[00:01:38] >> MAYOR NIRENBERG: GOOD MORNING, EVERYONE. WELCOME TO OUR CITY COUNCIL MEETING. THE TIME IS 10:17 A.M. ON JUNE 18TH, 2025. WELCOME TO ALL OF OUR GUESTS WHO ARE IN THE CHAMBERS TODAY. TODAY WE WILL BE CANVASSING THE 2025 MUNICIPAL ELECTION RUNOFF. BEFORE WE GET STARTED I WOULD LIKE TO ASK US TO ALL RISE AND SAY THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE. >> MAYOR NIRENBERG: AND LOOK AT ME, ON MY LAST DAY, I FORGOT TO DO THE ROLL CALL, SO MADAM CLERK, PLEASE READ THE ROLL. >> CLERK: RIGHT. WELCOME, EVERYONE. AND I WANT TO ESPECIALLY GIVE A WARM WELCOME TO ALL THE FAMILIES OF THE COUNCILMEMBERS, FORMER AND FUTURE, WHO ARE IN THE AUDIENCE TODAY. WE HAVE ONE ITEM ON OUR AGENDA TODAY, WHICH IS THE CANVASSING OF THE JUNE 7, 2025, RUNOFF ELECTIONS. SO I'M GOING TO TURN THE FLOOR TO OUR CITY CLERK TO PROVIDE A PRESENTATION. >> CLERK: GOOD MORNING, MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL. MY NAME IS DEBBIE RACCA-SITTRE, CITY CLERK, AND DO WE HAVE THE PRESENTATION? I WILL BE PRESENTING TO YOU TODAY THE CANVASSING, OFFICIAL CANVASSING OF THE JUNE 7, 2025, CITY COUNCIL RUNOFF ELECTION. CITY COUNCIL ORDERED THE ELECTION ON FEBRUARY 7TH, 2025, AND A RUNOFF, IF NEEDED. EARLY VOTING OCCURRED FROM MAY 27TH THROUGH JUNE 3RD FOR THE RUNOFF AND ELECTION DAY WAS JUNE 7TH. BEXAR COUNTY ELECTIONS ADMINISTRATOR PROVIDED THE RESULTS OF THE ELECTION TO THE CITY CLERK ON JUNE 16TH, AND MY OFFICE PREPARED THE CANVASSING REPORT THAT YOU ARE SEEING TODAY ON JUNE 17TH. LET'S BEGIN THE CANVASSING REPORT. THE TOTAL NUMBERS -- OVERSEA BALLOTS WAS 143,164 VOTES. THAT IS A 17% TURNOUT. I WILL BE REPORTING UNDERVOTES, WHICH REPRESENTS ELECTRONIC AND PAPER BALLOTS THAT WERE NOT MARKED, AND OVERVOTES, WHICH REPRESENT MORE THAN ONE MARK ON A PAPER BALLOT. IN DISTRICT ONE PLACE, THE RUNOFF BETWEEN SUKH KAUR AND GINA -- I'M SORRY, SUKH KAUR AND PATTY GIBBONS, WE HAD -- I WILL HAVE TO FIX THIS. MY APOLOGIES. [00:05:03] WE HAD 10,000 VOTES -- 65% FOR KAUR AND 35% FOR PATTY GIBBONS, AND SUKH KAUR IS CONSIDERED ELECTED. [APPLAUSE] MY COPY AND PASTE GOT TO ME. IN PLACE 6 RUNOFF BETWEEN KELLY ANN GONZALEZ AROUND RIC GALVAN, RIC GALVAN EARNED 50% OF THE VOTES AND RIC GALVAN IS CONSIDERED ELECTED. [APPLAUSE] >> IN PLACE 8, CITY COUNCILMEMBER DISTRICT 8, IVALIS MEZA GONZALEZ AGAINST PAULA MCGEE, IVALIS MEZA GONZALEZ RECEIVED 55% OF THE VOTE AND IS CONSIDERED ELECTED. [APPLAUSE] >> CLERK: CITY COUNCIL DISTRICT 9, ANGI TAYLOR AIR REN BEAU RUE VERSUS MISTY SPEARS. MISTY SPEARS RECEIVED 57% OF THE VOTE AND IS CONSIDERED ELECTED. [APPLAUSE] >> CLERK: AND FINALLY, PLACE 11, WHICH IS THE MAYOR'S SEAT, ROLANDO PABLOS AGAINST GINA ORTIZ JONES. GINA ORTIZ JONES RECEIVED 54% OF THE VOTE AND IS CONSIDERED ELECTED. [APPLAUSE] >> CLERK: SO AS A RESULT OF THE JUNE 7TH RUNOFF ELECTION, THE FOLLOWING PERSONS ARE ELECTED FOR A FOUR-YEAR TERM OF OFFICE COMMENCING TODAY. DISTRICT ONE, DR. SUKH KAUR, RIC GALVAN, IVALIS MEZA â– GONZALESAND MAYOR GINA ORTIZ. >> MAYOR NIRENBERG: THANK YOU. NOW WE DO HAVE A FEW FOLKS SIGNED UP TO SPEAK ON ITEM NUMBER ONE SO I'LL BEGIN IN ORDER OF SIGNUP BEFORE WE GET TO OUR COUNCIL DISCUSSION AND ACTION. SO FIRST WE HAVE DR. ANGI WHITE. DR. WHITE, YOU'LL BE FOLLOWED BY DWAYNE ROBINSON. >> HELLO, EVERYBODY. MY ONLY PURPOSE IS TO SAY THANK YOU. SO I'M [INDISCERNIBLE] I'M THE PRESIDENT AND CEO OF CHART ADVOCATE SAN ANTONIO. I WANT TO EXTEND MY SINCERE APPRECIATION TO THE WHOLE COUNCIL, BUT I REALLY WANT TO CALL OUT SOME PEOPLE IN A GOOD WAY. NOT A BAD WAY. THIS IS THE ONLY CITY COUNCIL THAT HAS SUPPORTED FINANCIALLY FOSTER CHILDREN IN THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO. AS AN EXFOSTER CHILD, I AM MOVED AND HUMBLED BY THAT, SO THAT WAS ALL OF YOU. OUR COUNCILWOMAN, THE LOVELY PHYLLIS VIAGRAN HAS STRONG ADVOCACY FOR FOSTER PARENTS, REUNIFICATION AND KINSHIP HAS BEEN INCREDIBLE FOR THE CHILDREN, SO THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THAT. AND WE LOOK FORWARD OBVIOUSLY TO WORKING WITH YOU SOME MORE, SO THAT'S GREAT. COUNCILWOMAN MELISSA CABELLO HAVRDA, YOUR LEADERSHIP IN CHILDREN AGING OUT AND HOUSING AND MAKING SURE THAT THEY CAN GO FORWARD AND BE SUCCESSFUL IS MIND BLOWING. AND YOU'VE REALLY BROUGHT INTO THE CHILD WELFARE SYSTEM AND UNDERSTAND WHAT IT MEANS AND THAT'S VERY PRECIOUS, SO THANK YOU FOR THAT. COUNCILMAN MANNY PELAEZ, YOU DID SOMETHING QUITE EXTRAORDINARY, SO WE WERE ASKING FOR MONEY FROM THE CITY COUNCIL, WHICH, YOU KNOW, FOR CASA TO REINNOVATE THE BUILD AND IT WASN'T AVAILABLE IN THE CITY BUDGET, SO WHEN SOMEBODY OFFERED YOU $160,000 TO HAVE ANOTHER PERSON ON YOUR STAFF, HE SAID NO, AND FURTHER MORE, I'M GOING TO GIVE MY MONEY TO CASA. SWIFTLY FOLLOWED BY MELISSA, PHYLLIS AND ADRIANA AND THE CHERRY ON THE TOP, THE MAYOR, THANK YOU. SO, YEAH. [APPLAUSE] >> YOU CAN CLAP FOR THAT. SO I JUST -- I JUST WANTED TO TAKE A MOMENT TO SAY THANK YOU. WE'LL MISS YOU, WE HOPE WE HAVE THE SUPPORT FROM THE NEW COUNCIL AND THE MAYOR, AND JUST YOUR UNWAVERING SUPPORT MEANS THE WORLD TO ME. [00:10:03] THANK YOU SO MUCH. >> MAYOR NIRENBERG: THANK YOU VERY MUCH, DR. WHITE. [APPLAUSE] DWAYNE ROBINSON. MR. ROBINSON, YOU'LL BE FOLLOWED BY MOLLY. >> >> MORNING. FIRST ORDER OF BUSINESS IS TO ACKNOWLEDGE MY CITY COUNCILMAN DISTRICT TWO CITY COUNCILMAN, JALEN MCKEE-RODRIGUEZ. TO THE ENTIRE CITY COUNCIL, THE MAYOR ELECT AND THE CITY COUNCIL ELECT, ERIK WALSH, ANDY, I JUST WANTED TO TAKE A MOMENT AND TALK ABOUT A QUICK LITTLE JOURNEY. SOMETIME AROUND 2017 OR 2018, I HAD A MEETING AT ELMIRADOR RESTAURANT, AND OVER SOME GREAT TACOS, I WAS JOINED BY FORMER COUNTY JUDGE NELSON WOLFF, FORMER CITY MANAGER SHERYL SCULLEY AND MAYOR RON NIRENBERG. FOUR CAMPAIGNS LATER FROM READY TO WORK TO THE CITY BOND TO TWO REELECTIONS, FROM SERVING ON CITY BOARDS, FROM THE ML KING COMMISSION TO THE CITY BOND, TO THE CHARTER REVIEW AND TO A KITCHEN CABINET, COUNTLESS LUNCH MEETINGS AT TONY G'S RESTAURANT, JUST THE TWO OF US, VISITS TO ANNIE OKAY MISSIONARY BAPTIST CHURCH. I BELIEVE HISTORY IS GOING TO BE REALLY KIND TO YOU. IN MY HUMBLE OPINION, I SEE LILA COCK RIL, HOWARD PEEK, NELSON WOLFF, HENRY CISNEROS, FILL HARDBERGER, JULIAN CASTRO AND RON NIRENBERG. YOUR ABILITY TO LISTEN, SIR, IS SECOND TO NONE. I REMEMBER AT JULIAN'S LAST CITY COUNCIL MEETING, YOU MADE A COMMENT, YOU SAID THAT YOUR FACE SHOULD BE ON BILLBOARDS ALL OVER THE CITY. WELL, SIR, ON THE RECENTLY PASSED ELECTRONIC BILLBOARDS, YOURS SHOULD BE THERE. I PRAY THAT GOD GIVES YOU THE DESIRES OF YOUR HEART FOR YOUR VISION AND YOUR PURPOSE, AND THAT THEY'RE IN LINE WITH YOUR FUTURE. I WANT TO SIMPLY CLOSE BY SAYING THANK YOU, RON NIRENBERG, I WOULDN'T HAVE MISSED IT FOR THE WORLD. [APPLAUSE] >> I HAVE A LITTLE SOMETHING FOR YOU, SIR. >> MAYOR NIRENBERG: THANK YOU, MR. ROBINSON. MOLLY? MOLLY, YOU'LL BE FOLLOWED BY GRACIELA SANCHEZ. >> HI, MY NAME IS MOLLY. SORRY, I'M A LITTLE SHY AND TIMID. I HAVE TO READ THIS. I LOOK FORWARD TO THE NEXT FOUR YEARS OR THE NEXT FEW YEARS OF RESOLVING OUR HOUSELESS, HOMELESS ISSUES PLAGUING OUR CITY, WHICH IS SPREADING RAPIDLY THROUGH THE COUNTY. I AM HOPEFUL THAT THROUGH MY CURRENT ADVOCACY WORK WITH COMMISSIONERS OF BEXAR COUNTY, I WILL OBTAIN THEIR FULL SUPPORT FOR VARIOUS PROPOSALS RECENTLY ANNOUNCED BY COUNCILWOMAN CASTILLO AND COMMISSIONER CALVERT, WHICH AIM TO ADDRESS THE VITAL IMMEDIATE NEEDS OF BOTH THE UNHOUSED AND HOUSED COMMUNITIES THAT PROPER WEATHERIZATION OF THEIR HOMES. THIS SUPPORT WILL NOT ONLY HELP PREVENT THE SUFFERING AND DEATHS CAUSED BY THE HEAT-RELATED AND WINTER-RELATED CLIMATE CRISIS EVERY YEAR, BUT ALSO CONTRIBUTE TO ADDRESSING THE ISSUES AT HAND, CURRENT ISSUES. I LOOK FORWARD TO OBTAINING THE REMAINING OF THE CITYWIDE SUPPORT AND NOT ONLY HELPING THE HOUSED, WHO SUFFER CLIMATE CRISIS, HEAT-RELATED AS WELL AS WINTER-RELATED DEATHS, BUT ALSO WHO WOULD LIKE TO SUPPORT ELIMINATING HOMELESSNESS IN SIGNIFICANT WAYS LIKE THAT OF HARRIS COUNTY, WHERE ACCORDING TO TEXAS HOUSERS, THEY ARE UNDERGOING A TYPE OF MAYOR'S HOMELESS ACTION PLAN THAT THE COUNTY COMMISSIONERS OVER THERE HAVE PROPOSED IN THEIR CITY THAT WOULD PROVIDE IMMEDIATE NEEDS IN THE UNHOUSED COMMUNITIES, A PLAN THAT WE ARE CURRENTLY NOT IMPLEMENTING IN OUR OWN CITY, WHICH IS WHY WE HAVE SEEN A SIGNIFICANT INCREASE OF UPWARDS 3,000 NOT COUNTING HOMELESS POPULATIONS THAT HAPPEN ON ALL SOCIOECONOMIC BACKGROUNDS. I HAVE PROVIDED A CONGRATULATORY GIFT FOR EACH OF YOU, BUT THE STAFF SAID THAT I'M NOT ALLOWED TO GIVE IT TO YOU DURING THE SESSION. HOWEVER, THEY ASSURED ME THAT THEY WILL KEEP YOUR GIFTS SAFE AND SOUND AND WILL DEIVER IT TO YOU AFTER THIS MORNING'S SESSION. [00:15:02] AND I APOLOGIZE, I GOT CONFUSED BUT MRS. NATALIE OVER THERE AT THE FRONT EXPLAINED TO ME THAT I THOUGHT I WAS GOING TO SPEAK ADDRESSING THIS TO THE NEW CITY COUNCIL, SO THAT'S WHY I SOUNDED LIKE I'M TALKING TO THE FOLKS BEHIND ME, BUT ACTUALLY -- BUT EVEN IF YOU'RE NOT GOING TO BE -- AND YOU LOST AND YOU'VE BEEN VOTED OUT OF OFFICE, WHICH IS WHAT HAPPENS WHEN YOU TRADE OR SACRIFICE PEOPLE'S HOUSING FOR A BASEBALL FIELD, UNFORTUNATELY, YOU'RE MORE THAN WELCOME TO STILL JOIN TEAM HOMELESS PEOPLE AND TRY TO ELIMINATE HOMELESSNESS IN OUR CITY AND COUNTY AND WORK WITH THE COMMISSIONERS AND COUNCILWOMAN CASTILLO AS WELL. THANK YOU. BYE. >> MAYOR NIRENBERG: THANK YOU, MOLLY. GRACIELA SANCHEZ. >> BUENOS DIAZ, THANK YOU MAYOR NIRENBERG FOR YOUR EIGHT YEARS AND ALSO THE COUNCIL, EIGHT YEARS BEFORE THAT AS A COUNCILMAN. WE DIDN'T ALWAYS AGREE, BUT WE TREATED EACH OTHER WITH RESPECT, AND FOR THAT, I THANK YOU. AND THANK YOU THE REST OF THE COUNCILMEMBERS WHO WILL NOW BE MOVING ON, THANK YOU AS WELL FOR YOUR TIME. MAYOR NIRENBERG, YOU MENTIONED TO ME A COUPLE OF MONTHS AGO THAT I WAS YOUR CONSCIENCE AND THE CITY'S SOCIAL JUSTICE CONSCIENCE. AND I THANK YOU FOR THOSE WORDS, BUT IT'S NOT ENOUGH TO BE THE VOICE OF JUSTICE WHEN DECISIONS, MAKE ARE CONTRARY. AND SO I REMIND THE NEW ELECTED COUNCILMEMBERS AND THE NEW MAYOR, GINA ORTIZ JONES, THAT THE PEOPLE WHO VOTED, ALTHOUGH A SMALL NUMBER OF PEOPLE, THEY VOTED FOR A PROGRESSIVE COUNCIL WITH A SOCIAL JUSTICE VISION AND WITH SOCIAL JUSTICE VALUES. SO THE NEXT FOUR YEARS, IT IS CRITICAL FOR YOU, THE COUNCIL AND THE MAYOR, TO HONOR AND RESPECT THE PEOPLE WHO VOTED FOR YOU. OUR INTERESTS ARE NOT THE CONTINUED LINING OF BILLIONAIRES POCKETS, DEVELOPERS' POCKETS WHILE A THIRD OF OUR RESIDENTS STILL LIVE IN POVERTY. THE COUNCIL AGENDA AS A COMPASSIONATE CITY, NEEDS TO CENTER ALL THE PEOPLE OF THIS CITY AND OUR WORKED SECRETLY FOR A COUPLE OF YEARS DEVELOPING A PROJECT MARVEL WITH NO INPUT EVEN FROM YOU AS COUNCILMEMBERS, MUCH LESS THE RESIDENTS. CITY STAFF IS WORKING TO FIND OVER $4 BILLION FOR THIS PROJECT THAT ONLY $150 MILLION FOR THE 2022 HOUSING BOND OR 3.75 -- 3.75% OF $4 BILLION. WE NEED HOUSING! WE HAVE 100,000 PEOPLE WITHOUT HOMES, AND THE NUMBERS WILL CONTINUE TO RISE UNLESS WE SHIFT OUR VISION AND OUR VALUES. WE REMIND YOU TO SUPPORT THOSE POLICIES IN FUNDING THAT TAKE CARE OF THE CITY'S MOST VULNERABLE, THE WORKING POOR, THE IMMIGRANT COMMUNITY, WOMEN, LGBTQ, THE ENVIRONMENT, THE DIFFERENTLY ABLED. WE SHOULDN'T HAVE VALUES LIKE LAST -- THAT, AGAIN, DON'T -- THAT CAUSE A RAIN AND 13 PEOPLE DIE. LET'S PUT THE MONEY IN THE RIGHT PLACES. AND THANK YOU, AGAIN, RAN OUT OF TIME, BUT AGAIN, THANK YOU ALL. >> MAYOR NIRENBERG: THANK YOU, MRS. SANCHEZ. ALL RIGHT. THAT'S EVERYONE WHO SIGNED UP TO SPEAK ON ITEM 4. WE'LL BEGIN OUR COUNCIL DISCUSSION AND ACTION NOW, IF I CAN ENTERTAIN A MOTION ON ITEM 1. >> >> SECOND. >> MAYOR NIRENBERG: ALL RIGHT. THERE'S A MOTION AND A SECOND FOR APPROVAL OF ITEM 1. THIS IS THE TIME NOW WHERE WE WILL BEGIN WITH OUR COUNCIL DISCUSSION, RATHER THAN JUST GOING IN ORDER, I'LL TAKE IT FROM THE CUE, SO IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK, GO AHEAD AND CUE UP. ALL RIGHT, COUNCILMEMBER MCKEE-RODRIGUEZ? >> MCKEE-RODRIGUEZ: THANK YOU, MAYOR. AS WE CLOSE OUT THIS TERM, I WANT TO THANK MY STAFF UP IN THE NNOSEBLEEDS, FRANKY, JOLENE, MARIES, ALYSSA AND CHRISTA WHO KEEP THE OFFICE RUNNING DAY IN AND DAY OUT. AS HAS BEEN SAID BEFORE, YOU ARE THE MEMORY BANK OF THE OFFICE, THE HEART BEHIND THE COMMUNITY MEETINGS AND SO MUCH [00:20:02] MORE. THANK YOU ALL TO CITY STAFF ON THE WORK GUIDED BY COUNCIL DIRECTION OR MISDIRECTION. I REALLY ENJOYED GETTING TO WORK WITH EACH OF MY COLLEAGUES, ALMOST AS MUCH AS I ENJOY A GOOD ROAST. STARTING WITH COUNCILWOMAN DR. SUKH KAUR. WE'VE HAD OUR MOMENTS, STAFFING CHANGES, ETHICS COMPLAINTS, INJURIES AND PLASTIC SURGERIAL GAITIONS, BUT ENOUGH ABOUT ME. COUNCILWOMAN SAWK AND I GOT OFF ON THE WRONG FOOT AT THE START OF THE TERM. I KNOW YOU LOOK AT SUKH, THAT'S JALEN'S BASE, THE PROBLEM WITH PURPLE-HAIRED INDIVIDUALS THEY'RE VEGAN AND GLUTEN FREE. EVERY TIME IT'S A COUNCILMEMBER'S BIRTHDAY CITY STAFF WILL BRING OUT A CAKE, SO IT WAS A REALLY ROUGH SESSION ONE DAY AND THEN WE'RE LIKE, OH, IT'S TIME TO CELEBRATE SUKH'S BIRTHDAY, I'M EXCITED, READY, I HAVE MY PLATE AND MY FORK, AND Y'ALL TELL ME WHEN WE GET THERE, IT'S A FRUIT PLATTER. I WAS PISSED. COUNCILWOMAN MARINA WALKED INTO THE SESSION WITH A CONTAINER OF BLUEBERRIES, I PANICKED THINKING I FORGOT SUKH'S BIRTHDAY. BIRTH FOOD, THERE'S A POINT TO THAT SEGUE, COUNCILMAN VIAGRAN HAS TAKEN UPON HERSELF TO BE MY GRANDMOTHER. WE HAD A MEETING IN HER OFFICE AND I BROUGHT MY LUNCH. SHE SAT THERE FOR THREE MINUTES AND WATCHED ME EAT MY SUNFLOWER SEEDS UNTIL I PULLED OUT THE REST OF MY FOOD. SHE SAID I DON'T KNOW IF I SHOULD BE HAPPY YOU'RE NOT JUST EELTING BYRD FOOD, OR IF I SHOULD BE DISGUSTED YOU'RE EATING SEUSSUSHI FROM A GAS STATION. NOW SHE BRINGS ME VITAMINS AND GUMMIS. COUNCILMAN MUNGIA, I'M JUST KIDDING, YOU LOOK LIKE YOU LIKE GUMMIS -- COUNCILWOMAN CASTILLO AND I GOT ELECTED TOGETHER. I THINK EVERYBODY KNOWS TERI IS AN ADVOCATE FOR HOUSING BUT ALSO A HUGE ADVOCATE FOR MULTIMODAL COMMUNICATION. SHE RELIED HEAVILY ON VIA BUSES AND THEN STARTED RIDING THE ESCOOTERS. I WAS AT AN EVENT AND I LOOK OUT THE WINDOW AND SHE'S RIDING IN A RIVER BARGE. WE HAD A DISAGREEMENT ABOUT HORSE DRAWN CARRIAGE AND SHE ROAD TO CITY HALL EVERY DAY FOR A WEEK TO PROVE A POINT. IT COST HER ENTIRE SALARY FOR THE YEAR, BUT SHE CALLED IT SUSTAINABLE TRANSIT. A LOT OF PEOPLE DON'T KNOW THIS, BUT TERI AND I WERE THE FIRST PEOPLE BORN IN THE '90S TO BE ELECTED TO COUNCIL, AND I'VE BEEN SAYING I CAN'T WAIT UNTIL A 2000S BABY GETS ELECTED, AND NOW RIC GALVAN WILL BE HERE. HE HAS THE PRIVILEGE OF REPRESENTING A GENERATION THAT JUST A FEW SHORT YEARS AGO WAS'DING TIDE PODS BECAUSE IT WAS A CHALLENGE ON YOUTUBE. I WAS REALLY EXCITED THAT COUNCILMAN MUNGIA AND COUNCILMAN GALVAN GOT ELECTED. TWO YOUNG GUYS WITH DISTINCT HAIR, I CAN RELATE, BUT WE WERE WALKING ON THE STREET EARLIER AND SOMEONE ASKED IF WE WERE ON OUR WAY TO WOODSTOCK. COUNCILMAN GALVAN DIDN'T KNOW WHAT WOODSTOCK LIKE SO WE HAD TO CALL COUNCILMAN WHYTE AND ASK HIM WHAT IT WAS LIKE BACK IN '69. COUNCILMAN WHYTE, MARK, OLD BUDDY, OLD PAL, THE ONLY PERSON THAT CAN MAKE A NO VOTE SOUND LIKE A PATRIOTIC VOTE OF HEROISM. NO ONE DRIVES POLICY FORWARD LIKE MARK, HE MANAGES TO INFLUENCE THOSE AROUND HIM. AND NOW HEE'LL HAVE AN ALLEY IN COUNCILWOMAN SPEARS. I THINK WE WERE ALL INCREDIBLY WORRIED ABOUT WHO WAS GOING TO GET ELECTED TO REPRESENT DISTRICT 9. I'M NOT QUITE SURE WHO ELSE CAN CARRY THE BURDEN OF SOLVING THE MOST SUBURBAN ISSUES IN THE CITY, SO CONGRATULATIONS, MISTY. COUNCILWOMAN GONZALES, SHE'LL GET TO BOR REMISTY'S IDEAS AND SHE'LL BE ABLE TO GET TO BORROW MARINA'S IDEAS SO SHE CAN ALSO APPEAL TO THE RIGHT. JUST KIDDING. MARINA'S A GREAT FRIEND AND ALLY OF MINE, AND YOU CAN'T HAVE HER. I DO WANT TO GET INTO SOME GOODBYES, I'LL START WITH MELISSA CABELLO HAVRDA. THIS IS A TREMENDOUS LOSS FOR OUR COUNCIL. I LOVE YOU SO MUCH AND IT'S BEEN A PRIVILEGE AND HONOR TO WORK WITH YOU, LEARN FROM YOU AND CALL YOU A REAL AND TRUE FRIEND. YOU'VE BEEN A MENTOR AND CONFIDANT. I TRUST HER SO MUCH, Y'ALL, SHE ASKED ME TO SUPPORT HER DASY FOR MAYOR AND I ASKED HOW MUCH HAVE YOU RAZEED. SHE SAID $8. I SAID WE CAN DO THIS. WE SHARED IN EACH OTHER OOS FANTASIES, SHE WAS GOING TO BE MAYOR AND I WAS GOING TO FINALLY CHAIR A COMMITTEE THAT COULD MAKE QUORUM. SPEAKING OF LOSING QUORUM, MANNY PELAEZ, WE'VE HAD OUR FAIR SHARE OF AGREEMENTS AND YOU MAY NOT HAVE BEEN MY FAVORITE COUNCILMEMBER. COUNCILMAN COURAGE, JOHN HAS MAINTAINED AN OPEN DOOR POLICY FOR ALL EIGHT [00:25:03] YEARS HE'S BEEN ON COUNCIL, LARGELY BECAUSE THE MAINTENANCE MAN NEVER GOT AROUND TO FIXING HIS AC UNIT. THE ONLY THING HOTTER THAN MAY YO MAYOR COURAGE'S OFFICE IS COUNCILMEN MELISSA CABELLO HAVRDA. D9 MAY HAVE ONLY GOTTEN 13 CONSTITUENT CASES OVER THE PAST EIGHT YEARS BUT DAM IT, THEY WERE GOING TO SOLVE 100% OF THEM. HE'S ALSO BEEN A CALM PRESENCE ON THE COUNCIL AND WE'RE GOING TO MISS HAVING HIM ON THE DAIS. I'M PROUD OF EACH OF Y'ALL FOR SERVING YOUR COUNCIL INCLUDING GARZA GARCIA WHO ALREADY SAID HER FAREWELL. . IF I CAN'T FIX MY DISTRICT, PERHAPS I CAN FIX THE WHOLE CITY. AND FOR THE LAST EIGHT YEARS OUR CITY HAS BEEN LED BY ANDERSON COOPER NAMED RON NIRENBERG. MAYOR NIRENBERG HAS PULLED US THROUGH CATASTROPHIC WEATHER EVENTS, INTERNATIONAL PANDEMICS, HOUSING AND ECONOMIC CRISES, RACIAL UP BRINGINGS, IT MAY BE TOO SOON TO TELL, BUT MAYBE RON WAS THE PROBLEM AFTER ALL. HE'S BEEN A STEADY RELIABLE VOICE WHO'S PROVIDED CALM WHEN OUR CITY WAS FACED WITH UNCERTAINTY. HE'S BEEN CALLED A STOIC, BORING, SOULLESS, LIFELESS, UNENTHUSED ROBOT. I DON'T THINK IT'S FAIR. ROBOTS CAN ONLY BE MONOTONE. MAYOR GINA ORTIZ JONES, THIS ELECTION IS HISTORIC. GAYS EVERYWHERE ARE CELEBRATING AND IT'S NOT JUST BECAUSE OF THE RUMORS THAT COUNCILWOMAN SPEARS IS DISTANTLY RELATED TO BRITTANY. I LOOK FORWARD TO WORKING UNDER YOUR LEADERSHIP OVER THE NEXT FEW YEARS ESPECIALLY IF IT MEANS I CAN FINALLY CHAIR A COMMITTEE THAT CAN MAKE QUORUM. WE MAKE DECISIONS, CAST OUR VOTES AND DO OUR BEST TO BUILD A CITY THAT'S BETTER WHEN WE FOUND IT, AND WHEN WE'RE DONE, WE PASS THE BATON TO THE NEXT PERSON AND HOPE THEY DO THE SAME. IT'S CHALLENGING, DRAMATIC AT TIMES, BUT AT THE END OF THE DAY, WITH WE WERE TOGETHER ACCOMPLISHING THIS WORK TOGETHER. I WILL MISS SOME OF YOU AND I LOOK FORWARD TO FOUR MORE YEARS WITH MOST OF YOU. THANK YOU. [APPLAUSE] >> MAYOR NIRENBERG: THANK YOU, COUNCILMEMBER MCKEE-RODRIGUEZ. COUNCILMEMBER CASTILLO? >> CASTILLO: THANK YOU, MAYOR. I KNOW THAT WAS AN OPPORTUNITY TO COME IN ON A BROOM STICK, BUT BEFORE I CAST MY VOTE, I'M REALLY EXCITED FOR A NUMBER OF REASONS TO WORK ALONGSIDE MY NUCHAL LEAGUES BUT I WOULD BE REMISED IF I DIDN'T ACKNOWLEDGE THE GREAT WORK OF MAYOR RON NIRENBERG. WORK RG ALONGSIDE YOU HAS BEEN A GREAT EXPERIENCE, A LEARNING EXPERIENCE NONETHELESS, AND I WOULD SAY OUR FIRST [INDISCERNIBLE] HAPPENED HERE ON THE DAIS WITHIN MY FIRST TWO MONTHS OF OFFICE AND THAT WAS BECAUSE MY PREDECESSOR WHO WAS NOT THE BEST ON HOUSING WAS APPOINTED TO REPRESENT THE HOUSING BOND WHO VOTED AGAINST EVERY PROPOSITION IN WHICH HAD DEEP AFFORDABILITY. AND I TOOK A PERSONAL POINT OF PRIVILEGE TO RAISE THOSE CONCERNS, BUT I WOULD SAY THAT WAS THE FIRST ROUND, AND WE'VE MOVED BEYOND THAT POINT. I'D LIKE TO BELIEVE. AND LATER THAT SUMMER, WE FOUND OURSELVES WORKING SIDE BY SIDE FOLLOWING THE OVERTURN OF ROE V. WADE TO DRAFT A RESOLUTION THAT ENSURE THAT WOMEN CONTINUE TO HAVE ACCESS TO HEALTHCARE, PARTICULARLY ABORTION. WE MADE THAT RESOLUTION CLEAR AND BOLD IN A STATEMENT THAT CITY FUNDS SHOULD NOT BE USED TO INVESTIGATE OR REPORT ABORTION-RELATED MATTERS, AND THAT CITY RESOURCES WOULD NOT BE USED TO CRIMINALIZE INDIVIDUALS SPEAKING ABORTION CARE. AND AT YOUR DIRECTION, A SPECIAL MEETING WAS CONVENED. WE DEBATED AND WE VOTED ON THAT MEASURE, AND IT PASSED AND IN DOING SO, IT PAVED THE WAY FOR THE CREATION OF REPRODUCTIVE JUSTICE FUND. THANK YOU. IN MAY OF 2022, VOTERS APPROVED SAN ANTONIO'S FIRST EVER HOUSING AFFORDABLE BOND, 1.2 BILLION DEDICATED TO A MORE EQUITABLE FUTURE. THE FUNDING BREAKDOWN REFLECTED DEEP COMMUNITY NEEDS WITH 45 MILLION FOR HOME REHAB AND PRESERVATION, 40 MILLION FOR RENTAL HOUSING ACQUISITION AND REHAB, 35 MILLION FOR NEW RENTAL PRODUCTION AND SO MUCH MORE. WITH YOUR LEADERSHIP, WE GOT THAT ACROSS THE FIN LISCH LINE. THANK YOU. WHEN MR. JIMENEZ DISTRICT FIVE RESIDENT WAS TRAGICALLY STRUCK AND KILLED WHILE CROSSING 39 STREET AND WEST COMMERCE AT AN INTERSECTION THAT HAD BEEN LONG A PROBLEM AND BROUGHT TO THE CITY'S ATTENTION PRIOR TO ME BEING IN OFFICE, YOU LISTENED, YOU HEARD THE COMMUNITY'S CONCERNS AND YOU WORKED WITH US TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE. AND TOGETHER, WE INITIATED A TRAFFIC STUDY AND WITH YOUR HELP SECURED FUNDING TO ENSURE THAT THAT'S A SAFER [00:30:01] CROSSWALK FOR EVERYONE, SO THANK YOU. A HEALTHY DEMOCRACY -- DEBATES SUCH AS COUNCIL HAVING MORE OVERSIGHT AND INPUT ON APPOINTMENTS AND DEBATE AND DISCUSSION, WHETHER IT'S SOCIAL ISSUES, ECONOMIC ISSUES AND WHAT TRANSPARENCY LOOKS LIKE, BUT THE REALITY IS GREAT POLICY IS BORN FROM DISAGREEMENT. I THINK WE CAN BOTH AGREE THAT OUR DISAGREEMENTS AND DIFFERENCES HAVE MADE THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO A MUCH BETTER PLACE AND HAS SHAPEENED AND SHARPENED THE FOCUS OF SAN ANTONIO AS WE CONTINUE TO MOVE TOWARDS A PATH OF PRO DWRES. THANK YOU FOR LISTENING, YOUR STEADINESS, AND KEEPING YOUR COOL EVEN WHEN I THROW A FEW PLAYFUL JABS AND WHEN THINGS COULD HAVE GOTTEN A LITTLE HEATED AND I'M EXTREMELY GRATEFUL FOR YOUR TEAM. ZACH LITE HAS BEEN A TRUSTED MEMBER. DAVIDSON, THANK YOU FOR PICKING UP YOUR PHONE TO LEND YOUR DEEP EXPERTISE TO OUR TEAM AND GABBY THANK YOU FOR YOUR PROFESSIONALISM AND EXECUTING EVENTS WITH PROFESSION, CARE AND TO DOING A GREAT JOB. THE ENTIRE TEAM OF THE MAYOR, THANK YOU FOR YOUR ADVOCACY, BEING PRESENT AND ENSURING THAT THE RESIDENTS OF SAN ANTONIO THEY NEED. IT'S BEEN A PLEASURE WORKING WITH YOU AND YOUR TEAM, AND THEY'RE ALL GENUINELY GOOD PEOPLE, SO THANK YOU FOR YOUR LEADERSHIP, AND I'M SURE YOU'RE GOING TO CONTINUE TO DO GREAT WORK, AND I HOPE YOU DON'T LEAVE THE REALM OF THINGS IN ENSURING THAT WE CONTINUE TO BUILD DEEPLY AFFORDABLE HOUSING. SO THANK YOU FOR YOUR YEARS OF SERVICE. AS MAYOR, AS COUNCILMAN FOR DISTRICT EIGHT, AND, OF COURSE, WE KNOW THAT YOU MAKE A LOT OF SACRIFICE. WE ALL MAKE A LOT OF SACRIFICE TAKING ON THIS WORK, SO I WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE THAT AND I'LL SEE YOU IN THE NEXT ROUND. I WOULD ALSO LIKE TO THANK COUNCILWOMAN CABELLO HAVRDA FOR HER LEADERSHIP AND HER SUPPORT ON REPRODUCTIVE JUSTICE ISSUES AS WELL AS HELPING TO SECURE A FAIR CONTRACT FOR THE SAN ANTONIO FIREFIGHTERS. COUNCILMAN MANNY PELAEZ, THANK YOU FOR YOUR JOKES, I DON'T KNOW WHO'S GOING TO MAKE ME LAUGH UP HERE, I'VE APPRECIATED WORKING WITH YOU TO HONOR [INDISCERNIBLE] IN DISTRICT FIVE, THANK YOU FOR BEING THERE FOR DISTRICT 5 RESIDENTS WHEN INVITED -- PRESENCE AND YOUR ADVOCACY FOR DISTRICT FIVE RESIDENTS. COUNCILMAN COURAGE, JUST THANK YOU FOR YOUR STEADFAST LEADERSHIP. ONE THING THAT I ALWAYS EMPHASIZE IS THERE WAS ONE PARTICULAR VOTE THAT I JUST HAD TROUBLE WITH DECIDING, YOU KNOW, WHICH DIRECTION I WAS GOING TO GO, AND I WENT TO YOUR OFFICE AND YOUR DOOR WAS LITERALLY OPEN. WE SAT DOWN, HAD THAT CONVERSATION, YOU GAVE ME SOME GUIDANCE, AND DIRECTION, AND I MADE MY DECISION FROM THERE. BUT JUST THANK YOU FOR ALWAYS KEEPING YOUR DOOR OPEN, NOT JUST TO DISTRICT 9 RESIDENTS, BUT TO YOUR COLLEAGUES AS WELL. COUNCILMAN MUNGIA, YOU KEEP HEARING IT OVER AND OVER AGAIN THAT YOU HAVE SOME BIG SHOES TO FILL, BUT YOU ALREADY KNEW THAT GOING INTO THIS AND WE KNOW THAT BEHIND EACH AND EVERY ONE OF US ON THIS DAIS IS A PHENOMENAL TEAM WHO WORKS AND LEADS WITH COMPASSION AND INTEGRITY, SO I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO WORKING ALONGSIDE YOU ALL. AND I'M REALLY EXCITED FOR -- TO HIT VOTE YES FOR COUNCILMAN ELECT RIC GALVAN. CONGRATULATIONS! THE DISTRICT FIVE TEAM IS VERY PROUD OF YOU, THE DISTRICT FIVE RESIDENTS ARE VERY PROUD OF YOU, AND MANY FOLKS DON'T KNOW THIS, BUT PRIOR TO GET L ELECTED, RIC HELPED ME ON MY CAMPAIGN BY ORGANIZING THE YOUTH VOTE IN SAN ANTONIO IN DISTRICT FIVE, ENSURING THAT ALL YOUTH WERE PARTICIPATING IN MUNICIPAL ELECTIONS, SO THANK YOU. AND I THINK WHAT'S REALLY IMPORTANT ABOUT YOUR RACE IS OFTENTIMES WE TALK ABOUT SUPPORTING YOUTH, BUT WHEN IT COMES TO SUPPORTING YOUTH IN LEADERSHIP ROLES, SOMETIMES WE DON'T SEE IT, BUT YOU PROVED THE IMPORTANCE OF SUPPORTING OUR YOUTH, BECAUSE THEY'RE THE EXPERTS AND YOU HAVE THE ENERGY TO GET THINGS DONE AND I KNOW YOU'RE GOING TO MAKE THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO AND DISTRICT RESIDENTS PROUD. EXAM ELECT GONZALEZ, YOU'VE BEEN EXPERIENCED, YOUR SEASONED, I'M GRATEFUL I'VE BEEN ABLE TO WORK ALONGSIDE YOU WHEN YOU WORKED WITH THE MAYOR, I KNOW YOU'RE READY TO GET THINGS DONE, YOU HAVE THE EXPERIENCE, THE RELATIONSHIPS AND I HAVE CONFIDENCE IN THE CITY COUNCIL AND THE EXPERIENCE YOU'RE GOING TO BRING TO THE DAIS, SO LOOKING FORWARD TO WORKING ALONGSIDE YOU. AND I'D ALSO LIKE TO WELCOME COUNCILWOMAN SPEARS FOR WINNING HER SEAT AND I LOOK FORWARD TO WORKING ALONGSIDE YOU, WHETHER IT'S READY TO WORK, TRANSPARENCY, INFRASTRUCTURE, I THINK WE HAVE PLENTY OF WORK TO TACKLE AND WORK ALONGSIDE, SO JUST CONGRATULATIONS TO YOU AND YOUR FAMILY. AND I KNOW THIS EVENING WE'LL HAVE PLENTY OF OPPORTUNITY TO GO AROUND THE RING, BUT I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO WORKING ALONGSIDE EACH OF MY COLLEAGUES. THANK YOU. >> MAYOR NIRENBERG: THANK YOU VERY MUCH, COUNCILMEMBER CASTILLO. COUNCILMEMBER COURAGE? >> COURAGE: THANK YOU, MAYOR. [00:35:03] BEING ON THE CITY COUNCIL FOR EIGHT YEARS NOW HAS REALLY GIVEN ME AN OPPORTUNITY TO PROVIDE SERVICE TO THE PEOPLE IN MY NEIGHBORHOOD, MY NEIGHBORS, BUT IT'S ALSO BEEN A PRIVILEGE AS A CITIZEN OF SAN ANTONIO TO HAVE SERVED ON THIS COUNCIL. YOU KNOW, I'VE REALLY BEEN HONORED BY THE PEOPLE IN DISTRICT 9 TO HAVE BEEN ELECTED FOUR TIMES, AND I'M GLAD THAT I HAVE SERVED DISTRICT 9 WELL ENOUGH TO GET ELECTED EACH OF THOSE TIMES. YOU KNOW, MY LIFE'S WORK HAS REALLY ALWAYS BEEN TO GO AHEAD AND PROVIDE PUBLIC SERVICE. I DID IT WHEN I FIRST CAME TO SAN ANTONIO AS A MEMBER OF THE ARMED FORCES, I DID IT FOR 25 YEARS AS A TEACHER, I'VE DONE IT THE LAST EIGHT YEARS AS A MEMBER OF THIS CITY COUNCIL. BUT I HAVEN'T DONE IT ALONE. I HAVE TO SAY THAT I HAVE THE GREATEST APPRECIATION NOR THE PEOPLE WHO WORKED WITH ME ON MY STAFF ALL THESE YEARS, AND I'M GOING TO NAME SOME OF THEM RIGHT NOW. SOME OF THEM ARE IN THE ROOM, SOME OF THEM ARE LISTENING, SOME OF THEM ARE EVEN LOOKING FOR ANOTHER JOB, BUT I WANT TO THANK DERRICK ROBERTS, MY CHIEF OF STAFF, WHO DID SUCH A GREAT JOB. I WANT TO THANK BRYAN NAYLOR AND MILLI-RAY AND COLT AWES BORN AND DOMINIQUE KARRASCO, CHARLIE, VALERIE, MEREDITH, KELSEY BRANT, ZACH LIKE. AS A MATTER OF FACT, BRYAN AND COLT AND ZACH, THOSE THREE HELPED ME GET ELECTED EIGHT YEARS AGO, AND THEY'VE BEEN WORKING FOR THIS CITY EVER SINCE, AND SO, YOU KNOW, THEY'VE DONE A GREAT SERVICE. I REALLY WANT TO SAY MY APPRECIATION TO MY EXECUTIVE SECRETARY, SHE'S DONE A GREAT JOB, JONITAS RIVERA RODRIGUEZ AND TO ALL OF US ON COUNCIL, WE KNOW HOW IMPORTANT THOSE EXECUTIVE SECRETARIES ARE IN THE WORK THEY DO. BUT I ALSO WANT TO GO AHEAD AND COMMEND OUR CITY STAFF. YOU KNOW, DESPITE WHAT PEOPLE HEAR OR WHAT PEOPLE SAY OR WHAT PEOPLE MAY THINK OR WHAT PEOPLE READ IN THE NEWSPAPER OR WHAT THEY HEAR IN THE MEDIA, THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO HAS THE MOST PROFESSIONAL STAFF MEMBERS SERVING THIS COMMUNITY, AND THEY DESERVE A REALLY BIG ROUND OF APPLAUSE. [APPLAUSE] >> COURAGE: I THINK WE'VE GOT A GREAT CITY MANAGER IN ERIK WALSH, HE LEADS A GREAT LEADERSHIP TEAM OF SO MANY PEOPLE. I'VE WORKED SO WELL WITH BEN GOR SAIL, WITH TROY ELLIOT, RAZI, HOMER, OUR CITY ATTORNEY, ANDY SEGOVIA AND HIS STAFF. ALL OF THOSE PEOPLE HAVE ALLOWED ME TO SERVE EFFICIENTLY AND EFFECTIVELY THE PEOPLE OF SAN ANTONIO. AND SO, YOU KNOW, I REALLY WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY GET THE RECOGNITION THAT THEY DESERVE. YOU KNOW, THIS COUNCIL MOVING FORWARD HAS MANY CHALLENGES TO FACE, BUT I WILL ALWAYS BE AVAILABLE TO SHARE MY OBSERVATIONS, EXPERIENCE AND WISDOM, IF YOU'LL CALL IT THAT, THAT I'VE GAINED AFTER EIGHT YEARS, IF IT'S VALUED OR SOUGHT BY ANY ON THIS COUNCIL. I HOPE THIS NEXT MAYOR AND COUNCIL WILL HAVE THE GREATEST SUCCESS OVER THE NEXT FOUR YEARS AND MOVING INTO THE FUTURE. BUT THE LAST THOUGHT I'LL LEAVE YOU WITH IS SOMETHING I'VE ALWAYS SAID, AND I BELIEVE VERY FIRMLY. A COUNCILMEMBER FOR ONE DISTRICT DOESN'T JUST REPRESENT THAT DISTRICT. YOU'RE A COUNCILMEMBER FOR THE ENTIRE CITY, BECAUSE THE DECISIONS WE MAKE ON THIS DAIS EVERY WEEK, ONE WAY OR ANOTHER, AFFECT THE LIVES OF EVERY SINGLE PERSON WHO LIVES IN THIS CITY. SO WITH THAT, I WISH THE GREATEST SUCCESS TO THIS COUNCIL. THANK YOU, MAYOR. >> MAYOR NIRENBERG: THANK YOU VERY MUCH, COUNCILMEMBER COURAGE. COUNCILMEMBER WHYTE? >> WHYTE: THANK YOU, MAYOR. WHAT A FUN DAY THIS IS GOING TO BE. I'M EXCITED ABOUT TODAY, AND I'LL BEGIN WITH JUST SOME THANK YOUS TO THE OUTGOING COUNCILMEMBERS, STARTING WITH MANNY. WE'VE KNOWN EACH OTHER FOR SO MANY YEARS AND YOU'VE REALLY HELPED ME DURING THE GOOD TIMES AND THE BAD OVER THESE TWO YEARS, ALWAYS SOMEONE THERE TO LEND A HELPING HAND, TO BE A VOICE OF REASON AND TO, YOU KNOW, TALK ME THROUGH SOME OF THE TOUGHER TIMES OVER THE PAST TWO YEARS, AND I TRULY APPRECIATE THAT FROM YOU AND YOUR SERVICE [00:40:01] FOR THE PAST EIGHT YEARS HERE ON CITY COUNCIL. REMARKABLE, SO THANK YOU FOR WHAT YOU'VE DONE FOR ME AND FOR THE CITY. JOHN, YOU HAVE -- YOU KNOW, OUR DISTRICTS ARE SIMILAR IN A LOT OF WAYS, BUT WHAT YOU SAID THERE AT THE END OF YOUR REMARKS IS SOMETHING THAT YOU HAVE REALLY -- IT'S SOMETHING I'LL TAKE FROM YOUR TIME HERE, THE NEED FOR US TO LOOK OUTSIDE OF OUR DISTRICTS AT WHAT IS BEST FOR THE CITY AS A WHOLE, THAT SOMETIMES I MAY NOT SEE WHEN I JUST LOOK AT WHAT WE NEED TO DO FOR DISTRICT 10. SO YOU'VE ALWAYS APPROACHED THINGS VERY THOUGHTFULLY, AND I'LL TAKE THAT FROM YOU, AND I APPRECIATE ALL THAT YOU'VE DONE FOR THE CITY AS WELL. MELISSA, THE QUEST FOR TRANSPARENCY, THE WILLINGNESS TO STAND UP AND FIGHT FOR THE IMPORTANT ISSUES, THE TACTICAL AND SMART WAY YOU'VE GONE ABOUT SOME OF THESE ISSUES THAT YOU'VE FELT PAT PASSIONATELY ABOUT. THAT'S WHAT I'LL REMEMBER FOR THESE LAST TWO YEARS. YOUR SERVICE TO THE CITY HAS BEEN REMARKABLE, IT'S BEEN GREAT TO WATCH, AND WISH YOU, OF COURSE, NOTHING BUT THE BEST. MAYOR, WE HAVE NOT AGREED ON EVERYTHING AND WE'VE NOT AGREED ON A LOT, AND WE'VE CERTAINLY HAD -- HAD OUR MOMENTS, BUT I'LL TELL YOU THIS: YOU HAVE ALWAYS TREATED ME FAIRLY, RESPECTFULLY. I HAVE ENJOYED WATCHING, YOU KNOW, YOU GO ABOUT YOUR WORK AND PUSH FOR THE THINGS THAT YOU BELIEVE IN OVER THESE PAST TWO YEARS. AND REALLY NOT JUST THE PAST TWO YEARS, I'VE GOT TO SEETTE UP CLOSE FOR THE PAST TWO YEARS, BUT ALL YOUR TIME ON COUNCIL. YOU'VE BEEN SOMEBODY THAT I THINK HAS TAKEN A PRINCIPLED APPROACH TO THE JOB AND ALWAYS BEEN WILLING TO PUSH AND PUSH HARD FOR WHAT YOU BELIEVE IN. AND I RESPECT THAT AND THE CITY, OF COURSE, OWES YOU A DEBT OF GRATITUDE FOR ALL YOUR SERVICE, SO THANK YOU FOR THAT. [APPLAUSE] >> WHYTE: TO THE NEW COUNCIL -- OR TO THE NEW MEMBERS OF THE COUNCIL, MAYOR JONES, EDWARD, IVALIS, RIC, MISTY, CONGRATULATIONS ON RUNNING GREAT CAMPAIGNS AND FOR OBTAINING WHAT I BELIEVE IS A REAL HONOR, WHICH IS THAT NOW YOU GET TO REPRESENT THE GREATEST CITY IN THE GREATEST COUNTRY IN THE WORLD. AND WHEN YOU TAKE THESE SEATS UP HERE, MY HOPE IS THAT THE GRAVITY OF THE OFFICE, YOU'LL FEEL IT AND YOU'LL FEEL IT ALMOST IMMEDIATELY. THIS IS A SPECIAL PLACE. AND TO HAVE THE CHANCE TO REPRESENT SAN ANTONIO -- AGAIN, NOT JUST YOUR DISTRICT, BUT THE CITY AS A WHOLE -- REALLY IS A GREAT HONOR. AND ALL OF THE HARD WORK THAT YOU'VE PUT INTO YOUR CAMPAIGNS, I LOOK FORWARD TO SEEING THAT WORK BE DONE UP HERE, BUT RATHER THAN, YOU KNOW, TRYING TO GET VOTES, IT'S GOING TO BE TRYING TO DO THE BEST YOU CAN IN COLLABORATION WITH US FOR THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO. SO I LOOK FORWARD TO WORKING WITH ALL OF YOU. AND THEN TO EVERYONE, WHAT AN OPPORTUNITY WE ARE ABOUT TO EMBARK ON AS A CITY COUNCIL OVER THE NEXT FOUR YEARS. THIS JOB, AS I SAY ALL THE TIME, IS ONE OF THE BEST JOBS IN THE WORLD AND THE BEST JOB IN ALL OF GOVERNMENT, I BELIEVE, BECAUSE WE ARE THE CLOSEST FORM OF GOVERNMENT TO THE PEOPLE. EVERY SINGLE DAY THAT WE GO TO WORK, WE HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO IMPACT PEOPLE'S DAY-TO-DAY LIFE, AND THAT IS WHAT THIS JOB IS ALL ABOUT, HOW CAN WE IMPROVE OUR CITIZENS' DAY-TO-DAY QUALITY OF LIFE. AND MY HOPE FOR THESE NEXT FOUR YEARS IS WE WILL STAY FOCUSED ON THAT, WE WILL STAY FOCUSED ON CITY ISSUES, PUBLIC SAFETY, INFRASTRUCTURE, ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT. AND IF WE WORK COLLABORATIVELY AND WE COME TO WORK EVERY DAY WITH OUR CITIZENS' BEST INTEREST IN MIND, I BELIEVE THAT WE CAN TAKE THIS CITY TO WHERE WE ALL THINK THAT IT SHOULD BE. SO I'M EXCITED ABOUT THE NEXT FOUR YEARS, I LOOK FORWARD TO WORKING WITH ALL OF YOU, AND I SEE GREAT THINGS IN THE FUTURE FOR SAN ANTONIO. >> MAYOR NIRENBERG: THANK YOU, COUNCILMEMBER WHYTE. COUNCILMEMBER CABELLO HAVRDA? >> HAVRDA: THANKS, MAYOR. SERVING DISTRICT 6 HAS BEEN ONE OF THE HIGHEST HONORS AND PRIVILEGES OF MY LIFE. I'M PROUD OF THE REAL CHANGE WE'VE MADE, BUILDING PARKS, IMPROVING [00:45:01] PUBLIC SAFETY AND PROTECTING THE FAMILIES WHO BUILT THIS CITY. I WAS ELECTED IN JUNE OF 2019. IN THOSE SIX YEARS, SAN ANTONIO, WE'VE SEEN EACH OTHER THROUGH A GLOBAL PANDEMIC, WINTER STORM URI, DEADLY RAINSTORM, ENERGY CRISES, HOUSING CRISES, A COUPLE OF PRESIDENTS, WE'VE LOST POLICE OFFICERS AND FIREFIGHTERS IN THE LINE OF DUTY, DEALT WITH BUDGET DEFICITS AND ALONG WITH COUNTLESS PEACEFUL PROTESTS, AND EVERY DAY OF IT, EVERY DIFFICULT DECISION, EVERY MOMENT OF STRESS, EVERY TIME THE PAPER MISCHARACTERIZED, EVERY DISAGREEMENT WITH COLLEAGUES, WITH ALL OF THAT IN MIND, I CAN SAFELY TELL YOU THAT I WOULD DO IT ALL OVER AGAIN, EVERY SINGLE DAY OF IT, BECAUSE THIS IS -- [APPLAUSE] >> HAVRDA: THANK YOU. BECAUSE THROUGH ALL OF THOSE CHALLENGING DAYS, THEY CAME WITH PUTTING IN SIDEWALKS WHERE AN ELDERLY COUPLE SAID, I'VE BEEN WAITING MY WHOLE LIFE, THANK YOU FOR THESE SIDEWALKS. INCREASING PARK ACREAGE, FIXING DRAINAGE ISSUES, HELPING GRANDPARENTS RAISE THEIR GRANDCHILDREN, HELPING THE FOOD BANK FEED OUR CITY, HELPING FOSTER KIDS FIND RESOURCES, CHANGING THE NAME OF A HIGHWAY BACK, EXPANDING THE AIRPORT, FIGHTING FOR LGBTQIA PLUS RIGHTS AND SHOWING THE WORLD THAT TEXAS WOMEN WILL FIGHT WHEN IT COMES TO AUTONOMY OF OUR OWN BODIES. [APPLAUSE] >> HAVRDA: I'VE MADE A LOT OF FRIENDS ALONG THE WAY AND I LOVE THIS JOB. IT REALLY IS EVERY SINGLE DAY OF IT, GOOD AND BAD, IT'S WORTH IT. FOR THE INCOMING COUNCILMEMBERS, I KNOW A LOT OF YOU HAVE HAD EXPERIENCE HERE, BUT WHEN YOUR BUTT IS ACTUALLY IN THE SEAT, IT'S A DIFFERENT PERSPECTIVE, AND I KNOW YOU'RE ALL GOING TO DO REALLY WELL. THANKS TO ALL MY COLLEAGUES, PAST AND PRESENT, TO THE MAYOR, ALL OF THE CITY COUNCILMEMBERS SITTING HERE AND IN THE PAST, FOR YOUR PASSION AND DEDICATION TO THE CITY, ALL THE NONPROFITS AND ORGANIZATIONS I HAD THE HONOR OF HELPING, THANKS TO MY FAMILY, MY LATE MOTHER, MY DAD, TO MY HUSBAND JASON AND OUR THREE KIDS, THANK YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT AND YOUR PATIENCE. OUR FAMILIES SACRIFICE A LOT FOR US TO SIT UP HERE AND I DON'T THINK THAT'S RECOGNIZED ENOUGH. TO THE DISTRICT SIX STAFF, WILL Y'ALL STAND UP? DID YOU SHOW UP HERE TODAY? OKAY. GOOD. [APPLAUSE] >> HAVRDA: Y'ALL HAVE SUPPORTED ME AND OUR DISTRICT IN SO MANY WAYS WE'VE CELEBRATED THE BIRTH OF BABIES AND GRANDCHILDREN, WE'VE SEEN GRADUATIONS, WE'VE SEEN STAFFERS WHO COULDN'T CUT IT COME AND GO, WHICH Y'ALL MADE IT THROUGH, AND WE MOURNED THE LOSS OF MARTIN TOGETHER. THANK YOU FOR ALWAYS PUTTING OUR CONSTITUENTS FIRST. THAT'S OUR MOTTO, I CAN'T SAY IT BECAUSE THERE'S A BAD WORD IN IT, BUT WE ALWAYS DO, WE DO GOOD AND WE GET THINGS DONE, AND I'M REALLY PROUD OF D6 STAFF BECAUSE THAT WAS OUR MOTTO AND IT ALWAYS PUT OUR CONSTITUENTS FIRST, AND I THANK YOU GUYS. TO THE GOOD PEOPLE OF DISTRICT SIX, THANK YOU FOR TRUSTING ME. I'M A DAUGHTER OF SAN ANTONIO AND I'M A DAUGHTER OF DISTRICT SIX, I WAS BORN AND RAISED THERE. I HOPE I REPRESENTED YOU WELL AND I HOPE I MADE YOU PROUD. TO COUNCILMAN GALVAN, YOU'RE ALSO BORN AND RAISED IN D6 AND YOU HAVE FOUR YEARS OF INCREDIBLY FULFILLING WORK OF YOU AND IT'S GOING TO SHAPE THE FUTURE OF OUR CITY. I BELIEVE IN YOU, I'M SUPER PROUD OF YOU, AND I'M GOING TO BE HERE AND OUR NEIGHBORHOODS AS MUCH AS YOU LIKE. AND I'LL ALSO STAY OUT OF YOUR WAY WHEN YOU LIKE, BUT I WILL BE HERE. I'VE ALWAYS BELIEVED THAT POLICY IS PERSONAL, EVERY ORDINANCE, EVERY VOTE, EVERY FIGHT, I DID IT WITH OUR COMMUNITY, OUR PEOPLE IN MIND, IN MY MIND AND MY HEART, AND I LEAVE KNOWING THAT SAN ANTONIO IS STRONGER, SAFER AND BETTER CONNECTED. MY NEXT CHAPTER IS ABOUT BRINGING SAN ANTONIO'S VALUES, OUR TRUE VALUES, RESILIENCE, EMPATHY, BRAVERY, TO BIGGER CONVERSATIONS ACROSS TEXAS AND BEYOND. MY WORK FOR SAN ANTONIO IS NOT ENDING, IT'S EVOLVING. MY MISSION TO SERVE IS STILL STRONG, AND THERE'S SO MUCH MORE TO DO. WITH THAT, I SAY TO YOU, GRACIAS, SAN ANTONIO YOU, COUNCILMEMBER CABELLO HAVRDA. COUNCILMEMBER PELAEZ? >> PELAEZ: I WANT TO START OFF, JOHN COURAGE ASKED ME ON THE WAY UP HERE, HE GOES, HOW MANY JOKES YOU GOT? NONE. I'VE GOT NO JOKES. TODAY IS TOO IMPORTANT A DAY, AND I WANT TO START OFF BY TELLING YOU THE MOST SERIOUS THING THAT COMES TO MIND, AND THAT IS THAT ERIK WALSH LEADS, IN MY OPINION, THE MOST PROFESSIONAL PEOPLE, TEAM, THAT I'VE EVER WORKED WITH AND SERVED WITH. AND I HAVE -- I'VE GOT TO TELL YOU, CHIEF MCMANUS, ANDY SEGOVIA, YOU KNOW, [00:50:02] YOU TWO, ARE WALKING, TALKING WISDOM. AND, YOU KNOW, YOUR SOBER APPROACH TO ANSWERING HARD QUESTIONS AND BEING UNAFRAID TO ANSWER THEM IS SOMETHING I RESPECT VERY MUCH. MARIA AND BEN, THE MATH TEAM, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR GUIDING US AND FOR YOUR STEADY HANDS. LORI, JEFF COYLE, ALEX LOPEZ, LORI AND DAVE MCCARY, I HOPE THAT ONE OF MY KIDS GROWS UP TO BE JUST LIKE YOU ONE DAY. AND WE TALK ABOUT YOU OFTEN IN MY HOME AND WE HOLD YOU UP AS EXAMPLES OF PEOPLE THAT SHOULD BE EMULATED. SPEAKING OF HOME, YOU KNOW, I TALK A LOT ABOUT MY KIDS UP HERE, AND WHEN I DO, YOU KNOW, I ALWAYS WANT TO LET YOU -- IT'S NO SECRET THAT, YOU KNOW, EVERY SINGLE DECISION I MAKE UP HERE IS WITH MY KIDS IN MIND AND WHAT'S IN THEIR BEST INTEREST AND WHAT'S IN THE BEST INTEREST OF YOUR CHILDREN, AND, YOU KNOW, AS A PARENT AND ALL OF US HAVE DONE IT, RIGHT, WE SAY LOTS AND LOTS OF PRAYERS FOR OUR KIDS, WE SAY PRAYERS WITH OUR KIDS AND WE SERMONIZE TO OUR KIDS AND THEY BECOME OLYMPIC CHAMPIONSAL ROLLING THEIR EYES AT ALL THE SERMONS, AND WHAT I FIGURED OUT IS THAT IF YOU REALLY WANT YOUR KIDS TO LIVE UP TO YOUR EXPECTATIONS, YOU HAVE TO JUST SHOW THEM. SERMONS ARE GREAT, BUT YOU'VE GOT TO ACT THOSE SERMONS OUT. AND PRAYERS ARE GREAT, ANN HELMKE HAS TAUGHT ME, YOU KNOW, THAT PRAYERS ARE FANTASTIC, BUT SERVICE IS EVEN MORE POWERFUL. AND SERVICE IS REALLY JUST A PRAYER THAT HAS GROWN LEGS AND WALKS AROUND THE WORLD FOR YOUR KIDS TO SEE. AND IT HAS BEEN ONE OF THE GREATEST HONORS OF MY LIFE TO BE ABLE TO SHOW MY KIDS WHAT THAT LOOKS LIKE. DAY WE WENT HOME AND EVERYBODY ON THIS DAIS IS ABLE TO LOOK AT THEIR KIDS IN THE EYE AND SAY I LEFT IT ALL OUT ON THE FIELD AND WE TRIED TO DO THE BEST WE POSSIBLY COULD. I WILL -- I'LL TELL YOU THAT 300 YEARS AGO, 300 PLUS YEARS AGO, A SCRAPPY BAND OF CAN NARY ISLANDERS SHOWED UP TO YOU KNOW, THE SHORES OF THIS LITTLE RIVER AND SAID, THIS IS GOING TO BE OUR HOME. I DON'T THINK THEY'D EVER IMAGINED, YOU KNOW, WHAT THIS HAS BECOME, AND WE STAND ON THEIR SHOULDERS. NOW, YOU SHOULD KNOW THAT 300 YEARS AGO WHEN THEY GOT HERE, JOHN COURAGE WAS ALREADY HERE. >> COURAGE: THAT'S ONE. >> PELAEZ: THAT'S ONE JOKE. MANY COUNCILMEMBERS HAVE COME BEFORE US AND THE NEW COUNCILMEMBERS, MANY WILL COME AFTER YOU. AND THE NAMES OF THE COUNCILMEMBERS THAT CAME BEFORE US ARE LEGION, NOBODY WILL REMEMBER THEM. AND I HAVE A FEELING THAT NONE OF THEM DID IT FOR THAT REASON. I'M LOOKING OUT IN THE ROOM, I SEE SOME FORMER COUNCILMEMBERS HERE, SENATOR, NICE TO SEE YOU, MARY ALICE CISNEROS, I SAW JUSTIN. RODRIGUEZ EARLIER AND OTHERS. I'VE GOT TO TELL YOU, I STAND ON YOUR SHOULDERS THE WAY THAT YOU STOOD ON THE SHOULDERS OF YOUR PREDECESSORS AND WHEN THE HISTORY BOOKS GET WRITTEN, AND IT WILL PROBABLY BE NELSON WOLFF THAT WRITES THEM, WE'RE NOT GOING TO BE WRITTEN IN THEM, NONE OF US, AND THAT'S NOT WHY ANY OF US DO IT. AND I -- ON THIS DAIS, DESPITE THE FACT THAT SOMETIMES WE FOUGHT LIKE. >> CASTROCATS AND DOGS NOBODY WILL EVER CONVINCE ME THAT ANY OF THESE PEOPLE EVER SHOWED UP TO WORK THINKING OTHER THAN HOW CAN I BEST SERVE MY COMMUNITY. THAT'S IT. I RESPECT EVERY SINGLE PERSON UP HERE, AND ANYBODY WHO THINKS DIFFERENT, YOU KNOW, AND TELLS ME THAT THEY'RE HERE FOR SELF-SERVING REASONS, THAT THEY'RE HERE TO, YOU KNOW, BE POPULAR AS OPPOSED TO BE GOOD, WELL, THOSE ARE FIGHTING WORDS AND I'VE GOT A SQUARING OFF PLACE OUTSIDE AND I'M HAPPY TO MEET YOU AFTERWARDS. I WILL DEFEND THE HONOR OF EVERY SINGLE PERSON ON THIS DAIS UNTIL MY LAST BREATH. AND SO DESPITE IT ALL, I THINK THAT IT'S BECAUSE OF THE SERVICE OF PRIOR CITY COUNCILMEMBERS, THE SERVICE OF THE PEOPLE ON THIS DAIS AND THE SERVICE OF THE NEW FOLKS THAT ARE COMING ON HERE, THIS IS THE GREATEST CITY ON THE PLANET. AND MAYOR JONES, WE'RE HANDING YOU OFF SOMETHING REALLY SPECIAL. DON'T SCREW IT UP. NO, I KNOW YOU'RE GOING TO DO A GREAT JOB. YOU'RE GOING TO DO A FANTASTIC JOB, AND I'M VERY IMPRESSED BY YOU. I WANT TO TAKE MY LAST FEW MINUTES BY REMINDING EVERYBODY THAT WE'RE LIVING THROUGH A MOMENT IN AMERICAN HISTORY WHERE ELECTED OFFICIALS AT THE FEDERAL AND STATE LEVEL HAVE FIGURED OUT THAT THERE'S POLITICAL DIVIDENDS TO BE GAINED BY SOWING DOUBT AND DISTRUST OF INSTITUTIONS AND THE PEOPLE WHO SERVE THOSE INSTITUTIONS. YOU'RE SEEING THAT IN THE [00:55:02] ATTACKS ON ELITE UNIVERSITIES, YOU'RE SEEING ATTACKS ON THE GOVERNMENT AT ALL LEVELS, AND I'M HAPPY THAT THIS -- THAT IN SAN ANTONIO, WE DON'T DO THAT, RIGHT? AND I RAISE THAT ISSUE BECAUSE THEIR INTENT IS TO HURT AND DESTROY AND ERODE, YOU KNOW, INSTITUTIONS FOR THEIR OWN PURPOSES. WEAKER INSTITUTIONS MEANS IT'S EASIER TO STEAL FROM YOU AND EASIER TO DO HORRIBLE THINGS TO YOU, AND I GUESS THE POINT IS THAT ALL OF US ELECTED OFFICIALS HERE, MUNICIPALLY AND IN THE COUNTY AND EVEN AT THE STATE, SENATOR, WE'RE ALL FUNFUNGIBL, BUT THE MOST IMPORTANT THING IS THAT THE INSTITUTION ENDURES AND WE HAVE A RESPONSIBILITY TO STAND UP FOR THE MEN AND WOMEN WHO SERVE THIS INSTITUTION, THE ONES THAT GO UNNAMED AND UNSEEN. ERIK, THE LADY AT THE MUNICIPAL GARAGE WHO'S BEEN THERE TAKING TICKETS FOR 28 YEARS, YOU KNOW, SERVING THIS CITY. AND WOMEN LIKE ARE ARE LEGION. THERE'S MORE OF THEM THAT I'LL BE ABLE TO NAME, AND PEOPLE WHO HAVE SERVED THIS CITY FOR 30, 40 YEARS AND ARE STILL DOING IT AND WEARING THE CITY BADGE. THOSE ARE THE HEROES WITHOUT CAPES, AND WE AS COUNCILMEMBERS HAVE AN OBLIGATION TO RUN TO THEIR AID WHENEVER ANYBODY ATTACKS THEIR INTENTIONS, THEIR HONOR, THEIR HARD WORK, THEIR DEDICATION TO THIS JOB. YOU KNOW, ANDY, MARK, MELISSA AND I TOOK AN OATH WHEN WE BECAME LAWYERS, AND ONE OF THE WORDS IN THAT OATH IS "DEMEAN" I PROMISE IN THE SERVICE OF MY CLIENTS. REMEMBER THAT? I DIDN'T GET IT WHAT IT MEANT BUT THIS IS WHAT IT MEANS. PUTTING YOURSELF AFTER THE INTEREST OF YOUR CLIENTS. AND I WANT TO TALK TO YOU ABOUT THE PEOPLE WHO HAVE DEMEANED THEMSELVES IN SERVICE OF OUR CLIENTS, OUR CONSTITUENTS. PAT, AARON, JARVIS, AND TAYLOR -- I KNOW SHE'S OUT THERE . YOU GUYS HAVE TRULY LIVED UP TO THE WORDS I WILL DEMEAN MYSELF IN SERVICE OF MY CLIENTS. YOU GUYS ARE AMAZING. MY LAW PARTNER, MARCO, WHO HAS GIVEN UP A LOT OF MONEY TO WATCH ME DO WHAT I DO HERE, THAT GUY, I'LL BE REPAYING HIM FOR THE REST OF MY LIFE. I WON'T CALL OUT COUNCIL MEMBERS OTHER THAN JUST TO SAY THAT TERI CASTILLO AND ADRIANA ROCHA GARCIA, I'M A BETTER MAN BECAUSE OF YOU. I'VE NEVER COME ACROSS MORE PRINCIPLED PEOPLE. NEVER HAVE I COME ACROSS MORE PRINCIPLED PEOPLE IN MY ENTIRE LIFE THAN YOU TWO AND YOU SET A VERY HIGH STANDARD. MAYOR NIRENBERG, IF YOU'RE WONDERING WHAT YOUR LEGACY IS, YOUR LEGACY IS YOU WILL GO DOWN AS THE MAYOR WHO EMBRACED COMPLEXITY WHEN OTHER PEOPLE WERE REALLY, REALLY AFRAID OF IT. YOU GOT US THROUGH COVID. YOU GOT US THROUGH HURRICANES, YOU GOT US THROUGH ECONOMIC DISASTERS. YOU JUMPED INTO FIXING HOUSING AND JOBS AND, YOU KNOW, YOU RAN TOWARDS DECENCY EVERY SINGLE TIME WHEN IT WOULD HAVE BEEN EASIER TO PUNCH DOWN OR WRESTLE WITH THE PIGS. AND YOU DIDN'T DO THAT. BECAUSE OF THAT, MAYOR, I HAVE A GIFT FOR YOU. AS YOU'RE UNWRAPPING IT -- IF YOU DON'T MIND PASSING THIS DOWN. AS YOU'RE UNWRAPPING IT, I WOULD LIKE TO TELL YOU THAT MY WIFE, MY KIDS, DIANA, MAX, SOPHIA, IT WAS ALL FOR YOU. I HOPE YOU'RE PROUD OF ME. MAYOR, THE CITY HAS A LARGE COLLECTION OF ART. IN THE BACK ROOM THERE IS A PAINTING THAT IS ONE OF THE FINEST PAINTINGS WE HAVE EVER SEEN. I KNOW YOU'RE A BIG FAN TOO. WHAT I'M GIFTING YOU HOPEFULLY WILL REMAIN IN THE ARCHIVES OF THE CITY FOREVER OR BECOMES A FAMILY HEIRLOOM FOR YOU AND YOUR FAMILY. I THINK IT'S PRICELESS AND I HOPE YOU ENJOY IT. [APPLAUSE] IT'S A PICTURE OF ME. [LAUGHTER] THANKS, GUYS. THAT'S MY TIME . >> MAYOR NIRENBERG: THAT'S TWO. THTHANK YOU, COUNCILMEMBER PELAEZ. COUNCILMEMBER KAUR. >> KAUR: THANK YOU SO MUCH, MAYOR. I WANT TO START OFF BY THANKING MY CAMPAIGN TEAM AND STAFF FOR ALL OF THEIR HARD WORK. I KEEP SAYING THAT WE'VE LEARNED A LOT IN THIS CAMPAIGN CYCLE OVER THE LAST TWO YEARS. ONE OF THE THINGS I'VE LEARNED IS THAT IT'S EASIER TO GET ON THE FRONT PAGE OF A NEWSPAPER WITH CAMPAIGN THAN IT IS WITH SUBSURFACE UTILITY ENGINEERING. I WANT TO FIRST SHOUT OUT BY THANKING SENATOR MENENDEZ WHO IS HERE. SENATOR MENENDEZ WAS FIGHTING THE GOOD FIGHT AT THE STATE LEGISLATURE THIS SPRING AND DURING MY RUNOFF CAME DOWN TO [01:00:02] DOUBLE DOWN AND SUPPORT. WE KNEW HOW IMPORTANT THIS ELECTION WAS FOR DISTRICT 1 FOR THE CITY. HE TOOK TIME OUT FROM FIGHTING AGAINST VOUCHERS TO HELP ME, SO I REALLY APPRECIATE THAT. I'M GRATEFUL FOR YOUR LEADERSHIP. [APPLAUSE] I'M GOING TO START OFF WITH COUNCILMEMBER COURAGE. COUNCILMEMBER COURAGE -- MY TEAM AND I WORKED TOGETHER TO THINK OF WHAT WERE THE THINGS THAT WE REMEMBER MOST ABOUT EACH OF THE OUTGOING COUNCIL MEMBERS AND MAYOR. MY STAFF SAID THAT COUNCILMEMBER COURAGE'S CONSTITUENT SERVICES WERE LEGENDARY. WE HAD SOMEONE CALL OUR OFFICE. HE'S LIKE, OH, YOU GUYS ARE DOING A PRETTY GOOD JOB BUT NOT AS GOOD AS BRIAN NAILER IN COUNCILMAN COURAGE'S OFFICE. WE HAD A NEIGHBORHOOD THAT CAME FROM YOUR DISTRICT , MR. ELLIOTT. I KNOCKED ON HIS DOOR THREE TIMES NOW AND EVERY TIME HE SEES ME HE'S LIKE, ARE YOU STILL MY COUNCILWOMAN? YEP. NOT GOING TO GET COUNCILMAN COURAGE BACK? NOPE. YOU'RE IN DISTRICT 1. THAT'S HOW MUCH HIS CONSTITUENTS LOVED HIM, WHICH IS EVIDENT OF YOUR WIN IN THAT DISTRICT FOR EIGHT YEARS. THE ONE THING I'M GOING TO CONTINUE FIGHTING FOR THAT WE HAVE A SHARED BACKGROUND IN IS EDUCATION. YOU'RE A TEACHER. WE BOTH WORKED REALLY HARD FOR STUDENTS AND YOUTH AND YOUR VAPE INITIATIVE AND ALSO THE TAX EXEMPTION FOR EARLY CHILDHOOD, WE'LL CONTINUE WORKING HARD TO KEEP THAT LEGACY GOING. THANK YOU FOR YOUR LEADERSHIP THERE. COUNCILMAN PELAEZ IS A GREAT STORYTELLER. HE'S TAUGHT ME OVER THE LAST COUPLE OF YEARS HOW SOMETIMES YOU CAN GET YOUR POINT ACROSS BY SHARING A STORY RATHER THAN GETTING DIRECTLY TO THE POINT. AND SO I'LL CONTINUE ALWAYS TRYING TO SHARE THAT STORY. MY STAFF SAID YOU NEVER LET SOMETHING GO UNSAID. AND EVERY TIME I GO TO THE BATHROOM IN ANY ESTABLISHMENT, ESSENTIALLY HERE, I THINK OF YOU BECAUSE I SEE THE DOMESTIC VIOLENCE -- [LAUGHTER] I SEE THE PURPLE DOMESTIC VIOLENCE STICKER. AND I TRULY THINK OF HOW MANY PEOPLE MAY BE ACTUALLY FEELING HEARD BECAUSE THEY SEE THAT. I ALWAYS WILL CONTINUE TO ADVOCATE FOR DOMESTIC VIOLENCE ISSUES, YOU AND DR. ROCHA GARCIA WERE BIG ADVOCATES, SO WE'LL KEEP THAT WORK GOING. IN ADDITION, YOU TAUGHT ME THAT EVEN WHAT'S HAPPENING WITH STATE AND FEDERAL ISSUES, WE HAVE TO STAY TRUE WITH WHO WE ARE LOCALLY. THERE WERE TIMES WE WEREN'T GETTING FUNDING AND YOU KEPT PUSHING US TO DO THE WORK THAT OUR CONSTITUENTS NEEDED. LASTLY AND COUNCILMAN PELAEZ ALWAYS GOES, COVERS HIS HEAD, SHARES HIS RESPECT. AND MY UNCLE AND AUNT ALWAYS LOVE YOU FOR COMING AND SHARING IN OUR COMMUNITY THAT MAKES UP A GOOD PORTION OF YOUR DISTRICT. ALSO, WHEN WE WERE BURGLARIZED, YOU CAME AND HELPED US ADVOCATE FOR TRYING TO FIND A SOLUTION THERE. THANK YOU FOR YOUR LEADERSHIP FOR THE SIKH AMERICAN COMMUNITY. COUNCILWOMAN MELISSA CABELLO HAVRDA. I THINK COUNCILMEMBER MCKEE-RODRIGUEZ AND I SHARE A LOT OF THE SAME SENTIMENTS ABOUT YOU. A COUPLE OF YEARS AGO WHEN I WAS RUNNING AGAINST AN INCUMBENT, IT WAS NEVER EASY. WE WERE BOTH A PART OF LLI. WE WERE AT A LUNCHEON ONCE AND I WAS DECIDING ABOUT RUNNING, IT WAS THE CELEBRATORY LUNCHEON. I THOUGHT SHE WAS A SUPERHERO AND I WAS TOO NERVOUS TO SAY HI. WHEN WE DID FINALLY GET TO CONNECT WHEN I WAS RUNNING, YOU SHARED ANYTHING THAT COULD BE HELPFUL FOR ME AND SAID YOU WERE AN ALLY ON THE DAIS. I ALWAYS LOOK UP TO YOU BECAUSE YOU ARE TRULY AN ADVOCATE FOR ISSUES THAT ARE ACROSS THE AISLE. AND I THINK THAT IS WHAT WE AS LOCAL OFFICIALS NEED TO BE. THERE'S NO ONE ISSUE THAT WE HAVE TO STAND ON. WE CAN FIGHT FOR THE ISSUES THAT ARE MOST IMPORTANT FOR OUR COMMUNITY. PUBLIC SAFETY, REPRODUCTIVE JUSTICE FUND, YOU DID A GREAT JOB OF LEADING FOR ALL OF YOUR CONSTITUENTS AND ALL OF THE CITY, I TRULY BELIEVE. I WANT TO THANK YOU FOR YOUR LEADERSHIP. AND MY ONE HOPE IS THAT ONE DAY I'LL BE ABLE TO REACH OUT AND EXTEND A HAND TO SOMEONE LIKE YOU DO TO ME. THANK YOU FOR THAT. AND THEN LASTLY, MAYOR, I FEEL LIKE I KIND OF GOT GYPPED BECAUSE ALMOST EVERYBODY ELSE GOT A LOT MORE TIME AND I ONLY GOT TWO YEARS UNDER YOUR LEADERSHIP. I ALWAYS SAY I HAVE THE BEST SEAT IN THE HOUSE BECAUSE YOU'RE SITTING NEXT TO ME. YOUR PASSION FOR READY TO WORK IS SIMILAR TO MY PASSION FOR EDUCATION. I JUST WANT ALL THOSE FUNDS TO GO TO THE KIDS. YOUR ARGUMENT TO ME IS WHAT ABOUT EVERYONE ELSE WHO HAS PASSED THROUGH THE K-12 EDUCATION SYSTEM? IF WE JUST FOCUS ON THE KIDS WE'LL NEVER BE ABLE TO ADDRESS THE FAMILY ISSUES OF GENERATIONAL POVERTY. I'LL NEVER FORGET THAT. THE OTHER THING IS MAYOR ALWAYS HAD MY BACK. THERE WAS A CONTENTIOUS ISSUE WHEN I WAS FIRST ELECTED AND SOME OF THE CONSTITUENTS WHO HAS BEEN HERE FOR A LONG TIME, TRIED TO GO AROUND ME IN MAKING [01:05:01] A DECISION. HE SHARED THE ISSUE AND I EXPLAINED WHY I WAS PUSHING FOR THE DECISION I WAS MAKING AND HE SUPPORTED THE LOGIC AND THE THINKING AND WAS ALWAYS A KIND VOICE AND MENTOR, TELLING ME THAT KEEP GOING. KEEP FIGHTING FOR THE VALUES THAT YOU KNOW ARE MOST IMPORTANT. THE THING THAT I WILL NEVER FORGET THAT I SHARED THIS A COUPLE OF WEEKS AGO. THE THING I'LL NEVER FORGET IS SOMETIMES BEING A GOOD LEADER MEANS THAT YOU DON'T TAKE UP EVERY SINGLE ISSUE THAT YOU REALLY WANT TO FIGHT FOR. THERE IS STRATEGY IN THIS. UNFORTUNATELY YOU CAN'T ALWAYS -- IF WE REALLY WANT TO PUSH OUR CITY FORWARD, WE HAVE TO PUSH TOGETHER. THAT'S WHY I THINK THE COMPASSIONATE CITY ENDEAVOR WAS SO IMPORTANT. BECAUSE IF WE CAN SHOW EVERY SINGLE RESIDENT THAT THE WAY WE SHOULD LEAD US THROUGH COMPASSION, FOLKS WOULD BE MORE WILLING TO FUND HOUSING FOR THE UNHOUSED. FOLKS WOULD BE MORE WILLING TO FUND PUBLIC TRANSIT, EVEN IF THEY'RE NOT GOING TO BE THE ONES USING IT. IF WE CAN LEARN TO BE COMPASSIONATE FOR THE OTHER, THEN WE CAN TRULY SOLVE THE ISSUES THAT ARE MOST SYSTEMIC IN OUR COMMUNITY. YOU TAUGHT ME THAT AND I'LL NEVER FORGET THAT. [APPLAUSE] SO I'LL JUST SAY TO THE FOLKS THAT ARE NEWLY ELECTED, I'M SUPER EXCITED TO WORK WITH Y'ALL. I HAVE HAD A CHANCE TO SIT WITH MOST OF YOU, GETTING TO KNOW YOU ALL. IT'S BEEN A HUGE LEARNING EXPERIENCE AND I FEEL LIKE THERE'S STILL SO MUCH TO LEARN AND SO MUCH WORK TO DO. BUT I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO COLLABORATING, TO TRULY FIGURE OUT WHAT IS THE NEXT FOUR YEARS OF OUR CITY IS GOING TO LOOK LIKE. THANK YOU SO MUCH, MAYOR. THANK YOU, ALL. LOOKING FORWARD TO WORKING WITH YOU. >> MAYOR NIRENBERG: THANK YOU, COUNCILMEMBER KAUR. COUNCILMEMBER ALDERETE GAVITO. >> GAVITO: THANK YOU, MAYOR. I'M GOING TO KEEP MINE SHORT AND SWEET. I WANT TO CONGRATULATE ALL THE NEW COLLEAGUES, YOU KNOW, FRESH OFF THE CAMPAIGN TRAIL. WE ALL KNOW HOW IT IS OUT THERE. SO CONGRATULATIONS ON YOUR SUCCESSFUL WIN. THIS IS -- BEING ON COUNCIL IS TRULY A TEAM SPORT. ALL OF US, ANY OF US NEED SIX IN ORDER TO GET THINGS PASSED. AND SO WE NEED EACH OTHER AT THE END OF THE DAY. I LOOK FORWARD TO WORKING WITH ALL OF YOU. I HAVE A COUPLE OF QUICK THANK YOUS. I WANTED TO THANK MELISSA, COUNCILWOMAN CABELLO HAVRDA. FROM THE GET-GO THERE WAS A SHARED UNDERSTANDING BETWEEN US. WE'RE BOTH WOMEN. WE'RE BOTH WORKING MOTHERS AND WE'RE BOTH DOING THIS FOR THE RIGHT REASONS. WE MAY NOT HAVE ALWAYS AGREED BUT I APPRECIATED YOUR FIGHT. I APPRECIATED ALSO THAT YOU HAD THE COMMUNITY'S BEST INTEREST IN MIND TOO. TO COUNCILMAN COURAGE, YOU KNOW, I JUST COPIED AND PASTED HIS CONSTITUENT SERVICES MODEL. WE HELD THAT AS A TOP PRIORITY BECAUSE THAT'S WHAT HE DOES. LIKE COUNCILWOMAN KAUR WAS SAYING, THAT IS -- PEOPLE STILL REMEMBER HIM FOR THAT. AND SO THAT WAS A HUGE LEARNING I TOOK AWAY. I ALSO WILL SAY THAT ONE OF THE OTHER THINGS THAT I APPRECIATED ABOUT COUNCILMAN COURAGE IS HIM FINDING CREATIVE SOLUTIONS FOR LONGSTANDING PROBLEMS JUST, JUST LIKE THE GUN BUY-BACK PROGRAM. I APPLIED THAT TO THE LOOSE AND DANGEROUS DOG POLICY. THERE'S LONGSTANDING COMPLEX PROBLEMS BUT HOW CAN WE THINK OF THINGS DIFFERENTLY TO GET THINGS DONE? SO THANK YOU FOR THAT. TO MANNY. OBVIOUSLY, MANNY IS SMART AND STRATEGIC. >> LOOKING. [LAUGHTER] YOU KNOW, I WILL SAY ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I APPRECIATED ABOUT MANNY IS DURING MY FIRST CAMPAIGN HE CALLED ME AND HE'S JUST LIKE, HEY, WHAT'S KEEPING YOU UP AT NIGHT? AS A CANDIDATE, WE'RE ALL LIKE FUNDRAISING, BECAUSE THAT'S WHAT KEEPS US UP. HE'S LIKE, DON'T WORRY, MARINA, YOU'VE GOT THIS. THIS IS WHAT YOU DO. HE LENT THAT HELPING HAND, IN THE MIDDLE OF A CAMPAIGN THOSE HELPING HANDS MEAN A LOT. JUST THAT SMALL GESTURE MADE A WORLD OF DIFFERENCE FOR ME. IT HELPED ME THINK DIFFERENTLY ABOUT FUND RAISING AND I REALLY APPRECIATED HIM TAKING THAT TIME. I ALSO WILL SAY WITH MANNY IT'S CLEAR THAT IT IS ALL ABOUT OUR KIDS. I MEAN, EVEN THINGS LIKE WHEN WE'RE ON THE FIESTA RIVER BARGES AND HOW HE INTERACTS WITH MARC'S GIRLS OR MY GIRLS, HE MAKES THEM LAUGH. IT'S JUST TELLING, RIGHT, THAT OUR KIDS ARE THE FUTURE AND WE HAVE TO KEEP THEM CORE IN ALL OF OUR DECISIONS. TO THE MAYOR, YOU KNOW, I REMEMBER HOSTING A FUNDRAISER FOR YOU AT YOUR FIRST ELECTION. [01:10:01] AND SO HAVE JUST BEEN A FAN OF YOURS SINCE. I LEARNED A LOT WORKING ALONGSIDE YOU. MAY NOT ALWAYS AGREE BUT I ACTUALLY THINK COUNCILMAN PELAEZ SUMMED IT UP BEST AND THAT IS THAT YOU CHOOSE DECENCY AND YOU CHOOSE THE RIGHT THING, EVEN WHEN IT'S THE HARD PATH. AND I THINK WE ALL APPRECIATE THAT ABOUT YOU. AND THEN THERE WAS, YOU KNOW, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I CAN'T REMEMBER WHERE WE WERE. IT WAS ONE OF YOUR FIRST FUNDRAISERS AND YOU WERE TALKING ABOUT HOW JONAH IS YOUR WHY. WHY YOU DO ALL OF THIS. WHY WE DO THIS WORK, BECAUSE IT'S THANKLESS, IT'S A LOT OF TIME AND THE PAY IS WHAT IT IS. BUT, YOU KNOW, I REMEMBER THINKING THAT AND, YOU KNOW, COMPELLING ME TO RUN FOR OFFICE. MY GIRLS ARE MY WHY, JUST LIKE JONAH IS YOUR WHY. THANK YOU FOR TEACHING ME THAT. AND THAT'S ALL I'M GOING TO SAY. THANK YOU. >> MAYOR NIRENBERG: THANK YOU, COUNCILMEMBER ALDERETE GAVITO. COUNCILMEMBER VIAGRAN. >> VIAGRAN: THANK YOU, MAYOR. I JUST WANT TO START WHERE THIS COUNCIL WAS. FOR YEARS WE WERE COMING OUT OF A PANDEMIC. THAT'S WHERE WE HAD BEEN, TRYING TO GET THE VACCINATIONS THROUGH AS A CITY, LOOKING AT WHAT WE WERE DOING TO ARPA DOLLARS. AND THE ONE THING I WOULD ALWAYS SAY IS I DIDN'T WANT TO GET OUT OF THE PANDEMIC, I WANTED TO LEAD OUT OF THE PANDEMIC. AND WITH THIS COUNCIL THAT HAS HAD SOME CHANGES, BUT WITH THIS COUNCIL WE TRULY DID. UNDER THE MAYOR'S LEADERSHIP WE LED OUT OF THE PANDEMIC. WHETHER IT WAS HOUSING AND PASSING THE HOUSING BOND, HEALTH AND LOOKING AT THE HEALTH -- LOOKING THROUGH A HEALTHY EQUITY LENS FOR THE CITIZENS ON THE SOUTHSIDE, FINDING JOBS WITH READY TO WORK, PUBLIC SAFETY BY PASSING A BOND THAT WOULD INCLUDE SUBSTATION, BUDGET ITEMS THAT WOULD INCLUDE GAP LIGHTING FUNDING. AND THEN ALSO LOOKING AT PREVENTION AND PROGRAMS OVER JUST MORE OFFICERS. BUT WE KNEW WE NEEDED THAT TOO. SO THAT'S WHERE WE WERE FOUR YEARS AGO. AND NOW WE LOOK TO THE NEXT FOUR YEARS. WE HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO CONTINUE TO LEAD BUT ALSO TO NATIONALLY AND GLOBALLY BECOME A ROLE MODEL FOR WHAT CITIES CAN DO WHEN A TEAM COMES TOGETHER AND UNDERSTANDS WHAT IT TAKES IS CONVERSATION, COMPROMISE, AND STRONG LEADERSHIP TO MOVE FORWARD. SO I'M GOING TO START WITH YOU, MAYOR JONES. THANK YOU FOR COMING HOME . I KNOW THAT JOURNEY AND THE OPPORTUNITY THAT YOU WERE ON. YOU'RE AWAY AT SCHOOL. YOU'RE AWAY SERVING. THERE WERE LOTS OF PLACES YOU COULD HAVE LANDED BUT YOU DECIDED TO COME HOME AND TO SERVE. AND I THANK YOU FOR THAT. BECAUSE IT IS AT THIS TIME THAT WE DEFINITELY NEED YOUR LEADERSHIP. BECAUSE I AM NOT GOING TO PRETEND LIKE IT IS NOT DARK TIMES AND IT IS NOT CONFUSING WHERE WE'RE AT AT THE FEDERAL LEVEL. THANK YOU FOR COMING HOME. TO COUNCILMEMBER MUNGIA, GALVAN, MEZA, AND SPEARS, THANK YOU FOR DECIDING TO BE UNCOMFORTABLE, RUN, AND THEN WIN AND BE HERE. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THAT. BECAUSE WE HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY. WE HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO BUILD OWN SOMETHING. SAN ANTONIO HAS ALWAYS BEEN A VERY SPECIAL PLACE. A VERY DIVERSE PLACE. BUT NOW WE HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO TAKE WHO WE ARE AND SHARE THAT GLOBALLY AND NATIONALLY WITH OTHERS. BUT MAKE SURE WE DO IT RIGHT AND MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE TRUE TO OUR IDENTITY AND TO WHO WE ARE CULTURALLY. SO I AM SO EXCITED ABOUT WORKING WITH YOU AND MOVING FORWARD WITH THIS COUNCIL, WITH THE CITY MANAGER AND THE EXECUTIVE TEAM, AND WITH A PUBLIC THAT IS WILLING TO COME OUT LIKE THIS ON A WEDNESDAY MORNING. WE CAN HAVE THESE CONVERSATIONS. WE CAN KEEP THEM CIVIL AND WE CAN MAKE THE PROGRESS THAT WE NEED THAT HELPS HEAL WHAT IS CURRENTLY GOING ON. TO THOSE WHO HAVE SERVED AND I'M SAYING GOOD-BYE TO TODAY, I WANT TO START WITH D6. YOUR LEADERSHIP, YOUR PERSISTENCE, YOUR EXAMPLE HAS MADE THIS COUNCIL BETTER. THANK YOU FOR YOUR WILLINGNESS TO DO THIS AND TO CONTINUE IN SPITE OF THE CHALLENGES THAT HAVE COME. [01:15:03] AND I KNOW IT'S BEEN HARD BECAUSE YOU'VE GOT ALAMO RANCH ON ONE END AND EDGEWOOD ON THE OTHER. BUT YOU'VE CONTINUED TO SERVE AND DO WELL AT IT. SO, THANK YOU SO MUCH. TO D8, YOUR RELIABILITY IN TRYING TO UNDERSTAND THAT YOU HAVE GOT SO MUCH WITH THAT MEDICAL CENTER THAT YOU KNOW ZONING HAS TO BE TOP OF THE PRIORITY WHEN WE'RE MOVING FORWARD, AND KNOWING THAT WHILE YOU MAY HAVE THE INFRASTRUCTURE, YOU STILL HAVE TO MAKE THE CHANGES THAT YOU NEED. THANK YOU FOR THAT AND THANK YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT ON SO MANY ZONING CASES FOR DISTRICT 3. AND DISTRICT 9, YOUR COMMITMENT, YOUR PATIENCE, ESPECIALLY WITH ME AS A YOUNGER COUNCILWOMAN WHERE I WAS LIKE, JUST SAY YES. AND YOU WOULD TELL ME TO SLOW DOWN SO WE COULD GET THAT BETTER DEAL. SO WE COULD GET THAT EXTRA AFFORDABILITY IN THE HOUSING. SO WE COULD MAKE SURE WE WERE INCLUDING EVERYBODY IN THE PICTURE. THANK YOU FOR THAT AND YOUR LEADERSHIP AND YOUR EXAMPLE FOR THESE LAST EIGHT YEARS HERE ON THE COUNCIL. AND I LOOK FORWARD TO YOU STEPPING INTO THAT ELDER STATESMAN ROLE AS YOU ENJOY RETIREMENT. AND THEN, FINALLY, MAYOR NIRENBERG. SO MOST OF Y'ALL KNOW I WAS COUNCIL SISTER FOR FOUR YEARS -- FOR EIGHT YEARS BEFORE I WAS COUNCILWOMAN. AS A COUNCILMAN AND AS MAYOR, WAS ALWAYS KIND AND ALWAYS WILLING TO RECOGNIZE. AND SO LITTLE DID I KNOW -- BUT EVALISE KNEW -- THAT WHEN I GOT ELECTED THAT NOT ONLY WOULD HE BECOME A GOOD ADVOCATE FOR DISTRICT 3 BUT YOU WOULD BECOME A FRIEND. AND ERICA BOTH. IT WAS EARLY ON IN ONE OF OUR MEETINGS, JUST HEADING OUT OF THE PANDEMIC, WE'RE IN EXECUTIVE SESSION. AND THIS IS HOW I KNEW HE HAD A LATINA AT HOME TALKING TO HIM, BECAUSE WE'RE IN THE MIDDLE OF EXECUTIVE AND I'M ABOUT TO SAY SOMETHING I SHOULDN'T, AND HE STOPS ME WITH THE -- LIKE THE MARVEL STOP. AND I KNEW I WAS LIKE HE IS GOING TO LEAD US WELL OUT OF THIS PANDEMIC. WE ARE GOING TO LEAD AND MAKE THOSE PROMISES. AND YOU HAVE. AND I APPRECIATE IT AND I KNOW I'M GOING TO CALL YOU FRIEND, SO I KNOW THIS ISN'T GOOD-BYE. I'M SURE I'M GOING TO HEAR FROM YOU OFTEN. BUT WHAT WE HAVE DONE HERE THESE LAST FOUR YEARS, WHAT YOU'VE DONE THESE LAST 12 YEARS HAS GOTTEN US TO THE POINT SO THIS CITY OF SAN ANTONIO MADE IT CLEAR ON THE 7TH THAT THEIR VOTE IS NOT FOR SALE. [APPLAUSE] AND THAT NEGATIVE CAMPAIGNING WILL NOT BE TOLERATED. SO THANK YOU FOR THAT AND FOR BRINGING THE CITY FORWARD. AND I LOOK FORWARD TO JUST THIS EVENING AND THE CELEBRATION THAT WE'RE GOING TO HAVE. AND LOOKING FORWARD TO MAKING SURE WE GET YOU GUYS UP HERE OFFICIALLY IN A FEW MINUTES. THANK YOU. >> MAYOR NIRENBERG: THANK YOU, COUNCILMEMBER VIAGRAN. COUNCILMEMBER MUNGIA. >> MUNGIA: THANK YOU, MAYOR. ONE OF THE PERKS OF NOT HAVING A RUNOFF WAS TO GET TO SERVE WITH YOU ALL FOR TWO WEEKS, SO I HAVE MY VOTES ALONGSIDE YOU. I THANK YOU FOR THAT. COUNCILMAN COURAGE, WHEN YOU FIRST RAN FOR OFFICE, I REMEMBER SEEING YOUR CAMPAIGN SIGNS AND THINKING I DON'T KNOW IF A SOCIALIST CAN WIN UP THERE, BUT THANK YOU FOR YOUR LEADERSHIP. YOU KNOW, IT'S WELL KNOWN THAT YOUR OFFICE DID REALLY GREAT WORK. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME WITH THE HOUSING TRUST. I WAS THERE FOR MOST OF THOSE MEETINGS AND YOU DID A GREAT JOB AND YOU BROUGHT SOME AFFORDABLE HOUSING TO YOUR SIDE OF TOWN, WHICH WAS REALLY IMPORTANT. I THANK YOU FOR THAT. COUNCILMAN PELAEZ, YOU ARE UNIQUELY YOURSELF AND I THANK YOU FOR YOUR LEADERSHIP. YOU KNOW, YOU'RE PROBABLY THE FIRST COUNCILMAN AUDIO] AND OFFERED SOME HELP, LIKE COUNCILWOMAN GAVITO SAID. I KNOW TIM IS GOING TO MISS THE DAD JOKES WITH YOU SO WE'LL PROBABLY HAVE TO CALL YOU AND GIVE YOU SOME JOKES. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME. COUNCILWOMAN CABELLO HAVRDA, YOU'RE ONE OF THE FEW COUNCIL MEMBERS I ACTUALLY GOT TO KNOW BEFORE YOU WERE A COUNCIL MEMBER. AND IN TRUE SAN ANTONIO FASHION I HAD A COUSIN THAT WORKED AT YOUR LAW FIRM AS AN ADMIN. AND SHE TOLD ME ONE OF MY FRIENDS IS GOING TO RUN FOR OFFICE. SHE TOLD ME YOUR NAME AND SAID SHE'S VERY NICE, SHE'S ALWAYS KIND. THAT ALONE TOLD ME SO MUCH ABOUT YOU AND THE PERSON YOU WOULD BE. YOU WERE ALWAYS VERY SUPPORTIVE OF ME AS WELL. SO I THANK YOU FOR THAT. THANK YOU TO MAYOR NIRENBERG. I REMEMBER THE DAYS WHEN YOU WERE A COUNCILMAN AND THERE WAS A LOT OF TIMES THAT YOU AND RAY WERE THE LONE TWO OPPOSITION VOTES. I THANK YOU FOR YOUR WORK AND YOUR LEGACY REALLY WILL BE THE SHIP, YOU KNOW, BEING A STEADY [01:20:06] HAND WHEN WE HAD NATIONWIDE PROTESTS, WHEN WE HAD A GLOBAL PANDEMIC AND THE CITY IS BETTER BECAUSE OF YOUR LEADERSHIP. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. I WANT TO THANK THE NEW MAYOR-ELECT, WHO IS FROM DISTRICT 4. WE'RE VERY PROUD TO HAVE ONE OF OUR OWN. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR ALL YOUR WORK. WE'RE LOOKING FORWARD TO IT. [APPLAUSE] AND I JUST WANT TO BRIEFLY SAY THANK YOU TO THE INCOMING COUNCIL MEMBERS. SOMETHING THAT WE ALL SHARE IS THAT WE ALL WORK FOR AN ELECTED, SO I'M SURE WE'LL ALL BE ON OUR BEST BEHAVIORS OURSELVES. JUST A SHOUT OUT TO ALL THE COUNCIL MEMBERS, ESPECIALLY LEAVING, YOUR STAFF. MYSELF, HAVING BEEN A STAFFER, YOU ARE ONLY AS SUCCESSFUL AS YOUR STAFF. I WANT TO THANK THE FOLKS FROM DISTRICT 4 THAT ARE HERE. IF YOU COULD RAISE YOUR HAND. THERE'S A COUPLE OF THEM, YES. [APPLAUSE] SO THEY'VE BEEN A GREAT ALLY AND FRIEND TO ME FOR SO MANY YEARS. SO THANK Y'ALL FOR YOUR LEADERSHIP. LOOKING FORWARD TO IT. THANK YOU. >> MAYOR NIRENBERG: THANK YOU, COUNCILMEMBER MUNGIA. I THINK THAT IS IT SO I WILL WRAP UP WITH A FEW BRIEF COMMENTS. I WAS ABLE TO MAKE A FINAL ADDRESS LAST WEEK SO I WILL SPARE YOU A LONG-WINDED SPEECH. BUT I DID WANT TO GIVE YOU SOME LAST FINAL THOUGHTS AND, FIRST, I WOULD BE REMISS IF I DIDN'T REITERATE MY THANKS TO MY FAMILY, MY PARENTS, AS WELL AS MY WIFE, ERICA, AND MY SON, JONAH, WHO CONTINUE TO BE MY TRUE NORTH IN THE WORK WE DO IN PUBLIC SERVICE. BUT ALSO MY GREAT STAFF THAT'S UP THERE. IF YOU COULD ALL PLEASE GIVE THEM ANOTHER ROUND OF APPLAUSE. [APPLAUSE] WHERE AS SOON AS WE STEP OFF HERE, AS SOON AS WE STEP OFF FOR THE LAST TIME, I'M TAKING THEM ALL TO CELEBRATE. WE'RE GOING TO LOOK FORWARD TO THAT. I WILL LEAVE YOU WITH ONE FINAL THOUGHT. AS I LISTENED TO THE FOLKS ON THE DAIS, WHO I HAVE ENJOYED SPENDING TIME WITH OVER THE LAST SEVERAL YEARS AND I LOOK OUT INTO THE AUDIENCE AND I HEAR SOME OF THE PUBLIC COMMENTS, WE LIVE IN AN AMAZING AND DIVERSE CITY. WE LIVE IN A CITY THAT HAS 300-PLUS YEARS OF MUNICIPAL CIVIL GOVERNMENT EXPERIENCE, BUT A LOT LONGER THAN THAT. AND FOR THOSE OF YOU WHO SAY YOU'RE NATIVE SAN ANTONIANS, YOU ARE VERY BLESSED BECAUSE YOU ARE NOT IN THE MAJORITY. IN FACT, MOST OF US GET HERE BY SOME JOURNEY, ONE WAY OR ANOTHER. WE'RE IMMIGRANTS. AND SO I WANT TO SAY THANK YOU TO THE PEOPLE OF SAN ANTONIO FOR TRUSTING ME TO SERVE, FOR TRUSTING MY COLLEAGUES TO SERVE. WE ARE AT OUR BEST WHEN THAT DIVERSITY OF THOUGHT AND EXPERIENCE AND CULTURE AND POLITICAL BELIEF WORK TOGETHER FOR COMMON CAUSE. AND IF I CAN SAY ONE THING, IT IS THAT THE DISTILLATION OF MY EXPERIENCE UP HERE LEADS ME TO BELIEVE THAT THAT COMMON CAUSE IN SAN ANTONIO IS IN ENSURING THAT EVERYONE IN THIS CITY, REGARDLESS OF THEIR CIRCUMSTANCE, REGARDLESS OF THEIR BACKGROUND, HAS AN OPPORTUNITY TO THRIVE. THAT HAS BEEN OUR MISSION. AND SO WHEN WE ARE AT OUR BEST ACROSS SECTORS, ACROSS POLITICAL JURISDICTIONS, ACROSS BELIEF SYSTEMS, WE ARE ALL WORKING IN ALIGNMENT TOWARDS THAT GOAL. AND SO I WANT TO THANK THE PEOPLE OF SAN ANTONIO WHO HAVE GONE OUT YEAR AFTER YEAR, WHEN WE PUT PROPOSITIONS ON THE BALLOT TO SUPPORT THEIR NEIGHBORS, FOR SAYING YES TO THOSE INITIATIVES. I WANT TO THANK OUR NEIGHBORS FOR SUPPORTING THE GOOD PEOPLE THAT YOU'VE SEEN UP HERE, WHO HAVE BEEN ABLE TO WORK OUT THEIR DIFFERENCES AND FIND THAT COMMON CAUSE AMIDST A LOT OF DISAGREEMENT. THAT IS AN IMPORTANT ASPECT OF THIS BEAUTIFUL CITY IS THAT THIS DIVERSE GROUP OF PEOPLE, MANY OF WHOM GOT HERE IN ONE JOURNEY OR ANOTHER, IS ABLE TO DO THAT YEAR AFTER YEAR. WE ARE A WELCOMING AND COMPASSIONATE COMMUNITY AND IT HAS BEEN A PRIVILEGE TO SERVE YOU. GOD BLESS YOU ALL. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR BEING HERE TODAY. SO IF WE ALL WALK NOW, THEN THERE'S NO GOVERNMENT LEADING US. WE HAVE TO DO SOME OFFICIAL ACTIVITIES. TO MAYOR JONES, TO THE ORTIZ JONES FAMILY, BEST WISHES TO YOU AND TO ALL OF YOUR NEW COLLEAGUES. TO MY FORMER CHIEF OF STAFF, WHO WILL OCCUPY DISTRICT 8, AND TO ALL THE COUNCIL MEMBERS THAT WILL COME UP HERE, WE HAVE FULL FAITH IN YOU. YOU HAVE YOUR TRUST AND YOU HAVE OUR SUPPORT TO LEAD OUR CITY WELL. WITH THAT, WE HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND FOR APPROVAL OF ITEM NO. 1. PLEASE VOTE. [01:25:17] MOTION CARRIES. BUT WAIT. THERE IS MORE. WHAT WE'RE GOING TO DO RIGHT NOW PROCEDURALLY IS I'M GOING TO GO DOWN AND OFFER THE CERTIFICATE OF ELECTION TO THOSE FOLKS WHO HAVE NOW HAD THEIR ELECTION RESULTS CERTIFIED. AFTER THAT, THE FINAL ACT TO DO BEFORE THE NEW MAYOR AND COUNCIL CAN TAKE THEIR SEATS OFFICIALLY, IS THE SWEARING IN. IF EVERYONE WILL JUST HANG TIGHT, WE'LL GET THROUGH THIS AND I KNOW THIS CHAMBER WILL ERUPT WITH APPLAUSE AFTER ALL THAT STUFF IS DONE. HERE WE GO. IF THE COUNCIL MEMBERS-ELECT FROM DISTRICTS -- >> CLERK: DISTRICTS 1, 6, 8, AND 9. DISTRICT 1, COUNCILMEMBER DR. SUKH KAUR. DISTRICT 6 COUNCILMEMBER RIC GALVAN. [APPLAUSE] DISTRICT 8, COUNCILMEMBER IVALIS MEZA GONZALEZ. [APPLAUSE] DISTRICT 9, COUNCILMEMBER MISTY SPEARS. [APPLAUSE] MAYOR GINA ORTIZ JONES. [APPLAUSE] [01:30:20] >> MAYOR NIRENBERG: ALL RIGHT. NOW IF WE CAN HAVE THE COUNCIL MEMBERS AGAIN WHO WERE VICTORIOUS IN THE RUNOFF ELECTION, GO AHEAD AND COME FORWARD TO THE PODIUM. THE CITY CLERK WILL ADMINISTER THE OATH. ALL RIGHT. WE'RE GOING TO HAVE LOTS OF TIME FOR PICTURES, Y'ALL. LET'S GET OUR COUNCIL MEMBERS SWORN IN FIRST. >> CLERK: IN THE NAME OF AND BY THE AUTHORITY OF THE STATE OF TEXAS, RAISE YOUR RIGHT HAND AND REPEAT AFTER ME. I, STATE YOUR NAME, DO SOLEMNLY SWEAR OR AFFIRM THAT I WILL FAITHFULLY EXECUTE THE DUTIES OF THE OFFICE OF CITY COUNCILMEMBER OF THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO OF THE STATE OF TEXAS AND WILL, TO THE BEST OF MY ABILITY, PRESERVE, PROTECT, AND DEFEND THE CONSTITUTION AND LAWS OF THE UNITED STATES AND OF THIS STATE, SO HELP ME, GOD. CONGRATULATIONS. RIGHT. NOW IF WE CAN HAVE MAYOR-ELECT GINA ORTIZ JONES APPROACH THE PODIUM. >> CLERK: IN THE NAME OF AND BY THE AUTHORITY OF THE STATE OF TEXAS, RAISE YOUR RIGHT HAND AND REPEAT AFTER ME. >> I, GINA ORTIZ JONES, DO SOLEMNLY SWEAR THAT I WILL FAITHFULLY EXECUTE THE DUTIES OF THE OFFICE OF MAYOR OF THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO AND THE STATE OF TEXAS. AND WILL, TO THE BEST OF MY ABILITY, PRESERVE, PROTECT, AND DEFEND THE CONSTITUTION AND LAWS OF THE UNITED STATES AND OF THIS STATE, SO HELP ME, GOD. >> CLERK: CONGRATULATIONS. >> MAYOR NIRENBERG: ALL RIGHT. IF WE CAN HAVE MAYOR ORTIZ JONES AND THE NEW COUNCIL MEMBERS COME AND TAKE THEIR SEATS ON THE DAIS. [01:35:08] >> PLEASE TAKE YOUR SEATS. THANK YOU, MAYOR NIRENBERG FOR THE WARM WELCOME. THE CITY CLERK WILL CONDUCT A ROLL CALL OF THE COUNCIL. MEMBERS SHOULD RESPOND THROUGH THE MICROPHONE SO THAT THEIR RESPONSE CAN BE HEARD BY THE AUDIENCE VIEWING LIVESTREAM AND TVSA. >> CLERK: MAYOR, WE HAVE QUORUM. >> THANK YOU, CITY CLERK. LET'S WATCH THE VIDEO INTRODUCING THE NEW COUNCIL. SERVING THIS GREATEST CITY. THE TIME IS NOW 11:50 A.M. AND THIS MEETING IS ADJOURNED. * This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.