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>> MAYOR NIRENBERG: GOOD AFTERNOON. THE TIME IS 2:11 P.M. ON MAY 28, 2025. WE'LL CALL OUR B SESSION TO ORDER.
MADAM CLERK, PLEASE READ THE ROLL. >> CLERK:
[ BRIEFING ONLY ]
MAYOR, WE HAVE QUORUM. >> MAYOR NIRENBERG: ALL RIGHT.
WE HAVE ONE ITEM ON OUR AGENDA TODAY, SO I'LL TURN IT RIGHT OVER TO
ERIK. >> WALSH: THANK YOU, MAYOR, GOOD AFTERNOON, MAYOR AND COUNCIL. WE'VE GOT THIS AFTERNOON'S PRESENTATION WILL BE FOCUSED ON TWO AREAS, ONE, OUR CITYWIDE SUMMER YOUTH PROGRAMMING AND HEAT MITIGATION PLANNING AND ACTIVITIES. DAVID MCCARY WILL LEAD US OFF BY SHARING THE MANY CITY PROGRAMS WHICH ARE FOCUSED ON SIR FING OUR YOUTH -- SERVING OUR YOUTH DURING THE SUMMER MONTHS WHEN SCHOOL ISN'T AVAILABLE, THERE ARE A VARIETY OF CAMPS, FREE EVENTS AND WAYS TO STAY COOL. WE'LL TRANSITION TO DEPUTY FIRE CHIEF O'NEAL WHO WILL PROVIDE AN UPDATE ON OUR HEAT COMMUNICATION AND RESOURCES. WE'LL FOLLOW THAT UP WITH LAURA PATINO, OUR CHIEF RESILIENCE OFFICER AND DOUG MELNICK TO PROVIDE ONGOING ACTIVITIES RELATED TO HEAT PREPAREDNESS AND SOME OF THE INVESTMENT THAT YOU ALL APPROVED IN THIS YEAR'S BUDGET. AND JUST A QUICK REMINDER BEFORE WE GET STARTED, YOU CAN CHECK OUT SA.GOV/HOTWEATHER WEB
PAGE FOR ALL OUR HEAT-RELATED RESOURCES. >> MCCARY: THANK YOU, ERIK. GOOD AFTERNOON, MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL.
I'M DAVID MCCARY, YOUR ASSISTANT CITY MANAGER. TODAY WE ARE EXCITED TO BRING YOU A BRIEFING ON OUR CITYWIDE SUMMER YOUTH PROGRAMMING AND SUMMER PREPAREDNESS. I NEED YOU TO BUCKLE UP, BECAUSE WE HAVE 10 OF YOUR PUBLIC-FACING DEPARTMENTS THAT ARE HERE WITH US TODAY FOR THIS UPDATE. AND HELPING ME WITH THE PRESENTATION WILL BE BRIAN O'NEAL, AS WELL AS LAURA PATIO, DOUG MELNICK AND MYSELF FOR TODAY'S PRESENTATION. OUR AGENDA ACTUALLY TOUCHES ON FOUR KEY COMPONENTS, TOPICS. OUR DEPARTMENT ACTIVITIES FOR THE SUMMER YOUTH AND TEEN PROGRAMS, WE ALSO HAVE OUR HEAT COMMUNICATION AND RESOURCES THAT ENGAGEMENT WITH THE PUBLIC AND THEIR AWARENESS, WE'RE VERY HIGH ON MAKING THAT HAPPEN. YOU ALSO WILL HEAR ABOUT OUR RE RESILIENCE HEAT PLAN AS WELL AS OUR COOL NEIGHBORHOODS UPDATE. SO OUR FIRST FIVE DEPARTMENTS HIGHLIGHTED TODAY HAVE A SHARED VISION FOR OUR YOUTH AND TEEN SUMMER PROGRAMS. WE HAVE WITH US PARKS AND RECREATION, PUBLIC LIBRARIES, DEPARTMENT OF HUMAN SERVICES, OUR SAN ANTONIO FIRE DEPARTMENT AND SAN ANTONIO POLICE DEPARTMENT. OUR CITY OF SAN ANTONIO CURRENTLY OFFERS VARIOUS OPPORTUNITIES THAT ARE CENTERED AROUND OUR YOUTH. THESE INCLUDE YOUTH DEVELOPMENT, PROMOTING HEALTH AND SAFETY, BEING PHYSICALLY AND MENTALLY ACTIVE AND PASSION DISCOVERY. PARKSINTENTIONALLY ALIGNS THESE PROGRAM CALENDARS WITH 20 PARKS AND 23 SCHOOLS. PARKS ALSO PUTS IN THE WORK TO ADVANCE OUR YOUTH AGES SIX TO 14, AS WELL AS PARKS THAT OFFERS FOUR SUMMER TEEN CLUB SITES. THOSE ARE FOR AGES 13 TO 18.
IT RUNS FOR EIGHT COMPLETE WEEKS, THE MONTH OF JUNE THROUGH AUGUST.
THESE ARE SAFE AND FUN SPACES FOR OUR CHILDREN. NEW THIS SUMMER FOR OUR YOUTH AND TEENS IS OUR DANCE CAMP AT BERTA EM MCCARA, DANCE STUDIOS AND COMMUNITY CENTER THAT IS ALSO A PART OF WHAT THEY'RE DOING THERE, EVEN INCLUDING PICKLEBALL THIS YEAR. NOW OUR CHILDREN CONTINUE TO LEARN ART, MATH, READING AND SCIENCE THROUGHOUT THE SUMMER, BUT PLEASE DON'T TELL THEM THAT THEY'RE LEARNING ALL YEAR ROUND, BECAUSE THAT MAY AFFECT THEIR IMPRESSION OF AN AMAZING SUMMER.
UNDER SUMMER HEAT AND PARK POOLS, THEY ACTUALLY GO HAND IN HAND.
PARK OFFERS EXTENSIVE AQUATIC PROGRAMMING FOR COMMUNITY USERS OF ALL AGES. 24 OUTDOOR POOLS WILL OPEN THIS SEASON, AND
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WE'RE KICKING IT OFF WITH AQUATICS PRESEASON SCHEDULE.THAT COMMUNITY PRESEASON ACTUALLY STARTED THIS PAST WEEKEND.
WE ALSO ENSURE FUN ACTIVITIES ARE CONDUCTED IN A SAFE MANNER AS POSSIBLE. THE SAN ANTONIO NATATORIUM REMAINS OPEN ALL YEAR ROUND AND FITNESS AND PARK WITH AQUA FITNESS CLASSES, ALSO OPEN SWIM FOR THE HOURS ARE AVAILABLE THROUGHOUT THE SUMMER AND THROUGHOUT THE SCHOOL YEAR. PARKS WILL ALSO EXPAND FREE MOVIES AT THEIR POOLS SERIES. THAT'S PRETTY COOL TO WATCH A MOVIE IN A POOL. PARK IS EXCITED TO ANNOUNCE FREE GROUP SWIMMING LESSONS. THEY ALSO HAVE A TOTAL OF THREE TWO-WEEK SESSIONS, AGES SIX MONTHS OF AGE TO ADULTS. IT IS NEVER TO LATE TO LEARN HOW TO SWIM. GUESS WHO'S HIRING AGAIN? PARKS AND RECS HAVE ALREADY BEGUN HIRING PROGRAM STAFF, INCLUDING SUPERVISORS AND LIFE GUARDS FOR THE SUMMER. FOR YOUTH PROGRAM STAFF POSITIONS, YOU MUST BE 18 YEARS OF AGE OR OLDER. FOR LIFE GUARDS, YOU MUST BE 16 YEARS OF AGE OR OLDER. STARTING SALARY IS AT $18 PER HOUR. THERE ARE HIRING INCENTIVES FOR AK A AK AQUATIC TICKS POSITIONS, PROJECTS INCLUDE GETTING PAID WHILE YOU'RE GETTING TRAINED AS WELL AS UNIFORMED STIPENDS.
I WANT YOU TO PLEASE NOTE, WE HAVE COLLABORATION AMONG MULTIPLE CITY DEPARTMENTS TO PROVIDE THIS YOUTH SERVICES PROGRAM.
A WEBSITE IS CURRENTLY BEING DEVELOPED TO PROVIDE ALL THE INFORMATION IN ONE LOCATION YEAR ROUND. LET'S SHIFT TO OUR PUBLIC LIBRARIES. AS A PARTNER FOR OUR SUMMER YOUTH PROGRAMS, LIBRARY ENCOURAGES OUR YOUTH TO HAVE A JOYFUL CONNECTION TO OUR LIBRARIES THROUGH BOOKS, PLO T PROTECTING THE FREEDOM TO READ AND INTELLECTUAL FREEDOM CONTINUES TO BE A HIGH PRIORITY FOR OUR LIBRARY BOARD OF TRUSTEES AND THE DEPARTMENT. PUBLIC LIBRARY YOUTH PROGRAM ALLOWS CHILDREN TO MOVE, CREATE, EXPLORE LEARNING OPPORTUNITIES THROUGH BOOKS AND READING. OUR SAN ANTONIO PUBLIC LIBRARY FOUNDATION HAS BEEN A WONDERFUL PARTNER IN SPONSORING CHILDREN TO BEGIN THEIR SUMMER BY CHOOSING A NEW BOOK TO ADD TO THEIR HOME COLLECTION. THE FOUNDATION IS ALSO NOT WAITING TO GIVE THEM THEIR BOOKS AT THE END OF THE PROGRAM, BUT THEY'RE ACTUALLY GIVING THEM THEIR BOOKS AT THE BEGINNING. JUST TO SHOW YOU HOW MUCH OUR LIBRARY FOUNDATION HAD INFLUENCED ME, THEY ACTUALLY INSPIRED ME THIS PAST YEAR ENDING 2024, TO ACTUALLY REPEL DOWN A 21-STORY THOMPSON HOTEL.
AND MY LEGS WERE TOO LONG, THEY STILL DIDN'T DRAG THE GROUND.
BUT I JUST WANTED Y'ALL TO KNOW, THAT INSPIRATION MADE ME FEEL GOOD ABOUT GIVING BACK TO OUR NEXT GENERATION. LIBRARY WILL RELEASE A NEW PALETA CHARACTERS EVERY MONDAY IN JUNE AND JULY.
EACH CHARACTER REFLECTS SOMETHING YOU CAN LEARN ABOUT OR DO WITH THE LIBRARIES, AND IT ACCOMPANIES A COLLECTIBLE BOOKMARK AVAILABLE AT ALL LOCATIONS. OUR FRIENDS OF SAN ANTONIO PUBLIC LIBRARY IS ALSO A PARTNER AND SUPPORTER OF OUR LIBRARY SYSTEM.
NOW WHEN IT COMES TO OUR TEENS, HIGH SCHOOL AGED TEENS ARE ENCOURAGED TO EXPERIENCE TEEN-LED ACTIVITIES, BOOK EXPLORATION, TECH DISCOVERY, ART CREATION, VIDEO GAMING, COOKING AND A LOT MORE.
THE SAN ANTONIO PUBLIC LIBRARIES OFFERS OPPORTUNITIES FOR TEENS TO TAKE LEADERSHIP ROLES AND ENGAGE IN POSITIVE SOCIALIZATION.
FREE DAILY TEEN ACTIVITIES WILL TAKE PLACE AT THE TEEN LIBRARY AT CENTRAL WITH VIRTUAL OPTIONS AVAILABLE. THERE IS ALSO AN OPPORTUNITY FOR TEENS TO ACTUALLY EARN VOLUNTEER SERVICE HOURS.
IT DOES REQUIRE THAT THEY TAKE THE LEAD OF A HIGH-INTEREST LIBRARY ACTIVITIES AS AROUND THEIR PEERS AND IN THEIR COMMUNITY.
LET'S SHIFT TO THE DEPARTMENT OF HUMAN SERVICES.
DHS FUNDS THE AMBASSADOR SUMMER INTERN FOR COLLEGE STUDENTS.
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THEY MUST COMPLETE AT LEAST TWO SEMESTERS OF COLLEGE TO ENTER.THIS PROGRAM RECEIVED THIS YEAR OVER 1200 APPLICATION TO FILL 200 INTERNSHIP SLOTS. OVER 69% OF THE INTERNS OFFERED INCLUDE NONPROFIT, PRIVATE SECTOR AND MEDICAL FIELDS. DHS PARTNERS WITH THE SAN ANTONIO CHAMBER OF COMMERCE TO HOST WHAT THEY CALL A STAY IN SA NETWORKING EVENT. THIS IS WHERE THE AMBASSADORS GET TO MEET SAN ANTONIO'S BUSINESS LEADERS. NEXT LEVEL, WHICH IS ALSO ONE OF THEIR PROGRAMS, PARTNERS WITH THE ALAMO COLLEGE DISTRICT, AND IS THE ONLY NONTRADITIONAL PATHWAY FOR YOUNG ADULTS TO ATTEND THE ALAMOPROMISE. TOTALLY 18 STUDENTS ARE WORKING TOWARD BECOMING THE ALAMOPROMISE SCHOLARS. MOST ARE GED RECIPIENTS AS WELL. THERE ARE 95 FORMER OPPORTUNITY YOUTHS THAT HAVE ENROLLED IN ALAMO COLLEGE THROUGH THIS PARTNERSHIP.
ALSO ON JUNE THE FOURTH, WHICH IS COMING UP, FROM 3:30 TO 6:30 AT THE FRANK GARRETT COMMUNITY MULTICENTER, WE HAVE HUMAN SERVICES, OTHER PARTNERS AND VARIOUS DEPARTMENTS WILL ACTUALLY HOST A CHILDREN AND YOUTH PROGRAMMING SHOWCASE. THIS IS THAT PART THAT Y'ALL ALWAYS ASK US, HOW DO WE WORK TOGETHER? WELL, THEY'RE DOING IT TOGETHER.
AS IT RELATES TO DHS, DELEGATE AGENCIES, DHS ACTUALLY FUNDS FOUR DIFFERENT AGENCIES THAT PROVIDE SEVEN DIFFERENT SUMMER YOUTH PROGRAMS ACROSS SAN ANTONIO. THERE ARE THE -- THE FOUR ARE THE BOYS AND GIRLS CLUB, GIRLS, INC., YOU HAVE GOOD SAMARITAN COMMUNITY SERVICES, AND YOU HAVE YOUR YWCA. LET'S START WITH THE BOYS AND GIRLS CLUB.
THE COLLEGE READINESS, YOU HAVE YOUR YOUNG ACHIEVERS PROGRAM.
THERE'S A PART OF THAT TOGETHER, THIS COLLEGE PREPARATORY PROGRAM PROVIDES WEEKLY WORKSHOPS, COLLEGE VISITS, AND AN UNDERSTANDING OF WHAT IT TAKES FOR COLLEGE ADMISSIONS, AS WELL AS FINANCIAL AID AND THAT PROCESS. WHEN WE SPEAK ABOUT THE YOUTH SUCCESS PROGRAM, THIS PROGRAM PROVIDES ACADEMIC PROGRAMS, SOCIAL/EMOTIONAL LEARNING AND STRONG CHARACTER DEVELOPMENT.
UNDER GIRLS, INC., WE HAVE OPERATION SMART. THIS PROVIDES THE STEM ENGAGEMENT OPPORTUNITIES FOR GIRLS IN GRADES THIRD THROUGH THE 12TH GRADE AFTER SCHOOL DURING OUR SPRING BREAK AS WELL AS SUMMER BREAK.
UNDER OUR GOOD SAMARITAN COMMUNITY SERVICES WE HAVE OUR COLLEGE CAREER AND MILITARY READINESS. THIS PROGRAM WORKS WITH LOCAL SCHOOL DISTRICTS BY PROVIDING COLLEGE FAIRS, ACTUALLY CAMPUS TOURS. THEY ALSO DO WORKSHOP TO AID COLLEGE PREPARATION, ENROLLMENT AS WELL AS RETENTION.
ALSO AS A PART OF THAT IS YOUR YOUTH CASE MANAGEMENT.
THIS PROGRAM PROVIDES CASE MANAGEMENT SERVICES TO AT-RISK YOUTH IN OUR COMMUNITY. UNDER THE WYMCA -- I'M SORRY, UNDER THE YWCA, LISTEN TO ME -- WE HAVE MIKE HERRERA, IT IS AN EMPOWERMENT PROGRAM FOR GIRLS IN MIDDLE TO HIGH SCHOOL TO STAY IN SCHOOL.
THIS HELPS THEM EXPLORE SELF-ESTEEM, CAREER ACADEMICS AND OPPORTUNITIES. UNDER THE INITIATIVE RESET, IT PROVIDES CASE MANAGEMENT TO REENGAGE IN EDUCATION AND WORKFORCE OPPORTUNITIES.
IT RECEIVES REFERRALS FOR SOCIAL SERVICES AND IT BUILDS COMMUNITY WITH OUR YOUNG WOMEN. LET'S SHIFT TO OUR SAN ANTONIO FIRE DEPARTMENT. HERE WE HAVE COED HEROES CAMP.
SINCE 2019, THOUSANDS OF YOUTH HAVE ATTENDED CAMPS HELD AT THE SAN ANTONIO FIRE DEPARTMENT TRAINING ACADEMY. SAN ANTONIO FIRE DEPARTMENT CAMPUS FOR 2025 WILL BE HELD OVER THREE WEEKENDS IN JUNE AND AUGUST. YOU'LL HAVE TWO DAYS FOR AGES 13 TO 18, AND ONE DAY MINI CAMPS ARE OFFERED FOR KIDS EIGHT TO 12.
AND ALL OF THIS IS AT OUR FIRE TRAINING ACADEMY. THERE IS NO CHARGE TO
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ATTEND AT THE SAN ANTONIO FIRE DEPARTMENT'S CAMP. CURRENTLY, ALL 2025 CAMP SIGNUPS ARE AT CAPACITY. THEY ALWAYS FILL UP FAST.NEXT WE HAVE SAN ANTONIO FIRE DEPARTMENT CAMP TITLED HEROES LIKE HER.
OH, I LOVE THAT TITLE. THIS CAMP PROVIDES HANDS-ON EXPERIENCE INCLUDING CPR, RESCUE AND REPELLING. REMEMBER, Y'ALL HEARD REPELLING EARLIER. REMEMBER, THAT WAS ME. AGILITY DRILLS, ARSON INVESTIGATION AND MUCH MORE. OUR SAN ANTONIO FIRE DEPARTMENT IS BEING INTENTIONAL TO EMPOWER GIRLS AND EXPOSE THEM TO A FIREFIGHTER'S PROFESSION. BY MENTORING YOUNG WOMEN IN OUR OWN COMMUNITY AND HELPING THEM ACHIEVE THEIR GOALS, THE FIRE DEPARTMENT WILL DEVELOP INDIVIDUAL TALENTS TO CREATE A STRONGER COMMUNITY. THE BEST EXAMPLE FOR THAT IS OUR VALERIE FROSTOS -- VALERIE, I KNOW I MESSED THAT UP, MY APOLOGIES, FROSTO, WHICH IS OUR VETERAN FIREFIGHTERS THAT CAME UP THROUGH THE RANKS.
SHE CAME UP THROUGH THE RANKS AND MADE HISTORY BY BEING THE FIRST WOMAN FIRE CHIEF IN SAN ANTONIO. NEXT, SINCE 2021, OUR SAN ANTONIO POLICE DEPARTMENT HAS HAD A FREE SCHOOL SUMMER CAMP TO EMPOWER LOCAL YOUTHS. THIS ALLOWS THEM TO BUILD RELATIONSHIPS BETWEEN SAN ANTONIO POLICE DEPARTMENT, STUDENTS AND THEIR FAMILIES.
STUDENTS MEET WITH SEVERAL OFFICERS AND DETECTIVES FROM DIFFERENT UNITS WITHIN SAN ANTONIO POLICE DEPARTMENT. THE INSIGHT INTO THE LIFE OF A CADET AND OFFICER IS AT THEIR FINGERTIPS. FOR THOSE INTERESTED IN A CAREER IN LAW ENFORCEMENT, HIGH SCHOOL SUMMER CAMP IS JUNE THE 23RD THROUGH THE 25TH, AGES 14 TO 17. AND, AGAIN, BETWEEN JUNE THE 30TH THROUGH JULY THE SECOND, AGES 14 TO 17. ALL RIGHT.
OUR SAN ANTONIO POLICE OFFICERS WITHIN THE SAFE UNIT HAVE PROVIDED A PROGRAM TO GIVE YOUNG ADULTS INTERESTED IN A CAREER IN LAW ENFORCEMENT IN AN IN-DEPTH LOOK AT WHAT THE JOB ENTAILS. IT COVERS -- THIS PROGRAM IS OFFERED ALL YEAR ROUND. THE COMMUNITY SERVICE EVENTS AND PROJECTS, WE HAVE PUBLIC SPEAKING FOR THEM, THEY HAVE TEEN BUILDING EXERCISE THAT TEACHES THEM HOW TO WORK TOGETHER.
THEY ALSO HAVE SCENARIO TRAINING AND PART OF THOSE SCENARIOS ARE IMPORTANT, AS WELL AS LAW ENFORCEMENT COMPETITION. WHAT THE LAW SAYS AND WHAT IT DOESN'T. OFFICERS AT EACH OF THE SIX SUBSTATIONS ACROSS SAN ANTONIO ACT AS MENTORS TO OUR YOUTH. 46 CURRENT SAPD OFFICERS ARE ACTUALLY ALUMNIS FOR THE SAN ANTONIO POLICE PROGRAM.
AND RIGHT NOW -- Y'ALL SEE THE HELICOPTER THAT'S IN THE PICTURE? HERE'S ANOTHER THING I DID 10 OR 12 YEARS AGO WHEN THEY HAD A MICROBURST THAT CAME THROUGH THE AREA, ERIK WALSH ALLOWED ME TO GO UP IN THE HELICOPTER TO SURVEY THE AREA SO OUR TEAMS WOULD KNOW WHERE TO ATTACK -- THE AIR. I WOULD LIKE TO TURN THIS OVER AT THIS TIME TO BRIAN O'NEAL, OUR DEPUTY FIRE CHIEF. BRIAN?
>> GOOD AFTERNOON. SO BRIAN O'NEAL, DEPUTY FIRE CHIEF, I'M ALSO THE NEW EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT COORDINATOR FOR THE CITY, AND I WILL BE TALKING TO YOU ABOUT OUR HEAT COMMUNICATION STRATEGY AND OUR RESOURCES FOR OUR COMMUNITY. OKAY. SO WE'VE ALREADY KIND OF TALKED ABOUT THE NEW WEBSITE, SA.GOV/HOTWEATHER, THIS WAS PUT TOGETHER BY OUR COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT TEAM. IT'S A ONE-STOP HUB FOR OUR RESIDENTS TO GO AND LOOK AND FIND RESOURCES, ANYTHING AND EVERYTHING HAVING TO DO WITH HEAT. TIPS ON STAYING COOL, TIPS ON BEING HYDRATED, HOW TO BE SAFE IN YOUR OWN HOME.
IF YOU'RE NOT ABLE TO BE SAFE IN YOUR OWN HOME, WE HAVE PLACES TO GO TO STAY COOL, AND WE HAVE AN INTERACTIVE MAP. I'LL GO OVER THAT IN A COUPLE SLIDES HERE, BUT IT'S A REALLY COOL MAP THAT KIND OF SHOWS WHERE
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PEOPLE CAN GO. ALSO CRITICAL IS LEARNING THE SIGNS OF HEAT EXHAUSTION, HEAT STROKE, NOT JUST IN OURSELVES, BUT IN OUR NEIGHBORS, FRIENDS, FAMILY MEMBERS, PARTICULARLY OUR ELDERLY FAMILY MEMBERS.THEY TEND TO BE MORE VULNERABLE TO HEAT THAN YOUNGER PEOPLE.
OUR HEAT ILLNESS DASHBOARD WHICH IS UNIQUE.
THIS TRACKS HEAT-RELATED ILLNESSES SINCE 2022. AND OUR COMMUNITY -- I'M SORRY, YEAH, 2022 IN OUR COMMUNITY, SO YOU CAN LOOK IN YOUR AREAS TO SEE WHERE HEAT-RELATED ILLNESSES OCCUR. SO THE ULTIMATE GOAL IS CONSISTENCY, ACCURACY, ACCESSIBILITY IN OUR COMMUNICATIONS.
OKAY. SO THE HEAT COMMUNICATION PLAN, SO THIS IS A COLLABORATION BETWEEN THE OFFICE OF EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT AND CNE, SO WE RECOGNIZE THAT PEOPLE GET THEIR INFORMATION FROM VARYING SOURCES, SO THAT'S HOW WE TRY TO URSTRIBUTE O INFORMATION, SO WE DO PRESS RELEASES TO TRADITIONAL MEDIA FOR EXTREME HEAT EVENTS, WE DO SOCIAL MEDIA POSTS TO MAKE SURE PEOPLE WHO ARE VIEWING SOCIAL MEDIA ARE WELL INFORMED, WE HAVE REALLY COOL COUNCIL TOOLKIT WHERE WE E-MAIL YOU THE DIFFERENT MESSAGING WE HAVE, SO YOU CAN SHARE IT WITH YOUR CONSTITUENTS OR SEND TEXT MESSAGES OUT, OR USE YOUR OWN SOCIAL MEDIA.
WE MONITOR WEATHER CONSISTENTLY, WE'RE MONITORING IT RIGHT NOW.
SO WE HAVE PARTNERS AT THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE, TEXAS DIVISION OF EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT, AND WE'RE CONTINUING MONITORING WEATHER SO WE CAN BE PROACTIVE IN GETTING THESE MESSAGES OUT TO COMMUNITY.
SO, AGAIN, IT'S CONSISTENCY IN OUR COMMUNICATION AND MAKING SURE IT'S ACCESSIBLE TO EVERYBODY. OKAY.
SO HERE'S THE MAP OF OUR PLACES TO STAY COOL. THIS IS ON THE WEBSITE, SA.GOV/HOTWEATHER. YOU CAN CLICK ON ANY OF THESE LOCATIONS, SENIOR CENTERS, WHICH IS REALLY CRITICAL, COMMUNITY CENTERS, OUR LIBRARIES, WE EVEN HAVE SPLASH PADS, SWIMMING POOL LOCATIONS THAT PEEP KL GO TO STAY COOL. THE HOURS OF OPERATION VARY, SOME STAY OPEN AS LATE AS 8:00 OR 9:00 WHICH IS REALLY IMPORTANT DURING HOT DAYS. IF WE NEED TO EXTEND THE TIME, WE WILL.
A REALLY CRITICAL THING IN EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT IS LETTING PEOPLE KNOW THEIR PETS ARE OPEN. WE KNOW THIS IS A BARRIER FOR PEOPLE. PETS ARE LIKE OUR FAMILY, AND PEOPLE TEND TO NOT WANT TO LEAVE THEIR PETS SO THEY DON'T TAKE CARE OF THEMSELVES. SO THEY KNOW THEY CAN BRING THEIR PET WITH THEM, THAT'S VERY IMPORTANT.
IT'S A DYNAMIC WEBSITE, AND I ENCOURAGE EVERYBODY TO GO AND VISIT IT.
SO OUR RESILL RESILIENCE HUBS, THESE ARE MORE ROBUST THAN OUR COOLING CENTERS. THEY HAVE GENERATOR FOR CONTINUOUS POWER.
RIGHT NOW WE HAVE FOUR GENERATORS, THE FOUR OF THE SIX COMMUNITY CENTERS HAVE GENERATORS, AND THE LAST TWO ARE BEING INSTALLED THIS SUMMER.
IF THERE IS A POWER OUTAGE FROM THE STATE GRID LIKE HAS HAPPENED BEFORE WE HAVE CONTINUOUS COMFORTABLE ENVIRONMENT FOR PEOPLE TO GO TO.
PART OF THE RESILIENT HUB CON CONCEPT IS MAKING THE COMMUNITY FEEL COMFORTABLE WITH THEM. ONE WAY WE DO THAT IS THROUGH OUR RESILIENCE HUB SUMMER SERIES, THIS WILL START IN JUNE, RUN THROUGH SEPTEMBER, WE'LL RELEASE THE SCHEDULE SOON TO EVERYBODY. YOU CAN SEE THE TOPICS THERE AT EACH RESILIENCE CENTER. SO THE -- THERE ARE TWO MAIN GOALS TO THIS, RIGHT? RAISE AWARENESS ABOUT THE RESILIENCE CENTER, SO PEOPLE ARE COMFORTABLE GOING TO THEM AND TO PROVIDE RESOURCES FOR RESIDENTS. THIS IS FOR EDUCATION OR EVEN HOW TO MAKE YOUR HOMES MORE RESILIENT TO THE HEAT.
AND WITH THAT, I'LL TURN IT OVER TO OUR CHIEF RESILIENCE OFFICER, LAURA
PATINO. >> THANK YOU, CHIEF O'NEAL.
GOOD AFTERNOON, MAYOR AND COUNCIL. MY NAME IS LAURA PATINO AND I'M THE CHIEF RESILIENCE OFFICER FOR THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO.
AS CHIEF RESILIENCE OFFICER, MY JOB IS TO COORDINATE ACROSS CITY DEPARTMENTS, AS WELL AS EXTERNAL PARTNERS TO ADDRESS THE POTENTIAL SHOCKS AND STRESSES THAT OUR CITY FACES. EXTREME HEAT IS ONE OF THOSE SHOCKS, AS WELL AS ONE OF THOSE STRESSES, AND IT IS A PRIORITY ONE. ESPECIALLY GIVEN THE CLIMATE HERE IN VULNERABILITY OF MANY OF OUR RESIDENTS. SO AS SUCH, DEVELOPING A HEAT RESILIENCE PLAYBOOK FOR THE CITY ORGANIZATION AND DRAWING ON THE BEST PRACTICES FROM AROUND THE COUNTRY IS A KEY AREA OF FOCUS FOR ME AND MY TEAM. WE'VE HEARD TODAY ABOUT VARIOUS ACTIVITIES THAT ARE TAKING PLACE OVER THE SUMMER TO KEEP SAN ANTONIANS ENGAGED.
WE'VE ALSO HEARD ABOUT THE TOOLS AND RESOURCES THAT THE CITY HAS SET IN PLACE TO KEEP AND ENSURE THAT RESIDENTS ARE AWARE OF THE RISKS, AND ALSO AWARE OF WHERE TO FIND THE RESOURCES TO COMBAT THE EXTREME HEAT THIS SUMMER. SO NOW LET'S TALK ABOUT THE DEVELOPMENT OF OUR COMPREHENSIVE HEAT MANAGEMENT STRATEGY, WHICH WE'RE CALLING THE SAN ANTONIO HEAT RESILIENCE PLAYBOOK. THIS PLAYBOOK IS MEANT TO
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SERVE AS A GUIDE FOR MAYOR AND COUNCIL, IT'S MEANT TO HELP COMMUNITIES UNDERSTAND THE ACTIONS THAT WE'RE ALREADY MOVING FORWARD COLLECTIVELY.IT'S ALSO MEANT TO SHARE OUR SUCCESSES AS A CITY GLOBALLY AND CREATE INTERNAL ALIGNMENT BETWEEN DEPARTMENTS. THE PLAYBOOK HAS FOUR MAIN OBJECTIVES. FIRST, IT'S TO UPLIFT THE EXISTING CITY-LED EFFORT. WE KNOW THAT SAN ANTONIO IS ALREADY TAKING ACTION TO COMBAT HEAT, AND WE'RE NOT STARTING FROM SCRATCH.
THE SECOND IS TO PUSH ACTIONS THAT HAVE LIMITED MOVEMENT TO DATE, AND WE DO THAT BY BRINGING VISIBILITY TO THOSE ACTIONS AND IDENTIFY WAYS TO ADVANCE THEM. THE THIRD IS TO INTEGRATE EXISTING INITIATIVES TO CREATE GREATER IMPACT. ALIGNING DEPARTMENTAL ACTIONS TO MAXIMIZE THE BENEFITS FELT BY RESIDENTS. AND -- AUDIO] -- TAKE THE OPPORTUNITY TO DEVELOP NEW AND TRANSFORMATIVE INITIATIVES AND ACTIONS, THAT WE MAY NOT HAVE YET BEGUN AS A CITY.
THE PLAYBOOK, WHICH IS CURRENTLY IN DEVELOPMENT, IS ORGANIZED IN TWO OVERARCHING GOALS AND FOUR OBJECTIVES. THESE ARE FOCUSED ON PEOPLE BY MAKING SURE THAT SAN ANTONIANS ARE SAFE AND PREPARED, THROUGH HEAT RELIEF AND AWARENESS RESOURCES, AND OUR NEIGHBORHOOD, BY ENSURING THAT OUR BUILT ENVIRONMENT, OUR INFRASTRUCTURE, OUR PARKS AND OUR GREENSPACES, PROVIDE SPACES FOR INDIVIDUALS TO STAY COOL, AS WELL AS ADAPT TO WARMER TEMPERATURES. SO TO CREATE OUR HEAT RESILIENCE PLAYBOOK, WE HAVE PARTNERED WITH A NONPROFIT ORGANIZATION CALLED RESILIENCE CITIES CATALYST. AS I SAID, THEY'RE A GLOBAL NONPROFIT ORGANIZATION THAT IS FUNDED THROUGH THE JPMORGAN CHASE FOUNDATION TO ADVANCE HEAT AND ECONOMIC RESILIENCE IN SAN ANTONIO AND AUSTIN. SO TO FURTHER ACCELERATE THE HEAT RESILIENCE PLAYBOOK WORK, THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO AUGMENTED THIS PHILANTHROPY FUNDING WITH AN INITIAL $50,000 IN INVESTMENT IN FISCAL YEAR '24, AND THIS WAS THROUGH THE REESE FUND. THIS ALLOWED US TO DEVELOP THE OVERARCHING HEAT FRAMEWORK AND INCLUDED DEVELOPING OUR INITIAL INVENTORY.
THIS INITIAL INVESTMENT OF 50,000 ALSO ALLOWED US TO LEVERAGE OVER SIX TIMES THE AMOUNT, WHICH TOTALS OVER $300,000 IN PHILANTHROPIC FUNDS TO CONDUCT THE SECOND PHASE. AND THIS PHASE BEGAN IN FISCAL YEAR '25. IN THE SECOND PHASE, WE HAVE FOCUSED ON CONDUCTING A GAP ANALYSIS, GATHERING BEST PRACTICES, COMPARING OUR EXISTING WORK WITH OTHER CITIES, AND DEVELOPING THE ACTIONS THAT WILL BE IN SAN ANTONIO'S PLAYBOOK. THIS PARTNERSHIP AND THIS MODEL WERE CREATED THROUGH LEARNINGS FROM OTHER PEER CITIES THAT HAVE DEVELOPED THEIR OWN HEAT RESILIENCE PLAYBOOKS, AND WE WILL CONTINUE TO PARTICIPATE IN THIS PROGRAM AND LOOK FOR FURTHER OPPORTUNITIES TO EXPAND THE PROGRAM WITH RESILIENT CITIES CATALYSTS, AS WE FINALIZE THE PLAYBOOK. A KEY COMPONENT OF THE DEVELOPMENT PROCESS WAS THE GAP ANALYSIS. THE PLAYBOOK PROVIDES AN INVENTORY OF EXISTING ACTIONS THAT THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO IS MOVING FORWARD TODAY.
AND WE ALSO HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO COMPARE TO OTHER CITIES AND BEST PRACTICES TO UNDERSTAND WHAT WAS MISSING FROM OUR APPROACH TO HEAT MANAGEMENT. THE GAP ANALYSIS LOOKED AT BEST PRACTICES FROM THE WHITE HOUSE EXTREME HEAT CALL TO ACTION, SEE 40 CITIES URBAN COOLING TOOLKIT, THE URBAN LAND INSTITUTE BEST PRACTICES FOR URBAN DEVELOPMENT, AND A REVIEW OF PEER CITIES LIKE TAMPA, PHOENIX, DALLAS, AUSTIN, EL PASO, LOS ANGELES, WASHINGTON, D.C., BOSTON, NEW YORK, MIAMI-DADE, AND EVEN SOME INTERNATIONAL CITIES LIKE IN COLUMBIA, PARIS, FRANCE, AND ATHENS, GREECE. WHAT WE FOUND WHEN WE COMPARED THE ACTION WAS THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO DEPARTMENTS WERE ACTIVELY ADVANCING.
WHEN WE COMPARED THESE ACTIONS, SAN ANTONIO IS ACTUALLY QUITE AHEAD THAN OTHER CITIES IN DRIVING FORWARD THE IMPLEMENTATION OF HEAT STRATEGIES. CURRENTLY, WE'RE ADVANCING UP TO 2/3 OF ALREADY EXISTING ACTIONS, WHICH MEANS THAT UP TO 1/3 OF THE ACTIONS IN OUR HEAT RESILIENCE PLAYBOOK ARE NEW. SO THE PLAYBOOK WILL CONTAIN AN INVENTORY, DESCRIPTION STATUS AND IMPLEMENTATION RECOMMENDATIONS FOR EACH OF THE INITIATIVES LISTED.
BECAUSE OF ITS VAST NUMBER, THEY'RE ORGANIZED IN ACTION AREAS PER BUCKET. I DO WANT TO PROVIDE SOME EXAMPLES, BUT NOT GO IN
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DETAIL INTO EACH OF THEM. FOR EXAMPLE, NEIGHBORHOOD AND HOUSING SERVICES DEPARTMENT IS ADVANCING HEAT RESILIENCE BUILDINGS UNDER BUILT ENVIRONMENT AND INFRASTRUCTURE WITH PROGRAMS LIKE UNDER ONE ROOF. WE ALSO PROVIDE HEAT PREPAREDNESS, ILLNESS AND EXHAUSTION TRAINING THROUGH OUR OWN CITY OUTDOOR WORKER POLICIES.THE PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT IS FOCUSING ON HEAT RESILIENT INFRASTRUCTURE THROUGH THE COOL PAVEMENTS PROGRAM.
AND PARKS AND RECREATION DEPARTMENT IS DRIVING INVESTMENT IN THEIR TREE CANOPY GOALS THROUGH TREE PLANTING PROGRAMS. AND THE DEPARTMENT OF HUMAN SERVICES PROVIDES DIRECT RELIEF FOR THE UNHOUSED, SOME OF THE MOST VULNERABLE RESIDENTS WHEN IT COMES TO EXTREME HEAT.
SO THESE ARE ALL EXAMPLES OF ACTIONS THAT ARE CAPTURED IN OUR PLAYBOOK. MANY DEPARTMENTS PLAY AN IMPORTANT ROLE TO MOVE FORWARD, AND IT'S NOT JUST ONE SOLUTION THAT WILL MAKE OUR CITY MORE RESILIENT TO HEAT. RATHER, IT IS A COMBINATION OF PROGRAMS AND PROJECTS THAT WILL IMPROVE THE QUALITY OF LIFE FOR OUR RESIDENTS.
SO WITH THAT, I WILL HAND IT OVER TO MY COLLEAGUE DOUG MELNICK, CHIEF SUSTAINABILITY OFFICER, TO DEMONSTRATE HOW AS COMBINING THESE ACTIONS AND EFFORTS CAN MAXIMIZE THE IMPACT FOR COMMUNITIES THROUGH
IMPLEMENTATION. THANK YOU. >> MELNICK: THANK YOU, LAURA. GOOD AFTERNOON, MAYOR AND COUNCIL.
AGAIN, DOUG MELNICK, CHIEF SUSTAINABILITY OFFICER, BEFORE I JUMPED INTO THE COOL NEIGHBORHOODS PROGRAM, I WANTED TO RECOGNIZE SOME REALLY KEY PARTNERS WHO ARE IN THE AUDIENCE TODAY REALLY HELPING US WITH ALL OF THIS, FROM VIA, WE'VE GOT COMING BACK AND I HAVES IDING ROD SANCHEZ AND ABIGAIL KINISEN AS WE LOOK AT BUS RIDERSHIP AND TRANSIT AND HEAT MITIGATION AND FROM UTSA WE'VE GOT DR. ESTEBAN ZERO CHOA YEAH AND DR. CHRISTIAN BROWN WHO HAVE BEEN REALLY CRITICAL IN HELPING US UNDERSTAND HOW DO WE MEASURE TEMPERATURE AND MEASURE IMPACT IN THESE NEIGHBORHOODS. SO WITHOUT THEM, WE WOULDN'T BE WHERE WE ARE TODAY. SO WHAT IS THE COOL NEIGHBORHOODS PROGRAM? IT WAS LAUNCHED LAST YEAR, AND IT BUILDS UPON THE 2024 UTSA RESEARCH THAT IDENTIFIED SAN ANTONIO'S TOP 10 HEAT VULNERABLE NEIGHBORHOODS. THE GOAL OF THIS PROGRAM IS TO REDUCE NEIGHBORHOOD TEMPERATURES BY TARGETING LAYERED INTERVENTIONS IN SPECIFIC GEOGRAPHIC AREAS. THESE INCLUDE TREES AND GREEN INFRASTRUCTURE, COOL PAVEMENT AS LAURA HAD MENTIONED, REFLECTIVE ROOFS, SHADE STRUCTURES AND WEATHERIZATION ASSISTANCE. SO IN ADDITION TO REDUCING TEMPERATURES, THE PROGRAM ALSO AIMS TO REDUCE ENERGY CONSUMPTION IN HOMES AND BUSINESSES THROUGH REDUCED AMBIENT TEMPERATURES AND INCREASED BUILDING ENERGY EFFICIENCY. HOW DO WE TAKE A WHOLE NEIGHBORHOOD LOOK WHEN IT COMES TO HEAT? SO THIS MAP IDENTIFIES THE OUR FOUR INITIAL NEIGHBORHOODS. AGAIN, THESE ARE IN OUR TOP 10 LIST OF MOST VULNERABLE NEIGHBORHOODS AND WE HAVE ONE IN DISTRICT TWO, ONE IN DISTRICT THREE AND TWO IN DISTRICT FIVE.
THE REASON WHY THERE'S TWO IN DISTRICT FIVE, WHEN WE STARTED LOOKING AT HEAT VULNERABILITY, THERE WAS A LOT OF NEED IN DISTRICT FIVE.
AND SO WE DECIDED TO IDENTIFY TWO AREAS IN THAT AREA.
INTERPRETATION ABOUT THESE IMAGES, THE AREAS IN DARK RED, SORT OF THE BULLETS WITHIN THESE ZONES, ARE CENSUS TRACTS.
THE LIGHTER AREAS SURROUNDING THOSE CENSUS TRACTS ARE UTSA'S TREATMENT AREAS, AND THOSE ARE AREAS, CENSUS TRACTS IN THE TREATMENT AREAS ARE WHERE WE'RE GOING TO BE FOCUSING INTERVENTIONS, AND THE LIGHTER PINK AREA AROUND THE BORDER, THOSE ARE CONTROL AREAS.
THOSE ARE AREAS THAT UTSA IS GOING TO TEST TO SEE WHAT THE BASELINE IS SO WE CAN TEST THE EFFICACY OF OUR INTERVENTIONS. MANY CITIES ACROSS THE COUNTRY ARE DEVELOPING APPROACHES TO ADDRESS EXTREME HEAT BUT WHAT MAKES OURS UNIQUE IS THIS TARGETED APPROACH. BY ESTABLISHING OUR INTERDEPARTMENTAL AND AGENCY WORKING GROUP WE'RE LEVERAGING EXISTING PROGRAMS INTO A SINGLE PROGRAM THAT MAXIMIZES BENEFITS.
THIS WILL HELP US INFORM FUTURE APPROACHES TO MITIGATING EXTREME HEAT, NOT JUST IN THESE AREAS BUT ACROSS THE CITY IN ALL NEIGHBORHOODS.
SO I'D JUST LIKE TO PROVIDE YOU AN UPDATE ON SOME OF THE IMPLEMENTATION MEASURES THAT YOU ALL HAD APPROVED IN THIS YEAR'S BUDGET.
PUBLIC WORKS IS -- AS MENTIONED, IS LEADING THE COOL NEIGHBORHOOD
[00:35:01]
PROGRAM. THEY HAVE SEVEN OT 22.5 MILES COMPLETED WITH THE REMAINING TO BE INSTALLED IN Q3, Q4. AND IF YOU REMEMBER, WHAT COOL PAVEMENT DOES, IT INCREASES THE REFLECTIVITY OF THE ROADWAY, SO IT REDUCES THE AMOUNT OF HEAT BEING ABSORBED, AND ALSO REDUCES THE AMOUNT BEING RADIATED OVERNIGHT. AND UTSA CONTINUED SOME RESEARCH ON COOL PAVEMENT AND IF YOU REMEMBER, BACK IN 2023, THE FIRST STUDY SHOWED ONLY A 3.5° DIFFERENCE IN TEMPERATURE REDUCTION, BUT THIS PAST YEAR IN 2024, ADDITIONAL RESEARCH OF UTSA COMPARING COOL PAVEMENT TO FRESHLY BLACK ASPHALT SHOWED A REDUCTION ANYWHERE FROM 6 TO 12°, SO THAT'S MORE CONSISTENT WITH WHAT WE'VE BEEN SEEING NATIONALLY, AND, AGAIN, APPLIED IN THE PROPER LOCATIONS, IT CAN ACTUALLY REDUCE SURFACE TEMPERATURES SIGNIFICANTLY. NHSD HAS TWO PROGRAMS THAT THEY'RE IMPLEMENTING, THE UNDER ONE ROOF PROGRAM WHERE THEY'LL REPLACE A ROOF WITH MORE REFLECTIVE MATERIALS.CURRENTLY EIGHT PROJECTS ARE UNDER CONSTRUCTION. 46 ARE IN PRECONSTRUCTION, AND THERE ARE ANOTHER 38 APPLICATIONS UNDER REVIEW. WHAT'S NICE ABOUT THIS PROGRAM THAT THEY'RE RUNNING IS BY USING REST REESE DOLLARS AS OPPOSED TO FEDERAL DOLLARS, THERE AREN'T AS MANY RESTRICTIONS. THIS IS REALLY GOING TO HELP US CONCENTRATE THESE ROOFS TO REALLY TEST WHAT DOES A MASS DEPLOYMENT LOOK LIKE IN TERMS OF REDUCING TEMPERATURES BEYOND ONE SINGLE HOUSE.
AND THEN FOR THE LOW-INCOME WEATHERIZATION PROJECT, ONE PROJECT IS UNDER CONSTRUCTION AND THREE PROJECTS ARE IN PRECONSTRUCTION.
PARKS MAY HAVE ONE OF THE MOST SIGNIFICANT PARTS OF THIS, BECAUSE TREES ARE A WONDERFUL IMPLEMENTATION TO REDUCE THE HEAT, IMPROVING AIR QUALITY, PUBLIC HEALTH OUTCOMES. CURRENTLY UTSA AND PARKS HAVE IDENTIFIED PRIORITY CORRIDORS IN OUR TARGET AREAS AND PARKS IS DEVELOPING ENGAGEMENT AND PLANTING PLAN FOR PLANTING IN THE FALL. AGAIN, PLANTING CAN OCCUR IN THE HEAT OF THE SUMMER , SO THAT WILL BEGIN THIS FALL.
AND FINALLY UTSA HAS INITIATED DEPLOYMENT OF TEMPERATURE SENSORS AT BUS STOPS AND SELECT HOMES. WITHOUT THE DATA, WE DON'T KNOW WHAT'S HAPPENING. SO THEY'VE BEEN WORKING WITH VIA TO DEPLOY THESE AT BUS STOPS AND THE SENSORS THAT THEY'LL BE DEPLOYING IN HOMES IS PART OF A PROGRAM WHERE THEY'RE SEEKING HOUSEHOLDS WHO ARE WILLING TO PARTICIPATE IN THIS TWO-YEAR PROGRAM.
THOSE SELECTED WILL RECEIVE TWO SENSORS, ONE FOR INDOOR AND ONE FOR OUTDOOR, AND THEY'LL ALSO RECEIVE A $30 A MONTH STIPEND TO HELP COVER THE COST OF ELECTRICITY AND PROVIPROVIDING RESPONSES AS A PART OF PROGRAM RESULTS. BUS STOPS, THIS IS A HUGE PRIORITY AS TEMPERATURES CONTINUE TO INCREASE, SHADE AT BUS STOPS BECOME MORE CRITICAL, PARTICULARLY FOR OUR MOST VULNERABLE COMMUNITY MEMBERS.
VIA CONTINUES TO BE A LEADER IN PROVIDING BUS SHELLER TO RIDERS, AND AS OF TODAY VIA HAS JUST UNDER 6,000 ACTIVE BUS STOPS OF WHICH 38% HAVE SHELTER. ALL THE BUS STOPS THAT VIA HAS THAT MEET THEIR SHELTER CRITERIA AS WELL AS HAVE SPACE FOR SHELTER HAVE A SHELTER.
BUT WHAT CITY COUNCIL HAD APPROVED TH THIS YEAR'S BUDGET IS FUNDING TO HELP SUPPORT VIA WITH SOME TARGETED INSTALLATIONS SMED AND SO RIGHT NOW WE ARE -- WE'VE WORKED WITH VIA TO IDENTIFY INITIAL LOCATIONS WITHIN OUR TARGET COOL NEIGHBORHOOD ZONES AND FINAL LOCATIONS ARE DEPENDENT UPON RIDERSHIP, SITE CONSTRAINTS AND VIA'S NEW BETTER BUS PLAN WHICH WAS ADOPTED BY THEIR BOARD YESTERDAY. WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT BEFORE WE INSTALL ANY SHELTERS, THE ROUTE'S NOT GOING TO CHANGE.
THE GOAL IS TO HAVE INITIAL INSTALLATIONS BEGINNING BEFORE THE END OF THE FISCAL YEAR. WE'VE ALSO ENGAGED WITH A DESIGN CONSULTANT WHO'S GOING TO HELP COSA AND VIA REALLY FOCUS ON AREAS THAT HAVE NO ROOM FOR BUS SHELTER, WHICH IS A LOT OF THEM. ARE THERE SOME ELEGANT SOLUTIONS WHERE WE CAN GET SOME SHADE TO PROVIDE RELIEF AS WELL AS TARGETING TREES AT THESE STOPS AS WELL. AGAIN, WE WANT TO PROVIDE AS MUCH RELIEF AS QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE. AND THEN FINALLY, COMMUNICATION IS KEY. AND WHILE THERE ARE MANY HEAT MITIGATION TREATMENTS THAT COSA CAN DEPLOY, THERE ARE OTHERS THAT CHOIR COMMUNITY SUPPORT AND BUY-IN. WE HAVE AN ENGAGEMENT CAMPAIGN IN OUR COOL NEIGHBORHOODS, THIS WILL PROVIDE A COORDINATED APPROACH THAT BRING
[00:40:02]
PARTNER AGENCIES TOGETHER TO EDUCATE RESIDENTS AND BUSINESSES ON EXTREME HEAT AND THE VARIOUS PROGRAMS THEY CAN PARTICIPATE IN TO HELP COOL THEIR NEIGHBORHOODS. SO AS YOU CAN SEE, THIS APPROACH INCLUDES VARIOUS TACTICS FROM DIRECT OUTREACH AND COMMUNITY MEETINGS, TO PARTNERING WITH COMMUNITY-BASED ORGANIZATIONS WHO WILL WORK IN NEIGHBORHOODS AS TRUSTED MESSENGERS TO HELP BUILD SUPPORT FOR PROGRAM PARTICIPATION SMGH. AND THEN FINALLY, WE'LL ALSO BE ENGAGING BUSINESSES AND INSTITUTIONS AS THEY OFFER AN EXCELLENT OPPORTUNITY TO SUPPORT IN HEAT AWARENESS AND ACTIVITIES. MY LAST SLIDE, I WANTED TO REITERATE CPS ENERGY'S ENERGY CONSERVATION CAMPAIGN. IT'S A GREAT TOOL.THEY WILL BE EXPHEUN KATEING ENERGY -- COMMUNICATING ENERGY SAVING AND SAFETY TIPS THIS SUMMER THROUGH THIS COLOR-CODED CAMPAIGN, IN ITS FOURTH YEAR. THE CAMPAIGN PROVIDES ACTIONABLE AND SIMPLE TIPS OUR COMMUNITY CAN TAKE TO SAVE ENERGY AND STAY SAFE THIS SUMMER.
THE ORANGE AND RED LEVELS WILL ONLY BE CALLED IF ERCOT DECLARES AN EMERGENCY. THE CAMPAIGN WILL BE SEEN AROUND TOWN THROUGH A VARIETY OF CHANNELS. ALL MATERIALS ARE PROVIDED IN ENGLISH AND SPANISH. CPS WILL BE PROVIDING COSA WITH DIGITAL AND PRINT RESOURCES THAT WE CAN USE IN OUR HEAT COMMUNICATIONS AND WE'LL BE PROVIDING THESE TO CITY COUNCIL FOR USE IN THE COMING DAYS, AND CPS ENERGY WILL BE ENCOURAGING CUSTOMERS TO SIGN UP AND REFRESH THEIR CONTACT COMMUNICATION AND PREFERRED COMMUNICATION METHOD SO THEY ARE UP TO DATE. AND WHEN CITY COUNCIL PLACES TO STAY SCHOOL ARE ACTIVATED, CPS ENERGY WORKS CLOSELY WITH RESPECTIVE PUBLIC INFORMATION OFFICES TO SHARE THAT INFORMATION THROUGH CPS ENERGY CHANNELS. AND WITH THAT, THAT ENDS MY PRESENTATION, AND ALL
OF US ARE AVAILABLE FOR QUESTIONS. >> MAYOR NIRENBERG: GREAT.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH, EVERYBODY, FOR THE PRESENTATIONS.
BEFORE I GET TO THE COUNCIL DISCUSSION, I JUST -- A DAY LIKE TODAY IS LOOKING IN FROM THE OUTSIDE OF THE CITY, YOU REMARK, WOW, WE ARE DOING A LOT OF STUFF THAT GO BEYOND STREETS AND SIDEWALKS AND PARKS AND POLICE SERVICES AND ALL OF THAT. EVERY SINGLE ONE OF THESE PROGRAMS THAT YOU TALKED ABOUT IS DIRECTLY RELATED TO SOME SORT OF STRATEGIC DIRECTION OR POLICY GUIDANCE GIVEN BY COUNCIL OVER THE LAST DECADE OR SO, SPECIFICALLY AS IT RELATES TO HEAT, THE ABILITY FOR US TO PROVIDE REFUGE FROM THE ELEMENTS IS HIGH PRIORITY THAT WE LEARNED IN SOME WAYS THROUGH TRIAL AND ERROR, BUT THE GROWTH OF THE RESILIENCY HUB'S OPERATION IS CRITICALLY IMPORTANT AS WE SEE THE EXTREME WEATHER COMING.
WE KNOW THE WORK THAT WE'RE DOING WITH VIA FOR BUS SHELTERS IS IMPORTANT, IT'S PART OF OUR INFRASTRUCTURE PLAN, AND THEN IT GOES TO THINGS LIKE YOUTH SERVICES AND PROGRAMMING OVER THE SUMMER TO MAKE SURE WE HAVE HEALTHY, PRODUCTIVE THINGS FOR YOUNG PEOPLE TO DO WHEN THEY'RE OUT ON SUMMER BREAK. ALL THE THINGS IN THIS PRESENTATION ARE IN SOME WAY, SHAPE OR FORM, RELATED TO STRATEGIC DIRECTIONS THAT WE'VE CHOSEN AS A CITY. WHAT I THINK WOULD BE USEFUL, ESPECIALLY AS WE GET INTO MORE COMPREHENSIVE BUDGET DISCUSSIONS AND WE LOOK TO A NEW ADMINISTRATION SOON, IS AS WE TALK ABOUT THESE IMPORTANT SERVICES THAT ARE BEING PROVIDED, POINTING BACK TO THOSE POLICY DIRECTIVES AND PLANS THAT THEY COME FROM, AS WELL AS THE METRICS WE'RE USING TO TRACK THE SUCCESS. AND IT MAY NOT BE SUCCESS IN THE SENSE THAT WE HAVE A GOAL OF LET'S TRACK, YOU KNOW, LIKE A HIRING TARGET FOR POLICE DEPARTMENT, BUT IT COULD BE THAT WE'RE TRYING TO REACH AS MANY YOUTH AS POSSIBLE IN OUR SUMMER SWIM PROGRAMS, TEACH THEM HOW TO KEEP FROM DROWNING, THINGS LIKE THAT.
BUT I THINK WE NEED TO BE CLEAR THAT THESE AREN'T JUST NICE THINGS TO HAVE THAT WE -- YOU KNOW, MAYBE A FEW COUNCILMEMBERS WOULD BE COOL AND THEIR PET PROJECTS, BECAUSE THEY GET CHARACTERIZED THAT WAY SOMETIMES. BUT THESE ARE ACTUALLY STRATEGIC DECISIONS MADE BY THE CITY TO ACCOMPLISH CERTAIN THINGS UPSTREAM FROM BIGGER CHALLENGES THAT WE EXPERIENCE AS A CITY. THAT'S MY REFLECTION ON IT -- ON THE PRESENTATION AS A WHOLE. YOU GUYS ARE DOING GREAT WORK IN ALL THESE DIFFERENT AREAS. I AM CONCERNED WHEN I SEE THE HEAT ILLNESS DASHBOARD THAT THIS SUMMER LOOKS TOUGH ALREADY, AND WE KNOW THAT WE'VE ONLY JUST BEGUN, SO THE WORK IN THE RESILIENCY AREA IS CRITICALLY IMPORTANT, PARTICULARLY FOR OUR VULNERABLE NEIGHBORS WHO ARE IN NEED OF HOUSING SERVICES AS WELL, SO AT ANY RATE, JUST SOME REFLECTIVE COMMENTS BEFORE WE GET STARTED ON OUR DISCUSSION, AND LET ME TURN IT OVER NOW TO COUNCILMEMBER ROCHA
[00:45:04]
GARCIA. >> GARCIA: THANK YOU, MAYOR, AND THANK YOU TO ALL THE 10 DEFENDANTS TH10 DEPARTMENTS WHO PRESENTED TODAY AND TO EVERYONE HERE. I HAVE A LOT OF QUESTIONS BECAUSE IT'S MY LAST B SESSION, SO BE READY. JUST KIDDING.
BUT I WANTED TO START ALSO BY ACKNOWLEDGING, I SAW CHIEF BROWN STILL WAS HERE EARLIER. I DON'T KNOW IF HE SHE'S STILL HERE.
THERE YOU ARE, CHIEF, SORRY, I HADN'T SEEN HER.
BUT CHIEF FROSTO, I WANTED TO REMIND MY COLLEAGUES THAT WE HAVE WOMEN MAYORS AND COUNCILMEMBERS FROM ALL OVER THE COUNTRY, WITH THE WOMEN IN MUNICIPAL GOVERNMENT AND CHIEF VALERIE FROSTO IS OUR KEYNOTE SPEAKER. SO LOOKING FORWARD TO HEARING THAT.
[APPLAUSE] >> GARCIA: SO THANK YOU, CHIEF, FOR THAT.
I START OFF WITH THAT BECAUSE CAMP HERO LIKE HER, AND MAYOR, YOU MENTIONED THIS EARLIER, PEOPLE ALWAYS SAY, OH, IT'S THEIR PET PROJECTS.
ONE OF THE FIRST THINGS WE DID WAS INVEST IN THE GIRLS EMPOWERMENT SUMMIT AND THE REASON THEY CAME TO SAN ANTONIO WAS TO SEE IF THEY COULD REPLICATE IT AROUND THEIR CITY. THANK YOU, MARIA, FOR ALL OF THE WORK THAT YOU'RE DOING THERE. I'LL START OFF WITH MY QUESTIONS, WE'VE HAD NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION MEETINGS THAT KEEP TELLING US AS SOON AS THE REGISTRATION OPENS FOR THE SUMMER CAMPS THAT THEY'RE FULL.
AND SO I KNOW THAT FIRE DOES A GREAT JOB OF GETTING OUT THE WORD THROUGH PSAS AND THROUGH THE MEDIA, ET CETERA, BUT I'M JUST WONDERING HOW DO WE ACCOMMODATE PEOPLE WHO AREN'T ABLE TO REGISTER ONLINE? AND SO I'M TALKING ABOUT NOT JUST CAMP HERO LIKE HER, CHIEF, BUT I'M JUST TALKING ABOUT ALL OF THE SUMMER PROGRAMS. ACTUALLY, WE GET MORE
QUESTIONS ON THE SUMMER PROGRAMS IN PARTICULAR. >> I CAN SPEAK ON HERO LIKE HER, AND I KNOW THAT WE ARE EXPLORING, YOU KNOW, WAYS THAT WE CAN EXPAND THE PROGRAM, BECAUSE LIKE YOU MENTIONED, THE -- EVERY TIME WE OPEN UP THE REGISTRATION LINK, IT FILLS UP.
WE HAD ONE FILL UP WITH 150 PARTICIPANTS WITHIN TWO HOURS.
SO VERY, YOU KNOW, QUICK. SO WE'RE EXPLORING WAYS THAT WE COULD INCORPORATE INTO -- AND WORK WITH THE SCHOOLS SO THAT WE CAN, YOU KNOW, HAVE MAYBE SHORTER SESSIONS, SO THAT WE CAN HAVE MORE OF THEM,
JUST ANY OTHER OPPORTUNITY TO EXPAND. >> GARCIA: GREAT.
THANK YOU. >> >> MCCARY: TO PIGGYBACK ON THAT ANSWER, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT THE PARKS DEPARTMENT IS DOING AND THE DEPARTMENT OF HUMAN SERVICES, ALONG WITH THE OTHER DEPARTMENTS, THEY'RE CREATING A DASHBOARD WHERE YOU CAN GO TO ONE POINT OF CONTACT, AND AS THEY'RE BUILDING IT NOW, HOPEFULLY IT WILL BE READY SOON, BUT THAT'S GOING TO BE ON PAR ALL YEAR LONG, SO THAT WILL GIVE US AN OPPORTUNITY FOR THOSE THAT ARE INTERESTED.
WE JUST MAY HAVE TO THINK ABOUT HOLDING SOME SLOTS FOR THOSE THAT MAY BE MARGINALIZED, FOR WHATEVER REASON, NOT NECESSARILY A PHONE CALL, BUT WHAT HAVE YOU, BUT IT'S THOSE KIND OF THINGS.
BUT IT IS IN CONSTRUCTION NOW, SO WE'RE WORKING ON THAT.
>> GARCIA: GOT IT. AND THANK YOU SO MUCH, MR. MCCARY.
ON THAT, ARE WE DOING -- HOW DO WE HELP WITH REDUCED REGISTRATION? LIKE IF A FAMILY CAN'T AFFORD FEES, OR IS THERE PAYMENT PLANS, OR HELP ME UNDERSTAND THAT? AND THAT GOES FOR ALL OF THE CAMPS?
>> MCCARY: I'M GOING TO ASK PARKS TO COME UP. >> GARCIA: SURE.
THANK YOU. >> HI, HOW ARE YOU, NIKKI RAMOS, ASSISTANT DIRECTOR IN PARKS. TO ANSWER YOUR QUESTION SPECIFICALLY ON THE REGISTRATIONS, WE START -- SO OUR PROGRAM STARTS IN SOME SIGHTS NEXT MONDAY, AND THE REST WILL START THE FOLLOWING MONDAY.
WE START SESSIONS BACK IN MARCH, AND THEY'RE INFORMATION SESSIONS TO LET PEOPLE KNOW WHAT'S COMING, WE LET THEM KNOW ABOUT FEES, WE HELP THEM REGISTER. WE DO HAVE A SLIDING SCALE, SO THE REDUCED FEE, IF YOU QUALIFY, IT'S $25 FOR THE WHOLE SUMMER FOR ONE CHILD, AND THEN IT'S AN ADDITIONAL 15 FOR THE SECOND CHILD, AND THEN THERE'S ANOTHER -- I THINK IT'S 10 OR 15 FOR THREE OR MORE, SO IT'S -- THAT'S HOW WE ACCOMMODATE FOR THE WHOLE FAMILY IN TERMS OF AFFORDABILITY, BUT IN TERMS OF THE REGISTRATION, IT IS ONLINE, BUT THEY CAN BES COME TO OUR COMMUNITY CENTERS AND OUR STAFF DO HELP THEM. ADDITIONALLY, IF THE SITE THEY WANT IS FULL, WE DO HAVE WAITLISTS, AND WE WILL CALL THE PEOPLE ON THE WAITLIST IF SOMETHING BECOMES AVAILABLE OR TO TELL THEM, HERE'S THE NEXT CLOSEST SITE OR HERE'S SOMETHING ELSE THAT MAYBE MIGHT WORK WITH YOU. WE DO TRY TO WORK WITH EVERYONE TO GET THEM SOME SPACE. SOME ARE VERY POPULAR AND THEY FILL UP PRETTY
QUICKLY. >> GARCIA: THANK YOU, NIKKI.
WHILE YOU'RE UP THERE, I'LL TAKE THE OPPORTUNITY TO SAY THANK YOU.
BELIEVE IT OR NOT, THERE'S A METAL DETECTOR'S CLUB, AND THEY GO OUT AND ARE METAL DETECTING. I DID NOT KNOW THAT.
BUT IT'S A PRETTY GOOD GROUP, AND SO THEY HAD ASKED IF THEY COULD CHANGE THEIR PERMIT, BECAUSE I THINK IT WAS LIKE MONTHLY TO SIX
MONTHS. >> IT WAS SIX MONTHS, AND YOU COULD ONLY DO 20 PARKS. AND WE'VE CHANGED IT TO A FULL YEAR, AND IT'S ALL
[00:50:01]
PARKS WITH SOME EXCEPTIONS IN PLACE. >> GARCIA: YEAH, SO THANK YOU SO MUCH. IN NIKKI, YOU MADE ALL OF THOSE FOLKS VERY,
VERY HAPPY. SO THANK YOU FOR THAT. >> ABSOLUTELY.
>> GARCIA: HO MER, DO YOU ANTICIPATE FILLING ALL OF THE SUMMER POSITIONS?
GOOD. THERE YOU GO. YOURS WAS EASY.
SO OVER THE PAST FEW SUMMERS, WE HAD AC ISSUES BOTH AT JOHNSTON AND ALSO AT CORTEZ AND THAT'S WHERE PEOPLE GO TO JUST KIND OF COOL OFF AND TO USE THE INTERNET, AND SO ARE WE PREPARED FOR THIS YEAR'S SUMMER HEAT?
>> WE ABSOLUTELY ARE, YES. >> GARCIA: OKAY.
I FEEL LIKE EVERY SO OFTEN, I HEAR LIKE, SOMETHING, YOU KNOW, HAPPENED WITH THE -- BUT I KNOW WE'VE REPLACED THE HVAC AT LEAST AT JOHNSTON, BUT AT LAST GO-ROUND IT WAS CORTEZ, I THINK.
>> THAT'S TRUE. WE HAD ISSUES LAST SUNDAY AT A COUPLE OF OUR LOCATIONS, BUT WE TOOK CARE OF THOSE RIGHT AWAY.
>> GARCIA: WONDERFUL. THANK YOU SO MUCH. AND THEN, MEL, MY QUESTION FOR YOU IS, IS THERE A HEAT MAP SPECIFICALLY THAT SHOWS THE ONE ROOF RECIPIENTS TO DATE AND WHAT COUNCIL DISTRICTS WE'VE BEEN ABLE
TO DO THE UNDER ONE ROOF PROGRAM. >> THAT'S NEIGHBORHOOD HOUSING. I DON'T KNOW IF ANYONE IS HERE.
>> GARCIA: WE CAN FOLLOW-UP ON THAT. >> WOOSLEY: I DON'T KNOW,
BUT I'LL FOLLOW UP ON THAT WITH YOU. >> GARCIA: WE HAD A BRIEFING FROM SAUCE ON THE DR SAWS ON THE DROUGHT MANAGEMENT PLAN. I ASKED THEM TO WORK TOGETHER WITH THE NEIGHBORHOOD LEADERSHIP ACADEMY, THEY HAVE A NEW PROGRAM WHERE NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATIONS WILL GET $250 IF THEY PROMOTE THEIR DIFFERENT PROGRAMS FOR SAWS, AND SO ANYWAY, SO I JUST -- I DON'T KNOW WHO I NEED TO TELL, BUT JUST FY I, I THINK THAT WOULD BE A GREAT OPPORTUNITY FOR SAWS TO WORK ON THAT. BUT THOSE ARE ALL MY QUESTIONS.
THANK YOU SO MUCH. THANK YOU, MAYOR. >> MAYOR NIRENBERG: THANK YOU, COUNCILMEMBER ROCHA GARCIA. COUNCI
COUNCILMEMBER MCKEE-RODRIGUEZ? >> MCKEE-RODRIGUEZ: THANK YOU, MAYOR. THANK YOU FOR THE PRESENTATION.
ALL OF IT. IS MR. MCCARY STILL HERE? OKAY.
TEACHER. FANTASTIC PRESENTATION. I'LL SAY I WANT TO GET -- I WANT TO BE SUCCINCT. I'LL SAY THAT CLIMATE CHANGE AND THE CRISIS THAT IT PRESENTS IS PROBABLY ONE OF THE MOST PRESSING ISSUES THAT WE HAVE AS A SOCIETY, NOT JUST IN SAN ANTONIO BUT COMMUNITY-WIDE AND WORLDWIDE, AND SO I'M APPRECIATIVE TO SEE ALL THE WORK THAT WE'RE DOING, I THINK WE REALLY ARE LEADING THE WAY. THAT SAID, THERE'S ALWAYS OPPORTUNITIES TO DO MORE, SO I THINK WE AS A COUNCIL AND WITH ALL OF YOUR TEAMS, WE SHOULD CONTINUE TO THINK HOW CAN WE -- HOW CAN WE CONTINUE TO DO MORE AND HOW CAN WE CONTINUE TO MAKE SURE THAT OUR COMMUNITY IS AS PREPARED AS POSSIBLE FOR INCLEMENT WEATHER AND REALLY EXTREME WEATHER IN MULTIPLE DIRECTIONS. ON THE TOPIC OF SUMMER YOUTH PROGRAMMING AND ALL THE CAMPS AND WHATNOT, I THINK AS A PRIORITY FROM ME AND SOMETHING YOU'VE HEARD CONSISTENTLY WHAT MATTERS TO ME IS ACCESS, ACCESS TO -- IN TERMS OF QUANTITY, QUALITY AND PROXIMITY. AND SO I'M HAPPY TO SEE, YOU KNOW, DISTRICT TWO, FOR EXAMPLE, HAS A RESILIENCE HUB NOW.
WE HAVE A NEIGHBORHOOD REPRESENTED IN THE COOL NEIGHBORHOODS PROGRAM AS WELL AS MULTIPLE LOCATIONS FOR THE YOUTH CAMPS AND SUMMER PROGRAM. WHAT I WILL WANT TO KNOW AT THE END OF THIS THAT I HOPE WILL INFORM OUR STRATEGIES GOING INTO THE NEXT SUMMER WILL BE, YOU KNOW, HOW WERE THE PROGRAMS ADVERTISED, WERE THEY ADVERTISED, IN WHICH SCHOOLS, IN WHICH COMMUNITIES, WHICH EXISTING COMMUNITY CENTERS? WHAT ELSE DID WE DO TO MAKE SURE THAT THE COMMUNITY KNEW THAT THESE AVAILABLE, BECAUSE THIS IS SOMETHING WE HEAR NONSTOP IS OUR YOUTH NEED SOMETHING TO DO, THEY NEED TO BE KEPT BUSY, THEY NEED OPPORTUNITIES TO CONTINUE LEARNING AND PARTICIPATE IN ENRICHMENT ACTIVITIES SO THEY DON'T ENGAGE IN LESS THAN DESIRABLE BEHAVIOR.
SO TO ME, THAT MARKETING AND HOW ARE WE GETTING STUDENTS AND WHAT METHODS ARE WE DOING TO RECRUIT KIDS INFO THE PROGRAMS, I THINK THAT'S GOING TO BE REALLY IMPORTANT TO ME, ESPECIALLY THE TEEN. WHAT ARE THE DEMOGRAPHICS OF PARTICIPANTS, WHEN WE'RE LOOKING AT, OF COURSE, ALL ELEMENTS OF BACKGROUND, I THINK ALSO ECONOMIC DEMOGRAPHICS, I DON'T KNOW IF I SHOULD SAY -- HOW MANY ARE PARTICIPATING IN THE REDUCED COST PROGRAM VERSUS THE FULL PRICE, I'D REALLY LIKE TO KNOW THAT, AND IS THERE A CORRELATION IN, YOU KNOW, WHERE WE WERE MARKETING THE PROGRAMS WITH -- YOU
[00:55:01]
KNOW, HOW MANY PEOPLE WERE PARTICIPATING IN EACH OF THOSE PROGRAMS, WHETHER IT WAS THE FULL PRICE OR THE REDUCED PRICE.AND ALSO WHERE DO THE STUDENTS COME FROM, WHERE ARE THE YOUNG PEOPLE COMING FROM, AND ARE THERE BARRIERS TO ACCESS THESE PROGRAMS AND THESE CAMPS THAT WE SHOULD FIND MEANS TO REMOVE. SO THOSE ARE GOING TO BE THE THINGS THAT I'M GOING TO BE LOOKING FOR, GOING INTO THE NEXT ONE, AND I HOPE THAT YOU'RE ABLE TO TAKE THESE QUESTIONS, ANSWER THEM THIS SUMMER
AND THEN PREPARE STRATEGY. >> MCCARY: YES, SIR.
I WANTED TO LET YOU KNOW WE'LL GET BACK WITH YOU WITH THOSE.
WE'VE GOT SOME GOOD NOTES AND WE'LL ANSWER THOSE. THAT INFORMATION IS
AVAILABLE, WE JUST HAVE TO PUT IT TOGETHER. >> MCKEE-RODRIGUEZ: PERFECT.
I WOULD LOVE TO SEE IT. THANK YOU SO MUCH. THANK YOU, MAYOR.
>> MAYOR NIRENBERG: THANK YOU COUNCILMEMBER MCKEE-RODRIGUEZ.
COUNCILMEMBER KAUR? >> KAUR: THANK YOU, MAYOR.
I AGREE WITH WHAT COUNCILMEMBER MCKEE-RODRIGUEZ SAID.
I THINK THE MOST IMPORTANT THING WE CAN DO IN THE SUMMER IS THE PROGRAMS FOR THE YOUTH. IT'S THE BIGGEST TIME WHEN WE SEE IN KIDS PARTICULARLY FROM LOW-INCOME COMMUNITY THAT HAVE THE BIGGER SUMMER SLIDE, THEY CALL IT, IT'S A TERM BECAUSE IT'S VERY PROMINENT IN A LOT OF OUR COMMUNITIES BECAUSE THERE ARE CERTAIN STUDENTS THAT HAVE THE ABILITY TO PAY FOR CAMPS EVERY WEEK OF THE SUMMER AND THEN OTHERS THAT DON'T.
AND THAT'S WHY IT IS SO IMPORTANT THAT WE CONTINUE TO DELEGATE AGENCY FUNDING THAT'S OCCURRING WITH SOME OF OUR NONPROFITS THAT ARE DOING THAT REALLY GOOD WORK, BUT ALSO CONTINUING THE GREAT COSA WORK THAT'S HAPPENING FOR OUR KIDS. SO I WANTED TO DOUBLE DOWN ON WHAT COUNCILMEMBER MCKEE-RODRIGUEZ SAID ABOUT MAKING SURE WE'RE GETTING THE WORD OUT. LIKE I'D LIKE TO KNOW THE DEMAND FOR THESE PROGRAMS, HOW MANY OF THESE ARE FULL, EVEN JUST THE SUMMER SWIMMING PROGRAMS, ARE THEY -- PROGRAMS AND HOW DO WE REALLY GET THE INFORMATION IN THE HANDS OF PARENTS THAT THEY KNOW WHAT'S AVAILABLE FOR THEM.
AND THEN THE SECOND THING THAT I WANTED TO THINK ABOUT WAS ARE ANY OF THESE PROGRAMS AT RISK OF BEING CUT AS A RESULT OF ANY OF THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT CUTS OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT THAT'S UPCOMING?
>> MCCARY: NO, MA'AM, NOT AT THIS TIME. EVERYTHING'S STILL
THERE. >> KAUR: OKAY. WELL, THEN I'LL JUST MAKE ANOTHER PLUG TO MAKE SURE THEY'RE NOT AT RISK IN OUR NEXT YEAR'S BUDGET WHICH I KNOW IS GOING TO BE EVEN TIGHTER THAN THIS YEAR'S BUDGET TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE GETTING THOSE REALLY GOOD PERFORMANCE OUTCOMES, RIGHT? BECAUSE IF WE CAN DEMONSTRATE THAT WE'RE REACHING THE KIDS THAT NEED IT THE MOST IN THROUGH ALL OF OUR PROGRAMS, WHETHER IT'S THE LIBRARY, WHETHER IT'S OUR COSA -- AUDIO] -- OUTCOMES THAT WE ALWAYS TALK ABOUT IN TERMS OF KEEPING KIDS OFF THE STREET, KEEPING THEM AWAY FROM CRIME. AND THEN WE CAN CONTINUE TO MAKE THE CASE FOR WHY THIS WORK IS REALLY IMPORTANT AND CAN'T BE
CUT. >> MCCARY: YES, MA'AM. >> KAUR: OKAY.
THANK YOU SO MUCH. THAT'S ALL I HAVE. GREAT WORK.
THANK YOU, MAYOR. >> MAYOR NIRENBERG: THANK YOU, COUNCILMEMBER KAUR.
COUNCILMEMBER PELAEZ? >> PELAEZ: THE DECADE OF SHADE, I THINK WOULD BE A CATCH CHI Y THING FOR YOU GUYS TO CONSIDER.
PLEASE FEEL FREE TO USE IT GOING FORWARD FOR BRANDING.
CHIEF FROSTO, I WANTED TO TEL YOU, AND IT'S JUST BECAUSE I HAVE YOU HERE AND I SAW YOU'RE DOING THIS EVENT WITH GIRLS TELLING THEM ABOUT POSSIBLE CAREERS AT THE SAFD. I WAS TALKING TO MY DAUGHTER, SHE GOES TO NISD'S HEALTH CAREERS HIGH SCHOOL OUT AT THE MEDICAL CENTER, AND THESE ARE ALL KIDS THAT ARE WORKING THEIR WAY TOWARDS A HEALTHCARE CAREER, AND I ASKED HER, I SAID WHO COMES TO YOUR SCHOOL TO TALK TO YOU ABOUT JOBS. AND SHE WENT THE HOSPITALS AND MEDICAL SCHOOLS AND ALL THE ZERO OTHER PEOPLE THAT DO HEALTHCARE, BUT YOU KNOW DAD, HOW DOES ONE BECOME ONE OF THOSE AMBULANCE PEOPLE.
I WAS LIKE, THAT'S THE FIRE DEPARTMENT. HAS FIRE DEPARTMENT EVER COME BY AND TALKED TO YOU GUYS ABOUT CAREERS IN FIRE? BECAUSE THOSE ARE HEALTHCARE CAREERS TOO. SHE SAID, I DON'T THINK SO. IS THERE SOME PROGRAM THAT YOU GUYS HAVE THAT CONNECTS YOU WITH HIGH SCHOOLS LIKE THAT TO TALK TO THEM ABOUT HOW TO BECOME AN "AMBULANCE PEOPLE" LIKE MY DAUGHTER SAID.
>> THAT IS FUNNY THAT SHE REFERENCES US LIKE THAT, BUT THANK YOU FOR THE QUESTION. THAT'S A VERY GOOD QUESTION.
AND, YES, THERE ARE SELECT SCHOOLS THAT WE DO, YOU KNOW, CAREER DAY AND TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THOSE OPPORTUNITIES, BUT THERE PROBABLY SHOULD BE A MORE, YOU KNOW, ALL-ENCOMPASSING APPROACH THAT WE ARE CURRENTLY ASSESSING BECAUSE OF THE FACT THAT WE'RE TRYING TO EXPLORE HERO LIKE HER IN OUR RECRUITMENT STRATEGIES. SO I SEE THAT IN THE VERY NEAR FUTURE. WE JUST ARE TRYING TO COME UP WITH A PLAN TO
GET TO THAT POINT. >> PELAEZ: WELL, THANK YOU.
I JUST -- THE SEED PLANTED. I HOPE IT'S HELPFUL.
>> ABSOLUTELY. >> PELAEZ: AND THIS IS THE LAST TIME YOU'LL EVER HEAR ME, ERIK, ASK ABOUT ART IS SHADE AND SHADE IS ART.
I SAW THE WORDS "DESIGN" UP THERE. DOUG, IS THAT WHAT YOU
GUYS ARE TALKING ABOUT? >> MELNICK: NO, BUT WE ARE WORKING WITH VIA AND
[01:00:04]
THE ARTS DEPARTMENT ON IDENTIFYING LOCATIONS TO INTEGRATE ART INTO SOMEOF THE BUS STOPS. >> PELAEZ: GREAT. >> MELNICK: NOT NECESSARILY IN OUR COOL NEIGHBORHOOD ZONE, BUT --
>> PELAEZ: YES, I HEAR YOU. I HEAR YOU.
AND THEN I'M SORRY, YOU WANTED TO JUMP IN? >> JUST THAT, COUNCILMAN. IT'S NOT -- THE PRESENTATION YOU JUST SAW ON COOL NEIGHBORHOODS, THE ART AS SHADE PROGRAM ISN'T LIMITED TO THAT.
NOS NECESSARILY IN THOSE. >> PELAEZ: AND WHILE I'VE GOT YOU UP THERE, I HAVE -- I TOOK A REALLY LONG BIKE RIDE LAST WEEK UP OUTSIDE 1604 AND I GOT REALLY OVERHEATED AND I WAS REALLY WORRIED.
AND I PULLED OVER AT ESD NUMBER 8, MARIO HU HEUMS. AND THE MEN AND WOMEN WERE VERY KIND AND LET ME SIT IN THEIR AIR CONDITIONING AND GAVE ME SOME COLD WATER. IT OCCURRED TO ME WE HAVE SO MANY FIRE STATIONS AROUND TOWN THAT COULD ALSO SERVE AS COOLING PIT STOPS. I KEPT YOU UP THERE, JEFF, BECAUSE YOU'RE ALSO A CYCLIST, AND IF THAT'S A KOFERTIONZ WORTH HAVING.
. >> MELNICK: GREAT IDEA. I THINK ONE OF THE THINGS WE'RE LOOKING AT IS THERE ARE SOME CITIES THAT HAVE MOVED BEYOND THE TYPICAL COOLING LOCATIONS AND THERE COULD BE MUSEUMS, THERE COULD BE OTHER PLACES THAT CAN BE MADE AVAILABLE TO THE COMMUNITY, BUT I LOVE THE IDEA OF PARTICULARLY AROUND THE GREENWAY TRAILS, IDENTIFYING REST STATIONS THAT COULD JUST BE IN CLOSE PROXIMITY IS AN INTERESTING IDEA.
>> PELAEZ: I'M THINKING ABOUT THE ROAD CYCLISTS, NOT THE MOUNTAIN BIKE CYCLISTS, THE ONES THAT ARE RIDING 40, 50, 100 MILES IN A DAY, I MEAN, REALLY, ALL YOU NEED AT A FIRE STATION IS JUST A CHAIR, FOR THEM TO BE ABLE TO COOL OFF, IF -- AND IF CYCLISTS KNOW -- BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, WHEN WE'RE TALKING ABOUT HEATING STATIONS, WE'RE TALKING ABOUT PEOPLE WHO ARE MAYBE TOO HOT AT THEIR HOMES, THEIR AC IS OUT, LIKE A BUILDING AT BUD ROSS TODAY, BUT THE CYCLIST IS THE ONE OUT THERE WHO IS OFTENTIMES IN THE HEAT ISLAND AND WITHOUT A PLACE FOR SHADE AND COLD WATER, UNLESS THEY PLANNED VERY, VERY WELL. AND THERE'S A LOT OF US OUT THERE WHO DON'T PLAN VERY WELL, AND SO -- AND CONSIDERING THAT THOSE FIRE STATIONS ARE FULL OF THOSE "AMBULANCE PEOPLE" I'M WONDERING IF THAT MIGHT BE A SMART IDEA TO TELL THE CYCLING COMMUNITY, IF YOU FIND YOURSELF TOO HOT AND YOU HAVEN'T PLANNED FOR SHADE THAT WELL, YOU KNOW, A FIRE STATION IS A WELCOMING PLACE. I MEAN, WE CAN DROP OFF BABIES THERE, FOR GOODNESS SAKE, RIGHT? JOHN?
MAYBE WE CAN GET WATER, TOO. >> MCCARY: COUNCILMAN, JUST TO EXPAND ON WHAT YOU'RE SAYING, I DON'T WANT ANYBODY TO MISS THAT WE HAVE SOME LIBRARIES THAT ARE OUR COOLING CENTERS THAT ARE USED FOR THAT THAT ARE ALONG FOR SOME OF OUR TRAILS, SO WE'RE GOING TO PUT TOGETHER A MAP SO WE CAN REALLY SEE WHERE OUR TRAILS ARE AND WHERE ALL
THESE OPPORTUNITIES LIE. >> PELAEZ: I APPRECIATE ALL THAT.
AND THANK YOU FOR THAT. I GUESS WHAT I'M NOT HEARING OR EVEN SEEING BODY LANGUAGE IS THAT A FIRE STATION -- OR CYCLISTS WOULD BE WELCOME TO STOP AT A FIRE STATION TO GET WATER AND A LET L AIR CONDITIONING OR IS THAT JUST NOT SOMETHING YOU'D WANT THEM TO DO AND RATHER THEM GO SOMEWHERE ELSE. MAYBE THERE IS A REASON FOR THAT NOT BEING A
GOOD IDEA. >> ALWAYS THE FIRE STATION ALWAYS WELCOMES ANYBODY IN NEED OF ASSISTANCE OF ANY KIND. MY ONLY CONCERN WOULD BE THE AVAILABILITY OF EMERGENCY -- YOU KNOW, SHOULD WE GET A RESPONSE DURING THAT TIME --
HOUSE IN AN EFFICIENT MANNER. >> PELAEZ: I SEE.
>> THAT WOULD BE MY ONLY CONCERN. >> PELAEZ: ALL RIGHT.
WELL, MORE FOOD FOR THOUGHT. THANK YOU.
HI, HOMER, EVERYBODY. COME ON UP. >> I HAVE ONE THING TO AUGMENT THAT, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT PARKS DOES ON OUR TRAILS IS WE SET UP ENERGIZER SPOTS FOR RESPITE AND WATER. UTILIZING THE HEAT VULNERABILITY ASSESSMENT TOOL TO SEE WHERE WE SHOULD BE.
I JUST WANTED TO BE AWARE THAT WE DO HAVE THESE ENERGIZER STATIONS FOR
THAT VERY PURPOSE. >> PELAEZ: ANYBODY ELSE WANT TO JUMP IN? MIKE SHANNON, IS HE AROUND? NO.
THANKS GUYS. THANKS, >> CASTILLO: THANK YOU, MAYOR. THANK YOU, EVERYONE FOR THE PRESENTATION.
IN TERMS OF THE AMBASSADOR PROGRAM, THE SAN ANTONIO REPORT JUST RELEASED AN ARTICLE THAT HIGHLIGHTS THAT THERE'S MORE HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS GOING INTO THE TRADES AND GETTING CERTIFICATIONS RATHER THAN ENTERING A COLLEGE TRACK. ARE THOSE THAT ARE PARTICIPATING WITHIN A TRADES PROGRAM ELIGIBLE TO PARTICIPATE WITHIN THE AMBASSADOR'S PROGRAM
OR ARE THEY EXCLUDED FROM APPLYING? >> CURRENTLY THAT IS A PART OF
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THE POPULATION WE SERVE, UNLESS THEY ARE PURSUING A TRADE THROUGH ONE OF THE COMMUNITY COLLEGES OR ONE OF THE COLLEGES. ALAMO COMMUNITY COLLEGE DOES PROVIDE THOSE COURSES. IF THEY COMPLETED ONE YEAR OF COLLEGE THEY ARE ELIGIBLE TO APPLY FOR THE AMBASSADOR PROGRAM, REGARDLESS OF WHAT THEIR LINE OF STUDY IS.>> CASTILLO: IN TERMS OF TRACKING, ARE Y'ALL TRACKING WHICH PROGRAM THEY'RE
PARTICIPATING IN AND IF SO CAN YOU SHARE THAT DATA WITH ME? >> WE CAN SHARE THE DATA OF THE AMBASSADORS THAT WE SERVE AND WHAT PROGRAM THEY WERE IN PRIOR TO COMING INTO THE PROGRAM.
>> CASTILLO: THANKS. I WOULD LIKE TO SEE THAT. IN TERMS OF THE NEXT-LEVEL PROGRAMMING, THIS IS SOMETHING I HAVE CONTINUED TO STATE, WHICH IS THE OPPORTUNITY IN VALUE IN CONNECTING THE NEXT-LEVEL YOUTH. I BELIEVE THEY SERVE 16 TO 26?
>> 24. >> CASTILLO: CONNECTING THEM WITH THE OPPORTUNITY TO PARTICIPATE IN THE AMBASSADOR PROGRAM WOULD BE A VALUE AND OPPORTUNITY.
SO I'M NOT TOO SURE IF THERE IS A SPECIFIC TRACK GEARED TOWARDS GETTING FOLKS FROM NEXT-LEVEL PROGRAMMING CONNECTED TO THE AMBASSADOR PROGRAM, BUT ONE THING I ALWAYS EMPHASIZE, IN 2019 I PARTICIPATED IN THE AMBASSADOR PROGRAM AND IT WAS A GREAT LEARNING OPPORTUNITY TO SEE HOW SOME COUNCIL OFFICES RUN. THAT'S MY ONLY COMMENT FOR DHS. THANK YOU, MELODY. IN TERMS OF THE COMMENTS WITH DELEGATE AGENCIES, I ALIGN WITH THAT POSITION. THE GOOD SAMARITAN PROVIDES GREAT OPPORTUNITY AND RESOURCES, NOT JUST TO YOUTH IN OUR COMMUNITY BUT SENIORS AS WELL. SO I WOULD ENCOURAGE ANY FOLKS TO GO OUT TO THE GOOD SAMARITAN AND THEIR IMPACT IS GREAT. BUT IT'S ALSO GREAT TO SEE THAT FOLKS WHO HAVE GONE THROUGH THE PROGRAM OFF TO COLLEGE OFTEN COME BACK AND VOLUNTEER AND/OR WORK AT THE GOOD SAMARITAN TO CONTINUE TO JUST KEEP THE PROGRAM GOING AND TO GIVE BACK.
IN TERMS OF THE COMMUNICATION AND RESOURCES, THERE'S A HUGE GAP IN TERMS OF COOLING CENTERS IN DOWNTOWN. ARE THERE ANY CITY FACILITIES THAT YOU ALL ARE CURRENTLY EXPLORING WITHIN THE CENTRAL DOWNTOWN AREA THAT CAN SERVE AS COOLING CENTERS?
>> VILLAGOMEZ: COUNCILWOMAN, OUR LIBRARIES, SENIOR CENTERS, AND PARK CENTERS ARE ALL COOLING CENTERS DURING THE OPERATING HOURS. THOSE LOCATED IN THE CENTRAL AREA OF OUR CITY ARE THOSE THAT ARE AVAILABLE FOR THE COMMUNITY.
>> CASTILLO: I'M LOOKING AT THE SLIDE FOR RESILIENCY HUBS AND, FOR EXAMPLE, THERE'S THE DOWNTOWN LIBRARY. WOULD THAT BE AN OPPORTUNITY TO POTENTIALLY EXPAND AS A
RESILIENCY HUB TO ADD TO THE CITY'S HUBS? >> VILLAGOMEZ: SO THE RESILIENCY HUBS, WHAT WE WERE FOCUSING ON IS WITHIN THE NEIGHBORHOODS OF OUR CITY.
WHEN THERE IS A NEED FOR UNSHELTERED POPULATION, WE ACTIVATE OTHER CITY FACILITIES AND THAT IS MORE CONCENTRATION IN THE DOWNTOWN AREA, EITHER CITY FACILITIES OR IN COORDINATION WITH NONPROFIT ORGANIZATIONS. SO WE TYPICALLY TARGET THE CENTRAL PART OF THE CITY WHEN THERE'S AN EVENT FOR OVERNIGHT SHELTERING AND DAYTIME
SHELTERING AS WELL. >> CASTILLO: TYPICALLY WHERE DO Y'ALL ACTIVATE?
>> VILLAGOMEZ: SO -- I'M GOING TO ASK MELODY TO GIVE YOU THE EXACT LOCATION.
>> WOOSLEY: SO IF WE'RE TALKING ABOUT THE DOWNTOWN AREA GENERALLY, CORAZON DAY CENTER , CAM MINISTRIES WILL SERVE AS THE BEST COOLING SITES, THE CLOSEST.
AGAIN, MARIA MENTIONED THE LIBRARY IS AVAILABLE. WE DON'T REALLY HAVE A SENIOR CENTER IN THE DOWNTOWN AREA BUT THERE ARE A NUMBER OF PROVIDERS WHERE THEY CAN GO.
>> CASTILLO: THANK YOU FOR THAT. IN TERMS OF THE ADVERTISEMENT OF JUST RESOURCES AVAILABLE IN TERMS OF HEAT RESILIENCY, I SEE OPPORTUNITY WITH THE CITY KIOSKS -- THE KIOSKS AROUND DOWNTOWN, OPPORTUNITY TO HIGHLIGHT WHERE FOLKS CAN GO TO GET CONNECTED TO A COOLING CENTER. EVERY TIME I DRIVE TO CITY HALL I'M GREETED BY THIS NICE DOS ECQIES ADVERTISEMENT. IN TERMS OF THE COOL NEIGHBORHOODS UPDATE AND THE VIA SHELTERS THAT ARE BEING EXPLORED, I KNOW DOUG MENTIONED THAT YOU ALL ARE TARGETING SPECIFIC AREAS IN TERMS OF WORKING WITH VIA ON THOSE SHADE UPDATES. IS THAT OVERLAPPING WITH THE COOL NEIGHBORHOOD PROGRAM?
>> YES. I THINK WE'RE TRYING TO TARGET THE COOL NEIGHBORHOOD PROGRAM AS A PRIORITY BUT AT THE SAME TIME THEY ARE AWAITING OTHER HIGH-HEAT AREAS AS WELL.
>> CASTILLO: I ALWAYS HIGHLIGHT THAT THE NEW YORK TIMES HIGHLIGHTED OFF OF CASTRO ROAD AND GUADALUPE HAS ONE OF THE HIGHEST HEAT INTENTIONS IN SAN ANTONIO .
I UNDERSTAND YOU POINTING OUT THERE'S NOT ENOUGH ALLOWANCE TO PUT A SHELTER IN THESE SPACES
[01:10:01]
BUT THERE ARE A COUPLE OF EXAMPLES WHEN I REACHED OUT TO VIA THAT A COUNTY-OWNED VACANT LOT, AND I THINK THERE'S OPPORTUNITY THERE. THERE'S NOT ENOUGH ALLOWANCE ON THE SIDEWALK BUT IT'S NEXT TO A COUNTY LOT AND I THINK THERE'S AN OPPORTUNITY TO ESTABLISHSOME TYPE OF RELATIONSHIP TO HAVE A FULL SHELTER THERE. >> WE'LL WORK WITH ROD TO
EVALUATE. >> CASTILLO: THANK YOU FOR THAT.
LASTLY, IN TERMS OF THE TREE PLANTING, THIS IS SOMETHING THAT I CONTINUE TO HEAR FROM D5 RESIDENTS IS THEY REALLY APPRECIATE THE OPPORTUNITY TO GET A TREE, BUT MANY OF OUR SENIORS DON'T HAVE THE CAPACITY TO PICK UP A TREE AND/OR WAIT IN THE LINE.
AND WE KNOW THESE ARE VERY HOT ITEMS THAT FOLKS COME FROM ALL THROUGHOUT TO ACQUIRE ONE OF THESE TREES. BUT ONE OF OUR SENIORS GAVE THE RECOMMENDATION, IF THERE WOULD BE OPPORTUNITY TO WORK WITH RESIDENTS TO THEN HAVE SOMEONE, A NONPROFIT, GO PLANT THE TREE SO THAT WAY WE CAN ENSURE THAT IT'S PLANTED APPROPRIATELY AND CAN GROW APPROPRIATELY AS WELL. SOME WILL PICK UP THE TREE AND THEN THEY DON'T LAST.
SO IF THERE'S THAT VALUE IN HAVING A PROFESSIONAL PLANT THE TREE TO ENSURE IT COULD THRIVE. LASTLY, THEIR ASK IS FOR MORE MATURE TREES.
FOR EXAMPLE, THE SMALLER ONES THEY PICK UP VERSUS IF YOU DRIVE DOWN COMMERCE, WHAT'S BEING PLANTED FOR THE DOWNTOWN AREA, THEY ARE LARGER TREES. IF THERE'S OPPORTUNITY TO DO THAT RESIDENTIAL TREE PLANTING IS A KEY FOCUS OF OUR -- INVESTMENT IN OUR URBAN FOREST FOR THE CITY. I CAN FOLLOW UP WITH YOUR OFFICE IF THERE'S A LIST OF SPECIFIC NAMES. WE CANVASS THOUSANDS OF RESIDENTS AND SO WE DO HAVE A LIST THAT WE FOLLOW UP AND TYPICALLY PLANT IN THE FALL. AND WE CAN ALSO REVISIT THE PALLET TO INCLUDE THAT DIVERSITY AND SOME OF THOSE SMALLER TREES.
THAT IS DONE BY A PROFESSIONAL AS WELL AT THE CONVENIENCE OF THE HOMEOWNER SO WE KNOW WHERE UTILITIES ARE, WHERE WE SHOULD NOT PLANT AND WHERE IT BEST FITS ON THE PROPERTY.
>> CASTILLO: DOES THE CANVASSING OVERLAP WITH THE COOL NEIGHBORHOOD PROGRAM?
>> VERY LIKELY, YES. WORKING IN THE BACKGROUND WE DO HAVE A COLLABORATION BETWEEN MANY DEPARTMENTS AND, YOU KNOW, MY TEAM, DOUG'S TEAM, AND PUBLIC WORKS WE VISIT OFTEN.
YES, THERE IS SOME OVERLAP BUT WE ARE TALKING SO IT'S NOT ALSO A DUPLICATION OF EFFORTS.
>> CASTILLO: SOUNDS GOOD. WHILE YOU'RE UP THERE, HOMER, EVERY SUMMER WE HEAR FROM CONSTITUENTS ABOUT EXTENDED POOL HOURS. IS THAT SOMETHING WE'RE PLANNING FOR, PARTICULARLY WITH THE ROOSEVELT POOL. FOLKS ARE ASKING IF THIS IS SOMETHING WE CAN HAVE EXTENDED BEYOND THE TYPICAL POOL SEASON?
>> HISTORICALLY OUR POOL SEASON IS FUNDED FOR WHEN SCHOOLS RETURN.
THE LAST YEAR, I BELIEVE, WE EXTENDED IT THROUGH LABOR DAY. AND SO BASED ON JUST OUR HIRING AND AVAILABILITY OF LIFEGUARDS AND THAT ALL FACTORS INTO IT. OUR ENTIRE IS TO MAXIMIZE THE BUDGET. WE ARE ENTERING OUR THIRD YEAR OF ADDITIONAL FUNDING.
THAT WAS AN IMPROVEMENT IN THE PARK'S OPERATING BUDGET TO EXTEND POOL SEASON BY ONE HOUR. AS LONG AS WE CAN KEEP THAT PIPELINE GOING AND WE HAVE A ROBUST PROGRAM FOR HIRING, THEN BUDGET ALLOWS AND THE BODIES ARE THERE, WE ABSOLUTELY WILL LOOK AT HOPEFULLY GOING THROUGH LABOR DAY BUT IT'S PREMATURE AT THIS POINT TO SAY IF WE WILL.
BUT WE'RE LISTENING. >> CASTILLO: SOUNDS GOOD. IN TERMS OF SCHEDULING THE CALENDAR FOR YOUTH PROGRAMMING WITH OUR ISDS, I KNOW THERE'S BEEN A COUPLE OF INSTANCES IN WHICH THERE'S A LACK OF OVERLAP IN TERMS OF WHEN SAISD GOES BACK AND WHEN SUMMER SCHOOL -- I THINK IT'S SOUTHSIDE ISD. WE HAD SOME PARENTS CALL ASKING MY KID DOESN'T GO BACK AND I HAVE TO GO BACK TO WORK. AND WE'RE INTERESTED IN KEEPING OUR CHILD WITHIN THE YOUTH PROGRAM OVER AT NORMOYLE PARK. IS THAT SOMETHING Y'ALL CONTINUE TO CHECK ON WITH THE ISDS AND THEIR CALENDARS TO COORDINATE THE YOUTH PROGRAMMING?
>> SHORT ANSWER IS YES. >> CASTILLO: SOUNDS GOOD. THANKS, HOMER.
THANKS, MAYOR. >> WALSH: COUNCILWOMAN, THE LOCATIONS FOR BUS SHELTERS OR BUS STOPS ALONG COUNTY PROPERTIES, CAN YOU SEND THOSE TO US?
>> MAYOR NIRENBERG: THANK YOU, COUNCILMEMBER CASTILLO. COUNCILMEMBER COURAGE.
>> COURAGE: THANK YOU, MAYOR. I DON'T KNOW WHO CAN PUT THIS INFORMATION TOGETHER. I THINK IT'S GOING TO BE A COLLABORATIVE EFFORT.
BUT I THINK IT WOULD BE USEFUL FOR US TO BE ABLE TO EXPLAIN TO THE COMMUNITY HOW MANY CHILDREN ARE ACTUALLY INVOLVED IN ALL OF THESE PROGRAMS WE'VE JUST TALKED ABOUT TODAY.
STARTING WITH THE AMBASSADORS, WHO MAYBE NOT QUITE CHILDREN, MAY BE YOUNG ADULTS.
GOING ALL THE WAY DOWN TO THE KIDS WHO ARE REALLY YOUNG WHO ARE INVOLVED IN ANY OF THESE PROGRAMS. I THINK IT WOULD BE USEFUL FOR US TO LOOK AT AND IT COULD BE 10,000, IT COULD BE 20,000. I DON'T KNOW. BUT IF WE'RE GOING TO GET OR
[01:15:01]
CONTINUE TO HAVE THE COMMUNITY'S SUPPORT, I THINK IT WOULD BE VALUABLE TO BE ABLE TO SAY THIS IS THE NUMBER OF THOUSANDS OF CHILDREN FROM THIS COMMUNITY THAT WE HELPED THIS PAST SUMMER WITH ALL OF THESE PROGRAMS PUT TOGETHER. AND, AT THE SAME TIME, I THINK PEOPLE WOULD WANT TO ALSO UNDERSTAND WHAT'S THE TOTAL INVESTMENT THE CITY MAKES IN DOING THESE PROGRAMS. ALL THE COSTS, INCLUDING, YOU KNOW, WHAT PEOPLE PAY IN, ET CETERA, AND WHAT THE CITY'S RESOURCES ARE TO SUBSIDIZE ALL OF THESE THINGS.AND HOPEFULLY IT WILL HELP BUILD GREATER VALUE IN THOSE PROGRAMS GOING FORWARD IN THE FUTURE. AND WE WON'T BE SAYING, WELL, YOU KNOW, WE NEED TO CUT THIS BECAUSE WE'RE SHORT HERE OR THERE, SOMETHING LIKE THAT. ESPECIALLY IF WE CAN SHOW ITS IMPACT IN OUR CITY'S YOUNG PEOPLE. WE'VE TALKED ABOUT SA.GOV'S HOT WEATHER WEBSITE. WE TALKED ABOUT THE PLAYBOOK ON HEAT AND HOT WEATHER AND THINGS LIKE THAT. AGAIN, YOU KNOW, I WONDER WHAT METHODS ARE WE GETTING THAT INFO INTO PEOPLE'S HEADS? IT'S ONE THING TO SAY WE SEND OUT AN E-MAIL BLAST ABOUT IT OR -- I DON'T KNOW. ARE WE, FOR EXAMPLE, PUTTING SOME OF THIS IN OUR SAWS' BILLS SO THAT ANYONE WHO GETS A SAWS BILL SEIZE INFORMATION ABOUT WEATHER-RELATED HEAT AND HOW IT'S GOING TO AFFECT THEM. IS IT IN CPS'S BILL THAT THEY MAIL OUT OR WHAT THEY PUT ONLINE WHEN PEOPLE GO TO LOOK AT THEIR BILL. HOW ARE WE MAKING SURE THAT PEOPLE KNOW OF THOSE OPPORTUNITIES TO GET INFORMATION TO HELP THEMSELVES WHEN WE GET INTO THESE VERY SO I THINK THAT WOULD BE SOMETHING ELSE WORTH EXPLORING.
I SAW A LIST OF, WELL, WE CONTACT PEOPLE THIS WAY AND THIS WAY AND THIS WAY.
BUT HOW MUCH DO WE DO THAT AND HOW DO WE MEASURE HOW MANY PEOPLE ARE REALLY GETTING THAT MESSAGE? BECAUSE WE HAVE 1.5 MILLION PEOPLE IN THIS CITY AND IF WE'RE PUTTING OUT MESSAGES THAT ARE REACHING 10,000 OR 20,000 OR 30,000, IS THAT ENOUGH TO GIVE THEM THE KIND OF INFORMATION TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE IN THEIR LIVES? YOU KNOW, I'M NOT ASKING FOR YOU TO TELL ME THAT TODAY BUT I THINK IT WOULD BE GOOD TO ACCUMULATE THAT KIND OF INFORMATION SO THAT WE HAVE A CLEAR UNDERSTANDING OF HOW
IMPACTFUL OUR MESSAGING IS ON THESE ISSUES WHEN IT GOES OUT. >> ALANNA REED, DIRECTOR OF COMMUNICATIONS AND ENGAGEMENT. GETTING THE MESSAGE OUT IS HIGHLY IMPORTANT TO US AND THAT'S ONE OF THE REASONS WE CREATED THE CENTRAL HUB OF INFORMATION SO THAT WE CAN TRULY MEASURE HOW MANY PEOPLE ARE GOING TO THAT CENTRAL SITE VERSUS ONE PAGE OR ANOTHER PAGE. WE ALSO HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO SEND TEXT MESSAGES OUT, WHICH WE CAN MEASURE AS WELL. AND WE HAVE MANY DIFFERENT CHANNELS.
I LOVE THE IDEA OF PUTTING IT ON THE KIOSKS, ALSO. SO WE CAN CERTAINLY START TO MEASURE NOW THAT WE HAVE IT COMBINED INTO ONE PLACE, WE CAN GET A BETTER NUMBER ON HOW MANY PEOPLE WE'RE REACHING. AND THEN SEE WHERE WE'RE MISSING OPPORTUNITIES OR WE HAVE GAPS SO THAT WE CAN DO A BETTER JOB OF REACHING OTHER PEOPLE.
>> COURAGE: GOOD. YEAH, I HOPE THAT'S WHAT WE DO.
THANK YOU. ONE OTHER QUESTION I HAVE. IT WAS ON SLIDE 28, NHSD HAD BEEN TALKING ABOUT UNDER ONE ROOF AND THE LOW-INCOME WEATHERIZATION.
AND I GUESS I WAS SHOCKED TO SEE UNDER LOW-INCOME WEATHERIZATION WE ONLY HAVE FOUR PROJECTS. ONE UNDER CONSTRUCTION AND THREE PRE-CONSTRUCTION.
HOW IS THIS RELATED TO OR IS IT NOT RELATED TO WHAT WE'RE ASKING CPS ENERGY TO DO AS FAR AS WEATHERIZATION? SO SHOULD WE BE HEARING FROM THEM AS WELL AND IS IT A BIGGER
PICTURE THAN JUST FOUR PROJECTS? >> TO CLARIFY, THIS WAS -- THERE'S ADDITIONAL WEATHERIZATION WORK GOING ON. THIS IS JUST WHAT WAS COMMITTED FOR THE COOL NEIGHBORHOOD PROGRAM. FOR THIS FISCAL YEAR, EIGHT WITHIN OUR ZONE. THERE'S OTHER WORK GOING ON REGARDING WEATHERIZATION THAT'S
NOT CAPTURED IN THIS. >> COURAGE: GOOD. WHEN WE START TALKING ABOUT THIS, I THINK WE ARE LOOKING AT A BIG PICTURE SO YOU MIGHT CHIME IN AND SAY ALSO WHAT'S GOING ON SO IT CAN HELP US UNDERSTAND THE DEPTH OF WHAT WE'RE DOING.
>> YES, SIR. >> COURAGE: THAT'S ALL. THANK YOU, MAYOR.
>> MAYOR NIRENBERG: THANK YOU, COUNCILMEMBER COURAGE. COUNCILMEMBER VIAGRAN.
>> VIAGRAN: THANK YOU. I'LL START BACKWARDS. I'LL START WITH SLIDE 31.
IF SOMEONE CAN GET ME -- YOU DON'T HAVE TO ANSWER IT NOW. WHEN WE SAY ERCOT GRID
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EMERGENCY, IF WE COULD GET THE DEFINITION OF WHAT ERCOT THINKS AN EMERGENCY IS, I WOULD APPRECIATE THAT. BECAUSE MY DEFINITION OF EMERGENCY AND THEIR DEFINITION OF EMERGENCY MIGHT BE DIFFERENT. THE OTHER THING IS JUST THANK YOU, DOUG AND YOUR TEAM FOR WHAT YOU'RE DOING AND HOW YOU ARE WORKING TOWARDS THAT.I DO THINK THAT THE BUS SHADE SHOULD BE PRIORITIZED IN THOSE -- IN THE COOL NEIGHBORHOOD PROGRAMS AND THOSE THREE THAT YOU IDENTIFIED AS THE GRID.
I KNOW WE HAD PROBLEMS EARLIER WHEN WE HAD A BUS STOP ON MILITARY DRIVE WHERE THE SHADE STRUCTURE CAME DOWN, IT TOOK A WHILE FOR IT TO GET BACK UP , PHONE CALLS WERE MADE.
I THINK WE NEED TO LOOK AT THE IMPACT OF WHAT IS NEEDED, ESPECIALLY REGARDING OUR INDIVIDUALS THAT ARE USING THE BUS REGULARLY AND USING IT TO TRANSPORT GROCERIES HOME.
THANK YOU FOR THOSE EFFORTS. I THINK WE ALL KNOW THE DAYS ARE GETTING HOTTER.
WE ALL KNOW THAT THE WEATHER IS UNPREDICTABLE. WHILE WE'RE HAVING A HARD TIME OF IT HERE FOR RESILIENCY IN SAN ANTONIO, WE KNOW DOWN IN THE VALLEY THEY ARE HAVING A HARD TIME TOO AND THEY HAVE THE GULF OF MEXICO AND THAT COAST TO DEAL WITH.
IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT THAT WE TALK ABOUT THAT. WHEN WE TALK ABOUT THE BE READY RESILIENCE HUBS, AS SOON AS WE GET THE DATES, IT SAYS FINAL SCHEDULE TO BE RELEASED IN EARLY JUNE, THAT'S NEXT WEEK. AS SOON AS WE GET THEM, SEND THEM OVER SO WE CAN SHARE THAT WITH THE COMMUNITY. AND THEN THE RESILIENCY HUBS, JUST MAKING SURE WE'RE CHECKING ON A REGULAR BASIS THE AIR-CONDITIONING SYSTEMS IN THAT SENIOR CENTER AND MAKING SURE EVERYTHING THERE IS WEATHERIZED. I KNOW SOUTHSIDE LIONS, WE HAVE HAD ISSUES THESE PAST TWO SUMMERS WITH OUR AC UNIT AND IT'S ONLY GETTING MORE EXPENSIVE TO REPLACE AND THE UNITS AND THE COILS. I WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE HAVE THE PLACES TO STAY COOL AND THEY'RE WORKING. I LOVE THE HEAT COMMUNICATION PLAN. I THINK THAT'S GOING TO BE OUR PLAN THIS SUMMER.
AND THEN, AGAIN, WITH THE SUMMER PROGRAMMING IF WE COULD JUST GET THAT INFORMATION AS SOON AS POSSIBLE WHEN THAT SCHEDULE COMES OUT OR THERE'S INFORMATION THAT GOES LIVE, I WOULD LOVE TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE SENT THAT, ALANNA. THEN IF WE NEED TO SEND OUT TEXT MESSAGES -- BECAUSE I HAVE HAD PEOPLE WORKING AND WAITING TO SEE WHEN THE LESSONS ARE UP OR WHEN NEW PROGRAMS ARE COMING UP, THEY WANT TO SEE THAT. I'M REALLY EXCITED ABOUT THE SENIOR SWIM HOUR PILOT THAT WE'RE GOING TO DO IN DISTRICT 3.
I KNOW MY -- THEY HAVE A NICE MURAL THERE AT KINGSBOROUGH AND THE SENIORS WANT TO GET IN THERE. I THINK WE'RE GOING TO HAVE A REALLY SUCCESSFUL SUMMER WITH THAT. JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE WE KIND OF GET THAT MESSAGE OUT THERE SO THAT OTHER POOLS CAN COPY THAT AND ONCE THE POOL OVER AT MISSION MARQUEE IS BUILT, WE CAN DO IT THERE TOO. JUST LOOK FORWARD TO BRINGING A WHOLE LOT OF NEW PROGRAMMING AND IDEAS TO YOU GUYS, BUT YOU GUYS ARE DOING A GREAT JOB. REALLY APPRECIATE WHAT Y'ALL HAVE DONE WITH VIA CORONADO. PARKS AND REC, AS YOU KNOW, WE'RE HAVING TO REPLACE THAT CENTER. WE'RE DOING AS MUCH OUTDOORS AS WE CAN BUT WHAT Y'ALL HAVE DONE FOR PROVIDING DIFFERENT RESOURCES, GETTING THEM SHUTTLE SERVICES, MAKING SURE THEY HAVE SOME PLACE TO REST, I REALLY APPRECIATE THAT AND I'M REALLY LOOKING FORWARD TO MAKING SURE THAT OUR YOUTH IS ENGAGED THIS SUMMER AND GOING OUTDOORS. BUT I REALLY THINK -- I MEAN, IT'S ONLY GETTING HOTTER AND WE DO NEED SOMETHING TO ADDRESS THAT.
GET -- I THINK IT WAS 4 INCHES WE SAW A FLOOD. I KNOW FIRE WAS BUSY THIS MORNING IN A RESCUE. THIS IS OUR NEW REALITY AND IT'S NOT WHAT WE'RE ACCUSTOMED TO. THANK YOU FOR YOUR EFFORTS TO MAKE SURE THAT IT'S DONE AND
WE'RE SAVING LIVES. THANK YOU. >> MAYOR NIRENBERG: THANK YOU, COUNCILMEMBER VIAGRAN. ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION ON OUR PRESENTATION? ALL RIGHT. NO EXEC TODAY? OKAY.
[01:25:01]
WE HAVE A 5:00 PUBLIC COMMENT AND THEN WE ALSO HAVE AN ENGAGEMENT AT 6:00.SO AT 3:35 P.M. ON MAY 28, 2025, OUR B SESSION IS NOW ADJOURNED.
* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.