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>> MAYOR JONES: GOOD AFTERNOON. THE TIME IS NOW 2:05 P.M. ON THURSDAY, DECEMBER 11, 2025, AND THE MEETING OF THE GOVERNANCE COMMITTEE IS NOW CALLED TO ORDER. MADAME CLERK, PLEASE CALL ROLL.
>> CLERK: MAYOR, WE HAVE QUORUM. >> MAYOR JONES: FIRST ITEM ON THE AGENDA IS APPROVAL OF THE MINUTES. ARE THERE ANY CORRECTIONS FOR THE AGENDA? CAN I GET A MOTION AND A SECOND TO APPROVE THE
MINUTES? >> VIAGRAN: I MAKE A MOTION TO APPROVE.
>> SECOND. >> MAYOR JONES: WE HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND TO
APPROVE THE MINUTES. ALL IN FAVOR SAY AYE. >>
>> MAYOR JONES: OPPOSED? MOTION CARRIES . WE HAVE SEVERAL MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC SIGNED UP TO SPEAK. I WILL CALL INDIVIDUALS IN ORDER OF SIGN UP FOR ALL ITEMS. THE FIRST PERSON IS ALLEN MONTEMAYOR. ALL INDIVIDUALS WILL HAVE THREE MINUTES TO SPEAK AND GROUPS OF THREE OR MORE WILL HAVE A TOTAL OF NINE MINUTES.
ALLEN MONTEMAYOR. >> GOOD MORNING. OR I SHOULD SAY, GOOD AFTERNOON. I'M ALLEN MONTEMAYOR, CHAIRMAN OF THE ALAMO GROUP OF THE SIERRA CLUB. WE REPRESENT ABOUT 3,000 PEOPLE IN THE LOCAL AREA.
I'M HERE TO TALK ABOUT THE RANCH. WHILE IT WAS ORIGINALLY PLATTED TO BE LOW DENSITY DEVELOPMENT BY THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO, THEY CAME IN AND PROPOSED A RIDICULOUS DENSITY AND NOW HAS BACKED OFF BUT IT'S STILL WAY TOO DENSE. IT'S GOING TO GENERATE A LOT OF SEWAGE THAT'S GOING TO GO INTO HELOTES CREEK FIND ITS WAY INTO OUR AQU AQUIFER . SOUTHWEST RESEARCH SAID THAT IS PROBABLY GOING TO RESULT IN AT LEAST MARGINAL POLLUTION TO OUR AQUIFER.
CITY OF SAN ANTONIO NEEDS TO DO EVERYTHING THEY CAN TO DISSUADE THIS DEVELOPMENT AND TURN THEM TO A DEVELOPMENT WHICH IS APPROPRIATE FOR THE LAND.
THE CITIZENS OF THE HELOTES AREA HAVE RISEN UP AND LARGELY BEEN IGNORED.
THE TCEQ OBVIOUSLY IS GOING TO PROVIDE NO PROTECTION FOR THE CITIZENS IN THIS MATTER.
THE STATE, FOR THEIR PART, WILL PROBABLY DO EVEN LESS IF IT COMES TO THAT.
I'M ASKING THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO TO REALLY DO EVERYTHING THEY CAN TO DISCOURAGE THIS KIND OF HIGH-DENSITY DEVELOPMENT OVER THE SENSITIVE AREAS.
IN PARTICULAR, IF IT COMES DOWN TO A VOTE TO DETERMINE WHETHER OR NOT LENNAR HOMES CAN ESTABLISH A MUNICIPAL UTILITY DISTRICT, I HOPE THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO WOULD SAY NO. I KNOW THAT WOULD PROBABLY JUST KICK THE CAN DOWN THE ROAD, BUT REGARDLESS OF THAT, WE NEED TO DO EVERYTHING WE CAN TO PROTECT THE QUALITY OF OUR WATER AND THE CITIZENS OF SAN ANTONIO. THE RANCH IS A HUGE DEVELOPMENT FOR THAT AREA. THERE ARE MANY REASONS, BESIDES THE POLLUTION OF OUR AQUIFER, TO NOT DO THAT KIND OF HIGH-DENSITY DEVELOPMENT. THE TRAFFIC ALONE IN THAT AREA IS GOING TO BE HORRENDOUS FOR THE PEOPLE WHO LIVE THERE.
I KNOW THIS IS IN THE ETJ OF THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO, BUT REGARDLESS OF THAT, I REALLY HOPE YOU GUYS WILL DO YOUR PART AND NOT ALLOW THIS. I WOULD ALSO SIGNED UP TO
SPEAK ON WHICH ITEM? >> MAYOR JONES: YOU SIGNED UP TO SPEAK ON TWO ITEMS BUT
IN TOTAL YOU HAVE THREE MINUTES. >> WHERE'S THE COUNT? I THINK I'LL FINISH UP WITH GUAJOLOTE RANCH, THEN. I KNOW THIS IS A TOUGH DECISION BECAUSE YOU'RE WEIGHING DEVELOPMENT AGAINST PROTECTING THE CITIZENS.
IT'S HARD TO PUT A VALUE ON THAT BUT LONG TERM THAT'S WHAT YOU GUYS ARE HERE FOR.
THAT'S WHAT CITY COUNCIL IS SUPPOSED TO BE DOING. LENNAR HAS A LOT OF OTHER PLACES THEY CAN BUILD AND IT IS REALLY INAPPROPRIATE TO BUILD IN THIS AREA.
THANK YOU SO MUCH. >> MAYOR JONES: PETER BELLA FOLLOWED BY ALLISON
GREER. >> MY NAME IS PETER BELLA AND I'M AN INTERESTED CITIZEN. I WANTED TO SPEAK ON THE DATA CENTERS.
THANK YOU, COUNCILMAN GALVAN, FOR BRINGING THE CCR FORWARD.
I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT THAT THE CITY HAVE EYES WIDE OPEN WHEN THEY'RE LOOKING AT THESE QUICK CHANGES THAT ARE BEING REQUIRED FOR BOTH BUSINESS AND INDUSTRY IN THE SAN ANTONIO REGION. I'LL BE VERY INTERESTED IN FOLLOWING THE DEVELOPMENTS.
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I SAW THE FIRST ITEM IS TO UNDERSTAND WHAT THE CITY RULES, LOCAL, STATE RULES ARE THAT WOULD BE AT YOUR DISPOSAL WHEN IT COMES TO THINKING ABOUT HOW THIS WOULD WORK. HOW THE DATA CENTERS WOULD BE BUILT OUT.I KNOW THAT HAVING HEARD RUDY GARZA SPEAK LAST NIGHT ON A RECORDING OF THE SOURCE, THAT WAS ON THE 9TH, I KNOW THE DEMANDS THAT ARE COMING FOR ENERGY HE SEES. AS A FORMER STEERING COMMITTEE MEMBER FOR THE CLIMATE ACTION AND ADAPTATION PLAN UNDER MAYOR NIRENBERG, I'M AWARE OF THE POTENTIAL FOR ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACTS, ESPECIALLY THE IMPACTS ON OUR CITIZENS.
THE CONCEPT THAT THEY WOULD BE SAFE AND THEY WOULD BE ABLE TO PAY THE RATES THAT ARE REQUIRED FOR THE GROWTH THAT IS INCUMBENT WITH THESE DATA CENTER DEVELOPMENTS.
SO SIMPLY ENOUGH, THANK YOU AGAIN FOR THE CCR. I DEFINITELY LOOK FORWARD TO SEEING WHAT COMES OUT OF IT AS NEXT STEPS. AND ESPECIALLY HOW CITIZENS CAN PARTICIPATE IN GIVING INPUT IN THAT PROCESS AS IT MOVES ALONG.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH. >> MAYOR JONES: ALLISON GREER FOLLOWED BY DEBORAH
PONCE. >> MY NAME IS ALLISON GREER. I WORK FOR CHCS, THE LOCAL MENTAL HEALTH AUTHORITY FOR SAN ANTONIO AND BEXAR COUNTY.
A LITTLE LATER IN THE MEETING, YOU WILL HEAR FROM MARIA VILLAGOMEZ ABOUT THE FORMATION OF AN AD HOC COMMITTEE TO DISCUSS JAIL DIVERSION.
I'M HERE TO SPEAK IN FAVOR OF THAT IDEA. WE ARE SEEING LARGE INCREASES IN THE BEHAVIORAL HEALTH SAFETY NET POPULATION IN BEXAR COUNTY AND WE CANNOT INCARCERATE OUR WAY OUT OF THAT. WE NEED A JAIL DIVERSION CENTER. A PLACE WHERE LOW-LEVEL OFFENDERS CAN GO AND GET RESIDENTIAL TREATMENT, 90-DAY FOLLOW-UP. A PROCESS THAT COMPLETELY BYPASSES THE JAIL. I AM ASKING FOR YOUR SUPPORT FOR THE AD HOC COMMITTEE.
WE LOOK FORWARD TO BEING YOUR PARTNERS ON THAT COMMITTEE.
THANK YOU. >> MAYOR JONES: DEBORAH PONCE FOLLOWED BY DEE DEE
BALLMERES. >> GOOD AFTERNOON, MAYOR, COUNCIL.
MY NAME IS DEBORAH PONCE. I'M A DISTRICT 4 COMMUNITY MEMBER.
AND A CLIMATE JUSTICE ORGANIZER WITH PUBLIC CITIZEN.
I'M HERE TO URGE CITY TO ADDRESS THE POLICY GAP SURROUNDING DATA CENTERS BEFORE MAJOR PROJECTS BEGIN LOCATING IN SAN ANTONIO. I WANT TO EXPRESS MY SUPPORT FOR COUNCILMAN GALVAN'S CCR TO FOCUS ON DATA CENTERS AND ESTABLISH REGULATIONS THAT WILL PROTECT THE LONG-TERM SAFETY OF OUR CITY. KNOWING THAT A MID-SIZED DATA CENTER CAN USE UP TO 300,000 GALLONS OF WATER A DAY, ROUGHLY, THE USE OF 1,000 HOMES KEEPS ME UP AT NIGHT. I'M ASKING FOR YOUR SUPPORT OF THE CCR SO THAT SAN ANTONIO CAN TAKE A PROACTIVE AND RESPONSIBLE APPROACH.
I COME FROM A PART OF TOWN THAT HAS CARRIED THE BURDEN OF LARGE INDUSTRIAL FACILITIES AND I FEAR OUR COMMUNITY MAY BE TARGETED AGAIN.
BUT THIS IS NOT JUST ABOUT DISTRICT 4. UNDER THE CURRENT SYSTEM, THE DEVELOPERS CAN CHOOSE A SITE, NEGOTIATE QUIETLY, AND MOVE FORWARD WITH ALMOST NO PUBLIC AWARENESS. MEANING THAT ANY ONE OF YOUR DISTRICTS COULD BE NEXT WITHOUT YOUR KNOWLEDGE. AND WITHOUT A COMMUNITY'S VOICE.
THIS IS ALREADY HAPPENING NOW, OR HAS HAPPENED. WHENEVER DATA CENTERS CHOOSE TO LOCATE, THEY COME WITH SIGNIFICANT IMPACTS. THEY WILL USE INCREDIBLE ELECTRICAL LOADS. THEY WILL COME WITH A LOSS OF 100,000 TO 300,000 GALLONS OF WATER USAGE A DAY DIESEL GENERATOR TESTING THAT THEY DO. THERE'S NOISE AND STORMWATER. THERE'S SO MUCH TO CONSIDER. YET THE UNIFIED DEVELOPMENT CODE THAT WE CURRENTLY HAVE HAS NO CATEGORY. NO ZONING DISTRICT GUIDANCE, NO DEVELOPMENT STANDARDS FOR DATA CENTERS. THIS LEAVES THE CITY WITHOUT THE TOOLS NEEDED TO ENSURE APPROPRIATE PLACEMENT, ENVIRONMENTAL SAFEGUARDS, COMMUNITY PROTECTIONS. BECAUSE THEY SET UP IN SECRET, YOU WILL BE THE LAST TO KNOW. WITH DATA CENTER PROPOSALS ALREADY EMERGING, INCLUDING IN AREAS CONNECTED TO THE EDWARDS AQUIFER, THIS IS A RISK THAT WE CAN'T AFFORD.
WE CAN'T -- I GUESS WE CAN'T DRINK MONEY SO WE MUST HAVE OUR WATER.
THAT'S WHY I'M URGING THAT WE SPEED UP THE PROCESS. SUPPORT THE CCR.
SUPPORT ANYTHING THAT NEEDS TO BE DONE TO GET SOME OVERSIGHT FOR THESE DATA CENTERS. AND LASTLY, I WOULD LIKE TO PUSH THAT WE NEED COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT. WE NEED TO TAKE THE COVERAGE OFF OF THESE GROUPS, THESE LLCS THAT ARE MOVING INTO OUR AREAS SO WE CAN ACTUALLY MAKE THE SAFEGUARDS NEEDED.
THANK YOU SO MUCH. >> MAYOR JONES: DEE DEE BALLMERES FOLLOWED BY JUDITH
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TEMPLE. >> GOOD AFTERNOON, COUNCIL, MAYOR.
MY NAME IS DEE DEE BALLMERES. I'M A CLEAN ENERGY ADVOCATE WITH PUBLIC CITIZEN. I WOULD LIKE TO THANK COUNCILMAN GALVAN FOR BRINGING GU FORWARD THIS CCR. WE HAVE TO PROTECT OUR WATER.
WE HAVE TO PROTECT OUR POWER SUPPLY, OUR ENVIRONMENT, AND RATEPAYERS.
DATA CENTERS REQUIRE A LOT OF WATER. THEY USE A TREMENDOUS AMOUNT OF POWER WHEN THEY USE DIESEL BACKUP GENERATORS, THEY POLLUTE THE AIR.
RECENTLY, THE VICE PRESIDENT OF CORPORATE DEVELOPMENT TOLD KSAT NEWS, THE CURRENT SYSTEM PEAKS AT 6,000 MEGAWATTS OF POWER USAGE DURING THE SUMMER.
BY 2035, HE SAID THEY EXPECT TO ADD ANOTHER 2,000 MEGAWATTS.
LARGE-LOAD CUSTOMERS DRAWING MORE THAN 40 MEGAWATTS ARE EXPECTED TO MAKE UP ABOUT HALF. THE MAJORITY OF THEM, HE SAID, WOULD LIKELY BE DATA CENTERS. HE SAID WHEN YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT GROWING 30 TO 33% OVER THE NEXT DECADE AND 50% OF THAT COMING POTENTIALLY FROM A LARGE USER LIKE A DATA CENTER OR SOMETHING EQUIVALENT, THAT IS A BIG CHANGE TO THE ASSUMPTIONS AND THE FORECASTING. WHO PAYS FOR THAT POWER GENERATION THAT IS BEING USED TO KEEP THESE DATA CENTER RUNNING? CPS ENERGY STATED THEIR UPCOMING GENERATION PLAN WILL INFORM THE NEXT RATE INCREASE.
CITY COUNCIL WILL BE MAKING DECISIONS ON WHETHER OR NOT TO APPROVE THAT.
RATEPAYERS SHOULD NOT BE SUBSIDIZING THE COST FOR DATA CENTERS BECAUSE THEY DON'T BENEFIT THE AVERAGE RATEPAYER. THE CELL PHONE THAT YOU USE, THE TABLET THAT YOU'RE USING IS NOT NEEDED. WE DON'T NEED DATA CENTERS TO POWER THOSE. HOPEFULLY SENATE BILL 6 WILL ADDRESS THIS.
IN THE MEANTIME, AS THIS CCR MOVES TO THE PCDC, PLEASE ENSURE THERE ARE TRANSPARENCY AND ACCOUNTABILITY STANDARDS FOR POTENTIAL DATA CENTER DEVELOPMENT AND COMMISSION AN INDEPENDENT STUDY TO LOOK AT THE CURRENT IMPACT OF DATA CENTERS WHILE ALSO INCLUDING NEW DEMAND FOR ENERGY AND WATER USAGE.
AND THE IMPACT THAT IT'S HAVING FOR THE AVERAGE RATEPAYER AND THAT ANY STUDY COME FROM THAT, THAT THAT BE OPEN TO THE PUBLIC FOR LOOKING AT IT AND ALSO GIVING FEEDBACK. THANK YOU. JUDITH TEMPLE FOLLOWED BY
STEVE HUERTA. >> HELLO. JUDITH TEMPLE.
I AM A COORDINATOR FOR THE ENVIRONMENTAL COLLABORATIVE OF SAN ANTONIO.
SOME OF OUR SPEAKERS HERE ARE PART OF THAT COLLABORATIVE.
I'M HERE TO SUPPORT THE CCR PROPOSED BY COUNCILWOMAN MEZA GONZALEZ AND COUNCILWOMAN ALDERETE GAVITO WITH REGARD TO THE PURCHASE OF LAND KNOWN AS THE GUAJOLOTE RANCH . MY CONCERNS ARE, AS SOME HAVE MENTIONED ALREADY, IS THAT THIS IS A HUGE AMOUNT OF ACREAGE THAT IS GOING TO BE LEVELED.
ALL THE ECOSYSTEMS ARE GOING TO BE DESTROYED FOR 2900 HOMES.
AND THAT IN THE END, LANIER'S COMMUNITY WILL BE ASKED TO FUND THE WATER TREATMENT PLANT , WHICH EXPERTS SAY COULD DUMP AS MUCH AS ONE MILLION GALLONS OF TREATED WASTEWATER INTO HELOTES PER DAY. WHICH WILL UNDOUBTEDLY AFFECT THE EDWARDS AQUIFER. IN EXTREME RAIN EVENTS, NO MATTER HOW GOOD THE WASTEWATER TREATMENT PLANT PREPARES FOR THOSE EVENTS, THEY CANNOT TAKE CARE OF THE AMOUNT OF WATER THAT GOES THROUGH THE SYSTEM. WHICH MEANS THAT INEVITABLY THE EVENT THAT OCCURRED ON JULY 4TH IN THE HILL COUNTRY IS GOING TO HIT THE HELOTES AREA. IT'S NOT IF, IT'S WHEN IT'S GOING TO HAPPEN.
AND SO WHAT THAT MEANS IS THAT THIS UNTREATED TOXIC WASTE, THE PHARMACEUTICALS THAT COME OUT OF PEOPLE'S HOMES THAT UNFORTUNATELY THEY DUMP DOWN THEIR TOILETS, AND LITTLE MICROPLASTICS ARE GOING TO BE FUNNELED INTO THE HELOTES CREEK TO CONTAMINATE IT EVEN FURTHER. AT THIS POINT, I WANT TO SAY THAT I WOULD LIKE THE MAYOR AND THE COUNCIL MEMBERS TO CONSIDER THIS CCR.
BECAUSE WE DON'T KNOW WHAT'S GOING TO HAPPEN TO THE EDWARDS AQUIFER.
WE DEPEND ON THAT AND WE HAVE ENJOYED -- THE WATER HERE IN SAN ANTONIO IS WONDERFUL. I'M NOT FROM TEXAS AND I LOVE THE WATER HERE.
I DON'T WANT TO SEE IT DESTROYED. I THINK WE NEED TO HAVE BETTER OVERSIGHT ON THE WASTE MANAGEMENT. IF THIS DEVELOPMENT GOES
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THROUGH, I WOULD LIKE TO SEE COUNCIL FIND A WAY TO SLOW DOWN THIS PROCESS THAT WOULD GIVE OPPORTUNITIES FOR THE PROPERTY OWNERS TO LOOK AT OTHER OPTIONS BEFORE SELLING THE PROPERTY TO LENNAR. FOR EXAMPLE, LOOKING AT WAYS THEY COULD EARN OR HAVE PART OF THEIR PROPERTY PUT INTO A CONSERVATION EASEMENT. GIVE TIME FOR PEOPLE TO REALLY EVALUATE THE SCOPE OF THE DEVELOPMENT AND TO LOOK AT OTHER OPTIONS THAT HAVE BEEN DONE ACROSS THE NATION THAT HAVE BEEN ABLE TO BRING ABOUT RESPONSIBLE, SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT FOR HOMES, FOR BUSINESSES IN COMMUNITIES THAT DO NOT HAVE A DETRIMENTAL IMPACT ON THE ENVIRONMENT. THANK YOU VERY MUCH.>> MAYOR JONES: STEVE HUERTA. >> GOOD AFTERNOON.
MY NAME IS STEVEN HUERTA. I AM THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF REENTRY CHAIR FOR EDUCATION AND EMPLOYMENT WITH THE BEXAR COUNTY COMMISSIONER COURT AND SERVE AS ADVISORY ON REENTRY ON THE TOMMY CALVERT [INDISCERNIBLE].
I'M HERE BECAUSE I REALLY WANT TO SUPPORT THE POLICIES THAT SUPPORT SECOND-CHANCE HIRING. I'M ONE OF THE ORIGINAL ARCHITECTS [INDISCERNIBLE].
REALLY EXCITED THAT SOMETHING THAT'S GOING TO BE HAPPENING HERE.
I WANT TO TELL YOU WHY POLICIES LIKE THIS IS REALLY IMPORTANT FOR THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO. WHEN PEOPLE WITH RECORDS GET DECENT WORK, IT'S NOT JUST YOUR PROBLEM, IT'S A BILLION DOLLAR PROBLEM FOR THE CITY. SAN ANTONIO IS LOSING AN ESTIMATE OF 1 TO $1.5 BILLION EVERY YEAR IN WAGES, SPENDING, AND TAX REVENUE. BECAUSE OF UNEMPLOYMENT OR UNDEREMPLOYMENT AMONG PEOPLE WITH CRIMINAL RECORDS. THAT'S MONEY THAT WE ARE CHOOSING TO LEAVE ON THE TABLE. WE'RE NOT TALKING ABOUT A SMALL GROUP.
ROUGHLY ONE IN SIX ADULTS IN OUR COUNTY IS IMPACTED BY THE JUSTICE SYSTEM IN SOME WAY. THAT IS A WORKFORCE THE SIZE OF A MID-SIZED CITY LIVING WITHIN OUR CITY THAT WE ARE KEEPING ON THE SIDELINE. THE RESEARCH IS CLEAR.
WHEN PEOPLE GET A FAIR SHOT AT WORK OR HAVE THEIR RECORDS CLEARED, WAGES JUMP BY 20 TO 23% WITHIN THE FIRST YEAR. AND THE LIKELIHOOD OF REOFFENDING GOES DOWN, NOT UP. IN FACT, PEOPLE WHO GET RELIEF ARE LESS LIKELY TO BE ARRESTED THAN THE GENERAL POPULATION.
SO IF OUR CONCERN IS ALSO PUBLIC SAFETY, THE SAFEST THING THAT WE CAN DO IS MAKE SURE THAT WE GET PEOPLE WITH RECORDS STABLE JOBS. THIS IS ALSO A CHILDREN AND FAMILY ISSUE. NEARLY HALF OF KIDS IN THIS COUNTY HAVE A PARENT WITH SOME KIND OF RECORD. WHEN THAT PARENT CAN'T WORK, THAT CHILD PAYS THE PRICE IN HOUSING INSTABILITY, SCHOOL OUTCOMES, AND MENTAL HEALTH. WHAT CAN THIS COMMITTEE DO? FIRST, MAKE SAN ANTONIO A MODEL SECOND-CHANCE EMPLOYER.
STRENGTHEN FAIR-CHANCE HIRING AND SET CLEAR TARGETS FOR HIRING JUSTICE-IMPACTED RESIDENTS. SECOND, THE INCENTIVES TO OUR CONTRACTS GIVE SCORING PREFERENCE OR MODEST INCENTIVES TO VENDORS THAT ADOPT SECOND-CHANCE HIRING POLICIES THAT MEET THE BENCHMARKS. I'LL NOTE THAT AS CHAIRMAN OF OUR SUBCOMMITTEE AT THE COUNTY LEVEL, I WORKED VERY VIGOROUSLY WITH OUR
CONTRACTING DEPARTMENT AND BEXAR COUNTY HAS THAT. >> MAYOR JONES: THANK YOU, SIR. YOU CAN SUBMIT THE REST OF YOUR COMMENTS FOR THE RECORD. BARBARA ACCOST FOLLOWED BY DESTINY DE LA ROSA .
>> HI. GOOD AFTERNOON. MY NAME IS BARBARA ACOSTA.
I'M A DIRECTOR FOR THE PARTICIPATORY OFFENSE WITH PATHWAY TO FREEDOM.
DEAR MEMBERS OF THE GOVERNANCE COMMITTEE . FOR MANY IN SAN ANTONIO A CRIMINAL RECORD IS A LIFETIME BARRIER. IT CAN MEAN BEING TURNED AWAY FROM JOBS, EXCLUDED FROM HOUSING, DENIED CREDIT, AND LEFT WITHOUT THE DIGNITY
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OF PROVIDING FOR YOUR FAMILY. IT IS PAINFUL TO WATCH SKILLED, HARD-WORKING PEOPLE BE JUDGED BY THEIR WORST MISTAKE RATHER THAN THEIR BEST POTENTIAL. I KNOW THIS PAIN BECAUSE I LIVE IT.I MYSELF HAVE A BACKGROUND. I HAVE BEEN JUSTICE IMPACTED AS WELL.
I FACED REJECTION AFTER REJECTION WHEN APPLYING FOR WORK.
EVEN JOBS THAT I WAS QUALIFIED FOR, CAREER PATH THAT I DREAMED OF, THEY WERE SHUT OFF TO ME ENTIRELY. MY FAMILY AND I HAVE LIVED ON -- DID LIVE ON PUBLIC HOUSING FOR SIX YEARS BECAUSE MANY APARTMENTS WOULDN'T ACCEPT MY BACKGROUND. WHEN I TRIED TO BUY A HOME, I ALSO RAN INTO MORE HURDLES. SOME OF THE LENDERS CHECK THE BACKGROUNDS AND IT JUST WAS A HEADACHE FROM THERE. STILL, I PERSEVERED. TODAY I'M A HOMEOWNER, A MOTHER, AND AN ADVOCATE. BUT I KNOW THAT FOR EVERY ONE OF ME THERE ARE THOUSANDS MORE WHO NEVER GET THE SECOND CHANCE. THEY ARE BLOCKED, NOT BY LACK OF WILL, BUT BY LACK OF OPPORTUNITY. THIS WORK, TO ME, IS PERSONAL. I DO LEAD THE PARTICIPATORY DEFENSE PROGRAM UNDER THE PATHWAY OF FREEDOM PROJECT . AND I WORK EVERY DAY WITH JUSTICE-IMPACTED PEOPLE, OUR REENTRY PROGRAMS. WE ARE TRYING TO HEAL, PROVIDE, AND PARTICIPATE.
MY FATHER, TOMMY ACOSTA, SR., WAS A LEADER IN THE MOVEMENT AND HE WAS INSTRUMENTAL IN PASSING BAN THE BOX IN SAN ANTONIO IN 2016 .
HIS LEGACY OF SERVICE LIVES ON THROUGH ME AND TODAY I WILL CONTINUE TO FIGHT FOR THAT LEGACY. TO CONTINUE THE LEGACY BY ASKING TO SUPPORT THE CCR
2025-003. THANK YOU. >> MAYOR JONES: DESTINY DE
LA ROSA FOLLOWED BY ALEXANDER TESLA. >> HI.
ANY NAME IS DESTINY DE LA ROSA AND I'M A MEMBER OF THE BIG HOMIE STREET MENTORS.
I'M JUSTICE IMPACTED AND BECAUSE OF MY BACKGROUND I CONTINUE TO FACE BARRIERS IN MY LIFE. I STRUGGLE TO FIND EMPLOYMENT AND HOUSING THAT WILL ACCEPT MY HISTORY. WHEN I AM HONEST, WILLING, AND FULLY QUALIFIED.
RECENTLY I WAS OFFERED A GREAT JOB OPPORTUNITY . I COMPLETED EVERY STEP OF THE HIRING PROCESS AND WAS COMPLETELY TRANSPARENT ABOUT MY BACKGROUND.
ONE WEEK BEFORE STARTING I RECEIVED A CALL INFORMING ME I NO LONGER QUALIFIED.
BECAUSE OF MY RECORD, SITUATIONS LIKE THIS CONTINUE TO CLOSE DOORS AND LIMIT MY ABILITY TO MOVE FORWARD. I AM ASKING FOR A CCR TO BE APPROVED SO PEOPLE LIKE ME CAN RECEIVE REAL SECOND CHANCES.
A SECOND CHANCE IS AN OPPORTUNITY TO REBUILD A LIFE.
SUPPORT A FAMILY AND NOT BE DEFINED FOREVER BY MY PAST MISTAKES.
I DO NOT WANT MY BACKGROUND TO FOLLOW ME FOR THE REST OF MY LIFE.
WITH CCR 2025, INDIVIDUALS LIKE ME CAN FINALLY ACCESS OPPORTUNITIES WE NEED TO
GROW AND SUCCEED. THANK YOU. >> MAYOR JONES: OUR FINAL
SPEAKER, ALEXANDER TESLA. >> THANK YOU. GOOD AFTERNOON.
I'LL BE SPEAKING ON ITEM 6, THE CCR FOR THE DIVERSION CENTER.
MY NAME IS ALEXANDER TESLA. I'M AN ASSOCIATE PROFESSOR. OCTOBER 2023 I WAS COMMISSIONED BY THE BEXAR COUNTY COMMISSIONER COURT TO CONDUCT AN EVALUATION OF THE PROCESSING OF ARRESTED PERSONS AT THE JUSTICE INTAKE AND ASSESSMENT ANNEX.
MY REPORT, WHICH IS AVAILABLE ONLINE, HIGHLIGHTED A NUMBER OF AREAS OF IMPROVEMENT FOR THE WAY THAT WE PROCESS ARRESTED PERSONS.
ONE OF THOSE CHAPTERS FOCUSES ON THE NEED FOR BETTER MENTAL HEALTH, SUBSTANCE USE, AND DEVELOPMENTAL DISABILITY SCREENING AND PROCESSES AND CALLED FOR THE IMPLEMENTATION OF A DEDICATED DIVERSION CENTER IN THE CITY. SAN ANTONIO BEXAR COUNTY WILL NOW BECOME THE ONLY MAJOR METROPOLITAN AREA WITHOUT A DEDICATED DIVERSION CENTER FOCUSED ON MENTAL HEALTH PROCESSING OF ARRESTED PERSONS. HARRIS COUNTY, AUSTIN, AND DALLAS HAVE ESTABLISHED ONE. AT THE PRETRIAL STAGE OR IN JAIL IS ASSOCIATED WITH A NUMBER OF ADVERSE OUTCOMES AS WELL AS RECIDIVISM. DIVERSE CENTERS OFFER POTENTIAL TO IMPROVE OUTCOMES. I DO BELIEVE THAT THE CITY AND COUNTY HAS THE TALENT, THE DEDICATED PERSONNEL TO MAKE IT HAPPEN.
AND I MYSELF, AS A RESEARCHER, HAS WORKED ON THIS ISSUE, AM HAPPY TO MAKE MYSELF AVAILABLE TO BOTH THE CITY AND COUNTY ACTORS WHO ARE WORKING ON THIS ISSUE.
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I WOULD LIKE TO VOICE MY SUPPORT IN FAVOR OF THIS CCR.AND I AM HERE IF THERE'S ANY FOLLOW-UP QUESTIONS. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME.
>> MAYOR JONES: THANK YOU. THAT BEING OUR FINAL SPEAKER, WE'LL MOVE ON TO THE ACTION ITEMS. MADAME CLERK, PLEASE READ THE CAPTION FOR ITEM 2.
>> CLERK: ITEM 2 IS A COUNCIL CONSIDERATION REQUEST BY COUNCIL MEMBERS IVALIS MEZA GONZALEZ, DISTRICT 8, AND MARINA ALDERETE GAVITO, DISTRICT 7,
ON THE GUAJOLOTE RANCH PROJECT . >> MAYOR JONES: ERIK,
PLEASE MAKE THE PRESENTATION. >> WALSH: THANK YOU, MAYOR. BRIDGETT WILL PRESENT ON ITEM 2 ON THIS CCR.
>> GOOD AFTERNOON, MAYOR AND COMMITTEE MEMBERS. BRIDGETT WHITE, DIRECTOR OF THE PLANNING DEPARTMENT. THE GUAJOLOTE RANCH PROJECT CCR WAS SUBMITTED ON OCTOBER 1 D 7. THE GUAJOLOTE RANCH PROJECT IS A PROPOSED 1100-PLUS ACRE RESIDENTIAL DEVELOPMENT, LOCATED IN NORTHWEST BEXAR COUNTY IN THE CITY'S EXTRATERRITORIAL JURISDICTION, OR ETJ. NEAR THE INTERSECTION OF SCENIC LOOP ROAD AND BABCOCK ROAD . IT IS ANTICIPATED TO BE DEVELOPED WITH APPROXIMATELY 3,000 SINGLE-FAMILY RESIDENTIAL UNITS.
IT IS OVER THE EDWARDS AQUIFER CONTRIBUTING ZONE. THE COUNCIL CONSIDERATION REQUEST, OR CCR, INCLUDES THREE ITEMS SHOWN HERE ON THE SLIDE.
ONE, AN ASSESSMENT OF POSSIBLE DANGERS OR IMPACT OF THE PROPOSED GUAJOLOTE RANCH PROJECT. TWO, AN EVALUATION OF FUNDING SOURCES FOR POTENTIAL LAND ACQUISITION, CONSERVATION EASEMENTS, OR OTHER PROTECTIVE MEASURES.
THREE, COUNCIL BRIEFINGS ON AQUIFER THREATS. THERE ARE SEVERAL CONSIDERATIONS RELATED TO THIS REQUEST. FIRST, RESPONSES WERE RECEIVED FROM SAWS AND THE EDWARDS AQUIFER AUTHORITY FOR ITEM NO. 1.
THOSE RESPONSES WERE ATTACHED TO THE MEMO. SECOND, THE PROJECT IS TO BE DEVELOPED AS A SPECIAL DISTRICT, WHICH CAN BE CREATED BY THE COUNTY, THE TEXAS COMMISSION ON ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY, OR TCEQ, OR THE STATE.
THE PROPERTY OWNERS AND DEVELOPERS SUBMITTED TO THE CITY ON NOVEMBER 10 A PETITION FOR CONSENT TO THE CREATION OF A MUNICIPAL UTILITY DISTRICT.
THESE DISTRICTS ARE UNDER THE TEXAS WATER CODE, SPECIFICALLY CHAPTERS 49 AND 54. IN ADDITION TO THE WATER CODE, STAFF MUST REFER TO THE TEXAS LOCAL GOVERNMENT CODE. THERE IS A 90-DAY REQUIREMENT FROM SET OF THE PETITION FOR CONSENT OR DENIAL ON THE CREATION OF THE DISTRICT. THEREFORE, THE PETITION WILL NEED TO BE CONSIDERED NO LATER THAN FEBRUARY 10. WE HAVE NOTED A FEBRUARY 5 COUNCIL DATE NEXT YEAR.
THERE IS ALSO A LIMIT TO THE RESTRICTIONS THAT CAN BE PLACED ON THE DISTRICT IN EXCHANGE FOR CONSENT. STAFF RECOMMENDS THIS ITEM PROCEED TO THE ENTIRE COUNCIL FOR CONSIDERATION OF THE MUNICIPAL UTILITY DISTRICT PETITION, GIVEN THE STATE'S 90-DAY REQUIREMENT. MAYOR, THAT CONCLUDES MY PRESENTATION ON THE
SUBMITTED CCR AND STAFF IS AVAILABLE FOR QUESTIONS. >> MAYOR JONES: GREAT.
THANK YOU. ONE OF THE SPONSORS WILL COME SPEAK.
>> GOOD AFTERNOON. THANK YOU. SINCE 2000, SAN ANTONIO HAS BEEN THE TIP OF THE SPEAR WHEN IT COMES TO LAND CONSERVATION FOR THE PURPOSE OF PROTECTING THE EDWARDS AQUIFER. NEARLY 70% OF OUR DRINKING WATER COMES FROM THIS SOURCE AND IT HAS BEEN DESCRIBED AS ONE OF THE MOST PROLIFIC AND PRISTINE AQUIFER SYSTEMS IN THE WORLD. WE ARE CURRENTLY BLESSED TO HAVE THE AQUIFER AND THE VOTERS HAVE APPROVED ALLOCATION OF SALES TAX FOUR TIMES SINCE THE EDWARDS AQUIFER PROTECTION PROGRAM BEGAN.
SINCE 2000, THE CITY HAS PROTECTED BEXAR COUNTY. OTHER PARTNERS INCLUDE TEXAS PARKS AND WILDLIFE, SAWS, AND THE NATURE CONSERVANCY. WE HAVE A VESTED INTEREST IN ENSURING THE SAFETY OF OUR PRIMARY SOURCE OF DRINKING WATER FROM IRRESPONSIBLE DEVELOPMENT.
WE FILED THIS CCR TO BRING ATTENTION TO THE CONCERNS RAISED BY THIS DEVELOPMENT.
IT ALSO UNDERSCORES THE NEED FOR US TO EVALUATE THE POLICIES AND PROCEDURES THAT WE CURRENTLY USE TO IDENTIFY AND PRIORITIZE THE PROPERTIES THAT SHOULD BE PROTECTED TO GIVE STAKEHOLDERS THE GREATEST RETURN ON OUR INVESTMENT.
WE SHOULD PRIORITIZE CONSERVING PROPERTIES IN OUR OWN BACKYARD.
THESE PROPERTIES ARE MOST AT RISK FOR DEVELOPMENT, WHICH SHOULD POTENTIALLY HARM THE AQUIFER BUT ALSO PRESENT RISK OF OTHER ENVIRONMENTAL CONCERNS.
SO, IT'S OUR REQUEST THAT IN ADDITION TO THE FULL COUNCIL HEARING WITH THE MUD REQUEST, THAT THE COMMUNITY HEALTH COMMITTEE BEGIN TO LOOK AT THE POLICIES SURROUNDING CONSERVATION EASEMENTS IN ORDER TO IDENTIFY AND PRIORITIZE AVAILABLE PROPERTIES LOCATED OVER THE CONTRIBUTING AND RECHARGE ZONES OF THE AQUIFER, SPECIFICALLY IN BEXAR COUNTY AND THE CITY'S ETJ.
WHILE GUAJOLOTE IS A WAKE-UP CALL, IF WE DON'T TAKE ACTION NOW, THERE WILL BE
[00:30:02]
MORE OF THIS DEVELOPMENT IN THE FUTURE . >> MAYOR JONES: THANK YOU.
AS HAS BEEN MENTIONED EVEN DURING PUBLIC COMMENT, THIS IS A LONG-STANDING ISSUE IN OUR COMMUNITY. AND LOTS OF DISCUSSION AND SEEKING TO BETTER UNDERSTAND THE ACTUAL RISKS TO THE WATER SUPPLY. SO APPRECIATE THE INTENT OF THE CCR WITH MUCH OF THIS ADDRESSED IN OTHER WAYS. LET ME -- I ALSO -- THERE'S A SPECIFIC POINT OF THE CCR COUNCIL BRIEFINGS ON AQUIFER THREATS.
AS MANY KNOW, WE HAVE MOVED TO HAVING THE UTILITIES COME BRIEF THE FULL COUNCIL EVERY BRIEFINGS ON AQUIFER THREATS IS CERTAINLY PART OF SAWS' RESPONSIBILITIES TO THE COUNCIL ALREADY. SO THAT IS NOT A NEW REQUIREMENT.
LET ME MOVE ON TO MY COUNCIL COLLEAGUES HERE. WE'LL ALLOW FIVE MINUTES FOR THE FIRST ROUND AND THREE MINUTES FOR THE SECOND ROUND OF COMMENTS.
COUNCILMAN MUNGIA. >> MUNGIA: THANK YOU, MAYOR.
I WANT TO THANK THE COUNCILWOMEN FOR CO-AUTHORING THIS.
I WAS PROUD TO SIGN THAT CCR. I WENT OUT THERE ALSO AND TOOK A TOUR AND HEARD THE PLIGHT OF THE RESIDENTS AND PEOPLE WHO ACTUALLY LIVE OUT THERE. IT WAS VERY IMPORTANT TO NOTE THAT ONE OF THE COUNCIL MEMBERS HADN'T REALLY HEARD ANYTHING ABOUT THE CITY OR WHERE WE WERE UNTIL THE CCR WAS FILED. I THINK THAT WAS A REALLY GOOD COMMUNICATION PIECE FOR THEM. I DO SUPPORT, OBVIOUSLY VOTING ON THIS.
I DO ALSO SUPPORT THE SECOND REQUEST OF LAND ACQUISITION CONSERVATION EASEMENTS ALSO GOING TO CHEC FOR FURTHER CONVERSATION. WE SHOULD RESPECT THAT REQUEST AND SO I DO SUPPORT THAT. THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
>> MAYOR JONES: COUNCILMAN MCKEE-RODRIGUEZ. >> MCKEE-RODRIGUEZ: THANK YOU, MAYOR. YES, I'LL AGREE WITH THE SENTIMENT AS WELL.
I'LL BE FAIRLY SHORT. I DO AGREE WITH CITY COUNCIL HAVING THE -- OF COURSE WE HAVE TO DO WHAT WE MUST BY LAW AND THEN HAVING A CONVERSATION AS A FULL BODY, I THINK IS IMPORTANT. BUT WHEN CCRS HAVE BEEN FILED, I DO APPRECIATE WHEN, YOU KNOW, AS MUCH OF THE REQUEST GETS MET AS POSSIBLE.
I THINK JUST THAT ALONE DOESN'T MEET THE REQUEST THAT WE EVALUATE FUNDING SOURCES, LOOK AT CONSERVATION EASEMENTS. I DON'T KNOW THAT A MOTION HAS BEEN MADE YET BUT I WILL SUPPORT THAT AS WELL GOING TO CHEC.
>> MAYOR JONES: COUNCILWOMAN VIAGRAN. >> VIAGRAN: YEAH.
I SUPPORT STAFF'S RECOMMENDATION TO TAKE THIS TO FULL COUNCIL SO THAT WE CAN DISCUSS IT THERE. I THINK THERE IS A LOT OF INFORMATION REGARDING WHAT IS A CONTRIBUTING ZONE, WHO IS GOING TO BE REGULATING WHAT, AND WHAT PEOPLE CAN DO WITH THEIR OWN PROPERTY. THERE'S A LOT TO UNPACK HERE FOR THE ETJ.
I THINK WE'VE HAD AN INITIAL CONVERSATION. I THINK WE NEED TO TAKE IT TO B SESSION TO HAVE A LARGER CONVERSATION AND SEE WHAT OUR BEST-CASE SCENARIOS ARE. I DO SUPPORT LOOKING INTO MORE OPPORTUNITIES AS WE DO THIS. BUT I DO BELIEVE THAT WE NEED TO BRING ALL OUR STAKEHOLDERS TOGETHER. WHILE THE CITY HOLDS A LARGE RESPONSIBILITY, DUE TO THE FACT THAT WE DO -- THAT SAWS IS A CITY-OWNED UTILITY, I THINK WE NEED TO UNDERSTAND THAT THERE ARE OTHER ACTORS IN THIS PROCESS THAT WE NEED TO ENGAGE WITH.
THANK YOU. >> MAYOR JONES: ERIK, DO YOU WANT TO JUST LAY OUT THE PROCESS FOR FOLKS IN TERMS OF TIMELINE? THIS IS ALREADY, OBVIOUSLY, SCHEDULED TO COME TO THE COUNCIL FOR ACTION, WHICH IS REQUIRED BY LAW.
SO IF YOU WANTED TO TALK THROUGH -- OR THE CITY STAFF --K THROUGH THE TIMELINE.
>> IN TERMS OF THE TIMELINE, BECAUSE OF STATE LAW, THERE IS A 90-DAY REQUIREMENT.
SO THE OPTIONS FOR CITY COUNCIL ARE TWO OPTIONS. YOU CAN APPROVE.
IF YOU APPROVE, THE ITEM WOULD PROCEED TO TCEQ FOR THEIR APPROVAL FOR THE CREATION OF THE MUD. IF CITY COUNCIL CHOOSES TO DENY OR MAKE NO ACTION, THE DEVELOPER OR PROPERTY OWNER WOULD THEN HAVE TO GO THROUGH THE PROCESS OF FILING ANOTHER PETITION TO ASK FOR AND NEGOTIATE SERVICES WITH THE CITY OR SAWS. THAT'S 120-DAY REQUIREMENT. WITH THAT PARTICULAR DECISION-MAKING PROCESS, IF THE DECISION IS MADE THAT SERVICE IS TO BE PROVIDED WITHIN 120 DAYS, THE DEVELOPER CAN THEN CHOOSE TO DEVELOP.
THEY CAN ALSO CHOOSE TO COME BACK TO THE CITY FOR THE CREATION OF A SPECIAL DISTRICT, MORE FOR A FUNDING MECHANISM. IF CITY COUNCIL CHOOSES NOT TO PROVIDE SERVICE WITHIN THAT 120 DAYS, THEY CAN THEN OPT TO GO BACK TO TCEQ.
[00:35:04]
>> SEGOVIA: MAYOR, MAY I CLARIFY? I THINK THERE'S SOME CONFUSION. THE GOVERNANCE COMMITTEE IS NOT DETERMINING WHETHER THE
MUD REQUEST WILL GO TO FULL COUNCIL OR NOT. >> MAYOR JONES: UNDERSTOOD. AND THAT'S EXACTLY WHY I MADE THE COMMENT IN THAT THERE'S ALREADY A PROCESS IN PLACE BY WHICH THIS INFORMATION WILL BE PART OF
THAT DISCUSSION. >> SEGOVIA: CORRECT. AND THE GOVERNANCE COMMITTEE HAS THE ABILITY TO MOVE TO CHEC THE TWO ITEMS THAT THE COUNCILWOMAN SUGGESTED.
WHICH ARE NOT MUTUALLY EXCLUSIVE. >> WALSH: THE TIMELINE THAT BRIDGETT LAID OUT WITHIN THE STATUTORILY-REQUIRED TIME WOULD LIKELY COME BY FEBRUARY 5. I THINK TO YOUR QUESTION ALSO, MAYOR, THERE WOULD BE SOME COUNCIL CONVERSATION AT ONE OF OUR FOUR MEETINGS IN JANUARY. EITHER AT B SESSIONS OR A SESSIONS.
WE'LL NEED TO SCHEDULE THAT AND ENGAGE THAT BASED OFF OF NEXT STEPS.
WE WOULDN'T JUST PUT IT ON THE FEBRUARY 5TH AGENDA. THERE'S PROBABLY SOME
LEAD-UP TIME WE NEED TO DO. >> MAYOR JONES: IT WAS REFERENCED ACTUALLY DURING PUBLIC COMMENT. ONE OF THE THINGS WE'LL WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE HAVE CLARITY ON IS THE REAL, FRANKLY, ASSESSMENT THAT WE AGREE UPON, WHICH OUTLINES -- WHICH IS GOING TO BE OUR COMMON UNDERSTANDING OF THE THREAD.
I RECOGNIZE EVEN STATE SENATOR CAMPBELL RAISED IT. IT WAS RAISED BY SOMEONE IN PUBLIC COMMENT AND UNDERSTANDING THERE ARE DIFFERENCES OF OPINION IN TERMS OF THE ACTUAL THREAT. WE'LL NEED THAT AS PART OF THOSE DISCUSSIONS .
THE SECOND PIECE -- WE'VE TALKED ABOUT THIS MORE BROADLY, ERIK.
BUT IN TERMS OF EVALUATING FUNDING SOURCES FOR POTENTIAL LAND ACQUISITION, WE HAVE TALKED ABOUT HOW SOME ASPECTS OF CCRS MAY COME WITH SIGNIFICANT BUDGETARY CONSIDERATIONS. DO YOU HAVE A RECOMMENDATION ON HOW YOU WOULD BRING THAT
BEFORE US FOR CONSIDERATION? >> WALSH: WE HAVE A CURRENT FUNDING SOURCE FOR THE ACQUISITION OF SENSITIVE PROPERTY OVER THE AQUIFER RIGHT NOW.
IT'S FUNDED THROUGH SAWS' REVENUE AND A COMMERCIAL PAPER DEBT PROGRAM.
I THINK BASED ON WHAT THE COUNCILWOMAN'S SUGGESTION IS TO HAVE A FURTHER BRIEFING ABOUT THAT VEHICLE AT THE COMMITTEE LEVEL. BEYOND THAT SOURCE OF REVENUE, WE DON'T HAVE IT CURRENTLY IDENTIFIED AND THE COUNCIL WOULD NEED TO PRIORITIZE OR WE WOULD NEED TO DEVELOP A NEW REVENUE SOURCE.
ON THE SECOND ROUND, ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? COUNCILMAN MCKEE-RODRIGUEZ.
>> MCKEE-RODRIGUEZ: JUST TO THAT POINT, THAT THAT'S A FUNDING SOURCE THAT ALREADY EXISTS. I THINK ONE OF THE CHALLENGES I HAVE -- I DON'T KNOW THAT I HAVE EVER RECEIVED A NOTICE FROM SAWS OR FROM CITY STAFF, LIKE PRIOR TO ALL OF THIS WE RECEIVED NOTHING FROM CITY STAFF THAT THERE WAS A THREAT TO THE AQUIFER. AND SO WHAT ELEVATES TO THAT LEVEL THAT MAKES YOU SAY, OH, THIS IS A STEP WE NEED TO TAKE. IT WOULD BE NICE TO GET AN ANSWER IN A LITTLE BIT, BUT I WOULD SAY A LIMIT OF TWO OR THREE WOULD BE HELPFUL TO GO TO CHEC FOR ACTION PURPOSES. I DO THINK THAT'S A DISCUSSION WORTHWHILE, ESPECIALLY IN LIGHT OF ALL OF THIS.
>> WALSH: IT'S A TWO-PART ANSWER. PART OF IT THE MAYOR ANSWERED ALREADY. WITH THE REGULAR UTILITY BRIEFINGS, THE EXPECTATION I THINK FROM THE MAYOR AND THE COUNCIL IS THAT IF SAWS IS GOING TO BE IN HERE SIX TIMES A YEAR GIVING YOU ALL AN UPDATE, IF THERE'S SOMETHING OVER THE HILL OUTSIDE OUR CITY LIMITS, THAT'S AN OPPORTUNITY FOR THEM.
OR IT'S AN OPPORTUNITY FOR THEM TO SHARE PUBLICLY WHAT THEY'RE DEALING WITH.
IN THIS CASE, THIS CASE BEGAN IN 2019 AT THE SAWS' BOARD.
IT'S OUTSIDE OF THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO AND HAS GONE THROUGH A NUMBER OF DIFFERENT STEPS. OUR INVOLVEMENT AT THIS POINT AS AN ORGANIZATION WAS WHETHER THERE WAS A POTENTIAL PID APPLICATION THAT HAS COME TO THE CITY.
WE HAVE KNOWN ABOUT THAT THE LAST COUPLE OF MONTHS AS A POTENTIAL.
IN THE CURRENT SITUATION WE FIND OURSELVES WITH BASED ON THE REQUEST THAT COUNCILWOMAN GAVITO SENT TO SAWS AND THE EDWARDS AQUIFER AUTHORITY SEVERAL WEEKS AGO AND THE RESPONSES WE INCLUDED, ANYTHING TO THE MAYOR'S COMMENTS THAT THESE TYPES OF SITUATIONS THAT MAY BE BOILING UP OR SIMMERING RIGHT OUTSIDE THAT ARE GOING TO IMPACT THE WATER QUALITY OR WATER ACCESS TO THE ENTIRE COMMUNITY. THAT THERE BE A LITTLE BIT MORE OF A HEADS UP.
>> MCKEE-RODRIGUEZ: FOR SURE. I WOULD SAY, LOOKING AT THE
[00:40:01]
LETTER FROM SAWS, IF I WERE TO SUM UP THE SIX OR SO PAGES, IT'S BASICALLY, YES, THIS COULD BE CONCERNING BUT WE'VE DONE WHAT WE NEEDED TO DO FOR IT TO NO LONGER CONCERN US. THAT WAS MY TAKEAWAY. MAYBE I COMPLETELY MISREADIT. >> WALSH: WOULD YOU LIKE THE SAWS REPRESENTATIVE IN
THE ROOM TO ADDRESS THAT? >> GOOD AFTERNOON, MAYOR AND COUNCIL MEMBERS.
MY NAME IS DONOVAN BURTON WITH THE SAN ANTONIO WATER SYSTEM.
THERE ARE A LOT OF COMPLEXITIES -- THERE ARE A COUPLE OF LETTERS OUT THERE.
WE BELIEVE THAT A LOT OF THE RISKS HAVE BEEN SIGNIFICANTLY MITIGATED THROUGH THE CLAUSES THAT WE PUT INTO THE CONTRACT, INTO THE WATER CONTRACT WITH THE DEVELOPER. PLUS THEY WERE FOLLOWED UP BY SOME THINGS THAT METRO HEALTH DID AT THE TCEQ LEVEL. AND THEN WE BELIEVE THAT THE GEOLOGY OF THE AQUIFER SIGNIFICANT THREAT TO THE AQUIFER. CERTAINLY, WE'RE NOT GOING TO SAY THERE CAN'T BE ANY WATER AT ALL GET INTO THE EDWARDS AQUIFER.
AND ANY WATER IS CONCERNING, TO SOME EXTENT. WE CERTAINLY ARE NOT GOING TO LET ANY KIND OF -- WE ARE REQUIRED TO PROVIDE GOOD, PURE DRINKING WATER TO OUR CUSTOMERS. BUT WE, AT THIS POINT, DON'T SEE A SIGNIFICANT THREAT FROM THIS PARTICULAR DEVELOPMENT AS IT STANDS TODAY.
>> MCKEE-RODRIGUEZ: THANK YOU. I GUESS ALL THAT BEING SAID, THIS DOES NOT REQUIRE ACTION BUT WHAT WE'RE DISCUSSING ABOUT PARTS 2 AND 3 OF THE REQUEST DO REQUIRE ACTION, IF WE WANT TO SEND IT. I MOVE TO -- IF WE COULD GO
TO SLIDE 3 REAL QUICK, JUST FOR EASY REFERENCE. >>
>> MCKEE-RODRIGUEZ: CAN WE CONTINUE DISCUSSION AFTER A MOTION HAS BEEN MADE? OKAY. I MOVE TO SEND THE DISCUSSION ON ITEM 2 AND 3
TO THE CHEC COMMITTEE. >> MAYOR JONES: REMINDER. THE THIRD ITEM IS SOMETHING THAT SAWS PROVIDES TO THE FULL COUNCIL. ARE YOU LOOKING FOR DIFFERENT INFORMATION THAN WHAT THEY PROVIDE TO THE FULL COUNCIL?
>> MCKEE-RODRIGUEZ: I THINK IT COULD EVEN BE A SLIGHTLY BRIEFER PRESENTATION TO THE COMMITTEE THAN WHAT THEY WOULD GIVE TO FULL COUNCIL.
BUT WHAT I'M LOOKING FOR IS ITEM 2 IN THE CONTEXT OF REQUEST 3.
DOES THAT MAKE SENSE? >> MAYOR JONES: WE CAN MAKE SURE THAT IT'S CAPTURED BEFORE IT MOVES FORWARD. ADDITIONAL COMMENTS. SECOND ROUND? OKAY. ACTUALLY, DONOVAN, SINCE WE'VE GOT YOU, TO LAY FLAT, ACTUALLY -- BECAUSE IT SPEAKS EXACTLY TO, AGAIN, THE CONCERN WITH THE THREAT.
BUT ALSO THE DIFFERENT ANALYSIS THAT EXIST, IN PARTICULAR FROM SWERY.
CAN YOU SAY WHY YOU DISAGREE WITH THEIR ANALYSIS? >> THE SWERY ANALYSIS, THERE ARE A COUPLE OF MAJOR DIFFERENCES WE SEE VERSUS WHAT THAT REPORT SHOWED.
SOME OF IT IS MAPPING OF THE UNDERGROUND GEOLOGY, SO THE AQUIFERS.
THERE'S A MAJOR FAULT THERE AND OVER TIME THE AQUIFER LEVELS HAVE SHIFTED.
ONE OF OUR ANALYSIS IS THAT WHERE THIS WATER COULD POSSIBLY GO INTO THE AQUIFER WOULD BE THE UPPER TRINITY AQUIFER. AS IT GOES INTO OR THROUGH THAT FAULT, IF IT DOES GET THROUGH THAT FAULT , IT WOULD GO INTO A VERY DENSE AREA OF THE EDWARDS AQUIFER. AND SO WE THINK THAT WOULD PROHIBIT A LOT OF THAT WATER FROM GOING IN. PLUS JUST GENERALLY THAT FAULT IS GOING TO KEEP A LOT OF WATER FROM GOING INTO THE EDWARDS AQUIFER. I'M TRYING TO AVOID SPEAKING IN BLANKET. I CAN'T SAY THERE WON'T BE A DROP THAT COULD GET OVER THERE, BUT WE THINK LARGELY THAT WATER WOULD NOT CROSS THROUGH THE FAULT TO EDWARDS TO GET INTO THAT AREA. THE OTHER MAJOR THING I WOULD POINT OUT IS THERE WAS A WELL STUDY DONE, SOME TRACING DONE, AND USED IN THAT STUDY FROM 2006 .
THAT WAS DONE FROM A WELL THEY PUT DIATRACE INTO. SO THERE WAS DYE FOUND IN BOTH OF THE AQUIFERS. THEY ASSUMED THEY WERE MIXING BUT ACTUALLY THEY WEREN'T BLOCKED OFF . AND SO THE WELL WAS LATER CAPPED OFF.
NOT CAPPED OFF, BUT THE WELLS -- I'M SORRY. THEY WERE BLOCKED OFF FROM THE VARIOUS LAYERS. AND SO THAT WATER GOING INTO THE WELL WOULDN'T GO INTO BOTH AQUIFERS. THE TWO MAJOR ISSUES OF DIFFERENCE WE SEE WITH THE
[00:45:02]
SWERY REPORT VERSUS WHAT WE'RE SEEING. THE DISCHARGE POINT IS 11 TO 13 MILES AWAY FROM ANY OF OUR WELLS. 7 OR 8 MILES AFTER IT GETS INTO THE EDWARDS AQUIFER. WE THINK THERE ARE A WHOLE LOT OF THINGS THAT HAPPEN WITHIN THE AQUIFER THAT COULD PREVENT IT FROM GETTING TO ANY OF OUR WELLS.AND FINALLY, THAT WATER IS MOVING CONSTANTLY. THE EDWARDS AQUIFER IS NOT A STATIC POOL OF WATER SITTING THERE, IT'S MOVING CONSTANTLY WITHOUT THE SYSTEM, GOING FROM WEST TO EAST. SOME OF THAT WILL MOVE OUT.
SO THAT'S THE DIFFERENCE IN THE SCIENCE THAT WE SEE, OF THE PARTICULAR AQUIFERS.
THEN YOU GET INTO THE MITIGATION THAT WE PUT IN PLACE IN THE CONTRACTS THAT WILL REQUIRE THEM TO HAVE NUTRIENT REMOVAL. AND A CLASS A OPERATOR, THERE ARE NINE THINGS WE PUT INTO THE CONTRACT THAT WOULD MITIGATE A LOT OF THE
THREATS THAT COULD GET INTO THE WATER. >> MAYOR JONES: THANKS, DONOVAN. YOU DON'T HAVE ANY GEOLOGISTS UP HERE SO WE WILL TAKE YOUR WORD FOR IT. HOWEVER, I KNOW, AGAIN, RECOGNIZING THE PUBLIC TO INCLUDE AN ELECTED OFFICIAL CONTINUES TO REFERENCE THE REPORT.
YOU JUST PROVIDED YOUR EXPLANATION AS TO WHY YOU HAVE A DIFFERENCE OF ANALYSIS. I DON'T KNOW DIFFERENCE OF ANALYSIS BUT WE WILL MAKE SURE, COUNCILMAN AND GOVERNANCE COMMITTEE, WE WILL MAKE SURE THAT BEFORE THIS COMES TO THE COUNCIL AS PART OF THE MUD DISCUSSION THAT WE HAVE THAT. THANK YOU.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS FOR DONOVAN? GO AHEAD.
>> MCKEE-RODRIGUEZ: NO QUESTIONS FOR DONOVAN BUT I UNDERSTAND THE CONFUSION AND WHAT MY MOTION WAS IN RELATION TO PART 3. I UNDERSTAND THAT CITY COUNCIL WILL BE RECEIVING BRIEFINGS FROM SAWS ON ANY NEW AND EMERGING THREATS AND WHATNOT. WHAT I WOULD SPECIFICALLY LIKE TO SEE TO GO TO CHEC IS THE TOTALITY OF REQUEST NUMBER TWO. ARE THERE ANY CURRENT OR UPCOMING THREATS, AS WELL AS ANY PAST ONES THAT MAYBE HAVE RISEN TO A LEVEL OF CONCERN. AND THEN WHAT IS THE THRESHOLD -- WHAT ARE THE DIFFERENT TYPES OF THREATS AND ISSUES AND WHATNOT. I GUESS WHAT I WANT IS THOSE METRICS. I WANT THE DISCUSSION TO TAKE PLACE AT CHEC ON WHAT IS A THREAT, WHAT IS NOT. WHAT RISES TO THE LEVEL THAT SAWS WOULD PRESENT IT TO
FULL COUNCIL. DOES THAT MAKE SENSE? >> MAYOR JONES: IT DOES, COUNCILMAN. AND THERE WOULD PROBABLY BE BENEFIT -- WE'LL HAVE THAT PROVIDED AT THE NEXT SESSION SO EVERYONE CAN HAVE THEIR QUESTIONS ANSWERED AT THE SAME TIME. EVEN THOUGH YOU'RE NOT ON CHEC, YOU CARE ABOUT THE AQUIFER AND THREATS TO IT. WE'LL HAVE THAT DISCUSSION THE NEXT TIME THEY COME TO US. OKAY. DID YOU WANT TO MODIFY YOUR
SO YOU WANT TO RETRACT YOUR MOTION? >>
>> MAYOR JONES: LEAVE YOUR MOTION? OKAY.
SO YOU STILL WANT, JUST TO BE VERY CLEAR, ASPECTS OF 2. THREATS RELATED TO PARTS OF 2? WHY DON'T YOU RESTATE EXACTLY WHAT YOUR MOTION IS?
>> MCKEE-RODRIGUEZ: FOR SURE. SO MY MOTION IS FOR ALL OF REQUEST 2, AS WELL AS SOME OF THE ITEMS I JUST TALKED ABOUT.
AN UPDATE ON THREATS. PAST, PRESENT, EMERGING, AS WELL AS THOSE THRESHOLDS AND METRICS FOR WHAT CONSTITUTES A THREAT IN AN ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUE THAT IS GOING TO GO TO FULL COUNCIL. I WOULD LIKE FOR THAT TO BE PRESENTED TO THE CHEC
COMMITTEE. >> MAYOR JONES: THERE IS A MOTION FOR THOSE THINGS TO GO TO THE CHEC COMMITTEE. AGAIN, THOSE WILL BE SHARED AGAIN DURING THE B SESSION.
POTENTIALLY THE EXACT SAME BRIEFING. THERE IS AN ADDITIONAL COMMENT? NO? OKAY.
THERE'S A MOTION AND A SECOND AS STATED. IS THERE A SECOND, BASED ON
VOTE. >> AYE. >> MAYOR JONES: MOTION PASSES. MADAME CLERK, PLEASE READ THE CAPTION FOR ITEM 3.
>> CLERK: ITEM NO. 3 IS A COUNCIL CONSIDERATION REQUEST BY COUNCIL MEMBER TERI CASTILLO, DISTRICT 5, ON THE SECOND CHANCE FAIR HIRING INCENTIVE.
[00:50:02]
>> MAYOR JONES: OVER TO YOU FOR THE STAFF PRESENTATION .
>> THANK YOU, MAYOR. THIS CCR WAS SUBMITTED ON OCTOBER 2, 2025 BY COUNCILWOMAN CASTILLO. FOR THE CITY TO ENTER INTO AN AGREEMENT WITH BEXAR COUNTY TO DEVELOPMENT A SECOND CHANCE WORKFORCE INITIATIVE PROGRAM FOR JUSTICE-AFFECTED RESIDENTS COORDINATE WITH CHRISTUS MINISTRIES. BEXAR COUNTY REENTRY CENTER TO IDENTIFY EXISTING INITIATIVES AND EMPLOYERS CURRENTLY PRACTICING FAIR CHANCE HIRING. THE EXPTHE EXPLORATION OF GRANT OPPORTUNITIES, RESEARCH BEST PRACTICES THAT UTILIZE BACKGROUND CHECKS AND CRIMINAL HISTORY TO NOT IMPEDE HIRING OPPORTUNITIES. AND TO WORK WITH THE CITY ATTORNEY'S OFFICE TO DETERMINE OPTIONS IN IMPLEMENTING THOSE BEST PRACTICES FOR EMPLOYERS THAT RECEIVE COSA INCENTIVES. BEST PRACTICES AND ORDINANCES THAT PROMOTE INDIVIDUALIZED ASSESSMENTS AND HIRING FOR JUSTICE-IMPACTED APPLICANTS.
EMPHASIS ON CITY EMPLOYMENT PRACTICES. CERTIFIED CONTRACTORS AND PRIVATE INDUSTRIES RECEIVING CITY TAX INCENTIVES. THE BUDGET WILL BE CONSUMED BY STAFF TIME NEEDING TO RESEARCH, IMPLEMENT, AND MONITOR ANY INCENTIVES AND INTEGRATION OF POTENTIAL CHANGES TO HIRING PRACTICES. BUDGET IDENTIFICATION FOR THE ADDITIONAL INCENTIVES PROVIDED TO EMPLOYERS. AND FROM THE CITY ATTORNEY'S OFFICE, THE LEGAL IMPLICATIONS TO COMPLY WITH STATE REEXEMPTION LAW.
MUST NOT ADOPT ANY HIRING POLICY THAT EXCEEDS THE TEXAS LABOR CODE.
SHOULD AVOID FUNDING COMMITMENTS OR APPEARANCES OF SELECTED ENDORSEMENTS TO AGENCIES TO ENSURE A FAIR AND OPEN PROCESS . IF THIS CCR REMAINS AN INCENTIVE, THAT PREEMPTIVE LAW IS NOT A FACTOR. COORDINATION WOULD BE WITH BEXAR COUNTY, CHRISTUS MINISTRIES, AND OTHER CITY DEPARTMENTS.
THE NEXT STEPS. STAFF RECOMMENDS THIS ITEM TO BE REFERRED TO THE ECONOMIC AND WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT COMMITTEE TO REVIEW AND EVALUATE BEST PRACTICES AROUND SECOND-CHANCE HIRING AND THE USE OF INCENTIVES FOR EMPLOYERS. STAFF ALSO RECOMMENDS THE CITY ENGAGE THE COUNTY TO DETERMINE THEIR INTEREST IN DEVELOPING AN INTERLOCAL AGREEMENT TO ESTABLISH A JOINT SECOND CHANCE WORKFORCE INITIATIVE AND INCENTIVE PROGRAM FOR RESIDENTS WITH FELONY CONVICTIONS. WE HAVE DISCUSSIONS WITH BEXAR COUNTY AND THEY SEEM OPEN TO THE PROSPECT. THAT CONCLUDES MY PRESENTATION. STAFF IS AVAILABLE FOR ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS.
>> MAYOR JONES: THANK YOU. THE SPONSOR OF THE CCR, COUNCILMEMBER CASTILLO, IS
RECOGNIZED TO SPEAK FOR THREE MINUTES. >> CASTILLO: THANK YOU, MAYOR. THANK YOU MEMBERS OF THE GOVERNANCE COMMITTEE.
AS MENTIONED DURING TODAY'S A SESSION, I BELIEVE THIS COUNCIL CONSIDERATION REQUEST COMPLEMENTS THE WORK OF READY TO WORK. I'M SUPPORTIVE OF STAFF'S RECOMMENDATIONS AND WOULD LIKE TO EXPRESS MY THANKS TO THE MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC WHO EXPRESSED SUPPORT FOR THESE CCRS. I WOULD BE REMISS IF I DIDN'T HIGHLIGHT THAT BARBARA IS THE DAUGHTER OF TOMMY A ACOSTA, WHO WAS A VIOLENCE INTERRUPTER. THIS IS THE WORK WE SHOULD BE DOING TO BUILD AN INCLUSIVE SAN ANTONIO AND I'M GRATEFUL TO THE PARTNERS WHO ARE DOING THAT WORK DAY IN AND DAY OUT TO IDENTIFY THOSE GAPS TO ENSURE WE CAN GET MORE FOLKS INTO
HIGH-PAYING JOBS. THANK YOU, MAYOR. >> MAYOR JONES: CAN I GET
A MOTION AND A SECOND SO WE CAN BEGIN DISCUSSION? >>
>> MAYOR JONES: APPRECIATE THIS CCR, COUNCILMEMBER CASTILLO.
GIVEN, AS YOU POINT OUT, THE DATA ABOUT THE RATE OF INDIVIDUALS IN OUR COMMUNITY THAT HAVE BEEN JUSTICE IMPACTED. I DON'T TALK ABOUT IT OFTEN, BUT AS A YOUNG PERSON, I MYSELF WAS INVOLVED IN AN ALTERCATION, LET'S JUST SAY THAT, THAT RESULTED IN ME BEING PLACED ON PROBATION FOR SIX MONTHS.
AND HAD TO PAY A FINE, ET CETERA, ET CETERA. YOU KNOW, THANKFULLY I WAS 14 YEARS OLD WHEN IT HAPPENED. 13, PROBABLY, ACTUALLY.
13. AND SO I WAS ABLE TO HAVE MY RECORD EXPUNGED AND GO ON TO DO OTHER THINGS. AND WAS THANKFUL FOR THE FOLKS THAT CAME INTO MY LIFE AND HELPED ME GET ME ON A DIFFERENT PATH. SO WHEN I THINK ABOUT GIVING FOLKS IN OUR COMMUNITY A SECOND CHANCE IN ALL WAYS, WE SHOULD ABSOLUTELY DO THAT. ESPECIALLY GIVEN WHAT'S HAPPENING AT THE FEDERAL AND STATE LEVEL THAT IS MAKING IT HARDER, IN FACT, TO DO THAT.
BUT MAKING IT EASIER TO JAIL PEOPLE. SO I VERY MUCH APPRECIATE
SPEAK ON THIS ITEM. COUNCILMAN MUNGIA. >> MUNGIA: THANK YOU, MAYOR. AND THANK YOU FOR SHARING THAT STORY.
I THINK THAT'S IMPORTANT TO KNOW THAT. THANK YOU, COUNCILWOMAN CASTILLO. I WAS HAPPY TO SIGN ON TO THIS.
WHEN I WAS READING THE CCR, WHEN I SIGNED IT, I WAS JUST SO INTERESTED IN THE UNFORTUNATE NUMBER THAT THERE'S BEEN A 34% INCREASE IN JUVENILE FELONIES THE
[00:55:03]
LAST YEAR, FOR MULTIPLE REASONS, WHICH IS A HIGH LEVEL OF THC VAPING.AND SO I THINK SCHOOLS ARE DOING A RELATIVELY GOOD JOB TRYING TO GIVE SECOND CHANCES BUT IF A YOUNG PERSON IS OUT THERE WITH A THC PEN, THAT'S AN AUTOMATIC FELONY FOR THEM WITHOUT INTERVENTION. I THINK JUST ABOUT HOW THAT CAN HAVE THE POTENTIAL TO REALLY AFFECT THEIR LIFE AFTER THAT.
AND SO I THINK THIS IS A REALLY GOOD OPPORTUNITY TO DO MORE IN THIS SECTION.
I REMEMBER BAN THE BOX BACK IN 2006 WHEN I FIRST STARTED HERE.
THERE ARE STILL SOME GAPS WE NEED TO FILL. I SUPPORT THIS GOING TO EWDC
FOR THE REVIEW. THANK YOU. >> MAYOR JONES: MAY I ASK, MIKE, WHAT PERCENTAGE OF OUR READY TO WORK PARTICIPANTS ARE JUSTICE IMPACTED?
>> THERE ARE ABOUT 2800 SELF-IDENTIFIED JUSTICE-IMPACTED INDIVIDUALS PARTICIPATING IN READY TO WORK. WE BELIEVE THAT NUMBER IS
HIGHER BECAUSE IT IS A VOLUNTARY DISCLOSURE. >> MAYOR JONES: WHAT PERCENTAGE OF THAT, WOULD YOU SAY, OF THE FOLKS THAT HAVE GONE THROUGH THE PROGRAM AND HAVE BEEN SUCCESSFULLY PLACED IN A POSITION?
>> SUCCESSFULLY PLACED IN A JOB, WE HAVE ABOUT 3500 APPROVED JOB PLACEMENTS.
I DON'T WANT TO QUOTE THE WRONG NUMBER. WE'LL HAVE TO GET BACK TO
YOU WITH THE EXACT NUMBER THAT ARE JUSTICE INVOLVED. >> P.>> MAYOR JONES: IF WE ARE TALKING ABOUT THE CHALLENGE THAT MANY HAVE EVEN COMPLETING THE PROGRAM TO GET PLACED, IF WE SEE A HIGHER PERCENTAGE OF FOLKS THAT ARE JUSTICE IMPACTED IN THAT GROUP, THEN IT SPEAKS TO THE NECESSITY OF THIS EFFORT.
AND SO WOULD WELCOME HELPING US UNDERSTAND THAT PIECE OF IT.
THANKS, MIKE. >> ABSOLUTELY. >> MAYOR JONES: COUNCILMAN
MCKEE-RODRIGUEZ. >> MCKEE-RODRIGUEZ: THANK YOU.
IF YOU WOULDN'T MIND GOING TO THE SLIDE RIGHT BEFORE THIS.
5 FOR ME, 13 FOR YOU. COULD YOU HELP ME UNDERSTAND THAT LEGAL PIECE? IN A NUMBER OF OUR CONTRACTS, I BELIEVE THAT WE HAVE CERTAIN STANDARDS THAT WE SET FOR THOSE WHO ARE AWARDED CONTRACTS IN OUR CITY.
AND I JUST WANT YOU TO CLARIFY MUST NOT ADOPT ANY HIRING POLICY THAT EXCEEDS
REGULATION. >> SEGOVIA: CORRECT, COUNCILMAN.
THAT'S A GENERAL STATEMENT ON LAW . OBVIOUSLY, IT WOULD BE IN TERMS OF WHAT THE COMMITTEE INTENDS TO DO AND WOULD DO IN ANALYSIS, ONCE THERE'S AN IMPLEMENTATION PLAN. WE JUST WANTED TO STATE WHAT THE POTENTIAL CHALLENGES ARE. BUT WE WILL WORK WITH THE COMMITTEE TO COME UP WITH A
PLAN THAT WILL WORK THROUGH THIS CHALLENGE HERE. >> MCKEE-RODRIGUEZ: OKAY.
>> SEGOVIA: IN OTHER WORDS, I DON'T WANT YOU TO FEEL THAT THAT'S A LIMITER INTO WHAT THE COMMITTEE CAN DO. WE'LL WORK WITH THE COMMITTEE TO MAKE SURE WE STAY TRUE TO THIS -- AGAIN, A GENERAL LAW STATEMENT THAT WE CAN'T PREEMPT STATE LAW. BUT THERE'S A LOT OF THINGS THAT COUNCIL CAN DO AND HAS DONE THAT IS COMPLEMENTARY TO STATE LAW AND DOESN'T SPECIFICALLY CONTRADICT IT.
>> MCKEE-RODRIGUEZ: SO WE COULDN'T -- I'LL LEAVE IT ALONE FOR NOW.
MY EYEBROWS ARE RAISED AND THAT BRINGS ME PAUSE. I DON'T WANT IT TO NEGATIVELY IMPACT WHAT THIS CCR IS CAPABLE OF. I DON'T THINK IT WILL, BASED
OFF OF THAT LITTLE BIT YOU JUST SAID, BUT WE'LL SEE. >> SEGOVIA: IN FACT, I TOLD MY TEAM WE NEED TO LOOK AT WHAT WE PUT IN THE LANGUAGE SO WE DON'T -- WE
DON'T WANT TO HAVE THAT INTENT. >> MCKEE-RODRIGUEZ: THANK
YOU. I APPRECIATE THAT. >> MAYOR JONES:
COUNCILWOMAN VIAGRAN. >> VIAGRAN: YEAH, I LOOK FORWARD TO TAKING THIS TO EWDC. THANK YOU, COUNCILWOMAN CASTILLO, FOR PUTTING IT FORWARD. THANK YOU, COUNCILMAN MCKEE-RODRIGUEZ FOR BRINGING THAT POINT UP. I KNOW EXACTLY WHAT YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT AND I'LL GIVE DIRECTION TO ANDY REGARDING SPECIFICALLY WHERE THIS MAY BE LIMITED OR WHERE THIS CITY CAN ADJUST THEIR PROCESSES. I LOOK FORWARD TO GETTING TOGETHER WITH A VERY HARD-WORKING COMMITTEE, AS Y'ALL KNOW.
AND WORKING THROUGH THIS SO WE CAN GET SOMETHING OUT TO THE COUNCIL.
THANK YOU. >> MAYOR JONES: I SEE HIM IN THE AUDIENCE AND I WANT HIM TO KNOW THIS IS ALSO GOING TO COME TO HIM. COUNCILMAN GALVAN.
WE KNOW PART OF THE CHALLENGE CAN BE SOME OF THE EDUCATIONAL BARRIERS.
LITERACY, FOR EXAMPLE, IN PARTICULAR, AS TO WHY WE SEE RATES OF RECIDIVISM IN OUR
COMMUNITY. >> SEGOVIA: I'M SORRY, MAYOR.
I DIDN'T MEAN TO INTERRUPT. BUT WE HAVE ALREADY HAD FIVE COUNCIL MEMBERS SPEAK ON THE
TOPIC. >> MAYOR JONES: UNDERSTOOD.
COUNCILMAN GALVAN, YOU'VE JUST GOT TO LISTEN. WE'LL HAVE THIS ISSUE ALSO
[01:00:02]
COME TO YOU TO UNDERSTAND IF THERE IS A RULE FOR YOUR COMMITTEE TO PLAY AS WE TRY TO ADDRESS THIS AS HOLISTICALLY AS POSSIBLE. THERE BEING NO FURTHER DISCUSSION, WE HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND TO MOVE THIS AS RECOMMENDED BY STAFF.PLEASE VOTE. ALL IN FAVOR SAY AYE. >>
>> MAYOR JONES: ALL OPPOSED? OKAY.
THE MOTION CARRIES. I'M SORRY? OKAY.
MADAME CLERK, PLEASE READ THE CAPTION FOR ITEM 4. >> MAYOR JONES: ITEM 4 IS A COUNCIL CONSIDERATION REQUEST BY COUNCIL MEMBERS TERI CASTILLO, DISTRICT 5, AND EDWARD MUNGIA, DISTRICT 4, ON A FORMAL COMMUNITY BENEFITS AGREEMENT POLICY.
>> GOOD AFTERNOON. I'M HERE TO BRIEF YOU ON THIS CCR THAT WAS FILED BY COUNCIL MEMBERS CASTILLO AND MUNGIA IN EARLY OCTOBER. REGARDING THE CREATION OF A STANDARD COMMUNITY BENEFITS AGREEMENT POLICY THAT COULD BE USED BY COMMUNITY AS A TEMPLATE FOR ALL DISCRETIONARY PROJECTS OR FOR DISCRETIONARY PROJECTS THAT THE CITY OVERSEES OR FOR WHICH WE PROVIDE AN INCENTIVE OF ANY KIND.
SO FOR BACKGROUND, A COMMUNITY BENEFITS AGREEMENT, OR A CBA, THEY ARE ASSOCIATED WITH PROJECTS WITH VERY SPECIFIC PROJECTS. THEY'RE LEGALLY-BINDING ENFORCEABLE AGREEMENTS BETWEEN COMMUNITY GROUPS AND DEVELOPERS OR COMPANIES.
THESE AGREEMENTS PROVIDE PRIVATE-SECTOR FUNDING OR SPECIFIC BENEFITS OR THEY MITIGATE IMPACTS THAT THE LOCAL COMMUNITY MIGHT EXPERIENCE OR BE AFFECTED BY THE PROPOSED DEVELOPMENT. AND IT COULD BE A PROPOSED DEVELOPMENT OR A RELOCATION OR AN EXPANSION OF AN EXISTING BUSINESS. CBAS ARE PRIMARILY USED ON LARGER PROJECTS THAT COULD HAVE A SIGNIFICANT IMPACT ON THE QUALITY OF LIFE OF THOSE INDIVIDUALS AROUND THE ACTUAL PROJECT. AS PREVIOUSLY MENTIONED, THIS CCR CALLS FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF A FORMAL COMMUNITY BENEFITS POLICY FOR COUNCIL CONSIDERATION. IT REQUESTS THAT THE POLICY BE GROUNDED ON FOUR PRINCIPLES: THAT THE CBAS BEING NEGOTIATED BETWEEN THE DEVELOPER AND AN INCLUSIVE REPRESENTATIVE AND ACCOUNTABLE COALITION OF COMMUNITY AND LABOR PARTNERS WHO EFFECTIVELY REPRESENT THE INTERESTS OF THE IMPACTED COMMUNITY BEFORE CITY INCENTIVES ARE AWARDED. THAT THEY INCLUDE CLEARLY-DEFINED AND LEGALLY-ENFORCEABLE MEANS BY WHICH THE COMMUNITY CAN HOLD DEVELOPERS OR ANY OTHER PARTIES ACCOUNTABLE OF THEIR OBLIGATIONS WITH CLEAR METRICS, TIMELINES, TRANSPARENCY, AND REPORTING PROCESSES. THAT CBAS ASSIGN ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES TO DETERMINE COMPLIANCE AND OUTLINE THE PROCESS TO ADDRESS NON-COMPLIANCE. AND THAT CBAS, THE NEGOTIATION PROCESS BE TRANSPARENT, INCLUSIVE, AND ACCESSIBLE TO COMMUNITY AND PROVIDE SPECIFIC, MEANINGFUL BENEFITS WHICH DELIVER WHAT COMMUNITY NEEDS. CONSIDERATIONS FROM A FISCAL PERSPECTIVE INCLUDE THE STAFF COST TO DRAFT, ADMINISTER, MONITOR SUCH A POLICY, DEPENDING ON THE SPECIFICATIONS THAT MAY ULTIMATELY BE INCLUDED.
I SHOULD NOTE HERE THOUGH THAT THIS FISCAL IMPACT DOES NOT INCLUDE ANY KIND OF REFERENCE TO THE POTENTIAL IMPACT ON COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS THAT WOULD NEED TO ALSO DEDICATE RESOURCES FOR ORGANIZATIONAL SUPPORT, FOR LEGAL FEES.
BOTH FOR NEGOTIATION AND FOR ONGOING MONITORING OF SUCH AGREEMENTS.
AND THEN FROM A LEGAL PERSPECTIVE, THE SLIDE STATES THAT THE STATE OF TEXAS ALLOWS FOR CBAS. UNDER CHAPTER 312, WHICH IS PART OF THE TAX CODE THAT WE AUTHORIZE TAX ABATEMENTS THROUGH. AND CHAPTER 380 OF THE LOCAL GOVERNMENT CODE, HOW WE OPERATE A LOT OF OUR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMS. WE CAN DO THEM. THEY'RE NOT PROHIBITED.
I SHOULD SAY THAT. IT DOESN'T SPECIFICALLY SAY THAT WE CAN.
IT REALLY JUST SAYS -- IT DOESN'T SAY ANYTHING ABOUT US NOT BEING ABLE TO DO THAT. AND THEN WE TRIED TO LOOK FOR SOME EXAMPLES AT THE FEDERAL LEVEL. COMMUNITY BENEFITS PLANS, THEY'RE NOT EXACTLY THE SAME BECAUSE THEY'RE NOT LEGALLY BINDING. THEY ARE AN OUTLINE WHERE PROJECTS CAN EXPLAIN THE TYPE OF COMMUNITY BENEFITS THEY WANT TO ASSOCIATE WITH A PROJECT. BUT, AGAIN, THEY'RE NOT LEGALLY BINDING.
AND ACTUALLY THERE WAS A RECENT EXECUTIVE ORDER THAT CEASED COMMUNITY BENEFITS
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PLANS. THERE'S BEEN SOME BACK AND FORTH BUT AS OF RIGHT NOW THEY'RE STILL SUSPENDED. THE GRANTS ASSOCIATED WITH THESE, AT LEAST FROM THE DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY, THEY ARE SUSPENDED. SO WHILE WE DON'T HAVE A LOT OF FEDERAL PRECEDENT THAT WE COULD REALLY USE TO DEVELOP THIS TYPE OF POLICY, WE DO HAVE SOME LOCAL HERE IN SAN ANTONIO. SOME EXAMPLES.AND SPECIFICALLY, OUR TIRZ POLICY, WHICH IDENTIFIES AND THEN FURTHER, TIRZ BOARDS CAN ESTABLISH PRIORITIES AND GOALS FOR SPECIFIC COMMUNITY BENEFITS THAT THEY WANT TO INCLUDE IN, AGAIN, SPECIFIC FUNDING OR DEVELOPMENT AGREEMENTS. AND ANOTHER EXAMPLE IS OUR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT INCENTIVE POLICY, WHICH REQUIRES A COMPANY TO REINVEST 10% OF WHATEVER INCENTIVE VALUE THEY GET FROM THE CITY BACK INTO WRAPAROUND SERVICES.
AND SPECIFICALLY WE'VE IDENTIFIED TRANSPORTATION, CHILDCARE, AND WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT TRAINING. SO 10% OF THE VALUE OF THE INCENTIVE THEY RECEIVE NEEDS TO GO BACK INTO THOSE TYPES OF INVESTMENTS. AND THEN WE JUST GOT OTHER EXAMPLES. RECENTLY THE SPORTS AND ENTERTAINMENT DISTRICT AND THE COMMUNITY BENEFITS AGREEMENT THAT'S BEING CONSIDERED THERE AS WELL.
SO WE DO HAVE SOME LOCAL EXAMPLES AS WELL. OUR RECOMMENDATION IS TO EVALUATE AND ASSESS THIS TYPE OF POLICY AS PART OF THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT STRATEGIC FRAMEWORK THAT WE'RE CURRENTLY UPDATING. THIS PROCESS INCLUDES SIGNIFICANT STAKEHOLDER ENGAGEMENT, WHICH WE THINK IS CRITICAL, NOT JUST TO THAT FRAMEWORK, BUT TO THIS TYPE OF POLICY AS WELL. I INCLUDED THESE TWO GOALS FROM THE STRATEGIC FRAMEWORK BECAUSE IT SPECIFICALLY ALIGNS WITH SOME OF THE CONSIDERATIONS FROM THE CCR. AND, AGAIN, SPECIFICALLY WHEN WE'RE WORKING TO RETAIN, EXPAND, AND ATTRACT BUSINESS. AND THEN FOR GOAL NUMBER TWO, WHEN WE'RE WORKING TO CELEBRATE PLACE-BASED REDEVELOPMENT PROJECTS.
SO, WITH THAT, OUR RECOMMENDATION IS THAT WE UPDATE THE ECONOMIC AND WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT COMMITTEE IN THE SPRING. WE WILL HAVE OUR PRELIMINARY FINDINGS FOR UPDATING THIS REFRESH OF THIS STRATEGIC FRAMEWORK.
IT SHOULD BE READY FOR FINAL REVIEW IN THE SUMMER OF 2026.
THANK YOU. >> MAYOR JONES: THANK YOU. THE SPONSOR OF THE CCR IS HERE, IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK FOR THREE MINUTES. OR BOTH OF YOU, ACTUALLY.
GO AHEAD. >> MUNGIA: I'LL JUST SAY I APPRECIATE STAFF'S WORK ON THIS RECOMMENDATION. RIGHT AWAY READING THIS, I DO NOT AGREE WITH THIS RECOMMENDATION. I'LL TELL YOU IT'S BECAUSE THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT STRATEGIC FRAMEWORK WAS NOT THE CENTERPIECE OF OUR LAST TWO MAJOR DEALS THAT WE ARE HAVING THIS CONTEXT CONVERSATION WITH, AS FAR AS CBAS GO.
ALSO TIRZ WAS MENTIONED IN THIS DEVELOPMENT PROJECT. FOR THE BASEBALL STADIUM, TIRZ POLICY WAS OVERRIDDEN TO DO THAT PROJECT. AND SO THOSE WERE NOT CENTERPIECES OF THOSE DEVELOPMENT PROJECTS. NOW, THEY OBVIOUSLY DID CHECK OUT IN THE FRAMEWORK. THESE TWO PROJECTS MET ALL THE METRICS OF THAT FRAMEWORK BUT THIS WAS NOT THE CENTERPIECE FOR THOSE TWO PROJECTS.
AND SO TO REDEVELOP THIS, I CAN'T SUPPORT THAT. IF THIS IS GOING TO BE THE NEW CENTERPIECE FOR CBAS, I DON'T KNOW THAT IT HAS BEEN AND I DON'T KNOW IF IT WOULD BE IF IT WAS REFRESHED I APPRECIATE THE COMMITTEE THAT CAN WORK ON THIS AND TRY TO DEVELOP THAT. BUT TO BE QUITE HONEST, I DON'T AGREE THAT THAT'S GOING TO BE THE BEST ROUTE FOR CBAS. THERE ARE CERTAIN ISSUES WHEN WE HAVE OUR MANUFACTURING THAT IS PREDOMINANTLY ON THE SOUTHSIDE OF TOWN AND CAN'T HAVE COMMUNITY WEIGH-IN WHEN THERE'S OTHER CITIES STILL COMPETING FOR THAT, TO HAVE A COMPETITIVE EDGE. I UNDERSTAND BE THAT PART. THERE ARE SOME PARTS THAT ARE TAX ABATEMENTS WHICH MEANS THAT WE FOREGO PROPERTY TAXES IN ORDER TO HAVE THIS DEVELOPMENT SO THERE'S NOT NECESSARILY PUBLIC FUNDING TO THAT PROJECT. AND I GUESS THAT IS A DIFFERENT TIER THAN WHAT WE ARE TALKING ABOUT WITH THE BASEBALL STADIUM AND THE SPURS STADIUM.
BUT I THINK THAT WE CAN HAVE SOME METRICS ON THAT. AND I ALSO -- I HOPE THAT WHEN WE TALK ABOUT THE 10% INCENTIVE VALUE TO SUPPORT THOSE THREE CATEGORIES THAT WE CAN REVISIT THAT, ESPECIALLY WITH WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT AND TRAINING. IF YOU ARE AN EMPLOYER AND YOU HAVE STAFF, YOU SHOULD BE TRAINING YOUR STAFF AND DEVELOPING YOUR OWN WORKFORCE.
WE ALSO HAVE READY-TO-WORK WHERE WE SAW PLENTY OF EMPLOYERS ARE TAKING ADVANTAGE OF THAT.
[01:10:05]
RELYING ON THE GOVERNMENT FOR THAT. NOW CHILDCARE NEED AS ABSOLUTELY. AND TRANSPORTATION, I GUESS. AND WE COULD ALSO SAY EVENTUALLY 5% OR SOMEWHAT LESS OF THAT IS A CASH DEPOSIT TO THE CITY FOR COMMUNITY BENEFITS ACROSS THE CITY. AND SO I WAS TALKING TO SOME OF MY COLLEAGUES ABOUT THIS, YOU KNOW, AND WE'VE GOT SOME GREAT EXPANSIONS HAPPENING ON THE FAR SOUTHSIDE OF TOWN AND THAT MONEY THAT WE'RE GOING TO FOREGO IN PROPERTY TAX REVENUE IMPACTS EVERY SINGLE COUNCIL DISTRICT WHEN WE DO NOT COLLECT THAT MONEY. HOW ARE OUR RESIDENTS IN DISTRICT 9 AND DISTRICT 8 AND DISTRICT 10 GOING TO BENEFIT IF THEY'RE NOT EVEN GOING TO WORK ON A FAR SOUTHSIDE OF TOWN FOR THOSE DEVELOPMENT PROJECTS? SO I THINK THAT WE NEED TO DO A REBALANCE OF THAT IN THIS FRAMEWORK AND, AGAIN, I THINK THAT THE CBA GOES BEYOND THE STRATEGIC FRAMEWORK FOR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, BUT THOSE ARE MY THOUGHTS.AND I WELCOME -- IF THE CHAIR ALLOWS, COUNCILWOMAN CASTILLO TO WEIGH IN ON MORE ON THAT.
>> MAYOR JONES: COUNCILMEMBER CASTILLO. >> CASTILLO: THIS IS A REQUEST THAT WAS CIRCULATED ABOUT A YEAR AGO, AND THE COUNCILMAN CALLS IT THE CCR THAT NEVER WAS, BECAUSE IT WAS A CONVERSATION ABOUT CBAS NOT BEING POSSIBLE BUT HERE WE ARE DISCUSSING A SPURS COMMUNITY BENEFITS AGREEMENT. SO GIVEN THE COMMENTS OF COUNCILMAN MUNGIA, I BELIEVE THAT IT COULD BE THIS APPROACH, RIGHT, AND I BELIEVE THAT THERE'S VALUE IN REVISITING STRAT TEAMIC FRAMEWORK, BUT ULTIMATELY, RIGHT, ENSURING THAT WE ARE MEETING WHAT THE EXPECTATION OF A COMMUNITY BENEFITS AGREEMENT IS IN TERMS OF PROJECT-BASED CBAS, WITH TOYOTA, FOR EXAMPLE. AS MENTIONED. AND THE MOST RECENT EXAMPLE WITH THE SPURS ARENA. BUT I LOOK FORWARD TO HEARING THE COMMITTEE'S DISCUSSION IN TOMORROWS OF WHAT -- THE NEXT STEPS ARE. THANK YOU, MAYOR.
>> MAYOR JONES: THANK YOU. ANDY, ON -- OH, DID YOU WANT TO SAY SOMETHING, ERIK? ON THE CONSIDERATIONS PAGE OR MAYBE ALEX IT TALKS ABOUT THE CURRENT ADMINISTRATION HAD A WORK, BUT RESCINDED AND RELATED TO THE VOLUNTARY BUT GRANTS ARE SUSPENDED BECAUSE OF TYPES TO THE CCP. HOW WOULD WE -- I GUESS HELP US TO COULD WHAT THE LANDSCAPE LOOKS LIKE AS WE ARE CONSIDERING THIS IN GENERAL, REGARDLESS OF THE FRAMEWORK.
BUT WHAT COULD THIS MEAN FOR OTHER TYPES OF FUNDING THAT WE'RE SEEKING?
>> MAYOR, THE COMMENT THERE ON THE LEGAL WAS SPECIFIC TO THOSE THAT ARE FUNDED BY FEDERAL AGENCIES. SO, IN OTHER WORDS, IT WOULD ONLY APPLY TO THOSE PROJECTS IN WHICH WE GET FUNDING FROM THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT, AND NOT ACROSS EVERYTHING THAT WE'RE
DOING. >> MAYOR JONES: OKAY. DO WE HAVE AN UNDERSTANDING -- WELL, I THINK THAT THE POINT HOLDS THOUGH, RIGHT -- IF WE'RE GOING TO GO AFTER THOSE KINDS OF GRANTS IN THE FUTURE, WE NOW NEED TO KNOW, UM, THE POTENTIAL RAMIFICATIONS ON WHETHER --
HOW -- HOW THAT REQUEST MAY BE IMPACTED OR REVIEWED? >> THAT'S CORRECT, MAYOR.
AND AS WE ENTER INTO A PROJECT WHICH WE WILL GET FUNDING, OBVIOUSLY THAT WILL BE SOMETHING
THAT WE WILL LOOK AT. >> MAYOR JONES: OKAY, GOT IT. CAN WE ALSO TALK ABOUT -- WHEN I LOOK AT THE LANGUAGE OF THE CCR, THIS, UM, THIS CBA IS BEING LEGALLY ENFORCEABLE CREDITS WITH THE DEVELOPER OF A PROPOSED PROJECT. AND AS WAS MENTIONED, YOU KNOW, WE'RE LOOKING AT A CBA AS PART OF THE -- THE DOWNTOWN ARENA -- PROPOSED DOWNTOWN ARENA.
FROM SO FROM A LEGAL STANDPOINT AND ENS FORCEABILITY STANDPOINT, HELP US TO UNDERSTAND HOW THIS
WOULD WORK IN PRACTICE, BASED ON THIS DESCRIPTION HERE. >> THANK YOU, MAYOR, FOR THAT QUESTION, BECAUSE I THINK THAT WE DO NEED TO CLARIFY TERMINOLOGY HERE.
THE WAY THAT I UNDERSTAND COMMUNITY BENEFITS AGREEMENT IS AS DESCRIBED IN THE CCR, IT IS A BINDING LEGAL AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE CITY, THE DEVELOPER, AND A COMMUNITY GROUP, OR A NUMBER OF COMMUNITY GROUPS. SO WE'RE ADDING -- UNDER MY DEFINITION OF A COMMUNITY BENEFITS AGREEMENT AS DESCRIBED IN THE CCR, WE'RE ADDING A PARTY OR PARTIES TO WHAT OTHERWISE WOULD BE AN AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE CITY AND ANOTHER THIRD PARTY.
>> MAYOR JONES: UM-HMM. >> SO WHEN WE SAY THAT WE HAVE A COMMUNITY BENEFITS AGREEMENT AS PART OF THE -- EITHER BASEBALL OR THE DOWNTOWN DISTRICT, THAT'S NOT I THINK WHAT IS DESCRIBED IN
THE CCR. >> MAYOR JONES: RIGHT. >> BECAUSE THAT'S REALLY JUST A COMMUNITY BENEFITS COMPONENT OF AN AGREEMENT THAT THE CITY HAS WITH THE THIRD PARTY.
>> MAYOR JONES: FOR EXAMPLE, I MEAN, OUR TERM SHEET AND THE CBA THAT WE WOULD NEGOTIATE WITH THE SPURS, UM, RIGHT -- WE WOULD NOT INCLUDE A THIRD PARTY AS PART OF THAT?
>> THAT'S CORRECT, MAYOR. >> MAYOR JONES: OKAY. >> AND THE ENFORCEABILITY AND THE TRANSPARENCY AND THE REPORTING IN THAT EXAMPLE WOULD BE OUR RESPONSIBILITY WITH THAT
CONTRACTING PARTY. >> MAYOR JONES: UM, I THINK, ALEX, YOU HEARD HERE, UM --
[01:15:05]
EXCUSE ME, THE COMMENTS FROM COUNCILMAN MUNGIA. IN GENERAL THERE'S AN APPRECIATION FOR HOW WE UNDERSTAND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, RIGHT, MORE BROADLY, RIGHT? SO I THINK THAT TO THE POINT OF THIS AND HOW WE DO THAT, I THINK THAT THERE -- IT'S -- IT'S -- CLEARLY A DESIRE -- NOT ONLY SHOULD A CBA BE REFLECTIVE OF SOME PERCENTAGE OF THE AMOUNT BEING INVESTED BUT ESSENTIAL THE AMOUNT BEING INVESTED ITSELF DEMONSTRATE AN ROI THAT JUSTIFY THE THINGS NOT INVESTED IN AS A RESULT OF THAT, RIGHT? SO, UM, AS WE THINK ABOUT THAT FRAMEWORK THAT YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT, IT WOULD INCLUDE THAT AS WELL, RIGHT? BECAUSE WHEN WE'RE LOOKING AT OTHER THINGS THAT WE WOULD APPLY A CBA TO, I MEAN, YOU COULD THINK ABOUT DATA CENTERS, RIGHT? AND YOU COULD THINK ABOUT A NUMBER OF THINGS, UM, THAT WOULD, FRANKLY -- WE'D BE FOREGOING INVESTMENT IN AS A RESULT OF SUPPORTING THAT EFFORT. SO I THINK THAT MORE BROADLY WHAT WOULD ALSO BE HELPFUL AS PART OF THIS IS, UM, A MORE STRATEGIC CONVERSATION ABOUT HOW WE UNDERSTAND ROI ON ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT. OF WHICH CBAS ARE A PART, BUT AS MENTIONED HERE ABATEMENTS AND OTHER THINGS, TIRZ, ETC., THAT HELPS US TO RECOGNIZE, UM, THE INVESTMENT THAT WE ARE MAKING AS A RESULT OF THE FUNDS THAT WE'RE FOREGOING IN OUR COMMUNITY. IS THAT CLEAR? OKAY. THANKS. I'M ALSO GOING TO JUST STATE THE OBVIOUS, HAVING A COMMUNITY BENEFITS AGREEMENT POLICY DOESN'T MEAN THAT YOU HAVE A GOOD CBA, RIGHT? [LAUGHTER] SO PART OF THIS IS ALSO THE COUNCIL, UM, YOU KNOW, WHY WE COULD HAVE SOMETHING ON PAPER, FRANKLY, HAVING THE COURAGE TO ASK FOR WHAT WE DESERVE. AND, FRANKLY, HAVING THE COURAGE TO SEE WHAT OTHER COMMUNITIES HAVE GOTTEN AS A RESULT OF THEIR MAJOR INVESTMENT -- FOR EXAMPLE, IN SPORTS RUNNING BACKS. RU ARE.OKAY. COUNCILMAN MUNGIA, ADDITIONAL COMMENTS FROM THE TWO COUNCIL BE
COUNCILMEMBERS. >> MUNGIA: IS THERE A MOTION? >> MAYOR JONES: PLEASE, GO FOR
IT. >> I MAKE THE MOTION AND I CAN GO NEXT -- THAT WE MOVE FORWARD WITH STAFF'S SUGGESTION THAT THE ECONOMIC WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT COMMITTEE GET THE UPDATES ON THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT STRATEGIC FRAMEWORK. WE REFRESH IN THE SPRING, AND THEN WE CAN TAKE THIS IN. I'LL JUST SAY RIGHT NOW THAT A COMMUNITY BENEFITS POLICY FEELS ONE-SIZE-FITS-ALL AND I DO NOT APPRECIATE THAT FOR MY DISTRICT. AND I THINK THAT IT IS YOUR JOB AS THE COUNCIL PERSON TO GO IN AND TO SEE WHAT IS COMING INTO YOUR DISTRICT, AND WORK WITH YOUR COUNCIL COLLEAGUES TO SEE WHAT YOU CAN GET. JUST BECAUSE BUSINESS COMES IN DOES NOT MEAN THAT THEY ARE GOING TO BRING A COMMUNITY BENEFITS AGREEMENT.
WE HAVE HAD THE PRIVILEGE OF THE SPURS FOR THEIR ARENA COMING IN, AND ASKING FOR THIS AND GETTING THIS ON THE TABLE, OR VOLUNTEERING IT, BECAUSE IT WAS SOMETHING THERE.
THAT IS NOT ALL CASES WITH ALL DEVELOPMENTS. SO I WANT TO SEE DEVELOPMENT CONTINUE TO HAPPEN IN MY DISTRICT. SO A TEMPLATE FOR IF SOMEBODY WANTS TO COME IN IS GREAT, BUT IF YOU NEED JOBS -- YOU NEED JOBS.
AND THE OTHER THING IS THAT A CBA IS A TOOL IN NEGOTIATION. AND THIS IS A TOOL THAT SHOULD BE USED I THINK WHERE WE CAN SET OUR INTENTIONS, WHICH I WOULD LIKE TO SEE IN THE FRAMEWORK, BUT I WOULD LIKE -- I DON'T WANT TO GO INTO THE ROOM. I WANT TO SEND BEN INTO THE ROOM AND I WANT TO SEND TROY INTO THE ROOM AND I WANT TO SEND ERIK INTO THE ROOM WITH EXPECTATIONS WHAT I EXPECT. WHAT I EXPECT IN DISTRICT 3 MAY NOT WORK IN DISTRICT 10 OR DISTRICT 8. SO I WANT -- I WANT -- I WANT OUR FRAMEWORK.
I WANT THE UNDERSTANDING THAT, YES, AS SAN ANTONIO BECOMES DESIRABLE TO DO BUSINESS, AND HAVE BUSINESSES, THAT WE WORK WITH OUR PARTNERS AT GREATER SATX AND WE COMMUNICATE WHAT WE WANT. I THINK THAT WE CAN HAVE A TEMPLATE WITHOUT FORMALIZING A POLICY. BECAUSE IF I WERE A BUSINESS, AND IT WAS, LIKE, YOU WANT TO DO BUSINESS IN SAN ANTONIO, YOU HAVE TO BRING A CBA, I MIGHT NOT BE LOOKING AT SAN ANTONIO ANYMORE. SO THIS -- THIS IS WHERE I WANT TO GET THE STRATEGIC FRAMEWORK FIRST IN TERMS OF WHAT WE'RE GOING TO BE GOING AFTER, WHO HAS THE DESIRE TO COME TO SAN SAN ANTONIO BEFORE WE SAY WE'RE GOING TO PUT FORWARD THIS POLICY.
AND THIS IS CONVERSATIONS THAT WE AS COUNCILMEMBERS NEED TO HAVE WITH EACH OTHER, AND WHAT WORKS IN MY DISTRICT. DON'T GET ME WRONG -- I LOVE THIS ENTIRE CITY.
AND I CARE WHAT HAPPENS IN 8 AND I CARE WHAT HAPPENS IN 9, BUT I GOT ELECTED TO REPRESENT 3, AND
[01:20:01]
THE SOUTHSIDE OF SAN ANTONIO. AND THE SOUTHEAST SIDE OF SAN ANTONIO.AND THAT MEANS THAT MY PRIORITIES THERE -- WHICH ARE NOT 8, 9 AND 10, ARE HOSPITALS, ARE ANIMAL CARE SERVICES, ARE MIXED AFFORDABLE HOUSING. AND THAT'S NOT THE CASE ALL AROUND. SO IF A DEVELOPER COMES IN AND IS GOING TO OFFER A COMMUNITY BENEFITS THAT 8, 9 OR 10 DON'T NEED, WHAT'S -- WHAT'S THE POLICY GOING TO REFLECT? THERE IS -- THERE IS, UH, THERE'S TOO MANY OF US TO JUST MAKE A BLANKET.
WE CAN TALK TEMPLATE BUT -- HOW IT'S WRITTEN DOESN'T FEEL LIKE TEMPLATE, ANDY, IT FEELS LIKE SOMETHING VERY SPECIFIC. SO I'M SAYING THAT WE WAIT UNTIL WE GET THE UPDATES FOR THE
STRATEGIC FRAMEWORK. >> MAYOR JONES: IS THERE A SECOND ON THE MOTION?
A MOTION IS TO PROCEED WITH THE STAFF RECOMMENDATION. >> MCKEE-RODRIGUEZ: SECOND.
I'M NOT GETTING A DIRECT ANSWER, SO WHAT WOULD YOU LIKE TO SEE HAPPEN, COUNCILMEMBER?
>> MUNGIA: I THINK THAT IT HAS TO BE A WELCOME DISCUSSION, AND I CAN SUPPORT THIS GOING TO EWDC, AND I THINK THAT THE REFRESH IS GOING TO HAPPEN NO MATTER WHAT WE DO WITH THE CBA CONVERSATION. I THINK THAT WE NEED TO WEIGH IN FULLY.
AND I WANT TO CLEAR UP SOME THINGS THAT OUR COMLEAGUE SAID, THIS IS NOT A ONE-SIZE-FITS-ALL SITUATION. WHEN WE TALK ABATEMENTS THAT IS A TEMPLATE WHEN PEOPLE COME TO SAN ANTONIO, THESE ARE THE THINGS THAT WE'RE OFFERING YOU TO MOVE YOUR BUSINESS HERE.
WE'RE NOT PUTTING MONEY INTO THAT DEVELOPMENT -- WE'RE SAYING THAT WE'RE GOING TO FOREGO THE FUTURE TAX DOLLARS FOR THAT REASON. THAT IS VERY DIFFERENT THAN GOING TO SAY THAT WE'RE GOING TO INVEST X AMOUNT OF SALES TAX AND PROPERTY TAX, WHATEVER MONEY INTO A PROJECT WITH A PRIVATE DEVELOPER TO GET SOMETHING OUT OF IT.
WHICH IS MORE OR LESS THE SPURS AND THE BASEBALL STADIUM SITUATION.
EVERY SITUATION OF THOSE LARGER COMPONENTS IS A BIGGER CONVERSATION.
IT'S NOT A ONE-SIZE-FITS-ALL FOR ANY OF WHEN WE FOREGO THE PROPERTY TAXES AUDIO] -- YESTERDAY OR SOME TIME RECENTLY AND IT WAS ANOTHER CBA RELATED ONE FILED BY COUNCIL PERSON KAUR. AND I THINK THAT IT HAD SOMETHING TO DO -- A DASHBOARD
AND IT WAS ALSO ABOUT BENEFITS AND THE LIKE AND WHATNOT? >> THAT ONE WAS MORE ABOUT WHEN THE BOARD -- THERE'S A BOARD COMPOSITION CCR THAT WAS FILED BY COUNCILMEMBER KAUR AND THERE WAS A TRACKER FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF THAT PROJECT. AND SO, AGAIN, THESE ARE -- AGAIN, WE'RE DOING VERY PIECEMEAL COMPONENTS OF A CBA BECAUSE WE DON'T HAVE A POLICY IN PLACEMENT WE DON'T HAVE ANYTHING THAT SAYS THAT WE NEED A DASHBOARD TO TRACK THAT INFORMATION AND WE DON'T HAVE ANYTHING TO SAY THAT IS HOW A CBA BOARD SHOULD BE COMPOSED AND THAT'S WHY YOU'RE GETTING SEVERAL CCRS NOW BECAUSE WE DON'T HAVE A COMPREHENSIVE
POLICY FOR THAT. >> MCKEE-RODRIGUEZ: THE CHALLENGE THAT I HAVE IS THAT IT'S ALMOST THE SAME PEOPLE SIGNING ALL OF THESE CCRS AND IT FEELS THAT EVERYBODY WANTS TO HAVE THIS CONVERSATION AS A FULL COUNCIL ABOUT A CBA POLICY. I DO THINK THAT IT MAKES SENSE
[01:25:04]
FOR US AND THINKING ABOUT IT THIS WAY, IT'S JUST LIKE OUR ECONOMIC -- OUR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT INCENTIVE POLICY THAT WE HAD THAT SAYS, HEY, THESE ARE THE EXPECTATIONS THAT WE HAVE FOR THESE ABATEMENTS AND THIS ONE ISN'T OUTLINING WHAT BENEFITS WE WOULD EXPECT AND IT WOULD JUST SAY THIS IS WHAT A CBA IS IN RELATION TO ANY SUPPORT THAT YOU RECEIVE FROM THE CITY. AND THESE ARE THE METRICS OF ACCOUNTABILITY AND THE EXPECTATIONS THAT WE HAVE AS IT RELATES TO IT. SO I THINK THAT IN AND OF ITSELF, IS NOT -- I DON'T THINK THAT'S A HARD THING FOR US TO DISCUSS.I DO THINK THAT IN THE CONTEXT OF EVERYTHING ELSE THAT WE WANT DO WITH A CBA THAT DURING AN ONGOING NEGOTIATION, I THINK THAT IS A BIT MORE OF -- I THINK THAT THIS MAKES THIS CONVERSATION SOMETHING ELSE ENTIRELY THAN WHAT THIS ALONE PROPOSES.
SO I -- I GUESS -- OR I WOULD SUPPORT GOING TO THE ECONOMIC AND WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT COMMITTEE, BUT I WOULD ALSO REQUEST AND RECOMMEND THAT WE DO HAVE A BIGGER CONVERSATION THAT SORT OF ENCOMPASSES ALL OF THE CCRS AND THE REQUESTS THAT HAVE BEEN FILED AS OF LATE INTO ONE -- AT LEAST WHAT MAKES SENSE FOR IT TO BE ONE. LIKE SOME STILL NEED TO COME TO GOVERNANCE AND STILL BE THEIR OWN THING BUT THE OVERALL TOPIC AND THE THINGS THAT THEY'RE EACH TRYING TO ACHIEVE IS B SESSION -- OR MULTIPLE B SESSION WORTHY.
>> MAYOR JONES: YEAH. ANY OTHER COMMENT? YEAH, IT WOULD BE HELPFUL TO HAVE THAT WRAP-UP SO WE'RE NOT LOOKING AT THESE PIECEMEAL AND HAVING DIFFERENT DISCUSSIONS ABOUT THE EXACT SAME THING 18 TIMES. SO I APPRECIATE THAT.
AND I THINK THAT WE ALSO HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY IN A B SESSION, UM, AND WE TALKED ABOUT THIS A LITTLE BIT EARLIER, ABOUT THE TWO CBAS THAT WE HAVE KIND OF BEFORE US, RIGHT.
AND THE BASEBALL STADIUM AND THE ONE PROPOSED BY -- BY THE SPURS. AND THERE WE COULD LOOK AT, UM, KIND OF WHAT THOSE -- EVEN A LITTLE BIT OF A HISTORY LESSON -- THOSE CAME ABOUT A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENTLY. ONE WAS INFORMED BY THE OTHER AND THEY CERTAINLY HAVE DIFFERENT ORDERS OF MAGNITUDE. BUT I THINK THAT TO HEAR -- I MEAN, REALLY THE IMPORTANT PART OF THIS CCR IS THE LAST PART, THE CBA PROCESS WILL BE TRANSPARENT AND INCLUSIVE AND ACCESSIBLE TO THE COMMUNITY. AND PROVIDE SPECIFIC MEANINGFUL BENEFIT, WHICH DELIVER WHAT THE COMMUNITY NEEDS, WHAT THE COMMUNITY NEEDS. SO WHAT I WOULD ASK, UM, JUST SO THAT -- THE COMMUNITY SEES THAT WE ARE BEING THOUGHTFUL.
THAT THERE ARE OPPORTUNITIES BEFORE US, ERIK, ON THOSE TWO THAT WE HAVE A B SESSION TO LAY OUT WHAT THE PROPOSALS ARE AT THIS POINT AND WHAT WE UNDERSTAND TO BE THE COMMUNITY INVESTMENT AS A RESULT OF THOSE. AND THEN TO GIVES US A BIT OF A HISTORY AND TIMELINE IN TERMS OF HOW THOSE CAME ABOUT, UNDERSTANDING, AGAIN, BOTH OF THOSE TERM SHEETS ARE NON-BINDING, BUT I THINK THAT IT WOULD BE REALLY ILLUSTIVE FOR THE WHOLE COUNCIL AND THE PUBLIC
TO SEE HOW WE'RE WEIGHING THESE. >> MAYOR, WE DOLL THAT IN JANUARY, BECAUSE AS WE TALKED EARLIER, UM, WE -- WE, UM -- OWE YOU ALL AN UPDATE PUBLICLY ON THOSE MATTERS.
ESPECIALLY THE HEMISPHERE PARK AREA. AND I'LL GO -- I'LL GO ONE STEP FURTHER.
THAT HAVE JUST BEEN FILED THIS WEEK THAT ARE RELATED, WE'RE GOING TO LUMP IT ALL INTO THAT SO THAT THE COUNCIL HAS THE ABILITY TO KIND OF HAVE A GLOBAL CONVERSATION.
AND THEN PART TWO, UM, AS ALEX SAID, WE'VE GOT TO GO THROUGH THAT FRAMEWORK REFRESH GENERALLY OVER THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT ISSUES. THE COUNCIL WILL NEED TO REFRESH THAT ORDINANCE BY THIS TIME NEXT YEAR UNDER STATE LAW. SO IT ALMOST FEELS LIKE WE NEED TO HAVE THAT B SESSION IN MID-SPRINGTIME, SOONER RATHER THAN LATER, MAKE A PIT STOP AT THE ECONOMIC WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT COMMITTEE AND HAVE THE FULL COUNCIL CONVERSATION SO THAT TO YOUR POINT, MAYOR -- WHAT ARE SOME OF THE BROADER DEVELOPMENT ISSUES? THERE ARE TIMES WHEN WE WANT TO BE CONSISTENT AND THERE'S TIMES WHEN WE'LL WANT A LITTLE BIT OF LATITUDE. BUT HAVE THAT CONVERSATION EARLIER, RATHER THAN LATER, IN THE SPRING. AND THAT WAY WE HAVE TIME TO GO BACK AND TO DO THE WORK AND TO BRING IT BACK TO YOU ALL BY THE END OF THE YEAR. BUT THERE ARE SOME DIRECT LINKAGES I THINK AND THIS HAS BEEN HELPFUL BECAUSE THE CCR AND COUNCILWOMAN CASTILLO AND I TALKED LAST WEEK AND THE CCR TALKS ABOUT ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AND TALKS ABOUT INFILL AND TALKS ABOUT REDEVELOPMENT -- IT'S A BUNCH OF DIFFERENT THINGS -- AND WE'LL DO THAT BASED ON THIS
CONVERSATION. >> MAYOR JONES: THANK YOU FOR OUR DISCUSSIONS AND, AGAIN, GIVEN WHAT WE'RE IN THE MIDST OF WHAT IS AND IS NOT A CBA, IN A CBA, RIGHT? AND WOULD SOMEONE CONSIDER NAMING RIGHTS A CUT OF THAT AS PART OF THE CBA, RIGHT? AND UNDERSTANDING WHAT THIS DOES AND DOES NOT COVER AND THOSE OTHER THINGS THAT WE MAY ALSO BE INTERESTED IN AND HOW DO WE ACCOUNT FOR THAT CONVERSATION. OKAY.
GO AHEAD, COUNCILWOMAN. >> VIAGRAN: AND JUST ONE MORE THING BECAUSE THEY WE NEED TO O THIS. AND WHEN WE TALK POLICY, SOMEBODY HAS TO BE WILLING TO GO TO COURT TO ENFORCE THIS IF THEY DON'T. AND THAT'S ONE THING ABOUT
[01:30:05]
BRINGING IN THOSE THIRD PARTIES, IF WE'RE GOING TO DO PRIVATE/PUBLIC AND US IN CONTINGENT WITH A PARTY OR AN ORGANIZATION IS WHO IS TAKING IT TO COURT IF AND WHEN THEY DO THAT? AND WITHIN THE INCENTIVES THAT WE GIVE WITHIN THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT, WE CLAWBACK AND THIS TEAM KNOW THAT. WE HAVE THE LAWYERS TO DO THAT.AND AS WE HAVE THIS BIGGER CONVERSATION, WE UNDERSTAND WHO'S GOING TO COURT AND WHEN.
AND WHOSE RESPONSIBILITY THAT IS, AND SO I WOULD LIKE THAT PRESENTED TOO.
>> IF I MAY, MAYOR, THANK YOU, COUNCILWOMAN, AND I WOULD LIKE TO REINFORCE AS WE HAVE THE DISCUSSION GOING FORWARD THAT WE KEEP THE TWO BUCKETS -- ALTHOUGH RELATED -- SEPARATE.
ONE IS A COMMUNITY BENEFITS PROVISIONS, RIGHT, IN A CITY AGREEMENT WITH THE DEVELOPER, THIRD PARTY. AND ANOTHER ONE IS COLLECTIVE BARGAINING AGREEMENTS WHERE ESSENTIALLY IT'S THE COMMUNITY GROUP NEGOTIATING. IN OTHER WORDS, IT'S NOT THE COUNCIL THAT'S GOING TO DECIDE WHAT IS ACCEPTABLE OR NOT -- IT'S THE COMMUNITY GROUP WHO WILL HAVE A SEPARATE LAWYER, SEPARATE FINANCIAL ADVISORS, SO WE'RE BRINGING IN ANOTHER THIRD PARTY TO THE NEGOTIATIONS. SO I WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT AS WE GO FORWARD, MAYOR, THAT WE MAKE THOSE TWO DISTINCT. BECAUSE THEY HAVE DIFFERENT IMPLICATIONS.
>> MAYOR JONES: OKAY. ANY FURTHER COMMENTS FROM MY COLLEAGUE?
COUNCILMAN MUNGIA. >> MUNGIA: IT'S NOT JUST TO LOOK BACKWARDS AND SAY WHAT WE SHOULD HAVE DONE, AND AS A GROWING CITY IF WE GET A MAJOR FOOTBALL TEAM COMES AND WE HAVE ANOTHER GOLF COURSE, THE PGA WANTS TO COME AND WE HAVE THEM TO INVEST A LOT OF MONEY WE CANNOT BE CAUGHT FLAT-FOOTED AGAIN ON THAT AND THAT'S WHERE WE ARE ON THIS PROCESS.
IT'S FOR FUTURE GOALS AND FOR FUTURE PROJECTS THAT WILL COME TO SAN ANTONIO AS A GROWING
METROPOLIS, SO I APPRECIATE THE CONVERSATION. >> MAYOR JONES: YEAH, UNDERSTOOD. I THINK THAT THERE WILL BE LESSONS LEARNED, GIVEN THAT THOSE TERM SHEETS ARE NON-BINDING. SO THERE'S TWO THINGS ERIK HAS THE B SESSION WHERE WE'LL TALK ABOUT THE CBAS BEFORE US, WHICH IS IN JANUARY.
AND THEN THE MOTION FOR THE -- TO SUPPORT THE STAFF RECOMMENDATION.
ALL RIGHT, SO THERE BEING NO FURTHER DISCUSSION, A MOTION AND A SECOND.
OKAY MOTION CARRIES. >> GOOD AFTERNOON, MAYOR AND COUNCILMEMBERS.
I'M SHAYNA MILLER, THE DIRECTOR -- >> MAYOR JONES: ONE SECOND.
WE'LL MOVE ON TO ITEM 5 OR 6. PLEASE READ THE CAPTION. >> CLERK: A COUNCIL CONSIDERATION REQUEST BY COUNCILMEMBER TERI CASTILLO, DISTRICT 5 ON VACANT AND
NUISANCE PROPERTY PROGRAM AND POLICY ENHANCEMENTS. >> MAYOR JONES: OKAY.
GO AHEAD, PLEASE. THANKS. >> SORRY, I GOT OVERANXIOUS THERE. AS I STATED, I'M SHANNON MILLER WITH THE OFFICE OF HISTORIC PRESERVATION. AND I'M HERE TO PRESENT ON A CCR SUBMITTED BY COUNCILWOMAN CASTILLO RELATED TO VACANT AND NUISANCE PROPERTIES. AND, UM, OBVIOUSLY MUCH OF WHAT IS DISCUSSED IN THE CCRA AND R T THIS POLICY INCLUDES TOUCHES ON THE WORK OF SEVERAL DEPARTMENTS.
AND AMINA IS HERE, AND VERÓNICA IS HERE FROM NEIGHBORHOOD AND HOUSING SERVICES AND ALL OF US ARE AVAILABLE TO ANSWER QUESTIONS IF THERE ARE ANY. AND THEN, OF COURSE, WE WORK CLOSELY WITH THE CITY ATTORNEY'S OFFICE ON ALL OF THESE ITEMS. AND OHP DOES ADMINISTER THE VACANT BUILDING PROGRAM THAT WAS ESTABLISHED ORIGINALLY IN 2014 AS A PILOT.
IT WAS MADE PERMANENT AND EXPANDED TWICE SINCE THEN. AND IT DOES APPLY ONLY TO BUILDINGS THAT ARE 100% VACANT AND IT ONLY APPLIES IN CERTAIN PROGRAM AREAS THAT WERE ADOPTED BY COUNCIL. SO IT'S NOT CITY-WIDE CURRENTLY. IT ALSO DOES NOT APPLY TO VACANT LOTS, WHICH I KNOW THAT ARE ALSO A MAJOR CONCERN FOR QUALITY OF LIFE AND PUBLIC SAFETY ISSUES.
AND SO WE DO UNDERSTAND THAT THERE ARE OPPORTUNITIES TO EXPAND HOW WE'RE DEALING WITH VACANT AND UNDERUTILIZED PROPERTIES. AND SO THE COUNCIL CONSIDERATION REQUEST HAS ASKED STAFF FOR SIX THINGS SPECIFICALLY AND THEY'RE IN THREE GENERAL AREAS.
SO UNDER KIND OF THE UMBRELLA OF PROPERTY REGISTRATION AND INSPECTION, UM, IT ASKS US TO LOOK AT WAYS TO BRING MORE UNREGISTERED VACANT PROPERTIES INTO THE PROGRAM.
[01:35:02]
AND THEN ALSO REQUIRE PROPERTY OWNERS TO SUBMIT A MAINTENANCE PLAN.SO, UM, COMING INTO COMPLIANCE WITH THE STANDARD OF CARE IS CURRENTLY REQUIRED BY THE ORDINANCE, BUT, OBVIOUSLY, THAT IS OFTEN AN ENFORCEMENT ISSUE BECAUSE PEOPLE DON'T NECESSARILY DO IT. AND UNDER THE UMBRELLA OF FINES AND PENALTIES AND ENFORCEMENT, WE'VE BEEN ASKED TO LOOK AT ESTABLISHING AN ILA WITH BEXAR COUNTY TO ACCELERATE LIENS AND LOOK AT THE LEGALITY OF USING A SLIDING SCALE FOR VACANT PROPERTY FEES.
FOR EXAMPLE, IF THE LONGER A PROPERTY HAS BEEN VACANT, THEN THE FEE MIGHT INCREASE.
AND THEN UNDER THE UMBRELLA OF ACQUISITION AND RECEIVERSHIP, LOOKING INTO TOOLS THAT WE MIGHT BE ABLE TO UTILIZE MORE EFFECTIVELY SUCH AS THE RECEIVERSHIP, AND, UM, LAND BANKING. AND SO I'LL TALK A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT EACH.
SORRY, I WENT ONE TOO FAR. SO THE CURRENT VACANT BUILDING PROGRAM INCLUDES SIX STAFF MEMBERS. AND SO THAT IS FIVE IN THE OFFICE OF THE HISTORIC PRESERVATION THAT ARE CASE MANAGERS AND DEALING ONE-ON-ONE WITH THE PROPERTY OWNERS.
AND ALSO IDENTIFYING NEW PROPERTIES. AND THEN THE SIXTH POSITION IS A NEW POSITION THAT WAS INCLUDED IN THE BUDGET THIS YEAR.
AND THE POSITION CURRENTLY BEIG FILLED AND WE'RE LOOKING FORWARD TO WHAT THAT WOULD ENABLE TO US DO IN TERMS OF ENFORCEMENT OF THE AS I MENTIONED THE STANDARD OF CARE, COMING INTO COMPLIANCE WITH THAT STANDARD OF CARE IS A CURRENT REQUIREMENT, BUT IT'S ALWAYS AN OBSTACLE TO GET PEOPLE TO ACTUALLY SUBMITTING THOSE PLANS. SO WE AGREE THAT WORKING WITH THIS NEW ENFORCEMENT OFFICER TO HELP, UM, TO BRING UP THOSE COMPLIANCE RATE IT'S IT WILL BE REALLY BE IMPORTANT. AND THEN ONE OF THE OTHER EXCITING THINGS ABOUT THE NEW POSITION IS THAT HAVING SOMEONE HELP US TO FOCUS ON THE ENFORCEMENT SIDE WILL ENABLE THE CASE MANAGERS TO BE IN THE NEIGHBORHOODS MORE AND IDENTIFY PROACTIVELY ADDITIONAL VACANT PROPERTIES THAT WE MAY NOT HAVE THE CAPACITY TO IDENTIFY PREVIOUSLY.
OFTENTIMES WE RELY ON THE COUNCIL OFFICES OR CITIZENS TO LET US KNOW ABOUT VACANT PROPERTIES BECAUSE THERE'S NOT CAPACITY TO BE OUT IN THE FIELD ALL TIMES.
SO THAT ADDITIONAL HELP FROM DEVELOPMENT SERVICES WILL HELP US IN THAT WAY AS WELL.
SO AS IT RELATES TO THE FINES, PENALTIES AND ENFORCEMENT, UM, THE CCR TALKS ABOUT FORECLOSING ON LIENS AND STATE LAW DOES LIMIT THE TYPES OF LIENS THAT WE CAN FORECLOSE ON AND WE CAN'T FORECLOSE ON BUILDINGS BUT THE COUNTY CAN FORECLOSE ON PROPERTIES WITH DELINQUENT PROPERTY TAXES AND SO EXPLORING HOW TO WORK WITH THE COUNTY TO ACCELERATE THAT FORECLOSURE PROCESS IS AN ONGOING CONVERSATION. WE DID INITIALLY LOOK INTO THE IDEA OF A SLIDING SCALE FOR THE REGISTRATION FEES WITH THE CITY ATTORNEY'S OFFICE AND THERE'S NO OBVIOUS LEGAL RESTRICTIONS THAT WE'VE IDENTIFIED TO DATE. AND SO, UM, WE WILL BE EXPLORING WHAT THAT MIGHT LOOK LIKE. THERE ARE EXAMPLES IN OTHER CITIES THAT HAVE TAKEN THIS APPROACH, AND SO WE DO BELIEVE THAT COULD BE A VIABLE SOLUTION FOR PROPERTIES THAT HAVE BEEN VACANT FOR A LONGER PERIODS OF TIME. AND THEN WE ALSO KNOW THAT, UM, THAT, YOU KNOW, THE CITY CODE STATES THAT DEMOLITION SHOULD BE A REMEDY OF LAST RESORT.
BUT SOMETIMES WE ARE THERE. AND SO DEVELOPMENT SERVICES AND OHP WILL BE LOOKING AT HOW IN THOSE CASES THAT WHERE DEMOLITION IS TRULY WARRANTED, THAT WE CAN STREAMLINE THAT PROCESS WITHIN THE BOUNDS OF STATE LAW, OF COURSE. AND THEN UNDER THE ACQUISITION AND RECEIVERSHIP, UM, WE -- SEVERAL OF THESE THINGS ARE UNDERWAY IN SOME FORM OR ANOTHER. VEROPIC IS HERE AS I MENTIONED AND THEY HAVE BEEN WORKING ON THE PROGRAM SPECIFICALLY AND WILL WORK ON DEVELOPING THAT, AND WE ALSO HAVE COLLABORATED WITH THE CITY ATTORNEY'S OFFICE A NUMBER OF TIMES TO LOOK INTO USING THE RECEIVERSHIP AS AN OPTION FOR THESE SUB-STANDARD PROPERTIES. AND THERE ARE OBSTACLES TO THAT PROGRAM AS IT'S ALLOWED FOR IN STATE LAW BECAUSE A RECEIVER HAS TO SPEND MONEY UPFRONT AND THEN THE MONEY IS TIED UP IN THAT PROPERTY, BUT THEY DON'T OWN IT, SO THEY CAN'T SELL IT AND THEY CAN'T NECESSARILY RECOUP IT UNTIL THE RECEIVERSHIP PERIOD ENDS.
SO ONE OF THE THINGS THAT COULD RESULT FROM THIS, UM, ASSESSMENT IS IDENTIFYING A FUNDING SOURCE THAT A RECEIVER COULD ACCESS THAT ISN'T THEIRS SO THEY DON'T HAVE THE CHALLENGE OF THE CARRYING COST AND MAYBE THE HOUSING FUNDS COULD HELP TO SUPPORT THAT RECEIVERSHIP EFFORT ON THE FRONT END. SO WE ARE EXCITED ABOUT LOOKING INTO THOSE TYPES OF -- OF STRATEGIES. SO IN SUMMARY, STAFF IS IN AGREEMENT THAT EXISTING REGULATIONS RELATED TO VACANT BUILDINGS AND VACANT LOTS COULD ALWAYS BE ENHANCED AND THAT WE
[01:40:04]
ABSOLUTELY AGREE THAT WE SHOULD STRENGTHEN ENFORCEMENT EFFORTS WITHIN WHAT IS ALLOWED FOR IN STATE LAW. AND SO, UM, WE'RE -- WE'RE REALLY EXCITED ABOUT -- ABOUT LOOKING MORE INTO THIS. AND I APPRECIATE ALL OF THE SUGGESTIONS, UM, THAT COUNCILWOMAN CASTILLO OFFERED. AND SO WHAT OUR RECOMMENDATION IS THAT WE WOULD REFER THIS ITEM TO THE PLANNING AND COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT FOR A RECOMMENDATION.AND AS I MENTIONED AT THE OUTSET, UM, IT IS REALLY A JOINT EFFORT BETWEEN THE OFFICE OF HISTORIC PRESERVATION AND NEIGHBORHOOD AND HOUSING SERVICES AND THE DEVELOPMENT SERVICES DEPARTMENT AND THE CITY'S ATTORNEY OFFICE. I'M HAPPY TO ANSWER QUESTIONS.
>> MAYOR JONES: COUNCILWOMAN CASTILLO YOU ARE RECOGNIZED TO SPEAK IF YOU WANT.
>> CASTILLO: THIS COUNCIL REQUEST IS IN RESPONSE TO THE BUDGET SURVEYS AS WELL AS DISTRICT 5 RESIDENTS WHO BRING UP DURING OUR NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION MEETINGS THEIR CONCERNS WITH VACANT LOTS AND VACANT STRUCTURES. I AM COMFORTABLE WITH THE STAFF'S RECOMMENDATION AND I LOOK FORWARD TO DISCUSSING WITH THE PLANNING COMMUNITY
DEVELOPMENT COMMITTEE. THANK YOU, MAYOR. >> MAYOR JONES: A MOTION AND A
SECOND SO THAT WE MAY BEGIN DISCUSSION. >> I MAKE A MOTION.
>> SECOND. >> MAYOR JONES: GREAT, THANKS. THANK YOU TO THE STAFF FOR THE PRESENTATION, OF COURSE, AND THANKS TO THE CCR ITSELF AND I APPRECIATE THE STAFF'S INCORPORATION OF, UM, HOW WE MIGHT INCLUDE AND REVIEW THE DEMOLITION, WHICH TO YOUR POINT IS A KEY PART OF THIS POTENTIALLY -- IT WASN'T INITIALLY PART OF IT BUT I THINK WE'VE GOT TO LOOK AT ALL OPPORTUNITIES. OKAY.
COUNCIL AND COLLEAGUES, WHO WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK ON THIS. COUNCILMAN MUNGIA.
>> MUNGIA: I WANT TO THANK COUNCILWOMAN CASTILLO FIRST AND DOING THE CCR AND AS WE BORDER OUR DISTRICTS AND THERE'S A LOT OF VACANT LOTS AND STRUCTURES AND WE EVEN HAD ONE SITUATION WHERE A VACANT HOUSE, REALLY DETRIMENTAL AND BAD CONDITIONS AND RIGHT NEXT TO AN ELDERLY WOMAN. IT TURNS OUT THAT THE MAN THAT OWNED THAT HOUSE JUST APPARENTLY WALKED OUT OF THE HOUSE YEARS AGO AND NEVER CAME BACK AND LEFT IT ABANDONED.
AND FELT THAT WE COULDN'T DO MUCH AND THERE WERE RAT INFESTATIONS AND IMPACTING THE NEIGHBORS AROUND THEIR AREA. SO THERE ARE A LOT OF NEGLIGENT PROPERTY OWNERS.
I LIVE RIGHT NEXT TO TWO VACANT LOTS AND EVERY DAY THAT I PASS BY THEM TO GO TO MY HOME THERE'S ALWAYS ILLEGAL DUMPING AND THERE'S ALWAYS GETTING TICKETS AND ABATEMENTS BY THE CITY AND THEY KEEP ON DOING THAT AND WE DON'T HEAR FROM THE PROPERTY OWNERS.
SO THIS IS A STEP IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION TO GET SOME PROGRAMMING AND ACTION ON THAT.
SO I LOOK FORWARD TO DISCUSSING THIS.
THANK YOU. >> MCKEE-RODRIGUEZ: WHO IS YOUR COUNCILMEMBER, DANG.
>> MUNGIA: WHO IS MY DEVELOPMENT AND SERVICES DIRECTOR? >> MAYOR JONES: COUNCILMAN, ANYTHING? NO. OKAY.
ALL RIGHT. THERE BEING NO FURTHER DISCUSSION WE HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND TO, UM, TO COMPLY WITH -- OR TO TAKE UP THE STAFF RECOMMENDATION TO MOVE THIS TO PLANNING AND COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT COMMITTEE. ALL IN FAVOR SAY AYE.
LET'S MOVE ON TO ITEM 6, MADAM CLERK, PLEASE READ THE CAPTION. >> CLERK: ITEM 6 IS A COUNCIL CONSIDERATION REQUEST BY COUNCILMEMBER TERI CASTILLO, DISTRICT 5 ON CITY COUNTY AD-HOC
COMMITTEE FOR DIVERSION AND RECOVERY CENTER. >> I'M THE CITY MANAGER.
THIS WAS SUBMITTED BY COUNCILWOMAN CASTILLO ON OCTOBER 6TH, 2025.
AND WHAT THIS CCR IS REQUESTING IS THAT -- REQUESTING THE CREATION OF A JOINT CITY AND COUNTY AD-HOC COMMITTEE TO BEGIN THE CONVERSATION ON A POTENTIAL MENTAL HEALTH AND INTELLECTUAL DISABILITY DIVERSION CENTER. THIS WORK, AGAIN, IS RECOMMENDED TO BE DONE WITH INDIVIDUALS THAT REPRESENT THE CITY, THE COUNTY, AND ALSO PARTNERS LIKE THE CENTER FOR HEALTHCARE SERVICES, WHO IS OUR MENTAL HEALTH AUTHORITY. THE CCR ALSO RECOMMENDS THE REVIEW OF RECOMMENDATIONS BY DRR TODAY ABOUT THE WORK THAT HE DID FOR BEXAR COUNTY IN TERMS OF SPECIFICALLY HOW TO ADDRESS THOSE INDIVIDUALS THAT MAY HAVE LOW LEVEL OF.
INCARCERATION. SO ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE HAVE BEEN DISCUSSING WITH THE CENTER FOR HEALTHCARE SERVICES IS ACTUALLY THEIR BOARD THIS WEEK APPROVED THE RELEASE OF A REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL. SPECIFICALLY, TO BE ABLE TO DO A FEASIBILITY STUDY THAT WOULD EVALUATE THE NEED FOR A POTENTIAL, UM, CENTER -- DIVERSION CENTER.
[01:45:06]
SO THE APPROPRIATENESS OF HAVING THE CENTER, OPERATIONAL REQUIREMENTS, FINANCIAL IMPACT AS WELL AS STAKEHOLDER PARTICIPATION. AGAIN, TO ESTABLISH A JAIL DIVERSION CENTER IN BEXAR COUNTY. SO A LOT -- IN REVIEWING THIS WORK AND THAT PARTICULAR PROPOSAL ALIGNS WITH THE CCR. SO WHAT WE WOULD RECOMMEND TO THE GOVERNANCE COMMITTEE IS TO MOVE THIS FORWARD TO THE PUBLIC SAFETY COMMITTEE FOR FURTHER DISCUSSION AND FOR THE CITY TO PARTICIPATE IN THIS FACE FEASIBY STUDY THAT, AGAIN, ALIGNS WITH THE REQUEST OF THE CCR. AND THE DEPARTMENTS THAT WORK WORKING IN THIS PARTICULAR CCR INCLUDE OUR MENTAL HEALTH DEPARTMENT, AS WELL AS THE POLICE DEPARTMENT, UM, MUNICIPAL COURT, THE CITY MANAGER'S OFFICE. AND SO THAT IS OURRECOMMENDATION AND HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS, MAYOR. >> MAYOR JONES: COUNCILMEMBER
CASTILLO, IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO SAY A FEW WORDS. >> CASTILLO: THANK YOU, MAYOR AND THANK YOU, MARIA FOR THE PRESENTATION. IT'S A BEGINNING OF A HUMANE NECESSITY TO BREAK THE CYCLE OF JAILING LOW-LEVEL OFFENSES CAUSED BY PEOPLE IN NEED AND MENTAL HEALTH TREATMENT. THIS CCR AIMS TO BRING IN STAKEHOLDERS INVOLVED IN THE JUSTICE PROCESS, THE MENTAL HEALTH FIELD AND/OR POLICY IN ORDER TO BUILD THE INFRASTRUCTURE NECESSARY TO DIVERT OUR CONSTITUENTS FROM BEING CAUGHT IN THE JUSTICE SYSTEM. BY STARTING THIS PROCESS, WE WILL JOIN OTHER MAJOR TEXAS CITIES WHO HAVE INVESTED IN CHANGE AND A FUTURE OF REHABILITATION AND RECOVERY.
AND I'D LIKE TO THANK THE MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC FROM THE COMMUNITY HEALTHCARE SERVICES, AS WELL AS DR. TESTA, UM, FOR GIVING PUBLIC COMMENT ON THIS ISSUE.
MY TEAM AND I HAVE RECEIVED A LETTER OF SUPPORT FROM SHERIFF SALAZAR AND JUSTIN MCKEE-RODRIGUEZ THAT EACH OF YOU SHOULD HAVE RECEIVED. AGAIN, THIS IS THE WORK THAT WE SHOULD BE DOING AND JUST GRATEFUL TO HEAR THAT THIS IS GOING TO THE PUBLIC SAFETY COMMITTEE. AND I'D BE REMISS IF I DIDN'T THINK COUNCILMEMBER GALVAN ON THE D5 TEAM LED AND OVERSEE THE WORK OF THIS. AND SO THANK YOU, COUNCILMAN
GALVAN AND THANK YOU, MAYOR. >> MAYOR JONES: IS THERE A MOTION AND A SECOND SO THAT WE
MAY BEGIN DISCUSSION. >> SECOND. >> MAYOR JONES: OKAY.
ANYONE THAT WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK ON THE CCR PROPOSED, COUNCILMEMBER VIAGRAN.
>> VIAGRAN: I 79 TO THANK COUNCILMAN CASTILLO FOR PUTTING THIS FORWARD AND I'M GLAD THAT IT'S GOING TO THE PUBLIC SAFETY COMMITTEE AND WHEN WE TALK ABOUT MENTAL HEALTH WE DO NEED TO TALK ABOUT IT IN A LARGER SECTION ABOUT ALL OF OUR COMMUNITIES. IT'S NOT SOMETHING THAT NEEDS TO STAY IN A SILO. SO I LOOK FORWARD TO, UM, SEEING WHAT COMES OUT OF PUBLIC SAFETY, AND HOPING THAT WE CAN -- WE CAN DO MORE TO KIND OF NORMALIZE CONVERSATION ABOUT MENTAL HEALTH AND THE FACT THAT IF NOT TAKEN CARE OF, IT CAN LEAD TO SOME OF THESE CIRCUMSTANCES.
SO THANK YOU, COUNCILWOMAN CASTILLO FOR BEING VERY BUSY TODAY.
THANK YOU. >> MAYOR JONES: OTHER COMMENTS. COUNCILMAN MUNGIA.
>> MUNGIA: YES, THANK YOU, COUNCILWOMAN CASTILLO. IT'S TERI DAY AT COMMITTEE, WITH ALL OF THE CCRS. BUT, NO, I APPRECIATE THIS AND I THINK THAT IT WILL GO REALLY WELL AND IN OUR TIME THAT WE CAN BE VERY SENSITIVE AND, UM, TREAT EVERYBODY AS AN INDIVIDUAL GOING THROUGH THIS. AND NOT EVERYBODY NEEDS TO BE IN JAIL THAT HAS AN ISSUE WITH THE LAW. SO I THINK THAT THIS IS GOING TO REALLY TO HELP PEOPLE WITH RECOVERY AND TO GET PLACES THEY NEED TO BE. SO THANK YOU.
>> MAYOR JONES: THANK YOU. COUNCILMAN MCKEE-RODRIGUEZ? NO.
AND DURING PUBLIC COMMENT SOMEONE POINTED OUT HOW WE'RE THE ONLY MAJOR COUNTY THAT DOESN'T HAVE SOMETHING LIKE THIS ALREADY. AND SO AS PART OF THAT DISCUSSION THAT ULTIMATELY WILL COME TO THE FULL COUNCIL IT WOULD BE HELPFUL JUST TO PROVIDE, LIKE, THE HISTORY IS ALWAYS IMPORTANT ON THIS, RIGHT SO WHEN THE NICKS HOSPITAL WENT AWAY AND COVID AND ALL OF THE OTHER THINGS, I THINK THAT IT'S HELPFUL FOR KIND OF KEY DECISION POINTS THAT HAVE CONTRIBUTED TO WHAT WE'RE SEEING TODAY, FRANKLY, HIGHLIGHT THE NEED FOR US TO NOT ONLY CATCH UP IN OUR OWN COMMUNITY BUT CERTAINLY TO CATCH UP WITH THE REST OF THE STATE IN HOW THEY'RE WORKING TO ADDRESS THIS. AND THEN, CERTAINLY, YOU KNOW, THE COSTS AS WE'RE LOOKING AT POTENTIAL BOND DOLLARS TO -- TO ADDRESS THIS.
YOU WANT TO ADD SOMETHING, ERIK? >> WELL, THAT WAS -- THE PRESENTATION DIDN'T SAY ABOUT
BOND DOLLARS. >> MAYOR JONES: NO, IT DIDN'T. I DID.
[LAUGHTER] IF THERE WERE SOME POTENTIAL DOLLARS THAT MAY NEED TO GO --
YOU KNOW, TO SOME ACTUAL STRUCTURE IN THE FUTURE. >> THAT THE CITY WOULD FUND A
COUNTY BUILDING? OR -- >> MAYOR JONES: WE WOULD POTENTIALLY -- WELCOME UNDERSTANDING POTENTIAL WAYS THAT WE WOULD FUND A LARGER
PIECE OF THIS, RIGHT? >> YEAH, AND I THINK THAT -- AND IT SAYS IT IN THE CCR -- AND I
[01:50:05]
THINK THAT.HERE THAT PROBABLY NEEDS TO COME TO THE FULL COUNCIL ALSO LATER ON IN THE YEAR, MAYOR.
AND THAT AS IT RELATES TO THE ENGAGEMENT OF THE OTHER PARTNERS ON THIS AD-HOC EFFORT -- THE COUNTY, UHS, AND THE CENTER FOR HEALTHCARE SERVICES AND THE CITY AND THE HOSPITAL SYSTEMS. AND IF YOU ALL WOULD LIKE THAT -- TO SEE THAT SOONER THAN LATER -- WE COULD SCHEDULE THAT FOR B SESSION IN THE SPRINGTIME AS WELL. LET THE PUBLIC SAFETY COMMITTEE TO TAKE -- TAKE SOME TIME TO HIT THE INITIAL ISSUES AND THEN BRING SOMETHING IN THE
SPRINGTIME FOR FULL COUNCIL B SESSION. >> MAYOR JONES: I THINK THAT MAKES A LOT OF SENSE. I THINK THAT THE DISCUSSION THAT WE'RE HAVING TOMORROW TOO REGARDING THE TABLETOP, FRANKLY, AS WE SEEING THESE CUTS, ONE TO BE IMPLEMENTED SOONER THAN WE ANTICIPATED AND SOME OF THESE CUTS DISPROPORTIONATELY FALLING TO PUBLIC HEALTH, ONLY RAISES THE NEED FOR US TO BE THINKING ABOUT THIS, SOONER RATHER THAN LATER.
SO I THINK IS A GOOD IDEA. OKAY. OKAY, SO THERE IS A MOTION AND A SECOND TO REFER THIS ITEM TO PUBLIC SAFETY. ALL OF THOSE IN FAVOR SAY AYE.
MOVING TO ITEM 7, MADAM CLERK, PLEASE READ THE CAPTION. >> SECRETARY: ITEM 7 A COUNCIL CONSIDERATION REQUEST BY COUNCILMEMBER RIC GALVAN ON DATA CENTER RESPONSE PLANNING AND
POLICY. >> GOOD AFTERNOON, I AM AMIN TOHMAZ, THE DIRECTOR OF DEVELOPMENT SERVICES. AND I'M HERE TO TALK ABOUT THE DATA CENTER RESPONSE PLANNING AND POLICY. IT WAS SUBMITTED ON OCTOBER 2025, WITH DISTRICT 6, AND THAT REQUEST IS FOR DEVELOPMENT SERVICES TO PRESENT AN OVERVIEW OF CERTAIN TOPICS RELATED TO DATA CENTERS. THE FIRST IS TO LOOK AT THE SCOPE AND THE AUTHORITY OF THE CITY TO REGULATE DATA CENTERS. LOOK AT ANY RELATED STATE LAWS AND REGULATIONS AS WELL FOR DATA CENTERS. LOOK AT UTILITY CONSUMPTION. MAINLY WATER AND ELECTRICITY.
AND EXPLORE ANY POTENTIAL AMENDMENTS TO IDENTIFY THE DEVELOPMENT CODE.
AND, FINALLY, EXPLORE THE PARTNERSHIP WITH LOCAL INSTITUTES AND THE UTILITY PARTNERS, AND ALSO OBVIOUSLY THE DATA CENTER AND ENTITIES. SO NEXT STEPS IS TO DO A RESEARCH AND IDENTIFY ANY LOCAL AND STATE APPLICABLE REGULATIONS AND CODES.
ENGAGE THE STAKEHOLDERS, INCLUDING THE MUNICIPAL UTILITIES, AGAIN, AS I SAID, THE ELECTRIC AND WATER, SAWS AND CPS. AND LOOK AT ANY CHANCES TO CHANGE THE CODE OR UTILIZE THE CODE AS AUTHORIZED. AND THEN, FINALLY, TO PRESENT OUR FINDINGS TO PLANNING AND DEVELOPMENT COMMITTEE. AND I AM HERE FOR ANY QUESTIONS
THAT YOU MAY HAVE. >> MAYOR JONES: OKAY, GREAT, THANK YOU.
AND WE KNOW THAT THE SPONSOR IS HERE BUT CANNOT SPEAK. OKAY.
OH, HE CAN? OKAY. ON THIS ONE YOU CAN.
OKAY, ALL RIGHT. [LAUGHTER] PLEASE.
>> THANK YOU SO MUCH, MAYOR. THANK YOU TO THE MEMBERS OF THE COMMITTEE FOR THIS.
FOR THE CCR AND I APPRECIATE THE CONVERSATION REGARDING THE CCR. AND THE CCR CAME TO BE FROM THE RESIDENTS IN THE WEST OVERHILLS NEIGHBORHOOD THAT REPRESENT DISTRICT 6 AND GIVEN THE KONTS TRAIGZ OF DATA CENTERS IN DISTRICT 6 COMPARED TO ANYWHERE ELSE IN THE CITY.
THEY ARE SEEING NEWS IN THE NATIONAL MEDIA AND THE STATE MEDIA AND EVEN OUR LOCAL WITH THE EFFECTS THAT DATA CENTERS ARE HAVING ON RAPID DEVELOPMENTS ACROSS OUR COUNTRY AND THE STATE IN PARTICULAR AND NOT ONLY IN OUR CITY BUT IN OUR REGION AS WELL.
AND BEGAN TO ASK QUESTIONS ABOUT HOW DO THESE CENTERS IN THIS PARTICULAR INDUSTRY IMPACT OUR WATER USAGE AND OUR ENERGY USAGE AND THE RATES WITH THAT NEED. AND THE ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACTS AS WELL, GIVEN NOT ONLY THE NOISE CONCERNS BUT ALSO THE TREE COVERAGE AND OTHER DEVELOPMENT CONCERNS. AND THEN TOO THE ECONOMIC IMPACT.
OFTEN A CONVERSATION ABOUT HOW MANY JOBS ARE GOING TO BE EMPLOYED LOCALLY WITH THESE NEW DEVELOPMENTS AND WHAT KIND OF TAX PAYMENTS, IF THERE ARE ANY. AND HOW DOES IT CONNECT TO THE LARGER ECONOMY HERE IN OUR COMMUNITY. AND ALL OF THOSE THINGS IS WHAT INSPIRED ME TO PUT A CCR TOGETHER AND TO SUBMIT AND TO GET FOLKS TO SIGN ON TO IT.
THIS IS A FIRST STEP IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION IN CREATING THAT PUBLIC CONVERSATION AND MAKING SURE THAT WE'RE CLEARING THE AIR ON WHAT THIS INDUSTRY IS, WHAT IT MEANS TO OUR COMMUNITY AND HOW IT AFFECTS OUR UTILITY AND OTHER IMPACTS LOCALLY. AND TO BE FRANK IN OUR REVIEW OF THIS KIND OF WORK, THAT'S SOMETHING THAT THE PUBLIC IS OWED AND AS THE INDUSTRY HAS
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CHANGED AND EVOLVED AND GROWN OVER TIME, OF COURSE, THERE'S CHANGES TO THE INDUSTRY, AND I THINK IS WORTH DISCUSSING PUBLICLY AS WELL. SO THAT WE CAN CLEAR THE AIR ABOUT WHAT'S GOING ON ACROSS THE BOARD. RIGHT.AND MAKING SURE THAT THERE'S A PRODUCTIVE WAY TO EXPRESS THEIR CONCERNS ON THIS PARTICULAR INDUSTRY AND THIS GROWING INDUSTRY. AND SOME OF THE BENEFITS AS WELL POTENTIALLY. I AM EXCITED TO SEE, OF COURSE, THE COUNCIL CONVERSATION AND OUR COMMITTEE CONVERSATION ON THIS ITEM. I KNOW THAT I WANT TO THANK COUNCILMEMBER GALVAN FOR TALKING TO ME AND I'M EAGER TO SEE HOW WE CAN SEE IT DISCUSSED IF BOTH OF THE KIND OF ZONING CONVERSATION AS WELL AS THE LARGER ECONOMIC IMPACT AS WELL AND OPEN TO SUPPORTING WHATEVER I CAN. THANK YOU ALL.
>> MAYOR JONES: THANK YOU, COUNCILMAN. IS THERE A MOTION AND A SECOND
SO THERE'S A MOTION AND THERE'S A SECOND. >> SECOND.
>> MAYOR JONES: OKAY, YOU GOT IT. THANK YOU, COUNCILMAN, FOR THIS VERY THOUGHTFUL CCR AND, FRANKLY, JUST BASED ON THIS EXCHANGE YOU COULD SEE THAT THIS COULD ACTUALLY GO TO A NUMBER OF COMMITTEES, RIGHT? ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, COMMUNITY HEALTH, WHEN YOU LOOK AT SOME OF THE PUBLIC HEALTH CONCERNS THAT HAVE ARISEEN AS A RESULT OF THE PLACEMENT OF DATA CENTERS NEAR RESIDENTIAL AREAS. BUT EVEN PUBLIC SAFETY.
THE UNIQUE NEEDS IN PARTICULAR OF THE FIRE DEPARTMENT WOULD HAVE BASED ON THE TYPE OF -- THE TYPE OF INFRASTRUCTURE AROUND CERTAIN DATA CENTERS. THERE ARE CLEARLY SOME TRAINING CONSIDERATIONS NEEDED FOR THE FIRE DEPARTMENT AS WE HAVE SEEN IN OTHER COMMUNITIES.
SO I REALLY APPRECIATE THE VERY THOUGHTFUL CCR. IN LIGHT OF NOT ONLY THE EMERGENT IN OUR COMMUNITY BUT BECAUSE WE HAVE A UNIQUE CONSIDERATION IN THAT, YES, HUGN OUR UTILITIES WHICH WE BOTH OWN AND WHILE WE DO RECOUP VIA OUR CONTRIBUTION INTO THE GENERAL FUND, UM, REALLY IT DOVETAILS ON THE CONVERSATION THAT WE HAD EARLIER WHICH IS HOW DO WE UNDERSTAND THAT THE BENEFITS OF THESE OUTWEIGH THE COSTS. AND SO A THOUGHTFUL DISCUSSION DRIVEN BY YOUR CCR HELPS TO DO. THAT LET ME SEE IF MY COLLEAGUES WOULD LIKE TO CHIME IN.
COUNCILWOMAN VIAGRAN. >> VIAGRAN: THANK YOU FOR THE PRESENTATION.
SO AMIN, I THINK THAT WE HAVE A RACE -- NO IT'S NOT A RACE -- I'M JUST KIDDING.
NO, I REALLY DO FEEL THAT IF THE MAJORITY OF THE COUNCIL AND STAFF WANTS TO TAKE THIS TO PCDC, I'M NO LONGER ON THAT COMMITTEE, SO HAVE FUN. BUT I DO KNOW HOW HARD IT IS TO DO UNIFIED DEVELOPMENT CODE. AND THE ONE THING THAT I HAVE HEARD FROM THE SPEAKERS IS THAT WE WANT THIS DONE QUICKLY. THAT'S NOT NORMALLY THE WAY THAT WE DO UNIFIED DEVELOPMENT CODE.
SO I DO WANT TO SEE IT GO THROUGH PCDC AND SEE WHAT SORT OF CODES THAT WE HAVE.
I THINK THAT YOU HAVE A GREAT PRESENTATION THERE IN FRONT, BUT I THINK THAT IN TERMS OF ECONOMIC WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT, WHAT WE CAN DO AND TO THE MAYOR'S POINT DOES IT NEED TO BE A CCR OR CAN IT GO STRAIGHT TO COMMITTEE IS THAT KIND OF WORK PARALLEL WITHIN COMMITTEE, WITH COUNCILMEMBERS THAT ARE ON THE COMMITTEE, TO KIND OF SEE WHAT -- WHAT WE CAN DO TO BRING STAKEHOLDERS TOGETHER. AND REALLY TO GET A SAN ANTONIO SOLUTION TO THE FUTURE OF DATA CENTERS IN SAN ANTONIO, WHERE -- WHERE CAN THEY GO, WHERE DOES IT FIT, AND HOW DOES IT WORK WITH OUR, UM, OUR UTILITIES. SO I'M WORKING TO THE ECONOMIC WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT TEAM, INCLUDING ERIK TO WORK ON THAT. AND TO SEE WHAT WE CAN BRING FORWARD ALSO AND THEN GETTING THE RESULTS AND THEN SEEING HOW WE MARRY THAT INTO SOMETHING THAT, UM, THE CITY AND THE REST OF THE COUNCIL CAN -- CAN KIND OF, UH, WORK WITH AND -- AND GIVE THEIR INSIGHTS ON TOO.
SO THANK YOU SO MUCH TO THE COMMUNITY THAT CAME OUT AND SPOKE ON IT AND I LOOK FORWARD TO HEARING FROM Y'ALL. SO THANK YOU AGAIN FOR JUST ALL OF THE EFFORTS THAT WE DO AND MAKING SURE THAT AS THE CITY MOVES FORWARD THAT WE ASK THE RIGHT QUESTIONS AND WE FIND SAN
ANTONIO SOLUTIONS. THANK YOU. >> MAYOR JONES: THANK YOU, COUNCILWOMAN. AND I WOULD SAY THAT THIS ACTUALLY DOVETAILS ALSO ON THE CBA DISCUSSION THAT WE JUST HAD AND YOU'RE ACTUALLY SEEING A LOT OF COMMUNITIES TO THINK ABOUT -- BECAUSE, AGAIN, THE JOBS ARE REALLY ON THE FRONT END, RIGHT? WHEN YOU BUILD THE THING.
AND NOT NECESSARILY WHEN THE DATA CENTER IS UP AND RUNNING. WHICH IS WHY THE NEED TO KIND OF BE THOUGHTFUL ABOUT WHAT IT LOOKS LIKE AFTER IT'S BUILT AND UP AND RUNNING AND THE NEED FOR A CBA. SO WHEN YOU ARE LOOKING AT THAT COUNCILWOMAN, I ASK THAT YOU INCLUDE THAT AS PART OF YOUR DISCUSSIONS. THANK YOU.
COUNCILMAN MUNGIA. >> MUNGIA: THANK YOU, COUNCILMAN GALVAN, AND I THINK THAT IT'S AN IMPORTANT DISCUSSION. AND AS MUCH AS WE TALK ABOUT DATA CENTERS I THINK THAT THERE'S A LOT OF, YOU KNOW, INFORMATION BEING TOSSED AROUND THAT I THINK WE NEED TO DECIPHER
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WHAT IS FACT AND MYTH ABOUT THESE FACILITIES. I HAVE NEVER ACTUALLY BEEN TO A DATA CENTER SO I ASK ANYONE THAT WORKS HERE TO TAKE ME ON A TOUR BECAUSE I D I DON'T KNOW WHAT IT LOOKS LIKE ON THE INSIDE. BEFORE WE MAKE REGULATIONS, WHAT EXACTLY DO THEY HAVE IN THERE.AND I THINK THAT IT'S A CONVERSATION AS WHERE IT MAKES SENSE, RIGHT? I DON'T THINK THAT DATA CENTERS ARE GOING TO BE ON WEST HOUSTON STREET WHERE THERE'S A LOT OF DENSITY, GIVEN THE AMOUNT OF TECHNOLOGY AND HEAT AND RESOURCES NEEDED.
IT'S PROBABLY DISTRICT 6, 4, 3, WHERE YOU HAVE A LOT MORE SPACE AND ROOM.
I ALSO THINK THAT WHEN WE TALK ABOUT INCENTIVES AND THINGS OF THAT NATURE, WE -- I WOULD LIKE TO SEE DATA CENTERS -- ESPECIALLY BECAUSE OF THE NOTION THAT THEY USE A LOT OF WATER -- TO, UM, TO MAYBE CHIP INTO THE PURPLE PIPE EXPANSION, RIGHT? WE HAVE A PURPLE PIPE SYSTEM IN SAN ANTONIO. WE KNOW THAT EXPANDING THAT RECYCLED WATER IS GOING TO COME AT A COST AND NOT PAY FOR THAT, UNLESS WE GIVE THEM MORE MONEY AND WE'RE CERTAINLY NOT GOING TO PAY FOR THAT. WE HAVE TO FIND A WAY TO EXPAND THAT AND IT'S CURRENTLY ON THE WEST SIDE OF THE CITY AND I THINK THAT MORE COMMERCIAL BUSINESSES UTILIZING PURPLE PIPE TAKES PEOPLE OFF OR REDUCES THE CONSUMPTION OF REGULAR DRINKING WATER.
SO I THINK THAT IS IMPORTANT. AND WE SHOULD HAVE A CONVERSATION WITH CPS ON EXACTLY THE DATA CENTERS THAT WE HAVE HERE AND WHAT USAGE THEY ARE USING.
BECAUSE I GUARANTEE THAT THERE'S STILL GOING TO BE OTHER ENTITIES THAT USE A LOT MORE ENERGY THAN THEY DO, BUT WE HAVE TO MAKE SURE THAT UM, THEY'RE PART OF THE HELP ALSO ON EXPANDING OUR ENERGY ABILITY. SO I THINK THAT THERE'S A LOT OF ROOM TO WORK ON THAT.
THANK YOU. >> MAYOR JONES: NO THAT'S A REALLY GOOD POINT IN THAT WE SHOULD PROBABLY HAVE A CONVERSATION. I KNOW THAT WE DO HAVE ONE-OFF AND THEY ALTERNATE SAWS AND CPS AND THE CONVERSATION IN GENERAL, HERE'S THE STATE OF THE DATA CENTERS IN OUR COMMUNITY AND WE TALK ABOUT JUST THE SHEER NUMBER AND ALSO UNDERSTAND THE PERSPECTIVES UNIQUELY AS CPS AND SAWS AND AS WE GO INTO DISCUSSIONS AND CONSIDERATIONS ABOUT A RATE INCREASE AND HOW, FRANKLY, IT'S OUR FOLKS PAYING FOR THE INFRASTRUCTURE THAT WOULD ALLOW FOR THESE THINGS TO COME IN. I THINK THAT LEVEL SETTING ON THAT, AGAIN, EARLY IN -- EARLY NEXT YEAR -- IT WOULD BE VERY HELPFUL.
>> WE'LL FOLLOW UP ON THAT, MAYOR, ABSOLUTELY. >> MAYOR JONES: AND ANDY LEGALLY AS WELL, I HAD HEARD DISCUSSION ABOUT, UM, THE MILITARY BASES LOOKING AT POTENTIALLY, UM, EXTRA LAND THAT THEY'VE GOT POTENTIALLY ALLOWING A DATA CENTER TO BE SET UP ON THOSE.
CERTAINLY THEN -- I MEAN, IF THEY USE THEIR OWN KIND OF MODULAR ENERGY, THAT'S ONE THING BUT THEY CERTAINLY DON'T HAVE THEIR OWN WATER. SO AS PART OF THAT DISCUSSION WE WOULD WANT TO UNDERSTAND THOSE ENTITIES THAT ARE EXERCISING THEIR OWN AGENCY, WHAT THAT MAY MEAN, UM, IF THAT'S A UNIQUE CONSIDERATION AND HOW DO THOSE COME BEFORE THE BODY AND HOW DO WE REVIEW THOSE. THANK YOU. OKAY.
ANY OTHER -- OKAY. COUNCILMAN MCKEE-RODRIGUEZ. >> MCKEE-RODRIGUEZ: SPECIFICALLY FOR THIS REQUEST AS IT RELATES TO THE REGULATION OF DATA CENTERS, SPECIFICALLY FOR CODE AND WHATNOT, I THINK THAT IT MAKES SENSE TO GO TO PCDC AND OF COURSE I KNOW THAT THERE WILL BE INTEREST IN TALKING ABOUT THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT IMPACTS AND ALL OF THOSE SORTS OF CONVERSATIONS THAT ARE HAD. AND IT WOULD TAKE A COUPLE OF LEAPS AND THEN A CHECK, OF COURSE, FOR THE ENVIRONMENTAL CONCERNS AND WHATNOT. I'M NOT ON ANY OF THOSE THREE COMMITTEES AND WOULD TAKE A COUPLE OF LEAPS AND BOUNDS TO GET TO THE --
>> MAYOR JONES: TRANSPORTATION AND INFRASTRUCTURE. >> MCKEE-RODRIGUEZ: OR THE TRANSPORTATION AND INFRASTRUCTURE. IT'S EASIER TO SAY MUNICIPAL COURTS. BUT I LOOK FORWARD TO SUPPORTING THAT AND THANK YOU.
>> MAYOR JONES: ANY OTHER FURTHER COMMENTS ON THIS? OKAY.
THERE'S A MOTION AND A SECOND TO MOVE THIS TO PLANNING AND COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT COMMITTEE, AND THEN ERIK HAS FOR ACTION THE LARGER DISCUSSION BEFORE -- AT A B SESSION EARLY NEXT YEAR.
ALL OF THOSE IN FAVOR SAY AYE.
OKAY, GREAT MOTION CARRIES. ALL RIGHT, THANK YOU, EVERYBODY. THANKS TO THE STAFF AS WELL.
THE TIME IS NOW 4:09 AND THE MEETING IS ADJOURNED.
* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.