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>> CABELLO HAVRDA: GOOD MORNING. TODAY IS TUESDAY, AUGUST 20TH. I CALL THE MEETING OF THE TRANSPORTATION COMMITTEE TO ORDER. MADAM CLERK, WILL YOU PLEASE CALL ROLL? I'M SORRY? WHAT DID I JUST SAY, TRANSPORTATION? LET'S START OVER. TODAY IS AUGUST 20TH AND I CALL THE MEETING OF THE PUBLIC SAFETY COMMITTEE TO ORDER. MADAM CLERK, WILL BE PLEASE CALL THE ROLL.
[Briefing and Possible Action on ]
>> CABELLO HAVRDA: THANK YOU. BEFORE WE START WITH THE AGENDA ITEMS, I WANT TO JUST MENTION THAT ITEM 4, THE BRIEFING AND POSSIBLE ACTION ON THE CCR REQUEST BY COUNCIL MEMBER ALDERETE GAVITO ON THE BIRD SANCTUARY WILL BE HEARD AT THE JANUARY PUBLIC SAFETY
[Approval of Minutes ]
COMMITTEE. THAT WAS AT HER REQUEST. SHE WASN'T ABLE TO BE HERE TODAY. WE WILL MOVE ON TO THE APPROVAL OF MINUTES OF THE JUNE 28TH MEETING. ARE THERE ANY CORRECTIONS OR EDITS? TO THE MINUTES? IF NOT, I WILL EPTSNTERTAIN A MOTION TO APPROVE.OR I WILL ENTERTAIN A MOTION. DOESN'T HAVE TO BE TO APPROVE.
ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SAYAYE. ANY OPPOSED? MOTION PASSES.
MADAM CLERK, ARE THERE ANY FOLKS -- OKAY. JOHN BACKMAN THERE IS ONE
[Consent ]
ITEM ON THE CONSENT AGENDA. DID ANYBODY WANT TO PULL THAT ITEM? IS THAT RIGHT? YEAH. ITEM 2.OKAY. IS THERE A MOTION ON THE CONSENT AGENDA? ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, SAYAYE. ANY OPPOSED? OKAY.
CONSENT AGENDA PASSES. THANK YOU. LET'S MOVE ON TO ITEM 3.
I WILL HAND IT OVER TO MARIA. >> GOOD MORNING, MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC SAFETY COMMITTEE.
THIS ITEM NUMBER 3 IS A BRIEFING AND POSSIBLE ACTION ON A COUNCIL CONSIDERATION REQUEST BY COUNCIL MEMBER MELISSA CABELLO HAVRDA REQUESTING A FORMAL MECHANISM TO REPORT ELDER ABUSE. SO WE WOULD LIKE TO RECOGNIZE JUDGE VASQUEZ, WHO ASSISTED WITH THAT CCR, WHO IS HERE THIS MORNING AS WELL, AND WE HAVE A RECOMMENDATION FOR THIS COMMITTEE ON HOW TO ADDRESS THE CCR, SO IF THE COMMITTEE IS COMFORTABLE WITH THAT RECOMMENDATION, WE CAN MOVE FORWARD AND THERE WOULDN'T BE ANY FURTHER ACTION AFTER TODAY. SO WITH THAT, I'M GOING TO ASK CHIEF FOX TO DO THE
PRESENTATION ON THE CCR. >> THANK YOU, MARIA. GOOD MORNING, CHAIR AND COUNCIL MEMBERS. FIRST, I APOLOGIZE, MY SINUSES ARE OUT OF CONTROL TODAY. HERE WE GO. SO WE ARE HERE TO DISCUSS THE CCR THAT OUR CHAIR PUT FORWARD TODAY REGARDING ELDER ABUSE REPORTING.
SO WE ARE GOING TO TALK ABOUT THE BACKGROUND AND THE LAWS PERTAINING TO ELDER ABUSE REPORTING. WE ARE GOING TO TALK ABOUT OUR CURRENT PRACTICES AND THEN OF COURSE, THE RECOMMENDATION THAT WE ARE PUTTING FORTH TODAY.
SO AGAIN, OUR CHAIR FILED A CCR BACK IN DECEMBER OF 2023 IN WHICH SHE CALLED FOR ALL CITY DEPARTMENTS WHO HAVE THE ABILITY TO ENCOUNTER SENIOR CITIZENS IN THEIR DAY-TO-DAY WORK. THE ASK IS FOR THOSE CITY EMPLOYEES TO REQUIRE THEM IF THEY COME ACROSS AN ELDERLY SENIOR CITIZEN, IF THEY SUSPECT THAT THAT SENIOR CITIZEN IS BEING ABUSED OR NEGLECTED, THE CCR WOULD REQUIRE THOSE CITY EMPLOYEES TO REPORT THAT SUSPECTED ABUSE OR ABUSE TO ADULT PROTECTIVE SERVICES AND THE CCR WAS HEARD BY THE GOVERNANCE COMMITTEE IN APRIL OF THIS YEAR, 2024.
SO THE BACKGROUND ON THIS IS IF YOU DON'T KNOW, ELDER ABUSE IS -- IN TEXAS, IT'S A MANDATORY REPORTING CRIME SO NOT JUST PROFESSIONALS, NOT JUST POLICEMEN OR HEALTH CARE PROFESSIONALS, BUT ANYBODY THAT SUSPECTS OR KNOWS OF ELDERLY ABUSE IS RESPONSIBLE
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OR MANDATED BY STATE LAW TO REPORT THAT TO EITHER POLICE OR ADULT PROTECTIVE SERVICES.SO THOSE TWO T STATUTES THAT YOU SEE THERE BEFORE YOU, THE TEXAS HUMAN RESOURCES CODE IS WHAT ADULT PROTECTIVE SERVICES USES TO INVESTIGATE AND THE SECOND IS THE TEXAS PENAL CODE STATUTE IS WHAT, OF COURSE, OUR DETECTIVES USE TO INVESTIGATE AND THEN FILE CASES OF CRIMINAL ACTS OF ABUSE AGAINST THE ELDERLY AND FILE CASES WITH THE DISTRICT ATTORNEY'S OFFICE. THESE ARE OUR EXISTING PRACTICES TODAY.
SO EVERY OFFICER THAT STARTS AS A CADET IN OUR TRAINING ACADEMY RECEIVES TRAINING ON ELDER ABUSE AND WHAT CONSTITUTES THE FACTORS OF ELDER ABUSE, PHYSICAL ABUSE, NEGLECT, EXPLOITATION, FRAUD, ALL OF THOSE FACTORS THAT CONTRIBUTE TO ELDER ABUSE.
SO OUR PATROL OFFICERS ARE MANDATED BY POLICY TO REPORT THOSE CRIMES OR THAT SUSPECTED ABUSE, AND THEN ALSO, TOO, IF THEY COME ACROSS OUR SENIOR CITIZENS IN THE COMMUNITY THAT CAN'T CARE FOR THEMSELVES FOR WHATEVER REASON THAT MAY BE, THEY ARE REQUIRED TO REPORT THAT TO ADULT PROTECTIVE SERVICES. THEN OUR INVESTIGATION DIVISIONS, BOTH SPECIAL VICTIMS UNIT, WHO INVESTIGATES THE PHYSICAL ABUSE, THE NEGLECT, OF COURSE, THEY INVESTIGATE AND THEY FILE THOSE CASES WITH THE DISTRICT ATTORNEY'S OFFICE AND THEN WE HAVE OUR FINANCIAL CRIMES UNIT WHO INVESTIGATES THE FRAUD, THE EXPLOITATION, CREDIT CARD ABUSE, ALL OF THOSE FINANCIAL CRIMES THAT OCCUR TO OUR SENIOR CITIZENS. THEY INVESTIGATE THOSE CASES AND THOSE CASES RANGE FROM MISDEMEANORS ALL THE WAY TO FELONY CASES.
THEY FILE THOSE CASES WITH THE DISTRICT ATTORNEY'S OFFICE.
THEN DEPARTMENT OF HUMAN SERVICES, THEIR EXISTING PRACTICES TODAY, THEY WORK CLOSELY WITH MULTIPLE AGENCIES THROUGHOUT THE CITY AND THE COUNTY, AND WHAT THEY DO IS THEY RAISE AWARENESS FOR THESE DIFFERENT CRIMES, WHETHER IT'S FINANCIAL, EXPLOITATION, THE PHYSICAL ABUSE ASPECT OF ELDERLY ABUSE.
THEY EDUCATE STAKEHOLDERS AND THEN THEY PROVIDE ANNUAL TRAINING IN COLLABORATION WITH THE ADULT PROTECTIVE SERVICES. I THINK MARIA MENTIONED EARLIER ABOUT JUDGE VASQUEZ AND TELHE ELDER ABUSE TASK FORCE WHICH WAS COFOUNDED BY SENATOR MENENDEZ AND VERONICA VASQUEZ, WHO IS WITH US TODAY.
THIS TASK FORCE MEETS MONTHLY TO DISCUSS VARIOUS ISSUES PERTAINING TO ELDER ABUSE.
THEY DISCUSS PREVENTIVE MEASURES. THEY DISCUSS STRATEGIES TO PREVENT ELDER ABUSE AND YOU CAN SEE THE MAKEUP OF THAT TASK FORCE THERE IN FRONT OF YOU, MADE UP OF CITY DEPARTMENTS, BEXAR COUNTY, ADULT PROTECTIVE SERVICES AND OTHER STAKEHOLDERS WHO ARE INVOLVED WITH PREVENTING ADULT -- SORRY, ELDER ABUSE.
SO WITH THAT BEING SAID, THE RECOMMENDATION, OF COURSE, AS WITH MANY THINGS, IS ACTUALLY TRAINING. SO OUR RECOMMENDATION TODAY IS THAT OUR DEPARTMENT OF HUMAN SERVICES DIVISION, SENIOR DIVISION, WILL WORK WITH ADULT PROTECTIVE SERVICES TO DEVELOP A CURRICULUM THAT WILL BE PROVIDED TO ALL OF THOSE CITY EMPLOYEES, ALL THOSE DEPARTMENTS, WHO HAVE DIRECT CONTACT ON A DAY-TO-DAY BASIS WITH OUR SENIORS OUT IN THE COMMUNITY. OF COURSE, THE POLICE DEPARTMENT, THE FIRE DEPARTMENT, ALL OF THOSE CITY DEPARTMENTS THAT YOU SEE THERE ON THE SLIDE. THIS CURRICULUM WILL BE USED TO TRAIN ALL OF THOSE INDIVIDUALS WITHIN THOSE CITY DEPARTMENTS. THE TRAINING WILL FOCUS ON HOW TO IDENTIFY SIGNS OF ELDER ABUSE, NEGLECT, EXPLOITATION, FRAUD AND THE MANDATORY REPORTING REQUIREMENTS UNDER TEXAS LAW AS WE DISCUSSED EARLIER, HOW TO REPORT THAT ABUSE TO ADULT PROTECTIVE SERVICES. WITH THAT, THAT'S THE END OF THE PRESENTATION. I HAVE ALL THE EXPERTS BEHIND ME THAT WILL BE HAPPY TO
ANSWER ANY OF YOUR QUESTIONS. >> CABELLO HAVRDA: THANK YOU, CHIEF FOX.
THANKS TO YOUR TEAM, FOR YOUR WORK ON THIS. A SPECIAL THANK YOU TO JUDGE VASQUEZ. WE HAD A CONVERSATION A WHILE BACK ABOUT THE WORK THAT SHE DOES AND THIS REALLY WAS INSPIRED BY THAT CONVERSATION AND UNDERSTANDING HOW MUCH ELDER ABUSE THERE IS OUT THERE. REALLY, I DIDN'T COMPLETELY UNDERSTAND, THERE'S FRAUD, AS YOU MENTIONED, CHIEF, FINANCIAL ABUSE, SEXUAL ABUSE, PHYSICAL ABUSE OF OUR ELDERS AND A LOT OF TIMES, AS WE ALL KNOW, SOMEBODY OLD IN
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OUR LIFE, THEY ARE MAYBE BEING CARED FOR BY SOMEBODY THAT THEY LOVE SO THEY ARE NOT GOING TO REPORT THE ABUSE THAT THEY'RE ENDURING. SO IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT THAT WE KEEP EAGLE EYES OUT THERE AS A COMMUNITY AND THIS IS REALLY WHERE THIS WAS BORN FROM. WE ADDED -- ACTUALLY, DID YOU HAVE A LIST OF THE DEPARTMENTS? DID I CATCH THAT? WHO IS GOING TO RECEIVE THISTRAINING? >> WE DO. IT WILL BE THE POLICE DEPARTMENT, THE FIRE DEPARTMENT, DEPARTMENT OF HUMAN SERVICES WILL BE RESPONSIBLE ALSO FOR THE TRAINING, NEIGHBORHOOD AND HOUSING, METRO HEALTH, PARKS,
311 AND CITY ATTORNEY'S OFFICE. >> CABELLO HAVRDA: ALL OF THESE ARE REALLY IMPORTANT. MY GOAL REALLY WAS ANY FRONT-FACING CITY DEPARTMENT.
SO I WOULD ASK US TO INCLUDE OUR ANIMAL CARE SERVICES. A LOT OF PEOPLE IN THIS ROOM THAT ARE FAMILIAR WITH THIS KIND OF ABUSE, REALLY, ANY ABUSE IN OUR COMMUNITY, IF SOMEBODY IS ABUSING ANIMALS THEY MIGHT BE ABUSING A PERSON ALSO THAT'S IN THEIR HOME OR IN THEIR NEIGHBORHOOD. I WOULD LIKE TO ADD THAT TRAINING TO OUR ACS OFFICERS. I KNOW THEY ALREADY HAVE A LOT ON THEM BUT IF YOU SEE
SOMETHING, SAY SOMETHING, RIGHT? >> YES, MA'AM.
>> CABELLO HAVRDA: THAT'S JUST ONE RESPONSE I HAVE. I DO WANT TO ALSO SEE IF WE CAN RECEIVE REPORTS ON THIS COMING BACK QUARTERLY. I WOULD LIKE TO SEE JUST KIND OF REPORTS ON CASES AND HOW THE TRAINING'S GOING AND ANY TWEAKS THAT, ANY ASSISTANCE YOU MAY NEED FROM US. WE WOULD LIKE TO HEAR HOW IT'S GOING ON A QUARTERLY BASIS. WE CAN BRING IT BACK TO PUBLIC SAFETY IF THAT'S AVAILABLE TO US. AGAIN, JUST THANK YOU TO EVERYBODY WHO HAS DONE THIS WORK. WITH THAT, I WANT TO INVITE UP JUDGE VASQUEZ IF SHE WOULD LIKE TO SAY A FEW WORDS. AND THE TEAM. EVERYBODY, COME ON UP.
THERE'S A LOT OF PEOPLE. WE HAVE TO THANK, I MEAN, THERE'S A BIG TEAM BEHIND THE JUDGE AND ADULT PROTECTIVE SERVICES, ALL OF THE PEOPLE WHO HAVE BEEN ENGAGED IN THIS WORK. I DO WANT TO SHOUT OUT TO THE TASK FORCE WHO HAS BEEN DOING WORK NOW FOR YEARS ON TRYING TO GET THESE CASES MOVED ALONG IN THE SYSTEM, BUT ALSO, IDENTIFIED. SO I THANK YOU FOR THAT. THAT LEADERSHIP.
I WILL GIVE YOU THE FLOOR. >> THANK YOU SO MUCH. I JUST WANT TO THANK EVERYONE HERE. THIS IS INCREDIBLY IMPORTANT AND JUST LIKE THE COUNCILWOMAN SAID, THANK YOU FOR BRINGING THIS TO THE COUNCIL.
THIS IS THE FIRST OF ITS KIND IN THE STATE OF TEXAS SO YOU SHOULD BE PROUD.
UNFORTUNATELY, WE HAVE TERRIBLE NUMBERS WHEN IT COMES TO ELDER ABUSE AND EXPLOITATION AND IT'S NOT OFTEN TALKED ABOUT. LAST YEAR ALONE, ACCORDING TO ADULT PROTECTIVE SERVICES STATISTICS, WE OUTPACED HARRIS COUNTY FOR EXPLOITATION CASES IN THE ENTIRE STATE OF TEXAS. WE ARE ALWAYS SECOND, NUMBER TWO, WHEN IT COMES TO REPORTING AND VALIDATIONS OF ELDER ABUSE, EXPLOITATION AND NEGLECT BEHIND HARRIS COUNTY. IF YOU CAN IMAGINE, THEY ARE TWICE THE SIZE BUT WE ARE ACTUALLY ONLY A FEW CASES BEHIND THEM EVERY SINGLE YEAR.
THIS IS A HUGE ISSUE THAT NO ONE IS TALKING ABOUT, AND SO THE FOCUS FOR THE CITY TO HAVE ON ELDER ABUSE AND EXPLOITATION IS TREMENDOUS, AND I WANT TO THANK YOU FOR THAT. YOU ARE GOING TO BE SAVING LIVES, LITERALLY, BY BEING ABLE TO IDENTIFY THESE THINGS AND BEING ABLE TO TRAIN PEOPLE ON ELDER ABUSE AND EXPLOITATION. SO THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU.
I WANT TO TURN IT OVER TO ADULT PROTECTIVE SERVICES BECAUSE THEY ARE HERE.
THEY HAVE BEEN INSTRUMENTAL, AND JUST THANK YOU TO SAPD. FROM THE BEGINNING WHEN WE CREATED THE TASK FORCE, IT'S BEEN SINCE 2019, HEWE HAD TO TAKE A COVIDHIATUS BUT SAPD HAS BEEN A WILLING PARTICIPANT AT EVERY SINGLE MEETING.
WE HAVE BEEN ABLE TO PICK UP THE PHONE AND TALK TO THEM IF WE HAVE ANY PROBLEMS OR CONCERNS. SAME WITH THE SAN ANTONIO FIRE DEPARTMENT.
THEY HAVE BEEN INSTRUMENTAL IN BEING PART OF THE TASK FORCE.
THANK YOU SO MUCH. THIS IS JUST PART OF THAT, MOVING IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION FOR THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO. THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU.
>> WE WOULD LIKE TO THANK ON BEHALF OF ADULT PROTECTIVE SERVICES, THANK THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO AND THE WORK OF THE TASK FORCE. IT IS THROUGH OUR COLLABORATIVE EFFORTS THAT WE HAVE BEEN ABLE TO FURTHER OUR OUTREACH EFFORTS.
OVER THE YEARS, WE HAVE HAD TREMENDOUS SUPPORT FROM BOTH THE POLICE DEPARTMENT AND THE FIRE DEPARTMENT AS WELL AS THE DEPARTMENT OF HUMAN SERVICES, THROUGH YOLANDAPETIS AND HER LEADERSHIP, THEY HAVE BEEN VERY WELCOMING IN ALLOWING US TO GET THE WORD OUT IN ALL OF THE CENTERS ACROSS THE CITY AND JUST HELPING US TO MAKE SURE THAT OLDER ADULTS KNOW WHAT TO BE ON THE LOOKOUT FOR.
THEN ALSO, TO BE ABLE TO EXPLAIN OUR STORY. YOU KNOW THAT WE'RE HERE TO HELP PEOPLE AGE IN PLACE FOR AS LONG AS POSSIBLE, AND TAKE AWAY SOME OF THOSE MYTHS AND
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FEARS THAT THEY HAVE ABOUT REPORTING, YOU KNOW, OR ASKING FOR HELP FROM EITHER APS OR FROM THE POLICE DEPARTMENT. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOURLEADERSHIP AND YOUR SUPPORT. >> CABELLO HAVRDA: I ALSO WANT TO RECOGNIZE SENATOR MENONEN MENENDEZ. UNFORTUNATELY, HE'S ILL.
HE HAS BEEN A TREMENDOUS CHAMPION FOR THIS. HE HAS HELPED PASS LEGISLATION. I WANT TO SAY THANK YOU TO THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO AND THANK YOU, EACH AND EVERY ONE OF YOU TODAY, FOR VOTING ON THIS BECAUSE YOU WILL SAVE LIVES. DID YOU WANT TO SAY SOMETHING?
>> THANK YOU TO ALL THE STAKEHOLDERS. THANK YOU, JUDGE VASQUEZ, APS AND OF COURSE, THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO. WE ARE HERE TO WORK WITH YOU ALL. JUST REALLY APPRECIATE THIS EFFORT.
>> CABELLO HAVRDA: THANK YOU. YOU ARE THE BOOTS ON THE GROUND DOING THE WORK SO WE APPRECIATE THE WORK THAT YOU DO. THIS IS ONE WAY WE CAN SUPPORT YOU. I HOPE IF THERE'S ANYTHING ELSE, ANY OTHER WAY THAT WE CAN SUPPORT YOU, PLEASE LET US KNOW. I'M GRATEFUL THAT WE BROUGHT THIS HERE TODAY AND I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO THIS VOTE. BUT FIRST, ANY COMMENTS FROM
OUR COUNCIL MEMBERS? >> KAUR: THANKS, CHAIR. J JUDGE, I HAD A COUPLE QUESTIONS. CAN YOU SHARE THE STATISTICS? YOU SAID HIGHEST RATE OF EXPLOITATION LAST YEAR. I JUST WANTED TO SEE WHAT THAT NUMBER WAS.
WHAT ARE THE BIG THINGS YOU ARE SEEING? >> FINANCIAL EXPLOITATION.
SO THERE'S DIFFERENT TYPES OF ABUSE. YOU HAVE TO UNDERSTAND THE TYPE -- ADULT PROTECTIVE SERVICES, PEOPLE HAVE A MISCONCEPTION THEY CAN CALL IN ANY CASE TO ADULT PROTECTIVE SERVICES. THAT'S NOT THE CASE.
THEY ONLY TAKE CASES WHERE THERE'S AN ONGOING RELATIONSHIP.
IF WE ARE TALKING ABOUT -- WE ARE TALKING ABOUT A CYBERCRIME OR SOME OTHER STRANGER CRIME, WE ARE TALKING ABOUT MAYBE A FAMILY MEMBER THAT IS THE PERPETRATOR OF THE VICTIM. ADULT PROTECTIVE SERVICES IS REQUIRED BY LAW, THEY CAN CORRECT ME IF I'M WRONG, BUT YES, ADULT PROTECTIVE SERVICES IS MANDATED BY LAW IF A CASE COMES IN AND IT FITS THAT PARAMETER, THEY ARE REQUIRED TO INVESTIGATE.
ONCE THEY INVESTIGATE, YOU TAKE THE INITIAL CALL, RIGHT, WE ARE NUMBER TWO IN THE INITIAL CALLS, PEOPLE THAT ARE CALLING IN FOR ELD AREA BUS, EXPLOITATION, NEGLECT, PHYSICAL ABUSE, THERE ARE DIFFERENT TYPES OF CRIMES THAT ARE HAPPENING.
IF IT FITS IN THEIR PARAMETERS, A CASE TO TAKE, THEY WILL THEN INVESTIGATE THAT CASE. IF THEY DO THE INVESTIGATION AND THEY FIND SOMETHING IS THERE, THE EASIEST WAY TO DESCRIBE IT, THEY FIND SOMETHING'S THERE, THEY THEN PRESENT THE CASE AS VALIDATED. WE ARE NUMBER TWO AS FAR AS THE PHONE CALLS AND IT'S COMING IN THROUGHOUT THE STATE BEHIND HARRIS COUNTY.
WE ARE ALSO NUMBER TWO IN THE ACTUAL INVESTIGATION OF FINDING THAT THERE'S VALIDATION. SO WHEN WE TALK ABOUT THE EXPLOITATION NUMBERS THAT WE SURPASSED HARRIS COUNTY, THAT WAS IN THE NUMBER OF VALIDATED CASES THAT THEY ACTUALLY FOUND, NOT JUST THE PHONE CALLS, BUT THEY ACTUALLY DID THE INVESTIGATION. LAST YEAR WAS THE FIRST YEAR IN WHICH WE SURPASSED HARRIS
COUNTY. >> KAUR: HOW MANY RESIDENTS DOES IT AFFECT?
>> IT'S REALLY HARD TO QUANTIFY AND THE REASON FOR THAT IS SO UNDERREPORTED.
THE REASON WHY IT'S UNDERREPORTED IS BECAUSE OFTENTIMES, IT IS A FAMILY MEMBER THAT IS DOING THIS. SO THEY DO NOT WANT TO GET THEIR SON IN TROUBLE, THEIR NEPHEW IN TROUBLE. WE WERE JUST TALKING ABOUT IT EARLIER WITH CHIEF FOX.
WE WERE JUST TALKING ABOUT IT EARLIER. I HAD AN AUNT, IT WAS MY COUSIN THAT WAS DOING THIS AND SHE DID NOT REPORT IT. OF COURSE, THIS WAS BEFORE I WAS A JUDGE. OTHERWISE I WOULD HAVE REPORTED IT.
BUT SHE DID NOT REPORT IT. OFTENTIMES WE DON'T WANT TO GET LAW ENFORCEMENT INVOLVED, DON'T WANT TO GET THEM IN TROUBLE. SO IT'S UNDERREPORTED.
THERE IS ALSO, WHEN YOU LOOK AT ELDER ABUSE, IT'S IMPORTANT FOR ME TO EXPLAIN THERE'S TWO TYPES OF VICTIMS. THERE'S THE TYPE THAT HAVE CAPACITY, MEANING THEY HAVE MENTAL CAPACITY TO SAY YES OR NO, NO, I DON'T WANT TO PRESS CHARGES, NO, I DON'T WANT TO COOPERATE, ALL THOSE OTHER THINGS. BUT THEN THERE'S THE ONES WITHOUT CAPACITY AND THAT'S LARGELY WHAT I SEE IN MY COURT AS A PROBATE COURT JUDGE, I SEE THOSE WITH ALZHEIMER'S AND DEMENTIA. THOSE ARE THE VICTIMS WE ALSO NEED TO FOCUS HEAVILY ON BECAUSE NO ONE IS SPEAKING UP FOR THEM.
THEY DO NOT HAVE A VOICE. OFTENTIMES WHEN IT COMES TO ALZHEIMER'S DEMENTIA, IT MOVES -- IT INCREASES VERY RAPIDLY AND SO ONE DAY THEY MAY BE ABLE TO MAKE A GOOD WITNESS, THE NEXT DAY, THEY MAY NOT. IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT WE WORK UP THESE CASES FAST, THAT WE ARE DOING WHATEVER WE CAN IN ORDER TO GET THEIR VOICE TOLD. BECAUSE THAT'S A HUGE PROBLEM THAT WE SEE.
>> KAUR: THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR WORK. THANK YOU TO ALL THE PARTNERS. THANK YOU, CHAIR, FOR BRINGING THIS FORWARD.
>> CABELLO HAVRDA: THANK YOU. COUNCIL MEMBER MCKEE-RODRIGUEZ?
>> MCKEE-RODRIGUEZ: THANK YOU, CHAIR. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THE WORK THAT YOU DO. I KNOW IT'S OFTEN VERY HEAVY, EMOTIONALLY LABORSOME WORK.
I WANT TO SEND TREMENDOUS GRATITUDE TO ALL OF YOU. THANK YOU, CHAIR, FOR AUTHORING THE CCR AND IT'S BOTH DISHEARTENING AND SHOCKING TO HEAR THAT RATE OF ELDER ABUSE IN BEXAR COUNTY ARE AS HIGH AS THEY ARE AND I WONDER BECAUSE THE STATISTICS
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ARE FAIRLY SIMILAR FOR DOMESTIC VIOLENCE IN BEXAR COUNTY, I WONDER, YOU WONDER WHY IT IS AND I THINK A PART OF IT HAS TO DO WITH THE VULNERABILITY OF OUR COMMUNITY BEING A VERY IMPOVERISHED CITY BUT ALSO, THERE HAS TO BE SOME QUESTION OF THE PROCESSES AND PROCEDURES THAT WE HAVE IN PLACE AND STRUCTURES THAT CAN BE PUT IN PLACE TO PROTECT THE MOST VULNERABLE IN OUR COMMUNITY.IT SOUNDS LIKE THERE ARE QUITE A BIG GAPS AND THIS IS A TREMENDOUS TANGIBLE FIX TO THAT. OR AT LEAST ONE FIX TO THAT. SO I AM SUPER HAPPY TO SUPPORT THIS ITEM TODAY. I AM WONDERING, I THINK YOU HIT THE NAIL ON THE HEAD WITH ACS BECAUSE OF COURSE, THEY DO, THEY HAVE A LOT OF OUTREACH AND DIRECT CONTACT WITH COMMUNITY MEMBERS. I'M ALSO WONDERING IF LIBRARIES MIGHT BE ONE AND I
WONDER IF DSD MIGHT AS WELL. >> YOU ARE THINKING CODE ENFORCEMENT?
>> MCKEE-RODRIGUEZ: YES. I GUESS IT WOULD BE SPECIFIC PARTS OF THE DEPARTMENTS THAT DO MORE OF THE PUBLIC-FACING WORK. CODE ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS.
>> YES, WE CAN DEFINITELY ADD THEM TO THE LIST. >> MCKEE-RODRIGUEZ: AND
LIBRARY STAFF. >> YES, AND ACS. >> MCKEE-RODRIGUEZ: I WAS DOING A SCAN OF THE DEPARTMENTS AND THOSE WERE TWO THAT REALLY STOOD OUT TO ME. OF COURSE, I KNOW WE WOULD LOVE FOR EVERY DEPARTMENT AT SOME POINT TO BE INVOLVED IN THIS WORK AND TO HAVE THIS SORT OF TRAINING.
AS A TEACHER, WE ARE MANDATED REPORTERS AS WELL AND I THINK A PART OF WHAT MAKES -- ONE OF THE THINGS THAT KEEPS STUDENTS SAFE IS THAT WHEN YOU HAVE ALL EYES AND THERE'S ATTENTIVE ADULTS WHO ARE PAYING ATTENTION, WHO ARE ASKING QUESTIONS ABOUT WHY IS A CHILD BEHAVING IN THIS WAY, WHAT ARE CHANGES, ANY CHANGES IN THEIR BEHAVIOR, WHAT ARE THE THINGS THAT ARE MAYBE OFF, WHAT ARE THE QUESTIONS I SHOULD ASK AND SHOULD ANSWER.
THOSE WHO HAVE THAT PRACTICE, THE TEACHERS WHO HAVE YEARS AND YEARS OF EXPERIENCE, THEY DO EXCELLENT AT THAT AND AGAIN, THEY ARE SAVING LIVES, AS YOU MENTIONED.
I THINK OUR ROLE HERE IS GOING TO BE TO MAKE SURE THERE'S AS MANY EYES AS POSSIBLE ON OUR SENIORS, AND I THINK MAYBE THAT'S WHAT'S BEEN MISSING.
SO I'M EXCITED TO SUPPORT THIS. I WOULD ASK THE CHAIR, WOULD
YOU PREFER A B SESSION OR AN A SESSION? >> CABELLO HAVRDA: WELL, GOOD QUESTION. I GUESS I THINK A B SESSION? I DON'T THINK WE NEED IT TO GO INTO EFFECT BUT MAYBE TO HAVE THE COUNCIL DISCUSS IT. BUT IF WE VOTE ON IT TODAY IT
WILL GO INTO EFFECT. CORRECT? >> VILLAGOMEZ: CORRECT.
OUR GOAL IS TO BEGIN WORKING ON THAT CURRICULUM AND JUST TO ADDRESS A LITTLE OF THE COMMENTS FROM COUNCILMAN MCKEE-RODRIGUEZ, OUR GOAL IS TO BRING AWARENESS TO ALL OF OUR CITY EMPLOYEES. WE SELECTED THIS SET OF DEPARTMENTS OR THOSE THAT HAVE MORE PUBLIC-FACING INTERACTIONS WITH INDIVIDUALS THAT WOULD NEED THIS TYPE OF ASSISTANCE. BUT THE GOAL IS TO DO THAT, WHEN I MET WITH JUDGE VASQUEZ AND ADULT PROTECTIVE SERVICES, WE TALKED ABOUT ONCE WE HAVE THAT CURRICULUM, TO PROVIDE A CHECKLIST THAT IS AN AID FOR OUR EMPLOYEES AS WELL AS TO DO THE TRAINING THROUGH VIDEO. SO THAT WILL BE ALSO EASIER TO BE ABLE TO TRAIN OUR ENTIRE WORK FORCE. OF COURSE, WE HAVE TO PLAN IT OUT, JUST AS WE DO OUR TRAINING IN SECURITY AND OUR TRAINING ON CLIMATE ACTION. AS FAR AS US BEGINNING WITH IMPLEMENTING THE RECOMMENDATION, WE PLAN TO DO SO, IT WILL BE UP TO THE COMMITTEE IF YOU WANT US TO BRIEF THE COUNCIL IN A B SESSION BUT IT'S NOT NEEDED
FOR US TO BEGIN OUR WORK. >> MCKEE-RODRIGUEZ: I GUESS, SO QUESTION THERE, BECAUSE I DO INTEND TO MAKE A MOTION, SO QUESTION IS, YOU HAVE ALREADY SAID THE DEPARTMENTS THAT WILL BE PART OF THIS. WILL IT BE CODIFIED, IS THIS GOING TO BE A PRACTICE THAT EXISTS IN PERPETUITY OR CAN BE CHANGED LATER? I GUESS THE APPEAL TO ME FOR AN A SESSION IS THAT THERE'S AN ORDINANCE USUALLY ATTACHED TO THAT AND THERE'S AN
EXPECTATION OF PERMANENTCE. IS THAT NECESSARY? >> VILLAGOMEZ: NOT NECESSARY FOR TRAINING OF OUR CITY EMPLOYEES TO HAVE AN ORDINANCE.
IT'S OUR INTENT TO HAVE IT AS PART OF OUR POLICIES FOR TRAINING THAT WE DO ETHICS IN PROCUREMENT AND THAT KIND OF THING. I ANTICIPATE TRAINING WILL BE EVALUATED, I DON'T KNOW WHAT FREQUENCY, BUT WE WILL WORK WITH ADULT PROTECTIVE SERVICES TO HELP US INFORM THAT. THAT WAY, WE CAN KEEP THIS AS PART OF OUR ANNUAL TRAINING JUST LIKE WE DO WITH ETHICS REVIEW FREQUENTLY OR SECURITY
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TRAINING. THAT IS SOMETHING THAT IS PART OF THE FABRIC OF THETRAINING THAT WE DO WITH OUR CITY EMPLOYEES. >> MCKEE-RODRIGUEZ: OKAY.
THAT ANSWERS THAT QUESTION. LAST THING IS, AND THIS ONE, IT MIGHT BE A LITTLE TRICKIER TO NAVIGATE, BUT WE DO HAVE SOME NONPROFITS THAT OPERATE OUT OF CITY FACILITIES.
SOMETIMES IN CONJUNCTION WITH OUR CITY STAFF. SO I'M WONDERING IF THERE'S OPPORTUNITY FOR THEM TO ALSO RECEIVE THE TRAINING, AND IF IT'S NOT NECESSARILY POSSIBLE BECAUSE THEY'RE NOT CONTRACTUALLY OBLIGATED, MAYBE FOR FUTURE CONTRACTS WHERE WE HAVE NONPROFITS, ORGANIZATIONS OPERATING OUT OF CITY FACILITIES, THAT THAT BE PART OF THE CONTRACT THAT THEY HAVE ALL THEIR EMPLOYEES GO THROUGH THIS TRAINING AS
WELL. >> VILLAGOMEZ: YES, COUNCILMAN, THAT IS SOMETHING WE CAN EXPLORE. WE ARE GOING TO BE DOING OUR CONSOLIDATED FUNDING PROCESS NEXT YEAR SO WE CAN ADD THAT AS PART OF THAT RFP PROCESS AND REQUIREMENTS FOR THEM TO MAKE THAT A TRAINING ACCESSIBLE TO THEIR EMPLOYEES AS PART OF THE CONTRACTUAL
OBLIGATION WITH THE CITY. >> MCKEE-RODRIGUEZ: PERFECT. SO THE MOTION WOULD BE TO APPROVE THE ITEM AND FOR STAFF TO BRIEF -- TO PROVIDE AN UPDATE AT A FUTURE B
SESSION? >> CABELLO HAVRDA: YES. >> MCKEE-RODRIGUEZ: SO MOVED.
>> CABELLO HAVRDA: ALL THOSE IN FAVOR,AYE? THOSE OPPOSED? THE MOTION CARRIES. THANK YOU SO MUCH. OKAY.
FEEL REAL GOOD ABOUT THAT. WE ARE GOING TO SKIP ITEM 4, MOVE ON TO ITEM 5.
>> VILLAGOMEZ: ITEM NUMBER 5'S A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT THAN WHAT WE JUST DID WITH ITEM NUMBER 3. THIS IS A CCR FROM COUNCILMEMBER ROCHA GARCIA ON A DESIGNATED OVERSIZED VEHICLE PARKING FACILITY. YOU WILL HEAR FROM MARIA VARGAS TODAY SOME RESEARCH SHE CONDUCTED ON HOW OTHERS HAVE HANDLED THIS PARTICULAR CHALLENGE IN PROVIDING PARKING FOR OVERSIZED VEHICLES.
WE DO NOT HAVE A RECOMMENDATION. WE JUST WANT TO PROVIDE YOU WITH INFORMATION THAT WE HAVE AND THEN REQUEST DISCUSSION FROM THE COMMITTEE FOR US TO MOVE FORWARD WITH NEXT STEPS. WE DO HAVE SOME OPTIONS FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION, BUT
THERE'S NO RECOMMENDATION. SO WITH THAT, MARIA? >> GOOD MORNING.
MARIA VARGAS WITH INTEGRATED COMMUNITY SAFETY OFFICE. AS BACKGROUND FOR THIS PRESENTATION, A CCR WAS AUTHORED BY DR. ROCHA GARCIA ON AUGUST 2024, MORE OUTREACH OPPORTUNITIES TO HEAR FROM DRIVERS AND RESIDENTS REGARDING CHANGES TO CITY CODE IMPACTING OVERNIGHT PARKING OF OVERSIZED VEHICLES, SECOND, AN ANALYSIS OF PRIVATE SPACES THAT ALLOW OVERSIZED PARKING FOR RENT OR FREE OF CHARGE AND THIRD, A PLAN TO INITIATE A DESIGNATED FACILITY FOR OVERSIZED PARKING WITH CITY-OWNED LAND.
THIS WAS HEARD BY GOVERNANCE COMMITTEE ON MAY 17TH, 2024. A BROADER TIMELINE, IN MAY OF 2022, A CCR WAS SUBMITTED BY CITY COUNCIL DISTRICT 8 REPRESENTATIVE MANNY PELAEZ ON OVERNIGHT PARKING REGULATIONS FOR OVERSIZED COMMERCIAL VEHICLES.
THIS WAS PRESENTED BY SAPD AND PUBLIC SAFETY COMMITTEE ON SEPTEMBER 2023.
TWO PUBLIC COMMENT SESSIONS WERE HELD IN FEBRUARY 2024 AND THEN IN MARCH OF 2024, THE PUBLIC SAFETY COMMITTEE APPROVED MOVING THIS TO B SESSION FOR PROPOSED CODE CHANGES AND THE SPECIFIC LANGUAGE OF THAT CODE CAN BE SEEN THERE.
SPECIFICALLY INCREASING THE PROHIBITED PARKING TO 1,000 FEET OF ANY AREA ZONED RESIDENTIAL BETWEEN THE HOURS OF MIDNIGHT AND 6:00 A.M. WITH TWO EXCEPTIONS.
ACTIVELY LOADING OR UNLOADING, OR MAKING EMERGENCY REPAIRS TO THE VEHICLE. IN APRIL 2024, THEN THIS CCR WAS SUBMITTED BY DR. ROCHA
GARCIA ON THE PARKING FACILITY. >> IF I MAY, JUST TO INTERJECT THERE, WE NEVER TOOK THE CCR FROM COUNCILMAN PELAEZ TO A B SESSION BECAUSE WHEN THE CCR FROM DR. ROCHA GARCIA CAME OUT AND WE TOOK IT TO GOVERNANCE, THE ISSUES ARE LINKED TOGETHER. ONE IS REQUESTING RESTRICTION, THE OTHER ONE IS ASKING FOR ADDITIONAL PARKING FACILITIES. SO AT GOVERNANCE WE DECIDED
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WE WOULD BRING THIS TO PUBLIC SAFETY COMMITTEE, WHERE THE OTHER CCR WAS HEARD, AND THEN BRING BOTH TO A B SESSION ONCE THE SECOND CCR IS ADDRESSED.JUST WANTED TO ADD THAT FOR CONTEXT. GO AHEAD, MARIA.
>> THIS GRAPH SHOWS THE CURRENT STATE OF PARKING IN SAN ANTONIO.
THIS WAS PRODUCED IN A PARKING STUDY THAT TXDOT CONDUCTED AND PUBLISHED IN APRIL OF 2020. AT THAT TIME, TXDOT IDENTIFIED APPROXIMATELY 465 SPACES OF SHORTAGE FOR TRUCK PARKING AND THIS WAS MODELED ON THE WEEKDAY AVERAGE AT 1:00 A.M., WHICH IS THE STATEWIDE PEAK HOUR FOR PARKING.
THERE ARE APPROXIMATELY 2,178 SPACES FOR 2,643 PARKED TRUCKS.
AT THE TIME THERE WERE 40 DOCUMENTED TRUCK PARKING LOCATIONS, 27 OF WHICH WERE PRIVATELY OWNED, AND 8 WERE REST AREAS/TRAVEL INFORMATION CENTERS AND 5 WERE THE PICNIC/PULLOUT REST AREAS. THE STUDY ALSO INDICATED THAT THE MAJORITY OF TRUCKS ARE PARKING FOR 15 MINUTES TO ONE HOUR FOLLOWED BY TRUCKS PARKING EIGHT HOURS TO 14 HOURS. ALSO FROM TXDOT STUDY ON TRUCK PARKING, THIS IS AN INFOGRAPHIC SHOWING THE SAN ANTONIO DISTRICT WHICH IS COMPRISED OF A HANDFUL OF SPECIFIC COUNTIES THAT IT MAY BE DIFFICULT TO SEE ON THE OVERHEARD.
T OVERHEAD. THEY ARE OUTLINED IN GRAY.
I CAN PROVIDE YOU THAT COMPREHENSIVE LIST. BUT TXDOT DOES ITS ANALYSIS IN ITS PROJECTS BASED ON THESE DISTRICTS THAT IT HAS DIVIDED THE STATE OF TEXAS INTO. OURS IS IDENTIFIED AS THE SAN ANTONIO DISTRICT.
YOU CAN SEE HERE, AGAIN, THE EMPHASIS ON THE 465 PARKING SPACE SHORTAGE THAT WE HAVE.
ALSO FROM TXDOT, ADDITIONAL GRAPHIC SHOWING THE TRUCK PARKING INTENSITY OF PARKING, PINK BEING MORE INTENSE AND YELLOW BEING LESS INTENSE, AND THE CONCENTRATION OF THOSE PARKED TRUCKS. THEN THE NEXT THREE SLIDES WILL SHOW YOU A LIST OF THOSE IDENTIFIED TRUCK PARKING FACILITIES IN THE SAN ANTONIO DISTRICT.
THIS IS SIMPLY PROVIDED FOR YOUR REFERENCE. SOME OPTIONS FOR ADDRESSING THE TRUCK PARKING SHORTAGE. REQUESTING TXDOT TO PRIORITIZE THE SAN ANTONIO DISTRICT FOR FUTURE EFFORTS AND GRANTS TO IMPROVE TRUCK PARKING.
THOSE THREE BULLETS LIST FEDERAL GRANTS THAT EXIST TO ADDRESS TRANSPORTATION ISSUES WITH TRUCK PARKING BEING A SPECIFIC ISSUE OF FOCUS FOR THOSE GRANTS.
TXDOT IS CURRENTLY REQUESTING $22.2 MILLION FROM THE FY '25 BUDGET FROM THEIR MULTI MODAL PROJECT DISCRETIONARY FUND TO CONSTRUCT TWO FREIGHT FACILITIES IN THE HARRIS COUNTY HOUSTON AREA, ONE IN ENGELTON AND ONE IN FREEPORT. IN ENGELTON THEY ARE RESTORING AND MODERNIZING A 10.3 ACRE OFFICE IN THE CITY ON AN EXISTING TXDOT RIGHT-OF-WAY AND IN FREEPORT, THEY ARE WORKING IN PARTNERSHIP TO CREATE A NEW FACILITY TO BE BUILT ON 8.1 ACRES OF PORT FREEPORT IS THAT PARTNER WITH TXDOT AND THE CITY OF FREEPORT. ANOTHER OPTION TO CONSIDER IS TO IDENTIFY STREETS AND INSTRUMENTAL AND COMMERCIAL AREAS SUITABLE FOR TRUCK PARKING AND TO POTENTIALLY DEVELOP AN ONLINE TOOL TO HELP OUR RESIDENTS IDENTIFY WHERE THEY CAN LEGALLY PARK.
SO AS MARIA MENTIONED, WE ARE REQUESTING INPUT FROM THIS COMMITTEE TO DETERMINE THE
NEXT STEPS FOR THIS CCR. >> VILLAGOMEZ: JUST TO ADD ON THE SECOND OPTION OF THE PARKING INFORMATION, THE INTERNAL DISCUSSION THAT WE HAD, THIS TOOL WOULD BE SIMILAR TO THE FIND YOUR CITY COUNCIL MEMBER WE HAVE ON OUR WEBSITE, YOU TYPE AN ADDRESS AND IT TELLS YOU WHAT COUNCIL DISTRICT. IT WOULD BE A SIMILAR AREA TO IDENTIFY AREAS WHERE INDIVIDUALS CAN LEGALLY PARK THE OVERSIZED VEHICLES ACROSS THE CITY, YOU KNOW, THE CLOSEST AREAS DEPENDING ON THE ADDRESS THEY ARE TYPING.
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WE FIGURED THIS WILL BE AN INFORMATIONAL TOOL AND THERE ARE AREAS IN SAN ANTONIO THAT ARE LEGAL FOR THE TRUCKS TO P PARK.THE OTHER CCR THAT WAS HEARD BY PUBLIC SAFETY COMMITTEE FROM COUNCILMAN PELAEZ EXPANDED THE AREA THAT RESTRICTS THE PARKING CLOSE TO RESIDENTIAL AREAS.
HOWEVER, THIS INFORMATIONAL TOOL WILL PROVIDE PERHAPS INDUSTRIAL AND COMMERCIAL AREAS WITHIN THAT 1,000 FEET BUFFER WHERE INDIVIDUALS CAN PARK.
SO WE FIGURE THIS WILL BE A TOOL FOR PEOPLE TO KNOW FOR SURE WHERE THEY ARE ALLOWED OR NOT ALLOWED TO PARK. JUST WANTED TO ADD THAT ADDITIONAL CONTEXT.
THIS IS NOW FOR YOUR DISCUSSION. >> CABELLO HAVRDA: THANK YOU.
THAT'S HELPFUL INFORMATION. REGARDING THE TWO RECOMMENDATIONS, I THINK BOTH OF THEM WOULD BE HELPFUL. I MEAN, OF COURSE WE ALWAYS WANT TO SEE IF TXDOT WILL GIVE US SOME MONEY FOR SOME IMPROVEMENTS HERE IN OUR CITY.
IF THEY WERE TO DO SOMETHING OR REQUEST MONEY LIKE THEY'RE DOING IN ANGLETON OR FREEPORT, I THINK THAT WOULD BE REALLY HELPFUL TO US. WE HAVE A GAP, I DON'T KNOW WHAT THE DIFFERENCE IS BETWEEN OUR GAP AND HOUSTON'S GAP, OR THE AREA AROUND HOUSTON, BUT WE ARE DOING NOTHING BUT GROWING IN THIS CITY.
THAT GAP'S NOT GOING TO GET SMALLER. SO I AGREE THAT WE SHOULD REQUEST SOME OF THESE FUNDS OR LOOK AT PROJECTS LIKE THAT THAT COULD BE HELPFUL.
I'M NOT SURE, BUT IT ALSO MAY BE SOMETHING WE CAN KICK OVER TO NPO, HAVE TXDOT WORK WITH OUR NPO TO FIGURE OUT HOW TO DO THAT AS WELL. THE WEBSITE OR THE LINK THAT YOU SAID THAT WOULD BE HELPFUL, SOMETHING LIKE FIND YOUR COUNCIL MEMBER, I THINK THAT'S A GOOD IDEA, TOO. I JUST DON'T KNOW HOW THEY WOULD -- I GUESS WE WOULD HAVE TO EDUCATE THE COMMUNITY TO LET THEM KNOW HOW WOULD YOU -- HOW DO YOU KNOW THAT THAT'S THERE. I DO THINK THAT WOULD BE HELPFUL.
NOT JUST FOR OBVIOUSLY THE TRUCKERS, BUT THE COMMUNITY THAT IS AFFECTED.
IN THAT LAST BIT OF INFORMATION YOU GAVE US, MARIA, THE SPACES YOU ARE SHOWING, THAT WE WOULD SHOW ARE AVAILABLE, THOSE ARE GOING TO BE THESE 2,000 OR SO
SPACES THAT YOU HAVE IDENTIFIED, IS THAT CORRECT? >> THE 2,000 SPACES ARE
LOCATED PRIMARILY AT FACILITIES. >> CABELLO HAVRDA: OKAY.
>> THE IDEA OF THE TOOL WOULD BE TO NOT ONLY SHOW THE FACILITIES, BUT SHOW THE CITY STREET PARKING THAT IS NOT CAPTURED IN THE 2,643 SPACES, BECAUSE AS MARIA MENTIONED, THERE ARE PLACES THAT PEOPLE CAN LEGALLY PARK IN THE STREETS.
RESIDENTS JUST MIGHT NOT BE AWARE THERE'S A LEGAL PARK RELATIVELY CLOSE TO THEM.
THIS MIGHT HELP THEM IDENTIFY THOSE POTENTIAL AREAS. >> CABELLO HAVRDA: THEN SO YOU MADE THE POINT THEY WOULDN'T BE -- THEY WOULD BE INDUSTRIAL OR COMMERCIAL
AREAS, RIGHT? >> VILLAGOMEZ: CORRECT. IT WILL FOLLOW OUR EXISTING CITY CODE. SO RESIDENTIAL AREAS ARE PROHIBITED TODAY.
YES. >> CABELLO HAVRDA: I SEE. OKAY.
SO GIVEN COUNCIL MEMBER PELAEZ'S CCR, IS THIS AN ANSWER TO THAT?
OR WOULD THAT POTENTIALLY REDUCE THOSE SPACES? >> SO THIS WILL NOT CHANGE THE CCR FROM COUNCIL MEMBER PELAEZ. IT WILL NOT CHANGE THE RECOMMENDATION OF THE PUBLIC SAFETY COMMITTEE. THIS ADDS A COUPLE OF THINGS.
WE ENVISION A FORMAL REQUEST TO TXDOT TO PRIORITIZE THE SAN ANTONIO DISTRICT TO STUDY IT JUST LIKE THEY ARE DOING THE HOUSTON DISTRICT, AND REQUEST GRANTS FOR THE SAN ANTONIO DISTRICT AS THEY HAVE IDENTIFIED WHERE THE GAPS ARE LOCATED.
SO THAT WOULD BE ONE POTENTIAL ACTION WE COULD TAKE ON THE DISTRICT 4CCR,
THEN OF COURSE, THE ONLINE TOOL. >> CABELLO HAVRDA: OKAY.
>> VILLAGOMEZ: THIS WOULDN'T IMPACT. IT WOULD COMPLEMENT THE
DISTRICT 8. >> CABELLO HAVRDA: THAT'S VERY HELPFUL.
THANK YOU. I THINK THIS IS AN ISSUE THAT'S BEEN IDENTIFIED IN THE COMMUNITY AND YOU KNOW, WE SEE THEM ALL THE TIME IN OUR OWN NEIGHBORHOODS, NEAR OUR NEIGHBORHOODS. I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT WE DISCUSS IT.
I DO THINK THE TWO RECOMMENDATIONS ARE WORTHWHILE EXPLORING BOTH.
ONE SEEMS A LITTLE MORE IMMEDIATE THAN THE OTHER. NOT THAT IT WOULD BE IMMEDIATE, BUT WE COULD WORK ON THE WEBSITE STUFF INTERNALLY, REQUESTING FUNDS FROM TXDOT FOR A STUDY AND FOR ADDITIONAL PARKING FACILITIES IS A LONGER TERM SOLUTION. BUT I THINK WE SHOULD EXPLORE IT.
I'M SORRY, I SHOULD HAVE ASKED, I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE COUNCILMAN PELAEZ IS NOT HERE TO SPEAK OR DR. ROCHA GARCIA? JUST MAKING SURE.
OKAY. ANY COMMENTS? COUNCIL MEMBER
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MCKEE-RODRIGUEZ? >> MCKEE-RODRIGUEZ: THANK YOU.
I'M THINKING OF A FEW THINGS. ONE IS, SO THERE IS AN 18-WHEELER THAT FOR AT LEAST A YEAR OR SO NOW, PARKS IN FRONT OF MY MAILBOX. IT WOULDN'T BOTHER ME SO MUCH IF I DIDN'T KNOW THAT OUR STREETS ARE JUST NOT MADE FOR T THAT. I'VE HAD TWO THOUGHTS ABOUT IT.
ONE IS THAT AT THE LAST PUBLIC SAFETY MEETING THAT WE WERE TALKING ABOUT COUNCILMAN PELAEZ'S CCR, THERE WERE -- IT WAS SAID THERE ARE LOTS AVAILABLE FOR THIS AMOUNT AND IT WAS RELATIVELY INEXPENSIVE AND YOU KNOW, WHY DON'T Y'ALL GO AHEAD AND UTILIZE THOSE.
THE SECOND PIECE OF THAT IS THAT APPARENTLY THERE IS A SHORTAGE OF A VERY SIGNIFICANT NUMBER. IT LOOKED LIKE THE LARGEST LOT WAS LIKE 300 SOME SPACES, IS THAT ACCURATE? SKIMMING THROUGH THOSE? NOT THAT ONE.
I SEE 258. OKAY. MAYBE IT WAS 258 WAS THE LARGEST ONE. SO IF WE WERE TO LOOK AT BUILDING LOTS OR REQUESTING FUNDING OR SOMETHING OF THE SORT, I THEN THINK OF MORE THINGS.
IN MY DISTRICT, I WOULD ACTIVELY BE OPPOSED TO SAY A ZONING CHANGE FOR THIS PURPOSE, LARGELY BECAUSE MY DISTRICT HAS BECOME A VERY RELUCTANT INDUSTRIAL DISTRICT OVER TIME AND IT PREVENTS THE AMENITIES, GROCERY STORES, THE THINGS MY RESIDENTS NEED TO HAVE A VIBRANT, WELL-BALANCED COMMUNITY WHEN NO ONE WANTS TO BUILD ANYTHING BECAUSE THE ONLY THING AVAILABLE, THE ONLY THING IN THE AREA ARE THESE OFFICE WAREHOUSES. SO I WOULD BE INTERESTED IN MAYBE A SITE STUDY OF WHERE POTENTIAL LOCATIONS FOR SOME LOTS COULD BE. I'M ALSO A LITTLE CONCERNED, I WOULD BE HESITANT AS WELL THINKING ABOUT LIMITED FUNDING THAT'S AVAILABLE AND HOW WE ONLY SUBMIT SO MANY APPLICATIONS FOR FUNDING FOR FEDERAL AND STATE FUNDS.
WE HAVE SO MANY PROJECTS OF HIGH NEED AND CONCERN, I WOULD HATE TO PRIORITIZE THIS OVER ANY OF THOSE. BUT IT IS A BIG NEED. SO I SAY ALL OF THIS JUST TO TELL YOU WHERE I'M AT ON THE ISSUE. FOR THE BENEFIT OF DISCUSSION. I'M NOT SURE, I DON'T KNOW WHAT MOTION YOU WOULD BE
LOOKING FOR OR IF YOU JUST NEED FEEDBACK? >> VILLAGOMEZ: WE WERE
LOOKING FOR FEEDBACK TODAY. BRIEFING.ST A >> MCKEE-RODRIGUEZ: OKAY.
THOSE ARE THE THINGS I'M THINKING. I DON'T KNOW THAT YOU CAN
ADDRESS BUT HOPEFULLY, YOU CAN. >> CABELLO HAVRDA: THANK YOU.
COUNCILWOMAN KAUR? >> KAUR: THANK YOU, CHAIR. I JUST HAD A COUPLE QUESTIONS ABOUT KIND OF THE PRESENTATION REGARDING THE DRIVERS.
IS THERE CONCERNS THAT DRIVERS ARE NOT PAYING FOR PARKING?
>> IT IS UP TO THE DRIVER'S DISCRETION WHETHER THEY WANT TO PAY A FACILITY TO PARK, OR IF THEY LIVE IN THE AREA, AND I DID FIND FROM MY RESEARCH AND FROM SPEAKING WITH PROFESSORS AT TEXAS A & M THAT THE TRUCKS THAT YOU SEE PARKED THROUGHOUT THE CITY IN RELATIVELY RESIDENTIAL AREAS ARE NOT TRUCKERS WHO ARE DRIVING THROUGH TO GET FROM, YOU KNOW, A TO B. THEY ARE TRUCKERS THAT LIVE HERE.
BECAUSE WHEN YOU HIT YOUR HOURS AND YOU HAVE TO PULL OVER AND STOP, YOU DON'T HAVE TIME TO WEAVE INTO A RESIDENTIAL AREA OFF THE HIGHWAY TO PARK.
YOU HAVE TO PULL OVER RIGHT THEN AND THERE OFF THE HIGHWAY AND PARK.
THAT'S WHERE MOST OF THESE FACILITIES ARE LOCATED IS OFF OF THOSE HIGHWAYS.
SO THE INDIVIDUALS WHO LIVE IN SAN ANTONIO ARE TRYING TO PARK NEAR TO WHERE THEY LIVE AND PROBABLY TRYING TO DO SO FOR AS CHEAP AS POSSIBLE WHILE ALSO BALANCING THEIR NEEDS, WHETHER IT'S SECURITY OR LONG-TERM PARKING NEEDS, SHORT-TERM PARKING NEEDS AND THOSE THINGS. I THINK THE RESIDENTS WHO ARE TRUCKERS ARE HAVING TO CONSIDER ALL THOSE VARIABLES WHEN THEY'RE DECIDING WHETHER THEY ARE GOING TO PAY TO PARK
SOMEWHERE OR NOT. >> KAUR: GOT IT. LAST TIME WE WERE TALKING ABOUT THIS ITEM, THERE WAS SOME COMMUNICATION CONCERNS THAT CAME UP FROM SOME CONSTITUENTS. WHAT IS THE PLAN? HOW DO WE COMMUNICATE WITH
THIS GROUP OF PEOPLE? >> THE GENTLEMAN AT RIGGY'S WHO SPOKE AT THAT PUBLIC SAFETY COMMITTEE EARLIER THIS YEAR, I DON'T KNOW IF YOU RECALL HIM SPEAKING, DAVID, HE DID MENTION THAT THEY HAVE SOME E-MAILS, I BELIEVE CLOSE TO 3,000 E-MAIL ADDRESSES THAT WE COULD ALSO USE TO COMMUNICATE MAYBE MORE EFFECTIVELY WITH THESE
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INDIVIDUALS WHO ARE PROBABLY NOT HOME ALL THE TIME TO RECEIVE A LETTER.SO THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WE CAN PURSUE IS GETTING THAT LIST OF E-MAILS FROM THAT
GENTLEMAN TO COMMUNICATE. >> KAUR: I THINK THAT WOULD BE A GREAT IDEA.
IS THERE ANY LAND WE COULD DONATE OR USE FOR THIS PURPOSE?
>> VILLAGOMEZ: BASED ON THE CDM PROPERTY THAT WE HAVE TODAY, WE DON'T HAVE SUCH A LARGE PARCEL FOR THIS TYPE OF ACTIVITY, IF YOU WILL. I DO WANT TO MENTION THAT THE CCR REQUESTED THAT WE DO ADDITIONAL ENGAGEMENT SO AS WE ARE DISCUSSING THE CCR AND IT SOUNDS LIKE SOMETHING THAT YOU WOULD BE INTERESTED, THAT IS SOMETHING THAT WE CAN DO.
LAST TIME THAT WE DID IT BACK IN FEBRUARY, WE DID TWO SESSIONS AND WE HAD VERY FEW INDIVIDUALS WHO ATTENDED, AND YOU HEARD FROM I BELIEVE A FAMILY THAT CAME AND SPOKE TO THAT. WE WOULD DEFINITELY DO IT AGAIN AND DO A BETTER JOB MARKETING THE ENGAGEMENT SESSIONS TO HEAR THEIR FEEDBACK AS WELL, AS WELL AS TO UTILIZE THOSE E-MAIL ADDRESSES THAT MARIA MENTIONED.
>> KAUR: YEAH, I WOULD LOVE TO SEE THAT. MAYBE EVEN A SURVEY FOR THOSE FOLKS OR SOME WAY FOR THEM TO PROVIDE INPUT AND FEEDBACK ON THE CHANGES THAT ARE GOING TO AFFECT THEM. THANK YOU FOR YOUR WORK ON THIS.
THANK YOU, CHAIR. >> CABELLO HAVRDA: THANK YOU. COUNCILMAN MCKEE-RODRIGUEZ?
>> MCKEE-RODRIGUEZ: I'M WONDERING, IS THERE -- BECAUSE I'M HEARING THE 3,000 E-MAIL ADDRESSES. WE JUST HAVE SO MANY TRUCK DRIVERS IN TEXAS, AND WE ARE A LARGE CITY. I CAN'T IMAGINE WE DON'T HAVE TENS OF THOUSANDS.
IS THERE ANOTHER WAY, IS THERE SOME OTHER DATA BASE THAT WE WOULD BE ABLE TO GET ACCESS TO THAT MAYBE, I DON'T KNOW, I KNOW FOLK WITH A CDL LICENSE IS PROBABLY A BIT BROAD. BUT DOES THAT GIVE YOU ANY IDEAS?
>> VILLAGOMEZ: YES. ACTUALLY, WHEN WE DID THE FIRST CCR, THERE'S A -- I DON'T RECALL THE NAME, THERE'S AN ASSOCIATION FOR TRUCKING COMPANIES, FOR LACK OF A BETTER WORD, SO WE CAN REACH OUT TO THEM AGAIN TO PROMOTE THE ENGAGEMENT AND WE CAN ALSO PERHAPS CONTACT TXDOT AND SEE IF THEY HAVE ANY INFORMATION, TO YOUR POINT, THROUGH THE DRIVER'S LICENSE OFFICE TO SEE IF THAT'S ANOTHER OPPORTUNITY THAT WE HAVE. WE CAN ENGAGE COMMUNICATIONS AND ENGAGEMENT AND I'M SURE THEY WILL HAVE SOME CREATIVE IDEAS TO TRY TO GET THOSE INDIVIDUALS, TO GET THE WORD
OUT SO THEY CAN PROVIDE THEIR FEEDBACK. >> MCKEE-RODRIGUEZ: THANK YOU. DO YOU EXPECT THAT YOU WILL COME BACK TO THIS COMMITTEE OR YOU WILL GO TO A B SESSION? AFTER YOU HAVE DONE THE NEXT
STEPS? >> VILLAGOMEZ: IT WOULD BE UP TO THIS COMMITTEE.
WE CAN DO THAT ADDITIONAL WORK AS WE STILL HAVE THE OTHER CCR THAT NEEDS TO GO TO B SESSION, OR WE CAN COME BACK TO YOU WITH THE INFORMATION ON THE CCR, ON THE DISTRICT 4CCR, BEFORE WE TAKE BOTH TO A B SESSION. I ANTICIPATE BASED ON THE WORK THAT WE HAVE THAT WE WOULD PROBABLY COME BACK, IF WE DO THE PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT, PROBABLY NOVEMBER, TO GIVE US AN OPPORTUNITY TO DO THE OUTREACH AND TO GET THAT
MEANINGFUL ENGAGEMENT AND COME BACK TO YOU ALL. >> MCKEE-RODRIGUEZ: OKAY.
I TRY NOT TO ASK QUESTIONS ABOUT FAIRNESS OR OF OPINION, BUT I WOULD ASK IF, WOULD IT BE FAIR TO MOVE FORWARD WITH COUNCILMAN PELAEZ'S CCR WHICH IS ABOUT THE REGULATIONS, WOULD THAT BE FAIR WITHOUT DOING THE ADDITIONAL WORK ON COUNCILMAN ROCHA GARCIA'S CCR WHICH IS MORE ABOUT THE TYPE OF SUPPORT THAT WE CAN DO TO ADDRESS THAT NEED FOR PARKING? AND DO WE -- BECAUSE THAT WOULD -- IF IT IS FAIR AND IF IT'S SOMETHING WE FEEL LIKE WE SHOULD DO, I WOULD BE COOL WITH MOVING THAT FIRST CCR THROUGH THE PROCESS, LET'S GET THE B SESSION GOING AND STILL CONTINUE DOING THAT WORK ON DR. ROCHA GARCIA'S CCR. BUT IF IT'S NOT FAIR, THEN MAYBE THEY DO CONTINUE TO NEED TO BE DONE SIMULTANEOUSLY.
>> VILLAGOMEZ: MY THOUGHTS IS THEY ARE COMPLEMENTARY. THEY RELATE TO EACH OTHER.
SO IT WOULD PROBABLY MAKE SENSE TO BRING THEM TOGETHER. AS THE FULL COUNCIL CONSIDERS THE RESTRICTIONS, THEY ALSO KNOW WHAT WOULD BE AVAILABLE IN TERMS OF COULD BE THE TOOL
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THAT PROVIDES INFORMATION OF WHERE TO PARK, OR IF THERE'S ANY INFORMATION FROM TXDOT AS FAR AS WHEN THEY COULD FOCUS ON SAN ANTONIO THE WAY THEY ARE FOCUSING ON THE HOUSTON DISTRICT RIGHT NOW. SO THAT WOULD PROVIDE THAT INFORMATION TO THE COUNCIL ATTHE SAME TIME. >> MCKEE-RODRIGUEZ: OKAY. THEN I MOVE FOR STAFF TO COME BACK WITH AN UPDATE AT THE NEXT PUBLIC SAFETY COMMITTEE MEETING.
IS THAT ENOUGH TIME? >> VILLAGOMEZ: PROBABLY NOT. BECAUSE OUR NEXT ONE IS IN
SEPTEMBER. >> MCKEE-RODRIGUEZ: LET'S SAY OCTOBER, THEN.
>> VILLAGOMEZ: YOU COULD GIVE US SOME FLEXIBILITY, OCTOBER OR NOVEMBER, JUST TO MAKE SURE THAT WE HAVE SUFFICIENT TIME TO WORK ON OTHER CCRS THAT WE HAVE IN THE PIPELINE
AS WELL. >> MCKEE-RODRIGUEZ: OKAY. MOVE TO RECEIVE UPDATE IN
OCTOBER OR NOVEMBER PUBLIC SAFETY COMMITTEE MEETING. >> CABELLO HAVRDA: MOTION CARRIES. THANK YOU. THAT'S OUR AGENDA TODAY.
THANK YOU SO MUCH. APPRECIATE EVERYBODY. HAVE A GREAT WEEK.
* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.