[00:00:50]
          >> MAYOR NIRENBERG: GOOD AFTERNOON, EVERYONE. WELCOME TO OUR CITY COUNCIL B SESSION. WE'RE STARTING EARLY TODAY BECAUSE WE HAVE A FEW ITEMS TO GET THROUGH AND WE DO HAVE A LENGTHY EXECUTIVE SESSION, SO WE'LL GO AHEAD AND START. MADAME CLERK, CAN YOU READ THE ROLL? IT IS 12:34 P.M. ON JANUARY 15, 2025. 
          >> CLERK: MAYOR, WE HAVE QUORUM. >> MAYOR NIRENBERG: ALL 
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RIGHT. WELCOME, EVERYONE TO OUR CITY COUNCIL B SESSION. 
          AGAIN, WE HAVE TWO PUBLIC ITEMS AND A LENGTHY EXECUTIVE SESSION. 
          ERIK, OVER TO YOU. >> WALSH: GOOD AFTERNOON, MAYOR AND COUNCIL. 
          SO OUR FIRST PRESENTATION IS OUR ANNUAL BRIEFING ON THE STATUS OF THE EDWARDS AQUIFER PROTECTION PROGRAM, WHICH IS NOW ENTERING ITS 25TH YEAR OF ACTIVITY. 
          HOMER AND THE STAFF WILL WALK THROUGH WHERE WE'VE BEEN AND WHERE WE'RE AT RIGHT NOW. TO DATE, THE PROGRAM HAS PROTECTED OVER 187,000 ACRES OF LAND OVER THE MOST SENSITIVE PARTS OF OUR EDWARDS AQUIFER, SO I'LL 
          TURN IT OVER TO HOMER TO KICK US OFF. >> GOOD AFTERNOON, MAYOR AND COUNCIL. HOMER GARCIA, PARKS DIRECTOR. 
          I WANT TO THANK YOU FOR THE INTRODUCTION. ACTUALLY GRANT ELLIS IS OUR NATURAL RESOURCES MANAGER. HE'LL BE DOING THE PRESENTATION . 
          LONG TIME HAS LED THIS PROGRAM. I DO WANT TO BEGIN BY ACKNOWLEDGING SOME GUESTS THAT WE HAVE IN THE AUDIENCE TODAY. 
          THE CHAIR OF THE CONSERVATION ADVISORY BOARD IS DR. FRANCINE ROMERO. 
          SHE HAS JOINED US. SHE REPRESENTS THE PARKS AND RECREATION ADVISORY BOARD, SO BY ORDINANCE THAT BOARD IS ESTABLISHED AND HAS SEVERAL REPRESENTATIVES. 
          SHE'S WITH US TODAY. ALSO WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE SOME OTHER CAB MEMBERS. 
          WE HAVE REPRESENTATIVES FROM SAWS, EDWARDS AQUIFER AUTHORITY. 
          ALSO WANT TO SAY HELLO AND ACKNOWLEDGE BONNIE CONNOR. SHE IS NOT WITH US IN CHAMBERS TODAY. SHE KNOWS THIS PRESENTATION WAS FORTHCOMING AND SHE IS LISTENING. FORMER CONSERVATION ADVISORY BOARD MEMBER, LONGTIME ADVOCATE AND PROPONENT FOR EDWARDS AQUIFER PROTECTION AND GETTING US TO WHERE WE'RE AT WITH THE ALTERNATIVE FUNDING PLAN SINCE IT IS NO LONGER SUPPORTED BY SALES TAX. I WOULD LIKE TO INVITE DR. ROMERO TO COME UP, FOLLOWED BY GRANT ELLIS, WHO WILL WALK US THROUGH THE PRESENTATION. 
          >> 30 SECONDS PROBABLY HERE. HELLO, MAYOR, COUNCIL MEMBERS, AND COUNCILWOMAN CONNOR WHO HAS DONE AMAZING THINGS, NOT JUST RECENTLY, BUT TO GET THIS PROGRAM STARTED IN THE FIRST PLACE. I WANT TO THANK YOU ALL FOR SUPPORTING THIS PROGRAM. 
          THIS IS TRULY AN EXISTENTIAL PROGRAM. TOTALLY OVERUSED WORD BUT IT MAKES SENSE HERE. THIS PROGRAM HAS GOTTEN NATIONAL AND INTERNATIONAL RECOGNITION FOR VERY GOOD REASONS. I JUST WANT TO OFFER MYSELF AS A RESOURCE, IF YOU EVER HAVE QUESTIONS, ONE OF MY FAVORITE TOPICS. 
          ALWAYS HAPPY TO TALK ABOUT THE EDWARDS AQUIFER AND THE PROGRAM IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS. THE ONLY THING STAFF IS NOT GOING TO TELL YOU TODAY IS HOW ABSOLUTELY WELL RUN THIS PROGRAM IS. IT'S A VERY SMALL STAFF. 
          THERE HAS NEVER BEEN ANY ISSUES, ANY CONTROVERSIES. IT'S JUST WONDERFULLY, SEAMLESSLY RUN. AND JUST AS A LITTLE BIT OF BRAGGING, I GUESS. 
          I'M REALLY PROUD OF THIS BECAUSE PEOPLE HELPED ME WITH IT. 
          PLANNING MAGAZINE, THE MAGAZINE OF THE AMERICAN PLANNING ASSOCIATION , WILL BE RUNNING AN ARTICLE ON THIS PROGRAM THAT I WROTE. IT WILL BE LIVE JANUARY 30 AND IT WILL BE IN A PRINT EDITION OF THE MAGAZINE. THE NATION AND THE WORLD IS 
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NOTICING THIS PROGRAM. IT FLIES UNDER THE RADAR BUT I THINK IT'S SOMETHING WE SHOULD JUST BE SO PROUD OF. AGAIN, THANK YOU ALL FOR YOUR SUPPORT ON THIS. 
          >> MAYOR AND COUNCIL, THANK YOU VERY MUCH. MY NAME IS GRANT ELLIS. 
          I'M THE NATURAL RESOURCES MANAGER FOR THE PARKS AND RECREATION DEPARTMENT. 
          THANK YOU FOR THOSE KIND WORDS. IT'S MY PLEASURE AND MY PRIVILEGE TO HAVE BEEN PART OF THIS PROGRAM FOR THE LAST 15 YEARS IN VARIOUS CAPACITIES AND SO THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO PRESENT THIS PROGRAM UPDATE TO YOU TODAY. A LITTLE BIT OF BACKGROUND ON THE PROGRAM ITSELF. 
          THE PROGRAM, AS ERIK MENTIONED, HAS BEEN AROUND BUT IT STARTS LONG BEFORE THAT. BACK IN THE '70S AND 1980S WHEN CONCERNED CITIZENS AND CONSERVATION ADVOCATES AND CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS SUCH AS BONNIE CONNOR AND FORMER MAYOR HOWARD PEAK BEGAN TO DRAW UP SUPPORT AND INTEREST IN AQUIFER PROTECTION . THEY REALIZED IT WAS THE PRIMARY DRINKING WATER SOURCE FOR THE RESIDENTS OF SAN ANTONIO AND THEREFORE VERY IMPORTANT TO THE FUTURE OF SAN ANTONIO. AND IT REALLY LAID THE GROUNDWORK FOR THIS PROGRAM. IT WAS FIRST PASSED BY A VOTER-SUPPORTED SALES TAX INITIATIVE IN 2000. IT WAS APPROVED IN 2005, REAPPROVED IN 2005, 2010, AND 2015 AND THEN IN 2020, THANKS TO THE FORESIGHT OF CITY COUNCIL AND THE MAYOR, WE HAVE IDENTIFIED ANOTHER DEDICATED FUNDING SOURCE CALLED THE SAN ANTONIO MUNICIPAL FACILITIES CORPORATION. THE PROGRAM IS OVERSEEN BY A CITY CITY COUNCIL-APPOINTED ADVISORY BOARD CALLED THE CONSERVATION ADVISORY BOARD. 
          I WANTED TO POINT OUT THIS INFO GRAPHIC TO THE RIGHT BEFORE YOU. 
          THE -- AND IT SHOWS THE BREAKDOWN IN SAWS' WATER PORTFOLIO FOR THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO. 20, 30 YEARS AGO THAT INFO GRAPHIC, THAT PIE CHART LOOKED VERY DIFFERENT AND THE EDWARDS AQUIFER MADE UP ALMOST 100% OF THE WATER FOR THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO. IT'S CHANGED DRAMATICALLY SINCE THEN BUT WHAT IT DOES SHOW AND WHAT'S IMPORTANT, AS THE CITY CONTINUES TO GROW AND WE KNOW WHAT THOSE GROWTH PATTERNS LOOK LIKE, IS THAT THE EDWARDS AQUIFER STILL MAKES UP OVER 50% OF THE DRINKING WATER FOR THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO AND THEREFORE IS EXTREMELY IMPORTANT TO THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO. A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE AQUIFER ITSELF, THE EDWARDS AQUIFER IS A KARST AQUIFER. THERE'S A LIMESTONE ROCK IN FRONT OF YOU RIGHT NOW THAT IS THERE TO HELP YOU UNDERSTAND THE POROSITY OF KARST LIMESTONE. THIS WAS TAKEN FROM THE SURFACE ON PROPERTIES WE HAVE PROTECTED THROUGHOUT THE PROGRAM. WHAT IS UNDERNEATH THE GROUND, WHAT IS BELOW THE SURFACE, IS MUCH MORE POROUS AND LOOKS MORE LIKE A SPONGE THAT YOU MIGHT SEE IN THAT PHOTO. KARST LIMESTONE ALLOWS THE WATER TO RECHARGE VERY QUICKLY. IT'S A VERY UNIQUE AQUIFER SYSTEM. WE ARE GEOGRAPHICALLY BLESSED BY THIS AQUIFER SYSTEM. THERE IS ANOTHER AQUIFER SYSTEM CALLED THE CARRIZO WILCOX AQUIFER WHICH IS A SAND AQUIFER. IT RECHARGES MUCH SLOWER AND DOES NOT HAVE THE SAME QUALITIES THAT THE EDWARDS DOES. 
          THIS IS A GENERALIZED CROSS-SECTION OF THE AQUIFERS. 
          THERE ARE THREE PRIMARY ZONES THAT WE FOCUS ON: THE CONTRIBUTING ZONE, WHICH IS, IN A WAY, IF YOU THINK ABOUT THE CONTRIBUTING ZONE BEING THE HILL COUNTRY JUST NORTH OF SAN ANTONIO. THE RECHARGE ZONE AND THE ARTESIAN ZONE, WHICH WE FIND OURSELVES IN TODAY. SO THE RECHARGE ZONE IS THE SMALLEST AND PERHAPS THE MOST IMPORTANT AND SENSITIVE ZONE WITHIN THE AQUIFER SYSTEM. 
          BUT THAT'S WHERE MOST OF THE WATER RECHARGES UNDERGROUND WHERE IT THEN FLOWS AND WE ARE ABLE TO PUMP IT UP THROUGH ARTESIAN WELLS. A LOT OF THE PROGRAM AND A LOT OF THE EFFORTS THAT WE FOCUS ON ARE CONDUCTED IN THE COUNTY WEST OF BEXAR COUNTY IN MEDINA AND UVALDE COUNTY. THERE'S A SCIENTIFIC REASON FOR THAT. THE GROUNDWATER FLOW PATH FOR WATER IS FROM WEST TO EAST SO WHEN WATER RECHARGES IN MEDINA OR UVALDE COUNTY IN THE RECHARGE ZONE, IT FLOWS UNDERGROUND AND FLOWS INTO THE SAN ANTONIO POOL TOWARDS SAN ANTONIO. 
          SO THE WATER THAT'S RECHARGING IN MEDINA AND UVALDE COUNTY IS WATER THAT ENDS UP IN THE SAN ANTONIO POOL AND THAT WE PUMP UP AND ARE ABLE TO DRINK FROM. 
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WE HAVE ESSENTIALLY A MULTI-STEP LAND IDENTIFICATION AND ACQUISITION PROCESS TEAM IS A SCIENCE-BASED ADVISORY GROUP THAT WE HAVE COMPOSED WITH EXPERTS FROM VARIOUS AGENCIES AND ORGANIZATIONS THROUGHOUT THE CITY AND THE AREA THAT HELPS US IDENTIFY WHICH PROPERTIES ARE MOST SENSITIVE AND MOST IMPORTANT FOR THE PROGRAM. 
          IT IS NOT THE END-ALL BE-ALL OF THE PROCESS, IT IS A STARTING TOOL. 
          IT ALLOWS US TO IDENTIFY SOME OF THE PROPERTIES THAT WE THINK MAY MAKE THE MOST SENSE TO PROTECT. IT THEN RANKS THOSE PROPERTIES IN A GIS SPATIAL MODEL AND THEN WE GO OUT AND WE TARGET AND IDENTIFY THOSE PROPERTIES. 
          AND THAT'S WHERE THE LAND ACQUISITION TEAM COMES IN. WE WORK WITH LOCAL NONPROFIT ORGANIZATIONS. THERE ARE TWO CURRENTLY ON THE LAND ACQUISITION TEAM: THE NATURE CONSERVANCY, WHICH HAS OFFICES HERE IN SAN ANTONIO BUT IS AN INTERNATIONAL-BASED ORGANIZATION. AND GREEN SPACES ALLIANCE, WHICH IS A UNIQUELY SAN ANTONIO-BASED ORGANIZATION . AND THEY SERVE AS OUR EYES AND EARS IN THE FIELD. THEY MEET WITH LANDOWNERS. THEY EXPLAIN THE PROGRAM. 
          THEY TALK ABOUT THE BENEFITS OF THE PROGRAM WITH LAND OWNERS AND THEN THEY BRING THOSE PROPERTIES TO US AND THE CONSERVATION ADVISORY BOARD AND WE DO OUR DUE DILIGENCE STEPS BEFORE WE ACQUIRE ANYTHING. THE SCIENTIFIC EVALUATION TEAM IS MADE UP OF THESE ORGANIZATIONS. THE MEMBERS ARE LISTED BEFORE YOU. BUT WE FOCUS -- THE SET IS WHAT WE CALL IT, THE SCIENTIFIC EVALUATION TEAM FOCUSES ON FOUR PRIMARY CONDITIONS ON EACH PROPERTY. 
          THE WATER RESOURCES AVAILABLE OF A PROPERTY. DOES IT HAVE A CREEK OR A RIVER RUNNING THROUGH IT? THE BIOLOGY OF A PROPERTY. THE BIOLOGY HELPS US IDENTIFY VERY SENSITIVE ECOSYSTEM PATTERNS AND THE ECOLOGY IS EXTREMELY IMPORTANT TO THESE PROPERTIES THAT WE'RE ACQUIRING. 
          THE PROPERTY SIZE, RIGHT? PROPERTY MAY RANK HIGHER IF IT'S LARGER IN SIZE. 
          AND THEN LOCATION. AND WHAT THAT MEANS IS, IS THE PROPERTY LOCATED OVER THE CONTRIBUTING OR RECHARGE ZONE. IS IT ADJACENT TO AN ALREADY-PROTECTED PROPERTY? IF SO IT WILL EXPAND OUR FOOTPRINT OF CONSERVATION AND RANK HIGHER IN OUR MODEL. THESE ARE THE PROCESS FROM START TO FINISH THAT WE TAKE EACH PROPERTY THROUGH. IT'S AN EXHAUSTIVE PROCESS. 
          IT IS NOT OFTEN FAST BUT IT IS DELIBERATE BY INTENTION. WE BEGIN BY IDENTIFYING THESE PROPERTIES, LIKE I SAID THROUGH THE SET MODEL. WE BRING ALL THE PROPERTIES THAT WE LOOK AT BEFORE THE CONSERVATION ADVISORY BOARD FOR THEIR CONSIDERATION AND APPROVAL. ONCE INSTRUCTED THAT A PROPERTY IS BEING CONSIDERED BY THE PROGRAM AND BY THE CONSERVATION ADVISORY BOARD, IT WILL BEGIN STAGE ONE DUE DILIGENCE. AFTER STAGE ONE DUE DILIGENCE, WE WILL BRING THAT PROPERTY BACK TO THE CONSERVATION ADVISORY BOARD, PROVIDE THEM WITH AN UPDATE, AND THEN INITIATE STAGE TWO DUE DILIGENCE. AGAIN, THESE ARE MULTIPLE STEPS IN EACH OF THESE STAGES. AT THE COMPLETION OF STAGE TWO DUE DILIGENCE, ONCE WE HAVE ALL OF THE NEGOTIATIONS FINALIZED WITH A PROPERTY OWNER, WE TAKE THAT PROPERTY BACK TO THE CONSERVATION ADVISORY BOARD, PROVIDE THEM WITH A STATUS REPORT. THEY MAKE A FINAL RECOMMENDATION TO CITY COUNCIL. WE THEN BRING THOSE PROPERTIES TO YOU TO CITY COUNCIL FOR FINAL AUTHORIZATION AND APPROVAL. THERE'S TWO WAYS THAT WE PROTECT PROPERTIES IN THIS PROGRAM AND ONE IS FEE SIMPLE ACQUISITION. 
          WE CAN USE THE FUNDING AVAILABLE THROUGH THE PROGRAM TO BUY LAND. 
          WE HAVE DONE THAT IN A NUMBER OF CASES. WE HAVE ADDED ACREAGE TO GOVERNMENT CANYON STATE NATURAL AREA. MORE IMPORTANTLY I THINK FOR THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO, WE HAVE PURCHASED SOME PROPERTIES THAT HAVE BECOME CITY PARKS. CLASSEN-STEUBING RANCH PARK IN DISTRICT 9 IS AN EXAMPLE OF THAT WHERE WE WERE ABLE TO ACQUIRE 160 ACRES OF THE 204-ACRE PARK USING AQUIFER PROTECTION DOLLARS. 160 ACRES OF THAT PROPERTY IS PROTECTED, WILL NOT BE DEVELOPED, BUT THE REMAINDER WAS DEVELOPED THROUGH THE BOND. 
          WE'VE GOT GREAT OPPORTUNITIES AT THAT PARK. BUT THE VAST MAJORITY OF OUR CONSERVATION ACQUISITION STRATEGIES ARE CONSERVATION EASEMENTS. 
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AND THE BEST WAY TO THINK ABOUT A CONSERVATION EASEMENT IS EVERY PROPERTY HAS, YOU KNOW, A SET OF RIGHTS. AND WHEN WE COME IN TO PURCHASE A CONSERVATION EASEMENT, WE ARE ESSENTIALLY PURCHASING FUTURE DEVELOPMENT RIGHTS ON THOSE PROPERTIES. AND SO WHILE THE OWNERS OF THOSE PROPERTIES, OF THOSE LANDS RETAIN OWNERSHIP OF THE PROPERTY, THEY MAY CONTINUE TO RUN CATTLE OR, YOU KNOW, CONTINUE THEIR AGRICULTURAL OPERATIONS IN A SIMILAR FORMAT TO WHAT THEY DO RIGHT NOW. WE ARE PURCHASING THE DEVELOPMENT RIGHTS. SO THEIR FUTURE DEVELOPMENT RIGHTS ARE SIGNIFICANTLY RESTRICTED, WHICH ALLOWS US TO MAINTAIN THE PROPERTY OR MAKE SURE THAT THE PROPERTY IS MAINTAINED IN ITS OPEN SPACE CONDITIONS FOR THE PROTECTION OF WATER RECHARGE. ALL OF THE PROPERTIES THAT WE MAINTAIN OR THAT HAVE ACQUIRED ARE MONITORED ON AN ANNUAL BASIS WITH USING CITY STAFF AND THROUGH AN MOU OR AN INTERLOCAL AGREEMENT WITH THE EDWARDS AQUIFER AUTHORITY WITH THE EAA STAFF AS WELL. SO THE CONSERVATION ADVISORY BOARD IS MADE UP OF, LIKE I SAID, CITY COUNCIL-APPOINTED MEMBERS BUT THEY'RE NOT BY DISTRICT. 
          THESE ARE ORGANIZATIONS AND AGENCIES THAT WERE CREATED BY ORDINANCE IN 2000 AND LATER AMENDED IN 2005 BY CITY COUNCIL TO REFLECT THE AGENCIES AND ORGANIZATIONS AND GROUPS THAT ARE MOST IMPACTED BY THE AQUIFER. SO WE HAVE REPRESENTATIVES FROM SAWS. WE HAVE REPRESENTATIVES FROM --A REPRESENTATIVE FROM THE SAN ANTONIO RIVER AUTHORITY. WE HAVE THE EDWARDS AQUIFER AUTHORITY, HOMER GARCIA AS PARKS DIRECTOR CURRENTLY SITS ON THE CONSERVATION ADVISORY BOARD. 
          DR. FRANCINE ROMERO IS THE PARKS ADVISORY BOARD REPRESENTATIVE. 
          BECAUSE WE DO A LOT OF THE WORK THAT WE DO IN MEDINA AND UVALDE COUNTY OUT WEST OF HERE, THERE ARE COUNTY JUDGE-APPOINTED REPRESENTATIVES FROM BOTH MEDINA AND UVALDE COUNTY. THIS IS A SNAPSHOT OF THE PROTECTED LANDS SO FAR. 
          SO YOU CAN SEE BEXAR COUNTY AND A VERY, YOU KNOW, SMALL SWATH OF THE RECHARGE ZONE. 
          THIS IS THAT PINK LAYER THAT'S RUNNING THROUGH THE MIDDLE OF THE MAP UP NORTH SHOWS SOME OF THE PROPERTIES. THE GREEN POLYGONS THAT YOU SEE ARE THE EARLY PROTECTED AREAS UNDER THE PROPOSITION 3 PROGRAM IN 2005. 
          THAT CHANGED NAMES, BECAME PROPOSITION 1. SO ALL OF THE YELLOW POLYGONS THAT YOU SEE WERE PROTECTED THROUGH PROPOSITION 1. 
          AND THEN THE RED POLYGONS ARE THE PROPERTIES THAT WE'VE PROTECTED SINCE 2023 UNDER THE MUNICIPAL FACILITIES CORPORATION FUND THIS IS A BREAKDOWN OF OUR ACQUISITIONS BY AQUIFER ZONE. OBVIOUSLY, LIKE I SAID, THE RECHARGE ZONE IS THE MOST SENSITIVE PART OF THE AQUIFER SO THAT'S WHERE WE FOCUS OUR ENERGY. ALMOST 70% OF OUR ACQUISITIONS HAVE OCCURRED IN THE RECHARGE ZONE. THE CONTRIBUTING ZONE IS ALSO EXTREMELY IMPORTANT FOR THE PURPOSES OF THIS PROGRAM AND SO WE HAVE BEGUN TO VENTURE OUT AND PROTECTED SOME PROPERTIES IN THE CONTRIBUTING ZONE. AND A VERY SMALL PORTION OF PROPERTIES OF THE ACQUISITIONS HAVE ALSO BEEN INTO THE ARTESIAN ZONE. 
          BUT THESE ARE NOT STANDALONE PROPERTIES IN THE ARTESIAN ZONES. 
          THESE ARE PROPERTIES THAT ORIGINATE IN THE RECHARGE ZONE AND DIP DOWN INTO THE ARTESIAN ZONE. AND WE HAVE PROTECTED THE ENTIRE PROPERTY. 
          THIS IS A BREAKDOWN OF THE ACQUISITIONS BY COUNTY. AS YOU CAN SEE, UVALDE COUNTY AND MEDINA COUNTY HAVE RECEIVED THE SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT OF OUR ATTENTION WITH REGARD TO JUST ACRES PROTECTED. AND THAT'S, YOU KNOW, AGAIN BY DESIGN. BECAUSE OF THE GROUNDWATER FLOW PATH, BECAUSE OF THE IMPORTANCE OF THOSE COUNTIES FOR THE AQUIFER AND THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO, WE HAVE FOCUSED A LOT OF OUR ENERGY OUT THERE. BUT ALSO THERE IS JUST A LOT MORE LAND OUT THERE TO PROTECT. EARLY ON IN THE PROGRAM IT WAS MUCH EASIER TO GO OUT THERE AND PROTECT LARGE CHUNKS OF LAND AND LARGE UNDEVELOPED PROPERTIES IN A WAY THAT WASN'T POSSIBLE IN BEXAR COUNTY. 
          MUCH OF THE RECHARGE ZONE IN BEXAR COUNTY IS EITHER ALREADY BEEN DEVELOPED OR IS NOT AVAILABLE. AND I WANT TO SPEND A QUICK MINUTE JUST TALKING ABOUT 
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THE APPROVED FUNDING FOR THE PROGRAM. LIKE I SAID, THE PROGRAM HAS BEEN AROUND SINCE 2000. THAT FIRST ITERATION OF THE PROGRAM, PROPOSITION 3, WAS CAPPED AT THE SALES TAX COLLECTION OF $45 MILLION. THAT DOUBLED IN 2005 WHEN IT WAS RENEWED BY THE VOTERS IN 2005. THE PROGRAM WAS RENEWED AGAIN BY VOTERS IN 2010 AND 2015. IN 2015, THROUGH A CONCENTRATED EFFORT BY THE MAYOR AT THE TIME AND CITY COUNCIL, $10 MILLION WAS ADDED ON TO THE FUNDING AND ADDED TO THE PROGRAM FOR THE PURPOSES OF WATER QUALITY DEMONSTRATION PROJECTS. THAT WAS A PROGRAM THAT WAS MANAGED BY THE SAN ANTONIO RIVER AUTHORITY AND WAS A ROLLING OPEN APPLICATION PROCESS WHERE INSTITUTIONS, AGENCIES, AND INDIVIDUALS COULD SUBMIT APPLICATIONS FOR FUNDING FOR DEMONSTRATION PROJECT TO DETERMINE VIABILITY. CURRENTLY, THE PROGRAM IS FUNDED THROUGH SAN ANTONIO MUNICIPAL FACILITIES CORPORATION AT $100 MILLION OVER TEN YEARS. WITH THE TEN-YEAR PLAN WHERE THE FUNDS ARE APPROPRIATED ANNUALLY AT AN AMOUNT OF APPROXIMATELY $10 MILLION. I THINK ONE THING THAT REALLY DOES NOT GO REPORTED ENOUGH IS JUST HOW MUCH MONEY WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO LEVERAGE FOR THIS PROGRAM. OUR STAFF HAS WORKED VERY CLOSELY WITH THE USDA, NATURAL RESOURCES CONSERVATION SERVICE WITH THE DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE THROUGH THE READINESS AND ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AND INTEGRATION PROGRAM, AS WELL AS OTHER AGENCIES AND INSTITUTIONS LIKE TEXAS PARKS AND WILDLIFE TO LEVERAGE FUNDS WHEN WE CAN. WE HAVE HAD AN OPPORTUNITY TO PARTNER WITH THESE ORGANIZATIONS THROUGH THEIR CONSERVATION PROGRAMS AND STRETCH THE DOLLARS OF THE EDWARDS AQUIFER PROTECTION PROGRAM. WHILE WE MAY HAVE SPENT $325 MILLION WITH AN ADDITIONAL $100 MILLION SET ASIDE FOR THE CURRENT FUNDING SOURCE, WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO LEVERAGE OVER $32 MILLION WITH STATE AND FEDERAL DOLLARS, WHICH I THINK REALLY GOES TO SHOW THAT WE'VE TRIED TO BE AS CREATIVE AS POSSIBLE WITH THIS PROGRAM. MOVING FORWARD FOR FY25, AGAIN, WE'VE HAD $10 MILLION APPROVED AND ADOPTED IN THE ANNUAL BUDGET FOR THIS YEAR. 
          WE WILL CONTINUE TO TARGET THE PROPERTIES OVER THE RECHARGE AND CONTRIBUTING ZONES AND WE WILL CONTINUE TO EMPHASIZE IMPORTANT WATERSHEDS. 
          YOU KNOW, THERE'S AN OLD SAYING WITH CONSERVATION-MINDED FOLKS THAT WORK IN THIS BUSINESS IS THE BEST WAY TO PROTECT THE AQUIFER IS TO PROTECT THE LAND OVER THE AQUIFER. AND THAT'S EXACTLY WHAT THIS PROGRAM DOES. 
          I WANT TO END ON A LITTLE BIT OF A HIGH NOTE. YOU KNOW, JUST LAST YEAR THE PROGRAM WAS ABLE TO ACQUIRE A PROPERTY CALLED THE SECO VALLEY RANCH. 
          DURING SOME OF THE DUE DILIGENCE THAT WAS BEING CONDUCTED WITH THE SECO VALLEY RANCH AND THEIR OWNERS, THERE WAS A GROUP THAT DISCOVERED A VAST CAVERN AND CAVE SYSTEM UNDER THAT PROPERTY CALLED THE WOOT CAVERN. 
          IF YOU GOOGLE WOOT CAVERN YOU'RE GOING TO FIND A LOT OF STORIES POP UP. 
          THE EXPRESS NEWS COVERED IT. A LOT OF DIFFERENT MEDIA OUTLETS COVERED IT BUT THIS IS A PICTURE OF THE WOOT CAVERN UNDER ONE OF OUR PROTECTED PROPERTIES IN MEDINA COUNTY. IF YOU LOOK VERY CLOSELY, YOU'LL KIND OF SEE AN IMAGE WHERE IT LOOKS LIKE A LIGHT IS FLASHING AND THERE'S A LITTLE RED AND A LITTLE BIT OF YELLOW. TAT IS AN INDIVIDUAL WHO IS SPELUNKING DOWN INTO THAT CAVERN, JUST TO GIVE YOU A SENSE OF SCOPE AND SCALE. AND SO WE OFTEN LOOK AT THESE PROPERTIES AND EVALUATE THEM AT SURFACE LEVEL BUT THERE IS A WHOLE LOT GOING ON UNDERNEATH THE SURFACE THAT SOMETIMES WE DON'T EVEN KNOW ABOUT. 
          THE FAMILY THAT OWNS THE SECO VALLEY RANCH WAS NOT AWARE OF THIS CAVERN OR THE CAVE UNDERNEATH UNTIL THESE EVALUATIONS BEGAN . THAT CONCLUDES MY PRESENTATION TODAY. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS, 
          I'M AVAILABLE TO ANSWER. >> MAYOR NIRENBERG: THANK YOU VERY MUCH, GRANT. 
          I WOULD CONCUR WITH FRANCINE THAT GRANT HAS BEEN DOING INCREDIBLE WORK FOR A LONG TIME ON THIS PROGRAM. THIS IS PART OF OUR COMMITMENT IN THE LAST FUNDING ROUND APPROVING THE MFC FUNDING OPTION TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE COMING BACK TO COUNCIL AT LEAST TWICE A YEAR WITH UPDATES ON THE PROGRESS OF THE EAPP. 
          I DO ALSO WANT TO RECOGNIZE THE FACT THAT A COUPLE OF WEEKS AGO WE RECOGNIZED AND 
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CELEBRATED THE LIFE OF FORMER MAYOR HOWARD PEAK, WHO ALONG WITH BONNIE CONNOR ON THE CITY COUNCIL WERE THE VISIONARIES BEHIND THIS PROGRAM GETTING ON TO THE BALLOT AND DOING THE WORK IT HAS DONE. IT IS NO SECRET AND IT'S NOT A HYPERBOLE TO SAY THIS PROGRAM HAS BEEN LAUDED AND MODELED INTERNATIONALLY. 
          THERE ARE SOME THAT HAVE TRIED TO PUT TOGETHER THEIR OWN PROGRAM BUT LACKING A FUNDING SOURCE IT'S REALLY IMPOSSIBLE. GRANT, YOU CAN SIT. 
          I DON'T HAVE ANY QUESTIONS. YOUR LEVERAGING SLIDE MIGHT BE A LITTLE ON THE LOW SIDE. 
          I KNOW A COUPLE OF PARTICULAR PROJECTS THAT PROBABLY HAVE ADDITIONAL FUNDS THAT WE COULD ADD TO THAT BUT THERE ARE A LOT OF AGENCIES AND ORGANIZATIONS THAT HAVE CONTRIBUTED TO OUR PROTECTION OF THE EDWARDS AQUIFER. 
          AND I JUST WANT TO MAKE A COUPLE OF COMMENTS. FIRST IS TODAY'S CANDIDATE FILING DAY, ACKNOWLEDGING THAT. I WON'T SAY ANYTHING POLITICALLY, LIZ. BUT I DO HOPE THAT THIS REMAINS A PRIORITY FOR THIS COMMUNITY AND IF THERE'S MEDIA THAT ARE INTERESTED IN LEARNING THE IMAGINATIONS OF THE RACES AND WHAT ISSUES PEOPLE ARE CONCERNED ABOUT , I HOPE THE EDWARDS AQUIFER PROTECTION POLICIES AND PROGRAMS OF THIS COMMUNITY REMAIN IN THE DISCUSSION AS PEOPLE SELECT WHO LEADS THIS COMMUNITY. BECAUSE THERE'S NOT, PERHAPS, A MORE IMPORTANT ISSUE THAT WE WILL DEAL WITH IN THE FUTURE THAN THE SECURITY AND AVAILABILITY OF OUR WATER. WE ARE IN THE MIDST OF A HISTORIC DROUGHT, SECOND ONLY PROBABLY TO THE 1950S DROUGHT. 
          AND TODAY WE ARE AT SOME OF THE LOWEST LEVELS OF THE EDWARDS AQUIFER EVER RECORDED IN HUMAN HISTORY. IF THAT SHOULDN'T GET YOUR ATTENTION, I'M NOT SURE WHAT WILL, CONSIDERING THE FACT THAT THE GROWTH OF THIS COMMUNITY AND THE URBANIZATION OF THIS REGION IS NOT SLOWING DOWN ANY TIME SOON. 
          SO IT'S INCUMBENT UPON US, PARTICULARLY FUTURE LEADERS, TO ENSURE THAT THE EDWARDS AQUIFER PROTECTION AND THE SAFETY AND SECURITY OF OUR WATER SUPPLY REMAIN A TOP-TIER PRIORITY. WE DO THAT IN LARGE MEASURE BY OUR ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION POLICIES. HALF OF OUR WATER SUPPLY, EVEN AFTER THINGS LIKE VISTA RIDGE AND WATER DESALINATION AND ALL THE OTHER REGIONAL SUPPLIES THAT WE HAVE, THE EDWARDS AQUIFER REMAINS THE PRIMARY SOURCE OF DRINKING WATER FOR THIS COMMUNITY. 
          SO IF WE STUNT THAT SUPPLY OR WE DAMAGE THAT SUPPLY IN ANY WAY, THE VITALITY OF THIS REGION WILL CEASE AND THAT'S NOT JUST A QUALITY OF LIFE ISSUE, IT'S AN ECONOMIC ISSUE. FRANKLY WHY ANYONE WOULD WANT TO REMAIN IN THIS REGION. SO I WOULD PUT THIS PRESENTATION UP AND THE WORK THAT GRANT, HOMER, AND ALL THE PEOPLE IN OUR CONSERVATION ADVISORY BOARD, THE SCIENTIFIC EVALUATION TEAM, ALL THE WORK THEY DO NEED TO REMAIN PART OF THE CONVERSATION IN THE LIVING ROOM AND DINING ROOM TABLE AS PEOPLE FIGURE OUT WHO THEY ARE GOING TO SUPPORT IN ELECTIONS COMING UP BECAUSE IT'S THAT IMPORTANT. 
          I'M SORRY THERE'S NO MEDIA IN THE PRESS ROW BUT WE NEED TO KEEP THIS IN THE ATTENTION OF FOLKS AS THEY BEGIN TO TALK ABOUT THE FUTURE OF THIS CITY. 
          Y'ALL HAVE BEEN DOING GREAT WORK. I WANT TO THANK MY COLLEAGUES FOR SUPPORTING THIS NEW EVOLUTION OF THE FINANCING OF THIS EDWARDS AQUIFER PROTECTION PROGRAM. IT CONTINUES TO DO GREAT WORK. 
          I THINK WE WERE CROSSING THE 100,000 ACRE MARK, ERIK, ABOUT 10 OR 12 YEARS AGO. 
          WE'RE NOW APPROACHING THE 200,000-ACRE MARK. THERE ARE PEOPLE WHO WILL LOOK AT THIS PRESENTATION AND GO WHY THE HECK ARE WE BUYING ALL THIS PROPERTY IN UVALDE COUNTY? IF YOU MISSED THE FIRST FEW SLIDES OF GRANT'S PRESENTATION, THAT'S THE REASON. OUR WATER COMES FROM THE UVALDE AREA AND SO WE DO A LOT OF WORK OUT THERE TO MAKE SURE THAT NOTHING HAPPENS TO THE ENVIRONMENT AND THE LAND, THAT IT'S NOT PAVED OVER IN UVALDE COUNTY, OR ELSE WE WOULD NOT HAVE DRINKING WATER AVAILABLE TO US . 
          THIS COMMUNITY HAS ALWAYS HAD A HIGH WATER IQ. MY HOPE IS THAT IT REMAINS THAT WAY. IT'S GOING TO BE INCUMBENT UPON THIS BODY AND FUTURE ADDITIONS OF THIS BODY TO MAKE IT. LAST THING, ERIK, YOU GUYS ARE HERE FOR A WHILE. LIZ, DAVID, ALL THE FOLKS ON THE CITY STAFF, PLEASE DO NOT FORGET OUR COMMITMENT. WHEN WE SHIFTED TO A TEN-YEAR SOURCE OF FUNDING FOR THE EDWARDS AQUIFER PROTECTION PROGRAM, IT WAS NOT JUST TO GIVE NEW LIFE TO THE PROGRAM AND CONTINUE THE WORK, IT WAS ALSO TO RECOGNIZE THAT WE NEED SOME 
          [00:30:04]
FLEXIBILITY BECAUSE WE DO OFTEN GET THESE BIG CHANCES TO MAKE A BIG DIFFERENCE ON PROPERTIES LIKE SECO AND OTHERS WHERE IT'S GOING TO TAKE A LOT MORE TOOLS AND LEVERAGING AND PERHAPS DOLLARS TO GET IT DONE BUT WE NOW HAVE A FUNDING SOURCE THAT'S FLEXIBLE THAT WILL ALLOW US TO DO THAT IF THE OCCASION CALLS FOR IT. 
          WHEN WE'RE DONE WITH THE LAST ISSUANCE OF BONDS FOR THE MUNICIPAL FINANCE CORPORATION, WHEN THOSE FUNDS DEPLETE IT IS UP TO THE CITY COUNCIL TO AUTHORIZE MORE AND WE SHOULD NEVER STOP DOING THAT BECAUSE IT'S THAT IMPORTANT IN THE FUTURE OF THIS CITY. THANK YOU VERY MUCH, GRANT FOR THE PRESENTATION. 
          BONNIE, IF YOU'RE LISTENING, I HOPE I DID YOU PROUD. WE'RE GOING TO CONTINUE THIS PROGRAM FOR A LONG, LONG TIME. WITH THAT, LET'S GET TO THE 
          COUNCIL CONVERSATION WITH COUNCILMEMBER CASTILLO. >> CASTILLO: THANK YOU, MAYOR. THANK YOU, HOMER, GRANT, AND DR. ROMERO FOR THE PRESENTATION. THIS IS ONE OF THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO'S MOST VITAL PROGRAMS, AS THE MAYOR HAS EMPHASIZED, AND IT'S IMPORTANT AND IMPACTS OVERALL HEALTH, NOT JUST OF THE RESIDENTS OF SAN ANTONIO BUT SURROUNDING AREAS. 
          AND I'M GRATEFUL TO SEE WITH THIS CONTINUED PROGRAM THAT THERE'S GOING TO BE THE CONTINUATION OF EXPLORATION OF ACQUIRING PROPERTY IN THESE SENSITIVE AREAS AND/OR EASEMENTS. GRANT, YOU TOUCHED ON ONE OF THE CONCERNS I HAVE REGARDING JUST THE GROWTH PATTERNS IN THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO. 
          WE HAVE A LOT OF ANNEXATION TAKING PLACE. WHILE I UNDERSTAND THIS PROGRAM HELPS US SWAP OUT PROPERTY OR TAKE OWNERSHIP OF THOSE PROPERTIES FOR PROTECTION PURPOSES. BUT IN TERMS OF PROPERTY THAT'S IN CLOSE PROXIMITY BUT NOT NECESSARILY OVER THE EDWARDS AQUIFER, WHAT TYPE OF CONVERSATIONS ARE TAKING PLACE AROUND LOW-IMPACT DEVELOPMENT SO THAT WAY WE CAN EXTEND THE BUFFER, IF 
          YOU WILL, AROUND SOME OF THESE SENSITIVE AREAS? >> SURE. 
          YOU KNOW, ONE THING I DIDN'T MENTION IN THE PRESENTATION BUT IS CRITICAL TO UNDERSTANDING THE PROGRAM IS THIS IS AN ENTIRELY VOLUNTARILY PROGRAM. 
          WE WORK WITH WILLING LANDOWNERS WHO VOLUNTEER TO SELL OFF THEIR DEVELOPMENT RIGHTS. THE PROGRAM IS CONSTANTLY LOOKING AT NEW AREAS BUT THE WAY THAT THE ORDINANCE, THE ORIGINATING ORDINANCE FOR THE PROGRAM WAS DRAFTED IS THAT THE PROPERTIES PROTECTED THROUGH THE PROGRAM HAVE TO BENEFIT THE QUALITY AND/OR QUANTITY OF DRINKING WATER OR WATER FOR THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO. 
          AND SO THAT'S WHY OUR EFFORTS ARE FOCUSED ON THE RECHARGE ZONE AND CONTRIBUTING ZONE OF THE AQUIFER ITSELF. THAT, YOU KNOW, THAT LIMITS 
          OUR GEOGRAPHIC SCOPE AND TARGET AREA. >> CASTILLO: IN TERMS OF OUR GROWTH MANAGEMENT PLAN AND POLICY, DO WE HAVE ANYTHING IN THERE AROUND LOW-IMPACT DEVELOPMENT IN TERMS OF AROUND, NOT NECESSARILY WITHIN A SENSITIVE AREA, BUT IN CLOSE PROXIMITY TO THE EDWARDS AQUIFER RECHARGE ZONE? 
          >> I DON'T HAVE THAT INFORMATION AVAILABLE RIGHT THIS MINUTE, BUT WE CAN GET 
          THAT FOR YOU. >> CASTILLO: A YEAR AGO SAWS RECENTLY UPDATED SOME OF THEIR IMPACT FEES THAT GOES BEYOND 1604. DO WE KNOW IF CPS ENERGY INTENDS TO EXPLORE SOMETHING SIMILAR WITH THEIR IMPACT FEES? 
          >> THAT WOULD BE A QUESTION PROBABLY BETTER DIRECTED TO OUR PARTNERS IN SAWS AND 
          CPS. >> CASTILLO: IF WE COULD GET A RESPONSE ON THAT, I 
          WOULD APPRECIATE IT. THANK YOU, MAYOR. >> MAYOR NIRENBERG: THANK 
          YOU, COUNCILMEMBER CASTILLO. COUNCILMEMBER COURAGE. >> COURAGE: THANK YOU, MAYOR. I WANT TO COMMEND THE WORK THAT YOUR OFFICE AND THE PARKS DEPARTMENT AND THE -- ALL OF THE PARTNERS HAVE DONE IN CONTINUING TO WORK TO PROTECT THE AQUIFER. I THINK WE MADE A GREAT MOVE IN 2020 WHEN WE DECIDED WE WERE GOING TO ENFORCE THE CITY'S PARTICIPATION FINANCIALLY THROUGH ANY KIND OF RESOURCES WE HAD AVAILABLE TO US. I KNOW WE HAVE STUCK TO THAT AND I THINK THE PEOPLE IN SAN ANTONIO APPRECIATE THE FACT THAT THIS CITY COUNCIL, THE ONES BEFORE US AND THE ONES AFTER US WILL ALWAYS BE COMMITTED TO PROTECTING THE AQUIFER AND OUR PRIMARY SOURCE OF WATER. I KNOW THERE'S BEEN OTHER COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS WHO HAVE BEEN A PART OF THIS. THE GREATER EDWARDS AQUIFER ALLIANCE HAS BEEN A GREAT ADVOCACY GROUP FOR PROTECTING THE AQUIFER. 
          AND FOR EVERYONE WHO HAS BEEN COMMITTED TO THIS, I THINK IT'S BEEN A VERY, VERY IMPORTANT ASPECT OF PROTECTING THE QUALITY OF LIFE IN THE GREATER SAN ANTONIO AND BEXAR COUNTY AREA. I'D LIKE TO TAKE A MOMENT TO ACKNOWLEDGE SOMEBODY WHO HAS BEEN A MEMBER OF THAT TEAM. I SEE HER HERE TODAY. 
          SOMEONE WHO HAS DONE A REMARKABLE JOB. HER NAME IS SUSAN COURAGE. 
          SUSAN, STAND UP. SHE HAPPENS TO BE THE MOTHER OF MY GRANDSON. 
          VERY PROUD OF THE WORK SHE HAS DONE FOR MANY YEARS IN WORKING TO PROTECT THE AQUIFER. THANK YOU, SUSAN. THANK YOU VERY MUCH, MAYOR. 
          [00:35:01]
          >> MAYOR NIRENBERG: ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU, COUNCILMEMBER COURAGE. COUNCILMEMBER CABELLO HAVRDA. 
          >> HAVRDA: THANK YOU, MAYOR. THANKS FOR THE PRESENTATION. 
          A RELIABLE WATER SOURCE IS THE KEY TO EVERYTHING IN OUR COMMUNITY. 
          OUR HEALTH, OUR BUSINESSES, ECONOMY, AND THE WAY WE PLAN FOR OUR FUTURE. 
          AS STATED SEVERAL TIMES BEFORE, THIS IS A VERY KEY PROGRAM AND I'M GRATEFUL THAT WE HAVE IT AND THAT IT WAS PUT IN PLACE SO LONG. I HAD THE BENEFIT OF WORKING WITH BONNIE CONNOR YEARS AGO AT THE PARKS FOUNDATION AND IT'S ALWAYS BEEN AT TOP OF MIND FOR HER SO I'M THANKFUL THAT WE'RE HERE TODAY TALKING ABOUT IT. 
          I DO HAVE A QUESTION ABOUT THE LAND, THOUGH. IS THERE A MASTER PLAN FOR THE LAND THAT WE'RE ACQUIRING? I HEARD YOU MENTION SOME 
          PARKLAND BUT JUST TO KEEP IT AS PRISTINE AS POSSIBLE? >> IT IS. 
          IF WE'RE ABLE TO TAKE A LOOK AT THE SET SLIDE, WHICH I BELIEVE IS -- SORRY. 
          SLIDE 7. THERE WE GO. SO THIS IS OUR TARGET AREA, COUNCILWOMAN. AND SO THE GIS SPATIAL MODEL THAT WAS CREATED AND DEVELOPED BY OUR SCIENTIFIC EVALUATION TEAM AND UPDATED PRETTY MUCH EVERY FIVE YEARS OR SO HAS IDENTIFIED THE TARGET AREAS THAT ARE MOST BENEFICIAL FOR THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO. AND THEN RANKS THOSE PROPERTIES. 
          SO THE PROPERTIES YOU SEE HERE KIND OF SPAN FROM YOU KNOW WESTERN UVALDE COUNTY INTO BEXAR COUNTY. AND THESE ARE THE PROPERTIES THAT ARE PRIMARILY OVER THE RECHARGE ZONE AND INTO THE CONTRIBUTING ZONE. THAT IS ESSENTIALLY OUR 
          MASTER PLAN. >> HAVRDA: THANK YOU. AND I HEARD YOU MENTION WORKING WITH NONPROFITS AND THE COUNTY AND SO I'M THANKFUL FOR THAT. 
          HAVE WE TALKED WITH OR DO WE INVOLVE THE FOLKS THAT ARE LIVING AROUND THE LAND THAT WE'RE ACQUIRING, LIKE THE NEIGHBORS, AS IT WERE, TO THIS LAND? 
          ARE THEY INVOLVED? >> SO A LOT OF THE PROPERTY OWNERS THAT WE WORK DIRECTLY WITH, ESPECIALLY IN BEXAR AND MEDINA COUNTY -- AND TO AN EXTENT BEXAR COUNTY. 
          THEY ARE IN DIRECT CONTACT WITH THEIR NEIGHBORS. THEY ARE OFTEN PITCHING THE PROGRAM, YOU KNOW, TO THEIR NEIGHBORS THEMSELVES. AND SO A LOT OF -- IN THE EARLY DAYS OF THE PROGRAM WE WERE GOING OUT AND KNOCKING ON DOORS AND TRYING TO EXPLAIN THE PROGRAM TO A LOT OF THESE PROPERTY OWNERS IN THE RURAL COUNTIES. 
          WE DON'T HAVE TO DO THAT ANYMORE. THE PROGRAM SELLS ITSELF AND OUR BIGGEST ADVOCATES AND AMBASSADORS FOR THE PROGRAM HAVE BECOME THE LANDOWNERS 
          THEMSELVES. >> HAVRDA: THERE'S NO BETTER ENDORSEMENT THAN THAT. THANK YOU SO MUCH. THANK YOU, MAYOR. 
          >> MAYOR NIRENBERG: THANK YOU, COUNCILMEMBER CABELLO HAVRDA. 
          COUNCILMEMBER ALDERETE GAVITO. >> GAVITO: THANK YOU. 
          THANK YOU, MAYOR. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THE PRESENTATION AND THANK YOU FOR THIS REALLY COOL ROCK. IT'S NEAT. YES, YOU KNOW, PROTECTING -- I'M GOING TO ECHO THE MAYOR'S SENTIMENT ABOUT PROTECTING OUR WATER SOURCES IS CRUCIAL. WE KNOW IT IS INCUMBENT UPON ALL OF US TO DO AND FUTURE COUNCIL MEMBERS AND FUTURE MAYORS TO MAKE IT A PRIORITY AS WELL. 
          I HAD A FEW QUICK QUESTIONS -- SORRY. THAT WASN'T MEANING TO BE POLITICAL, TO CLARIFY. I HAD A FEW QUESTIONS. PIGGYBACKING OFF OF WHAT COUNCILWOMAN CASTILLO SAID. SO HOW DOES THE DEVELOPMENT OVER THE AQUIFER AFFECT 
          FLOODING AND THE WATER SUPPLY? >> WELL, I THINK THAT ANY TIME AN AREA OF OPEN SPACE IS DEVELOPED, THAT IS LESS LAND THAT THE WATER, WHEN IT'S FLOWING THROUGH THE RECHARGE ZONE, CAN RECHARGE INTO. 
          AND SO, YOU KNOW, AND THE MORE DEVELOPED AREA, THE MORE RUNOFF THERE'S GOING TO 
          BE. >> GAVITO: SURE. WITH THAT BEING SAID, WHAT 
          RESTRICTIONS DO WE HAVE ON DEVELOPMENT? >> SO THROUGH THIS PROGRAM -- AND I CAN'T SPEAK TO DEVELOPMENT SERVICES OR WHAT THE STATE HAS IN PLACE. 
          BUT THROUGH THIS PROGRAM, THE RESTRICTIONS FOR EACH PROPERTY, BASICALLY WE HAVE LIMITED THE AMOUNT OF DEVELOPMENT ON EACH OF THE PROPERTIES THAT WE ACQUIRE TO ONE-HALF OF 1% OF THE TOTAL SQUARE FOOTAGE OF THE PROPERTY. 
          ONE-HALF OF 1% ON A SEVERAL THOUSAND-ACRE PROPERTY CAN BE A LOT BUT IT'S STILL JUST 
          A FRACTION OF THAT PROPERTY. >> GAVITO: THAT'S HELPFUL TO KNOW. 
          THANK YOU. AND THEN ONE OTHER QUICK THING. 
          THANK YOU FOR SHOWING US ABOUT THAT CAVE. THAT WAS REALLY COOL. 
          THE CAVERN. REALLY, I'M JUST GOING TO CLOSE OFF, THANKS AGAIN FOR ALL YOUR WORK TO PROTECT THE AQUIFER AND TO PRESERVE THE DRINKING WATER FOR ALL OF OUR RESIDENTS. WE REALLY APPRECIATE IT. THANK YOU. 
          THANKS, MAYOR. >> MAYOR NIRENBERG: THANK YOU, COUNCILMEMBER ALDERETE 
          [00:40:03]
          GAVITO. COUNCILMEMBER WHYTE. >> WHYTE: THANKS, MAYOR. 
          I ALSO WANT TO ECHO THE MAYOR'S COMMENTS ON THE IMPORTANCE OF THIS PROGRAM. 
          I THINK A LOT OF WHAT HE MENTIONED WAS SPOT ON. JUST A FEW QUESTIONS. 
          IS THERE ANY STATE LEGISLATION OR INITIATIVES THAT YOU THINK ARE RELEVANT HERE TO BY VOTERS, THE WAY THAT STATE LEGISLATION WAS DRAWN UP IS THAT IT RESTRICTED OUR ACQUISITIONS TO BEXAR COUNTY. CITIES WERE NOT ALLOWED TO EXPAND OUTSIDE. BUT IN 2003 OR 2004, STATE LEGISLATION CHANGED AND ALLOWED US -- IT MODIFIED THE NATURAL RESOURCES CODE TO ALLOW US TO PURCHASE CONSERVATION EASEMENTS OUTSIDE OF THE COUNTY, WHICH IS WHY WE WERE ABLE TO MOVE OUR OPERATIONS AND FOCUS INTO MEDINA AND UVALDE COUNTY. 
          SO WE ARE BOLSTERED AND SUPPORTED BY EXISTING STATE LEGISLATION. 
          TO MY KNOWLEDGE, THOUGH, I DON'T KNOW OF ANY CURRENT OR FUTURE PROPOSED LEGISLATION. 
          >> WHYTE: OKAY. IN TERMS OF LANDOWNERS AND THEIR ROLE DURING THE CONSERVATION EASEMENT NEGOTIATION PROCESS -- I ASSUME THAT THEY'RE RIGHT IN 
          THE MIDDLE OF IT, RIGHT? >> THE PROPERTY OWNERS? >> WHYTE: YEAH. 
          >> ABSOLUTELY. >> WHYTE: AND THEY ARE PROBABLY GIVEN A LOT OF HEADS UP AND NOTICE AND BROUGHT IN THE BEGINNING BEFORE THESE TALKS REALLY 
          GET STARTED. >> OH, ABSOLUTELY. LIKE I SAID, THIS IS A VOLUNTARY PROGRAM AND ONLY INTERESTED PROPERTY OWNERS ARE ENGAGED AND NEGOTIATED 
          WITH. >> WHYTE: OKAY. AGAIN, I APPRECIATE ALL OF Y'ALL'S EFFORTS IN THIS REGARD. THANKS FOR THE PRESENTATION. 
          >> GAVITO: THANK YOU, COUNCILMAN WHYTE. COUNCILWOMAN DR. KAUR. 
          >> KAUR: THANK YOU, MAYOR PRO TEM. I HAVE A COUPLE OF QUESTIONS. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THE PRESENTATION. 
          I THINK THE MAYOR MENTIONED AND COUNCILWOMAN CASTILLO HOW IMPORTANT THIS WORK IS. 
          I THINK ONE OF THE BIGGEST CHALLENGES THAT WE STILL HAVE YET TO OVERCOME IS THE COMMUNICATION AROUND WHAT WE ARE DOING TO SUPPORT THIS WORK. 
          BECAUSE I REMEMBER EVERY TIME I -- NOT EVERY TIME BUT OFTEN WHEN I TALK TO SOME COMMUNITY MEMBERS THAT ARE SUPER INTERESTED IN ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION, THEY STILL DON'T KNOW ABOUT ALL THE WORK HAPPENING TO SUPPORT THE EDWARDS AQUIFER. 
          AND BECAUSE WE ARE TRYING TO GET PEOPLE TO BE MORE RESPONSIBLE WITH WATER USAGE, THERE IS THIS FEAR THAT WE'RE GOING TO RUN OUT OF WATER SO IT'S ALMOST LIKE WE HAVE TO DOUBLE DOWN ON OUR COMMUNICATION EFFORTS OF WE'RE DOING THAT TO BE RESPONSIBLE BUT ALSO WE DO HAVE A PLAN IN PLACE FOR PROTECTION. 
          SO ALONG THAT LINE, I JUST HAD A QUESTION. COUNCILWOMAN CABELLO HAVRDA MENTIONED THE MASTER PLAN AND DO WE HAVE -- AND I SAW ALL OF THE PROPERTIES LAID OUT. BUT DO WE HAVE LIKE A SENSE OF IF WE ARE ABLE TO ACQUIRE X AMOUNT OF ACRES WE WILL BE ABLE TO CREATE X AMOUNT OF MORE PROTECTION? 
          LIKE A QUANTITATIVE ANALYSIS LIKE THAT. >> SO WE DON'T HAVE A TARGET NUMBER, RIGHT? AND PART OF THAT IS BY DESIGN, SIMPLY BECAUSE IT'S A VOLUNTARY PROGRAM. WE MAY HAVE IDENTIFIED THE TARGET PROPERTIES BUT THOSE PROPERTY OWNERS MAY OR MAY NOT WANT TO ENGAGE OR BE A PART OF THE PROGRAM. 
          AND SO WE THEN SORT OF SHIFT OUR EFFORTS. AND WHEN WE SHIFT OUR EFFORTS, WE'RE FOCUSING ON DIFFERENT AREAS. BUT WHAT WE DO KNOW IS THAT WE HAVE PROTECTED APPROXIMATELY 25% OF THE RECHARGE ZONE IN THE TARGET AREA THAT WE HAVE IDENTIFIED. AND ONLY ABOUT 1% OF THE CONTRIBUTING ZONE IN OUR TARGET AREA. AND SO WE KNOW THAT WE HAVE A LOT OF OTHER PROPERTIES OUT THERE. IT'S A MATTER OF IDENTIFYING THE PROPERTY OWNERS, WORKING WITH THEM TO HELP THEM UNDERSTAND THE PROGRAM AND 
          THE POTENTIAL BENEFITS TO THEM AND TO THE CITY. >> KAUR: SO WHAT IS THE PITCH THAT YOU NORMALLY MAKE? SAY, LIKE, IF YOU ARE ABLE TO GIVE IT TO US, WHAT IS THE IMPACT? HOW DO YOU MAKE THAT PITCH? 
          >> FOR A LOT OF THE LANDOWNERS WE HAVE WORKED WITH IN THE PAST, THESE ARE FOLKS WHO HAVE HERITAGE RANCH PROPERTIES. THESE ARE PROPERTIES THAT MAY HAVE BEEN IN THEIR FAMILIES FOR GENERATIONS. AND SO THIS, YOU KNOW, PROGRAM, BY WAY OF OFFERING THEM A LUMP-SUM PAYMENT FOR THEIR DEVELOPMENT RIGHTS, FOR THEIR FUTURE DEVELOPMENT RIGHTS, IT AFFORDS THEM A WAY TO MAINTAIN AND KEEP THOSE PROPERTIES IN THE FAMILY WITHOUT HAVING TO SELL OFF PIECES OF IT. 
          OR WITHOUT HAVING TO SELL OFF, YOU KNOW, THE ENTIRE PROPERTY AS A WHOLE. 
          AND SO A LOT OF TIMES THE WIN-WIN, THE BENEFIT TO THE LANDOWNER IS THAT THEY GET TO KEEP THE PROPERTIES IN THE FAMILY AND THEY GET PAID FOR IT. 
          [00:45:02]
IN RETURN, YOU KNOW, AGAIN THEY ARE FORFEITING FUTURE DEVELOPMENT RIGHTS AND SO THEY'RE GIVING UP SOMETHING FOR THAT MONEY. BUT IN RETURN THE CITY IS THEN PROTECTING THESE PROPERTIES FOR OUR AQUIFER PROTECTION. 
          >> KAUR: I GUESS THE REASON WHY I WAS ASKING IS BECAUSE IF WE'RE ABLE TO DEMONSTRATE WHAT AMOUNT OF IMPACT THAT'S GOING TO BE CREATED IN TERMS OF HOW MUCH WATER WE'RE EITHER ABLE TO SAVE OR PROTECT -- A LOT OF PEOPLE ARE MOTIVATED BY THE MONEY -- IF THE AMOUNT OF MONEY NEEDS TO BE INCREASED IF THAT IMPACT IS GREATER. 
          I GUESS THAT WAS THE REASON I WAS ASKING THAT QUESTION IS,IS, YOU KNOW, THE SLIDE SAID 35% TO 50% OF MARKET RATE. IF THAT'S NOT ENOUGH, BUT IF WE NEED THAT CERTAIN AREA, AND ESPECIALLY IN THE RECHARGE ZONE, SHOULD WE BE SAYING 75% OF MARKET VALUE IN THE RECHARGE ZONE? THAT'S KIND OF WHERE MY QUESTIONING WAS COMING FROM. 
          >> I THINK IT'S FOOD FOR THOUGHT. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. 
          >> KAUR: AND ONE OTHER QUESTION -- ACTUALLY, TWO MORE. 
          ON THE CONSERVATION ADVISORY BOARD, IT WAS INTERESTING TO SEE THAT GREATER SATX WAS ON THE CONSERVATION ADVISORY BOARD. WHAT'S THE ROLE THEY PLAY IN 
          THOSE CONVERSATIONS? >> SO WHEN THE CAB CONSTRUCTION -- AND THE MAKEUP OF THE CONSERVATION ADVISORY BOARD WAS AMENDED IN 2005. 
          IT INCLUDED THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT FOUNDATION. THAT OBVIOUSLY HAS EVOLVED INTO GREATER SATX. THEY HAVE A STANDING POSITION, AS WRITTEN INTO 
          THE AUTHORIZING ORDINANCE FOR THE CAB. >> KAUR: FROM A DEVELOPMENT PERSPECTIVE TO BE ABLE TO THINK ABOUT IT, IS THAT -- 
          >> EXACTLY. I BELIEVE THAT THEIR ORIGINAL INCLUSION INTO THE PROGRAM WAS TO BRING THE DEVELOPMENT COMMUNITY CLOSER TO THE PROGRAM. 
          >> KAUR: GOT IT. >> WALSH: COUNCILWOMAN, IT WAS ALSO TO CONTINUE TO DEMONSTRATE THE RESOURCE PROTECTION THAT WE ARE DOING AS A LOCAL COMMUNITY. 
          A LOT OF TIMES BUSINESSES THAT ARE LOOKING TO EXPAND OR RELOCATE ARE LOOKING FOR SOME SORT OF CONFIDENCE IN TERMS OF THE LOCAL COMMUNITY DEALING WITH BOTH POWER OR WATER ISSUES. I THINK THAT WAS THE ORIGINAL SENSE BACK IN 2005. 
          >> KAUR: GOT IT. THANKS, ERIK. AND THEN ON SLIDE 15, WE'RE LEVERAGING FUNDS FROM DSD AS WELL. WHAT ARE THOSE FUNDS? 
          >> THROUGH THE DEVELOPMENT SERVICES OVERSIGHT AND MANAGEMENT OF THE SOUTHERN EDWARDS PLATEAU CONSERVATION PLAN, THEY ARE ABLE THEN TO PURCHASE PROPERTY. 
          SO THERE HAS BEEN A FEW INSTANCES WHERE THE PROGRAM HAS ACQUIRED PROPERTIES THROUGH THE PROGRAM USING PROP 1 FUNDS, HISTORICALLY. THEY HAVE COME TO US AND PURCHASED THOSE PROPERTIES FOR THEIR PROGRAM AND IN SO DOING HAS REIMBURSED THE EDWARDS PROGRAM FOR THE COST OF SOME OF THOSE PROPERTIES. AND SO BASICALLY IT'S ALMOST A TRADE-OFF. THEY DID NOT HAVE FUNDS AT THE TIME BUT THEY WOULD HAVE PROTECTED THOSE PROPERTIES HAD THEY HAD FUNDS. THEY NOW HAVE SOME FUNDS IN THEIR COFFERS. THEY ARE ABLE TO THEN COME FORWARD AND TAKE OVER OWNERSHIP AND MANAGEMENT OF SOME OF THOSE PROPERTIES. WE STILL RETAIN AN INTEREST IN THEM IN THE SENSE IT'S BEING PROTECTED FOR AQUIFER PURPOSES, BUT THESE ARE PROPERTIES THAT HAVE SENSITIVE FEATURES THAT ARE UNIQUE TO THE HABITAT CONSERVATION PLAN PURPOSES AND SO THEY HAVE BEEN ABLE TO REIMBURSE THE PROGRAM 
          AFTER THE FACT. >> KAUR: THAT'S GREAT BECAUSE THAT WAS GOING TO BE MY NEXT QUESTION. PROP 1 AND 3, THOSE DOLLARS ARE EXPENDED AND RIGHT NOW YOU ARE BUDGETING THE $10 MILLION THAT WE DO ON AN ANNUAL BASIS? 
          >> YES. >> KAUR: GOING BACK TO MY INITIAL QUESTION, I KNOW THERE ARE FUNDS LEVERAGED. HOW MUCH WAS THE SECO VALLEY RANCH ACQUISITION FOR THAT 
          EASEMENT? >> THAT IS A GOOD QUESTION. LET ME ASK MY COLLEAGUE, 
          PHILIP COVINGTON. $3.125 MILLION. >> KAUR: SO WE HAVE 7 LEFT 
          IN THE FISCAL YEAR BUDGET? >> WE HAVE JUST SHY OF $7 MILLION IN THIS YEAR'S 
          BUDGET. >> KAUR: I'M WONDERING DO YOU FEEL LIKE THE $10 MILLION IS SUFFICIENT, GIVEN THAT PROP 1 AND PROP 3 WAS A STRONG MECHANISM TO 
          ACQUIRE SOME OF THOSE LANDS? >> IT HAS BEEN FOR US. NOW, THERE'S ALWAYS AN -- THERE COULD BE A CASE THAT WAS PRESENTED TO US WHERE WE WERE FACED WITH A SIZABLE PROPERTY THAT EXCEEDS $10 MILLION. AT WHICH POINT IN TIME WE WOULD HAVE TO STRATEGIZE WITH THE FINANCE DEPARTMENT IN THE BUDGET DEPARTMENT TO DETERMINE WHAT OUR FINANCES WILL BE. WE HAVE BEEN USING A 
          [00:50:02]
PAY-AS-YOU-GO APPROACH AND THE PROPERTIES WE ARE TARGETING SEEM TO FIT INTO 
          OUR BUDGET. >> KAUR: AS YOU JUST CONTINUE THROUGH THE YEAR, IT WOULD BE GOOD FOR US AS WE APPROACH BUDGET TO UNDERSTAND IF YOU ALL FEEL LIKE THERE WAS MORE FUNDS -- CLEARLY IT'S A PRIORITY. EVERYONE UP HERE HAS SAID SO. IF YOU HAD MORE FUNDS WOULD YOU BE ABLE TO BE MORE AGGRESSIVE WITH THE ACQUISITION WOULD BE THE THOUGHT, WHENEVER YOU GET TIME, TO THINK ABOUT. THANK YOU SO MUCH. THANK YOU FOR THE 
          PRESENTATION. THANK YOU, MAYOR PRO TEM. >> GAVITO: THANK YOU, COUNCILWOMAN DR. KAUR. COUNCILWOMAN DR. ROCHA GARCIA. 
          >> GARCIA: THANK YOU, MAYOR PRO TEM. THANK YOU, GRANT FOR THE PRESENTATION. I HAVE A FEW QUESTIONS AND I'LL START OFF WITH SOME OF THE ELEMENTS THAT DR. KAUR JUST MENTIONED. SO WE KNOW PROP 3 AND PROP 1 WERE IMPORTANT TO VOTERS, SO ABSOLUTELY GOING TO CONTINUE TO SUPPORT YOUR EFFORTS. 
          I APPRECIATE IT. IT'S OUR PRIMARY SOURCE OF WATER AND WATER IS LIFE SO WE HAVE TO MAKE SURE THAT WE PROTECT IT. IN 2023 WHEN WE DID SHIFT AWAY FROM THE SALES TAX FUNDING, I WAS JUST WONDERING IF THERE'S BEEN A REDUCTION SINCE THEN, ESSENTIALLY IN THE PROPERTIES THAT WE HAVE 
          ACQUIRED. >> NO. I THINK IT'S SIMPLY WITH A DIFFERENT FUNDING SOURCE AND WITH $10 MILLION BUDGETED, IT'S SLIGHTLY DIFFERENT THAN THE COLLECTION OF SALES TAX. SO PERHAPS WE ARE NOW BEING A LITTLE MORE STRATEGIC IN OUR APPROACH. BUT IT'S NO LESS INTEREST IN THE PROGRAM AND IT HASN'T 
          RESULTED IN A DECREASE IN PROPERTY ACQUISITION. >> GARCIA: MY NEXT QUESTION WAS GOING TO BE IS THERE A SLOWDOWN. ON PAGE 14 OF YOUR PRESENTATION, YOU HAVE, BY 2026, IT LOOKS LIKE, IT SAYS INCLUDES $10 MILLION FOR 11 WATER QUALITY PROJECTS. ANTICIPATE FULLY EXPENSED IN 2026. 
          TELL ME ABOUT THAT. >> THERE ARE 11 WATER QUALITY PROJECTS THAT WERE APPROVED WITH THAT $10 MILLION, AGAIN, THAT WAS MANAGED BY THE RIVER AUTHORITY FOR THE PROGRAM. NINE OF THOSE ARE FULLY COMPLETED AND FULLY EXPENDED AND SO TWO OF THOSE ARE STILL SUBMITTING INVOICES AND WE EXPECT BY 2026 THAT THOSE WILL BE COMPLETED AS WELL. THE REASON THAT THEY HAVE LINGERED AS LONG AS THEY HAVE HAS TO DO WITH RAINFALL. 
          THEY ARE GATHERING DATA AND INTEL BASED ON RAINFALL EVENTS AND IT HASN'T RAINED 
          THAT MUCH IN A WHILE. >> GARCIA: THAT ACTUALLY LEADS TO MY NEXT QUESTION A LITTLE BIT. IT'S ABOUT THE PROPERTIES. YOU SAID THAT THEY'RE MONITORED ON AN ANNUAL BASIS. I'M JUST WONDERING WHAT'S THE CITY'S ROLE? BY THE WAY, I DON'T SEE ANYONE FROM PLANNING IN HERE SO I WAS WONDERING HOW YOU INTERACT WITH PLANNING. WHAT IS THE CITY'S ROLE IN THIS AND WALK ME THROUGH A MONITORING PROCESS AND WHAT IT CONSISTS OF. 
          >> SO, I WOULD BE REMISS IF I DIDN'T MENTION THE TEAM. HOMER MENTIONED WE HAVE A SMALL TEAM THAT'S DEDICATED. DR. ROMERO ALSO MENTIONED WE HAVE A SMALL TEAM. 
          WE HAVE THREE STAFF MEMBERS FROM THE PARKS DEPARTMENT DEDICATED TO THIS PROGRAM. 
          PHILIP COVINGTON, SUSAN COURAGE, AND THEN DAVID BERNAL. 
          AND THEY'RE GREAT. THEY ARE A WONDERFUL TEAM. BUT BECAUSE WE HAVE OVER 100 CONSERVATION EASEMENTS AND OVER 184,000 ACRES OF LAND PROTECTED, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE A LOT OF GROUND TO COVER. EVERY PROPERTY HAS TO BE MONITORED ON AN ANNUAL BASIS. SO WE HAVE ENTERED INTO AN ILO, AN INTERLOCAL AGREEMENT, WITH THE EDWARDS AQUIFER AUTHORITY TO HELP US COVER MORE GROUND. 
          WE ARE CONTACTING THE LANDOWNERS, SCHEDULING THEIR ANNUAL REPORT. 
          ALL OF OUR LANDOWNERS ARE WELL VERSED. THEY KNOW WE ARE GOING TO BE COMING OUT ONCE A YEAR AS NEEDED TO DRIVE THROUGH. WE HAVE ESTABLISHED MONITORING POINTS ON EVERY ONE OF THE PROPERTIES SO IF IT'S A LARGER PROPERTY -- AND OUR LARGEST CONSERVATION EASEMENT IS ON A RANCH THAT'S OVER 16,000 ACRES IN SIZE. OUR SMALLEST IS 80 ACRES. AND SO WE HAVE ESTABLISHED MONITORING POINTS ON THOSE PROPERTIES. SOME DAYS, DEPENDING ON THE LOCATION OF THE PROPERTIES, WE MAY BE ABLE TO MONITOR MORE THAN ONE PROPERTY IN ONE DAY AND KNOCK IT OUT IN ONE DAY. OTHER TIMES, IT TAKES TWO TO THREE DAYS TO MONITOR AND VISIT ALL THE MONITORING POINTS AND ASSESS THE CONDITIONS ON THE PROPERTY, YOU KNOW, FOR ONE PARTICULAR RANCH. 
          WHAT WE'RE LOOKING FOR WHEN WE'RE OUT THERE ON THE MONITORING VISITS IS ANY REAL SIGNIFICANT CHANGES IN THE HEALTH OF THE PROPERTY. YOU KNOW, AS WE'RE GOING TO THESE MONITORING POINTS, WE'RE DETERMINING, OKAY, WHAT WERE THE CONDITIONS LAST YEAR? ARE THEY SIMILAR? ARE THEY VASTLY DIFFERENT? IF SO, WHY? AND THEN WE'RE ALSO LOOKING TO SEE IF THE LANDOWNER IS MAINTAINING COMPLIANCE WITH THE TERMS OF THEIR EASEMENT. HAVE THEY BUILT ANYTHING 
          [00:55:02]
WHERE THEY SHOULDN'T BUILD SOMETHING? AND, IF THEY HAVE, WE HAVE TO IDENTIFY THAT, CITE THEM, AND WORK WITH THEM. VIOLATIONS OF THE CONSERVATION EASEMENTS ARE VERY, VERY RARE AND THAT'S BECAUSE OUR STAFF DOES SUCH A GREAT JOB OF COMMUNICATING WITH THE LANDOWNERS. THE LANDOWNERS KNOW THEY SHOULD BE REACHING OUT TO US ANY TIME THEY WANT TO DO SOMETHING DIFFERENT ON THE PROPERTY. IT'S A VERY OPEN AND EASY DIALOGUE. 
          >> GARCIA: GOOD. I APPRECIATE THE EXPLANATION. 
          ON SLIDE 12 YOU HAVE 6.4% ACQUISITIONS IN THE ARTESIAN ZONE. 
          IS THIS TO PROTECT THE EXISTING WELLS? IS THAT WHAT YOU SAID? 
          >> SO THE 6.4% OF THESE ACQUISITIONS THAT HAVE DIPPED DOWN INTO THE ARTESIAN ZONE IS NOT SO MUCH THAT IT HAS TO DO WITH THE WELL BUT THESE ARE PROPERTIES THAT THE VAST MAJORITY OF THE LAND WAS IN THE RECHARGE ZONE AND THEY HAD A TAIL OR AN ARM THAT CAME DOWN INTO THE ARTESIAN ZONE. 
          WHEN WE WORKED WITH THE EDWARDS AQUIFER AUTHORITY AND WITH THE CONSERVATION ADVISORY BOARD TO ASSESS THESE PROPERTIES, IT WAS DETERMINED IT WOULD BE A BENEFIT TO THE CITY IF WE WERE PROTECTING THIS SMALL ACRE THAT DIPS DOWN INTO THE 
          ARTESIAN ZONE. >> GARCIA: ARE THE LANDOWNERS ALLOWED TO PUMP 
          UNLIMITED WATER FROM THOSE ZONES? >> THEY ARE BOUND BY THE RESTRICTIONS SET BY THEIR PERMITS WITH THE EAA AND SO A LOT OF THESE ARE EDWARDS WELL PERMIT HOLDER. IT'S OUTSIDE THE SCOPE OF THIS PROGRAM BUT EAA DOES 
          MONITOR THAT. >> GARCIA: THANK YOU SO MUCH. 
          ON SLIDE 13, THERE WERE FIVE COUNTIES THAT WE PROTECTED, 180,000 ACRE OF RECHARGE OR CONTRIBUTING. DOES THE RECHARGE ZONE EXTEND INTO HAYES AND 
          TRAVIS? >> IT DOES BUT AS YOU GET FURTHER UP INTO THAT NORTHEAST SECTION OF THE EDWARDS AQUIFER, THERE IS LESS AND LESS BENEFIT TO THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO. I KNOW THAT TRAVIS COUNTY AND THE CITY OF AUSTIN HAVE SOME PROGRAMS AS WELL BUT WE'RE FOCUSED ON BEXAR, MEDINA, AND UVALDE WITH SOME 
          OF THE SURROUNDING COUNTIES IN THE CONTRIBUTING ZONE. >> GARCIA: OKAY. 
          WONDERFUL. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR PRESENTATION. 
          THANK YOU, MAYOR. >> MAYOR NIRENBERG: THANK YOU, COUNCILMEMBER ROCHA 
          GARCIA. COUNCILMEMBER VIAGRAN. >> VIAGRAN: THANK YOU. 
          THANK YOU FOR THE PRESENTATION. I'M VERY FAMILIAR WITH THAT AREA. AS A CHILD WE USED TO TAKE TRIPS FROM SAN ANTONIO DOWN TO DEL RIO SO THAT WHOLE UVALDE AND MEDINA COUNTY, THE HERITAGE RANCHES, I'M GLAD WE COULD BE A PART OF THAT SO THAT PEOPLE CAN KEEP THEIR PROPERTY AND KEEP IT IN A CONDITION THAT IS MAYBE USED FOR JUST RANCHING OR FARMING OR THINGS LIKE THAT. 
          I'M PLEASED TO SEE THAT. I DO WANT TO MENTION -- I KNOW HOMER HAS SENT STAFF. 
          WHEN WE DO OUR SUSTAINABILITY SYMPOSIUM AND WE TALK ABOUT THAT -- BECAUSE TEXAS A&M COLLEGE STATION HAS COME DOWN AND SAID WE'RE A MICROCOSM THAT SAN ANTONIO HAS MADE A PRIORITY OF HAVING THAT HIGH WATER IQ OF MAKING SURE WE KNOW WHERE THAT IS. I THINK THE QUESTION OF MY COUNCIL COLLEAGUE DR. KAUR WAS ASKING WAS IF THE POSSIBILITY WAS THERE FOR US TO GO AFTER MORE FROM THE RECHARGE ZONE OR THE CONTRIBUTING ZONE -- BECAUSE WE HAD THE MEANS OR WE SAW SOMETHING -- WHAT WOULD BE FIRST? THE RECHARGE ZONE OR THE 
          CONTRIBUTING ZONE? >> I THINK MOST AREAS OF THE RECHARGE ZONE ARE ALWAYS GOING TO BE PRIORITIZED FOR THE PROGRAM. THAT SAID, WE KNOW FROM A WATER QUALITY STANDPOINT THAT THE CONTRIBUTING ZONE IS EXTREMELY IMPORTANT, WHICH IS WHY WE HAVE BEGUN TO MOVE FURTHER NORTH. BUT THE FOCUS OF THE PROGRAM HAS, AND I THINK WILL ALWAYS BE, THE RECHARGE ZONE. IN THE SENSE THAT WE CAN 
          PROTECT THOSE PROPERTIES. >> VIAGRAN: I DO WANT US TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE MINDFUL OF THE STAFF AND THE TEAM YOU HAVE THAT ARE DOING AN AMAZING JOB AT WHAT WE DO. BUT WHEN WE START PRIORITIZING, WHEN WE START MAKING OUR BUDGET PRIORITIES, I THINK WATER HAS TO BE KEY AND I THINK HAVING GREATER SATX, HAVING THE CAB THAT YOU DO HAVE WE'RE GOING TO SEE THAT THAT WATER SECURITY OR THE WATER INVESTMENT THAT SAN ANTONIO MAKES IS WHAT IS GOING TO BE ATTRACTIVE TO OTHER PEOPLE AS OTHER PARTS OF THE NATION DON'T PRIORITIZE THAT. 
          AND SO I WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT IF WE LOOK -- AND I DON'T KNOW, ERIK, IF THERE'S A WAY WE CAN MEASURE. IF WE DO MORE INVESTMENT IN THIS PROGRAM FOR THE RECHARGE ZONE, THIS MAY TRICKLE DOWN INTO MORE DEVELOPMENT, MORE SCHOOLS, MORE STUDENTS COMING UP HERE WITHIN THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO. 
          WE MAY WANT TO LOOK INTO THAT. AND TO BE PREPARED TO SAY, HEY, THIS IS HOW MUCH STAFF WE WOULD NEED AND THIS IS AN INCENTIVE MAYBE OUR CURRENT 
          [01:00:07]
LANDOWNERS THAT ARE A PART OF THE PROGRAM WOULD LIKE TO SEE IF WE DID THAT. 
          THAT'S KIND OF -- I THINK WE HAD SOME GREAT QUESTIONS BUT THIS IS ALWAYS -- WATER IS ALWAYS GOING TO BE A PRIORITY FOR ME. I WAS YOUNG AND MY DAD WAS WORKING FOR THE CITY WHEN I THINK IT WAS APPLEWHITE THAT THEY BROUGHT THAT FORWARD AND SAID LET'S DO THIS.HI AT THE TIME THE CITY SAID, NO, WE DON'T WANT TO DO THIS. SO WHEN VISTA RIDGE CAME AROUND AND ANOTHER VIAGRAN WAS SITTING IN THE SEAT, WE KNEW IT WAS THE RIGHT THING TO DO. 
          I JUST WANT -- AS CHANGES HAPPEN, AS WE HAVE A FOUR-YEAR COUNCIL WE MAKE SURE THAT IF THIS OPPORTUNITY COMES OR WE NEED THIS THAT WE ARE CONSTANTLY IN CONTACT WITH YOU THAT RECHARGE ZONE HAS TO BE OUR PRIORITY. 
          THANK YOU FOR ANSWERING THAT AND THANK YOU FOR THE WORK YOU'RE DOING. 
          I HOPE THE STATE RECOGNIZES THIS PROGRAM DOES HELP KEEP TEXAS TEXAS WITH THOSE 
          HERITAGE RANCH PROPERTIES. THANK YOU. >> THANK YOU. 
          >> MAYOR NIRENBERG: THANK YOU, COUNCILMEMBER VIAGRAN. ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION ON THIS ITEM? BEFORE WE CLOSE, GRANT, JUST ONE THING. 
          THIS PROGRAM IS ABOUT PROTECTING RECHARGE TO MAKE SURE THAT WE DON'T PAVE OVER THE AREAS THAT ARE MOST PERMEABLE. BUT IT'S ALSO ABOUT WATER QUALITY, WHICH I CONCUR WITH THE COMMENTS ABOUT THE CONTRIBUTING ZONE, IF THERE ARE HIGH-VALUE CONTRIBUTING ZONES THAT WE LOOK AT THOSE. WHICH BRINGS TO MIND THE EDWARDS AQUIFER AUTHORITY DOES A LOT OF OUR ENFORCEMENT AND MONITORING 
          OF THESE PROPERTIES ALONG WITH YOU, IS THAT CORRECT? >> 
          >> MAYOR NIRENBERG: HOW ARE WE DOING IN THAT REGARD? I MEAN, IT TAKES MAN HOURS TO MAKE SURE THAT PEOPLE ARE LIVING UP TO THEIR END OF THE DEVELOPMENT PROMISES. 
          >> IT DOES. IT'S A LOT OF CORRESPONDENCE. 
          OUR SMALL TEAM IS GREAT. WE HAVE THOMAS AND BRENT AND MARK FROM THE EDWARDS AQUIFER AUTHORITY HERE TODAY. THEY HAVE BEEN INSTRUMENTAL IN THEIR PARTNERSHIP WITH THE CITY STAFF TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE ABLE TO COVER AS 
          MUCH GROUND AS WE HAVE TO. >> MAYOR NIRENBERG: YEAH, I WOULD JUST SAY SOMETHING TO LOOK OUT FOR IN THE FUTURE, ESPECIALLY AS OUR PORTFOLIO GETS BIGGER, IS MAKING SURE THAT WE HAVE ENOUGH RESOURCES THERE TO ENSURE THAT WE'RE ENFORCING THOSE AREAS AND NOBODY IS GETTING UNDER THE RADAR THAT COULD HAVE CATASTROPHIC IMPACT ON THE AQUIFER. JUST ANOTHER THING FOR US TO KEEP AN EYE ON, ERIK, AS WE MOVE FORWARD. GREAT JOB. THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE AND WE'RE GOING TO CONTINUE TO BIRDDOG THE PROGRESS OF THIS. 
          ERIK, READY FOR ITEM 2. >> WALSH: THANK YOU, MAYOR. 
          OUR SECOND ITEM TODAY IS AN ITEM WE'RE BRINGING BACK TO YOU WITH SOME CHANGES. 
          WE CAME TO YOU IN DECEMBER ON SOME RECOMMENDATIONS TO PROCUREMENT CHANGES. 
          THE REVISED PRESENTATION IS RELATIVELY SHORT THAT TROY WILL GO THROUGH INCORPORATES THE FEEDBACK WE HEARD FROM COUNCIL. AND IF YOU'RE IN AGREEMENT AND WE GET SOME POSITIVE FEEDBACK THIS AFTERNOON, OUR INTENTION IS TO BRING IT TO COUNCIL AT THE END OF THE MONTH. SHORT PRESENTATION AND WE'RE FOCUSED ON JUST THE ADJUSTMENTS. TROY. 
          >> THANK YOU, ERIK. I GUESS THAT'S A HARD ACT TO FOLLOW, TALKING ABOUT SOMETHING AS IMPORTANT AS PROTECTING OUR WATER SOURCES OF THE EDWARDS AQUIFER. 
          I WOULD LIKE TO SHARE WITH YOU A COUPLE OF OUR REVISED RECOMMENDATIONS. 
          AS THE CITY MANAGER MENTIONED, BACK ON DECEMBER 11 WE WENT THROUGH A SERIES OF RECOMMENDATIONS TO REALLY MAKE OUR PROCUREMENT PROCESS MORE EFFICIENT, TO GET THE CONTRACTING DONE QUICKER, GET THOSE CONTRACTS IN THE HANDS OF OUR VENDORS AND CONTRACTORS AND GET PAYMENT OUT A LITTLE BIT QUICKER AS WELL. THE PRESENTATION LAST DECEMBER FOCUSED REALLY ON THREE AREAS. IT FOCUSED ON THE HIGH-PROFILE PROCESS AND RECOMMENDATIONS DURING THAT AREA. WE ALSO TALKED ABOUT AND PROVIDED RECOMMENDATIONS FOR THE DELEGATION OF AUTHORITY TO THE CITY MANAGER FOR CONTRACTING AUTHORITY. AND LASTLY WE TALKED ABOUT LEGISLATIVE CHANGES THAT WE WOULD LIKE YOUR SUPPORT ON AS WE MOVE THROUGH THE LEGISLATIVE PROCESS. 
          DURING THAT MEETING ON DECEMBER 11, LISTENED TO YOUR FEEDBACK, CONCERNS, AND YOUR COMMENTARY. WE WENT BACK TO LOOKING AT OUR RECOMMENDATIONS AND DETERMINED WHERE WE COULD TWEAK THOSE TO BE CONSISTENT AND ADDRESS YOUR CONCERNS AND COMMENTARY. TODAY, WITH THESE REVISED RECOMMENDATIONS, WE WOULD LIKE TO REPRESENT THOSE AND SEE IF WE HAVE ADDRESSED THOSE CONCERNS. 
          SO AS I MENTIONED, THE FIRST AREA THAT WE PROVIDE RECOMMENDATIONS ON WAS THE HIGH-PROFILE PROCESS. THERE WERE TWO IN THAT AREA. THE FIRST WAS WITH RESPECT TO THE AUDIT COMMITTEE. WE WERE REQUESTING THAT WITH RESPECT TO ON CALLS AND ANNUAL CONTRACTS, THOSE ARE FAIRLY ROUTINE IN NATURE, REALLY LACK POLICY CONSIDERATIONS. AND THERE'S REALLY NOT THAT MANY THAT ARE ABOVE 
          [01:05:01]
$5 MILLION. THERE'S ABOUT EIGHT. AND SO OUR RECOMMENDATION WAS BECAUSE THEY ARE FAIRLY ROUTINE IS REALLY MOVING AWAY FROM THE CURRENT PROCESS AND CHANGING THAT TO THEY GO STRAIGHT TO THE COUNCIL AGENDA. 
          WE DID NOT HEAR A WHOLE LOT OF CONCERNS OR FEEDBACK IN FORWARD WITH THE ORIGINAL RECOMMENDATION WITH NO CHANGES TO THAT. 
          THE OTHER AREA WE RECOMMENDED WAS INCREASING THE HIGH-PROFILE DESIGNATION OR DEFINITION FROM THE DAY'S THRESHOLD FROM $1 MILLION TO $5 MILLION. 
          REALLY TO ALIGN OUR PRACTICE WITH POLICY. WE DID HEAR SOME CONCERNS, SPECIFICALLY WHEN IT CAME TO PROHIBITIVE POLITICAL CONTRIBUTIONS. 
          THAT THERE WAS SOME CONCERN THAT IT MAY NOT BE AS TRANSPARENT. 
          LISTENING TO THOSE CONCERNS WE'RE RECOMMENDING KEEPING OUR CURRENT DEFINITION IN PLACE AT A MILLION DOLLARS AND NOT MOVING TO $5 MILLION. 
          AS FAR AS THE CONTRACTING AUTHORITY, THERE WERE TWO AREAS HERE AS WELL. 
          CONTRACTING AUTHORITY FOR FLEET ACQUISITIONS AND WE ALSO MADE RECOMMENDATIONS AS FAR AS ALL OF OUR CONTRACTS. WE KIND OF PUT A BLANKET THRESHOLD OUT THERE OF $2.5 MILLION THAT ANYTHING UNDER $2.5 MILLION WOULD ACTUALLY BE DELEGATED TO THE CITY MANAGER. AS FAR AS THE CONTRACTING AUTHORITY FOR THE FLEET ACQUISITIONS, JUST AS A REFRESHER, THE FLEET ACQUISITIONS ARE ADOPTED IN THE BUDGET. ALL OF OUR NEW VEHICLE AND FLEET ACQUISITIONS ARE PROVIDED IN THE ADOPTED BUDGET AS WELL AS THE REPLACEMENTS. 
          THEY ARE LOW BID, BASED ON SPECIFICATIONS, REALLY NOT ANY DISCRETION AT ALL. 
          WE BUY THEM LOW BID OR THROUGH COOPERATIVES. DID NOT HEAR ANY COMMENTARY OR FEEDBACK ON THAT SO WE'RE RECOMMENDING STAYING WITH OUR ORIGINAL RECOMMENDATION THAT ALL THE FLEET ACQUISITIONS ADOPTED IN THE ADOPTED BUDGET WOULD BE DELEGATED TO THE CITY MANAGER AND THEY WOULD NO LONGER GO ON TO THE COUNCIL AGENDA. THE OTHER AREA WAS CONTRACTING AUTHORITY FOR CONTRACTS LESS THAN $2.5 MILLION. FOR ALL SOLICITATION CATEGORIES. THAT WAS OUR ORIGINAL RECOMMENDATION. 
          WE PROVIDED Y'ALL WITH THE STATISTICS AND I'LL GO OVER THOSE IN A COUPLE OF MINUTES TO SHOW YOU WHERE WE WERE AS FAR AS OUR RECOMMENDATION AND WHAT WE'RE MOVING TO. 
          WE'RE RECOMMENDING MOVING FROM 2.5 DOWN TO CHANGES LESS THAN $1 MILLION. 
          WE ACTUALLY LOOKED AT THE CATEGORIES. THERE WAS A COUPLE OF THINGS I HEARD AS FAR AS FEEDBACK. ONE, THE $2.5 MILLION WAS TOO HIGH. 
          MOVING FROM THE THRESHOLD OF $50,000 TO 2.5 WAS JUST TOO BIG OF A LEAP AT THIS TIME. 
          ALSO TO GO BACK AND LOOK AT IT IN TERMS OF CATEGORIES. MAYBE BREAKING IT DOWN. 
          AND THE RECOMMENDATION AND SOME OF THE CONVERSATION FROM CITY COUNCIL AT THAT TIME WAS MAYBE 999,000 WAS AN APPROPRIATE THRESHOLD. WE TOOK THAT BACK, LOOKED AT IT. WE'RE IN AGREEMENT GOING BACK AND CHANGING OUR ORIGINAL RECOMMENDATION FROM 2.5 TO $1 MILLION. WE ARE RECOMMENDING THAT FOR THE CATEGORIES OF KIND OF OUR A&E. CONSTRUCTION, OTHER SERVICES, AND PROFESSIONAL SERVICES. AND THESE CATEGORIES ARE A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT THAN WHAT WE SHARED WITH YOU LAST TIME. 
          WE WANTED TO BLOW IT OUT A LITTLE BIT AND ADDED SOME ADDITIONAL CATEGORIES INTO IT. THIS WOULD BE SOME OF THE CATEGORIES THAT IN THE EVENT THAT Y'ALL ARE AGREEABLE WITH MOVING FORWARD WITH THE CHANGES, THESE ARE THE CATEGORIES WE WOULD BE REPORTING IN AS WE MOVE FORWARD QUARTERLY. 
          AS FAR AS GOODS AND SUPPLIES, I'LL TALK ABOUT THAT IN A COUPLE OF MINUTES AS WELL. WE'RE NOT RECOMMENDING A CHANGE, RECOMMENDING KEEPING 
          THAT AT $2.5 MILLION. >> THESE ARE SOME OF THE STATISTICS. 
          I GUESS I'LL STEP BACK A LITTLE BIT. IN YOUR E-MAIL AND ALSO THIS MORNING, MY TEAM SHOULD HAVE PASSED OUT A PRETTY LARGE LISTING OF ALL THE PROCUREMENTS. THIS LISTING OF PROCUREMENTS IS ALL PROCUREMENTS WORKING WITH CITY DEPARTMENTS THAT ARE $50,000 AND ABOVE. 
          SO THIS GIVES YOU A LOT OF INSIGHT TO OVER THE COMING YEAR, WHAT'S GOING TO BE PROCURED IN TERMS OF ALL THESE SOLICITATION CATEGORIES OF ARCHITECTURE AND ENGINEERING, CONSTRUCTION, OTHER SERVICES AND PROFESSIONAL SERVICES. THIS GUIDE IS ALSO AVAILABLE ON OUR WEBSITE. WE PUT THIS OUT THERE EVERY YEAR TO BASICALLY ALLOW OUR VENDORS TO FORECAST, TO HAVE VISIBILITY IN WHAT'S COMING OVER THE YEAR. SO IN THE EVENT THEY'RE INTERESTED IN IT, THEY ALSO CAN START PREPARING FOR THESE UPCOMING SOLICITATIONS. BUT THIS DOCUMENT THAT I JUST MENTIONED, IT TIES TO ALL THESE CATEGORIES AS BROKEN DOWN BY THESE SOLICITATION CATEGORIES AND TIES TO THE TOTALS FOR EACH OF THESE CATEGORIES. 
          AND THE SAME AS I MENTIONED TO YOU IN THE HIGH-PROFILE PROCESS, AS WE GO THROUGH THESE DELEGATION OF AUTHORITIES, IF THERE'S SOMETHING IN THERE THAT YOU OR YOUR STAFF ACTUALLY SEE AS OF INTEREST AND IT'S IN THE EVENT THAT Y'ALL ARE AGREEABLE WITH THE THRESHOLDS THAT WE'RE GOING TO BE RECOMMENDING, BUT THERE'S SOMETHING IN THERE THAT'S GOING TO BE RECOMMENDED TO BE DELEGATED TO THE CITY MANAGER AND IT'S OF INTEREST TO Y'ALL, WE CAN PULL THAT OUT AND RUN IT THROUGH THE NORMAL PROCESS. BUT ON THE SLIDE, THIS BASICALLY TALKS ABOUT OUR INITIAL RECOMMENDATION BY CATEGORY FOR CONTRACTING 
          [01:10:04]
AUTHORITY LESS THAN $2.5 MILLION. SO THE BLUE CATEGORY, THAT WAS OUR ORIGINAL RECOMMENDATION. AND THOSE WERE KIND OF THE STATISTICS THAT SHOW THE DELEGATED AUTHORITY FOR EACH OF THOSE CATEGORIES -- FOR ARCHITECT, ENGINEERING, CONSTRUCTION, OTHER SERVICES AND PROFESSIONAL SERVICES, AS I MENTIONED, MOVING DOWN FROM 2.5 TO $1 MILLION WOULD BE OUR REVISED RECOMMENDATION. AND YOU CAN KIND OF SEE HOW THAT MOVES THE NEEDLES BETWEEN EACH OF THOSE CATEGORIES BETWEEN WHAT WAS INITIALLY RECOMMENDED IN OUR REVISED RECOMMENDATION FOR THE DELEGATION TO THE CITY MANAGER. I WON'T GO THROUGH ALL THE DIFFERENT CATEGORIES. I GUESS WHAT I'LL POINT Y'ALL TO IS KIND OF BOTTOM, IN TERMS OF THE TOTAL. 
          SO OUR INITIAL RECOMMENDATION AT 2.5, THERE WAS ROUGHLY 184 PROCUREMENTS, ROUGHLY $124 MILLION THAT WOULD HAVE BEEN DELEGATED TO THE CITY MANAGER OUT OF THE 294 SOLICITATIONS OR 1.2 BILLION. 
          UNDER OUR REVISED RECOMMENDATION, THAT CUTS IT DOWN TO APPROXIMATELY 136 PROCUREMENTS, AND REDUCES IN VALUE OF THOSE PROCUREMENTS FROM 124 MILLION TO 50 MILLION. THE LION'S SHARE OF THE DOLLARS STILL RESIDE WITH COUNCIL, BUT IT REDUCES THE NUMBER OF PROCURE MS THAT WOULD HAVE TO BE GOING THROUGH THE COUNCIL AGENDA. 
          THE OTHER AREA AS I MENTIONED IS GOODS AND SUPPLIES. 
          SO WE ARE RECOMMENDING, AS WE WENT BACK AND LOOKED AT THIS BY CATEGORY, WHERE DOES IT MAKE SENSE TO BASICALLY DEVIATE FROM THAT MILLION DOLLAR THRESHOLD, AND I THINK GOODS AND SUPPLYS IS A GOOD BREAKING POINT FOR THAT. ONE BECAUSE SIMILAR TO FLEET, THEY ARE ALL LOW BID. THEY'RE BASED PURELY ON SPECIFICATIONS, AND THE EXAMPLE I LIKE TO USE IS WE'RE GOING TO BUY A RED FIRE TRUCK WITH ALL THE BELLS AND WHISTLES AND IT COSTS X AND WE MOVE FORWARD WITH THAT PURCHASE. THE ONE THING THAT I DID NOT MENTION LAST TIME, THERE'S ALSO AN APPEAL AND A PROTEST PROCESS THAT'S IN PLACE FOR ALL THESE TYPE OF STATUTORY PROCUREMENTS. SO IN THE EVENT A VENDOR IS DISSATISFIED OR HAS CONCERNS WITH THE AWARD THAT WE ARE RECOMMENDING, THEY CAN COME TO ME AND FILE A BID PROTEST. IF THEY ARE STILL UNSATISFIED WITH MY DECISION, THEN THEY CAN MOVE TO THE CITY MANAGER'S OFFICE WITH ERIK OR BEN AND THEY CAN HAVE THE FINAL DETERMINATION, AS WELL AS THEY'RE FREE TO REACH OUT TO CITY COUNCIL. 
          THE STATS I'M GOING TO SHOW BELOW DO NOT INCLUDE THE FLEET PROCUREMENTS, BUT, AGAIN, THIS COULD BE NO CHANGE TO OUR INITIAL RECOMMENDATION. 
          WE'RE RECOMMENDING CONTRACTING AUTHORITY BE DELEGATED TO CITY MANAGER FOR ALL CONTRACTS LESS THAN 2.5 MILLION. YOU CAN KIND OF SEE OUR ANTICIPATE SOLICITATIONS, WE'RE LOOKING AT A TOTAL OF 76 FOR THE YEAR, AND ROUGHLY 151 MILLION. WE WOULD ESTIMATE TO BE DELEGATED IS 71 PROCUREMENTS OR 93% OF THE ACTUAL NUMBER OF PROCUREMENTS, WHICH REPRESENTS 16% OF THE TOTAL SPEND, EQUAL TO 24 MILLION OUT OF 151. 
          THAT LEAVES APPROXIMATELY FIVE THAT WOULD BE PLACE ON THE COUNCIL AGENDA, AT 127 MILLION. AGAIN, THESE ARE ESTIMATES I SHARED WITH YOU ON THIS SLIDE -- CHANGE THROUGHOUT THE YEAR, BUT THIS IS OUR BEST ESTIMATE, BEST GUESS RIGHT NOW. SO AS ERIK MENTIONED, IT IS A SHORT PRESENTATION, I JUST WANTED TO FOCUS ON OUR CHANGES. YOU KNOW, IF THESE CHANGES ARE ACCEPTABLE TO YOU AS A COUNCIL OR IF THERE'S OTHER COMMENTARY THAT WE NEED TO CONSIDER, I'LL BE HAPPENTY TO DO THAT. 
          IF IT'S ACCEPTABLE, I'LL LIKE TO GO BACK AND WORK ON OUR BUSINESS PROCESSES, WHERE WE CAN CUT THE CORNERS -- PUBLIC A LITTLE BIT FASTER. WE'D ALSO START DESIGNING OUR QUARTERLY REPORTING. AS I MENTIONED LAST TIME FOR EVERYTHING THAT WOULD BE DELEGATED TO THE CITY MANAGER, WE WANT TO IT BE A TRANSPARENT PROCESS TO YOU AS A COUNCIL AND TO THE PUBLIC, AND SO WE WOULD ACTUALLY PRESENT THESE QUARTERLY EITHER VR WEB AND OTHER REPORTING MECHANISMS TO THE CITY COUNCIL. AGAIN, IF THESE THINGS ARE ACCEPTABLE, I'D LIKE TO MOVE FORWARD WITH THE ITEMS THAT ACTUALLY NEED TO BE EMBODIED IN AN ORDINANCE AND MOVE FORWARD FOR ORDINANCE CONSIDERATION BY CITY COUNCIL ON JANUARY 30TH. WE WOULD PROPOSE TO GIVE US A LITTLE BIT OF TIME TO GO BACK AND LOOK AT OUR BUSINESS PROCESSES AND REPORTING WITH AN EFFECTIVE DATE IN APRIL TO ACTUALLY PUT SOME OF THESE THINGS IN PLACE. 
          ALSO LASTLY, I MENTIONED THERE WERE FOUR ITEMS THAT WE PROPOSED AS LEGISLATIVE CHANGES. SOME OF THESE THINGS ARE ALREADY MOVING THROUGH THE LEDGE SLAY CHEURKS AND SO WE WOULD BE ACTING FOR SUPPORT TO ACTUALLY KIND OF ATTACH TO THOSE AND MOVE FORWARD, AND THESE ITEMS WERE, I BELIEVE, PRESENTED THROUGH THE IGR YESTERDAY, WE'D LOVE TO CONTINUE FORWARD WITH THOSE ITEMS. SO VERY SHORT AND SWEET, AND HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS OR ANY COMMENTS THAT YOU HAVE. 
          THANK YOU. >> MAYOR NIRENBERG: GREAT. THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR THE PRESENTATION, TROY. THIS IS OUR SECOND BRIEFING ON THE ITEM. 
          COUNCILMEMBER ROCHA GARCIA? >> GARCIA: THANK YOU, MAYOR. AND THANK YOU, TROY, AND TO THE ENTIRE TEAM FOR TAKING OUR FEEDBACK THAT WE GAVE YOU BACK IN DECEMBER. 
          AND SO I APPRECIATE AND I FEEL MORE COMFORTABLE WITH THE REVISED LIST ON 
          [01:15:03]
SLIDE 4, AND REDUCING THE $2.5 MILLION TO 1 MILLION. 
          IT STILL -- IT'S UNDERSTANDABLE, I STILL HAVE A LITTLE BIT OF QUESTIONS. AND SO I UNDERSTAND THE OBJECTIVE AND I UNDERSTAND THE CONSIDERATIONS THAT -- STILL FEEL LIKE WE'RE THE ONES ULTIMATELY HELD ACCOUNTABLE AND IN THE SPIRIT OF TRANSPARENCY AND ACCOUNTABILITY, I DON'T KNOW THAT SOME OF THESE CHANGES WILL ACTUALLY CHANGE THE WAIT TIME, LIKE QUICKER PAYMENTS TO VENDORS. AND SO I'M TRYING TO FIGURE OUT HOW ARE WE GOING TO MEASURE THAT. AND SO THE EXAMPLE THAT I COULD CITE IS BACK IN OCTOBER 2022, WE HAD A STAFF RECOMMENDATION THAT WAS MADE BASED ON EFFICIENCIES TO HIGH-PROFILE PROCESS, AND THE RECOMMENDATION WAS TO REVISE HIGH-PROFILE CONTRACT PROCESS THRESHOLD FROM 1 MILLION TO 5 MILLION, AND IT WAS FOR PURPOSES ALSO OF A REQUIRED MONTHLY AUDIT BRIEFING; HOWEVER, I DON'T KNOW THAT WE'VE DONE THAT ANALYSIS, RIGHT? AND SO LOOKING AT THE PROPOSED PROCUREMENT PROCESS, HOW ARE WE TRACKING THE COST SAVINGS?  HOW ARE WE TRACKING THE TIME SAVINGS? WHAT EFFICIENCIES HAVE WE SEEN OVER WITH THAT PROCESS? AND I'M NOT TALKING ABOUT TIME SAVINGS IN TERMS OF HOW MANY LESS MEETINGS WE HAVE OR SHORTER MEETINGS, BUT I JUST -- I'M TRYING TO SEE, WHAT ARE THOSE METRICS AND WHAT HAVE YOU SEEN SINCE OCTOBER 2022 BECAUSE THAT'S PROBABLY THE BEST COMPARISON TO 
          WHAT WE'RE DOING NOW ELIZA. >> ELLIOTT: WE CAN GO BACK AND LOOK AT THAT AT A SPECIFIC POINT IN TIME. 
          AND WE CAN CERTAINLY DO THAT. IN TERMS OF COST SAVINGS -- THAT'S SOMETHING THAT'S VERY DIFFICULT TO TRACK, BECAUSE WHEN WE TALK ABOUT THE HIGH-PROFILE PROCESS AND MOVING FROM A MILLION TO 5 MILLION, NOT ONLY IMPACTS MY TEAM AND MY DEPARTMENT, IT IMPACTS THE CITY DEPARTMENTS AS WELL, BECAUSE THERE'S A LOT OF TIME AND EFFORT THAT GOES INTO PREPARING THE SUPPORTING DOCUMENTATION, GETTING IT READY FOR THE PRESOLICITATION BRIEFING, THE POSTSOLICITATION BRIEFING, THEN ALSO GETTING IT READY FOR CITY COUNCIL. 
          SO THERE'S A LOT OF TIME AND EFFORT. WE DO NOT TRACK THAT PIECE, BUT THE PIECE I DO TRACK IS THE TIME THAT IT TAKES TO ACTUALLY GO FROM INITIATING A PROCUREMENT TO GETTING ONE ONTO THE COUNCIL AGENDA. 
          I CAN GO BACK AND I COULD GO BACK TO LOOK AT THOSE UNDER 5 MILLION, AND WE 
          COULD ACTUALLY PULL THAT INFORMATION. >> GARCIA: GOT IT. 
          THANK YOU. AND THEN ALSO -- I MEAN, WE HAVE ELECTIONS RIGHT AROUND THE CORNER, AND I KNOW THAT WE'RE TRYING TO PROPOSE THIS FOR JANUARY 30TH. BUT I ALSO FEEL LIKE WE COULD HAVE AT LEAST FOUR TO FIVE NEW COUNCILMEMBERS UP HERE, AND I KNOW THAT SOME OF MY COLLEAGUES PROBABLY REMEMBER THE FIRST TIME THAT THEY TRIED TO NAVIGATE THE BUDGET DEVELOPMENT PROCESS AND THEY WERE TOLD ESSENTIALLY THAT POLICIES AND GUIDELINES HAD ALREADY BEEN DECIDED FOR THEM. 
          COMING IN, AND THEIR ABILITY TO WEIGH IN ON SOMETHING. 
          AND SO I GUESS MY QUESTION IS, IF WE DON'T DO THIS ON JANUARY 30TH, WHAT DOES IT REALLY DO TO YOUR DEPARTMENT OR WHY WOULD WE NOT BE ABLE TO DELAY OR WHAT'S THE RUSH TO GET THIS STARTED APRIL THE THIRD AS A NEW 
          PROCESS? >> ELLIOTT: I DON'T THINK THAT THERE'S NECESSARILY 
          A RUSH. >> GARCIA: OKAY. >> ELLIOTT: I MEAN, I HATE SAYING THIS, BUT THIS IS THE WAY WE'VE ALWAYS DONE IT, RIGHT? 
          >> GARCIA: OKAY. >> ELLIOTT: ONE OF THE REASONS WHY THIS CAME UP AS WELL, AND I MENTIONED THIS, I THINK, THE LAST TIME WE SPOKE, BUT WE HIRED -- WE BEING EDD AND FINANCE, HIRED A COMPANY CALLED CIVIC INITIATIVES TO GO THROUGH AND LOOK AT OUR PROCUREMENT PROCESSES AND IDENTIFY THOSE AREAS WHERE THEY THOUGHT THAT WE COULD ACTUALLY IMPROVE UPON. 
          THEY VISITED WITH OUR SMALL BUSINESSES, THEY VISITED WITH EVERY CITY DEPARTMENT, AND OUT OF THAT, THERE BECAME A LOT OF COLLECTIVE RECOMMENDATIONS. AND THIS WAS ACTUALLY ONE OF THOSE RECOMMENDATIONS. AND SO IN LOOKING AT THAT, WE DECIDED THAT -- AND TO BE HONEST, AT FIRST I WAS -- THIS IS THE WAY WE'VE ALWAYS DONE IT, BUT AFTER HAVING THOSE CONVERSATIONS WITH THEM AND HAVING THOSE CONVERSATIONS ABOUT THE VALUE, IT STARTED TO RESONATE WITH ME AND WE THOUGHT THIS WAS A GOOD DIRECTION TO MOVE. BUT AS FAR AS THE TIMING, IS THERE ANYTHING MAGIC ABOUT NOW? I CAN'T SAY THERE IS. 
          OTHER THAN I THINK THERE WOULD BE EFFICIENCIES THAT WE COULD GAIN PUTTING IT IN PLACE NOW VERSUS IN FIVE MONTHS DOWN THE ROAD. 
          >> GARCIA: FAIR. OKAY. THANK YOU. 
          I APPRECIATE THAT. YOU MENTIONED CIVIC -- WHO WAS IT. 
          >> ELLIOTT: CIVIC INITIATIVES. >> GARCIA: ARE THEY LOOKING AT ANY OTHER CITY PROCESSES FOR EFFICIENCIES? 
          DO WE REGULARLY CONTRACT WITH THEM? >> ELLIOTT: THESE INDIVIDUALS ARE SPECIFIC AND HAVE SPECIFIC EXPERIENCE IN PROCUREMENT. THEY'RE A GROUP OF PROCUREMENT PROFESSIONALS, THAT WE WENT OUT WITH A SMALL SOLICITATION AND HIRED THEM TO LOOK SPECIFICALLY AT THAT. BUT THEY'RE NOT LOOKING 
          AT ANYTHING ELSE OUT OF PROCUREMENT. >> GARCIA: I THINK WE NEED A CIVIC INITIATIVES FOR ALL THE DEPARTMENTS OR SOMETHING COMPARABLE 
          [01:20:01]
TO GIVE US, LIKE, I WOULD SAY, UNSOLICITED ADVICE, RIGHT? WELL, I GUESS IT WOULD BE SOLICITED, BUT STILL, KIND OF JUST OUTSIDE THE BOX THINKING LIKE THINGS THAT WE'RE NOT NECESSARILY THINKING ABOUT. SO MY NEXT QUESTION IS, WOULD WE BE ABLE TO SEE A REVISED TABLE, LIKE THE ONE ON SLIDE 4, IF WE REDUCED THE THRESHOLD 
          FROM 1 MILLION TO 500,000, FOR INSTANCE? >> ELLIOTT: CERTAINLY. 
          >> GARCIA: OKAY. >> ELLIOTT: THE INFORMATION THAT'S IN YOUR PACKET IS GOING TO BE A SIMPLE SORT, AND WE CAN DO THAT FOR YOU. 
          >> GARCIA: OKAY. GOT IT. WELL, THEN, THOSE ARE ALL MY QUESTIONS. THANK YOU, I APPRECIATE YOU, TROY. 
          THANK YOU, MAYOR. >> MAYOR NIRENBERG: THANK YOU, COUNCILMEMBER ROCHA 
          GARCIA. COUNCILMEMBER WHYTE? >> WHYTE: YEAH. 
          TROY, I'VE GOT ONE QUESTION. IS THIS GOING TO MAKE THE PROCUREMENT PROCESS MORE EFFICIENT AND GET THE MONEY ONTO THE STREET 
          QUICKER? >> ELLIOTT: YES, SIR. >> WHYTE: OKAY. 
          LISTEN, I WANT TO THANK YOU AND BEN. I MEAN, THIS IS SOMETHING THAT WE STARTED TALKING ABOUT SIX MONTHS AGO WITH COUNCILWOMAN VIAGRAN AND THIS IS OUR SECOND B SESSION, AND SO I'M REALLY ME PLEASED THAT WE'RE HERE TODAY. FRANKLY, I WOULD HAVE GONE EVEN FURTHER THAN WHAT YOU GUYS DID, BUT I HEARD THE CONCERNS OF MY COUNCIL COLLEAGUES LAST TIME, AND YOU GUYS HAVE CERTAINLY ADDRESSED THOSE TODAY. 
          AND SO I THINK WE'VE LANDED UPON A REALLY GOOD SOLUTION HERE. 
          AND, AGAIN, I AM SURE ALL OF MY COLLEAGUES HEAR THE EXACT SAME THINGS, RIGHT? THESE PROJECTS SIMPLY JUST TAKE TOO LONG, RIGHT? AND NOT ONLY THAT, IT DOESN'T ONLY HURT OUR RESIDENTS, OUR CITIZENS, IT ALSO HURTS THE CONTRACTORS, WHO PUT IN A BID ONE DAY AND THEN IT TAKES SO LONG TO GET IT THROUGH THE WHOLE PROCESS AND BY THE TIME THEY ACTUALLY GET DO THE WORK, IT'S MUCH MORE EXPENSIVE THAN IT WAS WAY BACK IN THE BEGINNING. SO I'M REALLY PLEASED THAT WE'RE DOING THIS, GETTING THE MONEY ON THE STREET QUICKER, SO THAT WE CAN GET THESE PROJECTS DONE THAT ARE JUST SIMPLY TAKING TOO LONG AROUND THE CITY IS REALLY IMPORTANT. AND, LISTEN, I'M GOING TO AGREE WITH COUNCILWOMAN ROCHA GARCIA, IF THERE'S MORE INITIATIVES THAT WE CAN TAKE, ERIK, AS A -- AS A CITY GOVERNMENT TO MAKE OTHER DEPARTMENTS RUN MORE EFFICIENTLY, I WOULD LOVE THAT. TALKING MY LANGUAGE THERE, AND SO THAT WOULD REALLY BE SOMETHING THAT I THINK WOULD BE OF BENEFIT TO US, AND THEN, OF COURSE, WOULD ULTIMATELY BENEFIT OUR -- OUR RESIDENTS. SO THANK YOU, GUYS, FOR DOING THIS, AND YOUR WHOLE TEAM THAT'S WORKED ON THIS. I LOOK FORWARD TO GETTING THIS TO A VOTED AT THE END OF THIS MONTH AND HAVING A NEW, MORE EFFICIENT PROCESS IN PLACE. THANK YOU. 
          >> MAYOR NIRENBERG: THANK YOU, COUNCILMEMBER WHYTE. 
          COUNCILMEMBER COURAGE? >> COURAGE: THANK YOU, MAYOR. 
          I GUESS I WOULD CONCUR WITH WHAT WE JUST HEARD FROM COUNCILMAN WHYTE, THAT WE REALLY HAVE, I THINK, LOOKED AT THIS TO TRY AND CREATE MORE EFFICIENCY. AND THAT'S REALLY IMPORTANT. 
          I HAVE ONE RECOMMENDATION, AND I'M GOING TO TIE IT INTO SOMETHING THAT WE'RE ALREADY PRETTY FAMILIAR WITH. 
          WE HAVE -- WE ALL RECEIVE AN IMP, WHICH TALKS ABOUT THE INFRASTRUCTURE THAT'S BEING PLANNED FOR THE NEXT FIVE YEARS. AND WE USE THAT AS A GUIDE TO UNDERSTAND HOW THE STREETS ARE GETTING DONE, THINGS OF THAT NATURE. WHAT YOU'VE PRESENTED EARLIER TODAY WITH THE TABLES OF ALL OF THE DIFFERENT PROPOSED ACQUISITIONS, PROPERTY, SERVICES, ET CETERA, ET CETERA, ALL OF THIS WAS PLANNED IN THE BUDGET WE APPROVED, AND THAT'S WHY IT'S IN PLACE HERE TODAY. 
          AND I THINK THAT IT'S A USEFUL GUIDE FOR ALL OF US TO HAVE WHENEVER WE HAVE AN AGENDA. EVERY AGENDA COMES UP, AND ON IT IT TALKS ABOUT PROCUREMENTS THAT ARE GOING TO BE MADE, EITHER THROUGH RFPS OR WHATEVER. AND A LOT OF TIMES, I STRUGGLE -- WELL, WHERE DID WE HAVE THAT BEFORE? AND WAS THAT IN THE BUDGET OR IS THAT SOMETHING NEW? SO WHAT I WANT TO SUGGEST IS, THAT WE CREATE THIS KIND OF A TABLE IN A REPORT TO EVERY COUNCILMEMBER AFTER EVERY BUDGET'S PUT TOGETHER, SO THAT -- AND SO WHEN IT COMES UP ON AN AGENDA FOR APPROVAL, THAT ON THAT AGENDA, YOU CAN PUT A LITTLE LINE ITEM THAT SAYS, YOU CAN LOOK THIS UP ON PAGE 27 OF THE REPORT FOR ALL OF THE PROJECTED EXPENDITURES THAT ARE GOING TO COME TO COUNCIL FOR... 
          THAT WAY WE CAN GO BACK AND WE CAN LOOK AND SAY, OH, OKAY, IT'S PUBLIC WORKS AND IT WAS FORECASTED FOR APRIL, AND IT'S SLATED TO BE ON BUDGET AGENDA ON SUCH AND SUCH A DATE. AND THAT, I THINK, WOULD HELP US UNDERSTAND, OH, YEAH, IT'S ALREADY BUDGETED. 
          IT'S NOT SOMETHING NEW. WE APPROVED IT, WE KNEW IT'S COMING, BUT IT ALLOWS US TO FOLLOW THROUGH. AND THEN HAVE ONE MORE 
          [01:25:01]
COLUMN AT THE END THAT WOULD JUST CHECK IT OFF. WHEN IT'S BEEN PURCHASED OR WHEN THE BID'S BEEN APPROVED, WE JUST CHECK IT OFF. 
          AND THAT WAY, I THINK, I AND ALL OF US CAN FOLLOW BETTER ALL OF THESE PROCUREMENTS. SO I WOULD SAY, YOU KNOW, REDO THIS IN A TABLE THAT YOU CAN GIVE TO ALL THE COUNCILMEMBERS AND LET US HAVE THIS AVAILABLE FOR US TO REFER TO EVERY TIME AN AGENDA COMES UP THAT HAS 20 DIFFERENT ITEMS THAT WE'E GOING TO BE VOTING TO APPROVE. SO OTHER THAN THAT, I REALLY LIKE IT. I APPRECIATE GIVING THE CITY MANAGER ADDITIONAL DELEGATION AUTHORITY, BUT I ALSO RECOGNIZE, I THINK ALL THE COUNCILMEMBERS DO, THAT ULTIMATE AUTHORITY ON EXPENDITURES NEED TO REST IN THE HANDS OF COUNCILMEMBERS MAKING THOSE DECISIONS OVER A MILLION DOLLARS. 
          SO THANK YOU. >> MAYOR NIRENBERG: THANK YOU, COUNCILMEMBER COURAGE. COUNCILMEMBER ALDARETE GAVITO? 
          >> GAVITO: THANK YOU, MAYOR. THANKS SO MUCH FOR THIS PRESENTATION, JUST A FEW QUICK QUESTIONS. YESTERDAY IN THE IGR COMMITTEE, WE WERE BRIEFED ON SOME LEGISLATION IMPACTING THE MUNICIPAL PROCUREMENT PROCESS. I JUST WANTED TO MAKE SURE, WILL THOSE BILLS IMPACT THESE PROPOSALS OR ANY OF THIS PROCESS? 
          >> ELLIOTT: THEY WILL NOT IMPACT THESE PROPOSALS. THEY'RE GOING TO IMPACT SOME OF THE UNDERLYING BUSINESS PRACTICES THAT WE HAVE IN PLACE WITH RESPECT TO, YOU KNOW, HOW WE ADVERTISE OUR BIDS, CHANGE ORDERS, YOU KNOW, WHAT DO WE HAVE TO DO FORMAL VERSUS INFORMAL. SO IT WILL MAKE THE PROCESS -- UNDERLYING PROCESSES EVEN MORE EFFICIENT THAN WHAT WE'RE 
          TALKING ABOUT TODAY. >> GAVITO: OKAY. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THAT. I'M GOING TO ECHO WHAT MY COLLEAGUE COUNCILMAN WHYTE SAID. YOU KNOW, I DEFINITELY FEEL THAT WE NEED TO PRIORITIZE TRANSPARENCY AND ACCOUNTABILITY TO OUR RESIDENTS. 
          I THINK THAT THESE CHANGES WOULD ENSURE THAT CORE SERVICES STAY ON TRACK, AND WE WOULD MINIMIZE TIME FOR WORK TO BE COMPLETED. 
          OBVIOUSLY, IT'S AN EFFICIENCY GAME. WE HEAR FROM RESIDENTS ALL THE TIME ABOUT COMPLAINTS ABOUT HOW LONG THESE CONSTRUCTION PROJECTS TAKE, SO I THINK THAT THIS IS A GREAT EFFORT TO RESPOND TO THAT RESIDENT CONCERN. THANK Y'ALL SO MUCH FOR YOUR WORKS AND THANK YOU FOR LISTENING AND INCORPORATING OUR FEEDBACK. 
          APPRECIATE IT. THANK YOU, MAYOR. >> MAYOR NIRENBERG: THANK YOU, COUNCILMEMBER ALDARETE GAVITO. COUNCILMEMBER CASTILLO. 
          >> CASTILLO: THANK YOU, MAYOR. THANK YOU, TROY, FOR THE PRESENTATION AND TO BEN AND Y'ALL'S TEAM FOR ENSURING THAT IMRAWL INTEGRATED COUNCIL FEEDBACK FROM THE LAST B SESSION. 
          THE PRIMARY ITEM THAT HAD GIVEN ME PAUSE WAS THE INITIAL RECOMMENDATION OF INCREASING THE HIGH-PROFILE DESIGNATION FROM 1 MILLION TO 5 MILLION. I'M PLEASED TO SEE THAT THE RECOMMENDATION WILL MAINTAIN THE $1 MILLION THRESHOLD, AND SIMILAR TO MY COLLEAGUES, RIGHT, WHAT THIS CONVERSATION ABOUT TO ME IS ABOUT TRANSPARENCY AND ACCESSIBILITY AND M MAINTAINING THAT THRESHOLD ALLOWS ME TO DO MY DUE DILIGENCE FOR MY CONSTITUENCY REGARDING WHETHER IT'S A BID FOR CONTRACT OR WHATEVER THE CASE MAY BE, THAT I HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO -- OF PROJECTS WHERE THERE'S A TREND WITH THE CONTRACTOR, RIGHT, AND IT ALLOWS AN OPPORTUNITY TO PULL THE ITEM, HAVE A CONVERSATION IF THERE MAY OR MAY NOT BE ISSUES WITH A SPECIFIC CONTRACTOR, BUT ULTIMATELY JUST GRATEFUL, SHORT AND SWEET, GRATEFUL THAT YOU ALL HAVE INTEGRATED COUNCIL FEEDBACK INTO THIS RECOMMENDATION. I'LL BE SUPPORTING IT. 
          THANK YOU. >> MAYOR NIRENBERG: THANK YOU, COUNCILMEMBER 
          CASTILLO. COUNCILMEMBER VIAGRAN? >> VIAGRAN: THANK YOU, TROY. THANK YOU, BEN. SO JUST ONE OF THE QUESTIONS, IF WE SEE SOMETHING THAT IS WE WANT TO PULL, WE CAN DO THAT NOW OR BEFORE IT GOES TO RFP? BECAUSE I'M LOOKING AT THE DATES, AND SOME OF THEM ARE LIKE APRIL 2025, SO... 
          >> ELLIOTT: CERTAINLY, IF THERE'S A SOMETHING ON THE LIST THAT Y'ALL IDENTIFY THAT'S OF A PARTICULAR INTEREST TO YOU, THEN CERTAINLY PULL IT, AND THEN WE'LL TAKE IT OUT OF THE PROCESS, IF IT'S UNDER $2.5 MILLION, 
          IT WILL PROCEED JUST AS IT DOES TODAY. >> VIAGRAN: OKAY. 
          BECAUSE I WAS LOOKING AT SOME OF MY PROJECTS, BUT THEY'RE ALL OVER 2.5 MILLION, SO I DON'T HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT THAT, BUT IF THERE WAS SOMETHING THAT I KNEW MY NEIGHBORS WERE PASSIONATE ABOUT, IF WE WERE PUTTING SOMETHING IN A LOCATION THAT HAD SIGNIFICANCE THAT WAS LESS THAN THAT, I WOULD LIKE -- I'D LIKE TO BE ABLE TO HAVE THAT PULLED AND THEN TAKE MORE TIME IN THE CONVERSATION. NO, I THINK THIS WAS -- THANK YOU FOR TAKING THE INPUT THAT THE COUNCIL HAD. 
          I THINK THIS IS GOING TO MAKE THINGS RUN MORE EFFICIENTLY, AS WE TALKED ABOUT. I THINK UNTIL WE CAN GET THE STATE TO INCREASE THAT VALUE WHERE WE CAN GO PAST THE 5% IF SOMEONE'S LOCAL, WE'RE STILL GOING TO BE IN THE PLACE THAT WE ARE FOR BEST VALUE, WHICH WE'VE ALL BEEN TALKING ABOUT. SO MAYBE SOMETHING WILL HAPPEN THIS SESSION, MAYBE SOMETHING WON'T. I JUST THINK THAT UNTIL THEN, SOME OF THESE GOODS AND SUPPLIES AND SOME OF THESE FLEET BUYS NEED TO BE ON HERE SO WE CAN JUST 
          [01:30:02]
WORK A LITTLE MORE EFFICIENTLY, AND THAT THE BUSINESSES DON'T COMPLAIN THAT IT'S TAKING TOO LONG, THE SMALL BUSINESSES. 
          BECAUSE WE DO GET A LOT OF COMPLAINTS THAT THEY FEEL LIKE THE PROCESS TAKES A LITTLE LONGER THAN IT SHOULD. I LOOK FORWARD TO MOVING THIS FORWARD, AND MAKING SURE THAT WE CAN JUST CONTINUE WITH ALL OUR PROCUREMENT THAT NEEDS TO BE DONE. AND REMIND ME, TROY, THIS 
          IS ALSO ONLINE ON THE CITY WEBSITE ALSO? >> ELLIOTT: IT IS. 
          IT'S OUT THERE AND AVAILABLE RIGHT NOW. >> VIAGRAN: SO I CAN ASK FOR MY SPECIFIC DISTRICT THREE PROJECTS OR IF I'M PASSIONATE ABOUT PUBLIC WORKS, I CAN ASK FOR THEM TO JUST SHOW ME WHAT'S ON PROCUREMENT FOR PUBLIC 
          WORKS, CORRECT. >> ELLIOTT: YOU CAN ASK FOR THE PROCUREMENT. 
          I DON'T  BELIEVE IT'S BY DISTRICT, BUT ALL THESE PROCUREMENTS ARE OUT 
          THERE. >> VIAGRAN: CAN WE DO IT BY DEPARTMENTS, OR IS IT 
          ALL JUST ONE -- >> ELLIOTT: I BELIEVE IT'S BY DEPARTMENTS AS 
          WELL. >> VIAGRAN: SO I CAN FIND WHAT DEPARTMENTS ARE -- MAKING PROCUREMENTS. ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU. 
          I APPRECIATE IT. THANK YOU. >> MAYOR NIRENBERG: THANK YOU, COUNCILMEMBER VIAGRAN. COUNCILMEMBER 
          MCKEE-RODRIGUEZ? >> MCKEE-RODRIGUEZ: THANK YOU. 
          U E'LL BE BRIEF. I APPRECIATE THE PRESENTATION AND I APPRECIATE YOU GUYS LISTENING TO THE FEEDBACK THAT WE GAVE IN DECEMBER AND REALLY IMPLEMENTING IT AND FINDING A NICE MIDDLE GROUND, I THINK. 
          I THINK LOOKING AT THE DOLLAR AMOUNTS THAT DECISIONS ARE GOING TO BE MADE ABOUT, I THINK IT'S A GOOD POLICY THAT 90% OR MORE ON A COUNCIL AGENDA. I KNOW LOOKING AT, YOU KNOW, THE INITIAL RECOMMENDATION WHERE 74% OF OTHER SERVICES OR 85% OF PROFESSIONAL SERVICES WERE AT 74 AND 85%, YOU KNOW, THAT'S PROBABLY A LITTLE LESS THAN WHAT I THINK OUR CONSTITUENTS EXPECT OF US, BUT I THINK THAT 90% AND ABOVE IS A GOOD BASE. SO I APPRECIATE THAT. AND I CAN SUPPORT THIS. 
          THANK YOU. >> MAYOR NIRENBERG: THANK YOU, COUNCILMEMBER 
          MCKEE-RODRIGUEZ. COUNCILMEMBER KAUR? >> KAUR: THANK YOU, MAYOR. THANK YOU FOR THE PRESENTATION AND FOR THE UPDATES. I UNDERSTAND WHAT SOME OF MY COLLEAGUES ARE SAYING REGARDING WANTING TO BE ABLE TO LOOK AT THE CONTRACTS, AND THAT'S WHAT WE'RE HELD ACCOUNTABLE FOR. BUT FOR ME, THE ACTUAL CHALLENGE HASN'T BEEN WITH A LOT OF THE DEPARTMENTS EXCEPT FOR PUBLIC WORKS, AND RAZI KNOWS THIS. IN THE FALL THERE WAS AN ISSUE WITH JOB ORDER CONTRACTS WHERE WE HAD ALREADY HIT OUR MAX AND THEN WE WEREN'T ABLE TO EXECUTE ANY MORE ACCOUNTS. 
          SO THAT PUT US ON HOLD FOR A REALLY LONG TIME. AND SO I WANTED TO SEE IF 
          THIS CHANGE WOULD ADDRESS THAT ISSUE? >> ELLIOTT: THIS CHANGE WILL NOT ADDRESS THAT ISSUE, AND ONE OF THE THINGS I FAILED TO MENTION IS THAT WHEN IT CAME TO DOCS HISTORICALLY, SOMETHING THAT'S BEEN OF INTEREST TO THE COUNCIL, SO THE JOCS WILL STILL GO THROUGH THE NORMAL CAPACITY. SO WE HAVE ADEQUATE CAPACITY TO MAKE SURE THOSE CONTRACTS ARE IN PLACE. 
          THAT'S SOMETHING WE CAN WORK WITH PUBLIC WORKS, BUT THIS STILL TAKES JOCS OUT OF THIS RECOMMENDATION AT THE LEVEL OF COUNCIL. 
          >> WALSH: LET ME SAY IT ANOTHER WAY ALSO. THAT'S A DUAL ISSUE THAT WE HAVE TO DEAL WITH. ONE IS THE CAPACITY, AND THE CAPACITY ISSUE IS WHAT WE ASK THE COUNCIL TO APPROVE WHEN THEY SET THE CONTRACTS, BUT THE EXECUTION, ONCE THAT CAPACITY IS SET, THE EXECUTION PART WILL SPEED UP IF WE MAKE THESE ADJUSTMENTS. WE'VE GOT TO DEAL WITH THE CAPACITY ISSUE. AND THAT'S WHERE -- I MEAN, I THINK OVER TIME, EVEN JUST IN THE FIVE YEARS I'VE BEEN CITY MANAGER, THE RELIANCE ON JOC HAS INCREASED EXPONENTIALLY BECAUSE IT IS SUPPOSED TO BE QUICKER, BUT -- AND WE KEEP HAVING TO INCREASE THAT CAPACITY. 
          AND I THINK WE NEED TO REGULATE THAT AND MAKE SURE WE GET THE RIGHT 
          MIX. >> KAUR: OKAY. YEAH, I AGREE. 
          AND SO CHARGE FOR THE SPRING, I KNOW YOU'RE LOOKING AT PUBLIC WORKS AND ALL THE THINGS WE NEED TO DO TO TRY TO EXPEDITE PROJECTS, BUT WE WOULD REALLY LOVE TO SEE WHAT THAT LOOKS LIKE WITH THE CAPACITY FOR JOCS, WHETHER THAT NEEDS TO BE -- I KNOW A CHALLENGE IS LIKE SOME OF THEM WILL HAVE COMMITTED ALL OF THEIR PROJECTS AND CAN'T TAKE ANY MORE VERSUS OTHERS STILL HAVE OPEN DOLLARS LEFT. SO JUST THINKING ABOUT WHAT WE CAN DO TO ADJUST THAT AS WELL, I THINK, WOULD BE REALLY GREAT. 
          THANK YOU FOR THE PRESENTATION. THANKS, MAYOR. 
          >> MAYOR NIRENBERG: THANK YOU, COUNCILMEMBER KAUR. ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION ON THIS ITEM? ALL RIGHT. LOOK FORWARD TO IT COMING BACK ON JANUARY 30TH. THANKS, TROY. OKAY. 
          WE'RE GOING TO GO TO EXEC SESSION TODAY, BUT BEFORE WE DO THAT, WE ARE CELEBRATING PHYLLIS' BIRTHDAY, SO LET'S CELEBRATE BY SINGING PHYLLIS HAPPY BIRTHDAY. 
          >> MAYOR NIRENBERG: ALL RIGHT. WE WILL HAVE CAKE IN 
          [EXECUTIVE SESSION
At any time during the meeting, the City Council may recess into executive session in the C Room to consult with the City Attorney's Office (Texas Government Code Section 551.071) and deliberate or discuss any of the following:
 ]
          [01:35:01]
EXECUTIVE SESSION. SO AT 2:08 P.M. ON JANUARY 15TH, 2025, THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO WILL NOW MEET IN EXECUTIVE SESSION TO CONSULT WITH THE CITY ATTORNEY'S OFFICE PURSUANT TO CHAPTER 551, THE TEXAS GOVERNMENT CODE AND TO DELIBERATE OR DISCUSS THE FOLLOWING ITEMS ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT NEGOTIATIONS PURSUANT TO TEXAS GOVERNMENT SECTION 551, .087, THE PURR EXCHANGE, LEASE OR VALUE OF REAL 
          PR >> MAYOR NIRENBERG: ALL RIGHT. 
          GOOD AFTERNOON, EVERYONE. THE TIME IS 4:13 P.M. ON THE 15TH DAY OF JANUARY 2025. 
          CITY COUNCIL HAS RECONVENED FROM ITS EXECUTIVE SESSION. NO OFFICIAL ACTION WAS TAKEN IN EXECUTIVE SESSION. AT THIS TIME WE'RE GOING TO SWEAR IN DISTRICT 1 COUNCILMEMBER SUKH KAUR FOR THE MAYOR PRO TEM PERIOD JANUARY 16, 2025 THROUGH 
          APRIL 2, 2025. >> CLERK: RAISE YOUR RIGHT HAN AND REPEAT AFTER ME. 
          I'M LOOKING AT IT ONLINE, IN HONOR OF YOU. >> KAUR: I, SUKH KAUR, DO SOLEMNLY SWEAR THAT I WILL FAITHFULLY EXECUTE THE DUTIES OF THE OFFICE OF MAYOR PRO TEM OF THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO OF THE STATE OF TEXAS FROM JANUARY 15, 2025 THROUGH APRIL 2, 2025 AND WILL, TO THE BEST OF MY ABILITY, PRESERVE, PROTECT, AND DEFEND THE CONSTITUTION AND LAWS OF THE UNITED STATES AND OF THIS STATE, SO 
          HELP ME, GOD. >> CLERK: CONGRATULATIONS. >> KAUR: THANK YOU. 
          [APPLAUSE] >> MAYOR NIRENBERG: ALL RIGHT. 
          A NEW ERA HAS BEGUN. AT 4:15 P.M. ON JANUARY 15, 2025, OUR CITY COUNCIL B SESSION IS NOW ADJOURNED. WE HAVE PUBLIC COMMENT AT 5:00. 
* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.