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WOULD YOU PLEASE BE SEATED? THANK YOU.
THE COUNCIL IS READY TO BEGIN THEIR MEETING.
>> MAYOR NIRENBERG: GO AHEAD WITH THE ROLL.
>> WOULD YOU PLEASE BE SEATED? WELCOME TO THE REGULAR CITY COUNCIL MEETING OF AUGUST 8, 2019.
>> MAYOR, WE DO HAVE A QUORUM.
>> MAYOR NIRENBERG: GOOD MORNING, EVERYONE.
WELCOME TO OUR CITY COUNCIL A SESSION AGENDA.
I HOPE EVERYONE HAS ENJOYED THEIR SUMMER BREAK.
OUR CITY STAFF HAS BEEN HARD AT WORK OVER THE LAST MONTH WITH THE ITEMS WE'RE GOING TO BE HEARING TODAY ON THE BUSINESS AGENDA.
WE'LL CALL THE MEETING TO ORDER.
I'M GOING TO ASK FOR YOUR RESPECT AND CONSIDERATION FOR A MOMENT OF SILENCE, THOUGH, TO BEGIN OUR DAY FOR THOSE VICTIMS AND FAMILIES WHO WERE LOST IN THOSE TERRIBLE SHOOTINGS IN EL PASO AND DAYTON, OHIO LAST WEEK.
[1. Invocation]
THANK YOU VERY MUCH.TO START OUR DAY TODAY, WE'LL WELCOME AN INVOCATOR.
AND I'D LIKE TO WELCOME TO THE PODIUM, CHRIS JOHNSON, SENIOR PASTOR OF FIRST BAPTIST CHURCH OF SAN ANTONIO.
DR. CHRIS JOHNSON BECAME THE SENIOR PASTOR OF FIRST BAPTIST CHURCH OF SAN ANTONIO IN AUGUST OF 2018 AFTER SERVING AS CO-PASTOR FOR ONE YEAR.
HE SERVED AS PASTOR OF CHALK BLUFF BAPTIST CHURCH IN WACO, TEXAS FROM 2009 UNTIL JULY OF 2017 WHEN HE ACCEPTED THE CALL OF FIRST BAPTIST CHURCH OF SAN ANTONIO.
WHILE PASTOR OF CHALK BLUFF, CHRIS DEVELOPED COMPREHENSION LOCAL AND INTERNATIONAL MISSION ENDEAVORS, OVERSAW THE PLANNING OF NEW CONSTRUCTION PROJECTS AND DEMONSTRATED HIS PASSION FOR DISCIPLESHIP THROUGH LEADERSHIP AND EXAMPLE.
CHRIS GREW UP IN CARRIZO SPRINGS, TEXAS AND IS A GRADUATE
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OF CARRIZO SPRINGS HIGH SCHOOL.JOHNSON RECEIVED A BACHELOR OF ARTS IN RELIGION FROM BAYLOR UNIVERSITY IN 2004.
FOLLOWING HIS CALL TO THE MINISTRY, HE COMPLETED A MARSES OF DIVINITY IN THEOLOGY IN 2009 AND A DOCTOR OF MINISTRY AND SPIRITUAL FORMATION IN 2016 FROM TRUETT THEOLOGICAL SEMINARY.
CHRIS SERVED AS THE YOUTH MINISTER AT FIRST BAPTIST CHURCH IN COVINGTON, TEXAS FOR FIVE YEARS AND WAS CALLED TO SERVE ONE YEAR AS INTERIM PASTOR IN 2008.
CHRIS HAS BEEN MARRIED TO HIS WIFE, AMY, SINCE 2004 AND THEY HAVE TWO DAUGHTERS, AVERY AND ELLIE.
CHRIS, IT'S A GREAT PLEASURE TO WELCOME YOU TO CITY HALL.
AND IT'S A PRIVILEGE TO BE HERE BEFORE CITY COUNCIL TODAY.
LORD, YOUR NAME ALONE IS MAJESTIC AND YOUR AUTHORITY ENDURES ETERNALLY.
AND SO, LORD, WE THANK YOU AS THE GIVER OF ALL GOOD THINGS, WE THANK YOU FOR THIS CITY, FOR THIS BEAUTIFUL CITY THAT WE CALL HOME AND WE SERVE IN.
LORD, WE THANK YOU FOR HOW YOU HAVE GROWN AND BLESSED THIS CITY THROUGH THE YEARS.
AND, LORD, WE PRAY AS CITIZENS AND LEADERS THAT WE WOULD BE WISE.
LORD, THAT WE WOULD LEAD BY EXAMPLE AND BE SERVANTS FOR JUST CAUSES.
LORD, I THANK YOU FOR EACH ONE OF THESE COUNCIL MEMBERS FOR, LORD, HOW YOU HAVE CALLED THEM TO SERVE AND HOW THEY SERVE DILIGENTLY FOR THE SAKE OF THIS CITY.
LORD, GIVE THEM WISDOM, BLESS THEIR EFFORTS.
LORD, WE PRAY THE SAME THING OVER OUR MAYOR.
WE ARE GRATEFUL FOR HIS LEADERSHIP.
AND, LORD, WE PRAY THAT YOU WOULD CONTINUE TO GIVE HIM WISDOM, NURTURE HIM IN HIS ABILITY.
LORD, AS OUR MAYOR ALREADY ACKNOWLEDGED, WE PRAY FOR THOSE WHO HAVE LOST THEIR LIVES IN DAYTON AND EL PASO.
LORD, WE PRAY THAT YOU WOULD COMFORT THOSE WHO MOURN.
LORD, BRING THE PEACE THAT PASSES ALL UNDERSTANDING AND BRING JUSTICE.
LORD, WE KNOW THAT YOU ARE A GOD OF JUSTICE AND A GOD OF GRACE.
AND, LORD, WE PRAY THAT YOU WOULD BRING THAT JUSTICE AND GRACE ON THIS COUNTRY, UPON OUR STATE, LORD, AND INTO THIS CITY.
LORD, PROTECT US AND GUIDE US.
HELP OUR CITY COUNCIL AND OUR MAYOR TO LEAD WELL.
LORD, WE THANK YOU FOR ALL THAT YOU'RE DOING.
AND JUST IN THE NAME OF JESUS CHRIST THAT I PRAY, AMEN.
[2. Pledge of Allegiance]
THANK YOU.>> MAYOR NIRENBERG: THANK YOU,
[Additional Item]
PASTOR JOHNSON.WE HAVE A FEW POINTS OF PERSONAL PRIVILEGE TODAY.
I'D LIKE TO START TODAY BY ACKNOWLEDGING THE PRESENCE OF ONE OF OUR FORMER COLLEAGUES, FORMER COUNCILMAN NOW STATE REPRESENTATIVE PHILLIP CORTEZ IS HERE AND HE IS HERE IN FULL UNIFORM AS CAPTAIN CORTEZ.
I WOULD LIKE TO CALL HIM TO THE PODIUM TO INTRODUCE SOME SPECIAL GUESTS.
>> GOOD MORNING, MAYOR, MEMBERS OF THE CITY COUNCIL, FRIENDS, CITY MANAGER WALSH AND THE STAFF.
THANK YOU FOR ALLOWING US TO COME BY THE COUNCIL CHAMBERS.
IT'S ALWAYS AN HONOR TO BE HERE VISITING WITH Y'ALL.
AND I WAS VERY EXCITED TO SEE SO MANY OF MY OLD FRIENDS THAT I WORKED WITH FOR MANY YEARS HERE ALSO AND THAT I HAVE KNOWN, AND I LOOK FORWARD TO THE SERVICE EACH OF YOU IS GOING TO GIVE TO THIS GREAT CITY.
WITHOUT FURTHER ADO, I WANT TO INTRODUCE THE WING COMMANDER.
HE'S NEW TO SAN ANTONIO AND HE IS HERE TO INTRODUCE HIMSELF TO THE MAYOR AND COUNCIL.
SO COLONEL TERRY MCCLAIN IS OUR NEW WING COMMANDER THERE AT THE 433RD.
>> GOOD MORNING, MAYOR NIRENBERG AND HONORABLE MEMBERS OF THE COUNCIL AND STAFF.
AS HE SAID, I'M COLONEL TERRY MCCLAIN, I'M THE NEW COMMANDER FOR THE 433RD AIR LIFT WING.
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WE ARE KNOWN AS THE ALAMO WING AND WE ARE THE HOME OF THE C 5M SUPER GALAXY.I LEAVE ABOUT 2500 RESERVE AIRMEN AT JOINT BASE SAN ANTONIO LACKLAND WHO ARE VITAL MEMBERS OF SAN ANTONIO AND SURROUNDING COMMUNITIES.
IT IS MY PLEASURE TO BE HERE TODAY FOR A SPECIAL CEREMONY.
AS WE ARE GOING TO SWEAR IN MAYOR NIRENBERG AS THE HONORARY COMMANDER OF THE ALAMO WING.
IT IS A COMMUNITY OUTREACH PROGRAM CIVILIAN COMMUNITIES AND PARTNERS.
IT PROVIDES A FORUM FOR THE WING SENIOR LEADERS TO SOLICIT ADVICE, COUNSEL, AND SUPPORT WITHIN APPROPRIATE LEGAL LIMITS FROM OUR LOCAL CIVIC LEADERS ON MATTERS AFFECTING OUR RESERVE MEMBERS AND THEIR COMMUNITIES.
IT ALSO PROVIDES THOSE SAME CIVIC LEADERS WITH A SNEAK PEEK TO SEE WHAT THE COMMUNITY MEMBERS GO THROUGH WHEN THEY DISAPPEAR THAT ONE WEEKEND A MONTH OR TWO WEEKENDS A YEAR.
EARLIER THIS YEAR MAYOR NIRENBERG AGREED TO TAKE PART IN YEAR SEVEN OF OUR PROGRAM.
IN THE PAST WE HAVE HAD SEVERAL CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS SERVE AS HONORARY COMMANDERS BUT THIS IS THE FIRST TIME WE HAVE BEEN FORTUNATE ENOUGH TO HAVE THE MAYOR SERVE IN THAT CAPACITY.
I LOOK FORWARD TO SHARING LEADERSHIP TIPS WITH YOU.
SO IF YOU'RE READY, SIR, WE'LL MAKE THIS OFFICIAL.
>> MAYOR NIRENBERG: THANK YOU VERY MUCH, COLONEL AND CAPTAIN CORTEZ FOR JOINING US TODAY.
WE ALSO HAVE VERY SPECIAL GUESTS WITH US ALSO, AN HONORED VETERAN OF OUR ARMED SERVICES.
AND SO I WOULD LIKE TO RECOGNIZE TODAY A SPECIAL MILESTONE FOR A TRUE HERO, A TRUE AMERICAN HERO WHO HAS JOINED US IN THE FRONT ROW.
RETIRED STAFF SERGEANT ODEN SANCHEZ.
SHE IS A WORLD WAR II VETERAN AND FORMER POW WHO SERVED UNDER GENERAL GEORGE PATTON.
HE IS 100 YEARS OLD THIS WEEK HAVING CELEBRATED HIS BIRTHDAY LAST WEEK.
HE WAS CAPTURED WHILE FIGHTING ON THE FRONT LINES IN GERMANY AND HE WAS HELD IN CAPTIVITY IN GERMANY.
HE RECEIVED AN AMERICAN DEFENSE MEDAL AND A EUROPEAN SERVICE MEDAL WITH THREE BRONZE STARS FOR HIS SERVICE.
AFTER THE CAR, CARDENAS WORKED AS A BARBER AND AUTO MECHANIC AND HE AND HIS WIFE HAD TEN CHILDREN, 18 GRANDCHILDREN, 30 GREAT GRANDCHILDREN, AND FOUR GREAT GREAT GRANDCHILDREN.
MR. CARDENAS, IT IS A GREAT HONOR TO HAVE YOU WITH US TODAY.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR GREAT SERVICE TO OUR NATION AND A HAPPY BLADED BIRTHDAY.
NOW I HAVE A SPECIAL PRESENTATION FOR THIS TRUE
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AMERICAN HERO, BUT BEFORE I DO, LET'S GIVE HIM A ROUND OF APPLAUSE.[APPLAUSE] I KNOW A FEW OF HIS GREAT GRANDCHILDREN ARE HERE TODAY.
IF THEY WOULD LIKE TO COME FORWARD AND PRESENT THIS CERTIFICATE TO YOU AS WELL.
THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO HEREBY PRESENTS ITS OFFICIAL CONGRATULATIONS TO ODEN CARDENAS IN HONOR OF YOUR 100TH BIRTHDAY ON JULY 30, 2019.
THE MEMBERS OF THE CITY COUNCIL AND CITY OF SAN ANTONIO ARE PROUD TO JOIN YOUR FAMILY, FRIENDS, AND COMMUNITY IN CELEBRATING THIS MOMENTOUS OCCASION.
WE EXTEND OUR BEST WISHES TO YOU FOR MANY MORE HAPPY AND ENJOYABLE YEARS.
HAPPY 100TH BIRTHDAY, MR. CARDENAS, PRESENTED THIS 8TH DAY OF AUGUST, 2019.
>> MAYOR NIRENBERG: HAPPY BIRTHDAY, MR. CARDENAS.
WE'RE GOING TO GET NOW TO OUR REGULAR PROGRAMMING.
WE'LL BEGIN TODAY WITH OUR -- ACTUALLY, WE HAVE A POINT OF PERSONAL PRIVILEGE.
I'LL RECOGNIZE COUNCILMAN PERRY.
WELL, I'M SURE EVERYBODY HERE KNEW WHAT YESTERDAY WAS.
WELL, I KNOW THERE'S A FEW PEOPLE IN HERE THAT KNOW WHAT YESTERDAY WAS.
IT WAS ACTUALLY THE PROFESSIONAL ENGINEERS DAY.
YOU KNOW, THIS DAY WAS CREATED TO REALLY RECOGNIZE OUR PROFESSIONAL ENGINEERS ACROSS THE COUNTRY.
THE FIRST ONE WAS AWARDED IN 1907.
AND THESE PROFESSIONAL ENGINEERS ARE REQUIRED, BY LAW AND BY THEIR LICENSE, TO ENSURE THAT OUR PUBLIC FACILITIES, UTILITIES, ROADS, ANYTHING THAT TAKES A DESIGN AND CONSTRUCTION IS DONE ACCORDING TO THEIR ORDINANCES, THEIR DESIGNS.
EVERYTHING IS SAFE FOR OUR PUBLIC.
SO I WANT TO RECOGNIZE THEM TODAY ON ALL THE FANTASTIC WORK THAT THEY'VE DONE FOR US HERE IN OUR CITY.
BOTH ON CITY STAFF AND OUR LOCAL ECONOMY.
WE'VE GOT PROFESSIONAL ENGINEERS ON BOTH SIDES OF THE HOUSE, ALL WORKING VERY, VERY HARD TO MAKE SURE THAT WE HAVE SAFE FACILITIES AND THAT WE CAN ENJOY LIVING AND WORKING AND PLAYING IN SAFE ENVIRONMENTS.
ALL OF OUR BUILT ENVIRONMENT IS TAKEN CARE OF BY THESE PROFESSIONAL ENGINEERS TO MAKE SURE THEY'RE DONE PROPERLY.
SO, WITH THAT, I'D REALLY LIKE FOR ALL THOSE PROFESSIONAL ENGINEERS IN HERE TODAY TO PLEASE STAND AND BE RECOGNIZED AND GIVE YOU A HAND OF THANKS.
[APPLAUSE] AGAIN, THANK Y'ALL VERY MUCH FOR WHAT YOU DO ON A DAILY BASIS.
WE DID HAVE A PHOTO OP YESTERDAY, AND WE HAD SOME GREAT
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DISCUSSIONS.AND I LOOK FORWARD TO CONTINUING TO WORK WITH OUR PROFESSIONAL ENGINEERS HERE IN SAN ANTONIO.
>> MAYOR NIRENBERG: THANK YOU, COUNCILMAN PERRY.
I THINK ALL OF THE COUNCIL PEOPLE SHARE THE SENTIMENT I WANT TO EXPRESS RIGHT NOW, AND THAT'S GRATITUDE FOR THE AMBASSADOR PROGRAM THAT THE CITY UNDERTAKES EVERY SUMMER.
I KNOW MANY OF US ON COUNCIL HAVE WORKED WITH A LOT OF YOUNG PEOPLE OVER THE YEARS, AND I WANT TO COMMEND THE TWO GENTLEMEN WHO WORKED AS AMBASSADORS IN MY OFFICE.
MR. JACK MORGAN, MR. THOMAS CANALES.
WOULD YOU GUYS STAND UP JUST SO I COULD POINT YOU OUT? THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR THE WORK YOU'VE DONE.
[APPLAUSE] THEY HAVE REALLY PROVEN TO BE EXCELLENT PUBLIC SERVANTS FOR MY DISTRICT.
HE'S A PITCHER FOR THE BASEBALL TEAM, SO I HOPE YOU HAVE A GREAT SEASON.
THANKS TO ALL OUR AMBASSADORS.
>> MAYOR NIRENBERG: THANK YOU, COUNCILMAN COURAGE.
I TOO WANT TO THANK AUDIO] IN OUR OFFICE.
I DON'T KNOW WHERE SHE'S AT, IF SHE'S IN HERE OR LISTENING IN.
I JUST WANT TO SAY A BIG THANK YOU.
SHE WAS A GREAT HELP, A GREAT FIT FOR OUR STAFF.
SHE GOES BACK TO RICE UNIVERSITY.
AND I ALSO WANT TO POINT OUT, I WANT TO THANK COUNCILMAN PERRY FOR THANKING OUR ENGINEERS.
AS AN ARCHITECT, I CAN ABSOLUTELY RESPECT AND SAY THAT OUR DESIGN PROFESSIONALS HAVE AN IMMENSE RESPONSIBILITY TO PROVIDE PROFESSIONALISM AND SAFETY TO OUR COMMUNITY.
AND WE DO NOT TAKE THEIR RECOMMENDATIONS AS OPINION.
>> MAYOR NIRENBERG: THANK YOU, COUNCILMAN TREVINO.
ON BEHALF OF THE RESIDENTS OF DISTRICT 3 AND ALL OF THE -- OF MY OFFICE AS WELL, I WOULD LIKE TO FIRST THANK -- I WOULD LIKE TO THANK OUR INTERNS, CILIA AND ISRAEL.
YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE TO STAND UP.
AS YOU ALL KNOW, THEY HAVE BEEN HERE FOR THE ENTIRE SUMMER.
AND, UNFORTUNATELY, HAVEN'T BEEN ABLE TO MAKE A COUNCIL MEETING.
SO THIS IS THEIR FIRST COUNCIL MEETING THAT THEY'RE ABLE TO ATTEND.
THANK YOU ALL SO MUCH FOR THE WORK YOU'VE DONE FOR OUR CITY AND THE COMMUNITY.
>> MAYOR NIRENBERG: THANK YOU, COUNCILWOMAN VIAGRAN.
>> PERRY: THANK YOU AGAIN, SIR.
I'M LOSING A STAFF MEMBER, DIEGO HERNANDEZ.
HE'S BEEN AN INTERN WITH US THIS SUMMER.
HE'S A JUNIOR AT WHEATEN COLLEGE UP IN ILLINOIS, SO HE'S GOING BACK UP TO SCHOOL , BUT HE'S BEEN VERY VALUABLE HERE.
BUT I JUST WANT TO POINT OUT HE'S A SIXTH GENERATION TEXAN AND A LOCAL GUY.
SO HE HAS BEEN VERY VALUABLE IN HELPING US DAY IN AND DAY OUT.
AND HE'S GONE ABOVE AND BEYOND OUR EXPECTATIONS.
AND SO I WANT TO SAY THANK YOU, DIEGO, FOR EVERYTHING THAT YOU'VE DONE.
AND WE'VE HAD LOTS AND LOTS OF COMMENTS.
HE'S STANDING RIGHT OVER HERE ON THE SIDE, THAT HE'S THE ONLY PERSON THAT CAN OUTDRESS ROD SANCHEZ.
[LAUGHTER] WITH THOSE THREE-PIECE SUITS.
WAY TO GO, DIEGO! YOU KNOW, THAT'S AWESOME! YEAH, YEAH! [APPLAUSE] THANK YOU, SIR.
>> MAYOR NIRENBERG: THANK YOU, COUNCILMAN PERRY.
I THINK ROD LOST HIS EDGE TO DAVID MCCARY A COUPLE YEARS AGO.
I ALSO WANT TO RECOGNIZE TWO GREAT WORKERS WHO HAVE BEEN WITH US THIS SUMMER.
ONE OF WHOM IS GOING ON BUT ONE IS CONTINUING.
FOR ALL YOUR GREAT WORK OVER THE SUMMER AND CONTINUING ON.
I'M SURE YOU'LL BE BACK, AL, SO WE LOOK FORWARD TO HAVING YOU BACK.
I ALSO HAVE THREE INTERNS THAT I WISH A VERY, VERY SUCCESSFUL BON VOYAGE TO.
MY AVLRO CAN BEAT UP YOUR AVLRO, MAYOR.
AND THAT'S KENNEDY TATUM AND MICHELLE RUSH.
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AND THANKS FOR GIVING US YOUR TIME THIS SUMMER.>> MAYOR NIRENBERG: THANK YOU, COUNCILMAN PELAEZ.
[3. Approval of Minutes of the City Council Regular Meetings of June 5 - 6, 2019, the City Council Regular Meetings of June 12 - 13, 2019 and the City Council Special Meeting of June 13, 2019.]
OUR BUSINESS ITEMS FOR TODAY.THE FIRST ITEM ON OUR AGENDA, ITEM 3, IS THE APPROVAL OF THE CITY COUNCIL MEETING MINUTES FROM JUNE 6 AND JUNE 12 AND 13 AND THE SPECIAL MEETING ON JUNE 13.
I'LL ENTERTAIN A MOTION FOR APPROVAL.
THERE'S A MOTION AND A SECOND FOR APPROVAL OF ITEM NO. 3, WHICH IS THE CITY COUNCIL MEETING MINUTES JUNE 6, 12, AND 13.
[4. Presentation of the City of San Antonio 2020 Proposed Operating and Capital Budget for the Fiscal Year beginning October 1, 2019 and approving the following related Ordinances: [Erik Walsh, City Manager]]
MOTION CARRIES.>> ITEM 4 IS THE PRESENTATION OF THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO 2020 PROPOSED OPERATING AND CAPITAL BUDGET FOR THE FISCAL YEAR BEGINNING OCTOBER 1, 2019 AND APPROVING THE FOLLOWING RELATED ORDINANCES: ITEM 4A IS THE ORDINANCE SETTING THE CITY'S PROPOSED MAINTENANCE AND OPERATIONS TAX RATE AT 34.677 CENTS PER $100 OF TAXABLE VALUATION AND THE CITY'S PROPOSED DEBT SERVICE TAX RATE AT 21.150 CENTS PER $100 OF TAXABLE VALUATION AS RECOMMENDED IN THE FISCAL YEAR 2020 PROPOSED BUDGET.
THERE IS NO INCREASE IN THE CITY'S PROPERTY TAX RATE.
ITEM 4B IS THE ORDINANCE SETTING THE DATE, TIME, AND PLACE FOR TWO BUDGET PUBLIC HEARINGS AND TWO AD VALOREM TAX RATE PUBLIC HEARINGS.
AND TO CLARIFY FOR EVERYONE, THIS IS UNDER THE ITEMS FOR INDIVIDUAL CONSIDERATION.
WE WILL GET TO THE CONSENT AGENDA AFTER THIS PRESENTATION.
AND THEN AT THAT TIME WE'LL PULL ANY ITEMS FOR INDIVIDUAL CONSIDERATION.
>> WALSH: MORNING, MAYOR AND COUNCIL.
I'M PROUD TO BE HERE BEFORE YOU THIS MORNING TO PRESENT THE FY2020 PROPOSED ANNUAL AND OPERATING CAPITAL BUDGET FOR THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO.
AS YOU KNOW, WE HAVE GONE THROUGH AN EXHAUSTIVE PROCESS.
THIS IS THE NEXT PHASE OF THAT PROCESS.
IT STARTED IN THE SPRINGTIME WHEN MANY OF THE DEPARTMENTS BEGAN PREPARING THEIR BUDGETS, BOTH THIS FISCAL YEAR AND NEXT FISCAL YEAR IN PREPARATION OF OUR FINANCIAL FORECAST.
IT CULMINATED WITH THE BUDGET WORK SESSION AT THE END OF JUNE, AND WE ARE ENTERING THE NEXT PHASE OF THE PROPOSED BUDGET, AND I'LL TALK ABOUT THE STEPS BEYOND THAT HERE AT THE END OF THE PRESENTATION.
SO, THE FY2020 PROPOSED BUDGET IS BALANCED, WE HAVE TO BE BALANCED, ACCORDING TO OUR CITY CHARTER.
IT REFLECTS THE CITY COUNCIL'S PRIORITIES THAT WERE DISCUSSED AS A GROUP AT THE JUNE BUDGET WORK SESSION.
WE HAVE MAINTAINED OUR MINIMUM GENERAL FUND ENDING BALANCE OF 15%.
THE SPENDING PLAN IN HERE KEEPS OUR PUBLIC SAFETY SPENDING BELOW 66%.
AND THE GENERAL FUND FOR MAINTAINING OUR STRUCTURAL BALANCE AND ACHIEVING THE TWO-YEAR BALANCED BUDGET.
YOU WILL RECALL IN THE CONVERSATION AT THE BUDGET WORK SESSION AT THE END OF JUNE, ONE OF THE SIGNIFICANT RESULTS OF THAT CONVERSATION AMONGST THE COUNCIL WAS A REAFFIRMATION AND AN ADJUSTMENT TO OUR FINANCIAL POLICIES.
WE ARE IN LINE WITH THOSE POLICIES AS THE COUNCIL REAFFIRMED.
SO THE FY2020 TOTAL CITY BUDGET IS $2.9 BILLION.
THAT IS A 3% INCREASE FROM THE FY19 ADOPTED BUDGET.
AS YOU CAN SEE ON THE SLIDE, THAT CHART IS BROKEN UP INTO THREE MAIN AREAS.
THE GENERAL FUND, WHICH I'LL SPEND A LITTLE BIT OF TIME TALKING ABOUT HERE, IS $1.27 BILLION.
THAT'S OUR GENERAL ACCOUNT WHERE WE RECEIVE OUR PROPERTY, SALES TAX, CPS REVENUE, AND WHERE WE SUPPORT OUR BASIC CITY SERVICES SUCH AS POLICE, FIRE, STREETS, PARKS, LIBRARY, CODE ENFORCEMENT, AND OTHERS.
OUR RESTRICTED FUND BUDGET IS $937 MILLION.
THAT RESTRICTED FUND BUDGET REPRESENTS ALL OF OUR LINES OF BUSINESS, LIKE THE AIRPORT FUND, AIRPORT OPERATIONS, DEVELOPMENT SERVICES, THE HOTEL OCCUPANCY TAX FUND, STORM WATER, AND OUR SOLID WASTE UTILITY.
AND THE THIRD COMPONENT OF OUR TOTAL CITY BUDGET IS THE CAPITAL PROGRAM AT $715 MILLION NEXT YEAR.
THAT'S WHERE WE BUDGET THE CONSTRUCTION AND CAPITAL AND
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DESIGN OF OUR PROGRAM, WHETHER THAT BE THE 2017 BOND PROGRAM, THE AIRPORT, OR OTHER FACILITIES.OUR AUTHORIZED POSITION COUNT IN THE PROPOSED BUDGET IS INCREASING BY 20 UNIFORM POSITIONS AND 81 CIVILIAN POSITIONS TO A TOTAL OF 12,505 AUTHORIZED POSITIONS THROUGHOUT THE CITY ORGANIZATION.
SO I'M GOING TO FOCUS THE NEXT COUPLE OF SLIDES ON OUR GENERAL FUND.
BALANCING THE GENERAL FUND, AND WE TALKED A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THIS AT THE WORK SESSION, AS WE ALL MONITORED BOTH WHAT WAS HAPPENING UP IN AUSTIN AND CURRENT DISCUSSIONS WITH LEGISLATION, BUT ALSO WHAT WE WERE DEALING WITH HERE LOCALLY.
LESS CPS REVENUE, AS WE PROJECTED IN THE FORECAST AND UPDATED YOU EARLIER THIS YEAR, BOTH THIS FISCAL YEAR AND WE'VE MADE ADJUSTMENTS FOR NEXT YEAR, WE ARE ANTICIPATING THAT OUR CPS REVENUE THIS FISCAL YEAR WILL BE DOWN ALMOST $14 MILLION.
AND WE HAVE MADE ADJUSTMENTS IN OUR 2020 REVENUE FROM CPS DOWN $9.3 MILLION FROM FY19'S BUDGET.
MOST OF THAT ADJUSTMENT IS REALLY FOCUSED -- THIS YEAR'S ADJUSTMENT IS REALLY FOCUSED ON MILDER WEATHER, BE MORE IMPORTANTLY VERY LOW NATURAL GAS PRICES.
AS WE COORDINATED THIS REVENUE PROJECTION WITH CPS, WE DO NOT SEE ANY CHANGE IN THE COST OF THAT NATURAL GAS PRICE AND MADE AN ADJUSTMENT ACCORDINGLY IN THE 2020 BUDGET.
WE HAVE LESS REVENUE FROM THE TELECOMMUNICATION CABLE FEES.
WE TALKED PLENTY ABOUT THIS IN THE SPRING AND IN THE WORK SESSION REDUCTION IN CABLE FEES TO THE CITY OF ABOUT $7.5 MILLION.
THAT ACTUALLY GOES INTO EFFECT SEPTEMBER 1ST.
IT DOESN'T EVEN LINE UP WITH OUR FISCAL YEAR.
THAT IS A RECURRING SOURCE OF REVENUE FOR US.
AND SO ONE OF THE CHALLENGES WE HAD AS WE WENT THROUGH THE BUDGET WAS TO DETERMINE EITHER WE REPLACE THE PERMANENT LOSS OF RECURRING REVENUE OR WE MAKE PERMANENT CUTS TO THE GENERAL FUND SERVICE CUTS, OR A COMBINATION.
AND I'LL TALK ABOUT THE CALCULUS WE WENT THROUGH IN A SECOND.
LESS INTEREST INCOME WITH THE FED.
AND WE HAVE BEEN WATCHING THIS OVER THE LAST MONTH AS WE PREPARED THE BUDGET.
WITH THE FED'S ADJUSTMENT IN THE INTEREST RATE LAST WEDNESDAY, WE HAVE DECREASED OUR INTEREST INCOME IN THE FY2020 BUDGET BY $4.5 MILLION.
MOST OF OUR INVESTMENTS ARE TIED TO TREASURY BILLS, AND WE WILL START TO SEE THAT IMPACT IMMEDIATELY.
SO HOW DO WE ADDRESS THE REVENUE LOSSES BUT MAINTAIN THE FOCUS ON THE NEEDS AND THE COUNCIL PRIORITIES THAT CAME OUT OF THE JUNE WORK SESSION? EVERY DEPARTMENT WAS REQUIRED TO SUBMIT A 3% REDUCTION OF SERVICES AND THEIR BUDGET PROGRAMS. AS I MET WITH EACH DEPARTMENT THIS SUMMER, SOME MORE THAN ONCE, WE EXAMINED BOTH WHAT THEY WERE SPENDING IN FY19, WHAT THEIR PROGRAMS WERE FOR FY20, AND EFFICIENCIES THAT WE COULD DO TO FREE UP MONEY.
FRANKLY, I'LL SAY THAT IN AN ORGANIZATION THIS LARGE, WHETHER WE WERE IN TIGHT FINANCIAL TIMES OR NOT, THAT'S A HEALTHY EXERCISE TO GO THROUGH.
AND ONE THAT I THINK ALLOWS US TO RE-EXAMINE OUR SPENDING AND ENSURE THAT WE'RE DOING THE BEST WE CAN AND BEING AS EFFICIENT AS WE CAN.
WE HAVE REDUCED SPENDING OF ABOUT $6 MILLION IN THE GENERAL FUND.
I WOULD CALL THEM EFFICIENCIES.
THERE'S SOME SMALL REDUCTIONS, BUT NO MAJOR SERVICE CUTS TO THE PUBLIC.
WE'VE TAKEN THAT MONEY AND WE'VE REDIRECTED IT TO THE COUNCIL PRIORITIES THAT CAME OUT OF THE WORK SESSION AT THE END OF JUNE.
SECONDLY, WE LOOKED AT HOW DO WE REPLACE THE LOSS OF RECURRING REVENUE FROM THE TELECOMMUNICATION CABLE FEES.
THE PROPOSED BUDGET IS RECOMMENDING THAT WE INCREASE THE TRANSFER FROM SAWS.
LET ME GIVE A LITTLE BIT OF HISTORY HERE.
SAWS WAS CREATED BY THE CITY COUNCIL IN 1992.
AND AT THAT TIME THE CITY COUNCIL ESTABLISHED THE MAXIMUM UTILITY TRANSFER BACK TO THE CITY, AS THE OWNER OF SAWS, AT 5%.
THE CITY COUNCIL THEN IN 1992 SET THAT RATE AT 2.7% OF THEIR REVENUE.
NOW THAT RATE HADN'T CHANGED SINCE 1992.
THE PROPOSED BUDGET RECOMMENDS INCREASING THAT RATE TO 4%.
[00:35:05]
REMEMBER, THE CAP UNDER THE ORIGINAL ORDINANCE IS 5%, BUT I'M RECOMMENDING THAT WE INCREASE IT UP TO 4%.AND WE'VE HAD A LOT OF CONVERSATION WITH SAWS THROUGHOUT THE SUMMER TO COORDINATE AND ENSURE THAT THIS WAS POSSIBLE.
I'LL TELL YOU THAT IN THE FINANCIAL PERFORMANCE AND MANAGEMENT OF THE SAWS THAT THIS INCREASE IS NOT CURRENTLY FORECASTED TO IMPACT WATER RATES AND WASTEWATER RATES RIGHT NOW.
SAWS HAS THE FINANCIAL CAPABILITY AND THIS ADJUSTMENT DOES NOT MATERIALLY IMPACT THE FINANCIAL POSITION IN THE NEAR TERM.
I'LL GO A LITTLE BIT FURTHER TO SAY THAT IT BECOMES A COST TO SAWS.
WHETHER THEY HAVE HEALTH INSURANCE INCREASES OR MAINTENANCE INCREASES OR OPERATIONAL INCREASES, AS A UTILITY, SAWS, JUST LIKE CPS, IS CONTINUOUSLY MONITORING THEIR RATE STRUCTURE AND THEIR BUDGET.
AND I WOULD NOT BE RECOMMENDING THIS IF I THOUGHT IT WAS CREATING AN ISSUE IN THE NEAR TERM OVER AT SAWS.
AND WE SPOKE TO ROBERT PUENTE AND HIS TEAM.
AND I THINK WHEN I DID THE CALCULUS EARLIER IN THE SUMMER ABOUT LOOKING AT THE 3% CUTS THAT DEPARTMENTS HAD SUBMITTED, I WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT WE PURSUED A REPLACEMENT OF THAT REVENUE BEFORE WE STARTED MAKING SERVICE CUTS.
ANOTHER LEVER THAT WE ADJUSTED IN THE BUDGET IS A 50-CENT DECREASE IN THE SOLID WASTE RATE AND A 50-CENT INCREASE IN THE PARKS ENVIRONMENTAL FEE RATE.
NOW, THE PARKS ENVIRONMENTAL FEE CURRENTLY IS $1 AND IT'S ON CPS UTILITY BILLS.
SO BY DECREASING THE SOLID WASTE RATE BY 50 CENTS A MONTH AND INCREASING THE PARKS ENVIRONMENTAL FEE BY 50 CENTS A MONTH, NO CHANGE TO THE RATE PAYER OR THE CONSTITUENT.
BUT WHAT IT ALLOWED US TO DO WAS MOVE SOME OF THE GENERAL FUND EXPENSES IN TERMS OF MAINTENANCE OF PARKS, MOWING, GRASS CUTTING, TREE TRIMMING, THOSE TYPES OF EXPENSES FOR THIS ENVIRONMENTAL FUND, WHICH SAVED THE GENERAL FUND ABOUT $3.5 MILLION.
SO WE TALK A LOT ABOUT, AND IT'S BEEN A PRIORITY OF THE COUNCIL FOR THE LAST TWO BUDGET SESSIONS, OR BUDGET FISCAL YEARS.
BUT WHAT IS THE EQUITY FRAMEWORK THAT WE'RE OPERATING UNDER.
AND YOU'LL SEE THIS THROUGHOUT THE PRESENTATIONS THAT WILL BEGIN NEXT WEEK IN THE WORK SESSIONS WHERE DEPARTMENT BUDGETS FOCUS PART OF THEIR PRESENTATION ON THIS EQUITY FRAMEWORK.
AS AN ORGANIZATION, YOU KNOW, THE THREE AREAS OF NORMALIZING, ORGANIZING AND OPERATIONALIZING, THERE HAVE BEEN A LOT OF MOVING PARTS.
ON MY FIRST DAY AS CITY MANAGER I APPOINTED GIBBS AS OUR CHIEF EQUITY OFFICE, AND ZAN AND HER TEAM, I LIKE TO CALL THEM THE AVENGERS, BECAUSE THEY DO A LOT AND THEY'RE PRETTY MOBILE.
ZAN AND HER TEAM HAVE WORKED TO IDENTIFY AND TRAIN CITY STAFF THROUGHOUT THE ORGANIZATION TO ACT AS EQUITY TRAINERS.
WE HAVE COORDINATED A CITY WIDE EQUITY COMMITTEE AND WE'RE GOING TO OPERATIONALIZE THAT AND WE'LL BE LAYERING THAT INTO THE PRESENTATIONS OVER THE NEXT COUPLE OF WEEKS THAT WE'LL BE GIVING TO YOU AT THE DEPARTMENT LEVEL.
SO THE PROPOSED BUDGET ADDRESSES THE COUNCIL AND COMMUNITY PRIORITIES THAT CAME OUT OF THE WORK SESSION AT THE END OF JUNE.
STRONG FAMILIES AND CHILDREN, POLICE, AFFORDABLE HOUSING, STREETS AND SIDEWALKS, AND PROPERTY TAX RELIEF.
I'LL TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THOSE NOW.
OUR FY19 -- SORRY, FY2020 PROPOSED BUDGET IN THE GENERAL FUND, AS I MENTIONED EARLIER, IS $1.27 BILLION.
IT REPRESENTS A 1.2% INCREASE IN OUR BUDGET FROM FY19.
I'LL TELL YOU THAT AS WE WERE PREPARING FOR THIS CHANGING FINANCIAL FRAMEWORK, I WAS VERY MINDFUL OF WHAT OUR OVERALL BUDGET WAS GROWING, AND IT IS CURRENTLY AT 1.2%.
SO EVERYBODY HAS SEEN THIS SLIDE.
IT'S AFFECTIONATELY KNOWN AS THE SPINNING WHEEL.
OUR FY2020 GENERAL FUND BUDGET OF $1.27 BILLION IS MADE UP OF $353.7 MILLION IN CPS PAYMENT, OR 28% OF OUR OVERALL REVENUE.
OUR SALES TAX AT $313.1 MILLION, OR 25% OF OUR REVENUE.
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OUR PROPERTY TAX OF $381.3 MILLION, OR 30%.AND OTHER RESOURCES SUCH AS SAWS, COST RECOVERY ITEMS, FINES, FEES FROM MUNICIPAL COURTS, AT $227 MILLION.
WHERE DO WE SPEND THAT MONEY? THE VAST MAJORITY OF THAT MONEY, $820.3 MILLION IN THE PROPOSED BUDGET IS DEDICATED TOWARDS PUBLIC SAFETY.
AND PUBLIC SAFETY IN THE PROPOSED BUDGET REPRESENTS 64.3% OF OUR GENERAL FUND.
BELOW OUR GOAL -- OUR FINANCIAL POLICY OF KEEPING THAT AMOUNT BELOW 66%.
THE OTHER BIG AREAS THAT WE HAVE THERE ARE STREETS AND INFRASTRUCTURE AT $113 MILLION OUT OF THE GENERAL FUND.
AND THEN A WHOLE LITANY OF QUALITY OF LIFE AND NEIGHBORHOOD AND CUSTOMER SERVICE DEPARTMENTS THAT MAKE UP THE BALANCE OF THAT $290 MILLION IN OUR GENERAL FUND.
OUR GENERAL FUND REVENUES, GROWTH OVER FY2019, IN TERMS OF PROPERTY TAX -- AND THIS IS COMPARING FY19 BUDGET TO FY2020 PROPOSED BUDGET, WE'RE SEEING AN INCREASE AMOUNT IN PROPERTY TAX OF $19.4 MILLION.
I'LL TALK ABOUT THE DETAILS BEHIND THAT HERE SHORTLY.
OUR SALES TAX, WE'RE PROJECTING AN INCREASE OF 6% NEXT YEAR.
AN ADDITIONAL $17.8 MILLION BUILT INTO THE 2020 BUDGET.
YOU'LL SEE FOR NEXT YEAR'S BUDGET, COMPARED TO FY19, WE HAVE CPS PAYMENT TO THE CITY OF $9.3 MILLION LESS THAN WHAT THE '19 BUDGET WAS.
AND THAT ACCOUNTS FOR THE DIFFERENCE I MENTIONED AT THE BEGINNING OF THE PRESENTATION.
AND THEN OTHER REVENUE AT 8.1%, OR 3.9%.
OVERALL REVENUE IN THE GENERAL FUND IS PROPOSED TO BE 3% HIGHER.
SO I KNOW THIS IS A BUSY SLIDE BUT I WANTED TO INCLUDE IT BECAUSE YOU HAVE SEEN IT MULTIPLE TIMES AS WE WENT THROUGH THE LEGISLATIVE PROCESS THIS FALL.
BUT WHAT WE'VE DONE IS WE'VE INCLUDED, ON THE FAR RIGHT, WHERE OUR VALUES CAME IN ACCORDING TO BEXAR APPRAISAL DISTRICT.
WE RECEIVED THIS A WEEK AND A HALF AGO, THE FINAL NUMBERS.
WE HAVE SEEN A BASE INCREASE OF 4% IN BASE ADJUSTMENTS.
SO A TOTAL OF 5.6% FROM THE APPRAISAL DISTRICT.
SOME OF YOU MAY RECALL DURING THE FORECAST AND THE CONVERSATION DURING THE BUDGET WORK SESSION THAT WE WERE PROJECTING THAT NUMBER TO BE 6%.
SO IT'S A LITTLE BIT LESS THAN WE WERE PROJECTING BASED ON THE EARLY ESTIMATES FROM THE APPRAISAL DISTRICT.
BUT THIS IS WHERE THE BUDGET IS CURRENTLY INCLUDED IN.
I WANTED TO SHOW AND TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT SB2, WHICH WILL NOT IMPACT US NEXT FISCAL YEAR, BUT WILL IMPACT US BEGINNING IN FY21.
AND FOR A MARKER PURPOSE, INCLUDE HERE THAT 3.5% DASH LINE TO SHOW THAT -- AND WE'VE TALKED A LOT ABOUT THIS OVER THE LAST SEVERAL MONTHS, BUT HAD A SIMILAR CAP BEEN IN PLACE OVER THE LAST TEN YEARS, THE CITY WOULD HAVE RECEIVED APPROXIMATELY $81 MILLION LESS IN REVENUE.
AND WHAT HAPPENS IN THE FUTURE? THAT WILL BE HARD TO DETERMINE.
THAT EVERYTHING IN BLUE ABOVE THAT RED DASH LINE, IF THAT'S REPLICATED GOING FORWARD, THAT IMPACTS US DIRECTLY AND WE WILL NEED TO MANAGE THROUGH THAT.
SO IN TERMS OF CITY PROPERTY TAX RELIEF, IN THE PROPOSED BUDGET THERE'S ALMOST $61 MILLION IN PROPERTY TAX RELIEF MADE UP OF THREE PRIMARY AREAS.
THE SENIOR AND DISABLED EXEMPTIONS, THE FROZEN 65 TAX PAYMENTS FOR THOSE OVER 65, AND THEN THE ADJUSTMENT THAT THE COUNCIL VOTED ON THE MONDAY AFTER THE MONDAY WORK SESSION WAS THE CREATION OF THE HOMESTEAD EXEMPTION IMMEDIATELY.
SO THAT ALL REPRESENTS ALMOST $61 MILLION IN PROPERTY TAX RELIEF THAT WE'RE GIVING BACK TO THE PROPERTY OWNERS IN THIS COMMUNITY.
AND CERTAINLY ONE OF THE FIVE MAIN PRIORITIES THAT CAME OUT OF THE WORK SESSION IN JUNE.
SO, OTHER PROPOSED REVENUE CHANGES.
I TALKED ABOUT THE $10 MILLION FROM SAWS.
THE GENERAL FUND ALSO INCLUDES $2.2 MILLION IN ADDITIONAL RIVER BARGE AND TOWER TICKET FEES.
NOW, THAT'S BROKEN UP INTO TWO
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DIFFERENT AREAS.ACCORDING TO OUR CONTRACT WITH OUR CONCESSIONAIRE, THERE WAS AN INCREASE IN THAT CONCESSION AGREEMENT, ACCORDING TO OUR CONTRACT, AND THAT REPRESENTS ABOUT $1.1 MILLION.
AND THAT'S GENERAL REVENUE TO THE CITY THAT COMES INTO THE ENTIRE ACCOUNT.
IN ADDITION, THE PROPOSED BUDGET IS RECOMMENDING A 50-CENT INCREASE ON EVERY RIVER BARGE TICKET AND EVERY TOWER OF AMERICAS TICKET.
AND THAT THAT $1.1 MILLION BE DIRECTED TOWARDS OUR HOMELESS EFFORTS.
AND I'LL TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THAT IN MORE DETAIL HERE SHORTLY.
IN ADDITION, AND YOU'LL SEE THIS AS WE GO THROUGH THE BUDGET WORK SESSIONS BY THE DEPARTMENTS, THERE'S ABOUT $300,000 IN OTHER FEES AND RENTAL CHARGES THAT WE'RE RECOMMENDING.
MOST OF THESE ARE TO RECOVER OUR EXPENSE ASSOCIATED WITH THESE EFFORTS.
AND WE HAVE CERTAINLY BEEN MINDFUL OF THE FACT THAT WE WANT TO, AT A MINIMUM, ATTEMPT TO RECOVER OUR EXPENSES WHERE IT'S REASONABLE.
AND WE'LL BE LAYING THAT OUT TO YOU IN EACH OF THE BUDGET WORK SESSIONS.
SO IN TERMS OF STRONG FAMILIES AND CHILDREN, CERTAINLY A HIGH PRIORITY FOR THE COUNCIL AND A HIGH PRIORITY IN THIS COMMUNITY.
THE GENERAL FUND INCLUDES A PROPOSAL TO INCLUDE $1 MILLION TO DO A COUPLE OF THINGS.
ONE IS TO CONTINUE TO COORDINATE AND CREATE A COMPREHENSIVE FAMILY VIOLENCE PLAN FOR THIS COMMUNITY.
AND REALLY THAT DOES NOT JUST FALL ON THE SHOULDERS OF THE CITY.
WE TAKE A LOT OF THAT RESPONSIBILITY BUT IT'S GOING TO REQUIRE A LOT OF WORK FROM A LOT OF FOLKS.
OTHER GOVERNMENTAL ENTITIES, STAKEHOLDERS.
HALF A MILLION DOLLARS OF THIS MILLION WE'RE RECOMMENDING BE DEDICATED TOWARDS A COMPREHENSIVE MEDIA CAMPAIGN.
BUT ALSO AWARD-WINNING NATIONAL PROGRAMS THAT DON'T EXIST HERE IN SAN ANTONIO THAT ADDRESS SCHOOL-BASED AND CHILD ABUSE PREVENTION PROGRAMS. THE SECOND PART OF THIS HALF A MILLION DOLLARS RESERVED FOR THE DELEGATE AGENCY FUNDING.
IN LATE JUNE OR EARLY JULY DR. BRIDGER AND I HAD AN OPPORTUNITY TO MEET WITH TWO JUDGES OVER AT THE BEXAR COUNTY COURTHOUSE.
AND WE HAVE WORKED JOINTLY TO PULL TOGETHER, YOU KNOW, AND DR. BRIDGER ALWAYS COMES UP WITH COMPLICATED TITLES.
IT'S THE COMMISSION ON COLLABORATIVE STRATEGIES TO PREVENT COMBAT AND RESPOND TO DOMESTIC VIOLENCE.
IN SHORT, IT'S A TIGER TEAM ON A CROSS CUTTING GOVERNMENTAL ENTITIES AND SERVICE PROVIDERS TO IDENTIFY BOTH PROCESS STRATEGIES AND PROGRAM STRATEGIES THAT MAKE A DIFFERENCE AND WILL AFFECT OUTCOMES.
WE'RE LOOKING JOINTLY IN FIVE DIFFERENT AREAS, AREAS WITHIN THE JUDICIARY, LEGAL SERVICES, LAW ENFORCEMENT, HEALTHCARE, AND THE SERVICE PROVIDERS.
ALL OF THESE SECTORS ARE REPRESENTED THROUGH THIS EFFORT.
THIS EFFORT IS DESIGNED TO BE SUPPORTIVE OF THE LONGER TERM GOALS OF THE BEXAR COUNTY DOMESTIC VIOLENCE TASK FORCE.
IT'S JUST DESIGNED TO WORK THROUGH QUICKLY AND IDENTIFY THOSE PROGRAM AND PROCESS STRATEGIES TO IMPROVE OUTCOMES.
AND THE RECOMMENDED BUDGET -- I'M RECOMMENDING THAT WE SET ASIDE THAT HALF A MILLION DOLLARS.
WE BUDGET IT BUT NOT ALLOCATE IT, AND WAIT UNTIL THAT WORK IS DONE AND BROUGHT BACK TO THE COUNCIL AND THEN YOU CAN DECIDE, WITH RECOMMENDATIONS FROM THAT GROUP, HOW TO INVEST THAT MONEY.
ALONG THE SAME LINES OF STRONG FAMILIES AND CHILDREN, THE PROPOSED BUDGET INCLUDES A LITTLE OVER $600,000 TO ESTABLISH THE CERTIFICATION PROCESS FOR ORGANIZATIONS IN OUR COMMUNITY.
AND MANY OF YOU HAVE HEARD US TALK ABOUT TRAUMA INFORMED CARE AND ADDRESSING THE EFFECTS OF CHILDHOOD PSYCHOLOGICAL TRAUMA, THAT THAT CHILD MAY BE ENCOUNTERING, WHETHER IT'S FAMILY VIOLENCE, DOMESTIC VIOLENCE, AN INCARCERATED PARENT OR A VARIETY OF OTHER TRAUMAS.
AND I'M EXCITED TO LET YOU KNOW THAT WE ARE WORKING CLOSELY WITH UNIVERSITY HEALTH SYSTEM IN PARTNERSHIP TO DEVELOP THIS EFFORT.
THIS WOULD BE THE FIRST IN TEXAS.
UHS WILL HELP US DEVELOP THE PROCESS AND PROVIDE TRAINING AND TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE IN THE COMMUNITY.
AND I THINK THIS IS REALLY GOES TO THE HEART OF THE ISSUE THAT MANY OF YOU SPOKE ABOUT, NOT JUST AT THE WORK SESSION, BUT IN PREVIOUS SESSIONS ABOUT TRYING TO ADDRESS A LOT OF THE ISSUES
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THAT WE DEAL WITH ON A REALTIME BASIS NOW UPSTREAM.AND BETTER EQUIPPING THIS COMMUNITY TO DEVELOP SOME STRATEGIES TO MAKE CHANGE IN THE LONG TERM.
IN TERMS OF POLICE, THE FY2020 PROPOSED BUDGET INCLUDES $479 MILLION FOR THE POLICE DEPARTMENT.
AND THE PROPOSED BUDGET HAS A FOCUS ON DOMESTIC VIOLENCE.
IT INCLUDES THE ADDITIONAL 16 UNIFORMED POSITIONS.
SIX WILL BE SERGEANTS WHO WILL BE ASSIGNED AT EACH ONE OF THE SUBSTATIONS TO OVERSEE OUR CRISIS RESPONSE TEAMS. YOU'LL RECALL LAST YEAR ABOUT THIS TIME THE POLICE DEPARTMENT SHIFTED DETECTIVES OUT TO EACH OF THE SUBSTATIONS TO DO THE HANDS-ON WORK WITH VICTIMS AT THE SUBSTATIONS, RATHER THAN TRYING TO CENTRALIZE ALL THAT DOWNTOWN.
AND THAT HAS HAD A GREAT IMPACT.
WHAT WE WANT TO DO IS WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT THERE'S A PROPER SUPERVISION IN THAT EFFORT, AND THAT'S WHERE THOSE SERGEANTS WILL BE DIRECTED.
IN ADDITION AND AS A RESULT OF SOME OF THE CONVERSATION THAT CAME OUT OF THE WORK SESSION, THE PROPOSED BUDGET INCLUDES TEN NEW SAFE OFFICERS TO SUPPORT THE CRISIS TEAM.
NOW, THESE ARE A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT SAFE OFFICERS THAT ARE COMMUNITY POLICING OFFICERS, BECAUSE THEY'RE GOING TO HAVE A DIFFERENT ROLE IN ADDITION TO COMMUNITY POLICING .
THEIR ROLE IS GOING TO BE TO HELP SUPPORT THOSE CRTS AND DO FOLLOW UP WITH VICTIMS IN 30, 60, 90 DAYS.
DEVELOP SPECIALIZED TRAINING FOR THOSE OFFICERS.
THE DEPLOYMENT OF THOSE OFFICERS, THE FIRE -- I'M SORRY, THE POLICE DEPARTMENT HAS LOOKED AT WHERE DO WE HAVE VIOLENT CRIME IN THIS COMMUNITY AND OVERLAID WHERE DO WE HAVE DOMESTIC VIOLENCE CRIME.
AND THOSE WILL BE THE AREAS WHERE WE DEDICATE THOSE ADDITIONAL RESOURCES.
ANOTHER THING THAT'S INCLUDED IN THE BUDGET IS OVERTIME TO DO TWO OFFICERS PER SHIFT IN FIVE AREAS OF TOWN THAT WE'RE CALLING NEIGHBORHOOD ENTERTAINMENT ZONES.
THEY ARE AREAS LIKE THE MAIN STREET AREA, ST. MARY'S, THE PEARL, SOUTH TOWN, SOUTHEAST, AND PORTIONS OF SOUTHWEST MILITARY.
THESE PLACES WE ALL KNOW, THAT WE ALL GO TO IN THE EVENINGS.
I'M HERE AT WORK, BUT OTHERS GO.
[LAUGHTER] BUT THESE AREAS WHERE WE HAVE LARGE POPULATIONS.
THOSE AREAS ARE PART OF A NORMAL PATROL DISTRICT, AND YOU RECALL THAT THE CHIEF TALKED A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THIS AT THE BUDGET WORK SESSION.
THE IDEA WOULD BE TO SET ASIDE MONEY THIS YEAR AND EVALUATE THE EFFECTIVENESS TO HAVE TWO OFFICERS ON OVERTIME IN THE EVENING HOURS DIRECTLY DEPLOYED IN THOSE AREAS TO PROVIDE ASSISTANCE.
NUMBER ONE, IT ALLOWS FOR A QUICKER RESPONSE IF SOMETHING HAPPENS BUT IT ALSO RELIEVES THAT PATROL OFFICER TO BE FOCUSED ON THEIR DISTRICT.
SO WE'RE EXCITED ABOUT THIS AND THINK IT WILL MAKE A BIG DIFFERENCE.
AND I THINK IT'S PROBABLY SOMETHING THAT WE PROBABLY SHOULD HAVE DONE PRIOR TO FY2020.
WE ALSO HAVE A SIGNIFICANT INVESTMENT IN COMPUTER REPLACEMENT EQUIPMENT, REPLACING ALL OF OUR LAPTOPS IN ALL OF THE VEHICLES IN PREPARATION FOR THE ROLLOUT OF A NEW FIELD REPORTING SYSTEM, RECORDS MANAGEMENT SYSTEM AND CASE MANAGEMENT SYSTEM.
MANY OF YOU HAVE GONE ALONG ON RIDE ALONGS AND HAVE SEEN THE USEFULNESS OF THAT.
WE'RE GOING THROUGH A SOLICITATION PROCESS RIGHT NOW AND ACTUALLY THAT ITEM WILL BE COMING TO COUNCIL IN THE FALL.
IN TERMS OF PARK POLICE, THE PARK POLICE BUDGET IN THE FY2020 BUDGET IS $17.4 MILLION.
AND WE'VE INCLUDED FOUR NEW POSITIONS TO PROVIDE SECURITY AND LAW ENFORCEMENT PRESENCE, BOTH IN THE DISTRICT PARKS AND THE LINEAR CREEKWAYS.
TWO OF THESE OFFICERS WILL BE ASSIGNED TO TRAILS THAT COVER TRAILS BETWEEN WALKER RANCH PARK, OFF OF WEST AVENUE, ALL THE WAY UP TO THE RIM.
WE DO HAVE CURRENT PARK POLICE ASSIGNED THERE.
THIS IS ADDING ADDITIONAL COVERAGE IN THAT AREA.
AND THEN TWO OFFICERS IN THE SOUTHWEST SECTOR OF THE CITY.
ANOTHER HIGHER PRIORITY OVER THE LAST COUPLE OF YEARS AND WAS REAFFIRMED BY THE COUNCIL AT THE WORK SESSION IN JUNE, WAS AFFORDABLE HOUSING.
AND AS WE LISTENED AND AS WE PRESENTED BACK TO YOU THE FEEDBACK WE RECEIVED FROM THE OVER 11,000 CITIZENS WHO PARTICIPATED IN EITHER THE SURVEY OR TELETOWN HALLS OR COMMUNITY EVENTS, IT WAS A HIGH PRIORITY FOR THEM AS WELL.
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GRANTS FROM HOME AND CDBG AS WELL AS THE GENERAL FUND .WE'RE DOING SOMETHING A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT.
ONE OF THE TAKEAWAYS THAT I GOT LOUD AND CLEAR FROM THE WORK SESSION IN JUNE WAS IDENTIFY POTENTIAL SOURCES OF REVENUE OR FUNDS OUTSIDE OF THE ORGANIZATION.
AND I'M PROUD TO SAY THAT LORI HOUSTON AND VERO WORKED HARD WITH OUR PARTNERS AND GOES TO THE HEART OF THE ISSUE OF A COORDINATED HOUSING SYSTEM.
$5 MILLION IS INCLUDED FROM LISC, $2 MILLION FROM THE SAN ANTONIO HOUSING TRUST AND THE HOUSING AUTHORITY ARE ALL CONTRIBUTING TOWARDS THIS EFFORT.
WE'VE ALSO IDENTIFIED $6.2 MILLION IN POTENTIAL GRANTS THAT THE CITY WILL PURSUE IN THE CITY INITIATED TAX INCREMENT REINVESTMENT ZONES.
LEVERAGING THIS FUNDING AND COLLABORATING TOGETHER TO ADDRESS HOUSING AFFORDABILITY THROUGHOUT THIS COMMUNITY GOES TO THE HEART OF THE HOUSING TASK FORCE REPORT YOU RECEIVED LAST SUMMER.
AND I THINK IT SPEAKS VOLUMES.
WE CAN SAY WE'RE COORDINATED AND WE CAN SAY WE'RE WORKING ON BEING COORDINATED, BUT I THINK IT MAKES A LOT OF DIFFERENCE WHEN OTHER AGENCIES ARE MOVING FORWARD AND HELPING FUND SOME OF THESE EFFORTS.
AND I'M REALLY EXCITED ABOUT THAT.
SO THE GOALS OF THE AFFORDABLE HOUSING SYSTEM -- I'M SORRY, THE AFFORDABLE HOUSING INITIATIVES.
CERTAINLY I TALKED A LITTLE BIT ABOUT ENHANCING THE COORDINATED HOUSING SYSTEM, AND WE WILL TALK A LOT ABOUT THIS AT NEXT WEEK'S WORK SESSION BEFORE YOU.
BUT IN TERMS OF PROTECTING NEIGHBORHOODS AND FACILITATING SUSTAINABLE OWNERSHIP THROUGH THE DEVELOPMENT OF ANTI-DISPLACEMENT STRATEGY THAT INCORPORATES YOU'LL HEAR ABOUT THAT NEXT WEEK.
INCREASING THE OWN OCCUPIED AND RENTAL OCCUPIED HOUSING PRODUCTION.
IDENTIFYING CITY PROPERTY THAT WE CAN DISPOSE OF AND DEDICATE TOWARDS THIS EFFORT IN UNDERSERVED AREAS.
LEVERAGING OUR TIRZ AND INSTITUTIONAL FUNDING, AND PROVIDING TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE TO THOSE NONPROFITS THAT ARE DOING IT EVERY DAY AND HAVE BEEN DOING IT FOR YEARS.
BUT HELPING THEM BUILD THAT CAPACITY.
PRESERVING NEIGHBORHOODS THROUGH THE REHABILITATION OF VACANT OWNER-OCCUPIED AREAS OF TOWN, AND POTENTIALLY THE ACQUISITION OF VACANT LOTS FOR NEW HOUSING DEVELOPMENTS.
AND, YOU KNOW, A LITTLE BIT MORE OF A LONG-TERM ISSUE, BUT IT'S THE DEVELOPMENT OF A LEGISLATIVE AGENDA AND THE CONVERSATION THAT THE COUNCIL HAS ALREADY BEGUN HAVING ABOUT THE INITIATION AND AMENDMENT TO THE CITY CHARTER THAT WILL UNDOUBTEDLY CONTINUE AS WE DEVELOP INTO 2020.
ONE OF THE PRESENTATIONS YOU'LL RECEIVE NEXT WEEK AT THE WORK SESSION WILL GO INTO MORE DETAIL ON THESE EFFORTS.
THE GENERAL FUND INCLUDES $1 MILLION ADDITIONAL FROM THE GENERAL FUND.
REMEMBER, I MENTIONED AT THE BEGINNING OF THE PRESENTATION THIS IS BEING FUNDED BY THAT 50-CENT INCREASE IN THE RIVER BARGE TICKETS AND 50-CENT INCREASE IN THE TOWER OF AMERICAS TICKETS.
THE PROPOSED BUDGET IS RECOMMENDING THAT A HALF A MILLION DOLLARS OF THAT BE DIRECTED TOWARDS THE HAVEN FOR HOPE, AND SPECIFICALLY DIRECTED TOWARDS HOMELESS FAMILIES.
RIGHT NOW THE CITY CONTRIBUTES, OUT OF OUR GENERAL FUND, $4.6 MILLION, AND THIS WOULD RAISE THAT INVESTMENT TO $5.1 MILLION.
THE REMAINING INVESTMENT OF $560 MILLION, MUCH LIKE THE DOMESTIC VIOLENCE INITIATIVE, OUR RECOMMENDATION WOULD BE TO BUDGET BUT NOT ALLOCATE THAT $560,000.
YOU RECALL THAT THE MID-YEAR BUDGET, AN UPDATE TO THE STRATEGIC PLAN WAS AUTHORIZED.
AND THAT WORK IS UNDERWAY RIGHT NOW AND WILL BE BROUGHT BACK TO COUNCIL AT THE BEGINNING OF 2020.
YOU KNOW, THAT PLAN IS LOOKING AT IDENTIFYING AND UPDATING THE STRATEGY, BECAUSE IT HASN'T BEEN DONE, IN OVER TEN YEARS.
BUT IT WILL BE LOOKING AT GAPS IN SERVICES.
ANYTHING FROM THE CHRONIC HOMELESS TO ENCAMPMENTS TO OTHER HOMELESS PROVIDERS.
AND MY RECOMMENDATION WILL BE THAT WE BUDGET THAT MONEY BUT NOT ALLOCATE IT AND LET YOU HAVE A CHANCE TO HEAR THOSE RECOMMENDATIONS, AND THEN DECIDE HOW BEST TO SPEND THAT MONEY.
I WANT TO MENTION -- I TALKED ABOUT AFFORDABLE HOUSING AND HOMELESSNESS, AND ONE OF THE RECOMMENDATIONS OUT OF THE MAYOR'S HOUSING TASK FORCE LAST YEAR WAS TO IDENTIFY AN INDIVIDUAL OR CREATE A POSITION IN THE CITY MANAGER'S OFFICE
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WHOSE RESPONSIBILITY WOULD BE TO OVERSEE THE COORDINATION OF HOUSING EFFORTS.THAT RECOMMENDATION WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE '19 BUDGET, AND I'VE HAD PLENTY OF QUESTIONS SINCE I HAVE BEEN APPOINTED ABOUT THAT ISSUE.
AND I'LL TELL YOU THAT I HAVE HAD CONVERSATIONS WITH OTHER CITIES.
I THINK THE STAFF AND NEIGHBORHOOD AND HOUSING SERVICES AND, FRANKLY, THE LEADERSHIP OF LORI HOUSTON IN THIS -- OVER THE LAST COUPLE OF MONTHS, WE HAVE MADE A LOT OF PROGRESS.
AND WE'RE NOT THERE YET, BUT WE'VE MADE A LOT OF PROGRESS.
AND WHAT I AM DOING AND RECOMMENDING IS THAT I TAKE AN EXISTING POSITION AND I CONVERT THAT POSITION INTO A CHIEF HOUSING OFFICER.
BUT IN MY MIND, AND FROM AN ORGANIZATIONAL STANDPOINT, THE CHIEF HOUSING OFFICER NEEDS TO BE RESPONSIBLE FOR ALL THE HOMELESS EFFORTS FOR THE CITY AND BE THE POINT PERSON.
FROM A SPECTRUM, WE HAVE ENCAMPMENTS AND CHRONIC HOMELESSNESS.
WE HAVE PROVIDERS LIKE HAVEN FOR HOPE.
WE HAVE HOMELESS FAMILIES THAT NEED HELP GETTING PLACED, YOU KNOW, WITHIN A 30, 45, OR 60-DAY TIMEFRAME.
AND ON THE NEIGHBORHOOD AND HOUSING SERVICES STANDPOINT, WE HAVE ITEMS THAT YOU HAVE FUNDED IN THE PAST AND ARE INCLUDED IN THE 2020 BUDGET.
THOSE FAMILIES THAT ARE 30 DAYS AWAY FROM BECOMING HOMELESS.
SO ORGANIZATIONALLY I WANT ONE INDIVIDUAL TO BE RESPONSIBLE FOR ALL THOSE EFFORTS.
AND, FRANKLY, POTENTIALLY ELEMENTS AND THE WORK THAT BRIDGETT IS DOING IN THE PLANNING DEPARTMENT AND THE WORK IN THE 13 REGIONAL AREAS.
SOME OF THE WORK THAT MANY OF OUR OTHER DEPARTMENTS.
ORGANIZATIONALLY I WANT TO HAVE ONE INDIVIDUAL THAT DOES ALL OF THAT ENTIRE SPECTRUM AND IS THE POINT PERSON.
IN TERMS OF STREET MAINTENANCE, MANY OF YOU KNOW THAT WE MAINTAIN OVER 4100 CENTER LINE MILES THROUGHOUT THE CITY AND THE STREET MAINTENANCE BUDGET INCLUDES $110 MILLION.
THE STRATEGY OVER THE LAST TWO YEARS IS WE REMINDED -- AS WE PRESENTED IN JUNE WAS TO RAISE THE AVERAGE STREET CONDITION INDEX IN EACH DISTRICT TO AN AVERAGE OF 70%.
AND THAT WOULD BE ACHIEVED, WE COULD COMPLETE THAT WORK IN MARCH OF 2020.
THE PROPOSED BUDGET OF $110 MILLION INCLUDES OVER 1300 STREET PROJECTS.
PART OF THIS DETAIL THAT WE'LL GIVE YOU WHEN WE PRESENT THIS TO YOU IN THEWORK SESSION IS THAT ABOUT 25% OF THIS WORK IS MAJOR STREET RECONSTRUCTION AND WILL TAKE UP TO TWO YEARS.
AND SO WE'LL DENOTE FOR YOU AND THE PUBLIC AS WE GO TO THE COMMUNITY AND YOUR DISTRICTS TO TALK ABOUT THE BUDGET.
SOME OF THESE PROJECTS ARE ESSENTIALLY MINI BOND PROJECTS.
AND SO WE'RE RESETTING THE TIME-FRAME, AND THAT'S ABOUT 25% OF THIS MONEY WILL BE DEDICATED TOWARDS STREETS AND BE SPENT OVER A TWO-YEAR PERIOD.
IN THE AREA OF SIDEWALK IMPROVEMENTS, THE PROPOSED BUDGET INCLUDES $17 MILLION IN SIDEWALK INVESTMENT.
CERTAINLY IN LINE WITH THE PRIORITIZATION THAT THE COUNCIL HAS ESTABLISHED AND THAT TCI OPERATES UNDER.
IT IS IDENTIFYING THOSE AREAS AND PRIORITIZING THEM BASED ON PEDESTRIAN SAFETY, SCHOOLS, TRANSIT ACCESS, ARTERIAL ROADWAY ACCESS, CLINICS AND HOSPITALS AND OTHER POTENTIAL DESTINATIONS.
WE'RE LOOKING AT FILLING GAPS OF 35 MILES.
BUT ONE OF THE OTHER THINGS THAT I'M RECOMMENDING WE ADD IN THE BUDGET IS A LEVEL OF PERMANENCY IN TERMS OF SIDEWALK REPAIR.
AND WE TALKED A LITTLE BIT ABOUT IT IN JUNE, AND I HAD AN OPPORTUNITY TO SPEND -- TO HAVE LONG CONVERSATIONS WITH TCI ABOUT THE SIDEWALK REPAIR.
THAT WAS A PILOT THAT WE RAN IN THE SPRINGTIME IN A LIMITED FASHION WITH THE USE OF CONTRACTORS.
AND SO THE PROPOSED BUDGET INCLUDES ADDING A CITY CREW TO DO SIDEWALK REPAIR.
THE CONCEPT WOULD BE CREATING THE EQUIVALENT TO THE POTHOLE PATCH TRUCKS THAT WE HAVE THAT DEAL WITH IMMEDIATE MAINTENANCE ISSUES.
IF WE CAN GET A THREE OR SIX SQUARE YARD PIECE OF THE SIDEWALK REPAIRED THAT'S CURRENTLY NOT USABLE, THEN WE CAN MAKE THAT WHOLE PART OR THAT WHOLE BLOCK USABLE AND BACK INTO THE INVENTORY BY THE PUBLIC.
THE PROPOSED BUDGET ALSO INCLUDES A MILLION DOLLARS FOR BIKE PROJECTS.
THAT WILL INCLUDE THE CREATION OF A MICRO MOBILITY POLICY DOCUMENT AND THE COMPLETION OF A NUMBER OF FEASIBILITY STUDIES AROUND THE DOWNTOWN AND THE MID-TOWN AREA.
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EXISTING BIKE LANES.BUT MORE IMPORTANTLY, THE PROPOSED BUDGET INCLUDES A NEW MICRO MOBILITY TEAM, A PEDESTRIAN MOBILITY OFFICER.
AND PLAINLY SAID, THESE INDIVIDUALS WILL BE DEDICATED AND DIRECTED TOWARDS THE PLAN, THE IDENTIFICATION, AND THE ACTUAL IMPLEMENTATION OF BIKE FACILITIES AND A DEDICATED UNIT WITHIN TRANSPORTATION AND CAPITAL IMPROVEMENTS.
FOLKS THAT HAVE THE EXPERTISE, VISION AND WILL WAKE UP EVERY MORNING KNOWING WHAT THEIR JOB IS.
AND I THINK THIS IS GOING TO BE AN IMPORTANT ELEMENT, AND WE WILL CERTAINLY GO INTO MORE DETAIL AS WE GO, AS RAZI PRESENTS HIS BUDGET HERE BEFORE YOU.
NOW THE COUNCIL IN THE SPRINGTIME APPROVED THE CONGESTION MITIGATION AND AIR QUALITY GRANT THAT CAME THROUGH THE MPO.
AS A REMINDER, IT'S A FEDERAL-FUNDED PROGRAM WITH THE GOAL TO REDUCE CONGESTION AND IMPROVE $5.4 MILLION MATCH THAT WE NEEDED TO COME UP WITH.
IT FUNDS FOUR DIFFERENT PROJECTS, ONE THE SUSTAINABILITY AND HEALTH EDUCATION AND OUTREACH PROGRAM, TRAFFIC SIGNAL OPTIMIZATION AND A NUMBER OF AREAS AROUND THE CITY.
THE MEDICAL GREEN STREET AND IMPROVING VIA FREQUENCY AND DEDICATED ROUTES AROUND THE CITY.
THE FUNDING FOR THIS IS -- THE $5.4 MILLION IS COMING FROM THREE SOURCES.
THE PARKING FACILITIES FUND, THE CAPITAL BUDGET AND THE GENERAL FUND.
SO WE LOOK TO SEE HOW WE CAN SHARE THOSE EXPENSES AND APPROPRIATE THEM IN AREAS THAT WERE NEEDED.
IN TERMS OF OUR FIRE DEPARTMENT, THE FIRE DEPARTMENT'S FY2020'S PROPOSED BUDGET IS $324 MILLION.
OUR SECOND LARGEST DEPARTMENT.
AND THE FY2020 PROJECT INCLUDES AN ENHANCED SQUAD PILOT AT FIRE STATION 44.
ENHANCED SQUADS AND THE CONCEPT WOULD BE WE ADD ADDITIONAL POSITIONS ON EACH SHIFT TO ALLOW THE FIRE DEPARTMENT THE ABILITY TO UTILIZE A LIGHTWEIGHT VEHICLE AND PROVIDE ADDITIONAL RESPONSE CAPABILITIES.
NOW THE FIRE DEPARTMENT HAS IDENTIFIED FIRE STATION 44.
IT'S NEAR THE BORDER OF DISTRICT 4 AND DISTRICT 6 BECAUSE IT'S THE BUSIEST FIRE STATION IN THE CITY.
AND SO WITH THIS PILOT OVER THE NEXT YEAR WE'LL BE MONITORING WHAT TYPE OF IMPACT THAT HAS ON RESOURCE AVAILABILITY, RESPONSE TIMES, AND BE UPDATING THE PUBLIC SAFETY COMMITTEE THROUGHOUT THE YEAR.
THIS IS A POTENTIAL NEW WAY TO REDEDICATE OUR RESOURCES.
YOU KNOW, IN SOME CASES THE VAST MAJORITY OF OUR CALLS ARE MEDICAL RELATED.
SOMETIMES THEY DON'T REQUIRE AN EMS UNIT BUT, YOU KNOW, SOMETIMES THEY ALSO DON'T REQUIRE FOUR FIREFIGHTERS AND A LADDER TRUCK.
SO WHAT IS THE HAPPY MEDIUM? WE'RE GOING TO BE PILOTING THIS AND I THINK IT WILL BE -- IT WILL RESULT IN GOOD DATA FOR US.
THE PROPOSED BUDGET ALSO HAS A PRETTY SIGNIFICANT INCREASE OR ENHANCEMENT FOR EQUIPMENT.
FOR OUR CLEAN CAB INITIATIVE, WHICH IS A MOVEMENT THAT THE FIRE DEPARTMENT, AND A NUMBER OF FIRE DEPARTMENTS THROUGHOUT THE COUNTRY ARE HAVING TO REMOVE THE SCBA EQUIPMENT THAT IS CURRENTLY WITHIN THE CAB OF THE TRUCKS TO BRACKETS ALONG ON THE OUTSIDE OF THE TRUCK.
AND THAT IS TO KEEP THE INSIDE OF THAT CAB CLEAN FROM POTENTIAL CONTAMINATES.
SO WE HAVE SET ASIDE MONEY TO MAKE THAT ADJUSTMENTS ON OUR EQUIPMENT.
IT ALSO INCLUDES NEW FIRE ENGINES AT FIRE STATIONS 52 AND 53.
WHEN THOSE FIRE STATIONS WERE OPENED A YEAR AND A HALF AGO, THEY WERE OPENED WITH EXISTING EQUIPMENT, AND WE NEED TO REPLACE IT WITH NEW EQUIPMENT.
WE HAVE A NEW HAZARDOUS MATERIAL TRUCK THAT'S ALSO BEING INCLUDED INTO THE PROPOSED BUDGET.
AND, AS YOU CAN IMAGINE, THE FIRE DEPARTMENT IS TOOL-HEAVY AND SO WE'RE REPLACING A LOT OF THE TOOLS THAT THOSE EMPLOYEES NEED ON A DAILY BASIS TO DO THEIR JOB.
IN TERMS OF PARKS AND RECREATION, THE FY2020 PROPOSED BUDGET IS $51.6 MILLION.
AND WE'VE INCLUDED ALMOST $2 MILLION IN FUNDS AND POSITIONS TO MAINTAIN OUR NEW PARKS AND GREENWAYS.
IN FISCAL YEAR 2020 WE ANTICIPATE BRINGING ON 175 ACRES OF NEW PARKS AND 13 ADDITIONAL MILES OF TRAILS.
SO WE NEEDED TO HAVE THE EQUIPMENT, THE MAINTENANCE, AND THE INDIVIDUALS IN PLACE.
AND THEY ARE INCLUDED IN THE PROPOSED BUDGET.
OUR LIBRARY BUDGET FY2020 BUDGET IS $42.8 MILLION A AND INCLUDES $1.7 MILLION IN COMPUTER
[01:10:03]
REPLACEMENT AT BRANCH LIBRARIES.AND SOME FACILITY IMPROVEMENTS AT A NUMBER OF OUR LIBRARIES.
THE WEST FALL LIBRARY, HVAC SYSTEM, BROOKHOLLOW'S ROOF REPLACEMENT.
THE TRAIL AT THE SCHAEFER LIBRARY.
SOME INTERIOR IMPROVEMENTS AT THE IGO LIBRARY, AND A WHOLE SLEW OF FURNITURE AND EQUIPMENT REPLACEMENT THROUGH A NUMBER OF OUR BRANCH LIBRARIES.
PROBABLY MORE IMPORTANTLY WE HAVE ALMOST $700,000 SET ASIDE TO REPLACE COMPUTERS.
IF ANYBODY HAS WALKED INTO A BRANCH LIBRARY LATELY, THE MOST HEAVILY USED AREA IS THAT COMPUTER AREA, SO WE'LL BE INVESTING MONEY IN REPLACING THAT EQUIPMENT.
SO IN TERMS OF PAID SICK LEAVE, THE PROPOSED BUDGET DOES INCLUDE ALMOST $550,000 AND FOUR POSITIONS TO ADMINISTER AND ENFORCE THE ORDINANCE THAT IS CURRENTLY ON THE BOOKS.
THOSE FOUR POSITIONS WILL BE IN THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT AND BE FOCUSED ON OUTREACH, EDUCATION ASSISTANCE, TRAINING AND RESOURCES.
AND THAT WILL BE -- THAT IS INCLUDED IN THE PROPOSED BUDGET.
THE MIGRANT RESOURCE CENTER, WE TALKED ABOUT THIS YESTERDAY AT B SESSION, AND I CERTAINLY THINK THAT ONE OF THE TAKEAWAYS THAT I HEARD YESTERDAY WAS FOR US TO WORK ON A LONG-TERM SOLUTION AND COME BACK TO THE COUNCIL WITH SOME SUGGESTIONS.
TO ALSO INCLUDE OUTSIDE PARTNERS, THE PRIVATE SECTOR, OTHER NONPROFITS.
AND WE WILL DO THAT THIS FALL.
IN THE MEANTIME, THE PROPOSED BUDGET, I'M RECOMMENDING THAT WE BUDGET ON A QUARTERLY BASIS FOR THE MIGRANT RESOURCE CENTER.
BECAUSE WE DON'T KNOW WHAT WILL HAPPEN.
AND I THINK IT WOULD BE PRUDENT TO DO THIS ON A QUARTERLY BASIS AND PROVIDE THOSE QUARTERLY UPDATES TO THE COUNCIL, RATHER THAN TRY TO SET ASIDE A WHOLE YEAR'S WORTH OF FUNDING FOR SOMETHING WE WON'T REALLY CONTROL AND WE REALLY DON'T KNOW WHAT'S GOING TO HAPPEN.
WE DON'T KNOW HOW FAST THE TURNAROUND TIME WILL BE FOR REIMBURSEMENT FROM THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT.
SO THE PROPOSED BUDGET IS RECOMMENDING, AND I'M RECOMMENDING THAT WE SET ASIDE $333,000 FOR THE FIRST QUARTER OF FY2020 AND MONITOR AND REPORT BACK TO THE COUNCIL.
THAT FUNDING WOULD COME OUT OF OUR GENERAL FUND CONTINGENCY OF $1 MILLION.
AND I THINK IT IS PROBABLY THE MOST FINANCIALLY PRUDENT WAY TO DEAL WITH THIS.
AND WE WILL WORK ON FOLLOWING UP FROM THE CONVERSATION FROM THE COUNCIL YESTERDAY ON A LONGER TERM SOLUTION.
NOW IN TERUR RESTRICTED FUNDS, OUR DEVELOPMENT SERVICES FUND.
THE FY2020 PROPOSED BUDGET IS $37.5 MILLION.
THIS IS OUR FUND THAT CAPTURES ALL OF OUR REVENUE FROM DEVELOPMENT AS WELL AS ALL OF OUR EXPENDITURES IN TERMS OF PLAN REVIEW, INSPECTIONS, AND SO FORTH.
PERMIT ACTIVITY IS UP ALMOST 2%.
AND WE ARE THE -- THE PROPOSED BUDGET IS INCLUDING 14 POSITIONS TO ADDRESS THAT ADDITIONAL GROWTH THROUGHOUT THE CITY.
OUR SOLID WASTE ENTERPRISE FUND PROPOSED BUDGET OF $131 MILLION INCLUDES THE ADDITIONAL FIVE POSITIONS TO KEEP UP WITH OUR GROWTH THROUGHOUT THE CITY AND OUR ROUTE CHANGES, AS WELL AS SOME EQUIPMENT NEEDS AND THROUGHOUT THE DEPARTMENT.
YOU KNOW, WE SERVICE 359,000 RESIDENTIAL CUSTOMERS TWICE A WEEK.
AND WE PROVIDE SERVICES LIKE HOUSEHOLD HAZARDOUS SERVICES, BRUSH RECYCLING, COMMERCIAL RECYCLING.
WE HAVE BULKY-ITEM DROPOFF CENTERS.
WE DO CURBSIDE RECYCLING, WE DO GARBAGE COLLECTION, ORGANICS, TWO ANNUAL BRUSH COLLECTIONS.
ALL OF THAT SUITE OF SERVICES ARE INCLUDED AND MAINTAINED IN THE FY2020 BUDGET.
INCLUDED WITHIN THE BUDGET IS A RECOMMENDATION TO REDUCE THE FEE FOR THE SMALL 48-GALLON CAN BY $2 A MONTH.
AND THE IDEA IS THAT WE WANT TO CONTINUE TO INCENTIVIZE INDIVIDUALS OR FAMILIES TO PAY LESS.
AND IF YOU'VE SEEN THE ADVERTISEMENTS ON THE HIGHWAY OR ONLINE, THE SOLID WASTE TEAM AND OUR GPA TEAM HAVE DONE A GOOD JOB OF TRYING TO GET THE WORD OUT THAT THAT WE WANT TO SAVE YOU MONEY IN THIS TERM.
SO THAT $2 REDUCTION, WE WILL CONTINUE TO HEAVILY PUBLICIZE
[01:15:02]
AND HOPE THE PUBLIC TAKES ADVANTAGE OF THAT.OUR OFFICE OF SUSTAINABILITY, WHICH IS FUNDED OUT OF OUR SOLID WASTE UTILITY, THAT BUDGET IN THE PROPOSED BUDGET IS $2.7 MILLION.
AND WE'RE ADDING TWO COMPONENTS ON THE PROPOSED BUDGET.
$235,000 FOR SUSTAINABILITY, ENGAGEMENT, AND A COMMUNICATIONS PLAN, AS WELL AS $50,000 TO DO SOME ASSISTANCE IN TERMS OF POLICY AND ECONOMIC ANALYSIS.
OUR AIRPORT ENTERPRISE FUND IS, THE PROPOSED BUDGET IS ALMOST $112 MILLION FOR NEXT YEAR.
THIS IS ONE OF OUR RESTRICTED ENTERPRISE FUNDS.
THE AIRPORT PROVIDES COMMERCIAL AND PRIVATE AIRLINE SERVICE FOR THE ENTIRE SOUTH TEXAS REGION, TO MORE THAN 10 MILLION TRAVELERS AND 11 AIRLINES OVER TWO AIRFIELDS.
WE HAVE CONTINUED TO SEE TREMENDOUS GROWTH OUT THERE WITH 36 STRAIGHT MONTHS OF THAT GROWTH.
AND WE SURPASSED 10 MILLION PASSENGERS IN 2018.
THE ADDITION THAT WE'RE LOOKING AT THAT RUSS AND HIS TEAM BROUGHT FORWARD WAS ADDITIONAL FIVE POSITIONS TO ADDRESS THE CUSTOMER ENGAGEMENT AND ENHANCEMENT OUT THERE.
WITH THE GROWING AIRPORT, CUSTOMER SERVICE NEEDS TO REMAIN PARAMOUNT.
AND WITH A GROWING ACTIVITY OUT AT THE AIRPORT, WE BELIEVE THAT THESE ADDITIONAL POSITIONS CAN CONTINUE TO HELP US MANAGE THROUGH THAT.
OUR STORM WATER OPERATIONS FUND INCLUDES THE FINAL YEAR OF A FIVE-YEAR RATE ADJUSTMENT THAT THE COUNCIL APPROVED FOUR YEARS.
WE'LL HAVE AN ANNUAL -- AVERAGE ANNUAL IMPACT ON RESIDENTS OF $1.30 AND ALMOST $9 FOR OUR NON-RESIDENTIAL CUSTOMERS.
THIS FUND WILL ALSO BE FUNDING SIX NEW DRAINAGE PROJECTS.
AND IT IS OUR FINAL YEAR OF THIS RATE PLAN THAT THE COUNCIL APPROVED FOUR YEARS AGO.
EMPLOYEE COMPENSATION ACROSS ALL OF OUR FUNDS, THE GENERAL FUND AND OUR RESTRICTED FUNDS, IS CLOSE TO $25 MILLION IN EMPLOYEE COMPENSATION.
SOME OF YOU TALKED ABOUT OUR PAY PLAN, OUR STEP PAY PLAN EARLIER IN THE SPRING.
I'LL TELL YOU AS I VISITED WITH EMPLOYEES THROUGHOUT THE CITY IN THE SPRINGTIME, THE NUMBER ONE ISSUE THAT EMPLOYEES TALKED TO ME ABOUT WERE SOME OF THE COMPRESSION ISSUES THAT EXISTED WITHIN OUR EXISTING STEP PAY PLAN.
THAT PAY PLAN WAS DESIGNED AND IMPLEMENTED ABOUT TEN YEARS AGO.
AND SO THE PROPOSED BUDGET INCLUDES A RECOMMENDATION FROM ME THAT WE NOT IMPLEMENT THE NEXT PHASE, OR CONTINUE DOWN THE STEP PAY PLAN, BUT WORK DURING FY2020 TO FIGURE OUT WHAT STEP PAY PLAN 2.0 LOOKS LIKE WITH OUR EMPLOYEES.
THAT MEANS IN THE FY2020 BUDGET I'M RECOMMENDING THAT WE DO A 3% ACROSS THE BOARD PAY FOR OUR STEP EMPLOYEES, WHICH NUMBERS A LITTLE OVER 6,000 OF THEM.
I HAVE HAD AN OPPORTUNITY TO MEET WITH THE EMPLOYEE MANAGEMENT COMMITTEE EARLIER THIS WEEK AND SHARE THESE RECOMMENDATIONS.
AND I THINK WE NEED TO WORK HARD OVER THE NEXT 12 MONTHS TO FIGURE OUT WHAT IT WILL LOOK LIKE IN THE FUTURE THROUGHOUT THE ORGANIZATION.
THE PROPOSED BUDGET ALSO INCLUDES A POT EQUIVALENT TO 3% OF THE SALARIES OF OUR PROFESSIONAL AND MANAGERIAL EMPLOYEES, ABOUT 2200 OF THEM.
AND THEY WILL BE SUBJECT TO THEIR NORMAL EVALUATION AND PERFORMANCE EVALUATIONS DURING THE FALL.
OUR NEXT YEAR OF OUR POLICE OFFICER AGREEMENT WITH THE SAN ANTONIO POLICE OFFICER'S ASSOCIATION INCLUDES A 3% ACROSS THE BOARD ADJUSTMENT FOR OUR POLICE OFFICERS.
I'M RECOMMENDING A 4% PAY INCREASE ACROSS THE BOARD FOR OUR PARK AND AIRPORT POLICE OFFICERS.
AND INCLUDED WITHIN THAT 24.8 OR $25 MILLION ACROSS ALL FUNDS, OUR FUNDS SET ASIDE, WHICH ARE CONSIDERED MANDATES FOR ADJUSTMENTS IN BOTH LONGEVITY AND STEP INCREASES IN OUR POLICE AND FIRE DEPARTMENTS.
AND A STATE MANDATED INCREASE IN OUR CONTRIBUTION TO THE POLICE AND FIRE RETIREE HEALTHCARE FUND.
IN ADDITION TO OUR CIVILIAN EMPLOYEE HEALTHCARE, I'M RECOMMENDING THAT BENEFITS AND PREMIUMS REMAIN THE SAME FOR OUR CURRENT CIVILIAN EMPLOYEES.
AND WE'VE LOOKED HARD, AND IT'S ONE OF THE COMPONENT PRESENTATIONS THAT WE'LL BE GIVING YOU OVER THE NEXT COUPLE
[01:20:02]
OF WEEKS.WHAT WE'VE DONE TO MANAGE THE COST OF HEALTHCARE FOR OUR CIVILIANS.
AND THAT COST HAS REMAINED RELATIVELY STABLE WITH THE ASSISTANCE OF OUR EMPLOYEES.
AND I'M NOT RECOMMENDING WE INCREASE -- CHANGE ANY BENEFITS OR INCREASE ANY OF THE PREMIUMS. I AM RECOMMENDING THAT WE INCLUDE, FOR CIVILIANS, A THIRD HEALTHCARE OPTION.
RIGHT NOW WE HAVE, AND YOU'VE HEARD US TALK ABOUT THIS OVER THE YEARS, WE HAVE A CONSUMER-DRIVEN HEALTH PLAN, WHICH IS A HIGH DEDUCTIBLE PLAN, AND WE HAVE OUR VALUE PLAN, WHICH IS MORE OF OUR PPO, PREFERRED PROVIDER PLAN WITH LOWER PREMIUMS. AND THE PROPOSED BUDGET IS RECOMMENDING THAT WE OFFER A THIRD PLAN THAT'S KIND OF IN THE MIDDLE.
IT'S THE SAME BENEFIT PLAN, SAME BENEFIT STRUCTURE AS OUR PPO PLAN, BUT UNDER A NARROW NETWORK AND A LOWER PREMIUM.
OUR FY2020 CAPITAL BUDGET INCLUDES OVER 430 SPECIFIC PROJECTS AND REPRESENTS THE CITY'S LONG-RANGE PHYSICAL INFRASTRUCTURE DEVELOPMENT IMPROVEMENT PLAN WHICH INCLUDES STREETS, SIDEWALKS, DRAINAGE, PUBLIC HEALTH AND THE SAFETY FACILITIES, AIRPORT IMPROVEMENTS, TECHNOLOGY IMPROVEMENTS, FLOOD CONTROL PROJECTS, NEIGHBORHOOD PROJECTS, A WHOLE LITANY OF AREAS WHERE WE'RE INVESTING MONEY FROM OUR CAPITAL BUDGET.
I DID WANT TO HIGHLIGHT A COUPLE OF THEM, AND WE'LL HAVE A SPECIFIC PRESENTATION TO GO THROUGH THAT IN MUCH DETAIL, BUT A COUPLE OF NEW PROJECTS THAT ARE IN THE CAPITAL BUDGET.
ONE IS $10 MILLION THAT'S BEING SET ASIDE AS WE'RE WORKING THROUGH SPECIFIC PROJECTS IN EACH OF THE COUNCIL DISTRICTS ON NEEDED TARGETED INFRASTRUCTURE PROJECTS.
$7.5 MILLION IN BOTH SECURITY AND CYBER PROJECTS.
THAT INCLUDES MONEY TO LOOK AT HOW WE MAKE SECURITY ENHANCEMENTS TO SOME OF OUR FACILITIES.
IT ALSO INCLUDES MONEY SET ASIDE TO CONTINUE WORKING WITH PORT SA, CPS, SAWS, AND OTHER PARTNERS ON THE CREATION AND THE DEVELOPMENT OF A CYBERSECURITY OPERATIONS AT PORT SA, AND WE WILL NEED TO CONTINUE TO HAVE THOSE CONVERSATIONS.
A HALF A MILLION DOLLARS, FOR EXAMPLE, IN TERMS OF THE ELLA AUSTIN CENTER.
THE ELLA AUSTIN CENTER IS A MUNICIPALLY-OWNED FACILITY THAT IS OPERATED BY A NONPROFIT.
WE HAVE HAD A LOT OF CONVERSATION OVER THE SUMMER ABOUT HOW WE'RE MAINTAINING OUR OWN FACILITIES.
THE CAPITAL BUDGET INCLUDES $5 MILLION FOR THE MAINTENANCE AND DEFERRED MAINTENANCE FOR OUR OWN FACILITIES.
AND IT'S WORK THAT WE WILL NEED TO CONTINUE TO DO.
OF THE 2017 BIG BOND PROJECTS THAT WILL BE UNDERGOING CONSTRUCTION NEXT YEAR, WILL BE OUR D9 SENIOR CENTER, BROOKS CITY BASE, THE NEW BRAUNFELS AVENUE IMPROVEMENT, AND THE WOODLAWN LAKE PARK MULTIGENERATIONAL CENTER.
WHAT I WANT TO SHOW YOU ON THIS SLIDE, AS WE PROGRESS THROUGH THE 2017 BOND PROGRAM, 2020 WILL BEGIN TO SEE, AS WE SCALE DOWN OUT OF THE DESIGN PHASE, CONSTRUCTION WILL BEGIN TO INCREASE OVER 2020 AS WE MANAGE THROUGH THE 2017 BOND PROGRAM.
SO THERE WILL BE PLENTY OF ITEMS BEFORE COUNCIL OVER THE NEXT YEAR, AND WE'RE EXCITED TO STAY ON TIME AND ON BUDGET AS WE WORK THROUGH THAT 2017 BOND PROGRAM.
SO IN TERMS OF COMMUNITY OUTREACH, WE'LL BE WORKING WITH EACH ONE OF YOUR OFFICES TO COORDINATE BUDGET PRESENTATIONS AND BUDGET CONVERSATIONS IN EACH ONE OF THE DISTRICTS, TO ENGAGE THE PUBLIC AND COMMUNICATE TO THEM WHAT'S INCLUDED IN THE PROPOSED BUDGET AND WHAT OUR WORK PLAN IS FOR NEXT YEAR.
IN ADDITION TO THOSE TEN SESSIONS, WE HAVE FIVE OTHER COMMUNITY OUTREACH OPPORTUNITIES.
AND COMMUNITY DAYS ARE MORE OF A CONVERSATION, ENGAGEMENT OF DIFFERENT DEPARTMENTS.
OUR UTILITIES -- KIND OF AN AFTERNOON OF ALL KINDS OF THINGS.
AND IT'S SOMETHING WE STARTED -- WE DID ONE LAST YEAR AND IT WAS PRETTY SUCCESSFUL.
AND I'D LIKE TO BE ABLE TO DO MORE THROUGHOUT THE CITY.
AND WE'LL BE KICKING OFF THE FIRST ONE IN ABOUT TWO WEEKS AT TRADER'S VILLAGE.
WE ALSO HAVE THE BUDGET PUBLIC HEARINGS THAT ARE PART OF OUR NORMAL PROCESS.
AND WE'LL BE ALSO CONDUCTING A TELETOWN HALL.
[01:25:01]
I THINK MOST OF YOU RECALL, I SHARED WITH YOU IN JUNE WHEN MARIA AND I DID THE TELETOWN HALL, ON THE FRONT-END OF THE BUDGET IN LATE APRIL/EARLY MAY, WE HAD LIKE 2400 PEOPLE ON THE PHONE LISTENING TO US TALK ABOUT THE BUDGET AND ASKING US ALL KINDS OF GREAT QUESTIONS, SO WE'RE GOING TO DO THAT AND INCLUDE OTHER EXECUTIVES LIKE THE CHIEF, LIKE BOTH CHIEFS, OR VERO SO IT BECOMES MORE OF A PANEL DISCUSSION, AND SOMETHING WE CAN DO.I'VE SAID A COUPLE OF TIMES THROUGHOUT THE PRESENTATION THAT WE SHARED THE SCHEDULE WITH YOU.
WE HAVE OUR BUDGET WORK SESSIONS, NINE SESSIONS, WITH YOU TO REVIEW THE BUDGET IN DETAIL ON THESE CATEGORIES AND BY DEPARTMENTS.
I AM CHANGING IT UP A LITTLE BIT.
I THINK HISTORICALLY WE HAVE ALWAYS STARTED WITH POLICE AND FIRE ON THE FIRST DAY.
AND NEXT WEEK WE'LL BE STARTING WITH STRONG FAMILIES, CHILDREN, DOMESTIC VIOLENCE, AND HOUSING.
TOP PRIORITIES FOR THE COUNCIL.
THE CHIEFS GET A ONE-WEEK REPRIEVE FROM THEIR PRESENTATIONS, BUT THEY'LL COME THE FOLLOWING WEEK.
AND I THINK IT ALLOWS THE COUNCIL TO HAVE AN EARLIER CONVERSATION ABOUT THOSE TOP PRIORITIES.
AND BUDGET ADOPTION IS SCHEDULED ON JUNE 12.
ONE ISSUE, THE PROPOSED BUDGET IS 452 PAGES.
COUNCILMAN PERRY, WE ARE WORKING ON AN ABRIDGED VERSION FOR YOU TO CARRY AROUND.
WE DID NOT PRINT COPIES OF THAT 452-PAGE DOCUMENT FOR YOU.
THEY HAVE ALL BEEN DOWNLOADED ON TO YOUR IPADS.
IF YOU WOULD LIKE A COPY, IT IS CERTAINLY AVAILABLE.
AS I GAVE THIS PRESENTATION, THE BUDGET STAFF HIT GO AND THIS PRESENTATION AND THE DOCUMENT IS AVAILABLE ONLINE.
IN 2017, THE CITY IMPLEMENTED OPEN GOV.
OPEN GOV IS A CLOUD-BASED FINANCIAL TOOL THAT PROVIDES RESIDENTS THE ABILITY TO QUICKLY AND EASILY SEE THE CITY'S BUDGET AT THE ACTUAL LINE ITEM LEVEL.
AND PROVIDES FIVE YEARS OF HISTORICAL INFORMATION.
THAT INFORMATION IS AVAILABLE ON THE CITY'S WEBSITE AT SANANTONIO.GOV/TRANSPARENCYSA.
IT'S HIGHLIGHTED ON THE CITY'S FRONT PAGE.
THAT INFORMATION IS INCLUDED IN BOTH SPANISH AND ENGLISH.
AND IT IS AVAILABLE AS OF RIGHT NOW, AS WELL AS A COPY OF THE BUDGET ONLINE.
SO, MAYOR AND COUNCIL, AS I END THIS PRESENTATION, I WANTED TO RECAP A COUPLE OF THINGS.
SO OUR FINANCIAL FRAMEWORK IS CHANGING NOW AND WILL CERTAINLY BE CHANGING IN 2021, AND I THINK THIS ORGANIZATION IS IN A STRONG FINANCIAL POSITION TO MANAGE THROUGH THAT.
WE HAVE STRONG FINANCIAL POLICIES AND IT'S ONE OF THE REASONS WHY THE COUNCIL HAD THAT CONVERSATION IN JUNE, TO REAFFIRM OUR FINANCIAL POLICIES AS ON ORGANIZATION.
I CAN TELL YOU THAT WE WILL CONTINUE TO MANAGE
>> TO THE BENEFIT OF OUR COMMUNITY.
I THINK WE'LL NEED TO CONTINUE -- THE ORGANIZATION WILL NEED TO CONTINUE TO EXAMINE OUR SPENDING, NOMENT JUST DURING THE -- NOT JUST DURING THE BUDGET BUT THROUGHOUT THE YEAR, TO ENSURE THAT OUR SPENDING IS EFFICIENT AND TARGETED, AND OVER THE COURSE OF THE YEAR, I'D LIKE TO GET OUR EMPLOYEES TO HELP US WITH THAT.
FINALLY, WE'LL NEED TO PRIORITIZE OUR INVESTMENTS AND SET CLEAR EXPECTATIONS GOING FORWARD, AND I THINK THIS PROPOSED BUDGET DOES EXACTLY THAT IN KEEPING WITH THE CONVERSATION THAT THE COUNCIL HAD IN JUNE AND KEEP US ON A STRONG PATH.
SO MAYOR AND COUNCIL, THIS BEGINS THE NEXT PHASE OF THIS PROCESS.
I KNOW WE'RE -- I'M LAYING IT OUT AT A HIGH LEVEL AND WE WILL KICK INTO A MUCH MORE DETAILED CONVERSATION.
I DID WANT TO THANK THE EXECUTIVE LEADERSHIP TEAM AND OUR DEPARTMENT EXECUTIVES, OUR DEPARTMENT STAFF, THE FISCAL STAFF WITHIN THE DEPARTMENTS, OUR FINANCE DEPARTMENT.
THERE HAS BEEN A LOT OF WORK DONE BEGINNING IN THE SPRINGTIME TO GET TO THIS POIN.
I TOLD THE BUDGET STAFF OVER HERE A LITTLE WHILE AGO, I SAID REST EASY, IT'S HALF TIME.
WE STILL HAVE ANOTHER HALF OF THE GAME TO PLAY.
GET A GOOD NIGHT'S REST TONIGHT, WE'RE GOING TO START WITH THE WORK SESSIONS NEXT WEEK.
I DID WANT TO THANK SPECIFICALLY ALSO BEN GORZELL, OUR CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER, MARIA VILLAGOMEZ, WHO HAS DONE A GREAT JOB IN MANAGING THIS PROCESS, ALONG WITH THE TEAM.
JUSTINA TATE, OUR BUDGET DIRECTOR, AND THE ENTIRE BUDGET STAFF WHO ARE...
EVERYBODY RAISE YOUR HANDS, ALL RIGHT? THE ONES THAT LOOK KIND OF SLEEPY IN THE FRONT ROW.
THE WORK TO GET TO THIS POINT HAS BEEN LIFTED BY A NUMBER OF -- A BIG CHUNK OF OUR ORGANIZATION AND I'M CERTAINLY PROUD OF THE WORK THEY'VE DONE.
[01:30:02]
THAT 25 YEARS AGO I SAT OVER THERE LISTENING TO THE CITY MANAGER DEVELOP THE PROPOSED BUDGET PRESENTATION, SO ONE DAY MAYBE ONE OF YOU GUYS WILL BE THE CITY MANAGER.SO WITH THAT, MAYOR, I APPRECIATE THE OPPORTUNITY TO LAY THIS OUT TO YOU.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH, ERIK, AND LET ME REITERATE OUR THANKS TO YOU AND TO THE ENTIRE CITY STAFF.
THOSE OF YOU WHO ARE ON THE FRONT LINES OF CUSTOMER SERVICE EVERY SINGLE DAY WHO HAVE JOINED US TODAY AS WELL FOR THE PRESENTATION, THANK YOU FOR WHAT YOU DO TO KEEP OUR CITY STRONG, AND ALSO OUR BUDGET TEAM AND ALL THE CITY MANAGEMENT TEAM THAT HAVE BEEN PART OF THE PROCESS.
I SEE JUSTINA PROBABLY JUST GOT BACK FROM DOING MORE SPREADSHEETS OR SOMETHING.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR YOUR WORK OVER THE SUMMER, JUSTINA.
BEN, MARIA, YOUR ENTIRE TEAM, THE ATTORNEYS HAVE DONE A GREAT JOB WITH THIS.
WE DO HAVE CITIZENS SIGNED UP TO SPEAK.
I'LL TAKE THEM AND THEN WE'LL GET INTO COUNCIL COMMENT.
AND, AGAIN, NOTING THAT THE LATTER PART OF THIS MONTH WILL BE SPENT ON THOSE NINE BUDGET SESSIONS, SO WE'LL PROBABLY HAVE SOME HIGH LEVEL COMMENTS AND THEN REALLY DIG INTO THE BUDGET OVER THE NEXT SEVERAL WEEKS.
WE HAVE THREE CITIZENS SIGNED UP TO SPEAK ON ITEM 4. WE'LL START WITH CRYSTAL CABERO, AND MRS. CABERO WILL BE FOLLOWED BY JACK FINGER.
>> GOOD MORNING, CITY COUNCIL AND MAYOR NIRENBERG.
THANK YOU FOR ALLOWING ME TO SPEAK TODAY.
OF SAN ANTONIO AND I'M A PROUD MEMBER OF [INDISCERNIBLE] 2021, LOCAL 2021.
I'M HERE TODAY TO SPEAK ON BEHALF OF THE MEMBERS OF THE UNION, THE FOLKS WHO MAKE SAN ANTONIO RUN.
OUR MEMBERS HAVE GONE YEARS WITH 1% RAISES THAT ARE IMMEDIATELY EATEN UP BY RISING HEALTHCARE COSTS AND INFLATION.
EVERY YEAR, OUR MEMBERS DO NOT RECEIVE A RAISE THAT KEEPS UP WITH INFLATION, WE LOSE MONEY.
RENT GOES UP, THE PRICES OF GROCERIES GOES UP, CHILDCARE GOES UP, BUT OUR WAGES DO NOT.
WE HAVE SPOKEN TO MANY OF YOU ABOUT OUR CONCERNS REGARDING THIS UPCOMING BUDGET.
THEY ARE SPECIFICALLY AN ACROSS THE BOARD COST OF LIVING ADJUSTMENT OF 3% TO ENSURE OUR WAGES KEEP UP WITH INFLATION.
IN ADDITION TO THE JANUARY STEP INCREASE OUR MEMBERS ARE RELYING ON.
A REFORM TO THE STEP SYSTEM TO FIX THE ISSUE OF WAGE COMPOSITION -- COMPRESSION, EXCUSE ME.
NO INCREASE TO HEALTHCARE COSTS, AND A REIMBURSEMENT FOR LEGITIMATE WORK EXPENSES, SUCH AS DOWNTOWN PARKING AND SUPPLIES.
THANKFULLY THIS CITY COUNCIL AND THIS MAYORAL ADMINISTRATION HAVE PROVEN TIME AND TIME AGAIN THAT THEY STAND WITH WORKERS IN SAN ANTONIO AND THEY STAND WITH OUR UNION.
WE UNDERSTAND THAT THIS BODY NEEDS TO PASS A FISCALLY RESPONSIBLE BUDGET BUT IT NEEDS TO BE A BUDGET THAT REFLECTS OUR CITY VALUES AND DOES NOT LEAVE BEHIND THE PEOPLE THAT MAKE THIS CITY RUN.
WE WANT TO BE YOUR PARTNERS IN THIS EFFORT.
>> MAYOR NIRENBERG: THANK YOU.
JACK FINGER? FOLLOWED BY JOHN BACHMAN.
>> MAYOR NIRENBERG AND OTHER MEMBERS OF OUR ILLUSTRIOUS SAN ANTONIO CITY COUNCIL, FOR THE RECORD MY NAME IS JACK M.
ALL GOOD THINGS MUST COME TO AN END, SO HERE WE ARE AGAIN.
THE BUDGET, LOOKING THROUGH THIS BUDGET I SEE A NUMBER OF THINGS THAT ARE WORTHY OF COMMENT HERE, ESPECIALLY WHEN IT COMES TO SETTING -- REGARDING THE REVENUE FOR OUR BUDGET, THE TAXES.
YOU KEEP SAYING THAT YOU THE CITY COUNCIL, CITY GOVERNMENT, HAVE NOT RAISED OUR TAX RATES.
AND ONCE AGAIN, THAT'S ALWAYS ONE BIG LAUGH.
WE ALWAYS ENJOY THAT JOKE UPON US AND, THE TAXPAYERS.
I JUST WISH WE COULD REALLY RELISH IN THAT HUMOR A LOT BECAUSE ACCORDING TO YOUR VERY OWN STATISTICS RIGHT HERE, IT SAYS 5.4% INCREASE IN PROPERTY TAXES.
SO THAT'S WHERE IT INCREASED RIGHT THERE, THROUGH THE LEVIES, THROUGH THE EVALUATIONS.
OH! IT LOOKS LIKE WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO RAISE OUR CPS RATES AGAIN.
WHAT ELSE HAVE WE GOT HERE? YOU KNOW, THE ONLY WAY THAT WE ARE EVER GOING TO GET CUT IN
[01:35:03]
OUR TAX RATES, THE LOWERING OF OUR TAX RATES, IS NOT BY YOU FOLKS, NOT AT ALL.THE STATE OF TEXAS HAD TO DO IT FOR US.
THE STATE OF TEXAS, A 3.5% INCREASE CAP WHEREBY WE GET A CHANCE -- WE, THE CITIZENS, GET A CHANCE TO VOTE ON IT.
THAT'S THE -- "WE" THANK OUR STATE LEGISLATORS WHO VOTED FOR THAT, NOT YOU GUYS.
YOU GUYS ARE BURNING THE MIDNIGHT OIL TRYING TO FIGURE OUT, OH, GOLLY, NOW WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO BALANCE OUR BUDGET HERE, OH, OH, OH, HEAVEN FOR BID.
WHAT ELSE DO WE HAVE HERE? STRONG FAMILIES AND CHILDREN, 600 GRAND FOR THAT.
YOU KNOW, MAYBE -- DID IT EVER OCCUR TO YOU THAT MAYBE YOU WANT TO -- IF YOU WANT TO REALLY ESTABLISH STRONG FAMILIES, STRONG FAMILIES, YOU WOULD START AT THE BEGINNING AND STOP THE -- THE TEEN PREGNANCY THAT GOES ON HERE IN OUR CITY BY MEANS OF, WELL, STOPPING THE TEEN PREGNANCY PROMISCUITY PROMOTION THAT YOU ROUTINELY VOTE ON EVERY YEAR.
>> MAYOR NIRENBERG: THANK YOU MR. FINGER.
>> SO MANY SCANDALS, SO LITTLE TIME.
>> MAYOR NIRENBERG: JOHN BACHMAN?
>> MAYOR, CITY COUNCIL, MY NAME'S JOHN JOHN BACHMAN, CO-EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF VOICE FOR ANIMALS.
I KNOW MANY OF THE RETURNING MEMBERS, AND I WANT TO WELCOME THE NEWER MEMBERS TO THE CITY COUNCIL.
AND I WANT TO WELCOME Y'ALL BACK TO THE ISSUE OF THE ANIMAL CRISIS IN SAN ANTONIO.
THOSE HAVE BEEN HERE BEFORE, KNOW WE STILL HAVE AN OVERPOPULATION OF PETS IN SAN ANTONIO.
I WANT TO SPEAK TO YOU NOW BECAUSE YOU HAVE THREE WEEKS BEFORE YOU WILL GET A WORK SESSION FROM THE ANIMAL CARE SERVICES DIVISION IN WHICH THEY WILL PRESENT YOU GRAPHS THAT WILL COMPARE WHERE WE ARE NOW TO THOUSAND 744 WHEN WE KILLED 50,000 -- 2004 WHEN WE KILLED 50,000 ANIMALS AND 2011 WHEN WE HAD A 35% LIVE RELEASE NOW AND POINT TO NOW WHERE WE'RE AT THE 90% RATE.
COULD SOMEBODY PUT THIS ON THE VIEWER? THE FACT IS, THAT WE STILL KILL ANIMALS.
IN 2016, THEY HAD A PRESENTATION AND SAID WE'RE NOW AT NO KILL.
THIS LITTLE DOG IS NOW DEAD, AND WHAT HE'S ASKING YOU IS WHY DID YOU KILL ME? OR NOT TO BLAME YOU, WHY DID YOU ALLOW THEM TO KILL ME? AND THIS GOES ON DAY AFTER DAY AFTER DAY.
THIS YEAR SO FAR WE HAVE KILLED OVER 2500 ANIMALS.
AND IF THEY COULD SPEAK, THEY WOULD ASK WHY? SO I AM SPEAKING FOR THEM.
THE -- YOU HAVE BEFORE YOU A COUPLE PAPERS THAT I'VE WRITTEN WHICH WILL GIVE YOU THE IDEA THAT THE BOTTOM LINE TO STOP THE OVERPOPULATION AND THE KILLING IS TO INCREASE THE NUMBER OF FREE AND NO-COST SPAY/NEUTERS TO A LEVEL THAT WILL BRING US TO A ZERO PROPER -- POPULATION GROWTH, GET THE STRAYS OFF THE STREET, STOP KILLING THE ANIMALS AND MAKE SAN ANTONIO TRULY NO KILL HUMANE CITY.
AND MANY -- SOME OF YOU THAT ARE ON THE COUNCIL NOW HAVE BEEN INTERESTED WHILE YOU'VE BEEN HERE, AND I WANT TO THANK YOU, ESPECIALLY MY CITY COUNCILPERSON FROM DISTRICT 3.
SHE HAS BEEN INTERESTED IN THIS FOR HER WHOLE TENURE.
AND I WANT TO THANK THE CITY MANAGER, ERIK WALSH, WAS OUR ASSISTANT CITY MANAGER OVER ACS FOR A NUMBER OF YEAR, AND MARIA VILLAGOMEZ HAS BEEN INTERESTED.
ANYWAY, I'M FREE -- MY ADDRESS IS THERE.
HOPEFULLY Y'ALL HAVE THEM FOR ACS.
>> MAYOR NIRENBERG: THANK YOU, MR. BACHMAN.
WE'RE GOING TO GET INTO COUNCIL QUESTION AND COMMENT AT THIS POINT.
[01:40:01]
FIRST, IS TO, AGAIN, COMMEND THE CITY STAFF FOR PUTTING THIS TOGETHER.I KNOW THERE HAVE BEEN A NUMBER OF CONSTRAINTS BROUGHT TO US EXTERNALLY AND INTERNALLY IN TERMS OF HOW WE WANT TO SET THIS BUDGET UP, BUT I FOUND IT TO BE QUITE RESPONSIVE, GIVEN THOSE ISSUES.
I NOTED, ERIK, THAT THERE WAS A 6% INCREASE IN SALES TAX OVER -- THAT WAS OVER AND ABOVE THE PROJECTION?
>> WALSH: IT'S OVER THE FY '19 BUDGET.
PART OF THAT HAD BEEN ADJUSTED IN THE FORECAST THAT WE PRESENTED TO YOU IN MAY.
WHAT THAT CHART SHOWED WAS BUDGET TO BUDGET.
IT WAS A 4.5% INCREASE FROM WHERE WE WERE AT.
YOU'LL RECALL AT THE FORECAST PRESENTATION, WE HAD SEEN A LITTLE BIT OF AN UPTICK ON OUR SALES TAX DURING THE YEAR.
WELL, I'M PLEASED WITH THE PROGRAM DOLLARS GOING INTO TRANSPORTATION, AGAIN, KEEPING IT AT THE LEVEL WE SET LAST YEAR, WHICH WAS A FULL THREEFOLD WHAT IT WAS WHEN I BECAME A COUNCILMEMBER HERE NOT TOO LONG AGO, AS WELL AS THE COMMITMENT TO KEEPING PACE WITH OUR AFFORDABLE HOUSING STRATEGY.
IT WASN'T NOTED IN THE BUDGET, ERIK, THOUGH YOU ANNOUNCED JUST A COUPLE OF DAYS AGO, THAT YOU WOULD BE LAUNCHING A SEARCH FOR A CHIEF HOUSING OFFICER, WHICH I KNOW IS COMING AT GREAT APPRECIATION FROM THE COMMUNITY, INCLUDING MYSELF, SO LOOK FORWARD TO SEEING THAT UNFOLD.
THIS COUNCIL HAS MADE IT A PRIORITY TO DO THE BEST WE CAN TO LIVE WITHIN OUR CONSTRAINTS BUT ALSO TO FIND WAYS THAT WE CAN PROVIDE FOR PROPERTY TAX RELIEF.
SO I'M PLEASED THAT THE PROPOSAL INCLUDES NO PROPERTY TAX RATE INCREASE WHILE ACCOUNTING FOR OUR NEW HOMESTEAD EXEMPTION THAT COUNCILMEN PERRY AND COUNCILMEN COURAGE IN PARTICULAR HAD BEEN CHAMPIONING FOR QUITE SOME TIME.
I LOOK FORWARD TO THE WORK AHEAD WITH MY COLLEAGUES.
I KNOW THERE'S GOING TO BE SOME AMENDMENTS.
WE'LL WORK THROUGH THOSE, BUT THIS HAS BEEN -- WHAT MY OBSERVATION, PROBABLY THE MOST DIFFICULT BUDGET PROCESS THAT OUR CITY STAFF HAS BEEN THROUGH IN MANY, MANY YEARS, AND I WANT TO COMMEND YOU ALL FOR GETTING THROUGH IT, ADDRESSING ALL OF THE COUNCIL'S TOP PRIORITIES, AND WE LOOK FORWARD TO THE PUBLIC'S RESPONSE.
WE'LL MOVE NOW TO COUNCILMAN VIAGRAN.
THANK YOU, ERIK, FOR YOUR PRESENTATION, ESPECIALLY THIS BEING YOUR FIRST ONE OUT OF THE GATE AS OUR CITY MANAGER.
IT WASN'T EASY, AND I WANT TO APPLAUD YOU FOR THE WORK THAT YOU'VE DONE AND ALL OF THE CREATIVITY THAT HAS COME INTO THIS IN LOOKING AT THE AREAS OF WHERE WE NEED TO GROW AND EXPAND AND MAKING THOSE DECISIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS THAT YOU HAVE IN FRONT OF US.
I ALSO AM VERY HAPPY THAT WE EVEN SEE AN INCREASE IN THIS BUDGET, BUT THAT'S BECAUSE OF THE WORK THAT YOU ALL HAVE DONE HERE, AND YOU DO IT TIME AND TIME AGAIN, TOO.
AND YOU HEARD OUR ISSUES THAT WE HAD AND YOU'RE INTERTWINING THEM INTO THIS BUDGET, WHICH I TRULY APPRECIATE.
SOME COMMENTS VERY QUICKLY, BECAUSE I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO GETTING INTO THE DETAILS AT OUR WORK SESSIONS.
I WAS TELLING SOME OF OUR NEW COLLEAGUES THAT THIS IS MY FAVORITE TIME OF THE YEAR, BUDGET SEASON, BECAUSE WE DO GET TO GET INTO THE DETAILS.
I WON'T SAY WEEDS, BUT I WILL SAY DETAILS.
AND IT'S OUR RESPONSIBILITY, BECAUSE WE KNOW THAT OUR BUDGET IS OUR POLICIES QUANTIFIED.
SO I DO WANT TO GIVE RECOGNITION TO -- WELL, TO THE INCREASE OF THE SAWS TRANSFER.
AND I ALSO WANT TO GIVE RECOGNITION TO MY COLLEAGUE COUNCILMAN COURAGE WHO TALKED ABOUT THIS, MAYBE HIS FIRST -- I THINK THAT WAS ONE OF OUR FIRST MEETINGS WE EVER HAD WHEN YOU FIRST JOINED ON COUNCIL, SO I'M GLAD WE'RE CONTINUING TO HAVE THIS CONVERSATION AND THAT SAWS IS IN THE RIGHT PLACE WHERE WE CAN SEE THIS TRANSFER HAPPEN.
I WOULD LIKE TO MAKE SURE THAT WE HAVE THE INCREASED CONVERSATION WHEN IT COMES TO -- AS MR. BACHMAN POINTED OUT ANIMAL CARE SERVICES.
YOU ALL KNOW THIS IS SOMETHING I ALWAYS TALK ABOUT EVERY BUDGET CYCLE, THAT AND CODE ENFORCEMENT AND OTHER THINGS, BUT IN PARTICULAR, ANIMAL CARE SERVICES, BECAUSE I THINK WHAT I'D -- WANT TO MAKE SURE OUR COUNCIL COLLEAGUES, OUR NEW COLLEAGUES HEAR ARE THE REALITY THAT WE'RE DEALING WITH WITH EUTHANIZING ANIMALS HERE IN SAN ANTONIO.
AND HOW IT IS PET OWNER RESPONSIBILITY THAT WE HAVE TO CONTINUE TO PUT ACROSS TO OUR COMMUNITY THAT WE HAVE THIS OVERPOPULATION OF STRAY AND ROAMINGS AND JUST PET OWNER RESPONSIBILITY.
CITY MANAGER, I WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT YOU KNOW THAT I AM VERY EXCITED TO HEAR YOUR
[01:45:01]
THOUGHTS AND YOUR RECOMMENDATION OF A CHIEF HOUSING OFFICER TO OVERLOOK ALL OF THE ASPECTS OF HOUSING, HOMELESSNESS, BUT ALSO WHERE -- AND WHY I BELIEVE IT'S IMPORTANT TO HAVE IT WITH THE ONE HOUSING OFFICER IS BECAUSE IT RUNS OVER ALL OF OUR DISTRICTS.AND TO SEE WHERE ARE THERE THINGS THAT MAYBE WE THINK WE'RE FILLING THE GAP IN ONE DEPARTMENT, BUT THEN IT CREATES ANOTHER SITUATION IN ANOTHER DEPARTMENT.
SO I THINK THIS HOUSING OFFICER -- CHIEF HOUSING OFFICER IS A VERY GOOD IDEA WITH AFFORDABLE HOUSING.
I WANT TO ALSO GET INTO THE FACT WHEN WE'RE TALK ABOUT PRESERVING NEIGHBORHOODS, LET'S LOOK AT OUR HISTORIC VACANT BUILDINGS AND SEE HOW WE CAN UTILIZE THEM AS POSSIBLE HOUSING OPPORTUNITIES, TOO.
NEXT I ALSO WANT TO TALK ABOUT OUR -- I CAN'T GO ON WITHOUT CONGRATULATING OUR STAFF, TOO, FOR THE REAFFIRMED AAA BOND RATING AND THE AA PLUS.
WELL DONE, BEN, MARIA, ERIK, JUSTINA, I'M SURE IT WAS -- ALL THE TEAM, TROY.
BECAUSE I KNOW IT WAS NOT EASY, BUT BECAUSE OF THE WORK THAT WE'VE ALL DONE TOGETHER, WE MADE THIS HAPPEN.
AND THIS IS HELPING US AS WE MOVE FORWARD.
NEXT I ALSO WANTED TO POINT OUT, ERIK, QUICKLY ON THE SLIDE 11, YOU TALKED ABOUT WE HAD BUDGETED FOR THE POINT -- FOR 6% WHEN WE TALKED ABOUT PROPERTY TAX, TAXABLE VALUATION.
I DON'T KNOW IF -- I MAY HAVE MISSED IT IN YOUR PRESENTATION, WHAT -- WHAT DOES THAT .4 PERCENT -- HOW MUCH MONEY WAS THAT? IT'S THE OTHER ONE, THE NEXT ONE.
>> VILLAGOMEZ: IN REVENUE THAT WE HADN'T RECOGNIZED THAT MATERIALIZED.
AND FINALLY, I DO WANT TO ALSO BRING UP -- NO, NOT FINALLY.
ALSO I WANTED TO MENTION THE -- WHAT DID I HAVE HERE? I WANTED TO THANK AFSNI FOR BEING HERE AND ALL OF THE MEETINGS THAT WE'VE HAD HERE AND THE LETTERS THAT YOU ARE ALSO SENDING US TO MAKE SURE THAT THE -- YOUR REQUESTS AND YOUR CONCERNS ARE ADDRESSED.
I WILL CONTINUE TO MAKE SURE THAT THESE ADDRESSED CONCERNS ARE MET.
THANK YOU, ERIK, AND MARIA AND EVERYONE FOR REALLY TAKING A VERY, VERY DETAILED LOOK AT THIS.
I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO THE MORE DETAILS THAT WE CAN GET INTO, AND I DO BELIEVE THAT YOU ALL NEED TO BE A PART OF THE CONVERSATION WHEN WE'RE LOOKING AT HOW CAN WE ADD RELIEF FOR THIS NEW REENVISIONED STEP PLAN COMING UP.
I THINK YOU ALL ARE LIVING IT, HAVE DONE YOUR SERVICE WITH THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO, AND WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE CAN MAKE IT BETTER AND AN EMPLOYER OF CHOICE FOR ALL CITIZENS IN THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO.
QUICKLY, ON THE CAPITAL BUDGET, WHEN WE'RE GOING TO GO IN THROUGH THE WORK SESSIONS, WILL WE HAVE A WORK SESSION JUST ON CAPITAL BUDGET, OR WILL WE HAVE A WORK SESSION ON -- WILL THE CAPITAL BUDGET BE A PART OF -- INCLUDED IN THE DIFFERENT DEPARTMENTS?
>> WALSH: THE CAPITAL BUDGET IS CURRENTLY SCHEDULED TO BE THE SAME AFTERNOON AS WE PRESENT TO YOU THE CONVERSATION ABOUT STREETS, DRAINAGE, SIDEWALKS.
BUT IT WILL BE AN AFTERNOON OF INFRASTRUCTURE.
AND -- BECAUSE I SEE HERE FOR THE 2020 CAPITAL BUDGET YOU HAVE I.T. $53 MILLION, SO I'D LIKE TO GET IN MORE DETAILS AT THAT TIME OF WHAT THAT IS PART OF.
>> VIAGRAN: WHAT'S ALL ENGAGED THERE.
AND THEN FINALLY, I SEE IN OUR POLICE BUDGET THE OFFICERS -- AND THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR ALSO INCLUDING THAT AREA OF MILITARY DRIVE.
VERY IMPORTANT THAT WE HAVE THAT IN THERE -- BUT WHAT I ALSO -- WHAT I HAVE BEEN TALKING ABOUT ADVOCATING FOR, CONTINUING TO ADVOCATE FOR, IS A POLICE SUBSTATION IN DISTRICT 3 IN THE SOUTHERN -- THE SOUTH AND THE SOUTHEAST SECTOR OF SAN ANTONIO.
AND I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO HEARING IN THE POLICE WORK SESSION WHAT WE AS A CITY ARE GOING TO BE DOING TO PLAN FOR THAT OR TO HELP IMPLEMENT THAT
[01:50:03]
OR ALLEVIATE THAT.BECAUSE THAT IS SOMETHING THAT MY RESIDENTS HAVE BEEN CALLING FOR, THAT IS SOMETHING THAT I'VE BEEN CALLING FOR.
I HAVE FIVE LETTERS FROM NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATIONS AS WELL AS OUR CHAMBER OF -- SOUTH CHAMBER OF COMMERCE SAYING THAT WE NEED A POLICE SUBSTATION, SO I WANT TO FIND OUT THAT WE HAVE A PATH FORWARD FOR A SUBSTATION IN DISTRICT 3, ERIK.
AND YOU'LL SEE THAT IN GREATER DETAIL WHEN WE DO THE POLICE DEPARTMENT BUDGET, BUT THE PROPOSED BUDGET SETS ASIDE MONEY TO DO TWO DIFFERENT THINGS FROM A FACILITIES STANDPOINT, FROM A POLICE FACILITIES STANDPOINT.
ONE IS TO HELP US AS A COMMUNITY IDENTIFY WHAT AREAS OF TOWN -- IF -- WE HAVE SIX SUBSTATIONS, AND IF WE LOOKED AT A MAP OF SAN ANTONIO, I'M NOT SURE WE'D BE PUTTING THE SIX SUBSTATIONS IN THE PLACES THEY'RE AT RIGHT NOW, BUT WE'VE GROWN OVER DECADES.
THERE ARE AREAS OF TOWN FROM A VISIBILITY STANDPOINT THAT WE SHOULD BE LOOKING AT, AND SO WE'RE GOING TO BE ASKING SOMEBODY TO HELP US IDENTIFY WHERE ARE THOSE GROWING COMMUNITIES, AND MAYBE POTENTIALLY NEW FACILITIES WE NEED TO ADD.
THE OTHER PART OF WHAT -- YOU KNOW, WE'RE GOING TO BE ASKING THEM TO DO IS WHAT TYPE OF UPGRADES DO WE NEED TO DO AT OUR CURRENT FACILITIES THAT THE POLICE DEPARTMENT HAVE, AND THIS GOES IN LINE WITH WHAT I MENTIONED, IT'S LOOKING AT ALL OF OUR MUNICIPAL FACILITIES THAT NEED TO BE MAINTAINED OR UPGRADED.
WE HAVEN'T DONE ANY MAJOR WORK ON ANY OF THOSE FACILITIES OVER THE LAST 17 OR 18 YEARS, SO WE'RE GOING TO BE LOOKING AT BOTH OUR EXISTING FACILITIES, BUT ALSO WHAT POTENTIALLY IS THERE IN THE FUTURE.
AND DOING THAT WORK THIS YEAR IN ADVANCE OF THE CONVERSATION THAT THIS COUNCIL WILL HAVE ABOUT THE 2022 BOND PROGRAM AND THE CONSTRUCTION OF PROJECTS.
WELL, I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO HAVING MORE DETAILS AND GIVE MORE PERSPECTIVE AND INSIGHT TO YOU ALL DURING THAT POLICE WORK SESSION, BUT I THINK THIS IS A GOOD AND HEALTHY START.
IT'S A GOOD STARTING POINT AS WE CONTINUE TO DISCUSS THIS PROPOSED BUDGET IN OUR COMMUNITIES, AND IN DISTRICT 3, WITH THE RESIDENTS AND THE CITY.
AND I'M PROUD THAT WE WERE ALSO ABLE TO OFFER THAT TAX RELIEF, THAT LOCAL HOMESTEAD EXEMPTION AND OTHERS THAT WE'RE LOOKING FORWARD TO.
AND THANK YOU THAT WE'RE GOING TO CONTINUE TO MAKE THIS A NEEDS-BASED BUDGET FOR OUR COMMUNITY.
AND, OF COURSE, I'D BE REMISS IF I DID NOT THINK JUSTINA AND HER TEAM, AND OF COURSE ERIK, BEN AND MARIA, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR ALL OF YOUR WORK.
>> MAYOR NIRENBERG: THANK YOU, COUNCILMAN VIAGRAN.
ERIK, I'M GOING TO PREFACE MY QUESTIONS AND MY COMMENT, AND I APOLOGIZE IN ADVANCE.
I TOOK NOTES DURING YOUR ENTIRE PRESENTATION, SO I DO HAVE A LOT OF THEM.
AND SO NUMBER ONE, THE REASON I'VE GOT A LOT OF THEM IS BECAUSE I TRULY BELIEVE THAT THIS IS PROBABLY THE MOST IMPORTANT THING THIS COUNCIL DOES ONCE A YEAR, AND I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE GET IT RIGHT.
TWO, I THINK MY JOB, EVEN IF I AGREE WITH YOU 100%, MY JOB IS STILL TO PUSH BACK ON ASSUMPTIONS AND CHALLENGE SOME OF THE WAY WE GOT HERE, JUST TO MAKE SURE THAT I'M COMFORTABLE WITH IT AND THAT I CAN EXPLAIN IT TO MY CONSTITUENTS IN MY COMMUNITY.
AND, THREE, MARIA, AND TO EVERYBODY WHO WORKED ON THIS, YOU KNOW, THE QUESTIONS I'M GOING TO ASK ARE NOT A REFLECTION OF, YOU KNOW, ANY DOUBT THAT I MAY HAVE AND THE HARD WORK YOU GUYS DID.
I AM SO IMPRESSED WITH WHAT I'VE ALREADY SEEN IN MY INDIVIDUAL BRIEFINGS AND WHAT I'VE SEEN TODAY.
I THINK YOU GUYS ARE ROCK STARS.
SO WITH THAT, WHEN WE WERE ALL AT OUR GOAL-SETTING MEETING, AND I'LL TELL YOU, I THINK THIS BUDGET CAPTURES EVERYTHING THAT WE TRIED TO ACCOMPLISH AT OUR GOAL-SETTING MEETING.
AND THAT MAKES ME REALLY HAPPY AND EXCITED.
WHEN WE WERE THERE, THE MAYOR CONCLUDED THAT MEETING BY SAYING, YOU KNOW, THAT HE'S ENTHUSED BECAUSE THIS IS, YOU KNOW, GOING TO BE A BUDGET THAT REQUIRES US TO -- I FORGOT WHAT YOU SAID, TIGHTEN OUR SHOELACESES BUT NOT TIGHTEN OUR BELTS TOO TIGHTLY OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT, AND THAT'S GOOD.
AND I'M LOOKING AT THIS SAWS PIECE, AND I AM WORRIED.
I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT IT'S NOT SOMEBODY ELSE'S BELT THAT WE'RE TIGHTENING TOO HARD, YOU KNOW, SO THAT IT LOOKS LIKE WE'RE JUST TIGHTENING OUR SHOELACES.
AND SO WHEN DOES SAWS -- OR WHEN DO YOU ENVISION SAWS PAYING THIS HIGHER RATE TO US?
>> WALSH: WE'VE INCLUDED THAT IN THE PROPOSED.
SO FOR A BIG ORGANIZATION LIKE SAWS, WHOSE NOT AS BIG AS CPS, BUT A BIG ORGANIZATION -- HOW HAVING THAT SUDDEN CHANGE
[01:55:02]
IS GOING TO IMPACT THEIR BUDGET, IF AT ALL? THEIR CURRENT BUDGET.DO THEY -- BUT THEY HAVE THE CAPACITY RIGHT NOW TO ADJUST THAT WITHIN THEIR OPERATING BUDGET.
AND THAT WAS PART OF THE -- I THINK A LOT OF THE GROUND GAME THAT WE HAD IN CONVERSATIONS WITH THEIR FINANCIAL STAFF AND WITH -- BETWEEN ROBERT AND I.
BECAUSE -- AND I MENTIONED IT DURING THE PRESENTATION, YOU KNOW, I THINK THERE WAS A LOT OF THOUGHT GONE INTO THIS.
I DIDN'T WANT TO RECOMMEND SOMETHING THAT WAS PERCEIVED AS SIMPLE ON OUR END, BUT DIFFICULT OR CREATING ISSUES ON THE BACK END.
>> WALSH: THE ALTERNATIVE WOULD HAVE BEEN TO MAKE SOME PERMANENT CUTS, AND, YOU KNOW, GIVEN THE CONDITION, THE FINANCIAL CONDITION OF SAWS AND HOW THEY'RE MANAGED FINANCIALLY, THEY'VE GOT A STRONG TEAM IN PLACE THERE, IT DIDN'T -- IT DIDN'T HAVE AN IMPACT ON THEM, AND THEY HAD THE CAPABILITY TO DO THAT NOW.
>> PELAEZ: SO -- AND I APPRECIATE THAT.
SO THE ANSWER TO MY QUESTION IS, THAT WE HAVEN'T LOOKED AT HOW IT'S GOING TO IMPACT THEIR CURRENT BUDGET?
>> WALSH: THEY'VE LOOKED AT THAT.
>> WALSH: I'M TAKING THE CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER AND THE CEOS [INDISCERNIBLE] WHEN THEY'RE GOING TO DICTATE WHAT LINE ITEM IT COMES OUT OF, BUT IT COMES OUT OF THE REVENUE LINE ITEM FOR SAWS.
>> PELAEZ: SO WE HAVEN'T LOOKED AT IT, THEY HAVE AND THEY'VE JUST TOLD US.
BUT I'M COMFORTABLE WITH THE LEVEL OF COORDINATION WE'VE DONE.
>> PELAEZ: SO CAN I IMPOSE UPON STAFF TO PLEASE LOOK AT IT.
>> PELAEZ: AND THEN, YOU KNOW, BEFORE WE MAKE THAT DECISION, I THINK IT IS A REASONABLE REQUEST FOR YOU GUYS TO JUST SIT DOWN AND LOOK AT THAT.
THE -- AND I'M SURE THEY'RE RIGHT, WHATEVER THEY'RE TELLING YOU, TAKE THEM AT THEIR WORD, BUT STRUS BUT VERIFY, RIGHT? 22, -- TWO, WHERE DOES -- DO WE KNOW WHERE THAT MONEY COMES FROM? IS IT CASH ON HAND?
>> AS WE'VE TALKED WITH SAWS ABOUT THIS, AND I'VE HAD SEVERAL CONVERSATIONS WITH THEIR CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER, THEY DO HAVE AN ACCUMULATION OF DAYS CASH ON HAND THAT HAS HAPPENED OVER TIME.
PART OF THAT WAS A PLANNED DESIGN AS RELATED TO THE VISTA RIDGE PROJECT.
AS YOU KNOW, VISTA RIDGE WILL COME ONLINE NEXT SPRING, SO WHERE THIS PAYMENT WILL BE COMING FROM WILL BE FROM THAT CASH BALANCE THAT THEY HAVE, AND AS I'VE TALKED TO DOUG EVANSTON, THEIR CFO ABOUT IT.
YOUR QUESTION, ERIK, WAS AROUND THEIR OPERATING BUDGET.
I DON'T THINK THERE'S ANY IMPACT ON THEIR OPERATING BUDGET.
WHAT THIS DOES IS, THEY USE ADDITIONAL CASH TO PARTIALLY FUND THEIR CIP PROGRAM, BASICALLY.
SO YOU'RE DOING A COMBINATION OF DEBT AND CASH.
THIS WILL MEAN PROBABLY SOME SHIFTING BETWEEN THE AMOUNT OF CASH FUNDING THAT THEY'RE DOING AND DEBT FINANCING, BUT THEY'RE WORKING THROUGH ALL OF THAT.
YOU KNOW, AGAIN, AS WE TALKED ABOUT BEFORE, IT DOES BECOME A COST TO SAWS, BUT GIVEN THEIR FINANCIAL POSITION, AS I TALKED THROUGH WITH DOUG, THEY DON'T SEE ANY IMMEDIATE IMPACT UPON THEM -- ANY KIND OF SIGNIFICANT IMMEDIATE IMPACT UPON THEM.
DO WE KNOW IF THAT CASH ON HAND FROM WHICH THAT MONEY WILL COME HAS ALREADY BEEN EAR MARKED OR DESIGNATED FOR SOMETHING? IN OTHER WORDS, ARE THERE PROJECTS.
>> GORZELL: I WILL HAVE TO DOUBLE-CHECK, BUT I DON'T BELIEVE THAT ALL OF THAT HAS BEEN ALLOCATED.
THEY HAVE A LONG-TERM CIP THAT THEY DEDICATE CASH TOWARDS BUT I DON'T BELIEVE IT'S BEEN ALLOCATED TO THE PROJECT LEVEL KIND OF DETAIL, BUT I WILL CONFIRM THAT.
>> PELAEZ: SO GET ME -- SO IN ORDER TO GET ME TO A POINT OF COMFORT WITH THIS, BEFORE WE MAKE THIS DECISION, CAN YOU FIND OUT?
I'M HAPPY TO HAVE MORE DETAILED DISCUSSIONS WITH THEM ABOUT HOW THEY PLAN TO IMPLEMENT THIS.
BUT I DID HAVE CONVERSATIONS WITH DOUG ABOUT THE FACT THAT THIS WOULD START OCTOBER 1ST.
HE WAS COMFORTABLE WITH THAT, AND, AGAIN, WE TALKED THROUGH THIS AT A PRETTY HIGH LEVEL IN TERMS OF THE IMPACT ON THEM, POTENTIAL IMPACT ON THEM.
BECAUSE AS ERIK SAID, WE DID NOT WANT TO BE COMING FORWARD WITH SOMETHING IN THE PROPOSED BUDGET THAT HELPED US DEAL WITH OUR FINANCIAL ISSUES BUT THEN TURNED AROUND AND CREATED A BUNCH OF FINANCIAL ISSUES FOR SAWS.
>> PELAEZ: SO LET ME JUST MAKE SURE THAT YOU GET WHAT I'M ASKING: I'M ASKING THAT WHEN WE MEET AGAIN, YOU COME BACK AND TELL ME TO WHAT EXTENT THAT CASH HAS ALREADY BEEN DESIGNATED FOR SOMETHING ELSE.
>> PELAEZ: FOR THEIR PROJECTS, RIGHT? IF THEY'VE ALREADY GOT PROJECTS UP ON THE DRAWING BOARD THAT THEY'RE GOING TO HAVE TO SCRATCH IN ORDER TO PAY THIS OFF.
>> PELAEZ: AND I'M SURE THEY'RE -- I'M SURE THEY TOLD YOU THEY'RE COMFORTABLE WITH IT.
I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT I'M COMFORTABLE WITH IT, TOO, RIGHT? I KNOW THAT WE'VE ALREADY
[02:00:01]
MAXED OUT THE CONTRIBUTION FROM CPS.AND I KNOW THAT THAT'S BY ORDINANCE, AND I DON'T KNOW IF THE LAWYERS OR ANYBODY ELSE CAN TELL ME, IS THAT AN ORDINANCE THAT WE CAN AMEND?
>> GORZELL: THE SHORT ANSWER IS NOT EASILY, BECAUSE -- IT'S NOT A -- JUST A CITY ORDINANCE.
THAT 14% CAP, JUST LIKE THE 5% CAP ON SAWS IS IN THE BOND INDENTURE, SO YOU CAN'T CHANGE THAT 14% CAP WITHOUT CHANGING THE BOND INDENTURE.
THE BOND INDENTURE IS THE CONTRACT THAT YOU HAVE WITH EVERYBODY THAT HOLDS A KRMPLET KRMPLET -- CPS BOND.
SO YOU WOULD HAVE TO REFINANCE ALL OF THAT DEBT, WHICH WOULD BE HUGELY EXPENSIVE, OR YOU WOULD HAVE TO GET BOND HOLDERS -- AND I WOULD HAVE TO DOUBLE-CHECK THIS COUNCIL, BECAUSE I'M GOING OFF MY HEAD, THERE'S TWO TYPES OF BOND, A SENIORLING AND A JUNIOR LEAN.
YOU WOULD HAVE TO GET DIFFERENT MAJORITY OF BOND HOLDERS TO APPROVE THAT CHANGE WHICH WOULD BE DIFFICULT TO DO.
>> PELAEZ: SO I RECENTLY READ IN THE PAPER SOMETHING LIKE THAT, THE CEO OF CPS COMPARING THEIR OPERATION AND SAWS, AND THEY SAID SAWS WAS A BICYCLE AND C PCH S WAS A MOTORCYCLE.
AND SO I'M -- THE REASON I'M ASKING THIS IS I'M WONDERING, YOU KNOW, 0 -- LET'S SAY HALF OF A PERCENT FROM CPS MIGHT BRING IN MORE MONEY THAN WHAT WE'RE ASKING FOR FROM SAWS IN THIS INSTANCE.
AND SO EVEN THOUGH THE STATUTE DOESN'T REQUIRE IT, HAS ANYBODY TALKED TO KRMPLET -- CPS ABOUT HELPING OUT SAN ANTONIO BY DOING THAT AS OPPOSED TO SQUEEZING SAWS?
>> GORZELL: TRYING TO INCREASE THE RETURN TO THE CITY?
>> GORZELL: WE'RE AT THE CAP SO WE'VE NOT HAD THAT CONVERSATION.
>> PELAEZ: NO, NO, NO, THEY CAN DO IT VOLUNTARILY, CAN'T THEY?
>> GORZELL: NO, THE CAPTURE CANNOT EXCEED THAT 14% CAP.
IT'S A COMPLIANCE WE HAVE TO DO FROM THEM EVERY YEAR.
SO FROM A BOND HOLDER PERSPECTIVE, WE'VE GOT TO ENSURE THAT NOT MORE THAN 14% OF VALUE IS COMING OVER TO THE CITY.
>> PELAEZ: SO THEY CANNOT VOLUNTARILY SEND THAT OVER.
>> GORZELL: THEY CANNOT EXCEED THE 14% CAP.
MY CONCERN IS THAT, YOU KNOW, NO MATTER HOW WELL RUN SAWS IS, AND NO MATTER HOW MUCH CASH THEY HAVE, YOU KNOW, YOU TAKE 10 MILLION FROM ANY OTHER -- FROM ANY ORGANIZATION OVERNIGHT AND JUST SAY, HEY, FROM NOW ON, WE'RE JUST GOING TO TAKE 10 MILLION FROM YOU GUYS, WHICH IS FINE, THAT'S THE WAY IT'S GOING TO BE, THAT'S NOT GOING TO HAVE NO EFFECT, RIGHT? I MEAN, IT'S NOT AN UNIMPORTANT AMOUNT OF MONEY.
AND SO, AGAIN, I'M ASKING THIS JUST SIMPLY TO MAKE SURE THAT, YOU KNOW, WE'RE SAFE.
AND SO -- AND ERIK, YOU SAID, YOU KNOW, YOU WOULDN'T BE RECOMMENDING THIS IF THERE WASN'T ANY ISSUES IN THE NEAR TERM.
SO I -- WHAT IS NEAR TERM? LIKE THAT'S MY QUESTION.
IS IT TWO YEARS, IS IT FOUR YEARS?
>> WALSH: I MEAN, WE HAVEN'T SPECIFICALLY RUN THAT KIND OF SCENARIO WITH SAWS, BUT I DON'T ANTICIPATE ANYTHING IN THE NEXT SEVERAL YEARS.
>> GORZELL: BUT FOR THEM, JUST LIKE ANY OTHER UTILITY, THIS BECOMES A COST.
I'M GOING TO BE CANDID, IT'S A COST TO SAWS.
AND JUST LIKE CPS DOES, JUST LIKE SAWS DOES, THEY'VE GOT TO EVALUATE THEIR BUDGET AND THEIR RATE BASE ALL THE TIME, SO THEY'LL BE HAVING THOSE CONVERSATIONS WITH US AND WITH YOU ALL AS WE GO FORWARD.
SO YOU DON'T ANTICIPATE SOMETHING HAPPENING WITHIN THE NEXT SEVERAL YEARS, BUT YOU CAN'T TELL ME THAT YOU'VE LOOKED AT IT?
>> GORZELL: I HAVE NOT SPECIFICALLY RUN THIS -- THE SAWS RATE MODEL, NO, SIR, I HAVE NOT.
I'M GETTING FRUSTRATED, RIGHT, BECAUSE I'M HEARING YOU'RE TAKING PEOPLE'S WORD AT THINGS AND I'M HEARING YOU'RE ANTICIPATING, I'M HEARING WORDS LIKE NEAR TERM, I'M HEARING WORDS LIKE SEVERAL YEARS AND I'M HAVING TO TAKE PEOPLE'S WORD FOR IT BY -- YOU KNOW, BY ASSURANCES.
I'D RATHER YOU NOT ASSURE ME, I'D RATHER YOU SHOW ME.
SO WHAT I'D LIKE TO SEE, BEN, IS A DEFINITION OF NEAR TERM.
AND IF WE'RE REALLY TALKING ABOUT NEAR TERM, I THINK -- TO ME, NEAR TERM MEANS TWO YEARS, RIGHT? AND SO WHAT I'D LIKE TO SEE MOVING FORWARD IS WHAT WOULD THIS LOOK LIKE IF WE JUST LIMITED THIS PROPOSAL -- I'M OKAY WITH THE PROPOSAL, BY THE WAY -- TO JUST TWO YEARS, RIGHT? SO THAT IT SUNSETS AT TWO YEARS.
AND THEN WE ALL GET TOGETHER AGAIN WITH SAWS AND SAY, HOW DID THAT GO? RIGHT? DID WE END UP NEGATIVELY IMPACTING YOU? HOW IS YOUR BOND RATING, YOU KNOW, HOW ARE YOUR OPERATIONS? YOU KNOW, DID WE END UP KICKING YOU IN THE TEETH A LITTLE TOO HARD? LET'S EASE INTO THIS WITH SOME IDEA THAT THERE IS GOING TO BE A CHECKUP, RIGHT, AS OPPOSED TO JUST GOING IN AND SAYING, HEY, YOU KNOW THAT $10 MILLION, HOW DOES PERPETUITY SOUND TO YOU? IS THAT OKAY, PERPETUITY? I DON'T THINK THAT'S THE RIGHT WAY TO GO ABOUT THIS.
SO I AM GOING TO URGE MY COUNCILMEMBERS TO THINK ABOUT
[02:05:01]
A TWO-YEAR SUNSET PERIOD.>> WALSH: ABSOLUTELY, COUNCILMAN.
I THINK THE LINE OF QUESTION THAT YOU HAVE, WE'LL MAKE SURE WE HAVE THAT INFORMATION.
I THINK WE PROBABLY NEED TO HAVE A MORE DETAILED CONVERSATION, AND CERTAINLY, YOU KNOW, AT THIS POINT, THE PREROGATIVE OF THE COUNCIL IS TO HAVE THOSE TYPES OF CONVERSATIONS THAT YOU'RE INITIATING RIGHT NOW IN TERMS OF HOW WE DEAL WITH IT.
>> PELAEZ: SO YOU DON'T HAVE ANY HEARTACHE OVER MY IDEA OF TWO YEARS?
SO MOVING ON TO PAID SICK LEAVE, SLIDE 28, I THINK THAT EVERYBODY, IF WE'RE BEING HONEST WITH EACH OTHER, UNDERSTANDS THAT RIGHT NOW THE FUTURE IS UNCERTAIN.
AND SO THERE'S PROBABLY TWO OPTIONS THAT ARE FACING US, EITHER THE COURTS WILL ALLOW THIS ORDINANCE TO SURVIVE AND WE FASHION A WAY FORWARD AND WE ENFORCE AND WE WORK WITH THE PUBLIC AND WE WORK WITH THE ORGANIZERS AND WE MAKE IT HAPPEN.
AND RIGHT NOW, WE'VE GOT A COMMISSION FULL OF REALLY, REALLY HONEST GOOD-FAITH VOLUNTEERS DOING SOME VERY SERIOUS WORK.
AND ERIK, I'VE GOT TO TELL YOU SH I'M IMPRESSED WITH THE NUMBER, 549,000, BECAUSE I THINK THAT SHOULD SIGNAL TO EVERYBODY THAT WE'RE SERIOUS.
IF YOU REALLY WANT TO GAUGE A CITY COUNCIL'S INTENT, LOOK AT WHAT A CITY COUNCIL IS BUDGETING FOR.
AND IT'S -- YOU KNOW, INTENT IS NOT GAUGED BY TWEETS, INTENT IS GAUGED BY BUDGETS.
AND IN THIS INSTANCE, YOU ARE SEEING THAT WE ARE BUDGETING TO ENFORCE.
NOW, MY CONCERN IS THAT OPTION TWO IS THAT THERE IS A REAL POSSIBILITY THAT THE COURT MIGHT JUST KILL THIS THING.
AND IF THAT HAPPENS, ERIK, WHAT HAPPENS TO THE FOUR POSITIONS THAT WE'RE CREATING?
>> WALSH: WELL, IT WILL -- THE VAST MAJORITY, ABOUT HALF OF THAT MONEY IS SET ASIDE FOR A LOT OF THE OUTREACH AND TRAINING, SO CERTAINLY THAT MONEY DOESN'T GET SPENT.
I THINK WE'LL NEED TO CAREFULLY MOVE FORWARD WHERE WE HAVE A COMMITMENT AND AN ORDINANCE THAT NEEDS TO BE ENFORCED, AND POTENTIAL CHANGES.
I THINK WE'RE JUST GOING TO NEED TO MANAGE THROUGH IT.
I MEAN, THE REALITY IS, IF WE END UP HIRING SOMEBODY AND 30 DAYS LATER -- AUDIO] -- ORDINANCE, THEN WE MAY BE IN THAT POSITION.
IN FACT, I -- FROM MY PERSPECTIVE, I WOULD RATHER BE IN THAT POSITION THAN KEEP HOLDING POSITIONS VACANT AND NOT TRYING TO GET -- AND NOT BEING PREPARED TO ENFORCE AN ORDINANCE .
I'M GOING TO HAVE TO KEEP MY FINGER PRETTY CLOSE TO THE PULSE ON THAT AS WE PROGRESS THROUGH THAT.
THERE IS -- I MEAN, FOUR POSITIONS DON'T COST A HALF A MILLION DOLLARS HERE, SO YOU CAN TELL -- AND WE'LL GO INTO MORE DETAIL WITH THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT BUDGET, A BIG CHUNK OF THAT IS THE RESOURCES, MATERIALS AND I THINK WE'RE JUST GOING TO HAVE TO WATCH THROUGH IT.
MAYBE WE'LL KNOW SOMETHING HERE SHORTLY ACCORDING TO THE SCHEDULE OF THE -- COMING FORWARD TO THE COUNCIL.
>> PELAEZ: IS THIS 549 GOING TO GO INTO A METRO HEALTH BUCKET.
>> PELAEZ: SO DOES THAT MEAN IF THERE IS AN INVALIDATION OF THE ORDINANCE AND EVERYBODY'S DISAPPOINTED THAT WE WEREN'T ABLE TO ENFORCE THIS ORDINANCE, DOES THAT MEAN THAT THIS MONEY THAT IS EAR MARKED FOR THIS IS UNUSABLE BY METRO HEALTH FOR ITS OPERATIONS, OR ARE WE WRITING IN THERE SOME FLEXIBILITY IN THE CASE OF THAT CONTINGENCY? THAT'S MY CONCERN.
>> WALSH: IT WOULD BE PART OF THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT BUDGET AND IT COULD BE AVAILABLE FOR OTHER THINGS.
>> WALSH: -- GIVEN THE HIGH PROFILE OF THIS NATURE, IT WOULD BE SOMETHING WE WOULD COME BACK AND LET THE COUNCIL KNOW, HEY, LOOK, WE'RE GOING TO USE ONE WITH HUNDRED THOUSAND DOLLARS OF THIS FOR X.
$549,000 IF WE'RE NOT ABLE TO USE IT FOR THIS PURPOSE IS A LOT OF MONEY FOR USING FOR, I DON'T KNOW, A MIGRANT RESOURCE CENTER.
>> PELAEZ: OR TOWARDS DOMESTIC VIOLENCE PROGRAMS, SO THAT IS NOT MONEY WASTED IF WE INVEST IT IN THE METRO HEALTH AND SO I'M EXCITED THAT IT'S GOING INTO THAT BUDGET.
THANK YOU FOR TAKING THIS ORDINANCE VERY SERIOUSLY AND THE SIGNALING TO THE PUBLIC THAT WE'RE NOT KIDDING AREN'T, WE REALLY ARE INTENDING TO ENFORCE THIS THING.
LASTLY, MARIA, YOU'VE BEEN VERY HELPFUL NOT JUST IN FASHIONING THIS THING, BUT ALSO IN HELPING US FIND WAYS TO NOT SPEND MONEY.
I UNDERSTAND THAT THERE'S LIKE $6 MILLION THAT WE'RE NOT GOING TO SPEND BECAUSE YOU ALL FUT YOUR HEADS -- PUT YOUR HEADS TOGETHER WITH ALL OF THE DEPARTMENTS AND SHAVED OFF MONEY FROM EACH BUDGET BECAUSE YOU IDENTIFIED INEFFICIENCIES THAT WE CAN TIGHTEN UP.
AND I THINK THAT THAT'S WHAT THE PUBLIC ASKS OF US EVERY SINGLE TIME THAT WE DO A LOOK IN THE MIRROR AND, YOU KNOW,
[02:10:02]
REALLY DO ASK OURSELVES ARE WE USING THIS MONEY AS WISE AS POSSIBLE.SOMETHING WE SAW BIG PROBLEMS BY SOMETIMES SPENDING ABSOLUTELY $0.
TOMORROW I'M FLYING OUT TO FLORIDA TO DELIVER THE VERY FIRST TWO DOGS FROM OUR ANIMAL CARE SERVICES, TO DELIVER THEM TO VETERANS IN FLORIDA, AND SO FOR THOSE OF YOU WHO DON'T REMEMBER, MARIA AND I PUT OUR HEADS TOGETHER AND WE FOUND AN ORGANIZATION CALLED CANINE FOR WARRIORS WHO NEED BIG LARGE SERVICE ANIMALS TO BE ABLE TO TRAIN UP AND GIVE TO VETERANS WHO ARE VERY HIGH RATE OF -- YOU KNOW, RISK OF SUICIDE.
AND WE'VE GOT BIG, BIG DOGS, THE SAN ANTONIO BROWN SPECIAL, WHO DOESN'T GET ADOPTED OUT QUITE OFTEN, AND WE FIGURED OUT A WAY TO SAVE THE LIVES OF DOGS AND SAVE THE LIVES OF VETERANS ALL WITHOUT SPENDING A PENNY.
SO MARIA, MORE OF THAT FREE STUFF, TOO, OKAY? THANKS, MAYOR.
>> MAYOR NIRENBERG: THANK YOU, COUNCILMAN PELAEZ.
I JUST WANT TO START BY COMMENDING THE STAFF, THE CITY MANAGER, EVERYBODY IN THE FINANCE DEPARTMENT THAT WORKED ON THIS.
I APPRECIATE THE FACT THAT SEVERAL TIMES YOU CAME TO EACH OF US AS COUNCILMEMBERS AND HAD A GOOD DISCUSSION ABOUT WHAT OUR PRIORITIES WERE OR HOW WE VIEWED THE BUDGET OR HOW YOU THINK THE BUDGET WAS BEING DEVELOPED.
AND I THINK IT REALLY PUT US ALL IN A PRETTY SOLID POSITION ON HOW WE COULD CONTINUE TO WORK AND UNDERSTAND AS WE GET ALL THE DETAILS WORKED OUT.
SO I THINK IT'S REALLY A SOLID PROPOSAL TODAY.
AND, YOU KNOW, I LOOK FORWARD TO, LIKE, ALL THE OTHER COUNCILMEMBERS, THOUGH, IN GETTING MORE OF THE DETAILS, THE NITTY-GRITTY, SO THAT WE CAN EVALUATE WHAT THAT IMPACT IS THROUGHOUT THE CITY BUT ALSO WITHIN THE CONFINES OF OUR CONSTITUENTS AND THE PROGRAMS AND THE POLICIES THAT, YOU KNOW, WE WANT TO REPRESENT FOR THEM.
I WAS REALLY GLAD TO SEE THAT THE HOMESTEAD EXEMPTION IS PART OF THIS BUDGET NOW.
WE EXPECTED IT WOULD BE, BUT I THINK IT'S REALLY SHOWING THE PUBLIC THE GOOD-FAITH EFFORT THAT NO MATTER WHAT THE STATE LEGISLATURE HAS DONE, WE DECIDED ON OUR OWN, WE WERE GOING TO TAKE A STEP IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION OF PROVIDING SOME TAX RELIEF.
AND THEN I WAS LOOKING AT KIND OF THE COST OF THAT, AND SOME OF THE OTHERS.
WE'RE SAYING THAT WE'RE GETTING ABOUT $14 MILLION LESS FROM CPS ENERGY WE'RE SAYING THAT THE FRANCHISE FEES THAT WE WERE COLLECTING FROM SOME OF THE COMMUNICATION INDUSTRIES HAS DECLINED BY $7.3 MILLION.
I THINK THE CITY MANAGER LISTED ANOTHER $4 MILLION I FROS LIKE THE HOMESTEAD EXEMPTION AND OTHER THINGS, THAT IS A DECREASE OF OVER $25 MILLION FROM WHAT WE WERE THINKING ABOUT A YEAR, YEAR AND A HALF AGO WHEN WE WERE FORECASTING THIS BUDGET.
AND YET AT THE SAME TIME, I LOOK AT THE BUDGET THAT YOU'VE PUT TOGETHER AND BROUGHT FORWARD TO US, AND I SEE THAT THE GENERAL REVENUE PROJECTIONS BETWEEN THE 2019 BUDGET AND THE 2020 BUDGET SIMPLY COMES TO A DIFFERENCE OF ABOUT $10 MILLION, 1.2%, FROM TWO-POINT -- EXCUSE ME, FROM -- WELL, LET'S SEE.
I LOST MY PLACE IN THE BUDGET.
BUT BASICALLY, IT'S RELATIVELY A LOW CHANGE, ABOUT 1.2% FROM LAST BUDGET TO THIS BUDGET.
SO EVEN THOUGH WE'VE LOST $25 MILLION IN WHAT WE THOUGHT WE MIGHT BE COLLECTING, IF THINGS CONTINUED THE WAY THEY WERE A YEAR AGO, WE'RE ONLY LOOKING AT A 1% -- 1.2% INCREASE IN OUR GENERAL FUND.
AND SO THAT REALLY SHOWS, I THINK, THAT WE DID THAT LACE TIGHTENING OR BELT TIGHTENING THAT WE NEEDED TO DO TO PREPARE A SOLID BUDGET.
SO I THINK THAT'S VERY POSITIVE I DO APPRECIATE THE FACT THAT WE'VE ADDED TO THAT BUDGET, THOUGH, THROUGH A PROJECTED INCREASE IN PAYMENTS FROM SAWS.
I THINK THAT'S A VERY VALUABLE CONTRIBUTION.
AFTER ALL, SAWS IS OWNED BY THE CITY.
IT'S REALLY JUST AN ADDITIONAL RESOURCE THAT THE CITY CAN USE TO PROVIDE THE KIND OF SERVICES THAT EVERYBODY IN THE CITY EXPECTS.
JUST LIKE CPS IS OWNED BY THE C, AND IT'S ANOTHER RESOURCE.
[02:15:03]
AND SO I FEEL IT WAS TOTALLY APPROPRIATE TO LOOK AT THE EXCESS FUNDING THAT THEY HAVE, RIGHT NOW I THINK IT'S 70 MILLION HAND ON CARBON A DAILY BASIS AS WAY OF SUPPORTING THE CITY BECAUSE IT'S PART OF THE CITY.HOWEVER, I DO COMMEND THE RECOMMENDATION THAT MY FELLOW COUNCILMEMBER MADE THAT WE REALLY LOOK AT THAT AND UNDERSTAND WHAT WE MIGHT BE LOOKING AT FOR A LONGER TERM AFFECT ON SAWS.
I THINK THAT'S THE RIGHT THING TO DO.
SO I'LL LOOK FORWARD TO HEARING A REPORT FROM THE CITY FINANCE DEPARTMENT AND MAYBE FROM THE SAWS FINANCIAL DIRECTOR TO HELP US UNDERSTAND THAT.
BUT I THINK ONE THING I'M KEEPING IN MIND, THOUGH, IS THAT ONCE THAT VISTA RIDGE WATER STARTS COMING IN, THEY'RE ACTUALLY GOING TO HAVE MORE WATER THAN WE NEED.
AND THEY'RE GOING TO BE LOOKING TO SELL THAT WATER, THE EXCESS.
OR REDUCE PUMPING OUT OF THE AQUIFER.
AND SO THERE'S REAL POTENTIAL THERE FOR ADDITIONAL INCOME TO SAWS, SO I THINK THIS CAN BE A LONG-TERM CONTRIBUTION TO OUR BUDGET, BUT LET'S SEE WHAT THE FINAL OUTCOME IS.
I DO WANT TO SAY I APPRECIATE SOMETHING THAT'S BEEN PUT INTO THE BUDGET.
$1MILLION IN CONSTRUCTION AND INFRASTRUCTURE FUNDING FOR EACH DISTRICT.
IN OTHER WORDS, WHAT THE CITY STAFF IS DOING IS SAYING, WELL, YOU KNOW, WE PUT MONEY INTO YOUR CONSTRUCTION BUDGET, IN YOUR IMP, AND, YOU KNOW, YOU CAN USE THAT, OBVIOUSLY, FOR STREETS AND FOR SIDEWALKS AND FOR MULTIPLE INFRASTRUCTURE KINDS OF THINGS, BUT NOW BY SETTING ASIDE THAT 1 MILLION, WHAT THEY'RE SAYING IS INSTEAD OF THE IMP PROGRAM LAYING OUT HOW THAT MILLION DOLLARS IS TO BE SPENT, THEN YOU, THROUGH YOUR COMMUNITY, CAN HELP DETERMINE WHAT IS A BETTER PRIORITY POSSIBLY FOR USING THAT MONEY FOR INFRASTRUCTURE? AND, YOU KNOW, THAT'S RIGHT IN LINE WITH WHAT I'VE BEEN DOING IN DISTRICT 9 FOR THE LAST TWO YEARS THROUGH PARTICIPATORY BUDGETING.
WE'VE BEEN LOOKING TO FIND MONEY FROM SEVERAL DIFFERENT VARIOUS RESOURCES WITHIN THE CONFINES OF MONEY ALLOCATED TO DISTRICT 9, THAT WE COULD ALLOW THE COMMUNITY TO TELL US HOW TO SPEND THAT MONEY INSTEAD OF TRYING TO TELL THEM, WELL, THIS IS WHERE WE THINK IT SHOULD GO.
SO I REALLY COMMEND THE STAFF FOR GO -- DOING THAT.
YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT A MILLION DOLLARS FOR INFRASTRUCTURE CONSTRUCTION FOR EVERY COUNCIL DISTRICT THAT THE COUNCILMEMBER IN THEIR COMMUNITY CAN DECIDE HOW TO SPEND.
THAT'S $10 MILLION OF OUR CITY BUDGET THAT I FEEL THE COMMUNITY HAS A SAY IN HOW THOSE TAX DOLLARS GET SPENT.
SO I REALLY COMMEND THE STAFF FOR DEVELOPING THAT.
I THINK THOSE ARE ALL POSITIVES THAT ARE BUILT INTO THIS BUDGET, AND I HOPE THAT WE'LL BE ABLE TO GET A MORE DETAILED EXPLANATION OF A FEW THINGS.
WE ALL HAVE ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS ABOUT, AND I HOPE TO TAKE THIS BUDGET TO THE CONSTITUENTS IN DISTRICT 9 AND GET MORE OF THEIR INPUT ON IT.
>> MAYOR PRO TEM: THANK YOU, COUNCILMAN COURAGE, COUNCILMAN GONZALES? GONZALES GONZALES THANK YOU, MAYOR PRO TEM.
LET ME START BY JUST CONGRATULATING ERIK AND THE TEAM ON THE AAA BOND RATING.
WE KNOW THAT'S REALLY IMPORTANT TO BE ABLE TO CONTINUE MORE PROJECTS.
SO I KNOW ERIK AS YOUR FIRST TIME GIVING THE BUDGET THAT BEING ABLE TO MAINTAIN THAT AAA BOND RATING WOULD BE A NUMBER ONE PRIORITY FOR YOU.
SO CONGRATULATIONS ON THAT FRONT.
MANY OF MY QUESTIONS WERE SIMILAR TO COUNCILMAN PELAEZ REGARDING THIS CHANGE FROM THE BUDGET FROM SAWS, AND I GUESS I JUST -- WHEN WE WENT THROUGH THE EXERCISE OF A HOMESTEAD EXEMPTION, I DO SEE IT HERE, WHAT IS THE STATUS ON THAT? I -- I BELIEVE THAT IF WE HAD BEEN INFORMED THAT A HOMESTEAD EXEMPTION MAY CAUSE IT TO TAKE THAT MONEY FROM SAWS, MANY OF US MAY HAVE VOTED DIFFERENTLY.
AND I SAY THAT BECAUSE WE KNOW THAT ABOUT 50% OF OUR CONSTITUENTS ARE HOMEOWNERS, BUT EVERYBODY WHO LIVES IN A HOUSE HAS TO PAY A SAWS BILL.
AND THE ONLY REVENUE FOR SAWS IS OUR CONSTITUENTS, OUR RATE PAYERS.
AND ULTIMATELY, IT'S GOING TO IMPACT OUR RATE PAYERS, AND THAT'S PRETTY MUCH EVERY PERSON IN SAN ANTONIO, SO I'M
[02:20:02]
NOT SURE HOW WE CAN HAVE THAT DISCUSSION.IS IT TOO LATE TO MAKE THOSE CHANGES? I FEEL LIKE THE REASON THAT WE HAD THE VOTE ON THE HOMESTEAD EXEMPTION WAS BECAUSE THERE WAS A DEADLINE.
IS THERE -- I JUST FEEL LIKE A LITTLE MISLED THAT WE MAY HAVE TO MAKE THIS CHOICE, SO I MEAN, I RECOGNIZE THAT WE HAVE A LOT OF CUTS AND IT HAS TO COME FROM SOMEWHERE, BUT WE NEED TO UNDERSTAND WHAT THAT IS GOING TO BE TO THE RATE PAYERS.
>> GONZALES: THAT EVERYBODY HAS TO PAY, SO WHEN ARE WE GOING TO GET THAT BRIEFING?
>> WALSH: SO IT'S NOT TOO LATE, COUNCILWOMAN.
TODAY IS JUST THE DAY THAT I LAY OUT THE PROPOSED BUDGET AND THERE'S GOING TO BE PLENTY OF CONVERSATION.
I DO WANT TO -- I DO WANT TO POINT OUT THAT, YOU KNOW, THE ADJUSTMENT ON THE HOMESTEAD EXEMPTION THAT THE COUNCIL APPROVED AT THE BEGINNING OF -- AT THE END OF JUNE WAS ABOUT 2.6, $3 MILLION IN TERMS OF IMPACT.
THE PURSUIT OF THIS SAWS INCREASED TRANSFER IS NOT BEING DRIVEN BY THAT.
IT'S BEING DRIVEN PRIMARILY BECAUSE WE LOST -- OR WE WILL BE LOSING BEGINNING SEPTEMBER 1ST THE $7.5 MILLION IN RECURRING PERMANENT -- WELL, PREVIOUSLY IT WAS PERMANENT -- RECURRING REVENUE GOING FORWARD FROM TELECOMMUNICATION AND CABLE FEES AND THE RIGHT OF WAY FEES THEY HAD BEEN PAYING THE CITY, AND EVERY OTHER TEXAS CITY, BEGINNING SEPTEMBER 1ST.
THAT WAS A CHANGE AT THE LEGISLATURE, SB 1152.
SO THAT IS A MUCH LARGER ISSUE FROM A FINANCIAL STANDPOINT TO TACKLE.
7.5MILLION VERSUS THE 2.6 MILLION HOMESTEAD EXEMPTION.
THAT WAS THE BIG ISSUE WE NEEDED TO RESOLVE.
AND HOW YOU RESOLVE PERMANENTLY LOSING SEVEN AND A HALF MILLION DOLLARS IN REVENUE IS YOU EITHER REPLACE IT WITH PERMANENT REVENUE OR YOU CUT PERMANENTLY SERVICES.
AND SO IF YOU -- IN MY MIND, AND CERTAINLY THE COUNCIL WILL GO THROUGH THEIR OWN CALCULATION, IN MY MIND THE TELECOMMUNICATION FEE AND THE LOSS OF THAT REVENUE IS MORE CLOSELY ALIGNED WITH THAT INCREASE IN TRANSFER FROM SAWS THAN ANYTHING ELSE THAT WE HAVE.
I MEAN, WE ADJUSTED $6 MILLION IN EFFICIENCIES IN THE GENERAL FUND, SO MORE THAN DOUBLE OF WHAT WE NEEDED, IF YOU WANT TO LINE UP ISSUES FROM THE PROPERTY TAX EXEMPTION.
SO THE BIG ISSUE WAS THE TELECOM.
THAT WAS A BIG LE VER, AND WE WERE LOOKING FOR ALTERNATIVES OTHER THAN CUTS TO ADDRESS THAT.
>> GONZALES: WELL, I WOULD IMAGINE WE'LL GET A SAWS BRIEFING.
>> GONZALES: IN ONE OF THOSE NINE WORK SESSIONS, IS ONE OF THEM FROM SAWS?
>> GONZALES: BECAUSE I THINK THAT'S REALLY IMPORTANT BEFORE WE MAKE A FINAL DECISION ON WHETHER OR NOT WE MOVE ON THAT.
I MEAN, I PERPLY -- PERSONALLY FIND IT VERY HARD TO BELIEVE THEY HAD AN EXTRA 10 MILLION SITTING AROUND.
BELIEVE ME, ERIK, IF I KNEW YOU HAD AN EXTRA $10 MILLION SITTING AROUND, I COULD SPEND THAT MONEY REAL FAST ON SERVICES FOR OUR COMMUNITY.
>> GONZALES: WE KNOW THAT WE HAVE A LONG LIST OF THINGS THAT NEED TO GET DONE, SO I HAVE MY DOUBTS THAT THEY JUST HAD EXTRA CAPACITY, AND THAT THERE WAS -- THAT MONEY WAS NOT ALREADY PROGRAMMED FOR WORK THAT NEEDS TO BE DONE IN THE COMMUNITY.
AND WE KNOW THAT THEY ALSO HAVE SOME LIABILITIES THAT THEY HAD A MANDATE TO COMPLY WITH FROM THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT.
AND OTHER -- YOU KNOW, I MEAN, WE SEE SAWS DOING WORK IN THE COMMUNITY.
I MEAN, JUST AS MUCH OR MORE THAN WE SEE TCI DOING WORK IN THE COMMUNITY.
SO I FEEL LIKE WE NEED TO GET A FULL PICTURE OF THAT BEFORE WE MAKE THE FINAL DECISION.
AND SO JUST REGARDING JUST SOME OTHER QUESTIONS I HAD, WE'LL LOOK FORWARD TO THE PRESENTATIONS REGARDING THE HOMELESSNESS.
I SEE KENNY WILSON HERE, I DON'T KNOW IF HE'S STILL HERE.
HE WAS HERE A MOMENT AGO WITH HAVEN FOR HOPE, AND SO JUST LOOKING FORWARD TO THAT ADDRESSING HOMELESSNESS.
AND, IN FACT, PERHAPS THE SAME PRESENTATION COULD BE DONE.
IT SEEMS LIKE WHAT THE RECOMMENDATION IS TO INCREASE THE FEES 50 CENTS FROM THE BARGE CONTRACT.
WE HAVEN'T HAD AN UPDATE ON THE BARGE CONTRACT IN -- SINCE IT WAS IMPLEMENTED, I DON'T KNOW NOW HOW MANY -- IF IT'S BEEN TWO YEARS OR SO.
AND WHAT IMPACT THAT MAY HAVE TO THEIR PRODUCTION.
[02:25:03]
AND IF -- YOU KNOW, IF THEY'VE BEEN DOING VERY WELL AND THEY'RE -- WE DON'T WANT IT -- I GUESS WHAT I'M TRYING TO SAY IS WE DON'T WANT IT TO IMPACT PEOPLE'S JOBS OR THE CUSTOMER EXPERIENCE OF THEIR -- AT THE RIVERWALK.JUST KNOWING IT'S SUCH AN IMPORTANT PART OF OUR CITY.
AND ALSO I KNOW THAT WE'LL HAVE MORE TIME TO GET INTO DETAILS WHEN WE TALK ABOUT THE ISSUE REGARDING HOMELESSNESS, BUT I DO HOPE THAT THAT FUNDING IS NOT DIRECTED JUST TOWARDS THE EXPANSION OF HOMELESSNESS AT HAVEN.
WE KNOW THAT IT'S AN ISSUE THAT IMPACTS THE WHOLE CITY, BUT IT'S REALLY ONLY DISTRICT 5 WHO GETS THE BRUNT OF IT.
AND SO WE KNOW THAT THEY'RE AT CAPACITY, AND I HOPE THAT THAT PLAN DOES NOT INCLUDE EXPANDING SERVICES OR BRINGING MORE AND MORE PEOPLE TO HAVEN.
I UNDERSTAND THAT THE WHOLE CITY BENEFITS FROM A CITY SITE LIKE HAVEN, BUT DISTRICT 5 DOESN'T NECESSARILY BENEFIT FROM HAVING A REALLY LARGE HOMELESS COMPLEX IN OUR BACKYARD.
AND, IN FACT, ONE COULD ARGUE OUR FRONT DOOR TO OUR DISTRICT BECAUSE IT'S RIGHT HERE ON THE BORDER OF DOWNTOWN.
SO I'LL LOOK FORWARD TO SEEING HOW WE MAKE THOSE ADJUSTMENTS.
BUT OVERALL, I'M REALLY IMPRESSED WITH THE BUDGET.
I THINK, YOU KNOW, FOR MY COLLEAGUES WHO HAVEN'T BEEN THROUGH THIS EXERCISE BEFORE, OR EVEN THOSE WHO HAVE NOT EXPERIENCED IT AS MUCH AS MANY OF US HAVE, THERE'S A LOT MORE IN THE BUDGET.
AND SO THAT MEANS THAT WE ARE OFFERING FOR SERVICES.
THIS IS ONLY THE SECOND TIME OR MAYBE THIRD TIME NOW THAT WE WILL ADDRESS HOUSING, AND I THINK THAT WE HAVE SOME GREAT RECOMMENDATIONS HERE.
AND THE ONLY -- ONLY THE FIRST TIME THAT WE'VE ADDRESSED ISSUES LIKE DOMESTIC VIOLENCE AND TRAUMA-INFORMED CARE.
SO I THINK THAT WAS REALLY GREAT WORK BY ALL OF YOU, ESPECIALLY DR. BRIDGER FOR COMING UP WITH THE TRAUMA-INFORMED CARE, WHICH I HOPE WILL BE THE UNDERLYING CHANGE FOR THE AMOUNT OF VIOLENCE WE HAVE IN OUR COMMUNITY.
CHILD ABUSE, DOMESTIC VIOLENCE, GUN VIOLENCE, ALL OF THOSE REALLY HIGH HERE IN SAN ANTONIO.
SO LOOK FORWARD TO ALL THOSE DISCUSSIONS.
THANK YOU FOR ALL THE STAFF FOR ALL THE INCREDIBLE WORK YOU'VE DONE, ESPECIALLY TO YOU, ERIK.
I THINK THIS IS A GREAT FIRST BUDGET PRESENTATION.
>> MAYOR NIRENBERG: THANK YOU, COUNCILWOMAN GONZALES.
I ALSO WANT TO ECHO THE SENTIMENTS AND THANK YOU FOR THE CREATIVE SOLUTIONS THAT THE BUDGET TEAM HAD WORKED ON OVER THE SUMMER.
MANY LONG NIGHTS SO THAT WE COULD MAKE OUR BUDGET WORK.
I REALLY DO APPRECIATE THE WORK THAT YOU'VE DONE.
I STARTED OFF BY READING LAST YEAR'S BUDGET PAGE BY PAGE SO THAT I COULD COMPARE WHEN IT CAME TIME TO THIS DAY.
AND SO I'M EXCITED TO SEE THE NEW BUDGET.
AND SO THANK YOU, ERIK, FOR BRIEFING ME.
I WAS FULLY PREPARED, I THINK, ON A LOT OF THE ISSUES THAT I HAD SPECIFICALLY ASKED ABOUT.
AND SINCE WE ARE ON THE CONVERSATION OF SAWS, I'M GOING TO START WITH THAT.
I ACTUALLY MET WITH SAWS MY FIRST WEEK ON THE JOB.
I MET WITH THE C.E.O. AND WITH A COUPLE OF MEMBERS OF THEIR TEAM.
AND I WAS BRIEFED ABOUT THE POTENTIAL AND THE INCREASE FROM THAT 2.7 TO THE 4%.
I ASKED IF THE TEAM, IF BEN AND ERIK AND TEAM HAD ALREADY BEEN WORKING WITH THEM, AND THEY TOLD ME THAT THEY WERE.
I SPECIFICALLY ASKED IF THIS MIGHT AFFECT MY BOND RATING, AND THEY SPECIFICALLY TOLD ME KNOW.
I ALSO ASKED IF THIS MONEY WAS ALREADY ALLOTTED TO OTHER PROJECTS AND THEY SAID THAT BASICALLY THERE'S, IF YOU WILL, I'M CALLING THIS A WISH LIST OF PROJECTS THAT THEY HAVE, SO I FELT COMFORTABLE IN ASKING ALL THESE QUESTIONS, ONLY BECAUSE I WAS PREPARED ENOUGH TO TRY TO UNDERSTAND.
I DO WANT TO SAY THAT I APPRECIATE COUNCILMAN PELAEZ'S RECOMMENDATION TO LOOK AT, PERHAPS, A TWO-YEAR IMPLEMENTATION, BECAUSE THAT WAS ONE OF THE CONCERNS.
AND I DID MENTION THIS AGAIN TO ERIK THAT PERHAPS GOING FROM 2.7 TO 4%, LIKE WHAT THE DIFFERENCE WOULD BE AND HOW IT AFFECTS SAWS DIRECTLY.
SO THANK YOU FOR HELPING ME WITH THAT.
THANK YOU FOR HELPING ME WITH THE HISTORICAL PERSPECTIVE.
I THINK IT IS IMPORTANT TO KNOW THAT IT HASN'T INCREASED IN CAREERS.
AND I WOULD ADD THAT I SPECIFICALLY ASKED THEM IF THIS WOULD IMPACT THE RATE -- OR THE TAXPAYERS, ESSENTIALLY THROUGH THEIR SAWS BILL .
AND WHEN I ASKED, THEY TOLD ME
[02:30:02]
NO.SO I ASKED THESE QUESTIONS BUT I WELCOME ERIK AND SAWS TO COME DO A FULL PRESENTATION TO OUR ENTIRE CITY COUNCIL, BUT I FEEL VERY COMFORTABLE NOW WITH THE PROPOSED PLAN THAT YOU ALL HAVE.
I KNOW THERE'S ALWAYS ROOM FOR IMPROVEMENT.
THERE'S ALWAYS ROOM TO RECONSIDER SOME IDEAS, BUT THANK YOU FOR THAT WORK.
AGAIN, IT WAS A CREATIVE EFFORT ON BEHALF OF THE BUDGET TEAM.
ALSO, I WANT TO EXPRESS MY SINCERE APPRECIATION FOR THE CYBERSECURITY EFFORTS THAT YOU ALL HAVE BUDGETED IN OUR CURREND BUDGET.
I REALLY THINK THAT BEING PROACTIVE VERSUS REACTIVE IS IMPORTANT.
WE DON'T WANT TO BE IN THE SAME SITUATION THAT SIMILAR CITIES LIKE BALTIMORE HAVE BEEN IN RECENTLY.
SO I THINK IT'S VERY IMPORTANT TO CONSIDER CYBERSECURITY EFFORTS NOW AND INVEST IN THEM BEFOREHAND, BECAUSE WE WILL PROBABLY HAVE TO INVEST DOUBLE OR TRIPLE THE AMOUNT IF SOMETHING HAPPENS, LIKE A SECURITY BREACH.
SO I VERY MUCH APPRECIATE THAT TRAIN OF THOUGHT FOR YOU ALL, AND I ALSO WANT TO THANK MY COLLEAGUES OVER AT PORT SAN ANTONIO FOR BRIEFING ME ON SOME OF THE CYBERSECURITY THREATS THAT I WAS NOT NECESSARILY AWARE OF IN OTHER CITIES, OTHER THAN BALTIMORE.
I ALSO WANT TO THANK THE TEAM.
AND I SPECIFICALLY WANT TO THANK ASME.
I THINK YOU ARE ALL A MODEL OF HOW TO ADVOCATE FOR FOLKS.
I THINK THAT YOU ALL DO NOT BULLY US INTO DOING THINGS.
I THINK THAT YOU ALL MEET WITH US.
AND I REALLY APPRECIATE THAT OF ASME.
I THINK THAT SENDING LETTERS WITH YOUR CLEAR DIRECTION ARE VERY IMPORTANT.
I AM HAPPY THAT THE CITY MANAGER AND THE BUDGET TEAM HAVE CONSIDERED THIS.
I KNOW THAT THERE'S FOUR ITEMS ON A LETTER THAT WE'RE STILL ADDRESSING.
TWO HAVE BEEN MET, INCLUDING THE STEP PLAN.
WE STILL HAVE SOME ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS THAT WE'LL BE HAPPY TO TALK TO THE CITY MANAGER AND ADVOCATE ON BEHALF OF OUR CITY EMPLOYEES.
I TALKED TO THE MAYOR ABOUT -- AND I WANT TO SAY THAT THE MESSAGE IS WE ARE HERE FOR YOU ALL.
AND WE APPRECIATE THAT YOU ALL MAKE AN EFFORT TO TALK TO US, TO MEET WITH US REGULARLY.
SO THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THAT.
I ALSO WANT TO ADVOCATE FOR SOME ADDITIONAL CONSIDERATION.
IN THE STRONG FAMILIES WE HAVE $1 MILLION BUDGETED.
HALF OF THAT IS BUDGETED TOWARDS DELEGATE AGENCIES, BUT I DO BELIEVE THAT DELEGATE AGENCIES ARE THE EXPERTS IN FAMILY VIOLENCE.
SO PERHAPS A RECONSIDERATION FOR MORE OF THAT ALREADY ALLOTTED BUDGET TO BE INCREASED, AND SPECIFICALLY DELEGATED TO THE DELEGATE AGENCIES.
SO I WOULD LOOK FORWARD TO MAYBE TALKING TO SOMEONE.
I'M NOT SURE WHO IT WOULD BE, BUT IN ADVOCATING THAT THE DELEGATE AGENCIES, SPECIFIC IN THAT REGARD, GET SOME ADDITIONAL SUPPORT.
BUT I'M NOT ASKING FOR AN INCREASE IN THE BUDGET, I'M JUST ASKING FOR THE PERCENTAGE.
I THINK YOU HAVE 50/50 RIGHT NOW, AND SO MAYBE I WOULD DO MAYBE 70/30 OR SOMETHING.
BUT I'M LOOKING AT OUTREACH EFFORTS AND I THINK THAT MORE OF THEM NEED TO BE DONE SPECIFICALLY THROUGH THE DELEGATE AGENCIES.
THE CHIEF WAS EARLIER, I DON'T KNOW IF HE'S STILL HERE, BUT THE NEIGHBORHOOD ENTERTAINMENT ZONES, I THINK THAT'S HUGE.
WE SAW WHAT HAPPENED A FEW YEARS AGO IN AUSTIN.
UNFORTUNATELY, WE SAW WHAT HAPPENED IN OHIO THIS WEEKEND.
AND SO THE ENTERTAINMENT ZONES, I REALLY FEEL ARE IMPORTANT FOR US TO FOCUS ON BECAUSE WE HAVE SO MANY OF OUR COMMUNITY CONGREGATE IN THESE ENTERTAINMENT ZONES.
AND IT'S NOT DISTRICT SPECIFIC.
PEOPLE FROM ALL OVER THE CITY COME TO THESE DIFFERENT ENTERTAINMENT ZONES, AND I REALLY APPRECIATE THE EFFORTS THAT CHIEF AND ERIK AND THE TEAM HAVE TAKEN TO CONSIDER THAT.
BECAUSE IT IS OUR JOB TO KEEP THE COMMUNITY SAFE.
AND I THINK THIS IS ONE OF THE EFFORTS THAT WE CAN SHARE WITH THE COMMUNITY SAYING THIS IS HOW WE ARE HELPING TO KEEP YOU SAFE WHEN YOU'RE JUST GOING ABOUT YOUR BUSINESS OR WHEN YOU'RE JUST GOING ABOUT AND HAVING FUN, WHICH WE RIGHTFULLY DESERVE.
THOSE ARE ALL MY COMMENTS, AND I HAVE SOME MORE QUESTIONS BUT I'LL SEND THEM TO THE BUDGET TEAM BECAUSE YOU GUYS KNOW I ALWAYS HAVE A LITTLE BIT MORE QUESTIONS.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR WORK, THOUGH.
>> MAYOR NIRENBERG: THANK YOU, COUNCIL MEMBER ROCHA GARCIA.
COUNCIL MEMBER ANDREWS-SULLIVAN.
>> SULLIVAN: THANK YOU, MAYOR.
THANK YOU, CITY MANAGER, AND THANK YOU, BUDGETING TEAM.
I'M EXCITED BECAUSE WHEN I LOOKED AT THE CAPITAL BUDGET HEIGHTS, TO KNOW THAT WE AS A CITY ARE TRULY STEPPING UP TO TAKE CARE OF OUR BUILDINGS AS IT COMES TO THE NONPROFITS THAT ARE WORKING FOR THE COMMUNITY OUT OF
[02:35:02]
THOSE BUILDINGS.ELLA AUSTIN IS TRULY A PILLAR WITHIN THE DISTRICT 2 AREA.
AND ONE OF THE THINGS THEY HAVE ALWAYS DONE IS ALWAYS CUT THEIR BUDGET AND THEIR SERVICES TO TRY TO KEEP THOSE BUILDINGS MAINTAINED.
SO WE APPRECIATE THAT BEING INCLUDED.
AS I LOOKED AT THE BUDGET, THE QUESTION THAT STILL CONTINUES TO GO THROUGH MY MIND IS EXACTLY WHAT THE NUMBERS ARE ON THOSE PARCELS THAT WE, AS A CITY, ARE STILL INVESTED IN.
WHERE THAT REVENUE CAN COME IN PLACE TO ACTUALLY HELP US WITH OUR BUDGETING PROCESS.
I KNOW THOSE NUMBERS CAN KIND OF BE DIFFICULT TO GET, BUT WE STILL NEED TO SEE WHAT THOSE ARE AS WELL.
AND THEN JUST HAVE QUESTIONS ON HOW MUCH ARE WE GOING TO BE SELLING OFF WHEN IT COMES TO THE PROPERTY THAT WE WILL BE GETTING RID OF AS A CITY, AND WHAT THAT LOOKS LIKE COMING INTO THE BUDGET.
HOW LONG WILL IT TAKE FOR US TO GET BACK UP TO WHAT WE'LL BE LOSING FROM THE TELECOM COMPANY INFLUX AND IMPACT.
ALSO, WHEN IT COMES TO SAWS, WE DEFINITELY HAVE TO START TAPPING INTO WHAT WE HAVE AS A CITY TO ENSURE THAT WE ARE MEETING THE NEEDS OF OUR RESIDENTS AND THE CONSTITUENTS THAT WE SERVE.
THAT'S WHAT WE HAVE BEEN PLACED HERE TO DO.
SO I THANK YOU FOR WORKING TO GET THAT FOR US.
I KNOW WITH CPS IT CAN BE A DIFFERENT CHALLENGE, AS WE HAVE HEARD, TO GET AN INCREASE IN WHAT THEY ACTUALLY CAN TRANSFER OVER AS WELL.
BUT I THANK YOU, GUYS SO MUCH FOR INCLUDING OUR RESIDENTS AND OUR CITIZENS THAT WE ARE TRULY ELECTED AND DEDICATED TO SERVE AS THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO.
AND I AM SO THANKFUL THAT WE WILL NOW HAVE THOSE ADDITIONAL SAFE OFFICERS THAT TRULY WILL MAKE A DIFFERENCE IN THE LIVES OF THOSE THAT ARE IMPACTED BY VIOLENCE.
AND, OF COURSE, ESPECIALLY IN DISTRICT 2.
WE DO HAVE A VERY HIGH RATE OF THOSE CASES THAT ARE JUST PRETTY MUCH STAGNANT AND SITTING THERE WITH NO ONE TRULY MAKING THE EFFORT TO COMBAT IT.
AND SO WE THANK YOU FOR THAT, CHIEF.
I JUST LOOK FORWARD TO THE OTHER PRESENTATIONS FROM ALL OF THE DEPARTMENTS.
THANK YOU, LORI, FOR WHAT YOU HAVE DONE WHEN IT COMES TO AFFORDABLE HOUSING AND TRULY TAPPING INTO THE RESOURCES THAT WE HAVE IN DISTRICT 2 AND LOOKING AT HOW WE CAN TRULY MAKE A DIFFERENCE IN THE LIVES OF THOSE THAT DON'T KNOW WHAT IT MEANS TO HAVE A ROOF OR KNOW WHERE THEY'RE GOING TO GO FROM ONE MOMENT TO THE NEXT WHEN IT COMES TO THE AMI SITUATION THAT WE HAVE HERE IN DISTRICT 2 AND THROUGHOUT THE CITY.
THANK YOU FOR PUTTING THIS PRESENTATION TOGETHER AND I LOOK FORWARD TO MAKING SURE THAT WE, AS A CITY, PUT A FOOT MARK AND A FOOTPRINT ON WHAT WE DO FOR OUR CITIZENS.
>> MAYOR NIRENBERG: THANK YOU, COUNCIL MEMBER ANDREWS-SULLIVAN.
ERIK, THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR THE PRESENTATION.
AND I WANT TO CONGRATULATE THE STAFF FOR DEFENDING OUR AAA BOND RATING.
I THINK THAT IS VERY IMPORTANT.
WE STILL HAVE ONE RATING AGENCY THAT DOESN'T SEE THE LIGHT ON HOW WE CAN MANAGE AND BUDGET OUR DOLLARS HERE IN SAN ANTONIO.
AND HOPEFULLY THEY'LL COME ALONG HERE SOON.
AND FOR PUTTING TOGETHER THIS BUDGET.
YEAR AFTER YEAR THAT'S A DIFFICULT PROJECT.
AND I AGREE WITH COUNCILMAN PELAEZ.
THIS IS OUR MOST IMPORTANT JOB UP HERE ON CITY COUNCIL IS TO LOOK AT THE BUDGET, MAKING SURE THAT IT FITS, AND WE'RE LISTENING TO WHAT OUR NEIGHBORS AND CONSTITUENTS ACROSS THIS COMMUNITY IS WANTING.
BUT, HAVING SAID THAT, I'VE GOT SOME CONCERNS, SOME HIGH-LEVEL CONCERNS, AND I JUST WANT TO RUN THROUGH THOSE.
ERIK, YOU MENTIONED A COUPLE OF TIMES ABOUT EFFICIENCIES ACROSS THE DEPARTMENTS, BUT, YOU KNOW, WE'RE TALKING ABOUT A BUDGET THAT'S INCREASED $100 MILLION.
IT WENT FROM 2.8 IN '19 TO NOW WE'RE PROJECTING $2.9 BILLION.
BELT TIGHTENING OR SHOE LACE TIGHTENING, I'M NOT SO SURE ABOUT THAT.
WE'RE SHOWING 81 NEW CIVILIANS ACROSS THE CITY.
I'M NOT CONCERNED ABOUT THE UNIFORMS, THE 20 ADDITIONAL UNIFORMS. THAT'S SOMETHING THAT OUR COMMUNITY HAS BEEN ASKING FOR.
I'M NOT SO SURE ABOUT THE 81 NEW CIVILIANS.
[02:40:02]
I'M JUST FOLLOWING THE ORDER ON THIS PRESENTATION, AND THE ONE THAT STICKS OUT RIGHT FRONT AND CENTER TO ME IS THIS SAWS DEBATE.AND THERE WILL BE A DEBATE ON THIS.
BECAUSE I REMEMBER SITTING HERE A YEAR AND A HALF, MAYBE TWO YEARS AGO WHEN SAWS CAME TO US WITH A RATE INCREASE REQUEST.
I SAID IT WASN'T JUSTIFIED BECAUSE OF CASH ON HAND AND THE JUSTIFICATION THEY HAD IN THEIR BOOKLET TO SHOW ALL THE DIFFERENT PROJECTS AND WHAT IT'S DONE.
BUT IT WAS SOLD BASED ON OUR AGING INFRASTRUCTURE THAT WE NEEDED THIS RATE INCREASE, AND IT WAS SOLD ON THIS CONSENT DECREE FROM THE EPA SAYING WE'VE GOT TO CLEAN UP OUR DRAINAGE SYSTEM, OUR SANITARY SEWER DRAINAGE SYSTEM.
SO I VOTED AGAINST IT, AS WELL AS A COUPLE OF MY COLLEAGUES.
COUNCILMAN COURAGE, ONE OF THEM.
IN FACT, WE GAVE SAWS A HIGHER RATE INCREASE THAN THEY WERE EVEN ASKING FOR.
WHICH, I COULD NOT UNDERSTAND.
AND THAT WAS BASED ON, WELL, WE NEED TO INCREASE THAT MONEY COMING IN TO SAWS TO REPLACE THOSE AGING INFRASTRUCTURE EVEN FASTER.
WELL, WHERE ARE WE NOW? WE'RE LOOKING AT SAWS SAYING, OH, WOW, LET'S ROB THAT CASH COW.
THEY GOT A LOT OF CASH WE CAN USE HERE IN THE CITY.
IT'S KIND OF LIKE A BAIT AND SWITCH SAYING, HEY, LET'S RAISE IT OVER HERE.
BUT NOW WE'RE GOING TO TAKE IT OUT OF THAT FUND.
I JUST DO NOT AGREE WITH THAT.
I THINK THAT'S THE WRONG APPROACH.
WE, OR THIS COUNCIL, VOTED TO APPROVE THAT RATE INCREASE TO ADD TO THAT FUND SO THAT WE COULD CONTEND WITH THAT EPA CONSENT DECREE AND OUR WATER SUPPLY, INCLUDING VISTA RIDGE TO PREPARE FOR THAT.
AND WHAT ARE WE DOING NOW? THE CITY IS ROBBING THAT ACCOUNT BECAUSE THERE'S A PERCEIVED LACK OF FUNDS TO OPERATE OUR 2020 BUDGET AND GENERAL FUND.
YOU KNOW, THIS IS, TO ME, IS A SLAP IN THE FACE TO NOT ONLY SAWS BUT OUR RATEPAYERS THAT ARE ALREADY ABSORBING MULTIPLE INCREASES OVER THE YEARS TO COMPENSATE FOR VISTA RIDGE.
AND NOW WE'RE GOING TO PROPOSE TO TAKE THAT MONEY AWAY FROM THAT POT OF MONEY AND FUND CITY SERVICES.
LET'S TALK ABOUT DOMESTIC VIOLENCE AND THE HOMELESS POPULATION.
YOU KNOW, AND I HAVE ASKED THIS QUESTION BEFORE.
WE'RE FUNDING, WHETHER IT'S STATE, FEDERAL, OR LOCAL FUNDS, OVER $50 MILLION FOR OUR HOMELESS POPULATION IN SAN ANTONIO.
OUR LAST COUNT WAS AROUND 2800 HERE IN SAN ANTONIO.
THAT'S OVER $18,000 PER PERSON THAT WE'RE -- OR SOMEBODY IS SPENDING HERE IN SAN ANTONIO FOR THE HOMELESS POPULATION.
TO ME, THAT DOESN'T MAKE COMMON SENSE, THAT WE'RE SPENDING THAT MUCH.
AND PART OF THE PROBLEM IS, AND WE TALKED ABOUT THE DELEGATE AGENT PROCESS, WE HAVE MULTIPLE AGENCIES FOCUSING IN ON HOMELESS.
AND THAT DOESN'T EVEN COUNT BUSINESSES OUT THERE THAT ARE DOING THINGS FOR THESE COMMUNITIES.
HOMELESSNESS OR DOMESTIC VIOLENCE.
IT DOESN'T COUNT OUR FAITH-BASED ORGANIZATIONS THAT ARE DOING LOTS OF GOOD WORK OUT THERE, WHICH THEY SHOULD BE.
SO HOW MUCH MORE ARE WE REALLY SPENDING ON THESE PROGRAMS? AND HERE WE'RE GOING TO BE SPENDING MORE OUT OF OUR GENERAL FUND ON THAT.
YOU KNOW, THERE'S A TERM HERE ABOUT TAKING MONEY FROM OUR CITY TIRZ PROGRAM.
THAT TIRZ PROGRAM COMES OUT OF OUR GENERAL FUND.
THOSE ARE FUNDS THAT SHOULD BE GOING INTO OUR GENERAL FUND TO OPERATE THIS CITY, BUT WE'RE NOT.
WE'RE KEEPING THOSE FUNDS BACK FOR INCENTIVES FOR BUSINESSES AND THINGS LIKE THAT, FOR INVESTMENTS INTO THESE DIFFERENT TIRZ ZONES.
WE GOT ALMOST $40 MILLION SITTING IN THERE TODAY IN THESE DIFFERENT TIRZ HERE IN THE CITY.
AND NOW WE'RE SAYING, HEY, LET'S USE THAT.
[02:45:01]
WE SEE THIS SITTING THERE, LET'S USE THAT FOR AFFORDABLE HOUSING.I DON'T AGREE WITH THAT EITHER.
GOOD QUESTIONS ABOUT WHAT ARE WE GOING TO DO WITH THOSE FOUR POSITIONS, YOU KNOW, IF THIS DOESN'T GET PASSED.
IF IT DOES GO UP TO THE SUPREME COURT OR IF IT GETS STRUCK DOWN BY THE COURT SYSTEM.
BUT, AGAIN, WHAT IS THAT COSTING THE CITY TO OPERATE THIS PROGRAM? COULD WE NOT USE OR DEFER THIS AND JUST USE OUR IN-HOUSE RESOURCES THAT WE CURRENTLY HAVE TO OPERATE THAT ORDINANCE? TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE MIGRANT RESOURCE CENTER.
THE 333,000, ERIK, THAT YOU'RE SHOWING THERE, IS THAT THE QUARTERLY COST THAT YOU WERE TALKING ABOUT?
THAT WOULD BE THE 333 FOR THE FIRST QUARTER, AND THAT WOULD BE TAKEN OUT OF THE -- I'M PROPOSING TO TAKE IT OUT OF THE MILLION WE SET ASIDE IN THE OPERATING CONTINGENCY EVERY YEAR.
WELL, SINCE WE'RE TALKING ABOUT A YEARLY BUDGET, MAYBE WE SHOULD PUT THAT MILLION DOLLARS UP HERE IS WHAT YOU'RE REALLY SAYING WE NEED IF WE NEED TO KEEP RENEWING THAT EVERY QUARTER, RIGHT?
MY RECOMMENDATION IS TO NOT SET ASIDE A WHOLE YEAR'S WORTH.
IT'S TO DO IT IN INSTALLMENTS BECAUSE WE DON'T KNOW WHAT THE ACTIVITY IS.
AND I WOULDN'T RECOMMEND SETTING ASIDE THAT MUCH MONEY FOR A WHOLE YEAR'S WORTH.
FRANKLY, WE'RE TAKING IT OUT OF PRODUCTION AND POTENTIALLY DO OTHER THINGS WITH IT.
I GUESS JUST THE WAY IT'S PRESENTED.
YOU KNOW, IF THAT'S A QUARTERLY COST, WHAT YOU'RE SETTING ASIDE HERE, NOT THE YEARLY COST.
YOU KNOW, ALL THESE ADDS TO THE BUDGET.
WE HAVE INCREASED OUR CITY BUDGET SUBSTANTIALLY HERE.
EVEN THOUGH WE'RE SHOWING LOSSES OF REVENUE, WE'RE STILL INCREASING OUR BUDGET.
THERE'S THE SHIFTS, THE BALANCES HERE IS WHAT I'M CONCERNED ABOUT AND WE NEED TO BE MORE TRANSPARENT ABOUT THAT AND WHAT WE'RE REALLY TRYING TO DO WITH THIS BUDGET.
BUT THOSE ARE SOME OF MY HIGH-LEVEL CONCERNS, AND I REALLY LOOK FORWARD TO THE DISCUSSIONS THAT ARE GOING TO BE COMING UP HERE OVER THE NEXT MONTH.
AND IT'S VERY IMPORTANT FOR OUR CITIZENS TO GO TO THESE WORKSHOPS, ASK THOSE TOUGH QUESTIONS, GET THE ANSWERS, AND GIVE US THAT FEEDBACK.
I CERTAINLY REACH OUT TO MY RESIDENTS IN DISTRICT 10 IN VARIOUS WAYS TO GET THAT FEEDBACK, AND PEOPLE DO LOOK AT THIS.
AND I REALLY APPRECIATE THAT, ERIK, ABOUT PUTTING TOGETHER AN EXECUTIVE SUMMARY OR SYNOPSIS UP FRONT THAT YOU DON'T HAVE TO GO THROUGH THAT 400-PLUS PAGES TO REVIEW THE BUDGET.
I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO SEEING THAT LAID OUT AS WELL.
A LOT OF DATA TO GO THROUGH AND, AGAIN, I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO THAT.
YOU KNOW, SOME OF THAT SAWS BUSINESS WAS FOR OUR NEW COUNCIL FOLKS THAT THIS IS WHAT THE COUNCIL DID BEFORE, AND NOW WE'RE BACKTRACKING ON THAT.
THAT -- ME AS A RATE PAYER AND A TAXPAYER FOR THIS CITY, I'M REALLY MAD ABOUT THAT.
AND THANK YOU FOR ALL THE WORK Y'ALL DID ON PUTTING THIS TOGETHER.
>> MAYOR NIRENBERG: THANK YOU, COUNCILMAN PERRY.
AND THANK YOU, ERIK, MARIA, JUSTINA, AND THE ENTIRE TEAM.
AND FOR THOSE THAT AREN'T AROUND IN JULY, WE KNOW THAT YOU GUYS ARE WORKING SOME SERIOUS HOURS TO TRY TO GET THIS READY FOR US.
AND, AS ERIK SAID, WE'RE JUST AT HALFTIME NOW.
SO THAT'S FOR YOUR PATIENCE WITH US ON THIS.
I THINK, AS MANNY POINTED OUT, THIS IS NO REFLECTION ON WHAT WE THINK OF YOUR HARD WORK, CERTAINLY IT'S JUST OUR QUESTIONS AND HOW WE TRY TO MAKE SURE THAT OUR PRIORITIES ARE VERY MUCH IN LINE WITH THIS BUDGET.
BECAUSE THIS BUDGET IS ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT THINGS WE DO AS COUNCIL MEMBERS, MAKING SURE THAT OUR PRIORITIES ARE FUNDED AND ACTIONS ARE TAKEN.
FIRST, YOU KNOW, I JUST WANT TO ECHO ALL THE SENTIMENT ABOUT SAWS.
AS WAS POINTED OUT, THERE ARE A LOT OF QUESTIONS AND SO I WON'T
[02:50:02]
NECESSARILY REPEAT ANY OF THE QUESTIONS, BUT WE HAVE TO -- WE DO HAVE TO CONSIDER THAT THERE IS AN IMPACT THERE SOMEWHERE.AND CAN APPRECIATE COUNCILWOMAN GONZALES' POINT ABOUT IT'S KIND OF SPLIT.
YOU HAVE HOMEOWNERS AND YOU HAVE RENTERS BUT EVERYBODY HAS TO PAY THAT SAWS BILL.
AND, YOU KNOW, WHEN YOU THINK ABOUT WHAT HAPPENS TO RENTERS, AND YOU WILL HAVE RECEIVED A MEMO FROM ME TO MY COUNCIL COLLEAGUES ABOUT THE POINT WE ARE TRYING TO MAKE REGARDING LEGAL AID FOR RENTERS.
RENTERS CAN BE EVICTED FOR NOT PAYING THEIR UTILITIES.
AND, IN FACT, IN 2016, WE KNOW 10,000 EVICTIONS HAPPENED IN SAN ANTONIO.
AND THE RIGHT TO COUNSEL IS A LOT LESS THAN THE RELOCATION COSTS THAT WE SOMETIMES HAVE TO INCUR.
SO I'LL, YOU KNOW, I THINK I'M JUST CONNECTING SOME DOTS HERE.
YOU KNOW, REMEMBER THAT HALF OF OUR POPULATION, HALF OF OUR COMMUNITY ARE RENTERS.
AND SO WE'LL KEEP PUSHING ON THAT.
I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO A MORE ROBUST DISCUSSION ABOUT THE IMPACT TO OUR COMMUNITY AND WHAT IT MEANS TO FOLKS.
AND I DON'T WANT TO SEE A SPIKE IN EVICTIONS.
YOU KNOW, WE NEED TO CONSIDER ALL THESE COLLATERAL EFFECTS AND WHAT THAT MEANS.
YOU KNOW, AS YOU HEARD, THERE'S A LOT OF FACTORS THAT GO INTO REQUESTING AN ADDITIONAL $10 MILLION FROM AN ORGANIZATION, NO MATTER WHO THEY ARE.
I DO WANT TO THANK YOU FOR WHAT YOU'RE DOING AT THE MIGRANT RESOURCE CENTER.
THERE ARE NO WORDS TO DESCRIBE MY GRATITUDE AND CERTAINLY, YOU KNOW, IT'S ONE OF THE MOST AMAZING THINGS WE CAN DO AS A CITY.
SO, AGAIN, THANK YOU FOR THAT.
THE THIRD ITEM I WANT TO TALK ABOUT IS WHAT WE'VE DONE TO GET THE CITY ARCHITECT POSITION BACK, AND THEN WHAT YOU'VE DONE TO HELP THE PEDESTRIAN MOBILITY OFFICER GET A NEW TEAM.
YOU KNOW, ON ONE OF THE FIRST ITEMS THAT WE LOOKED AT I THINK WE SAVED ENOUGH MONEY TO BASICALLY CREATE THAT TEAM.
>> TREVINO: AND THAT'S THE BOTTOM LINE, RIGHT? SO, IT MEANS THAT WE COULD BE SMARTER ABOUT INFRASTRUCTURE.
IT MEANS THAT WE HAVE OPTIONS ABOUT HOW WE BUILD OUR CITY.
AND I'M GOING TO KEEP PUSHING.
I LOOK FORWARD TO T THESE DISCUSSIONS ABOUT A SIDEWALK REPAIR PROGRAM THAT WE'RE GOING TO BE LAUNCHING.
GOT STARTED, OBVIOUSLY, IN DISTRICT 1 AND I HOPE TO SEE IT MODELED AFTER THE POTHOLE REPAIR PROGRAM, WHICH IS REALLY AN AMAZING THING.
AND SO THANKS TO TCI FOR ALL THEIR HARD WORK.
YOU GUYS HAVE REALLY TRULY MADE THAT A SUCCESSFUL PROJECT AND I'M PROUD OF WHAT YOU'VE DONE.
NOW WE SEE THIS AS A REALLY TRUE IMPACT TO THE WAY OUR INFRASTRUCTURE IS DONE.
BECAUSE I REALLY BELIEVE, YOU KNOW, THESE ARE THE KINDS OF THINGS THAT CAN IMPROVE THE QUALITY OF LIFE, NO MATTER WHAT PART OF THE CITY YOU ARE IN.
SO, I ALSO WANT TO TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT COMPENSATION.
THANK YOU, GUYS FOR ALL THAT YOU'RE DOING.
AND, AS POINTED OUT, COMPENSATION IS A BIG DEAL.
AND UNDERSTANDING HOW EVERYBODY -- WE WANT TO RAISE ALL SHIPS.
YOU KNOW, I SENT OUT A MEMO RECENTLY AS WELL THAT TALKED ABOUT COUNCIL AID PAY.
AND I WILL CONTINUE TO PUSH FOR THAT BECAUSE I FEEL THAT'S AN INEQUITY THAT MUST BE FIXED AS WELL.
I LOOK FORWARD TO HAVING MORE CONVERSATIONS ABOUT THAT AND HOW WE RAISE EVERYBODY.
AND THEN ONE LAST THING, WE WERE TALKING ABOUT ACS, AND ACS IS A HUGE THING AND I WANTED TO SAVE THIS FOR LAST.
YESTERDAY SOMETHING HAPPENED THAT REALLY TOUCHED ME.
IT WAS A GERMAN SHEPHERD THAT WAS LEFT OUT IN THE HEAT, TIED UP, NO WATER AND NO SHELTER.
AND PEOPLE REALLY DEMANDED THAT WE DO SOMETHING.
YOU KNOW, YOU MIGHT KNOW THAT I
[02:55:03]
ADOPTED A GERMAN SHEPHERD THIS WINTER, AND HE IS REALLY -- I MEAN, HE'S QUICKLY BECOME MY BEST FRIEND.HE'S AN AMAZING DOG AND HE'S REALLY MORE OF A ROOMMATE.
SO, HE'S SPOILED LIKE CRAZY, LIVES IN AIR-CONDITIONING, SLEEPS ON MY BED AND IS PAMPERED LIKE YOU COULDN'T BELIEVE.
AND THEN I THINK ABOUT THIS GERMAN SHEPHERD WHO LOOKS JUST LIKE CAPTAIN -- THAT'S THE NAME OF MY DOG -- AND I THINK ABOUT HOW HE DOESN'T HAVE ANY OF THAT.
AND HE'S LIVING AND SUFFERING A HORRIBLE LIFE.
AND SO I'M GOING TO CALL ON MY COLLEAGUES TO LET'S EXAMINE THESE LAWS.
WE HAD AN EXAMINATION ABOUT OUR LEASH, OUR TYING UP OUR PETS.
AND I THINK WE NEED TO TAKE A MUCH STRONGER LOOK AT THIS.
WE NEED TO EDUCATE OUR COMMUNITY, YES.
BUT I THINK WE ALSO NEED TO UNDERSTAND THAT SOME ARE JUST NOT GOOD PET OWNERS.
AND WE NEED TO DEFEND THESE DEFENSELESS ANIMALS.
SO, WITH THAT, I LOOK FORWARD TO MANY MORE DISCUSSIONS ABOUT OUR BUDGET AND WHAT WE CAN DO AS A COUNCIL, BECAUSE WE HAVE THAT OPPORTUNITY TO DO SOMETHING WHILE WE'RE UP HERE.
>> MAYOR NIRENBERG: THANK YOU, COUNCILMAN TREVINO.
COUNCIL MEMBER CABELLO HAVRDA.
THANK YOU TO ERIK, JUSTINA, AND ALL YOUR TEAM WORKING TO BALANCE OUR BUDGET.
THANK YOU TO ASME AND THANK YOU FOR DOING THE WORK THAT MAKES OUR BEAUTIFUL CITY RUN EVERY DAY.
I HAVE JUST A FEW -- I'LL BE BRIEF.
I DON'T WANT TO KEEP EVERYBODY FROM LUNCH, BUT SAFE OFFICERS -- I'M GLAD TO SEE THE ADDITION OF THE TEN NEW SAFE OFFICERS.
THIS IS A BUDGET PRIORITY FOR DISTRICT 6 AND SOMETHING I HEARD LOUD AND CLEAR FROM MY CONSTITUENTS.
ALTHOUGH I DO HAVE AN INTEREST IN THE SPECIFIED ROLE OF THE NEW SAFE OFFICERS TO SUPPORT THE CRISIS TEAM AND WHAT THEY WILL LOOK LIKE.
SO I LOOK FORWARD TO HEARING MORE ABOUT THAT.
I'M HAPPY TO SEE THE FUNDING FOR THE DELEGATE AGENCIES AND UNDERSTAND THE FUNDS WILL BE BUDGETED BUT NOT ALLOCATED RIGHT NOW.
AND I'D LIKE TO HEAR MORE ABOUT THE THINKING BEHIND WAITING TO ALLOCATE THAT MONEY.
ERIK, YOU NOTED THAT THERE WILL BE 81 NEW CIVILIAN POSITIONS, AND I DON'T WANT TO TAKE TOO MUCH TIME, SO I'M WONDERING IF YOU CAN GIVE ME AN IDEA OF WHICH DEPARTMENTS WILL RECEIVE THE ADDITIONAL SUPPORT, AND SPECIFICALLY IF ANY ADDITIONAL POSITIONS WILL BE DELEGATED TO ANIMAL CARE SERVICES.
>> WALSH: THERE'S ONE ADDITIONAL POSITION IN ACS, BUT WE'LL GIVE A CROSSWALK FOR THE ENTIRE COUNCIL.
THERE'S PROBABLY 16 ADDITIONAL PARK EMPLOYEES BECAUSE OF MANDATES.
>> HAVRDA: JUST HEADS UP, I'M GOING TO GOING TO PUSH FOR THE ACS DEDICATED OFFICER IN DISTRICT 6.
I'M ALSO HAPPY TO SEE THE TRAUMA CARE RECEIVING, I THINK IT WAS $600,000, AND I WOULD LIKE TO ME MORE ABOUT HOW THAT WOULD BE ALLOCATED THROUGHOUT THE CITY.
YOU ALSO MENTIONED THE CHIEF HOUSING OFFICER HAVE A ROLE IN HELPING PEOPLE WHO EXPERIENCE HOMELESSNESS, AND I WOULD LIKE TO HEAR MORE WHAT THAT WOULD LOOK LIKE.
AND I WOULD LIKE TO THANK YOU FOR THE ENHANCED SQUAD AT STATION 44.
WE REALLY NEEDED THAT AND A LOT MORE BUT I UNDERSTAND THAT OF COURSE WE'RE CONSTRICTED WITH FUNDING.
I LOOK FORWARD TO GETTING FEEDBACK FROM ALL OF THE CONSTITUENTS OF DISTRICT 6.
AND THANK YOU, AGAIN, FOR YOUR PRESENTATION AND ALL Y'ALL'S HARD WORK.
>> MAYOR NIRENBERG: THANK YOU, COUNCIL MEMBER CABELLO HAVRDA.
>> SANDOVAL: THANK YOU VERY MUCH, MAYOR.
I WOULD ALSO LIKE TO THANK ERIK AND THE STAFF FOR PUTTING THIS TOGETHER.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR THOROUGH BRIEFING NOT TOO LONG AGO ON THIS.
I ALSO WANT TO THANK YOU FOR STEPPING UP TO THE PRIORITIES THAT COUNCIL PROVIDED AT OUR RETREAT, DESPITE THE REVENUE CHALLENGES THAT YOU HAD.
THERE ARE SOME WONDERFUL THINGS IN THIS BUDGET AND I'M VERY GLAD TO SEE US MOVING IN THAT DIRECTION.
ONE OF THEM IS CONTINUING TO PRIORITIZE AFFORDABLE HOUSING, SEEING HOW YOU'VE CREATIVELY FOUND A WAY TO DO THAT, AND THE HIRING OF A CHIEF HOUSING OFFICER.
THE SIDEWALK REPAIR PROGRAM, MOBILITY OFFICERS, CONTINUING THE STREET MAINTENANCE AT THE LEVEL THAT WE HAVE BEEN.
THE INVESTMENT IN SAFETY, DOMESTIC VIOLENCE, AND TRAUMA
[03:00:02]
INFORMED CARE.I ALSO SAW THE, YOU KNOW, WE HIGHLIGHTED EQUITY, OR YOU HIGHLIGHTED EQUITY AT THE BEGINNING OF YOUR PRESENTATION.
I WAS GLAD TO SEE THAT AS WELL.
JUST YESTERDAY OUR COMMITTEE HEALTH AND EQUITY MET AND RECEIVED A PRESENTATION FROM THY OFFICE.
THE EQUITY OFFICE AND THE OFFICE OF INNOVATION.
THEY HAD DONE A REVIEW OF OUR BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS PROCESS, WHICH WAS SOMETHING INITIATED BY COUNCILWOMAN VIAGRAN.
AND THERE WAS AN EQUITY ASSESSMENT DONE, EQUITY IMPACT ASSESSMENT, AND A NUMBER OF RECOMMENDATIONS CAME OUT OF THAT.
I DO HOPE THAT WE CAN ADDRESS THEM IN THE COMING YEAR THAT SOMEHOW THE BUDGET FINDS A WAY TO DO THAT, BECAUSE THEY WERE EXCELLENT RECOMMENDATIONS AND I THINK THEY WILL IMPROVE PUBLIC PARTICIPATION IN OUR PROCESSES AND HELP US MAKE BETTER DECISIONS.
AND JUST RUN A BETTER PROCESS, IN GENERAL.
SO THANK YOU TO THE OFFICE OF INNOVATION AND OFFICE OF EQUITY FOR THAT ASSESSMENT.
ERIK, I DO THINK IT WAS A GOOD DECISION TO INCLUDE FUNDING FOR PAID SICK LEAVE.
WE SHOULD BE PREPARED FOR THAT.
AS YOU SAID WE HAVE AN ORDINANCE ON THE BOOKS AND IT'S NOT REALLY APPROPRIATE FOR US NOT TO BE PREPARED FOR THAT.
AND SHOULD THAT NOT GO FORWARD, I THINK, YOU KNOW, THAT STAFF CAN BE USED TO HELP IMPROVE THE PUBLIC HEALTH IN OUR COMMUNITY.
ULTIMATELY, THAT'S WHAT PAID SICK LEAVE WILL DO IS IMPROVE HEALTH AND ECONOMIC STABILITY FOR MANY OF -- FOR HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF OUR WORKERS HERE IN SAN ANTONIO.
I DO HAVE A QUESTION REGARDING THE QUARTERLY BUDGETING OF THE MIGRANT CENTER.
BECAUSE THAT'S COMING FROM CONTINGENCY FUND, ERIK, DOES THAT MEAN THAT YOU WOULD COME BACK EVERY QUARTER TO REQUEST ADDITIONAL FUNDING IF THAT WERE YOUR RECOMMENDATION?
SO WE WOULD ONLY BUDGET QUARTERLY, AND THEN COME BACK IN THOSE QUARTERLY UPDATES.
THE THOUGHT IS THAT AS WE'RE WORKING THROUGH THIS FEDERAL REIMBURSEMENT PROCESS, I KNOW THAT WILL PROBABLY TAKE SOME TIME, BUT MAYBE THERE'S A PROCESS WHERE WE BUDGET QUARTERLY, WE GET A REIMBURSEMENT SIX MONTHS LATER AND WE DON'T PUT OURSELVES IN A POSITION WHERE WE HAVE TOO MUCH GOING OUT THE DOOR AND NOT ENOUGH COMING IN.
AND WE JUST DON'T HAVE A GOOD ENOUGH HANDLE ON WHAT THE TURNAROUND TIME IS GOING TO BE ON THE FEDERAL REIMBURSEMENT SIDE.
>> SANDOVAL: UNDERSTOOD IN TERMS OF THE REIMBURSEMENT TIME.
IF WE FOUND OUT THAT THE REIMBURSEMENT TIME WERE TOO LONG, THEN IS YOUR RECOMMENDATION THAT WE JUST WOULDN'T FUND IT?
I WOULD STILL BUDGET IT QUARTERLY BECAUSE WE DON'T KNOW IF -- WE DON'T KNOW WHAT'S GOING TO HAPPEN IN THE LONG TERM.
I THINK IT GOES BACK TO THE CONVERSATION I THINK THE COUNCIL HAD YESTERDAY ABOUT WHAT IS A LONGER-TERM SOLUTION FOR HOW THE COMMUNITY, NOT JUST US, BUT HOW THE COMMUNITY IS GOING TO DEAL WITH THIS.
WE DO NEED A DIFFERENT AND A LONGER-TERM SOLUTION.
I GUESS I'M JUST -- IF THIS IS COMING FROM CONTINGENCY, THEN IT'S NOT NECESSARILY -- YOU HAD MENTIONED EARLIER IT'S MONEY THAT COULD BE USED FOR SOMETHING ELSE.
SO WE HAVE -- GENERALLY HAVE A ONE MILLION DOLLARS CONTINGENCY ACCOUNT IN THE GENERAL FUND IN OUR OPERATING BUDGET THAT WE UTILIZE, THAT'S KIND OF A GO-TO PLACE IF SOMETHING THAT HAPPENS IF WE NEED IT.
OVER THE LAST COUPLE OF YEARS, IT'S WHERE WE FUNDED THE $141,000 A COUPLE OF MONTHS AGO IN THE MID-YEAR BUDGET.
WE FUNDED IT OUT OF THE CONTINGENCY.
SO THAT WOULD BE WHAT IT WOULD LOOK LIKE IN THE PROPOSAL WOULD BE WE WOULD BUDGET $333,000 FOR THE FIRST QUARTER, FOR THE MIGRANT RESOURCE CENTER, AND LEAVE $666,000 IN THE CONTINGENCY ACCOUNT IN THE GENERAL FUND.
AND NOT MAKE ANY ADDITIONAL ALLOTMENTS UNTIL THE STAFF COMES BACK TO THE COUNCIL AT THE END OF THE FIRST QUARTER TO GIVE YOU AN UPDATE ON WHERE WE'RE AT.
I UNDERSTAND EVERYTHING'S NOT STRAIGHTFORWARD RIGHT NOW AND WE WON'T KNOW EXACTLY WHAT THE DOLLAR EXPENSES ARE, BUT I DO HAVE SOME CONCERN ABOUT NOT HAVING SOMETHING SET ASIDE FOR THE MIGRANT RESOURCE CENTER.
BECAUSE, AS OF THIS POINT IN AUDIO] WHO IS GOING TO FUND IT.
>> MAYOR NIRENBERG: THANK YOU, COUNCIL MEMBER SANDOVAL.
AND THANK YOU AGAIN TO EVERYONE FOR THEIR COMMENTS, THEIR
[03:05:02]
PARTICIPATION.TO THOSE FOLKS WHO CAME TO MAKE COMMENT ON THE BUDGET, THIS IS GOING TO BE A LONG MONTH OF FURTHER DISCUSSION AND DEEP DIVE IN TO DIFFERENT DEPARTMENTS AND SO FORTH.
BUT LET ME SPEAK QUICKLY TO THE DISCUSSION ABOUT SAWS.
SAWS AND CPS ARE BOTH PUBLICLY-OWNED UTILITIES.
THEY ARE BOTH OWNED BY THE CITY AND THEREFORE SERVE AT THE PLEASURE OF THE CITY COUNCIL AND THEIR INDIVIDUAL PROFESSIONAL BOARDS OF GOVERNANCE.
THEY ARE SEPARATED, BUT THEY'RE NOT REALLY.
THEY HAVE PROFESSIONAL BOARDS OF GOVERNMENTS AND THEY OPERATE LIKE INVESTOR-OWNED UTILITIES WHERE THE INVESTORS ARE, IN FACT, THE PUBLIC THEY SERVE.
IN A PRIVATE CORPORATION THE DIVIDENDS WOULD GO BACK TO THE STOCKHOLDERS.
IN THIS CASE THE DIVIDENDS FROM CPS AND SAWS GO BACK TO THE PUBLIC IN THE FORMS OF STREETS AND SIDEWALKS AND POLICE AND FIRE SERVICES THAT ARE PART OF OUR GENERAL FUND.
AND FOR YEARS YOU'VE HEARD THAT CPS HAS BEEN A BIG CONTRIBUTOR TO THAT, 14% OF REVENUES, ■WHIC,
[Consent Agenda]
[03:18:49]
MOTION CARRIES.[03:18:49]
AND NOW WE'RE GOING TO GO INTO[Items 23 & Z-1]
ITEM NO. 23.>> ITEM 23 IS AN ORDINANCE EXTENDING THE CITY LIMITS BY FULL PURPOSE ANNEXATION OF A 150.26-ACRE PROPERTY LOCATED AT 4526 SOUTH LOOP 1604, WHICH IS CONTINUOUS TO THE CITY LIMITS OF SAN ANTONIO AND LOCATED WITHIN THE CITY'S EXTRATERRITORIAL JURISDICTION IN SOUTHEAST BEXAR COUNTY NEAR CITY COUNCIL DISTRICT 3, AS REQUESTED BY THE PROPERTY OWNERS HALLIBURTON ENERGY SERVICES, INCORPORATED, APPROVING A SERVICE AGREEMENT AND ESTABLISHING AN EFFECTIVE DATE OF AUGUST 31, 2019.
ALSO PULLED FOR THE SAME ITEM WAS ITEM Z-1, WHICH IS THE ZONING CASE ASSOCIATED WITH ITEM 23.
I BELIEVE CITY STAFF HAS SOME UPDATED RECOMMENDATIONS FOR THIS ITEM, SO I'M GOING TO HAVE THEM COME UP, BECAUSE THIS WAS SOMETHING THAT WAS PUSHED FROM THE LAST COUNCIL MEETING.
WE WANTED TO MAKE SOME CHANGES.
THANK YOU TO HALLIBURTON AND BRANDON HERE WHO WAS FOR A LONG TIME.
I DON'T KNOW IF HE'S STILL HERE,
[03:20:02]
BUT THANK YOU FOR ALL THE WORK THAT YOU'VE DONE.>> THANK YOU, MADAME MAYOR PRO TEM, MEMBERS OF THE COUNCIL.
STAFF DOES HAVE AN UPDATED RECOMMENDATION AFTER QUITE A BIT OF COLLABORATION AND WORK WITH THE DISTRICT 3 COUNCIL OFFICE AS WELL AS HALLIBURTON AND VARIOUS CITY DEPARTMENTS.
STAFF RECOMMENDS APPROVAL OF ITEM 23 THAT ANNEXES 150.26 ACRES OF LAND AND ITEM Z-1 SAVE AND EXCEPT 12.3 ACRES OF LAND WHICH WILL BE ZONED RESOURCE PROTECTION DISTRICT PURSUANT TO THE FIELD NOTES SUBMITTED BY THE APPLICANT.
>> VIAGRAN: THANK YOU, RUDY AND THIS IS FOR US TO BE ABLE TO PRESERVE THE AREA THAT IS ON THAT HALLIBURTON PROPERTY CLOSE TO THE SAN ANTONIO RIVER.
I MOVE TO APPROVE STAFF'S RECOMMENDATION RELATED TO 23 AND Z-1.
>> MAYOR PRO TEM: WE HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND.
IS THERE A CITY MANAGER'S REPORT TODAY?
>> COUNCILWOMAN, I DON'T BELIEVE THERE'S A CITY MANAGER'S REPORT, GIVEN THE BUDGET PRESENTATION, BUT WE DO HAVE AN EXECUTIVE SESSION AFTER.
>> VIAGRAN: I THOUGHT THERE WAS A CITY MANAGER'S REPORT, BUT SHE'S NOT HERE.
WE HAVE TO ACKNOWLEDGE AND THANK MEAGAN DODGE.
TOMORROW IS HER LAST DAY OF WORK FOR THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO.
SO I'M VERY, VERY SAD THAT SHE'S GOING TO BE GOING BACK HOME TO KANSAS.
BUT THANK YOU FOR ALL OF HER WORK THAT SHE'S DONE FOR THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO.
>> MAYOR PRO TEM: THANK YOU, COUNCILWOMAN VIAGRAN.
THANK YOU, MEAGAN DODGE FOR YOUR
[Executive Session]
SERVICE.THE TIME IS NOW 12:39 P.M. ON THURSDAY, AUGUST 8, 2019.
THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO WILL NOW MEET INTO EXECUTIVE SESSION TO CONSULT WITH THE CITY ATTORNEY'S OFFICE PURSUANT TO TEXAS GOVERNMENT CODE SECTION 551.071, CONSULTATION WITH ATTORNEY AND DELIBERATE THE ITEMS
>> MAYOR NIRENBERG: GOOD AFTERNOON, EVERYONE.
WELCOME TO OUR ZONING E GENERAL DA. CITY COUNCIL HAS RECONVENED FROM ITS EXECUTIVE SESSION.
THANK YOU ALL VERY MUCH FOR YOUR PATIENCE AS WE WORK THROUGH OUR EXEC SESSION JUST A MOMENT AGO.
[Zoning Consent Agenda]
THE TIME IS 2:36 P.M.WE HAVE A FULL ZONING AGENDA TODAY, WHICH INCLUDES SEVERAL ITEMS ON CONSENT AND I HAVE A LIST OF ITEMS THAT WILL BE HEARD FOR INDIVIDUAL CONSIDERATION.
I WANT TO NOTE FOR THOSE IN OUR AUDIENCE THAT ITEM Z15 HAS BEEN WITHDRAWN FROM THE -- BY THE APPLICANT AND WILL NOT BE HEARD TODAY.
I HAVE THE FOLLOWING ITEMS FOR INDIVIDUAL CONSIDERATION.
I'LL ASK MY COLLEAGUES IF THERE ARE ANY FURTHER.
FOR INDIVIDUAL ZONING CONSIDERATION, WE HAVE ITEMS Z3, P3 AND Z12, P4 AND Z16, Z17, Z21 AND Z23.
ARE THERE ANY OTHER ITEMS THAT MY COLLEAGUES WOULD LIKE TO PULL FROM THE CONSENT ZONING AGENDA? AGAIN THAT'S ITEM Z3 AND P3, Z12, P4, Z16, 17 AND Z23.
I'LL ENTERTAIN A MOTION FOR THE BALANCE OF THE CONSENT AGENDA? THERE'S A MOTION FOR THE BALANCE OF THE CONSENT.
DID I HEAR A SECOND? AND A SECOND.
BEFORE WE TAKE THE ACTION, IF I CAN JUST HAVE THE AV ROLE OUR SPANISH TRANSLATION VIDEO.
[03:25:23]
>> MAYOR NIRENBERG: WE HAVE A MOTION AND SECOND FOR THE BALANCE OF THE CONSENT ZONING AGENDA.
WE DO HAVE ONE CITIZEN SIGNED UP TO SPEAK FOR ITEMS REMAINING ON CONSENT.
>> MAYOR NIRENBERG AND OTHER MEMBERS OF OUR SAN ANTONIO CITY COUNCIL.
FOR THE RECORD, MY NAME IS JACK M. FINGER.
WELL, TO THE NEW MEMBERS OF OUR CITY COUNCIL, DR. ADRIANA, ANDREW SULLIVAN, MRS. HAVRDA, I WISH TO ALERT YOU TO THE FACT THAT IN ZONING, THERE ARE MANY SUCH THINGS KNOWN AS RED FLAGS.
RED FLAGS THAT ALERT YOU TO THE FACT THAT A ZONING CASE IS SOMETHING YOU MAY NOT WANT TO JUST PASS OUTRIGHT; THAT THERE'S A LOT OF THINGS WRONG WITH THEM.
ONE OF THE RED -- NUMBER OF RED FLAGS COME IN THE FORM OF WHEN YOU SEE THE ZONING STAFF SAY THEY RECOMMEND DENIAL.
WHEN YOU SEE THE ZONING COMMISSION RECOMMEND DENIAL, WHEN YOU SEE THE PLANNING STAFF RECOMMEND DENIAL.
WHEN YOU SEE THE PLANNING COMMISSION RECOMMEND RECOMMEND DENIAL.
THESE ARE ALL RED FLAGS THAT TELL US THAT THERE IS SOMETHING DEFECTIVE WITH THAT CASE.
OTHER RED FLAGS YOU MAY SEE INCLUDE THE IDEA OF A NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION OPPOSING IT AND RESIDENTS.
YES, A RED FLAG -- ANOTHER RED FLAG WOULD BE THAT OF 10 OR 20 NOTICES SENT OUT AND AS MANY AS OVER FIVE OR 10% OF THOSE COMING BACK SAY NO, THEY DO NOT WANT TO HAVE THAT CASE -- THAT SITUATION IN THEIR NEIGHBORHOOD.
YES, THESE ARE THE PEOPLE THAT HAVE TO LIVE NEXT TO THE DEFECTIVE CASE THAT YOU PASSED EARLIER.
YOU ALSO -- ALSO ANOTHER RED FLAG IS THAT OF THE ZONING -- WHAT -- WELL, ANYWAY, THOSE ARE MAINLY THE BIG ONES THERE.
SO I WISH TO ALERT YOU TO A NUMBER OF THINGS THAT I'VE SEEN ON THIS -- IN TODAY'S ZONING SESSION.
AND I'LL START OFF WITH MR. TREVINO, DISTRICT 1.
YES, IN Z3 IS A CASE WHERE THERE I -- THE STAFF IS RECOMMENDING DENIAL.
WHY? BECAUSE THE PROPOSAL, THAT OF FOUR DWELLING UNITS BEING SHOE HORNED INTO ONE LOT THEY THINK IS A BIT TOO DENSE.
AND I HAVE TO AGREE WITH THEM.
ITEM 25, AN ALCOHOL VARIANCE, THOUGH OF -- OH, MY GOODNESS, SO MANY SCANDALS, SO LITTLE TIME.
>> MAYOR NIRENBERG: THANK YOU, MR. FINGER.
THERE'S A MOTION AND A SECOND FOR THE BALANCE OF THE CONSENT ZONING AGENDA, THAT'S ALL ITEMS SAVE FOR Z3, P3, Z12, Z 16, Z17 AND Z23.
WAS THE VOTE REGISTERED? OKAY.
>> MAYOR NIRENBERG: COUNCILMAN TREVINO?
>> TREVINO: I'D LIKE TO PULL Z4.
YOU'LL HAVE TO MAKE YOUR AMENDMENT IN THE FORM OF A MOTION.
MOTION TO APPROVE THE CONCEPT AGENDA AS READ BY THE MAYOR, WHILE TO ADD Z4 TO THE INDIVIDUAL ITEMS. THANK YOU.
[03:30:01]
SO WE WILL -- OKAY.SO WE'LL HAVE TO REMOVE THE FIRST MOTION.
WE'LL VOTE ON THE AMENDED MOTION .
SO LET'S VOTE ON COUNCILMAN TREVINO'S AMENDMENT AND THEN WE'LL TAKE UP THE MAIN MOTION.
SO THE MOTION WAS TO AMEND THE ORIGINAL MOTION TO ADD ITEMS Z4 FOR INDIVIDUAL CONSIDERATION.
ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, PLEASE VOTE.
SO THE MAIN MOTION HAS BEEN AMENDED.
THERE IS A MOTION AND A SECOND FOR APPROVAL OF THE CONSENT ZONING AGENDA WHICH IS ALL ITEMS SAVE FOR Z3, Z4, P3 AND Z12, P4 AND Z16, Z17, Z21 AND Z23.
[Z-3. ZONING CASE Z-2019-10700112 CD (Council District 1): Ordinance amending the Zoning District Boundary from "R-6 AHOD" Residential Single-Family Airport Hazard Overlay District to "R-6 CD AHOD" Residential Single-Family Airport Hazard Overlay District with Conditional Use for four (4) dwelling units on Lot 19, Block 9, NCB 2020, located at 411 Cincinnati Avenue. Staff recommends Denial with an Alternate Recommendation. Zoning Commission recommends Approval with a Condition.]
MOTION CARRIES.>> CLERK: ITEM Z219107112 FROM R-6 TO R-6 CD WITH A CONDITIONAL UT USE FOR FOUR DWELLING UNITS LOCATED AT 411 CINCINNATI AVENUE.
STAFF RECOMMENDS DENIAL WITH A RECOMMENDATION FOR TWO UNITS.
ZONING COMMISSION RECOMMENDS APPROVAL WITH CONDITION NO PARKING IN THE FRONT YARD.
31 NOTICES MAILED, FOUR RETURNED IN FAVOR, FOUR OPPOSED.
>> MAYOR NIRENBERG: ALL RIGHT.
WE HAVE TWO CITIZENS SIGNED UP TO SPEAK ON ITEM Z3.
START WITH JOHN ABRAHAM CONTRERAS.
>> MAYOR NIRENBERG: GO AHEAD, SIR.
JOHN ABRAHAM CONTRERAS, MY WIFE JACKIE CONTRERAS.
WE ARE THE NEW OWNERS AT 411 CINCINNATI.
WE PURCHASED THIS UNIT WHICH HAD SEVEN UNITS ON THIS HIGH.
WE DID NOT KNOW ABOUT THE DENSITY ENCUMBRANCES WHEN WE FIRST PURCHASED THIS LOCATION.
WE HAVE REDUCED IT DOWN TO FOUR THROUGH THE ZONING COMMISSION'S RECOMMENDATION.
HOW CAN WE DISPLAY -- ARE WE ABLE TO DISPLAY THIS? THANK YOU, MA'AM.
THIS UPDATED SITE PLAN YOU SEE BEFORE YOU WAS PER THE ZONING RECOMMENDATIONS.
IT IS CONDITIONAL UNITS WITH A SITE PLAN.
THIS IS A SITE PLAN THAT WE WILL IMPOSE ONCE APPROVED, IF APPROVED.
IT'S GOING TO HAVE TWO ONE-BEDROOM IN THE FRONT, TWO EFFICIENCIES IN THE BACK OF THE PROPERTY.
THERE IS AN ILLEGAL STRUCTURE THAT HAD TWO STRUCTURE THAT WAS DONE ILLEGALLY WITHOUT PERMITS.
WE'RE GOING TO DEMOLISH THAT AND REMOVE THAT COMPLETELY.
ADEQUATE PARKING WAS ADDED TO THE LOCATION PER THE RECOMMENDATIONS.
WE'RE PLANNING TO REVITALIZE THIS PROPERTY AND HAVE FOUR AFFORDABLE UNITS FOR THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO RESIDENTS.
CURRENTLY THE UPTOWN NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION AND OUR SURROUNDING NEIGHBORHOODS ARE IN FAVOR OF THIS.
WE HAD ONE COME TO SPEAK IN THE ZONING MEETING THAT WE HAD.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH, MR. CONTRERAS.
MRS. CONTRERAS, WOULD YOU LIKE TO TAKE -- YOU HAVE THREE MINUTES AS WELL?
>> OH, NO SIR, WE WERE DOING IT TOGETHER.
>> TREVINO: THANK YOU, MAYOR, AND THANK YOU FOR THIS.
AFTER VARIOUS COMMUNITY CONVERSATIONS AND COMPROMISE, THE APPLICANT HAS AMENDED TO THE PLAN WITH A NUMBER OF UNITS THAT IS AGREEABLE TO THE COMMUNITY.
THE RECENT MIDTOWN REGIONAL AREA PLAN DESIGNATED THIS AREA AS AN URBAN LOW DENSITY RESIDENTIAL.
THE ORIGINAL REQUEST WAS SEVEN UNITS AND WAS CONSIDERED TOO DENSE.
THEREFORE A REDUCED RECOMMENDATION OF TWO UNITS WAS OFFERED.
WE UNDERSTAND THAT STAFF HAS -- HAD SOME CONCERNS AND WE AGREED THAT THE ORIGINAL REQUEST FOR SEVEN UNITS FOR EVEN RM4 PROPOSED COME PRA MIEZ WAS TOO INTENSE FOR THE AREA.
HOWEVER WITH COMMUNITY SUPPORT, THE APPLICANT HAS AMENDED FOR CONDITIONAL USE FOR FOUR UNITS WHICH IS SUPPORTED BY THE NEIGHBORS AND THE NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION.
THEY HAVE ACCEPTED THE CONDITIONED BY THE ZONING COMMISSION AND SHOWN THEMSELVES WILLING TO WORK WITH THE COMMUNITY AND CONSIDER THE AREA PLAN.
THEREFORE I MOTION TO APPROVE AS AMENDED.
THERE'S A MOTION AND A SECOND FOR APPROVAL OF ITEM Z3 AS READ.
[Z-4. ZONING CASE Z-2019-10700115 (Council District 1): Ordinance amending the Zoning District Boundary from "I-2 RIO-7E AHOD" Heavy Industrial River Improvement Overlay Airport Hazard Overlay District to "IDZ-2 RIO-7E AHOD" Medium Intensity Infill Development Zone River Improvement Overlay Airport Hazard]
[03:35:03]
MOTION CARRIES.>> CLERK: Z219115 FROM I2 TO IDZ2 WITH USES PERMITTED IN C-2 LOCATED AT 207 WEST CEVALLOS STREET.
>> MAYOR NIRENBERG: COUNCILMAN TREVINO.
THERE'S A MOTION AND A SECOND FOR APPROVAL OF ITEM Z4.
[Items P-3 & Z-12]
MOTION CARRIES.>> CLERK: P20 19024 AND Z2019 AMENDING THE PLAN FROM NATURAL TIER TO SUBURBAN TIER FROM R-6 TO R-6 S WITH SPECIFIC USE AUTHORIZATION FOR A MANUFACTURED HOME LOCATED AT 1300 BLOCK OF SPRING VIL.
STAFF, PLANNING AND ZONING COMMISSION RECOMMEND APPROVE LT.
SPRING VIL NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION IS OPPOSED.
COUNCILMEMBE R ROCH -- ROCHA GARCIA.
I'M SORRY, WE HAVE ONE CITIZEN SIGNED UP TO SPEAK ON THIS ITEM THEN I'LL YIELD THE FLOOR.
>> MAYOR, COUNCIL STAFF, I AM EDWARD CANO, I'M SPRINGVILLE NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION PRESIDENT AND I'M HERE TO STAND ON THIS CHANGE.
I'VE SPOKEN TO VARIOUS MEMBERS AND RESIDENTS IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD, BOTH MEMBERS OF THE ASSOCIATION AND NOT.
FOLKS WHO RESIDE VERY CLOSELY TO THE PROPERTY AT HAND, AND OVERWHELMINGLY THE CONCERN HAS BEEN THAT THEY'RE NOT IN AGREEMENT WITH BRINGING IN A MANUFACTURED HOME INTO THE NEIGHBORHOOD, WHICH WOULD BE IN THE HEART OF OUR NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION ADJACENT TO JD ALLEN ELEMENTARY.
IT'S NOT WITHIN THE CHARACTER OF THE NEIGHBORHOOD.
THERE'S CONCERNS ABOUT WHAT IT DOES TO THE VALUE OF THE NEIGHBORHOOD, IT DOESN'T ADD ANY VALUE TO THE NEIGHBORHOOD, CONCERNS ABOUT PROPERTY DEVALUATION.
YOU KNOW, THERE'S SOME AMBIGUITY OVER THE SITE PLANS.
WHEN THEY PRESENTED THIS TO THE NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION, THEY TALKED ABOUT FREE USAGE TO FAMILIES OF AIR FORCE GRADUATES, BUT NOW I UNDERSTAND IT'S MAYBE FOR PERSONAL USE.
YOU KNOW, THERE'S JUST AMBIGUITY OF HOW THEY INTEND TO USE THE PROPERTY.
THERE'S CONCERNS OVER IF WE GET APPROVAL TO PUT A MANUFACTURED HOME ON THIS PROPERTY, THEN LATER THERE COULD BE, YOU KNOW, FUTURE APPROVALS TO BRING IN IT AND THE NEIGHBORHOOD DOES NOT WANT A MOBILE HOME RIGHT IN THE MIDDLE OF OUR NEIGHBORHOOD.
A MOBILE HOME PARK IN THE MIDDLE OF OUR NAIBT, RIGHT? IT'S DIRECTLY ACROSS FROM OUR ELEMENTARY SCHOOL AS I MENTIONED, RIGHT? AND THERE'S CONCERNS ABOUT CHILD SAFETY, RIGHT, BECAUSE WE DON'T KNOW IF IT'S GOING TO BE A RESIDENT L, RIGHT, WHAT -- RENTAL, WHAT KIND OF ELEMENT THEY'RE GOING TO BRING INTO THE NEIGHBORHOOD.
SO THESE ARE THE CONCERNS OF THE NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION, NOT JUST MY PERSONAL CONCERNS, BUT THE CONCERNS OF EVERY BOARD MEMBER, EVERY MEMBER THAT I'VE SPOKEN TO AND ALSO THE FOLKS THAT AS I MENTION THAT LIVE VERY CLOSELY TO THE PROPERTY.
SO WE ARE IN OPPOSITION OF THIS CHANGE.
[APPLAUSE] COUNCILMEMBE R ROCHA GARCIA.
>> GARCIA: THANK YOU, MR. CANO, I'M IN A DIFFICULT POSITION TO GO AGAINST THE WISHES OF MY MOST ACTIVE ASSOCIATIONS SO I WILL MOVE TO DENY UNLESS THE APPLICANT WOULD LIKE TO CONTINUE THE ZONING HEARING ON SEPTEMBER THE FIFTH TO FURTHER DISCUSS.
MY STAFF HAS BEEN IN CONTACT WITH MR. MOORE OVER THE LAST FEW WEEKS TRYING TO ARRANGE A MEETING BETWEEN HIM AND THE SPRINGVILLE NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION.
MY OFFICE HAS ALSO OFFERED TO CONTINUE THIS CASE FOR A MONTH IN ORDER TO ALLOW TIME FOR THE DEVELOPER AND THE NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION TO MEET.
AND SO I MOVE TO DENY THIS CASE ON THE GROUNDS OF A NONSUPPORTIVE NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION.
THE SPRINGVILLE NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION SUBMITTED A LETTER TO MY OFFICE AND THE ZONING COMMISSION ON JUNE THE 18TH.
>> MAYOR NIRENBERG: THERE'S A MOTION AND A SECOND FOR DENIAL OF ITEMS P3 AND Z12.
[Items P-4 & Z-16]
MOTION CARRIES.[03:40:01]
82019006 AND ZONING 201-9027 AMENDING THE SOUTH ZARZAMORA COMMUNITY PLAN FROM NEIGHBORHOOD COMMERCIAL AND MEDIUM DENSITY RESIDENTIAL TO MIXED USE FROM R5CD WITH THE CONDITIONAL USE FOR DUPLEX C1, C3, C3NA TO IDZ3 WITH USES PERMITTED IN MF65, C-2 MOTOR VEHICLE SALES AND DUPLEX LOCATED AT 3727 NOGALITOS STREET AND 127 AIMS AVENUE AND 131AMES AVENUE.STAFF AND ZONING COMMISSION RECOMMEND APPROVAL.
37 MAILED, FIVE IN FAVOR, FIVE OPPOSED AND THE APPLICANT, I BELIEVE, IS REQUESTING A CONTINUANCE TO OCTOBER 17TH.
>> GONZALES: MOTION TO CONTINUE TO OCTOBER 17TH.
THERE'S A MOTION AND A SECOND FOR CONTINUANCE OF ITEMS P4 AND Z16 TO THE DATE SPECIFIED, OCTOBER 17TH.
[Z-17. ZONING CASE Z-2019-10700072 CD (Council District 5): Ordinance amending the Zoning District Boundary from "R-6 MLOD-2 MLR-1 AHOD" Residential Single-Family Lackland Military Lighting Overlay Military Lighting Region 1 Airport Hazard Overlay District to "C-2 CD MLOD-2 MLR-1 AHOD" Commercial Lackland Military Lighting Overlay Military Lighting Region 1 Airport Hazard Overlay District with Conditional Use for a Construction Contractor Facility on Lot 1, Block 7, NCB 7224, located at 1325 Frio City Road. Staff and Zoning Commission recommend Approval, with Conditions.]
MOAK MOTION CARRIES.>> CLERK: Z17, FROM R-6 TO C-2 CD WITH CONDITIONAL USE LOCATED AT 1325 FREE 83 CITY ROAD.
RECOMMEND APPROVAL WITH CONDITIONS, A SOLID SCREENED FENCE, ABUTTING RESIDENTIAL DISTRICTS AND USES.
A 25-FOOT BUFFER YARD ABUTTING RESIDENTIAL DISTRICTS AND USES.
24 NOTICES MAILED, 0 IN FAVOR AND THREE OPPOSED.
>> GONZALES: MOTION TO APPROVE WITH THE CONDITIONS AS READ.
THERE'S A MOTION AND A SECOND FOR APPROVAL WITH CONDITIONS AS READ.
[Z-21. ZONING CASE Z-2019-10700111 CD (Council District 8): Ordinance amending the Zoning District Boundary from “R-20 GC-1 MSAO-1 MLOD-1 MLR-1” Residential Single-Family Hill Country Gateway Corridor Camp Bullis Military Sound Attenuation Overlay Camp Bullis Military Lighting Overlay Military Lighting Region 1 District to “C-2 CD GC-1 MSAO-1 MLOD-1 MLR-1” Commercial Hill Country Gateway Corridor Camp Bullis Military Sound Attenuation Overlay Camp Bullis Military Lighting Overlay Military Lighting Region 1 District with Conditional Use for Motor Vehicle Sales (Full Service) on 0.735 acres out of NCB 35733, located at 6985 Oak Drive. Staff and Zoning Commission recommend Approval, with Conditions.]
MOTION CARRIES.>> CLERK: Z21 FROM R20 TO C-2 CD WITH CONDITIONAL USE FOR MOTOR VEHICLE SALES LOCATED AT 6985 OAK DRIVE.
STAFF AND ZONING COMMISSION RECOMMEND APPROVAL WITH CONDITIONS.
NO OUTDOOR SPEAKERS SHALL BE PERMITTED ON THE PROPERTY EXCEPT THOSE REQUIRED BY LAW OR NECESSARY FOR EMERGENCY OR SAFETY PURPOSES.
ALL OUTDOOR LIGHT FIXTURES SHALL UTILIZE DOWNWARD LIGHTING PRACTICES, NO MORE THAN 125 VEHICLES MAY BE KEPT ON THE PROPERTY AT ANY GIVEN TIME.
11 NOTICES MAILED, ONE IN FAVOR AND 0 OPPOSED.
>> PELAEZ: MAYOR, I MOVE TO APPROVE WITH CONDITIONS READ.
THERE'S A MOTION AND SECOND FOR APPROVAL OF ITEM Z21 WITH CONDITIONS AS READ.
[Z-23. ZONING CASE Z-2019-10700122 CD (Council District 9): Ordinance amending the Zoning District Boundary from "R-5 MLOD-1 MLR-2 AHOD" Residential Single-Family Camp Bullis Military Lighting Overlay Military Lighting Region 2 Airport Hazard Overlay District to "R-5 CD MLOD-1 MLR-2 AHOD" Residential Single-Family Camp Bullis Military Lighting Overlay Military Lighting Region 2 Airport Hazard Overlay District with a Conditional Use for a Professional Office on the northwest 346.98 feet of Lot M, NCB 13832, located at 570 Heimer Road. Staff and Zoning Commission recommend Approval.]
MOTION CARRIES.>> CLERK: Z23 FROM R5 TO R5CD WITH CONDITIONAL USE FOR PROFESSIONAL OFFICE LOCATED AT 570HEIMER ROAD.
STAFF AND ZONING APPROVAL 23 MAILED, TWO IN FAVOR AND THREE OPPOSED.
>> MAYOR NIRENBERG: COUNCILMAN COURAGE.
I WOULD LIKE TO APPROVE WITH CONDITIONS APPROVED WITH A SIGN THAT ALREADY EXISTS ON THE PROPERTY, AND THEY'RE GOING TO REFURBISH IT.
THERE'S A MOTION AND A SECOND FOR APPROVAL OF ITEM Z23 WITH CONDITIONS AS READ.
THAT'S THE END OF OUR ZONING AGENDA.
HAVE A GREAT
* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.