Aug 08, 2024 Sesión A del Consejo de la Ciudad

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>> MAYOR NIRENBERG: GOOD MORNING, EVERYONE. WELCOME TO OUR CITY COUNCIL A SESSION. BEFORE I CALL THE MEETING TO ORDER, YOU MAY HAVE HEARD THE SONG TODAY. WE WERE OPENING THE SONG BLOOM BY LOCAL MUSICIAN ADAM ZUNIGA. ADAM HAS BEEN VOTED BEST INSTRUMENTALIST, RUNNER UP TWO YEARS IN A ROW IN THE BEST OF SAN ANTONIO MUSIC ISSUES.

HIS NEW SOLO ALBUM IS AN IMMERSIVE LISTENING EXPERIENCE USING BOTH ACOUSTIC AND ELECTRIC GUITARS . WHEN NOT PERFORMING SOLO, ADAM COLLABORATES WITH OTHER MUSICIANS AND HAS SERVED IN ACTS SUCH AS DAVID BOWIE, THE BEATLES, AND THE RED HOT CHILI PEPPERS. HE DOES CORPORATE FUNCTIONS, ART EXHIBITS, RESTAURANTS, AND HOTEL RESIDENCES. YOU CAN LISTEN TO ADAM'S MUSIC ON STREAMING SERVICES SUCH AS SPOTIFY, APPLE MUSIC AND MORE .

WE CONTINUE TO SPOTLIGHT THE WORK OF SAN ANTONIO'S TALENTED MUSICIANS AT THE BEGINNING OF OUR CITY COUNCIL MEETINGS ON TVSA AND THE DEPARTMENT OF ARTS AND CULTURE'S PLAY LIST ON SPOTIFY. TO LEARN MORE ABOUT ADAM AND THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO'S LOCAL MUSIC SPOTLIGHT PROGRAM, VISIT THE ARTS AND CULTURAL DEPARTMENT'S WEBSITE AT SANANTONIO.GOV/ARTS.

THAT WAS ADAM ZUNIGA WITH BLOOM. I CALL OUR MEETING TO ORDER AT 9:13:00 A.M. ON AUGUST 8TH. MADAME CLERK, COULD YOU READ THE ROLL?

>> CLERK: MAYOR, WE HAVE QUORUM. >> MAYOR NIRENBERG: TO GET US STARTED THIS MORNING, I'M GOING TO TURN THE FLOOR TO COUNCILMEMBER CABELLO HAVRDA

TO WELCOME OUR INVOCATOR. >> HAVRDA: THANK YOU, MAYOR.

WE INVITE CHAPLAIN FAITH OZCAN TO THE PODIUM. CHAPLAIN OZCAN IS ONE OF ONLY SIX MUSLIM CHAPLAINS IN THE U.S. AIR FORCE. HE ACTIVELY PROMOTES DIALOGUE AND FRIENDSHIP WITHIN THE MILITARY COMMUNITY.

CHAPTER OZCAN BEGAN ACTIVE DUTY IN 2022. HIS EXTENSIVE BACKGROUND INCLUDES CLINICAL PASTORAL EDUCATION AT BAYLOR ST. LUKE'S MEDICAL CENTER AND A MASTER'S IN HIS MUSLIM-CHRISTIAN RELATIONSHIPS FROM HARTFORD SEMINARY. ENDORSED BY THE ISLAMIC SOCIETY OF NORTH AMERICA, HE CO-AUTHORED A CHAPTER ON INTERFAITH LEADERSHIP. MARRIED AND A FATHER OF TWO SONS, CHAPLAIN OZCAN EMPHASIZES A DIALOGUE OF FRIENDSHIP.

THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE TODAY . >> PLEASE PRAY IN YOUR TRADITION AS I DO IN MINE. ALL GOD OF HEAVENLY POWERS, BY THE MIGHT OF YOUR COMMAND, YOU DRIVE AWAY ALL THE OBSTACLES BEFORE US AND LEAD US TOWARD BEING SUCCESSFUL LEADERS AND FOLLOWERS. BE PRESENT IN THE GOODNESS OF YOUR SERVANTS, YOUR OFFICIALS, COAST GUARD SERVICE MEMBERS, PUBLIC SERVANTS AND GOOD RESIDENTS OF SAN ANTONIO. TODAY WE PRAY FOR A SPECIAL BLESSING FOR THEM AND ASK FOR YOU TO BE THEIR SEEING EYES, HEARING EARS, AND DECIDING MINDS SO THAT THEY WILL HAVE TOUGH-MINDEDNESS, TIRELESS MOTIVATION, AND VIGILANCE FOR THEIR DUTIES AS THEY HAVE AN IMPORTANT MEETING TODAY.

ALL GOD OF STRENGTH AND POWER, WE KNOCK ON YOUR DOOR AND SEEK ONLY FROM YOU.

EMBRACE US AND TOUCH US. TOUCH OUR HEARTS, OUR MIND, OUR SPIRIT.

TOUCH OUR CONCERNS, HOPES, WEAKNESSES. TOUCH OUR FAMILIES AND LOVED ONES. TOUCH OUR CITY. TOUCH OUR NATION AND GOOD STUDENTS OF THE WORLD. WE KNOW THAT WHEN YOU TOUCH, ALL THE WOUNDS WILL BE HEALED. ALL THE INFIRMITIES WILL GO AWAY.

AND SO THE AS A RESULT OF HARD WORK, SERVICE, AND LEADERSHIP DISPLAYED IN THIS MEETING TODAY. IN MANY BEAUTIFUL NAMES YOU HAVE, WE PRAY.

AMEN.

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>> MAYOR NIRENBERG: THANK YOU VERY MUCH, CHAPLAIN. ALL RIGHT.

THE FIRST ORDER OF BUSINESS TODAY IS THE APPROVAL OF THE CITY COUNCIL MEETING MINUTES OF JUNE 12, 13, 18, AND 20, 2024. I'LL ENTERTAIN A MOTION FOR THOSE. THERE'S A MOTION AND A SECOND FOR APPROVAL OF THOSE MINUTES ON ITEM 3. IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION? HEARING NONE, PLEASE VOTE.

ALL RIGHT. MOTION CARRIES. NOW WE DO HAVE A SWEARING IN OF OUR NEW MAYOR PRO TEM FROM AUGUST 8 TO OCTOBER 16. COUNCILMEMBER VIAGRAN, IF

YOU COULD APPROACH THE PODIUM. >> CLERK: REPEAT AFTER ME.

>> VIAGRAN: I, PHYLLIS VIAGRAN, DO SOLEMNLY SWEAR THAT I WILL FAITHFULLY EXECUTE THE DUTIES OF THE OFFICE OF CITY OF SAN ANTONIO MAYOR PRO TEM IN THE STATE OF TEXAS AND WILL, TO THE BEST OF MY ABILITY, PRESERVE, PROTECT, AND DEFEND THE CONSTITUTION AND LAWS OF THE UNITED STATES AND OF THIS STATE, SO HELP

ME, GOD. >> CLERK: CONGRATULATIONS. >> VIAGRAN: THANK YOU.

[APPLAUSE] >> MAYOR NIRENBERG: THANK YOU, COUNCILMAN COURAGE FOR YOUR DISTINGUISHED REIGN. ALL RIGHT. WE WILL, BEFORE WE GET INTO OUR CEREMONIALS, I DO WANT TO TAKE UP THE CONSENT AGENDA.

SO I WILL NOTE ITEM 34 WILL BE PULLED AND HEARD INDIVIDUALLY.

ARE THERE ANY OTHER ITEMS? ITEM 50? ANY OTHERS? IF THERE AREN'T, I'LL ENTERTAIN A MOTION FOR THE BALANCE OF THE CONSENT AGENDA, ALL ITEMS SAVE FOR 34 AND 50. THERE'S A MOTION AND A SECOND FOR THE APPROVAL OF THE CONSENT AGENDA. ANY ITEMS TO HIGHLIGHT? ANY DISCUSSION ON THE CONSENT AGENDA? COUNCILMEMBER WHYTE.

>> WHYTE: YEAH. I JUST WANT TO HIGHLIGHT ITEMS 46 AND 54.

THIS IS MONEY THAT'S GOING TOWARDS SOME MUCH-NEEDED IMPROVEMENTS THAT WE'RE DOING IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THE GORDON HARTMAN FAMILY FOUNDATION.

SPECIFICALLY 54, WHICH IS MONEY GOING TOWARDS THE FIRST FULLY ADA-ACCESSIBLE HOTEL IN THE STATE, I BELIEVE, AND POTENTIALLY THE NATION.

AND SO THAT'S GOING TO BE COMING SOON TO DISTRICT 10. HAPPY TO BE ABLE TO PARTNER WITH MR. HARTMAN AND HIS FOUNDATION TO MAKE THESE THINGS HAPPEN FOR SAN

ANTONIO. >> MAYOR NIRENBERG: THANK YOU, COUNCILMEMBER WHYTE.

ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? COUNCILMEMBER COURAGE. >> COURAGE: THANK YOU, MAYOR. I WANTED TO HIGHLIGHT ITEM 28, WHICH IS AN APPOINTMENT FOR ONE OF OUR NEW BOARD MEMBERS. DR. CLAUDIA GUZMAN RECEIVED HER DOCTORATE IN LEADERSHIP FROM ST. MARY'S. SHE'S BEEN A RESIDENT OF DISTRICT 9 FOR MORE THAN A DECADE AND WORKS AS A CORPORATE RESEARCH MANAGER FOR OUR FAVORITE GROCER, H-E-B. I'M SO PROUD TO APPOINT DR. GUZMAN TO SERVE AS OUR REPRESENTATIVE TO THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO'S COMMISSION ON EDUCATION.

I WISH HER WELL. THANK YOU, MAYOR. >> MAYOR NIRENBERG: THANK YOU, COUNCILMAN COURAGE. COUNCILMEMBER ALDERETE GAVITO.

>> GAVITO: THANK YOU, MAYOR. I WANTED TO QUICKLY HIGHLIGHT ANDREA FIGUEROA FOR BEING APPOINTED TO THE LGBTQ+ ADVISORY BOARD.

[APPLAUSE] THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR WILLINGNESS TO SERVE ON THIS

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SHE'S PREVIOUSLY BEEN INVOLVED IN IN LEADERSHIP EFFORTS, WORKED WITH MULTIPLE YOUTH-SERVING ORGANIZATIONS AND WORKED TO ADVANCE RESEARCH AND UNDERSTANDING OF SAN ANTONIO'S LGBTQ+ COMMUNITY. WE ARE SO HONORED TO HAVE ANDY REPRESENTING DISTRICT 7 ON THIS BOARD. WITH HER EXPERTISE AND LEADERSHIP EXPERIENCE, I HAVE NO DOUBT SHE WILL BRING CRUCIAL INPUT TO THE TABLE.

THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR WILLINGNESS TO SERVE. I ALSO WANT TO QUICKLY HIGHLIGHT ITEM NO. 32, HIGHLIGHTING THE WORK THAT THE ANIMAL DEFENSE LEAGUE AND THE ESPARZA DO FOR OUR COMMUNITY. WE ALL KNOW THAT CARING FOR PETS CAN BE EXPENSIVE SO FREE CLINICS IN OUR COMMUNITY TO HELP RESIDENTS WILL GO A LONG WAY. AND, FINALLY, REALLY QUICK, HIGHLIGHTING ITEM NO. 33 AND THAT IS TO AMEND THE CONTRACT WITH SAN ANTONIO PETS ALIVE.

THEY HAVE BEEN A CRUCIAL PARTNER FOR ACS SO FULLY SUPPORTIVE OF THIS ITEM.

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

GAVITO. COUNCILMEMBER CASTILLO. >> CASTILLO: THERE'S A HANDFUL OF ITEMS I WOULD LIKE TO HIGHLIGHT, STARTING WITH ITEM 13, THE APPROVAL AND ACCEPTANCE OF A GRANT FOR THE LAS PALMAS RECONSTRUCTION.

DISTRICT 5 RESIDENTS ARE EXCITED TO ACCESS THEIR PUBLIC LIBRARY SO WE'RE GRATEFUL TO SEE IMPROVEMENTS MADE THERE. ITEMS 19 AND 20.

FOR MANY FOLKS WHO ARE HISTORY BUFFS OR SPEND A LOT OF TIME IN ARCHIVES, THIS IS A GREAT OPPORTUNITY FOR SAN ANTONIANS, LOCAL HISTORIANS, AND FOLKS STUDYING HISTORY THROUGHOUT THE U.S. TO POTENTIALLY COME TO THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO TO DIG IN OUR ARCHIVES. I WANT TO THANK DEBBIE AND THE CITY CLERK'S OFFICE FOR LOOKING INTO GRANTS THAT WILL SUPPORT THE CREATION OF A MUSEUM AND PRESERVE THE LOCAL CEMETERY AND DEATH RECORDS. THIS IS REALLY IMPORTANT TO A LOT OF SCHOLARS THROUGHOUT THE UNITED STATES. ITEM 26.

I WANTED TO THANK LUPE GALVAN AND I'M EXCITED TO HAVE HER CONTINUE TO SERVE DISTRICT 5. I WOULD ALSO LIKE TO THANK KRYSTAL JONES AND THE TEAM FOR THE WORK THEY PUT FORTH IN ASSURING WE RE-ESTABLISH THIS COMMITTEE.

AND THEN, OF COURSE, ITEM 27 IS WE'RE REAPPOINTING MARY ANN FOR HER ONGOING COMMITMENT TO DISTRICT 5. SO WE'RE REALLY EXCITED TO CONTINUE TO HAVE HER SERVE

FIN THAT CAPACITY. THANK YOU, MAYOR. >> MAYOR NIRENBERG: THANK

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

THERE'S TWO ITEMS I WANTED TO HIGHLIGHT TODAY. THE FIRST IS ITEM 48.

THIS IS AN APPROVAL OF A MARKETING CAMPAIGN FOR NEIGHBORHOOD HOUSING SERVICES DEPARTMENT TO CREATE PUBLIC INFORMATION CAMPAIGN ABOUT OUR SHIP PLAN. SO OUR SHIP PLAN OUTLINES ALL OF OUR GOALS FOR FAIR AND AFFORDABLE HOUSING IN THE CITY AND IT'S AN AMBITIOUS PLAN SO WE CAN'T DOING IT ALONE. SO I'M GLAD THERE'S AN OPTION FOR RENEWAL OF THIS CONTRACT AS WELL. THE OTHER ITEM I WANTED TO HIGHLIGHT IS ITEM NO. 51, WHICH IS FOR A NONPROFIT ORGANIZATION FIRST T THAT'S GOING TO CONTINUE THEIR LEASE ACROSS FROM BRACKENRIDGE PARK. THIS ORGANIZATION BRINGS GOLF, MORE ACCESS TO PROGRAMMING BUT ALSO PROGRAMMING AROUND WHAT IT TAKES TO BE A GOOD CITIZEN AND A GOOD PLAYER MENTALLY, BECAUSE GOLF IS A BIG MENTAL SPORT. EXCITED THEY ARE GETTING TO RENEW THEIR LEASE AS WELL.

THANK YOU, MAYOR. >> MAYOR NIRENBERG: GREAT. ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION ON THE CONSENT AGENDA? I DID MISS A FEW FOLKS SIGNED UP TO SPEAK ON ITEMS REMAINING ON CONSENT. LET ME CALL THEM NOW. WE'LL START WITH ITEM NO. 7.

ANTHONY PEREZ. MR. PEREZ, ARE YOU HERE? >>

>> MAYOR NIRENBERG: I'M SORRY? >>

>> MAYOR NIRENBERG: I'M SORRY. I THOUGHT IT WAS MISSPELLED.

ATHANEY. >> GOOD MORNING, EVERYBODY. IT IS A PRIVILEGE TO BE ABLE TO BE HERE AT THE 78207 YOUTH. AS I LOOK BEHIND ME I SEE A LACK OF YOUTH REPRESENTATION. WE DO BELONG IN THESE SPACES AND THERE SHOULD BE MORE OF US IN THESE SPACES. I WOULD LIKE TO START OFF WITH A LITTLE BIT OF CONTEXT OF WHY I FELT THE NEED TO BE HERE.

I AM THE ELDEST DAUGHTER OF A SIX-CHILD HOUSEHOLD WITH A SINGLE-PARENT MOTHER AND WE HAVE SURVIVED THE THINGS SUCH AS A LOT OF THINGS THAT OTHER PEOPLE HAVE SURVIVED

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OUR YOUTH DEVELOPMENT. >> MAYOR NIRENBERG: MS. PEREZ, WE HAVEN'T CALLED 34 YET. YOU WERE SIGNED UP FOR ITEM 7.

ARE YOU SPEAKING ON 34? >> YES, SIR. >> MAYOR NIRENBERG: I CAN

CALL YOU UP. >> I WOULD GREATLY APPRECIATE THAT.

>> MAYOR NIRENBERG: I'LL PUT YOU ON ITEM 34. WE HAVE TOM EVANS.

THOMAS EVANS. YOU'RE SPEAKING ON 22 AND 45.

>> MY NAME IS THOMAS EVANS AND I AM A NAVIGATOR AND THIS IS IMPORTANT TO US BECAUSE AS THE LEAP NAVIGATOR, EDUCATING THE COMMUNITY ABOUT THE HIGH RISK OF CONTRACTING HIV. IT IS IMPORTANT THAT WE SUPPORT THIS BECAUSE EDUCATING THE COMMUNITY ABOUT SUBSTANCE MISUSE AND HIV IS IMPORTANT TO OUR COMMUNITY BECAUSE IN OUR COMMUNITY, THE AFRICAN AMERICAN COMMUNITY HAS A RISK OF CONTRACTING HIV AT 13.4% AND THE HISPANIC COMMUNITY AT 72.4%.

IT IS IMPORTANT FOR US TO SPEAK AND VOTE ON THIS. BY EDUCATING OUR COMMUNITY WE CAN HAVE MORE EDUCATION ON HIV AND HAVE THAT COURAGEOUS CONVERSATIONS

ABOUT HOW THIS AFFECTS OUR COMMUNITY. >> MAYOR NIRENBERG: THANK YOU VERY MUCH, MR. EVANS. ON ITEM 28, MICHAEL VALDEZ MR. VALDEZ, YOU WILL BE

FOLLOWED BY BERNIECE SCOTT ON MULTIPLE ITEMS. >> I HAVE A QUESTION FIRST.

WOULD I FIRST SPEAK ON ITEM 28 AND BE CALLED UP AGAIN FOR ITEM 34?

>> MAYOR NIRENBERG: ARE YOU SIGNED UP ON BOTH? YES.

YOU WILL BE CALLED UP AGAIN ON ITEM 34. >> GOOD MORNING MAYOR AND MEMBERS OF THE CITY COUNCIL. I WAS A FORMER CHAIRMAN FOR THE SAN ANTONIO YOUTH COMMISSION AND I SERVE ON THE HIGHER EDUCATION STUDENT ADVISORY BOARD NOW.

I NOTICED WE'RE APPOINTING STUDENTS TO OUR HIGHER EDUCATION STUDENT ADVISORY BOARD BUT I REALLY THINK IT'S TIME, AS A CITY, THAT WE AMEND THIS ORDINANCE TO HAVE TWO REPRESENTATIVES PER CITY COUNCIL DISTRICT IN ALIGNMENT WITH OUR SAN ANTONIO YOUTH COMMISSION, WHICH WILL GIVE OUR CITY A BETTER REPRESENTATION AND DIVERSITY OF APPOINTEES. RIGHT NOW IT'S ONLY ONE REPRESENTATIVE PER CITY COUNCIL DISTRICT BUT HOW MUCH ARE WE REALLY ENGAGING THIS POPULATION OF HIGHER

EDUCATION STUDENTS? THANK YOU. >> MAYOR NIRENBERG: THANK YOU, MR. VALDEZ. [APPLAUSE] ON ITEMS 36, 39, AND 40, BERTEES SCOTT FOLLOWED BY JACK FINGER ON MULTIPLE ITEMS.

>> I'M ACTUALLY SPEAKING ON 34. >> MAYOR NIRENBERG: ONLY 34? I'LL CALL YOU BACK ON 34. JACK FINGER ON 46, 47, AND

54. >> MAYOR NIRENBERG, OTHER MEMBERS OF OUR ILLUSTRIOUS SAN ANTONIO CITY COUNCIL. ONCE AGAIN, MY NAME IS JACK M. FINGER.

WELL, WE ENJOYED OUR MONTH-LONG HIATUS. OUR WALLETS WERE SAFE FOR A MONTH BUT ALL GOOD THINGS MUST COME TO AN END. A FEW ITEMS I WISH TO BRING TO YOUR ATTENTION ON THIS PORTION OF THE AGENDA IS, WELL, ITEMS 46 AND 54.

YOU KNOW, THEY BOTH DEAL WITH MORGAN'S WONDERLAND. THIS IS NICE.

MORGAN'S WONDERLAND DOES A LOT FOR HANDICAPPED KIDS HERE IN THE CITY.

THEY'VE BEEN -- THEY DESERVE EVERY ACCOLADE THEY HAVE COMING BUT I ALSO NOTICE THAT OVER THE YEARS THE CITY COUNCIL HAS GIVEN THEM QUITE A NUMBER OF GIVEAWAYS.

TO A CERTAIN EXTENT, THIS IS FINE, BUT YOU GOT TO REMEMBER THESE ARE ALL PAID BY TAXPAYERS. OKAY. QUESTION IS HOW MUCH IS

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ITEM 46 IS ABOUT, OH, A DEVELOPMENT AGREEMENT WITH ALL THE DEVELOPMENTS THEY HAVE OVER AT MORGAN'S WONDERLAND, ABOUT THEIR HOTELS AND EVERYTHING.

CITY COUNCIL CONSIDERATION BEING REQUESTED FOR APPROVAL OF DEVELOPMENT AGREEMENT BETWEEN GORDON HARTMAN FOUNDATION, THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO, AND THE NORTHEAST CORRIDOR ET CETERA IN THE AMOUNT OF $3,700,000 FOR PUBLIC IMPROVEMENTS AT MORGAN'S. YEAH. OKAY.

MR. AUDIO-VISUAL MAN, DO THIS ONE RIGHT HERE. YEAH.

ANOTHER ONE, ITEM NO. 54, I THINK IT IS THERE. YEAH.

LET'S SEE. BASICALLY WHAT'S IT SAY? THIS IS ANOTHER REGARDING THE -- ANOTHER AGREEMENT TOWARDS THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE FUTURE ULTRA ACCOMMODATING FULLY-INCLUSIVE HOTEL IN AN AMOUNT NOT TO EXCEED 950,000 TAX DOLLARS. I PUT THE WORD "TAX DOLLARS" IN THERE SO YOU KNOW WHERE IT'S COMING FROM. THANK YOU. RETURN THE CAMERA.

IT'S OKAY FOR US TO HELP OUT HANDICAPPED KIDS EVERY NOW AND THEN.

BUT THE QUESTION IS TAXPAYERS' KIDS, WILL THEY GET THE SAME BENEFITS AS MORGAN'S WONDERLAND AS THE HANDICAPPED KIDS DO? EXACTLY THE SAME FREE ACCOMMODATIONS, FREE RIDES, FREE HOTEL ACCOMMODATIONS. WILL THEY GET ALL OF IT EXACTLY THE SAME AS THE HANDICAPPED KIDS? AND, AGAIN, HOW MUCH IS ENOUGH? WE HAVE GIVEN THEM LAND BENEFITS, TOYOTA FIELD IS OVER THERE. I MEAN, HOW MUCH IS ENOUGH? IF ANYBODY WANTS TO ANSWER

THAT QUESTION. [TIMER] >> MAYOR NIRENBERG: THANK YOU, MR. FINGER. THAT IS EVERYONE WHO SIGNED UP TO SPEAK ON ITEMS THAT REMAIN ON CONSENT. I DID WANT TO HIGHLIGHT ONE ITEM.

ITEM 45, WHICH IS OUR ANNUAL HUD ACTION PLAN. THESE ARE ITEMS THAT ARE STAYING ON CONSENT SO WILL BE APPROVED SHORTLY BY CITY COUNCIL.

WE'RE RECEIVING $22.7 MILLION FROM THE HOUSING AND URBAN DEVELOPMENT AND $14.9 MILLION FOR A TOTAL OF $27.7 MILLION OVERALL .

THIS IS CRITICALLY IMPORTANT AND SHOWS OUR PARTNERSHIP WITH OUR FEDERAL ADMINISTRATION. AND WILL HELP CONTINUE TO REALIZE OUR AUDIO]. SO I DID WANT TO THANK OUR PARTNERS AND NOTE THAT WE VALUE THIS PARTNERSHIP TREMENDOUSLY IN OUR CITY WITH THE ACTING SECRETARY AND THE ENTIRE AGENCY AND OF COURSE MY COLLEAGUES ON THE DAIS WHO CONTINUE TO MAKE AFFORDABLE HOUSING A PRIORITY IN OUR COMMUNITY. WITH THAT, WE DO HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND FOR APPROVAL OF THE CONSENT AGENDA.

HEARING NO FURTHER DISCUSSION, PLEASE VOTE. MOTION CARRIES.

OKAY. WE HAVE MANY SPECIAL GUESTS IN THE AUDIENCE TODAY.

AND I'M GOING TO START BY RECOGNIZING SOME OF OUR MEN AND WOMEN IN UNIFORM FROM THE UNITED STATES COAST GUARD. AS YOU ARE STANDING UP AND IF YOU'RE LEAVING, GIVE THEM A ROUND OF APPLAUSE FIRST.

AS YOU LEAVE, IF I COULD ALSO ASK YOU FOR A MOMENT TO SILENCE EVERYTHING.

IT'S MY MISTAKE BUT TODAY IS OUR FIRST COUNCIL MEETING BACK SINCE OUR SUMMER BUDGET RECESS IN WHICH THE CITY COUNCIL WORKS ON POLICY AND THE CITY STAFF WORKS TO ASSEMBLE A TRIAL BUDGET. DURING THAT PERIOD OF TIME, THERE'S BEEN A LOT OF HARDSHIP IN TEXAS AND THERE HAS BEEN A LOT OF HARDSHIP IN SAN ANTONIO.

AND WE WANT TO TAKE A MOMENT, SINCE THIS IS THE FIRST TIME WE HAVE BEEN ASSEMBLED AGAIN, TO RECOGNIZE ONE OF OUR COLLEAGUES FROM CPS ENERGY WHO LOST HIS LIFE IN SERVICE TO OUR TEXAS COMMUNITY. SO I WOULD ASK YOU ALL JUST TO TAKE A MOMENT OF SILENCE FOR CPS ENERGY LINEMAN CLAYTON CLAYSEL AND THEN I'M GOING TO TURN IT OVER TO COUNCILMEMBER TERI CASTILLO FOR SOME REMARKS.

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>> MAYOR NIRENBERG: THANK YOU, MAYOR. I'M GRATEFUL WE COULD HOLD SOME SPACE TO COMMEMORATE THE LIFE OF CLAYTON. HE WAS A LOVING HUSBAND AND FATHER AND HAD A PASSION FOR FISHING AND HUNTING. HE LEAVES BEHIND HIS WIFE AND THREE CHILDREN. CLAYTON WORKED AT CPS ENERGY FOR 11 YEARS.

CPS ENERGY LINEMAN AND ELECTRICAL WORKERS HOLD A SPECIAL PLACE IN MY HEART BECAUSE, LIKE CLAYTON, MY FATHER IS A PROUD MEMBER. IT IS BECAUSE OF THE WORK OF LINEMEN LIKE CLAYTON THAT WE HEAR ABOUT THE RESPONSIBILITY THAT WE ENSURE OUR RESIDENTS HAVE ACCESS TO HEAT AND COOL AIR DURING THE SUMMER AND EXTREME WEATHER CONDITIONS. IT'S LINEMEN LIKE CLAYTON WHO COME HOME IN THE SUMMER DRENCHED IN SWEAT WHERE THEY HAVE TO TAKE OFF THEIR CLOTHES AND LEAVE THEM OUTSIDE. WE ARE GRATEFUL FOR THE WORK AND ROLE OF CPS ENERGY, PARTICULARLY THE ELECTRICAL WORKERS IN ALL THEY DO IN ENSURING THAT SAN ANTONIO FAMILIES ARE SAFE AND COMFORTABLE IN THEIR OWN HOME.

THEY ALSO GO TO OTHER AREAS OF TEXAS AND THROUGHOUT THE COUNTRY TO ASSESS AND ASSIST AREAS IMPACTED BY WEATHER CATASTROPHES. NEEDLESS TO SAY THEY GO ABOVE AND BEYOND THE EXPECTATIONS THAT WE HAVE FOR THEM AS LINEMEN.

SO THANK YOU, MAYOR FOR HOLDING THIS SPACE FOR US TO HONOR CLAYTON.

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

GAVITO. >> GAVITO: THANK YOU, MAYOR.

THANK YOU, COUNCILWOMAN CASTILLO FOR HONORING CLAYTON TODAY.

THIS HAS BEEN A TREMENDOUS LOSS TO OUR COMMUNITY. I AM GRATEFUL FOR HIS SERVICE TO SAN ANTONIO AND CPS. I KNOW THIS LOSS IS FELT DEEPLY AMONGST HIS FAMILY, FRIENDS, AND COMMUNITY. I DO WANT THEM TO KNOW HOW GRATEFUL I AM FOR HIS YEARS OF SERVICE AND HOW MUCH THIS CITY COUNCIL VALUES HIS LIFE. MAY THIS BE A REMINDER OF THE DANGERS OUR FRONT-LINE WORKERS FACE IN ORDER TO MINIMIZE DISRUPTION IN OUR LIVES.

MAY WE NEVER LOSE SIGHT OF THE INVALUABLE NATURE OF PEOPLE LIKE CLAYTON.

I'M SENDING PEACE AND COMFORT TO HIS FAMILY DURING THIS TIME.

>> MAYOR NIRENBERG: THANK YOU, COUNCILMEMBER ALDERETE GAVITO AND THANK YOU ALL FOR HELPING US RECOGNIZE CLAYTON AND HIS FAMILY. NOW, I WANT TO ALSO RECOGNIZE OUR MEN AND WOMEN IN UNIFORM AT THIS TIME. BELIEVE IT OR NOT WE'RE CELEBRATING THEIR BIRTHDAY TODAY AND WE'RE WISHING THE MEMBERS OF THE UNITED STATES COAST GUARD HERE IN MILITARY CITY, USA. WE HAVE A COAST GUARD IN SAN ANTONIO, TEXAS. AND EVERY COAST AROUND THE WORLD IS CELEBRATING A HAPPY 234TH BIRTHDAY. LET'S GIVE THEM A ROUND OF APPLAUSE.

BRIEFLY, AS THEY BEGIN TO COME FORWARD, ALEXANDER HAMILTON IS CONSIDERED THE FATHER OF THE UNITED STATES COAST GUARD. IN 198 1987 HAMILTON WAS ARTICULATING THE NEED FOR A MARINE TO ENFORCE TRADE LAWS.

HE ADVISED CONGRESS TO BUILD A FLEET OF TEN CUTTERS. HIS SMALL FLEET PROVIDED THE BASIS FOR WHAT BECAME CALLED THE REVENUE CUTTER SERVICE. IN ADDITION TO THEIR LAW ENFORCEMENT ROLE THE FLEET OF CUTTERS RENDERS AID AND ASSISTANCE AS NEEDED FOR THE PROTECTION OF LIVES AND PROPERTY AT SEA . A LIFE-SAVING ROLE THAT DEFINES THE COAST GUARD TO THIS DAY. CONGRESS ADOPTED THE PLAN ON THE 4TH OF AUGUST 1790. IT MAKES IT ONE OF THE OLDEST ORGANIZATIONS IN THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT. AMAZINGLY THE COAST GUARD SERVED AS THE ONLY FORCE AT SEA UNTIL THE NAVY WAS LAUNCHED IN 1798. THE COAST GUARD HAS PROTECTED THE UNITED STATES AND SERVED PROUDLY IN EVERY ONE OF THE NATION'S CONFLICTS. IN 1967 THE COAST GUARD WAS TRANSFERRED TO THE DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION. THE COAST GUARD WAS AGAIN TRANSFERRED IN 2003. THIS TIME THE DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY WHERE IT CURRENTLY SERVES. IN THIS CAPACITY, THE COAST GUARD PROTECTS AND DEFENDS MORE THAN 100,000 MILES OF U.S. COASTLINE AND INLAND WATERWAYS AND SAFEGUARDS A ZONE ENCOMPASSING 4.5 MILLION SQUARE MILES FROM PUERTO RICO TO GUAM, ENCOMPASSING NINE TIME ZONES, THE LARGEST EXCLUSIVE ECONOMIC ZONE IN THE WORLD.

THE COAST GUARD IS A FIRST RESPONDER MANMADE DISASTERS. THE OVER 56,000 MEMBERS OF THE UNITED STATES COAST GUARD OPERATE A MULTI-MISSION INTEROPERABLE FLEET CONSISTING OF HUNDREDS

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THESE EMPLOYEES WORK IN THE POLICE DEPARTMENT, FIRE AND EMS, AVIATION, CENTER CITY DEVELOPMENT, INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY SERVICES, NEIGHBORHOOD AND HOUSING SERVICES AND PARKS AND RECREATION. I WANT TO HIGHLIGHT TWO OF OUR COAST GUARD STARS: CRAIG HOPKINS, THE CITY'S CHIEF INFORMATION OFFICER AND DIRECTOR OF ITSD. CRAIG SERVED FOUR YEARS IN THE COAST GUARD AND WAS HONORABLY DISCHARGED WITH THE RANK OF PETTY OFFICER SECOND CLASS.

CAPTAIN MICHAEL STARNES, TRAFFIC AND EMERGENCY OPERATIONS SECTION COMMANDER FOR THE SAN ANTONIO POLICE DEPARTMENT WHO STILL SERVES IN THE COAST GUARD RESERVE.

HE HOLDS THE RANK OF COMMANDER AND A SENIOR RESERVE OPERATIONS OFFICER ASSIGNED TO THE UNITED STATES NORTHERN COMMAND. FINALLY, OUR OWN CITY MANAGER, ERIK WALSH, HAS A BROTHER WHO IS A RETIRED COAST GUARD CAPTAIN.

WE ARE PROUD OF THE COAST GUARD'S PRESENCE HERE IN SAN ANTONIO WHERE NEARLY 200 PERSONNEL ENGAGE IN MISS IN SUPPORT OF THE NATION'S DEFENSE AS WELL AS RECRUITING THE NEXT GENERATION. THOSE 200 COAST GUARD MEMBERS ARE REPRESENTED BY COMMANDER BRIAN FIN. HE IS JOINED BY MEMBERS OF THE ORGANIZATION AS WELL AS SOME OF OUR COAST GUARD RECRUITERS AND SO WE CONSIDER IT A PRIVILEGE TO HOST THE COAST GUARD IN OUR GREAT CITY.

I WANT TO THANK THE LOCAL MEMBERS OF THE UNITED STATES COAST GUARD WHO ARE ABLE TO JOIN US TODAY AS WE WISH YOU A VERY HAPPY 234TH BIRTHDAY.

NOW I WOULD LIKE TO INVITE COMMANDER BRIAN FIN UP TO THE PODIUM TO SAY A FEW

WORDS. >> MEMBERS OF COUNCIL AND GUESTS, THANK YOU FOR HAVING US HERE. TODAY I'M EXCITED TO CELEBRATE THE 234TH BIRTHDAY OF THE UNITED STATES COAST GUARD WITH YOU. SINCE AUGUST 4, 1790 WE HAVE BEEN DEDICATED TO KEEPING OUR WATERS SAFE AND SECURE AND WELL MANAGED.

OVER THE YEARS, WE HAVE TAKEN OUR COUNTLESS MISSIONS, PATROLLING OUR SHORES, RESCUING THOSE IN DANGER, AND FINDING ILLICIT TRAFFICKING.

OUR COMMITMENT TO THESE TASKS IS UNWAVERING. WE ARE ALWAYS READY TO FACE NEW CHALLENGES WITH COURAGE AND RESILIENCE. THIS BIRTHDAY ISN'T JUST ABOUT LOOKING BACK AT OUR HISTORY, IT'S ABOUT ALSO RECOGNIZING WHO WE ARE TODAY AND THE FUTURE WE'RE BUILDING. THE COAST GUARD IS DEFINED BY BRAVERY, INTEGRITY, AND PROFESSIONALISM. WE PLAY A CRUCIAL ROLE IN PROTECTING AND SERVING OUR COMMUNITY. TO ALL OUR FELLOW COASTIE MEMBERS PAST AND PRESENT, THANK YOU. YOUR DEDICATION AND SERVICE MEANS THE WORLD TO US AND OUR COUNTRY. BUT THE COAST GUARD IS NOT JUST AN ORGANIZATION, IT'S A FAMILY. A FAMILY THAT EXTENDS ITS REACH FAR BEYOND THE UNIFORM. IT ENCOMPASSES THE LOCAL COMMUNITIES THAT WE PROUDLY SERVE. IT'S A PARTNERSHIP BUILT ON TRUST, COOPERATION, AND SHARED VALUES. IN TIMES OF CRISIS THE LOCAL COMMUNITY STAND BY OUR SIDE OFFERING SUPPORT, ENCOURAGEMENT, AND HELPING HANDS. TO SAN ANTONIO, WE THANK YOU FOR YOUR CONTINUING SUPPORT.

YOUR PARTNERSHIP AND TRUST IN OUR ABILITIES IS INVALUABLE.

IT'S THROUGH THIS COLLABORATION THAT WE ARE ABLE TO FULFILL OUR MISSION OF PROTECTING LIVES AND PROPERTY AT SEA. SO THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR INVITING US. HAPPY BIRTHDAY, U.S. COAST GUARD.

NOW, MR. MAYOR, WILL YOU JOIN ME FOR THE CAKE CUTTING?

[APPLAUSE] >> THE CAKE AND SABER IS BEING BROUGHT FORWARD BY CHIEF ANDREW LIVINGSTON, RECRUITER IN CHARGE OF RECRUITING THE OFFICE OF SAN ANTONIO. ALL CURRENT COAST GUARD MEMBERS AS WELL AS THOSE WHO HAVE SERVED IN THE COAST GUARD PLEASE COME FORWARD AND FORM UP LOOSELY BEHIND MAYOR NIRENBERG AND COMMANDER FIN. [APPLAUSE]

>> SERVICE MEMBERS WILL PAUSE TO OBSERVE THEIR SERVICE BRANCH'S BIRTHDAY BY SHARING A CAKE. A SWORD OR SABER IS TYPICALLY USED TO CUT THE CAKE AS A REMINDER THAT SERVICE MEMBERS ARE A BAND OF WARRIORS, COMMITTED TO CARRYING THE SWORD SO THAT OUR NATION MAY LIVE IN PEACE.

MAYOR NIRENBERG AND COMMANDER FIN ARE NOW PREPARED TO CUT THE CAKE.

[00:36:33]

[APPLAUSE] >> TODAY'S COAST GUARD HAS PERFORMED ABOVE AND BEYOND IN THE FACE OF A PANDEMIC, NATURAL DISASTERS, AND SUPPORTING GLOBAL CONTINGENCY OPERATIONS. REGARDLESS OF RISK OF PEACE, NATURAL OR UNNATURAL DISASTERS LIVE BY THEIR MOTTO, ALWAYS READY. HAPPY 234TH BIRTHDAY, UNITED STATES COAST GUARD. [APPLAUSE]

>> MAYOR NIRENBERG: HOW QUICKLY THAT SLICE OF CAKE WAS RESCUED.

THANK YOU AGAIN TO OUR COASTIES IN SAN ANTONIO. BEFORE WE GET TO OUR AGENDA, WE WANT TO COLLECTIVELY UP HERE ON THE DAIS RECOGNIZE SOME VERY SPECIAL YOUNG PEOPLE WHO GOT TO SPEND QUITE A BIT OF TIME WORKING ON BEHALF OF OUR CONSTITUENTS AND THE ENTIRE CITY TODAY. OUR SUMMER AMBASSADORS PROGRAM IS ENDING VERY SOON. LAST DAY FOR THE AMBASSADORS IS FRIDAY.

I WANT TO RECOGNIZE IN PARTICULAR FROM MY OFFICE RACHEL AS WELL AS CHRISTIAN BENAVIDES, WHO IS SERVING HIS THIRD TOUR AS A SUMMER AMBASSADOR.

WELCOME BACK, CHRISTIAN, AND THANK YOU VERY MUCH RACHEL AS WELL.

I'M GOING TO OFFER AN OPPORTUNITY FOR MY COLLEAGUES TO RECOGNIZE THEIR INTERNS AS WELL. STARTING WITH COUNCILMEMBER COURAGE.

>> COURAGE: THANK YOU, MAYOR. I'VE HAD TWO REALLY WONDERFUL YOUNG PEOPLE WHO HAVE STEPPED UP AS AMBASSADORS THIS YEAR AND I WANT TO RECOGNIZE THEM. FIRST IS SERENITY PADILLA. SHE IS IN HER SOPHOMORE YEAR AT GALVESTON COLLEGE. SHE'S ON A SOFTBALL SCHOLARSHIP AND IS PURSUING A CAREER IN HEALTHCARE AS A NURSE. SHE PLANS TO WORK TOWARDS A BACHELOR OF SCIENCE IN NURSING. SHE SPENT HER TIME WORKING AT OUR DISTRICT 9 SENIOR CENTER AND DID A WONDERFUL JOB THERE.

SERENITY, WOULD YOU STAND A MOMENT? ALSO WITH HER IS DANIEL FOX.

DANIEL RECEIVED HIS BACHELOR'S DEGREE IN GLOBAL SOUTH STUDIES AND WILL BE GRADUATING NEXT YEAR WITH A MASTER'S OF INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS WITH A FOCUS ON SECURITY POLICY FROM ST. MARY'S UNIVERSITY. HIS GOAL IS TO WORK IN INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS OR IN THE INTELLIGENCE FIELD, FOCUSING ON MATTERS REGARDING NATIONAL SECURITY. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. YOU REALLY REPRESENTED

STUDENTS WELL IN MY OFFICE. [APPLAUSE] >> MAYOR NIRENBERG: THANK

YOU, COUNCILMEMBER COURAGE. COUNCILMEMBER CASTILLO. >> CASTILLO: THANK YOU, MAYOR. THIS SUMMER WE WERE REALLY GRATEFUL TO HAVE LESLIE THROUGH THE AMBASSADOR'S PROGRAM INTERN WITH OUR DISTRICT 5 OFFICE.

BOTH ARE OVER AT THE UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS AT AUSTIN AND WE'RE EXTREMELY GRATEFUL FOR THEM SPENDING THEIR SUMMER IN DISTRICT 5. WHAT I ENJOYED SHARING WITH THEM WAS BRINGING THEM ALONG WITH ME TO A PUBLIC WORKS MEETING.

IN 2019 I HAD AN OPPORTUNITY TO PARTICIPANT IN THE SAN ANTONIO AMBASSADORS PROGRAM AND IT WAS WHEN I WAS ABLE TO TAG ALONG IN THE PUBLIC WORKS MEETING THAT I WAS JUST SO FASCINATED WITH HOW MUCH A SHADE STRUCTURE CAN COST FOR A POOL AND HOW MUCH

[00:40:05]

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

>> GARCIA: THANK YOU, MAYOR. I'D LIKE TO RECOGNIZE OUR D4 INTERNS AS WELL. SO AMY FROM WE ALSO HAVE ANGELINA, A TEXAS A&M SAN ANTONIO D4 RESIDENT AND SOUTH SAN GRADUATE. AVA FROM DARTMOUTH. SHE IS A FIRST-YEAR STUDENT AND SHE JUST GRADUATED FROM ROOSEVELT. HANNA VASQUEZ, U.T. AUSTIN.

SHE'S ALSO A D4 RESIDENT AND SOUTH SAN GRADUATE. I WAS VERY EXCITED BECAUSE THEY WERE ABLE TO ATTEND SEVERAL VERY IMPORTANT MEETINGS INCLUDING ONE OF THE BEXAR APPRAISAL DISTRICT. SO THEY GOT TO SEE SWORN IN THREE NEW PEOPLE WERE BEING SWORN IN AND SO THEY GOT TO LISTEN TO SOME OF THE DISCUSSION AS WELL, WHICH WENT A LITTLE LONG. BUT I'M GRATEFUL THAT YOU ALL WERE THERE. BUT SOME OF YOU ALL FORM A PART OF THE AMBASSADOR PROGRAM. OTHERS JUST CONTACTED OUR OFFICE TO SEE IF THEY COULD COME AND BE INTERNS. WE NEVER TURN OUR YOUTH AWAY SO I DO WANT TO TAKE AN OPPORTUNITY TO THANK MY STAFF MEMBER, WHO OVERSAW THE INTERNSHIP PROGRAM.

THAT WAS R ROSEANNE. SHE WAS A GREAT SUPPORT TO OUR INTERNS.

THE ENTIRE RESIDENTS OF DISTRICT 4 AND OUR TEAM THANK YOU, BUT IN PARTICULAR I WANTED TO HIGHLIGHT SOME OF THE EVENTS. SO FOOD DISTRIBUTIONS THAT THEY TOOK PART IN. THE FIRST SUMMER RESOURCE HEAT FAIR.

THEY'RE GOING TO HELP WITH OUR BACK TO SCHOOL FAIR THIS SATURDAY.

AND THEY WERE JUST IMPORTANT IN OUR COMMUNITY OUTREACH. THEY WERE ABLE TO BLOCK WALK DURING THE HOT SUMMER MONTHS AND SO I APPRECIATE THAT YOU WERE WILLING TO GO OUT THERE AND INFORM THE COMMUNITY BECAUSE WE KNOW THAT IN OUR COMMUNITY THERE'S A LOT OF PEOPLE THAT DON'T HAVE ACCESS TO SOCIAL MEDIA. AND SO IT IS IMPORTANT TO GET OUT THE WORD ABOUT THE FOOD DRIVES, ET CETERA. AND THEN I ALSO WANT TO SAY THANK YOU FOR YOUR INDIVIDUAL AWARENESS AND THE INTEREST THAT YOU ALL HAVE IN MIND. SO ONE OF OUR INTERNS IS PROVIDING TRAINING TO PREVENT OPIOID OVERDOSES. ANOTHER IS ORGANIZING STILL A MENSTRUAL PRODUCT DRIVE.

ANOTHER ONE IS DEVELOPING A COMMUNITY OUTREACH STRATEGY FOR ALL OF OUR EVENTS SO THAT MORE PARTICIPANTS CAN ENGAGE. ANOTHER ONE IS PLANNING A COMMUNITY GARDEN REACTIVATION. STILL ANOTHER ONE IS SUPPORTING US WITH DOMESTIC VIOLENCE OUTREACH PLAN AND IN PARTICULAR ENGAGING SMALL BUSINESSES IN THAT. SO I KNOW SOME OF THESE PROJECTS ARE LONG TERM BUT ALL OF THE WORK AND RESEARCH YOU DID THIS SUMMER IS GOING TO GO A LONG WAY FOR US AND IS VERY SUPPORTIVE TO OUR STAFF. I'M GRATEFUL AND I WANT TO ALSO THANK THE COMMUNITY PARTNERS AND ALL OF THE CITY STAFF WHO MET WITH THEM BECAUSE WE TOOK A LOT OF YOUR TIME AND I APPRECIATE YOUR INVESTMENT IN YOUTH.

THANK YOU FOR SPENDING YOUR SUMMER WITH US. WE'LL BE FOREVER GRATEFUL TO YOU. THANK YOU. THANK YOU, MAYOR.

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

COUNCILMEMBER VIAGRAN. >> VIAGRAN: THANK YOU. I WANT TO INTRODUCE MELANIE RODRIGUEZ -- RAISE YOUR HAND, MELANIE. AND STACY VINTON.

THESE WERE OUR TWO AMBASSADORS FOR DISTRICT 3 OVER ON THE SOUTH AND SOUTHEAST SIDE. MELANIE, THIS WAS HER SECOND SUMMER TO SPEND WITH US BUT SHE'S AROUND ALL YEAR LONG AS AN INTERN. AND STACIE, THIS WAS HER FIRST EXPERIENCE AND SHE JOINED US FROM TCU WHY SHE MAJORS IN POLITICAL SCIENCE.

BACK TO SCHOOL EVENTS, NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATIONS, FOOD BANK EVENTS WITH OUR SENIOR LIAISON . IT HAS JUST BEEN AN INCREDIBLE TIME AND I AM SO EXCITED ABOUT THE FUTURE OF THIS CITY, THE FUTURE OF THIS COUNTRY BECAUSE WE HAVE YOUNG, STRONG WOMEN THAT ARE STEPPING UP AND SAYING I WILL SERVE.

AND IN A TEMPORARY OFFICE SPACE AND SOMETIMES COVERING FOR THOSE PHONES SO THAT WE CAN HAVE MEETINGS UP UNTIL 7:00 DURING THE SUMMER. SO THANK YOU, LADIES SO MUCH. WE LOOK FORWARD TO SEEING YOU BACK HERE IN SAN ANTONIO WORKING FOR OUR WONDERFUL CITY OF SAN ANTONIO ONE DAY OR SERVING ON THIS DAIS.

THANK YOU. [APPLAUSE] >> MAYOR NIRENBERG: THANK

[00:45:01]

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

I WANTED TO SHOUT OUT OUR AMBASSADOR, LEO. LEO STARTED ON HIS FIRST DAY. HE'S A BILINGUAL STUDENT AT ST. MARY'S AND HE WAS ABLE TO HELP SOME OF OUR SPANISH-SPEAKING CONSTITUENTS RIGHT OFF THE BAT. HE WAS SO AMAZING THAT I TRIED TO OFFER HIM A JOB.

HE CAN'T WORK DURING THE SCHOOL YEAR BUT IF ANY OF YOU WANT TO WORK FOR DISTRICT 1, WE WILL TAKE YOU ALL. I WANT TO SAY THANK YOU TO HIM FOR ALL THE WORK HE HAS DONE. HE COULDN'T BE HERE TODAY BECAUSE HE IS PACKING BACKPACKS FOR OUR BACK TO SCHOOL EVENT.

HE HAS BEEN SUCH A HELP. SOMETIMES THE KNOCKING ON DOORS, GETTING OUT THERE AND SHARING AND DOING COMMUNITY OUTREACH IS NOT GLORIOUS WORK, ESPECIALLY IN THE HEAT OF THE SUMMER BUT THEY ARE WILLING TO STEP IN AND DO THE WORK NECESSARY TO REALLY ENGAGE OUR COMMUNITY AUTHENTICALLY. SUPER GRATEFUL FOR THE PROGRAM AND FOR ALL OF THE FOLKS THAT ARE HELPING TO PUT IT TOGETHER.

WE CAN'T WAIT TO GET MORE VOLUNTEERS NEXT YEAR. THANKS.

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

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

I WANT TO GIVE A HUGE SHOUT OUT TO OUR SUMMER INTERNS, JAQUELINE, ZACHARY, AND OUR RUNNING INTERN, ALASAY. YOU COME IN WITH A SMILE ON YOUR FACE AND BRING NEW IDEAS TO THE TABLE FOR POLICY AND PROCESS. I WOULD WISH YOU THE BEST BUT I DON'T NEED TO. YOU ARE ALL SUPER STARS AND WILL EXCEL IN EVERYTHING YOU PURSUE. THANK YOU SO MUCH AND I LOOK FORWARD TO CELEBRATING THE

END OF YOUR TENURE TODAY WITH YOU ALL. >> MAYOR NIRENBERG: THANK YOU, COUNCILMEMBER MCKEE-RODRIGUEZ. COUNCILMEMBER WHYTE.

>> WHYTE: I WANT TO SAY THANK YOU TO OUR INTERNS AS WELL, ALEX AND EMMA.

EVERY DAY POSITIVE ATTITUDES. ALWAYS WILLING TO PITCH IN AND HELP ON WHATEVER WAS NEEDED. OUR BACK TO SCHOOL EVENT WAS THIS LAST WEEKEND AND BOTH ALEX AND EMMA WERE THERE DOING JUST A GREAT JOB FOR THE TEAM. THEY HAVE BRIGHT FUTURES AND THE CITIZENS OF DISTRICT 10 ARE CERTAINLY APPRECIATIVE OF ALL THE WORK THEY'VE PUT IN OVER THE PAST SIX WEEKS

OR SO. THANK Y'ALL. >> MAYOR NIRENBERG: THANK

YOU, COUNCILMEMBER WHYTE. COUNCILMEMBER PELAEZ. >> PELAEZ: OVER THE PAST FEW YEARS WE'VE PUT ON A LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM FOR DISTRICT 8 HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS CALLED RISING STARS AND THIS YEAR WE RECRUITED THE HELP OF OUR AMBASSADOR INTERNS TO BE THE TRAINERS FOR THAT LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM.

AND ONE OF THOSE INTERNS IS HERE TODAY. HIS NAME IS SEAN MACKEY.

HE DID FANTASTIC. SEAN, I'M REALLY, REALLY PROUD OF YOU.

SEAN IS A ROADRUNNER FROM UTSA AND HE IS A VERY, VERY IMPRESSIVE YOUNG MAN.

I KNOW YOU ARE ON THE BOLD PROMISE PROGRAM OVER AT UTSA.

ANDY, HE WANTS TO BE A LAWYER SO HE'LL BE COMING TO YOU AFTER THIS MEETING TO INTRODUCE HIMSELF SO YOU CAN GIVE HIM HIS NEXT SUMMER'S INTERNSHIP.

AND HE EVENTUALLY WANTS TO RUN FOR OFFICE. SEAN, WE'RE PROUD OF YOU.

THANK YOU FOR GIVING YOUR TIME THIS SUMMER TO THE PEOPLE OF DISTRICT 8.

WE APPRECIATE YOU VERY MUCH. >> MAYOR NIRENBERG: THANK YOU, COUNCILMEMBER PELAEZ.

COUNCILMEMBER ALDERETE GAVITO. >> GAVITO: THANK YOU, MAYOR. I WANTED TO HIGHLIGHT OUR DISTRICT 7 AMBASSADOR, GIANNA REEVES. SHE WORKED WITH OUR OFFICE 30 TO 35 HOURS A WEEK HELPING OUT IN OUR FIELD OFFICE, WHICH WAS SO GREAT BECAUSE WE GET A STEADY STREAM OF RESIDENTS AT OUR FIELD OFFICE AND SHE WOULD GREET ALL OF THEM WITH A SMILE. SSHE HAS A SUPER POSITIVE ATTITUDE.

WE HAD OUR BACK TO SCHOOL BASH AT THOMAS JEFFERSON HIGH SCHOOL AND OUR WHOLE TEAM WAS SWEATING IT OUT AND GIANNA WAS THERE ALONG WITH US.

WE REALLY APPRECIATED OUR TIME WITH HER AND WE'RE THANKFUL FOR THIS PROGRAM.

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

>> HAVRDA: THANK YOU, MAYOR. WE HAVE A GREAT INTERN, SARAH. SHE HAS BROUGHT A LOT OF ENERGY TO OUR OFFICE AND WE'RE SUPER GRATEFUL FOR HER THOUGHTS AND IDEAS. WHAT I LOVE ABOUT THIS PROGRAM IS YOU HAVE REALLY KIND OF BROUGHT THE CREME OF THE CROP TO CITY COUNCIL AND SHE HAS COME UP WITH INNOVATIVE IDEAS. EVEN THOUGH SHE IS YOUNG, SHE IS A REAL GO-GETTER AND I'M THANKFUL FOR THE PROGRAM.

THANKS, SARAH. >> MAYOR NIRENBERG: THANK YOU, COUNCILMEMBER CABELLO HAVRDA. ALL RIGHT. WE'RE GOING TO GET INTO OUR AGENDA TODAY. WE HAVE TWO ITEMS THAT ARE PULLED FOR INDIVIDUAL CONSIDERATION: ITEM 34 AND ITEM 50. I'M GOING TO TAKE ITEM 50 FIRST. WE HAVE SOME SPECIAL GUESTS FOR THAT ITEM SO LET'S READ

ITEM 50. >> CLERK: ITEM 50 IS AN ORDINANCE AUTHORIZING THE NAMING OF THE NEW MEDICAL CENTER AREA PARK TO LISA STARR ROSENSTEIN PARK

[00:50:02]

LOCATED AT FLOYD CURL DRIVE IN COUNCIL DISTRICT 8. >> MAYOR NIRENBERG: ALL RIGHT. THIS ITEM IS IN DISTRICT 8 AND WAS PULLED BY COUNCILMAN

PELAEZ SO I'M TURN THE FLOOR TO COUNCILMAN PELAEZ. >> PELAEZ: THANKS, MAYOR.

ON MAY 21, 2021, SAN ANTONIO LOST TRAGICALLY LOST LISA STARR ROSENSTEIN.

LISA WAS AN AVID RUNNER AND ON THAT MORNING SHE WAS STRUCK BY A CAR WHILE SHE WAS JOGGING. THAT LOSS SENT A SHOCKWAVE OF HEART BREAK AND SURPRISE THROUGHOUT OUR COMMUNITY. FELT MOST ACUTELY THROUGHOUT OUR JEWISH COMMUNITY HERE IN SAN ANTONIO. LISA WAS A MOM, A WIFE, A SISTER, A DAUGHTER AND SHE WAS A LEADER AMONG OUR RUNNING COMMUNITY HERE IN SAN ANTONIO.

SHE WAS ALSO A POWERFUL ADVOCATE FOR HER CONGRECONGREGATIONS AND SHE WASA DEDICATED VOICE FOR THE HUMANE TREATMENT FOR OUR FOUR-LEGGED SAN ANTONIANS, OUR ANIMALS. THANKFULLY LISA'S STORY DOES NOT END THERE.

THE CITIZENS OF SAN ANTONIO VOTED, BY A VERY LARGE MARGIN ON A BOND REFERENDUM.

THAT INCLUDED THE CREATION OF A BRAND-NEW PARK IN THE MEDICAL CENTER.

THE FIRST PARK EVER IN THE MEDICAL CENTER. WITH THE HELP OF OUR FRIENDS WHO AND DO THE THE LAND, THE MEDICAL CENTER FOUNDATION, TTHE MEDICAL CENTER ALLIANCE, WE ARE ABLE TO BRING TO THIS COMMUNITY A PARK THAT WILL BE DESIGNED WITH RUNNERS AND HIKERS AND WALKERS AND CYCLISTS IN MIND. WITH TODAY'S VOTE THAT PARK WILL BE DEDICATED TO LISA. AND IT WILL STAND AS A PLACE WHERE WE CAN CELEBRATE HER LIFE BUT ALSO WHERE PEOPLE CAN GATHER, CREATE COMMUNITY, AND ENJOY THE OUTDOORS. THE FAMILY IS HERE TODAY. HER HUSBAND, HER KIDS, HER PARENTS, HER SIBLINGS AND THEY'RE SURROUNDED BY SUPPORTERS OF THE FAMILY.

THANK YOU TO RABBI SCHEINBERG AND THANK YOU TO TO THE HEAD OF OUR JEWISH FEDERATION. AT THIS MOMENT I INVITE MY FRIEND AND ONE OF MY MENTORS, LISA'S DAD, DAVID STARR TO SPEAK ON BEHALF OF THE FAMILY.

DAVID, WOULD YOU JOIN US AT THE PODIUM, PLEASE? I THINK DAVID FELL ASLEEP AFTER THAT ONE HOUR OF CEREMONIALS. COME ON UP, DAVID.

>> MAYOR, COUNCILWOMEN, COUNCILMEN, AND STAFF THAT MAKES ALL OF YOU WORK AND DOCUMENTS EVERYTHING, KEEPS ALL THE RECORDS STRAIGHT. I JUST WANT TO SAY, FIRST OF ALL, I WISH I WASN'T HERE. I WISH I WASN'T HERE BECAUSE IT'S A SAD DAY.

SOMEBODY SHOULD NEVER EXPERIENCE THE LOSS OF A DAUGHTER.

IT SHOULD BE THE OTHER WAY AROUND. AND SO I WANT TO THANK EVERYBODY WHO HAS SUPPORTED THIS PROJECT, ESPECIALLY COUNCILMAN PELAEZ, WHO ORIGINATED IT AND CONCEIVED THE IDEA. AND I KNOW SOME OF YOU, FOR A LONG, LONG PERIOD OF TIME AND WITH GREAT RESPECT I THANK YOU ALL FOR HELPING TO KEEP HER MEMORY AND HER DEDICATION TO THE OUTDOORS, TO PEOPLE, TO LIFE AND THAT'S WHAT WE SHOULD CONTINUE TO DO FOR EVERYBODY.

WE SHOULD ALWAYS REMEMBER PEOPLE AND KEEP THEIR LIVES GOING FORWARD.

THE IDEALS AND THE THOUGHTS THAT THEY HAVE FOR HUMANITY. I WANT TO THANK EVERYBODY FOR YOUR SUPPORT AND I APPRECIATE EVERYTHING. FOR MYSELF, MY FAMILY, FOR HER HUSBAND, HER CHILDREN AND THE ENTIRE COMMUNITY. THANK YOU SO MUCH.

[APPLAUSE] >> PELAEZ: WITH THAT, MAYOR, I MAKE THE MOTION TO

APPROVE. LOOKING FOR A SECOND. >> SECOND.

>> MAYOR NIRENBERG: ALL RIGHT. AND THANK YOU VERY MUCH, DAVID, ARLENE, JONATHAN, MATTHEW, WHOLE FAMILY AND COMMUNITY FOR BEING HERE TODAY. THERE IS A MOTION AND A SECOND FOR APPROVAL OF ITEM 50. IS THERE ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? HEARING NONE, PLEASE VOTE.

MOTION CARRIES. [APPLAUSE] ALL RIGHT.

[00:55:09]

WE WILL GO NOW TO ITEM 34. >> CLERK: ITEM NO. 34 IS AN ORDINANCE ORDERING THE CITY CHARTER ELECTION TO BE HELD ON TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 5, 2024 INCLUDING, A, ADDING A DEFINITION OF CONFLICTS OF INTEREST, REQUIRING SUFFICIENT FUNDING TO THE ETHICS REVIEW BOARD SO IT MAY PERFORM ALL ITS ASSIGNED DUTIES, AND AUTHORIZING THE ETHICS REVIEW BOARD TO ACCEPT OR DECLINE COMPLAINTS THAT HAVE BEEN RESOLVED BY AN ENTITY OTHER THAN THE ETHICS REVIEW BOARD. B, REVISING THE LANGUAGE OF THE CHARTER TO ACCOUNT FOR OUTDATED AND AND SUPERSEDED PROVISIONS.

D, ALLOWING CITY EMPLOYEES TO PARTICIPATE IN LOCAL POLITICAL ACTIVITY CONSISTENT WITH STATE AND FEDERAL LAW WHILE PROTECTING EMPLOYEES AGAINST POLITICAL RETRIBUTION AND MAINTAINING A GENERAL PROHIBITION ON PARTICIPATION IN LOCAL POLITICAL ACTIVITY FOR THE CITY LEADERSHIP TEAM. E, SETTING THE COMPENSATION FOR CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS AND THE MAYOR AT $70,200. AND $87,800 ANNUALLY WITH ANNUAL FUTURE ADJUSTMENTS TO CORRELATE WITH THE HUD INCOME LIMITS FOR SAN ANTONIO. AND, F, EXTENDING THE TERMS OF ALL ELECTED MEMBERS OF CITY COUNCIL, INCLUDING THE MAYOR, FROM TWO YEARS TO FOUR YEARS AND CHANGING THE TERM LIMITS FROM FOUR FULL TERMS TO TWO FULL TERMS AND KEEPING THE TERMS

CONCURRENT. >> VIAGRAN: THANK YOU, DEBBIE.

JOHN, I BELIEVE WE HAVE A PRESENTATION. >> I HAVE A NUMBER OF SLIDES TO WALK THROUGH BRIEFLY THAT PRESENTS WHAT'S BEFORE YOU TODAY.

SO WE'LL DO THAT AND THEN WE'RE AVAILABLE TO TAKE QUESTIONS AFTERWARDS.

SO TODAY, BEFORE YOU, THE RECOMMENDATIONS FOR THE CHANGES TO THE CHARTER WERE ORIGINATED BY THE CHARTER REVIEW COMMISSION, WHICH PRESENTED TO THE COUNCIL ON JUNE 5TH OF THIS YEAR. FOLLOWING THAT JUNE 5TH B SESSION, THERE WAS A SPECIAL WORK SESSION ON AUGUST 1 TO UPDATE THESE RECOMMENDATIONS.

THESE PROPOSITIONS WILL BE PRESENTED TO THE VOTERS ON THE NOVEMBER 5TH BALLOT WITH YOUR APPROVAL TODAY AND THE DEADLINE TO CALL THAT ELECTION IS AUGUST 19TH.

SO I'M GOING TO REVIEW THE PROPOSITIONS, MUCH LIKE DEBBIE JUST DID, AND POINT OUT THE DIFFERENCES THAT HAVE OCCURRED BETWEEN THE B SESSION ON THE 1ST AND TODAY. PROPOSITION A ADDS A DEFINITION FOR CONFLICTS OF INTEREST AND REQUIRES SUFFICIENT FUNDING FOR THE ETHICS REVIEW BOARD.

IT ALSO GIVES IT THE ABILITY TO PERFORM ALL ITS DUTIES AND AUTHORIZES THE ETHICS REVIEW BOARD TO ACCEPT OR DECLINE COMPLAINTS THAT HAVE BEEN RESOLVED BY OTHER ENTITIES. SO THIS ITEM HAS CHANGED VERY MINORLY FROM LAST TIME AND THAT IS THAT TERM LIMITS WILL REMAIN IN THE PROPOSITIONS HEADED TO VOTERS FROM THE ETHICS REVIEW BOARD MEMBERS. THAT'S PROPOSITION A.

PROPOSITION B, THERE WERE NO CHANGES. THIS REVISES THE CHARTER TO ACCOUNT FOR OUTDATED AND SUPERSEDED PROVISIONS. PROPOSITION C, THERE WERE ALSO NO CHANGES FROM THE B SESSION. THIS GRANTS THE CITY COUNCIL THE AUTHORITY TO SET THE TERMS FOR THE CITY MANAGER'S EMPLOYMENT, TENURE, AND COMPENSATION. PROPOSITION D, ALSO THERE WERE NO CHANGES FROM THE B SESSION ON THE 1ST. THIS ALLOWS CITY EMPLOYEES TO PARTICIPATE IN LOCAL POLITICAL ACTIVITY CONSISTENT WITH STATE AND FEDERAL LAW WHILE PROTECTING EMPLOYEES AGAINST POLITICAL RETRIBUTION AND MAINTAINING A GENERAL PROHIBITION ON PARTICIPATION IN LOCAL POLITICAL ACTIVITY FOR THE CITY'S LEADERSHIP TEAM.

PROPOSITION E THAT'S BEFORE YOU TODAY SETS THE COMPENSATION FOR CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS AND THE MAYOR AT $70,200. AND $87,800 ANNUALLY WITH FUTURE ADJUSTMENTS CORRELATED TO THE HUD INCOME LIMITS FOR THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO. THIS CHANGE WOULD GO INTO EFFECT WITH COUNCIL MEMBERS ELECTED IN MAY OF 2025. SO THIS ITEM WAS REVISED FROM LAST TIME AND INCLUDES THE HUD INCOME LIMITS FOR THE SAN ANTONIO, NEW BRAUNFELS, METROPOLITAN STATISTICAL AREA. I WILL TAKE A MOMENT TO EXPLAIN THAT A LITTLE FURTHER. HUD INCOME LIMITS ARE BASED ON MEDIAN FAMILY INCOME FOR THE MSA. THEY ARE ADJUSTED FOR INFLATION AND FOR THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE IN THE HOUSEHOLD. THOSE NUMBERS ARE UPDATED EVERY JUNE BY HUD AND NEIGHBORHOOD AND HOUSING SERVICES HERE LOCALLY AND THEY ARE USED MAINLY FOR ELIGIBILITY FOR HOUSING ASSISTANCE HERE IN THE COMMUNITY.

LAST WEEK ON THE 1ST THE 23 HUD INCOME LIMIT NUMBERS WERE REFERENCED.

[01:00:04]

THAT CADENCE WILL CONTINUE. IF APPROVED BY VOTERS, EACH JUNE, CITY STAFF WILL REVIEW THE HUD INCOME LIMITS FOR THE YEAR AND ANY ADJUSTMENTS THAT WOULD BE NECESSARY WOULD BE INCLUDED AS A PART OF THE BUDGET AND GO INTO EFFECT ON OCTOBER 1ST EACH YEAR WITH THE ADOPTION OF THE BUDGET. SO THAT CADENCE WOULD HAPPEN IN JUNE DURING THE BUDGET-SETTING PROCESS AND THE COUNCIL'S PAY WOULD CHANGE ON OCTOBER 1ST WITH THE BUDGET EACH YEAR. PROPOSITION F.

THIS WOULD EXTEND THE TERMS OF ELECTED MEMBERS TO CITY COUNCIL, INCLUDING THE MAYOR, FROM TWO-YEAR TERMS TO FOUR-YEAR TERMS. AND IT WOULD CHANGE THE TERM LIMITS FROM FOUR FULL TERMS TO TWO FULL TERMS. SO CONSISTENT WITH THE EIGHT YEARS, JUST TWO FOUR-YEAR TERMS. AND PROPOSITION ALSO KEEPS THOSE TERMS CONCURRENT. THIS IS A CHART THAT ILLUSTRATES WHAT IS BEFORE YOU TODAY. THIS IS CONCURRENT FOUR-YEAR TERMS. YOU'LL SEE AN ELECTION OCCURRING IN 2025 FOLLOWED BY AN ELECTION FOR EVERYONE IN 2029. I WOULD POINT OUT THAT THE GRAYED OUT AREAS ILLUSTRATE WHERE SPECIAL ELECTIONS WOULD BE NECESSARY BASED ON COUNCIL'S DIRECTION TO ALLOW THIS COUNCIL ONLY TO SERVE EIGHT YEARS. THOSE GRAYED OUT AREAS ARE WHEN SPECIAL ELECTIONS WOULD BE NECESSARY. THIS CHART ALSO ILLUSTRATES THE NEED TO HAVE AN ELECTION AFTER EVERY REDISTRICTING EFFORT.

SO A CENSUS IS GOING TO OCCUR IN 2030 AND THEN THERE WOULD BE A REDISTRICTING EFFORT, WE BELIEVE WOULD BE COMPLETED BY 2033. ALL MEMBERS WOULD BE ELECTED IN 2033 AND ALSO IN 2043. THAT'S ILLUSTRATED IN THIS CHART.

THOSE ARE THE PROPOSITIONS BEFORE YOU TODAY. ANDY'S TEAM AND CITY STAFF

ARE HERE TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS. >> VIAGRAN: THANK YOU.

THANK YOU, JOHN. WE DO HAVE QUITE A FEW PEOPLE SIGNED UP FOR PUBLIC COMMENT. YOU GET THREE MINUTES. SOMEONE CAN DONATE THE TIME SO YOU CAN GET SIX MINUTES. IT MAXES FOR GROUPS AT NINE MINUTES.

WE'RE GOING TO BEGIN WITH ATHANEY PEREZ? >> GOOD MORNING, EVERYBODY.

I WILL BE HERE REPRESENTING THE 78207 YOUTH THAT ARE OF THE INNER CITY WEST SIDE OF SAN ANTONIO, TEXAS. I WANT TO START OFF SAYING WITH OUR ORGANIZATIONS WHO ARE IN THE FIELD AND ARE DEDICATING THEIR TIME AND INCOME TO AIDING OUR COMMUNITY INEQUITIES AND AT-RISK YOUTH. IT IS VERY APPARENT.

IT IS IN THE NEWS, IT IS WHEN YOU'RE WALKING THROUGH THE WEST SIDE IT IS VERY VISIBLE AND APPARENT THAT OUR YOUTH ARE FALLING VICTIM TO VIOLENCE.

THEY ARE KILLING EACH OTHER AND THEY ARE KILLING THEMSELVES BECAUSE WHEN WE COME BACK HOME TO OUR ABUSIVE ENVIRONMENTS THAT ARE RIDDLED WITH ADDICTION AND THINGS LIKE THAT, WE DON'T FEEL CONFIDENT IN REACHING OUT TO OUR EDUCATIONAL, JUDICIAL, AND CITY SYSTEMS THAT HAVE ULTIMATELY FAILED US AS A GENERATION. THOSE PEOPLE WHO ARE TAKING THE TIME TO HAVE GENUINE COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT, THESE ARE PEOPLE WHO ARE GETTING PAID 10 TO $12 AN HOUR.

THOSE PEOPLE ARE PAYING OUT OF POCKET TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY'RE ESTABLISHING A RELATIONSHIP WITH OUR YOUTH. AND AS SOMEBODY WHO UNFORTUNATELY SPENT MOST OF HER YEARS TAKING PART IN THE TROUBLEMAKING THAT HAPPENED ON THAT SIDE OF TOWN, A LOT OF MY PEERS HAVE CAME TO ME WHO HAVE FALLEN VICTIM OF GUN VIOLENCE AND DIFFERENT THINGS LIKE THAT. WE ARE EXTREMELY TIRED OF BEING OVERLOOKED.

WE ARE READY TO START IMPLEMENTING LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT SKILLS WITH THOSE SAME CHILDREN THAT ARE BEING SHOOED AWAY BY OUR SYSTEMS HERE IN SAN ANTONIO, THAT ARE BEING TARGETED, JUST BECAUSE OF THE WAY WE LOOK, THE WAY OUR HAIR STYLES LOOK. WE'RE ALL PUT INTO ONE CATEGORY AND WE ARE BEING TREATED AS ANIMALS, AS DOGS. AND THESE ARE THE SAME YOUNG MEN AND WOMEN THAT I SEE THAT ARE TAKING THE INITIATIVE TO HAVE A LEADERSHIP ROLE AS A YOUNG MAN OR A YOUNG WOMAN IN THEIR FAMILY, IN THEIR HOUSEHOLDS WHERE PRIMARILY IT'S A ONE-PARENT HOUSEHOLD, MAKING ENDS MEET. I LIVE IN THE ALAZAN COURTS AND IT'S EIGHT PEOPLE IN A THREE-BEDROOM APARTMENT AND THERE I AM FACING HOUSING INEQUITIES, NOT HAVING AN EFFICIENT, COMFORTABLE HOME TO LIVE IN.

WHEN YOU'RE MIXING ALL OF THESE THINGS TOGETHER, WE ARE NEGLECTING OUR MENTAL HEALTH AS A COLLECTIVE, AS YOUNG PEOPLE OF THIS CITY. AND I BELIEVE THAT IT IS ABOUT THAT TIME FOR US TO REMEMBER EXACTLY HOW MUCH PRIDE WE NEED TO HAVE WITH LIVING IN SAN ANTONIO. WE ARE SO RICH WITH HISTORY AND CULTURE BUT YET WE KIND

[01:05:02]

WE ARE READY TO BE DEVELOPED AND WE ARE READY TO SHARE THESE SUCCESSES WITH OUR MEDICAL EXAMINERS, WITH OUR LAW ENFORCEMENT, WITH THE AMAZING PEOPLE WHO ARE UP HERE AS ELECTED OFFICIALS. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THIS TIME.

VIVA LA ROSSA! HAVE BRETT FINLEY. BRETT FINLEY. I'M GOING TO HAVE TO ASK EVERYBODY TO KEEP THE APPLAUSE TO A MINIMUM SO PEOPLE CAN HEAR THEIR NAME CALLED. I'LL CALL ONCE AND IF YOU DON'T HEAR YOUR NAME CALLED, I'LL MOVE ON. GUILLERMO VASQUEZ COULD BE NEXT.

>> GOOD MORNING. MY NAME IS BRETT FINLEY. I'M THE PRESIDENT AND CEO OF THE NORTH SAN ANTONIO CHAMBER OF COMMERCE. ON BEHALF OF MORE THAN 800 OF OUR MEMBER BUSINESSES, I WANT TO THANK Y'ALL AND WELCOME Y'ALL BACK FROM A JULY HIATUS. I'M HERE TO SPEAK IN SUPPORT OF TWO OF THE SIX PROPOSITIONS. BEFORE I GET INTO THOSE COMMENTS, I WANT TO SEND A SHOUT OUT TO THE CHARTER REVIEW COMMISSION. THOSE MEMBERS DID AN ADMIRABLE JOB. IT WAS DATA-DRIVEN, OBJECT-BASED LED BY DAVID ZAMMIELLO AND B BONNIE PROCESSER. IN REGARDS TO THE PROPOSITION, WE DO WANT TO SUPPORT PROPOSITION C, I BELIEVE, THAT'S THE CITY MANAGER PAY AND TENURE LIMITATIONS, NOT TO RE-LITIGATE HOW THAT GOT ON THERE BUT IN THE BEST INTEREST OF SAN ANTONIO MOVING FORWARD TO MAINTAIN EXISTING TALENT THAT WE HAVE AND A FULLY-QUALIFIED AND CAPABLE CITY MANAGER AND IN THE FUTURE. LET'S NOT PLACE THOSE LIMITATIONS TO ATTRACT AND RETAIN OUR CITY MANAGER IN THE FUTURE. THE SECOND PROPOSITION FOR CONSIDERATION IS I WOULD LOVE FOR Y'ALL TO CONSIDER EXTENDING THOSE TERM LIMITS FROM TWO TO FOUR YEARS FOR BOTH THE CITY COUNCIL AND THE MAYOR.

FOR A VARIETY OF REASONS, I THINK FROM A CONTINUITY PERSPECTIVE, I THINK BACK TO 2017, DISTRICT 2 AND DISTRICT 6 THROUGH 10 IN, BRAND-NEW START IN 2017. THAT'S SEVEN OF THE 11 COUNCIL MEMBERS AND THE MAYOR, TO COME IN THERE. SO INSTITUTIONAL KNOWLEDGE, NEW FACES AND PLACES, OBVIOUSLY I THINK A HEALTHY BALANCE OF THAT IS CERTAINLY WARRANTED BUT I THINK BEYOND THE TWO TO FOUR YEARS, WE WOULD LOVE A STRONG CONSIDERATION OF STAGGERING THOSE TERMS. AGAIN, THERE'S SOME LONG-TERM PLANNING PROJECTS THAT MAY TAKE 18 MONTHS. IT MAY TAKE TWO YEARS OR MORE THAN THAT.

GAINING FAMILIARITY WITH YOUR CONSTITUENCY, LEARNING MORE ABOUT YOUR DISTRICT.

AND ALSO OBVIOUSLY DEVELOPING A GOOD-WORKING RAPPORT FOR HEALTHY DISCUSSIONS WITH YOUR COUNCIL COLLEAGUES. TWO TO FOUR YEARS, POTENTIALLY STAGGERING THOSE TERMS. WE WOULD LOVE TO SEE THE CITY MANAGER PROPOSITION FOR PAY AND TENURE. WELCOME BACK.

THANK Y'ALL FOR YOUR CONTINUED SUPPORT AND LOOK FORWARD TO YOUR FEEDBACK.

>> MAYOR NIRENBERG: THANK YOU, MR. FINLEY. GUILLERMO VASQUEZ.

MR. VASQUEZ, YOU WILL BE FOLLOWED BY A GROUP. PAUL RODRIGUEZ, RYAN, AND

CHRISTINA, AND LOLA. >> GOOD MORNING, MAYOR NIRENBERG, COUNCIL MEMBERS AND CITY MANAGER. I'M WITH AFSCME. I'M HERE TODAY WITH OUR FELLOW AFSCME MEMBERS AND SOME OUR COMMUNITY PARTNERS STANDING TOGETHER IN SUPPORT OF ITEM 34, SECTION D, OR PROPOSITION D ON THE AGENDA TODAY.

WE ARE HERE TO ASK FOR YOUR SUPPORT TO ADD SECTION D TO THE CITY CHARTER ELECTION IN NOVEMBER. AS MANY OF YOU KNOW, WITH YOUR SUPPORT TODAY, THE CITIZENS WILL ULTIMATELY MAKE THE FINAL DECISION ON ACTIVATING THE VOICES OF CITY EMPLOYEES IN MUNICIPAL ELECTIONS. IT'S A BIG DEAL CONSIDERING THIS WILL ALLOW EMPLOYEES TO FULLY PARTICIPATE IN THE POLITICAL PROCESS, KNOWING THE CANDIDATES WHO STAND WITH THEM TO ENHANCE THE CITY SERVICES THAT WE PROVIDE. AFTER ALL, HAVING A VOICE IS SOMETHING ALL OF US DESIRE.

IN THE NEXT FEW MONTHS AND YEARS, WE WILL USE OUR COLLECTIVE VOICE TO WORK WITH THE CITY MANAGEMENT BUT WE WILL MAKE SURE IT ENHANCES THE SERVICES WE ALREADY DELIVER. AT THE TIME WITH SO MANY OTHERS IN OUR COUNTRY ARE IMPLEMENTS VOTER SUPPRESSION TACTICS, I'M PROUD TO BE WITH YOU TODAY AS YOU VOTE TO ENHANCE THE VOICES OF ALL CITY EMPLOYEES. I WOULD SAY IN NOVEMBER CITY EMPLOYEES WILL FINALLY BE ABLE TO SAY IN SA WE HAVE A SAY.

72 YEARS, EIGHT MONTHS, AND SEVEN DAYS, BUT WHO IS COUNTING? IS FAR TOO LONG TO HAVE OUR VOICE DISCOUNTED. AFSCME AND OUR CITY OF SAN

[01:10:02]

WE HOPE WE CAN COUNT ON YOUR VOTE TODAY. BUT IN CLOSING I WANTED TO THANK EVERY ONE OF YOU FOR TAKING THE TIME TO MEET WITH US.

THAT'S REALLY WHERE THE HEART OF THIS IS. YOU INVESTED THAT TIME TO MEET WITH OUR CITY EMPLOYEES AND HEARD THEM LOUD AND CLEAR.

THE MAYOR'S OFFICE, EVERY SINGLE COUNCILWOMAN AND COUNCILMAN.

FRIEDA AND HER TEAM, THE LEGAL TEAM, EVERYONE STEPPED UP TO LISTEN.

WHEN PEOPLE THOUGHT WE COULDN'T COMMUNICATE ON SOMETHING SO IMPORTANT, THE DOORS SHUT DOWN AND Y'ALL GAVE US THAT OPPORTUNITY. WITH THAT, WE WANT TO THANK YOU AND WE LOOK FORWARD TO YOUR VOTE TODAY. HAVE A GREAT DAY.

[APPLAUSE] >> MAYOR NIRENBERG: THANK YOU, MR. VASQUEZ.

PAUL RODRIGUEZ, RYAN, CHRISTINA, AND LOLA. Y'ALL WILL HAVE NINE MINUTES. FOLLOWED BY RUBEN DE LA SANTOS.

>> HELLO, EVERYBODY. MY NAME IS LOLA SANCHEZ. I GREW UP IN SAISD, GOT A FULL RIDE TO UNIVERSITY WHERE I GOT A DEGREE IN MUSIC INDUSTRY STUDIES AND I AM BACK HERE ADVOCATING FOR MY CITY AND FOR THE YOUTH. SINCE I WAS IN SIXTH GRADE HAVE SPOKEN TO MANY OF Y'ALL REPEATEDLY OVER AND OVER AGAIN.

I WAS EDUCATED AT [INDISCERNIBLE] SO I WAS HIGHLY INVOLVED WITH THE COMMUNITY. I FIND SADNESS IN THAT I'M STANDING HERE AGAIN WITH Y'ALL ESSENTIALLY ASKING FOR THE SAME THING. MORE MONEY FOR THE YOUTH AND MORE SUPPORT. BECAUSE IF WE SAY WE'RE INVESTING IN YOUTH, WHICH MEANS GIVING THEM OPPORTUNITIES, ESSENTIALLY TO INVEST IN THE CITY, WHICH Y'ALL USED BY EXAMPLE YOUR INTERNS, FOR EXAMPLE. YOU'RE SAYING WE'RE INVESTING IN YOUTH BUT ACTUALLY THE YOUTH ARE INVESTING IN YOU ALL.

AND WE REALLY NEED TO BEGIN TO REMIND OURSELVES TO LOOK AT IT IN THAT WAY BECAUSE YOUTH CAN GIVE AN INSIGHT IN THE WORLD THAT ADULTS SIMPLY CAN'T.

AND OUR YEARS, YOUR LIVED EXPERIENCE CAN'T. WE JUST HAVE A LITTLE BIT OF CHILD-LIKE IDEOLOGY. AND SO IT'S IMPORTANT THAT WE SPEND OUR DOLLARS AND PUT OUR MONEY, FOR LACK OF A BETTER WORD, WHERE OUR MOUTH IS AND GIVE FUNDS TO YOUTH SO THEY CAN CONTINUE TO GO OUT OF STATE FOR COLLEGE, EARN THEMSELVES FULL RIDES, AND COME BACK TO THE CITY THEY GREW UP IN TO ADVOCATE FOR THE SAME YOUTH THAT THEY WERE A PART OF AND THAT I'M STILL A PART OF. PLEASE, PLEASE HEAR US OUT.

WHEN THE YOUTH ARE COMING UP HERE AND SAYING WE NEED HELP AND WE HAVE BEEN SAYING IT FOR YEARS THAT WE NEED MORE MONEY, THAT WE NEED MORE FUNDING TO GET ACCESS TO UPLIFTING OUR CITY. IT'S NECESSARY. SO THE PEOPLE BEHIND ME ARE GOING TO BACK ME UP WITH ALL THE FACTS BUT I'M HERE TO TELL YOU WITH EMOTION.

WE NEED MORE FUNDING AND WE NEED IT FOR THE YOUTH BECAUSE THEY ARE OUR WORLD AND OUR NEXT GENERATION. WITH THAT, LOLA SANCHEZ, THANK YOU.

>> LOLA, THANK YOU FOR NOT GIVING UP IN YOUR ADVOCACY. I WANT TO ASK ALL THE CHILD AND YOUTH ADVOCATES IN THE ROOM TO STAND SO YOU CAN BE ACKNOWLEDGED FOR YOUR TIRELESS EFFORTS AS WELL. I'M RYAN HOLLAND, THE CEO OF THE PARTNERSHIP, PROUD RESIDENT OF D7. PROUD PARTNER TO THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO AND ADMIRER OF OUR MAYOR AND OUR CITY COUNCIL. AND WE'RE REALLY HERE TODAY WITH OFFERINGS. AND OUR FIRST OFFERING IS FOR YOUR STUDENT AMBASSADORS, FOR YOUR BACK TO SCHOOL EVENTS, THE EXCELLENT WORK YOU DO WITH YOUNG PEOPLE IN YOUR DISTRICT. WE WOULD LOVE TO BE A RESEARCH PARTNER FOR YOU SO THAT WE CAN HELP YOU TO IDENTIFY ALL OF THE UNMET NEEDS IN YOUR DISTRICTS. I AM SURE EVERY SINGLE ONE OF YOUR STUDENT AMBASSADORS KNOWS DOZENS IF NOT HUNDREDS OF YOUNG PEOPLE WHO HAVE NOT YET FOUND THEIR SUPER STARDOM AND THEIR PATH. CHILDREN ACROSS SAN ANTONIO DON'T HAVE A UNION.

THEY DON'T HAVE CHAMBERS TO REPRESENT THEM AND THAT'S THE POLITICAL REALITY.

WHEN THEY STRUGGLE WITH A MENTAL ILLNESS OR AN ADDICTION OR A SAFE PLACE TO GO AFTER SCHOOL OR SOMEWHERE TO KEEP LEARNING IN THE SUMMER OR SOMEONE TO HELP THEM IN A TIME OF CRISIS, THEY DEPEND ON THE RESOURCES THAT WE, AS COMMUNITY LEADERS, HAVE CREATED FOR THEM. AND WHEN THOSE RESOURCES ARE NOT THERE, THEIR STRUGGLES CONTINUE, IF NOT GET WORSE. THAT'S WHY IT'S VITAL THAT WE GROW AND UNDER NO CIRCUMSTANCES SHRINK THE SUPPORTS WE PROVIDE TO THEM.

THAT'S WHY WE'VE BEEN ADVOCATING SINCE THE VERY BEGINNING OF THE CHARTER REVIEW PUBLIC COMMENT PROCESS, AS A COMMUNITY, TO GROW THESE SERVICES.

AND THAT'S WHY WE'RE ASKING YOU TODAY MOVING FORWARD TO FORM A JOINT TASK FORCE

[01:15:04]

AND THAT'S WHAT THEY DESERVE, AS LOLA HAS TALKED ABOUT.

OF THE 515,000, THERE ARE OVER 125,000 YOUNG PEOPLE 18 AND UNDER LIVING IN POVERTY.

THAT'S THE MAJORITY OF PEOPLE LIVING IN POVERTY 18 AND YOUNGER.

IT'S NOT GOING TO BE SOLVED WITHOUT SERIOUS STRUCTURAL CHANGE AND WE'RE EXCITED TO PARTNER WITH YOU IN THAT CHANGE. [APPLAUSE]

>> GOOD MORNING, EVERYONE. CHRISTINA MARTINEZ, RESIDENT OF D1, PARENT OF THREE YOUNG PEOPLE UNDER THE AGE OF 25 AND A MEMBER OF THE UP POLICY TEAM.

OUR COMMUNITY OF BOTH YOUTH AND ADULT ADVOCATES ARE HERE TODAY IN SUPPORT OF THE VOICES THAT CAN BE HARDEST TO HEAR, EVEN THOUGH THEY ARE ALL AROUND US.

THE SAD REALITY IS THAT OUR SCHOOLS ARE NOT AND WILL NOT BE SET UP OR ANYWHERE NEAR A POSITION TO PROVIDE ALL OF THE ESSENTIAL NEEDS OF OUR CHILDREN AND OUR FAMILIES.

OUR SCHOOLS ARE HEAVILY CONSTRAINED BY THE CURRENT FUNDING SITUATION ENVIRONMENT WITH NO RELIEF IN SIGHT AND WITH FEDERAL EDUCATION DOLLARS ON THE BALLOT IN NOVEMBER. WE ARE AT A CRITICAL MOMENT WHEN WE HAVE TO PROACTIVELY HAVE A STRATEGY TO SUSTAIN DOLLARS FOR YOUTH. PHILANTHROPY CANNOT CLOSE THE GAP. AT BEST, PHILANTHROPY CAN HELP DEMONSTRATE WHAT IS POSSIBLE SO THAT PUBLIC DOLLARS CAN HELP SUSTAIN AND SCALE IMPORTANT PROGRAMS. OUR PARTNERS TODAY INCLUDE LOCAL FOUNDATION LEADERS WHO CAN TESTIFY TO THAT FACT.

YES, FUNDRAISING IS THE WAY OF LIFE FOR MANY OF US WHO HAVE DEDICATED OUR DAYS TO SUPPORTING CHILDREN AND YOUTH, BUT THERE IS NO WAY WE ARE FUNDRAISING OUR WAY OUT OF THE CRISIS THAT OUR YOUNG PEOPLE FACE. WE ARE HERE TODAY ON BEHALF OF THE CHILD AND YOUTH DEVELOPMENT WORKERS, OVER 5,000 OF US, WHO SPEND OUR EVENINGS, WEEKENDS, AND SUMMERS SUPPORTING YOUNG PEOPLE WHILE ALSO BEING EXPERTS AT TRAUMA-INFORMED CARE, YOUTH MENTAL HEALTH, AND DEVELOPMENTAL RELATIONSHIPS. WE SEE THE GAPS. WE SEE THE STRUGGLES AND WE HAVE TO ADVOCATE. OUR TEAM, ALONG WITH THE STEERING COMMITTEE AND OUR FUTURE WE BROUGHT INNOVATIVE AND CREATIVE IDEAS FROM AROUND THE BEST PRACTICES AROUND THE NATION. WE ARE EXCITED TO WORK WITH

YOU ON THE WAY FORWARD. THANK YOU. >> GOOD MORNING.

I'M DR. PAUL RODRIGUEZ, DIRECTOR OF POLICY AND YOU THROUGH THIS PROCESS. OUR TEAM IS EXTREMELY COMMITTED TO CONTINUING TO UNLOCK $330 MILLION BY 2030 AS IT CONTRIBUTES TO OUR NORTH STAR GOAL OF POST-SECONDARY ENROLLMENT AND WE ARE ANXIOUS TO CONTINUE TO WORK WITH YOU TO FIND SOLUTIONS. ONE THING THAT WE WANTED TO POINT OUT AS WE'VE SHARED, OUR ESTIMATE IS ONLY 6%91 MILLIS $1.6 BILLION GENERAL FUND WAS DEDICATED TO CHILD AND YOUTH SERVICES IN FISCAL YEAR 2024. DESPITE THE FACT THAT YOUNG SAN ANTONIO IN ANSWER AGES ZERO TO 24 ACCOUNT FOR 35% OF OUR CITY AND 18 AND UNDER ACCOUNT FOR MORE THAN HALF OF THE 250,000 SAN ANTONIANS WHO STILL LIVE IN POVERTY.

OUR INTERNAL ANALYSIS OF THESE FIGURES WAS BASED -- PARDON ME ON A REVIEW OF ENTIRE GENERAL FUND FOR 2024 AND IDENTIFYING AND CONFIRMING EACH LINE ITEM WAS IN FACT EDUCATED TO CHILD AND/OR YOUTH SERVICES. WE CATEGORIZED THESE ITEMS WITH IDENTIFIERS, ACADEMIC SUPPORT, BEHAVIORAL HEALTH AND WORK TO ENSURE AN AGREED UPON TRACKING MECHANISM AND CLOSING THE FUNDING GAP TO BETTER SUPPORT OUR I COULDN'T REMEMBER PEOPLE. OUR YOUNG PEOPLE CANNOT BE CONSIDERED LAST IF WE EXPECT

A THRIVING TIME. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. >> WE HAVE 30 SECONDS.

I'M GOING TO ADD THIS ONE. AS I SAID, MY DEGREE WAS IN MUSIC INDUSTRY STUDIES AND I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT WE ALSO SHINE A LIGHT ON THE IMPORTANCE OF ARTS WHEN IT COMES TO THE THOUGHT OF FUNDING. MUSIC SAVES LIVES AND

[01:20:04]

ADVOCATE FOR THAT. >> MAYOR NIRENBERG: THANK YOU.

RUBEN DE LA SANTOS, FOLLOWED BY THOMAS EVANS. >> GOOD MORNING.

I'M WITH [INDISCERNIBLE] SAN ANTONIO, A NON-PROFIT THAT WORKS WITH FAMILIES TO ADVOCATE FOR IMPROVING THE QUALITY OF EDUCATION IN OUR CITY.

I'M HERE ON BEHALF OF FAMILIES WHO CANNOT BE HERE THIS MORNING.

IT IS, AFTER ALL, THURSDAY MORNING AND PEOPLE ARE WORKING.

SO I'M HERE TO SHARE SOME OF THEIR THOUGHTS IN SUPPORT OF THE FUTURE READY YOUTH INITIATIVE AND CONTINUE TO ADVOCATE FOR AN INVESTMENT IN OUR YOUTH.

FAMILIES HAVE BEEN ADVOCATING FOR THIS SINCE APRIL.

IN FACT, WE HAVE FOUR MOMS SHARE PUBLIC COMMENTS AT THE APRIL 25TH CHARTER CITY REVIEW COMMITTEE MEETING. AND TODAY WE HAVE ONE, SO EXCITED TO BE HERE.

BUT OUR FAMILIES ARE REALLY INVESTED IN THIS BECAUSE -- BECAUSE WHO BETTER TO UNDERSTAND OUR CHILDREN'S NEEDS THAN THEIR OWN FAMILIES.

WITHIN OUR TEAM FAMILIES HAVE SHARED THAT AN INVESTMENT IN PROGRAMS THAT SUPPORT YOUTH COULD HELP CHILDREN NOT JUST INSIDE THE CLASSROOM BUT OUTSIDE FROM THEIR NEIGHBORHOODS. FROM MAKING SURE CHILDREN DON'T GO HUNGRY.

OUR CITY LEADERS CARE FOR OUR CHILDREN. WE ASK THAT YOU CONTINUE TO HEAR OUR ASK. OUR TEAM IS HERE FOR YOUR QUESTIONS.

I THANK YOU YOU FOR YOUR TIME. >> MAYOR NIRENBERG: THANK YOU. TOM EVANS. THOMAS EVANS, FOLLOWED BY

SARA MONTEHANO. >> I'M THE LEAD NAVIGATOR AND EDUCATE THE YOUTH AND COMMUNITY ABOUT SUBSTANCE ABUSE WITH A HIGH RISK OF CONTRACTING HIV.

MY FOCUS IS MINORITY YOUTH BETWEEN 13 AND 24. AND IN BEXAR COUNTY THE RATE OF HIV IS 13.4%, AFRICAN AMERICANS OF 72.3%. WITH THE REVENUE ADDED BACK INTO THE YOUTH-ORIENTED AMENDMENT PARTNERSHIP WITH SA SPEAK UP. INDIVIDUALS IMPACTED BY THE EPIDEMIC BECAUSE WE FOCUS ON THE YOUTH BETWEEN THE AGE DEMOGRAPHIC THAT WE ARE LOOKING FOR. IT IS IMPORTANT HOW I PROVIDE LINKAGE TO CARE SERVICES FOR THE COMMUNITY. THEREFORE THAT WE ASK THAT YOU SUPPORT THIS BECAUSE IT IS IMPORTANT TO US IN HOW I EDUCATE THE YOUTH AND GIVE BACK TO THE COMMUNITY.

THANK YOU. >> MAYOR NIRENBERG: THANK YOU, MR. EVANS.

ERA MONTEHANO. YOU WILL BE FOLLOWED BY PAM DUESSING.

>> HELLO. I WOULD LIKE TO GIVE MY TIME TO MS. LORITA GATLIN

MCDAVID. >> MAYOR NIRENBERG: OKAY. I'LL CALL YOU UP WHEN YOUR NAME IS UP. YOU WILL HAVE SIX MINUTES. IS PAM DUESSING HERE?

YOU WILL BE FOLLOWED BY CHRISTOPHER GARY. >> GOOD MORNING.

GOOD MORNING, COUNCILMEN RODRIGUEZ. I'M DIRECTOR OF THE INTENSIVE READING PROGRAM AT BOWDEN CALMED. I WORK FOR ELLA AUSTIN.

A 127-YEAR-OLD LEGACY ON SAN ANTONIO'S EAST SIDE. IT STARTED ON THE AS AN ORGANIZATION FOR BLACK CHILDREN. AS AN EDUCATOR THAT HAS WORKED WITH CHILDREN FOR DECADES, I HIGHLY RECOMMEND COUNCIL VOTE YES ON ADDING THE CHARTER MEASURE TO BENEFIT SAN ANTONIO CHILDREN, YOUTH AND FAMILIES. TODAY THE ELISATA COMMUNITY CENTER EMBRYOS EARLY HEAD START PROGRAM, THE SUCCESS FUL READING PRESUME FOR FIRST THROUGH THIRD

[01:25:02]

IT'S LEAVING A DESPERATE VOID IN THE COMMUNITIES THAT THEY SERVED.

THE SCHOOLS THAT ARE STAYING OPEN WILL START THIS YEAR WITH FEWER COUNSELORS, FEWER INSTRUCTIONAL COACHES, AND FEWER LIBRARIANS, IF ANY. THE ELLA AUSTIN READING PROGRAM IS ENTERING YEAR SIX AND HAS HAD RESULTS IN ALMOST DOUBLING THE NUMBER OF THIRD GRADE STANDS PASSING STARR AT BOWDEN COMBED.

DISTRICT-WIDE DATE SHOWS WHILE BOWDEN HAS A HIGHER PERCENTAGE OF ECONOMICALLY DISADVANTAGED STUDENTS. WE HAVE A HIGHER ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE FOR THE 2022 SCHOOL YEAR. DURING ELLA READING PROGRAM TIME ON CAMPUS, THE TEA RATING WENT FROM AN F TO A B. SOME OF THE CHILDREN WE WORK WITH FACE SEEMINGLY UNSURMOUNTABLE OBSTACLES. HOMELESSNESS, VIOLENCE IN THE HOME, FOOD INSECURITY, LACK OF MEDICAL AND DENTAL CARE.

LAST YEAR WE HAD A CHILD PASS OUT IN THE CLASSROOM. SHE FELL ON THE FLOOR, SHE HAD AN ABSCESSED TOOTH. HER CLASSMATES WERE IN CONSOLABLE AS EMS TOOK HER AWAY IN AN AMBULANCE. THINGS LIKE THAT SHOULD NOT BE HAPPENING IN OUR SCHOOLS.

VALERO GAVE US SOME GAS CARDS LAST YEAR. I WAS GIVING THEM OUT TO PARENTS AND A MOTHER WITH THREE SAID, WELL, I DON'T HAVE A CAR.

I SAID, YOU KNOW YOU CAN USE THIS GAS CARD TO BUY MILK AND FOOD.

HER FACE JUST LIT UP. THIS MOTHER ALSO TAKES --

THANK YOU. >> MAYOR NIRENBERG: THANK YOU.

CHRISTOPHER GARY. YOU WILL BE FOLLOWED BY JULIE JONES.

>> I WOULD ACTUALLY LIKE TO GLIFF MY TIME TO KENDRA LEE CARPENTER.

THANK YOU. >> MAYOR NIRENBERG: WHO IS THAT YOU ARE GIVING YOUR

TIME TO? >> KENDRA LEE CARPENTER. >> MAYOR NIRENBERG: I DON'T SEE YOU SIGNED UP.

DON'T DOUBT YOU, BUT YOU ARE NOT ON THIS LIST. WHAT'S YOUR NAME?

>> WE'LL GO NOW TO CHIEF WALDEN. OKAY.

MR. WALDEN IS NOT HERE. AMANDA THOMAS. YOU WILL BE FOLLOWED BY

LINDA CHAVEZ THOMPSON. >> HELLO. FIRSTLY, I WANT TO STATE THAT I STAND WITH AFSCME AND CITY EMPLOYEES IN LIFTING THE GAG ORDER ON CITY EMPLOYEES BEING INVOLVED IN THE POLITICS OF THEIR CITY. OUR CITY EMPLOY EARS ARE THEIR OWN FORCE. THEY KEEP THE CITY GROWING, THRIVING.

THEY RAISE FAMILIES HERE, PAY TAXES AND SO MUCH MORE. THEY DESERVE A VOICE.

GIVE THEM THEY ARE FIRST AMENDMENT RIGHTS BACK. SECOND-DEGREELY, AS SOMEONE WHO FOCUSES ON SUB TASTE POLICY, I NOTICE INVESTING AND SUPPORTING OUR EDUCATING YOUTHS MAKES MORE SENSE THAN PUTTING COPS ON EVERY CORNER.

YOU UNDERAGE YOU TO WORK WITH THE PARTNERSHIP IN FIGURING OUT HOW TO BETTER INVEST IN OUR YOUTH. WHAT I AM TRULY HERE FOR IS SPEAK AGAINST THE AMENDMENT RELATED TO THE CITY MANAGER. OUR CITY MANAGER IS ONE OF THE MOST INFLUENTIAL MEMBERS OF OUR COMMUNITY AND THE ONLY INFLUENCE THAT WE HAVE AS VOTERS, THE ONLY REASON, WAY WE CAN ENSURE HE LISTENS TO US IS HE OR THEY LISTEN TO US IS THAT WE GET TO VOTE ON THEIR PAY AND TENURE. BUT THE MAYOR AND COUNCIL WANT TO TAKE THIS AWAY FROM US EVEN AS MANY OF YOU GET READY TO TERM OUT OF OFFICE. DO YOU NOT TRUST US, THE SAME CONSTITUENTS IS THAT VOTED YOU IN WITH THIS DECISION IN JUROR --

[01:30:03]

IT WAS BECAUSE WE VALUE ALL OF OUR CITY EMPLOYEES. WE SENT A CLEAR MESSAGE THAT PAY EQUITY MATTERS TO US. IT WAS THE RIGHT THING TO DO.

IF CITY COUNCIL IS SO INTERESTED IN RAISING THE WAGES OF THE CITY MANAGER, ALL YOU HAVE TO DO IS LOOK AT OUR LOWEST PAID CITY EMPLOYEES.

MANY WHO ARE WORKING TWO TO THREE JOBS JUST TO MAKE ENDS MEET.

RESCIND THIS AMENDMENT OR LOSE IT AT THE BALLOT. THANK YOU.

[APPLAUSE] >> MAYOR NIRENBERG: THANK YOU, MS. THOMAS.

LINDA CHAVEZ THOMPSON. YOU WILL BE FOLLOWED BY DR. KEELEY PETTY.

>> GOOD MORNING. IS THAT WHAT TODAY IS GOOD MORNING STILL TODAY, MR. MAYOR? NO? THEN I'LL HAVE TO LEAVE.

SHE STOLE MY SCRIPT. SHE SAID ALL THE THINGS THAT I WAS GOING TO SAY AND MAYBE A LITTLE ROUGHER BECAUSE I TEND TO BE A LOT OLDER THAN SHE IS SO SHE HASN'T HAD EXPERIENCE. AND TODAY I WILL ADMIT AND ALL OF YOU WILL TELL ME I DON'T LOOK LIKE IT, BUT I AM NOW 80 YOURS OLD. HOW DO YOU SAY THAT? [APPLAUSE] NOT TODAY. AUGUST 3RD WAS MY BIRTHDAY SO NOBODY SAID HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO ME THAT DAY BUT MY FAMILY.

>> HERE TO SAY TO YOU THAT I STARTED OUT WITH AFSCME, MY UNION, BACK IN THE DAY OF 1971. WE WERE NOT ALLOWED TO LET CITY EMPLOYEES EVEN THINK, LOOK OR FEEL LIKE THEY MIGHT LIKE A CITY COUNCIL PERSON AND/OR THE CITY COUNCIL PERSON WHO WAS WITH THEIR -- I MEAN THEIR CITY COUNCIL PERSON.

IT WAS A NO-NO. YOU COULDN'T SAY IT, THINK IT, YOU COULDN'T BREATHE IT.

AND IT MADE ME SUPREMELY PO 'ED. I DON'T TELL YOU WHAT THAT MEANS. IN THE MANY YEARS I HAVE BEEN IN THE LABOR MOVEMENT STARTING IN 1967, I HAVE BELIEVED SO MUCH IN WHAT UNION MEMBERS WANT TO DO NOT JUST FOR THEMSELVES BUT FOR THEIR FAMILIES, FOR THEIR ABILITY TO PROVIDE GOOD, GOOD QUALITY WORK. AND HERE IN SAN ANTONIO, TEXAS, I CAN TELL YOU I AM SO PROUD. SO THE 80 YEARS THAT I HAVE ON ME, I'M LEADING UP ON YOU TOO, OKAY? BECAUSE YOU AS A CITY COUNCIL SHOULD BE VERY PROUD TO VOTE THAT CITY EMPLOYEES ARE JUST LIKE EVERYBODY ELSE.

THEY ARE NOT GOING TO FIRE YOU. I'LL HELP YOU OUT, OKAY? FIGURE OUT A WAY TO HELP YOU OUT. BUT LET ME TELL YOU SOMETHING AND I'M NOT GOING TO TAKE MORE OF YOUR TIME, MR. MAYOR.

THESE EMPLOYEES DESERVE, DESERVE WHAT THEY DO FOR THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO, SO THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO SHOULD DESERVE WHO THEY ARE, WHAT THEY DO.

AND ONE OF MY FAVORITE RECORDS IS KICK

>> MAYOR NIRENBERG: THANK YOU. DR. KEELEY PETTY.

YOU WILL BE FOLLOWED BY JULIE JONES. I'M SORRY I SKIPPED YOU, MS. JOE

NEXT. >> GOOD MORNING, MAYOR, ESTEEMED CITY COUNCIL, STAFF AND ALL OF YOU WHO ARE HERE TODAY. ALL I WANT TO SAY IS THAT I'D LOVE FOR YOU TO CONSIDER INVESTING IN OUR YOUTH. JUST LIKE SOMEONE DID FOR YOU. YOU'RE HERE BECAUSE AT A POINT AND A PERIOD IN LIFE SOMEBODY INVESTED IN YOU. PLEASE CONSIDER INVESTING IN OUR YOUTH.

I'LL YIELD THE REST OF MY TIME TO BEVERLY WATTS DAVIS. BLESSINGS ON YOUR DAY AS YOU

CONSIDER THE CAUSE. [APPLAUSE] >> MAYOR NIRENBERG: THANK

[01:35:03]

CHARLES FUENTES. >> HELLO, I WOULD LIKE TO DONATE MY TIME TO PAM

DUESSING TO FINISH. >> MAYOR NIRENBERG: MS. DUESSING, LET ME CONTINUE ON, THEN I'LL CALL YOU BACK UP. CHARLES FUENTES.

YOU WILL BE FOLLOWED BY JERRY PETERS. >> THANK YOU ALL.

CHARLES FUENTES FROM THE COMMUNICATION WORKERS OF AMERICA, LOCAL 6143, HERE IN SUPPORT OF MY SIBLINGS IN AFSCME. JUST LIKE TO SAY THAT THROUGH THE PASSAGE OF THIS PROPOSITION TO RESTORE THE FIRST AMENDMENT RIGHTS TO ALL OF OUR CITY EMPLOYEES TO ENGAGE IN POLITICAL DISCOURSE WITHOUT FEAR OF RETRIBUTION SHOULD NOT HAVE TAKEN THIS LONG TO COME TO THIS MOMENT, BUT I'M GLAD THAT WE ARE HERE AND I LOOK FORWARD TO THE PASSAGE OF THIS PROPOSITION SO WE CAN ENSURE THAT EVERY CITIZEN HAS A SAY IN WHO SITS UPON THIS DAIS.

AND I LOOK FORWARD TO EXPANDING THE PROTECTIONS OF ALL WORKERS WITHIN THE CITY.

THANK YOU. >> MAYOR NIRENBERG: THANK YOU, MR. FUENTES.

JERRY PETERS. YOU'LL BE FOLLOWED BY BETTY ECKHERT.

IS MR. PETERS HERE? BETTY ECKERT? ANTHONY CRUZ.

MR. CRUZ, YOU WILL BE FOLLOWED BY JAMES STEWART. >> GOOD MORNING, MAYOR NIRENBERG AND CITY COUNCIL. THANK YOU FOR ALLOWING ME TO SPEAK TODAY.

I'M HERE TO VOICE STRONG SUPPORT FOR ALL SEVEN CHARTER AMENDMENTS AND URGE THEIR PASSAGE WITHOUT CHANGES. WHILE THEY ARE NOT PERFECT, THEY REPRESENT A SIGNIFICANT FIRST STEP TOWARDS CREATING A GOVERNMENT FOR SAN ANTONIO THAT IS REPRESENTATIVE, FAIR AND EFFICIENT. LAST WEEK THERE WERE DISCUSSIONS ABOUT STAGGERING TERMS. I AM RELIEVING THIS DID NOT MAKE IT INTO THE AGENDA. IT WOULD CREATE TWO ELECTORATES.

THIS WOULD EXACERBATE THE ALREADY LOW TURN YOUTH FOR MUNICIPAL ELECTIONS IF THEY ARE NOT ON THE BALLOT WITH THE MAYOR. FINALLY, I WANT TO ADDRESS MAYOR NIRENBERG DIRECTLY. EIGHT YEARS AGO A YOUNG GAY MAN FEARFUL OF THE WORLD SHAPED BY TRUMPISM GOT INVOLVED IN YOUR FIRST CAMPAIGN AND BELIEVED THE FIRST STEP STARRED STARTED WITH LOCAL ELECTIONS. HE NEVER GAVE UP ON YOU OR SAN ANTONIO. THESE CHARTER AMENDMENTS WHERE DIRECT RESULTS OF CONVERSATIONS WE HAD EIGHT YEARS AGO ABOUT MAJOR POLICIES THAT WOULD MAKE SAN ANTONIO A CITY YOU DESERVE. I AM PROUD TO HAVE PLAYED EVEN A SMALL PART IN THIS. I DON'T SEEK CREDIT, ALTHOUGH I MENTION IN YOUR BEST-SELLING AUTOBIOGRAPHY WOULD BE NICE. ONCE THESE PASS, THESE WILL BE YOUR LEGACY. WHOEVER SITS IN THAT CHAIR NEXT YEAR WILL HAVE BIG SHOES TO FILL. BUT I BELIEVE THAT SHE WILL MAKE THAT CHAIR HER OWN.

THANK YOU, RON, FOR YOUR FRIENDSHIP AND LEADERSHIP. NOW LET'S GET THIS DONE.

[APPLAUSE] >> MAYOR NIRENBERG: THANK YOU, MR. CRUZ.

JAMES STEWART. MR. STEWART, YOU WILL BE FOLLOWED BY HEATHER IKLING.

>> GOOD MORNING. I'M SAMES STEWART AND REPRESENT MYSELF AND THANK YOU FOR ALLOWING ME TO SPEAK TODAY. I WANT TO START OUT BY GIVING A FEW WORDS THAT -- QUOTATIONS THAT EXPRESS MY SENTMENTS.

ONE IS FROM BENJAMIN FRANKLIN. HE SAID IF THERE IS A LESSON IN ALL OF THIS, IT IS THAT OUR SUBSTITUTION IS NEITHER A SELF-ACTUATING NOR A SELF-CORRECTING DOCUMENT. IT REQUIRES THE CONSTANT AATTENTION AND DEVOTION OF ALL CITIZENS. THAT'S WHY I'M HERE TODAY. THERE IS A STORY TOLD UPON EXITING THE CONSTITUTIONAL CONVENTION, A REMEMBER IF YOU CAN KEEP IT.

THE BREVITY OF THAT RESPONSE SHOULD NOT CAUSE US TO UNDER VALUE ITS MEETING.

ARE NOT FOUNDED ON THE CONSENT OF THE PEOPLE. IN OTHER WORDS, WE GOT TO KEEP ABREAST OF WHAT'S GOING ON. AND THIS ITEM 34 IS NOT TO

[01:40:04]

THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES WAS CREATED SO VERY OFTEN THEY COULD OVERTURN THE POPULACE GOVERNMENT IN THE HOUSE AND REVIEW THEM AND VOTE IN OR OUT.

IF YOU EXTEND THAT, THERE'S DANGER IN THAT AS FRANKLY SAID.

I ALSO WISH TO FOLLOW UP WITH THE QUOTATION FROM JAMES MADISON.

THIS IS FROM KIND OF A SUMMARY FROM HIS FEDERALIST PAPERS 47 AND 48.

HE WROTE -- THE MAIN AUTHOR OF THE U.S. CONSTITUTION. THE ACCUMULATION OF ALL POURS, LEGISLATIVE, EXECUTIVE AND JUDICIARYRY IN THE SAME HANDS WHETHER OF ONE, A FEW OR MANY AND WHETHER HEREDITARY, SELF-APPOINTED OR ELECTED MAY JUSTLY PRONOUNCE THE DEFINITION OF TYRANNY. YOU ARE GOING TO TURN A LOT OF POWER OVER TO SOMETHING CALLED AN ETHICS COMMITTEE OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT.

DON'T. THAT'S WHAT YOU ARE GOING TO GIVE, TYRANNY.

I WANT TO THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME. HAVE A GOOD DAY.

>> MAYOR NIRENBERG: HEATHER IKLING. FOLLOWED BY ALANNA TREVINO.

>> ON THE EAST AND WEST COASTS THAT IS IN FLORIDA AND WASHINGTON STATE, COMMUNITIES HAVE MADE SIGNIFICANT LONG-TERM VOTER APPROVED INVESTMENTS IN THEIR YOUTH THROUGH CITY AND COMMUNITY-BASED PARTNERSHIPS.

IT'S TIME FOR SAN ANTONIO TO DO THE SAME TO IMPROVE THE LIVES OF CHILDREN AND FAMILIES FOR THE NEXT GENERATIONS. I KNOW WE CAN RISE TO THE OCCASION AS A PARTNERSHIP IS PROPOSING. GOOD MORNING.

MY NAME IS HEATHER IKLING AND I'M THE FOUNDER AND EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF YOUTH DEVOTE, A NON-PARTNER SAN ORGANIZATIONS. WE ARE GRATEFUL TO THE SAN ANTONIO AREA FOUNDATION FOR ENCOURAGING US TO BECOME A FUTURE READY PARTNER AND PROUD TO BE HERE TO STAND WITH OUR NON-PROFIT FRIENDS AND COLLEAGUES.

THROUGH OUR NON-PARTNER SAN PROGRAMMING, WE GIVE HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS ACCESS TO THE BALLOT AND VOICE FOR THEIR CONCERNS. IT IS STATE LAW FOR HIGH SCHOOL PRINCIPALS TO OFFER VOTER REGISTRATION AT LEAST TWICE PER YEAR TO ALL ELIGIBLE STUDENTS. SCHOOLS HAVE MANY UNFUNDED MANDATES AND COMPLIANCE IS WELL BELOW 50%. SCHOOL TEACHERS BENEFIT WITH LOCAL NONPROFITS LIKE OURS.

YOUTH DEVOTE IS PROUD TO WORK WITH TWO DOZEN HIGH SCHOOLS REPRESENTING NINE SCHOOL DISTRICTS IN BEXAR COUNTY TO HELP MEET THIS LEGAL REQUIREMENT AND REGISTER STUDENTS TO VOTE. DURING THE LAST SCHOOL YEAR, YOUTH DEVOTE THROUGH ITS PROGRAM REGISTERED MORE THAN 3,000 HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS. WHILE THAT NUMBER GETS US EXCITED. WE KNOW THERE IS SO MANY MORE SCHOOLS AND STUDENTS THAT WE WANT TO REACH. MANY OF OUR VOLUNTEERS ARE RETIRED TEACHERS THEMSELVES AND LOVE TO GET BACK INTO THE CLASSROOM TO REGISTER STUDENTS, CREATING THE INTERGENERATIONAL CONNECTION IS CRITICAL. WE KNOW THAT YOUTH DO VOTE SEPTEMBER 23-27. I WAS HERE LAST YEAR TO RECEIVE A PROCLAMATION FOR THAT WHICH WE THANK YOU FOR. WE THANK THE PARTNERSHIP FOR ALL EFFORTS TO ENSURE EQUITABLE RECOVERY OF YOUNG PEOPLE AND ENCOURAGE OUR CITY AND COUNTY LEADERS TO CONTINUE THESE THOUGHTFUL DISCUSSIONS WITH RYAN, CHRISTINA AND THE PARTNERSHIP NETWORK IT IS BUILD TO GO CREATE LASTING IMPACT FOR OUR YOUNGEST NEIGHBORS TO PROVIDE THEM WITH EQUITABLE HEALING, ACCESS AND VOICE.

THANK YOU. >> MAYOR NIRENBERG: THANK YOU, MS. IKLING.

ALANNA TREVINO, FOLLOWED BY LORE LORITA GATLIN MCDAVID.

>> GOOD MORNING, COUNCILMEMBERS AND OBSERVING CONSTITUENTS.

AS WE DISCUSS ITEM 34, I ECHO THE REQUEST FOR INCREASED FUNDING.

I SERVE AS THE UP PARTNERSHIP YOUTH AMBASSADOR WORKING TO IMPROVE RATES.

A LACK OF INVESTMENT IN YOUTH HAS CREATED A OBSERVABLE DISPARITY BETWEEN SUCCESSFUL STUDENTS AND OPPORTUNITIES MADE AVAILABLE.

NOT ONLY PAVES THE ROAD FOR YOUNG LEADERS AND PROFESSIONALS BUT REMEDIES EXISTING BARRIERS. SUCH FUNDING SUPPORTS THE IMPLEMENTATION AND PANGS OF EXISTING PROGRAMS. FROM THE SECURITY STANDPOINT, LOWERING CRIME

[01:45:04]

WE ARE CONSTANTLY GROWING AND DEVELOPING COMMUNITY WITH THE ENGINEERS OF PROGRESS A LACK OF DIRECTION AND OPPORTUNITY. CONSTITUENTS UNDER THE AGE OF 24 MAKE UP ONE-THIRD OF SAN ANTONIO'S POPULATION AND THE COLLABORATION BETWEEN THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO AND SUCCESSFUL ORGANIZATIONS SUCH AS NON-PROFIT UP PARTNERSHIP MANIFESTS ACTIVITIES INTO SUPPORTING TODAY'S ITEM.

I'M NOT A REPRESENTATIVE OF ANY STATISTIC BUT RATHER IT'S RESULT.

THANK YOU. [APPLAUSE] >> MAYOR NIRENBERG: THANK YOU, MS. TREVINO. LORITA GATLIN MCDAVID. YOU WILL BE FOLLOWED BY JACK

FINGER. >> GOOD MORNING, EVERYONE. CITY OF SAN ANTONIO, MAYOR NIRENBERG, ERIK WALSH, COUNCILMEMBERS. THANK YOU FOR ALL THE HUGS AND ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS. A SPECIAL SHOUTOUT TO OUR COUNCILMAN JALEN MCKEE RODRIGUEZ. BRILLIANCE AND BOLDNESS. I'M HONORED TO HAVE COORDINATED THE YOUTH PROGRAM AT ELLA AUSTIN, THE SUMMER WITH ALL MY COLLEAGUES HERE TODAY. IT HAS BEEN AN EYE-OPENING EXPERIENCE TO WORK WITH EAST SIDES RESIDENTS WHO NOT ONLY COME TO SUMMER CAMP WITH MISMATCHED SOCKS BUT ALSO VERY RESPONSIVE JORDANS. IT'S IMPORTANT WE KNOW NOT ONLY WE DRESS UP AND PRESENT OURSELVES, WE'RE STILL UNDER REPRESENTED AND UNDERPRIVILEGED IN THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO AND OUR GREAT STATE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA.

NO ONE FIGHTS FOR US LIKE OUR COMMUNITY BUT US. IF WE DON'T EQUIP OUR YOUTH WITH THE REAL TOOLS NEEDED INSTEAD OF LAX GUN LAWS, WE HAVE LOST EVERYBODY.

I WOULD LIKE TO THANK THE BLACK BUSINESSES TO MAKE SURE WE COULD FEED OUR KIDS THIS SUMMER BECAUSE WE HAD NO HELP FROM THE CITY OR COUNTY.

IT'S IMPORTANT THOSE 150 KIDS GET FUNDING -- THEY GOT FINANCIAL LITERACY FROM VANTAGE BANK, LEARNED HIP-HOP FROM WONDER THEATER, RECEIVED CLAY, SPRAY PAINT AND MULTIMEDIA AND ONE OF OUR SAN~ANTONIO SPRAY PAINT ARTISTS.

150 MORE STUDENTS STAYED UP ON THEIR READING ALLOW THE ELEMENTARY READING PROGRAM AND 50 STUDENTS LEARNED CODING. FOR THOSE OF YOU THAT DON'T KNOW CODING, IT'S THEM LEARNING HOW TO DO VIDEO GAMES AND OTHER THINGS COMPUTED-RELATED. THAT WAS NOT SUPPORTED THROUGH ANY OF OUR CITY INITIATIVES, IT WAS SUPPORTED THROUGH VOLUNTEER AND OTHER NON-PROFITS.

HOW MANY COULD WE IMPACT IF WE HAD DESIGNATED MONEY. WE KNOW THE ADVERSE CHILDHOOD EXPERIENCE IS REAL LEADING TO PHYSICAL AND MENTAL CONDITIONS.

THIS COMBINED LEADS TO TRAUMA OF REPEATED INTIMIDATION.

WE ARE HERE WITH UP PARTNERSHIP TODAY TO DEMAND, NOT ASK FOR, THE 20% NEED TO DO CHANGE THE TRAJECTORY OF OUR YOUTH THAT IT BECOMES A CHARTER AMENDMENT.

[01:50:01]

WE'VE ALWAYS HAD VIOLENCE ON THE EAST SIDE, THE WEST SIDE.

I'M GLAD IT'S HITTING THE ELITE PART OF OUR CITY BECAUSE NOW IT'S A PROBLEM.

OF COURSE, THIS IS A LITTLE OFF TOPIC BUT GOES ALONG WITH OUR VOTING RIGHTS.

NOW WE HAVE COUNCILMEMBERS ON OUR SIDE OF TOWNS THAT HAVE NEVER ATTENDED OUR JUNETEENTH PARADES, OUR NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATIONS AND NOW THEY ARE HERE.

THANK YOU, MELISSA, FOR ALWAYS BE ON THE EAST SIDE SUPPORTING JALEN MCKEE RODRIGUEZ. JALEN COULD NOT GET ANYONE TO SUPPORT HIS OFFICE OF CRIME PREVENTION, BUT I'M SURE NOW THAT IT'S MADE IT TO THE OTHER SIDES OF TOWN THAT WILL GET FULL ATTENTION. ONE OF THE REASONS I'M STANDING HERE IS BECAUSE IF WE DON'T START IMPACTING OUR YOUTH NOW, WE'LL NEVER GET THE JALENS, THE TERIS AND THE MELISSAS. THEY ARE WALKING AROUND WITH RIFLES AND TERRORIZING THE EAST SIDE. WE'RE ASKING FOR SUPPORT FOR Y'ALL TO CONTINUE SUPPORTING OUR MAYOR AND OTHER COUNCILMEMBERS THAT SYSTEMICALLY BELIEVE THAT IT WILL TAKE AT LEAST $30 MILLION TO CHANGE 100 YEARS OF DEPENDRY INDICATION. SUPPORT OF A FOUR-YEAR TERM AND INCREASED SALARIES. DISTRICT 2 HAS SUFFERED FROM INCONSISTENT REPRESENTATION FOR DECADES. WE NOW HAVE A COUNCILMEMBER WHO CAN BARELY AFFORD TO TAKE CARE OF HIS HOUSEHOLD BECAUSE OF THIS $45,000 THEY ARE RECEIVING.

WE NEED COUNCIL REPS THAT CAN'T AFFORD TO BE IN THESE SEATS.

WE NEED TO MAKE SURE THE COUNCILMEMBERS THAT CAN AFFORD IT STAY IN THE SEAT SO THEY CAN REPRESENT US AND FEEL THE PAIN WE ARE FEELING.

SCHOOL TEACHERS AND OTHER BLUE COLLAR FOLKS SHOULD NOT BE LIMITED TO AN ELECTED OFFICIAL BECAUSE THEY NEED MORE MONEY TO SUSTAIN THEIR HOUSEHOLDS.

WE NEED PEOPLE WHO ARE EXPERIENCING THE SAME HARD TIMES AS WE ARE WITHOUT TRYING TO HOLD DOWN ANOTHER JOB BECAUSE WE DON'T WANT A PART-TIME COUNCIL PERSON, WE WANT A FULL-TIME COUNCILMEMBER. [APPLAUSE]

>> MAYOR NIRENBERG: THANK YOU, MS. LORITA. JACK FINGER.

YOU WILL BE FOLLOWED BY MICHAEL VALDEZ. >> WELL, MR. MAYOR AND OTHER MEMBERS OF CITY COUNCIL, MY NAME IS JACK M. FINGER. MR. MAYOR, I'M KIND OF CONFUSED. I DON'T SEE HOW WE CAN BE SPEAKING ABOUT PLACEMENT OF BALLOT ITEMS -- AMENDMENTS TO THE CHARTER ON THE BALLOT.

I DON'T SEE IT SUCH A VERY IMPORTANT, IMPORTANT ITEM FEATURED AT THE BEGINNING OF OUR AGENDA WHERE INDIVIDUAL CONSIDERATION WOULD TAKE PLACE.

THERE'S NOTHING HERE. BUT I MEAN, ONLY UPON LOOKING FURTHER DOWN DO I SEE SOMETHING VAGUELY APPEARING TO BE IMPORTANT LIKE CHARTER CHANGES BURIED WAY DOWN ON ITEM 34. YOU KNOW, RIGHT BETWEEN THE ALL IMPORTANT PET PARTNERSHIP AND -- BETWEEN IT AND THE PARKING ORDINANCE.

YEAH. JUST DOESN'T MAKE SENSE FOR A VERY TRANSPARENT ADMINISTRATION THAT YOU HAVE HERE. SO YEAH.

BUT I GUESS -- I GUESS AS IT IS WE'LL JUST HAVE TO GO ON SEEING WHAT WE CAN DO HERE.

I CAN'T BELIEVE IT WOULD BE BURIED LIKE THIS, MR. MAYOR. SOMETHING AS IMPORTANT AS THIS, SOMETHING ABOUT CHARTER CHANGES HERE. WELL, BE THAT AS IT MAY.

MAYBE IT'S NOT THAT IMPORTANT, DO YOU THINK? YEAH.

I'M LOOKING AT SOME OF THE BACKUP DOCUMENTS ON THIS UNIMPORTANT ITEM HERE ON ITEM 34. IT LOOKS ABOUT, WELL, REVISING THE LANGUAGE OF THE CHARTER TO ACCOUNT FOR OUT DATE AND SUPERSEDED PROVISIONS.

YEAH, THAT'S ITEM NUMBER B OR D OR C THERE. WHAT DOES IT SAY? ITEM B. ACCOUNT FOR OUTDATED AND SUPERSEDED PROVISIONS.

DOES THAT MEAN IN THE CHARTER WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO LOOK AT THE CHANGING THE PRONOUNCE FROM HIS AND HER TO THEIR? I MEAN THAT DOESN'T MAKE SENSE ANYWAY THERE, YOU KNOW. YEAH, WE'VE GOT TO GET WOKE, YOU KNOW. WHAT ELSE DOES IT SAY? ALLOW CITY EMPLOYEES TO PARTICIPATE IN LOCAL POLITICAL ACTIVITY. YOU KNOW, WE HAD LAWS

[01:55:01]

WHY? BECAUSE OF THE UNDUE INFLUENCE AND POWER THAT THE CITY EMPLOYEES HAVE THERE. ALSO -- AND WHAT ELSE DO WE HAVE HERE? COMPENSATION FOR THE MAYOR AT $70,000 AND CITY COUNCIL FOR 87,000.

ISN'T THAT 20 OR $30,000 SALARY INCREASE FOR YOU FOLKS? FOR THE WORK THAT YOU'RE DOING? AND WHAT DOES IT SAY, EXTENDING YOUR TERMS FROM TWO YEARS TO FOUR YEARS. AND IF YOU DO A BAD JOB FROM

DAY ONE, WHAT HAPPENS THEN? FOUR YEARS YOU GOT TO WAIT. >> MAYOR NIRENBERG: FOUR YEARS YOU GOT TO WAIT. MICHAEL VALDEZ FOLLOWED BY BERTICE SCOTT.

>> GOOD MORNING, MAYOR NIRENBERG AND MEMBERS OF THE CITY COUNCIL.

MY NAME IS MICHAEL VALDEZ AND I AM 20 YEARS OLD. I WAS THE FORMER CHAIRMAN OF THE SAN ANTONIO YOUTH COMMISSION AND SECRETARY ON THE HIGHER ED BOARD, BUT ALSO AN ELECTED OFFICIAL BUT I SERVE ON A SCHOOL BOARD. WHEN I LOOKED ON THE PEOPLE ON THE CITY CHARTER COMMISSION, I NOTICED THAT THEY WERE ALL OLDER, NONE OF THEM REALLY LOOKED LIKE ME. WHEN I MEAN THAT, I MEAN AROUND MY AGE LIMIT.

I WAS ALSO INVESTIGATING AND I NOTICED MOST OF THEM LIVE IN THE NORTHERN PART OF THE CITY AND ONE ACTUALLY IS A TAXPAYER TO THE CITY OF HELOTES, WHICH IS REALLY QUESTIONING THIS COMMISSION. I WAS ALSO LOOKING AT OTHER CHARTER AMENDMENTS IN THE PAST, WHY DON'T WE INCLUDE PROVISIONS LIKE REGARDING THE LIGHT RAIL, IF WE'RE GOING TO BE REMOVING PROVISIONS LIKE THE CITY MANAGER'S COMPENSATION.

I DO LIKE THE IDEA OF STAGGERED CITY COUNCIL LIMITS.

UNDER STATE LAW THE SCHOOL BOARDS ARE REQUIRED TO HAVE STAGGERED LIMITS SO IT WOULDN'T BE ANYTHING NEW TO VOTERS. I ALSO LIKE COUNCILWOMAN HAVRDA'S IDEA LAST YEAR REGARDING ELECTED SAWS AND CPS TRUSTEES.

IN OTHER PARTS OF TEXAS THEY HAVE ELECTED RATEPAYERS AND ACTUALLY A YOUNG PERSON NAMED RUBEN SALAZAR IN HOUSTON IS PART OF MY GENERATION AND SERVING IN BIG SPACES LIKE THAT. IF YOU REALLY WANT TO ENGAGE OUR YOUTH IN THE CITY, THEN WE REALLY NEED TO INCLUDE PROPOSITIONS THAT WILL GET OUR YOUTH EXCITED TO THE POLLS. I ALSO HEARD YOU ALL TALK ABOUT THE AMBASSADOR PROGRAM, BUT I WANT YOU TO KNOW WE ALSO HAVE THE HIGHER EDUCATION COMMISSION WHICH CURRENTLY RECEIVES NO FUNDING FROM THE CITY BUT WE'RE EXPECTED TO DO OUR JOBS AND BRING IDEAS TO Y'ALL. I ALSO GOT AN EMAIL FROM UTSA BECAUSE Y'ALL ARE ALSO A PROVIDER IN FUNDING FOR THE PROMISE TO PROMISE PROGRAM. BUT CURRENTLY THAT FUNDING IS OUT RIGHT NOW SO IMAGINE IF PEOPLE LIKE ME WHO DON'T HAVE EXTRA SCHOLARSHIP OPPORTUNITIES THAT YOU'LL ACTUALLY PROVIDE MONEY TO FOR THE SAEP, LIKE YOU WANT US TO TAKE OUT LOANS OR HOW DO YOU EXPECT US TO BE SUCCESSFUL IN THE FUTURE. ANOTHER THING, OUR SCHOOL DISTRICTS, WE HAVE UNFUNDED MANDATES FROM THE STATE. THAT'S WHY IT'S IMPORTANT LIKE THE CITY COUNCIL TO DONATE TO THE NON-PROFITS THAT COME AND SUPPORT OUR SCHOOL DISTRICTS. I JUST WANT TO LET YOU ALL KNOW WE'RE LAGGING BEHIND IN YOUTH VOICE, BUT IT'S IMPORTANT TO INVEST IN OUR YOUNG PEOPLE.

THANK YOU. >> MAYOR NIRENBERG: THANK YOU, MR. VALDEZ.

BERTICE SCOTT. MS. SCOTT, YOU WILL BE FOLLOWED BY PAM DUESSING.

>> HELLO, ALL. THANK YOU. AS SOMEONE WHO IS A 7821 RESIDENT AND SAISD GRADUATE AND SOMEONE WHO WORKS AT NON-PROFIT WORK, IT'S VIEW IMPORTANT TO ALLOCATE THESE FUNDS FOR YOUTH. WHEN I GRADUATED IN 2012, I HAD TEACHERS THAT ACTUALLY CARED OUTSIDE OF WHAT THEY WERE PAID FOR THAT ENGAGED US AND ACTUALLY GAVE US MORE THAN WHAT WAS IN OUR TEXTBOOKS BACK WHEN THE TASS TEST WAS A THING BEFORE THE STARR TEST AND ESPECIALLY ABOUT THE SUMMER PROGRAM.

IT WAS EXTREMELY STRESSFUL TO PLAN AND YOU DIDN'T HAVES MANY FUNDSEN LOOKED AT FOLKS WILLING TO GIVE US FUNDS. THIS WILL DO A LOT FOR THAT AS WELL AS THE REST OF THE

[02:00:01]

IN GENERAL WE'RE ASKING FOR THAT SUPPORT SO WE CAN ACTUALLY SHOW YOU ALL WHAT OUR KIDS CAN DO WHEN THEY ARE ACTUALLY POURED INTO SO THEY CAN GIVE OUT BETTER

RESULTS AS GROWING ADULTS. THANK YOU. >> MAYOR NIRENBERG: THANK YOU, MS. SCOTT. PAM DUESSING FOLLOWED BY KENDRA CARPENTER.

>> YES. SO THE LAST THING I WANTED TO SAY IS THE ELLA AUSTIN COMMUNITY IS SO GRATEFUL FOR THE FANTASTIC REBUILD THAT WE'RE GETTING AT THE COMMUNITY CENTER. THE CENTER HAS ALWAYS BEEN A PLACE OF PRIDE AND PURPOSE FOR THE EAST SIDE. WE DO -- THE CENTER WILL NEED FUNDING FOR PROGRAMS TO PUT PEOPLE IN THE BUILDING. THE BUILDING WON'T BE ANYTHING WITHOUT THE FAMILIES AND CHILDREN INSIDE OF THAT BUILDING FINDING WAYS TO GROW AND LEARN AND

THRIVE. THANK YOU. >> MAYOR NIRENBERG: THANK

YOU. KENDRA CARPENTER. >> DO I HAVE TIME FOR MYSELF

AND THE TIME GIVEN TO ME? >> MAYOR NIRENBERG: YOU WILL HAVE THREE MINUTES,

MA'AM. >> CAN I WAIT UNTIL SOMEONE HE WILL PASSES THEIR TIME?

>> MAYOR NIRENBERG: YOU ARE THE LAST PERSON SIGNED UP.

>> I WOULD LIKE TO THANK YOU ALL. I WOULD LIKE TO THANK GOD AND MY TEAM AT WEST CARE TEXAS WHERE WE HAVE COME TO PLEAD FOR 34 FOR FUNDING FOR SAN ANTONIO'S YOUTH AND FAMILIES. NEXT I WOULD LIKE TO THANK THE HONORABLE MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL ENSURING ALL SAN ANTONIANS ARE HEARD AND SUBSEQUENTLY WELL REPRESENTED. WHY IS THIS IMPORTANT TO ALL OF US? WITH VIOLENCE AND INCARCERATION WE HAVE TO SOLVE A LOCAL PROBLEM, TO MAKE FUNDS AVAILABLE TO DEDICATED ORGANIZATIONS.

ESPECIALLY WHEN THE STAKES ARE SO HIGH. THERE ARE STAKES.

A BIT OF TESTIMONY. I HAVE BEEN A COMMUNITY WORKER FOR OVER FOR YEARS AND WE SERVE CHILDREN IN OUR COMMUNITY WITH A SUMMER PROGRAM.

AND -- I'M SO SORRY. I'M OUT OF PLACE. ANYWAY, I'M PROUD TO BE PART OF THIS COMPASSIONATE COMMUNITY IN SAN ANTONIO THAT SETS THE BAR ON A NATIONAL LEVEL FOR WHAT A CITY THAT CARES ABOUT ALL OF ITS PEOPLE LOOKS LIKE, RIGHT? YOU DID THAT, SIR. YOU MADE THIS A COMPASSIONATE CITY. WE TAKE CARE AND COMPASSION TO A WHOLE NEW LEVEL IN THIS COMMUNITY. AND I CAN THINK OF NO BETTER WAY TO FURTHER THAT MISSION INVESTING IN OUR YOUTH AND FAMILIES AND THE PROGRAMS THAT SERVE THEM.

LOCAL PROBLEMS REQUIRE LOCAL SOLUTIONS. KNOB CAN DO SAN ANTONIO BETTER THAN SAN ANTONIO. SAN ANTONIO IS TRULY THE BEACON OF LIGHT THAT EMPOWERS ALL ITS RESIDENTS TO PURSUE THE AMERICAN DREAM EQUITABLY AND ON THEIR OWN TERMS. LET'S KEEP INNOVATING WHAT LOVE LOOKS LIKE THROUGH THIS

WORK. >> MAYOR NIRENBERG: THANK YOU, MS. CARPENTER.

ALL RIGHT. THAT IS EVERYONE WHO SIGNED UP TO SPEAK ON 34.

WE'LL MOVE INTO COUNCIL DISCUSSION TO GET US STARTED, LET ME ASK FOR A

MOTION ON ITEM 34. >> I MAKE A MOTION TO APPROVE.

>> MAYOR NIRENBERG: THERE'S A MOTION AND SECOND FOR APPROVAL OF ITEM 34.

I'LL GO TO THE QUEUE. PLEASE SIGN INTO THE QUEUE. COUNCILMEMBER MCKEE-RODRIGUEZ. COUNCILMEMBER CABELLO HAVRDA.

>> HAVRDA: THANK YOU, MAYOR. AND THANKS TO THE CHARTER REVIEW COMMISSION FOR YOUR TIRELESS EFFORTS. I'M GOING TO TALK ABOUT THREE THINGS, PROCESS, OPPORTUNITY AND TRANSPARENCY.

THE CITY CHARTER BELONGS TO THE PEOPLE OF SAN~ANTONIO. IT BELONGS TO THE PEOPLE WHO WORKDAY IN AND DAY OUT RAISING FAMILIES, GROWING BUSINESSES, GOING TO SCHOOL.

THE CHARTER IS A DOCUMENT THAT SHOULD REFLECT THEIR LIVES, THEIR HOPES AND THEIR DREAMS. TAXPAYER MONEY WAS SPENT ORGANIZING MEETINGS WHERE THE AMENDMENTS WERE DISCUSSED, WHERE THE PUBLIC WAS COLD THEIR CONCERNS AND IDEAS -- TOLD THEIR CONCERNS SHOULD WERE VOICED.

THEY SHOWED UP. THIS PROCESS WAS A MISSED OPPORTUNITY.

AND IT SEEMS AS IF THE OPPORTUNITY WAS WILLFULLY MISSED BECAUSE IT WOULD HAVE TAKEN VERY LITTLE TO CONSIDER TO ACKNOWLEDGE THE PEOPLE'S VOICE.

THE MEETINGS COULD HAVE BEEN A TRUE DISCUSSION GETTING PUBLIC INPUT COULD HAVE MADE

[02:05:04]

MEETINGS, SURVEYS, OPPORTUNITIES FOR INPUT, WE KNOW HOW TO DO IT, DO IT WELL, BUT NEGLECTED DODD THAT FOR THE CHARTER REVIEW. WE MUST BE COMMITTED TO TRANSPARENCY IF IT'S GOODING TO WORK FOR EVERYONE. WE FELL SHORT OF OUR PROCESS BECAUSE IT DIDN'T INCLUDE THE PUBLIC. WE FELL SHORT OF OUR RESPONSIBILITY BECAUSE IT'S INCUMBENT ON US AS LEADERS TO MAKE DIFFICULT DECISIONS AND WE FELL SHORT AS MEMBERS OF THIS COMMUNITY BECAUSE WE KNOW THAT SAN ANTONIO DESERVES BETTER. NONE OF THIS MEANS I DISAGREE WITH THE PROPOSED CHARTER CHANGES. SOME MAKE US NIMBLE IN ABILITY TO GROW, GIVE CITY WORKERS FREEDOM TO PARTICIPATE IN LOCAL POLITICS LIKE EVERY OTHER SAN ANTONIAN CHAVEZ FOR ADVOCACY AND PATIENCE. THIS IS SOMETHING YOU BROUGHT UP TO ME WHEN I WAS FIRST ELECTED AND I'M GRATEFUL TO SEE THIS HOPEFULLY COMING TO FRUITION. IN THE END, THE VOTERS WILL DECIDE. THE IRONY WE'LL HAVE THREE MONTHS, 12 AND A HALF WEEKS TO DISCUSS, TO CONSIDER, TO DEBATE THESE PROPOSED AMENDMENTS.

TODAY IS A STARTING POINT FOR DISCUSSION. IT'S NOT LAST MINUTE.

12 AND A HALF WEEKS IS NOT 11TH HOUR. THERE IS PLENTY OF TIME, BUT HERE WE ARE WITH LIMITED IDEAS. SO MANY FOLKS HERE TODAY TO ADVOCATE FOR INVESTMENT IN YOUTH. THANK YOU, ESPECIALLY ALANNA NNTREVINO WHO CAME TO SPEAK WITH US TODAY. BUT ACCORDING TO POWERS THAT BE, IT'S TOO LATE. AGAIN, WE MISSED AN OPPORTUNITY.

LAST WEEK I PROPOSED TWO CHARTER AMENDMENTS, BUN TO ADD ELECTED MEMBERS TO CPS AND SAWS BOARDS AND THE OTHER WAS CHANGE THE WAY THE CITY ATTORNEY.

I MADE MY CASE BECAUSE THERE WAS NOT A PUBLIC OPPORTUNITY TO DO IT BEFORE.

AND BECAUSE THERE'S STILL PLENTY OF TIME TO DISCUSS NEW IDEAS.

I'LL BE VERY CLEAR ABOUT THIS. WHEN IT COMES TO THE PEOPLE WE REPRESENT, IDEAS ARE ALWAYS GERMANE. OPPORTUNITY IS ALWAYS GERMANE. TRANSPARENCY IS ALWAYS GERMANE.

WITHIN THE NARROW SCOPE OF WHAT IS PROPOSED TODAY, THERE ARE SOME VALID IDEAS.

CITY MANAGER PAY AND TERMS WILL HELP US GOVERN BETTER AS WILL THE CHANGE IN CITY COUNCIL TERMS. I'VE MADE OPPOSITION TO CITY COUNCIL PAY RAISE CLEAR.

THE TERMS HAVE BEEN -- THE TERM LIMITS ARE NOT GOING TO BE REMOVED AND SUPPORT THE MODERNIZATION OF THE CHARTER'S LANGUAGE. BUT MY OPINION REGARDING INDIVIDUAL PROPOSALS DOESN'T CHANGE THE FACT WE'RE DISCUSSING AMENDING GOVERNMENT PROCESSES AND NOT ONE OF THEM CAME FROM THE NEIGHBORHOODS OF THIS CITY.

WE HAD A CHANCE TO MAKE THE PROCESS WORK FOR EVERYONE. WE HAD AN OPPORTUNITY TO BE TRANSPARENT AND WE FELL SHORT. THANKS, MAYOR.

[APPLAUSE] >> MAYOR NIRENBERG: THANK YOU, COUNCILMEMBER CABELLO

HAVRDA. COUNCILMEMBER ROCHA GARCIA. >> GARCIA: THANK YOU, MAYOR. I'LL LIKE TO THANK EVERYBODY WHO IS HERE AND CONGRATULATIONS TO AFSCME FOR MAKING SURE THAT YOU GOT WHAT YOU NEEDED FOR CITY EMPLOYEES AND I'M SO EXCITED TO BE ABLE TO SAY THAT WE GOT TO FINALLY PUT THIS ON THE CHARTER. I JUST CAN'T EVEN EXPRESS MY EXCITEMENT.

THANK YOU, GUILLERMO, AND I SAW ALEX EARLIER AND I THINK SHE MIGHT HAVE STEPPED OUT, BUT ALEX A GREAT JOB AS WELL. I'LL START OFF GOING ONE BY ONE AND THE PROPOSITION TO KEEP THE TERM LIMITS FOR THE MEMBERS OF THE ETHICS REVIEW BOARD. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR ALLOWING FOR MY COLLEAGUES TO ALLOW US TO KEEP THOSE TERM LIMITS. I BELIEVE IT'S IMPERATIVE TO KEEP TERM LIMITS. BONNIE IS HERE AS WELL AS DAVID AND I WANT TO SAY THANK YOU FOR THE WORK YOU'VE DONE ON BEHALF OF THE RESIDENTS OF SAN ANTONIO.

I THINK THAT PROPOSITION B, THE REVISED LANGUAGE OF THE CHARTER IS DEFINITELY NEEDED. I LOOKED FORWARD TO THAT RED-LINE VERSION TO SEE WHAT WE'RE CHANGING SO I COULD DOUBLE-CHECK. PROPOSITION C GRANTING THE CITY COUNCIL THE AUTHORITY TO SET THE FULL TERMS OF THE CITY MANAGER, I BELIEVE THAT WE NEED THAT CHANGE AS WELL.

HAPPY ABOUT THAT. AND THEN THE COMPENSATION, I'M IN FAVOR OF THE CHANGES THAT WERE REVISED TO REFLECT THE HUD INCOME. I WAS FINE AS PROPOSED WITH THE ACM, BUT I DO BELIEVE THAT OUR COUNCIL WANTED SOME ADDITIONAL SUPPORT AND I APPRECIATE THE HUD INCOME LEVELS PRESENTED BY JOHN PETEREK AND THE TEAM.

[02:10:04]

I WANT TO ALSO NOW FOCUS MY ATTENTION ON THE YOUTH OF SAN ANTONIO.

FIRST OF ALL, EVERYBODY WHO IS HERE WHO IS REPRESENTING THE YOUTH, THANK YOU SO MUCH. IT'S BEEN A LONG FEW MONTHS THAT YOU ALL HAVE BEEN WORKING REALLY HARD ON THIS AND ADVOCATING. I'M ESPECIALLY PROUD OF THE YOUTH SUPPORTING THEIR PEERS AND MAKING SURE WE KNOW THAT YOUR VOICES ARE NEEDED AND HEARD. IT'S GOING TO TAKE A LIFETIME FOR ME TO PAY BACK TO MY COMMUNITY WHAT THEY DID FOR ME AND THAT WAS THROUGH ACCESS TO EDUCATION.

MY COMMUNITY INVEST UNDERSTAND ACCESS TO EDUCATION THROUGH THINGS LIKE COMMUNITIES IN SCHOOLS, WHICH I WAS A PART OF. MY COMMUNITY INVESTED IN THE SAN ANTONIO EDUCATION PARTNERSHIP. I NEVER WOULD HAVE BEEN ABLE TO AFFORD COLLEGE HAD I NOT BEEN ENROLLED IN THE SAN ANTONIO EDUCATION PARTNERSHIP. AND THAT IS THE SAME STORY FOR A LOT OF THE RESIDENTS THAT I REPRESENT. THEY DO NOT HAVE THE ACCESS TO CAREER COUNSELING, TO COLLEGE COUNSELING, AND I HIGHLY BELIEVE PROGRAMS LIKE THIS SHOULD BE SUPPORTED.

ALL OF THE SCHOLARSHIPS THAT I RECEIVED THAT WERE FUNDED BY NON-PROFITS THAT WORKED WITH THE PHILANTHROPY COMMUNITY TO INVEST IN THE YOUTH OF OUR FUTURE, THAT'S WHAT WE NEED TO REPLICATE, TO CONTINUE TO INVEST IN. THE NON-PROFITS THAT ALREADY KNOW HOW TO DO THE WORK AND JUST NEED A LITTLE HELP FROM THEIR CITY GOVERNMENT IN SUPPORTING OF THEIR DAY TO DAY OPERATIONS. I ALSO DO WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE THAT ORGANIZATIONS LIKE REY FEO THROUGH EVENTS LIKE FIESTA.

OUR COMMUNITY IS SAYING WE SUPPORT YOUTH INITIATIVES. I THINK IT'S TIME TO CONSIDER INVESTING FURTHER IN OUR YOUTH AS A COMMUNITY. THE SAN ANTONIO WOMEN'S HALL OF FAME IS ANOTHER CLEAR EXAMPLE OF THE WAY THAT WOMEN ARE HELPING FUTURE WOMEN LEADERS. I WAS A SCHOLARSHIP RECIPIENT OF THE HALL OF FAME. I WAS APPOINTED AN INDUCTEE. WE NEED TO INVEST TO OUR YOUTH. WITH THAT I WANT TO TAKE THE OPPORTUNITY TO SAY THAT I WANT TO THANK THE PARTNERSHIP, IN SPEAKING WITH RYAN AND PAUL, DR. RODRIGUEZ AND CHRISTINA MARTINEZ AND LOLA WHO CAME UP APPEAR SO ELOQUENTLY PUT UP THE FACT SOMETIMES WE LEAVE THE ARTS OUT OF EDUCATION AND THAT'S IMPORTANT AS WELL, SO THANK YOU, LOLA. I WANT TO APPRECIATE WHAT YOU ALL HAVE DONE AND THAT'S TAKING A STEP BACK. RIGHT NOW THE REALITY IS THAT WE ARE IN UNCERTAIN TIMES. THERE ARE MANY BUDGET DEFICITS THAT ARE BEING WAIVED -- THAT ARE BEING WAVED IN OUR FACES RIGHT NOW, BUT WE CAN'T STOP THE ADVOCACY FOR INVESTING IN OUR YOUTH.

I BELIEVE THAT YOUR PROPOSAL TO PUT TOGETHER A TASK FORCE IS IMPORTANT.

I WANT TO THANK ZACH LIKE IN THE MAYOR'S OFFICE AND THE MAYOR AND ALL HIS TEAM FOR COMMITTING TO WORKING TOGETHER WITH OUR YOUTH PARTNERS AND INVESTING IN THE YOUTH. WE WILL HAVE TO TAKE SOME NEEDED CONSIDERATION OF ALL OF THE CREATIVE WAYS THAT YOU ALL HAVE LET US KNOW THAT MAYBE WE COULD INVEST FURTHER. SO THAT STUDY OF YOUR ORIGINAL RECOMMENDATION IS GOING TO CONTINUE FOR THE REVENUE GROWTH. THE DEDICATED OF MAYBE UNUSED DOLLARS IN MID-YEAR CITY BUDGET ASSESSMENTS, THAT'S ANOTHER VERY CREATIVE OPPORTUNITY THAT I SEE. EVEN WORKING WITH VIA AND THE FREE RIDES PROGRAM FOR YOUTH. OUR KIDS NEED A RIDE TO THEIR DIFFERENT EDUCATIONAL EVENTS, AFTER-SCHOOL ACTIVITIES, AND I BELIEVE IT'S TIME VIA INVESTED IN OUR CHILDREN AS WELL. THAT STRENGTHING WITH SCHOOL DISTRICTS, ONE OF OUR YOUNGEST MICHAEL RODRIGUEZ, AND I APPRECIATE YOUR ADVOCACY.

I LOVE THAT YOU ARE EVACUATING AND YOU ARE -- ADVOCATING AND CLOSER IN AGE UP HERE TO THE YOUTH OF OUR COMMUNITY, SO I APPRECIATE YOUR ADVOCACY.

I ALSO DO WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE THERE IS AN OPPORTUNITY FOR US TO ENGAGE WITH READY TO WORK PARTICIPANTS. AND THE PARENTS PARTICULARLY IN READY TO WORK PARTICIPANTS, WE KNOW THAT A MAJORITY OF PARTICIPANTS ARE SINGLE MOMS. AS A SINGLE MOM, I KNOW HOW DIFFICULT IT IS TO RAISE A CHILD. I KNOW OUR COMMUNITY NEEDS TO SUPPORT THE TYPE OF SERVICES THAT WILL ALLOW A SINGLE MOM TO BE SUCCESSFUL. A SINGLE MOM TO BE HERE ON COUNCIL ONE DAY REPRESENTING A COMMUNITY THAT HAS LONG BEEN UNDER REPRESENTED.

THAT'S EXACTLY WHAT EDUCATION DOES FOR US. THAT'S EXACTLY WHAT

[02:15:01]

LET ME TELL YOU WHY. WE WERE WORRIED ABOUT THE HOUSING BOND PASSING A FEW YEARS AGO, AND GUESS WHAT, I KNEW IT WAS GOING TO BE A GREAT SUCCESS AND THE CITIZENS OF SAN ANTONIO VOTED IN FAVOR OF THAT HOUSING BOND AND I'M HOPING THAT WE COULD MAKE IT A DECADE. BUT GUESS WHAT, WE NOW HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO ALSO CONSIDER HOW WE INVEST OUR CHILDREN THROUGH THAT BOND AND IT'S THANKS TO EFFORTS OF EDUCATORS HERE TODAY, OUR YOUTH HERE TODAY THAT SAY IT'S TIME FOR US TO FIGURE OUT HOW TO INVEST MORE IN OUR CHILDREN.

TODAY I WILL BE SUPPORTIVE OF THE ITEMS AS PROPOSED BY OUR STAFF.

I APPRECIATE ALL THE STAFF FOR DOING THE WORK, DOING THE HOMEWORK.

BUT I ALSO COMMIT TO YOU ALL THAT I WILL CONTINUE ADVOCATING FOR OUR YOUTH AND WE WILL CONTINUE WORKING TOGETHER TO MAKE SURE THERE'S MORE FUNDING AVAILABLE FOR THE FUTURE OF SAN ANTONIO. THANK YOU, MAYOR.

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

COMMIT. COUNCILMEMBER WHYTE. >> WHYTE: THANKS, MAYOR.

I WANT TO AGAIN THANK THE CHARTER REVIEW COMMISSION FOR ALL THE WORK.

NAOMI, THANK YOU FOR ALL YOUR WORK ON THIS. I DO WANT TO SAY THAT I DO THINK THERE'S GARCIA JUST BROUGHT UP, YOU KNOW, THE YOUTH AND BROUGHT UP OUR BUDGET DEFICIT.

AND TO ME, WHAT WE REALLY NEED TO BE LOOKING AT AND WHEN WE LOOK AT FUTURE CHARTERS IS OUR SPENDING. AND WE TALK ABOUT OUR DEFICIT AND WE TALK ABOUT NOT HAVING MONEY TO DO A LOT OF THE THINGS THAT WE NEED TO DO.

WE NEED SOMETHING THAT SAYS THAT THIS BODY WILL ONLY SPEND MONEY ON MUNICIPAL ISSUES. AND IF WE DID THAT, WE WOULD HAVE MONEY TO SPEND ON THINGS LIKE THESE YOUTH PROGRAMS TO HELP THE CITY. WE WOULD HAVE MORE MONEY TO SPEND ON MUNICIPAL ISSUES LIKE PUBLIC SAFETY, LIKE INFRASTRUCTURE, LIKE PARKS.

ALL OF THE THINGS THAT OUR CITIZENS WANT US TO BE SPENDING MONEY ON.

SO, YOU KNOW, I APPRECIATE THE WORK OF THE CHARTER REVIEW COMMISSION.

THEY DID WHAT THEY WERE ASKED TO DO, BUT I DO HOPE THAT MOVING FORWARD, IF WE LOOK AT FUTURE CHARTER AMENDMENTS, WE FOCUS ON WHAT REALLY MATTERS TO THE PEOPLE AND THAT'S HOW WE SPEND OUR DOLLARS IN A WAY THAT'S MOST ADVANTAGEOUS TO THEM IN A WAY THAT MAKES THEIR DAILY LIVES BETTER. WITH THAT SAID, I WANT TO BRIEFLY MENTION, I SAW GUILLERMO HERE. AGAIN, MY COMMITMENT TO HIM AND AFSCME REGARDING STANDING UP FOR THE WORKERS OF THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO.

TOO OFTEN NOT JUST THE FOLKS HERE AT THE CITY BUT WORKERS ALL AROUND THIS CITY ARE OVERLOOKED AND IT'S LONG PAST DUE THAT WE START STANDING UP FOR THOSE HERE AT THE CITY IN CITY GOVERNMENT AS WELL AS THE FOLKS ALL AROUND SAN ANTONIO. WITH THAT SAID, I AM IN OPPOSITION TO A COUPLE OF THE ITEMS HERE AS PROPOSED. TALG ABOUT COUNCIL PAY AS WELL AS COUNCIL TERM LIMITS.

I DO NOT BELIEVE THE MEMBERS OF THIS BODY, THAT WE SHOULD SPEND MORE TAX DOLLARS TO PAY THE MEMBERS OF CITY COUNCIL. SO I DO NOT BELIEVE OUR PAY SHOULD BE INCREASED. AND WITH RESPECT TO TERM LIMITS, LISTEN, THIS GOVERNMENT IS THE CLOSEST GOVERNMENT TO THE PEOPLE OF THE CITY.

AND SO TO EXTEND TERMS TO FOUR YEARS I BELIEVE IS INAPPROPRIATE.

WE NEED TO BE ACCOUNTABLE TO THE VOTERS EVERY TWO YEARS. WHAT WE DO IS TOO IMPORTANT.

WE GET CALLS EVERY DAY ON ISSUES THAT OUR CITIZENS NEED TAKEN CARE OF RIGHT AWAY. AND IF THERE'S A CITY COUNCILMEMBER THAT'S NOT BEING RESPONSIVE TO THOSE CITIZENSS REQUESTS AND ISSUES, FOUR YEARS IS FAR TOO LONG TO MAKE THE CITIZENS OF THAT PARTICULAR DISTRICT WAIT TO GET A CHANCE TO VOTE IN A NEW MEMBER. I BELIEVE THOSE ARE PROPOSITIONS E AND F. AND SO MR. MAYOR, AT THIS TIME, I MOVE TO AMEND THE MAIN MOTION TO REMOVE PROPOSITIONS E AND F SO THAT WE CAN HAVE AN INDIVIDUAL

VOTE ON THOSE ITEMS. >> SECOND. >> MAYOR NIRENBERG: THERE'S A MOTION AND SECOND FOR SEPARATING THE ITEMS. ANDY, ESSENTIALLY WE'RE JUST

SEPARATING THOSE TWO ITEMS. >> SEGOVIA: THE MOTION IS TO SEPARATE PROPOSITIONS E

[02:20:01]

AND F FOR SEPARATE CONSIDERATION. >> MAYOR NIRENBERG: WE WOULD VOTE FOR THE REST IN A GROUP AND VOTE FOR THE OTHER TWO SEPARATELY.

IN TWO VOTES OR ONE? >> SEGOVIA: WELL, FIRST, COUNCIL NEEDS TO CONSIDER THE MOTION TO SEPARATE, THAT TAKES PRECEDENCE. WHAT WE'RE GOING ASKED IS SEPARATE E AND F. THREE VOTES, ONE ON THE MAIN MOTION, ONE FOR PROPOSITION

E, ONE FOR PROPOSITION F. THAT'S IF THE MOTION PASSES. >> MAYOR NIRENBERG: SO YOU HEARD WHAT THE MOTION IS TO SEPARATE E AND F FROM THE MAIN MOTION.

SO I DON'T THINK THERE'S ANY DELIBERATION NEEDED FOR THAT.

A YES VOTE WOULD BE TO SEPARATE THE ITEMS, NO VOTE WOULD BE TO KEEP THEM AS ONE VOTE. SO WITH THAT, THERE'S A MOTION AND SECOND TO SEPARATE THOSE TWO ITEMS. PLEASE VOTE. MOTION CARRIES.

ALL RIGHT. SO WE WILL TAKE UP THE MAIN MOTION, WHICH IS ALL ITEMS SAVE FOR E AND F. IF YOU WANT TO TALK ABOUT E AND F, YOU CAN LEAVE THOSE OUT FOR THE NEXT ROUND OF DISCUSSION. LET ME CONTINUE WITH THE QUEUE THAT WE HAVE. COUNCILMEMBER, ARE YOU YIELDING THE FLOOR?

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

I DO HAVE COMMENTS ABOUT E AND F, BUT I'LL HOLD FOR THAT DISCUSSION.

I WANT TO THANK THE COMMISSION FOR ALL THE HARD WORK.

I KNOW IT WAS A LOT OF LATE NIGHTS AND THANK YOU FOR I JUST REALLY WANT TO GIVE A QUICK SHOUTOUT FOR PROPOSITION D.

THANK YOU TO GUILLERMO AND AFSCME FOR PUSHING TO GET THIS ON THE BALLOT.

YOUR HARD WORK AND DEDICATION TO ALLOW OUR CITY EMPLOYEES TO PARTICIPATE IN A LOCAL PROCESS IS NOT GONE UNINNOCENCED. THANK YOU, -- UNNOTICED.

THANK YOU. >> MAYOR NIRENBERG: COUNCILMEMBER VIAGRAN.

>> VIAGRAN: THANK YOU, MAYOR. AND I JUST WANT TO THANK YOU ALL FOR COMING AND PARTICIPATING AND SHARING. I SCANT TELL YOU HOW EXCITED I AM THAT YOU ALL CAME OUT AND SPOKE SO PASSIONATELY. IT IS OUR DUTY TO ADVOCATE FOR AND PROPOSE AMENDMENTS THAT WILL BENEFIT CONSTITUENTS.

POLICY DECISIONS THAT ULTIMATELY THE PUBLIC WILL VOTE ON.

AND A COUPLE OF YEARS AGO WE HAD A VOTE, SOME MEMBERS DECIDED TO WALK OUT ON THAT VOTE, BUT IT WAS OUR DUTY TO MOVE THAT FORWARD BECAUSE THE PUBLIC SAID WE WANT THIS ON THE VOTER BLOCK AND IT WAS OUR DUTY TO MAKE SURE IT GOT TO THE VOTERS.

HERE WE ARE TODAY WITH A WHOLE OTHER SET OF CONCERNS THAT I WANT TO THANK MAYOR NIRENBERG FOR PUTTING FORWARD AND UNDERSTANDING IN TERMS OF OUR POLICY MAKING PROCESS AND HOW WE'RE GOING TO MOVE THIS CITY FORWARD. THIS IS AN OPPORTUNITY TO IMPROVE AND ADAPT OUR GOVERNANCE TO BETTER MEET THE NEEDS OF THE PEOPLE WE SERVE. WE CAN GO BACK AND LOOK AT THE PROCESS AND SAY WE WISH THEY COULD HAVE DONE THIS AND WE'LL TAKE THAT INTO CONSIDERATION NEXT TIME WE HAVE THAT OPPORTUNITY, BUT I DO WANT TO THANK THE COMMITTEE FOR ALL THEIR HARD WORK. AND JUST IN THE FEW WEEKS WE'VE BEEN LOOKING OVER THIS, I WAS LIKE OH, THEY MUST HAVE MULLED OVER THIS SO MANY TIMES ON HOW WE MOVE THIS FORWARD. SO I THINK IT'S -- IT WAS A LOT OF HARD WORK, IT WAS A INSTRUCTED PROCESS -- STRUCTURED PROCESS FOR THE COMMISSION AND WE NEED TO REALLY ADHERE TO THIS PROCESS THAT WE BROUGHT FORWARD WITH OUR ESTABLISHED PROTOCOLS. I AM SUBMITTING INTO THE RECORD AND I WILL EXPAND ON IT THE SOUTH BUSINESS -- REBECCA VIAGRAN'S EMAIL AND THE THREE SHE WAS SUPPORTING, ELIMINATION OF THE SALARY AND TEN-YEAR CAP OF THE CITY MANAGER AEN THE OTHER TWO HAD TO DO WITH E AND F WHICH I'LL DISCUSS LATER.

I WANT TO SUBMIT THIS INTO RECORD BECAUSE THIS IS THE COUNCILMEMBER THAT IS FORMER COUNCILMEMBER WHO IS PUTTING THAT FORWARD. AND I APPRECIATE THE BUSINESS COMMUNITY'S COMING FORWARD TOO. SO I WILL BE SUPPORTING THESE FIRST PART AS GIVEN. IN ADDRESSING THE ISSUES THAT WAS BROUGHT UP BY THE

[02:25:06]

BECAUSE A CHARTER AMENDMENT TODAY WOULD NOT GUARANTEE THAT 30 MILLION THAT YOU NEED. AND WE NEED -- IF 30 MILLION IS THE NUMBER OR IF IT'S MORE THAN THAT, WE REALLY NEED TO LOOK AT OUR BUDGET, AT OUR BUDGET AND WHAT IS HAPPENING AT THE STATE HOW WE ARE GOING TO MEET THESE NEEDS.

WE KNOW WE ARE UNDER ATTACK. WE KNOW THAT IT IS DIFFICULT FOR CHILDREN THAT GO TO PUBLIC SCHOOLS, AND HOW ARE WE GOING TO DO THIS. AND I THINK THE TASK FORCE IS THE MAIN THING. AND IF WE ARE HERE TWO YEARS FROM NOW AND DESPITE WHATEVER WE DECIDE ON E AND F, MY COMMITMENT IS TO BE HERE AND BE A VOICE FOR YOU TO MAKE SURE WE GET THE -- THAT THE YOUTH AND HOW WE MOVE FORWARD AND THAT WE ARE TYING THIS INTO ALL THE DECISIONS WE AS A CITY MAKE. BECAUSE THAT IS ONE THING WE NEED TO DO. WE HAVE WORKED IN SILOS AND NOW IT'S IMPORTANT WE WORK AS A COMMUNITY TALKING TO ONE ANOTHER ON THIS. SO KNOW THAT THAT IS MY COMMITMENT AND THAT THERE ARE SOME THINGS HERE, PEOPLE ARE GOING TO SAY THIS DOESN'T ADDRESS THE RESIDENTS' NEEDS, EXCUSE ME, YES IT DOES.

BECAUSE GETTING OUR CITY EMPLOYEES TO BE ABLE TO USE THEIR VOICE POLITICALLY, THAT IMPACTS THE ENTIRE CITY AND ALL OUR RESIDENTS. THAT'S WHY I'M REALLY EXCITED TO SEE THAT ONE MOVE FORWARD. BECAUSE MY FATHER AS A CITY EMPLOYEE WAS NOT ALWAYS ABLE TO DO THAT AND STAND AND CAMPAIGN FOR HIS CANDIDATE.

NOW WE'RE GOING TO -- WE'RE GOING TO TAKE IT TO THE VOTERS TO SEE IF WE CAN GET THAT OPPORTUNITY FOR OUR EMPLOYEES. THIS DOES IMPACT OUR COMMUNITY AND PEOPLE ARE GOING TO SPIN OTHER NARRATIVES, BUT THE NARRATIVE IS THESE ARE THE EARTH WHICHER AMENDMENTS OUR --S OUR MAYOR LOOKED AT AND ASKED THE COMMISSION TO LOOK AT AND THEY DID. FROM IT WE WILL SEE MORE FOCUS ON THE TASK FORCE FOR YOUTH. I THINK THIS HAS BEEN A SUCCESSFUL PROCESS. NOW, THE NEXT STEP IS TO GET THROUGH THIS DAY AND THEN SEE WHAT THE VOTERS HAVE TO SAY. THANK YOU.

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

>> KAUR: THANK YOU, MAYOR. I WANT TO THANK COUNCILMEMBER CABELLO HAVRDA FOR HER GROUNDING REMARKS FOR HOW SHE STARTED THIS CONVERSATION.

I THINK IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT TO RECOGNIZE THE PURPOSE OF THE CITY CHARTER.

THE CITY CHARTER IS FOR OUR CONSTITUENTS, OUR RESIDENTS FOR GIVING US DIRECTIONS ON HOW TO -- SO THAT WE CAN TRULY BUILD THE SAN ANTONIO THAT WE ALL WANT THAT'S GROUNDED IN EQUITY, THAT'S GROUNDED IN OPPORTUNITY AND AN ECONOMICALLY FLOURISHING CITY FOR ALL OF US. I THINK IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT TO KNOW THE PURPOSE OF IT AFTERNOON I'M EXCITED TO SEE THESE AMENDMENTS GOOD ON THE BALLOT. I WANTED TO SHOUT OUT A COUPLE OF AMENDMENTS.

FIRST IS PROP D, AND THANK YOU TO THE AFSCME ORGANIZATION FOR YOUR ADVOCACY. WHEN I WAS BLOCK WORKING, I KNOCKED ON THE DOOR AND IT WAS AN INDIVIDUAL IN A CITY SHIRT. WHO BETTER TO CONVERSE WITH THAN PEOPLE ON THE GROUND DOING THE WORK TO TELL ME WHAT THEIR STRUGGLES WERE.

HE AUTOMATICALLY GOT VERY JUNE SHY AND SAID -- GUN SHY AND SAID IT WILL CAUSE A PROBLEM. I DIDN'T KNOW THAT WAS EVEN THE CASE BEFORE I WAS CAMPAIGNING. SO OBVIOUSLY RESPECTING THAT, I THINK IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT FOR OUR CITY EMPLOYEES TO BE ABLE TO VOICE THE CHALLENGES THEY ARE FACING IN OUR ORGANIZATION WITH THE LEADERSHIP THAT HAS BEEN ELECTED BY THE RESIDENTS. I'M EXCITED THAT WE'RE ABLE TO BUT THIS ON THE CHARTER BALLOT AND CONFIDENT RESIDENTS WILL AGREE TO THE IMPORTANCE AS WELL.

LAST BUT NOT LEAST, THANK YOU TO THE YOUTH ADVOCATES THAT ARE IN THE CROWD AND CAME AND HAVE BEEN ADVOCATING FOR THESE LAST FEW MONTHS.

I HAVE ALSO BEEN AN EDUCATOR FOR THE PAST 15 YEARS AND KNOW DEEPLY THE CHALLENGES YOU ARE WORKING WITH. WHILE IT'S NOT OUR JOB TO ADDRESS THE STATE FUNDING CHALLENGE, WE CAN ABSOLUTELY ADVOCATE IN PARTNERSHIP WITH YOU ALL.

I BELIEVE IT'S OU JOB TO ADDRESS ALL THE ADDITIONAL CHALLENGES OUR YOUTH ARE FACING IN OUR COMMUNITY THAT WE ARE NOT TACKLING HEAD ON. UNWITH OF THOSE I'VE TALKED ABOUT IS SAFE PASSAGEWAY TO SCHOOL. IF A STUDENT HAS TO WORK THROUGH MASSIVE DRAINAGE ISSUES, SIDEWALKS OR CROSSWALKS AND NOT HAVING

[02:30:08]

THOSE ARE ISSUES THE CITY DIRECTLY -- ARE CORE SERVICES.

THESE ALONG WITH MENTAL HEALTH ISSUES. THANK YOU TO THE YOUTH WHO CAME OUT AND SPOKE. YOUR ADVOCACY IS INCREDIBLY IMPORTANT AND SOMETIMES YOU FEEL THEIR VOICE IS NOT REPRESENTED BECAUSE THEY DON'T GET TO GO TO THE BALLOT AND ELECT THEIR REPRESENTATIVES, BUT I THOUGHT THE POINT MENTIONED OUR YOUTH DON'T HAVE A CHAMBER. IT'S SO IMPORTANT FOR US TO MAKE SURE WE'RE STILL LISTENING TO THEM. I WANT YOU ALL TO KNOW YOU'VE SEEN FROM OUR COUNCIL COLLEAGUES WE'RE BEHIND YOU ALL, APPRECIATE THE ADVOCACY YOU WERE REPRESENTED AND IT'S A GREAT IDEA TO START A TASK FORCE TO FIGURE OUT WHEW IS -- FIGURE OUT WHAT IS A SOLUTION AND ARE YOU ACTUALLY PROVIDING SERVICES REQUIRED AND NEEDED FOR OUR YOUTH TO HAVE A FLOURISHING CITY THAT WE WANT.

THE LAST RECOMMENDATION I WOULD MAKE IS NOT ONLY ALONG WITH THE TASK FORCE, WHAT WOULD IT LOOK LIKE TO START A YOUTH ENGAGEMENT OFFICE TO ACTUALLY INCORPORATE ALL THE PROGRAMS WE HAVE THAT COUNCILMEMBER CASTILLO MENTIONED, BUT ACTUALLY ALSO PUSH ALL THE NEEDS THAT WE HAVE FOR OUR COMMUNITY FORWARD.

SO THANK YOU FOR YOUR ADVOCACY. WE'LL CONTINUE THE CONVERSATION AND WE SUPPORT YOU. THANK YOU, MAYOR.

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

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

LET ME ADDRESS THE ELEPHANT IN THE ROOM. I AM WEARING A TURTLE NECK IN AUGUST. PLEASE BEAR WITH ME WHILE I REFERENCE MY NOTES.

I WANT TO START OFF BY RECOGNIZING WE ONLY GET THE AMEND THE CHARTER EVERY TWO YEARS. THIS IS A TREMENDOUS DAY TO SEND A SLOT OF RECOMMENDATIONS FOR VOTE THIS NOVEMBER. AT THE END OF THE DAY VOTERS WILL DECIDE WHICH IN ANY OF THESE OPTIONS WILL BE ADOPTED.

THERE ARE SIX AMENDMENTS BEING CONSIDERED, WHICH IN NOVEMBER WILL MAKE A LENGTHY BALLOT EVEN LONGER. THIS DOES NOT CREATE A PERFECT CHARTER, WE ARE MAKING STEEDS TOWARDS BETTER, MORE MODERNIZED GOVERNMENT.

I'M STARTING WITH A, WE'LL BE MAINTAINING TERM LIMITS FOR ETHICS REVIEW BOARD MEMBERS. B, WE'LL BE UPDATING THE CONSTITUTION TO INCLUDE INCLUSIVITY AND DO AWAY WITH DATED LANGUAGE AND MORE CLOSELY REFLECT DIVERSITY OF OUR CITY. PROPOSITION C REGARDING CITY MANAGER COMPENSATION AND TERM LIMITS. I MAINTAIN TWO BELIEFS THAT CONFLICT IN PRACTICE.

ONE IS IF WE WANT TO RAISE THE PAY OF OUR CITY MANAGER, THE WAY WE DO THAT IS BY RAISING THE PAY OF OUR CITY WORKERS. THAT IS ALWAYS ON THE TABLE.

THAT'S SOMETHING WE CAN DO. ON THE OTHER HAND, OUR CONSTITUENTS VOTE FOR US TO FULFILL A NUMBER OF DUTIES AND ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT FUNCTIONS OF A COUNCILMEMBER IS THE HIRING OF THE CITY MANAGER. WE DO HAVE TO THINK ABOUT THE FUTURE. SO WHETHER OR NOT WE RAISE PAY TO BE COMPETITIVE, THERE ARE FEW QUALIFIED CANDIDATES OR PROFESSIONALS THAT WE WOULD WANT TO LEAD OUR CITY AND LEAD US THROUGH ALL OF OUR CHALLENGES WITH THE ASSUMPTION IT'S ONLY FORAGE YEARS. WE HAVE A -- FOR EIGHT YEARS.

WE HAVE A TERM LIMIT NOT CONSISTENT WITH THIS FIELD OF WORK.

THEY WILL CONSTANTLY BE THINKING ABOUT THEIR NEXT MOVE.

NOT THE CITY THEY WANT TO LIVE IN AND HAVE A THEIR FAMILY GROW.

THAT'S A PROBLEM. SHOULD VOTERS DECIDE THEY DON'T WANT THIS TO PASS, WE'LL MAKE DO. THE NEXT PACKAGE TO MAKE MORE COMPETITIVE FOR FUTURE APPLICANTS. I'M GOING TO SUPPORT THIS AND MAINTAIN MY COMMITMENT TO MAKE SURE NOT ONLY THE CITY MANAGER BUT EVERY EMPLOYEE IN THE CITY IS COMPENSATED WELL FOR THEIR WORK. PROPOSITION D, SINCE I FIRST RAN IN 2021 AND EVEN BEFORE THEN, CITY EMPLOYEES HAVE MADE REQUEST FOR THEIR RIGHT TO PARTICIPATE IN LOCAL ELECTIONS AND ENJOY THE SAME FREEDOMS THAT EVERY OTHER RESIDENT IN THE CITY INCLUDING MEMBERS OF OUR FIRE AND POLICE DEPARTMENTS GET TO ENVOY. WE WORKED TOGETHER ON THIS AND BRAINSTORMED THIS FOR YEARS AND THIS WAS ONE OF MY PRIMARY FOCUSES WHEN THE MAYOR RELAUNCHED THE COMMISSION. I'M GRATEFUL THEY NEVER LET UP AND PROPOSITION D IS MAKING ITS WAY ON TO THE BALLOT. I APPRECIATE AVENUES KNEE'S WORK OF -- AFSCME'S WORK TO ALWAYS KEEPING THE VOICES OF CITY WORKERS ELEVATED.

I LOOK FORWARD TO WORKING PARTNERS AND PROCEDURES AND SISTERS IN LABOR THAT STOOD ALONGSIDE THEM FOR THAT.

[02:35:03]

SAN ANTONIO ALL STARS AND POWERHOUSE. EAST SIDE BOYS AND GIRLS CLUB, YMCA, CHILD SAFE AND THE YOUTH MENTAL HEALTH PROGRAMMING AT BIG MAMA'S SAFE HOUSE AND THERE'S SO MANY MORE I CAN'T NAME ALL OF THEM.

THANK YOU FOR COMING AND ADVOCATING FOR OUR YOUNG PEOPLE.

I WANT TO SPEAK TO THE HARSH REALITY, WE ARE LOOKING AT A BUDGET DEFICIT OVER THE NEXT FIVE YEARS. IF WE PASS A CHARTER AMENDMENT, THE DEDICATED SURPLUS TO YOUTH, IT WOULD MEAN ZERO DOLLARS OVER THE NEXT FIVE YEARS.

ZERO DOLLARS. WE COULD PUT OUT THE BALLOT AND EVERY DOLLAR WE SPEND OUTSIDE OF THAT FUND WILL BE SCRUTINIZED AS DUPLICATE DESPITE THE FUND IS EMPTY.

THEY WILL LOOK AT THE FACT THERE IS A FUND AND SAY WHY WOULD YOU DONATE TO THIS -- INVEST IN THIS NON-PROFIT OR THIS ORGANIZATION HERE AND THERE.

THAT WOULD BE AN ARGUMENT THAT IS HAD NON-STOP. WE COULD PUT IT ON THE BALLOT TO LOOK LIKE WE'RE DOING SOMETHING THAT REALITY WILL NOT PERMIT.

WHILE THAT'S DISAPPOINTING, I CAN'T SUPPORT THAT RIGHT NOW.

BUT I WILL TAKE IT AS A CHALLENGE. WE HAVE TO CONTINUE TO BE CREATIVE IN FINDING OTHER WAYS TO SUPPORT YOUTH SO I LOOK FORWARD TO DOING SO.

I WANT TO THANK THE MEMBERS OF THE COMMUNITY, THE 30-PLUS MEMBERS WHO SPENT HOURS UPON HOURS WORKING ON THE AMENDMENTS AND HAVING THOUGHTFUL DISCUSSION ANSWERING QUESTIONS ABOUT THEM SO WE DIDN'T HAVE TO. THANK YOU ALL SO MUCH AND LOOK FORWARD TO THE CONVERSATION ABOUT THE NEXT TWO ITEMS.

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

MCKEE-RODRIGUEZ. COUNCILMEMBER PELÁEZ. >> PELÁEZ: THANK YOU VERY MUCH. TO OUR FRIENDS IN THE GREEN SHIRTS, OUR CITY EMPLOYEES, I WOULD LIKE TO MENTION SOMETHING THAT I DID YESTERDAY AND THAT I'VE BEEN DOING FOR MANY YEARS AND THAT IS I START ALL MY NEIGHBORHOOD TOWN HALLS WITH A REMINDER. I BELIEVE ALL OF THEM WITH A REMINDER THAT THE CITY EMPLOYEES THAT WE'VE INVITED TO THESE TOWN HALLS ARE THEIR NEIGHBORS.

AND I STARTED DOING THAT IN MY SECOND YEAR OF CITY COUNCIL BECAUSE DURING MY FIRST YEAR IT ALWAYS SURPRISED ME AND DISAPPOINTED ME AND BROKE MY HEART THAT TOO MANY SAN ANTONIANS AT THESE PUBLIC MEETINGS REALLY DELIVERED A LOT OF HEAT TO CITY EMPLOYEES, SCREAMED AND YELLED AT THEM, DISRESPECTED THEM AND REALLY TREATED THEM AND VIEWED THEM AS PART OF SOME SHADOWY CABALL.

I STARTED GIVING THEM THIS REMINDER TO DRIVE THE POINT HOME THAT ASSUMING THAT SAN ANTONIANS DON'T WANT THE SAME THING AS EVERY OTHER SAN ANTONIAN, RIGHT, IS A MISTAKE. AND THAT CITY EMPLOYEES WANT THE SAME THING.

YOU ALL WANT CLEAN PARKS, SAFE NEIGHBORHOODS, ROADS THAT ARE WELL BUILT.

YOU ALL WANT CLEAN WATER. YOU WANT SOCIAL SERVICES THAT ARE AVAILABLE TO EVERYBODY WHO IS VULNERABLE. YOU ALL SEND YOUR KIDS TO THE SAME SCHOOLS AS EVERYBODY ELSE THAT WE REPRESENT. YOUR FAMILIES GO TO THE SAME CHURCHES AND EVERY ONE OF US IS STUCK ON 281 IN THE MORNING.

AND SO WHEN I DO THAT, GUESS WHAT DOESN'T HAPPEN? NONE OF MY CONSTITUENTS EVER START SCREAMING AND YELLING AT THE CITY EMPLOYEES. AND IF I WERE TO GO TELL THEM ALL AND OH, BY THE WAY EACH OF YOU HAS THE FIRST AMENDMENT RIGHT TO PETITION YOUR GOVERNMENT AND PARTICIPATE IN THE PUBLIC CONVERSATION THAT IS PROTECTED BY OUR VERY SACRED FIRST AMENDMENT RIGHTS, IF I SAID THAT BUT YOUR NEIGHBORS WHO DO ALL THESE THINGS, YOUR CITY EMPLOYEES DON'T GET TO DO THAT, MOST PEOPLE WOULD THINK THAT'S OFF, THAT'S STRANGE. AND IT'S -- AND IT CREATES

[02:40:08]

AND, YOU KNOW, WE IN GOVERNMENT ALL THE TIME WE SAY -- THOSE OF US THAT ARE HONEST WILL SAY HEY, LOOK, THE DECISION WE MADE A LONG TIME AGO SEEMED LIKE A GOOD IDEA AT THE TIME. I DON'T KNOW WHY THE AUTHORS OF THAT PROHIBITION DECADES AGO THOUGHT IT WAS A GOOD IDEA AT THE TIME. I'M NOT GOING TO SECOND GUESS THEM. BUT IN 2024, IT'S A BAD IDEA.

AND BAD IDEAS NEED TO BE CHANGED. GUILLERMO, AFSCME AND ALL THE PEOPLE AT CITY HALL AND THE PEOPLE WHO WORK TO MAKE OUR NEIGHBORHOODS SAFER, REAR RETURNING TO YOU SOMETHING THAT SHOULD NEVER HAVE BEEN TAKEN AWAY.

MY HOPE IS THAT YOU WON'T TAKE IT FOR GRAND -- GRANTED AND WE'RE GOING TO GET THE THOUSANDS OF MEN AND WOMEN WHO UNDERSTAND THIS IMPORTANT RIGHT THAT THEY'VE HAD BUT HAD BEEN SOMEHOW INTERGENERATIONAL FEARED WITH AND BLOCKED.

CONGRATULATIONS, GUILLERMO, YOU DESERVE A VACATION TOMORROW.

YOU REALLY DO. THE SECOND THING THAT I WANT TO ADDRESS IS THIS YOUTH -- THE CALL THAT WE SET ASIDE A LARGE CHUNK OF THE BUDGET GOING FORWARD AND THAT WE ENSHRINE THAT COMMITMENT IN THE CHARTER. I WILL TELL YOU THAT I HEARD SOME COMMENTS THAT I THINK ARE MISINFORMED. I WILL TELL YOU THAT THIS COUNCIL DURING THE ENTIRE TIME I'VE BEEN HERE SERVING UNDER THIS MAYOR, WE HAVE INVESTED HISTORIC AMOUNTS IN YOUTH. ANYBODY WHO SAYS THAT WE HAVEN'T EITHER HAS NO IDEA WHAT THEY ARE TALKING ABOUT OR IS LYING TO YOU.

READY TO WORK IS ONE OF OUR MOST IMPORTANT INVESTMENTS IN YOUTH WE'VE EVER MADE.

THE ALAMO PROMISE IS ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT INVESTMENTS THIS CITY HAS EVER MADE IN OUR YOUTH. DURING POST-COVID WHEN WE WERE DISTRIBUTING ARPA AND CARES ACT MONEY, HUNDREDS OF MILLIONS OF DOLLARS WENT OUT, AND I KNOW THIS BECAUSE I WAS CHAIRING THE COMMITTEE IN CHARGE OF HANDLING AND DISBURSING THOSE FUNDS TO YOUTH ORIENTED ORGANIZATIONS. OUR MENTAL HEALTH INVESTMENTS ARE FOCUSED ON YOUTH. OUR TRAUMA-INFORMED CARE INVESTMENTS FOCUSED ON YOUTH. ALMOST EVERYTHING WE DO AT METRO HEALTH IS FOCUSED ON YOUTH. I HEAR YOU LOUD AND CLEAR, BUT I REJECT THE SUGGESTION THAT WE DON'T CARE ABOUT YOUTH.

AND I WILL TELL YOU THAT PLEASE REMEMBER THAT THERE'S SEVEN PARENTS ON THIS DAIS.

SEVEN PARENTS. AND THERE ISN'T A SINGLE ONE OF US THAT DOESN'T SHOW UP EVERY SINGLE MORNING AND MAKE DECISIONS INFORMED BY ANYTHING OTHER THAN WHAT'S BEST FOR KIDS. WE'RE GOING TO CONTINUE TO INVEST IN YOUTH AND CONTINUE TO FIND WAYS, NEW WAYS TO CONTINUE INVESTING IN SOLVING OLD PROBLEMS. ADDITIONALLY, WITH REGARDS TO THE OTHER CHARTER AMENDMENTS, I TRUST THE VOTERS. I TRUST THE VOTERS TO DO THE RIGHT THING.

THE VOTERS HAVE ALWAYS DONE THE RIGHT THING, IN MY VIEW, EXCEPT FOR THE RAIL DECISION AND THE DECISION TO CAP THE CITY MANAGER'S PAY, BUT ASIDE FROM THAT, THE VOTERS ALMOST ALWAYS GET IT RIGHT. AND THE BEAUTIFUL THING ABOUT THE CHARTER IS THAT IT PROVIDES FOR SOMETHING THAT THE U.S. CONSTITUTION PROVIDES FOR WHICH IS A WAY TO AMEND IT. AND THESE ARE NOT DOCUMENTS CHISELED IN STONE.

THEY ARE WRITTEN ON PAPER SO EVERY ONCE IN A WHILE YOU CAN TAKE A ERASESSER AND A -- AN ERASER AND PEN. YOU DON'T GET THAT RIGHT IN OTHER COUNTRIES AND THAT'S ONE OF THE REASONS WE'RE BLESSED TO LIVE HERE. AGAIN, WHAT I'M HOPING WE DO IS WE AREN'T JUST TALKING ABOUT THE SUBSTANCE OF THESE CHARTER AMENDMENTS, BUT ALSO WE'RE TALKING ABOUT DRIVING PEOPLE OUT TO VOTE. AND YOU KNOW, YOU DON'T VOTE ON TWITTER, YOU DON'T VOTE ON INSTAGRAM, YOU DON'T VOTE ON THE OP-ED SECTION OF THE

[02:45:04]

IT'S ONE OF THE DIFFICULTIES THAT WE'VE -- THAT WE HAVEN'T BEEN ABLE TO SOLVE FOR AT CITY HALL AND I DON'T THINK ANY LEVEL OF GOVERNMENT HAS BEEN ABLE TO SOLVE FOR IS HOW TO BRING YOUNG FOLKS TO VOTE. WHAT I WOULD LIKE TO ENCOURAGE YOU TO REMEMBER THE WORDS, BE THE CHANGE YOU WANT TO SEE IN THE WORLD AND IF YOU WANT TO SEE GOVERNMENT REFORMED VOTE. IT ISN'T A SCOLDING.

IT'S EVERYBODY IN THIS ROOM AGREES NOT ENOUGH PEOPLE SHOW UP AND YOU END UP WITH SOME OF THE LUNATICS WE END UP IN AUSTIN AND D.C. WHEN YOU DON'T VOTE IN LARGE NUMBERS. I'M REALLY ENCOURAGED THAT ALL OF YOU SHOW UP.

I HOPE TO SEE YOU OUT AT THE POLLS WHEN THIS CHARTER AMENDMENT PACKAGE COMES BEFORE YOU. MY POSITION ON CHARTER PAY IS DOCUMENTED.

YOU GUYS KNOW WHY I DON'T THINK IT'S SOMETHING THAT SHOULD BE ON THE BALLOT, BUT I TRUST THE VOTERS. HOPE YOU GUYS DO THE RIGHT THING.

WITH THAT, I'LL TELL YOU DAVID, BONNIE AND TO YOU AND ALL OF YOUR COMMITTEE, YOU KEEP SHOWING UP AND KEEP VOLUNTEERING FOR THINGS AND, YOU KNOW, WE KEEP BURDENING YOU WITH THESE VERY HEADY TASKS AND I COULDN'T THINK OF TWO PEOPLE BETTER TO TACKLE THIS THAN YOU GUYS. THANK YOU FOR DOING THAT. YOU ARE ALL I THINK YOU CARRIED THE DAY WITH THIS ONE. THAT'S IT.

THOSE ARE ALL OF MY COMMENTS. >> MAYOR NIRENBERG: THANK

YOU, COUNCILMEMBER PELAEZ. COUNCILMEMBER CASTILLO. >> CASTILLO: THANK YOU, MAYOR. AND THANK YOU TO THE CHARTER REVIEW COMMISSION AND THEIR WORK IN ENSURING THEY ARE INTEGRATING COMMUNITY INPUT INTO THE PRESENTATION.

AS WELL AS TO JOHN AND THE STAFF FOR THE PRESENTATION AND ENSURING THAT CITY COUNCIL RECOMMENDATIONS WERE REFLECTED IN WHAT WE HAVE BEFORE US TODAY.

WITH PROPOSITION C, MY POSITION STILL STANDS THAT I DISAGREE WITH PROPOSITION C.

YEARS AGO THE VOTERS APPROVED THIS CHARTER AMENDMENT AND I FEEL THAT WHAT'S BEFORE US IS WORKING TO UNDO A DECISION THAT THE PEOPLE HAVE MADE IN THE PAST. I BELIEVE THAT CITY MANAGER PAY SHOULD BE TIED TO THE CITY'S LOWEST-PAID EMPLOYEES AND I UNDERSTAND THAT I'M ONE OF THE FEW FOLKS ON THIS DAIS THAT HAS THAT SENTIMENT. WHILE I DISAGREE WITH MY COLLEAGUES, I RESPECT THE CONSENSUS OF THIS BODY AND I WILL NOT BE PULLING ANY ITEM TO DO A PERFORMATIVE NO-VOTE. I WILL TRUST THE VOTERS TO MAKE THAT DECISION. I BELIEVE PROPOSITION D DEMONSTRATES THAT THE COMMUNITY INPUT PROCESS DOES WORK AND I'M GRATEFUL FOR THE LEADERSHIP OF AFSCME AND THEIR MEMBERSHIP FOR ENSURING THEY WERE ADVOCATING FOR CITY EMPLOYEES AND THAT ULTIMATELY THAT'S REFLECTED IN WHAT WE HAVE BEFORE US TODAY. I'M EXCITED AND I KNOW THAT THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO WILL APPROVE PROPOSITION D. PROPOSITION E, I'M PLEASED TO SEE THAT IT NOW REFLECTS THE HUD INCOME AND WITH PROPOSITION F, WHILE I BELIEVE IT'S POSSIBLE TO BE EFFECTIVE WITH TWO-YEAR TERMS, I AM SUPPORTIVE OF EXTENDING IT TO FOUR-YEAR TERM LIMITS. AND I'M OPPOSED TO STAGGERING TERMS, AS I BELIEVE IT WILL RESULT IN LOWER V VOTER TURNOUT AND I FEEL FOUR-YEAR TERMS HAS THE OPPORTUNITY FOR THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO TO SAVE TAXPAYER DOLLARS BY SPENDING $800,000 EVERY FOUR YEARS VERSUS EVERY TWO YEARS. WE'RE HAVING CONVERSATIONS ABOUT CUTS AND ENSURING THAT WE'RE PROVIDING THE FAIR CONTRACT THAT THE SAN ANTONIO FIREFIGHTERS DESERVE AND I BELIEVE IT'S IMPORTANT WE LOOK AT EVERY PIECE ON THE BUDGET HOW WE CAN BEST SAVE DOLLARS TO MEET THOSE NEEDS OF THE COMMUNITY.

IT'S JUST FISCALLY RESPONSIBLE AND ENSURES THERE'S A HIGHER VOTER PARTICIPATION WITHOUT STAGGERED TERMS AND FOUR-YEAR TERMS. I WANTED TO BE SURE THAT I THINK THE FOLKS WHO CAME HERE TODAY TO SHARE THEIR PRIORITIES REGARDING SUPPORTING SAN ANTONIO YOUTH.

I'VE HAD AN OPPORTUNITY TO SIT DOWN WITH THE SAN ANTONIO YOUTH COMMISSION TO TALK ABOUT THEIR BUDGET PRIORITIES AND THERE ARE MANY PARALLELS TO WHAT I HEARD FROM FOLKS GIVING PUBLIC COMMENT TODAY. IN PARTICULAR WHAT CAME UP DURING THE YOUTH COMMISSION CONVERSATION WHERE ISSUES AROUND YOUTH AND GUN VIOLENCE. THAT'S WHY I'M GRATEFUL TOMORROW BIG MAMA'S SAFE HOUSE WILL BE HAVING A RIBBON CUTTING AT THE ALAZAN COURTS.

I THINK THAT DEMONSTRATES THE PIECES WITHIN THE CITY BUDGET THAT WE HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO SCALE UP. AGAIN, I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT AND I AGREE WITH MY COLLEAGUE IN DISTRICT 10, THAT BY INVESTING IN CORE CITY SERVICES IS YOUTH SERVICES. I SHARED DURING OUR LAST BUDGET MEETING THAT OUR CONSTITUENT OFFICE HAS HAD UBERS AND CONNECT FOLKS WITH FAMILIES AND CHILDREN UNDER THE AGE OF 10 TO HAVEN FOR HOPE. WE ARE GRATEFUL FOR THE

[02:50:02]

I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT THAT WE LOOK AT THOSE CORE SERVICES AS YOUTH SERVICES BECAUSE THEY ARE. AND WE SEE THE IMPACTS. NO DOUBT THERE'S A NEED TO INVEST MORE IN THESE SERVICES AND THERE'S ALSO OPPORTUNITY.

FOR EXAMPLE, WITH READY TO WORK, I BELIEVE THERE'S OPPORTUNITY TO CARVE OUT FUNDING TO EXPAND THE SAN ANTONIO AMBASSADOR PROGRAM TO SERVE AT-RISK YOUTH.

RIGHT NOW YOU HAVE TO BE A COLLEGE STUDENT TO PARTICIPATE AND EVERY SAN ANTONIO STUDENT AND YOUTH DESERVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO INTERN WITH OUR OFFICES AND CITY DEPARTMENTS AND I THINK THAT'S SOMETHING WE SHOULD WORK TOWARDS AND IT'S POSSIBLE. BUT ULTIMATELY, I AM SUPPORTIVE OF WHAT'S BEFORE US TODAY AND I TRUST SAN ANTONIO VOTERS TO MAKE THEIR DECISION ON WHAT THEIR BELIEF AND SENTIMENTS ARE ON EACH OF THESE PROPOSITIONS. THANK YOU, MAYOR.

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

>> COURAGE: THANK YOU, MAYOR. I TOO WANT TO COMMEND THE COMMISSION FOR WHAT THEY HAVE BROUGHT FORWARD TO US FOR CONSIDERATION AND WHAT WOULD BE GOING FORWARD TO THE VOTERS. I SUPPORT THE FOUR ITEMS A, B, C, AND D. WE'LL BE HAVING FURTHER DISCUSSION ABOUT THE OTHER TWO AND I HAVE SUPPORT FOR PART OF THOSE AS WELL. I THINK WHEN WE DECIDED OR WHEN THIS COMMISSION DECIDED TO RECOMMEND THAT THE COUNCIL RETAIN ITS ULTIMATE AUTHORITY TO HIRE OR FIRE OR PAY THE CEO FOR THE CITY, THAT THAT WAS A GOOD MOVE FOR US. MANY OF US I THINK HAVE GREAT RESPECT FOR OUR CURRENT CEO, FOR OUR CURRENT CITY MANAGER, AND FOR THE PROFESSIONAL STAFF THAT HE HAS WHO WORKS WITH HIM. IF WE'RE GOING TO LIMIT HIS OR ANY OTHER CITY MANAGER'S TERMS TO X AMOUNT OF YEARS AND TO X AMOUNT OF DOLLARS, THEN I THINK IN THE FUTURE WE LIMIT FINDING THE BEST-QUALIFIED PERSON TO LEAD THIS CITY.

AND I THINK THAT SHOULD BE A PRIORITY, A TOP PRIORITY. WE'RE A $3.5 BILLION ENTERPRISE OVER 13,000 EMPLOYEES. IT'S ONLY GOING TO CONTINUE TO GROW BECAUSE THE CITY GROWS EVERY YEAR. AND WE WANT TO MAKE SURE WE HAVE THE BEST CITY MANAGER AVAILABLE AND, YOU KNOW, RIGHT NOW AT $350,000 IF WE HAD TO MAKE THAT DECISION NEXT MONTH OR SIX MONTHS FROM NOW, WE PROBABLY WOULDN'T FIND ANYWHERE NEAR THE BEST-QUALIFIED FUTURE CITY MANAGERS COMING TO SAN ANTONIO SAYING, YES, I'D LIKE THE JOB. SO I THINK IT'S A GOOD RECOMMENDATION. AND IT'S GOING TO BE UP TO THE PUBLIC TO MAKE THAT DECISION. YOU KNOW, ON PROPOSITION D, I WAS PROBABLY A LITTLE LATE IN THE GAME JUMPING ON BOARD WITH MY UNION FRIENDS. ONE OF THE CONCERNS I ALWAYS HAVE WHEN IT COMES TO POLITICS IS THAT WHAT KIND OF PRESSURE WILL EMPLOYEES FEEL IF THEY'RE UNABLE TO EXERCISE THEIR RIGHTS IN ANY WAY THEY WANT FROM THE PEOPLE THEY WORK WITH OR WORK UNDER. AND THAT WAS MY CONSIDERATION. I THINK WE TALKED ABOUT THAT.

I THINK THE CITY ATTORNEY HAS KIND OF REASSURED ME. I THINK SOME OF THE LANGUAGE IN HERE, WHEN WE TALK ABOUT MAKING SURE THAT STATE AND FEDERAL PROTECTIONS ARE FULLY IN PLACE KIND OF REASSURED ME. I'VE ALWAYS BEEN A UNION SUPPORTER MYSELF AND I WILL CONTINUE TO BE. AFSCME HELPED ME 50 YEARS AGO AND I STOOD WITH CWA MANY TIMES. I WAS MARRIED TO A CWA EMPLOYEE FOR A LONG TIME. I REALIZE THE VALUE THAT UNIONS HAVE SO I'M GLAD AT THIS TIME THAT WE'VE ALSO GOT THAT OUT THERE AND I HOPE THE VOTERS RECOGNIZE THE VALUE OF THAT AS WELL. SO I'M VERY MUCH IN SUPPORT OF THE MAIN PROPOSITION RIGHT NOW THAT WE PUT PROPOSITIONS A, B, C, AND D BEFORE THE VOTERS.

I'M ALSO LOOKING FORWARD TO THE DISCUSSION ON THE OTHER TWO ITEMS.

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

SO WE HAVE A MAIN MOTION AND THEN WE HAVE AN AMENDMENT WHICH SEPARATES TWO ITEMS THAT WE'LL VOTE ON SEPARATELY. WE ARE GOING TO HAVE TO TAKE THOSE TWO FIRST. WHAT I'M GOING TO DO NOW IS OPEN DISCUSSION ON THE OTHER TWO AMENDMENTS AND WE'LL GO THROUGH OUR ROUND OF VOTES. SO LET ME GIVE YOU A SECOND TO COMPOSE YOUR THOUGHTS AND THEN WE'LL GET ON WITH THE CONVERSATION.

[02:55:02]

GAVITO. >> GAVITO: THANK YOU, MAYOR.

REGARDING PROPOSITION E, I'M GLAD WE CAME TO AN AGREEMENT ABOUT THE HUD GUIDELINES.

HUD IS THE BASIS FOR MANY PROGRAMS IN THE CITY SO IT MAKES SENSE TO USE THIS.

THESE RECOMMENDED RATES WILL SERVE TO MAKE COUNCIL SEATS MORE ACCESSIBLE.

THE COUNCIL WOULD BE DOING A DISSERVICE TO MEMBERS OF THE WORKING CLASS WHOSE VOICES DESERVE TO BE REPRESENTED IF WE CHOSE TO GO WITH LOWER PAY RATES.

IF WE KEEP THE SALARY LOWER, WE MIGHT JUST BECOME A COUNCIL WITH ONLY MEMBERS WHO ARE ATTORNEYS. I PREFER TO SEE A DIVERSE COUNCIL OF COMMUNITY-MINDED FOLKS, NONPROFIT LEADERS, HEALTHCARE SPECIALISTS AND TEACHERS.

THESE ARE FOLKS WHO KNOW WHAT IT'S LIKE TO SIT AT THE KITCHEN TABLE AT NIGHT MAKING TOUGH FINANCIAL DECISIONS FOR THEIR FAMILIES.

MY GOAL HERE IS TO KEEP THE DOORS OPEN OF CITY HALL OPEN FOR EVERYONE TO SERVE.

I ALSO DO WANT TO REMIND EVERYONE THAT IF SOME OF MY COUNCIL COLLEAGUES DON'T WANT A PAY RAISE, THEY DO HAVE THE ABILITY TO OPT OUT. REGARDING PROPOSITION F, THE MAYOR AND COUNCIL TERMS, I STILL BELIEVE IN TWO YEARS. THIS KEEPS US MORE ACCOUNTABLE TO RESIDENTS. THIS GIVES THE RESIDENTS THE ABILITY TO HIRE OR FIRE US.

WHEN I'VE BEEN DISCUSSING THE CHARTER AMENDMENTS WITH RESIDENTS AT NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION MEETINGS, THEY HAVE ECHOED SUPPORT FOR TWO YEARS AS THEY FEEL IT ALLOWS THEIR LOCAL GOVERNMENT TO BE PRESENT WITH THEIR NEIGHBORHOODS.

COUNCIL MEMBERS NEED TO ALWAYS BE WORKING FOR THE VOTERS' TRUST, NOT JUST DURING ELECTION YEARS. AND I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO SEEING WHAT VOTERS DECIDE.

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

GAVITO. COUNCILMEMBER VIAGRAN. >> VIAGRAN: THANK YOU.

AND, AGAIN, THANK YOU ALL FOR YOUR PARTICIPATION. ON PART E, I WILL BE SUPPORTING IT AS IT IS. I THINK HUD INCOME IS WHAT DRIVES A LOT OF OUR FUNDING, A LOT OF OUR HOUSING, SO I THINK WE NEED TO STAY WITH THAT AS WE CONSIDER COUNCIL PAY. AND I LOOK FORWARD TO HEARING FROM THE VOTERS ON THEIR THOUGHTS. ON EXTENDING THE TERMS FOR THE ELECTED MEMBERS OF CITY COUNCIL, THIS IS SOMETHING THAT I THINK, SINCE WE EXTENDED THE TERMS TO A TOTAL OF EIGHT YEARS INSTEAD OF THE FOUR YEARS WE DID BEFORE, I THINK WE'RE SEEING A LOT OF PEOPLE STAY AND CONTINUE TO GET RE-ELECTED. COUNCILWOMAN REBECCA VIAGRAN. COUNCILMAN RAY LOPEZ, REY SALDANA, SHIRLEY GONZALES .

WE'RE SEEING PEOPLE STAY AND DO THAT. BOTH REBECCA AND SHIRLEY STAYED ON THAT SMALL -- THEY WENT FROM NO SALARY TO SALARY TO SOME SALARY OR SOME COMPENSATION. AND I THINK THAT'S WHY WE NEED TO SUPPORT THE COMPENSATION AND THAT THEY WOULD AGREE WITH ME. I THINK THE EXTENDING OF THE TERM LIMITS IS WHAT WE NATURALLY SEE. NOW, IF WE ARE HAVING CONVERSATIONS ON STAGGERING, WHICH I KNOW ONE OF THE CHAMBERS BROUGHT THAT UP, THE THING WE KIND OF COMMISSIONED WAS, HEY, WE WANT THE RESIDENTS NOT TO HAVE VOTER FATIGUE. SO THE ONLY WAY I WOULD BE IN APPROVE OF STAGGERING IS IF WE DID IT IN A NOVEMBER ELECTION. ONE GROUP COULD GO WITH THE PRESIDENTIAL YEAR. THE MAYOR AND THE REST OF THE COUNCIL COULD GO WITH THE MID-TERM. AND THEN THAT WAY WE WOULD HAVE THIS ONE VOTE AND THERE WE GO AND WE WOULD BE GOING WITH OUR COUNTY COMMISSIONERS.

SO THAT'S THE ONLY WAY I WOULD BE FOR THAT. AND THAT, I FEEL LIKE, IS A LOT MORE COMPLEX. SO I AM, AS OF THIS POINT, LOOKING AT SUPPORTING F AS IT IS NOW WITH CONCURRENT TO MAYBE LOOK AT THE FUTURE ABOUT MOVING OUR ELECTIONS TO NOVEMBER WITH ANOTHER CHARTER AMENDMENT. AND THEN WE CAN STAGGER

THEN. THANK YOU, MAYOR. >> MAYOR NIRENBERG: THANK YOU, COUNCILMEMBER VIAGRAN. COUNCILMEMBER MCKEE-RODRIGUEZ.

>> MCKEE-RODRIGUEZ: THANK YOU. WE'RE TALKING ABOUT PROPOSITIONS E AND F, RIGHT? THANK YOU. PROPOSITION E, I WILL HAVE A MOTION TO MAKE. BUT THERE'S A COUPLE OF THINGS THAT I'M THINKING ABOUT. ONE IS THAT TRADITIONALLY IT'S NOT VIEWED FAVORABLY

[03:00:01]

I DO WANT TO MAKE CLEAR THAT'S NOT WHAT'S HAPPENING BUT I ALSO WANT TO SAY THAT'S NOT A BAD THING IF WE WERE. I WOULD CONFIDENTLY ASK MY CONSTITUENTS FOR COMPENSATION THAT THEY BELIEVE IS FAIR FOR MY WORK.

COMPENSATION THAT WOULD MAKE IT POSSIBLE FOR ME TO CONTINUE SERVING IN THIS ROLE. I'M 29 YEARS OLD. PEOPLE MY AGE ARE STARTING FAMILIES AND HAVING CHILDREN. I CANNOT COMFORTABLY DO THAT NOW THEY KNOW THAT IT WILL NOT BE ATTAINABLE OR SUSTAINABLE FOR THEM.

WE HAVE TO THINK ABOUT THAT AND WE CAN'T CLOSE DOORS BEHIND US.

I WOULD BE WILLING TO ASK MY CONSTITUENTS FOR COMPENSATION BUT I UNDERSTAND THAT SOME OF MY COLLEAGUES PROBABLY WOULDN'T DO THAT.

BUT I WOULD RECOMMEND BUT IF AN EMPLOYEE IS DOING THE WORK, SHOWING UP WELL PREPARED I HOPE WE GET TO THE POINT WHERE THEY CAN BE CONFIDENT ASKING THEIR EMPLOYER TO PAY FOR THEIR WORTH. AND WE CAN'T SEPARATE OURSELVES AND OUR ROLE FROM THE FACT THAT -- [APPLAUSE] WE CANNOT SEPARATE OURSELVES AND OUR ROLE FROM THE FACT THAT OUR CONSTITUENTS ARE OUR NEIGHBORS, THEY'RE OUR FRIENDS, RELATIVES, AND OUR BOSSES. THE REASON THAT I SAY THAT WE'RE NOT ASKING FOR A PAY RAISE IS THAT THIS ISSUE IS NOT SOMETHING THAT COUNCIL MEMBERS BY AND LARGE URGE THE CHARTER REVIEW COMMISSION TO DISCUSS.

IT WAS PART OF THE CHARGE OF OUR OUTGOING MAYOR WHO WILL NOT SEE THE BENEFITS OF THIS. PEOPLE LEGITIMATELY THINK THAT WE MAKE, AS COUNCIL MEMBERS, AS MUCH AS A COUNTY COMMISSIONER. WE MAKE LESS THAN A THIRD OF WHAT A COUNTY COMMISSIONER MAKES. THAT'S ITS OWN DISCUSSION BUT WHAT WE ARE DISCUSSING IS WHAT IS THE VALUE OF A COUNCILMEMBER'S WORK? IS IT A POSITION THAT SHOULD BE INDEXED TO A SET VALUE? VOTERS ALREADY DECIDED THIS WAS A FULL-TIME JOB WORTH PAYING A FULL-TIME WAGE IN 2015 BUT THE COMMISSION THEN STOPPED SHORT OF INDEXING. SO WE'RE ASKING THE VOTERS IF WE SHOULD INDEX.

I'M SAYING WE SHOULD. FOR MOST OF US THIS IS A MORE THAN FULL-TIME JOB THAT HAS NOT KEPT UP WITH THE COST OF LIVING AND UNTIL WE MAKE IT SO THAT A TEACHER, A HEALTHCARE WORKER, A COMMUNITY QUALITY OF LIFE, THE ROLE IS INACCESSIBLE STILL AND THAT IS NOT FULFILLING THE PROMISE THAT WE MADE BACK IN 2015 WHEN THE VOTERS RECOGNIZED US AS A FULL-TIME JOB. THIS WILL ALSO MAKE OUR RACES MORE COMPETITIVE BECAUSE IT SHOULD BE CLEAR THAT IF VOTERS APPROVE INDEXING PAY THEN IT WILL BE UNACCEPTABLE FOR COUNCIL MEMBERS TO NOT SHOW UP FOR THEIR COMMUNITY, TO MISS COUNCIL MEETINGS BECAUSE THEY WERE WORKING ANOTHER JOB, COUGH, COUGH.

THIS IS A FULL-TIME JOB AND MAKES IT MORE ACCESSIBLE FOR PEOPLE TO TREAT IT AS SUCH.

I'M ALWAYS OPEN AND TRANSPARENT ABOUT WHO I AM. I BELIEVE COUNCIL MEMBERS SHOULD BE HANDS ON. WE SHOULD BE ATTENDING EVENTS, HAVING THE ONE-ON-ONE MEETINGS. WE SHOULD BE PRESENT TO ANSWER TO THE MEDIA.

WE SHOULD BE RUNNING OUR FIELD OFFICES AND MANAGING OUR STAFF, KNOWLEDGEABLE OF THE HUNDREDS OF ITEMS WE VOTE ON EACH MONTH. WE SHOULD BE WILLING TO BE MORE SCRUTINIZED AND AS POLITICS HAVE GOTTEN MORE VOLATILE SO HAS OUR ROLE AS GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS. DESPITE THE FACT THAT THIS IS A NON-PARTISAN OFFICE, WE ARE NOT IMMUNE TO THE EFFECTS OF NATIONAL POLITICAL DISCOURSE.

SO I DO HAVE AN AMENDMENT I WOULD LIKE TO MAKE THROUGH A MOTION.

MY INTENTION IS NOT TO MAKE ANY SUBSTANTIVE CHANGES BUT TO MAKE CLEAR THAT COMPENSATION WILL GO UP TO THE NEW INDEX COMPENSATION. BUT COUNCIL MEMBERS DO HAVE THE POWER TO WAIVE PART OF THE MOTION. I MOVE TO AMEND SO E ESTABLISHES THE COMPENSATION BE SET AND LIMITED TO THE HUD MEDIAN INCOME FOR SAN ANTONIO AND AUTHORIZES THE COUNCIL OR MAYOR TO ACCEPT OR DECLINE ANY OR ALL OF THE

COMPENSATION ANNUALLY . >> MAYOR NIRENBERG: THANK YOU, COUNCILMEMBER MCKEE-RODRIGUEZ MADE A MOTION TO CLARIFY THE INDEXING OF ITEM E.

I'LL NOTE THE FINAL LANGUAGE IS NOT BEING DECIDED ON THE BALLOT TODAY BUT NOTE THAT IS GOING TO BE A PRIORITY IF WE APPROVE IT THAT WAY. SO WHAT I WOULD ASK, SINCE IT'S NOT A SUBSTANTIVE CHANGE, NOT CHANGING THE NUMBERS OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT, IS THAT WOULD THAT BE ACCEPTABLE AS A FRIENDLY AMENDMENT TO SEPARATING ITEM E? OKAY. SO BY AFFIRMATION OF THE COUNCIL WE'LL INCLUDE THAT IN THE MOTION, THE LANGUAGE THAT YOU NOTED, COUNCILMAN.

DOES HE NEED TO REPEAT THAT? >> SEGOVIA: NO, MAYOR. I DON'T THINK HE NEEDS TO REPEAT IT. WHEN THE COUNCIL VOTES ON E IT WILL BE PROPOSITION E AS

AMENDED BY THE COUNCILMAN'S MOTION. >> MAYOR NIRENBERG: OKAY.

OKAY. SO WE'RE GOING TO HAVE ONE DISCUSSION ON E AND F BUT IT WILL BE A SEPARATE VOTE. ITEM E AND F WILL BE TAKEN AS SEPARATE VOTES BUT WE'RE

[03:05:02]

ON F, YOU CAN GO AHEAD AND HAVE THE FLOOR. >> MCKEE-RODRIGUEZ: HOW MUCH TIME DO I HAVE? OH, GOD. I JUST WANT TO BE CLEAR I DON'T SUPPORT STAGGERING TERMS AND I ACTUALLY FEEL LIKE IT WILL DIRECTLY SUPPRESS AND DISENFRANCHISE VOTERS. ANY EFFORTS THAT SHOULD BE MADE THROUGH THE LENS OF -- ANY EFFORTS OF THIS KIND SHOULD BE MADE THROUGH A LENS OF EQUITY. I'LL TELL YOU GUYS ABOUT POLITICAL CONSULTANTS.

THEY WILL ADVISE ANYONE RUNNING A MAYORAL CAMPAIGN IN 2029 TO PRIMARILY TARGET THOSE WHO ARE RUNNING -- OR THOSE DISTRICTS THAT HAVE A COUNCIL SEAT UP FOR RE-ELECTION. WE'RE ESSENTIALLY DECIDING WHICH COUNCIL MEMBERS OR WHICH DISTRICTS GET TO HAVE IMBALANCED LEVERAGE IN THE MAYORAL ELECTION.

THAT'S A PROBLEM. THANK YOU. >> MAYOR NIRENBERG: THANK YOU, COUNCILMEMBER MCKEE-RODRIGUEZ. COUNCILMEMBER WHYTE.

>> WHYTE: SO WE TALK ABOUT MISSING MEETINGS AND, YOU KNOW, WHAT'S APPROPRIATE CONDUCT FOR A COUNCIL MEMBER ET CETERA, ET CETERA. YET TODAY WE'RE TALKING ABOUT EXTENDING THEIR TERM TO FOUR YEARS AND TO ME THOSE ARE JUST CONTRARY POSITIONS BECAUSE IF YOU DO HAVE A COUNCIL MEMBER THAT'S CONSISTENTLY MISSING MEETINGS OR NOT BEING RESPONSIVE TO THEIR CONSTITUENTS, WHY WOULD WE WANT THIS PERSON TO BE ABLE TO SERVE A FOUR-YEAR TERM? AGAIN, THIS IS THE CLOSEST LEVEL OF GOVERNMENT TO THE PEOPLE. AND IT'S A LEVEL OF GOVERNMENT WHERE YOU HAVE TO BE RESPONSIVE TO YOUR CONSTITUENTS ON A DAILY BASIS. EACH OF OUR OFFICES GETS COUNTLESS CALLS EVERY DAY ON ISSUES RANGING FROM PUBLIC SAFETY TO POTHOLES TO WHATEVER IT MAY BE.

AND THE POSSIBILITY ALWAYS EXISTS THAT A COUNCIL MEMBER WON'T TAKE HIS OR HER JOB SERIOUSLY OR WON'T BE EFFECTIVE FOR HIS OR HER CONSTITUENTS.

AND NOW WE WANT TO MOVE THE TERM TO FOUR YEARS, LONGER THAN OUR STATE REPRESENTATIVES, LONGER THAN OUR REPRESENTATIVES, MANY OF THEM UP IN WASHINGTON, D.C.

FOR SOME REASON WE THINK THAT HAVING FOUR YEARS HERE, THAT SOMEHOW WE'RE ENTITLED TO THAT. I DON'T BELIEVE IT. AND I UNDERSTAND, YES, YOU KNOW, IT SEEMS LIKE YOU'RE RUNNING FOR OFFICE EVERY OTHER YEAR.

BUT YOU KNOW WHAT? WE SHOULD BE ACCOUNTABLE TO THE CITIZENS EVERY TWO YEARS. IF THEY LIKE WHAT WE'RE DOING, THEY'LL KEEP US.

IF THEY DON'T, THEY WON'T. I THINK THE RISK OF HAVING A FOUR-YEAR TERM AND STICKING A DISTRICT WITH SOMEBODY THAT'S NOT DOING THE JOB FOR THE PEOPLE IS A RISK THAT I DON'T WANT US TO TAKE. THAT SAID, IT WILL BE UP TO THE VOTERS IF THIS GETS ON THE BALLOT AND SO I TRUST IN THEIR OPINION. REGARDING PAY, AGAIN, THE VOTERS WILL MAKE THE DECISION. I DO NOT BELIEVE THAT RAISING OUR PAY WILL PRODUCE ANY HIGHER QUALITY OR MORE EFFECTIVE CITY COUNCIL PEOPLE. IF WE PUT THIS PROPOSAL ON THE BALLOT AND IT PASSES, WE'RE TALKING ABOUT SOMEWHERE IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD OF OVER -- BETWEEN 400 AND $500,000 ADDITIONAL TAXPAYER MONEY THAT'S GOING TO GO TOWARDS OUR SALARY. THAT SHOULD BE GOING TO PUBLIC SAFETY.

THAT SHOULD BE GOING TO INFRASTRUCTURE. THAT SHOULD BE GOING TO PARKS. IT SHOULD NOT BE GOING TO PAY US FOR WHAT WE DO HERE AT CITY HALL. BUT, AGAIN, THE VOTERS WILL GET TO HAVE THAT SAY IN NOVEMBER IF WE PUT IT ON THE BALLOT. AND I TRUST THEM TO MAKE THE RIGHT DECISION. THOSE ARE MY POSITIONS ON E AND F.

I WILL BE VOTING AGAINST BOTH OF THOSE MEASURES. THANKS.

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

HAVRDA. >> HAVRDA: THANK YOU, MAYOR.

AS WE DISCUSS COUNCIL PAY, I JUST -- A REMINDER THAT THESE PROPOSITIONS ARE NOT DRIVEN BY THE PUBLIC. Y'ALL CAN MAKE A BIG ISSUE ABOUT LAWYERS BEING AGAINST IT BUT I WAS NOT BORN A LAWYER. I WAS BORN IN CULEBRA PARK ON THE WEST SIDE AND I WORKED MY BUTT OFF IN RESTAURANTS TO GET MY

[03:10:02]

WE HAVE TO BE MORE IN TOUCH WITH COMMUNITY AND THINK ABOUT WHAT MATTERS TO T THEM .

THESE PROPOSITIONS SHOULD HAVE BEEN FOR AND BY THE COMMUNITY.

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

HAVRDA. COUNCILMEMBER COURAGE. >> COURAGE: THANK YOU, MAYOR. I'D LIKE TO ASK THE CITY ATTORNEY ONCE THESE ARE ALL APPROVED, IF THEY'RE ALL APPROVED AND THEY'RE GOING TO GO BEFORE THE VOTERS, WHAT IS THE ROLE OF COUNCIL IN ADDRESSING THESE ISSUES TO THE PUBLIC?

>> SEGOVIA: THANK YOU, COUNCILMAN. AS IN OTHER PROPOSITIONS THAT ARE PUT FORTH TO THE VOTERS, ONCE THE COUNCIL APPROVES THEM AND ORDERS THE ELECTION, THEN UNDER STATE LAW, DURING CITY HOURS AND CITY RESOURCES CAN'T BE USED TO ADVOCATE FOR OR AGAINST ANY OF THE PROPOSITIONS. MUCH LIKE ANY PROPOSITION, COUNCIL MEMBERS CAN ADVOCATE FOR AND AGAINST, AS LONG AS IT'S NOT USING CITY

RESOURCES OR ON CITY TIME. >> COURAGE: DOES THAT MEAN IF YOU GO TO A NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION MEETING SPEAKING AS A COUNCIL MEMBER YOU SHOULD BE NEUTRAL ON THIS

SUBJECT? >> SEGOVIA: AGAIN, COUNCILMAN, THAT DEPENDS ON THE FORUM AND THE TIME OF DAY. I WILL SAY IT'S ALWAYS OKAY TO ANSWER QUESTIONS THAT ARE FACTUAL. FOR EXAMPLE, IF SOMEBODY ASKS: DOES THAT MEAN THAT THESE PROPOSITIONS -- LET'S SAY, USE AN EXTREME EXAMPLE.

DO THEY GO INTO EFFECT FIVE YEARS FROM NOW? NO.

THEY GO INTO EFFECT WHEN THE COUNCIL CANVASSES THE VOTE. IT'S ALWAYS OKAY TO ANSWER

QUESTIONS OBJECTIVELY. >> COURAGE: I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE DON'T FIND OURSELVES IN VIOLATION OF OUR OWN ETHICS RULES BY ADVOCATING EITHER FOR OR AGAINST SOMETHING WHEN IT'S INAPPROPRIATE. I APPRECIATE THAT CLARIFICATION. YOU KNOW, I'VE HEARD A COUPLE OF COUNCIL MEMBERS -- AND IT'S SOMETHING I'VE SAID BEFORE. THAT IS THAT THIS IS, FOR ME --T ALL OF YOU -- A FULL-TIME JOB. AND IT SHOULD BE A FULL-TIME JOB. AND IN A FULL-TIME JOB, SOMETIMES 50, 60 HOURS A WEEK FOR A COUNCIL MEMBER. AND DURING THAT TIME WE NEED TO BE RESPONSIBLE AND EFFECTIVE AND ACCOUNTABLE DURING THAT FULL-TIME REPRESENTATION.

SO I THINK BY, THROUGH E, OFFERING THE KIND OF COMPENSATION THAT WILL ALLOW ALMOST ANYBODY TO ENTER INTO THIS KIND OF A POSITION ON A FULL-TIME BASIS IS AN IMPORTANT WAY OF MAKING SURE WE HAVE RESPONSIBLE, EFFECTIVE, ACCOUNTABLE LEADERSHIP IN CITY GOVERNMENT. PERSONALLY I DIDN'T SUPPORT THE FINAL NUMBERS THAT CAME UP. I WOULD HAVE THOUGHT IT WOULD HAVE BEEN A LITTLE BIT LESS BUT THAT WILL BE THE VOTERS' FINAL DECISION.

I HOPE THE MATTER OF 500 OR $1,000 MORE OR LESS WON'T MAKE A LOT OF DIFFERENCE IN THE MINDS OF THE PUBLIC WHO ARE GOING TO VOTE ON THIS. BUT I HOPE THEY REMEMBER WE NEED TO HAVE COMMITTED FULL-TIME COUNCIL MEMBERS. AND BY OFFERING A REASONABLE COMPENSATION WE'LL GET GREAT CANDIDATES WHO WANT TO DO EXACTLY THAT.

LIKE THE PEOPLE WE HAVE HERE TODAY, GOING FORWARD. ON TERMS, TWO OR FOUR YEARS, I THINK I HAVE ADVOCATED SINCE I HAVE BEEN ON THE COUNCIL, AFTER MY SECOND OR THIRD TERM, THAT TWO YEARS IS BARELY ENOUGH TIME TO UNDERSTAND HOW YOU CAN BE RESPONSIBLE AS A COUNCIL MEMBER AND HOW THINGS WORK. AND IF YOU'RE CAMPAIGNING THE LAST FIVE OR SIX MONTHS OF THAT FIRST TWO YEARS, YOU'RE VERY LIMITED IN WHAT YOU CAN DO. I ALSO LOOK BACK AT THE HISTORY OF THE COUNCIL THAT FOR MANY, MANY YEARS THERE WERE TWO-YEAR TERMS AND IT WAS ONLY TWO TWO-YEAR TERMS. AND I LOOK BACK AND SEE HOW MANY FORMER SUGGESTIONS ENDED UP BEING PUT ON A SHELF AND NEVER COMPLETED BECAUSE OF THE CONSTANT CHANGE IN COUNCIL MEMBERS.

SO YOU BEGIN SOMETHING AND MAYBE TWO YEARS LATER YOU'RE GONE AND THE NEXT PERSON AFTER YOU DOESN'T PICK IT UP. OR MAYBE YOU'RE STILL THERE

[03:15:03]

A NEW PARK WE'RE JUST BUILDING HAS TAKEN THAT LONG.

A NEW SENIOR CENTER WE JUST BUILT TOOK FIVE YEARS. RIGHT NOW WE'RE FINISHING A MAJOR THOROUGHFARE IN MY DISTRICT THAT I'VE BEEN ON COUNCIL SEVEN YEARS AND WE'RE JUST NOW DOING THE CONSTRUCTION. SO SAYING, OH, YEAH, A TWO-YEAR TERM OR, YOU KNOW, A COUPLE OF TWO-YEAR TERMS IS ENOUGH.

NOT TO BE AS EFFECTIVE AS WE CAN BE AND AS COMMITTED AS WE CAN BE WORRYING ABOUT ELECTIONS. I DIDN'T REALIZE OUR TIME WAS ONLY FIVE MINUTES ON

THIS ISSUE. >> MAYOR NIRENBERG: IT'S OUR SECOND ROUND.

DID YOU FINISH YOUR SENTENCE? >> COURAGE: I GUESS SO.

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

COUNCILMEMBER ROCHA GARCIA.

>> GARCIA: THANK YOU, MAYOR. I JUST HAVE A CLARIFYING QUESTION FOR ANDY, BECAUSE IT'S BEEN SAID ABOUT THE ABSENTEEISM, IF YOU WILL, AND ABOUT NOT BEING ABLE TO REMOVE COUNCIL MEMBERS UNTIL A FOUR-YEAR TERM.

SECTION 13 OF OUR CHARTER SAYS A VOTE REGARDING ADJOURNMENT OR THE ATTENDANCE OF ABSENT MEMBERS MAY BE ADOPTED BY A MAJORITY OF THE MEMBERS PRESENT.

HOW DO YOU DEFINE ABSENT MEMBERSHIP? HOW MANY MEETINGS MISSED OR HOW DO WE DO THAT OR IS THAT ONE OF THE CLARIFYING QUESTIONS THAT WILL BE

REVISED? >> SEGOVIA: THAT'S A PER-MEETING PROVISION,

COUNCILWOMAN. >> GARCIA: GOT IT. I WAS TRYING TO UNDERSTAND

THE WAY THAT IT'S WRITTEN. >> SEGOVIA: YES. >> GARCIA: MAYBE THAT COULD BE ONE OF THE CLARIFICATION POINTS. THANK YOU.

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

GARCIA. COUNCILMEMBER CASTILLO. >> CASTILLO: THANK YOU, MAYOR. IN REGARDS TO THE FOUR-YEAR TERM LIMITS, I WANT TO ENSURE THAT FOLKS ARE REMINDED THAT THE RECALL PROCESS DOES EXIST.

YOU KNOW, PRIOR TO BEING IN OFFICE WE WERE FRUSTRATED WITH THE LEADERSHIP WE HAD BUT THERE'S ALWAYS THE ABILITY FOR FOLKS TO RECALL IF THEY HAVE SOMEONE RECENTLY ELECTED, INEFFECTIVE, ABSENT. IF VOTERS ARE DISSATISFIED WITH THEIR REPRESENTATION, THEY HAVE THE ABILITY TO RECALL THEIR ELECTED OFFICIALS. I WANT TO ENSURE THAT SAN ANTONIO RESIDENTS KNOW THAT THEY HAVE THAT TOOL IN THEIR POCKET TO RECALL THEIR REPRESENTATIVE IF NECESSARY.

>> MAYOR NIRENBERG: ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU, COUNCILMEMBER

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

I JUST WANTED TO MENTION THAT GOING BACK TO THE INITIAL POINT THAT THESE TWO AMENDMENTS ARE PARTICULARLY IMPORTANT FOR GOVERNANCE AND STABLE GOVERNANCE.

AS REGARD TO COUNCIL COMPENSATION, I WOULD WANT TO SAY THANK YOU TO STAFF FOR COMING BACK TO US WITH THE HUD REQUEST. I KNOW THAT WAS MADE TO ALIGN THAT AND IT LOOKS LIKE IT COMES BACK TO SIMILARLY WHAT ACTUALLY THE CHARTER COMMISSION RECOMMENDED. SO I'M GUESSING MAYBE THEY USED THAT AS A METRIC TOO.

THANK YOU FOR COMING BACK TO US WITH THAT INFORMATION AND BEING ABLE TO PROVIDE WHAT HUD GUIDELINES ARE SO WE CAN ALIGN WITH THAT. I DON'T THINK ANY OF US -- IT IS A DELICATE TOPIC BUT WE'RE NOT CLAIMING THAT COUNCIL MEMBERS SHOULD BE GETTING RICH OR BECOME BILLIONAIRES OFF OF THIS SERVICE BUT IT'S JUST ADEQUATE, EQUITABLE PAY TO ENSURE THAT ANYBODY CAN SIT UP HERE AND ANYONE THAT LOOKS LIKE AND REPRESENTS OUR TOTAL THE SECOND THING ON TERM LIMITS, I ACTUALLY DISAGREE WITH THE NOTION THAT -- I DO AGREE WITH THE NOTION THAT WE ARE THE FIRST GOVERNMENT OFFICIAL THAT OUR RESIDENTS HAVE.

WE'RE THE CLOSEST INDIVIDUAL THAT A CONSTITUENT CAN REACH TO BE ABLE TO GET THEIR VOICE HEARD BUT I BELIEVE OUR ELECTORATE IS SMART. I BELIEVE THEY DO THEIR DILIGENCE ON THE FRONT END AND MAKE SURE THAT WHEN THEY'RE MAKING AN ELECTION CHOICE ON THE FRONT END THEY'RE DOING THE WORK THAT IS REQUIRED TO MAKE SURE THEY'RE MAKING A CHOICE THAT THEY ACTUALLY WANT IN OFFICE.

SO I KNOW WHEN WE WERE BLOCK WALKING WE TALKED TO THOUSANDS OF RESIDENTS AND THOSE RESIDENTS VETTED US. THEY CHECKED US FOR OUR WORK ETHIC, OUR PASSION, WHAT WE WANTED TO ACCOMPLISH. AND SO THEN MAKING THAT CHOICE ON THE FRONT END GIVES US NOW THE OPPORTUNITY, IF WE EXTEND TERM LIMITS, TO BE ABLE TO GOVERN IN A WAY THAT WE CAN ACTUALLY EXECUTE ON PROJECTS AND WORK THAT WE'RE IN THE WORKS OF DOING AS HAVING COMPLETED OUR FIRST YEAR, AS WE JUST DID.

THAT'S WHY I SUPPORT BOTH OF THESE AMENDMENTS. AS FAR AS STAGGERING TERM LIMITS, I UNDERSTAND WHY THIS IS ANOTHER GOOD COMPONENT OF GOVERNANCE.

IT'S JUST REALLY CHALLENGING WITH TURNOUT. I KNOW WE LOOKED AT THE ONE SPECIAL ELECTION THAT WE HAD IN DISTRICT 9 FOR 2014. THERE WAS A 7% TURNOUT.

WITHOUT THE MAYOR'S RACE IT'S HARD TO GET TURNOUT FOR THESE ELECTIONS.

MY QUESTION IS, THOUGH, I WAS NOTICING THAT THE COUNTY COMMISSIONERS ALSO DO A STAGGERED RACE AND THEY ONLY HAVE THE COUNTY JUDGE ON ONE OF THOSE.

HAVE WE LOOKED AT TURNOUT COMPARISONS FOR THEM TO SEE IF THEY'RE SIMILAR OR

DIFFERENT? DID WE DO THAT ANALYSIS? >>

[03:20:05]

>> KAUR: THAT IS SOMETHING I WAS CURIOUS ABOUT. I ALSO WANTED TO THANK JOHN AND THE TEAM FOR DOING THE VISUAL THAT THEY SHARED WITH WHAT IT WOULD LOOK LIKE FOR STAGGERED TERMS. ESPECIALLY HOW WE ARE ELECTED RIGHT NOW, THE SPECIAL ELECTIONS I THINK WOULD BE EFFECTIVE FOR SOME OF OUR COUNCIL DISTRICTS WHEN THERE'S ONLY ONE OR TWO OFFICES UP IN TERMS OF TURNOUT.

AS IT STANDS RIGHT NOW, I SUPPORT BOTH OF THESE AMENDMENTS, OBVIOUSLY WITH COUNCILMEMBER MCKEE-RODRIGUEZ'S LANGUAGE CHANGE.

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

COUNCILMEMBER PELAEZ. >> PELAEZ: THANKS. COUNCILWOMAN HAVRDA IS 100% CORRECT. PEJORATIVE SNARK AIMED AT A PERSON WHO DECIDED TO ACHIEVE MORE THAN COLLEGE AND REACH FURTHER FOR THE BETTERMENT OF HER FAMILY, FOR THE POSSIBILITY OF CREATING GENERATIONAL GOOD THINGS, NOT JUST FOR HER BUT FOR HER COMMUNITY, THAT DOES VIOLENCE TO THE WORK THAT WE HAVE ALL BEEN TALKING ABOUT HERE, WHICH IS HELPING PEOPLE AND ENCOURAGING TO REACH FARTHER.

I TRY REALLY HARD -- I'M A HUMAN BEING AND I REACT AND WE'RE ALL CREATURES OF EMOTIONS AND EGO UP HERE BUT I TRY HARD NOT TO PUNCH DOWN WHEN I'M AT THE DAIS.

BUT I CAN'T -- I CAN'T NOT COMMENT THAT ONE SHOULD NEVER UNDERESTIMATE THE EAGER ALACRITY OF POLITICIANS WHO COME UP WITH REASONS TO GET PAID MORE.

AND THAT EAGERNESS IS ONLY ECLIPSED BY THE SPEED WITH WHICH POLITICIANS COME UP WITH FALLACIES TO BOLSTER THE ARGUMENTS FOR GETTING PAID MORE.

THOSE ARE STUDENTS OF RHETORIC PLAY BACK THE VIDEO.

WHAT YOU'LL HEAR IS FALSE DICHOTOMIES, STRONGMAN ARGUMENTS, APPEALS TO EMOTION, APPEALS TO PITY. I WOULD LIKE TO SAY WE'RE BETTER THAN THAT BUT CLEARLY WE'RE NOT. HERE'S WHAT YOU'RE NOT GOING TO GET IF YOU PAY COUNCIL MEMBERS MORE: YOU'RE NOT GOING TO GET MORE ETHICAL COUNCIL MEMBERS.

YOU'RE NOT GOING TO GET LESS PALACE INTRIGUE OR FEWER SCANDALS, LESS SOPHOMORIC SNARK, YOU'RE NOT GOING TO GET MORE TRANSPARENCY, YOU'RE NOT GOING TO GET PEOPLE WHO LOVE SAN ANTONIO MORE, YOU'RE NOT GOING TO GET YOUR POTHOLES FILLED FASTER, FASTER 9-1-1 RESPONSE TIMES, FASTER INNOVATION AND YOU'RE NOT GOING TO GET FEWER FALLACIOUS ARGUMENTS TO BOLSTER PLAYS FOR US TO GET MORE BENEFITS . I WILL TELL YOU THAT CITY COUNCIL, WITH ALL THIS TALK OF SERVICE AND HUMILITY AND ALL THAT IS THE CLOSEST THING TO ROYALTY YOU CAN GET IN SAN ANTONIO. WE ALL GET GREAT PARKING SPACES, FOLKS.

WE GET TO PARK WHEREVER THE HELL WE WANT TO. ALL OF US GET INVITED TO EVERY SPURS' GAME AND HIGH-TICKET CONCERTS. THOSE OF US UP HERE WHO TALK ABOUT REGULAR PEOPLE AND REGULAR FOLKS AND BEING POVERTY PIMPS AND ALL THAT STUFF, YOU'LL SEE THEM ALL IN THE SUITES AT THE LUXURY SUITES AND AT LUXURY EVENTS AND GALAS. IT'S ALL CUTE WHAT WE'RE HEARING UP HERE BUT, YOU KNOW, CAPITAL C CUTE. IT'S A LOT OF DISHONESTY. AND, AGAIN, GO VOTE.

IF YOU DON'T WANT TO PAY CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS MORE, IF YOU DON'T THINK WE DON'T DESERVE TO GET PAID MORE BECAUSE WE'RE STILL ONE OF THE POOREST CITIES IN THE UNITED STATES, DON'T PAY US MORE. IF YOU THINK THAT, YOU KNOW, WE ARE MARTYRS THAT DESERVE TO BE PAID MORE, THEN PAY US MORE.

BUT, YOU KNOW, AT THE END OF THE DAY, SHOW UP. SPEAK YOUR MIND.

THANKS. >> MAYOR NIRENBERG: THANK YOU, COUNCILMEMBER PELAEZ.

OKAY. I THINK WE'VE REACHED THE END OF OUR DISCUSSION AND I'M GOING TO MAKE A FEW COMMENTS. I HAVEN'T SPOKEN YET.

>> GAVITO: I JUST HAVE A QUICK CLARIFYING QUESTION. >> MAYOR NIRENBERG: GO

AHEAD. >> GAVITO: ON THE BALLOT FOR THE TERM LIMITS, I KNOW THAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT A COUPLE OF DIFFERENT OPTIONS. WE'RE STILL TALKING ABOUT TWO-YEAR TERM LIMITS. WE'RE ALSO TALKING ABOUT TWO DIFFERENT OPTIONS FOR

STAGGERED TERM LIMITS. >> JUST FOR CLARITY, COUNCILWOMAN. WHAT IS UP FOR CONSIDERATION BY THE COUNCIL TODAY ARE FOUR-YEAR TERMS. TWO FOUR-YEAR TERMS CONCURRENT. SO EVERYONE WOULD BE ELECTED IN '25 AND THEN FOUR YEARS LATER THERE WOULD BE ANOTHER ELECTION AND EVERYONE WOULD BE ELECTED.

>>

[03:25:04]

PROPOSAL. >> YEAH. FOR CLARITY, I THINK THE MAYOR MEANT TO SAY IF YOU VOTED NO AND A MAJORITY OF YOU VOTED NO, TWO-YEAR TERMS

WOULD REMAIN IN PLACE CONCURRENTLY. >> MAYOR NIRENBERG: THE MOTION ON THE FLOOR IS TO PUT THE RECOMMENDATION ON THE BALLOT.

A NO VOTE WOULD BE NOT TO PUT IT ON THE BALLOT. COUNCILMEMBER WHYTE.

>> WHYTE: JUST A QUICK POINT OF ORDER ON THIS. ADDITIONALLY, IF WE VOTED THIS DOWN, SOMEBODY ELSE COULD MAKE A MOTION TO DO THE FOUR-YEAR TERMS WITH THE

STAGGERING, RIGHT? >> SEGOVIA: CORRECT, COUNCILMAN.

I THINK THE ORDER DOESN'T REALLY MATTER. IF SOMEBODY WANTS TO MAKE A MOTION TO MOVE IT TO STAGGERED, THAT COULD BE CONSIDERED.

>> ORDER WE'RE GOING TO GO IS WE'RE GOING TO TAKE A VOTE ON ITEM E, THEN WE'LL TAKE A VOTE ON ITEM F. IF EITHER FAIL, WE STILL HAVE THE MAIN MOTION TO VOTE ON, WHICH CAN BE AMENDED. IF YOU WANT TO ADD BACK E OR F, IF THEY GET VOTED DOWN IN

SOME OTHER FORM, YOU HAVE THE OPTION TO DO THAT. >> SEGOVIA: ONE CLARIFICATION, IF E AND F DO GET VOTED DOWN, THERE'S NO RECONSIDERATION OF THAT.

BUT OTHER THAN SAYING THAT -- >> MAYOR NIRENBERG: YOU

WANT TO ADD A PROPOSITION TO THE MAIN MOTION? >> SEGOVIA: YEAH.

>> MAYOR NIRENBERG: ALL RIGHT. SO WE'VE REACHED THE END OF OUR DISCUSSION. I WOULD LIKE TO MAKE A FEW COMMENTS.

AND FIRST I WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE SOME FOLKS WHO HAVE BEEN SITTING THROUGH THE ENTIRE DISCUSSION AND MONTHS MORE OF DISCUSSIONS WITH THE PUBLIC AND WITH THE COMMISSION. AND THAT IS TO RECOGNIZE OUR CHAIRS, OUR CO-CHAIRS OF THE CHARTER REVIEW COMMISSION WHO POURED A LOT OF INCREDIBLE WORK INTO THIS PROCESS. BONNIE PROSSER ELDER AND DAVID ZAMMIELLO.

THANK YOU FOR YOUR DEDICATION TO OUR COMMUNITY AND GUIDING US THROUGH THIS PROCESS. I DO WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE ALSO AT LEAST A COUPLE OF MEMBERS -- I'M PROBABLY GOING TO MISS SOME FOLKS IF YOU'RE IN THE BACK THERE.

I HAVE TWO EYES WORKING TODAY AND THEY'RE NOT THAT GREAT.

BUT DWAYNE ROBINSON, NAOMI MILLER AS WELL. ALSO PUTTING IN TREMENDOUS WORK ON THIS PROCESS. THANK YOU BOTH AGAIN FOR YOUR DEDICATION AS WELL.

[APPLAUSE] AND THEN, OF COURSE, I'M REFLECTING ON ALL OF THE CONVERSATIONS THAT HAVE OCCURRED OVER THE YEARS AND I DO WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE THE WORK OF AFSCME, WHO HAS BEEN AT THIS FOR A VERY LONG TIME.

OUR MEN AND WOMEN OF THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO EMPLOYEES, I WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE THE WORK OF THE AFL-CIO AND THE CENTRAL LABOR COUNCIL HAVE BEEN ALONG FOR EVERY PART OF THAT. I WAS WALKING TO THE CHAMBERS THIS MORNING. I RAN INTO BRIDGE FROM ATU. SO I KNOW THERE'S A LOT OF BROTHERS AND SISTERS IN LABOR WHO ARE WORKING JUST AS HARD AS AFSCME ALONG WITH AFSCME TO GET THIS DONE BECAUSE IT'S ALL PART OF THE SAME EFFORT IN WHICH WORKING FAMILIES IN SAN ANTONIO, JUST LIKE WORKING FAMILIES IN AMERICA, HAVE THEIR FULL RIGHTS AND VOICE IN THE PLACE THAT THEY WORK. SO THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR THE WORK THAT YOU HAVE DONE. [APPLAUSE] AND THEN OF COURSE TO MY COUNCIL COLLEAGUES, BOTH PRESENT AND IN THE PAST, THANK YOU FOR YOUR EFFORTS AND PLENTY OF GREAT DEBATE AS WE'VE GOTTEN HERE AND ALL OF THE CITIZENS WHO HAVE COME OUT TO SPEAK OVER THE YEARS. I WILL TELL YOU THAT WHILE THIS WAS A, PERHAPS, 10, 8-MONTH PROCESS FOR THIS ITERATION OF CHARTER CHANGES, THIS HAS BEEN GOING ON FOR A LONG TIME. THE ITEMS THAT ARE ON THE CHARGE HAVE BEEN PART OF CONVERSATIONS THAT HAVE OCCURRED FOR AT LEAST A COUPLE OF DECADES IN THIS COMMUNITY. IN SOME CASES THEY ARE ITERATIVE, GETTING US CLOSER TO A GOVERNMENT THAT SERVES OUR COMMUNITY, THAT IS BOTH REPRESENTATIVE BUT ALSO HAS THE RESOURCES AND ABILITY TO DO THE GOOD WORK THAT WE NEED TO BE DONE. I DO WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE FORMER MAYOR PHIL HARDBERGER FOR TAKING THE FIRST STEP TO INCREASE THE NUMBER OF TERMS THAT COUNCIL MEMBERS ARE ABLE TO SERVE . THAT'S ALLOWED US CONTINUITY OF VISION AND POLICY PRIORITIES. I WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE THE WORK OF FORMER MAYOR IVY TAYLOR WHO INTRODUCED COUNCIL PAY FOR THE FIRST TIME, WHICH OPENED UP THE DOORS OF CITY GOVERNMENT TO SO MANY PEOPLE WHO HAVE NEVER BEEN ABLE TO SERVE BEFORE. IF YOU LOOK AT THE DAIS TODAY AND THEN LOOK BACK 20, 30 YEARS AGO WHAT THIS DAIS LOOKED LIKE, THERE'S A BIG CHANGE.

I WOULD SAY IT'S A GOOD CHANGE. MORE REFLECTIVE OF THE COMMUNITY THAT WE SERVE FROM AN AGE PERSPECTIVE, FROM A RACE AND EQUITY PERSPECTIVE,

[03:30:04]

WE ARE INDEXING IT TO THE AVERAGE MEDIAN INCOME OR THE HUD LEVEL OF SAN ANTONIO FAMILIES. SO IN ESSENCE, FOR THE REPRESENTATIVES THAT SERVE OUR SAN ANTONIO FAMILIES, THE ONLY WAY THAT THEIR ECONOMIC STATUS WILL IMPROVE IS IF THIS BODY AND THIS COMMUNITY IS ABLE TO IMPROVE THE STATUS OF SAN ANTONIO FAMILIES. I THINK THAT'S A GOOD THING. I WOULD LOVE TO SEE MORE OF THOSE DECISIONS THAT POLITICIANS MAKE IN THIS COUNTRY THAT POTENTIALLY HAVE THE ABILITY TO BE SELF-SERVING TAKEN AWAY AND PUT IT BACK INTO THE HANDS OF THE PEOPLE AND THE PEOPLE HAVE THIS OPPORTUNITY NOW TO DO THAT FOREVER WITH THIS CHARTER AMENDMENT. WITH RESPECT TO THE TERM LIMITS, SAME THING.

CONTINUITY OF VISION AND BEING ABLE TO SEE A POLICY FROM CONCEPT TO IMPLEMENTATION IS CRITICALLY IMPORTANT FOR THIS COMMUNITY.

QUITE OFTEN YOU COME HERE AND THERE ARE NEW FACES, THERE ARE NEW IDEAS AND WE LOSE SIGHT OF THE FACT THAT WE HAVE BEEN MAKING CHANGES, STRUCTURAL CHANGES TO THIS COMMUNITY THAT NEED TO CONTINUE. AND SO I AM GRATEFUL AND A BIT STRUCK BY THE NUMBER OF COMMENTS THAT HAVE COME OUT HERE -- COMMENTERS WHO COME OUT AND TALK ABOUT THE IMPORTANCE OF YOUTH SERVICES.

I WANT TO BE VERY CLEAR THAT WHY THAT IS STRIKING TO ME IS THAT I THINK WE'RE ALL ON THE SAME TEAM. WE ARE ALLIES IN THIS EFFORT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE FOCUS ON YOUTH AND THAT WE BUILD A CITY WHERE YOUTH CAN THRIVE. AND I SAY THAT BECAUSE I REMEMBER 11 YEARS AGO SITTING IN THAT SEAT RIGHT THERE DURING MY INAUGURATION AS A CITY COUNCILMEMBER AND MY 4-YEAR-OLD SON JONAH WAS ON MY LAP AND I WAS EXPLAINING TO HIM WHAT WE WERE TRYING TO DO ON THIS DAIS AND HOW WE WOULD MAKE THE WORLD A BETTER PLACE FOR HIM. I HAVE TRIED, AS A CITY COUNCILMEMBER AND I HAVE TRIED AS A MAYOR TO DO EVERYTHING THAT I DO THROUGH THE EYES OF HIM AND HIS PEERS. I WILL TELL YOU THIS COUNCIL AND PREVIOUS COUNCILS WITH TWO-YEAR TERMS, BELIEVE IT OR NOT, A LITTLE BIT MORE DIFFICULT, BUT WE HAVE BEEN ABLE TO STAY TRUE TO THAT PURPOSE.

I STOOD THERE BEHIND THAT PODIUM IN 2017 TO TAKE MY OATH OF OFFICE TO SIT HERE WITH MY THEN-8-YEAR-OLD SON -- MAYBE HE JUST TURNED 9 -- STANDING RIGHT BEHIND ME REMINDING ME THE SAME THING. LET ME TELL YOU WHAT THIS ADMINISTRATION HAS DONE. THIS ADMINISTRATION HAS IMPLEMENTED AND EXPANDED AND RENEWED PRE-K 4 SA. TURNING TWO CENTERS INTO FOUR.

NOW PLACES OF EMPLOYMENT. NOW CENTERS IN OTHER PUBLIC SCHOOLS.

AND THAT EFFORT WAS SUPPORTED BY A PUBLIC VOTE AGAIN IN 2020.

THIS ADMINISTRATION LAUNCHED, EXPANDED, AND NOW HAS REACHED COUNTY-WIDE STATUS ON ALAMO PROMISE. EVERY SINGLE BEXAR COUNTY HIGH SCHOOL STUDENT, REGARDLESS OF THEIR MEANS AND CIRCUMSTANCES ARE ABLE TO ATTEND THE BEST COMMUNITY COLLEGE IN THE COUNTRY FOR FREE. AND WE KNOW THAT TUITION IS JUST A VERY SMALL PART OF THE EQUATION OF STAYING IN SCHOOL.

YOU ALSO NEED TO HAVE SUPPORTS. YOU NEED TO HAVE TRANSPORTATION. YOU NEED TO HAVE EMOTIONAL AND HEALTH SUPPORT.

YOU NEED TO HAVE THE THINGS THAT WE TAKE FOR GRANTED. BE LIFING SOMETIMES AND WE NEED TO INTERVENE WHEN IT GETS TOUGH. THAT'S WHAT ALAMO PROMISE DOES FOR TENS OF THOUSANDS OF HIGH SCHOOL GRADUATES NOW.

THIS ADMINISTRATION HAS WORKED VERY HARD AGAINST SOME TOUGH ODDS BUT NOW HAS A MODEL PROGRAM CALLED READY TO WORK THAT IS ENSURING THAT PARENTS NO LONGER HAVE TO WORK FOR POVERTY WAGES IN THIS CITY. THAT WE CAN GET FOLKS, REGARDLESS OF THEIR CIRCUMSTANCES AND CHALLENGES INTO PATHWAYS TO NEW CAREERS SO THEY NO LONGER HAVE TO HAVE THREE OR FOUR JOBS JUST TO PUT FOOD ON THE TABLE.

THEY CAN NOW BE HOME WITH THEIR CHILDREN, WHICH WILL HAVE INCREDIBLY HIGHER

[03:35:04]

THIS ADMINISTRATION ALSO LAUNCHED, RATIFIED, AND NOW HAS A BUSINESS PLAN CALLED THE STRATEGIC HOUSING IMPLEMENTATION PLAN TO MAKE PUBLIC HOUSING AND HOUSING AFFORDABILITY A PRIORITY FOR THE CITY WHERE IT NEVER WAS IN THE FIRST PLACE.

BECAUSE I DO THINK THAT HAVING A SAFE, AFFORDABLE, HEALTHY ROOF OVER ONE'S HEAD IS PROBABLY THE MOST IMPORTANT THING WE CAN DO TO ENSURE THE DEVELOPMENT OF OUR YOUTH. WE HAVE A LONG WAY TO GO. SOMEBODY MENTIONED MENTAL HEALTH. OUR METRO HEALTH DEPARTMENT, A LOT OF IT IS ORIENTED TOWARDS HEALTH EQUITY AND ENSURING THAT YOUNG PEOPLE HAVE MENTAL HEALTH RESOURCES AND THEY HAVE HEALTHY FAMILIES AROUND THEM. WE GOT WORK TO DO IN THAT DEPARTMENT. WE KNOW THAT WE HAVE A NUMBER OF NONPROFITS THROUGHOUT THIS COMMUNITY THAT ARE STRUGGLING BECAUSE THEY DON'T HAVE THE RESOURCES ENOUGH TO KEEP THE STAFF TO OPERATE THE SERVICES THAT THEY PROVIDE.

WE NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT WE SUPPORT THE NONPROFITS IN AN EFFECTIVE WAY.

AS YOU HEARD ON THE DAIS, IT REMAINS A PRIORITY. SO WHAT I WILL TELL YOU TODAY AND WHAT I WILL COMMIT TO YOU IS THAT I AM NOT GOING TO CHANGE MY FOCUS.

I'M NOT GOING TO CHANGE MY ORIENTATION OR PERSPECTIVE ON THE WORK THAT WE'RE DOING UP HERE. IT WILL CONTINUE TO BE TO ENSURE THAT FUTURE GENERATIONS OF SAN ANTONIANS HAVE A BETTER CITY TO LIVE IN THAN WE DO TODAY.

AS I'VE ALREADY REACHED OUT TO MY COLLEAGUES IN A MEMO, WE ARE GOING TO START THE PROCESS OF DUE DILIGENCE TO MAKE SURE THAT YOUTH SERVICES IN THIS COMMUNITY HAVE THE PROPER SUPPORT. WE IDENTIFY THE GAPS AND WE SEE WHERE WE CAN DO EVEN MORE. WE'RE GOING TO START THAT DUE DILIGENCE AND FIND THE BEST MECHANISM WE CAN DO THAT GOING FORWARD. I CAN PLEDGE TO YOU THAT.

AND LET ME ALSO SAY I AM GOING TO WALK OVER TO THE COUNTY AND MAKE SURE THAT THEY'RE PART OF THAT CONVERSATION. BECAUSE WE ARE NOT THE ONLY GOVERNMENT ENTITY WORKING AND CREATING STRUCTURAL CHANGE THAT NEEDS TO BE AT THE TABLE. SO ALL THAT TO SAY I AM VERY GRATEFUL FOR THIS PROCESS.

I VIEW THIS ENTIRE BALLOT HOW IT COMES OUT TO BE A MOVE FOR THE FUTURE OF THE CITY. TO RENEW OUR CITY, IN MANY WAYS.

TO REINVIGORATE THE PURPOSE THAT WE SERVE, WHICH IS TO MAKE A BETTER CITY GOING FORWARD AND FOR FUTURE GENERATIONS. I THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR THE VIGOROUS DEBATE, FOR THE THOUGHTFUL COMMENTS, AND FOR MY COLLEAGUES FOR SUSTAINING A VISION AND FOR BEING COMMITTED TO IT. SO, WITH THAT, WE'RE GOING TO TAKE THOSE ITEMS AS I MENTIONED IN ORDER. ITEMS E, THEN F.

AND THEN WE'LL GO TO THE MAIN MOTION AND WE MIGHT HAVE SOME CHANGES IN BETWEEN. SO ITEM E IS THE ITEM ON COUNCIL PAY, I BELIEVE.

SO YOU HEARD THE MOTION. IT HAS BEEN AMENDED BY COUNCILMEMBER MCKEE-RODRIGUEZ. SO WE WILL VOTE. WAIT, DO WE NEED A MOTION?

YES, WE DO NEED A MOTION FOR THAT. >> SEGOVIA: YES.

>> MAYOR NIRENBERG: COUNCILMEMBER MCKEE-RODRIGUEZ WITH THE MOTION. WAS THERE A SECOND? AND A SECOND.

PLEASE VOTE.

MOTION CARRIES. ALL RIGHT. WE'LL GO TO ITEM F, WHICH IS THE ITEM ON COUNCIL TERMS. AND, AGAIN, TO BE CLEAR, THIS WILL BE ON THE BALLOT AS REDUCING THE NUMBER OF TERMS THAT COUNCIL CAN SERVE FROM FOUR TO TWO, BUT INCREASING THE NUMBER OF YEARS FROM TWO TO FOUR, CONCURRENT ELECTIONS.

CAN I GET A MOTION FOR THAT? THERE IS A MOTION. THERE IS A SECOND.

PLEASE VOTE.

[03:40:20]

SO NOW WE'LL GO TO THE MAIN MOTION, WHICH IS ALL ITEMS SAVE FOR E AND F.

>> SEGOVIA: NO, ACTUALLY, MAYOR, BECAUSE ITEM 34 CALLS THE ELECTION, ITEM 34 IS NOW CALLING THE ELECTION WITH PROPOSITIONS A THROUGH F, E AS AMENDED BY COUNCILMAN

MCKEE-RODRIGUEZ. >> MAYOR NIRENBERG: OKAY. WHAT HE SAID.

[LAUGHTER] ALL RIGHT. DO WE NEED A MOTION FOR THIS NOW? OR WE ALREADY HAVE THE MAIN MOTION?

>> SEGOVIA: I THINK WE ALREADY HAD A MOTION FOR THE MAIN MOTION.

>> MAYOR NIRENBERG: THIS IS THE ONE WITH THE POLITICAL ACTIVITY, BECAUSE

I CAN TELL. >> THE MOTION IS TO CALL THE ELECTION. CORRECT.

PLEASE VOTE. MOTION CARRIES. ALL RIGHT.

THANK YOU ALL VERY MUCH FOR YOUR PATIENCE, YOUR HARD WORK, AND TO MY COLLEAGUES AGAIN FOR YOUR PATIENCE AND HARD WORK. WE'RE GOING TO NOW HEAR FROM

OUR CITY MANAGER WITH THE CITY MANAGER'S REPORT. >> WALSH: THANK YOU, MAYOR. A COUPLE OF ITEMS I WANTED TO SHARE WITH YOU.

THE FIRST MANY OF YOU SAW THIS DURING THE MONTH OF JULY.

BUT WHEN HURRICANE BERYL HIT THE CITY OF HOUSTON ON JULY 8 THROUGH A NUMBER OF STATE REQUESTS AS WELL AS THE CITY OF HOUSTON, THERE WERE 22 POLICE OFFICERS AND 21 FIREFIGHTERS THAT RESPONDED TO ASSIST THAT COMMUNITY FOR SEVERAL WEEKS.

AND I WANTED TO RECOGNIZE AND THANK THE DEPLOYMENT OF THOSE EMPLOYEES TO HOUSTON IN A TIME OF NEED. AND CERTAINLY PROUD OF THE EFFORT THAT THEY ALL DID AND REPRESENTED THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO IN THEIR DEPARTMENTS.

SO I WANTED TO THANK -- IT'S A LITTLE BIT LATE BUT THIS IS OUR FIRST COUNCIL MEETING BACK AND I WANTED TO SHARE THAT WITH YOU AND THANK THOSE EMPLOYEES.

THE SECOND ITEM I WANTED TO SHARE WITH YOU WAS THAT -- I SENT THE MEMO AS WELL AS THE ADJOINING REPORTS TO YOU YESTERDAY. BUT LAST WEEK, EVERY JULY WE GO THROUGH OUR BOND RATING PRESENTATIONS AND MEETING WITH THE RATING AGENCIES.

AND THE CITY'S AAA GENERAL OBLIGATION BOND RATINGS WERE REAFFIRMED BY STANDARD AND POOR'S AND MOODY'S WITH A STABLE OUTLOOK. AND OUR FITCH RATINGS WERE CONFIRMED AT AA PLUS WITH A POSITIVE OUTLOOK . FITCH'S ADJUSTMENT OF A POSITIVE OUTLOOK FOR US IS GOOD. THAT HAPPENED LAST YEAR.

IT MOVED FROM STABLE TO POSITIVE AND IT'S STILL THAT SAME POSITION.

OBVIOUSLY OUR CURRENT FINANCIAL PERFORMANCE -- AND YOU GUYS SPENT A LOT OF TIME TALKING ABOUT BUDGET THIS MORNING. IT'S HOW WE MANAGE OUR FINANCES, BOTH NOT JUST IN TERMS OF ANNUAL INCREMENTS BUT HOW WE DO IT OVER THE LONG TERM. I WANT TO RECOGNIZE A COUPLE OF PEOPLE.

FIRST, THE ONGOING STEWARDSHIP AND DIRECTION FROM THE MAYOR AND COUNCIL.

THE STAFF AND HOW WE MANAGE OUR FINANCIAL POLICIES AND PRACTICES.

AND RECOGNIZE THE WORK OF TROY ELLIOTT, OUR DEPUTY CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER.

MARGARET VILLEGAS, OUR ASSISTANT FINANCE DIRECTOR. ALEJANDRO FROM ONE OF OUR ADMINISTRATORS IN FINANCE, ALL LED BY BEN GORZELL, OUR CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER AND MARIA VILLAGOMEZ AND JUSTINA. WE'RE GOING TO GET INTO THIS NEXT WEEK WHEN WE GET INTO OUR ANNUAL BUDGET CONVERSATIONS.

EVERYTHING IS LINKED AND HOW WE MANAGE IS CRITICAL AND I THINK WE DO A GREAT JOB AND WE'LL CONTINUE TO DO A GREAT JOB. THE LAST THING -- AND MAYBE IN THE SPIRIT, THIS WAS NOT PLANNED -- ONE OF OUR EMPLOYEES WILL BE SPOTLIGHTED TODAY FROM OUR STAND UP SA GUN VIOLENCE PROGRAM.

[03:45:01]

TO AVOID SOME OF THE THINGS THAT WE WANT TO BE ABLE TO INTERVENE OUT IN THE COMMUNITY TO PREVENT FURTHER VIOLENCE. LET'S ROLL THE VIDEO.

>> WHENEVER WE NEED IT, WE'RE CALLED ON. WE'RE SO CLOSE.

IF IT'S A TEAM EFFORT, LIKE FOR A SHOOTING RESPONSE, WE'RE CREDIBLE MESSENGERS WITH PEOPLE KNOW WHERE WE'RE LOCATED. WE HAVE A TEAM IN EACH AREA AND OUR GOAL IS TO STOP THE VIOLENCE, WHETHER IT'S GANG VIOLENCE OR JUST AN INDIVIDUAL IN PARTICULAR. WE TRY TO TELL THEM TO PUT THE GUNS AND THE KNIVES DOWN AND JUST BASICALLY SHOW THE KIDS THAT JUST BECAUSE THEY'RE FROM, YOU KNOW, THE WEST SIDE AREA DOESN'T MEAN THAT YOU'RE NOT GOING TO AMOUNT TO ANYTHING.

YOU CAN BE SOMETHING. EVERY DAY IS DIFFERENT. WE START OFF WITH A BRIEFING WITH THE TEAM TO, TO, YOU KNOW, INFORM ALL OUR OTHER MEMBERS ABOUT WHAT'S GOING ON IN OUR AREA. WE GET OUR FLIERS TOGETHER AND SEE HOW WE CAN HELP THE COMMUNITY AND WHAT RESOURCES WE CAN PROVIDE THEM. MY TEAM IS AN AWESOME TEAM.

I COULDN'T DO THIS BY MYSELF AT ALL. I ACTUALLY HEARD ABOUT THIS JOB THROUGH MY MENTOR, WHO RECENTLY PASSED AWAY IN SEPTEMBER.

HE USED TO BE MY SUPERVISOR. HIS NAME IS TOMMY ACOSTA AND HE PASSED AWAY OF CANCER.

HE'S THE ONE WHO TOOK ME OFF THE STREET LIFE AND MENTORED ME INTO DOING THINGS BETTER AND SHOWED ME THAT THIS WAS ONE OF THE WAYS THAT I COULD GIVE BACK TO THE COMMUNITY.

SO HE INTRODUCED ME TO STAND UP AND I'VE BEEN WORKING IT EVER SINCE.

I'M GOING ON THREE YEARS NOW. >> STAND UP!

[APPLAUSE] >> WALSH: THAT'S IT, MAYOR.

THANK YOU. >> MAYOR NIRENBERG: THANK YOU VERY MUCH, ERIK.

JUST WHAT YOU WANTED TO HEAR, WE DO HAVE AN EXEC SESSION TODAY SO THE TIME IS NOW 12:59 P.M. ON THURSDAY AUGUST 8, 2024. THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO WILL NOW MEET IN EXECUTIVE SESSION TO CONSULT WITH THE CITY ATTORNEY'S OFFICE PURSUANT TO TEXAS GOVERNMENT CODE SECTION 551.071 AND TO DELIBERATE OR DISCUSS THE FOLLOWING ITEMS. ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT NEGOTIATIONS PURSUANT TO SECTION 551.087. PURCHASE, EXCHANGE, LEASE OR VALUE OF REAL PROPERTY PURSUANT TO SECTION 551.072. AND LEGAL ISSUES RELATED TO LITIGATION INVOLVING THE CITY, EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS, AND COLLECTIVE BARGAINING PURSUANT TO

SECTION 551.071. >> MAYOR NIRENBERG: GOOD AFTERNOON EVERYONE.

WELCOME TO OUR CITY COUNCIL ZONING MEETING. THANK YOU FOR YOUR PATIENCE.

THE CITY COUNCIL HAS RECONVENED FROM ITS EXECUTIVE SESSION AT 2:04 P.M. NO OFFICIAL ACTION WAS

* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.