[00:00:14] [ PROCEDURAL  ] >> MAYOR JONES: GOOD MORNING. THE TIME IS NOW 9:05 A.M. ON SEPTEMBER 18. THE AIR FORCE'S BIRTHDAY. AND THE MEETING OF THE SAN ANTONIO CITY COUNCIL IS NOW CALLED TO ORDER. MADAME CLERK, PLEASE CALL THE ROLL. >> CLERK: MAYOR, WE HAVE QUORUM. >> MAYOR JONES: THANK YOU, MADAME CLERK. WELL, IT IS MY HIGH HONOR TO INTRODUCE TODAY'S INVOCATOR. MRS. FRANKIE JONES WAS BORN IN SAN DIEGO, CALIFORNIA AND RELOCATED TO SAN ANTONIO WITH HER FAMILY IN THE '70S. MRS. WILLIAMS RECEIVED HER BACHELOR OF ARTS IN EDUCATION FROM ST. MARY'S UNIVERSITY AND A MASTER OF SCIENCE DEGREE IN EDUCATIONAL ADMINISTRATION FROM TEXAS A&M KINGSVILLE. AND WAS AN EDUCATOR FOR 44 YEARS. MRS. WILLIAMS HAS BEEN A MEMBER OF THE ANTIOCH MISSIONARY BAPTIST CHURCH FOR OVER 54 YEARS AND A LEAD SOLOIST IN THE CHOIR FOR OVER 20 YEARS. THE VIBRANT CHOIR WITH OVER 40 MEMBERS SHARES THEIR MINISTRY THROUGH MUSIC ACROSS THE SOUTHWEST AND WAS FEATURED AT THE NATIONALLY-ACCLAIMED GOSPEL FEST IN NEW ORLEANS. SINGING HAS BEEN A PASSION OF MRS. WILLIAMS SINCE SHE WAS 12 AND SHE IS DEDICATED TO SHARING THE GOSPEL THROUGH HER MUSIC MINISTRY. AS WE SAY AT MY CHURCH, WHEN YOU SING, YOU PRAY TWICE. MRS. WILLIAMS IS GOING TO PRAY WITH US TWICE THIS MORNING. PLEASE RISE AS MRS. WILLIAMS SINGS "AMAZING GRACE." >> GOOD MORNING, HONORABLE MAYOR JONES AND CITY COUNCIL CHAMBER AND ALL ASSEMBLED. IT IS MY PLEASURE TO BE HERE TO SERVE AS YOUR INVOCATOR TODAY. PLEASE RECEIVE THIS SONG AS A PRAYER. I'LL DO MY BEST. ♪ AMAZING GRACE SHALL ALL ALWAYS BE MY SONG OF PRAISE ♪ ♪ FOR IT, YOU SEE IT WAS GRACE THAT BOUGHT MY LIBERTY ♪ ♪ I DO NOT, I DON'T KNOW JUST WHY HE CAME ♪ ♪ OH, HE CAME TO LOVE ME SO ♪ ♪ YOU SEE, HE LOOKED BEYOND ALL MY FAULTS AND SAW MY NEEDS ♪ ♪ WELL, IT'S AN AMAZING GRACE SHALL ALWAYS BE MY SONG OF PRAISE ♪ ♪ FOR IT, YOU SEE IT WAS GRACE THAT BOUGHT OUR, IT BOUGHT OUR LIBERTY ♪ ♪ I DO NOT, I DON'T KNOW JUST WHY HE CAME ♪ ♪ OH, HE CAME TO LOVE US SO ♪ [00:05:10] ♪ HE LOOKED BEYOND MY FAULT AND SAW MY NEED ♪ ♪ WELL, I SHALL FOREVER LIFT MINE EYES TO CALVARY ♪ ♪ TO THE CROSS WHERE JESUS DIED, HE DIED FOR YOU AND ME ♪ ♪ THAT GRACE, OH, THAT GR GRACE ♪ ♪ HE LOOKED BEYOND IN THE MIDNIGHT HOUR HE LOOKS BEYOND ♪ ♪ ON YOUR DAILY WORK HE LOOKS BEYOND OUR FAULT AND HE SAW OUR NEED ♪ ♪ >> MAYOR JONES: THANK YOU, MRS. WILLIAMS. PLEASE REMAIN STANDING FOR THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE. CITY COUNCIL MEETINGS OF AUGUST 13, 14, 19, 2025. AUGUST 20, 21, SEPTEMBER 2, SEPTEMBER 3, AND SEPTEMBER 4, 2025. IS THERE A MOTION AND A SECOND FOR APPROVAL OF THE MINUTES? >> I MAKE A MOTION TO APPROVE. >> SECOND. >> MAYOR JONES: IT IS MOVED AND SECONDED TO APPROVE THE MINUTES. PLEASE VOTE. >> WE'LL HAVE TO DO A VOICE VOTE DUE TO TECHNICAL ISSUES HERE. ALL IN FAVOR SAY AYE. >> [POINT OF PERSONAL PRIVILEGE  ] SO AS I MENTIONED EARLIER, TODAY IS A SPECIAL DAY. TODAY WE MARK THE 78TH BIRTHDAY OF THE WORLD'S GREATEST AIR FORCE. THAT'S NOT AN OVERSTATEMENT. IT IS IN FACT THE TRUTH. VERY THANKFUL THAT WE ARE ABLE TO HAVE NOMAD HERE AND CHIEF IS HERE. SINCE ITS INCEPTION, THE AIR FORCE HAS BEEN AT THE FOREFRONT OF PROTECTING OUR NATION FROM DOMINATING THE SKIES DURING OUR NATION'S CONFLICTS TO PIONEERING SPACE AND CYBER CAPABILITIES. MANY OF US IN THIS ROOM ARE PROUD TO CALL OURSELVES AIR FORCE VETERANS . MANY HAVE WALKED THROUGH THE HALLS OF LACKLAND AIR FORCE BASE, REALLY A SPECIAL PLACE. I ALSO WANT TO RECOGNIZE OUR DISTINGUISHED AIR FORCE LEADERS, SERVICE MEMBERS, VETERANS, AND THEIR FAMILIES IN ATTENDANCE . YOUR PRESENCE REMIND US OF THE DEEP CONNECTION BETWEEN THE AIR FORCE AND THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO. SO THANK YOU TO ALL THOSE THAT HAVE WORN THE UNIFORM, MANY OF THEM THAT ARE PROUDLY SERVING THEIR NEXT CHAPTER OF PUBLIC SERVICE AS A MEMBER OF THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO STAFF. FOR DECADES, OUR COMMUNITY HAS PROUDLY PARTNERED WITH THE AIR FORCE IN MANY AREAS TO INCLUDE FUNDING, INFRASTRUCTURE IMPROVEMENTS, PROTECTING FLYING MISSIONS, AND SUPPORTING MILITARY QUALITY OF LIFE INITIATIVES. THIS SUPPORT AND PARTNERSHIP WILL CONTINUE IN THE FUTURE. ON BEHALF OF THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO, I WANT TO OFFER OUR DEEPEST GRATITUDE AND CONGRATULATIONS TO THE AIR FORCE. HAVING PROUDLY SERVED MYSELF [00:10:01] AND THEN HAVING SERVED AS THE 27TH UNDER SECRETARY OF THE AIR FORCE. WE KNOW UNIQUELY THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO AND THE UNITED STATES MILITARY BUT IN PARTICULAR THE AIR FORCE. I WILL SAY IT ON OUR BIRTHDAY. THE VAST MAJORITY OF FOLKS THAT SERVE IN THE MILITARY COME FROM JUST A HANDFUL OF COUNTIES AND ONE OF THOSE IS BEXAR COUNTY. SO IT IS OUR RESPONSIBILITY AND I THINK WE HAVE REFLECTED THAT ACTUALLY IN OUR OWN BUDGET TODAY. THE WAYS IN WHICH WE UNDERSTAND HOW OUR INVESTMENTS CONTRIBUTE TO RAISING SMART, HEALTHY KIDS, WHICH ARE NOT ONLY IMPORTANT TO OUR NATIONAL SECURITY BUT TO OUR CITY'S ECONOMIC SECURITY. SO AT THIS POINT, HAPPY BIRTHDAY, AIR FORCE. I THINK WE ARE GOING TO BRING NOMAD, GENERAL OAKLAND, UP TO THE FRONT TO MAKE A FEW REMARKS . >> ALL RIGHT. GOOD MORNING, MAYOR JONES, AND COUNCIL MEMBERS. IT IS A TRUE HONOR TO STAND HERE BEFORE YOU TODAY AS WE CELEBRATE A REMARKABLE MILESTONE. THE 78TH BIRTHDAY OF THE UNITED STATES AIR FORCE. STRENGTH, INNOVATION, AND UNWAVERING COMMITMENT TO THE DEFENSE OF OUR NATION. AND WE ARE PROUD TO CARRY THAT LEGACY FORWARD. FROM HUMBLE BEGINNINGS IN 1947 TO TODAY'S MODERN FORCE OPERATING ACROSS AIR, SPACE, AND CYBER SPACE, THE AIR FORCE HAS CONTINUALLY ADAPTED, EVOLVED, AND LED WITH COURAGE. THIS DAY IS ABOUT HONORING THAT LEGACY. BUT IT'S ALSO ABOUT CELEBRATING THE MEN AND WOMEN WHO WEAR THE UNIFORM TODAY. CONTINUING TO SERVE WITH DISTINCTION ACROSS THE GLOBE. WHAT MAKES THIS CELEBRATION EVEN MORE SPECIAL IS THE RECOGNITION WE ARE RECEIVING HERE TODAY FROM THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO. A CITY THAT HOLDS A VERY SPECIAL PLACE IN THE HEART OF THE AIR FORCE. SAN ANTONIO IS NOT JUST HOME TO VITAL INSTALLATIONS LIKE JOINT BASE SAN ANTONIO, IT IS HOME TO GENERATIONS OF SERVICE MEMBERS AND VETERANS. THIS CITY HAS EMBRACED US. IT'S SUPPORTED US AND PARTNERED WITH US IN A WAY THAT TRULY REFLECTS THE SPIRIT OF WHAT IT MEANS TO BE MILITARY CITY, USA. OUR PARTNERSHIP WITH THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO IS MORE THAN SYMBOLIC, IT IS ACTIVE. IT'S ENDURING AND IT'S VITAL TO OUR SHARED SUCCESS. WHETHER IT'S THROUGH EDUCATION INITIATIVES, WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT, FAMILY SUPPORT PROGRAMS, OR COLLABORATIVE PLANNING BETWEEN CITY AND MILITARY LEADERSHIP. SAN ANTONIO CONTINUES TO SET THE STANDARD FOR WHAT STRONG CIVIL MILITARY RELATIONSHIPS LOOK LIKE. AS WE MOVE INTO THE FUTURE, WE LOOK FORWARD TO BUILDING ON THIS FOUNDATION, WORKING SIDE BY SIDE TO ENSURE OUR AIRMEN AND THEIR FAMILIES ARE SUPPORTED. OUR MISSIONS ARE STRENGTHENED AND OUR COMMUNITIES CONTINUE TO THRIVE TOGETHER. WE ARE DEEPLY GRATEFUL FOR THE ONGOING SUPPORT AND RECOGNITION FROM THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO AND ITS LEADERS. YOUR APPRECIATION REMINDS US THAT OUR SERVICE IS VALUED. AND THAT WE ARE NEVER ALONE IN OUR MISSION. AS WE MARK THE 78TH YEAR OF THE U.S. AIR FORCE WE LOOK AHEAD WITH PRIDE AND PURPOSE WITH THE CONTINUED SUPPORT OF OUR COMMUNITIES, LIKE SAN ANTONIO, WE ARE READY TO MEET THE FUTURE HEAD ON. WITH INNOVATION, INTEGRITY, AND A COMMITMENT TO EXCELLENCE THAT HAS DEFINED US SINCE DAY ONE. THANK YOU AGAIN TO MILITARY CITY, USA FOR THIS MEANINGFUL RECOGNITION AND THANK YOU TO ALL WHO SERVE, SUPPORT, AND STAND WITH US. HAPPY 78TH BIRTHDAY UNITED STATES AIR FORCE AND ON BEHALF OF THE ENTIRE AIR FORCE I SAY AIM HIGH. FLY, FIGHT, WIN! >> MAYOR JONES: THANK YOU, NOMAD. I'M GOING TO READ THIS PROCLAMATION. WHEREAS ON SEPTEMBER 18, 1947, THE UNITED STATES AIR FORCE WAS ESTABLISHED AS AN INDEPENDENT BRANCH OF THE UNITED STATES ARMED FORCES MARKING THE BEGINNING OF A PROUD TRADITION OF SERVICE AND AS A GLOBAL LEADER IN AIR POWER. THE AIR FORCE REMAINS COMMITTED TO DEFENDING THE NATION, DETERRING AGGRESSION, AND DELIVERING PRECISE, DECISIVE CAPABILITIES WHENEVER AND WHEREVER NEEDED. AND WHEREAS AIRMEN, BOTH PAST AND PRESENT, HAVE DEMONSTRATED UNPARALLELED COURAGE, INNOVATION, AND EXCELLENCE, SAFEGUARDING OUR FREEDOM THROUGH OPERATIONS THAT SPAN THE GLOBE AND ADVANCING TECHNOLOGY THAT CONTINUES TO SHAPE THE FUTURE OF NATIONAL DEFENSE. AND WHEREAS THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO PROUDLY KNOWN AS MILITARY CITY, USA, IS HOME TO JOINT BASE SAN ANTONIO LACKLAND, RECOGNIZED AS THE GATEWAY TO THE AIR FORCE AND THE TRAINING GROUND FOR ALL ENLISTED AIRMEN AS WELL AS MULTIPLE CRITICAL MISSIONS THAT SUPPORT NATIONAL SECURITY. THE CITY PROUDLY HONORS THE DEDICATION, SACRIFICE, AND SERVICE OF THE UNITED STATES AIR FORCE MEMBERS, THEIR FAMILIES, AND ALL WHO SUPPORT THEM IN DEFENSE OF OUR NATION. NOW THEREFORE I, GINA ORTIZ JONES, MAYOR OF THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO IN RECOGNITION THEREOF DO HEREBY PROCLAIM SEPTEMBER 18, 2025 TO BE THE [00:15:08] UNITED STATES AIR FORCE'S 78TH ANNIVERSARY DAY IN SAN ANTONIO, TEXAS AND ENCOURAGE ALL RESIDENTS TO JOIN ME IN HONORING THE SERVICE, HERITAGE, AND FUTURE OF OUR UNITED STATES AIR FORCE . >> WOULD ALL CURRENT AIR FORCE MEMBERS AS WELL AS THOSE WHO HAVE SERVED IN THE AIR FORCE PLEASE COME FORWARD AND FORM UP BEHIND MAYOR JONES AND GENERAL OAKLAND FOR A QUICK PHOTO OPPORTUNITY. >> TRADITIONALLY, REGARDLESS OF LOCATION, SERVICE MEMBERS WILL PAUSE TO OBSERVE THEIR SERVICE BRANCH'S BIRTHDAY BY SHARING A CAKE. A SWORD IS TYPICALLY USED TO CUT THE CAKE AS A REMINDER THAT SERVICE MEMBERS ARE A BAND OF WARRIORS, COMMITTED TO CARRYING THE SWORD SO THAT OUR NATION MAY LIVE IN PEACE. MAYOR JONES AND GENERAL OAKLAND WILL NOW CUT THE CAKE. [SINGING] >> MAYOR JONES: ALL RIGHT. [APPLAUSE] >> THANK YOU, MADAME MAYOR. >> THE U.S. AIR FORCE HAS REDEFINED MODERN WARFARE, SHAPING HISTORY FROM THE BERLIN AIRLIFT TO TODAY'S PRECISION STRIKES. WHILE PROVING THE STRATEGIC POWER OF AIR DOMINANCE, RAPID MOBILITY, AND GLOBAL REACH. IT HAS PIONEERED ADVANCES IN JET PROPULSION, AERIAL SYSTEMS, SPACE OPERATIONS, AND CYBER DEFENSE. MAINTAINING THE AIRBORNE LEG OF THE NUCLEAR TRIAD FOR A DETERRENT DURING THE COLD WAR AND BEYOND. DELIVERING CRITICAL AIR LIFT AND MEDICAL EVACUATION DURING CRISIS. FROM LEADING EARLY SATELLITE PROGRAMS, THE AIR FORCE CONTINUES TO SAFEGUARD AMERICA'S INTERESTS IN THE SKIES AND IN SPACE. HAPPY 78TH BIRTHDAY UNITED STATES AIR FORCE. AIM HIGH. FLY. FIGHT. WIN. [APPLAUSE] >> MAYOR JONES: I WILL NOW RECOGNIZE COUNCILWOMAN MEZA GONZALEZ FOR A POINT OF PERSONAL PRIVILEGE. >> GONZALEZ: THANK YOU, MAYOR. WE'RE GOING TO HAVE A LOT OF SONGS TODAY. SO THIS IS THE LAST MEETING DURING HISPANIC HERITAGE MONTH AND SO WE ARE BEING TREATED TO A SPECIAL PERFORMANCE BY OUR LOCAL MARIACHI GROUP. UNDER THE CHARGE OF TWO-TIME GRAMMY AWARD-WINNING MUSICAL DIRECTOR, JUAN ORTIZ, THEY WERE FOUNDED IN 1978 IN SAN ANTONIO, TEXAS. CAMPANA BELLS OF AMERICA WAS NAMED AFTER BELLE ORTIZ, JUAN'S WIFE AND THE GROUP'S MANAGER. THROUGH THEIR EFFORTS AND DEDICATION, THE TROUPE HAS GAINED INTERNATIONAL RECOGNITION. THEIR LIST OF APPEARANCE [00:20:06] INCLUDE WILLY NELSON'S FARM AID, MARIACHI USA AT THE HOLLYWOOD BOWL, THE KENNEDY CENTER, AND THE WHITE HOUSE. THEY CONTINUE TO BE ONE OF THE MAIN FORCES BEHIND MARIACHI EDUCATION PROGRAMS IN PUBLIC SCHOOLS, OFFERING NUMEROUS MARIACHI WORKSHOPS AND CONCERTS IN SCHOOLS AS WELL AS PARTICIPATING IN GRAMMY IN THE SCHOOLS PROGRAM THROUGH THE NATIONAL ACADEMY OF RECORDING ARTS AND SCIENCES. CAMPANA ALSO CONTINUES TO BE FEATURED AT STATE FAIRS, FESTIVALS, AND THEME PARKS. THANK YOU AND A SPECIAL THANK YOU TO ANTHONY MEDRANO, APPOINTEE TO THE DIEZ Y SEIS COMMISSION. THANK YOU SO MUCH. ♪ >> MAYOR JONES: DO WE HAVE ANY GRITOS FROM THE DAIS? >> >> MAYOR JONES: I'VE DONE MINE. [LAUGHTER] THANK YOU FOR THE VERY BEAUTIFUL SONG. LET ME ACTUALLY JUST SAY THERE'S A CONNECTION BETWEEN THE TWO THINGS THAT WE JUST RECOGNIZED. THE BEAUTIFUL BIRTHDAY OF OUR AIR FORCE, 78 YEARS. WHILE THE DEPARTMENT OF WAR DOES NOT WANT TO RECOGNIZE HISPANIC HERITAGE MONTH, WE WILL DO SO GIVEN THE NUMBER OF HISPANIC AMERICANS WHO HAVE PROUDLY SERVED IN OUR UNITED STATES AIR FORCE. AND A FUN FACT, THE NEXT TIME ANY OF YOU ARE ON JEOPARDY, THE AIR FORCE HAS NEVER HAD A HISPANIC FOUR STAR GENERAL. SO IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT THAT WE CONTINUE TO UNDERSTAND OUR HISTORY BUT ALSO FROM THIS DAIS, MAKE INVESTMENTS TO ENSURE WE ARE RAISING SMART, HEALTHY KIDS WHO CAN SERVE TO THEIR FULLEST AND REACH THE HIGHEST LEVELS OF OUR ARMED [CONSENT AGENDA  ] FORCES. IS THERE ANY OBJECTION TO TAKING THE CONSENT AGENDA BEFORE THE INDIVIDUAL ITEMS SO THAT WE MAY CLEAR THE BUSINESS FOR THE DAY TO FOCUS ON THE BUDGET? OKAY. GREAT. HEARING NONE, ITEMS 9 THROUGH 29 ARE ON THE CONSENT AGENDA. THIS MEANS THEY WILL BE CONSIDERED AS A GROUP AND T THERE WILL NOT BE A STAFF PRESENTATION UNLESS PULLED FOR INDIVIDUAL CONSIDERATION. ARE THERE ANY ITEMS COUNCIL MEMBERS WOULD LIKE TO PULL FROM THE CONSENT AGENDA TO BE HEARD INDIVIDUALLY? I WILL PULL ITEM 21 AS I UNDERSTAND THERE IS COMMENT ON THAT ITEM. ITEM 21, HAVING BEEN PULLED, ARE THERE ANY OTHER ITEMS? GOOD. WE HAVE MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC WHO HAVE SIGNED UP TO SPEAK ON THE CONSENT AGENDA. THAT IS ITEMS 9 THROUGH 29, WITH THE EXCEPTION OF 21, WHICH HAS BEEN PULLED. I WILL CALL THE INDIVIDUALS UP IN THE ORDER THAT THEY HAVE SIGNED UP. THE FIRST PERSON IS RACHEL [00:25:04] SISWENSKI. MA'AM, YOU HAVE THREE MINUTES TO SPEAK. ALL INDIVIDUALS HAVE THREE MINUTES TO SPEAK AND GROUPS WILL HAVE NINE MINUTES. RACHEL FOLLOWED BY MOLLY S. RACHEL? OKAY. MOLLY S.. KATHY KELLER. KATHY KELLER. CHRIS KELLER. JACK FINGER. SIR, YOU HAVE THREEES. >> THANK YOU, MADAME MAYOR. OTHER MEMBERS OF THE COUNCIL, MY NAME IS JACK M. FINGER. MADAME MAYOR, THE KELLERS WHO YOU MENTIONED A MOMENT AGO, I SAW THEM COME IN. YOU MAY WISH TO CALL THEIR NAMES AGAIN BECAUSE I KNOW THEY WISH TO SPEAK TO YOU AND THE COUNCIL. A FEW THINGS I WISH TO BRING TO YOUR ATTENTION. ONE IS ITEM NO. 23. WHAT IS IT? WELL, IT'S ABOUT RENAMING THE STREET. MR. WHYTE, IT'S IN YOUR DISTRICT. IT'S NAMING THE STREET FROM -- WELL, THE ROSZELL DRIVE TO DESOUZA DRIVE. NOW, WHENEVER WE RENAME A STREET, WE TRY TO NAME IT AFTER SOME SIGNIFICANCE. SPURS BOULEVARD IS NAMED AFTER THE SAN ANTONIO SPURS WHO SPENT THE LAST 50 YEARS TRYING TO FOMENT CIVIC PRIDE IN THE CITY'S BASKETBALL TEAM AND THEY HAVE EVEN WON A FEW CHAMPIONSHIPS. SO THAT'S WHY, FOR BETTER OR FOR WORSE, WE NAMED A CERTAIN DRIVE SPURS BOULEVARD OR WHATEVER IT WAS. DESOUZA DRIVE, WHAT IS IT NAMED AFTER? WHAT'S BEING PROPOSED HERE? DESOUZA DRIVE IS NAMED AFTER A LAW FIRM. A PERSONAL INJURY LAW FIRM. IN THE PAST, WE'VE OFFERED PEJORATIVES KNOWN AS AMBULANCE CHASERS FOR SUCH LAW FIRMS. YES, THEY'RE A NECESSARY EVIL BUT WE THINK THAT IF YOU'RE GOING TO RENAME A CITY STREET THAT WE PAY TAX DOLLARS ON AND MAINTENANCE UPON, PLEASE TRY TO OFFER A NAME OF SOME ENTITY THAT IS MORE THAN JUST A PERSONAL INJURY LAW FIRM. YEAH. AND I LOOK AT THE BACK-UP DOCUMENTS AND THEY MENTIONED THEY'RE GOING TO PAY US A FEW BUCKS FOR THE NAMING RIGHTS AND SO FORTH, BUT I DIDN'T SEE ANYTHING REGARDING THE MAINTENANCE THAT WE, THE CITIZENS, WILL BE PAYING FOR. YOU'RE GOING TO SAY, WELL, JACK, IT'S ONLY ONE BLOCK. I DON'T CARE IF IT'S TWO INCHES. I DON'T WANT MY TAX DOLLARS GOING TO A STREET THAT WE RENAMED AFTER A PERSONAL INJURY LAW FIRM, SIR. SO MAYBE YOU WANT TO PULL THAT ONE THERE. ALSO, ITEM NO. 26 IS ABOUT SOME MORE -- YOU CALL IT AFFORDABLE HOUSING, I CALL IT WELFARE HOUSING. MR. AUDIO-VISUAL MAN, QUICKLY SHOW THAT AND SHOW HOW MANY PERCENTAGE POINTS BELOW THE AREA MEDIAN INCOME, 30% ALL THE WAY DOWN TO 60% IS PEOPLE WHOM YOU ARE GOING TO ALLOW OR AT LEAST PROMOTE. AND I THINK THIS IS IN MR. GALVAN -- NO, MR. MUNGIA. THAT'S WHERE YOU'RE GOING TO GET ALL THE WELFARE HOUSING. >> MAYOR JONES: THANK YOU, SIR. I WILL CALL TO SEE IF THEY HAVE MADE THEIR WAY HERE. RACHEL SEWENSKI. MOLLY S. ALL INDIVIDUALS SIGNED UP TO SPEAK HAVE SPOKEN . [00:30:12] IS THERE A MOTION TO APPROVE THE CONSENT AGENDA, EXCEPT FOR ITEM NO. 21, WHICH WAS PULLED. >> I MAKE A MOTION TO TO APPROVE. >> MAYOR JONES: COUNCIL MEMBERS, ARE THERE ANY HIGHLIGHTS OR QUESTIONS ABOUT THE CONSENT AGENDA? CHAIR VIAGRAN. >> VIAGRAN: THANK YOU, MAYOR. WHILE IT IS JUST CON CONSENT, I DO WANT TO HIGHLIGHT 29, THE ORDINANCE APPROVING THE WORKFORCE SOLUTIONS ALAMO 2026 OPERATING BUDGET. THANK YOU FOR YOUR APPOINTMENT TO THE COMMITTEE OF SIX. AS WE LOOKED AT THAT, IT WAS REALLY RESONATED THAT WE HAVE TO MAKE EVERYBODY'S LOOKING AT THEIR BUDGET. EVERYBODY'S MAKING CUTS BUT WE'RE ALL TRYING TO MOVE FORWARD. SO I APPRECIATE THE TEAM AND WHAT THEY'RE TRYING TO DO OVER AT WORKFORCE SOLUTIONS ALAMO TO MAKE SURE THAT OUR RESIDENTS ARE GETTING HELP AND GETTING BACK TO WORK. SO THANK YOU FOR SUPPORTING THAT TODAY. >> MAYOR JONES: CHAIR KAUR. >> KAUR: THANK YOU, MAYOR. I JUST QUICKLY WANTED TO HIGHLIGHT ITEM NO. 11. IT'S AN ORDINANCE APPROVING A CONTRACT WITH MEALS ON WHEELS AND IT HELPS SUPPORT OUR SENIOR POPULATION. SOME OF US GOT TO SEE SOME OF OUR SENIORS IN ACTION LAST NIGHT WITH SENIORS IN PLAY. BUT OUR SENIOR POPULATION IS SO IMPORTANT AND SO I'M EXCITED FOR THE WORK THAT MEALS ON WHEELS DOES AND GRATEFUL THAT WE CAN CONTINUE TO SUPPORT THEM. THANKS, MAYOR. >> MAYOR JONES: CHAIR MUNGIA. >> MUNGIA: THANK YOU, MAYOR. I WOULD JUST LIKE TO HIGHLIGHT THE APPOINTMENT OF LUPE TORRES TO LULAC 648 SEAT. I'M GLAD TO SEE HER REAPPOINTED. I WAS REMINDED OF ITEM 26, WHICH IS THE MILLER POND APARTMENTS APPLICATION FOR REHABILITATION. THAT IS AN APARTMENT COMPLEX ON OLD PEARSALL ROAD. HOPEFULLY THEY WILL GET THAT APPLICATION AND GET THE REHAB WORK THEY DESPERATELY NEED. THANK YOU TO NHSD AND THE COUNTY FOR THEIR WORK ON THAT. >> MAYOR JONES: CHAIR ALDERETE GAVITO. >> GAVITO: THANK YOU, MAYOR. I JUST WANT TO QUICKLY HIGHLIGHT ITEM NO. 20, AMENDING THE CITY COUNCIL CODE OF CONDUCT TO ADD A PROVISION CONCERNING NON-DISCLOSURE AGREEMENTS. WHILE I ALWAYS APPRECIATE THE FOCUS ON TRANSPARENCY, I DO WANT TO CLARIFY TO THE PUBLIC THAT COUNCIL MEMBERS WERE NOT ASKED TO SIGN AN NDA REGARDING PROJECT MARVEL. I'M STATING THAT TO THE PUBLIC SO WE CAN CLEAR UP ANY MISCONCEPTIONS OUT THERE. THANK YOU. >> MAYOR JONES: DO YOU HAVE ANYTHING YOU WOULD LIKE TO ADD? THANK YOU FOR RAISING THAT. ON ITEM NO. 20, THE REASON THAT THAT WAS ADDED. OBVIOUSLY I THINK A LOT OF US WHO HAD JUST CAME OFF THE CAMPAIGN TRAIL HEARD A LOT ABOUT WHY SUCH A MAJOR INVESTMENT HAD COME TO LIGHT -- THE FIRST PUBLIC MEETING WAS LAST NOVEMBER. AS MANY NEWS OUTLETS REPORTED, UNFORTUNATELY THAT WAS SHROUDED BY NDAS. WHAT THAT DID IN THE MIND OF THE PUBLIC IS RAISE QUESTIONS ABOUT, WELL, WHEN DOES THE CITY USE NDAS AND WHAT DOES IT COVER AND HOW CAN WE ENSURE THAT THE PUBLIC IS BEING SUFFICIENTLY INFORMED? AND SO WHAT I ASKED THE CITY MANAGER, AS WELL AS THE CITY ATTORNEY TO DO, IS TO CODIFY A POLICY THAT WOULD APPLY BOTH TO CITY STAFF AND THEN HELP US, AS ELECTED OFFICIALS, ALSO UNDERSTAND WHAT OUR RESPONSIBILITIES AS ELECTED OFFICIALS, WHEN IT COMES TO POTENTIALLY BEING ASKED TO ENGAGE IN NDAS. I'M THANKFUL THAT THE CITY MANAGER AND THE CITY ATTORNEY HAVE CODIFIED WHAT THAT POLICY IS AND NOW ALL OF US UP HERE HAVE THE BENEFIT OF BEING ABLE TO EXPLAIN TO THE PEOPLE WHEN NDAS ARE UTILIZED. AS EXPLAINED IN THE NDA, WHICH ANYBODY HAS THE ABILITY TO REVIEW, THOSE ARE LARGELY FOR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT REASONS. AS WE ALL KNOW, WE ARE IN A DIFFICULT FISCAL ENVIRONMENT AND WE DON'T WANT TO DETRACT FROM OUR COMMUNITY'S ABILITY TO ENGAGE IN ECONOMIC DEALS. AT TIMES, COMPANIES ASK US TO SIGN NDAS. THIS THEN MAKES THE THRESHOLD VERY CLEAR FOR THAT. THE ECONOMIC DEAL HAS TO BE AT LEAST $50 MILLION. WHAT IT ALSO DOES IS LAY OUT VERY CLEARLY THE REPORTING REQUIREMENTS FOR THE CITY STAFF TO ELECTEDS. [00:35:01] WHAT IT ALSO MAKES CLEAR IS THAT ANY PERSON ON THIS DISNEY AT ANY POINT IN TIME COULD ASK FOR AN UPDATE FOR ANY ACTIVITY COVERED BY AN NDA. THAT'S ON THE ADPS. AS WE ALL KNOW, ADMINISTRATIVE DIRECTIVES DO NOT APPLY TO ELECTED OFFICIALS WHICH IS WHY WE NEEDED SOMETHING THAT GOVERNS US, WHICH IS AN UPDATE TO THE CODE OF CONDUCT. WHAT THE CODE OF CONDUCT DOES IS LAY OUT FOR US THAT WE ARE STRONGLY ENCOURAGED NOT TO SIGN NDAS. I KNOW THERE'S BEEN AN INSTANCE PREVIOUSLY, NOT WITH PROJECT MARVEL, BUT PREVIOUSLY WHERE COUNCIL MEMBERS HAVE SIGNED NDAS. IT IS STRONGLY ENCOURAGED. I WILL NOT SIGN NDAS AND I ENCOURAGE MY COLLEAGUES NOT TO DO THAT. WE ALSO RECOGNIZE THOUGH THAT SOME OF YOU AND YOUR OTHER PROFESSIONAL CAPACITIES MAY BE ASKED TO SIGN NDAS. AND YOUR SIGNING THOSE MAY IMPACT THE CITY ATTORNEY'S ABILITY TO ADVISE THIS COUNCIL AS NEEDED. SO THERE'S ADDITIONAL LANGUAGE IN THERE THAT IF YOU ARE ASKED IN YOUR OTHER PROFESSIONAL CAPACITIES TO SIGN AN SO THAT'S WHAT THAT DOES. THE AD GOVERNS THE CITY STAFF AND THE UPDATE TO THE CODE OF CONDUCT ENSURES THAT WE ALL NDAS ARE ENTERED INTO AND WHY THEY ARE. THERE BEING NO FURTHER DISCUSSION, THERE IS A MOTION AND A SECOND TO APPROVE THE CONSENT AGENDA EXCEPT ITEM 21. PLEASE VOTE. MOTION CARRIES. THANK YOU. [4. Ordinance adopting the Annual Consolidated Operating and Capital Budgets for the City of San Antonio Fiscal Year 2026 that begins October 1; approving projects included in the FY 2026 to FY 2030 Five-Year Infrastructure Management Plan; approving the FY 2026 to FY 2031 Six-Year Capital Improvements Program for the City of San Antonio; approving certain contracts; providing for a one-time annuity increase for retirees and their beneficiaries and a revision to the City’s contribution rate in connection with the Texas Municipal Retirement System; authorizing personnel complements; appropriating funds; and amending related ordinances. [Erik Walsh, City Manager, Justina Tate, Director, Office of Management & Budget]  ] [5. Ordinance setting the Ad Valorem City Property Tax Rate to pay the principal and interest on the funded debt of the City of San Antonio at 21.150 cents per $100 of taxable valuation for the tax year beginning on January 1, 2025 and ending on December 31, 2025. [Erik Walsh, City Manager, Justina Tate, Director, Office of Management & Budget]  ] [6. Ordinance setting the Ad Valorem Tax Rate for Maintenance and Operation of the City of San Antonio at 33.009 cents per $100 of taxable valuation for the Tax Year beginning on January 1, 2025 and ending on December 31, 2025. [Erik Walsh, City Manager, Justina Tate, Director, Office of Management & Budget]  ] [7. Ordinance amending fees as included within the fiscal year 2026 budget within the General Fund and certain restricted funds and amending the City Code of San Antonio, Texas to reflect such changes. [Erik Walsh, City Manager, Justina Tate, Director, Office of Management & Budget]] [8. Ordinance carrying forward certain FY 2025 Funds; amending prior appropriations; appropriating Funds for requirements in City projects and departments; and appropriating funds. [Erik Walsh, City Manager, Justina Tate, Director, Office of Management & Budget]  ] ITEMS 4 THROUGH 8 ARE THE BUDGET ITEMS. STAFF HAS ONE PRESENTATION FOR ALL FOUR ITEMS, SO IF THERE'S NO OBJECTION, WE WILL TAKE PUBLIC COMMENT AND DISCUSSION FOR ALL FOUR ITEMS TOGETHER. HOWEVER, THESE ITEMS WILL HAVE INDIVIDUAL VOTES. MADAME CLERK, PLEASE READ THE CAPTIONS FOR ITEMS 4 THROUGH 8. >> CLERK: ITEM NO. 4 IS AN ORDINANCE ADOPTING THE ANNUAL C OPERATING AND CAPITAL BUDGETS FOR THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO FISCAL YEAR 2026 THAT BEGINS OCTOBER 1; APPROVING PROJECTS I IN THE FY 2026 TO FY 2030 FIVE-YEAR INFRASTRUCTURE MANAGEMENT PLAN; APPROVING THE FY 2026 TO FY 2031 SIX-YEAR CAP IMPROVEMENTS PROGRAM FOR THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO; APPROVING CERTAIN CONTRACTS; PROVIDING FOR A ONE-TIME ANNUITY INCREASE RETIREES AND THEIR BENEFICIARIES AND A REVISION TO THE CITY'S CONTRIBUTION RATE IN CONNECTION WITH THE TEXAS MUNICIPAL RETIREMENT SYSTEM; AU PERSONNEL COMPLEMENTS; APPROPRIATING FUNDS; AND AMENDING RELATED ORDINANCES. ITEM NO. 5 IS ORDINANCE SETTING THE AD VALOREM CITY PROPERTY TA RATE TO PAY THE PRINCIPAL AND INTEREST ON THE FUNDED DEBT OF THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO AT 21.150 CENTS PER $100 OF TAXABLE VALUATION FOR THE TAX YEAR BEGINNING ON JANUARY 1, 2025 AND ENDING ON DECEMBER 31,. ITEM NO. 6 IS AN ORDINANCE SETTING THE AD VALOREM TAX RATE MAINTENANCE AND OPERATION OF THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO AT 33.009 CENTS PER $100 OF TAXABLE VALUATION FOR THE TAX YEAR BEGINNING ON JANUARY 1, 2025 AND ENDING ON DECEMBER 31, ORDINANCE AMENDING FEES AS INCLUDED WITHIN THE FISCAL YEAR 2026 BUDGET WITHIN THE GENERAL FUND AND CERTAIN RESTRICTED FUNDS AND AMENDING THE CITY CODE OF SAN ANTONIO, TEXAS TO REFLECT SUCH CHANGES. ORDINANCE CARRYING FORWARD CERTAIN FY 2025 FUNDS; AMENDING PRIOR APPR APPROPRIATING FUNDS FOR REQUIREMENTS IN CITY PROJECTS AND DEPARTMENTS; AND APPROPRIATING FUNDS. >> MAYOR JONES: ERIK, WOULD YOU PLEASE MAKE YOUR PRESENTATION AND SUMMARIZE ANY CHANGES TO THE PROPOSED BUDGET PRESENTED ON THE 14TH AFTER AUGUST. >> WALSH: THANK YOU, MAYOR. GOOD MORNING, MAYOR AND COUNCIL. SO I'M GOING TO WALK THROUGH THE MEMO THAT WE SENT OUT TO YOU LAST NIGHT AND THEN WE'LL GO THROUGH BRIEFLY A COUPLE OF SLIDES THAT WILL OUTLINE THE PROPOSED AMENDMENTS AS A RESULT OF THE DISCUSSION OVER THE LAST SEVERAL DAYS AND WEEKS. SO OVERALL, THE ATTACHED AMENDMENT LIST THAT YOU HAVE BEFORE YOU TODAY INCLUDES A TOTAL OF 15 CITY COUNCIL [00:40:02] AMENDMENTS THAT TOTAL $30.8 MILLION OVER TWO YEARS. SPECIFICALLY IN THE GENERAL FUND THERE'S A TOTAL OF $12.5 MILLION OF GENERAL FUND AMENDMENTS OVER TWO YEARS. THESE ITEMS ARE PROPOSED TO BE FUNDED THROUGH A COUPLE OF DIFFERENT SOURCES. ONE IS AN INCREASE IN THE PARKS ENVIRONMENTAL FEE BY 50 CENTS PER MONTH. INCREASING THE FOOD SAFETY ESTABLISHMENT FEES AS DISCUSSED YESTERDAY. INCREASING THE VACANT BUILDING REGISTRATION FEE FOR BOTH RESIDENTIAL AND COMMERCIAL. THE FEE INCREASES -- THE REVENUE INCREASES GENERATE $9.1 MILLION OVER THE FISCAL YEAR '26 AND '27. LASTLY, THERELA IS $1.9 MILLION IN LESS EXPENSE THAT IS INCLUDED IN THE FISCAL YEAR '26 PROPOSAL BEFORE YOU THIS MORNING MOVING ALAMO PROMISE EXPENSE FROM THE GENERAL FUND INTO READY TO WORK. IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE PROVISIONS THAT WE TALKED ABOUT YESTERDAY DURING THE WORK SESSION AND MAKING THOSE ALLOCATIONS -- NOT ALLOCATIONS, BUT MAKING THAT FUNDING CONTINGENT UPON THE INFORMATION BEING PROVIDED AND TRACKED IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE QUESTIONS AND THE ANSWERS YESTERDAY. THE AMENDMENTS BEFORE YOU TODAY ALSO INCLUDES $8.2 MILLION, A COMBINATION OF OUR RESTRICTED FUNDS, THE AIRPORT, SOLID WASTE, STORMWATER, HOTEL OCCUPANCY TAX OVER THE NEXT TWO YEARS. THAT IS PRIMARILY ADJUSTED FOR THE CHANGE THAT THE COUNCIL IS PROPOSING IN THE WAGE FOR CIVILIANS TO ACCOMMODATE THE 2% PLUS $750 ONE-TIME PAYMENT. LASTLY, BEFORE I GO THROUGH THE AMENDMENT LIST, THERE'S ALSO A $10 MILLION IN WHAT'S KNOWN AS CITY COUNCIL CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT FUNDS. THAT WILL BE AN ADDITIONAL $1 MILLION PER COUNCIL DISTRICT. THAT WILL COME OUT OF OUR CAPITAL BUDGET. THE MAYOR ASKED ME TO FOLLOW UP ON AN ISSUE REGARDING SOME OF OUR ARTS AGENCIES. WHILE WE DON'T NORMALLY PAY FOR THINGS LIKE LITIGATION THROUGH OUR CONTRACTS WITH ARTS AGENCIES, GENERALLY THOSE ARE FOR OPERATIONAL SUPPORT OR PROGRAM SUPPORT OR PERFORMANCES AND THE SUCH. BUT AFTER DISCUSSING WITH KRYSTAL JONES LAST NIGHT, THERE'S NOTHING IN OUR CONTRACT THAT SAYS WE DON'T. SO OUR PRACTICE IS WE HAVEN'T, SO BASED ON THAT CONVERSATION WITH HER LAST NIGHT, I'M SUGGESTING THAT WE MAKE IT CLEAR IN ALL THE ARTS AGENCIES BUDGETS THAT WE DO NOT REIMBURSE THE COST OF LITIGATION OR ATTORNEYS' FEES. WE FOCUS STRICTLY ON OPERATIONS, ADMINISTRATION, AND PERFORMANCES AND CONTENT. SO LET'S GO THROUGH THE AMENDMENTS REAL QUICK. I MENTIONED THESE ADDITIONAL REDUCTIONS OF ALAMO PROMISE IN THE FISCAL YEAR '26 BUDGET TO THE READY TO WORK FUNDS. NO. 2 IS REDUCING THE INNER-CITY INCENTIVE FUND IN FISCAL YEAR '27. SO THAT WILL STAY WHOLE AS WE GO INTO FISCAL YEAR '26. THE PARKS ENVIRONMENTAL FEE, THE 50-CENT INCREASE GENERATES A LITTLE OVER $4 MILLION IN EACH OF THE NEXT TWO FISCAL YEARS. THE INCREASE IN THE FOOD SAFETY LICENSES, A LITTLE OVER $430,000 IN EACH OF THE NEXT TWO FISCAL YEARS. AND THE VACANT BUILDING REGISTRATION FEE INCREASE THAT'S BEFORE YOU THIS MORNING. A LITTLE OVER $95,000 IN EACH OF THE NEXT TWO YEARS. AS I WALK THROUGH THE POTENTIAL AMENDMENTS, THIS WAS A COMPILATION OF THE CONVERSATION WITH THE COUNCIL OVER THE LAST TWO DAYS. NO. 1 IS FUNDING TO ADD ADDITIONAL FUNDING TO THE GENERAL FUND FOR THE 2% ACROSS THE BOARD FOR CIVILIANS PLUS $750 BASE ADJUSTMENT. THAT WOULD GET US TO HAVING THE LOWEST-PAID CIVILIAN EMPLOYEE AT A 4% ADJUSTMENT GOING INTO NEXT YEAR. NO. 2 IS RESTORING HALF A MILLION DOLLARS IN FUNDING FOR RADAR FEEDBACK SIGNS AND FLASHING STOP SIGNS. 3 PROVIDES FUNDS FOR AN ADDITIONAL 15 OFFICERS ABOVE THE 25 PROPOSED IN THE BUDGET. A TOTAL OF 40 ADDITIONAL PATROL OFFICERS. NO. 4 RESTORES FUNDING OF A MILLION DOLLARS TO OUR MINOR REPAIR PROGRAM. CERTAINLY I HEARD OVER THE LAST TWO DAYS CONVERSATION THE COUNCIL HAD ABOUT MAKING SURE THAT MONEY IS GOING TO AS MUCH AS WE CAN DO. SO I SUSPECT AS WE GET INTO THE FISCAL YEAR WE'LL HAVE ONGOING CONVERSATIONS WITH YOU ALL AT COMMITTEE LEVEL TO MAKE SURE WE'RE ABLE TO ACHIEVE THAT. NO. 5 RESTORES A POSITION THAT I HAD PROPOSED CUTTING IN [00:45:07] REDUCING IN A VACANT POSITION IN HISTORIC PRESERVATION AND MOVING THAT POSITION TO OUR CODE COMPLIANCE DIVISION OF DEVELOPMENT SERVICES FOR ADDITIONAL ENFORCEMENT AROUND VACANT BUILDINGS. NO. 6 IS ADDING $3 MILLION IN ONE-TIME FUNDING FOR ADDITIONAL STREETLIGHTS. THIS IS IN ADDITION TO THE $2 MILLION THAT WAS PROPOSED IN THE BUDGET. FA FUNDING IS AT ZEROED COST BECAUSE WE ARE UTILIZING MONEY THAT WE HAD SET ASIDE FOR A COMMUNITY SAFETY RESERVE. NO. 7 IS ADDING $430,000 TO THE METRO HEALTH DEPARTMENT IN A COUPLE OF DIFFERENT AREAS. $150,000, $200,000 IN THE METRO HEALTH DEPARTMENT TUBERCULOSIS CONTROL AND PREVENTION DIVISION. THAT IS FOR INTERNAL WORK OF THE DEPARTMENT. MENTAL HEALTH SUPPORT, $150,000. THAT WOULD SPECIFICALLY GO TO INCREASE OUR CONTRACT WITH COMMUNITIES IN SCHOOLS FOR THEIR YOUTH MENTAL HEALTH WORK THAT THEY DO FOR US. THEY HAVE A CONTRACT WITH US FOR $400,000. THAT WOULD INCREASE THE $550,000. THE SA KIDS BREATHE, AN ADDITIONAL ALLOCATION OF $120,000. AND THEN A LANGUAGE ACCESS SERVICES OF $10,000. ALL OF THOSE ARE IN THE METRO HEALTH BUDGET. NO. 8 RESTORES FUNDING THAT WAS PROPOSED TO BE REDUCED IN THE PROPOSED BUDGET FOR THE SA BOOK FESTIVAL. I HAD PROPOSED REDUCING THE FUNDING FROM $247,000TO $197,000. THIS PROPOSALS RESTORES IT BACK TO CURRENT LEVELS. 9 IS COMBINING TWO CONTRACTS THAT WE CURRENTLY HAVE WITH FAMILY VIOLENCE PREVENTION SERVICES INTO ONE CONTRACT. AND SECONDLY MAKING THIS AGENCY A DESIGNATED AGENCY AND AWARDING 12 MONTHS' WORTH OF FUNDING. NO. 10 IS ALLOCATING ALMOST $57,000 TO THE ALAMO AREA RAPE CRISIS CENTER FOR A TOTAL OF $113,000 IN THE ADOPTED BUDGET. AND THAT WOULD BE FUNDED THROUGH THE DELEGATE AGENCY RESERVE THAT WE HAD PROPOSED SET ASIDE FOR THE SOLICITATION YOU ALL ARE GOING TO BE TALKING ABOUT IN A COUPLE OF WEEKS IN B SESSION. NO. 11, ALMOST $92,000 FOR FOR HER. AGAIN, FUNDED THROUGH THE DELEGATE AGENCY RESERVE FOR NEXT YEAR'S SOLICITATION. AN ALLOCATION, A NEW ALLOCATION FOR BIG MAMA'S SAFE HOUSE OF $144,000. I'LL SAY THAT REGARDING ITEMS 10, 11, AND 12 WE WILL MAKE SURE THAT THE SCOPE NEGOTIATED SERVICES FOR THOSE CONTRACTS ARE SUPPORTIVE AND CONDUCIVE TO THE EFFORTS THAT WE'RE TRYING TO DO HERE AT THE CITY IN LINE WITH THE COUNCIL'S CONVERSATION. THOSE CONTRACTS HAVEN'T BEEN NEGOTIATED BUT I THINK THAT BASED ON THE CONVERSATION THE LAST TWO DAYS WE'LL MAKE SURE THAT IT'S INCLUDED AND MAKE SURE WE SHARE WITH YOU THOSE SCOPES, THOSE AGREEMENTS SO WE ARE ALL ON THE SAME PAGE IN TERMS OF THE FUNDING AND WHAT IT'S GOING TOWARDS. 13 IS AN ADDITIONAL ALLOCATION FOR AMERICAN GATEWAYS FOR A TOTAL OF $150,000. THE PROPOSED BUDGET INCLUDED $100,000. THIS ADDITIONAL $50,000 WOULD ALSO THE COUNCIL NEXT FISCAL YEAR. THE RESTRICTED FUNDS I MENTIONED A SECOND AGO, THERE'S AN ADDITIONAL $4.1 MILLION A YEAR. SO $8.2 MILLION OVER THE NEXT TWO YEARS. WE'VE MADE THE NECESSARY ADJUSTMENTS WITHIN ALL OF THOSE RESTRICTED FUNDS TO ACCOMMODATE THIS CHANGE ON THE CIVILIAN PAY. AND THEN LASTLY, ACCOMMODATING WITHIN OUR CAPITAL BUDGET OUT OF SOME FUTURE DEBT THAT WE WILL NEED TO ISSUE NEXT SPRING. BUT IS AVAILABLE FOR PRODUCTION AND PROJECT SELECTION BY YOU ALL AS SOON AS YOU ALL ADOPT THE BUDGET AND WE HIT OCTOBER 1. THAT'S $10 MILLION. MAYOR, THAT'S THE RUNDOWN OF THE PROPOSAL AND WE HAVE PLENTY OF STAFF HERE IN THE ROOM TO ANSWER ANY FOLLOW-UP QUESTIONS. I DO ANTICIPATE AND I WANT TO DO IT NOW. I WANT TO THANK THE MAYOR AND THE COUNCIL FOR ALL THE CONVERSATION ALL THE WAY BACK TO THE END OF JUNE. IT HAS BEEN A DIFFERENT SUMMER THAN THE LAST COUPLE OF SUMMERS [00:50:03] AND WE TALKED ABOUT THIS AS A GROUP LAST SUMMER. SO I WANT TO THANK YOU FOR YOUR CONVERSATION, YOUR POLICY DIRECTION, AND YOUR HARD WORK. I KNOW WE'RE RUNNING ON THE TAILEND OF A LONG STRING OF TOWN HALLS, BUDGET WORK SESSIONS, FOLLOW-UP MEMOS, PRESENTATIONS. I CERTAINLY THINK THAT AS WE GO INTO NEXT FISCAL YEAR, WE HAVE A FAIRLY LONG LIST OF THINGS THAT WE NEED TO TACKLE AND DEAL WITH IMMEDIATELY AND I WANT TO THANK YOU FOR YOUR LEADERSHIP AND YOUR CONVERSATION AND DIRECTION. SECONDLY, I WANT TO THANK THE DEPARTMENTS FOR THEIR WORK BECAUSE MUCH OF THIS WORK BEGAN IN THE SPRING AS WE WERE DOING OUR SIX PLUS SIX AND OUR FINANCIAL FORECAST. THE DILIGENCE AND THE WORK AND THE CREATIVITY AND THE INNOVATION AND, REALLY, THE THOUGHT THAT ORIGINATED AT ALL THE DEPARTMENTS IS WHAT ALLOWED US TO MAKE SURE THAT WE HAVE -- LAY OUT A SOLID FOUNDATION TO YOU ALL IN THE PROPOSED BUDGET. I WANT TO THANK ALL THE EMPLOYEES AND THE EXECUTIVES IN THE DEPARTMENTS. I WANT TO THANK THE EXECUTIVE LEADERSHIP TEAM FOR HELPING GUIDE THAT. AND THEN FINALLY JUSTINA AND FREDDIE IN THE BUDGET OFFICE. TROY, MELANIE, VICKY IN FINANCE, IN MAKING SURE THAT WE ARE MOVING ALONG WHERE WE NEED TO BE. IN THE MIDST OF ALL THIS, WE WENT BACK AND WENT BACK BEFORE THE BOND RATING AGENCIES AND WERE REAFFIRMED. SO IN SPITE OF ALL THE CHALLENGES, MAKING SURE WE HAVE STRONG FINANCIAL POLICIES THAT WERE CONSISTENT AND THAT WE ARE IN LINE WITH THE COMMUNITY AND THE COUNCIL IS REALLY PARAMOUNT TO ENSURING WE'RE ABLE TO DO THE THINGS WE NEED TO DO HERE IN THE CITY FOR THE PUBLIC. AND LASTLY, MARIA, BEN AND THEIR GUIDANCE. A LOT OF WORK AND YOU TRULY HAVE A TOP-NOTCH PROFESSIONAL TEAM HERE THAT IS EXPERIENCED AND REASONABLE AND WE TRY TO BE AS PRACTICAL AS POSSIBLE AND I THINK IT SHOWS IN THE PRODUCT. WITH THAT, I'LL TURN IT OVER TO YOU, MAYOR. >> MAYOR JONES: THANK YOU, ERIK. WE HAVE A FEW FOLKS THAT HAVE SIGNED UP TO SPEAK ON BUDGET ITEMS 4 THROUGH 8. BACHMAN FOLLOWED BY STEVEN. JOHN BACHMAN. STEVEN ZESSERMAN FOLLOWED BY MARTIN GORDON. MARTIN GORDON, IF YOU WOULD BEGIN TO MAKE YOUR WAY CLOSER SO WE CAN GET TO YOU RIGHT AWAY. >> GOOD MORNING, CITY COUNCIL AND MAYOR. MY NAME IS STEVE ZESSERMAN. IF YOU WOULD BE SO KIND, THERE'S A VIDEO I HAVE TO BE PLAYED. >> MAYOR JONES: SIR, WE'RE NOT GOING TO PLAY A VIDEO. WE'RE NOT ABLE TO DO SO. >> OKAY. THANK YOU. MY NAME IS STEVE AND I AM A BASSIST WITH THE SAN ANTONIO PHILHARMONIC. I HAVE BEEN IN SAN ANTONIO SINCE 1990. I WON THE POSITION. I WAS FORTUNATE ENOUGH TO BEAT OUT 90 BASS PLAYERS AND I CAME TO SAN ANTONIO IN 1990. AND I ABSOLUTELY FELL IN LOVE WITH THE CITY. AT THAT TIME, I SAW AROUND ME THE CHILDREN OF THIS COMMUNITY AND I WANTED TO DO EVERYTHING I COULD POSSIBLY DO TO HELP EDUCATE AND INSPIRE. AND I FELT THAT IT WAS MY CIVIC DUTY TO DO SO AS A MEMBER OF THE ORCHESTRA. MY COLLEAGUES AND I STARTED PRODUCING MASTER CLASSES FOR FREE AND I REACHED OUT TO THE SCHOOL SYSTEM AND I BECAME, BY THE GRACE OF GOD, I BECAME ONE OF THE MOST PROLIFIC DOUBLE BASS TEACHERS IN THE COUNTRY. MANY OF MY STUDENTS WENT ON, THANK GOD, TO GO TO COLLEGE FOR FREE, WHICH REALLY WAS MY GOAL IS TO TRY AND HELP THEM GET AN EDUCATION, GET A JOB. BUT I JUST LOOKED AROUND AND NOT ONLY DID I FALL IN LOVE WITH THE COMMUNITY AS WE PLAYED 40 TO 50,000 CHILDREN A YEAR WITH THE SYMPHONY BUT I FELT I HAD TO HELP. I COULD NOT JUST PLAY A CONCERT AND THEN GO HOME. BUT I IMMERSED MYSELF. I WAS FORTUNATE ENOUGH IN 2006 [00:55:03] TO PURCHASE A HOME ON MISTLETOE IN DISTRICT 1 . LUCKILY -- I WANTED TO LIVE IN ALAMO HEIGHTS BUT I COULDN'T AFFORD IT UNDER THE PAY THAT I WAS GETTING AT THE SYMPHONY AT THE TIME. SO I BOUGHT A HOME FOR $60,000. AND AT THAT PLACE ON MISTLETOE, AT THAT TIME MY HOUSE GOT BROKEN INTO TWICE BECAUSE NOBODY WANTED TO LIVE THERE. A COUPLE OF YEARS LATER, A FR FRIEND OF MINE CAME OVER AND SAID HAVE YOU EVER HEARD ABOUT THE PEARL BREWERY AND I WAS LIKE, YEAH, BUT WHAT ABOUT IT? THEY STARTED RENOVATING IT . I DIDN'T REALIZE AT THE TIME WHERE I BOUGHT WAS SUCH AN INCREDIBLE PLACE. I JUST BOUGHT IT BECAUSE I FELL IN LOVE WITH THE AREA. IN LOVE WITH DOWNTOWN. I'M VERY CLOSE TO DOWNTOWN. AND I WAS ABLE TO SYSTEMATICALLY HELP AS MANY CHILDREN AS I POSSIBLY COULD LIVING IN DISTRICT 1. THEY WOULD ALL COME TO ME AND I WOULD TEACH DOUBLE BASS LESSONS. WE DID MASTER CLASSES. WE DID FREE CONCERTS FOR THE COMMUNITY. AND, AT THE SAME TIME, UNFORTUNATELY THINGS WERE NOT GOING WELL FOR THE SYMPHONY. AND WHEN THE SYMPHONY HAD SHUT DOWN FIVE YEARS AGO -- [TIMER] >> MAYOR JONES: SIR, IF YOU HAVE PREPARED REMARKS, YOU MAY SUBMIT THOSE FOR THE RECORD. >> THANK YOU. >> MAYOR JONES: THANK YOU. MARTIN GORDON FOLLOWED BY ANGELA CAPARALA. GO AHEAD, SIR. >> GOOD MORNING, MAYOR JONES, GOOD MORNING TO THE COUNCIL MEMBERS. MY NAME IS MARTIN GORDON AND I'M SPEAKING TODAY ON BEHALF OF THE SAN ANTONIO PHILHARMONIC. THE PHILHARMONIC'S MISSION OF BEING THERE FOR THE COMMUNITY SUCH AS BACK TO SCHOOL, AN EVENT WHERE WE GAVE AWAY A LOT OF BOOK BAGS AND SCHOOL SUPPLIES TO A LARGE AMOUNT OF CHILDREN. THE FOOD BANK CAME AND GAVE OUT BIG BAGS OF PRODUCE, WHICH I THOUGHT WAS REALLY COOL. AS A FORMER MEMBER OF THREE OTHER SYMPHONIES, BESIDES GETTING THE JOB IN THE SAN ANTONIO SYMPHONY, I HAVE NEVER BELIEVED IN A MISSION AS MUCH AS THE PHILHARMONICS. THE REACTION WE GET WHEN WE PLAY AT EVENTS IS SOMETHING I HAVE NEVER ACTUALLY SEEN BEFORE AND I'M TOUCHED BY IT. I'M NOT JUST A MUSICIAN, I AM A RESIDENT OF DISTRICT 6. I BUY GROCERIES AND LITERALLY AS WE SPEAK MY HOUSE IS GETTING A NEW ROOF INSTALLED, SO I'M NOT HOME LISTENING TO THE BANGING, WHICH IS NICE. WHICH PUTS MONEY INTO THE LOCAL ECONOMY AND KEEPS COMPANIES IN BUSINESS AND KEEPS PEOPLE WORKING, WHICH I THINK IS, YOU KNOW, JUST YOUR RESIDENTIAL DUTY. I GO TO WORK WITH MY CAR. I DON'T FLY HERE ON AN AIRPLANE. I DON'T STAY IN A HOTEL. I LIVE IN A HOUSE IN THE CITY WHERE I PAY PROPERTY TAXES. IN BETWEEN PHILHARMONIC SERVICES, I TEAM STUDENTS. IN FACT, THERE IS A PROGRAM CALLED RISING STAR, SOMETHING THAT'S SET UP BY THE YOUTH ORCHESTRA OF SAN ANTONIO . SHE'S A GREAT KID AND I TEACH THE STUDENT THAT QUALIFIES THE PROGRAM THAT PLAYS BASSOON. I ALSO HAVE THREE STUDENTS AT HARLANDALE HIGH SCHOOL AND THEY'RE ALL GREAT KIDS AND IT'S AN HONOR FOR ME TO BE ABLE TO BE IN THE COMMUNITY AND TEACH. THE PHILHARMONIC MUSICIANS ARE A RESOURCE FOR THEM AND IT'S JUST A GREAT THING. AGAIN, I'M ASKING THAT YOU APPROVE $400,000 FOR THE F PHILHARMONIC. FOR THE COMMUNITY WE'RE SERVING, ENTERTAINING, TEACHING, AND ENRICHING. I'M SO GRATEFUL FOR OUR AUDIENCE WHO HAVE BEEN THERE THROUGH THICK AND THIN. FUNDING HELPS US TO BE THERE FOR THEM AND RETURN AS MUCH AS WE CAN. IN CLOSING, WHILE THE PHILHARMONIC IS NOT A RESIDENT OF THE TOBIN CENTER, THE PHILHARMONIC IS THE RESIDENT ORCHESTRA OF SAN ANTONIO. WE LIVE HERE. WE DO THE THINGS RESIDENTS DO TO SUPPORT THE COMMUNITY AND WE'RE HERE ALL THE TIME. AGAIN, I THANK YOU FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION AND YOUR TIME FOR LISTENING TO ME. THANK YOU. >> MAYOR JONES: ANGELA COPPERALI FOLLOWED BY JUDITH GERWITZ. >> GOOD MORNING, MAYOR AND COUNCIL MEMBERS. THANK YOU FOR ALLOWING ME TO SPEAK AT THIS MOMENT. MY NAME IS ANGELA COPPERALI AND I'M A VIOLINIST WITH SAN ANTONIO PHILHARMONIC. I HAVE BEEN HERE FOR 25 YEARS AND I BEGAN PLAYING THE VIOLIN WHEN I WAS 3 YEARS OLD. AND I PLAYED IN MY FIRST ORCHESTRA WHEN I WAS 12. AT THAT POINT, I REALLY LOVED PLAYING IN AN ORCHESTRA AND I SAW ALL THE BENEFITS IT GAVE US [01:00:03] AS MUSICIANS. AND THEN ALSO WHAT IT GIVES TO THE PUBLIC. PLAYING IN AN ORCHESTRA HAS BEEN MY ENTIRE LIFE AND I REALLY BELIEVE VERY STRONGLY IN THIS ART FORM, WHICH IS WHY I'M HERE. AT THE VERY LEAST, AN ORCHESTRA CAN SHOW HOW MANY DIFFERENT TYPES OF PEOPLE COME TOGETHER TO CREATE ONE BEAUTIFUL PIECE OF MUSIC, OR MANY PIECES OF MUSIC. BUT WE CREATE BEAUTY AND WE BRING IT TO EVERYBODY IN THE COMMUNITY. IN ADDITION TO THIS, WE ALSO BRING IT TO THE NEXT GENERATION THROUGH ALL OF OUR TEACHING. AND I CAN TELL YOU I HAVE TAUGHT PROBABLY, IN THE LAST 20 YEARS, HUNDREDS OF STUDENTS. I TEACH VERY YOUNG. THE YOUNGEST IS AGE 3. AND I'VE TAUGHT ALL THE WAY TO AGE 70. AND YOU BRING MANY, MANY DIFFERENT -- THEY ALL HAVE THEIR OWN REASONS FOR WHY THEY WANT AND BELIEVE IN MUSIC AND THEY ALL LOVE IT. IF I HAVE A MOMENT, I DO HAVE A VERY NICE STORY THAT STICKS OUT. I SAID EVERYBODY LOVES IT BUT NOT IN THE BEGINNING. I HAD A THIS. THIS IS THE WORST PART OF MY DAY. I ALWAYS HAD TO TELL HER. I KNOW. I UNDERSTAND BUT WE HAVE TO DO THIS. LET'S LEARN SOMETHING. BY THE END OF THE YEAR, WHICH SHE DID THIS EVERY WEEK BECAUSE I SHOWED UP EVERY WEEK, SHE SHOWED UP EVERY WEEK. BY THE END OF THE YEAR, ONE DAY SHE PUT HER VIOLIN DOWN, GAVE ME A GIANT HUG, AND TOLD ME HOW MUCH SHE LOVED ME. THAT WAS JUST INCREDIBLY SHOCKING. AT THAT MOMENT I THOUGHT, WOW, I WAS MAKING AN IMPACT, EVEN THOUGH IT DIDN'T APPEAR TO BE THAT WAY AT ALL. BUT I MADE THAT IMPACT WITH HER AND SHE'S STILL STUDYING THREE YEARS LATER. THIS IS THE KIND OF THING THAT WE CAN DO FOR ALL OF OUR SMALL CHILDREN -- NOT EVEN SMALL BUT FOR EVERYBODY. I HAD AN ADULT STUDENT WHO CAME TO ME BECAUSE SHE LOVED THE VIOLIN. HAD TO WAIT UNTIL HER CHILDREN WERE RAISED. AND THEN SHE CAME TO ME. UNFORTUNATELY, HER HUSBAND IS VERY SICK BUT SHE'S STILL COMING FOR LESSONS BECAUSE SHE SAYS IT BRINGS HER PEACE. AND THIS IS WHAT WE ALSO WANT TO BRING TO PEOPLE. JUST THE BEAUTY OF WHAT WE CAN PROVIDE. SO I AM ASKING YOU ALSO TO RESTORE THE F FUNDING TO THE 2017 LEVELS, WHICH WAS ABOUT $400,000. SO THAT WE CAN CONTINUE TO BRING ALL OF THIS TO EVERYBODY. THANK YOU. >> MAYOR JONES: JUDITH GERWITZ FOLLOWED BY LAUREN EVERHART. >> GOOD MORNING, MAYOR AND THE CITY COUNCIL. THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO SHARE MY THOUGHTS WITH YOU. MY NAME IS JUDY GERWITZ AND I LIVE IN DISTRICT 8 IN MY OWN HOME. I AM FEARFUL ABOUT RETIRING BECAUSE OF INCREASING CITY SPENDING AND THE CITY'S DEBT OF $13 BILLION. I DON'T FEEL LIKE I'M GETTING MY MONEY'S WORTH FOR WHAT I PAY IN PROPERTY TAXES. HALF THE TIME I CAN'T EVEN TELL WHAT LANE I AM DRIVING IN AROUND THE CITY BECAUSE THE STRIPING IS SO FADED OR THE ROADS ARE SO PATCHED. YESTERDAY I CALLED 3-1-1 TO REPORT THE FOUR-WAY TRAFFIC SIGNAL AT GEORGE ROAD AND NORTHWEST MILITARY WAS FLASHING ALL RED . I WAS TOLD SOMEONE WOULD BE OUT WITHIN 24 HOURS TO LOOK AT IT. 24 HOURS, THAT IS UNACCEPTABLE AT SUCH A CRITICAL ARTERY BETWEEN WURZBACH AND HEUBNER. FOR 18 MONTHS, TWO DOGS TERRORIZED MY NEIGHBORHOOD WITHOUT SATISFACTORY RESOLUTION FROM ACS. I ACTUALLY GOT SATISFACTION THROUGH CODE ENFORCEMENT HELPED MITIGATE THE PROBLEM. FOR YEARS UNADDRESSED. LAST MONTH IT TOOK ME 36 MINUTES TO DRIVE ALONG WURZBACH BETWEEN BLANCO AND NORTHWEST MILITARY BECAUSE THE LIGHT WAS OUT AT GEORGE ROAD AGAIN AND WHEN I CALLED 311, I GOT REFERRED TO -- I ASKED ABOUT TRAFFIC CONTROL WITH SAPD AND THEY PUT ME IN TOUCH WITH AN OFFICER AND HE EXPLAINED THAT SOMETIMES THEY GET NOTIFIED THAT THE LIGHTS ARE OUT AND SOMETIMES THEY DON'T. IT'S LIKE WHAT ARE WE DOING HERE? WE CAN'T GET AROUND THE CITY. WE'RE NOT GETTING BASIC SERVICES AND I AM VERY CONCERNED ABOUT WHAT THE FUTURE HOLDS WITH ONGOING SPENDING, INCREASING DEBT. EVEN THOUGH OUR PROPERTY TAXES HAVE THE FREEZE ON IT, THEY ARE STILL GOING UP IN THE OTHER TAXES. SO PLEASE RETHINK WHAT YOU ARE DOING WITH THE MONEY YOU ARE SPENDING. OUR TAXES ARE VERY HIGH HERE [01:05:05] AND MANY OF US, JUST NOT ME, DO NOT FEEL THAT WE ARE GETTING SATISFACTORY BASIC SERVICES. PUBLIC HEALTH AND SAFETY. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. [APPLAUSE] >> MAYOR JONES: LAUREN EVERHART FOLLOWED BY MOLLY S. >> GOOD MORNING, MAYOR AND MEMBERS OF COUNCIL. MY NAME IS LAUREN EVERHART, AS YOU HEARD, AND I WANT TO THANK YOU FOR TAKING THE TIME TO LISTEN TO ME TODAY. I AM A MEMBER OF THE SAN ANTONIO PHILHARMONIC. I MOVED HERE ALMOST 30 YEARS AGO TO TAKE A JOB WITH THE SAN ANTONIO SYMPHONY . MY REQUEST IS SIMPLE THIS MORNING. I'M ASKING THAT YOU CONSIDER RESTORING OUR FUNDING TO APPROXIMATELY 2017 LEVELS, AROUND THAT $400,000 MARK. I REALIZE THAT YOU HAVE AN INCREDIBLE RESPONSIBILITY THAT IS DIFFICULT IN MAKING BUDGET DECISIONS AND IN MAKING SMART INVESTMENTS IN OUR COMMUNITY. AND I HAVE TO SAY I ABSOLUTELY HAVE CONVICTION THAT THE SAN ANTONIO PHILHARMONIC IS A SMART AND RESPONSIBLE INVESTMENT IN THIS COMMUNITY. IT RETURNS MANY TIMES OVER THE MONEY THAT IS PUT IN IT. NOT ONLY IN WHAT WE GENERATE OUT INTO THE ECONOMY, LOCALLY, BUT IN THE SERVICE WE BRING EDUCATIONALLY TO OUR YOUNG PEOPLE. IN THE 30 YEARS I'VE BEEN HERE, WE HAVE LITERALLY -- I'VE BEEN PART OF PLAYING FOR HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF SAN ANTONIO'S CHILDREN THROUGH OUR YOUNG PEOPLE'S CONCERT SERIES. WE WORK VERY HARD TO PROVIDE THOSE FOR FREE IN OUR COMMUNITY. AND YOUR FUNDING HELPS US TO DO THAT. WE HAVE A GREAT VARIETY OF CONCERTS AND I LOVE PRESENTING SUCH A WIDE SPAN OF ART TO OUR COMMUNITY. YOU KNOW, FROM BACH, BEETHOVEN, ALL THOSE THINGS WE THINK OF AS SPIRITUAL WORKS, THE ONE CONCERT WE JUST DID THAT WAS ONE OF THE HIGHLIGHTS OF MY CAREER, HONESTLY, AND I HAVE TO TELL YOU IT WAS SUCH A MOVING EXPERIENCE. ON SUNDAY AFTERNOON A 90-YEAR-OLD WOMAN GOT UP AND CAME ON STAGE AND STARTED DANCING FOR ALL OF US. AND I CAN'T EVEN TELL YOU THE FEELING THAT THAT GAVE ME INSIDE, OF SATISFACTION. AND I WANT TO BE HERE, IF I EVER MAKE IT TO 90 YEARS OLD. I HAVE WONDERFUL COLLEAGUES AND STAFF THAT COME FROM ALL WALKS OF LIFE AND THAT WORK INCREDIBLY HARD TO PROVIDE SOMETHING WONDERFUL FOR OUR CITY. I HAVE TAUGHT FOR MANY YEARS, YOUNG AND OLD, LIKE MOST OF MY COLLEAGUES. AND NOT ALL OF MY STUDENTS GO ON TO BE PROFESSIONAL MUSICIANS. SOME OF THEM DO, AND I'M PROUD OF THAT. BUT I THINK THE MOST IMPORTANT THING THAT THEY GET FROM ME, AS A TEACHER, IS THE ABILITY TO THINK CRITICALLY, TO EVALUATE THEMSELVES COMPASSIONATELY, AND -- >> MAYOR JONES: THANK YOU, MA'AM. IF YOU HAVE ADDITIONAL COMMENTS, YOU CAN SUBMIT THOSE FOR THE RECORD. MOLLY S. FOLLOWED BY JONATHAN MELENDEZ. JONATHAN MELENDEZ FOLLOWED BY MONDO FLORES. . >> GOOD MORNING, COUNCIL MEMBERS AND MAYOR. MY NAME IS JOHN MELENDEZ AND I SERVE AS THE GRASSROOTS ENGAGEMENT DIRECTOR FOR AMERICANS WITH PROSPERITY OF TEXAS HERE IN SAN ANTONIO . AND JUST REAL QUICK, I JUST WANT TO SAY THAT OUR ORGANIZATION DOESN'T TAKE AN OFFICIAL POSITION ON THE BUDGET. WITH THAT SAID, THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK WITH YOU TODAY ON AN ISSUE THAT TOUCHES EVERY FAMILY, SENIOR, AND HOMEOWNER IN OUR CITY. THE RISING BURDEN OF PROPERTY TAXES. AFP TEXAS IS A PREMIER GRASSROOTS ORGANIZATION DEDICATED TO CONNECTING PEOPLE WITH POLICY AND ADVANCING BOTTOM-UP SOLUTIONS THAT MAKE FREEDOM AND PROSPERITY ACCESSIBLE TO ALL TEXANS. ACROSS THE STATE, OUR GRASSROOTS VOLUNTEERS WORK HAND IN HAND WITH LAWMAKERS TO DELIVER MEANINGFUL, GROUNDBREAK REFORMS. IN FACT, ONE OF OUR PROUDEST ACHIEVEMENTS HAS BEEN HELPING DRIVE BILLIONS OF DOLLARS IN [01:10:05] PROPERTY TAX RELIEF FOR TEXANS. HERE'S THE REALITY. DESPITE THE HISTORIC STATE-LEVEL RELIEF, SAN ANTONIO FAMILIES ARE STILL SEEING THEIR PROPERTY TAX BILLS GO UP. UNLESS THERE ARE SIGNIFICANT CHANGES, RESIDENTS WILL ONCE AGAIN FACE ANOTHER INCREASE IN THEIR TAX BILLS AT A TIME WHEN MANY ALREADY FEEL STRETCHED THIN BY HIGHER COSTS OF LIVING. I BROUGHT JUST ONE SLIDE WITH ME TODAY. THE SLIDE TELLS A STORY MOST RESIDENTS KNOW ALL TOO WELL. DESPITE REDUCTIONS IN THE RATE, THE AVERAGE SAN ANTONIAN IS STILL PAYING MORE IN PROPERTY TAXES EACH YEAR. EVEN SMALL RATE CUTS, .02% HERE ARE NOT ENOUGH TO OFFSET SKYROCKETING APPRAISALS. THEY HAVE GONE UP THE PAST FEW YEARS. THE RESULT IS SIMPLE. RATES GO DOWN BUT BILLS STILL GO UP. AND THAT'S THE REALITY FAMILIES FEEL WHEN THEY OPEN THEIR MORTGAGE STATEMENTS OR TAX NOTICES. THE CITY HAS OFTEN HIGHLIGHTED THAT THE PROPERTY TAX RATE HASN'T INCREASED IN 33 YEARS. THAT SOUNDS GOOD IN A PRESS RELEASE BUT I WOULD ASK EACH OF YOU TO CONSIDER THIS: WHAT WOULD YOU SAY TO A HOMEOWNER WHOSE PROPERTY TAX BILLS RISES BY HUNDREDS OF DOLLARS THIS YEAR? BECAUSE FOR MANY OF YOUR CONSTITUENTS, THAT IS EXACTLY WHAT'S GOING TO HAPPEN THIS YEAR. THIS IS NOT SUSTAINABLE. FAMILIES ARE BEING SQUEEZED. SENIORS ON FIXED INCOMES ARE BEING FORCED TO MAKE IMPOSSIBLE CHOICES. AND IF NOTHING CHANGES, MORE AND MORE SAN ANTONIANS WILL BE PRICED OUT OF THEIR HOMES AND NEIGHBORHOODS. TRUE PROPERTY TAX RELIEF MEANS ADDRESSING MORE THAN JUST THE RATE. IT MEANS TACKLING THE APPRAISAL-DRIVEN GROWTH. PERHAPS THE STATE OF TEXAS WILL HAVE NO CHOICE BUT TO STEP IN AND ENSURE THAT HARD-WORKING TEXANS -- >> MAYOR JONES: THANK YOU. MONDO FLORES FOLLOWED BY JACK FINGER. >> GOOD MORNING, MAYOR JONES. GOOD MORNING, COUNCIL. FIRST AND FOREMOST, MY NAME IS MONDO FLORES, DIRECTOR OF FIELD OPERATIONS FOR AFSCME LOCAL 2021. I WOULD LIKE TO THANK YOU FOR TAKING TIME TO MEET WITH US, WHETHER THAT WAS A PHONE CALL, E-MAIL, OR AN IN-PERSON VISIT TO DISCUSSION THE BUDGET WE'RE HERE ABOUT TODAY. WHAT INITIALLY STARTED AS A 2% ACROSS THE BOARD IN CONJUNCTION WORKING WITH THE CITY, WITH MR. ERIK WALSH OF COURSE, AND RENEE, WE HAVE COME TO A 2% ACROSS THE BOARD WITH $750 TO THE BASE, WHICH IS REALLY IMPORTANT AS WE TALKED ABOUT. IT'S GOING TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE IN ALL THE EMPLOYEES ACROSS THE BOARD. WE'RE REALLY HAPPY ABOUT THAT. WE WANT TO THANK EACH AND EVERY ONE OF YOU. AS I TOLD ERIK, WE SHARE THE SAME GOAL. WE WANT TO HELP THE EMPLOYEES WHO MAKE THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO HAPPY. AS THEY ARE OUT THERE WORKING IN ALL THE DEPARTMENTS ACROSS THE BOARD, WE ARE HERE TO SPEAK FOR THEM TO MAKE SURE WE CAN DO WHAT WE CAN WITH WHAT WE HAVE. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. SHOUT OUT TO THE TIE, THE AFSCME GREEN TIE. WE APPRECIATE YOU FOR THE WORK YOU HAVE DONE. >> MAYOR JONES: JACK FINGER FOLLOWED BY RHETT SMITH. >> WELL, MADAME MAYOR, OTHER MEMBERS OF OUR ILLUSTRIOUS SAN ANTONIO CITY COUNCIL. FOR THE RECORD, MY NAME IS JACK M. FINGER. I HAVE COME BEFORE YOU IN PREVIOUS DISCUSSIONS TALKING ABOUT THE BUDGET. WELL, I'M NOT GOING TO BORE YOU WITH ANY OF THOSE REMARKS. JUST CONSIDER THEM DITTOED FOR THIS TIME AROUND. BUT, YEAH. OUR BUDGET, ANY BUDGET, IS BASED ON WHAT? WELL, YOUR REVENUE. TAXES AND PROPERTY TAXES. WELL, PROPERTY TAXES ARE THE BIG ONES AND SO CONSEQUENTLY THAT'S WHAT I'M GOING TO ADDRESS TO YOU AT THIS POINT IN TIME HERE. PROPERTY TAXES. OUR TAX RATE. WHAT IS IT? WELL, IT'S 53, 54 CENTS PER $100 VALUATION, WHATEVER THAT IS. YOU ARE QUITE FAMILIAR WITH THAT. AND YOU ARE GOING TO SAY THAT YOU ALWAYS BOAST THAT WE HAVE -- YOU HAVE NOT RAISED OUR TAX RATES AT ALL IN 30 SOME-ODD [01:15:04] YEARS. IN FACT, YOU HAVE EVEN REDUCED IT A SMIDGEN A COUPLE OF YEARS AGO. PLEASE, WE, THE PROPERTY OWNERS, WE KNOW DIFFERENTLY. WE KNOW TOO MUCH. IN FACT, THE STATISTICS BEAR THAT OUT. LOOK AT THE PROPERTY TAX VALUES -- THE PROPERTY VALUES OF OUR HOME IN JUST THE LAST FOUR OR FIVE YEARS. FOUR OR FIVE YEARS. WHAT DOES IT SHOW YOU THERE? IN SAN ANTONIO, THE AVERAGE HOME PRICE PER YEAR WAS ABOUT $260,000 AROUND FOUR OR FIVE YEARS AGO. IT'S NOW, AS OF LAST YEAR, 2024, IS $340,000. IF I DO MY MATH CORRECTLY, THAT'S RIGHT AROUND 30% INCREASE. MEANING THAT OUR PROPERTY TAX LEVIES HAVE GONE UP 30%. NOW YOU'RE GOING TO BOAST THAT YOU HAVE NOT RAISED THE RATES. PLEASE, DON'T MAKE US LAUGH AT SUCH A, REALLY A DECEPTION. AND THAT'S JUST UP TO 2024. LAST YEAR HAS BEEN AN EXTRA 2% OR 3%. IT'S AROUND A FULL THIRD -- AT LEAST A FULL THIRD. OUR TAX BILLS HAVE GONE UP. NOW, CAN'T YOU AT LEAST SOMEBODY, SOMEWHERE REDUCE OUR TAXES? OUR TAX RATE SO WE DON'T HAVE TO GO THROUGH ALL THIS THING AGAIN. NOT EVEN A SMIDGEN. IF YOU REALLY WANT TO DO THINGS RIGHT, THAT'S 33%. YOU SHOULD BE OFFSETTING IT BY AT LEAST 10%, IF NOT 30% SOMEWHERE ALONG THE WAY. BUT WHAT ARE YOU GOING TO DO TODAY? THANK YOU. >> MAYOR JONES: RHETT SMITH FOLLOWED BY CHRISTOPHER LONGORIA. >> THANK YOU, MAYOR JONES, AND MEMBERS OF THE CITY COUNCIL. MY NAME IS RHETT SMITH AND I LIVE IN COUNCIL DISTRICT 8. TODAY I WOULD LIKE TO ADDRESS OUR BUDGET ITEM, THE ADOPTION OF THE BUDGET. AND REMIND EVERYONE THAT WE SHOULD BE FOCUSING ON ESSENTIAL NEEDS AND RESPONSIBLE SPENDING. PERHAPS CONSIDERING ADOPTING A NO-NEW-REVENUE RATE, OR EVEN ZERO-BASED BUDGETING. ANYWAY, MEANINGFUL REFORM IS IMPORTANT FOR ALL OF OUR TAXPAYERS. SO THIS IS ABOUT ADDRESSING THAT ISSUE. BUT I ALSO WANT TO TAKE THE BALANCE OF MY TIME TO ADDRESS AN ISSUE OF VIOLENCE IN OUR WORLD. I WOULD LIKE TO THANK COUNCILWOMAN SPEARS FOR ADDRESSING THE ISSUE OF CHARLIE KIRK'S MURDER. AND I THINK EVERYONE IN PUBLIC LIFE -- >> MAYOR JONES: SIR, THANK YOU FOR YOUR SENTIMENT. WE'RE TALKING ABOUT THE BUDGET CURRENTLY. DO YOU HAVE ANY ADDITIONAL COMMENTS REGARDING THE BUDGET? >> NO. THOSE ARE MY COMMENTS FOR THE BUDGET. >> MAYOR JONES: THANK YOU, SIR. >> THANK YOU. >> MAYOR JONES: CHRIS LONGORIA. >> GOOD MORNING, MAYOR, COUNCIL MEMBERS. THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK. I AM CHRISTOPHER LONGORIA. I STAND BEFORE YOU TODAY AS A SAN ANTONIO RESIDENT WHO, LIKE MANY OF MY NEIGHBORS, IS DEEPLY CONCERNED ABOUT THE BURDEN OF PROPERTY TAX RATES ON OUR FAMILIES, OUR BUSINESSES IN AUDIO]. WHILE I UNDERSTAND THE CHALLENGES OF BALANCING A CITY BUDGET, RAISING PROPERTY TAXES IS NOT THE SOLUTION FOR OUR COMMUNITY NEEDS. WE ALL KNOW SAN ANTONIO IS GROWING BUT SO ARE THE FINANCIAL PRESSURES ON WORKING FAMILIES. IN THE PAST THREE YEARS, INFLATION HAS DEVASTATED SAN ANTONIANS IN THE COST OF GROCERIES, UTILITIES, FUEL, AND INSURANCE. MANY OF OUR RESIDENTS, ESPECIALLY THOSE ON FIXED INCOMES, ARE ALREADY STRUGGLING TO KEEP THEIR HOMES. RAISING PROPERTY TAXES NOW WOULD RISK PUSHING SOME OF THEM OUT OF THE VERY NEIGHBORHOODS THEY LIVED IN AND CONTRIBUTED TO FOR DECADES. INSTEAD OF INCREASING TAX BURDEN, I ENCOURAGE THIS COUNCIL TO PRIORITIZE SMARTER SPENDING AND EFFICIENCY. LET'S CONDUCT A SERIOUS REVIEW OF NON-ESSENTIAL PROGRAMS AND ADMINISTER OVERHEAD EFFICIENCY. LET'S PUSH HARDER FOR [01:20:05] PUBLIC-PRIVATE PARTNERSHIPS AND BRING INVESTMENT WITHOUT RAISING TAXES AND LET'S BE CAUTIOUS ABOUT TAKING ON NEW DEBT OR PROJECTS UNTIL WE SECURED THE RESOURCES TO MAINTAIN THE COMMITMENTS WE ALREADY HAVE. SAN ANTONIO HAS ALWAYS PRIDED ITSELF ON BEING A CITY THAT TAKES CARE OF ITS PEOPLE. BUT DO WE? IF WE MAKE PROTECTING TAXPAYERS OUR TOP PRIORITY, WE WILL SEND A CLEAR MESSAGE THAT THIS COUNCIL VALUES STABILITY, AFFORDABILITY, AND ACCOUNTABILITY. IN CLOSING, I URGE YOU TO CONSIDER PROPERTY TAX RELIEF AND NOT TO RAISE PROPERTY TAXES THIS YEAR. INSTEAD, LET'S LOOK AT LIVING WITHIN OUR MEANS, JUST AS FAMILIES OF THIS CITY ARE FORCED TO DO EVERY SINGLE DAY. TOGETHER, WE CAN KEEP SAN ANTONIO STRONG, AFFORDABLE, AND GOING FOR GENERATIONS TO COME. THANK YOU. [APPLAUSE] >> MAYOR JONES: OKAY. THAT'S ALL THE INDIVIDUALS THAT HAVE SIGNED UP TO SPEAK ON THIS ITEM. WE NEED A MOTION AND A SECOND FOR APPROVAL OF ITEM 4 SO WE MAY BEGIN DISCUSSION. >> VIAGRAN: I MOVE TO APPROVE THE BUDGET AS AMENDED AND PRESENTED BY THE CITY MANAGER TODAY. SAVE AND EXCEPT FOR FUNDING FOR THE CENTER FOR HEALTH EMPOWERMENT IN SOUTH TEXAS KNOWN AS CHEST, BECAUSE I AM RECUSING MYSELF SINCE I AM ON THE BOARD OF CHEST . >> MAYOR JONES: IT IS MOVED AND SECONDED TO APPROVE THE BUDGET AS AMENDED AND PRESENTED BY THE CITY MANAGER TODAY. SAVE AND EXCEPT FOR THE FUNDING OF CHEST. WE WILL NOW MOVE ON TO COUNCIL DISCUSSION. CHAIR VIAGRAN. >> VIAGRAN: THANK YOU, MAYOR. TODAY MARKS THE CULMINATION OF MONTHS OF HARD WORK BY CITY COUNCIL, THE CITY BUDGET OFFICE, AND ALL CITY DEPARTMENTS THAT HELP SHAPE TODAY'S $4 MILLION BALANCED BUDGET THAT PROTECTS OUR SERVICES, INVESTS IN OUR NEIGHBORHOOD AND REFLECTS THE PRIORITIES OF MY DISTRICT. I WANT TO THANK OUR CITY MANAGER, ERIK WALSH, DEPUTY MANAGER, MARIA VILLAGOMEZ, JUSTINA TATE AND THE ENTIRE FINANCE DEPARTMENT. THIS IS A HISTORIC MOMENT AND I WOULD LIKE YOU TO STAND AND BE RECOGNIZED FOR APPLAUSE. STAND, MARIA. [APPLAUSE] THIS IS HISTORIC, NOT JUST BECAUSE THIS IS A NEW COUNCIL THAT IS SITTING HERE FOR FOUR YEARS. I THINK THIS IS THE FIRST TIME AND THE LAST MEETING FOR COUNCILMAN CASTILLO-ANGUIANO, WHO HAS DONE A GREAT JOB FILLING IN. AND THE LAST BUDGET, I BELIEVE, FOR RAZI. LET'S GIVE THEM A ROUND OF APPLAUSE. [APPLAUSE] WITHOUT THE HELP AIA LANA REID AND THE SA SPEAKUP BUDGET AND ALL THAT SQUAD THAT WENT OUT, WE WOULD NOT BE ABLE TO HAVE THESE BUDGET TOWN HALLS, HAVE THESE BUDGET SURVEYS, COLLECT THE DATA, AND UNDERSTAND THAT WHAT WE ARE FACING IS SOMETHING WE HAVEN'T FACED SINCE THE PANDEMIC, WHICH IS A BUDGET DEFICIT. WE KNEW MONEY WOULD RUN OUT AND WHERE WOULD WE GO INTEREST HERE WITH A COUNCIL THAT PRIORITIZES THE PROPERTY OWNERS HERE IN SAN ANTONIO AND KEEPING THOSE TAXES LOW. BUT IT IS OUR JOB TO MOVE FORWARD AND TO FIND THE RESOURCES TO PROVIDE WHAT PEOPLE ARE CALLING ESSENTIAL AND CORE SERVICES. AND THAT MEANS A LOT OF DIFFERENT THINGS TO A LOT OF PEOPLE. SO WE ENTER THIS CYCLE FACING A HUGE DEFICIT, COMING IN WITH NEW PEOPLE THAT WOULD COME MID-TERM AND HAVE TO TRY AND TAKE THIS ALL IN LIKE A FIRE HYDRANT. AND I THINK THEY'VE DONE AN EXCELLENT JOB. THE INVESTMENTS FROM THE COMMUNITY TO ANSWER THE SURVEYS, TO SHARE THEIR MEANINGS, WHAT WAS MEANINGFUL TO THEM, AND TO ASK US TO TRY AND FIND A WAY TO MOVE FORWARD, TRUSTING THAT WE WOULD DO WHAT WAS IN THE CITY AND OUR DISTRICT'S BEST INTERESTS. I AM PROUD OF THE INVESTMENTS WE SECURED IN DISTRICT 3, THE $15.2 MILLION THROUGH INFRASTRUCTURE MANAGEMENT PROGRAM, THE FIRE STATION REPLACEMENTS, THE PUBLIC SAFETY INITIATIVES, THE STREET IMPROVEMENTS, AND WHILE INFRASTRUCTURE REMAINS A TOP PRIORITY, WE STILL HAVE THE CODE ISSUES AND THE CODE ENFORCEMENT. I WANT TO THANK FORMER COUNTY COMMISSIONER TOMMY ADDKINNISON, AND RYAN AND THE COUNTLESS OTHERS THAT SERVE ON MY BOARD AND THE BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS. AS WE TALK ABOUT PUBLIC SAFETY, IN THIS WORKSHOP WE HAVE SEEN THAT WE WANT A HOLISTIC APPROACH, A BALANCE BETWEEN OFFICERS AND RESOURCES AND [01:25:01] COMMUNITY PROJECTS AND ACTIVATING SPACES. AND I THINK WHAT I SAW THIS BUDGET CYCLE WAS A TRUE COUNCIL THAT HAD THE BEST INTERESTS AT HEART AND WE ARE GOING TO MAKE IT A BETTER SAN ANTONIO FOR YOU TOMORROW. AND WE'RE STARTING TODAY. I WANT TO TAKE A MOMENT TO THANK OUR DEDICATED EMPLOYEES AND THE WORK THAT THEY'VE DONE AND THAT IT DOESN'T GO UNNOTICED. AND I WANT TO REMEMBER MY FATHER, WHO WORKED AND SACRIFICED FOR THE CITY AND HAD A VERY GOOD LIVING, WHICH WAS ABLE TO SEND TWO DAUGHTERS TO COLLEGE. THAT'S WHY I'M PROUD THAT WE WORKED WITH AFSCME AND THEY WERE THE EXPERTS. I WAS LIKE 3% ACROSS THE BOARD. AND THEY CAME IN AND WORKED WITH OUR TEAM TO GET SOMETHING THAT WOULD ADDRESS COMPRESSION, THAT WOULD ADDRESS MOVING FORWARD, AND ADDRESS OUR LOWEST-PAYING EMPLOYEES TO MOVE UP. SO THANK YOU FOR YOUR EFFORTS, AFSCME. THANK YOU, COUNCIL FOR LISTENING TO THEM. I ALSO WANT TO TAKE THIS MOMENT TO RECOGNIZE MY ENTIRE STAFF. MELANIE RODRIGUEZ, CHRIS, ANA, ADDIE, DEBBIE, EDWARD, AND VERONICA. THEIR WORK OFTEN HAPPENS BEHIND THE SCENES. IT GOES UNNOTICED, ANSWERING CALLS. WITH THEM WE WERE ABLE TO MOVE FORWARD. TO ENRIQUE AND MY CHIEF OF STAFF, RUBEN, YOUR EARLY MORNINGS AND LATE NIGHTS DO NOT GO UNNOTICED. AND THANK YOU THAT MY DEDICATION TO THIS BUDGET IS ALSO A REFLECTION OF YOUR DEDICATION. SO I WANT TO THANK YOU ALL AND MY STAFF FOR DOING THIS. AND AS WE MOVE FORWARD. I KNOW WE'RE GOING TO HAVE SOME DISCUSSIONS UP HERE AND I KNOW WE DIDN'T ALWAYS GET WHAT WE WANTED. BUT PASSING THIS BUDGET, TODAY'S ADOPTION IS THE RIGHT STEP AS WE MOVE FORWARD. WE SAW INNOVATIVE IDEAS AND SOLUTIONS FROM EVERY SINGLE ONE OF THESE COUNCIL MEMBERS BUT TODAY IS THE DAY THAT WE SIT AND WE DECIDE THIS IS HOW WE GET THE DOLLARS TO MOVE ON WHAT IS MOST IMPORTANT HERE IN SAN ANTONIO. PASSING A BALANCED BUDGET IS CRITICAL TO MOVING OUR CITY FORWARD, PROTECTING VITAL SERVICES, AND ENSURING NO DISRUPTION TO THE DAILY TODAY WE HAVE A BUDGET THAT REFLECTS THE WILL OF THE PEOPLE, I'M HONORED TO SUPPORT THIS BUDGET, PROUD TO MAKE RECOMMENDATIONS AND THE MOTIONS, AND I'M SO PROUD AND THANKFUL FOR MY DISTRICTS IN DISTRICT 3. THANK YOU ALL. THANK YOU, MAYOR. >> JONES: CHAIR,. AL DALDRETTIGAHAVE I THE. >> THANK YOU, MAYOR, I WANT TO THANK YOU YOUR TEAM FOR THIS HUGE EFFORT, THIS HUGE UNDERTAKING, AS A COUNCILMEMBER, THIS IS PROBABLY THE MOST IMPORTANT DAY THAT WE'RE IN OFFICE, FOR COUNCILMAN CASTILLO-ANGUIANO, HAPPY TO SHARE THIS DAY WITH YOU AND HAPPY TO SHARE WITH OUR NEW COUNCIL. THE FIRST WAS FOR MORE POLICE OFFICERS, WE HAD MADE A COMMITMENT TO OUR RESIDENTS THAT WE NOT PROVIDE THEM 65 POLICE OFFICERS, WE'RE SHORT OF THAT. WHEN I TALKED TO DISTRICT 7 RESIDENTS, T THEY MAKE THIS CLEAR THAT THEY WANT MORE POLICE OFFICERS. THAT IS GOING TO HELP THEM FEEL SAFER. WE ALSO HAVE THE DATA TO PROVE IT, WITH HOTSPOT POLICING, SO WE'RE NOT GETTING THE 65, WE'RE GETTING SOME, WOULD LOVE TO SEE US TRY TO GET MORE. MY SECOND PRIORITY IS SOMETHING THAT COUNCILWOMAN VIAGRAN TOUCHED ON, I WAS PROUD TO LOCK ARM WITH A MAJORITY OF MY COUNCIL COLLEAGUES, AND THAT IS THE COST OF LIVING ADJUSTMENT FOR OUR CITY EMPLOYEES, WE KNOW IT'S TOUGH TIMES SO THANK YOU TO ASK ME -- I THOUGHT THEY WERE HERE. THANK YOU TO ASK ME FOR Y'ALL'S HELP IN WORKING WITH CITY STAFF TO MAKE THAT HAPPEN. I'M GLAD TO PARTNER WITH MY COLLEAGUES TO MAKE SURE OUR CITY EMPLOYEES ARE SUPPORT. MY LAST PRIORITY WAS THE VACANT BUILDINGS POSITION. THIS IS A CONSTANT CONCERN THAT WE HEAR FROM SO MANY RESIDENTS WHEN -- WHEN THERE IS A VACANT BUILDING IN THEIR NEIGHBORHOOD, IT -- YOU KNOW, IT CAN CREATE A VERY TOXIC ENVIRONMENT, AND SO -- AND IT BRINGS THE NEIGHBORHOOD DOWN. THANK YOU SO MUCH TO CITY STAFF FOR HELPING US WORK THROUGH AND GET THAT POSITION SO THAT WAY WE CAN STAY FOCUSED ON THE VACANT BUILDINGS ACROSS OUR CITY. THERE WAS A COUPLE OF ITEMS THAT ARE ON THE BUDGET, THE PROPOSED BUDGET TODAY, THAT, YOU KNOW, I DO WANT TO ECHO, I'M GOOD WITH THE RADAR FEEDBACK SIGNS, THE FLASHING SIGNS THAT IS A REQUEST WE GET FROM A LOT OF RESIDENTS IN DISTRICT 7, DEFINITELY SUPPORTIVE OF THE HOUSING, THE MINOR REPAIR PROGRAM, STREET LIGHTS, THE INCREASE IN THE BOOK FESTIVAL. I DO HAVE SOME COMMENTS ON SOME OF THE OTHER PARTS OF [01:30:03] THE BUDGET, LINE ITEM NUMBER 7, THE FUNDING FOR METRO HEALTH PROGRAMS. I JUST WANT US TO MAKE SURE THAT IT DOES NOT NEGATIVELY IMPACT SMALL BUSINESSES. I KNOW THIS ITEM WAS A LITTLE RUSHED AND INTRODUCED TO US YESTERDAY. SO I THINK IT WILL PROBABLY GO TO THE COMMUNITY HEALTH COMMITTEE. I WANT TO MAKE SURE WE'RE DOING OUR DUE DILIGENCE AND MAKING SURE THAT IT DOES NOT NEGATIVELY IMPACT OUR SMALL BUSINESSES WITH THE INCREASE IN THOSE FOOD SAFETY LICENSES. THE SECOND THING OUR ITEMS, NUMBER 9, THROUGH 13, THIS IS FUNDING FOR OUR DELEGATE AGENCIES. I THINK ALL OF THESE DELEGATE AGENCIES DO WONDERFUL WORK. I JUST ALSO WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT MY COUNCIL COLLEAGUES AND I ARE CLEAR THAT WHEN OTHER NONPROFITS ARE GOING TO COME AND ASK FOR HELP, WE ARE NOW SHORT THIS MUCH MONEY BECAUSE WE'RE PROVIDING FOR THESE AGENCIES, SO WE DON'T HAVE ENDLESS BUCKET OF MONEY TO GIVE TO NONPROFITS, SO WE'RE MAKING THE DECISION TODAY TO GIVE TO THESE NONPROFITS AT THE EXPENSE OF OTHER NONPROFITS, TOTALLY FINE WITH IT, BUT I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT EVERYONE IS CLEAR WITH WHAT WE'RE DOING. OTHER THAN THAT, I'M GLAD TO SEE THAT WE AGREE ON INCREASING THESE VACANT BUILDINGS, REGISTRATION FEES, AND HOPEFULLY THAT THIS WILL ENCOURAGE PROPERTY OWNERS TO ACTIVATE THEIR SPACE AND MAKE SURE THAT THEY'RE BEING GOOD NEIGHBORS, AND ALSO LOOKING FORWARD TO HAVING THAT DEDICATED CODE OFFICER TO ADDRESS THE VACANT BUILDINGS AS WELL, AND THOSE ARE ALL MY COMMENTS, THANK YOU. >> COUNCILMAN CASTILLO-ANGUIANO. >> CASTILLO-ANGUIANO: THANK YOU, MAYOR, FIRST OF ALL, I WOULD LIKE TO THANK EACH AND EVERY ONE OF YOU HERE ON COUNCIL FOR GIVING ME THE INCREDIBLE OPPORTUNITY TO SERVE MY DISTRICT 2 COMMUNITY, I WOULD LIKE TO THANK MY DISTRICT STAFF WHO ARE IN THE AUDIENCE TODAY. THEY GUIDED ME, ATTENDED ALL THE MEETINGS, SHOWED ME WHERE THE CITY GYM WAS AND SUPPORTED ME THROUGH THESE PAST TWO MONTHS, AND IT'S DEFINITELY BEEN AN UNBELIEVABLE EXPERIENCE. AS IT PERTAINS TO THE BUDGET WE ARE ADOPTING TODAY, I DO WANT TO THANK EACH AND EVERY CITY STAFF MEMBER WHO DO THE WORK OF KEEPING OUR CITY RUNNING DAY IN AND DAY OUT, AND TO THE CITY STAFF WHO CRUNCHED THE NUMBERS, I HOPE IT ALL ADDS UP, BECAUSE WE ARE COUNTING ON YOU, LITERALLY, BUT SERIOUSLY I DO HAVE TO SAY THIS BUDGET HAPPENED UNDER THE SHADOW OF A LARGE VOTE WE TOOK EARLIER IN THE YEAR ON THE SPURS ARENA, EVERY TIME WE ARGUED TO SUPPORT ONE BUDGET ITEM OVER ANOTHER, I WOULD OFTEN REFLECT ON HOW OUR CITY JUST GO AHEAD ON A TERM SHEET THAT PROMISED MILLION DOLLARS TO A SPURS ARENA, WE ARGUED OVER FUNDS FOR PUBLIC SAFETY, AND WE TALKED ABOUT HOW WE WERE GOING TO HAVE LESS BOND DOLLARS FOR FLOODING AND INFRASTRUCTURE, BUT I KNOW THAT THE CITY IS FULLY CAPABLE OF FINDING THE MONEY FOR SOME PROJECTS AND NOT FOR OTHERS, WHEN OUR RESIDENTS TELL US HOMELESSNESS IS TOP ISSUE FOR THE PAST THREE YEARS, I WAS VERY SURPRISED THIS WASN'T THE ISSUE WE SPENT MOST OF OUR TIME DEBATING. PEOPLE WILL TELL YOU SOMETIMES THINGS HAPPEN FOR A REASON, BUT I THINK THAT MOST OFTEN WE BRING REASON TO THE THINGS THAT HAPPEN. I KNOW I'M HERE ON THIS DAIS FOR A LOT OF REASONS, ONE OF THEM IS I HAPPEN TO WORK IN AN ORGANIZATION THAT SERVES OUR HOUSE'S COMMUNITY, THRIVE YOUTH CENTER IS SUCH AN AMAZING ORGANIZATION AND I'M THANKFUL I CAN BRING SOME OF MY EXPERTISE TO THIS BUDGET DECISION HERE TODAY. THIS IS WHY I MET WITH THE CITY STAFF ON THE FRONT LINES WORKING WITH OUR HOUSES COMMUNITY, FROM THESE DISCUSSIONS AND FIRST HAND EXPERIENCE, I PUT TOGETHER A CCR POLICY PROPOSAL THAT TAKES A CRITICAL LOOK AT THE SERVICES WE CURRENTLY OFFER AND PROPOSES NEW INTERVENTIONS TO CONSIDER. WE CANNOT EXPECT TO DO THE SAME THING WE'VE ALWAYS DONE AND EXPECT A DIFFERENT RESULT. SO ALTHOUGH TODAY WE AREN'T ADDING ANY SIGNIFICANT INVESTMENTS INTO HOMELESS SERVICE, I HOPE TO MOVE US IN THAT DIRECTION. YOU WILL SEE THIS ACROSS OUR DESKS TODAY, I HOPE I CAN COUNT ON SUPPORT OF MY COLLEAGUES IN THIS EFFORT. FURTHERMORE, I WILL BE SUPPORTING THIS BUDGET TODAY, ALTHOUGH I DO HAVE SOME CONCERNS. ONE BEING I DO BELIEVE THAT SWEEPS DO MORE HARM THAN GOOD, I OPPOSE THE USE OF THESE FUNDS AS A STRATEGY TO ADDRESS THE HOMELESS ISSUE. I ALSO OPPOSE THE ADDITION OF NEW POLICE OFFICERS BECAUSE DURING A BUDGET DEFICIT, WE ARE COMMITTING OURSELVES TO ON GOING COSTS THAT WE WILL MOST CERTAINLY HAVE TROUBLE CUTTING IF NECESSARY IN THE FUTURE, AND LASTLY, WE DO NOT SPEND ENOUGH MONEY ON A CRIME PREVENTION WHICH INCLUDES DEFINE MONIES FOR INTERVENTIONS THAT CRIMINOLOGISTS HAVE STATED WILL LEAD TO LONGER CRIME REDUCTION, WHEN THIS ISSUE COMES UP IN PUBLIC SAFETY COMMITTEE, I DO HOPE YOU WILL IDENTIFY SEPARATE FUNDS TO FULLY SUPPORT RECIDIVISM PREVENTION. ON THE OTHER HAND, THERE ARE SOME IMPORTANT ITEMS ON THIS BUDGET I WANT TO MAKE SURE I SUPPORT. NUMBERS OF SPAY AND NEUTER SURGERIES IS ALWAYS A HUGE WIN AND WE KNOW THAT IT IS THE PATH TO REDUCING THE STRAYRA ANIMAL POPULATION. I'M ALSO THANKFUL I COULD BE A PART OF THE COST OF [01:35:20] THE 2.3 MILLION FOR THE EAST SIDE YMC TO REDUCE SOME OF THE INFRASTRUCTURE TO PROVIDE QUALITY PROGRAMMING TO EAST SIDE COMMUNITY. LASTLY, I'M VERY HAPPY TO PROVIDE FUNDING FOR. REDUCING CRIME AND IT IS IN LINE WITH OUR CRIME REDUCTION EFFORTS CITYWIDE. I AM THANKFUL FOR THE THOUGHTFUL WORK THAT WENT INTO BUILDING THIS BUDGET AND PREPARING US FOR WHAT WILL BE A VERY UNCERTAIN TIME FINANCIALLY AND SOCIALLY IN THIS COUNTRY. ANOTHER THING I WOULD LIKE TO SAY IS I WOULD BE REMISS IF I DID NOT MENTION HOW PROUD I AM TO BE THE FIRST TRANS MAN TO SERVE ON THIS DAIS, I WANT TO MAKE IT CLEAR, TRANSPEOPLE HAVE BEEN A PART OF OUR COMMUNITY SINCE THE BEGINNING OF TIME, JUST BECAUSE THIS CONCEPT IS NEW TO SOME, IT'S NOTHING NEW AT ALL TO OUR LARGE COMMUNITY. WHEN THE ATTACKS COME, I'M CERTAIN THEY WILL, I WANT YOU TO STAND WITH ME THE MISINFORMED COMMENTS PEOPLE WILL MAKE, WHETHER IT'S SOMEONE CLOSE TO YOU OR RESIDENTS THAT COME BEFORE THIS DAIS, I WANT YOU TO DENOUNCE THE HATE SPEECH -- SORRY, I WANT YOU TO DENOUNCE THE HATEFUL SPEECH OF PEOPLE WITH FEAR IN THEIR MINDS AND HATRED IN THEIR HEART, FINALLY, I WANT TO SAY HOW MUCH I LOVE SAN ANTONIO, I WAS BORN AND RAISED HERE, I LOVE THE EAST SIDE AND THE NORTHEAST SIDE. THERE IS NOTHING LIKE BEING PART OF THE EAST SIDE HISTORY OF THE DEEP ROOTS OF MUSIC, CULTURE, AND TRAILBLAZING LEADERSHIP, ULTIMATELY I HOPE TO LOOK BACK ON THIS TIME AS ONE OF MY PROUDEST MOMENTS AND I WOULD LIKE TO SAY I WAS ABLE TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE FOR OUR CITY, MOVE OUR CITY AND OUR COUNTRY FORWARD, FOR NOT ONLY THOSE THAT ARE PRIVILEGED TO SIT HERE AMONG US, BUT MAINLY FOR THE MOST VULNERABLE IN OUR SOCIETY WHO WILL NEVER SIT AT THIS TABLE BUT WILL BE IMPACTED BY OUR DECISIONS EVERY SINGLE DAY, IT'S BEEN AN HONOR TO SERVE, THIS IS NOT A GOOD-BYE, BECAUSE I DO STILL HAVE WORK TO DO, THIS MAY BE MY LAST MEETING BUT YOU HAVEN'T SEEN THE LAST OF ME. THANK YOU, MAYOR. >> JONES: CHAIR GALVAN? >> >> GALVAN:. THANK YOU TO ALL THE DEPARTMENTS WHO ARE WORK EXTREMELY HARD THROUGHOUT THESE CONVERSATIONS IN PREPARATION FOR THE BUDGET, THROUGH JULY BUT THROUGH AUGUST MAKING CHANGES AND ASKING QUESTIONS. EXTREMELY GRATEFUL FOR ALL THAT WORK THAT Y'ALL HAVE DONE, ANSWER ALL THE QUESTIONS THAT WE HAD. JUST COMING RIGHT OFF OF COUNCILMAN CASTILLO-ANGUIANO'S POINTS, OF COURSE, LEO, YOU KNOW, I'M SUPER EXCITED THAT YOU HAVE BEEN PART OF THIS COUNCIL WITH ME, WE'VE KNOWN EACH OTHER SINCE WE WERE IN COLLEGE, INCREDIBLE TO HAVE SOMEONE WHO I'VE KNOWN FOR EXTREMELY LONG TIME BE ABLE TO SERVE WITH ME FOR A BRIEF TIME, I'M HOPEFUL FOR THE LAST TIME, BUT I KNOW HOW YOU FEEL ABOUT FUTURE ELECTIONS. BUT, NO, I WANT TO SAY YOU'VE DONE INCREDIBLE WORK, WHENEVER WE TALKED ABOUT THINGS GOING ON WITH THE BUDGET, OR OTHER COUNCIL CONVERSATIONS, YOU WERE SOMEONE WHO WAS ASKING THOUGHTFUL QUESTIONS, SOMEONE WHO WAS ASKING FOR FEEDBACK BETWEEN THE OTHER COUNCIL COLLEAGUES TOO, AND HAD YOUR OPINIONS READY TOO, DIDN'T SHY AWAY FROM WHAT YOUR THOUGHTS WERE ABOUT ANY MAKING UP HERE, I WANT TO SAY, YOU KNOW, I'M GRATEFUL FOR THAT, IT INSPIRED ME AS WELL, OF COURSE SIMILAR AGE RANGE, TO GO IN GUNG HO WITH THE CONVERSATIONS WE'VE BEEN HAVING ABOUT THE BUDGET, ABOUT POLICY CHANGES, ABOUT SPORTS FINANCING, SO, YOU KNOW, GRATEFUL FOR THE TIME YOU SPENT HERE, BUT I KNOW WE'LL CONTINUE TO WORKING TOGETHER ANY ROLE THAT YOU'RE IN, DOING THE GOOD FIGHT HERE IN OUR CITY. MOVING INTO BUDGET, OF COURSE, THE TOPIC AT HAND, I JUST AGAIN GIVE CITY STAFF WHO HAVE DONE THIS WORK TO GET US HERE, MAKING SURE WE'RE STILL PRIORITIZING HOUSING AFFORDABILITY IN OUR CITY, CITY SERVICES ARE WELL MAINTAINED AND FUNDED, AREN'T HARSHLY IMPACTED, THE WORK Y'ALL DID THROUGH JULY TO SHORE UP SOME SERVICES THAT WE WERE LOOKING AT POTENTIALLY CUTTING WAS INCREDIBLE, FRANKLY. I KNOW A LOT OF WORK THAT GOES INTO THAT TO MAKE SURE THAT DECISION IS EITHER ON OUR PARTS, TOO, THE COMMUNICATION WE PROVIDE TO OUR RESIDENTS ABOUT WHAT COULD BE IMPACTED, WHAT'S GOING TO BE IMPACTED, WAS GREAT, YOU KNOW, IT WENT THROUGH A LOT EASIER, BUT WE KNOW 2027 IS GOING TO BE -- FISCAL YEAR 2027 IS GOING TO BE THE HARDER ONE, I'M GRATEFUL WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO HAVE THIS CONVERSATION ON THE COUNCIL ABOUT WHAT THOSE IMPACTS WILL LOOK LIKE AND MAKE SURE WE'RE MAKING A MORE CONCENTRATED EFFORT TO DIVE INTO WHAT WE CAN TO MITIGATE IMPACTS TO MAKE SURE CITY SERVICES ARE MEETING THE DEMANDS THAT WE HAVE IN OUR COMMUNITY AND THAT WE'RE USING OUR TAXPAYER DOLLARS WISELY IN THE WAY THEY WANT US TO, RIGHT? OVERALL, I THINK WITH THE AMENDMENTS PROPOSED TODAY [01:40:01] AND THAT WE'VE BEEN DISCUSSING, I'M GOOD WITH ALL OF THEM, EXCEPT FOR ITEM -- AMENDMENT NUMBER 3, EVERYTHING ELSE I'M PRETTY SOLID WITH. I DO WANT TO ECHO COUNCILMAN. >> ALDERETE:'S POINT, I'M SUPPORTIVE OF THE DELEGATE AGENCIES WE'VE DISCUSSED THROUGH THE AMENDMENT PROCESS, I'M EXCITED FOR THE FUTURE CONVERSATION IN THE FALL, BECAUSE I THINK IT'S WORTH TAKING TIME TO THINK ABOUT WHAT WE WANT THAT PROCESS TO LOOK LIKE, MAKING SURE THAT IT'S NOT -- THAT ALL NONPROFITS AND ALL EXTERNAL AGENCIES GET A CHANCE TO TALK WITH OUR OFFICES IN A MANNER AND NOT RIGHT BEFORE OUR BUDGET IS ALMOST COMPLETE, RIGHT, I THINK IT MAKES IT TOUGH FOR THE AGENCIES WHO DON'T HAVE THE CONNECTIONS TO MAKE THAT DIRECT ASK TO MAKE IT MORE PROACTIVE, HOPEFUL THAT WILL WORK OUT WITHIN OUR CONVERSATION, ABOUT THE DELEGATE AGENCY FUNDING, LOOKING AT WHAT CAPACITY OUR CITY WILL HAVE, NOT ONLY NEXT YEAR BUT SEVERAL YEARS AFTER TO CONTINUE SURPRISE SUPPG AGENCIES DOING WORK IN OUR COMMUNITY. REVIEWING METRO HEALTH FOOD AND SAFETY, I THINK IT'S WORTH WHILE TO REVIEW THE INCREASE IN THE FEES THERE, SEEING PROGRESS, THE IMPACT IT'S HAVING ON OUR SMALL BUSINESS ECONOMY, AND MAKING SURE OUR SMALL BUSINESSES ARE INCLUDED IN THAT TABLE, TOO, AS WE GO FORWARD WITH LOOKING AT NOT ONLY THIS PARTICULAR FEE INCREASE, ECONOMIC WORKFORCE AS WELL, WE CAN WORK TOGETHER ON THAT, TO SEE WHAT WAYS SMALL BUSINESS FEES ARE IMPACTING OUR LOCAL ECONOMY, WHERE WE CAN KIND OF MEET A GOOD MIDDLE GROUND BETWEEN BOTH. I THINK THOSE ARE ALL OF MY COMMENTS FOR NOW. THANK YOU, MAYOR. >> JONES: COUNCILMAN WHYTE? >> WHYTE: THANKS, MAYOR. I WANT TO THANK CITY STAFF, ERIK, CHRISTINA, MARIA, ALL OF YOUR TEAM FOR ALL THE HARD WORK. I ALSO WANT TO THANK ALL THE DEPARTMENT HEADS AS WELL, BECAUSE THIS YEAR, OBVIOUSLY TOUGH FINANCIAL TIMES, WE DID THESE BUDGET EFFICIENCY REVIEWS, WHICH I THINK IS OUR FIRST STEP BEFORE WE MOVE INTO THE NEW ZERO BASED BUDGETING HYBRID MODEL THAT WE'RE GOING TO LOOK AT THIS FALL, AND WHEN YOU TOTAL IT ALL UP, AND THANK YOU TO MY TEAM FOR DOING SO, IT LOOKS LIKE WE FOUND $27.1 MILLION IN BUDGET INEFFICIENCIES THAT WE WERE THEN ABLE TO REDIRECT TOWARD THE CITIZENS' PRIORITIES, AND THAT TO ME IS A TESTAMENT FIRST OF ALL, TO THE HARD WORK OF OUR CITY TEAM, ERIK, THANK YOU FOR INSISTING THAT WE DO THAT WORK, AND AGAIN, I WOULD JUST POINT OUT TO MY COLLEAGUES, AS WE'VE SEEN OVER THE PAST FEW WEEKS, SO MUCH THAT WE WANT TO DO, SO MANY NEEDS IN THE COMMUNITIES. WE'VE GOT TO CONTINUE TO PRESS FORWARD TO FIND OUT WHERE WE'RE SPENDING MONEY NEEDLESSLY, REDUNDANTLY. WASTEFULLY, AND THEN REDIRECT THAT MONEY TOWARD WHAT OUR CITIZENS WANT US TO SPEND IT ON, SO THANK YOU VERY MUCH. TO CITY STAFF FOR THAT. I WANT TO THANK MY TEAM AS WELL, LED BY RAUL, BUT EVERYBODY ON MY TEAM, RIGHT DOWN TO INCLUDING OUR CONSTITUENT SERVICES PEOPLE THAT TAKE THE CALLS AND LISTEN TO WHAT THE RESIDENTS ARE ASKING FOR, SO THAT WE CAN COME UP ON THIS DAIS AND ADVOCATE FOR IT, SO THANK YOU VERY MUCH. TO MY TEAM. THERE IS A LOT OF GOOD IN THIS SUBJECT. . THE RAISE FOR CITY EMPLOYEES, VERY, VERY PLEASED. IT'S WELL-DESERVED, I'M GLAD WE'RE DOING THAT. $10 MILLION FOR CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PROJECTS, RIGHT? THESE ARE THE THINGS OUR CITIZENS ARE ASKING FOR EVERY SINGLE DAY. THE ENCAMPMENT RESPONSE TEAM, CONTINUING IN THAT EFFORT. VERY, VERY IMPORTANT. WE HEAR ABOUT IT FROM OUR NEIGHBORS EVERY SINGLE DAY. $122 MILLION FOR THE STREET MAINTENANCE PROGRAM. YOU KNOW, I SAY IT A LOT, 22% OF THE STREETS IN THIS CITY ARE IN POOR OR FAILING CONDITION, THAT IS ABSOLUTELY NOT ACCEPTABLE. INFRASTRUCTURE NEEDS TO BE RIGHT AT THE TOP OF THIS COUNCIL'S PRIORITY LIST, BECAUSE I THINK IT'S AT THE TOP OF OUR RESIDENTS' PRIORITY LIST, AND SO HAPPY THAT WE'RE DEDICATING $122 MILLION THERE. $1.3 MILLION TO ADD MORE FIREFIGHTERS, INCLUDING SOME ENHANCED SQUADS, VERY, VERY IMPORTANT, YOU KNOW, ALL THAT OUR FIRE FOLKS DO. IT'S THE BEST FIRE DEPARTMENT IN THE UNITED STATES, AND I'M HAPPY THAT WE'RE ADDING TO IT. WE'RE ALSO GOT SOME MONEY IN HERE FOR A NEEDS ASSESSMENT FOR FIRE, SO WE CAN DETERMINE WHAT ELSE THEY [01:45:01] NEED TO DO THEIR JOBS MORE EFFECTIVELY, EFFICIENTLY, AND SAFELY MOVING FORWARD. VERY, VERY HAPPY ABOUT THAT. COUNCILWOMAN KAUR HEADED THE EFFORT TO GET SOME MORE LIGHTING IN OUR CITY, WHICH IS VERY, VERY IMPORTANT AS WELL, BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, LIGHTING IS SOMETHING OUR PEOPLE WANT, AND IT DOES HELP DETER CRIME, AND SO HAPPY THAT WE'RE GOING TO BE GETTING THAT IN THIS BUDGET. WITH THAT SAID, REALLY DISAPPOINTED IN A COUPLE OF THINGS. FIRST OF ALL, THE FEES THAT WERE INCREASING ON OUR CITIZENS THROUGH THIS BUDGET I THINK IS VERY UNFORTUNATE. IT'S A COP OUT TO ME IS WHAT IT IS. THE PEOPLE OF THIS CITY SHOULD NOT CONTINUE TO TAKE ON THE FINANCIAL BURDEN FOR WHAT THIS COUNCIL WANTS TO -- WANTS TO SPEND MONEY ON. OUR PEOPLE PAY TOO MUCH ALREADY. THEY PAY TOO MUCH IN PROPERTY TAXES, TOO MUCH FOR PERMITTING FEES AND OTHER FEES THAT WE HIT THEM WITH WE'VH EVERY SINGLE YEAR. THE FEES IN LIEU OF FINDING OTHER PLACES TO CUT AND TO DOWN SIZE BOTHERS ME. IT SHOULDN'T BE HAPPENING. AND NEXT YEAR, WHEN WE MOVE INTO EVEN A MORE DIFFICULT FISCAL ENVIRONMENT, I HOPE THAT THIS BODY IS NOT GOING TO ADVOCATE FOR AN ANSWER THAT INCLUDES CONTINUING TO BURDEN OUR RESIDENTS WITH MORE FEES. IT'S JUST NOT RIGHT. WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO MAKE THE HARD DECISIONS AND MAKE THE CUTS NECESSARY. AND THEN WE COME TO PUBLIC SAFETY, AND IN THIS BUDGET, WE HAVE FUNDING FOR AN ADDITIONAL 40 POLICE OFFICERS WHICH OF COURSE IS 25 SHORT OF WHAT WE PROMISE THE CITIZENS OF SAN ANTONIO. AND THERE IS NO OTHER WAY FOR ME TO SAY THIS OTHER THAN I BELIEVE THAT BACKTRACKING ON THE PROMISE OF 60 -- 65 OFFICERS TO OUR COMMUNITY, BACKTRACKING ON THAT PROMISE IS NOTHING SHORT OF GOVERNMENT MALPRACTICE. PUBLIC SAFETY IS OUR HIGHEST PRIORITY. ALL THE OTHER THINGS THAT WE WANT TO DO DO NOT MATTER IF OUR CITIZENS DO NOT FEEL SAFE. UNDER THE LAST ADMINISTRATION, AND I SAID THIS YESTERDAY, WE PARTNERED WITH A CONSULTANT AND WE CONDUCTED A STAFFING STUDY FOR THE POLICE DEPARTMENT. IT WAS RECOMMENDED THAT WE ADD 360 OFFICERS OVER FIVE YEARS. THE POINT IS TO MOVE OUR POLICE FORCE TO WHERE 60% ARE ON PROACTIVE PATROL TIME AND 40% OF OUR OFFICERS ARE RESPONDING TO CALLS. ONE OF THE PURPOSES FOR THAT IS TO DETER CRIME. AND AT THE PUBLIC SAFETY BUDGET BRIEFING, CHIEF MCMANUS, OUR LEAD LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICIAL, STOOD AT THE PODIUM, HE TOLD US THE QUICKER WE GET TO THAT 60-40 RATIO, THE QUICKER WE'RE GOING TO MAKE OUR COMMUNITY SAFER. THE BOOTS ON THE GROUND ARE TELLING US THAT. THE EXPERTS THAT DID THIS STUDY ARE TELLING US THAT. AND WE EVEN WENT FURTHER AND WE DID A UTSA STUDY THAT SHOWED WHEN OFFICERS PATROLLED AREAS, PATROLLED HIGH CRIME AREAS, WHEN WE PUT MORE OFFICERS ON THE STREET, THE CRIME WENT DOWN. SO TO SET UP HERE TODAY AND REVERSE COURSE, SIMPLY BECAUSE WE'RE IN A DIFFICULT FISCAL TIME, IT'S JUST NOT RIGHT. IT MAKES NO SENSE TO ME WHEN WE SAY THAT PUBLIC SAFETY IS OUR HIGHEST PRIORITY. YES, MONEY IS TIGHT, BUT WHAT YOU DO WHEN MONEY IS TIGHT IS YOU START WITH THE MOST IMPORTANT THINGS AND YOU BUILD THE REST OF THE BUDGET AROUND IT. THE 65 OFFICERS SHOULD HAVE BEEN PUT IN THIS BUDGET FIRST. AND THEN EVERYTHING ELSE SHOULD HAVE BEEN BUILT AROUND IT. IT'S WHAT OUR CITIZENS WANT. IT'S WHAT LAW ENFORCEMENT IS TELLING US WE NEED. IT'S WHAT THE EXPERTS ARE TELLING US WE NEED. WE PAID FOR THAT STUDY. NOW WE DON'T LISTEN TO THE ADVICE AND WE BACKTRACK ON [01:50:02] IT. IT'S PUTTING THE RESIDENTS OF SAN ANTONIO, THEIR SAFETY, AT RISK, AND I CITED THE SMART ASSET STUDY FROM THIS YEAR, AND I'M GOING TO READ THE FIRST LINE OF THE STUDY AGAIN, IT SAYS CITY SAFETY OR LACK THEREOF CAN LEAD TO GREAT DISPARITY IN QUALITY OF LIFE AND RETURN ON DOLLARS INVESTED BY RESIDENTS, BUSINESSES AND GOVERNMENT ALIKE. AND SAN ANTONIO RANKS LAST OUT OF OUR BIG CITIES IN SAFETY ACCORDING TO THIS STUDY. WE CAN DO BETTER. AND SO WITH THAT SAID, I MAKE A MOTION AT THIS TIME TO AMEND THE PROPOSED BUDGET TO INCLUDE AN ADDITIONAL 25 POLICE OFFICERS AT A COST OF $1.39 MILLION, FUNDED THROUGH A 1,$024,341 REDUCTION TO THE SCHEDULED REPLACEMENT OF COMPUTERS AND RELATED EQUIPMENT FUNDING ASCRIBED IN THE ALL FUNDS CAPITAL OUTLAY, AND A $400,000 DECREASE TO THE DELEGATE AGENCY RESERVE FUND. WE DON'T NEED TO REPLACE COMPUTERS AND PHONES AS OFTEN AS WE ARE, AND 400,000-- >> JONES: COUNCILMAN, YOUR TIME IS UP -- >> WHYTE: AMOUNTS TO LESS THAN 2%. >> JONES: POINT OF ORDER, YOUR TIME IS UP, COUNCILMAN, PLEASE RESPECT THE BODY. THANK YOU. >> SECOND. SECOND TO HIS MOTION. >> JONES: IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION ON THE AMENDMENT? COUNCILMAN, HAVE YOU DONE AN ANALYSIS OF THE CYBERSECURITY RISKS THAT THE CITY WOULD POTENTIALLY INCUR AS A RESULT OF NOT FUNDING THOSE REQUIRED UPDATES? >> WHYTE: YEAH, THANK YOU FOR THE QUESTION, MAYOR, I'VE SPOKEN WITH OUR CITY MANAGER ABOUT THE SCHEDULE AND HOW IT'S APPROXIMATELY 20% OF OUR DEPARTMENTS THAT GET NEW COMPUTER EQUIPMENT AND PHONES EACH YEAR, AND THIS AMENDMENT WERE TO PASS, THE CITY MANAGER ASSURED ME THAT THE SECURITY REQUIREMENTS WOULD BE PRIORITIZED SO THAT THEY WOULDN'T BE NEGATIVELY AFFECTED BY THIS AMENDMENT. >> JONES: ERIK, CAN YOU SPEAK TO THE CYBERSECURITY RISKS ASSOCIATED WITH CHANGES TO THE SCHEDULED UPDATES TO OUR EQUIPMENT? AGAIN, WHETHER IT BE SOFTWARE OR WHETHER IT BE DELAYS IN UPDATING HARDWARE, THIS IS ONE OF THE MAIN WAYS IN WHICH BODIES ARE UNFORTUNATELY LESS SUSCEPTIBLE TO RANSOM, TO SCAMS, ET CETERA, SO WOULD YOU PLEASE SPEAK TO THAT. >> WALSH: SURE, I'LL ASK BEN TO HELP ME WITH THAT, AS HE GOES TO THE PODIUM, ALSO ADD SOME CONTEXT TO WHAT THE COUNCILMAN SAID. WE REPLACE PCS, AND LAPTOPS ON A SCHEDULE EVERY FIVE YEARS, SO THAT'S THE 20% THAT THE COUNCILMAN IS TALKING ABOUT. WE DON'T DO EVERYTHING EVERY YEAR. WE DO IT OVER TIME, AND WE DO IT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE UP TO DATE ON TERMS OF SOFTWARE AND ACCESS, AS WELL AS CYBERSECURITY, BEN, I DON'T KNOW IF YOU WANT TO ADD A PART OF THAT TO THE CONSIDERATION, BECAUSE BEFORE I HAND IT TO BEN, WE WOULD HAVE TO MITIGATE THAT IN TERMS OF SECURITY PATCHES AND THE PRIORITIZATION. WE KNOW RIGHT NOW WHAT COMPUTERS NEED TO BE REPLACED, BECAUSE THAT'S WHAT WE BUDGETED FOR. ANY ADJUSTMENTS TO THAT SCHEDULE, WE WILL NEED TO REPRIORITIZE TO MAKE SURE WE DON'T LEAVE OURSELVES SUSCEPTIBLE TO THAT, BEN, I DON'T KNOW IF YOU WANT TO ADD ANYTHING TO THAT. >> CITY MANAGER SUMMED IT UP WELL. WE HAVE A PC REPLACEMENT PROGRAM, COMPUTER SOFTWARE REPLACEMENT PROGRAM, THAT WE WANT TO STICK TO AS MUCH AS WE CAN, IT'S IMPORTANT BECAUSE IT ALLOWS US TO KEEP THOSE MACHINES AND THAT HARDWARE AND INFRASTRUCTURE UP TO DATE, WHICH IS REALLY IMPORTANT FROM A PATCHING PERSPECTIVE. IF WE GET OUTSIDE THE WARRANTY PERIOD, WE HAVE DIFFICULTY GETTING THOSE MACHINES REPAIRED AND THEN THEY'RE MORE SUSCEPTIBLE TO BEING COMPROMISED, IF YOU WILL. AS ERIK MENTIONED, IF WE DID MOVE FORWARD WITH THIS, WE WOULD NEED TO DETERMINE A WAY TO MITIGATE THAT IMPACT. WE WANT TO MAKE SURE WE DON'T INCREASE OUR RISK ON OUR ENTIRE NETWORK. >> JONES: IT SOUNDS LIKE WE DO NOT HAVE AN ASSESSMENT OF THE RISK, SOUNDS LIKE WE [01:55:02] NEED TO DO THAT, WHILE THE FUNDING IS A MILLION DOLLARS, WE DO NOT KNOW THE RISK THAT WE WOULD BE INVITING AS A RESULT OF THIS PROPOSED CHANGE, I CERTAINLY APPRECIATE THE FINANCIAL PERSPECTIVE. DO WE HAVE A CYBERSECURITY EXPERT CAN THAT ACTUALLY SPEAK TO THE RISKS. >> OUR CHIEF INFORMATION SECURITY OFFICER IS NOT IN THE CHAMBER RIGHT NOW. >> JONES: OKAY, WELL, IT SOUNDS LIKE WE'RE NOT ABLE TO DISCUSS THE RISKS THEN IF THE PRINCIPAL SECURITY OFFICER THAT WOULD SPEAK TO THIS RISK IS NOT IN THE ROOM. OKAY. >> THANK YOU. SO I BELIEVE -- I BELIEVE THERE'S TWO OPTIONS, SO I'M JUST GOING TO SAY IT IS NOT THE THING -- AND ANDY, IF YOU COULD CLARIFY, WE ARE PHOTOING TO NOT ADD AN ADDITIONAL -- IF WE -- IF WE VOTE THIS DOWN, WHEN WE CALL TO QUESTION, WE ARE JUST VOTING AGAINST NO ADDITIONAL TEN OFFICERS, SO WE STILL WOULD KEEP THE AMENDMENT AS IT IS WITH THE FIFTEEN, CORRECT? >> ... I GUESS THE MOTION IS TO ADD ADDITIONAL 25. IF THE COUNCIL VOTES DOWN THE PROPOSED AMENDMENT, WE WILL PRESERVE THE ADDITIONAL 15 THAT WOULD INCLUDE -- THAT WOULD THEN HAVE 40 TOTAL ADDED, SO YES, YOU'RE ONLY VOTING ON THE MOTION TO ADD AN ADDITIONAL 25. >> VIAGRAN: OKAY. YEAH. IF NO OTHER COUNCIL ARE GOING TO DISCUSS, I'D CALL TO QUESTION SO WE CAN VOTE, BECAUSE I KNOW WE HAVE ANOTHER ONE -- ANOTHER OPTION COMING UP NEXT. >> JONES: OKAY, PLEASE VOTE. THE MOTION FAILS. COUNCILMAN SPEARS, YOU'RE RECOGNIZED TO SPEAK. >> SPEARS: THANK YOU, MAYOR. WELL, I TOO WANT TO EXPRESS MY APPRECIATION FOR WORK BEHIND TODAY'S BUDGET. THIS IS MY FIRST BUDGET, I CAN ATTEST THE BRIEFING OP THESE ITEMS AND THEIR RESPECTIVE DEPARTMENTS WAS INTENSE AND DID IN FACT MOVE QUICKLY, WHEN I PLACED MY NAME ON THE BALLOT, I KNEW THE BUDGET IS ONE OF THE FIRST THINGS WE WOULD TACKLE ON OUR NEW COUNCIL. WHEN I TOOK OFFICE, WE HAD ONE MEETING AND WENT ON JULY BREAK, AND I KNEW RIGHT AWAY I WOULD REALLY WANT MORE TIME. AS A COUNCIL AND CITY STAFF, WE DID MOVE QUICKLY, AND I UNDERSTAND AND APPRECIATE VERY MUCH THAT MANY OF THE ITEMS THAT WE HAVE HERE TODAY REPRESENT CRITICAL SERVICES FOR MAINTAINING OUR CREEKWAYS AND DRAINAGE AND IMPROVING INFRASTRUCTURE AND SAFETY TO EXPANDING MEAL PROGRAMS FOR OUR OLDER ADULTS, AND ADDRESSING HOMELESSNESS IN OUR CITY AND SUPPORTING YOUTH FOCUSED INITIATIVES. I LOOK FORWARD TO THE INFORMATION WE WILL LEARN AND THE FIRE DEPARTMENT INITIATIVE NEEDS ASSESSMENTS. WE DO HAVE THE VERY BEST FIREFIGHTERS IN THE NATION AND I'M HAPPY WE'RE ADDING ENHANCED SQUADS AND ADDITIONAL TRAINING AND I ALSO LOOK FORWARD TO SEIZING ECONOMIC GROWTH OPPORTUNITIES ALONGSIDE OUR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT. I'M GRATEFUL TO OUR STAFF FOR THEIR DILIGENCE IN BRINGING FORTH THESE EFFORTS THAT KEEP OUR CITY RUNNING SMOOTHLY, AND DIRECTLY SUPPORT THE QUALITY OF LIFE IN OUR COMMUNITIES, AND I ALSO WANT TO THANK MY OWN STAFF FOR YOUR DILIGENCE AND HARD WORK, I'M HONORED TO HAVE EACH OF YOU ON MY TEAM AND WE HAVE MUCH MORE TO DO. WE BEGAN BY WORKING FROM A BUDGET DEFICIT POSITION WHICH REQUIRED DIFFICULT DECISIONS AND WHILE IT IS NOT PERFECT, I DO WANT TO SEE OUR CITY CONTINUE TO FUNCTION EFFICIENTLY AND CONTINUE TO SERVE OUR RESIDENTS. THAT BEING SAID, WE HAVE SUCCESSFULLY CRAFTED A BALANCED BUDGET, FROM MY ACCOUNTING BACKGROUND, I KNOW THE BEST DAY TO BEGIN WORK FOR NEXT YEAR'S BUDGET IS TO START TOMORROW, I'M EAGER TO DO JUST THAT. I REMAIN FOCUSED ON CORE SERVICES, INFRASTRUCTURE, ECONOMIC GROWTH FOR OUR CITY, AND MOST OF ALL, PUBLIC SAFETY. I DO WANT TO CONTINUE TO WORK WITH MY COLLEAGUES TO ENSURE THE SAFETY OF OUR COMMUNITIES. IT IS MY POSITION THAT WE MUST TAKE INTO CONSIDERATION WHERE WE ARE WITH THE NUMBER OF POLICE OFFICERS WE HAVE, OUR OVERALL GROWTH, OUR PROJECTED GROWTH, AND REAL AND PERCEIVED CRIME. IF OUR RESIDENTS DO NOT FEEL SAFE, THEN THEY ARE NOT. THERE IS SIMPLY NO REPLACEMENT FOR ADDITIONAL BOOTS ON THE GROUND IN DETERRING CRIME. WE MADE A PROMISE TO OUR CITY TO DECREASE CRIME AND STILL BELIEVE THIS IS THE MOST IMPORTANT PROMISE THAT WE HAVE MADE. IT AFFECTS EVERY SINGLE OTHER AREA IN OUR CITY. I ORIGINALLY WANTED AN ADDITIONAL 100 OFFICERS ADDED TO OUR BUDGET, BUT I AM NOT AIMING FOR 65, AND I DO BELIEVE WE NEED AN ADDITIONAL 25 TO MEET THAT [02:00:03] NUMBER, SO WITH THAT, I WANT TO MAKE A MOTION MYSELF. I MOTION TO AMEND THE PROPOSED BUDGET TO INCLUDE AN ADDITIONAL 25 POLICE OFFICERS TO THE PATROL UNIT AT A COST OF $1.39 MILLION, FUNDED THROUGH A $1.39 MILLION REDUCTION IN THE POLICE DISTRICT FILL OVERTIME BUDGET. >> SECOND. >> JONES: IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION ON THE AMENDMENT? CHIEF MCMANUS, GOT A QUESTION FOR YOU, SIR. FOR THE EDIFICATION OF THIS BODY, REDUCING THE OVERTIME BUDGET BY $1.39 MILLION, WOULD THAT IN FACT NEGATE THE NEED TO REFILL THAT SAME BUDGET WITH $1.39 MILLION? I UNDERSTAND THERE MAY BE TIMES WHERE YOU HAVE TO PAY OVERTIME, NOT NECESSARILY BECAUSE THERE AREN'T ENOUGH OFFICERS, BUT RATHER BASED ON THE DAY OF THE YEAR THEY ARE IN FACT WORKING, FOR EXAMPLE. SO WOULD TAKING $1.39 MILLION FROM THE OVERTIME BUDGET TO PAY FOR THESE ADDITIONAL OFFICERS, WOULD WE IN FACT HAVE TO COME AGAIN AND REFILL THAT BASED ON THE NEED FOR OVERTIME AT A MINIMUM BASED ON THE -- BASED ON THE CONTRACT WITH THE POLICE. >> MCMANUS: MAYOR, I REALLY DON'T HAVE A GREAT ANSWER FOR THAT QUESTION. >> JONES: OKAY, THANKS, CHIEF. ERIK, IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO ANSWER THAT. >> WALSH: YEAH, I THINK THE -- THE -- I'LL GIVE YOU THE NOT SO STRAIGHT ANSWER, RIGHT? SO WE -- WE SPEND THAT OVERTIME TO FILL A PATROL DISTRICT TO YOUR QUESTION IF WE HAVE LESS MONEY THERE, TO BE HONEST WITH YOU, HE'S GOING TO FILL THAT POSITION BECAUSE WE'VE GOT TO HAVE THAT PATROL DISTRICT FILLED SO WE'RE GOING TO SPEND THAT MONEY ANYWAY, SO WE'RE PROBABLY GOING TO BE OVER BUDGET AS WE GO INTO IT, AND I THINK THAT'S THE DIFFICULTY. I'M NOT -- IF WE WERE -- THAT'S A REQUIREMENT OF THE SERVICE, AND SO IF WE HAVE PATROL -- EVERY PATROL DISTRICT, EVERY DAY, EVERY SUB STATION HAS TO BE FILLED, AND THAT'S WHERE WE RESPOND TO THE CALLS, AND SO WE CAN'T HAVE -- WE SHOULDN'T HAVE IN NORMAL CASES UNFILLED DISTRICTS WHEN WE START SHIFTS. THINGS HAPPEN. BIG EVENTS HAPPEN, AND OFFICERS GO AND LEAVE THEIR PATROL DISTRICT TO RESPOND TO A LARGER CALL, THEY'RE OPEN, BUT IT'S A HOMOGENOUS SYSTEM THAT WORKS. I THINK THE ANSWER IS OR NONANSWER TO YOU IS THAT'S NOT WHAT WE PROBABLY NEED TO BE, AND I THINK WE WOULD PROBABLY STILL NEED TO CUT -- IF THIS IS AN AMENDMENT THAT YOU ALL PROPOSE, WE'LL REDUCE THAT EXPENSE, BUT OVERSPEND IF WE HAVE TO -- MAKE SURE THOSE PATROL DISTRICTS ARE FILLED . >> MCMANUS. MAYOR, IF I MAY. >> JONES: CHIEF, PLEASE. >> MCMANUS: THE DISCRETIONARY OVERTIME THAT -- I'M SORRY, THE OVERTIME THAT ERIK JUST MENTIONED IS NOT DISCRETIONARY OVERTIME. MOST OF IT COMES FROM DISTRICT FILL AND CALL BACK WHICH AGAIN IS NOT DISCRETIONARY, SO IT'S, TO ERIK'S POINT, WE MAY WIND UP GOING OVER BUDGET IN THAT AREA. >> JONES: OKAY. SO IF I MAY, JUST TO SUMMARIZE WHAT YOU SAID, CHIEF, IF WE REMOVE THE 1.39 MILLION FROM THE OVERTIME BUDGET AS YOU DESCRIBED TO PAY FOR THESE ADDITIONAL OFFICERS, WE MAY GO OVER BUDGET IF WE NEED TO BACKFILL, IS THAT CORRECT? >> MCMANUS: WHAT WE'RE GOES TO DO IS WE'RE GOING TO REDUCE SOMEWHERE BECAUSE TO MAKE UP THAT DIFFERENCE. WE'LL NEED TO. BECAUSE HE'LL HAVE TO STAY WITHIN HIS BUDGET UNDER THE CHARTER. SO WE'LL MAKE ADJUSTMENTS SOMEWHERE, BECAUSE I DON'T THINK IT'S -- IN THE WHOLE DEPARTMENTAL BUDGET, WE'LL MAKE OTHER ADJUSTMENTS. IT LIKELY WON'T BE IN THAT AREA. I UNDERSTAND THAT'S THE TOPIC OF THE POTENTIAL AMENDMENT. IF WE OVERSPEND THERE, WE WILL DO LESS SOMEWHERE ELSE, AND THAT'S UP TO THE CHIEF AND HIS TEAM TO MANAGE THAT ALLOCATION. >> JONES: CHIEF, I KNOW WE'RE PUTTING YOU ON THE SPOT HERE, CAN YOU SPEAK TO TOP OF MIND THINGS THAT COULD GO UNDE UNFUNDED AS A RESULT OF THAT? >> MCMANUS: NO. >> JONES: OKAY. THAT'S WHY I THINK IT'S REALLY DIFFICULT FOR US TO HAVE THESE CONVERSATIONS ABSENT ANY DATA ORNALES TO OR AS TO SUGGEST IMPACT ON PUBLIC SAFETY. COUNCILMAN WHYTE, IF THERE [02:05:02] ARE OTHERS THAT WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK. >> WHYTE: JUST BRIEFLY. I WANT TO BE CLEAR THAT CHIEF MCMANUS AND HIS ENTIRE DEPARTMENT DOING ABSOLUTELY PHENOMENAL JOB. THESE ARE HARD WORKING, BRAVE INDIVIDUALS THAT GO TO WORK EVERY DAY TRYING TO KEEP OUR CITY SAFE. BUT WE'VE GOT, WHAT, MORE THAN 400,000 HOURS OF OVERTIME THAT THESE FOLKS ARE PUTTING IN. I THINK THEY NEED HELP, AND THAT'S WHY WE NEED THESE ADDITIONAL 25 OFFICERS. >> JONES: CHAIR VIAGRAN? >> VIAGRAN: YES. YOU KNOW I WANT TO INCREASE THE -- AND YOU WON'T SAY IT, BUT I WILL. IT WILL BE THE SAFE OFFICERS, BECAUSE THEY WILL HAVE TO BE PULLED IF THERE'S A BIG EVENT DOWNTOWN AND THEY NEED COVERAGE, BECAUSE I WORKED -- I WORKED FOR PD FOR 7 YEARS, AND WHEN I WOULD LIKE WHERE ARE THE SAFE OFFICERS, OH, THEY HAD TO HELP COVER HERE. SO I'M NOT WILLING TO RISK THAT IF WE ARE GOING TO HAVE TO SPEND SOMEWHERE AND CUT, AND I REALLY THINK -- I HEAR THE NEED, BUDGET PROVIDING, AND I THINK ERIK HAS MADE IT CLEAR, BUDGET PROVIDING, WE CAN HAVE -- WE CAN ADD THE ADDITIONAL 15. IF I BELIEVED WE COULD ADD THE FULL 65, I WOULD BE THE FIRST ONE TO SAY YES, BUT THAT'S NOT WHERE WE'RE AT BUDGETWISE, AND THE ONLY WAY WE GET THERE, AND I REPEATED -- I SAID THIS YESTERDAY IS IF WE FIND A WAY TO GET MORE TAX REVENUE. WE DON'T WANT TO INCREASE THE PROPERTY TAXES. I HEAR COMPLAINTS ABOUT INCREASING THE FEES. AND MY PRIORITY IS MY RESIDENTS, MY RESIDENTS LOVE MY SAFE OFFICERS, WHAT I DON'T NEED IS MY SAFE OFFICERS HAVING TO COVER SOMEWHERE ELSE BECAUSE OF OVERTIME. SO I ENCOURAGE ALL MY COUNCILMEMBERS TO -- AND THIS IS NOT A RIDE ALONG. YOU NEED TO DO AT LEAST TWO TO THREE DAYS JUST SITTING THERE WATCHING WHERE THESE OFFICERS HAVE TO GO, WHERE PATROL HAS TO GO, AND WHAT SAFE DOES. SO WITH THAT, I WON'T BE SUPPORTING THIS ITEM. I DO LOOK TO -- FOR SOLUTIONS. I THINK FEDERALLY, OUR FEDERAL GOVERNMENT NEEDS TO HELP US WITH WHAT WE HAVE, AND I AM COMMITTED TO GO OUT AND SEE WHAT THEY'RE WILLING TO GIVE US BECAUSE WE'VE COMMITTED TO THESE ADDITIONAL OFFICERS HERE IN SAN ANTONIO, SO WE'VE DONE GRANTS IN THE PAST, SOME OF YOU HAVE MENTIONED IT, THERE'S OTHER SPECIALTY PROJECTS. I LOOK FORWARD TO SEEING WHAT PUBLIC SAFETY HAS TO COME, BECAUSE THERE'S OPPORTUNITIES OUT THERE, BUT I TRUST CHIEF AND HIS EXECUTIVE TEAM TO FIND THEM FOR US AND GET CREATIVE, BUT I -- IF THERE'S EVEN A SLIGHT INKLING THAT MY SAFE OFFICERS COULD BE IMPACTED BY THIS, I WOULD NOT BE SUPPORTIVE. THANK YOU, THANK YOU, CHIEF, FOR COMING UP, AND THANK YOU, ERIK, FOR THE EXPLANATION, THANK YOU, MAYOR. >> JONES: CHAIR KAUR. >> KAUR: THANK YOU, MAYOR, I WANTED TO COMMENT THAT I APPRECIATE THE INNOVATION IN TRYING TO FIND A SOLUTION FOR THE THING THAT YOU'RE ADVOCATING FOR, BUT I TALKED WITH SOME OF THE OFFICERS AND THE OFFICERS WANT THEIR OVERTIME. THEY ACTUALLY WANT TO BE ABLE TO WORK ON THE EVENTS AND THEY WANT TO BE ABLE TO GO OUT AND GET THAT EXTRA INCOME, SO THEY WERE NOT SUPPORTIVE OF -- THEY COULDN'T TELL ME WHICH ONE THEY WOULD PICK, BECAUSE OBVIOUSLY THEY WANT SUPPORT IN THE FIELD, BUT PEOPLE WORK THOSE SHIFTS BECAUSE THEY WANT THEM, AT LEAST FOR SOME OF THEM. THANKS, MAYOR. >> JONES: WOULD ANYBODY ELSE LIKE TO SPEAK ON THIS ITEM? OKAY. WE'LL MOVE TO VOTE ON THIS AMENDMENT. MOTION FAILS. COUNCILWOMAN CASTILLO? >> THANK YOU, MAYOR, THESE LAST FEW MINUTES REMINDED ME OF THE TIME I ACCIDENTALLY TOOK THEATER, I DID THE WORK ON THEATER BUT I DIDN'T PARTICIPATE. BUT I'M VERY EXCITED FOR TODAY. WE KNOW THE BUDGET IS WHERE PRINCIPLE MEETS POLICY, RIGHT? AND WITH THAT I'M EXTREMELY GRATEFUL FOR THE WORK THAT CITY STAFF AND THE RANK AND FILE CITY STAFF THAT ARE DOING THE WORK OUT AT OUR PARKS, OUR COMMUNITY CENTERS, ALL THROUGHOUT THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO, MAKING SURE THOSE NEEDS THAT OUR RESIDENTS ARE CALLING US ABOUT ARE BEING ADDRESSED AND WORKING TOWARD THE RESOLUTION, I'M GRATEFUL FOR OUR DISTRICT 5 TEAM FOR THE DUE DILIGENCE IN THEIR CASE MANAGEMENT WHEN A RESIDENT CALLS US, AND OF COURSE ALWAYS BEING OUT IN THE FIELD ENSURING WE HAVE A GREAT PULSE ON WHAT THE [02:10:01] REQUEST AND THE PRIORITIES ARE OF DISTRICT 5 RESIDENTS, OF COURSE OUR POLICY TEAM ENSURING I'M BROUGHT UP TO SPEED ON THE DIFFERENT CHANGES AND THINGS THAT MY COLLEAGUES WOULD LIKE SUPPORT ON, SO JUST GRATEFUL FOR THE D5 TEAM, BUT OF COURSE CITY LEADERSHIP OR ENSURING THAT WE HAVE BEFORE US TODAY IS A BALANCED BUDGET THAT HAS BEEN BUILT UPON CONSENSUS, AGAIN, THERE ARE THINGS IN THE BUDGET DISAPPOINTED WITH AS WELL, I BELIEVE THIS IS A CONSENSUS BASED BODY, AND ULTIMATELY THAT'S WHAT WE HAVE TODAY. WITH THAT I'M GLAD TO SEE THAT THIS BUDGET HAS MANY ITEMS THAT DISTRICT 5 RESIDENTS CONTINUE TO ADVOCATE FOR, PRIORITIZE AND ASK FOR MORE. OF COURSE, EVIDENT THROUGH THE BUDGET SURVEY, EVERY TEN DISTRICTS IS PRIORITIZING HOMELESSNESS, AND HOUSING SUPPORT, GRATEFUL TO SEE WITH THE BUDGET AMENDMENT THERE IS THAT ADDITIONAL $1 MILLION FOR HOME REHAB, ALL OF OUR DISTRICT, DISTRICT 5 IN PARTICULAR, HAVE MORE APPLICANTS THAN WE DO HAVE SPOTS, GRATEFUL TO SEE THERE'S GOING TO BE ADDITIONAL SUPPORT IN MEETING THAT CITYWIDE NEED. FURTHER, SENIORS AND YOUTH SUPPORT IS SOMETHING THAT OUR RESIDENTS ARE ALWAYS ASKING WHAT RESOURCES ARE AVAILABLE, WE ARE GRATEFUL CITY STAFF, CODE COMPLIANCE OFFICERS, VERY IMPACTFUL SERVICES, AGAIN WITHIN THE BUDGET, THE CONTINUATION OF THE SENIOR CODE ASSISTANCE AAND COMMUNITY CHAIR PROGRAM ARE PIVOTAL FOR D5 RESIDENTS ENSURING THEY GET THE SERVICE AND CARE THEY NEED, AS WELL AS EXTENDED HOURS. THIS IS SOMETHING THAT OUR TEAM INITIATED THROUGH A COUNCIL CONSIDERATION REQUEST, AND WE'RE GRATEFUL THAT WE'RE GOING TO CONTINUE TO SEE THIS PROGRAM CONTINUE. NEXT LEVEL AND AMBASSADOR PROGRAM, WHAT I ALWAYS SHARE IN 019, I PARTICIPATED IN THE AMBASSADOR PROGRAM, A GREAT EXPERIENCE AND A GREAT OPPORTUNITY FOR OUR COLLEGE STUDENTS TO PARTICIPATE IN. I THINK WE COULD CONTINUE TO HAVE A CONVERSATION ON HOW WE CAN EXPAND THAT PROGRAM TO HELP ADDRESS THE YOUTH VIOLENCE IN PARTICULAR, BUT OF COURSE INFRASTRUCTURE IS ONE OF OUR TOP REQUESTS WITHIN DISTRICT 5, SO GRATEFUL FOR STEPHANIE MORE MORALES, WHO FIELDS NONSTOP CALLS AND WALK INS FOR STWAWKS, DRAINAGE IMPROVEMENTS AND MORE. OF COURSE, ALWAYS GRATEFUL TO SEE THERE'S A CONTINUED INVESTMENT IN STREET MAINTENANCE PROGRAM, AND GRATEFUL FOR THE LEADERSHIP OF DR. KAUR WE KEPT STRATEGY STT LIGHTS AND FUNDING TO MEET THOSE NEED. THERE'S A LOT OF IMPROVEMENTS IN CITY FACILITIES, I KNOW STAFF AND CONSTITUENTS WHO VISIT THEM ARE GRATEFUL FOR, THE HVAC IMPROVEMENTS AND THE NEW ROOF AT SOME OF OUR FACILITIES AS WELL. WITH PUBLIC SAFETY, GRATEFUL AND THANKFUL FOR THE SAN ANTONIO FIRE DEPARTMENT AND PLEASED TO SEE THAT THERE'S SUPPORT FOR THE HEAVY SQUADS AND NEEDS ASSESSMENT FOR THE FIRE DEPARTMENT, AGAIN, FOR D5 AND MANY OF OUR SENIORS IN PARTICULAR, THEIR SOURCE OF HEALTHCARE IS E.M.S., CALLING 911 AND GETTING TO UNIVERSITY HOSPITALS, SO GRATEFUL FOR WORK OF OUR FIRE DEPARTMENT, THE CONTINUATION OF ACS INVESTMENTS, CONNECT, PROGRAM, AND I WOULD BE REMISS KAREN SPEAR WHO IS IN THE AUDIENCE, MEMBER OF THE ACS BOARD, ALWAYS SHARING WITH OUR D5 TEAM ALLOCATE MORE FUNDING OR WHAT SERVICES ARE NEEDED IN TERMS OF WHAT RESIDENTS IN D5 ARE ASKING FOR REGARDING ANIMAL CARE SERVICES SUPPORT. YOU KNOW, I'M GRATEFUL THAT THERE HAS BEEN STRONG CONSENSUS TO SUPPORT OUR CIVILIAN AND FIRST RESPONDERS WITH THEIR RAISES AND AGAIN, AS I MENTIONED YESTERDAY, GRATEFUL FOR THE LEADERSHIP OF ASK ME FOR ENSURING THEIR MEMBERSHIP REQUESTS AND PRIORITIES ARE BEING RELAYED TO COUNCIL, WHAT WE HAVE HERE TODAY IS BECAUSE OF THE LEADERSHIP AND OF COURSE YOUR MEMBERSHIP TO CONTINUE TO PROVIDE THAT SUPPORT. AS FOLKS HAVE MENTIONED, CITY EMPLOYEES THAT KEEP THIS CITY RUNNING AND THEY HELP CARRY OUT THE VISION AND GOALS OF ALL TEN OF OUR COUNCIL DISTRICTS, SO JUST GRATEFUL FOR EVERY EMPLOYEE IN THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO. YOU KNOW, ONE THING THAT I WANT TO HIGHLIGHT, RIGHT, THERE'S ALWAYS OPPORTUNITY TO LOOK AHEAD, SO AS A COUNCILWOMAN, WE START ON NEXT YEAR'S BUDGET TODAY, I THINK THERE'S VALUE IN DETERMINING HOW THE CDL PROGRAM WITH SOLID WASTE CAN BE EXPANDED TO OTHER CITY DEPARTMENT. I THINK THERE'S OPPORTUNITY WITH NEIGHBORHOOD AND HOUSING SERVICES DEPARTMENT TO MINIMIZE COST AND HAVE GREATER IMPACT, AND THEN OF COURSE SOMETHING THAT WE WOULD LIKE TO CONTINUE TO SEE IS TO BE PROVIDED UPDATES ON THE PROGRESS OF THE FEASIBILITY STUDY AND PLANS FOR THE DISTRICT 5, DISTRICT 6 SENIOR CENTER. THERE'S SO MUCH OPPORTUNITY AND SO MUCH MORE TO DO. I'M EXTREMELY GRATEFUL FOR THE SERVICE OF MANY OF OUR DELEGATE AGENCIES AS FOLKS HAVE HIGHLIGHTED DURING THIS ENTIRE BUDGET PROCESSES, WE KNOW WE'RE GOING TO BE FACING IMPACTS OFF OF FEDERAL CUTS, WE KNOW THE COMMUNITIES THAT ARE GOING TO BE IMPACTED THE MOST, THERE'S GREAT NONPROFITS DOING THAT WORK, ALREADY DOING THAT WORK, AND I'M [02:15:01] REMINDED OF WHEN GOODWILL CAME TO CITY HALL, THE CEO WANTED TO GET A MEETING WITH ME, I SHARED WITH HIM, I HEAR THE STORIES OF THE FOLKS THAT GO THROUGH YOUR PROGRAM, I THINK THERE'S NO STRONGER LOBBYING HEARING FROM A COMMUNITY THAT A PROGRAM IS WORKING AS INTENDED, I THINK SOME OF THE GEL GAIT AGENCIES FOR THE SAFE HOUSE AND AMERICAN GATEWAYS ARE EXAMPLES WHERE WE'RE HEARING FROM WHETHER A CITY DEPARTMENT, CONSTITUENTS OR OTHER NONPROFITS. NOW, THESE ARE THE ORGANIZATIONS DOING THE WORK AND DOING A GREAT JOB, AND I THINK WE OWE IT TO OUR COMMUNITY MEMBERS WHO RELY ON THOSE SERVICES TO MOVE FORWARD TODAY WITH EAR MARKING FUNDING FOR THOSE NONPROFIT ORGANIZATIONS. NOW, I DO THINK THERE IS VALUE AS I MENTIONED YESTERDAY IN HAVING A LARGER CONVERSATION ABOUT HOW FUNDING IS ALLOCATED, FOR EXAMPLE, MY CONSTITUENT SERVICES TEAM, THERE'S NONPROFITS DELEGATE AGENCIES WE DON'T REACH OUT TO, WE DON'T GET ASSISTANCE, WE'LL MAKE SURE THERE IS ASSISTANCE PROVIDED TO THE CONSTITUENTS REACHING OUT TO, EVALUATING, RIGHT, WHO IS DOING THE CASE MANAGEMENT IS SOMETHING WORTH EXPLORING. ULTIMATELY, I'M VERY GRATEFUL FOR THE WORK AGAIN OF CITY MANAGEMENT, ERIK WALSH, MARIA, FOR PUTTING SOMETHING IN FRONT OF US TODAY THAT IS VERY BALANCED, AND THERE'S ALWAYS OPPORTUNITY AND A NEED FOR MORE, BUT I KNOW Y'ALL ARE ALREADY PLANNING ON WHAT THAT LOOKS LIKE AND EXTREMELY GRATEFUL OF WHAT'S BEFORE US, AND I LOOK FORWARD TO SUPPORTING THIS BUDGET TODAY. THANK YOU, MAYOR. >> JONES: COUNCILWOMAN MEZA GONZALEZ. >> MEZA GONZALEZ: THANK YOU, MAYOR, THANK YOU TO CITY STAFF, ERIK, MARIA, JUSTINA, GOING TO PUT THAT ON A COFFEE MUG DURING THIS TIME. WE SEE YOU EVERY THURSDAY, BUT REALLY TO THE FOLKS WE DON'T SEE HERE ON THURSDAYS, RIGHT, STAFF BEHIND YOU, THE STAFF BEHIND ALL OF US THAT HELPS US GET HERE TODAY. THANK YOU TO EVERYONE THAT IS LISTENING, THAT IS DOING OTHER WORK THAT THE CITY'S IN CHARGE OF RIGHT NOW, SO I WANT -- I KNOW THAT BALANCING A BUDGET HERE OR AT HOME IS NEVER EASY, ESPECIALLY WHEN WORKING WITH A DEFICIT. THIS YEAR WE FACED DIFFICULT REALITIES THAT REQUIRED US TO WAIVE RESOURCES AGAINST RESPONSIBILITIES, AND AT TIME WE MADE A LOT OF TOUGH CHOICES, AND THROUGH THAT, I KEPT DISTRICT 8 AT THE CENTER OF EVERY DISCUSSION. MY PRIORITIES REMAIN CLEAR, PUBLIC SAFETY, OUR INFRASTRUCTURE NEEDS, PARKS, AND CONTINUING TO ADDRESS HOMELESSNESS IN A HOLISTIC WAY. THESE NUMBERS IN A BUDGET ARE INVESTMENTS THAT DIRECTLY IMPACT THE QUALITY OF LIFE OF OUR RESIDENTS, AND THIS BUDGET IS RESPONSIBLE, IT'S FORWARD-LOOKING, AND IT'S ROOTED IN THE NEEDS I KNOW OF MY DISTRICT 8 FAMILIES. I'M PROUD OF THE WORK THAT WE'VE DONE AS COLLEAGUES, AND I REMAIN COMMITTED TO ENSURING AS WE FACE THE CHALLENGES OF THE YEARS AHEAD, THE VOICES AND PRIORITIES OF DISTRICT 8 WILL CONTINUE TO GUIDE MY DECISIONS. I WANT TO HIGHLIGHT A COUPLE OF ACCOMPLISHMENTS -- WELL, COUNCILMEN CASTILLO-ANGUIANO WALKED OFF, I WANT TO RECOGNIZE HIM, SOMEWHERE IN THE BACK, FOR HIS TIME, AND HIM ANSWERING THE CALL TO SERVE. IT'S A CALL THAT WE ALL HAVE HEARD AND WE'VE ANSWERED, THAT'S WHY WE'RE UP HERE, AND SO I JUST APPRECIATE HIS WILLINGNESS. I KNOW THRIVE CENTER MISSES HIM AND NEEDS HIS WORK. SO BACK TO THE ACCOMPLISHMENTS THAT I KNOW WILL IMPACT DISTRICT 8, AND THE REST OF THE CITY, FIRST AND FOREMOST, 2% PAY INCREASE FOR ALL OF OUR CITY EMPLOYEES, THANK YOU FOR FIGHTING ON BEHALF OF OUR CITY EMPLOYEES AND WORKING WITH CITY STAFF TO MAKE THIS POSSIBLE. SUPPORT THE 40 NEW OFFICERS THAT ARE INCLUDED IN THIS BUDGET, THAT SUPPORTS THE CITY'S MULTI-FACETTED VIOLENCE REDUCTION STRATEGY, APPRECIATE RESTORING THE FUNDING BACK FOR OUR RADAR FEEDBACK TRAFFIC SIGNS AND FLASHING STOP SIGNS, THAT IS SOMETHING WE HEAR A LOT ABOUT IN DISTRICT 8, SO I HOPE OAKLAND HEIGHTS AND WOODS OF SHAVANO, AND ALL THE NEIGHBORHOODS OFF KYLE SEALE ARE LISTENING TOO. ALSO OUR STREET MAINTENANCE PROJECTS, WE'VE GOT 1400 STREET MAINTENANCE PROJECTS THAT WE WILL BE APPROVING, AND 11 NEW SHADE STRUCTURES FOR PLAYGROUNDS, I'M ALSO PROUD TO SUPPORT ALL OF THE AMENDMENTS THAT WERE BROUGHT UP, BUT ALSO THE INCREASE TO OUR MENTAL -- OUR YOUTH MENTAL HEALTH BUDGET THROUGH METRO HEALTH. THIS $150,000 WILL CONTINUE TO SUPPORT THE SERVICES BY COMMUNITY AND SCHOOLS. YOU CAN SURVEY ANY STUDENT, MIDDLE SCHOOL, ELEMENTARY SCHOOL, HIGH SCHOOL, THEY WILL TELL YOU THAT MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES ARE NEEDED, AND SO I'M GLAD THAT WE'RE ANSWERING THAT CALL TODAY. SO THANK YOU SO MUCH TO MY COLLEAGUES AND CITY STAFF, [02:20:03] THIS IS MY FIRST BUDGET, AND I'M GLAD TO START WORKING ON NEXT YEAR'S BUDGET AS WAS SAID BY MY COLLEAGUE, SO THANK YOU SO MUCH. >> JONES: CHAIR KAUR. >> KAUR: THANK YOU, MAYOR, THANK YOU, ERIK, TO THE WHOLE TEAM FOR ALL OF YOUR HARD WORK ON THE SUMMER. THE MAYOR CHARGED ME WITH SHIFTING MY FOCUS FROM OWNING CONE TO PUBLIC SAFETY, SO I'M GOING TO START WITH PUBLIC SAFETY TODAY. I THINK WE HAVE A REALLY BIG WIN FOR PUBLIC SAFETY IN THIS BUDGET, STARTING WITH OUR DELEGATE AGENCIES, BECAUSE OUR DELEGATE AGENCIES DO THE WORK OF PREVENTION, TOO OFTEN WE START TALKING ABOUT PUBLIC SAFETY WITH REACTION, AFTER A CRIME HAS OCCURRED, SO STARTING FROM BEFORE IT OCCURS, WE REALLY NEED TO MAKE SURE WE'RE SUPPORTING LITERACY. FOR MOST JUVENILE FOLKS IN THE JUVENILE DETENTION SYSTEM, THEIR READING LEVELS ARE AT THIRD AND FOURTH GRADE READING LEVELS EVEN WHEN THEY'RE IN HIGH SCHOOL. IF WE CAN FIGURE OUT HOW TO BETTER ADDRESS LITERACY FOR THIRD GRADERS AND MAKE SURE THEY ARE READING ON LEVEL, THEY ARE MUCH LESS LIKELY TO GET IN THE SYSTEM EVEN IN THE FIRST PLACE. EVEN THOUGH IT'S JUST 50K, I'M VERY EXCITED CONTINUE SUPPORTING THE BOOK FESTIVAL, I WANT TO THANK MY COLLEAGUES FOR THEIR SUPPORT FOR THIS AS WELL, I'M ENCOURAGED THAT COUNCILMEMBER WHITE SAID SHE WAS GOING TO JOIN ME ON A SCHOOL VISIT SO HE CAN SEE THOSE KIDDOS, GET TO MEET THE ARTIST -- NOT THE ARTIST, THE AUTHOR, SORRY, WE'LL DRIVE THE AUTHORS TO THE SCHOOL AND THEN GET TO GO TO THE FESTIVAL. IN ADDITION, IT WAS ALREADY MENTIONED THE STREET LIGHTS, THIS WAS A INITIATIVE THAT COUNCILMEMBER MCKEE-RODRIGUEZ STARTED WITH THE GAP ANALYSIS. I THINK THE STREET LIGHT GAP ANALYSIS IS NOT EVERYONE THAT HAS A GAP ACTUALLY WANTS A LIGHT THERE. SO WE NEED TO SHIFT OUR FRAME OF THINKING OF JUST FUNDING GAPS TO FUNDING NEEDS, SO I'M HOPEFUL THAT THROUGH THE PUBLIC SAFETY COMMITTEE THAT WE CAN ACTUALLY LOOK AT WHERE ARE THE NEEDS IN OUR AREAS AROUND SCHOOLS, AROUND TRANSPORTATION HUBS SO WE CAN USE THESE FOR STREET LIGHTS IN THOSE AREAS. IN ADDITION, OTHER DELEGATE AGENCIES FOR HER, AND RAPE CRISIS CENTER, ONE OF THE CHARGES OF OUR PUBLIC SAFETY COMMITTEE IS ENTER PERSONAL VIOLENCE, WHAT WE SAW AFTER COVID WAS A HUGE SPIKE IN DOMESTIC VIOLENCE CASES THAT CAME UP, AND THAT HAS NOT GONE BACK DOWN. THESE ORGANIZATIONS DO AMAZING WORK AND SUPPORT FOR THOSE SURVIVORS, I'M REALLY GRATEFUL THEY HAVE FUNDING IN THE BUDGET; HOWEVER, I WANT TO SAY, ERIK, I KNOW WE'RE TAKING FUNDING OUT OF THE RESERVE FOR THOSE, BUT I WOULD LIKE FOR US TO LOOK AT THE 6 OVER 6 BUDGET TO SEE IF WE CAN FIND ADDITIONAL FUNDING SO WE'RE NOT TAKING THAT FUNDING FROM OTHER DELEGATE AGENCIES FOR THE LAST FOUR MONTHS. THE RADAR FEEDBACK SIGNS. I'VE TALKED ABOUT THIS A LOT. YESTERDAY MENTIONED ABOUT SPEEDING, AND HOW EVERYONE COMPLAINS ABOUT SPEEDING ON OUR STREETS. AND QUITE UNFORTUNATELY, OUR PATROL OFFICERS AREN'T GOING TO SPEND THEIR WHOLE DAYS OUT THERE GIVING TICKETS FOR SPEEDING. AND SO RADAR FEEDBACK SIGNS ARE A GOOD WAY TO ACTUALLY JUST CHECK SOMEONE TO SAY HOW FAST ARE YOU SPEEDING IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD SO THAT PEOPLE CAN ACTUALLY SLOW DOWN WHEN THEY SEE THAT. SO I'M GRATEFUL THAT WE HAVE AN ADDITIONAL 500K FOR THAT. THAT IS GOING TO BE OUT THERE BASED ON NEED. SO AGAIN, WE HAVE TO CONTINUE TO GO BACK THROUGHOUT OUR ENTIRE BUDGET AND MAKE SURE WE'RE FOCUSING ON NEED, AND NOT JUST EQUITABLY -- EQUALLY DISTRIBUTING ACROSS THE AREAS. I WANT TO COMMEND ERIK AND THE TEAM FOR COMING UP WITH THE FUND VACANT BUILD, OFFICER POSITION BY INCREASING THE FINE, THAT'S A BIG THING THAT WE TALKED ABOUT, SO I'M GLAD WE WERE ABLE TO FUND THAT NDSD, COUNCILMEMBER MEZA GONZALEZ JUST MENTIONED THE METRO SUPPORT, I WANT TO COMMEND THEM FOR FINDING THAT FEE FOR ADDITIONAL SUPPORT FOR MENTAL HEALTH FOR OUR KIDDOS AS WAS JUST MENTIONED. HOWEVER, WE DO NEED THE SUPPORT FOR OUR POLICE, OUR FIRE, AND OUR ACS, SO I'M GLAD TO KNOW THAT OUR SQUAD CARS ARE GETTING ADDITIONAL SUPPORT IN DISTRICT 1 AT TWO STATES FOR SAFD. I'M EXCITED THAT WE'RE GETTING ADDITIONAL POLICE OFFICERS IN THE AMENDED BUDGET THIS YEAR. THANKS, ERIK, AGAIN, ALSO FOR FINDING THE FUNDING. I'M HOPING, CHIEF, SOME OF THOSE OFFICERS WILL BE SAFE OFFICERS, BECAUSE WE KNOW WE NEED THAT, I KNOW THAT WASN'T SPECIFIED IN THE AMENDMENT, I'M HOPING THAT WE USE SOME OF THOSE FIFTEEN OFFICERS TO BE ADDITIONAL SAFE OFFICERS, AND THEN LASTLY, THE INCREASE IN ACS FEES, AND CODE FINE FEES, WE DIDN'T FOCUS ON ACS'S BUDGET, TWO YEARS AGO IN OUR BUDGET, WE'VE HAD SOME WINS THE PAST FEW YEARS, WE'LL SUPPORT YOU IN PUBLIC SAFETY SO WE CAN DO SPAY AND NEUTER SERVICES. ALL RIGHT, NOW GOING TO ORANGE CONE. SUPER EXCITED ABOUT UPDATES FOR INFRASTRUCTURE. I HAVE SO MANY FOLKS IN OUR COMMUNITY WE WANT TO KNOW [02:25:05] WHY OUR STREETS AREN'T DONE. I'M SO THANKFUL, ERIK, YOU PUT THIS IN THE BUDGET, WE'RE GOING TO REVAMP OUR STREET MAINTENANCE PROGRAM, I'M SUPER EXCITED ABOUT THIS UPDATED DASHBOARD, THAT YOU'RE GOING TO BE ABLE TO CLICK ON AND SEE ALL THE UPDATED PROJECT. ONE OF THE PROJECTS MY OFFICE HAS BEEN WORKING ON IS THE SAFE PASSAGEWAY TO SCHOOLS, WHAT WE'VE BEEN DOING IS TAKING A QUARTER MILE RADIUS AROUND EACH SCHOOL AND SEEING WHAT DO THE CROSSWALKS LOOK LIKE, WHAT DO THE SIDEWALKS LOOK LIKE? I HAD A PARENT RESPOND TO ME AFTER MY COMMENTS SAID, OH, MY GOSH, I HATE HAVING TO WALK MY KID ON BROKEN SIDEWALKS TO SCHOOL, WE'RE LOOKING AT THAT SO WE CAN SHOW OUR FOCUS FOR OUR SIDEWALKS AND FOR PEDESTRIAN SAFETY, I'M EXCITED TO SEE WE'RE CONTINUING FUNDING FOR OUR SIDEWALK INDEX, WE DON'T HAVE A RATING SYSTEM FOR OUR SIDEWALKS, AND ALSO PUTTING IN $17 MILLION OF FUNDING INTO THAT PROGRAM. ALSO, SCHOOL PEDESTRIAN SAFETY IS HUGE. IF Y'ALL HAVE EVER SEEN THE KIDS AT FOX TECH DOWNTOWN TRYING TO WALK ACROSS THE STREET ON FLORES AFTER WE LEAVE HOME, IT'S HARD, WE HAD A MEETING WITH THEM, I WANTED TO THANK THE TRANSPORTATION TEAM IN PUBLIC WORKS FOR MEETING WITH THEM. THEY ARE SO -- CROSSWALKS ARE SO TOUGH. I CAN'T WAIT TO CONTINUE MAKING SCHOOL SAFETY REALLY SAFE OUR KIDDOSE CARE SO MUCH ABOUT CONTINUE TO WALK ACROSS STREETS TO SCHOOL IN A SAFE AND EFFICIENT MANNER. I WANTED TO COMMEND COUNCILMAN CASTILLO AND COUNCILMAN VIAGRAN TO PUSH FOR THAT $1 MILLION IN THE MAJOR MINOR REHAB PROGRAM, I WAS FRUSTRATED THAT WE'RE NOT GOING TO GET ADDITIONAL UNITS, I LOVE THAT WE'RE PUTTING MONEY IN, MAYBE IF THERE'S CAPACITY, ERIK, WE CAN INCREASE THE UNITS THERE, I WANT TO PUT THAT POSITIVE OUT INTO THE WORLD. IT WAS MENTIONED PREVIOUSLY IN AMENDMENT SESSION, KEEPING PEOPLE IN THEIR HOMES IS ONE OF THE BIGGEST FACTORS OF MAKING SURE WE'RE KEEPING OUR HOUSING AFFORDABLE. ADDITION, I'M EXCITED TO SEE THE NEW DEPARTMENT FOR HOMELESS STRATEGIES DIVISION. I KNOW IT WAS MENTIONED BY COUNCILMAN CASTILLO-ANGUIANO, THAT IS OUR NUMBER ONE ISSUE, AND WE HAVE TO FIGURE OUT HOW TO HELP CONTINUE TO BETTER HELP SUPPORT THAT, AND CREATE MORE HOUSING FOR THEM, I'M HOPEFUL THAT DIVISION AND THE FOCUS IN THAT DIVISION WILL ALLOW THAT TO HAPPEN, LAST BUT NOT LEAST, THE SMALL BUSINESS FOCUS AREA, I'M GOING TO TALK ABOUT OUR CAPITAL PROJECTS DEPARTMENT, SO MIKE SHANNON HAS ALREADY BEEN REALLY HARD AT WORK WITH ME HELPING SUPPORT OUR STAFF ALAMO BUSINESSES, SO WE'RE GOING TO GET BRAND-NEW SIDING, WE'RE FOCUSING ON MAKING SURE HOW CAN WE GET OUR CAPITAL PROJECTS DONE MORE EFFICIENTLY, AND HOW CAN WE SUPPORT THE BUSINESSES WHILE THEY'RE GOING THROUGH THAT PROCESS? SO I KNOW THE CONSTRUCTION MITIGATION GRANT DIDN'T MAKE IT THROUGH THE AMENDMENTS, BUT I'LL SHARE WITH YOU GUYS, ONE OF THE EXAMPLES WE'RE WORKING ON RIGHT NOW ON THAT PROJECT IS TO NEW CONSTRUCTION SCRIMS FOR THOSE BUSINESSES, WHICH BUSINESSES ARE IN THE AREA, HOW YOU CAN GET TO THEM, STICKERS ON THE GROUND THAT SHOW YOU HOW YOU CAN CONTINUE WALKING AROUND AREAS THAT THERE IS CONSTRUCTION HAPPENING, AND EVEN A COOL IDEA WE'RE LOOKING TO PUT CHEF'S FACES ON LITTLE SIGNS THAT SAY WANT THE BEST MUSSELS IN TOWN, THIS WAY, TRYING TO CREATE MORE INNOVATIVE IDEAS TO HELP ENSURE OUR BUSINESSES STAY AFLOAT WHILE WE DO CONSTRUCTION. I WANTED TO SHOUTOUT MIKE, TECHNICALLY THE ROLE DOESN'T START UNTIL OCTOBER 1, BUT HE'S DEFINITELY BEING HUSTLING AND FIELDING CALLS FOR ME, I'M GRATEFUL FOR THAT. LAST AND NOT LEAST, I WANTED TO SHOUTOUT COUNCILWOMAN VIAGRAN IN HER LEADERSHIP, GETTING EVERYONE, EVERY CITY EMPLOYEE A RAISE. I THINK IT'S BEEN SAID BY ALL OF MY COLLEAGUES, BUT WE COULD NOT DO ANY OF THIS WITHOUT YOU ALL. THTHANK YOU FOR YOUR LEADERSHIP. IF THERE'S ONE THING I'M GETTING IN THIS AMENDMENT PROCESS, IT'S THE RAISE FOR OUR CITY EMPLOYEES, AND SURE ENOUGH THAT WAS THE NUMBER ONE PRIORITY. I HOPE YOU HAVE HEARD TODAY FOR ALL OF OUR CITY EMPLOYEES LISTENING THAT THIS COUNCIL REALLY, REALLY APPRECIATES THE WORK YOU ALL DO, AND KNOW THAT WE CANNOT DO ANY OF THE THINGS THAT WE DO FOR OUR CITY WITHOUT YOU ALL. SO THANK YOU SO MUCH. THANK YOU, MAYOR. >> JONES: CHAIRMAN MUNGIA. >> MUNGIA. THANK YOU, MAYOR, I WOULD LIKE TO START OFF WITH THANK YOUS, THANK YOU TO CITY STAFF, ESPECIALLY MARIA, JUSTINA, BEN, AND ERIK OF COURSE. IT TAKES A LOT TO DO A MULTI-BILLION DOLLARS BUDGET WITH A LOT OF REQUESTS AND DIFFERENT DEPARTMENTS, SO WE APPRECIATE THAT, I KNOW A LOT OF DEPARTMENTS HAVE TO GO THROUGH SOME COST CUTTING, AND SO I KNOW THOSE ARE SOME TOUGH IS DECISIONS THAT HAD TO BE MADE, BUT WE APPRECIATE THE WORK OF ALL OF THOSE DEPARTMENTS ALSO. I WANT TO THANK THE D4 TEAM. EVERYBODY WHO WORKS DOWNTOWN [02:30:02] AT THE FIELD OFFICE WHO KEEP ME INFORMED WHO READ THE MEMOS, WHO ALSO COME IN EARLY AND STAY LATE AND, YOU KNOW, ENTERTAIN MY LAST-MINUTE REQUESTS OF THEM, I APPRECIATE THAT. AND THANK YOU TO OUR COUNCILMAN CASTILLO-ANGUIANO FOR SERVING WITH US, AND BEING HERE WITH US, I THINK A LOT OF TIMES I LOOKED OVER TO YOU, AND YOU WERE JUST A VOICE OF REASON AND PRACTICALITY, AND WE NEEDED THAT SOMETIMES, ALL TIMES, ACTUALLY, AND I JUST APPRECIATE YOUR WORK, AND YOUR KINDNESS, AND YOU WERE JUST FROM DAY ONE READY TO GET STARTED AND DO THE WORK. IT WAS ALWAYS ABOUT SERVICE FOR YOU, SO I APPRECIATE THAT. YOU KNOW BUDGETS ARE AN EXAMPLE OF SCARCITY, RIGHT? WE DON'T HAVE LIMITLESS FUNDS, TAXPAYERS HAVE TO PUT INTO THIS, AND SO THAT NECESSARILY MEANS THAT NOBODY WILL GET EVERYTHING THAT THEY WANT, AND EVERY LINE ITEM IS AT THE EXPENSE OF SOMETHING ELSE. SO I THINK THAT'S IMPORTANT TO NOTE. I'M VERY PLEASED TO SEE THAT OUR EMPLOYEES WILL BE GETTING INCREASES, I THINK IT'S VERY TOUGH ENVIRONMENT OUT THERE, ESPECIALLY WITH THE ECONOMY, AND HAVING BEEN AN LGC STAFFER AND WORKING WITH A LOT OF CITY EMPLOYEES OVER MY YEARS, IT IS TRUE EVERYONE SAYS, THEY DO A LOT OF THE EXTREME HARD WORK THAT MAKES THE CITY GO, AND WE GET TO COME UP HERE AND SOMETIMES COMPLAIN OR SOMETIMES HIGHLIGHT BUT IT'S REALLY A TESTAMENT OF YOU ALL'S WORK, SO I WANT TO SAY I'M PROUD TO SUPPORT THAT. AND ALTHOUGH THERE'S BEEN A LOT OF DISCUSSION ABOUT THESE AMENDMENTS, SOME OF MY COLLEAGUES POINT OUT, THERE IS CONTINUED SUPPORT FOR CRITICAL SERVICES IN THE CITY, LIKE NHSD, RENTAL ASSISTANCE, UTILITY ASSISTANCE. CONTINUED SUPPORT FOR ANIMAL CARE SERVICE, WHICH IS A HUGE PROBLEM IN DISTRICT 4, THANK YOU TO THE TEAM, MR MCCREARY, FOR WORKING ON MY NEEDS IN DISTRICT 4, IT IS STILL CONSISTENT WITH THE LARGE INCREASE OVER THE PAST FEW YEARS TO ADDRESS SOME OF THE ISSUES, SUPPORTIVE SERVICES, TO OUR HOMELESS POPULATION IS STILL IN THE BUDGET, LIKE COUNCILMAN KAUR SAID, I'M VERY EXCITED ABOUT WHAT GOING TO DO WITH THAT DEPARTMENT, I'M SURE WE'LL BE SEEING A LOT OF HIM AT PCDC, I'M EXCITED ABOUT THAT, ALSO GREAT WORK FOR CONTINUED SUPPORT FOR SOME OF OUR NONPROFITS THAT DO A LOT OF GREAT WORK, AND WORKING WITH RESIDENTS THAT SOME OF US WILL NEVER MEET, BUT HAVE PROBLEMS IN THEIR COMMUNITIES AND SO WE APPRECIATE THAT. GREAT CONTINUED WORK WITH METRO HEALTH, RIGHT? EVEN THOUGH THERE ARE SOME CHANGES THERE, THOSE ARE VERY, VERY IMPORTANT SERVICES FOR OUR COMMUNITY TO CONTINUE ON. SO I THINK DESPITE SOME OPPOSITION UP HERE, IT'S BEEN GOOD, AND I THINK WE HAVE REALLY GOOD CONSENSUS MOVING FORWARD, WITH OUR FOUR-YEAR TERM, IT'S A GREAT OPPORTUNITY FOR US TO DO MORE PLANNING IN THE FISCAL YEAR, SO JUST THANK YOU TO EVERYBODY, AND I'M EXCITED TO VOTE ON MY VERY FIRST BUDGET. THANK YOU. >> JONES: WE'LL GO INTO THE SECOND ROUND OF DISCUSSION, CO COUNCILMAN WHYTE. >> WHYTE: YEAH, BRIEFLY, I FAILED TO SAY IN MY FIRST ROUND WHEN I WAS GIVING THANKS TO FOLKS, TO MY COLLEAGUES, THIS BUDGET PROCESS WE'VE AGREED TO DISAGREE A LOT OF TIMES, BUT I AM SO IMPRESSED FIRST OF ALL, WITH THE NEW COUNCILMEMBERS, YOU GUYS WAY AHEAD OF WHERE I WAS TWO YEARS AGO. I ALSO THINK THE LEADERSHIP FROM COUNCILWOMAN CASTILLO AND COUNCILWOMAN VIAGRAN HAS BEEN INVALUABLE IN HELPING US NAVIGATE A VERY DIFFICULT BUDGET PROCESS, AND THEN LEO OF COURSE BEING SORT OF THROWN IN AND GETTING UP TO SPEED HAS BEEN AMAZING, AND THEN, JUST ANECDOTALLY, I HAD A SIMILAR CONVERSATION WITH SUK AND TERI SEPARATELY YESTERDAY, AND THEY WERE LIKE, OH, YOU WON ON THIS, WHATEVER, YOU WON ON THAT, AND THAT'S REALLY WHAT CONSENSUS GOVERNMENT IS ALL ABOUT, RIGHT? YOU'RE NEVER GOING TO WIN ON EVERYTHING AND YOU TAKE THE WINS AND LOSSES AS THEY COME, BUT I TRULY APPRECIATE EACH ONE OF YOU AND WHAT YOU'VE BROUGHT TO THIS PROCESS, AND I THINK IT BODIES VERY WELL FOR OUR NEXT FOUR YEARS HOW WE WERE ABLE TO VERY CIVILLY DEBATE THIS OVER THE PAST MONTH AND GET TO WHERE WE ARE TODAY. SO I APPRECIATE ALL OF YOU. THANK YOU. >> JONES: WOULD ANYONE ELSE LIKE TO SPEAK IN THE SECOND ROUND? OKAY. WELL, LET ME ECHO MY THANKS, ERIK, TO YOU AND THE TEAM FOR ALL OF THE HARD WORK, AGAIN SAW TOO MANY OF YOU ON TOO MANY WEEKENDS, BUT VERY MUCH APPRECIATE THE DUE DILIGENCE AND FOLLOWING UP TO HELP US UNDERSTAND AGAIN THE IMPACTS OF OUR DECISIONS, NOT ONLY IN 26, BUT ALSO HOW WE CAN HELP OURSELVES GOING INTO '27, AN EVEN THINKING ABOUT SOME OF [02:35:02] THESE THINGS IN THE CONTEXT OF SOME OF OUR MAJOR INVESTMENTS, WHETHER IT BE THE POTENTIAL BOND OR EVEN MAJOR CONSIDERATIONS LIKE HOW WE'RE GOING TO THINK THROUGH AS DR. JACOB DESCRIBED THE FISCAL CLIFF THAT METRO HEALTH WILL EXPERIENCE IN SEPTEMBER OF 2026. I WANT TO THANK YOU AGAIN FOR THE WAYS IN WHICH THIS BUDGET REALLY REFLECTS THE GUIDANCE FROM THIS BODY TO YOU ALL EARLY ON WHICH IS HOW DO WE FUND OUR NO FAIL MISSIONS, HOW DO WE ENSURE THAT WE ARE MINIMZING ANY IMPACT AS A RESULT TO THE CHANGES IN THE BUDGET TO THE MOST VULNERABLE, AND HOW ARE WE MINIMIZING ANY LONG-TERM RISK AS A RESULT OF SOME OF THE CHANGES WE MAY NEED TO CLOSE THE GAPS? I DO WANT TO REITERATE FOR THOSE THAT MAY BE CONCERNED AND ARE WATCHING VERY CLOSELY CERTAIN PROGRAMS THAT ARE GOING TO BE HANDLED DIFFERENTLY. WE HAVE ASKED ERIK AND THE TEAM TO ENSURE THAT WE'RE MONITORING THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THOSE, WHETHER YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT PROJECT WORTH OR SOME OF THE COMMUNITY HEALTHCARE WORKERS, FOR EXAMPLE, THOUGH WE MAY DO THOSE DIFFERENTLY, THE SPIRIT AND INTENT OF THE SERVICES PROVIDED TO THE COMMUNITY REMAINS THE SAME, SO WE'LL LOOK TO THE STAFF TO HELP US UNDERSTAND IF ANY OF THE MODIFICATIONS AND HOW WE PROVIDE THOSE SERVICES HAVE IN FACT IMPACTED THE LEVEL OF SERVICE AS WE WOULD EXPECT. AGAIN, AS THOSE ARE IN SOME OF THE MOST CRITICAL AREAS, MENTAL HEALTH, PUBLIC HEALTH IN PARTICULAR. I COULDN'T AGREE MORE WITH THE, YOU KNOW, ONCE YOU VOTE ON -- ONCE WE FINALIZE THIS BUDGET, 2027 IS UPON US, IS UPON US, AND I THINK WE'VE GOT A REAL OPPORTUNITY TO HELP OUR COMMUNITY UNDERSTAND HOW WE ARE IN FACT GOING TO TACKLE MANY OF THE PROJECTS -- MANY OF THE CHALLENGES RATHER THAN MAY NOT BE IMMEDIATELY ADDRESSED IN THIS BUDGET. I THINK IN PARTICULAR, TOP OF MIND FOR MANY OBVIOUSLY IS HOW WE'RE GOING TO ADDRESS SOME OF THE DRAINAGE CHALLENGES AND I WANT TO THANK MY COLLEAGUES THAT TOOK THE TIME TO TOUR THOSE WITH ME FOURTEEN PROJECTS ON THE STATE'S FLOOD MITIGATION PLAN AS CURRENTLY SCOPED $411 MILLION, RIGHT? THOSE ARE JUST THE MAJOR PROJECTS AND I UNDERSTAND THOSE -- SOME OF THOSE ESTIMATES MAY NEED TO BE UPDATED, BUT WE KNOW THAT NUMBER IS LIKELY HIGHER THAN LOWER ON TOP OF SOME OF THE OTHER DRAINAGE PROJECTS THAT WE DON'T KNOW DON'T RISE TO THAT LEVEL CERTAINLY PUBLIC SAFETY AND REALLY KIND OF A NUISANCE IN COMMUNITIES, WHETHER IT BE HEAVY RAINS THAT FLOOD OUR SIDEWALKS AND ET CETERA, WHILE THIS BUDGET ONLY FUNDS DRAINAGE PROJECTS THAT REPAIR DAMAGE DUE TO JUNE 12TH AND JUNE 13TH, PLEASE REST ASSURED THAT WE HAVE -- I HAVE ENGAGED WITH ERIK TO HELP US UNDERSTAND SOON AFTER THIS HOW WE'RE GOING TO COMMUNICATE TO OUR COMMUNITY HOW WE'RE GOING TO TACKLE THE BIG PROJECTS WILL YOUS BE THE OTHER PROJECTS IN OUR COMMUNITY, IN LIGHT OF MUCH, MUCH LOWER BOND CAPACITY THAT WE FOUND OUT ABOUT IN THIS -- IN THIS BUDGET SEASON AGAIN NEARLY A QUARTER OF WHAT WE WERE EXPECTING. THIS HAS ALSO BEEN I THINK QUITE ILLUMINATING HELPING OURSELVES IN PARTICULAR IN THE METRO HEALTH SPACE, WE'RE LOOKING AS YOU HEARD, THE COMMENTS UP HERE, WE'RE ALREADY LOOKING TOWARD SEPTEMBER 2026, WHERE THE CUTS IN FEDERAL FUNDING, WE WILL EXPERIENCE IN PARTICULAR THE 1115 WAIVERS ON TOP OF, SO WHILE WE AS A CITY WILL RECEIVE LESS IN FEDERAL FUNDS, MANY IN OUR COMMUNITY WILL ALSO SEE LESS FUNDS, CUTS TO MEDICARE, MEDICAID, CHIP, SOCIAL SECURITY, WE KNOW THAT IS COMING ON TOP OF THE CONTINUED IMPACTS OF IMMIGRATION RELATED POLICIES AS WELL AS TARIFFS THAT MAKE IT A VERY CHALLENGING ECONOMY FOR OUR MOST VULNERABLE. I WANT TO REITERATE THIS IS HELPFUL FOR US TO UNDERSTAND THE TYPES OF QUESTIONS THAT WE NEED TO BE ASKING AS WE LOOK AT THAT TABLE TOP EXERCISE WHICH I APPRECIATE ERIK AND THE STAFF HELPING US FACILITATE IN SHORT ORDER. I ALSO WANT TO REITERATE, WHEN WE'RE LOOKING AT -- WHEN YOU LOOK AT SOME OF THE AMENDMENTS, YOU KNOW, WE'RE TALKING ABOUT, YOU KNOW, APPRECIATE THE COMMENTS OF CHAIR KAUR WHEN WE'RE THINKING MORE HOLISTICALLY ABOUT PUBLIC SAFETY. CERTAINLY WE APPRECIATE THE EXPERTISE AND THE COUNCIL OF OUR CHIEF OF POLICE CHIEF MCMANUS. I THINK THERE IS CERTAINLY AN APPETITE ON THIS BODY TO ALSO HEAR FROM OTHERS THAT CAN HELP US UNDERSTAND SOME OF THE -- THE OTHER INVESTMENTS THAT WOULD BE AS IMPORTANT AND MAYBE EVEN HAVE A HIGHER ROI OVER THE LONGER TERM, SOME OF THE THINGS ON THAT AMENDMENT LIST FOR EXAMPLE, ADDITIONAL MONEY FOR SAN ANTONIO KIDS BRIEF, WHICH THE DATA IS VERY CLEAR, THANK YOU, DR. JACOB, AGAIN, FOR SHOWING THE IMMEDIATE IMPACTS WHEN IT COMES TO STUDENTS BEING -- THEIR STUDENT ATTENDANCE RATES SIGNIFICANT LIT INCREASING ON TOP OF OVER 90% DECREASE IN THE NUMBER OF EMERGENCY DEPARTMENT VISITS AS A RESULT OF AS MA-RELATED -- [02:40:04] ASTHMA-RELATED INFLIKSZS, SO AGAIN, THAT IS HI ROI, WE TALK ABOUT MANY OF THE CHALLENGES IN OUR COMMUNITY AS A RESULT OF LOWER EDUCATIONAL ATTAINMENT, PART OF IT STARTS THAT ENSURING FOLKS ARE HEALTHY ENOUGH TO BE IN THE CLASSROOM, I LOOK FORWARD TO A HOLISTIC CONVERSATION ABOUT NOT CONSIDERING BUT ALSO FUNDING THEM. AS WE HAVE OPPORTUNITIES IN THE UPCOMING ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT DEAL, ONE OF THEM IN PARTICULAR OBVIOUSLY ARE -- ON GOING NEGOTIATIONS WITH THE SPURS , AGAIN, THIS IS HOW WE CAN HELP OURSELVES. WE CANNOT THINK ABOUT THE BUDGET GAP AND NOT THINK ABOUT WAYS WE CAN HELP OURSELVES AND HOW DO YOU GET ADDITIONAL MONEY INTO THE GENERAL FUND, THAT'S WHY THINGS LIKE NAMING RIGHTS, THINGS LIKE A FAIR SHARE FROM PARKING, FROM CONCESSIONS, ET CETERA, ET CETERA, SO WE'VE GOT TO BE THOUGHTFUL NOT ONLY ABOUT ADDITIONAL RESOURCES IN THAT VEIN, AS WELL AS I THINK WE'RE GOING TO BUILD ON THE VERY GOOD CONVERSATION WE HAD ABOUT THE TIRZ AND HOW WE CAN BE MORE THOWFERL ABOUT STRATEGIC VEMPLEGHTS THAT ADDRESS COMMUNITY NEEDS. AGAIN, MY THANKS TO THE STAFF. THERE BEING NO FURTHER DISCUSSION, THERE IS A MOTION AND A SECOND TO APPROVE THE BUDGET AS AMENDED AND PRESENTED BY THE CITY MANAGER TODAY, SAVE AND EXCEPT FOR THE FUNDING FOR CHEST. PLEASE VOTE. SHE'S A YAY. GOING TO LUNCH? WHAT'S GOING ON. OKAY. THE MOTION CARRIES. CHEST AND COUNCILMEMBER VIAGRAN WILL BE RECUSING. >> I MOVE TO APPROVE THE FUNDING FOR CHEST. >> JONES: IT IS MOVED AND SECONDED TO APPROVE THE FUNDING FOR CHEST. IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION? OKAY. PLEASE VOTE. MADAM CLERK, PLEASE READ THE CAPTION FOR ITEM -- THE MOTION CARRIES, THANK YOU. MADAM CLERK, PLEASE READ THE CAPTION FOR ITEM 5. >> ITEM NUMBER FIVE IS TORN'S SETTING THE AD VALOREM TAX RATE ON THE FUNDED DEBT OF THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO AT 21.150 CENTS PER $100 OF TAXABLE VALUATION FOR THE TAX YEAR BEGINNING JANUARY 1, 2025, AND ENDING ON DECEMBER 31, 2025. >> JONES: IS THERE A MOTION AND A SECOND FOR APPROVAL OF ITEM FIVE. >> I MOVE THE ADOPTION OF MAINTENANCE AND OPERATION TAX RATE -- 21.150 CENTS PER 100 OF TAXABLE VALUE -- VALUATION. >> JONES: IS THERE A SECOND? GALVAN, DID YOU HAVE ONE? OKAY. SURE. DID YOU DO IT OR NOT -- GALVAN DID. GALVAN SECONDED IT. IT IS MOVED AND SECONDED TO APPROVE ITEM FIVE. IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION? OKAY. WE WILL DO A VOICE VOTE FOR ITEM 5. ALL IN FAVOR SAY AYE. (CHORUS OF AYES.) AYE ALL OPPOSED? MOTION PASSES. MADAM CLERK, PLEASE READ THE CAPTION FOR ITEM SIX. >> MAINTENANCE AND OPERATION OF THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO AT 33.09 CENTS PER $100 OF TAXABLE VALUATION FOR THE TAX YEAR BEGINNING ON JANUARY 1, 2025, AND ENDING ON DECEMBER 31, 2025. >> JONES: IS THERE A MOTION AND A SECOND FOR APPROVAL OF ITEM 6. >> VIAGRAN: I MOVE ADOPTION OF SERVICE TAX RATE OF 33.09 CENTS PER ONE HUNDRED OF TAXABLE VALUATION. >> JONES: IS THERE A SECOND? IT IS MOVED AND SECONDED TO APPROVE ITEM 6, IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION? THERE BEING NONE, PLEASE VOTE. VOICE VOTE. ALL SUPPORT SAY AYE. (CHORUS OF AYES.) ALL OPPOSED. >> ITEM 7 IS AN ORDINANCE AMENDING FEES AS INCLUDED WITHIN THE FISCAL YEAR 2026 BUDGET WITHIN THE GENERAL FUND, AND CERTAIN RESTRICTED FUNDS AND AMENDING THE CITY CODE OF SAN ANTONIO, TEXAS, [02:45:02] TO REFLECT SUCH CHANGES. >> VIAGRAN: I MOVE OF THE FEE ORDINANCE. >> JONES: IT IS MOVED AND SECONDED TO APPROVE ITEM 7. IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION? OKAY. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SAY AYE. OPPOSED? MOTION PASSES. MADAM CLERK, PLEASE READ THE CAPTION FOR ITEM 8. >> ITEM 8 IS AN ORDINANCE CARRYING FORWARD FISCAL YEAR 2025 FUNDS AND AMENDING APPROPRIATIONS, APPROPRIATING FUNDS FOR REQUIREMENTS AND CITY PROJECTS AND DEPARTMENTS AND APPROPRIATING FUNDS. >> VIAGRAN: I MOVE APPROVE THAT THE ORDINANCE -- >> JONES: IS THERE A SECOND? IT IS MOVED AND SECONDED TO APPROVE ITEM 8, IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION? OKAY. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SAY AYE. OPPOSED? MOTION CARRIES. WE'LL MOVE TO ITEM 21, WHICH WAS PULLED FROM CONSENT FOR [21. Ordinance amending the City Council CCR Ordinance to add certain provisions. ] INDIVIDUAL CONSIDERATION, I PULLED FOR INDIVIDUAL CONSIDERATION BASED ON INTEREST IN PUBLIC DISCUSSION. CITY CLERK, PLEASE READ THE CAPTION. >> ITEM 21 IS AN ORDINANCE AMENDING THE CITY COUNCIL CCR ORDINANCE TO ADD CERTAIN PROVISIONS. >> JONES: OKAY. IS THERE A MOTION AND A SECOND FOR APPROVAL SO THAT WE MAY BEGIN DISCUSSION? >> SECOND. >> JONES: IT IS MOVED AND SECONDED TO APPROVE ITEM 21. IS THERE A PRESENTATION? NO? OKAY. WE'VE GOT SEVERAL MEMBERS FROM THE PUBLIC THAT HAVE SIGNED UP TO SPEAK. JOHN BACHMANN. JOHN BACHMANN? JACK FINGER. SIR, YOU HAVE THREE MINUTES. OKAY. >> MADAM MAYOR, OTHER MEMBERS OF OUR ILLUSTRIOUS SAN ANTONIO CITY COUNCIL, ONCE AGAIN, MY NAME IS JACK M. FINGER. ABOUT TWO AND A HALF CENTURIES AGO, THERE WERE A BUNCH OF OLD WHITE MEN, YEAH, THAT'S WHAT THEY WERE, ACROSS THE POND, AND THEY WERE IN ENGLAND, AND THEY DID NOT LIKE THE TYRANNY THAT THEY WERE LIVING UNDER, UNDER THE KING, SO HE SAID, HEY, KING, WE'RE MOVING, AND SO THEY DID. THEY SAILED -- AND ON SOME LEAKY BOATS ABOUT TWO OR THREE,000 MILES TO A BRAND-NEW LAND. NOBODY THERE, EXCEPT MAYBE A FEW INDIANS, AND THEY SAID, HEY, WE NOW HAVE A CHANCE TO ESTABLISH OUR OWN COUNTRY WITH OUR OWN RULES. WE DON'T HAVE TO LIVE UNDER TYRANNY. SO THEY DID. AND THAT LED TO SOMETHING CALLED A DECLARATION OF INDEPENDENCE FROM MURIAL ENGLAND, AND LATER ON A CONSTITUTION, WHICH INCORPORATED THE IDEAS THAT THE PEOPLE RULE, AND THEY RULE THROUGH THEIR ELECTED LEADERS THAT THEY VOTE UPON, AND THOSE VOTED LEADERS CAN RULE, THEY GOVERN, YES, THEY GOVERN, FOR A CERTAIN PERIOD OF TIME, AND AFTER A CERTAIN PERIOD OF TIME, THE PEOPLE SAY WE DON'T LIKE THE WAY YOU DID IT, WE'RE GETTING SOMEBODY ELSE, OR THEY SAY, HEY, YOU'RE GOOD ENOUGH, OR WE'LL KEEP YOU IN THERE, SO THAT LED TO STATE CONSTITUTIONS WITH THE SAME IDEALS AND CITY CHARTERS WITH THE SAME IDEALS. SO -- AND THOSE IDEALS SAY THE PEOPLE RULE, WE ELECT YOU THE LEADERS, YOU GOVERN, YOU SAY WHAT GOES. AND YOU SHALL NOT BE INFRINGED BY A CITY ATTORNEY OR A CITY MANAGER. NO, YOU WILL NOT -- YOU SHALL NOT -- YOU SHOULD NOT BE VETOED BY THEM. NOW, SOMETIMES, MADAM MAYOR, I KNOW YOU'RE FELLOW COLLEAGUES AROUND HERE, UP THERE, SEEM AS DUMB AS A BOX OF ROCKS AT TIMES, I MEAN, YEAH, BECAUSE OF SOME OF THE DECISIONS THEY MAKE, BUT REGARDLESS, THEY ARE YOUR FELLOW BOXES OF ROCKS SITTING AROUND YOU, AND HAVE YOU TO DEAL WITH THEM AT TIMES, SO, YEAH, AND I KNOW THERE ARE TIMES WHEN THE CITY MANAGER, CITY ATTORNEY NEED TO COMMENT ON THEIR CCRS, BUT UNTIL YOU GET IT CODIFIED THAT THEY HAVE A RIGHT TO WEIGH IN UPON THESE THINGS, WHAT THESE BOXES SAY GO. SO, YEAH, I THINK YOU'RE [02:50:03] JUST GOING TO HAVE TO DEAL WITH THAT FACT, AND JUST LET THINGS GO. FEEL FREE TO PUT IN IT THE CODE, BUT UNTIL THEN, WE DEAL WITH IT WITH A BUNCH OF BOXES HERE SO. THANK YOU. >> JONES: I'D LIKE THE RECORD TO REFLECT COUNCILWOMAN CASTILLO WOULD LIKE TO BE RECOGNIZED AS A BOX OF CHOCOLATES. >> CASTILLO: NEVER KNOW WHAT YOU'RE GOING TO GET. >> JONES: CAN ATTEST. THAT'S IT. YEAH, ALL INDIVIDUALS SIGNED UP TO SPEAK, HAVE SPOKEN. WE WILL NOW MOVE ON TO COUNCIL DISCUSSION. PLEASE LET ME KNOW IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK ON THIS ITEM. COUNCILMAN WHYTE. >> WHYTE: THANK YOU, MAYOR, GOING TO BE REAL BRIEF ON HOW WE GOT HERE, WE AMENDED THIS PROCESS A YEAR AND A HALF AGO, THE REASON WE DID IT WAS BECAUSE CCRS WERE BEING FILED, GETTING HELD UP, AND WE NEEDED A SMOOTH, MORE EFFICIENT PROCESS TO GET THE THINGS MOVING, WAS VERY PLEASED THAT WE GOT THAT DONE. WE NOW COME TO A NEW COUNCIL TERM AND I'M GOING TO AGAIN SAY THAT I VERY MUCH APPRECIATE THE MAYOR'S INTEREST IN THE CCR PROCESS, IN MAKING IT BETTER, AND IF THERE'S A WAY THAT WE CAN MAKE ANY OF OUR INTERNAL PROCESSES BETTER, I'M ALWAYS INTERESTED IN LOOKING AT THOSE; HOWEVER, WE HAD A LOT OF DISCUSSION ON THIS. WE HAD A B SESSION SEVERAL WEEKS AGO WHERE IT WAS REALLY CLEAR, AND I WAS FULLY SUPPORTIVE OF THE COUNCIL'S CONSENSUS POSITION THAT THE PROCESS HAS REALLY BEEN WORKING WELL OVER THE PAST YEAR AND A HALF, AND WE NEED TO CONTINUE ALONG THESE LINES RIGHT NOW, AND SO FOR THAT REASON, WE JUST WANTED TO CLARIFY THE ORDINANCE AND THAT IS ALL WE'VE DONE TODAY, WE WORKED WITH THE CITY ATTORNEY'S OFFICE TO GET LANGUAGE TO SIMPLY CLARIFY THE ORDINANCE AND AS YOU ALL SEE IN YOUR -- IN THE DOCUMENTS, IT'S REALLY JUST SECTION 6, AND THEN A LINE IN SECTION 78. 8. IN SECTION 8 WE STATE THE CCR ORDINANCE CANNOT BE AMENDED OR CHANGED WITHOUT A COUNCIL VOTE WHICH IS SOMETHING WE HEARD LOUD AND CLEAR AT THE B SESSION, AND SECTION 6 WE STATE THAT REALLY CCRS, DON'T EXPIRE, AND, YOU KNOW, SOMEBODY THE OTHER DAY GAVE ME A GREAT THOUGHT THAT LET'S TAKE FOR EXAMPLE, SOMEBODY IN THEIR LAST TERM OF OFFICE, RIGHT? SOME OF THESE CCRS, FROM START TO FINISH, TAKE A YEAR, YEAR AND A HALF TO GET DONE, SO IMAGINE BEING IN YOUR LAST TERM OF OFFICE, WHY WOULD YOU EVEN FILE A CCR THAT COULD TAKE A YEAR, YEAR AND A HALF TO BE WORKED ON IF THE MINUTE YOU'RE GONE AND TERMED OUT THE CCR EXPIRES AND THE PROCESS WOULD HAVE TO START OVER AGAIN. I MEAN, YOU MAY AS WELL NOT EVEN DO THE WORK AT THAT POINT. SO I DON'T THINK WE NEED TO HAVE ANYTHING THAT WOULD MANDATE THAT A CCR EXPIRE SIMPLY BECAUSE THE COUNCILMEMBER WHO AUTHORED IT IS NOT HERE. THESE THINGS NEED TO GO THROUGH THE GOVERNANCE PROCESS, THEY NEED TO GO THROUGH THE COMMITTEE PROCESS, AND IF THE CURRENT COUNCILMEMBERS DON'T LIKE THE WORK THAT WAS DONE PREVIOUSLY, THEY OF COURSE CAN VOTE IT DOWN IN GOVERNANCE OR IN THE COMMITTEE PROCESS. SO WE'RE JUST CLARIFYING THAT IN THE ORDINANCE TODAY. I APPRECIATE THE CONVERSATION THAT WE HAD SEVERAL WEEKS AGO AT THE B SESSION. I APPRECIATE MY COLLEAGUES AND COUNCILWOMAN SPEARS AND. >> ALDERETE:GA VITAE, AND CASTILLO FOR HELPING GET THIS ON THE AGENDA TODAY, I KNOW WE'VE HAD A LOT OF GOOD CONVERSATIONS ABOUT IT, I LOOK FORWARD TO CLOSING THE LOOP WITH A VOTE TODAY. THANKS, MAYOR. >> JONES: CHAIRMAN MUNGIA. >> MYUNG. >> MUNGIA: IF IT'S... >> JUST A FEW COMMENTS TO ADD ONTO WHAT COUNCILMAN WHYTE WAS SAYING, I DO WANT TO STRESS THAT A MAJORITY OF CCRS FILED ARE FILED TO, YOU KNOW, EITHER BY FEEDBACK FROM OUR RESIDENTS AND TO ADDRESS RESIDENT CONCERNS, SO SLOWING IT DOWN IS PROBLEMATIC IN AND OF ITSELF. I ALSO WANT TO HIGHLIGHT A CCR THAT MY OFFICE FILED ADDRESSING CLUSTER MAILBOX THEFT, WE FILED IT ON OCTOBER 23RD, 2024, THEN IT WENT INTO GOVERNANCE JANUARY 15N [02:55:04] PUBLIC SAFETY COMMITTEE SO OUT OF THAT PROCESS, A TASK FORCE WAS FORMED. THERE WAS MULTIPLE MEETINGS HELD BY SAPD. THAT TASK FORCE CONCLUDED ON JUNE 26TH. SO AUGUST CAME AND WENT. THERE WASN'T ANY PUBLIC SAFETY MEETINGS AND HERE WE ARE IN SEPTEMBER. SO TO PUT ALL OF THAT WORK AND HAVE THE CCR GO BACK INTO GOVERNANCE MAKES NO SENSE TO ME . IT'S DISRESPECTFUL TO OUR CITY STAFF'S WORK, TO SAPD'S WORK, TO DEPUTY CHIEF RAMOS' WORK, TO ALL THE AGENCIES AND NEIGHBORHOODS THAT SPENT THEIR TIME AND EFFORTS ON THIS. TO DISREGARD ALL OF THAT I THINK IS DISRESPECTFUL . IF THE CONCERN IS OUR NEW COUNCIL COLLEAGUES TO GET BROUGHT UP TO SPEED, THEY CAN GET BROUGHT UP TO SPEED PRETTY SIMPLY: BY GOING BACK AND WATCHING OLD MEETINGS. BY GETTING BRIEFINGS. BY TALKING TO COUNCIL COLLEAGUES TO SAY, HEY, WHAT WAS THE THINKING PROCESS HERE? AND THEY WILL GET INPUT ON THE PROCESS BY WHERE THEY SIT ON COMMITTEES, BY SITTING IN GOVERNANCE, BY HAVING A SEAT ON THE DAIS. THE NEW COUNCIL MEMBERS' INPUT IS TAKEN INTO CONSIDERATION. THEY HAVE A VALUABLE ROLE TO PLAY. I'M OFTEN REMINDED OF WHAT MAYOR NIRENBERG SAID THAT LOCAL GOVERNMENT IS VERY MUCH LIKE A RELAY TEAM. WE HAND THINGS OFF TO EACH OTHER. AND TOGETHER WE'RE GETTING THINGS DONE ON BEHALF OF OUR CITY. ONE OTHER QUICK THING. I DO WANT TO NOTE IS, YOU KNOW, THE THOUGHT OF -- WELL, LET ME TAKE A STEP BACK. THIS BODY OF GOVERNMENT IS THE CLOSEST BODY OF GOVERNMENT TO THE PEOPLE. SO TO SAY THAT WE WANT TO MIRROR THE STATE AND FEDERAL GOVERNMENT DOESN'T MAKE AN SENSE. I MEAN, ALL OF THAT BUREAUCRACY DOESN'T MAKE SENSE, ESPECIALLY WHEN IT'S OUR TAXPAYER DOLLARS ON THE LINE. I ALSO, YOU KNOW, WILL SAY THAT IN LOOKING AT ME AND MY OFFICE'S WORK ON CLUSTER MAILBOX THEFT, WE'RE ACTUALLY WORKING ON IT BECAUSE THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT CAN'T. I DO WANT TO HIGHLIGHT THAT. WE'RE TRYING TO ADDRESS RESIDENT CONCERNS. AND SO, YOU KNOW, JUST WANT TO ECHO WE HAVE A GOOD CCR PROCESS. WE NEED TO KEEP IT GOING. RESIDENT CONCERNS DON'T START AND STOP WHEN WE GET ELECTED AND WHEN WE GET INTO OFFICE. THERE IS A PRESSING NEED TO SOLVE RESIDENT CONCERNS. THIS IS A BODY THAT THEY ELECTED TO DO THAT AND SO WE'VE GOT TO DO OUR JOB AND GET THIS WORK DONE. THANK YOU. >> MAYOR JONES: CHAIR MUNGIA. >> MUNGIA: THANK YOU, MAYOR. DEFINITELY APPRECIATE THE CONVERSATION. YOU KNOW, SINCE WE GOT IN ON THIS AND ALTHOUGH A NEW COUNCIL MEMBER IS CERTAINLY NO STRANGER TO THE CCR PROCESS. AT THE TIME WHEN THE AMENDMENTS WERE BEING CHANGED, I REMEMBER HAVING SOME CONCERN ABOUT SOME OF THE LANGUAGE THERE BUT UNDERSTANDING THE COUNCIL MEMBERS WANTED SOME DEFINITIVE TIMELINES AND SOME, YOU KNOW, THINGS TO HOLD TO BE ACCOUNTABLE WITH THE POLICY RECOMMENDATIONS THAT THEY WERE MAKING. I WOULD ALSO SAY, YOU KNOW, WE ARE CONTINUING WORK -- I'M SURE A LOT OF THE PIECES OF THE BUDGET WE JUST PASSED WERE -- THINGS WERE CHAMPIONED BY PREVIOUS COUNCIL MEMBERS THAT WE STILL DO NOW. I WOULD ALSO SAY THAT CCRS ARE NOT THE ONLY WAY FOR COUNCIL MEMBERS TO BE EFFECTIVE. YOU HAVE A VOTE AT THIS COUNCIL, UP TO YOUR VERY, VERY LAST MEETING HERE. AND SO IF IT'S BEEN WORKING GREAT, I WOULD SAY ALSO THAT THE UNOFFICIAL POLICY BEFORE THIS DAY WAS THAT COUNCIL MEMBERS WHO WERE NO LONGER HERE DID NOT HAVE CCRS RETURN. THAT WAS THE UNOFFICIAL POLICY THAT WE HAD. GREAT EXAMPLE, WE TALKED A LOT ABOUT DISTRICT 1. THE COUNCILWOMAN'S PREDECESSOR HAD A SHORT-TERM RENTAL CCR. AFTER HER PREDECESSOR DID NOT RETURN, THAT CCR DID NOT COME BACK. IT CAME BACK BECAUSE MY PREDECESSOR BROUGHT THAT ITEM TO HER COMMITTEE AS CHAIR TO DISCUSS. BUT OTHER THAN THAT, IT WAS NOT GOING TO COME BACK IN THE CCR PROCESS. NOW, DID WE TAKE A LOOK AT THE CCR AND SAY, SURE, THESE ARE SOME THINGS WE WANT TO CONTINUE DISCUSSING AT PCDC? YES. DID WE GET STAKEHOLDERS INVOLVED? ABSOLUTELY. BUT THAT WAS THE PREROGATIVE OF THE CHAIR. SO IT WAS NOT AN AUTOMATIC RETURN. THAT'S WHAT'S BEEN HAPPENING HERE. SO IF IT'S BEEN WORKING GREAT, THAT WAS PART OF THE PROCESS. I WOULD ALSO SAY THAT MOST OF US PROBABLY DIDN'T GET HERE BY SAYING THAT WE ARE GOING TO UPHOLD OUR PREDECESSOR'S WORK. YES, OBVIOUSLY SOME OF US AGREE WITH WHAT OUR PREDECESSORS DID AND WE CONTINUE SUPPORT ON THAT BUT I DIDN'T CHAMPION SAYING I'M GOING TO UPHOLD EVERY SINGLE THING THAT ALL PREVIOUS COUNCILS DID. [03:00:02] WE PROBABLY ALL RUN ON SOME ASPECT OF CHANGE AND SO IT'S IMPORTANT TO RECOGNIZE THAT. IT'S BEEN A LIVELY DISCUSSION ON THIS TOPIC FOR MANY MONTHS NOW. I WOULD LIKE TO OFFER SOMETHING IN THE SPIRIT OF BIPARTISANSHIP, WHICH IS KIND OF A RARE WORD SOMETIMES IN OUR COUNTRY. BUT WITH THAT, MAYOR, I WOULD LIKE TO MOVE TO AMEND ITEM 21 TO ADD LANGUAGE TO NEW SECTION 6 SO THAT A CCR EXPIRES UNDER THE FOLLOWING CONDITIONS: A, THE MAIN SPONSOR OF THE CCR IS NO LONGER IN OFFICE. OR, B, FOUR OUT OF THE FIVE SIGNATORIES ARE NO LONGER IN OFFICE. >> MAYOR JONES: THERE'S A MOTION AND A SECOND. IS THERE ANY OBJECTION TO DISCUSSING THE ITEM AND THE AMENDMENT TOGETHER? THERE BEING NONE -- >> >> THAT'S RIGHT. YES. IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION ON THE PROPOSED AMENDMENT? >> MUNGIA: I DO HAVE COPIES OF THE PROPOSAL, IF ANYBODY NEEDS TO REFER TO THAT. AND THEN I THINK IN THE SPIRIT OF THIS IT'S JUST TO SAY THIS IS MORE OR LESS WHAT WAS IN PRACTICE. SO THE MAJORITY OF THE BODY WANTS TO CONTINUE SOMETHING THAT WAS NOT GOING TO RETURN, WE ALL STILL HAVE THE ABILITY TO DO THAT. THIS ORDINANCE THAT WE'RE DISCUSSING TODAY CAME UP, NOT THROUGH A CCR PROCESS OR EVEN BY THE CITY MANAGER OR MAYOR, IT WAS A SIGNATORY MEMO THAT GOT IT HERE. SO THERE ARE STILL TOOLS AVAILABLE TO FOLKS IF THEY FEEL LIKE SOMETHING WAS MISSED FROM THE LAST TERM THAT THEY STILL WANT TO BRING IT UP. THERE'S STILL PLENTY OF OPTIONS. BUT I'LL PASS THIS TO A COUPLE OF FOLKS THAT WANT IT. >> MAYOR JONES: WHO WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK ON THIS AMENDMENT? ANYBODY ON THIS SIDE? COUNCILWOMAN CASTILLO. >> CASTILLO: THANK YOU, MAYOR. AS FOLKS EMPHASIZED, LOCAL GOVERNMENT IS THE CLOSEST GOVERNMENT TO HAVING A PULSE ON OUR CONSTITUENCY. OUR TEAM HAS DRAFTED ROUGHLY 26 COUNCIL CONSIDERATION REQUESTS WHICH HAVE RESULTED IN CREATING A COST RECOVERY FEE FOR DANGEROUS STRUCTURES. WE'VE CREATED A PROGRAM FOR SENIORS TO SAVE ON THEIR PROPERTY TAXES AS WELL AS WE'VE INITIATED HOLDING METAL AND AUTO RECYCLERS ACCOUNTABLE THROUGH THE CCR PROCESS. WITH A COUPLE OF THESE EXAMPLES, WE WERE EITHER TOLD IT WAS PREEMPTED BY THE STATE AND/OR TCEQ HAD STRONG RESTRICTIONS IN WHICH WE COULDN'T TAKE ON SOME OF THESE ISSUES. WE'VE ALSO ADDRESSED OR WORKING TOWARDS ADDRESSING ISSUES WITH OUR CONSTITUENCIES AND WE ALSO HAVE SO MANY MORE CCRS IN THE QUEUE RANGING FROM WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT, AFFORDABLE HOUSING, WORKER SAFETY, AND INFRASTRUCTURE. AND THEY ARE ALL STRAIGHTFORWARD REQUESTS COMING STRAIGHT FROM DISTRICT 5 RESIDENTS. AND THE PROPOSED CHANGES WITH THE ORIGINAL ITEM IS TO SAFEGUARD THAT DEMOCRATIC PROCESS BY ENSURING ALL LEGALLY-FILED POLICY REQUESTS HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO GO THROUGH THE POLICYMAKING PROCESS AND BE VOTED UPON FOLLOWING THAT PROCESS. NOW 2 IN HIS COMMENTS EARLIER MENTIONED HE'S WORKING ON A COUNCIL CONSIDERATION REQUEST. IF THAT IS SOMETHING THAT IS SIGNED AND SUBMITTED AND COUNCILMEMBER MCKEE-RODRIGUEZ RETURNS, IS THAT CCR NO LONGER VALID WITH THIS PROPOSED AMENDMENT SINCE THE COUNCILMAN WOULD NO LONGER BE THE COUNCILMAN WHO SUBMITTED THE CCR? >> SEGOVIA: UNDER THAT AMENDMENT, THAT'S CORRECT. >> CASTILLO: I VALUE THE LEADERSHIP OF COUNCILMAN CASTILLO-ANGUIANO AND I THINK THE VALUE -- I HAVEN'T READ IT YET BUT I'M SURE IT'S A GREAT POLICY THAT I WOULD HOPE WE COULD SEE MOVE ALONG THAT PROCESS. WITH THE PROPOSED AMENDMENT WE WOULDN'T SEE THAT WORK CONTINUE TO COME TO FRUITION. I THINK YOUR EXPERTISE AND THE WORK OF YOUR TEAM VALUE MERITS GOING THROUGH THAT PROCESS. SO I WON'T BE SUPPORTING THE AMENDMENT BECAUSE I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT THAT THESE CCRS CONTINUE TO GO THROUGH THE PROCESS. AGAIN, OUR CONSTITUENTS VOTED FOR US TO REPRESENT THEM AND TO DIRECT OUR CITY MANAGER AND CITY STAFF AND THE CITY ATTORNEY'S OFFICE TO WORK ON A RESOLUTION. AND I THINK THE ORIGINAL ITEM 21 HELPS US CODIFY THAT PROCESS. THANK YOU, MAYOR. >> MAYOR JONES: IN CASE IT INFORMS ANY OTHER ADDITIONAL COMMENTS, AS I SHARED BOTH PUBLICLY AND DIRECTLY TO YOU, COUNCILWOMAN ALDERETE GAVITO, IT WOULDN'T DISREGARD THE WORK IN ANY WAY. AS CHAIR MUNGIA'S EFFORT DOES, IT'S MEANT TO REFLECT THE WILL OF THIS COUNCIL. AGAIN, ACTUALLY GETTING THE SUPPORT OF ADDITIONAL FOLKS ON THIS COUNCIL AND THEN SAYING, AS I ASKED YOU DIRECTLY, ARE THERE ONES YOU WOULD LIKE TO PRIORITIZE THAT ARE READY FOR AN IMMEDIATE VOTE? THOSE COULD BE FAST TRACKED. SO IT MAKES IT MUCH FASTER THAN THE CURRENT PROCESS IF IT WAS IN FACT FOCUSED ON [03:05:05] ACHIEVING SOMETHING MEANINGFUL FOR THE COMMUNITY. CHAIR GALVAN. >> GALVAN: THANK YOU, MAYOR. AND I WANT TO START OFF JUST SAYING THANK YOU TO MY COLLEAGUES WHO IN RAISING THIS ISSUE FOR THE PAST FEW MONTHS, I THINK IT'S ALWAYS WORTHWHILE TO REVIEW PROCEDURES HAVE BEEN DONE. THE WAY THINGS HAVE BEEN WORKING OR NOT WORKING, TO GIVE OUR COUNCIL AN OPPORTUNITY TO DECIDE AND DETERMINE HOW TO CODIFY SOME OF THESE PROCESSES THAT WE HAVE THAT MAY NOT HAVE BEEN FORMALIZED AND SEE IF THERE ARE ANY GAPS THAT INFORM OUR WORK HERE. I CERTAINLY VALUE THE CONVERSATION WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO HAVE ON SIMILAR TOPICS TO THIS AS WELL AS THIS TOPIC TODAY. SOMETHING THAT I THINK JUST STICKS WITH ME ON THIS IS CONCERNS I HAVE ON THE CCR PROCESS, THINKING ABOUT NOT ONLY, YOU KNOW, WHAT IS THE PROCESS. I THINK FOR COUNCIL MEMBERS WHO DO TERM OUT OR DO PHASE OFF THE DAIS, WHAT HAPPENED TO THE CCRS. THERE WAS AN OFFICIAL PROCESS FOR THAT. IT WENT AWAY. THE CCRS DID NOT GO THROUGH UNLESS SOMEONE ELSE WANTED TO PICK UP THE WORK IN SOME FORM OR FASHION OR IT WAS GOING THROUGH THE PROCESS. BUT I THINK THAT'S PART OF SIMPLY WHAT CITY COUNCIL AND IN GENERAL THE GOVERNING BODIES DO IS IF IT'S NOT CHAMPIONED, IT FADES AWAY. THERE ARE THINGS THAT FORMER COUNCILWOMAN CABELLO HAVRDA AND I AGREED UPON BUT THERE ARE SOME WE DISAGREE ON. ONE PARTICULAR ONE I THINK ABOUT IS THE CPS ENERGY ONE. IT'S NO SHADE TO HER WORK ETHIC NOR THE ISSUES SHE WAS HEARING FROM RESIDENTS. SAME ISSUES I HEARD ABOUT RATE INCREASES. BUT MY APPROACH IS DIFFERENT. I THINK HER APPROACH IS DIFFERENT. AND THAT'S FINE. THERE'S GOING TO BE MOMENTS WHEN WE AGREE WITH OUR PREDECESSORS BEFORE US ON DIFFERENT ISSUES AND THERE'S GOING TO BE ONES WHERE WE DON'T. AND I THINK IT'S WORTH TALKING ABOUT WHAT HAPPENS TO THOSE POLICIES IN PLACE. EVEN TODAY TALKING ABOUT SOME OF THE -- YEAH. YESTERDAY -- AND A LITTLE BIT THIS MORNING ABOUT THE AMENDMENTS TO ADD MORE POLICE OFFICERS IN THEIR RELATION TO THE STUDY CITED FROM UTSA. WHAT THIS COUNCIL THINKS ABOUT THIS MAY BE DIFFERENT THAN THE LAST COUNCIL. IT'S JUST UNDERSTANDING THAT SOME OF THESE CCRS CAN GIVE US A KIND OF ROAD MAP, IN A WAY, OF WHAT COULD BE ADDRESSED HERE BUT IT'S WORTH THE CITY COUNCIL STILL REVIEWING THEM IN FULL. THAT SAME FEELING GOES ABOUT CCRS OVERALL. THE ORIGINAL CCR PROCESS WAS SIX MEMBERS SIGNING ON TO A RESOLUTION AND SUBMITTING IT. OR TO REQUEST SUBMITTING IT TO CITY STAFF AND FOR A CITY COUNCIL MEETING TO DISCUSS THE ISSUE AT HAND. IT WAS CHANGED OVER TIME IN 2007 AND LATER ON TO MAKE IT REDUCED TO FIVE SO THERE COULD BE MORE WORK THROUGH THE COMMITTEE PROCESS. AND THEN OF COURSE BRING IT TO FULL COUNCIL. WHAT CONCERNS ME ABOUT THAT IS THAT WHILE I SUPPORT THE IDEA OF IT GOING THROUGH COMMITTEES, SUPPORT THE IDEA OF CITY STAFF WORKING ON THESE ISSUES THAT WE RAISED TO THEM, THAT WE HAVE AN ACTUAL PROCESS OF HERE'S WHAT IT CAN LOOK LIKE AND CAN BE IF IMPLEMENTED. WHAT I'M CONCERNED ABOUT THAT IS THAT SOME OF THESE CCRS HAVE BEEN GOING OUT WITHOUT MAJORITY APPROVAL AND SEEM TO BE BAKED INTO POLICY ACTIONS AND BUDGET ITEMS WITHOUT THE FULL AGREEMENT OF COUNCIL. OF COURSE, COUNCIL HAS THE OPPORTUNITY TO MAKE THOSE DECISIONS DURING THE BUDGET PROCESS OR DURING ANOTHER COUNCIL MEETING OR THROUGH A MEMO. MY CONCERN WITH THAT IS IT'S CONSTANTLY HAVING TO SAY THIS THING GOT MOVED THROUGH BY FIVE PEOPLE AND THERE WAS NOT A MAJORITY SUPPORTING IT OUT LOUD OR THROUGH A VOTE OR SOME OTHER ACTION. SO THE POINT BEING WITH ALL THAT IS I HAVE MY CONCERNS ON CCRS PERIOD. I HAVE LOTS HOFF THINGS I THINK WE SHOULD LOOK AT. AND I THINK THE GOVERNANCE COMMITTEE SHOULD LOOK AT AS WELL. BUT THE CONVERSATION ABOUT WHAT OTHER CITY COUNCILS THROUGHOUT OUR COUNTRY DO AND HOW THEY MAKE THAT POLICY WORK FOR THE BODIES THAT THEY SERVE AND THE BODIES WITHIN. I THINK THESE AMENDMENTS THAT ARE BEING PROPOSED TODAY -- SORRY. THE AMENDMENT FIRST FROM COUNCILMEMBER MUNGIA, I APPRECIATE IT. I DON'T THINK I'LL BE SUPPORTING IT TODAY GIVEN THE FACT THAT I PREFER THAT MOST OF THIS WORK GET DONE IN THE GOVERNANCE COMMITTEE AND COME BACK LATER ON, WHETHER IT'S IN A FEW MONTHS OR YEAR. GIVING US AN OPPORTUNITY NOT ONLY ON THE COMMITTEE ITSELF TO MAKE RECOMMENDATIONS BUT FOR THE ENTIRE COUNCIL TO CONSIDER AS A FULL BODY, POTENTIALLY ALSO BETWEEN CONVERSATION WITH THE COUNCIL MEMBERS ABOUT -- WELL, I HEARD Y'ALL TALK ABOUT THIS AT GOVERNANCE. AND TO BRING IT TO FULL COUNCIL AND VOTE TO AMEND THE ORDINANCE WITH MORE COLLABORATIVE DECISION [03:10:01] MAKING HERE. I WON'T BE SUPPORTING THAT AMENDMENT. AND FOR THE AMENDMENTS FOR SECTION 6 AND 8, I WILL BE SUPPORTING THOSE JUST UNTIL WE LOOK AT THE FULL REVIEW OF THIS CCR PROCESS AS A COLLABORATIVE BODY. THANK YOU, MAYOR. >> MAYOR JONES: COUNCILMAN WHYTE. >> WHYTE: YEAH, JUST BRIEFLY. ACTUALLY, RIC SAID A BUNCH OF WHAT I WAS GOING TO SAY. BUT JUST A CLARIFICATION WITH ANDY. IF THIS PASSES THE ORIGINAL AMENDMENTS AS PROPOSED, IF THEY PASS TODAY, THE CCRS THAT ARE IN THE QUEUE NOW, THE CLUSTER MAILBOX ONE AND SOME OF THE OTHERS, THOSE WILL THEN MOVE FORWARD AND GET HEARD? >> SEGOVIA: YES. IT WOULD BE EFFECTIVE IF AND WHEN PASSED. YES. >> MAYOR JONES: POINT OF CLARIFICATION. HE'S ASKED IF BOTH OF THEM PASSED. >> WHYTE: SORRY. NO, JUST IF COUNCILMAN MUNGIA'S AMENDMENT FAILS. >> MAYOR JONES: THAT'S YOUR CLARIFICATION. >> WHYTE: AND THE ORIGINAL AMENDMENTS THAT WE PUT FORWARD PASS, THEN THE CCRS THAT ARE IN THE QUEUE, CLUSTER MAILBOX AND ALL THE REST WILL MOVE FORWARD. >> SEGOVIA: IT WILL BE APPLICABLE IF PASSED. >> WHYTE: THANK YOU, ANDY. >> MAYOR JONES: JUST TO ADDRESS THE POINT THAT COUNCILMAN WHYTE RAISED IN TERMS OF WHY WOULD FOLKS SUBMIT SO MANY CCRS TOWARD THE END OF THEIR TERMS. IN PART BECAUSE SOME OF THEM WERE RUNNING FOR OFFICE. I THINK THAT'S A PRETTY OBVIOUS EXPLANATION FOR SOME OF THAT. CHAIR VIAGRAN. >> VIAGRAN: THANK YOU. I APPRECIATE THE CONCERNS. I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO SERVING ON GOVERNANCE. WHILE I APPRECIATE THE AMENDMENTS THERE. I WANT TO MAKE IT CLEAR, HOWEVER, MY EXPECTATION -- ANDY YOU CAN CLARIFY -- IS THAT EVERYTHING THAT'S SITTING IN THE QUEUE IS GOING TO COME TO GOVERNANCE, CORRECT? FIRST. >> SEGOVIA: NO, COUNCILWOMAN. THE WAY THE AMENDMENTS ARE PROPOSED, THEY WOULD STAY WHEREVER THEY'RE CURRENTLY AT. IN OTHER WORDS, IF THEY WERE ALREADY AT COMMITTEE, THEY WILL STAY IN THAT COMMITTEE. >> VIAGRAN: OKAY. SO WHAT'S IN COMMITTEE WILL GO TO THE NEW COMMITTEE. AND THEN THOSE CHAIRS WILL BE ABLE TO MAKE DECISIONS REGARDING THAT. IS IT POSSIBLE THAT COMMITTEE COULD DECIDE TO SEND THEM BACK TO GOVERNANCE OR SEND THEM TO ANOTHER COMMITTEE? >> SEGOVIA: YES, THEY COULD. >> VIAGRAN: JUST BECAUSE I ASK THIS QUESTION BECAUSE WE DO HAVE THE EDUCATIONAL DEPARTMENT AND I THINK I WOULD LIKE TO SEE SOME OF THIS. AND BASED ON THE DIRECTION THAT THE MAYOR GAVE US IN TERMS OF OUR COMMITTEES, I MAY WANT TO SEE THAT ENCOURAGED. I'M NOT GOING TO MAKE AN AMENDMENT THAT WE DO THAT, I'M JUST GOING TO ASK MY COUNCIL COLLEAGUES THAT ARE SITTING ON CHAIRS THAT IF WE MOVE FORWARD WITH THIS TODAY AND YOU HAVE A CCR THAT IS -- I LIKE TO CALL IT NOT READY FOR PRIME TIME -- THAT YOU FEEL FREE TO SENDD IT TO OTHER COMMITTEES FOR INPUT TOO. I THINK THAT IS GOING TO BE THE COURSE OF ACTION, ESPECIALLY NOW THE WAY THE MAYOR HAS SET THE COMMITTEES. I FEEL LIKE SHE'S REALLY WORKING HARD TO KEEP US OUT OF A WALKING QUORUM. SO I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT THAT WE ARE -- WE LOOK AT THIS AS A NEW OPPORTUNITY. SO WHILE I UNDERSTAND WE NEED TO MOVE FORWARD AND GET THIS STARTED, I WOULD LIKE, ERIK, A LIST OF WHAT'S CURRENTLY IN COMMITTEES THAT COULD POSSIBLY COMING IN AND POSSIBLY HAVING NEW COUNCIL MEMBERS WEIGH IN ON WHAT THEY WOULD LIKE TO SEE AT A B SESSION REGARDING SOME OF THESE CCRS. BECAUSE I WON'T BE SUPPORTING THE AMENDMENTS BUT I DO WANT TO TALK ABOUT THEM IN GOVERNANCE. BUT I DO THINK THERE NEEDS TO BE MORE WORK AND COMMUNICATION REGARDING SOME OF THE CCRS COMING OUT. BECAUSE I KNOW THAT THERE WERE A LOT OF CCRS COMING OUT TOWARDS THE END OF THE YEAR THAT HAD TO DO SPECIFICALLY WITH CAMPAIGN-RELATED ISSUES. AND THAT'S WHAT -- I DON'T WANT TO SEE US MOVING FORWARD WITH. BUT IF THEY'RE IN COMMITTEES, I THINK WE CAN HANDLE IT THERE. I ALSO THINK WE CAN HANDLE IT IN B SESSION ALSO. BECAUSE THE CCR PROCESS, IN THE FOUR YEARS COUNCILWOMAN CASTILLO HAVE BEEN HERE, WE HAVE SEEN IT USED IN A MYRIAD OF WAYS BY OUR FORMER MAYOR. SO WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT [03:15:05] WE ARE KIND OF HAVING THOSE CHECKS AND BALANCES. AND I THINK WITH THE MAYOR'S CURRENT PROCESS OF -- THE EDUCATIONAL COMMITTEE AND ALSO NOT HAVING AS MANY COUNCIL MEMBERS. SO THERE'S THAT. THERE'S NOT THAT WALKING QUORUM THAT WE GET CLOSE TO, BECAUSE THAT'S WHAT HAPPENS WHEN WE'RE AT FIVE. RIC MENTIONED SIX AND I WAS LIKE, YEAH, AND WE WERE IN TROUBLE WITH THAT, BECAUSE IT COULD BE PERCEIVED LIKE THAT. THAT'S WHAT I REALLY WANT TO SEE HOW WE MOVE FORWARD WITH THIS PROCESS. SO I WON'T BE SUPPORTING THE AMENDMENTS TODAY. I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO GETTING INTO GOVERNANCE THOUGH AND TALKING. AND I WOULD LIKE, MAYOR, AS THE CHAIR OF GOVERNANCE, TO SET A TIMELINE WHERE WE COME BACK AND MAYBE DO A BIGGER B SESSION ON THE CONVERSATIONS OF WHAT HAS WORKED AND WHAT HAS NOT WORKED. I THINK WE'VE SPENT ENOUGH TIME TALKING ABOUT CCRS. THANK YOU. >> MAYOR JONES: CHAIR MUNGIA. >> MUNGIA: THANK YOU, MAYOR. I'M ALSO HAPPY TO GET A FRIENDLY AMENDMENT TO CHANGE THE AMENDMENT TO ADD WITH THE EXCEPTION OF AN INTERIM COUNCIL MEMBER. BECAUSE COUNCILWOMAN CASTILLO IS CORRECT. THAT SHOULD CARRY OVER. THE OTHER THING I WOULD SAY IS THAT EVEN WITH THESE AMENDMENTS THAT I PROPOSED, YOUR CCRS WOULD STILL CONTINUE NO MATTER WHAT. IF YOU LOOK AT THE CCRS IN QUEUE, 2025, THERE ARE TWO CCRS THAT COUNCIL MEMBERS SUBMITTED THAT ARE NO LONGER HERE. YOU LOOK AT 2024, THERE ARE FIVE. CCRS OF ALL THE ONES THAT WOULD BE DISCONTINUED BASED ON THIS THAT IS A MINORITY OF THE AMOUNT OF CCRS THAT WE HAVE . AND BASICALLY OUR COMMITTEES, ACCORDING TO THIS, WE WILL BE LOOKING AT CCRS FILED FROM COUNCIL MEMBERS WHO ARE NO LONGER HERE FROM TWO YEARS AGO THAT DIDN'T MAKE IT ANYWHERE. AND SO YOU ARE CORRECT. IT IS A RELAY RACE BUT NOW THAT WE ARE HERE, WE GET TO CHOOSE WHICH BATONS WE TAKE FORWARD WITH US. AND THIS AMENDMENT ALLOWS US TO DO THAT. I JUST WANT TO ADD THAT CLARIFICATION. THANK YOU. >> MAYOR JONES: COUNCILWOMAN SPEARS. >> SPEARS: THANK YOU, MAYOR. I THINK THAT COUNCIL MEMBERS, WE'RE ELECTED TO REPRESENT OUR CONSTITUENTS AND SO THESE CCRS JUST ARE NOT JUST IDEAS, THEY ARE THE ACTUAL VOICES OF THE PEOPLE THAT WE REPRESENT AND WHO ELECT US. AND THOSE VOICES SHOULDN'T BE FILTERED, STIFLED, DELAYED, REGARDLESS OF WHO IS SITTING IN THE SEAT. AND SO I KNOW THAT THE VOTERS ARE GOING TO HOLD ME ACCOUNTABLE FOR WHAT I DO AND NOT THE BODY, NECESSARILY. WHEN THESE CCRS ARE BLOCKED OR DROPPED AND THE PUBLIC DOESN'T SEE THAT, THE ACCOUNTABILITY IS LOST OR PLACED ON MY SHOULDERS. GOVERNING DOES NOT PAUSE OR STOP DURING ELECTIONS AND THESE DO TAKE A LONG TIME TO COMPLETE. AND I FORESEE AN UNINTENDED CONSEQUENCE, AS COUNCILMAN WHYTE MENTIONED, THAT A COUNCIL MEMBER AT THE END OF THEIR TERM WILL STOP PARTICIPATING IN THE CCR PROCESS BECAUSE THEIR EFFORTS COULD BE VIEWED AS FUTILE. TO YOUR POINT, MAYOR, OTHERS MIGHT FILL THE PIPELINE. BUT IN ANY EVENT, IF IT'S THE VOICE OF OUR CONSTITUENTS, I DON'T SEE -- I CAN SEE WHY WE WOULD STILL NEED TO HAVE THOSE LISTENED TO AND MOVED THROUGH THE PROCESS. I PLAN TO WORK THE ENTIRE TIME I'M IN OFFICE AND I WOULD REALLY HATE TO SEE MY HARD WORK ERASED. AND STAFF SPENDS A LOT OF TIME ON THIS, TAX DOLLARS ARE SPENT TO MOVE THINGS THROUGH THE PROCESS AS WELL. I THINK IT'S MY JOB TO GET UP TO SPEED ON THE EXISTING CCRS AND THAT WAS WHAT I WAS ELECTED TO DO. IT'S PART OF MY JOB. I WANT TO ENSURE THAT MY VOICE -- I WILL ENSURE THAT MY VOICE IS HEARD AND THE COLLECTIVE VOICES OF MY CONSTITUENTS ARE HEARD. AND I DO JUST HAVE A COUPLE OF QUESTIONS FOR YOU, ANDY OR ERIK. WHEN DID WE START THE CCR PROCESS? BECAUSE IT'S AN ANOMALY FOR THE CITY. IT'S NOT SOMETHING WE DO ALL OVER THE REST OF THE STATE. IT'S SOMETHING WE CREATED IS THE WAY I UNDERSTAND IT. AND HOW DO THE MAJORITY OF OTHER CITIES PRESENT ITEMS FOR DISCUSSION OR AGENDIZE ITEMS THROUGHOUT THE STATE OF TEXAS? IF YOU DON'T KNOW ALL THAT TODAY -- >> SEGOVIA: I CAN ANSWER ONE, COUNCILWOMAN. BASED ON JUST REVIEW OF THE ORDINANCE IS IT LOOKS LIKE THE CCR PROCESS WAS FIRST DOCUMENTED AS AN ORDINANCE IN 2003. THERE'S A HOST OF DIFFERENT WAYS THAT OTHER CITIES DO IT. WE CAN COME BACK TO YOU AND THE COUNCIL IN TERMS OF WHAT SOME OF THE EXAMPLES ARE HOW OTHER CITIES AGENDIZE POLICY IDEAS. [03:20:02] >> WALSH: COUNCILWOMAN, PRIOR TO 2003, THERE WAS ANOTHER PROCESS THAT INVOLVED SIX SIGNATURES. I THINK COUNCILMAN GALVAN MENTIONED THAT. OVER TIME IT'S CHANGED A BIT THE OTHER THING HAPPENED, PRIMARILY IN 2005 OR '06 IS WHERE COUNCIL COMMITTEES BEGAN EXISTING. PRIOR TO THAT, THERE WAS ONE AGENDA SITTING -- KIND OF A GOVERNANCE COMMITTEE AND THAT WAS IT. AND IT WAS EXPANDED TO THE SYSTEM THAT WE HAVE NOW. BUT WE CAN PUT TOGETHER SOME HISTORY OF THAT AND KIND OF HOW OTHER TEXAS CITIES ARE MANAGING THESE ISSUES. >> SPEARS: I APPRECIATE IT. THANK YOU, MAYOR. >> MAYOR JONES: CHAIR KAUR. >> KAUR: THANK YOU, MAYOR. I HAD A CLARIFY QUESTION, ANDY. UNDER THE PROPOSED AMENDMENT FROM COUNCILMEMBER MUNGIA, WHAT WOULD HAPPEN IF A CCR WAS CO-AUTHORED? >> SEGOVIA: THAT'S WHY I THINK THE AMENDMENTS ENVISION ONE SPONSOR. THEY CERTAINLY IDENTIFY THE PRIMARY SPONSOR, EVEN THOUGH THEY'RE A CO-AUTHOR. >> KAUR: THAT'S A CHANGE THAT -- I THINK THAT WOULD HAVE TO HAVE A LARGER DISCUSSION. THERE ARE SOME WHERE I LIKE IT TO BE CO-WRITTEN VERSUS -- GENERALLY THERE IS SOMEONE'S TEAM THAT STARTS IT AND ASKS SOMEONE ELSE TO COLLABORATE ON IT. BUT I LOVE WHEN WE GET TO DO COLLABORATIVE CCRS. WE HAVE HAD A COUPLE ABLE TO COLLABORATE ON THEM. AND SO I THINK IT'S A CHALLENGE IF WE SAY THE SPONSOR'S NOT HERE AND WE HAVE TO IDENTIFY A SPONSOR, IT ESSENTIALLY TAKES AWAY OUR ABILITY TO TRULY SAY WE CO-AUTHORED A CCR. SO FOR THAT REASON, I'M STRUGGLING WITH THE AMENDMENT. I LIKE WHAT COUNCILMEMBER GALVAN SAID ABOUT GOING TO GOVERNANCE AND THEN BRINGING IT TO A B SESSION. MAYBE WE CAN HAVE A DISCUSSION ABOUT WHAT ARE THE THINGS WE REALLY CARE ABOUT FOR THE CCR PROCESS. BUT ON THE AMENDMENTS PROPOSED, I DO WANT TO MOVE FORWARD ON THE WORK. AND SO I'M STILL THINK THROUGH HOW DO WE MAKE SURE WE MOVE FORWARD ON THE WORK. I'M CURIOUS -- I KNOW COUNCILWOMAN VIAGRAN JUST ASKED FOR WHICH CCRS ARE IN PROCESS RIGHT NOW. I KNOW, AS CHAIR OF PUBLIC SAFETY, MARIA AND I HAVE ALREADY TALKED ABOUT WE NEED TO GET THE CCR ABOUT MAILBOX THEFT ON. WE TALKED ABOUT IT AT OUR PUBLIC SAFETY COMMITTEE MEETING THIS WEEK TO TRY TO AGENDIZE IT FOR OCTOBER. BUT I'M CURIOUS ABOUT WHAT ARE THE OTHER ONES THAT MAY HAVE TO GO BACK. LIKE I'M TRYING TO SEE WHAT THE IMPACT OF NOT DOING THESE AMENDMENTS TODAY AND JUST HAVING A STRATEGIC CONVERSATION AS WAS PROPOSED BY COUNCILMEMBER GALVAN. >> WALSH: MAYOR, TO RESPOND TO THAT. JUST BASED ON THE AMENDMENT FROM COUNCILMAN MUNGIA, I'M LOOKING AT THE LIST. THERE ARE SIX THAT ARE POTENTIALLY IMPACTED RIGHT NOW, BASED ON THAT AMENDMENT. SO IN TERMS OF SCALE, IT'S NOT -- >> KAUR: I'M SORRY. NOT THAT AMENDMENT BUT EVEN THE ORIGINAL. DO WE KNOW HOW MANY WERE ALREADY THROUGH COMMITTEES? >> MAYOR JONES: THERE'S 32 ACTIVE. >> KAUR: 32 ACTIVE. >> WALSH: SORRY. I WAS ANSWERING THE OTHER QUESTION. AND I THINK DEPENDING ON WHAT YOU ALL DECIDE TODAY, I THINK THE STAFF WILL DO KIND OF A TABLE-SETTING MEMO BACK TO THE COUNCIL TO SHOW WHERE THEY'RE AT, WHERE THEY WERE AT. DEPENDING ON WHAT YOU ALL DECIDE. AND THERE ARE A FAIR NUMBER OF CCRS THAT HAVE NOT BEEN TO GOVERNANCE AND THERE'S A FAIR NUMBER THAT WILL BE IN THE QUEUE THERE, REGARDLESS OF WHAT YOU GUYS DECIDE TODAY. I THINK WE NEED TO DO QUICKLY BACK TO YOU ALL THAT TABLE SETTING. >> KAUR: THANK YOU FOR THAT CLARIFICATION, ERIK. YEAH, I THINK WHAT I WOULD SAY IS LIKE LET'S NOT CHANGE --T THE PREVIOUS CCRS THAT HAVE ALREADY BEEN IN THE PROCESS JUST GO THROUGH WHERE THEY ARE BECAUSE THEY WERE FUNCTIONING UNDER THE PREVIOUS ORDINANCE. BUT I WOULD LIKE TO HAVE A CONVERSATION. I'M NOT ON GOVERNANCE BUT IF IT GOES FROM GOVERNANCE TO B SESSION OR IF WE CAN HAVE IT AT B SESSION SO THAT WE CAN ALL PARTICIPATE AND DECIDE WHAT ARE THE THINGS THAT REALLY MATTER TO US IN THE CCR PROCESS. EVEN GOING BACK TO -- I KNOW WE HAD THAT CONVERSATION ABOUT WHETHER OR NOT WE WANT TO INCLUDE CORE SERVICES ON IT. WHETHER WE WANTED TO GET ANDY'S SIGNATURE. I THINK THERE'S A LARGER CONVERSATION ABOUT WHAT THE THINGS THAT WE FEEL ARE IMPORTANT THAT WOULD PROBABLY BE A TOUGH CONVERSATION GOING THROUGH EACH THING AND SAYING, YOU KNOW, IF WE WANT TO INCLUDE IT OR NOT. BUT I THINK WE CAN CONTINUE WITH THE PREVIOUS CCRS THAT WERE UNDER THE PREVIOUS ORDINANCE AND THEN SAY ANYTHING NEW WE SHOULD HAVE [03:25:05] A CONVERSATION ABOUT HOW WE WANT TO PROPOSE ANYTHING NEW. THANKS, MAYOR. >> MUNGIA: THANK YOU, COUNCILWOMAN. >> MAYOR JONES: ONE SECOND. THIS IS THE SECOND ROUND OF YOUR FIVE MINUTES. THANK YOU. >> MUNGIA: JUST TO POINT OUT THERE'S ALSO PART B. SO THERE'S FIVE TOTAL SIGNATURES. FOUR OF THE FIVE SIGNATORIES ARE NO LONGER IN OFFICE. SO EVEN THE SPONSOR OR THE OTHER SIGNATORIES ARE HERE. >> CO-SPONSOR BUT IT'S FIVE SIGNATURES ALL TOGETHER. THE SECOND PART OF THE AMENDMENT COVERS THAT, NO MATTER WHO IS SPONSORING OR SIGNING IT. FOUR OUT OF THE FIVE. AGAIN, TO MY COLLEAGUES THAT SAID THIS HAS BEEN WORKING AS IT SHOULD HAVE OR WE LIKE THE WAY IT'S BEEN WORKING, IT'S BEEN WORKING WITH COUNCIL MEMBERS WHO ARE NO LONGER RETURNING AND HAVING THEIR CCRS RETURN. THAT'S THE WAY IT'S BEEN WORKING. THAT'S THE WAY THE LAST ADMINISTRATION HAD IT. IF IT'S BEEN OKAY THAT THIS AMENDMENT GOES WITH WHAT HAD BEEN HAPPENING. AGAIN, EVERYBODY UP HERE, THE CCRS THAT YOU AUTHORED, ARE STILL GOING TO BE HERE NO MATTER WHAT HAPPENS. I JUST WANT TO ADD THAT CLARIFICATION. >> MAYOR JONES: CHAIR GALVAN. >> GALVAN: JUST A COUPLE OF QUICK THING SOMETHING THAT COUNCILMAN KAUR MENTIONED, THE ORIGINAL CONVERSATION ABOUT THESE PIECES -- I CAN'T REMEMBER BACK IN JULY OR AUGUST -- WERE POINTS ABOUT RESOLUTIONS AS WELL AND THE IMPACT THOSE HAVE. I THINK THAT'S WORTH THE CONVERSATION TOO IN GOVERNANCE THINKING ABOUT THE WAY RESOLUTIONS WERE BEFORE. IN THE WAY OTHER CITY COUNCILS ACROSS THE COUNTRY USE THEM. HAVING THAT REVIEW OF WHAT WORKS HERE AND OVERALL CAN GUIDE US . WE ARE OUR OWN CITY WITH OUR OWN RULES BUT I THINK IT'S WORTHWHILE TO JUST GO THROUGH THOSE OTHER FORMS. GO THROUGH WHAT WAS DONE IN THE PAST IN TERMS OF RESOLUTIONS. PERSONALLY I THINK RESOLUTIONS ARE INTERESTING TO UTILIZE, GIVEN THEIR CONFORMANCE WITH EVEN OLDER CITY COUNCILS AND THE WAY THAT HERE IN OUR CITY THE WAY THOSE WORKED. YOU CAN SEE THE PATTERN IN POLICYMAKING THAT MAKES IT MORE UNIFORM. AND IT'S SOMETIMES MORE DIRECT TOO VERSUS A REQUEST. THIS IS WHAT WE AGREED TO. IT GIVES THE COUNCIL AN OPPORTUNITY TO FULLY AGREE UPON IT AND GO FORWARD WITH IT. LAST THING I WANTED TO SAY WAS I'M INCREDIBLY GRATEFUL -- AND I'M JUST INCREDIBLY GRATEFUL FOR THE CITY CLERK AND THE MUNICIPAL ARCHIVES, THE DIGITAL ARCHIVES. I THINK COUNCILWOMAN CASTILLO MENTIONED THIS A WHILE AGO AND AS A FELLOW HISTORY MAJOR, I WISH I HAD THIS IN COLLEGE DOING SAN ANTONIO RESEARCH. IT HELPS TO THINK ABOUT NOT ONLY -- JUST THE QUESTION OF WHERE DID THIS COME FROM, BUT WHAT ARE WE TRYING TO DO HERE WITH THIS POLICYMAKING. THAT'S JUST THE HISTORY NERD IN ME THAT WANTED TO TALK ABOUT THAT BECAUSE I KNEW WHEN THE CCRS WERE MADE. I WAS 3. THANK YOU, MAYOR. >> MAYOR JONES: COUNCILWOMAN. >> SPEARS: I BRIEFLY WANTED TO POINT OUT THAT THIS VERY DISCUSSION IS A PERFECT EXAMPLE OF HOW BRINGING AN ITEM TO DISCUSSION FIRST AND THEN WE EXPLORE IT POSSIBLY IN B SESSION OR WE DECIDE IT GOES TO COMMITTEE OR WE JUST PASS IT. I THINK THIS IS IDEAL AND EXACTLY HOW THIS PROCESS SHOULD WORK. THANK YOU. >> MAYOR JONES: ANYONE ELSE WANT TO SPEAK DURING THE SECOND ROUND? CHAIR KAUR. >> KAUR: THANKS, MAYOR. I WANTED TO FOOT STOMP ON COUNCILMEMBER GALVAN'S POINT ABOUT RESOLUTIONS. PREVIOUSLY WE DON'T REALLY HAVE A FORMAT FOR RESOLUTIONS AND THERE'S A COUPLE BEING FLOATED RIGHT NOW THAT WE CAN TALK ABOUT. BUT I THINK IT WOULD BE GREAT TO HAVE A PROCESS FOR THAT. THANKS, MAYOR. >> MAYOR JONES: COUNCILMAN WHYTE. >> WHYTE: JUST REAL BRIEFLY. AGAIN, COUNCILMAN MUNGIA, I APPRECIATE YOUR EFFORTS HERE. REGARDLESS OF HOW MANY HERE WOULD BE AFFECTED, I THINK WE HAVE TO LOOK GOING FORWARD. AGAIN, LET'S TAKE COUNCILWOMAN CASTILLO OR COUNCILWOMAN VIAGRAN. THEY GET TO THEIR LAST YEAR HERE BEFORE THEY TERM OUT. THEY'VE GOT EIGHT MONTHS TO GO. THEY COME UP WITH A GREAT IDEA. THEY GET THE SIGNATURES FOR A CCR AND IT'S MOVING FORWARD BUT IT TAKES A WHILE. THEN THEY TERM OUT. AND ALL THAT WORK FOR EIGHT MONTHS WE'RE GOING TO GO BACK? SO THAT'S MY ISSUE WITH IT AND SO, AGAIN, I APPRECIATE THE EFFORT. I, OF COURSE, WILL NOT BE SUPPORTING THAT AMENDMENT, AND WE SHOULD STICK WITH THE CLARIFICATIONS MADE IN THE [03:30:05] BASE MOTION. THANKS, MAYOR. >> MAYOR JONES: ANYONE ELSE WANT TO SPEAK IN THE SECOND ROUND? OKAY. LET ME JUST ADDRESS A COUPLE OF THESE POINTS. SO THE IDEA OF, YOU KNOW, IT'S A GREAT IDEA THAT CAME IN AT THE END. IF IT'S A GREAT IDEA AND IT WILL STILL BE A GREAT IDEA. IT JUST HAS TO GET THE SUPPORT OF THE MOST RECENT VOTERS. TO YOUR POINT, COUNCILWOMAN SPEARS, THE IDEA OF THE VOTERS VOICES BEING HEARD, THAT'S WHAT THIS AMENDMENT TRIES TO DO. TO ENSURE THE MOST RECENT VOTERS, THEIR WILL IS EXPRESSED AS A RESULT OF THEIR COUNCILPERSON SUPPORTING AN IDEA OR DECIDING TO CARRY IT FORWARD OR NOT TO, WHICH REFLECTS THE WILL OF THIS COUNCIL AND THE PRIORITIZATION OF THIS WORK . I ALSO WANT TO FOOT STOMP. IT'S A VERY AIR FORCE TERM, BY THE WAY. FOOT STOMP ON THE GOOD COMMENT THAT CHAIR VIAGRAN MADE, THAT MANY OF THESE CAN BE WORKED IN COMMITTEE DIRECTLY. AND ACTUALLY WOULD BE MUCH, MUCH FASTER, AS CHAIR MUNGIA HAS HIGHLIGHTED IN A COUPLE OF EXAMPLES. AGAIN, IF IT'S ABOUT GETTING THE WORK DONE, SOME OF THE MOST EFFICIENT WAYS ARE TO NOT UTILIZE A CCR. BUT, AGAIN, FOR THOSE THAT ARE IN PROCESS, LOOK FORWARD TO ENSURING THAT THOSE ARE WORKED EXPEDITIOUSLY THROUGH GOVERNANCE. OKAY. WITH THAT, WE'RE GOING TO VOTE FIRST ON CHAIR MUNGIA'S AMENDMENT. PLEASE TRY TO VOTE. WE'LL SEE IF THE SYSTEM WORKS HERE. OTHERWISE, WE'LL DO A VOICE VOTE. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR OF CHAIR MUNGIA'S AMENDMENT, PLEASE SAY AYE. >> AYE. >> MAYOR JONES: DO WE HAVE TO RAISE HANDS THEN? WE'LL RAISE HANDS. ONE, TWO. ALL THOSE OPPOSED. THE MOTION FAILS. WAS THERE ANY ADDITIONAL COMMENT ON THE ORIGINAL AMENDMENT BY COUNCILMAN WHYTE? THERE BEING NO FURTHER DISCUSSION, WE WILL MOVE TO A VOTE. ALL IN FAVOR SAY AYE. >> >> SEGOVIA: MAYOR, IF I MAY, CAN WE ASK FOR A VOICE VOTE ON THE MAIN MOTION? >> MAYOR JONES: SURE. THE MAIN MOTION IS TO APPROVE THE AMENDMENT. GO AHEAD. YOU'RE GOING TO DO A ROLL CALL VOTE? >> SEGOVIA: I'M SORRY. ROLL CALL VOTE. >> MAYOR JONES: THANK YOU. >> CLERK: MOTION CARRIES. >> MAYOR JONES: MOTION CARRIES. [City Manager's Report  ] NEXT ITEM IS THE CITY MANAGER'S REPORT. ERIK, DO YOU HAVE A REPORT TODAY? >> WALSH: YES, MA'AM. TWO ITEMS. SO DISAPPOINTED THAT RAZI DIDN'T GET ANY QUESTIONS FROM YOU DURING THE BUDGET DELIBERATIONS. >> MAYOR JONES: THERE'S STILL TIME. >> WALSH: I WANTED TO RECOGNIZE TWO INDIVIDUALS WHO TODAY IS THEIR LAST BUDGET -- I'M SORRY. CITY COUNCIL MEETING. SO RAZI WILL BE RETIRING AT THE END OF SEPTEMBER WITH 33 YEARS WITH THE CITY AND 42 YEARS IN THE ENGINEERING FIELD. RAZI JOINED THE CITY IN 1991. I WAS LOOKING AT A LONG LIST OF PROJECTS AND BUILDINGS AND STREETS AND BRIDGES AND AIRPORT TERMINALS THAT HAVE BEEN CONSTRUCTED UNDER RAZI. AND THE LIST IS LONG. AND HE HAS SPENT A LOT OF TIME AT THAT PODIUM BRINGING BEFORE COUNCIL CONTRACTS AND FRDEALING WITH ISSUES. HE WAS RECOGNIZED IN 2021 AS THE ENGINEER OF THE YEAR THROUGH THE SOCIETY OF PROFESSIONAL ENGINEERS . RAZI HAS WORKED -- FOR THOSE OF YOU WHO KNOW HIM WELL -- HAS WORKED WITH INTEGRITY AND TEAMWORK AND DILIGENCE, [03:35:01] AS ANY GOOD ENGINEER WOULD. RIGHT, RAZI? AND HAS BEEN DEDICATED. I SAW RAZI AT COSTCO A COUPLE OF MONTHS AGO ON A SATURDAY AND HE WAS WALKING WITH AS MUCH INTENT IN COSTCO AS HE DOES IN THE HALLS OF CITY HALL. I WAS GOING TO WALK UP AND SAY HI TO HIM BUT WE'RE GOING TO MISS RAZI AND HIS LEADERSHIP. AND I WANT TO THANK YOU FOR YOUR DEDICATION TO OUR COMMUNITY AND OUR ORGANIZATION. AND THEN SECONDLY, TODAY IS THE LAST COUNCIL MEETING FOR LORI HOUSTON. LORI HOUSTON STARTED OFF 23 YEARS AGO AS AN INTERN WITH THE CITY. SO WHEN COUNCILWOMAN CASTILLO WAS TALKING ABOUT HER DAYS OF BEING AN AMBASSADOR, YOU NEVER REALLY KNOW WHERE YOU END UP. BUT SHE STARTED IN PUBLIC WORKS AS AN INTERN AND HAS PROGRESSED THROUGH OUR ORGANIZATION TO BE BECOMING AN ASSISTANT CITY MANAGER IN 2015. AND LIKE RAZI, I LOOKED AT THE LONG LIST OF THINGS THAT LORI HAS BEEN INSTRUMENTAL AS A TEAM MEMBER AND AS A LEADER IN DELIVERING FOR THIS CITY OVER HER TENURE. AND PROBABLY THE FIRST BIG PROJECT THAT SHE WAS TASKED WITH WAS OVERSEEING THE DESIGN AND CONSTRUCTION OF THE EXPANSION OF THE SAN ANTONIO RIVER UP TOWARDS MISSION REACH. I'M SORRY. THE MUSEUM REACH, WHICH WAS THE FIRST EXPANSION EVER IN THE HISTORY OF THE SAN ANTONIO RIVER. THERE'S A LONG LIST AND YOU ALL KNOW THEM. BUT I'LL TELL YOU FROM MY PERSPECTIVE WHERE LORI WORKED AND DELIVERED SOMETHING THAT WAS CRITICAL TO THE CITY AND THE COMMUNITY WAS THE PLANNING AND IMPLEMENTATION OF OUR AFFORDABLE HOUSING EMERGENCY RESPONSE DURING COVID. WE DIDN'T HAVE ANY TIME TO FIGURE IT OUT. WE DID IT BETTER THAN ANYBODY ELSE IN THIS COUNTRY. WE DIDN'T SEND ANY MONEY BACK TO WASHINGTON, D.C. OR THE STATE OF TEXAS, UNLIKE A LOT OF OTHER MAJOR CITIES. AND SHE CREATED IT AND LED IT WITH OUR NEIGHBORHOOD AND HOUSING SERVICES DEPARTMENT, PRACTICALLY OVERNIGHT. BECAUSE I REMEMBER SITTING IN THE PLAZA DE ARMAS AT NIGHT TRYING TO FIGURE OUT HOW WE'RE GOING TO BE EFFICIENT AND RESPONSIVE AND HELP PEOPLE. THE OTHER PART OF THIS WENT NICELY INTO THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE $150 MILLION AFFORDABLE HOUSING BOND, WHICH WE HAD NEVER DONE AND WE NEEDED TO CREATE. AND HER WORK THERE WAS INSTRUMENTAL TO THE FACT THAT YOU ALL HAVE ALLOCATED THE MAJORITY OF THAT MONEY AND IT IS SORELY NEEDED. BUT BEING ABLE TO GET IT BEFORE YOU ALL TO VOTE TO APPROVE REQUIRES A LOT OF WORK ON THE FRONT END TO MAKE SURE THAT WHAT YOU APPROVE CAN GET INTO PRODUCTION. AND THAT'S THE HARD PART. THE HARD PART IS NOT -- NO OFFENSE TO THE COUNCIL, THE VOTE PART -- IT'S THE DOING PART. AND LORI HAS BEEN CREATIVE THROUGHOUT HER CAREER. AND THERE'S A LONG LIST OF WONDERFUL THINGS YOU HAVE DONE FOR THE CITY AND THE ORGANIZATION. MORE IMPORTANTLY, SHE HAS BEEN A FRIEND AND INCREDIBLE MEMBER OF THIS TEAM. BECAUSE AS ANY TEAM SPORT, YOU ARE ONLY AS GOOD AS THE TEAM AND WE WILL MISS LORI AS A FRIEND AND AS A MEMBER OF THIS TEAM. I WANT TO THANK RAZI AND LORI BECAUSE THEY HAVE COMMITTED THEMSELVES COMPLETELY TO THIS ORGANIZATION AND THE COMMUNITY IN THE WORK THAT THEY HAVE DONE. THIS IS A HARD BUSINESS AND THEY'VE DONE IT -- THEY'VE BOTH BEEN SELFLESS ABOUT IT. AND I WISH YOU BOTH THE BEST OF LUCK. GODSPEED IN YOUR FUTURE ENDEAVORS. LISTEN TO THE CONVERSATION. THERE COULD BE A CCR THAT MAKES THEM COME BACK AT SOME POINT. [LAUGHTER] I DON'T WANT TO ADD TO THE CCR LIST, BUT THANK YOU VERY MUCH TO LORI AND RAZI FOR YOUR FRIENDSHIP AND YOUR WORK AND YOUR COMMITMENT. THANK YOU. [APPLAUSE] [03:40:17] THAT'S IT, MAYOR. >> MAYOR JONES: A COUPLE OF FOLKS WOULD LIKE TO CHIME IN. I THINK DURING THAT THEY WERE ALREADY DRAFTING THEIR CCRS TO KEEP YOU HERE. CHAIR KAUR, PLEASE. >> KAUR: THANK YOU SO MUCH, MAYOR. I REMEMBER WHEN I FIRST STARTED, I THINK ONE OF THE FIRST ASSISTANT DIRECTOR, ASSISTANT CITY MANAGERS THAT WAS TRANSITIONING WAS ROD. HE TRANSITIONED OVER TO VIA AND EVERYONE WAS GIVING SUCH HEARTFELT MESSAGES. AND I LIKED HIM TOO BUT I HAD ONLY SPENT A FEW MONTHS WITH HIM. I THINK NOW, SITTING HERE, TWO-AND-A-HALF YEARS LATER, I UNDERSTAND THE ATTACHMENT THAT WE GET TO YOU ALL. RAZI, I WILL NEVER FORGET YOU AND YOU PROBABLY WILL NEVER FORGET ME TOO. BUT WHAT ERIK SAID IS TRUE. YOU WERE ALWAYS TRYING TO FIND A WAY TO MAKE IT WORK. EVEN WHEN IT WAS DIFFICULT. EVEN WHEN THERE WAS BARRIERS IN THE WAY, YOU WERE LIKE WE'LL TAKE CARE OF IT, COUNCILMAN. TELL ME WHAT THE ISSUE IS AND WE'LL TAKE CARE OF IT. I APPRECIATE YOU. YOU HAD A VERY HARD JOB AND I LOVED HOW WELL YOU TOOK IT. YOU TOOK IT WITH SUCH GRACE AND YOU ALWAYS HAD YOUR HEAD UP HIGH, EVEN WHEN THE COMMUNITY MAY NOT HAVE BEEN THINKING THE SAME THINGS, THINKING AS HIGHLY OF US AS WE WANTED THEM TO, YOU ALWAYS TOOK IT WITH SUCH GRACE. OUR CITY IS BETTER AND STRONGER FOR YOU. I'M SUPER GRATEFUL FOR EVERYTHING YOU HAVE DONE. I WISH YOU A LOT OF TIME AND RELAXATION ON YOUR RETIREMENT. LORI, I DON'T KNOW WHERE TO START. YOU HAVE BEEN MY COUNCIL LIAISON. LORI WAS THE FIRST PERSON WHO WORKED AT THE CITY THAT I TALKED TO BEFORE I WAS GOING TO RUN. AND WE WERE SO CAREFUL BECAUSE WE DIDN'T WANT TO BREAK ANY RULES ABOUT WHAT CITY LEADERS COULD TELL PEOPLE RUNNING FOR OFFICE. I HAD NO IDEA THE STRONG TIES THAT WE WOULD BUILD. I WILL NEVER FORGET MY COOKIES. YOUR DAUGHTER IS THE SWEETEST. SHE ALWAYS COMES UP TO ME AND GIVES ME THE MOST LOVE. I'M JUST SO GRATEFUL FOR EVERYTHING THAT YOU'VE DONE. I HAVE GOTTEN SO MANY TEXTS FROM PEOPLE TELLING ME HOW MUCH OF A LOSS IT IS FOR THE CITY THAT YOU ARE LEAVING. THERE'S SO MANY INNOVATIVE AND CATALYTIC PROJECTS THAT YOU HAVE LED ON. I DON'T THINK RIVER NORTH WOULD LOOK THE WAY IT DOES WITHOUT YOU. YOU MENTIONED THE AFFORDABLE HOUSING PROGRAM. I COULD GO ON AND ON BUT WE ARE TRULY A MORE FLOURISHING CITY BECAUSE OF EVERYTHING THAT YOU HAVE DONE DAY IN AND DAY OUT. AND YOU HAVE TAKEN IT, WHETHER IT WAS WORKING RIDICULOUS HOURS. I KNOW OVER THE YEARS YOUR HEALTH EVEN WAS -- YOU WERE WORKING SO HARD. YOU WERE LITERALLY PUTTING YOUR BLOOD, SWEAT, AND TEARS IN THE CITY. I HOPE WHEN YOU WALK AROUND RELAXING IN A CONSULTANT GIG THAT YOU CAN WALK KNOWING YOU HAVE MADE A HUGE LASTING IMPACT ON THE CITY, MORE SO THAN SO MANY ELECTED OFFICIALS BECAUSE OF ALL THE HARD WORK YOU PUT IN. IT WILL NEVER BE FORGOTTEN. THANK YOU FOR EVERYTHING. >> MAYOR JONES: CHAIR VIAGRAN. >> VIAGRAN: THANK YOU. THIS IS REALLY HARD. I THINK I'M GOING TO START WITH RAZI. BOTH YOU AND LORI WORKED WITH MY SISTER AND THE JOB YOU DID WHEN I KEPT ON ASKING FOR TRAFFIC LIGHTS, BECAUSE MY DADDY TRAFFIC. YOU WERE LIKE, NO, IT'S NOT WARRANTED. JUST TO SIT THERE JUST LAST WEEK WITH WHAT'S GOING ON IN MILITARY DRIVE, YOU'RE LIKE, WE'LL TAKE CARE OF IT, COUNCILWOMAN. AND TO KNOW YOU'VE ALWAYS TAKEN CARE OF IT, RAZI. WHEN WE WRITE THE STORY OF TEAM SAN ANTONIO AND WHO HELPED MAKE THIS CITY MOVE FORWARD, YOUR NAME IS GOING TO BE IN MY BOOK, FOR SURE. AND YOU ARE ALL WELL DESERVING OF THIS RETIREMENT, EVEN THOUGH I WANTED YOU TO STAY UNTIL I TERMED OUT. I AM SO THANKFUL FOR THAT AND I AM THANKFUL FOR THE TEAM YOU HAVE BESIDE YOU BECAUSE I KNOW YOUR TEAM WORKS JUST AS HARD AS YOU AND THEY CARE JUST AS MUCH ABOUT THE CITY AS YOU DO. AND SO I WILL MISS YOU SO MUCH. I DON'T KNOW HOW I'M GOING TO DO OCTOBER WHEN I WALK AROUND Y'ALL AND I'M ALL SAD. Y'ALL ARE GOING TO KNOW IT'S BECAUSE RAZI IS NOT HERE. THANK YOU SO MUCH, RAZI, FOR WHAT YOU DO. LORI, WHEN I WALKED IN THE [03:45:05] FIRST TIME AND YOU HEARD ME TALK, YOU FROZE BECAUSE YOU THOUGHT MY SISTER WAS STILL HERE. I WAS LIKE, NO. THE MEAN VIAGRAN SISTER IS HERE. YOUR WORK, YOUR DEDICATION, THE STRUGGLE IT WAS. BECAUSE I KNOW WHAT KIND OF ENVIRONMENT THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO WAS TOWARDS WOMEN AND WOMEN IN LEADERSHIP AND HOW YOU PREVAILED AND HOW YOU BROUGHT WOMEN TOGETHER THAT MAYBE NOT EVEN INTERACTED WITH YOU BUT KNEW LET'S SPPORT LORI HOUSTON. SHE NEEDS SUPPORT. IT MADE IT EASIER FOR US AS WOMEN ON THE DAIS TO GET THINGS DONE. YOU ARE SUPER DESERVING OF THIS RETIREMENT AND THIS TIME. I SAID, YEAH, SHE'S GOING TO GO ON A BEACH SOMEWHERE AND JUST ENJOY LIFE. BECAUSE YOU DESERVE THAT. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR EVERYTHING YOU DID. WHEN WE TELL THE STORY OF THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO AND WE TALK ABOUT THE WOMEN THAT REALLY WORKED, YOU'RE UP THERE WITH ALL THE WOMEN WHO HELPED SAVE THE ALAMO TOO. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THIS. YOU'RE WELL DESERVING OF YOUR RETIREMENT BUT WE'RE GOING TO MISS YOU AND I'M SURE WE'RE GOING TO CALL YOU IN A COUPLE OF YEARS FOR A COMMITTEE OR A BOARD OR JUST AN SOS. THANK YOU SO MUCH, LORI. THANK YOU BOTH AND, YEAH. I'M JUST GOING TO BE REALLY SAD FOR A WHILE. BUT THANK YOU. AND THANK YOU FOR CREATING SUCH AN INCREDIBLE TEAM. AND YOUR HOUSING TEAM, YOU KNOW HOW MUCH I LOVE AND APPRECIATE THEM. THANK YOU. >> MAYOR JONES: CHAIR MUNGIA. >> MUNGIA: THANK YOU, MAYOR. I'LL START OFF WITH LORI. YOU TOOK OVER SEEING NHSD AT A VERY CRITICAL TIME AND I THINK YOU TOOK OWNERSHIP WITH THAT. THAT'S NOT WHERE YOU STARTED OFF IN YOUR CAREER HERE BUT HOUSING AND HOMELESSNESS BECAME A PASSION FOR YOU. YOU WERE OUR PCDC BUDDY WITH ALL OF OUR AGENDA ITEMS. I THINK, YOU KNOW, MORE THAN A LOT OF FOLKS YOU HAVE A REAL LONGLASTING LEGACY AT THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO. YOU HAVE PROJECTS YOU CAN POINT TO THAT YOU HELPED GET THROUGH THE DOOR. YOU HELPED GET THE FINANCING FOR. I THINK THAT IS AMAZING WORK. I THINK YOU'RE ALSO PROBABLY THE MOST WELL-KNOWN ASSISTANT MANAGER, FOR BETTER OR FOR WORSE. AND YOU HAVE HAD SOME TOUGH MEETINGS YOU'VE HAD TO BE AT BUT YOU WERE VERY STEADFAST IN THE GOALS IN TRYING TO GET THINGS DONE. I APPRECIATE THAT. ONE THING I KNEW ABOUT YOU WAS THAT YOUR NUMBER ONE IN LIFE IS YOUR DAUGHTER AND HOW MUCH YOU CARE FOR HER AND HOW MUCH THAT GUIDES YOUR LIFE. SO MUCH SO THAT YOU WERE MAKING A CALENDAR OF HER COSTUMES, WHICH I THOUGHT WAS ADORABLE. THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE. I'M SURE WE'LL BE SEEING YOU AROUND. RAZI, MY PUBLIC WORKS BUDDY. I HAVE GIVEN YOU SO MUCH WORK OVER THE YEARS AND YOU HAVE JUST BEEN FANTASTIC. YOU AND YOUR TEAM. OBVIOUSLY, WE WORKED WITH YOUR LIAISONS MORE THAN YOU. BUT YOUR COMMITMENT TO PUBLIC WORKS HAS BEEN 100%. AND YOU ALSO GO TO OUR NEIGHBORHOOD MEETINGS, GETTING TOUGH QUESTIONS FROM THEM. AND THEN WE COME RIGHT BACK TO CITY HALL AND YOU GET TOUGH QUESTIONS FROM ME AND MY TEAM ALL THE TIME JUST PRESSING YOU ON DEADLINES WHERE THESE PROJECTS ARE AND HOW CAN WE GET MORE MONEY AND WHAT'S HAPPENING IN DISTRICT 4. YOU HAVE BEEN A GREAT ALLY FOR US TO GET PROJECTS DONE. YOU HAVE A LONGSTANDING CAREER AT PUBLIC WORKS. YOU'RE GOING TO BE EXTREMELY MISSED. PEOPLE VERY MUCH RESPECT YOU AND YOUR DEPARTMENT. AND NOW THAT THIS IS YOUR LAST BUDGET MEETING, I THINK YOU CAN TELL US WHO YOUR FAVORITE DISTRICT IS. HE'S TOLD ME 4. I DON'T KNOW ABOUT THAT. THANK YOU. EVEN WHEN I WAS JUST A STAFFER, YOU WERE ALWAYS SUPPORTIVE OF ME AND THE THINGS I WAS DOING AT PUBLIC WORKS, BECAUSE THAT WAS MY BREAD AND BUTTER AS A STAFFER. YOU WERE VERY SUPPORTIVE AND YOU USED A COUPLE OF MY IDEAS, WHICH I'M VERY PROUD OF. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME. I APPRECIATE IT. >> MAYOR JONES: COUNCILWOMAN CASTILLO. >> CASTILLO: I WANT TO THANK BOTH LORI AND RAZI FOR THEIR LEADERSHIP HERE WITH THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO. BEGINNING WITH LORI HOUSTON AND ENSURING WHETHER IT WAS AT PCDC OR TALKING ABOUT HOMELESSNESS THAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT IT IN A PERSPECTIVE THAT DEMONSTRATES THE HUMANITY OF INDIVIDUALS ON THE STREET. THANK YOU FOR YOUR LEADERSHIP IN ENSURING THAT WE PRIORITIZE AND INVEST IN RESPITE CARE FOR OUR HOUSELESS NEIGHBORS AND ENSURE THE EMPLOYEES HAVE THE RESOURCES THEY DESERVE. AND OF COURSE SHEPHERDING THE $150 MILLION HOUSING BOND. I I HAD THIS THAT STRUCTURE SERVES AS A GREAT EXAMPLE OF WHAT WE CONTINUE TO DO AND I KNOW YOU HAVE A GREAT TEAM AS FOLKS HAVE MENTIONED, OFTENTIMES WOMEN IN LEADERSHIP GET CRITIQUED IN A SPECIFIC WAY AND I THINK YOU HAVE DONE IT WITH GRACE AND STYLE. [03:50:05] I'M ALWAYS COMPLIMENTING YOUR AMAZING OUTFITS. THANK YOU FOR YOUR WORK AND OF COURSE HIGHLIGHTING THE IMPORTANCE OF INVESTMENT IN DHS AND HOMELESS SERVICES AND OF COURSE IN TERMS OF STORYTELLING, TALKING ABOUT THE NEED FOR US TO PROVIDE CARE TO INDIVIDUALS, HOMELESS OR NOT. RAZI, EXTREMELY GRATEFUL FOR YOUR LEADERSHIP AND JUST YOUR EXPERIENCE AND CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO ARE JUST SO IMPACTFUL. SINCE 1991? THAT'S THE YEAR I WAS BORN AND YOU'VE BEEN DOING THIS WORK. I KNOW FOR DISTRICT 5 RESIDENTS, AS I SAID DURING THE BUDGET CONVERSATION, THIS IS THE PRIMARY TOP CONCERN THAT OUR CONSTITUENTS ARE WALKING IN AND CALLING ABOUT. AND I FEEL LIKE YOU AND I AND YOUR TEAM, WE HAVE BEEN THROUGH THE TRENCHES WITH SOME PUBLIC MEETINGS. I VALUE JUST THE LEADERSHIP OF YOUR TEAM IN ANSWERING THOSE QUESTIONS AND OF COURSE MAKING SURE THAT WE'RE BEING INTENTIONAL WITH OUR D5-SPECIFIC BUDGET. I ALWAYS SHARE WITH MY CONSTITUENTS THAT D5 IS VERY GOOD AT ALLOCATING THOSE DOLLARS BUT IT'S BECAUSE OF YOU AND YOUR TEAM HELPING US IDENTIFY HOW WE CAN HAVE THE GREATEST IMPACT IN OUR COMMUNITIES. SO JUST VERY GRATEFUL. WAS TRYING NOT TO CRY WHEN THE COUNCILWOMAN WAS BECAUSE I SHARE THE SIMILAR SENTIMENT IN JUST THE IMPACT, THE LEADERSHIP, THE COMPASSION THAT YOU BRING. I KNOW THAT D5 RESIDENTS ARE EXTREMELY GRATEFUL FOR THE IMPROVEMENTS THAT HAVE COME TO OUR COMMUNITY AND JUST EXTREMELY GRATEFUL. AGAIN, GOING BACK TO YOU HAVE A GREAT TEAM AND WE'RE REALLY GOING TO MISS YOU. I KNOW I AM. AND MY TEAM, IN PARTICULAR, IS ALSO GOING TO JUST MISS YOUR LEADERSHIP. BUT I CAN'T GIVE ENOUGH THANKS TO YOU BUT I DON'T KNOW IF YOU HAVE COMMENTS TO SHARE WITH COUNCIL BUT I WOULD LOVE TO HEAR FROM RAZI'S PERSPECTIVE. I DON'T KNOW, ERIK, IF YOU'RE GOING TO CALL HIM UP. JUST GRATEFUL AGAIN FOR RAZI, LORI, YOUR TEAMS, AND ALL THAT YOU DO. >> HOSSEINI: THANK YOU FOR SERVING OUR COMMUNITY WITH LOVE. IT IS NOT AN EASY JOB TO BE A COUNCIL MEMBER, MAYOR, OR CITY MANAGER, BUT IT'S A VERY REWARDING JOB. LET ME BEGIN BY THANKING MY WIFE, GAIL. SHE IS NOT HERE TODAY. FOR BEING A WONDERFUL PARTNER AND SOURCE OF SUPPORT IN MY LIFE. IN ADDITION, I WANT TO THANK MY STAFF AND CO-WORKERS WORKING TOGETHER TO SAVE OUR COMMUNITY. THROUGHOUT THE YEARS OF WORKING WITH MANY OF YOU AND PREVIOUS MAYOR AND COUNCIL, WE HAVE BEEN ABLE TO IMPROVE ROADWAYS, MAKE IT SAFER FOR THE PUBLIC TO TRAVEL, BUILD DRAINAGE PROJECTS TO PROTECT FLOODING OF THE PROPERTY, CONSTRUCTED VARIOUS COMMUNITY CENTERS, LIBRARIES, PARKS, FIRE STATION, POLICE SUBSTATION, AND MUCH MORE TO IMPROVE THE QUALITY OF LIFE FOR OUR COMMUNITY. THESE ACHIEVEMENTS WOULD NOT BE POSSIBLE WITHOUT YOUR SUPPORT. WE ALWAYS LOOK FOR YOUR SUPPORT. THANK YOU AGAIN FOR WORKING TO SAVE OUR COMMUNITY. IT HAS BEEN AN INCREDIBLE JOURNEY AND I AM DEEPLY GRATEFUL FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO HAVE HAD CONTRIBUTED TO THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO. I WILL TREASURE THE RELATIONSHIP I HAVE BUILT AND GROW IN WHAT WE HAVE ACHIEVED TOGETHER. KEEP UP THE GOOD WORK. I WILL MISS ALL OF YOU. >> MAYOR JONES: THANK YOU, SIR. [APPLAUSE] >> MAYOR JONES: LORI, WOULD YOU ALSO LIKE TO SAY SOMETHING? >> HOUSTON: I'VE BEEN WALKING AROUND CITY HALL FOR THE PAST TWO DAYS WITH THIS AMAZING SMILE ON MY FACE. EVERY TIME ERIK SEES ME HE LAUGHS BECAUSE HE KNOWS HOW HAPPY I AM. BUT I DIDN'T REALIZE I WOULD GET SO EMOTIONAL. I STARTED WITH THE CITY 23 YEARS AGO. I WAS AN INTERN IN PUBLIC WORKS AND IT'S REALLY BEAUTIFUL THAT RAZI AND I ARE BEING CELEBRATED TOGETHER BECAUSE THE FIRST DAY AT PUBLIC WORKS IT WAS TOM WIN DORF'S BIRTHDAY. WE ALL WENT TO LA MARGARITA AND I KNEW NOBODY. I SAT AT A TABLE BY MYSELF [03:55:02] AND RAZI CAME AND SAT WITH ME. IT WAS JUST THE TWO OF US TOGETHER. SO HE SAT WITH THE NEW KID FOR LUNCH. AND WE TALKED ABOUT HIS FAMILY. TALKED ABOUT WHERE HE WAS FROM. MY MILITARY ROOTS. AND WE BECAME FRIENDS FROM THEN ON. AND WE HAVE BEEN ADVOCATES FOR EACH OTHER SINCE. RAZI, THANK YOU. I LOVE YOU, MAN. I AM PROBABLY THE PROUDEST CITY OF SAN ANTONIO EMPLOYEE HERE. I WEAR MY BACKPACK IN THE AIRPORT WHEN I'M TRAVELING THAT SAYS CITY OF SAN ANTONIO. I WEAR MY SHIRTS. I AM SO PROUD OF THIS ORGANIZATION. AND I LOVE MY TEAM. YOU MENTIONED BRINGING UP WOMEN IN THIS ORGANIZATION. I WAS ONE OF THOSE WOMEN THAT SHERYL SCULLEY SAW AND I TOOK THAT SERIOUSLY AND EVERY WOMAN I MEET I BRING THEM UP. VERONICA, KRYSTAL JONES, COLLEEN BRIDGER. THAT'S MY TEAM. THE MEN ARE GREAT TOO BUT I'M JUST SO PROUD OF EVERY ONE OF THEM AND JUST PROUD OF MY TEAM. THAT YOU'RE WORKING WITH, AND WE WENT THROUGH THE MIGRANT RESOURCE CENTER, SNOVID, COVID. WE'VE GONE THROUGH EVERYTHING TOGETHER AND WE LAUGHED, WE CRIED. ERIK YELLED AT ME ONCE AND I FELT LIKE MY GRANDPA YELLED AT ME OR SPANKED ME. IT WAS LIKE THE WORST THING EVER BECAUSE I RESPECT HIM SO MUCH. BUT IT WAS JUST -- AND THEN IN THE HEAT OF THE MOMENT WE HAD ARGUMENTS BUT WE JUST LOVED EACH OTHER. WE HAD FUN. I REMEMBER TC AND ERIK, I THINK YOU WERE OVER ANIMAL CARE SERVICES AND TC KEPT SENDING PICTURES OF STRAY DOGS SAYING WHAT ARE YOU GOING TO DO ABOUT THIS? ORGANIZATION I GOT TO WORK ON WERE OUR GUIDING PRINCIPLES. WHAT IS IT. AND IT'S TEAMWORK, INNOVATION, INTEGRITY, AND PROFESSIONALISM. I TAKE THOSE TO HEART EVERY DAY AND I THINK EVERYBODY IN THIS ROOM EMBODIES THOSE . AND WHEREVER I GO -- BY THE WAY, I'M NOT GOING TO GO WORK FOR THE SPURS. I'M NOT GOING TO BE A DEVELOPER. NONE OF THAT IS TRUE. I AM TAKING TIME OFF TO BE WITH MY FAMILY AND TO BE WITH MY NEW LOVER, DARRELL. WE'VE BEEN TOGETHER FOR THREE YEARS. I JOKE WHEN I SAY THAT BECAUSE I DON'T WANT TO SAY I HAVE A BOYFRIEND AT 47 YEARS OLD. SO I JUST WANT TO BE WITH MY FAMILY. I JUST WANT TO SPEND SOME TIME BEFORE I FIGURE OUT WHAT I'M GOING TO DO. AND THAT'S WHAT I'M GOING TO. JUST SPEND SOME TIME WITH MY FAMILY. BUT THIS ORGANIZATION HAS GIVEN ME SO MUCH AND I HAVE GROWN TREMENDOUSLY DURING THIS ORGANIZATION. FIRST, WHEN I HAD MY CHILD, MILLIE, IT CHANGES YOUR WORLD AND ALL OF A SUDDEN YOU SAY EVERYTHING I'M GOING TO DO IS GOING TO BE FOR THIS CHILD. AND I HOPE THAT EVERY CHILD IN SAN ANTONIO HAS A MOMMY THAT LOVES THEM AS MUCH AS I LOVE MY MILLIE. AND MILLIE GOT VERY COMFORTABLE UP HERE. SHE WOULD GO INTO PREVIOUS MAYOR'S OFFICE AND BORROW PENCILS OR ASK FOR HELP WITH HOMEWORK. SHE THOUGHT SUKH WAS THE COOLEST BECAUSE SHE HAD PURPLE HAIR. THAT HELPED ME GROW. I CANNOT SAY ENOUGH HOW WONDERFUL THIS ORGANIZATION IS. AND ONE OF THE REASONS IN IT WAS SO HARD FOR ME TO LEAVE IS THIS ORGANIZATION GAVE ME BACK MY LIFE. I HAVE BEEN SOBER FOR 14 YEARS AND I WOULD NOT HAVE BEEN ABLE TO DO IT WITHOUT MY FAITH, MY STRENGTH, MY FAMILY, AND THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO. THE BENEFITS, THE LOVE. MARIA, FIRST TIME SHE TOLD ME I'M SO PROUD OF YOU. AND I WAS ONE-YEAR SOBER. I STILL REMEMBER THAT. I WOULDN'T BE HERE TODAY. I WOULDN'T BE ALIVE. AND SO WHEN YOU ALL TALK ABOUT, YOU KNOW, MAKING IT BETTER FOR OUR EMPLOYEES, KEEP DOING THAT BECAUSE THAT'S WHAT SAVED MY LIFE. AND I CAN'T TELL YOU THERE'S NO BETTER CITY MANAGER WHO CARES ABOUT HIS EMPLOYEES SO MUCH THAN ERIK. THAT IS NUMBER ONE. AND SO I THINK WE ARE THE BEST ORGANIZATION IN THE CITY AND BECAUSE OF MY EXPERIENCE OF SOBRIETY, WHEN ERIK GAVE ME HOMELESSNESS, I [04:00:05] WASN'T SURE I WAS READY FOR IT. I WILL SAY THAT THE ONLY REASON I'M SOBER TODAY IS MY FAITH, MY STRENGTH, MY FAMILY, AND THIS ORGANIZATION. AND WE THINK ABOUT OUR MOST VULNERABLE COMMUNITY, THEY MIGHT HAVE ONE OF THOSE. AND IT TOOK ME A LONG TIME TO GET SOBER AND IT'S THE HARDEST THING I HAVE EVER DONE IN MY LIFE. AND SO I JUST WANT TO LEAVE AND SAY I'M SO PROUD OF THE ORGANIZATION. I'M PROUD OF THE WORK YOU ALL DO. WE ARE A COMPASSIONATE CITY. AND I'M GOING TO CONTINUE THAT WORK. I DON'T KNOW WHERE IT'S GOING TO TAKE ME BUT IT'S BEEN SO WONDERFUL TO WORK HERE. AND I NEED TO END BUT IT'S BEEN GREAT. THANK YOU SO MUCH. [APPLAUSE] >> MAYOR JONES: CHAIR ALDERETE GAVITO. >> GAVITO: CRAP. HOW DO I FOLLOW THAT? I'LL BE BRIEF. RAZI, YOU SAID IT BEST THAT YOU AND YOUR TEAM'S WORK HAS CREATED A SAFER SAN ANTONIO. I DON'T THINK THAT THERE'S ENOUGH THANK YOUS ON THIS DAIS OR DAISES BEFORE. THERE'S NOT ENOUGH THANK YOUS FOR THE WORK THAT YOU HAVE LED TO MAKE US A SAFER CITY. YOU KNOW, OUR RESIDENTS SEE IT. OUR RESIDENTS FEEL IT AND SO YOUR IMPACT ON THE CITY IS SO PROFOUND. THANK YOU SO MUCH. I REMEMBER ONE OF MY FIRST CASES THERE WAS A LOT OF RESIDENTS WHO HAD BEEN ASKING FOR A FOUR-WAY STOP FOREVER AND IT WAS MUCH NEEDED AND IT WENT TO RAZI AND YOU ASSURED ME WE WERE GOING TO MAKE IT HAPPEN. WE MADE IT HAPPEN VERY QUICKLY. ALL OF US HAVE THOSE STORIES OF US ESCALATING OUR RESIDENT CONCERNS TO YOU AND YOU AND YOUR TEAM MAKING IT HAPPEN. THANK YOU, ON BEHALF OF ALL OF US BUT ON BEHALF OF THE RESIDENTS OF SAN ANTONIO. THANK YOU FOR MAKING A SAFER COMMUNITY. IT'S TRULY HONORABLE WORK AND SOMETHING YOU SHOULD BE SO PROUD OF. LORI, YOU KNOW, I HAVE KNOWN LORI SINCE BEFORE I GOT ON COUNCIL. I WILL BE PC IN SEEING THIS. I IDENTIFIED HER AS A GET STUFF DONE GIRL. WE KNOW EACH OTHER. WE RECOGNIZE EACH OTHER AS THAT. YOU HAVE YOUR FINGERPRINTS IN SUCH MONUMENTAL PROJECTS THAT REALLY DO MOVE OUR CITY FORWARD. AND SO THANK YOU FOR ALL YOUR WORK AND YOUR BLOOD, SWEAT, AND TEARS ON THAT. I DO ALSO KNOW THAT, YOU KNOW, WE'VE GONE ON LIFE JOURNEYS TOGETHER AND I THINK RAISING OUR FIERCE, STRONG GIRLS IS ONE OF THEM. AND WE OFTEN TALK ABOUT, HEY, HOW'S YOUR DAUGHTER AND HOW ARE MY DAUGHTERS DOING? AS THEY'RE KIND OF NAVIGATING SCHOOL AND WE'RE JUST RAISING THEM IN THIS ENVIRONMENT. THANK YOU FOR ALWAYS BRINGING YOUR DAUGHTER. IT MAKES ME FEEL COMFORTABLE BRINGING MY DAUGHTERS HERE. I'M EXCITED FOR YOU TO HAVE THAT TIME WITH YOUR FAMILY AND JUST ENJOYING LIFE. I'M REALLY EXCITED FOR YOU. THANK YOU TO YOU. THANK YOU TO BOTH OF Y'ALL. THANKS. >> MAYOR JONES: COUNCILMAN MEZA GONZALEZ. >> GONZALEZ: JUST QUICKLY. I SAW ANDY CRYING SO NOW I'M OKAY TO CRY. THANK YOU FOR YOUR WORK. I HAVE NOT HAD A LOT OF TIME ON COUNCIL WITH Y'ALL BUT I REMEMBER WORKING WITH YOU WHILE I WAS IN THE MAYOR'S OFFICE DURING SNOVID AND COVID, HOUSING BOND, CHARTER AMENDMENT. ALL PIVOTAL TIMES FOR OUR COMMUNITY. YOU CAN'T FORGET ANY OF THAT. IT WILL STAY WITH ME FOREVER AND I'M GLAD THAT YOU GUYS ARE A PART OF THAT AND I'M JUST SO PROUD OF THE WORK THAT Y'ALL HAVE DONE. I'VE NEVER SEEN YOU NOT ANSWER A QUESTION. YOU PROBABLY ANSWERED EVERY SINGLE QUESTION THAT HAS BEEN ASKED OF YOU. JUST THANK YOU FOR YOUR WORK AND I HOPE YOU ENJOY THIS TIME OFF WITH YOUR FAMILY. THEY DESERVE MORE OF YOU. THANK YOU SO MUCH. >> MAYOR JONES: COUNCILMAN WHYTE. >> WHYTE: I'LL BE BRIEF. RAZI, MY PHONE WAS BLOWING UP FROM MY CONSTITUENT SERVICES TEAM. MAKE SURE TO TELL RAZI THANK YOU. TRULY. SO RESPONSIVE. SO MUCH HARD WORK. IT'S BEEN A PLEASURE WORKING WITH YOU THE LAST TWO YEARS. AND LORI, I MEAN, I DON'T KNOW HOW MANY YEARS WE'VE KNOWN EACH OTHER. I KIND OF BLAME YOU FOR TALKING ME INTO THIS. I'M KIDDING. BUT JUST WHAT YOU'VE DONE AND MEANT TO THIS CITY. I REMEMBER -- WAS IT THE SAN ANTONIO REPORT WROTE AN ARTICLE ON YOU LEAVING AND WITHIN A MATTER OF A COUPLE OF HOURS IT HAD LIKE 500 LIKES WITH ALL THESE LOVING COMMENTS ABOUT LORI. IT WAS REALLY AMAZING. [04:05:04] BUT WHAT YOU'VE MEANT TO THE CITY CANNOT BE UNDERSTATED. SO THANKS FOR ALL THE HARD WORK. LOOK FORWARD TO SEEING WHAT YOU DO NEXT. >> MAYOR JONES: RAZI AND LORI, PUBLIC SERVICE IS A HIGH CALLING. THANK YOU FOR ALL THAT YOU'VE DONE TO SERVE OUR CITY AND TO MAKE US A STRONGER AND A BETTER CITY. THANK YOU. AND BEST OF LUCK. GODSPEED TO YOU AND YOUR FAMILIES. I WOULD ASK MY COLLEAGUES TO REMAIN SEATED UNTIL I COMPLETE READING THE CAVEATS NEEDED TO MEET IN EXECUTIVE [Executive Session At any time during the meeting, the City Council may recess into executive session in the C Room to consult with the City Attorney's Office (Texas Government Code Section 551.071) and deliberate or discuss any of the following:  ] SESSION. THE TIME IS NOW 1:09 P.M. ON SEPTEMBER 18. THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO WILL NOW MEET IN EXECUTIVE SESSION TO CONSULT WITH THE CITY ATTORNEY'S OFFICE PURSUANT TO CHAPTER 551.071 OF THE TEXAS GOVERNMENT CODE AND TO DELIBERATE OR DISCUSS THE FOLLOWING ITEMS: ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT NEGOTIATIONS PURSUANT TO SECTION 551.087. PURCHASE, EXCHANGE, LEASE OR VALUE OF REAL PROPERTY PURSUANT TO SECTION 551.072. AND LEGAL ISSUES RELATED TO LITIGATION INVOLVING THE CITY, EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS, AND COLLECTIVE BARGAINING ALL PURSUANT TO SECTION 551.071. >> MAYOR JONES: THE TIME IS NOW 2:48 P.M. ON SEPTEMBER 18TH, AND IT'S SAN ANTONIO CITY COUNCIL WILL RECONVENE IN OPEN SESSION. NO ACTION TAKEN IN EXECUTIVE SESSION. THE TIME IS 2:48 AND * This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.