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>> CLERK: GOOD AFTERNOON, WELCOME BACK TO CITY CITY COUNCIL.
THIS IS THE B SESSION OF AUGUST 7TH, 2019.
>> CLERK: MAYOR, WE DO HAVE A QUORUM.
>> MAYOR NIRENBERG: GOOD AFTERNOON, EVERYONE.
HOPE YOU ENJOYED YOUR SUMMER VACATIONS.
>> MAYOR NIRENBERG: I SAW HIM WALKING OUT OF CITY HALL AT 9:30 A COUPLE NIGHTS AGO, ALONG WITH DEPUTY CITY MANAGER
[1. 19-5673 Briefing on the Migrant Resource Center and associated services to asylum seekers traveling through San Antonio. [Colleen M. Bridger, MPH, PhD, Assistant City Manager; Melody Woosley, Director, Human Services]]
MARIA VILLAGOMEZ WORKING HARD ON OUR BUDGET.THERE'S ONE ITEM ON THE AGENDA FOR THE B SESSION, THE MIE GRANT RESOURCE CENTERS.
SO WE HAVE ONE ITEM ON THE B SESSION AGENDA, IT WILL BE AN UPDATE FROM DR. BRIDGER ON THE CITY AND OUR EFFORTS WITH OUR NONPROFIT PARTNERS AND OUR MIGRANT RESOURCE CENTER JUST AS A QUICK REMINDER, AT THE END OF MARCH, THE CITY AND OUR PARTNERS BEGAN ASSISTING INDIVIDUALS WHO WERE WITHIN THE ASYLUM-SEEKING PROCESS ESTABLISHED BY THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT. THE GOAL OF THIS WAS THAT WE TREAT THEM WITH COMPASSION AS THEY'RE TEMPORARY VISITORS.
OUR HUMAN SERVICES DEPARTMENT, MELODY, EDWARD, JESSICA, PATRICK, HAVE DONE AN OUTSTANDING JOB OF REPRESENTING THIS ORGANIZATION, THIS COMMUNITY, AND I WANT TO THANK YOU FOR ALL THE HARD WORK.
THERE'S BEEN A LOT OF COORDINATION FROM THE DEPARTMENT LEVEL.
OVER THE LAST FOUR MONTHS, WE HAVE SEEN ALMOST A LITTLE OVER 29,000 INDIVIDUALS PASS THROUGH SAN ANTONIO, AND IN PARTNERSHIP WITH OUR COMMUNITY PARTNERS, CATHOLIC CHARITIES, INTERFAITH WELCOME COALITION, TRAVIS PARK CHURCH, FOOD BANK, IT HAS BEEN CERTAINLY A TEAM EFFORT.
SO WE'LL GIVE YOU AN UPDATE TODAY.
I WILL SAY THAT THERE'S BEEN A LOT OF WORK, AND WE'VE TALKED ABOUT THIS PREVIOUSLY ABOUT POTENTIAL FEDERAL REIMBURSEMENT.
THOSE GUIDELINES WERE RELEASED BY FEMA LAST WEEK, AND SO WE WILL BE WORKING WITH THE UNITED WAY AND OUR PARTNERS TO SECURE THAT REIMBURSEMENT.
SO CERTAINLY WANT TO THANK THE TEAM, AND WE'LL GIVE YOU TODAY'S UPDATE.
>> DR. BRIDGER: GOOD AFTERNOON, WELCOME BACK.
SO WE NOW HAVE A CLICKER FOR MOVING SLIDES.
SO I'M COLLEEN BRIDGER, ASSISTANT CITY MANAGERMENT WE TOOK THE INTERIM OFF.
IT'S JUST TOO MANY WORDS AND I'M HAPPY TO GIVE THIS REPORT.
SO THE GOAL, AS THE CITY MANAGER MENTIONED, IS THAT WE WANT TO PROVIDE SERVICES AND A WELCOMING ENVIRONMENT FOR ASYLUM SEEKERS TRAVELING THROUGH SAN ANTONIO WITH THE PRIMARY OBJECTIVES OF MAKING SURE THAT THEIR STAY HERE IS SAFE, THAT IT IS RELATIVELY SHORT, AND THAT IT IS COMPASSIONATE.
BACKGROUND INFORMATION, STARTING EARLY THIS CALENDAR YEAR, SAN ANTONIO STARTED SEEING MORE AND MORE ASYLUM SEEKERS TRAVELING THROUGH SAN ANTONIO ON THEIR WAY TO THEIR FINAL DESTINATION CITIES.
BUT THE REAL SURGE STARTED HAPPENING IN LATE MARCH, AND ON MARCH 30TH, WE HAD A CALL FROM OUR NONPROFIT PARTNERS SAYING WE NEED HELP.
WE CAN'T DO WHAT NEEDS TO BE DONE IN ORDER TO HELP THESE ASYLUM SEEKERS GET THROUGH SAN ANTONIO ON THEIR WAY SOMEPLACE ELSE, CAN THE CITY PLEASE HELP US? SO WE HAD AN ALL HANDS-ON DECK CONVERSATION ABOUT THAT, WE IDENTIFIED SOME SPACE WHERE WE COULD HELP FOR DAY SHELTER.
WE IDENTIFIED STAFF WHO COULD HELP, AND WE PUT TOGETHER WHAT I LIKE TO DESCRIBE AS A FOUR-LEGGED STOOL.
SO WE HAVE CATHOLIC CHARITIES AS A CRITICA PARTNER, WE HAVE THE FOOD BANK AS A CRITICAL PARTNER, WE HAVE TRAVIS PARK CHURCH AS A CRITICAL PARTNER, AND THEN WE HAVE THE INTERFAITH WELCOME COALITION AS A CRITICAL PARTNER.
SO -- AND THEN THE CITY, I GUESS, IS THE SEAT.
SO WE HAVE WORKEDKE EXCEPTIONALLY WELL TOGETHER AS
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WE HAVE ADDRESSED THIS EVER-CHANGING SITUATION.ONE OF THE THINGS WE LIKE TO SAY ABOUT THIS RESPONSE IS THAT EVERY DAY IS A NEW DAY TO DO SOMETHING A LITTLE BIT BETTER, BECAUSE EVERY DAY WE'RE GIVEN A DIFFERENT SET OF CHALLENGES.
SO THIS HAS BEEN A REALLY GREAT OPPORTUNITY TO WORK WITH OUR COMMUNITY PARTNERS.
WE DO HAVE REPRESENTATIVES HERE FROM THE FOOD BANK, WE HAVE MARIO HERE FROM TRAVIS PARK CHURCH, WE HAVE GAVIN.
AND FROM CATHOLIC CHARITIES WE HAVE ANTONIO AND LIZZY.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR BEING HERE AND FOR ALL OF THE WORK THAT YOU AND YOUR STAFF HAVE DONE ON BEHALF OF THIS RESPONSE.
SO WE ARE -- OUR FOCUS IS ON PROVIDING BASIC SERVICES.
WHEN WE FIRST STARTED THIS, WE WERE LOOKING FOR A WARM PLACE FOR PEOPLE TO WAIT FOR THE BUS.
NOW WE'RE LOOKING FOR A COOL PLACE FOR PEOPLE TO WAIT FOR THE BUS.
BUT, YOU KNOW, A PLACE OUT OF THE ELEMENTS BECAUSE IF YOU DON'T HAVE A BUS TICKET OR IF YOUR BUS TICKET ISN'T IN THE NEXT SEVERAL HOURS, YOU'RE NOT ALLOWED TO WAIT AT THE BUS STATION, SO WE NEEDED A PLACE FOR FOLKS TO WAIT.
SO WE'VE GOT FROM THE TIME PEOPLE GET OFF THE SHUTTLE THAT COMES FROM THE DEL RIO AREA, THEY ARE GREETED BY IWC AT THE BUS STATION, HELPS PEOPLE UNDERSTAND IF THEY HAVE A BUS TICKET, WHAT THE PROCESS IS.
IF THEY DON'T HAVE A BUS TICKET OR IF THEIR BUS TICKET IS NOT UNTIL THE FOLLOWING DAY, THEY CAN GO ACROSS THE STREET TO THE MIGRANT RESOURCE CENTER AND THERE IS FOOD, THERE ARE TOYS AND BOOKS AND CRAYONS FOR THE KIDS.
THERE ARE PHONES FOR PEOPLE TO CALL FAMILY HERE IN THE UNITED STATES TO MAKE ARRANGEMENTS FOR TICKETS, OR JUST TO LET THEM KNOW THAT THEY'VE MADE IT SAFELY AS FAR AS SAN ANTONIO.
A LOT OF FOLKS WHEN THEY GET THERE, ONE OF THE FIRST QUESTIONS THEY ASK IS WHERE AM I? AND SO, YOU KNOW, WE LET THEM KNOW THAT THEY'RE IN SAN ANTONIO AND PROVIDE THEM ACCESS TO PHONES.
WE ALSO PROVIDE ACCESS TO WIFI, SO THAT THEY CAN, THROUGH VARIOUS APPS, CALL THEIR FAMILY BACK IN THEIR HOME COUNTRY AND LET THEM KNOW THAT THEY'VE MADE IT SAFELY TO SAN ANTONIO.
WE PROVIDE, OF COURSE, MEDICAL TRIAGE AND SERVICES, AND I'LL GO INTO MORE DETAILS ON THAT.
SO WHO ARE THESE FOLKS? AND SO YOU CAN SEE IN THE BACKGROUND THE MAP, THE RED AREAS INDICATING WHERE THE PREDOMINANT NUMBER OF OUR ASYLUM SEEKERS ARE COMING FROM, BUT WHAT WE SEE IS A LOT OF FOLKS FROM CENTRAL AMERICA, HONDURAS, GUATEMALA, EL SALVADOR, BUT WE ALSO SAW IN -- AND ARE CONTINUING TO SEE MIGRANTS FROM THE DOMINICAN REPUBLIC OF CONGO, AN GO LA AND HAITI.
EVERY TIME I TALK ABOUT THIS, I HAVE TO STATE: THESE FOLKS ARE ALLOWED TO TRAVEL LEGALLY IN THE UNITED STATES.
THEY CROSS THE BORDER, THEY PRESENT THEMSELVES TO BORDER PATROL.
BORDER PATROL PROCESSES THEM, DETERMINES IF THEY'RE ELIGIBLE TO BEGIN THE ASYLUM-SEEKING PROCESS, AND IF THEY DEEM THEM ELIGIBLE TO DO THAT, THEY RELEASE THEM WITH PAPERS INTO THE UNITED STATES THAT SAYS THAT THEY ARE HERE LEGALLY.
THAT GETS A LITTLE BIT CONFUSING FOR FOLKS, BUT THE INDIVIDUALS THAT WE ARE SERVING HAVE BEEN CLEARED BY THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT TO BE HERE AND ARE HERE LEGALLY.
SO A LITTLE BIT OF BACKGROUND ABOUT A ASYLUM SEEKING THAT INDIVIDUALS GO THROUGH IF THEY WOULD LIKE TO SEEK ASYLUM IN THE UNITED STATES.
THE FIRST ONE IS THE REFUGEE RESETTLEMENT PROCESS.
THAT'S A SITUATION WHERE THEY APPLY BEFORE THEY COME TO THE UNITED STATES.
AND IF THEY ARE GRANTED ASYLUM DURING THAT PROCESS, THEN THEY ARE BROUGHT IN AS REFUGEES.
AND THEY ARE GIVEN ACCESS TO ESSENTIALLY MORE SUPPORT AND MORE BENEFITS THROUGH THAT PROCESS.
THE SECOND ONE IS SOMEBODY WHO COMES INTO THE UNITED STATES LEGALLY WITH A VISA, AND ONCE THEY GET HERE, THEY PRESENT WITH A REQUEST FOR ASYLUM, AND THEN THE THIRD IS WHAT WE'RE DEALING WITH HERE, AND THOSE ARE FOLKS WHO COME TO THE BORDER, CROSS OVER THE BORDER, PRESENT THEMSELVES TO BORDER PATROL, AND REQUEST ASYLUM.
SO THROUGHOUT THIS PRESENTATION, WE WANTED TO PUT A HUMAN FACE ON SOME OF THE INDIVIDUALS THAT WE'VE BEEN WORKING WITH SO WE WANTED YOU TO MEET JULIE.
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[INDISCERNIBLE] AND THIS IS A CONSISTENT THEME WITH FOLKS COMING THROUGH OUR MIGRANT RESOURCE CENTER WHERE IF THEY WORK HARD, THEY CAN MAKE A BETTER LIFE FOR THEIR CHILDREN.SO WHAT DO WE DO? WE PROVIDE A VARIETY OF SERVICES, AND I'M GOING TO COVER THEM PRETTY QUICKLY, BUT AS I MENTIONED WHEN THEY GET OFF THE BUS, THE FIRST THING THAT THEY SEE IS A VOLUNTEER IN A BLUE VEST THAT SAYS WELCOME TO SAN ANTONIO.
HOW CAN I HELP YOU? AND THEY DIRECT THE MIGRANTS, EITHER TO THE BUS STATION OR TO THE MIGRANT RESOURCE CENTER, DEPENDING ON WHAT THEY NEED AND HOW LONG IT'S GOING TO TAKE THEM TO GET TO THEIR FINAL DESTINATION.
WE PROVIDE THREE MEALS A DAY, HOT MEALS A DAY, THANKS TO THE FOOD BANK, AND I KNOW A LOT OF Y'ALL HAVE VOLUNTEERED AT THE MIGRANT RESOURCE CENTER AND YOU KNOW THAT THE BUSIEST TIME FOR US AS VOLUNTEERS AT THE MRC IS DURING THE FOOD DISTRIBUTION PERIOD.
THERE'S A LOT OF PEOPLE TO GET THIS WARM MEAL TO AND THAT'S AN ALL HANDS ON DECK SITUATION, SO WE APPRECIATE YOUR VOLUNTEERING.
WE PROVIDE SHELTER BOTH DURING THE DAY, AGAIN, KEEPING FOLKS OUT OF THE ELEMENTS, WHETHER IT'S TOO HOT OR TOO COLD OUTSIDE, AND WE PROVIDE SHELTER AT NIGHT.
SO THANKS TO TRAVIS PARK CHURCH, WE HAVE A PLACE WHERE MIGRANTS CAN SPEND THE NIGHT IF THEIR TICKET DOESN'T LEAVE UNTIL THE NEXT DAY OR THEY ARE STRUGGLING TO GET THE TICKET TO THEIR NEXT DESTINATION.
WE PROVIDE AN OPPORTUNITY FOR THEM TO CONNECT WITH FAMILY.
WE PROVIDE AN OPPORTUNITY FOR THEM TO GET HEALTH SCREENINGS, SO IF SOMEBODY COMES TO THE MIGRANT RESOURCE CENTER AND ISN'T FEELING WELL, FOR EIGHT HOURS A DAY, WE HAVE MEDICAL STAFF THERE ON SITE THAT CAN PROVIDE SCREENING AND REFERRAL TO EITHER URGENT CARE OR EMERGENCY CARE, AND WE'VE DONE BOTH.
BUT MOST COMMONLY WHAT FOLKS NEED IS AN OVER-THE-COUNTER MEDICATION.
THEIR STOMACH GOT UPSET ON THE BUS ON THE WAY HERE, OR THEIR HEAD HURTS BECAUSE THEY HAVE BEEN STRESSED OUT AND THEY'RE TENSE.
THEY -- SO HAVING THAT OPPORTUNITY TO INTERACT WITH A MEDICAL PROVIDER WHO CAN HELP THEM UNDERSTAND WHETHER THIS IS SOMETHING THAT IS MINOR AND WE CAN HELP THEM HERE OR IS A LITTLE BIT MORE WORRISOME AND WE NEED TO GET THEM SOMEPLACE ELSE, WE PROVIDE THOSE SERVICES.
TRAVEL ASSISTANCE, CATHOLIC CHARITIES HAS DONE A PHENOMENAL JOB WITH HELPING FAMILIES WHO DON'T HAVE ENOUGH RESOURCES TO PURCHASE THE TICKET TO GET TO THEIR NEXT DESTINATION.
AND SO HAVING THEM AS PART OF THIS RESPONSE HAS BEEN INVALUABLE.
THE ALTERNATIVE IS WE HAVE FOLKS ARRIVING IN SAN ANTONIO WITH NO WAY TO GET TO THEIR FINAL DESTINATION, WHICH WOULD MEAN INDIVIDUALS STAYING HERE NOT JUST FOR DAYS, BUT FOR WEEKS AND POTENTIALLY EVEN MONTHS.
A LOT OF THESE INDIVIDUALS ARRIVE WITH ONLY THE CLOTHES THEY HAVE ON THEIR BACKS, AND ONLY THE CLOTHES THAT THE KIDS HAVE ON THEIR BACKS.
AND WE ALL KNOW KIDS ARE GOING TO GET DIRTY, THEY'RE GOING TO CRAWL AROUND, THEY'RE GOING TO SPILL SOMETHING.
SO WE'VE HAD A PARTICULAR FOCUS ON MAKING SURE THAT WE HAVE LOTS OF DIFFERENT SIZES OF CLOTHING FOR THE KIDS, TO MAKE SURE THAT WE CAN HELP THEM HAVE AT LEAST CLEAN CLOTHES WHEN THEY GET HERE.
WE ALSO THROUGH OTHER NONPROFIT PARTNERS CAN PROVIDE SOME LEGAL ORIENTATION, WHAT TO EXPECT NEXT IN THE ASYLUM-SEEKING PROCESS, IF THEY HAVE QUESTIONS, IF THEY NEED TO MOVE THEIR ASYLUM FIRST APPEARANCE DATE TO ANOTHER TIME.
WE HAVE HELP FROM TINO AND OTHER NONPROFITS, AND THEN EVERY ASYLUM SEEKER WHO COMES THROUGH THE MIGRANT RESOURCE CENTER, WHO COMES THROUGH TRAVIS PARK CHURCH GET AS HYGIENE KIT, SO IT HAS A TOOTHBRUSH, TOOTHPASTE, DEODE RANT, AND WE'VE RECENTLY BEEN ABLE TO START A SHOWER PROGRAM.
SO INDIVIDUALS WHO ARE HERE FOR TWO DAYS OR MORE ARE
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PRIORITIZED TO RECEIVE SHOWER SERVICES, AND THAT'S BEEN VERY WELL RECEIVED.SO HERE ARE OUR PRIMARY PARTNERS.
YOU CAN SEE THE EFFORT FOR THE CITY IS LED BY THE DEPARTMENT OF HUMAN SERVICES.
MEALS AND DONATION MANAGEMENT, SO PEOPLE WHO WANT TO DONATE DIAPERS AND FOOD CAN DO SO THROUGH THE FOOD BANK.
THAT'S BEING MANAGED BY SAN ANTONIO FOOD BANK.
CATHOLIC CHARITIES, AGAIN, HELPING WITH PURCHASING OF TICKETS.
THE OTHER THING THAT WE SEE FAIRLY FREQUENTLY IS A CHILD MAY HAVE CHICKENPOX, FOR EXAMPLE, AND RATHER THAN TRYING TO QUARANTINE THAT CHILD IN A ROOM AT THE CHURCH, WE WORK CLOSELY WITH CATHOLIC CHARITIES, AND THEY'RE ABLE TO GET A HOTEL ROOM FOR THAT FAMILY TO STAY IN, SO THAT WE'RE NOT HAVING OUTBREAKS OF CHICKEN BOX -- POX.
TRAVIS PARK CHURCH, THE OVERNIGHT SHELTER OPERATIONS HAVE BEEN PHENOMENAL, JUST ABSOLUTELY -- YOU KNOW, THERE'S NO PROBLEM THAT WE HAVEN'T BEEN ABLE TO WORK THROUGH, THE CAN-DO ATTITUDE IS AMAZING.
AND THEN IWC, WITH THEIR, YOU KNOW, WELCOMING, SMILING FACES.
REALLY CRITICAL PART OF THIS RESPONSE.
HERE ARE SOME OF THE CITY DEPARTMENTS WHO HAVE DONE KIND OF ABOVE AND BEYOND JUST THE VOLUNTEER SHIFTS.
SO METRO HEALTH WITH MEDICAL SERVICE COORDINATION, CENTER CITY DEVELOPMENT OFFICE, WE BASICALLY KICKED THEM OUT OF SOME OF THEIR OFFICE SPACE IN ORDER TO EXPAND THE MIGRANT RESOURCE CENTER.
THEY'VE BEEN SUPER FLEXIBLE ABOUT RELOCATING, THAT'S REALLY APPRECIATED.
THE POLICE DEPARTMENT HAS BEEN A CRITICAL PARTNER FOR US.
I'VE -- THE CHIEF'S HERE TODAY.
WE SO THANK YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT.
WE'VE HAD A COUPLE SITUATIONS WHERE WE NEEDED A LITTLE BIT OF EXTRA SECURITY AND SUPPORT.
I SMILE BECAUSE ONE OF THOSE SITUATIONS WAS WHEN INFO WARS DESCENDED UPON US, AND I CAME DOWN TO DO THE INTERVIEW WITH INFO WARS AND I LOOKED UP AND THERE WERE EIGHT BICYCLE COPS, LIKE IN A BANK READY.
WE DIDN'T NEED THEM, BUT I THINK THE FACT THAT THEY WERE THERE WAS ONE OF THE REASONS WHY WE DIDN'T NEED THEM.
SO THE FIRE DEPARTMENT WITH THEIR MOBILE INTEGRATED HEALTH UNIT WAS ONE OF THE CRITICAL MEDICAL SCREENING PERSONNEL IN THE BEGINNING, ESPECIALLY BEFORE WE COULD RAMP UP WITH SOME OF THE OTHER STUFF WE HAVE.
THE PUBLIC LIBRARY, THEY'VE BEEN REALLY HELPFUL WITH THINGS FOR KIDS TO DO.
IT'S A LONG DAY FOR THESE KIDS, AND THEY -- THEY NEED SOME ENTERTAINMENT.
THE LIBRARY'S BEEN VERY GOOD ABOUT THAT.
THE PARKS DEPARTMENT HAS ALSO BEEN REALLY GOOD TO HELP WITH THE KIDS.
AND THEN BESD, OF COURSE, YOU KNOW, WE HAD THE AIR CONDITIONING GO OUT, WE HAD THE TOILETS BACK UP, AND THEY'RE ALWAYS JOHNNY ON THE SPOT, REALLY THERE TO HELP US RESPOND WITH WHATEVER WE NEED.
SO AS THE CITY MANAGER MENTIONED, WE'VE HAD OVER 29,000 MIGRANTS COME THROUGH SAN ANTONIO ON THEIR WAY SOMEPLACE ELSE.
WE HAVE HAD 19,000, THIS IS AS OF YESTERDAY, 19,635 FOLKS SLEEPING AT TRAVIS PARK CHURCH, AND, YOU KNOW, THAT MEANS THAT THIS WEEKEND WE WILL LIKELY SURPASS THE 20,000 PEOPLE SLEEPING AT TRAVIS PARK CHURCH AS A RESULT OF THIS MIGRANT SURGE.
ALSO WANTED TO INTRODUCE YOU TO CARLOS ARTURO.
SO HE AND HIS SON JORDAN AND DAUGHTER MAYLAN CAME TO SAN ANTONIO.
THEY LEFT HONDURAS WHERE THEY WERE FLEEING VIOLENCE AND A LACK OF ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITY.
ALONG THE WAY, THEY MADE FRIENDS WITH THE OTHER INDIVIDUALS THAT YOU SEE IN THIS TO DO, AND THAT'S ANOTHER -- PHOTO, AND THAT'S ANOTHER REALLY NEAT THING THAT WE SEE WHEN GROUPS COME IN ON THE BUS, THEY'RE GROUPS THAT HAVE BONDED AS PART OF THEIR GURNEY HERE TO THE UNITED STATES.
AND THOSE BONDS ARE INCREDIBLY, INCREDIBLY STRONG.
SO HERE IS OUR -- YOU KNOW, IT WOULDN'T BE A PRESENTATION BY YOUR PUBLIC HEALTH PERSON IF WE DIDN'T HAVE A GRAPH, RIGHT? SO HERE IT IS GRAPHICALLY DEPICTED, WHAT OUR NIGHTLY CENSUS LOOKS LIKE.
AND SO AS YOU CAN SEE, IT'S A LOT OF UPS AND DOWNS, BUT YOU CAN ALSO SEE THAT THAT JUNE -- IT'S ACTUALLY JUNE 4TH.
I REMEMBER THAT DAY AS THE DAY THAT WE HAD MORE PEOPLE THAN WE HAD BEDS FOR AT TRAVIS PARK CHURCH, AND SO WE HAD TO OPEN A SECOND OVERNIGHT SHELTER, ONLY FOR A COUPLE OF NIGHTS, BUT IT WAS A MAJOR UNDERTAKING.
AND THE MAJORITY OF THOSE FOLKS SPOKE FRENCH.
FORTUNATELY, SO DO I, SO I WAS ABLE TO GET MORE INVOLVED, AND
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HELP OUT WITH THAT, WHICH WAS A LOT OF FUN.BUT, YOU KNOW, SO THE TAKEAWAY IS, YOU CAN SEE A LOT OF VOLATILITY, YOU CAN SEE THAT WE DID SPIKE IN JUNE.
THE TREND IS DOWN, AND THIS IS TYPICAL OF WHAT WE SEE WITH ASYLUM-SEEKERS COMING INTO THE UNITED STATES, THE TREND TYPICALLY GOES DOWN IN THE HOT SUMMER MONTHS.
SO WE DON'T KNOW WHETHER THIS DOWNWARD TREND AS A RESULT OF ANYTHING THAT'S HAPPENING AT THE FEDERAL LEVEL OR WHETHER IT'S HAPPENING BECAUSE IT ALWAYS HAPPENS EVERY YEAR AT THIS TIME.
SO INDIVIDUAL SHOUTOUTS, THE FOOD BANK HAS SERVED 71,000 -- OVER 71,000 MEALS.
THESE ARE CULTURALLY APPROPRIATE MEALS, AND THAT'S WHAT WHAT'S REALLY COOL.
WHEN WE HAD THE INCREASE IN THE CONGALISE ASYLUM SEEKERS, THE FOOD BANK ACTUALLY SAT DOWN WITH THEM AND TALKED ABOUT MEALS THAT THEY WOULD LIKE TO EAT AND TRIED TO REPLICATE A CONGALSES MEAL THAT WOULD HELP THEM FEEL WELCOME HERE IN SAN ANTONIO, AND IT'S LITTLE THINGS LIKE THAT THAT MAKES ALL THE DIFFERENCE IN THE WORLD.
WE HAVE HAD OVER 2,000 INDIVIDUALS RECEIVE MEDICAL SCREENING.
THE MAJORITY OF WHAT WE FIND ARE WHAT I CALL STRESS-RELATED ILLNESSES, SO WE'VE GOT, YOU KNOW, COLDS AND FLU, A COUPLE OF CASES OF CHICKENPOX, BUT WE'VE ALSO HAD SOME SEVERE ASTHMA ATTACKS THAT REQUIRED HOSPITALIZATION, AND, YOU KNOW, KIDS FOR WHOM THIS IS AN INCREDIBLY DIFFICULT JOURNEY AND A DIFFICULT SITUATION, AND THEIR LITTLE BODIES ARE JUST WORN OUT.
SO I ALSO WANT TO RECOGNIZE THE FACT THAT CITY STAFF HAVE BEEN INCREDIBLY HELPFUL.
13% OF OUR CITY CIVILIAN WORKFORCE HAS VOLUNTEERED IN THE MIGRANT RESOURCE CENTER.
THE STAFF HAS WORKED NEARLY 20,000 HOURS SINCE APRIL 1ST IN THE MIGRANT RESOURCE CENTER.
HERE ARE THE DIFFERENT DEPARTMENTS WHO HAVE BEEN INVOLVED AND I DO WANT TO GIVE A SHOUTOUT TO FINANCE AND SOLID WASTE ESPECIALLY, SO THOSE ACROSS THE TOP.
HUMAN SERVICES, FINANCE, SOLID WASTE, THEY HAVE BEEN ABSOLUTELY PHENOMENAL, TAKING ON MORE SHIFTS THAN WE ASKED OF THEM AND WHEN THEY TAKE ON SHIFTS, THEY GO ABOVE AND BEYOND.
IT'S JUST -- IT'S A REALLY GREAT TEAM-BUILDING OPPORTUNITY FOR THEM.
THEY TRAIN OTHER LEADERS ON HOW TO RUN SHIFTS.
THEY'RE JUST ABSOLUTELY INCREDIBLE.
BUT YOU CAN SEE NEARLY EVERY DEPARTMENT HAS BEEN INVOLVED IN THIS RESPONSE.
SO I'M TOLD THAT WHEN I HIT THIS BUTTON, THIS VIDEO'S GOING TO SHOW.
ARE YOU GOING TO MAKE IT GO? SO WE HAVE A QUICK LITTLE VIDEO THAT GPA PUT TOGETHER ABOUT OUR VOLUNTEERING.
>> DR. BRIDGER: SO I DON'T HAVE A VIDEO? AHH.
I WANT TO TALK ABOUT ALSO OUR COMMUNITY VOLUNTEERS.
SO WE'VE HAD OVER 520 COMMUNITY MEMBERS VOLUNTEER AT THE MIGRANT RESOURCE CENTER, AND, AGAIN, ALMOST 13,000 HOURS THAT THEY HAVE COMMITTED AND PARTICIPATED IN, EITHER VOLUNTEERING AT THE MIGRANT RESOURCE CENTER OR AT TRAVIS PARK CHURCH FOR THE OVERNIGHT SHELTER.
WANT TO GIVE A SHOUTOUT TO TEAMS FROM THE MARTINEZ STREET WOMEN'S CENTER, FROM VO LETTER RO, FROM THE CHURCH OF LATTER DAY SAINTS, FROM NORTHSIDE ISD AND OTHER GROUPS WHO'VE BEEN REALLY HELPFUL.
SO IN ADDITION TO PEOPLE VOLUNTEERING IN THE CENTER, WE'VE HAD OTHER GROUPS COME VOLUNTEER ESPECIALLY WITH THE KIDS, BECAUSE THESE ARE ALL FAMILY UNITS, THE MAJORITY OF THEM HAVE CHILDREN WHO COME WITH THEM, AND SO THIS IS THE COOLEST THING EVER, I THINK.
WE HAD A BASKETBALL TEAM FROM MOLDOVA COME TO SAN ANTONIO,
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AND AS PART OF THEIR, I'LL CALL IT A CAMP EXPERIENCE, THEY VOLUNTEERED AT THE MIGRANT RESOURCE CENTER WITH THE KIDS.AND THEN IT WAS THE NEATEST THING BECAUSE THEN THEY WROTE ABOUT THEIR EXPERIENCE.
SO THEY WROTE ABOUT IT IN ENGLISH SO THE ENGLISH IS REALLY FUNNY TO READ, BUT THE SENTIMENT IS SO HEARTFELT.
AND JUST THIS REALLY NEAT VOLUNTEER SPIRIT OF COMING FROM ANOTHER COUNTRY INTO THE UNITED STATES AND SEEING HOW THE UNITED STATES WAS WELCOMING THOSE LESS FORTUNATE WAS REALLY MEANINGFUL TO THESE YOUNG MEN TO SEE.
SO WE HAVE SOME PICTURES OF THEM.
WE ALSO HAVE HAD SAN ANTONIO FOOTBALL CLUB HAS COME AND PLAYED SOCCER WITH THESE KIDS, THANKS TO COUNCILMAN TREVINO FOR ORGANIZING THAT.
AND THAT WAS -- THAT'S BEEN A GOOD, FUN WAY FOR THESE KIDS TO GET SOME OF THAT ENERGY OUT AND INTERACT WITH FOOTBALL PLAYERS.
I MEAN, WOW! SO WE ALSO HAVE HAD SOME NICE ASSISTANCE FROM THE RESTAURANT CAMORA ACROSS THE STREET FROM THE MRC, THEY'VE BEEN KIND OF ADN OVERFLOW FOOD STORAGE FOR US WHEN WE NEED IT.
AND THE COMMUNITY HAS JUST BEEN PHENOMENAL WITH THEIR DONATIONS.
SO AS FAR AS OPERATIONAL CHALLENGES GO, BASICALLY WHAT WE'RE DEALING WITH ARE THREE MAJOR THINGS: ONE IS TRAVEL FUNDS.
SO WE DO HAVE FAMILY WHOSE ARRIVE HERE IN SAN ANTONIO WITH NO WAY TO PURCHASE THE TICKET TO THE NEXT PLACE WHERE THEY WANT TO GO.
AND SO WE, AGAIN, HAVE WORKED WITH CATHOLIC CHARITIES.
WE HAVE BECOME QUITE GOOD IN OUR ROLE AS TRAVEL AGENT.
I WOULD LIKE TO ESPECIALLY GIVE A SHOUTOUT TO TINO WHO I THINK MISSED HIS CALLING.
INSTEAD OF AN ATTORNEY, HE REALLY SHOULD HAVE BEEN A TRAVEL AGENT.
HE CAN FIND THE BEST DEAL EVER.
IT WAS NOT UNUSUAL FOR HIM TO SAY TO ME, OH, YEAH, I GOT THEM A TICKET FOR $5.
I'M LIKE, FIVES -- $5? HE'S BEEN PHENOMENAL.
AND ONE OF THE THINGS I DO WANT TO TALK ABOUT THAT SOMETIMES THE CHEAPEST WAY TO GET SOMEWHERE FAR AWAY FROM HERE LIKE NEW YORK OR SEATTLE IS A PLANE TICKET.
I KNOW THAT THAT SOUNDS LIKE WE'RE WASTING MONEY ON BUYING PLANE TICKETS.
WE ONLY BUY THE LEAST EXPENSIVE TICKET WE CAN FIND.
IF IT HAPPENS TO BE A PLANE TICKET, THEN WE WILL BUY THE PLANE TICKET.
THE OTHER THING TO REMEMBER IS THAT A LOT OF THESE FAMILIES DO COME WITH TICKETS THAT WERE ALREADY PURCHASED BY THEIR FAMILY MEMBERS, AND SOMETIMES THOSE TICKETS ARE PLANE TICKETS.
SO WE TAKE DAILY BUSLOADS OF PEOPLE TO THE AIRPORT TO GET TO THE NEXT DESTINATION, BUT, AGAIN, IF WE'RE PAYING FOR IT, AND BY "WE" I MEAN OUR PARTNERSHIP, CATHOLIC CHARITIES, IT'S BECAUSE THAT WAS THE LEAST EXPENSIVE WAY TO DO THAT.
SO WE ARE ALSO -- SO WE TAKE FOLKS EITHER TO THE AIRPORT OR TO ONE OF A NUMBER OF DIFFERENT BUS STATIONS THROUGHOUT THE CITY, SO WE'RE SHUTTLING PEOPLE THROUGH A LOT.
WE ALSO SHUTTLE PEOPLE IF THEY NEED TO GO TO THE DOCTOR OR TO THE HOSPITAL.
WE SHUTTLE PEOPLE TO WESTERN UNION BECAUSE SOMETIMES WHAT HAPPENS IS THE FAMILY CAN WIRE MONEY TO SAN ANTONIO, AND THEN THE FAMILY CAN USE THAT MONEY TO PURCHASE THEIR TICKETS.
SO COORDINATING LOCAL TRANCE PORTION HAS BEEN A LOGISTICAL CHALLENGE FOR US THAT I DON'T THINK WE ANTICIPATED IN THE BEGINNING.
WHEN WE FIRST OPENED THIS, WE THOUGHT IT WAS A TWO-WEEK GIG.
WE WERE PREPARED TO DO THIS FOR TWO WEEKS.
AND WHEN YOU'RE USING COMMUNITY VOLUNTEERS, THEY LIKE THINGS THAT LAST TWO WEEKS.
WE'RE NOW IN MONTH FIVE, AND FOLKS ARE STARTING TO SEE THIS AS LESS OF A VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITY AND MORE OF LIKE A JOB THAT DOESN'T PAY.
AND SO, YOU KNOW, HAVING TO MAKE THAT TRANSITION FOR FOLKS HAS BEEN A CHALLENGE FOR US AS WELL.
TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE MONEY.
SO TOTAL DIRECT EXPENDITURES BY THE CITY IS RIGHT AROUND $300,000.
SO THAT'S FROM MARCH 31ST TO LAST WEEK.
OF THAT, WE HAVE GIVEN 141,000 TO CATHOLIC CHARITIES.
CATHOLIC CHARITIES HAS THEN SUBCONTRACTED $81,000 OF THAT TO TRAVIS PARK CHURCH.
SO IN THE BEGINNING, THAT WAS THE MOST EXPEDITIOUS WAY TO
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GET MONEY FROM THE CITY TO TRAVIS PARK CHURCH IS TO GO THROUGH CATHOLIC CHARITIES.THAT MEANS THAT $30,000 WENT TO CATHOLIC CHARITIES TO SUPPORT THEIR RESPONSE, AND 30,000 WENT TO THE FOOD BANK TO SUPPORT THEIR RESPONSE.
ABOVE AND BEYOND WHAT THE CITY HAS PAID FOR, THESE ORGANIZATIONS HAVE HAD EXPENSES.
AND SO THIS -- WHAT YOU SEE ON THIS SCREEN REPRESENTS THE COSTS ABOVE AND BEYOND WHAT THE CITY HAS PAID FOR THROUGH THE LAST WEEK.
THAT DOESN'T REFLECT WHAT THEIR COSTS IN THE FUTURE ARE GOING TO BE.
SO, FOR EXAMPLE, FOR TRAVIS PARK CHURCH, THEIR AVERAGE MONTHLY COST IS $50,000.
SO THEY'VE USED ALL OF THE CITY'S MONEY AND BY THE END OF THIS FISCAL YEAR THEY WILL HAVE SPENT $133,000 THAT IS NOT COVERED BY WHAT THE CITY IS PAYING FOR.
SO EACH OF THESE ORGANIZATIONS WILL TELL YOU THE STORY ABOUT HOW THE CITY DOLLARS WERE HELPFUL, BUT THEY DIDN'T COVER THE ENTIRE COST.
AND THAT'S WHY WE'RE VERY EXCITED TO WORK WITH THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT TO GET THE MAXIMUM REIMBURSEMENT THAT WE CAN FOR OUR PARTNERS AND FOR THE CITY IN THIS RESPONSE.
SO YOU'VE HEARD THAT THERE WAS $30 MILLION ALLOCATED TO LOCAL GOVERNMENTS TO -- FOR THEIR RESPONSE TO THE MIGRANT SURGE.
25MILLION OF THAT WAS RESERVED FOR BORDER STATES.
THERE WAS TALK ABOUT MAYBE IT WAS GOING TO BE EQUALLY DISTRIBUTED ACROSS ALL 50 STATES.
LOGIC PREVAILED AND THE BULK OF IT IS GOING TO THE BORDER STATES .
THEY HAVE SAID THAT THE TOP TWO PRIORITIES FOR REIMBURSEMENT ARE FOOD AND SHELTER.
AND THAT'S GOOD, BECAUSE THAT'S THE PREDOMINANT EXPENSE THAT WE ARE HAVING.
NOW, WHAT THEY HAVEN'T DONE IS GIVEN US THE APPLICATION.
THEY HAVEN'T GIVEN US THE APPLICATION DATE.
SO ALL THAT HAS HAPPENED IS THEY HAVE SAID OF THE 30 MILLION, 25 MILLION IS GOING TO BORDER STATES AND THIS GROUP IS GOING TO OVERSEE THE PROCESS.
SO WE'RE WAITING FOR THE EMERGENCY FOOD AND SHELTER NATIONAL BOARD TO GIVE US THE APPLICATION AND TELL US HOW THEY WANT US TO SUBMIT OUR APPLICATIONS FOR REIMBURSEMENT.
THAT'S DIFFERENT FROM THE LANGUAGE IN THE LEGISLATION.
WE ARE CHEERFULLY ACKNOWLEDGING THAT THAT'S A CHALLENGE, BUT NOT ONE THAT'S GOING TO PREVENT US FROM APPLYING AS SOON AS THAT APPLICATION HITS THE INTERNET.
IF YOU'RE CURIOUS ABOUT HOW MUCH MONEY WE THINK WE'RE GOING TO BE ASKING FOR, WHEN WE DID CALCULATIONS, WE THINK THAT THE CITY WILL HAVE RECEIPTS THAT WILL JUSTIFY REIMBURSEMENT OF $620,000.
WE THINK THAT OUR PARTNERS WILL HAVE RECEIPTS THAT TOTAL ABOUT $600,000.
AND SO BETWEEN THE TWO OF US, WE'LL HAVE A LITTLE OVER $1.2 MILLION OF RECEIPTS THAT WE WILL BE SUBMITTING TO THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT FOR REIMBURSEMENT.
AND WE WILL KEEP YOU POSTED AS WE GET MORE DETAILS ON WHAT THAT WILL LOOK LIKE.
FINALLY, I WOULD LIKE TO RECOGNIZE THAT EACH OF YOU HAVE A GIFT FROM INDIVIDUALS WHO HAVE COME THROUGH THE MIGRANT RESOURCE CENTER.
SO ALL OF YOU HAVE THE SAME THANK YOU NOTE, BUT EACH OF YOU HAS A DIFFERENT OUTLINE OF CHILDREN'S HAND PRINTS AND SOME BABY'S FEET PRINTS.
SO FOLKS JUST WANTED TO SHARE THAT WITH YOU AS A SMALL TOKEN OF THEIR APPRECIATION FOR THE COMPASSION THAT SAN ANTONIO HAS SHOWN THEM AS THEIR FIRST REAL EXPERIENCE IN THE UNITED STATES.
SO IN CASE YOU ARE WONDERING WHAT THE NOTE SAYS, I HAVE TRANSLATIONS -- I THINK THE NOTE IS THE FIRST ONE, RIGHT, THAT THEY HAVE IN THEIR THING? SO I WILL NEVER FORGET THIS DATE BETWEEN FEARS AND TEARS OF JOY.
WE MANAGED TO GET TO SAN ANTONIO, SADLY KNOWING THAT WE COULD NOT TRAVEL, WHEN WE FOUND A NICE PERSON OF NOBLE HEART.
THEY BROUGHT US TO A NICE PLACE WHERE IT'S BETTER THAN HOME.
IT'S A JOY TO KNOW THAT IN SUCH A BIG COUNTRY, THERE ARE PEOPLE WHO ARE THINKING OF US IMMIGRANTS.
AND THEN THERE'S A SECOND PART OF THAT NOTE THAT SAYS WE ARE
[00:35:01]
NOT BAD, WE DO NO HARM.WE ARE ONLY LOOKING FOR A FUTURE FOR OUR CHILDREN.
GOD BLESS ALL THESE BEAUTIFUL PEOPLE.
THE LORD IS MY SHEPHERD, THERE IS NOTHING I LACK, PSALM 23.
SO ON THAT NOTE, I WILL CLOSE THE PRESENTATION AND I'M HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS.
>> MAYOR NIRENBERG: THANK YOU VERY MUCH, DR. BRIDGER, AND CONGRATULATIONS TO YOU SHEDDING THE INTERIM LABEL AS WELL.
>> MAYOR NIRENBERG: WELL, THANK YOU FOR THE PRESENTATION.
AND ANYBODY WHO IS CURIOUS OR DIDN'T REALLY KNOW WHAT COMPASSIONATE CITY MEANS, I THINK HAD THEIR QUESTIONS ANSWERED IN YOUR PRESENTATION, SO VERY MUCH APPRECIATE THAT.
I WAS ARTICULATED IN OUR COUNSEL'S CHARTER FOR COMPASSION A COUPLE YEARS AGO, AND WE CAN SEE IT DEMONSTRATED EVERY SINGLE DAY AT THE MRC, AND I WOULD ENCOURAGE ANYBODY WHO'S LISTENING IF THEY JUST WANT TO FEEL GOOD ABOUT THE CITY, THEY SHOULD GO DOWN AND VOLUNTEER A COUPLE HOURS.
I DO WANT TO THANK ALL THE PARTNERS WHO HAVE MADE THE MRC POSSIBLE STARTING WITH OUR CITY STAFF, CITY MANAGER ERIK WALSH, STILL THE BEST MOMENT I'VE SPENT BEING A PART OF CITY HALL WAS GETTING THAT CALL FROM YOU, ERIK, SO THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR THAT.
ALL OF THE DEPARTMENTS AND VOLUNTEERS AND EMPLOYEES THAT HAVE BEEN PART OF THE MRC OPERATIONS.
THE INTERFAITH WELCOME COALITION, SAN ANTONIO FOOD BANK, TRAVIS PARK CHURCH, CATHOLIC CHARITIES, RIESIS, SO MANY OTHER PARTNERS INVOLVED.
AND IF I DIDN'T NAME A PARTICULAR ORGANIZATION, IT'S NOT THAT THEY HAVEN'T BEEN INVOLVED.
IN FACT, WE'VE BEEN THROUGH EFFORTS LIKE THIS BEFORE, NEVER SO MUCH FOCUSED AS THEY HAVE BEEN OVER THE LAST SILVER -- SEVERAL MONTHS, BUT EVEN IN OUR NORMAL OPERATIONS DURING THE TIME OF REFUGEE RESETTLEMENT, WE'VE DEALT WITH A NUMBER OF THESE ISSUES, AND IT'S GREAT TO SEE THEM CONSOLIDATED LIKE THIS IN AN EFFORT -- AND I DO WANT TO SAY THANK YOU, DR. BRIDGER, FOR BEING A GREAT EXAMPLE TO OTHER COMMUNITIES, OTHER CITIES, ABOUT HOW WE CAN HANDLE WHAT HAS BECOME A HUMANITARIAN CRISIS IN A VERY YOU HUMANE AND COMPASSIONATE WAY.
SO THIS ENTIRE EFFORT IS BEING DRIVEN LARGELY BY VOLUNTEERS UNDER SOME COORDINATED DIRECTION BY VERY ABLE PEOPLE LIKE TINO.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH, ALSO, TINO FOR YOUR EXPERTISE IN THIS.
SO MY QUESTION IS, FOR THOSE PEOPLE WHO JUST -- YOU KNOW, THEY HAVE A HEART FOR HELPING, AND THAT'S WHAT WE DO HERE, WE DON'T -- THE FIRST THING WE ASK IS HOW CAN WE HELP? AND SOMEONE IS WATCHING AND WANTING TO KNOW WHAT THEY CAN BE INVOLVED, I WAS THERE ABOUT A WEEK OR TWO AGO, AND THE ROTARY CLUB HAPPENED TO DROP OFF LIKE 75 DOLLS THAT THEY HAD HAND MADE JUST TO GIVE, YOU KNOW, THE CHILDREN SOMETHING TO PLAY WITH.
IF SOMEBODY HAS AN HOUR OF TIME OR AN ARTICLE OF CLOTHING OR A CHECK THEY WANT TO WRITE, HOW DO THEY GET INVOLVED WITH THAT?
>> DR. BRIDGER: SO THERE ARE A NUMBER OF DIFFERENT WAYS.
THEY CAN INTERACT WITH ANY OF OUR PARTNER ORGANIZATIONS TO PROVIDE VOLUNTEER SUPPORT AND/OR FINANCIAL OR OTHER DONATIONS SNRMPLET OR THEY CAN WORK THROUGH OUR DEPARTMENT OF HUMAN SERVICES TO SHINE UP FOR SHIFTS AND ACTUALLY COME IN AND WORK AT THE MIGRANT RESOURCE CENTER.
BUT WHO SHOULD THEY CONTACT? I MEAN, IS THERE A ONE STOP FOR --
>> DR. BRIDGER: IF THEY PULL UP DHS, IS THERE A PAGE... SO IF YOU GO TO THE IMMIGRANT SERVICES WEBSITE, THEY'LL FIND A LINK FOR THAT SIGNING UP TO VOLUNTEER.
>> MAYOR NIRENBERG: ON THE SANANTONIO.GOV WEBSITE?
>> MAYOR NIRENBERG: IF WE COULD MAYBE GET THAT OUT TO COUNSEL AND MAYBE HAVE A QUICK LINK THAT SOMEBODY CAN CLICK.
ERIK, I KNOW YOU'VE HAD A LOT OF CONVERSATIONS WITH OTHER CITIES THAT WANTED TO KNOW WHAT WE'RE DOING AND WANTED INFORMATION ABOUT WHERE PEOPLE ARE BEING SENT, WHAT ARE YOU HEARING FROM OTHER CITIES IN THEIR OPERATIONS? ANYTHING THAT WE CAN GLEAN FROM THEM? WHAT WE CAN EXPECT MOVING FORWARD IN TERM OF THE FLOW OF RESOURCES.
>> WALSH: I'VE TALKED TO SOME OF THE CITY MANAGERS IN THE SMALLER CITIES CLOSER TO THE BORDER, I TALKED TO THE CITY MANAGER OF TUSCAN, THE COMMON DENOMINATOR OF HOW COMMUNITIES ARE DEALING WITH THIS ALONG THE BORDER STATES IS STRONG PARTNERSHIPS WITH COMMUNITY NONPROFITS.
THERE ISN'T ANYBODY THAT'S CAPABLE OF HANDLING IT ALL ON THEIR OWN, AND SO IN EACH OF
[00:40:02]
THOSE CITIES YOU SEE A BIG -- REAL STRONG TIE.SO -- AND WE'VE GOT A GOOD RELATIONSHIP WITH THE NONPROFITS HERE.
YOU KNOW, AND I WOULD POINT BACK TO KIND OF OUR ROLE DURING HURRICANES ALONG THE COAST AND HOW WE WORK TOGETHER HERE IN THIS COMMUNITY, WHICH REALLY SETS A GOOD FOUNDATION.
SECONDLY, I THINK AS I'VE TALKED TO OTHER CITY MANAGERS AND WE DO NEED TO HAVE A LONGER TERM SOLUTION LOCALLY FOR THIS, WE'VE GOT -- YOU KNOW, I'M SUPER PROUD OF THE NUMBER OF EMPLOYEES THAT HAVE ASSISTED, THE LEADERSHIP.
I MEAN, I SAID AT THE BEGINNING OF THE MEETING, THE LEADERSHIP OVER THERE ON THAT SIDE OF THE ROOM HAS BEEN CARRYING A HEAVY LOAD SINCE THE END OF MARCH, AND THERE ARE A LOT OF DEPARTMENTS THAT ARE ENGAGED, AND IT'S THE RIGHT THING TO DO, BUT I DO THINK WE NEED TO THINK THROUGH FROM A LONGER TERM PERSPECTIVE HOW ARE WE GOING TO DEAL WITH THIS.
AND A LOT OF PEOPLE ARE STRUGGLING WITH THAT RIGHT NOW.
>> MAYOR NIRENBERG: YEAH, I WOULD AGREE WITH THAT.
IN FACT, WE KNOW EVEN THE ORIENTATION ON THIS ISSUE CHANGES FROM ONE ADMINISTRATION TO THE NEXT.
EVEN IN THE PREVIOUS ADMINISTRATION WE WERE HAVING QUITE AN ANNUAL FLOW OF REFUGEES AROUND THE WORLD THROUGH THE OFFICE OF REFUGEE RESETTLEMENT PROGRAM, AND EVEN AT THAT TIME WE HAD TALKED ABOUT SOME KIND OF PERMANENT OR SEMIPERMANENT OPERATION AS IT RELATES TO WELCOMING NEW AMERICANS WAS ONE OF THE LIST OF BEST PRACTICES, I BELIEVE, THAT THE ADMINISTRATION HAD PUT OUT, TOO.
SO I WOULD LIKE TO SEE, YOU KNOW, A PROPOSAL, WHAT THAT WOULD LOOK LIKE FOR US, WHO WOULD BE INVOLVED, HOW WE CAN -- HOW WE CAN HELP.
I WOULD IMAGINE THAT INTERGOVERNMENTAL RELATIONS COMMITTEE MIGHT ALSO WANT TO TAKE A LOOK AT THAT, BECAUSE THERE ARE FEDERAL PROGRAMS THAT E WOULD NEED TO BE INVOLVED AS WELL.
BUT I AGREE, I THINK IT'S GREAT WHAT WE'RE DOING.
WE'RE DEMONSTRATING TO THE WORLD THAT IT CAN BE DONE, BUT IT'S NOT -- IN THE WAY THAT IT'S BEING CONDUCTED -- A PERMANENT SOLUTION AND WE'RE GOING TO NEED ONE.
MELODY AND I HAVE DISCUSSED THIS FOR A FEW YEARS, THERE'S SOME OPERATIONS IN PLACES LIKE HOUSTON THAT ARE BEING CONDUCTED WITH GREAT SUCCESS AND I THINK THERE'S SOME THINGS THAT WE CAN LEARN OUT THERE, TOO.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH, DR. BRIDGER.
>> SANDOVAL: THANK YOU VERY MUCH, MAYOR.
THANK YOU, ERIK, FOR THE PRESENTATION AND, OF COURSE, TO STAFF AND ALL THE PARTNERS THAT ARE HERE FOR YOUR SUPPORT.
AND ALL THE STAFF VOLUNTEERS AS WELL AND PARKS AND REC FOR COMING OUT, PLAYING WITH THOSE KIDS.
I'VE BEEN -- I'VE BEEN TO THE MIGRANT CENTER TO VOLUNTEER AND I KNOW SOME OF MY COLLEAGUES HAVE AS WELL.
AND YOU'VE SENT YOUR STAFF THERE SEVERAL TIMES, COUNCILMAN.
AND I THINK IT'S EXACTLY WHAT THE MAYOR SAID. IT'S ACTUALLY HUMANITARIAN CRISIS, ONCE YOU'RE THERE, IT REALLY BECOMES BLACK AND WHITE, THAT'S WHAT WE'RE EXPERIENCING AND IT'S HERE IN OUR CITY, IT'S JUST A FEW BLOCKS AWAY.
AND, YOU KNOW, WE OFFER SO MUCH GREAT THINGS, BUT THE NEED IS BIGGER THAN WHAT WE CAN GIVE RIGHT NOW.
AND I -- YOU KNOW, I COULDN'T HELP BUT THINK, WE'VE PUT TOGETHER, THE CITY AND MANY PARTNERS, PUT TOGETHER THE TRICENTENNIAL.
WE HAD THE FINAL FOUR, WE HAD THE PEOPLE FROM THE HURRICANES, AND THE CITY REALLY STEPPED UP TO THAT.
AND I DON'T THINK WE'RE THERE YET AT THAT STEP UP POINT BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, YOU'VE BEEN LIMITED WITH THE RESOURCES THAT WE'VE GIVEN YOU.
AND I DON'T THINK ULTIMATELY THIS WILL ALL FALL ON THE CITY.
I THINK WE WILL HAVE TO LOOK AT SOME OF OUR PARTNERS, LOCAL AND BEYOND, INCLUDING THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT, BUT OTHER PARTNERS TO PARTAKE IN THIS.
SO I WOULD ECHO THE MAYOR'S SENTIMENTS THAT I WOULD ALSO LIKE TO SEE WHAT DOES A LONGER TERM SOLUTION LOOK LIKE IN TERMS OF FACILITIES? IN TERMS OF COST? I KNOW WHEN I WAS THERE, THE BOTTLENECK IN GETTING PEOPLE THROUGH WAS FUNDING THOSE -- THE TRAVEL.
PEOPLE WERE WAITING FOR SEVERAL DAYS TO GET THAT -- GET THAT FUNDED, AND THAT THAT WON'T BE REIMBURSED BY THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT, SO REALLY WHAT DOES THAT LOOK LIKE IF TINO BUYS ALL THE TICKETS? BECAUSE THAT WILL BE A LOWER COST THAN IF THEY HAVE TO BUY THEM ON THEIR OWN.
>> DR. BRIDGER: THAT'S EXACTLY RIGHT.
>> SANDOVAL: HEAD OF PROCUREMENT, YOU'VE GOT A NEW TITLE.
AND YOU'RE RIGHT, SOMETIMES IT IS CHEAPER TO FLY.
WE WERE TALKING TO SOME OF THE MIGRANTS GOING THROUGH THERE, AND, YOU KNOW, GREYHOUND CHARGES HALF THE PRICE IF YOU BUY THE TICKET SEVEN DAYS OR MORE IN ADVANCE, RIGHT? BUT IF YOU BUY IT THAT WEEK THAT YOU'RE TRAVELING, WHICH IF YOU'RE A MIGRANT IN A
[00:45:01]
HUMANITARIAN CRISIS, YOU REALLY DON'T WANT TO WAIT A WEEK, IT'S A WHOLE LOT MORE.SO I THINK THERE'S SOME ECONOMIES OF SCALE MAYBE THAT WE CAN GAIN BY CENTRALIZING THAT AND BRINGING ON SOME PARTNERS.
SO ANYWAY, THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR THE PRESENTATION, AND I LOOK FORWARD TO HEARING WHAT OUR NEXT STEPS MIGHT BE AND HOW WE CAN HELP NOT JUST AS A COUNCIL, BUT OUTSIDE AS PERSONAL CITIZENS HOW WE CAN ASSIST IN THIS EFFORT.
>> MAYOR NIRENBERG: THANK YOU, COUNCILMEMBER SANDOVAL.
COUNCILMEMBER GONZALES? GONZALES GONZALES THANK YOU.
I JUST REALLY WANTED TO TAKE AN OPPORTUNITY TO THANK EVERYONE THAT HAS BEEN WORKING ON THIS ISSUE.
BUT I HAVE A COUPLE OF QUESTIONS ABOUT ANY PRIVATE SECTOR PARTNERS. YOU MENTIONED VALERO, BUT THAT WAS THE ONLY ONE.
WAS THERE NOT ANY PRIVATE SECTOR PARTICIPATION?
>> DR. BRIDGER: NOT FROM A GROUP PERSPECTIVE.
I MEAN, PLENTY OF PRIVATE SECTOR INDIVIDUALS HAVE VOLUNTEERED ONE BY ONE.
VALERO SENT A TEAM, BUT NOT IN ANY SORT OF CONCERTED WAY.
WELL, WE'D HOPE THAT COULD HAPPEN IN THE FUTURE PERHAPS THERE NEEDS TO BE AN ORGANIZED EFFORT TO REQUEST THAT SOME OF OUR PRIVATE SECTOR BUSINESSES PARTICIPATE IN ANY WAY.
AND MANY TYPICALLY DO ANYWAY FOR ALMOST EVERYTHING WE REQUEST, SO HOPEFULLY -- MAYBE WE NEED TO FIND OUT HOW THEY CAN BE MORE HELPFUL.
AND THOSE ARE REALLY ALL THE QUESTIONS I HAD ABOUT THE PRIVATE SECTOR PARTICIPATION IN THESE, BECAUSE I DO SEE EVERYBODY HERE IS NONPROFIT WORKING ON THIS ISSUE, SO WE HOPE THAT WE CAN GET THEM TO PARTICIPATE AS WELL.
AND JUST THANK YOU TO EVERYONE, ESPECIALLY THE PEOPLE THAT HAVE BEEN AT THIS FOR A REALLY LONG TIME, LIKE CATHOLIC CHARITIES AND THE INTERFAITH COALITION AND THOSE THAT HAVE SPENT REALLY THEIR LIFE'S WORK HELPING MIGRANTS.
I SHOULD CLARIFY SO THAT THE CITY'S ALLOCATION OF 141,000 CAME WITH A MATCH TO THE COMMUNITY.
SO THERE WAS -- AND IT WAS A 1 TO 3 MATCH, SO FOR EVERY DOLLAR THAT THE CITY EXHIBITED, WE -- CONTRIBUTED, WE WERE LOOKING FOR $2 FROM THE COMMUNITY.
SO PLENTY OF PRIVATE INDIVIDUALS AND COMPANIES STEPPED UP TO PROVIDE FUNDING AND DONATIONS TO HELP OUT, SO I DON'T WANT TO UNDERMINE THAT.
>> GONZALES: DID WE GET THAT MATCH?
>> DR. BRIDGER: YES, WE TOTALLY -- WE KILLED THAT MATCH.
>> GONZALES: DO YOU HAVE A RECORD OF THAT, OF HOW MUCH --
>> DR. BRIDGER: WE DO HAVE A RECORD.
WE PUT TOGETHER A MONTHLY FINANCIAL REPORT, SO WE'LL SEND THAT THROUGH THE CITY MANAGER'S OFFICE.
WE'RE ABOUT DUE FOR ANOTHER MONTHLY REPORT, BUT, YES.
WELL, I'M GLAD TO HEAR THAT UNTIL YOU MENTION THAT THAT WAS PART OF THE DISCUSSION THAT WE HAD WHEN WE HAD THIS CONVERSATION LAST TIME.
AND ALSO, DR. BRIDGER, YOU SPEAK FRENCH, SPANISH.
>> DR. BRIDGER: I'D LIKE TO SAY I SPEAK SOUTHERN.
I GREW UP IN MICHIGAN, SO I HAD TO LEARN HOW TO SPEAK SOUTHERN WHEN I CAME TO NORTH CAROLINA AND TEXAS.
>> MAYOR NIRENBERG: THANK YOU COUNCILMEMBER GONZALES.
JUST REAL QUICK TO BE CLEAR, VALERO WAS OUT THERE.
THERE HAVE BEEN TEAMS FROM OTHER COMPANIES, THERE WAS A CREDIT UNION, I KNOW WHATABURGER WAS THERE, THEY MAY NOT HAVE BEEN SELF-IDENTIFIED, WE MAYBE OUGHT TO HAVE A CHECK-IN IF THERE ARE VOLUNTEERS COMING DOWN AS A GROUP SO THEY CAN GET SOME RECOGNITION, IF THEY WANT IT, FOR BEING DOWN THERE AS A TEAM OF VOLUNTEERS.
>> WALSH: MAYOR, WE'LL DO THAT AND I'LL INCLUDE THAT AT THE END OF THIS WEEK'S REPORT E-MAIL ON FLY DAY AFTERNOON.
THANK YOU DR. BRIDGER, FOR ALL YOUR HARD WORK ON THIS.
THESE ARE REALLY, REALLY TOUGH ISSUES, AND I THINK THERE'S JUST A LOT OF GREAT PEOPLE TO THANK.
SO THANK YOU FOR THE PRESENTATION WAS WELL DONE AND I'D LIKE TO ALSO JUST SIMPLY PUBLICLY THANK MY STAFF WHO HAS VOLUNTEERED AND EVEN MY CHIEF OF STAFF'S DAUGHTER SOPHIA HAS GONE OUT TO VOLUNTEER AT THIS LOCATION.
AND, OF COURSE, YES, YOU MENTIONED THAT WE ORGANIZED A GREAT SOCCER MATCH.
IT WAS -- IT WAS LIKE A DEATH MATCH.
I MEAN, THEY WERE GOING AT IT.
AND THESE KIDS WERE SO EXCITED, I MEAN, THEY WERE PLAYING AGAINST PROFESSIONAL FOOTBALL PLAYERS, RIGHT? I MEAN, IT'S AMAZING THAT THAT HAPPENED.
WE HOPE TO HAVE MANY MORE OF THOSE AS THEIR SCHEDULE
[00:50:01]
ALLOWS.SO THANKS TO MISSION LAHOOD, TO SAN ANTONIO FC AND ALL THE PARTNERS THAT HELPED GET THAT GOING.
I WANT TO TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THIS ISSUE, AND AS MANY OF Y'ALL KNOW, I'M ORIGINALLY FROM MCALLEN, AND THESE IS AN ISSUE I'VE BEEN SAYING FOR A LONG TIME IS GOING TO HIT US, AND WHEN IT DOES, IT'S GOING TO BE SOMETHING ELSE.
AND I FIRST WANT TO THANK ERIK WALSH BEFORE HE WAS EVER CITY MANAGER, HE WAS HELPING US -- YOU KNOW, I WAS TAKING TRIPS DOWN TO MCALLEN, AND ONE OF THE THINGS YOU HEAR ABOUT, ONE OF THOSE LOST STORIES IS HOW, YOU KNOW, THIS ISSUE, WHICH IS VERY COMPLEX AND YOU JUST HEARD DR. BRIDGER TALK ABOUT ALL THE ASPECTS AND ALL THE RESOURCES WE HAVE HERE, BUT IN MCALLEN, THERE'S A NUN THAT'S SORT OF TRYING TO TACKLE ALL THIS ON HER OWN.
AND I WANT TO THANK ERIK AND MR. SEPEDO OVER AT EMERGENCY OPERATIONS CENTER FOR HELPING TO CREATE AN EMERGENCY MANUAL FOR THEM.
I ALSO WANT TO THANK ANDY SEGOVIA.
I'M TELLING YOU THESE STORIES BECAUSE I'M GOING TO GET TO A POINT.
AND ANDY SENT A LETTER DOWN THERE, SPEAKING OF BUS TICKETS.
WHAT WAS HAPPENING DOWN IN MCALLEN, AND THIS IS -- IT'S APPALLING, WAS THAT THESE BUS TICKETS WERE INCREDIBLY EXPENSIVE.
AND I REMEMBER I HAD TO HELP SOMEBODY WITH THEIR BUS TICKET BECAUSE THEY JUST DID NOT HAVE ENOUGH MONEY.
AND TO YOUR POINT, DR. BRIDGER, YOU'RE RIGHT.
IT'S CRAZY TO THINK THAT A PLANE TICKET IS 1/4 THE COST OF A BUS TICKET TO ATLANTA, FOR EXAMPLE.
AND, YOU KNOW, HE SENT A LETTER.
AND I THINK THAT SORT OF SETS THE TONE FOR WHAT I HOPE WE CAN ACCOMPLISH AND WHAT I THINK WE REALLY NEED TO BE THINKING ABOUT AS ERIK MENTIONED, ABOUT ARIZONA AND ALL THE BORDER STATES.
WE'VE ALSO GOT TO THINK ABOUT THE SCALE IN WHICH A LOT OF THESE COMMUNITIES ARE TACKLING THIS.
THE FACT IS, CITY OF SAN ANTONIO IS MUCH, MUCH LARGER.
IN FACT, MY DISTRICT IS MUCH LARGER THAN THE CITY OF MCALLEN.
AND THEY'RE SEEING ABOUT 1200 OR MORE REFUGEES A DAY.
SO I WANT THAT TO SINK IN, RIGHT? NOW, THINK ABOUT ALL THE OTHER SMALLER COMMUNITIES, TOO, THAT ARE DEALING WITH THIS.
AND SO WHAT I'D LIKE FOR US TO THINK ABOUT IS THOSE LITTLE THINGS THAT WE -- THAT WE HAVE HERE AS RESOURCES THAT CAN HELP SOME OF THESE SMALLER COMMUNITIES, BECAUSE I THINK WHAT WE'RE SEEING IS, AS THESE BORDER STATES ARE SEEING, WHILE WE'RE BARELY SEEING IT NOW, THIS HAS BEEN GOING ON FOR YEARS IN MCALLEN.
AND AS THE PROBLEM STARTS TO REALLY GET TO A TIPPING POINT, WE START TO SEE IT.
AND I'D LIKE FOR US TO REALLY THINK ABOUT HOW WE CAN SHARE OUR RESOURCES IN A WAY THAT HELPS ALL OF US AND CONSIDERS THE FACT THAT THERE'S REALLY THESE TINY COMMUNITIES THAT ARE COMPLETELY OVERWHELMED.
AND I FORGOT TO MENTION, MARIA VILLAGOMEZ, IS SHE HERE?
>> DR. BRIDGER: NO, SHE'S DOING THE BUDGET.
WELL, I'VE GOT TO THANK HER, BECAUSE THIS IS ANOTHER GREAT STORY.
SISTER PEMBENTEL, AS I MENTIONED SHE WAS SEEING THAT MANY FOLKS A DAY WITH ONE SHOWER AVAILABLE FOR THEM AND WORKING WITH HER, WE WERE ABLE TO GET A SHOWER TRAILER DOWN THERE THAT THEY'RE STILL USING AND HAS REALLY CHANGED A LOT OF HOW THEY'RE ABLE TO ASSIST.
AND SO, AGAIN, THIS IS KIND OF WHAT I'M GETTING AT.
I UNDERSTAND, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE A RESPONSIBILITY HERE TO THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO, AND I ABSOLUTELY RESPECT THAT AND UNDERSTAND THAT, BUT THIS IS AN ISSUE THAT IS BEING SEEN ALONG THE ENTIRE BORDER.
AND SO ERIK, I REALLY -- YOU KNOW, AGAIN, ALONG WITH WHAT YOU'RE WORKING ON WITH THESE OTHER CITIES, I REALLY WOULD LIKE FOR US TO INCLUDE IN THERE THE IMPACT TO THESE SMALLER COMMUNITIES AND HOW THE BIGGER CITIES CAN SHARE IN RESOURCES SO THAT WE HAVE A MUCH BIGGER PLAN.
[00:55:01]
KNOW -- I HAVE TO SAY, OUR FEDERAL GOVERNMENT IS FAILING US, AND IT'S GOING TO BE UP TO THE MUNICIPALITIES TO SHOW THAT WE CAN STICK TOGETHER AND WE UNDERSTAND THAT THESE KINDS OF EVENTS AFFECT ALL OF US.AND THEY HAVE A RIPPLE EFFECT.
AND SO FINDING A WAY TO WORK TOGETHER AND SHARE DATA, SHARE INFORMATION, CREATE AN EMERGENCY OPERATIONS MANUAL THAT ALLOWS US TO REALLY UNDERSTAND HOW WE CAN ALL BE ON THE SAME PAGE SO THAT WHEN THESE RESOURCES ARE AVAILABLE, THEN WE CAN -- THEN WE CAN SHARE IN THEM.
AND, AGAIN, I THINK YOU GUYS ARE DOING A GREAT JOB.
I'M SUPER PROUD TO HAVE SEEN THE RESPONSE HERE LOCALLY.
I'M SUPER PROUD TO BE A PART OF THIS.
THERE'S MARIA VILLAGOMEZ, I JUST THANKED YOU, MARIA, FOR ALL YOUR WORK.
AGAIN, THANK THANK YOU EVERY DAY.
SO LASTLY, I JUST WANT TO TAKE THIS TIME TO ASK MY GOOD FRIEND GAVIN ROGERS TO MAYBE COME UP AND SHARE SOME OF HIS WORK AND A GOOD STORY HE'D LIKE TO TELL.
SO INFO WARS CAME TO TOWN AND THEY'RE ACCUSING US TO SUPPORTING PEOPLE WHO HAVE E BOWL -- EBOLA, COMING FROM THE CONGO, THEY CHARGED INTO THE MIGRANT RESOURCE CENTER, ALSO TO THE CHURCH AS WELL, AND IN THAT INTERVIEW, DR. BRIDGER CALMLY, COOL -- THE COOLEST THING I'VE EVER SEEN, SHE IN AN INTERVIEW EXPLAINING THAT THESE INDIVIDUALS DON'T HAVE EBOLA.
SO SHE REACHED AND STARTED TOUCHING A KID'S HEAD.
VISUALLY SHOWING THAT THIS PERSON IS SAFE, THIS PERSON IS LOVED.
THAT, TO ME, BLEW ME OUT OF THE WATER, BECAUSE IF SOMEBODY HAS EBOLA, THE ONE THING YOU DON'T DO IS TOUCH OR EVEN BE IN THE SAME ROOM.
AND SHE SHOWED THEM THAT TYPE OF LOVE AND THAT TYPE OF COMPASSION WHEN THAT FEAR WAS BEING SPREAD.
THANK YOU, DR. BRIDGER, FOR YOUR LEADERSHIP, THANK YOU TO TINO, EDWARD, MEL, JESSICA.
ALL THAT WORK IN THE CITY THAT CONSTANTLY DO THAT, THAT CONSTANTLY SHOW THE COMMUNITY, WHEN ALL THESE FACTS ARE BEING SPUN, THAT THIS IS A SOURCE OF LOVE, THIS IS A SOURCE OF SAFETY, AND EVERYBODY HERE IS WELCOME.
IF YOU WOULD HAVE TOLD ME THAT OUR CHURCH WOULD HAVE HOSTED NOW ABOUT 20,000 PEOPLE TO SLEEP AT OUR CHURCH, I WOULD HAVE PASSED YOU KNOW, WE SERVE ABOUT 600 HOMELESS A WEEK, SO ADDING THIS TO OUR PLATE WAS SOMETHING WE REALLY HAD TO CONSIDER.
ALONG WITH CATHOLIC CHARITIES AND THE AMAZING WORK THEY DO AND THE FOOD BANK AND JUST STUFF THEY DO NORMALLY IN THE COMMUNITY.
IT'S JUST BEEN AN AMAZING OPERATION JUST TO WATCH AND BE A PART OF.
YOU KNOW, AT FIRST WE WEREN'T PROVIDING SHOWERS JUST BECAUSE WE COULDN'T SHOWER PEOPLE FAST ENOUGH.
AND OUR PLACE, DURING THE NIGHTTIME -- THINK ABOUT THAT.
IT TAKES HOURS, SO THEY WOULD LOSE SLEEP.
AND FINALLY, AFTER GETTING ENOUGH VOLUNTEERS, MANY STEPPED UP ALONG WITH THE LATTER DAY SAINTS AND ST. MARKS IS DOING A CLOTHES CLOSET.
ALL THESE PEOPLE STEPPED UP TO ADD THESE SERVICES THAT TRAVIS PARK COULDN'T DO ALONE.
YOU KNOW, WE HAVE ANOTHER PLAY DATE AUGUST 25TH AT THE PARK.
SARA YATES AT THE RESERVATION OFFICE HAS GIVEN US THAT OPPORTUNITY.
WE HAVE ALSO DONE EASTER EGG HUNTS ON EASTER.
I GOT TO POP AN EGG ON MEL'S HEAD, WHICH WAS AWESOME.
AND THE ONE THING I WOULD SAY IS IN THIS PRESENTATION THEY DID TALK ABOUT THE REFUGEE RESETTLEMENT PROGRAM.
ONE OF THE REASONS WE HAVE SEEN AN INCREASE OF AFRICAN MIGRANTS IS BECAUSE THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT HAS SEVERELY REDUCED THAT LEGAL AMOUNT OF REFUGEES INTO OUR COUNTRY.
EACH ORGANIZATION, LET'S SAY THE METHODIST, THE CATHOLICS, EPISCOPALS, OTHER REFUGEE AGENCIES ARE GIVEN A NUMBER BY THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT.
WELL, THE TOTAL AMOUNT BETWEEN ALL THOSE LEGAL ORGANIZATIONS WAS REDUCED BY 85% IN THE LAST TWO YEARS.
AND SO THEREFORE THE AFRICAN MIGRANTS WHO WERE NORMALLY APPLYING THROUGH THE REFUGEE PROGRAM, HAVE A HARDER TIME DOING THAT BECAUSE IT WAS JUST REDUCED.
SO NOW THEY'RE JUST GOING THROUGH THE ASYLUM PROCESS.
STILL GETTING IN BUT IN MUCH MORE DISORGANIZED FASHION.
SO I THINK AS ELECTED OFFICIALS I CHALLENGE YOU TO CONTACT YOUR OTHER ELECTED OFFICIALS AND REALLY INCREASE THE REALLY ORGANIZED REFUGEE RESETTLEMENT
[01:00:01]
PROGRAM, BECAUSE YOU WILL THEN SEE A REDUCTION AT THE BORDER BECAUSE THOSE MIGRANTS WON'T HAVE TO RESORT TO FLY INTO BRAZIL GOING THROUGH MEXICO.WE'RE KIND OF TRADING IT BACK AND FORTH.
WHEN YOU HAD TO PICK ONE, THE RESETTLEMENT PROGRAM IS MUCH EASIER.
EVEN THOUGH IT'S HARD TO GET, IT'S STILL AN EASIER PROCESS IN THE END THAN THE ASYLUM SEEKING AND GOING THROUGH MEXICO.
SO THANK YOU TO ALL THE ORGANIZATIONS, INTERFAITH WELCOME COALITION DENISE HAS BEEN AMAZING.
THEY HAVE BEEN DOING THAT FOR YEARS BEFORE WE EVEN STARTED DOING THIS, AND GIVING BACKPACKS AND SUPPLIES AND LEGAL DOCUMENTS.
IF YOU'RE GOING TO WASHINGTON STATE, THEY'LL GIVE YOU A PIECE OF PAPER SAYING HERE ARE THE NUMBERS TO CALL IN WASHINGTON STATE.
IT'S AN AMAZING OPERATION THEY DO, AND THAT IS CONTINUING ON.
AND ALSO THE MENNONITE CHURCH IS PROVIDING SHELTER FOR WOMEN AND FAMILIES THAT MIGHT NEED TO COME TO THE HOSPITAL, SO THEY ARE RELEASED BACK INTO THEIR SHELTER, WHICH YOU KNOW ABOUT THEM.
THEY DID THAT BEFORE WE WERE AROUND.
AND JUST REMEMBER THAT IMAGE OF TOUCHING A CHILD'S HEAD, THAT'S WHAT WE'RE DOING HERE IN SAN ANTONIO.
>> MAYOR NIRENBERG: THANK YOU, COUNCILMAN TREVINO.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR PRESENTATION, DR. BRIDGER.
I DO HAVE A FEW QUESTIONS HERE.
SO WHEN THESE FOLKS COME IN FROM THE BORDER, YOU SAID THEY'RE BUSED INTO SAN ANTONIO.
AND HOW DO THEY MAKE THAT TRANSITION FROM THE BUS STATION TO THE CENTER?
>> THEY WALK ACROSS THE STREET.
>> PERRY: BUT ARE WE ESCORTING THEM OR DO WE HAVE SOMEBODY THERE IN THE BUS CENTER?
>> THE INTERFAITH WELCOME COALITION HAVE VOLUNTEERS AT THE BUS STATION AND THEY HELP THEM FIGURE OUT IF THEY NEED TO STAY AT THE BUS STATION OR IF THEY CAN GO ACROSS THE STREET TO THE MRC.
DID ANY OF THEM STAY HERE IN SAN ANTONIO OR IS IT 100%?
>> THEY ALL WANT TO GO SOMEPLACE ELSE.
>> PERRY: AND GETTING TO THE COST HERE -- AND I'M LOOKING AT SLIDE NO. 21 HERE.
NOW, WE APPROVED, BY THE COUNCIL, $141,000?
AND THEN YOU HAVE $155,000 ON HERE.
WHERE DID THAT MONEY COME FROM OR HOW DID THAT -- HOW DID WE SPEND THAT? WHAT BUDGET DID THAT COME OUT OF?
>> SO THE $141,000 WAS AN ADDITIONAL ALLOCATION FROM CONTINGENCY INTO OUR OPERATING BUDGET.
THE 155 WAS OPERATING BUDGET IN VARIOUS DEPARTMENTS.
SO WE DIDN'T ASK ADDITIONAL FUNDING IN ORDER TO DO THIS WORK.
WHAT'S THE APPROVAL AUTHORITY TO SPEND MONEY OUTSIDE OF DEPARTMENTS ON SOMETHING ELSE? WHO APPROVES THAT?
>> FOR EXAMPLE, CITY BUILDINGS.
WHEN THE AIR-CONDITIONING UNIT WENT OUT AT THE MIGRANT RESOURCE CENTER, WHICH IS A CITY BUILDING, THEY USED THEIR EXISTING BUDGET TO REPAIR THE AIR-CONDITIONING UNIT.
SO THAT'S ONE EXAMPLE OF THE TYPES OF EXPENSES THAT WE'RE DEALING WITH.
SO THEY DON'T FALL OUTSIDE THE SCOPE OF WHAT THEY NORMALLY DO, AND IT'S IN THEIR EXISTING BUDGET THAT Y'ALL APPROVED LAST YEAR FOR THIS FISCAL YEAR.
>> WALSH: COUNCILMAN, THAT MONEY WAS ALREADY BUDGETED WITHIN THIS YEAR'S BUDGET.
WHAT NEEDED TO BE ALLOCATED AND APPROVED BY THE COUNCIL WAS THE $141,000 WE BROUGHT AT THE MID-YEAR BUDGET.
$155,000 WAS INCLUDED MAINLY WITHIN THE PARKING SYSTEMS BUDGET OR BUILDING MAINTENANCE, IN THIS CASE.
>> PERRY: LAUNDRY SUPPLIES, ADMINISTRATIVE SUPPLIES.
I UNDERSTAND WHAT YOU'RE SAYING, BUILDING MAINTENANCE IF SOMETHING BREAKS.
BUT THE OPERATIONS, IS THAT INCLUDING THE POLICE TIME? IS THAT INCLUDING THE FIRE TIME?
>> WALSH: THAT WAS NOT INCLUDING THAT.
SO PART OF THAT EXPENSE, AS LONG AS WE'VE GOT THE MONEY AUTHORIZED, I'M THE ONE THAT DIRECTED THE OPENING OF THE MIGRANT RESOURCE CENTER.
SO WHEN THAT MEANT WE HAD TO SPEND MONEY ON JANITORIAL AND BUILDING MAINTENANCE AND STUFF WITHIN OUR OPERATING BUDGET, I'M THE ONE THAT DIRECTED THAT.
WHAT I DIDN'T HAVE AUTHORITY, AND WHICH WASN'T APPROPRIATED WAS THE $141,000.
WHEN WE WENT TO COUNCIL AT THE
[01:05:01]
MID YEAR, THAT WAS MY RECOMMENDATION FOR THE COUNCIL TO PROVE THAT ADDITIONAL AMOUNT.YOU KNOW, WHAT'S NOT CAPTURED THERE IS THE MIH PARAMEDICS THAT SPENT THE FIRST COUPLE OF WEEKS DOING MEDICAL CHECKS.
THOSE ARE PARAMEDICS THAT WERE ON DUTY, THAT WERE WORKING, THAT WE DIRECTED OVER THERE.
THAT'S NOT INCLUDED WITHIN CENTER EXPENSES.
SO THERE'S AN EFFORT IN EXPENSES THAT WE'VE HAD.
AND THOSE, FRANKLY, FALL UNDERNEATH MY AUTHORITY.
AS LONG AS THEY ARE ALLOCATED AND THEY ARE APPROPRIATE IN TERMS OF THE FACILITY, THEN WE SPEND THEM.
I MEAN, I'M GETTING TO MY POINT.
EVEN THE FIRE AND POLICE TIME? ANY STAFF TIME THAT WE'RE SPENDING, ARE WE CAPTURING THOSE COSTS AT ALL?
REMEMBER WHEN I SAID OUR TOTAL COST THAT WE WERE GOING TO BE REQUESTING OF THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT WAS OVER $600,000? THAT INCLUDES ALL OF THOSE COSTS.
WE BREAK OUT JUST DIRECT EXPENSE.
SO WHEN YOU THINK ABOUT SALARY COSTS, WE WOULD BE PAYING THOSE EMPLOYEES, WHETHER THEY WERE DOING THE WORK AT THE MIGRANT RESOURCE CENTER OR NOT.
AND SO THAT IS NOT AN ADDITIONAL EXPENSE.
THAT IS NOT A DIRECT EXPENSE TO THE CITY.
SO WE'RE KEEPING TRACK OF ALL OF THOSE EXPENSES AND WE WILL BE ASKING THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT TO REIMBURSE US FOR THAT COST.
BUT WE ARE ALSO KEEPING TRACK OF THE DIRECT COSTS ASSOCIATED WITH THE MIGRANT RESOURCE CENTER.
I WOULD ALSO LIKE TO TRACK OR HAVE IT VISUAL ON THESE SLIDES, I GUESS WHAT YOU'RE CALLING INDIRECT COSTS, ON THAT ALSO.
TO SHOW A CLEAR PICTURE OF THE TOTAL COST THAT WE'RE SPENDING ON THIS.
BECAUSE, TO YOUR POINT, I WOULD HOPE THAT ALL OF THOSE COSTS ARE BEING IDENTIFIED ACROSS THE BOARD, WHETHER IT'S STAFF TIME, SOMEBODY SITTING AT THEIR DESK IN THEIR OFFICE, SPENDING TIME SUPPORTING THIS PROGRAM.
ALL OF THAT NEEDS TO BE CAPTURED.
BECAUSE IT'S NOT JUST CITY COSTS, IT'S FOOD BANK COSTS AND CATHOLIC CHARITY COSTS.
TOGETHER THE RESPONSE IS $1.2 MILLION.
THAT'S WHAT'S MISSING ON THIS INFORMATION HERE.
AND I'D REALLY LIKE TO SEE THAT ADDED TO THIS.
BECAUSE IF WE'RE GOING TO BE ASKING FOR THAT, I'D LIKE TO KNOW WHAT WE'RE ASKING FOR AND WHY, ON THESE SLIDES.
>> WALSH: THAT'S A GOOD POINT.
WE'LL ADD THAT TO THE END OF WEEK REPORT AS WELL.
WE INCLUDE A WEEKLY REPORT AND WE'LL START TO NOTE THE DIRECT AND THE INDIRECT.
AND HOW DID THAT GO TO -- YOU SAID WE REQUESTED TO THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT REIMBURSEMENT.
>> THEY HAVEN'T RELEASED THE APPLICATION.
AS SOON AS THEY RELEASE THE APPLICATION, WE WILL SUBMIT THAT $1.2 MILLION REQUEST.
>> PERRY: HAVE WE FOLLOWED UP ON WHERE THAT APPLICATION PROCESS IS?
>> PERRY: WHAT HAVE THEY SAID?
AND WHAT THEY ANNOUNCED LAST WEEK, AND IT WAS JUST LAST WEEK, EVEN THOUGH CONGRESS APPROPRIATED THIS SEVERAL WEEKS AGO, A MONTH HALF AGO AND THE PRESIDENT SIGNED IT.
CONGRESS GAVE FEMA 30 DAYS TO DEVELOP THE RULES, AND THEY RAN BEHIND.
THOSE RULES JUST GOT RELEASED LAST WEEK.
AND JUST SO YOU AND THE REST OF THE COUNCIL AND ANYBODY WATCHING THIS UNDERSTANDS, FEMA IS GOING TO UTILIZE UNITED WAY THROUGHOUT THE COUNTRY TO PROCESS THE PAYMENTS.
SO WE'LL BE WORKING DIRECTLY WITH LOCAL UNITED WAY, WHO FEMA HAS TASKED NATIONWIDE TO BE THE RECEIVER OF THE RECEIPTS AND EXPENSES AND THE PROCESS BACK UP TO FEMA.
THAT'S MY BIGGEST THING IS THE TRANSPARENCY ON THIS, ON WHAT WE'RE REALLY SPENDING ON BOTH SIDES OF THE HOUSE.
>> OH, WE'VE BEEN TRACKING IT SINCE DAY ONE.
>> PERRY: MAKING SURE WE'RE SHOWING WHAT THOSE TRUE COSTS ARE ACROSS THE BOARD.
AND LET'S HOPE THAT THEY COME THROUGH SOON FROM OUR FEMA FOLKS, RIGHT? THROUGH THE UNITED WAY.
>> WALSH: WHAT WE'VE HEARD, AND WE HAVE HAD THESE DIRECT CONVERSATIONS WITH CONGRESSMAN CUELLAR, IS THAT THE MONEY ALLOCATED THIS YEAR IS ONLY AS OF JANUARY 1ST OF 2019 THROUGH THE END OF THE CALENDAR YEAR.
AND WHAT HE SHARED WITH US A WEEK AND A HALF AGO WAS THAT CONGRESS WOULD BE, AND HE WOULD BE TAKING ANOTHER LEADERSHIP ROLE, TO IDENTIFY AN ADDITIONAL ALLOTMENT FOR THE NEXT BUDGET, FEDERAL BUDGET.
[01:10:01]
APPLICABLE TO THIS CALENDAR YEAR THROUGH THE END OF 2019.AND I SUSPECT THAT A LOT OF COMMUNITIES, INCLUDING US, WILL CONTINUE TO HAVE DIRECT AND INDIRECT EXPENSES.
AND HIS PLAN THAT HE SHARED WITH US IS HE'S GOING TO BE LOOKING FOR ANOTHER APPROPRIATION.
>> MAYOR NIRENBERG: THANK YOU, COUNCILMAN PERRY.
>> VIAGRAN: THANK YOU, DR. BRIDGER, FOR THE PRESENTATION AND ALL OF THE WORK THAT YOU HAVE DONE.
MELODY AND YOUR TEAM, JUST ALWAYS ON -- YOU'RE ALWAYS AT THE SCENE.
AND, YES, I THINK THIS HAS BEEN ONE OF THE MOST TRANSPARENT AND THOROUGH PROCESSES YOU HAVE ALL DONE WITH THESE WEEKLY REPORTS THAT YOU ARE GIVING OUT, WHICH ARE ALSO OPEN TO THE GENERAL PUBLIC.
IT'S PUBLIC INFORMATION SO THEY WILL BE ABLE TO HAVE ACCESS TO THE SAME INFORMATION THAT WE HAVE ACCESS TO.
AND I THINK WHAT WE ALSO NEED TO REMEMBER IS WE ALSO ARE IN THIS SITUATION, TOO, BECAUSE OUR FEDERAL GOVERNMENT IS MOVING SLOWER THAN THEY SHOULD AND MOVING IN DIFFERENT WAYS THAN THEY SHOULD AS WELL.
AND IT'S ABSOLUTELY PARAMOUNT FOR US TO BE KEEPING RECORDS OF EVERY SINGLE HOUR AND EVERY SINGLE THING THAT WE UTILIZE.
BECAUSE WE SHOULD BE GETTING REIMBURSED.
BECAUSE, ONCE AGAIN, MUNICIPALITIES ARE HAVING TO PICK UP WHERE OUR FEDERAL GOVERNMENT IS NOT STEPPING INTO AND STEPPING UP INTO THE ROLE WHERE THEY SHOULD BE STEPPING UP.
AND IT'S IMPORTANT FOR US AS WELL TO TREAT ALL PEOPLE IN THIS CITY, WHO COME, WITH DIGNITY AND RESPECT.
SO THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR ALL THAT YOU'RE DOING AS WE CONTINUE TO MOVE FORWARD.
AND JUST KNOWING THAT THIS LITTLE KID FROM GUATEMALA TRAVELED ALL THIS WAY HERE AND THAT THEY HAD A WELCOMING FACE.
AND THAT THEY WILL REMEMBER THEIR TIME IN SAN ANTONIO, BECAUSE MAYBE THAT'S THE FIRST TIME THEY MET SOMEBODY WHO SMILED AT THEM OR TREATED THEM IN A CERTAIN WAY.
SO THANK YOU FOR THAT, WHICH IS EXTREMELY IMPORTANT.
YOU HAVE IT FROM MARCH OF 2019, BUT I KNOW EVERYTHING JUST DIDN'T START MARCH OF 2019, OF REFUGEES, ASYLUM SEEKERS.
WHEN DID WE START -- WELL, I THINK CATHOLIC CHARITIES AND TRAVIS PARK AND EVERYBODY HAS BEEN WORKING ON IT FOR A WHILE.
CAN YOU GIVE US NUMBERS FOR JUST THIS YEAR, 2019 ALONE, THAT WE HAVE SEEN COME THROUGH? HAVE YOU GOTTEN THEM ALL TOGETHER? ALL THOSE DATAPOINTS TOGETHER? IS THAT POSSIBLE, DO YOU THINK? YEAH, SO WE'LL GATHER THAT TOGETHER.
WE STARTED COUNTING WHEN WE BECAME INVOLVED IN THE RESPONSE, WHICH IS MARCH 31ST.
BUT WE CAN WORK WITH CATHOLIC CHARITIES TO COUNT WHAT THEY WERE DOING BEFORE OUR INVOLVEMENT.
>> VIAGRAN: I THINK THAT WOULD BE IMPORTANT JUST FOR US TO HAVE THAT WHEN WE'RE CONTINUING TO MAKE OUR CASE TO THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT NOT JUST THE CITY BUT OUR PRIVATE, OUR NONPROFIT ORGANIZATIONS COULD CONTINUE TO HELP CARRY THAT CASE.
THAT WE DID COME TO OUR TIPPING POINT IN SAN ANTONIO WHERE WE HAD TO STEP IN.
AND HOPEFULLY THAT, YOU KNOW, THAT THE OTHER CITIES WILL BE ABLE TO GET THEIR SAME REIMBURSEMENTS THAT THEY NEED TO DO FROM THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT.
SO THAT'S WHAT I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW.
AND I APPRECIATE YOU SHARING THAT 100% ARE MOVING ON TO A DIFFERENT LOCATION.
I THINK THAT'S IMPORTANT FOR PEOPLE TO UNDERSTAND.
JUST RHETORIC THAT IS OUT THERE, MISUNDERSTANDING OR INTENTIONAL MISINFORMATION, JUST TO SHARE THAT THERE IS -- THAT THEY ARE -- THAT OUR ASYLUM AND REFUGEES -- ASYLUM SEEKERS AND REFUGEES ARE MOVING TO OTHER POINTS.
AND THEY WANT TO GET THERE BECAUSE THEY WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY MEET THEIR COURT DATES.
>> VIAGRAN: SO THAT IS VERY IMPORTANT TO CONTINUE TO SHARE THAT INFORMATION.
THANK YOU, FOOD BANK, FOR THOSE CULTURALLY-APPROPRIATE MEALS.
THAT ABSOLUTELY -- THAT MEANS SO MUCH TO SO MANY PEOPLE.
AND JUST MAKES MY HEART HAPPY HEARING YOU SAY THAT.
AND CATHOLIC CHARITIES ALWAYS BEEN THERE AND OUR HOTEL AND LODGING ASSOCIATIONS AND HOW THEY ARE HELPING IN THIS WHOLE WORK.
I KNOW THEY HAVE BEEN IN CONTACT WITH MARIA AND OTHERS, REBECCA, BECAUSE WE NEEDED THAT HELP AND THAT SUPPORT.
SO I AM LOOKING FORWARD TO SEEING HOW WE CAN HAVE THIS BALANCE, HOW WE CAN HAVE A PLAN
[01:15:01]
PUT INTO PLACE TO HAVE IT MOVE EFFICIENTLY, TO HAVE THE BALANCE IN OUR BUDGET.TO HAVE THE BALANCE WORK LIFE EVEN WITH OUR STAFF, OUR CITY STAFF, IN ORDER TO BE A PART OF IT.
AND, REALLY, ENGAGING OUR LOCAL DOWNTOWN COMMUNITY TOO OF HOW JUST EVEN THE RESTAURANTS THAT HAVE BEEN HELPFUL.
JUST THE LITTLE THINGS THAT REALLY MAKE IT SO SPECIAL.
AND I KNOW YOU SAID YOU HAD THE MOBILE INTEGRATED HEALTH UNIT.
SO CAN YOU TALK TO ME ABOUT ARE THERE ANY -- LIKE HELP WITH -- IS THERE COUNSELING OR ANYTHING THAT THEY MAKE IT BE HERE FOR JUST A SHORT PERIOD OF TIME.
THAT THEY CAN CONTINUE THIS CARE WHEREVER THEIR DESTINATION IS.
DO WE HAVE ANY THREAD THAT KIND OF GOES FROM HERE TO THERE, IF WE CAN CATCH SOMETHING TO HELP THEM ON THEIR NEXT JOURNEY.
BECAUSE I CAN ONLY IMAGINE, SPECIFICALLY, THESE WOMEN WHO ARE TRAVELING ALONE WITH THEIR CHILDREN WHAT THINGS HAD TO HAPPEN.
SO COULD YOU -- DO YOU HAVE ANYTHING LIKE THAT?
>> THE LONGER ANSWER IS WE RECOGNIZE THE INCREDIBLE TRAUMA THAT THESE ASYLUM SEEKERS HAVE EXPERIENCED, BOTH BEFORE THEY LEFT AND DURING THE JOURNEY.
AND SO A LOT OF OUR VOLUNTEERS ARE ENCOURAGING THEM TO SEEK SUPPORT WHEN THEY GET TO THEIR FINAL DESTINATION.
BUT ON AVERAGE THEY'RE WITH US 24 HOURS.
AND SO THERE JUST ISN'T TIME TO DO THAT.
BUT WE DO ENGAGE THEM IN CONVERSATIONS AROUND THAT TRAUMA AND ENCOURAGE THEM TO SEEK SUPPORT WHEN THEY ARRIVE IN THEIR FINAL DESTINATION.
>> VIAGRAN: AND SO AS WE MOVE FORWARD WITH POTENTIALLY PLANNING SOMETHING MORE COHESIVE IN OUR BUDGET, OR WHATEVER WE WANT TO LOOK FOR.
BECAUSE THIS ISN'T SUSTAINABLE RIGHT NOW FOR THE FUTURE.
LET'S SEE WHERE WE CAN PUT THAT IN OUR LINE OF WORK, OUR CARE FOR THE INDIVIDUAL.
AND, FINALLY, I JUST WANT TO ALSO THANK MY TEAM MEMBER, ENRIQUE TREVINO, WHO HAS BEEN THERE.
AND HE ASKS ME, COUNCILWOMAN, CAN I LEAVE EARLY SO I CAN GO TO THE MIGRANT RESOURCE CENTER? AND IT'S JUST BEEN INCREDIBLE TO SEE HIS WORK AND HOW EVERYTHING -- JUST HIS LOVE AND WHAT HE'S DOING THERE.
>> MAYOR NIRENBERG: THANK YOU, COUNCILWOMAN VIAGRAN.
COUNCIL MEMBER ANDREWS-SULLIVAN.
>> SULLIVAN: THANK YOU, MAYOR.
THANK YOU, DR. BRIDGER, THANK YOU, CITY MANAGER.
SO MY QUESTION WITH WHAT HAS BEEN DONE PREVIOUSLY AND WHAT HAS BEEN GOING ON.
HAS THERE BEEN ANY TALK OF PARTNERING OR FINDING A METHOD OF WORKING WITH THE COUNTY TO MAYBE TAKE ON SOME OF THE VOLUNTEER WORK, AS WE CONTINUE TO LOOK FOR A LONG-TERM SOLUTION TO THIS? IS THERE A WAY TO BUILD THAT PARTNERSHIP OR BUILD THAT BRIDGE TOGETHER TO MAYBE SEE IF THEY CAN HELP US WITH SOME OF THE ADDITIONAL RESOURCES THAT ARE NEEDED FINANCIALLY?
>> WALSH: FINANCIALLY, WE HAVE NOT TALKED TO ANY OF THOSE PARTNERS, BUT I PERSONALLY REQUESTED TO ALL OF OUR PUBLIC AGENCIES THAT THEY CHALLENGE THEM TO PROVIDE VOLUNTEERS AT THE MIGRANT RESOURCE CENTER.
MEL, YOU KNOW, WE SENT LETTERS TO THE RIVER AUTHORITY AND VIA AND THE COUNTY.
WE HAVE HAD SOME INVOLVEMENT, FROM A VOLUNTEER STANDPOINT, BUT NOT MONETARILY.
>> SULLIVAN: IS THAT SOMETHING THAT WE CAN START LOOKING INTO? DO WE NEED TO MEET WITH THE COMMISSIONERS COURT TO FIND OUT WHERE CAN WE START, AS A COMPLETE CITY, NOT JUST WITHIN THE CITY REALM OF SAN ANTONIO, BUT THE COUNTY OF BEXAR.
BECAUSE WE KNOW THAT IT'S GOING TO TAKE MORE THAN JUST THIS ONE ENTITY TO TRULY TACKLE THE WHOLE PROBLEM.
AND MAYBE THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WE CAN START BUILDING OF GETTING THAT COMPLETED.
>> MAYOR NIRENBERG: THANK YOU, COUNCIL MEMBER ANDREWS-SULLIVAN.
I WANT TO THANK YOU FOR THE REPORT, COLLEEN.
I THINK IT REALLY GAVE US AN EXCELLENT OVERVIEW OVER HOW THE PROJECTS DEVELOP.
AND I WANT TO THANK ALL THE PARTNERS WHO HAVE BEEN WORKING WITH US, OR RATHER, I GUESS, THAT WE HAVE BEEN WORKING WITH
[01:20:01]
TO PROVIDE THE HUMANITARIAN AND COMPASSIONATE ASSISTANCE WE'VE BEEN PROVIDING ALL THESE MONTHS.AND, YOU KNOW, I COMMEND ALL OF THE PEOPLE IN OUR CITY STAFF, ALL OF THE WORKERS WHO VOLUNTEERED.
LIKE, I KNOW MANY OF OUR COUNCIL MEMBERS, STAFF HAVE BEEN INVOLVED.
AND I KNOW A LOT OF IT WAS VOLUNTEERING, GIVING UP SOME OF THE FREE TIME YOU'VE EARNED FROM OTHER THINGS TO GO AHEAD AND ADD AS A VOLUNTEER TO HELP THESE PEOPLE.
AND THAT'S CERTAINLY COMMENDABLE.
I AGREE WITH A LOT OF THE QUESTIONS, THE COMMENTS, THE CONCERNS THAT HAVE BEEN EXPRESSED BY MY FELLOW COUNCIL PEOPLE.
I THINK WE'VE CERTAINLY SHOWN, AS THE MAYOR SAID, THAT, YOU KNOW, WE ARE A COMPASSIONATE CITY.
BUT I HAVE TO WONDER HOW LONG CAN THIS CONTINUE? HOW LONG WILL IT CONTINUE? YOU KNOW, WHAT DO WE SEE, AS A CITY, AS TO SOME OF THE BARRIERS OR SOME OF THE LIMITATIONS THAT WE NEED TO BE LOOKING AT JUST IN THE COURSE OF THIS NEXT SIX MONTHS OR THIS NEXT YEAR? HOW LONG CAN OUR PARTNERSHIP CONTINUE WITH ALL OF THESE ORGANIZATIONS THAT ARE GIVING SO MUCH.
AND WE'RE LOOKING AT A BUDGET FOR OUR CITY, AND I DON'T THINK WE ANTICIPATED A MILLION DOLLARS WORTH OF DIRECT AND INDIRECT SUPPORT WE'VE GIVEN OUT OF THIS BUDGET TO THIS EFFORT.
AND NOW WE'VE GOT TO LOOK FORWARD TO THE NEXT BUDGET.
AND WILL IT BE THE NEXT BUDGET AFTER THAT TOO? SO I HOPE THAT WE MIGHT BE ABLE TO FIND MORE DIRECTION AND GUIDANCE FROM FEDERAL OFFICIALS, BUT ALSO I THINK WE NEED TO DECIDE AS A COMMUNITY HOW WE PLAN TO CONTINUE TO CARRY THIS ON AND WHAT WE CAN DO SO THAT IT DOESN'T HAVE TO CONTINUE.
BUT I GUESS A LOT OF THAT'S UP TO THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT, NOT UP TO US.
ANYWAY, THANK YOU, EVERYBODY, FOR ALL THE GREAT WORK WE'VE BEEN DOING.
AND I'M SURE THOSE PEOPLE ARE GOING TO BENEFIT GREATLY FROM WHAT WE'VE DONE FOR THEM.
>> MAYOR NIRENBERG: THANK YOU, COUNCILMAN COURAGE.
MY TEAM -- I JUST MENTIONED IT TO THEM IN PASSING.
MY TEAM, I TOLD THEM, HEY, LET'S DO THE RIGHT THING HERE.
IT LOOKS LIKE THEY NEED SOME HELP.
PUT TOGETHER A FACEBOOK POST AND LET OUR COMMUNITY KNOW THAT WE'RE TAKING DONATIONS.
AND WITHIN ABOUT 48 HOURS OR LESS WE RECEIVED 1200 POUNDS OF CLOTHES.
AND NO SHORTAGE OF TOYS AND A BUNCH OF COLORING BOOKS AND CRAYONS.
WE GOT TO TAKE THEM ALL TO YOU, DR. BRIDGER.
AND THEN OUT OF NOWHERE THE ASSOCIATION OF CONVENIENCE STORE RETAILERS AND THE SOUTH TEXAS MERCHANTS ASSOCIATION SHOWED UP WITH THE MOST AMOUNT OF SNACKS AND THE MOST UNHEALTHY SNACKS I HAVE EVER SEEN IN MY LIFE.
ON ONE DAY IN PARTICULAR IF YOU WENT TO A CONVENIENCE STORE AND ALL THE CHIPS WERE MISSING, THEY WERE IN MY OFFICE.
THEY FILLED MY OFFICE TO THE CEILING WITH CHIPS AND SNACKS.
AND IT TOOK MULTIPLE TRIPS TO GET THEM DOWN THERE.
I DID TALK TO DR. BRIDGER FIRST AND ASK IF IT WAS OKAY IF I TOOK HIGHLY SATURATED FAT CONTENT, LOTS OF SODIUM CONTENT FOOD.
AND WE REACHED OUT TO OUR FAITH COMMUNITY AND THEY MOVED REALLY QUICKLY.
AND, IN FACT, MANAGING THEIR OFFERS OF HELP.
MELODY, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR TAKING THOSE PHONE CALLS.
I KNOW THAT YOU WERE DRINKING FROM A FIRE HYDRANT ALREADY, AND I KEPT THROWING THEM AT YOU BECAUSE THEY WANTED TO HELP, DESPERATELY.
DR. BRIDGER, I THINK IT'S FAIR TO SAY THAT ONE OF YOUR BIGGEST CHALLENGES WAS NOT JUST HELPING THESE MIGRANTS DIRECTLY, BUT ALSO HELPING THE PEOPLE WHO WANTED TO GIVE, DIRECT THAT GENEROSITY TO THE RIGHT PLACE.
I VISITED WITH YOU AND SAID DO YOU NEED MORE DIAPERS? YOU SAID, NO, PLEASE.
BABY FORMULA? YOU SAID IF I SEE ONE MORE BABY FORMULA BOTTLE I DON'T KNOW WHAT TO DO WITH IT.
THE FACT THAT YOU WERE GETTING A SURPLUS OF SOME THINGS AND NOT OTHERS IS EVIDENCE OF HOW COMPASSIONATE THE CITY IS AND HOW GENEROUS THEY ARE.
I ALSO KNOW OUR LOCAL DOCTORS AND NURSES WERE ALSO SHOWING UP IN THEIR SCRUBS WITH THEIR STETHOSCOPES VOLUNTEERING THEIR TIME TOO.
PEOPLE DON'T REALIZE A LOT OF THAT WORK WENT IN THERE.
AND ONE OF OUR DOCTORS WHO DID THAT IS HERE.
>> ONE OF THESE DAYS HE'S GOING TO GET YOUR LAST NAME RIGHT.
>> PELAEZ: YOU REALLY ARE PRACTICALLY LIKE THE 13TH CITY COUNCIL MEMBER, YOU'RE HERE SO OFTEN.
SHE DECIDED TO TAKE OFF TIME FROM WORK AND HER KIDS AND FAMILY AND ALL OF OUR OTHER OBLIGATIONS AND SCRUBBED UP AND
[01:25:02]
WENT IN THERE AND WERE HELPING MOMS AND BABIES WITH GENUINE MEDICAL NEEDS BEFORE THEY GOT ON THEIR BUSES AND THEIR AIRPLANES.AND I GOT TO MEET WITH SOME DOCTORS FROM U.T. HEALTH SCIENCE CENTER WHO WERE JUST SO JAZZED AND PUMPED UP ABOUT HAVING BEEN ABLE TO DO THAT.
THIS OPERATION THAT WE PUT TOGETHER, YOU KNOW, I STRUGGLE WITH FINDING THE WORDS TO DESCRIBE HOW PROUD I AM OF MY COMMUNITY'S BIG HEARTS AND THEIR COMPASSION.
BUT I'M OVERWHELMED, RIGHT, WITH HOW -- THAT'S JUST A MIRACLE, REALLY, WHAT WE PULLED OFF HERE.
AND I CAN'T, IN GOOD CONSCIENCE, LET THIS MOMENT PASS WITHOUT POINTING OUT ALSO WITH AS MANY OFFERS OF HELP AND, YOU KNOW, AND EXPRESSIONS OF COMPASSION AND, YOU KNOW, WE RECEIVED ALSO NO SHORTAGE OF UGLINESS AND THREATS AND BIGOTRY AND INSULTS AND LIES.
THESE WEREN'T INSULTS AND EPITHETS FROM THE FAR FLUNG FEVER SWAMPS OF SOME INTERNET CHAT ROOM, THESE WERE NEIGHBORS IN OUR DISTRICT WHO WERE CALLING US NAMES AND SENDING US GENUINE THREAT S, SIMPLY BECAUSE WE WERE HELPING MOMS AND BABIES WHO, BUT FOR US, WOULD BE SLEEPING IN TRAVIS PARK IN 101-DEGREE WEATHER.
AND, YOU KNOW, COUNCILMAN TREVINO AND I WERE TALKING ABOUT THIS YESTERDAY.
YOU KNOW, HE AND I ARE OF THE SAME MIND THAT WHEN BIGOTS THREATEN YOU YOU WEAR THAT AS A BADGE OF HONOR BECAUSE YOU KNOW YOU'RE ON THE RIGHT SIDE OF HISTORY.
BUT THE ONE THING THAT WAS SO HURTFUL WAS TO SEE THESE MOMS AND BABIES MALIGNED AND DEFAMED, RIGHT, WITH THIS EBOLA LIE.
YOU KNOW, I REMEMBER WHEN I WAS IN HIGH SCHOOL STUDYING, YOU KNOW, THAT'S LIKE THIRD REICH STUFF.
THEY WOULD ASSIGN A HORRIBLE DISEASE TO REFUGEES WHO WERE ESCAPING AND THEN TO STIGMATIZE THEM AND SCARE PEOPLE FROM HELPING THEM BY SAYING IF YOU HELP THEM, IF YOU DEAL WITH THEM YOU'RE GOING TO CATCH A HORRIBLE DISEASE.
I'M HAVING A TOUGH TIME UNDERSTANDING THAT WE'RE STILL SEEING THIS PLAY OUT IN 2019 IN MY CITY.
BUT THANKFULLY, YOU KNOW, WE SWATTED THAT LIE AWAY.
BUT, YOU KNOW, TO THIS DAY WE'RE STILL SWATTING THAT LIE AWAY BECAUSE IT FESTERS AND IT'S OUT THERE, LIKE EBOLA.
IT SPREAD, RIGHT? AND THEY KNEW IT WAS A LIE WHEN THEY SPREAD IT.
AND SOMEBODY THINKS THAT THAT WAS JUST A GOOD IDEA TO DO.
YOU KNOW, EVEN THOUGH THERE'S PEOPLE HERE IN SAN ANTONIO, YOU KNOW, WHO FIND NEW AND CREATIVE WAYS TO SPREAD HATE AND TO HURT PEOPLE, I'M REALLY EXCITED AND HAPPY THAT THEY DIDN'T WIN.
AND SOMETIMES THEY DO, BUT THEY NEVER WIN IN SAN ANTONIO.
AND MY KIDS AND I WERE TALKING ABOUT THIS RECENTLY WHILE WE WERE ON VACATION.
THEY SAID WHY DO YOU LOVE SAN ANTONIO MORE THAN ANYWHERE ELSE? I SAID BECAUSE WE'RE THE BEST AND WE'RE THE BEST AT BEING GOOD.
IN SAN ANTONIO IF THERE'S A VIRUS, IT'S COMPASSIN AND YOU JUST MIGHT CATCH IT IF YOU'RE NOT CAREFUL.
ERIK, I'M SORRY FOR INTERRUPTING YOU, ERIK, BUT WHAT I WANTED TO TALK TO YOU ABOUT WAS DOCUMENTATION AND MEMORIALIZING OUR LESSONS LEARNED HERE.
BECAUSE THIS IS NOT THE LAST TIME THIS IS GOING TO HAPPEN.
A HUMANITARIAN CRISIS IS GOING TO HAPPEN AGAIN SOMETIME.
WE HAVE ALREADY SEEN IT PLAY OUT WITH KATRINA.
WE SAW IT PLAY OUT WITH OTHER HURRICANES AND CATASTROPHES.
THIS IS PROBABLY THE FIRST TIME WE HAVE SEEN A MASS EXODUS FROM THE SOUTH ON US.
THIS IS AN OPPORTUNITY TO TEACH OTHER COMMUNITIES.
THIS WAS BROUGHT UP BY OTHER FOLKS, BUT I DO THINK WE NEED TO HAVE A PLAYBOOK THAT WE CAN IMMEDIATELY SEND TO THE NEXT MAYOR AND CITY MANAGER AND SAY WE'VE BEEN THERE, FOR WHAT IT'S WORTH, HERE IT IS FOR FREE.
AND HERE'S SOME MISTAKES THAT WE MADE, DON'T MAKE THESE MISTAKES, AND HOPEFULLY THIS HELPS.
I'M SURE YOU'RE ALREADY THINKING ABOUT THIS BUT THAT'S THE RIGHT THING.
WE MAY BE ABLE TO HELP A GROUP OF REFUGEES OR PEOPLE ESCAPING CATASTROPHE SIMPLY BY SENDING OFF A BINDER FULL OF GOOD INFORMATION.
COUNCILWOMAN VIAGRAN, I THINK THIS IS A REALLY GOOD OPPORTUNITY FOR US TO TELL THIS STORY AND LESSONS LEARNED AT OUR NLC CONFERENCE.
AND I'M SURE YOU'VE ALREADY THOUGHT ABOUT IT, BUT I'D LIKE TO HELP YOU DO THAT.
YOU KNOW, EVERYBODY HERE, THEIR BANDWIDTH IS PROBABLY MAXED OUT BUT I'VE GOT A LITTLE BIT AND IF I CAN LEND A HAND IN TELLING THAT STORY, PUT ME IN COACH.
[01:30:01]
>> MAYOR NIRENBERG: THANK YOU, COUNCILMAN PELAEZ.
GREAT WORK, DR. BRIDGER, ERIK, THE WHOLE CITY TEAM, VOLUNTEERS.
AND I KNOW THERE ARE MANY PEOPLE INVOLVED IN THIS WHO EXPLICITLY DON'T WANT TO RECEIVE CREDIT FOR IT.
WE RECOGNIZE THEM WITH THE GOOD WORK THAT CONTINUES.
BUT I DO KNOW THERE ARE MANY MEMBERS OF OUR FAITH COMMUNITY THAT ARE PRESENT AND DOING THE HARD WORK EVERY DAY AND TAKING THE MESSAGE TO THEIR CONGREGATIONS.
THAT EFFORT DOESN'T HAPPEN WITHOUT OUR FAITH LIAISON.
AND I SEE HER HIDING IN THE BACK, REVEREND ANN HELMKE IS HERE.
KNOW WE ARE THANKFUL FOR YOUR PRESENCE AND PARTICIPATION IN THIS.
[Executive Session]
OUR ONLY ITEM ON THE B SESSION, OPEN SESSION.WE DO HAVE AN EXECUTIVE SESSION THAT WE'LL GO INTO NOW.
THE TIME IS NOW 3:48 P.M. ON THIS 7TH DAY OF AUGUST, 2019.
PURSUANT TO THE AUTHORITY GRANTED BY CHAPTER 551 IN THE TEXAS GOVERNMENT CODE, TEXAS OPEN MEETINGS ACT, THE CITY COUNCIL WILL NOW RECESS INTO EXECUTIVE SESSION TO DISCUSS ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT NEGOTIATIONS PURSUANT TO TEXAS GOVERNMENT CODE SECTION 551.087, ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT.
THE PURCHASE, EXCHANGE, LEASE OR VALUE OF REAL PROPERTY PURSUANT TO TEXAS GOVERNMENT CODE SECTION 551.072, REAL PROPERTY.
LEGAL ISSUES RELATED TO COLLECTIVE BARGAINING PURSUANT TO TEXAS GOVERNMENT CODE SECTION 551.071, CONSULTATION WITH ATTORNEY.
UPDATE ON LEGAL ISSUES RELATING TO THE PAID SICK LEAVE ORDINANCE PURSUANT TO TEXAS GOVERNMENT CODE SECTION 551.071, CONSULTATION WITH ATTORNEY.
LITIGATION RELATED TO OPIOID MANUFACTURERS, DISTRIBUTORS, AND PROMOTERS PURSUANT TO TEXAS GOVERNMENT CODE SECTION 551.071, CONSULTATION WITH ATTORNEY.
DELIBERATE THE DEPLOYMENT OF SECURITY PERSONNEL, CRITICAL INFRASTRUCTURE OR SECURITY DEVICES AND RELATED LEGAL ISSUES PURSUANT TO TEXAS GOVERNMENT CODE SECTION 551.076, SECURITY DEVICES, SECTION 551.089, SECURITY DEVICES AND AUDITS, AND SECTION 551.071, CONSULTATION WITH ATTORNEY.
* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.