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GOOD MORNING.WELCOME TO THE REGULAR CITY COUNCIL MEETING OF JANUARY THE 10TH, 2019.
COUNCIL MEMBER GONZALEZ PRESENT.
COUNCIL MEMBER BROCK HOUSE PRESENT.
COUNCIL MEMBER COURAGE PRESENT.
WELCOME TO OUR CITY COUNCIL A SESSION AGENDA.
THE TIME IS 9:13 AM THANK YOU FOR YOUR PATIENCE.
UH, TO START OUR MORNING, I'D LIKE TO RECOGNIZE COUNCILWOMAN GONZALEZ TO WELCOME OUR INDICATOR.
IN THE PAST 35 YEARS OF MINISTRY, PASTOR WARREN HAS HAD THE PRIVILEGE OF WORKING IN OVER 40 COUNTRIES ON SIX CONTINENTS.
IN 1996, HE MOVED TO SAN ANTONIO AS A YOUTH PASTOR.
IN 2009, PASTOR WARREN LAUNCHED THE DREAM CENTER PROVIDING FOR BASIC NEEDS SUCH AS FOOD, SHELTER, AND CLOTHING.
THROUGH THEIR THREE SERVING LOCATIONS IN EAST, WEST, AND NORTH SAN ANTONIO.
THIS YEAR, THE DREAM CENTER PASSED OUT 1.7 MILLION POUNDS OF GROCERIES, 110,000 PIECES OF CLOTHING AND 30,000 MEALS TO LOW AND MODERATE INCOME FAMILIES.
HE AND HIS BEAUTIFUL WIFE, FAITH FOUNDED HEALING PLACE CHURCH IN SAN ANTONIO, I, I'M SORRY, IN BERNIE, TEXAS.
ON MARCH 3RD, 2013, THEY SERVE AS SENIOR PASTORS ALONG WITH THEIR TWO DAUGHTERS AND NEWBORN SON.
FIRST OF ALL, I'D LIKE TO SAY IT'S AN HONOR AND A PRIVILEGE TO BE HERE WITH YOUR MAYOR AND WITH OUR CITY COUNCIL.
UH, HOW YOU REACH AND LOVE THE CITY IS, UM, A REPRESENTATIVE OF US.
'CAUSE WE, WE ELECTED YOU AND WE THANK YOU FOR STANDING THE PLACE THAT YOU STAND.
I'D LIKE TO READ A PASSAGE BEFORE I PRAY THIS MORNING.
THE WORD OF GOD SAYS, AND JESUS SAID UNTO THEM, THY SHT, LOVE THE LORD THY GOD WITH ALL THY HEART, THY MIND, THY SOUL, THY STRENGTH.
AND THIS IS THE FIRST AND GREAT COMMANDMENT.
AND THE SECOND IS LIKE UNTO IT, THOU SHALT LOVE THY NEIGHBOR AS THYSELF ON THESE TWO COMMANDMENTS, HANG ALL THE LAW AND ALL THE PROPHETS.
NOTHING REALLY MATTERS IF WE CAN'T LOVE GOD AND WE CAN'T LOVE PEOPLE.
IF LOVE DOESN'T WIN, AND LOVE DOESN'T RULE TODAY AND LOVE DOESN'T SET WHILE WE DO WHAT WE DO, THEN NONE OF IT HAS ANY BEARING AT ALL.
WHEN CHRIST CAME, HE CAME TO LOVE US AND TO A PLACE OF STRENGTH AND PEACE SO THAT WE COULD HAVE HIS JOY, HIS LIFE, HIS LOVE, AND WE COULD SPREAD THAT TO EVERYBODY AROUND US.
AND WITHOUT THAT WE HAVE NOTHING.
SO TODAY, I KNOW YOU STAND HERE IN A GREAT PLACE AND I JUST PRAY OVER YOU TODAY AS I PRAY THAT WHEN YOU WALK THAT IN THIS YEAR, THAT THE, THE, THE LOVE OF GOD THROUGH YOUR ACTIONS AND THROUGH YOUR LIFE WILL REACH TO THE COMMUNITIES THAT YOU CARE FOR.
THAT YOUR LEVEL WILL BE SEEN, THAT YOU'LL BE LIFTED UP FOR EVERYTHING FROM OUR, FROM OUR FACILITATOR OF OUR CITY, TO OUR CHIEF OF POLICE, TO OUR MAYOR, TO OUR COUNCILMAN.
WE AS THE CHURCH BELIEVE GOD PLACED YOU HERE.
AND SO WE PRAY FOR YOU THAT GOD MOVE THROUGH YOUR HANDS TO MAKE WHAT HE WANTS DONE IN THIS CITY, INCLUDING TODAY, THAT CITY COUNCIL'S DISTRICT TWO WILL BE PLACED.
WE PRAY THAT THE RIGHT ONE COMES IN AND THAT YOU, THAT YOU APPOINT WHO'S SUPPOSED TO BE AND THAT GOD DOES AN AMAZING WORK THROUGH THEM.
THAT 1.7 MILLION POUNDS STARTED IN DISTRICT TWO.
'CAUSE WE STARTED ON THE EAST SIDE IN SAN ANTONIO OUTTA THE FRIEDRICH BUILDING, AND NOW WE GET TO BE ON THE WEST SIDE WITH MS. GONZALEZ AND, AND IN THE NORTH SIDE AS WELL.
AND SO WE BLESS GOD FOR THE OPPORTUNITY AND WE THANK GOD FOR WHAT HE'S DOING.
AND ON THIS FIRST CITY COUNCIL OF 2019, I DECLARE, UM, THAT WHAT'S GONNA COME OUT OF THIS PLACE IS GONNA HONOR GOD AND GONNA LOVE OUR COMMUNITY TO CHANGE THEIR LIVES.
FATHER, I THANK YOU TODAY FOR YOUR GOODNESS AND MERCY, LORD, THAT YOU'VE ALLOWED EVERYONE TO BE HERE.
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LORD, THIS CITY COUNCIL WAS NOT BUILT BY MAN OR BY PERSONS OR EVEN BY COMMUNITY.LORD GOD, I SPECIFICALLY BELIEVE THAT YOU'VE ALLOWED EACH MEMBER TO BE IN THEIR SPOT SO THAT FATHER, YOU MIGHT MOVE THROUGH THEM, LORD JESUS, TO TOUCH THE PEOPLE THAT THEY COVER, THE PEOPLE THAT ARE IN FRONT OF THEM, LORD GOD, THE NEEDS AND CONCERNS.
I ASK YOU, LORD GOD, THAT THEIR HEART WOULD BE TOUCHED TODAY, LORD GOD, THAT EVERY NEED IN THEIR LIFE AS THEY ARE HUMAN AND THEY WALK THROUGH THEIR SITUATIONS AS WELL, THAT THEY WOULD BE COVERED AND PROTECTED.
LORD GOD, THAT YOUR PRESENCE AND YOUR PEACE WOULD BE OVER THEM.
GOD, THAT YOU WOULD GUIDE NOT JUST THEIR DECISIONS IN MAKING ORDINANCE, BUT GOD, THAT YOU WOULD GUIDE EVERYTHING CONCERNING THEIR CHILDREN AND THEIR FAMILIES, GOD, THEIR FINANCES, LORD JESUS IN THEIR LIFE.
GOD, I PRAY A HEDGE OF PROTECTION OVER THEM IN THIS YEAR.
THAT GOD IN THIS YEAR, LORD GOD, THIS COUNCIL LORD GOD WILL BE COVERED, LORD GOD, WITH GRACE AND TRUTH AND PEACE, THE LORD GOD, THIS PROPERTY, LORD GOD, WILL BE COVERED WITH YOUR PRESENCE, LORD AND FATHER, THAT YOU'D KEEP THEM SAFE, LORD GOD IN YOUR HAND.
AND FATHER, THAT YOU KEEP THEM MOVING ACCORDING TO YOUR WILL.
FATHER, BLESS OUR GREAT CITY LORD GOD, I DON'T KNOW ANY OTHER ONE LIKE IT, LORD GOD, AS MANY AS YOU'VE TAKEN ME TO GOD, FATHER I KNOW NONE LIKE SAN ANTONIO.
SO WE ARE BLESSED TODAY TO BE HERE AND WE BLESS YOU LORD GOD, AND WE LOVE YOU, FATHER, AND WE DECLARE OUR LOVE FOR OUR FELLOW MEMBERS, FOR OUR COMMUNITY, FOR THE PEOPLE AROUND US THAT WE MIGHT REACH OUT AND TOUCH THEM, LORD GOD, WITH WHAT YOU PUT IN OUR HANDS.
WE THANK YOU FOR TODAY, FATHER, AND WE BLESS YOU LORD.
THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, THE REPUBLIC NATION, INVISIBLE WITH LIBERTY, JUSTICE.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH PASTOR BEAMER.
WE HAVE AN ANNOUNCEMENT FOR TRANSLATION SERVICES.
ALRIGHT, THE FIRST ITEM OF BUSINESS TODAY IS THE APPROVAL OF THE CITY COUNCIL MEETING MINUTES FROM NOVEMBER 28TH THROUGH 29TH.
OKAY, THERE'S A MOTION AND A SECOND FOR APPROVAL OF THE CITY COUNCIL MEETING MINUTES FROM NOVEMBER 28TH AND 29TH.
ALRIGHT, I WANT TO ASK FOR EVERYONE'S PATIENCE.
UM, WE'VE HAD A GREAT PERIOD OF TRANSITION IN OUR COMMUNITY AND, UH, ONE OF THEM OBVIOUSLY IS GONNA BE DEALT WITH TODAY.
UH, AND WE WANT TO TAKE A MOMENT TO RECOGNIZE OUR FORMER COLLEAGUE, COUNCILMAN CRUZ SHAW.
SO IF CRUZ WOULD COME FORWARD, I WANT TO THANK COUNCILMAN SHAW FOR HIS SERVICE TO THE PEOPLE OF SAN ANTONIO.
SHAW WAS A REMARKABLE ASSET TO THIS CITY COUNCIL AND IS QUICK WITT AND INCISIVE ANALYSIS OF THE ISSUES ARE GOING TO BE GREATLY MISSED AT CITY HALL, BUT MOST OF ALL, HIS NO NONSENSE ATTITUDE AND LET'S JUST GET THE JOB DONE RIGHT, ATTITUDE WILL BE DEEPLY MISSED.
UM, AND AS IS PRETTY TYPICAL OF CRUZ, HE TOLD ME HE'S GONNA LEAVE HERE AT 9 45 WHETHER WE'VE RECOGNIZED HIM OR NOT.
SO WE'RE GETTING HIM UP FIRST.
SHAW UNDERSTANDS THE IMPORTANCE OF WORKING WITH SAN ANTONIO'S CRIME INVOLVING YOUTH.
HIS EXCEPTIONAL SKILLS AND EXPERIENCE WILL BE A GREAT ASSET TO HIS NEW POSITION AS A JUDGE AND AS HE CONTINUES TO SERVE OUR COMMUNITY THROUGH HIS WORK AND JUVENILE JUSTICE.
CRUZ, UH, WE ENJOYED THE BRIEF TIME WE SHARED ON THIS DAIS.
UH, WE WISH YOU THE VERY BEST.
WE ARE GONNA MISS YOU, BUT WE KNOW YOU'RE GONNA DO SOME GREAT WORK FOR OUR COMMUNITY NONETHELESS.
YOU KNOW, I HAVE NOT MUCH TO SAY.
UM, I GUESS VERY BRIEFLY THOUGH, I DO HAVE THREE THANK YOUS.
UH, THE FIRST THANK YOU IS FOR THE, UH, DISTRICT TWO TEAM.
UM, WE WERE EIGHT STRANGERS THAT BECAME, UH, TEAMMATES, THEN FRIENDS, AND THEN NOW FAMILY.
SO, UH, THE D TWO TEAM DID A REMARKABLE AMOUNT OF WORK.
CHARLIE JARVIS, SADE, UH, MARYBELL, SUSIE, BRIAN, MILLENNIAL, MATT, MS. DANETTE, AND WE DID GREAT THINGS TOGETHER.
SO I REALLY WANNA APPLAUD THEM AND THANK 'EM FOR THEIR EFFORTS IN THE DISTRICT.
THE SECOND THANK YOU IS FOR THE D TWO COMMUNITY.
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UM, I, THEY EMBRACED ME BEING AN OUTSIDER FROM HOUSTON AND, UH, SHOWED A LOT OF LOVE AND COMPASSION FOR OUR TEAM, AND WE WORKED TOGETHER.SO THAT WAS AN AMAZING, UH, TEAM EFFORT THAT WE DID TO HOPEFULLY TRAINS THE EXPECTATIONS OF THE D TWO SEAT AND RAISE THE CALIBER AND PROFESSIONALISM THAT WE, UH, DESERVE IN D TWO.
AND I REALLY BELIEVE THAT ARE THE THREE CANDIDATES THAT WE HAVE TODAY.
WE'RE GOING TO CONTINUE THAT, UH, ELEVATED LEVEL OF PROFESSIONALISM AND EXPECTATIONS FOR D TWO.
AND THIRDLY, THE MOST IMPORTANTLY IS MY WIFE MICHELLE.
UH, AFTER THIS EXPERIENCE, WE SACRIFICED A LOT FOR 18 MONTHS.
AT THE END OF THE DAY, SHE STOOD BY ME.
UH, WE SAT DOWN AND PRAYED ABOUT THE TRANSITION FOR THE APPOINTMENT OF THE NEW JUDICIAL BENCH.
UH, AND SHE SAYS, LET'S DO IT.
SO, UH, MICHELLE, THANK YOU FOR ALL THAT YOU'VE DONE FOR ME AND FOR THIS COMMUNITY.
UH, SHE'S A, A, A, A ROCK AS WELL AS A, A, UM, A PIONEER FOR YOUNG WOMEN ACROSS THE CITY BECAUSE SHE EXUDES EXCELLENCE ON EVERYTHING SHE DOES AS AN ATTORNEY, AS A WIFE, AS AN INDIVIDUAL.
SO THOSE ARE MY THREE, THREE THANK YOUS.
UM, IT'S TIME TO ROLL UP MY SLEEVES, PUT MY ROBE ON, AND GET TO WORK.
AND PLEASE FOR THE LOVE OF GOD, EVERYONE DON'T TALK.
OKAY? WE CAN JUST WALK OUT AND WE'RE GOOD.
NO, YOU, WE, WE DO OWE MICHELLE A GREAT DEBT OF THANK YOU.
UH, GREAT DEBT OF GRATITUDE AS WELL.
WE'RE GONNA MISS YOU AS WELL, MICHELLE.
UM, I, I HEAR YOUR GUIDANCE, UH, BUT I'M GONNA CALL ON MY COLLEAGUE, COUNCILMAN ELAS.
LISTEN, MY, MY COMMENTS ARE ACTUALLY GONNA BE VERY SHORT.
UH, DESPITE WHAT I TELL EVERYBODY, I REALLY DO LIKE YOU A LOT.
UM, AND, UH, I, YOU KNOW, FOLKS, EVERY ONCE IN A WHILE, UH, YOU MEET A PERSON WHO, UM, YOU KNOW, BRINGS A REALLY INTERESTING STORY AND A SET OF TRAITS TO THE TABLE AND WHO YOU GET TO, UH, WORK WITH.
UM, AND THEY LEAVE AN INDELIBLE MARK.
AND, AND, YOU KNOW, IN YOUR MEMORY, UM, AND ON THE TEAM, UM, YOU KNOW, IT'S A BOOTSTRAP STORY AND IT INSPIRES YOU AND THE PERSON, UM, YOU KNOW, BRINGS A TREMENDOUS AMOUNT OF INTELLECT AND, AND HUMILITY, DRIVE AND TALENT, UM, AND LEADERSHIP.
AND, UH, FOR CREW SHAW, THAT PERSON HAS ALWAYS BEEN ME, UM, THE RIGHT CREW.
WE, WE ARE ALL GONNA MISS YOU.
AND, AND, AND I LOVE YOU AND YOU'RE ONE OF THE NICEST FELLAS I'VE EVER MET, AND D TWO WAS LUCKY TO HAVE YOU DURING THIS VERY, VERY SHORT TIME.
UM, AND, UH, YOU KNOW, I, I HOPE I, AND YOU KNOW THAT THEY'LL REMEMBER ALL THE HARD WORK YOU DID TO BRING, UH, D TWO TO THE TABLE IN EVERY SINGLE WAY, AND I'M PROUD TO BE YOUR COLLEAGUE AND YOUR FRIEND, COUNCILMAN PERRY.
I WAS, UM, I WASN'T GONNA SAY ANYTHING.
I WAS GOING TO, UH, YOU KNOW, BOW TO YOUR WISHES, BUT I JUST WANTED TO SAY I REALLY ENJOYED WORKING WITH YOU, AND YOU MADE TWO RIGHT DECISIONS.
YOU, YOU TOOK THIS, UH, JUDGESHIP.
AND, BUT THE BIGGER RIGHT DECISION YOU MADE WAS WITH MICHELLE.
AND MICHELLE IS, UH, UM, I, WHERE IS MICHELLE? I CAN'T SEE HER, BUT SHE'S ALL RIGHT.
THERE SHE IS, BUT SHE'S AN AGGIE, SO THAT'S, THAT'S WHAT I'M TALKING ABOUT, RIGHT, MICHELLE? YEAH.
ANYWAY, UH, THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR WHAT YOU'VE DONE HERE FOR THE, UH, CITY AND FOR DISTRICT TWO, AND, UH, LOOK FORWARD TO SEEING YOU AT SOME FOOTBALL GAMES THIS NEXT YEAR.
THANK YOU COUNCILMAN, COUNCILMAN
THANK YOU MICHELLE, SO MUCH, UH, FOR KEEPING THINGS TOGETHER AND IN LINE.
UM, THANK YOU CRUZ, COUNCIL MEMBER SPECIFICALLY, UM, FOR THE TIME WITH THE MONUMENT TO VOTE FOR BEING VULNERABLE, BECAUSE I KNOW THAT WAS NOT EASY FOR YOU, BUT THANK YOU FOR SHARING THE STORY BECAUSE WE ALL NEEDED TO KNOW THAT STORY.
UM, COUNCILMAN SALANA CRUZ, REALLY QUICKLY, I JUST, UH, I LOVE THAT YOU LEAD WITH, WITH YOUR PRINCIPAL AND YOUR PASSION.
THAT'S WHAT GOT YOU TO, UH, DISTRICT TWO AND GOT YOU TO LEAD THE COMMUNITY ON THE EAST SIDE FOR THE TIME THAT YOU DID.
IT'S THE SAME DIRECTION AND, AND THE LEAD OF, OF PRINCIPLE AND PASSION THAT IS GONNA LEAD YOU TO A ROBE TAKING CARE OF, OF, OF AN ISSUE THAT I KNOW YOU CARE DEEPLY ABOUT.
AND THIS WAS SOMETHING THAT I THINK WAS A SURPRISE TO YOU BECAUSE IT WOULDN'T HAVE, YOU WOULDN'T HAVE OTHERWISE STARTED.
SOMETHING THAT IS GOING TO TAKE A LONG TIME TO COMPLETE, BUT SAYS SOMETHING ABOUT THE THINGS THAT YOU CARE ABOUT WHEN YOU STARTED WORKING WITH SITE AND RELEASE.
AND, AND I KNOW THAT'S SOMETHING THAT THIS COUNCIL WANTS TO TAKE ON, THAT YOU KNEW
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WAS GOING TO TAKE, UH, A GREAT DEAL OF TIME, BUT WOULD HAVE A HUGE IMPACT, UH, ON YOUR SIDE OF THE WORK WHERE YOU'RE GOING TO.SO WE LOOK FORWARD TO, UH, GETTING TO, TO HEAR ABOUT WHAT MIGHT BE POSSIBLE, UH, WHEN WE FIGURE THAT OUT.
BUT WE WANNA THANK YOU FOR, FOR LEADING WITH PASSION WHILE YOU WERE UP HERE AND LEADING WITH PASSION, UH, WHERE YOU'RE GOING.
SO I WANNA SAY GOOD LUCK, CRUZ.
UM, I KNOW YOU SAID DON'T TALK, BUT
UM, I KNOW COUNCILMAN KHAW, WE, WE MET NOT TOO LONG AGO, UH, A LITTLE BIT BEFORE WE WERE, UH, ELECTED TO COUNCIL.
WE SPENT A LOT OF TIME WAITING FOR OUR ENDORSEMENT INTERVIEWS WITH, UM, MANY, MANY ORGANIZATIONS.
AND, UH, WE GOT TO KNOW EACH OTHER, THE SORT OF THE RELAXED SIDE OF COU.
MOST OF IT IS A RELAXED SIDE
AND I JUST, I WANNA SAY IT'S BEEN A PLEASURE KNOWING YOU.
I HOPE THIS ISN'T THE END FOR, FOR OUR FRIENDSHIP.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR, UM, JUST LISTENING AND CHATTING WITH ME, THOSE LATE, THE LATE NIGHTS HERE AT CITY HALL.
YOU ALWAYS HAD SOMETHING WISE TO SAY.
UM, AND THANK YOU FOR THE, UH, THE INITIATIVES YOU'VE BROUGHT TO COUNCIL, EXACTLY WHAT MY COLLEAGUE SHARED, UH, THE MONUMENT, UH, THE BRAVERY THAT YOU BROUGHT TO, TO, TO TAKE US ALL WITH YOU IN THAT, IN THAT DECISION AS WELL AS THE SITE AND RELEASE POLICIES THAT WERE, THEY'RE WE'RE MOVING FORWARD WITH AND THE GUN SAFETY INITIATIVES.
UM, YOU HAVE REALLY FORGED A PATH FOR US IN THOSE AREAS, AND I HOPE TO, TO DO THE BEST I CAN TO FOLLOW IN YOUR FOOTSTEPS.
AND I WOULD JUST SAY I GET IT BETTER BOY, BETTER BOY.
ALRIGHT, UM, I DO HAVE A COUPLE OTHER, UM, ITEMS OF NOTE HERE.
I DID WANT TO DRAW FOLKS ATTENTION TO.
AS MANY OF YOU KNOW, HERB KELLEHER, THE F RE REVOLUTIONARY FOUNDER OF SOUTHWEST AIRLINES PASSED AWAY LAST WEEK AT THE AGE OF 87.
KELLEHER WAS A BUSINESS ICON WHO BELIEVED IN SIMPLE YET REVOLUTIONARY VISIONS TO MAKE AIR TRAVEL AFFORDABLE FOR EVERYONE.
HE WAS A YOUNG LAWYER LIVING, LIVING IN TEXAS WHEN HE LEFT TO FOCUS ON CREATING LOW COST TRANSPORTATION ACROSS SAN ANTONIO, DALLAS, AND HOUSTON IN A WAY THAT HAD NEVER BEEN DONE BEFORE.
KELLEHER IS WELL KNOWN FOR CREATING A COLLEGIAL CORPORATE CULTURE THAT WAS ALSO DISCIPLINED WHEN IT CAME TO ITS FINANCES.
HE'S WON HUNDREDS OF AWARDS IN BOTH BUSINESS AND AVIATION, AND WILL BE CONTINUE TO BE A ROLE MODEL IN HIS FIELD FOR YEARS TO COME.
HERB KELLEHER AND HIS PASSION FOR HIS LIFE AND PASSION IN LIFE WILL BE MISSED, BUT HIS LEGACY LIVES ON IN THE NON-TRADITIONAL AND INNOVATIVE WAVES THAT SOUTHWEST AIRLINES BORN IN SAN ANTONIO RUNS ITS OPERATIONS TODAY.
SO WE ARE, UH, AGAIN, RECOGNIZING THE PASSING OF AN ICON HERE IN SAN ANTONIO, BUT ACROSS THE COUNTRY AND HERB KELLEHER.
AND ALSO I DO WANT TO RECOGNIZE SOMEONE WHO I, I THINK, UH, MANY OF US IN THIS ROOM KNOW, UH, BUT NOT MANY OUTSIDE OF THE ROOM KNOW.
AND THAT IS, I'D LIKE TO MARK THE PASSING OF A VERY DEDICATED PUBLIC SERVANT, UH, JUST THIS WEEK NAMED WALTER AGU.
HIS NAME WILL BE FAMILIAR, ONE AROUND CITY HALL AND HIS LEGACY WILL LAST FOR GENERATIONS.
FOR THREE DECADES, WALTER SERVED IN A VARIETY OF POSITIONS FOCUSED ON PUBLIC SERVICE AND IN CITY PLANNING.
HE WORKED IN MULTIPLE CITY COUNCIL OFFICES, INCLUDING MY OWN, AS WELL AS BONNIE CONNOR, JUSTIN RODRIGUEZ, REED WILLIAMS ART HALL, AND ALSO SEVERAL MAYORS, INCLUDING ED GARZA AND IVY TAYLOR.
WALTER WAS ALSO AN AIR FORCE VETERAN, AND HE FIRST FELL IN LOVE WITH SAN ANTONIO AS A PAPER BOY IN HIGH SCHOOL.
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ALL, AND WALTER IS SURVIVED BY HIS FOUR CHILDREN AND NINE GRANDCHILDREN.WE WILL LET EVERYONE KNOW WHEN SERVICES ARE ANNOUNCED.
UM, I WILL CERTAINLY MS. WALTER IN HIS VERY SOMETIMES OFF-COLOR JOKES, UH, THAT SOMETIMES MADE ME CRINGE OR TAKE FOR COVER.
UM, BUT HE TRUTHFULLY WAS ONE OF THE AUTHORS OF OUR CITY'S FUTURE.
AND BEING AN AUTHOR OF THE ESSAY TOMORROW PLAN, HE SERVED WITH DISTINCTION, UH, EVERYONE LOVED HIM AND, UH, WE'RE GOING TO MISS HIM.
SO, UH, BON VOYAGE WALTER, AND I HOPE WE CAN DEDICATE, UH, YOUR LIFE SOMEHOW, PERMANENTLY IN OUR CITY, UH, IN THE NEAR FUTURE.
ALRIGHT, NOW WE'RE GONNA MOVE ON TO OUR ITEMS FOR ACTION TODAY.
OKAY, COUNCILMAN T THANK YOU, MAYOR.
I JUST WANNA EX EXPRESS, UH, UH, MY THOUGHTS, UH, OUR CURRENTLY WITH, UH, THE CITY OF MACALLAN TODAY.
UM, AS, AS WE KNOW, IT IS THE, IT IS GOING THROUGH SOME, SOME UNIQUE CHALLENGES AND, UH, YOU KNOW, I WANNA POINT OUT THAT THERE'S A LOT OF GREAT PEOPLE DOWN THERE.
IT IS TRULY ONE OF THE SAFEST CITIES IN TEXAS.
IT'S AN INCREDIBLE, INCREDIBLE CITY IN WHICH ALL MY FRIENDS AND FAMILY DOWN IN THE CITY OF MCALLEN, UH, THE VERY BEST IN A VERY TOUGH SITUATION.
I WANNA LET THEM KNOW THAT THEY HAVE A FRIEND UP HERE IN SAN ANTONIO LOOKING OVER THEM.
ALRIGHT, WE HAVE, UM, SOME SIGNIFICANT ACTION FOR TODAY, AND THANK YOU EVERYONE FOR YOUR PATIENCE.
UH, WE HAVE TWO ITEMS FOR INDIVIDUAL BRIEFING ITEMS FOUR AND FIVE.
UH, WE DO HAVE A CONSENT AGENDA, AND I'LL ASK MY COLLEAGUES IF THERE ARE ANY ITEMS FROM WHICH THEY WOULD LIKE TO PULL FROM THE CONSENT AGENDA NOW.
HEARING NONE, I'LL ENTERTAIN A MOTION FOR THE BALANCE OF THE CONSENT AGENDA AND JACK FINGERS.
OKAY, THERE'S A MOTION AND A SECOND FOR THE BALANCE OF THE CONSENT AGENDA.
WE HAVE ONE CITIZEN SIGNED UP TO SPEAK ON CONSENT AGENDA ITEMS. I'LL CALL HIM NOW.
JACK FINGER MAYOR NURENBERG, AND OTHER MEMBERS OF OUR ILLUSTRIOUS SANITATION CITY COUNCIL FOR THE RECORD, MY NAME IS JACK M.
YES, MR. MAYOR, A FEW ITEMS WISH TO BRING TO YOUR ATTENTION ON THIS PORTION OF THE AGENDA.
ITEM NUMBER 20, IT'S WHAT I CALL WELFARE HOUSING.
YOU CALL IT AFFORDABLE HOUSING? YEAH, IT'S ABOUT, AND THIS IS AWARDING ESSENTIALLY OVER $3 MILLION TO FUND HOUSING FOR PEOPLE WHO SUPPOSEDLY CAN'T AFFORD TO PAY FOR THEIR OWN HOUSING.
WELL, I'M SORRY, A LOT OF US WHO MAKE JUST A LITTLE BIT MORE THAN, WHAT'S THE STANDARD HERE? 80%.
IF YOU MAKE 80% LESS THAN 80% OF THE MEDIAN INCOME, YOU'RE ENTITLED TO SOME MONEY TO FOR YOUR HOUSING HERE.
NOW, I'M SORRY, I, UM, THOSE OF US WHO WORK FOR A LIVING AND JUST MAKE JUST ENOUGH TO WHERE WE CAN'T GET ON WELFARE, UH, WE DON'T LIKE OUR TAX DOLLARS GOING TO THESE THINGS.
I, AND YOU'RE GONNA SAY, WELL, IT'S, IT IS THE FEDS HELPING US OUT WITH THIS ONE.
WELL, WHERE DO YOU THINK THE FEDS GET THEIR MONEY? SAME PEOPLE.
THIS IS, UH, WHERE IS IT? WELL, IT'S, UM, YEAH, VARIOUS PLACES AROUND TOWN.
75,000 ALSO GOING TO HAVE HABITAT FOR HUMANITY.
AND OUR, ANOTHER ONE FOR A PLACE CALLED OT CASA RESIDENCE COUNCIL LOOKED AT THE BACKUP DOCUMENTS, COULDN'T FIND ANY, UM, BUDGET FOR, FOR WHAT EXACTLY THAT MONEY IS GOING TO FOR THEM.
I WOULD LIKE TO HAVE SEEN EXACTLY WHERE OUR MONEY IS GOING THERE, BUT JUST SAYS, NO, WE'RE GONNA GIVE 75,000 TO HERE AND ABOUT ANOTHER, UH, FEW THOUSAND DOLLARS MORE OVER HERE.
UM, LIKEWISE, ITEMS 21, 22 AND 23 RESOLUTION SUPPORTING YES, WHAT I CALL WELFARE HOUSING.
AND THIS TIME IT'S OVER HERE ON THE NEAR NORTHWEST SIDE, THE, THE MAJESTIC RANCH APARTMENTS ON CALLAHAN ROAD.
MS. SANDOVAL, THAT'S IN YOUR AREA WHERE A LOT OF PEOPLE WERE VERY UPSET WITH THE, UH, THE PROSPECT OF WELFARE HOUSING BEING BUILT OVER THERE.
YEAH, LIKEWISE, MR. PALIS IN YOUR
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DISTRICT, 87, 30 WACH.ANOTHER, UH, RESOLUTION, SUPPORT OF THAT.
MS. GONZALEZ IS NOT IN HER SEAT RIGHT NOW.
YOU KNOW, SHE IN HER, HER DISTRICT AS WELL.
I NOTICE THE CITY MANAGER
ANYWAY, MAYBE IS IT TIME? COULDN'T Y'ALL JUST SAY NO TO SOME OF THESE THINGS JUST FOR ONCE? THANK YOU, MR. FINGER.
THERE'S A MOTION AND A SECOND FOR THE BALANCE OF THE CONSENT AGENDA.
THAT'S ALL ITEMS SAVED FOR FOUR AND FIVE.
ITEM NUMBER FOUR IS THE INTERVIEWING OF FINALISTS FOR THE DISTRICT TWO CITY COUNCIL VACANCY AND APPOINTING A REPLACEMENT CITY COUNCIL MEMBER AND MAYOR AND COUNCIL.
ALL THREE FINALISTS ARE IN THE, UH, CHAMBERS TODAY.
UH, WE HAD, UH, EX LONG INTERVIEW SESSION YESTERDAY WITH 13, UH, EXTRAORDINARY CANDIDATES.
UH, MANY QUALIFIED INDIVIDUALS HAVE STEPPED UP TO SERVE IN THE ROLE OF DISTRICT TWO COUNCIL MEMBER FOR THE NEXT 120 DAYS OR SO.
SO WE THANK YOU ALL, UH, FOR RAISING YOUR HAND AND BEING WILLING TO SERVE.
WE ARE GOING TO HAVE, UH, STATEMENTS FROM EACH OF THE REMAINING FINALISTS THAT IS IN ORDER OF THE APPLICATIONS FOR THE APPOINTMENT.
AND, UM, THAT WILL BE JADA SULLIVAN, FOLLOWED BY AUBREY LEWIS, FOLLOWED BY ART HALL.
UH, WE'LL HAVE FIVE MINUTES FOR, FOR A STATEMENT.
UH, AFTER EACH STATEMENT, WE WILL ALSO GET A CHANCE TO INTERVIEW, UH, THE REMAINING CANDIDATES, UH, ONE AT A TIME.
AND THEN WE WILL, UH, WE WILL RECESS INTO EXECUTIVE SESSION FOR OUR FINAL DISCUSSION AND COME OUT, UH, FOR FINAL ACTION.
UM, AGAIN, THANK YOU ALL FOR YOUR APPLICATIONS.
WE'RE LOOKING FORWARD, FORWARD TO A HEALTHY DISCUSSION TODAY.
THERE WON'T BE ANY TIME LIMITS ON OUR DISCUSSION TODAY BECAUSE THIS IS AN OPPORTUNITY NOW FOR US TO DIVE A LITTLE BIT DEEPER INTO ISSUES OF AND AND SO FORTH.
ALRIGHT, UH, WE DO HAVE ONE CITIZEN SIGNED UP TO SPEAK BEFORE WE BEGIN.
AND TO THE, UH, CITY COUNCIL, GOOD MORNING TO ALL OF YOU.
I HAVE NOT BEEN HERE IN QUITE A LONG TIME, BUT I DID COME TO SPEAK ON SOMETHING ELSE, BUT, UM, I WAS INFORMED THAT I COULDN'T DO THAT BECAUSE IT WASN'T ON THE DOCKET.
BUT I AM GOING TO SPEAK FOR JADA SULLIVAN.
I HAVE KNOWN JADA SULLIVAN FOR, I GUESS SINCE SHE WAS ABOUT SIX YEARS OLD, SEVEN YEARS OLD.
SHE'S, UM, VERY FAITHFUL AND DEDICATED YOUNG LADY.
WE WENT TO THE SAME CHURCH GROWING UP.
UM, I WAS HER SUNDAY SCHOOL TEACHER, UM, AT CHURCH, AND NOW SHE HAS HER OWN CHILDREN.
UM, SOME ARE GROWN AND SOME ARE NOT, BUT SHE HAS WORKED VERY FAITHFULLY IN THE COMMUNITY AND I KNOW THAT SHE WILL REPRESENT DISTRICT TWO.
I'VE BEEN IN DISTRICT TWO FOR OVER 50 YEARS NOW.
SO I KNOW THAT DISTRICT TWO NEEDS A LOT OF IMPROVEMENTS.
WE, UH, THANK, THANKFUL FOR, UM, OUR DISTRICT TWO REPRESENTATIVE THAT IS LEAVING, UM, MR. CRUZ SHAW.
AND I KNOW THAT JADA WOULD BE A VERY GOOD PERSON BECAUSE WE NEED MORE, WE NEED MORE LADIES.
AND I'M HERE FOR THE LADIES REPRESENTING THE LADIES TODAY.
I THINK THAT NOT NOTHING AGAINST MEN, BUT I THINK THAT LADIES KNOW THE RIGHT, UH, THE RIGHT THINGS TO DO AS FAR AS OUR CHILDREN ARE CONCERNED.
MEN, WE ALWAYS NEED MEN FOR THE, FOR THE SONS, BUT LADIES FOR THE DAUGHTERS.
AND WE HAVE A LOT OF GIRLS ON THE EAST SIDE THAT NEED HELP AND I THINK THAT JADA WOULD BE THE IDEAL PERSON TO DO THAT.
SO I JUST REPRESENT, I JUST STAND TO, UH, SPEAK FOR HER TODAY.
I HOPE YOU MAKE THE RIGHT DECISION.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH MS. BRIGHT.
ALRIGHT, AT THIS TIME, WE'LL UH, BRING UP OUR FIRST CANDIDATE AND THAT IS MS. JADA SULLIVAN.
YOU'LL HAVE A FIVE MINUTE STATEMENT AND THEN WE'LL GET INTO THE COUNCIL DISCUSSION.
OUR OTHER TWO CANDIDATES WILL RECESS, AND SO YOU'LL BE HERE ALONE WITH US IN THE CHAMBER.
I STAND BEFORE YOU HUMBLY, THANKFULLY.
I GIVE MY HEART TO MY DISTRICT.
[00:30:01]
SERVICE THAT I HAVE DONE FOR MY COUNTRY.I STAND BEFORE YOU ASKING YOU TO MAKE THAT DECISION BASED ON WHAT YOU KNOW THE DISTRICT NEEDS, BASED ON WHAT YOU KNOW THE DISTRICT STANDS FOR.
IN OUR DISTRICT, THERE IS HISTORY, THERE IS CULTURE.
THERE ARE PEOPLE THAT ARE STRIVING TO DO SOMETHING BETTER THAN WHAT THEY'VE BEEN TOLD THEY CAN DO.
AND I STAND HERE TO FIGHT FOR THOSE PEOPLE.
I FIGHT FROM A DISTRICT THAT I KNOW.
IF IT HADN'T BEEN FOR THE ONES THAT CAME INTO THE DISTRICT TO LIFT ME, I DON'T KNOW WHERE I WOULD BE.
IT'S A DISTRICT THAT HAS BEEN RAVAGED WITH CRIME, WITH POVERTY.
IT HAS BEEN THOUGHT ABOUT AS LESS THAN IT HAS BEEN LOOKED AT AS SOMETHING THAT IS DIFFERENT.
IT HAS BEEN LOOKED AT AS SOMETHING THAT YOU CAN PUT ON THE BACK BURNER.
TODAY, I STAND BEFORE YOU TO SAY THAT IT IS NO LONGER THAT TIME.
WE ARE A FORCE TO BE RECKONED WITH ON THE EAST SIDE, NORTHEAST SIDE, AND WITHIN THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO.
NOW IT'S THE TIME TO PUSH FORWARD.
NOW IT'S THE TIME TO PUT THE BOOTS TO THE GROUND AND GET TO MARCHING.
THE PAVEMENT IS A LITTLE RAGGEDY, AND WE NEED TO STRAIGHTEN THAT ROAD AND WE HAVE TO DO IT WITH OUR CITY COUNCIL.
WE HAVE TO DO IT WITH OUR MAYOR.
WE HAVE TO DO IT WITH OUR CITY MANAGERS.
WE HAVE TO DO IT WITH OUR POLICE FORCE, WITH THE CHIEF OF POLICE, WITH THE FIRE DEPARTMENTS.
THE COMMUNITY HAS MANY SENIORS THAT THEY DON'T EVEN GET THE INFORMATION.
THEY DON'T KNOW WHAT'S GOING ON WITHIN THEIR CITY OR THEIR DISTRICT.
THEY DON'T HAVE ANY IDEA WHEN THE MEETINGS ARE GONNA BE HELD BECAUSE THEY'RE NOT GETTING THAT INFORMATION.
NOW IT'S TIME TO REACH THE GENERATIONAL GAP AND TO BRIDGE A CONNECTION BETWEEN OUR SENIORS, OUR YOUTH, AND OUR COMMUNITY.
OUR YOUTH ARE WANTING TO BE SOMETHING MORE THAN WHAT YOU PUT IN FRONT OF THEM.
THEY'RE MORE THAN A STAR TEST.
THEY'RE MORE THAN WHAT THE TEACHER TELLS THEM.
AND NOW IT'S OUR TIME TO SAY, YOU CAN BE EXACTLY WHAT YOU WANNA BE.
WE HAVE A PRESIDENT IN OFFICE THAT SUITS THAT TO THE T AND NOW WE NEED TO GO INTO THAT DISTRICT AND CHANGE IT.
WILLIAM KHAW HAS SET A PRECEDENCE TO MAKE SURE THAT THINGS ARE CHANGING.
WE CANNOT STOP THERE JUST BECAUSE THAT SEAT IS EMPTY AT THIS PRESENT TIME.
WHOEVER SITS IN THAT SEAT MUST GO AHEAD AND PUT FORTH THE WORK TO MAKE SURE WHAT IS ALREADY IN PLACE IS FULFILLED.
YOU CANNOT STOP IN THE MIDDLE OF A SESSION AND SAY, OH, I DON'T LIKE HOW THAT'S GOING BECAUSE I DIDN'T CREATE IT.
NO, YOU MUST GO AHEAD AND PICK UP WHERE IT WAS LEFT OFF.
BUILD ON THE ASPECTS THAT YOU HAVE IN PLACE AND MOVE INTO SOMETHING BETTER.
NO, I'M NOT A POLITICAL ADVOCATE.
I'VE NEVER WORKED IN THE POLITICAL REALM.
I NEVER THOUGHT OF MYSELF AS BEING SOMEONE THAT WAS POLITICALLY DRIVEN.
BUT AT THIS TIME, I HAVE TO SAY I'M TIRED OF TALKING.
AND NOW I MUST PUT FORTH THE ACTION BEHIND THE WORDS THAT I SPEAK.
THAT IS WHO I AM TO MY DISTRICT.
IT IS TIME THAT THEY HAVE SOMETHING FRESH, SOMETHING NEW AND SOMETHING MOTIVATING.
GIVE THEM LIFE, GIVE THEM JOY.
RESTORE STREETS, RESTORE OUR PARKS.
DON'T HAVE THEM JUST SITTING THERE LOOKING BEAUTIFUL AND NO ONE'S PLAYING IN THEM.
MARTHA MARTIN LUTHER KING PARK WAS UPGRADED.
WE'RE NOT DOING ANYTHING WITH THAT.
IF YOU LOOK AT THE ROADS, YOU DON'T KNOW, WE CAN PATCH UP POTHOLES EVERY DAY, ALL DAY.
BUT AT THE END OF THE DAY, THOSE POTHOLES BECOME BIG MOLEHILLS WHERE YOU LOSE YOUR TIRES WITH PEOPLE THAT CAN'T EVEN AFFORD GAS.
YOU HAVE HOUSING AND PROPERTY AND YOU HAVE CORPORATE ENTITIES COMING IN AND THEY'RE DEVELOPING WITHIN THE CITY, AND WE LOVE THAT.
BUT WHAT ARE THEY GIVING BACK TO THAT DISTRICT? WHAT ARE THEY GIVING BACK TO THOSE PEOPLE THAT CAN BARELY AFFORD TO GET UP IN THE MORNING AND SAY, I'M GONNA TAKE MY CHILD TO SCHOOL.
WHAT ARE WE GIVING OUR CHILDREN? ARE WE JUST GONNA BUILD BUILDINGS? AND THEN THEY SEE CORPORATE PEOPLE GOING IN AND OUT WITH FANCY CARS AND MAJOR SUITS AND LABELS, BUT THEN THEY HAVE NOTHING, NOTHING LEFT, NOTHING LEFT TO GIVE TO THEIR DAUGHTERS, THEIR SONS, NO LEGACY TO LEAVE.
WE NEED TO START CULTIVATING THE THINGS THAT WE HAVE IN THAT DISTRICT AND MAKING THEM COME TO THE FOREFRONT OF KNOWING THAT WE'RE GONNA BUILD THIS CENTER AND WE CAN USE THE PEOPLE THAT ARE COMING AND THE SO-CALLED REFORM FROM CRIMINAL JUSTICE TO SAY, YOU DESERVE A SECOND CHANCE TOO.
YOU MADE YOUR MISTAKES, YOU PAID YOUR PRICE, BUT WHAT ARE YOU GONNA DO NOW WITH YOUR LIFE? THIS IS YOUR GIFT THAT YOU CAN GIVE BACK TO SOMEONE ELSE.
DO YOU WASTE YOUR TIME? DO YOU WASTE OUR TIME? DO YOU WASTE THE COMMUNITY'S TIME AND JUST SIT THERE TWIDDLING YOUR FINGERS SAYING, OH, WELL THEY COULD'VE DONE BETTER.
MY DISTRICT IS ME, AND WE NEED EACH OTHER.
UM, I'LL GO AHEAD AND, AND START.
UH, WHAT ARE YOUR VIEWS ON ISSUES OF GENTRIFICATION AND THE NEEDS FOR AFFORDABLE HOUSING? UH, AND SPECIFICALLY THE ROLE OF, UH, CITY GOVERNMENT IN THAT PROCESS? UH, SUCH AS THE USE OF PUBLIC MONIES, UH, TO INCENT AFFORDABLE HOUSING
[00:35:02]
WITH, WITH GENTRIFICATION, WE SEE IT AROUND AMERICA, NOT JUST HERE IN OUR OWN CITY, NOT JUST ON DISTRICT TWO'S LEVEL.IT IS SOMETHING THAT IS TAKING PLACE WORLDWIDE.
IS IT SOMETHING THAT WE CAN WORK TOGETHER TO BRING STILL COMMUNITY DRIVEN INITIATIVES? IT IS.
WE CAN HAVE PARTNERSHIPS, NOT JUST CORPORATIONS COMING IN TO TAKE OVER AND SAYING, OH, THIS BLOCK IS NEGLECTED.
I'M GONNA BUY UP THIS WHOLE AREA.
IF YOU LOOK AROUND AT THE DIFFERENT HOUSES THAT ARE BEING QUOTE UNQUOTE REHABBED, BUT THEN THEY'RE BEING SOLD AT THREE TIMES THE PROPERTY VALUE WITHIN THAT COMMUNITY, YOU'RE STILL NOT ADDING VALUE TO THAT DISTRICT.
WE NEED TO START LOOKING AT WAYS THAT WE CAN CULTIVATE, BRINGING IN PARTNERSHIPS TO WHERE THE HOUSES AND THE PROPERTY THAT IS THERE IS REHABBED IN A MARKET TO WHERE EVERYONE CAN STILL BE, UM, ABLE TO AFFORD IT.
THEY CAN STILL BE ABLE TO PAY THEIR PROPERTY TAX.
AND THEN WE WORK ON AN INITIATIVE TO WHERE IF THEY'RE NOT ABLE, WHAT ARE THE STIPULATIONS WE CAN PUT IN PLACE TO MAKE SURE YOU DON'T LOSE YOUR HOMESTEAD, TO MAKE SURE YOUR KIDS HAVE SOMEWHERE WHEN THEY LEAVE AND GO TO COLLEGE.
MOM IS STILL IN THE SAME PLACE.
HER DAD IS STILL IN THE SAME PLACE.
WE BUILD TOGETHER, NOT BUILD, DIVIDED.
IF WE BUILD TOGETHER, WE BUILD STRONGER.
AND THEN WITH THE CITY BEHIND YOU, THEN YOU ARE FORCED TO BE RECKONED WITH.
THE STATE OF TEXAS AND THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO DESERVES US PULLING TOGETHER, BONDING TOGETHER, BUILDING WITH THESE CORPORATIONS AND PARTNERSHIPS INSTEAD OF JUST SELLING OUT.
AND MY OTHER QUESTION IS, WHAT, WHAT ARE YOUR, UH, VIEWS ON PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION AND THE NEEDS, UH, FOR TRANSPORTATION REFORM IN THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO? TRANSPORTATION IS A MAJOR ISSUE IN THE AREA BETWEEN DISTRICT TWO, WHERE RANDOLPH MEETS WITHIN THE, THE 78 AND THE CONVERSE AREA.
AND YOU LOOK AT THE ROADS AND HOW TRANSPORTATION, THE BUS 25 RUNS ALONG COMMERCE AND HONEY.
MARTIN LUTHER KING HAS BUS 26.
THOSE BUSES RUN SPORADICALLY BECAUSE YOU HAVE A BUS THAT TURNS ON COMMERCE AND HONEY.
BUT HOW MANY TIMES A DAY DOES THAT NEIGHBORHOOD REALLY GET SERVICED BY THAT TRANSPORTATION? THERE NEEDS TO BE A BUS LINE THAT IS SET UP NOT ONLY DURING THE HOURS OF SCHOOL, BUT THEN YOU HAVE WEEKENDS.
YOU HAVE PARENTS THAT WORK OVERNIGHT, BUT THEN THEY'RE TRYING TO FIND A RIDE THROUGH UBER, THROUGH LYFT TO GET HOME WHEN THE BUSES AREN'T RUNNING.
THERE CAN BE A LATE NIGHT BUS SERVICE.
THERE ARE WAYS THAT WE CAN HAVE TRANSPORTATION THAT RUNS 24 7.
WE DON'T HAVE THAT IN THIS CITY.
YOU KNOW, WE'RE LOOKED AT AS A SMALL LITTLE CITY, BUT WE'RE REALLY A MAJOR FORCE.
WE'RE REALLY SOMETHING THAT NEEDS THAT.
WE NEED TO HAVE MORE TO WHERE LYFT AND UBER ARE NOT JUST LOOKING AT, OKAY, WE'RE GONNA MAKE MONEY OFF OF YOU BECAUSE YOUR CAB SYSTEM OR YOUR BUS SYSTEM SUCKS.
WE NEED TO GET INTO THE VIA TRANSPORTATION SYSTEM AND SAY, WHAT CAN WE DO TO BRING AFFORDABLE TRANSPORTATION AT THE HOURS THAT NO ONE WANTS TO DO IT AT THE HOURS THAT NO ONE CAN AFFORD TO REALLY GET HOME FROM THOSE JOBS THAT THEY'RE WORKING OVERNIGHT.
AND I BELIEVE THAT THAT'S WHAT WE CAN DO WITH CITY COUNCIL.
UH, I READ THAT YOU'VE WORKED AT GOODWILL INDUSTRIES.
COULD YOU TELL US A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THAT EXPERIENCE AND HOW YOU THINK THAT BENEFITS YOU AS A FUTURE COUNCIL PERSON? YES, SIR.
UM, GOODWILL INDUSTRY SAVED MY FAMILY.
UM, WHEN WE SPEAK ABOUT AFFORDABLE HOUSING OR COMING FROM A PLACE WHERE YOU'RE TRANSITIONING IN LIFE, I TRANSITIONED OUT THE MILITARY AS A SINGLE MOTHER WITH THREE KIDS.
UM, THE HARDEST THING TO DO WAS SAY, I NEED HELP.
WHEN I WENT TO GOODWILL, THEY NEVER LOOKED AT ME AS A BLOCK OR A BURDEN.
THEY NEVER LOOKED AT MY, MY BACKGROUND OF WHAT BROUGHT YOU HERE.
THE ONLY THING THAT THEY SAID WAS, WHAT CAN WE DO TO GET YOU BETTER? I WORKED ON SEVERAL DIFFERENT GOVERNMENT CONTRACTS.
I DID THE O P F POSITION, WHICH IS OFFICE PERSONNEL FILING.
SO WE LOOKED AT THOSE THAT ARE GOING UP FOR DIFFERENT CONTRACTS AND THINGS OF THAT NATURE.
UM, THEY SOLIDIFIED ME WITH GETTING CLOTHES.
THEY HELPED ME WITH GETTING MY HOUSING.
THEY HELPED ME WITH HELPING MY MOTHER SAVE HER HOUSE.
AND SO I LOOK AT GOODWILL AS A FORCE THAT YOU CAN BRING INTO YOUR COMMUNITY.
WE HAVE A GOODWILL TRANSITION CENTER THAT'S LOCATED AT THE GOOD SAMARITAN BUILDING FOR VETERANS, BUT WE NEED SOMETHING THAT IS A LITTLE BIT MORE, WE HAVE THE NEW GOODWILL STORE THAT IS LOCATED OFF OF SOUTH WW WHITE.
THAT'S GREAT, BUT THEY HAVE SO MUCH MORE THEY CAN OFFER.
WE, I WOULD LOVE TO SEE GOODWILL PUT A UNIVERSITY OR AN ACADEMY THERE WITHIN THE COMMUNITY TO BRING THE DIFFERENT RESOURCES THAT THEY NEED TO EDUCATE THOSE TO GO OUT THERE AND GET THOSE BETTER PAYING JOBS TO GO OUT THERE AND GET THOSE JOBS THAT WILL GIVE THEIR FAMILY THE STABILITY THEY NEED.
UM, I TAUGHT OVER IN THE EAST SIDE AT POE MIDDLE SCHOOL AT PICKETT ACADEMY.
UH, I'D LIKE YOUR OPINION ON, UH, PUBLIC SCHOOLS IN YOUR DISTRICT AND, UH, THE CHARTER SCHOOLS IN THE DISTRICT.
[00:40:01]
A CHILD OF THE PUBLIC SCHOOL SYSTEM.I WENT TO GATES ELEMENTARY, I WENT TO MARTIN LUTHER KING MIDDLE SCHOOL, AND THEN I GRADUATED WITH THE HONORS FROM SAM HOUSTON HIGH SCHOOL.
AT THE TIME THAT I WAS AT GATES ELEMENTARY SCHOOL, WE HAD A PROGRAM THAT WAS CALLED THE YOUNG MAN MOSA PROGRAM.
THEIR PROGRAM TAUGHT US ETIQUETTE AND SELF-IMAGE.
IT TAUGHT US HOW TO NOT ONLY LOOK AT OURSELVES AS WHAT WE WERE GROW AND DEVELOP INTO PHYSICALLY, BUT IT HELPED CHANGE OUR MINDSETS OF WHAT WE CAN BE AS YOUNG AFRICAN AMERICAN WOMEN GROWING UP IN A SOCIETY THAT LOOKS AT US A LITTLE DIFFERENTLY BECAUSE OF THE COLOR OF THE SKIN THAT WE'RE IN.
UM, WHEN I WENT TO MARTIN LUTHER KING MIDDLE SCHOOL, I WAS ABLE TO LINK UP WITH THE LINKS INCORPORATED PROGRAM WITH THEIR PROGRAM.
WE WERE ABLE TO MEET WITH THE COUNTY JUDGES.
UM, I GOT TO MEET, UH, THE JUDGES IN THEIR CHAMBERS AND SIT AND TALK TO THEM.
THEY WERE ABLE TO SEND US TO DIFFERENT PROGRAMS AT THE UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS AT AUSTIN.
AND THEN THEY SENT US ALSO TO TEXAS A AND M UNIVERSITY WHERE WE SPENT A WEEK OVER THE SUMMER LEARNING ABOUT COLLEGE EDUCATION, FINANCIAL AID, HOW TO DO FINANCES, HOW TO DO BUDGETING, AND DIFFERENT THINGS OF THAT NATURE.
THEY FOLLOWED US FROM MIDDLE SCHOOL ALL THE WAY THROUGH HIGH SCHOOL.
AND THEN ONCE WE GRADUATED HIGH SCHOOL, I APPLIED TO THE UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS AT AUSTIN.
THAT WAS THE ONLY SCHOOL I WANTED TO GO TO.
I WAS ACCEPTED BECAUSE SOMEONE PUT INITIATIVE THROUGH A PROGRAM TO LOOK AT THOSE SCHOOLS, TOUCH THE CHILDREN THAT WERE BEING LEFT ASIDE AND BRING US INTO SOMETHING THAT WE COULD BE BETTER AT AND GROW INTO.
UM, I BELIEVE THAT OUR SCHOOL SYSTEMS ON SAN ANTONIO'S, UH, INDEPENDENT SCHOOL DISTRICT ARE SOME OF THE GREATEST.
THEY HAVE SOME OF THE MOST DEDICATED TEACHERS THAT ARE LOOKING TO MAKE THE DIFFERENCE IN ALL OF THOSE CHILDREN'S LIVES.
I HAVE HAD THE PRIVILEGE OF GOING TO CHURCH WITH THESE TEACHERS.
I'VE HAD THE PRIVILEGE OF SITTING DOWN AND HELPING THESE TEACHERS GET GLOVES AND HATS AND SCHOOL SUPPLIES.
AND THE JOY THAT THE CHILDREN HAVE WHEN YOU JUST DO SMALL TOKENS MEANS A LOT MORE.
AS FAR AS CHARTER SCHOOLS, I'LL BE HONEST WITH YOU, THE CHARTER SCHOOL SYSTEM, I GOT TO WORK THERE TOO.
MY CHILDREN ARE A PRODUCT OF THE CHARTER SCHOOL SYSTEM.
THEY WERE CHOSEN OUT OF A LOTTERY.
THEY WERE PICKED UP FROM THE BOYS AND GIRLS CLUB ON THE EAST SIDE OF SAN ANTONIO AND TO THEIR CAMPUS, WHICH IS OFF OF WEST COMMERCE UNTIL IT MOVED ONTO, UH, VALS.
SO WE STARTED AT THE SCHOOL OF EXCELLENCE.
I STARTED WITH THE PRE-K FOUR PROGRAM AS A TEACHER'S ASSISTANT, AND I MOVED UP INTO HR.
I MOVED UP INTO THE, UM, ATHLETIC DEPARTMENT WHERE I HAD TO BE RESPONSIBLE FOR THE COMPLETE ATHLETIC BUDGET WITHIN THAT SCHOOL DISTRICT BECAUSE OF THE CHARTER SCHOOL SYSTEM.
A LOT OF TIMES PEOPLE LOOK AT IT AS A SCHOOL FOR THOSE KIDS THAT DON'T BELONG, BUT YOU HAVE MANY KIDS THAT COME OUT OF THERE WITH THE MINDSET AND THE MAGNITUDE TO GO ON TO BE DOCTORS AND LAWYERS AND EDUCATORS.
SO IF WE USE THAT PLATFORM TO BUILD MORE IN COLLABORATING THE DIFFERENT FORMS, LIKE THE LINKS PROGRAM OR DIFFERENT FORMS OF ETIQUETTE, DIFFERENT FORMS OF TEACHING OUR CHILDREN, THAT THE MIND IS THE BEST THING THAT THEY HAVE GOING FOR THEM, THEN WE HAVE A SYSTEM THAT WE CAN BRING OUT THE NEXT MAYOR.
COULD YOU TELL ME WHAT YOU THINK IS YOUR GREATEST STRENGTH? MY GREATEST STRENGTH IS MY COMMUNITY.
MY GREATEST STRENGTH IS THE LOVE THAT I HAVE FOR MY COMMUNITY.
AND MY GREATEST STRENGTH IS THE FACT THAT I WILL NEVER WAVER FROM WHERE I COME FROM.
I KNOW WHERE I'VE COME FROM, I KNOW WHERE I'VE BEEN, AND I DEFINITELY KNOW WHERE I'M GOING.
ONE OF THE ISSUES THAT WE'RE FACING, UH, AND WE'RE TALKING ABOUT AS COUNCIL IS THE PROLIFERATION OF SCOOTERS THAT WE HAVE AROUND THE CITY.
WHAT DO YOU THINK ABOUT THAT ISSUE? LAST WEEK WAS THE FIRST TIME I SAW TWO BIRD SCOOTERS SITTING IN OUR NEIGHBORHOOD.
AND MY SONS WERE LIKE, MOM, THOSE ARE SCOOTERS.
AND I'M LIKE, YES, THEY'RE EVERYWHERE.
I BELIEVE THAT WE SHOULD HAVE STREETS DESIGNED JUST LIKE BIKES FOR THOSE SCOOTERS OR IF WE NEED TO WHITEN OUR, OUR SIDEWALKS SO THAT THEY ARE SAFE, LET'S ALONE, NOT EVEN TO THE RIDER, BUT TO THE DRIVERS THAT ARE IN THAT SAME VICINITY AS THOSE SCOOTERS.
UM, THE PICKUP OF THOSE SCOOTERS.
I DON'T THINK THEY SHOULD JUST BE LEFT ON THE SIDE OF THE ROAD.
UM, MAYBE WE SHOULD HAVE DIFFERENT PORTALS TO WHERE YOU CAN PARK THEM, LOCK THEM IN.
THAT MIGHT BE A BETTER WAY THAN JUST LEAVING THEM JUST LAYING OUT THERE.
YOU NEVER KNOW WHO MIGHT KICK ONE IN THE STREET.
SO THOSE ARE SOME OF THE SAFETY ISSUES THAT I SEE COME WITH THE SCOOTERS.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR YOUR ANSWERS.
UM, YOU, YOU UNDERSTAND THAT THIS IS A CITY COUNCIL THAT DOESN'T JUST MEET UP HERE ON THIS DIOCESE, BUT THAT WE ALL HAVE SUBCOMMITTEES.
ARE THERE ANY SUBCOMMITTEES IN PARTICULAR THAT INTEREST YOU AND WHAT ARE THEY? UM, VETERANS RIGHTS INTERESTS ME.
UM, THERE HOMELESS POPULATION OF VETERANS IS, IS OUTRAGEOUS.
WE HAVE CAMPS THAT ARE SET UP BEHIND BUILDINGS, BUT YOU HAVE TO LOOK AT THESE PEOPLE ARE NOT ONLY SUFFERING FROM HOMELESSNESS, THEY HAVE MAYBE P T S D.
UM, MENTAL HEALTH ISSUES ARE REALLY IMPORTANT
[00:45:01]
TO ME.YOU HAVE A LOT OF PEOPLE THAT ARE SUFFERING, BUT THEY SUFFER IN SILENCE.
UM, SO THAT THE OTHER SUBCOMMITTEES THAT INTEREST ME WOULD BE AN INITIATIVE ON THE AFFORDABLE HOUSING.
YET, HOW CAN WE TAKE THE OLD DILAPIDATED HOUSES THAT ARE SITTING OUT THERE, THE APARTMENT BUILDINGS THAT ARE SITTING OUT THERE AND REHAB THEM TO FIT THE NEEDS OF THE COMMUNITY THAT WE LIVE IN, UM, TO MAKE THEM MORE BUDGET FRIENDLY.
NOT SO MUCH TO SAY WE'RE GONNA PAY SO MUCH FOR YOU, BUT WE KNOW THAT YOU HAVE A BUDGET THAT YOU CAN WORK ON.
CAN WE GET THOSE BUILDINGS REHABBED? UM, THOSE ARE SOME OF THE THINGS THAT MAKE A DIFFERENCE FOR ME.
I LOOK AT THE DIFFERENT PARKS AND RECREATIONS.
HOW CAN WE BUILD ON THAT? HOW CAN WE MAKE IT TO WHERE IF THE BOYS AND GIRLS CLUB IS NOT AFFORDABLE FOR YOU, THEN WHAT CAN WE DO WITHIN THIS REALM OF OUR PARKS AND RECREATION TO MAKE SURE THAT YOUR CHILD HAS A SAFE ENVIRONMENT TO GO TO AFTER SCHOOL? SO THOSE ARE SOME OF MY THANK YOU.
AND THEN MY SECOND AND LAST QUESTION IS, UM, YOU KNOW, WITHOUT BUSINESSES AND EMPLOYERS, THERE UH, AREN'T JOBS, RIGHT? AND THAT INVESTMENT IS VERY IMPORTANT AND WE HAVE TO MAINTAIN A HEALTHY ECOSYSTEM FOR BUSINESS.
ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT PIECES, UM, THAT WE ALL UP HERE KNOW IS ESSENTIAL TO THAT IS A HEALTHY C P S ENERGY.
UM, JUST RIFF ON THAT FOR A SECOND AND TALK TO ME ABOUT WHAT YOU THINK C P SS NEEDS TO BE DOING AND WHERE YOU WOULD LIKE TO C P S GO INTO THE FUTURE.
UM, C P S IS OUR ONLY ELECTRICITY COMPANY.
LET'S, WE DON'T HAVE AN ELECTRICAL SCHOOL THAT THEY CAN ACTUALLY, PEOPLE CAN GO TO AND LEARN THE TRAITS THAT ARE NEEDED THROUGH C P SS TO WORK WITH THEM OR TO FIND OUT HOW TO DO THE BUDGETING THAT WE NEED TO HAVE WITHIN OUR COMMUNITIES, WITHIN OUR DISTRICTS.
A LOT OF TIMES, IF YOU LOOK AT IT, IF WE HAD A, A MO PLANT OR SOMEWHERE THAT PEOPLE THAT HAVE INTEREST IN ELECTRICAL ENGINEERING, ELECTRICAL FIELDS THAT CAN UNDERSTAND HOW TO PROPERLY INSTALL WIRING, HOW TO PROPERLY MAKE A HOUSE, UH, ECONOMICALLY CONVENIENT TO LIVE IN WITHOUT USING ALL OF YOUR C P SS ENERGY IN ONE MONTH, THEN THAT'S WHAT WE WOULD NEED TO DO.
I WOULD LOVE TO SEE C P S FORM MORE OF AN EDUCATIONAL ASPECT WITHIN OUR DISTRICT AND OUR COMMUNITY AND OUR CITY THAN JUST BE HERE TO SAY, WE'RE HERE, HERE WE ARE.
THANK YOU MAYOR AND, UH, JADA.
I, UH, I I I THINK IT'S OBVIOUS THAT, UH, IN YOUR PRESENTATION AND YOUR ANSWERS TO THE QUESTIONS SO FAR THAT WE'VE MADE THE RIGHT CHOICE AND RING YOU BACK TO LISTEN AND HEAR MORE ABOUT SOME OF YOUR PERSPECTIVES.
AND, UH, I'M GONNA ASK A QUESTION THAT I IS PROBABLY GONNA BE SELFISH BECAUSE I'VE GOT JUST A FEW MONTHS LEFT ON THE COUNCIL, AND IN THOSE FEW MONTHS I WANT TO TRY TO, YOU KNOW, WORK WITH FOLKS WHO HAVE EXPERIENCE WITH ISSUES THAT I THINK ARE GONNA BE REALLY IMPORTANT.
SO, UH, BUT FIRST LEMME SAY, I, I, I APPRECIATE YOUR, UH, YOUR RESPONSES AND YOUR, YOUR POINTS ABOUT PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION.
UH, YOU SPEAK FROM A PERSPECTIVE THAT I THINK UNDERSTANDS FOLKS WHO, WHO DEAL WITH PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION OR THE LACK OF IN SOME OF THOSE CASES.
SO I, I APPRECIATE THAT, UH, YOU COME FROM PERSPECTIVE THAT, YOU KNOW, YOU KNOW, DISTRICT TWO RESIDENTS OR YOU HAVE PERSONAL EXPERIENCE.
SO THAT'S THE QUESTION I HAVE IS, DO YOU KNOW, UH, DISTRICT TWO RESIDENTS OR DO YOU HAVE PERSONAL EXPERIENCE WITH AN ISSUE THAT I THINK WE'LL TAKE ON, WHICH IS AROUND CRIMINAL JUSTICE? AND, AND THE, THE ISSUE THAT, UH, I SPOKE WITH ABOUT COUNCILMAN SHAW, WHICH WAS ON SITE AND RELEASE, UH, WHETHER THOSE, THESE ARE YOUNG PEOPLE OR PEOPLE IN MY DISTRICT OR YOUR DISTRICT THAT MIGHT BE DEALING WITH HAVING TO GO DOWN TO BEAR COUNTY OR THE MAGISTRATE'S OFFICE.
UH, ANYTHING THAT YOU'D LIKE TO SPEAK TO WITH, UH, WITH THE, THE IDEA OR THE CONCEPT OF CRIMINAL JUSTICE AND LAW ENFORCEMENT? YES, DEFINITELY.
UM,
UM, IN HIGH SCHOOL, WE HAD A SHOOTING THAT HAPPENED WHILE WE WERE IN SCHOOL.
AT THAT TIME, WE DIDN'T HAVE METAL DETECTORS, WE DIDN'T HAVE PEOPLE THAT WERE SEARCHING US.
WE DIDN'T HAVE DOGS ON CAMPUS.
WE HAD TO LIVE THROUGH, EVERY WEEK WAS A MOMENT OF SILENCE.
EVERY WEEK WE LOST SOMEONE THAT WE KNEW WAS PLAYING FOOTBALL, OR WE LOST SOMEONE THAT JUST SAW A SCHOOL LAST WEEKEND AND NOW THEY'RE NO LONGER WITH US.
SO AN INITIATIVE TO COMBAT CRIMINAL VIOLENCE, TO LOOK AT WHY ARE YOU IN THIS SITUATION? IF I SEE YOU DOING SOMETHING, DO I NEED TO TAKE YOU TO A POINT WHERE YOU HAVE TO BE BOOKED, MAKE BAIL, AND THEN COME HOME TO WHERE YOU'RE LIKE, WHAT'S NEXT FOR ME? I'VE GIVEN UP EVERYTHING.
SO IF YOU LOOK AT THE FACT THAT IF WE DO A REFORM, IT'S NOT EVEN REALLY WHERE WE NEED TO START.
WE NEED TO START BEFORE WE GET TO THE REFORM.
WE NEED TO GO AND START EARLY IN THE, THE ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS BECAUSE NOW THEY HAVE NO LIMIT ON WHAT AGE THEY WILL START TAPPING INTO YOUR CHILD'S MIND.
ONCE WE REACH OUR COMMUNITY'S ASPECT OF OVERCOMING THE FEAR
[00:50:01]
OF SPEAKING OUT, THEN WE HAVE A CHANCE TO MAKE SOMETHING DIFFERENT.RIGHT NOW, YOUR COMMUNITY IS A COMMUNITY THAT LIVES IN FEAR BECAUSE IT'S BEEN TERRORIZED BY SO MANY FOR SO LONG.
SO INITIATIVES LIKE THE RELEASE, YOU KNOW, PROGRAM THAT COUNCILMAN SHAW HAD PUT IN PLACE IS SOMETHING THAT DEFINITELY NEEDS TO BE LOOKED AT BECAUSE WE HAVE LOST SO MANY OF OUR BLACK MEN TO THE SYSTEM OF CRIMINAL JUSTICE, BUT WHEN THEY COME HOME, THEY HAVE NO IDENTITY OF THEIR OWN.
SO NOW YOU'RE DEALING WITH A MINDSET OF TRYING TO GET THEM TO UNDERSTAND YOU'RE NO LONGER IN THAT CRIMINALISTIC MINDSET.
YOU'RE NO LONGER THAT CAGED ANIMAL.
YOU ARE TRULY A HUMAN BEING THAT HAS RIGHTS WITHIN YOURSELF TO BE MORE THAN THAT.
AND WE NEED TO ACTUALLY TAP INTO NOT JUST CRIMINALIZING YOU, BUT HOW DO WE GET YOU TO COME OUT OF THE MINDSET OF WHAT YOU'RE SO USED TO.
AND SO WHEN YOU HAVE SOMEONE THAT'S LOOKING AT THE ASPECT OF WE NEED TO DO SOMETHING DIFFERENT THAN WHAT WE ARE, WHAT WE'RE USED TO, THEN THAT'S WHEN WE CAN MAKE A CHANGE.
THANK YOU JADA, FOR YOUR PERSPECTIVE AND AGAIN, FOR, FOR YOUR APPLICATION.
AND I KNOW THIS IS A VERY INTIMIDATING PROCESS, UH, BUT YOU'RE, I THINK YOU'RE DOING AN EXCELLENT JOB.
SO THANK YOU SO MUCH, UM, FOR, UH, FOR COMING BEFORE US.
UM, I'M ONE OF THE MORE SENIOR MEMBERS ON THE COUNCIL.
I'VE BEEN HERE SIX YEARS NOW, AND IT'S, UM, A PRETTY STEEP LEARNING CURVE.
AND SO THE TWO THINGS THAT ARE COMING BEFORE US THAT I THINK ARE REALLY CRITICAL FOR OUR CITY, UH, ARE THE HIRING OF OUR CITY MANAGER, UH, AND, UH, A PENDING FIRE CONTRACT, UM, WITH OUR FIREFIGHTERS.
AND, UM, COULD YOU TA TALK ABOUT WHAT EXPERIENCE YOU MIGHT HAVE IN EITHER THE HIRING PROCESS OR RESOLVING CONTRACT DISPUTES, UH, THAT WOULD HELP US TO MAKE GOOD DECISIONS, UM, ALONG THOSE TWO ISSUES? YES, MA'AM.
UM, MY FAMILY HAS A HISTORY OF FIREFIGHTERS WITHIN THE FAMILY FIREFIGHTERS THAT WE KNOW, AND THEY PUT THEIR LIFE ON THE LINE EVERY DAY TO SAVE US TO BE THERE AND ACCOUNTABLE FOR THOSE THAT ARE INJURED.
THEY PUT THEMSELVES ON THE LINE TO SAY THAT WE'RE HERE, BUT AT THE SAME TIME, THEY STILL DESERVE US TO BE BEHIND THEM AS WELL.
THEY DESERVE INITIATIVES AND CONTRACTS THAT ARE GONNA BE FAIR, THAT ARE GONNA BE RESPONSIBLE TO THE DUTIES THAT THEY PERFORM AND THAT ARE GONNA BACK THEM TO BE ABLE TO PERFORM THEIR DUTIES TO THE BEST OF THEIR ABILITIES.
AS FAR AS WITH THE CITY MANAGER POSITION, I HAVE HEARD OVER THE YEARS THE STIFLING THAT A LOT OF PEOPLE HAVE ABOUT THE PAY OF A CITY MANAGER.
WHEN YOU LOOK FOR SOMEONE THAT IS GONNA COME IN AND RUN YOUR CITY, YOU NEED TO HAVE SOMEONE THAT IS REALLY GONNA BE TRULY DEDICATED TO SEEING THE CHANGE OF YOUR CITY FOR THE BETTER, THAT UNDERSTANDS THE HISTORY OF THAT CITY AND UNDERSTANDS WHERE THEY NEED TO LEAVE THEIR MARK.
AS A CITY MANAGER, YOU CAN COME IN WITH A BLESSED RESUME AND HAVE ALL THE CREDENTIALS IN THE WORLD.
WHERE IS YOUR HEART FOR THIS CITY? WHERE IS YOUR MIND FOR THIS CITY? WHERE ARE YOU LOOKING TO TAKE THIS CITY? SAN ANTONIO IS A CITY THAT NOT ONLY SPEAKS OF CULTURE, BUT IT SPEAKS OF DIVERSITY, IT SPEAKS OF INCLUSIVITY, AND IT SPEAKS OF WHO WE ARE WITHIN THIS TEXAS REGION.
AND THAT RIGHT THERE MEANS MORE THAN A PIECE OF PAPER YOU CAN PUT IN FRONT OF ME.
I NEED TO KNOW WHO YOU ARE, I NEED TO KNOW WHAT YOU ARE, AND I NEED TO KNOW WHERE YOU'RE GONNA TAKE US.
THANK YOU MAYOR AND JADA, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR BEING HERE.
AND WE'RE CERTAINLY VERY, VERY PROUD OF THE FACT THAT, UH, YOU'RE A FINALIST.
IT'S PRETTY OBVIOUS YOU'RE WELL PREPARED.
UM, UM, IN LOOKING AT YOUR, YOUR RESUME HERE, I FIND IT INTERESTING THAT YOU'VE GOT A LOT OF EXPERIENCE, UH, DEALING WITH MEDICAL RECORDS WITH THE DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE, WHICH ARE NOTORIOUSLY COMPLEX OR COMPLICATED, HOWEVER YOU WANNA PUT IT.
UH, I KNOW I HAVE A BROTHER WHO'S, UH, DEALING WITH WITH THAT ISSUE, UH, DIRECTLY.
AND, YOU KNOW, I WANNA, I GUESS WHAT I WANT TO ASK IS, UH, SOMETHING THAT THAT IS REALLY, UH, ONE OF OUR HUGE RESPONSIBILITIES ON COUNCIL IS, IS UNDERSTANDING WHAT ARE THE WANTS AND ASKS OF OUR COMMUNITY AT THE SAME TIME, MAKING SURE THAT THEY FEEL THAT THEY UNDERSTAND THE VERY THINGS THAT ARE HAPPENING WITHIN OUR CITY, HOW THEY CAN FEEL CONNECTED SO THAT THINGS ARE NOT HAPPENING TO THEM, BUT THEY'RE RATHER, THEY FEEL LIKE THINGS ARE HAPPENING WITH THEM.
TELL ME SOMETHING ABOUT YOUR EXPERIENCE AS A, UH, MEDICAL RECORDS TECHNICIAN AND HOW YOU, HOW THAT CAN MAYBE HELP IN THIS ROLE IN TRANSLATING SOME OF THE COMPLEXITIES THAT WE HAVE HERE AT CITY HALL AND THE CITY, HOW IT FUNCTIONS AND HOW YOU CAN HELP THE COMMUNITY FEEL GOOD ABOUT WHAT WE ARE TRYING TO DO
[00:55:01]
AND WHAT WE COULD DO BETTER.UM, WHEN IT COMES TO MEDICAL RECORDS AND MEDICAL TRANSCRIPTION AND CODING, UM, WITHIN THE, THE DATABASE OF THE ARMY SIDE OF TRANSITIONING MEMBERS OUT OF THE SERVICE, SAN ANTONIO IS THAT CITY.
WE HAVE ARMY, WE HAVE AIR FORCE, WE HAVE NAVY, WE HAVE MARINES.
WE ARE A RICH CITY OF MILITARY SERVICE MEMBERS.
WHEN IT COMES DOWN TO RECORDS PROCESSING, RECORDS PROCESSING, PAPERWORK, PROCESSING THE ORGANIZATION OF THAT PAPERWORK, FOLLOWING THE TRAIL OF THAT PAPERWORK, WHERE DID THAT PAPERWORK COME FROM? WHERE DID IT GO TO? WHEN DID IT GO THERE? WHERE DID IT GO ONCE IT GOT THERE? HOW LONG HAS IT BEEN THERE? DO YOU KNOW HOW LONG IT'S GONNA TAKE? IS IT SITTING THERE FOR SIX MONTHS? WILL MY MY CLAIM BE CLOSED OUT BY THE TIME NEXT YEAR COMES? THESE ARE THINGS THAT EVEN WITHIN A CITY, WITHIN A CITY DISTRICT, WITHIN A CITY OF SAN ANTONIO, YOU HAVE TO FOLLOW THE PAPERWORK.
WHERE DID IT START? WHERE IS IT NOW? WHERE IS IT GOING? WHO DID IT GO TO? WHEN DID IT GET THERE? YOU HAVE TO BE VERY DETAIL ORIENTED.
YOU HAVE TO LOOK AT EVERY I, EVERY T MAKE SURE IT'S DOTTED AND IT'S CROSSED BECAUSE ONE PIECE OF PAPER CAN DETERMINE MORE THAN A YES OR A NO.
IT CAN ACTUALLY CLOSE OUT SOMETHING THAT IS DESPERATELY NEEDED FOR OUR CITY.
AND THAT ONE PIECE OF PAPER COULD BE THE VITAL ROLE TO SAY THAT THIS IS WHAT WE NEED TO CONTINUE TO BUILD.
AND CONGRATULATIONS FOR MAKING IT TO THIS POINT.
UM, I DO HAVE A COUPLE OF QUESTIONS HERE FOR YOU, AND IT'S A LITTLE BIT ABOUT YOUR COMMUNITY SERVICE, WHAT YOU'VE ACTUALLY DONE IN DISTRICT TWO.
CAN YOU EXPAND ON THAT A LITTLE BIT MORE? DEFINITELY.
MY CHURCH IS TREE MOUNT TEMPLE CHURCH, WHERE PASTOR LARRY J. THOMPSON IS THE PASTOR, AND WE DO WHAT WE CALL GIVEAWAYS.
SO WE STAND ON THE CORNER OF EITHER WW WHITE AND EAST HOUSTON.
WE GIVE OUT FREE CHICKEN, WE GIVE OUT CAR WASHES, WE GIVE OUT GAS, WE INVITE YOU TO OUR CHURCH.
WE GIVE OUT T-SHIRTS, WE HAVE TOY DRIVES, WE HAVE SOCK DRIVES.
WE GO OUT TO THE MISSION FOR THE WOMEN'S SHELTER.
WE HAND OUT PURSES THAT HAVE ALL OF THE THINGS THAT A WOMAN WOULD NEED TO FEEL LIKE HERSELF AGAIN AND CARRY HERSELF ACCORDINGLY.
WITH MY SORORITY, WE JUST DID A BLESSING BAG INITIATIVE WHERE WE DID OVER 40 MEN'S, UH, PERSONAL TOILETRY BAGS AND 40 WOMEN BAGS.
AND THEN WE ALSO DID 10 BAGS FOR THE CHILDREN, WHICH GOODWILL WAS A PART OF DONATING THOSE BAGS TO US AS WELL.
WE DID IT THROUGH DONATIONS FROM OUR COMMUNITY, THROUGH DONATIONS OF PEOPLE, THROUGH WAYS OF JUST VERBALLY SAYING WE'RE WANTING TO GIVE BACK.
SO IN THE SERVICE OF, OF SISTERHOOD AND IN THE SERVICE OF WHO I AM GIVING BACK TO MANKIND IS WHAT I STAND FOR.
MAKING SURE THAT OUR COMMUNITY HAS THE RESOURCES THAT IT NEEDS TO KNOW WHERE THEY NEED TO GO, AND THEN IF THERE ARE NO RESOURCES, MAKING THOSE RESOURCES HAPPEN TO MAKE SURE THAT OUR COMMUNITY IS FULLY GIFTED WITH THOSE THINGS THAT THEY NEED.
UH, YOU, YOU'RE SPEAKING OF RESOURCES AND UH, UH, YOU HAVE SOME GREAT IDEAS ON, UH, EXPANDING THOSE RESOURCES FOR DISTRICT TWO, BUT AT THE END OF THE DAY, THERE'S ALWAYS A REALITY OF STAYING WITHIN A BUDGET, KNOWING WHAT OUR BUDGET IS AND OUR GENERAL FUND.
WOULD, YOU KNOW, IN TRYING TO EXPAND THOSE SERVICES, WOULD YOU BE IN FAVOR OF A TAX INCREASE OR WOULD YOU JUST TAKE MORE OUT OF THE GENERAL FUND TO PROVIDE THESE ADDITIONAL SERVICES TO YOUR DISTRICT AT THIS PRESENT TIME, TAX INCREASES IS NOT SOMETHING THAT WOULD BENEFIT MY COMMUNITY.
IT WOULD REALLY HINDER THE, THE PEOPLE THAT LIVE THERE.
BUT THIS GENERAL FUND THAT WE SPEAK OF, WE JUST TOOK 400,000 OUT OF A GENERAL FUND TO HELP UPGRADE ROOFS.
WE TOOK 250,000 OFF OF THE SAN ANTONIO HOUSING FUND.
THERE ARE WAYS THAT YOU CAN MANIPULATE THE FIGURES TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY MEET THE NEEDS OF EVERYONE.
YOU MUST GO INTO THE GENERAL FUND, NOT ONLY LOOK AT IT FOR ONE SPECIFIC THING, BUT LET'S LOOK AT IT FOR A PLETHORA OF THINGS AND MAKE EVERYTHING MATCH AND MEET THAT DOLLAR.
WITH BEING ABLE TO BUDGET AND RUN A HOUSEHOLD OF SIX CHILDREN, A MOTHER, A DOG, AND MYSELF, IT'S EASY TO SAY WE DON'T HAVE IT, BUT IT'S EASIER TO SAY WE CAN WORK TOWARDS IT WITHOUT PUTTING SOMEONE IN A POSITION WHERE YOU'RE GONNA LOSE EVERYTHING AND HAVE NOWHERE ELSE TO TURN.
BUT AGAIN, RUNNING A HOUSEHOLD, YOU HAVE TO STAY WITHIN THAT BUDGET AND, YOU KNOW, THE, YOU'RE SAYING WORK TO GET ADDITIONAL FUNDS.
THE ONLY WAY WE CAN GET ADDITIONAL FUNDS HERE IN SAN ANTONIO IS WITH HIGHER
[01:00:01]
TAXES OR MOVING MONEY FROM OUR SAFETY AND SECURITY OVER INTO THE GENERAL FUND.THERE'S YOU TO BE RESOURCEFUL.
THERE'S A, THERE'S A, THERE'S A FIXED AMOUNT THERE.
UNLESS YOU RAISE THE TAXES, YOU HAVE TO BE RESOURCEFUL.
TAPPING INTO TAXES IS ONE THAT'S ONLY ONE WAY, BUT THE COMMUNITY STANDS IN STRENGTH.
YOU HAVE TO REACH OUT TO THOSE RESOURCES THAT WERE ARE WITHIN YOUR COMMUNITY THAT CAN BRING IN THE PEOPLE THAT YOU NEED FROM THIS CORPORATE REALM THAT ARE LOOKING TO PAY INTO YOUR CITY.
YOU CAN BRING IN THOSE PEOPLE, THEY CAN ADD TOWARDS YOUR FUND WITHOUT DISPLACING THE FAMILIES THAT LIVE WITHIN THAT COMMUNITY.
YOU HAVE TO GO AND THINK OUTSIDE THE BOX.
WE CANNOT JUST STAY LIMITED TO JUST TAX REFORM.
TAX REFORM IS ONE THING, BUT THEN AFFECTING THE LIFE OF SOMEONE THAT'S BEEN IN A HOUSE FOR 60 YEARS AND DON'T EVEN KNOW WHAT DAY THEY'RE GONNA BE ABLE TO MAKE THAT TAX PAYMENT IS ANOTHER THING.
LET'S LOOK AT A DIFFERENT WAY OF JUST PULLING FROM A PLACE THAT IS ALREADY AT THE BOTTOM AND BUILD THEM UP TO SOMETHING EVEN BETTER.
WE HAVE WAYS AS A CITY TO WHERE WE DON'T HAVE TO DISPLACE OUR COMMUNITIES TO MAKE SOMETHING BETTER HAPPEN WITHIN THEM.
YOU, YOU HAD MENTIONED ABOUT, UH, YOU KNOW, THE ELDERLY WITHIN, UH, DISTRICT TWO AND THEY, THEY'RE NOT GETTING THE INFORMATION, UH, IN TODAY'S INFORMATION AGE.
WHAT WOULD YOU DO MORE TO GET THAT INFORMATION OUT TO YOUR ENTIRE DISTRICT? I BELIEVE A MOBILE COMMUNITY-BASED COMPUTER SYSTEM WOULD BE GREAT.
YOU HAVE MOBILE SERVICES THAT GO OUT AND DO MAMMOGRAMS, DENTAL CHECKUPS, WELLNESS CHECKUPS.
WHY NOT HAVE A MOBILE COMPUTER STATION? WHY NOT HAVE IT PARKED WITHIN THESE COMMUNITIES WHERE YOU CAN SAY, WE HAVE THE TRAILER HERE FOR OUR SENIORS TO COME OUT TO MAKE THEM A D A ADAPTABLE TO WHERE IF THEY HAVE WHEELCHAIRS, THEY CAN GET ONTO THIS BUS, TAP INTO THE SAN ANTONIO SYSTEM, AND GO AHEAD AND FIND OUT WHAT IS GOING ON WITHIN THEIR DISTRICT WITHOUT HAVING TO LEAVE THAT DISTRICT OR GO SOMEWHERE WHERE THEY DON'T EVEN KNOW HOW TO GET ON THE COMPUTER.
UH, MS. SULLIVAN, THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR COMING BACK TODAY AND FOR GOING THROUGH THIS PROCESS WITH US.
I THINK YOU'RE DOING, UH, A STELLAR JOB.
UH, THIS KIND OF REMINDS ME OF THE SENATE INTERROGATIONS OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT.
MUCH FRIENDLIER THAN, THAN THAT.
UM, UH, COULD I GET YOUR THOUGHTS ON, UH, THE STATUS OF OUR COMMUNITY'S HEALTH HERE IN THE AREA AND, AND YOUR THOUGHTS ON THE CITY'S ROLE IN PROTECTING THAT HEALTH OF THE COMMUNITY? THE HEALTH OF THE COMMUNITY IS, IS VERY VITAL.
NOT ONLY LOOKING AT THE HEALTH OF HOW ARE WE REHABBING THE HOMES THAT ARE LIVED IN, OR HOW ARE WE BUILDING THE COMMUNITY AS FAR AS AS WEALTH, BUT I AM SO SORRY.
UM, THE HEALTH OF THE INDIVIDUALS WHO LIVE IN OUR COMMUNITY, THE INDIVIDUALS MM-HMM.
THAT MAKES A DIFFERENCE BECAUSE IN THIS DISTRICT ALONE, UM, BLOOD PRESSURE, DIABETES, UM, CHOLESTEROL ARE SOME OF THE MAJOR ISSUES.
UH, BREAST CANCER ARE SOME OF THE MAJOR ISSUES THAT AFFECT US.
AND SO WE HAVE THE MOBILE COMMAND CENTERS THAT COME OUT MAYBE ONCE OR TWICE OUT OF THE YEAR.
WE NEED TO DO THAT A LITTLE BIT MORE FREQUENTLY.
WE NEED TO ACTUALLY START GOING TO THE ONES THAT WE KNOW THAT DON'T HAVE THE INSURANCE OR ON MEDICARE BASED SUPPLEMENTS OR ON MEDICAID BASED SUPPLEMENTS, AND WE NEED TO REACH OUT TO THEM AND LET THEM KNOW, OKAY, WE HAVE THE GARDEN THAT IS BEING DEVELOPED, UM, BY THE GENTLEMAN THAT INTERVIEWED YESTERDAY THAT DOES FRESH PRODUCE AND FRESH VEGETABLES, AND WE NEED TO START INTRODUCING THOSE THINGS.
WE NEED TO START DOING IT WITHIN OUR SCHOOL SYSTEM FIRST, WHICH CARRIES OVER INTO THE HOUSEHOLD BECAUSE A LOT OF THESE PARENTS, THEY SEND THEIR CHILDREN TO SCHOOL.
THAT'S WHERE THE CHILD GETS A MEAL.
WE NEED TO START PROVIDING HEALTHY CHOICE MEAL PLANS, NOT JUST, WE HAVE A SET CAFETERIA PLAN.
ON WEDNESDAYS, YOU'RE GONNA GET YOUR LUPAS OR RICE AND BEANS, YOU'RE GONNA GET SPAGHETTI WITH A GARLIC PIECE OF TOAST.
LET'S BRING IN FRESH PRODUCE AND LETS TEACH OUR KIDS CULTIVATING THE LAND IN WHICH THEY LIVE TO START GROWING VEGETABLES, FRUITS, AND THEN HELP THEM UNDERSTAND FARMING OUT AT, UM, EAST CENTRAL AND AT JUDSON, THEY HAVE THE LIVESTOCK THAT THEY HELP.
BUT IN THE SAN ANTONIO AREA, SAY FOR INSTANCE, SAM HOUSTON, YOU DON'T GET TO LEARN ABOUT LIVESTOCK, HOW TO DEVELOP A HERD OR HOW TO CULTIVATE THE LAND SO THAT THE ANIMALS CAN EAT.
THAT IS SOMETHING THEY NEED TO LEARN.
WE HAVE THE STOCK SHOW RODEO THAT COMES HERE EVERY YEAR, AND THAT IS SOMETHING THAT WE DON'T PARTICIPATE IN, BUT IT'S IN OUR DISTRICT.
WE NEED TO START LOOKING INTO HOW TO GET THE MONITORS FOR THE FAMILIES THAT CAN'T AFFORD BLOOD PRESSURE MONITORS OR, UH, THE NEEDLE READINGS, AND THEN DO A DISTRIBUTION OF THOSE THAT NEED HELP WITH THEIR DIABETIC SUPPLIES, THE DIABETIC NEEDS, THE SOCKS, AND THINGS OF THAT NATURE.
[01:05:01]
I THINK ONCE WE TAP INTO HEALTH, WE TAP INTO MENTALITY, WHICH CHANGES THE REALITY.I DO HAVE, UH, ONE MORE QUESTION FOR YOU.
UM, I THINK ONE OF THE BIG PROBLEMS, NOT JUST IN SAN ANTONIO, BUT BUT WORLDWIDE IS, UH, OUR CHANGING CLIMATE AND THE CHALLENGES THAT, THAT WE FACE WITH THAT, I THINK IT'S JUST SUCH A BIG PROBLEM.
IT'S REALLY EASY FOR LOCAL GOVERNMENTS TO, UM, TO FEEL IT'S NOT IN THEIR REALM, RIGHT.
THAT IT'S, AS SOMEONE ELSE IS GONNA TAKE CARE OF THAT 'CAUSE IT'S SO, IT'S SUCH AN OVERWHELMING PROBLEM.
BUT HERE IN SAN ANTONIO, WE SEE ITS EFFECTS.
WE SEE THAT OUR RAINFALLS ARE HEAVIER, UH, THAT WE HAVE MORE, UH, FLOOD EVENTS, AND THAT PUTS PEOPLE IN DANGER.
WE ALSO HAVE HIGHER TEMPERATURES, UH, WHICH IS REALLY BAD FOR PEOPLE WHO DON'T HAVE AIR CONDITIONING IN, IN THE HOT SUMMERS HERE IN SAN ANTONIO.
SO I'D JUST LIKE TO GET YOUR, UM, AS COUNCIL WINOLA SAID, RIFF A LITTLE BIT ON, UH,
WITH CLIMATE CHANGE, BEING THAT IT'S, IT'S WORLDWIDE.
WE HAVE NO CONTROL OVER WHAT THE CLIMATE IS GONNA DO FROM ONE MOMENT TO THE NEXT.
TEXAS IS VERY, VERY HOT, BUT WE COULD HAVE EVEN INDOOR COOLING TENTS WHERE PEOPLE CAN GO WHILE THEY'RE OUT AND ABOUT AND THEY CAN GO INTO THESE TENTS, THEY CAN HYDRATE.
WE HAVE HYDRATION STATIONS THAT CAN BE PLACED WITHIN THE PARK.
SO WITHIN THE AREA WHERE THERE'S NOTHING THERE, WE HAVE LOTS OF LAND THAT WE CAN USE TO BUILD, UM, CLIMATE CONTROLLED INSIDE FACILITIES TO START CULTIVATING AND GROWING THESE DIFFERENT CROPS AND DIFFERENT THINGS OF THAT NATURE.
UM, AN INITIATIVE TO WORK WITH, LIKE I SAID, PARTNER WITH THESE COMPANIES THAT MASS PRODUCE AIR CONDITIONS SO THAT OUR SENIORS ARE NOT USING THE LOW WINDOW FANS AND JUST BLOWING IN MORE HEAT AND THEN GET THESE IN, UM, UNITS INSTALLED PROPERLY TO WHERE THEY DON'T HAVE LEAKS AND RUN THEIR UTILITY BILL EVEN HIGHER.
THERE'S ENERGY EFFICIENT UNITS THAT WE CAN USE WITHIN THE SENIOR LIVING FACILITIES THAT HELP TO MAINTAIN THE, THE BUDGET THAT THEY HAVE IN PLACE.
BEING THAT IT'S A FIXED BUDGET, SOME OF THOSE THINGS WOULD BE GREAT TO HAVE WITHIN OUR COMMUNITIES TO HELP WITH THIS.
MS. SULLIVAN, UH, IN TERMS OF REDUCING THE POLLUTION THAT CONTRIBUTES TO CLIMATE CHANGE AND POLLUTION THAT CONTRIBUTES TO, TO AIR POLLUTION, WOULD YOU BE SUPPORTIVE OF WORKING TO REDUCE THAT POLLUTION? MOST DEFINITELY.
UM, THANK YOU VERY MUCH MS. SULLIVAN FOR YOUR, UM, WILLINGNESS TO STEP UP.
AND JUST SO YOU KNOW, I KNOW EXACTLY HOW IT FEELS LIKE FOR YOURSELF.
I'VE BEEN IN THAT POSITION BEFORE.
UM, SO I, I KNOW WHAT YOU'RE GOING THROUGH, SO, BUT I JUST WANT TO, MY QUESTION IS VERY SIMPLE.
UM, AND YOU'VE MAYBE SHARED THIS, BUT WHAT, WHEN WAS THE MOMENT THAT YOU SAID YOU WANTED TO STEP UP AND APPLY FOR THIS POSITION? SINCE I'VE BEEN LOOKING AT THE PEOPLE THAT WE'VE HAD IN PLACE, UM, OVER THE YEARS, THEY'VE COME, THEY'VE GONE, BUT WE HAVEN'T SEEN ANY REAL CHANGE AS FAR AS SOMEONE STAYING AND DOING THE LONG HAUL.
WHEN THIS POSITION OPENED, I WAS LIKE, OKAY, YOU'VE BEEN ENOUGH TALKING.
IT'S NOW TO DO THE WALKING, PUT THE BOOTS TO THE PAVEMENT, PULL UP YOUR PANTS AND GO TO WORK.
YOUR COMMUNITY NEEDS AND DESERVES SOMEBODY THAT'S WILLING TO DO THAT.
AND TODAY IS THAT DAY, AND THAT'S WHEN I MADE THAT CHOICE.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH MS. SULLIVAN, FOR YOUR TIME AND YOUR, UH, PATIENCE IN THE PROCESS, UH, AND GREAT JOB.
AND WE WILL, UH, CALL YOU UP SHORTLY.
UH, WE'LL, WE'LL RECONVENE WITH ALL OF THE CANDIDATES SHORTLY.
ALRIGHT, WE'LL NOW CALL IN, UM, CANDIDATE AUBREY LEWIS.
UH, ALL OF THE CANDIDATES HAVE FIVE MINUTES FOR A STATEMENT, AND THEN WE'LL GET INTO, UH, QUESTION AND ANSWER WITH THE COUNCIL.
[01:10:01]
UH, SO WE'RE GETTING A LITTLE BIT MORE IN DEPTH IN THE ISSUES.UH, FIRST OF ALL, I'D LIKE TO SAY GOOD MORNING TO YOU, MAYOR, UH, COUNCIL MEMBERS.
UH, I THANK YOU EACH AND EVERY ONE OF YOU FOR ALLOWING ME TO COME BACK AND CONTINUE IN THIS PROCESS OF FILLING THE VACANCY IN DISTRICT TWO.
AND ONCE AGAIN, MY NAME IS AUBREY LEWIS, BORN AND RAISED HERE IN SAN ANTONIO.
AND, UH, I HAVE THREE DAUGHTERS, TWO SONS, TWO GRANDCHILDREN, FOUR GREAT-GRANDCHILDREN.
AND SO I'M, I'M PROUD OF MY FAMILY.
UH, I HAVE THE PULSE OF THE COMMUNITY.
UH, I WORKED VERY HARD IN, IN THE DENVER HEIGHTS COMMUNITY WHEN I FIRST TOOK IT OVER.
UH, WE HAVE, UH, A TREMENDOUS MEMBERSHIP TODAY.
UH, AS I STATED PREVIOUSLY, OUR NATIONAL NIGHT OUT EVENTS ONE OF THE LARGEST IN THE CITY, AND, UH, WE ARE PROUD OF THAT.
UH, ALSO, UH, I HAVE, I REACH OUT TO THE BUSINESS COMMUNITY AND I HAVE A LOT OF SUPPORT FROM THE BUSINESS COMMUNITY.
UH, WE'VE HAD A LOT OF BUSINESSES TO COME INTO THE DENVER HEIGHT AREA, AND, AND WE ARE PROUD OF THOSE BUSINESSES.
AND, UH, I, I TRY TO WORK VERY HARD WITH THEM.
AND, UH, I'M, I'M JUST PROUD TO BE HERE TO SERVE THIS GREAT CITY.
I WAS BORN AND RAISED HERE, AND I'M PROUD OF THIS CITY.
I CAME BACK, I CAME BACK TO THE NEIGHBORHOOD, WHICH I WAS BORN IN.
I LIVE IN THE OLD HOMESTEAD, COULD MOVE OUT IN THE SUBDIVISION SOMEWHERE, BUT MY PARENTS WORKED VERY HARD TO ESTABLISH THAT HOMESTEAD, AND I WANT TO CARRY IT ON IN MY LEGACY.
AND SO, UH, I'M A NATIVE, TRUE SAN ANTONIO WORKING FOR THIS COMMUNITY, WORKING FOR THIS CITY.
AND I LOOK FORWARD IF I'M CHOSEN TO WORK HARD AND FAITHFUL WITH EACH AND EVERY ONE OF YOU.
MR. LEWIS, YOU ALLUDED TO THIS BRIEFLY, UH, BUT WE'RE WORKING ON IMPLEMENTING A HOUSING STRATEGY FOR THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO.
WHAT ARE, WHAT ARE YOUR VIEWS ON GENTRIFICATION AND AFFORDABLE HOUSING, AND IN PARTICULAR, THE USE OF CITY RESOURCES TO INCENT AFFORDABLE HOUSING? OKAY.
ON, UH, I SUPPORT AFFORDABLE HOUSING, UH, IN MY COMMUNITY.
UH, WE HAVE AFFORDABLE HOUSING COMING INTO THE COMMUNITY AND, AND, AND, AND WORKING WITH ZONING.
WE'VE ALWAYS SUPPORTED, UH, THE AFFORDABLE HOUSING PROJECTS THAT HAVE COME INTO THE DENVER HEIGHT AREA.
UH, THERE'S A PROJECT THAT'S COMING UP OVER ON THE, UH, HUFFMAN STREET, UH, UH, 86 UNIT APARTMENT PROJECT.
UH, WE, WE ARE IN FULL SUPPORT OF THAT.
UH, WE WORKED VERY HARD WITH THE BROWN AND ARTIS REAL ESTATE.
UH, THEY ARE TRYING TO PUT, UH, SOME TOWN HOMES OVER OFF OF PINE STREET.
UH, SEVEN HOME, SEVEN SEVEN TOWN HOME PROJECT.
YOU KNOW, SO I'VE, I'VE, I'VE WORKED, I'VE WORKED HARD AND, AND WITH ZONING AND, AND TRYING TO PROMOTE, UH, AND APPROVING, UH, FROM THE NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION STANDPOINT, UH, SUPPORTING THE, FOR, UH, AFFORDABLE HOUSING COMING INTO OUR AREA.
MY OTHER QUESTION IS WITH REGARD TO TRANSPORTATION.
WE ARE A GROWING CITY, UH, AND A LOT OF FOLKS ARE FEELING THE PAIN OF THAT IN CONGESTION.
UH, THERE ARE ALSO NEEDS FOR PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION, UH, THAT WE'VE, UH, ADDRESSED HERE ON THE DAIS.
WHAT ARE YOUR VIEWS ON PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION AND BROADER, UH, TRANSPORTATION REFORM IN OUR CITY? OKAY,
A LOT OF OUR MAJOR STREETS ARE BECOMING CONGESTED.
WE'VE GOT TO ESTABLISH RELIEF, UH, IN THOSE AREAS.
AND THE ONLY WAY WE'RE GONNA ESTABLISH THAT RELIEF IS THAT IF WE'VE GOT FIRST CLASS PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION, I MEAN, NOT ONLY, UH, THE BUSES, BUT WE'VE GOT TO START LOOKING AT, UH,
[01:15:01]
THE RAIL SYSTEM.UH, IT'S A LOT OF TRAFFIC BETWEEN HERE AND AUSTIN, TEXAS, FOR AN EXAMPLE, WHICH CON, WHICH KEEPS 35, UH, TIED DOWN.
UH, IT, IT'S, IT'S JUST UNBELIEVABLE.
AND WE'VE GOT TO ELIMINATE THAT.
AND, UH, WITH THE RAIL SYSTEM, WE CAN HELP ELIMINATE THAT TRAFFIC.
ALSO, WITH THE, YOU KNOW, I, I THINK THAT THERE'S ROOM FOR US TO CONSIDER SOME TYPE OF RAIL SYSTEM WITHIN THE CITY LIMITS OF SAN ANTONIO, SUCH AS HOUSTON, FOR AN EXAMPLE.
UH, THEY HAVE A MONTEREY RUNNING RIGHT DOWN, UH, MAIN STREET.
UH, WE NEED TO LOOK IN THOSE AREAS BECAUSE, UH, THE TRAFFIC IS, IS, IS TREMENDOUS HERE IN SAN ANTONIO.
IT'S, IT'S GETTING, SAN ANTONIO IS A PLACE WHERE PEOPLE ARE BEGINNING TO COME INTO BECAUSE IT'S A WONDERFUL PLACE TO BE.
AND WHEN THEY COME IN, IT'S JUST MORE TRAFFIC, MORE TRAFFIC, MORE TRAFFIC.
UH, I WAS TRYING TO COME HOME THE, UH, OTHER, OTHER EVENING FROM A FUNERAL UP IN BRYANT, AND IT TOOK ME OVER TWO HOURS JUST TO COME FROM AUSTIN.
SO, UH, I, I'M FULL SUPPORT OF, UH, IMPROVING OUR, OUR TRANSPORTATION.
AND, UH, THANK YOU MR. LEWIS AGAIN FOR, FOR YOUR APPLICATION AND FOR, YOU KNOW, STANDING UP THERE AND FIELDING A FEW OF THESE QUESTIONS.
UH, I, I WANT TO ASK A, A A QUESTION ABOUT, YOU KNOW, YOUR, YOUR PERSPECTIVE OR YOUR EXPERIENCE ON WHAT REALLY, I THINK IS SOMETHING COUNCILMAN SHAW AND I, UH, HAVE, HAVE TALKED ABOUT OR WE TALKED ABOUT RECENTLY, WHICH IS THE IDEA OF OF SITE AND RELEASE, UH, BEING PICKED UP AND, AND NOT BEING ABLE TO AFFORD BAIL AND HAVING TO SIT IN JAIL FOR A, AN OFFENSE THAT YOU MIGHT BE ABLE TO OTHERWISE EITHER TAKE CARE OF BY BEING ABLE TO PAY FOR IT, OR IF IT'S A MINOR OFFENSE, BEING ABLE TO BE CITED ON SCENE BY LAW ENFORCEMENT.
THAT'S SOMETHING THAT IN THE NEXT FEW MONTHS, YOU MIGHT ACTUALLY HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO, TO VOTE ON.
SO I WANT TO ASK YOU A QUESTION.
SINCE WHEN WE HAVE THE CHANCE AS A COUNCIL TO ACTUALLY WORK ON BIG ISSUES THAT ACTUALLY IMPACT PEOPLE'S LIVES, AND WE THINK THAT SOME OF THE BIGGEST ISSUES IMPACTING THE CITY IS, IS POVERTY, AND WE THINK THAT COULD BE AN ISSUE THAT THAT HURTS FOLKS, NOT ONLY IN DISTRICT TWO, BUT DISTRICT FOUR AND ALL PARTS OF THE CITY.
SO WHAT EXPERIENCE DO YOU HAVE EITHER THROUGH YOUR CHURCH OR THROUGH YOURSELF OR FAMILY OR FRIENDS OR CONSTITUENTS OR RESIDENTS AND NEIGHBORS WHO HAVE DEALT WITH CRIMINAL JUSTICE THAT YOU MIGHT BE ABLE TO BRING TO THAT CONVERSATION? I'VE HAD VERY LITTLE, UH, INVOLVEMENT WITH THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM.
UH, HOWEVER, I, I TRY TO KEEP AN OPEN, I DO KEEP AN OPEN MIND AND, UH, I WILL BE GUIDED BY, UH, STAFF AND THE COUNCIL RECOMMENDATION ON DEALING WITH THE ISSUES INVOLVING THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM.
UH, I, I AGREE THAT FOR A MINOR OFFENSE, A PERSON SHOULD NOT BE CONFINED LIKE HE'S A HE OR SHE IS A HARDENED CRIMINAL.
UH, THERE, THERE'S GOTTA BE SOME LEEWAY THERE.
UH, WE'VE GOTTA START LOOKING AT, UH, UH, REHABILITATION PROGRAMS OUT HERE OTHER THAN BEHIND THE GRAYBAR HO HOTEL.
THANK YOU MR. AND THANK YOU, MAYOR.
THANK YOU FOR VISITING WITH US AGAIN TODAY.
UM, JUST A COUPLE OF QUESTIONS, UH, YOUR THOUGHTS ON PUBLIC HEALTH HERE IN SAN ANTONIO, AND, AND I DO WANNA KNOW IF YOU'D BE SUPPORTIVE OF CONTINUING OUR WORK ON PROTECTING THE PUBLIC'S HEALTH AND POSSIBLY INCREASING WHAT WE DO, UH, IN PROTECTING PUBLIC HEALTH.
I, I WOULD BE IN, IN, IN FULL SUPPORT OF, OF, OF PUBLIC HEALTH.
UH, THERE'S A NEED, UH, FOR US TO EXPAND ON, ON PUBLIC HEALTH.
THERE ARE SO MANY OF OUR CITIZENS THAT ARE NOT ABLE TO AFFORD, UH, UH, A FIRST CLASS PHYSICIAN, A FIRST CLASS CLASS CLINIC TO GO TO.
AND, AND WE'VE GOTTA CONSIDER THEM.
UH, A LOT OF OUR PEOPLE HAVE WORKED HARD ALL THEIR LIVES.
UH, SOME OF THEM HAVE NOT BEEN AFFORDED A, A, A, A DECENT PENSION.
UH, THEY'RE, THEY'VE RETIRED AND THEY'RE LIVING OFF OF SOCIAL SECURITY.
UH, I RAN INTO A LADY SEVERAL YEARS AGO, UH, SHE WAS SURVIVING OFF OF $260 A MONTH.
SHE CAN'T, SHE COULDN'T AFFORD TO GO TO, UH, THE SAME DOCTOR I GO TO OR THE SAME DOCTOR ANY YOU GO TO.
SO WE'VE GOT TO THINK ABOUT THOSE PEOPLE.
THEY, THEY, THEY, THEY, THEY, UNFORTUNATELY,
[01:20:02]
THEY DIDN'T HAVE JOBS THAT AFFORDED THEM GOOD HEALTH COVERAGE.AND SO THEY'RE LEFT OUT THERE, UH, ABANDONED.
SO I'M, I'M IN FULL SUPPORT OF THAT.
AND THEN ANOTHER QUESTION, SOMETHING THAT THE COUNCIL, OUR, OUR CITY STAFF IS DEVELOPING RIGHT NOW IS OUR FIRST EVER, UH, CLIMATE ACTION AND ADAPTATION PLAN TO ADDRESS CLIMATE CHANGE HERE AT THE LOCAL LEVEL.
SO I'D JUST LIKE TO GET YOUR THOUGHTS ON, UM, DO YOU ANTICIPATE BEING SUPPORTIVE OF MEASURES THAT WOULD REDUCE, UH, CLI THE POLLUTION THAT CONTRIBUTES TO CLIMATE CHANGE? ABSOLUTELY.
UH, I HAD THE OPPORTUNITY AS A, AS A CHILD COMING UP, UH, SPENDING TIME OUT IN CALIFORNIA.
AND, UH, I STILL REMEMBER THE DAYS WHEN MY EYES BURNED TREMENDOUSLY FROM THE SMALL.
AND WE, WE, WE DON'T TAKE PREVENTIVE MEASURES.
WE ARE GONNA BE FACED WITH THAT.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH, MR. LEWIS.
AND FOR ME, THE MOST IMPORTANT ISSUES THAT WE HAVE DEALING IN WITH US IN THE SHORT TERM, UH, ARE THE HIRING OF A CITY MANAGER AND RESOLVING A CONTRACT WITH OUR FIREFIGHTERS.
CAN YOU TALK ABOUT ANY EXPERIENCE YOU MAY HAVE IN HIRING EXECUTIVES OR IN CONTRACT NEGOTIATIONS? YES.
I'VE GOT SOME EXPERIENCE IN DEALING WITH NEGOTIATIONS AND, AND CONTRACT ISSUES.
AND, UH, MY EXPERIENCE IS THAT WE, WE ALWAYS REACH OUT AND, AND WE GET THE FEEL FROM THE EMPLOYEES, WHICH WOULD BE THE COMMUNITY WE OPERATED OFF OF WHAT THEY WANTED.
IT'S NOT ABOUT WHAT WE WANT, IT'S WHAT THE COMMUNITY WANTS, WHAT THEY'RE EXPECTING, WHAT THEY NEED, AND, AND, AND TAKING THAT INTO CONSIDERATION.
WE'VE GOTTA BE FAIR IN WHATEVER DECISION THAT WE COME, COME TO.
WE'VE GOT TO, WE'VE GOT TO CONSIDER THE COMMUNITY AND WE'VE GOT TO CONSIDER, UH, UH, UH, UH, THE FIREMAN'S UNION OR WHATEVER THEY'RE TRYING TO ACCOMPLISH, YOU KNOW, THEIR NEEDS AND SO FORTH.
AND BOTH SIDES HAVE GOTTA SIT DOWN AND, AND TRY TO NEGOTIATE SOME TERMS. MANY TIMES YOU'VE GOT TO RESULT TO, UH, UH, ARBITRATION.
YOU KNOW, UH, BECAUSE SOMETIMES YOU, YOU, YOU, YOU, YOU COME THAT SIDE IS LOCKED UP ON THE ISSUE AND THEY'RE NOT GONNA BUDGE.
THIS SIDE IS LOCKED UP ON THE ISSUE.
BUT SOMETIMES WHEN YOU GET THAT NEUTRAL INDIVIDUAL TO COME IN THERE AND LISTEN TO BOTH SIDES, BOTH ISSUES, AND YOU COME UP WITH A, A COMPROMISE.
A COMPROMISE BEATS A FIGHT ANY DAY.
SO IF YOU, IF WE CAN COMPROMISE AND FIND OUT, WE GOTTA GET TO THE GRASSROOTS OF WHILE WE ARE AT THE STAGE THAT WE AT TODAY, IT DIDN'T JUST HAPPEN OVERNIGHT.
IT, IT'S, IT'S SOMETHING THAT'S FESTERING THAT'S GROWN OVER A PERIOD OF YEARS, AND WE HAVE TO ACCEPT THAT, AND WE'VE GOT TO DEAL WITH THAT IN A FAIR WAY.
THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE TODAY.
UM, WHAT KIND OF ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT WOULD YOU WANT TO SEE IN YOUR COMMUNITY? WELL,
UH, H E B, FOR AN EXAMPLE, UH, WHEN I FIRST CAME BACK, H E B DOMINATED RIMAN ROAD AND, AND, AND, AND NOW THEY'RE ALL THE WAY OUT, 78 TO, UH, FOSTER ROAD, JUST ABOUT H E B IS GETTING READY.
MY UNDERSTANDING TO PUT IN THIS DEVELOPMENT OVER HERE ON HOUSTON AND FOSTER ROAD, WHICH IS GONNA BE A DISTRIBUTION CENTER.
THIS IS GOING TO EMPLOY PEOPLE FROM THE EAST SIDE.
AND WE NEED MORE DEVELOPMENT LIKE THAT COMING INTO OUR COMMUNITY, BRINGING JOBS, BRINGING OPPORTUNITY FOR OUR COMMUNITY.
[01:25:01]
OKAY.HAVE YOU CONSIDERED HOW PUBLIC SAFETY MAY NEED TO BE IMPROVED IN YOUR DISTRICT? YES.
UH, THERE'S ALWAYS
UH, THE, THE COMMUNITY AND SS A P D HAS GOT TO START TEAMING UP TOGETHER.
AND, AND, AND I NOTICED THAT SINCE THE SAFE OFFICES HAVE INCREASED OVER FROM, UH, THE, UH, UH, EAST SIDE UNIT, UH, THEY ARE BEGINNING NOW TO HAVE MORE, UH, INTERACTION WITH THE, THE COMMUNITY, THE CITIZENS.
UH, THEY'RE ABLE TO COME OUT TO THE NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION MEETINGS AND HEAR THE CONCERNS OF THE CITIZENS.
THIS IS IMPORTANT BECAUSE THE POLICE OFFICERS, UH, THEY HAVE A JOB TO DO.
THEY'RE CONSIDERED FIRST RESPONDERS.
UH, MANY PEOPLE TALK AGAINST THEM, BUT IF SOMEBODY'S BREAKING IN YOUR HOUSE, YOU WANT THEM THERE.
SO WE'VE GOT, THE POLICE OFFICERS HAVE GOT TO ALSO GO THROUGH SOME TRAINING 'CAUSE THEY'VE GOTTA LEARN HOW TO REACH OUT AND COMMUNICATE WITH THE COMMUNITY.
YOU KNOW, UH, RIDING THROUGH THE PATROL CAR ALL THE TIME IS, IS NOT THE WAY YOU'VE GOTTA GET OUT AND, AND DO, UH, I NOTICED SOME BICYCLE PATROLS IN SOME OF THE AREAS.
I'VE NOTICED SOME FOOT PATROLS IN SOME OF THE AREAS.
THIS IS GOOD FOR THE COMMUNITY, THIS IS GOOD FOR THE CITY.
UH, WHAT DO YOU THINK ABOUT THE HOMELESS ISSUE IN SAN ANTONIO? UM, YOU KNOW, LIKE HAVEN FOR HOPE, WHAT IT DOES.
AND IS THERE A HOMELESS, UH, CONCERN IN YOUR DISTRICT? YES, AS THERE'S A HOMELESS CONCERN IN, IN MY DISTRICT, UH,
AND, UH, THEY, IN THE MORNINGS, YOU, YOU PASS DOWN THE BROWNSVILLE STREET AND YOU LOOK OVER THERE UNDER THAT MAIN PAVILION, AND YOU THOUGHT THEY WERE HAVING A, YOU THOUGHT IT WAS A PICNIC GOING ON OVER THERE, BUT THESE WAS HOMELESS PEOPLE THAT HAD SPENT THE NIGHT THERE.
THEY'VE GOTTEN SO SOPHISTICATED.
THEY'LL BRING A T THEY'LL GET HOLD TO A TV RADIO, AND THERE'S AN ELECTORATE OUTLET ON THAT PAVILION.
AND THEY'VE, THEY'VE PLUGGED IN AND, AND, AND THE, AND, AND THE ONE THING THAT'S UNSAFE WITH THE HOMELESS OVER IN THAT AREA IS THAT MANY OF 'EM ON DRUGS, YOU'RE FINDING DRUG PARAPHERNALIA ALL UP AND DOWN AROUND THE WALKING TRAIL, AROUND THE RESTROOM FACILITY.
AND SO I REACHED OUT TO CHIEF MCMANUS BECAUSE IT'S GOTTEN SO BAD, UH, AND HE GAVE ME HIS PERSONAL NUMBER.
HE SAID, ANYTIME YOU ARE FINDING THAT, LET ME KNOW, BECAUSE I'M NOT ONLY THE CHIEF OF SS A P D, BUT I'M THE CHIEF OF THE, OF THE PARK.
AND HE SAID, WE'LL GET THAT TAKEN CARE OF.
AND, AND WE REACHED OUT TO HIM.
UH, IT'S, IT'S, IT'S, IT'S, IT'S, IT'S, IT'S SIMMER DOWN SOME IN THAT PARTICULAR AREA, BUT NOW IT'S SHIFTED OVER INTO THE, THE RESIDENTIAL AREA, PINE AND HIGHWAY WAY HACKBERRY.
UH, MR. GRADNEY CALLED ME ONE MORNING FROM HIS RESTAURANT.
I THOUGHT HE WAS AT HIS RESTAURANT, BUT HE WAS AT HIS OFFICE.
HE SAID, THEY'RE ALL OVER THE PLACE.
THEY JUST, HE COULDN'T GET INTO HIS PARKING LOT.
SO WE HAVE A SERIOUS PROBLEM WITH THE HOMELESS HERE IN SAN ANTONIO.
I'VE NEVER SEEN ANYTHING LIKE IT.
IT'S ALMOST LIKE A FREIGHT TRAIN PULL UP OUT THERE AND UNLOADED THEM.
THEY'RE HERE AND WE'VE GOT TO FIGURE OUT SOME WAY TO CONTROL THIS.
I SAID, WELL, YOU KNOW, MAYBE WE NEED TO FIND THAT FREIGHT TRAIN AND PUT 'EM BACK ON IT AND SENT 'EM BACK WHERE THEY CAME FROM.
YOU KNOW? BUT, YOU KNOW, A LOT OF OUR PEOPLE ARE AFRAID TO WALK DOWN THE STREETS BECAUSE THEY'RE ALL OVER THE PLACE.
UH, WE ARE JUST UP THE STREET FROM THE ALAMO DORM, AND THAT'S A BIG TICKET ITEM FOR US IN TERMS OF REVENUE COMING INTO THE CITY.
IT'S EMBARRASSING FOR OUR VISITORS THAT COME HERE THAT ARE SPENDING TONS OF MONEY TO HAVE TO ENCOUNTER ALL OF THIS HOMELESS ISSUE.
SO WE'VE GOT TO DEVELOP SOME TYPE OF PROGRAM OR SOME TYPE OF FACILITY TO, TO PUT THEM.
AND I UNDERSTAND THAT A LOT OF THEM REJECT GOING OUT
[01:30:01]
TO HAVEN FOR HOPE.BUT THAT IS A SERIOUS PROBLEM THAT WE'VE GOT TO GET ON TOP OF.
WOULD YOU BE, UH, SUPPORTING MORE RESOURCES FROM THE CITY INTO WORKING ON THE PROBLEM? YES.
I THINK, UH, WE NEED MORE RESOURCES FROM THE CITY, COUNTY, AND STATE IN DEALING WITH IT.
UM, AN ISSUE THAT MAY BE RETURNING TO THE COUNCIL FOR FURTHER CONSIDERATION IS PAID SICK LEAVE.
UH, WHAT IS YOUR VIEW ON THIS ISSUE? OKAY.
UH, WHERE I COME FROM, PAID SICK LEAVE.
I MEAN, YOU START OFF, UH, ACCUMULATING MAYBE SIX PAID SICK LEAVE DAYS A YEAR.
AND AFTER FIVE YEARS, YOU GRADUATE FROM, UH, SIX PAGE SICK LEAVE TO PRO, POSSIBLY 12 PAGE SICK LEAVE.
AND YOU KEEP GRADUATING ON UP UNTIL YOU'VE GOT 24 OR 30 PAGE SICK LEAVE DAYS.
BUT YOU DON'T ACCU YOU DON'T GET THAT ALL AT ONCE.
YOU WORK FOR THAT AND YOU ACCUMULATE THAT.
AND IF YOU BECOME ILL, AND IF YOU, YOU HAVE A DOCTOR THAT HAS, UH, UH, UH, SUBSTANTIATED YOUR ILLNESS AND HAS YOU OFF ON SICK LEAVE, THEN THE EMPLOYEE HAS, UH, THE RIGHT TO DRAW DOWN ON THAT SICK LEAVE.
BUT YOU UNDERSTAND THAT THE, THE CITY WAS, UH, PRETTY MUCH FORCED, UH, DUE TO A REFERENDUM THAT WAS BROUGHT TO US, UH, TO INTRODUCE THAT CITYWIDE FOR ALL BUSINESSES.
AND THAT'S THE ISSUE THAT'S, UH, YOU KNOW, BEEN UNDER CONSIDERATION.
SO HOW DO YOU FEEL ABOUT, UH, THAT MANDATE? IT IS GOING TO BE GOOD FOR SOME, AND IT'S NOT GOING TO BE GOOD FOR OTHERS.
AND, UH, WE, WE MAY NEED TO TAKE A REAL HARD LOOK AND REVISIT THAT ISSUE AND BEING FAIR ABOUT IT.
THANKS FOR BEING HERE TODAY, SIR.
THANK YOU TO, FOR MAKING IT TO THIS POINT.
UH, DO HAVE A COUPLE OF QUESTIONS HERE FOR YOU.
YOU, YOU SAID YOU'VE BEEN, UH, THE NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION PRESIDENT FOR HOW MANY YEARS NOW? UH, I, I ASSUME THAT AT THOSE DUTIES BACK IN, UH, APRIL OF 2014.
UH, SO OVER, OVER THAT TIME PERIOD, WHAT HAS BEEN THE SINGLE BIGGEST ISSUE THAT YOU'VE COME ACROSS, AND WHAT DID YOU DO TO TAKE CARE OF IT, AND HOW DID YOU TAKE CARE OF IT? OKAY.
UH, ONE OF THE BIGGEST ISSUES WERE REACHING OUT TO GET, UH, COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION.
UH, WHAT I BEGAN TO DO WAS, UH, I DEVISED A, A FLYER, AND I EMAILED THE FLYER OUT EACH MONTH TO THE COMMUNITY, UH, ADVISING THEM OF THE NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION MEETING DATE, TIME PLACE.
UH, I ALSO PUT THOSE FLYERS OUT IN DIFFERENT LOCATIONS.
UH, DAVID SCOTT, Y M C A WAS, WAS ONE OF OUR DISTRIBUTION POINTS, YOU KNOW, UH, AND, UH, THAT HAS HELPED TREMENDOUSLY ALSO, UH, ONCE WE BEGAN TO REBUILD WORD OF MOUTH HAS ALSO HELPED US TO ESTABLISH A BETTER MEMBERSHIP ATTENDANCE.
UM, YOU'VE BEEN, YOU'RE A LIFELONG RESIDENT OF SAN ANTONIO.
YOU'VE BEEN HERE FOR A LONG, LONG TIME.
WHAT, WHAT HAS YOUR RELATIONSHIP BEEN WITH PREVIOUS DISTRICT TWO COUNCIL FOLKS, AND, UM, HOW DO YOU VIEW THE CITY, UM, OPERATIONS TO THIS POINT? OKAY, LET ME, LEMME CORRECT.
UH, I, I, I WAS BORN AND RAISED HERE, BUT NOW, UH, I LEFT IN 61.
AND THEN I WAS IN HOUSTON, AND FROM THERE I WAS IN MEMPHIS, TENNESSEE.
SO I CAME BACK FROM MEMPHIS IN DECEMBER OF 2012, WHICH I CAME BACK UNDER THE, UH, TERM OF IVY, MR. UH, COUNCILMAN IVY TAYLOR AT THE TIME.
AND, UH, WE HAD A GOOD WORKING RELATIONSHIP.
UH, OF COURSE, I WAS ONLY, UH, A MEMBER IN A FAILING, UH, NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION AT THE TIME.
[01:35:01]
WE GOT, UH, UH, TO RE GO GOING THROUGH THE REBUILDING STAGE, UH, I DEVELOPED A, A, A DECENT RAPPORT WITH, UH, UH, UH, COUNCILWOMAN TAYLOR AND, UH, WAS ABLE TO WORK WITH HER, HER STAFFING AND, AND HER TEAM AND SO FORTH.UH, HOWEVER, AS I INDICATED EARLIER, UH, WE CAMPAIGNED FOR COUNCILMAN CRUZ.
SO NATURALLY, ONCE HE GOT IN, I HAD A, A CLOSER WORKING RELATIONSHIP BECAUSE WE MET ON A CONTINUOUS BASIS, UH, UH, AND, AND HE KEPT US, UH, APPRISED OF WHAT WAS GOING ON AND WHAT WE NEEDED TO FOCUS ON.
AND HE REALLY GOT ME INVOLVED IN STAYING ON TOP OF ZONING.
HE SAID, YOU NEED TO WATCH IT.
YOU NEED TO STAY ON TOP OF IT, YOU KNOW, RESPOND WHEN YOU GET THESE NOTICES, DON'T JUST TOSS 'EM TO THE SIDE.
AND THAT'S WHAT, THAT'S WHAT WE'VE DONE.
UM, YOU WERE MENTIONING SOME GREAT IDEAS, AND EVEN, UH, COUNCILMAN COURAGE ASKED YOU ABOUT RESOURCES, AND THAT BASICALLY COMES DOWN TO BUDGETS, DOLLARS HERE IN THE CITY.
AND, UH, WOULD YOU BE A PROPONENT FOR MOVING MORE RESOURCES OUTTA THE GENERAL FUND TO, UH, TAKE CARE OF THESE THINGS, OR POSSIBLY EVEN RAISING TAXES TO, UH, TAKE CARE OF THOSE ADDITIONAL RESOURCES THAT YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT THAT NEEDS TO BE TO HAPPEN? NOBODY LIKES TO TALK ABOUT RAISING TAXES, COUNCILMAN, BUT, UH, SOMETIMES YOU HAVE TO DO WHAT YOU HAVE TO DO.
UH, I, I THINK WE NEED TO TAKE A CAREFUL LOOK AND REVISIT, UH, A LOT OF THE RESOURCES AND, AND, AND, AND REALLY TAKE A HARD LOOK AT HOW AND WHERE WE CAN GET ADDITIONAL FUNDING FROM.
UH, OTHER THAN RAISING TAXES OUT HERE IN THE, IN THE, IN THE, IN THE CITY.
UH, THIS CITY HAS BEEN BLESSED, AND I SAY BLESSED FOR UNDERSTAND 26 YEARS AND NO CITY TAX RAISE.
AND, AND, AND THAT'S, THAT'S FANTASTIC.
SO, UH, CITY COUNCIL AND IN THE, IN THE PREVIOUS MAYORS, I THINK THEY, APPARENTLY THEY'VE DONE A GOOD JOB AT MAINTAINING THAT.
AND ALSO THE, UH, CITY MANAGER, I MEAN, BECAUSE YOU HAD TO WORK TOGETHER TO ACCOMPLISH THAT.
AND SO I, I WOULD LIKE TO SEE US TO BE ABLE TO CONTINUE THAT PROCESS IF WE CAN, YOU KNOW? OKAY.
THANK YOU MR. LEWIS FOR BEING HERE.
UM, HOW WILL YOUR BACKGROUND AND EXPERIENCE HELP, UH, RECTIFY ONE OF THE BIGGEST ISSUES WE HAVE IN OUR CITY, UH, AS HAVING A LABEL OF ONE OF THE MOST ECONOMICALLY SEGREGATED CITIES WHERE YOU WORK ACROSS DISTRICT LINES? HOW WILL YOU BRING THE COMMUNITY TOGETHER TO FEEL VERY MUCH INCLUDED AND INVOLVED? OKAY.
WELL, UM, I'VE ALREADY STARTED WORKING ACROSS, UH, DISTRICT LINES, UH, AND, AND IN FACT, UH, I GO EVERY MONTH I SHOW SENIORS OUTTA YOUR DISTRICT OVER TO TONY G'S TO HAVE A, A HOT BREAKFAST, UH, AS AN OUTING FOR THEM.
AND, AND, AND THEY REALLY ENJOY THIS.
UH, I, I'VE ALSO, UH, REACHED OVER INTO, UH, UH, DISTRICT THREE.
AND, UH, I GOT IDEAS FROM THEM ON HOW TO CONDUCT AN, AN EVENT CALLED NATIONAL NIGHT OUT.
UH, IT GAVE ME SOME IDEAS AND, AND, AND I SHARED THOSE IDEAS WITH MY BOARD, AND WE MOVED FORWARD ON THOSE IDEAS.
SO WE GOT SOME GOOD IDEAS FROM DISTRICT THREE, AND, AND WE'VE REACHED ACROSS INTO DISTRICT ONE, UH, TRYING TO MAKE THE SENIORS FEEL WANTED.
UH, THEY'RE OVER THERE IN THEIR GRANADA FACILITY, AND, AND A LOT OF 'EM DON'T HAVE FAMILY, AND IT, IT MAKES THEM FEEL WANTED WHEN GO OVER THERE AND PICK THEM UP IN THE MORNINGS AND BRING THEM FOR A GOOD HOT BREAKFAST, UH, ON, ON THE, ON THE SHUTTLE BUS.
AND THEY'LL GET A CHANCE TO SEE WHAT'S GOING ON OUT HERE IN THE COMMUNITY.
AND, AND THEY'RE JUST HAPPY, HAPPY, HAPPY.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR YOUR TIME, MR. LEWIS, AND, UH, FOR BEING PART OF THE PROCESS AND YOUR GREAT PRESENTATION.
ALRIGHT, WE'RE GONNA NOW CALL IN, UH, CANDIDATE, UH, ART HALL.
[01:40:42]
WELCOME, MR. WELCOME.MR. HALL, YOU HAVE FIVE MINUTES FOR A PRESENTATION.
UH, TO BEGIN, LEMME SAY AGAIN, THANK YOU ALL FOR, UH, THE OPPORTUNITY AND FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION.
I KNOW I MADE MY STATE STATEMENT YESTERDAY, AND I'LL KIND OF CONTINUE, UH, FROM THERE.
UH, I'D LIKE TO START WITH THE, UH, CITIZENS TO BE HEARD THAT WE, UH, HEARD YESTERDAY EVENING.
UH, WE HEARD THE NOTION OF COMMUNITY CHOICE AND PROCESS, BUT WE'VE GOTTA BE CAREFUL NOT TO CONFUSE A HANDFUL OF PEOPLE, MOSTLY SELF DESIGNATED, NON-INCLUSIVE OF ALL THE 40 TO 50 NEIGHBORHOODS, HOOD ASSOCIATIONS IN DISTRICT TWO FOR THE ENTIRE COMMUNITY OF 180,000 PEOPLE.
AND WHAT COMMUNITY PROCESS, WHO ESTABLISHED THE PROCESS? HOW WAS THE PROCESS DEVELOPED AND ESTABLISHED? UH, WHAT'S THE CRITERIA? WHO ESTABLISHED THE CRITERIA? THE ENTIRE COMMUNITY WILL HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO CHOOSE AGAIN UNDER TRUE PROCESS.
AND THAT OPPORTUNITY IS IN MAY.
FOLLOW THE PROCESS, FOLLOW THE RULES.
AND THE RULE IS COUNCIL SELECTS THIS REPLACEMENT.
I DON'T KNOW WHO MADE THE RULE OR WHEN THE RULE WAS MADE, BUT FOR WHATEVER INFORMED AND EDUCATED AND WELL-INTENTIONED REASON, THE POLICY AND LAWMAKERS AT THE SA AT THE TIME REMOVED THE ABILITY TO MAKE THIS INTERIM REPLACEMENT FROM THE PUBLIC VOTE AND TRANSFERRED IT TO YOU, THE CITY COUNCIL.
MY HUNCH IS THAT THESE SAME POLICY AND LAWMAKERS DETERMINE THAT IT WOULD BE MORE OF A DISSERVICE THAN A SERVICE FOR A PUBLIC VOTE IN THIS SCENARIO VERSUS A, A SELECTION BY CITY COUNCIL.
WHY? BECAUSE THIS INTERIM POSITION IS FOR 140 DAYS, 114 DAYS TO ELECTION, LESS THAN FIVE MONTHS, 20% OF A FULL TERM.
I CHALLENGE YOU TO THINK BACK TO YOUR FIRST DAY ON COUNCIL.
YOUR FIRST WEEK YOU HAD TO FIGURE OUT OFFICE SPACE, WHERE THE BATHROOMS ARE, WHERE THE BROOM IS, WHAT IS THE BROOM, WHAT IS B SESSION? DEVELOP, UNDERSTAND AND MANAGE THE STAFF.
MEET WITH EVERY DEPARTMENT HEAD UNDERSTAFF, UNDERSTAND CITY OPERATIONS AND ISSUES FOR EVERY DEPARTMENT.
UNDERSTAND C P S AND SAWS AND SAN ANTONIO MOBILITY COM, UH, COALITION AND TRANSPORTATION AND MUNICIPAL COURT AND FIRE AND POLICE CONTRACTS AND ZONING AND PLANNING AND CIVIL SERVICE AND CHARTER.
MEET WITH THE NEIGHBORHOODS DEVELOPERS, LOBBYISTS, CONSTITUENTS, RHETT SMITH, NAZARRE, RUBEN FLORES, JACK FINGER, MABA, BEAR, FERRIS STARS.
LEARN THE BUDGET, REVENUE STREAMS, DEBT AND DEBT COSTS AND CERTIFICATES OF OBLIGATION.
IT TOOK SEVERAL MONTHS, IF NOT LONGER, JUST TO FIGURE THINGS OUT.
THE GOOD THING IS YOU WERE EASING INTO IT FOR A MONTH.
WE WERE OFF FOR JULY AS THE STAFF PREPARED THE BUDGET.
WE CAME BACK IN AUGUST AND SEPTEMBER TO REVIEW THE BUDGET AND VOTE, BUT AT THE END OF THE DAY, YOU HAD TIME.
NONETHELESS, THIS INTERIM POSITION HAS LITTLE TO NO TIME FOR A LEARNING CURVE.
YOU HAVE 24 ITEMS ON THE AGENDA TODAY.
THIS COUNCIL MEMBER IS GONNA HAVE TO MAKE VOTES TODAY.
I DON'T KNOW, THE AMOUNTS THAT WERE ON THE, UH, ARE ARE ON THE AGENDA, BUT I HEARD SOMEWHERE $3 MILLION.
YOU ARE NARROWING YOUR LIST OF CITY MANAGER CANDIDATES NEXT WEEK IN SEVEN DAYS WHEN YOU FIRST CAME ONTO COUNCIL.
DO YOU THINK YOU HAD ENOUGH DETAILED KNOWLEDGE ABOUT THE CITY, UH, CITY REQUIREMENTS AND ITS PROCESSES AND OPERA, UH, OPERATIONS AND LIMITATIONS AND ASSETS TO SELECT THE CITY MANAGER OF A MAJOR CITY IN LESS THAN A WEEK? YET THAT IS WHAT YOU WOULD BE ASKING AN AN INEXPERIENCED PERSON TO DO STARTING TODAY? IS THAT A SERVICE OR A DISSERVICE TO DISTRICT TWO AND THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO? NEXT WEEK, YOU HAVE AT LEAST NINE ZONING CASES.
THESE ARE CASES THAT IMPACT NEIGHBORHOODS, TRAFFIC BUSINESSES.
WHEN YOU FIRST CAME ON THE COUNCIL, DO YOU THINK YOU HAD ENOUGH DETAILED KNOWLEDGE ABOUT ZONING AND PLANNING AND THEIR IMMEDIATE AND LONG-TERM IMPLICATIONS TO MAKE THOSE DECISIONS? PARTICULARLY IF THERE WERE DETAILED AND AND COMPLICATED IN LESS THAN A WEEK, YET THAT'S WHAT YOU'D BE ASKING AN INEXPERIENCED PERSON TO DO.
STARTING TODAY, I CAN LITERALLY HIT THE GROUND RUNNING TODAY.
LET ME ADDRESS THE ISSUE OF RESIDENCY.
IN DOING SO, LET ME FIRST SAY FROM THE OUTSET THAT AGAIN, I FOLLOW THE RULES.
IN OTHER WORDS, I MEET AND HAVE MET EVERY LEGAL AND STATED REQUIREMENT BY THE CITY.
FOR RESIDENCY, THE CITY ASKED FOR VIA ORDINANCE 2 0 1 7 DASH 11 DASH THREE ZERO DASH 0 9 2 0 FOR TWO FORMS OF
[01:45:01]
DOCUMENTATION OF RESIDENCY.I PROVIDED NOT JUST TWO FORMS, BUT DOUBLE THE REQUIREMENT TWO TIMES THE REQUIREMENT FOR RESIDENCY.
IN FACT, IF I DID NOT MEET THE RESIDENCY REQUIREMENT, I WOULD NOT BE HERE TODAY.
MY APPLICATION WOULD'VE BEEN DISQUALIFIED FROM THE BEGINNING.
SO IF YOU'RE LOOKING FOR A REASON NOT TO SUPPORT MY CANDIDACY, AND I HOPE YOU'RE NOT, BECAUSE I'M ASKING FOR YOUR SUPPORT, AND I WOULD LOVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO WORK FOR YOU, RESIDENCY CANNOT BE THE REASON.
THE FACT IS, WE HAVE TWO HOMES HERE IN SAN ANTONIO.
THAT FACT WILL NOT LIKELY CHANGE ANYTIME SOON.
THE FACT IS, WE MOVED INTO ONE HOUSE BEFORE THE OTHER.
THE FACT IS, WE USE BOTH HOMES QUITE A BIT.
IN FACT, IF YOU LOOK AT THE, UH, UTILITY BILLS THAT WE, WE SUBMITTED, WATER FLUCTUATES LIKE NORMAL ELECTRICITY FLUCTUATES LIKE NORMAL.
THERE'S A LOT OF USAGE FOR BOTH REGARDING HOMESTEAD EXEMPTION, IT'S STILL WITH OUR DISTRICT EIGHT HOME, QUITE FRANKLY.
IT'S ONE OF THOSE THINGS THAT WE OVERLOOKED AND HAVE NOT UPDATED.
SAME WITH OTHER THINGS, LETTERHEAD AND THAT KIND OF THING.
UH, BUT AT THE END OF THE DAY, THAT'S NOT THE REQUIREMENT OF THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH, MR. HALL.
ALRIGHT, WE'RE NOW GONNA GET INTO, UH, QUESTION AND ANSWERS FROM, FROM THE COUNCIL MEMBERS.
THERE ARE NO TIME LIMITS FOR THIS, SO WE CAN GET INTO A, A, A DEEPER DISCUSSION OF THE ISSUES.
UH, WE'RE IN THE MIDST OF IMPLEMENTING A HOUSING STRATEGY FOR THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO.
WHAT ARE YOUR VIEWS ON GENTRIFICATION AS WELL AS AFFORDABLE HOUSING AND THE CITY'S ROLE IN THAT PROCESS, PARTICULARLY THE CITY'S USE OF RESOURCES TO INCENT AFFORDABLE HOUSING? UH, I'M, I'M, I'M IN FAVOR OF USING CITY RESOURCES AND OTHER RESOURCES AND WHATEVER, UH, PUBLIC AND LEGAL RESOURCES WE HAVE AVAILABLE TO PROMOTE AFFORDABLE HOUSING IN ANY PART OF TOWN, IN ANY AREA OF THE COUNTRY AND SO FORTH.
UM, MY PREVIOUS, ONE OF MY PREVIOUS JOBS WAS AS AN INVESTMENT BANKER, A PUBLIC FINANCE INVESTMENT BANKER.
AND SO I KNOW THAT BONDS ARE CON CONSTANTLY USED FOR THIS SORT OF THING THROUGHOUT THE NATION.
AND SO WHATEVER WE CAN DO TO PROMOTE AFFORDABLE HOUSING, FOR ME IS ABSOLUTELY CRITICAL.
UM, WITH REGARD TO THE ISSUE OF GENTRIFICATION, FOR ME, THAT'S ALWAYS BEEN A TOUGH ISSUE.
IT'S A TOUGH ISSUE FOR YOU ALL.
IT'S A TOUGH ISSUE FOR OUR STATE LEGISLATORS, UM, IN MY VIEW, AND MAYBE NOT, MAYBE IT'S A, UH, A LITTLE BIT OF A, OF A DIFFERENT VIEW.
BUT, UM, YOU KNOW, MOST PEOPLE WANT THE VALUE OF THEIR HOMES TO GO UP, UH, OR, OR MOST, MOST PEOPLE WANT THE VALUE IN THE, UH, AREA AND ENVIRONMENT WHERE THEIR HOMES ARE TO BE IMPROVED AND BETTER AND SO FORTH.
BUT WHAT THAT ALSO DOES IS IT DOES CREATE THE, THE INCREASE IN VALUE.
AND SO, UH, FOR US TO TRY TO LIMIT THE VALUATION ON HOMES AND THAT SORT OF THING, BUT AT THE SAME TIME, UH, IMPROVE A NEIGHBORHOOD AND IMPROVE AN ENVIRONMENT, I, I THINK FOR ME, THAT'S, THAT'S, UH, THAT'S, THERE'S A DISCONNECT THERE.
UM, I THINK THERE ARE OTHER WAYS TO BE ABLE TO, TO DEAL WITH GENTRIFICATION AND, AND, UH, UH, LIMITING TAX INCREASES FOR SENIORS AND THAT KIND OF THING ARE, ARE SOME OF THE THINGS THAT WE HAVE DONE, UH, ON CITY COUNCIL, BUT THE STATE LEGISLATURE DOES AS WELL.
BUT, UH, UH, I THINK WE'VE GOTTA LOOK CLOSER AT THE ISSUE OF GENTRIFICATION AND MAKE SURE THAT, THAT WE ACHIEVE, UH, WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO ACHIEVE, BUT AT THE SAME TIME, UH, MIGHT NOT CREATE THAT DISCONNECT.
UM, BUT THE MORE OPPORTUNITY WE HAVE TO ALLOW FOR AFFORDABLE HOUSING OUT, APART FROM, UH, THE NATURAL DEVELOPMENT THAT OCCURS IS IMPORTANT TO A CITY.
MY, MY SECOND QUESTION IS WITH REGARD TO TRANSPORTATION, UM, YOU'VE SEEN, ESPECIALLY IN YOUR TIME IN DISTRICT EIGHT, THE CONGESTION INCREASE PRETTY DRAMATICALLY.
UH, WE'VE WORKED, UH, ON THIS DAIS TO IMPROVE PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION WHERE YOUR VIEWS ON TRANSPORTATION REFORM BROADLY, BUT ALSO, UH, PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION, TRANSPORTATION IS A, A MAJOR ISSUE IN EVERY PART OF TOWN.
I KNOW IT, IT WAS ONE OF YOUR PRINCIPAL ISSUES WHEN YOU RAN, FIRST, RAN FOR MAYOR AND CONTINUE TO BE, UH, CONTINUES TO BE A MAJOR ISSUE.
SAN ANTONIO MOBIL MOBILITY COMMISSION IS ONE OF THOSE ENTITIES THAT HAS WORKED ON TRANSPORTATION FOR A WHILE.
SO ANYTHING THAT WE COULD DO TO IMPROVE, UM, UH, MASS TRANSIT THROUGHOUT THE CITY IS, IS OF COURSE, IMPORTANT.
UH, I KNOW LOTS OF FUNDING AND BOND FUNDING AND SO FORTH ARE PUT TOWARD THOSE BASIC SERVICES, UH, ENLARGING STREETS, UH, MAKING SURE THAT WE HAVE BIKE LANES AND THOSE SORTS OF THINGS.
UM, I'M AN ADVOCATE FOR, FOR BETTER TRANSPORTATION.
UM, IT MAKES PROPERTY VALUES, UH, BETTER.
IT MAKES, UH, UM, THE, THE ENVIRONMENT BETTER FOR LIVABILITY ENVIRONMENT FOR THE, FOR RESIDENTS MUCH BETTER.
AND SO THOSE ARE, THOSE ARE THINGS THAT ARE ALWAYS GONNA BE IMPORTANT FOR ME, HAVE ALWAYS BEEN IMPORTANT FOR ME WHILE I'VE SERVED IN COUNCIL AND WILL CONTINUE TO BE IMPORTANT AS WELL.
UM, DISTRICT EIGHT IS, HAS, HAS ALWAYS BEEN IN THE CENTER OF THAT.
AND I, I KNOW THAT, UH, THAT WE'RE LOOKING EVENTUALLY TO DOING RAIL.
UM, THAT'S HISTORICALLY BEEN CONTROVERSIAL AND, AND MAY CONTINUE TO BE.
BUT, UH, PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION, MASS TRANSIT WITHIN OUR CITY FROM OUR MAJOR, UH, CENTERS BACK TO THE CENTER OF, UH, OF, OF, OF DOWNTOWN AREA.
BUT THEN ALSO RECONNECTING AND BETTER CONNECTING TO
[01:50:01]
OTHER MAJOR CITIES LIKE LAREDO, AUSTIN, AND SO FORTH ARE, HAVE BEEN PROJECTS FOR A LONG TIME.I CONTINUE TO SUPPORT, UH, BETTER TRANSPORTATION, UH, BETTER MOBILITY MA BETTER MASS TRANSIT FOR ALL RESIDENTS IN SAN ANTONIO.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH, MR. HALL.
COUNCILMAN S OUR, UM, YOU, THERE'S, UH, THERE'S AN ISSUE WITH C P SS COMING UP, RIGHT? YEAH.
I'M SURE YOU'VE READ THE NEWSPAPER.
UH, YOU KNOW, RATE INCREASES ARE ON THE HORIZON.
UH, IT'S A CONVERSATION WE'RE ALL GONNA BE HAVING SOMETIME SOON.
UH, WHETHER OR NOT THAT HAPPENS, YOU KNOW, DURING THE NEXT FOUR OR FIVE MONTHS, UM, YET TO BE SEEN.
UH, TALK TO ME ABOUT, YOU KNOW, HOW YOU VIEW CCP S'S ROLE, UH, AND ITS IMPACT IN THAT DISTRICT, AND MORE IMPORTANTLY, YOU KNOW, THE DIRECTION YOU'D LIKE TO SEE C P S GO, YOU KNOW, INTO THE NEXT 5, 10, 20, 30 YEARS.
SO RATE ISSUES HAVE ALWAYS BEEN AN ISSUE.
UH, RATE, RATE AND CHRIS, UH, ISSUES HAVE ALWAYS BEEN AN ISSUE.
THEY WERE AN ISSUE WHILE WE ARE CITY COUNCIL, UH, AND WHETHER IT'S C P S OR SAWS OR, OR, UM, YOU KNOW, OTHER, OTHER ENTITIES, WE HAVE TO DEAL WITH THAT AS A, AS A CITY COUNCIL, OF COURSE.
UM, AND YOU ALL KNOW, I MEAN, WE WANNA KEEP RATES AND, UM, TAXES AND THAT KIND OF THING AS LOW AS WE CAN.
UM, BUT AT THE SAME TIME, UH, WE'VE GOT COST INCREASES.
WE'VE GOT GROWTH, UH, THAT WE NEED TO KEEP UP WITH.
SO THERE'S, THERE'S A CONSTANT BALANCE BETWEEN, UM, INCREASES THAT NEED TO BE HAD VERSUS, YOU KNOW, HOW YOU KEEP LOW RATES FOR THE ENTIRE COMMUNITY.
UH, DISTRICT TWO, UM, WE STRUGGLE WITH, WITH FINANCES AND INCOME AND, AND SO FORTH.
SO, UM, THE SOCIOECONOMIC LEVEL OF DISTRICT TWO IS, IS LOWER THAN THAN MANY OF THE OTHER DISTRICTS.
SO MY OBLIGATION IS TO KEEP THOSE RACES AS LOW AS POSSIBLE, BUT AT THE SAME TIME, WE HAVE AN OBLIGATION TO THE ENTIRE CITY TO MAKE SURE THAT WE PROVIDE LONG TERM FOR ELECTRICITY, FOR WATER, ET CETERA, AND BE ABLE TO, TO DO ALL THOSE SORTS OF THINGS.
YOU'VE GOTTA FIGURE OUT THE FUNDING FOR IT.
AND IF THERE ARE OTHER OPTIONS, LET'S LOOK AT THOSE O OTHER OPTIONS, MAKE SURE THAT THAT RATE INCREASES AND IMPACT ON OUR CONSTITUENTS IS THE LAST RESORT.
UM, LONG TERM, I THINK WE'VE GOTTA CONTINUE TO LOOK AT, AND, AND WE DID THE SAME THING WHILE WE AROUND COUNCIL.
YOU, YOU GOTTA ALWAYS LOOK FOR DIVERSIFIED WATER SOURCES.
YOU GOTTA LOOK FOR DIVERSIFIED ELECTRICAL AND ELECTRICITY, UH, ENERGY RESOURCES.
AND SO IT CAN'T BE JUST COAL AND NATURAL GAS AND SO FORTH.
WE GOTTA LOOK AT OTHER THINGS SUCH AS SOLAR AND WIND ENERGY AND, UH, UH, RB LEWIS AND I WERE TALKING IN THE BACK ABOUT, YOU KNOW, SOLAR AND, AND HOW IT KIND OF ROSE FOR A WHILE THEN, AND THEN CAME DOWN.
UM, I'M FROM WEST TEXAS AND WE SEE A LOT OF THE WIND FARMS THAT ARE OUT THAT WAY.
UM, SO BALANCING THE NEED FOR MORE ENERGY, WHICH THE CITY HAS AS A, AS A GROWING CITY, UH, DIVERSIFYING THOSE ENERGY SOURCES, UH, BUT AT THE SAME TIME, MAKING SURE THAT YOU COVER THE COSTS AND, UH, RECOUP THAT VALUE FROM THOSE, THOSE, THOSE ENERGY SOURCES.
SOME, SOME THINGS ARE, ARE CLEANER, BUT MORE EXPENSIVE.
UH, SOME THINGS PRODUCE MORE ENERGY THAN THAN OTHERS.
SO YOU'VE GOTTA A BALANCE, UH, TO YOU, YOU HAVE TO CONSTANTLY LOOK AT THAT BALANCE AND MIX, UH, OF RESOURCES.
HOW MANY BUDGETS, UH, DID YOU GET TO USHER THROUGH, UH, WHILE YOU WERE ON COUNCIL? I FORGET.
FOUR, RIGHT? SO I DID TWO, TWO YEAR TERMS. SO FOUR YEARS.
THANK YOU FOR, UH, MAKING YOURSELF AVAILABLE AS A CANDIDATE.
UM, IT'S CONSIDERED BY OUR CITY ATTORNEY'S OFFICE THAT YOU WOULD NOT BE ELIGIBLE TO RUN FOR THIS POSITION ACCORDING TO OUR CHARTER.
DOES THAT HAVE ANY EFFECT ON YOUR WILLINGNESS TO SERVE ON AN INTERIM BASIS? NO.
IN FACT, MY INTENT IN EVEN APPLYING, UH, WAS TO ONLY SERVE FOR THE INTERIM.
AND SO I STATED THAT YESTERDAY, AND I ALSO PUT THAT IN THE, IN THE LETTER OF INTEREST.
UH, BEING A COUNCIL PERSON TODAY IS A FULL-TIME JOB, YOU KNOW, 40, 50 HOURS PER WEEK.
UH, HOW CAN YOU MANAGE THAT AND RETAIN YOUR CURRENT POSITION? AND AS I MENTIONED YESTERDAY, I SERVED DURING A TIME WHEN WE HAD TO DO THAT.
UM, WE WERE PAID $20 A WEEK, WHICH IS MUCH LESS THAN, UH, WHAT COUNCIL MEMBERS ARE PAID TODAY.
UM, AT THE SAME TIME, I WAS A YOUNG MAN, YOUNG NUDE TO MY CAREER, YOUNG FAMILY, UM, AND HAD TO FIGURE OUT A WAY TO NOT ONLY SERVE MY COMMUNITY AND MY DISTRICT, UH, BUT ALSO TO, TO BE ABLE TO, UH, MAKE MONEY FOR MY FAMILY, FEED MY FAMILY.
I WORKED, UH, TALKED WITH, UH, MY EMPLOYER AND, UH, THEY HAVE AGREED TO HELP ME, ALLOW ME TO SERVE WHILE ALSO FLEXING HOURS.
I'VE ALWAYS BEEN, UH, I DON'T MIND GETTING UP EARLY, UH, WORKING LATE, UM, WORKING ON WEEKENDS AS AS, AS I NEED TO.
BUT I WILL, AND YOU, YOU GOTTA BE EFFICIENT ABOUT IT.
YOU GOTTA FIGURE OUT, YOU KNOW, HOW TO GROUP MEETINGS AND, AND SO FORTH.
BUT I DON'T THINK THERE IS AN ISSUE WITH ME BEING ABLE TO, TO MANAGE A SCHEDULE, WHETHER IT BE SCHEDULED WITH CITY COUNCIL OR SCHEDULED WITH, UH, WITH WORK.
[01:55:01]
CERTAINLY IS, IS TO MY DISTRICT AND THE CONSTITUENTS, AND TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY'RE BEING SERVED IN THE BEST WAY POSSIBLE.SOME OF THE ISSUES THAT WE'VE BEEN TALKING ABOUT AND THAT EXIST IN THE CITY THAT YOU'D BE ADDRESSING, UH, ONE OF THOSE IS ISSUES, IS HOMELESSNESS, UH, HAVEN FOR HOPE, UH, FUNDING, THE WHOLE PROCESS OF THE CITY BEING INVOLVED IN THIS.
UH, WHAT IS YOUR VIEW ON HOMELESSNESS ISSUE ON HAVEN FOR HOPE ON, UH, THE CITY'S COMMITMENT TO THOSE ISSUES? UH, I WAS, I'M COMMITTED TO THOSE ISSUES NOW AS I WAS ON CITY COUNCIL THEN, UM, AND I, I FORGOT THE, THE BUCKET OF FUNDING, BUT WE HAD A BUCKET OF FUNDING THAT WE WERE ABLE TO GIVE TO, TO NONPROFITS AND, BUT AT THE SAME TIME, THAT WAS X AMOUNT.
AND I DON'T KNOW WHAT IT IS, UH, THIS TIME AROUND.
AND SO IF, IF WE HAVE THE ABILITY AND THE FUNDING TO BE ABLE TO SUPPORT, UH, SOCIAL SERVICES, WHETHER IT BE, UH, HAVEN FOR HOPE OR OR OTHERS, LET'S USE IT.
UM, BUT AT THE FACT, AT THE SAME TIME, WE HAVE TO REALIZE THAT THAT'S A LIMITED BUDGET, AND IF WE'VE GOT $15 MILLION AND THERE'S A 30 MILLION MILLION DOLLARS OF NEED, UH, WE'RE NOT GONNA BE ABLE TO FUND ALL THE NEED WITHIN, WITHIN THE CITY.
AND SO THAT'S WHEN YOU LOOK TO, TO OTHER NONPROFIT AND OTHER PARTNERS, GRANTS AND SO FORTH TO, TO BE ABLE TO COVER THAT DIFFERENCE.
BUT IF WE'VE DESIGNATED FUNDING FOR THESE SORTS OF SOCIAL SERVICES, LET'S SPEND IT AND SPIN IT EFFECTIVELY.
CHOOSE ORGANIZATIONS THAT WE KNOW THAT HAVE A HISTORY OF, OF DOING WELL AND, AND, UH, AND MANAGING PROPERLY AND, UH, AND ASSIST THOSE ORGANIZATIONS.
UH, WE HAD, OF COURSE, HOMELESS ISSUES THAT, THAT CAME UP, UH, DURING OUR TIME.
AND I THINK CONSTABLE AND PATTY RELE, UH, LED A LOT OF THOSE.
UM, YOU KNOW, THE BIG MOVE AT THE TIME WAS TO TRY TO FIGURE OUT, OUT, YOU KNOW, HOW TO KEEP DOWNTOWN SORT OF, UH, FREE.
UH, AND SO WE WERE ABLE TO MANAGE A LOT OF THOSE ISSUES.
UH, BUT HOMELESSNESS HAS AND CONTINUES TO GROW.
AND SO, UH, WE, WE'VE GOTTA DO OUR BEST TO MANAGE AS MUCH AS THAT AS WE CAN, UH, TURN TO PARTNERS TO BE ABLE TO, TO MANAGE THE OTHER PIECES THAT WE CAN'T.
UM, BUT AT THE SAME TIME, IF THERE ARE WAYS FOR US AS A CITY COUNCIL AND AS A CITY THROUGH US AND LEADERSHIP AT THE COUNTY AND OTHER LEVELS TO MAKE SURE THAT THE BOAT RISES FOR EVERYBODY, UH, SO THAT WE HAVE LESS HOMELESSNESS, THEN LET'S DO THAT AS WELL.
BUT, UH, WE DON'T CONTROL ALL THOSE FACTORS.
UH, WE'RE ONLY A PIECE OF THAT.
SO OUR INFLUENCE, UH, AS COUNCIL MEMBERS AND WITH THE LIMITED BUDGET THAT WE HAVE IS JUST A PIECE OF THE PIECE OF THE PIE.
UH, YOU KNOW, THAT ONE OF THE ISSUES WE HAVE, WE'VE HAD TO FACE WAS A PETITION FOR PAID SICK LEAVE TO BE MANDATED IN THE COMMUNITY.
UH, AND THE COUNCIL, UH, TOOK THOSE 140,000 SIGNATURES ON THE PETITION AND INITIATED, UH, AN ORDINANCE, UH, MANDATING THAT.
HOWEVER, UH, THERE'S BEEN SOME DISCUSSION ABOUT, UH, WHETHER THE CITY'S GONNA BE RECONSIDERING SOME OF THAT.
UH, WHAT IS YOUR VIEW ON, ON, UH, MANDATING PAID SICK LEAVE FOR ALL BUSINESSES IN THE COMMUNITY? UM, NUMBER ONE, WE HAVE TO FOLLOW WHATEVER RULES ARE IN PLACE FOR PETITIONS.
SO IF PETITIONS ARE SIGNED, UM, AND THEY REQUIRE CERTAIN PROCESS BY, BY CITY COUNCIL, I MEAN, THAT'S THE RULE.
UH, NOW IF IT'S UP TO US TO MAKE A DECISION, UH, AS TO AS TO THOSE RULES, UM, MY GENERAL REACTION WHEN I, WHEN I SAW THAT, AND I'M, AND I'LL ADMIT I'M, I'M A DEMOCRAT, UM, IS THAT FOR US AS A CITY COUNCIL TO STEP INTO BUSINESS AND BUSINESS PRACTICES FOR ME WAS OVERSTEPPING, UH, OUR ROLE, UH, AS A CITY AND, UM, CERTAINLY IMPACTS, UH, THOSE BUSINESSES, BOTH LARGE AND SMALL.
SO MY GENERAL STANCE ON, ON WHETHER OR NOT WE SHOULD MANDATE, UH, APART FROM WHAT THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT ALREADY MANDATES FOR MINIMUM WAGE AND SO FORTH, UH, WHAT THE MINIMUM WAGE, WAGE ON THE, FROM THE CITY PERSPECTIVE SHOULD BE FOR BUSINESSES, UH, PERSONALLY, I THINK WE'VE OVERSTEPPED OUR BOUNDS.
ANOTHER ISSUE WE FACE DOWNTOWN OR THE SCOOTERS.
UH, WHAT IS YOUR VIEW ON, ON THOSE AS FAR AS, UH, THE PROLIFERATION, UH, SAFETY FACTORS, UH, YOU KNOW, COMMON SENSE AND, AND THE AVAILABILITY OF SUPPORTING THE TRANSPORTATION NEEDS THAT WE HAVE? YOU KNOW, SCOOTERS IS A, IS A TOUGH ISSUE.
I MEAN, WE, IT IT'S ONE OF THOSE KIND OF BALANCE SORT OF ISSUES.
UM, MILLENNIAL MILLENNIALS AND YOUNG PEOPLE LOVE THEM.
AND, UM, THEY ARE A GREAT WAY FOR, FOR TRANSPORTATION, FOR LOTS OF PEOPLES, UH, YOU KNOW, MORE SO THAN BIKES, MORE SO THAN WALKING, MORE SO THAN, UH, BUSES AND, AND SO FORTH.
UH, BUT AT THE SAME TIME, I MEAN, THEY, THEY, THEY ARE A BIT OF AN EYESORE AND, UH, YOU KNOW, I DROVE BY, UM, MY DAUGHTER'S SCHOOL JUST THE OTHER DAY, AND YOU HAVE THESE THINGS LAYING IN THE STREETS, LAYING OVER THE SIDEWALKS AND SO FORTH.
AND YOU GOTTA THINK ABOUT SAFETY FOR NOT ONLY PEOPLE WALKING, BUT FOR THOSE IN WHEELCHAIRS AND, AND SO FORTH.
SO TRYING TO FIGURE OUT THE, THE, THE PROPER BALANCE BETWEEN HAVING THE SCOOTERS AND MAKING IT, UM, UH, PLEASANT AND SAFE FOR, FOR OTHER PEOPLE IS, IS THE TOUGH ISSUE.
UM, I DON'T KNOW WHAT, WHAT DISCUSSIONS
[02:00:01]
YOU ALL HAVE HAD HISTORICALLY, UH, ABOUT THAT.UM, BUT I, I DON'T THINK I'D TAKE THE POSITION OF ELIMINATING BECAUSE, UH, THAT FOR ME IS JUST GOING TOO FAR IN THE WRONG DIRECTION, PARTICULARLY IF WE'RE WANTING TO, UH, DEVELOP A SORT OF NEW AGE CULTURE AND ATTRACT YOUNG PEOPLE TO, TO THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO.
BUT THERE'S GOTTA BE A WAY FOR US TO BE ABLE TO BALANCE THAT WITH, UM, OTHER NEEDS.
UM, MAKING THEM AN AESTHETIC, UH, AESTHETICALLY PLEASING LOCATION TO PLACE THEM, UM, SAFE LOCATIONS TO PLACE 'EM AND THAT KIND OF THING.
AND WHEN I WAS PASSING THESE LITTLE SCOOTERS THAT WERE LAYING ON THE STREET THE OTHER DAY, I MEAN, I WAS, I WAS THINKING TO MYSELF, IS THERE A WAY TO BE ABLE TO, YOU KNOW, LIKE THE BIKE RACKS, UH, TO PUT THEM IN A SET LOCATION WHERE THEY CAN BE SET UP STRAIGHT, UM, AND THAT CAN, YOU KNOW, UH, LOOK NICE AND, AND, AND WORK FOR EVERYBODY AND THAT KIND OF THING.
UH, BUT THOSE ARE OPTIONS THAT I THINK WE HAVE TO LOOK MORE CLOSELY AT.
YOU KNOW, ANOTHER ONGOING CONFLICT WE'VE HAD IS, UH, REACHING AN AGREEMENT WITH FIREFIGHTERS FOR A CONTRACT.
WHAT'S YOUR VIEW ON THAT WHOLE SITUATION AS A PERSPECTIVE OF SOMEBODY WHO'S BEEN ON THE COUNCIL, BUT HAS BEEN LOOKING AT, AT IT FROM THE OUTSIDE.
SO WHEN I WAS ON COUNCIL, WE, UH, WE WERE ABLE TO RESOLVE THE POLICE CONTRACT.
UM, BUT AT THE END OF THE DAY, WE KNEW WE HAD TO COMPROMISE A LITTLE BIT, AND THEY KNEW THEY HAD TO COMPROMISE A LITTLE BIT.
AND AT THE END OF THE DAY, WE MET IN THE MIDDLE.
IT'S WORKED FOR THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO, IT'S WORKED FOR THE, THE POLICE OFFICERS, MY OWN, AND, AND I'M, I'M ONE OF THESE GUYS.
I TRY TO BE AS LITTLE, UH, UH, POLITICAL AS, AS, AS AS POSSIBLE.
I THINK IN THE FIRE SITUATION, UH, I THINK IT'S BECOME PERSONAL.
AND WHEN YOU BECOME PERSONAL AND MOVE AWAY FROM POLICY, UM, THINGS DON'T GO WELL.
AND I THINK FROM MY PERSPECTIVE, THAT'S WHAT WHAT'S HAPPENED.
UM, AT THIS POINT, YOU'VE GOTTA FIGURE OUT, ALL RIGHT, HOW DO WE REMOVE THE PERSONALITIES OR, OR PERSONAL SIDE OF IT, UH, AND GET TO, YOU KNOW, THE, THE, THE NOTION OF COMPROMISE.
UM, AND THE FACT IS, IN ORDER TO BE ABLE TO COME TO AN AGREEMENT, THERE HAS TO BE COMPROMISE.
AND SO WE GOTTA GIVE A LITTLE BIT AS A CITY, THEY'VE GOTTA GIVE A LITTLE BIT, UH, AS, AS FIREFIGHTERS.
BUT WHAT THAT GIVE IS ON EITHER SIDE IS THAT'S THE QUESTION.
AND WHERE WE MEET IN THE MIDDLE IS, IS GONNA BE THE QUESTION.
UH, WE CAN'T, AND THEY CAN'T HAVE THE PERSPECTIVE OF THAT.
UH, THERE'S GOTTA BE COMPROMISE ON BOTH SIDES.
AND AT THE END OF THE DAY, YOU'RE GONNA, YOU'RE GONNA SEE A WIN FOR EVERYBODY IN THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO.
UM, A LOT OF THAT AT THE END OF THE DAY, IS GONNA, IT'S GONNA TAKE LEADERSHIP BY US, UH, BY OUR MAYOR, CERTAINLY, UH, OUR NEW CITY MANAGER COMING IN, UH, BUT ALSO ON THEIR PART.
HOW DO YOU GET TO THAT POINT? IT'S, UH, WE'VE NOT GOTTEN TO THAT POINT PERSONALLY, FROM MY PERSPECTIVE, BECAUSE OF, OF IT, IT'S BECOME TOO, TOO PERSONAL.
SO HOW DO YOU GET BEYOND THAT IS, THAT'S THE QUESTION.
AND, UH, IT'S GONNA TAKE SOME, SOME TIME.
NOW, I WILL SAY, I DON'T KNOW EXACTLY HOW THE EVERGREEN CLAUSE WORKS, UH, BUT I THINK WE'RE GETTING VERY CLOSE TO THAT, THAT EVERGREEN.
UM, AND THAT'S GONNA PUSH SOMEBODY TO START COMPROMISING AND, AND, AND MOVING.
SO, UM, I KNOW THAT THAT LIMITATION, THAT, THAT, UH, THAT BACKDROP IS COMING SOON.
COUNCILMAN COUNCILWOMAN GONZALEZ.
UM, SO, UH, MY, THE TWO MOST IMPORTANT ISSUES TO ME, UH, FOR THE SHORT TERM, ARE THE HIRING OF OUR CITY MANAGER IN THE CON CONTRACT NEGOTIATIONS WITH THE FIREFIGHTERS.
COUNCILMAN COURAGE ASKED YOU THE QUESTION ABOUT THE FIREFIGHTERS.
SO COULD YOU, UM, DISCUSS WHAT EXPERIENCES YOU'VE HAD IN HIRING AN EXECUTIVE PERSON OR AN EXECUTIVE TEAM, OR HIRING PRACTICES THAT YOU'VE HAD IN, IN YOUR LIFE? OKAY.
SO I'M, I'VE OFTEN BEEN, BEEN EITHER THE LEAD OR THE HEAD OF DEPARTMENTS AND SO FORTH.
AND SO, UM, I'M, I'M CONSTANTLY HIRING PEOPLE.
UM, AT THE SAME TIME, ONE OF THE TOUGHER DECISIONS IS YOU GOTTA LET PEOPLE GO SOMETIMES.
UM, AND SO THAT'S NOT AN, AN, AN UNUSUAL PRACTICE FOR ME.
UH, I WILL TELL YOU THAT I WAS ON THE TEAM, AND I, AND I, I WAS TRYING TO REMEMBER HOW THE PROCESS WORKED, BUT THERE WAS THREE COUNCIL MEMBERS THAT KIND OF LED THE SELECTION OF OUR CITY MANAGER, CHERYL SCULLY.
AND SO I WAS ON THAT TEAM ALONG WITH, UH, UH, COUNCILMAN BETIS AND, AND ANOTHER, AND, AND SO, UM, WE WENT THROUGH THE INTERVIEW PROCESS.
WE LOOKED RES, LOOKED THROUGH ALL THE RESUMES.
I THINK WE HELPED KIND OF NARROW IT DOWN, UH, FOR OTHER COUNCIL MEMBERS TO LOOK AT.
UM, SO MY EXPERIENCE ON SELECTING, UM, PEOPLE FOR POSITIONS, UM, EXTENDS NOT ONLY TO MY PROFESSIONAL JOB, BUT ALSO HERE WHILE I WAS IN CITY COUNCIL.
UH, WE ALSO, UH, HIRED LETICIA SEK, UH,
[02:05:01]
AS OUR, UH, CITY CLERK.AND SO I WAS INTRICATELY INVOLVED IN THAT PROCESS AS WELL AS A CITY COUNCIL MEMBER.
UH, I LED OR WAS ON THE COMMITTEE FOR, UM, UH, FOR THE COURT SYSTEM.
AND SO IT WAS, IT WAS THREE COUNCIL MEMBERS THAT, UH, RECOMMENDED TO THE REST OF COUNCIL THE SELECTION OF OUR PRESIDING JUDGE, UH, THE REVIEW OF ALL THE SALARIES FOR, FOR THE JUDGES, UM, AND ALSO THE, THE RECOMMENDATION COUNCIL FOR, FOR JUDICIAL APPOINTMENTS.
SO I'M NOT, UM, INEXPERIENCED WITH REGARD TO, TO THAT PROCESS AND, AND LOOKING AT THE, THE NEEDS OF NOT ONLY, UH, THE CITY AT LARGE, BUT, BUT, UH, BUT WHAT, WHAT WE WOULD LOOK FOR IN A CITY MANAGER.
UH, I WILL SAY THIS, THAT, UM, WE GOT A BIG ORGANIZATION HERE AND WE IMPACT LOTS OF PEOPLE, UH, NOT ONLY, UH, CITIZENS HERE, BUT ALSO PEOPLE THAT WORK, THAT WORK HERE.
SO THAT THAT DECISION THAT YOU ALL ARE STARTING TO MAKE NEXT WEEK IS HUGE.
AND, UM, YOU'VE GOTTA HAVE A, A PERSON THAT'S EXPERIENCED ENOUGH TO, NUMBER ONE, KNOW THE CITY AND KNOW WHAT KIND OF LEADER AND LEADERSHIP YOU NEED TO FOR, FOR A PERSON TO BE ABLE TO SERVE THAT POSITION.
UM, BECAUSE IN CHERYL'S CASE, I MEAN, THAT WAS A 13 YEAR DECISION, AND, UH, THAT PERSON THAT SITS IN THAT SEAT NEXT TO COUNCILMAN TREVINO AND, UH, COUNCILWOMAN VIA, HAS GOTTA BE ABLE TO, UM, KNOW THE CITY WELL ENOUGH TO MAKE THAT DECISION.
THAT COULD BE A 13 PLUS YEAR DECISION.
UM, I WANNA THANK YOU FOR COMING FORWARD, UH, TO BE CONSIDERED FOR THIS APPOINTMENT, UM, FOR REALLY CONSIDERING, UH, THIS SACRIFICE, WHICH IT, WHICH IT IS, RIGHT? PUTTING PARTS OF YOUR LIFE ON HOLD FOR, FOR SEVERAL MONTHS, UH, AND FILLING IN THIS GAP.
UM, ESPECIALLY LIKE YOU'VE BEEN HERE AND YOU'VE DONE THAT, AND YOU DON'T NEED TO DO IT AGAIN, BUT THANK YOU FOR, FOR COMING BACK AND, AND DOING THAT.
UM, I DON'T HAVE ANY DOUBT THAT YOU WOULD HIT THE GROUND RUNNING, UM, IF AND WHEN APPOINTED, AND CERTAINLY YOUR RESUME SPEAKS TO ALL THE INSIGHTS THAT YOU WOULD BRING, UH, TO, TO THIS COUNCIL.
I WANNA THANK YOU FOR ADDRESSING THE ISSUE OF, OF THE RESIDENCY.
I WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT THAT WAS AIRED OUT.
AND, UM, AND JUST THAT WE'RE TRYING TO DO THE BEST TO, TO MEET THE SPIRIT AS WELL AS THE LAW OF REPRESENTATION, RIGHT IN DISTRICT, UM, TWO.
SO, UH, THANK YOU FOR, FOR ANSWERING THAT.
I HAVE A COUPLE OF QUESTIONS FOR YOU.
UM, THE LAST ELECTIONS IN NOVEMBER AND THE PROPOSITIONS THAT WERE ON THEM, I BELIEVE INDICATED, UM, SOME FRACTURE IN THE PUBLIC'S TRUST IN THIS ORGANIZATION AND, AND POSSIBLY IN THIS COUNCIL AS WELL.
I BELIEVE THAT WHAT WE DO IN THE NEXT FEW MONTHS WHILE YOU'RE HERE, UM, WILL INDICATE WHETHER WE BEGIN REBUILDING THAT TRUST OR IF, UH, OR, OR NOT.
SO I WOULD LIKE TO GET YOUR THOUGHTS ON THAT AND HOW YOU FEEL WE CAN, WE CAN MOVE TOWARD, UH, REBUILDING THAT TRUST.
YOU KNOW, RE WELL, BUILDING, ESTABLISHING TRUST IS TOUGH ENOUGH.
UH, BUT ONCE, UH, TRUST HAS BEEN BROKEN, THEN REESTABLISHING THAT IS, IS, UH, YOU KNOW, A MUCH MORE DIFFICULT PROCESS.
UM, I CAN HELP START THAT, UM, OVER THE NEXT FIVE MONTHS.
BUT I MEAN, THAT'S LITERALLY, THAT'S, THAT'S A PROCESS AND IT'S A LONG-TERM PROCESS.
UM, GENERALLY MY VIEW ON, ON, ON THESE SORTS OF THINGS IS THAT, UM, YOU KNOW, A LOT OF TIMES AT THE END OF THE DAY, IT'S ABOUT PEOPLE AND PERSONALITIES.
AND AS I MENTIONED BEFORE, UH, I, WE, WE'VE, WE HAVE PERSONALITIES THAT WE'RE JUST NOT ON THE SAME PAGE.
AND, UM, UNFORTUNATELY, UH, THAT HAS NOT TRICKLED TO JUST THE PERSONAL RELATIONSHIPS BETWEEN, YOU KNOW, THE CITY AND, AND AN ORGANIZATION, BUT IT'S TRICKLED TO THE LARGER POPULATION.
AND, UM, I THINK WE'VE GOTTA CONSTANTLY PUSH TO, UM, MAINTAIN THE RELATIONSHIPS ON THE GRANULAR LEVEL BEFORE IT EVER GETS TO, UH, BEYOND THAT, I'LL SAY THIS, THAT, YOU KNOW, WE HAD A GREAT COUNCIL, UH, WE LOVED WORKING TOGETHER.
UM, WE HAD A LOT OF ISSUES THAT WE HAD TO TAKE CARE OF COMING IN BECAUSE THERE WERE COUNCIL MEMBERS THAT WERE INDICTED AND THAT KIND OF THING BEFORE WE CAME ON.
SO WE CAME IN AS A VERY STRONG COUNCIL.
AND I THINK OUR REPUTATION AS A BODY HAS ALWAYS BEEN THAT, THAT, UH, THAT WE WERE ONE OF THE STRONGER COUNCILS.
UH, WE HAD OUR DISAGREEMENTS AND WE DISAGREED BACK THERE IN, IN EXECUTIVE SESSION AND SO FORTH.
UM, BUT AT THE END OF THE DAY, WE LOVED WORKING TOGETHER, AND, UH, WE DIDN'T MIND AGREEING TO DISAGREE.
[02:10:01]
UH, I DON'T KNOW IF THAT'S ALWAYS BEEN THE REPUTATION OF, OF THIS COUNCIL.AND SO A LOT OF THAT STARTS RIGHT HERE.
UM, A LOT OF THAT STARTS WITH THE NOTION THAT, THAT, UH, YOU KNOW, WE HERE AS A BODY ARE, ARE REALLY HERE FOR, NOT OURSELVES, FOR OUR DISTRICT, CERTAINLY, UH, BUT REALLY, WE'RE HERE FOR THE GOOD OF THE CITY, AND WE'RE GONNA HAVE OUR PERSPECTIVES, WE'RE GONNA HAVE OUR DIFFERENCES.
UM, BUT AT THE END OF THE DAY, WE GOTTA FIGURE OUT HOW TO GET ALONG, LOVE WORKING TOGETHER, AND MAKE SURE THAT WE, UM, UH, PUT THE BUSINESS OF THE CITY FIRST.
I THINK WE DID THAT AS A COUNCIL.
I THINK THAT TRICKLED DOWN TO A LOT OF THE, A LOT OF THE RELATIONSHIPS THAT STAFF HAD WITH, UH, WITH ORGANIZATIONS AND SO FORTH.
UH, AND THEN WE HAD THE TRUST OF, OF THE ENTIRE COMMUNITY.
WHAT WAS INTERESTING FOR ME, JUST TO SEE SOME OF THE MORE CONTROVERSIAL VOTES, AND I SERVED UNDER, UH, MAYOR ED GARZA AND, UH, MAYOR PHIL HARBERGER, UM, WE WOULD ALWAYS FIGURE OUT A WAY TO, UH, WHENEVER THERE WAS EITHER, EITHER EITHER OF THOSE MAYORS KNEW THAT THERE WAS DISAGREEMENT ON, ON COUNCIL, WE'D ALWAYS FIGURE OUT A WAY TO, AT THE END OF THE DAY, HAVE A UNANIMOUS VOTE, UH, PARTICULARLY ON THE BIGGER CONTROVERSIAL ISSUES.
AND, UM, THAT FOR ME WAS JUST A, JUST AN INTERESTING CONCEPT.
AN INTERESTING STRATEGY OF HOW, OF HOW YOU, UH, HOW YOU MOVE THOSE VOTES AND, AND, AND SO FORTH.
BUT IF WE COULD DO MORE OF THAT AS A CITY COUNCIL, I THINK, UH, I THINK THAT HELPS.
SO I THINK A LOT OF IT STARTS HERE.
UH, I THINK THAT TRICKLES DOWN TO, UH, RELATIONSHIPS WITH STAFF AND SO FORTH, UM, AND THEN EVENTUALLY THAT, THAT TRICKLES UP TO, TO THE REMAINDER OF THE COMMUNITY.
BUT WHEN THERE'S FRACTURING HERE, WHEN THERE'S FRACTURING BETWEEN US AND THE COUNTY AND, AND OTHER ENTITIES, UH, I MEAN, IT, IT IMPACTS IT EVERYWHERE.
ONE THING I'VE ALWAYS SAID ABOUT SAN ANTONIO, AND I THINK YOU ALL MAY AGREE, IS THAT ONE OF THE THINGS SAN ANTONIO AS A WHOLE DOES SO WELL IS BECAUSE OUR POLITICAL ENTITIES GET ALONG SO WELL.
WE ALWAYS COME AS A COALITION, UH, AS OPPOSED TO, TO, TO, UH, NOT, UM, REPRESENTATIVE BARBARA GAR, GERVIN HAWKINS WAS HERE YESTERDAY, AND NOW SHE WAS SPEAKING FOR HER CANDIDATE, UH, BUT SHE AND I HUGGED AND, AND WE TALKED TO, TO EACH OTHER LAST NIGHT AFTERWARDS.
AND THAT, FOR ME, IS WHAT IT'S ABOUT, IS BEING ABLE TO BE ON DIFFERENT SIDES OF THE, OF THE POST, BUT AT THE END OF THE DAY, COME TOGETHER, UM, THAT NOT ONLY HAS TO HAPPEN GLOBALLY FOR OUR POLITICAL ENTITIES, UH, BUT WE'VE ALSO GOTTA CREATE IT AND GENERATE IT WITHIN, UH, THE ORGANIZATION AND BETWEEN, UH, PIECES OF THE ORGANIZATION.
AND I DON'T THINK WE'VE ALWAYS DONE THAT, UH, AS MUCH AS WE SHOULD HAVE.
TELL ME ABOUT WITH THE PUBLIC, TOO.
UM, SOMEONE'S ASKING ME TO REPEAT THE QUESTION.
I, I THINK THAT'S A VERY THOUGHTFUL RESPONSE.
AND I, I JUST WANTED TO EXPAND A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT YOUR THOUGHTS ON, ON THAT AS PERTAINS TO THE PUBLIC AS WELL.
WELL, AND IF IT'S FRACTURED, IT'S, IT'S HARD TO TELL THE PUBLIC THAT YOU'RE NOT.
AND, UM, SO, YOU KNOW, I, I DON'T, I DON'T THINK WE CAN GO TO THE PUBLIC WITH, WITH A FRACTURED RELATIONSHIP AND HONESTLY SAY THAT THINGS ARE GROWN GOING GREAT.
UH, I THINK WE'VE GOTTA BE HONEST ABOUT IT.
I THINK THE FIREFIGHTERS HAVE GOTTA BE HONEST ABOUT IT.
UM, AND THEN WE GOTTA, WE GOTTA FIX IT BEFORE WE GO OUT AND, AND, AND PUBLICIZE.
I THINK PEOPLE WILL NOTICE, UH, THAT THINGS ARE GOING WELL AND THINGS ARE WORKING, UH, WHEN THEY ARE.
UM, BUT RIGHT NOW, UH, THEY'RE NOT.
I WILL TELL YOU, I, I GET THE EMAILS FROM, UH, OUR CITY MANAGER, CHERYL SCULLY, UM, I, SHE'S CONSTANTLY TRYING TO, UH, INFORM THE PUBLIC OF WHAT'S HAPPENING AND, AND, UH, HOW WE AS A CITY AND SHE AS A CITY MANAGER ARE DEALING WITH THOSE ISSUES AND SO FORTH.
UM, I THINK THAT SORT OF COMMUNICATION AND, AND, UH, CONNECTION WITH THE COMMUNITY IS IMPORTANT AND EXPLAINING WHAT THE ISSUES ARE AND WHY, AND OUR POSITION AND SO FORTH.
UH, BUT AT THE END OF THE DAY, I MEAN, WE GOTTA PULL THAT TOGETHER.
AND BOTH PEOPLE HAVE GOTTA BE ABLE TO COME TO THE TABLE.
BOTH PEOPLE HAVE GOTTA BE ABLE TO, TO COMPROMISE, AND ONE, IF, IF, IF ONE OF THEM IS NOT, IT'S NOT GONNA WORK.
AND, UM, WE CAN'T COMMUNICATE OTHERWISE TO THE, TO THE PUBLIC.
IT JUST, IT JUST WOULDN'T WORK.
SO WE GOTTA, WE GOTTA FIX IT BEFORE, UM, WE CAN COMMUNICATE THE, THE NOTION OF TRUST TO THE COMMUNITY.
UH, THANK YOU VERY MUCH, MR. HALL.
UM, I DO HAVE ONE, UH, ONE ADDITIONAL QUESTION, UH, WITH REGARDS TO CLIMATE CHANGE.
THAT'S SOMETHING THAT THE CITY STAFF IS DEVELOPING, IS A PLAN FOR CLIMATE ACTION AND ADAPTATION.
I SAW THAT YOU DID SOME WORK ON SOME OF THE ENVI ON SOME ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUES WHEN YOU WERE ON COUNCIL.
[02:15:01]
SO I'D JUST LIKE TO KNOW IF, UH, IF THAT PLAN, UM, YOU KNOW, WOULD HAVE YOUR SUPPORT.OBVIOUSLY YOU DON'T HAVE TO ASSIGN YOUR LIFE AWAY TO EVERY SINGLE, UH, DETAIL IN THERE, BUT THE, YOUR GENERAL SUPPORT FOR SOMETHING THAT REDUCES CLIMATE CHANGE POLLUTION AND HELPS US PREPARE, UH, FOR THE CHANGES THAT THAT CLIMATE CHANGE WILL BRING.
SO THAT'S KIND OF MY NATURAL INCLINATION.
UM, BUT I'LL ALSO TELL YOU, I'M, I'M, I'M A PRAGMATIST, SO I'VE GOTTA LOOK AT, YOU KNOW, WHAT THE COSTS ARE AND, AND THE IMPLICATIONS OF WHERE THE FUNDING IS COMING FROM AND, AND SO FORTH.
BUT YES, MY, MY NATURAL INCLINATION IS, IS TO MAKE SURE THAT WE HAVE A BETTER ENVIRONMENT FOR NOT ONLY OURSELVES, BUT ALSO, UM, YOU KNOW, OUR CHILDREN, WHATEVER, YOU KNOW, WE'RE SMALL PIECE IN THE STATE AND NATIONAL AND INTERNATIONAL, UH, UM, UH, ORGANIZATIONS, BUT WE'VE GOTTA DO WHAT WE CAN HERE FIRST.
AND SO, YEAH, UH, THAT'S, I'D LOVE TO SUPPORT MORE CLIMATE CHANGE, UH, BUT LET ME LOOK, LOOK MORE CLOSELY AT THE DETAILS ON HOW THAT HAPPENS.
ALRIGHT, WE'LL HAVE A DRAFT PLAN OUT THIS MONTH THAT YOU AND I CAN REVIEW.
ALRIGHT, SOUNDS YOU, THANK YOU VERY MUCH, DR.
UH, OUR, IT'S GOOD TO SEE YOU DOWN HERE AGAIN.
THIS IS VERY FAMILIAR TERRITORY FOR YOU GUYS.
YOU, UH, YOU'VE SPENT, UH, YOUR DEDICATED PUBLIC SERVICE TO, TO THIS CITY AND TO THE COUNCIL.
THEN I WANT TO ASK A, A QUESTION THAT'S, THAT'S FOCUSED ON, ON, ON POLICY AND, AND ONE THAT I THINK WE'RE GONNA TAKE ON THE NEXT FEW MONTHS.
UM, AND IT HAS, HAS TO DO WITH THE ISSUE OF SITE AND RELEASE.
YOU MENTIONED THAT SITE AND RELEASE.
UH, YOU MENTIONED THAT, UH, YOU HELPED SET UP THE PRESIDING JUDGE IN THE MUNICIPAL COURT SYSTEM, AND COUNCILMAN SHAW BROUGHT UP AN ISSUE THAT WILL SEE ITSELF IN THE NEXT FEW MONTHS, PROBABLY COME TO, UH, A COUNCIL DECISION OR A COUNCIL VOTE.
UH, AND THE CONCEPT AT CORE IS, YOU KNOW, REDUCING OUR JAIL POPULATION FOR FOLKS WHO NOT A, WHO ARE NOT, UH, HARM TO THEMSELVES OR TO OTHERS.
UH, GIVING POLICE OFFICERS THEIR TIME BACK IF THEY CAN CITE ON, ON SCENE.
UM, AND AT THE END OF THE DAY, IF SOMEBODY CAN'T AFFORD TO BE BAILED OUT, IF THEY'RE IN JAIL TODAY, THAT MEANS THEY CAN GO BACK TO THEIR FAMILY OR TO THEIR JOBS.
UH, CAN YOU SPEAK TO, YOU KNOW, WHAT YOU MIGHT BRING TO THAT DISCUSSION? UH, WHAT, WHAT OPINIONS, UH, UH, WHAT, WHAT EXPERIENCES YOU HAVE WITH CRIMINAL JUSTICE REFORM IN THIS KIND OF WAY, UH, THAT YOU MIGHT BE ABLE TO, TO BRING TO THE POLICY DISCUSSION.
AND, AND SO THE WHOLE, YOU KNOW, MUNICIPAL COURT SYSTEM AND, AND JUSTICE SYSTEM, AND SO THERE'S A LOT OF LITTLE PIECES TO IT.
UH, I'VE NOT NECESSARILY BEEN INVOLVED IN THAT DISCUSSION OR THOSE PIECES, PIECES, UM, BUT WHAT I WILL SAY IS, IS, YOU KNOW, THERE, IF THERE ARE WAYS TO REDUCE JAIL POPULATION, BECAUSE WE DO HAVE A LIMITED SPACE, AND THE COUNTY HAS HAS THE SAME THING, UM, WE WANNA MAKE SURE THAT, THAT WE PUT THE MOST DANGEROUS FOLKS IN THERE.
AND, AND IF THERE'S OPPORTUNITIES TO, UH, TO LIMIT THAT POPULATION, LET'S DO SO.
UM, AT THE SAME TIME, WE GOTTA CONSTANT, CONSTANTLY BALANCE THE, YOU KNOW, PUBLIC, UH, MEDIA RISK, UH, AND, AND SAFETY.
AND SO I WOULD NOT WANT TO SEE SAFETY ISSUES GO UP AND, AND THAT SORT OF PROCESS.
UH, BUT I'M CERTAINLY OPEN TO IDEAS.
UM, I'M ONE OF THESE GUYS THAT, UM, LET'S NOT JUST GO OUT AND DO IT BY OURSELVES OR ON OUR OWN.
UH, LET'S GO OUT AND RESEARCH OTHER CITIES, UH, OTHER UNI MUNICIPALITIES AND WHAT'S WORKED AND WHAT'S NOT WORKED.
AND IF THERE ARE EXAMPLES OF WHERE THAT SCENARIO HAS, HAS WORKED, UM, YEAH, LET'S, LET'S TRY IT AND, UH, UM, YOU KNOW, MAKE, MAKE THE SYSTEM EFFICIENT FOR THE SPACE AND NEEDS THAT WE HAVE, UH, WHILE ALSO BALANCING THE, THE, THE NEEDS OF SAFETY FOR THE COMMUNITY.
UH, I'VE GOT A CLOSE RELATIONSHIP WITH JUDGE BULL AND, AND OTHERS, AND CERTAINLY ON THE COUNTY SIDE.
AND I KNOW, UM, THERE'S BEEN A LOT OF COOPERATION BETWEEN THE COUNTY AND, AND CITY, UH, WITH REGARD TO, UM, THE COURT SYSTEMS AND SO FORTH.
THOSE, AGAIN, SHARED, UH, RESOURCES, SHARED OPPORTUNITIES, UH, BECOME MUCH MORE EFFICIENT AND MUCH MORE SAFE FOR THE ENTIRE COMMUNITY.
SO, UH, I'D BE OPEN TO CONTINUE THAT DIALOGUE, NOT ONLY HERE, BUT ALSO, UH, AT OTHER LEVELS.
ART, I HAVE ANOTHER QUESTION THAT HAS TO DO WITH ONE THAT YOU'VE, YOU'VE BROUGHT UP, WHICH IS THE, THE RESIDENCY ISSUE.
AND, AND I THINK YOU'VE, YOU'VE DESCRIBED PRETTY ACCURATELY WHAT IS THE SORT OF TECHNICAL NATURE OF, YOU KNOW, THERE, THERE'S A BAR, I'VE CROSSED IT AND, AND I THINK JUST KIND OF HEARKENING BACK THE, THE SPIRIT OF, OF SINGLE MEMBER DISTRICTS IS THAT YOU EXPERIENCE THE DISTRICT AND, AND, AND YOU REPRESENT IT BECAUSE THAT'S, THAT'S WHERE YOU'RE FROM.
THAT'S WHERE YOU LAY YOUR HEAD, THAT'S, THAT'S YOUR RESIDENCE.
SO I GUESS I'M SPEAKING TO THE SPIRIT OF, OF RESIDENCY ISSUES AS, AS YOU REPRESENT THAT DISTRICT.
SO, UH, IS, IS THERE GONNA BE ANY ISSUES IN THE FEW, THE FOUR MONTHS THAT YOU MIGHT SERVE, WHERE FOLKS ARE FOLLOWING YOU AROUND AND SAYING, LOOK, THIS IS NOT WHERE HE SLEEPS EVERY DAY, OR, THIS IS NOT, UH, WHAT THE STREET, SAME STREET THAT HE DRIVES DOWN TO GET THE EXPERIENCE OF A COUNCIL MEMBER WHO REPRESENTS ME, WHO SEES THE SAME ISSUES, TALK TO ME ABOUT THE SPIRIT, NOT JUST THE TECHNICAL NATURE OF, OF THE RESIDENCY ISSUE.
AND SO, AND I'M, I'M HONEST, WE GOT TWO PLACES.
WE SPEND QUITE A BIT OF TIME AT BOTH PLACES.
[02:20:01]
BUT BOTH PLACES ARE OUR HOME DISTRICT TWO IS MY HOME.UM, AND AT THE END OF THE DAY, I MEAN, IF YOU'VE GOT TWO PLACES, YOU GOTTA PICK ONE.
AND BECAUSE OF MY PASSION FOR DISTRICT TWO AND MY INTEREST IN DISTRICT TWO, UM, AND THIS WAS PRIOR TO EVEN THIS COMING UP, UM, NOT EVEN KNOWING THAT I COULD EVEN RUN OR SERVE IN THIS CAPACITY.
UH, WE WERE, WE WANTED TO BE INVESTED IN DISTRICT TWO.
UM, THAT'S WHERE WE DO A LOT OF OUR SHOPPING, A LOT OF OUR EATING, I WORKED IN DISTRICT TWO AND SO FORTH.
SO I, FOR ME, THERE'S NOT GONNA BE ANY DISCONNECT BETWEEN MYSELF AND, UH, THE DISTRICT TWO RESIDENTS THAT, THAT I WILL REPRESENT.
UM, AND THE REASON I'M HERE IS BECAUSE, I MEAN, I TRULY BELIEVE THAT, THAT WE NEED SOMEBODY IN DISTRICT TWO FOR THESE FOUR OR FIVE MONTHS TO BE ABLE TO, UH, MAKE SURE THAT IT IS WELL REPRESENTED.
I MEAN, I'M HOPING THAT, THAT THE FACT THAT I'M HERE APPLYING FOR THIS POSITION SHOWS MY COMMITMENT AND PASSION FOR THE DISTRICT TO BE ABLE TO FILL THAT GAP.
UM, I'VE GOT LOTS OF SUPPORT, UM, IN THE DISTRICT.
UM, I KNOW I DON'T KNOW EVERYTHING ABOUT THE DISTRICT, AND, UH, BUT I KNOW A LOT ABOUT IT.
AND, UH, THERE'S THINGS THAT YOU ALL FIND OUT NEW ABOUT YOUR DISTRICTS EVERY SINGLE DAY.
AND THE SAME WILL HAPPEN, UH, FOR ME.
BUT AT THE END OF THE DAY, I THINK THAT I CAN PROVIDE A VALUE TO THE DISTRICT BY SERVING IN THIS POSITION, UM, AND HELPING TO MAKE THE DECISIONS THAT ARE NOT GONNA IMPACT THE DISTRICT IN A POSITIVE WAY, UH, BUT ALSO TO BE ABLE TO IMPACT THE CITY.
SO I, FOR ME, THERE'S NO DISCONNECT.
UH, I WILL TELL YOU AGAIN, FOR, FOR, UH, FROM MY JUST GENERAL PERSPECTIVE.
AND I THINK IT'S A CHALLENGE NOT ONLY IN DISTRICT TWO WITHIN THEM, AND PARTICULARLY WITHIN THE AFRICAN AMERICAN COMMUNITY IN DISTRICT TWO, BUT IT MAY BE AN ISSUE FOR SOME OF YOUR DISTRICTS.
UM, SAN ANTONIO AND A DIFFERENT FROM A LOT OF CITIES, AND PARTICULARLY IN DISTRICT TWO, HAS A FASCINATION WITH PEOPLE BEING FROM HERE.
AND I BELIEVE IN, IN FOLKS THAT ARE FROM HERE.
AND, UH, AND WE NEED TO GROW OUR TALENT WITHIN SAN ANTONIO, UH, FROM THE GROUND UP, YOU YOURSELF, AND MANY OTHERS ON, ON COUNCIL ARE FROM HERE.
AND I THINK THAT'S, THAT'S A TREMENDOUS BENEFIT AND NEED WITHIN OUR COMMUNITY.
BUT AT THE SAME TIME, WE CAN'T NEGLECT THE FOLKS THAT ARE NOT FROM HERE AND WHO CAN PROVIDE A VALUE AND BENEFIT TO, UH, UH, TO, TO THE DISTRICT.
AND SO, I, YOU KNOW, A LOT OF THE RESISTANCE THAT I'VE SEEN, UH, IS FOR A LOT OF FOLKS IS, IS, IS SIMPLY THE FACT THAT, UM, SOME OF THE CANS ARE, ARE NOT FROM HERE.
UH, CRUZ SHAW MENTIONED, MENTIONED THAT FACT AS WELL.
IT WAS, IT WAS AN ISSUE EARLY ON IN THE CAMPAIGN, UH, FOR HIM, UH, HE WAS ABLE TO OVERCOME IT AND HAS DONE, UH, HAS DONE WELL.
UH, I OVERCAME THAT ISSUE IN MY DISTRICT AS WELL AS IS, UH, MAYOR NUREMBERG WHEN HE WAS A COUNCILMAN AND, AND, UH, UH, NOW COUNCILMAN ELA, OTHER DISTRICTS DON'T LOOK AT THAT ISSUE THE SAME WAY THAT DISTRICT TWO DOES.
AND, UH, SOME OF THE OTHER DISTRICTS, UH, WHENEVER I WAS ELECTED IN DISTRICT EIGHT, AS I MENTIONED YESTERDAY, I MEAN THAT THE ISSUE OF WHETHER OR NOT I'M FROM HERE CAME UP MAYBE ONCE, BUT AT THE END OF THE DAY, ALL THEY CARED ABOUT IS THEY WANTED A PERSON THAT WAS GOOD, KNOWLEDGEABLE AND COULD, WOULD GO IN THERE AND MAKE GOOD DECISIONS.
UM, I'M HOPING THAT THIS APPOINTMENT, THIS, THIS OPPORTUNITY WILL HELP PUSH DISTRICT TWO A LITTLE BIT MORE IN THAT, IN THAT DIRECTION.
THEY'VE DONE A LITTLE BIT WITH COUNCILMAN TAYLOR WHEN SHE WAS IN OFFICE WITH COUNCILMAN CRUISE WHEN HE WAS IN OFFICE, BUT I'D LIKE TO PUSH THAT ENVELOPE A LITTLE BIT MORE AS WELL, THAT I CAN SERVE MY DISTRICT AND MY COMMUNITY, EVEN THOUGH I'M NOT NECESSARILY FROM HERE, UH, IN A VERY GOOD AND QUALITY WAY, UH, TO MAKE SURE THAT THAT DISTRICT IS WELL REPRESENTED.
UM, I CAN'T CHANGE THE FACT OF WHERE I'M FROM.
UM, BUT WHAT I DO CONTROL IS, UH, HOW WELL I REPRESENT AND ADVOCATE FOR A COMMUNITY, AND THAT'S WHAT I'LL DO FOR DISTRICT TWO.
THANK YOU ART FOR TAKING THAT QUESTION, UH, HEAD ON.
AND, AND FOR ALSO OFFERING YOUR, YOUR BREADTH OF EXPERIENCE, UH, IN THIS CHAMBER.
UH, BACK AS A CONSIDERATION, UH, FOR THIS COUNCIL, I WAS JUST THINKING TO MYSELF, WOULD I RATHER KNOCK ON 3000 DOORS OR GO THROUGH THIS PROCESS? AND I THINK I'D RATHER KNOCK ON 3000 DOORS THE WAY THAT, UH, YOU AND THE REST OF THE CANDIDATES, I THINK, HAVE HAD TO, YOU KNOW, BE PEPPERED WITH QUESTIONS, BUT ALL IMPORTANT, BUT AT THE END OF THE DAY, I THINK IS, UH, LEAVES US WITH THE CIRCUMSTANCES OF DECIDING ON, ON THE FATE OF WHAT'S BEST FOR, UH, DISTRICT TWO TWO THROUGH THESE FOUR, FOUR MONTHS.
SO WE APPRECIATE YOU OFFERING YOUR NAME.
AND, UH, CONGRATULATIONS FOR MAKING IT TO THIS POINT.
AND, UM, YEAH, YOU ANSWERED MOST OF MY QUESTIONS FROM, UH, EARLIER ON HERE, BUT, UH, I'M PARTICULARLY INTERESTED IN, IN YOUR COMMENTS ABOUT HIRING THE CITY MANAGERS, UH, CHERYL, UH, DURING YOUR
[02:25:01]
TENURE.UM, WHAT MORE CAN YOU BRING TO THE TABLE IN YOUR EXPERIENCES FROM THAT TO WHERE WE'RE AT TODAY? AS YOU KNOW, WE'RE GONNA START INTERVIEWING TOMORROW.
WE'VE HAD THE PACKAGES FOR ABOUT A WEEK NOW, AND, UH, WE'RE MARCHING RIGHT INTO THE, UH, UH, INTERVIEW PROCESS.
WHAT, WHAT MORE CAN YOU HELP US OUT WITH IN, IN THE PROCESS ITSELF? UM, WELL, AT THIS POINT, THE PROCESS IS, IS REALLY DEVELOPING.
SO MY, AT THIS POINT, IT, IT'D BE PARTICIPATION WITHIN THAT PROCESS.
UM, YOU KNOW, I'VE SERVED ON CITY COUNCIL, I KNOW WHAT A LOT OF THE ISSUES ARE.
WE'VE GOT, UM, YOU KNOW, COMPLICATIONS.
WE GOT, UH, DIFFERENT LEVELS OF FUNDING.
I'M AN INVEST PREVIOUSLY INVESTMENT BANKER.
UH, I'VE GOT THE ACADEMIC SIDE.
UM, SO I CAN BRING ALL THAT EXPERIENCE, AND NOT ONLY THE SERVICE ON CITY COUNCIL, BUT MY PROFESSIONAL AND AND OTHER BACKGROUND TO, TO THE TABLE AND, AND, AND REVIEWING THOSE APPLICATIONS, AND THEN MAKING MY RECOMMENDATIONS TO, UM, UH, TO COUNCIL.
UH, SO FOR ME, IT'S, IT'S A MATTER OF, OF THE LENS.
AND I THINK COUNCILMAN OR, UH, MAYOR NUREMBERG SAID IT BEST IS THAT, YOU KNOW, WE COME FROM ALL DIFFERENT PERSPECTIVES, DIFFERENT DISTRICTS, UH, DIFFERENT BACKGROUNDS AND SO FORTH.
SO WE BRING THOSE LENSES TO THE TABLE, UM, UH, TO BE ABLE TO LOOK AT, AT, AT A CITY MANAGER.
UH, I'LL BE TAKING THE LENS OF NOT ONLY ALL THAT BACKGROUND, BUT ALSO THE, THE LENS OF, OF DISTRICT TWO, UM, AND TO MAKING SURE THAT THAT PERSON THAT WE SELECT IS GONNA BE ABLE TO ADDRESS ALL THOSE, UH, ALL THOSE ISSUES, WHAT WE LOOK FOR IN A CITY MANAGER.
AND I, I WILL TELL YOU THAT ONE OF THE BEST DECISIONS THAT I THINK WE EVER MADE WAS HIRING CHERYL S SCULLY.
UM, FOR US, THAT WAS, THAT WAS HUGE.
UH, WE WENT OUT AND MAYOR HARDBERGER LED THE CHARGE, UH, TO GO OUT AND FIND ONE OF THE TOP CITY MANAGERS IN THE COUNTRY.
AND WE WERE FORTUNATE TO BE ABLE TO, IN MY, IN MY VIEW, PULL CHERYL SCULLY, WHO CAME FROM PHOENIX.
UM, AND SO, BUT WE WERE LOOKING FOR SOMEBODY WHO WAS ALREADY, WHO HAD A TRACK RECORD OF EFFECTIVENESS, UH, WHO COULD DEAL WITH A, A LARGE COMPLICATED ORGANIZATION, UH, MANAGE A LARGE GROUP OF PEOPLE, UM, BUT ALSO GET THINGS DONE.
AND THAT'S WHAT SHE DID IN PHOENIX, AND THAT'S WHAT I BELIEVE SHE'S DONE HERE.
UM, SO I MEAN, THAT, THAT'S THE KIND OF LENS THAT I'LL BRING, UH, THE EXPERIENCE THAT I BRING.
UH, I WILL TELL YOU, I THINK THE CHALLENGE LONG TERM, AND, AND, AND, AND I'LL BE HONEST, IS, IS TO, IS, YOU KNOW, WE GOTTA LOOK AT THAT, THAT POOL AND, UM, THE POOL WILL TELL US A LOT ABOUT WHERE WE ARE, UH, AS A CITY.
UH, THE POOL THAT WE HAD BACK THEN WA WAS, YOU KNOW, WE GOT THE LIKES OF CHERYL SKELLY TO BE ABLE TO, TO APPLY IN THAT POSITION.
UH, WE GOT A GREAT GROUP OF, UM, UH, CITY STAFF UNDER CHERYL THAT IS, HAS, AND I'M, I'M, I'M PROUD OF THE LIST OF, I THINK, SIX CANDIDATES FROM, UH, FROM HER STAFF THAT ARE APPLYING.
AND SO I, YOU KNOW, A LOT OF THOSE FOLKS ARE GREAT PEOPLE I'VE WORKED WITH IN THE PAST, AND I THINK WILL DO A GREAT JOB FOR THE, FOR THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO.
UH, BUT WHEN I ALSO LOOK AT THE EXTERNAL CAN CANDIDATES THAT, THAT ARE THERE, UM, I DON'T KNOW IF WE HAVE THE SAME LEVEL OF APPLICANTS, UM, FROM OUTSIDE THE CITY THAT WE HAD WITH CHERYL.
UH, SO LONG TERM, I THINK THAT'S A, THAT'S GONNA BE AN ISSUE FOR, FOR THE CITY.
I DON'T KNOW IF WE CAN, HOW, AND IF WE CAN CHANGE THAT GOING FORWARD.
BUT, UH, UM, YEAH, AND I CAN'T DO THIS IN FOUR OR FIVE MONTHS, BUT WE'VE GOTTA BE ABLE TO, UH, TO PUSH THE LARGER GROUP OF, OF, UH, AND BROADER AND MORE, I GUESS, EXPERIENCE LEVEL OF, OF AN APPLICANT POOL THAN THE, THE, THE CURRENT POOL THAT I SAW.
UH, BUT I WILL SAY THAT I DO THINK THAT, UH, PARTICULARLY THE FOLKS THAT ARE, UH, HAVE, HAVE COME UNDER SHOW, UM, AND I THINK SHE'S PROVIDED GREAT LEADERSHIP AND GREAT DIRECTION AND GREAT MENTORSHIP FOR A LOT OF THOSE FOLKS.
UH, I THINK A LOT OF THOSE FOLKS WILL DO WELL HERE, SO.
UM, AND I KNOW YOU'VE KIND OF TALKED ABOUT IT A LITTLE BIT, BUT VERY SUCCINCTLY, WHY DO YOU WANNA DO THIS? IN DISTRICT TWO, YOU WERE A COUNCILMAN IN DISTRICT EIGHT TWO FULL TERM, UM, AND YOU'RE NOW IN DISTRICT TWO, BUT TO SERVE AS A LAME, BASICALLY A LAME DUCK FOR FIVE MONTHS, FOR FOUR OR FIVE MONTHS, WHY GIVE, GIVE ME, YOU KNOW, SUCCINCTLY WHY, UH, PART OF THE REASON I TOOK THE JOB AT ST.
PHILIPS COLLEGE WAS BECAUSE I WANTED TO BE MORE INVOLVED AND INVESTED IN THE DISTRICT, UM, ON THE EAST SIDE, AND PARTICULARLY WITHIN THE AFRICAN AMERICAN COMMUNITY.
AND THAT'S WHAT I DID WHEN I TOOK THE JOB THERE.
THAT'S WHAT WE DID WHEN WE INVESTED THERE.
UM, I BELIEVE THAT DISTRICT TWO AND, AND NOT ALWAYS, BUT IN SOME INSTANCES, HAS GOTTEN THE SHORT END OF THE STICK ON REPRESENTATION.
[02:30:01]
AND SO I WANTED TO BE ABLE TO MAKE SURE THAT THIS POSITION WAS FILLED WITH A PERSON THAT AT LEAST HAD SOME BACKGROUND, UM, AND SOME EXPERIENCE, AND THEY COULD DO WELL IN THE POSITION, UH, FOR THIS SHORT AMOUNT OF TIME.I WANT, I DON'T WANT DISTRICT TWO OR THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO, BUT PARTICULARLY DISTRICT TWO, UH, TO BE SHORTCHANGED, UH, DURING THIS TIME PERIOD.
COUNCILWOMAN GRO, THANK YOU, UM, ART FOR HANGING IN THERE AND STANDING UP THERE THIS TIME.
THANK YOU, UH, APPRECIATE YOUR SERVICE.
YOU, YOU MENTIONED YOU WERE MAKING YOUR CASE OF, OF WHY IN YOUR RESIDENCY, ET CETERA, AND YOUR CONNECTIONS, AND THAT THERE WOULD NO BE, BE NO DISCONNECT WITH DISTRICT TWO.
UM, BUT WHAT WE ALSO HEARD LAST NIGHT AT THE CITIZENS TO BE HEARD WAS, UM, INCONSISTENCY IN DISTRICT TWO.
AND MANY OF US IN THIS, ON THIS DIOCESE, A LOT OF US, UM, HAVE SERVED WITH MULTIPLE REPRESENTATIVES IN DISTRICT TWO WITH IVY, WITH KEITH, WITH ALAN, WITH CRUZ, AND NOW WE HAVE ANOTHER ONE.
UM, AND IF YOU WERE TO BE SELECTED, IT WOULD BE FOR FOUR TO FIVE MONTHS AND NOT DURING A BUDGET PROCESS EITHER, UM, BECAUSE THAT WOULD START WITH THE NEXT COUNCIL.
SO, UM, AND YOUR EXPERTISE AND YOUR, UM, WORK ETHIC, AND I'VE ALWAYS BEEN AN, AN ADMIRER OF ALL OF THE WORK THAT YOU'VE DONE, UM, HAS BEEN FOR DISTRICT EIGHT ON THE NORTH SIDE.
SO HOW, HOW DO YOU PLAN TO ELEVATE THE VOICES AND THE PEOPLE AND THE CONCERNS OF GENTRIFICATION, OF RISING PROPERTY COSTS AND HOME VALUES OF THAT TRANSITIONING THAT'S HAPPENING IN SO MANY NEIGHBORHOODS? HOW DO YOU PLAN TO ELEVATE THOSE ISSUES AND CONCERNS IN THE NEXT FOUR TO FIVE MONTHS? WELL, WELL, FIRST, LEMME SAY THAT, UM, WELL, I'M GONNA BE AN ADVOCATE FOR THE ISSUES THAT ARE ALREADY ON THE TABLE.
I, NUMBER ONE, UH, NUMBER TWO, I'VE, I'VE GOTTA LOOK AT IT, IS, IS THERE AN OPPORTUNITY, UH, IN, IN THE AMOUNT OF TIME THAT, THAT I HAVE TO BE ABLE TO PUSH AN AGENDA? UM, AND SO I'LL LOOK CLOSELY AT WHAT, WHAT THAT OPPORTUNITY IS.
UH, I'LL WORK CLOSELY WITH THE, THE NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATIONS AND SO FORTH TO, TO, TO DETERMINE WHAT'S, WHAT'S BEEN MISSING AND WHAT'S NOT HAPPENED WITHIN THE LAST 18 MONTHS OR SO, AND WHAT CAN HAPPEN IN, UH, IN THE NEXT FEW MONTHS.
SO I'M ASSUMING THAT THERE'S, THERE'S ALREADY AN AGENDA IN PLACE, UM, AND I'VE GOTTA FIGURE OUT, OR WHAT'S, WHAT HAVE WE NOT ACCOMPLISHED YET AND WHAT WE CAN, AND IF THESE ISSUES HAVE BEEN THERE, UH, THEY, THEY WERE THERE FOR THE LAST 18 MONTHS AND THEY WERE PROBABLY THERE, UH, PRIOR TO THAT.
AND SO, UH, IS THERE ANYTHING DIFFERENTLY THAT I CAN DO TO EITHER LOOK AT THE ISSUE OR BRING IT FORWARD AND ADVOCATE FOR IT, THEN I'LL DO THAT.
UM, SO THAT'S, YOU KNOW, THAT'S, THAT'S JUST KIND OF A GENERAL STATEMENT TO, TO SAY THAT, YOU KNOW, THAT'S, THAT'S PART OF OUR JOB.
PART OF MY JOB IS TO, IS TO SEE WHAT'S BEEN ON THE TABLE AND, UH, UH, WHAT NEEDS TO BE MOVED FORWARD THAT HASN'T MOVED FORWARD ALREADY NOW CREATING MY OWN AGENDA FROM, FROM THAT, UM, I'VE NOT EVEN THOUGHT ABOUT YET, I'LL BE HONEST, HONEST THERE.
AND, UH, SO IF THERE'S AN OPPORTUNITY TO CREATE AN AGENDA AND TO BE ABLE TO COMPLETE IT IN THE NEXT FOUR OR FIVE MONTHS, THEN I'LL DO THAT.
BUT LET ME SPEAK JUST GENERALLY TO THE, TO THE CONCEPT OF, OF CHANGE WITHIN THE DISTRICT AND SOME, SOME OF IT'S BEEN GOOD.
I MEAN, COUNCIL SHAW'S GONNA BE A JUDGE.
UH, YOU KNOW, COUNCILWOMAN IVY TAYLOR BECAME A MAYOR.
UH, BUT AT THE SAME TIME, AND I, YOU KNOW, I AGREE WITH STATE REPRESENTATIVE BARBARA HAWKINS AND, AND, AND THE COMMUNITY THAT, THAT WE, WE DON'T DO A GOOD JOB OF, UM, DEVELOPING TALENT AND TRYING TO FIGURE OUT HOW YOU DO THAT WITHIN DISTRICT TWO, UM, HAS BEEN AND CONTINUES TO BE A CHALLENGE.
UH, AFTER YESTERDAY'S MEETING LAST NIGHT, I, I, I CALLED UP REPRESENTATIVE BARBARA HAWKINS AND, AND JUST TALKED TO HER ABOUT THAT.
AND ONE OF THE THINGS I STATED TO HER IS THAT, THAT WHEN YOU GO OUT AND SELECT SOMEBODY, YOU CAN'T, YOU CAN'T SELECT ONE PERSON, UM, BECAUSE WHAT YOU DO IS MAYBE NOT INTENTIONALLY, I MEAN, YOU, YOU PUT DOWN EVERYBODY ELSE THAT, THAT WAS LOOKING FOR THAT POSITION AS WELL.
AND THESE ARE GOOD PEOPLE, YOUNG PEOPLE, UM, THAT, YOU KNOW, YOU MAY HAVE FOREVER CREATED THAT DISCONNECT GOING FORWARD.
AND SO I THINK, I THINK DISTRICT TWO'S GOTTA BE, DO A BETTER JOB OF, OF, OF NOT CREATING DIVISION, UH, BUT CREATING UNITY AS A WHOLE AND, UH, PUSHING MORE OF A, UM, UH, I GUESS A GROUP EFFORT TO BE ABLE TO, TO GENERATE TALENT, DEVELOP TALENT WITHIN, WITHIN THE DISTRICT.
I WOULD TELL YOU WHAT I WOULD PERSONALLY DO IS, UM, AND I DID THIS WHILE I WAS, UH, ON CITY COUNCIL LEAVING, IS THAT EVERY CANDIDATE THAT SIGNS UP AND, YOU KNOW,
[02:35:01]
BY THE DEADLINE AND SO FORTH, I WILL MEET WITH EVERY ONE OF THOSE CANDIDATES.UH, I WILL HAVE LUNCH WITH THEM, UM, I WILL MENTOR THEM, TELL THEM MY, MY EXPERIENCES, WHAT, WHAT, WHAT I WOULD DO IF I WERE IN THEIR POSITIONS TO BE, TO BE SUCCESSFUL.
UM, AND THEN ALSO PROVIDE THEM INFORMATION AND OPPORTUNITIES TO ATTEND MEETINGS AND, AND SO FORTH.
SO I THINK THERE'S THINGS THAT I CAN DO IN THE SHORT FOUR OR FIVE MONTHS, UH, TO HELP THE COMMUNITY RETHINK THEIR, THEIR PROCESS, UH, THEIR TALENT POOL, UH, BUT ALSO TO HELP MENTOR THOSE PEOPLE THAT MIGHT BE IN THE POSITION GOING FORWARD.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH, MR. HALL FOR YOUR PRESENTATION.
AND FOR, UH, VOLUNTEERING, UH, TO APPLY FOR THIS POSITION.
AND WE ARE NOW, UH, GOING TO RECESS INTO EXECUTIVE SESSION, AND WE'LL COME BACK OUT WITH ACTION ON THE DISTRICT TWO APPOINTMENT.
ALRIGHT, THE TIME IS NOW 11:48 AM ON THURSDAY, JANUARY 10TH, 2019.
THE CITY COUNCIL OF 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 TO DELIBERATE OR DISCUSS THE ITEMS POSTED BUT NOT FINISHED YESTERDAY.
MORE SPECIFICALLY, 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 0.074 PERSONNEL MATTERS IN TEXAS GOVERNMENT CODE SECTION 5 5 1 0.071 CONSULTATION WITH ATTORNEY.
ALRIGHT, THE TIME IS NOW 12:31 PM ON THIS THURSDAY, JANUARY 10TH, 2019.
AND THE CITY COUNCIL, THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO, WILL NOW RECONVENE AN OPEN SESSION.
NO OFFICIAL ACTION WAS TAKEN IN EXECUTIVE SESSION.
I'LL NOW RECOGNIZE OUR COLLEAGUE, COUNCILMAN PIAS, UH, TO, UH, BEGIN THE ACTION OF THE DAY.
AFTER, UH, DISCUSSING WITH ALL OF MY COLLEAGUES, UH, I MAKE THE MOTION THAT, UH, THIS COUNCIL APPOINT MR. ART HALL, UH, TO THE DISTRICT TWO POSITION.
SECOND, OKAY, THERE IS A MOTION AND A SECOND FOR THE APPOINTMENT OF MR. ART HALL FOR THE VACANCY IN DISTRICT TWO.
WE'LL, NOW, UH, HAVE SOME COUNSEL COMMENT ON THE MOTION.
I WILL START, UH, COUNCILMAN, WERE YOU STAYING? WERE YOU KEEPING THE FLOOR? YES.
UM, IT, THIS WAS NOT EASY FOR ANY OF US, I BELIEVE BECAUSE OF THE EXCELLENCE OF ALL THE CANDIDATES WHO PRESENTED YESTERDAY, AND THEN IT WAS EVEN MORE DIFFICULT TODAY BECAUSE OF THE EXCELLENCE BROUGHT TO THE TABLE BY THE THREE CANDIDATES, UH, WHO PRESENTED TODAY.
UM, I, I, I THINK IT'S VERY IMPORTANT TO NOTE THAT, UM, MY FOCUS ON DURING THIS PROCESS HAS BEEN TO MAKE SURE THAT WE HAND OFF THE REINS TO DISTRICT TWO, TO SOMEBODY WHO CAN HIT THE GROUND RUNNING VERY QUICKLY.
UM, BECAUSE THERE IS A LOT ON OUR PLATE RIGHT NOW THAT, UM, IS GONNA REQUIRE SOME SUBJECT MATTER EXPERTISE IN WHAT IS ALREADY THE BUSINESS OF CITY COUNCIL.
UM, MR. HALL, UH, YOU POSSESS THE, UH, YOU KNOW, THE TRAINING, THE EXPERTISE, UM, THE INSTITUTIONAL KNOWLEDGE, UM, YOU KNOW, OF THIS BUILDING AND THE ONE NEXT DOOR.
AND I, I BELIEVE THAT, UM, YOU'RE GONNA DO A GOOD JOB.
IT GIVES ME COMFORT TO ALSO KNOW, UM, THAT, UH, YOU HAVE, UH, EXPERIENCE TACKLING SOME OF THE ISSUES THAT WE'RE GONNA BE TALKING ABOUT.
FOR EXAMPLE, YOU BROUGHT ON AND INTERVIEWED A CITY MANAGER.
YOU'VE USHERED IN MULTI-BILLION DOLLAR BUDGETS, AND WE'RE ABOUT TO KICK OFF THAT PROJECT.
AND SO, UM, THANK YOU FOR YOUR VOLUNTEER, UH, YOU, YOUR WILLINGNESS TO SERVE IN THIS CAPACITY.
AND I KNOW THAT THIS IS GONNA BE A SACRIFICE, UH, FOR YOU IF, IF THE COUNCIL APPROVES THIS.
UH, BUT I, I, I WILL SAY THAT I'M ALSO VERY SENSITIVE TO THE FACT THAT, UM, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE HAD EXPRESSIONS OF INTEREST FROM OTHER, UH, YOU KNOW, MEMBERS OF THIS RESIDENT, I'M SORRY, CONSTITUENTS IN THIS DISTRICT, UM, FOR PEOPLE OTHER THAN YOU, RIGHT? AND SO, I, I DO WANT TO URGE YOU, YOU GOTTA MOVE AS FAST AS POSSIBLE IF YOU GET THIS POSITION, UM, TO GO AND, UH, MEET EVERYBODY, UH, BECAUSE, UH, YOU KNOW, THE LAST THING WE NEED IS FOR YOU TO BE AN EXPERT HERE, BUT NOT AN EXPERT IN YOUR OWN COMMUNITY.
UH, AND SO, UM, THOSE ARE, THOSE ARE MY COMMENTS, MAYOR.
AND, UM, JUST FOR THOSE OF YOU THAT WEREN'T HERE FOUR YEARS AGO, UM, I WAS IN THE SAME POSITION, UH, THAT ALL THREE OF CANDIDATES WERE.
AND, UH, YOU KNOW, I WANNA POINT OUT THAT WE CERTAINLY RESPECT ALL THREE CANDIDATES AND THEIR QUALIFICATIONS.
UM, I AM, I'M VERY IMPRESSED BY ALL OF YOU.
HOWEVER, I WON'T BE SUPPORTING MR. ARTHA ON THIS, UH, BECAUSE I DO FEEL THAT JADA HAS MADE THE BEST CASE TO REPRESENT DISTRICT TWO.
UM, I WANNA SAY THAT I REALLY APPRECIATE YOU STEPPING UP.
IT TAKES A LOT OF COURAGE, AND I THINK I'M THE ONLY ONE UNIQUELY QUALIFIED
[02:40:01]
TO SPEAK TO THAT.IT WAS, IN FACT, MY HEART'S BEATING RIGHT NOW FOR YOU, BECAUSE IT TAKES A LOT OF GUTS.
YOU, YOU, YOU REALLY IMPRESSED A LOT OF PEOPLE.
AND I'M HERE TO TELL YOU, I MEAN, I THINK EVERYBODY UP HERE IS SO DEEPLY IMPRESSED, BUT I WANNA SPEAK TO YOU JUST PERSONALLY AND TELL YOU, LISTEN, I I THINK YOU'RE GREAT.
I THINK IT, IT'S, IT'S EXACTLY WHAT THIS CITY NEEDS.
IT'S FOR PEOPLE TO STEP UP, PEOPLE THAT COME OUTTA NOWHERE.
IT, IT'S WHAT I DID, AND I'M, IT'S CHANGED MY LIFE.
UH, I HOPE THAT, UH, SOMEDAY THAT YOU'LL, UH, GET TO SIT UP HERE SOMEDAY.
I THINK YOU, YOU WILL, UH, BE OF HUGE, HUGE BENEFIT TO, UH, ANY ORGANIZATION THAT, UH, WILL HAVE YOU.
UH, SO I JUST WANNA SAY, UH, I'M VERY PROUD OF YOU FOR, FOR DOING WHAT YOU'VE DONE.
UM, I KNOW THAT IT'S, IT'S NOT EASY.
UM, IN FACT, IT, IT DOESN'T GET MUCH EASIER WHEN YOU'RE UP HERE
UM, BUT I BELIEVE THAT YOU COULD DO THE JOB.
I BELIEVE THAT YOU HAVE A GOOD STAFF THAT WOULD SUPPORT YOU AND GET YOU THROUGH, UH, A LOT OF THESE ISSUES.
UH, I LOOK FORWARD TO SEEING YOU DOWN THE ROAD.
COUNCILMAN TRAVINO, COUNCILMAN CURRY.
UH, I WANT TO THANK ALL THREE OF THE CANDIDATES WHO CAME FORWARD.
YOU CAME THROUGH, I THINK, A, A A SINCERE PROCESS.
UH, WE'VE, WE HAD AN OPPORTUNITY TO LOOK AT INFORMATION THAT YOU PRESENTED ABOUT YOURSELVES.
AND, AND THE THREE OF YOU A COUPLE OF TIMES, UH, YOU ALL PRESENTED YOURSELVES WELL.
UH, I REALLY HOPE THAT ALL OF YOU, UH, WILL CONTINUE TO REMAIN, UH, VERY INVOLVED IN WHAT GOES ON IN THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO.
UH, I KNOW YOU ARE SOMEWHAT, THERE'S ALWAYS MORE THAT YOU CAN DO.
UH, I SECOND THE DENOMINATION OF ART HALL BECAUSE I BELIEVE THAT HE HAS THE QUALIFICATIONS IN THE EXPERIENCE TO DO THE JOB THAT NEEDS TO BE DONE RIGHT NOW FOR THE NEXT FOUR OR FOUR AND A HALF MONTHS.
AND THERE ARE CRITICAL ISSUES THAT WE'RE FACING AT THAT TIME, UH, THAT I KNOW HIS EXPERIENCE AND EXPERTISE WILL BE OF A BENEFIT, NOT JUST TO DISTRICT TWO, BUT TO THE ENTIRE CITY.
I'VE SAID THIS BEFORE, AND I SAY IT ALMOST ALL THE TIME, A COUNCILMAN FOR ONE DISTRICT IS MORE THAN JUST A COUNCILMAN FOR ONE DISTRICT, BUT IT'S A COUNCILMAN REPRESENTING THE ENTIRE CITY.
AND THE DECISIONS THAT WE MAKE UP HERE, ONE WAY OR ANOTHER, AFFECT THE LIVES OF EVERYBODY IN OUR COMMUNITY.
AND I THINK THAT ARTS PREPARED TO MAKE, UH, GOOD DECISIONS IN THAT AREA, BUT IT BY NO MEANS, UH, INDICATES THAT EITHER OF YOU ARE NOT CAPABLE OF MAKING VERY GOOD AND IMPORTANT DECISIONS FOR THE CITY AS TIME COMES FOR YOUR PLACE AND OPPORTUNITY TO DO THAT.
SO, I HOPE THAT YOU'LL BE VERY INVOLVED, AND, UM, YEAH, I WISH YOU ALL GREAT SUCCESS AND HOWEVER YOU DECIDE TO GO FORWARD.
THANK YOU, COUNCILMAN COURAGE.
I ALSO WANNA THANK ALL OF THE REPRESENTATIVES WHO STEPPED FORWARD FOR A DISTRICT TWO AS SHARED YESTERDAY.
UM, DISTRICT TWO AND DISTRICT THREE SHARE A LOT OF THE BOUNDARIES, AND WE HAVE TO, UM, WE DEAL WITH A LOT OF THE SAME ISSUES AND CONCERNS.
SO I APPRECIATE ALL OF THE WORK THAT'S BEEN, UM, MOVING FORWARD AND TOGETHER, AND I LOOK FORWARD TO MOVING TOGETHER WITH OUR, OUR NEXT, UM, APPOINTEE.
AND THANK YOU, MS. SULLIVAN FOR STEPPING FORWARD.
UM, I, I WILL NOT BE, UH, RIGHT NOW VOTING IN FAVOR OF MR. HALL, UM, BECAUSE I DO BELIEVE THAT JADA SULLIVAN WOULD BE THE BEST CHOICE FOR DISTRICT TWO.
UM, I BELIEVE HER ANSWERS WERE PHENOMENAL AND SPOT ON.
SHE KNEW NUANCES OF THE DISTRICT.
SHE HAS BEEN ROOTED IN, ESTABLISHED IN DISTRICT TWO.
SHE TALKED ABOUT BUILDING TOGETHER AND NOT TO BUILD, TO DIVIDE.
SHE TALKED YESTERDAY ABOUT HOW SHE WAS, NOT ONLY DO I SPEAK, BUT I MOVE.
AND SHE WAS READY TO HAVE AND INSTILL MORE COMMUNITY BLOCK PARTIES.
SHE SPOKE ABOUT BEING FRESH, NEW, AND MOTIVATED, AND BEING AN EXAMPLE TO OTHER PEOPLE IN THE COMMUNITY.
I BELIEVE THAT SHE WOULD HAVE, SHE IS QUALIFIED, KNOWLEDGEABLE, MOTIVATED, AND COMMITTED.
AND I BELIEVE, LIKE LAST NIGHT, WE HEARD FROM REPRESENTATIVES WHO SAID THAT THEY WANTED TO SEE CONSISTENCY.
AND EVEN LIZ FRANKLIN SPOKE UP FOR YOU AS WELL.
UM, SO THAT WAS A BIG MOVE FORWARD FOR ME.
AND I THINK THAT YOU DO DESERVE THIS COUNCIL SUPPORT FOR DISTRICT TWO, ESPECIALLY IN THE LIGHT OF THE WOMEN'S RESOLUTION THAT WE DID JUST LAST A COUPLE MONTHS AGO.
WE NEED TO SEE MORE WOMEN'S LEADERSHIP, AND I'M GOING TO STAND FORWARD WITH THAT, AND I WOULD LIKE TO
[02:45:01]
SUPPORT YOU.UH, I, UH, WANT TO THANK ALL THREE APPLICANTS.
IT TAKES A TON OF COURAGE, UH, TO STAND IN THE, IN THAT PIT RIGHT THERE, AND TAKE THOSE QUESTIONS AND KEEP GOING.
I MEAN, IT, YOU HAVE TO HAVE THE FAITH IN YOURSELF AND YOUR, AND THE BELIEF IN YOUR COMMUNITY, UH, TO TAKE THAT STEP.
AND THAT'S ALL 13 THAT SHOWED UP, AND THE THREE OF YOU THAT MADE IT TODAY.
UH, IT JUST, IT'S, IT'S JUST AN EVERYDAY BATTLE IN, IN THIS LIFE.
AND FOR YOU TO WANT TO PUT YOURSELF INTO THAT AND YOUR FAMILIES AS WELL, UH, IS, IS ADMIRABLE.
AND I WANT TO THANK YOU, UH, FOR THAT.
UM, I WILL BE FOLLOWING COUNCILWOMAN GRO.
UH, I HAD A COUPLE CONVERSATIONS WITH HIM ABOUT WHAT I BELIEVE IS RIGHT AND BEST FOR THE NEIGHBORHOODS AND GOING FORWARD IN THE FUTURE.
AND I COMMITTED TO HIM, UM, THAT THERE WOULD BE SUPPORT, REGARDLESS OF WHO IT IS.
I, I WILL GO BACK AND FORTH WITH EVERY PERSON ON THIS DICE 100 TIMES OVER.
BUT TRUST ME, WHEN I STEP OFF IT, I TRY TO, TO DO MY BEST TO FIND SOMETHING GOOD IN EACH AND EVERY ONE OF US.
AND I THINK, YOU KNOW, WE JUST CONTINUE TO DO THE JOB.
AND MR. HALL TALKED ABOUT HIS COUNSEL, UH, PREVIOUSLY VERSUS THIS ONE.
AND I, I, I JUST SEE WE'RE JUST MUCH MORE POWERFUL AND WE'RE BELIEVING IN WHAT WE'RE DOING.
AND, BUT I PART WAYS FROM THIS DUS AND, AND WE ALWAYS TRY TO DO THE BEST WE CAN, UH, TO FIND THE GOOD IN EACH OTHER.
AND I THINK THAT'S ALWAYS THERE.
I MEAN, AND EVEN AFTER SOME OF THE TOUGHEST DISCUSSIONS, YOU'VE GOT COUNCILMAN SALANI AND I, I'LL CATCH HIM AND SEND HIM A TEXT ABOUT HIS BABY, AND HE'LL SEND ME A BIRTHDAY.
I MEAN, I DON'T WANT PEOPLE THINKING THAT THERE'S THIS LACK OF THAT OCCURRING HERE.
IT'S JUST, WE JUST DRASTICALLY SEE SOME THINGS DIFFERENTLY ABOUT OUR COMMUNITY.
UH, AND I JUST HOPE THAT, UM, YOU KNOW, WE CONTINUE THAT WITH WHOEVER ENDS UP UP HERE.
MY COMMITMENT TO WHOEVER MAKES THE CHAIR HERE IN, IN, IN THE NEXT FEW MINUTES, MY COMMITMENT IS THAT YOU'RE GONNA HAVE A HUNDRED PERCENT FOR ME.
AND WHEN WE PART WAYS, WE PART WAYS FRIENDS, AND WE COME BACK HERE, IT'S, IT'S JUST IDEAS AND FUTURES.
SO I'LL CONTINUE TO DO THE BEST I CAN WITH THAT.
UM, MY SUPPORT WILL BE FOR MS. SULLIVAN TODAY.
I DO BELIEVE, UH, THANK COUNCILWOMAN GRO HIT THE NAIL ON THE HEAD.
UM, YOUR PASSION AND WHAT YOU DID WHEN YOU CAME UP HERE AND YOU SPOKE, IT JUST WAS FROM THE HEART.
YOU HAD THE UNDERSTANDING OF WHERE THINGS ARE FROM THE COMMUNITY.
UH, AND I JUST, YOU KNOW, I, I BELIEVED YOU WERE GONNA GO FOR IT AND, AND SPEND THE TIME OR WHATEVER IT IS.
I SAW THAT KIND OF IN YOUR HEART, AND I AGREE, AND I'VE LEARNED A LOT AS A TIME AS MY, AS A COUNCIL PERSON AND COUNCILWOMAN GRA HAS REALLY PUSHED ME TOWARDS THIS, UH, THE DIVERSITY CONVERSATION, THE HOMELESS ISSUES.
I'VE REALLY PICKED UP ON A LOT OF THINGS THE COUNCILWOMAN HAS SAID OVER THE YEAR AND A HALF, ALMOST TWO YEARS NOW THAT HAVE CHANGED ME TO MAKE SURE I AM BEING MORE AWARE OF.
IT'S NOT THAT I DON'T CARE ABOUT THINGS OR I THINK IT'S JUST SOMETIMES, YOU KNOW, YOU'RE JUST, YOU GOT BLIND SPOTS TO LIFE, RIGHT? AND I, AND I SAW YOU COME UP HERE, AND I THINK YOU FILLED THAT FOR ME RIGHT THERE.
THAT'S, I, I KNEW THE MINUTE I SAW YOU YESTERDAY THAT IF IT ENDED UP IN THE LIST THAT YOU WERE GONNA BE THERE.
UH, AND, UM, AND MR. LEWIS, THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME AS WELL.
IT'S A COMMITMENT TO COME UP HERE AND MAKE THIS HAPPEN.
UM, BUT I JUST WANNA MAKE SURE THAT WE, AS A COUNCIL, REMEMBER, UM, YOU KNOW, THERE'S, WE HAVE TO, AND I, I'M GONNA TAKE THIS ONE LITTLE MOMENT OF PRIVILEGE, PERSONAL PRIVILEGE TO SAY THE, THE PERSON WE HAD SOME DISAGREEMENT OVER, SOME FOLKS IN THIS LIST OF PEOPLE AND WHO HE SHORTLISTED, FINE, I'LL SUPPORT THAT AND WE'LL COME FIND, I THINK MS. SULLIVAN'S GONNA DO A FANTASTIC JOB.
BUT IF WE DON'T GET PAST ISSUES, AND I THINK MR. HALL MENTIONED THIS, IF WE DON'T GET PAST ISSUES, UM, WITH REGARDS TO, TAKE FOR INSTANCE, IN THE FIREFIGHTER ISSUE, I DON'T KNOW HOW WE'RE EVER GONNA GET THERE.
UH, AND YOU KNOW, ONE, UH, GENTLEMAN THAT I SUPPORTED, UM, MR. HILLIER DIDN'T MAKE IT TO THE SHORT LIST, AND THAT'S FINE, BUT, YOU KNOW, WE CAN'T BE SENDING A MESSAGE THAT BECAUSE WE DISAGREED WITH 'EM AND SOMETHING DIDN'T GO WELL.
THEY DON'T, THEY DON'T MAKE IT IN THIS ENVIRONMENT.
SO I HOPE WE CAN JUST BE A LITTLE MORE CAREFUL ABOUT THAT GOING FORWARD IN THE FUTURE, AND BE AS INCLUSIVE AND FAIR AS POSSIBLE.
'CAUSE WHAT, YOU KNOW, MR. HILL HILLIER WAS HELD TO A FAR HIGHER STANDARD THAN ANY OTHER PERSON THAT CAME BEFORE US YESTERDAY, BECAUSE WE HAD HIS EMPLOYEE RECORDS AND EVERYTHING ELSE.
HE WAS ONE OF OUR FAMILY, ONE OF THE CITY FAMILY.
BUT I JUST WANNA MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE THE FIRST STEP TO RECONCILIATION WITH THE FIREFIGHTERS IS TO NOT THINK EVERY FIREFIGHTER IS A UNION PUPPET OR ANYTHING OF THE SORT.
SO WE HAVE TO FIND THAT IF WE'RE GONNA MOVE FORWARD.
AND MR. MR. HALL MENTIONED THAT BUSINESS ABOUT THE CONTRACT.
I AGREE WITH WHAT HE WAS SAYING.
I THINK WE HAVE TO FIND THAT LEADERSHIP MOMENT WHEN WE DON'T SEE EVERYBODY THAT'S AFFILIATED WITH THAT AS A PROBLEM.
UM, ELECTIONS ARE PAST US NOW.
THERE'S SOME RECONCILIATION NEEDS TO HAPPEN, AND HOPEFULLY THAT'LL BE PICKED UP AND TAKEN FORWARD.
I FELT I HAD TO TAKE THAT MOMENT TO SAY THAT FOR MR. HILLIER AND WHAT HAPPENED YESTERDAY.
UH, 'CAUSE I DIDN'T REALLY GET TO SPEAK TO IT YESTERDAY, BUT I, SO I WANTED TO GO ON THE RECORD THAT WE CAN DO MUCH BETTER AND SEEING, UH,
[02:50:01]
POSITIVES IN ALL OF US GOING FORWARD IN THE FUTURE.AND I HOPE, I KNOW WE WILL, AND I HOPE, I HOPE WE MAKE IT HAPPEN.
SO, UH, MY VOTE TODAY WILL BE, UH, WELL, UNFORTUNATELY, I'M, MR. HALL WILL BE SUPPORTING MS. SULLIVAN, BUT I'LL BE ABLE TO CAST A VOTE FOR YOU, AND I'LL HAVE TO SAY NO TODAY.
BUT THANK YOU ALL THREE FOR DOING THE BEST YOU CAN TO REPRESENT YOUR COMMUNITY.
I WILL BE, UH, SUPPORTIVE OF EITHER ONE OF YOU, ANY OF YOU WHO SIT ON THAT CHAIR.
I'D LIKE TO ASK OUR CITY ATTORNEY, UM, WITH REGARD TO THE PROCEDURES.
I UNDERSTAND THAT THERE ARE A, A COUPLE OF THE COUNCIL MEMBERS WHO HAVE ALTERNATIVE PREFERENCE, BUT WE DO NEED TO HAVE OUR, OUR DISTRICT TWO WITH A REPRESENTATIVE AS SOON AS POSSIBLE.
UH, ARE THERE ALTERNATIVES IN TERMS OF A ROLL CALL VOTE WHERE THEY CAN MAKE THEIR PREFERENCES CLEAR, BUT THEN WE CAN MOVE TOWARDS SEATING THE COUNCIL MEMBER, UH, TODAY, UH, UH, TO SEAT THE COUNCIL MEMBER TODAY? MAYOR, YOU WOULD NEED EIGHT VOTES IN SUPPORT OF WHOEVER, UH, THE COUNCIL SELECTS.
WHAT YOU CAN DO IS HAVE INDIVIDUAL VOTE ON ALL THREE CANDIDATES.
UH, SO PEOPLE CAN EXPRESS, UM, HOW THEY WOULD VOTE ON THOSE THREE OR TWO IF THE COUNCIL ELECTS, AND THEN WE DO, UH, A SUBSEQUENT ROUND UNTIL WE NARROW IT DOWN TO ONE CANDIDATE.
BUT, BUT, BUT AGAIN, EVEN WITH THE ONE CANDIDATE, THE COUNCIL, EACH COUNCIL MEMBER CAN, UH, DECIDE TO SUPPORT OR NOT SUPPORT THAT CANDIDATE.
MOTION? NO, THE MOTION IS STILL ON THE FLOOR.
I JUST WANTED TO POINT OF POINT OF ORDER.
UH, ARE THERE ANY OTHER COMMENTS FROM THE DAAS? COUNCILWOMAN SANDOVAL? I'D JUST LIKE TO HAVE THE INSTRUCTIONS FOR PROCEDURE REPEATED.
NO, WE HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND ON THE FLOOR, SO WE WILL TAKE ACTION, UH, ON, ON THE MOTION IN THE SECOND.
SO, UM, I'LL JUST MAKE I MOTION IF I MAY.
UM, FOR, ALL RIGHT, THERE IS A MOTION ON THE FLOOR.
IS THERE A SECOND? I I'M NOT UNDERSTANDING THE PURPOSE, COUNCILMAN OF THE WITNESS TO ALLOW US TO VOTE ON ALL THREE SEPARATELY, AND I'D RATHER NOT START ON THIS ONE.
THE MOTION WOULD HAVE TO BE WITHDRAWN AS WELL.
UH, WE DO, WE ARE TAKING UP ITEM NUMBER FOUR YOU CAN GET TO, UM, IS THE POINT.
WE DO NEED A MOTION ON ITEM NUMBER FOUR.
UM, ANDY, WHAT, WHAT, UM, IF I MAY OFFER SUGGESTION, MAYOR, YOU CAN HAVE A VOTE ON WHAT IT SOUNDS LIKE IS THAT THERE'S SOME, UH, MEMBERS SUPPORTING, UH, JADA AND OTHERS THAT ARE, UH, SUPPORTING MR. HALL.
UM, SO WHAT WE COULD DO IS HAVE A VOTE ON ONE CANDIDATE FIRST, WHICH WOULD BE JADA, AND THEN HAVE A SECOND ONE ON MR. HALL.
BUT THAT'S ASSUMING THAT THERE'S NOT A S THERE'S NOT A MAJORITY.
UH, ONCE THERE'S A MOTION TO, UM, APPOINT JADA, IF THERE'S A MAJORITY, THEN SHE'S APPOINTED.
IF THERE'S NOT A MAJORITY, THEN YOU MOVE ON TO THE NEXT CANDIDATE.
WELL, I'LL, I'LL JUST, I'LL, UM, JUST MAKE SOME COMMENTS AND THEN I'LL, I'LL ENTERTAIN A MOTION FROM THE FLOOR.
IT'S VERY CLEAR, WE HAVE THREE VERY QUALIFIED INDIVIDUALS FOR CITY COUNCIL TO FILL A VACANCY LEFT IN DISTRICT TWO.
I WANNA SAY TO YOU, JADA, YOU BRING SOME UNIQUE SKILLS AND ENERGY TO OUR CITY THAT I HOPE WE WILL FIND A SPACE VERY SOON, PERHAPS EVEN IN THE DISTRICT TWO OFFICE, UH, IF THERE IS A ROOM ON THE STAFF TO DO SO.
UH, MR. LEWIS, YOUR, UH, PARTICIPATION AND WORK IN THE COMMUNITY IS WELL REGARDED, UH, WELL REGARDED BY MANY FOLKS, INCLUDING MYSELF.
AND I'M SO PLEASED TO SEE YOU HERE, UH, AS A, UH, REPRESENTATIVE OF THE CITY IN MANY WAYS, BUT ALSO, UH, SEEKING TO FURTHER YOUR INVOLVEMENT, UH, AT THE DISTRICT LEVEL AND ALSO AT THE CITY LEVEL.
WE ARE MAKING NOTE OF THAT, SIR.
UH, ART, UH, I'VE KNOWN YOU AS A COUNCILMAN, UH, AS A COMMUNITY SERVANT, AS AN APPOINTEE TO SOME OF THE, THE, UH, BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS THAT I'VE HAD MYSELF.
UH, IT'S BEEN, THERE'S BEEN DISCUSSION ABOUT RESIDENTS, I THINK THAT HAS BEEN CLEARED UP.
UH, BUT FRANKLY, UH, YOUR EXPERIENCE AND YOUR QUALIFICATIONS, UH, SPEAK FOR THEMSELVES.
AND I THINK THAT IS WHY ALL THREE CANDIDATES BRING SO MUCH FORWARD.
OUR RESPONSIBILITY NOW IS TO THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO, AND SPECIFICALLY TO THE RESIDENTS OF DISTRICT TWO.
AND I WOULD LIKE TO SAY THIS, I, WE HAD A VERY ROBUST DISCUSSION IN EXECUTIVE SESSION.
UH, I BELIEVE WE HAD A OVERALL, UH, PREFERENCE, UH, FOR THE CANDIDATE MOVING FORWARD.
YOU HEARD THAT IN THE FORM OF EMOTION.
UH, YOU'VE HEARD VERY CLEARLY ABOUT THE DIFFERENCES IN TERMS OF PREFERENCES ON THE
[02:55:01]
DAIS.NOW, AS A BODY, THIS CITY COUNCIL WITH EXTRAORDINARY DECISIONS IN FRONT OF IT, HAS A RESPONSIBILITY.
NOW TO ACT ON BEHALF OF DISTRICT TWO, ITS RESIDENTS IN THE ENTIRE CITY.
IT WOULD BE A DISSERVICE TO THIS CITY AND THE RESIDENTS OF DISTRICT TWO IF WE MOVE FORWARD TODAY SELECTING A CITY COUNCIL MEMBER, BUT FORBID HIM THE PR, THE, THE PRIVILEGE AND THE OBLIGATION AND THE RESPONSIBILITY OF SERVING THOSE RESIDENTS TODAY.
UM, SO I WOULD URGE MY COLLEAGUES WHO HAVE SUPPORTED OTHER CANDIDATES, UH, TO MAKE THAT VERY WELL KNOWN IN YOUR COMMENTS AS YOU HAVE DONE, BUT TO MOVE ON WITH THE BUSINESS OF THE CITY, WE ARE GOING TO HAVE TO SEAT OUR CITY COUNCILMAN COLLEAGUE AT THIS TIME.
SO I WILL ENTERTAIN A MOTION, UH, FROM THE FLOOR.
I WOULD LIKE TO MAKE A MOTION.
THAT MOTION IS THAT WE VOTE ON EACH OF THE APPLICANT'S INDIVIDUALLY, STARTING WITH, UH, THE ORDER IN WHICH WE RECOGNIZE THEM TODAY TO SPEAK.
THERE, THERE'S A MOTION TO VOTE INDIVIDUALLY ON SECOND THREE, THREE CANDIDATES.
UM, THERE'S A MOTION AND A SECOND TO VOTE ONE BY ONE IN THE ORDER OF THE CANDIDATES ELECT, UH, CANDIDATES SELECTED FOR, UM, COMMENT IN ORDER OF THEIR PRESENTATION TO US ORDER OF THEIR PRESENTATION.
MAYOR, JUST TO POINT A, A CLARIFICATION, WOULD IT BE CLEANER IF WE JUST DID A ROLL CALL VOTE AND STATED OUR INTENTION OF THE PERSON AND THEN THOSE, I MEAN, IT WOULD BE INSTEAD OF INDIVIDUALLY VOTING THREE SEPARATE VOTES, IF WE JUST WENT ONE THROUGH 10 AND STATED OUR PERSON OF INTENTION AND THEN TALLIED THOSE UP.
I MEAN, IF WE, EITHER THE PERSON EITHER GETS EIGHT OR THEY DON'T, THAT'S, I GUESS THAT'S A CITY ATTORNEY QUESTION.
IS THAT A, IS THAT CLEANER TO DO THIS THAN TO GO THROUGH THREE SEPARATE VOTES? THE, THE, I I, I THINK WHAT, WHAT THE, UH, COUNCIL IS STRUGGLING WITH, UH, UH, COUNCILMAN, IS IF THERE'S A VOTE, A MAJORITY VOTE FOR ANY PARTICULAR CANDIDATE, YOU COULD HAVE A MAJORITY VOTE, BUT NOT EIGHT VOTES.
AND CONSEQUENTLY, IF A PARTICULAR CANDIDATE GETS A MAJORITY VOTE, BUT LESS THAN EIGHT VOTES, THEY CANNOT SERVE UNTIL 10 DAYS FROM TODAY.
I HEAR WHAT THE COUNCILMAN IS SAYING.
LET ME ASK A FOLLOW UP QUESTION, ANDY, IF WE WERE TO DO THAT AND THE COUNCIL DID NOT SEAT THE MEMBER IMMEDIATELY, COULD WE TAKE A SUBSEQUENT MOTION TO HAVE THAT PERSON SEATED IMMEDIATELY? NOT WITHOUT LET, LET, LET ME GET SOME CONSULTATION HERE.
NO, I WOULD NOT RECOMMEND THAT WE DO THAT.
AND, AND, AND SO LET ME COMMENT BEFORE WE TAKE UP THE MOTION THAT'S ON THE FLOOR AGAIN, WE ESSENTIALLY WENT THROUGH THIS PROCESS ALREADY, COUNCILMAN AND, UH, WE CAME TO A, A CONCLUSION OF THAT WITH PREFERENCES CLEARLY MARKED BY DIFFERENT, UH, ONE TWO RANKINGS.
BUT WE OVERALL, AS A BODY CAME TO A CONCLUSION ABOUT WHO THE NEXT COUNCIL PERSON SHOULD BE.
I WOULD URGE US AS A BODY NOW TO ACT IN UNISON ON THAT PREFERENCE AS A BODY SO THAT WE CAN MOVE ON WITH THE BUSINESS OF THE CITY AND THEN MOVE ON WITH THE BUSINESS OF DISTRICT TWO.
UH, KNOWING THAT YOU HAVE PUT A MOTION ON THE FLOOR FOR INDIVIDUAL, UH, INDIVIDUAL VOTES, UH, I WOULD URGE YOU TO CONSIDER THAT AS WELL AS A SECOND.
UH, BEFORE WE MOVE FORWARD, IS THERE ANY ADDITIONAL COMMENT FROM COUNCIL? COUNCILMAN? I AM GONNA WITHDRAW MY SECOND AND, UM, I, I, I MOVE AGAIN THAT WE JUST HAVE A STRAIGHT VOTE.
UM, THERE'S A MOTION FROM THE COUNCILMAN COURAGE ON THE FLOOR.
IS THERE A SECOND? HEARING NONE.
IS THERE A MOTION WITH REGARD TO ITEM FOUR? YOU WANNA REPEAT YOUR MOTION? YEAH, YOU JUST HAVE A CLEAN VOTE ON, UM, THE, MY ORIGINAL MOTION, WHICH IS, UH, MR. OKAY.
UH, ART HALL COUNCILMAN, UH, COUNCILMAN PLY HAS PUT A MOTION ON THE FLOOR FOR THE APPOINTMENT OF ART HALL FOR THE DISTRICT TWO VACANCY.
ALL ANY FURTHER COUNSEL COMMENT.
HEARING NONE AGAIN, THE VOTE WILL BE TO APPOINT IMMEDIATELY TO THE SEAT COUNCILMAN ART HALL, UH, OR EXCUSE ME, ART HALL IN THE POSITION OF DISTRICT TWO
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VACANCY.KNOWING ALL OF THE ADDITIONAL COMMENTS THAT HAVE ALREADY BEEN TAKEN PLACE, PLEASE VOTE.
MOTION CARRIES SEVEN TO THREE.
WE'LL HAVE A SWEARING IN OF OUR NEXT COUNCILMAN ART HALL, UH, WHO WILL NOT PARTICIPATE IN THE DIOCESE ACTIVITIES, UH, FOR 10 DAYS.
SO, COUNCILMAN, CONGRATULATIONS IF YOU CAN MOVE FORWARD.
AND FIRST IS THE STATEMENT I STATE YOUR NAME.
DO SOLEMNLY SWEAR, DO SOLEMNLY SWEAR THAT I HAVE NOT DIRECTLY OR INDIRECTLY, THAT I HAVE NOT DIRECTLY OR INDIRECTLY PAID, OFFERED OR PROMISED TO PAY, OFFERED OR PROMISED TO PAY, CONTRIBUTED OR PROMISED TO CONTRIBUTE, CONTRIBUTED OR PROMISED TO CONTRIBUTE ANY MONEY OR THING OF VALUE, ANY MONEY OR THING OF VALUE, OR PROMISED ANY PUBLIC OFFICE OR PROMISED ANY PUBLIC OFFICE OR EMPLOYMENT OR EMPLOYMENT FOR THE GIVING OR WITHHOLDING FOR THE GIVING OR WITHHOLDING OF A VOTE OF A VOTE AT THE ELECTION, AT THE ELECTION AT WHICH I WAS ELECTED, AT WHICH I WAS ELECTED, OR AS A REWARD OR AS A REWARD TO SECURE MY APPOINTMENT.
OR CONFIRMATION OR CONFIRMATION, WHICHEVER THE CASE MAY BE, WHICHEVER THE CASE MAY BE.
AND NOW THE OATH OFFICE, I STATE YOUR NAME, I ART HALL.
DO SOLEMNLY SWEAR, DO SOLEMNLY SWEAR THAT I WILL FAITHFULLY EXECUTE THE DUTIES THAT I WILL FAITHFULLY EXECUTE THE DUTIES OF THE OFFICE OF, OF THE OFFICE OF DISTRICT TWO CITY COUNCIL MEMBER, DISTRICT TWO, CITY COUNCIL MEMBER OF THE STATE OF TEXAS, OF THE STATE OF TEXAS, AND OF THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO, AND OF THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO.
AND WILL TO THE BEST OF MY ABILITY AND WILL TO THE BEST OF MY ABILITY, PRESERVE, PROTECT, AND DEFEND, PRESERVE, PROTECT AND DEFEND THE CONSTITUTION.
THE CONSTITUTION AND LAWS AND LAWS OF THE UNITED STATES.
OF THE UNITED STATES, AND OF THIS STATE.
LOOK FORWARD TO WORKING WITH YOU.
UM, AT THIS TIME WE'LL MOVE ON WITH THE BUSINESS OF THE DAY.
WE DO HAVE ONE ITEM REMAINING ON OUR AGENDA.
AND FOR THIS ONE, UH, THE CITY COUNCIL WILL NOW RECESS AND CONVENE AS THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS FOR THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO, TEXAS EMPOWERMENT ZONE DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION.
THE MEETING OF THE CITY COUNT, EXCUSE ME, THE MEETING OF THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO, TEXAS EMPOWERMENT ZONE DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION IS NOW IN SESSION.
CLERK, WILL YOU PLEASE READ THE CAPTION OF THE ITEM TO BE CONSIDERED? YES, SIR.
UM, ITEM NUMBER FIVE IS THE RESOLUTION BY THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO, TEXAS EMPOWERMENT ZONE DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION.
APPOINTING US BANK NATIONAL ASSOCIATION TO SERVE AS THE MARKET AGENT RELATING TO THE OUTSTANDING CITY OF SAN ANTONIO, TEXAS EMPOWERMENT ZONE DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION, CONTRACT REVENUE EMPOWERMENT ZONE REFUNDING BONDS FOR DRURY SOUTHWEST HOTEL PROJECT SERIES 2 0 1 3 A AND SERIES 2 0 1 3 B AND APPROVING AND AUTHORIZING THE EXECUTION OF A RELATED MARKET AGREEMENT AGENT CAN'T STEP OFF.
WE DO HAVE ONE, I, UH, ONE CITIZEN SIGNED UP TO SPEAK, UH, ON ITEM NUMBER FIVE.
AT THIS TIME I'LL ENTERTAIN A MOTION, UH, ON ITEM NUMBER FIVE.
THERE'S A MOTION AND A SECOND FOR APPROVAL OF ITEM NUMBER FIVE.
MOTION CARRIES THIS MEETING OF THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO, TEXAS EMPOWERMENT ZONE DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION IS NOW ADJOURNED AND THE CITY OF CITY COUNCIL WILL RECONVENE TO CONSIDER THE BALANCE OF THE AGENDA.
THERE ARE NO MORE VOTING ITEMS ON TODAY'S AGENDA.
IS THERE A CITY MANAGER'S REPORT? MAYOR, JUST BECAUSE OUR HEALTH DIRECTOR IS HERE TODAY, LET ME JUST SAY THAT, UH, METRO HEALTH WAS AWARDED THE 2019 LOCAL HEALTH DEPARTMENT OF THE YEAR AWARD FROM THE TEXAS ASSOCIATION OF CITY AND COUNTY HEALTH OFFICIALS.
UH, THE LOCAL HEALTH DEPARTMENT
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OF THE YEAR AWARD WAS ESTABLISHED TO HONOR THE EFFORTS PERFORMED BY LOCAL HEALTH DEPARTMENTS IN TEXAS, AND OF COURSE FOR THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO.UH, THOSE EFFORTS THAT CONTRIBUTED TO THIS RECOGNITION INCLUDED THE TOBACCO 21 ORDINANCE APPROVED BY CITY COUNCIL, THE JOINT OPIOID OVERDOSE PREVENTION TASK FORCE, CITY HEALTH, SILVER MEDAL, STANDUP SA, AND THE OTHER ACCOMPLISHMENTS.
THERE ARE MANY IN THE DEPARTMENT.
COLLEEN BRIDGER, OUR HEALTH DIRECTOR FOR THAT.
AND THEN LASTLY, JUST TO SAY THAT, UH, WE TALKED ABOUT BEFORE THE HOLIDAY BREAK, BUT ON TUESDAY THIS WEEK, UH, THE CITY SOLD BONDS IN THE AMOUNT OF 25 MILLION, UH, TO REFINANCE THE HUD 1 0 8 LOAN.
UH, THAT WAS APPROVED MANY YEARS AGO, UH, BEFORE 2005.
AND, UH, WE WANTED TO OBTAIN A LOWER INTEREST RATE.
UH, WE PREVIOUSLY BRIEFED YOU ON THIS AND YOU APPROVED THE REFINANCING AS PART OF THE FISCAL YEAR 2019 BUDGET.
UH, AND SO THE TRUE INTEREST COSTS, UH, ON THE BONDS WAS 2%, 2.04% TO BE EXACT, UH, WITH THE CITY REALIZING PRESENT NET VALUE, INTEREST COST SAVINGS OF $3 MILLION.
SO, UH, THAT WAS OUR GOAL AND WE ACCOMPLISHED IT.
AND I WANNA RECOGNIZE BEN GOEL.
THANK HIM, UH, FOR HIS EXCELLENT WORK.
ALL RIGHT, THAT'S ALL OF THE ITEMS ON OUR AGENDA FOR TODAY.