Jun 05, 2024 City Council B Session

[ ITEMS  ]

[00:00:08]

>> MAYOR NIRENBERG: GOOD AFTERNOON, EVERYONE. WELCOME TO OUR CITY COUNCIL B SESSION. THE TIME IS 2:07 P.M. ON THE FIFTH DAY OF JUNE, 2024. WE'LL CALL OUR MEETING TO ORDER.

MADAM CLERK, COULD YOU READ THE ROLL? >> CLERK: MAYOR, WE HAVE A QUORUM. WELCOME, EVERYONE. WE HAVE ONE ITEM TODAY, AND THAT IS THE PRESENTATION OF THE CHARTER REVIEW COMMISSION RECOMMENDATIONS. ANDY, I BELIEVE THIS IS SOMETHING YOU'RE GOING TO

INTRODUCE? AM I -- >> SEGOVIA: ACTUALLY, MAYOR, THE CITY MANAGER WILL START, AND THEN ME AND WE'LL PASS IT ON TO

THE COCHAIRS. >> MAYOR NIRENBERG: ERIK, OVER TO YOU.

>> WALSH: GOOD AFTERNOON, MAYOR AND COUNCIL. YES, THE CHARTER COMMISSION WILL BE GIVING COUNCIL THEIR RECOMMENDATIONS ON THEIR WORWORK OVER THE LAST SEVERAL MONTHS AND LOOKING FOR COUNCIL INPUT ON THE RECOMMENDATIONS. I THINK A LOT OF THE COMMISSION IS HERE.

THE COMMISSION W WAS COCHAIRED BY BONNIE PROSSER ELDER, GENERAL COUNCIL AND SENIOR VICE PRESIDENT FOR VIA, AND DAVID ZAMIELLO WHO IS PAST PRESIDENT AND C EO RETIRED PROJECT QUEST AND PREVIOUSLY WORKED AT USAA FOR 32 YEARS. THE COMMISSION WAS SUPPORTED BY A WHOLE HOST OF OFFICES PRIMARILY THE CITY ATTORNEY'S OFFICE, THE CITY CLERK'S OFFICE, COMMUNICATIONS AND ENGAGEMENT, THE CITY AUDITOR'S OFFICE AND THE MANAGEMENT AND BUDGET OFFICE, AND ANDY WILL KICK US OFF AND THEN THE

COCHAIRS WILL BE GIVING THE PRESENTATION TODAY. >> SEGOVIA: THANK YOU, ERIK. AS ERIK POINTED OUT, THE CHARTER REVIEW COMMISSION HAS BEEN AT WORK SINCE DECEMBER OF LAST YEAR TO CONSIDER RESEARCH A AND DISCUSS CHARGES GIVEN TO THEM BY THE MAYOR. WE WANT TO THANK ALL THE COMMISSION MEMBERS, ALL 15 OF THEM, FOR THE TIME THEY TOOK FROM THEIR PERSONAL AND PROFESSIONAL LIVES TO TAKE -- TO WORK ON THIS MATTER.

WE ALSO WANT TO THANK, AS ERIK MENTIONED, THERE WAS A NUMBER OF CITY DEPARTMENTS THAT SUPPORTED THE EFFORT. WE WANT TO THANK THEM ALSO, AND ALSO THANK EVERYBODY WHO PARTICIPATED, THERE WERE A LOT OF COMMUNITY MEMBERS THAT CAME TO THE MEETINGS AND SPOKE, SO ALL OF THAT COLLECTIVELY WAS CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE EFFORT THAT YOU'LL HEAR ABOUT TODAY. AS THE CITY MANAGER SAID, THERE'S A TWOFOLD PURPOSE TODAY. ONE, N FOR THE COUNCIL TO HEAR THE RECOMMENDATIONS FROM THE COCHAIRS, AND THE SECOND IS FOR US TO RECEIVE INPUT ON THOSE RECOMMENDATIONS. WE ANTICIPATE THAT WE WILL HAVE AN EARLY -- I'M SORRY, MID AUGUST A SESSION IN WHICH THE COUNCIL WILL CONSIDER WHAT EXACTLY WILL BE PUT ON THE BALLOT FOR NOVEMBER IN TERMS OF CHARTER CHANGES, AND WE WILL DO THAT IN AMPLE TIME BEFORE THE DEADLINE TO PUT IT ON THE NOVEMBER ELECTION.

SO WITH THAT, I'LL ASK BONNIE PROSSER ELDER AND DAVID S ZAMIELLO TO

PRESENT THE COMMISSION'S FINAL RECOMMENDATIONS. >> ELDER: GOOD AFTERNOON. THANK YOU, WE WOULD LIKE TO THANK YOU.

DAVID AND I WOULD LIKE TO THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY THAT WE WERE GIVEN TO WORK ON THE CHARTER REVIEW COMMISSION AND TO DO THIS HARD AND DIFFICULT WORK TO BRING THESE RECOMMENDATIONS TO YOU THIS AFTERNOON.

IT HAS BEEN A JOURNEY. I THINK WE'VE LEARNED A LOT THROUGH THIS PROCESS, AND SO I WOULD FIRST LIKE TO THANK YOU FOR THAT, FOR THE SIX-MONTH PLUS EXERCISE THAT WE WERE ON TO DO THE WORK THAT WE'RE BRINGING TO YOU TODAY.

SO THE COMMISSION'S CHARGE -- THE COMMISSION'S CHARGE ISSUED BY MAYOR NIRENBERG WAS ISSUED ON NOVEMBER 14TH, 2023.

AND IT REQUESTED THAT THE COMMISSION FOCUS ITS EFFORTS EXCLUSIVELY ON THE ISSUES WITHIN THE CHARGE FOR THEIR -- FOR OUR CONSIDERATION, THE COMMISSION WAS ASKED TO SUBMIT THE RECOMMENDATIONS TO THE CITY COUNCIL ON OR BEFORE FRIDAY, JUNE 14TH, 2024, AND HERE WE ARE.

THE ISSUES INCLUDED ETHICS OFFICER AND OTHER ETHICS REVISIONS, CITY COUNCILMEMBER COMPENSATION AND TERM LENGTH, CITY MANAGER TENURE AND COMPENSATION, COUNCIL DISTRICTS AND REDISTRICTING, AND

[00:05:05]

THAT WAS LED, OF COURSE, BY ME, BONNIE PROSSER ELDER AND OUR COCHAIR DAVID ZAMIELLO. THE MEMBERS OF THE TEAM, AND IF THEY ARE HERE, I WOULD ASK FOR THEM TO STAND, PLEASE. ELVA PIE ADAMS, JOSH BOW, LOUISE SAN ANTONIO CASO, MIKE FRISBIE, FRANK GARZA, PAT FROST, MARTHA MARTINEZ FLORES, NAOMI MILLER, BOBBY PEREZ, SHELLY POTTER, DWAYNE ROBINSON, DR. RO HEEL LOW SAENZ AND MARIA SALAZAR. THIS GROUP PROVIDED A CUMULATIVE AMOUNT OF 400 YEARS OF PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE IN CIVIC AND IN THE BUSINESS ARENA. IT'S A DIVERSE GROUP WITH DIVERSE EXPERTISE DEMONSTRATED COMMUNITY LEADERSHIP IN THE FIELDS OF EDUCATION, LOCAL GOVERNMENT, HUMAN RESOURCES, LEGAL/FINANCE, DEMOGRAPHY, ENGINEERING, CORPORATE AND NONPROFIT LEADERSHIP, AND SO -- SO MUCH MORE.

THE COLLECTIVE WISDOM OF THIS GROUP AND THE HOURLY RATE OF THIS GROUP WAS IMPRESSIVE. I DO WANT TO NOTE IT WAS EXPENSIVE AS WELL, BUT I DO WANT TO NOTE THAT IT WAS FREE. THERE WERE NO BILLING, NO CHARGES FOR THE WORK OF THIS COMMISSION. BUT IT WAS, IN FACT, A DREAM TEAM. DAVID AND I WOULD LIKE TO THANK THE COMMISSION MEMBERS FOR ALL OF THEIR HARD WORK. IT WAS MORNING, NOON, NIGHT, EVENING, WEEKENDS SOME, AND THEY BROUGHT ALL OF THEIR HEART AND ALL OF THEIR ENERGY TO THIS PROJECT TO BRING THESE RECOMMENDATIONS TO YOU TODAY. [APPLAUSE] ANDY HAS -- HAS DONE TIS -- I'M SORRY, CITY ATTORNEY, ANDY SEGOVIA, HAS DONE THIS ALREADY, BUT FROM THE COMMISSION ITSELF, THE CITY STAFF -- AND WE WANT YOU TO KNOW THAT THE CITY STAFF AND THE WORK THAT THEY DID HELPING WAS AMAZING.

ALL OF THE RESEARCH, ALL OF THE QUESTIONS, ALL OF THE MEETING SUPPORT, THEY WERE THERE TO HELP US WITHOUT COMPLAINT. THERE WERE TIMES WHERE THEY PROBABLY SHOULD HAVE BEEN COMPLAINING BECAUSE OUR MEETINGS WERE RUNNING LONG, BUT THEY WERE ALWAYS THERE. IF THEY COULD -- IF ANY OF THE CITY STAFF THAT WORKED ON THIS WITH US WOULD PLEASE STAND, I JUST WANT YOU ALL TO SEE THE ENERGY AND THE PEOPLE THAT REALLY HELPED AND SUPPORTED US. [APPLAUSE] SO WHEN WE BEGAN THIS JOURNEY, WE STARTED WITH GUIDING PRINCIPLES IN MIND.

WE SET THE GROUNDWORK AND THE FOUNDATION TO GET THE WORK DONE TO BRING THESE RECOMMENDATIONS TO YOU TODAY. SO AS A CHARTER COMMISSION, WE OPERATED UNDER EIGHT GUIDING PRINCIPLES.

THE FIRST WAS TO ANSWER THE CHARGE, TO ANSWER AND STAY FOCUSED SPECIFICALLY ON THE CHARGE AND THE REQUEST AND THE QUESTIONS THAT WERE PUT BEFORE US.

IT WAS A HEFTY CHARGE. WE KNEW THAT IT WAS GOING TO REQUIRE A LOT OF TIME AND ATTENTION. THIS WAS NOT AN APPETIZER, IT WAS A FIVE-COURSE MEAL. SO WE KNEW WE WERE GOING TO HAVE TO TAKE THE TIME AND FOCUS ON THOSE THINGS. THE FIRST PRINCIPLE WAS TO ANSWER THE CHARGE. THE SECOND WAS TO FOCUS ON THE FUTURE.

THIS WAS A FORWARD-LOOKING EXERCISE THAT WE WERE ENGAGED IN TO ANSWER THESE QUESTIONS AND PROVIDE THE RESEARCH AND ANALYSIS FOR WHAT THIS CITY NEEDS AND WHAT THIS CITY WILL REQUIRE TO MOVE FORWARD.

SO WE WERE FOCUSED ON THE FUTURE AND THE WORK AND IN THE RESEARCH TO LOOK FORWARD AND PREPARE THE RECOMMENDATIONS FOR THE FUTURE OF SAN ANTONIO.

THIRD WAS TO AS ASSUME A CLEAN CANVAS. IN THIS TASK, FOCUS ON THE TASK, FOCUS ON WHAT WAS IN FRONT OF US, AVOID THE NOISE.

OF COURSE, THERE WERE COMMENTS, QUESTIONS, ISSUES THAT WERE OUT IN THE COMMUNITY. WE -- NOSE TO THE GRIND STONE, GET DONE WHAT WE NEEDED TO GET DONE AND ASSUME THAT IT WAS A CLEAN CANVAS IN FRONT OF US AND LISTEN TO THE DATA, LISTEN TO THE RESEARCH AND USE THAT TO DEVELOP THE RECOMMENDATIONS TO COME BEFORE YOU.

FOURTH WAS TO DO THE HOMEWORK. DO THE HARD WORK, DO THE

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AND THAT'S WHERE THE SUBCOMMITTEE WORK BECAME SO IMPORTANT.

AND DAVID'S GOING TO TELL YOU A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THAT IN A MINUTE, BUT WE SPLIT IT UP IN SUBCOMMITTEES SO THAT THE WORK AND THE DEEP DIVE COULD BE DONE AND THEY COULD DO THE HOMEWORK AND BRING THAT BACK TO THE FULL COMMISSION FOR FURTHER QUESTION AND REVIEW.

FIFTH WAS APPLY ANALYSIS ANALYTICAL AND DATA-DRIVEN PROCESSES.

IT WAS ALLUDED TO EARLIER, BUT WE WANTED TO SPECIFICALLY STATE THAT AND FOCUS ON THAT, THAT WE WANTED THIS TO BE FOUNDATIONAL AND PROVIDE GOOD SUBSTANTIVE INFORMATION FOR THE RECOMMENDATIONS FOR YOU, SO THAT YOU CAN MAKE THE IMPORTANT DECISIONS THAT YOU WILL HAVE TO MAKE BASED ON THIS AND OTHER INFORMATION AS YOU MOVE FORWARD AS A COUNCIL.

AND SIXTH, APPLY AND SEEK BEST PRACTICES. THERE ARE OTHER CITIES, THERE ARE OTHER ENTITIES THAT HAVE DONE SOME OF THE THINGS THAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT, AND SO WE WANTED TO LOOK AT THOSE AND FIND THE BEST PRACTICES THAT HAVE BEEN UTILIZED IN OTHER ARENAS.

ALWAYS KNOWING AND ALWAYS FOCUSING ON THE FACT THAT WE ARE SAN ANTONIO, AND WE ARE UNIQUE IN THAT RESPECT. SO WE'RE GOING TO LOOK AT WHAT OTHER PLACES DO, BUT NOT TO FOLLOW BLINDLY, BUT TO UNDERSTAND THAT YOU CAN LEARN FROM WHAT'S HAPPENING IN OTHER PLACES, BUT THIS IS SAN ANTONIO, AND WE WILL ALWAYS CONSIDER THE UNIQUENESS OF THIS CITY.

SEVEN, SHARE EXPERIENCE AND EXPERTISE. YOU'VE ALREADY HEARD ABOUT THE COMMISSION ITSELF AND HOW DEEP AND VAST THE EXPERIENCES WERE WITHIN THE COMMISSION. AND SO WE WANT TO SHARE THAT EXPERTISE, AND THEN GAIN OTHER EXPERTISE, OTHER INFORMATION, AND UTILIZE THAT TO HELP DEVELOP THESE RECOMMENDATIONS. AND THEN FINALLY, BE TRANSPARENT AND LISTEN. BE TRANSPARENT WITH ONE ANOTHER, LISTEN TO EACH OTHER, BE MINDFUL AND RESPECTFUL OF THAT, AND LISTEN BOTH TO THE COMMISSIONERS, LISTEN TO THE RESEARCH AND THE SUBJECT MATTER EXPERTS THAT WERE BROUGHT BEFORE US, AND THEN FINALLY, LISTEN TO THE COMMUNITY MEMBERS THAT WERE TASKED -- THAT WERE ASKED AND THAT CAME BEFORE US

TO PROVIDE COMMUNITY INPUT. >> ZAMMIELLO: AS WE SET UP THE PROCESS AND BEGAN TO LAY OUT OUR FRAMEWORK OF HOW WE'RE GOING TO CONDUCT OUR BUSINESS, AS BONNIE TALKED ABOUT, THOSE EIGHT GUIDING PRINCIPLES WERE KEY TO SET THE FRAMEWORK OF HOW WE WERE GOING TO OPERATE. BUT EQUALLY AS IMPORTANT, WE KNEW THAT THE PUBLIC EYE WAS GOING TO BE ON US, SO HOW WE CONDUCTED OURSELVES, HOW WE BEHAVED AND INTERACTED AND SHARED IDEAS WAS EQUALLY AS IMPORTANT.

SO WE BEGAN EVERY ONE OF OUR MEETING WITH MEETING PROTOCOLS THAT YOU CAN SEE HERE THAT WE'RE ENCOURAGING OUR COMMISSION MEMBERS TO SHARE THEIR INSIGHTS AND PERSPECTIVES, AND RECOGNIZE EACH COLLEAGUE'S PROFESSIONAL PERSPECTIVE, WHERE THEY MAY BE COMING FROM, AND BE ABLE TO LISTEN EFFECTIVELY AND SHARE FEEDBACK CONSTRUCTIVELY.

AS WE GOT INTO THE PROCESS OF WORKING THROUGH OUR RECOMMENDATIONS, THAT WAS REALLY A CRITICAL STEP IN THE WHOLE PROCESS TO ALLOW COMMISSIONERS TO SHARE THEIR IDEAS ON DIFFERENT POINTS OF VIEWS, HOW THOSE RECOMMENDATIONS WERE GOING TO BE DEVELOPED, BEING RESPECTFUL, THAT WE'RE SENDING -- WE ARE SETTING AN EXAMPLE FOR OTHERS IN THE PUBLIC EYE, AND MAKE SURE THAT WE PRACTICE PROFESSIONALISM, DECORUM, AND HOW WE DID OUR DEBATES. I'M REALLY PROUD TO SAY THAT OUR COMMISSION DID CONDUCT THEMSELVES IN THE HIGHEST LEVEL OF PROFESSIONALISM ACROSS THE BOARD OVER THE LAST SIX MONTHS.

SO THAT WHOLE FRAMEWORK OF GUIDING PRINCIPLES, MEETING PROTOCOLS AND HOW WE ESTABLISHED OUR PROCESSES WAS REALLY CRITICAL, BECAUSE THIS WAS ABOUT PROCESS. IT WASN'T ABOUT, NECESSARILY, PERSONALITIES OR OTHER THINGS THAT WERE GOING ON AROUND US, WE KEPT OUR EYE ON THE BALL. OUR ROADMAP, AS WE JUST HIGHLIGHTED, WAS WE BEGAN WITH THOSE INITIAL SETUPS WITH SCOPE IN DECEMBER, AND WE PUT OUR SUBCOMMITTEES IN PLACE, AND WE'LL TALK ABOUT THOSE IN A SECOND TO ACTUALLY DO THE WORK OF THE WORK. IN JANUARY WAS THE BASELINE DISCUSSION WHERE WE STARTED TO GATHER THE FIRST ROUND OF INFORMATION, SAY WITH THAT CLEAN CANVAS, WHAT INFORMATION DO WE NEED, WHAT QUESTIONS DO WE NEED TO ASK TO INFORM THE SUBCOMMITTEE TO BEGIN ITS ANALYSIS. DURING THE MONTHS OF FEBRUARY AND THE MONTHS OF FEBRUARY AND MARCH, WAS THE ITERATIVE PROCESS OF DATA COLLECTION, FORMULATION OF RECOMMENDATIONS, PRESENTATION TO THE COMMISSION. AND THE COMMISSIONERS WOULD BE ABLE TO PROVIDE FEEDBACK AS WE ITERATED THROUGH THE VARIOUS RECOMMENDATIONS, SO WE LABELED OUR MARCH TIME FRAME PRELIMINARY RECOMMENDATIONS.

WE THEN TOOK THE FEEDBACK BY THAT SAME TIME, PUBLIC INPUT WAS BEGINNING TO OCCUR, SO WE TOOK THE PUBLIC INPUT, COMMISSION RECOMMENDATIONS, REFINED OUR RECOMMENDATIONS, AND CREATED PROPOSED RECOMMENDATIONS IN APRIL,

[00:15:01]

WE TALKED ABOUT THE SUPPORT THAT STAFF PROVIDED TO US.

EACH ONE OF THOSE DIFFERENT ENTITIES HAD VARIOUS REQUESTS.

THE CITIES THAT WE BENCHMARKED MOSTLY AGAINST, YOU CAN SEE ON THE SLIDE THERE, VARIOUS DATA COMPONENTS WHETHER IT WAS THE BUREAU OF LABOR STATISTICS, THE U.S. CENSUS, THE COSA SALARY REVIEW, OTHER FORMER EXPERT CITY COUNCIL, TO INFORM THE COMMISSION, SO WE DIDN'T WORK NECESSARILY IN ISOLATION, WE WORKED IN A VERY COLLABORATIVE WAY -- FRAMEWORK. NOW WE'RE GOING TO WALK YOU THROUGH THE ACTUAL RECOMMENDATIONS FROM THOSE CHARGES. WE'LL BEGIN WITH -- AND WE'RE GOING TO PRESENT THEM IN THE ORDER THAT THEY WERE ACTUALLY ARRIVED THROUGH THE CHARGING MEMO THAT WE RECEIVED BACK IN NOVEMBER. THE FIRST ONE WAS AROUND ETHICS OFFICER AND OTHER REVISIONS. WHETHER THE CITY SHOULD BE ABLE TO SUPPORT AN INDEPENDENT ETHICS AUDITOR WITH A LEGAL BACKGROUND.

OUR RECOMMENDATION IS THE LEGAL COMPONENT IS NOT A REQUIREMENT, BUT THERE'S NO CHARTER AMENDMENT ACTUALLY REQUIRED TO BE TAKEN UP AS FAR AS THIS COMMISSION'S CONCERNED, LEAVE THE ETHICS -- THE POSITION OF THE ETHICS OR THE COMPLIANCE AUDITORS THAT SITS IN THE CITY INTERNAL AUDITOR'S DEPARTMENT PROVIDES THAT INDEPENDENCE AND A GOOD BALANCE.

SO FROM THIS COMMISSION'S STANDPOINT, WE'RE NOT RECOMMENDING ANY STRUCTURAL CHANGES TO WHERE THE ETHICS ROLE IS ACTUALLY EXECUTED FROM AND THE RELATIONSHIP IT HAS TO THE ERB. ON THE SECOND ONE THERE, WERE THERE ANY ADDITIONAL RECOMMENDATIONS THAT WOULD STRENGTHEN THE EFFECTIVENESS, AUTHORITY AND/OR JURISDICTION OF THE BOARD.

OUR RECOMMENDATIONS THERE ARE SOME PROCESS IMPROVEMENTS.

WHEN YOU LOOK AT HOW THE ERB IS DEVELOPED, STRUCTURED, STAFFED.

THAT'S ACTUALLY BY THE INPUT WE RECEIVED A BEST PRACTICE MODEL.

THERE ARE SOME PROCESSES THAT WE HIGHLIGHT THERE TO HELP MAKE IT EVEN MORE EFFECTIVE, SOME CLARIFICATION THAT WE WOULD RECOMMEND GOING TO THE CHARTER AROUND CONFLICT OF INTEREST, SOME FUNDING GUIDELINES THAT WOULD MAKE SURE THE ERB IS PROPERLY FUNDED TO FULFILL ITS MISSION.

ACTUALLY REMOVE THE LIMITS OF TIME OF SERVICE FOR ERB MEMBERS ALL THE WAY, AND ENSURE THAT THE ERB HAS THE TOTAL DISCRETION TO TAKE ON OTHER CASES THAT MAY BE -- THEIR OWN DISCRETION. SO WE PUT THOSE IN THE CATEGORY OF PROCESS IMPROVEMENTS, BUT THE BIGGER PICTURE AROUND THE STRUCTURE AND THE ROLES, WE FEEL WAS IN A VERY GOOD PLACE WHERE IT STANDS RIGHT NOW.

AND THAT ALSO BRINGS ME TO THE POINT THAT SAID, WHEN WE LOOKED AT THINGS, WE DIDN'T MAKE CHANGES JUST FOR THE SAKE OF MAKING CHANGES.

IF THERE WAS A CHANGE WARRANTED, YOU'LL SEE THERE, BUT IN THE ESTIMATION OF THE COMMISSION AND THE SUBCOMMITTEE AND THE EXPERTS THAT WE SOUGHT, IF IT WAS EFFECTIVELY FUNCTIONING AND MEETING ITS PURPOSE FOR NOW AND INTO THE FUTURE, WE DIDN'T CHOOSE TO MAKE A RECOMMENDATION JUST FOR THAT PARTICULAR SAKE. SO THOSE ARE OUR RECOMMENDATIONS AROUND THE ETHICS OFFICER AND REVISIONS.

ON THE CITY COUNCIL AND COMPENSATION, THE ITEM NUMBER THREE THERE, CITY COUNCIL TERM LENGTH, WHETHER MAYORAL AND MAYORAL COUNCIL TERM TO FOUR YEARS, THE LIMIT OF TWO TERMS AND WHETHER SUCH TERMS SHOULD BE STAGGERED, OUR RECOMMENDATION IS WE SHOULD MAKE THAT CHANGE IN THE CHARTER TO GO TO TWO FOUR-YEAR TERMS, TOTAL YEARS OF SERVICE WOULD STILL BE EIGHT AND WE WOULD NOT STAGGER THOSE TERMS. AROUND CITY COUNCILMEMBER COMPENSATION, WHETHER CITY COUNCILMEMBERS SHOULD BE COMPENSATED ON INDEX TERMS THAT B MORE ACCURATELY REFLECT CITY'S

[00:20:05]

>> ELDER: THE NEXT CHARGE WE WILL LOOK AT RELATES TO CITY MANAGER TENURE AND COMPENSATION, ITEM NUMBER FIVE. AND THE CHARGE READ WHETHER THE CITY COUNCIL SHOULD HAVE THE AUTHORITY AND DISCRETION TO HIRE, MANAGE AND DETERMINE THE LENGTH OF SERVICE FOR THE CITY MANAGER.

AND THE RECOMMENDATION MEN TAKES FROM THE COMMISSION ON THIS PARTICULAR ITEM IS TO AMEND THE CHARTER TO REMOVE THE LANGUAGE CAPPING TENURE. SECONDLY, ITEM NUMBER 6, THE CHARTER -- THE CHARGE READ WHETHER THE CITY COUNCIL SHOULD DETERMINE THE COMPENSATION OF THE CITY MANAGER SO THAT MARKET AND COMPETITIVE INDICATORS ARE TAKEN INTO ACCOUNT. AND THE COMMISSION RECOMMENDATION ON THIS PARTICULAR CHARGE WAS TO AMEND THE CHARTER TO REMOVE LANGUAGE CAPPING AND COMPENSATION, AND JUST A LITTLE BACKGROUND ON THIS, IS IN THE RESEARCH ON THIS PARTICULAR ITEM, THERE WERE COMPARABLE CITIES THAT WERE LOOKED AT AND OTHER ENTITIES, GOVERNMENTAL ENTITIES AND NONPROFITS, AND WE WERE UNABLE -- THE SUBCOMMITTEE TOOK A DEEP DIVE ON THAT, AND DID NOT IDENTIFY ANY OTHER POSITION SIMILAR TO THE CITY MANAGER AND CITY MANAGERS AND OTHER ENTITIES AND CEOS OF OTHER GOVERNMENT AGENCIES WHERE THE DECISION RELATED TO TENURE AND PARTICULARLY COMPENSATION, WAS IN THE HANDS OF ANY ONE OTHER THAN THE GOVERNING BODY, IN THIS CASE IT WOULD BE COUNCIL, OR BOARD OR COMMISSION. THE NEXT CHARGE WAS RELATED TO COUNCIL DISTRICTS AND REDISTRICTING. THE CHARGE READ WHETHER AN INCREASE IN SINGLE MEMBER COUNCIL DISTRICTS WOULD APPROPRIATELY ENHANCE REPRESENTATION FOR CITY COUNCIL RESIDENTS.

AND THE RECOMMENDATION FOR THAT PARTICULAR CHARGE WAS THAT NO CHARTER AMENDMENT IS RECOMMENDED AT THIS TIME.

AND SECONDARILY, THERE WAS A RECOMMENDATION TO AMEND THE CHARTER TO ADD AN OPPORTUNITY FOR REDISTRICTING IF VOTERS THROUGH A FUTURE CHARTER ELECTION, AMEND AND INCREASE THE NUMBER OF DISTRICTS.

THE CHARTER CURRENTLY STATES THAT REDISTRICTING OCCURS AFTER EACH FEDERAL CENSUS WOULD ALLOW ANOTHER OPPORTUNITY IF THE CITIZENS IN THIS COMMUNITY VOTED FOR THAT TO OCCUR. AS IT RELATES TO REDISTRICTING, THE CHARTER CHARGE WAS READ, RATHER, WHETHER THE DECENNIAL COUNCIL REDISTRICTING PROCESS SHOULD BE CONDUCTED BY AN INDEPENDENT AUTONOMOUS CITIZENS COMMITTEE AND HOW SUCH A COMMITTEE MEMBERSHIP SHALL BE APPOINTED, AND THE RECOMMENDATION RELATED TO THAT ITEM WAS TO AMEND THE CHARTER TO CREATE A REDISTRICTING COMMISSION THAT WOULD INCLUDE A PROVISION ON WHO COULD BE APPOINTED TO THE COMMISSION, AND IT WOULD ALSO INCLUDE A REQUIREMENT FOR A SUPER MAJORITY OF COUNCIL TO AMEND THE COMMISSION'S PROPOSED REDISTRICTING PLAN. IT WOULD SUBMIT THAT PLAN TO THE COUNCIL.

IF THE COUNCIL DID NOT AGREE WITH THAT PLAN, THEY COULD AMEND IT, BUT ONLY WITH A SUPER MAJORITY. IF THEY AMENDED IT AND SENT IT BACK TO THE COMMISSION, IF THE COMMISSION AGREED, IT WOULD MOVE FORWARD, BUT IF IT WAS NOT -- IF THE COUNCIL AND THE COMMISSION WERE NOT ALIGNED, THEN IT WOULD REQUIRE A SUPER MAJORITY OF THE COUNCIL TO MOVE FORWARD WITH THE PLAN THAT WAS MODIFIED FROM THE COMMISSION. THE NEXT CHARGE WAS RELATED TO LANGUAGE MODERNIZATION AND WHETHER THE CHARTER -- THE CHARGE READ WHETHER THE CHARTER SHALL BE GENERALLY AMENDED TO UPDATE ITS LANGUAGE TO MORE ACCURATELY REFLECT CURRENT PROCESSES, ACKNOWLEDGMENTS AND ROLES, AND THE RECOMMENDATION WAS TO AMEND 117 SECTIONS OF THE CHARTER CONTAINING OUTDATED AND SUPERSEDED PROVISIONS.

AND I'LL START WITH ITEM 1 AND WALK YOU THROUGH EACH 117 OF THOSE

[00:25:03]

I WILL NOT BE DOING THAT, BUT YOU WILL HAVE THAT INFORMATION BEFORE YOU.

AND JUST TO GIVE YOU AN EXAMPLE OF WHAT SOME OF THOSE ITEMS WERE, ONE -- AND WE DID RECEIVE SOME PUBLIC COMMENT ON THIS MATTER -- WAS TO TAKE THE LANGUAGE OF THE CHARTER AND TO MAKE IT GENDER NEUTRAL.

THERE WERE REFERENCES TO HE, HER, HIM, SHE. MOSTLY HIM/HER ACTUALLY.

AND SO WE WOULD REMOVE ALL OF THOSE AND MAKE ALL OF THAT LANGUAGE WITHIN THE CHARTER GENDER NEUTRAL. AND ANOTHER MODIFICATION, WHICH WILL MODERNIZE THIS CHARTER, WAS THE REMOVAL OF THE REFERENCE TO INDELIBLE PENCIL. THERE WAS A REQUIREMENT FOR SOME FORMS TO BE SIGNED WITH INDELIBLE PENCIL. AND EVERYBODY GOOGLED WHAT AN INDELIBLE PENCIL WAS, BECAUSE NO ONE KNEW WHAT THAT WAS, AND SO THAT LANGUAGE -- LANGUAGE LIKE THAT WAS REMOVED. STAFF WAS INVALUABLE IN PROVIDING RECOMMENDATIONS. THEIR BOOTS ON THE GROUND IN TERMS OF WHAT'S ACTUALLY HAPPENING OPERATIONALLY, AND SO IF THERE'S SOMETHING OPERATIONALLY THAT'S NOT DONE AND HASN'T BEEN DONE IN YEARS AND FOR THE FUNCTIONING OF THE CITY, IT SHOULD ALIGN AND BE PROPER WITHIN THE CHARTER. BONNIE, I DON'T WANT TO KEEP EVERYBODY HANGING. CAN YOU JUST TELL US WHAT AN INDELIBLE PENCIL IS?

>> ELDER: IT FUNCTIONS AS A PEN. AND WHY THE LANGUAGE WAS WRITTEN MANY YEARS AGO, INDELIBLE PENCIL, WHICH WAS ACTUALLY AN EXISTING THING. IT WAS -- IT FUNCTIONED AS A P PEN.

>> ZAMMIELLO: THE OTHER CLACHARGE THAT WAS BROUGHT TO OUR ATTENTION AS A RESULT OF AN INJECT DURING OUR PROCESS AROUND SPECIAL MEETINGS.

THE CHARGE WAS EVALUATE LANGUAGE PROVIDED FOR SPECIAL MEETINGS WITH CITY COUNCIL, HOW THOSE MEETINGS SHOULD DIFFER IN PURPOSE [READING] WE ACTUALLY LOOKED AT OTHER CITIES AND THE LANGUAGES EMBEDDED IN THEIR CHARTER. WE'RE MAKING A RECOMMENDATION TO NOT AMEND THE CHARTER, BUT PART OF OUR RESEARCH INDICATED, IF YOU LOOK AT ACROSS THE CITY'S THAT BENCHMARKED, EVERY CHARTER HAD LANGUAGE FOR SPECIAL MEETINGS BUILT INTO IT. AND IT WAS VERY SIMILAR TO THE LANGUAGE THAT WE HAD IN OUR CHARTER THAT ALLOWS FOR THE NUMBER OF SIGNATURES TO BE PUT IN PLACE TO ACTIVATE IT. WE DIDN'T SEE A COMPELLING REASON TO MAKE A CHANGE TO THE CHARTER, AND WE FELT THAT WE WERE VERY MUCH IN LINE WITH THE BEST PRACTICES THAT YOU SAW ACROSS OTHER MUNICIPALITIES, ALSO CHECKING OFF THAT THERE'S A MECHANISM FOR EMERGENCY MEETINGS, MECHANISMS TO MODIFY AGENDAS, SO WE LOOKED AT THAT AND WITH THE AMOUNT OF RESEARCH THAT WE WERE ABLE TO DO, JUST RECOMMEND MAKE ONE SLIGHT CHANGE TO THE LANGUAGE AROUND THE CITY CLERK AND THEIR ABILITY TO -- IT WILL REFLECT MORE OF THE PRACTICES THAN WHAT'S ACTUALLY IN THE CHARTER TODAY, REMOVING THAT LANGUAGE AS PART OF OUR LANGUAGE MODERNIZATION CHANGE, BUT NO CHANGE FROM THIS AROUND SPECIAL MEETINGS.

WE MENTIONED AT THE BEGINNING OF THIS, THE PUBLIC INPUT AND ENGAGEMENT WAS A KEY PART OF OUR PROCESS. AND YOU CAN SEE THERE THROUGH OUR 12 COMMISSION MEETINGS WE HAD FIVE SESSIONS THAT WERE DEDICATED TO OFFER PUBLIC COMMENT ALONG THE WAY. WE HAD OVER 277 ATTENDEES DURING THAT PERIOD OF TIME. ALSO EVERY REQUEST THAT CAME IN, BONNIE AND I DID THE ROAD SHOW. SO WE WERE OUT AND ABOUT FOR THOSE 10 DIFFERENT INSTANCES TO ALSO INCLUDE OTHER MEDIA TYPE EVENTS TO MAKE SURE THE MESSAGE WAS GETTING OUT, THAT WHAT THE CHARTER -- WHAT THE COMMISSION WAS WORKING ON, THAT WE WERE ON A LISTENING TOUR, TO LISTEN TO WHAT THAT INPUT WAS FROM THE CITY, AND PROVIDE STATUS TO ANY ENTITY THAT WAS ACTUALLY INQUIRING ABOUT WHAT WAS GOING ON WITH THE COMMISSION. SO WE SPENT A LOT OF TIME INVESTED IN THE PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT ARENA. THIS IS A SUMMARY HERE THAT THROUGH THE PUBLIC INPUT PERIOD, ABOUT 180 OR SO COMMENTS WERE BROUGHT TO OUR ATTENTION. 60% PLUS DEALT DIRECTLY WITH THE CHARGES AT HAND. WE HAD A HANDFUL, YOU CAN SEE THERE, ALMOST 70 DIFFERENT COMMENTS THAT RELATED TO VARIOUS DIFFERENT TOPICS.

AND ABOUT HALF OF THOSE -- AND YOU'LL SEE THE BOTTOM PART OF THAT CHART THERE, THAT WE THOUGHT IT WAS IMPORTANT TO BRING THOSE ITEMS TO THE ATTENTION OF THIS COUNCIL, THAT WHAT ELSE DID WE LEARN DURING THE COURSE OF THE PUBLIC INPUT SESSION THAT WAS OUT OF SCOPE OF OUR PROJECT, BUT STILL WORTH BRINGING TO THE ATTENTION OF THIS COUNCIL.

AND BONNIE'S GOING TO COMMENT ON THOSE. >> ELDER: SO OF THE COMMENTS THAT WE RECEIVED THAT WERE EXTERNAL OR BEYOND THE SCOPE, THERE WERE THREE, AND THESE ARE NOT IN ANY RANKED ORDER OR ANY -- AUDIO] -- BUT THE TOP THREE ADDITIONAL COMMENTS THAT WE RECEIVED IN THE

[00:30:03]

THE PUBLIC COMMENTS AND COMMUNICATION PIECE OF THAT, AS I SAID, INCLUDED SOCIAL MEDIA. THERE'S SOME DETAILS ON THAT, 64 POSTS, AND HALF A MILLION IMPRESSIONS. SOCIAL MEDIA AD IMPRESSIONS, AS YOU SEE, META WAS 1.4 MILLION IMPRESSIONS AND THEN THERE WERE THE TV AND RADIO INTERVIEWS THAT DAVID AND I PARTICIPATED IN TO ASSIST IN GETTING -- GETTING THIS WORD OUT. IN TERMS OF E-MAIL, IN MARCH, APRIL AND MAY, THE CITY DID DO AN E-MAIL OUTREACH TO CITIZENS OF THE COMMUNITY. THERE WERE OVER 19,000 RECIPIENTS OF THESE E-MAILS, AND THE AVERAGE OPEN RATE, AS YOU SEE HERE, WAS OVER 80%, PARTICULARLY AS IT RELATES TO SA SPEAK UP. WE DID GET FEEDBACK ON SA SPEAK UP WHERE CITIZENS WERE COMING AND COMMENTING THROUGH THAT PROCESS. AND THAT WAS VERY IMPORTANT BECAUSE CITIZENS IN SAN ANTONIO WHO COULD NOT PHYSICALLY MAKE IT TO A MEETING, CITIZENS IN SAN ANTONIO WHO DID NOT HAVE ELECTRONIC RESOURCES, THIS WAS A WAY WHERE THEY COULD PROVIDE SOME OF THAT INFORMATION TO US, ALONG WITH, YOU KNOW, THE OLD FASHIONED WAY TO GET INFORMATION OUT IF YOU DON'T HAVE A COMPUTER, IF YOU DON'T HAVE A CELL PHONE, IF YOU'RE PART OF THE DIGITAL DIVIDE THAT EXISTS IN SAN ANTONIO WAS THE OLD FASHIONED WAY, THERE WERE FLYERS THAT WERE UTILIZED. AND THEY WERE DISTRIBUTED IN THE COUNCIL DISTRICT OFFICE, WITHIN COMMUNITY CENTERS, IN THE PUBLIC LIBRARIES, AND CERTAINLY IN THE SENIOR CENTERS BECAUSE THOSE ARE SOME OF THE PEOPLE THAT SOMETIMES DO NOT HAVE DIGITAL CAPABILITIES, ALTHOUGH WE RECOGNIZE THERE ARE SENIORS THAT ARE BETTER AT DIGITAL ACCESS THAN I AM. CERTAINLY, I'VE MET SOME OF THEM.

AND THEN IN TERMS OF REACH, 76 LOCATIONS, 2500 FLYERS DISTRIBUTED, AND THEY WERE, OF COURSE, DISTRIBUTED IN ENGLISH AND SPANISH.

BEFORE I TURN THIS OVER TO DAVID, I DID NOT SAY ONE THING THAT I INTENDED TO SAY WHEN WE WERE DOING THE THANK YOUS. AND IT WAS THE OPPORTUNITY TO WORK WITH MY COCHAIR DAVID ZAMIELLO WAS AMAZING.

HE IS A PLANNING AND ORGANIZATIONAL GURU. I AM A BIG PICTURE PROGRAM. HE IS A VERY DETAILED ORIENTED PERSON, AND SO IT WAS A PERFECT COMBINATION FOR US TO WORK TOGETHER TO PROVIDE THIS FOR YOU. SO I DID WANT TO SAY THANK YOU, DAVID, FOR BEING THE -- HE WAS THE TASK MASTER ON A NUMBER OF ISSUES AND THE COMMITTEES WILL SUPPORT ME ON THAT IN TERMS OF HOW HE OPERATES.

SO I WILL TURN IT OVER TO HIM FOR THE CONCLUSION. >> ZAMMIELLO: I'LL JUST ECHO THAT I LEARNED A LOT FROM BONNIE OVER THE LAST SIX MONTHS,ER AND WE DID NOT KNOW EACH OTHER PERSONALLY BEFORE WE WERE BROUGHT TOGETHER IN

[00:35:03]

AND I THINK THE REFLECTION OF THE WORK THAT YOU SAW FROM THE COMMISSION WAS A REFLECTION OF OUR COMMITMENT TO EACH OTHER AND THE LEARNING THAT I RECEIVED AND PARTNERSHIP FROM BONNIE.

SO AS WE CONCLUDE, WE'LL TELL YOU, THIS WAS A HEAVY LIFT.

THERE'S NO DOUBT ABOUT IT. WHEN WE SIGNED UP, DID NOT REALLY KNOW WHAT THAT ROAD AHEAD WAS. AND FOR THIS COMMISSION AND THE HOURS THAT THESE PROFESSIONALS PUT IN PLACE, WE FEEL LIKE IN FRONT OF YOU TODAY, WE RESPONDED TO THE CHARGE. WE ANSWERED THE MAIL, WE ANSWERED THE QUESTION, WE STAYED LASER FOCUSED ON THE TASK.

OUR APPROACH WAS TO BE DATA-DRIVEN, PROCESS-DRIVEN TO MAKE SURE WE DID THE WORK OF THE WORK. THOSE GUIDING PRINCIPLES AND PROTOCOLS THAT WE SPOKE ABOUT AT THE BEGINNING, WE EMBRACED THOSE. AND THIS COMMISSION OPERATED WITH A CERTAIN DECORUM AND APPROACH THAT REFLECTED THOSE GUIDING PRINCIPLES.

WE DID ENABLE COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT. WE LISTENED ALONG THE WAY, THAT WE MADE MODIFICATIONS TO RECOMMENDATIONS BASED ON PUBLIC INPUT ALONG THE WAY, AND AS A RESULT, THOSE RECOMMENDATIONS THAT WE SHOWED YOU TODAY THAT THERE WAS UNANIMOUS APPROVAL FOR ALL 10 OF THOSE RECOMMENDATIONS, 15 TO ZERO, BY THE COMMISSION, SO WE'RE VERY PROUD OF THE WORK, MAYOR. WE THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO SERVE, AND LOOK FORWARD TO ANY OF YOUR QUESTIONS.

>> MAYOR NIRENBERG: GREAT. THANK YOU VERY MUCH, DAVID AND BONNIE, FOR THE PRESENTATION, AND YOU CAN TAKE A SEAT. YOU'LL PROBABLY BE CALLED BACK UP HERE SHORTLY. BUT FIRST, I JUST DID A QUICK SEARCH, THERE ARE SOME INDELIBLE PENCILS, PACK OF 2 FOR 29.99 ON AMAZON.COM, THEY DO STILL EXIST BUT I THINK IT'S FOR THE DENTAL INDUSTRY. THANK YOU, DAVID AND BONNIE, FOR THE TIME YOU PUT INTO THIS TO BE METHODICAL AND DATA-INFORMED IN THE RECOMMENDATIONS YOU ARE BRINGING FORWARD TO US.

AND I DON'T TAKE THAT LIGHTLY. THANK YOU ALSO TO ALL THE COMMISSION MEMBERS. ELVA, JOSH, LUISA, JOSH, PAT, FRANK, NAOMI, BOBBY, DWAYNE, DR. ROGELIO, AND MARIA TO UPDATE OWR CITY'S CONSTITUTION.

THESE COMMISSIONERS MET FOR MANY EVENINGS, FOR MANY HOURS TO ARRIVE AT THIS SET OF RECOMMENDATIONS FOR OUR CITY COUNCIL TO CONSIDER. THEY WEREN'T GIVEN AN EXTENSIVE AMOUNT OF TIME, WITH THE BROAD SCOPE OF THE CHARGE, I'M PLEASED WITH THE WORK THAT'S BEEN DONE TO GET US TO TODAY. THE COMMISSION'S WORK WAS TRANSPARENT, CLEAR-EYED AND ACCESSIBLE. AND I WANT TO THANK THE COMMUNITY MEMBERS THAT MADE THEIR VOICES HEARD ON THESE SPECIFIC MATTERS AND SEVERAL OTHERS.

THEY DID THEIR JOB AND THEN SOME, AND WERE SUPPORTED BY A VAST ARRAY OF DUTIFUL CITY EMPLOYEES, AND I AGAIN WANT TO THANK OUR CITY ATTORNEY'S OFFICE, OUR CITY CLERK'S OFFICE, OUR CITY'S PIO OFFICE AND I'M SURE MANY OTHERS THAT WEIGHED IN TO THE PROCESS.

SO BEFORE I GET STARTED ON ADDRESSING THESE CHARGES, I AM TERMED OUT NEXT SUMMER. MY THOUGHTS ON THESE FINDINGS AND RECOMMENDATIONS COME WITHOUT ANY DIRECT IMPACT TO MY COMPENSATION OR MY TENURE. I'LL START BY AGREEING WITH THE RECOMMENDATIONS ON THE ETHICS PROVISIONS. FURTHER CLARIFYING OUR DEFINITIONS AND EXTENDING THE TERMS OF ERB MEMBERS COULD PROVIDE SOME CONTINUITY THAT WE MAY LACK WHEN NEW COUNCILMEMBERS ARE ELECTED. WITH REGARD TO CITY COUNCIL COMPENSATION, I CAN'T SAY THAT I IMMEDIATELY AGREE WITH AN IMMEDIATE PAY RAISE AT THAT LEVEL, THOUGH I DO AGREE WITH THE NEED TO INDEX OUR PAY.

AS A MATTER OF FACT, AS A CITIZEN, I HAVE LONG ARGUED AND BELIEVED, EVEN LONG BEFORE CITY COUNCIL, THAT THE PAY OF CITY COUNCILMEMBERS SHOULD BE INDEXED BASED ON AREA MEDIAN INCOME TO ENSURE ITS RESPONSIBLE TO THE PUBLIC. IF WE IMPROVE THE STANDING OF THIS COMMUNITY, THEREBY RAISING THE AMI, THEN THAT WILL BE HOW CITY COUNCIL GETS A PAY RAISE. IT WOULD EFFECTIVELY BECOME A PERMANENT INCENTIVE FOR US AND FOR FUTURE CITY COUNCILS TO IMPROVE THE ECONOMIC TRAJECTORY OF OUR COMMUNITIES.

I'LL SAY THAT I'M GENERALLY SUPPORTIVE OF A FOUR-YEAR TERM WITH A CAP, AGAIN, A MAXIMUM OF EIGHT YEARS. THIS IS ALREADY DIFFICULT WORK, COMPOUNDED BY ROUGHLY 18 MONTHS TO DO IT BEFORE YOU GET BACK ON THE BALLOT. AND LORD KNOWS, WE NEED LESS POLITICAL DISTRACTION IN OUR POLITICS AND GOVERNMENT OPERATIONS THESE DAYS.

FOR CITY COUNCIL TENURE AND COMPENSATION, I'LL KEEP IT BRIEF.

THE MAYOR AND COUNCIL SHOULD DICTATE THE TERMS OF THE CITY MANAGER'S EMPLOYMENT. IF THE PUBLIC DOESN'T LIKE OUR OFFER LETTER TO THE CITY MANAGER, THEN THEY SHOULD VOTE US OUT. WE MUST RESTORE AND ENSURE THIS BODY'S ABILITY TO MAINTAIN THAT SOLE AUTHORITY AND RESPONSIBILITY. I SUPPORT AND ACCEPT THE COMMISSION'S RECOMMENDATION THAT WE SHOULD LOOK AT REDISTRICTING AFTER OUR NEXT CENSUS, THAN AND THAT WE SHOULD HOLD OFF ADDING ANY

[00:40:02]

I WANT TO THANK THE SUBCOMMITTEE CHAIR, MARIA SALAZAR, WHO I DON'T THINK IS HERE TODAY, FOR LEADING THE EFFORT TO GENERALLY UPDATE OUR CITY CHARTER, AND THANK YOU, BONNIE, FOR NOT READING ALL 117 OF THOSE RECOMMENDATIONS TO US. OUR CHARTER MUST BE REFLECTIVE OF OUR COMMUNITY -- AS REFLECTIVE OF OUR COMMUNITY AS POSSIBLE SO WE CAN SAY WITH CONFIDENCE THAT THIS IS THE GOVERNING DOCUMENT OF OUR CITY. I ALSO WANT TO TAKE A MOMENT TO ADDRESS TWO OF THE PRIMARY PARKING LOT ITEMS THAT WERE BROUGHT FORWARD BY THE COMMUNITY. REGARDING RESERVING A SHARE OF OUR REVENUE GROWTH FOR YOUTH DEVELOPMENT, I AM GENERALLY SUPPORTIVE OF THE CONCEPT, BUT I DO BELIEVE IT MERITS A LOT MORE STUDY IN HOW IT COULD AFFECT FUTURE BUDGETS. WE'RE LOOKING AT A FEW TIGHT YEARS IN THE NEAR FUTURE ALREADY, SO I'M PROPOSING THAT STAFF WORK ON A DRAFT FINANCIAL POLICY THAT WE CAN TEST VIA ORDINANCE BEFORE WE IMMEDIATELY AND PERMANENTLY CONFINE OUR BUDGET IN SUCH A WAY.

AND AS IT RELATES TO ALLOWING CITY EMPLOYEES TO PARTICIPATE IN POLITICAL ACTIVITY, I BELIEVE WE'RE ONE OF -- ONE OF ONLY TWO CITIES THAT HAS THIS PROHIBITION IN TEXAS, THE OTHER BEING FORT WORTH.

IF OTHER CITIES CAN FIGURE THIS OUT, SO CAN WE.

I'M SUPPORTIVE, AND ASK THAT STAFF LOOK AT HOW OTHER MAJOR CITIES HAVE IMPLEMENTED THIS. DUE TO SOME OF THESE RECOMMENDATIONS AFFECTING THE CITY MANAGER AND CITY EMPLOYEES, MY OFFICE WILL TAKE TODAY'S INPUT AND RELEASE A MEMO ON OUR NEXT STEPS, INCLUDING THE ITEMS THAT WILL BE CONSIDERED AT THE AUGUST 2024 CITY COUNCIL MEETING.

AGAIN, THANK YOU VERY MUCH TO ALL OF THE CITIZENS, TO THE COMMISSION MEMBERS, FOR THEIR LABORIOUS WORK, THOUGHTFUL WORK, DATA-INFORMED WORK, AND WITH THAT, I'LL TURN IT OVER TO CITY COUNCIL DISCUSSION. AND WE'LL START WITH COUNCILMEMBER PELAEZ.

>> PELAEZ: THANK YOU, ALL, FOR TAKING TIME AWAY FROM YOUR DAY JOBS.

AND PAT FROST, I DON'T THINK YOU HAVE A DAY JOB ANYMORE? YOU'VE GOT NOTHING BUT TIME ON YOUR HANDS, RIGHT? THANK YOU ALL FOR TAKING TIME AWAY FROM YOUR DAY JOBS AND TIME AWAY FROM YOUR FAMILY IN ORDER TO GATHER IN THE EVENINGS TO ADDRESS THIS VERY HEADY TOPIC THAT WAS A LONG-TIME COMING AND I CONGRATULATE YOU FOR MAKING IT TO THE FINISH LINE AND HANDING IT OFF TO US.

I UNDERSTAND, AND I APPRECIATE THE WORK YOU GUYS HAVE DONE.

I REALLY DO APPRECIATE THE PHONE CALLS THAT SOME OF YOU ANSWERED, AND ALSO THE TIME I GOT TO SPEND WITH YOU, BONNIE AND DAVID, TALKING THROUGH SOME OF THESE ISSUES. I THINK THAT YOUR QUESTIONS WERE VERY INCISIVE, AND YOU HEARD US. WITH REGARDS TO ONE OF THE MAYOR'S COMMENTS AND IT WILL REALLY BE THE ONLY TOPIC I TOUCH, JUST A DEEPER DIVE, SECTION 78 OF THE CITY CHARTER PROHIBITS CITY EMPLOYEES PR EXERCISING THEIR RIGHT TO PARTICIPATE IN POLITICAL LIFE THE WAY THAT THEIR UNIFORMED COWORKERS ARE ALLOWED TO DO.

THEY'RE PROHIBITED BY THIS DOCUMENT FROM PARTICIPATING IN A CONVERSATION ABOUT THEIR VERY OWN ELECTED OFFICIALS WHO IMPACT OUR EMPLOYEES' LIVES, WHO IMPACT THEIR FAMILIES' LIVES, WHO IMPACT THEIR NEIGHBORHOODS. AND, YOU KNOW, WE SPENT A LOT OF TIME TALKING ABOUT COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT AND WANTING OUR CONSTITUENTS TO BE MORE INVOLVED.

BUT AT THE SAME TIME, WE PROHIBIT THOUSANDS OF OUR SAN A SAN ANTONIANS FROM DOING EXACTLY THAT, WHILE WE WITH BEGGING EVERYBODY ELSE TO GET INVOLVED, JUST NOT IF YOU WEAR A CITY BADGE TO WORK EVERY SINGLE DAY.

I DON'T THINK THAT OUR CITY CHARTER RIGHT NOW AS IT STANDS IS CONGRUENT WITH THE VALUES THAT WE ESPOUSE. IF YOU LOOK AT THAT PROVISION, WE ARE ACTIVELY, BY WAY OF THAT OBSTACLE IN THE CHARTER, DISENFRANCHISING PEOPLE. AND LIKE THE MAYOR SAID, OTHER CITIES HAVE FIGURED THIS OUT. AND THOSE CITIES ARE DOING JUST FINE.

EL PASO, AUSTIN, HOUSTON, DON'T ENFORCE THE SAME PROHIBITIONS THAT WE DO, AND LAST TIME I CHECKED, THEY HAVEN'T CRUMBLED AND FALLEN INTO THE SEA, AND THEY'RE DOING JUST FINE. AND I THINK THAT WE WOULD DO JUST FINE AS WELL.

AND A LONG TIME AGO, CITY FATHERS BEFORE US AND LEADERS BEFORE US CODIFIED THAT MUZZLING OF VOICES FOR WHATEVER REASONS, BUT I THINK IT WAS WRONG THEN, AND I THINK IT'S WRONG TODAY. AND I THINK WE'VE GOT A REALLY NICE OPPORTUNITY HERE TO CORRECT THAT WRONG.

AND SO WITH THIS IN MIND, THIS YOUNG MA MAN MAN ERIK KA VOSS SOS

[00:45:07]

AND SOME OF YOU WILL RECOGNIZE IT. IT'S SOMETHING THAT GUILLERMO, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR HANDING OUT TO US, I'VE GOT TO TELL YOU, I MADE A CHANGE. I ADDED A SENTENCE ON THE VERY END OF IT, AND YOU'LL NOTICE IT. IT'S IN BOLD. THAT I THINK IS GOING TO PROTECT OUR EMPLOYEES' RIGHT TO BE ALSO NOT PESTERED BY CITY COUNCILMEMBERS IF THAT EMPLOYEE DOESN'T WANT TO BE PESTERED, RIGHT? SO MY SENTENCE WOULD READ, MEMBERS OF CITY COUNCIL ARE PROHIBITED FROM SOLICITING A CITY EMPLOYEE IN TAKING PART IN A POLITICAL CAMPAIGN AFTER THAT EMPLOYEE HAS INDICATED HE OR SHE DOES NOT WISH TO TAKE AN ACTIVE ROLE IN SUCH CAMPAIGN.

I WILL SUPPORT LIFTING THIS PROHIBITION WHEN IT COMES TIME TO VOTE IN PUTTING ALL THE OTHER CHARTER AMENDMENTS ON THE BALLOT, AND I HOPE THE REST OF MY COUNCILMEMBERS WILL JOIN ME IN DOING SO.

THANK YOU. >> MAYOR NIRENBERG: THANK YOU, COUNCILMEMBER PELAEZ. COUNCILMEMBER ROCHA GARCIA?

>> GARCIA: THANK YOU, MAYOR. I'LL START OFF BY THANKING OUR COCHAIRS BONNIE AND DAVID AND ALL THE COMMISSION MEMBERS FOR ALL OF THEIR WORK. I ALSO WANT TO THANK ANDY AND HIS TEAM FOR ALL OF THE HOURS THAT THEY PUT IN AND THE EXTRA HOURS WITH THE SUBCOMMITTEES, ET CETERA. I WANT TO HIGHLIGHT HOW HELPFUL IT WAS TO HAVE THE SUBCOMMITTEES REPORTS AND THE OUTLINES. I HAVE ALL THE POWERPOINT PRESENTATIONS IN FRONT OF ME, AND I'M JUST PROUD TO SAY THAT SAN ANTONIANS ULTIMATELY HAVE THE SAY IN WHAT'S GOING TO CHANGE IN THEIR CITY CHARTER.

I THINK YOU ALL HAVE HEARD THIS BEFORE, BUT I HAVE A COPY OF THE CHARTER AT THE DAIS, I HAVE ONE ON MY DESK, I HAVE ONE IN MY CAR AND ONE ON MY BED STAND. AND SO IT'S JUST AS A REMINDER, RIGHT, LIKE OF WHAT I DO EVERY SINGLE DAY, EVERYWHERE I GO. AND SO THIS TO ME REALLY MEANS A LOT, BECAUSE IT'S A GROUP OF RESIDENTS THAT CAME TOGETHER WITH THEIR INPUT. I APPRECIATE THE FACT THAT YOU ALL OUTLINED THE COMMENTS, EVEN THOUGH YOU ALL WERE NOT CHARGED WITH THE TASK.

AND I APPLAUD THAT YOU ALL WERE FORTHRIGHT WITH THAT, AND YOU ALL HAD A VERY SPECIFIC CHARGE, BUT WE STILL ULTIMATELY HAVE THAT RESPONSIBILITY TO LISTEN TO THE VOICES THAT DID SHOW UP AS WELL. SO THANK YOU FOR ACKNOWLEDGING THAT. I ALSO WANT TO THANK -- JUST IN GENERAL, THE RESOURCES THAT YOU ALL PREPARED, ALL OF THE INFORMATION THAT WE GOT, SPECIFICALLY FROM OTHER CITIES, ET CETERA. THE REDISTRICTING PART, I'LL START OFF WITH THAT REALLY FAST, BECAUSE THAT -- I -- THANK YOU FOR THAT OPPORTUNITY TO REVISIT THAT. DISTRICTS 3 AND 4 COVER PRETTY MUCH THE SOUTHERN HALF OF SAN ANTONIO IN TERMS OF LAND MASS.

SOME OF YOU ALL DIDN'T KNOW THAT WHEN I MENTIONED THAT AND POINTED IT OUT AND SAID GO LOOK AT A MAP, COME RIDE WITH ME, IT TAKES TWO AND A HALF HOURS, THEN YOU ALL GOT IT. RIGHT? AND SO I APPRECIATE THAT OPPORTUNITY TO LOOK AT IT AFTER THE NEXT CENSUS.

SO THANK YOU FOR YOUR CAREFUL CONSIDERATION ON THAT.

I KNEW THAT WITH DAVID, IF I POINTED OUT SOMETHING LIKE THAT, THAT MAYBE HE WASN'T NECESSARILY AWARE OF, HE -- HE ALWAYS TALKS ABOUT PLANNING THE WORK, THEN WORKING THE PLAN. HE PROBABLY SAID THAT TO YOU ALL OVER AND OVER AGAIN. I KNOW THAT, BECAUSE I HIRED HIM FOR PROJECT QUEST AND THAT WAS PART OF THE REASON THAT I THOUGHT HE MIGHT BE A SOLID HIRE. I APPRECIATE ALSO, AND I THINK THAT IT WAS PROBABLY A COMBINATION WITH THE GUIDING PRINCIPLES THAT YOU ALL HAD, BECAUSE IN THIS DAY AND AGE WHERE THERE'S SO MANY PEOPLE THAT ARE DISRESPECTFUL OF ONE ANOTHER IN OPEN FORUMS, THAT WAS A WONDERFUL WAY TO START OFF WITH THE DECORUM, SO I APPRECIATE THAT. AND THEN I AGREE WITH THE MAYOR'S COMMENTS, SPECIFICALLY IN REGARDS TO LOOKING AT AMI, SPECIFICALLY.

I HAVE A LOT OF QUESTIONS THAT I CAN GO OFFLINE ON, SPECIFICALLY ON AMI AND WHAT WAS PROPOSED IF THE AMI IS WHAT BEUS WE USE, FOR INSTANCE, FOR PEOPLE WHO ARE SEEKING ASSISTANCE FROM THE CITY, ET CETERA.

I'LL HOLD OFF ON THOSE. I ALSO WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE THE MODERN SAIKS OF LANGUAGE. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THAT, IN MY BOOKS I HAVE SCRATCHED OUT ANY HE OR SHE, AND SO KIM CUNOW HAS HEARD ME TALK ABOUT THIS SINCE 2017 OR SOMETHING, AND I ACKNOWLEDGE THAT WE HAD SO MUCH WORK TO DO THERE. SO I'M SURE THAT A LOT OF IT WAS IN HOUSEKEEPING.

I DO WANT TO SAY, I AM IN SUPPORT OF LOOKING AT FURTHER INFORMATION TO HELP WITH THE DESIGNATION OF THE 20% FUTURE REVENUE GROWTH FOR YOUTH PROGRAMS. WE NEED TO SEE WHAT WE DO THERE.

EVEN THIS MORNING WE HAD A GREAT CONVERSATION AT OUR COMMUNITY HEALTH COMMITTEE, CHAIRED BY COUNCILWOMAN CASTILLO, THAT I THINK SHOULD

[00:50:01]

SO I APPRECIATE THE MAYOR TAKING THAT INITIATIVE AND SAYING, LET'S LOOK AT THIS AS A CITY AND HOW IT'S GOING TO HELP US. I ALSO WANT TO THANK COUNCILMAN PELAEZ FOR THE ADDITION AND, OF COURSE, [INDISCERNIBLE] ASKED ME FOR YOUR HARD WORK. I THINK, LIKE, SIX YEARS AGO, WE STARTED TALKING ABOUT THIS. SO IT'S FINALLY HERE. SO CONGRATULATIONS FOR ALL YOUR HARD WORK AND ADVOCACY, AND NOT GIVING UP ON THAT.

THANK YOU FOR REPRESENTING THE PEOPLE THAT ASKED YOU TO REPRESENT THEM, RIGHT, AND THAT'S THE CITY EMPLOYEES.

I'D BE SUPPORTIVE OF LOOKING AT SOME WAY TO GET THAT DONE AS WELL.

I HAVE A QUESTION ON THE ETHICS OFFICER AND THE REVISION'S PORTION OF IT. THIS IS SPECIFICALLY A QUESTION, IF WE'RE NOT -- YOU'RE NOT RECOMMENDING AN INDEPENDENT AUDIT ETHICS AUDITOR -- OR OFFICER, DO YOU -- DID YOU ALL DISCUSS PARAMETERS SPECIFICALLY OR CONSEQUENCES FOR COUNCILMEMBERS WHO MIGHT TRY TO DIRECTLY OR

INDIRECTLY INFLUENCE THEIR APPOINTEES? >> ZAMMIELLO: THANK YOU FOR THE QUESTION FIRST OF ALL. LET ME GO BACK AND REFRAME HOW WE PUT THOSE RECOMMENDATIONS SO THE WAY THE STRUCTURE IS RIGHT NOW, IT'S CALLED COMPLIANCE AUDITOR THAT'S IN THE CITY INTERNAL AUDITS DEPARTMENT, HOW THE ETHICS REVIEW BOARD, HOW THAT STAFF AND THAT LEVEL OF INDEPENDENCE WITH THE AUDITOR ALREADY REPORTING UP THROUGH COUNCIL, AND THAT ROLE BEING EMBEDDED IN THAT ORGANIZATIONAL STRUCTURE, YOU ALREADY HAVE A LEVEL OF INDEPENDENCE BUILT IN. AND THE WAY THAT THE ERB IS ALSO APPOINTED, CREATES THAT INDEPENDENCE OR AUTONOMY. SO WE DIDN'T BELIEVE THERE WAS A STEP NECESSARY TO CREATE MORE INDEPENDENCE.

YOU COULD HAVE -- WE COULD HAVE THOUGHT ABOUT SOME OTHER THINGS, BUT THEN TEXAS STATE LAW ALSO PROHIBITS ENTITIES BEING OUTSIDE OF THE PURVIEW OF YOUR CITY COUNCIL. SO THE BALANCE WAS IN PLACE, PLUS ALSO THE IDEA OF THE SPIRIT OF COLLABORATION WITH INDEPENDENCE, BECAUSE YOU WANT YOUR ETHICS FUNCTION TO BE ABLE TO EDUCATE AND INFORM YOUR STAFF MEMBERS. AND I THINK LAST YEAR IN 2023, THERE WAS ABOUT 29 HOURS OF ETHICS TRAINING THAT WAS ACTUALLY DELIVERED TO CITY COUNCIL THROUGHOUT STAFF. SO STRUCTURALLY, WE FELT THAT -- SO IF YOUR QUESTION REALLY IS ABOUT PROCESS, THEN, SO ONCE -- AND I THINK THAT AS WE'VE LOOKED AT THE CODE OF ETHICS AND THE OTHER COMPONENTS, THERE WAS NOTHING SPECIFIC ABOUT PROCESS PROHIBITIONS BUILT INTO THAT PIECE OF IT. SO THAT MAY BE SOMETHING THAT IF THERE'S A QUESTION THAT NEEDS CLARIFICATION, WE CAN GO BACK TO THE WORK AND SAY, DOES THAT QUESTION ANSWER IN THE CURRENT CONSTRUCT OF THE CODE OF ETHICS, AND IF NOT, MAYBE THERE'S A RECOMMENDATION THAT WOULD BE SOMETHING THAT COULD BE GENERATED FROM

THIS COUNCIL TO DISCUSS. >> SEGOVIA: AND IF I MAY ADD TO THAT, COUNCILWOMAN, CORRECT, THERE'S NO SPECIFIC, BUT THERE IS A GENERAL PROHIBITION ON EX PARTE COMMUNICATIONS IN SECTION 2-85 OF THE ETHICS CODE

THAT WE CAN GIVE YOU FURTHER INFORMATION. >> GARCIA: GOT IT.

THANK YOU, ANDY, I APPRECIATE THAT. AND THEN ALSO SUBJECT MATTER EXPERTS, SO I WAS WONDERING AT THE BEGINNING OF A COUPLE -- OR AT LEAST OF ONE OF THE MEETINGS, THERE WAS NO -- OR THERE WAS NO NEED FOR SUBJECT MATTER EXPERT. AND LATER THERE WAS A SUBJECT MATTER EXPERT BROUGHT IN, AND SO HOW WAS THAT DETERMINATION MADE BY YOU ALL? LIKE HOW DID YOU ALL DECIDE WHAT YOU ALL NEEDED SUBJECT MATTER EXPERTS IN, AND WHAT DIDN'T NEED SUBJECT MATTER EXPERTS?

>> ELDER: THAT WAS A PRODUCT OF WHEN THE COMMITTEES, THE

SUBCOMMITTEES STARTED WORKING. >> GARCIA: PERFECT.

>> ELDER: THINK WOULD GO AND ENTER INTO TALKING ABOUT INFORMATION AND LOOKING AT THE RESEARCH. AND IF THERE WAS AN OPPORTUNITY OR SOMEONE WAS IDENTIFIED THAT COULD BRING ADDITIONAL RESOURCES TO BEAR, ONCE THAT PERSON WAS IDENTIFIED, THEY WOULD COME TO THE TABLE AND STAFF WAS VERY HELPFUL IN SOMETIMES IDENTIFYING THOSE PEOPLE, SUBCOMMITTEE MEMBERS WOULD IDENTIFY THOSE PEOPLE AND THEY WOULD DO THE OUTREACH TO HELP BRING THEM TO THE TABLE, UNLESS SOMEONE HAD ANOTHER BETTER, PERSONAL MECHANISM TO GET SOMEONE TO AGREE TO COME FACILITATE AND HELP THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO GET THIS WORK DONE.

>> GARCIA: THANK YOU, BONNIE. AND THEN ALONG THAT LINE, YOU ALL INVITED JASON KING AND PATRICK LAND, BUT THE REST OF THE ERB

WAS NOT INVITED, THEY WERE REPRESENTING? >> ELDER: IN TERMS OF THEM COMING TO THE -- I DON'T KNOW THAT THE ENTIRE COMMITTEE WAS INVITED, BUT I THINK THERE WERE OPPORTUNITIES MADE AVAILABLE.

>> GARCIA: SURE. >> ELDER: I FELT A HAND ON ME, SO WHO WOULD BE

[00:55:01]

ALLOW -- >> GARCIA: THANK YOU. >> THANK YOU, MAYOR AND COUNCIL, GOOD TO SEE YOU ALL AGAIN. COUNCILWOMAN, SO AS WE STARTED THE ETHICS SUBCOMMITTEE, LIKE OTHER SUBCOMMITTEES, WE HAD A COUPLE OF MEETINGS WITHOUT SUBJECT MATTER EXPERTS AND THEN WE DECIDED, YOU KNOW, LET'S TALK TO SOME EXPERTS ABOUT THIS.

AND SO WITH THE ERB, WE DECIDED TO FOCUS ON THE CHAIR, LONGSTANDING THERE, AND HE WAS EXCELLENT FEEDBACK FOR US.

>> GARCIA: WONDERFUL. AND I BELIEVE MR. KING RECOMMENDED CONSIDERING STRONGER RECUSAL STANDARD. RECUSAL STANDARD. WAS THERE -- IS THERE A HISTORY OF COMPLAINTS SUBMISSIONS OR PAST EXPERIENCES THAT WERE THE

BASIS FOR HIS RECOMMENDATION? >> WE DID NOT GET INTO

ALL THE SPECIFICS THAT THE ERB HAD. >> GARCIA: OKAY.

>> I KNOW THAT THE ETHICS REVIEW BOARD HAD -- SPRING. WE GOT MORE INTO THE STRUCTURE AND TERM LIMITS

AND SO FORTH. >> GARCIA: GOT IT. -- CITY MANAGER TENURE AND COMPENSATION AND WAS GOING TO BE IF THERE HAD EVER BEEN A CHARTER AMENDMENT THAT HAD BEEN REVOKED AND THEN LATER PEOPLE REMOVED THAT CHANGE, RIGHT, AS WOULD BE IN THE CASE.

I WAS JUST TRYING TO GET TO THE HISTORY OF IT, AND THAT'S KIND OF WHAT I WAS TRYING TO GET AT WITH THE OTHER, IS THERE PROPER -- OR IS THERE SOMETHING THAT LED TO THIS. BUT I'LL ASK SOME MORE QUESTIONS LATER.

THANK YOU SO MUCH. THANK YOU, MAYOR. >> MAYOR NIRENBERG: THANK YOU, COUNCILMEMBER ROCHA GARCIA. COUNCILMEMBER

MCKEE-RODRIGUEZ? >> MCKEE-RODRIGUEZ: THANK YOU SO MUCH.

SORRY, I'M LOSING MY VOICE, BUT I WANT TO SAY THANK YOU ALL SO MUCH FOR PARTICIPATING IN THIS EFFORT. I REALLY APPRECIATE THAT YOU TOOK WHAT COULD AT GLANCE SEEM LIKE A MUNDANE TASK AND RECOGNIZED IT FOR WHAT IT IS, WHICH IS AN OPPORTUNITY TO ENSURE THAT THE GOVERNMENT IS FUNCTIONING EFFECTIVELY FOR OUR COMMUNITY.

I CAN ALREADY TELL IT'S GOING TO BE A VERY LONG BALLOT, BUT I'M SUPPORTIVE OF PRETTY MUCH ALL THE ITEMS AND RECOMMENDATIONS THAT YOU MADE AND THERE'S SOMETHING I'D ALSO LIKE US TO CONSIDER IN RECOGNIZING, YOU KNOW, WHAT COUNCILMAN PELAEZ MENTIONED.

I'LL TALK A LITTLE BIT ABILITY THAT IN A LITTLE BIT.

BUT AS A STARTING POINT, I BELIEVE IT'S IMPORTANT THAT AS WE PREFA PREPARE FOR THE FUTURE OF A AGREEING CITY, WE NEED LEADERSHIP THAT IS BOTH EAGER AND QUALIFIED TO MEET THAT CHALLENGE, AND I'M TALKING ABOUT EVERY LEADER UP HERE. I'LL START WITH CITY MANAGER COMPENSATION AND TENURE, THE EXPECTATION OF -- I'LL SAY AS A STARTING POINT, MANY OF OUR COUNCIL AIDES TAKE JOBS WITH US KNOWING THAT IT'S AN UPDATE YOUR JOB.

THAT'S NOT THE CASE WITH OUR CITY EMPLOYEES AND CERTAINLY NOT OUR CITY MANAGER. THE EXPECTATION OF CITY COUNTRY IS THAT THEIR WORK CONTINUES SO LONG AS THEY AND THEIR RESPECTIVE COUNCILS MESH.

IF THERE IS A PROBLEM WITH THE CITY MANAGER, IT REALLY IS OUR JOB AS COUNCILMEMBERS TO HOLD HIM ACCOUNTABLE, AND THAT'S WHAT WE ASK -- AND THAT'S WHAT VOTERS ASK US TO DO, AND IT REALLY IS A SIGNIFICANT PART OF OUR JOB IS THE DIRECT OVERSIGHT OF OUR CITY MANAGER.

THE OTHER SIDE OF THAT IS THAT WE'RE NOT GOING TO FIND A MAJOR CITY MAYOR WHO WILL -- I MEAN MAJOR CITY MANAGER WHO WILL LEAVE THEIR WORK TO WORK FOR US AT A SALARY THAT IS NOT COMPETITIVE, THAT ALSO HAS A TERM LIMIT.

AND RIGHT NOW, WE'RE TALKING ABOUT THE ELIMINATION OF THE CAP.

YOU KNOW, I DO THINK IT SHOULD BE STATED THAT A NATURAL WAY TO INCREASE CITY MANAGER'S PAY IS TO RAISE THE PAY OF OUR LOWEST PAID WORKERS, AND WE HAVE TO LEGITIMATELY THINK ABOUT THAT. SO I'D BE INTERESTED IN SEEING BEFORE THE AUGUST MEETING, YOU KNOW, WHAT DO CITY MANAGERS IN OUR COMPARABLE CITIES AND THE CITIES THAT WE COMPARE OURSELVES TO, WHAT DO THOSE CITY MANAGERS MAKE, HOW COMPETITIVE ARE WE, AND HOW MUCH -- IF WE'RE NOT COMPETITIVE, HOW MUCH WOULD IT COST TO INCREASE PAY FOR ALL CITY EMPLOYEES SO THAT OUR MANAGER'S PAYEES SUFFICIENTLY COMPETITIVE FOR THE NEXT FEW YEARS. THAT'S INFORMATION I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT FOR US TO HAVE AND IMPORTANT FOR OUR CONSTITUENTS TO HAVE AS WELL.

REGARDING COUNCIL TERM LENGTH, I'M SOLIDLY IN FAVOR OF THE TWO FOUR-YEAR TERMS. THAT'S PERHAPS ONE OF THE CHARTER ISSUES THAT'S COME UP ON ITS OWN IN THE DISTRICT YEARS. DISTRICT TWO WE'VE HAD A LOT OF ELECTIONS AND A LOT OF COUNCILMEMBERS OVER THE PAST 10, 15 YEARS. I GO KNOCKING ON DOORS AND PEOPLE PEEDLY ALREADY SAY AT THAT TIME WE REALLY NEED LONGER TERMS. THE PART OF IT IS THE UNDERSTANDING IT TAKES A WHILE NAVIGATING THE SYSTEM OF CITY HALL AS WELL AS A MUCH LARGER POLITICAL SYSTEM CITYWIDE AND STATEWIDE. A LARGE PART OF IT, THOUGH, IS THAT ONE OF THE CHALLENGES OUR VOTERS FACE IS VOTER FATIGUE. IT TAKES A LOT OF ENERGY BOTH MENTALLY AND EMOTIONALLY TO ALWAYS BE IN A STATE OF POLITICS.

THE WAY POLITICS ARE RIGHT NOW, OUR CITIZENS WOULD REALLY BENEFIT FROM NOT HAVING AN ELECTION EVERY THREE MONTHS. I ALSO WANTED TO MAKE

[01:00:02]

AND FOR THOSE REASON AND FOR THOSE REASON S, I'LL BE SUPPORTING THESE CHANGES AND CONTINUING TO HAVE CONVERSATIONS WITH MY CONSTITUENCY ABOUT IT. REALLY THE WHOLE COMMISSION AND EVERY SUBCOMMITTEE, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR DOING THIS WORK.

IN MANY WAYS I CAN IMAGINE THESE GOT A LITTLE TEDIOUS AT TIMES, BUT THE FACT THAT YOU DID THE DUE DILIGENCE TO CONSIDER THEM AND MAKE A RECOMMENDATION IS IMPORTANT, AND ALL OF YOU REALLY ANSWERED A QUESTION THAT WAS NECESSARY, AND IT WAS, WOULD THIS IDEA BE EFFECTIVE FOR THE GOVERNANCE OF OUR CITY? AND WE'D BE MISSING A BIG OPPORTUNITY IF YOU HADN'T EXPLORED YOUR ENTIRE CHARGE, SO THANK YOU FOR THAT, EVEN IF THERE ARE SOME THINGS THAT AREN'T GOING TO BE ON THE BALLOT. I'LL TALK ABOUT COUNCIL PAY A BIT.

THIS PAST SCHOOL YEAR I TOOK A JOB AT A PART-TIME TEACHER TO GET BACK INTO IT. TO FEEL RECONNECTED TO MY STUDENTS AND LARGELY TO BECOME INSPIRED AGAIN IN THE WORK I'M DOING AS A COUNCILMEMBER.

I'D BE LYING IF I SAID I DIDN'T NEED THE EXTRA MONEY.

WHILE IT WAS NICE TO GET A FEW EXTRA HUNDRED DOLLARS EACH MONTH, AT THE LEVEL OF COMMITMENT, MY COMMUNITY NEEDS ME TO BE ATTENTIVE AT THE NEEDS OF MY DISTRICT, TO SHOW UP AT EVERYBODY'S UNCLE'S BARBECUE, TO BE KNOWLEDGEABLE OF THE HUNDREDS OF ITEMS WE VOTE ON PER MONTH.

YOU KNOW, THAT'S NOT POSSIBLE FOR ME TO KEEP WORKING DOING THAT WORK EVEN AT THE 10 TO 12 HOURS OF WORK I WAS DOING WITH SAISD.

I WANT TO K KNOWLEDGE THE REASON THAT OUR STATE GOVERNMENT OPERATES AS DYSFUNCTIONALLY AS IT DOES, THEY ONLY MAKE A LITTLE OVER $7,000 PER TERM. THEY DO NOT REPRESENT THEIR CONSTITUENCIES.

THE ONLY PEOPLE WHO CAN HOLD OFFICE CAN AFFORD TO DO SO.

THE AVERAGE WORKER CANNOT TAKE OFF AND LOSE THEIR SALARY FOR THE MONTHS THEY'RE AWAY. THE AVERAGE WORKER CANNOT INFLUENCE THE SEATS TO INFLUENCE GOVERNMENT SO INHERENTLY IS NOT A REPRESENTATIVE MODEL FOR OUR COMMUNITY. I WANT TO THANK ABOUT OUR AVERAGE FAMILY.

OUR AVERAGE FAMILY IS A SINGLE INCOME FAMILY OF THREE OR FOUR, I'D FEEL MORE COMFORTABLE INDEXING IT TO 100% FOR COUNCILMEMBER FOR A THREE OR FOUR PERSON HOUSEHOLD. I'D BE COMFORTABLE AT A THREE-PERSON HOUSEHOLD, WHICH I THINK IS PRETTY APPROPRIATE, BUT LESS SIGNIFICANT OF A JUMP AS THE ONE BEING PROPOSED. IT WOULD BE LESS THAN WHAT THE COMMISSION IS RECOMMENDING. AND I THINK THAT'S ALSO AN OPPORTUNITY TO USE COMMON LANGUAGE IF WE INDEX IT TO THE AVERAGE FAMILY IN SAN ANTONIO. I'LL BE TRANSPARENT AGAIN, WE GET PAID BIWEEKLY. I GET A 1,400-DOLLAR CHECK AND A 1,900-DOLLAR CHECK. ABOUT $3,300 PER MONTH THAT I TAKE HOME FOR BILLS, CLOTHES. PEERS AT MY AGE ARE HAVING FAMILY OR ADOPTING A LOT OF PETS. I DON'T SEE AN IMMEDIATE FAMILY WHILE I'M ON COUNCIL. THAT'S A SACRIFICE WE WOULD BE ASKING MANY MEMBERS TO WEIGH IN ORDER TO SERVE THE COMMUNITY IN THIS CAPACITY.

I THINK IT WOULD BE GOOD TO HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO SERVE UP HERE IN OUR PLACE, THAT SHOULD BE HOSPITAL PALTY WORKERS, TEACHERS, COMMUNITY ORGANIZERS, PEOPLE AT ALL AGES AND ABILITY LEVELS AND RIGHT NOW I DON'T THINK THE PROHIBITION ON CITY EMPLOYEE PARTICIPATION IN MUNICIPAL ELECTIONS. I'M ALSO EXCITED TO HEAR COUNCILMAN PELAEZ BRING IT UP. I WOULD BE SUPPORTIVE OF THIS SHOWING UP AS AN ITEM.

WHAT BRINGS ME PAUSE IS IN THE SENSE THAT IT'S DIFFERENT FROM AFSCME'S IS THE AFTER. AFTER AN EMPLOYEE SAYS I DON'T WANT TO PARTICIPATE IN ELECTIONS IN THIS WAY, THE EXPECTATION IS THE CITY EMPLOYEE HAS TO SAY IT FIRST. EVERY CITY EMPLOYEE. AND SO IF WE'RE RUSHING, THAT MEANS THAT A COUNCILPERSON CAN INFLUENCE OR CAN ASK AND SOLICIT HELP IF SOMEBODY HASN'T MADE THAT REQUEST EXPLICIT. I DON'T KNOW WE SHOULD BE PUTTING THAT ON CITY EMPLOYEES. I DON'T KNOW THAT I'M IN FAVOR OF THAT ONE SENTENCE. BUT OTHER THAN THAT, EVERYTHING ELSE, THANK Y'ALL SO MUCH. I REALLY APPRECIATE IT AND I LOOK FORWARD TO HEARING WHAT

THE REST OF MY COLLEAGUES HAVE TO SAY. >> MAYOR NIRENBERG: THANK YOU, COUNCILMEMBER MCKEE-RODRIGUEZ. COUNCILMEMBER VIAGRAN.

>> VIAGRAN: THANK YOU, MAYOR. I HOPE EVERYONE CAN HEAR ME.

THANK YOU, COMMITTEE FOR YOUR WORK. IT WAS A LOT.

IT WAS A BIG ASK AND Y'ALL TOOK IT ON AND YOU DID A GREAT JOB.

I'M GLAD THAT WE'RE BEGINNING TO HAVE CONVERSATIONS AND HOPE THAT WE CAN WRAP THIS UP SOONER RATHER THAN LATER SO WE CAN GET THIS ON THE BALLOT AND GET THE RIGHT LANGUAGE THERE. ON YOUR ETHICS OFFICER AND OTHER REVISIONS, YOUR RECOMMENDATIONS, I AGREE WITH THAT AND AGREE THAT WE NEED TO LOOK AT OUR DEFINITIONS OF CONFLICT OF INTEREST.

[01:05:03]

ONE IS DEFINITELY THE AMI REGARDING WHAT IS THE AMI AND COST OF LIVING IN THE SAN ANTONIO/NEW BRAUNFELS AREA. AND THE OTHER THING THAT I'D LIKE TO SEE, AND IF SOMEBODY CAN GET ME THE NUMBERS, IS THE COST OF LIVING INCREASE THAT HAS HAPPENED SINCE -- BECAUSE I KNOW THAT COUNCIL HAS NOT BEEN GIVEN A COST OF LIVING INCREASE TO CITY COUNCIL THROUGHOUT THE YEARS.

IF WE HAD JUST STARTED GIVING CITY COUNCIL A COST OF LIVING INCREASE, THOSE NINE -- MAYBE IT WAS TEN YEARS AGO WHEN THEY STARTED GETTING A LARGER STIPEND, A LARGER COUNCIL PAY, WHAT WOULD THAT NUMBER BE? THE OTHER THING THAT I THINK WE'RE NOT TALKING ABOUT IS -- AND JALEN MENTIONED HE'S WORKING PART-TIME.

I'M WORKING PART-TIME. A FEW OF US ARE. WE'RE NOT GETTING THE RETIREMENT THAT WE USED TO GET WHEN WE WERE WORKING -- WHEN I WAS WORKING FOR THE CITY I GOT RETIREMENT. SO THAT'S ANOTHER ASPECT THAT I'D LIKE TO SEE TAKEN INTO CONSIDERATION WHEN WE TALK ABOUT COMPENSATION OR EXPLAIN TO THE CITIZENS WHY WE'RE LOOKING FOR COMPENSATION. BECAUSE EIGHT YEARS OF NO RETIREMENT AT THE AGE THAT I'M AT IS SIGNIFICANT. SO I THINK WE NEED TO TALK ABOUT THAT. ON THE CITY MANAGER TENURE AND COMPENSATION, THANK YOU FOR WORKING ON THAT. I DO BELIEVE THAT THIS THIS SHOULD LIE WITH THE COUNCIL MEMBERS BECAUSE THIS IS ONE OF THREE REALLY EMPLOYEES WE AS THE CITY ARE FOR, IF WE COUNT JUDGE CARLA OBLEDO, KEVIN, AND DEBBIE. I THINK THE CAPS NEED TO BE REMOVED. WE NEED TO LOOK AT HAVING CONVERSATIONS WITH EMPLOYEE GROUPS, WHICH WOULD GET ME TO THE NEXT TOPIC THAT MY OTHER COUNCIL MEMBERS HAVE BEEN TALKING ABOUT. WITH THE EMPLOYEE GROUPS THAT MAY HAVE CONCERNS REGARDING THE CITY MANAGER'S DECISIONS AND HOW THEY ORGANIZE AND HOW THEY GET TO PARTICIPATE POLITICALLY WITH COUNCIL MEMBERS THAT ARE TRYING TO MOVE THINGS IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION. WHEN I WAS A CITY EMPLOYEE, I WAS PART OF A UNION.

AT THAT TIME IT WAS SCIU. THANKFULLY FOR ME THEY ENDORSED THE FORMER COUNCILMEMBER REBECCA VIAGRAN, SO I WAS ABLE TO WEAR MY SCIU SHIRT AND CAMPAIGN FOR HER. I THINK THAT WE NEED TO AFFORD THOSE RIGHTS TO AFSCME, IF YOU'RE A UNION MEMBER AND THEY SET UP A SLATE OF ENDORSEMENTS THAT YOU CAN WEAR THE SHIRT, BE AT A POLL SITE, AND YOU CAN WORK FOR THAT CANDIDATE.

BUT IF YOU DON'T AGREE WITH AFSCME, ON THAT ONE SPECIFIC CANDIDATE, YOU SHOULD STILL HAVE THE RIGHT TO PARTICIPATE. I THINK WE NEED TO LOOK AT MANAGEMENT LEVEL AND WHERE WE MOVE ON MANAGEMENT LEVEL BECAUSE IF A MANAGER SAYS I'M SUPPORTING THIS CANDIDATE, THEN THAT'S WHERE IT GETS IFFY.

I DO AGREE WITH JALEN IN TERMS OF AS A COUNCILMEMBER I SHOULDN'T BE ASKING THE EMPLOYEE FOR ME AND, IN MY CASE, I HAVE A LOT OF CITY EMPLOYEES THAT LIVE IN MY DISTRICT AND ALL THEY GET TO TELL ME IS YOU GOT MY VOTE. THAT'S ALL THEY GET TO DO RIGHT NOW. BUT I KNOW THEY WANT TO DO MORE AND THEY WANT TO COME TO THE ELECTION NIGHT PARTY. THAT'S WHERE I WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE CAN KIND OF EXPAND THAT AND LOOK AT THAT. AND I THINK THAT WAS A PARKING LOT ISSUE THAT WE REALLY NEEDED TO ADDRESS SOME MORE IN DEPTH.

BUT MAYBE THAT'S SOMETHING WE CAN RESOLVE HERE AS A COUNCIL.

ON THE COUNCIL DISTRICTS AND REDISTRICTING, I AGREE WITH THE NO. 7 RECOMMENDATION.

NOW, NO. 8, WITH YOUR RECOMMENDATION TO CREATE A COMMISSION, I'M A LITTLE HESITANT ON THAT BECAUSE IN TEN YEARS, WHEN WE TALK ABOUT REDISTRICTING -- GOD WILLING I WILL HAVE TERMED OUT AND NOT BE ON COUNCIL. I WOULD WANT PEOPLE -- I WOULD WANT A COMMISSION THAT KNOWS WHAT THE SOUTHSIDE LOOKS LIKE AND KNOWS THE COMMUNITY OF THE SOUTHSIDE. SO I'M HESITANT ON THIS COMMISSION SIMPLY BECAUSE IF WE DON'T HAVE PEOPLE THAT KNOW THE SOUTH, SOUTHEAST, AND SOUTHWEST SIDE, WE COULD SEE A VERY MESSY REDISTRICTING PROCESS THAT IT TAKES AWAY THE VOICE OF

[01:10:08]

LANGUAGE MODERNIZATION, I'M OKAY WITH THAT. SPECIAL MEETINGS, I'M OKAY WITH THAT RECOMMENDATION. YEAH, INCREDIBLE WORK HERE. I THINK WE JUST NEED TO LOOK TO GET MORE SPECIFIC ON WHAT WE'RE WORKING ON FOR OUR EMPLOYEES, THE CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS TO MAKE SURE THAT PEOPLE UNDERSTAND THAT THIS COULD BE AN EIGHT-YEAR COMMITMENT, ESPECIALLY IF THE CITIZENS OF SAN ANTONIO SAY THAT THEY WANT TWO FOUR-YEAR TERMS. THEN THAT LOOKS LIKE AN EIGHT-YEAR COMMITMENT FOR SOME. AND WHAT DOES THAT LOOK LIKE TO YOUR RETIREMENT AND YOUR JOB IF YOUR EMPLOYER IS NOT HOLDING YOUR JOB OR NOT LETTING YOU GO SUPER PART-TIME, LIKE MY EMPLOYER'S LETTING ME DO. I WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE UNDERSTAND THAT AND WE GET CANDIDATES THAT AREN'T INDEPENDENTLY WEALTHY OR JUST RUNNING AND GETTING TO THIS POINT. THANK YOU.

FOR THE OTHER TOPIC ON THE FUTURE OF YOUTH PROGRAMS, I DO THINK WE NEED A LITTLE MORE RESEARCH DONE ON THAT BUT I DO AGREE THAT WE NEED TO LOOK AT THE YOUTH.

AND WE ALSO NEED TO LOOK AT WHAT THE SCHOOL DISTRICTS ARE DOING AND IF WE'RE GETTING STUDENTS INTO THE ALAMO PROMISE PROGRAM, WHAT THE COMMUNITY COLLEGES ARE DOING AND HOW WE CAN ALL COLLABORATE TOGETHER ON YOUTH PROGRAMS. SO THAT'S FOR ME. THANK YOU FOR YOUR WORK. I APPRECIATE IT.

THANK YOU. >> MAYOR NIRENBERG: THANK YOU, COUNCILMEMBER VIAGRAN.

COUNCILMEMBER CABELLO HAVRDA. >> HAVRDA: THANK YOU, MAYOR. FIRST I WOULD OFFER MY THANKS AND ADMIRATION TO ALL THE MEMBERS OF THE CHARTER REVIEW COMMISSION. I APPRECIATE WHAT BONNIE SAID ABOUT YOUR HEART. THE HEART YOU PUT INTO IT BECAUSE YOU HAVE TO BE PASSIONATE ABOUT SAN ANTONIO TO GIVE UP SO MUCH TIME AND ENERGY, SO I REALLY RESPECT IT AND APPRECIATE IT. WHILE I'M GRATEFUL TO YOU AND ALL THE PEOPLE THAT MET OVER MANY WEEKS, THE MEMBERS OF THE COMMISSION AND THOSE WHO OFFER THEIR IDEAS AND SUGGESTIONS, INCLUDING THE PUBLIC. I WANT TO FOCUS ON JUST A COUPLE OF THINGS THIS AFTERNOON. THE RECOMMENDED CHANGES TO THE CHARTER AND THEN THE PROCESS THAT BROUGHT US TO THOSE RECOMMENDATIONS.

THE CHARTER REVIEW COMMISSION SPENT MANY LONG HOURS COMMITTED TO THE PROCESS AND TIME INTERVIEWING, RESEARCHING, DISCUSSING ALL OF THESE ISSUES, ALL OF WHICH IS COMMENDABLE AND VERY CRITICAL WORK BUT I WOULD HAVE LIKED TO HAVE SEEN APPLIED TO DIFFERENT ISSUES. WHEN IT COMES TO COUNCIL WE CAN ADD DIFFERENT ISSUES -- SOME OF US HAVE TALKED ABOUT SOME HERE TODAY -- BUT I WOULD HAVE LIKED TO HAVE SEEN YOUR WORK APPLIED. THAT'S NOT CRITICAL OF YOU.

I KNOW YOU WERE FOLLOWING -- BONNIE AND DAVID MENTIONED FOLLOWING THE CHARGE AND FOLLOWING THE PROCESS. I RESPECT THAT BUT BECAUSE OF THE WORK YOU DID AND DID SO WELL, I WOULD HAVE LIKED YOUR OPINIONS AND YOUR EXPERTISE.

I THINK THEY WOULD HAVE BEEN VALUABLE ON SOME OTHER ISSUES AS WELL.

AS FAR AS THE PROPOSED CHANGES ARE CONCERNED, I WANT TO TAKE THEM ONE BY ONE. THE ETHICS OFFICER -- I AGREE WITH THE RECOMMENDATION TO LEAVE THE ETHICS OFFICER POSITION AS IT IS.

IT'S A GOOD IDEA TO QUESTION WHETHER THE ETHICS OFFICER SHOULD BE INDEPENDENT.

I THINK IT'S A GOOD EXERCISE BUT I AGREE WITH WHAT Y'ALL ARE RECOMMENDING.

COUNCILMEMBER COMPENSATION AND TERM LENGTHS, I'M IN FAVOR OF EXTENDING THE TERM LENGTHS. ALSO THE COMPENSATION INCREASE.

I HAVE A LITTLE BIT OF A CAVEAT. I UNDERSTAND THE RECOMMENDATION IS FOR THE PROPOSAL TO GO INTO EFFECT IN MAY OF NEXT YEAR, PROBABLY. THE NEXT MUNICIPAL ELECTION. I DON'T THINK -- CLOSE YOUR EARS -- I DON'T THINK IT SHOULD APPLY TO US. I DON'T THINK IT SHOULD APPLY TO COUNCIL MEMBERS THAT ARE CURRENTLY SITTING. MOVING INTO A DIFFERENT ROLE, NEW COUNCIL MEMBERS COMING IN, 100% BUT I HAVE A CONCERN ABOUT THE PERCEPTION. EVEN THOUGH THIS WILL BE UP TO THE VOTERS, OF US PUTTING THAT ON THE BALLOT. I HAVE THAT CONCERN. THAT'S SOMETHING WE NEED TO TALK ABOUT AS WE MOVE FORWARD. THE CITY MANAGER TENURE AND

[01:15:01]

REMOVING THESE LIMITS TO THE CITY MANAGER'S PAY AND TENURE ALSO REMOVES LIMITS ON THE CITY COUNCIL AND THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO TO FIND AND RETAIN THE BEST TALENT, EXPERIENCE, AND KNOWLEDGE NEEDED TO GUIDE OUR CITY AND SO I THINK WE'VE BEEN SOMEWHAT STIFLED OR WE COULD BE SOMEWHAT STIFLED -- NOT IN THE PAST.

ERIK, YOU'RE DOING A GREAT JOB. BUT IN THE FUTURE WE COULD BE STIFLED BY THOSE LIMITATIONS SO I'M THANKFUL THAT Y'ALL CAME UP WITH THAT RECOMMENDATION. WITH COUNCIL DISTRICTS AND REDISTRICTING, IN THEORY AN INDEPENDENT, AUTONOMOUS REDISTRICTING COMMITTEE SHOULD WORK.

IN PAST TIMES, REDISTRICTING WAS DONE, I UNDERSTAND, BY THE ACTUAL CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS. THIS LAST TIME -- AND I AGREED WITH IT.

TO THE MAYOR'S CREDIT HE TRIED TO THAT REDISTRICTING PROCESS BY ENGAGING A CITIZENS' COMMITTEE.

AND I THINK IT LOOKED GOOD ON PAPER BUT IN REALITY I DON'T THINK IT WAS AS EFFECTIVE AS WE WANTED IT TO BE. SO I'D LIKE TO KNOW A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT THE REASONING BEHIND NOT RECOMMENDING A FULLY-INDEPENDENT

REDISTRICTING COMMITTEE. >> MAYOR AND COUNCIL, THANK YOU FOR THE QUESTION.

AS CHAIR OF THAT COMMITTEE, WHAT WE LOOKED AT WAS THE FINAL DECISION WE BELIEVED, WITH REGARDS TO WHAT THE DISTRICT SHOULD LOOK LIKE, SHOULD BE THAT OF THE CITY COUNCIL'S. WHAT WE DID THOUGH IS WE WANTED TO EMPOWER THE COMMISSION, TO SOME EFFECT. AND SO SPECIFICALLY THE PLAN WOULD BE RECOMMENDED BY THE COMMISSION. IF THE COUNCIL WERE TO ADOPT THE PLAN RECOMMENDED BY THE COMMISSION, IT WOULD SIMPLY REQUIRE A MAJORITY VOTE. IF THE COUNCIL WANTED TO AMEND THAT PLAN, THEY WOULD SEND IT BACK TO THE COMMISSION.

IF THE COMMISSION AGREED WITH THE RECOMMENDED CHANGE, IT WOULD GO BACK TO THE COUNCIL AND SIMPLY REQUIRE A MAJORITY VOTE. IF THE COMMISSION DID NOT AGREE WITH THAT AMENDMENT AND DID NOT RECOMMEND THAT AMENDMENT TO MOVE FORWARD, THE COUNCIL STILL WOULD HAVE THE OPTION TO ADOPT THE PLAN AS RECOMMENDED BY THE COUNCIL AND NOT BY THE COMMISSION BUT WOULD REQUIRE A SUPERMAJORITY OF THE COUNCIL TO APPROVE THAT PLAN. AND BASICALLY NOT APPROVE THE PLAN RECOMMENDED BY THE COMMISSION. SO IT'S VERY SIMILAR TO WHAT WAS IN THE PAST, THIS PAST COMMISSION, BY ORDINANCE GAVE THIS COMMISSION THE FINAL SAY ON THE PLAN. HOWEVER, IT WAS BY ORDINANCE.

COUNCIL COULD HAVE OVERTURNED THAT ORDINANCE. THIS WILL BE IN THE CHARTER.

WHILE THE COMMISSION AND THE COMMITTEE FELT VERY STRONGLY THAT IT'S REALLY THE COUNCIL'S DECISION -- BECAUSE YOU'RE THE ONES THAT ARE ELECTED BY THE CITIZENS.

THEY'RE THE ONES THAT GO TO YOU WITH REGARDS WE DON'T LIKE THIS MAP OR WE DO LIKE THIS MAP. YOU'RE THE ONES, THE COMMITTEE MEMBERS, THE INDEPENDENT COMMISSION, WOULD NOT BE AS RESPONSIVE TO THE CITIZENS AND WE BELIEVE THE COUNCIL WOULD BE THE ONES RESPONSIVE TO THE CITIZENS.

BUT, AT THE SAME TIME, WE WANTED TO GIVE THE COMMISSION SOME AUTHORITY TO HAVE THE FINAL SAY ON THE MAP. SO THAT'S WHY, IF IT'S NOT THE MAP RECOMMENDED BY THE COMMISSION, THE COUNCIL COULD STILL APPROVE THE MAP BUT IT WOULD REQUIRE A SUPERMAJORITY, BASED ON THE CHARTER LANGUAGE.

>> HAVRDA: THANK YOU. VERY THOROUGH ANSWER. I APPRECIATE THAT.

IF YOU HAD AN INDEPENDENTLY-APPOINTED COMMITTEE COULDN'T IT STILL COME TO COUNCIL AND COULD WE STILL HAVE THAT SAME PROCESS?

>> NO, MA'AM. THE EXAMPLES THEY PROVIDE US OF INDEPENDENT COMMISSION, THEY WERE TOTALLY INDEPENDENT. THEY APPROVED THE MAP.

IT DID NOT COME BACK TO THE COUNCIL. >> HAVRDA: THAT'S FAIR.

THANK YOU. I APPRECIATE IT. I COMPLETELY DISAGREE.

I THINK THAT WE, HAVING AN INDEPENDENT PROCESS LIKE THAT TAKES OUT POLITICS.

SO I ACTUALLY DON'T THINK IT SHOULD COME BACK TO COUNCIL. I DO UNDERSTAND THE ARGUMENT, THOUGH, THAT WE REPRESENT ABOUT 150,000 PEOPLE EACH.

THAT'S REALLY WHO'S IN THIS. BUT THE PRACTICALITY OF IT IS THAT'S NOT THE REALITY OF WHAT'S HAPPENING. AT LEAST THAT'S WHAT I SAW ON THE LAST PROCESS.

I WOULD ADVOCATE FOR US LOOKING AT AN INDEPENDENT COMMITTEE FOR THAT.

LANGUAGE MODERNIZATION. THANK YOU. THANK YOU, MARIA, WHEREVER YOU ARE. SPECIAL MEETINGS. SO AS FAR AS SPECIAL MEETINGS ARE CONCERNED, THE LANGUAGE CALLS FOR THE CITY CLERK TO CALL SPECIAL MEETINGS SHOULD REMAIN IN PLACE. I'M JUST MAKING SURE THAT THAT IS NOT BEING REMOVED FROM THE CITY CLERK, CORRECT? THE RECOMMENDATION REMAINS THAT IT STAYS WITH THE CITY CLERK?

NO? >> THE RECOMMENDATION FOR THAT LANGUAGE IS TO REMOVE THE CITY CLERK FROM THAT SECTION OF THE CHARTER. GIVEN THAT THAT WAS REFLECTING WHAT PRACTICES TODAY, IF WE COULD ACTUALLY PUT THAT MEETING IN PLACE.

[01:20:03]

REMOVE THAT PARTICULAR LANGUAGE. >> HAVRDA: WHAT'S THE

REASONING BEHIND THAT? >> IT WAS MORE TO REFLECT WHAT WAS IN PRACTICE TODAY, BRINGING THE CHARTER IN LINE WITH WHAT THE PRACTICE IS TODAY.

>> HAVRDA: OKAY. SO I DISAGREE WITH THAT TOO. I THINK IT SHOULD REMAIN WITH THE CITY CLERK. JUST BECAUSE OF THE NATURE OF SPECIAL AND EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE MEETINGS, IT SHOULD BE LEFT TO THE CITY CLERK BECAUSE SHE HAPPENS TO BE DEBBIE NOW BUT SHE DOESN'T MANAGE THE PROCESS. SHE'S INDEPENDENT OF THAT PROCESS AND SO I THINK IT SHOULD REMAIN WITH HER. SO THANK YOU FOR ALL THOSE RECOMMENDATIONS. I WANT TO TALK ABOUT SOMETHING SO MANY OF MY COLLEAGUES HAVE SPOKEN ABOUT ON THIS NEXT ISSUE. THE CITY CHARTER LIMITS CITY EMPLOYEES' RIGHTS AND ABILITY TO FREELY AND FULLY PARTICIPATE IN MUNICIPAL ELECTIONS IN THEIR OWN TIME AND WITH THEIR OWN RESOURCES.

THE MORE THAN 13,000 CITY OF SAN ANTONIO EMPLOYEES SHOULD HAVE THE SAME RIGHT TO PARTICIPATE IN MUNICIPAL PROCESS AS EVERY CITIZEN OF OUR CITY.

AS CITY EMPLOYEES AND PUBLIC SERVANTS, I BELIEVE THEY HAVE A RIGHT AND A RESPONSIBILITY TO SHOW WHAT ACTIVE AND POSITIVE CIVIC ENGAGEMENT LOOKS LIKE.

IF THEY FEEL SO INCLINED TO DO. I SENT A MEMO IN JANUARY OF THIS YEAR ASKING THAT THE COMMITTEE'S CHARGE INCLUDE CHANGES TO THE CITY CHARTER WHERE IT LIMITS CITY EMPLOYEES' RIGHTS AND THE ABILITY TO FULLY PARTICIPATE IN MUNICIPAL ELECTIONS IN THEIR OWN TIME. I'M THANKFUL THAT THE MAYOR ASKED STAFF TO DO SOME WORK ON THIS TODAY. SO HOPEFULLY WE'LL HEAR MORE ON THAT NEXT TIME WE TALK. AS MANY PEOPLE MENTIONED TODAY, MOST METROPOLITAN POLITICAL JURISDICTIONS IN THE STATE OF TEXAS DO NOT RESTRICT EMPLOYEES' POLITICAL PARTICIPATION. THE CITY OF HOUSTON, CITY OF EL PASO, TRAVIS COUNTY, HARRIS COUNTY, AND BEXAR COUNTY. I WOULD URGE MY COLLEAGUES TO FULLY CONSIDER ITEMS NOT INCLUDED IN THE FINAL LIST OF RECOMMENDED CHARTER REVISIONS , ESPECIALLY THOSE THAT LIFT POLITICAL ACTIVITY RESTRICTIONS.

ALL TO HELP, OF COURSE, FOSTER TRUST AND TRANSPARENCY IN OUR CITY.

I LOOK FORWARD TO HEARING THOSE PRESENTATIONS. THANK YOU, MAYOR.

>> MAYOR NIRENBERG: THANK YOU, COUNCILMEMBER CABELLO HAVRDA.

COUNCILMEMBER ALDERETE GAVITO. >> GAVITO: THANK YOU, MAYOR. AND THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THE PRESENTATION AND FOR LEADING THE CHARGE, BONNIE AND DAVID. I KNOW IT WAS A TON OF WORK.

I WOULD ALSO LIKE TO THANK THE COMMISSION FOR THEIR MONTHS OF HARD WORK IN PUTTING TOGETHER THESE RECOMMENDATIONS. I KNOW IT WAS LONG NIGHTS AND TIME AWAY FROM YOUR FAMILIES AND LOVED ONES. I WANT TO THANK SOME OF THE FOLKS HERE TODAY: FRANK AND MIKE, NAOMI, LOUISA, PAT, JOSH, ELVA.

THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE TODAY AND FOR YOUR RECOMMENDATIONS .

I'M IN SUPPORT OF THE ETHICS RECOMMENDATIONS NO. 1 AND 2. FOR ITEM NO. 3, REGARDING COUNCIL MEMBERS' TERM LENGTH. TO ME COUNCIL MEMBERS MUST BE HELD ACCOUNTABLE TO THE RESIDENTS DISTRICT ELECTS A CANDIDATE WHO KNOWS HOW TO WIN AOESN'T KNOW HOW TO GOVERN EFFECTIVELY. IF A DISTRICT ELECTS A COUNCILMEMBER WHO FAILS TO MOVE THE NEEDLE FOR CONSTITUENTS, RESIDENTS DESERVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO FIRE THAT REPRESENTATIVE. THE WELL-BEING OF THE CONSTITUENTS WOULD SUFFER IF THEY ARE STUCK WITH AN OBSTACLE TO PROGRESS FOR THE LENGTH OF FOUR YEARS.

SOME MAY ARGUE THAT TWO YEARS IS TOO SHORT OF A TIME-FRAME FOR MEMBERS TO ACHIEVE ACCOMPLISHMENTS OR THAT IT FOSTERS ON COUNCIL BUT I WOULD DISAGREE.

I HAVE ONLY BEEN IN OFFICE FOR A YEAR AND DEMONSTRATED THAT HARD WORK PAYS OFF FOR THE RESIDENTS . I THINK SHORTER-TERM LIMITS FOR THIS LEVEL OF GOVERNMENT HOLD REPRESENTATIVES ACCOUNTABLE. THAT'S MY LOGIC SO I DON'T SUPPORT FOUR-YEAR TERMS. ON RECOMMENDATION NO. 4, I AM OPPOSED TO PAYING COUNCIL MEMBERS LAVISHLY. TODAY COUNCIL PAY IS LESS THAN THE AVERAGE MEDIAN INCOME IN SAN ANTONIO BUT LET'S SET THE RECORD STRAIGHT.

LIKE COUNCILMAN MCKEE-RODRIGUEZ WAS SAYING, THE MODEL OF UNDERPAID PROFESSIONALS IS A PRACTICE TO PREVENT RESIDENTS FROM THE WORKING CLASS TO CONSIDER SEEKING THIS OFFICE. LOW SALARIES CLOSE THE DOOR FOR A POPULATION OF AVERAGE SAN ANTONIANS TO SEEK THIS OFFICE.

IF ONE DOES NOT HAVE ACCESS TO PRIOR WEALTH, FAMILY WEALTH, OR HIGH-PAYING SIDE JOBS THEY CANNOT AFFORD TO WORK IN CITY COUNCIL. WE NEED TO ATTRACT FOLKS WITH DIVERSE OPINIONS FROM DIVERSE BACKGROUNDS. IF THIS JOB IS ONLY ACCESSIBLE TO FOLKS WITH PRIOR WEALTH, HOW CAN WE AS A COUNCIL HAVE A DIVERSITY

[01:25:04]

BUT IN GENERAL A LOW SALARY DETERS FOLKS WHO NEED TO SUPPORT THEIR FAMILIES FROM SEEKING THIS JOB. I'M IN THIS SEAT TODAY BECAUSE MY ELECTED PREDECESSOR RETIRED FROM THIS ROLE TO FIND A SALARY TO SUPPORT HER FAMILY.

SHE HAD TO MAKE THE BRAVE AND DIFFICULT DECISION TO LEAVE THIS ROLE IN ORDER TO SUPPORT HER FAMILY AND THAT SHOULD NOT BE THE CASE. COUNCIL HAS LONG BEEN CONSIDERED A PART-TIME JOB BUT THAT IS NO LONGER THE CASE.

I AM WORKING THE HARDEST I HAVE EVER WORKED PULLING IN OVER 80 HOURS A WEEK BUT GETTING PAID WHAT I MADE OUT OF COLLEGE. THE COMMITTEE'S RECOMMENDATIONS PROVIDE A MORE REALISTIC COMPENSATION FOR THE WORK WE DO AND WILL SERVE TO ATTRACT MORE FOLKS TO CONSIDER RUNNING FOR OFFICE WHO NORMALLY WOULD NOT BE ABLE TO. I DO SUPPORT A WAGE INCREASE THAT MAKES THIS JOB MORE ACCESSIBLE FOR ALL HARD-WORKING SAN ANTONIANS. FOR RECOMMENDATIONS 5 AND 6 REGARDING THE CITY MANAGER TENURE AND COMPENSATION, I'M IN SUPPORT OF REMOVING THE CAPS FOR BOTH. REMOVING THESE CAPS CAN SERVE TO IMPROVE THE CITY'S BOND RATING. THIS CAN SERVE TO SAVE TAXPAYER DOLLARS IN THE LONG RUN. AT THE END OF THE DAY, COUNCIL HAS THE ABILITY TO REMOVE THE CITY MANAGER IF THEY ARE NOT MEETING EXPECTATIONS.

TO ME THE CONCERNS ABOUT AN INADEQUATE CITY MANAGER STAYING IN THEIR ROLE FEELS SOMEWHAT IRRELEVANT. WE NEED TO ENSURE WE'RE ATTRACTING THE HIGHEST QUALITY OF FOLKS TO THIS POSITION AND STAYING IN LINE WITH WHAT OTHER MAJOR CITIES DO. I AM ALSO IN SUPPORT OF RECOMMENDATIONS 7, 8, 9, AND 10. I WOULD JUST LIKE TO ADD THAT RATHER THAN ADDING ENTIRE NEW COUNCIL DISTRICTS, OUR RESIDENTS WOULD BE BETTER SERVED BY ADDING ADDITIONAL STAFF TO EACH EXISTING DISTRICT. AS IT STANDS NOW, OUR OFFICE OF TEN PEOPLE SERVICE ROUGHLY 150,000 CONSTITUENTS WHO RESIDE IN DISTRICT 7.

FOR US, CONSTITUENT SERVICES IS THE LIFE BLOOD OF WHAT WE DO.

SO INCREASING OUR BANDWIDTH CAN SUPPORT RESIDENTS WITHOUT CONFUSION AUDIO] ADDITIONAL DISTRICTS. MY FINAL COMMENTS ARE IN RELATION TO THE RECOMMENDATION FOR CITY EMPLOYEES' ABILITY TO PARTICIPATE IN POLITICAL ACTIVITIES. CITY STAFF SHOULD HAVE THE SAME ABILITY TO PARTICIPATE IN THE POLITICAL PROCESS AS EVERYONE ELSE DOES. I SEE NO ISSUES WITH CITY EMPLOYEES ENGAGING IN PERSONAL POLITICAL ACTIVITIES WHILE THEY ARE NOT ON DUTY OR NOT PORTRAYING THEMSELVES AS CITY WORKERS.

I WOULD REQUEST THAT THIS BE SENT TO COUNCIL FOR A VOTE IN ADDITION TO THE ORIGINAL CHARGE AND THAT AFSCME'S PROPOSED LANGUAGE BE INCLUDED.

THAT'S ALL I HAVE. THANKS, MAYOR. >> MAYOR NIRENBERG: THANK YOU, COUNCILMEMBER ALDERETE GAVITO. COUNCILMEMBER WHYTE.

>> CA.>> WHYTE: THANKS, MAYOR. THANK YOU ALL SO MUCH FOR THE HARD WORK.

I KNOW HOW MUCH WENT INTO IT AND REALLY APPRECIATE ALL OF YOUR SERVICE AND IT WAS A BIG JOB AND THIS IS IMPORTANT, RIGHT? THIS IS OUR CITY CONSTITUTION AND ANYTHING WE DO TO TOUCH THAT NEEDS TO BE CAREFULLY CONSIDERED.

AND I KNOW YOU ALL DID THAT IN COMING TO THESE RECOMMENDATIONS.

ON THE ISSUE OF STAFF BEING ABLE TO PARTICIPATE IN THE POLITICAL PROCESS, I'LL JUST SAY THAT I AM IN AGREEMENT WITH THAT AS WELL AND I DO HOPE THAT THAT COMES TO COUNCIL FOR A VOTE. I WANT TO TOUCH ON THE ISSUE REGARDING THE SPECIAL MEETINGS. AND I'M NOT SURE WHO SPOKE ON THAT EARLIER BUT THE DECISION OR THE RECOMMENDATION TO TAKE IT OUT OF THE CITY CLERK'S HANDS WAS BASED ON AN UNDERSTANDING THAT IT'S OUR CITY MANAGER AND CITY ATTORNEY THAT SET THE AGENDA FOR THE REGULAR MEETINGS. DID I GET THAT RIGHT?

>> THE LANGUAGE IN THE CHARTER REFLECTS THE CITY CLERK, MANAGER, AND ATTORNEY THAT COULD ACTUALLY BE THE MECHANISM TO TRIGGER THE SPECIAL MEETINGS.

OUR UNDERSTANDING, FROM A COMMISSION STANDPOINT, WAS THE CITY CLERK WAS NOT IN THAT PROCESS. THAT IT WAS BEING TRIGGERED OUTSIDE OF THAT.

ALL OUR RECOMMENDATION WAS A LANGUAGE MODERNIZATION TO TAKE THAT LANGUAGE OUT IF

THAT IS NOT WHAT IS BEING DONE IN PRACTICE TODAY. >> WHYTE: WHO CAN TELL US

WHAT IS BEING DONE IN PRACTICE TODAY? >> WALSH: I GUESS THAT WOULD BE ME, COUNCILMAN. I JUST LOOKED IT UP. TWO WEEKS AGO, THREE WEEKS AGO WE HAD A MEMO REQUEST FOR SPECIAL MEETING THAT WAS LODGED OR FILED WITH THE CLERK'S OFFICE. THE CLERK NOTIFIED ME AND WE POSTED THAT AGENDA LATER ON

[01:30:03]

COUNCIL OF THE MEETING DATES BY E-MAIL. >> WHYTE: DOES IT MATTER TO YOU WHO POSTS THE MEETINGS FOR SPECIAL MEETINGS?

>> WALSH: WELL, IF YOU'RE ASKING MY OPINION, FROM TWO OR THREE WEEKS AGO WHAT IS IN THE CHARTER WORKED. DEBBIE GOT IT, DEBBIE NOTIFIED ME, I POSTED THE AGENDA. NOT LITERALLY BUT THE CITY MANAGER'S OFFICE DID.

AS LONG AS ALONG WITH EVERYTHING ELSE CRITICAL AROUND HERE, AS LONG AS THE CITY CLERK'S OFFICE IS COMMUNICATING WITH THE CITY MANAGER'S OFFICE, NOBODY

SHOULD KNOW ANY DIFFERENCE. >> WHYTE: WELL, ON THAT POINT, YOU KNOW, I AGREE IN A LOT OF RESPECTS. WE JUST NEED TO MAKE SURE THERE'S A PROCESS AND THAT THE PROCESS IS FOLLOWED. YOU KNOW, WE TALKED EARLIER ABOUT NOT MAKING AMENDMENTS JUST FOR THE SAKE OF MAKING AMENDMENTS. I WOULD BE OKAY IF IT STAYED WITH THE CITY CLERK'S OFFICE. I ACTUALLY THINK THAT WE NEED TO LOOK AT MAKING THAT SECTION MORE SPECIFIC, BECAUSE I KNOW WE HAD AN ISSUE AT THE END OF LAST YEAR WHERE THERE WAS A CALL FOR A SPECIAL MEETING AND WEEKS WENT BY WITH NO SPECIAL MEETING TAKING PLACE.

SO I ACTUALLY THINK THAT WHEN A SPECIAL MEETING IS CALLED, WE NEED SOME DEFINITIVE TIME PERIOD WITHIN WHICH THE MEETING DOES NEED TO BE CALLED.

SO THAT'S WHAT I'LL SAY ON THAT. AGAIN, I APPRECIATE ALL OF

THE WORK BY THE COMMISSION. SO, THANK YOU SO MUCH. >> MAYOR NIRENBERG: THANK

YOU, COUNCILMEMBER WHYTE. COUNCILMEMBER COURAGE. >> COURAGE: THANK YOU, MAYOR. I WANT TO COMMEND THE COMMITTEE ALSO.

I THINK ALL OF US RECOGNIZE WHAT YOU PUT INTO IT AND HOW IMPORTANT IT WAS.

IT'S SOMETHING THAT THIS COUNCIL THIS DOCUMENT THAT OVERSEES HOW WE OPERATE IS KEPT UP TO DATE AND REFLECTS THE NEEDS OF THE COMMUNITY. AND I THINK THESE CHANGES THAT ARE BEING PROPOSED THROUGH YOUR COMMITTEE ARE CERTAINLY WELL WORTH IT. THEY ARE THE KINDS OF IMPROVEMENTS I THINK THAT WILL HELP CITY GOVERNMENT FUNCTION EVEN BETTER THAN IT HAS BEEN. THE WORK THAT YOU'VE DONE IS IMPORTANT BUT THE MOST IMPORTANT WORK IS GOING TO BE DONE BY THE VOTERS IN THE COMMUNITY.

AND THEY'RE GOING TO BE LOOKING AT WHAT YOU PROPOSED.

IT'S GOING TO BE IN THE PAPERS. PEOPLE WILL BE TALKING ABOUT IT. BUT THEY'RE ALSO GOING TO BE LOOKING AT WHAT WE, AS A COUNCIL, DECIDE TO PUT FORWARD, IF ANYTHING TO THE VOTERS.

AND SO YOUR WORK IS A FOUNDATION BUT WHAT THE VOTERS WILL ACTUALLY DECIDE TO DO WILL BE BASED ON WHAT WE AS A COUNCIL WANTS TO PUT BEFORE THEM.

AND I THINK THAT THAT HAS TO BE VERY REASONABLE IN THE MINDS OF THE VOTERS.

AND SO I THINK THAT MANY OF THE THINGS THAT WE'VE PUT FORWARD THAT YOU'RE BRINGING TO US TODAY HAVE A GOOD AMOUNT OF REASONABLENESS TO THEM.

PERSONALLY, I THINK FOUR-YEAR TERM IS IMPORTANT FOR CITY COUNCIL AND THAT'S BECAUSE I THINK IT REDUCES THE POLITICS THAT GOES INTO THE CITY COUNCIL WORK THAT WE DO. INSTEAD OF NEARLY SIX MONTHS OUT OF NEARLY TWO YEARS WORRYING ABOUT WHO AM I GOING TO TALK TO, WHO'S GOING TO CONTRIBUTE MONEY, HOW AM I GOING TO ORGANIZE MY MEETINGS. WHO AM I GOING TO CALL.

WHO'S GOING TO HELP ME. THAT SIX MONTHS OUT OF EVERY TWO YEARS IS, TO ME, NOT TO THE BENEFIT OF THE CONSTITUENTS THAT WE'RE SUPPOSED TO BE SERVING.

IF IT HAPPENS ONCE FOR SIX MONTHS OUT OF EVERY FOUR YEARS WE SERVE, I THINK GIVES US TIME WE NEED TO FOCUS ON GETTING THINGS DONE FOR OUR CONSTITUENTS.

[01:35:04]

SOMETIMES IT TAKES FIVE, SIX, OR SEVEN YEARS TO GET THOSE BOND ISSUES FINISHED.

AND SO IF YOU'RE RUNNING FOR ELECTION EVERY TWO YEARS, YOU'RE NOT PAYING ATTENTION TO THE THINGS THAT YOU NEED TO BE PAYING ATTENTION TO, IN MY OPINION.

BUT, AT THE SAME TIME, AS SOMEONE I THINK MENTIONED A WHILE AGO, IF YOU ELECT SOMEBODY WHO NEGLECTS THEIR DUTY OR ABUSES THEIR RESPONSIBILITY, WE STILL HAVE BUILT INTO THE CHARTER THE OPPORTUNITY TO REMOVE AN ELECTED OFFICIAL BY THEIR CONSTITUENTS IF THEY'RE NOT DOING THEIR JOB. SO A FOUR-YEAR TERM DOESN'T MEAN YOU'RE ELECTING A BAD PUBLIC SERVANT FOR FOUR YEARS.

BUT IT DOES MEAN YOU'RE GIVING THE PUBLIC SERVANT YOU DO TRUST IN THE TIME TO SEE THINGS THROUGH. MAKE SURE THEY GET DONE. INSTEAD OF EVERY TWO YEARS AN ELECTION AND SOMEBODY IS OUT AND WHAT THEY STARTED NEVER GETS FINISHED OR THE REPORT THEY HEARD AFTER TWO OR THREE OR FOUR YEARS IS ON A SHELF BECAUSE YOU HAVE A BUNCH OF NEW COUNCIL MEMBERS WHO HAVE A DIFFERENT SET OF PRIORITIES.

I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT TO HAVE THOSE FOUR-YEAR TERMS. I THINK WE SHOULD ELIMINATE ANY TERM LIMITS ON OUR CITY MANAGER. THE CITY MANAGER WORKS FOR THE CITY BUT HE OR SHE WORKS FOR THE CITY COUNCIL. WE HIRE.

WE FIRE. AND SO IF YOU DON'T TRUST YOUR CITY COUNCIL IN MAKING GOOD DECISIONS ON HIRING OR FIRING YOUR CITY MANAGER, THEN YOU'RE HIRING THE WRONG CITY COUNCIL PEOPLE AT ELECTION TIME. SO, PLEASE, LET THE CITY COUNCIL MAKE THAT DECISION. DON'T MAKE IT AN ARBITRARY AT THE END OF X AMOUNT OF YEARS. A GOOD CITY MANAGER IS OUT. SO I FAVOR TAKING OFF ANY TERM LIMITS ON THE CITY MANAGER. THE CITY MANAGER PAY IS ONE OF THOSE ISSUES I THINK THAT I THINK THE PUBLIC WILL LOOK AT AS WHAT IS THE REASONABLENESS. THERE ARE COMPLAINTS ABOUT HOW MUCH PUBLIC OFFICIALS GET PAID. LOOK AT HOW MUCH CPS PAYS ITS CFO.

LOOK AT HOW MUCH SAWS PAYS ITS CFO. LOOK AT HOW MUCH THE CITY MANAGER USED TO GET UNDER OUR PAST CITY MANAGER UNTIL PEOPLE COMPLAINED AND THERE WAS A POLITICAL EFFORT TO GET RID OF THAT CITY MANAGER AND PART OF IT WAS CAPPING EVERY CITY MANAGER'S LENGTH OF TERMS AND CAPPING CITY MANAGER'S PAY.

BUT WE NEED TO LOOK FORWARD TO HAVING A PROFESSIONAL, QUALIFIED, EXPERIENCED CITY MANAGER AND YOU'RE NOT GOING TO GET IT AT TEN TIMES THE LOWEST-PAID CITY EMPLOYEE.

BUT I DO THINK, IN THE WAY OF REASONABLENESS, THE PUBLIC MAY SAY, OKAY, BUT MAYBE HAVING SOME KIND OF A LIMIT. MAYBE NO MORE THAN TEN TIMES THE AVERAGE CITY EMPLOYEE'S SALARY, WHICH IS AROUND $60,000 RIGHT NOW.

IN A YEAR FROM NOW IT COULD BE 62, $63,000, WHICH WOULD RAISE THE AMOUNT OF MONEY THAT WE COULD COMPENSATE A FUTURE CITY MANAGER TO, YOU KNOW, $620,000 A YEAR INSTEAD OF $350,000 A YEAR. SO I THINK IT PROVIDES A MORE REASONABLE WAY OF COMPENSATING. AND INDEXING THAT TO THE GROWTH IN SALARIES WOULD ALLOW THE CONTINUED GROWTH IN THE AVAILABLE FUNDING WE COULD HAVE FOR A FUTURE CITY MANAGER. I THINK WHEN WE TALK ABOUT PRESENTING THINGS TO THE VOTERS AND JUST SAYING, WELL, THERE WILL BE NO LIMIT ON WHAT THE CITY COUNCIL CAN PAY A CITY MANAGER, WE'RE OPENING UP OURSELVES TO A LOT OF PEOPLE SAYING HOW MUCH IS TOO MUCH? HOW DO WE KNOW? SO, ANYWAY, I'D LIKE THE COUNCIL TO CONSIDER THAT. COUNCIL PAY. YES.

COUNCIL PAY SHOULD BE INCREASED. YES, IT SHOULD BE INDEXED FOR FUTURE INCREASES. BUT IT TOO NEEDS TO BE REASONABLE AND APPROPRIATE COMPARED TO OUR HARD-WORKING RESIDENTS AND THE COST OF LIVING IN THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO. WE'RE NOT DALLAS. WE'RE NOT HOUSTON.

WE'RE NOT AUSTIN. WE HAVE A STANDARD OF LIVING THAT MANY PEOPLE LIVE BY AND

[01:40:07]

AND I'M AFRAID THEY WOULD TURN IT DOWN. WHAT IS THE GOAL IN THESE CHARTER AMENDMENTS? ARE THEY TO MAKE IMPROVEMENTS? AND IF THEY ARE CAN WE IMPROVE MAYBE STEP BY STEP, WITHOUT GIANT STEPS.

CAN WE BE REASONABLE AS WE TAKE THESE THINGS FORWARD TO THE VOTERS FOR THEIR CONSIDERATION. I HOPE ALL OF US WILL CONSIDER THAT.

AND IT'S NOT TO UNDERMINE THE WORK YOU'VE DONE. I KNOW IT'S VERY GOOD BUT I THINK WE NEED TO LOOK AT THE PERSPECTIVE FROM THE PEOPLE WHO ARE GOING TO MAKE THAT FINAL DECISION FOR US. LAST THING I'LL SAY IS I DON'T SUPPORT THE IDEA THAT EVERYBODY WHO WORKS IN THE CITY SHOULD BE FREE TO GO AHEAD AND WORK IN CITY ELECTIONS. I'M WORRIED ABOUT UNDUE INFLUENCE.

I'M WORRIED ABOUT PEOPLE HAVING TO MAKE A DECISION TO SUPPORT CANDIDATE A, B, OR C BECAUSE THEY'RE HEARING FROM OTHER WORKERS OR THEY'RE HEARING FROM OTHER OUTSIDE FORCES THAT, HEY, YOU NEED TO GET OUT AND WORK FOR THIS PERSON IF YOU WANT TO KEEP YOUR JOB, IF YOU WANT TO GET A PROMOTION. IF YOU WANT TO MAKE SURE THE RIGHT PERSON GETS ELECTED TO MAKE SURE THAT EVERYBODY'S PAY GETS RAISED TO WHERE WE WANT IT TO BE. I WORRY ABOUT THAT. I THINK EVERYBODY WHO WORKS IN THIS CITY TODAY HAS THE RIGHT TO VOTE FOR PRESIDENT, GOVERNOR, STATE REPRESENTATIVE, COUNTY BUT I DON'T KNOW ABOUT LETTING THEM VOTE FOR THEIR HEAD EMPLOYER WHO OVERSEES WHAT MAY COME DOWN THE LINE FOR THEIR PAY AND THEIR BENEFITS AND HOW IT MAY UNDULY INFLUENCE THEM IN THEIR WORK.

I COULD BE WRONG BUT THAT'S MY FEELING ON THAT ISSUE. THAT'S ALL.

THANK YOU, MAYOR. >> MAYOR NIRENBERG: THANK YOU, COUNCILMEMBER COURAGE.

COUNCILMEMBER CASTILLO. >> CASTILLO: THANK YOU, MAYOR.

THANK Y'ALL BOTH FOR THE PRESENTATION AS WELL AS TO ALL THE COMMITTEE MEMBERS AND THE HOURS AND WORK THAT YOU ALL PUT IN REVIEWING THE CITY'S CHARTER.

I ALSO WANTED TO EXPRESS MY THANKS TO ALL THE RESIDENTS OF THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO WHO GAVE PUBLIC COMMENT AND ATTENDED IN PERSON. LOOKING AT THE TOP THREE ITEMS THAT CONSTITUENTS GAVE PUBLIC COMMENT ON, THE ONE -- TWO STAND OUT BUT ONE THAT STANDS AT THE TOP IS THE ONE LISTED AS NO. 1 AND RESOURCES FOR YOUTH SERVICES. I HAVE THE DASHBOARD PULLED UP FOR READY TO WORK AND WHEN WE LOOK AT THE AGE RANGE FROM 15 TO 19, WE HAVE 324 FOLKS INTERESTED SIGNING UP FOR READY TO WORK. AND THAT'S HIGHER THAN THE AGE RANGE FROM 25 TO 29.

SO HEARING THE YOUTH'S INTEREST IN READY TO WORK -- AND I ALSO HAD AN OPPORTUNITY TO PRESENT TO THE SAN ANTONIO YOUTH COMMISSION WHERE WE HAD THIS RICH DISCUSSION ON BUDGET PRIORITIES AS WELL AS THE INCREASE IN YOUTH VIOLENCE THAT WE'RE SEEING. AND THE YOUTH COMMISSION RECOMMENDED EXPANDING OPPORTUNITIES TO AT-RISK YOUTH THROUGH THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO'S AMBASSADOR PROGRAM. SO JUST LOOKING AT THE WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT DASHBOARD AND THE INTEREST FROM 15 TO 19-YEAR-OLDS FOR READY TO WORK, I SEE AN OPPORTUNITY FOR US TO SUPPORT OUR YOUTH WITH THAT WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT AND TRAINING AND PARTICULARLY IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THE THERE'S GREAT OPPORTUNITY THERE. FURTHER, AS MANY OF MY COLLEAGUES HAVE EXPRESSED, I'M SUPPORTIVE OF WHAT OUR CITY EMPLOYEES HAVE BEEN ORGANIZING, ASKING FOR, WHICH IS TO ENSURE THEY HAVE THE SAME OPPORTUNITY AS OUR UNIFORMED EMPLOYEES TO PARTICIPATE IN MUNICIPAL ELECTIONS.

I DID WANT TO SHIFT OVER TO THE SPECIAL MEETINGS ITEM. I DO BELIEVE THAT THERE SHOULD BE A TIMELINE ON WHICH THE SPECIAL MEETING THAT MAY BE CALLED FOR BY A MEMO WOULD BE AGENDIZED FURTHER IN REGARDS TO REDISTRICTING.

I DO LIKE THAT IT'S GOING TO RUN PARALLEL TO CENSUS CONVERSATIONS AND WHEN WE GATHER THAT DATA. I DO SHARE THE HESITANCY TO CREATE A SUBCOMMITTEE.

I DO BELIEVE WHAT WE PARTICIPATE AND FACILITATE -- AND MANY OF YOU PARTICIPATED IN THAT REDISTRICTING COMMITTEE -- I THINK WAS VERY EFFICIENT.

HAVING THE COUNCIL MEMBERS AND THE MAYOR APPOINT INDIVIDUALS TO THAT

[01:45:02]

IN REGARDS TO PAY, I BELIEVE THE MAYOR MADE A GREAT ARGUMENT IN REGARDS TO CITY COUNCIL PAY AND ENSURING THAT IT'S IN ALIGNMENT WITH THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO'S AMI. THAT SHOULD SERVE FOR US TO CONTINUE TO ENSURE THAT WE'RE UPLIFTING FOLKS OUT OF POVERTY AND NOT NECESSARILY REDISTRIBUTING POVERTY THROUGHOUT THE CITY. AT THE SAME TIME, I BELIEVE IN REGARDS TO CITY MANAGER PAY, HAVING THAT RUN PARALLEL TO THE CITY'S LOWEST-PAID EMPLOYEE PROVES TO BE EFFICIENT. I THINK THE ARGUMENT OF COUNCIL WORKING TOWARDS UPLIFTING POVERTY CAN ALSO SERVE AS AN ARGUMENT TO ENSURE THAT THE LOWEST-PAID EMPLOYEE ALSO RUNS IN PARALLEL WITH THE CITY MANAGER'S PAY.

I DID WANT TO HIGHLIGHT -- AND THIS IS SOMETHING THAT I'VE BEEN GETTING MORE QUESTIONS ABOUT AT NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION MEETINGS REGARDING PAY AND THE OVERALL CITY CHARTER PROCESS BUT JUST ALSO CLARIFYING THAT THIS ISN'T COUNCIL ASKING FOR A RAISE. THIS IS A CHARGE THAT WAS GIVEN TO THE COMMISSION AND THIS IS WHAT IS BEING PRESENTED TO COUNCIL. LASTLY, I DID WANT TO TALK ABOUT GOING BACK TO HOW THIS WOULD BE PLACED ON THE BALLOT.

I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT THAT IT'S DEBUNDLED. WHAT I HEAR FROM CONSTITUENTS IS THAT LANGUAGE, LEGALESE CAN BE A LOT OR OVERWHELMING AND SOMETIMES THINGS ARE COMPOUNDED AND THEY'RE NOT SURE WHAT THEY'RE READING OR VOTING ON. DO WE KNOW IF IT'S GOING TO BE BROKEN DOWN BY

PROPOSITION BY EACH OF THESE PIECES? >> SEGOVIA: YES, COUNCILWOMAN. WE CAN ANSWER THAT. IT WILL BE BROKEN DOWN BY CATEGORY. RIGHT NOW WHAT WE'RE LOOKING AT IS PROBABLY SIX DIFFERENT ONES. THE COMPENSATION, FOR EXAMPLE, WILL BE A DIFFERENT PROPOSITION THAN THE TERMS OF OFFICE. SAME THING FOR THE CITY MANAGER. COMPENSATION WILL BE DIFFERENT FROM PUTTING A TIME LIMIT. RIGHT NOW WE'RE LOOKING AT ABOUT SIX DIFFERENT PROPOSALS. IF YOUR QUESTION IS ARE THEY ALL GOING TO BE LUMPED

TOGETHER, THE ANSWER IS NO. >> CASTILLO: THANK YOU. I HAVE HAD A COUPLE OF CONSTITUENTS EXPRESS SUPPORT FOR COUNCIL PAY BUT NOT NECESSARILY EXPANDING THE TERM LIMITS AND I WANT TO ENSURE THEY HAVE THE ABILITY TO CHOOSE HOW THEY WISH TO VOTE ON EACH ITEM. I DO WANT TO CHALLENGE THE ARGUMENT THAT WE CAN'T GET MUCH DONE WITHIN TWO YEARS. WITHIN YEAR ONE WE CREATEDAT A PILOT PROGRAM, DEMOLITION DIVERSION. NOW IT'S BAKED INTO THE BUDGET TO ENSURE WE'RE PROVIDING THOSE SERVICES TO THE RESIDENTS OF CITY OF SAN ANTONIO.

FIRST BOND WE NEARLY DOUBLED THE AMOUNT OF INVESTMENT FOR DISTRICT 5 RESIDENTS.

I WANT TO CHALLENGE THAT WE CAN'T GET MUCH DONE IN ONE, TWO YEARS.

THERE'S A LOT OF OPPORTUNITY. TWO-YEAR TERMS KEEPS FOLKS ON THEIR TOES AND ENSURES THAT FOLKS ARE CONTINUING TO ENGAGE WITH THEIR COMMUNITY.

OUR OFFICE ARE ALWAYS ON THE DOORS, ALWAYS KNOCKING AND FOLKS DON'T ASK IS IT ELECTION TIME ALREADY BUT IT'S WE ALREADY KNOW THAT'S A SERVICE THAT Y'ALL OFFER.

BUT ULTIMATELY I JUST WANT TO ENSURE THAT THEY'RE DEBUNDLED AND WE'RE ALLOWING CITY EMPLOYEES AN OPPORTUNITY TO PARTICIPATE IN MUNICIPAL ELECTIONS.

THANK YOU. >> MAYOR NIRENBERG: THANK YOU, COUNCILMEMBER CASTILLO.

COUNCILMEMBER KAUR. >> KAUR: THANK YOU, MAYOR. THANK YOU TO ALL THOSE THAT WORKED SO DILIGENTLY ON THE CHARTER COMMISSION. I KNOW HOW MUCH TIME AND ENERGY Y'ALL PUT INTO THIS. EVERY TIME I SAW ANY ONE OF YOU IN THE COMMUNITY YOU WERE TELLING ME HOW HARD YOU WERE WORKING AND HOW MUCH INPUT YOU WERE TRYING TO GET TO MAKE SURE YOU'RE MAKING RECOMMENDATIONS THAT YOU FELT THE COMMUNITY REALLY WANTED. I WANTED TO REITERATE MY COUNCIL COLLEAGUES' APPRECIATION FOR YOUR WORK. ALL OF YOU ALL. I WANTED TO START OFF BY ASKING A COUPLE OF CLARIFYING QUESTIONS REGARDING THE COMMUNITY INPUT PROCESS. SO I JUST WANTED TO SEE IF SOMEONE COULD TELL ME THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN SPEAK UP AND NEB. I UNDERSTAND THAT ABOUT 20,000 E-MAILS WENT OUT AND I WASN'T SURE IF THAT WAS 20,000 ON BOTH PLATFORMS OR

JUST ONE. >> LAURA MAIZE WITH COMMUNICATIONS AND ENGAGEMENT . THE LIST YOU SEE ON THERE ARE RESIDENTS THAT HAVE OPTED IN TO RECEIVE COMMUNICATION FROM THE CITY. THE SA SPEAKUP LIST REFERS TO A LIST OF ABOUT 10,000 PEOPLE THAT PARTICIPATE IN OUR BUDGET PROCESS.

THE OTHER LIST IS OUR NEIGHBORHOOD ENGAGEMENT BRIEF AND THAT IS MADE UP OF OUR NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION PRESIDENTS AND ORGANIZATIONS.

>> KAUR: WE HAD ABOUT 85 SA SPEAKUP SURVEY RESPONSES, RIGHT?

>> THE NUMBERS THAT ARE ON THAT SLIDE THERE, I DON'T REMEMBER WHAT NUMBER THAT IS, BUT IF WE CAN PULL THAT UP. IT REFLECTS THE OPEN RATE FOR THOSE NEWS LETTERS. IT'S AN 85 AND 80%. A GOVERNMENT AGENCY'S

[01:50:06]

>> KAUR: TOTALLY UNDERSTAND. I THINK THE OPEN RATE WAS REALLY GREAT. I WAS TRYING TO FIGURE OUT THE SURVEY RESPONSE CONNECTION. WONDERING IF THERE WAS A CALL TO ACTION AT THE END OF

THOSE SURVEYS OR IF THOSE WERE JUST INFORMATIVE. >> TO ANSWER YOUR QUESTION WE HAD A FEW CALLS TO ACTION WITHIN THOSE E-MAILS. THE FIRST WAS TO ACTUALLY PARTICIPATE IN THE PROCESS, ENCOURAGING RESIDENTS TO EITHER SHOW UP FOR THE PUBLIC COMMENT PORTION OF THE MEETING. THEY COULD CALL 311 TO SUBMIT THE COMMENT OR THEY COULD DO THAT ONLINE. SO THE COMMENTS THAT BONNIE AND DAVID PRESENTED FOR YOU SHOW THE OVERALL NUMBER OF THOSE THAT PARTICIPATED AND THE ATTENDANCE AT THOSE MEETINGS. SO ANY THREE OF THOSE OPTIONS WERE PROMOTED WITHIN THAT. THERE WAS ALSO EDUCATIONAL INFORMATION ABOUT THE CHARTER REVIEW PROCESS IN THOSE E-MAILS.

>> KAUR: OKAY. UNDERSTOOD. THANK YOU FOR YOUR WORK ON THIS. I'M ALWAYS GOING TO TRY TO GET AS MUCH COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT AS WE POSSIBLY CAN AHEAD OF TIME TO GET INPUT IN.

I WAS HOPING FOR THE NEXT TIME AROUND WHEN WE DO AN ENGAGEMENT LIKE THIS IN AUDIO]. FROM THOSE 80 TO 85% THAT OPENED IT, HOW MANY PEOPLE CAN WE MAKE IT EASY ENOUGH TO PROVIDE FEEDBACK, EVEN IF IT'S JUST ONE QUESTION IN THE SURVEY OR IN THE BODY OF THE E-MAIL. BUT THANK YOU FOR YOUR WORK ON THAT. I WANT TO START OFF BY GOING THROUGH ALL OF THE -- OR SOME OF AT LEAST THE PROPOSALS AND JUST PROVIDING THOUGHTS, LIKE SOME OF MY COUNCIL COLLEAGUES DID. AGREE AROUND THE ETHICS AUDITOR AND ERB RECOMMENDATION. AROUND THE COUNCILMEMBER TERM AND PAY, I KNOW THIS IS ONE THAT'S CHALLENGING AND ONE THAT WE HAVE DIFFERENT OPINIONS ON FROM THE TWO-YEAR TO FOUR-YEAR TERMS. I AGREE THAT IT HOLDS US ACCOUNTABLE TO THE VOTERS BUT I REMEMBER I HAD A COUPLE OF VOTERS SAY WE KNOW YOU CAN'T GET ANYTHING DONE IN THE FIRST TERM SO WE'RE HOPING TO PUSH IT OFF UNTIL THE NEXT TERM.

AND SO OR I JUST THINK IT CREATES -- IT'S BETTER FOR CONSTITUENTS, IT CREATES STABILITY IN THE DISTRICT AND MORE ABILITY TO FOCUS EFFORTS ON CONSTITUENTS.

FOR THE PAY, I AGREE THE SAME THING SOME OF MY COUNCIL COLLEAGUES HAVE SAID. IT'S REALLY CHALLENGING WHEN YOU WANT TO GIVE AS MUCH AS YOU CAN. I KNOW COUNCILMEMBER MCKEE-RODRIGUEZ MENTIONED THIS AND COUNCILMEMBER ALDERETE GAVITO. YOU'RE TRYING TO GIVE SO MUCH AND YOU HAVE TO FIGURE OUT A WAY TO MAKE SURE THAT YOU CAN ALSO MAKE ENDS MEET SO I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT THAT [INDISCERNIBLE] BUT AT LEAST PAID AROUND AMI.

FOR CITY MANAGER TENURE AND PAY, AGAIN, THIS IS A SUPER TOUGH JOB.

ECHOING EVERYTHING WHAT EVERYONE SAID. ALMOST A $4 BILLION BUDGET THAT THE CITY MANAGER IS MANAGING AND SO WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE PRESENTING A SALARY THAT'S COMMENSURATE TO A CEO AND MAKING SURE WE CAN GET FOLKS THAT ARE AS TALENTED. REGARDING THE REDISTRICTING EFFORTS, I WANT TO ECHO COUNCILMEMBER ROCHA GARCIA AND COUNCILMEMBER VIAGRAN'S EFFORTS ABOUT ENSURING THAT REPRESENTATION IS REPRESENTATIVE OF THE DIVERSITY OF OUR AREAS.

I HAVE GOTTEN A LOT OF QUESTIONS ABOUT DOWNTOWN REPRESENTATION AND, YOU KNOW, TO ME IT'S INTERESTING THAT I GET TO KEEP DOWNTOWN REPRESENTATION AND REPRESENT THE NEIGHBORHOODS. I HAVE TO KEEP BOTH IN MIND AND I THINK THAT'S REALLY IMPORTANT. ALSO I KNOW COUNCILWOMAN ALDERETE GAVITO SAID OUR STAFF IS THE ONE THAT'S WORKING DAY IN AND DAY OUT REALLY HARD.

I KNOW WE HAVE A BIG TEAM. I AGREE. IN COMPARISON TO SOME OF THE OTHER CITIES. BUT THOSE ARE THE FOLKS THAT ARE WORKING REALLY HARD FOR OUR CONSTITUENTS, RESPONDING TO CALLS. IN TERMS OF MODERNIZATION OF LANGUAGE. AGREE. WE WANT LANGUAGE TO BE SIMPLE ENOUGH FOR THE AVERAGE PERSON SO ANY UPDATES TO THAT I THINK IS IMPORTANT. THAT ALSO GOES TO WHEN WE'RE PUTTING IT ON THE BALLOT.

COUNCILWOMAN CASTILLO MENTIONED THIS LANGUAGE CAN BECOME CHALLENGING FOR FOLKS SO WE HAVE TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE USING LANGUAGE THAT'S EASILY ACCESSIBLE AND NOT ANY LEGAL JARGON. AND THEN THE ADDITIONAL RECOMMENDATIONS THAT WERE PROVIDED REGARDING CITY STAFF INVOLVEMENT, THE YOUTH, AND VOTING.

I AGREE WITH COUNCILMEMBER CABELLO HAVRDA. I WOULD HAVE LIKED TO HAVE SEEN THIS ON THOSE RECOMMENDATIONS, PARTICULARLY AROUND THE YOUTH FUNDING. WE JUST RECEIVED A LOT OF COMMENT, LIKE COUNCILWOMAN CASTILLO MENTIONED. WE HAD THAT MEETING THIS MORNING AND SO I JUST THINK IT WOULD BE REALLY GREAT TO HEAR -- WOULD HAVE BEEN GREAT TO HEAR, AND I UNDERSTAND IT WAS THE CONSTRAINTS OF WHAT THE CHARTER ■WAS CHARGED TODO.&-ÚBU,

[01:58:52]

OF CITY STAFF AND THIS COMMISSION. >> PELAEZ: SO THEN THE LAST QUESTION IS WHAT RESTRICTIONS ARE PLACED ON US AS COUNCIL MEMBERS FROM AFTER THIS MEETING GOING OUT AND ADVOCATING FOR THESE CHARTER AMENDMENTS? WOULDN'T THAT BE TANTAMOUNT TO US ADVOCATING FOR A POLITICAL POSITION OR DOES

THAT APPLY TO AFTER WE VOTED TO PUT IT ON THE BALLOT? >> SEGOVIA: THAT'S APPLIED AFTER THEY BECOME ACTUAL PROPOSITIONS, COUNCILMAN. THERE'S NO LIMIT ON WHAT THE COUNCIL MEMBERS CAN DO IN TERMS OF ENGAGING THE PUBLIC AND GETTING THEIR INPUT ON

ANY OF THESE RECOMMENDATIONS OR ANYTHING ELSE. >> PELAEZ: THANKS, ANDY.

>> SEGOVIA: I DID WANT TO CLARIFY THAT COMPLAINTS THROUGH THE ERB DON'T GO

THROUGH MY OFFICE, THEY ARE SUBMITTED THROUGH THE CLERK. >> PELAEZ: YOU'RE RIGHT, ANDY. THAT'S THE SECOND TIME I WAS WRONG TODAY.

THANKS FOR POINTING THAT OUT. >> MAYOR NIRENBERG: THANK YOU, COUNCILMEMBER PELAEZ. COUNCILMEMBER CASTILLO SORRY.

COUNCILMEMBER ROCHA GARCIA. >> GARCIA: THANK YOU. WE LOOK ALIKE.

[02:00:05]

OTHER QUESTION. >> SEGOVIA: THAT'S A GOOD QUESTION.

IN TERMS OF WORKING ON BOTH THE PROPOSITION LANGUAGE AND THE ACTUAL LANGUAGE, CHANGES TO THE CHARTER, WE WILL MAKE SURE THAT WHATEVER CHANGES ARE MADE DON'T APPLY TO THIS CITY COUNCIL AS CONSTITUTED TODAY. SO THEY WOULD APPLY TO A

FUTURE COUNCIL. >> GARCIA: WONDERFUL. I JUST WANTED TO DOUBLE CHECK ON THAT. AND THEN THE THREE-PERSON MEMO -- SO THE PROCESS STAYS THE SAME. OKAY. JUST MAKING SURE ON THAT.

I WANTED TO GET CLARIFICATION. AND THEN I'M IN AGREEMENT.

I DIDN'T GET TO SAY THIS EARLIER. I RAN OUT OF TIME AND COUNCILWOMAN ALDERETE GAVITO AND COUNCILWOMAN CASTILLO REMINDED ME.

I'M IN SUPPORT OF KEEPING THE TWO-YEAR TERMS. I DO THINK THAT WE, AS COUNCIL MEMBERS, ALSO HAVE THE ABILITY TO HIRE OUR STAFF AND OUR STAFFS ARE AN EXTENSION OF OURSELVES. WE DO HAVE THE ABILITY TO MULTIPLY OUR EFFORTS BY MAKING SURE THAT WE HIRE APPROPRIATE PEOPLE THAT UNDERSTAND THE NEEDS OF THE COMMUNITY, THAT GO AND REPRESENT THE COMMUNITY NEEDS.

SO THAT'S WHAT I WOULD STILL BE IN FAVOR. I ASKED THAT QUESTION ABOUT GRANDFATHERING BECAUSE I FULLY REALIZE THAT IT WON'T APPLY TO ME ANYWAY.

BUT THINKING OF THAT AND JUST IN PREPARATION, THAT BRINGS ME TO THE OTHER POINT THAT COUNCILWOMAN ALDERETE GAVITO BROUGHT UP WAS THAT I DO THINK THAT WE NEED TO LOOK FOR ADDITIONAL SUPPORT WITHIN OUR COUNCIL OFFICES. I DON'T THINK THAT IT SHOULD BE EITHER/OR. IT COULD BE BOTH. WE COULD AT DISTRICTS BUT WE SHOULD ADD STAFF EVENTUALLY TO SUPPORT THE GROWTH OF OUR CITY AS A WHOLE.

JUST LIKE WE'RE LOOKING AT INVESTING IN ADDITIONAL POLICE OFFICERS, ADDITIONAL FIREFIGHTERS, ET CETERA. THAT SHOULD JUST BE A GIVEN, RIGHT, THAT WE SHOULD LOOK AT GROWTH PATTERNS IN SAN ANTONIO TO BE TRULY REPRESENTATIVE OF OUR RESIDENTS. THOSE ARE ALL MY COMMENTS. THANK YOU SO MUCH.

THANK YOU, MAYOR. >> MAYOR NIRENBERG: THANK YOU, COUNCILMEMBER ROCHA

GARCIA -- >> SEGOVIA: MAYOR, I WANTED TO CLARIFY.

IN TERMS OF THE ADDING, THAT'S A DISCUSSION USUALLY DURING THE BUDGET PROCESS.

NOT ABOUT ADDING THAT TO THE CHARTER CHANGES. THANK YOU.

>> MAYOR NIRENBERG: COUNCILMEMBER ALDERETE GAVITO.

>> GAVITO: THANK YOU, MAYOR. I JUST WANT TO SECOND WHAT COUNCILWOMAN CASTILLO'S COMMENTS ABOUT HOW THESE AMENDMENTS APPEAR ON THE BALLOT. I DO THINK THAT'S EXTREMELY IMPORTANT.

OFTENTIMES I GO IN THERE AND THE BALLOT LANGUAGE CAN BE EXTREMELY CONFUSING.

ANDY, I DO WANT TO CLARIFY WHAT YOU MENTIONED ABOUT THE BALLOT LANGUAGE.

I BELIEVE IT'S IMPERATIVE THAT THE CITY MANAGER'S TENURE AND SALARY APPEAR SEPARATELY FROM THE COUNCIL'S TENURE AND SALARY. IS IT CORRECT WHEN YOU MENTIONED COMPENSATION THAT THE COUNCIL'S SALARY AND TENURE WOULD BE SEPARATE

FROM THE CITY MANAGER'S? >> SEGOVIA: THAT'S CORRECT, COUNCILWOMAN.

THESE ARE PRELIMINARY ANALYSIS. WE'RE LOOKING AT NOW EIGHT PROPOSITIONS AND WE INCLUDE THE EMPLOYEE PARTICIPATION. FOR SURE WE'RE GOING TO KEEP THE COUNCILMEMBER COMPENSATION AND TERM LENGTH SEPARATE.

BECAUSE THE CITY MANAGER TENURE AND COMPENSATION COME UNDER THE SAME PROVISION, WE WERE INITIALLY THINKING OF KEEPING THAT AS ONE BUT GIVEN THE CONVERSATION, RIGHT NOW I'M LANDING WHERE MY RECOMMENDATION WOULD BE THAT WE WOULD KEEP THAT SEPARATE AS WELL. RIGHT NOW WE'RE LOOKING AT EIGHT DIFFERENT

PROPOSITIONS. >> GAVITO: THAT WOULD BE HELPFUL.

THANKS, ANDY. THANK YOU, MAYOR. >> MAYOR NIRENBERG: THANK YOU, COUNCILMEMBER ALDERETE GAVITO. COUNCILMEMBER

MCKEE-RODRIGUEZ. >> MCKEE-RODRIGUEZ: THANK YOU, MAYOR.

AND I WOULD LIKE TO CLARIFY -- YOU ASKED ME THIS QUESTION PRIVATELY.

I APPRECIATE THE IDEA OF COUNCIL MEMBERS NOT SOLICITING AN EMPLOYEE TO TAKE PART IN A CAMPAIGN AND I WOULD LEAVE THE CHANGE TO THE LANGUAGE AT THAT.

THAT'S WHERE I AGREE. OTHERWISE, SAY FOR IF WE WERE TO USE THIS LANGUAGE AS-IS, OUR CAMPAIGNS CAN POST THAT WE'RE LOOKING FOR JOBS OR WE HAVE OPPORTUNITIES TO GET INVOLVED OR OPPORTUNITIES TO DONATE.

AND CITY EMPLOYEES CAN REACH OUT TO US TO HELP IF THEY WANT.

I WOULD SAY WE SHOULD ALLOW THEM TO DECIDE THEIR LEVEL OF COMFORT.

THE WAY THAT IT'S WRITTEN NOW, IF AN EMPLOYEE DOES NOT PROACTIVELY NOTIFY EVERY ONE OF US WHETHER OR NOT THEY WOULD LIKE TO PARTICIPATE IN A CAMPAIGN, A COUNCILMEMBER CAN APPROACH THEM AND IF WE DON'T AND YOU APPROACH AN EMPLOYEE, YOU RUN THE RISK OF THE EMPLOYEE FEELING OBLIGATED TO PARTICIPATE. IN ADDITION TO THE LANGUAGE THAT WE RECEIVED FROM AFSCME, I WOULD PREFER THAT STAFF ASK A SAMPLE OF EMPLOYEES, MAYBE THE UNION, WHAT THEY BELIEVE BEFORE THE NEXT MEETING.

I THINK THAT'S WHAT A MAJORITY OF US WOULD LIKE TO SEE.

I WOULD STATE OVERALL IT WOULD BE A SERVICE TO OUR CITY EMPLOYEES IF WE PUNT ON THE QUESTION OF WHETHER TO EXTEND FULL POLITICAL RIGHTS WITH THEM .

YOU KNOW, THIS PROHIBITION MAY HAVE MADE SENSE IN ITS TIME, YET WE'RE CERTAIN THAT

[02:05:04]

IF A COUNCILMEMBER THAT THE COMMUNITY BECOMES SO UPSET WITH THAT THEY WANT TO GET RID OF THEM, YOU KNOW, THE COMMUNITY WILL HAVE THE SAY AT THE END OF THE DAY EITHER WAY. MOST TIMES, EXCEPT FOR A FEW TIMES OVER MORE THAN THE PAST DECADE, THE PEOPLE CHOOSE TO RE-ELECT THEIR COUNCILMEMBER SO IT IS A CONSIDERATION FOR THOSE ONE TO TWO-OFF SCANDALS OR CONFLICTS.

IT ALLOWS US TO GIVE ANY PROSPECTIVE COUNCIL AIDES OFFER BUT OUR POTENTIAL HIRES ARE COMPARING US WITH JOBS THAT AREN'T IN LIMBO EVERY YEAR OR EVERY OTHER YEAR. I VIEW CAMPAIGNING AS A SPORT. I LOVE CAMPAIGNING EVERY TWO YEARS.

THERE ARE TIMES I SAY I'M READY FOR CAMPAIGN SEASON NOW.

COME ONE, COME ALL. I LOVE CAMPAIGNING AND BEING CHALLENGED AND THE OPPORTUNITY TO PROVE MYSELF AND TO ARISE TO A CHALLENGE. I WOULD ALSO NOTE THAT WE HAVE CAMPAIGNS THAT ARE ACTIVE RIGHT NOW, KICKOFFS AND EVERYTHING.

JANUARY THROUGH NEXT JUNE. THAT'S 18 MONTHS OF CAMPAIGNING IF WE'RE KEEPING IT 100%. IF YOU'RE DOING A REALLY GOOD JOB, YOUR WORK IS CAMPAIGNING FOR YOU SO I KNOW MAN MOST OF US DON'T DO 18 MONTHS OF HARD CAMPAIGNS BUT LAST TERM WE GOT REALLY, REALLY LUCKY. I'M ALWAYS GOING TO DO A BIG IDEA PERSON. I LOVE A CCR. I LOVE A BUDGET OPPORTUNITY, ET CETERA. BUT LAST TERM WE HAD THE BOND, ARPA, AMENDMENTS, REDISTRICTING, CONTRACT NEGOTIATIONS AND MORE ALL LAST TERM.

WE CAN CHECK OFF ON OUR LIST THAT WE SECURED MONEY BUT A PROJECT DOESN'T STOP AT THAT POINT. WE'RE STILL RIGHT NOW IN THE ENGAGEMENT AND DESIGN PORTION OF MANY PROJECTS. THE REPRODUCTIVE FUND IS AN EXAMPLE.

IT'S BEEN ALMOST A YEAR SINCE WE AGREED TO FUND IT AND IF THAT WAS THIS YEAR WE HAD DONE THAT, GOING FROM OCTOBER OF THIS YEAR TO JUNE OF NEXT YEAR, LIKE SOME OF US WON'T BE HERE. AND I THINK THAT THE ISSUE OF TIME IS REALLY LESS ABOUT GETTING A PART OF SOMETHING DONE, IT'S ABOUT SEEING YOUR CCRS, YOUR BOND PROJECTS, YOUR CIP PROJECTS, YOUR BUDGET PROJECTS IMPLEMENTED. I'LL ALSO ADD THAT WE DO KEEP A RUNNING LIST OF ACCOMPLISHMENTS AND MANAGED TO ATTAIN THOSE EVERY TWO YEARS. I DON'T DOWN EVERYONE WILL MAINTAIN THEIR SENSE OF DESIRE TO SERVE THEIR COMMUNITY THE BEST. IN THE STRONGEST WAY THEY CAN. THOSE ARE THE POINTS I WANTED TO MAKE FOR

CLARIFICATION. THANK YOU. >> MAYOR NIRENBERG: THANK YOU, COUNCILMEMBER MCKEE-RODRIGUEZ. COUNCILMEMBER COURAGE.

>> COURAGE: NO THANKS, MAYOR. >> MAYOR NIRENBERG: OKAY.

ANYONE ELSE BEFORE WE CLOSE? BEFORE I CLOSE DISCUSSION? >>

>> MAYOR NIRENBERG: IT'S GOING TO REQUIRE A LITTLE BIT OF ADDITIONAL LISTENING.

WE'LL GO BACK OVER THE DISCUSSION TODAY. NEEDLESS TO SAY, IT WAS A GREAT DISCUSSION. THANK YOU AGAIN FOR THE PRESENTATION, DAVID, BONNIE, AND ALL THE WORK OF THE CHARTER REVIEW COMMISSION MEMBERS.

I HOPE YOU CAN HEAR THE GRATITUDE AND THE DELVING DEEPER INTO YOUR WORK THAT THE COUNCIL JUST DID. SO NEXT STEPS, WE ARE SCHEDULED TO CALL AN ELECTION, IF THAT IS WHAT THE COUNCIL DECIDES TO DO ON AUGUST 8.

THE FOLLOWING WEEK IS OUR BUDGET VOTE. PROPOSED BUDGET LAYOUT.

WE WILL MEET OUR DEADLINE IN TERMS OF THE FALL ELECTION. I WILL LAY OUT IN A MEMO WHERE WE LANDED TODAY IN TERMS OF RECOMMENDATIONS, THINGS LIKE SENSING GENERAL AGREEMENT ON COUNCIL COMPENSATION, WHERE THAT WOULD BE SET.

ALSO, IN TERMS OF THINGS LIKE EMPLOYEES' RIGHT TO POLITICAL ACTIVITY.

AGAIN, WHAT COUNCIL DECIDES TO PUT ON THE BALLOT, WHETHER THERE'S ANY CHANGE TO THE LANGUAGE LAID OUT, THAT WILL ALL HAPPEN ON AUGUST 8.

IT WILL TAKE A LITTLE BIT OF TIME TO PUT OUT THAT MEMO BUT EVERYONE WILL BE PREPARED IN TERMS OF WHAT NEXT STEPS WILL BE. I DO BELIEVE, ANDY, CORRECT ME IF I'M WRONG OR YOU'RE NOT PREPARED TO ANSWER IT NOW, THE VOTE WILL BE PRECEDED BY A HEARING OR IS THERE ONE? OKAY.

>> SEGOVIA: NO, MAYOR, THIS ONE DOES NOT REQUIRE A HEARING.

>> MAYOR NIRENBERG: OBVIOUSLY, THAT WILL BE A POSTED AGENDA ITEM SO CITIZENS WHO WOULD LIKE TO COME AND SPEAK ON WHAT COUNCIL WOULD BE VOTING ON

[02:10:04]

[EXECUTIVE SESSION At any time during the meeting, the City Council may recess into executive session to consult with the City Attorney's Office (Texas Government Code Section 551.071) and deliberate or discuss any of the following:  ]

PURCHASE, EXCHANGE, LEASE OR VALUE OF REAL PROPERTY PURSUANT TO SECTION 551.072.

AND LEGAL ISSUES RELATED TO LITIGATION INVOLVING THE CITY, EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS, AND COLLECTIVE BARGAINING PURSUANT TO 551.071.

I BELIEVE WE'RE IN THE C ROOM, COMPLETED. NO ACTION WAS TAKEN AT

* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.