.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR YOUR TIME, MR. JOHNSON.
IT, AND THE LAST APPLICANT IS STEVEN LUCKY.
HOW'S EVERYBODY DOING? LEMME SET MY CLOCK REAL QUICK, DENISE.
WELL, GREETINGS AND LACTATIONS, LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, COUNCILWOMAN AND MEN.
UM, THANK YOU FOR TAKING THE TIME TO, UH, CONSIDER ME IN THE DISTRICT TWO INTERIM COUNCIL POSITION.
UM, MY NAME IS STEVEN LUCKY, AND I WAS BORN ON ONE TWENTY TWO TIMBERLAND 29 YEARS AGO, LOCATED IN DISTRICT TWO.
UM, SIX YEARS AGO, I PARTNERED WITH THE UNIVERSITY OF INCARNATE WORD, THE EAST SIDE PROMISE NEIGHBORHOOD IN THE L AUSTIN COMMUNITY CENTER, UH, TO ADDRESS HEALTH AND EDUCATION, UM, ON THE NEAR EAST SIDE.
THREE YEARS AGO, I PARTNERED WITH THE SAN ANTONIO HOUSING AUTHORITY AND THE SAN ANTONIO POLICE DEPARTMENT TO ADDRESS CRIME AND SYMPTOMS OF GENERATIONAL POVERTY ON THE NEAR EAST SIDE THROUGH CRIME PREVENTION DURING ENVIRONMENTAL DESIGN ON ONE OF THE MOST DANGEROUS INTERSECTIONS IN OUR CITY ON NOLAN NEW BRAUNFELS.
UM, I SAY THAT JUST TO PREFACE, UM, THAT I AM INVESTED IN THE COMMUNITY.
I DIDN'T SHOW UP YESTERDAY, AND I DON'T PLAN TO LEAVE ANYTIME SOON.
I ALSO WANT TO SAY THAT I DO NOT HAVE ANY INTENTIONS OF RUNNING FOR ANY OFFICE IN MAY, WHETHER IT'S DISTRICT OR MAYOR.
UH, MY INTENTIONS ARE TO GIVE MY DISTRICT THE OPPORTUNITY THAT ANY DISTRICT WITH AN INCUMBENT NOT SEEKING REELECTION WOULD HAVE.
THERE ARE 12 OR MORE QUALIFIED CANDIDATES
[02:10:01]
WHO ARE SEEKING OFFICE IN OUR DISTRICT, AND EVERYBODY DESERVES THE SAME OPPORTUNITY THAT EVERYBODY SITTING HERE HAD TO CAMPAIGN FOR THREE OR FOUR MONTHS.UM, EVERYBODY HERE KNOWS IT'S NOT EASY.
IT'S A LOT OF TIME AND ENERGY THAT GOES INTO THAT.
AND I BELIEVE THAT IF WE APPOINT SOMEBODY WHO IS GOING TO RUN IN MAY, YOU'RE ESSENTIALLY PAYING THEM TO CAMPAIGN.
ADDITIONALLY, I BELIEVE THAT THERE NEEDS TO BE A RESURGENCE OF YOUTH AND CIVIC ENGAGEMENT, NOT JUST ONLY IN DISTRICT TWO, BUT ALL OF SAN ANTONIO, BUT SPECIFIC TO DISTRICT TWO.
SO MY GOALS DURING THIS TENURE OF TWO TO THREE MONTHS WOULD BE TO ENSURE THAT THE DISTRICT OFFICES ARE RUNNING CORRECTLY.
UM, THAT'S WHAT WE'RE HERE FOR.
WE HAVE TWO OFFICES, ONE AT CLAUDE BLACK AND ONE ON MANN AND I 35 ANSWERING PHONE CALLS, GETTING EMAILS, GOING TO COMMUNITY EVENTS, AND ADDRESSING OUR CITIZENS' CONCERNS.
UH, THE SECOND PIECE OF THAT IS TO CREATE EVEN MORE CIVIC ENGAGEMENT THROUGH FORUMS. UM, IN 2017, I WENT THROUGH THE FORUM PROCESS AND I WAS ABLE TO, UM, SEE THAT NOT EVERYBODY IS AWARE OF WHAT'S GOING ON.
AND SO DISTRICT TWO IS A BIG DISTRICT.
IT'S NOT JUST THE EAST SIDE, IT'S THE NORTHEAST SIDE.
IT'S THE SOUTHEAST SIDE IN RIGSBY.
IT'S THE FAR EAST SIDE BY SAM HOUSTON HIGH SCHOOL.
AND SO THERE NEEDS TO BE AN EFFORT TO UNITE ALL THE LEADERS IN OUR COMMUNITY, NOT JUST A COUPLE OF NEIGHBORHOODS.
THE LAST PIECE THAT I REALLY WANNA FOCUS ON IS MAKING SURE THAT WE HAVE A GOOD STEWARD IN THE POSITION WHO HAS NO VENDETTAS, HAS NO ACCESS TO GRIND, HAS NO SPECIAL INTERESTS WHO ARE HERE, UM, TO ADDRESS SOMETHING SPECIAL.
SO I'M HERE TO SERVE, AND, UH, THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME.
THERE ARE MANY QUALIFIED APPLICANTS, UH, IN THE POOL FOR ONE POSITION IN DISTRICT TWO.
WHAT MAKES YOU THE BEST CANDIDATE? I BELIEVE MY IMPARTIALITY AND UNBIASED NESS THAT I'M GOING TO BRING, UM, TO COUNCIL.
I AM GOING TO LOOK AT THE ISSUE AS AN ISSUE.
I HAVE NOBODY THAT I, I'M TRYING TO GIVE EXTRA ACCOMMODATIONS TO.
I AM HERE TO SIMPLY SERVE OUR CONSTITUENTS AND MAKE SURE THAT THEIR VOICE IS BEING REPRESENTED IN THE CHAMBERS AS WELL AS OUT IN THE THE DISTRICT FIELD.
UM, THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR, UM, STEPPING UP TO SERVE.
UM, WANTED TO ASK YOU, BECAUSE IT WOULD BE A QUICK TURNAROUND TIME MM-HMM.
SO I PUT IN MY LETTER OF INTEREST THAT I AM INTERESTED IN STARTING A EXPLORATORY COMMITTEE FOR AN EAST SIDE CHAMBER OF COMMERCE.
I THINK THAT THERE ARE NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATIONS.
THERE IS A STRONG CHURCH PRESENCE, THERE IS A STRONG BUSINESS PRESENCE.
BUT WHAT I HAVE SEEN IS THAT EVEN THOUGH WE HAVE SAGE SAN ANTONIO FOR GROWTH ON THE EAST SIDE, AND WE HAVE THE ALAMO BLACK CHAMBER OF COMMERCE, THERE IS NO COORDINATION AT THE HIGHEST LEVEL THAT NEEDS TO OCCUR.
AND SO MY GOAL WOULD TO BE BRINGING THESE DIFFERENT COMMUNITY LEADERS FROM DIFFERENT SECTIONS TOGETHER SO THAT WE ARE HAVING A DISCUSSION ABOUT HOW CAN WE IMPROVE THE ECONOMIC GROWTH, HOW CAN WE IMPROVE THE EDUCATION AND POSING THESE DURING FORUMS, DURING FORUMS FOR THE CANDIDATES TO ANSWER SO THAT EVERYBODY, EVERY DEMOGRAPHIC IS, IS BEING REPRESENTED AND IS HAVING THEIR VOICE HEARD.
COUNCILMAN PAZ, THANK YOU FOR APPLYING, SIR.
I KNOW THAT YOU'VE, UM, RAISED YOUR HAND A NUMBER OF TIMES TO, UH, SERVE YOUR COMMUNITY AND YOU'RE DOING IT AGAIN, AND THAT'S ADMIRABLE.
UM, DO YOU UNDERSTAND THE TIME, THE TIME COMMITMENT HERE? THIS IS A FULL-TIME JOB, UH, AND IT INVOLVES NOT JUST DAYS, BUT NIGHTS, WEEKENDS, HOLIDAYS, MM-HMM.
UM, I JUST WANNA MAKE SURE YOU'RE WALKING INTO THIS EYES WIDE OPEN.
DO YOU, DO YOU KNOW WHAT, WHAT IT IS YOU'RE ASKING US TO DO? YES.
AND I HAVE THOUGHT ABOUT THAT.
UM, I AM, MAY NOT HAVE ANOTHER OPPORTUNITY IN MY LIFE TO STOP MY LIFE FOR THE CITY, RIGHT? I HAVE NO KIDS.
I, UM, HAVE A NONPROFIT, BUT THE NONPROFIT ISN'T A NONPROFIT THAT CAN'T SLOW DOWN AND PEOPLE'S LIVES ARE AT STAKE.
SO I HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY RIGHT NOW TO PUT MY PERSONAL LIFE TO THE SIDE AND SERVE MY COMMUNITY FOR THE NEXT THREE TO FOUR MONTHS.
AND I THINK THIS IS A RARE OPPORTUNITY FOR ME TO DO THAT.
SO, UM, I HAVE LOTS OF ENERGY AND I UNDERSTAND THAT I MAY HAVE TO, TO WORK LATE NIGHTS AND EARLY MORNINGS.
COUNCILWOMAN SANDOVAL, MR. LUKE, AM I SAYING THAT? LUCKY.
HOW COULD I FORGET? UM, I HAVE TO SAY THAT I'M A LITTLE BIT EXCITED AT THE PROSPECT OF HAVING ANOTHER PERSON TRAINED IN SCIENCE ON THE COUNCIL.
I NOTICE YOU HAVE A BIOCHEMISTRY DEGREE, SO JUST PUTTING THAT OUT THERE.
WE DO HAVE AN ENGINEER HERE,
[02:15:01]
PERSON.UM, I, YOU, UH, YOU'VE SPOKEN, UH, VERY WELL.
IT SOUNDS LIKE YOU HAVE THE RIGHT INTEREST, AND I, I, UH, AGREE WITH YOUR ARGUMENT OR, OR I FIND IT COMPELLING, YOUR ARGUMENT ABOUT NOT RUNNING FOR, FOR OFFICE AND, AND, UH, BEING ABLE TO STOP YOUR LIFE.
BUT, YOU KNOW, IF IN A FEW WEEKS FROM NOW, UH, SOME COMMUNITY MEMBERS COME TO YOU AND SAY, MR. LUCKY COUNCILMAN, YOU'VE DONE A GREAT JOB.
WE THINK YOU LOOK GREAT UP ON THE DAAS, SIR, PLEASE CONSIDER RUNNING.
UM, HOW, I GUESS, HOW CAN WE BE CONVINCED THAT, THAT YOU WOULDN'T, UH, DO THAT IF THAT IS A BASIS ON WHICH WE ARE MAKING OUR DECISION? CERTAINLY.
AND, UH, YOU KNOW, IN 20 WHAT, 20 15, 20 16, THAT OCCURRED WITH OUR, UH, DISTRICT COUNCILWOMAN.
UM, YOU KNOW, THAT'S ALL I HAVE IS MY WORDS.
SO THAT'S, THAT'S ALL I CAN REST ON.
UH, MR. LUCKEY, DO YOU HAVE, UH, A PROJECT OR TWO YOU'D LIKE TO SEE COMPLETED? WHILE YOU'RE ON THE COUNCIL? IS THERE SOMETHING PENDING, UH, THAT YOU THINK IS IMPORTANT FOR YOU TO ADDRESS IN THAT PERIOD OF TIME YOU SERVE? UM, WELL, I, I UNDERSTAND THAT AS A COUNCIL PERSON, I CAN'T HAVE A, A PET PROJECT.
I NEED TO, UM, BE IMPARTIAL TO ALL OF THE DISTRICT'S NEEDS, WHETHER IT'S INFRASTRUCTURE, WHETHER IT'S HEALTH, WHETHER IT'S PARKS, WHATEVER IT MAY BE.
UM, MY PERSONAL BACKGROUND IS IN HEALTH AND WELLNESS, SO I WILL BE PROMOTING HEALTHY LIFESTYLES FOR THE NEXT TWO TO THREE MONTHS.
UM, BUT BESIDES THAT, AGAIN, MAKING SURE THAT THE OFFICE IS RUNNING THE WAY THE OFFICE IS SUPPOSED TO RUN, BECAUSE THAT'S WHAT WE'RE, WE'RE HERE FOR.
WE'RE HERE TO ADDRESS OUR CONSTITUENTS CONCERNS.
AND, UM, AT THE END OF THE DAY, THAT'S WHAT NEEDS TO HAPPEN.
AND THANK YOU, MR. LUCKY FOR YOUR APPLICATION AND, AND FOR YOUR WORK AT L AUSTIN.
UH, IMPORTANT WORK THAT HAPPENS.
I HAVE A QUESTION ABOUT SORT OF TAKING ON SOMETHING THAT, UH, COUNCILMAN, UH, SHAW WAS, WAS BEGINNING, WHICH WAS, UH, WITHIN THE REALM OF CRIMINAL JUSTICE ON SITE AND RELEASE MM-HMM.
AND I WONDER, WHILE YOU'LL HAVE YOUR HANDS FULL WITH A LOT OF THE ISSUES THAT COME FROM DISTRICT TWO, UH, WE MAY TAKE ON POLICIES THAT YOU'LL GET TO VOTE ON.
DO YOU HAVE AN INTEREST POSITION OR, UH, WILLINGNESS TO, TO CONSIDER THAT WORK, UM, CRIMINAL JUSTICE REFORM AND OR SITE AND RELEASE? ANY ISSUES OR OPINIONS? CERTAINLY.
UM, I WORK WITH YOUTH EVERY DAY, MONDAY THROUGH FRIDAY.
AND SO I UNDERSTAND THAT, UH, IT'S EASY FOR OUR YOUTH TO GET IT INTO A PARTICULAR SITUATION.
AND THEN THAT RECORD FOLLOWS YOU, UH, FOR MANY YEARS TO COME.
AND I BELIEVE THAT SITE AND RELEASE AND OTHER, UM, LAWS THAT ARE FAVORABLE TO CANNABIS, UM, NEED TO OCCUR.
NOW, I UNDERSTAND CITY COUNCIL CANNOT CONTROL A LOT OF THAT.
THAT'S AT THE TEXAS LEGISLATURE LEVEL THAT, BUT IN REGARDS TO, UM, ALLOWING SOMEBODY WHO GETS PULLED OVER TO BE ABLE TO GET A TICKET AND GO HOME THAT NEXT DAY, TO SEE THEIR FAMILY OR GO TO THEIR JOB, I THINK IS EXTREMELY IMPORTANT.
BECAUSE WE KNOW PEOPLE SIT IN JAIL BECAUSE THEY CAN'T PAY BOND.
THEY LOSE THEIR JOB, THEY MISS SCHOOL OR WHATEVER IT HAS.
AND THAT WRECKS THEIR LIFE OVER SOMETHING THAT WAS SO SIMPLE THAT COULD HAVE BEEN, UM, ADDRESSED AT A LOWER LEVEL.
SO CERTAINLY THANK YOU, MR. LUCKEY.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR YOUR TIME, MR. LUCKEY.
THAT CONCLUDES THE APPLICANT'S FOR INTERVIEW.
ALRIGHT, THE TIME IS NOW 4:30 PM ON WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 9TH, 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 GOVERNMENT CODE SECTION 5 5 1 0.071, CONSULTATION WITH ATTORNEY AND DELIBERATE OR DISCUSS THE FOLLOWING ITEMS, ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT NEGOTIATIONS PURSUANT TO TEXAS GOVERNMENT CODE SECTION 5 5 1 0.087, ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, THE PURCHASE EXCHANGE, LEASE, OR VALUE OF REAL PROPERTY PURSUANT TO TEXAS GOVERNMENT CODE SECTION 5 5 1 0.072 REAL PROPERTY.
AND TO DELIBERATE THE APPOINTMENT EVALUATION AND DUTIES OF THE REPLACEMENT DISTRICT TWO CITY COUNCIL MEMBER AND DISCUSS LEGAL ISSUES PURSUANT TO TEXAS GOVERNMENT CODE SECTION 5 5 1 0 7 4 PERSONNEL MATTERS IN TEXAS GOVERNMENT CODE SECTION 5 5 1 0.071 CONSULTATION WITH ATTORNEY.
ALRIGHT, THE TIME IS NOW 5:57 PM ON WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 9TH, 2019.
AND THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO WILL NOW RECONVENE AN OPEN SESSION.
NO OFFICIAL ACTION WAS TAKEN IN EXECUTIVE SESSION.
UM, ARE ALL THE COUNCIL MEMBERS SEATED? STILL WAITING FOR COUNCILMAN TRAVINO? OKAY.
UH, AT THIS TIME I'D LIKE TO RECOGNIZE, UH, COUNCILMAN PLIS TO, UH, MAKE A MOTION ON OUR FINALS.
WE HAD A VERY ROBUST CONVERSATION AND AFTER THAT ROBUST CONVERSATION, UH, I MAKE THE, UH, THE MOTION THAT WE BRING BACK AND INVITE
[02:20:01]
THE FOLLOWING CANDIDATES, UH, FOR ADDITIONAL TALKS.AND THAT IS MR. ART HALL, UH, MS. JADA SULLIVAN AND MR. AUBREY LEWIS.
OKAY, THERE IS A MOTION AND A SECOND FOR THE FINALISTS TO BRING BACK ON THURSDAY, TOMORROW FOR OUR FINAL DISCUSSION AND APPOINTMENT TO THE DISTRICT TWO VACANCY.
ALRIGHT, ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SAY AYE.
I WANNA SAY THANK YOU ALL AGAIN FOR THE CANDIDATES WHO TOOK TIME TO APPLY.
WE HAVE A VERY STRONG APPLICANT POOL, VERY QUALIFIED INDIVIDUALS WHO HAVE CHOSEN TO STEP UP.
UH, EVEN THOUGH SOME OF YOU AREN'T GONNA BE COMING BACK FOR THE FINALISTS, UH, WE HAVE LOTS OF AREAS OF OUR SERVICE THAT CAN USE YOUR ASSISTANCE.
SO THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR YOUR, YOUR, UH, WILLINGNESS TO STEP UP AND, AND SERVE.
WE'LL NOW GO TO, UH, OUR COUNCIL CHAMBERS FOR OUR REGULARLY SCHEDULED CITIZENS TO BE HEARD SESSION.
THE TIME IS NOW 5:58 PM ON WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 9TH, 2019.
THE CITY COUNCIL WILL NOW RECESS TODAY'S MEETING AND RECONVENE ON THURSDAY, JANUARY 10TH, 2019, AND THE CITY COUNCIL CHAMBERS AT 9:00 AM TO INTERVIEW THE FINALIST FOR THE DISTRICT TWO CITY COUNCIL VACANCY AND APPOINT A REPLACEMENT CITY COUNCIL MEMBER.
CITY COUNCIL MAY RETURN INTO EXECUTIVE SESSION AT THAT TIME TO DISCUSS AND TO CONTINUE DELI DELIBERATIONS REGARDING THE APPOINTMENT EVALUATION AND DUTIES OF THE REPLACEMENT DISTRICT TWO CITY COUNCIL MEMBER PURSUANT TO TEXAS GOVERNMENT CODE SECTIONS 5 5 1 0.074 PERSONNEL AND 5 5 1 0.071 CONSULTATION WITH ATTORNEY.