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>> MAYOR NIRENBERG: GOOD AFTERNOON EVERYONE. WELCOME TO OUR CITY COUNCIL BUDGET SESSION. THE TIME IS 2:11 P.M. ON SEPTEMBER 10, 2024.
WE'LL CALL OUR MEETING TO ORDER. MADAM CLERK, COULD YOU READ THE ROLL.
QUORUM. >> MAYOR NIRENBERG: WELCOME, EVERYONE.
WE HAVE A FEW DEPARTMENTS TODAY SO WITHOUT FURTHER ADO, CITY MANAGER ERIK
WALSH. >> MCKEE-RODRIGUEZ: THANK YOU FOR THAT INTERSECTION --
>> WALSH: THANK YOU FOR THAT INTRODUCTION. TWO DEPARTMENTS TODAY.
WE'LL START OFF WITH HOMER AEN THE PARKS & RECREATION DEPARTMENT AND TRANSITION TO DOUG AND THE OFFICE OF SUSTAINABILITY AND A PRESENTATION ON THAT OFFICE
AS WELL AS THE REES FUND. HOMER? >> GOOD AFTERNOON, EVERYBODY. MY NAME IS HOMER GARCIA, III, DIRECTOR FOR PARKS AND RECOMMENDATION DEPARTMENT. I'M HERE TODAY TO PRESENT OUR FISCAL YEAR 2025 PROPOSED BUDGET. BEFORE I GET INTO THAT, I WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE SOME TEAM MEMBERS IN THE AUDIENCE. TWO ASSISTANT DIRECTORS, LINDA, OVER PARK OPERATIONS, NICKIE RAMOS, RECREATION SERVICES, RYAN HARRIS SON HELPED US BUILD THIS BUDGET OVER OUR FISCAL AND CONTRACT SERVICES AND MEMBERS OF OUR SENIOR LEADERSHIP TEAM AND ALL OF US WORK TOGETHER IN DELIVERING THE PROPOSED WORK PLAN FOR 2025. SO I WANT TO BEGIN AND WE SEE AN OVERVIEW OF TODAY'S PRESENTATION, BUT I REALLY WANT TO HIGHLIGHT THAT IT IS OUR VISION THAT EVERY CITIZEN IN SAN ANTONIO WILL HAVE EQUITABLE PARK ACCESS BY 2050.
THAT MEANS WE ARE CONNECTING OUR COMMUNITY TO SAFE, FUN SPACES AT AFFORDABLE PRICE POINTS, AND DOING SO IN A WAY THAT IS MEANINGFUL TO THE COMMUNITY.
OUR WORK PLAN IS DRIVEN WHOLLY BY EXCELLENCE, EQUITY EMPOWERMENT AND ENGAGEMENT IN EVERYTHING WE DO. TODAY WE WILL HAVE AN OVERVIEW OF THE DEPARTMENT, OUR PROPOSED '25 BUDGET AND I'LL HIGHLIGHT SOME CHANGES. WE HAVE OUR TREE CANOPY AND MITIGATION FUND, AND THEN WE STILL HAVE SIGNATURE PROGRAMS THAT WE WORK ON AND DRIVE FORWARD, THAT IS EDWARDS AQUIFER PROTECTION PROGRAM AND OUR GREENWAY TRAIL DEVELOPMENT. I WILL BE HIGHLIGHTING THOSE IN DETAIL LATER IN THE PRESENTATION. SO THIS SLIDE PRESENTS AN OVERVIEW OF HOW WE'RE ORGANIZED. WE HAVE SIX PRIMARY AREAS AND THIS AND OUR RECREATION SERVICES YOU THINK OF OUR 30 RECREATIONAL FACILITIES, 25 POOLS, OUR OPERATIONS AND MAINTENANCE TEAM IS IN CHARGE OF MANAGING NEARLY 17,000 ACRES OF GREEN SPACE.
A VERY POPULAR URBAN FORESTRY PROGRAM. THE CRITICAL PART OF WHAT WE DO IS ALSO CAPITAL DELIVERY. AS WE GET INTO THE NEXT SLIDE, WHEN YOU ARE LOOKING AT OUR GENERAL FUND BUDGET, RECREATIONAL SERVICES REPRESENTS ABOUT 26% OF THAT. AND THE BULK OF OUR GENERAL FUND BUDGET IS FOR OPERATION AND MAINTENANCE OF OUR GROWING PARK SYSTEM AND THAT IS RIGHT AT 54%.
SO ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE'RE REALLY PROUD OF IS IN 2022, WE BECAME NATIONALLY ACCREDITED AS A PARK AGENCY, AND WE ARE THE SECOND LARGEST CITY TO DO SO ONLY BEHIND HOUSTON. AND IT IS A REFLECTION AND A MEASUREMENT OF OUR OVERALL QUALITY OF OUR PROGRAM AND SERVICE DELIVERY AND WE LOOK TO BE REACCREDITED HERE IN 2027. BUT AS THE FOREFRONT OF EVERYTHING WE DO IS FOCUSING ON SAFETY. WE HAVE A SAFETY MANAGEMENT SYSTEM IN PLACE THAT IS MAKING SURE THAT OUR STAFF ARE PREPARED TO GET OUT INTO THE COMMUNITY.
IF WE'RE NOT ABLE TO TAKE CARE OF OUR STAFF, THEY ARE NOT GOING TO MEET THE NEEDS OF THE COMMUNITY. THIS YEAR WE'RE REALLY EXCITED, PARKS & RECREATION DID WIN FIRST PLACE IN THE CITYWIDE SAFETY VIDEO AND SO THAT WAS REALLY A LOT OF FUN FOR THE TEAM TO ENGAGE IN. BEFORE I MOVE ON, I WANT TO HIGHLIGHT ONE THING THAT IS
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NOT ON THE SLIDE. WHILE WE HAVE A PRESENCE NATURALLY, ACROSS THE STATE OUR STATE AFFILIATE IS THE TEXAS RECREATION AND PARK SOCIETY.THIS YEAR WE RECEIVED THEIR HIGHEST ACCOLADE OR ACHIEVEMENT FOR A MARK SYSTEM, CALLED THE TEXAS GOLD MEDAL AWARD AND THAT IS SOMETHING WE RECEIVED IN FEBRUARY. SO WE'RE REALLY EXCITED ABOUT THAT.
[APPLAUSE] THANK YOU. SO GETTING INTO THE BUDGET, AND I WANT TO HIGHLIGHT WE DO SEE ACROSS ALL FUNDS OUR BUDGET IS A LITTLE MORE THAN $117 MILLION. WE CONTINUE TO SEE GROWTH IN THE GENERAL FUND OF ABOUT $6 MILLION. THAT IS THREE PRY MIRROR THINGS.
IT IS REFLECTION OF THE EMPLOYEE COMPENSATION PLAN, ALSO ADDITIONAL RESOURCES AND POSITIONS THAT WE ARE RECEIVING IN THE FORM OF MANDATES, KEEPING PACE WITH THE GROWTH OF OUR PARK SYSTEM. AND ALSO TARGET ADJUSTMENT TO CONTRACTUAL SERVICES JUST TO MAIN SERVICE DELIVERY SO THINK OF MOWING CONTRACT, FOR EXAMPLE. THAT'S REFLECTED IN THE GENERAL FUND.
WE SEE OUR CAPITAL PROJECT, THAT BUDGET IS REDUCED SLIGHTLY.
THAT IS A REFLECTION OF COMPLETED PROJECTS IN THE CURRENT YEAR.
AS WE ADJUST OUR SPEND PLAN AS PART OF THE BUDGET PROCESS, WE SEE PROJECTS COMING ONLINE AND THIS IS ALSO CONSISTENT WITH THE ADOPTED FUND PLAN FOR EDWARDS AQUIFER PROTECTION PROGRAM. SO AS WE LOOK AT OUR MEASURES, I KNOW THAT EACH BUDGET PRESENTATION HAS SEEN REALLY REFLECTION OF WHAT OUR ENTERPRISE FOCUSES ON. THIS IS SPECIFIC TO PARKS & RECREATION, OF COURSE. AND ONE OF THE THINGS AS WE CONTINUE TO SEE OUR GREEN SPACE GROW, WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE NUMBER OF PARTICIPANTS THAT ARE ACCESSING OUR FACILITIES, OUR PUBLIC GREEN SPACE, THAT'S MORE THAN ONE MILLION PARTICIPANTS, VISITORS, USERSHIP, LOOKING AT OUR CENTERS, OUR POOLS AND MORE.
AND, OF COURSE, THAT BUSY PARK SYSTEM, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE LOOK AT AND TRACK IS THE NUMBER OF SERVICE REQUESTS AND OUR ABILITY TO KEEP PACE WITH THAT DEMAND FOCUSING ON KEEPING OUR PARKS SAFE, ACCESSIBLE, FUNCTIONAL FOR THE COMMUNITY TO USE. AND THE OTHER THING THAT I WANT TO HIGHLIGHT HERE AND SPEND A MOMENT ON DISTINGUISHING, WE TRACK ANNUALLY OUR -- TWO MEASURES WITH THE TRUST REPUBLIC LAND SERVICE THAT COMES OUT EACH SPRING.
ONE IS OUR PARK SCORE AND THE OTHER IS A WALKABILITY SCORE.
I WANT TO DISTINGUISH THAT BECAUSE WHAT YOU SEE HERE IS OUR PARK SCORE.
IN 2019, WE WERE NUMBER 72 OUT OF THE TOP 100 MOST POPULACE CITIES.
THIS YEAR WE'RE AT 53 SO WE'VE SEEN TREMENDOUS CLIMBING UP THE CHART, IF YOU WILL, AND WE CONTINUE TO FOCUS ON INCREASING OUR SCORE AND RAISING OUR RANKINGS RELATIVE TO THE 100 MOST POPULACE CITIES. EVERYONE MAY RECALL WE HAD A PRESS RELEASE, 52% OF OUR RESIDENTS LIVE WITHIN A TEN-MINUTE PARK TODAY.
GOING BACK TO OUR VISION, THAT'S OUR VISION FOR EVERYBODY IN 2050.
IN THAT INSTANCE, THE GREATER THE NUMBER, THE BETTER WE'RE DOING.
IN THIS INSTANCE WITH OUR PARK SCORE, WE WANT TO BE ULTIMATELY NUMBER ONE.
WE HAVE A LONG WAY TO GO, BUT WE'RE LOOKING FORWARD TO CRACKING THE TOP 50 REALLY SOON. EARLIER I MENTIONED ADDITIONAL RESOURCES THAT WE ARE RECEIVING TO KEEP PACE WITH OUR GROWING PARK SYSTEM.
AND I'M GOING TO GIVE SOME EXAMPLES. THIS IS NOT AN ALL-INCLUSIVE LIST, BUT WE'VE GOT SPORT COURTS COMING ONLINE AT JUPEE MANNER AND PICKWELL PARKS IN DISTRICT 3. SKATE PLAZAS AT ROSEDALE AND BENAVIDES.
AND CITYWIDE NEW LIGHTING SYSTEMS COMING ONLINE AS WELL.
AND THESE POSITIONS ARE FOCUSED ON FRONT-LINE SERVICE DELIVERY.
AGAIN MAKING SURE THAT OUR SPACES ARE ACCESSIBLE, CLEAN, FUNCTIONAL AND READY FOR USE. NOW, NEW IN THE BUDGET IS A STAFF AUGMENTATION -- PROPOSED STAFF AUGMENTATION CONTRACT FOR WATERWAY CLEANING SERVICES AT
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$275,000. THAT IS REALLY FOCUSING ON MAKING SURE NOT ONLY ARE WE KEEPING OUR SPACES CLEAN, BUT WHEN WE THINK ABOUT OUR CONSERVATION PRACTICES, PRESERVATION, WATER QUALITY, THIS WILL AUGMENT OUR CURRENT EFFORTS.AND I WANT TO THANK THE BUDGET OFFICE AND CITY MANAGER FOR SUPPORTING THAT REQUEST. LASTLY, IN THE PROPOSED BUDGET, WE DO HAVE $250,000 TO UPDATE OUR 30-PLUS--YEAR-OLD MASTER PLAN FOR THE HISTORIC CEMETERIES. THAT IS CONSIST INTERGENERATIONAL WITH THE POLICY DISCUSSION AND WE'RE LOOKING FORWARD TO ENGAGING IN THAT ENDEAVOR AS WELL.
IN THE PROPOSED 2025 BUDGET, THERE ARE CAPITAL INVESTMENTS.
WE HAVE FUNDING, WE CONTINUE TO SEE A REQUEST AND NEED FOR BATHROOMS IN PARKS.
AND I WANT TO SPEND A MOMENT HERE DRAWING EVERYONE'S ATTENTION TO MONTERREY PARK.
IT IS A HUB OF ACTIVITY. A LOT OF VARIED USER GROUPS. AND SO IN THE PROPOSED BUDGET, THERE IS $550,000 TO ADD BATHROOM AMENITIES, AREA LIGHTING AND RELATED INFRASTRUCTURE. AND I WANT TO HIGHLIGHT THIS BECAUSE THIS DESIGN RIGHT HERE IS A PROTOTYPE DESIGN AND ADA ACCESSIBLE. THIS WAS DONE IN-HOUSE BY OUR TEAM, AGAIN FOCUSING ON INNOVATIVE WAYS TO DO THINGS IN A WAY THAT IS -- REDUCE COSTS, FASTER PROJECT DELIVERY, AND ALSO AS THE SUSTAINABLE WAY FROM A MAINTENANCE PERSPECTIVE. SO WE'RE LOOKING FORWARD TO INTRODUCING THIS PROTOTYPE AT MONTERREY PARK. ADDITIONALLY, WE ARE ENTERING YEAR 2 OF OUR PLAYGROUND SHADE PROGRAM. THAT IS $19 MILLION OVER FIVE YEARS.
WE'RE IN YEAR 2, 3.8 MILLION. IN THE CURRENT YEAR WE SEE 13 PLAYGROUNDS ACROSS 12 PARKS THAT ARE RECEIVING SHADE.
AS OF THIS PRESENTATION, NINE ARE DONE. TWO MORE WILL BE DONE HERE IN THE NEXT COUPLE WEEKS. AND THEN THE OTHER TWO WILL BEGIN CONSTRUCTION BY THE END OF THIS MONTH. SO IN 2025, WE'RE CONTINUING THAT EFFORT SO THAT NOT ONLY THROUGH DESIGN PERSPECTIVE ARE OUR PLAYGROUNDS ACCESSIBLE, WE'RE PUTTING SHADE OVER THEM EFFECTIVELY EXTENDING THE TIMES OF DAY ANYBODY COULD COME IN AND ACCESS THE AMENITY. ALL 12 OF THESE, PROJECT TEAM HAS ALREADY BEEN THINKING AHEAD AND LOOKING TO BEGIN THIS WORK IN OCTOBER AND HAVE THEM COMPLETED BY MAY 31 OF 2025. OUR SCHOOL PARK PROGRAM IS ONE OF -- IS THE ONLY PROPOSED REDUCTION FOR OUR PARKS BUDGET. I TALKED A MOMENT AGO ABOUT THE INNOVATION OF OUR TEAM NOT ONLY IN PARK DESIGN AND IMPLEMENTATION, BUT THROUGH COVID AND COMING OUT, WE'VE REALLY TAKEN A HARD LOOK AT WHAT ARE THINGS THAT MAKE SENSE TODAY OR THAT ARE LEGACY THINGS NO LONGER DO. THE CONTEXT OF THAT BEING INNOVATIVE, WE'VE GOT A PROGRAM THAT IS A SCHOOL PARK PROGRAM DATING BACK TO 2013 AND THAT WAS IN PARTNERSHIP WITH SAN ANTONIO SPORTS.
IN THAT RELATIONSHIP, SAN ANTONIO SPORTS WOULD LOOK TO IDENTIFY SCHOOL DISTRICTS WILLING TO PARTICIPATE AND BUILD THESE RECREATIONAL AMENITIES ON THEIR CAMPUSES SO WHEN SCHOOL IS OUT, THEN THEY ARE AVAILABLE FOR USE BY THE COMMUNITY. SINCE 2013, WE HAVE 32 OF THOSE THAT HAVE BEEN COMPLETED. AND WE CAN SEE, THOUGH, THAT OVER TIME THERE HAS BEEN LESS INTEREST AND OF THE 32 THAT WERE CONSTRUCTED, THERE'S ONLY TEN CURRENT AGREEMENTS IN PLACE. AND THAT IS A REFLECTION OF SCHOOL CLOSURES AND EXPIRED AGREEMENTS THAT THERE WAS NOT AN APPETITE TO EXTEND AND RENEW.
AND IN CONVERSATION WITH SAN ANTONIO SPORTS, WHAT WE'VE SEEN IS JUST WANING INTEREST IN THE PROGRAM. AS SCHOOLS FOCUS ON FUNDING AND CAMPUS SAFETY.
MOVING FORWARD, WE'RE NOT PROPOSING THAT ANY ADDITIONAL COOL PARKS WILL BE -- SCHOOL PARKS WILL BE BUILT. FOR THE ONES THAT REMAIN, WE'RE GOING TO WORK WITH THOSE SO THEY CONTINUE TO REMAIN OPEN AND ACCESSIBLE BY THE COMMUNITY. I WANT TO TALK HERE IN DETAIL A LITTLE BIT, OUR TREE CANOPY PRESERVATION AND MITIGATION PROGRAM. THE PROPOSED BUDGET IS $13.8 MILLION, AND WE SEE MANY OF THE STAPLE PROGRAMS THAT DRIVES FORWARD THAT WORK. NEXT YEAR WE PLAN TO INTRODUCE MORE THAN 14,000
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TREES INTO THE COMMUNITY. RESIDENTIAL TREE PLANTINGS CONTINUE TO BE PRIMARY FOCUS OF WHAT WE DO. THAT ALONE IS JUST UNDER $2 MILLION OF THAT 13.8.AND IT IS A COLLABORATIVE NETWORK WORKING THROUGH OUR CITY'S RESILIENCY OFFICE, OFFICES OF SUSTAINABILITY, WHICH WE'LL HEAR FROM DOUG IN A LITTLE BIT, REALLY BUILDING A COLLABORATIVE NETWORK FOR HOW WE CAN CONNECT RESIDENTS SEAMLESSLY TO TREES. TO THAT END, WE HAVE PARTNERED WITH CPS ENERGY AND CASA VERDE AND WE NOW HAVE THE OPTION, RESIDENTS DO, WHILE OPTING INTO A POTENTIAL WEATHERIZATION PROJECT, THE ABILITY TO INDICATE INTEREST IN THE TREE. WE ALSO WORK WITH NEIGHBORHOOD AND HOUSING SERVICES AND TRY TO PLUG IN TO THOSE MAJOR AND MINOR REHAB PROJECTS SO THAT, AGAIN, WITH THE GOAL OF WORKING WITH THE COMMUNITY SO MANYLESSLY TO CONNECT THEM -- SEAMLESSLY, STACK BENEFITS AND LEVERAGE OPPORTUNITIES.
THE OTHER THING THAT HAS BEEN REALLY CRITICAL IN DEVELOPMENT OF OUR PROGRAM IS UTILIZING THE UTSA HEAT VULNERABILITY TOOL. I WANT TO HIGHLIGHT THAT OUR CAPITAL PROJECTS WE SEE THERE, TREE FUND SUPPORTING THOSE RIGHT-OF-WAY PROJECTS, BOND PROJECTS, THAT REPRESENTS $7.6 MILLION, ABOUT TWO-THIRDS OF THAT IS IN ELEVATED HEAT VULNERABILITY AREAS. SO AGAIN, BUILDING OUR NETWORK AND INVESTMENTS REFLECTIVE ON DATA-DRIVEN DECISIONS.
SO WE'RE REALLY EXCITED ABOUT THAT. AND THEN WE DO HAVE THE PROPOSED BUDGET FUNDING FOR THE SAN ANTONIO ZOO AND ARBORETUM, CONTINUING THOSE PARTNERSHIPS AS WELL. THE EDWARDS AQUIFER PROTECTION PROGRAM, SINCE 2000 WE'RE ON TRACK TO PROTECT NEARLY 189,000 ACRES BY THE END OF NEXT FISCAL YEAR. HUGE ACCOMPLISHMENT. WE'RE REALLY EXCITED ABOUT THAT. AND WE HAVE MOVED OUT, FOR THOSE THAT MAY REMEMBER, THAT WAS A SALES TAX-FUNDED PROGRAM. THAT IS NOW WHOLLY FUNDED THROUGH THE SAN ANTONIO MUNICIPAL FACILITIES CORPORATION, WHICH THAT PLAN AND PROGRAM WILL INVEST $100 OVER TEN YEARS. SO IN THE CURRENT BUDGET PROPOSED, $10 MILLION TO PROTECT OVER 4300 ACRES. NOW, THIS IS A VOLUNTARY PARTICIPATION PROGRAM. SO SOMETIMES WE SEE PARTIES DROP OFF, NEW ONES COME ON, BUT AGAIN, REALLY EXCITED TO CONTINUE THAT WORK AND WE REALLY APPRECIATE THE CONSERVATION ADVISORY BOARD AND THEIR GUIDANCE CHAIRED BY DR. ROMERO, HUGE PROPONENT OF THE PROGRAM. ANOTHER SIGNATURE PROGRAM FOR THE CITY AND IN PARTICULAR THE PARKS DEPARTMENT IS THE HOWARD W. PEAK GROWN WAY TRAILS SYSTEM. AND BIG TAKE-AWAY HERE, A LOT OF NUMBERS, BUT WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE MILES COMPLETED AND WHAT IS CURRENTLY BEING FUNDED WITH CITY FUNDING THAT IS SALES TAX AND BOND, WE WILL HAVE 124 MILES OF TRAILS COMPLETED UPON CONCLUSION OF THE '22 BOND PROGRAM. SO THEN THAT BRINGS US TO OTHER INVESTMENTS AND CONTINUING TO GROW THE MET WORK OF TRAILS CONNECTING COMMUNITIES TO EACH OTHER AND TO OUR PARK SYSTEM. I WANT TO HIGHLIGHT THE COUNTY'S TEN-YEAR PLAN TO INVEST IN OUR GREENWAY TRAIL SYSTEM.
THAT IS UNDER THE FRAMEWORK OF A TRI-PARTY INTERLOCAL AGREEMENT THAT INCLUDES THE CITY, THE COUNTY, AND THE RIVER AUTHORITY AS PROJECT MANAGER FOR THOSE COUNTY-FUNDED TRAILS. FISCAL YEAR 2025 WILL ENTER YEAR 3 OF THAT PROGRAM.
THE COUNTY, AGAIN, LOOKING TO INVEST OVER $83 MILLION FOR 24 MILES OF TRAIL.
AND THEN THAT LEAVES WELL WHAT'S LEFT TO BE DONE. AND WHILE WE LIKE TO THINK WE'RE NEVERIK GOING TO BE BUILDING AND CONNECTING TRAILS, COMMUNITIES TO EACH OTHER, WHEN WE LOOK BACK AT THE CURRENT TRAJECTORY THAT WE'RE ON, THE LOOP AROUND THE CITY AND CONNECTING KEY NEIGHBORHOODS, WE ARE ESTIMATING RIGHT AT 19 MILES OF STILL TO BE FUNDED. AND THAT DOES INCLUDE THOSE THAT ARE ALREADY UNDER DESIGN. SO I BELIEVE THIS BRINGS TO MY LAST SLIDE.
IN CLOSING I WANT TO SUMMARIZE SOME THEMES EVERYBODY WAS ABLE TO SEE
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TODAY. WE HAVE A GROWING PARK SYSTEM.WE CONTINUE TO BE RESPONSIVE TO THE COMMUNITY'S NEEDS. AND WE'RE NOT LOSING SIGHT OF HOW WE'VE GOTTEN THERE. IN THE NEXT FISCAL YEAR, WE'RE EXCITED TO BRING CRITICAL PROJECTS ONLINE. THE BERKELEY V AND VITAMIN SENITATH M. DAWSON PARK.
IF YOU ARE ARE INTERACTING WITH THE -- THAT'S SHORT FOR VINCENT M. DAWSON PARK.
THAT IS ADJACENT TO HAYS STREET BRIDGE. WE HAVE THAT PICTURE OF THE WONDERFUL SKATE PLAZA AND WE'RE EXCITED TO OPEN IT. LONG AWAITED FOR THE COMMUNITY. IT'S COMING SOON. ADDITIONALLY ALSO LONG AWAITED FOR THE COMMUNITY IS THE HERITAGE COMMUNITY CENTER IN DISTRICT 4 AT HERITAGE PARK. THAT IS IN COLLABORATION WITH DHS WHERE WE WILL BOTH HAVE A PRESENCE THERE OPERATING AND CONNECTING TO THE COMMUNITY THAT SCHEDULED TO COME ONLINE THIS FALL. CONTINUED GROWTH OF OUR BOND PROJECT DELIVERY.
WE'RE NEARLY HALFWAY THROUGH SO WE'RE GOING TO CONTINUE TO SEE PEOPLE IN OUR PARKS.
WHEN I TALK ABOUT BEING RESPONSIVE TO THE COMMUNITIES, WE HAVE DONE THAT THROUGHOUT COVID AND COMING OUT. WE'VE BEEN INNOVATIVE.
WE'VE TALKED ABOUT HOW WE'RE BUILDING THIS COLLABORATIVE NETWORK TO CONNECT RESIDENTS TO TREES. ONE OF THE THINGS WE HAVE NOT LOST SIGHT OF WHAT MORE CAN WE DO WITHOUT ASKING FOR ANY MORE MONEY. SO WE'RE EXCITED TO INTRODUCE A SENIOR SWIM PILOT PROGRAM THAT WILL BE ACROSS OUR POOL SYSTEM.
TBD, BUT WE'RE WORKING ON IT. AND THAT'S BEEN SOMETHING THAT HAS REALLY -- THE COMMUNITY HAS ASKED FOR. LISTENING, RESPONDING, AND WE'RE EXCITED FOR THAT. OUR CLUB HUBS. THAT IS KIND OF A REBRANDING OF SOME OF THE PROGRAMMING IN OUR CENTERS. IT IS A DIRECT REFLECTION OF THE PEOPLE THAT COME THERE AND WHAT THEY WANT TO SEE AND OUR TEAM CONTINUES TO EXCEL AT INNOVATING THAT. AND LASTLY, WHILE 2027 MAY SEEM LIKE A LONG WAY AWAY, IT REALLY ISN'T. WE'VE ALREADY BEGUN THE WORK WITH THE TEAM SO WE'RE ON TRACK TO BE REACCREDITED, AND KNOWING THAT WE'RE NOT ABLE TO MEET THE ASKS OF COUNCIL, CITY LEADERSHIP AND THE COMMUNITY IF WE'RE NOT FOCUSED ON SAFETY FIRST AND TAKING CARE OF OUR MOST CRITICAL RESOURCE IN MEETING THE NEEDS OF THE COMMUNITY AND THAT IS OUR PARKS TEAM. THIS CONCLUDES MY BUDGET PRESENTATION.
I'M GOING TO HAND IT OVER TO DOUG FOR HIS AND THE TEAM IS HERE TO ANSWER QUESTIONS
AFTER. THANK YOU. >> GOOD AFTERNOON.
MAYOR, COUNCIL, THANK YOU FOR THIS OPPORTUNITY TO PRESENT THE OFFICE OF SUSTAINABILITY'S FY25 PROPOSED BUDGET AS WELL AS SOME INFORMATION ON THE REES FUND. BEFORE I GET STARTED, I WOULD LIKE TO ACKNOWLEDGE OFFICE OF SUSTAINABILITY STAFF WHO ARE HERE TODAY AS WELL AS TWO KEY LEADERS IN OUR OFFICE, GOLDA, OUR DEPUTY CHIEF SUSTAINABILITY OFFICER AND LESLIE.
SO THANK YOU FOR YOUR WORK. I'VE NEVER WORKED WITH A MORE DEDICATED GROUP OF PEOPLE. IT'S A SMALL BUT MIGHTY GROUP AND SO WE REALLY THANK YOU FOR ALL OF YOUR SUPPORT. SO MY PRESENTATION SIMILAR TO HOMER'S WILL PROVIDE A BRIEF OVERVIEW OF OUR DEPARTMENT, WHY WE'RE HERE AND WHAT OUR GUIDING FRAMEWORK IS. WE'LL TALK ABOUT OUR FY25 BUDGET.
AND THEN A BRIEF UPDATE ON NEXT STEPS WITH THE SA CLIMATE READY PLAN WITH A PARTICULAR FOCUS ON KEY PROGRAMS THAT ARE PRIORITIES RIGHT NOW.
OUR COOL NEIGHBORHOOD PROGRAM, WHICH IS A KEY URBAN HEAT ISLAND WORK, OUR CLIMATE RESILIENCE AND THEN OUR ENERGY EFFICIENCY FUND. SO WHY OFFICE OF SUSTAINABILITY AND WHAT ARE WE WORKING ON RIGHT NOW AND IT REALLY STEMS FROM COUNCIL ACTION GOING BACK TO 2017 WHEN MAYOR NIRENBERG AND COUNCIL ACKNOWLEDGED THAT IT WAS IMPORTANT FOR THE CITY ORGANIZATION TO GET ON BOARD IN TERMS OF TRYING TO ADDRESS CLIMATE CHANGE. AND THAT LED TO CITY COUNCIL'S ADOPTION OF THE SA CLIMATE READY PLAN IN 2019. AND THE PLAN REALLY IS A PIVOTAL PIECE OF LEGISLATION. IT SETS US ON A PATHWAY TO MEET SOME COMMITMENTS.
ONE IS REDUCING OUR EMISSIONS AND REACHING CARBON NEUTRALITY BY 2050.
AND THEN REALLY PERHAPS MOST IMPORTANT AS WE SEE, PREPARING FOR CLIMATE
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IMPACTS AND OUR COMMUNITY'S RESILIENCE. THIS ALWAYS USED TO BE SOMETHING IN THE FUTURE, BUT AS WE'VE SEEN, IT'S NOW. AND SO THIS WORK IS VERY, VERY IMPORTANT. AND LASTLY I'LL MENTION IS THIS PLAN AND OUR WORK COVERS THE COMMUNITY AS WELL AS OUR OWN MUNICIPAL OPERATIONS.SO SOMETIMES IT SEEMS LIKE WE'RE EVERYWHERE. WE SOMETIMES LOOK AT OURSELVES AS CONSULTANTS FOR CITY DEPARTMENTS, TRYING TO HELP THEM UNDERSTAND THEIR ROLE IN SUSTAINABILITY AND CLIMATE ACTION. BUT YOU CAN SEE WE HAVE FIVE CORE CATEGORIES. CLIMATE ADAPTATION WHERE WE'RE REALLY FOCUSING RIGHT NOW HEAT IS OUR MAIN PRIORITY AS WELL AS BUILDING THE COMMUNITY'S CLIMATE RESILIENCE. IT'S REALLY ABOUT IMPLEMENTING THAT COMMUNITY PORTION OF THE CLIMATE PLAN. HOW DO WE EDUCATE AND EMPOWER THE COMMUNITY BOTH BUSINESS AND RESIDENTS AND INSTITUTIONAL PARTNERS TO TAKE CLIMATE ACTION.
AND ONE OF OUR MAIN MECHANISMS IS AROUND COMMUNICATIONS, EDUCATION AND ENGAGEMENT. ENERGY MANAGEMENT FOCUSES ON INTERNAL ENERGY, SUSTAINABILITY AND REDUCTION, BUT WE'VE ALSO BEEN WORKING ON MUNICIPAL SOLAR, OUR EPA SOLAR FOR ALL PROGRAM WHICH I'LL TALK ABOUT, SOLAR FOR LOW-INCOME RESIDENTS, AND WE'VE BEEN ACTIVELY WORKING WITH PUBLIC WORKS AND OTHER PARTNER DEPARTMENTS ON THE BOND. THE BOND IS A HUGE MECHANISM TO INFLUENCE SUSTAINABILITY AND I THINK WE'RE MAKING STRIDES AND WE'RE LOOKING FORWARD TOWARDS THE NEXT BOND CYCLE. SUSTAINABLE TRANSPORTATION IS AROUND MOBILITY OPTIONS.
REALLY FOCUSING ON CARBON-FREE OR LOW-CARBON OPTIONS.
MUNICIPAL SUSTAINABILITY IS PROBABLY PERHAPS THE MOST IMPORTANT ONE.
EDUCATING OUR WORKFORCE. ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE'VE REALLY TRIED TO PUSH IS THIS NOTION THAT EVERY JOB IS A CLIMATE JOB IN OUR ORGANIZATION.
JUST GETTING OUR EMPLOYEES TO UNDERSTAND THAT ROLE. AND THEN IT'S REALLY ABOUT INTEGRATING THE CLIMATE PLAN WITH DEPARTMENTAL WORK PLANS.
AND THAT'S AN ONGOING PROCESS. SO OUR FY25 BUDGET, YOU CAN SEE IS PROPOSED AT $21.7 MILLION, AND THERE ARE FOUR FUNDING CATEGORIES.
$5.1 MILLION FROM THE RESILIENCY THAT'S ASSOCIATED WITH A DEBT FOR THE MUNICIPAL ONSITE SOLAR PROGRAM.
AND GRANTS, WE HAVE 1.7 MILLION PLANNED FOR THIS YEAR.
AND THAT'S FUNDING FOR THREE GRANTS, THE ENERGY EFFICIENCY CONSERVATION BLOCK GRANT, CLIMATE REDUCTION GRANT AND -- SOLAR FOR ALL.
I'LL BE TALKING ABOUT THOSE A LITTLE MORE IN A FEW MINUTES.
IN TERMS OF OUR STAFFING, YOU CAN SEE THAT WE HAVE 17 STAFF MEMBERS.
AND INCLUDED WITHIN THAT 17 ARE TWO GRANT-FUNDED POSITIONS AS WELL AS OUR CHIEF RESILIENCE OFFICER. WE REALLY WANTED TO HIGH LEVEL THE REES FUND.
THIS IS A REALLY EXCITING FUND IS THAT THIS IS LEVERAGING RESOURCES AND DEPARTMENTAL EFFORTS ACROSS THE ORGANIZATION UNDER A COMMON GOAL WHICH IS REALLY HOW IT NEEDS TO BE DONE. WHEN I'M TALKING TO OTHER CITIES ABOUT OUR HEAT WORK, THIS IS ABOUT COLLABORATION AND LEVERAGING. YOU WILL SEE THAT WHAT'S REALLY DRIVING THIS WORK IS THE UTSA RESEARCH. IF YOU REMEMBER, THEY LOOKED AT SATELLITE DATA FOR SURFACE TEMPERATURES AS WELL AS OUR EQUITY ATLAS.
ALL THE WORK WE'LL BE TALKING ABOUT IS FOCUSED ON PRIORITY.
THERE'S $5.8 MILLION FOR THE NEXT ROUND OF COOL PAVEMENT OVERLAY.
THERE'S IMPROVEMENTS PROPOSED FOR FOUR OF OUR RESILIENCY HUBS TO IMPROVE THE HVAC EQUIPMENT. IF WE'RE TRYING TO CREATE THESE AS REAL COMMUNITY ASSETS FOR OUR RESIDENTS, HAVING HIGHLY EFFICIENT AND EFFECTIVE HV SYSTEMS IS KEY.
-- HVAC SYSTEMS IS KEY. WE'LL BE PARTNERING WITH NHSD TO LEVERAGE THOSE RESOURCES WHERE NEEDED THE MOST. AND FINALLY THE OFFICE OF SUSTAINABILITY WILL BE WORKING WITH VIA ON A BUS SHADE STRUCTURE PROGRAM AND I'LL TALK ABOUT THAT IN A SECOND. SO
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WANTED TO HIGHLIGHT SEVERAL OF THEM. YOU'LL SEE THE MAJORITY OF THESE ARE AROUND ENGAGEMENT, WHETHER IT IS COMMUNITYWIDE OR OUR EMPLOYEES.THAT REALLY IS THE -- ONE OF THE FOUNDATIONS FOR OUR WORK.
YOU CAN SEE ALL OF OUR TARGETS, ALL OF OUR MEASURES ARE TRACKING IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION. THE NEW ONE THAT WE HAVE THIS YEAR IS MEGAWATTS INSTALLED AS PART OF OUR MUNICIPAL SOLAR PROGRAM. YOU SEE OUR FY24 TARGET WAS 4.24 MEGA WATTS. IT TOOK A LITTLE LONGER TO RAMP UP WITH THE CONTRACTOR SO OUR ESTIMATE IS 1.54 FOR THIS FISCAL YEAR, BUT FOR FY25 WE'RE GOING TO MORE THAN MAKE IT UP. WE'RE LOOKING AT 10 MEGAWATTS BY THE END OF THE NEXT FISCAL YEAR. SO I MENTIONED SA CLIMB READY AS OUR GUIDING DOCUMENTS -- CLIMATE DOCUMENTS. WE RECEIVED A MILLION DOLLARS LAST YEAR FROM EPA AND THAT PROGRAM REALLY WAS -- HAD A GOAL OF GETTING MSAS TO DEVELOP REASONABLE CLIMATE PLANS. WE ARE WORKING WITH A COG WHO IS LEADING A 13 SOME COUNTY ACTION PLAN WITH SUPPORT FROM OFFICE OF SUSTAINABILITY AND OUR CONSULTANT, BUT WE CARVED OUT FUNDING TO UPDATE THE SA CLIMATE READY PLAN AND THAT'S ACTUALLY WRITTEN INTO THAT PLAN THAT EVERY THREE TO FIVE YEARS WE SHOULD REVIEW AND UPDATE AS NEEDED. THERE'S NO MATCH ASSOCIATED WITH THIS. IT'S BEING LED BY THE OFFICE OF SAN ANTONIO, BUT THE REAL THING I WANT TO STRESS IS WE'RE NOT THROWING ANYTHING OUT.
IT WAS A REALLY SOLID DOCUMENT BASED ON A LOT OF COMMUNITY AND STAKEHOLDER INPUT. WHAT WE'RE REALLY LOOKING AT DOING IS CLIMATE SCIENCE HAS CHANGED SO WE WANT TO UPDATE OUR -- OUR PATH WAY TO REDUCING EMISSIONS TO MAKE SURE IT'S ON TRACK WITH WHAT SCIENCE IS TELLING US AND PRIORITIZE OUR STRATEGIES.
THE CLIMATE PLAN HAS OVER 80 STRATEGY. THAT'S A LOT.
WHAT WE'RE LOOKING TO DO IS IDENTIFY WHAT ARE THE 10 TO 15 WE NEED TO MOVE ON AND UNDERSTAND WHAT IMPLEMENTATION LOOKS LIKE FOR THOSE.
COST BENEFITS AND HOW ARE WE GOING TO MOVE THOSE THINGS FORWARD.
SO THIS IS A REALLY IMPORTANT SLIDE. WE'VE BEEN SPENDING A LOT OF TIME ON URBAN HEAT ISLAND MITIGATION. I WOULD LIKE TO TALK ABOUT OUR COOL NEIGHBORHOOD PROGRAM. WHEN THEY HEAR COOL NEIGHBORHOOD, IT RESONATES. SO AGAIN, THIS IS BUILDING UPON THE UHI MAPPING DONE BY UTSA. WE ARE FOCUSING ON FOUR DISTINCT AREAS IN DISTRICTS 2, 3 AND 5. WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE MAP, YOU SEE, YES, HEAT IS IMPACTFUL THROUGHOUT OUR CITY. BUT WHEN YOU START LAYERING IN THE EQUITY INDICATORS, IT REALLY DOES BECOME A MUCH MORE TARGETED PROCESS.
AND THE GOAL IS ABOUT, AS WE HAVE BEEN TALKING ABOUT, LEVERAGING OTHER DEPARTMENTAL ASSETS INTO THESE SPECIFIC AREAS SUCH AS TREES, GREEN INFRASTRUCTURE, SHADE STRUCTURES, WATER FEATURES. WEATHERIZATION, SOLAR, COOL MATERIALS. AND THEN MEASURE. AND SO WE'RE CONTINUING OUR PARTNERSHIP WITH UTSA TO HELP US UNDERSTAND WHAT ARE THE EQUATIONS OF THESE ASSETS THAT BRING ABOUT THE HIGHEST LEVEL OF TEMPERATURE REDUCTION.
THE OTHER THING THAT WE DID THIS YEAR IS WE DID A PRETTY EXTENSIVE COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT PROGRAM AROUND HEAT, PARTICULARLY IN THESE TARGET AREAS.
AND PEOPLE ARE CONCERNED. WE HAD SURVEYED THE COMMUNITY, WE RECEIVED JUST OVER 1200 RESPONSES TRYING TO GET THEIR PERCEPTION OF HEAT.
ONLY 1% SAID THEY WEREN'T CONCERNED AT ALL. EVERYONE ELSE HAS SOME DEGREE OF CONCERNS. BUT THE THING THAT WAS REALLY INTERESTING, THEIR MAIN CONCERNS ARE ENERGY COSTS. IT'S TOO HOT TO GO OUTSIDE AND HEALTH IMPACTS. THE TWO THINGS WE WANT TO SEE IS TREES AND SHADE STRUCTURES. SO WE JUST WANTED TO CONFIRM WITH THE COMMUNITY THAT WHAT WE'RE ROLLING OUT NEXT IS CONSISTENT WITH WHAT THEIR CONCERNS AND THEIR DESIRES ARE. AND THAT LEADS US TO SHADE STRUCTURES.
SO REALLY EXCITED ABOUT THIS. I WAS THINKING ABOUT I THINK IT WAS COUNCILMEMBER COURAGE WHO ASKED WHY WASN'T VIA DOING THIS JUST ON THEIR OWN. WHAT I'VE REALIZED IS PUTTING A SHADE STRUCTURE FROM A HEAT MITIGATION PERSPECTIVE IS DIFFERENT FROM JUST PUTTING DOWN A
[00:35:05]
SHELTER. WE REALLY NEED TO UNDERSTAND HOW THE RIDERS ARE EXPERIENCING HEAT, ARE THERE DIFFERENT DESIGNS, DIFFERENT FEATURES SUCH AS MISTING FEATURES. ALSO HOW DO RIDERS GET TO AND FROM THE BUS STOP.DO WE NEED TO LOOK AT TREES ALONG PRIMARY CORRIDORS. I THINK IT'S BIGGER THAN JUST PUTTING A BUS SHELTER. NEW YORK CITY IS TRYING TO FIGURE OUT WHAT'S THE RIGHT SOCIAL DISTANCE FOR A BUS SHELTER IF YEAR TALKING HEAT RELIEF -- WE'RE TALKING HEAT RELIEF FOR RESIDENTS. IT WILL PROVIDE US AN OPPORTUNITY TO WORK WITH VIA AND OTHER PARTNERS COMING UP WITH WHAT DESIGNS ARE GOING TO WORK BEST.
AND THERE'S A NICE OPPORTUNITY TO -- COMMUNITY ART.
NOW, THIS IS THE -- I WANTED TO TOUCH BASE ON THE SOLAR FOR ALL GRANTS.
IF YOU REMEMBER, THIS WAS AN AN AWARD THAT WENT TO HARRIS COUNTY.
WE WERE PART OF THE TEXAS SOLAR FOR ALL COALITION. IT'S AN EPA GRANT.
THE TOTAL AWARD THE COALITION GOT WAS $249.7 MILLION.
OUR ALLOTMENT, CITY OF SAN ANTONIO, IS $28.8 MILLION AND WE HAVE JUST OVER $418,000 BUDGETED FOR FY25. WHERE WE ARE RIGHT NOW IS HARRIS COUNTY IS FINALIZING THE CONTRACT WITH EPA, HOPEFULLY BY THE END OF SEPTEMBER. AND THIS REALLY IS AGAIN ABOUT TARGETING A RESOURCE.
WHEN WE LOOK AT OUR HEAT MITIGATION TARGET AREAS OR COOL NEIGHBORHOOD PROGRAMS, OUR OBJECTIVE IS TO LEVERAGE THESE DOLLARS WITH OUR HEAT MITIGATION WORK TO REALLY GET MASSIVE IMPACT. WE'RE ALSO LEVERAGING UNDER ONE ROOF RESOURCES BECAUSE WHEN WE START LOOKING AT SOME OF THESE TARGET NEIGHBORHOODS, A LOT OF ROOFTOPS MAY NOT BE IN THE BEST CONDITION TO BE ABLE TO HAVE A SOLAR INSTALLATION.
SO IN ADDITION TO LEVERAGING UNDER ONE ROOF, WE ALSO HAVE SOME DOLLARS BUILT INTO THAT THE TEXAS SOLAR FOR ALL BUDGET. BASICALLY AT THE END OF THE DAY, THIS IS ABOUT GETTING ECONOMIC BENEFIT TO OUR MOST ENERGY BURDENED RESIDENTS AND THAT WILL BE THROUGH LOW-INCOME SOLAR. WE'LL BE INCLUDING BATTERY STORAGE WHERE POSSIBLE. AND ONE OF THE MOST EXCITIN PARTS OF THIS AND WE'VE BEEN WORKING WITH WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT OFFICES, THERE'S DOLLARS BUDGETED IN OUR SOLAR FOR ALL BUDGET FOR WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT. HOW DO WE MAKE SURE THAT'S OUR RESIDENTS WHO LIVE IN THESE TARGET AREAS ARE GETTING TRAINED AND GETTING TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF SOME OF THE BENEFITS OF THESE JOB OPPORTUNITIES.
NOW I WOULD JUST LIKE TO HIGHLIGHT THREE PROGRAMS THAT WERE NEW FOR FY24.
I'LL SAY RIGHT NOW THEY ARE ALL GOING TO CONTINUE, BUT I THINK WE MAY HAVE TO BE CREATIVE IN THE INTERIM. THE INTENT OF THESE COMMUNITY-BASED CLIMATE RESILIENCE PROGRAMS IS REALLY ABOUT SUPPORTING AND EMPOWERING THE COMMUNITY.
PARTICULARLY COMMUNITY-BASED ORGANIZATIONS, FAITH-BASED ORGANIZATIONS, NON-PROFITS.
THEY ARE ON THE FRONT LINE DOING RESILIENCE WORK. AND SO WE HAD LAUNCHED THESE THREE PROGRAMS. THE FIRST IS CLIMB READY NETWORKS.
THE INTENT OF THAT WAS HOW DO WE PROVIDE EDUCATION, TRAINING AND SUPPORT TO COMMUNITY-BASED ORGANIZATIONS WHO ARE ALREADY OUT THERE.
AND SO WE HAD DEVELOPED A NETWORK MATERIALS THAT BASICALLY CREATED A TRAINING PROCESS BY WHICH WE WOULD MEET WITH THESE ORGANIZATIONS AND BASICALLY WALK THROUGH WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO BE A RESILIENT ORGANIZATION.
WHAT ARE YOUR GOALS AROUND VARIOUS AREAS. WHETHER IT'S ENERGY, FOOD SYSTEMS. AND THE INTENT IS NOT TO DIRECT OR REQUIRE ANY OF THEM TO DO ANYTHING BUT TO BE THERE AS AN ASSET. AND SO WE HAD 22 ORGANIZATIONS THIS FISCAL YEAR. IN FY25, WE WILL CONTINUE MANAGEMENT AND TECHNICAL SUPPORT AND WE DO BELIEVE THIS PROGRAM THERE'S OPPORTUNITY FOR FINDING THIRD-PARTY FUNDING SO WE'LL BE ACTIVELY DOING THAT THIS YEAR. WE ALSO LAUNCHED A LOW-INCOME NEIGHBORHOOD RESILIENCE PROGRAM, AND THE INTENT OF THIS PROGRAM WAS TO WORK WITH THE COMMUNITY QUICKER THAN WE USUALLY DO. HOW DO WE GET INTO A COMMUNITY, DO A CLIMATE VULNERABILITY ASSESSMENT, HAVE AN ENGAGEMENT PROCESS AND THEN IDENTIFY PRIORITY INTERVENTIONS THAT WE CAN MOVE FORWARD QUICKLY. SO WE HAD FOCUSED ON QUINTANA, SOUTH SAN, WORKED WITH THE COMMUNITY AND CONSULTANT THIS YEAR.
THE PLAN WILL BE RELEASED THIS MONTH, AND THEN WE ARE PROPOSING $825,000 IN THAT
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BUDGET FOR IMPLEMENTATION. IT'S A MODEST AMOUNT OF MONEY, BUT WE BELIEVE IT'S A GOOD STARTING POINT AND WE WILL CONTINUE WITH MONITORING AND WORKING ACROSS DEPARTMENTS AND WITH EXTERNAL PARTNERS TO MAKE SURE THAT PLAN IS MOVING FORWARD. AND INCIDENTALLY, THEIR MAIN CLIMATE VULNERABILITY THAT THEY IDENTIFIED WAS HEAT ALSO. SO THIS ALSO FITS INTO OUR HEAT WORK AS WELL. FINALLY I WOULD JUST LIKE TO HIGHLIGHT THE SA CLIMATE READY COMMUNITY ACTION FUND. REALLY EXCITING AND REALLY LOOKING FORWARD TO PROVIDING YOU ALL WITH THE IMPACT REPORT LATER IN FY25. BUT THE INTENT OF THIS FUND WAS TO GET DOLLARS TO BUSINESSES AND MAJORITY OF THEM HAPPENED TO BE SMALL BUSINESSES AT THE END OF THE DAY, BUT, AGAIN, NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATIONS, COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS, FAITH-BASED ORGANIZATIONS, TO IMPLEMENT ASPECTS OF THE CLIMATE PLAN. WEATHERIZATION, SOLAR, EV CHARGING INFRASTRUCTURE AND LOTS OF IMPACT AND THESE ARE REALLY PROJECTS THAT PROBABLY WOULDN'T BE DONE IF IT WAS NOT FOR THIS INCENTIVE. WE RECEIVED 300 APPLICATIONS AND WERE ABLE TO AWARD 126 TOTALING JUST ABOUT $2 MILLION.WE BELIEVE THERE IS A GOOD OPPORTUNITY TO FIND THIRD-PARTY FUNDING TO KEEP THIS GOING IN SOME CAPACITY. WE ARE PROPOSING $125,000 FOR FY25 TO KEEP ONE SMALL PROGRAM, THAT'S OUR GRASS-ROOTS ENGAGEMENT PROGRAM BY WHICH WE WORK WITH SMALL ORGANIZATIONS TO GET THE WORD OUT TO CONSTITUENTS AND IT HAS MAJOR IMPACT. AS ERIK SAYS, THIS IS ONE OF OUR BREAD AND BUTTER PROGRAMS, OUR ENERGY EFFICIENCY FUND. THIS IS BASICALLY TAKING A LOOK AT OUR MUNICIPAL BUILDINGS AND FACILITIES AND CONTINUING EVALUATING AND MAKING SURE THEY ARE PERFORM ING AS EFFICIENTLY AS POSSIBLE.
WE'VE COMPLETED 424 PROJECTS. THAT'S RESULTED IN APPROXIMATELY $1.7 MILLION IN AVOIDED ANNUAL UTILITY EXPENSES.
THIS FISCAL YEAR WE'RE PROPOSING FOUR LIGHTING RETROFITS AT RON DARNER, MAVERICK AND GUERRA LIBRARY. SOLAR IS GOING WELL. I WANT TO THANK THE MAYOR AND COUNCILMEMBER COURAGE AND ROCHA GARCIA AND CASTILLO.
THANK YOU BACK THERE. AND ERIK FOR COMING. TO THE COMMISSIONING EVENT AT SOUTHWEST SERVICE CENTER AND IT'S A BEAUTIFUL INSTALLATION.
WHAT I WOULD LOVE TO OFFER, IF ANY OF YOU WANT TO LOOK AT THAT ONE OR ANY OF THE OTHERS COMPLETED, WE WOULD BE HAPPY TO GRAB BIG SUN AND GO OUT.
THIS IS $30 MILLION THAT Y'ALL APPROVED, 42 FACILITIES, TWO AND A HALF-YEAR PROJECT. THIS WILL OFF SET ABOUT 18% OF OUR EMISSIONS.
WE ARE LEVERAGING FEDERAL INFLATION REDUCTION ACT INCENTIVES AND THE PRESIDENT OF BIG SUN FOR EVERY DOLLAR WE SPEND WE GET 40 CENTS BACK.
THAT CHANGES THE ECONOMICS. BIG SUN IS DOING A GREAT JOB GETTING THESE ONLINE.
YOU CAN SEE SIX COMPLETED BY THE END OF THIS FISCAL YEAR, BUT 29 BY THE END OF THE NEXT FISCAL YEAR. THE OTHER THING WE'RE WORKING ON, THEY HAVE AN ONLINE PORTAL THAT WE WANT TO MAKE AT LEAST PORTIONS OF IT PUBLICLY AVAILABLE WHERE YOU ALL, YOUR CONSTITUENTS CAN CHECK IN REALTIME HOW THESE DIFFERENT ARRAYS ARE PERFORMING. WE'VE BEEN TALKING, MR. MA CARY AND I HAVE BEEN MEETING WITH YOU AND STAFF JUST TO TALK ABOUT THE SA CLIMATE READY AND THE NEXT STEP.
THIS WILL BE A KEY PART OF UPDATING THE CLIMATE PLAN. WE WANT TO HAVE SOME INPUT AND GUIDANCE FROM THIS GROUP. THE REAL REASON WE'RE DOING THIS, WHEN WEIGH MYRTLE BEACH EIGHT THIS IN -- WHEN WE INITIATED THIS, WE HAD 35 MEMBERS. THE ADMINISTRATION WAS DIFFICULT, IT WAS DIFFICULT GETTING QUORUM FOR ONE OF THE COMMITTEES. THEY WERE ALL EX-OFFICIOS SO WE FELT A DISCONNECT. WE WANTED TO GET THIS MORE IN LINE WITH OTHER BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS. WHAT WE'RE PROPOSING IS TO REDUCE IT TO 17 MEMBERS, 10 CITY COUNCIL APPOINTEES. THE MAYOR WILL GET ONE APPOINTEE AS WELL AS AN
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APPOINTEE FROM THE MAYOR'S YOUTH COUNCIL ON CLIMATE INITIATIVES TO MAKE SURE WE HAVE THE YOUTH VOICE INTO THIS COMMITTEE. AND THEN FIVE EX-OFFICIO MEMBERS FROM CPS, SAWS, JOINT BASE SAN ANTONIO AND SERA.WE'VE BEEN MEETING WITH YOU ALL AND TALKING ABOUT THE CANDIDATES YOU HAVE AND POTENTIAL NEXT STEPS AND I THINK YEAR HOPING LATER THIS CLEAR TO BRING THIS BACK TO YOU FOR CONSIDERATION AND WE CAN GET THAT BEHIND US AND MOVING FORWARD.
AND I THINK -- IN SUMMARY, BIG PICTURE, COMPLETING THOSE NEXT 29 MUNICIPAL SOLAR INSTALLATIONS, PURSUING FUNDING, THOSE DOLLARS ARE THERE AND WE NEED TO BE VERY AGGRESSIVE. REALLY ENSURE WE ARE HOLDING ROBUST AND DIVERSE ENGAGEMENT ALL SECTORS WHEN WE LOOK AT THE CLIMATE PLAN UPDATE.
INSTALL HEAT MITIGATION IN OUR TARGET AREAS. AND THAT CONCLUDES MY PRESENTATION AND HOMER AND I ARE HERE TO ANSWER QUESTIONS.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH. >> MAYOR NIRENBERG: THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR THE PRESENTATION, DOUG AND HOMER. LET'S GO STRAIGHT INTO OUR COUNCIL DISCUSSION. I'LL START WITH COUNCILMEMBER ALDERETE
GAVITO. >> GAVITO: THANK YOU, MAYOR.
THANKS SO MUCH FOR THESE PRESENTATIONS. THANKS HOMER AND DOUG.
I'LL START WITH PARKS. MAINTAINING GREAT PARKS IS A CORE FUNCTION OF OUR CITY.
AND I OFTEN TALK ABOUT THE CITY INVESTING IN OUR CORE SERVICES, AND TO ME THIS IS ONE OF THEM. SO I KNOW THAT Y'ALL PLAY A VITAL ROLE IN IMPROVING THE QUALITY OF LIFE FOR OUR RESIDENTS AND I THANK YOU FOR THAT.
SORRY, I WAS THE ONLY ONE TO NERDILY CLAP AT SLIDE 4. YOU HAVE A DEDICATION TO EXCELLENCE WHICH WE SHOULD BE PROUD OF. I ALSO WANT TO TALK ABOUT WOODLAWN LAKE. MY TEAM AND I HAVE BEEN WORKING ON A NUMBER OF IMPROVEMENTS. I'M THANKFUL FOR Y'ALL'S WORK ON SUBMITTING THE FEDERAL GRANT, PLUS A $6 MILLION GRANT THAT WOULD BRING MUCH NEEDED FACILITIES TO WOODLAWN LAKE. THANK YOU FOR Y'ALL'S PARTNERSHIP WITH THAT AND WE'RE STILL KEEPING OUR FINGERS CROSSED. ONE OF THE OTHER THINGS WE'RE EXCITED ABOUT IS A TREE PLANTING. WE'RE GOING TO BE PLANTING 475 TREES ON DECEMBER 7TH FROM 9:00 TO NOON AT WOODLAWN LAKE.
THESE TREES HAVE BEEN WANTED BY THE NEIGHBORHOOD FOR YEARS, AND IT'S NEEDED IN THAT NEIGHBORHOOD AND SO WE'RE REALLY EXCITED TO BE BRINGING THAT FINALLY TO THAT NEIGHBORHOOD. AND I'M ALSO HAPPY TO SEE ADDITIONAL WATERWAY CLEANING SERVICES BEING DEDICATED TO WOODLAWN LAKE. I KNOW, HOMER, YOU'VE RECEIVED SOME OF MY TEXTS BECAUSE THE WAY WOODLAWN LAKE LOOKS AFTER A BIG STORM IS UNACCEPTABLE. WOODLAWN LAKE IS STILL ATTRACTING A BUNCH OF PEOPLE WALKING AROUND THE PARK AFTER THAT. WE WERE EXCITED TO WORK WITH YOU TO APPLY FOR THAT $100,000 GRANT FROM THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT TO INCORPORATE FLOATING WETLANDS THERE. I DO HAVE A FEW QUICK QUESTIONS ON THE PRESENTATION. ON SLIDE 5, I SEE NINE ADDITIONAL POSITIONS FOR PARKS. WHAT ROLES WOULD THOSE
PEOPLE TAKE ON? >> THOSE ARE FOCUSED ON FRONT-LINE SERVICE DELIVERY.
IT WOULD THINK OF -- I CAN GET YOU A LIST, BUT FRONT-LINE SERVICES FOR US,
MAINTENANCE WORKERS, CREW LEADERS, FOCUSED ON -- >> SO WE HAVE GARDENER, MAINTENANCE WORKER, SEVERAL TRADES POSITIONS, CARPENTERS, PAINTERS, ELECTRICIANS, HEAVY EQUIPMENT OPERATOR, WELDER, LANDSCAPE IRRIGATOR AND THE
SUPERVISOR. >> GAVITO: THANK YOU. THAT'S HELPFUL.
ALSO WHAT IS IS -- WHAT ACCOUNTS FOR THE MAJOR REDUCTION IN CAPITAL
PROJECTS? >> TWO THINGS. I DID HIGHLIGHT.
WE HAD SOME PROJECTS THAT CAME ONLINE IN THE CURRENT YEAR THERE WERE SEVERAL CAPITAL PROJECTS, MOSTLY HVAC THAT GOT DONE AND THAT WAS JUST FUNDED FROM I BELIEVE A COUPLE YEARS AGO. THEN IN THE CURRENT -- OR IN THE PROPOSED BUDGET, EXCUSE ME, $10 MILLION WHICH IS FUNDING FOR EDWARDS AQUIFER PROTECTION.
IN THE CURRENT BUDGET YEAR THAT'S GOING TO CONCLUDE SOON, MY BUDGET PRESENTATION A YEAR AGO REFLECTED NEARLY 20 MILLION APPROPRIATED. SO OUR EDWARDS AQUIFER PROTECTION FUNDING IS REFLECTED IN OUR CAPITAL FUNDING.
THINK OF IT AS JUMP-START FUNDING FOR EDWARDS AQUIFER AS WE TRANSITIONED OUT OF SALES TAX. THIS YEAR IT'S A TEN-YEAR FUND PLAN FOR 2032 AND THIS UPCOMING PROPOSED BUDGET IS BACK TO THE PLAN WHICH IS 10 MILLION.
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>> GAVITO: THANK YOU. THAT MAKES SENSE. THANK YOU FOR THAT CLARIFICATION. ON SLIDE 6, I SAW THE FITNESS IN THE PARK CLASSES EXCEEDED THE GOAL BY ALMOST 2,000. SO THIS IS GREAT TO SEE BECAUSE I THINK THAT IT'S HELPING SAN ANTONIO BECOME MORE FIT.
I MEAN I KNOW I HEAR AND SEE THE WATER AEROBICS CLASSES THAT WAS -- I ALSO SEE LOWER
THAN ANTICIPATED. >> YOU ARE TALKING ABOUT FOR NEXT YEAR?
>> GAVITO: UH-HUH. SO THE FITNESS IN THE PARK PARTICIPANTS.
ACCURATE NUMBER, CORRECT? >> YES. THE NUMBER IN THE BOOK WAS
INACCURATE. THIS IS THE -- >> GAVITO: OH, OKAY.
WHERE DID I SEE THAT. I MUST HAVE SEEN IT ON THIS. THIS IS THE UPDATED ONE.
>> THIS IS CORRECT. >> GAVITO: PARTICIPANTS IS NOW 68,000.
>> CORRECT. >> GAVITO: GOT IT. >> YES.
OUR ESTIMATE TO FINISH THIS YEAR IS AT 68,000. >> GAVITO: YOU MENTIONED THE PARK SCORE. WHAT CITIES ARE NEAR THE TOP OF THE PARK SCORES AND WHAT
ARE THINGS THAT WE'RE LEARNING FROM THEM? >> WELL, MINNESOTA OR MINNEAPOLIS, THE TWIN CITIES, THEY HISTORICALLY SCORE REALLY HIGH.
AND ONE OF THE THINGS THAT IS IMPORTANT TO NOTE, THE SURVEY IS SELF-DECLARATION.
THE WAY PUBLIC TRUST FOR LANDS DOES IT, THEY PUSH THE SURVEY OUT.
FOR US WE HAVE REALLY REFINED AND HAVE A DATA UNIT SO I CAN SAY OUR RANKINGS ARE ACCURATE IN OUR CITY. I DON'T KNOW IF IT'S THE LENS MAYBE THAT IS FEEDING INTO THAT SURVEY, BUT TO YOUR POINT, SOME OF THE TOP CITIES THAT HISTORICALLY ARE SCORING HIGH, THEY ARE UP NORTH. SO THAT'S WHAT WE'VE LEARNED IS MAKING SURE THAT OUR DATA IS CLEAN, GOOD AND ACCURATE BECAUSE WE KNOW WE CAN STAND
BY THE NUMBER OF THAT'S REPORTED. >> GAVITO: OKAY.
SOUNDS GOOD. THAT WAS ALL MY QUESTIONS FOR PARKS.
THANKS SO MUCH, HOMER. JUST A FEW QUESTIONS FOR THE OFFICE OF SUSTAINABILITY.
ON SLIDE 6, THE GARZA COMMUNITY CENTER IS ONE OF THE RESILIENCY HUBS THAT'S RECEIVING A NEW HVAC SYSTEM. WE'RE LOOKING FORWARD TO THIS FOR OUR RESIDENTS.
DO WE KNOW WHAT THE TIME LINE IS FOR THAT? >>
>> I'M SORRY, FOR GARZA, THE HVAC. THE COMMUNITY CENTER.
>> YES. SO THE QUESTION IS HVAC FOR THE GARZA IN PARTICULAR.
THAT IS SOMETHING THAT OUR TEAM WOULD TAKE THE LEAD IN DELIVERING THAT PROJECT.
WE WOULD LOOK TO DO THAT CERTAINLY BEFORE WE GET INTO NEXT SUMMER'S AND THE HOT SEASON NEXT YEAR. SO WE DON'T HAVE A TIME LINE YET.
IT'S IMPORTANT TO NOTE WE WILL ALSO COORDINATE WITH OUR TEAM LEAD THERE BECAUSE WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT THE COMMUNITY IS WELL AWARE WHEN IT'S GOING TO COME OFF LINE. TBD, BUT WE WILL GET IT DONE BEFORE WE GET INTO OUR HOT
SEASON NEXT YEAR. >> GAVITO: JUST BECAUSE IT IS OUR RESILIENCY HUB FOR THE DISTRICT. WE WANT TO MAKE SURE WE'RE STAYING ON TOP OF THAT ONE.
>> ABSOLUTELY. >> GAVITO: ON SLIDE 7, I WASN'T SURE WHY WE'RE SO
BEHIND ON OUR MUNICIPAL COLLAR -- >> BASICALLY IT WAS A NEW PROGRAM.
THAT WAS REALLY SORT OF SOME OF THE LAG IN OUR ORIGINAL TARGETS.
>> GAVITO: OKAY. >> WHAT I CAN SAY THINGS ARE ON TRACK AND ACCELERATING.
>> WALSH: WHEN WE STARTED THIS PROGRAM, WHICH WAS THE SECOND LARGEST MUNICIPAL SOLAR PROGRAM IN THE COUNTRY, WHEN WE STARTED THIS, OUR EYES WERE BIGGER THAN OUR STOMACH. BUT WE'VE PICKED UP SPEED AND AS YOU SAW WE'VE GOT SIX OF THOSE PROJECTS ARE DONE THIS YEAR AND WE'VE GOT 29 NEXT YEAR.
THE REAL TARGET IS GOING TO BE THAT 2025 TARGET I THINK FOR US.
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>> GAVITO: OKAY. AND I WAS -- THAT'S ALL I HAVE.
THANKS, MAYOR. >> MAYOR NIRENBERG: THANK YOU, COUNCILMEMBER GAVITO.
COUNCILMEMBER CASTILLO. >> CASTILLO: THANK YOU FOR THE PRESENTATION.
STARTING BY PARKS, DISTRICT BY RESIDENTS ABSOLUTELY LOVE THE PARKS DEPARTMENT.
YESTERDAY WE HAD OUR OPEN OFFICE HOURS AND, OF COURSE, WITH PARK SERVICES AND PROGRAMMING ALSO COMES WITH ASKS. AND ONE OF THE TRENDS THAT WE SAW THAT WAS SHARED WITH US RATHER WAS THE TREND OF THE NEED FOR INVESTMENT IN LIGHTING AND THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WE'LL WORK WITH YOUR TEAM AND CIP FUNDING TO HELP BRING SOME OF THOSE FUNDING. IT'S NOT NECESSARILY A BUDGET REQUEST, BUT I'M CURIOUS AS TO WHAT THE COORDINATION IS WITH THE SAN ANTONIO RIVER AUTHORITY AND THE COUNTY REGARDING LIGHTING ALONG THE GREENWAY.
FOR EXAMPLE, [INAUDIBLE] PARK IS ALONG THE GREENWAY AND THE REQUEST FOR LIGHTING ISN'T NECESSARILY WITHIN THE PARK, BUT ALONGSIDE THE GREENWAY THAT ABUTS THE PARK. CAN YOU SHARE WHAT THAT WOULD LOOK LIKE?
>> YES, ABSOLUTELY. SO THERE IS DIALOGUE AND COLLABORATION.
ONE OF THE THINGS THAT'S CRITICAL TO NOTE ALONG THE WESTSIDE CREEKS, THERE IS JURISDICTION WITH THE ARMY CORPS OF ENGINEERS. AND SO BY AND LARGE WE REALLY DON'T HAVE LIGHTING ON OUR GREENWAY TRAIL SYSTEM EXCEPT FOR TRAILHEADS.
IN THE CURRENT BOND, ONE OF THE THINGS WE ARE LOOKING AT AND EVALUATING IS WHERE WE CAN INTRODUCE LIGHTING ON SEGMENTS THAT MAKE SENSE. WESTSIDE CREEKS ARE ONE OF THOSE SEGMENTS. AND SO RIGHT NOW WE'RE WORKING THROUGH THAT COLLABORATION TO FIGURE OUT THE LIMITS OF LIGHTING. IT IS -- NEEDS TO BE APPROVED BY THE CORPS AND THE LIGHTING LEVELS ARE ALSO NEED TO BE WITHIN WHAT THEY FIND ACCEPTABLE. EARLY THOUGHTS AND PLANS WERE THAT IT COULDN'T BE, LIKE, FOR EXAMPLE, SOMETHING THAT YOU MIGHT SEE AS A STANDARD STREET LIGHT.
THEY NEED -- BECAUSE OF THE FLIGHT PATH RELATIVE TO JBSA, A LOT OF THINGS.
SO THERE IS COLLABORATION AND WE'RE CONTINUING TO WORK THROUGH THAT WITH THEM.
>> CASTILLO: THAT'S HELPFUL. WE'RE PLEASED TO SEE THE MAINTENANCE AS NORMOYLE PARK AND RESTROOMS AT MONTERREY PARK.
WE'RE REALLY EXCITED ABOUT THE RESTROOMS BECAUSE THE SOUTH SIDE OF DISTRICT 5, JIMMY FLORES PARK, THEY STILL JOKE I CAN'T BELIEVE WE'RE ON THE SOUTH SIDE.
TRULY GRATEFUL FOR THE PARKS TEAM AND ENSURING DISTRICT 5 RESIDENTS AND ALL SAN ANTONIO RESIDENTS GET THE FACILITIES THEY DESERVE. REALLY GRATEFUL FOR THAT.
IN TERMS OF THE TREE PLANTING, I KNOW IT ALWAYS GETS ASKED, ANY TIME WE DISCUSS TREES AND IF WE ARE TRACKING IF THEY ARE ACTUALLY BEING PLANTED, I'M CURIOUS IS THERE THE OPPORTUNITY TO HELP PURCHASE FERTILIZER AS WELL.
BECAUSE ONE CONCERN FROM RESIDENTS, SOMETIMES THEY DIE, THE TREES.
I DON'T KNOW IF THERE'S OPPORTUNITY TO PROVIDE FERTILIZER OR SOMETHING TO
HELP THE TREE LIVE. >> THAT ANSWER IS YES, MA'AM.
WE DO HAVE AN OUTREACH TEAM, THEY PROVIDE EDUCATION AND RESOURCES APPROPRIATE FOR THE TREE THAT'S INSTALLED. THAT INCLUDES GATOR BAGS. AND SO IF YOU HAVE ANYBODY SHE SEND THEM OUR WAY, BUT WE'RE EQUIPPED TO DO THAT, YES.
>> CASTILLO: THANK YOU FOR THAT. ON SLIDE 9 LOOKING AT THE SCHOOL PARKS PROGRAM, HAVE YOU ALL TRACKED IF THERE'S BEEN ANY INVESTMENTS IN THE SCHOOL IS THAT HAS RECENTLY BEEN VOTED FOR CLOSURE AND THE OPPORTUNITY TO POTENTIALLY RECOUP SOME OF THOSE AMENITIES TO REFURBISH AND PLACE AT ANOTHER SCHOOL.
>> THE FIRST PART OF THE QUESTION WAS HAVE WE LOOKED AT SCHOOLS THAT ARE
CLOSED -- >> CASTILLO: YEAH, IF THEY'VE RECEIVED ANY SCHOOL PARK PROGRAM SUPPORT FOR LIKE PLAYGROUND OR SOMETHING THAT'S NO LONGER GOING TO BE
IN USE. >> YES. YES, THERE ARE TWO THAT WERE SAISD WHERE THERE WAS SCHOOL PARKS FUNDING. SECOND PART OF YOUR QUESTION IS IS OUR OPPORTUNITY TO RECOUP THAT. ONE OF THE THINGS WE WOULD NEED -- OKAY, SORRY. ONE OF THE THINGS WE WOULD NEED TO EVALUATE IS A LOT OF THESE SCHOOL PARK FUNDING AGREEMENTS HAD TIME LINES. FIRST CHECK WOULD BE TO MAKE SURE THAT, YOU KNOW, IT'S NOT AVAILABLE BECAUSE THE SCHOOL CLOSED BUT MAYBE BECAUSE THERE'S NOT AN AGREEMENT IN PLACE. AND I THINK ANY TYPE OF
[01:00:04]
REFURBISHMENT FOR ANY OF THE SCHOOLS THAT CLOSED, WE WOULD NEED ULTIMATELY WHAT'S GOING TO HAPPEN TO THAT SPACE BEFORE WE LOOK AT THAT DIALOGUE.SO -- >> CASTILLO: OKAY. THANKS FOR THAT.
I THOUGHT I WOULD ASK BECAUSE I KNOW THERE'S ALWAYS SO MANY REQUESTS AND IF IT'S NOT GOING TO BE IN USE, IF THERE'S OPPORTUNITY TO RELOCATE IT WHERE CONSTITUENTS HAVE A REQUEST, I THINK THAT WOULD BE GREAT. THANK YOU, HOMER.
THOSE ARE MY QUESTIONS FOR PARKS. IN REGARDS TO SUSTAINABILITY, WITH THE BUS SHADE STRUCTURES, DO WE KNOW HOW MANY SHADE STRUCTURES WE
COULD FUND WITH ONE MILLION, HOW MANY WE COULD SET UP? >> USING VIA'S STANDARD BUS SHELTERS, WE'RE THINKING ABOUT 20. BUT AGAIN, I THINK WE WANT TO LOOK AT OTHER POTENTIAL DESIGN OPPORTUNITIES. SO IT'S STILL A GOOD NUMBER,
BUT IT'S A STARTING POINT. >> CASTILLO: AND I THINK THERE MAY BE OPPORTUNITY TO PARITY WITH COUNCILMEMBER PELÁEZ'S SHADE AS ART CCR. I KNOW, FOR EXAMPLE, CASTROVILLE ROAD, MANY OF THE BUS STOPS DO NOT HAVE SHELTERS AND IT'S THE ROAD FEATURED IN THE "NEW YORK TIMES" FOR THE HEAT ISLAND AND IMPACT ON BUS RIDERS.
THAT CORRIDOR HAS ALSO BEEN ASKING FOR PUBLIC ART. I THINK THERE'S MAYBE AN OPPORTUNITY TO PROVIDE CONSTITUENTS WITH TWO THINGS THEY ARE REQUESTING.
IT'S VERY MUCH NEEDED TO THEY ARE PROTECTED FROM THE RESIDENTS. THAT'S ONE THING AS SOMEONE WHO USED THE BUS ABOUT UNTIL I WAS 29, IF YOU WANT FOLKS TO USE PUBLIC TRANSIT, YOU NEED SHELTER BECAUSE OF THE ELEMENTS. IN REGARDS TO THE SMALL BUSINESS SUSTAINABILITY GRANT, I DIDN'T SEE THAT IN THE BUDGET, BUT I KNOW THIS IS SOMETHING I'VE HEARD FROM DISTRICT 5 BUSINESSES THEY ARE GRATEFUL THEY RECEIVED ONE AND WAS THAT IN THE BUDGET? I DIDN'T SEE IT.
AND IS THERE OPPORTUNITY TO IDENTIFY FUNDING TO CONTINUE THAT GRANT?
>> YES, SO CURRENTLY THERE ISN'T ANY FUNDING FOR NEW GRANTS IN FY25, AND THAT WAS BY DESIGN. WHEN WE LOOK AT MANAGING THE NUMBER THAT WE'VE ALREADY AWARDED AND MONITORING, WE WANTED TO MAKE SURE WE ARE DEDICATING THE STAFF RESOURCES TO THAT AS OPPOSED TO MAKING MORE AWARDS. THE INTENT IS TO ISSUE AN IMPACT REPORT LATER IN FY25, BUT AT THE SAME TIME ACTIVELY PURSUEING WHETHER THERE ARE GRANTS, WE'VE BEEN TALKING TO FOUNDATIONS AND OTHER PARTIES.
WE BELIEVE THE NATURE OF THESE GRANTS AND THE IMPACTS OF THESE GRANTS WOULD BE KIND OF TO DIFFERENT ENTITIES WANT TO GO PROVIDE RESOURCES.
TO KEEP THE PROGRAM GOING LONG TERM. >> CASTILLO: OKAY.
AND I JUST WANTED TO THANK YOU AND YOUR TEAM AND GIVE THEM PRAISE FOR THE EVENT AT THE SOUTHWEST SERVICE CENTER. THAT WAS JUST AMAZING.
CLIMATE CABINET, NO, NOT ME AT ALL. THIS IS ALL THE SUSTAINABILITY DEPARTMENT JUST TAKING THE LEAD AND ENSURING THAT THEY ARE GOING AFTER FEDERAL DOLLARS TO MAKE THIS IMPACT IN REDUCING OUR CARBON EMISSIONS.
YOUR TEAM IS AMAZING, THANKS FOR ALL YOU DO AND WE HAVE SO MUCH MORE WORK TO DO WHEN IT COMES TO CLIMATE AND SUSTAINABILITY. THOSE ARE ALL MY COMMENTS.
THANK YOU, MAYOR. >> MAYOR NIRENBERG: THANK YOU, COUNCILMEMBER CASTILLO.
COUNCILMEMBER KAUR.. >> FIRST, THE I WANT TO ECHO COUNCILWOMAN CASTILLO'S COMMENTS AND EVERYONE THAT WE ENGAGE WITH LOVES AND YOU THE DEPARTMENT AND EVERYONE THAT THEY GET TO WORK WITH, SO THANK YOU, OUR STAFF, FOR BEING JUST SO KIND AND ALWAYS GETTING BACK TO US SO QUICKLY. A COUPLE OF QUESTIONS. I HAD SOME SIMILAR QUESTIONS THAT ABOUT THE PERFORMANCE METRICS, BUT ON THE PERFORMANCE METRICS, WHAT ARE THE TYPE OF
SERVICE REQUESTS THAT YOU ARE PERFORMING? >> IT WOULD BE, ANYTHING FROM PRIMARILY GRAFFITI ABATEMENT IS A VERY COMMON ONE. AND WE HAVE PEOPLE ARE IN A DOG PARK AND MAYBE THE -- THE FOUNTAIN IS LEAKING. AND IT COULD BE STORM CAME THROUGH AND WE HAVE DOWN LIMBS AND SO A LOT OF THAT IS THE TYPE OF STUFF THAT WE GET -- AND I
[01:05:05]
WOULD LIKE TO HIGHLIGHT JUST FOR SOME ADDITIONAL, I GUESS, PERSPECTIVE, YOU KNOW, A LOT OF THESE SERVICE REQUESTS, IT'S A WAY THAT WE TRACK OUR WORK. SO A LOT OF THEM ARE INTERNAL AND OUR CREWS ARE OUT THERE AND THEY SEE THINGS THAT NEED TO BE DONE, BUT IT'S THE SAME TYPE OF STUFF PRIMARILY THOUGH, IT'S GOING TO BE GRAFFITI ABATEMENT AND PLUMBING IS A VERY COMMONONE AS WELL. >> KAUR: SO I NOTICED THAT WE ONLY COMPLETED 85% OF THEM AND IT WAS OVER A LITTLE 11,000, WHAT ARE THE GAPS, WHAT ARE THE ONES THAT WE'RE MISSING?
>> A LOT OF IT IS THE TRADES POSITIONS. SO, FOR EXAMPLE, IN THE CURRENT YEAR, OUR TOP, UM, SERVICE REQUESTS, IF YOU WILL, PLUMBING, GRAFFITI, CARPENTRY, ELECTRIC.
A LOT OF THOSE ARE TRADES POSITIONS. AND SO THOSE ARE TYPICALLY -- WE FILL THEM, AND SOMETIMES THEY'RE HARD TO RETAIN BECAUSE THEY JUST LEAVE AND PURSUE OTHER OPPORTUNITIES. BUT THAT -- THAT HAS BEEN ONE OF THE BIGGEST THINGS IS THE TYPE OF SERVICE REQUESTS THAT COMES IN. IT'S DIFFERENT THAN JUST, OH, LET'S HAVE A MAINTENANCE WORKER GO OUT THERE AND PERFORM THE TASK.
>> KAUR: GOT IT, DO YOU ALL NEED ADDITIONAL CAPACITY THERE? >> NO, WE FILL THE POSITIONS AND
WE KEEP THEM FILLED WE WILL BE WHERE WE NEED TO BE. >> KAUR: OKAY, GREAT, AND I KNOW THAT YOU DESCRIBED THIS, BUT THE OVERALL PARKS SCORE, I'M STILL A LITTLE BIT CONFUSED.
IS THAT -- SO HOW CAN YOU HAVE A RANKING THAT IS NOT NATIONALLY NORMED, I GUESS?
>> THAT'S NOT NATIONALLY -- WHAT IS IT, MA'AM? >> KAUR: BECAUSE YOU MENTIONED WHAT IS THAT BASED ON, I GUESS THAT I'M JUST CONFUSED ABOUT THAT?
>> SO THEY LOOK AT THE TYPE OF AMENITIES. THEY LOOK AT -- AND LET ME SEE MY TEAM CAN PULL UP THE CATEGORIES THAT GO WITH THAT AS I DESCRIBE IT -- THEY LOOK AT THE TYPE OF AMENITIES THAT GO IN THERE, PERCAPITA INVESTMENT FOR -- GO AHEAD -- YES.
>> GOOD AFTERNOON, COUNCILWOMAN. THE CATEGORY IS LOOKED IS FIVE, THEY MEASURE EQUITY AND ACCESS, AND NOVEMBER INVESTMENT AND AMENITIES AND ALSO TOTAL PARK ACREAGE.
>> KAUR: ARE THOSE THINGS THAT WOULD BE VALUABLE FOR US TO CREATE A PLAN ON, LIKE, GETTING BETTER -- IT'S NOT LIKE -- ARE THOSE HOW OUR ACCESS OUR PARKS ARE, THAT IS WHAT IT IS MEASURE
SOMETHING. >> ABSOLUTELY. AND I'LL JUST GO AHEAD AND ADVOCATE. YOU SHOULD BE USING THAT AS A FACTOR FOR THE 2027 BOND
PROGRAM. >> KAUR: OKAY. >> IT SHOULD BE A TEMPLATE.
AND TO A CERTAIN DEGREE THE COUNCIL UTILIZED THAT IN 2022, TO CONTINUE MAKING THOSE
INVESTMENTS WHERE IT MATTERS IN THOSE FIVE AREAS. >> KAUR: MAYBE WE COULD DO A FUTURE BRIEFING ON THAT SO I COULD LEARN A LITTLE BIT MORE ON IT.
>> ABSOLUTELY. WOULD LOVE TO, THANK YOU. >> KAUR: THANK YOU.
AND I THINK IS ALL I HAVE FOR METRICS AND I WANTED TO MENTION I'M SUPER EXCITED THAT WE GOT A LOT OF GOOD FEEDBACK ON THE FIVE-YEAR PLAN. SO WE ARE READY -- CAN WE JUST GET AN UPDATE ON THE PLAN JUST TO MAKE SURE THAT WE KNOW WHERE WE ARE? I KNOW THAT MY STAFF REQUESTED THAT. AND THEN ALSO WE HAVE A COMMUNITY REQUEST FOR THE TRAILWAYS, THE GREENWAY TRAIL SYSTEM ON SLIDE 12.
THOSE ARE GREAT, BUT HOW DO WE GET RESIDENTS FROM THEIR HOMES TO ACCESS THAT? SO, LIKE, FIGURING OUT WAYS TO CONNECT THROUGH NEIGHBORHOODS WOULD BE REALLY GREAT FOR BIKE AND WALK TRAILS. AND THEN SIMILARLY, DO WE HAVE PLANS TO ADD PARKLAND? LIKE, HAVE WE LOOKED AT, LIKE, PLACES WHERE WE GET, LIKE, RIGHT-OF-WAY REQUESTS, SO CAN WE
CAPTURE THAT TO ADD IT AS PARKLAND? >> THE ANSWER IS, YES.
THAT'S ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE CONSTANTLY LOOK AT AND TO THE SAME POINT, 27 BOND PRESENTS THE GREATEST OPPORTUNITY TO DO THAT. IN ADVANCE OF THAT THOUGH, THERE ARE SOME SPACES THAT WE DO ADD TO OUR PORTFOLIO. SOME OF THAT IS WORKING WITH PERPUBLIC WORKS TO PULL OUT OF THEIR INVENTORY FOR OURS AND THEN IT BECOMES GREEN SPACE FOR COMMUNITY USE.
BUT, YES, THAT GIVES YOU AN EXAMPLE OF WHAT WE CONSTANTLY ARE SCANNING FOR.
>> KAUR: SO COMMUNITY MEMBERS HAVE IDEAS WE JUST SHARE THOSE SPACES WITH YOU.
>> YES, PLEASE DO. >> KAUR: DO WE HAVE A PLAN TO ADD TURF FIELDS TO PARKS, THINKING WHAT IT WOULD TAKE, LIKE, A FIVE-YEAR PLAN FOR ADDING TURF FIELDS OR SOMETHING
LIKE THAT? >> WE DO NOT HAVE A FIVE-YEAR PLAN.
WHAT I CAN TELL YOU THAT IS FROM MY DISCUSSIONS WITH MY TEAM AND JUST LOOKING AT INDUSTRY PRACTICES, THAT IS SOMETHING THAT WE'RE LOOKING TO INTRODUCE, IS WE'RE LOOKING AT THE 2027 BOND. WE HAVEN'T EXACTLY DECIDED WHERE.
ONE OF THE THINGS THAT, UM, WE'VE LEARNED IN EXPLORING THAT IS THAT IT ALSO MAGNIFIES HEAT.
SO IN THE CONTEXT OF URBAN HEAT ISLAND, NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE NOT EXACERBATING THOSE CONDITIONS OR THROUGH DESIGN HAVE SOME TYPE OF MITIGATION THAT GOES WITH IT.
>> KAUR: SHADE STRUCTURE OVER -- >> MAYBE. TO GIVE YOU AN IDEA, WE'RE BEING
VERY THOUGHTFUL FOR, VALUE YAWTDING FOR THE 2027 BOND. >> KAUR: I KNOW WHEN IT RAINS
[01:10:02]
OUR FIELDS GET TORN UP. OKAY, SO THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR ALL OF THE WORK.>> YES, MA'AM. >> KAUR: AND QUICK QUESTIONS FOR SUSTAINABILITY.
THANKS, DOUG. ON THE PERFORMANCE MET RICKS ON MEASURES THAT WERE SHARED WHAT
IS THEON LINE ENGAGEMENT IMPRESSION? >> THAT'S ALL OF THE IMPRESSIONS THAT ARE ASSOCIATED WITH OUR SOCIAL MEDIA -- FACEBOOK, UM, LINKED DIAGNOSE IN AND
INSTAGRAM, WE JUST WANT TO MEASURE THOSE AS WELL. >> KAUR: TO BE ABLE TO SEE
LIKE -- HOW -- WHAT WOULD BE THE GOAL THERE? >> SO I THINK THAT IT'S A COMBINATION, ACTUALLY THE COST EFFECTIVENESS OF IT AND HOW MUCH ARE WE INVESTING IN THAT WORK AND WHAT ARE THE PER -- YOU KNOW, THE PER COST FOR EACH IMPRESSION.
>> KAUR: OKAY. AND THEN FOR THE EMPLOYEES -- FIRST OF ALL, THANK YOU FOR INCLUDING THESE IN YOUR PRESENTATION, BOTH OF Y'ALL. BUT FOR THE EMPLOYEES THAT COMPLETED TRAININGS IS THERE AN OUTCOME THAT WE HOPE FOR AFTER THOSE TRAININGS ARE COMPLETED?
>> YES. WE, UM, YOU KNOW THE GOAL IS WITH -- PARTICULARLY WITH GETTING TO THE FINAL TRAININGS IS ASKING, UM, FOR EMPLOYEES TO MAKE COMMITMENTS AND TO MAKE, UM, DEDICATED, UM, APPROACH TO DOING SOMETHING DIFFERENTLY. WHETHER IT'S, UM, AS AN EMPLOYEE, OR JUST AS A RESIDENTS WHAT CAN THEY DO. SO THE WHOLE POINT, YES, IT IS EDUCATION, IT IS AWARENESS, BUT IT IS ABOUT ACTION AND IN ACTION WE DO HAVE A PERFORMANCE MEASURE THAT HAS AN OUTCOME. IT'S THE PERCENTAGE OF EMPLOYEES WHO TAKE ACTION AT WORK OR AT HOME. THAT'S WHAT WE ARE TRACKING THAT.
>> KAUR: GREAT, WHAT IS THAT NUMBER? >> SO BASICALLY FY 24 TARGET WAS
93 AND WE'RE ESTIMATING 94%. >> KAUR: HMM. >> PEOPLE WANT TO DO THIS --
THIS WORK. >> KAUR: 93% IS WHAT THE TARGET WAS; RIGHT?
>> YES, FOR FY 24. >> KAUR: GREAT, THANK YOU FOR SHARING THAT.
AND I KNOW THAT ERIK MENTIONED THE SHADE STRUCTURES BUT I THIN, LIKE, WHAT IT WOULD LOOK LIKE TO CREATE THE ADDITIONAL SHADE STRUCTURES EVEN OVER JUST THE GENERAL WALKING THAT IS NOT
TREES AND BUSES? >> SO WHAT I CAN SPEAK TO IS, UM, THE WORK THAT WE'RE DOING WITH THE TARGETED COOL NEIGHBORHOOD PROGRAMS. THAT'S THE PROCESS THAT WE WANT TO GO ABOUT WORKING WITH THE COMMUNITY. SOME OF THE QUESTIONS THAT WE'VE BEEN ASKING IS, WHERE ARE THE PRIMARY CORRIDORS THAT PEOPLE ARE -- ARE WALKING? ARE THERE PARTICULAR BUS STOPS THAT PEOPLE ARE GOING TO? TRYING TO TEASE OUT WHERE ARE THOSE KEY AREAS THAT WE NEED TO FOCUS ON WITH THE INTENT OF, YES, THIS CORRIDOR, LOTS OF SENIORS, LOTS OF PEOPLE WALK TO GET TO THE LIBRARY -- THIS NEEDS TO BE SHADED.
IS IT TREES? IS IT CANOPY? SO I THINK FOR -- FOR ME I REALLY WANT TO BUILD UPON THE COMMUNITY NEED AND WHAT THAT FOCUS IS, AND THEN BUILD THAT
PLAN FROM THAT. >> KAUR: YOU KNOW HOW THEY HAVE SPEED STRIPS FOR CARS, ARE THERE WALKING STRIPS THAT YOU COULD USE TO MEASURE HOW MANY PEOPLE ARE WALKING ON A SIDEWALK?
>> UM, I'M SURE. AND ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE COULD ALWAYS TALK TO IS MAYBE SOME OTHER TRANSPORTATION OR OTHER DEPARTMENTS THAT HAVE GOOO UTSA AS OUR RESEARCH PARTNER,
WHAT IS THE BEST WAY TO MEASURE THAT SORT OF USAGE. >> KAUR: THAT WOULD BE GREAT.
WELL, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THE WORK THAT YOU'RE DOING. IT IS REALLY IMPORTANT SO WE REALLY APPRECIATE IT. HOMER, I HAVE ONE LAST QUESTION FOR YOU, SINCE I ACTUALLY HAVE A LITTLE BIT MORE TIME. HOW DO YOU GUYS WORK WITH PARKS POLICE?
IS IT DIRECTLY THROUGH YOU OR DO YOU GO THROUGH SAPD? >> NO, WE WORK DIRECTLY ALL THE TIME AND HAVE A STANDING MEETING WITH THE POLICE CAPTAIN, SO IF THERE'S EVER A NEED, LET US
KNOW. >> KAUR: THAT IS IT. THANK YOU, MAYOR.
>> ONE THING TO POINT OUT, COUNCILWOMAN, YOUR QUESTION ABOUT THE ACCESS INTO THE CREEKWAYS, REMEMBER WHEN KAT GAVE HER PRESENTATION THE BIKE MASTER PLAN IS COMING AND I THINK IN JANUARY OR DECEMBER TO COUNCIL, THAT PLAN LOOKED AT THOSE CONNECTIVITY POINTS, UM,
ALONG ROADWAYS INTO THOSE -- INTO THOSE AREAS. >> KAUR: THANK YOU.
>> MAYOR NIRENBERG: THANK YOU, COUNCILMEMBER KAUR. COUNCILMEMBER WHYTE.
>> WHYTE: THANKS, MAYOR. FOR PARKS I'M GOING TO JUST ECHO WHAT MY COLLEAGUES HAVE SAID, HOMER, YOU ARE SO RESPONSIVE. ANY TIME THAT THERE'S A QUESTION OR ANYTHING NEEDED AND WE GO RIGHT TO YOU OR YOUR TEAM -- YOU'RE ALWAYS THERE WITH ANSWERS.
AND MAKING THINGS HAPPEN. AND SO -- >> THANK YOU.
>> WHYTE: SO, THANK YOU. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THAT. PARK SAFETY -- DO WE FEEL LIKE WE -- WE HAVE ENOUGH, UM, SAFETY AT OUR PARKS? BECAUSE I'LL TELL YA' THAT, YOU KNOW, I DO HEAR ABOUT IT. I DO HEAR CONCERNS OCCASIONALLY FROM RESIDENTS ABOUT FEELING --
FEELING SAFE IN THE PARKS. >> FROM MY PERSPECTIVE, COUNCILMAN, OUR PARKS ARE SAFE.
[01:15:06]
ONE OF THE THINGS THAT CONTRIBUTES TO THAT -- AND I HIGHLIGHTED -- THE USERSHIP IN OUR SPACES. A LOT OF PEOPLE FEEL -- WHAT IT IS IS THAT IT IS THE COMMUNITY'S GREEN SPACE, AND THEY SEE SOMETHING AND THEY REPORT IT. WE WORK REALLY HARD AT MAKING SURE THAT THE SYSTEMS FROM THE BUILT ENVIRONMENT -- THINK ABOUT LIGHTING -- AND IT IS WORKING SEPARATELY WHILE, UM, YOU KNOW, I -- I WORK WITH PARK POLICE ALL THE TIME.I KNOW THEY REPORT TO THE POLICE CHIEF. BUT WE WORK COLLABORATIVELY ACROSS LINES AND, UM, PARK POLICE HAS BEEN VERY RESPONSIVE TO THINGS THAT WE SEE.
AND THAT WE SHARE. AND SO FROM MY PERSPECTIVE, OUR PARKS ARE SAFE.
>> WHYTE: SO WE THINK THAT WE HAVE ENOUGH PARK POLICE AND WE THINK THAT WE'RE OKAY ON THE
LIGHTING? >> YEAH, I MEAN, I'M GOING BACK TO THE BUILT ENVIRONMENT OUT.
AND I'M NOT GOING TO SPEAK FOR PARK POLICE OR PD, WHAT THEY FEEL THAT THEY NEED.
BUT I KNOW THAT I FEEL THAT THE SYSTEM WORKS AND FROM THE BUILT ENVIRONMENT -- WE CONTINUE TO PRIORITIZE THOSE THINGS BASED ON FEEDBACK FROM THE COMMUNITY. AND BEST EXAMPLE -- WE HAVE LIGHTING SYSTEMS -- I THINK THAT THERE ARE 10 LIGHTING SYSTEM COMING ONLINE IN FY25 THAT FEEDS SOME OF THOSE POSITIONS -- WHICH IS BY ELECTRICIANS. SO, AGAIN, ANTICIPATING WHAT THE NEEDS ARE AND MAKING SURE THAT WE'RE DELIVERING ON THAT, WE'RE DOING IT.
>> WHYTE: OKAY. TALK TO ME ABOUT MOWING. WE ACTUALLY HAD AN AUDIT MEETING THIS MORNING THAT COUNCILWOMAN VIAGRAN CHAIRED AND WE WERE LOOKING AT A BIG CONTRACT THAT'S GOING TO INVOLVE MOWING ALL OF 200 PLUS CITY PARKS. WHAT ARE WE DOING THERE? HOW OFTEN DO THESE NEED TO BE MOWED? HOW OFTEN DO YOU HEAR THAT --
THAT GRASS IS TOO HIGH OR WE NEED SOME MAINTENANCE? >> I MEAN, TYPICALLY, COUNCILMAN, WHEN WE GET CALLS THAT GRASS IS TOO HIGH, IT'S GOING TO BE AFTER SIGNIFICANT RAIN EVENT. ALL OF OUR PARKING -- EXCUSE ME -- ALL OF OUR MOWING IS OUTSOURCED AS YOU POINTED OUT. WE DO SOME INTERNAL TO ADDRESS AN IMMEDIATE NEED IF THAT'S REALLY WHAT IT COMES TO. BUT IN LARGE PART, OUR MOWING VENDOR HAS A FREQUENCY, WHETHER IT'S MOWED 17 DAYS, 14 DAYS, 21. SO THAT'S HOW THEY -- THEY RESPOND.
WE MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE IN CONSTANT COMMUNICATION WITH THEM IN ANTICIPATION OF RAIN EVENTS.
WHAT'S THE WORK PLAN? WHERE CAN YOU BE? AGAIN, MAKING SURE THAT OUR
SYSTEM, UM, IS -- IS RESILIENT IN THAT MANNER. >> WHYTE: AND THIS MOWING CONTRACTOR THAT WE WERE LOOKING AT THIS MORNING, IS THIS SOMETHING THAT YOU'RE INVOLVED IN? LIKE, DO YOU HAVE INPUT ON -- ON HOW MUCH THESE PARKS NEED TO BE MOWED? OR DO YOU TALK TO -- TO CITY STAFF ABOUT THAT?
>> IT IS OUR TEAM. SO THE SHORT ANSWER IS, YES. I HAVE INPUT.
AND WHEN WE ARE CRAFTING OUR SOLICITATION, MAKING SURE THAT FOR THE VENDORS THAT THEY KNOW WHAT THE SIZE OF THE PORTFOLIO IS, AND THEIR ABILITY TO MEET THE NEEDS ON THAT -- IN THAT SOLICITATION BASED ON THOSE VARIOUS FREQUENCIES. SO OUR TEAM IS CONSTANTLY OUT THERE LOOKING AT ADJUSTMENTS THAT NEED TO BE MADE, AND SO THAT WE ALL KNOW IF IT'S NOT -- IT DOESN'T NEED TO BE MOWED, THE VENDOR IS NOT GOING OUT. THEY'RE RESPONSIVE TO, HEY, WE'RE IN A LITTLE BIT OF A DRY SPELL AND WE DON'T NEED YOU TO GO OUT THERE AND MOW.
SO, AGAIN, WHILE THERE IS A SCHEDULE, THERE IS CONSTANT DIALOGUE SO THAT, YOU KNOW,
WE'RE MOVING THAT LEVER BACK AND FORTH AS NEEDED. >> WHYTE: GOT IT.
LAST QUESTION. IT LOOKS LIKE, UM, NINE MORE POSITIONS COMING UP THIS YEAR?
>> YES, SIR, THAT IS CORRECT. >> WHYTE: I APOLOGIZE IF I MISSED IT EARLIER, BUT WHAT ARE
THOSE FOR? >> THAT IS FRONT LINE STAFF TO KEEP THE PARKS RUNNING.
MOST OF THEM -- WHEN I SAY RUNNING I AM TALKING ABOUT JUST ACCESSIBLE AND SAFE FOR USE.
I THINK THAT MOST OF THOSE WERE TRADE POSITIONS AND, COUNCILMAN, THERE'S A AN, LEG TRITIONZ AND A GARDENER AND A FIELD SUPERVISOR AND A CARPENTER AND A WATER HEAVY EQUIPMENT OPERATOR AND MOST OF THEM ARE TRADES AND, AGAIN, IT'S A REFLECTION OF THE PROJECTS COMING ONLINE AND BACK TO SOME OF THE EARLIER CONVERSATION ABOUT MAKING SURE THAT THEY'RE ACCESSIBLE AND
CLEAN AND SAFE FOR USE. >> WHYTE: OKAY. AND I LIED BECAUSE I HAVE ONE
MORE QUESTION. >> THAT'S FINE. >> WHYTE: TREE CANOPY FUND.
>> YES, SIR? THE FUND HAVE ON -- ON HOW THEES MONEY CAN BE DISBURSED?
>> UM, WHEN YOU MEAN DISBURSED -- IN WHAT SENSE? IN THAT THE -- THE SERVICE
DELIVERY MODEL OR -- >> WHYTE: YEAH, HOW IS IT DETERMINED?
[01:20:05]
YEAH, ELIGIBILITY. >> ELIGIBLE RESPONSES ARE REALLY TREE PLANTING AND TREE
MAINTENANCE FOR ABOUT THREE YEARS I BELIEVE. >> THAT IS CORRECT.
YES. AND THANK YOU FOR THE CLARIFICATION.
THE TREE FUND GOES TO SUPPORT DELIVERY OF TREES AND GETTING THOSE, UM, INTO COMMUNITIES.
IN THE CONTEXT OF OUR CAPITAL PROJECT DELIVERY. AND IT'S AN ACCEPTABLE ALLOWED USE PER POLICY IN CODE AND ORDINANCE FOR THE THREE-YEAR ESTABLISHMENT PERIOD.
SO THAT WOULD MEAN, UM, A WATERING TRUCK, FOR EXAMPLE. BUT THAT'S IT.
>> WHYTE: OKAY. ALL RIGHT, THANKS. >> YES, SIR.
>> WHYTE: MOVING ON TO SUSTAINABILITY, UM, SHADE STRUCTURES -- HAPPY THAT WE'RE DOING THAT ON ALL OF THESE PARKS. HOW DO WE DETERMINE WHICH PARKS
ARE GETTING THE STRUCTURES? THIS IS -- >> IS THIS FOR ME OR FOR DOUG?
>> WHYTE: THE SHADE STRUCTURES FOR PARKS. SORRY, I HAVE ONE MORE FOR YOU
HOMER. >> I'M SORRY. ARE WE TALKING PLAYGROUNDS?
>> WHYTE: YES. >> YES, SIR. SO A YEAR AGO WE DEVELOPED A FIVE-YEAR WORK PLAN, IF YOU WILL. NOW SPECIFIC TO THIS, THAT PLAN FROM A YEAR AGO IS WHAT DRIVES IT. NOW AUGMENTING THAT, SO THAT WE'RE TELLING THE FULL STORY ABOUT SHADE OVER PARK AMENITIES, WE HAVE THE BOND PROGRAM THAT IS DELIVERING SOME OF THOSE PROJECTS AS WELL. THAT IS NOT THIS MONEY.
AND THAT'S THE OTHER PART OF THE STORY. FOR THIS UPCOMING YEAR, UM,
WE'LL GET YOU THE LIST. >> WHYTE: OKAY. >> BUT IT IS BASICALLY A FIVE-YEAR PLAN, MORE THAN 60 PARKS I BELIEVE THAT WE'RE GOING TO BE DOING IT.
>> WHYTE: IF WE CAN GET THE LIS- >> YES, SIR, WE CAN DO THAT. >> WHYTE: OKAY, THANKS.
NOW, ON TO THE SUSTAINABILITY AND THE COOL PAVEMENT PROGRAM. MY UNDERSTANDING IS THAT WE DON'T HAVE ALL OF THE DATA YET, RIGHT, TO DETERMINE IF THESE THINGS ARE -- ARE ACTUALLY --
>> NO -- >> WHYTE: DOING WHAT WE HOPE THEY ARE.
>> NO, THE REASON -- COUNCILMAN, I WOULD SAY THAT THE RESEARCH THAT WAS, ADOPTED WITH YOU TSA D
REVEAL THAT THERE WERE SURFACE TEMPERATURE REDUCTIONS. >> WHYTE: UM-HMM.
>> FROM THREE OF THE -- OF THE, UM -- THREE OF THE MATERIALS OUT OF THE FIVE THAT WE TESTED.
>> WHYTE: RIGHT. >> AND THEN ALL THREE OF THOSE DID MEET THE SAFETY, UM, MINIMUMS AS WELL. SO WE BELIEVE THAT THOSE THREE THAT WE'LL BE DEPLOYING GOING
FORWARD, UM, DID MEET WHAT WE WERE LOOKING FOR. >> WHYTE: AND SO THIS IS A PROGRAM THEN THAT FROM YOUR PERSPECTIVE THAT THE CITY SHOULD MOVE FULL STEAM AHEAD ON, ALL
OVER THE CITY? >> SO WE'RE NOT MOVING FULL STEAM AHEAD.
WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO DO IS TO FOCUS ON, UM, EXISTING -- THE EXISTING PAVING PROGRAM FROM PUBLIC WORKS IN THOSE TARGET, UM, HEAT AREAS IDENTIFIED FROM, UM, UTSA.
SO WE'RE NOT SCALING THIS UP WHERE IF WE'RE DOING ANY PAVING ANYWHERE, WE'RE USING THIS MATERIAL. BUT WE ARE USING IT INCREMENTALLY IN TARGET AREAS WHICH IS ACTUALLY CONSISTENT WITH WHAT PHOENIX AND L.A. ARE DOING AND THEY'RE NOT JUST PUTTING IT IN EVERYWHERE, AND THEY'RE USING RESEARCH TO SORT OF DRIVE THE INSTALLATION AND
THEN TRACKING THE PERFORMANCE OVER TIME. >> WHYTE: AND SO -- AND I APOLOGIZE IF MAYBE THIS IS -- WE'VE ALREADY TALKED ABOUT IT, BUT HOW MUCH MORE EXPENSIVE IF AT ALL, UM, ARE THESE COOL STREETS COMPARED TO A REGULAR STREET?
>> SO, UM, LET ME GET BACK -- LET ME GET BACK TO YOU AND LET ME CHECK WITH ANTHONY.
BECAUSE THERE IS A SLIGHT PREMIUM TO IT. BUT, UM --
>> WHYTE: DO YOU KNOW -- IS THIS 10% MORE EXPENSIVE, 20% MORE EXPENSIVE?
>> YEAH, LET ME GET BACK TO YOU, I DON'T WANT TO MAKE UP A NUMBER FOR YOU.
>> IT'S LESS THAN 10%. IT'S AN OVERLAY APPLICATION THAT GOES OVER AND WE'LL GET YOU IN
THE FOLLOW-UP MEMO THE, UM, WHAT THAT -- WHAT THAT AMOUNT IS. >> WHYTE: OKAY, THANKS, MAYOR.
>> MAYOR NIRENBERG: THANK YOU, COUNCILMEMBER WHYTE. COUNCILMEMBER CABELLO HAVRDA.
>> CABELLO HAVRDA: THANK YOU, MAYOR, AND THANKS FOR THE PRESENTATIONS.
HOMER, I JUST HAVE -- THANK YOU, OF COURSE, FOR EVERYTHING THAT YOU DO.
WE WORK VERY CLOSELY ON A LOT OF THE PARKS IN D6, THERE'S ONE IN PARTICULAR THAT WE WORK A LOT ON TOGETHER AND WE'LL GET THERE. BUT I REALLY DO APPRECIATE YOUR HELP.
I HAVE A QUESTION ABOUT THE, UM, THE -- ABOUT THE 1889,000 ACRES UNDER THE EDWARDS AQUIFER.
I THINK THAT IT IS CRITICAL TO OUR FUTURE PLANNING AND SUSTAINABILITY EFFORTS.
COULD YOU TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT HOW THE PROGRAM WORKS? I WOULD LIKE TO DIG DEEPER INTO
THE PROCESS AND UNDERSTAND ITS IMPACT ON OUR WATER SECURITY. >> YES, MA'AM, ABSOLUTELY.
[01:25:03]
SO THE WAY THAT OUR -- THE AQUIFER IS DESIGNED AND THE WAY THAT IT FLOWS IS THAT MOST OF THAT COMES FROM WEST TO EAST. AND I BELIEVE THAT IT'S ABOUT 70% OF OUR DRINKING WATER COMES FROM THE AQUIFER. AND NOW THE WAY THAT WE STRUCTURE, UM, IDENTIFYING INTERESTED LANDOWNERS -- THE CITY DOES WORK WITH THE LAND ACQUISITION TEAM.SO CURRENTLY THAT IS GREEN SPACES ALLIANCE. THAT IS THE NATURE CONSERVANCY.
AND THE REASON FOR THAT IS THAT HISTORY TELLS US THAT LANDOWNERE THE RECHARGES AND THE WATERSHED TO THE WEST -- THOSE RURAL LANDOWNERS ARE MORE APT TO BE OPEN TO WORKING WITH, UM, NOT THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO DIRECTLY. SO WE WORK WITH FINANCE TO SECURE THOSE LAND ACQUISITION TEAM MEMBERS AND THEN THE LAND ACQUISITION TEAM, THEY LOOK AT AND THEY RANK PROPERTIES BASED ON A SCIENTIFIC SCORING MODEL. AND THEY ONLY BRING THE THINGS FORWARD THAT REALLY CABINET IS GOING TO WANT TO ENDORSE AND MOVE FORWARD.
DOES THAT -- IT'S A LITTLE OVERVIEW BUT IT GIVES YOU AN IDEA OF THE PROCESS AND THERE'S A SCIENCE COMPONENT TO IT, WHICH THEN WE GO TO C.A.B. ULTIMATELY AND ONCE C.A.B. APPROVING IT AND THEY ENDORSE IT AND WHICH THEY ARE AN ADVISORY BOARD, AND THEN WE BRING THAT TO COUNCIL.
>> CABELLO HAVRDA: AND EVERY ONCE IN A WHILE WE APPROVE MORE ACQUIACREAGE.
AND I'M NOT SURE THAT THE CITY UNDERSTANDS THE PARK'S ROLE IN THAT, SO I THANK YOU FOR THAT
HIGH LEVEL OVERVIEW. >> YES. >> CABELLO HAVRDA: THAT'S ALL I
HAVE FOR PARKS. THANK YOU SO MUCH. >> THANK YOU, MA'AM.
>> CABELLO HAVRDA: ON SUSTAINABILITY, THE CLIMATE ACTION PLAN, I THINK IT WAS ONE OF MY VERY FIRST VOTES IN 2019 AND WE PUT THAT, UM, IN -- IN PLACE, AND I UNDERSTOOD AT THE TIME THAT IT WAS KIND OF A FRAMEWORK, RIGHT, THAT WE WOULD FILL IN OVER TIME.
THE BIG GOAL WAS THE CARBON NEUTRALITY BY 2050. CAN YOU EXPLAIN TO ME A LITTLE
BIT HOW WE'RE GETTING TO THOSE METRIC? >> RIGHT.
SO THE CARBON NEUTRALITY GOAL IS A BIG GOAL, YOU'RE RIGHT. REDUCE -- BASICALLY, THAT MEANS THAT, UM, AS WE REDUCE OUR EMISSIONS TO THE POINT WHERE WE CAN, UM, ALMOST GET TO ZERO AND THEN, UM, NEED TO OFFSET THE REMAINING EMOTIONS THROUGH OTHER MEANS AND THROUGH CARBON SEQUESTRATION OR OTHER MEASURES. SO OUR BIG METRIC FOR THAT IS A GREENHOUSE GAS INVENTORY THAT WE COMPLETE EVERY -- EVERY TWO YEARS. OUR LAST ONE WAS 2021 AND WE HAVE A CONSULTANT RIGHT NOW DOING 20213 -- SORRY -- 2023, AND IN TERMS OF PROGRESS, UM, BETWEEN, UM, OUR FIRST INVENTORY WAS BACK IN 2014, AND WE HAD ABOUT 14% REDUCTION AND BETWEEN 2029-2021, IT WAS 3.4%. AND WE NEED ABOUT A 4.8% YEAR REDUCTION.
SO WE'RE NOT QUITE ON -- ON TARGET. IT WILL BE VERY INTERESTING TO SEE WHAT OUR, UM, 2023 INVENTORY IS. AND THE OTHER CONSIDERATION IS THIS ISN'T SOMETHING THAT WE'RE IN IT ALONE AS CPS CONTINUES TO DECARBONIZE AND REDUCE THE CARBON INTENSITY OF EMISSIONS, WE ALL BENEFIT FROM IT. BUT BASICALLY, UM, I THINK THAT ONE OF OUR BIGGEST CHALLENGES FROM AN EMISSIONS REDUCTION PERSPECTIVE IS TRANSPORTATION.
I THINK THAT, YOU KNOW, ON THE BUILDING SIDE -- BUILDINGS ARE GETTING MORE EFFICIENT.
THE GRID IS GETTING CLEANER. HOPEFULLY THE A.R.T. WILL BE WELL RECEIVED AND UTILIZED AND THE BIKE MASTER PLAN, WE NEED TO PROVIDE AS MANY ALTERNATIVES AS POSSIBLE FOR OUR RESIDENTS TO GET AROUND. AND THAT WILL BE REALLY A BIG, BIG IMPACT.
>> CABELLO HAVRDA: I WAS GOING TO AGREE. WE GET REGULAR PRESENTATIONS ABOUT BEING IN ATTAINMENT AND I AGREE THAT THE TRANSPORTATION IS ONE OF THE BIGGER, UM, THINGS THAT WE NEED TO NEUTRALIZE FOR OUR CLIMATE. SO I AM GLAD THAT YOU BROUGHT UP THE BUILDING EFFICIENCY. THERE'S $30 MILLION FROM MUNICIPAL ON-SITE SOLAR INSTALLATION AND THAT'S ANOTHER GREAT PROJECT AND WE'RE AT 29 SITES OVERALL I UNDERSTAND.
AND I HEAR FROM A LOT OF THE SOLAR INSTALLERS THAT ANALYZING THE FSHESZ PRIOR TO INSTALLATION IS IMPORTANT. AND IT SAVES MONEY ON MAYBE NEEDED PANELS AND REALLY FOCUSES OUR EFFORTS. IN 2019 THERE WAS AN ADMINISTRATIVE DIRECTIVE THAT OUTLINED THE SOURCE -- THE HOURS OF HVAC OPERATIONS AND GREEN LEASING AND BUILDING MODIFICATIONS AMONG OTHER THINGS. ARE WE KEEPING METRICS ON THAT
DIRECTIVE, LIKE, ARE WE REACHING GOALS FOR THAT DIRECTIVE? >> SO WHAT I CAN SAY IS WE WORK CLOSELY WITH BESD ON ALL OF OUR BUILDING OPERATIONS AND HOW WE'RE INVESTING OUR RESOURCES.
[01:30:01]
AND WE DO HAVE TARGETS AROUND THAT. ONE OF THE THINGS YOU THAT WILL SEE IS GOLDA IS ALWAYS LOOKING AT ALL OF OUR BUILDINGS ARE IN EPA PORTFOLIO MANAGER, BASICALLY IT. GIVES US -- IT LETS US TO TRACK OUR ENERGY USE FOR ALL OF OUR BUILDINGS OVER TIME. SO WHETHER WHEN WE SPOT A BUILT IS NOT PERFORMING WELL, WE KNOW WHERE TO GO IN. AND ONE OF THE THINGS IF YOU LOOK AT SOME OF THE PROJECTS THAT WE COMPLETE, THEY ARE CALLED RETRO COMMISSIONING PROJECTS.BASICALLY, THAT'S GOING BACK TO A BUILDING WITH THE CONTRACTOR TO FINE TUNE THINGS.
BUILDINGS ARE GETTING MORE AND MORE ADVANCED AND ALL IT TAKES IS SOME EMPLOYEES MOVING A KNOB HERE AND THERE AND THE EFFICIENCY DECREASES. SO WE'RE GOING BACK CONTINUALLY AND MAKING ADJUSTMENTS WHEN NEEDED. I JUST WANT TO -- YOU'RE ABSOLUTELY RIGHT -- PUTTING SOLAR ON A BUILDING IS NOT GOING TO ACCOMPLISH IT.
IT NEEDS TO BE PARTNERED WITH REDUCING THE LOAD AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE.
SO ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE'RE DOING PARTICULARLY FOR ALL OF THE 42 BUILDINGS THAT WILL BE GETTING SOLAR AND LOOKING AT THOSE BUILDING PERFORMANCES AND ENERGY EFFICIENCY AND DRIVING THOSE DOWN AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE BECAUSE WE HAVE A 2040 GOAL IN THE PLAN TO BASICALLY GET, UM, ALL OF OUR BUILDINGS AND FACILITIES TO ZERO ENERGY USE. AND IT'S NOT GOING TO BE
ACCOMPLISHED BY SOLAR. >> CABELLO HAVRDA: THANK YOU. AND I HAVE SOME THOUGHTS AND INITIATIVES THAT I'D LIKE TO TALK TO YOU ABOUT IN FURTHERING THOSE EVALUATIONS.
QUICKLY AND THE OFFICE SUSTAINABILITY OFFICE HAD ASSESSED THE ENERGY EFFICIENCY OF MOST MUNICIPAL BUILDINGS AND THAT'S WHAT WE WERE TALKING ABOUT.
BUT I UNDERSTAND THAT THOSE ARE PAID THROUGH A REVOLVING LONE FUND, CAN YOU TALK ABOUT THAT?
>> BASICALLY WE'RE THE ONLY CITY IN TEXAS, UM, AND I THINK THAT ONLY OF A COUPLE NATIONALLY THAT HAVE AN ENERGY EFFICIENCY FUND THAT WAS ESTABLISHED IN 2011. BASICALLY, IT WAS SEEDED WITH, UM, FUNDING FROM THE, UM, OUR AMERICAN RECOVERY AND REINVESTMENT ACT, AND SOME OF THOSE DOLLARS AS WELL AS CPS ENERGY REBATES THAT WERE ASSOCIATED WITH THOSE PROJECTS, THOSE WERE CAPTURED AND PLACED INTO THIS FUND. AND THE WAY THAT THE FUND WORKS IS THAT WE IDENTIFY THE PROJECTS, WE WORK WITH AN ENGINEER TO, UM, TO IDENTIFY WHAT ARE THE ENERGY SAVING OPPORTUNITIES, UM, AND IDENTIFYING WHAT'S THE, UM, THE COST SAVINGS IS GOING TO BE. AND ONCE THE PROJECT IS INITIATED AND COMPLETED, THE ENERGY EFFICIENCY FUND -- THE DEPARTMENT'S UTILITY BUDGET WILL BE REDUCED BY THAT ENERGY SAVINGS. AND WE RECEIVE A TRANSFER EVERY MONTH FOR THE LIFE OF THE -- OF THE IMPROVEMENT. SO SUPPOSE A LIGHTING IMPROVEMENT WAS FOR 12 YEARS, WE WILL JUST GET THAT SAVINGS FOR 12 YEARS AND THEN IT DROPS OFF. OKAY.
I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE. >> CABELLO HAVRDA: VERY RARELY DOES HE NOT GET UP.
GOOD JOB, SIR. THIS MAY NOT BE A QUESTION FOR YOU GUYS BUT I'M CURIOUS IF THE
AUDIT DEPARTMENT HAS HAD AN ENERGY AUDIT? >> THE ENERGY FUND WAS AUDITED
IN 2017. >> CABELLO HAVRDA: OKAY, OKAY, MAYBE TIME FOR ANOTHER ONE? OKAY. THOSE ARE ALL OF MY QUESTIONS. THANK YOU, MAYOR.
>> MAYOR NIRENBERG: THANK YOU, COUNCILMEMBER CABELLO HAVRDA. AND COUNCILMEMBER
MCKEE-RODRIGUEZ. >> MCKEE-RODRIGUEZ: THANK YOU, MAYOR, I WAS REALLY LOOKING FORWARD TO TODAY. AND NOW IS AN OPPORTUNE TIME TO LOOK AT CONSTITUENT FEEDBACK AND ENGAGEMENT. I WILL HIGHLY PRIORITIZE FOR THE BOND OVER THE NEXT TWO YEARS SO I'D LOAF TO WORK WITH YOUR DEPARTMENT TO ENGAGE IN THAT EFFORT IN MY DISTRICT AND I'M SURE THAT OTHER COUNCILMEMBERS WILL BE SIMILARLY INTERESTED. I WANT TO TOUCH ON SOME REALLY EXCITING THINGS IN MY DISTRICT AND THEN GET INTO SOME QUESTIONS.
MY COLLEAGUES WILL REMEMBER THAT LAST YEAR I CALLED FOR AN UPDATE TO OUR CEMETERY MASTER PLAN AND I LOOK FORWARD TO ENGAGING WITH YOUR DEPARTMENT AND THE SURROUNDING COMMUNITY AND WHAT THAT LOOKS LIKE. AND I ALSO WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE THAT WE ARE WRAPPING UP ON A VERY CONTENTIOUS PERIOD IN EASTSIDE HISTORY WITH THE COMPLETION OF THE BERKELEY M DAWSON PARK. A REALLY, REALLY BEAUTIFULICATE PARK AND I DRIVE BY IT EVERY SO OFTEN TO SEE IT AS IT'S GETTING THERE. AND I WANT TO SIGNAL CONGRATULATIONS TO ALL OF THE COMMUNITY MEMBERS WHO WERE INVOLVED THE PRESERVATION OF THE VIEW OF THE BRIDGE AND THE OPPOSITION TO THE LAND GRAB AND THE PRIVATIZATION OF OUR HISTORIC SPACES. THIS YEAR WE GOT TO UTILIZE CIP DOLLARS TO FUND A BRAND-NEW PARK IN THE NORTHEAST SIDE OF MY DISTRICT, NEXT TO A BIG WAREHOUSE, AND IT HAS BECOME A POINT OF PRIDE FOR THE PARK VILLAGE NEIGHBORHOOD. AND IT HAS INCREASED THEIR ACCESS TO PARK SPACE BECAUSE THERE'S A HUGE GAP ON GREEN SPACE IN THE NORTHEAST SIDE OF MY DISTRICT AS IT'S QUICKLY CONSUMED BY INDUSTRIAL DEVELOPMENT.
AND WE USE CIP FUNDING TO REDEVELOP A PARK NOT TOO FAR FROM THE NEW SKATE PARK.
[01:35:01]
AND SO THAT'S BREAKING GROUND VERY SOON. AND I'M EXCITED TO WORK WITH PARKS. AND ON THE FUTURE OF THAT WHOLE AREA.DEVELOPMENT OF NEW AND EXISTING PARKS AND ACTIVATING GREEN SPACES IN MY DISTRICT.
I WOULD LOVE TO SEE MY COLLEAGUES JOIN IN THAT EFFORT. WHEN SPEAKING ABOUT THE ACTIVATION OF OUR PARKS AND GREEN SPACES, THERE ARE PERIODS FOR MONTHS OF THE YEAR -- AND WE'RE COMING UPON THE END OF THIS YEAR'S -- WHERE IF A CHILD SLIDES DOWN A SLIDE AT A PLAYGROUND THEY WILL BURN THEMSELVES. BECAUSE THE SUN IS HEATING UP THE PLAYGROUND SO SIGNIFICANTLY. SO I HAVE BEEN VERY INTERESTING IN SPEEDING UP THE TIME THAT IT TAKES TO COVER ALL OF THE PLAYGROUNDS WITH SHADE STRUCTURES AND I WAS SUPER EXCITED THAT WAS AN EFFORT THAT Y'ALL WERE EMBARKING AND STARTING LAST YEAR AND I WILL NOTE THAT DISTRICT 2 HAS THE MOST UNSHADED PLAYGROUNDS, SO I AM INTERESTED WHICH PLAYGROUNDS
WILL RECEIVE SHADE STRUCTURES IN 2025? >> THANK YOU FOR PULLING THAT BACK-UP SLIDE. SO THESE ARE THE PARKS THAT ARE RECEIVING SHADE IN YEAR TWO OF THIS PROGRAM. AND, AGAIN, THIS IS NOT BOND, THIS IS STRICTLY FROM THE 3.8.
YOU WILL SEE THAT THERE ARE -- WHAT, IT LOOKS LIKE FIVE LOCATIONS IN DISTRICT ONE.
FOUR IN DISTRICT TWO. AND THEN YOU SEE THE LIST THERE. >> MCKEE-RODRIGUEZ: YEP, YEP, THAT'S AWESOME. I'M SUPER EXCITED -- SUPER EXCITED.
LAST YEAR I DON'T THINK THAT WE GOT QUITE THE FAIR SHARE SO I'M EXCITED TO SEE SO MANY THIS YEAR. AND I WANT TO DIG INTO THE TREE CANOPY AND MITIGATION FUND, AND WE CANNOT FUND POLICE OFFICERS OUT OF THE TREE MITIGATION FUND -- [LAUGHTER] AND WE HAVE UTILIZED THE TREE CANOPY DOLLARS TO PURCHASE VEHICLES THAT I BELIEVE THAT SHOULD HAVE COME FROM A DIFFERENT FUND.
SO WE NEED TO BE MINDFUL OF THAT. AND WE HAD THE LOSS OF HUNDREDS OF TREES IN THE LAST YEARS, AND IF NOT THOUSANDS AND WE HAVE RESPONSIBILITY TO PRESERVE THE CANOPY AND OUR DOLLARS SHOULD GO TO THE DIRECT PLANTING AND PRESERVATION OF TREES.
WHEN I DRIVE THROUGH THE NORTH SIDE I'M AMAZED AT HOW MUCH COOLER AND MORE SHADED THAT THE NEIGHBORHOOD STREETS ARE. AND IT'S CLEAR THAT TREE CANOPY IS A PRIORITY.
BUT ON THE REST OF TOWN, KNOCKING DOWN, YOU KNOW, A 25-YEAR-OLD TREE AND REPLACING IT WITH BABY TWIGS IN THE GROUND THAT BLOW AWAY IN THE WIND IS NOT GOING TO PREPARE A MORE RESILIENT SAN ANTONIO. SO I'LL HAVE A SUGGESTION IN JUST A LITTLE BIT.
I WILL BRIEFLY MOVE OVER TO SUSTAINABILITY. I WOULD LIKE TO THANK DOUG AND YOUR OFFICE FOR HELPING TO US COORDINATE A VISIT WITH ONE OF MY GOOD FRIENDS, SANDY NURSE, WHO IS A COUNCILMEMBER IN NEW YORK CITY. OUR COOL PAVEMENT PROGRAM IS AN INNOVATIVE ONE AND SHE'S INTERESTED IN REPLICATING IT IN NEW YORK.
SO LOOKING AT SAN ANTONIO LEADING THE WAY. AND I'D ALSO LIKE TO THANK BOTH OF Y'ALL'S DEPARTMENTS FOR HOSTING THE COOL NEIGHBORHOOD FAIR AT THE CARVER LIBRARY BACK IN JULY. MY STAFF APPRECIATED THE WAY THAT YOU ENGAGED WITH THE RESIDENTS IN CONVERSATIONS ABOUT WHERE SHADE STRUCTURES ARE MOST NEEDED IN THE DISTRICT.
AND BUS SHADE STRUCTURES, I'VE HAD SEVERAL CONVERSATIONS WITH THE VA IN THE PAST YEAR IN AIM OF SUPPORTING THE INCREASED BUS SHELTER AND MY REQUEST IS A COSE IMPROVEMENTS TO OUR BUS STOPS TO INCLUDE THE SHADE STRUCTURES. SO I AM SUPER EXCITED TO SEE THIS MILLION DOLLARS IN THE BUDGET. AND TO SEE THAT ALLOCATED FOR THIS PROGRAM.
IT'S VERY, VERY IMPORTANT TO MY COMMUNITY. WE DO GET A LOT OF CALLS AND CONCERNS FROM RESIDENTS WHO MAY NOT BE USING THE BUS, BUT ARE WATCHING PEOPLE SIT IN THE SUN FOR TENS OF MINUTES. AND SO FOR THE BENEFIT OF MY COLLEAGUES, I WAS INFORMED BACK IN FEBRUARY THAT THE COST OF A SHADE SHELTER OFFERS $25,000. SO WITH ONE MILLION DOLLARS WE SHOULD BE ABLE TO DO ABOUT 40 SHELTERS. WOULD SOMEONE MIND CLARIFYING
THAT? >> SO ONE OF THE THINGS THAT -- THERE'S SO MANY SITE FACTORS ASSOCIATED WITH, UM, WITH THE INSTALLATION OF SHADE STRUCTURES AND WE HAVE SPOKEN TO V.I.A. AND THERE'S ISSUES AND SO THAT'S JUST A STARTING POINT. BUT IT'S DIFFICULT TO PUT THE EXACT AMOUNT THAT WE'LL BE ABLE TO DO. I THINK THAT WE CAN MAYBE COME BACK AND PROVIDE AN UPDATE IN THE NEAR FUTURE ONCE WE DISCUSS WITH V.I.A., BUT I'M NOT SURE.
>> MCKEE-RODRIGUEZ: GOT YA'. I GOT A LIST OF THE MOST USED AND UNSHADED BUS STOPS IN MY DISTRICT AND THERE WERE A COUPLE OF THEM ON THERE THAT HAD INFRASTRUCTURE CONCERNS THAT MAYBE COULD BE FUNDED THROUGH SOME -- A SMALLER AMOUNT OF FUNDING THAT I THINK THAT -- AND IT DIDN'T SEEM LIKE A LOT OF BUS SHELTERS THAT REQUIRED THAT MUCH INVESTMENT.
ONE OF THE BARRIERS THAT HAS BEEN COMMUNICATED TO ME THOUGH IS THE EASEMENT ACCESS, WHICH SEEMS TO BE OUR PROBLEM FOR EVERYTHING. AND I WOULD WONDER IF IT WOULD BE POSSIBLE TO UTILIZE THE TREE MITIGATION FUNDS TO PLANT AND TO MAINTAIN THE LARGER T TREES -- T THE BABY THINGS IN THE GROUND AND THE LARGER TREES, ALONGSIDE WHERE THE STOCK IS NOT FEASIBLE
[01:40:04]
OR A PROPERTY OWNER IS MORE FRIENDLY TO THE IDEA OF A TREE THAN A PHYSICAL STRUCTURE.IS THAT SOMETHING THAT WOULD BE FEASIBLE? >> YES.
>> MCKEE-RODRIGUEZ: BEAUTIFUL, I LOVE A YES/NO ANSWER ON. THE TOPIC OF OUR FUTURE INVESTMENTS AND THIS IS GOING MORE TOWARDS SUSTAINABILITY AGAIN, UM, YOU KNOW, I THINK THAT THE LARGEST AREA OF FUTURE INVESTMENT IS GOING TO BE THE 2027 BOND.
IT'S GOING TO BE THE NEXT BIG OPPORTUNITY. I WOULD LIKE TO SEE US TO ASPIRE TO SOME REALLY AMBITIOUS SUSTAINABILITY GOALS. I THINK HOW CAN WE BE THE BEST IN THE NATION AND LEAD ON X, Y, Z THING AND I WOULD LOVE TO SEE SUSTAINABILITY TO BE THAT.
I GOT TO THIS SUMMER TO VISIT WITH THE MAYOR AND COUNCILMEMBER IN REDMOND, WASHINGTON, TO TAKE A TOUR OF THEIR BRAND-NEW COUNCILMEMBER, AND SOME OF THEIR OTHER FACILITIES AND THEY HAVE ACHIEVED SOMETHING FANTASTIC WITH THE 54,000-SQUARE-FOOT CENTER THAT IS ENTIRELY POWERED BY SOLAR ENERGY. AND SO MY REQUEST TO YOUR OFFICE IS TO MAYBE TO DRAFT SOME VERY ASPIRATIONAL, SUSTAINABILITY GOALS RELATED TO THE 2027 BOND PROGRAM, SO THAT MAYBE WE COULD START PLANNING NOW AND PLANT SOME SEEDS. YOU KNOW, IN THE COUNCILMEMBERS' MINDS AND IN THE CITY STAFF'S MIND AND I WOULD LOVE TO SEE US -- I WANT TO STRESS THAT I WOULD LOVE US TO BE AS AMBITIOUS AS POSSIBLE THERE AND, AGAIN, TO LEAD OTHER CITIES IN THAT WAY.
SO IS THAT SOMETHING THAT YOUR OFFICE IS ALREADY WORKING ON OR YOU COULD DO?
>> YES, AND ACTUALLY, COUNCILMAN, OUR OFFICE AND THE CHIEF RESILIENCY OFFICER HAVE ALREADY BEEN THINKING ABOUT HOW DO WE DO JUST THAT -- LOOKING FORWARD TO THE NEXT BOND AND ENGAGING WITH DEPARTMENT WORKS AND OTHER DEPARTMENTS AND GETTING A GROUP TOGETHER TO START ENVISIONING HOW DO WE MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE CENTERING ALL OF THESE PRIORITIES GOING FORWARD.
>> MCKEE-RODRIGUEZ: I'LL ASK YOU THEN SO THIS IS A TRICKY QUESTION OR OFF-THE-CUFF QUESTION. SO I WAS AMAZED WITH THE SENIOR CENTER, AND IN REDMOND, WASHINGTON, WHAT IS SOMETHING THAT YOU HAVE SEEN IN ANOTHER CITY THAT WE'RE NOT DOING, THAT
YOU ARE AMAZED BY? >> OH, THAT'S A TOUGH QUESTION. UM,... THE ONE AREA THAT I THINK THAT WE HAVE NEED AND OPPORTUNITY IS AROUND BATTERY STORAGE IN KEY CRITICAL FACILITIES. AND I THINK THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WE -- PARTICULARLY AROUND FOR OUR RESILIENCY HUBS AND THERE ARE FEDERAL DOLLARS THAT I BELIEVE THAT WE CAN PURSUE TO HELP TO COVER SOME OF THOSE COSTS. BUT THAT RESILIENCY FACTOR IS
THE ONE THING THAT I THINK THAT WE ARE MISSING FROM THAT SIDE. >> MCKEE-RODRIGUEZ: I GUESS ON THE TOPIC OF RESILIENCY HUBS AND, AGAIN, COMPARING OURSELVES TO OTHER CITIES WHO ARE DOING REALLY WELL, IS THERE A MODEL FOR RESILIENCY HUBS THAT EXCEEDS OUR?
>> SO NO, I MEAN, I THINK THAT MY -- MY EXPERIENCE WITH RESILIENCY HUBS IS THAT THEY'RE ALL DIFFERENT, REALLY DEPENDS UPON THE NEEDS OF THE COMMUNITY.
NO, I THINK THAT THE APPROACH THAT WE'RE TAKING, UM, IS A BEST PRACTICE.
>> MCKEE-RODRIGUEZ: AND IS THAT FOR THE CITY RESILIENCY HUBS? OR IS THAT FOR THE JOINT ONES
WITH THE COUNTY OR -- >> THERE AREN'T ANY JOINT ONES WITH THE COUNTY.
THERE'S JUST THE CITY ONES. THE COUNTY HAS SOME OUT IN THE UNINCORPORATED -- I THINK THAT
THEY EASE SOME OF THE ESD FIRE STATIONS AND SO FORTH. >> MCKEE-RODRIGUEZ: SO I WANT TO BE CLEAR THEN, THAT WE'RE TALKING -- WITH THE RESILIENCY HUBS WE'RE NOT TALKING ABOUT THE
COMMUNITY CENTERS THAT ARE SOMETIMES USED -- >> THAT'S WHAT WE'RE TALKING
ABOUT, YES. >> MCKEE-RODRIGUEZ: THERE'S NONE IN DISTRICT 2.
>> THOSE ARE THE ONES THAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT, YES, SIR. >> MCKEE-RODRIGUEZ: SO THE AREA WITH THE MOST OPPORTUNITY IS ACCESS TO THE MOST VULNERABLE COMMUNITIES.
SO MAYBE THAT IS AN AREA THAT WE CAN IMPROVE UPON. THANK YOU, THANK YOU.
>> MAYOR NIRENBERG: THANK YOU, COUNCILMEMBER MCKEE-RODRIGUEZ. COUNCILMEMBER COURAGE.
>> COURAGE: THANK YOU, MAYOR. PARKS AND REC. POPPING UP AND DOWN TODAY --
EVERYBODY IS. >> OKAY, THANK YOU, SIR. >> COURAGE: ON SLIDE -- I THINK THAT IT'S 6 -- YES -- I WAS LOOKING AT SOME OF THOSE STATISTICS.
WE HAD 625,000 PEOPLE GO THROUGH RECREATIONAL FACILITIES AS PARTICIPANTS.
WAS THAT CHILDREN, ADULTS? OR IS IT JUST A MIXTURE OF A NUMBER OF PEOPLE?
>> NO, IT'S PRIMARILY CHILDREN. SO WE'VE GOT OUR PROGRAMMING AND THEN OUTSIDE OF THAT WE HAVE LEAGUES. SO WE HAVE ADULTS THAT WILL COME AND WATCH THEIR KIDS DO THEIR
THING. BUT IT IS MOSTLY YOUTH. >> COURAGE: OKAY.
ARE WE ABLE TO MEASURE THE UNIQUE PEOPLE AS OPPOSED TO 625,000 -- IS IT 25,000 ACTIVE 12 OR 13 DIFFERENT TIMES? IS THERE A WAY OF KNOWING THE NUMBER OF UNIQUE PEOPLE?
>> NOT CURRENTLY. THIS IS NOT AN UNDUPLICATED COUNT.
[01:45:02]
>> COURAGE: RIGHT. >> SO THAT IS SOMETHING THAT WE WOULD LOVE TO GET TO SOME DAY AND I DO WANT TO GO BACK 30 SECONDS, UM, SO THE WAY THAT OUR CENTERS ARE WE HAVE FOUR ADULT SENIOR CENTERS. SO WE HAVE SOME THAT ARE VERY SPECIFIC TO THE OLDER, UM,
INDIVIDUALS. >> COURAGE: OKAY. THE SUMMER YOUTH PROGRAM, YOU
HAVE PARTICIPANTS OF 3,200. IS THAT BECAUSE OF THE CAPACITY? >> YES.
ABSOLUTELY. >> COURAGE: BECAUSE THERE'S TENS OF THOUSANDS OF KIDS LOOKING FOR
SOMETHING TO DO ALL SUMMER. >> THERE IS, AND I WANT TO THANK YOU FOR HELPING TO US MOVE THE NEEDLE WITH THE SCHOOL DISTRICT, BECAUSE I KNOW IN THE PAST THAT WE WORK COLLABORATIVELY WITH EVERY DISTRICT. AND EVERY DISTRICT THAT WANTS TO PARTICIPATE AND OPEN UP THEIR FACILITIES, MORE THAN WELCOME TO COME IN AND AUGMENT WHAT WE DO. SO THAT NUMBER IS GOING TO EBB AND FLOW A LITTLE BIT. TO YOUR POINT, A LOT OF OPPORTUNITY.
AND ANYBODY THAT WANTS TO HELP US TO GET MORE SCHOOLS ON THE TABLE AND TO PARTICIPATE IN THE
PROGRAM, WE'RE GLAD TO DO IT. >> COURAGE: HOW MANY LOCATIONS AND WHAT ARE THE HOURS OF
OPERATIONS DURING THAT SUMMER YOUTH PROGRAM? >> NIKKI HAS THE DETAILS, SIR.
>> COURAGE: OKAY. >> SO WE WERE AT 50 THIS SUMMER AND IT VARIES BASED ON THE SCHOOL DISTRICTS. WE REACH OUT TO ALL OF THE SCHOOL DISTRICTS AROUND CHRISTMASTIME AND WE ASK WHAT THEY ARE ABLE TO PROVIDE. DEPENDS ON WHAT IS UNDER CONSTRUCTION, WHAT THEY MAY BE DOING SUMMER SCHOOL FOR. AND THEN THEY LET US KNOW WHAT'S AVAILABLE AND HOW MANY ROOMS ARE AVAILABLE PER LOCATION. AND THEN WE, OF COURSE, WE
ALWAYS ACTIVATE OUR OWN LOCATIONS. >> COURAGE: DO THEY HAVE TO
CONTRIBUTE FINANCIALLY? >> THEY DO THE UTILITIES. SO WE STAFF IT, AND THEY MAKE IT
AVAILABLE AND JANITORIAL AND UTILITIES. >> COURAGE: OKAY.
WHAT ARE THE HOURS IN THAT SUMMER PROGRAM? >> WE ARE 7:30 TO 5:30.
>> COURAGE: OKAY, THANK YOU. >> UM-HMM. >> COURAGE: I WANTED TO ASK ABOUT THE TREE AND THE TREE PLANTINGS. AND, YOU KNOW, THERE ARE A LOT OF REPORTS OF DEAD TREES, A LOT OF THOSE DEAD TREES ARE IN ISLANDS OF MAJOR CITY STREETS LIKE WOODLAWN. YOU KNOW, YOU HAVE ISLANDS IN THE MIDDLE AND YOU HAVE TREES THAT ARE DYING. THAT'S A CITY STREET. BUT THERE ARE A LOT OF OTHER STREETS AND ARTERIES THAT AT ONE TIME WERE PART OF A DEVELOPMENT AND IT WAS TURNED OVER TO THE HOMEOWNERS ASSOCIATION TO MAINTAIN. THEY CAN'T MAINTAIN TREES THAT ARE DYING. SO CAN OUR MITIGATION -- TREE MITIGATION FUND -- GO TO HELP DEAD TREES IN ANY KIND OF ISLANDS OR CIRCLES IN NEIGHBORHOODS WHERE THE TREES HAVE DIED? AND COULD THEY BE REPLACED THROUGH OUR SYSTEM?
>> NO. THE FIRST HALF TO THAT IS, NO. THE TREE FUND DOES NOT SUPPORT WHAT YOU DESCRIBED. NOW IT DOES SUPPORT PUBLIC OR PRIVATE PLANTING OF TREES.
>> COURAGE: OKAY. WELL YOU SAY "PRIVATE." >> WELL, RIGHT, IN THE EXAMPLE THAT YOU USED IF THERE WAS A PRIVATE DEVELOPMENT AND, YOU KNOW, ALL OF THE TREES ARE DEAD, THE TREE MITIGATION FUND CANNOT GO SUPPORT TO REMOVING THAT. BUT IF THERE'S A DESIRE, A REQUEST, TO PLANT TREES WE WOULD WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE TAKE A LOOK AT IS IT APPROPRIATE.
AGAIN, A LOT OF WHAT WE DO USING THE HEAT VULNERABILITY TOOL. SO I WANT TO ANSWER IN TWO WAYS, THE TREE MITIGATION FUND DOES NOT SUPPORT THE REMOVAL OF THOSE TREES AS YOU DESCRIBE.
>> BUT COUNCILMAN, YOU ARE TALKING ABOUT THE PUBLIC RIGHT-OF-WAY IN A NEIGHBORHOOD?
>> COURAGE: WELL, THEY'RE PUBLIC STREETS AND THEY HAVE ISLANDS IN THE MIDDLE.
>> RIGHT. >> COURAGE: WHEN THEY WERE FIRST DEVELOPED, THEY WERE DEVELOPED PRIVATELY AND THE PRIVATE DEVELOPER THEN TURNED OVER ALL OF THAT TO THE HOMEOWNERS ASSOCIATION TO MAINTAIN THOSE ISLANDS. AND NOW 30 YEARS LATER THE TREES ARE DYING AND, YOU KNOW, THE HOAS DON'T HAVE $15,000 TO REPLACE THE TREES.
>> COUNCILMAN, TO FURTHER CLARIFY AND -- EXCUSE ME IF I DIDN'T UNDERSTAND FULLY -- TREES IN THE RIGHT-OF-WAY -- THOSE ARE MAINTAINED BY THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT.
AT THE END OF THE DAY THERE IS A NEED, WE WORK COLLABORATIVELY -- "WE" BEING PARKS AND PUBLIC WORKS AS NEEDED TO ADDRESS ANY ISSUES IN THE RIGHT-OF-WAY. BUST JUST SO THAT TREES IN THE RIGHT-OF-WAY, PUBLIC RIGHT-OF-WAY, THAT IS MAINTAINED BY THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO
PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT. >> COURAGE: OKAY, I THINK THAT I UNDERSTAND.
YOU HAD TALKED ABOUT PARKS AND HOW WELL TAKEN CARE OF THEY ARE. WHAT ABOUT THE TREE -- TRAIL STEWARDS? HOW MANY DO YOU HAVE? WHERE ARE THEY? AND ARE THEY PART OF THOSE, UH, LARGE NUMBER, LIKE 28,000 VOLUNTEER HOURS?
THINGS LIKE THAT, IN YOUR REPORT? >> YEAH -- NO, SIR.
THEY ARE, UM, PART OF OUR TEAM. THEY ARE PAID TEAM MEMBERS. WE HAVE APPROXIMATELY 50.
THEY ARE DEPLOYED ACROSS OUR ENTIRE GREENWAY TRAIL SYSTEM. AND PART OF WHAT THEY DO IS TO PROVIDE ASSISTANCE TO ANYONE WHO IS ON THE TRAIL THAT MAY NEED IT.
WE STAND UP AND ENERGIZE THE STATIONS AND WHEN IT'S REALLY, REALLY H.O HOT, AND THEY CAN STP
[01:50:05]
AND THEY'RE PART OF OUR TEAM. >> COURAGE: I THOUGHT YOU THAT HAD IT IN THE TRAIL STEWARDS --
IS THAT NOT CORRECT -- >> YES, SIR. SO OUR VOLUNTEER PROGRAM, SEPARATE FROM OUR TRAIL STEWARDS WE DO HAVE VOLUNTEER TRAIL VOLUNTEERS -- TRAIL WATCH VOLUNTEERS BASICALLY. SO THEY'RE AN EXTENSION OF WHAT WE DO -- WE PROVIDE TRAINING AND WE COORDINATE SO THAT WE'RE NOT ALL ON TOP OF EACH OTHER AND TRYING TO EXTEND OUR REACH.
SO THERE'S A VOLUNTEER COMPONENT BUT OFFICIALLY THOSE ARE VOLUNTEERS, OUR TRAIL STEWARDS
EVER PAID TEAM MEMBERS. >> COURAGE: OKAY, ALL RIGHT. OKAY, I'M GOING TO GO TO
SUSTAINABILITY. THANK YOU. >> YES, SIR.
>> COURAGE: I KNOW THAT WE'VE DONE A LOT OF TALK ABOUT SUSTAISUSTAINABILITY TODAY.
YOU KNOW, THE CITY SUSTAINABILITY. AND LOOKING AT ENERGY MANAGEMENT AND EMISSIONS REDUCTIONS AND THINGS OF THAT NATURE. BUT ALSO I THINK THAT IN THE PAST WE'VE TALKED ABOUT COMMERCIAL BUILDINGS. AND THEIR EMISSIONS.
AND THEIR ENERGY MANAGEMENT. AND THEIR SUSTAINABILITY. AND I THOUGHT A COUPLE OF YEARS AGO THAT WE WERE TRYING TO DEVELOP A PROGRAM TO HAVE BUILDINGS TO BECOME MORE INVOLVED, COMMERCIAL AND PRIVATE ENTERPRISES. WHAT IS THE STATUS HALF?
>> I WILL MENTION TWO PROGRAMS AND SOLID WORKS HAS A REWORKED PROGRAM THAT HAS BEEN ADJUSTED OVER THE PAST YEAR OR TWO WHERE WE'RE INCORPORATING MORE SUSTAINABILITY.
AND WE'RE INCORPORATING ENERGY EFFICIENCY INTO THAT SCORING MECHANISM.
AND BASICALLY THAT ALLOWS, UM, THE BUSINESSES TO VOLUNTARILY TO OPT INTO THIS PROGRAM AND WE AS
TECH ADVISORS GO OUT AND WE PROVIDE SOME SUPPORT. >> COURAGE: HOW IS IT UNDER SOLID WASTE MANAGEMENT AND THEY PICK UP TRASH AND THEY DON'T -- [INDISCERNIBLE]
>> IT STARTED AS A CERTIFICATION PROGRAM FOR, UM, FOR RECYCLING ORGANICS AND WE REALIZED THAT IT COULD BE A BROADER REACH TO SORT OF MORE GENERAL SUSTAINABILITY. SO THAT'S ONE PROGRAM.
AND THE OTHER PROGRAM THAT WE'RE WORKING ON RIGHT NOW IN ITS INFANCY, AND IT IS A RESULT OF THE GREENHOUSE GAS REDUCTION FUND. WE'RE PART OF A NATIONAL COHORT THAT IS WORKING WITH, UM, WITH A GROUP OF, UM, ENERGY EFFICIENCY SERVICE PROVIDERS.
AND IT WILL BE A VOLUNTARY PROGRAM WHERE WE CAN BASICALLY FIND, UM, LOCAL BUSINESSES THAT WOULD LIKE TO IMPROVE THEIR BUILDINGS. THEY'LL BE CONNECTED WITH AN ENERGY SERVICE PROVIDER AT NO COST TO DO AN INVENTORY AND ASSESSMENT OF THEIR BUILDINGS.
AND THEN THE KEY TO THIS IS WE'LL BE WORKING WITH, UM, WITH LOCAL LENDERS, UM,, WHO CAN POTENTIALLY PROVIDE FINANCING FOR THESE ENERGY EFFICIENCY IMPROVEMENTS.
SO THE GOAL IS TO SHOW, YES THERE, IS A VOLUNTARY APPROACH TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF YOUR BUILDING'S DATA AND LOCAL FINANCING AND THEN SAVE MONEY. SO THAT'S IN THE WORKS RIGHT
NOW. >> COURAGE: OKAY, IT'S BEEN A COUPLE OF YEARS IN THE WORKS THOUGH, HASN'T IT? BECAUSE I REMEMBER THAT WE TALKED ABOUT IT AT LEAST TWO OR
THREE YEARS AGO. >> ORIGINALLY WE WERE TALKING ABOUT A BENCHMARKING
COORDINATES. >> COURAGE: YEAH, YEAH. >> WHAT WHERE WE SHIFTED TO WAS A VOLUNTARY APPROACH AND I THINK THAT THE GREENHOUSE GAS REDUCTION FUND HAS BILLIONS OF DOLLARS AVAILABLE. SO THAT WAS THE IMPETUS FOR THIT WE'RE A PART OF.
>> COURAGE: WELL, I KNOW THAT THE CITY HAS SPENT -- I WANT TO ASK HOW MANY MILLIONS TO DEVELOP OUR OWN SUSTAINABILITY CAPABILITIES. HOW MUCH MONEY HAS THE BUSINESS COMMUNITY HAD TO SPEND ON ANY OF THE 80 OR SO ORIGINAL TARGETS FROM OUR ORIGINAL SUSTAINABILITY
PLAN? >> NOTHING WAS MANDATED FOR ANYBODY TO, UM, TO DO ANYTHING.
>> COURAGE: WELL, HOW MANY BUSINESSES HAVE VOLUNTARILY SPENT MONEY ANY OF THAT AS FAR
AS YOU KNOW? >> UM, I -- I KNOW THAT MAJOR INSTITUTIONS AND MAJOR COMPANIES ALREADY ARE DOING THIS WORK. WHAT WE DID FIND OUT THROUGH THE GRANT PROGRAM IS THAT THERE'S A LOT OF NEED FOR THE SMALL BUSINESSES WHERE THEY WANT TO DO THE WORK.
BUT THEY COULD USE A BIT OF AN INCENTIVE. >> COURAGE: OKAY.
I MAY HAVE SOME MORE QUESTIONS. THANK YOU, MAYOR. >> MAYOR NIRENBERG: THANK YOU,
COUNCILMEMBER COURAGE. COUNCILMEMBER PELAEZ. >> PELAEZ: THANKS, DOUG.
JUST TWO QUESTIONS ON THE MUNICIPAL SOLAR PANEL. BY THE TIME THAT WE'RE DONE, HOW MANY SQUARE FEET OR HOW MANY ACRES OF PANELS WILL WE HAVE INSTALLED?
>> OH, IT'S 42 INSTALL CAUTIONS, INSTALLATIONS --DO WE HAVE ANY ? WE CAN GET YOU THE SPECIFIC
NUMBER BUT IT'S 13 MEGAWATTS TOTAL. >> PELAEZ: SO, YEAH, I THINK THAT THE PUBLIC DOESN'T UNDERSTAND -- I DON'T EVEN UNDERSTAND LIKE MEGA WATTS AND
IT'S HARD FOR ME TO UNDERSTAND. >> I'LL GET YOU THE NUMBER OF PANELS AND COVERAGE --
>> PELAEZ: CAN YOU DO THAT FOR ME? >> YES, SIR.
>> PELAEZ: THANK YOU. WHAT IS THE ORIGIN OF THE PANELS?
[01:55:01]
ARE THOSE SOLAR -- [INDISCERNIBLE] >> I DON'T THINK THAT THEY WERE ABLE TO GET EMISSIONS BUT LET'S CONFIRM WITH BIG SUN WHERE THEY'RE SOURCING THEM RIGHT NOW.
>> PELAEZ: BECAUSE -- >> I THINK -- >> MAYOR NIRENBERG: THE ASKED THE QUESTION LAST WEEK AND THEY DON'T HAVE THEIR COMMERCIAL LINE OPEN YET BUT IN THEIR FUTURE
PHASE WHEN THEY DO THEY'LL BE SOURCING FROM MISSION. >> THAT WAS THEIR GOAL WAS
LOCAL. >> PELAEZ: OKAY, GREAT. THANK YOU.
GOOD PRESENTATION. HOMER, I SAW LANDSCAPING -- IS THAT VEGETATION MANAGEMENT OR IS
THAT JUST LANDSCAPING? >> THE FORMER. LANDSCAPING.
VEGETATION MANAGEMENT. >> PELAEZ: OKAY. SO HOW MANY PEOPLE DO WE HAVE
DOING THAT? >> THAT IS OUR HORTICULTURE TEAM AND WE NEED TO GET YOU A COUNT.
>> PELAEZ: YEAH, AND THAT WAS GOING TO BE MY FOLLOW-UP, IF I GECGET A BREAKDOWN OF ALL OF YOR POSITIONS AND HOW MANY HORTICULTURE TEAM AND HOW MANY, I DON'T KNOW -- THE PARK -- AND ALL OF THAT STUFF, INCLUDING ADMINISTRATIVE. I JUST WANT TO KIND OF
UNDERSTAND, DID I SEE CORRECTLY 589 EMPLOYEES? >> CORRECT.
ACROSS OUR ENTIRE PORTFOLIO, PARK SIDE AND REC SIDE. >> PELAEZ: THAT MAKES SENSE WE HAVE A LOT AND A LOT OF PARKS AND HAVE VOLUNTEER ACTIVITIES AND ACTIVATIONS AND I JUST WANT
TO UNDERSTAND THE BREAKDOWN, WHAT YOUR DEPARTMENT DOES. >> YES, SIR.
>> PELAEZ: SO WHERE ARE WE GETTING THE NEW TREES THAT WE PLANT?
>> SO WE HAVE AN ANNUAL CONTRACT, VENDOR. IS IT -- WHAT IS THE NAME? HORKET HARBOR CARE. IT'S AN ANNUAL CONTRACT. SO I FEEL THAT IT WAS ABOUT A YEAR AGO OR SO AND WE DID BRING THAT ON-CALL SERVICE CONTRACT TO COUNCIL.
>> PELAEZ: RIGHT. >> AND THAT INCLUDES THE TREE, AND SO THAT IS FROM A LOCAL
VENDOR. >> PELAEZ: IS THAT A LOCAL FIRM? ARE THERE LOCAL COMPETITORS IF
ARE THAT? >> I DON'T REMEMBER HOW THEY RESPONDED TO THE SOLICITATION.
I BELIEVE THAT THERE WAS MORE THAN ONE -- BUT ULTIMATELY THEY WERE SELECTED.
>> PELAEZ: OKAY. DO WE GROW OUR OWN TREES IN HOUSE?
>> NO. >> PELAEZ: NO? OKAY, ALL RIGHT.
AND I SAW THE VOLUNTEER HOURS AND THE YOUTH PROGRAM -- I'M SORRY, THE VOLL VOLUNTEERS AND E NUMBER OF YOUTH CAN WE GET A DEMOGRAPHIC BREAKDOWN OF ALL OF THE PARTICIPANTS, I WOULD LIKE
TO KNOW WHO THEY ARE AND ALSO BY DISTRICT, RIGHT? >> YES, SIR, WE CAN DO THAT.
>> PELAEZ: LIKE DISTRICT 8 IS NOT PUMPING OUT ENOUGH VOLUNTEERS THERE'S SOMETHING THAT WE COULD DO, RIGHT. AND CALL FOR MORE VOLUNTEERS. AND THAT -- THAT IS WHAT I'M LOOKING FOR. OKAY, THANKS. AND, LASTLY, I NOTICED THAT $200,000 FOR THE ARBORETUM, RIGHT -- NO OBJECTION. I GOT TO TOUR IT.
BUT THE ONE THING THAT -- I DON'T THINK THAT WE'VE GOTTEN IS A PRESENTATION ON THE ARBORETUM,
RIGHT? HAVE WE? >> I -- I HAVE NOT MADE A
PRESENTATION TO COUNCIL ON THE ARBORETUM, NO. >> PELAEZ: SO, I MEAN, IT'S A PRETTY BIG CHUNK OF MONEY WITH NO PRESENTATION AND I THINK THAT IT IS FAIR TO ASK THAT AT SOME
POINT THEY COME AND TELL US WHAT THE PLAN IS, RIGHT? >> YES, SIR.
>> PELAEZ: SO IF WE COULD GET SOME IDEA WHEN THAT WILL BE COMING TO US, UM, I DON'T EXPECT TO HAPPEN BEFORE WE'VE ACTUALLY VOTE ON THE -- ON THE BUDGET, RIGHT, BECAUSE IT WILL PROBABLY TAKE TIME TO FIT THAT INTO THE AGENDA. BUT AT SOME POINT, RIGHT, SOMETHING THIS IMPORTANT SHOULD BE PRESENTED TO THE CITY COUNCIL.
>> SURE, COUNCILMAN, WE CAN ADD IT TO A BRIEFING AND I THINK IT'S GONE TO THE COMMITTEE BEFORE BUT WE'LL GET ON A B SESSION OR A SPECIAL BRIEFING OF THE COUNCIL AS WE CAN PLAN.
>> PELAEZ: OKAY, THANK YOU. THOSE ARE MY QUESTIONS AND THANKS, MAYOR.
>> MAYOR NIRENBERG: THANK YOU COUNCILMEMBER PELAEZ AND COUNCILMEMBER VIAGRAN.
>> VIAGRAN: THANK YOU, MAYOR. AND I'M REALLY EXCITED ABOUT TODAY, UM, LIKE MY COUNCIL COLLEAGUES -- HOMER, YOU KNOW HOW WE'VE WORKED TOGETHER ABOUT THE SOUTHSIDE AND WHAT WE HAVE THERE TO KIND OF WORK WITH. AND GROWING UP ON THE SOUTHSIDE YOU KNOW ALL OF THE NEEDS THERE AND SO I'M REALLY PLEASED WITH A LOT OF WHAT WE HAVE HEARD. AND COUNCILMAN CASTILLO ASK AID LOT OF MY QUESTIONS. AND ONE THING IS THE LIGHTING AT THE FIELDS THAT WE HAVE CONTRACTS WITH. I THINK WE NEED TO MAKE THE LIGHTING APPROPRIATE IF WE ARE GOING TO GET MORE TEAMS OR LEAGUES TO COME IN AND, UM, WANT TO RENT OUT THAT SPACE.
WE NEED TO LOOK AT LIGHTING AND GET THE APPROPRIATE LIGHTING -- BECAUSE TO ASK TO RENT IT OUT AS IS, THEY'RE NOT GOING TO WANT TO INVEST THERE ON THE SOUTHSIDE AND THEN THEY MAY GO LOOKING NORTH TO A FIELD TO PLAY SOCCER IN OR SLIEBLGHT. SOMETHING LIKE THAT.SO I REALLYN THE LIGHTING. I KNOW THAT TURF MAKES IT -- TURF DOES MAKE IT, AH, HOTTER.
[02:00:03]
BUT I KNOW THAT IN TERMS OF HOW SOME PEOPLE COMPETE, THEY KIND OF WANT THAT TURF ASPECT.SO I WOULD BE INTERESTED IN LOOKING AT WHAT MY COUNCIL COLLEAGUE FROM DISTRICT IS MENTIONED ABOUT HOW MUCH GETTING TURF IN IN SOME AREAS WOULD BE -- SO IF WE COULD DO THAT.
>> IF I CAN MAKE A QUICK -- AND THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO REDIRECT.
WE, UM -- WE CAN LOOK INTO THAT. SO THE SPORTS COMPLEX RECENTLY REOPENED AND THAT IS A TURF -- OR ARTIFICIAL TURF FIELD THAT WE NOW MANAGE AND OPERATE. SO WE WILL MONITOR THAT AND GET SOME FEEDBACK ON THAT AND I KNOW THAT I TALKED ABOUT SOME OF THE HEAT.
SO WE HAVE SOME THINGS THAT WE CAN LOOK INTO, TO INFORM THE DISCUSSION.
THANK YOU. >> VIAGRAN: THANK YOU. AND THEN EDWARDS AQUIFER PROTECTION PROGRAM. IF WE COULD PROBABLY -- AND I'M GOING TO ASK MY CHAIR ON CHECK, IF WE COULD KIND OF GET AN UPDATE IN TERMS OF WHERE THE STAKEHOLDERS ARE, IN TERMS WE'RE ALL ON THE SAME GOALS ON HOW TO PROTECT THE AQUIFER. AS I DRIVE UP IN THE HILL COUNTRY OCCASIONALLY I SEE A LOT OF GROWTH AND DEVELOPMENT, AND I'M REALLY CONCERNED HOW THAT IS GOING TO IMPACT THE AQUIFER AND WHAT SORT OF IMPACT THAT WILL BE ON THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO.
SO IF WE COULD GET AN UPDATE ON THAT. >> ABSOLUTELY.
AND, YOU KNOW, IF THE OPPORTUNITY PRESENTS ITSELF WE'LL WORK WITH THE CHAIR, MR. MCCREARY AND THERE'S AN ANNUAL PRESENT THAT THE CONSERVATION ADVISORY BOARD HAS
PRODUCED AND THAT WOULD BE AN OPPORTUNITY FOR A GOOD BRIEFING. >> VIAGRAN: YEAH, AND I APPRECIATE WHAT THEY PUT ON PAPER, BUT IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT TO SEE S SOMEBODY STAND UP AND O TELL US FACE-TO-FACE OR FACE-TO-COMMITTEE. AND THE 2025 INITIATIVES -- I'M VERY EXCITED ABOUT THE SENIOR SWIM PILOT PROGRAM. I WAS AT THE KINGS BOROUGH POOL OPENING AND THAT WAS ONE OF MY RESIDENT'S REQUESTS, SO I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO SEEING MY SENIORS IN THERE. AND I THINK THAT AS WE MOVE FORWARD, THERE MIGHT NEED -- AND MAYBE WE GET A BRIEFING -- IF THERE IS SOME WAY THAT WE COULD LOOK AT THE AMENITIES IN SOME OF OUR PARKS. I DON'T WANT TO DO, LIKE, A, B, C, F PARK, I DON'T WANT TO DO.
THAT BUT I DO WANT TO SEE WHERE THE AMENITIES ARE AND THEN TO KIND OF IDENTIFY THE COMMUNITY MEMBERS THAT ARE HELPING IN THAT SWEAT EQUITY KIND OF PORTION FOR SOME OF THE PARKS.
I KNOW THAT OVER IN JUPE, YOU KNOW, WE'RE LOOKING FOR THE SHADE STRUCTURE AND OTHER -- OTHER AMENITIES AND THEN -- BUT REALLY KIND OF LOOKING AT THE COMMUNITY MEMBERS, ESPECIALLY ALONG THAT STREET THAT CAN TELL ME WHO USES IT, WHEN, AND UM, THEY'RE KIND OF LIKE CITIZENS ON PATROL AND MAKING SURE THAT EVERYTHING STAYS SAFE AND THEY LET US KNOW WHEN THE LIGHT GOES OUT IF THERE'S AN ISSUE. SO I WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE DO THAT.
AND THEN I DIDN'T SEE -- BUT I KNOW THAT YOU WORK ON THAT -- OUR GOLF COURSES.
IF WE COULD -- IF I COULD JUST -- BEFORE BUDGET GETS A PRESENTATION ON HOW THAT IS PROGRESSING ALONG, I KNOW THAT RIVERSIDE IS COMPLETED. AND THEN MISSION DE LAGO AND THEN THE OTHERS IN THE DOWNTOWN AREA TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE GETTING EVERYTHING DONE THERE.
I FEEL LIKE THERE'S AN OPPORTUNITY TO KIND OF BRAG ON THAT, BUT I KNOW THAT YOU HAVE LIMITED TIME. AND SO IF YOU COULD AND IF I COULD JUST HAVE THAT BEFORE THE, UM, BEFORE -- BEFORE BUDGET NEXT WEEK. JUST SOME OF THE HIGHLIGHTS IN
THERE. >> YES, MA'AM. >> VIAGRAN: THANK YOU.
AND I HAVE FIVE MINUTES FOR DOUG AND SUSTAINABILITY. I DON'T KNOW -- I JUST -- THE ECOTRENDS, THANK YOU SO MUCH WITH ALL OF THE GRANTS AND WHAT WE HAVE BEEN DOING AND HOW WE HAVE BEEN WORKING TO KIND OF LEAD ON THIS ISSUE. I THINK THAT IT IS AN INCREDIBLE JOB. I THINK THAT THE ONE THING THAT WE SAW IS, UM, THERE ARE SO MANY PIECES TO THIS, OTHER THAN DO WE HAVE, UH, LEAD DESIGNATED BUILDINGS.
THERE IS THAT COMMUNITY, SUSTAINABILITY, AND THAT MUNICIPAL SUSTAINABILITY.
AND AS WE LOOK TOWARDS THAT, AND WE -- WE COMMUNICATE THAT, I THINK THAT OUR COMMUNITY IS GOING TO BECOME A LOT MORE EDUCATED IN BATTERY STORAGE, AND IN -- IN, UM, IN WATER CONSERVATION, WHICH I THINK WE ALREADY DO REALLY WELL. BUT ENERGY CONSERVATION.
SO I JUST WANT TO -- TO JUST KIND OF BRAG ON THE GOOD WORK THAT WE'VE DONE.
THE GRANTS THAT WE'VE GOTTEN. AND THE OPPORTUNITIES TO GET MORE GRANTS.
AS I HAVE MENTIONED BEFORE, DOUG AND I ACTUALLY DID -- WE -- WAS IT LAST YEAR OR OVER THE LAST TWO YEARS -- WE DID THE HEAT ISLAND TALK. AND THEN WE DID THE
[02:05:02]
SUSTAINABILITY SYMPOSIUM OVER AT TEXAS A&M AND FROM THAT THE WEALTH OF KNOWLEDGE AND INPUT FROM OTHERS WAS JUST INCREDIBLE. SOME OF IT DIDN'T EVEN HAVE TO DO WITH DOUG'S OFFICE.IT WAS LIKE, OH, ARE YOU EMPLOYING ENOUGH PEOPLE WHO ARE HEARING IMPAIRED.
AND THEN THAT'S WHEN THE WHOLE IDEA OF, LIKE, ARE WE LOOKING AT OUR SOIL AND SOIL EROSION IN THE COMMUNITY AND ARE WE TAKING THAT INTO CONSIDERATION WITH THE DROUGHTS.
SO I'M JUST REALLY EXCITED. THE ONE THING THAT I DID WANT TO, UM, KIND OF BRING UP IS THE -- THE CLIMATE DASHBOARD THAT WE'RE DOING, UM, HOW OFTEN IS THAT CHANGED? YOU MENTION THAT THE SCIENCE IS CHANGING. DO WE CHANGE THAT WITH WHAT IS CHANGING IN TRENDS THAT ARE CHANGING WITHIN, UM, THE DIFFERENT ASPECTS?
>> YES, SO THE DASHBOARD FOR EVERYBODY'S INFORMATION IS S ASUSTAIN.COM AND IT'S A CLEARINGHOUSE FOR ALL THINGS SUSTAINABLE IN OUR DEPARTMENT. AND IT'S UPDATED AS WE UPDATE THE NEW PROGRAMS AND IT'S A PLACE FOR THEM. BUT ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE'RE DOING WITH THIS UPDATE.
YOU HAD MENTIONED THE CLIMATE SCIENCE HAS CHANGED AND LATE LAST YEAR, AND THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT RELEASED A NEW CLIMATE ASSESSMENT THAT HAS NEW INFORMATION AS WE HAVE UPDATED CLIMATE, UM, PROJECTIONS. AND, UM, TARGET REDUCTIONS WE'LL BE UPDATING THAT INFORMATION AS WELL. SO, ABSOLUTELY, WE NEED TO KEEP THAT SITE AS FRESH AS POSSIBLE.
>> VIAGRAN: THANK YOU, AND WITH THE SHADE STRUCTURES, V.I.A. PUT ONE UP IN FRONT OF ONE OF MY VFWS AND IT WASN'T LIKE THIS ONE WHERE IT ALL OF THE PANELS, AND IT ALLOWED FOR MORE OF A BREEZE TO COME THROUGH. SO I HEAR YOU WHEN YOU ARE SAYING AS WE LOOK INTO IT, WHAT DO WE NEED, BECAUSE I WOULD MUCH RATHER ALONG SOME OF THE ROADS TO HAVE THE SHADE STRUCTURES THAT WE NEED THAN JUST SOMETHING THAT IS GOING TO BLOCK THE BREEZE OR SOMETHING THAT IS NOT GOING TO GIVE THE -- IF WE NEED MISTERS AND NOT GOING TO GIVE MISTERS BASED ON WHEN THE HIGH TRAFFIC OF THAT HAPPENS. BECAUSE I THAN SOME OF THEM IT'S JUST A CONSTANT, UM -- IT'S CONSTANT TRAFFIC, AND SO THEY'RE JUST GETTING ALL OF THAT EXHAUST, AND WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THEY HAVE THE SHADE STRUCTURE THAT THEY NEED. SO I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO THAT.
AND THEN THE SOLAR PROJECT. THE SOUTHSIDE LIONS SENIORS' CENTER, SUPER EXCITED ABOUT THAT. AND SEE HOW THE PROJECTS IS COMING IN THE FUTURE.
REALLY, YOU KNOW, UM, MISSION SOLAR IS ON, SO AS SOON AS THEY'RE READY -- BUT I KNOW THAT LIKE THE MAYOR SAID THEY'RE NOT QUITE COMMERCIAL READY, BUT AS SOON AS THEY ARE, I HOPE -- I KNOW THEY WANT TO BE A PART OF IT. AND THEN JUST MAKE SURE THAT OUR ADVISORY COMMITTEE IS -- IS UNDERSTANDING NOT JUST THE PRIORITIES OF THE COUNCIL, BUT THE OPPORTUNITIES FOR GRANTS THAT ARE OUT THERE. BECAUSE I THINK THAT IS -- BETWEEN YOU AND METRO HEALTH I THINK THAT YOU GUYS COULD PROBABLY BRING IN THE MOST GRANTS FOR OUR PROJECTS HERE IN THE CITY. SO THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR
WORK. THANK YOU, MAYOR. >> MAYOR NIRENBERG: THANK YOU
COUNCILMEMBER VIAGRAN. AND COUNCILMEMBER KAUR. >> KAUR: : I HAVE ANOTHER QUICK QUESTION. WE HAD CONSTITUENTS REACH OUT TO US AND ASK WE DID A FEASIBILITY STUDY FOR A COMPLETE OVERHAUL FOR OUR POOL SYSTEM. WE COULD USE OUR POOLS YEAR-ROUND AS A COMMUNITY ASSET AND WHAT IT WOULD LOOK LIKE TO -- TO HAVE THEM OPEN YEAR-ROUND AND INCLUDE LAP SWIM, CONCESSIONS, LIKE, WHAT PEOPLE USUALLY GET AT A PRIVATE PLACE.
BUT FOR PUBLIC, FOR THE COMMUNITY? >> SO IF I'M UNDERSTANDING YOU CORRECTLY, WHEN YOU SAY OVERHAUL THE SYSTEM WE'RE TALKING ABOUT ITS DESIGN, AND FROM AN OPERATION PERSPECTIVES TO EXTEND AT A COMPLETE OVERHAUL. THERE'S A COUPLE OF THINGS -- TWO YEARS AGO I BELIEVE THAT IT WAS -- WE DID RECEIVE ADDITIONAL FUNDING AND IT WAS SOMETHING THAT COUNCIL ADVOCATED FOR AND IT EXTENDED OUR SWIM DAY WITHIN THE SUMMER SWIM SEASON.
OUTSIDE OF THAT, ONE OF THE BIGGEST CHALLENGES THAT WE EXPERIENCED AND WE ENCOUNTER THAT EVEN WITH OUR EXTENDED POOL SEASON IS THE DEMOGRAPHIC FOR OUR LIFEGUARDS, PRIMARILY, ARE IN HIGH SCHOOL. SO EVEN WHEN WE TRY TO SAY, HEY, WE'RE GOING TO HAVE EXTENDED POOL SEASON AND POOL IS OPEN, THAT IS A CONSTANT STRUGGLE. AND WE HAVE NOT SOLVED THAT ISSUE. BUT WE HAVE EXTENDED OUR POOL OPERATING DAY AS OF TWO YEARS
AGO. >> KAUR: THANK YOU. THANK YOU.
>> MAYOR NIRENBERG: THANK YOU COUNCILMEMBER KAUR. COUNCILMEMBER WHYTE.
ALL RIGHT, COUNCILMEMBER PELAEZ. >> PELAEZ: THANKS. I HAVE BEEN MEANING TO ASK YOU THIS FOR YEARS, HOMER, AND IF I DON'T ASK NOW I'LL JUST FORGET. THE TRAP AND SKEET CLUB OVER BY
[02:10:06]
281, IS THAT A CITY OF SAN ANTONIO PROPERTY? >> IT IS PART OF THE BASIN PARK.
>> PELAEZ: SO IT'S OURS, RIGHT? >> YES. >> PELAEZ: BUT WE DO NOT OPERATE
IT? >> WE DO NOT. >> PELAEZ: IS THAT A LEASE?
>> THAT IS A LEASE AGREEMENT AND A MANAGEMENT AGREEMENT AND BEEN THERE FOR A VERY LONG TIME.
>> PELAEZ: THE ASSETS ARE THEIR? >> I WOULD NEED TO GO TO LOOK AT IT TO VALIDATE THAT.
TYPICALLY NOW IMPROVEMENTS THAT ARE MADE ON CITY LAND BELONG TO THE CITY.
AND THAT IS A LEGACY AGREEMENT. SO I WOULD NEED TO GO BACK TO SPECIFICALLY TO CONFIRM IF
THAT'S THE CASE. >> PELAEZ: IT'S THE OLDEST TRAP AND SKEET CLUB IN THE NATION.
DID YOU KNOW THAT? AND THOSE -- THE BUILDING, AND THE TOWERS AND ALL OF THAT -- THEY'RE HISTORIC STRUCTURES. AND THEY'RE BEING HELD TOGETHER WITH, LIKE, BAILING WIRE AND TWINE. AND YOU GOT THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE GOING THERE EVERY YEAR.
I WAS LOOKING INTO IT, YOU KNOW, AND UIW HAS A TEAM AND TRINITY HAS A TEAM, AND THEN THEY HAVE -- YOU KNOW, YOU GO THERE ANY DAY AND THEY'RE PACKED FULL OF SENIORS MOSTLY, RIGHT, AND
OUT THERE PRACTICING THE SPORT. >> RIGHT. >> PELAEZ: AND I'M WONDERING WHETHER OR NOT IT'S TIME TO JUST VISIT IT AND TO SEE WHETHER OR NOT, UM, THAT THEY'RE LIVING UP TO THAT LEASE AND IF THEY NEED SOME ASSISTANCE IN MAINTAINING THOSE STRUCTURES, BECAUSE THOSE
ARE IMPORTANT. >> SO, YEAH, WE ACTUALLY -- UM, WE HAD RECENT DISCUSSION WITH
THEM. >> PELAEZ: OKAY. >> THEY HAVE NO INTENTION OF GOING ANYWHERE AND I KNOW THAT THEY'RE LOOKING AT TRYING TO MAKE SOME INVESTMENTS THERE.
>> PELAEZ: YEAH. >> SO THAT'S WHERE WE ARE AT. OBVIOUSLY, IT'S NOT PART OF A BUDGET RECOMMENDATION TO MAKE ANY IMPROVEMENTS THERE, BUT WE'RE TALKING.
>> PELAEZ: YEAH. AND SO BEFORE BEFORE IT REACHES A POINT WHERE, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE TO REACT, YOU KNOW, TO THE BUILDINGS AND THE STRUCTURES DEGRADING MAYBE IT'S WORTH A CONVERSATION, HOMER, FOR US TO SEE IF THERE NEEDS TO BE SOME UPKEEP AND REHAB, RIGHT?
>> OKAY. >> PELAEZ: BECAUSE I'M NOT KIDDING, I THINK THAT IT IS REALLY IMPORTANT THAT PEOPLE KNOW THAT WE HAVE THE OLDEST GUN CLUB IN THE UNITED STATES AT THIS LOCATION. AND IT'S NOT PISTOLS, RIGHT, IT IS THE OVER/UNDER TRAP AND SKEET CLUB, RIGHT? SO, ANYWAYS, THANK YOU FOR THAT. I APPRECIATE IT.
>> YES, SIR. >> MAYOR NIRENBERG: THANK YOU COUNCILMEMBER PELAEZ.
COUNCILMEMBER COURAGE. >> COURAGE: THANK YOU, MAYOR. I WANT TO GO BACK AGAIN TO A SUSTAINABILITY A LITTLE BIT. WHEN WE DID THE ORIGINAL RESEARCH TO PUT TOGETHER THE PLAN, UM, WHAT WERE SOME OF THE MAJOR COMPONENTS LEADING TO, YOU KNOW, TO POLLUTION OR EMISSIONS
THAT WERE TARGETS OF THE PLAN? >> IN TERMS OF THE BEST PRACTICE RESEARCH? I MEAN, WHEN WE TALK ABOUT CLIMATE ACTION, IT IS PRETTY STRAIGHTFORWARD.
I THINK THAT THE FIRST THING THAT WE DO IS WE DO THE INVENTORY AND UNDERSTAND WHERE OUR EMISSIONS ARE COMING FROM AND SO IN SAN ANTONIO, 5 85% ARE FROM POWERS GOING TO OUR BUILDINGS AND THAT'S TRANSPORTATION STRUCTURE. AND THAT'S THE OFF-POINT FOR DETERMINING WHAT ARE STRATEGIES AT OUR DISPOSAL TO MOVE THOSE LEVERS.
>> COURAGE: SO ENERGY GENERATIO- >> AND CONSUMPTION. >> COURAGE: AND AUTOMOBILES ON THE STREETS AND HOW THEY HAVE EMISSIONS. AND INDUSTRY, CERTAIN INDUSTRIES
HAVE MORE EMISSIONS THAN OTHERS, YEAH. >> ABSOLUTELY.
BUT WHAT IS INTERESTING IS WHEN YOU START LOOKING AT THE OVERALL EMISSION BREAKDOWN, INDUSTRY IS
SMALL. >> COURAGE: OKAY. >> COMPARED TO THE OTHER WEDGES.
>> COURAGE: BUT WE DID TALK ABOUT BUILDINGS? >> YES, SIR.
>> COURAGE: WAS THERE A PERCENTAGE OF EMISSIONS THAT COME GENERALLY FROM AVERAGE BUILDINGS IN THE CITY OUR SIZE THAT WE HAD LOOKED AT AS TRYING TO -- YOU KNOW, TO HAVE A
POSITIVE WAY OF DEALING WITH THAT? >> IN TERMS OF INDIVIDUAL
BUILDINGS OR AS A GROUP? >> COURAGE: AS A GROUP. >> SO, YEAH, WHEN WE BROKE DOWN -- THE INVENTORY BREAKS IT DOWN BY COMMERCIAL RESIDENTIAL AND INDUSTRIAL AND BASICALLY, UM, IT REALLY IS THAT COMMERCIAL AND RESIDENTIAL, UM, GROUPS THAT HAVE THE BIGGEST, UM, IMPACT.
THAT'S WHEN WE START TALKING ABOUT -- AND THEN THE EQUITY COMPONENT COMES IN TOO.
AND THE WEATHERIZATION DOLLARS. THE ONE THING THAT SAN ANTONIO HAS BEEN VERY GOOD AT IS CONTINUALLY TO UPDATE TO THE LATEST INTERNATIONAL ENERGY CONSERVATION CODE.
SO THINGS ARE TRENDING IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION. >> COURAGE: OKAY.
YEAH, I'D LIKE TO SEE US CONTINUE TO EXPLORE HAVING A BETTER PARTNERSHIP, NOT ONLY BY
THE CITY DOING EVERYTHING THAT IT CAN, BUT BY THE COMMUNITY -- >> YES, SIR.
>> COURAGE: OF THE COMMUNITY DOING MORE OF WHAT IT CAN DO. I KNOW THAT THE STATE IS GOING TO START MANDATING AUTOMOBILE EMISSIONS TESTING IN 2026, AND HOPEFULLY THAT WILL HELP TO MITIGATE SOME OF THE EMISSIONS THAT WE GET THROUGH AUTOMOBILES. BUT I THINK THAT, YOU KNOW, WE
[02:15:02]
OUGHT TO HAVE A PARTNERSHIP WITH THE BUSINESS COMMUNITY, LOOKING AT THEMSELVES, AND HOW MUCH THEYCAN HELP US MEET SOME OF THOSE GOALS THAT WE HAVE. >> YES, SIR.
AND I THINK THAT IT'S AN OPPORTUNITY AS WE BEGIN TO LOOK AT THIS PLAN AGAIN, THEY HAVE TO
BE AT THE TABLE AS WE DO THIS. >> COURAGE: ANOTHER ISSUE THAT I WANTED TO ASK YOU ABOUT IS, WHAT INPUT DID YOU OR YOUR STAFF HAVE ON THE PROPOSED REDUCTIONS IN THE RESP PROGRAM?
>> THAT'S PART OF OUR MEETINGS WITH THE CITY MANAGER AND WE BASICALLY DISCUSSED WHAT THE
OPTIONS AND ARE WHAT THE PLAN FORWARD WAS. >> HE DIDN'T HAVE ANY DIRECT ENVELOPEMENT WITH THAT. THAT WAS A RECOMMENDATION FROM MY OFFICE.
>> COURAGE: SO -- SO THERE WASN'T AN UNDERSTANDING OF HOW IT MIGHT EFFECT, FOR EXAMPLE -- WE WERE LOOKING AT THE HEAT ISLAND MITIGATION AND SO, YOU KNOW, DID HE TELL YOU WHAT HE THOUGHT THAT THE CHANGE MIGHT BE TO THEIR ABILITY TO PROVIDE RESULTS FROM THAT?
>> SO SMALL BUSINESSES WERE GETTING ENERGY EFFICIENCY SUPPORT? AND WHAT IS THE IMPACT OF.
>> SO I DIDN'T ASK DOUG THOSE. THOSE ARE PROBABLY QUESTIONS FOR ME, NOT DOUG.
SO I'LL TRY TO ANSWER THOSE. YOU KNOW, AS WE PUT TOGETHER THE PROPOSED BUDGET AND LOOKED AT WHAT WE SPENT THAT MONEY ON IN THE LAST COUPLE YEARS, UM, THERE WAS NOT A LOT OF THINGS THAT WE COULD TOUCH. WE ISSUED A LOT OF DOLLARS FOR GRANTS, TO SCHOOLS, TO SMALL BUSINESSES. AND, UM, AND AS DOUG MENTIONED, THE IMPACT STUDY THAT HE'S GOING TO DO IS GOING TO LOOK TO SEE WHAT THE DEBT ACTUALLY AFFECT. AND THIS YEAR'S PROPOSED 2025 BUDGET, IN MY PROFESSIONAL OPINION, IS THE FIRST TIME THAT WE ARE SPENDING MONEY AROUND THINGS THAT WE CAN TOUCH -- THE BUS SHELTERS, THE DEDICATED, UM, ROOF REPLACEMENT ALONG THE URBAN HEAT ISLAND, THE -- ALL OF THE STREET OVERLAY PROJECTS. WE DID PILOT PROJECTS BEFORE.
AND THE RECOMMENDATIONS THAT I GAVE THE COUNCIL ON THE RESP FUND DID NOT IMPACT 2025.
THEY DO IMPACT 2026 AND BEYOND, AND AS FAR AS THE DISCRETIONARY. AND WE DO HAVE FUNDS AVAILABLE FOR ADDITIONAL FEDERAL GRANTS MATCHING, IN CASE WE NEED IT. AND WE ALSO HAVE A FINANCIAL POLICY THAT THE COUNCIL HAS, UM, APPROVED WITH CPS REVENUE THAT IF WE GO OVER THAT 10%, ONE OF THE AVAILABLE USES -- ACTUALLY THE ONLY AVAILABLE USE OF THOSE FUNDS HERE AT THE CITY -- IS TO REPLENISH THAT RESP FUND BEFORE WE SEND ANY ADDITIONAL DOLLARS BACK TO CPS.
BUT, UM, THOSE WERE MY RECOMMENDATIONS TO YOU ALL. IN FAIRNESS TO DOUG, I TALKED TO HIM ABOUT THAT AFTER I HAD DECIDED THAT THAT WAS WHAT I WAS GOING TO RECOMMEND.
>> COURAGE: OKAY. I WAS JUST CURIOUS AS TO WHAT THEIR INPUT WAS.
THANK YOU. >> MAYOR NIRENBERG: THANK YOU, COUNCILMEMBER COURAGE.
ANY FURTHER QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS? I'LL JUST MAKE A FEW COMMENTS, JUST TO CLOSE OUT. I THINK THAT THOSE ARE FAIR QUESTIONS, COUNCILMAN COURAGE.
MY ASK ON THE RESP FUND BECAUSE IT IS IMPACTED IN THE OUT YEARS IS THAT WE SEEK TO USE THOSE DOLLARS FOR PROJECTS THAT WE ARE MORE LIKELY TO LEVERAGE. I KNOW THAT THERE'S A TREMENDOUS AMOUNT OF GRANT MAKING NOW HAPPENING AT THE EPA AND THAT IS AN INNOVATIVE SOURCE OF REVENUE THAT WE CAN COUNT ON TO PLUS UP THOSE PROJECTS, WHATEVER WE DO. SO WHILE THERE'S LIMITED -- LIMITED OPPORTUNITIES FOR FUNDING, MORE LIMITED OPPORTUNITIES FOR FUNDING PROJECTS THROUGH REES IN THE OUT YEARS BECAUSE OF THE CHOICES, FRANKLY, THAT WE HAVE TO MAKE DURING BUDGETING, LET'S SEEK TO LEVER ANNUAL THOSE AS MUCH AS WE CAN -- LEVERAGE THOSE AS MUCH AS WE CAN. AND FOR THE REQUEST FOR PRESENTATION FROM THE ARBORETUM -- FULLY SUPPORT THAT. I WOULD ASK ALSO THAT WE GET OUR PRESENTATION -- I DON'T REMEMBER THE LAST TIME THAT WE GOT A PRESENTATION ON THE AQUIFER PROTECTION PROGRAM.
AS WE START THINKING ABOUT GOING INTO NEXT TERMS, UM, I THINK THAT IT IS DOUBLY IMPORTANT THAT WE MY ASK WHEN WE DO THAT IS, HOMER AND DOUG OR IF IT'S GOING TO BE SOMEONE ELSE SPECIFIC TO THAT PROGRAM, LET'S SHOW THE MAP.
LET'S ALSO SHOW THE EQUIVALENCE IN TERMS OF WATER QUALITY AND PROTECTION. THE LAST UPDATE I KNOW OF WAS THE LNI STUDY THAT WE USED TO PRESENT OFTEN. THE LAST STUDY THAT I SAW DONE WAS 2018.
BUT PEOPLE NEED TO REMEMBER IS NOT JUST ABOUT, YOU KNOW, BEAUTIFYING THE HILL COUNTRY, PROTECTING PIECES OF PROPERTY THAT WE KNOW ARE NATURAL AND, YOU KNOW, CRITICAL ESPECIALLY IN AN URBAN AREA. THIS IS MONEY THAT WE'RE USE TO GO PROTECT THE MAIN SOURCE OF DRINKING WATER FOR THE FUTURE FOR SAN ANTONIO.
[02:20:05]
I JUST CAME FROM A BORED MEETING THIS MORNING AT SAWS, THE GROSS PROTECTIONS FOR SAWS EVEN OUTPACE WHEW WE HAD ORIGINALLY THOUGHT ABOUT FROM THE WATER MANAGEMENT PLAN OF 2017. IN OTHER WORDS, WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO EXPEND A LOT OF MONEY IN THIS COMMUNITY JUST TO ENSURE WE HAVE A LONG-TERM WATER SUPPLY.WE CAN'T AFFORD TO DO THAT AND ALSO NOT TAKE OUR EYE OFF THE BALL IN TERMS OF PROTECTION OF THE EDWARDS AQUIFER. I AM VERY GRATEFUL THAT I THINK WE DID THE RIGHT THING, THE COUNCIL SUPPORTED IT.
THE COMMUNITY EVENTUALLY CAME AROUND TO SUPPORT IT AS WELL, I MEAN THE ENVIRONMENTAL COMMUNITY IN TERMS OF NEW FUNDING FOR THE EDWARDS AQUIFER PROTECTION PROGRAM AND HOW THAT'S GOING TO BE DEBT MANAGED. WE'VE ALWAYS TALKED ABOUT THAT BEING A FLEXIBLE SOURCE OF REVENUE. IF WE SEE MAJOR OPPORTUNITIES TO ACQUIRE MAJOR CONSERVATION EASEMENTS THIS IS A SOURCE OF FUNDING BECAUSE IT'S NOT CASH PAY AS YOU GO, THAT WE CAN USE THAT TO DO CATALYTIC THINGS IF THE OPPORTUNITY PRESENTS ITSELF. MY POINT IS WE HAVE TO CONTINUE TO BRING THAT TO THE PUBLIC. THE CITY HAS HAD HIGH WATER IQ. IT'S GOING TO NEED TO MAINTAIN THAT IN THE YEARS TO COME. I'M AFRAID BECAUSE WE HAVEN'T TALKED ABOUT IT A WHOLE LOT THAT WE RISK LOSING THAT IF WE'RE NOT CAREFUL.
JUST IF WE CAN PRESENT THAT AS SOON AS AND AS OFTEN AS WE CAN BECAUSE ONCE AGAIN IT'S A GLOBAL LEADER AND IT CONTINUES TO BE. THAT'S MY ONLY ASK.
AT 4:32 P.M. ON SEPTEMBER 10, 2024, WE ARE ADJOURNED.
GREAT JOB, EVERYBODY. THANK YOU.
* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.