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THE BIGGEST DIFFERENCES DOESN'T.COUNCIL MEMBER ANDREW SULLIVAN.
COUNCIL MEMBER COURAGE PRESENT.
WELCOME TO OUR CITY COUNCIL A SESSION AGENDA.
UH, WE TIME IS 9:15 AM THANK YOU FOR YOUR PATIENCE AS WE GET STARTED TODAY.
I'D LIKE TO RECOGNIZE NOW COUNCIL MEMBER ANDREW SULLIVAN TO WELCOME OUR INDICATOR.
AND GOOD MORNING CITY COUNCIL AND RESIDENTS OF SAN ANTONIO.
WE HAVE PASTOR LARRY J. THOMPSON OF THE TREMONT TEMPLE BAPTIST CHURCH HERE WITH US, AND HE HAS BEEN IN THE MINISTRY FOR AS LONG AS I CAN REMEMBER.
HE IS AN ACTIVE PASTOR WITHIN THE DISTRICT TWO AREA.
HE DOES A LOT OF COMMUNITY GIVE BACK AS FAR AS MAKING SURE THAT THE CHURCH AND ITS PARISHIONERS STAND ON STREET CORNERS, HANDING OUT GAS, FOOD, CLOTHES.
NOT ONLY IS HE A PASTOR AT HEART, BUT HE IS A TRUE SERVANT OF GOD, A TRUE SERVANT OF THE MINISTRY, AND A TRUE SERVANT OF THOSE THAT HE COMES IN CONTACT WITH.
SO THIS MORNING, IT IS A HONOR, A PRIVILEGE, AND A HUMBLING EXPERIENCE TO HAVE HIM IN FRONT OF US, TO GIVE US OUR INVOCATION ON THIS BEAUTIFUL BUDGET DAY.
THANK YOU COUNCILWOMAN ANDREWS.
IF WE CAN ALL PLEASE BOW FOR A WORD OF PRAYER.
THE HEAVENLY FATHER, WE SAY THANK YOU, FATHER, BEFORE WE DARE ASK YOU FOR ANYTHING COMMON SENSE TELLS US TO SAY THANK YOU FOR EVERYTHING.
WE THANK YOU, FATHER GOD FOR A NEW DAY, FOR NEW OPPORTUNITIES.
WE THANK YOU, FATHER GOD, FOR OPPORTUNITIES BOTH INDIVIDUALLY AND CORPORATELY, AND ESPECIALLY AS THIS CITY COUNCIL MEETS ON TODAY.
WE PRAY YOUR BLESSINGS ON THIS GREAT CITY OF SAN ANTONIO.
FATHER GOD, WE PRAY RIGHT NOW SPECIFICALLY FOR MAYOR BERG.
FATHER GOD, WE SAY, PRAY FOR, FOR COUNCILWOMEN AND COUNCILMAN TREVINO, ANDREW SULLIVAN VIA GRIND GARCIA GONZALEZ, VARDA SANDOVAL, PEZ, COURAGE.
AND PERRY, WE PRAY, FATHER GOD, AND SEEK YOUR BLESSINGS ON THE TASK THAT WILL BE BEFORE THEM.
ON TODAY, WE ASK FATHER GOD, THAT YOU WILL BLESS THEIR EFFORTS WITH CLEAR INSIGHT.
WE ASK YOU, FATHER GOD, TO BLESS THEIR DELIBERATIONS WITH WISDOM, THEIR WORK WITH CLARITY AND ACCURACY AND THEIR DECISIONS WITH IMPARTIALITY.
WE PRAY, FATHER GOD, THAT YOU WOULD GUIDE THEM ON TODAY.
WE ALSO PRAY FOR THE PROTECTION OF THIS GREAT CITY OF SAN ANTONIO, OUR POLICE OFFICERS, OUR FIREFIGHTERS, ALL FIRST RESPONDERS.
WE, WE PRAY FOR YOUR PROTECTION OVER EACH AND EVERY HALL OF ACADEMIA, EVERY HOSPITAL, EVERY CITIZEN OF THIS GREAT CITY, OF SAN ANTONIO, TEXAS.
WE PRAY NOT ONLY FOR YOUR PROTECTION, BUT ALSO FOR YOUR DIRECTION.
FATHER GOD, FOR ALL OF THOSE WHO ARE HERE PLACED IN THESE POSITIONS OF RESPONSIBILITY, THESE POSITIONS OF LEADERSHIP WITHIN THIS, OUR GREAT CITY OF SAN ANTONIO, TEXAS,
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WE ASK ALL OF THESE BLESSINGS IN YOUR SON JESUS NAME WE PRAY, AMEN.TODAY IS THE APPROVAL OF THE CITY COUNCIL MEETING MINUTES FROM AUGUST 7TH AND EIGHTH.
I'LL ENTERTAIN A MOTION FOR APPROVAL.
OKAY, THERE'S A MOTION AND A SECOND FOR APPROVAL OF ITEM THREE.
THAT'S MINUTES FROM AUGUST 7TH AND EIGHTH.
ALRIGHT, UH, WE HAVE ONE ITEM, UH, FOR INDIVIDUAL CONSIDERATION TODAY.
UH, THE REST OF THE AGENDA IS ON CONSENT.
I'LL ASK MY COLLEAGUES NOW IF THERE ARE ANY ITEMS FROM WHICH, UH, WE WOULD LIKE TO PULL FROM THE CONSENT AGENDA ITEMS. ITEM 26, COUNCIL MEMBER SANDOVAL 30, I'M SORRY, 34.
I JUST WANT HIGHLIGHT, HIGHLIGHT 30.
MAYOR, JUST DO THAT ONE ON COMMENTS FOR, I'M SORRY, JUST COMMENT, CONSENT.
MA'AM, FOR INDIVIDUAL CONSIDERATION, I'D LIKE TO HIGHLIGHT ITEM NUMBER 28.
DO YOU WANNA PULL IT FROM THE AGENDA OR JUST HIGHLIGHT? NO, JUST HIGHLIGHT.
FOR INDIVIDUAL CONSIDERATION, I HAVE ITEMS 4 26 AND 34.
IF THERE ARE NO OTHERS, I'LL ENTERTAIN A MOTION FOR THE BALANCE OF THE CONSENT AGENDA.
THERE'S A MOTION AND A SECOND FOR THE BALANCE OF THE CONSENT AGENDA.
THAT'S ALL ITEMS SAVED FOR 4 26 AND 34.
ALRIGHT, THERE'S SEVERAL CITIZENS SIGNED UP TO SPEAK ON CONSENT ITEMS. UH, AND WE'LL TAKE THOSE NOW AND THEN, I KNOW COUNCIL MEMBERS HAVE A COUPLE OF ITEMS THEY WOULD LIKE TO HIGHLIGHT, UH, ON CONSENT BEFORE WE MOVE ON TO THE INDIVIDUAL ITEMS. I'LL CALL THE FIRST MEMBER OF THE PUBLIC TO, UH, COME AND SPEAK AND I'LL CALL THE SECOND PERSON IF YOU CAN BE PREPARED TO COME FORWARD.
MS. THOMPSON, YOU'LL BE FOLLOWED BY DAVE KAPINSKY.
GOOD MORNING, MR. MAYOR AND COUNCIL MEMBERS.
MY NAME'S MAGGIE THOMPSON AND I AM THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR FOR THE RIVERWALK ASSOCIATION.
AND TO LET YOU KNOW A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE RIVERWALK, IT IS THE NUMBER ONE TOURIST ATTRACTION IN THE ENTIRE STATE OF TEXAS.
WE SEE ABOUT 13 TO 14 MILLION VISITORS, AND IT HAS AN ECONOMIC IMPACT TO THE CITY OF ABOUT THREE AND A HALF BILLION.
THOSE ARE OLD STATS FROM A FEW YEARS AGO, AND I IMAGINE IT'S EVEN BETTER.
WE COULD NOT DO THIS WITHOUT THE SUPPORT OF THE CENTRO AMBASSADORS.
WE HAVE A FACEBOOK FOLLOWING OF ALMOST HALF A MILLION THAT TELL US HOW BEAUTIFUL IT IS, HOW WONDERFUL IT IS, AND WE OWE SO MUCH OF THAT TO THE CENTRO AMBASSADORS.
I'M HERE TODAY TO SUPPORT THEM AND LET YOU KNOW WE HAVE SO MANY EVENTS THAT YOU ALL APPROVE A CONTRACT WITH US.
WE HAVE OVER 26 EVENTS THAT WE HAVE ON THE RIVERWALK.
THEY ARE CRUCIAL FOR EVERY ONE OF THOSE TO BE CLEANED AFTERWARDS.
WE HAVE A CONTRACT WITH THEM SPECIFICALLY FOR OUR FORD HOLIDAY RIVER PREY, WHICH I DO WANT TO REMIND YOU ALL THAT YOU, MOST OF YOU ALL HAVE BEEN IN BEFORE OUR FOR HOLIDAY EVER PARADE.
AND THOSE OF YOU WHO ARE NEW, IT'S THE DAY AFTER THANKSGIVING, OUR GRAND MARSHALLS, BILLY GIBBONS.
SO, UM, MAYOR NUREMBERG, THAT GIVES YOU TIME TO GROW A BEARD, BUT YOU'VE GOT A LITTLE HEADSTART BY COUNCILMAN TREVINO.
SO I WANT YOU TO KNOW THAT YOUR INVESTMENT IN THE AMBASSADORS BRINGS US A BEAUTIFUL RIVER WALK, A GREAT INVESTMENT, MORE TOURISM, AND MORE WONDERFUL COMPLIMENTS TO OUR CITY.
DAVE KAPINSKY, FOLLOWED BY GABRIELLE THOMAS.
UH, DISTINGUISHED COUNCIL, MAYOR AND, UH, CITY MANAGER.
I'M THE CHIEF OPERATING OFFICER FOR VISIT SAN ANTONIO.
AND AS YOU KNOW, THE MISSION OF OUR ORGANIZATION IS TO BRING THE WORLD TO SAN ANTONIO.
WE WELCOME OVER 39 MILLION VISITORS EVERY YEAR, MAKING US ONE OF THE MOST POPULAR TOURISM DESTINATIONS IN THE UNITED STATES.
BUT THERE'S MANY REASONS FOR THAT, AND THERE'S LITTLE DOUBT THAT THE CITY'S WARMTH AND HOSPITALITY AS WELL AS AUTHENTICITY PLAY A VERY LARGE PART IN THIS.
AND THAT'S WHERE CENTRAL AMBASSADORS COME IN EVERY DAY, 365 DAYS A YEAR, 24 HOURS A DAY.
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PEOPLE SERVING IN THESE ROLE ROLES, UH, CLEAN THE STREETS.THEY GREET VISITORS FROM AROUND THE COUNTRY AND AROUND THE WORLD, IN SOME CASES, GIVING DIRECTIONS, OFFERING ASSISTANCE.
WE COULDN'T DO IT WITHOUT 'EM.
AND THEY DO THIS EACH AND EVERY DAY.
THIS PROGRAM CROSSES PATHS WITH MORE THAN A MILLION PEOPLE EACH YEAR, PROVIDING APPROACHABLE, FRIENDLY FACES THAT MIRROR DESTINATION THAT IS PROVEN TO BE WELCOMING ACROSS THE UNITED STATES.
ON BEHALF OF VISIT SAN ANTONIO, WE'RE EXTREMELY GRATEFUL FOR CENTRO AND WE SUPPORT THE CENTRAL AMBASSADORS PROGRAM AND ITS VALUE TO OUR MISSION.
GABRIELLE THOMAS, FOLLOWED BY MARY LOU GARZA.
UH, IT IS OUR GREAT HONOR TO BE HERE TODAY TO REPRESENT HAVEN FOR HOPE AND TO SPEAK ABOUT THE COLLABORATIVE WORK THAT WE ARE DOING TO HELP OUR INDIVIDUALS, UH, WHO ARE EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS AND THE BARRIERS THAT THEY FACE ON A DAILY BASIS.
AND SO, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE DO IS WE, UH, FIND, UM, PERMANENT, PERMANENT EMPLOYMENT FOR THEM.
AND SOMETIMES THAT BECOMES A LITTLE BIT DIFFICULT BECAUSE THESE INDIVIDUALS HAVE BARRIERS TO OVERCOME.
AND MANY OF THOSE ARE LACK OF TRANSPORTATION, LACK OF ID, CRIMINAL RECORDS, ADDICTION, PHYSICAL AND MENTAL HEALTH CHALLENGES, GAPS IN EMPLOYMENT AND EMPLOYER BIAS, AMONG OTHER THINGS.
MY NAME IS GABRIELLE THOMAS, AND THIS IS MY COLLEAGUE MARY LOU ANO.
AND WE HAVE BEEN WORKING IN THE EMPLOYMENT SERVICES DEPARTMENT AT HAVEN FOR HOPE FOR THE PAST NINE YEARS.
AND ONE OF THE STRATEGIES THAT WE DO TO NAVIGATE OUR CLIENTS IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION OF FINDING EMPLOYMENT IS TO MATCH THEIR CURRENT SKILLS THAT THEY HAVE AND TO FOCUS ON DEVELOPING A STRONG COLLABORATIVE RELATIONSHIP WITH COMMUNITY PROGRAMS AND EMPLOYERS THAT ARE OPEN THEIR DOORS TO OUR HOMELESS INDIVIDUALS THAT ARE NEEDING AN OPPORTUNITY TO, UH, TO GAIN THEIR LIFE BACK.
AND WE ABSOLUTELY VALUE THESE EMPLOYERS THAT GIVE SECOND CHANCES TO OUR FOLKS.
UM, AND SO ONE OF THE EMPLOYERS THAT WE'VE BEEN WORKING WITH ALMOST SINCE THE, UM, UH, FIRST DAY HAVEN FOR HOPE OPENED IS CENTRAL SAN ANTONIO.
UH, CENTRAL SAN ANTONIO ALSO COMES TO HAVEN AND, UH, AT LEAST TWICE A MONTH AND INTERVIEWS AND TALKS TO OUR INDIVIDUALS IN A JOB FAIR TYPE ARENA AND, UH, INVITES THEM FOR INTERVIEWS.
UM, SO, UH, MARY LOU, IF YOU'D LIKE TO TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT, UH, THE NUMBER OF INDIVIDUALS THAT ARE, THAT HAVE BEEN SERVED.
THERE HAS BEEN 109 INDIVIDUALS THAT HAVE BEEN HIRED AS CLEANING AND HOSPITALITY AMBASSADORS FOR THE CENTER DISTRICT OF SAN ANTONIO SINCE THE VERY FIRST CLIENT THAT WAS HIRED IN 2011.
THE INDIVIDUAL RECENTLY RETIRED FROM CENTRO, AND LIKE MANY INDIVIDUALS WHO GRADUATED FROM HAVEN THROUGH CENTRO ARE LIVING HAPPY, PRODUCTIVE, INDEPENDENT LIVES.
AND HE IS SO GRATEFUL FOR THE OPPORTUNITY THAT CENTRO GAVE HIM TO TRANSFORM HIS LIFE.
AND SO THERE'S ANOTHER LITTLE STORY THAT, UH, GABRIELLE WOULD LIKE TO TALK TO YOU ABOUT THAT WAS ALSO HIRED BY CENTRO.
SO JUST RECENTLY, UM, I'VE BEEN WORKING WITH, UH, ONE OF OUR CLIENTS AND, UH, UH, HE HAS THIS BIG INTEREST IN BOTANY.
AND SO, UH, ONE OF THE DEPARTMENTS WITH CENTRO IS THEY TAKE CARE OF ALL THESE BEAUTIFUL HANGING PLANTS AND THE, UH, POTS THAT ARE THROUGHOUT THE CITY.
AND HE HAS, UH, TRAINED EVEN SOME OF THE STAFF ON WHAT THE FLOWERS ARE AND THE PLANTS AND HOW TO TAKE CARE OF THEM.
AND EVERY NOW AND THEN, IF THERE IS A, A TOURIST THAT COMMENTS ON HOW BEAUTIFUL THE PLANTS IT, HE CERTAINLY LOVES TO TALK ABOUT HOW THESE, UH, PLANTS ARE GROWN AND SO FORTH.
AND SO, UM, HE PLANTS ON CONTINUING TO WORK WITH CENTRAL, BUT ALSO PURSUE HIS LOVE FOR BOTANY AND PROGRESS IN HIS WORK.
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ONE OF THE PARTS OF THE EMPLOYER RELATIONSHIP WITH CENTRO IS SO TOUCHING AND GRATIFYING FOR US IS THAT MANY OF OUR CLIENTS HAVE A FULL CIRCLE IN THEIR RELATIONSHIP WITH CENTRAL DISTRICT AND THE TOURIST AND BUSINESSES THAT THEY THRIVE HERE.SOME OF THE SAME CLIENTS WHO WERE AT THE TIME HOMELESS ON OUR SAN ANTONIO STREETS WITH LITTLE HOPE OF BEING ABLE TO TRANSFORM THEIR LIVES OR NOW ON THE FRONT LINES, PROUDLY REPRESENTING THE CITY WHILE IMPROVING THE APPEARANCE AND SAFETY OF OUR CITY.
UM, AGAIN, WE WANNA THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK AND WE WANT TO THANK CENTRO FOR CREATING OPPORTUNITIES FOR OUR CLIENTS.
THANK YOU FOR HEARING US, AND THIS IS TRULY GREAT WORK FOR OUR CITY AND THE PEOPLE WE SERVE.
GOOD MORNING, MAYOR AND COUNCIL.
IT IS AN HONOR TO STAND BEFORE YOU AND WOW, I GUESS IT'S APPROPRIATE TO SAY I'M TICKLED PINK.
UM, MY HUSBAND AND I HAVE BEEN DOWNTOWN RESIDENTS FOR EIGHT YEARS.
WE SOLD WHAT WE INITIALLY THOUGHT WOULD BE OUR RETIREMENT HOME ON MUSTANG ISLAND TO MOVE TO DOWNTOWN SAN ANTONIO TO EXPERIENCE AN URBAN LIFESTYLE AFTER MANY MOVES ABOUT TEXAS.
WHAT A BRILLIANT DECISION IT WAS.
WE LOVE THIS WONDERFUL NEIGHBORHOOD.
IT IS A VIBRANT PLACE OF PEOPLE, ENERGY HISTORY, FRIENDS, HOMES, BUSINESSES, EXPERIENCES, EXPLORATION, FOOD, WATER, BEAUTY, AND, AND SERVICE, HOSPITALITY AND KINDNESS.
I FIND THAT CENTRAL AMBASSADORS LEAD THE WAY AND SET OUT EACH DAY TO SERVE AND LIVE SAN ANTONIO HOSPITALITY AND KINDNESS.
THERE'S NO FINER GROUP OF WORKERS WHO PERFORM DAILY ACTS OF KINDNESS AND UPKEEP THROUGHOUT DOWNTOWN.
CENTRO AMBASSADORS ARE MUCH LOVED BY BOTH LOCALS AND VISITORS.
I'M A, I'M OUT AND ABOUT EVERY DAY, AND MY EYES ARE ALWAYS DRAWN TO THE BRIGHT SHIRTS AND HATS OR CAPS.
I OBSERVE THEM WHEN THEY'RE ENGAGING WITH OTHERS, WHEN THEY'RE, THEY'RE LEADING PEOPLE, DIRECTING PEOPLE TO THEIR DESTINATIONS OR LENDING A HELPING HAND.
AND I BELIEVE THE SMILES THEY PASS ON ALSO, UM, LIFT SPIRITS.
JUST LAST WEEK I OBSERVED A WOMAN USING A WHEELCHAIR, TRYING TO MAKE HER WAY ACROSS HOUSTON STREET AND BACK UP ON THE SIDEWALK AT A CORNER.
SHE COULD NOT MANAGE THE TERRAIN SLOPE AND BEGAN TO STRUGGLE TO REACH THE SIDEWALK.
AND BEFORE I COULD RESPOND, AND AMBASSADOR HAD MADE HIS WAY TO HER, HE HELPED HER ONTO THE SIDEWALK AND INTO THE BUSINESS SHE WAS VISITING ALL IN A DAY'S WORK, OR SHOULD I SAY ALL IN A DAY'S MISSION WORK.
I UNDERSTAND THERE ARE 100 OR SO AMBASSADORS AND THAT APPROXIMATELY 40% OF THEM HAVE COMPLETED THEIR TRAINING THROUGH THE WORKFORCE PROGRAM.
FROM WHAT I'VE OBSERVED, THEY HAVE CERTAINLY RECEIVED ADEQUATE TRAINING, THEIR DAILY ENGAGEMENTS WITH OTHERS, ENHANCE THEIR SOCIAL AND VERBAL SKILLS, AND ENABLE THEM TO GROW AND WORK SKILLS JUST AS EVERYONE HERE GROWS IN SKILLS EVERY DAY.
COLLEEN WAGON SPEAK, FOLLOWED BY JUNE CSTICK.
GOOD MORNING, MR. MAYOR AND COUNCIL MEMBERS.
UM, IT'S GOOD TO SPEAK TO YOU TODAY.
UM, I'M HERE ON BEHALF OF NORTHSIDE NEIGHBORHOODS FOR ORGANIZED DEVELOPMENT, NORTHSIDE NEIGHBORHOODS FOR ORGANIZED DEVELOPMENT, ALSO KNOWN AS NOD OPPOSES CLEAR CHANNEL'S CURRENT PROPOSAL, WHICH WOULD ALLOW THAT COMPANY TO DOUBLE THE NUMBER OF OFF-PREMISE DIGITAL
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SIGN FACES IN THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO.I DON'T KNOW ABOUT YOU, BUT THE COMMUNITY LEARNED ABOUT THIS AT A PRESS CONFERENCE WHEN WE FOUND THAT ALREADY MANY DEALINGS HAD ALREADY BEEN MADE WITHOUT PUBLIC INVOLVEMENT.
THE CURRENT SIGN ORDINANCE WAS DRAFTED AFTER MANY HOURS OF DISCUSSION WITH STAKEHOLDERS AND PRIVATE CITIZENS WHO SAT ON THE SIGN ORDINANCE COMMITTEE.
MEMBERS OF THE SIGN ORDINANCE COMMITTEE WERE NOT INITIALLY CONTACTED FOR INPUT ON THIS PROPOSAL.
THE SIGN ORDINANCE IS UP FOR REVIEW NEXT YEAR IN 2020.
AT THAT TIME, A COMMITTEE COULD BE ONCE AGAIN FORMED TO CONSIDER ALL ASPECTS OF THE POSSIBLE NEED FOR AND IMPACTS OF CHANGES TO THE SIGN ORDINANCE.
WHILE CLEAR CHANNEL'S PROPOSAL INCLUDES THE REMOVAL OF 300 SIGNS, MOST OF THESE WOULD BE THE JUNIOR BILLBOARDS, WHICH AVERAGE LESS THAN A HUNDRED SQUARE FOOT EACH.
THE NEW DIGITAL FACES WILL BE THE STANDARD BILLBOARD SIZE OF 672 SQUARE FOOT EACH CREATING A MUCH LARGER VISUAL IMPACT.
WHILE SOME MAY FIND IT TEMPTING TO ACCEPT CLEAR CHANNELS OFFER OF REMOVAL OF 300 SIGNS, COUNCIL MEMBERS IN THE COMMUNITY HAVE NOT HAD A VOICE IN WHICH SIGNS WOULD COME DOWN.
THE MAJORITY OF THE TAKEDOWNS WILL NOT OCCUR IN THE SAME AREAS THAT THE NEW DIGITAL SIGNS FACES WILL BE INSTALLED.
SEVERAL SMALL BUSINESS OWNERS AND NONPROFITS STATED THAT THE REMOVAL OF ALL OF THE JUNIOR BILLBOARDS WOULD PRICE THEM OUT OF THE ADVERTISING MARKET.
CLERK CHANNEL'S PROPOSAL HAS ALSO SPUR SEVERAL OTHER OUTDOOR ADVERTISING COMPANIES TO REQUEST SIMILAR DEPARTURE FROM THE CURRENT SIGN ORDINANCE.
NOD BELIEVES THAT ANY CHANGE THE SIGN ORDINANCE SHOULD BE DONE THROUGH THE 2020 UPDATE PROCESS.
THIS WILL ALLOW FORMATION OF A SIGN ORDINANCE COMMITTEE, WHICH CONSIDER COULD CONSIDER WHETHER CITIZENS DESIRE MORE DIGITAL SIGNAGE, APPROPRIATE TAKEDOWN RATIOS, RATIOS OF SIGN SIZES TO BE REMOVED, AND MINIMUM TAKEDOWN RATIOS IN THE COUNCIL DISTRICT IN WHICH A NEW DIGITAL FACE WOULD BE INSTALLED.
THIS PROCESS WOULD ALLOW ALL NEW, WOULD ALLOW OTHER SIGN OUTDOOR SIGN COMPANIES TO PARTICIPATE IN THE INCREASE IN ANY DIGITAL SIGNAGE, WHICH MIGHT BE ALLOWED UNDER THE NEW SIGN ORDINANCE.
OUR SAN ANTONIO SKYLINE WILL BE CONSTANTLY CHANGING WITH THE NEW BUILDINGS GOING UP TO ACCOMMODATE OUR CITY'S GROWTH.
ADDITIONAL DIGITAL SIGNAGE WILL CLUTTER THE LANDSCAPE, NOT REQUEST THAT THE CITY COUNCIL REJECT CLEAR CHANNEL'S PROPOSAL TO DIRECT MORE DIGITAL SIGNAGE.
WE FURTHER REQUEST THAT ANY MATERIAL CHANGES TO THE ORDINANCE NOT BE CONSIDERED UNTIL THE SIGN ORDINANCES UPDATED IN 2020, AT WHICH TIME THE CITY CAN CAREFULLY CRAFT AN ORDINANCE THAT EFFECTIVELY MEETS THE NEEDS OF THE CITY.
JUNE ICK, FOLLOWED BY JACK FINGER.
I'M THE, UH, UM, BOARD CHAIR OF THE EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE OF SCENIC SAN ANTONIO.
I RESIDE AT 3 4 1 5 ROCK CREEK RUN.
UH, WE, UH, UH, HAVE, UH, DIVIDED OPINIONS ABOUT THIS PROPOSAL THAT C CLARIDGE CHANNEL HAS PRESENTED.
UH, WE'RE COMPOSED OF, UH, THE SAN ANTONIO CONSERVATION SOCIETY SOCIETY, UH, A I A LOCAL CHAPTER AND SEVERAL LARGE NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATIONS.
I BELIEVE THAT, UH, UM, THE CONSERVATION SOCIETY HAS FORWARDED THEIR, UH, THEIR OPINION TO YOU AND, UH, UH, THEY, UH, DO UNDERSTAND THAT THE ORDINANCE IS GOING GOING TO BE CONSIDERED TODAY.
UH, BUT THEY HAVE, UH, SEVERAL ISSUES TO BRING UP.
UM, YOU HEARD, UH, THE REPRESENTATIVE FROM NOD THEIR OPINION, UH, ON BEHALF OF THE EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE OF SCENIC SAN ANTONIO, I WOULD LIKE TO POINT OUT SEVERAL MODIFICATIONS TO THE ORDINANCE THAT I WISH YOU WOULD CONSIDER.
AND IF YOU DON'T CONSIDER THEM TODAY, I CERTAINLY HOPE THAT WHEN THE UNIFIED DEVELOPMENT CODE IS REVISED IN 2020, THAT THESE CONSIDERATIONS WILL BE ADDRESSED.
ONE IS THE ELIMINATION OF THE EXCEPTION TO THE GENERAL RULE THAT THERE BE NO NEW BILLBOARDS.
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UH, ORDINANCE CURRENTLY STATES IN CHAPTER 28.HOWEVER, THERE IS AN EXCEPTION THAT ALLOWS SIGN COMPANIES TO TAKE DOWN TWO BILLBOARDS WHEN THEY PUT UP A NEW ONE.
WE WOULD LIKE TO HAVE THAT ADDRESSED.
UH, SECONDLY, UH, THERE, UH, THERE ARE SOME CITIES WHO, UH, HAVE THE TYPE OF ARRANGEMENT WITH THE BILLBOARD COMPANIES THAT CLAIRE CHANNEL IS PROPOSING TODAY.
BUT THEY SAID, UH, THEY HAVE A SUNSET PROVISION THAT THE DIGITAL BILLBOARDS WILL COME DOWN AFTER SO MANY YEARS.
WE'D LIKE TO HAVE YOU CONSIDER THAT.
UH, THIRD, UH, WE'RE ASKING FOR A PROCESS TO DETERMINE WHICH SIGNS WILL BE TAKEN DOWN BY CLEAR CHANNEL.
IF THERE'S A WRITTEN STATEMENT, WE CAN HAVE IT DISTRIBUTED TO COUNSEL.
NO, I DON'T HAVE A WRITTEN ONE.
SO I'LL JUST, UH, YOU CAN GO AHEAD AND WRAP UP YOUR STATEMENTS THEN.
PARDON? GO AHEAD AND WRAP UP YOUR STATEMENTS.
UH, WE'RE, UH, A I A HAS OFFERED TO HELP WITH THAT PROCESS OF DETERMINING, UH, WHICH, UH, SIGNS WILL WE'VE TAKEN DOWN.
AND ALSO THERE ARE SEVERAL COUNCIL PEOPLE WHO HAVE AN INTEREST IN PARTICULAR SIGNS BEING TAKEN DOWN.
UH, LASTLY, THERE WILL BE A DISCUSSION ABOUT WHAT TO DO ABOUT OTHER SIGN COMPANIES UNDER SEPARATE, UH, UH, UH, SESSION.
AND, UH, WE WOULD JUST LIKE TO LET YOU KNOW THAT WE THINK THAT ALL SIGN COMPANIES OUGHT TO BE CONSIDERED IN THIS PROPOSAL, NOT JUST CLEAR CHANNEL.
JACK FINGER, MAYOR NURNBERG, ANOTHER MEMBERS OF OUR ILLUSTRIOUS SAN ANTONIO CITY COUNCIL FOR THE RECORD.
A FEW REMARKS TO MAKE ABOUT SOME OF THE ITEMS ON THIS PORTION OF THE AGENDA.
THE CONSENT AGENDA, ITEM 27, DIGITAL BILLBOARDS.
EACH ONE OF US HAVE DRIVEN ON THE EXPRESSWAY.
WE COME ACROSS A BILLBOARD THAT JUST SUDDENLY FLASHES IN FRONT OF OUR EYES AND WE TAKE OUR EYES OFF THE, OFF THE ROAD FOR A MERE SPLIT SECOND TO SEE WHAT IT IS.
AND KNOWING THAT IT'S ELECTRONIC, WE KNOW THAT SOMETHING ELSE IS GOING TO COME ON WITHIN A HALF A SECOND AFTERWARDS.
AND SO WE'RE CONSTANTLY LOOKING AT THE ROAD, LOOKING AT THE BILLBOARD, LOOKING AT THE ROAD, LOOKING AT THE BILLBOARD.
DO YOU REALIZE ELECTRONIC BILLBOARDS? YEAH, I KNOW THEY MAKE MORE MONEY FOR, FOR THE ADVERTISERS, BUT DOGGONE IT TO THEY ARE DISTRACTED DRIVING.
AND WE AS CITIZENS, WE TOLD THE, UH, THE STAFFERS AT THE PARTICULAR RE RESPECTIVE COMMITTEE INVOLVED JUST VERY FACT.
BUT IT SEEMS LIKE NOBODY REALLY WANTS TO LISTEN TO US THERE.
YEAH, WE'RE HAPPY THAT THAT FEW, FEW OF THE STATIONARY SIGNS ARE COMING DOWN, BUT NO, UH, DI DIGITAL BILLBOARDS ARE DISTRACTED DRIVING AND WE THINK THAT THEY ARE A HAZARD, AND THAT'S WHY WE SAY NO TO THEM.
JUST MAYBE YOU'D WANT TO SAY NO TO THIS THING AS WELL.
OTHER ITEM ON THIS PORTION OF THE AGENDA, THE, UH, THE DREAMERS ACT 24 IN SUPPORT OF THE AMERICAN DREAM AND PROMISE ACT OF 2019, TELLING CONGRESS, GO AHEAD AND KEEP IT.
ANYTHING ELSE YOU WANT WITH IT? NO, FOLKS, I'M TRYING TO TELL YOU, YEARS AGO, IT WAS THE OBAMA ADMINISTRATION THAT YES, SADLY ADVERTISED SOUTH OF THE BORDER, HOW PEOPLE COULD GET AROUND THE LAW ILLEGALLY SIMPLY BY BRINGING THEIR CHILDREN UP TO THE COUNTRIES UP TO THE UNITED STATES BORDER AND CLAIMING ASYLUM.
YEAH, FRAUDULENTLY, I'M SORRY.
THE KIDS WERE PAWNS, BUT THAT STILL DOESN'T MAKE IT RIGHT, THAT THEY STAY IN THE COUNTRY ILLEGALLY.
WHAT, WHAT DOES THE ERNEST SAY? MR.
JUST QUICKLY PUT THAT UP THERE.
IF YOU WOULD, UH, BLOW UP THE UNDERLINED AREA THERE.
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WE'LL ESTABLISH A PATHWAY FOR CITIZENSHIP, A TEMPORARY DEFERRED ACTION, ET CETERA, ET CETERA.PROVIDE CONDITIONS FOR PERMANENT RESIDENT STATUS.
OKAY, WE'RE GONNA GO AHEAD AND TAKE, UH, COUNCIL COMMENT.
I KNOW THERE ARE A FEW ITEMS WHICH, UH, WE'D LIKE TO HIGHLIGHT.
GO AHEAD AND START WITH COUNCIL MEMBER BERON.
I THINK THERE ARE SOME ITEMS, UM, THAT I'D LOVE TO BE ABLE TO SAY SOMETHING IN SUPPORT OF, BUT I THINK MY OTHER COUNCIL COLLEAGUES ARE GOING TO, UM, HIGHLIGHT THEM FIRST.
SO I'M GOING TO STICK WITH MINE RIGHT NOW.
AND THAT'S, UM, ITEM NUMBER 19, A AND B.
THAT IS A FUNDING AGREEMENT AND CONTRACT AWARD WITH BROOKS CITY BASE, THE SOUTH NEW BRAUNFELS AVENUE FROM STER ROAD TO AVIATION.
I WANT TO THANK ALL OF THE, THE VOTERS OF THE BOND BECAUSE WE ARE FINALLY GETTING THAT WORK DONE FOR CONNECTIVITY ON THE BROOKS CAMPUS.
AND I'M VERY, THIS IS JUST THE FIRST ONE OF TWO MORE AFTER THIS THAT WE'RE WORKING ON.
SO WE'RE VERY PROUD OF THIS FACT TO HELP WITH CONNECTIVITY HERE.
I JUST ALSO WANNA SHOW, UM, MY SUPPORT ON, UH, THE OTHER ITEMS THAT ARE ON SAYING ON CONSENT IN ONE OF THEM IS FOR THE RENAMING OF A PARK, UM, FOR OUR BELOVED LATE FRIEND DAN MARKSON AS WELL.
I WANTED TO LOAN MY SUPPORT OF THAT, AND I KNOW THAT IT WILL BE MORE OF A HIGHLIGHT, BUT I THINK THIS IS JUST ANOTHER DAN, UH, DID SO MUCH ON THE BROOKS CAMPUS AND IN THE SOUTH SIDE OF SAN ANTONIO THAT WE APPRECIATE HIM.
UM, THERE'S A LITTLE NEIGHBORHOOD ON, UH, IN DISTRICT EIGHT, UH, WHO HAS DECIDED TO DONATE A PARK.
UM, THE NEIGHBORHOOD'S CALLED MAVERICK CREEK NEIGHBORHOOD.
VERY RARELY DO YOU EVER SEE A NEIGHBORHOOD DONATING LAND TO THE CITY, UH, FOR THE PURPOSE OF THE PARK.
AND, UH, THERE'S A SHORT VIDEO I'D LIKE TO, UH, ASK, UH, OUR A V TEAM TO PLAY.
THERE HAD BEEN A NEIGHBORHOOD THAT WE WERE TALKING TO WHO WAS GOING TO DONATE LAND NEIGHBORHOODS NEVER DO THAT, BY THE WAY.
MOST PEOPLE DON'T DONATE LAND AT ALL.
UH, BUT THIS NEIGHBORHOOD APPROACHED US AND SAID, WE'VE GOT EXTRA LAND WE WOULD LIKE TO DONATE TO THE CITY FOR A PARK.
THIS WOULD BE THE FIRST CITY PARK THAT, UM, WAS ESPECIALLY DESIGNED FOR SPECIAL NEEDS KIDS AND THEIR FAMILIES.
THIS IS A BIG HEARTED DONATION FROM THIS NEIGHBORHOOD.
UM, I'D LIKE TO DEDICATE IT TO A VERY BIG HEARTED MAN.
SO TO TALK ABOUT DAN MARKSON IS, IS REALLY TO TALK ABOUT SOMEONE THAT WAS FILLED WITH PASSION, UH, FILLED WITH LOVE, UH, FILLED WITH CONSIDERATION.
PEOPLE WILL ASK THE QUESTION, WHO WAS DAN MARKSON? AND WHAT DID HE DO FOR THIS CITY? AND I THINK PEOPLE WILL SAY WITH, WITH A VERY EXCITED AND INTENTIONAL TONE.
UH, THIS WAS A PERSON THAT CHANGED THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO.
HE WAS THERE TO HELP EVERYBODY.
DAN'S LEGACY WILL BE NEVER ENDING.
AND IT WILL BE FELT BY MANY, AND MANY OF WHOM MIGHT NEVER EVEN KNOW IT.
WHEN I THINK ABOUT DAN MARSON'S LEGACY, UM, KIDS, EVERY MEETING WE HAVE, THE INITIAL THOUGHT, THE INITIAL COMMENT WAS, WHERE ARE THE KIDS GOING TO HANG OUT? HOW DO WE BUILD THIS FOR KIDS? HOW DO WE PROTECT THE FAMILY? I COULDN'T THINK OF A MORE FITTING REPRESENTATION AND LEGACY TO LEAVE IN HIS NAME.
NOT ONLY APPROPRIATE, IT'S, IT'S, IT'S, IT, IT MAKES A LOT OF SENSE, UH, TO HAVE A PARK NAMED AFTER 'EM, ESPECIALLY ONE THAT'S GONNA HAVE ACCESSIBILITY FOR, FOR CHILDREN OF ALL WALKS OF LIFE.
WE DON'T HAVE THAT MANY PARKS IN SAN ANTONIO AS ON A PER CAPITA BASIS.
WE DON'T HAVE WHAT WE SHOULD HAVE.
SO EVERY NEW PARK IS A BIG DEAL.
UM, SO IN TALKING WITH MY FAMILY AND WITH, UM, KAT, SHE SUGGESTED THAT WE HAVE A PARK FOR SPECIAL NEEDS KIDS AND THEIR FAMILIES.
WE DON'T HAVE ANY CITY PARKS IN SAN ANTONIO AT ALL THAT HAVE EQUIPMENT THAT IS SPECIFICALLY FOR SPECIAL NEEDS CHILDREN AND THEIR FAMILY.
THERE ARE MANY PARKS THAT HAVE THE OCCASIONAL PIECES OF EQUIPMENT, BUT THERE'S NOT A CITY PARK THAT'S DESIGNED FOR
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SPECIAL NEEDS CHILDREN AND THEIR FAMILIES.THERE ARE SO MANY DIFFERENT KINDS OF NEEDS, AND THIS PARK IS GOING TO BE DRAWING LOTS OF DIFFERENT KINDS OF PEOPLE.
I JUST THINK IT'S IMPORTANT TO EMPOWER THOSE WITH SPECIAL NEEDS AND, UM, JUST UNITE OUR COMMUNITY, UM, BECAUSE THEY ARE PART OF OUR WORLD AND WE NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY FEEL LIKE IT.
DAN PARK, DAN MARKSON, UH, TOUCHED, UH, EVERYBODY'S LIVES.
UH, EVERYBODY'S UP HERE ON THIS DIOCESE AND, UM, MANY, MANY OF, UH, OF YOU IN THIS ROOM, UH, HAVE A MEMORY OF DAN TOUCHING YOUR LIVES AS WELL.
UM, IN MANY WAYS, UH, MY CAREER, UH, IN PUBLIC SERVICE, UH, IS BECAUSE OF DAN MARKS, UH, MARKSON.
AND, UM, I CONSIDER HIM A MENTOR.
THIS PARK IS, UH, NOT JUST A PARK FOR DISTRICT EIGHT, BUT IT'S A PARK FOR EVERYBODY IN SAN ANTONIO.
AND I INVITE MY COLLEAGUES TO COME WITH US WHEN WE, UH, CUT THE RIBBON ON THIS AND, UH, BREAK GROUND.
THERE IS, IT IS IMPORTANT THAT I THANK A FEW PEOPLE.
UH, MARIA GOMEZ, THANK YOU FOR HELPING ME WITH THIS, UH, DR.
BRIDGER AND HER TEAM, UM, AT PARKS.
UM, AND THEN XAVIER RODIA ALSO WAS VERY HELPFUL IN THIS, BUT ALSO WHEN WE CALLED N R P, UM, AND TOLD THEM WE WANT TO DO THIS, THEY STEPPED UP AND SAID, WE WANT TO DO IT WITH YOU, AND WE WANT TO BE VERY HELPFUL.
THAT VIDEO IS PRODUCED BY THEM.
UH, AND WE NEVER ASKED FOR FOR THAT, BUT THEY JUST, THEY DID IT.
DEBRA GUERRERO FROM N R P IS HERE TODAY, AND SHE ALSO BROUGHT A GUEST.
DEBRA, CAN YOU COME ON UPE, PLEASE.
THANK YOU COUNCILMAN FOR MAKING THE SUGGESTION.
AND, UM, WE AT N R P ARE, ARE VERY PROUD OF THE WORK THAT, UH, WE ALL HAVE DONE UNDER DAN'S VISIONARY LEADERSHIP.
AND, UM, AND IT'S FUNNY, HAVING BEEN ON CITY COUNCIL PREVIOUSLY, THAT'S WHERE I ACTUALLY GOT TO MEET DAN WHEN HE FIRST CAME ABOUT DEVELOPING RIGHT ACROSS FROM BROOKS AIR FORCE BASE WHEN NOTHING THERE EXISTED.
HE WAS THE VISIONARY THAT SAW WHAT COULD BE THERE.
AND HE DID THAT THROUGHOUT THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO, AS YOU KNOW, AS MANY OF YOU KNOW.
AND, UM, SO IT REALLY IS, UM, HE'D BE HUMBLED, HE'D BE VERY HUMBLED BY THIS ACKNOWLEDGEMENT.
UM, I HAVE TODAY WITH ME, IDAN MOU IDAN AND SAMANTHA, HOW ARE ARE MAURY JOHN'S GUARDIANS? ANYTIME ANYBODY ASKS ABOUT DAN, THEY ALWAYS ASK ABOUT MAURY JOHN, FIRST AND FOREMOST.
THE BEAUTIFUL THING ABOUT THIS PARK IS THAT IT'S LOCATED LESS THAN FIVE MINUTES AWAY FROM WHERE MAURY JOHN NOW LIVES.
SO IT REALLY IS, UM, SOMETHING THAT THE FAMILY, HIS FAMILY, BOTH ALL OF YOU, WHO HE CONSIDERED FAMILY AS WELL AS THE CITY, WILL REALLY BENEFIT FROM THIS VERY, VERY SPECIAL PARK.
SO I'D LIKE TO, UM, JUST RECOGNIZE A DON AND ASK HIM IF HE'D LIKE TO SAY A FEW WORDS.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR THE WHOLE GESTURE.
BUILDING A SPECIAL NEED PARK IS ALREADY AMAZING.
NAMING IT AFTER AN AMAZING HUMAN BEING THAT IS NOT WITH US ANYMORE, THAT GIVE IS LIFE HIS MAJORITY OF THEIR CAREER TO BUILD AND HELP PEOPLE THAT ARE NOT CAPABLE TO ACHIEVE THEIR GOAL.
I WANTED TO THANK YOU VERY MUCH AND EVERYONE THAT IT'S TAKING PART OF IT.
THANK YOU, DEBORAH, FOR BEING HERE.
AND THANK YOU FOR MAKING IT POSSIBLE.
AND THANK YOU TO MY COLLEAGUES FOR HELPING US, UH, FUND WHAT WILL BE ONE OF THE MOST SPECIAL PARKS, IN MY OPINION, IN THIS ENTIRE CITY OF PARK, UH, THAT IS BUILT, UH, WITH EQUITY AT ITS HEART, UM, AND COMPASSION FOR THOSE FOLKS WHO, UH, HAVE OTHERWISE NEVER HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO RIDE A, UH, CAROUSEL OR MERRY-GO-ROUND OR BE ON A SWING WHILE AT THE SAME TIME BEING IN A WHEELCHAIR.
UM, THAT'S GONNA BE A PRETTY NEAT THING TO SEE.
SO, THANKS, UH, THANK YOU MAYOR FOR ALLOWING ME THIS TIME.
AND THANK YOU FOR, UH, YOUR INITIATIVE AND PUTTING THIS FORWARD.
UH, ALSO WANNA SAY THANK YOU TO THE MA MAVERICK, UM, NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION, UM, FOR YOUR DONATION AS WELL.
AND, UH, DEBORAH, AND, UH, PLEASE, UH, GIVE OUR THANKS.
UM, DAN HAS TOUCHED MANY LIVES IN THIS COMMUNITY, AND I THINK EVERYONE HERE COULD WAX POETIC ABOUT DAN FOR ANOTHER HALF AN HOUR.
UM, BUT MAURY, THIS PARK IS FOR YOU.
UM, I WANT TO ECHO THOSE COMMENTS, AND MANNY, GREAT WORK.
UM, YOU KNOW, I GOT TO KNOW DAN, AND HE, HE, HE'S EVERYTHING YOU DESCRIBED.
UM, HE WAS A DISTRICT ONE CONSTITUENT, SO WE
[00:40:01]
GOT TO KNOW HIM, UM, VERY WELL.AND HE WAS SOMEBODY THAT WAS VERY HANDS-ON.
UH, IN FACT, RECENTLY, UH, ONE OF HIS PROJECTS, HE WENT OUT TO THE NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION HIMSELF AND DID A LOT OF THE PRESENTATIONS.
AND, UH, I MEAN, I THINK IT SPEAKS TO THE PERSON THAT HE IS.
HE'S, HE'S WILLING TO, TO TALK TO JUST ABOUT ANYBODY.
AND, UH, YOU HAVE MY SUPPORT, A HUNDRED PERCENT.
ANYTHING ELSE WE CAN DO AND PROVIDE, PLEASE LET US KNOW.
AND, UH, THANK YOU TO THE MAVERICK, UH, HOMEOWNERS ASSOCIATION FOR THAT DONATION.
THAT'S TRULY A WONDERFUL GESTURE.
UM, SWITCHING GEARS, I WOULD, UH, I JUST WANNA HIGHLIGHT, UH, WHAT'S ON OUR CONSENSUS COUNCIL.
VINNO, I'M, I'M SORRY, JUST, I HATE INTERRUPTING YOU, BUT I WAS HOPING THAT YOU WOULD ALSO HELP ME BY THANKING THE MAN WHOSE IDEA THIS WAS.
UH, MR. GIL GARZA, THE H O A PRESIDENT, HE'S HERE TODAY, AND I THINK THAT HE DESERVES OUR APPRECIATION WITH A ROUND OF APPLAUSE, PERHAPS.
GLORIA, WHERE'S GIL? STAND UP.
UH, I WANT TO THANK, UH, IN OUR, IN OUR CONSENT IS, IS CENTRO PID, UH, WANT TO THANK THEM FOR ALL THEIR HARD WORK DOWNTOWN.
UH, LOTS OF GREAT THINGS THAT, UH, WE'RE ABLE TO ESTABLISH DOWNTOWN, THE MOMENTUM, UH, AND, UH, OF COURSE GREAT PEOPLE WORKING AT CENTRO.
AND OF COURSE, WE HAVE A NEW C E O AT CENTRO.
I WANT TO HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO, UH, INTRODUCE MATT BROWN.
WE EXPECT SOME GREAT THINGS OUTTA MATT.
WE HAVE, UH, UH, SOME FOLKS FROM, FROM CENTRO, UH, IN, IN, IN, IN THE BACKGROUND OVER HERE.
YEAH, COME ON, MARIA, COME UP HERE.
I ACTUALLY, I GOT TO, UH, TO WORK ALONGSIDE HER.
AND LET ME JUST TELL YOU THAT THE ONE THING THAT WASN'T SAID, AND I, AND I KNOW THAT, THAT, YOU KNOW, EVERY SINGLE AMBASSADOR IS, IS JUST LIKE MARIA, BUT I GOT TO WORK ALONGSIDE MARIA.
AND, YOU KNOW, UH, SHE, SHE WAS GOING AROUND ASKING HOW SHE CAN HELP EVERYBODY AS THEY WERE WALKING AROUND.
HOW CAN I HELP YOU? ARE YOU FINDING EVERYTHING YOU NEED? UH, HOW ARE YOU DOING TODAY? OR JUST A SIMPLE, HEY, GOOD MORNING.
UH, MARIA, WOULD YOU LIKE TO SAY A FEW WORDS ABOUT YOUR JOB AND WHAT YOU DO? OH,
WELL, LISTEN, MARIA, I JUST WANNA SAY THANK YOU, UH, TO YOU AND ALL THE AMBASSADORS.
TRULY, TRULY PROUD OF WHAT YOU'RE DOING.
YOU ARE, UH, A, A REALLY A SHINING STAR IN OUR DOWNTOWN, IN OUR CITY AS A WHOLE.
I REALLY ENJOYED WORKING WITH YOU.
I LOOK FORWARD TO SEEING YOU, AND I SEE YOU ALL THE TIME, BY THE WAY.
BUT I, I LOOK FORWARD TO WORKING WITH YOU AGAIN.
THANK YOU, MARIA, THANK YOU TO CENTRAL.
UH, JUST WANTED TO, UH, ALSO ECHO MY THANKS TO COUNCILMAN PALS.
THANK YOU, UH, FOR WORKING THIS DEAL ABOUT DAN MARSON'S, UH, PARK.
YOU KNOW, I, I HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO MEET DAN HERE SEVERAL YEARS AGO, AND HE WAS A FRIEND BOTH PERSONALLY AND PROFESSIONALLY.
UH, WE WORKED ON A NUMBER OF PROJECTS UP IN DISTRICT 10 AND, UH, COMPLETED ONE OF THE MARQUEE PROJECTS THAT, UH, IT'S CALLED THE UPTON.
AND IF YOU EVER GET A CHANCE, IT'S RIGHT THERE ON 35 AND WACH PARKWAY.
IN FACT, I'D LIKE TO MOVE OVER THERE.
BUT, UH, UH, HE DID SO MANY THINGS AND, AND THE PLANS AND THE VISION THAT HE HAD JUST IN MY DISTRICT WAS VERY, VERY HELPFUL.
NOT ONLY TO, UH, ME AND MY NEIGHBORS, BUT FOR THE ENTIRE CITY.
AND THAT'S WHAT'S IMPORTANT HERE, TO RECOGNIZE SOMEONE THAT HAD THAT, YOU KNOW, THAT PERSONAL TOUCH.
AND WHEN YOU SAT DOWN TALKING WITH THEM SAYING, HEY, WHY DON'T, CAN YOU HELP ME OUT HERE? CAN WE DO THIS? CAN WE DO, YOU COULD JUST SEE THE, THE COG WHEELS WORKING IN HIS BRAIN ON, ON HOW HE COULD MAKE THAT HAPPEN.
AND WHEN YOU ASKED HIM, HE WAS GONNA MAKE IT HAPPEN.
AND THAT'S WHAT WAS A JOY AND PLEASURE IN WORKING WITH HIM, UH, WITH THESE, WITH THESE PROJECTS AND THE KINDNESS THAT HE HAS SHOWN TO SAN ANTONIO, BECAUSE HE TRULY WANTED THIS PLACE TO BE A BETTER, BETTER PLACE TO LIVE, WORK, AND PLAY.
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YOU KNOW, THIS WILL BE, UH, A LIVING MEMORIAL TO HIM, UH, FROM NOW ON.AND I THINK WE WILL ALWAYS TREASURE HIS HEALTH KINDNESS AND REACHING OUT TO WHERE HE THOUGHT HE COULD MAKE A DIFFERENCE HERE IN SAN ANTONIO.
SO, AGAIN, THANK YOU COUNCILMAN PLAS AND FOR THE COMMUNITY THAT DONATED THE LAND TO MAKE THIS HAPPEN.
COUNCIL MEMBER PERRY, COUNCIL MEMBER PLIE MAYOR, I, I'M DONE.
UM, I WANTED TO TAKE SOME TIME TO HIGHLIGHT ITEM NUMBER 28, AND THAT'S THE APPOINTMENT OF MS. ATLE MALONE TO THE VIA METROPOLITAN TRANSIT AUTHORITY BOARD OF TRUSTEES.
AND I WANTED TO THANK MY, UH, COUNCIL COLLEAGUES ON THE GOVERNANCE COMMITTEE AND THE MAYOR FOR WHAT I THINK IS SUCH AN IMPORTANT APPOINTMENT.
AND SO THIS REALLY SHOWS OUR COMMUNITY HOW WE CAN BECOME A MORE INCLUSIVE COMMUNITY THROUGH APPOINTMENTS LIKE THIS.
AND I'D LIKE TO TAKE THIS OPPORTUNITY TO READ SOME REMARKS THAT DISABILITY ESSAY SUBMITTED.
I MET WITH THEM, UM, UH, LAST WEEK, AND, AND THEY WANTED TO CONGRATULATE THE EFFORTS, UH, AND DETERMINATION OF LENE MALONE FOR RECEIVING THIS APPOINTMENT.
UH, SHE HAS DESIRED TO BE A VOICE FOR INDIVIDUALS WITH DISABILITIES ON THIS BOARD FOR A WHILE, AND HAS DEMONSTRATED PERSEVERANCE, MAINTAINING HER GOAL TO SERVE.
THEY ARE THRILLED TO HAVE A VOICE REFLECTING THE PERSONAL EXPERIENCES OF INDIVIDUALS WITH DISABILITIES, BROADENING THE DIVERSITY OF THE LEADERSHIP SERVING ON THE BOARD.
AND AS, UH, SOME OF US KNOW, MISS ATLEE RIDES THE BUS EVERY DAY, SO I'M SURE SHE RODE THE BUS TO GET HERE THIS MORNING.
AND, UH, DISABILITY ESSAY ALSO WANTS TO REMIND US THAT ONE IN EVERY SEVEN INDIVIDUALS IN SAN ANTONIO LIVES WITH A DISABILITY.
SA IS ASKING OUR CITY COUNCIL LEADERSHIP TO CONTINUE TO CONSIDER ADDITIONAL BOARDS, COMMISSIONS, COMMITTEE APPOINTEES, TO INCLUDE AT LEAST ONE INDIVIDUAL WITH A DISABILITY TO SERVE BETTER REFLECTING THE DIVERSITY OF VOICES IN OUR CITY GOVERNANCE PROCESS.
DISABILITY SA ALSO WANTS TO INVITE US, AND I'LL BE THERE.
SO I HOPE MY COUNCIL COLLEAGUES CAN JOIN ME AND THE SAN ANTONIO COMMUNITY TO JOIN TOGETHER IN DOWNTOWN SAN ANTONIO ON SATURDAY OCTOBER THE 26TH FOR THE SECOND ABILITY STRONG PARADE TO HELP CHANGE THE WAY WE THINK AND, UH, AND DEFINE DISABILITIES.
THIS IS SAN ANTONIO'S DISABILITY PRIDE CELEBRATION, EXPRESSING THE BELIEF THAT DISABILITY IS A NATURAL AND BEAUTIFUL PART OF HUMAN DIVERSITY IN WHICH PEOPLE LIVING WITH DISABILITY CAN TAKE PRIDE.
JOIN US AT MILAN PARK AT 9:00 AM TO WATCH THE PARADE, AND THEN STAY TO PARTICIPATE IN THE ACCESSIBILITY ACCESS FEST IN MILAN PARK AND MARKET SQUARE FROM 9:00 AM TO 2:00 PM AGAIN, I INVITE MY COUNCIL COLLEAGUES TO PUT THAT ON THEIR CALENDARS, AND I BELIEVE MS. LENE NOW, UH, HAS A FEW WORDS TO SAY.
UH, ONCE AGAIN, I THANK THE COUNCIL FOR ALLOWING ME TO SERVE ON VIA, FOR ALLOWING ME TO SERVE THE COMMUNITY IN THE BEST WAY THAT I CAN, AND ALSO TO BRING TO LIGHT THAT DISABILITY DOESN'T MEAN THAT YOU CANNOT DO ANYTHING.
DISABILITY MEANS WE JUST DO IT IN OUR OWN WAY.
OCTOBER IS DISABILITY AWARENESS MONTH, AND THERE'S SEVERAL, SEVERAL, UM, EVENTS GOING ON, AND I WOULD HOPE THAT THE COUNCIL WILL MAKE A POINT TO BE THERE SO THAT THEY CAN SEE ALL THE DIFFERENT DISABILITIES AND ALL THAT WE CAN DO, BUT WE JUST DO IT IN A DIFFERENT WAY.
ONCE AGAIN, I THANK Y'ALL FOR THIS OPPORTUNITY TO SERVE AND TO BROADEN VIA INTO A BETTER AND MORE PRODUCTIVE BEING.
COUNCIL MEMBER ROCHA GARCIA, AND THANK YOU FOR, FOR, UH, INVITING MS. MALONE, UH, TO HER OFFICIAL APPOINTMENT BY THE CITY COUNCIL THIS MORNING.
MS. MALONE, YOU HAVE BEEN AN OUTSTANDING APPOINTEE TO OUR DISABILITY ADVISORY COMMISSION.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR, YOUR YEARS OF SERVICE ALREADY.
UM, YOU KNOW, I THINK THAT THIS MAY BE PERHAPS THE MOST IMPORTANT VIA TRUSTEE APPOINTMENT WE'VE EVER MADE, UM, FOR THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO, I'M VERY PROUD, UH, THAT YOU ARE GONNA BE PROVIDING A PERSPECTIVE AND ALSO ENSURING THAT VIA THE TRANSIT AGENCY, ON BEHALF OF OUR COMMUNITY, AS A AGENCY
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THAT SERVES EVERYONE, UH, AND TAKES INTO ACCOUNT EVERYONE'S NEEDS.SO, MS. MALONE, THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR YOUR WILLINGNESS TO SERVE, FOR STEPPING FORWARD, UH, FOR BEING A FORCE ON THE VIA BOARD, AND WE'RE LOOKING FORWARD TO GREAT, GREAT YEARS AHEAD.
THAT IS EVERYONE WHO SIGNED UP TO SPEAK, UH, AND ALL THE COUNSEL COMMENT ON THE CONSENT AGENDA.
THERE IS A MOTION AND A SECOND FOR THE BALANCE OF THE CONSENT AGENDA.
THAT'S ALL ITEMS SAVED FOR 4 26 AND 34.
ALRIGHT, NOW, WHAT WE ALL HAVE BEEN WAITING FOR, MOVE ON TO ITEM FOUR, WHICH IS OUR F Y 2020 BUDGET, AND I'LL ASK OUR CLERK TO READ THE CAPTION FOR FOUR A, AN ORDINANCE ADOPTING THE ANNUAL CONSOLIDATED OPERATING AND CAPITAL BUDGETS FOR THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO FISCAL YEAR 2020.
THAT BEGINS OCTOBER ONE, APPROVING PROJECTS INCLUDED IN THE FISCAL YEAR 2020 TO FISCAL YEAR 20 24, 5 YEAR INFRASTRUCTURE MA MANAGEMENT PLAN APPROVING THE FISCAL YEAR 2020 TO FISCAL YEAR 20 25, 6 YEAR CAPITAL IMPROVEMENTS PROJECT PROGRAM, EXCUSE ME, FOR THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO, APPROVING CERTAIN CONTRACTS PROVIDED FOR A ONE-TIME ANNUITY INCREASE FOR RETIREES AND THEIR BENEFICIARIES, AND A REVISION TO THE CITY'S CONTRIBUTION RATE AND CONNECTION WITH THE TEXAS MUNICIPAL RETIREMENT SYSTEM, AUTHORIZING PERSONNEL COMPLIMENTS, APPROPRIATING FUNDS, AND AMENDING RELATED ORDINANCES.
I'LL, UH, NOW RECOGNIZE OUR CITY MANAGER, UH, TO MAKE COMMENTS IN PRESENTATION ON THE BUDGET.
THEN WE'LL MOVE ON TO, UH, CITIZEN COMMENT AND THEN COUNCIL.
GOOD MORNING, MAYOR AND COUNCIL.
UH, TODAY YOU'RE BEING ASKED TO APPROVE THE CITY'S $2.9 BILLION, UH, F Y 2020 OPERATING IN CAPITAL BUDGET.
UH, I PRESENTED TO YOU, UH, THE PROPOSED SPENDING PLAN ON AUGUST 8TH, AND SINCE THEN, UH, YOU'VE CONDUCTED NINE WORK SESSIONS TO TALK ABOUT THE PROPOSED PLAN.
WE'VE ALSO HAD 14 COMMUNITY MEETINGS, AND I WANNA THANK JEFF COYLE AND LAURA MAYS AND THE ENTIRE G P A TEAM WHO COORDINATED WITH YOUR OFFICES.
UH, THE FISCAL YEAR 2020 BUDGET IS BALANCED AS REQUIRED BY LAW, AND WE'VE PREPARED A BALANCED SPENDING PLAN FOR F Y 2021, UH, AS THAT'S, THAT'S CONSISTENT WITH OUR TWO YEAR BALANCE BUDGET STRATEGY.
UH, THERE IS NO INCREASE IN THE CITY'S PROPERTY TAX RATE.
AND AS A REMINDER, THE CITY PROPERTY TAX MAKES UP ABOUT 20% OF THE ANNUAL TAX BILL FOR OUR, OUR CONSTITUENTS.
THE F Y 2020 BUDGET ALSO REFLECTS THE CITY'S CONTINUED COMMITMENT TO PROVIDING TARGETED PROPERTY TAX RELIEF.
AND IN TOTAL, UH, AN ESTIMATED $61 MILLION IN THE F Y 2020 BUDGET, UH, IN PROPERTY TAX REVENUE IS, UH, WILL BE FOREGONE BY THE, BY THE CITY, UH, AS A RESULT OF SENIOR AND DISABLED EXEMPTIONS, UH, A FREEZE ON CITY PROPERTY TAX PAYMENTS FOR THOSE OVER 65 AND THE NEWLY ADOPTED HOMESTEAD EXEMPTION APPROVED BY COUNCIL ON JUNE 24TH, UH, AT THE BEGINNING OF THE SUMMER.
AS THE COUNCIL IS AWARE, THE FI THE FISCAL ENVIRONMENT IS CHANGING AND, AND WE'LL BE MANAGING THROUGH THAT, UH, AS WE MOVE FORWARD.
UM, MORE IMPORTANTLY, I THINK, UH, WHEN WE SIT BACK AND LOOK AT THE WORK THAT'S BEEN DONE, THE BUDGET REFLECTS THE COMMUNITY PRIORITIES THAT WERE RECEIVED BY ALMOST 11,000 RESIDENTS WHO PARTICIPATED IN THE BUDGET INPUT PROCESS, AS WELL AS THE, UH, THE JUNE 21ST GOAL SETTING SESSION THAT, UH, THAT YOU HAD.
AS A REMINDER, THE F Y 2020 BUDGET FOCUSED ON FIVE KEY AREAS, STRONG FAMILIES AND CHILDREN, POLICE AFFORDABLE HOUSING, STREETS AND SIDEWALKS, AND PROPERTY TAX RELIEF.
THE BUDGET INCLUDES A TOTAL OF $1.6 MILLION THAT'S DEDICATED TOWARDS THAT BROAD CATEGORY OF STRONG FAMILIES AND CHILDREN.
THAT ADDRESSES FAMILY VIOLENCE, CHILD ABUSE PREVENTION, UH, AND TRAUMA-INFORMED CARE.
ADDITIONAL FUNDING WAS INCLUDED WITHIN THE POLICE DEPARTMENT OF $1.3 MILLION THAT FOCUSES ON DOMESTIC VIOLENCE INITIATIVES AND ADDING AN ADDITIONAL 16 POLICE OFFICERS TO INCREASE SUPERVISION FOR THE CRISIS RESPONSE TEAM AND ENHANCE FOLLOW UP, UH, FOR VICTIMS. THE F Y 2020 BUDGET ALSO CONTINUES THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE RECOMMENDATIONS OF THE HOUSING TASK FORCE, UH, FOR A TOTAL OF $34.4 MILLION ALLOCATED TO HOUSING.
WE HAD TO BE A LITTLE CREATIVE, AND I THINK THE TEAM DID A GREAT JOB IN THE PROPOSED BUDGET UTILIZING A COMBINATION OF FUNDS FROM THE GENERAL FUND, FEDERAL GRANTS, AND LEVERAGING OUTSIDE RESOURCES, UH, FROM COMMUNITY PARTNERS.
FINALLY, THE BUDGET MAINTAINS FUNDING FOR STREET MAINTENANCE AT $110 MILLION AND WILL FUND OVER 1300 PROJECTS.
50% OF THIS FUNDING WILL BE ALLOCATED BASED ON THE STREETS, UH, THE DISTRICT'S NETWORK, BUT THEN
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ALSO 50%, UH, ALLOCATED ON THE SIZE OF THE NETWORK.UH, AFTER OUR FINAL WORK SESSION YESTERDAY, UH, AFTERNOON, UH, I PROVIDED A MEMORANDUM AND YOU'VE GOT A COPY OF IT, AS WELL AS AN UPDATED AMENDMENT LIST, UH, FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION WITH THESE AMENDMENTS AND THOSE ADJUSTMENTS THAT ARE HIGHLIGHTED IN THE MEMO.
UM, THE BUDGET REMAINS BALANCED FOR F Y 20 AND 21.
UH, IN CLOSING, MAYOR AND COUNCIL I'D, I'D LIKE TO THANK THE, THE BUDGET STAFF WHO SPENT THEIR ENTIRE, UH, PROB I WAS GONNA SAY SUMMER, BUT IT WAS PROBABLY SINCE LATE SPRING.
UH, WORKING ON
I WANNA THANK OUR DEPARTMENT HEADS, UH, AND THEIR STAFFS.
THEY'VE WORKED JUST AS HARD TO PREPARE THE BUDGET.
UM, UM, PREPARE FOR THE MEETINGS WITH ME IN JULY.
UM, PREPARE AND PRESENT TO YOU THEIR DETAILED PLANS ON WHAT THEY'VE ACCOMPLISHED THIS YEAR AND WHAT'S ON THE TABLE FOR NEXT YEAR.
AND MANY OF THEM PARTICIPATED IN THOSE 14 EVENTS THAT WE HAD OUT IN THE COMMUNITY.
UH, I'D ALSO LIKE TO THANK, UH, THE EXECUTIVE LEADERSHIP TEAM FOR THEIR DILIGENCE AND LEADERSHIP THROUGHOUT THIS PROCESS.
UH, COLLEEN, ROD, LORI, CARLOS, ANDY, LIZ, JOHN.
UH, THIS IS NOT POSSIBLE WITHOUT A TEAM EFFORT.
THIS IS, UH, A HUGE EFFORT AND I'M CERTAINLY PROUD OF THE ORGANIZATION.
I ALSO WANT TO THANK, UH, SPECIFICALLY MARIA JUSTINA AND BEN.
UM, THEY WERE EXTREMELY DILIGENT AND CERTAINLY, UM, MAKE A REALLY GOOD TEAM.
AND, AND, YOU KNOW, ANY CITY MANAGER OR ANY EXECUTIVE ANYWHERE KNOWS THAT YOU, YOU, YOU SURROUND YOURSELF WITH THE BEST, AND I'M CONFIDENT THAT, UH, THAT I'VE GOT THAT.
UH, FINALLY, MAYOR AND COUNSEL, I'D LIKE TO THANK EACH OF YOU INDIVIDUALLY AND AS A GROUP, BECAUSE I THINK YOUR WORK THAT YOU STARTED, UH, ON JUNE 21ST IN THE WORK SESSION REALLY SET THE TEMPO AND GAVE US THE GUIDANCE THAT GAVE ME THE GUIDANCE THAT WAS KEY TO THE FINAL PRODUCT TODAY.
AND, UH, WE'RE MORE THAN HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS YOU MIGHT HAVE.
UM, SO THOSE OF YOU WHO ARE WATCHING EITHER HERE WITH US OR ON ONLINE OR ON TV, UM, HAVE SEEN THIS BEFORE.
AND, UM, I'M SORRY,
THIS IS A VERY ORCHESTRATED, UH, MEETING TODAY.
SO I JUST WANTED TO SUMMARIZE WHAT WE'RE GONNA BE DOING, UH, BECAUSE SOME THINGS ARE A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT.
UH, FIRST UP WILL BE OUR, UH, CITIZENS TO BE HEARD.
WE'RE GONNA TAKE ALL CITIZEN COMMENT ON THE FY 2020 BUDGET.
WE'LL THEN MOVE ON TO OUR COUNCIL MEMBER, UH, COMMENTS ON THE BUDGET.
UM, AT THAT POINT, WE'LL BEGIN THE PROCESS OF GOING THROUGH EACH OF THE PROCEDURAL VOTES ON THE BUDGET.
UH, WHAT'S NEW IS THAT OUR COUNCIL NOW WILL STAY SEATED, EVEN THOUGH MANY OF, UH, US, I THINK EVERYONE HAS AN ITEM OR TWO THAT THEY WILL NEED TO BE RECUSED FROM, UH, TO AVOID THE APPEARANCE OF CONFLICT.
UH, RATHER THAN LEAVING THE DAIS, THE COUNCIL MEMBER WILL PLACE THE RECUSAL SIGN NEXT TO THEM, UH, AND NOT VOTE, NOT PARTICIPATE IN THE DISCUSSION, AND THEN REMOVE IT WHEN THEY ARE BACK, UH, IN FULL PARTICIPATION WITH THE COUNCIL.
UH, SO EVERYONE WILL STAY SEATED AND WE'LL MOVE THROUGH, I THINK, VERY EXPEDITIOUSLY.
SO, UH, WE'LL GET, WE'LL BEGIN NOW WITH OUR, UH, CITIZENS TO BE HEARD PUBLIC HEARING PORTION OF THE BUDGET.
AND I'LL CALL THE FIRST GROUP.
IT'S THE NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF MEXICAN, AMERICAN HISTORY OF CIVIL RIGHTS, DR.
THEY'LL BE FOLLOWED BY OLGA RODRIGUEZ.
RUIZ, ARE YOU ALL SPEAKING IN A GROUP? I AM GOING TO, I'M SORRY.
ALL THREE OF YOU TOGETHER OR SEPARATELY? SEPARATELY.
YOU'LL EACH HAVE THREE MINUTES THEN.
GOOD MORNING, MR. MAYOR AND, AND COUNCIL MEMBERS AND, UM, AND PEOPLE OF SAN ANTONIO.
IT'S TRULY AN HONOR TO BE IN THE CHAMBER AND LISTEN TO ALL THE WONDERFUL, COMMITTED, DEDICATED, PASSIONATE CITIZENS THAT MAKE UP OUR CITY.
I'M SO HONORED TO BE PART OF IT.
I'M THE PRESIDENT OF THE BOARD OF THE NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF OF MEXICAN AMERICAN HISTORY OF CIVIL RIGHTS.
CURRENTLY, MR. MAYOR, COUNCIL MEMBERS, WE HAVE NO FORMAL AGREEMENTS WITH SYSTEMS, INSTITUTIONS, ORGANIZATIONS, OR ANY OTHER ENTITIES AS WE SEE THAT OUR WORK MUST, UH, MUST LEAD US IN THAT DIRECTION.
OUR GOAL IS TO COLLABORATE WITH SCHOOL SYSTEMS, WITH LOCAL UNIVERSITIES AND, AND BUSINESS AND CIVIC ORGANIZATIONS TO GET OUR WORK DONE.
PLEASE KNOW THAT THE BASIC PURPOSE OF THE INSTITUTE IS TO TEACH, EDUCATE, AND RECORD THE SIGNIFICANT CONTRIBUTIONS OF AMERICANS AND THE COMMUNITY IT SERVES
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AND THOSE CONTRIBUTIONS MADE TO IT, TO THE STATE AND TO THE NATION IN THE DEVELOPMENT OF CIVIL RIGHTS IN PARTICULAR, AND TO THE FAIR TREATMENT OF ALL PEOPLE.ALSO NOTE THAT OUR EFFORT IS NOT A MUSEUM.
I INDICATED LAST NIGHT THAT WE'RE NOT DEAD YET.
UH, OUR OURS IS AN, AN EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTE THAT WE, WE IMAGINE WILL, WILL LIVE, WILL LIVE FOR 80, 90 YEARS.
THE INSTITUTE WILL SHOWCASE HISTORIC CONTRIBUTIONS MADE BY SAN ANTONIO'S MEXICAN AMERICAN COMMUNITY IN CIVIL RIGHTS, WHERE MAJOR TRENDS, TRANSFORMATIVE LEADERS, AND SIGNIFICANT ORGANIZATIONS HAVE EMERGED AND HAVE BEEN SHARED WITH THE STATE AND COMMUNITIES THROUGHOUT THE NATION.
ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD OF THE INSTITUTE, I WANNA THANK ALL OF YOU.
I WANNA THANK ALL OF YOU, UH, COUNCIL LADY VRAN, COUNCIL LADY ROCHA GARCIA, COUNCIL LADY ANDREW SULLIVAN, COUNCIL LADY CAO HARA, COUNCILMAN ELA COURAGE, AND PERRY FOR HEARING US OUT.
I ESPECIALLY WANT TO THANK COUNCIL LADY SANDOVAL, COUNCILMAN TREVINO AND COUNCIL LADY GONZALEZ BECAUSE THEY HAVE WALKED ALONGSIDE FOR THE PAST EIGHT MONTHS, GUIDING US THROUGH THE, THROUGH THE CULTURE OF, OF CITY, UH, OF THE CITY STRUCTURE.
L KAUFMAN, A RENOWNED CIVIL RIGHTS LAWYER AND PROFESSOR AT ST.
MARY'S UNIVERSITY, REMINDS US THAT NO CITY IN THE US HAS HAD AS MUCH TO DO WITH MEXICAN AMERICAN HISTORY AS OUR PRECIOUS SAN ANTONIO, FROM THE FIRST EUROPEAN SETTLEMENTS TO ITS ROLE AS THE CAPITAL OF THE MEXICAN STATE OF ELA IGA TO THE ALAMO, AND TO THE BIRTHPLACE OF THE STRONGEST MEXICAN AMERICAN CANDIDATE FOR, FOR THE PRESIDENCY.
SAN ANTONIO HAS BEEN THE LOCUST, THE CRUCIBLE OF MEXICAN CIVIL RIGHTS FOR OVER 70 YEARS.
WE WANT TO THANK YOU AND, AND THANK YOU FOR LISTENING TO US.
GLORIA RODRIGUEZ, FOLLOWED BY DR.
ESQUIVEL PENA, MAYOR NUREMBERG, MEMBERS OF THE CITY COUNCIL.
THERE ARE OVER 160 CIVIL RIGHTS CENTERS FOR AFRICAN AMERICANS IN THE NATION, BUT NOT ONE FOR MEXICAN AMERICANS.
THE AFRICAN AMERICAN COMMUNITY NEEDS TO BE APPLAUDED FOR THEIR GREAT JOB.
TODAY BECAUSE OF OUR EXCELLENT SAN ANTONIO GOVERNMENT LEADERSHIP, WE WILL MAKE HISTORY.
GLORIA RODRIGUEZ, VICE CHAIR OF THE NEWLY INCORPORATED NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF MEXICAN AMERICAN HISTORY OF CIVIL RIGHTS.
I AM HERE TO ASK FOR YOUR SUPPORT FOR THE PLANNING GRANT TO ESTABLISH THE FIRST EVER CIVIL RIGHTS CENTER HERE IN SAN ANTONIO, WHERE 63% OF THE POPULATION IS MEXICAN AMERICAN.
AS FORMER MAYOR HENRY SNA S STATED IN HIS LETTER OF SUPPORT, SAN ANTONIO HAS BEEN A CITY OF MANY FIRSTS IN THIS CIVIL RIGHTS ARENA, AND THUS IS CLEARLY THE CITY IN WHICH SUCH A CENTER SHOULD BE DEVELOPED.
HE SAID, IT IS CERTAINLY TRUE THAT SAN ANTONIO HAS BEEN A PLATFORM FOR NATIONAL HISPANIC LEADERS, THE INCUBATOR OF NATIONAL ORGANIZATIONS SUCH AS MALDEF, I D R A, HAKU AVAN, SOUTH SOUTHWEST VOTER, THE FOCAL POINT OF KEY NATIONAL MEETINGS AND GATHERINGS, AND HAS SET AN EXAMPLE FOR OUR OTHER COMMUNITIES ACROSS THE COUNTRY.
SUCH A CENTER WOULD CREATE A PHYSICAL SITE AND SERVE AS A MONUMENT OF CIVIL RIGHTS PIONEERS, SUCH AS WILLIE VELASQUEZ AND EMMA YUCA, AS WELL AS PROVIDE A VENUE FOR ACADEMIC RESEARCH PRODUCTIONS OF BOOKS AND REPORTS.
THE TIMING COULD NOT BE MORE PERFECT THAN NOW TO DEVELOP THIS PREMIER EDUCATIONAL CIVIL RIGHTS CENTER AT A TIME WHEN MEXICAN AMERICANS ARE BEING STEREOTYPED AND INCORRECTLY PORTRAYED AS DRUG DEALERS, RAPISTS AND MURDERERS.
IT IS TIME THAT WE STAND UP AND CORRECT THE RECORD AND SHOWCASE THE GOOD THAT HAS BEEN DONE BY OUR STRONG, DEDICATED AND OUTSTANDING MEXICAN AMERICAN LEADERS AND PIONEERS.
THROUGH VARIOUS EDUCATIONAL STRATEGIES, UH, WE, UH, CHILDREN WILL LEARN WHO THEY ARE, WHERE THEY CAME FROM, LEARN ABOUT THE CITY'S HISTORY AND THE CONTRIBUTIONS OF LEADERS WHO FOUGHT INJUSTICES AND INEQUALITIES.
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OUR YOUTH TO BECOME OUR FUTURE CHANGE AGENTS AND TO BE MORE COMPASSIONATE AND UNDERSTANDING.WE WANT TO UNITE OUR CITY TO BRING DIVERSE PEOPLE TOGETHER FROM ALL SECTORS TO LEARN ABOUT OUR SHARED HISTORY.
WE PLAN TO USE THIS CITY INVESTMENT TO LEVERAGE ADDITIONAL FUNDS FROM PUBLIC AND PRIVATE SECTORS TO CONTINUE TO ENHANCE AND, AND EXPAND THE INSTITUTION.
LIKE PAUL, I TOO WANT TO THANK ALL OF YOU FOR YOUR LEADERSHIP AND SUPPORT FROM THE VERY BEGINNING THAT WE APPROACHED.
ZEEL PENA, DIRECTOR OF THE CENTER FOR MEXICAN AMERICAN STUDIES AND RESEARCH AT OUR LADY OF THE LAKE UNIVERSITY AND A NEW, UH, BOARD MEMBER OF THE NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF MEXICAN AMERICAN HISTORY OF CIVIL RIGHTS, HONORABLE MAYOR RON NUREMBERG AND ESTEEMED MEMBERS OF THE CITY COUNCIL AT THE URGING OF MY FELLOW BOARD COLLEAGUES.
MY COMMENT WILL COME IN THE FORM OF EXCERPTS FROM A LETTER OF SUPPORT FROM DR.
DIANE MELBY, PRESIDENT OF OUR LADY OF THE LAKE UNIVERSITY.
PRESIDENT MELBY STATES, WITH THE CELEBRATION OF OUR CITY'S TRICENTENNIAL IN OUR RECENT MEMORY, WE CAN ALL APPRECIATE THAT SAN ANTONIO HOLDS A UNIQUE PLACE IN THE NATION IN THE ADVANCEMENT OF CIVIC LIFE, INCLUDING CIVIL RIGHTS AS A UNIVERSITY ROOTED IN THE WEST SIDE OF SAN ANTONIO.
OUR LADY OF THE LAKE UNIVERSITY HAS BEEN A PARTNER WITH THE MEXICAN AMERICAN COMMUNITY IN ADVANCING CIVIL RIGHTS SINCE THE CONGREGATION OF DIVINE PROVIDENCE ESTABLISHED OUR UNIVERSITY ON PRINCIPLES OF SOCIAL JUSTICE AND EDUCATIONAL ACCESS.
OUR ENGAGEMENT IN THE MEXICAN AMERICAN COMMUNITY HAS TAKEN MANY FORMS OVER THE YEARS, SERVING AS THE INCUBATOR FOR NATIONAL AND INTERNATIONAL ORGANIZATIONS THAT SERVE THE LATINA AND LATINO COMMUNITY.
ONE SUCH EXAMPLE, HAKU, THE HISPANIC ASSOCIATION OF COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIES NOW HAS OVER 500 MEMBER INSTITUTIONS ACROSS THE US, PUERTO RICO, LATIN AMERICA, AND SPAIN.
THE 50TH ANNIVERSARY CONFERENCE ON THE US COMMISSION ON CIVIL RIGHTS HEARING ON MEXICAN AMERICANS IN THE SOUTHWEST, CRYSTALLIZED FOR ME, FOR OUR PRESIDENT, PRESIDENT MELBY, JUST HOW CENTRAL SAN ANTONIO IS TO THE STORY OF CIVIL RIGHTS FOR THE LATINA AND LATINO COMMUNITY.
THE FACT THAT THE HEARING AND THE 50TH ANNIVERSARY CONFERENCE HAPPENED ON OUR LADY OF THE LAKE UNIVERSITY'S CAMPUS REVEALED HOW CONNECTED WE ARE TO THE ADVANCEMENT OF CIVIL RIGHTS FOR MEXICAN-AMERICANS AND ALL WHO RESIDE IN SAN ANTONIO.
I AM CLEAR THAT SAN ANTONIO IS A RIGHTFUL PLACE FOR THE NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF MEXICAN AMERICAN HISTORY OF CIVIL RIGHTS.
OUR LADY OF THE LAKE UNIVERSITY IS PREPARED TO SUPPORT THE PLANNING AND DEVELOPMENT OF THE INSTITUTE, AND I WOULD WELCOME A PARTNERSHIP BETWEEN THE BOARD OF THE INSTITUTE AND OUR LADY OF THE LAKE UNIVERSITY SHOULD THEY DETERMINE A UNIVERSITY PARTNERSHIP IS THE IDEAL CONTEXT THROUGH WHICH TO INCUBATE SUCH A WORTHWHILE ENDEAVOR.
SO ON BEHALF OF PRESIDENT MELBY OF OUR LADY OF THE LAKE UNIVERSITY, THANK YOU MAYOR RON NUREMBERG AND CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS.
OH, IT SAYS HERE RODRIGUEZ OLGA KAUFMAN, PLEASE COME UP, MS. KAUFMAN, YOU'LL BE FOLLOWED BY LEO GOMEZ.
MY NAME IS OLGA GARZA KAUFMAN, AND I WAS INVITED TO JOIN THIS BOARD BY, UH, GLORIA GARZA RODRIGUEZ.
AND, UH, WHEN SHE FIRST TOLD ME ABOUT IT, IT SEEMED LIKE A LOT OF WORK, BUT I HAD VERY PERSONAL REASONS FOR STEPPING IN AND HELPING OUT.
UH, I GREW UP IN THE RIO GRANDE VALLEY, UH, IN A FARM WORKER FAMILY, AND I WENT TO A SEGREGATED MEXICAN SCHOOL AND I NEVER HAD ACCESS TO ANY OF THE HISTORY OF, OF MY PEOPLE, OF THE MEXICAN AMERICANS IN TEXAS.
UH, I KNEW THE HISTORY OF MEXICO BECAUSE MY MOTHER WAS A VERY WELL-READ WOMAN AND SHE REALLY BELIEVED IN EDUCATION AND TAUGHT ME HOW TO, HOW TO READ SPANISH WHEN I WAS FOUR YEARS OLD.
SO I STARTED READING ABOUT THE HISTORY OF MEXICO BACK THEN, THEN I STARTED SCHOOL, AND OF COURSE I LEARNED ABOUT THE ALAMO AND DAVID CROCKETT AND ALL OF THE HISTORY OF TEXAS, BUT NEVER THE HISTORY OF WHO I AM.
SO THIS IS WHY I AM PUTTING A LOT, A LOT OF MY VOLUNTEER TIME INTO THIS ORGANIZATION.
I WANNA DO IT FOR MY CHILDREN, MY GRANDCHILDREN, AND MY GREAT-GRANDCHILDREN.
SO THAT THEY CAN HAVE THE ACCESS TO THIS KNOWLEDGE ABOUT THEIR PEOPLE THAT I, THAT I DIDN'T HAVE UNTIL I WAS AN ADULT.
AND THOSE, THE, THAT KNOWLEDGE CAME TO ME AT A PRICE BECAUSE
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I, I HAD TO PAY TUITION WHEN I WAS IN COLLEGE.AND I TOOK EVERY ETHNIC STUDIES COURSE THERE WAS, BUT I WAS GLAD TO DO IT BECAUSE THE REWARD WAS, WAS GREAT.
I, I AM VERY CENTERED IN WHO I AM.
I KNOW THE HISTORY OF MY PEOPLE.
I KNOW THE SACRIFICES THAT THOSE BEFORE US HAVE MADE TO GET US TO WHERE WE ARE TODAY.
AND THIS IS WHY I REALLY, REALLY URGE YOU TO FUND OUR PROJECT AT THE $250,000 LEVEL SO THAT OUR CHILDREN AND OUR SCHOOL CHILDREN HAVE THE KNOWLEDGE AND HAVE THE RESOURCES TO RESEARCH WHATEVER THEY WANNA RESEARCH THAT RELATED TO MEXICAN AMERICAN HISTORY AND TEXAS HISTORY.
UH, I WOULD LIKE TO THANK, UH, COUNCILMAN TINO AND COUNCILWOMAN GONZALEZ AND COUNCILWOMAN SANDOVAL FOR THEIR HELP AND ENCOURAGEMENT.
WE WERE MA DOING THE, THE WORK AND THE RESEARCH AND THE GRANT WRITING FOR THIS PROJECT.
AND I URGE YOU TO PLEASE SUPPORT US.
OUR CHILDREN ARE DEPENDENT ON IT.
LEO GOMEZ, FOLLOWED BY JACK FINGER.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR TRIBUTES TO DAN MARKSON, ABSOLUTELY.
AMONG THE ORIGINAL BROOKS BELIEVERS.
AND MORE THAN THAT, A BELIEVER IN SAN ANTONIO.
BOY DID HE LOVE OUR COMMUNITY.
SO THANK YOU FOR DOING THAT AND SAYING THOSE, SAYING WHAT YOU SAID ABOUT DAN MARKSON, MAYOR AND COUNCIL MEMBERS AND CITY MANAGER.
I AM THE PRESIDENT AND C E O OF BROOKS, THE BROOKS, THE BASE REDEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY, PROUDLY LOCATED IN DISTRICT THREE COUNCILWOMAN AND WONDERFULLY BELONGING TO ALL OF SAN ANTONIO.
I'M HERE TODAY BECAUSE THERE'S A COUPLE OF THINGS I WANNA SAY, BUT I WANNA START BY RECOGNIZING THE RELATIVELY SMOOTH BUDGET PROCESS OF THIS YEAR.
AND I KNOW THAT DOESN'T JUST HAPPEN.
THE TEAM ON YOUR STAFF LED BY A CITY MANAGER, HAD TO WORK WITH YOU ALL AND SHOWED THE TEAMWORK THAT SAN ANTONIO HAS IN ITS COUNCIL, ALONG WITH ITS NEW CITY MANAGER AND OUR STAFF.
AND I THINK YOU SHOULD BE RECOGNIZED FOR THAT AND WANT TO ADD MY RECOGNITION TO IT.
I ENCOURAGE YOU ALL TO DO SOMETHING WE DO AT BROOKS, AND THAT'S CELEBRATE THE HAPPY NEW FISCAL YEAR ON OCTOBER THE FIRST.
WE LITERALLY THROW A PARTY AND CELEBRATE IT.
UM, THERE ARE TWO THINGS THAT I DO WANNA HIGHLIGHT THAT ARE WITHIN THE BUDGET.
AND THE FIRST ONE IS A REQUEST THAT WAS MADE BY COUNCILWOMAN BRAN FOR $500,000, I BELIEVE OUT OF THE CAPITAL BUDGET, TO COMPLETE THE PRE-DEVELOPMENT WORK THAT'S NECESSARY TO DEVELOP A PROJECT TO BE SUBMITTED FOR THE NEXT BOND ISSUE FOR A POLICE SUBSTATION IN DISTRICT THREE.
WE WANT SAN ANTONIO'S FINEST AND WE WANT MORE OF THEM.
IT COMES ALONG WITH GROWTH, WITH THE GROWTH THAT WE'RE HAVING.
WE NEED INVESTMENT IN MORE UTILITIES, PARKS, SIDEWALKS, COMMUNITY CENTERS, AND YES, A POLICE SUBSTATION THERE IN DISTRICT THREE.
AND SO WE THANK YOU FOR THAT CONSIDERATION AND WE THANK YOU FOR WORKING WITH HER.
AS YOU CONSIDER THIS BUDGET, I ALSO WANT TO HIGHLIGHT AND THANK THE CITY MANAGER AND THE TEAM FOR THE ADDITIONAL FUNDS THAT ARE PROPOSED FOR OFFICERS IN TARGETED ZONES, ENTERTAINMENT ZONES, GROWTH ZONES, CERTAINLY WHAT WE ARE EXPERIENCING, NOT ONLY AT BROOKS, BUT ON THE SOUTH SIDE OF SAN ANTONIO.
SO, AGAIN, PLEASE TAKE OUR APPRECIATION ON BEHALF OF BROOKS COUNCILWOMAN.
WE LOOK WORK FORWARD TO WORKING WITH YOU THROUGH THE PRE-DEVELOPMENT PROCESS ON THAT POLICE SUBSTATION AND PROPOSING SOMETHING THAT THE ENTIRE COUNCIL WILL EMBRACE AND SUPPORT US WITH, AND ULTIMATELY THE VOTERS.
SO MY BEST TO YOU ALL, AND AGAIN, HAPPY NEW FISCAL YEAR.
WELL, GOOD MORNING, MAYOR MAREN BERGEN, OTHER MEMBERS OF, UH, A GOOD OLD SAN ANTONIO CITY COUNCIL.
AND YOU KNOW WHAT THAT MEANS,
YOU, YOU'RE GONNA HAVE TO TURN YOUR, YOUR POCKETS INSIDE OUT AGAIN THERE.
EVERY YEAR WE'RE TOLD MONEY IS TIGHT.
DON'T HAVE ANY MONEY FOR A TAX CUT IN OUR HIGH PROPERTY TAXES.
YOU KEEP SAYING, DON'T WORRY, WE HAVEN'T RAISED THE TAX RATES.
BUT OUR BILLS KEEP GOING UP BECAUSE OF THE VALUATIONS.
BUT, UM, LO AND BEHOLD, I NOTICED THAT ALMOST LIKE CLOCKWORK, THE UH, CITY PUBLIC SERVICE PULLS A RABBIT OUT OF THEIR HAT.
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THEY, THEY, THEY MANAGED TO BRING OUT, WHAT IS IT, UH, SEVEN, NEARLY $8 MILLION WE CAN FUND FOR SOME MORE GOODIES.THAT'S WHY
HOGS AT THE TROUGH, PEOPLE WHO WANT THIS AND THAT, AND THIS AND THAT FOR THEIR SPECIAL PET PROJECTS.
LET'S LOOK AT SOME OF THESE THINGS.
MR. AUDIO VISUAL MAN, JUST PUT THAT UP THERE.
WE'LL, SKIMM DOWN SOME OF THE THINGS THERE.
UM, WHAT DOES IT SAY? IF YOU CAN READ IT, IT LOOKS SO BLEACHED OUT THERE.
UM, LET'S LOOK AT, UH, ITEM NUMBER, UH, TWO THERE.
THE VIVA SAYS SAN ANTONIO SAY HEALTHY CA CA I CAN HARDLY READ IT THERE WITH THE BLEACH BLEACHED OUT THERE.
ANYWAY, GO DOWN TO ITEM NUMBER FOUR, THE YELLOW.
WHAT DOES IT SAY THERE PUNNING FOR? I CAN BARELY READ IT MYSELF, MR. VIS BANK, BUT BRING IT BACK TO ME, WOULD YOU? YEAH, YEAH.
ANYWAY, LET'S IT SAY, FUNDING FOR A CONTRACTOR TO CONTINUE FACILITATION TO A CITIZEN ADVISORY GROUP.
AND NUMBER SIX, ADD FUNDS FOR A SECOND CHANCE INITIATIVE FOR PILOT PROGRAM FOR RESOURCES FOR ELIGIBLE INDIVIDUALS WHO ARE SEEKING EMPLOYMENT IN COUNCIL DISTRICT TWO.
YEAH, 25 GRAND FOR THAT GIRLS EMPOWERMENT SUMMIT.
A FUNDING FOR A CRICKET FIELD.
UM, AND THEN, YES, WHAT DOES IT SAY HERE, WHAT YOU HAVE HAD HERE TODAY? MEXICAN AMERICAN CIVIL RIGHTS INSTITUTE.
I HAVE A NEWS FLASH FOR MS. GONZALEZ AND EVERYBODY ELSE IN THE CROWD.
IF YOU WANT MORE, PLEASE GET 'EM ON YOUR OWN DIME.
NOT ON THE BACKS OF THIS ELECTRIC BILL REPAIR.
WELL, THAT'S EVERYONE WHO SIGNED UP TO SPEAK ON OUR BUDGET TODAY.
AGAIN, WE HAVE SEVERAL PROCEDURAL VOTES.
WE'LL TAKE A COMMENT NOW, UH, FROM OUR COLLEAGUES ON THE COUNCIL, AND, UM, I'LL GO AHEAD AND START.
AND I JUST WANT TO AGAIN, THANK EVERYONE FOR BEING HERE, FOR PARTICIPATING THE BUDGET PROCESS AS A YEAR ROUND PROCESS FOR THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO.
AND THERE'S CERTAINLY NEVER EASY MONTHS OF DELIBERATION AND WORK HAVE BEEN POURED INTO A MORE EQUITABLE DOCUMENT THAT WILL SERVE AS A DECLARATION OF OUR SERVICE TO SAN ANTONIO.
IN A SENSE, THIS IS WHAT THE RESIDENTS OF SAN ANTONIO EXPECT US TO DO EACH YEAR.
BUT I'D LIKE TO EXTEND PARTICULAR THANKS TO SOME FOLKS ARE HERE IN THIS ROOM, MY COLLEAGUES TO MY RIGHT AND TO MY LEFT FIGHT EARNESTLY AND HONESTLY FOR THEIR RESIDENTS EVERY DAY.
BUT MANY OF THE MATERIAL RESULTS ARE HIGHLIGHTED DIRECTLY IN OUR ANNUAL BUDGETS.
SO I'D LIKE TO THANK COUNCIL MEMBERS, GONZALEZ TREVINO AND SANDOVAL FOR THEIR DEDICATION TO THE NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF MEXICAN-AMERICAN HISTORY OF CIVIL RIGHTS.
FOUNDING MEMBERS OF LULAC MALDEF SOUTHWEST VOTER COPS, AVANSE, IDA HAKU AND PREP ARE ABLE TO WATCH AS THIS COUNCIL STANDS UP AMIDST A CLIMATE OF BIGOTRY AND FEAR TO DECLARE THAT MEXICAN AMERICAN CIVIL RIGHTS MATTER.
AND THEY START RIGHT HERE IN SAN ANTONIO.
COUNCIL MEMBERS AYAS COURAGE AND PERRY SHOULD BE COMMENDED FOR THEIR VIGILANCE IN REMINDING US THAT THESE BUDGETS WORK EXPRESSLY TO SERVE OUR TAXPAYERS, OUR COMMUNITY, AND OUR NEIGHBORS.
AND SO WE WORK EVERY DAY TO SERVE AS HONEST STEWARDS OF THE PUBLIC TRUST.
AND YOU CAN SEE THAT IN THIS DOCUMENT THAT WE'LL VOTE ON TODAY.
COUNCIL MEMBER GRO, YOU'RE FINALLY ON YOUR WAY TO GETTING THAT POLICE SUBSTATION.
AND OF COURSE, OUR NEW COUNCIL MEMBERS, JADA, ANDREW SULLIVAN, MELISSA CAVEO, HDA, AND ADRIAN ADRIANA ROCHE GARCIA JUMPED RIGHT INTO THIS BUDGET PROCESS, LITERALLY THE DAY AFTER BEING SWORN IN AND STARTED FIGHTING FOR THEIR NEIGHBORS ON DAY ONE.
TODAY, IT SHOULD BE NOTED THAT WE'LL BE PASSING THE, THE CITY'S FIRST BUDGET LEDED BY AN ELECTED WOMEN MAJORITY OF CITY COUNCIL.
AND ERIC, WELL, YOU SURE? ERIC, YOU DID IT.
ON BEHALF OF ALL OF US HERE, THANK YOU, ERIC.
UH, YOUR TEAM WORKED TIRELESSLY THROUGHOUT THE SUMMER ON A BUDGET THAT PROUDLY AND LOUDLY DECLARES THE CITY'S SERVICE TO EVERY CORNER AND EVERY RESIDENT OF SAN ANTONIO, MARIA JUSTINA.
BEN, YOU'VE ALL DONE AN INCREDIBLE JOB.
LET'S GET ONE MORE ROUND OF APPLAUSE PLEASE, FOR OUR INCREDIBLE CITY STAFF.
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I, AND I THINK EVERYONE NEEDS TO UNDERSTAND JUST HOW MUCH WORK GOES INTO THIS.I HOPE NEIGHBORS, WHEN THEY CAN HEAR THE DELIBERATIONS THAT WE GO THROUGH, CAN UNDERSTAND THAT IT'S CITY STAFF THAT HAS TO MAKE ALL THAT MATERIAL.
AND EVERY SUNDAY NIGHT, YOU COULD SEE IN AND OUT OF THE OFFICES ALL THE WAY INTO THE LATEST HOURS OF THE NIGHT.
UH, OUR CITY STAFF HAS BEEN HARD AT WORK OVER THE LAST FEW MONTHS.
SO THIS BUDGET CONTAINS A LOT OF IMPORTANT THINGS.
FOR THE FIRST TIME EVER, WE HAVE A GENERAL HOMESTEAD EXEMPTION, WHICH IS BEING ADDED WITH NO TAX RATE INCREASE.
WE HAVE A, WE HAVE $820.3 MILLION DEVOTED TO PUBLIC SAFETY, COMPRISING JUST OVER 64% OF OUR TOTAL BUDGET ADDRESSING ONE OF THE FIRST AND MOST IMPORTANT CONCERNS OF ANY CITY.
OUR F Y 2020 BUDGET WILL ALSO ALLOW FOR THE SEARCH AND HIRE OF A CHIEF HOUSING OFFICER, WHICH IS THE FIRST PRIORITY OF THE HOUSING COMMISSION AND THE RESULT OF THE MAYOR'S HOUSING POLICY TASK FORCE.
AND THIS YEAR, YEAR TWO OF THE MAYOR'S HOUSING POLICY TASK FORCE REPORT, WHICH IS RATIFIED LAST SEPTEMBER, WE'LL BE ADDING 34.4 MILLION IN TOTAL TO BE DEDICATED TOWARDS THE AFFORDABLE HOUSING PROGRAMS AND INITIATIVES FOR EVERYONE IN THIS COMMUNITY.
PRIMARILY THROUGH THE NEIGHBORHOOD HOUSING AND SERVICES DEPARTMENT.
THERE'S $110 MILLION IN OUR TRANSPORTATION AND CAPITAL IMPROVEMENTS DEPARTMENT TO MAINTAIN AND BUILD GENERAL INFRASTRUCTURE IN THE CITY.
AND I DO ALWAYS WANNA POINT BACK TO A REFERENCE WHEN COUNCIL MEMBER GONZALEZ AND VIA GRAND, AND I JOINED THIS COUNCIL, THAT TOTAL WAS $35 MILLION.
ON CLIMATE, WE'RE PURCHASING UP TO FOUR ELECTRIC VEHICLES AND INSTALLING EV CHARGING INFRASTRUCTURE.
AS WE BEGIN TO EVOLVE OUR CITY FLEET TO CLEANER OPTIONS, THERE'S $235,000 DEDICATED TO COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT INITIATIVES AROUND OUR CLIMATE ISSUES.
AND THERE WILL BE FUNDING SET ASIDE IN THIS BUDGET TO PERFORM ECONOMIC ANALYSES ON INITIATIVES PROPOSED BY THE UPCOMING CLIMATE ACTION AND ADAPTATION PLAN.
SMALLER ITEMS, BUT MOST IMPORTANT ITEMS, THERE'S A MILLION DOLLARS DEDICATED TO COMBATING DOMESTIC VIOLENCE.
WE HEARD OUR NEIGHBORS CALL $1 MILLION DEDICATED TO COMBATING HOMELESSNESS FUNDED WITH A 50%, EXCUSE ME, 50 CENT INCREASE TO THE RIVER BARGE AND TOWER OF AMERICA TICKETS.
AND OF COURSE, WE ARE VERY PROUD, AND I'M GRATEFUL THAT THIS CITY HAS LOUDLY DECLARED FROM EVERY CORNER PUBLIC AND PRIVATE, THAT WE ARE FUNDING THE ALAMO PROMISE, OUR WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT MOONSHOT TUITION FREE HIGHER EDUCATION FOR SAN ANTONIO'S HIGH SCHOOL GRADUATES.
AND THE BEST SHOT WE HAVE OF ENDING THE INTRACTABLE GENERATIONAL POVERTY THAT WE'VE EXPERIENCED FOR MORE THAN A GENERATION.
WE HAVE A COMMITMENT TO EQUITY SPENDING IN ALL DEPARTMENTS, BUT BEYOND THE MONETARY EQUITY, WE EMPLOY AND ADDRESS ADDRESSING OUR GREATEST NEEDS.
I HOPE WE CAN CONTINUE TO FURTHER THE DISCUSSION OF EQUITY AS IT RELATES TO OUR MOST UNDERSERVED.
THIS BUDGET CAN AND SHOULD BE A PRIMARY TOOL TO FOCUS OUR EFFORTS ON LIFTING UP OUR ENTIRE COMMUNITY.
AND I'LL AGAIN QUOTE MY COLLEAGUE IN DISTRICT NINE BY SAYING, THIS IS NOT JUST A SPREADSHEET.
THIS IS A MORAL DOCUMENT FOR OUR CITY.
SO BEFORE THIS, COUNCIL IS A BUDGET THAT SERVES OUR TAXPAYERS, HONORS OUR HERITAGE, AND BUILDS A FRAMEWORK TO PROVIDE SOCIOECONOMIC AND STRUCTURAL OPPORTUNITIES TO EACH AND EVERY SAN ANTONIO RESIDENT, NO MATTER WHERE THEY LIVE.
SO THANK YOU TO EVERY CITY EMPLOYEE WHO FAITHFULLY SERVES THIS COMMUNITY.
THANK YOU TO ERIC AND YOUR TEAM ON A JOB WELL DONE.
AND THANK YOU TO MY CITY COUNCIL COLLEAGUES FOR BEING SUCH DILIGENT PARTNERS THROUGHOUT THIS PROCESS.
UM, AND I'D LIKE TO JUST ADD ON THAT, THAT I BELIEVE WHY WE ARE SEEING THESE INNOVATIVE AND CREATIVE WAYS OF INVESTMENT AND PUTTING THE DIFFERENT PRIORITIES WITH, UM, STRONG CHIL OF STRONG FAMILIES AND CHILDREN.
I THINK IT IS BECAUSE WE HAVE A MAJORITY WOMEN ON THE COUNCIL, AND WE HAVE SO MANY WOMEN LEADERS AT OUR CITY AND OUR DEPARTMENTS LEADS, AND IT GIVES A NEW PERSPECTIVE THAT MAYBE WAS NOT THERE BEFORE.
SO I THINK THAT HELPED GUIDE AND MOVE THE CONVERSATION AROUND.
I'M VERY PROUD OF THIS BUDGET, ERIC MARIA.
EVERYONE, IT SHOWS OUR COMMITMENT TO HELP ALLEVIATE THE BURDENS TO THE RESIDENTS, BUT IT ALSO CONTINUES TO INVEST IN EQUITY.
MAYBE NOT EQUITY THE WAY I SEE IT, BUT IT'S STILL MOVING THE NEEDLE TOWARDS EQUITY.
IT IS BECAUSE THAT IT IS RELIEVING THOSE BURDENS TO RESIDENTS BECAUSE OF THAT LOCAL HOMESTEAD EXEMPTION.
COUNCIL MEMBER PERRY, IN COURAGE, IT IS BECAUSE OF YOUR ALSO WORK COUNCIL MEMBER COURAGE TO ALLOW US TO CONTINUE TO LOOK AT SASS AND SEE THE INCREASE INVESTMENT FROM SAS.
IT ALSO IS THE NO TAX INCREASES, AND IT IS THE ENHANCING THE FOCUS AND INVESTING IN WOMEN'S ISSUES.
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SAY, UM, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I WOULD, ERIC, I WILL CONTINUE TO ADVOCATE FOR AS I HAVE BEEN, IS THE NEED FOR MORE INVESTMENT IN WHAT TO DO WITH OUR CITY EMPLOYEES.WE HAVE TO BE DILIGENT, RESPECTFUL IN THE, IN OUR MONEY THAT WE NEED TO INVEST IN WORKING ON THIS SYSTEM FOR OUR CITY EMPLOYEES TO MAKE IT RIGHT, TO MAKE IT FIX, FIT FOR THEM TO KEEP UP WITH INFLATION AND BEING THE EMPLOYER OF CHOICE.
ALL THE ARGUMENTS AND POINTS THAT MY COUNCIL COLLEAGUES HAVE MADE FOR OUR COUNCIL AID PAY ARE TRUE, BUT WE CAN MAKE THOSE SAME FOR OUR CITY EMPLOYEES AS WELL.
LET'S INCLUDE AFSCME AND OTHERS IN THAT CONVERSATION.
WHEN WE RE-LOOK AT OUR PAY AND OUR WAGE COMPENSATION HERE IN SAN ANTONIO.
COMING FORWARD IN THESE, THIS NEXT YEAR, I WOULD LIKE TO THANK CITY MANAGER, BUT MOST IMPORTANTLY, I WOULD LIKE TO THANK MY COLLEAGUES AND THE RESIDENTS FOR A CLEAR PATH FORWARD FOR A POLICE SUBSTATION IN DISTRICT THREE.
THAT, UM, ERIC, IT WAS MORE THAN JUST A VERBAL COMMITMENT THAT YOU MADE.
IT HAS BEEN A MONETARY COMMITMENT THAT YOU'VE MADE.
AND I THINK MY COUNCIL CALL, I THANK MY COUNCIL COLLEAGUES FOR SEEING THAT AND FOR BELIEVING IN IT AND FOR MAKING THAT INVESTMENT.
NOW TO SHOW THAT WE DO NEED TO CONTINUE TO WORK ON EQUITY IN THIS, UH, PATH, I DO WANT TO THANK THE RESIDENTS OF DISTRICT THREE ESPECIALLY, AND SPECIFICALLY THE MISSION.
SAN JOSE NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION, EASTERN TRIANGLE IMPLEMENTATION AND MANAGEMENT GROUP, THE JUPE MANOR NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION, EAST SAN ANTONIO CRIME COALITION, THE HOT WELLS MISSION REACH, NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION, ROOSEVELT PARK MEMBERS, THE RIVERSIDE NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION FOR LENDING.
THEIR VOICE FOR LOLA GREGORIO FOR STARTING THE PETITION@THECHANGE.ORG FOR MISSION DE LAGO RESIDENTS.
ALL OF THESE DIFFERENT AREAS OF THE DISTRICT HAVE BEEN CALLING FOR THIS, AND THEY'VE LOANED THEIR VOICES AND ALSO DISTRICT MEM RESIDENTS FROM DISTRICTS TO AND FOR WHO HAVE COME, WHO CAME FORWARD AS WELL, TO LOAN THEIR VOICE AND SAY, A POLICE SUBSTATION IN DISTRICT THREE WILL HELP ALL OF US IN THE SOUTHERN SECTOR, BECAUSE WE ONLY HAVE ONE SOUTH OF HIGHWAY 90.
I WOULD ALSO LIKE TO, UM, MENTION TO MY RESIDENTS THAT WE DO HAVE A LOT THINGS TO BE ENCOURAGED ABOUT IN THIS BUDGET TO ERIC AND THE STAFF'S POINT.
T C I ALREADY IN THE BUDGET FOR T C I, WE HAVE THE SIDEWALK SQUAD OR CREW THAT WE ARE GOING TO BE DOING WITH THOSE, UH, THE SIDEWALK, SQUAD.
WE ALSO HAVE, UM, THE, THE $1 MILLION IN THE CAPITAL PROJECTS PER COUNCIL DISTRICT, SO WE CAN WORK ON ITEMS AS WELL.
I'D LIKE TO THANK YOU ALL ALSO FOR THE WORK THAT WE'RE DOING ON MISSION ROAD FOR COMPLETING THOSE SIDEWALKS.
WANNA THANK YOU AS WELL FOR PUBLIC SAFETY AND THOSE MORE SAFE OFFICERS THAT ARE ALREADY BAKED INTO THE BUDGET, INTO THE, TO THE BUDGET HERE.
AND SOME WILL BE IN THE EAST SIDE SUBSTATION.
I WOULD ALSO LIKE TO THANK, UM, FOR THOSE OFFICERS IN THE ENTERTAINMENT ZONES AND FOR THE RESIDENTS WHO CAME OUT YES, LAST NIGHT AS CITIZENS TO BE HEARD.
THANK YOU FOR COMING LAST NIGHT AND SPEAKING UP.
AND WE HAVE INCREASED THE BUDGET MORE DOLLARS.
WE ARE LOOKING AT MORE DOLLARS FOR THE HOPE TEAM AS WELL.
SO THANK YOU GINGER AND EVERYONE WHO WORKED SO HARD ON THE HOPE TEAM THAT WE ARE SEEING AN INCREASE IN THAT BUDGET AS WELL.
AND TO THE MEMBERS OF THE, UM, THE NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF MEXICAN AMERICAN CIVIL RIGHTS.
THANK YOU FOR COMING LAST NIGHT.
THANK YOU FOR COMING FOR ALL OF THESE MEETINGS AND ALL OF THESE EVENTS, AND FOR SPEAKING UP AND SPEAKING TO US AS A COUNCIL.
SHE HAS BEEN AN ACTIVIST AND ADVOCATE FOR OUR CITY, OUR BELOVED SOUTH SIDE, AND OUR STORY OF OUR
YOU KNOW, I'M GONNA TAKE A MOMENT HERE, BECAUSE THREE YEARS AGO, UM, AT THE OLD MISSION DRIVE-IN THEATER, I HAD THE GREAT OPPORTUNITY TO SHOW ON THE SCREEN A CLASS APART.
UM, AND WHEN I FIRST SAW IT, IT MEANT SO MUCH TO ME BECAUSE IT WAS A STORY THAT I DIDN'T KNOW.
AND I WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT I COULD SHOW IT AT THE OLD MISSION DRIVE-IN THEATER, IN THE COMMUNITY SO EVERYBODY COULD SEE IT.
AND TO BE ABLE TO HAVE THE RESIDENTS FROM THE NEIGHBORHOOD, THE SURROUNDING NEIGHBORHOODS COME OUT AND WATCH THIS MOVIE FOR FREE.
IT WAS, IT WAS A TIME WHERE PARENTS AND THEIR KIDS WERE OUT THERE TAKING IT ALL IN AND SAYING, WAIT A MINUTE, THAT'S
[01:30:01]
A GARCIA.AND WHAT I ENVISION THIS IS GOING TO HAPPEN IS TO CONNECT, CONTINUE THAT, THAT WE'RE GOING TO BE ABLE TO CONTINUE THAT.
AND TO YOUR POINT, THE TIMING COULDN'T BE MORE PERFECT BECAUSE WE ARE ON THE CUSP OF ALSO CELEBRATING OUR HISPANIC HERITAGE MONTH, THIS STARTING WEEKEND WITH THE RITO.
WE DO KNOW THAT OUR FORMER MAYOR, AS WAS MENTIONED EARLIER, OUR THE MEXICAN AMERICAN PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE WILL BE TAKING THE STAGE TONIGHT, UM, FOR THE, THE CANDIDATE FORUM.
WE KNOW THAT THE GI FORUM WAS ALSO HERE.
AND THEN I ALSO HAD, BECAUSE OF YOUR WORDS AND YOUR WORK, IT HAD ME THINKING AND GOING THROUGH ALL OF THESE THINGS THAT I'VE BEEN THINKING ABOUT.
I ALSO HAD THE GREAT PLEASURE TO GO SEE, UM, JOHN LEGUIZAMO'S, UH, ONE MAN PLAY OF LATIN HISTORY FOR MORONS.
AND IT WAS A GR IF YOU HAVEN'T SEEN IT, YOU NEED TO GO SEE IT.
BECAUSE ONE OF THE THINGS THAT THEY TALKED ABOUT WAS THAT THE CON, THAT THEY WANTED TO KILL OUR STORIES, THEY WANTED TO KILL OUR STORIES, OUR MEMORIES AND OUR PEOPLE.
I BELIEVE THE ESTABLISHMENT OF THIS INSTITUTE WILL HELP, WILL ENSURE THAT THAT WILL NOT HAPPEN.
AND I'M ALSO PROUD THAT TODAY WE WILL BE PASSING, HOPEFULLY UNANIMOUSLY ON THIS COUNCIL, THE RESOLUTION OF SUPPORT OF HOUSE OF RES OF, UM, HB SIX FOR THE AMERICAN DREAM AND PROMISE ACT, BECAUSE NOW MORE THAN EVER, WE NEED THIS.
SO THANK YOU ALL VERY MUCH FOR COMING UP AND STEPPING UP.
AND TODAY I WILL CELEBRATE AND COMMEMORATE THAT TODAY THE CITY GOVERNMENT ENTITY IS THE ONE STEPPING UP WITH YOU, AND TO ENSURE THESE CONTRIBUTIONS OF MEXICAN AMERICAN CIVIL RIGHTS IS NEVER FORGOTTEN.
SO I AM HAPPY TO SUPPORT THE FULL FUNDING REQUEST, AND AS I CLOSE, UM, I'D LIKE TO THANK ERIC WALSH FOR YOUR GUIDANCE OF THIS BUDGET.
DID YOU DO A TOWN HALL IN EVERY SINGLE COUNCIL DISTRICT? YES, MA'AM.
I WANTED TO, TO SAY THANK YOU FOR THAT, BECAUSE THE WAY YOU DID, AND I MENTIONED THIS TO YOU AND I WANTED TO MENTION IT IN PUBLIC.
I APPRECIATED THESE TOWN HALLS THIS YEAR SO MUCH.
AND YEAH, THEY WERE LONG, BUT THEY WENT INTO DETAIL.
AND WHY I LIKED THAT WAS IT'S BECAUSE YOU TREATED OUR RESIDENTS WITH THE DIGNITY AND RESPECT THAT THEY DESERVE, BECAUSE WE ANSWER TO THEM, AND THEY DESERVED TO BE GIVEN ALL OF THAT INFORMATION THAT WE'RE GIVEN, NOT JUST HIGHLIGHTED.
AND THAT SHOWED A LEVEL OF RESPECT TO OUR RESIDENTS, I THINK, THAT WE HAD NOT SEEN IN A VERY LONG TIME.
AND IT ALSO GAVE YOUR DE DEPARTMENT DIRECTORS PRACTICE TO, TO SPEAK IN FRONT OF THE GROUP AS THE GROUPS AS WELL.
SO AGAIN, I'M SO PROUD OF THIS BUDGET, MARIA, VIA GOMEZ, YOU ARE A FORCE TO BE RECKONED WITH, AND I ALWAYS ADMIRE YOU AND THE WORK THAT YOU HAVE DONE.
JUSTINA, THANK YOU FOR ALWAYS HAVING THE SMILE WHEN WE NEEDED THE SMILE IN THE SITU SITUATIONS.
BEN, THANK YOU FOR YOUR GREAT, UM, UH, PRESENTATIONS ON DEBT MANAGEMENT.
UH, AND I THANK YOU THAT WE WORK TOGETHER SO WELL AS A TEAM.
AND THANK YOU, ERIC, BECAUSE I'M VERY, THIS IS ONE THAT I THINK I'M DEFINITELY GONNA REMEMBER AS OUR, OUR BUDGET.
COUNCIL MEMBER RIN, COUNCIL MEMBER GONZALEZ ZALES.
AND THANK YOU COUNCILWOMAN FOR THE GREAT WORDS.
I HAD SOME OF THOSE INSIGHTS AS WELL, HAVING BEEN THROUGH, UH, MORE BUDGETS NOW THAN SOME OF MY OTHER COLLEAGUES, GIVEN THE WIDE RANGE OF TOPICS THAT WE HAD.
UH, AND I THINK LEO GOMEZ NOTED IT AS WELL.
THIS IS ONE OF THE MORE SMOOTH BUDGETS THAT WE'VE EXPERIENCED.
UH, AND ONE OF THE REASONS WHY I THINK THAT'S THE CASE.
FIRST OF ALL, IT'S THE LARGEST BUDGET WE'VE EVER SEEN.
I THINK, UM, AT LEAST IT'S THE LARGEST BUDGET I'VE EVER SEEN.
IS THIS THE LARGEST BUDGET THE CITY HAS EVER SEEN, ERIC? YES, MA'AM.
UH, AND SO, UM, AS A RESULT, UM, WE HAVE BEEN ABLE TO FUND MORE PROJECTS.
UH, BUT IT ALSO, I BELIEVE, UH, GIVES THE COMMUNITY AN OPPORTUNITY TO FIRST OF ALL SEE THE RANGE OF THINGS THAT WE CAN DO AT THE CITY, BUT IN ORDER TO REALLY PRIORITIZE STRONG FAMILIES AND CHILDREN, PRIORITIZE TRAUMA-INFORMED CARE, THE CIVIL RIGHTS, UH, INSTITUTE, UH, WAS BECAUSE WE HAVE INVESTED SO MUCH IN OUR BASIC INFRASTRUCTURE, AND IT'S REALLY WHEN PEOPLE SEE THAT THE LIGHTS ARE WORKING, THAT THEY'RE GETTING MORE SIDEWALKS, THAT THEY'RE GETTING MORE
[01:35:01]
STREETS, THAT THE DRAINAGE BEING ADDRESSED.PUBLIC SAFETY IN PARTICULAR, WE ADDED 10 OFFICERS.
AND OVER THE YEARS, WE'VE ADDED MORE OFFICERS.
THE SUBSTATION THAT THE COUNCILMAN HAS BEEN ASKING FOR, FOR MANY DECADES OR MANY YEARS NOW, UH, IS GETTING ADDRESSED.
AND, AND WHEN THE COMMUNITY SEES THAT WE ARE PRIORITIZING THE THINGS THAT THEY SAY ARE THE MOST IMPORTANT AND THEY PHYSICALLY SEE IT HAPPENING, UH, THEN THEY CAN TRUST US TO DO THINGS THAT ARE A LITTLE MORE INNOVATIVE, LIKE A TRAUMA-INFORMED CARE CENTER LIKE ALAMO PROMISE, UH, THAT WE KNOW WILL BE, I BELIEVE IN EQUALIZER AND, AND BRING UP ALL PARTS OF OUR CITY, MANY OF WHICH HAVE BEEN IN, IN NEGLECTED FOR A LONG TIME.
WE HAVE CONTINUED TO MAINTAIN THE BUDGET FOR THE PRIORITIES OF THE PEOPLE, UH, WHICH ARE ALWAYS GONNA BE STREETS, DRAINAGE, PUBLIC SAFETY, UM, USUALLY PUBLIC SAFETY FIRST, UH, AND THEN EVERYTHING ELSE AFTER THAT.
AND THEN WE HAVE THE FLEXIBILITY TO DO SOME OTHER THINGS.
AND IT IS BECAUSE WE HAVE A STRONG COUNCIL, UH, WHO, UM, HAVE ALIGNED THEMSELVES AND MANY PRIORITIES, UH, ESPECIALLY HAVING MORE WOMEN ON THE COUNCIL, I BELIEVE DOES GIVE DIRECTION TO SOME OF THE PRIORITIES AFTER THE THREE MAIN ONES.
BUT FOR TRAUMA-INFORMED CARE AND DOMESTIC VIOLENCE, WHICH HAS BEEN AN ISSUE IN OUR CITY FOR A LONG TIME, FINALLY GETTING THE ATTENTION THAT IT DESERVES, UH, AND THEN FOR OUR CIVIL RIGHTS INSTITUTE TO GET THAT ATTENTION AS WELL.
SO IT HAS BEEN, UM, A, A REALLY POSITIVE EXPERIENCE, UH, TO BE ON THE COUNCIL AT THIS TIME.
BUT ALSO THIS HAS BEEN THE MOST POSITIVE BUDGET EXPERIENCE THAT I'VE HAD, UH, IN THE SIX YEARS I'VE BEEN HERE NOW, MY SEVENTH BUDGET.
SO I'M REALLY GRATEFUL FOR THAT, FOR THE STAFF TO ERIC AND JUSTINA AND MARIA AND ALL OF YOU WHO HAVE SMOOTHED THIS TRANSITION FOR US, UH, I'M REALLY VERY PROUD OF THAT AND VERY EXCITED, UM, TO GET TO VOTE AND SUPPORT THIS TODAY.
UM, AFTER THE MOST IMPORTANT THINGS, WHICH ARE THE PUBLIC SAFETY ISSUES AND STREETS AND DRAINAGE LIGHTING, UM, I THINK, UH, THE MOST IMPORTANT ISSUE FOR ME, UM, IS THE TRAUMA-INFORMED CARE.
UH, MANY YEARS, UH, I HAVE BEEN TRYING TO ADDRESS THIS JUST IN MY DISTRICT, UM, BECAUSE WE DIDN'T HAVE SUPPORT FROM THE COUNCIL TO REALLY DEDICATE FUNDING TO THAT, SO WE COULDN'T DO IT ON A LARGE SCALE.
I WAS TRYING TO DO SMALL PROJECTS IN MY DISTRICT THAT I COULD, UH, WOULDN'T HAVE TO GET INPUT ON EVERYONE TO TRY TO ADDRESS AN ISSUE THAT WE KNEW WAS A SEVERE PROBLEM, UH, ESPECIALLY RELATED TO CHILD ABUSE AND DOMESTIC VIOLENCE.
AND REALLY BECAUSE WE HAD A NEW COUNCIL COME IN, THE WOMEN, BUT ESPECIALLY, YOU KNOW, COUNCILMAN BELI, WHO HAS HAD LOTS OF EXPERIENCE, UH, DEALING WITH ISSUES OF DOMESTIC VIOLENCE, UM, BECAUSE OF, UH, HIS MOTHER, MARTHA ELAS.
UM, BUT HE ALSO HAS VOLUNTEERED MANY, MANY HOURS OF SERVICE TO THE ORGANIZATION.
SO WE HAD A COUNCIL THAT REALLY PRIORITIZED THAT, AND WE'VE HAD THE MOST DEATHS EVER RELATED TO INTIMATE PARTNER VIOLENCE.
AND SO I THINK THAT BY MY FOCUS ATTENTION, UH, TRYING TO DO PILOT PROJECTS, UH, AND THEN A COUNCIL THAT REALLY DECIDED TO PRIORITIZE THIS, UH, WE'VE SEEN THE FUNDING THAT IS REALLY REQUIRED TO ADDRESS SUCH A BIG ISSUE, UH, AND, AND BRING IT TO THE SURFACE BECAUSE IT IS AN ISSUE THAT WE DON'T WANNA TALK ABOUT, UH, AND NOT SOMETHING THAT WE WANNA ALWAYS HIGHLIGHT, UH, IS THAT PROBLEM THAT WE HAVE IN OUR COMMUNITY.
SO I'M REALLY, REALLY GRATEFUL TO SEE THE, UM, PRIORITY FOR TRAUMA-INFORMED CARE AND THAT INSTITUTE ALSO COMPLETELY INNOVATIVE, UM, THAT COULD TRANSFORM OUR COMMUNITY FOREVER.
BUT ALSO THE FIRST OF ITS KIND, I'M SORRY, THE SECOND OF ITS KIND IN THE COUNTRY, THE FIRST IN THE SOUTH.
THERE'S ONE OTHER INSTITUTE IN DC UM, BUT SAN ANTONIO WILL BE LEADING, UM, AT, AT HAVING AN INSTITUTE OF TRAUMA-INFORMED CARE HERE IN OUR CITY, UH, WITH COMMUNITY PARTNERS, UM, TO GET THAT REALLY INS, UM, TO GET THAT PROCESS GOING.
UH, AND THEN THE FIRST MEXICAN AMERICAN CIVIL RIGHTS INSTITUTE, ALSO HERE IN SAN ANTONIO, LED BY THIS COUNCIL.
WHEN I FIRST CAME TO THIS COUNCIL, CHACO MEA WAS MY CHIEF OF STAFF, AND WE WOULD SPEND, UM, HOURS DRIVING THROUGHOUT THE NEIGHBORHOOD, AND SHE WOULD TELL ME STORIES ABOUT, UM, THE WALKOUTS AT EDGEWOOD, AND SHE WOULD TELL ME STORIES ABOUT THE FOUNDATION OF SO MANY MEXICAN-AMERICAN ORGANIZATIONS, MANY OF WHICH HAVE BEEN MENTIONED, HAKU, THE, UH, SOUTHWEST VOTER REGISTRATION EDUCATION PROJECT.
SHE WOULD TELL ME STORIES ABOUT THE FOUNDATION OF MANY OF THESE ORGANIZATIONS AND HOW HARD IT WAS.
UM, MANY OF US TAKE FOR GRANTED NOW THAT WE CAN EVEN ESTABLISH A MEXICAN-AMERICAN CIVIL RIGHTS INSTITUTE.
[01:40:01]
A, AS A LATINA, RUNNING FOR OFFICE TOOK FOR GRANTED THAT I WOULD BE ACCEPTED IN OUR COMMUNITY.BUT IT HASN'T ALWAYS BEEN THAT WAY.
AND WE STILL HAVE A LONG WAY TO GO, BUT WE HAVE COME A LONG WAY.
UH, AS WAS MENTIONED LAST NIGHT, UH, AND I REMEMBER HER, UM, TALKING ABOUT, UH, THE FEAR THAT WAS EXPERIENCED BY, UH, MANY PEOPLE DURING THE CIVIL RIGHTS AREA, THREATS ON PEOPLE'S LIVES, UH, AND THE FEAR OF GOING OUT INTO THE COMMUNITY AND TRYING TO ESTABLISH SINGLE MEMBER DISTRICTS, WHICH OF COURSE, UH, I HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO SERVE BECAUSE OF THE WORK THAT SHE DID AND MANY OTHERS, UH, TO CREATE SINGLE MEMBER DISTRICTS.
AND I KNOW THAT THAT WILL BE A PART OF THE STORY THAT WE TELL HERE AS WE DEVELOP THIS CIVIL RIGHTS INSTITUTE.
UH, AND, AND SHORTLY AFTER SHE PASSED, UH, I HAD A DREAM AND IT WAS A BOOK, AND IT SAID, 16 LESSONS FOR LATINAS BY SOKO GONZALEZ MESA.
AND I OPENED THE BOOK AND IT WAS EMPTY, AND I THOUGHT, OH, WE HAVE TO TELL THE STORY.
AND SO I THINK WE GET TO TELL THE STORY, UH, AND I'M SO PROUD THAT I GET TO VOTE FOR THE CREATION OF THE MEXICAN AMERICAN CIVIL RIGHTS INSTITUTE.
SO THANK YOU ALL FOR GIVING US THAT OPPORTUNITY TO VOTE ON THIS ITEM TODAY.
I JUST WANNA THANK COUNCILWOMAN GONZALEZ FOR, FOR SAYING THE WORDS THAT I THINK I, I WANT TO SAY, BUT MAYBE NOT SO PASSIONATELY.
SO I APPRECIATE THAT, AND I'M GRATEFUL TO SUPPORT, UM, THE MEXICAN AMERICAN.
I'M TRYING TO FIND AN ANACHRONISM FOR IT.
IT'S A LONG ONE,
UM, I'LL BEGIN, UH, BY THANKING MY COLLEAGUES, MAYOR AND COUNCIL, AND MR. MANAGER AND OUR CITY STAFF FOR THEIR DEDICATION TO OUR CITY, HARD WORK AND PATIENCE IN GETTING THE JOB DONE.
THANK YOU TO THE CONSTITUENTS OF DISTRICT SIX FOR ACTIVELY PARTICIPATE PARTICIPATING IN THIS PROCESS.
I'M GRATEFUL FOR THEIR, THEIR SUPPORT.
I BEGAN MY TERM AS CITY, AS CITY COUNCIL MEMBER BY STATING THE DISTRICT SIX PRIORITIES, PUBLIC SAFETY, AFFORDABLE HOUSING, PROPERTY TAX RELIEF, INCREASING PARK SPACE, AND IMPROVING OUR INFRASTRUCTURE FROM THE DISTRICT SIX, SUCCEED.
THIS HAS BEEN A SUCCESSFUL BUDGET SEASON AMID CHALLENGING REVENUE CHANGES.
I'M APPRECIATIVE OF DISTRICT SIX CONSTITUENT TODAY.
UH, LEO GOMEZ, RECOGNIZING THAT IT WAS A RELATIVELY SMOOTH BUDGET PROCESS.
AND SECOND, I SECOND HIS SUGGESTION TO HAVE A PARTY TO CELEBRATE THE FISCAL YEAR.
UH, A FEW OF THE SUCCESS STORIES IN DISTRICT SIX INCLUDE A NEW PARK.
IT DOESN'T SEEM LIKE A LOT FOR, FOR THE, FOR THE RESIDENTS OF THE CABLE WESTWOOD AREA.
IT REALLY IS A QUALITY OF LIFE IMPROVEMENT, SO I'M REALLY GRATEFUL TO BRING THAT TO THAT AREA.
UM, WITH MEDICAL EMERGENCIES, EVERY SECOND CAN MEAN THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN LIFE AND DEATH.
SO I'M, UH, GRATEFUL FOR THE ADDITION OF SUPPLEMENTAL MEDICAL SERVICES AND SS A F D ZONE 44 IN ONE OF THE CITY'S BUSIEST ZONES.
IT WILL BE AN EXTREMELY VALUABLE ASSET TO OUR COMMUNITY.
THAT'S IF, FOR THOSE THAT YOU DON'T KNOW, IT'S OVER KIND OF BY THE MARBACH FOUR 10 AREA.
THE PEOPLE OF DISTRICT SIX HAVE BEEN VOCAL ABOUT THE NEED TO ADDRESS STRAY ANIMALS AND PROMOTE RESPONSIBLE PET OWNERSHIP.
A DEDICATED ANIMAL CONTROL OFFICER IN DISTRICT SIX WILL FUNCTION MUCH LIKE, MUCH LIKE SAFE OFFICERS DO FOR S A P D.
THEY'RE VERY ENGAGED IN THE NEIGHBORHOODS.
THIS WAS A TOP PRIORITY FOR ME, AND I'M GRATEFUL WE CAN PROVIDE THIS FOR OUR NEIGHBORHOODS.
I'M ALSO EXCITED FOR THE IMPROVEMENTS TO CUE COYAR PARK IN THE EDGEWOOD NEIGHBORHOOD, WHICH WILL PROVIDE MUCH NEEDED REPAIRS TO PLAYING FIELD FOR YOUTH, UH, SPORTS IN THAT AREA.
FINALLY, THE IMPROVEMENT OF THE OLD SITKO GAS STATION, GAS STATION, I'M SORRY, ON TEEL, TO CREATE A LINEAR CREEK TRAILHEAD IS TWOFOLD.
IT REPURPOSES A BUILDING THAT HAS BROUGHT MUCH BLIGHT, UM, TO THAT NEIGHBORHOOD, TO THAT AREA, AND PROVIDES A RESOURCE TO IMPROVE PUBLIC HEALTH AND ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY, WHILE ALSO CONTRIBUTING TO THE LINEAR CREEK SYSTEM THAT OUR, FOR WHICH OUR CITY HAS BECOME KNOWN.
THANK YOU AGAIN FOR EVERYBODY AND ALL THEIR PARTICIPATION.
THIS IS MY FIRST BUDGET, AND I THINK IT'S PRETTY GREAT PROCESS.
I'M
COUNCIL MEMBER KEO HDA, COUNCIL MEMBER ANDREW SULLIVAN.
UM, FIRST, LET ME THINK, THE CITY MANAGER, THE STAFF, UM, THE DISTRICT, TWO CONSTITUENTS THAT BELIEVED THAT WE COULD TRULY START MAKING A DIFFERENCE IN WHAT WE SEE WITHIN DISTRICT TWO, AND MAKING SURE THAT THEIR VOICES WERE NO LONGER SILENCED OR STIFLED, BUT CONTINUE TO SPEAK OUT LOUDLY IN REFERENCE TO THE THINGS THAT THEY WANTED TO SEE THEIR CITY COUNCIL REPRESENTATIVE BRING FORWARD TO DISTRICT TWO, TO MY DISTRICT TWO STAFF THAT PUT UP WITH ALL OF
[01:45:01]
THE THINGS THAT WE ENDURE ON A DAILY BASIS TO ENSURE THAT NOT ONLY DO THE RESIDENTS OF DISTRICT TWO HAVE ACCOUNTABILITY, ACCESS AND ACTION, BUT MAKING SURE THAT THEIR CITY COUNCIL REPRESENTATIVE IS TRULY GIVEN THE BEST RESOURCES TO DO THE WORK THAT IS AT HAND TO MY COUNCIL COLLEAGUES, TO THE MAYOR, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR PUTTING UP WITH ALL OF THE MANY QUESTIONS THAT I HAD PERTAINING TO WHAT CAN I ASK FOR AND WHEN CAN I ASK FOR IT? TO CHIEF MCMANUS AND CHIEF HOOD, THANK YOU FOR COMING OUT TO THE DISTRICT AND SPEAKING TO US ABOUT WHAT IT IS THAT YOU WERE GONNA DO FOR THE RESIDENTS OF DISTRICT TWO.BY ADDING THOSE NEW SAFE OFFICERS, ADDING THE TWO NEW FIRE STATIONS, WE GREATLY APPRECIATE ALL THE SERVICE THAT YOU GIVE.
AND THANK YOU FOR SERVING WITH SUCH DIGNITY AND PRIDE.
I'D LIKE TO GO AHEAD AND HIGHLIGHT THE FACT THAT ELLA AUSTIN IS ONE OF OUR TRUEST STAPLES OF RESOURCES WE HAVE WITHIN DISTRICT TWO.
AND TO KNOW THAT THE CITY MANAGER CAME AND SPOKE TO ME AND SAID, WE'RE GONNA DO SOMETHING ABOUT THIS BUILDING.
I'M NOT EXACTLY SURE WHAT IT IS, BUT WE AS A CITY MUST START TAKING THE FIRST STEPS TO ENSURING OUR BUILDINGS ARE KEPT UP FOR THOSE THAT ARE IN THEM.
AND WE APPRECIATE THE 500,000 THAT YOU ARE PUTTING IN THE BUDGET TO MAKE SURE THAT THAT HAPPENS.
MR. HARGROVE IS APPRECIATIVE AND THE BOARD OF ELLA AUSTIN TRULY THANKS YOU FOR THAT.
UM, WE'RE LOOKING FORWARD TO THE 45,000 THAT WILL BE GIVEN TO ELLA AUSTIN TO CONTINUE TO WORK WITH OUR YOUTH OF DISTRICT TWO.
WE KNOW THAT OUR DISTRICT TWO AREA HAS HAD THE, THE TITLE OF, UH, MANY NEGATIVE THINGS, BUT THE HIGHLIGHT OF DISTRICT TWO ARE TRULY THE YOUTH THAT STAY THERE, THAT CONTINUE TO PUSH FORTH IN POSITIVITY AND KNOWING THAT THEIR GIFTS WILL TRULY MAKE ROOM FOR GREATER.
WE THANK YOU FOR THE ADDITIONAL N BECAUSE THAT WILL TRULY MAKE A DIFFERENCE IN THE INFRASTRUCTURE DISTRICT.
TWO, I'VE NEVER PLAYED ON A SIDEWALK IN THE 44 YEARS OF MY LIFE OF LIVING IN DISTRICT TWO.
THERE ARE RESIDENTS THAT HAVE NEVER UNDERSTOOD WHAT A SIDEWALK IS IN THE AREA OF DISTRICT TWO TO AND T C I THANK YOU FOR GOING OUT TO DENVER HEIGHTS.
THANK YOU FOR GOING TO LOOK AT THAT DANGEROUS PART OF THAT FIVE STOP INTERSECTION THAT ONLY HAS REALLY TWO STOPS TO IT.
WE APPRECIATE EVERYTHING THAT YOU'RE GONNA DO IN THAT AREA AS WELL.
WE'RE LOOKING FORWARD TO THE OWNER OCCUPY REHAB BECAUSE IN OUR AREA, WE KNOW THAT THERE ARE MANY THAT LIVE ON A FIXED INCOME, EITHER IS SOCIAL SECURITY DISABILITY, OR JUST THE MEANS OF WHAT THEY CAN GET WHEN THEY CAN GET IT.
AND SO YOU HAVE RESIDENTS THAT ARE LEGACY HOMEOWNERS THAT WANNA CONTINUE TO LIVE AND AGE IN THEIR HOME, BUT THE HOME ITSELF IS SO DILAPIDATED THAT THE ROOF IS CAVING IN AND THEY LIVE IN ONLY ONE PART OF THEIR HOME.
WE THANK YOU FOR THE SECOND CHANCE INITIATIVE BECAUSE A LOT OF OUR RESIDENTS COME HOME FROM INSTITUTIONS AND DON'T UNDERSTAND EXACTLY WHICH WAY THEY'RE GONNA GO, HOW THEY'RE GONNA GET THERE, AND WHAT THE FIRST STEP IS TO MAKING THAT HAPPEN.
AND THEN THEY'RE BOUNCED AROUND FROM AREA TO AREA TO AREA ONLY TO BE TOLD THAT BECAUSE OF THEIR BACKGROUND, THEY DON'T QUALIFY TO RAISE THE INCOME THEY NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT THEIR FAMILY IS SUFFICIENT FOR THE 150,000 THAT'S GOING TO SUNKEN GARDENS.
WE NEED SOMETHING THAT WILL TRULY LIFT THE HEART AND THE SPIRITS OF DISTRICT TWO, AN AMPHITHEATER, A MOVIE THEATER, A HOSPITAL.
THOSE ARE THE THINGS THAT WE HEARD THAT WE NEED, AND THOSE ARE THE THINGS THAT WE TRULY AIM TO RECEIVE.
I KNOW IT'S HARD TO PHANTOM A DISTRICT THAT HAS BEEN OVERLOOKED FOR OVER THE PAST DECADE, BUT THAT'S WHAT YOU LOOK AT WHEN YOU SEE DISTRICT TWO.
AND NOW WE ARE FIGHTING TO LOOK LIKE THE REST OF THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO.
AND SO WE THANK YOU FOR THE UPKEEP OF THE ALAMO DOME.
WE THANK THE SAN ANTONIO SPURS FOR CONTINUING TO STEP FORWARD AND MAKE A PUSH TO TRULY NOT ONLY BE JUST A PARTICIPATORY GROUP WITHIN DISTRICT TWO, BUT TRULY STEPPING IN TO SAY, WHAT CAN WE DO FOR THIS COMMUNITY AND HOW CAN WE MAKE IT HAPPEN? WE'RE LOOKING FORWARD TO ALL OF THE THINGS THAT ARE COMING FROM THE RED BERRY MANSION PROJECT, AND WE WILL CONTINUE AS A UNITED DISTRICT TO MAKE SURE THAT THOSE VOICES ARE HEARD THROUGHOUT THE CITY COUNCIL AND THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO AS AN AFRICAN AMERICAN FEMALE THAT SITS ON THE CITY COUNCIL, WHEN I RAN THIS RACE, I RAN ON THE GROUND, SAID CIVIL RIGHTS WAS THE REASON I WAS ABLE TO GET HERE.
AND SO WE WILL STAND WITH YOU, WE WILL WORK WITH YOU.
AND AS YOU KNOW, WE HAVE FOUGHT THE FIGHT, AND WE WILL CONTINUE TO FIGHT WITH YOU TO MAKE SURE THAT YOU
[01:50:01]
ARE HEARD IN THIS INSTITUTE AS WELL.SO WE LOOK FORWARD TO SEEING THAT COME INTO FRUITION.
THANK YOU, CITY STAFF, AND WE CONTINUE TO WORK HARD FOR THE RESIDENTS AND THE UPKEEP IN UPLIFTING OF THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO.
COUNCIL MEMBER ANDREW SULLIVAN.
UH, OF COURSE, I WANNA FIRST START OFF BY, UH, THANKING ERIC, UH, MARIA JUSTINA, THE OFFICE OF MANAGEMENT AND BUDGET.
I ADDITIONALLY WANT TO THANK, UH, VERO AND RAZZIE AND LORI HOUSTON, ALL THOSE, UH, HELPING TO BRING SOME NEW IDEAS TO, TO HOW WE, UH, USE SOME OF OUR EXISTING PROGRAMS AND DOLLARS.
UM, SO LET ME JUST START OFF BY SAYING, IN THIS YEAR'S BUDGET, I'M EXCITED TO SEE HOW EFFECTIVE THE RIGHT TO COUNCIL PROGRAM WILL BE IN REDUCING HOUSING AND SECURITY.
AND I'M THRILLED TO KNOW THAT WE WILL BE MAKING A MEANINGFUL IMPACT TO ENSURE THAT BROKEN SEGMENTS OF OUR SIDEWALK SYSTEM ARE RECONNECTED BY THE SIDEWALK SQUAT IN OUR FIRST EVER SIDEWALK REPAIR PROGRAM.
REALLY, REALLY APPRECIATE THAT.
UM, I WANNA THANK, UH, THE CHIEF FOR THE, UH, THE NEW ENTERTAINMENT ZONE OFFICERS.
WE THINK THAT'S, UH, A WELCOME ADDITION.
UH, WE KNOW A LOT OF OUR NEIGHBORHOODS ARE, ARE TRULY, TRULY EXCITED ABOUT THAT.
I REALLY WANT TO GIVE A SPECIAL THANKS AND SHOUT OUT TO THE DENISE HERNANDEZ AND MY STAFF, UH, FOR HER HARD WORK WITH THE AMERICAN CIVIL RIGHTS INSTITUTE TO GET THIS DONE.
AND, UH, AGAIN, WORKING ALONGSIDE WITH MY COLLEAGUES TO MAKE THIS HAPPEN.
AND I WANT TO TAKE THIS OPPORTUNITY TO ANNOUNCE, BECAUSE I'M REALLY TRULY PROUD TO ANNOUNCE A WORK OF ART THAT WILL, UH, FURTHER EMPHASIZE SAN ANTONIO'S POSITION IN THE HISTORY OF MEXICAN AMERICAN CIVIL RIGHTS.
THIS SCULPTURE WILL CELEBR CELEBRATE CIVIL RIGHTS IN SAN ANTONIO, AND WE'LL SOON HAVE AN AMAZING WORK OF ART KNOWN AS LAPUTA DE AL THE DOOR OF EQUALITY, CREATED BY AND DONATED BY SEBASTIAN.
SO BE ON THE LOOKOUT FOR THAT.
WE'VE BEEN WORKING FOR, UH, YEARS TO GET THIS DONE, AND I BELIEVE IT'S GONNA BE AN INCREDIBLE ADDITION TO OUR, UH, CIVIL RIGHTS HISTORY.
UM, ADDITIONALLY, I WANNA APPRECIATE THE ONGOING FUNDING FOR THE UNDER ONE ROOF PROGRAM, WHICH DEMONSTRATES YEAR AFTER YEAR HOW SMALL EFFORTS HAVE LARGE IMPACTS.
TO DATE, OVER 550 HOMEOWNERS NOW HAVE A MORE STABLE HOME ENVIRONMENT, AND THEY HAVE REDUCED UTILITY BILLS ON COUNCIL AID COMPENSATION.
WHAT I CAN SAY IS WE MUST NOT BE A CITY OF DELAYS, BUT RATHER A CITY OF ACTION.
THANK YOU, ERIC, FOR YOUR HARD WORK.
JUSTINE AGAIN FOR, UH, THE IMPLEMENTATION OF FEBRUARY 1ST.
I ALSO WANT TO THANK MY COLLEAGUES FOR SUPPORTING THE MULTI-YEAR EFFORT TO BRING PAY EQUITY TO COUNCIL STAFFS.
IT'S BEEN A LONG TIME COMING AND I APPRECIATE THEIR ADVOCACY.
WE HAVE MORE WORK TO DO ALONG WITH ALL CITY EMPLOYEES.
UM, I WANT TO THANK ALL COUNCIL AIDE AND ALL THE OTHER OFFICES FOR THEIR WORK, AND ESPECIALLY FOR WORKING ALONGSIDE WITH MY STAFF.
I WANNA THANK MY STAFF, TRACY, CHRISTINE SAKINA, JUSTIN, DENISE JED, AND MOST IMPORTANTLY, JAY PKI.
UH, YOU'RE, YOU'RE YOUR FRIEND, BUT YOU'RE MY CHIEF OF STAFF AND YOU LED ON THIS EFFORT.
I WANT TO GIVE A SPECIAL THANKS TO YOU.
UM, YOU, YOU DESERVE A SPECIAL RECOGNITION ON THIS.
UM, YOU KNOW, AND I WANNA MAKE A SPECIAL NOTE HOW MUCH I RESPECT YOUR WORK AND, UH, THE FACT THAT YOU'RE ON MY STAFF.
COUNCIL MEMBER TREVINO, COUNCIL MEMBER ROCIO GARCIA.
AND, UH, IT REALLY FELT LIKE IT WAS THE FIRST DAY OF SCHOOL FOR ME.
I COULDN'T WAIT TO BE HERE THIS MORNING.
I DON'T KNOW IF YOU GUYS FELT THE SAME WAY, BUT I WAS VERY EXCITED.
SO I WANNA, UH, START OFF BY THANKING JUSTINA, MARIA, ERIC, AND THE TEAM FOR THE HARD WORK.
AND I WANNA LET YOU KNOW THAT I APPRECIATE YOUR 11:00 PM TEXTS ALL THE TIME, BECAUSE I'D RATHER GET IT DONE AHEAD OF TIME THAN, THAN THE NEXT MORNING.
UM, THANK YOU ALSO TO THE CITY ATTORNEY'S OFFICE FOR HELPING ORCHESTRATE TODAY'S RECUSAL PROCESS BECAUSE, OH MY GOD, LET ME TELL YOU, I WAS READING THROUGH THIS AND I GOT DIZZY JUST READING THROUGH IT.
SO THANK YOU VERY MUCH TO, UH, ANDY AND THE TEAM AND CAM FOR, FOR MY LATE NIGHT CALL AS WELL.
UM, CONGRATULATIONS, ERIC, UH, OR IN A LITTLE BIT.
I, I DON'T WANNA JINX IT EITHER, UM, BUT ON YOUR FIRST, UH, BUDGET, AND I ALSO WANT TO POINT OUT THAT IT'S TINA FLORES IS ALSO A FIRST TIME RUNNING THE BUDGET PROCESS IN THE CITY, UH, FOR THE CITY CLERK'S OFFICE TODAY.
SO WE'LL HAVE TO GIVE HER A SPECIAL SHOUT OUT TOO.
[01:55:01]
UM, AND, UM, THANK YOU ESPECIALLY TO MY COUNCIL COLLEAGUES FOR USE YOUR SUPPORT TO DISTRICT FOUR RESIDENTS, PARTICULARLY, UH, FOR YOUR INVESTMENT IN PORT SAN ANTONIO, UM, ALSO FOR YOUR INVESTMENT IN THE WEEK LONG AFTER SCHOOL CHALLENGE PROGRAM AT SOUTHWEST I S D.THAT WILL HELP MANY PARENTS IN MY DISTRICT THAT WORK MULTIPLE JOBS, BE ABLE TO MAKE SURE THAT THEIR CHILDREN ARE CARED FOR WHILE THEY'RE AT WORK.
THANK YOU ALSO TO YOUR SUPPORT FOR SMALL BUSINESS THROUGH THE INVESTMENT AND GROW S A INITIATIVE THAT WILL HELP FOCUS ON MINORITY AND WOMEN OWNED BUSINESSES.
THANK YOU ALSO FOR YOUR SUPPORT TO THE STEM INITIATIVE THROUGH THE ALAMO CITY, HON, AND THROUGH YOUR SUPPORT TO THE GIRLS EMPOWERMENT SUMMIT, WHICH I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO PARTICIPATING, UH, WITH, UH, MY COUNCIL COLLEAGUES ON.
THANK YOU ALSO TO THE SUPPORT FOR WHAT I, I THINK IN ONE OF THE ACRONYMS, UH, COUNCILWOMAN HDA, IT, IT'S, IT MIGHT BE THE MOCKERY, RIGHT? AND SO THE MEXICAN AMERICAN CIVIL RIGHTS INSTITUTE AT ULU, BUT WE CAN WORK ON THAT LATER.
UM, THANK YOU ALL FOR, FOR YOUR SUPPORT FOR BEING HERE, FOR BEING HERE LAST NIGHT FOR MEETING WITH US, UM, CONSTANTLY FOR MEETING WITH ME, UH, BEFORE I ACTUALLY GOT SWORN IN AND, AND EXPLAINING TO ME WHAT THE IMPORTANCE AND THE SIGNIFICANCE IS OF HAVING, UH, AN INSTITUTE LIKE THIS.
I'M ESPECIALLY PROUD THAT IT WOULD BE AT OUR LADY OF THE LAKE, WHERE, WHERE I TEACH, AND EVERY DAY I SEE STUDENTS THAT WANT TO SEE PEOPLE THAT LOOK LIKE US REPRESENTING THEM.
SO THANK YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT TO THAT.
UM, AND THEN I ALSO WANT TO THANK, UH, YOU ALL AGAIN ON BEHALF OF THE RESIDENTS OF DISTRICT FOUR FOR THE INITIATIVES THAT WE ARE SUPPORTING TODAY, UM, THROUGH ORGANIZATIONS THAT, THAT WE GO BACK AND THINK ABOUT, LIKE HOPS METRO, FOR INSTANCE, THAT STARTED PROJECT QUEST, WHICH IS IN THE HOUSE TODAY AND HAS A SPECIAL PLACE IN MY HEART BECAUSE THEY SUPPORT SO MANY DISTRICT FOUR RESIDENTS.
THEY HELP THEM BREAK THE CYCLE OF INTERGENERATIONAL PRO UH, POVERTY.
AND IT REALLY TAKES AN ENTIRE COMMUNITY TO BREAK THAT CYCLE.
SO THANK YOU FOR YOUR WORK, UM, ON BEHALF OF THE DISTRICT FOUR RESIDENTS, AND A FINAL THANK YOU TO MY STAFF FOR GETTING ME THROUGH MY FIRST BUDGET PROCESS.
COUNCIL MEMBER ROZA GARCIA, COUNCIL MEMBER COURAGE.
I, I WANNA BEGIN BY CONGRATULATING OUR CITY MANAGER, WALSH AND ALL OF HIS, ALL OF HIS STAFF FOR REALLY AN EXCELLENT JOB IN THIS BUDGET AND THROUGHOUT THE YEAR IN, UH, SERVING THIS COMMUNITY AND, AND ALL OF US AS COUNCIL MEMBERS.
UM, YOU KNOW, I ALSO WANT TO GO AHEAD AND CONGRATULATE OUR NEW COUNCIL MEMBERS ON THEIR INAUGURAL BUDGET PROCESS.
UH, IT'LL BE EASIER AS YEARS GO BY, I'M SURE.
AND ALSO, I, I WANT TO GO AHEAD AND CONGRATULATE OUR FIRST ELECTED WOMEN'S MAJORITY CITY COUNCIL FOR THE GREAT WORK THAT, THAT THEY HAVE DONE, YOU KNOW, REAL LEADERSHIP BY, UH, MANY OF THE WOMEN ON THIS COUNCIL.
AND I, I'M HAPPY TO BE A PART OF THAT.
UM, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE A DIVERSE, UH, AND RAPIDLY GROWING COMMUNITY HERE IN SAN ANTONIO, AND THERE'S A LOT OF DIVERSITY IN THE WANTS AND NEEDS THAT, UH, ARE EXPRESSED BY US AS COUNCIL PEOPLE ON BEHALF OF OUR DISTRICTS.
AND AS A COUNCIL, WE'VE WORKED HARD TO UNDERSTAND EACH OTHER'S WANTS AND NEEDS, AND WE DON'T ALWAYS AGREE NOT ON EVERYTHING, NOT ON EVERY BUDGET ITEM, BUT WE DO HAVE A RESPECTFUL RELATIONSHIP WITH ONE ANOTHER AND TRYING TO UNDERSTAND THE NEEDS OF OUR DIFFERING, UH, CONSTITUENCY.
AND THAT'S HOW WE'RE ABLE TODAY TO STAND TOGETHER TO SUPPORT A COLLECTIVE BUDGET.
THIS BUDGET ADDRESSES MUCH, BUT NOT EVERY NEED OF OUR RESIDENTS IN OUR CITY.
I ALSO WANT TO THANK THE RESIDENTS AND NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION LEADERS IN MY DISTRICT DISTRICT NINE THAT HAVE GIVEN ME INPUT ON OUR PRIORITIES.
I'M ALSO PLEASED TO REPORT THAT MANY OF THOSE PRIORITIES ARE INCLUDED IN THIS BUDGET, INCLUDING CONTINUING OUR PROGRESS TOWARD CONNECTIVITY IN DISTRICT NINE TO ALLEVIATE THE CONGESTION, SPECIFICALLY BY FUNDING A DESIGN FOR SONARA BOULEVARD TO INTERSECT WITH GOLD CANYON AT 1604 AND WORK WE'RE PURSUING NOW ON CONNECTING EBNER TO HIGHWAY 2 81.
DISTRICT NINE IS ALSO SLATED TO RECEIVE THE MOST FUNDING TOWARDS INFRASTRUCTURE MAINTENANCE IN THE HISTORY OF OUR DISTRICT.
WE'RE ALSO DELIVERING ON OUR PROMISE TO ENHANCE PUBLIC SAFETY BY FILLING LONGSTANDING VACANCIES
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IN THE POLICE DEPARTMENT, INCLUDING FILLING OUR SAFE OFFICER VACANCIES AND ADDING 16 POSITIONS, MANY OF WHICH WILL BE DEVOTED TO PREVENTING FAMILY VIOLENCE AND VIOLENCE AND ENTERTAINMENT AREAS.IT ALSO INCLUDES FUNDING TO STUDY THE NEED FOR AND IF AND WHERE ADDITIONAL SUBSTATIONS SHOULD BE INCLUDED.
I'M ALSO VERY EXCITED THAT THIS YEAR EACH COUNCIL DISTRICT WILL BE PROVIDED $1 MILLION TO ADDRESS CAPITAL CONCERNS IN THEIR DISTRICT.
AS SOME OF YOU MAY KNOW, FOR THE PAST TWO YEARS, I'VE IMPLEMENTED A PARTICIPATORY BUDGETING PROCESS, WHICH PROVIDES RESIDENTS A DIRECT SAY IN HOW THEIR TAX DOLLARS ARE SPENT IN THEIR COMMUNITY.
THIS FUNDING AFFORDS THE OPPORTUNITY IS NOW, UH, AFFORDED THE OPPORTUNITY CITYWIDE.
IT COULD ALSO BE USED TO FILL THAT BACKLOG OF COMMUNITY REQUESTED PROJECTS THAT MAY HAVE NOT BEEN FUNDED IN PREVIOUS BOND ISSUES OR BUDGETS.
ALSO, I WANT TO, UH, HIGHLIGHT, UH, THE PART OF THE BUDGET, UH, THAT IS CREDITED NOW TOWARDS SAWS SAN ANTONIO WATER SYSTEM.
THEY ARE REALLY NOW PROVIDING AN INCREASED INVESTMENT TO OUR COMMUNITY BUDGET.
THEY, ALONG WITH C P S, ARE TRULY FULL PARTNERS IN OUR BUDGET TODAY, YOU KNOW, FOR THESE REASONS AND FOR THE BENEFIT OF ALL SAN ANTONIO, I WILL BE VOTING FOR THIS BUDGET AND HAPPILY REMINDING PEOPLE ABOUT THE HOMESTEAD EXEMPTION THEY'RE RECEIVING.
AND HOPEFULLY, UH, THIS WILL HAVE FUTURE ENHANCEMENTS TO INCREASE IT OVER TIME.
AND FINALLY, I WANNA ACKNOWLEDGE THE DEDICATION AND HARD WORK OF MY STAFF, UH, FOR EVERYTHING THEY DO FOR OUR COMMUNITY IN DISTRICT NINE AND FOR ALL OF OUR CONSTITUENTS.
AND I'LL JUST TELL 'EM, WITH A NEW BUDGET, UH, BEING ADOPTED, UH, THE WORK BEGINS ANEW.
YOU KNOW, I'VE SAID THAT SEVERAL TIMES.
THAT'S A LOT OF INFORMATION TO GO THROUGH AND REVIEW AND, AND MY STAFF DID A GREAT JOB IN GOING THROUGH IT TO HIGHLIGHT THINGS THAT I NEED TO BE TALKING ABOUT AND ASKING QUESTIONS ABOUT.
AND, UH, I DON'T KNOW, DID WE KEEP A RECORD, UH, MARIA, WHO ASKED THE MOST QUESTIONS THIS YEAR? AH, JUST YES, COUNCILMAN PERRY.
NO, I, YOU KNOW, I'VE SAID THIS BEFORE, THE BUDGET PROCESS AND APPROVING THE BUDGET IS THE MOST IMPORTANT JOB THAT WE HAVE AS COUNCIL MEMBERS IN SETTING WHAT WE'RE ACTUALLY GONNA BE PROVIDING THIS CITY.
THAT'S OUR MOST IMPORTANT JOB BECAUSE WE'RE NOT DEALING WITH OUR MONEY.
IT'S NOT OUR MONEY, IT'S OUR NEIGHBOR'S MONEY.
THE TAXPAYERS HERE IN SAN ANTONIO, IT'S THEIR MONEY.
WHAT DO THEY REALLY EXPECT FROM PAYING IN THESE TAXES AND FEES THAT SEEM TO RISE EVERY YEAR GO UP? WE, OUR BUDGET IS A HUNDRED MILLION DOLLARS MORE THIS YEAR THAN LAST YEAR.
WE'RE KNOCKING ON THE DOOR OF $3 BILLION, WE'RE GETTING PRETTY DARN CLOSE.
UM, I JUST, YOU KNOW, I ALWAYS LOOK AT THAT TO MAKE SURE, AM I VOTING ON, AM I PUTTING THE RIGHT REQUIREMENTS FORWARD FOR THE DISTRICT AND FOR THE CITY? AND AGAIN, THANK YOU MARIA JUSTINA, ERIC, FOR PUTTING THIS BUDGET TOGETHER.
AND I WANNA, I WANT TO JUST GO OVER A COUPLE OF THINGS THAT I AM VERY, VERY SUPPORTIVE OF IN THIS BUDGET.
AND WE SHOULD BE PROUD OF THIS BUDGET THAT THESE ITEMS ARE REALLY ADDRESSING EVEN WHAT PEOPLE PUT IN DURING THE ESSAY SPEAK UP CAMPAIGN.
CERTAINLY WHAT MY RESIDENTS IN DISTRICT 10 SAID THEY WANTED PROPERTY TAX RELIEF, STREETS AND SIDEWALKS, SAFETY AND SECURITY.
AND I THINK WE'RE DELIVERING, I KNOW WE'RE DELIVERING ON THOSE THREE ITEMS, THE HOMESTEAD EXEMPTION.
WE ARE, THIS IS THE FIRST EVER TIME THAT SAN ANTONIO HAS PUT FORWARD A HOMESTEAD EXEMPTION FIRST EVER.
SO THIS IS BIG, AND I'M GONNA CHALLENGE MY COLLEAGUES ON COUNCIL THAT THIS ISN'T THE END OF IT.
THAT WE CONTINUE TO LOOK FOR RESOURCES IN THE FUTURE TO BUILD ON THAT HOMESTEAD EXEMPTION, TO
[02:05:01]
OFFER MORE RELIEF TO OUR HOMEOWNERS THAT ARE STRUGGLING OUT THERE, PARTICULARLY THOSE ON FIXED INCOMES AND TRYING TO MAKE A LIVING AND STILL OWNING A HOME INFRASTRUCTURE STREETS AND SIDEWALKS.YOU KNOW, PEOPLE JUST WANT TO HAVE A DECENT ROAD TO GET BACK AND FORTH TO WORK, TO GO OUT AND EAT, TO GO OUT AND, UH, ENJOY THEMSELVES A DECENT ROAD.
LEMME TELL YOU, THERE'S SOME ROADS IN THIS CITY THAT YOU ALMOST HAVE TO HAVE A FOUR WHEEL DRIVE VEHICLE TO GET THROUGH TO GO AND DO THOSE THINGS.
AND I HAVE MANY OF THOSE IN DISTRICT 10.
SO THAT, I THINK WE'RE DELIVERING ON THAT.
I KNOW WE'RE DELIVERING ON THAT WITH CONTINUING THAT FUNDING OF OVER A HUNDRED MILLION DOLLARS FOR STREETS AND IMPROVEMENTS IN THE DISTRICTS SAFETY AND SECURITY.
WE'RE GETTING 10 NEW SAFE OFFICERS HERE IN TOWN, AND SIX NEW, UH, SERGEANTS THAT WILL BE, UH, PARTICULARLY PAYING PARTICULAR ATTENTION TO OUR DOMESTIC VIOLENCE ISSUES HERE IN TOWN.
SO THOSE ARE THE THREE BIG WINS AS FAR AS I'M CONCERNED, ON WHAT MY NEIGHBORS, NOT JUST IN DISTRICT 10 ACROSS THIS ENTIRE CITY, HAVE ASKED FOR, AND WE'RE DELIVERING ON THAT AT, BUT COULD WE HAVE DONE MORE? AND I'M SAYING, YES, WE COULD, WE COULD HAVE DONE MORE.
LET ME TELL YOU SOME OF THE ISSUES I HAVE WITH THIS BUDGET.
YOU KNOW, THERE'S AN IDEA THAT WE, YOU KNOW, EVERY CENT THAT COMES INTO THIS CITY, WE NEED TO SPEND IT.
WE'RE NOW REACHING INTO SAWS FOR A BIGGER CUT OF THEIR MONEY THAT THEY'RE SUPPOSED TO BE USING FOR UPGRADING THEIR INFRASTRUCTURE REQUIREMENTS.
YOU KNOW, WE, WE PASSED, UH, A RATE INCREASE FOR THEM HERE, UM, ABOUT A YEAR, YEAR AND A HALF AGO.
AND THEY WERE ASKING FOR I THINK 7%.
WE ACTUALLY GAVE THEM MORE, A BIGGER INCREASE IN THEIR RATE REQUEST.
AND YEAH, IT BUILT UP THEIR KITTY, THEIR BANK ACCOUNT, SAVINGS ACCOUNT, WHATEVER YOU WANNA CALL IT, TO, UH, MAKE THOSE IMPROVEMENTS IN THE INFRASTRUCTURE.
I MEAN, I'VE GOT WATER LEAKS UP IN DISTRICT 10 THAT ARE HUGE MAIN BREAKS OF THE SUPPLY LINES.
I JUST HAD A SEWER OVERFLOW ON HOURLY, AND IT CONTINUES TO DO THAT.
WE'RE, THEY'RE IN THE PROCESS OF REPLACING THAT HUGE BIG SEWER LINE THERE.
BUT THAT RATE INCREASE WAS SUPPOSED TO HELP REPLACE THAT INFRASTRUCTURE.
AND NOW WE'RE TAKING AN ADDITIONAL $10 MILLION AWAY FROM SAWS, AND I SEE SOME LOGIC IN THAT, BUT GUESS WHAT'S GONNA FOLLOW? INEVITABLY WE'RE GONNA HAVE ANOTHER RATE INCREASE, OR THEY'RE GONNA ASK FOR ANOTHER RATE INCREASE TO COVER THAT LOSS OF FUNDING.
IS IT WITHIN THE CITY'S PURVIEW TO TAKE MORE MONEY FROM SAWS? YES.
BUT IS THAT THE RIGHT THING TO DO? IS THE RIGHT THING TO DO TAKING MORE MONEY AWAY FROM C P S? SHOULD WE UP THAT THAT REQUIREMENT ALSO? SO I'M NOT, I'M NOT IN FAVOR OF THAT.
UH, WE HAVE ANOTHER ONE, UH, TAKING MONEY FROM SOME OF OUR TURS AREAS, YOU KNOW, FOR AFFORDABLE HOUSING.
THAT'S GREAT TO TRY TO HELP, UH, OUR AFFORDABLE HOUSING.
AND I STILL MAINTAIN THAT PROVIDING A HOMESTEAD EXEMPTION IS A GREAT WAY TO, UH, PROVIDE AFFORDABLE HOUSING HERE IN TOWN.
BUT WE'RE TAKING MONEY AWAY FROM OUR TURS, WHICH ARE DESIGNED TO SPUR INVESTMENT, AND THEN THOSE TAX INCREASES FROM THOSE INVESTMENTS WILL GO BACK INTO THAT TURS TO CONTINUE TO, UH, BUILD THOSE, THOSE DOLLARS AVAILABLE FOR ADDITIONAL INVESTMENTS.
WELL, AFFORDABLE HOUSING IS TAX FREE, AND I SEE A PROBLEM THERE OF NOT GETTING THAT MONEY BUILDING BACK UP IN THE TURS.
WE WILL SEE, BUT I PREDICT THAT IT WON'T, AND WE'LL BASICALLY TAKE THAT MONEY FROM THE TURS AND IT WON'T BE REINVESTED, OR WE WON'T GET ADDITIONAL TAXES FROM THE PROPERTY TAXES, WHAT THAT WAS DESIGNED FOR.
YOU KNOW, UM, THOSE ARE TWO OF THE MAJOR ISSUES THAT I HAVE.
[02:10:01]
THERE'S OTHER ISSUES.WE, I MEAN, EVERY CITY DEPARTMENT IS THEIR INCREASE IS, YOU KNOW, WE HAD SOME EFFICIENCIES.
I DON'T REMEMBER WHAT THE FIGURE WAS, BUT GOING THROUGH THE BUDGET, AND PART OF MY QUESTIONING ON EVERY CITY DEPARTMENT WAS THEY HAVE A BIGGER BUDGET.
AND, YOU KNOW, SHOULDN'T WE BE FINDING THOSE EFFICIENCIES TO EITHER KEEP THE SAME LEVEL OF FUNDING FROM LAST YEAR OR EVEN MAYBE DECREASE IN THESE, UH, CITY DEPARTMENTS? WELL, THAT'S, THAT'S WHERE I THINK EFFICIENCIES ARE.
NOT THAT WE'RE GROWING EVERY ONE OF THOSE DEPARTMENTS IN FUNDING REQUESTS.
YOU KNOW, YOU HAVE TO TAKE A LOOK AT THE BUDGET.
I THINK WE WORKED WELL AS A CITY COUNCIL UP HERE TO COMPROMISE, GIVE AND TAKE.
YOU KNOW, WE DON'T HAVE THE FLEXIBILITY TO DO A LINE ITEM VOTE ON THE BUDGET.
IT'S EITHER ALL OR NOTHING, YOU KNOW, AND, AND WEIGHING WHAT WE'RE GETTING IN THIS BUDGET.
I'M, I'M IN FAVOR OF IT BECAUSE I REALLY LIKE THE IDEA.
I, I THINK IT'S A HOME RUN THAT WE'RE STARTING THIS HOMESTEAD EXEMPTION.
AND THAT'S MY BIGGEST HAPPINESS ON THIS BUDGET THAT WE HAVE STARTED THAT.
AND AGAIN, UH, I CHALLENGED MY COLLEAGUES THAT WE DON'T STOP THERE.
THAT WE KEEP LOOKING FOR THOSE EFFICIENCIES AND FUNDING STRATEGIES TO CONTINUE TO BUILD THAT HERE FOR SAN ANTONIO.
SO EVEN THOUGH I, I SEE THESE FLAWS THAT I DON'T PARTICULARLY AGREE WITH, AND I THINK A LOT OF MY NEIGHBORS IN DISTRICT 10 WOULD SUPPORT THAT.
I'D VENTURE TO SAY THERE'S A LOT OF FOLKS AROUND ALL OF SAN ANTONIO THAT WOULD SUPPORT THAT.
I'M STILL GONNA VOTE FOR THIS BUDGET BECAUSE OF THE BIG WINS THAT I SEE IN THIS BUDGET.
SO THAT, UM, THAT'S ALL THE COMMENTS THAT I HAVE.
I WANT TO POINT OUT THAT EVERYTHING THAT THESE 11 PEOPLE DO AT THIS DAAS, UM, IS ONLY BECAUSE WE HAVE REALLY SMART STAFFERS, UH, WHO SUPPORT US.
AND SO I WANT TO, UH, THANK IN PARTICULAR, UH, LAURA GARZA, THANK YOU, UH, ON MY STAFF, PAT WALLACE.
NOAH BARHOP, BO ANDERSON, CHRISTIAN CORTEZ, THANK YOU.
UM, AND PLEASE CHECK IN WITH ME AND WE'LL ARRANGE FOR SOMETHING LIKE THAT FOR 2023.
UM, UH, UH, ALL OF YOU HAVE HEARD ME, UH, TALK ABOUT MAX AND SOPHIA, UH, MY 12 YEAR OLD AND, AND MY 13 YEAR OLD.
AND, UM, FOR THOSE OF YOU THAT DON'T KNOW, I'M THEIR MORNING CHAUFFEUR ON THE WAY TO SCHOOL.
AND SO I ALWAYS TAKE THAT OPPORTUNITY TO TALK TO 'EM ABOUT WHAT WE'RE GONNA BE DOING, UM, AT WORK.
AND I ALSO TALK A LOT ABOUT THE, UH, THE PEOPLE THAT I GET TO WORK WITH.
UM, AND WITH TODAY, WE TALKED ABOUT TWO THINGS.
UM, NUMBER ONE, WE TALKED ABOUT MARIA VILLA GOMEZ, UM, AND I WAS DESCRIBING FOR THEM HOW SMART SHE IS, BUT, AND HOW MUCH WORK SHE'S DONE ON THIS, BUT ALSO HOW CREEPY IT IS, UM, TO SEE HER ACCURATELY SIGN A SITE LINE IN VERSE FROM EVERY SINGLE PAGE OF THE BUDGET.
AND I DUNNO IF YOU'VE SEEN IT, SHE CAN TELL YOU WHAT'S ON EVERY SINGLE PAGE OF THIS DOCUMENT.
AND, UM, MARIA, I AM PLANNING A TRIP TO LAS VEGAS TO PLAY BLACKJACK, AND I HOPE YOU'LL COULD STAND NEXT TO ME.
UH, WE CAN COUNT CARDS TOGETHER.
UM, THE, THE SECOND THING I TALKED TO THEM ABOUT, UH, WAS THE BUDGET AND WHAT IT IS.
UM, AND SO I TOLD MAX AND SOPHIA THAT OUR BUDGET IS A TEMPORARY SET OF DIRECTIVES THAT WE GIVE TO CITY STAFF, UM, SO THAT THEY CAN PLAN OUT THEIR YEAR.
UM, AND IT'S ALSO A SET OF SPENDING DECISIONS THAT WE MAKE AT THE REQUEST OF OUR COMMUNITY, AND THOSE REQUESTS INFORM THESE DECISIONS.
AND SO I ALSO SPENT A LOT OF TIME THIS MORNING POINTING OUT THAT THIS IS JUST A BUDGET FOR ONE YEAR, UM, FOR THE LIFE OF THE CITY IN JUST ONE YEAR.
AND THAT, YOU KNOW, THIS REALLY HAS A VERY TEMPORARY NATURE TO IT.
UM, AND THAT'S WHAT I WANNA HIGHLIGHT TODAY.
UH, LET THERE BE ABSOLUTELY NO DOUBT THAT EVEN THOUGH THIS IS JUST A, UM, AN FY 2020 BUDGET, WHAT WE'RE REALLY DOING IS MAKING PERMANENT CHANGES AND PERMANENT IMPACTS ON PEOPLE'S VERY REAL LIVES.
AND SO, I'M GONNA GIVE YOU JUST SOME EXAMPLES.
UM, ONE, THIS BUDGET, UM, IS GONNA MAKE IT POSSIBLE FOR POLICE OFFICERS TO HAVE BETTER TOOLS, UM, AND BE ABLE TO TRAIN BETTER TO RESPOND TO,
[02:15:02]
FOR EXAMPLE, TO RESPOND TO MASS SHOOTINGS.THIS BUDGET IS GOING TO PROVIDE FIREFIGHTERS WITH BEST IN CLASS EQUIPMENT.
UM, AND AT THE SAME TIME, IT'S GONNA PUT WHOLE BLOOD IN, UH, YOU KNOW, SOME OF OUR FIREFIGHTER DEPARTMENT, UH, VEHICLES SO THAT THOSE FIRST RESPONDERS CAN PROVIDE BLOOD TRANSFUSIONS AT THE SITE OF EMERGENCIES.
THIS BUDGET MAKES IT POSSIBLE FOR METRO HEALTH DISTRICT TO DO THEIR JOB.
AND, UM, IF THEY DO THEIR JOB, FEWER KIDS IN 2020 ARE GOING TO DIE FROM MEASLES.
THIS BUDGET PROTECTS FAMILIES FROM HAVING THEIR HOMES SWEPT AWAY, UM, IN FLOODS.
AND ALL THIS IS BECAUSE OF THE BUDGETED WORK THAT NEPHI AND HIS TEAM ARE GONNA BE DOING.
THIS BUDGET IS GONNA PREVENT A VETERAN FROM COMMITTING SUICIDE NEXT YEAR BECAUSE OF THE BUDGETED WORK THAT HAVEN FOR HOPE DOES.
THIS BUDGET IS GONNA HELP A YOUNG WOMAN ARMED WITH HER BRAND NEW SHINY CYBERSECURITY DEGREE FROM U T SS A GET HER VERY FIRST JOB AT A COMPANY THAT ALEX AND THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT ARE GOING TO BE ABLE TO RECRUIT TO SAN ANTONIO.
AND THERE'S A MOM AND HER KIDS WHO ARE GONNA BE SHOWING UP IN THE MIDDLE OF THE NIGHT TO KNOCK ON THE DOOR OF A BATTERED WOMEN AND CHILDREN'S SHELTER.
AND THAT MOM IS GONNA BE ABLE TO LAY HER BABIES TO SLEEP ON A CLEAN BED.
AND FOR THE VERY, VERY FIRST TIME IN A LONG TIME IN A SAFE PLACE.
SO I DO WANT TO TELL YOU THAT IT'S REALLY EASY TO CALL THOSE PEOPLE THAT I JUST LISTED OFF THOSE KIDS AND THOSE FAMILIES REALLY EASY TO CALL 'EM PIGS AT THE TROUGH.
AND I GUESS THAT INSULTS AND HATEFUL GIBBERISH PASSES FOR VALUES IN 2019.
BUT I'M PROUD TO REPORT THAT NONE OF THAT GARBAGE RESIDES UP HERE AT THE CITY COUNCIL DIOCESE.
IN FACT, WHAT INFORMS OUR DECISIONS IS OUR FIDUCIARY DUTY TO TAKE CARE OF OUR RESIDENTS AND THE PEOPLE WHO LIVE IN SAN ANTONIO.
I'M PROUD OF THE TEAM WHO CRAFTED THIS BUDGET.
I'M PROUD OF THE WORK THIS COUNCIL HAS DONE TO MAKE SURE THAT THE FINEST CITY IN THE UNITED STATES CONTINUES TO PROVIDE EXCELLENT SERVICES, UH, TO THE FINEST RESIDENTS IN THE UNITED STATES, AND AT THE SAME TIME HELPS US PLAN FOR THE MILLION PLUS PEOPLE WHO ARE GONNA BE SHOWING UP HERE IN THE NEXT 20 YEARS.
UM, AND, YOU KNOW, THE, THESE ANNUAL ROUNDS OF BUDGET COUNCIL MEMBER COMMENTS, THEY ALWAYS DEVOLVE INTO THANK AONS.
UM, AND, YOU KNOW, WE MAY HAVE TO THANK ALL THE PEOPLE WHO DESERVE OUR THANKS, BUT I, I DO THINK THAT THE, THERE'S ALWAYS ONE PERSON THAT WE DON'T THINK, RIGHT? UM, AND A BUDGET AS SOPHISTICATED AND IMPORTANT AS THIS DOESN'T GET PASSED WITHOUT THE LEADERSHIP, UM, OF A MAYOR WHO KEEPS EVERYBODY FOCUSED ON THE MISSION.
AND SO, UM, MAYOR NUREMBERG WITH HIS, UM, QUIET AND HUMBLE LEADERSHIP HAS CORRALLED TOGETHER 10 ELECTED POLITICIANS WITH DIFFERING, UH, AGENDAS AND DIVERGENT NEEDS FOR THEIR COMMUNITIES.
AND HE'S GOT US TO THIS POINT, AND THAT'S A REALLY BIG DEAL.
UM, SO MAYOR, THANK YOU, UH, FOR, UH, ALL YOUR WORK.
SO I'VE ONLY GOT ONE QUESTION, AND THIS IS REALLY JUST CLARIFICATION, UH, ERIC, 'CAUSE I KNOW MY CONSTITUENTS WILL ASK ME AT SOME POINT.
UM, WE RECEIVED AN UNEXPECTED BOOST OF $7.8 MILLION FROM SAS, UH, NO FROM C P S ENERGY TO MAKE THIS BUDGET POSSIBLE.
HOWEVER, THE PREVIOUS ITERATION OF THIS BUDGET, UH, OR THE PREVIOUS DRAFT WAS PREDICATED, UM, ON FUNDING FROM SAS AND NOT THIS $7.8 MILLION.
SO MY QUESTION IS, IS DOES THIS BUDGET THAT WE'RE GONNA BE VOTING ON TODAY, PENCIL OUT, IF WE USE THAT 7.8 MILLION FROM SAS, I'M SORRY, FROM C P S, AND WE DON'T TAKE OUR SASS PAYMENT UNTIL JANUARY WHEN THEIR BUDGET BEGINS AGAIN.
SO IN OTHER WORDS, THEY'VE ALREADY GOT, WHAT, LIKE THREE MONTHS LEFT ON THEIR CURRENT BUDGET? UH, NO, IT WON'T PENCIL OUT.
UM, AND JUST A REMINDER THAT THIS, THE, UH, THE PROPOSED BUDGET INCLUDED THE, UH, RECOMMENDATION THAT WE INCREASE THAT SIZE, UH, TRANSFER TO 4%.
AND, AND FOR JUST A REMINDER, ARE THE LOSS IN TELECOMMUNICATION AND CABLE REVENUE THAT BEGAN ON SEPTEMBER 1ST AS A RESULT OF THE LEGISLATURE PUT US IN A POSITION WHERE WE NEEDED TO PERMANENTLY, UH, REPLACE RECURRING REVENUE.
AND THAT'S WHAT, UH, THAT'S WHAT WE DID WITH SASS.
AS WE COORDINATED WITH SAS EARLIER IN
[02:20:01]
THE SUMMER.UH, WE MADE, UH, THE ASSUMPTIONS TOGETHER WITH THEM THAT THAT WOULD BEGIN ON OCTOBER 1ST.
THE C P S, UH, UH, AMOUNT THAT YOU REFERRED TO, THAT WE TALKED A LOT ABOUT YESTERDAY AND, AND BEEN PRESENTED WAS, UH, AN AN UNPRECEDENTED ONE TIME EVENT THAT WAS GENERATED BY OFF SYSTEM SALES THROUGHOUT TEXAS AND NOT NECESSARILY FROM, UH, THE C P S LOCAL RATE PAYERS.
SO, UM, THOSE ARE TWO DIFFERENT AMOUNTS.
ALL THAT MONEY HAS BEEN ALLOCATED EXCEPT FOR ABOUT 20, A LITTLE OVER 25%, UH, WHICH IS BEING SET ASIDE, A LITTLE OVER $2 MILLION THAT'S BEING SET ASIDE FOR NEXT SUMMER.
AND SO, I DO WANT TO HIGHLIGHT ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT ITEMS TO ME THIS YEAR ON THIS BUDGET.
THERE'S A LOT OF IMPORTANT ONES AND, UM, IT'S LIKE SAYING, YOU KNOW, WHICH IS YOUR FAVORITE CHILD, BUT, UH, THE ONE I'M, I'M REALLY EXCITED ABOUT IS, UH, THE PARA CRICKET FIELDS THAT, UH, DR.
BRIDGER'S GONNA HELP US BUILD, UH, AND DISTRICT SEVEN OF ALL PLACES.
BUT, UH, I'M EXCITED ABOUT IT.
UM, AND AT THE RISK OF BEING ACCUSED OF PARTAKING IN A THANKATHON, I WILL GO AHEAD AND THANK, UH, THE CITY STAFF, UH, FOR ALL OF YOUR HARD WORK.
UM, I ESPECIALLY WANNA THANK ALL THOSE OF YOU WHO CAME OUT TO OUR COMMUNITY MEETING ON, UH, LAST SATURDAY.
UH, YOU KNOW, IT'S KINDA FUNNY, IT ACTUALLY WAS NOT IN DISTRICT SEVEN.
IT WAS IN THE CITY OF LEON VALLEY
BUT, UM, WE ARE, UH, WE DO HAPPEN TO GIVE A BIG HUG TO LEON VALLEY.
THAT'S HOW THE GEOGRAPHY WORKS OUT.
SO THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR COMING OUT.
IT WAS VERY, VERY WELL RECEIVED.
UM, AND THIS IS, UM, A FIRST, UH, FOR MARIA AND FOR ERIC.
THIS IS YOUR FIRST BUDGET AS A DEPUTY CITY MANAGER, YOUR FIRST BUDGET AS CITY MANAGER.
SO CONGRATULATIONS ON, UH, ON GETTING THROUGH HERE.
BUT IT'S ALSO YOUR FIRST BUDGET WITH A HOMESTEAD EXEMPTION, AND IT'S ALSO YOUR FIRST BUDGET WITH, UM, WITH THE REMOVAL OF THOSE TELECOM FEES.
SO I CAN'T IMAGINE IT WAS EASY, BUT I WANNA TELL YOU, I WAS VERY IMPRESSED WITH BOTH, WITH THE WORK OF BOTH OF YOU AND THE TEAM THROUGHOUT THE WHOLE PROCESS.
MAYBE IT'S BECAUSE THIS IS MY THIRD TIME HERE, BUT IT'S, IT JUST SEEMED A LOT EASIER, UH, THIS TIME AROUND.
SO THANK YOU, UH, YOU ARE TO BE COMMENDED FOR, FOR THAT WORK.
UM, UH, I AM ALSO VERY THANKFUL FOR THE STEWARDSHIP OF ALL OF, UM, OF THE MAYOR AND OF OUR SENIOR COUNCIL, UH, MEMBERS HERE, UM, ESPECIALLY THE SENIOR COUNCILWOMEN AND, UH, COUNCILMAN TREVINO.
BEEN HERE MANY YEARS, UH, HELPING US MOVE THIS PROCESS, UH, ALONG VERY GRATEFUL THAT YOU GUYS ARE, ARE WITH US.
AND, UH, TO THE NEW COUNCIL MEMBERS.
I WANNA SAY THAT IT'S, UH, AN ABSOLUTE PLEASURE TO BE SITTING ON THIS DIOCESE WITH YOU AND, AND IN HONOR, I FEEL VERY PRIVILEGED TO WORK WITH YOU, UH, COUNCILWOMAN CAYO, HDA COUNCILWOMAN, UH, GARCIA ROCHA AND COUNCILWOMAN, AND ANDREW SULLIVAN, AND BOTH OF YOUR VERY, ALL OF YOUR VERY LONG NAMES ON THIS
BUT I, I AM VERY PROUD TO, AS COUNCILMAN COURAGE SAID, TO BE ADOPTING, UH, A BUDGET WITH A MAJORITY FEMALE, UH, FEMALE COUNCIL.
I THINK THAT'S A, THAT'S WONDERFUL.
AND ONE DAY THAT WON'T BE A, A BIG DEAL.
IT'LL BE AN EVERYDAY, WELL EVERY YEAR EVENT.
UM, THE PAST FEW DAYS WE HAVE BEEN TALKING ABOUT OUR AMENDMENTS, OR THE PAST COUPLE OF WEEKS, OUR BUDGET AMENDMENTS.
UM, BUT I WANNA ALSO HIGHLIGHT SOME OF THE THINGS THAT ARE IN THE, THAT WERE IN THE ORIGINAL DRAFT OF THE BUDGET THAT ERIC PRESENTED TO US, UH, AT THE BEGINNING OF AUGUST.
UH, WHICH I THOUGHT WAS A, A WONDERFULLY ROBUST AND, AND WELL-PREPARED, UH, DRAFT, UH, AMONG THEM IS THE MONEY SET ASIDE FOR, UM, STRONG FAMILIES AND DOMESTIC VIOLENCE.
UM, ALSO WITH THE STRONG PUSH FROM, UH, COLLEEN BRIDGER AND COUNCILWOMAN GONZALEZ.
SO THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR FINALLY PLACING THAT IN THE BUDGET AT THE LEVEL THAT IT NEEDS TO BE FUNDED, BECAUSE THESE ARE EPIDEMIC CONDITIONS THAT WE HAVE IN OUR, IN OUR CITY, AND WE MUST MOVE PAST THAT.
AND IT DOES TAKE A BIG INVESTMENT, UH, TO GET US THERE.
UM, I ALSO WANNA THANK THE STORM WATER TEAM.
I THINK THEY MAY STILL BE HERE, UH, THE STORMWATER TEAM FOR ALL OF THEIR WORK AND THE PROGRESS THAT WE'RE MAKING IN, IN DRAINAGE AS, UM, AS I LIKE TO SAY, UM, 300 YEARS AGO, THE FOUNDERS DIDN'T KNOW THIS WAS GONNA BE FLASH FLOOD ALLEY, AND WE'RE STILL TRYING TO ATTEMPT MAKE UP FOR THAT.
SO THANK YOU VERY MUCH TO ALL OF T C I FOR, FOR YOUR SUPPORT WITH THAT, AND TO MY FELLOW COUNCIL MEMBERS FOR YOUR SUPPORT OF THE AMENDMENT ON THE ALLEYS AND THE, AND THE DRAINAGE.
UM, ONE THING I, UM, I DO WANT TO, TO MENTION, AND, UH, I LOVE SAYING THIS, I MET WITH THE ARCHBISHOP THIS WEEK.
HE'S IN, HE'S IN DISTRICT SEVEN, BUT I, I MET WITH THE ARCHBISHOP THIS WEEK AND
[02:25:01]
WE TALKED THROUGH HIS CONCERNS HERE IN THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO AND HOW, HOW WE COULD WORK TOGETHER.UM, YOU KNOW, HE BROUGHT UP THINGS LIKE THE, THE PILGRIMAGE WITH THE MISSIONS, UH, HOW EXCITED HE IS ABOUT THAT, HOW HE WANTS TO WORK WITH US ON THAT.
UH, HE OF COURSE BROUGHT UP ISSUES WITH PARKING DOWNTOWN, UH,
BUT HE, UH, HE ALSO TALKED TO ME ABOUT DISPLACEMENT OF PEOPLE, UM, OF OUR LONGTIME RESIDENTS IN SAN ANTONIO.
UH, HE WORRIED ABOUT DOWNTOWN BECOMING A PLACE, UH, JUST FOR THE PEOPLE WHO COULD AFFORD IT, AND HOW THE, THE LOOKS OF DOWNTOWN, OF THE PEOPLE DOWNTOWN HAD CHANGED OVER THE PAST, UH, FEW YEARS.
UM, SO HE WAS, HE WAS CONCERNED ABOUT THAT, AND I'M GLAD THAT WE ARE MAKING THE INVESTMENT IN AFFORDABLE HOUSING, UH, TO, TO ADDRESS SOME OF THOSE ISSUES.
BUT ONE REALLY BEAUTIFUL THING THAT HE TOLD ME WAS THAT WITH SAN ANTONIO'S RAPID GROWTH, HE WAS VERY WORRIED THAT WE WOULD LOSE WHAT WAS SPECIAL ABOUT SAN ANTONIO.
AND HE SAID, WE MUST FIND A WAY TO ADD WITHOUT SUBTRACTING.
AND I'M HOPING THAT THAT'S WHAT OUR BUDGET ACCOMPLISHES, IS HIGHLIGHTING AND KEEPING WHAT'S BEST IN SAN ANTONIO.
AND I WANNA SAY WITH THIS VERY SPECIAL AMENDMENT THAT WE'RE APPROVING TODAY, WHICH IS, UM, THE INSTITUTE ON CIVIL RIGHTS, THAT IS A WONDERFUL WAY THAT WE ARE PROTECTING SOME OF THE MOST BEAUTIFUL, UH, PIECES OF HISTORY OF SAN ANTONIO.
NOT JUST FOR US, BUT FOR EVERYONE IN THE WORLD WHO WANTS TO COME AND VISIT AND LEARN ABOUT THEM.
UM, SO I'M, I'M VERY GRATEFUL TO, TO BE A PART OF THAT AND TO JUST THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR WORK, FOR YOUR, UH, VISION IN BRINGING THAT FORWARD AND ALLOWING US TO, TO JOIN YOU IN THAT.
UM, I'M GONNA GO AHEAD AND WRAP IT UP THERE.
AND AGAIN, THANK YOU VERY MUCH TO, TO STAFF AND FOR ALL OF YOUR WORK.
OH, SORRY, PEOPLE I FORGOT TO THANK IS MY, MY OWN STAFF, OF COURSE.
UM, JOE BRAVO AND BIANCA MALDONADO FOR ALL OF YOUR WORK, AND JOE, FOR YOUR HELP WITH THE, WITH THE INSTITUTE ON CIVIL RIGHTS, UH, HELPING
SO THANK YOU VERY MUCH, MAYOR.
THANK YOU, COUNCIL MEMBERS SANDOVAL.
AND AS WE GET NOW INTO THE, UH, PROCEDURAL ITEMS, UH, I DO WANT TO AGAIN REITERATE MY THANKS TO, UH, OUR COLLEAGUES FOR, UH, A JOB WELL DONE ON THE FY 2020 BUDGET.
AND BEFORE WE CLOSE COMMENT, I DID ALSO WANNA RECOGNIZE MY OWN STAFF, UH, WHO WORK ARE WORKING HARD EVERY DAY, UH, PARTICULARLY IN THE LAST FEW MONTHS ON THIS BUDGET.
ALICE, JACKIE, JIM VALISE, VICTORIA, ZACH, ROCIO, ISH.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR ALL THE GREAT WORK OVER THE LAST SEVERAL MONTHS.
UM, WE HAVE SEVERAL ITEMS THAT ARE RELATED TO THE BUDGET, AND WE ARE GONNA MOVE THROUGH THOSE, UH, DILIGENTLY.
THE FIRST ITEM WE'LL TAKE UP IS ITEM FOUR A, UH, WHICH IS THE, UM, LET'S SEE, PARDON ME, ADOPTION OF THE BUDGET.
AND WE HAVE SEVERAL, UM, SEGMENTS TO THAT, SEVERAL MOTIONS BECAUSE OF A CUSAL.
SO AT THIS TIME, I'D LIKE TO RECOGNIZE, UM, COUNCIL MEMBER GONZALEZ TO INTRODUCE OUR BARE APPRAISAL DISTRICT BUDGET ITEM.
DO YOU READ THAT PORTION OR YOU WANT ME TO READ IT? AN ORDINANCE ADOPTING THE ANNUAL YOU WANT START? YEAH, THE, THE CLERK READ THE CAPTION AT THE START OF, UM, THIS DELIBERATION AS WE GET TO ITEM FOUR B, WE'LL ASK THE CLERK TO READ THAT, UH, CAPTION, BUT, OKAY.
UH, I MOVED TO APPROVE THE FUNDING IN THE BUDGET FOR BEARER APPRAISAL DISTRICT.
THERE'S A MOTION AND A SECOND FOR, UH, APPROVAL OF THE BEARER APPRAISAL DISTRICT BUDGET ITEM, PLEASE VOTE.
I MOVE TO APPROVE THE FUNDING IN THE BUDGET FOR ALAMO AREA COUNCIL OF GOVERNMENTS.
OKAY, THERE'S A MOTION AND A SECOND, BUT, UH, BEFORE WE TAKE THAT VOTE, UM, ANDY, WOULD YOU LIKE TO CLARIFY PROCESS? YES, JUST A REMINDER, MARY, AFTER WE GO THROUGH THE, UH, VARIOUS, UH, LINE ITEM MOTIONS, WE DO HAVE TO ADOPT ALSO THE AMENDMENTS, UH, THAT WERE DISCUSSED.
AS A SEPARATE MOTION ON THE AMENDMENTS? THAT'S CORRECT.
[02:30:01]
PRIOR TO ADOPTING THE OVERALL BUDGET.BEFORE THE CLOSING ORDINANCE? NO, NO, NO.
BEFORE WE ADOPT THE, THE, YOU'RE GONNA ADOPT THE BUDGET AS AMENDMENT AS AMENDED, BUT YOU NEED TO APPROVE THE AMENDMENTS.
WELL, WHY DON'T WE DO THAT? UM, AFTER WE TAKE UP THE MOTION ON THE ALAMO COLLEGES, OR EXCUSE ME, THE AAM MARY OR COUNCIL OF GOVERNMENTS, THAT WE DO HAVE A MOTION ON THE FLOOR FOR APPROVAL.
UM, DO WE HAVE A SECOND ON THE ALAMO AREA COUNCIL OF GOVERNMENT'S BUDGET ITEM.
I MOVE TO APPROVE THE BUDGET AMENDMENT ITEMS AS PRESENTED.
THERE'S A MOTION AND A SECOND FOR APPROVAL OF THE AMENDMENTS TO THE F Y 2020 BUDGET AS PRESENTED, PLEASE VOTE.
COUNCIL MEMBER GONZALEZ, I, I MOVE TO APPROVE THE FUNDING AND THE BUDGET FOR VISIT SAN ANTONIO.
YEAH, THERE'S A MOTION AND A SECOND FOR APPROVAL OF THE BUDGET ITEM FOR VISIT SAN ANTONIO.
COUNCIL MEMBER GONZALEZ, I MOVE TO APPROVE THE FUNDING IN THE BUDGET FOR NATIONAL LEAGUE OF CITIES.
OKAY, THERE'S A MOTION AND A SECOND FOR APPROVAL OF THE BUDGET ITEM FOR NATIONAL LEAGUE OF CITIES, PLEASE VOTE.
COUNCIL MEMBER GONZALEZ, I MOVE TO APPROVE THE FUNDING AND THE BUDGET FOR COMMUNITIES IN SCHOOLS.
THERE'S A MOTION AND A SECOND FOR APPROVAL OF THE BUDGET ITEM FOR COMMUNITIES AND SCHOOLS.
COUNCIL MEMBER GONZALEZ, I MOVE TO APPROVE THE FUNDING IN THE BUDGET FOR BIOMED SA.
THERE'S A MOTION AND A SECOND FOR APPROVAL OF THE BUDGET ITEM FOR BIOMED SA, PLEASE VOTE.
COUNCIL MEMBER GONZALEZ, I MOVE TO APPROVE THE FUNDING IN THE BUDGET FOR SAN ANTONIO MOBILITY COALITION.
THERE'S A MOTION AND A SECOND FOR APPROVAL OF THE BUDGET ITEM FOR THE SAN ANTONIO MOBILITY COALITION, PLEASE VOTE.
COUNCIL MEMBER GONZALEZ, I MOVE TO APPROVE THE FUNDING IN THE BUDGET FOR H E B C P S ENERGY, SAN ANTONIO ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION, SAN ANTONIO ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT FOUNDATION, PROJECT QUEST, TEXAS MUNICIPAL LEAGUE, US CONFERENCE OF MAYORS ENGINE, SAN ANTONIO MUSICAL BRIDGES AROUND THE WORLD AND SISTER CITIES INTERNATIONAL.
OKAY, THERE'S A MOTION AND A SECOND FOR APPROVAL OF ITEMS AND THE BUDGET IS READ BY COUNCIL MEMBER GONZALEZ, PLEASE VOTE A MOTION CARRIES.
COUNCIL MEMBER GONZALEZ, I MOVE TO APPROVE THE FUNDING
[02:35:01]
AND THE BUDGET FOR FAMILY VIOLENCE PREVENTION SERVICES INCORPORATED AND CHILD ADVOCATES OF SAN ANTONIO.OKAY, THERE'S A MOTION AND A SECOND FOR APPROVAL OF BUDGET ITEMS FOR FAMILY VIOLENCE PREVENTION SERVICES AND CHILD ADVOCATES OF SAN ANTONIO.
COUNCIL MEMBER GONZALEZ, I MOVE TO APPROVE THE FUNDING AND THE BUDGET FOR THE SAN ANTONIO EDUCATIONAL PARTNERSHIP.
THERE'S A MOTION AND A SECOND FOR APPROVAL OF THE BUDGET ITEM RELATED TO THE SAN ANTONIO EDUCATION PARTNERSHIP PLEASE.
COUNCIL MEMBER GONZALEZ, I MOVE TO APPROVE THE FUNDING IN THE BUDGET FOR THE NORTHEAST CORRIDOR ENHANCEMENT MATCHING GRANT PROGRAM.
THERE'S A MOTION AND A SECOND FOR APPROVAL OF THE NORTH, THE NORTHEAST CORRIDOR ENHANCEMENT MATCHING GRANT PROGRAM.
COUNCIL MEMBER GONZALEZ, I MOVE TO APPROVE THE BALANCE OF THE BUDGET AS AMENDED TODAY.
I THINK WE DID THAT ALREADY, BUT OKAY.
THERE'S A MOTION AND A SECOND FOR APPROVAL OF THE BALANCE OF THE BUDGET.
COUNCIL MEMBER VERAN MAYOR, I DIDN'T GET TO THANK MY COUNCIL STAFF, SO I NEED TO THANK MY COUNCIL STAFF, MY CHIEF OF STAFF, REUBEN ALDE, WHO MANY OF Y'ALL GOT PHONE CALLS FROM CHRIS SAL AND THE ENTIRE TEAM.
I WANTED TO MAKE SURE I GAVE THEM A SHOUT OUT TO.
THERE'S A MOTION AND A SECOND FOR APPROVAL OF THE FY 2020 BUDGET BALANCE AS AMENDED TODAY.
ITEM FOUR B IS AN ORDINANCE RATIFYING THE ADOPTION OF THE FISCAL YEAR 2020 BUDGET THAT WILL BE, THAT WILL BE REQUIRE RAISING MORE REVENUE FROM PROPERTY TAXES THAN IN FISCAL YEAR 2019 BUDGET.
OKAY, THERE ARE NO FURTHER CITIZENS SIGNED UP TO SPEAK ON ITEM FOUR B.
THIS TIME I'LL ENTERTAIN A MOTION.
UH, THE FLOOR BELONGS TO COUNCIL MEMBER GONZALEZ.
I MOVE TO RATIFY THE ADOPTION OF THE BUDGET.
THERE'S A MOTION AND A SECOND FOR APPROVAL OF ITEM FOUR B, THE RATIFICATION OF THE FY 2020 BUDGET.
ITEM FOUR C IS AN ORDINANCE SETTING THE AVALARA TAX RATE FOR MAINTENANCE AND OPERATION OF THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO AT 34.68 CENTS PER $100 OF TAXABLE VALUATION FOR THE TAX YEAR, BEGINNING ON JANUARY 1ST, 2019 AND ENDING DECEMBER 31ST, 2019.
OKAY, THERE ARE NO FURTHER CITIZENS SIGNED UP TO SPEAK ON ITEM FOUR C REGARDING THE TAX RATE YEAR 2019, UM, AND THE APPROVAL OF THE MAINTENANCE AND OPERATION TAX RATE.
COUNCIL MEMBER GRO, I MOVE THAT THE PROPERTY TAXES BE INCREASED BY THE ADOPTION OF A MAINTENANCE AND OPERATION TAX RATE OF 34.68 CENTS PER $100 OF TAXABLE VALUATION, WHICH IS EFFECTIVELY A 2.43% INCREASE IN THE TAX RATE.
THERE'S A MOTION AND A SECOND FOR APPROVAL OF THE M AND O TAX RATE, PLEASE VOTE.
ITEM FOUR D IS AN ORDINANCE SETTING THE A RUM CITY PROPERTY TAX RATE TO PAY THE PRINCIPAL AND INTEREST OF A FUNDED DEBT OF THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO AT 21.15 CENTS PER $100 OF TAXABLE VALUATION FOR THE TAX YEAR, BEGINNING ON JANUARY 1ST, 2019, AND ENDING ON DECEMBER 31ST, 2019.
COUNCIL MEMBER GRO, I MOVE THAT THE TAXES BE INCREASED BY THE ADOPTION OF A DEBT SERVICE TAX RATE OF 21.15 CENTS FOR $100 OF TAXABLE VALUATION, WHICH IS EFFECTIVELY A 2.43% INCREASE IN THE TAX RATE.
OKAY, THERE'S A MOTION AND A SECOND FOR APPROVAL OF THE DEBT SERVICE TAX RATE.
THERE ARE NO FURTHER CITIZENS SIGNED UP TO SPEAK
[02:40:01]
ON THIS ITEM.MOTION CARRIES ITEM FOUR E, ITEM FOUR E ESTABLISHING NEW FEES AND AMENDING FEES AS INCLUDED WITHIN THE FISCAL YEAR 2020 BUDGET WITHIN THE GENERAL FUND AND WITHIN THE RESTRICTED FUNDS OF THE CARVER SPECIAL REVENUE COMMUNITY AND VISITORS, FACILITIES, PARKS, ENVIRONMENTAL SOLID WASTE OPERATING AND MAINTENANCE AND STORM WATER OPERATING, AMENDING THE CITY CODE OF SAN ANTONIO, TEXAS TO REFLECT SUCH CHANGES AND APPROVING THE CITY'S CONTINUED RECEIPT OF ITS SHARES OF THE CASH BINGO PRIZE FEE COLLECTED UNDER THE TEXAS OCCUPATIONS CODE.
THERE ARE NO FURTHER CITIZENS SIGNED UP TO SPEAK ON ITEM FOUR E.
COUNCIL MEMBER GONZALEZ, I MOVE TO APPROVE THE FEE ORDINANCE ITEM NUMBER FOUR E.
THERE IS A MOTION AND A SECOND FOR APPROVAL OF ITEM FOUR E AND THE FEE ORDINANCE, PLEASE VOTE.
ITEM FOUR F IS AN ORDINANCE CARRYING FORWARD CERTAIN FISCAL YEAR 2019 FUNDS AMENDING PRIOR APPROPRIATIONS APPROPRIATING FUNDS FOR REQUIREMENT REQUIREMENTS IN CITY PROJECTS AND DEPARTMENTS AND APPROPRIATING FUNDS.
COUNCIL MEMBER GONZALEZ, I MOVE TO APPROVE THE CLOSING ORDINANCE.
ITEM FOUR F THERE'S A MOTION AND A SECOND FOR APPROVAL OF ITEM FOUR F THE CLOSING ORDINANCE OF THE FY 2020 BUDGET.
THANK YOU AGAIN TO ALL OF OUR STAFF, HARDWORKING STAFF, UM, THROUGHOUT THE CITY AS WELL AS ON OUR CITY COUNCIL TEAMS. WE HAVE TWO MORE ITEMS ON OUR AGENDA THAT WERE PULLED FOR INDIVIDUAL CONSIDERATIONS, SO WE'LL MOVE RIGHT INTO THEM.
SO IF, UH, THOSE OF YOU WHO ARE LEAVING THE CHAMBERS COULD, UM, MOVE AS QUIETLY AS POSSIBLE, WE'LL GET OUR, THE REST OF OUR BUSINESS DONE.
ITEM 26 IS AN ORDINANCE AMENDING CHAPTER TWO OF THE CITY CODE ENTITLED ADMINISTRATION BY AMENDING ARTICLE TWO, TWO ENTITLED BOARDS AND COMMISSION RULES, WHICH GOVERNS THE CREATION AND OPERATION OF BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS CREATED BY CITY COUNCIL COUNCIL MEMBER SANDOVAL.
UM, I, I DON'T BELIEVE WE'RE GOING TO NEED A PRESENTATION TODAY.
UM, I JUST PULLED THIS ITEM TO MODIFY AND ADD ONE SMALL AMENDMENT TO IT.
UM, JUST TO GIVE A LITTLE BIT OF OF HISTORY, THE SUBCOMMITTEE FROM GOVERNANCE OR AN AD HOC COMMITTEE FROM GOVERNANCE REVIEWED THE ADMINISTRATIVE CODE, MADE SOME CHANGES, UM, GOVERNANCE ADOPTED THOSE CHANGES, AND THOSE ARE WHAT WE'RE VOTING ON TODAY.
IN ADDITION TO THE CHANGES, UH, THAT GOVERNANCE ADOPTED, I MOVE TO ADD THE CODE CHANGES BEING CONSIDERED BY COUNCIL TODAY.
THE FOLLOWING, CHANGE TO THE SECOND SENTENCE IN SECTION 2 5 4 1 A SO THAT IT READS THAT THE MAYOR MAY APPOINT AN AD HOC COMMITTEE INSTEAD OF A THREE PERSON AD HOC COMMITTEE TO REVIEW ALL CITY BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS FOR SUNSET CONSOLIDATION OR OTHER RECOMMENDED CHANGES.
THIS ALLOWS FOR FLEXIBILITY IN THE NUMBER OF PERSONS BEING APPOINTED TO THE AD HOC COMMITTEE.
THE AMENDMENT IS TO REPLACE A THREE PERSON WITH THE WORD.
AND, OKAY, THERE'S A MOTION, UH, AND A SECOND THAT THE AMENDMENTS BEFORE US TODAY TO THE BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS GUIDELINES BE FURTHER AMENDED TO REPLACE THE PHRASE A THREE PERSON WITH THE WORD AND IN SECTION TWO DASH 5 4 1 A.
ITEM 34, MAYOR, THE, THE COUNCIL VOTED ON THE AMENDMENT, WHICH IS NOW APPROVED.
SO NOW YOU HAVE TO VOTE ON THE ITEM.
ALRIGHT, SO I'LL ENTERTAIN A MOTION, UM, ON ITEM 26.
[02:45:02]
SO MOVED SECOND.OKAY, THERE'S A MOTION AND A SECOND FOR ITEM 26.
I JUST WANTED TO THANK COUNCIL MEMBER SANDOVAL.
I KNOW WE AND MAYOR FOR PUTTING US PART OF THIS AD HOC COMMITTEE TO LOOK AT THE CHANGES, AND I THINK THIS IS GOING TO HELP STREAMLINE AND ALSO, UM, HELP US MAKING SURE THAT WE HAVE THE DIVERSITY AND INCLUSION IN OUR BOARD AND COMMISSION APPOINTMENTS THAT WE NEED.
COUNCIL MEMBER GRO, THERE'S A MOTION AND A SECOND FOR ITEM 26 AS AMENDED.
ITEM 34 IS A RESOLUTION IN SUPPORT OF H SIX, THE AMERICAN DREAM AND PROMISE ACT OF 2019.
I WANT TO, UM, THANK MY COLLEAGUES FOR BRINGING THIS UP, ESPECIALLY MY COLLEAGUES FROM THE GOVERNANCE COMMITTEE, UM, THAT MET A COUPLE OF WEEKS AGO ON THIS.
WHAT WE HAVE IS A RESOLUTION, AND I DON'T KNOW IF JEFF IS HERE.
JEFF, DO YOU HAVE, UM, JEFF IS HERE, UM, TO TALK ABOUT IT, BUT I'M GONNA SHARE SOME THINGS FIRST.
UM, I THINK AS WAS MENTIONED AND HIGHLIGHTED TODAY BY OUR, UM, INSTITUTE OF MEXICAN NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF MEXICAN AMERICAN CIVIL RIGHTS, THERE'S NEVER BEEN A MORE RELEVANT TIME TO PROTECT EQUITY, DIVERSITY, AND INCLUSION BY CONSIDERING A RESOLUTION OF SUPPORT FOR HR SIX, THE AMERICAN DREAM AND PROMISE ACT.
ON JUNE 4TH, THE HOUSE PASSED HR SIX THAT WOULD OFFER PATH TO PERMANENT RESIDENT STATUS AND EVENTUALLY CITIZENSHIP FOR DACA RECIPIENTS.
AND HR SIX HAS BEEN PLACED ON THE SENATE LEGISLATIVE CALENDAR UNDER GENERAL ORDERS, AND WE ARE WAITING PATIENTLY FOR THE SENATE TO TAKE ACTION.
WE, AS A GOVERNING BODY, HAS DEMONSTRATED OUR ABILITY TO LEAD AND REFLECT THE FUTURE FACE OF AMERICA.
AND MOST RECENTLY, IN MAY OF THIS YEAR, OUR CITY COUNCIL UNANIMOUSLY APPROVED NECESSARY FUNDING TO GO TOWARDS LOCAL NONPROFIT ORGANIZATIONS AS THEY WORK TO SUPPORT THE CITY'S MIGRANT RESOURCE CENTER.
AMERICA'S IMMIGRANT YOUTH DESERVE TO LIVE WITHOUT FEAR AND UNCERTAINTY, AND IF WE DO NOTHING, THESE INDIVIDUALS ARE RESIDENTS WILL FACE THE THREAT OF DEPORTATION AND THEIR FAMILIES WILL CONTINUE TO BE TORN APART.
THE PASSAGE OF THIS RESOLUTION IS CONSISTENT WITH THE GOALS EXPRESSED IN THE CHARTER FOR COMPASSION APPROVED BY THE COUNCIL IN JUNE, 2017.
AND THE RESOLUTION OPPOSING THE FEDERAL PLAN TO ASK CITIZENSHIP STATUS ON THE 2020 CENSUS ADOPTED IN JUNE, 2018 AS THE ORIGINAL SPONSOR OF THE C C R SETTING, THE RESOLUTION IN MOTION.
I'M OVERJOYED TO BE STANDING UP FOR LEGISLATION THAT WILL ASSIST THESE IMMIGRANTS AND THEIR FAMILIES.
THIS IS THE MORALLY CORRECT THING TO DO AS THERE IS MORE THAT UNITES US THAN DIVIDES US IN THIS COMMUNITY.
WE NEED TO UNDERSTAND OUR DREAMERS AND DACA RECIPIENTS, OUR ACTIVE, FULLY ENGAGED MEMBERS OF SOCIETY IN EVERY SINGLE ONE OF OUR COUNCIL DISTRICTS.
AND THEY HAVE, WE HAVE TO ENSURE THAT THEY DO NOT LIVE IN DAILY FEAR OF BEING SEPARATED FROM THEIR FAMILIES OR THE ONLY PLACE THEY KNEW IS HOME.
THAT THEIR PARENTS SACRIFICED EVERYTHING TO MIGRATE TO THE UNITED STATES FOR A BETTER PATH FOR OPPORTUNITY FOR THE ENTIRE FAMILY.
AND I BELIEVE THAT THIS IS AN APPROPRIATE ACTION FOR A LOCAL GOVERNMENTAL BODY TO DO, BECAUSE OUR RESPONSIBILITY IS TO TAKE CARE OF ALL OF OUR RESIDENTS IN SAN ANTONIO.
SO ANOTHER REASON TO ACT IS WE KNOW THAT THE TEXAS ATTORNEY GENERAL KEN PAXTON, FILED A MULTI-STATE AMICUS BRIEF WITH THE US SUPREME COURT TO TERMINATE DACA PROGRAM, WHICH CONTINUES TO PUT FEAR IN OUR RESIDENTS OF SAN ANTONIO.
BUT THAT STATEMENT AND HIS ACTION IS NOT A TRUE SPIRIT OF TEXAS NOR OF TEXANS.
WE ALL KNOW THAT THIS AREA OF TEXAS USED TO BE MEXICO.
SO WE KNOW THAT WE HAVE A RESPONSIBILITY TO PROTECT EVERYONE IN AND AROUND THE AREA.
IN THIS IS ALSO A BIPARTISAN BILL THAT WAS PASSED THROUGH THE HOUSE.
AND TO REMIND EVERYONE THAT IN 2011, FORMER TEXAS GOVERNOR RICK PERRY SIGNED THE ORIGINAL TEXAS DREAM ACT, WHICH ALLOWS IN-STATE TUITION FOR STUDENTS WHO HAVE LIVED IN TEXAS FOR THREE YEARS AND EITHER HAVE OBTAINED A G E D OR GRADUATE FROM THE STATE'S PUBLIC OR ACCREDITED PRIVATE SCHOOLS, THE STATE LEGISLATOR HAD PASSED THE LAW WITH BIPARTISAN SUPPORT.
AND THEN GOVERNOR PERRY SAID, IF, IF YOU SAY THAT WE SHOULD NOT EDUCATE OUR CHILDREN WHO COME INTO OUR STATE FOR NO OTHER REASON, THAT THEY'VE BEEN BROUGHT THEIR FAULT THROUGH NO FAULT OF THEIR OWN, I DON'T THINK YOU HAVE A HEART END QUOTE.
AND BACK ON FEBRUARY 20, ON FEBRUARY 8TH, 2018, FORMER PRESIDENT GEORGE W. BUSH
[02:50:02]
DEFENDED DREAMERS DURING THE SPEECH PRESSURING CONGRESS TO FIND A SOLUTION THAT ALLOWS YOUNG IMMIGRANTS WHO WERE BROUGHT TO THE US ILLEGALLY AS CHILDREN TO STAY IN AMERICA.AMERICA IS THEIR HOME, HE SAID, AND IT'S ALSO IMPORTANT BECAUSE WE KNOW DEPO DEMOCRACY DEPENDS ON IT.
AND WITH THE RECENT SUPREME COURT DECISION MAKING IT MORE URGENT BECAUSE OF THEIR ACTION ON ASYLUM SEEKERS INSTEAD OF JUST EXECUTIVE O ORDERS, WE HOPE THE SENATE CAN HELP STOP BEING SCARED AND TAKE ACTION AND DO THE MORALLY CORRECT THING TO DO.
AND PASS HR SIX, THE AMERICAN DREAM AND PROMISE ACT.
WE KNOW THAT 96% OF DREAMERS ARE EITHER WORKING OR IN SCHOOL, AND THE DACA RECIPIENTS CONTRIBUTE MORE THAN $42 BILLION IN THE ANNUAL D G P G D P AND 14% OF DREAMERS HAVE PURCHASED THEIR HOME OWN HOME AND PAY AN ESTIMATED 380 MILLION IN PROPERTY TAXES EVERY YEAR.
AND WE KNOW ALL OF OUR GREAT UNIVERSITIES AND SCHOOLS HAVE HAD DREAMERS AND DACA RECIPIENTS.
YES, THAT'S TRINITY UNIVERSITY, TEXAS A AND M, SAN ANTONIO, TEXAS A AND M COLLEGE STATION, UT AUSTIN, AND ALL OF THE UNIVERSITIES.
SO COUNCIL MEMBERS, I THANK YOU FOR HEARING ME OUT AND I THANK YOU, JEFF, THAT WHAT OUR ACTION WILL BE IS ONCE WE PASS THIS RESOLUTION, THAT IT WILL GO FORWARD TO, UM, THE SENATE MAJORITY LEADER, THEIR STAFF, AND ALL OF OUR DELEGATION THAT WE NEED TO LET THEM KNOW WHERE SAN ANTONIO STANDS IN, HOPING THAT SOME ACTION CAN TAKE PLACE AND THAT WE CAN BRING PROTECTIONS AND SOME ORDER TO THE STATUS OF MANY PEOPLE THAT LIVE IN SAN ANTONIO AND TEXAS.
SO WITH THAT, UM, MAYOR, I MOVE TO APPROVE.
THERE'S A MOTION AND A SECOND FOR APPROVAL OF ITEM 34.
JUST TO, JUST TO BE CLEAR, UM, YOU KNOW, COUNCILWOMAN, THERE'S A LOT OF PEOPLE AFTER TODAY WHOSE HAIR IS GONNA BE ON FIRE THAT SOMEHOW ALL WE'RE DOING IS, UM, AND NAME YOUR LONG LIST OF, YOU KNOW, ANTI-AMERICAN THINGS, UM, AND THAT, YOU KNOW, YOU AND I HAVE BOTH TAKEN ORDERS FROM GEORGE SOROS TO MAKE SURE THAT THIS HAPPENS.
UH, THE, UH, I'M TELLING YOU, IT'S LIKE THERE'S, THERE'S NUTS OUT THERE WHO BELIEVE THESE THINGS.
UM, HOWEVER, WHAT I WILL TELL YOU IS THAT I CONSIDER OUR JOB, UM, YOUR JOB AND MINE, UH, TO REPRESENT NOT JUST PEOPLE WHO'VE GOT THEIR DOCUMENTS IN ORDER, BUT EVERY SINGLE PERSON IN SAN ANTONIO WHO DRIVES ON OUR ROADS, WHO RELIES ON 9 1 1 SERVICES, WHO RELIES ON, UM, YOU KNOW, UM, THE FIREFIGHTERS TO SHOW UP, UH, ON TIME, UM, WHO RELIES ON CLEAN AIR AND WHO NEED, UM, YOU KNOW, UH, TO MAKE SURE THAT THEIR TOWN IS SAFE, THAT INCLUDES, UM, PEOPLE WHO ARE MIGRANTS, PEOPLE WHO ARE IN THE PROCESS OF GETTING THEIR PAPERWORK.
AND THAT'S INCLUDES PEOPLE WHO ARE, UM, VERY, VERY VULNERABLE AND HAVE COME TO THIS COUNTRY, UM, SEEKING SANCTUARY FROM GENOCIDES, UH, SEEKING SANCTUARY FROM, UH, ALMOST CERTAIN MURDER AT THE HANDS OF CARTELS AND GANGS.
AND SO, UM, I'M PROUD TO STAND WITH YOU ON THIS ONE.
UM, AND, UH, YOU KNOW, THE, UH, AND IF ALL THIS REALLY AMOUNTS TO IS JUST US ASKING THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT TO DO THE RIGHT THING, UH, AND TO DO THEIR JOB, UH, WHICH THEY'RE REALLY GOOD AT MAKING SPEECHES, BUT THEY'RE REALLY BAD AT DOING THEIR JOB SOMETIMES, UH, I'LL JOIN YOU IN THAT CALL EVERY SINGLE DAY.
AND I WANNA ALSO THANK YOU COUNCILWOMAN FOR, UH, USHERING THIS THROUGH, UH, TO THE CITY COUNCIL FOR US TO MAKE A STATEMENT ON THIS ISSUE.
UM, WE JUST PASSED A $2.9 BILLION BUDGET, SO, UH, THERE MIGHT NOT BE A WHOLE LOT OF PEOPLE LISTENING, BUT THOSE WHO CARE MOST ABOUT THIS ISSUE ARE, AND SO I THINK THEY NEED TO HEAR THESE VOICES.
EARLIER THIS MORNING IN OUR BUDGET, WE MADE A COMMITMENT TO THE NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF MEXICAN, AMERICAN HISTORY OF CIVIL RIGHTS.
AND I THINK TODAY'S RESOLUTION IN SUPPORT OF THE AMERICAN DREAM AND PROMISE ACT OF 2019, HR SIX IS A CONTINUATION OF THAT COMMITMENT TO OUR SAN ANTONIO FAMILIES.
DACA RECIPIENTS AND ELIGIBLE DREAMERS DESERVE PROTECTION AND A VIABLE PATHWAY TO CITIZENSHIP THEIR TAXPAYERS, STUDENTS, DOCTORS, TEACHERS, NURSES, SOLDIERS, NEIGHBORS, BY NO FAULT OF THEIR OWN, THEY WERE BROUGHT TO OUR COUNTRY AS CHILDREN AND HAVE SINCE BEEN SUBSTANTIAL CONTRIBUTORS TO OUR ECONOMY, OUR CULTURE, AND OUR COMMUNITY.
AND AT A MOMENT WHEN THE CLIMATE SURROUNDING IMMIGRANTS HAS BEEN BECOME HAZY, RIDDLED WITH DOG WHISTLING AND FEAR MONGERING, TODAY, SAN ANTONIO MAKES OUR STANCE PATENTLY CLEAR.
WE STAND WITH SAN ANTONIANS, WE STAND WITH IMMIGRANTS, WE STAND WITH OUR NEIGHBORS, AND WE STAND WITH OUR FAMILIES.
THERE'S A MOTION AND A SECOND FOR APPROVAL OF ITEM 34, PLEASE VOTE.
UM, THAT'S ALL THE ITEMS ON BUSINESS.
[02:55:01]
UH, WE DO HAVE A VERY SPECIAL PRESENTATION, BUT ERIC, I WANTED TO TOSS OVER TO YOU, SEE IF YOU HAD A, A REPORT OR SHOULD WE JUST GO RIGHT INTO THE CEREMONY? THANKS, MAYOR.UM, JUST REAL BRIEFLY, I WAS GONNA HAND OUT A COPY OF THE, UH, PRELIMINARY SCHEDULE FOR THE F Y 21 PROPOSED BUDGET DEVELOPMENT SCHEDULE.
THAT'S JUST NO CITY MANAGERS REPORT TODAY.
WELL, IF ANY ANYONE'S NOTICING, WE HAVE SOME EXTRAORDINARY GUESTS IN OUR CHAMBERS THIS MORNING.
TODAY THE CITY COUNCIL AND I ARE PROUD TO CELEBRATE THE UNITED STATES AIR FORCE'S 72ND BIRTHDAY.
THEY'RE GREAT SERVICE TO OUR NATION AND TO MILITARY CITY U SS A.
SO I WANNA WELCOME COMMANDER OF JOINT BASE SAN ANTONIO, BRIGADIER GENERAL LAURA LINDERMAN TO CITY HALL AND THEIR SENIOR ENLISTED ADVISORS AS, AS WELL AS HER GREAT LEADERSHIP TEAM.
COLONEL JIM HAMILL, COMMAND CHAPLAIN OF THE 25TH AIR FORCE AND RETIRED US AIR FORCE COLONEL WILLIAM APODACA, CHIEF OF STAFF FOR THE 25TH AIR FORCE.
I'LL ALSO WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE TWO AIR FORCE VETERANS ON OUR CITY COUNCIL.
RETIRED LIEUTENANT COLONEL CLAYTON PERRY, WHO SERVED AS A CIVIL ENGINEER AND A FORMER DEFENDER, COUNCILMAN JOHN COURAGE.
SINCE 1947, COURAGEOUS AMERICAN AIRMEN HAVE SKILLFULLY ACCOMPLISHED THE AIR FORCE MISSION TO FLY, FIGHT, AND WIN THROUGH THEIR SELFLESS SERVICE AND SACRIFICE.
THEY'VE ENSURED THAT THE UNIQUE CONTRIBUTIONS OF AIR POWER WILL ENDURE LONG INTO THE FUTURE.
DURING OUR NATION'S CONFLICTS IN KOREA, VIETNAM, DESERT STORM, KOSOVO, IRAQ, AND AFGHANISTAN, THE AIR FORCE HAS SERVED ALONGSIDE EVERY BRANCH OF THE SERVICE, GIVING 'EM THE ABILITY AND FREEDOM TO FIGHT IN THE AIR ON THE GROUND, AND AT THE SEA.
IN RECENT YEARS, OUR AIR FORCE HAS BEEN AT THE FOREFRONT OF OUR NATION'S DISASTER RELIEF EFFORTS HERE IN ABROAD.
FROM JAPAN, THE BAHAMAS, HAITI TO LOUISIANA, FLORIDA, TEXAS, AND PUERTO RICO.
THE MEN AND WOMEN OF AIR FORCE HAVE ALWAYS STEPPED FORWARD WHEN CALLED TO SERVE FOR US IN SAN ANTONIO.
THE AIR FORCE HAS A VERY SPECIAL PLACE IN OUR HISTORY AND IN THE DEFENSE OF OUR NATION.
CAPTAIN BENJAMIN FELO, THE FATHER OF MILITARY AVIATION, CHOSE SAN ANTONIO IN 1916 TO EXPAND THE FLEDGLING AIR FORCE.
KELLY FIELD IS NAMED AFTER LIEUTENANT GENERAL GEORGE E. KELLY, THE FIRST AMERICAN MILITARY AVIATOR TO LOSE HIS LIFE WHILE PILOTING A MILITARY AIRCRAFT.
AND TODAY AIR POWER DOES INDEED START HERE IN SAN ANTONIO AS EVERY ENLISTED AIRMAN IN THE AIR FORCE BEGINS THEIR AIR FORCE CAREER AT LACKLAND AIR FORCE BASE.
ALL AIR FORCE SECURITY FORCES OR DEFENDERS ARE ALSO TRAINED AT LACKLAND AIR FORCE BASE.
AND THE AIR FORCE HANDLES ALL BREEDING AND TRAINING FOR ALL OF THE DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSES, MILITARY WORKING DOGS, AIR EDUCATION AND TRAINING COMMAND.
HEADQUARTERED AT RANDOLPH AIR FORCE BASE IS THE PRIMARY TRAINING AND PROFESSIONAL EDUCATION COMMAND AT THE AIR FORCE.
THEIR MISSION IS TO RECRUIT, TRAIN, AND EDUCATE AIRMEN TO DELIVER AIR POWER FOR AMERICA.
THE COMMAND IS FORGING AHEAD WITH INNOVATIVE TRAINING METHODS TO PROVIDE TRAINED AIRMEN TO FIELD COMMANDERS QUICKER AND MORE EFFECTIVELY.
THE 24TH AND 25TH AIR FORCE LOCATED AT THE LAN AIR FORCE BASE ARE THE AIR FORCE'S PREMIER OPERATIONAL WAR FIGHTERS PROVIDING INFORMATION ADVANTAGE THROUGH CYBER OPERATIONS AND INTELLIGENCE SURVEILLANCE AND RECONNAISSANCE, AND TO THE AIR FORCES US FORCES PROSECUTING MILITARY OPERATIONS AROUND THE WORLD.
SAN ANTONIO, THE LARGEST JOINT BASE IN DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE, CONTINUES TO BE A VALUED PARTNER TO THEIR 266 MISSION PARTNERS AND TO OUR CITY OF SAN ANTONIO.
SO IT IS A PRIVILEGE GENERAL TO HOST OUR MILITARY, AND IT IS A PRIVILEGE TO CELEBRATE THE 72ND BIRTHDAY OF THE WORLD'S PREMIER AIR FORCE HERE IN MILITARY CITY U S A TO AIRMEN EVERYWHERE.
AND THANK YOU TO COUNCIL MEMBERS FOR HAVING US TODAY.
UM, IT GOES WITHOUT SAYING, IT'S TRULY AN HONOR TO BE HERE AND TO HAVE ALL THE AIRMEN BEHIND ME, UM, FIGURATIVELY, LITERALLY.
IT MEANS A LOT TO CELEBRATE THIS BIRTHDAY, UH, WITH YOU.
UH, SO FIRST OFF, UH, GENERAL AYALA AND HIS TEAM TIM, UH, THEY'VE BEEN AMAZING SETTING THIS UP AND, AND BEING A PART OF OUR COMMUNITY FOR SO MANY YEARS.
UM, JUST, I CONSIDER YOU ALL FRIENDS, UH, FAMILY, PART OF MY MILITARY FAMILY FOR SURE, AND, UM, DEFINITELY PART OF MY, UM, MY GROWING FAMILY HERE IN SAN ANTONIO.
SO THANK YOU ALL IT, IT MEANS VERY, IT MEANS A LOT TO ALL OF US TO BE HERE TODAY.
UM, IT GOES BY THAT SAME, WE'RE EXTREMELY GRATEFUL FOR YOUR SERVICE, ALL OF YOUR SERVICE
[03:00:01]
AND YOUR LEADERSHIP IN THIS GREAT CITY AND THE SUPPORT THAT YOU PROVIDE TO THE MEN AND WOMEN OF JOINT BASE SAN ANTONIO, UH, TO ALL OF YOU HERE TODAY, THANK YOU.IT IS A DAY OF CELEBRATION, BUT WE'RE NOT ONLY CELEBRATING 72 YEARS OF HISTORY, BUT TODAY WE'RE ALSO CELEBRATING THE UNBREAKABLE BOND BETWEEN MILITARY CITY, U SS A AND THE HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF ACTIVE DUTY GUARD, RESERVE CIVILIANS, RETIREES, VETERANS, AND THEIR FAMILIES WHO WORK IN THIS COMMUNITY.
THIS IS A PARTNERSHIP THAT SPANS GENERATIONS BEFORE THE ACTIVATION OF JOINT BASE SAN ANTONIO BEFORE THE BIRTH OF THE AIR FORCE, EVEN BEFORE BENJAMIN FEY'S FIRST MILITARY FLIGHT AT FORT SAM HOUSTON.
THIS PARTNERSHIP TRACES ITS ROOTS TO THE VERY FOUNDING OF THE CITY 300 YEARS AGO.
OVER TIME, THIS PARTNERSHIP HAS ONLY GROWN STRONGER.
SO MUCH SO THAT TODAY WE CAN SAY WITH CONFIDENCE THAT SAN ANTONIO IS THE HOME OF AMERICAN AIR POWER AND SO MUCH MORE.
OVER THE PAST 72 YEARS, AIRMEN HAVE CONDUCTED BASIC MILITARY TRAINING, FLIGHT TRAINING, MEDICAL TRAINING, BATTLEFIELD AIRMAN TRAINING, CYBERSECURITY, AND I S R MISSIONS, RECRUITING AND SO MUCH MORE RIGHT HERE IN SAN ANTONIO.
AND TODAY WE SALUTE THE DEDICATION AND SERVICE OF EVERY AIRMAN, THE MEN AND WOMEN WHO CAME BEFORE US, AIRMEN LIKE COUNCILMAN PERRY AND COUNCILMAN COURAGE, AS WELL AS THOSE WHO CURRENTLY SERVE REPRESENTED BY THE AIRMEN IN UNIFORM IN ATTENDANCE TODAY.
AND WE SALUTE THOSE WHO WILL JOIN OUR, OUR MILITARY AND OUR AIR FORCE FAMILY IN THE FUTURE.
THE MEN AND WOMEN WHO WILL CONTINUE OUR PROUD LEGACY IN THE YEARS TO COME.
TODAY WITH THE GREAT CITY OF SAN ANTONIO AND THE SURROUNDING COMMUNITIES, WE STAND SIDE BY SIDE TOGETHER IN CELEBRATION.
WE ARE PROUD OF OUR HISTORY, WE ARE PROUD OF OUR HERITAGE, AND TOGETHER WE LOOK TO THE FUTURE, TO ANOTHER 300 YEARS WORKING TOGETHER IN PARTNERSHIP, LIFTING EACH OTHER UP AND KEEPING THIS NATION SAFE AND SECURE.
THANK YOU COUNCILMEN AND WOMEN.
I'M HONORED TO BE HERE WITH ALL OF YOU TODAY.
MAY GOD BLESS ALL OF YOU, THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO AND THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA.
THANK YOU HERE, BERG, IF YOU'D PROBABLY, OR PLEASE JOIN US DOWN HERE, UH, AT THE, UH, TO THE RIGHT OF THE DIOCESE FOR THE CUTTING.
AND WE HAVE THE YOUNGEST AIRMAN PART OF OUR AIR FORCE TRADITION.
HAVE, UH, A ONE C AIRMAN, AIRMAN LEWIS HERE, WHO WILL JOIN IN WITH YOU ALL ON SIDE, PUT YOU IN THE MIDDLE.
WOULD OUR FELLOW AIR FORCE COUNCILMAN LIKE TO, TO JOIN US
WHEN WERE YOU BORN? WHERE WERE YOU BORN? ALRIGHT.
OUR YOUNGEST AIRMAN WAS BORN IN THE YEAR 2000.
HOW ABOUT THAT? PLEASE JOIN THE SEAT JOINTLY.
I'M A TURN, I'M A YOU'RE, YOU'RE AN AIRMAN LOSER.
CAMPBELL'S ALWAYS IN THE BACK FOR A PHOTO, BUT YOU'LL BE FRONT
[03:05:01]
25TH.I THOUGHT I GOTTA HAVE A MARINE TO MAKE A JOINT.
I DON'T SEE, UH,
WE'LL TAKE ALL AIR POWER HANG AROUND FORCE.
COUNCIL MEMBERS GONNA MAKE, OKAY, WE HAVE A FEW COUNCIL MEMBERS THAT ARE SIGNED UP TO MAKE A FEW COMMENTS.
WE'LL START WITH COUNCILMAN ROCHA GARCIA.
AND I JUST WANTED TO TAKE THE OPPORTUNITY TO SAY HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO, UM, LACKLAND AIR FORCE BASE IS IN THE DISTRICT THAT I REPRESENT.
SO I'M VERY PROUD TO SAY THAT UH, EVERYONE WHO GOES THROUGH THE AIR FORCE, UH, VISITS DISTRICT FOUR.
AND I WOULD, UH, LOVE TO CONTINUE THE, THE PARTNERSHIP WITH YOU FOR MANY MORE YEARS.
BUT MAINLY JUST WANTED TO SAY THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE AND, UH, HAPPY BIRTHDAY.
COUNCILMAN COUNCILMAN PERRY ON THE WAY HE'S ON HIS WAY.
FIRST OF ALL, I WANNA SAY HAPPY BIRTHDAY AND GO AIR FORCE.
AND IT'S GREAT TO SEE UNIFORMS IN THIS COUNCIL CHAMBERS.
I, YOU KNOW, IT WOULD BE GREAT THAT, YOU KNOW, WE COULD GET MORE IN THESE COUNCIL CHAMBERS, FILL IT UP BECAUSE WE HAVE THAT LENGTH, MILITARY CITY, U S A AND THAT'S NOT JUST A CLICHE, WE REALLY MEAN IT AND WE HOPE THAT YOU FEEL IT BECAUSE WE CERTAINLY FEEL IT AND WE'RE VERY HAPPY TO HAVE THAT PARTNERSHIP WITH YOU.
AND I, I JUST WANNA GO ON, WE JUST RECENTLY SIGNED AN M O U, UM, WITH HIRING OUR HEROES IN OUR OWN OFFICE OF, UH, MILITARY AFFAIRS.
THAT WE ARE THE FIRST IN THE COUNTRY THAT IS GONNA BE, UH, DOING THIS PROGRAM TO HELP PROMOTE HIRING OUR SPOUSES OF MILITARY.
I MEAN, WE'VE GOT A NUMBER OF FIRST YEAR IN SAN ANTONIO.
WE ALSO HAVE THAT JOINT SERVICES, UH, UH, SUPPORT AGREEMENT, UH, WITH J B S A WHERE WE CAN COME IN AND DO WORK FOR Y'ALL AND, UH, SUPPORT OUR MILITARY, WHETHER IT'S PAVING ROADS OR GETTING SUPPLIES, THAT KIND OF THING.
SO WE'RE ALL ABOUT SUPPORTING OUR MILITARY HERE IN SAN ANTONIO.
I HAD AN OPPORTUNITY JUST LAST NIGHT TO, UM, ADDRESS, UM, IT WAS A REUNION OF THE BENOIT.
HAS ANYBODY HEARD OF BENOIT BEFORE? OKAY.
AND IT WAS VETERANS AIR FORCE VETERANS COMING TO SAN ANTONIO ON THEIR REUNION FOR THE VERY FIRST TIME.
AND THEY CAME BACK HERE AND THEY WERE SO EXCITED TO BE BACK AND TOURING LACKLAND THAT THEY ALL CAME THROUGH THAT BASE TO GET INTO THE AIR FORCE.
AND THEY WERE ALL SMILES, THEY WERE HAPPY AND THEY, YOU KNOW, AND I EXPRESSED TO THEM OUR SUPPORT OF THE MILITARY HERE IN SAN ANTONIO.
AND GUESS WHAT, IT WAS JUST AS GOOD BACK THEN AS WELL.
AND, UH, THEY WERE ALL HAPPY TO BE BACK HERE IN SAN ANTONIO.
SO, UH, YOU SEE THAT EVERY DAY IN HOW THE MILITARY IS WORKING WITH THE CITY AND VICE VERSA AS WELL.
AND I AM JUST SO HAPPY TO BE A PART OF THIS AIR FORCE BIRTHDAY.
SO THANK Y'ALL VERY MUCH FOR COMING OUT HERE TODAY.
COUNCIL MEMBER ANDREW SULLIVAN.
IT IS AN HONOR TO BE HERE WITH THE AIR FORCE CELEBRATING THIS, THIS BIRTHDAY.
I AM AN ARMY VETERAN, BUT I AM A DEPENDENT OF A 30 YEAR RETIRED AIR FORCE SERVICEMAN.
AND SO I TELL YOU THAT WILFORD HALL WAS WHERE I WAS BORN.
IT WAS WHERE I HAD TWO OF MY CHILDREN.
THE AIR FORCE IS NOT ONLY JUST A SOURCE OF STRENGTH, BUT IT IS A PART OF MY FAMILY, LITERALLY.
AND SO I THANK YOU GUYS FOR BEING HERE.
I LOVE TO SEE MEN AND WOMEN IN UNIFORM.
AND YOU BEING BORN IN THE YEAR 2000, YOU ARE THE
[03:10:01]
SAME AS MY YOUNGEST CHILD.SO CONGRATULATIONS TO YOU FOR MAKING A CAREER THAT WILL DO SOMETHING EXTRAORDINARY FOR YOUR LEGACY TO COME.
AND AGAIN, HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO THE UNITED STATES AIR FORCE.
COUNCIL MEMBER ANDREW SULLIVAN, COUNCIL MEMBER COURAGE.
THANK YOU GENERAL, THANK ALL OF YOU FOR COMING OUT TODAY.
YOU KNOW, THE, UH, AIR FORCE MADE AN INDELIBLE IMPRESSION ON ME AND MY LIFE, AND I KNOW THAT IT DOES THE SAME FOR EVERYONE WHO'S TOUCHED BY THE AIR FORCE AND BY THE MILITARY.
WE CERTAINLY ARE MILITARY CITY HERE, US, UH, U S A HERE.
AND I THINK THAT EVERYTHING THAT YOU DO FOR THIS COUNTRY AND EVERYTHING THAT EVERYBODY IN MILITARY DOES FOR THIS COUNTRY, HELPS US ALL RECOGNIZE THE IMPORTANCE OF, UH, MILITARY SERVICE.
SO, UH, THANK YOU FOR WHAT YOU DO.
THANK YOU FOR CONTINUING TO BE PART OF THE COMMUNITY OF SAN ANTONIO, AND I KNOW OUR COMMUNITY WILL STAND WITH YOU, UH, FOR ALL OF THE CONCERNS AND THE NEEDS THAT YOU HAVE.
I COULDN'T PASS THIS OPPORTUNITY.
UH, GENERAL LINDEMAN, THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR YOUR SERVICE AND YOUR LEADERSHIP HERE AND YOUR RELATIONSHIP WITH THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO.
THANK YOU ALL TO OUR, UM, SOLDIERS WHO ARE HERE, AIRMEN, UH, AND WOMEN WHO ARE HERE AS WELL.
AND I, IT, I DIDN'T WANT IT TO PASS.
UM, JUST THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE, YOUR SACRIFICE, AND YOUR FAMILY SACRIFICE.
AND I THINK IT'S ESPECIALLY IMPORTANT AND POIGNANT AS KNOWING THAT YOU WERE BORN IN 2000, BUT MANY PEOPLE ALSO JOINED IN OUR MILITARY SERVICES SHORTLY AFTER SEPTEMBER 11TH, 2001.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE AND YOUR SACRIFICE AND YOUR COMMITMENT TO THIS GREAT COUNTRY, THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA.
SEEMS LIKE JUST YESTERDAY, GENERAL, THAT YOU ARRIVED TO SAN ANTONIO.
I'M SO GLAD TO SEE THIS COMMUNITY EMBRACE YOU AND YOUR LEADERSHIP, AND THANK YOU FOR ALL THAT YOU DO.
ALL THE MEN AND WOMEN WHO ARE HERE TODAY, YOU MAKE US VERY PROUD TO SAY WE'RE FROM SAN ANTONIO.
SO AS WE CLOSE HERE REAL QUICK, UM, OBVIOUSLY GENERAL LEMAN, THANK YOU FOR, FOR COMING BY TODAY.
VERY BUSY SCHEDULE AND YOU KNOW, FLEXIBILITY IS THE KEY TO AIR POWER.
SO WE APPRECIATE THE FLEXIBILITY AND, AND THE PERMISSION FROM, UH, FOR MERRICK AND MAYOR AND EVERYBODY ELSE IN COUNCIL FOR, UH, LETTING US HAVE HIS BIRTHDAY CEREMONY TODAY.
UH, COUNCILMAN CURRY, YOU GOT TWO DEFENDERS IN THE CROWD.
MAYBE YOU CAN GO GET SOME DEFENDER LOVE, UH, AFTER THIS IS DONE.
AND, UH, WE LIKE TO CLOSE WITH THE AIR FORCE SONG.
SO IF ALL THE AIRMEN WOULD COME BACK, UH, UP FRONT AND GATHER AROUND, I'M GONNA STEP AWAY FROM THE MICROPHONE BECAUSE STRAY DOGS WILL SHOW, BUT THEY HEAR ME SINGING
IF YOU'LL GO AHEAD AND, UH, ROLL THAT BEAUTIFUL AIR FORCE, UH, SONG FOOTAGE.
ALL RIGHT, SO WHENEVER WE HAVE TIME, PLEASE JOIN US, UH, FOR CAKE, FOR OUR ACTIVE DUTY, OUR UNIFORM, OUR CIVILIANS, AND CITY VETERANS.
AND WE'RE GONNA TAKE IT OUT TO THE HALL.
WE CAN TAKE IT OUT TO THE HALL SO WE DON'T INTERRUPT, UH, THE REST OF COUNCIL.
AND UH, COUNCIL, WE ARE ADJOURNED.