[00:01:23]
WELCOME TO THE CITY COUNCIL REGULAR MEETING OF OCTOBER 17TH, 2019.
COUNCIL MEMBER VINNO HERE, COUNCIL MEMBER ANDREW SULLIVAN.
WELCOME TO OUR CITY COUNCIL A SESSION AGENDA.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR YOUR PATIENCE.
THE TIME IS 9:25 AM UH, BEFORE WE BEGIN TODAY, UM, THIS WEEK ON TUESDAY, UH, IT WAS A VERY TRAGIC DAY.
THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO LOST ONE OF ITS OWN.
OUR FIRST RESPONDERS, A MEMBER OF THE SAN ANTONIO FIRE DEPARTMENT, A MILITARY VETERAN, A A SON, A HUSBAND, A BROTHER, A NEIGHBOR, AND A HERO TO THIS COMMUNITY.
UH, THE MEMBERS OF THE SAN ANTONIO FIRE DEPARTMENT ARE IN OUR PRAYERS, AS IS THE GREG GARZA FAMILY.
SO WE WOULD LIKE TO OBSERVE A MOMENT OF SILENCE IN HONOR OF GREG GARZA.
SERVICES ARE PENDING AND WILL BE MADE PUBLIC AS SOON AS THOSE DETAILS ARE AVAILABLE.
AND WE AGAIN ENCOURAGE YOUR THOUGHTS AND PRAYERS FOR THE SAN ANTONIO FIRE DEPARTMENT AND THE FAR FAMILY OF GREG GARZA.
AS WE BEGIN TODAY, WE'RE GOING TO START
[1. Invocation]
WITH AN INVOCATION AND UH, OUR GUEST INDICATOR IS WELCOMED BY COUNCIL MEMBER GONZALEZ.FATHER JOSEPH CANDOR PASTOR OF ST.
THE APOSTLE CHURCH WAS BORN IN NIGERIA.
FATHER JOSEPH BEGAN HIS STEPS TO BECOME A PRIEST AT THE PONTIFICATE PONTIFICAL URBAN UNIVERSITY IN ROME.
AFTER 10 YEARS OF STUDY IN PHILOSOPHY AND THEOLOGY, HE WAS ORDAINED A PRIEST FOR THE MISSIONARY SOCIETY OF ST.
FROM 2009 TO 2011, HE SERVED AS ACTING CHA CHAPLAIN AT NIGER DELTA UNIVERSITY AND PASTOR OF ST.
MARY'S CHURCH IN BA, BASA, NIGERIA.
IN JUNE, 2011, HE CAME TO THE UNITED STATES INITIALLY SERVING AT THE ARCHDIOCESE OF HOUSTON, TEXAS.
UPON COMING TO SAN ANTONIO, HE SERVED AS ASSOCIATE PASTOR OF MY CHILDHOOD ALMA MATER, ST.
LUKE'S CATHOLIC CHURCH AND PRESENTLY IS SERVING AS PASTOR OF ST.
JAMES, THE APOSTLE CATHOLIC CHURCH ON THE SOUTHWEST SIDE OF SAN ANTONIO.
FATHER JOSEPH'S FATHER, JOSEPH HOPES TO POSITIVELY AFFECT THE LIVES OF MANY FAMILIES IN SAN ANTONIO, ESPECIALLY THOSE ON THE SOUTHWEST SIDE.
FATHER JAMES ENJOYS DANCING, MUSIC, READING, PLAYING SOCCER, TRAVELING, AND OF COURSE MAKING FRIENDS.
[00:05:01]
LIKE TO ADD ON A SEPARATE NOTE THAT ST.JAMES A POSSIBLE WE WILL BE HAVING ITS FALL FESTIVAL THIS SUNDAY, OCTOBER 20TH, FROM NOON TO 10:00 PM AND EVERYBODY IS WELCOME TO SUPPORT OUR CHURCH, ST.
FATHER, PLEASE STAND THE NAME OF THE FATHER AND OF THE SON AND OF THE HOLY SPIRIT.
MAY THE GRACE OF OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST, THE LOVE OF GOD AND THE FELLOWSHIP OF THE HOLY SPIRIT BE WITH YOU ALL.
LET US COMMEND OUR MAYOR AND THE MEMBERS OF OUR CITY COUNCIL AND STAFF INTO THE HANDS OF GOD, THAT GOD MAY PROTECT THEM AND GUIDES THEM IN THEIR DELIBERATIONS TODAY AND IN ALL THEY DO FOR US.
AND FATHER, YOU ARE THE GOD OF LIFE, THE GOD OF LOVE, THE GOD OF OUR CITY, SAN ANTONIO, THE GOD OF THE VULNERABLE, THE RICH AND THE POOR, AND THE GOD OF JUSTICE.
WE HUMBLY ASK YOUR BLESSINGS ON THE MAYOR AND THE COUNCIL, THE CITY COUNCIL AND STAFF WHO HAVE BEEN CALLED TO LEAD THE COMMUNITY IN WHICH WE LIVE AND WORK.
HELP THEM AS LEADERS TO NOT ASK FIRST, HOW DO I BENEFIT FROM THE CITY, BUT HOW CAN I HELP THE CITY AND THOSE WHO LIVE IN IT? REMIND THEM, ESPECIALLY IN TIMES OF MISUNDERSTANDINGS, THAT THEY ARE NOT ONLY LEADERS, BUT ALSO SERVANTS, AND THAT IT IS THEIR RESPONSIBILITY AND US TO SERVE THE COMMON GOOD OF ALL.
MAY THEY REALIZE THAT NO MATTER WHERE WE LIVE, EVERYONE IRRESPECTIVE OF THE VARIOUS ORIENTATIONS, RELIGION, RACE, STATUS, POLITICAL AFFILIATION IS OUR NEIGHBOR, OUR BROTHER AND SISTER.
AND THAT THROUGHOUT THE AGES AND IN THE HOLY BIBLE, ESPECIALLY IN DEUTERONOMY 15, 10 TO 11, PROVERBS 31, 8 TO NINE, ISAIAH ONE 17, ZACHARIA SEVEN, EIGHT TO 10, AND THE GOSPEL OF LUKE 14 VERSE FOUR, YOU CALLED THE LEADERS OF THE PEOPLE TO RESPECT AND PROTECT THE LEAST OF THOSE AMONG US, OUR CHILDREN, THE ELDERLY, THE POOR, THOSE WHO ARE HUNGRY, THOSE WHO HAVE NO HOMES, THOSE WHO ARE SEEKING IN BODY, MIND, OR SPIRIT.
THE STRANGERS AND THE IMMIGRANTS IN OUR MIDST, THOSE WHO LIVE ON THE MARGINS, THOSE WHO ARE ALONE, THOSE WHO ARE FORGOTTEN, ALMIGHTY GOD, GRANT THEM AND US THE WISDOM AND COURAGE TO KNOW AND DO WHAT IS RIGHT AND GOOD.
AND JUST MAY WE ALL SPEAK OUT COURAGEOUSLY WHEN IT IS TIME TO SPEAK OUT AND LISTEN PATIENTLY AND RECEPTIVELY.
WHEN IT IS TIME TO LISTEN, MAY WE ALWAYS BE GUIDED BY THE SPIRIT OF COMMUNITY, BY THE SPIRIT OF JUSTICE, BY THE SPIRIT OF LOVE.
SO THAT TOGETHER SAN ANTONIO WILL CONTINUE TO MOVE FORWARD AS A GREAT CITY IN THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA.
WE ALSO PRAY FOR THE PAST LEADERS OF OUR CITY, ESPECIALLY THOSE WHO SET THE FOUNDATION ON WHICH WE ARE TODAY.
BLESS THEM FOR THEIR GENEROSITY AND FOR THOSE WHO DIED AMONG THEM, GRANT THEM ETERNAL REST IN YOUR KINGDOM.
AND FINALLY, FATHER, RENEW US WITH THE STRENGTH OF YOUR PRESENCE AND THE JOY OF HELPING TO BUILD A COMMUNITY WORTHY OF THE HUMAN PERSON.
WE ASK THIS AS YOUR SONS AND DAUGHTERS CONFIDENT IN YOUR GOODNESS AND LOVE.
AMEN ME ALMIGHTY GOD BLESS YOU AS YOU BEGIN, YOU, AS YOU BEGIN THE MEETING.
IN THE NAME OF THE FATHER AND OF THE SON AND OF THE HOLY SPIRIT.
[2. Pledge of Allegiance]
OF THANK YOU FATHER.[3. Approval of Minutes for the City Council Special Meetings of August 27 - 28, 2019]
OUR FIRST ITEM OF BUSINESS TODAY IS THE APPROVAL OF THE CITY COUNCIL MEETING MINUTES FROM AUGUST 27TH AND 28TH.OKAY, THERE'S A MOTION AND A SECOND FOR APPROVAL OF THE AUGUST 27TH AND 28TH MEETING MINUTES.
[00:10:03]
MOTION CARRIES.ALRIGHT, WE HAVE A, A BUSY AGENDA AND WE DO HAVE A COUPLE OF, UH, SPECIAL
[Additional Item #1]
GUESTS IN THE AUDIENCE TODAY.UH, I'LL BEGIN BY RECOGNIZING A FEW OF THEM.
UM, I'D LIKE TO INVITE, UH, GEORGE GREEN AND HIS GROUP REPRESENTING THE TEXAS NONPROFIT SUMMIT TO THE PODIUM.
THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO IS HONORED TO HAVE THE TEXAS NONPROFIT SUMMIT HERE THIS YEAR ON OCTOBER 29TH AT THE TOBIN CENTER FOR THE PERFORMING ARTS.
THE THEME OF THIS YEAR'S CONFERENCE IS FINDING A COMMON THREAD, STRENGTHENING THE FABRIC OF OUR COMMUNITIES.
AND HERE IN SAN ANTONIO, YOU CAN FIND THE SPIRIT OF COLLABORATION AND ACTION.
WE'RE CITY RICH IN CULTURES, PEOPLES AND IDEAS AND OUR EXTRAORDINARY NETWORK OF NON-PROFITS PLAYS A CRUCIAL ROLE IN WEAVING THESE THREADS INTO RESILIENT AND AND VIBRANT TAPESTRY.
BY WORKING ALONGSIDE THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO LOCAL BUSINESSES AND RESIDENTS, OUR NONPROFITS ARE A POWERFUL FORCE FOR GOOD, HELPING THEM MEET THE COMMUNITY NEEDS AND ADVANCING EQUITY AND OPPORTUNITY FOR ALL NONPROFIT ORGANIZATIONS HAVE LEVERAGED VOLUNTEERS FROM ALL WALKS OF SOCIETY TO BECOME CHAMPIONS OF IMPORTANT SOCIAL CAUSES AND SPEARHEAD NEW AND INNOVATIVE APPROACHES TO THE CHALLENGES FACING OUR COMMUNITY.
AND SO I WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE THE ONE STAR FOUNDATION FOR ITS ROLE IN BRINGING THIS EVENT TO SAN ANTONIO AND TO MAKE A SPECIAL PRESENTATION HONORING THE TEXAS NONPROFIT SUMMIT, WE HAVE FORMER COUNCILMAN IN NEW BRAUNFELS, GEORGE GREEN.
UH, GOOD MORNING, MAYOR NEWBERG CITY COUNCIL, THE CITY MANAGER AND STAFF.
IT IS WITH SPECIAL HONOR AND, AND I GUESS WITH JOY THAT I, I BRING THIS TO YOU.
UH, I'VE JUST COME OFF A TWO YEAR TERM, UH, WITH NEW BROWNSVILLE CITY COUNCIL AND OFF OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS FOR THE ALAMO COUNCIL OF GOVERNMENT.
AND EARLIER THIS YEAR I WAS APPOINTED A BOARD OF DIRECTORS BY GOVERNOR GREG ABBOTT.
AND, UH, IT IS, WITH THAT, I WOULD LIKE TO BRING, UH, THE C E O OF THE ONE STAR FOUNDATION TO YOU THAT WILL, UH, GIVE YOU SOME ADDITIONAL RESOURCES IN WORKING WITH YOUR CONSTITUENTS AND IN THE COMMUNITY OF SAN ANTONIO.
SO IF WITH GREAT JOY, I INTRODUCE GREG BUSBY, THE C E O OF THE ONE STAR FOUNDATION.
UH, THANK YOU MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL FOR THIS OPPORTUNITY TO TAKE A FEW MINUTES TO TALK ABOUT ONE STAR AND THE TEXAS NONPROFIT SUMMIT.
A SPECIAL THANK YOU TO MAYOR NURNBERG FOR PROVIDING A VIDEO FOR OUR ATTENDEES AT THE NONPROFIT SUMMIT THAT REALLY HIGHLIGHTS, UH, THE ROLE THAT NONPROFITS PLAY IN THE SAN ANTONIO COMMUNITY.
FOR THOSE OF YOU THAT AREN'T FAMILIAR WITH ONE STAR, WE ARE A SUPPORTING NONPROFIT OF THE OFFICE OF THE GOVERNOR.
UH, WE EXIST TO BUILD A STRONGER NONPROFIT SECTOR IN TEXAS.
WE WERE CREATED AS A PUBLIC PRIVATE PARTNERSHIP WITH A PURPOSE OF WORKING ON BEHALF OF THE STATE TO INCREASE THE IMPACT AND EFFECTIVENESS OF THE NONPROFIT SECTOR, TO PROMOTE SERVICE AND VOLUNTEERISM, WHICH WE KNOW IS A LIFEBLOOD OF OUR NONPROFITS.
AND TO INVEST IN EFFECTIVE SOLUTIONS.
WE WANT EVERY TEXAN TO BE AWARE OF THE POWER THEY HAVE TO TAKE ACTION AND MAKE A DIFFERENCE, WHETHER THAT BE PARTICIPATING IN A YEAR OF SERVICE WITH AMERICORPS OR IN THE NAVY.
WE SEE A LOT OF NAVY HERE, UH, VOLUNTEERING WITH A NONPROFIT OR SIMPLY SPEAKING UP FOR SOMEONE IN NEED IN A STATE AS LARGE AS TEXAS.
WE NEED DIVERSE SOLUTIONS TO ADDRESS THE COMPLEX AND UNIQUE CHALLENGES THAT FACE OUR DIVERSE COMMUNITIES.
AND WE ALL NEED TO WORK TOGETHER ACROSS SECTORS TO ACCOMPLISH MEANINGFUL CHANGE.
SO OUR TEXAS NONPROFIT SUMMIT, AS THE MAYOR SAID, IS OUR STATEWIDE CONFERENCE, WHICH WILL BE HELD HERE IN SAN ANTONIO ON OCTOBER 29TH AT THE TOBIN CENTER.
IT'S A GATHERING OF NONPROFIT AND COMMUNITY LEADERS FROM ACROSS THE STATE AND WILL PROVIDE AN ENERGIZING FULL DAY OF LEARNING, NETWORKING, AND IDEA SHARING.
OUR THEME, FINDING A COMMON THREAD IS ALL ABOUT INSPIRING COLLABORATIVE APPROACHES TO OUR WORK.
BY WORKING TOGETHER, WE CAN AMPLIFY OUR RESOURCES AND TALENTS TO OVERCOME OUR MOST PRESSING CHALLENGES.
SO WE LOOK FORWARD TO HIGHLIGHTING THE INCREDIBLE NONPROFIT SECTOR YOU HAVE IN SAN ANTONIO, INCLUDING YOUR SA 2020 INITIATIVE.
WHAT AN AMAZING EXAMPLE OF COLLABORATION.
YOUR NONPROFIT LEADERS HAVE BEEN INCREDIBLE PARTNERS TO US IN DESIGNING THE CONFERENCE, AND WE WANT AS MANY PEOPLE TO BENEFIT FROM THE DAY AS POSSIBLE.
SO REGISTRATION IS STILL OPEN@TEXASNONPROFITSUMMIT.ORG.
WE WOULD APPRECIATE YOUR HELP IN SHARING THIS WITH YOUR CONSTITUENTS OR NONPROFITS IN YOUR COMMUNITY.
AND WE LEFT SOME INFORMATION FOR YOU.
AND SO IT'S MY HONOR TO PRESENT A PROCLAMATION OH, THANK YOU ON BEHALF OF THE CITY TO ONE STAR.
WHEREAS THE ONESTAR FOUNDATION WILL PRESENT ITS TEXAS NON-PROFIT SUMMIT ON OCTOBER 29TH, 2019 AT THE TOBIN CENTER FOR PERFORMING ARTS IN SAN ANTONIO, TEXAS.
AND THIS YEAR'S THEME IS FINDING A COMMON THREAD, STRENGTHENING
[00:15:01]
THE FABRIC OF OUR COMMUNITIES.AND WHEREAS THE ONE STAR FOUNDATION EQUIPS TEXAS COMMUNITIES TO MEET THEIR NEEDS BY CONVENING PARTNERS ACROSS SECTORS TO BUILD THE CAPACITY OF NONPROFITS, PROMOTING SERVICE AND VOLUNTEERISM AND INVESTING IN EFFECTIVE SOLUTIONS.
AND WHEREAS MORE THAN 400 NONPROFIT PROFESSIONALS, BOARD MEMBERS, FUNDERS, BUSINESS LEADERS, AND GOVERNMENT AND ACADEMIC REPRESENTATIVES WILL COME TOGETHER FOR AN ENERGIZING DAY OF LEARNING, NETWORKING, AND IDEA SHARING.
AND WHEREAS THE GOAL OF THIS TEXAS PREMIER CONFERENCE IS TO LEARN ABOUT NONPROFIT TRENDS AND INNOVATIVE STRATEGIES AND PRACTICES, AND TO GET TO KNOW SOCIAL SECTOR LEADERS FROM ACROSS TEXAS AND BEYOND.
NOW, THEREFORE, I RON NURENBERG, MAYOR OF THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO, IN RECOGNITION THEREOF DO HEREBY PROCLAIM OCTOBER 29TH, 2019 TO BE TEXAS NONPROFIT SUMMIT DAY.
UH, AND THANK YOU, UH, COUNCILMAN GREEN FOR ATTENDING TODAY AS WELL.
UM, CHRIS WAS QUITE OBSERVANT.
THE NAVY HAS LANDED IN SAN ANTONIO CITY COUNCIL CHAMBERS TODAY, THE CITY COUNCIL AND
[Additional Item #2]
I ARE PROUD TO CELEBRATE THE UNITED STATES NAVY'S 244TH BIRTHDAY AND RECOGNIZE THEIR SERVICE TO OUR NATION.JUST TO GIVE YOU SOME CONTEXT, THE NAVY IS OLDER THAN AMERICA'S INDEPENDENCE.
I WANNA WELCOME CAPTAIN ELIZABETH MONTCALM SMITH, DEPUTY COMMANDER NAVY MEDICINE EDUCATION TRAINING IN THE LOGISTICS COMMAND, AND HER SENIOR ENLISTED ADVISOR, COMMAND MASTER CHIEF RICHARD J PUTNAM, AND ALL THE SAILORS WHO ARE WITH US TODAY.
I ALSO WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE THE NAVY VETERANS WHO ARE PART OF THIS CITY, INCU, INCLUDING OUR OWN CITY ATTORNEY, ANDY SEGOVIA, WHO SERVED FROM THE 19 81, 19 87 AS A SURFACE WARFARE OFFICER ON THE GUIDED MISSILE DESTROYER, U SS S BERKELEY.
ANDY'S SON IS ALSO AN ACTIVE ON ACTIVE DUTY IN THE NAVY AND CURRENTLY SERVING IN NAPLES, ITALY SINCE THE NAVY'S ESTABLISHMENT IN 1775.
DURING THE AMERICAN REVOLUTIONARY WAR, AMERICAN SAILORS HAVE SKILLFULLY AND SUCCESSFULLY FACED OUR NATION'S FOES, BOTH ON OUR SHORES AND ABROAD.
THE NAVY'S CELEBRATED HISTORY INCLUDES ACTION DURING THE AMERICAN REVOLUTION, THE CIVIL WAR, AND NUMEROUS OTHER CONFLICTS IN BETWEEN.
DURING WORLD WAR I AND THE INTER YEAR WARS, THE NAVY SPENT MUCH OF ITS TIME PROTECTING AND SHIPPING THOUSANDS OF SOLDIERS AND MARINES TO THE WESTERN FRONT OVER U-BOAT INFESTED WATERS.
DURING WORLD WAR II, THE NAVY GREW INTO A FORMIDABLE FORCE THAT FACED A TWO FRONT WAR ON THE SEAS.
THEY WERE INSTRUMENTAL IN THE NAVY'S ISLAND, THEY NATION'S ISLAND HOPPING CAMPAIGN, AND PARTICIPATED IN MANY LEGENDARY BATTLES OPERATING FROM THE COMBATANT, SHIPS, SUBMARINES, AND AIRCRAFT.
THE NAVY CONTINUED EXTINGUISH ITSELF DURING THE COLD WAR AND DURING MORE RECENT CONFLICTS TO INCLUDE KOREA, VIETNAM, DESERT STORM, AND THE WAR ON TERROR, THE NAVY'S HONORABLE SERVICE CONTINUES.
TODAY, THE US NAVY IS THE LARGEST AND MOST CAPABLE FORCE IN THE WORLD.
IT IS LARGER THAN THE NEXT 13 NAVIES COMBINED AND THE THIRD LARGEST AIR FORCE IN THE WORLD.
WHILE WE KNOW THE NAVY IS A MARITIME SERVICE, THE RAT, THE RAID BY NAVY SEALS THAT KILLED OSAMA BIN LADEN IS PROOF OF THE NAVY'S EXTENSIVE CAPABILITIES.
AND IN RECENT YEARS, OUR NAVY HAS ALSO BEEN AT THE FOREFRONT OF OUR NATION'S DISASTER RELIEF EFFORTS AT HOME AND ABROAD FROM JAPAN, THE BAHAMAS, AND HAITI TO FLORIDA AND PUERTO RICO, TO THE MEN AND WOMEN OF OUR NAVY HAVE ALWAYS STEPPED FORWARD WHEN CALLED TO SERVE FOR US IN SAN ANTONIO, THE NAVY HAS A SPECIAL PLACE IN OUR HISTORY AND IN THE DEFENSE OF OUR NATION.
AS A MATTER OF FACT, THE NAVY HAS NAMED A SHIP AFTER OUR GREAT CITY, THE U S S SAN ANTONIO, AN AMPHIBIOUS TRANSPORT COMMISSIONED IN 2006 CARRYING A CREW OF 700 TO INCLUDE MARINES.
THE SHIP HAS SEEN ACTION OFF SOMALIA, THE RED AND MEDITERRANEAN SEAS.
THERE ARE A NUMBER OF NAVY COMMANDS THAT CALL SAN ANTONIO HOME TO INCLUDE NAVY MEDICINE, EDUCATION, TRAINING AND LOGISTICS COMMAND, NAVY MEDICINE SUPPORT CENTER, NAVY MEDICAL LOGISTICS CENTER, AND THE NAVY MEDICINE PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT CENTER.
THESE COMMANDS MISSIONS ARE ESSENTIAL TO THE WELLBEING OF OUR MEN AND WOMEN IN UNIFORM AND TO OUR
[00:20:01]
NATIONAL DEFENSE.THEIR MISSIONS INCLUDE ENSURING THAT THE NAVY AND MARINE CORPS HAVE THE BEST TRAINED, EDUCATED, AND LOGISTICALLY PREPARED HEALTHCARE PROFESSIONALS TO SUPPORT THEM WHEN DEPLOYED OR AT HOME COMBAT MEDICS AND CORPSMEN THAT SERVE IN, IN IRAQ, AFGHANISTAN, SYRIA, AND ON NAVAL NAVY VESSELS AROUND THE WORLD.
AND AT MILITARY TREATMENT FACILITIES AT THE NAVY AND MARINE CORPS INSTALLATIONS ALL BEGIN THEIR TRAINING AT FORT SAM HOUSTON OR AT CAMP BULLIS.
THE CORNERSTONE OF NAVY MEDICINE'S PROFESSIONAL TRAINING, LEADERSHIP AND EDUCATION TAKES PLACE RIGHT HERE IN SAN ANTONIO.
THIS INCLUDES THE NAVY'S GRADUATE PROFESSIONAL IN EDUCATION PROGRAMS AND THE OVERSIGHT OF 1500 MEDICAL DEPARTMENT OFFICERS AT CIVILIAN AND LEARNING INSTITUTIONS LOCATED THROUGHOUT THE UNITED STATES.
IN ADDITION, OVER 20,000 NAVAL AVIATORS AND CREWS, HUNDREDS OF SEALS RECON MARINES AND INTERNATIONAL STUDENTS RECEIVE OPERATIONAL MEDICINE AND AVIATION SURVIVAL INSTRUCTION RIGHT HERE IN SAN ANTONIO.
SO NOT ONLY IS IT A PRIVILEGE TO HOST OUR MILITARY, IT IS ALSO A UNIQUE PRIVILEGE TO CELEBRATE THE 244TH BIRTHDAY OF THE WORLD'S PREMIER NAVY HERE AT MILITARY CITY U SS A TO SAILORS EVERYWHERE.
MEMBERS OF THE CITY COUNCIL, AND MOST IMPORTANTLY THE PEOPLE OF SAN ANTONIO, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR ALLOWING US THIS PRIVILEGE TO COME DOWN AND CELEBRATE OUR 244TH BIRTHDAY.
NOW, SOME PEOPLE MAY NOT BE AWARE THAT THE NAVY IS IN SAN ANTONIO, AND WHEN THEY SAY, WHERE, WHERE ARE YOU FROM? I'M NAVY.
AND THEY'LL SAY, WHERE'S THE WATER? BUT AS THE MAYOR POINTED OUT, WE HAVE QUITE A LARGE PRESENCE IN SAN ANTONIO AT ANY ONE TIME BETWEEN OUR ACTIVE DUTY SAILORS, RESERVISTS, OUR CIVILIANS, AND OUR FAMILY, WE CAN NUMBER OVER 10,000 IN NUMBER.
NOW, THE IMPORTANT PART ABOUT BEING IN SAN ANTONIO IS THAT WE CAN WORK WITH OUR SISTER SERVICES, THE ARMY AND THE AIR FORCE.
AND OUR TWO LARGEST COMMANDS ARE TRAINING COMMANDS.
THE FIRST COMMAND IS THE MASTERED ARMS, WHICH IS LOCATED AT LACKLAND, AND THAT'S THE MILITARY POLICE.
AND THEN THE MAJORITY OF THE SAILORS THAT WE'VE BROUGHT WITH US TODAY COME FROM THE TRAINING CENTER THAT DOES CORPSMAN TRAINING OR COMBAT MEDICS TO THOSE OF YOU IN THE ARMY.
SO WE GRADUATE THOUSANDS OF SAILORS EACH YEAR THAT COME HERE TO LEARN AND THEN ARE DEPLOYED ACROSS THE GLOBE.
I BELIEVE THAT THE WOMEN AND NAVY IN WOMEN, MEN AND WOMEN, EXCUSE ME, IN THE NAVY, SERVED AND CONTINUE TO SERVE BECAUSE OF THE SUPPORT OF COMMUNITIES.
AND THERE IS NO COMMUNITY THAT IS BETTER AT SUPPORTING, LOVING, NURTURING, AND HONORING THEIR SAILORS, EXCUSE ME, THAN SAN ANTONIO.
YOU CAN SEE IT ON A DAILY BASIS.
THEY SHAKE YOUR HAND, THEY LOOK YOU IN THE EYE, AND THEY SAY, THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE.
AND THEY REALLY TRULY MEAN IT.
SAN ANTONIO HAS ALSO BEEN AT THE FOREFRONT OF MAKING THE NAVY WELCOME HERE, NOT ONLY FOR THE SAILORS, BUT ALSO THEIR SPOUSES.
AND SO IT IS EASIER FOR A SPOUSE TO COME DOWN HERE AND GET A JOB AND WORK EVEN THOUGH THEY NEED A CERTIFICATION OR A LICENSE.
THE OTHER THING THAT YOU GUYS DID THAT IS SO GREAT IS THAT WE'RE ALLOWED TO REGISTER OUR CHILDREN FOR SCHOOL BEFORE WE ARE ACTUALLY PHYSICALLY LOCATED IN THE STATE.
AND THAT JUST MAKES THE MOVE SO MUCH EASIER FOR US.
THE NAME OF MILITARY CITY U S A PROCLAIMS IT AND YOUR DAILY ACTIONS DEMONSTRATE IT ON BEHALF OF THE MEN AND WOMEN OF THE UNITED STATES NAVY.
NOW, NOW THE NAVY HAS A TRADITION IN WHICH THE OLDEST AND THE YOUNGEST SAILOR CUT A CAKE, AND THE OLDEST SAILOR WILL TAKE A BITE OF THE CAKE FIRST AND THEN HAND IT OFF TO THE YOUNGEST SAILOR.
AND THAT DEMONSTRATES OUR PASSING OF KNOWLEDGE FROM THE MORE SEASONED SAILOR TO THE JUNIOR SAILOR.
SO TODAY, I KNOW IT WILL SURPRISE EVERYONE.
I AM THE SENIOR SAILOR
SO HE IS A TEXAN, AND HE JOINED THE NAVY WHEN HE WAS JUST 17.
[00:25:01]
Y AND TWO, COME ON UP.AND MR. MAYOR, MR. MAYOR, I BELIEVE YOU AND MR. SEGOVIA, ARE YOU COMING TO HELP US CUT THE CAKE? YES.
WHERE'S Y N TWO? WE NEED THE Y N TWO Y N TWO Y N TWO LION AND TWO.
YOU WANT MASTER CHIEF? MASTER CHIEF? COME ON.
MASTER CHIEF PUTNAM, MASTER CHIEF PUTNAM, 1, 2, 3.
SO WE CAN INVITE THE REST OF THE SAILORS, UH, UP HERE SO WE CAN SING THE, UH, THE NAVY SONG AB CONTROL.
AND WHILE THEY'RE COMING UP ON HERE, I WOULD LIKE TO THANK THE U SS O FOR AGAIN, UH, PROVIDING THE CAKE AND OF COURSE, TO THE MAYOR, CITY MANAGER FOR ALLOWING US TO TAKE SOME TIME TO RECOGNIZE OUR SERVICE BIRTHDAYS THIS TIME, UH, THE UNITED STATES NAVY AS WELL TOO.
AND AFTER WE'RE DONE WITH THE SONG, WE'LL INVITE OUR CITY EMPLOYEES OR NAVY VETERANS OR SPOUSES OF VETERANS HALF AND HALF FOR SOME PHOTOS.
AND WE'LL, UH, WE'LL ADJOURN TO, OR THIS PORTION TO, UH, THE D ROOM FOR, UH, A JOIN THE CAKE.
DO THAT OR POSITION IT OVER HERE.
AND THEN YOU GUYS CAN STAND BEHIND.
SO IF YOU WANT TO FORM, COME INTO A DIFFERENT FORMATION OR WHATEVER, JUST COME FORWARD HERE.
BUT WE JUST HAVE TO COMPRESS YOU GUYS.
EVERYBODY SQUEEZE IN THAT MUCH SPACE.
SO PEOPLE, TWO PEOPLE FROM THIS SIDE COME TO THIS SIDE.
OH, MA, TAKE A STEP BACK AND THAT'S UP TO YOU LIKE ONE LINE ACROSS THE FRONT.
RIGHT THERE IN THE CENTER MIRROR.
[00:30:01]
I'M SORRY.CAN YOU COME OVER TO THE SIDE OVER HERE? THANK YOU.
COULD YOU SWITCH THE GENTLEMAN, YOU OVER THERE? U S S BERKELEY? YES.
IT WAS DECOMMISSIONED, SOLD TO GREECE.
NOW THIS IS TYPICAL OF THE YES, SIR.
PLEASE ROLL THAT BEAUTIFUL NAVY SONG.
HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO OUR SAILORS.
UH, WE DO HAVE, UH, COUNCIL MEMBERS WHO'D LIKE TO WISH YOU, AND SO WE'LL START WITH COUNCIL MEMBER PERRY.
AND LET ME TELL YOU, IT IS A GREAT, GREAT DAY.
ANYTIME THAT WE CAN HAVE MILITARY UNIFORMS AND SAILORS HERE IN THE COUNCIL CHAMBERS, IT, IT, IT REALLY REFLECTS WHAT WE HAVE HERE, THAT SPECIAL RELATIONSHIP HERE IN SAN ANTONIO TO THE MILITARY, AND IT'S GREAT.
YEAH, I I'VE GOTTEN THAT QUESTION BEFORE.
ALSO, WHERE'S THE WATER HERE IN SAN ANTONIO? RIGHT.
BUT IT IS THE TRAINING, IT'S ALL ABOUT THE TRAINING TO GET FOLKS PREPARED AND READY FOR THAT DUTY OUT ACROSS THE GLOBE.
AND I AM SO GLAD THAT Y'ALL ARE HERE TODAY.
YOU KNOW, I'M A RETIRED AIR FORCE OFFICER, BUT PEOPLE DON'T REALIZE I'VE GOT A CONNECTION TO THE NAVY, NOT COMMODORE PERRY
UH, HE WENT ON TO SERVE IN THE TEXAS NAVY AS WELL.
SO I'VE GOT SOME NAVY BACKGROUND IN ME ALSO, BUT I JUST, I JUST WANTED TO SAY THANK Y'ALL SO MUCH FOR COMING HERE TO CELEBRATE YOUR BIRTHDAY.
I THINK THIS SHOULD HAPPEN CONTINUOUSLY HERE IN COUNCIL CHAMBERS CELEBRATING EACH ONE OF OUR BRANCHES HERE THAT GO THROUGH THIS PROCESS OF, OF GROWING AND 244 YEARS.
SO I WANNA SAY THANK YOU FOR COMING IN HERE TODAY TO LET US HELP CELEBRATE YOUR BIRTHDAY.
COUNCIL MEMBER PERRY, COUNCIL MEMBER COURAGE.
I JUST WANT TO ADD MY CONGRATULATIONS AND APPRECIATION TO EVERYBODY WHO SERVES IN THE NAVY, WHAT YOU DO FOR THIS COUNTRY.
I'M ALSO A FORMER AIR FORCE, UH,
[00:35:01]
UH, SOLDIER, AND I REALLY RECOGNIZE THE IMPORTANCE OF EVERY BRANCH OF THE MILITARY.AND, UH, NOT TO BE PARTISAN, I'D ALWAYS SAY GO NAVY.
COUNCIL MEMBER ANDREWS SULLIVAN.
UM, AS A VETERAN OF THE ARMY, AND ALONG WITH MY FELLOW VETERAN COLLEAGUE COUNCIL MEMBERS, WE JUST SAY, HAPPY BIRTHDAY.
WE KNOW WHAT IT IS TO SERVE AND TO TAKE THE OATH TO STAND FOR SERVICE.
AND SO WE THANK YOU FOR ALL THAT YOU DO ON BEHALF OF MY LATE HUSBAND WHO IS A NAVY VETERAN, THANK YOU YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR SERVICE.
CAPTAIN ON BEHALF OF ALL OF US HERE AT THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO, WE CELEBRATE YOUR BIRTHDAY, UH, BUT WE ALSO CELEBRATE YOUR SERVICE YEAR ROUND.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR ALL THAT YOU DO.
WE HAVE ONE MORE POINT OF, UH, PERSONAL PRIVILEGE.
UH, RECOGNIZE OUR COLLEAGUE, COUNCIL MEMBER SANDOVAL.
[Additional Item #3]
MAYOR.UH, TODAY I'D LIKE TO TAKE A POINT OF PERSONAL PRIVILEGE TO RECOGNIZE A LOCAL ADVOCATE FOR CLIMATE ACTION.
AND THAT'S MR. JAYLEN BOONE, IF YOU'D LIKE TO JOIN US HERE AT THE PODIUM.
JAYLEN IS A U T S A STUDENT WHO HAS THE RARE DISTINCTION OF SERVING AS A THE UNITED NATIONS YOUTH OBSERVER.
THE UN OBSERVER ELEVATES YOUTH VOICES IN THE GLOBAL POLICY DIALOGUE AROUND INTERNATIONAL ISSUES AND PARTICIPATES, SORRY, AND TRAVELS THROUGHOUT THE US TO DISCOVER ISSUES IMPORTANT TO YOUNG AMERICANS.
AND HE PARTICIPATES AS A DELEGATE AT UN CONFERENCES.
EARLIER THIS MONTH, JALEN TRAVELED TO NEW YORK CITY FOR THE UN GENERAL ASSEMBLY WEEK, WHERE HE MET WITH WORLD LEADERS, CLIMATE ADVOCATES, AND DELIVERED OPENING REMARKS AT THE SOCIAL GOOD SUMMIT.
HE WILL BE TRAVELING BACK TO NEW YORK THIS FEBRUARY TO DELIVER AN ADDRESS TO THE UN.
SO SWEDEN MAY HAVE THEIR GRETA, BUT SAN ANTONIO HAS THEIR JAYLEN THAT WAS SUPPOSED TO BE FUNNY.
JALEN, YOU ARE MAKING US EXTREMELY PROUD AS SAN ANTONIANS.
THANK YOU, COUNCILWOMAN SANDOVAL, UH, MAYOR NUREMBERG AND THE REST OF THE CITY COUNCIL, UH, CITY MANAGER, UH, FOR THIS EXTREME HONOR, UH, WHAT AN AMAZING THING IT IS TO KNOW THAT OUR CITY LIES IN THE HANDS OF SUCH A WELL-ROUNDED, COMMITTED, AND PASSIONATE TEAM.
AS I REFLECT ON MY TIME HERE AS A STUDENT IN SAN ANTONIO, I'M REMINDED OF ALL THE THINGS THAT MAKE ME PROUD TO CALL SAN ANTONIO HOME, SUCH AS ITS AMAZING FOOD AND MULTICULTURAL COMMUNITY.
IT'S VIBRANT ART SCENE AND EMERGING TECH CENTER, WHICH I'VE GOTTEN TO BENEFIT FROM, UM, WITH RECENTLY WORKING WITH CIV TECH AND THE LIST GOES ON.
BUT WHAT MAKES ME MOST PROUD IS JUST THAT WE ARE TRULY A CITY ON THE RISE, AND WE HAVE THE POTENTIAL TO BE A LEADING VOICE IN CLIMATE ACTION.
UH, SEPTEMBER 20TH, 2019, I MARCHED THE STREETS OF NEW YORK CITY ALONGSIDE FELLOW ACTIVISTS SUCH AS GRETA THUNBERG, UH, ALEXANDRIA VILLA, UM, AS WELL AS OTHER YOUNG PEOPLE FROM ACROSS THE WORLD.
AND NOTHING WARMED MY HEART MORE THAN TO HEAR AS CHILDREN, AS YOUNG AS SIX TO EIGHT SHOUTING OUR PLANET, OUR FUTURE, BECAUSE THEY, I REALIZED AT THAT MOMENT THAT IT WASN'T JUST AN ARGUMENT ABOUT WHETHER CLIMATE CHANGE IS REAL OR NOT, BUT THAT THIS IS IMPACTING THEIR FUTURES, UM, THAT THIS IS IMPACTING THEIR LIVELIHOODS.
TODAY, I STAND BEFORE YOU REPRESENTING YOUNG AMERICANS ACROSS THE UNITED STATES, AND AS THE US YOUTH OBSERVER TO THE UN, I GET TO REPRESENT SAN ANTONIO, AND IT'S AN AMAZING THING.
UM, IT'S AN AMAZING THING BECAUSE I'M THE FIRST PERSON, UM, FROM TEXAS, THE EIGHTH ONE IN MY POSITION, UM, BUT ALSO THE FIRST SAN ANTONIO.
AND I'M PROUD TO REPRESENT YOU ALL, AND I WANT TO BE ABLE TO BRING WHAT SAN ANTONIO IS DOING TO THE REST OF THE WORLD.
AND IT WARMS MY HEART THAT TODAY YOU HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO REALLY BE A LEADING VOICE IN CLIMATE ACTION AS D G 13.
AND YOU REALLY TRULY HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO SHOW YOUNG PEOPLE ACROSS THE WORLD THAT YOU CARE ABOUT THEIR FUTURE, THAT YOU CARE ABOUT THEIR PLANET, AND WHAT A MOMENTOUS THING IT WILL BE WHEN WE CAN CELEBRATE AND SAY THAT
[00:40:01]
THAT WAS THE LEADING VOICE FOR THE SOUTH.I TRAVEL THROUGHOUT THE UNITED STATES, AND IT'S COOL TO HEAR ABOUT IT ON THE EAST COAST.
I DON'T KNOW IF ANYBODY IN THE HOUSE IS A MICHIGANDER
BUT IT WAS COOL TO MEET OTHER YOUNG PEOPLE LIKE JACOB ABEL, WHO'S A FELLOW REPUBLICAN, AND I'M A DEMOCRAT, AND HE BELIEVES IN CLIMATE ACTION, AND HE BELIEVES THAT OUR CITIES NEED TO MOVE FORWARD ON THIS, AND THEY NEED TO PUSH THE NEEDLE ON THIS.
AND I THINK THAT THAT'S A BRILLIANT THING, BECAUSE AS I REPRESENT YOUNG PEOPLE, I RECOGNIZE THAT WE ARE ALL DIFFERENT.
BUT IN ORDER TO SOLVE CLIMATE CHANGE, IT'S GONNA TAKE MUNICIPALITIES, IT'S GONNA TAKE COMPANIES, IT'S GONNA TAKE YOUNG CLIMATE ACTIVISTS, AND TODAY IT'S GONNA TAKE YOU.
AND SO I URGE YOU TO CHOOSE THE CLIMATE ACTION AND ADAPTION PLAN BECAUSE IT WILL NOT ONLY HELP US REACH CARBON NEUTRALITY, BUT IT WILL PROVIDE MORE JOBS FOR SAN ANTONIANS.
IT'LL PROVIDE MORE OF WAYS FOR OPPORTUNITY FOR FAMILIES THAT WE LOVE, AND IT'LL CONTINUE TO MAKE THIS TRULY A CITY ON THE RISE.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR TIME.
THANK YOU, COUNCIL MEMBER SANDOVAL FOR BRINGING JALEN IN.
AND THANK YOU JALEN, FOR YOUR, FOR YOUR WORDS.
UM, WE DIDN'T GET HERE BY ACCIDENT IN LARGE PART, WE GOT HERE BECAUSE THE YOUTH OF AROUND THE GLOBE ARE LIFTING THEIR VOICES ON A NUMBER OF ISSUES, MOST CRITICALLY ACTION ON CLIMATE.
AND SO I WANT TO, UH, RECOGNIZE, UH, THOSE WHO ARE IN ATTENDANCE FOR THAT PURPOSE TODAY, UH, BUT WHO ARE STANDING WITH THEIR PEERS IN CITIES ACROSS THE WORLD.
WE RECOGNIZE YOU, WE HEAR YOU.
WE NEED TO CONTINUE TO HEAR YOU ON THIS ISSUE.
AND MANY OTHERS, UH, MUCH LIKE GUN VIOLENCE, WHERE THE NEEDLE HAS NOT BEEN MOVED, UH, UNTIL TODAY, UH, BECAUSE OF THE VOICES OF OUR YOUTH THAT ARE UNRELENTING.
SO, THANK YOU VERY MUCH, JALEN, FOR THE WORK THAT YOU'RE DOING.
[Consent Agenda]
POINT, I'D LIKE TO ASK MY COLLEAGUES, UH, IF THERE ARE ANY ITEMS FROM WHICH THEY WOULD LIKE TO PULL FROM THE CONSENT AGENDA.UM, WE HAVE ITEM FOUR THAT'S SCHEDULED FOR INDIVIDUAL CONSIDERATION, AND THAT IS THE ONLY ONE, UH, 19 ITEM 19.
SO I HAVE ITEM 19 AND ITEM FOUR FOR INDIVIDUAL CONSIDERATION.
IF THOSE ARE THE ONLY ONES, I'LL, I'LL ENTERTAIN A MOTION FOR THE BALANCE OF THE CONSENT AGENDA.
THERE'S A MOTION AND A SECOND FOR THE BALANCE OF THE CONSENT AGENDA.
JUST CHECK AND SEE IF THERE'S ANYBODY SIGNED UP TO SPEAK FOR THE CONSENT.
ONE CITIZEN SIGNED UP TO SPEAK ON CONSENT.
YOU'RE SIGNED UP FOR FOUR, FOR ITEM FOUR, JACK ALSO ALONG WITH THE CONSENT TO PORTION.
MAYOR NURNBERG, OTHER MEMBERS OF OUR ILLUSTRIOUS SAN ANTONIO CITY COUNCIL, INCLUDING MR. MANNY PAL ON THE SCREEN THERE.
[00:45:01]
PAL, WHEN, WHEN I ALWAYS ASK THE QUESTION ARE, ARE YOU A TRUE COUNSEL PERSON? ARE YOU JUST PLAY ONE ON TV? YES.ANYWAY, THE, UH, FEW ITEMS I WISH TO BRING TO YOUR ATTENTION ON THIS PORTION OF THE AGENDA, ITEM NUMBER 17 AND NO, ITEM NUMBER 15 AND, AND, UH, 16 ARE BOTH LAWSUITS THAT YOU'RE ABOUT TO SETTLE.
15 IS ABOUT $115,000 FOR AN ACCIDENT WITH A A, A CIVILIAN HAD WITH A SAN ANTONIO PARK POLICE VEHICLE.
THE QUESTION FOR, FOR EACH OF THESE IS, OKAY, THE CITY'S GONNA SETTLE FOR THESE, AND, UH, WE, THE TAXPAYERS ARE SHELLING OUT FOR THIS STUFF.
WE, THE TAXPAYERS WOULD LIKE TO KNOW, DOES THE GUILTY PARTY THE CITY EMPLOYEE DO THE, ARE THEY GOING TO BE REPRIMANDED, REPRIMANDED FOR WHAT THEY DID? HUH? UH, ARE THEY GONNA SUFFER FOR WHAT WE ARE HAVING TO SHELL OUT HERE? UH, NUMBER 16 IS ESPECIALLY IMPORTANT.
THE, UH, THE BACKUP DOCUMENTS TO SIMPLY SAY A A A CI CITIZEN HA HAD A DISPUTE WITH A POLICE OFFICER.
WHAT? IT DIDN'T REALLY, WHAT IT FAILED TO MENTION, IS THAT ABOUT THE NEWS ARTICLE? YES.
THE, ONE OF THE PROMINENT HEADLINE THAT SAYS, MENTIONED ABOUT THE LADY, HER NAME WAS MS. SIMS. YEAH.
SHE, SHE WAS SUSPECTED OF, UH, HAVING DRUGS AT ONE TIME, AND SO, BUT SHE EVEN CONSENTED TO A POLICE SEARCH OF HER.
UNFORTUNATELY, SHE DIDN'T EXPECT THE, UM, THE POLICE OFFICER, FEMALE POLICE OFFICER TO, UH, PULL DOWN HER PANTS IN FRONT OF OTHER, UH, OFF MALE OFFICERS.
AND, UH, EVEN REMOVE A C CERTAIN, UH, HI HYGIENIC PRODUCTS FROM HER, HER PRIVATE PARTS.
SO YEAH, IT, IT'S ALL COULD HAVE BEEN DONE MUCH BETTER, MUCH EASIER, UH, BEHIND CLOSED DOORS, PERHAPS.
BUT THE QUESTION IS, GEE, YES, SHE'S GONNA GET $205,000.
IS THE PERSON WHO IS GUILTY OF THIS STUFF, ARE THEY GOING TO BE REPRIMANDED AS MUCH AS $205,000 WORTH? HUH? YEAH.
UM, INQUIRING MINDS WOULD LIKE TO KNOW ALSO, ON THIS PORTION OF THE AGENDA, YOU HAVE A, UM, SOME REVENUE BONDS FOR, FOR, FROM THE CITY OF HONDO, TEXAS THAT WE'RE GOING TO APPROVE OF.
BUT WHY ARE WE GOING, WHY IS SOMEBODY GOING 40 MILES AWAY JUST TO GET SOME REVENUE BONDS THAT WE'RE APPROVING HERE? HUH.
UH, AND OF COURSE, THE NUMBER 19, THE STRATEGIC HOMELESS STRATEGIC PLAN, ROUND TWO, AS THEY SAY.
WE HAD A BIG ARGUMENT ABOUT IT A FEW WEEKS AGO.
QUESTION IS ARE, ARE THEY, IS THIS COMPANY GOING TO RECOMMEND
MOLLY MARIE, JESSICA AREN'T OH, MOLLY, I, I YOU TRIED TO SIGN UP THREE FOLKS.
UM, FOR THE HOMELESS STRATEGIC PLAN, YOU'RE UP FOR 19, AS FOR THE HOMELESS STRATEGIC PLAN.
YEAH, THAT'S, UM, THAT'S GONNA COME UP ON INDIVIDUAL CONSIDERATION.
DO YOU WANNA SPEAK AT THAT TIME? UM, SURE.
THAT'S EVERYONE WHO'S SIGNED UP TO SPEAK ON ITEMS REMAINING ON CONSENT.
WE DO HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND WE HAVE, UH, UH, SOME COMMENTS FROM COUNCIL MEMBERS.
I JUST WANTED TO HIGHLIGHT A COUPLE OF ITEMS ON OUR CONSENT AGENDA.
I'M VERY HAPPY TO BE MOVE, MOVING FORWARD ON ITEM NUMBER SEVEN, THE MEDINA RIVER GREENWAY, PHASE THREE FINALIZATION, UM, OF THE GREENWAY.
WE'RE VERY HAPPY TO SEE THAT MOVING FORWARD.
IT'S BEEN A LONG TIME COMING, AND I THINK THE VOTERS OF THE SEA OF SAN ANTONIO WHO'VE CONTINUED TO MOVE FORWARD WITH THIS, UM, GREENWAY PROJECT THAT WE HAVE ALSO, UM, VERY IMPORTANT IS ITEM NUMBER 13, THE APPROVAL OF THE NEW, UH, BROOKS DEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY BOARD MEMBER DR.
CIA RES BARRAS, WHO'S GOING TO BE TAKING OVER AND LEADING, UH, DISTRICT THREE ON THE BOARD OF BROOKS DEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY.
WE ARE SEEING GREAT THINGS HAPPEN THERE, AND I'M EXCITED ABOUT HER VISION, HER LEADERSHIP, AND TENACITY THAT SHE'S GOING TO BRING TO THE BOARD.
AND, UH, INCLUDED ON THE CONSENT AGENDA IS THE INITIATION OF A HISTORIC DESIGNATION FOR TWO 14 LOTUS, ONE OF THE FIRST HOMES DEVELOPED ON LOTUS STREET OF THE LAVACCA NEIGHBORHOOD BACK IN THE EARLY 19 HUNDREDS.
UH, WHILE WE WERE STILL CONSIDERING ALL THE DETAILS OF THE CASE, I'M PROUD THAT WE ARE CONTINUING, EXCUSE ME, THE, THE DIALOGUE SURROUNDING PRESERVATION OF STRUCTURES ADDING TO THE HISTORIC CHARACTER OF OUR HISTORIC NEIGHBORHOODS.
[00:50:02]
I'D LIKE TO THANK THE OWNER OF THE, OF THIS PROPERTY, DR.HECTOR ALDO, AND HIS REPRESENTATIVE MR. JOSE GALLEGOS, WHO ALLOWED ME TO GET CLO A CLOSER LOOK AT THE PROPERTY WITH A RECENT SITE VISIT.
THEY'VE BEEN VERY COOPERATIVE THROUGHOUT THIS PROCESS.
I LOOK FORWARD TO CONTINUING THIS CONVERSATION WITH THEM AND THE COMMUNITY AS, AS THIS MOVES FORWARD.
UM, I ALSO WANNA POINT OUT I WANT TO THANK, UH, SHANNON MILLER IN THE OFFICE OF HISTORIC PRESERVATION, UH, BECAUSE WE ALSO HAVE BEEN WORKING WITH THEM TO PROVIDE THE, THE, THE HOMEOWNER, UH, SOME NEEDED INFORMATION.
AND WE WANT TO POINT OUT, UH, SOME KEY POINTS IS LANDMARK DESIGNATION IS A PRESERVATION PLANNING TOOL THAT CREATES OPPORTUNITIES FOR PROPERTY OWNERS TO BE GOOD STEWARDS OF OUR HISTORY.
UH, WE ALSO KNOW THAT SAVING THESE SIGNIFICANT SPACES IS IMPORTANT TO OUR COMMUNITY.
SO WE HAVE INCENTIVES AND RESOURCES AVAILABLE FOR OUR LANDMARK PROPERTIES.
THE SUBSTANTIAL REHABILITATION TAX CREDIT PROVIDES 10 YEARS OF TAX RELIEF FOR PROPERTY OWNERS THAT REINVEST IN A HISTORIC BUILDING.
THEY ALSO HAVE THE REHAB OR CLUB TRAINING PROGRAMS TO OFFER YEAR ROUND, UH, HANDS-ON WORKSHOPS AT LITTLE TO NO COST TO TEACH CONTRACTORS AND PROPERTY OWNERS HOW TO MAINTAIN ELEMENTS, INCLUDING WOOD, WINDOWS, PORCHES, SIDING, AND MORE EVERY YEAR.
THE HISTORIC HOMEOWNERS FAIR BRINGS IN EXPERTS AND LOCAL FIRMS THAT UNDERSTAND TRADITIONAL BUILDING METHODS AND MATERIALS TO HELP PROPERTY OWNERS EXTEND THE LIFE OF THEIR HISTORIC LANDMARK.
PROGRAMS LIKE REHAB, ORAMA AND STAR PROVIDE BASIC REPAIRS AND MAINTENANCE TO DOZENS OF HISTORIC BUILDINGS EACH YEAR AT NO COST TO THE OWNER, ALL THROUGH THE GENEROSITY OF LOCAL VOLUNTEERS.
UH, THIS IS THE BEGINNING OF A PROCESS.
AND BECAUSE, UH, THE ZONING COMMISSION AND THE CITY COUNCIL PROPOSED HEARING DATES ARE MONTHS AWAY, DECEMBER 11TH AND JANUARY 16TH, RESPECTIVELY, WE WILL MOVE FORWARD TO THE APPROVAL, UH, OF THIS RESOLUTION TO INITIATE HISTORIC DESIGNATION.
THE OWNER'S REPRESENTATIVE, MR. GALLEGOS, HAS BEEN INFORMED THAT THE APPROVAL TO THE RESOLUTION IS NOT BINDING TO THE DECISION ON THE ZONING CASE.
HE AGREED THAT THE TIME BETWEEN THIS APPROVAL AND THE ZONING IS SUFFICIENT FOR THE REVIEW WITH LICENSED PROFESSIONALS.
WE'LL REVIEW ANY ADDITIONAL INFORMATION AND ASK ALL THE NECESSARY QUESTIONS MOVING FORWARD.
THERE IS ONE ITEM ON THE CONSENT AGENDA THAT HAS TO DO WITH THE BOND PROJECT IN DISTRICT SEVEN GILBERT GARZA COMMUNITY PARK.
UM, JUST WANNA SAY, I'M VERY HAPPY TO SEE THAT GOING FORWARD.
THIS IS THE PARK WHERE WE'VE OFTEN HAD OUR, UH, BACK TO SCHOOL EVENTS.
UM, IT'S ALSO IN A NEIGHBORHOOD THAT'S SEEN A LOT OF CHALLENGES, UH, OVER THE PAST FEW DECADES, AND I'M GLAD TO SEE IT TRANSFORMED AND BECOMING, UH, SOMETHING BEAUTIFUL.
COUNCIL MEMBER ANDREWS SULLIVAN.
UM, THIS MORNING WE MET WITH SOME OF OUR LOCAL PASTORS AND ONE OF OUR, OUR PASTORS LIVES IN THE EASTWOOD VILLAGE NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION AREA.
AND THE BIGGEST CONCERN THEY HAD WAS THE CONTINUOUS FLOODING, WHICH HAPPENS ON UPLAND ROAD ALL THE TIME, AND IT'S ONE OF THE AREAS THAT WE USE SPECIFICALLY FOR THE MARCH.
AND SO WHEN YOU LOOK AT THAT AREA AND YOU CAN'T EVEN HAVE A BUS COME THROUGH THERE, IT'S TRULY, UM, SOMETHING THAT WE HAVE TO ADDRESS.
ONE OF THE QUESTIONS THAT WAS ASKED AND PROPOSED TO ME THIS MORNING WAS EXACTLY WHERE DO THEY SIT WITH THE BOND PROJECT FOR UPLAND? AND TO BE ABLE TO FINALLY GIVE THEM AN ANSWER AND SAY THAT WE HAVE PASSED IT BASED ON THE CONSENT AGENDA.
WE THANK YOU SO MUCH, UH, T C I FOR EVERYTHING THAT YOU DO FOR OUR STREETS AND OUR ROADS AND INFRASTRUCTURE AND DRAINAGE, AND WE LOOK FORWARD TO THIS PROJECT TRULY BEGINNING TO ADD SOME RELIEF TO THAT AREA.
COUNCIL MEMBER ANDREW SULLIVAN.
THERE IS A MOTION AND A SECOND FOR THE BALANCE OF THE CONSENT AGENDA.
THAT'S ALL ITEMS SAVED FOR ITEMS FOUR AND 19.
[4. Ordinance adopting the SA Climate Ready, Climate Action and Adaptation Plan. [Roderick Sanchez, Assistant City Manager; Douglas Melnick, Chief Sustainabilty Officer, Office of Sustainability]]
MOVE TO ITEM FOUR.ITEM NUMBER FOUR IS AN ORDINANCE ADOPTING THE SAN ANTONIO CLIMATE READY CLIMATE ACTION AND ADAPTATION PLAN.
UM, THRILLED TO BE HERE AFTER TWO YEARS WORKING ON THIS PLAN, UH, THAT WE ARE, ARE CONSIDERING THE NEXT STEPS.
THERE'S A LOT OF WORK TO BE DONE GOING FORWARD.
I'D LIKE TO THANK, UM, ALL OF THE COMMUNITY MEMBERS THAT WERE INVOLVED IN THIS PROCESS.
UM, MEMBERS OF THE STEERING COMMITTEE, THE WORKING GROUPS, JUST CITIZENS WHO VOICE THEIR, UM, INPUT THROUGHOUT THE PROCESS.
UH, MY CITY, UH, DEPARTMENT, STAFF, OTHER CITY DEPARTMENTS, YOU ALL AND ALL OF YOUR STAFF.
[00:55:01]
A TEAM EFFORT AS WE'VE, UM, UH, MOVED FORWARD ON DEVELOPING THIS PLAN.SO, YOU KNOW, I'LL GO THROUGH SOME VERY, UM, SIMPLE BACKGROUND SLIDES AGAIN VERY QUICKLY, AND THEN I'LL, I'LL FOCUS A LITTLE BIT MORE ON IMPLEMENTATION GOING FORWARD.
BUT, UM, IF WE REMEMBER, THE SA TOMORROW PLAN WAS VERY MUCH A, UH, A LAUNCHING PAD FOR THIS.
UH, MANY OF THE FOUNDATIONAL ELEMENTS OF CLIMATE WERE INVOLVED IN THAT, IN THAT PLAN.
AND IT DID CALL FOR, UH, THE CREATION OF A CLIMATE PLAN.
AND, AND COUNCIL TOOK THE STEP, UH, IN JUNE OF 2017, UH, PASSING THAT RESOLUTION IN SUPPORT OF THE PARIS CLIMATE AGREEMENTS.
AND WE'VE, UH, ARE CONFIDENT THAT WE ARE DELIVERING A PLAN THAT MEETS THAT COMMITMENT.
SO THE SCIENCE IS, IS CLEAR, UM, UH, CLIMATE CHANGE IS OCCURRING.
UH, IT'S BEING CAUSED BY HUMAN ACTIVITY, AND IT'S ACCELERATING.
UH, AND WHAT WE ARE SEEING IS, UH, CITIES ACROSS THE STATES, UH, THE COUNTRY AND THE WORLD ARE TAKING ACTION.
UM, AND IT'S, IT'S IMPORTANT THAT SAN ANTONIO DOES THE SAME, UH, BUT WE SEE WHAT THOSE PROJECTIONS ARE.
UM, WE'VE SEEN, UM, CHANGES ALREADY, UH, BUT WE'RE LOOKING AT MORE EXTREME, UH, HEAT, UH, MORE, UM, UH, EXTREME STORM EVENTS, MORE INCREASED, UH, AND SEVERITY OF FLOODING, UM, AND A DECREASE IN PRECIPITATION.
SO THE FUTURE, UM, IS, IS CHALLENGING.
WE JUST WANNA MAKE SURE THAT WE DO WHAT WE CAN TO HELP, UM, MITIGATE THE SEVERITY OF THOSE IMPACTS, AS WELL AS PREPARE OUR COMMUNITY FOR THOSE IMPACTS THAT ARE OCCURRING NOW AS WELL AS ARE PROJECTED.
AND THERE IS MANY, THERE ARE MANY, MANY AGENCIES, UH, THAT ARE TAKING THIS SERIOUSLY AND HAVE, UH, STRONG POSITIONS, UH, ON CLIMATE, WHETHER IT'S THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT, UM, UH, THROUGH THE, THE DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE, UH, MOODY'S, AMERICAN MEDICAL MEDICAL ASSOCIATION, THE AMERICAN SOCIETY OF CIVIL ENGINEERS, AND EVEN UNESCO HAS ACKNOWLEDGED THAT, UH, CLIMATE CHANGE POSES A THREAT TO WORLD HERITAGE SITES.
SO THE GREENHOUSE GAS INVENTORY, WHICH WAS COMPLETED FOR 2016, UM, SHOWS THAT 85% OF OF OUR GREENHOUSE GAS EMISSIONS COME FROM THE, UM, OUR BUILDINGS, THE ENERGY THAT'S BEING PROVIDED TO OUR BUILDINGS IN THE FORM OF, UH, ELECTRICITY AND NATURAL GAS, AS WELL AS THE ENERGY ASSOCIATED WITH, UM, TRANSPORTATION THROUGHOUT THE CITY.
UM, WHEN WE START MOVING FORWARD ON IMPLEMENTATION, UH, MANY OF THE STRATEGIES ARE GONNA TARGET, UH, THOSE SECTORS AS THOSE ARE THE LARGEST, UM, EMITTERS FOR, UM, OUR COMMUNITY.
UH, WE HAVE SEEN A REDUCTION IN THOSE EMISSIONS BETWEEN, UH, 2014 AND 2016 BY ABOUT 10%.
UH, AND SO OUR HOPE IS WE CAN KEEP THAT DOWNWARD TRAJECTORY, UM, DRIVING TOWARDS OUR, OUR FUTURE TARGET AND THAT FUTURE TARGET.
UM, BASED UPON, UH, THE, UM, UH, MEETING THE PARIS CLIMATE AGREEMENT AND THE INTERIOR GOVERNMENTAL PANEL OF, OF CLIMATE CHANGE, A SPECIAL REPORT ON GLOBAL WARMING, GLOBAL WARMING OF 1.5 CALLS FOR CARBON NEUTRALITY, UM, BY 2050.
UH, AGAIN, IT DOESN'T MEAN THAT WE ARE NOT EMITTING ANY CARBON IN OUR, UM, COMMUNITY, BUT WE WILL ALSO HAVE TO RELY ON CARBON CAPTURE AND STORAGE.
UM, IT'S, UH, WE DEPICT A STRAIGHT LINE PATHWAY.
UH, THE KEY IS, UM, CONSISTENTLY TRACKING AND REPORTING OUR PROGRESS, ASSESSING, UM, THE STATUS OF THIS PLAN, UM, AND JUST MAKING SURE THAT WE ARE FOLLOWING THAT TRAJECTORY AS QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE.
IF WE DO NOTHING, UH, THAT IS OUTLINED IN THAT ORANGE LINE BUSINESS AS USUAL, AND, AND BASICALLY ACCORDING TO, TO SCIENTISTS, THAT'S NOT ACCEPTABLE.
THAT IS NOT THE ROUTE THAT WE NEED TO, TO FOLLOW.
THE PLAN DOES IDENTIFY INTERIM, INTERIM, UH, TARGETS FOR 20 30, 20 40, AND 2050.
SO WE WILL BE TRACKING PROGRESS TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE, ARE MEETING THOSE TARGETS.
THE PLAN, UM, AS YOU REMEMBER, IS BROKEN UP INTO TWO CATEGORIES.
UH, ONE IS GREENHOUSE GAS REDUCTION, UH, THE MITIGATION SIDE.
HOW DO WE REDUCE OUR EMISSIONS? UH, AND YOU CAN SEE IT'S FOCUSED IN REDUCING, UH, THE CARBON INTENSITY OF OUR ENERGY SUPPLY, UH, IMPROVING THE, UH, ENERGY EFFICIENCY AND REDUCING THE ENERGY CONSUMPTION IN OUR BUILDING AND TRANSPORTATION SECTORS.
UM, ADVANCING THE CIRCULAR ECONOMY.
HOW ARE WE MORE EFFICIENT WITH THE RESOURCES THAT WE CONSUME, UM, AND MAKE SURE THAT WE MINIMIZE HOW MUCH WE ARE DISPOSING OF, UH, PROMOTING BIODIVERSITY AND HEALTHY ECOSYSTEMS. EDUCATION AND EMPOWERMENT ARE KEY TO THIS PLAN AS WELL.
UH, WE NEED TO KEEP THIS CONVERSATION GOING.
UH, THE PLAN HAS 28 COMMUNITY STRATEGIES, UH, AND IT ALSO HAS 13 MUNICIPAL STRATEGIES FOR, UM, THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO MUNICIPAL ORGANIZATION.
UH, OF THOSE 28 COMMUNITY STRATEGIES 12, UH, ARE IDENTIFIED AS NEAR TERM STRATEGIES, UH, WHICH MEANS THEY, UH, SHOULD BE INITIATED BY 2021.
ON THE ADAPTATION SIDE, IT'S VERY MUCH ABOUT, UM, PREPARING OUR PEOPLE, OUR NEIGHBORHOODS, OUR SYSTEMS, OUR INSTITUTIONS FOR THE CLIMATE CHANGE IMPACTS WE ARE EXPERIENCING NOW, AND THOSE THAT ARE PROJECTED IN THE FUTURE.
UH, YOU CAN SEE WE ARE LOOKING AT INFRASTRUCTURE, UH, PUBLIC HEALTH SYSTEMS, EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT, UH, AND, AND COMMUNITY PREPAREDNESS.
[01:00:01]
OUR ECOSYSTEMS, UH, FOOD IS A VERY KEY, UM, ASPECT THAT WE ARE LOOKING AT, UM, UH, TO, TO REALLY TAKE A DEEP DIVE GOING FORWARD, TO MAKE SURE WE'RE INCREASING OUR LOCAL FOOD SECURITY, UM, MAKING SURE OUR COMMUNITY IS, UM, RESILIENCE, BUT ALSO AWARE OF WHAT THEY CAN DO TO HELP IMPROVE, UM, OUR COMMUNITY'S RESILIENCE.AND THERE'S 48 COMMUNITY AND MUNICIPAL STRATEGIES IN THE ADAPTATION SECTION.
SO THE BIG FIRST STEP THAT WE'RE GOING TO BE TACKLING IS ESTABLISHING THE GOVERNANCE, UM, UH, GOING FORWARD.
AND, UH, THIS SLIDE JUST SIMPLY OUTLINES SOME OF THE, THE THOUGHTS REGARDING THE, THE CHARGE, UM, FOR, UH, THE TECHNICAL AND COMMUNITY ADVISORY COMMITTEE, AS WELL AS THE CLIMATE EQUITY ADVISORY COMMITTEE.
UH, WE'RE LOOKING FOR THEM TO PROVIDE EXPERTISE, UH, AND INPUT, UM, WORK ON DEVELOPING AN ANNUAL REPORTS TO PROVIDE TO COUNCIL SO YOU CAN KEEP TRACK OF PROGRESS THAT'S BEING MADE, UM, SUCCESSES OR WHERE WE NEED, UH, TO, TO REFOCUS, UM, HAVING THEM WORK COLLABORATIVELY WITH OTHER CITY BOARDS AND, AND COMMISSIONS TO MAKE SURE THERE'S CROSS-POLLINIZATION, UM, LEVERAGING THEIR OWN NETWORKS.
UH, THESE ARE EXPERTS IN THEIR OWN FIELDS, THEIR, UH, RESPECTIVE COMMUNITY MEMBERS, HAVING THEM HELP, UH, ENGAGE WITH THEIR SECTORS AND WITH THEIR PEERS TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY'RE INVOLVED IN THIS PLANNING PROCESS.
AND THEN FINALLY, THE LAST TWO ARE REALLY PARTICULARLY FOCUSED ON THE EQUITY COMMITTEE, REALLY MAKING SURE THAT, UM, AS WE MOVE FORWARD, WE ARE USING THE TOOLS THAT WE ARE DEVELOPING, UH, TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE CONSIDERING OUR MOST VULNERABLE POPULATIONS, THAT WE ARE THINKING AHEAD OF, UM, WHAT THE POTENTIAL PITFALLS ARE OF DIFFERENT STRATEGIES, UH, WHETHER IT'S AROUND AFFORDABILITY, UM, RELIABILITY.
WE JUST WANNA MAKE SURE THAT, THAT WE ARE ASKING THOSE QUESTIONS.
THE OTHER KEY THING IS EQUITY SHOULD NOT JUST BE THE SOLE RESPONSIBILITY OF THE EQUITY ADVISORY COMMITTEE, BUT SHOULD BE SOMETHING THAT THE TECHNICAL AND COMMUNITY ADVISORY COMMITTEE IS ALSO AWARE OF AND ACTIVELY ENGAGED IN.
SO WE'VE DEVELOPED A, A, A PROPOSED PATHWAY, UH, GOING FORWARD FOR THE DEVELOPMENTS OF THESE COMMITTEES.
UM, OUR, UH, RECOMMENDATION AT THIS POINT IS, UH, STAFF WILL PRESENT TO COMMUNITY HEALTH AND EQUITY, UH, NEXT MONTH ON A SELECTION PROCESS, UH, AS WELL AS WHAT ARE THE KEY CATEGORIES, UM, AND, UH, AREAS OF EXPERTISE AND REPRESENTATION, UH, THAT WE WANNA MAKE SURE THAT THESE COMMITTEES, UM, UH, COVER.
UH, IN DECEMBER, UM, CITY COUNCIL, UH, WOULD APPROVE AN ORDINANCE ESTABLISHING THESE ADVISORY COMMITTEES.
AND THEN WE WOULD ISSUE A CALL FOR APPLICATIONS, UH, IN JANUARY AND FEBRUARY, COMMUNITY HEALTH AND EQUITY WOULD INTERVIEW AND, AND SELECT, UH, THESE MEMBERS, UM, FOR COUNCIL CONSIDERATION.
AND THEN IN MARCH, UH, CITY COUNCIL, UH, WOULD APPROVE THOSE ADVISORY COMMITTEE MEMBERS.
AND THEN ONCE THAT HAPPENS, UM, WE HIT THE GROUND RUNNING, UH, STARTING TO HOLD MEETINGS.
UM, WE WILL WORK VERY CLOSELY WITH THE OFFICE OF EQUITY THROUGHOUT THIS PROCESS.
I'VE ALREADY ALREADY MET WITH THEM TO ENSURE THAT THEY ARE INVOLVED, UM, FROM THE, FROM DAY ONE TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE CONSIDERING, UM, UH, EQUITABLE REPRESENTATION, AS WELL AS MAKING SURE THE PROCESS ISN'T A BURDEN, UM, OR A BARRIER, UM, TO THAT, UM, EQUITABLE INVOLVEMENT IN THE PROCESS GOING FORWARD.
SO, KEY TO THIS PLAN, UH, IS AWARENESS, OUTREACH AND EDUCATION.
UM, I THINK AFTER TWO YEARS, THERE'S A, AN AWARENESS IN THE COMMUNITY, UM, AROUND THIS, BUT IT'S NOT ENOUGH.
UH, AND I THINK WE NEED TO CONTINUE TO HAVE THIS CONVERSATION GOING FORWARD.
SO, UM, AS A PART OF OUR 2020, UM, UH, BUDGET, WE DID RECEIVED, UM, SOME FUNDING FOR COMMUNICATIONS AND ENGAGEMENT.
UM, OUR PLAN IS, UH, STARTING, UH, NEXT MONTH ISSUING R F P, UH, FOR SERV CONSULT CONSULTANT SERVICES TO HELP WITH COMMUNICATIONS, ENGAGEMENT AND GRAPHIC DESIGN.
UM, THE TASK WOULD BE TO HELP DEVELOP, UH, THOSE MATERIALS, UH, AROUND GENERAL PLAN AWARENESS, BUT ALSO AROUND SPECIFIC PROGRAMS AND POLICIES, UM, THAT WE'RE LOOKING FORWARD TO, TO, UM, BEGIN DEVELOPING.
UH, AND THEN IT'S REALLY ABOUT TARGETING KEY, UM, NEIGHBORHOOD, NEIGHBORHOOD AND HOMEOWNERS ASSOCIATIONS IN YOUR DISTRICTS GOING TO COMMUNITY EVENTS.
AND I, I THINK AS, AS WE HEARD EARLIER, REALLY RAMPING UP OUR EFFORT TO ENGAGE WITH YOUTH TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY ARE INVOLVED IN THIS PROCESS.
THE OTHER COMPONENT IS, UM, REALLY LOOKING AT THOSE TARGETED ZIP CODES WHERE, UH, WE HAVE THE MOST VULNERABLE POPULATIONS AS WELL AS THOSE THAT TRADITIONALLY HAVE NOT BEEN INVOLVED IN OUR PROCESSES.
AND REALLY, UM, DOUBLING DOWN OUR EFFORT TO GO OUT AND, AND TALK WITH THEM.
AND AGAIN, FINDING THOSE KEY MESSAGES IN THOSE NEIGHBORHOODS, UM, TO, TO ENLIST TO HELP WITH THAT CONVERSATION.
I THINK WE'LL VERY MUCH BE RELYING ON, UM, YOUR, UH, ASSISTANCE AS WELL THROUGH YOUR COUNCIL OFFICES TO HELP US GET IN TOUCH WITH THOSE RIGHT, UH, FOLKS, OR THOSE RIGHT VENUES WHERE WE COULD REALLY, UM, UH, UH, SPEAK TO THE MOST PEOPLE AS EASILY AS POSSIBLE.
AND THEN, UM, WE WANT TO INITIATE A BUSINESS OUTREACH CAMPAIGN.
UM, AND THEN I THINK, AND PERHAPS
[01:05:01]
MOST IMPORTANTLY, WE WANNA RECOGNIZE THOSE BUSINESSES.UH, WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ACKNOWLEDGE THAT, UH, THERE'S WORK ALREADY BEING DONE AND HIGHLIGHT IT AND, UM, MAKE SURE WE BRING MORE BUSINESSES ON BOARD TO UNDERSTAND THAT, UM, THIS DOESN'T NECESSARILY NEED TO BE A BURDEN, BUT THERE'S BENEFITS TO DOING THIS.
AND THEIR, UM, THEIR BUSINESS NEIGHBORS ARE, AND MANY OF THEM ARE ALREADY DOING IT.
IN TERMS OF MONITORING, ASSESSMENT AND TRANSPARENCY.
UH, WE ARE GOING TO BE FURTHER BUILDING OUT OUR, UM, PUBLIC DASHBOARD, UM, WITH THE WHOLE SECTION ON CLIMATE AND THE CLIMATE PLAN, UH, WHERE WE'LL BE PUTTING A TREMENDOUS AMOUNT OF DATA, UM, TRACKING TOOLS.
UH, WE WANT TO, UM, UH, DEVELOP OUR, AS I'D MENTIONED LAST TIME, OUR GREENHOUSE GAS IMPACT COST BENEFIT TOOL.
HOW DO WE START QUANTIFYING, UM, THESE STRATEGIES IN TERMS OF COST AND BENEFIT, AND, UM, WE WILL BE COMMITTING TO DEVELOPING AND, AND BRINGING TO YOU ALL A ANNUAL, UH, REPORT ON THE ACTIONS OF THE SA UH, CLIMATE READY PLAN.
SO I ALSO WANTED TO PROVIDE A, UM, A A LITTLE MORE OF A TIMELINE OF WHAT, WHAT YOU CAN EXPECT, UM, AS WE MOVE FORWARD, UH, ON IMPLEMENTATION.
UH, WHEN WE START GETTING OUT TO 21, 20 21 AND 2022, WE'RE STILL BUILDING THAT OUT.
UM, BUT FOR THE REMAINDER OF 2019, THE FIRST THINGS THAT THAT, THAT YOU'LL SEEING, UM, A, UH, A REPORT THAT WE'VE BEEN WORKING ON, UH, WHICH LOOKS AT OUR, UH, INTERNAL CITY OF SAN ANTONIO FLEET IN TERMS OF, UM, UH, WHERE DO ELECTRIC VEHICLES FIT IN AND THE COST BENEFIT OF, OF TRANSITIONING OVER TO, UH, ELECTRIC VEHICLES.
UH, THAT STUDY ALSO LOOKS AT ELECTRIC VEHICLE INFRASTRUCTURE CITYWIDE, AND HOW DO WE START PRIORITIZING, UM, THE RIGHT TYPES OF, OF INFRASTRUCTURE, UM, WHERE THEY'RE NEEDED MOST.
UH, AGAIN, THE IDEA OF MOVING TOWARDS ELECTRIC VEHICLES, PROVIDING CONSUMER CHOICE, UM, NOT MANDATING ANYONE DRIVE A VEHICLE, BUT IF THEY CHOOSE SO THEY CAN FIND THE APPROPRIATE PLACES TO CHARGE.
UH, WE ARE ALSO GOING TO BE, UH, CONTINUING TO SIT DOWN WITH CITY DEPARTMENTS TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE ALIGNING, UM, THEIR WORK PLANS WITH, UM, THIS PLAN.
AND I HAVE, I HAVE A SLIDE I CAN TALK ABOUT, UM, IN A, IN A MINUTE.
LOOKING FORWARD TO THE FIRST HALF TO HALF OF 2020, THE REALLY, THE FIRST THING WE'RE LOOKING AT IS PACE.
UM, PROPERTY ASSESSED CLEAN ENERGY.
UM, MANY OF YOU KNOW THAT THAT IS A, UM, IT'S A, UH, UH, PRIVATE FINANCING MECHANISM, UH, THAT ALLOWS, UH, PROPERTY OWNERS OF COMMERCIAL, INDUSTRIAL AND MULTIFAMILY BUILDINGS TO, UM, UNDERTAKE ENERGY EFFICIENCY, UH, RENEWABLE ENERGY AND WATER EFFICIENCY PROJECTS.
UM, IT'S, IT'S A WAY OF ATTACKING DEFERRED MAINTENANCE.
UM, IT'S A PRIVATE SECTOR LOAN.
UM, IT TIES THE IMPROVEMENTS TO, UM, TO THE PROPERTY, TO THE TAX BILL, UM, AND THE, UM, THE, THE SAVINGS THAT THEY EXPERIENCE FROM THOSE IMPROVEMENTS COVER THE COST OF THAT LOAN.
AND SO WHERE WE ARE RIGHT NOW IS, UH, WE'VE BEEN HAVING, UM, MEETINGS INTERNALLY.
UH, WE ARE, UM, AS THIS SEEMS TO BE A, A VERY, UM, IMPORTANT ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT TOOL, WE BELIEVE THAT ECONOMIC ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENTS WILL BE THE, THE LEAD ON THIS.
UH, WE'LL BE PROPOSING GOING TO, UM, UH, TO BRIEF ECONOMIC AND WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT COMMITTEE, UM, BEFORE THE END OF THE YEAR, THE END OF THE YEAR, AND, UH, POTENTIALLY BRING THIS TO COUNCIL CONSIDERATION EARLY IN 2020, UH, FOR THE FIRST HALF.
SO HALF OF NEXT YEAR, WE ARE ALSO, UM, GOING TO BE BRINGING, UM, SOME RECOMMENDATIONS REGARDING EV AND SOLAR READINESS, UM, REQUIREMENTS FOR, FOR NEW BUILDINGS GOING FORWARD.
UH, UH, CITY OF SAN ANTONIO ENERGY POLICY, JUST FOR OUR OWN BUILDINGS AND HOW WE OPERATE AND MANAGE THOSE.
UM, AS THIS ISN'T, CLIMATE ISN'T JUST A CITY OF SAN ANTONIO ISSUE, UM, WE ARE PROPOSING TO BEGIN HAVING CONVERSATIONS AROUND HOW DO WE DEVELOP A, A REGIONAL CLIMATE COUNCIL? HOW DO WE START IDENTIFYING, UH, THOSE LEADERS ACROSS THE REGION WHO WANT TO SIT DOWN WITH US AND, AND DISCUSS HOW DO WE PARTNER, UH, AND, AND MOVE FORWARD COLLECTIVELY, UM, TO ENSURE THAT, UM, WE'RE NOT, UM, WE'RE NOT THE ONLY ONES TRYING TO, UH, UH, ADDRESS THIS.
AND THEN ALSO IDENTIFYING POTENTIAL 2021 U D C AMENDMENTS, UH, TAKING A LOOK AT THE, THIS PLAN AND DETERMINING WHERE THERE'S OPPORTUNITIES, UM, TO, TO WORK INTO THAT U D C UPDATE CYCLE, UH, AS WE LOOK OUT TOWARDS THE SECOND HALF OF 2020, UH, LOOKING AT BENCHMARKING AND DISCLOSURE, UH, OPPORTUNITIES, UH, UPDATING OUR INVENTORY, UM, FOR 2018, DEVELOPING A PLAN FOR A HUNDRED PERCENT RENEWABLE, UM, FOR CITY, UH, CITY OPERATIONS THAT COULD BE, UH, RENEWABLE ENERGY CERTIFICATES OR ONSITE GENERATION.
AND AS WE LOOK OUT TOWARDS 2021, UM, LOOKING TO, UH, CONTINUE STREETLIGHT CONVERSIONS, UM, TO MORE EFFICIENT OPTIONS FOR, UM, SOME OF OUR STREETLIGHTS, UH, POTENTIALLY AN URBAN HEAT, HEAT ISLAND PLAN, IT'S TRYING TO MAP OUT A LITTLE FURTHER WHERE THOSE AREAS THAT WE REALLY NEED TO FOCUS ON, UH, AS WELL AS, UH, CONTINUING TO, UM, UPDATE OUR GREENHOUSE GAS INVENTORY.
[01:10:01]
AND THEN LOOKING OUT EVEN FURTHER TO 2022, WE START GETTING INTO THAT THREE YEAR POINT WHERE WE MAY CONSIDER AN UPDATE TO THE, TO THIS CURRENT PLAN THAT'S BEFORE YOU TODAY.UM, IN ADDITION, EVERY YEAR, UH, WE'LL BE SITTING DOWN WITH OUR INSTITUTIONAL PARTNERS, UH, TO DISCUSS WHAT THEIR PLANS ARE FOR THIS COMING YEAR, AND TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE IN AS IN ALIGNMENT THAT THEIR GOALS ARE CONSISTENT WITH WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO ACCOMPLISH HERE.
SO IN TERMS OF, UH, CITY OF SAN ANTONIO DEPARTMENT ALIGNMENTS, UH, WE HAVE BEEN MEETING WITH DEPARTMENTS, BUT WHAT WE ARE PROPOSING IS, UH, AS A FIRST STEP, UH, LOOKING AT THE STRATEGIES IN THIS PLAN, UM, UH, IDENTIFYING WHICH DEPARTMENT HAS A ROLE AND WHAT THAT ROLE IS.
UH, AND WE'VE DONE THAT TO A DEGREE AS, AS THE PLAN DOES, IDENTIFY POTENTIAL, UH, LEAD AND PARTNER AGENCIES, UH, SIT DOWN WITH THOSE DEPARTMENTS, REVIEW THEIR CURRENT, UM, DEPARTMENTAL PROGRAMS AND WORK PLANS, AND, AND SEE WHERE THEY FIT IN WITH THIS.
THIS PLAN, UH, DEVELOP, UM, DEPARTMENTAL SUSTAINABILITY AND CLIMATE ACTION PLANS FOR EACH DEPARTMENT FOR F Y 2020, AS WELL AS LOOKING LONG TERM.
UH, WHAT DO THEY HAVE THAT, UM, IS MAY NOT, THEY MAY NOT BE OCCURRING THIS YEAR, BUT THEY ARE PLANNING FOR THE FUTURE TO MAKE SURE WE'RE GETTING AHEAD OF THAT.
UH, PERHAPS THE MOST IMPORTANT AND PERHAPS THE MOST DIFFICULT PART IS THE METRICS.
HOW DO WE MEASURE, UM, UH, WHAT WE ARE DOING, UM, AND REPORT IT? HOW DO WE BUILD THE ACCOUNTABILITY IN, FOR THE, THE CITY ORGANIZATION AS, AS A WHOLE? AND SO, UH, THAT WILL BE A KEY FOCUS OF WHAT WE WORK ON.
AND THEN FINALLY, POTENTIAL OPPORTUNITIES TO INTEGRATE THIS PLAN WITH CITY PROCESSES.
HOW DO WE MAKE SURE THAT THIS PLAN, EXCUSE ME, IS INCLUDED IN BUDGETING, UH, WHEN WE DEVELOP PROJECTS AS WE LOOK AT OUR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENTS, UM, ACTIVITIES, AND SOMETHING AS SIMPLE AS WHEN WE MAKE DECISIONS REGARDING PLANNING AND ZONING, UM, MAKING SURE THAT THIS PLAN IS, UM, AT THE FOREFRONT OF THAT DECISION MAKING.
AND WITH THAT, UM, UH, I THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME AND, AND STAFF RECOMMENDS THAT CITY COUNCIL APPROVE ORDINANCE NUMBER 19 7 4 5 8, ADOPTING THE SA CLIMATE READY CLIMATE ACTION AND ADAPTATION PLAN.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR THE PRESENTATION.
UH, DOUG, WE HAVE MANY CITIZENS SIGNED UP TO SPEAK ON ITEM FOUR.
I WILL CALL, UH, THE FIRST NAME ON THE LIST.
UH, IF YOU CAN BE PREPARED TO COME FORWARD TO THE PODIUM.
INDIVIDUALS WILL HAVE THREE MINUTES, AND GROUPS WILL HAVE UP TO SIX, EXCUSE ME, UP TO NINE, DEPENDING ON HOW MANY MEMBERS THERE ARE.
WE'LL BEGIN WITH PATSY ETT, FOLLOWED BY MONARCH ULTRA GROUP CONSISTING OF MOBY WARREN, CARLOTTA JAMES AND ROBERT FUENTES.
GOOD MORNING AND THANK YOU FOR THIS OPPORTUNITY.
MY NAME IS PATSY ETT, AND I'M THE PRESIDENT OF THE BEAR AUDUBON SOCIETY, AFFILIATED WITH THE NATIONAL AUDUBON.
I'M HERE TO REPRESENT OUR MEMBERSHIP, WHICH COVERS THE WHOLE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO AND BEYOND, ON BEHALF OF THE BIRDS AND IN SUPPORT OF THE SAN ANTONIO CLIMATE READY PLAN.
A RECENT REPORT BY THE CORNELL LAB OF ORNITHOLOGY AND THE SCIENTIFIC JOURNAL SCIENCE ALERTED US TO THE DECLINE OF BIRD POPULATIONS IN NORTH AMERICA.
SINCE 1970, WE'VE LOST ALMOST 3 BILLION BIRDS FROM NORTH AMERICA, AND MANY OF THESE ARE OUR BACKYARD BIRDS, THE ONES WE LOOK TO, TO SEE EVERY MORNING WHEN WE GO OUTSIDE.
JUST THIS WEEK, NATIONAL AUDUBON SOCIETY ISSUED ITS MOST RECENT CLIMATE REPORT.
IT'S CALLED SURVIVAL BY DEGREES, AND IT ALERTED US TO 389 SPECIES, WHICH IS TWO THIRDS OF NORTH AMERICAN BIRDS, WHICH ARE AT RISK OF EXTINCTION FROM GLOBAL TEMPERATURE RISE IN THIS CENTER, THIS CENTURY DUE TO CLIMATE CHANGE.
FORTUNATELY, THE SAME REPORT ALSO INCLUDED HOW WE CAN REDUCE THE IMPACT BY CONSTRAINING TEMPERATURE RISE TO ABOUT THE CURRENT LEVEL, ABOUT ONE DEGREE CELSIUS.
IF WE ACT SOON, WE SALUTE SAN ANTONIO AND THE PEOPLE FROM OUR COMMUNITY WHO HAVE PRODUCED A SUSTAINABLE APPROACH TO CLIMATE THE CHANGE IN OUR RAPIDLY GROWING AREA.
WE THANK THE CITY GOVERNING BODIES FOR HAVING THE FORETHOUGHT TO PROTECT THE QUALITY OF LIFE, OUR ECONOMY AND CULTURE IN OUR AREA.
AND AUDUBON RECOGNIZES THAT THESE ARE ALL IMPORTANT TO HUMAN POPULATIONS.
WE ALSO KNOW THAT WHERE BIRDS THRIVE, PEOPLE PROSPER.
[01:15:01]
SINCE ALL LIVING THINGS NEED A HEALTHY ENVIRONMENT.WE VALUE THE QUALITY OF LIFE THAT WE SHARE IN SAN ANTONIO AND THE WIDER SURROUNDING AREA, AND WE RESPECT THE NEEDS OF OTHER LIVING CREATURES THAT SHARE THIS AREA WITH US.
THANK YOU FOR THIS OPPORTUNITY TO SUPPORT THE SAN ANTONIO CLIMATE READY PLAN.
THE BIRDS ARE TELLING US IT'S TIME TO ACT.
WE HOPE THE CITY COUNCIL WILL ACT TO ADOPT THIS PLAN.
YOU ARE WHAT HOPE LOOKS LIKE TO THE BIRDS AND TO THE PEOPLE WHO SHARE OUR CITY WITH THEM.
THAT'S MOBY WARREN, CARLOTTA JAMES AND ROBERT FUENTES.
HE'S COMING UP FROM THE CAMERA.
YOU ALL HAVE, UH, NINE MINUTES.
THANK YOU, MAYOR NIERENBERG AND COUNCIL MEMBERS.
THANK YOU FOR THE HONOR OF BEING ABLE TO SPEAK.
I'M A CONSTITUENT OF DISTRICT NINE.
I'M ALSO A CITIZEN SCIENTIST HERE IN SAN ANTONIO WHO STUDIES AND COLLECTS DATA ON MONARCH BUTTERFLIES AND OTHER POLLINATORS.
POLLINATORS, AS YOU WELL KNOW, SERVE AS THE VERY BASE FOR ALL THE FOOD SYSTEMS THAT HUMANS AND NON-HUMANS ALIKE DEPEND ON FOR SURVIVAL.
AND CLIMATE CHANGE IS HAVING A SIGNIFICANT IMPACT ON OUR POLLINATORS.
I'M GOING TO LEAVE MOST OF THE TIME TO MY COLLEAGUES FROM CANADA WHO HAVE ORGANIZED AN INCREDIBLE PROJECT CALLED THE MONARCH ULTRA.
I DO WANNA MENTION THAT WE HAVE A LOCAL SAN ANTONIO RUNNER WHO IS DOING A 50 K, UM, PORTION OF WHAT THEY'RE GOING TO DESCRIBE.
BUT THIS IS A PROJECT TO, UH, RAISE AWARENESS ON OUR POLLINATORS AND ALSO SPECIFICALLY HOW CLIMATE CHANGE IS IMPACTING THEM.
UM, I BELIEVE TODAY IS GONNA BE A GREAT DAY OF CELEBRATION BECAUSE I'M CONFIDENT THAT SHORTLY THE COUNCIL IS GOING TO ADOPT THE CLIMATE ACTION PLAN.
I KNOW THIS IS JUST A BABY FIRST STEP.
WE'RE LOOKING FORWARD TO WORKING WITH YOU AS CITIZENS TO MAKE SURE THAT THE PLAN IS IMPLEMENTED IN A BOLD AND TIMELY AND EQUITABLE MANNER.
JAMES, UH, THANK YOU, MAYOR RON NIER, NUREMBERG, UH, AND CITY COUNCIL.
I'M AN ULTRA RUNNER, A POLLINATOR ADVOCATE AND CO-FOUNDER, THE MONARCH ULTRA, A 4,300 KILOMETER, OR 2,671 MILE ULTRA MARATHON AND DOCUMENTARY PROJECT THAT FOLLOWS THE MONARCH MIGRATION FROM PETERBOROUGH, ONTARIO TO THE CIERA MADRE MOUNTAINS IN MEXICO.
THIS TRI NATIONAL EVENT WILL TAKE US 47 DAYS TO COMPLETE.
I HAVE BEEN AWAY FROM MY FAMILY IN CANADA FOR FOUR WEEKS, AND TODAY IS MY SON SALVADOR'S SIXTH BIRTHDAY.
WHILE I'M DEEPLY HONORED TO STAND HERE AND SHARE THE VISION BEHIND THE MONARCH ULTRA AND ITS CONNECTION TO BUTTERFLY AND POLLINATOR CONSERVATION, WE CANNOT IGNORE THE IMPACT OF CLIMATE CHANGE ON MONARCHS AND OTHER POLLINATOR POPULATIONS.
FOR MONARCH BUTTERFLIES, CLIMATE CHANGE ADVERSELY AFFECTS INTEGRAL PARTS OF THEIR LIFECYCLE.
RISING TEMPERATURES IN THE REGION CHANGE THE CLIMATE CUES FOR MONARCHS THAT THREATEN TO DIMINISH THE SPECTACLE OF THEIR MIGRATION AND ENDANGER THE SPECIES.
CLIMATE CHANGE ALSO REDUCES THE MONARCHS FOOD SOURCES THREATENS ITS HABITAT IN MEXICO, DEFORESTATION AND HARMFUL CHEMICALS.
FURTHER COMPOUND CLIMATE INDUCED STRESS ON THE MONARCH POPULATIONS.
FACED WITH THIS ECOLOGICAL CHALLENGE, I BECAME GALVANIZED IN 2016 TO CREATE A PROJECT AIMED AT CREATE, AT CONNECTING COMMUNITIES ALONG THE MONARCH'S MIGRATORY ROUTE.
SINCE THEN, THE MONARCH ULTRA TEAM HAS BEEN WORKING TIRELESSLY ON ORGANIZING AN INTERNATIONAL RELAY RUN ACROSS THREE COUNTRIES, THROUGH HUNDREDS OF MUNICIPALITIES, DIFFERENT ECO ZONES, CULTURES AND LANGUAGES, AND EVOLVING HUNDREDS OF VOLUNTEERS, RUNNERS, COMMUNITIES, AND NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATIONS, ALL FOR THE LOVE OF MONARCHS AND POLLINATOR POPULATIONS.
THIS REQUIRES COMMITMENT, COLLABORATION, AND COMMUNITY.
AS SUCH, THE MONARCH ULTRA MARATHON AND DOCUMENTARY FILM HAS THREE GOALS TO RAISE AWARENESS OF MONARCH BUTTERFLIES AND POLLINATORS, WHOSE POPULATIONS ARE IN DECLINE TO EDUCATE AND ENGAGE CITIZENS TO GET INVOLVED IN CONSERVATION EFFORTS AT THE LOCAL AND GLOBAL LEVEL, AND TO INSPIRE PEOPLE TO BUILD COMMUNITIES THAT ARE POLLINATOR FRIENDLY AND CLIMATE READY.
AND WHILE OUR MISSION IS AN IMPORTANT ONE, WE NEED COMMUNITIES TO ADOPT CLIMATE ACTION STRATEGIES AND TOOLS.
THERE HAS NEVER BEEN A PUBLIC POLICY ISSUE WHERE THE SCIENCE IS CLEAR.
WE KNOW THE CLIMATE CRISIS IS FAR WORSE
[01:20:01]
THAN WE INITIALLY THOUGHT, AND WE NOW, AND WE KNOW WE NEED TO REDUCE GREENHOUSE GAS EMISSIONS BY 45% BY THIR 2030 AND TO ZERO BY 2050.AND WE KNOW THAT THE WINDOW FOR ACTION IS CLOSING SOON.
CLIMATE CHANGE AFFECTS ALL POLLINATORS AND COULD DRIVE MANY SPECIES TOWARDS EXTINCTION.
A SPECIES THAT PLAYS A KEY ROLE IN ENSURING FOOD SECURITY, PRESERVING BIODIVERSITY AND ECOSYSTEM SERVICES.
THANK YOU FOR INCLUDING POLLINATOR HABITAT IN YOUR CLIMATE ACTION AND, UH, ADAPTATION PLAN.
I ADMIRE SAN ANTONIO FOR YOUR EFFORTS TO PROTECT POLLINATOR, UH, MONARCH BUTTERFLIES AND POLLINATOR POPULATIONS.
AND AS A GLOBAL LEADER ON MONARCH CONSERVATION, WHEN THIS CITY WAS THE FIRST TO SIGN THE NATIONAL WILDLIFE FEDERATION'S MAYOR'S MONARCH PLEDGE IN 2015.
SINCE THEN, MORE THAN 300 COMMUNITIES HAVE COMMITTED TO CREATE MONARCH HABITAT, UH, AND ENGAGE THEIR RESIDENTS IN EDUCATION AND CONSERVATION PROJECTS.
EVEN WITH THE EFFORTS LED BY CITIZENS CONSERVATION GROUPS AND MUNICIPALITIES, POLLINATOR POPULATIONS ARE STILL DECLINING AT A RAPID RATE DUE TO THE MASSIVE IMPACTS OF DEVELOPMENT AGRICULTURE, INCLUDING PESTICIDE USE AND CLIMATE CHANGE.
AS MANY OF YOU ARE AWARE THAT IPCCS REPORT RAISED THE THREAT THAT WE HAVE LESS THAN 11 YEARS TO DRASTICALLY REDUCE OUR GLOBAL GREENHOUSE GAS EMISSIONS.
IF WE DON'T TAKE NECESS, IF WE DON'T TAKE NECESSARY ACTIONS,
UM, I WANT TO BE ABLE TO TELL SALVADOR THAT I DID EVERYTHING IN MY POWER TO FIGHT FOR OUR FUTURE.
THE MONARCH ULTRA RUNNERS ARE RUNNING 31 MILES OR 62 MILES EVERY SINGLE DAY FOR THE FIRST TIME THROUGH OPPRESSIVE HEAT AND RAINSTORMS ON UNSAFE ROADS, AND SOMETIMES FACED WITH INSURMOUNTABLE CHALLENGES INCLUDING HUNGER, DEHYDRATION, INJURIES, EXHAUSTION, POLLUTION, AND TRAFFIC.
THE SAME CHALLENGES THAT MONARCH BUTTERFLIES FACE WHILE ON THEIR EPIC JOURNEY SOUTH.
DESPITE THIS, RUNNERS ARE CARRYING AN IMPORTANT MESSAGE OF HOPE, INSPIRATION, AND POSSIBILITY FOR CHANGE.
BECAUSE OF THE EXTREME DISTANCES ULTRA RUNNERS COVER AND THE MENTAL AND PHYSICAL TRANSFORMATION REQUIRED TO TAKE ON THE CHALLENGE, LIKE THE MONARCH BUTTERFLY, THE MONARCH ULTRA IS SYMBOLIC OF THE STEPS REQUIRED TO CREATE A MORE SUSTAINABLE WORLD.
WITH THE LITTLE TIME LEFT, WE HAVE ON EARTH, WE WANT TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE TO PROTECT SOME OF THE SPO SMALLEST SPECIES ON EARTH, AND WE CANNOT AFFORD TO FAIL.
IT'S AN HONOR TO BE HERE AND TO RUN THROUGH YOUR CITY, AND THANK YOU FOR ALL THE WORK YOU ARE DOING.
WE HOPE TO SEE YOU IN 2021 WHEN WE'LL BE RUNNING THROUGH AGAIN.
I'M AN ENVIRONMENTAL FILMMAKER AND ALSO CO-FOUNDER OF THE MODERN CULTURE.
UH, DURING OUR JOURNEY HERE, UH, WE STOPPED A FEW SCHOOLS ON OUR WAY, AND, UH, UH, WE, WE, WE JUST LEARNED SOMETHING INTERESTING THAT, UM, UH, MOST STUDENTS THAT WE ASKED, THEY DIDN'T KNOW WHAT A POLLINATOR WAS.
THEY DIDN'T KNOW THE MONARCHS WILL MIGRATE ALL THE WAY SOUTH, AND THERE ARE A LOT OF ENVIRONMENTAL THINGS THAT THEY WERE NOT AWARE OF.
UH, I'M JUST THINKING ABOUT THE, THE, THE, THE WHOLE TALK ABOUT CLIMATE CHANGE AND, UH, AND, UH, AND HOW WE REACHING A POINT OF IRREVERSIBLE DAMAGE.
OUR KIDS ARE THE FUTURE OF GENERATION, AND THEY'RE THE ONE, UH, DESTINED TO SAVE US FROM ENVIRONMENTAL CATASTROPHE.
BUT HOW ARE THEY GOING TO DO THAT IF THEY DON'T CONNECT WITH OUR ENVIRONMENT? IF THEY DON'T, IF THEY CAN'T IDENTIFY THE TREES OUTSIDE, IF THEY'RE NOT SWIMMING ON THE LAKES, IF THEY'RE NOT GETTING DIRTY IN THE WOODS OR THEY'RE NOT PLANTING NEW TREES, UH, IT ISN'T FAIR TO ASK CHILDREN TO CLEAN UP, UH, THE MESS THAT WE HAVE CAUSED TO THE ENVIRONMENT AND TELL THEM THAT THEY NEED TO SAVE US NOW.
THEY NEED TO CONNECT WITH AN ENVIRONMENT, UM, AND THAT, SO WE, WE, WE DON'T, WE NOT ONLY WANT TO REACH THE CHILDREN, BUT WE ALSO WANT TO REACH THE PARENTS AND TEACHERS, UH, AND MAKE SURE THAT THEY KIND OF LAY THE PATH FOR ALL THESE CHILDRENS TO DO THE JOB AND TO LEARN ABOUT THE ENVIRONMENT.
SO I CALL THIS, UH, FOUNDATION MORE LIKE A TRIPOD.
SO ONE LEG IS A CITIZEN AND COMMUNITY ACTION THAT CREATE AND PRESERVE HABITATS FOR ALL WILD SPECIES AND MINIMIZE GARBAGE AND POLLUTION.
TWO, CORPORATION AND FOR-PROFIT ORGANIZATIONS THAT ROAM MORE SUSTAINABLE BUSINESS AND REDUCE THE ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT.
AND LASTLY, THE OTHER LEG IS THE GOVERNMENT ENVIRONMENTAL POLICIES AND LEGISLATIONS THAT HELP TO CREATE A PLATFORM TO FACILITATE AND HELP CORPORATIONS
[01:25:01]
AND CITIZENS TO REGENERATE OUR GREEN SPACES AND HAVE MORE SUSTAINABLE AND HEALTHY COMMUNITIES.AND WE'RE LEAVING TO GO MEET THE RUNNER WHO'S PASSING THROUGH SAN ANTONIO RIGHT NOW ON OUR 50 K LEG.
ALAN MONTE, MR. MONTE WILL BE FOLLOWED BY BILL HURLEY.
GOOD MORNING, AND THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK WITH YOU TODAY.
IT'S AN OPPORTUNITY I DO NOT TAKE FOR GRANTED.
IT'S, UH, A PRIVILEGE THAT, UH, IS RARE IN THE WORLD, UM, AND I DO APPRECIATE IT.
UH, I'M A SAN ANTONIO NATIVE OF 63 YEARS.
UH, THAT'S ONE OF THE REASONS THAT I LIVE HERE AND CONTINUE TO LIVE HERE.
UM, I HAVE SEEN THE QUALITY OF LIFE IN SAN ANTONIO DEGRADE ON PRETTY MUCH A CONTINUOUS BASIS, UH, AND IN TERMS OF AIR QUALITY, IN TERMS OF OVERCROWDING, IN TERMS OF FLOODING.
UM, AND MAYOR NUREMBERG TAKE TOOK A FIRST STEP, UM, UH, SOME TIME AGO WHEN HE COMMITTED TO, UH, PUSHING SAN ANTONIO TOWARDS THE PARIS CLIMATE ACCORDS.
TODAY, YOU ARE TAKING, I, I THINK WHAT I WOULD CALL THE SECOND STEP IN VOTING IN THE CLIMATE ACTION AND ADAPTATION PLAN.
I'M REALLY HERE TO SUPPORT THAT TODAY AND SPEAK IN FAVOR OF IT FROM MANY DIFFERENT PERSPECTIVES.
UM, I'M ALBERT EINSTEIN SAID, THOSE WHO HAVE THE PRIVILEGE TO KNOW HAVE THE DUTY TO ACT.
AND CERTAINLY EVERYONE HERE IN THIS ROOM IS PRIVILEGED, AND WE DO HAVE THE DUTY TO ACT.
AND I WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK TO JUST BRIEFLY ABOUT THAT TODAY.
ONE OF THE THINGS THE CITY CAN DO AFTER WE PUT THIS FRAMEWORK IN PLACE IS TO BEGIN THE HARD WORK OF HAMMERING OUT EACH, UH, HOW WE'RE GONNA IMPLEMENT EACH OF THESE POLICIES AND, UH, UH, GOALS.
UH, THAT WILL BE DONE WITH A GREAT DEAL OF DISCUSSION WITH COMMUNITY MEMBERS, WITH, UH, BUSINESSES, WITH, UH, GOVERNMENT LEADERS.
AND I REALLY LOOK FORWARD TO THAT PROCESS.
I THINK IT'S GONNA BE POSITIVE STEP FOR SAN ANTONIO IN MANY DIFFERENT RESPECTS.
ONE OF THOSE ASPECTS IS THE INTRODUCTION OF ELECTRIC VEHICLES INTO SAN ANTONIO.
AND THIS IS AN AREA WHERE YOU GUYS CAN BEGIN TO HAVE IMMEDIATE EFFECT.
IF WE CAN PUSH MORE OF OUR VEHICLES AS THEY, UH, UH, COME UP FOR REPLACEMENT INTO ELECTRIC VEHICLES, AND IN PARTICULAR, IF WE CAN CHARGE THEM AT NIGHT WHEN C P S ENERGY HAS ABUNDANT WIND ENERGY AVAILABLE FROM WEST TEXAS, IT WILL DO A GREAT DEAL TO REDUCE AIR POLLUTION, TO BRING OTHER PEOPLE INTO THE ELECTRIC VEHICLE FOLD AND SHOW THAT IT WHAT'S POSSIBLE.
UM, IT WILL MEAN MORE REVENUE FOR C P SS ENERGY, SELLING ELECTRICITY, AND NOT BUYING, UH, UH, GASOLINE FOR OUR VEHICLES.
UM, ALL OF THAT WILL BE BENEFICIAL FOR THE CITIZENS OF SAN ANTONIO.
AND IT'S, IT IS ACTUALLY CHEAPER TO, UH, TO, TO RUN THESE ELECTRIC VEHICLES.
SO IT'S A WIN-WIN WIN SITUATION.
AND I'M HOPING THAT YOU GUYS WILL HELP GUIDE C P S ENERGY TOWARDS POLICIES, WHICH WILL ENCOURAGE THAT, UM, UH, AND, UH, AND MOVE US FORWARD, BOTH WITH SAWS C P S ENERGY AND ALL OTHER, UH, PUBLIC ENTITIES THAT HAVE CONTROL OVER THAT.
UM, MARGARET MEAD SAID, AND I QUOTE, NEVER DOUBT THAT A SMALL GROUP OF THOUGHTFUL, COMMITTED CITIZENS CAN CHANGE THE WORLD.
INDEED, IT IS THE ONLY THING THAT EVER HAS.
AND I WOULD LIKE TO CONGRATULATE YOU GUYS FOR HELPING CHANGE THE WORLD AND CONGRATULATE EVERYBODY IN THE AUDIENCE TODAY FOR HELPING CHANGE THE WORLD.
THANK YOU, MR. MONTE MAYOR, BILL HURLEY.
MR. HURLEY, YOU'LL BE FOLLOWED BY TERRY BURNS.
I'M BILL HURLEY WITH CITIZENS CLIMATE LOBBY, WHICH IS, UH, UH, BIPARTISAN GROUP ABOUT, UH, CLIMATE CHANGE AND, AND, AND ACTION ABOUT CLIMATE CHANGE.
AND I, UH, LONGTIME SAN ANTONIO RESIDENT, UM, I WAS GOING TO TALK ABOUT BE KIND OF A CASPER MILK TOAST ABOUT
IT WASN'T GONNA BE CASPER MILK TOAST ANYMORE.
UM, THE LEAD, ONE LEADING LINE IN THAT ARTICLE WAS QUOTE, WE MUST BE GOOD STEWARDS OF OUR NEIGHBOR'S TAX MONEY.
WELL, I, I THREW THE PAPER DOWN AND I SAID, OF COURSE, OF COURSE.
AND I'M ASKING THE CITY COUNCIL, ALL POLITICIANS SHOULD BE PROACTIVE, NOT REACTIVE.
UM, WE HAVE A CITY MANAGER THAT'S REACTIVE IN SAN ANTONIO, NOT PROACTIVE.
THE WHOLE POINT OF ASSIGNING, UH, ELECTING PEOPLE FOR THE GOVERNMENT IS THAT THEY CAN LOOK FORWARD AND SEE AND ANTICIPATE WHAT'S GONNA HAPPEN.
I UNDERSTAND, THOUGH, THAT AS A POLITICIAN, UH, IT'S DIFFICULT WITH
[01:30:01]
THE PUBLIC.PHIL HARBERGER, THE EX-MAYOR, HONORABLE HARBERGER, UM, SAID RECENTLY, WHAT'S DIFFICULT ABOUT THIS ISSUE IS THAT THERE'S NO HERO AND NO VILLAIN.
SO, UH, WHEN YOU'RE APPEALING TO THE PUBLIC, IT'S GOOD TO HAVE A GOOD GUY, BAD GUY.
I GREW UP IN WASHINGTON, DC AND I CAN REMEMBER THAT KIND OF SENTIMENT.
UM, BUT I DO APPRECIATE MR. PERRY'S SAYING, THE EARTH CLIMB, THE EARTH'S CLIMATE IS CHANGING, AND HE STRONGLY WANTS TO HEAL THE ENVIRONMENT.
BUT MR. PERRY, I SUGGEST THAT YOU DON'T KNOW WHAT THE ENVIRONMENT'S ABOUT, UH, THE BIG PICTURE IS.
I MEAN, THAT IS IMPORTANT, BUT IT'S NOT ALL SIMPLISTIC LIKE THAT.
UH, IF YOU WOULD, UH, RESEARCH IT A LITTLE BIT MORE, OH, THERE'S A TIMER ON HERE THAT'S PRETTY GOOD.
I USUALLY GO OVER WHEN I TALK, BUT IF YOU'D RESEARCHED IT A A BIT MORE, THE ENVIRONMENT IS ABOUT OUR SURVIVAL AND OUR LIFESTYLE AND OUR INFRASTRUCTURE, UH, ALL THOSE ARE GONNA BE SUFFERING AS A RESULT OF CLIMATE CHANGE, PERIOD.
SO IF WE GET AHEAD OF THE GAME, THEN WE'RE AHEAD OF THE GAME.
AND IF WE REACT AND WAIT TILL THE, THE, I CAN'T SAY CRAP, I GUESS
MR. BURNS, YOU'LL BE FOLLOWED BY JEFF ARNT.
UH, GOOD MORNING MAYOR CITY COUNCIL.
TERRY BURNS, CHAIR OF THE SAN ANTONIO SHARE CLUB.
I SPEAK FOR ALMOST 3000 MEMBERS IN URGING ALL OF YOU TO VOTE YES FOR TODAY'S CLIMATE ACTION AND ADAPTATION PLAN.
THE CAP WILL PROVIDE A NECESSARY FRAMEWORK FOR OUR ONGOING WORK TO MAKE SAN ANTONIO A BETTER PLACE TO LIVE A MORE EQUITABLE, SUSTAINABLE, HEALTHIER COMMUNITY.
WE WILL CELEBRATE THIS STEP AND CONTINUE TO WORK HARD FOR STRONG IMPLEMENTATION.
WE WISH THE CAP WERE MORE AMBITIOUS WITH STRONGER INTERIM TO OUR CARBON REDUCTION TARGETS IN ACCORD WITH LATEST, UH, SCIENTIFIC REPORTS.
OBSTRUCTION FROM C P S, VALERO, ET CETERA, UH, HAS REMOVED A LOT OF THE BEST LANGUAGE FROM THE FIRST DRAFT TO THOSE LIKE COUNCILMAN PERRY WHO WORRY ABOUT COSTS AND REGULATIONS.
I AGREE, I WORRY ABOUT THAT TOO.
UNFORTUNATELY, THESE COMPANIES FOR DECADES HAVE HAD THE KNOWLEDGE, THE OPPORTUNITY, AND THE MORAL RESPONSIBILITY TO VOLUNTARILY MOVE FORWARD TO REDUCE CARBON EMISSIONS.
NOT ONLY DID THEY FAIL TO ACT, THEY LIED, STALLED, AND OBSTRUCTED ACTION.
SO NOW YOU MUST TAKE ACTION, PLEASE.
THE CAP MOVES US IN A NECESSARY DIRECTION AND SHARE CLUB AND OTHER GROUPS WILL CONTINUE TO PUSH FOR STRONG IMPLEMENTATION.
FIRST OF ALL, REDUCING AND ELIMINATING OUR FOSSIL FUELS BY 2030.
AND JUST QUOTE TODAY'S EDITORIAL, THE COUNCIL IN THE SAN ANTONIO EXPRESS NEWS COUNCIL SHOULD VOTE FOR CAP BECAUSE IT ACKNOWLEDGES THE GLOBAL CLIMATE CRISIS THAT'S BETTER THAN REMAINING SILENT.
BUT UNTIL THE CITY ALSO ACKNOWLEDGES THAT COAL IS A MAJOR CONTRIBUTOR TO THE CRISIS, ITS EFFORT, EFFORTS TO COMBAT CLIMATE CHANGE AT THE LOCAL LEVEL, LEVEL WILL ALWAYS FALL SHORT.
THE CITY CAN START BY FORMALLY STUDYING THE ECONOMICS OF RENEWABLE ENERGY SOURCES TO GUIDE THE SPRUCE TWO CONVERSATION.
AND I'LL FINISH BY SAYING THAT AS A MEMBER OF THE CLIMATE PLANNING COMMITTEES, WE ASKED, AND WERE PROMISED FROM C C P S LAST YEAR, THAT WE WOULD BEGIN A DIALOGUE LAST YEAR WITH DATA FROM C P S ABOUT SPRUCE CLOSURE.
WE HAVE NEVER BEEN PROVIDED THAT DATA, THAT DIALOGUE HAS NEVER BEGUN.
WE HAVE BEEN STALLED OUT ONCE AGAIN.
AND IF THEY WON'T START ACTING, THEN I SUGGEST YOU CHANGE THE BOARD AT C P S AND CHANGE THE C E O SO WE CAN HAVE CITIZENS CLIMATE ACTION PLANNING BEGIN NOW.
JEFF ARNT, FOLLOWED BY AMY CONTRERAS.
UH, THIS IS MY FIRST TIME ON THIS SIDE OF A THREE MINUTE TIMER, SO IT'S PRETTY EXCITING.
UH, FIRST OF ALL, I AM JEFF ARNT, THE PRESIDENT AND C E O OF VIA METROPOLITAN TRANSIT, BUT I WAS ALSO ON THE STEERING COMMITTEE FOR THE CAP, AND I WAS THE, UH, LIAISON TO THE TRANSPORTATION AND LAND USE GROUP.
UM, THE FIRST THING I'D LIKE TO DO IS, AGAIN,
[01:35:01]
THANK YOU ALL FOR THE SUPPORT YOU'VE GIVEN VIA, UH, IN EVERY RESPECT, FINANCIAL AND SPIRITUAL, AND CHEERING US ON.UH, IN SEPTEMBER, THE VIA BOARD CONSIDERED THE CAP, UH, I WANT TO THANK DOUG MELNICK FOR COMING.
YEAH, THANK DOUG MELNICK FOR COMING TO THE BOARD.
THERE WAS A FAIR AMOUNT OF MISINFORMATION OUT THERE, AND I HAD SEVERAL TRUSTEES WHO SAID, WELL, HOW COULD YOU SUPPORT THE CAP WHEN THEY'RE SAYING THAT VA WOULD HAVE TO DO X, Y, AND Z? WHICH THE CAP DIDN'T SAY.
UH, DOUG CAME AND, AND PRESENTED THE FACTS.
AND THE BOARD, AS YOU KNOW, I THINK IT'S IN YOUR MATERIAL, ADOPTED A RESOLUTION IN SUPPORT OF THE CAP, UH, NOTING THAT TRANSIT IS INHERENTLY SUPPORTIVE OF SUSTAINABILITY AND EQUITY, WHICH ARE TWO BIG ISSUES.
UM, AS A MEMBER OF THE STEERING COMMITTEE, UH, AND AS AN INDIVIDUAL MEMBER OF THE STEERING COMMITTEE, I WOULD ESPECIALLY LIKE TO THANK COUNCILWOMAN SANDOVAL WHO WAS THERE WITH US, WORKING WITH US LOTS OF HOURS, AND ESPECIALLY SOMETHING THAT'S VERY RARE, I THINK, WHICH IS AT ONE POINT, COUNCILWOMAN SANDOVAL SAID, WELL, I THINK PERHAPS I, I BLAME MYSELF FOR SOMETHING.
YOU JUST DON'T HEAR THAT VERY OFTEN.
BUT THAT'S A MODEL OF SERVANT LEADERSHIP.
WE WOULDN'T HAVE GOTTEN THERE WITHOUT YOUR CONSISTENT SUPPORT.
I'M NOT BLAMING MYSELF FOR CLIMATE CHANGE, JUST FOR, FOR OTHER THINGS, RIGHT? NO, YOU WERE NOT.
BUT I APPRECIATE THAT SENSE OF ACCOUNTABILITY.
UM, AND I ALSO WOULD LIKE TO SINCERELY, SINCERELY THANK THE STAFF AND THE MANY CONSULTANTS WHO I FEEL HAD A SINCERE DESIRE TO MAKE SURE THEY EDUCATED US.
UH, THEY LISTENED TO US, AND THEY AT LEAST CONSIDERED WHAT WE HAVE TO SAY.
THEY DON'T, BECAUSE YOU CAN'T ACCEPT EVERYTHING THAT EVERY PERSON SAYS.
AS YOU KNOW, I'VE ALWAYS DESCRIBED THE CLIMATE, THE CAP, I'M SORRY, AS NOT THE CLIMATE ACTION PLAN, BUT THE CLIMATE ACTION PLAYBOOK.
I'M A, A GRADUATE OF THE UNIVERSITY OF NOTRE DAME, AND EVERYTHING IN LIFE BECOMES A FOOTBALL GAME IN MY WORLD.
SO I THINK THE CAP IS A PLAYBOOK, AND WE HAVE, UH, A, A VERY SPECIFIC GOAL.
AND WE HAVE TOUCHDOWN JESUS IN THE BACKGROUND.
BY 2050, WE HAVE A BUNCH OF DOWNS THAT WE NEED TO REACH, AND THE, THE CAP, WHICH GIVES US A SERIES OF PLAYS THAT WE CAN CALL AS WE MARCH DOWN THAT FIELD AS WE TAKE INTO CONSIDERATION TECHNOLOGY AND ECONOMIC CIRCUMSTANCES.
BUT WE CAN'T START MOVING TOWARD THAT GOAL UNTIL WE GET ON THE FIELD.
AND SO WE NEED THE CAP ADOPTED SO WE CAN GET ON THAT FIELD, WHICH IS GREEN TODAY.
BUT LEFT UNCHECKED CLIMATE, UH, CLIMATE CHANGE WILL TURN THAT FIELD BROWN AND WITHERED.
AND SO I'M ASKING YOU TODAY TO GET US ON THE FIELD.
AND IN THE SPIRIT OF MY CLASSMATE, RUDY, I THINK MANY OF YOU HAVE SEEN THE MOVIE ABOUT RUDY.
I'M GOING TO SAY TO YOU, AS A CITIZEN OF SAN ANTONIO, I'M READY TO PLAY.
AMY CONTRARES, FOLLOWED BY THE SOUTHWEST WORKERS UNION, NACO GARCIA, DEANNA LOPEZ, AND BETO DE LEON.
MY NAME IS AMY CONTRERAS, AND I LIVE IN DISTRICT 10.
I APPLAUD THE EFFORT MADE WITH RESPECT TO DEVELOPING THE CAP PROGRAM.
THIS WORK IS DIFFICULT, BUT IT'S NOT IMPOSSIBLE.
IT TAKES GUTS, FORESIGHT, AND ACTION ON ALL OF OUR PARTS.
PLEASE VOTE YES TODAY AND CONTINUE TO MAKE POSITIVE STEPS FOR ME, MY KIDS, OUR COMMUNITY, AND FOR THE GENERATIONS TO COME.
MS. CONTRERA, SOUTHWEST WORKERS UNION, AN AQUA GARCIA, DEANNA LOPEZ, BETO DE LEON.
THEY'LL BE FOLLOWED BY WENDELL FUQUA.
UM, EVERYBODY, UM, I WAIT TILL THE TEAM GETS UP HERE.
UM, SO I JUST WANNA SAY WE'RE FINALLY HERE.
SO THAT'S PART OF THE BIG BATTLE.
IT'S BEEN 18 MONTHS, AND EVEN BEFORE THAT, IT WAS A BIG STRUGGLE TO GET THE, UM, SUSTAINABILITY PLAN PASSED AND INTEGRATED AND GOING.
AND SO, AND EVEN BEFORE THEN, MANY COMMUNITIES, UM, FOUGHT TO GET, UM, EVEN THE ATTENTION TO BE IN THE SAME ROOM AND TO TALK ABOUT SOME OF THESE ISSUES.
AND SO WE'VE, WE'VE COME A LONG WAY.
SOUTHWEST WORKERS UNION, UM, HAS BEEN DOING SOME OF THE BACKGROUND WORK.
WE'VE BEEN DOOR KNOCKING, BLOCK WALKING, I'M SURE Y'ALL'S OFFICE HAS GOT A BUNCH OF POSTCARDS,
WHEN WE TALK ABOUT FAIR, UM, ALL WE MEAN IS THE INCLUSION OF THE PEOPLE THAT ARE MOST AFFECTED BY SOME OF THESE ISSUES, UH, FLOODING ZONES, UH, PE PEOPLE, PEOPLE WHO, UM, ALSO CAN'T BE IN THIS ROOM RIGHT NOW.
UM, AND SO I WANT TO UPLIFT A LOT OF THE COMMUNITIES THAT WE'VE BEEN WORKING WITH, NOT ONLY HERE IN SAN ANTONIO, BUT NATIONALLY, UM, FROM ALL THE WAY TO, TO THE AMAZON, TO THE ARCTIC, UH, WORKING TO, TO PROTECT MOTHER EARTH.
AND THAT'S, THAT'S WHO WE'RE WORKING WITH.
[01:40:01]
IS WORKING ON A CLIMATE ACTION PLAN, WE'RE NOT ONLY BEING AFFECTED HERE IN OUR, IN OUR COUNTY, UM, WE UNDERSTAND THAT THAT AIR IS SHARED, THAT WATER IS SHARED, UM, AND THAT OUR RESOURCES ARE SHARED.AND THAT'S AN IMPORTANT PIECE OF WHEN SAN ANTONIO ACTS ON SOMETHING THAT MEANS THAT EVERYBODY ELSE IS GONNA BE AFFECTED.
AND SO THIS, THIS COUNCIL THAT WE SEE BEFORE US, UM, IS MOVING FORWARD, UM, SOMETHING THAT IS GONNA REALLY AFFECT OUR COMMUNITIES ALL THE WAY DOWN TO, TO THE BORDER, TO TO, TO THE BOTH BORDERS AND BEYOND.
UM, AND SO AND SO I WANNA UPLIFT THAT WORK.
UM, OUR TEAM ALSO HAS BEEN NOT ONLY, I WAS ON THE EQUITY TEAM AND WE HAD A FEW OTHERS ON THE WATER AND RESOURCE TEAM, UM, THAT WE, UM, UPLIFTED SOME, SOME, SOME OF THOSE VOICES TO ENSURE THAT SOLUTIONS ARE NOT BASED ONLY ON ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AND THAT THEY INCLUDE COMMUNITY PARTICIPATION, UM, THAT THEY INCLUDE NOT CONTINUING TO POLLUTE OUR COMMUNITY.
AND SO THAT'S THE KEY WORD TO THAT, IS BECAUSE EVERY TIME WE SEE SOMETHING IS CHANGING, WE, YOU KNOW, FOR EXAMPLE, PORT SAN ANTONIO, WE WERE PROMISED E ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT OPPORTUNITY DISTRICT FOUR.
THAT'S, THAT'S WHERE I'M FROM.
UM, AND WHAT WE ENDED UP GETTING WHEN THE PORT CLOSED, AND THAT'S, THAT'S MY COMMUNITY, THAT'S HOW I GOT STARTED, IS DOING HEALTH STUDIES IN MY NEIGHBORHOOD ON QUINTANA, ON QUINTANA ROAD.
AND SO THAT'S WHEN THE REALIZATION OF THAT PEOPLE ARE SICK, THEY'RE DYING.
AND, UM, THE REALITY OF OUR COMMUNITIES IS THAT THIS IS HAPPENING IN THE SOUTH SIDE, THIS HAPPENING ON THE EAST SIDE, AND THIS IS HAPPENING ON THE WEST SIDE, AND IT'S PRIMARILY PEOPLE OF COLOR AND POOR FOLKS.
AND THAT'S, THAT'S OUR COMMUNITIES, AND THAT'S WHO WE REPRESENT.
UM, AND ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I WANT TO UPLIFT IS THAT, UM, WHEN THAT TRANSITION HAPPENED, IT WASN'T A JUST TRANSITION.
IT TRANSITIONED IN INTO SOMETHING THAT ENDED UP BEING MUCH WORSE THAN, THAN THE POLLUTION THAT THAT WAS CAUSED.
UM, AND THAT WAS EXISTING THERE.
AND NOW WE'RE, WE'RE FACING AIR QUALITY ISSUES.
WE'RE FACING A WHOLE SLEW OF DIFFERENT PROBLEMS THAT ARE NOT ONLY AFFECTING THAT AREA, BUT ARE AFFECTING ALL OF SAN ANTONIO.
AND SO WHEN WE TALK ABOUT SOLUTIONS, WE TALK ABOUT SOLUTIONS THAT ARE BASED, UM, ON OUR COMMUNITY THAT ARE INCLUDING OUR COMMUNITY.
UM, WE TALK ABOUT SOLUTIONS THAT WILL UPLIFT THE CULTURAL, UM, ASPECTS, UM, WITHIN OUR COMMUNITY THAT UPLIFT OUR NEIGHBORHOODS.
UM, AND THAT, AND THAT BUILD ON, ON, ON WHAT WE THINK ABOUT WHAT IS ALTERNATIVE ECONOMIES, UM, AND WHAT WE SEE AS A WAY TO FURTHER, UM, BUILD ON NOT NOT ONLY E ECONOMIC, BUT ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE WITHOUT FURTHER POLLUTING OUR COMMUNITIES.
AND SO THAT'S WHY WE'RE HERE TODAY.
UM, THERE, IT'S BEEN A BIG, IT'S BEEN A REALLY LONG AND DIFFICULT JOURNEY.
AND SO WE'VE, WE'VE DONE IT THROUGH THE BEGINNING, UM, AND NOW WE'RE AT THE END.
AND THERE WAS SOMETHING FUZZY IN THE MIDDLE THAT HAPPENED, RIGHT? UM, WHERE A LOT OF THE, THE CONVERSATIONS THAT, THAT WE WERE HAVING AROUND THE, AROUND THE TABLE, UM, A LOT OF THE DEFINITIONS THAT, THAT WERE CREATED THROUGH A COMMUNITY PROCESS WERE ERASED.
UM, AND I THINK THAT'S AN IMPORTANT PIECE AROUND WHEN WE TALK ABOUT TRANSPARENCY AND ENSURING THAT SPACES THAT ARE DEVELOPED FOR COMMITTEES THAT ARE DE DEVELOPED BY COMMUNITIES, PEOPLE TOOK TIME OUT OF THEIR LIVES TO BE IN THESE THREE HOUR MEETINGS, UM, TALKING, RESEARCHING, BUILDING.
WE ALL HAD HOMEWORK TO DO, UM, ON TOP OF THE, THE TASKS.
SOME, SOME OF US WERE, YOU KNOW, BUSY CREATING OTHER THINGS DURING THAT TIME.
UM, AND SO
AND, UM, IT FEELS LIKE, LIKE WE'RE STILL NOT FULLY THERE WHERE WE NEED TO BE.
UM, AND IT STILL FEELS LIKE COMMUNITIES ARE BEING LEFT BEHIND, UM, AND ARE BEING IGNORED, EVEN THOUGH WE'VE BEEN THROUGH THE WHOLE PROCESS OF PETITIONS, CONVERSATIONS, UH, COMMITTEES AND THINGS LIKE THAT.
AND SO WHAT I WHAT WE'RE ASKING MOVING FORWARD IS THAT WE ENSURE THAT WE HAVE A PROCESS THAT IS TRANSPARENT, RESPECTFUL, AND HONORS PEOPLE'S NOT ONLY TIMES, BUT THEIR EXPERIENCES.
BECAUSE A LOT OF PEOPLE, UM, INCLUDING A LOT OF OUR MEMBERS, HAVE TO, THEY HAVE TO DRIVE THROUGH THE POLLUTION.
THEY HAVE TO GO HOME TO, TO THE POLLUTION THEY LIVE IN, IN HOMES THAT ARE RIGHT ACROSS FROM, YOU KNOW, UM, FUEL TANKS THAT ARE ACROSS FROM, UM, DIFFERENT SITES LIKE, UM, LIKE THE COE RE REFINERY, DI,
[01:45:01]
DIFFERENT AREAS LIKE THAT, THAT ARE BIG SOURCES OF POLLUTION.UM, BUT I ARE, ARE NOT SEEN EVERYWHERE ELSE.
AND SO IT'S IMPORTANT TO BE ABLE TO CREATE A PROCESS, UM, AND A SPACE THAT IS, UH, THAT HONORS AND IS TRANSPARENT OF PEOPLE'S, UM, OF, OF PEOPLE'S TIME, OF PEOPLE'S ENERGY, AND OF PEOPLE'S EXPERIENCES AND WHAT THEY, UH, TAKE ON EVERY SINGLE DAY.
AND SO, WE, UH, HOPEFUL HOPE THAT MOVING ON, THAT THE PROCESS, UM, ENSURES THAT THERE'S A VALID AND, UM, A WEALTHY AMOUNT OF COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT WITHIN THOSE SPACES, AND THAT IT'S TRANSPARENT AND THAT IT'S PUBLIC, AND IT SUPPORTS THOSE THAT ARE MOST AFFECTED BY SOME OF THESE ISSUES, UM, TO BE IN THOSE SPACES.
AND WHAT THAT SOMETIMES LOOKS LIKE IS, IS EVENING MEETINGS, IT'S WEEKEND MEETINGS, IT'S TRANSLATION, BUT IT'S ALSO LANGUAGE TRANSLATION.
IT'S, IT'S BREAKING DOWN THE, UM, THE, THE TECHNICAL ASPECTS AND REALLY GETTING TO, TO THE, TO THE MEAT OF, OF, OF WHAT IT IS TO THE VEGGIES OF, OF EVERYTHING.
UM, AND MAKING SURE THAT IT IS, UM, THAT PEOPLE ARE CONNECTED TO WHAT CLIMATE ACTION ACTUALLY MEANS, AND THAT IT'S NOT JUST A TECHNICAL TERM, WHICH IS, IT'S GONNA BE CREATED BEHIND DOORS AND BEHIND WAREHOUSES, AND WE'RE GONNA PUT A BUNCH OF MONEY TO, TO CREATE TECHNOLOGY, BUT PEOPLE ACTUALLY NEED TO SEE IT, UM, IN THEIR NEIGHBORHOODS AND IN THEIR COMMUNITIES.
AND THEY NEED TO BE PART OF A PROCESS, BECAUSE THAT'S THE ONLY WAY IT'S GONNA GET IMPLEMENTED, AND IT'S GONNA BE LONG LASTING, IS WHEN PEOPLE ARE INVOLVED.
AND WE'VE SEEN THIS THROUGH, THROUGH ALL, ALL OF OUR DIFFERENT ACTION PLANS, AND WE'VE SEEN IT THROUGH THE SUSTAINABILITY PLAN, AND NOW WE'RE SEEING IT THROUGH, THROUGH THIS CLIMATE ACTION AND ADAPTATION PLAN.
AND WE'LL CONTINUE TO SEE IT, UM, BEYOND THAT BECAUSE WE'RE PART OF OUR NEIGHBORHOODS, WE'RE PART, PART OF OUR COMMUNITY.
UM, AND WE'RE, WE'RE NOT GOING AWAY.
UM, WE'RE GONNA BE PART OF THESE COMMITTEES, AND WE'RE, AND WE'RE GONNA BE ENSURING THAT OUR VOICES ARE HEARD AND ARE, ARE, ARE PART OF THE SPACE.
SO I WANNA THANK, UM, EVERYBODY WHO DID A LOT OF THE RESEARCH AND HONOR SOME, SOME OF THOSE EXPERIENCES, AND ALSO THANK A LOT OF OUR CLIMATE, PROMOT TORES THAT ARE HERE, THAT SPENT HOURS AND HOURS AND HOURS, UM, IN THE HEAT, UM, IN THE SUN, UM, TALK, TALKING TO PEOPLE, CALLING PEOPLE, CONTINUING TO CALL PEOPLE, AND MAKING SURE THAT PEOPLE WERE EDUCATED, UM, ON WHAT'S HAPPENING WITHIN THEIR COMMUNITY.
UM, HAVE A GREAT DAY, AND WE LOOK FORWARD TO SEEING MORE OF YOU.
MR. FUQUA, YOU'LL BE FOLLOWED BY GREG HARMON.
UH, THOSE OF YOU WHO WERE AT LAST NIGHT'S B SESSION, PLEASE BEAR WITH ME.
I'M GOING TO REPEAT MYSELF, UH, BUT IN LIGHT OF TODAY'S EXPRESS NEWS EDITORIAL, I THINK IT NEEDS REPEATING AND SUPPORTING.
I LIVE IN DISTRICT ONE, AND I'M A MEMBER OF THE SIERRA CLUB.
WHEN THIS COUNTRY ENTERED WORLD WAR II, IT ENTERED A BATTLE FOR ITS SURVIVAL.
IT TOOLED UP FOR THIS BATTLE IN A MATTER OF MONTHS, PONTIAC MADE ANTI-AIRCRAFT GUNS.
CADILLAC TURNED OUT LIGHT TANKS ALL OVER AMERICA.
IN THE FACE OF CLIMATE CHANGE, I APPLAUD OUR CITY LEADERS FOR BEING ON THE BRINK OF PASSING A CLIMATE ACTION AND ADAPTATION PLAN.
BUT I CAUTION THAT THE CAP IS ONLY AN OUTLINE.
IT'S ONLY AS GOOD AS OUR MOBILIZATION EFFORT WILL BE.
AND ONE OF THE KEY PLAYERS IN OUR PLAN, C P SS, WHICH USED TO BE A VISIONARY UTILITY, HAS TURNED TIMID.
IF IT WERE CADILLAC AT WORLD WAR II, IT WOULD STILL BE BUILDING CARS, NOT TANKS.
THE UNITED NATIONS INTERGOVERNMENTAL PANEL ON CLIMATE CHANGE WARNS THAT THE WORLD HAS 10 YEARS TO CUT.
ITS C O TWO EMISSIONS BY 45% ON THE WAY TO CARBON NEUTRALITY BY 2050.
SAN ANTONIO IS COMMITTED TO THAT GOAL, BUT C P S IN ITS FLEXPATH PLAN CONTEMPLATES BURNING COAL AND GAS POSSIBLY INTO THE YEAR 2060.
THAT'S NOT A PATH TO CARBON NEUTRALITY.
MANY CITIES AND STATES HAVE FAR MORE AMBITIONS PLANS.
CALIFORNIA HAS COMMITTED TO GENERATING 60% OF ITS ENERGY FROM RENEWABLES BY 2030 AND A HUNDRED PERCENT BY 2045.
AUSTIN PLANS TO HAVE 65% RENEWABLES BY 2027, AND RENEWABLES ARE COST COMPETITIVE.
A RESPECTED POWER EVALUATION COMPANY SAID IN A RECENT REPORT, REPLACING THE COAL PLANTS WITH A PORTFOLIO OF NON EMITTING RESOURCES WOULD LIKELY SAVE MONEY FOR C P S RATE PAYERS.
OUR COAL AND GAS PLANTS PRODUCE 48% OF SAN ANTONIO'S EMISSIONS, SHUT THEM DOWN.
AND WE MEET OUR GOAL OF REDUCING EMISSIONS BY 45% BY 2030.
[01:50:02]
AND THERE'S A BONUS TO CLOSING THE COAL PLANTS.OUR HEALTH, OUR HEALTH PARTICULATES FROM BURNING COAL CONTRIBUTE SUBSTANTIALLY TO CASES OF ASTHMA, HEART PROBLEMS, AND PULMONARY PROBLEMS, ESPECIALLY AMONG THE YO UH, THE YOUNG, THE OLD AND THE POOR.
IF WE SHUT DOWN OUR COAL PLANTS, WE IMPROVE PUBLIC HEALTH.
UNLIKE CADILLAC OR PONTIAC COMPANIES THAT HAD TO SWITCH OVERNIGHT TO MAKING TANKS AND ANTI-AIRCRAFT GUNS, C P S ALREADY KNOWS HOW TO MAKE POLLUTION FREE.
ELECTRICITY C P S NOW NEEDS TO MOBILIZE FOR A MORE VISIONARY PLAN TO STOP BURNING COAL AND GAS, JUST LIKE WORLD WAR II.
IT'S A MATTER OF OUR SURVIVAL.
GREG HARMON, FOLLOWED BY DAVID FRY.
THANK YOU COUNSEL, UH, FOR, FOR TAKING US TO THIS POINT.
I THINK, UM, I CAME IN, I WAS WITH, UH, MY, MY SON TODAY, HE'S EIGHT MONTHS OLD, WOLFGANG, AND A FEW FOLKS CAME UP TO ME WHILE I WAS HERE.
THEY'RE USED TO SEEING ME AROUND CLIMATE STUFF.
AND, AND, AND SO IMMEDIATELY WERE LIKE, HEY, THAT'S A GREAT PROP, KIND OF CYNICALLY, UH, OR ARE YOU GONNA TAKE HIM UP? BECAUSE THAT'S WHO WE'RE FIGHTING FOR.
UM, AND YOU KNOW WHAT, AS PRECIOUS AS MY CHILD IS, HE IS NO MORE PRECIOUS THAN ANY OTHER CHILD ON THIS PLANET.
AND IT'S, UH, IT'S, IT'S THE FAULT IN OURSELVES THAT WE CLINGING SO HARD, AND THAT OUR CIRCLE OF COMPASSION IS SO LIMITED THAT WE THINK IN TERMS OF DOLLARS AND CENTS, FIRST, MANY OF US WHEN WE THINK ABOUT CLIMATE CHANGE.
SO I DO WANNA REPEAT SOMETHING I SAID LAST NIGHT ABOUT MY OWN BELIEF IN, UH, OUR LEADERSHIP IN SAN ANTONIO, IN BEXAR COUNTY, UM, RELATED TO THIS, IN THAT, WHEN I SEE BAD DATA, UNJUSTIFIED ECONOMIC PROJECTIONS, FALSEHOODS, WHISKER, WHISPER CAMPAIGNS IN THE CASE OF VALERO AND THE CRUELTY OF WILLFUL IGNORANCE, INTENTIONAL MISREPRESENTATION OF THE SCIENCE THAT WE'VE HAD SETTLED BASIC SCIENCE FOR A HUNDRED YEARS.
AND I JUST WANT TO, UH, CALL OUT THE SAN ANTONIO CHAMBER, THE MANUFACTURERS ASSOCIATION, VALERO AGAIN, AND SADLY, COUNCILMAN PERRY, WHO EXPOSED HIMSELF IN HIS EDITORIAL THIS WEEK, AS WELL AS SOME OF OUR COUNTY LEADERSHIP.
UH, ALL THESE COME TO PLACE PROFITS AHEAD OF PEOPLE.
WHEN YOUR CHILD IS SICK, WHEN YOUR WIFE IS ILL, WHEN SOMEONE NEEDS TREATMENT THAT YOU LOVE, YOU DON'T START BY ASKING, HOLY S**T, WHAT IS THIS GONNA COST ME? NOW, CAN WE AFFORD THIS? UNFORTUNATELY, IN, IN OUR COUNTRY RIGHT NOW WITH OUR HEALTHCARE SYSTEM, MAYBE THAT'S THE SECOND THING WE THINK, BUT THE FIRST THING WE THINK IS, HOW ARE WE GONNA SOLVE IT? HOW ARE WE GONNA GET BETTER? AND SO WE START HERE TODAY WITH THIS CLIMATE PLAN, A FUNDAMENTAL ACKNOWLEDGEMENT THAT WE ARE IN A CRISIS.
AND SO I RECOGNIZE AND RESPECT THE MAYOR.
YOU, YOU CAME OUT IN THE MEDIA, SAID, THIS IS A CLIMATE CRISIS.
AND, AND WHILE AS A STEERING MEMBER, I ALSO, UH, FELT, I MEAN, I'VE GONE THROUGH SEVERAL, I DON'T KNOW HOW MANY STAGES OF GRIEF THERE ARE, BUT I'VE BEEN THROUGH SEVERAL OF THEM OVER THIS PLAN, AND I'VE COME BACK AROUND TO THIS POINT, IS JUST TO LET YOU GUYS KNOW THAT THIS IS THE LEAST YOU CAN DO.
IF THERE ARE COUNCIL MEMBERS HERE THAT STILL THINK THAT ANY OF THIS MISREPRESENTATION AND FALSE DATA AND INFLAMMATION OF, UH, OF THE CHAMBER, UH, IS, IS ACCURATE, THAT YOU FEEL LIKE YOUR CONSTITUENTS ARE THREATENED, UH, YOU'RE ACTUALLY WRONG.
WHAT THREATENS THEM IS THE FAILURE TO ADOPT A STRONG CLIMATE PLAN THAT IN THIS CASE, HAS A VERY UNIQUE, UH, THING TO IT.
IT'S GOT EQUITY BUILT INTO IT SO THAT WE WILL PRIORITIZE AND IMPLEMENTATION THE NEEDS OF THOSE THAT ARE MOST VULNERABLE WITH THE RESOURCES OF OUR CITY.
WE'RE GONNA RALLY TO THOSE THAT ARE IMPACTED FIRST HARDEST.
AND THAT'S THE LONG STORY OF SAN ANTONIO, AND WE'RE WORKING TO CORRECT.
ANYBODY NEEDS A STICKER? I GOT STICKERS.
MR. FRY, YOU'LL BE FOLLOWED BY DR.
UH, I LIVE IN DISTRICT NINE, MR. COURAGE.
PSALM 24 SAYS, THE EARTH IS THE LORD'S AND EVERYTHING IN IT, AND MANAGED TO HELP THE LORD TO TAKE CARE OF IT.
UH, THERE HAS ALWAYS BEEN CLIMATE CHANGE, AND THE VAST MAJORITY OF THAT TIME WAS WITHOUT HUMAN INTERVENTION, THE VAST MAJORITY.
SO YOU COULD, THERE'S A LOT OF DATA TO PUT OUT, BUT THE VAST MAJORITY OF CLIMATE CHANGE, THERE HAVE BEEN ICE.
THERE WAS ICE AGE AND MANY OTHER VERY CATASTROPHIC THINGS THAT HAVE HAPPENED.
ALL OF THOSE WITHOUT THE KIND OF HUMAN INTERVENTION THAT WE HAVE TODAY, TO BLAME EVERY ILLNESS ON A HOT DAY.
UM, AND TO BLAME EVERY, UM, TRAGEDY OF MAN, EVERY SICKNESS IS NOT REASONABLE
[01:55:01]
OR SCIENTIFIC.I WORK AT A MANUFACTURING FACILITY AND PART OF A BUSINESS COMMUNITY THAT IS OPPOSED TO THIS PLAN.
UH, THE SAN ANTONIO MANUFACTURING ASSOCIATION JUST COMPLETED ITS 30TH ANNUAL ENVIRONMENTAL TRAINING SEMINAR.
IT'S A TEMPERED MEASURED APPROACH THAT ATTACKS ISSUES AND DOESN'T ABUSE NATURE, THAT HELPS PEOPLE, THAT SUPPORTS PEOPLE.
THERE WAS NO TRUE BUY-IN FOR THIS PLAN FROM THE BUSINESS COMMUNITY.
NOW, INFORMATION ABOUNDS AS TO, UM, FALSE IDEAS OF EXTREME CLIMATE CHANGE.
IF THE SCIENCE WAS SO CLEAR, THERE WOULD BE A MUCH GREATER UNANIMITY.
BUT THERE IS A TREMENDOUS AMOUNT OF DEBATE BECAUSE IT'S MORE OF AN IDEOLOGY THAN IT IS SCIENCE.
IT'S A BAD MEASURE FOR SAN ANTONIO.
UM, A GREATLY DETAILED PLAN WITH ZERO BUDGETARY NUMBERS, THAT'S VERY INTERESTING, A GREATLY DEAL.
UM, IT'S, THEY AREN'T PERHAPS THE PRIORITY.
PEOPLE ARE THE PRIORITY, BUT NO BUDGETARY NUMBERS.
UH, THIS IS NOT A GOOD DEAL FOR SAN ANTONIO.
EVERYONE, EVERYONE AT THE PODIUM WILL GET THE RESPECT THAT THEY DESERVE, OR YOU'LL BE ASKED TO LEAVE.
SO PLEASE KEEP THE, KEEP THE CONVERSATIONS DOWN SO PEOPLE CAN HAVE THEIR TIME TO SPEAK.
UH, MAYOR, MAYOR AND COUNCIL MEMBERS, MY NAME IS, MY NAME IS FEIR SHILEY.
I'M THE CO-CHAIR OF THE SA CLIMATE READY STEERING COMMITTEE.
FIRST, I THANK YOU ALL FOR MAKING TIME TO MEET WITH MY FELLOW STEERING COMMITTEE AND TECHNICAL WORKING GROUP MEMBERS AHEAD OF THIS IMPORTANT VOTE.
ON THE PERSONAL NOTE, I THANK COUNCILWOMAN ANDREW SULLIVAN FOR INVITING ME TO SPEAK AT YOUR RECENT CLIMATE ACTION TOWN HALL.
I HOPE THIS MEETINGS HAVE POSITIVELY INFORMED YOUR VIEWS ON THE CAP.
AS AN INDEPENDENT CONSULTANT, MY POLICY IS TO ALWAYS TELL MY CLIENTS NOT WHAT THEY WANT TO HEAR, BUT WHAT THEY NEED TO HEAR.
SO HERE'S WHAT WE WANT TO KNOW AND NEED TO KNOW ABOUT THE CAP.
A CUSTOMER MAY SELECT A THREE COST MEAL OR JUST AN ENTREE.
THEY MAY CHOOSE TO EAT, LEAN OR LOAD UP ON CARBOHYDRATES.
IN OTHER WORDS, THE ITEMS ON THE MENU ARE CHOICES, NOT MANDATES.
BUT SOMETIMES THIS CHOICE DEPENDS ON THE MENU PRICES.
AND AT PRESENT, THE CAP IS SHORT ON PRICES.
SO IS THE CAP INCOMPLETE? YES.
BUT ARE THESE SUFFICIENT REASONS NOT TO ADOPT THE CAP TODAY? ABSOLUTELY NOT.
THAT WILL BE THROWING OUT THE BABY WITH THE BATH WATER.
AMONG MANY UPSIDES, THIS BABY INCLUDES MORE THAN 30,000 HOURS, VOLUNTEERED BY 90 OR SO INDIVIDUALS WHO HAVE SERVED ON THE STEERING COMMITTEE AND TECHNICAL, TECHNICAL WORKING GROUPS.
SINCE FEBRUARY OF 2018, THESE BRILLIANT CITIZENS AND RESIDENTS OF SAN ANTONIO HAVE DEV DEVOTED PRE PRECIOUS TIME TO PROVIDING ADVICE AND CRITICAL IN INPUTS THAT HAVE SHAPED THIS.
THE CAP DOCUMENT BEFORE YOU TODAY, THIS IMPRESSIVE WORK SHOULD NOT GO TO WASTE.
THE CAP IMPLEMENTATION MUST FOCUS ON THREE PRIORITIES.
COHESIVE GOVERNANCE THAT IS ENGAGING DIVERSE PEOPLE FOR EFFECTIVE COLLABORATION, PERFORMANCE MONITORING, COMMITTING TO PERIODIC GREENHOUSE GAS EMISSIONS, INVENTORY UPDATES, AND FISCAL RESPONSIBILITY, BALANCING COSTS AND BENEFITS WITH AFFORDABILITY.
IF THESE PRIORITIES SOUND FAMILIAR, IT'S BECAUSE THEY'RE CLEARLY STATED IN THE CAP DOCUMENT BEFORE YOU TODAY.
SO I URGE YOU TO VOTE TO ADOPT THE CAP IN SPITE OF ITS MODERATE, YET SURMOUNTABLE SHORTCOMINGS.
SOMETIMES WE MAY FAIL, FALL OR COME SHORT ON EXPECTATIONS, BUT RATHER THAN RETREAT, WE SHOULD DO WHAT FOOTBALLERS ARE TAUGHT TO DO.
ALWAYS FALL FORWARD FOR AT LEAST THAT MOVES US CLOSER TO THE GOAL LINE.
MURPHY, YOU'LL BE FOLLOWED BY MIKE BIGLEY.
GOOD MORNING, MAYOR NUREMBERG, MEMBERS OF THE CITY COUNCIL AND MR. CITY MANAGER.
[02:00:01]
A PROFESSOR AT THE UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS AT SAN ANTONIO, AND I WAS A PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR FOR THE UTSA'S CONTRIBUTION TO THE CITY'S CLIMATE ACTION AND ADAPTATION PLAN PROJECT TEAM.THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO PROVIDE INPUT TODAY ON THIS VERY IMPORTANT TOPIC AND EXPRESS OUR SUPPORT.
CLIMATE CHANGE IS A COMPLEX GLOBAL CHALLENGE, AND THE DATA SHOWS US THAT IT MUST BE ADDRESSED WITH URGENCY.
RESEARCHERS AT U T S A UNDERSTAND FIRSTHAND THE IMPACT THAT CLIMATE CHANGE IS HAVING ON OUR PLANET.
THEY'RE WORKING IN A VARIETY OF AREAS TO SCIENTIFICALLY ADDRESS THE ISSUE AND TO PROVIDE SUBSTANTIVE INPUT TO COMMUNITY LEADERS THAT WILL HELP THEM MAKE INFORMED POLICY DECISIONS.
WE APPLAUD SAN ANTONIO'S LEADERS FOR RECOGNIZING THE URGENCY OF THE ISSUE AND TO PROVIDE SUBSTANTIVE COMMUNITY LEADERS THE PLAN.
WE SUPPORT THE FRAMEWORK THAT PREPARES THE COMMUNITY FOR A HEALTHY, COMPETITIVE, AND ATTRACTIVE FUTURE.
ONE WHERE STUDENTS AND FACULTY CAN PUT THEIR TALENTS AND EDUCATION TO WORK, TO SUPPORT SOLUTIONS FOR THE COMMON GOOD.
AS PART OF OUR COMMITMENT TO SERVE THE PEOPLE OF SAN ANTONIO, U T S A HAS WORKED CLOSELY WITH THE CITY, WITH C P S ENERGY AND WITH NAVIGATE CONSULTING ON THE CLIMATE ACTION AND ADAPTATION PLAN.
IT'S OUR HOPE THAT THIS COLLABORATIVE EFFORT WILL HELP ALL OF US IN THE SAN ANTONIO COMMUNITY BETTER UNDERSTAND THE SEVERITY OF THE CHALLENGE AND THE NEED TO ADDRESS THE SITUATION THROUGH SUBSTANTIVE AND TANGIBLE ACTION.
WE RECOGNIZE THAT ADDRESSING THE CLIMATE CHANGE IS A MONUMENTAL TASK, AND WE APPLAUD THE EFFORTS OF THE CITY AND ITS PARTNERS IN TAKING ON THIS COMPLEX ISSUE.
MR. SEALE, YOU'LL BE FOLLOWED BY YANETH FLORES, CAN WE STILL TAKE MINUTES FROM ANOTHER PERSON? UH, SURE.
IF THERE'S SOMEBODY HERE THAT'S GONNA SEE TIME TO YOU, WHO IS THAT? YES.
UH, IS VANESSA HERE? VELASQUEZ.
THEY HAVE TO BE HERE TO BE SORRY.
UH, COUNCIL, THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR, UH, CONSIDERING THIS CLIMATE ACTION ADAPTATION PLAN.
I WAS PROUD TO SERVE ON, UH, THE, UH, ENERGY AND BUILDINGS COMMITTEE AS THE SIERRA CLUB REPRESENTATIVE.
UH, THIS IS, UH, NOT THE START.
THE MAYOR HARBERGER, UH, SIGNED ONTO THE SIERRA CLUB, UH, COOL CITIES PROGRAM.
AND WITH THAT, AFTER THAT STARTED THE INITIATIVE OF THE STEP PROGRAM.
WITHIN SIX MONTHS, MAYOR HARBERGER WAS CITY LED BY, UH, UH, MR. ZEN ROLLED OUT WITH COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT FROM BUILDERS, ARCHITECTS, UH, ENVIRONMENTAL COMMUNITIES IN A VERY SHORT AMOUNT OF TIME.
GOT STEP ONE, RUNNING C P SS ENERGY THROUGH THE CITY DIRECTION, RAN WITH IT ON A $5 PER BILL, REDUCED OUR ENERGY USES.
I'M VERY PROUD THAT THEY HAVE COMPLETED THAT PROGRAM WITH A MUCH HIGHER NUMBER, AT A LOWER COST THAN WAS ORIGINALLY PROJECTED.
NOW UNDER THE LEADERSHIP OF C P S ENERGY, UH, WE ARE STALLING.
WE COULD BE MAKING MUCH MORE PROGRESS AND NEED TO BE MOVING MUCH FASTER TO GET THESE COAL PLANTS SHUT DOWN.
AND THEN THE REST OF THE FOSSIL FUEL PLANTS SHUT DOWN.
I, UM, HAVE TWO ELECTRIC VEHICLES AND NEAR DOWNTOWN, UH, OFFICE 110 YEAR OLD OFFICE BUILDING THAT HAS A WHITE ROOF FOAM INSULATION IN IT.
MY 250,000 MILES THAT I HAVE ON THESE 10 YEAR OLD AND EIGHT YEAR OLD PLUGIN HYBRIDS ARE STILL PERFORMING WELL, VERY COST EFFECTIVE.
UH, WE NEED TO BE ABLE TO HAVE SOLAR READY AND EV READY GOING PAST.
NOW WE'RE VERY CLOSE TO GETTING THAT DONE.
WE NEED TO MOVE FORWARD WITH THAT.
UM, WE, IT SHOULD BE ONE OF THE VERY FIRST THINGS, AND I APPLAUD YOU FOR MENTIONING THAT THIS MORNING TO GET OFF THE GROUND AND GET IT PASSED ON.
SINGLE FAMILY RIGHT NOW THROUGH THE EQUITY LENS, IT'S MUCH MORE COMPLICATED TO GET MULTI-FAMILY.
SO LET'S GET THE EV READY AND SOLAR READY DONE IMMEDIATELY, AND LET'S NOT WAIT A YEAR TO HAPPEN.
BUT WITH C P S ENERGY, WE HAVE TO HAVE A PUBLIC INPUT PROCESS, UH, IN PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT LED BY THE CITY ON THESE PLANS, AND TO FIGURE OUT HOW TO GET THESE COAL PLANTS SHUT DOWN.
WE DON'T HAVE TO WAIT FOR BATTERY STORAGE.
WE CAN USE OUR BUILDINGS FOR DEMAND MANAGEMENT WITH THE
[02:05:01]
THROUGH THE NEST THERMOSTATS AND OTHER THINGS THAT ARE VERY SUCCESSFUL TO PRE-COOLING AND GETTING THINGS READY.HOPEFULLY YOU'RE GONNA PASS THIS PLAN VERY SOON, UH, TODAY AND GET THE COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT.
THANK YOU, MR. SEAL, EFF FLORES.
MS. FLORES SHOULD BE FOLLOWED BY RUDY RODRIGUEZ.
WHY IS MY TIMER RUNNING? GO AHEAD, MS. FLORES.
UH, MY NAME IS JEANNETTE FLORES.
I'M AN ORGANIZER WITH THE ESPERANZA PEACE AND JUSTICE CENTER, AND TODAY I AM SPEAKING ON BEHALF OF OUR BUENA GENTE, URGING YOU TO APPROVE THE CLIMATE ACTION AND ADAPTATION PLAN.
UM, REALLY UNSURE OF WHAT I CAN SAY TODAY THAT I HAVEN'T SAID BEFORE, BUT I WANT TO ASK THAT YOU CONTINUE TO CENTER THIS PLAN AROUND THOSE WHO ARE MOST IMPACTED BY THE VERY REAL CLIMATE CHANGE CRISIS THAT WE ARE LIVING IN TODAY.
I ASK THAT YOU CENTER YOUR POLICY AROUND THOSE WHO ARE FEELING THIS THE HARDEST OF WORKERS OR FOR EIGHT TO 12 HOURS A DAY, A DAY OF FOLKS WHO LACK SHELTER AND ARE FORCED TO LIVE ON THE STREET, TAKING IN ALL AND EVERY POLLUTANT OF FAMILIES WHO DO NOT HAVE THE LUXURY OF HAVING THE AC OR HEATER ON ALL DAY OF THOSE WHO RELY ON PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION TO MOVE THROUGHOUT THE CITY.
HAVE YOU EVER SAT IN A S****Y UNSHELTERED BUS STOP IN THE MIDDLE OF THE DAY WAITING FOR THE BUS? A HUNDRED DEGREE PLUS WEATHER? FEELS AWFUL.
AND THAT'S THE REALITY OF MANY OF OUR WORKING FAMILIES IN SAN ANTONIO SHAPE THIS PLAN AROUND THOSE WHO ARE MOST VULNERABLE.
AND INHERENTLY, THIS PLAN WILL WORK FOR ALL.
UNFORTUNATELY, THE CLIMATE ACTION PLAN THAT WE ARE PASS HOPE TO PASS TODAY IS NOT UP TO, IS NOT THE STANDARD FOR WHAT WE NEED.
UM, WE NEED TO BE MORE AGGRESSIVE IN OUR POLICY MAKING, AND WE NEED TO CENTER THOSE WHO ARE MOST AT NEED.
UM, THE CITY IS GROWING AND THE CITY IS CHANGING, AND IF WE, YOU ARE NOT CREATING POLICY FOR OUR FAMILIES, THEN YOU'RE NOT DOING YOUR JOBS.
AND THERE'S SOME FOLKS IN THE BACK WHO ARE, UM, STRAIGHT UP JUST SAYING THAT CLIMATE CHANGE IS NOT REAL.
WE ARE NOT DEBATING THE VERY REAL FACTS OF SCIENCE.
MR. RODRIGUEZ, YOU'LL BE FOLLOWED BY ANN ENGLER.
GOOD MORNING MAYOR, MEMBERS OF CITY COUNCIL.
UH, MY NAME IS RUDY RODRIGUEZ AND I SERVE ON THE BOARD OF THE WEST SAN ANTONIO CHAMBER OF COMMERCE.
AND MAYOR, LET ME JUST SAY THAT OUR POSITION IS CERTAINLY REFLECTIVE OF OUR BOARD, UH, OUR LEADERSHIP, OUR MEMBERSHIP, AND I THINK THE INPUT FROM MANY OF YOU, UH, THAT WE REACHED OUT TO, AND I CAN SAY TELL YOU MAYOR, THAT WHILE ALL OF OUR MEETINGS WITH COUNCIL WERE MOTIVATING, SOME WERE QUITE ROBUST.
SO WE ENJOYED HAVING A VERY DIVERSE, UM, DIALOGUE, IF YOU WILL.
BUT I CAN TELL YOU THAT OVER THE LAST TWO YEARS, THE UH, CHAMBER BOARD, UM, HAS COME TO A UNANIMOUS CONSENSUS THAT OUR DECISION ON RENEWABLE ENERGY, UH, OPPORTUNITIES REALLY STANDS ON THREE EQUAL PILLARS.
THE OTHER ONE IS COST, AND CERTAINLY THE THIRD IS THE IMPACT ON OUR CARBON FOOTPRINT ISSUE.
UH, WE ALSO BELIEVE THAT THE CAP PROVIDES TWO THINGS.
NUMBER ONE, IT PROVIDES US A PLATFORM.
UH, SO AS A CITY WE CAN ACKNOWLEDGE THAT WE HAVE ENVIRONMENTAL RESPONSIBILITY.
NUMBER TWO, IT GIVES US AN OPPORTUNITY TO JOIN EVERY COUNTRY IN THE WORLD AND SOME 400 AMERICAN CITIES TO CONTINUE TO BUILD BEST PRACTICES AND POLICIES THAT ARE GONNA HELP US LIVE OUR LIVES BETTER AND DO OUR BUSINESS IN A WAY THAT'S GONNA GONNA MINIMIZE THE IMPACT ON OUR ENVIRONMENT.
OVER THE LAST COUPLE OF YEARS, MAYOR, THE MANTRA OF THE WEST SAN ANTONIO CHAMBER, UH, HAS BEEN EDUCATION.
AND I BELIEVE THAT'S TRULY WHAT'S GONNA BE NEEDED GOING FORWARD, IS HOW DO WE DEVELOP A PLAN WHERE WE TRULY ARE ABLE TO EDUCATE OUR RESIDENTS, OUR SMALL, LARGE AND AGENCY BUSINESS PARTNERS, TO TRULY HAVE A BETTER UNDERSTANDING OF WHAT THIS PLAN MEANS AND HOW WE CAN ALL HAVE A VOICE WITHIN THAT, WITHIN THAT PROCESS.
UH, MAYOR, I'VE, I'VE GOTTA TELL YOU, I'M REALLY PROUD OF THE WEST SAN ANTONIO CHAMBER FOR BEING, UM, TO TAKING A LEADERSHIP ROLE IN THIS.
WE WERE THE FIRST CHAMBER, UH, TO PUBLICLY SUPPORT THE PLAN.
AND WE LOOK FORWARD MAYOR, TO BEING PART OF THE IMPLEMENTATION AND THE FURTHER DEVELOPMENT OF THIS CRITICAL, CRITICAL PLAN.
[02:10:01]
WITH OUR PARTNERS AT C P S ENERGY, SAN ANTONIO WATER SYSTEMS VIA METROPOLITAN TRANSIT, AND ALL OUR MEMBERS IN ASKING FOR YOUR SUPPORT TO MOVE FORWARD ON THE PLAN.UM, AND TO NOTE FOR THE RECORD, WE JUST RECEIVED A RESOLUTION, UH, IN SUPPORT OF THE CAP FROM THE WEST SAN ANTONIO CHAMBER OF COMMERCE.
WE'LL PLACE THAT INTO THE RECORD AND ENGLER, FOLLOWED BY ALICE CANARO GARCIA.
I SUBMITTED A POWERPOINT PRESENTATION A LITTLE BIT AGO.
UM, MY NAME'S ANN ENGLER AND I LIVE AT 3 3 1 MINK AND I LIVE IN DISTRICT ONE.
UM, IT'S NOT THAT I'M AGAINST THE THE CAP, IT'S THAT I NEED YOU, YOU TO KNOW FROM MY PERSPECTIVE WHERE I STAND WITH IT.
I DON'T KNOW HOW TO MAKE IT GO FORWARD.
LEMME SEE IF WE CAN RUN IT TO THE BACK.
SO WHEN I LOOK AT WHAT HAS HAPPENED TO ME IN MY HOME SINCE 2014, SAW C P S AND PROPERTY VALUATIONS HAVE GONE UP, AND YOU CAN SEE THE TOTALS ON THE BOTTOM OF 25.4 14 AND 46%.
AND FOR ME, THAT'S A LOT OF MONEY GOING OUT THE DOOR.
AND I TRACK THAT BECAUSE I NEED TO KNOW WHAT MY USAGE IS.
AND OVER TIME, I'VE DONE EVERYTHING THAT Y'ALL HAVE ASKED ME TO DO.
THIS IS MY WATER USAGE BILL FOR THIS MONTH.
AND AS YOU CAN SEE, I'M 40% CHEAPER.
I USE LESS IN ALMOST EVERY CAPACITY THAT I CAN, UM, AND EVEN BETTER THAN WHAT I WAS DOING LAST YEAR.
AND ON THE NEXT SLIDE, YOU CAN SEE MY ENERGY USAGE OF JUST THIS MONTH.
I MEAN, I'M NOT HIDING ANYTHING.
SO ON THE ELECTRICITY, I'M THE BEST OF 100 OF MY CLOSEST NEIGHBORS AND, UM, MORE, MORE EFFICIENT THAN EVEN MY EFFICIENT NEIGHBORS FOR NATURAL GAS, THOUGH I'M IN SECOND PLACE.
AND YOU CAN SEE I'VE GOT A LOT TO WORK ON BY 2% TO LOWER THAT.
AND SO HOW DID I GET THERE? NEXT SLIDE SHOWS YOU THAT JUST LIVING AT MY LITTLE HOUSE, WHICH IS VERY PLAIN.
UM, I'VE PLANTED FIVE NEW TREES.
UM, I SHARE AND TRADE WITH MY NEIGHBORS, OUR FRUITS AND OUR NUTS.
I'VE INSTALLED SOLAR PANELS, RADIANT BARRIERS.
I WAS A WIND CITY TRADE PATRON FOREVER.
I USE ALL ENERGY EFFICIENT APPLIANCES.
AND WHEN THE BUSINESSES COME OUT AND SAUCE SAYS, OR C P SS SAYS, UH, LOWER YOUR TEMPERATURE OR RAISE YOUR TEMPERATURE, I DO THAT IN MY HOME AND I DO EVERYTHING YOU'VE ASKED ME TO DO TO REDUCE, REUSE AND RECYCLE.
AND ON THE NEXT SLIDE, YOU CAN SEE THAT ON AVERAGE IT COSTS $2,000 A MONTH FOR MY HOUSEHOLD TO RUN.
THE GOOD THING IS, IS I DON'T ACTUALLY HAVE RENT OR MORTGAGE, BUT THAT'S THE AVERAGE PRICE IN TOWN.
BUT BECAUSE I'VE DONE EVERYTHING YOU'VE ASKED ME TO DO OVER THE YEARS TO, UH, UPGRADE MY WINDOWS, DOING MY ROOF, ALL THE, THE, THE SMART THINGS I'M SUPPOSED TO DO, I'VE GOTTEN MY BILLS REALLY LOW.
MY WATER BILL IS LESS THAN $60 A MONTH.
AND MY ELECTRIC BILL, FORTUNATELY IS CLOSER TO $38 A MONTH.
BUT IT DOESN'T INCLUDE THESE OTHER THINGS THAT ARE ON THE RIGHT HAND SIDE.
AND THOSE ARE SOME OF MY CONCERNS.
AND SO I'M ASKING THAT LIKE WHEN YOU GO TO THE NEXT SLIDE, IS CONTINUE EDUCATING US BECAUSE YOUR EDUCATION OVER THE YEARS HAS HELPED ME DO THOSE THINGS TO SAVE MY HOUSE MONEY.
BUT I'M NOT SURE THAT I CAN DO ANYTHING ELSE MORE THAN THAT.
SO I THANK YOU FURTHER TIME THIS MORNING.
ALICE KENTARO GARCIA, FOLLOWED BY REBECCA FLORES.
MY LEGAL NAME IS ALICE CANERO GARCIA.
I'M AN ECO VISUAL ARTIST FROM DISTRICT ONE AND AMONG OTHER THINGS, I AM AN ILLUSTRATOR WITH WICKED QUESTIONS, A VOLUNTEER WITH CLIMATE ACTION ESSAY AND MIA AND SOUTHWEST WORKERS UNION.
THANK YOU MARY NUREMBERG AND MEMBERS OF THE CITY COUNCIL FOR BEING LEADERS IN THE GLOBAL CHALLENGE TO ADDRESS THE EFFECTS OF RISING GREENHOUSE GASES IN THE ATMOSPHERE.
MY MATERNAL GREAT-GRANDMOTHER ARRIVED IN SAN ANTONIO FROM MONTEREY LEON ON A TRAIN IN 1910.
AS DID MANY FAMILIES DURING THE MEXICAN REVOLUTION.
I AGREE WITH THE SIERRA CLUB AND MANY AROUND THE WORLD THAT WE ARE IN WORLD WAR III APPROPRIATE RA RAPID ACTION
[02:15:01]
IS ESSENTIAL.AND IF YOU WANT TRUE ENGAGEMENTS FROM THE RATE PAYERS, HIRE PROMOT TORAS AND PERHAPS SEND A QUESTIONNAIRE THROUGH THE MAIL WITH THE BILLS.
IT IS KNOWN THAT COAL KILLS COUNCIL MEMBER PERRY, WE INVOKED YOUR NAME A FEW TIMES LAST NIGHT REGARDING ENCOURAGING YOUR HEART TO REALIZE THAT NOT GETTING OUT OF COAL BY 2025 WILL CAUSE THE DEATH OF MANY ELDERS AND THE VERY YOUNG 52.
THERE WAS AN ARTICLE IN THE PAPER RECENTLY ABOUT, I'M SORRY, A COUPLE OF YEARS AGO, ABOUT 52 PEOPLE DIE PREMATURELY DUE TO THE ATMOSPHERE.
SO CONTINUING BUSINESS AS USUAL WILL KILL HUMANS, ESPECIALLY THE VERY YOUNG AND ELDERLY WHO ARE MOST AT RISK RISK FROM COAL IN THE AIR.
WE KNOW THAT OUR MOTHER PLANET EARTH WILL BE FINE NO MATTER WHAT WE HUMANS DO.
BUT LET'S PASS THE CLIMATE ACTION AND ADAPTATION PLAN ANYWAY FOR US HUMANS, IF NOT ALSO FOR OUR COUSINS WHO FLY IN THE SKY, SWIM IN THE SEA, MOVE AS THEY DO ACROSS THE PLANET.
I MYSELF AM A FAN OF THE BUZZING BEE.
LET'S PLA PASS THE CLIMATE ACTION AND ADAPTATION PLAN.
A SPECIAL THANKS TO COUNCILMAN S COUNCILWOMAN SALDANA.
GOOD EVENING MAYOR CITY COUNCIL FOR THE RECORD.
UM, WHERE WERE THE CLIMATE WORKSHOPS THAT TOOK PLACE ANY IN DISTRICT 10? UH, YOU DO BELIEVE IN GOD, DON'T Y'ALL, I'M ALLOWED TO MENTION HIS NAME BEFORE YOU, SINCE Y'ALL BALK AT COLUMBUS DAY.
DO YOU KNOW THAT ONLY GOD CONTROLS THE CLIMATE? LET'S TALK A LOOK ABOUT WHAT THE BIBLE SAYS ABOUT FALSE PROPHETS.
DOESN'T MENTION BEWARE OF FALSE PROPHETS.
AL GORE IS ACTUALLY ONE OF THOSE FALSE PROPHETS.
HE SHOULD BE INDICTED, SHOULD BE THROWN IN JAIL FOR THE FRAUD HE ACTUALLY IS.
IF YOU REALLY CARED ABOUT THE ENVIRONMENT, ALL OF YOU WOULD BE TAKING THE BUS.
AND MANNY ELIAS, YOU WOULD BE HERE IN PERSON.
HOW MUCH IS MOVE? TEXAS AND GEORGE SOROS PAYING YOU FOR THIS SCAM.
WHY IS THIS CITY COUNCIL SO ANTI-BUSINESS? FIX THE STREETS, CLEAN THE GARBAGE UP OFF OF INGRAM ROAD.
COUNCILWOMAN SANDOVAL, THAT IS YOUR DISTRICT.
I GOT THE TRASH BAGS AND I AM SURE YOU HAVE THE TIME.
WHY DON'T THE BOTH OF US, AND YOU CAN BRING MR. BRAVO WITH YOU TO CLEAN THAT UP.
LIKE I TRIMMED THE HEDGES OFF OF MEDICAL AND WAR BLOCK AFTER A FEW WEEKS OR SO, I WANT YOU TO VOTE NO ON THIS SELF-SERVING OLD PURPOSE, ANTI-BUSINESS, UM, ISSUE.
UM, THIS IS NOT REALLY AN ISSUE.
AND, UM, WE DON'T WANT YOU TO TELL US WHAT TYPE OF ELECTRICITY WE NEED TO USE OR WHAT WE DO IN OUR OWN HOME.
REMEMBER, WE WANT TO HAVE SALT ON THE TABLE.
UH, WHAT'S NEXT? ARE YOU GONNA TAKE THAT AWAY? ARE YOU GONNA TAKE, UM, OUR OUR FAST FOOD PLACES AWAY? BECAUSE I'M PRETTY SURE OBESITY IS REALLY A BIG PROBLEM HERE THAT WE HAVE TO FIX.
AND THAT WOULD BE, I GUESS, WORLD WAR FOUR.
WE'RE GONNA BE LIVING IN 12 YEARS FROM NOW.
THIS CLIMATE ACTION PLAN IS GOING TO ONLY MAKE ONE CANTILLA OF A DIFFERENCE AT THE COST OF HOW MUCH.
THERE'S NOT EVEN A PRICE TAG TO THIS.
WHERE'S THE PRICE TAG? HOW MUCH IS THIS GOING TO COST US? WHY IS C P S ENERGY A MONOPOLY IN THIS CITY? WE NEED TO DEREGULATE C P S ENERGY.
WE NEED TO OPEN THAT UP TO COMPETITION.
I DON'T WANNA HAVE TO BE CHOOSING ONLY C P SS ENERGY, THE ONLY GAME IN TOWN AND CLOSE CAPTIONING.
YOU CAN CLOSE CAPTION CITIZENS TO BE HEARD.
WHERE IS THAT GOING TO HAPPEN? FIVE YEARS,
[02:20:01]
10 YEARS, 20 YEARS.KABA WHITE, FOLLOWED BY ANITA LEDBETTER.
I AM HERE ON BEHALF OF PUBLIC CITIZEN AND OUR SUPPORTERS.
THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK.
I SERVED ON THE ENERGY AND BUILDINGS WORKING GROUP, AND I VERY MUCH APPRECIATED THE, UH, GROUP THAT WAS PULLED TOGETHER.
THERE WAS A LOT OF EXPERTISE THERE, AND, UH, I DID APPRECIATE THOSE CONVERSATIONS.
AND WE DO ASK THAT YOU VOTE YES ON THE CLIMATE PLAN TODAY.
HOWEVER, I DO WANNA REITERATE WHAT YOU'VE HEARD FROM SOME OTHERS, AND THAT IS THAT THE PLAN DOES FALL SHORT OF WHAT IS NEEDED.
THAT DOESN'T MEAN THAT IT'S A REASON TO VOTE AGAINST IT.
IT JUST MEANS THAT THIS IS THE START AND NOT THE END.
IT MEANS THAT THIS PLAN WILL NEED REVISION AND THAT CAREFUL ATTENTION TO IMPLEMENTATION IS GOING TO BE ESSENTIAL TO MAKE SURE THAT THIS PLAN IS MEANINGFUL.
THE CLIMATE CRISIS IS RAGING AROUND US.
PEOPLE AROUND THE WORLD HAVE ALREADY LOST THEIR LIVES BECAUSE OF EXACERBATED DISASTERS, BECAUSE OF CLIMATE CHANGE.
THESE IMPACTS ARE FELT HERE IN SAN ANTONIO AS WELL, AND THEY'RE FELT, ESPECIALLY BY THE MOST VULNERABLE RESIDENTS IN THIS CITY.
SO THE COST OF CLIMATE CHANGE WILL BE FELT.
THE QUESTION IS, WILL SAN ANTONIO AND THE RESIDENT RESIDENTS HERE BE ABLE TO CAPITALIZE ON SOME OF THE BENEFITS THAT CAN COME WITH TAKING ACTION AND TAKING ACTION NOW AS OPPOSED TO LATER? THERE ARE MANY CO-BENEFITS, INCLUDING AFFORDABILITY, AIR QUALITY IMPROVEMENTS, AND IMPROVED QUALITY OF LIFE THAT COME WITH THE VAST MAJORITY OF THE ACTIONS THAT ARE OUTLINED IN THIS PLAN.
HOWEVER, IT IS SOME OF THE ACTIONS THAT HAVE BEEN EXCLUDED OR WATERED DOWN IN THE PLAN THAT WE ARE MOST CONCERNED ABOUT.
AND THOSE ARE, ESPECIALLY THOSE THAT AFFECT C P S ENERGY AS A CITY OWNED UTILITY.
C P S ENERGY DOES NEED TO DO MUCH MORE TO TAKE RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE LARGE PORTION OF GREENHOUSE GAS EMISSIONS, AS WELL AS LOCAL AIR POLLUTION THAT COMES FROM THEIR ENERGY PRODUCTION.
BURNING COAL UNTIL 2060 OR EVEN ANYWHERE NEAR CLOSE TO THAT SIMPLY IS NOT COMPATIBLE WITH CLIMATE ACTION, CLIMATE JUSTICE, ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE, OR DOING RIGHT BY THE COMMUNITY.
AND IT TRULY IS GOING TO BE UP TO THIS BODY TO MAKE SURE THAT THE UTILITY IS HELD RESPONSIBLE IN PHASING OUT THE USE OF COAL AND NATURAL GAS AND DOING THAT IN A WAY THAT IS INCLUSIVE OF THE COMMUNITY AND TRULY CAN BENEFIT EVERYONE.
THESE PROCESSES DO EXIST ELSEWHERE.
SO I URGE YOU TO MAKE SURE THAT C P S ENERGY IS NOT JUST MAKING DECISIONS ON THEIR OWN IN THEIR BOARDROOM OR AS AN EXECUTIVE TEAM.
THESE NEED TO BE DRIVEN BY A PUBLIC PROCESS.
THANK YOU, MS. WHITE ANITA LEDBETTER, FOLLOWED BY MARIO BRAVO, HONORABLE MAYOR AND COUNCIL.
IT'S BEEN A GREAT HONOR TO SERVE AS THE CO-CHAIR OF THE SA CLIMATE READY PLAN.
THROUGHOUT THIS PROCESS, I HAVE HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO WORK WITH SO MANY WONDERFUL, PASSIONATE INDIVIDUALS WHO HAVE VOLUNTEERED THEIR TIME, GIVEN THEIR EXPERTISE TO THIS GREAT CAUSE.
I WANNA THANK YOU FOR ENTRUSTING ME WITH OPPORTUNITY TO HELP, UH, UH, PARTICIPATE IN THIS IMPORTANT PLAN FOR SAN ANTONIO.
AND SOMEONE SAID THIS EARLIER, BUT THIS FOR ME IS, IS NOT THE BEGINNING.
THE BEGINNING WAS MANY YEARS AGO.
UM, ACTUALLY BACK IN 2001, THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO C P S ENERGY IN BEXAR COUNTY HAD THE VISION TO COME TOGETHER AND FORM OUR ORGANIZATION, BUILD SAN ANTONIO GREEN, UH, IN AN EFFORT TO REDUCE EMISSIONS.
THAT'S HOW OUR GREEN BUILDING PROGRAM WAS FORMED.
MANY YEARS LATER, WE'VE BEEN TRUCKING ALONG.
WE HAVE CERTIFIED OVER 20 MILLION SQUARE FEET VOLUNTARILY OF GREEN BUILDINGS HERE IN SAN ANTONIO.
I THINK IT'S LIKE 236 MILLION POUNDS OF C O TWO HAS BEEN AVOIDED, WHICH IS LIKE TAKING 20,000 CARS OFF THE ROAD EVERY YEAR.
ON THAT NOTE, I HAVE LIVED IN SAN ANTONIO MY ENTIRE LIFE, AND I'VE EXPERIENCED THE HARDSHIPS OF ENERGY POVERTY AND THE FOOD DESERT FIRSTHAND.
I LIVED, UH, MANY YEARS WHEN I WAS YOUNG, A TEENAGER, UH, WITHOUT ELECTRICAL ENERGY, WITHOUT WATER.
UM, THAT'S WHY THAT WAS THE REASON WHY I DEDICATED MY LIFE TO PROTECTING, ENHANCING THE QUALITY OF LIFE OF ALL OF THE PEOPLE OF SAN ANTONIO THROUGH MY WORK AT BUILD SAN ANTONIO GREEN.
[02:25:01]
UM, WE NOW LIVE IN A HISTORICALLY IMPORTANT TIME, AND THIS IS A VERY BIG DAY BECAUSE TODAY I AM MORE FULL OF HOPE FOR THE FUTURE AND MORE EXCITED ABOUT OUR OPPORTUNITY HAVE THAN I EVER HAVE BEEN IN ALL OF THE YEARS THAT I HAVE WORKED AT, UH, DOING THIS.I HOPE THAT EACH ONE OF YOU CONSIDER THE REALITY IS OF THE CLIMATE PROJECTIONS THAT WE FACE, THE HOTTER DAYS, THE LONGER PERIODS OF DROUGHT, AND THE MORE INTENSE RAINFALL AND HOW THAT'S GONNA IMPACT THE DAILY LIVES OF THE PEOPLE OF THIS COMMUNITY.
SOME OF SOME WHO ARE ALREADY STRUGGLING.
CLIMATE CHANGE BRINGS MANY CHALLENGES, BUT CANDIDLY, I BELIEVE IT ISN'T NECESSARY THE TECHNOLOGY OR THE CAPITAL THAT OUR GREATEST OBSTACLES.
I THINK OUR GREATEST CHALLENGE IS GONNA BE OUR COMMUNITY'S ABILITY TO COME TOGETHER, PUT OUR DIFFERENCES ASIDE, AND WORK, UH, ON CREATIVE SOLUTIONS THAT CAN BE IMPLEMENTED.
UM, AS WE SEEK SOLUTIONS FOR ADOPTING, UH, TO CLIMATE CHANGE AND PROTECTING OUR CITIZENS, THERE LIES THE OPPORTUNITY FOR INNOVATION, FOR JOB CREATION AND FOR ECONOMIC GROWTH.
ADAPTATION SOLUTIONS CAN PROVIDE A GREAT ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITY FOR THAT WILL MAKE SAN ANTONIO INNOVATIVE LEADER.
THIS IS THE DAWN OF A NEW ERA, AND WE MUST NOT BE SHORTSIGHTED IN THIS EN ENDEAVOR.
IT IS MY HOPE THAT EVERYONE WILL COME TOGETHER AND GO THE DISTANCE THROUGH THE YEARS AHEAD.
I ALWAYS KNEW WE WERE GONNA BE AT THIS POINT, BUT IT HAPPENED A LOT FASTER THAN I EXPECTED.
BUT I DO BELIEVE IN THE REGENERATION OF SAN ANTONIO, AND I BELIEVE THAT IT BEGINS HERE TODAY WITH THIS PLAN.
I WORK FOR ENVIRONMENTAL DEFENSE FUND.
AND, UH, I'D LIKE TO, FOR THE RECORD, LET EVERYONE KNOW THAT ENVIRONMENTAL DEFENSE FUND DOES SUPPORT THIS CLIMATE PLAN.
WE THINK IT'S PROGRESS, AND SO WE'RE GLAD THAT YOU'RE GONNA PASS IT TODAY.
UH, I CAN REMEMBER NOT TOO LONG AGO UNDER THE LEADERSHIP OF IVY TAYLOR CITY STAFF WOULD TELL ME WE'RE NOT ALLOWED TO TALK ABOUT CLIMATE CHANGE.
SO THIS IS, HAVING THIS CONVERSATION IS PROGRESS.
UH, AT THE SAME TIME, UH, WE WANNA MAKE SURE THAT BECAUSE THIS IS A CLIMATE ACTION AND ADAPTATION PLAN, WE WANNA MAKE SURE YOU PUT THE ACTION IN THIS CLIMATE PLAN AND TAKE ACTION, BECAUSE OTHERWISE IT'S JUST WORDS ON A PIECE OF PAPER.
UM, I DO WORK FOR ENVIRONMENTAL DEFENSE FUND.
I'D LIKE TO TELL YOU A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THEM.
SO I'M SURE SOME OF YOU DON'T KNOW.
WE ARE A NON-PROFIT THAT OPERATES INTERNATIONALLY.
WE WERE THE FIRST, UH, ENVIRONMENTAL NONPROFIT TO HIRE A PHD ECONOMIST.
AND WE ACTUALLY NOW HAVE AN ARMY OF ECONOMISTS.
WE HAVE AN ARMY OF PHD SCIENTISTS, AND A LOT OF THE SCIENCE THAT WE PRODUCE IS CONSIDERED THE GOLD STANDARD IN SCIENCE TODAY.
UH, SOMETIMES THE ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY ADOPTS POLICIES BASED ON THE SCIENCE THAT WE PRODUCE.
UM, SOME OF THE INITIATIVES THAT WE'VE TAKEN, UH, THAT WE HAVE TAKEN ON IS, UH, HERE LOCALLY.
WE, UH, HELD TESTING, UH, IN PARTNERSHIP WITH SCHLUMBERGER OIL AND GAS COMPANY.
WE DID TESTING AT SOUTHWEST RESEARCH INSTITUTE WHERE WE WERE TRYING TO TEST NEW TECHNOLOGIES TO SEE WHO CAN FIND METHANE LEAKS THE FASTEST AND THE CHEAPEST FOR OIL AND GAS COMPANIES SO THAT THEY CAN REDUCE THEIR EMISSIONS.
BECAUSE E D F IS VERY FOCUSED ON WHERE CAN WE FIND MARKET-BASED SOLUTIONS, UH, WHERE WHERE CAN WE HELP GET, UH, INNOVATIVE TECHNOLOGY TO MARKET? AND SO WE, WE WORKED ON THAT AND, UH, PEOPLE LOOKED AT, WELL, COULD THEY USE LASERS? COULD THEY USE MASS SPECTROMETERS TO TRY AND FIND THESE GAS LEAKS FASTER, FIX THEM SOONER, AND REDUCE EMISSIONS? ANOTHER PROJECT THAT WE'RE WORKING ON IS THE METHANE SAT.
UM, WE ARE GONNA, NEXT YEAR IN, IN A PARTNERSHIP WITH HARVARD UNIVERSITY AND THE SMITHSONIAN ASTROPHYSICAL OBSERVATORY, WE ARE GONNA BE LAUNCHING A SATELLITE THAT CAN DETECT METHANE LEAKS FROM OIL AND GAS ACTIVITIES ALL OVER THE WORLD.
AND THAT'S GONNA ENABLE US TO LOOK AT GAS FIELDS SUCH AS THE PERMIAN, UH, THE PERMIAN BASIN, AND THE EAGLE FORD SHALE, WHERE SAN ANTONIO GETS A LOT OF THEIR NATURAL GAS.
UM, AND SO I WANT TO ENCOURAGE US AS SOON AS WE PASS THIS PLAN TO START LOOKING AT, UH, A FULL GREENHOUSE GAS INVENTORY BECAUSE WE HAVE AN, WE HAVE A PARTIAL GAS, GREENHOUSE GAS INVENTORY THAT WE'VE CONDUCTED SO FAR.
AND WE NEED TO LOOK AT WHAT ARE THESE EMISSIONS FROM THE NATURAL GAS THAT WE'RE BUYING AND, UH, WHAT ARE THEIR IMPACTS? AND WE'LL BE ABLE TO SEE THOSE SOON WITH THAT SATELLITE.
JACK FINGER, FOLLOWED BY CARLOS BASU, SENIOR CIVILIAN OF THE JOINT BASE SAN ANTONIO.
[02:30:01]
OTHER MEMBERS OF OUR ILLUSTRIOUS SAN ANTONIO CITY COUNCIL FOR THE RECORD, MY NAME IS JACK M.UH, YES, THE, UH, UH, FOR THE MOMENT, JUST RETURN THE CAMERA TO THE PODIUM, IF YOU WOULD.
WELL, LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, CONTRARY TO POPULAR BELIEF, UH, WORLD WAR III HAS NOT BEGUN.
WE'RE NOT BEING ATTACKED BY ANYBODY.
UH, THE SKY REALLY IS NOT FALLING.
I MEAN, WE WE'RE STILL UP AND AROUND, UH, THE AIR THAT WE BELIEVE IS STILL BREATHABLE.
UH, NOBODY'S DYING DUE TO POLLUTED AIR HERE IN TOWN.
THIS, THIS STUFF ABOUT HOW WE'VE GOT TO HAVE A MONUMENTAL EFFORT TO COMBAT CLIMATE CHANGE IS JUST A BUNCH OF HOLCOMB FOLKS.
WE'RE STILL WAITING TO FIND OUT IF THERE IS ACTUAL MANMADE CLIMATE CHANGE.
WE'RE STILL WAITING FOR PROOF ON THAT.
AND UNTIL THAT HAPPENS, WHY ARE WE DEDICATING? WELL, YOU WON'T TELL US THE NUMERICAL MONETARY AMOUNT ON THIS THAT WE'RE GONNA SPEND IN FACT, SEARCHED ALL OVER PEOPLE WHO ARE GOING TO ESTABLISH A BIG INITIATIVE.
THEY WANT TO KNOW RESPONSIBLE PEOPLE.
RESPONSIBLE PEOPLE ALWAYS ASK WHAT ARE THE COSTS AND WHAT ARE THE BENEFITS? HUH? WHAT ARE THE COSTS AND WHAT ARE THE BENEFITS? YOU FOLKS HAVE NOT GIVEN US ANY AT THIS TIME, MS. VIA GRAND.
ANYWAY, WHAT I'VE COME UP A FEW FIGURES IN LIEU OF THE FACT THAT YOU WOULDN'T PUT THAT UP THERE, MR. AUDIO.
VISUAL MAN, LET'S TO SAY THE SAN CAP.
IT'LL REQUIRE ALL NEW AND RENOVATED BUILDINGS TO BE CARBON NEUTRAL.
UHHUH
C P S ENERGY HAS ALREADY SPENT A HUNDRED MILLION ON SOLAR PANEL REBATES HERE.
MR. AUTO VISUAL PUT THAT ON THERE.
WHAT DOES IT SAYING? THE COST TAKING C P SS ENTRY A HUNDRED PERCENT RENEWABLE WOULD INCREASE THE AVERAGE DENSITY OF FAMILIES ELECTRIC COST BY A THOUSAND DOLLARS A YEAR.
IT REQUIRES 700,000 ACRES FOR, FOR THIS STUFF.
AND EVEN GOING 80% RENEWABLE WOULD STILL INCREASE BY ONLY BY THREE TIMES.
CARLOS BASS ZERO, FOLLOWED BY PATRICK VON DOLAN.
I THINK I'M ALMOST SAFE TO SAY GOOD AFTERNOON.
I'M CARLOS BASU AND I'M THE SENIOR CIVILIAN AT JOINT BASE SAN ANTONIO AND THE VICE DIRECTOR ON BEHALF OF GENERAL LETTERMAN.
RIGHT BEFORE I CAME HERE THIS MORNING, SHE GAVE ME A LITTLE LETTER AND SHE APOLOGIZED FOR NOT BEING TO ATTEND HERSELF.
WITH YOUR PERMISSION, I'D LIKE TO READ IT SAYS, DEAR MAYOR NUREMBERG AND COUNCIL MEMBERS AS THE COMMANDER OF THE FIVE OH SECOND AIR BASE SWING IN JOINT BASE SAN ANTONIO.
I WOULD LIKE TO PERSONALLY THANK THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO FOR ALL THE OUTSTANDING SUPPORT IT PROVIDES TO JOINT BASE SAN ANTONIO AND THE MEN AND WOMEN WHO WEAR THE UNIFORM.
I'M AWARE J B S I'M AWARE THAT J B SS A TEAM MEMBERS HAVE PARTICIPATED IN SEVERAL COMMITTEES AND MEETINGS THAT ADDRESS THESE EFFORTS.
IN ADDITION TO LOCAL INITIATIVES, THE AIR FORCE RECOGNIZES THAT IT MUST ADDRESS THE RISKS ASSOCIATED WITH CHANGING CLIMATE.
WE DO NOT IGNORE RISKS OR THREATS TO OTHER PARTS OF THE MISSION, AND WE CANNOT IGNORE THE POTENTIAL THREATS EITHER.
OUR OVERALL APPROACH IS TO INTEGRATE WHETHER THE CLIMATE CONSIDERATION INTO EXISTING PLANS AND PROCESS WHEN APPROPRIATE.
AND WE WILL CONTINUE TO DO JUST THAT.
WE MUST CONSIDER THE EFFECTS OF CLIMATE RELATED EVENTS SUCH AS FLOODING, SEA LEVEL RISES, DROUGHTS, EXTREME TEMPERATURES, WIND AND WILDFIRE IN THEIR PLANNING FOR INFRASTRUCTURE, WEAPON SYSTEMS, RANGE OPERATIONS, SUPPLY CHAINS, LOGISTICS, AND HUMAN HEALTH.
WHILE THE SERVICES ARE NOT MAKING AN INVESTMENT SOLELY TO OVERCOME OR MITIGATE OR APP ADAPT TO IMPACTS, TO CHARGING THE CHA THE CHANGING CLIMATE, THEY'RE INVESTING IN THE MISSION OF ENHANCING TECHNOLOGIES, INFRASTRUCTURES, AND SYSTEMS THAT ARE RESILIENT TO CLIMATE IMPACTS TODAY AND TO THE FUTURE.
THANK YOU FOR ENDURING THE SUPPORT TO OUR MILITARY MISSION AND THE SERVICEMEN AND WOMEN, GOVERNMENT, CIVILIANS, RETIREES, AND VETERANS WHO LIVE IN
[02:35:01]
THIS GREAT CITY.AND PLEASE GIVE OUR THANKS TO GENERAL LENDERMAN AS WELL.
PATRICK VON DOLAN, FOLLOWED BY LESLIE PROVENS.
MR. MAYOR, I'D ASK FOR MY TIME TO START AT THREE MINUTES PLEASE.
I WAS HANDING OUT THE P PAPERWORK.
MY NAME'S PATRICK VON DOLAN ON BEHALF OF THE SAN ANTONIO FAMILY ASSOCIATION, HUNDREDS OF MEMBERS AND THOUSANDS OF FAMILIES ACROSS SAN ANTONIO.
I'M HERE TO SPEAK TO YOU ABOUT THE, UH, PROBLEMATIC ISSUES WITH THE CLIMATE ACTION ADAPTATION PLAN.
WHILE IT SOUNDS GOOD, THE CAP WILL COST FAMILIES THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS A YEAR IN ADDITIONAL ENERGY COSTS.
THE CITY IS ALREADY IN A SITUATION WHERE WE'RE ONE OF THE POOREST IN THE COUNTRY.
IT WILL DRIVE A NEED FOR GOVERNMENT EXPANSION, FOR GOVERNMENT WELFARE PROGRAMS TO BE INCREASED TO HELP SUPPORT THE POOR.
WITH ALL DUE RESPECT TO THE CITY'S CLIMATE OFFICE PRESENTER, CLIMATE SCIENCE HAS BEEN DISTORTED.
THIS IS FROM, UH, OUR OWN FORMER CONGRESSMAN LAMAR SMITH, WHO SERVED AT ONE POINT IN TIME IN THE SCIENCE SPACE AND, AND TECHNOLOGY COMMITTEE OF THE UNITED STATES CONGRESS.
YOU SEE HERE WHERE THE CARBON EMISSIONS ARE ACTUALLY COMING FROM.
IT'S NOT THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA.
ACCURATE LONG-TERM HISTORICAL DATA PROVIDES EVIDENCE THAT MANMADE CLIMATE CHANGE CHANGE IS VERY MINIMAL AND NEGLIGIBLE.
THE COSTS ARE TOO HIGH AND THE CAP WILL INCREASE ENERGY RATES BY A THOUSAND DOLLARS PER FAMILY ANNUALLY.
AS A SIMILAR PLAN IN GEORGETOWN HAS DIRECTLY, HAS DIRECTLY INCREASED BILLS BY 30% OVER THE LAST THREE YEARS.
THE CITY HAS AN OP, HAS, UH, AN EXPERIENCE OF TAKING BENCHMARKS ACROSS THE NATION OF CITIES THAT ARE ALREADY DOING SOMETHING THAT WE'RE LOOKING AT DOING.
AND YOU'VE BEEN FAIRLY GOOD ABOUT IT IN MOST CASES.
WHY ARE YOU NOT LOOKING AT GEORGETOWN? WHY ARE YOU NOT LOOKING AT CALIFORNIA AND THE COSTS THAT ARE DOING THERE? MATTER OF FACT, IT'S SO BAD THAT THERE'S A, A LIBERAL ORGANIZATION CALLED THE 200 IN CALIFORNIA THAT HAS SUED THE CARB SHORT FOR, FOR CALIFORNIA ERROR RESOURCES BOARD NOTES.
AND IT SPECIFICALLY NOTES THAT THEY ARE SUING BASED ON, UH, RACIAL DISCRIMINATION AGAINST MINORITIES BECAUSE OF THEIR AIR ECONOMIC PLAN COSTING MINORITIES WAY FAR MORE MONEY AND COSTING THE POOR MORE MONEY.
THE CAP WILL HAVE AN ADVERSE IMPACT ON BUSINESS AND THE COST OF DOING BUSINESS THAT WILL BE PASSED ON TO CONSUMERS AS AN INDIRECT TAX.
THE CAP WILL DRIVE UP COST OF ALL CONSTRUCTION, ESPECIALLY NEW HOME CONSTRUCTION.
I URGE YOU NOT TO PASS THE CAP TO POSTPONE IT.
WE NEED TO LOOK AT MORE HISTORICAL SCIENCE.
I PROVIDED A LONG PACKAGE TO YOU THERE ABOUT TEMPERATURES AND THE HISTORICAL DATA THAT'S CRUCIAL FOR YOU TO DO BEFORE YOU MAKE A DECISION THAT'S GONNA COST US A LOT OF MONEY, IMPACT OUR FUTURES IN INCRE, INCREASE THE GOVERNMENT INTRUSION IN OUR LIVES.
SO THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR YOUR TIME, AND I ENCOURAGE YOU TO VOTE NO THANK YOU, MR. VON DOLAN.
LESLIE PREVEN, MAYOR, MAYOR NIRENBERG, MEMBERS OF THE COUNCIL.
MY NAME IS LESLIE PROVINCE AND I SERVED ON THE CLIMATE EQUITY TECHNICAL WORKING GROUP FOR THE CAP AND I SUPPORT PASSAGE OF THE PLAN.
MANY OF US WOULD LIKE TO SEE A FASTER TRANSITION TO RENEWABLE ENERGY GENERATION 'CAUSE C P SS ONCE MADE GREAT STRIDES IN THAT AREA, BUT THEY SEEM TO BE RIDING THE BRAKES NOW.
AS OTHER PEOPLE HAVE NOTED, WE'D ALSO, UH, EARNESTLY WANT TO SEE THE PLAN LIVE UP TO ITS PROMISE TO PUT EQUITY AT THE CENTER SO THAT THOSE MOST VULNERABLE TO CLIMATE CHANGE WHO ARE LEAST RESPONSIBLE FOR IT, ARE GIVEN MORE VOICE IN ADDRESSING IT.
THE PLAN IS NOT PERFECT, BUT IT AFFIRMS OUR COMMITMENT TO CONTINUING AND ACCELERATING THE PATH THAT WE'VE BEEN ON TO INNOVATE AND IMPROVE, TO REDUCE POLLUTION AND INCREASE ENERGY EFFICIENCY AND QUALITY OF LIFE IN SAN ANTONIO.
SOME SEEM TO BELIEVE WITHOUT CITING EVIDENCE THAT THIS PLAN WILL BE TOO EXPENSIVE.
THE TURBULENT WEATHER PATTERNS THAT ALREADY AFFECT US WITH FLOODING AND OTHER COSTLY AND
[02:40:01]
DANGEROUS DISRUPTIONS LIKE THE TWISTED SCAFFOLDING THAT FELL ON MY CHURCH A FEW WEEKS AGO.ONE EXAMPLE, THE URBAN HEAT ISLAND THAT DEFLECTS NORMAL RAIN PATTERNS FROM THE CITY.
THESE ARE ALREADY COSTING US IN TERMS OF PROPERTY DAMAGE, INCREASED WATER AND ENERGY USE, AND EVEN LOSS OF LIFE.
IN SOME CASES, THE COST OF DOING NOTHING IS FAR TOO HIGH AND WILL ONLY GET HIGHER.
ON THE OTHER HAND, ACTING AND INNOVATING WILL CREATE ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITIES FOR THOSE.
WITH THE VISION AND FORESIGHT TO ADDRESS THESE CHALLENGES, THE MITIGATION AND ADAPTATION STRATEGIES WILL PRESENT MORE SAVINGS THAN COST.
IN THE LONG RUN, I'M CONVINCED THESE THINGS WILL BE DONE NOT ONLY BY THE CITY, BUT IN THE COMMUNITY, BY BUSINESSES AND OTHER NONPROFITS.
I'M DISTRICT THREE'S REPRESENTATIVE ON THE CITIZENS ENVIRONMENTAL ADVISORY COMMITTEE AT THE C A C.
I'M ALSO A FOUNDING MEMBER OF THE FOOD POLICY COUNCIL OF SAN ANTONIO.
WE'RE WORKING NOT ONLY ON COUNCILWOMAN VIA GRAND'S HEALTHY CORNER STORES INITIATIVE, A GREAT SUCCESS STORY BECAUSE OF COMMUNITY PARTNERSHIPS, BUT ALSO ON IMPROVING THE CLIMATE, SO TO SPEAK, FOR URBAN FARMS TO BE ABLE TO START UP AND FLOURISH AS SAN ANTONIO'S, UM, SUSTAINABILITY PLAN CALLS FOR.
THE COMMON THREAD IN ALL THESE ENDEAVORS IS THAT SAN ANTONIO IS A COMMUNITY THAT WORKS TOGETHER TO ACHIEVE GREAT THINGS.
PASSING THE CAP TODAY WILL GIVE US A MUCH BROADER PATH TO SUCCEED IN THAT TRADITION, TO GIVE OUR CHILDREN AND GRANDCHILDREN THE CITY AND THE WORLD THAT THEY DESERVE.
THANK YOU ALL FOR, UM, YOUR COMMENTS AND FOR YOUR PATIENCE TODAY.
THAT IS EVERYONE WHO'S SIGNED UP TO SPEAK.
WE'LL GO NOW INTO COUNCIL COMMENT AND I'LL I'LL BEGIN.
UH, I'VE SAID BEFORE ON OCCASION THAT NOT EVERY COUNCIL SESSION HAS A VOTE THAT HAS WEIGHT.
SO MUCH SO THAT THE VOTE WOULD BE REMEMBERED.
BUT I THINK THAT THIS IS ONE OF THOSE, UH, MOMENTS BEFORE US.
TODAY IS A CRITICAL VOTE FOR THE FUTURE OF OUR CITY.
WITH IT, THIS CITY, THIS COUNCIL, AND I, AS YOUR MAYOR, WILL DECLARE THAT WE WILL NOT BE BYSTANDERS IN NO SIMPLER TERMS HERE AND AROUND THE WORLD.
WE ARE IN THE MIDST OF A CLIMATE EMERGENCY IN SAN ANTONIO.
WE DO NOT NEED TO IMAGINE WHAT CLIMATE CHANGE LOOKS LIKE.
THE IMPACTS ARE ALREADY BEING FELT LONGER AND MORE INTENSE HEAT, MORE FREQUENT AND EXTREME WEATHER EVENTS FLOODING EXTENDED DROUGHT.
THE ECONOMIC LOSS ALONE IS STAGGERING.
IN 20 17, 1 OF MY FIRST ACTS AS MAYOR, SUPPORTED BY MANY OF MY COLLEAGUES ON THIS DAIS, WAS TO COMMIT SAN ANTONIO TO THE GOALS OUTLINED IN THE PARIS CLIMATE AGREEMENT, AGREEING TO HELP LIMIT THE GLOBAL TEMPERATURE INCREASE TO ONE AND A HALF DEGREES CELSIUS IN THIS CENTURY.
IN DOING SO, WE'VE DEVELOPED A CLIMATE ACTION AND ADAPTATION PLAN BEFORE US TODAY THAT SETS THE BOLD GOAL OF MAKING SAN ANTONIO CARBON NEUTRAL BY 2050.
AND THOUGH THE FUTURE OF OUR POLITICAL CLIMATE MAY BE FRAUGHT WITH UNCERTAINTIES, WE WILL COMMIT TO CHART A PATH FORWARD FOR ENVIRONMENTAL CLARITY.
WE KNOW THAT CLIMATE CHANGE IS REAL AND IT DISPROPORTIONATELY AFFECTS OUR MOST VULNERABLE COMMUNITIES.
WE KNOW THAT WE'RE DESTINED FOR MORE WEEKS, IF NOT MONTHS, OF EXTREME HEAT AND EXTREME WEATHER EVENTS.
IF OUR CLIMATE CRISIS IS NOT ADDRESSED, WE KNOW THAT A YOUNGER GENERATION IS CALLING OUT TO THEIR ELECTED OFFICIALS BEGGING FOR ACTION SO THAT THEY'RE NOT LEFT WITH AN IRREPARABLE PLANET.
AND WE KNOW THAT A FUTURE WITH A BETTER TRANSPORTATION SYSTEM, MORE EFFICIENT BUILDINGS, A 100% RENEWABLE ENERGY SOURCE IS THE FUTURE FOR SAN ANTONIO.
MOVING FORWARD, WE'LL WORK DILIGENTLY TO IMPLEMENT EACH AND EVERY ITEM FOUND IN THIS PLAN.
THIS WAS NOT AN EASY UNDERTAKING.
SO I'D LIKE TO TAKE A MOMENT TO THANK THOSE WHO ARE MOST INTIMATELY INVOLVED.
DOUG JULIA IN THE OFFICE OF SUSTAINABILITY FOR SHEPHERDING A PROCESS THAT I KNOW AT TIMES HAS BEEN VERY PERSONALLY DIFFICULT.
I'D ALSO LIKE TO THANK OUR CAP STEERING AND TECHNICAL WORKING GROUP COMMITTEES FOR PROVIDING MOST EARNEST COMMUNITY INPUT ON A PLAN THAT WILL PROVIDE FOR A CLEANER, HEALTHIER SAN ANTONIO.
AND I CERTAINLY WANT TO CALL OUT OUR CO-CHAIRS DR.
SELLI, AS WELL AS ANITA LEDBETTER.
YOUR STEWARDSHIP HAS BEEN, UH, SO CRITICAL AND SO IMPORTANT.
THE WORK WE'VE DONE TOGETHER HAS BEEN RECOGNIZED NATIONWIDE
[02:45:01]
THROUGH THE BLOOMBERG PHILANTHROPIES, AMERICAN CITY'S CLIMATE CHALLENGE.AND JUST LAST WEEK AT C 40 IN COPENHAGEN, I STOOD IN FRONT OF MAYORS FROM AROUND THE WORLD TO NOTE THAT IF SAN ANTONIO CAN ADDRESS THE CLIMATE CRISIS IN THE BACKYARD OF SOME OF THE LARGEST FOSSIL FUEL RESERVES IN THE WORLD, ANYBODY CAN I KNOW THAT CITY COUNCIL WILL BE DILIGENT AS WE WORK TO FORM POLICIES AND TAKE INITIATIVES FROM CAP.
AND I CAN GUARANTEE EACH ACTION WILL HAVE A COST ESTIMATE AND ANALYSIS ATTACHED TO IT AS A CLEANER FUTURE EVOLVES FOR OUR CITY.
THE EQUITY COMPONENT OF THIS PLAN NOW NATIONALLY RECOGNIZED WILL ENSURE THAT WE NEVER TAKE CLIMATE ACTION AT THE EXPENSE OF OUR MOST VULNERABLE.
ENSURING CLIMATE ACTION IS MET WITH CLIMATE JUSTICE WILL PROVIDE FOR THE MOST EQUITABLE, EQUITABLE APPROACH AS WE MOVE THIS PLAN FORWARD.
SOON WE'LL BEGIN TO WORK TO MEASURE AND BENCHMARK ENERGY USE IN MUNICIPAL AND LARGE PRIVATE BUILDINGS THROUGHOUT SAN ANTONIO.
WE'LL HELP RETROFIT OLDER BUILDINGS TO BE MORE ENERGY EFFICIENT.
COMPLETE A PLAN TO RUN ALL MUNICIPAL FACILITIES ON 100% RENEWABLE ENERGY SOURCES, AND INSTALL PERMANENT CITIZEN OVERSIGHT THROUGH THE CAP TECHNICAL AND EQUITY ADVISORY COMMITTEES TO PROVIDE INPUT.
AS WE IMPLEMENT EVERY PHASE OF THIS PLAN, SIMPLY PUT CAP WON'T HAVE THE TIME TO COLLECT ANY DUST.
IT'S A LIVING DOCUMENT WHICH WILL UNDOUBTEDLY ADAPT AND EVOLVE AS EMERGING TECHNOLOGIES AND COMMUNITY RECEIVE INPUT AND GIVE INPUT.
AND JUST BECAUSE A STRATEGY IS NOT INCLUDED IN THIS DRAFT, IT DOESN'T MEAN THAT IT'S BEEN EXCLUDED FROM OUR FUTURE GOING FORWARD.
ISSUES LIKE COAL MUST BE ADDRESSED AND DONE SO IN AN EQUITABLE MANNER THAT DOES NOT OVERBURDEN OUR COMMUNITY.
THOSE DISCUSSIONS MUST TAKE PLACE WITH EVERYONE HERE IN THIS ROOM AND MUST BE CLEARHEADED DATA INFORMED AND TRANSPARENT.
WE MUST BEGIN NOW TO PUBLICLY ANALYZE THE COST OF ACCELERATING RENEWABLE ENERGY SOURCES INTO SAN ANTONIO'S PORTFOLIO WHILE ENDING THE USE OF COAL.
AND THOSE COSTS ARE NOT JUST IN DOLLAR SIGNS.
WE WILL ACT IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE SCIENTIFIC CONSENSUS, WHICH TELLS US THAT IMPLEMENTING THE CAP LIMITS THE IMPACT OF CLIMATE CHANGE.
IT FORTIFIES OUR COMMUNITY HEALTH AND EQUITY, AND ITS STRENGTHENS OUR NATIONAL DEFENSE.
SO THANK YOU ALL FOR BEING HERE TODAY.
AND I WANNA ESPECIALLY THANK THE YOUNG PEOPLE WHO, LIKE THEIR PEERS FROM AROUND THE GLOBE ARE HELPING TO LEAD THIS CHARGE.
I WILL CREATE A COUNCIL OF YOUTH AMBASSADORS SO THAT WE NEVER LOSE YOUR VOICE AS WE AND FUTURE ADMINISTRATIONS WORK TO IMPLEMENT THIS FRAMEWORK.
THANK YOU ALSO TO MY COLLEAGUES FOR YOUR QUESTIONS AND CONCERNS OVER THE PAST YEAR, AND THANK YOU TO THE SAN ANTONIO COMMUNITY FOR SUPPORTING A PLAN THAT WILL ENSURE WE LEAVE THIS CITY BETTER THAN WE FOUND IT.
THERE'S AN OLD GREEK PROVERB THAT READS, SOCIETIES' GROW GREAT WHEN OLD MEN PLANT TREES WHOSE SHADE THEY KNOW THEY SHALL NEVER SIT IN.
LET TODAY MARK THE START OF A BETTER TOMORROW FOR OUR CITY.
UM, AND THANK YOU FOR THAT GREAT ANNOUNCEMENT ABOUT THE YOUTH AMBASSADORS.
I THINK THAT'S WONDERFUL, WONDERFUL NEWS.
UM, I'LL START BY, UH, THANKING EVERYONE WHO, UH, MADE THE TIME TO BE HERE TODAY.
I ALWAYS SAY THIS, BUT IT IS NOT EASY TO STOP WHATEVER YOU'RE DOING.
FIND A SPOT TO PARK IN AND, AND PAY FOR THAT WITH YOUR HARD-EARNED MONEY.
UM, AND, AND THOSE WHO CAME OUT LAST NIGHT, UH, I THINK WE HAD A LOT OF ENERGY, UH, IN THE ROOM.
UH, IT'S ALWAYS GREAT TO SEE THAT.
UH, FIRST I'D LIKE TO THANK DOUG, UH, FOR, UH, GOING THROUGH THIS WITH US, UM, UH, STEADILY, UH, NOT JUST THIS TIME, BUT LAST TIME WITH THE SUSTAINABILITY PLAN.
I WOULD SAY THIS IS, UH, A HIGHLIGHT OF YOUR CAREER.
I HOPE THAT YOU WILL SEE IT AS, AS SUCH, UM, ROD, UM, ERIC, UH, JULIA AND EVERYBODY ELSE, UH, FOR THEIR WORK ON GETTING US TO, TO THIS POINT.
I ALSO WANT TO THANK THE CO-CHAIRS OF THE STEERING COMMITTEE, UH, DR.
ROSIE DELI AND ANITA LEDBETTER.
OF COURSE, YOU HAVE TO THANK JACOB.
IF YOU THANK, UH, ANITA, UM, FOR ALL OF THE WORK THAT THAT YOU'VE DONE, AND TO EVERYONE WHO SERVED ON THE STEERING COMMITTEE AND THE WORKING GROUPS, THEY'RE WORTH THOUSANDS OF VOLUNTEER
[02:50:01]
HOURS AND VOLUNTEER PASSION THAT WENT, UH, INTO GETTING US AT THIS POINT, UH, TODAY.I'M GONNA TALK ABOUT ME FOR FOR A MINUTE.
UH, ABOUT 19 YEARS AGO, I WAS ON THE STANFORD CAMPUS, AND I WAS IN A BUILDING DEDICATED TO SOMETHING CALLED ENVIRONMENTAL FLUID MECHANICS AND HYDROLOGY.
UH, BUT BY NO MEANS WAS I IN AN IVORY TOWER.
UH, IN FACT, I WAS IN A BASEMENT.
AND WHEN I LOOKED OUT THE WINDOW, ALL I COULD SEE WERE PEOPLE'S FEET, UH, GOING, GOING BY.
AND THEY, YES, WERE MOSTLY WEARING BIRKENSTOCKS ANDA'S.
UM, I WASN'T, TO THIS DAY, STILL DON'T OWN ANY, UM, BUT I SAT AT A COMPUTER TERMINAL, UH, THAT RAN LINUX.
AND I WAS VERY UNSUCCESSFULLY TRYING TO DEBUG, UH, A FORTRAN CODE THAT WOULD HELP US DETERMINE THE IMPACT OF BLACK CARBON ON THE, ON THE CLIMATE.
UM, I GUARANTEE YOU THAT WITH TODAY'S ACTION, I AM MAKING MORE OF A DIFFERENCE ON CLIMATE CHANGE
THAT'S NOT TO SAY THAT WE DON'T NEED SCIENTISTS, OF COURSE, WE ABSOLUTELY DO, BUT WE ALSO NEED ACTION.
SO I'M VERY GLAD TO BE HERE TODAY, UH, AND MAKING THE MOTION TO APPROVE THIS PLAN.
UM, WHEN I STARTED WORKING IN A CLIMATE CHANGE, UM, I REALLY FELT THAT IT WAS FRIGHTENING AND OVERWHELMING.
AND IT CAN BE, UM, THE IMPACTS ON CLIMATE OF, OF HUMAN, UH, ACTIVITY.
THEY AFFECT EVERYTHING RIGHT FROM THE CORAL REEFS TO THE POLLINATORS, UH, TO THE GROWING SEASONS.
AND THEY EXACERBATE EVERYTHING THAT'S ALREADY BAD, LIKE INTERNATIONAL CONFLICT AND DROUGHTS AND CLIMATE CHANGE IS INFLUENCED BY EVERYTHING WE DO, EVERY DECISION WE MAKE, WHETHER I DECIDE TO BUY THIS COMPUTER OR THAT COMPUTER, THEY HAVE DIFFERENT CARBON FOOTPRINTS WHERE I GET MY FOOD, WHAT I EAT, WHAT I DRIVE, HOW I GET TO WORK.
IT IS OVERWHELMING TO THINK THAT, UH, THAT YOU HAVE TO SOLVE CLIMATE CHANGE.
AND THERE WAS A TIME WHEN I LEFT IT BECAUSE IT WAS JUST TOO MUCH.
AND I WENT INTO, INTO ANOTHER LINE OF WORK.
AND I UNDERSTAND, UH, WHEN FOLKS SAY WE JUST, WE DON'T KNOW THE COST.
WE DON'T KNOW THAT IT'S, IT IS TOO MUCH.
AND THERE IS, THERE IS A LOT OF UNCERTAINTY.
BUT I WILL TELL YOU THAT WHAT IS CERTAIN IS THAT SOMETHING MUST BE DONE.
AND THAT'S WHAT WE CAN'T BE AFRAID OF.
UM, AND IT'S SOMETHING THAT GOVERNMENT HAS TO PLAY A PART IN AND THAT THE COMMUNITY HAS TO PLAY A PART IN.
AND TO SOME EXTENT, I DO DIFFER WITH ONE OF MY COLLEAGUES ON THE COUNCIL ON WHAT THE ROLE OF OUR LOCAL GOVERNMENT IS.
AND I THINK THAT CAN BE FRIGHTENING FOR SOME PEOPLE TOO, IS HAVING MORE, HAVING GOVERNMENT TAKE A BIGGER ROLE.
UM, BUT I WILL TELL YOU, IF IF WE DON'T, THEN WHO WILL.
UM, SO I, I GLADLY TAKE ON THE ROLE OF PROTECTING OUR COMMUNITY FROM THE HARMS OF CLIMATE CHANGE AND OF PROTECTING THE FUTURE FOR THOSE WHO WILL INHERIT, UH, THIS CITY.
UM, A COUPLE OF COMMENTS BEFORE I, BEFORE I MAKE THE MOTION, JUST A REMINDER THAT OVER 50% OF THE ACTIONS PROPOSED IN TODAY'S DOCUMENT ARE NOT CLIMATE ACTION.
THAT MEANS THEY ARE ABOUT ENHANCING EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS, PROTECTING OUR PUBLIC HEALTH SYSTEMS, AND PROTECTING OUR INFRASTRUCTURE.
THAT IS PART OF OUR JOB, WHAT WE ALREADY DO OR SHOULD BE DOING AS A LOCAL GOVERNMENT.
AND ADOPTING THIS PLAN AFFIRMS THAT OF THE OTHER 41 STRATEGIES INTENDED TO REDUCE CLIMATE POLLUTION.
EVERY SINGLE ONE OF THEM IMPROVES OUR QUALITY OF LIFE IN OTHER WAYS.
UM, IF YOU DON'T WANT MORE TREES, DON'T PASS THIS PLAN.
IF YOU, IF YOU DON'T WANT LESS TRASH, DON'T PASS THIS PLAN.
UH, AND IF YOU DON'T WANT CLEANER AIR OR LOWER UTILITY USAGE, THEN DON'T PASS THIS PLAN.
BUT IF YOU WANT ALL THOSE THINGS, BY ALL MEANS, PLEASE SUPPORT IT, BECAUSE THAT'S WHAT THEY'RE INTENDED TO DO.
THESE 41 STRATEGIES AFTER TODAY'S VOTE, I LOOK FORWARD, UH, TO TAKING A LOT OF ACTION.
UH, NUMBER ONE, I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO SEEING OUR CITY IMPLEMENT TRANSPORTATION DEMAND MANAGEMENT.
WE WILL BE CARPOOLING AS I DID TODAY, AS I'VE BEEN DOING THIS WEEK OR RIDING THE BUS.
I LOOK FORWARD TO SEEING THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE PROPERTY ASSESS CLEAN ENERGY PROGRAM.
EVERY MAJOR CITY IN TEXAS HAS IT.
AND I LOOK FORWARD TO ONE HECK OF AN EARTH DAY IN APRIL.
IN FACT, WE CAN CALL IT AN EARTH WEEK.
THERE ARE THREE THINGS WE NEED TO BE MINDFUL OF,
[02:55:01]
THOUGH, AS WE IMPLEMENT THIS.NUMBER ONE IS THE IMPLEMENTATION OF EQUITY.
I WILL BE ADVOCATING THAT EVERY MEMBER OF THE ADVISORY GROUP UNDERTAKE SAN ANTONIO PROVIDED EQUITY TRAINING BEFORE SERVING ON THIS, UH, COMMITTEE.
I ALSO WILL BE ADVOCATING FOR STARTUP RESOURCES FOR A PROFESSIONALLY FACILITATED ADVISORY, UH, WORKING GROUP TO ENSURE THAT WE GET OFF ON THE RIGHT FOOT AND THAT WE DO CAPTURE THE COMMENTS THAT FOLKS, UH, THAT FOLKS BRING TO US.
I KNOW THAT THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WE COULD HAVE DONE, UH, BETTER THIS TIME AROUND.
UH, WE'RE NOT GONNA LET THAT HAPPEN.
IT NEEDS TO, WE NEED TO DO THIS RIGHT.
AND NUMBER THREE, UH, THERE'S BEEN SOME TALK ABOUT HOW WE DON'T HAVE ALL THE COSTS AND WE DON'T HAVE ALL THE NUMBERS.
AND IT WOULD BE GREAT TO HAVE ALL OF THAT.
SOME OF THE NUMBERS THAT WE WERE MISSING WAS DETAILED INFORMATION ON THE COST OF RE UM, ELIMINATING THE COAL PLANT OR MOVING OVER TO SOLAR POWER.
UH, WE TRUST OUR FRIENDS AT C P S, THEY ARE THE EXPERTS, BUT THAT'S ALSO A DIALOGUE THAT WE NEED TO HAVE WITH ALL THE STAKEHOLDERS AT THE TABLE.
SO WHAT I LOOK FORWARD TO DOING IS BRINGING, UH, HAVING C P SS BRING THOSE NUMBERS FORWARD.
THIS WEEK, THE SAS RATE ADVISORY COMMITTEE IS MEETING, THEY ARE ADVISING ON THE RATES.
THEY ARE LOOKING AT THE STRUCTURE.
THEY ARE BRAINSTORMING ON THE STRUCTURE.
AND IN ORDER FOR US TO ACHIEVE THE GOALS IN THIS PLAN, THAT'S THE TYPE OF DIALOGUE WE ALSO NEED TO HAVE ABOUT OUR UTILITY.
50% OR NEARLY 50% OF THE EMISSIONS THAT CONTRIBUTE TO CLIMATE CHANGE HERE IN SAN ANTONIO, ACCORDING TO OUR LATEST ASSESSMENT, COME FROM ENERGY USE.
WE SIMPLY CANNOT GET THERE WITHOUT THIS TYPE OF INFORMATION AT THE TABLE.
IT WOULD BE LIKE TRYING TO DO IT WITH ONE HAND TIED BEHIND OUR BACK.
AND WE SIMPLY CAN'T DO THAT IF WE EXPECT TO MEET THESE GOALS.
AND FOR THOSE WHO SAY THAT WHAT WE DO HERE DOESN'T MAKE A DIFFERENCE, UH, I WOULD BEG TO DIFFER.
WE HAVE THE SINGLE LARGEST UTILITY IN THE COUNTRY.
I THINK THERE'S A DEBATE THAT BECAME CLEAR OVER THE PAST TWO YEARS ABOUT WHETHER THAT UTILITY IS ITS OWN BUSINESS AND WE JUST REAP THE PROFITS.
OR WHETHER IT'S AN ORGANIZATION THAT REPRE THAT REPRESENTS THE VALUES OF THE CITY, AND THAT THE COUNCIL ADOPTS THE WORLD IS WATCHING C P S BEING SO BIG AND, UH, AND THE WORLD, THE INDUSTRY IS WATCHING IT TOO.
AND IF THEY WATCH WHAT THEY DO, THEY ARE WATCHING WHAT WE DO AS WELL.
SO I LOOK FORWARD TO A RIGOROUS IMPLEMENTATION, UM, AND, UH, AND TO GET STARTED.
SO, UH, WITH THAT, I MOVE TO APPROVE THE PLAN.
THERE IS A MOTION AND A SECOND FOR APPROVAL OF ITEM FOUR.
AND I DON'T KNOW IF CARLOTTA JAMES IS STILL HERE.
SHE WAS THE ENDURANCE RUNNER WHO'S HERE FOR THE MONARCHS.
UH, BUT SHE MENTIONED THAT TODAY WAS HER SON, SALVADOR'S SIXTH BIRTHDAY.
AND TODAY IS MY SON, IAN'S SIXTH BIRTHDAY.
AND FOR HIS BIRTHDAY TODAY, HE GOT A NEW BICYCLE.
UH, AND HE WAS REALLY THRILLED, UH, AND SO HAPPY TO RIDE HIS BIKE TO SCHOOL.
HE'S BEEN RIDING HIS BIKE TO SCHOOL FOR MANY YEARS NOW SINCE HE WAS FOUR.
UM, IT'S ABOUT SEVEN MILES, AND IT TAKES HIM ABOUT 20 MINUTES, UH, ESCORTED BY MY HUSBAND, UM, TO GET TO SCHOOL.
UH, IT'S ABOUT SEVEN MILES AWAY.
AND WHEN WE TALK ABOUT CLIMATE, UH, AND THE ACTION THAT IT REALLY REQUIRES FROM US, IT'S THOSE KINDS OF ACTIONS.
BEING ABLE TO HAVE A SAFE ROUTE AND RIDE YOUR BIKE TO SCHOOL, HAVE OTHER OPTIONS BESIDES DRIVING A CAR.
UH, WE KNOW THAT, UH, AS IT STATES HERE ON SLIDE NUMBER EIGHT, I'M SORRY, SLIDE NUMBER FOUR IN 2016, BUILDING ENERGY AND TRANSPORTATION ACCOUNTED FOR 85% OF SAN ANTONIO'S GREENHOUSE GAS EMISSIONS, WHICH IS JUST OUR REGULAR EVERYDAY LIFE.
I MEAN, I, WE ALL SPEND, AND I'M SURE I'M NOT ALONE, PROBABLY 95% OF MY LIFE IN BUILDINGS, WHETHER IT'S SLEEPING IN MY HOUSE OR BEING IN THESE BUILDINGS, AND THE REST OF THAT COMMUTING, UH, MOSTLY BY CAR THESE DAYS.
UH, ALTHOUGH I DO CARPOOL MOST DAYS.
AND SO THAT'S WHY PASSING THIS PLAN IS
[03:00:01]
SO SIGNIFICANT, BECAUSE WE'RE TALKING ABOUT EVERYDAY CHANGES THAT WE HAVE TO MAKE IN OUR CULTURE, UH, TO BE SUCCESSFUL IN THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THIS PLAN.AND WHILE THERE WILL BE WORKING GROUPS AND THERE'LL BE TECHNICAL GROUPS, AND THERE WILL BE, UH, PROFESSIONAL PEOPLE, WE AS A CULTURE HAVE TO BE WILLING TO MAKE THOSE SHIFTS.
AND THERE ARE MANY PEOPLE IN THE AUDIENCE TODAY THAT HAVE COME TO SPEAK ON THE PLAN, THAT HAVE BEEN VERY SUPPORTIVE OF THE PLAN.
UH, BUT AT THE SAME TIME, WE KNOW THAT THEY'RE DRIVING PERHAPS 50 MILES EACH WAY TO GET HERE AND DON'T SEEM TO SEE THAT INCONSISTENCY.
THERE'S MANY PEOPLE IN THIS ROOM TODAY THAT HAVE BEEN VERY ACTIVE IN THE PLAN AND PRESSING US TO MAKE CHANGES, YET WILL RESIST A ZONING CHANGE IN THEIR OWN NEIGHBORHOOD TO ALLOW FOR MORE DENSITY.
UH, WE KNOW THAT THERE ARE PEOPLE HERE, UH, EVERY DAY THAT SEEM TO THINK THAT THIS PLAN CAN BE SOMETHING THAT WE DO WITHOUT MAKING A SHIFT IN THEIR INDIVIDUAL QUALITY OF LIFE.
I'M VERY SUPPORTIVE OF THE PLAN THAT'S BEING PRESENTED TODAY.
UH, BUT I THINK WE HAVE TO BE HONEST WITH OURSELVES ABOUT THE CHANGES THAT WE WANNA MAKE IN ORDER FOR THIS TO BE SUCCESSFUL.
I'VE DONE THAT IN MY OWN LIFE.
MANY PEOPLE KNOW THAT I DID MOVE FROM THE SUBURBS ABOUT 10 YEARS AGO TO A MUCH SMALLER HOME, SO I WOULDN'T HAVE TO DRIVE ANYMORE.
UH, I WASN'T THINKING OF THE ENVIRONMENT AT THE TIME, BUT I DID FEEL THAT I WAS LIVING INCONSISTENT WITH MY VALUES AND MY VALUES OR WERE THAT I DIDN'T WANNA BE, UH, DRIVING ALL OVER TOWN.
I WAS CONCERNED ABOUT MY CARBON FOOTPRINT.
I WAS CONCERNED ABOUT WASTE IN MY COMMUNITY.
THIS WAS BEFORE I THOUGHT ABOUT RUNNING FOR OFFICE.
AND WE NEED FOR EVERYBODY TO START MAKING THOSE CHANGES IN THEIR LIVES IF THEY'RE SERIOUS ABOUT THE IMPACT THAT WE HAVE ON THE CLIMATE.
UH, IT'S NOT ABOUT PROFESSIONAL WORKING GROUPS.
IT'S ABOUT INDIVIDUAL PEOPLE MAKING CHOICES TO IMPROVE OUR ENVIRONMENT.
UH, AND, AND MANY OF THOSE THINGS THAT WE JUST DO EVERY DAY IN OUR LIVES.
UH, AND WE KNOW THAT THE FUTURE IS GOING TO INVOLVE SOME OF THESE JOBS, UH, WITH THE GREEN ECONOMY AND A GREEN NEW DEAL.
AND I LOOK FORWARD TO ALL OF THOSE THINGS.
THAT'S WHY EVEN AS WE EDUCATE OUR CHILDREN, WE HAVE TO DO IT WITH A CONSERVATION EFFORT IN MIND.
AND WE KNOW THAT THERE ARE SOME SCHOOLS IN OUR CITY THAT ARE DOING THAT.
SO I LOOK FORWARD TO THE SUPPORT OF THE PLAN.
I DO HAVE A COUPLE OF QUESTIONS, UM, FOR, UH, I, I DON'T KNOW IF THEY'RE ENTIRELY FOR DOUG, BUT PERHAPS WE COULD START THERE.
UM, DOUG, WHAT, WHEN WE, THIS, THIS PLAN HAS BEEN LARGELY ABOUT CLIMATE, UM, AND IN MY UNDERSTANDING, AIR QUALITY, UH, PRIMARILY, UM, BECAUSE WE TALK ABOUT COAL EMISSIONS AND, UM, POINT EMISSIONS, BUILDING EMISSIONS, UH, AUTOMOBILES.
IS THERE ANY, UM, MENTION IN HERE ABOUT WATER QUALITY? YES, UH, PARTICULARLY IN, UM, THE, THE ADAPTATION SIDE, WE, WE START TALKING ABOUT RESILIENCE AND, UM, WE DO MENTION WATER QUALITY, UM, PARTICULARLY AROUND, UH, IF WE START TALKING ABOUT, UH, PRESERVING THE EDWARDS AQUIFER, UM, IN, IN FACE OF, UH, INCREASING DROUGHTS, UH, AS WE SEE CLIMATE CHANGE OCCUR, MAKING SURE THAT THE WATER THAT IS BEING CAPTURED IS CLEAN AND, AND DRINKABLE.
UM, THE PLAN ALSO COVERS, IT'S MORE THAN, UM, ENERGY, AIR QUALITY.
AND SO I KNOW THAT, I MEAN, WE KNOW HERE THAT ON THE COUNCIL THAT WE HAVE, WE ARE IN NON-ATTAINMENT FOR AIR QUALITY, BUT I ALSO UNDERSTAND THAT WE'RE ALSO NON-ATTAINMENT AND WATER QUALITY.
UH, IS THAT, IS THAT THE WRONG INFORMATION OR ARE WE ON THE VERGE OF HAVING A PROBLEM WITH OUR WATER QUALITY AS WELL? UM, I COULDN'T ANSWER THAT.
UM, I THINK, UM, I BELIEVE THERE ARE SOME, UH, WATER RELATED, UM, STANDARDS TO, WITH OUR, WITH OUR STREAMS. I THINK SOMEBODY HERE FROM SARAH, UM, I THINK THAT, UM, THAT WAS SOMETHING THAT WAS MENTIONED TO ME BY, UM, ANOTHER ORGANIZATION.
AND, AND WE CAN GET BACK TO YOU ON THAT.
'CAUSE I, I, I JUST WOULD THINK THAT THAT, WHICH WOULD BE AN AREA OF EQUAL CONCERN IS THAT WE ARE ALSO ON THE VERGE OF BEING IN, I DON'T KNOW IF THE PROPER TERM IS NON-ATTAINMENT FOR WATER QUALITY STANDARDS COUNCIL, REMEMBER, I THINK, UM, SARAH, WE CAN GET DATA FROM SARAH, BUT I THINK YOU'RE REFERRING TO THE NUMBER OF STREAMS AND WATERSHEDS THAT ARE IMPAIRED.
UM, AND WE CAN GET THAT DATA TO YOU, BUT YOU, BUT YOU'RE RIGHT, THEY ARE.
UH, SO I THINK THAT THAT'S WHY WHEN WE'RE TALKING ABOUT THE ISSUE, IT REALLY IS EVERY SINGLE ASPECT OF OUR LIVES.
UH, AND I THINK ONE OF THE PROBLEMS THAT I'VE NOTED THAT I BELIEVE THAT WE HAVE ON THIS COUNCIL, AND I'VE URGED ERIC TO MAKE SOME CHANGES IN THE WAY THAT OUR CITY DEPARTMENTS ARE RUN, THAT THEY'RE VERY ISOLATED FROM EACH OTHER.
[03:05:01]
TRANSPORTATION IS COMPLETELY SEPARATE FROM OUR, UH, OUR SOLID WASTE, WHICH IS COMPLETELY SEPARATE FROM OUR LIBRARIES AND COMPLETELY SEPARATE FROM OUR PARKS.AND THERE'S NOT A LOT OF, UH, INTERMINGLING OF THE DEPARTMENTS.
AND SO THEREFORE, EVERYTHING IS DONE IN ISOLATION.
AND SO I THINK AS WE'RE EVOLVING, UH, AS A COMMUNITY THAT STARTS TO TAKE THESE ISSUES MORE SERIOUSLY, WE NEED TO REALLY UNDERSTAND HOW THESE THINGS ARE IMPACTING EACH OTHER.
AND I MEAN, I, WE HAVE HAD, WE HAVE A $450 MILLION IN BOND PROJECTS, STREET PROJECTS COMING.
WE HAVE HUGE DRAINAGE PROJECTS COMING, WHICH IS PROBABLY ANOTHER, A COUPLE HUNDRED MILLION, MAYBE 2 MILLION, SOMEBODY KNOWS WHAT, HOW MUCH OF THE DRAINAGE, UH, IN THE BOND, UH, WENT, HOW MUCH OF THE MONEY THE BOND WENT TO DRAINAGE.
BUT HOW ARE ALL THOSE THINGS INTERRELATED? AND ARE WE TAKING THOSE SAME MEASURES TO ENSURE OUR WATER QUALITY AS WE ARE TRYING TO DO HERE, TO, UM, ENSURE OUR AIR QUALITY.
SO IF WE COULD ALSO HAVE, WE KNOW THAT THERE IS A METRIC HERE FOR AIR QUALITY OF WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO ACHIEVE.
COULD YOU REPEAT WHAT THAT IS? UH, PARTS PER BILLION OF AIR.
SO I, I THINK IN, IN TERMS OF THE NON-ATTAINMENT, UH, WHAT THE OBJECTIVE IS FOR NON-ATTAINMENT, THAT'S CORRECT.
UM, WE ARE SHOOTING FOR 70 PARTS PER BILLION IS THE CURRENT, UM, E P A, UH, ATTAINMENT STANDARD, UH, HOPEFULLY ARE GONNA TAKE MEASURES IN HERE OR THAT WILL HAVE THAT IMPACT.
AND WE WOULD HOPE THAT WE COULD DO THE SAME WITH OUR WATER QUALITY.
UH, AT WHATEVER THAT MEASURE IS.
I'M NOT SURE, UH, OFF THE TOP OF MY HEAD, BUT I KNOW THERE ARE VERY SMART PEOPLE HERE IN THE ROOM THAT KNOW THAT.
SO, UH, WE WOULD LOOK FOR THAT, UM, AS WELL.
AND SO, UH, I GUESS JUST THE OTHER QUESTIONS I HAVE, UM, AND I THINK THERE'S A MORE FOR ERIC.
SO IF YOU WANNA HAVE A SEAT? YES, MA'AM.
JUST REGARDING, UM, ERIC'S SORT OF MY, MY CONCERNS ABOUT THIS ADAPTATION PLAN, UM, I DON'T SEE, UH, WHAT, WHAT I FEEL LIKE IS MISSING FROM THE PLAN.
I'M NOT MAKING ANY AMENDMENTS, DON'T GET NERVOUS, ANYONE, UM, IS THAT I DON'T SEE IT REALLY CLEARLY EMBEDDED IN THE WORK THAT WE DO IN THE CITY, UH, REGARDING, UM, HOW WE FUND PROJECTS.
SO I HOPE THAT THAT GETS INCLUDED AS WELL.
THAT ALL OF OUR BUILDINGS, UH, ARE LEAD, THAT WE HAVE WATER CATCHMENT, THAT WE ARE, UH, AT LEAST IN OUR CITY FACILITIES.
UM, WE KNOW THAT WHETHER THAT GETS ADOPTED IN OUR U D C REMAINS TO BE DETERMINED, BUT I THINK OUR U D C AMENDMENTS ARE COMING UP IN 20 20 20, SO NEXT YEAR, THAT WE WILL INCLUDE SOME OF THESE AS STANDARDS, AT LEAST FOR OUR CITY FACILITIES, AND HOPE THAT OTHERS WILL LEAD THE WAY REGARDING SOLAR AND WATER CATCHMENT AND, UM, THE IRRIGATION AND THE, UM, UH, THE LANDSCAPING.
UH, AND THAT THE STREETS AND THE SIDEWALKS AND THE NEIGHBORHOODS THAT CONNECT TO THOSE ALL HAVE THAT SAME IDEA IN MIND THAT THE OVERREACHING GOAL OF OUR CITY, UH, IS TO HAVE A CLEANER OR BETTER CLIMATE FOR ALL OF US REGARDING AIR, WATER, AND JUST SIMPLY THE WAY THAT WE INTERACT IN OUR, IN OUR COMMUNITY.
SO IS THERE A WAY TO EN ENSURE THAT WE ARE IMPLEMENTING THIS IN OUR U D C GUIDELINES? SO CAN YOU ANSWER THAT QUESTION? UM, ROD, WELL, COUNCILMAN FIRST, UH, LET ME POINT OUT THAT PART OF THIS PLAN IS DIRECTLY LOOKING AT OUR CITY ORGANIZATION.
THERE ARE 13 STRATEGIES IN HERE THAT POINT TO HOW WE DO OUR EVERYDAY, EVERYDAY WORK TO SERVE THE CITIZENS OF SAN ANTONIO.
SO, SO THE ANSWER IS YES, UH, AS WE CONSIDER U D C AMENDMENTS, YOU KNOW, THIS IS A PLAN.
AND, AND AS WE CONSIDER THOSE AMENDMENTS, AS WE CONSIDER IMPLEMENTING BOND PROJECTS, AS WE CONSIDER EVERYTHING THAT WE DO, WE ARE GONNA BE LOOKING AT THIS PLAN TO SEEK DIRECTION FROM IT SO THAT WE CAN BETTER OUR ENVIRONMENT.
SO I HOPE THAT WE CONTINUE WITH THAT DISCUSSION.
I MEAN, YOU KNOW, EQUITY IS A PART OF EVERYTHING WE DO NOW AT THE CITY.
UM, I, I'M GRATEFUL THAT WE'VE HAD THAT AS POLICY THAT WE ARE GOING TO LOOK AT HOW EQUITY IS IMPACTING ALL THE DECISION, THE DECISIONS WE DO.
BUT I THINK CLIMATE SHOULD BE AN OVERARCHING THEME FOR THAT AS WELL, IS THAT HOW ARE THESE PROJECTS GOING TO IMPACT THE QUALITY OF LIFE FOR THOSE AROUND US, ESPECIALLY AS IT RELATES TO CLIMATE.
SO I HOPE THAT WE, UH, ALSO INCLUDE THOSE IN OUR U D C AMENDMENTS, UM, AND THAT IT'S PART OF OUR LAND USE PLANS.
UNFORTUNATELY, WHEN WE STARTED THE SA TOMORROW PLAN, UH, WE DID NOT INCLUDE, UH, WE DID NOT HAVE THE CLIMATE ACTION PLAN AT THAT TIME.
UM, THAT WAS SEVERAL YEARS AGO THAT WE STARTED THAT, IN FACT, MAYBE FIVE YEARS AGO THAT WE STARTED OUR SA
[03:10:01]
TOMORROW PLANNING.BUT THE CLIMATE WAS NOT REALLY PART OF THAT DISCUSSION AT THAT TIME.
AND IT SHOULD BE EMBEDDED IN ALL OF THOSE DECISIONS, IS THAT WE HAVE THIS OVERARCHING THEME THAT WE WANT TO PROTECT OUR ENVIRONMENT, UH, EVERY STEP OF THE WAY.
SO, I, I ALSO SIT ON THE N P O.
THERE'S A PROJECT COMING TO THE M P O THAT COMES FROM THE STATE.
IT'S AN VERY EXPANSIVE HIGHWAY PROJECT, UM, THAT WILL INCLUDE AN ADDITIONAL FIVE MILES OF FIVE LANES, UH, OVER, UM, AT BANDERA TO 1604.
AND THERE HAVE BEEN ENVIRONMENTAL STUDIES FOR THAT PROJECT.
UH, BUT I HAVE SOME VERY SERIOUS CONCERNS ABOUT WHAT A PROJECT LIKE THAT WILL DO TO THE ENVIRONMENT.
AND WE HAVE TO THINK VERY SERIOUSLY ABOUT THE INVESTMENTS THAT WE WANNA MAKE IN THEIR CITY, IN OUR CITY, AND WHAT IS THE OVERALL IMPACT OF THE CLIMATE BASED ON THOSE, UH, PROJECTS, WHETHER THEY'RE SMALL PROJECTS BASED ON OUR STREET GRID OR LARGE PROJECTS LIKE, UM, LIKE THE HIGHWAYS, WHICH ARE ALL PART OF OUR TRANSPORTATION NETWORK, WHICH ARE 45% OF GREENHOUSE GAS EMISSIONS.
AND SO I JUST, THERE, I HAVE FOUND THAT THERE'S JUST A LOT OF INCONSISTENCIES IN THE POLICIES THAT WE SAY THAT WE WANT TO ADOPT AND WHAT WE'RE ACTUALLY WILLING TO DO, UH, FOR INDIVIDUAL PROJECTS BECAUSE THEY ALL IMPACT THE ENVIRONMENT.
SO, UM, I I'M VERY SUPPORTIVE OF US AND VERY PROUD OF US FOR MAKING THIS, UM, DECISION.
I UNDERSTAND THAT, UH, IF IT'S AN OVERRIDING, UH, POLICY THAT WE WANNA HAVE IN OUR COMMUNITY, UH, AND THAT A LOT OF IT, AND A LOT OF PEOPLE HAVE TALKED ABOUT, UH, COAL IN THE REDUCTION OF, OF COAL AND, AND THE SPRUCE PLANT IN PARTICULAR.
UM, BUT IF WE WANNA MAKE THOSE CHANGES, WE HAVE TO ALSO RELY ON THE COMMUNITY TO, UH, REDUCE THEIR RELIANCE ON, ON, ON, UH, ON, IN MANY WAYS, ON THE WAY THAT THEY CURRENTLY GO ABOUT THEIR LIVES, WHICH MEANS WE CANNOT BE DRIVING SO FAR, WHICH MEANS WE MUST HAVE MORE DENSITY, WHICH MEANS WE MUST LIVE IN MUCH MORE COMPACT COMMUNITIES.
AND OF COURSE, THAT MEANS INVESTING IN OUR URBAN CORE.
AND SO IT'S EASY FOR ME TO SAY THAT AS A, AS A MEMBER OF A, THE REPRESENTATIVE OF A DISTRICT THAT IS ENTIRELY URBAN, NOTHING I HAVE EXTENDS PAST FOUR 10, WHICH MEANS WE HAVE A GRID NETWORK, WHICH MEANS ALL OF OUR STREETS CONNECT.
UH, OUR STREETS ARE MORE NARROW.
WE HAVE MUCH MORE DENSE HOUSING.
UH, AND WE KNOW THAT OUR PUBLIC HOUSING UNITS, MANY OF THEM, THE LARGEST HOUSING UNITS ANYWHERE IN THE CITY, DENSELY POPULATED, ALL CONNECTED TO A STREET GRID AND ALL ARE IN NEED OF, OF A REHAB, A REFRESH, OR A COMPLETELY NEW DEVELOPMENT.
AND AS WE WORK THROUGH THOSE ISSUES, THAT WE CONSIDER THAT CLIMATE IS ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT FACTORS.
WE AS A COMMUNITY, JUST BY OUR, THE GRID NETWORK, JUST BY OUR, THE REGULAR WAY WE MOVE ABOUT THE WORLD, ARE ALREADY SUSTAINABLE.
AND SO, BECAUSE WE DRIVE LESS, BECAUSE WE HAVE NARROWER STREETS, BECAUSE WE HAVE DENSER HOUSING, UH, WE ARE THE MODEL FOR SUSTAINABILITY FOR THIS CITY AND REALLY ALL OVER THE COUNTRY, WE ALREADY HAVE ALL OF THE QUALITIES THAT WE NEED TO IMPLEMENT, UH, MORE SUSTAINABLE QUALITY OF LIFE FOR OUR, UH, OUR CITY.
AND I BELIEVE THAT WE'RE THE MODELS FOR THAT, AND WE CAN CONTINUE TO BE THAT.
UH, ALL I WOULD JUST ASK IS THAT PEOPLE BE ALSO, UH, NOT JUST WILLING TO COME AND SPEAK ABOUT THE CLIMATE ACTION PLAN TO P ACTUALLY BE WILLING TO MAKE THOSE ADJUSTMENTS, UH, AS AN INDIVIDUAL AS WELL.
SO I LOOK FORWARD TO SUPPORTING THE PLAN.
AND I WANNA START OFF BY THANKING, UH, DOUG AND ALL OF THE FOLKS THAT HAVE WORKED VERY HARD ON THE STEERING COMMITTEE ON THIS AND EVERYBODY WHO PROVIDED SOME INPUT.
I ALSO WANNA SAY THAT I AM TOTALLY FANGIRLING OVER MY COUNCIL COLLEAGUES COUNCILWOMAN GONZALEZ AND COUNCILWOMAN SANDOVAL.
I THINK THEY DO A VERY ELOQUENT JOB OF, UM, PUTTING THEIR THOUGHTS TOGETHER BEFORE THEY SPEAK.
UM, AND SO, AND, AND MAYOR, THANK YOU FOR THE YOUTH COUNCIL THAT YOU'RE WORKING TO SET UP, I, UM, AM AN ADVOCATE OF ANYTHING, UM, RELATING TO YOUTH BECAUSE I THINK THAT THEIR VOICES NEED TO BE HEARD.
I WILL BE VOTING IN FAVOR OF THIS UNLESS OF COURSE THERE'S ANY LAST MINUTE AMENDMENTS THAT WOULD CONSIDER ADDITIONAL RESEARCH TO BE DONE, BECAUSE THAT'S ME.
I ALWAYS SAY, HEY, WAIT A SECOND, LET'S DO SOME RESEARCH.
UM, I WANT, I HAVE A FEW QUESTIONS.
AND FIRST OF ALL, I WANT TO, UM, I, I WANT TO THANK YOU ALL FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION TO THE EQUITY CENTERED APPROACH TO COMMITTEES THAT, UM, DOUG TALKED ABOUT TODAY.
I, UH, THINK THAT IS VERY IMPORTANT.
I ALSO WANNA THANK YOU FOR THE DRAFT ADVISORY COMMITTEE TIMELINE.
I FEEL A LITTLE BIT, UH, BETTER NOW, I KNOW THAT I, UH, WAS ALWAYS ASKING FOR SOME OBJECTIVES AND SOME,
[03:15:01]
SOME TIMEFRAMES, AND I REALLY APPRECIATE THE THOUGHT THAT WAS GIVEN ON THAT.UM, ALSO, I WOULD, UH, WANT TO CONTINUE TO BE AN ADVOCATE FOR EQUAL REPRESENTATION FROM DIVERSE DEMOGRAPHICS AND BACKGROUNDS.
SO I'D LOVE TO SEE, UM, SOMETHING A COMMITTEE CREATED WHERE THERE'S BOTH ACTIVISTS AND BUSINESS FOLKS, UM, FROM EVERY ZIP CODE WORKING TOGETHER.
AND, UM, MY, UH, FOCUS IS ON, ON THE EVERY ZIP CODE.
I FEEL THAT SOMETIMES, UH, SOME OF OUR ZIP CODES ARE UNDERREPRESENTED, EVEN HERE WHEN WE HAVE PUBLIC COMMENT TODAY.
I DO WANNA TAKE, UH, WANNA TAKE THE TIME, UH, TO THANK THE, UM, THE, UH, THE SOUTHWEST, UH, UM, WORKERS UNION FOR BEING HERE, BECAUSE I REALLY APPRECIATE YOU ALL REPRESENTING THOSE FOLKS IN OUR DISTRICTS THAT CANNOT, UM, COME TO COUNCIL BECAUSE THEY CAN'T LEAVE THEIR WORK BECAUSE THEY CAN'T AFFORD TO.
SO THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR YOUR ADVOCACY.
I DO HAVE YOUR 530 PLUS POSTCARDS IN MY OFFICE, AND I WAS REALLY PROUD THAT DISTRICT FOUR HAD THE MAJORITY NUMBER OF POSTCARDS, UH, SUBMITTED.
SO THANK YOU FOR YOUR WORK ON THAT.
UM, I DO HAVE JUST A FEW QUESTIONS.
UH, UM, DOUG, IF YOU CAN HELP ME ANSWER THESE.
AND SO SPECIFICALLY I'M WONDERING WHO'S GONNA BE INVOLVED ON THE REGIONAL CLIMATE COUNCIL? HAVE WE DECIDED THAT? SO THAT'S VERY, UM, EARLY, UH, IN, IN, UM, DISCUSSION.
I THINK THE, UH, WE ARE, I AM AWARE OF THERE ARE SOME MUNICIPALITIES AND THERE ARE SOME LEADERS, UM, UM, SORT OF UP AND DOWN THE I 35 CORRIDOR THAT HAVE EXPRESSED INTEREST.
SO I THINK WE'LL START, START THERE.
UM, DEFINITELY, UH, LOOK TO THE MAYOR'S OFFICE TO HELP PROVIDE SOME OF THE LEADERSHIP ON THAT.
UH, ANOTHER QUESTION, SAME SLIDE.
WHAT IS THE BENCHMARKING DISCLOSURE PROGRAM THAT YOU WERE REFERRING TO? SURE.
AND, AND THAT'S, UH, CURRENTLY IN, IN DISCUSSION.
UH, WE HAVE A, A GROUP OF DIVERSE STAKEHOLDERS THAT WE'VE BEEN, UM, BEGINNING TO MEET WITH.
UM, BASICALLY, UM, THERE'S UPWARDS OF 25 TO 30 CITIES, UM, IN THE UNITED STATES THAT HAVE A, A SIMILAR PROGRAM THAT, UM, UH, TARGETS BUILDINGS, COMMERCIAL, UH, INDUSTRIAL MULTIFAMILY BUILDINGS, UH, OF A CERTAIN SQUARE FOOTAGE, UM, OCCASIONALLY 50,000 SQUARE FOOT, UM, OR HIGHER.
AND, UM, IT CAN BE A VOLUNTARY PROGRAM, IT CAN BE A REQUIREMENT, BUT THE GOAL IS TO, UM, HAVE THOSE PROPERTY OWNERS BENCHMARK THEIR ENERGY AND WATER USE.
UM, SO THEY KNOW WHAT'S THAT, THAT CONSUMPTION IS, UM, TIE THEM TO, UM, UH, INCENTIVES, UH, SUCH AS C P S, UM, ENERGY EFFICIENCY INCENTIVES AND BASICALLY REPORTING TO THE CITY THAT YES, WE BENCHMARKED OUR BUILDINGS.
UM, SO IT CAN COME IN MANY DIFFERENT FORMS, BUT THE GOAL IS MAKING SURE OUR LARGEST BUILDING OWNERS ARE AWARE OF THEIR ENERGY CONSUMPTION.
AND THEN I ALSO NOTICED THAT YOU'RE INITIATING A BUSINESS OUTREACH PILOT RECOGNITION PROGRAM.
AND I THINK OUR, MY FIRST, UH, STEP WITH STOP WITH THAT IS WITH, UH, MR. DAVID MCCARRY, UM, JUST TO LEARN ABOUT HOW HE HAS LAUNCHED HIS PROGRAM AND SEE HOW WE CAN, UM, COLLABORATE TO SEE IF WE CAN FOLD IN OR AT LEAST LEARN HOW HE'S DONE SUCH AN AMAZING JOB ON THAT.
I ALSO, UM, UH, I, I APPRECIATE THE BUSINESS OUTREACH.
I KNOW THERE'S A LOT OF BUSINESSES THAT FOCUS ON THE TRIPLE BOTTOM LINE PEOPLE, PLANET, PROFIT, AND, UH, PROFIT IS THE THIRD OF THAT LEG.
AND, UH, I APPRECIATE THEIR EFFORT.
SO I DIDN'T WANT TO, UM, PUBLICLY SAY THAT.
UH, HOW, SO THERE'S 24 OUTTA THE 28 STRATEGIES THAT, UM, REQUIRE SOME SORT OF INVESTMENT, BUT I'M SPECIFICALLY ASKING FOR YOUR HELP ON THE SIX OF THE 13 MUNICIPAL STRATEGIES.
WHEN MIGHT WE BE ABLE TO ANTICIPATE SOME OF THE COST SPECIFICALLY TO THE CITY TO, UM, TO GAIN OR, OR TO REACH THOSE STRATEGIES? I KNOW SOME OF THEM IS, UM, UH, SOME OF THOSE MIGHT BE ZERO, LIKE THE MUNICIPAL ENERGY POLICY.
THAT'S NOT GONNA COST US MUCH, MUCH, BUT MAYBE THE ZERO NET ENERGY BUILDINGS OR MORE EFFICIENT VEHICLE TECHNOLOGIES OR THE AIRPORT ACCREDITATION.
WHAT DOES THAT COST US? SORRY.
SO, UM, BASICALLY, UH, IN THIS YEAR'S BUDGET, WE DID HAVE, UM, SOME FUNDING ALLOCATED, UH, FOR US TO BRING ON A, UM, EXPERT IN TRIPLE BO TRIPLE BOTTOM LINE ECONOMICS.
SO, UM, ONCE WE HAVE THEM ON BOARD, UM, THIS FISCAL YEAR, WE CAN IDENTIFY WHAT THOSE PRIORITY STRATEGIES, UH, THAT WE WOULD LIKE THEM TO, TO DO THE ANALYSIS.
AND I KNOW, UH, COUNCILWOMAN SANDOVAL MENTIONED THAT ECONOMIC ANALYSIS IS IMPORTANT, SO I I APPRECIATE HER, UM, COMMENTS ON THAT? I DID, DID WE FINALLY GET ENDORSED BY THE SIERRA CLUB? YES, WE DID HAVE MR. TERRY BURNS, PRESIDENT OF THE SIERRA CLUB WHO JUST SPOKE EARLIER TODAY.
SO I JUST WANTED TO CONTINUE ON THAT.
I LOVE THE URBAN HEAT ISLAND PLAN IDEA, AND I'M GLAD THAT WE ARE, UM, WORKING ON, ON MEETING WITH PARTNER AGENCIES.
UM, ANOTHER QUESTION THAT I HAVE IS, HOW OFTEN DO WE MONITOR THE USE OF OUR CURRENT ELECTRIC VEHICLE CHARGING STATIONS? DO WE KNOW HOW OFTEN THEY'RE USED? SO THAT WOULD BE, UM, A QUESTION FOR C P S ENERGY.
UM, THEY, UM, CURRENTLY MANAGE THE, THE LARGEST PORTION OF
[03:20:01]
THE NETWORK.UM, THE PLAN THAT WE ARE WORKING ON RIGHT NOW LOOKING AT CITYWIDE CHARGING INFRASTRUCTURE, WE'VE BEEN COLLABORATING WITH C P S, UH, THE, THE, UM, THE MARKET'S CHANGING.
AND SO I THINK THERE'S DISCUSSIONS ABOUT WHAT DOES THAT FUTURE NETWORK LOOKS LIKE? DOES, IS IT THE, IS IT ACTUALLY THE CITY OR THE UTILITY OWNING, OWNING IT, OR IS IT A PRIVATE MARKET SYSTEM? SO WE'LL SEE CHANGES GOING FORWARD, BUT WE SHOULD HAVE SOME, UH, BE ABLE TO REPORT SOON AS FAR AS WHAT SOME OF THE INITIAL FINDINGS ARE FROM THAT PLAN.
I, UM, DO WANNA THANK YOU FOR WORKING WITH ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT ON THE PACE MECHANISM.
I THINK THAT IT'S TIME THAT SAN ANTONIO GETS SOME OF THAT FUNDING SO THAT WE COULD HELP REDUCE GREENHOUSE GAS EMISSIONS AND SUPPORT ECONOMIC GROWTH AT THE SAME TIME.
I KNOW I'VE HAD AT LEAST ONE CALL FROM THE ARCHDIOCESE OF SAN ANTONIO, AND THE CHURCHES ARE VERY CONCERNED, UM, THAT, THAT MAYBE WE'RE NOT MOVING FAST ENOUGH.
AND SO I ASSURED THEM THAT WE'RE MOVING AS FAST AS WE CAN.
UM, I ALSO WANT TO SAY BY THE WAY, THAT I'M VERY IMPRESSED WITH, UM, WITH V'S.
UH, JEFF ARN FOR HIS FOOTBALL ANALOGIES.
THAT WAS, UH, UM, VERY, UH, IT WAS A VERY GREAT WAY TO PUT IT TOGETHER AS A PLAYBOOK, UM, THAT WILL CONTINUOUSLY HAVE US CALLING DIFFERENT PLAYS AND TRY TO FIGURE OUT WHAT WORKS AND WHAT DOESN'T.
SO, UM, I AM, AM HAPPY THAT VIA AND, AND THE WEST CHAMBER AND, AND SOME OF THESE OTHER FOLKS HAD, UH, C P S ENERGY HAVE COME OUT IN, IN, IN SUPPORT OF SOME OF OUR, UM, UH, PLAN HERE.
UM, I ALSO, UH, CAR LODO WHO WAS HERE EARLIER, UM, WHO WAS CELEBRATING HER SON'S SIXTH BIRTHDAY FROM FAR AWAY.
I, UM, AS, AS A MOM, I KNOW HOW IMPORTANT IT IS TO BE WITH YOUR CHILDREN.
AND SO SHE WAS ADVOCATING ON BEHALF OF CHILDREN ACROSS THE WORLD.
AND I KNOW SHE HAD, UM, LEFT ALREADY, BUT I, UM, I FELT LIKE, UH, SALVADOR AND IF, YOU KNOW, SHE, HE NEEDED TO HAVE SOME SORT OF A GIFT.
SO I SENT HIM MY, UM, CLIMATE READY PIN, UH, AS A THANK YOU ON, ON BEHALF OF ALL OF THE CITY, UH, UH, COUNCIL FOR SHARING HIS MOM WITH US ON HIS BIRTHDAY.
BUT, UM, I THOUGHT THAT IT WAS SO VALUABLE TO, UM, HAVE THAT POINT OF VIEW REPRESENTED THAT SAN ANTONIO, UH, IS REALLY BEING WATCHED FROM ALL OVER.
SO WE HAD SOMEONE FROM FROM CANADA THINK THAT IT WAS IMPORTANT AND, AND HER CHILD, UM, YOU KNOW, WAS, WAS INVOLVED IN THIS.
AND SO I JUST WANNA THANK YOU, UM, FOR BEING AN ADVOCATE FOR OUR CLIMATE AND FOR REALLY, UH, ANSWERING EVERY SINGLE ONE OF MY 60 PLUS QUESTIONS, AND I REALLY APPRECIATE IT.
COUNCIL MEMBER R GARCIA, COUNCIL MEMBER TREVINO.
UM, AND I TOO WILL BE SUPPORTING, UH, THIS, THIS ACTION PLAN.
UM, WE'RE TALKING ABOUT, UH, CARLO'S CHILD AND, UH, COUNCILWOMAN YOUR CHILD CELEBRATING THEIR BIRTHDAY, HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO THEM.
AND IT JUST STARTED MAKING ME THINK ABOUT WHEN I WAS SIX YEARS OLD, YOU KNOW, WHEN I WAS SIX YEARS OLD, IT WAS THE MID SEVENTIES.
AND, YOU KNOW, I CAN REMEMBER THAT THERE WAS ONLY ONE TRASH CAN I CAN REMEMBER THAT EARTH DAY WAS KIND OF A NEW IDEA.
I CAN REMEMBER THAT PLANTING A TREE WAS IMPORTANT.
AND, AND SO YOU THINK ABOUT THAT AND YOU THINK ABOUT ALL THE THINGS THAT YOU HAD TO DO, UM, EVEN BACK THEN.
THIS IS, YOU KNOW, SOME 40 PLUS YEARS AGO.
AND YOU THINK ABOUT THE FACT THAT IT'S REALLY TAKEN THIS LONG, AND I FIND MYSELF ON THIS DAAS VOTING ON SOMETHING SO IMPORTANT, SOMETHING THAT I REMEMBER WHEN I WAS SIX YEARS OLD.
IT'S LIKE, THIS IS IMPORTANT BACK THEN.
AND, AND I, AND WE WOULD GO TO THE PARK AND WE WOULD, WE WOULD GO, AND IN FACT, WHEN YOU HAD TO RECYCLE, YOU HAD TO PUT THAT IN YOUR OWN CAN OR YOUR OWN BAG AND TAKE IT TO THE RECYCLING COMPANY.
SOME OF Y'ALL KNOW WHAT I'M TALKING ABOUT.
AND, AND SO I WANT YOU TO THINK ABOUT HOW LONG IT'S TAKEN TO GET US TO THIS POINT.
AND THEN I THINK ABOUT CARLOTA CHILD, COUNCILMAN GONZALEZ, YOUR SIX YEAR OLD, AND SOMEDAY THEY'LL BE MAYBE ON THE DAIS, AND THEY'LL, THEY'LL BE TALKING ABOUT, YOU KNOW, I REMEMBER WHEN WE WERE TALKING ABOUT THIS WHEN I WAS A KID, AND THERE WAS A CLIMATE ACTION PLAN.
UM, SO, YOU KNOW, THANK YOU TO EVERYBODY WORKING ON THIS.
AND WE KNOW THAT THIS IS, THIS IS A LONG TIME COMING, UH, CERTAINLY BEEN A PART, A BIG OF MY LIFE GROWING UP, CHILD OF THE SEVENTIES, I THINK, YOU KNOW, THAT, THAT REALLY EXEMPLIFIES A LOT OF THE EFFORTS GOING ON TODAY.
UM, THANK YOU, DOUG, FOR YOUR WORK, UH, TO YOU AND YOUR TEAM, UH, GETTING US HERE TODAY.
[03:25:01]
OVERTIME AND, UH, YOU'RE ALWAYS RESPONSIVE.SO, UH, I REALLY APPRECIATE ALL YOUR HARD WORK ON THIS.
UH, I ALSO APPRECIATED THE EFFORT, UH, OF ROD SANCHEZ, UH, REALLY HELPING TO KIND OF SHEPHERD THIS THROUGH.
THIS IS SUCH A BIG, BIG EFFORT.
AND, AND ROD, YOU KNOW, YOU'RE, YOU'RE REALLY, UH, HELPED TO CREATE A STRUCTURE AROUND SOME OF THE MOST IMPORTANT SUBJECTS, INCLUDING THE URBAN HEAT ISLAND AND, YOU KNOW, HOW, HOW BUILDINGS PLAY SUCH A BIG ROLE.
SO I THINK YOU ARE JUST WELL SUITED TO HELP SHEPHERD THIS THROUGH.
I'D ALSO LIKE TO RECOGNIZE THE WORK OF COUNCILMAN SANDOVAL AND HER STAFF, ESPECIALLY BIANCA ON THIS INITIATIVE.
UH, YOU, YOU WORKED WITH US AND, UH, HELPED GUIDE THIS THROUGH.
AND, AND I CAN'T THANK YOU ENOUGH.
UM, I WANNA POINT OUT JUST A COUPLE THINGS THAT, UM, I, AGAIN, YOU HEARD ME TALKING ABOUT, I, I REMINISCE TO WHEN I WAS SIX YEARS OLD, AND HERE I AM.
I'M, I'M, I'M USING BETTER TERM, UH, MORE SCIENTIFIC TERMS. LIKE, UH, WE'RE, WE'RE, WE'RE EMPHASIZING THINGS LIKE THERMAL HEALTH, BUT WE'VE ALL, WE, WE'VE, WE'VE KNOWN THIS OUR, OUR WHOLE LIVES, RIGHT? I MEAN, WE, WE WANT TO, UH, PROVIDE A BETTER, A BETTER WORLD FOR EVERYBODY.
UH, RECOGNIZING THAT, THAT IT'S THE LITTLE THINGS THAT TRULY MAKE A BIG IMPACT.
AND IF WE CAN RECOGNIZE THAT AND GROW THAT INTO THE FUTURE, THAT'S, THAT'S A WAY THAT WE CAN ALL HELP, UH, PITCH IN.
UM, I WANNA RECOGNIZE THE, THE SUCCESS OF THE UNDER ONE ROOF PROGRAM.
IT IS A ROOF REPAIR PROGRAM, BUT WE LAYER, WE WERE ABLE TO SUCCESSFULLY LAYER ON THE ABILITY TO, TO ADDRESS THE, THE URBAN HEAT ISLAND AND HOW, HOW PEOPLE CAN FEEL THAT, UH, MITIGATION OF, OF HEAT RIGHT THERE IN THEIR HOMES.
AND THEY, THEY, THEY CAN REALLY, UM, YOU KNOW, THEY CAN REALLY RELATE NOW, ESPECIALLY WHEN IT'S, AND, YOU KNOW, WHEN IT, WHEN IT RELATES TO THEIR POCKETBOOK, FOR EXAMPLE, BECAUSE THEY'RE NOT HAVING TO USE AS MUCH ENERGY TO, TO COOL THEIR HOME.
WELL, THAT'S A SMART APPROACH.
AND OF COURSE, WHO, WHO CAN'T GET BEHIND THAT.
AND, AND I KNOW C P S SUPPORTS THAT PROGRAM AND, AND GRATEFUL THAT THEY'RE HERE TODAY.
UH, I HOPE TO, TO GET C P SS TO, TO REALLY, YOU KNOW, FURTHER, FURTHER FULLY SUPPORT THE UNDER ONE ROOF PROGRAM AS, AS A MORE ROBUST WAY TO, TO PROTECT, UH, BOTH HOMEOWNERS AND RENTERS INTO THE FUTURE AND THE WAY WE DO HOUSING IN OUR CITY.