[00:00:46]
          >> MAYOR NIRENBERG: ALL RIGHT. GOOD AFTERNOON, EVERYONE. I THINK WE ARE -- I THINK I SPY A QUORUM. 
          ALL RIGHT. THE TIME IS 2:08 P.M. ON THE 12TH DAY OF FEBRUARY, 2025. WE'LL CALL OUR MEETING TO ORDER. 
          MADAM CLERK, COULD YOU READ THE ROLL? >> CLERK: 
          MAYOR, WE HAVE QUORUM. >> MAYOR NIRENBERG: ALL RIGHT. 
          WELCOME, EVERYONE, TO OUR CITY COUNCIL B SESSION. WE HAVE ONE ITEM TODAY ON OUR AGENDA, SO TO GET US STARTED, I'LL TURN US OVER TO CITY MANAGER, 
          ERIK WALSH. >> WALSH: THANK YOU, MAYOR. 
          GOOD AFTERNOON, MAYOR AND COUNCIL. THE ONE ITEM ON OUR AGENDA THIS AFTERNOON IS A BRIEFING AND STATUS REPORT OF THE ASH ARBORETUM SAN ANTONIO. IN 2021, THE FOUNDER OF THE ARBORETUM SAN ANTONIO HENRY CISNEROS MADE A CASE TO MAKE AN ARBORETUM ON THE SOUTH SIDE OF SAN ANTONIO. IN 2022, THE ARBORETUM SAN ANTONIO WAS FORMED WITH A WORLD CLASS HOUSING TREES AND MORE FOR NOT ONLY SAN ANTONIO, BUT SOUTH TEXAS. AND THE VISION AS YOU'LL HEAR TODAY IS DRIVEN BY A SUSTAINABLE STEWARDSHIP, CULTURAL COMMITMENT, CONTINUOUS LEARNING, INCLUDING THE COMMUNITY, AND ENGAGING AND PARTNERSHIPS. 
          IT'S 188-ACRE SITE ON SOUTHEAST MILITARY DRIVE THAT HAS BEEN IDENTIFIED TO SERVE AS THE ARBORETUM. AND CURRENTLY THE ARBORETUM IS UNDERGOING A MASTER PLANNING PROCESS THROUGH THE MIDDLE OF 2025. SO WE'RE GOING TO HEAR FROM A COUPLE OF FOLKS TODAY. WE'LL START OFF FROM HENRY CISNEROS, AND THEN TRANSITION TO TOM COARSER, WHO IS THE FORMER CEO OF ARBORETUM SAN ANTONIO, AND THEN TO ADRIANA KEOGH NECESSARY WHO IS THE CURRENT  AND NEW CEO OF ARBORETUM SAN ANTONIO TO KIND OF WALK THROUGH THE VISION AND THE PLAN, AND WHERE THEY'RE AT IN TERMS OF ALL THOSE EFFORTS. 
          SO HENRY? >> THANK YOU, COUNCILMEMBERS. 
          WHAT A DELIGHT IT IS TO BE HERE WITH ALL OF YOU TO SHARE OUR VISION -- 
          >> MAYOR NIRENBERG: HOLD ON ONE SECOND. LET GET YOUR MIC FIXED. 
          >> THANK YOU. THANK YOU FOR DOING THAT FOR THE LITTLE PEOPLE. 
          AND I CAN SEE ALL OF YOU VERY WELL. MY NAME'S E VANNING GE 
          LENA FLORES. >> MAYOR NIRENBERG: I'M SORRY TO INTERRUPT. 
          WE'RE STILL NOT GETTING AUDIO OUT OF YOUR MICROPHONE. 
          TRY IT NOW? >> MY NAME'S EVANGELINEA FLORES, I'M THE CHAIRMAN OF THE BOARD OF ARBORETUM SAN ANTONIO. A GREAT PRIDE AND HONOR FOR MYSELF IN LEADERSHIP, BUT MAINLY TO BE HEADING UP THIS BOARD AS OUR CITY MANAGER, ERIK SAID, EARLIER HENRY CAME TO US WITH A VISION AND A MISSION, AND WE ALL THOUGHT IT WAS THE BEST THING THAT WE COULD BRING AND BUILD FOR SAN ANTONIO. SO WE'RE HERE TO TELL YOU WHERE WE ARE WITH THAT, AND I'M GOING TO -- THERE ARE SEVERAL PEOPLE FROM OUR BOARD HERE, I WON'T TAKE THE TIME TO INTRODUCE ALL OF THEM, BUT WE HAVE A SIGNIFICANT ATTENDANCE FROM OUR BOARD OF DIRECTORS, WHICH REALLY SHOULD TELL YOU HOW MUCH EACH ONE OF THEM IS COMMITTED TO MAKING THIS A WORLDWIDE, WORLD CLASS ARBORETUM, AND NOW I'M GOING TO INTRODUCE A MAN WHO NEEDS NO INTRODUCTION, AND SO HE CAN TELL YOU A LITTLE BIT 
          ABOUT THE VISION. HENRY? >> THANK YOU FOR THE INTRODUCTION, AND THANK YOU -- OKAY. WE NEED GO THE OTHER WAY 
          [00:05:03]
          HERE. [LAUGHTER] >> AND THANK YOU FOR -- OKAY. THANK YOU. HE'S 6'8". 
          I'M 6'2". THANK YOU FOR ALL YOUR GREAT SERVICE, VANGIE, AND MAYOR, MEMBERS OF THE COUNCIL -- HONOR TO BE HERE BEFORE YOU AND JUST SHARE WITH YOU THE ACCOMPLISHMENTS OVER THE LAST COUPLE OF YEARS, WHICH ARE VERY, VERY SUBSTANTIAL, I'M VERY, VERY PROUD OF THAT. IF I'M A LITTLE NERVOUS TODAY, IT'S BECAUSE I HAVE BEEN IN THIS ROOM BEFORE. 
          THIS WAS THE COUNCIL CHAMBER. THE CITY -- THE DAIS WAS ABOUT RIGHT THERE, AND BEHIND THAT WAS THE AREA BEHIND THE COUNCIL. 
          THIS WAS FILLED WITH SEATS, AND IN THOSE DAYS, IT WAS JAM PACKED FULL, MANY, MANY THURSDAYS, AND FREQUENTLY WENT UNTIL 10:00, 11:00, OR MIDNIGHT. THIS IS THE DAYS WHEN I SERVED WITH YOUR FATHER HERE ON THIS COUNCIL. THIS IS THE DAYS WHEN WE WERE GOING THROUGH THE TRANSITION FROM AT LARGE TO SINGLE-MEMBER DISTRICTS AND THE CITY WAS EXPERIMENTING WITH A WHOLE NEW EXON SEPTEMBER CONCEPT OF BRINGING COUNCILMEMBERS AND PEOPLE ELECTED FROM COUNCIL DISTRICTS AND WE WERE TESTING EVERY ASPECT OF WHAT THAT MEANT, INCLUDING THE RELATIONSHIP WITH THE CITY MANAGER. SO THIS ROOM HAS ECHOS AND GHOSTS FOR ME. LET ME JUST SAY QUICKLY, I'M VERY PROUD OF THE ACCOMPLISHMENTS OF 2024 FOR THE ARBORETUM SAN ANTONIO. 
          AND LET ME JUST DESCRIBE THEM QUICKLY. ONE IS THE NEAR COMPLETION OF THE MASTER PLAN, WHICH IS WITHIN MONTHS OF COMPLETION. 
          YOU'LL HEAR MORE ABOUT THAT FROM OUR PRESENTERS, BUT IT IS -- WE GOT THE BEST FIRM IN THE WORLD, LITERALLY, SAZOKY OUT OF DENVER AND OTHER POINTS TO DO THE MASTER PLAN, WHICH IS THE SORT OF WORK THAT GOES IN DEPTH AND INTERVIEWS PEOPLE AND HAS PUBLIC MEETINGS. IT'S BEEN REALLY SUBSTANTIAL. THE SECOND IS WE'RE GOING THROUGH A CEO TRANSITION. TOM COARSER, WHO MANY OF YOU HAVE GOTTEN TO GO, NEVER INTENDED TO BE THE CEO. HE WAS A BOARD MEMBER AND A VOLUNTEER, AND HE JUST DID SUCH A GOOD JOB, WE ASKED HIM WOULD HE TAKE ON THE ROLE OF INTERIM, WHICH HE'S DONE FOR ALMOST THREE YEARS. 
          AND MOST OF WHAT WE'VE ACCOMPLISHED GOING FORWARD HAS BEEN BECAUSE OF HIS EXPERIENCE AND BACKGROUND. SO I WANT TO THANK TOM PUBLICLY FOR THAT. EVEN AS WE INTRODUCE OUR NEW CEO TODAY, ADRIAN FLA QUINOLLENES, WHO COMES TO US FROM A BACKGROUND IN OHIO, STUDYING PLANT BIOLOGY AND OTHER FIELDS RELATES TO ARBORETUM, HAS SERVED IN THREE DIFFERENT ARBORETUMS, ONE OF WHICH SHE STARTED FROM SCRATCH IN NORTH CAROLINA, AND PRESENTLY IS THE DIRECTOR OF THE ARBORETUM IN COLUMBUS, GEORGIA. 
          WE FOUND HER TO BE JUST THE EXACT GOOD FIT FOR SAN ANTONIO. 
          YOU'RE GOING TO LIKE HER. THE THIRD THING IS WE PURCHASED ADDITIONAL LAND. WE'RE IN THE PROCESS OF PURCHASING ABOUT 18 MORE ACRES TO OUR PRESENT GOLF COURSE AND THE AREA BEYOND IT, WHICH WAS NOT PART OF THE GOLF COURSE, BUT HAS BEEN ADDED TO THE ARBORETUM, THANKS TO LEO GOMEZ AND THE BROOKS TEAM THAT HELPS US MAKE THAT POSSIBLE. AND WE CAME ACROSS THIS ADDITIONAL 18 ACRES WHICH WAS GOING TO BE USED FOR A DEVELOPMENT ADJACENT TO THE ARBORETUM, BUT IT WOULD HURT THE NATURAL LOOK OF THE ARBORETUM. INSTEAD, WE'RE ABLE TO ADD MORE FRONTAGE ON SOUTHEAST MILITARY DRIVE, SOME BUILDINGS THAT WE NEED FOR STORAGE OF EQUIPMENT AND SO FORTH. BIG ACCOMPLISHMENT. 
          AND FINALLY, OUR FUNDRAISING IS DOING WELL, AND WE'RE ABLE TO HAVE ENOUGH MONEY TO SHOW A QUALITY CEO THAT WE HAD MONEY IN HAND TO BUY THIS PROPERTY AND KEEP MOVING FORWARD. BUT THIS IS A BIG VENTURE FOR THE LONG RUN; HENCE, WE WELCOME THE OPPORTUNITY TO BRIEF YOU AND ENGAGE THE CITY. LET ME BEGIN BY JUST -- AND MY REMARKS WILL BE RELATIVELY BRIEF, BUT LET ME JUST SAY -- ASK THE QUESTION, WHAT IS AN ARBORETUM? BECAUSE WE GET ASKED THAT ALL THE TIME. 
          IT'S A PLACE WHERE ONE CAN REFLECT ON AND HONOR THE MAJESTIC TREES OF OUR REGION. AND THAT SOUNDS SOMEHOW PASSE, BUT IT REALLY IS A POWERFUL THING WHEN YOU SEE SOME OF THE ARBORETUMS IN THE COUNTRY AND WHAT THEY MEAN. IT IS A SCIENTIFIC PLACE, IT IS AN EDUCATIONAL PLACE. THIS ONE IS ON THE SOUTH SIDE OF THE CITY. 
          YEP. IT'S ON THE SOUTH SIDE OF THE CITY, AND I WANT TO SPECIFICALLY THANK COUNCILMAN PHYLLIS VIAGRAN FOR HER ENGAGEMENT IN THIS ALL THE WAY. IT IS ADJACENT TO THE BROOKS AREA, WHICH IS GROWING FANTASTICALLY, AND LEO HAS PLAYED A ROLE 
          [00:10:01]
IN THAT. IT IS -- THE SALADO CREEK RUNS THROUGH IT, SO WE GET THE BENEFIT OF THE WATER, AS WELL AS THE ABILITY TO IRRIGATE AND SHARE THE TREE SPECIES THAT GROW BECAUSE THE WATER'S BEEN THERE, SOME OF THOSE HAVE BEEN THERE FOR 300 YEARS. WE HAVE SOMETHING LIKE 30 OR SO HERITAGE TREES OF THE KINDS YOU SEE IN PICTURES THAT ARE, AS I SAY, UP TO 300 YEARS OLD. WE HOPE TO BE FREE TO THE PUBLIC SO PEOPLE CAN USE THE TRAIL SYSTEM TO GET IN AND OUT, AS WELL AS COME AS THEY WOULD TO ANY OTHER PUBLIC FACILITY, AND WE HOPE THAT IT HAS CITYWIDE IMPLICATIONS, BECAUSE SOME OF WHAT WILL GO ON THERE COULD BE SHARED WITH THE REST OF THE CITY. IN OTHER WORDS, WE SAID FROM THE BEGINNING, THIS IS NOT AN ARBORETUM THAT IS JUST A PHYSICAL PLACE, BUT IT'S A CONCEPT. AND THE CONCEPT IS APPRECIATE SAN ANTONIO'S TREE COVER, OUR TREE CANOPY, OUR TREES. HELP TEACH, HELP SPREAD THE WORD, GROW TREES THERE THAT CAN GO INTO PUBLIC PROJECTS ELSEWHERE ACROSS THE COMMUNITY. LET ME WIND DOWN MY REMARKS BY JUST ABIDING BY THAT CONCEPT THAT A PICTURE'S WORTH A THOUSAND WORDS. 
          AND I WANT TO ANSWER THE QUESTION OF WHAT IS AN ARBORETUM BY SHOWING YOU PICTURES FROM ARBORETUMS AROUND THE COUNTRY. WHAT YOU SEE HERE IS BOSTON, ARNOLD ARBORETUM, WHICH WAS CREATED BY HARVARD 150 YEARS AGO, BUT IS RUN BY THE CITY OF BOSTON TODAY. IT'S IN THE HEART OF THE CITY. AND THESE ARE JUST EXAMPLES OF THE HERITAGE TREES THAT LIVE THERE. I HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO VISIT AND TOOK THESE PICTURES IN THE FALL, SO YOU CAN SEE -- AND WE CAN DO THE SAME THING, BECAUSE WE HAVE SPECIES OF TREES HERE, WITNESS THE L LAS MAPLES NEARBY, BUT TREES THAT FLOWER RED AND ORANGE IN THE FALL. 
          THIS IS SOMETHING THAT WE FOUND IN RHODE ISLAND, I TOOK THESE PICTURES VISITING THE STATE CAPITOL. ADJACENT TO THE STATE CAP POLL IS AN ARBORETUM, AND THIS IS ONE LITTLE PORTIO OF IT THAT IS A MONUMENT TO VETERANS -- VETERAN'S MEMORIAL THERE. BEXAR COUNTY HAS SUFFERED MORE -- HAS SACRIFICED MORE SERVICE PEOPLE IN THE RECENT WARS THAN ANY OTHER COUNTY IN TEXAS, AND IT'S APPROPRIATE THAT WE WOULD DO SOMETHING AS PART OF THE ARBORETUM. THIS IS THE NATIONAL ARBORETUM IN WASHINGTON, AND I WANTED TO JUST GIVE YOU FACETS. THIS IS A YOUTH GARDEN, YOU CAN SEE THAT THE CHILDREN OF THE AREA HAVE COME THERE AS OUR CHILDREN FROM OUR COMMUNITY WILL DO. IT'S OPEN TO ALL THE SCHOOLS, AND I THINK WE'RE GOING TO HAVE A MAJOR EDUCATIONAL PROGRAM THERE. THIS IS JUST AN EXAMPLE OF A GREAT MAJESTIC TREE WITH A BENCH UNDER IT THAT PEOPLE GO AND RELAX AT THE ARBORETUM THERE. 
          AND THEN THERE'S THESE SHORTER KINDS OF TREES, THERE'S A BENCH UNDER THESE AS WELL, BUT THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN AN ARBORETUM AND A GARDEN OR A PARK, A PARK IS MORE ACTIVE. THIS IS MORE A COLLECTION OF TREES. THERE IS ACTIVITY, AS YOU WILL SEE IN A MOMENT, BUT IT'S NOT BALL FIELDS AND SOCCER FIELDS. IT'S NOT A GARDEN EITHER, IN THAT IT'S NOT PRINCIPALLY FLOWERS. IT'S LARGER, AS THEY SAY, WOODY PLANTS. AND  I FIND IT TO BE JUST INSPIR RAITIONAL. 
          THIS IS THE ARBORETUM AT COLORADO STATE UNIVERSITY, MANY UNIVERSITIES IN AMERICA HAVE DECLARED A PART OF, OR THEIR ENTIRE CAMPUS, AS AN ARBORETUM. AND YOU CAN SEE THE MAGESTY OF HAVING A WALKWAY OF GREAT TREES, AS THEY HAVE THERE. THIS IS AT KAL STATE FULLER TON, AND THIS IS SOMETHING WE COULD DO INSTANTLY. 
          WE'VE GOT TREES THAT LOOK JUST LIKE THESE AND SITES THAT LOOK JUST LIKE THESE, AS WE GET UNDER WAY. THIS IS THE HOYT ARBORETUM IN PORTLAND, AND, OF COURSE, THESE ARE TREES THAT WE DON'T HAVE HERE, BUT THIS GIVES AN EXAMPLE OF KEEPING A PORTION OF AN ARBORETUM WILD SO PEOPLE CAN WALK THROUGH IT. THE JAPANESE CALL IT FOREST BATHING, BECAUSE THE TREES GIVE OFF OXYGEN AND LITERALLY WALKING THROUGH THE TRAILS, YOU JUST BREATHE DEEPLY AND FEEL THE CLEAN AIR IN AN ARBORETUM. THIS IS WHERE ARBORETUM'S BEGAN, IN ENGLAND. 
          THIS IS AT THE NATIONAL ARBORETUM IN ENGLAND, AND YOU CAN SEE THE WAY THEY'VE TREATED THE GROUND AROUND A MAJESTIC TREE, AND IT'S A GLORIOUS THING. THIS IS INTERESTING. THERE'S -- THIS IS SWARTHMORE, PENNSYLVANIA, WHICH IS SWARTHMORE COLLEGE, YOU CAN SEE WHAT 
          [00:15:07]
THEY'VE DONE THERE. WE'VE GOT 200 ACRES WHEN WE'RE FINISHED WITH THIS LATEST TRANSACTION, AND THAT'S A LOT OF SPACE TO WORK WITH. 
          AND YOU'LL SEE WHEN THE PRESENTATION IS MADE, HOW WE THOUGHT ABOUT DIFFERENT CONCEPTS FOR DIFFERENT PARTS OF THE ARBORETUM. 
          THIS IS WASHINGTON PARK ARBORETUM AND YOU SEE THE CHERRY BLOSSOMS AT A PARTICULAR TIME OF THE YEAR. AT THE NATIONAL ARBORETUM, DIFFERENT COUNTRIES AND DIFFERENT STATES HAVE GIVEN THEIR TREES SO IT GEOGRAPHICALLY IS LAYED OUT IN A WAY THAT YOU CAN GO TO THE JAPANESE SECTION AND SEE THE CHERRY BLOSSOMS, SUCH AS THESE, FOR EXAMPLE. OTHER TREES FROM OTHER -- FROM STATES. 
          I MENTIONED ACTIVITIES, I VISITED THE BALTIMORE ARBORETUM ONE SATURDAY MORNING THIS LAST FALL, AND THERE WERE PEOPLE DOING ORGANIZED TAI CHI OUT IN THE YARD EARLY ON A CRISP AUTUMN MORNING. THIS IS INTERESTING BECAUSE YOU CAN SEE A PART OF THAT ARBORETUM WAS LEFT WILD, BUT NOT SO WILD THAT IT CAN'T BE USED BY PERSONS WITH DISABILITIES. 
          SO YOU SEE, THERE'S SOME SIGNAGE THAT POINTS TO DIFFERENT TRAILS, BUT THE TRAILS SHOW THE ABILITY TO TAKE WHEELCHAIRS ON THEM, AND THIS IS WHAT ONE OF THOSE TRAILS LOOKS LIKE AT THAT ARBORETUM. THEY ALSO HAVE AN EDUCATION BUILDING, THE KIND OF THING WE WOULD LIKE TO BUILD SOMETIME. 
          THIS ONE IS TO BRING SCHOOL CHILDREN IN AND SHOW THEM HOW BIRDS FUNCTION IN A CITY, WHAT DIFFERENT KIND OF TREES. HERE'S AN EXHIBIT OF THE BYRBIRDS OF THE REGION. AND JUST LIKE WE WOULD DO, WE WOULD REQUIRE A CERTAIN NUMBER OF BUILDINGS OVER TIME, THIS IS OVER A 10-YEAR SPAN, BUT BUILDINGS LIKE THIS WHICH IS ONE OF THEIR EDUCATIONAL BUILDING AT A PLACE IN THE ARBORETUM. WE LOOK FORWARD TO RESEARCH, EDUCATION, ASSEMBLIES, SPACES THAT CAN BE RENTED FOR EVERYTHING FROM CONFERENCES TO WEDDINGS, SO THIS IS -- I WANTED TO JUST SHOW YOU FROM WHAT EXISTS IN OTHER PLACES. AND ABOUT 41 OF THE 50 MAJOR CITIES IN AMERICA HAVE ARBORETUMS. WE'VE GOT A LOT OF PARKS. I BET YOU DIDN'T KNOW IF YOU COUNTED THE PARKS IN SAN ANTONIO, IT COMES TO OVER 250 PARKS IN BEXAR COUNTY, BUT NOT ONE THAT IS SPECIFICALLY DEDICATED TO THE TREES, THE SPECIES OF TREES, THE PROMOTION OF THE TREE CANOPY, A DRESSING OF THAT IN A CLIMATE-CHANGE ENVIRONMENT WHERE WE'RE GOING TO -- WE DON'T KNOW WHAT KINDS OF TREES WILL SURVIVE 15, 20 YEARS FROM NOW WITH THE CLIMATE CHANGES, BUT THAT'S WHERE THE SCIENCE COMES IN, TRYING TO ANTICIPATE AND TEACH PEOPLE IN THE COMMUNITY ABOUT THAT. SO THANK YOU FOR GIVING ME THE CHANCE TO INTRODUCE THE SUBJECT. I'M VERY, VERY, VERY EXCITED ABOUT THIS. 
          YOU'RE GOING TO LOVE IT AS WE GO FORWARD. AND WE'LL BE WANTING TO TALK TO YOU AS THE YEARS GO ON, ESPECIALLY AS YOU BEGIN THINKING ABOUT THE CONTENT OF THE BOND ISSUE IN 2027, WE HOPE THAT WE CAN PURR SUEDE YOU THAT THERE'S A -- PERSUADE YOU THAT THERE'S A LITTLE PIECE OF THAT THAT NEEDS TO BE RESERVED FOR THIS PURPOSE FOR THE NEXT 100 YEARS. 
          I STARTED THE SLIDE SHOW BY SHOWING A 150 YEAR OLD ARBORETUM IN BOSTON,  AND EVERYTHING STARTS SOMEWHERE. THIS IS OUR STARTING POINT. LET ME TURN THE FLOOR OVER TO TOM COARSER. 
          AGAIN, I INTRODUCED HIM BY SAYING HE'S BEEN THE INTERIM CEO. 
          HE'S DONE A FANTASTIC JOB. HE CAME HERE TO RETIRE, HIS WIFE SAYS -- REMINDS HIM EVERY DAY, WE CAME HERE TO RETIRE. 
          NOT DO A 24/7 JOB, SO TOM COARSER. . 
          >> SO, YES, I OFFICIALLY FAILED AT RETIREMENT, BUT I'M GOING TO MAKE IT HAPPEN THIS TIME. THANK YOU, HENRY, AND EVANGELINA FOR THAT. 
          AGAIN, TRANSITION, I'M GOING TO SHARE THE PODIUM WITH ADRIANA QUIN OWE NECESSARY WHO'S OUR NEW CEO. AS HENRY SAID, SHE COMES FROM A DEEP BACKGROUND AS AN EXECUTIVE OF MANAGING A PUBLIC GARDEN, SO THAT'S VERY IMPORTANT. UNLIKE ME, WHO DOESN'T HAVE THAT EXPERIENCE, SO THIS IS GOING TO BE A GREAT STEP FORWARD FOR THE ARBORETUM, A GREAT STEP FORWARD FOR SAN ANTONIO. SO MAYBE OUR INTRODUCTION 
          CAN BE DONE NOW. >> WELL -- SO DO I HIT BUTTONS OR -- 
          >> I THINK SO. >> THERE WE GO. OH, PERFECT. 
          PERFECT. WELL, THANK YOU. OKAY. 
          THANK YOU. CAN YOU HEAR ME OKAY? WELL, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR ALLOWING US TO HAVE THIS TIME HERE. IT WAS GREAT TO MEET SOME OF YOU ALREADY, AND I HOPE THAT I GET TO MEET MORE OF YOU AS WE MOVE 
          [00:20:05]
ON. JUST A REAL QUICK, I HAVE BEEN IN THE PUBLIC GARDEN WORLD FOR ALMOST 30 YEARS, AS HENRY SAID, I HAVE LED MANY BOTANIC GARDENS AND ARBORETA, AND ONE OF THE BEAUTIFUL THINGS FOR ME IS TO BE ABLE TO BE A CHANCE OF THIS PROJECT. MY BACKGROUND IS IN TREES SPECIFICALLY, I'VE DONE RESEARCH IN TREES, AND MY WHOLE CAREER STARTED WHEN I WAS 26 AT AN ARBORETUM. SO THIS IS A FULL CIRCLE FOR ME, AND I'M JUST SO EXCITED TO BE HERE IN SAN ANTONIO AND BE ABLE TO BE A PART OF THIS. IT'S REALLY VERY EXCITING. 
          THIS IS OUR VISION AND MISSION. IT IS WHAT GUIDES US. 
          IT'S WHAT WE'VE DEVELOPED, AND IT'S WHAT WE MOVE FORWARD WITH. 
          AND I HOPE YOU GET A CHANCE TO READ IT. I'M NOT GOING TO READ EVERY SLIDE TO YOU, BECAUSE IT'S JUST A LITTLE -- AUDIO] -- BUT -- AND WE USE OUR VALUES TO DRIVE WHAT WE ARE GOING TO DO. 
          AND THESE ARE FIVE VERY SIGNIFICANT VALUES, OUR SUSTAINABLE STEWARDSHIP, CULTURAL COMMITMENT, CONTINUOUS LEARNING, ENGAGED PARTNERSHIP AND AN INCLUSIVE COMMUNITY. AND WE HAVE DEVELOPED THE ARBORETUM AND OUR MASTER PLAN BASED ON THESE VALUES, IT'S WHAT MAKES US GO FORWARD AND DO THE THINGS WE DO. AND HENRY ALREADY SAID, WHAT IS AN ARBORETUM. 
          I ALWAYS LIKE TO SAY THIS AS WELL, BECAUSE MANY PEOPLE DON'T UNDERSTAND THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE TWO OF THEM, BUT ONE OF THE BEAUTIFUL THINGS ABOUT ARBORETUMS, AND ONE OF THE THINGS I ASKED HENRY ABOUT LAST NIGHT IS WHY DID -- WHY AN ARBORETUM? IT'S SUCH A THING THAT DOESN'T GET PICKED VERY OFTEN. PEOPLE THINK OF GARDENS, THEY DON'T THINK OF ARBORETUMS, BUT ARBORETUMS ARE SO SPECIAL TO PEOPLE. YOU KNOW, WHEN YOU THINK OF -- WHEN SOMEBODY PROPOSES TO SOMEBODY, THEY REMEMBER THE TREE THAT THEY PROPOSED UNDER, RIGHT? OR THEY REMEMBER THE PLACE THEY HAD THEIR PICTURES TAKEN, IF IT WAS THIS BEAUTIFUL TREE. TREES WRITE THEMSELVES INTO OUR STORIES, RIGHT? TREES BECOME WHO WE ARE, THEY BECOME PART OF WHY WE DO, AND THEY LAST BEYOND US. AS HENRY SAID, 150 YEARS FROM NOW, THIS ARBORETUM WILL STILL BE THERE MAKING MEMORIES AND BEING A PART OF PEOPLE'S LIVES, AND THAT'S WHY ARBORETUMS ARE SO IMPORTANT, THAT PERMANENCE THAT YOU GET WITH TREES. AND ADDITIONALLY, ALL OF THESE OTHER THINGS, THE RESEARCH, THE FAMILY, THE COMMUNITY, ACCESS TO NATURE, ALL OF THOSE ARE PART OF IT, BUT ALL OF THOSE COME BACK TO THE TREES. AND THAT'S THE IMPORTANCE OF HAVING AN ARBORETUM. 
          AND SO I JUST QUICKLY WANT TO INTRODUCE OUR TEAM. 
          I AM THE NEWEST MEMBER, BUT WE HAVE A BEAUTIFUL BOARD OF DIRECTORS THAT HAS A DEPTH OF KNOWLEDGE, A DEPTH OF UNDERSTANDING AND THEY'RE SO PASSIONATE AND SO READY TO GIVE THEIR WHOLE LIVES TO THIS PROJECT. 
          YOU KNOW, ALL OF THESE PEOPLE, BARRING ME, ARE VOLUNTEERS. 
          THEY DON'T GET PAID TO DO THIS, AND YET HERE THEY ARE, GIVING THIS TIME TO DO THIS VERY SPECIAL THING FOR SAN ANTONIO. NOT JUST ONE SECTION, BUT 
          THE WHOLE COMMUNITY. AND SO -- >> 
          >> YES. THANK YOU. I WAS GOING TO DO THAT. 
          SO HERE'S -- MOST OF THEM YOU ALREADY -- SORRY. MOST OF THEM YOU ALREADY KNOW, BECAUSE THEY ARE SUCH PILLARS IN OUR COMMUNITY. 
          AND I'M NEW, BUT ALREADY I KNOW THIS. WE ALSO HAVE A BOARD OF ADVISERS, AND THEY BRING A WHOLE WEALTH OF KNOWLEDGE, THEY ARE SUBJECT MATTER EXPERIENCE, THEY KNOW WHAT THEY'RE DOING, AND WE'RE SO THRILLED THAT WE HAVE THESE ADVISERS TO HELP US. 
          AND MANY OF THEM ARE PART OF OUR CITY AS WELL. AND SO WE'VE BROUGHT TOGETHER QUITE A WONDERFUL TEAM OF PEOPLE, AND I DON'T KNOW IF ANY OF THEM ARE HERE. AND FINALLY OUR CONSULTANT TEAM. 
          ONE OF THE -- I ALREADY MENTIONED SASAKI, THEY ARE AN INTERNATIONAL COMPANY, NOT JUST A NATIONAL COMPANY, AND THEY HAVE DONE SOME OF THE MOST SPECTACULAR PROJECTS ACROSS THE GLOBE, AND THIS IS WHO WE ARE WORKING WITH. WE ARE WORKING WITH A QUALITY TEAM THAT IS DEVELOPING THIS PLAN. ADDITIONALLY, WE HAVE A WHOLE HOST OF CONSULTANTS THAT ARE LOCAL CONSULTANTS, PEOPLE WHO RIGHT HERE IN OUR COMMUNITY THAT ARE HELPING THEM, MANY OF THESE ARE BOTH -- THEY COULD -- MINORITY-OWNED OR SMALL BUSINESSES OR BOTH, AND THIS IS A WONDERFUL THING, BECAUSE THOSE PEOPLE ARE GIVING BACK TO THEIR OWN COMMUNITY, RIGHT? THEY ARE PART OF WHAT WE'RE DEVELOPING AND HAVING THE STRONG, LOCAL CONTINGENCY IS ONE OF THE GREAT PARTS ABOUT OUR 
          [00:25:02]
CONSULTANT TEAM. ADDITIONALLY, BECAUSE OF HAVING SUCH A STRONG LOCAL PRESENCE IN OUR TEAM, WE'RE ALSO BEING ABLE TO KEEP SOME OF OUR CONSULTING DOLLARS RIGHT HERE LOCALLY IN SAN ANTONIO, BECAUSE WE ARE USING THAT MONEY TO PAY THEM AS WELL, WHICH IS A WONDERFUL THING TO HAVE. YOU KNOW, THAT WE'RE ABLE TO KEEP OUR DOLLARS RIGHT HERE IN OUR OWN COMMUNITY. SO THAT'S OUR TEAM. 
          I, AS THE NEWEST MEMBER OF THE TEAM, AM STILL ALSO LEARNING ABOUT ALL THE DETAILS OF THIS PLAN. AND SO FOR YOUR SAKE, I'M GOING TO TURN IT BACK OVER TO TOM, WHO HAS WORKED SO HARD OVER THE YEARS ON THIS PROJECT AND HAS LEFT ME HUGE SHOES TO FILL, BUT ALSO HAS SET ME UP FOR SUCCESS, AND I'M THRILLED THAT I'M ABLE TO INTRODUCE TOM TO YOU. 
          >> THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU. SO I WANT TO GIVE YOU SOME DETAILS ABOUT THE PLACE, AS WELL AS OUR PROCESS OF MASTER PLANNING AND KIND OF WHERE WE LANDED AND WHERE WE ARE IN THAT PROCESS. 
          WE'RE, AGAIN, PROBABLY THREE-QUARTERS OF THE WAY THROUGH IT. 
          SO I'M GOING TO GIVE YOU THAT OVERVIEW, IF I MAY. SO, AGAIN, WE'RE LOCATED ON THE OLD REPUBLIC GOLF CLUB. AM I ABLE TO BE HEARD HERE? AND IT'S ON THE SOUTHEAST PART OF TOWN AND THE LOWER RIGHT-HAND SIDE OF THE SLIDE, IT'S AN OLD GOLF COURSE THAT WAS SHUT DOWN ABOUT FOUR YEARS AGO. THE PERFECT SITE. WE SEARCHED THE WHOLE SOUTH SIDE OF SAN ANTONIO FOR THE APPROPRIATE SITE FOR THIS, AND THIS WAS -- AS HENRY TERMED, THE PERFECT SPOT FOR IT. IT HAS TREES, IT HAS WATER, IT HAS ACCESS ON SOUTHEAST MILITARY, SO IT REALLY IS A FUNDAMENTALLY ALMOST PROVE DEN SHALL SITE FOR US TO HAVE AN ARBORETUM. 
          >> THE MILITARY DRIVE EXIT, WHICH IS BROOKS, TURN LEFT ON SOUTHEAST MILITARY DRIVE AND YOU DON'T GO EVEN A MILE, MAYBE THREE-QUARTERS OF A MILE, PASTED A COUPLE OF SUBDIVISIONS. AND ON THE RIGHT-HAND SIDE IS WHERE THE ENTRANCE TO THE ARBORETUM WILL BE, ACROSS THE STREET FROM ONE OF THE TRAILHEADS THAT THE CITY OPERATES. 
          SO -- ON THE CIBOLO CREEK, SO, I MEAN, REALLY FOR PEOPLE COMING FROM THE DOWNTOWN, TOURISTS WHO WANT TO GO THERE IN DUE COURSE, IT'S A 
          STRAIGHT SHOT. >> YEAH, WE TIMED IT A NUMBER OF TIMES, OBVIOUSLY, BUT ABOUT 12 MINUTES FROM DOWNTOWN, SO IT'S A VERY SHORT, SHORT RIDE. AND IT'S JUST TO THE EAST OF BROOKS CITY BASE. 
          AND AS YOU'LL HEAR  , BROOKS HAS BEEN A FUNDAMENTAL ENABLER OF THE ARBORETUM BY A NUMBER OF DIMENSIONS. OPERATIONALLY, THEIR STAFF HAS BEEN HUGELY SUPPORTIVE, THEY'VE PURCHASED ABOUT 177 ACRES OF THIS, THAT THEY'RE LEASING TO THE ARBORETUM, AND THEY'VE ALSO HAD PLENTY OF CASH DONATIONS, SO WE'RE VERY GRATEFUL TO BROOKS FOR THAT. 
          SO THE SITE ITSELF, AGAIN, 188 ACRES, AS HENRY MENTIONED, WE'RE PURCHASING AN ADDITIONAL 18.5 ACRES THAT WILL INCLUDE THE PARKING LOT AND SOME OF THE BUILDINGS, SO A TOTAL OF 200 ACRES HAS -- AS I MENTIONED, A NUMBER OF TREES, A NUMBER OF HERITAGE TREES. 
          IT'S RIGHT ALONG SALADO CREEK, SO OBVIOUSLY IT'S IN THE FLOODPLAIN. 
          A LOT OF TIERED TREES, BUT TREES DON'T MIND GETTING THEIR FEET WET NOW AND THEN, SO THAT'S OKAY. WE HAVE THE GREENWAY -- HOWARD PEAK GREENWAY TRAIL SYSTEM WILL RUN THROUGH THERE. 
          WE'VE BEEN WORKING WITH YOUR CITY STAFF TO PLAN THAT ROUTE THROUGH THE ARBORETUM. IT'S ADJACENT, AS YOU SEE IN THE UPPER LEFT CORNER OF THIS MAP, THAT COSA PARCEL IS WHERE THE CITY CURRENTLY HAS PART OF THEIR SYSTEM AND THE TRAILHEAD, AND WE ARE WORKING WITH THE PARKS AND REC DEPARTMENT AND OTHERS TO TRY TO MAKE THAT AS ARBORETUMMESQUE AS POSSIBLE, TO MAKE BEST USE OF THAT AS AN ADJACENT NEIGHBOR. 
          THERE ARE CART PATHS THAT THE GOLF COURSE USED, ABOUT 4 MILES, THAT ARE IN PRETTY GOOD SHAPE, SO SOME AREAS NEED SOME HELP, BUT IT'S VERY USABLE TODAY, AND WE'RE VERY EXCITED ABOUT THAT. 
          SO I WANT TO DIVE INTO THE MASTER PLANNING. ONE OF THE FUNDAMENTALS OF OUR MASTER PLAN WAS WE WERE GOING TO HAVE THREE BIG DELIVERABLES, AND THE MASTER PLAN TEAM ADDED A FOURTH. ONE IS, WE'RE GOING TO DO A STRATEGIC PLAN, UNDERSTAND OUR MISSION, VISION, VALUES THAT ADRIANA WENT OVER. TWO IS DO THE SITE PLAN, UNDERSTAND WHAT WE NEED ON THE ARBORETUM SITE, WHAT KIND OF PROGRAMS, WHAT KIND OF ASSETS WE HAVE. AND THREE IS OPERATIONS PLAN. 
          [00:30:03]
TODAY WE DO NOT HAVE AN OPERATING ARBORETUM, SO WE HAD TO COME UP WITH THAT OPERATION'S PLAN, THE BUSINESS MODEL, THE PROGRAMMING AND SO FORTH. AND THE 4TH THAT THE SASAKI WAS ADAMANT ABOUT ADDING ON WAS COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT, MAKING THAT A FUNDAMENTAL ASPECT OF OUR MASTER PLANNING, AND I THINK WE'VE EXECUTED ON THAT QUITE WELL. 
          WE'RE A LITTLE BEYOND THREE-QUARTERS OF THE WAY THROUGH THAT PROCESS, WE'VE GOT TWO COMMUNITY EVENTS UNDER OUR BELT. WE'VE GOT SURVEYS THAT WE'VE POSTED ON OUR WEBSITE AND FOCUS GROUPS THAT WE'VE HELD TO GET COMMUNITY INPUT. OUR COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT, AGAIN, HAS BEEN ACROSS THE SPECTRUM OF INPUT VEHICLES, AND WE'RE GOING TO PLAN ON IN APRIL OR MAY TIME FRAME, WE'RE GOING TO HAVE OUR LAST COMMUNITY EVENT, WHERE WE'LL PRESENT THE FINAL PLAN, BUT WE'VE HAD GREAT RECEPTION, GREAT ATTENDANCE AT THESE COMMUNITY EVENTS THAT WE'RE VERY PROUD OF. 
          AGAIN, THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE REACHED IS SIGNIFICANT, BENCHMARKED AGAINST OTHER SIMILAR PROCESSES, THAT'S A FAIRLY ROBUST NUMBER OF 18,000 PEOPLE TOUCHED BY OUR MESSAGE AND OUR PLANS. 
          AND THE WAY WE'VE DONE THAT IS AS ADRIANA POINTED OUT ARE VALUES, RIGHT? DISTILLING THOSE VALUES INTO WHAT -- HOW WE TAKE THAT INPUT FROM THE COMMUNITY THAT WE GOT AND DISTILL THAT INTO INSTANCES OF THE ARBORETUM. I THINK THAT'S VERY IMPORTANT THAT WE USED OUR VALUES AS GUIDANCE FOR WHAT THIS ARBORETUM WILL LOOK LIKE. AND THE PROCESS WE USED IS WE CAME UP, BASED ON EARLY INPUT, THREE DIFFERENT DESIGNS FOR AN ARBORETUM. 
          A COMMUNITY CROSS RODEOS, WILD SAN ANTONIO AND TESTING GROUNDS BASED ON COMMUNITY, BASED ON NATURE AND BASED ON RESEARCH AND EDUCATION. 
          AND NOT TO SAY WE'D HAVE ANY ONE OF THOSE THREE, BUT TO BRING THEM TOGETHER INTO ONE. BEST ASPECTS OF EACH. AGAIN, OUR SECOND COMMUNITY INPUT WAS ALL ABOUT ASKING PEOPLE WHAT THEY LIKED OR DIDN'T LIKE ABOUT THE VARIOUS PLANS. AND THAT WAS A REALLY ROBUST PROCESS FOR US TO GET TO WHERE WE WANT TO LAND FOR THE FINAL ARBORETUM, AND THAT'S WHAT WE'RE DOING RIGHT NOW IS DEVELOPING THAT FINAL CONCEPT, IN CONSULTATION WITH THE PLANNING COMMITTEE AND THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS OF UNDERSTANDING EXACTLY HOW WE WANT TO LAND WITH ALL THAT COMMUNITY INPUT, ALL THE DIRECTION FROM THE BOARD, TO COME UP WITH THE FINAL CONCEPT. 
          SO NOW I WANT TO TRANSITION INTO THE TREE NURSERY, WHICH THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO HAS BEEN GRACIOUS ENOUGH TO FUND FOR US, AND WE'VE PLANTED SO FAR ABOUT 140 TREES, SEEDLINGS, NEXT TO THE POND ON THE SITE, AND WE'RE IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PALO ALTO COLLEGE TO KEEP THEIR FEET WET BY WATERING THEM TWICE A WEEK DURING THIS -- THE HOT, DRY SEASONS. 
          AND WE GOT A PROJECT UNDER WAY TO DEVELOP A WATER INFRASTRUCTURE THERE TO FEED THE FINAL ARBORETUM -- OR THE TREE NURSERY, AND -- BUT WE'VE BEEN HOLDING OFF ON A LOT OF THAT SPENDING QUITE HONESTLY UNTIL WE COMPLETE THE MASTER PLAN. WE DIDN'T WANT TO PUT A TREE NURSERY IN PLACE IN A PERMANENT WAY SUCH THAT THE MASTER PLAN HAD TO WORK AROUND THAT FOOTPRINT. WE WANTED TO DO THAT IN CONCERT, SO WE'VE BEEN DELAYING SOME OF THAT. AGAIN, A TREE NURSERY HAS A NUMBER OF BENEFITS: EXPANDING THE BREADTH AND TYPES OF NATIVE TREES THAT WE CAN HIGHLIGHT IN SAN ANTONIO, TEACH AND EVIDENCE REAL BIODIVERSITY AND URBAN RESILIENCE AS PART OF THIS TREE NURSERY, A CLASSROOM. IT'S GOT TO BE A LEARNING PLACE. 
          AND WE FUNDAMENTALLY BELIEVE THAT'S AN IMPORTANT COMPONENT AS ADRIANA POINTED OUT IN SOME OF OUR VALUES. ALSO IT HAS A POSSIBILITY FOR RETAIL, RESEARCH AND PRODUCTION OF TREES, AND ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I'M MOST EXCITED ABOUT -- TWO ASPECTS. ONE IS THAT IT LEADS INTO RESEARCH TO SAY WHAT KIND OF TREES NEED TO BE IN SAN ANTONIO SUCH THAT OUR CHILDREN'S CHILDREN CAN ENJOY THE SHADE WITH THE CLIMATE CHANGING AS IT IS. THE OTHER ONE IS, MANY COMMERCIAL NURSERIES TODAY HAVE A BREADTH OF TREES THAT ARE FAIRLY LIMITED, AND THEY DON'T ENCOMPASS ALL THE NATIVE TREES. BY YOU ENABLING US WITH YOUR FUNDING, WE CAN NOW GROW ALL THE NATIVE TREES AND BEGIN TO EXPAND THAT PORTFOLIO IN SAN ANTONIO, SO THAT'S VERY EXCITING ASPECT. 
          OUR NEXT STEPS:  WE WILL COMPLETE THIS MASTER PLANNING IN APRIL OF 2025. AND, AGAIN, IT'S GOING TO HAVE THOSE THREE 
          [00:35:03]
COMPONENTS, THAT STRATEGIC PLAN WHICH WE'VE ALREADY DONE, THE SITE PLAN, WHICH IS THAT FOURTH PLAN THAT WE'LL DISTILL OUT OF THOSE THREE, AND THEN OUR OPERATIONS PLAN. WHAT IS THE REVENUE, WHAT IS THE DETAILED COST ESTIMATES OF WHAT THIS IS GOING TO COST US AS A FUNCTION OF PHASING, AND THEN HOW WE -- HOW THEY -- THE MASTER PLANNING TEAM RECOMMENDS WE ROLL THIS OUT, PHASE 1, PHASE 2, AND ALL THAT GOES AROUND ENABLING THAT. WE ANTICIPATE THAT COME THE 2027 BOND, 25 MILLION IS THE NUMBER THAT WE FEEL COMFORTABLE COVERS US IN TERMS OF WHAT -- WHERE PHASE 1 WILL LAND AND WHAT IS KIND OF A REASONABLE ASK OF THAT BOND. IT WILL BE SURROUNDED BY ADDITIONAL FUNDRAISING, BETWEEN OTHER GRANTS, LOCAL, STATE AND FEDERAL, AS WELL ASIFY LAN THRO PI. SO IT IS -- IT ALONE WILL NOT FUND PHASE 1, BUT IT'S A COMPONENT OF THAT. 
          SO THAT'S A REQUEST I WANT TO LEAVE YOU WITH, AND I LOOK FORWARD TO WORKING -- OR ADRIANA LOOKS FORWARD TO WORKING WITH THE CITY TO HOW WE CAN ENGAGE IN THAT PROCESS AND MAKE A MEANINGFUL ASK COME 2027 BOND. SO WITH THAT, I'D LIKE TO HAND IT BACK TO ADRIANA. 
          >> WELL, THANK YOU, AGAIN, FOR ALLOWING US TO PRINPRESENT THIS TO YOU. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME. WE KNOW THAT THERE'S PROBABLY A LOT MORE QUESTIONS AND WE'RE HAPPY TO TAKE ANY OF THOSE QUESTIONS AND ANSWER ANYTHING THAT YOU WOULD LIKE TO KNOW ABOUT OUR PLAN. JUST AS A FINAL SLIDE, JUST TO THANK THE MANY DONORS, INCLUDING THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO, FOR YOUR INCREDIBLY GEN GENEROUS SUPPORT OF THE ARBORETUM. WE FEEL VERY LUCKY THAT SO MANY PEOPLE HAVE COME AND DONATED AND PUT THEIR TREASURES TOWARDS THIS PROJECT. IT'S A REALLY INCREDIBLE THING TO SEE ALL THESE NAMES ON THERE. SO WITH THAT, I WILL CLOSE IT OUT AND ASK IF 
          THERE'S ANY QUESTIONS FOR US? >> MAYOR NIRENBERG: THANK YOU VERY MUCH. 
          THANK YOU, HENRY AND VANGIE AND TOM FOR ALL OF THE GUIDE ANSWER AND INPUT ON THIS SO FAR. IT'S VERY CLEAR THAT YOU ALL HAVE TAKEN WHAT HAS BEEN A VERY LOFTY CONCEPT AND PUT A LOT OF SUBSTANCE BEHIND IT IN A VERY SHORT PERIOD OF TIME, SO CONGRATULATIONS TO YOU. 
          I THINK COUNCILMEMBER COURAGE AND I, SINCE WE'RE THE ONLY TWO UP HERE THAT ARE GUARANTEED NOT TO BE UP HERE BEFORE, WE SHOULD BE THE ONES TO WEIGH IN ON THE 2027 BOND ISSUE. AND FOR WHAT IT'S WORTH, I WILL TELL YOU THAT WHEN IT COMES TO INVESTMENTS IN PARKS IN SAN ANTONIO, THAT IS THE ONLY CAN'T MISS PROSPECT FOR OUR CITY, POLITICALLY, IN TERMS OF IDENTIFYING PRIORITIES FOR THE PUBLIC. 
          SO I WISH YOU VERY WELL AS YOU BEGIN -- OR AS YOU GET THROUGH THE MASTER PLANNING PROCESS, BUT FROM MY PERSPECTIVE, YOU'RE DOING IT THE RIGHT WAY IN TERMS OF ASSEMBLING A GOOD TEAM, A QUALITY, VISIBLE BOARD, THE RIGHT EXPERTISE TO PUT TOGETHER A MASTER PLAN, AND CERTAINLY A VERY, VERY ROBUST PUBLIC PROCESS. I THINK WHEN WE REACH THE END OF THIS MASTER PLANNING PROCESS, WHATEVER THAT LOOKS LIKE GOING FORWARD FOR THE CITY, WE CAN BE CONFIDENT THAT IT WAS THE RIGHT PATH FOR THIS CITY. SO CONGRATULATIONS TO YOU. 
          THE ONLY QUESTION I HAD REALLY, OTHER THAN TIMELINE, WHICH YOU ADDRESSED, IS THE EXTENT TO WHICH WE'RE GOING TO CONNECT TO THE OTHER PARKS FEATURES OF THE CITY, SPECIFICALLY THE LILINEAR CREEKWAY SYSTEM. I THINK IT'S AN IMMENSE OPPORTUNITY FOR US TO GET PEOPLE FROM OUR CREEKWAY INTO THE ARBORETUM ONCE ITS BUILT, SO, YOU KNOW, TOM, I THINK YOU MENTIONED IT, THE TRAIL HEED IS RIGHT ACROSS THE STREET. COULD YOU DESCRIBE HOW THE GREENWAY TRAIL SYSTEM 
          IS GOING TO INTERSECT WITH THE ARBORETUM? >> SURE. 
          I'M ACTUALLY GOING TO TAKE YOU BACK TO THAT MAP OF THE SITE, IF I COULD, BECAUSE THAT'S A GREAT QUESTION. OKAY. 
          SO RIGHT NOW THE TRAILHEAD IS ON THE OTHER SIDE OF MILITARY, RIGHT, THE EXISTING TRAILHEAD. THERE'S AN ADDITIONAL ONE ON THAT COSA PARCEL, SO THERE'S TWO TRAILHEADS. AND OUR PLANNING SO FAR, AGAIN, NOT COMPLETE, BUT WORKING WITH YOUR TEAM HERE AT THE CITY AND HOMER'S TEAM, IS TO HAVE POINTS OF INTERSECTION TO THAT TRAIL. ONE ON THE TRAILHEAD ACROSS MILITARY, SO BASICALLY, WE GO UNDER A BRIDGE, UNDER SOUTHEAST 
          [00:40:03]
MILITARY, AND THEN CONTINUE ON ALONG THAT ORANGE LINE. 
          I KNOW IT'S KIND OF TOUGH TO SEE, BUT THAT ORANGE LINE IS OUR INITIAL CONCEPT OF THE TRAIL, THE BIKE TRAIL. AND THEN WE'D ALSO HAVE THAT JUMP OVER TO RIGHT WHERE YOU SEE WOOD BRIDGE AT MONTE VIEJO, SO THERE WOULD BE TWO POINTS FOR THE TRAILHEAD TO INTERSECT. 
          AS YOU GO SOUTH OUT OF THE ARBORETUM LAND, THAT WILL CONTINUE ON AT SOME FUTURE POINT AND ENTER EACT WITH WHAT BROOKS HAS UNDERWAY FUNDING-WISE TO GO UNDER 37 AND CONNECT WITH THEIR TRAIL SYSTEM ON BROOKS AND THEN OVER 
          TO THE MISSION REACH. >> MAYOR NIRENBERG: I GUESS WHAT I'M GETTING AT IS FROM AN EXPERIENCE STANDPOINT, IF YOU'RE ON FOR A VERY LONG WALK IN SAN ANTONIO AND YOU WANTED TO WALK THE TRAIL SYSTEM DOWN THERE, YOU 
          COULD LITERALLY WALK THROUGH THE ARBORETUM. >> THAT IS CORRECT. 
          >> MAYOR NIRENBERG: IT WOULD BE A FEATURE OF YOUR AFTERNOON? 
          >> THAT'S CORRECT. ANOTHER IMPORTANT ASPECT TO THAT, YOU SAID IT RIGHT, YOU'D BE ABLE TO WALK FROM THE TRAIL SYSTEM INTO THE ARBORETUM AND THEN OUT OF THE ARBORETUM UNOBSTRUCTED. THAT IMPLIES WE'RE NOT 
          CHARGING TO GET INTO THE ARBORETUM, RIGHT? >> MAYOR NIRENBERG: MY 
          LAST QUESTION. >> FUNDAMENTAL POINT THAT HENRY WAS ADAMANT ABOUT THIS ARBORETUM IS THAT IT'S GOING TO BE FREE TO GET INTO, RIGHT? BECAUSE IT'S A PUBLIC PLACE THAT WE WANT TO CREATE PEOPLE. 
          ONE OF THE KEY METRICS YOU HAVE IN AN ARBORETUM IS PEOPLE IN ATTENDANCE, PEOPLE USING IT, PEOPLE ENJOYING IT, RIGHT? AND IF YOU CHARGE, YOU'RE GOING TO NET DOWN THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE USING IT. 
          SO I THINK THAT'S A FUNDAMENTALLY IMPORTANT PREMISE. 
          >> HEY, TOM, MAYOR AND COUNCILMEMBERS, I JUST WANTED TO ADD THAT A FEW YEARS DOWN THE ROAD, YOU'LL BE ABLE TO WALK FROM DOWNTOWN SAN ANTONIO, DOWN THE SAN ANTONIO MISSION REACH TRAIL, ALL THE WAY DOWN TO WHERE IT THEN CONNECTS ONTO BROOKS, CROSS THROUGH BROOKS ON A TRAIL THAT WILL THEN GO UNDER HIGHWAY 37 AND CONNECT TO SALADO CREEK. 
          THAT'S THE WAY IT'S BEEN MASTER PLANNED. THE MPO HAS AWARDED BROOKS $10 MILLION TO COMPLETE THAT PROJECT UNDER THE HIGHWAY, AND WE WILL WORK WITH TXDOT, AND ACTUALLY THE CITY STAFF IS WORKING HAND-IN-HAND WITH MY TEAM TO MAKE SURE WE'RE PLANNING AND WORKING WITH TXDOT TO MAKE THAT HAPPEN. SO IT WILL BE LITERALLY A POINT FOR SALADO CREEK AND MISSION REACH, THE SAN ANTONIO RIVER, WILL BE CONNECTED BY A DIRECT 
          TRAIL AND IT WILL HAPPEN RIGHT THROUGH BROOKS. >> MAYOR NIRENBERG: TERRIFIC. 
          >> OF BROOKS, THAT THAT IS A GENERATOR, NOT JUST OF BUSINESSES, INCLUDING INTERNATIONAL BUSINESSES, BUT RESIDENTS. RNSZS. RESIDENCES. 
          AND AS IT DOES, IT REQUIRES AN AMENITY OF THIS TYPE. 
          SO BROOKS PUT UP A MILLION DOLLARS WHEN WE HAD NO MONEY, ONLY AN OFFER FROM THE PREVIOUS GOLF DEVELOPER, THAT HE WANTED TO SELL THE LAND BECAUSE IT'S IN THE FLOODPLAIN AND THEY COULDN'T USE IT FOR ANYTHING ELSE, AND SO NOW IT'S GOING TO BE AN ARBORETUM, THANKS TO BROOKS AND LEO. I CAN'T THANK THEM ENOUGH. 
          I HAVE TALKED RECENTLY TO DEVELOPERS IN THE AREA WHO ARE BUILDING BIG DEVELOPMENTS, LIKE 5,000 HOME DEVELOPMENTS, AND THEY ARE BUILDING THEIR DEVELOPMENTS IN A WAY THAT THE TRAILS FROM THE DEVELOPMENTS LEAD TO THE TRAIL SYSTEM AND TO THE ARBORETUM. SO IT'S -- WHAT'S EMERGING IS A REALLY ALMOST LIKE MASTER PLANNED AREA OF THE CITY IN THE SOUTHEAST IN THE EAST CENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICT, WHICH IS A STRONG SCHOOL DISTRICT, IT'S AN ATTRACTION, AND WHAT WE'RE SEEING IS A BALANCING OF DEVELOPMENT ACROSS THE CITY THAT WE'VE ALL HOPED FOR. 
          AND HERE IT IS HAPPENING IN A VERY POSITIVE WAY. SO... 
          >> MAYOR NIRENBERG: WELL, AND JUST FROM MY 2-CENTS, AS WE DEVELOP THOSE NEW NEIGHBORHOODS BY WHATEVER MEANS WE CAN ENCOURAGING OR COMMITTING SOME OF THAT LAND TO CONNECT TO THE TRAILS SO THEY CAN ENJOY SOME OF THESE AMENITIES, AND ANOTHER FEATURE ON THE 2027 BOND IN THE PARKS PROPOSITION HOPEFULLY WILL BE ANOTHER SIGNIFICANT INVESTMENT IN OUR TRAIL SYSTEM TO HELP THOSE AREAS THAT WEREN'T CONNECTEDDED NOW START TO CONNECT TO THE TRAILS FOR ALL THOSE REASONS, SO -- WELL, COUNT ME AS A BIG SUPPORTER, AND SHOULD THE COUNCIL CHOOSE TO PUT IT ON THE BALLOT, I WILL BE A BIG YES VOTE WHEN THAT HAPPENS, SO KEEP UP THE GREAT WORK. THIS IS GREAT. 
          GREAT PROGRESS. COUNCILMEMBER ALDARETE GAVITO? 
          >> GAVITO: THANK YOU, MAYOR. THANK YOU, HENRY, EVANGELINE THAT FOR YOUR LEADERSHIP FOR WORKING SO HARD AND ALSO THE BOARD 
          [00:45:05]
OF DIRECTORS AND ADVISERS. TOM,  I KNOW YOU'VE ATTENDED SOME OF OUR NEIGHBORHOOD MEETINGS AND THANK YOU FOR INVOLVING SOME OF THE RESIDENTS IN THIS. I LOVE THE MISSION AND VISION OF THIS. I LOVE HOW YOU'RE HIGHLIGHTING THE INDIGENOUS ROOTS OF SAN ANTONIO, THE VETERAN'S MEMORIAL, I THINK THAT'S IMPORTANT. OFTENTIMES I'VE SAID THAT GREENSPACE IS NOT ONLY IMPORTANT FOR PEOPLE'S PHYSICAL HEALTH BUT FOR THEIR MENTAL HEALTH, SO WE NEED TO PROTECT AND ADD TO OUR GREENSPACES AND BE BULLISH ON THAT. 
          SO, YOU KNOW, WE'RE VERY EXCITED ABOUT GETTING 450 NEW TREES AT WOODLAWN LAKE, SO FOR THE CITY TO ADD AN ARBORETUM WOULD BE A HUGE IMPACT FOR US. 
          I HAD A FEW QUICK QUESTIONS. ONE OF THE THINGS WAS, 
          WHAT IS Y'ALL'S TOTAL FUNDRAISING GOAL? >> 
          >> GAVITO: JUST CURIOUS TO SEE IF -- LIKE I SAW THE ASK FOR 25 MILLION OF 
          THE BOND -- >> RIGHT NOW OUR GOAL IS TO FEED OPERATIONS. 
          WE'RE GOING THROUGH THE MASTER PLAN, WHICH IS FUNDED, AND WE'VE GOT TO MAINTAIN A STAFF AND MAINTAIN NOW THIS ALMOST 200 ACRES OF LAND, AND THAT TAKES FUNDING, RIGHT? THE MASTER PLAN, ONCE COMPLETE, WILL DEFINE WHAT PHASE 1, PHASE 2 AND PHASE THREE ARE, AND WE'LL BE ABLE TO PRICE OUT WHAT PHASE 1 IS. DO WE HAVE THAT NUMBER? NO, RIGHT NOW. SO I DON'T WANT TO GIVE YOU A NUMBER, BUT IT'S GOING TO BE SIGNIFICANT, IT'S GOING TO BE 10S OF MILLIONS OF DOLLARS, RIGHT? BUT AS MANY GARDENS OF THIS SIZE AND KIND OF ASPIRATION, SO I THINK THAT WILL COME IN THE APRIL TIME FRAME, IS WE'LL HAVE A NUMBER THAT WE'LL GO OUT WITH AND BEGIN TO CONSTRUCT A 
          CAPITAL CAMPAIGN. MAKE SENSE? >> GAVITO: YEAH. 
          >> AND JUST TO ADD TO THAT REAL QUICK, I'VE BEEN INVOLVED IN BUILDING GARDENS FOR QUITE SOME TIME. THROWING A NUMBER OUT RIGHT NOW WOULD BE PREMATURE, BECAUSE WE DON'T WANT YOU TO FOCUS ON THAT NUMBER UNTIL WE ALSO FEEL COMFORTABLE WITH THAT NUMBER, BUT TOM IS CORRECT, TENS OF THOUSANDS -- MILLIONS OF DOLLARS. 
          IT'S A MULTIMILLION DOLLARS PROJECT WHEN IT'S ALL SAID AND DONE. 
          BUT DO REMEMBER -- THAT'S WHAT I WAS JUST GOING TO SAY. 
          BUT DO REMEMBER, THAT IS OVER TIME, SO OUR FIRST PHASE WILL HAVE A NUMBER TO IT, AND THEN SUBSEQUENTIAL PHASES WILL HAVE NUMBERS TO THAT. 
          >> GAVITO: AND I THINK THAT'S TOTALLY FAIR CONSIDERING WHERE WE ARE WITH ALL OF THAT. I UNDERSTAND, I WAS TRYING TO FIGURE OUT IN 
          MY MIND, 25 MILLION PLAYS WHAT PERCENTAGE OF IT. >> YEAH, IT'S HARD TO SAY, AND, AGAIN,GA THAT'S FIRST PHASE, NOT TOTAL AMOUNT, BUT YOU CAN FIGURE THAT'S PROBABLY SOMEWHERE BETWEEN A THIRD AND A HALF OF WHAT WE 
          NEED. >> INDIGENOUS HERITAGE OF OUR CITY. BEFORE THERE WERE SPANIARDS HERE, OR ANY OTHER EUROPEANS, THERE WERE INDIGENOUS PEOPLE FOR THOUSANDS OF YEARS. AND THEY SURVIVED BECAUSE OF THE CREEKS AND THE TREES. THEY USED THE TREES FOR FOOD, BECAUSE THEY WERE HUNTER/GATHERERS, AND THEY USED THEM FOR SHADE AND THEY USED THEM FOR HABITATION AND THEY USED THE CREEKS FOR WATER AND SURVIVAL. 
          AND SO WE FELT FROM THE VERY BEGINNING AN OBLIGATION TO FEATURE SOMETHING OF THE INDIGENOUS HERITAGE OF OUR REGION HERE IN THIS. 
          LUCKILY, WE HAVE 200 ACRES TO WORK WITH, SO SETTING ASIDE AN AREA THAT SAYS THIS IS WHAT SAN ANTONIO LOOKED LIKE WHEN THERE WERE ONLY HUNTER/GATHERERS HERE IN THIS WATERSHED. AND WE'LL WORK AT THAT AS 
          ADDING A DIMENSION OF THIS. >> GAVITO: YEAH, ONE OF THE OTHER THINGS WHICH US THINKING OF, I MEAN, I WILL FULLY ADMIT, I'M A BIRD NERD, BUT, YOU KNOW, WITH ALL THE MIGRATORY BIRDS THAT PASS THROUGH TEXAS, THIS WOULD BE A GREAT PLACE FOR -- WE HAVE A TON OF BIRD WATCHING GROUPS EVEN AT WOODLAWN LAKE. I CAN'T IMAGINE ALL THE GROUPS THAT WOULD ENJOY AN ARBORETUM. BUT ALSO, TOO, SO MANY PEOPLE WHO TRAVEL TO GO LOOK FOR DIFFERENT SPECIES OF BIRDS. 
          SO THAT WOULD BE A HUGE -- >> AND THAT IS A REALLY GREAT POINT. WE TALK IN TERMS OF SAN ANTONIO, BUT REALLY THIS IS A -- THIS IS A REGIONAL THING FOR SOUTH TEXAS, IT'S BEYOND JUST THE CITY, IT'S SOMETHING THAT WILL DRIVE TOURISM. I DON'T KNOW WHO IN HERE IS GARDENERS, BUT I KNOW MOST PEOPLE THAT -- PUBLIC GREENSPACES WILL 
          PLAN TRIPS AROUND PUBLIC GREENSPACES. >> GAVITO: YEAH, 
          ABSOLUTELY. >> AND SO, EXACTLY WHAT YOU SAID. 
          AND, YOU KNOW, THE BIRD WATCHING, THE TYPES OF PROGRAMMING WE CAN DO IN THAT SPACE IS IMMENSE, AND THERE'S SO MANY WAYS WE CAN DO IT. 
          [00:50:01]
I DO WANT TO BRING EVANGELINA UP ONE MORE TIME. 
          SHE HAS A COMMENT SHE WOULD LIKE TO MAKE. >> AND MY COMMENT IS THIS. FIRST OF ALL ON THE SASAKI FIRM THAT IS DOING THIS PLAN, BECAUSE THEY HAVE SO MUCH EXPERIENCE IN BUILDING OR RESTORING ARBORETUMS, THEY HAVE COVERED SO MANY OF THOSE POINTS THAT HAVE BEEN PRESENTED HERE AND OTHERS THAT HAVE COME FROM THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS AS TO WHAT IT IS THAT WE WANTED TO SEE THERE. I WANTED TO REALLY EXPRESS MY THANKS TO THE CITY AND TO HOMER AND FOR ALL THE WORK THAT HAS COME FROM THE CITY ITSELF, FROM MARK BAIRD, WHO IS ON OUR ADVISORY BOARD, AND REALLY FOR MYSELF, I GREW UP IN THE WEST SIDE, I LIVE AT THE UPPER MOST STREET OF DISTRICT ONE THAT BORDERS WITH DISTRICT 8, AND NOW AND HAVE BEEN INVOLVED WITH TEXAS A&M-SAN ANTONIO AND CAN SEE THE BEAUTY OF WHAT THIS CITY IS TURNING INTO. 
          SO I DON'T SAY THAT LIGHTLY, BUT I SAY THAT TO EVERY COUNCILMEMBER HERE, THAT WE INVITE YOU TO PLEASE CALL US AND COME AND SEE WHAT IT IS WE HAVE THERE, BECAUSE THIS IS SOMETHING THAT IS GOING TO BE A REVENUE GENERATOR FOR SAN ANTONIO, IT WILL BE A VISITOR DESTINATION, IT WILL BE A WORLD CLASS RESEARCH CARBON PRINT OPPORTUNITY, WELLNESS OPPORTUNITY, AND WE HOPE THAT ALL OF YOU WILL PERSONALLY COME OUT SO THAT WE CAN SHOW YOU EXACTLY WHAT IS THERE. IT IS NOT ABOUT JUST THIS ONE AREA, THIS IS SOUTH TEXAS, AND THIS IS FOR ALL OF SAN ANTONIO. 
          AND I THANK ALL OF YOU FOR AT TENTATIVELY LISTENING TO OUR PRESENTATION AND FOR ASKING ANY QUESTIONS THAT YOU MIGHT HAVE. 
          THANK YOU, MAYOR, AND THANK YOU CITY COUNCIL. . 
          >> GAVITO: THANK YOU. AND I THINK THAT ONE OF THE THINGS THAT YOU TOUCHED ON, YES -- MY BIG THING THAT I'M FOLK CUFOCUSING ON IS THE MENTAL HEALTH. 
          I THINK HENRY YOU TALKED ABOUT FOREST BATHING, I THINK THERE'S SO MANY BENEFITS TO US BEING DISCONNECTED FROM OUR PHONES AND BEING AMONGST NATURE, I THINK OUR KIDS NEED THAT MORE THAN EVER RIGHT NOW, SO I THINK THAT -- AND ALSO, TOO, I THOUGHT THAT THE STAT WAS INTERESTING ABOUT HOW MANY OF THE OTHER MAJOR CITIES HAVE AN ARBORETUM AND WE DON'T. 
          SO, YOU KNOW, IT'S DEFINITELY IMPORTANT FOR US TO STEP UP, IF YOU WILL. I DID ALSO HAVE A QUICK QUESTION ABOUT MAKING SURE THAT THIS SPACE IS INCLUSIVE. ARE -- I KNOW WE'RE STILL IN THE EARLY STAGES, BUT ARE WE TALKING TO VIA TO MAKE SURE A BUS LINE COULD BE CONNECTED TO THERE? I THINK THAT THERE'S A 
          SOME VIA ACTIVITY AT BROOKS, I'M NOT SURE. >> JUST ONE QUICK THING BEFORE SHE BRINGS IT UP, BECAUSE OUR BOARD, EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE REALLY HAS SO MUCH OF THAT EXPERIENCE, AND I DO WANT TO DO A SHOUTOUT TO SUZANNE SCOTT IN PARTICULAR WHO HAVE HEADED THE MASTER -- 
          AND ACCESSIBILITY, AND I'LL LET YOU CONTINUE. >> THAT IS ONE OF THE HALLMARKS OF THE ARBORETUM IS THE ACCESSIBILITY AND MAKING SURE THAT IT IS A PLACE FOR ALL, AND THAT ANYONE, REGARDLESS OF THEIR ABILITY, ARE ABLE TO USE AND GET USE OUT OF THE ARBORETUM. 
          FOR ME PERSONALLY, IT'S ONE OF THE REASONS I TOOK THE JOB, BECAUSE THE ACTUAL DESCRIPTION SAID WE ARE -- WE ARE INTERESTED IN IDEA INCLUSION, DIVERSITY, ACCESSIBILITY AND EQUITY. 
          SO THIS PART OF THE ARBORETUM IS A REALLY IMPORTANT PART THAT EVERYONE, REGARDLESS OF THEIR ABILITIES, CAN HAVE SOME KIND OF EXPERIENCE 
          THERE. >> LET ME EXPAND ON THAT POINT, IT'S VERY IMPORTANT AND IT'S A MAJOR THING WE HAVEN'T MENTIONED TODAY, IT KIND OF ESCAPED OUR PRESENTATION. BUT FROM THE BEGINNING, WE R RESERVED 18 ACRES ON THIS PLAN FOR THE COUNTY BECAUSE THEY FUNDED $73 MILLION AT THE OUTSET, THANKS TO BOTH NELSON WOLFF AND JUDGE SAKAI. TOMMY CALVERT IS THE COMMISSION FOR THE AREA, AND HE HAS BEEN WANTING TO BUILD A CHILD -- DISABLED CHILDREN'S ACCESSIBLE PARK. SO THAT 18 ACRES, WE'RE IN CONVERSATION NOW WITH THE COUNTY, AND SO IS OUR STRATEGIC PLAN, IS FIGURING OUT WHAT EXACTLY 
          [00:55:05]
KINDS OF, YOU KNOW, TOY EQUIPMENT AND PLAY EQUIPMENT WILL BE THERE, BUT THAT'S A DIFFERENT KIND OF ACCESSIBILITY THAN MOBILITY. 
          THAT'S CHILDREN BEING ABLE TO USE IT WHO DON'T HAVE ACCESS TO A FACILITY LIKE THAT IN THE SOUTHERN SECTOR. AND WE'RE IN CONVERSATION WITH GORDON HARTMANN WITH LEARNING ABOUT WHAT HE DID WITH MORGAN'S WONDERLAND AND REPEATING IT IN A PUBLIC PARK. SO THE INTL ENTRANCEWAY THERE WILL HAVE A RESERVED AREA FOR THE COUNTY TO DEVELOP 
          THAT KIND OF ACCESSIBILITY. >> GAVITO: THANK YOU. 
          I'M OUT OF TIME. I LOVE WHAT Y'ALL ARE DOING. 
          I THINK THIS IS NEEDED IN SAN ANTONIO, AND, AGAIN, IT HAS MANY BENEFITS, BUT I THINK THE WELLNESS TO OUR COMMUNITY, TO OUR RESIDENTS IS WHAT STICKS OUT MOST IMPORTANTLY TO ME. THANK YOU. 
          THANK YOU, MAYOR. >> MAYOR NIRENBERG: THANK YOU, COUNCILMEMBER ALDARETE GAVITO. AND JUST ON A SIDE NOTE, AS WE TALKED ABOUT THAT 18 ACRES, SAN ANTONIO JUST COMPLETED A COUPLE OF -- IN THE LAST FEW YEARS, FULLY ACCESS NL ACCESSIBLE PLAY AREAS FOR CHILDREN, SO HOMER, I'M SURE, WILL BE ABLE TO HELP IN THAT ENDEAVOR. COUNCILMEMBER ROCHA 
          GARCIA? >> GARCIA: THANK YOU, MAYOR, THANK YOU TO HENRY AND VANGIE AND ALSO TO TOM AND ADRIANA, AND ADRIANA, WELCOME TO SAN ANTONIO. I WANTED TO START OFF FIRST BY THANKING YOU ALL. I NOTICE THAT YOU HAVE THE MAINTENANCE AGREEMENT WITH PALO ALTO, AND WE HAVE SOME GREAT INSTRUCTORS OVER THERE, AND I THINK THAT THE KIDS WILL HAVE A GREAT OPPORTUNITY TO LEARN AS 
          WELL. >> STUDENT: I COULDN'T SEE YOU. 
          >> I COULDN'T SEE YOU. SORRY. . 
          >> GARCIA: THAT'S OKAY. I'M KIND OF SHORT, TOO. I'M EXCITED ABOUT THE OPPORTUNITY FOR THEM TO LEARN, TOO. THEY HAVE SOME BIG DREAMS AND PLANS FOR SOME THINGS THEY'RE DOING OUT THERE, AND THIS IS A GREAT CONTINUATION. THE MASTER PLAN FOR THE AREA, HOW DO YOU ALL SEE THAT DEVELOPING BEYOND WHAT YOU ALL HAVE? SO I'M TRYING TO THINK, LIKE WHO OWNS THE LAND AROUND IT AND HOW ARE THEY INVOLVED IN THE 
          PLANNING PROCESS, ET CETERA? >> I DO BELIEVE THAT WE HAVE QUITE A LOT OF BUY-IN FROM THE SURROUNDING AREAS, BOTH OBVIOUSLY BROOKS HAS BEEN A MAJOR PLAYER IN THE PROCESS AND IN THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE MASTER PLAN. ADDITIONALLY, THE NEIGHBORHOODS AROUND US ARE PLANNING, YOU KNOW, HOW THEY CAN ACCESS THESE -- THE ARBORETUM. AND THERE'S SOME NEW HOUSING THAT'S GOING IN, AND THEY'RE ALREADY TALKING ABOUT HOW CAN WE ACCESS THE ARBORETUM, WHAT CAN WE DO FOR OUR RESIDENTS, SO EVERYONE AROUND IN THAT PART IS ACTIVELY INVOLVED AND ACTIVELY THINKING OF HOW THEY CAN BE A PART OF IT, HOW THEY CAN USE IT, HOW THEY CAN GET THE BENEFIT. 
          AND WE ALSO AS THE ARBORETUM, ARE TALKING TO THEM AND TRYING TO DETERMINE WHAT IS THE BEST WAY THAT WE CAN ALSO HAVE THEM HAVE ACCESS, HOW CAN WE WORK WITH ALL THE GROUPS. AND NOT JUST RESIDENTIAL GROUPS, BUT ALSO OTHER, YOU KNOW, NONPROFIT GROUPS, HOW CAN WE MAKE THE ARBORETUM AVAILABLE FOR THEM, HOW CAN WE -- WHAT IS THE BEST WAY THAT WE CAN PARTNER WITH IT. YOU MENTIONED PALO ALTO, AND I ALSO HAD A CONVERSATION WITH THEM ABOUT GETTING THEIR STUDENTS OUT THERE FOR REAL-WORLD HANDS-ON EXPERIENCE OF WORKING IN AN ARBORETUM. 
          AND THIS ALSO GUIDES THEM AS A PATHWAY TO EMPLOYMENT, SO WE ARE ABLE TO SHOW THEM, YOU'RE GOING TO SCHOOL FOR HORTICULTURE, BUT HERE'S WHAT YOU CAN DO WITH YOUR DEGREE, AND NOT ONLY THAT, WHEN YOU GRADUATE, WE MAY BE ABLE TO HIRE YOU. SO WE CAN KEEP THAT SAME -- YOU KNOW, THOSE STUDENTS BACK IN OUR COMMUNITY AS WELL.  SO THERE'S A LOT OF TALK. THAT'S JUST ONE EXAMPLE, BUT THERE IS A LOT OF 
          THINGS THAT WE'RE WORKING ON. >> JUST TO COMPLEMENT THAT. SHE'S RIGHT ON. SHE NAILED IT -- IS THAT IN BOTH [INDISCERNIBLE] AS WELL AS REPUBLIC OAKS, THEY HAVE VERY ACTIVE NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATIONS. WE HAD FOCUS GROUPS THAT I MENTIONED AT OUR COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENTS, REPRESENTATIVES FROM BOTH OF THOSE ORGANIZATIONS WERE ON OUR FOCUS GROUP. THEY ARE VERY ENGAGED WITH US AS ADRIANA SAID FOR US TO GIVE THEM INPUT AND THEM TO GIVE US INPUT. ONE OF THE CHALLENGES WE HAVE IN THE ARBORETUM IS SAFETY. WE'VE GOT TO MAKE IT SAFE, PEOPLE ARE GOING TO ATTEND THERE, WE'VE GOT TO MAKE IT SAFE FOR THEM TO WALK THROUGH THERE. 
          THE BEST THING FOR US TO DO IS TO GET TO KNOW OUR NEIGHBORS AND FOR THEM TO GET TO KNOW US. WE HAVE REALLY PUT A LOT OF EFFORT IN, A LOT OF TIME WITH THOSE NEIGHBORS TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY FEEL THAT THIS IS THEIR ARBORETUM AND THAT THEY NEED TO TAKE CARE OF IT. THAT'S, I THINK, A REALLY 
          IMPORTANT COMPONENT OF THIS. >> GARCIA: GREAT. 
          THANK YOU. AND I APPRECIATE THAT. I GUESS THE REASON THAT I WAS ASKING ABOUT, LIKE THE -- WHO OWNS THE LAND AROUND IT, I'M LOOKING AT 
          [01:00:03]
WHO BENEFITS ULTIMATELY FROM A PUBLIC INVESTMENT ESSENTIALLY, AND SO WHAT -- TO BENEFIT FROM IT AND WILL THEY CREATE GROWTH THAT UNFORTUNATELY PUSHES OTHERS OUT OF THE AREA THAT THEY'VE BEEN LIVING IN SO LONG, AND SO I KNOW THAT'S MORE TO COME, AND I'D LOVE TO SEE, LIKE, WHAT YOUR FOCUS GROUPS HAVE STUDIED SO FAR IN JUST KIND OF LIKE THE RESEARCH BEHIND LIKE WHAT HAPPENS WHEN YOU BRING SOMETHING THIS BEAUTIFUL, EVERYBODY'S GOING TO WANT TO COME AROUND IT, RIGHT? BUT WHAT HAPPENS TO THOSE FOLKS WHO WANT TO STAY IN THE AREA? AND SO THAT'S THE REASON 
          I WAS ASKING ABOUT THE BENEFIT. >> THAT IS A REALLY GOOD -- A GREAT POINT, TOO. IT IS -- I THINK I CAN EASILY SAY THAT IT IS OUR INTENTION TO CELEBRATE THE PEOPLE WHO ARE IN THAT AREA AND TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY FEEL AS WELCOME AS ANYONE ELSE, THAT WE DON'T HAVE ANY INTENT OF MAKING A PLACE THAT WOULD, YOU KNOW, CAUSE SOMEBODY TO LEAVE THE AREA OR NOT BE ABLE TO STAY IN THE AREA, 
          SO... >> GARCIA: GREAT. THANK YOU. 
          AND I APPRECIATE THAT YOU ALL ARE LOOKING AT THAT, BECAUSE I GOT A LITTLE BIT WORRIED BECAUSE EARLIER I HEARD HENRY SAID, I HOPE TO BE -- I HOPE THAT IT'S FREE TO THE PUBLIC. AND I WAS LIKE, WAIT A SECOND, WHAT DO YOU MEAN HOPE TO BE FREE TO THE PUBLIC. 
          LIKE WE'RE INVESTING POSSIBLY PUBLIC MONEY, LIKE WHY WOULD IT NOT BE FREE TO THE PUBLIC. SO JUST THINGS THAT WILL COME UP AS I KNOW THAT -- I'M TALKING TO PEOPLE, LIKE THEY'RE GOING TO ASK THAT, RIGHT? SO I JUST WANT TO BE PREPARED TO ANSWER. AND THEN VAN VANGIE MENTIONED A REVENUE GENERATOR ALSO, SO I'M THINKING -- LIKE WHO'S BENEFITING FROM THIS? LIKE BEYOND THE CITY, WHICH I TOTALLY AGREE WITH, COUNCILWOMAN GAVITO, THAT THE CITY, OUR RESIDENTS CAN WALK OVER OR CAN DRIVE OVER AND BENEFIT, BUT BEYOND THAT, I'M JUST TRYING TO MAKE SURE THAT OUR RESIDENTS ARE ALWAYS AT THE FOREFRONT AND THAT OTHERS AREN'T GOING TO BENEFIT FROM THEIR OWN -- THEIR OWN MONEY, REALLY? RIGHT SO THANK YOU FOR THAT. AND THEN ALSO YOU MENTIONED  SAFETY. AND SO ONE OF MY CONCERNS WAS ALSO WE -- WE'VE GOT A PROBLEM WITH ENCAMPMENTS ALL OVER, AND SO HOW DO YOU -- OR HOW DO YOU WORK TO MAKE SURE THAT ENCAMPMENTS, FOR INSTANCE, AREN'T PRESENT AND PEOPLE ARE ABLE TO ENJOY, YOU KNOW, JUST -- HELP ME UNDERSTAND HOW 
          YOU WORK AROUND THAT. >> YEAH. I THINK THAT'S ALSO A REALLY GREAT QUESTION. IN MY EXPERIENCE, I'VE DEALT WITH THIS OVER THE YEARS MANY, MANY TIMES, DIFFERENT PLACES. IT'S ALWAYS -- ANY TIME YOU HAVE A PUBLIC OPEN GREENSPACE, YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE THOSE KINDS OF ENCAMPMENTS AND THAT SORT OF THING. IN THE PAST, IN MY EXPERIENCE, WE HAVE WORKED WITH OUR CITIES AND WORKED WITH THOSE ORGANIZATIONS THAT HELP -- THAT ALREADY HAVE SERVICES FOR THOSE PEOPLE AND WORKED TO SATISFACTORILY MAKE SURE THAT THEY ARE TAKEN CARE OF. BECAUSE THE HONEST TRUTH IS, THEY ARE JUST TRYING TO LIVE AS WELL, AND THE LAST THING WE WANT IS TO SAY, YOU DON'T BELONG HERE, BECAUSE THAT'S -- THAT GOES AGAINST -- FOR ME, IT GOES AGAINST WHAT I BELIEVE. SO FINDING A WAY TO CONTINUE TO HELP THOSE PEOPLE AND FIND THE RIGHT SERVICES FOR THEM AND MAKE SURE THAT THEY KNOW WHERE THEY CAN GO AND HAVING PEOPLE COME IN, THAT'S THE KEY TO THAT. 
          BUT NOT JUST SAYING, OH, YOU CAN'T JUST BE HERE, I'M SO SORRY. 
          BUT WORKING WITH OTHER NONPROFITS THAT CAN HELP OR OTHER GOVERNMENTAL AGENCIES THAT CAN HELP US WITH THAT, SO THAT WOULD BE HOW I WOULD APPROACH 
          THAT MYSELF, SO... >> GARCIA: GREAT. THANK YOU SO MUCH. 
          THOSE ARE ALL MY QUESTIONS FOR NOW. THANK YOU SO MUCH, AND I APPRECIATE THE PRESENTATION AND LOOK FORWARD TO MORE 
          CONVERSATIONS. THANK YOU, MAYOR. >> MAYOR NIRENBERG: THANK YOU, COUNCILMEMBER ROCHA GARCIA. COUNCILMEMBER CASTILLO? 
          >> CASTILLO: THANK YOU, MAYOR. THANK YOU FOR THE PRESENTATION. I'M REALLY IMPRESSED WITH THE AMOUNT OF COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT THAT HAS TAKEN PLACE OVER 18,000 CONTACTS AND ENGAGEMENTS WITH FOLKS AROUND THIS PROJECT, AND I'VE ALSO BEEN ABLE TO RUN INTO TOM AT THE PALM HEIGHTS NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION WHERE HE DID GIVE A PRESENTATION ON THE WORK THAT WAS GOING ON OVER ON THE SOUTH SIDE. 
          AS MY TEAM AND I WERE DISCUSSING THIS ITEM, WE TALKED ABOUT SOME RESEARCH THAT WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO SEE, AND HOW WITH ARBORETUMS IF THEIR TENDS TO BE A SHIFT TOWARDS TOURISM RATHER THAN THE SUSTAINABILITY POINT, SOMETIMES THE EFFECTIVENESS OF THE CLIMATE ADAPTATION, IT WEAKENS, RIGHT? SO I WANT TO ENSURE THAT WHILE THINGS ARE MOVING ALONG IN THE COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT'S TAKING PLACE, THAT WE KEEP THE SUSTAINABILITY COMPONENT AT THE FOREFRONT, AND THAT'S WHY I'M PLEASED 
          [01:05:01]
WITH THE CONCEPTS THAT WE'RE PROPOSED TO COMMUNITIES THAT THEY PICK THE WILD SAN ANTONIO AS ONE OF THE TOP CONCEPTS BECAUSE IT'S NATURAL FLOOD MITIGATION AND THERE'S OPPORTUNITY FOR MORE TREES. 
          AND, YOU KNOW, IN TERMS OF THE INVESTMENT REQUESTS, RIGHT, FOR $20 MILLION -- 25 MILLION, RATHER, I THINK ABOUT THE 2022 BOND, AND THAT'S MORE THAN ANY OTHER PARKS INVESTMENT, MORE THAN ANY OTHER PUBLIC WORKS INVESTMENT THAT WE'VE MADE, AND I UNDERSTAND, RIGHT, THERE'S OPPORTUNITY TO SUPPORT SOMETHING LIKE THIS. 
          I THINK IT DOES COMPLEMENT THE WORK THAT LEO'S BEEN ABLE TO DO WITH THE PORT AND THAT BOARD, BUT WHEN WE TALK ABOUT THAT LARGE SCALE OF PUBLIC INVESTMENT, I SHARED A SIMILAR SENTIMENT THAT WE NEED TO ENSURE AND GUARANTEE THAT SAN ANTONIO RESIDENTS WILL HAVE FREE ACCESS TO IT IN TERMS OF THE CITY HAVING ACCESS TO THE FACILITY AT NO COST. 
          AND I UNDERSTAND ALL THESE THINGS WILL BE TEASED OUT AND DISCUSSED, BUT I DO THINK THAT IS AN EXCESSIVE REQUEST OF THE CITY JUST BASED OFF OF THE PROJECTS THAT WE'VE FUNDED. NO DISTRICT FIVE PARK HAS RECEIVED $20 MILLION. NO CITY OF SAN ANTONIO PARK HAS RECEIVED $20 MILLION, SO I JUST WANT TO ENSURE THAT WE'RE NOT KICKING PUBLIC PARKS DOWN THE LIST TO SUPPORT THIS PRIVATE -- PUBLIC/PRIVATE PARTNERSHIP, OR WHAT WOULD BE. AND IN TERMS OF THAT IN THE CASE THAT COUNCIL DOES APPROVE FUNDING THROUGH THE BOND, I THINK AN EXPECTATION THAT THE PUBLIC WOULD HAVE IS THAT THE PARKS DEPARTMENT, THE SUSTAINABILITY DEPARTMENT, HAVE A LARGER DECISION-MAKING ROLE IN TERMS OF WHAT'S GOING TO BE MOVING ALONG WITH THIS PROJECT. 
          BUT ULTIMATELY,  I'M REALLY EXCITED FOR THE OPPORTUNITY FOR THE ACTIVE LEARNING. I'M THINKING ABOUT ELEMENTARY STUDENTS TAKING FIELD TRIP TO LEARN ABOUT DIFFERENT TREES AND BIOLOGY AND SO MANY DIFFERENT MOVING PIECES. ALSO GRATEFUL FOR THE PARTNERSHIP Y'ALL ARE EXPLORING WITH PALO ALTO AND THE POTENTIAL FOR EDUCATION THERE AS WELL. I WAS REALLY LIKING THE GREEN SHOP WORKING CENTER AND THAT WORK THAT Y'ALL ARE CONDUCTING AND THE OPPORTUNITY THAT'S YOU KNOW, WHEN I THINK ABOUT PLANT MORE TREES AND HAVE MORE GREEN SPACES, THE SUSTAINABILITY DEPARTMENT SHOULD SAY WITH THIS CENSUS TRACT THAT THE ARBORETUM CITES IT HAS A PRETTY LOW HEAT ISLAND SCORE. I HOPE THERE ARE MORE TREES WE CAN PLANT THROUGHOUT THE CITY WHERE WE DO HAVE A HEAT ISLAND BUT OF COURSE JUST GIVEN THE $25 MILLION REQUEST I THINK THAT'S A LARGE AMOUNT FOR SOMETHING THAT'S NOT PUBLIC WHEN WE HAVE MONTERREY PARK, JUST SO MANY PARKS THAT COULD USE A LOT OF LOVE AND I WANT TO ENSURE THAT SAN ANTONIO RESIDENTS AREN'T GOING TO BE LEFT TO WAIT WHILE WE FUND THIS PROJECT. THOSE ARE ALL MY COMMENTS. 
          AGAIN, REALLY APPRECIATE THE PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT AND TOM BEING AT ALL THE NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATIONS. IT'S REALLY MEANINGFUL AND I'M GOING TO TAKE YOU UP ON THAT INVITATION TO GO AND I'M GOING TO INVITE SOME D5 RESIDENTS, SO PLAN FOR US. 
          THANK YOU. THANK YOU, MAYOR. >> MAYOR NIRENBERG: THANK 
          YOU, COUNCILMEMBER CASTILLO. >> AT THE CREATION, AT THE BEGINNING, I'VE ALWAYS INSISTED THAT IT WOULD BE COMPLETELY FREE. NOW, I USED THE WORD "HOPE" EARLIER BECAUSE IT'S A CONSTANT BATTLE AND YOU HAVE A CONSULTANT COME IN AND THEY SAY, WELL, YOU DON'T HAVE A BUSINESS MODEL WITH ANY MONEY IN IT SO YOU HAVE TO HAVE X AMOUNT OF MONEY. AND THEY COME UP WITH DIFFERENT APPROACHES. 
          BUT I CANNOT IMAGINE ANY SCENARIO IN WHICH IT WOULD NOT BE FREE TO THE PUBLIC. 
          IT HAS TO BE. FURTHERMORE, THE WHOLE CONCEPT OF AN ARBORETUM IS TO MAKE SOMETHING BEAUTIFUL AVAILABLE TO PEOPLE WHO MAY NOT HAVE IT IN THEIR OWN SETTING AND CAN COME AND ENJOY AND REFLECT ON JUST THE SHEER BEAUTY, BUT ALL AGES. ELDERLY PEOPLE ON FIXED INCOME BUT THEY WANT TO GO FOR A WALK, JUST REFLECT IN THE MAJESTY OF THESE BEAUTIFUL, BEAUTIFUL TREES. 
          IT WILL BE FREE TO THE PUBLIC. JUST WANT TO TAKE THAT OFF THE TABLE. BECAUSE THAT IS OUR COMMITMENT. 
          >> I ALSO JUST WANT TO TOUCH ON THE POINT WE ARE NOT IN COMPETITION WITH THE PARKS AND REC OR ANY OTHER CITY GREEN SPACE. WE ARE AN ADDITION TO THAT. 
          THE WHOLE IDEA IS THAT WE ARE PROVIDING A SPACE THAT AREA. BUT IT COMPLEMENTS THE ENTIRE CITY'S GREEN INFRASTRUCTURE AND THAT GREEN SPACE THROUGHOUT THE CITY. 
          I JUST WANTED TO CLARIFY THAT. >> MAYOR NIRENBERG: ALL 
          RIGHT. COUNCILMEMBER VIAGRAN. >> VIAGRAN: THANK YOU, 
          [01:10:05]
MAYOR. THANK YOU, TEAM FOR PRESENTING, THE ARBORETUM TEAM. THIS IS SOMETHING THAT IS WELL-THOUGHT-OUT, WHEN WE'RE TALKING ABOUT DISTRICT 3, IT IS A FLOODPLAIN. THAT'S WHY IT WAS A GOLF COURSE. AND WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE DOING THE BEST WITH THAT AREA, NOT JUST MAKING IT DITCHES OR JUST RANDOM GREEN SPACE. 
          I JUST WANT TO TELL YOU THE STORY BEFORE HENRY BROUGHT THIS TO THE RESIDENTS AND WE HAD THIS PLAN, PEOPLE WERE JUST USING IT FOR THREE-WHEELING, FOR, YOU KNOW, MOTOR-CROSS BIKES AND IT WAS CAUSING A NUISANCE FOR THE COMMUNITY AROUND THERE. THEY WERE VERY EAGER ABOUT THIS IDEA AND WILLING TO GIVE INPUT. I HEAR WHAT ALL THE COUNCIL MEMBERS ARE SAYING AND, HENRY, I APPRECIATE YOUR EFFORTS TO MAKE THIS FREE TO THE PUBLIC. 
          THE PUBLIC THAT I PRIORITIZE IS THE PUBLIC OF SAN ANTONIO AND BEXAR COUNTY. 
          SO IF IT IS LOCALS ONLY AND THEN IF YOU'RE COMING FROM A VISIT, I'M WILLING TO ENTERTAIN THAT IDEA WHERE WE CHARGE FOR -- IF IT BECOMES A TOURISM DESTINATION. 
          BUT I THINK WE'VE ALWAYS TALKED ABOUT IT BEING FREE TO OUR COMMUNITY HERE IN SAN ANTONIO, TO THE LOCALS. I GUESS THE ONE OPPORTUNITY I WANT TO KIND OF SHARE THAT WE HAVE AS WE MOVE FORWARD IS THE OPPORTUNITY THAT MY COUNCIL COLLEAGUES HAVE MENTIONED REGARDING SUSTAINABILITY AND REGARDING THE RESEARCH THAT CAN BE DONE THERE. WE JUST FINISHED OUR -- WE JUST HAD OUR SECOND ANNUAL SYMPOSIUM ON SUSTAINABILITY HERE IN SAN ANTONIO AND ERIKA PROSPER MENTIONED WE NEED TO TALK ABOUT FOOD AS MEDICINE, HOW WE NEED TO TALK ABOUT OUR ENVIRONMENT AS WHAT IS EITHER CONTRIBUTING OR HELP HEALING OUR ANXIETIES AND OUR WOES. 
          I'M REALLY LOOKING FORWARD TO THAT. TONS OF RESEARCH DONE ON SOIL. I THINK WE NEED TO SEE HOW ALL THE UNIVERSITIES ARE WORKING ON THAT. AND WE DO NEED TO CONTINUE TO KEEP THE COMMUNICATION OPEN BETWEEN THE COUNCIL AND OUR EXPECTATIONS. AND ADRIANA, THE FUNDRAISING AND THE BOARD -- I KNOW THIS IS A WORKING BOARD. AND IF YOU PUT UP THE SLIDE AGAIN OF ALL THE WORKING BOARD MEMBERS AND THE ADVISERS, I THINK YOU WILL SEE THAT THESE PEOPLE ARE PREPARED TO MEET THE CHALLENGES THAT WE FACE. 
          SAN ANTONIO DESERVES A WORLD-CLASS ARBORETUM IN ADDITION TO WHAT OTHER EVENTS WE'RE TALKING ABOUT. AND THIS FITS THERE IN THAT AREA. 
          AND THIS WOULD BE ANOTHER, NOT JUST A DISTRICT 3 PROJECT, IT IS A CITYWIDE PROJECT. THANK YOU FOR PRESENTING AND I LOOK FORWARD TO HEARING MORE AND SEEING HOW WE PROGRESS. THANK YOU. 
          >> MAYOR NIRENBERG: THANK YOU, COUNCILMEMBER VIAGRAN. COUNCILMEMBER WHYTE. 
          >> WHYTE: THANKS, MAYOR. HENRY, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THE PRESENTATION AND FOR ALL THE BOARD MEMBERS WHO ARE HERE, THANK YOU AS WELL. FOR THOSE WHO HAVEN'T BEEN OUT THERE, MY TEAM AND I HAD THE HONOR OF BEING ON THE SOUTHSIDE IN DISTRICT 3. 
          WE ALL WENT OUT THERE, I THINK IT WAS AROUND SIX MONTHS OR SO NOW. 
          TOMMY, YOU WERE NICE ENOUGH TO GIVE OUR WHOLE GROUP THE TOUR AND REALLY WHAT A SPECTACULAR PIECE OF LAND. IT'S REALLY GOING TO SHOWCASE THE NATIVE LANDSCAPE HERE IN SAN ANTONIO. SO THANK YOU FOR GIVING MY TEAM THAT TOUR. WE REALLY ENJOYED IT AND THERE'S SO MUCH OUT THERE, INCLUDING I THINK YOU SHOWED US THE POSSIBILITY OF AN AREA WHERE THERE COULD BE AN AMPHITHEATER TO HAVE VARIOUS CLASSES OR CONCERTS. AND THEN EDUCATIONAL ACTIVITIES FOR KIDS. I THINK COUNCILMAN MCKEE-RODRIGUEZ HAS AN IDEA FOR WHO COULD BE OUT THERE FOR A CONCERT, MAYBE, AS HE'S SHOWN US TODAY. 
          BUT IT REALLY IS GREAT AND I LOOK FORWARD TO ITS COMPLETION. 
          I DO JUST HAVE ONE QUESTION. I BELIEVE, IF I'M NOT MISTAKEN, YOU TOLD ME WHEN WE WERE THERE, THE CLUBHOUSE AT THE FRONT OF THE PROPERTY IS NOT YET UNDER CONTRACT 
          AND YOU WERE LOOKING AT IT. WHERE DO WE STAND THERE? >> YEAH. 
          SO THERE'S 18.5 ACRES AT THE FRONT PART, WHICH INCLUDES THE THREE BUILDINGS THAT WERE THE FORMER CLUBHOUSE, EVENT SPACE, AND CART BARN, AS WELL AS PARKING LOT. 
          AND THEN THE DRIVING RANGE BEHIND IT. THAT IS 18.5 ACRES. 
          [01:15:02]
WE ARE UNDER CONTRACT NOW TO PURCHASE THAT. WE'RE HOPING TO CLOSE IN THE MARCH TIME-FRAME TO BRING US TO 200 ACRES . THAT'S IMPORTANT TO US BECAUSE THAT PARKING LOT, THE BUILDINGS WILL ENABLE A QUICKER START TO THE ARBORETUM. IT'S PART OF THE MASTER PLANNING RIGHT NOW SO THAT WILL PUT US A GREAT DEAL -- SAVE US A GREAT DEAL OF TIME. 
          DOES THAT MAKE SENSE? >> LET ME JUST GO THROUGH IT HERE. I'LL GET THERE. 
          THERE WE GO. OKAY. SO IF YOU LOOK -- IT'S LABELED THE PADADI PARCEL. DAN HAS PUT IT UP FOR SALE FOR US AND IT'S IN THE UPPER RIGHT OF THIS MAP. IT'S 18.5 ACRES. ON THE LEFT IS THE ORIGINAL ARBORETUM AS WE HAVE IT TODAY. TO THE RIGHT IS, ALONG SOUTHEAST MILITARY, IS A BUILDING THAT HOLT CAT PURCHASED FROM INCARNATE WORD. HOLT NOW HAS A TECHNOLOGY COMPANY, EPIPHANY TECHNOLOGY IS IN THERE. THIS IS STRATEGIC BECAUSE IT PROVIDES FRONT ACCESS TO 
          SOUTHEAST MILITARY AND HAS THOSE BUILDINGS. >> WHYTE: YEAH, I REMEMBER WHEN YOU TALKED ABOUT IT AND IT'S IMPORTANT TO GET. ALL OF Y'ALL. 
          >> THE OTHER THING USEFUL ABOUT THIS MAP IS THE LEFT-HAND SIDE OF THE GREEN. 
          IT BELONGS TO THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO. AND IT IS A SITE ORIGINALLY BOUGHT BY THE CITY FOR PERHAPS VEHICLE STORAGE OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT. 
          I THINK, ERIK, SOME CITY USE, RIGHT? >> WALSH: FLOOD CONTROL, 
          POTENTIALLY. >> IT IS MY UNDERSTANDING THERE WAS SOME POSSIBILITY THAT IT WOULD BE PAVED OVER OR USED BUT IT CANNOT. THE GRADE IS TOO STEEP. 
          THERE'S 30 ACRES THERE THAT IS WILD THAT'S OWNED BY THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO. 
          AND IN SOME FUTURE POINT IT COULD BE THE CITY WOULD SAY WE WANT TO INTEGRATE THAT INTO THE PARK, BECAUSE IT'S JUST WILD LAND RIGHT NOW. BUT HIKEBLE. 
          SO THAT'S JUST AN ADDITIONAL PIECE OF THIS THAT WE HAVE NEVER DISCUSSED. 
          >> WHYTE: THANK Y'ALL FOR THE PRESENTATION. THIS IS SOMETHING I THINK PEOPLE FROM ALL CORNERS OF THE CITY WILL BE ABLE TO TRAVEL TO THE SOUTHSIDE AND ENJOY. LOOKING FORWARD TO IT. THANKS, MAYOR. 
          >> MAYOR NIRENBERG: THANK YOU, COUNCILMEMBER WHYTE. COUNCILMEMBER PELAEZ. 
          >> PELAEZ: THANKS. TERRIFIC TO SEE YOU ALL. ADRIANA, WELCOME TO THIS BEAUTIFUL ADVENTURE. IT'S GOING TO SOUND LIKE I JUST CAME UP WITH SOMETHING REALLY SMART BUT I DIDN'T. I'M ABOUT TO SAY SOMETHING THAT I JUST READ, AND I REALLY LIKE IT. THAT THE ARBORETUM IS WHERE SCIENCE, HISTORY, CONSERVATION, PUBLIC EDUCATION, AND SERENITY MERGE AND THAT THERE'S NO OTHER PLACE WHERE THAT HAPPENS. I THINK THAT'S LOVELY. 
          AND I DO HAVE A QUESTION, THOUGH. A LOT OF THESE FEATURES LIKE ZOOS, PARKS, MUSEUMS, THIS IS AN ACCREDITATION BODY OUT THERE. 
          IS THAT SOMETHING YOU'VE GOT BAKED INTO THE PLAN? >> YEAH. 
          YOU HAVE DONE YOUR RESEARCH. YEAH. THERE IS AN ACCREDITATION SPECIFICALLY FOR ARBORETUM. IT'S A NATIONAL ACCREDITATION AND IT HAS AN INTERNATIONAL COMPONENT AS WELL WITH IT. IT'S ADMINISTERED ORIGINALLY THROUGH THE MORTON ARBORETUM, WHICH IS IN THE CHICAGO AREA, BUT IT'S ITS OWN ENTITY AND THEY HAVE LAYERS OF ACCREDITATION AND WE WOULD DEFINITELY BE LOOKING FOR THAT ACCREDITATION. IT HELPS TO SOLIDIFY WHERE 
          WE ARE, ESPECIALLY ON THE RESEARCH SIDE. >> PELAEZ: YEAH. 
          I 100% AGREE WITH MY COLLEAGUES. IT NEEDS TO BE OPEN TO THE PUBLIC. IT NEEDS TO BE -- AT NO COST TO THE PUBLIC. 
          ALSO, IF THE CITY IS GOING TO INVEST RESOURCES, WE NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE GETTING SOME SORT OF MEASURABLE RESULTS. I BELIEVE ACCREDITATIONS ARE IMPORTANT. WE AT THE CITY CHASE ACCREDITATIONS BECAUSE THEY VALIDATE WE'RE DOING IT THE RIGHT WAY. I WOULD ENCOURAGE YOU TO STICK CLOSE TO HOMER BECAUSE HOMER SEEMS TO GET ACCREDITATIONS EVERY WEEK 
          [01:20:02]
FOR SOME OF THE WORK THAT HE DOES. THE OTHER THING IS, YOU KNOW, WITH SO MANY TREE SPECIES BEING THREATENED WITH EXTINCTION, SOMETHING LIKE 30% OF TREE SPECIES IN THE WORLD. I THINK THIS IS A NECESSARY ASSET. 50, 100, 150 YEARS FROM NOW OUR SUCCESSORS IN CITIES AND COMMUNITIES WILL BE ABLE TO USE THESE TREE LIBRARIES, WHATEVER, AS THE TOOLS THEY NEED IN ORDER TO MAKE SURE THE TREES DON'T GO EXTINCT. AND THIS IS NOT TRYING TO SCARE ANYBODY BUT TREES GO EXTINCT AND WE ARE REALLY GOOD AT MAKING THEM GO EXTINCT. AND SO I THINK WE NEED TO BE EQUALLY GOOD AT PRESERVING THEM WHEN WE CAN. AS FAR AS ACCESSIBILITY, HENRY YOU MENTIONED ACCESSIBILITY FOR PEOPLE OF DIFFERENT ABILITIES. HOMER HELPED US CREATE A PARK IN MY DISTRICT THAT WE NAMED DAN MARKSON PARK. IT IS AN ULTRA-ACCESSIBLE PARK AND IT IS SPECIFICALLY MADE FOR PEOPLE OF DIFFERENT ABILITIES. 
          IT HAS GOT ALL THE PLAYGROUND EQUIPMENT, THE ADULT CHANGING TABLES IN THE BATHROOMS. IT WAS DESIGNED WITH COLORS IN MIND, SOUND IN MIND. 
          AND I WOULD ENCOURAGE YOU GUYS TO DELVE INTO THE RESEARCH THAT HOMER ALREADY DID IN ORDER TO GET US THERE, BECAUSE THE IDEA WAS THAT WE WOULD USE THAT AS AN OPPORTUNITY TO PROVE OUT THE CONCEPT. AND MY HOPE IS THAT WE SEE MORE PARKS LIKE THAT THROUGHOUT SAN ANTONIO AND MY HOPE WOULD BE THE 
          ARBORETUM -- >> IT'S A BEAUTIFUL THOUGHT OBVIOUSLY FOR THE FRONT AREA BUT ALSO FOR THE ENTIRE ARBORETUM. THE BEAUTY IS -- I HAVE USED THE WORD "PROVIDENTIAL" MANY TIMES TO DESCRIBE HOW THIS FELL INTO OUR LAP, HOW WE ENDED UP WITH AN ENTIRE GOLF COURSE. CAN YOU IMAGINE IF WE ENDED UP WITH 188 ACRES THAT HAD TO BE CARVED OUT TO CREATE A PUBLIC FACILITY? NO. IT'S GOT FAIRWAYS, GREENS, IT'S GOT THE PATHWAYS FOR THE CARTS. SO WHAT WE HAVE THOUGHT -- AGAIN, THIS IS THE MASTER PLAN WE'LL DECIDE. BUT RESTRICTING THE PARKING TO THE AREA BEING BOUGHT, THE PEDROTTI PARCEL AND YOU GET INTO THE PARK BY WALKING OR ON CARTS OR OTHER DEVICES THAT AID PEOPLE WHO ARE DISABLED. SO THAT WAY THEY CAN ACCESS AN OPEN SPACE, A WILD SPACE, THE WHOLE LENGTH OF IT, PEOPLE WHO ARE DISABLED, THAT THEY COULDN'T DO ANYWHERE ELSE IN THE CITY. OF THAT SIZE, OF THAT 
          WILDNESS. >> PELAEZ: I LOVE IT, HENRY. 
          THAT IS BEAUTIFUL. AND THE OTHER BEAUTIFUL DECISION THAT YOU AND THE BOARD MADE WAS INCLUDING LEO GOMEZ. [LAUGHTER] I THINK MAYBE THE ONLY SMART THING I HAVE EVER DONE IS HIRING LEO AT BROOKS. 
          I CONTINUE TO VICTORY LAP ABOUT THAT, LEO. I CONTINUE TO CONGRATULATE 
          MYSELF. >> WE JUST HAVE TO PROTECT THE WILDLIFE BECAUSE HE'S A 
          HUNTER BY NATURE. >> PELAEZ: JUST MAKE SURE YOU DON'T LET ANY ELK ON TO THE PROPERTY. IN ALL SERIOUSNESS, LEO HAS PROVEN HIMSELF MASTERFUL IN EXBRACING COMPLEXITY AND PUTTING TOGETHER THESE MASTER PLANS. 
          Y'ALL ARE LUCKY TO HAVE HIM AND LUCKY TO HAVE THE BRAND BROOKS BEHIND THIS PROJECT BECAUSE I THINK IT'S PROVEN ITSELF OUT. ONE MORE REASON I'M GREEN WITH ENVY THAT COUNCILWOMAN VIAGRAN GETS THESE FANTASTIC THINGS IN HER DISTRICT. 
          >> IF I COULD MAKE A COMMENT ON BROOKS, LEO, LIKE YOU SAID, IS FANTASTIC. 
          WHAT AN ADVOCATE, WHAT A SUPPORTER, WHAT A LEADER HE'S BEEN. 
          BUT THE ORGANIZATION THAT HE REPRESENTS HAS BEEN HUGELY IMPORTANT TO THE ARBORETUM STAFF IN TERMS OF MAKING THIS HAPPEN. THEIR MANTZ GROUP, THEIR MARKETING GROUP, THEIR LEGAL SUPPORT. JUST AN ENORMOUS AMOUNT OF 
          SUPPORT, SO I THANK LEO FOR THAT ASPECT AS WELL . >> PELAEZ: THIS COMES DURING A NATIONAL CONVERSATION WHERE, YOU KNOW, IN ANY OTHER CONTEXT ALL OF US WOULD BE ACCUSED FOR BEING WOKE FOR CELEBRATING SCIENCE AND MENTAL HEALTH AND CONSERVATION AND PUBLIC EDUCATION. 
          YOU KNOW, THE MOUTH BREATHERS USE THAT WORD BUT THE REALITY IS THAT THIS IS 
          [01:25:03]
          WHAT AWAKENS MINDS AND THIS IS WHAT -- >> 
          >> PELAEZ: FOR DOING THIS IMPORTANT WORK. I LOOK FORWARD TO TAKING MY KIDS AND GRANDKIDS OUT THERE ONE DAY BECAUSE THIS IS ONE OF THOSE FOREVER PROJECTS. 
          THANKS. >> MAYOR NIRENBERG: THANK YOU, COUNCILMEMBER PELAEZ. 
          COUNCILMEMBER KAUR. >> KAUR: THANK YOU, MAYOR. THANK YOU, SECRETARY CISNEROS FOR YOUR LEADERSHIP ON THIS. IT'S SUPER EXCITING. 
          AND TOM, FOR EVERYTHING YOU HAVE DONE. I HOPE YOU GET TO ENJOY RETIREMENT ON AN ACTUAL GOLF COURSE. ADRIANA, WELCOME TO THE CITY AND THANK YOU FOR YOUR LEADERSHIP. LOVE THE WAY YOU ARE BRINGING YOUR EXPERTISE TO THE TABLE. I'M EXCITED ABOUT THIS. 
          ALL MY COLLEAGUES HAVE SAID IT WOULD BE A GREAT ADDITION AND I THINK IT'S BECAUSE OF COUNCILWOMAN VIAGRAN AND ALL OF OUR SOUTHSIDE LEADERS' ADVOCACY THAT THEY'RE GETTING MORE NATURE AND SUPPORT ADDED TO THE SOUTHSIDE. 
          AND I JUST HAVE A COUPLE OF QUESTIONS. AND SO ONE STARTS WITH THE COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT PROCESS. ONE OF THE THINGS I THINK WE'RE REALLY GOOD AT NOW IS GETTING COMMUNITY FEEDBACK BUT IT'S HOW WE RETURN THAT FEEDBACK TO THE COMMUNITY TO KNOW WE'VE HEARD WHAT THEY SAID AND THIS IS WHAT WE'RE INCORPORATING IS REALLY IMPORTANT. CAN YOU SHARE A LITTLE BIT ABOUT WHAT ARE THE THINGS THAT Y'ALL LEARNED FROM THE COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT PROCESS AND WHAT CHANGES HAVE GONE INTO THE MASTER PLAN AS A RESULT? 
          >> YEAH. I'M GOING TO LET TOM ALSO SPEAK. 
          BUT JUST REAL QUICK, FROM MY PERSPECTIVE IN COMING IN, YOU KNOW, AT THE END OF THIS TIME PERIOD. OBVIOUSLY IT'S STILL THE BEGINNING BUT ONE OF THE THINGS THAT SURPRISED ME WAS THAT WHILE SAN ANTONIO WAS THE PLAN THAT WAS MOST LIKED --T WOULD BE COMMUNITY. THAT'S JUST IN MY BRAIN I THOUGHT THAT WOULD BE THE CASE. AND SO YOU CAN SEE THAT WE'VE HEARD THAT AND THAT WE ARE GOING FORWARD WITH THAT BEING OUR MAIN FOCUS IN HOW WE'RE DOING IT. 
          AND SO OUR TEAM HAS TAKEN THAT IS ALL INFORMATION AND HAS MADE THIS FOURTH AND FINAL PLAN THAT HAS TAKEN ALL OF THAT INTO IT. AND WE WILL HAVE ANOTHER OUTREACH EVENT AND WE'LL BE ABLE TO GET FEEDBACK DIRECTLY. 
          >> THAT'S A GREAT QUESTION AND IT'S TOUGH TO ANSWER BECAUSE WE GOT INPUT FROM ALL AROUND SAN ANTONIO ON THOSE THREE INSTANCES OF A DESIGN. 
          AND WE WEREN'T LOOKING FOR WHICH ONE, ALTHOUGH INDEED WHILE SAN ANTONIO ROSE TO THE TOP, BUT IT'S THE ASPECTS OF EACH WHICH WE WANTED TO GET THEIR INPUT ON. SOME OF THEM WERE DIRECTLY CONFLICTING. 
          SOME PEOPLE WANTED CAMPING ON-SITE. OTHER PEOPLE SAID NO WAY. 
          THAT'S WHERE OUR VALUES COME INTO PLAY IN TERMS OF DIGESTING THAT IN OUR BOARD, IN OUR PLANNING COMMITTEE COMES TOGETHER AND SAYS WHAT ARE THINGS WE NEED TO INCLUDE IN HERE THAT IS CONFLICTING WITH RESPECT TO OUR COMMUNITY INPUT BUT CONSISTENT WITH OUR VALUES. AND WE MAKE DECISIONS THERE.HE THAT'S IMPORTANT, FROM A PROCESS PERSPECTIVE. BUT CANOPY WALK WAS VERY POPULAR. 
          GROVES OF TREES AND DIFFERENT TYPES OF TREES AND BEING ABLE TO EXHIBIT THEM AS YOU GO THROUGH THAT ARBORETUM. COMMUNITY WAS IMPORTANT, WELL-BEING, BOTH PHYSICAL AND MENTAL. A PLACE TO EXERCISE, RIDE YOUR BIKE AND WALK, AS WELL AS THAT RESTORATIVE ASPECT OF BEING IN NATURE, THAT NATURE BATHING. ALL OF THOSE ASPECTS CAME IN AND THERE'S MANY DIMENSIONS THAT CAME INTO PLAY. BUT WE'RE TRYING, FROM A PROCESS PERSPECTIVE, TO TAKE ALL THAT INPUT AND WHERE WE HAVE CONFLICTS, KIND OF BREAK THAT BY WAY OF OUR VALUES. THERE IS GOING TO BE INPUT WHERE PEOPLE SAID THIS, AND WE'RE NOT GOING TO DO THAT BECAUSE IT'S INCONSISTENT. AND THAT'S OKAY BUT WE GOT THEIR INPUT AND WE WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE HEARING THEM BUT WE'VE GOT TO MAINTAIN 
          CONSISTENCY WITH OUR VALUES. DOES THAT HELP? >> KAUR: ABSOLUTELY. 
          I THINK IT WILL BE IMPORTANT TO SHARE THAT OUT SO PEOPLE CAN SEE WHAT INFORMATION THAT YOU ALL DID TAKE AND WHAT YOU DIDN'T. ANOTHER REASON WHY I ASKED IS ONE OF MY CONSTITUENTS CAME TO ME IN ADVANCE OF THIS MEETING HOPING TO ADVOCATE FOR SOMETHING AUSTIN HAS. IT'S A BIKE TRAIL THAT ALLOWS FOR LONG RIDING BUT IS PAVED AND IS ONLY ALLOWED FOR BIKES AND IN-LINE 
          [01:30:02]
          SKATING AND THINGS LIKE THAT. >> TO GET SPEED. 
          >> KAUR: BECAUSE WE DON'T HAVE A SPACE IN OUR CITY RIGHT NOW WHERE YOU COULD 
          RIDE FOR FIVE MILES ON SPEED. >> I THINK JUST TO COMMENT ON THAT, COUNCILWOMAN, WE ARE GOING TO BE PART OF THE HOWARD PEAK GREENWAY TRAILS AND THEY HAVE PRETTY TIGHT GUIDELINES IN TERMS OF WHAT COMPILES THAT. 
          ONE OF THOSE IS WE DON'T HAVE THOSE SPEEDWAYS, JUST FROM A SAFETY PERSPECTIVE . 
          I'M A BIKER MYSELF. I WOULD LOVE TO SEE THAT BUT IT'S PROBABLY NOT GOING TO 
          BE HERE. >> KAUR: YEAH, UNDERSTOOD. THE LAST THING THAT I WANTED TO MENTION IS ARE YOU ALL GOING -- SO IF THE MASTER PLAN IS ACTUALLY COMPLETED BY APRIL, THAT MEANS IT SHOULD BE ALMOST DONE, RIGHT, I'M ASSUMING. 
          ARE Y'ALL GOING TO BE COMING BACK TO A B SESSION TO PRESENT THAT OR IS THAT JUST 
          GOING TO BE SHARED? >> WE WOULD LOVE TO COME BACK TO A B SESSION AND 
          SHARE THAT WITH YOU. >> KAUR: OKAY. I WAS THINKING WE WOULD BE ABLE TO SEE MORE OF THE DETAILS OF IT. THE LAST THING I'LL MENTION, ACCESSIBILITY HAS COME UP A COUPLE OF TIMES AND EVERYONE HAS THROWN OUT THEIR ACCESSIBLE PARKS THAT THEY'RE PROUD OF SO I'M GOING TO DO THE SAME. 
          HOMER HAS BEEN WORKING WITH THE BRACKENRIDGE PARK TEAM AND THEY ARE BUILDING AN ACCESSIBLE PLAY AREA THAT HAS WHEELCHAIR ACCESSIBILITY, INCLUDING WATER FEATURES, AND THEY'RE WORKING WITH A GREAT GROUP TO HELP DESIGN THAT. 
          >> TO COMPLEMENT THAT AND TO WHAT ELSE HAS BEEN SAID ABOUT HOMER AND THE WHOLE PARKS AND REC GROUP FROM MR. MCCARY, HOMER, AND JACKIE MENDEZ, THEY HAVE BEEN A PLEASURE TO WORK WITH. THEY HAVE BEEN VERY HELPFUL. 
          ANYTHING WE ASK FOR WE TYPICALLY GET AND THAT'S REALLY IMPRESSIVE TO SEE FROM A CITY FUNCTION. I WANTED TO ACKNOWLEDGE THEM. 
          >> KAUR: I THINK THE WORLD OF THEM TOO. I DID WANT TO ADD ONE MORE COMMENT. ONE OF THE CHALLENGES THAT THE MEMBERS OF MY COMMUNITY HAVE MENTIONED IS KEEPING TREES ALIVE. SO ANYTHING WE CAN DO IN THIS SPACE TO BE ABLE TO HELP ENCOURAGE TREE LIFE ACROSS THE CITY, WHETHER THAT'S FIGURING OUT WAYS TO REPLANT OR HAVING MATURE TREES THAT CAN REPLACE OTHER ONES THAT WE ARE HAVING TO REPLACE AT SOME OF OUR PARKS THAT FOLKS ARE REALLY SAD TO 
          SEE GO. >> I THINK ONE OF THE GREAT THINGS IS THE TREE NURSERY THAT WE PLAN ON DEVELOPING. BECAUSE THOSE TREES, NOT ONLY ARE THEY TREES THAT WE CAN SEND OUT TO THE CITY TO BE REPLANTED IN AREAS WHERE WE MIGHT BE LOSING TREES BUT WE'RE ALSO DOING RESEARCH TO SEE WHAT ARE THE BEST TREES THAT COULD BE PLANTED OUT INTO THE CITY. AND IT ENCOURAGES THAT TREE PLANTING, ENCOURAGES US 
          CONTINUING TO ADD TREES TO OUR URBAN LANDSCAPE. >> KAUR: YEAH, AND COUNCILWOMAN CASTILLO MENTIONED THE HEAT ISLAND EFFECT AND IT'S SOMETHING OUR URBAN DISTRICTS FACE A LOT OF SO THE MORE WE CAN USE THIS ASSET TO HELP MITIGATE AROUND THE CITY WOULD BE GREAT. AND AN EQUITABLE WAY TO DO THAT IS GOING TO BE REALLY IMPORTANT AS WELL. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR 
          PRESENTATION. THANK YOU, MAYOR. >> MAYOR NIRENBERG: THANK YOU, COUNCILMEMBER KAUR. COUNCILMEMBER MCKEE-RODRIGUEZ. 
          >> MCKEE-RODRIGUEZ: THANK YOU, MAYOR. AND THANK Y'ALL FOR THE PRESENTATION. Y'ALL HAD ME IN THE FIRST HALF, I WON'T LIE. 
          I SAW 48 SLIDES AND MY EYES GOT BIG. [LAUGHTER] BUT I ENJOYED ALL OF THE PICTURES AND THE PRESENTATION. 
          THIS IS AN EXTREMELY EXCITING CONCEPT, ESPECIALLY FOR WHERE IT'S LOCATED. 
          THIS AREA OF OUR CITY, THE SOUTHEASTERN QUADRANT HAS BEEN IMPACTED BY CHRONIC DISEASES LIKE HEART DISEASE AND ASTHMA. GREEN SPACES PROMOTE NOT ONLY PHYSICAL ACTIVITY AND SOCIAL CONNECTEDNESS BUT THEY ARE CRUCIAL TO IMPROVING AIR QUALITY, WHICH HAS BEEN A LARGER CHALLENGE FOR OUR COUNTY. 
          AS WELL AS INCREASING ACCESS TO ALL OF THE HEALTH BENEFITS ASSOCIATED WITH NATURE. SOME OF OUR CITY'S BIGGEST CHALLENGES AND AILMENTS FEEL LIKE THEY HAVE ROOTS, NO PUN INTENDED, THAT ARE TOO DEEP TO RESOLVE IN OUR LIFETIMES BUT IT IS GOING TO TAKE THIS TYPE OF PLANNING AND CARE AT A VARIETY OF LEVELS TO GET TO THAT POINT. AND I'M THINKING OF THIS PROJECT AND PROJECTS LIKE IT IN THE CONTEXT OF A CONTINUUM OF CARE APPROACH TO ADDRESSING HEALTH DISPARITIES IN OUR COMMUNITY AND THE ROLE THEY CAN PLAY IN THE BROADER HEALTHCARE AND WELLNESS SYSTEM AS PREVENTIVE HEALTHCARE. SOMETIMES WE REALLY SIT WITH THE CHALLENGES AND STRUGGLES THAT WE INHERITED AND THAT PREVENTS US FROM FOCUSING ON OUR REAL MISSION, WHICH IS LEAVING BEHIND A WORLD BETTER THAN WE FOUND IT. 
          I WOULD LOVE TO SEE OUR CITY GET BEHIND THIS PROJECT AND INCREASE ACCESS TO FREE QUALITY GREEN SPACE FOR RESIDENTS WHO HAVE NOT BEEN AFFORDED THIS LEVEL OF INVESTMENT HISTORICALLY. I WANT TO OFFER A LITTLE BIT OF NUANCE TO MY SUPPORT. 
          [01:35:04]
YOU MENTIONED 2027 AND IT IS JUST A HOP, SKIP, AND JUMP AWAY AND MANY OF US ARE PREPARING FOR THE 2027 BOND PROGRAM, JUST AS YOU ARE. I KNOW CITY COUNCIL WILL LOOK VERY DIFFERENT BY THE TIME WE ARE HAVING PUBLIC DISCUSSIONS AND COMMUNITY MEETINGS ABOUT THE BOND. WHAT I WOULD LIKE TO SEE IS HOW FAR $25 MILLION WILL GO. 
          IT FEELS INCREDIBLY STEEP AS AN ASK RIGHT NOW AND I KNOW THAT CONVERSATIONS THAT COME TO THE CITY ASKING FOR FUNDING AND RECEIVING IT BUT IT HAS BEEN INCREDIBLY DIFFICULT TO GET TO THAT LEVEL OF SUPPORT FOR PUBLIC PARKS, COMMUNITY SPACES, AND INFRASTRUCTURE IMPROVEMENTS WHERE THERE ARE RESIDENTS WHO NEED THE INVESTMENT THE MOST. THEY CAN'T GO TO BILLIONAIRE STAKEHOLDERS TO FIX THEIR NEIGHBORHOOD PARK. THEY CAN'T LEVERAGE ANY MORE FUNDING THAN THEY ALREADY DO. WHAT I WANT ■TOSEE ISTHE&-ÚTOTA, WITH THEIR TAX DOLLARS THAT THEY HAVE TO PAY TO ACCESS. I HAVE HEARD YOUR COMMITMENT TO MAKING IT A FREE SPACE AND I WANT TO AFFIRM THAT IS ABSOLUTELY THE PATH WE SHOULD TAKE. 
          ON THE OTHER HAND, I WOULD LIKE TO EXPRESS, YOU KNOW, SAN ANTONIO HAS AN OPPORTUNITY TO BE THE BEST AT SOMETHING. WE'RE PLAYING CATCH-UP AND WHEN I'M TALKING ABOUT THE 2027 BOND PROGRAM, I EXPECT PROJECTS THE BEST IN THE NATION. I WANT TO DEVELOP THE MOST UNIVERSALLY-ACCESSIBLE PARK IN THE COUNTRY AND I WOULD EXPECT A PROJECT ASKING FOR THIS AMOUNT OF MONEY TO BE THE BEST PUBLICLY-ACCESSIBLE ARBORETUM IN THE COUNTRY. AND THAT PROJECT COULD POTENTIALLY EARN MY VOTE IN A COUPLE OF YEARS WHEN WE ARE DISCUSSING THE 2027 BOND PROGRAM. BUT ALL THAT SAID, THANK Y'ALL SO MUCH FOR THE PRESENTATION UPDATE. IT WAS VERY THOROUGH AND I LIKED IT. 
          THANK YOU, MAYOR. >> MAYOR NIRENBERG: THANK YOU, COUNCILMEMBER 
          MCKEE-RODRIGUEZ. COUNCILMEMBER COURAGE. >> COURAGE: THANK YOU, MAYOR. I WOULD LIKE TO START OFF BY REALLY CONGRATULATING HENRY CISNEROS AND THE ORIGINAL PEOPLE HE HAD TALKED WITH ABOUT THIS CONCEPT, AS WELL AS TOM, WHO STEPPED IN TO BE THAT FIRST CEO TO MOVE THIS FORWARD. 
          AND NOW WE'VE GOT SUCH A WONDERFUL CAST OF NEW PEOPLE AND BOARD MEMBERS WHO SHARE THE VISION OF CREATING THIS ARBORETUM IN SAN ANTONIO. AND AS EVERYONE WAS DISCUSSING, I JUST STARTED THINKING THROUGH MY MIND HOW MANY MAJOR PARKS -- AND I THINK IT'S FAIR TO SAY THIS ARBORETUM IS LIKE A PARK. HOW MANY OF THOSE ARE THERE AROUND THE CITY? YOU KNOW, THERE ARE SOME HERE AND THERE THAT STICK OUT. I CAN THINK OF PEARSALL PARK DOWN IN YOUR AREA. 
          OR I CAN THINK OF DIGNOWITY SO THERE'S A PARK HERE AROUND THE CITY. 
          BUT ALSO I STARTED THINKING ABOUT WHERE ARE A LOT OF THE OTHER BIG PARKS AND FOR MANY, MANY YEARS A LOT OF THOSE BIG PARKS HAVE BEEN FAR AWAY FROM THE DOWNTOWN AND SOUTH SIDE OF SAN ANTONIO. YOU KNOW, THERE'S MCALLISTER PARK, USED TO BE CALLED THE NORTH SIDE PRESERVE. THERE'S HARDBERGER PARK. 
          WE JUST BUILT A BEAUTIFUL LAND BRIDGE THERE. THE CLASSEN-STEUBING PARK HAS A BEAUTIFUL, ALL-INCLUSIVE PLAYGROUND, A MILLION DOLLARS WAS SPENT ON. WE HAVE COMANCHE OUTLOOK, EISENHOWER, FREDERICK WILDERNESS, GOVERNMENT CANYON, O.P. SCHNABEL PARK, ALL THESE PARKS INCLUDING THE MAJORITY OF THE ORIGINAL GREENWAY TRAIL, ALL OF THIS WAS ON THE NORTH SIDE OVER THE LAST 20 YEARS OR MORE . BUT THERE ARE OTHER GOOD PARKS BUT NOT ENOUGH OF THEM. NOW, LOOK AT DOWNTOWN. WE'VE GOT BRACKENRIDGE PARK, 
          [01:40:08]
HEMISFAIR PARK, THE NEW SAN PEDRO CREEK PARK. NOT THE NEW SAN PEDRO CREEK PARK BUT THE NEW SALADO CREEK PARK THAT WE BUILT RIGHT IN THE MIDDLE OF DOWNTOWN. BUT WHAT HAVE WE BEEN DOING ON THE SOUTHSIDE? WE HAVE COMANCHE PARK THAT'S BEEN THERE FOREVER. YEAH, WE HAVE CONFLUENCE PARK, SOUTH OF HIGHWAY 90. THAT'S WHAT WE'RE MISSING. A LARGE NUMBER OF PEOPLE LIVE, WORK, AND PLAY SOUTH OF HIGHWAY 90 AND THERE ARE A LOT OF NEW BUSINESSES AND EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTIONS THAT HAVE GONE INTO THE SOUTHSIDE. 
          I HAVE BEEN AN ADVOCATE FOR SOUTHSIDE DEVELOPMENT FOR YEARS BUT WE'VE HAD COMANCHE PARK, WE'VE HAD ROOSEVELT PARK, WE HAD THE MISSION REACH AND FINALLY UNESCO, WORLD HERITAGE, AND THE MISSION NATIONAL PARK AND NOW WE'RE DEVELOPING GREENWAY TRAILS DOWN THERE. THIS ARBORETUM PLAN, I THINK, IS GOING TO BE ONE OF THE GEMS THAT WE CAN CREATE IN THE SOUTH PART OF SAN ANTONIO TO GO AHEAD AND SHOW OFF THE ENTIRE CITY TO EVERYBODY WHO LIVES HERE. INSTEAD OF FOCUSING SO MUCH OF THESE AMENITIES IN THE NORTH SIDE OR SCATTERED IN A COUPLE OF PLACES. 
          I'M VERY SUPPORTIVE OF THIS. I REALLY APPRECIATE -- I'M SORRY I MAY NOT BE AROUND TO SEE IT COME TO FRUITION BUT I'LL ALWAYS BE 
          PROUD AS IT COMES FORWARD. THANK YOU, MAYOR. >> MAYOR NIRENBERG: THANK YOU, COUNCILMEMBER COURAGE. ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION ON THIS ITEM? ALL RIGHT. WELL, I THINK YOU HEAR VERY CLEARLY A LOT OF EXCITEMENT AND SUPPORT FOR THE ARBORETUM IN SAN ANTONIO. A LOT OF DISCUSSION MOVING FORWARD BUT GOOD LUCK ON THE NEXT STEPS AS THE MASTER PLAN COMES TO COMPLETE AND WE LOOK FORWARD TO ADDITIONAL BRIEFINGS. THANKS, EVERYBODY. 
          WE DO HAVE AN EXECUTIVE SESSION TODAY. TIME IS NOW 3:49 P.M. ON FEBRUARY 12, 2025. THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO WILL NOW MEET IN EXECUTIVE SESSION TO CONSULT WITH THE CITY ATTORNEY'S OFFICE PURSUANT TO TEXAS GOVERNMENT CODE SECTION 551.071 AND TO DELIBERATE OR DISCUSS THE FOLLOWING ITEMS. ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT NEGOTIATIONS PURSUANT TO SECTION 551.087. PURCHASE, EXCHANGE, LEASE OR VALUE OF REAL PROPERTY PURSUANT TO SECTION 551.072. LEGAL ISSUES RELATED TO LITIGATION INVOLVING THE CITY, EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS, AND COLLECTIVE BARGAINING ALL PURSUANT TO SECTION 551.071. 
* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.