[00:00:48] >> MAYOR JONES: GOOD AFTERNOON. THE TIME IS NOW 1:13 P.M. ON WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 11, 2026. AND THE SAN ANTONIO CITY COUNCIL B SESSION IS CALLED TO ORDER. MADAME CLERK, PLEASE CALL ROLL. WHYTE IS HERE VIRTUALLY. WE HAVE QUORUM. >> MAYOR JONES: THANK YOU, MADAME CLERK. MY APOLOGIES FOR BEING A LITTLE LATE HERE. WE HAD THE GROUNDBREAKING WHICH TOUCHES NICELY ON THE FIRST TOPIC, WHICH MEANS MAKING SURE WE HAVE GOOD PUBLIC TRANSIT THAT CONNECTS THAT SIDE OF TOWN. ALL THOSE JOBS AND THOSE FAMILIES THAT ARE COMING . SO IT'S EXCITING TO HEAR [ BRIEFING ONLY  ] WHAT VIA HAS IN STORE. WE HAVE TWO ITEMS. THAT IS THE FIRST ONE. LET ME TURN IT OVER TO THE STAFF. >> THANK YOU, MAYOR. THE FIRST BRIEFING TODAY WILL PROVIDE THE COUNCIL AN UPDATE FROM VIA ON THEIR DIFFERENT TRANSIT PROJECTS, INCLUDING PROGRESS ON THE ADVANCED RAPID TRANSIT PROJECT. THE PROJECT IS A PART OF THE FEDERAL TRANSIT ADMINISTRATION'S CAPITAL INVESTMENT GRANT PROGRAM, BRINGING SUBSTANTIAL FEDERAL INFRASTRUCTURE AND FUNDING TO OUR REGION . VIA'S NORTH/SOUTH GREEN LINE ADVANCED RAPID TRANSIT CORRIDOR IS AN EXAMPLE OF HOW WE CAN IMPROVE OUR MASS TRANSIT IN THE CITY. WE HAVE VIA, WHO WILL PRESENT ON THESE. WE'LL FIRST START WITH THE BOARD CHAIR, LAURA CABANILLA TO START US. THANK YOU. >> GOOD AFTERNOON, MAYOR AND COUNCIL. I'M EXCITED TO BE HERE TODAY TO UPDATE YOU ON THE TRANSFORMATION UNDERWAY AT VIA METROPOLITAN TRANSIT. WHAT YOU ARE SEEING IS NOT INCREMENTAL. IT IS A GENERATIONAL SHIFT IN HOW THIS AGENCY OPERATES, HOW WE SERVE OUR RIDERS, AND HOW WE COMPETE FOR THE FUTURE OF THE MOBILITY OF THE REGION. WE ARE MOVING SAN ANTONIO FORWARD. WHILE THIS IS A PROGRESS REPORT, IT IS NOT A VICTORY LAP. THIS IS AN INFLECTION POINT. THE WORK IS SHOWING REAL MEASURABLE RESULTS AND THE MOMENTUM IS ACCELERATING. OVER THE PAST YEAR, VIA HAS ACCELERATED DELIVERY OF THE KEEP SAN ANTONIO MOVING PLAN AND WE'RE SEEING IMPROVEMENTS IN SERVICE RELIABILITY AND CUSTOMER EXPERIENCE. WE TIMED THESE IMPROVEMENTS TO ALIGN WITH REASSIGNMENT OF THE ONE-EIGHTH SALES TAX. LET ME BE CLEAR, IT DOES NOT ERASE DECADES OF UNDERINVESTMENT OVERNIGHT. THIS IS NOT NEW MONEY LOOKING FOR IDEAS. EVERY DOLLAR IS ALREADY SPOKEN FOR AND PLANS FOCUSED ON BETTER SERVICE, SAFER OPERATIONS, AND A MORE RELIABLE SYSTEM FOR OUR RIDERS. THESE ARE OVERDUE INVESTMENTS CATCHING UP TO REAL NEEDS. LET ME GIVE YOU A SENSE OF THE PACE WE ARE OPERATING AT. ON JANUARY 12, VIA LAUNCHED THE LARGEST SINGLE SET OF SERVICE IMPROVEMENTS IN AGENCY HISTORY, TOUCHING APPROXIMATELY 30 ROUTES SIMULTANEOUSLY. THAT WAS MADE POSSIBLE BY THE HIRING OF 107 NEW FACULTY BUS OPERATORS IN 2025 AND THE ACCELERATED PROGRESS OF OUR BETTER BUS PLAN. AND WE ARE NOT SLOWING DOWN. THE TRANSFORMATION OF VIA IS NOT JUST ABOUT WHAT OUR RIDERS EXPERIENCE ON THE STREET, IT IS ABOUT STRENGTHENING THE ORGANIZATION BEHIND THE SCENES. WE HAVE CHANGED THE CULTURE OF THIS AGENCY. WE REDESIGNED OUR MISSION TO REFLECT VIA'S ROLE AS A DRIVING FORCE FOR OUR COMMUNITY'S GROWTH AND SUCCESS. THAT IS NOT ASPIRATIONAL LANGUAGE. IT IS A STANDARD WE HOLD OURSELVES TO EVERY DAY. EVERY POLICY CONVERSATION AND INVESTMENT DECISION IS ANCHORED IN OUR MISSION TO BE THE DRIVING FORCE FOR OUR COMMUNITY'S GROWTH AND SUCCESS. LAST YEAR ALONE, VIA DELIVERED MORE THAN 31.6 MILLION PASSENGER TRIPS. THAT EQUIVALENT IS MOVING THE ENTIRE POPULATION OF TEXAS. THAT IS THE SCALE WE ARE MANAGING AND RESPONSIBLE FOR. WE ALSO ACHIEVED THE TOP CUSTOMER SATISFACTION RATING AMONG U.S. TRANSIT AGENCIES. VIA MAINTAINED A 98% [00:05:06] CUSTOMER SATISFACTION RATING WHILE GROWING RIDERSHIP BY 28%. VIA LINK, OUR ON-DEMAND SERVICE GREW BY 35%. PARK AND RIDE INCREASED BY MORE THAN 50%. THEY TELL US WHEN WE DELIVER BETTER SERVICE, PEOPLE RESPOND. DEMAND IS RESPONDING TO QUALITY. I WANT TO BE DIRECT ABOUT SOMETHING. VIA DOES NOT HAVE THE LUXURY OF OPERATING LIKE A LEGACY GOVERNMENT AGENCY WAITING FOR THE WORLD TO COME TO US. WE COMPETE EVERY DAY AGAINST RIDE SHARE, AGAINST PRIVATE AUTOMOBILE, AGAINST THE DECISION BY A WORKING PARENT TO NOT MAKE THE TRIP AT ALL BECAUSE THE SYSTEM IS TOO SLOW OR TOO UNRELIABLE. THAT COMPETITIVE RELIABILITY DRIVES US AT HOW WE THINK ABOUT EVERY DECISION. WHEN CUSTOMERS TELL US WHAT THEY NEED, SHORTER TRAVEL TIMES, MORE FREQUENT SERVICE, SAFE AND DEPENDABLE RIDES, STRONG CONNECTIONS TO JOBS, SCHOOLS, HEALTHCARE, WE LISTEN AND WE ACT. WE DON'T STUDY IT FOR THREE MORE YEARS, WE DEPLOY. THAT IS WHY 65% OF OUR BETTER BUS PLAN, A FREQUENCY FOCUSED REDESIGN OF OUR ENTIRE NETWORK IS TWO TO THREE YEARS AHEAD OF SCHEDULE . THAT ACCELERATION DOES NOT HAPPEN WITHOUT A CULTURE SHIFT AND A LEADERSHIP TEAM THAT OPERATES WITH A BUSINESS MINDSET. AND WE ARE INNOVATING IN HOW WE ENGAGE OUR COMMUNITY, NOT JUST HOW WE RUN BUSES. VIA RECEIVED THE EXCELLENCE IN DATA-DRIVEN ENGAGEMENT AWARD FOR A MOBILE CANVASSING APPROACH TO NEIGHBORHOOD OUTREACH, REACHING NEARLY 15,000 RESIDENTS TO ENSURE TRANSIT-DEPENDENT COMMUNITIES HAVE A REAL VOICE IN PLANNING. THAT IS THE KIND OF OPERATIONAL INNOVATION THAT SETS VIA APART. I WANT TO EMPHASIZE THE SIGNIFICANCE THOUGH OF BEING AHEAD OF SCHEDULE. THE BETTER BUS PLAN WAS DESIGNED AS A MULTI-YEAR INITIATIVE. WE ARE DELIVERING IN A COMPREHENSIVE, COMPRESSED TIMELINE BECAUSE OF ITS DISCIPLINE, OUR HIRING PRACTICES, OUR SMART SERVICE PLANNING, AND A FOCUS ON GETTING SERVICE ON THE STREET. ALL THIS WORK IS ANCHORED IN A DISCIPLINE FINANCIAL STEWARDSHIP. THE FUNDING REMAINS WELL BEHIND PEER SYSTEMS. MANY TEXAS AGENCIES RECEIVE A FULL CENT OF SALES TAX GENERATING HIGHER REVENUE. WHILE OUR SERVICE AREA IS COMPARABLE TO HOUSTON, OUR REVENUE IS ROUGHLY A THIRD OF THEIRS. THAT REALITY SHARPENS OUR FOCUS. IT REQUIRES COST CONTROL, TARGETED INVESTMENT, AND ACCOUNTABILITY OF THE BOARD, OUR CUSTOMERS, AND THIS COMMUNITY. THE NEW ONE-EIGHTH CENT SALES TAX REVENUE IS OBLIGATED DELIVERING THE KEEP SAN ANTONIO MOVING PLAN, ADVANCED RAPID TRANSIT, AND TECHNOLOGY UPGRADES. THERE IS NO SURPLUS CAPACITY WITHOUT IMPACTING THE DELIVERY OF THE SERVICE OUR RIDERS DEPEND ON TODAY. WE WELCOME PARTNERSHIP CONVERSATIONS WITH STAKEHOLDERS, THE COUNCIL AND WE ARE COMMITTED TO MAKING TRANSIT AS ACCESSIBLE AS POSSIBLE. RESPONSIBLE FINANCIAL STEWARDSHIPS MEANS BEING HONEST ABOUT WHAT OUR RESOURCES CAN SUPPORT. MAYOR AND COUNCIL MEMBERS, WHAT YOU ARE SEEING TODAY AT VIA IS INTENTIONAL TRANSFORMATION. IT IS GROUNDED IN OUR CLEAR MISSION, DISCIPLINED INVESTMENT, AND A FOCUS ON OUTCOMES THAT MATTER TO THIS COMMUNITY. RELIABLE SERVICE, SAFER SYSTEMS, AND ACCESS TO OPPORTUNITY. WE ARE GRATEFUL FOR YOUR PARTNERSHIP AND YOUR LEADERSHIP IN STRENGTHENING STRENGTHENINGTRANSIT'S GROWTH. THESE INVESTMENTS ARE TRANSLATING TO MORE SERVICE ON THE STREET, MORE PEOPLE CHOOSING TRANSIT AND A STRONGER ORGANIZATION BEHIND THE SCENES DELIVERING IT. WITH THAT FOUNDATION, I WILL NOW TURN IT OVER TO OUR PRESIDENT AND CEO, JOHN GARY HERRERA TO WALK US THROUGH HOW VIA IS EXECUTING THIS WITH A YEAR END REVIEW AND THE PROGRESS OF OUR KEEP SAN ANTONIO MOVING PLAN. THANK YOU. >> THANK YOU, MADAME CHAIR -- LOOK AT THIS. THIS IS AWESOME. SO WE'RE GOING TO GO TWO SHORT SLIDES AND I'M GOING TO UNPACK A BIT OF WHAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT HERE BECAUSE WE ARE INDEED TALKING ABOUT RESULTS. AND THE RESULTS THAT WE'VE HAD IN ONE SHORT YEAR. AND MORE RESULTS TO COME. SO IF WE START WALKING THROUGH SOME OF THE 2025 ACHIEVEMENTS THAT WE HAVE SEEN THIS YEAR. FIRST AND FOREMOST, NUMBER ONE IN EXPERIENCE IN U.S. TRANSIT. THAT IS SOMETHING WE DON'T TAKE LIGHTLY. ALL THESE INVESTMENTS AND OPERATIONAL INVESTMENTS, INCLUDING CAPITAL INVESTMENTS ARE MEANINGLESS UNLESS THERE'S A GOOD CUSTOMER EXPERIENCE. WHEN WE ASKED OUR CUSTOMERS HOW WE ARE DOING, THEY RANK [00:10:03] US CONSISTENTLY HIGH. THAT'S AN IMPORTANT MOMENT FOR US. BUT THEN WE LOOK FOR CONTEXT ALONG THAT RATING AND WE'RE TOPS IN THE NATION. I HAVE OTHER EXECUTIVES FROM OTHER TRANSIT AGENCIES CALLING US, CALLING ME TO SAY WHAT THE HECK ARE Y'ALL DOING DOWN THERE? THOSE ARE SOME INCREDIBLE NUMBERS. IT'S MY MOMENT TO BRAG A BIT FOR OUR EMPLOYEES THERE AT VIA WHO ARE THE BEST IN TRANSIT DOING WHAT THEY'RE DOING. 31.6 MILLION PASSENGER TRIPS. 907 TOTAL OPERATORS. WE ADDED OVER 107. THAT WAS AN ALL-TIME HIGH FOR THIS AGENCY TO HAVE DONE SO IN A SHORT PERIOD OF TIME. BUT THAT NUMBER IS ONLY GOING TO GET BIGGER. OUR GOAL IS TO GET AT 1150, IF NOT REACHING RIGHT AT ABOUT 1200. THE BETTER BUS PLAN WAS ORIGINALLY GOING TO BE HITTING 65% AT YEAR FOUR OR FIVE. WE'VE ACTUALLY DONE THAT IN 12 MONTHS. OUR VIA LINK GROWTH, 35%. I WANT TO PUT SOME CONTEXT FOR THAT. THAT VIA LINK GROWTH, VIA LINK PRODUCED ONE MILLION RIDERSHIP TRIPS LAST YEAR IN 12 MONTHS. PRIOR TO '25, IT TOOK US ABOUT FOUR YEARS TO GET TO A MILLION TRIPS ON VIA LINK. IT IS NOW PRODUCING A MILLION A YEAR AND WE DON'T SEE THAT GROWTH STOPPING. OUR VIA TRANSIT SATISFACTION RATE IS ALSO EXTREMELY HIGH FROM THOSE FOLKS TAKING OUR VIA TRANS. ALSO OUR VIA TRANS RIDERSHIP IS AT ALL ALL-TIME HIGH. IT IS REFLECTING THAT COMMUNITY THAT NEEDS EXTRA SPECIAL ATTENTION. PARK AND RIDE, WE MADE AN EFFORT TOGETHER WITH THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO STAFF TO REALLY FOCUS ON PARK AND RIDE AND CHANGING THE BEHAVIOR OF CONSUMERS AS THEY'RE APPROACHING SPECIAL EVENTS, ESPECIALLY DOWNTOWN. WE HAVE SEEN A 50% GROWTH FROM THAT ASPECT. WE MOVE DOWN TO THE BOTTOM LEFT-HAND QUADRANT HERE. THIS WILL PUT INTO PERSPECTIVE WHAT THAT 65% OF THE BETTER BUS PLAN IMPLEMENTED MEANS. THIS PROBABLY IS ONE OF MY FAVORITE SLIDES BECAUSE IT REALLY DRIVES THE WAY WE'RE APPROACHING THESE TRANSFORMATIVE MOMENTS AT OUR AGENCY. ON THE LEFT-HAND SIDE, WE'RE ASKING SAN ANTONIANS, NOT JUST RIDERS, SAN ANTONIANS IN GENERAL, HOW INTERESTED WOULD YOU BE IN VIA IF THE VEHICLE WERE TO COME BY EVERY TEN MINUTES. THE ANSWER TO THAT, 84%. 84% THEY WOULD BE INTERESTED IN THAT. AND THAT MAKES SENSE BECAUSE THEIR TRAVEL TIME IS GOING TO BE REDUCED. THEY'RE NOT WAITING AROUND FOR A VEHICLE. AND RECOGNIZING THE RELIABILITY THAT ALSO MEANS TO THE CONSUMER AS WELL, THAT'S A REAL POSITIVE. SO IMAGINE OUR ART SYSTEM WILL BE OPERATING IN THAT TEN TO 12-MINUTE FREQUENCY. WE TAKE THAT OUT TO GO TO 11 TO 20 MINUTES. INTEREST DROPS TO 64% BUT STILL A GOOD INTEREST FROM THIS COMMUNITY. 21 TO 30% GOES DOWN TO 21%. AND THEN RIGHT AFTER 30 MINUTES IT JUST DROPS LIKE A STONE . WE GO DOWN TO 5%. WE EVEN -- WHEN WE GET UP TO 60 MINUTES, NOW WE'RE AT 1%. WORSE. THE 30 MINUTES TO 60 MINUTES. 70%. NOT A VERY ATTRACTIVE SYSTEM EXCEPT FOR THOSE THAT HAVE TO RIDE IT. NOT MANY PEOPLE ARE GOING TO CHOOSE TO RIDE A SYSTEM THAT IS 30 MINUTES OR WORTH. THAT 65% BETTER BUS IMPLEMENTED TRANSLATES ONE YEAR LATER, WE HAVE MOVED NOW 72% OF OUR SYSTEM IS 30 MINUTES OR BETTER. FROM 70%, SHIFTING THAT OVER TO 72%, 30 MINUTES OR BETTER. OUR GOAL IS TO HAVE NO WORSE THAN 30 MINUTES IN OUR SYSTEM. ONCE BETTER BUS IS COMPLETED, WE WILL HAVE NO WORSE THAN 30 MINUTES IN OUR SYSTEM. SAN ANTONIO HAS NEVER SEEN THAT. THAT'S WHY WE KEEP USING THOSE WORDS TRANSFORMATIVE BECAUSE SAN ANTONIANS ISN'T SEEN THAT. THIS QUALITY OF THE SYSTEM THAT WE ARE CREATING HERE IS GOING TO ATTRACT MORE PEOPLE THAN EVER BEFORE. SO AS WE'RE MOVING THAT 72% OVER TO THAT GREEN LINE ON THAT SKI SLOPE THAT I CALL IT, WE'RE GOING TO BE ATTRACTING NOW FOLKS THAT HAVE NEVER TAKEN OUR SYSTEM. THAT'S GOING TO TAKE A LOT OF HEAVY LIFT FROM US TO DO THAT BECAUSE THERE HAS BEEN A HISTORIC APPROACH TO THIS SYSTEM OVER THE YEARS OF HOW ONE WOULD BE LOOKING AT THIS TRANSPORTATION OPTION. SO WE GOT A LOT OF WORK TO DO BUT WE'RE EXCITED OF THE MOVEMENT WE HAVE DONE SO FAR. WE'RE GOING TO CONTINUE TO DELIVER THE KEEP SAN ANTONIO MOVING PLAN. A BIG CHUNK OF THAT YOU WILL HEAR FROM ROD ABOUT THE [00:15:03] ENORMOUS CAPITAL INVESTMENT WE'RE DOING FOR THE GREEN AND SILVER LINES. THE BETTER BUS PLAN, WE'RE GOING TO CONTINUE TO ACCELERATE THAT. THAT IS ALSO TIED TO OUR ABILITY TO HIRE OPERATORS. THAT'S WHY THOSE TWO THINGS ARE TIED TOGETHER. AND CONTINUING TO EXPAND OUR VIA LINK SERVICE. I WILL LEAVE THIS PART OF THE PRESENTATION AND HAND IT OVER TO ROD AND MANGERY. BUT AS OUR AGENCY IS THE MOST UNDERFUNDED AGENCY IN TEXAS, WE HAVE BROUGHT THAT BACK TO THIS GROUP -- AND FOR SOME OF YOU THIS MAY BE THE FIRST TIME YOU'RE SEEING IT. BUT WHAT WE'RE DOING NOW IS THAT LITTLE RED HATCH THAT IS NOT A SOLID RED LINE, THAT'S THE ONE-EIGHTH THAT'S COMING OVER IN JANUARY. SO THAT PUTS IT IN CONTEXT TO WHAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT. STILL UNDERFUNDED. BUT WE'RE GOING TO BE CREATIVE. WE'RE GOING TO BE EXCELLENT AT WHAT WE DO AND WE'RE GOING TO DELIVER A SYSTEM THAT SAN ANTONIANS WILL CHOOSE. LET ME HAVE ONE MORE COMMENT ON THAT FUNDING PART AS WELL. THIS CAPITAL INVESTMENT GRANT PROGRAM WE'RE PARTICIPATING IN WITH THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT OF ATTRACTING NEARLY A BILLION DOLLARS IN CAPITAL INVESTMENT, THAT'S A PROGRAM THAT HAS EXISTED FOR 40 YEARS. THIS IS SAN ANTONIO'S FIRST TIME IN THAT CAPITAL INVESTMENT GRANT PROGRAM BECAUSE YOU'VE GOT TO HAVE LOCAL MONEY IN ORDER TO ATTRACT THOSE FEDERAL DOLLARS. THIS IS THE FIRST TIME WE HAVE HAD LOCAL MONEY TO ATTRACT THOSE FEDERAL DOLLARS. WE'RE ROUGHLY TALKING ABOUT A BILLION DOLLARS FROM THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT OVER THE SILVER AND GREEN LINE. I'LL PUT THAT IN PERSPECTIVE. CAP METRO CURRENTLY HAS A $6 BILLION PLAN THAT'S GOING ON WITH THE CIG PROGRAM . SO CAPITAL INVESTMENT GRANTS. THE LEVERAGE REALLY MATTERS AND THAT IS ALSO SOMETHING THAT WE WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT WE POINT OUT HERE. SO WITH THAT -- OH, MAYOR, THIS IS ACTUALLY THE SLIDE THAT WE TALKED TO YOU ON MONDAY ABOUT, MAYOR. THE MAYOR HAS ASKED US TO GIVE A SNAPSHOT OF WHAT OUR TOP TEN ROUTES ARE IN MONTHLY RIDERSHIP AND HOW MUCH OF THOSE TOP TEN ROUTES MAKE UP OUR TOTAL RIDERSHIP. THE LEFT-HAND SIDE WILL GIVE YOU A SENSE OF THOSE ROUTES, WHERE THEY EXIST IN OUR SYSTEM IN OUR SAN ANTONIO SYSTEM. ON THE RIGHT-HAND SIDE ARE THE TOP TEN ROUTES IN NUMBERS, AT LEAST IN THE DESCRIPTION. BUT THOSE TOGETHER MAKE UP ABOUT 37% OF OUR TOTAL RIDERSHIP. BUT THOSE ARE SOME NUMBERS THAT WE WANTED TO BRING TO THIS DISCUSSION TODAY. AND NOW I'LL TURN IT OVER TO ROD. >> I DIDN'T KNOW THE PODIUM WENT UP THIS HIGH. IT'S NICE. GOOD AFTERNOON, MAYOR AND COUNCIL. I'M GOING TO TALK TO YOU ABOUT THE BETTER BUS PLAN AND THE TWO ART ROUTES. THIS FIRST SLIDE IS THE BETTER BUS PLAN. AS JOHN TOLD YOU, WE HAVE ACCELERATED THAT. BUT WHAT THE BETTER BUS PLAN IS, MUCH LIKE THE PLANS THAT YOU ADOPT HERE AT THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO, IT WAS DESIGNED TO BE A SIX-YEAR PLAN AND IS A PLAN THAT WE TOOK TO OUR CUSTOMERS. WE ASKED THEM WHAT IS IMPORTANT TO YOU. AND THEY CAME BACK AND SAID FREQUENCY. YOU KNOW, WE WERE 70% OF OUR ROUTES HAD AN HOUR FREQUENCY. THEY SAID THAT'S TOO LONG. SO THE PLAN CALLS FOR A FREQUENCY OF NO WORSE THAN 30 MINUTES. TWO, THEY WANTED US TO EXPAND OUR SERVICE. SO, YOU KNOW, RATHER THAN FREQUENCY DROPPING OFF AT 7:00, 8:00 AT NIGHT, WE FOUND A LOT OF OUR CUSTOMERS WORK WELL INTO THE EVENING. SO THEY ASKED FOR US TO EXPAND OUR SERVICE. THE PLAN CALLS FOR DOING THAT ON MANY ROUTES. FINALLY, THE PLAN ASKS FOR US TO KIND OF RELOOK AT OUR ROUTES AND TO REARRANGE AND REROUTE AND GO TO WHERE THE FREQUENCY IS AT. GO TO THE APARTMENTS. GO TO AREAS OF EMPLOYMENT. SO THE PLAN HAS A LOT OF ROUTES WHERE WE'RE ADJUSTING, YOU KNOW, THE TO AND FROM ON THOSE. AS JOHN SAID IT WAS DESIGNED TO BE A SIX-YEAR PLAN. THE PLAN WAS JUST ADOPTED LAST YEAR AND AS OF LAST YEAR WE IMPLEMENTED 24% OF THE PLAN IS ON THE STREETS. THAT WAS 15 ROUTES THAT WERE AFFECTED. YOU KNOW, BETTER FREQUENCY. WE'VE ADJUSTED THE ROUTES TO GO WHERE THE DENSITY'S AT AND WE HAVE EXPANDED THE ROUTES. AND THIS YEAR WE ARE PLANNING TO DO 41% OF THE PLAN. SO LAST YEAR AND THIS YEAR COMBINED WE WILL BE AT 65% OF THE PLAN AT THE END OF THE YEAR. SO GOOD MOVEMENT ON THE PLAN. ALSO IN THIS PLAN IS THE VIA LINK ZONES. WE'LL TALK TO YOU A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THOSE IN THE NEXT SLIDE. AND THE TWO ART ROUTES ARE PART OF THIS PLAN. SO WE CAN'T COMPLETE THE PLAN UNTIL WE COMPLETE THE SILVER LINE IN 2030 BUT WE'RE OFF TO A GOOD START. HERE'S THE VIA LINK ZONES WE WERE TALKING ABOUT. [00:20:03] THERE'S TEN THAT YOU'LL SEE ON THE MAP. WE CURRENTLY HAVE SIX THAT WE HAVE IMPLEMENTED TODAY. THE LAST ONE BEING THE SOUTHEAST ONE. THANK YOU -- COUNCILWOMAN VIAGRAN IS NOT HERE BUT SHE HELPED US CUT THE RIBBON ON THAT JUST A COUPLE OF MONTHS AGO. THE THREE IN RED, THE HERITAGE PARK, THE MEDICAL, AND THE STONE OAK ARE THE ONES WE HAVE PLANNE TO COME IN THE FUTURE. BUT VIA LINK IS A REALLY GOOD ON-DEMAND SERVICE. IF YOU'RE ANYWHERE WITHIN THE ZONE, YOU CAN GET ON YOUR PHONE, GO TO OUR APP -- OR YOU CAN CALL THE NUMBER AND CALL FOR A RIDE. THEY'LL PICK YOU UP AND THEY'LL DROP YOU OFF WITHIN THAT ZONE. WE DO ABOUT 500,000 OF THESE RIDES A YEAR. YOU CAN SEE SINCE WE STARTED THIS IN 2019, WE'RE OVER 1.5 MILLION RIDES ON OUR ZONE. NOW FOR ART LINES. WE'LL START WITH THE GREEN LINE -- AND THIS IS JUST KIND OF A REFRESHER OF WHAT THE GREEN LINE IS. IT'S A 10.3-MILE ART SERVICE. ON THE MAP YOU CAN SEE WE START THE ART AT ISSOM, SAN PEDRO, TO STEVE. THAT'S WHERE THE ART TECHNICALLY ENDS. BUT YOU CAN TECHNICALLY TAKE THE BUS ON THE NORTH SIDE FROM ISSOM TO THE AIRPORT AND YOU CAN TAKE THAT FROM STEVES TO THE TRANSIT CENTER. IT IS GOING TO BE THE FASTEST, MOST RELIABLE ROUTE THAT WE HAVE. THE FREQUENCY IS GOING TO BE TEN MINUTES ON THAT. WE ARE ADDING 25 BRAND-NEW STATIONS TO SERVICE THIS ROUTE. WE'RE ADDING 17 U-ARTICULATED VEHICLES. AS I MENTIONED, IT'S TEN-MINUTE FREQUENCY. THE BEST FREQUENCY WE WILL HAVE ON ANY OF OUR ROUTES. AND ON THE MAP, IT'S ALSO HIGHLIGHTED. YOU CAN SEE SOME COLORS. IT LOOKS LIKE PINK TO ME. THAT IS WHERE THE -- WE'RE GOING TO HAVE A DEDICATED ROUTE ON THIS. WHERE YOU SEE IT IN PINK, THAT ROUTE'S GOING TO BE IN THE CENTER OF THE STREET. THAT'S WHERE WE HAVE ENOUGH RIGHT-OF-WAY TO PUT THAT ROUTE IN THE CENTER. WHERE YOU SEE IT IN BLUE OR TEAL, THE BUS IS GOING TO RUN ON THE CURBLINE IN A DEDICATED ROUTE. WHEN YOU SEE THE YELLOW, WE DIDN'T HAVE ENOUGH RIGHT-OF-WAY TO GET A DEDICATED ROUTE, SO THE BUS IS GOING TO RUN IN MIXED TRAFFIC THERE. THIS ART, WE HAVE A BUDGET OF $480 MILLION. 268 OF THAT IS COMING FROM THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT TO HELP FUND THIS PROJECT. AND WE'RE BUILDING A TRANSIT PROJECT. THERE ARE MANY BENEFITS FOR OTHER FOLKS THAT ARE GOING TO BE ON THE CORRIDOR. YOU KNOW, FOR EXAMPLE, WE ARE GOING TO ADD 13 NEW PEDESTRIAN SIGNALIZED CROSSINGS ALONG THE SAN PEDRO ROUTE. 58 INTERSECTIONS ARE GOING TO GET UPGRADED TO SYNCHRONIZED SIGNALS. A LOT OF DRAINAGE WORK THAT WE'VE DISCOVERED HAS TO BE DONE ALONG THIS ROUTE SO WE'RE ADDING OR REPLACING 138 DRAINAGE INLETS AND SIDEWALKS. WE ARE ADDING OR REPAIRING 6.7 MILES OF SIDEWALKS. AND SCHEDULE. THIS IS WHERE WE'RE AT. WE HAVE COMPLETED THE DESIGN, WE'RE 100% DESIGNED AND WE ARE WORKING TO FINALIZE OUR CONTRACT WITH THE CONTRACTORS TO GO FULL-BLOWN CONSTRUCTION. WE HAVE STARTED. WE HAVE ISSUED A NOTICE TO PROCEED. KIND OF AN INITIAL NOTICE TO PROCEED AND EARLY WORKS PACKAGE SO WE CAN FINISH ON TIME TO OUR CONTRACTORS. RIGHT NOW THEY ARE WORKING ON UTILITY WORK. AS YOU GO ALONG THE ROUTE, YOU WILL SEE THEM ADJUSTING THE UTILITY POLES, MOVING THE POWER LINES AND TELECOM LINES. THEY'RE ALSO REMOVING THE DRAINAGE AND SEWER LINES, WATER AND GAS LINES BELOW THE SURFACE AS WELL. THAT WORK WILL CONTINUE THROUGHOUT THE REST OF THE YEAR. AND THEN THE REAL HEAVY CONSTRUCTION, WE'RE LOOKING TO START THAT ONE IN MARCH. NOW FOR THE SILVER LINE. THIS IS A SMALLER PROJECT. IT'S 7.3 MILES AND IT GOES EAST TO WEST. YOU CAN SEE THAT THE ART, ONCE AGAIN IT'S KIND OF THE SAME THING. THE ART PORTION WILL RUN FROM GENERAL MCMULLEN TO THE FROST BANK CENTER. BUT SERVICE ON THE WEST SIDE WILL CONTINUE ALL THE WAY TO THE TRANSIT CENTER. ON THE EAST SIDE, IT'S IN CONSTRUCTION RIGHT NOW, THE EAST SIDE TRANSIT CENTER. WE BROKE GROUND ON THAT LAST MONTH. SO WHEN THE SILVER LINE IS BUILT, WE'RE GOING TO HAVE SERVICE THAT WILL RUN TO THAT STATION. AS I SAID, IT WAS A 7.3-MILE [00:25:01] ART LINE BUT WE GO FROM CADILLAC TO THE NEW CENTER . WE'RE ADDING 18 STATIONS. 14 NEW ARTICULATED BUSES. ONCE AGAIN, THOSE ARE THE 60-FOOTERS WITH DOORS ON BOTH SIDES. SAME FREQUENCY AS THE GREEN LINE. IT'S TEN MINUTES. WE'RE GOING TO RUN IN THE CENTER, WHERE YOU SEE IT IN PINK, WHICH IS ON THE WEST SIDE. THEN WE GO TO KIND OF THE COMMERCE/BUENA VISTA. THEY'RE TWO ONE-WAY STREETS. THERE ARE SOME AREAS WHERE WE HAVE TO RUN IN MIXED TRAFFIC, ESPECIALLY ON HOUSTON STREET . WHENEVER THERE'S AN EVENT, SPURS' GAME OR CONCERT AT THE AT&T CENTER, HOUSTON KIND OF BECOMES A ONE-WAY STREET. THIS IS A SMALLER BUDGET. IT'S ABOUT $322 MILLION WITH 150 TO COME FROM THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT. ONCE AGAIN, WE'RE BUILDING A TRANSIT PROJECT, THERE ARE MANY BENEFITS TO THE OTHER COMMUTERS AND PEDESTRIANS ALONG THE ROUTE. WE'RE GOING TO ADD FOUR SIGNALIZED PEDESTRIAN CROSSINGS WITH THIS ONE. OVER 25 INTERSECTIONS WILL GET UPGRADED SIGNALS. OF COURSE SYNCHRONIZATION. WE'RE GOING TO ADD OR REPLACE OVER 60 DRAIN INLETS AND ABOUT EIGHT MILES OF SIDEWALKS WILL BE ADDED OR REPAIRED ALONG THIS ROUTE. AND THIS PROJECT IS REALLY JUST GETTING STARTED. WE'RE AT ABOUT 40% DESIGN RIGHT NOW. WE HAVE BROUGHT ON BOARD THE FINAL DESIGNER FOR THIS PROJECT. SO THOSE FOLKS ARE GETTING HARD AT WORK WITH THE GOAL OF GETTING THIS TO 70%. 70%, THAT'S WHEN THE REAL WORK STARTS AND WE'RE GOING TO GO THROUGH AN AUDIT PROCESS WITH THE FTA, A RISK ASSESSMENT WITH THE FTA. AT THAT POINT WE WILL PUT IN FOR THE FINAL GRANT FROM THE FTA AT THAT POINT. THE SCHEDULE IS START CONSTRUCTION, AS YOU CAN SEE, IN '27. AND TO BE DONE WITH THIS IN JANUARY OF 2030. THAT'S WHEN WE ARE SCHEDULED TO BE UP AND RUNNING WITH THIS PROJECT. WITH THAT, I'M GOING TO BRING,. >> AND IN SHORT, TO CLOSE UP IS -- AND ROD MENTIONED THIS A BIT, BUT IT'S AN IMPORTANT DISTINCTION HERE, OUR CUSTOMERS ARE TELLING US HOW TO IMPROVE THE SYSTEM. IT'S NOT JUST US FIGURING IT OUT ON OUR OWN. THEY'RE TELLING US ON HOW THEY WOULD IMPROVE THE SYSTEM, WHAT IS IMPORTANT TO THEM, TRAVEL TIME IS THEIR NUMBER ONE THING THAT THEY'RE TELLING US. THOSE ARE CUSTOMERS, AND EVEN NONCUSTOMERS, BECAUSE WE BELIEVE -- CUSTOMER, BUT BOTH GROUPS ARE TELLING US THE AMOUNT OF TRAVEL TIME THAT IT TAKES ON OUR SYSTEM IS SOMETHING THAT IS IMPORTANT TO THEM. THEY WANT TO HAVE THE LEAST AMOUNT OF TIME TRAVELING ON THAT SYSTEM. AND THAT'S THE WAY WE'RE APPROACHING THIS TRANSFORMATION, SO LEVERAGE THOSE INVESTMENTS AND THOSE DOLLARS BOTH FROM AN OPERATIONAL STANDPOINT TO A CAPITAL STANDPOINT TOWARDS ATTACKING THAT TRAVEL TIME AND DOING SO IN A VERY EFFICIENT MANNER. THAT CONCLUDES OUR PRESENTATION, AND, OF COURSE, AVAILABLE IF THERE'S ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS OR NEED OF CLARIFICATION. >> MAYOR JONES: GREAT. THANKS, JOHN, APPRECIATE THE PRESENTATION, LAURA AND THE REST OF YOUR TEAM. CAN WE GO BACK TO SLIDE 4? JOHN, I THOUGHT YOU WERE GOING TO BRING IT UP. YOU DIDN'T, SO I'M JUST GOING TO ASK YOU. I THOUGHT WE WERE TALKING ABOUT THE RED HASH THERE. IF YOU WOULD, PLEASE LEVEL SET FOR FOLKS THE TELECOM TAX? >> OH. SO THE TELECOM TAX. SO THE 1/8TH WAS GENERATING FOR Y'ALL, FOR THE READY TO WORK, $54 MILLION. NOW THAT IT'S COMING OVER TO US, IT DOESN'T INCLUDE THE TELECOM. SO TELECOM IS NO LONGER BEING ASSESSED THAT 1/8. SO NOW THAT 54 IS GOING TO BE LESS THAN 54. IT'S PROBABLY GOING TO BE CLOSER TO 48, MIGHT EVEN BE CLOSER TO 47. THAT'S HOW THE TELECONTACTS ISSUE WORKS OUT FROM THIS PERSPECTIVE, WHAT WE TALKED ABOUT ON MONDAY, MAYOR. >> MAYOR JONES: OKAY. AND IF I RECALL CORRECTLY, VIA WOULD ALSO BE THE ONLY PUBLIC TRANSIT IN THE ENTIRE STATE OF TEXAS THAT DOESN'T TAKE THAT IF WE CONTINUE WITH NOT MAKING YOU EXEMPT? >> THAT IS CORRECT. >> MAYOR JONES: SO THAT MONEY WOULD HELP YOU? >> ABSOLUTELY. 110%. >> MAYOR JONES: 110%. OKAY. APPRECIATE THAT. I GUESS, JOHN, DO YOU WANT TO ELABORATE A LITTLE BIT ON -- IN CASE IT INFORMS ANYBODY ELSE'S COMMENTS, KIND OF THE HISTORY OF THAT TELECOM [00:30:02] TAX SO WE CAN FULLY UNDERSTAND THE ISSUE THERE? >> I MEAN, YOU KNOW, THE HISTORY'S BEEN AN INTERESTING ONE OVER THE YEARS. >> MAYOR JONES: OR BEN, IF -- WHOEVER'S -- >> I THINK FINANCIALLY, WE WERE LOOKING AT IT TOGETHER LAST YEAR, BEN, AND LOOKING AT THE GENERATION OF WHAT THAT IS, BUT ESSENTIALLY WHAT'S IN THE 1/8 FOR READY TO WORK WAS GOING TO BE THE NUMBER THAT WAS GOING TO BE DELIVERED -- OR AT LEAST ASSESSED TO THE CUSTOMERS AT THE END OF THE DAY, BECAUSE IT IS A SALES TAX. >> I THINK WITH THIS BODY'S APPROVAL, MAYOR, VIA COULD COLLECT THAT TAX. THAT'S OUR UNDERSTAND, CORRECT, JOHN GEARRY? >> THAT'S CORRECT. >> SO IT'S AN ACTION THAT COULD BE LOOKED AT. WE COULD TAKE IT TO A COMMITTEE AND HAVE SOME DISCUSSION AND BRING IT BACK TO THE FULL BODY, IF NECESSARY. IT'S SOMETHING THAT WOULD APPLY TO TELECOM COMPANIES THAT APPLY LOCALLY. IT APPLIES NOW, BUT WOULD NEED CONTINUE FOR VIA TO USE IT. >> MAYOR JONES: AND FROM A LEGAL STANDPOINT, ANDY, THAT'S JUST PASSING VIA ORDINANCE OR... >> SEGOVIA: I WOULD NEED TO VERIFY, MAYOR, BUT, YES, IT WOULD PROBABLY BE THROUGH ORDINANCE. >> MAYOR JONES: THANK YOU, ANDY. A COUPLE OF CLARIFICATIONS, WHEN YOU SAY THAT YOU COMPETE -- ACTUALLY, IT WAS LAURA THAT MENTIONED IT. WHEN YOU SAY THAT YOU COMPETE WITH RIDESHARE AND YET MANY OF THE RIDERS -- THE VAST MAJORITY OF THE RIDERS ARE, IN FACT, THOSE THAT HAVE TO RIDE THE BUS, THOSE SEEM LIKE TWO VERY DIFFERENT GROUPS OF PEOPLE. THOSE THAT HAVE THE OPTION, RIGHT, FOR RIDESHARE VERSUS THOSE THAT HALF TO TAKE THE BUS. SO WHEN YOU SAY YOU THINK YOU COMPETE WITH RIDESHARE, CAN YOU HELP US UNDERSTAND THAT, AS WE ARE ALL WATCHING THESE DRIVERNESS YAMOS IN OW COMMUNITY AND THAT'S ONLY INCREASING, SO HELP US UNDERSTAND HOW YOU THINK YOU'RE COMPETING WITH THEM. >> IT IS A PHENOMENON THAT WE'VE SEEN IN THIS INDUSTRY AND IT'S NOT JUST HERE IN SAN ANTONIO. WHEN RIDESHARE LAUNCHED, EVERY TRANSIT SYSTEM IN THE UNITED STATES SAW A DECLINE IN THEIR RIDERSHIP. THAT ATTRACTION TO THE QUALITY OF THE SERVICE FOR THE PRICE THAT THEY'RE PAYING, IT ATTRACTED THE CONSUMER OVER TO GO THAT DIRECTION, BECAUSE IT'S A DOOR-TO-DOOR ARRANGEMENT, YOU KNOW, IN A RIDESHARE MOMET. OUR ADVANTAGE THAT WE HAVE WHEN WE'RE COMPETING AGAINST RIDESHARE -- THAT WE HAVE FOR OUR FIXED ROUTE, SO THAT'S $1.30. SO IT'S $1.30 TO TAKE THAT RIDESHARE. BUT, AGAIN, WE'RE HAVING TO OPERATE WITHIN A ZONE, SO YOU'RE NOT TAKING IT SYSTEMWIDE LIKE YOU WOULD NECESSARILY AN UBER OR A LYFT, BUT THAT'S A COMPETITION AS WELL. WHAT ALSO HAS HAPPENED IN THE COMPETITIVE -- AFFORDABILITY OF VEHICLES ALSO BECAME -- THE MOST AFFORDABLE VEHICLES HAVE EVER BEEN IN THIS COUNTRY ALTOGETHER. SO WE SEE MIGRATIONS GOING OVER TO VEHICLES AS WELL. BUT VEHICLES ALSO ARE OFFERING THAT QUALITY OF THAT -- THE QUALITY OF THAT TRANSPORTATION CONNECTION THAT WE COULD NOT COMPETE WITH. AND THAT'S WHY, YOU KNOW, MUCH OF THIS QUALITY DISCUSSION THAT WE'RE HAVING, MAYOR, IS ABOUT IMPROVING IT TO SUCH A DEGREE THAT AT LEAST FOR $1.30 VERSUS WHAT OUR COMMUNITY IS PAYING FOR A VEHICLE, NOW THAT STARTS BECOMING A CONVERSATION THAT THEY'RE -- THEY WOULD HAVE AMONG THEMSELVES TO SAY FOR $38 A MONTH I COULD RIDE VIA UNLIMITED OR WHATEVER MY LEASE AND/OR CAR NOTE IS WITH INSURANCE AND WITH GAS AND SO FORTH. ON AVERAGE IN SAN ANTONIO, IT'S ABOUT $800 THAT A CONSUMER WILL BE PAYING FOR A VEHICLE. SO THOSE ARE THE -- PER MONTH. SO THOSE ARE THE VALUE EQUATIONS THAT WE'RE TAKING INTO CONSIDERATION. BUT, AGAIN, WE STILL HAVE TO PROVIDE A REASONABLE SERVICE THAT'S GOING TO HAVE THE QUALITY OF THE TRAVEL TIME, BECAUSE WE WILL STILL LOSE IF IT'S GOING TO TAKE SOMEBODY TWO AND A HALF HOURS TO TRAVEL 3 MILES, RIGHT? SO WE -- WE HAVE WORK TO DO, YEAH. >> MAYOR JONES: I DIDN'T SEE IT IN HERE, BUT OBVIOUSLY THIS BODY IS STILL VERY MUCH INTERESTED IN MAKING SURE THAT WE ARE MINIMIZING ANY, YOU KNOW, GREEN HOUSE EFFECTS, RIGHT? SO CAN YOU TALK ABOUT THE STATUS OF THE CLEAN ENERGY INFRASTRUCTURE WHERE THAT IS IN TERMS OF COMPLETION AND KIND OF WHERE WE ARE -- HOW MUCH FURTHER WE HAVE TO GO THERE? >> YES, MA'AM. SO OUR FLEET, WHILE THEY'RE -- THE BUSES ARE PAINTED RED AND SILVER, THEY'RE GREEN ON THE INSIDE. [00:35:01] SO OUR ENTIRE FLEET OPERATES ON COMPRESSED NATURAL GAS. COMPRESSED NATURAL GAS REDUCES THE OXIDE, WHICH IS THE MOST DANGEROUS FOR THE OZONE, BY ABOUT 95%. ONLY ELECTRIC VEHICLES CAN GET YOU REALLY DOWN TO ZERO. WE HAVE ABOUT EIGHT OF THOSE, BUT THAT TECHNOLOGY IS JUST NOT QUITE THERE YET TO GET THE RELIABILITY AND THE WORKHORSE THAT WE NEED FROM THESE VEHICLES. BUT OUR ENTIRE FLEET IS INDEED COMPRESSED NATURAL GAS. WE ARE CPS'S LARGEST GAS PURCHASER IN THE SYSTEM FOR THAT NATURAL GAS. >> MAYOR JONES: AND TO CLARIFY, WHEN YOU SAY WORKFORCE, DO YOU MEAN MAINTENANCE BS, OR WHAT IS THE DIFFERENT WORKFORCE THAT YOU NEED FOR AN ELECTRICAL BUS? >> OH, I MEANT WORK HORSE OF THE BUS ITSELF. YEAH. THOSE BUSES WILL HAVE TO COME IN MORE OFTEN TO CHARGE THAN A CNG BUS WOULD. SO WE CAN SEND OUT A CNG BUS ALL DAY LONG. THE ELECTRICS, WE'RE HAVING TO CIRCULATE BACK IN, SO WE'RE HAVING TO HIRE -- IT'S JUST NOT -- IT'S NOT AS EFFICIENT AS OUR CNG FLEET AT THIS POINT. >> MAYOR JONES: OKAY. THANK YOU. AND LAST THING, YOU MAY NOT HAVE THE NUMBERS ON YOU, BUT I'D LIKE TO SEE IT. WHILE IT'S CLEAR ON THE CHART THAT WE ARE UNDERINVESTED VIS-À-VIS THE OTHER METROPOLITAN AREAS, I WELCOME UNDERSTANDING WHAT IS OUR COST PER RIDER? THOUGH WE ARE SIGNIFICANTLY -- OKAY. >> WE'LL DEFINITELY GET THAT TO YOU, MAYOR, BUT IT'S A GREAT STORY THAT YOU'LL BE PROUD OF. WE ARE TOP IN TEXAS ON THE EFFICIENCY WHEN WE MEASURE THOSE METRICS, SO EVEN THOUGH WE HAVE THE LEAST, WE'RE SPREADING THAT DOLLAR FURTHER THAN THE REST WHEN YOU BREAK IT OUT FOR EFFICIENCY METRICS, BUT WE'LL SEND THAT OVER TO YOU AND YOUR COUNCIL. COUNCILWOMAN VIAGRAN? >> VIAGRAN: THANK YOU, MAYOR. THANK YOU FOR THE PRESENTATION. SOME OF THE THINGS I WANT TO ADDRESS IS WHAT -- WHAT WE CAN DELIVER AND WHAT WE CAN SUPPORT. I KNOW WE TALKED ABOUT -- I KNOW WE GIVE RATES TO STUDENTS AND I KNOW WE GIVE RATES TO SENIORS. I WANT TO MAKE IT CLEAR THAT THIS IS NOT -- AND I'M GOING TO DATE MYSELF, SO YOU GUYS ARE GOING TO HAVE TO GO ONLINE, THIS IS NOT THE CLOAK AND DAGGER MOVIE OF 1984 WHERE IF YOU HAVE NOT SEEN THAT MOVIE, HENRY THOMAS JUST JUMPS ON THE BUS FOR FREE AND I DON'T KNOW IF HE HAD A BUS PASS. BUT HE JUMPS ON THE BUS AND HE MAKES IT TO THE AIRPORT IN 15 MINUTES. SO THAT'S HOW YOU KNOW IT'S FANTASY. BUT I APPRECIATE YOUR EFFORTS TO TRY AND GET THERE. BUT THE THING IS, THIS IS NOT SAN ANTONIO. WHILE WE WANT IT AFFORDABLE, WE DO NOT -- WE DO NOT JUST JUMP ON AND OFF BUSES, WE DO NEED TO GET PEOPLE PASSES, WE DO NEED TO LOOK AT OUR DIFFERENT CUSTOMER BASE, AND I THINK THAT THAT IS SOMETHING THAT WE TALKED OF, BECAUSE WE -- I KNOW IN MY DISTRICT I HAVE PEOPLE TAKING THE BUS OUT OF NECESSITY BECAUSE THERE'S ONE CAR IN THAT HOUSEHOLD OR THERE'S NO CARS IN THAT HOUSEHOLD. BUT I KNOW IN MY SAME DISTRICT, ALONG WHAT I CALL THE SHALLOW SOUTH SIDE, WHICH IS ROOSEVELT THAT I SHARE WITH PART OF DISTRICT FIVE, THE HIGHLANDS AREA, IS THAT SOME CUSTOMERS WANT TO TAKE IT OUT OF CONVENIENCE AND THEY WANT TO BE ABLE TO GO DOWNTOWN, HIT THE EVENTS DOWNTOWN, GET ON RELIABLE TRANSPORTATION AND GET TO THE NEAREST BUS STOP IN THEIR NEIGHBORHOOD BECAUSE WE ARE URBAN DENSE IN THOSE AREAS. SO I THINK AS WE MOVE FORWARD, WE LOOK AT THOSE RATES. AND WHAT I WOULD LIKE TO SEE IS MAYBE AT THE END OF THE YEAR FOR CHRISTMAS, YOU'RE LIKE, BUY A PASS OR A CARD -- I'M GOING TO GO CARD. BUY A CARD AND YOU HAVE 25 RIDES THAT WILL LAST YOU THE ENTIRE YEAR. SO PEOPLE WHO WANT TO TAKE IT DURING FIESTA, PEOPLE THAT WANT TO TAKE IT -- BECAUSE THERE'S A GAME DOWNTOWN OR THERE'S SOMETHING -- ONCE WE GET THAT GREEN LINE DONE, THERE'S SOMETHING DOWN THE SAN PEDRO CORRIDOR. ONCE WE GET THAT SILVER LINE DONE, THERE'S SOMETHING DOWN THERE ON MILITARY DRIVE THAT THEY WANT TO ATTEND, AND THEY KNOW TAKE OUT THEIR BUS CARD, USE THEIR BUS CARD, IT GETS THEM THERE AND BACK. AND THEY HAVE IT AND IT'S JUST SOMETHING THAT WE AS SAN ANTONIANS KNOW THAT IT'S NOT -- IT'S AN OPTION FOR EVERYBODY AS WE LOOK AT THE TIMES. AND AS YOU LOOK AT THE APPS AND YOU TELL THEM THIS IS GOING TO BE A 30-MINUTE RIDE, THIS IS GOING TO BE -- THIS IS [00:40:05] COMING IN 10 MINUTES, TO LET THEM KNOW WHAT'S HAPPENING. BUT I THINK THAT THAT'S WHERE WE NEED TO LOOK AT IS THAT YOU HAVE A MARKET OUT THERE, AND I THINK SPECIFICALLY -- BECAUSE I KNOW YOU DO PARK AND RIDE FOR SOME OF THE BIG CONCERTS, BUT WE HAVE WEEKENDS THAT ARE JUST PACKED DOWNTOWN THAT PEOPLE DON'T WANT TO PARK AND RIDE FROM BROOKS, THEY WANT TO BE ABLE -- I WANT TO BE ABLE TO FIND A BUS STOP ON FLORES, STOP AT THE BUS STOP AND KNOW I CAN GET DOWNTOWN AND I CAN GET BACK. AND I DON'T HAVE TO DOWNLOAD AN APP, I HAVE THE BUS CARD THAT I GOT FOR CHRISTMAS OR, YOU KNOW, SOMEBODY GOT FOR ME, AND I JUST USE THAT. THE OTHER THING I WANT TO WORK IN CONJUNCTION WITH IS AS WE PROMOTE RESILIENCY, SUSTAINABILITY, HOW WE LOOK AT OUR CLIMATE ACTION PLAN, IS THAT THOSE NEIGHBORHOODS THAT PRIORITIZE WALKABILITY, AND I HAVE A COUPLE IN MY DISTRICT, AND I DON'T THINK MIKE SHANNON'S HERE, BUT ROOSEVELT, I HAVE A LOT OF APARTMENTS IN AND ALONG ROOSEVELT AND VFW BOULEVARD, AND MAKING SURE -- BECAUSE THOSE PEOPLE USE THAT, AND WE HAVE A LOT OF VISITORS THAT COME, THAT WE HAVE COVERED BUS STOPS, THAT PEOPLE KNOW THAT THEY CAN GET A BUS PASS AND THEY CAN USE THAT TO TAKE THE RIDE UP AND ALONG ROOSEVELT ALL -- AND GET THEM ALL THE WAY TO SAN PEDRO AND THE AIRPORT. NOT IN THE 15 MINUTES THAT IT TOOK HENRY THOMAS, BUT DEFINITELY IN A GOOD AMOUNT OF TIME. SO THAT'S KIND OF THE THINGS I WANT TO SEE. I THINK -- I THINK WE ARE GOING TO HAVE SOME ISSUES WITH -- WHERE WE'RE MOVING FORWARD AND HOW WE'RE GETTING INCENTIVES BACK FROM THE GOVERNMENT, BECAUSE I THINK WE ARE -- I'M SO PROUD OF WHAT Y'ALL HAVE BEEN ABLE TO ACHIEVE AND BRING BACK FROM THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT. I THINK IN TERMS OF WHAT WE'RE DOING IN SAN ANTONIO IN PARTICULAR, I WOULD LIKE TO SEE THEM A BIT MORE, BECAUSE I WOULD LIKE TO SEE THE VIA ROUTES GO FURTHER -- AND YOU KNOW THIS SPEECH, WHERE THE COUNTY RESIDENTS WOULD LIKE TO SEE THAT MORE, TOO. SO JUST AS WE MOVE FORWARD AND WE LOOK AT THAT, I LIKE THE IDEA OF RATE RESTRUCTURING AND REALLY LOOKING AT THOSE CONSUMERS THAT ARE ONLY USING IT FOR SPECIAL EVENTS, MAYBE LOCKING THEM IN WITH A PASS THAT IS ONLY USED FOR SPRING, OR PUSHING OUT SOMETHING THAT IS AFFORDABLE OR A PRICE IN -- DURING FIESTA AND DURING THE FALL. I THINK THE OTHER ONE IS THE DEE YEAH DELL MOSS MUERTOS THAT WE DO. PARK AND RIDE IS GREAT, BUT IF YOU'RE JUST GOING TO THE CONCERT, IT DOESN'T HELP YOU IF YOU'RE STUCK AT HEMISFAIR TRYING TO CATCH A BUS. SO LET'S WORK ON THAT. THANK YOU FOR THE PRESENTATION. THANK YOU, LAURA, FOR REALLY SETTING IT -- MAKING SURE WE HAVE A DELIVERY WE CAN SUPPORT AND THAT CUSTOMER SERVICE AND RESPECTING THE CUSTOMERS THAT ARE USING IT CURRENTLY RIGHT NOW. THANK YOU. COUNCILMAN WHYTE? >> WHYTE: THANK YOU, MAYOR. LAURA, JON AND THE ENTIRE TEAM WITH VIA, THANK Y'ALL FOR THE PRESENTATION AND ALL OF THE WORK. JUST A COUPLE OF QUICK QUESTIONS. YOUR REVENUE SOURCES AND WHERE THE MONEY GETS SPENT, CAN YOU JUST QUICKLY OUTLINE FOR ME WHAT ARE ALL THE REVENUE SOURCES IN -- AND WHERE IS THE MONEY GOING? WE MAY BE SPLITTING IT UP BETWEEN ACTUAL, YOU KNOW, DELIVERY OF SERVICE VERSUS ADMINISTRATIVE OVERHEAD. >> GREAT QUESTION, COUNCILMAN. SO ESSENTIALLY VIA HAS -- WHEN THE STATE SET UP THE METROPOLITAN TRANSIT AUTHORITY IN THE LATE '70S, ESSENTIALLY GAVE IT TWO SOURCES FOR REVENUE. ONE IS THE SALES TAX, WHICH WE'VE HAD PLENTY OF DISCUSSION ABOUT HERE. THE OTHER ONE IS FARES, AND FARES IS THE OTHER REVENUE MOMENT THAT WE HAVE FOR OUR SYSTEM. THAT THEN TRANSLATE INTO PUTTING AS MUCH SERVICE OUT ON THE STREET AS POSSIBLE. AND WHEN WE LOOK AT THAT SERVICE LEVEL, SO WHAT WE'RE PUTTING OUT ON THE STREET VERSUS THE ADMINISTRATION, YOU KNOW, THE ADMINISTRATIVE SIDE, WE HAVE A GOOD STORY THERE AS WELL. WE'RE ABOUT NINE CENTS OUT OF EVERY 10 CENTS IS GOING TO GET SERVICE OUT ON THE STREET. WE'VE GOT ABOUT A 10% COST ON ADMINISTRATION. >> WHYTE: OKAY. SO REALLY NOT A LOT OF WIGGLE ROOM, RIGHT, FOR PET PROJECTS? [00:45:04] THIS IS ALL REALLY GOING INTO THE NUTS AND BOLTS OF DELIVERY OF RIDES TO THE PUBLIC IS WHAT IT SOUNDS LIKE? >> YES. YES. >> WHYTE: A METRIC. WHAT ABOUT METRICS? I HEARD -- I GUESS -- I LIKE THE MAYOR'S QUESTION ON, YOU KNOW, COST OF -- YOU KNOW, PER RIDE AND SORT OF THE EFFICIENCY OF WHAT IT COSTS TO -- FOR ONE RIDE HERE IN THE COMMUNITY, BUT -- AND YOU'RE GOING TO GET BACK TO US ON THAT. WHAT OTHER METRICS DO YOU ALL USE TO DETERMINE, YOU KNOW, IF WE'RE BEING AS EFFICIENT AS WE CAN? >> IT'S UTILIZATION OF THE SYSTEM AS WELL BY THE CONSUMER, BY THE RIDERS. SO WE ALSO TRACK HOW MANY RIDES WE HAVE PER HOUR AND WE TRACK THAT AND BENCHMARK THAT AGAINST OTHER TRANSIT AGENCIES. THERE, WE STILL DO WELL, WHICH IS TELLING US THAT WHERE WE ARE PUTTING OUR SYSTEM, IT IS ATTRACTING, YOU KNOW -- IT IS ATTRACTING RIDERSHIP. WE HAVE THOSE KIND OF METRICS, WE HAVE THE METRICS PER MILE, WE HAVE THE METRICS PER ROUTE, YOU KNOW, HOUR. WE'RE HAPPY TO SHARE THOSE WITH YOU AND HAVE AN EFFICIENTSSY CONVERSATION. BECAUSE THAT'S THE OTHER THING THAT'S REALLY IMPORTANT FOR THE TAXPAYERS THAT ARE ASSIGNING THIS OVER TO US, YOU KNOW, IN ADDITION TO WHAT WAS ALREADY EXISTING, IS THAT WE ARE LEMP LEVERAGING ALL WE CAN OUT OF THESE DOLLARS, SO -- AND THOSE EFFICIENCY METRICS ARE TELLING US THAT WE'RE DOING THAT CONSISTENTLY. >> WHYTE: YEAH, WE WOULD LOVE TO SEE THOSE. AND, AGAIN, IN TERMS OF COMPARISON BETWEEN VIA AND OTHER EFFORTS IN OTHER CITIES, WE WOULD LIKE TO SEE HOW WE STACK UP THERE. JUST ONE LAST QUESTION, IS ON STONE OAK MORE FROM STONE OAK PARK AND RIDE UP THERE, I KNOW THAT'S REALLY -- GOING ON THERE? >> I'LL LET ROD TAKE THAT ONE. NO, I'M JUST KIDDING. STONE OAK, WE KNOW IT'S UNDERUTILIZED, COUNCILMEMBER -- COUNCILMAN, AND WE HAVE A PLAN TO GET THAT MORE UTILIZED. I'LL SAY THIS, JUST FROM A PERSPECTIVE OF -- YOU KNOW, FROM THE BUSINESS PERSPECTIVE, THAT'S AN EXAMPLE OF SOMETHING YOU BUILD BEFORE DEMAND IS THERE. AND THAT'S WHAT'S HAPPENING. BUT ALSO TO PUT THAT IN CONTEXT AS WELL, IS WE HAVE ANOTHER PARTNER THAT IS REALLY IMPORTANT TO THE SUCCESS OF THIS PROGRAM IS TXDOT, BECAUSE THOSE FLYOVERS AND THE HOV LANES MAKE THAT -- MAKE THAT BUILDING SUPER ATTRACTIVE. SO THE MORE THEY CAN BUILD OUT THOSE HOV LANES, THE MORE ATTRACTIVE THAT THAT ASSET BECOMES. SECONDLY, WE ONLY HAVE TWO ROUTES THAT SERVE THAT FACILITY. TO PUT THAT IN PERSPECTIVE, CROSSROADS, EVERYBODY KNOWS ABOUT CROSSROADS OFF OF I-10, I THINK WE HAVE 35 ROUTES. SO THE UTILIZATION TAKES US A BIT WHERE WE HAVE TO BE A LITTLE MORE CREATIVE. ONE OF THE THINGS THAT MAYBE, COUNCILMAN, SINCE YOU'RE IN YOUR VEHICLE, YOU MAY NOT HAVE SEEN, WE DO WANT TO MAKE THAT -- OKAY, THAT STONE OAK PARK AND RIDE AS THE CENTER LOCATION FOR OUR NEW STONE OAK VIA LINK ZONE, SO WE'LL START SEEING ACTIVITY THERE AS A RESULT OF THAT. WE DO HAVE A PARK AND FLY MOMENT THAT WE'RE DEDICATING A WHOLE -- THOSE INDIVIDUALS THAT WANT TO PARK THERE FOR FREE UP TO, I THINK, SEVEN DAYS. THEY CAN REGISTER WITH US FOR LONGER, BUT THEY CAN GET TO THE AIRPORT -- SEEN THAT UTILIZATION GOING UP AS WELL, ESPECIALLY DURING TRAVEL SEASON TO HELP COMPLEMENT WHAT'S HAPPENING. BY THE WAY, THAT CONNECTION TO THE AIRPORT, THAT'S AN EXPRESS ROUTE, SO YOU GET ON AT STONE OAK, THE NEXT STOP YOU WILL HAVE IS THE AIRPORT. AND THEN FROM THE AIRPORT, IT GOES DOWNTOWN, DOWNTOWN IT GOES TO BROOKS AND THEN IT COMES BACK THE OTHER WAY FROM BROOKS. SO WE'RE SEEING BETTER UTILIZATION ON THAT. I THINK THOSE THAT ARE ON THE MPO KNOW -- WE'RE ALSO GETTING CMAC FUNDING FOR OPERATING THAT LINE IN PARTICULAR. >> WHYTE: [INDISCERNIBLE] WHAT I MEANT TO SAY IS I GET A LOT OF MY RESIDENTS ASKING ABOUT IT, RIGHT, BECAUSE IT, OF COURSE, SEEMS UNDERUTILIZED. AND WHEN THEY'VE CHECKED INTO IT THAT THEY HAVE SAID THE ROUTES ARE LIMITED, BUT THAT WILL BE GOOD INFORMATION FOR THEM, AND SO THANK YOU FOR THAT. AND, AGAIN, THANK YOU FOR THE PRESENTATION. >> THANK YOU, COUNCILMAN. >> MAYOR JONES: JON, JUST TO CLARIFY, IF I REMEMBER CORRECTLY FROM OUR DISCUSSION, IT'S ONLY 5% OF YOUR OPERATING BUDGET COMES FROM FARES, [00:50:03] CORRECT? >> THAT'S CORRECT. >> MAYOR JONES: AND WHAT IS THAT ABSOLUTE NUMBER? >> $18 MILLION. >> MAYOR JONES: $18 MILLION. OKAY. THANK YOU. COUNCILWOMAN ALDARETE GAVITO? >> GAVITO: THANK YOU. THANKS SO MUCH FOR THE PRESENTATION. YESTERDAY MORNING WAS AWESOME. WE WERE AT THE [INDISCERNIBLE] TRANSIT CENTER AND WE HAD A BUSLOAD OF LINEAR HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS COME AND SIGN UP FOR THE FREE STUDENT VIA PASSES, SO THANK YOU SO MUCH TO THE VIA TEAM. Y'ALL MADE IT SUPER EASY FOR THEM. AND WHEN I WAS HAVING DISCUSSIONS WITH THEM, YOU KNOW, WE WERE TALKING ABOUT HOW MUCH THIS WILL REALLY HELP THEM AND THEIR FAMILIES. SO FIRST OFF, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR ALL Y'ALL'S PARTNERSHIP IN THAT, BECAUSE IT WAS A HEAVY LIFT. BUT IT IS MEANINGFUL FOR OUR FAMILIES. I DID ALSO WANT TO SAY, YOU KNOW, Y'ALL HAVE A KILLER LEADERSHIP TEAM. LAURA, THANK YOU FOR COMING UP AND PRESENTING. I THOUGHT THAT WAS -- I THOUGHT A LOT OF THE COMMENTS THAT YOU SAID WERE EXTREMELY IMPORTANT AND SPOT ON. IT WAS CRAZY TO THINK THAT WHEN I SERVED ON THE VIA BOARD, VIA LINK WAS JUST AN IDEA, AND TO SEE THAT IT'S SERVING A MILLION RIDES IS PHENOMENAL. AND I THINK THAT, YOU KNOW -- AT THE BEGINNING, WE WERE ALL LIKE WAITING FROM THE FEEDBACK FROM RESIDENTS, BUT IT'S CLEAR THAT IT'S TAKEN OFF AND IT'S CLEAR THAT IT'S REALLY ADDING TO THE SERVICES THAT VIA CAN OFFER. SO WOULD LOVE TO SEE MORE OF THAT. DEFINITELY ON THE RIGHT TRACK. ONE OF THE THINGS I WAS LOOKING AT IS ON THIS CHART FOR THE -- FLIPPING THE SCRIPT, CAN WE JUST MAKE SURE THAT WE GET SOME UPDATES ON HOW WE'RE REACHING THAT 72% FOR 2026. >> SURE. >> GAVITO: BECAUSE UNDERNEATH THE -- UNDERNEATH 30 MINUTES, BECAUSE THAT'S A HEFTY GOAL. VERY CONFIDENT IN Y'ALL'S -- IN THE TEAM TO DO IT, BUT I ALSO JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE GOING TO REACH THAT GOAL. >> ACTUALLY -- JUST FOR CLARIFICATION, COUNCILWOMAN, WE'VE ACTUALLY MET THAT. >> GAVITO: YOU'VE ALREADY MET THAT. >> YES. >> GAVITO: OKAY. YEAH, WE'LL JUST WANT TO -- THANK YOU FOR THAT. I THINK ALSO, TOO, WE'LL JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE STAYING ON TOP OF -- BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, LOOKING AT THE JUMP FROM 30% TO 72% IS IMPRESSIVE, I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE GOING TO CONTINUE TO -- >> ABSOLUTELY. THAT WAS A RESULT OF SERVICE IMPROVEMENTS THAT WE DID IN APRIL OF LAST YEAR, IN AUGUST OF LAST YEAR, AND IN JANUARY OF THIS YEAR. >> GAVITO: YEAH. >> SO JANUARY OF THIS YEAR WAS JUST IN CONTEXT, AS OUR CHAIR WAS SAYING, WAS THE LARGEST SINGLE IMPROVEMENT TO A SYSTEM IN ITS HISTORY. WE'RE GOING TO DO ONE IN MAY AND WE'RE LINING UP TO DO ONE IN AUGUST, SO THEY'RE PROBABLY GOING TO BE ABOUT THE SAME SIZE AS JANUARY'S, SO IT'S -- WE'LL SEE THAT NUMBER CONTINUE TO MOVE. >> GAVITO: OKAY. AWESOME. NO, THAT SOUNDS GREAT. AND DEFINITELY APPRECIATE ALL THESE UPDATES ON THE INVESTMENT IN ART. I KNOW THAT'S GOING TO DEFINITELY HELP WITH GETTING PEOPLE MOVING AND ALSO JUST MORE OPEN TO PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION. SO I'M DEFINITELY EXCITED TO SEE THAT COME TO LIFE. ONE OF THE THINGS I AM GOING TO TALK TO Y'ALL ABOUT, WE JUST GOT DONE WITH STUDENTS, BUT TO COUNCILWOMAN VIAGRAN'S POINT, ONE OF THE THINGS WE ALSO NEED TO CARE FOR IS OUR SENIORS, AND I HAVE A CCR TO EXPAND TRANSPORTATION TO OUR SENIOR CENTERS. RIGHT NOW CITY SERVICES A FIVE-MILE RADIUS BUT WE WANT TOAK PANDEMIC THAT TO AN EIGHT-MILE RADIUS BECAUSE THE CITY'S GROWN. WE'RE IN CONVERSATION WITH THE COUNTY, WOULD LOVE TO PULL VIA INTO THE CONVERSATIONS AS WELL TO GET THAT GO GOING. MORE TO THAT -- >> SENIORS ARE SOME OF OUR BEST CUSTOMERS. >> GAVITO: YEAH, THEY ARE, AND IT'S SO IMPORTANT TO GET THEM INTO THE SENIOR CENTERS FOR MEALS, FOR SOCIALIZATION, FOR ALL OF THE THINGS THAT HAPPEN AT SENIOR CENTERS. AND SO WE'RE JUST GOING TO BE, YOU KNOW, WORKING TO DO THAT AND DUST OFF THAT CCR. OTHER THAN THAT, THANK YOU. THANK YOU FOR ALL Y'ALL'S WORK. I KNOW IT IS A HEAVY LIFT. I KNOW IT IS DEMANDING ON THE BOARD AND BOARD MEMBERS, SO KUDOS TO YOU, LAURA, FOR LEADING THE CHARGE WITH THE BOARD AND TO YOU, JON GARY FOR LEADING A GREAT TEAM. LOOKING FORWARD TO MORE PARTNERSHIP. THANK YOU. COUNCILMAN MCKEE-RODRIGUEZ? >> MCKEE-RODRIGUEZ: THANK YOU, MAYOR, AND THANK YOU FOR THE PRESENTATION. I'LL START OFF WITH -- I'M GOING TO GO DOWN THE LINE OF ADVANCED, RAPID TRANSIT, BETTER BUS, VIA. WITH THE GREEN LINE, IT'S MY UNDERSTANDING THAT THE GREEN LINE IS FULLY FUNDED. IS THAT ACCURATE? >> YES, SIR. >> MCKEE-RODRIGUEZ: AND THE SILVER LINE, MY UNDERSTANDING IS THAT IS NOT FULLY FUNDED. >> THAT'S CORRECT. >> MCKEE-RODRIGUEZ: WHAT IS THE FUNDING GAP THERE? >> SO THE LAST PIECE THAT WE NEED TO MOVE ON THE FINANCIAL SIDE OF THAT EQUATION IS CURRENTLY IN PLAY WITH THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT WITH THE CAPITAL INVESTMENT GRANT [00:55:01] PROGRAM. WE ARE ON THE TOP OF THAT LIST. IN FACT, WE ARE INCLUDED IN THE PRESIDENT'S BUDGET AND RECOMMENDATION FOR FUNDING OF $150 MILLION. WE JUST NEED THAT TO GO THROUGH THE CONGRESSIONAL PROCESS TO DO SO. AND, YES, WE SMILE WHEN WE SAY THAT AS WELL. BUT SIMILAR TO THE GREEN LINE AS WELL, IT'S THAT MOMENT THAT IF WE'RE DOING OUR PART AND OUR RESPONSIBILITY, YOU KNOW, FOR THE CIG PROGRAMS, AND THIS IS A BRAG MOMENT ON STAFF, THAT WE'RE AT THE TOP OF THAT LIST. NOT IN THE MIDDLE, NOT IN THE BOTTOM OF THAT LIST, BUT WE'RE AT THE TOP OF THAT LIST TO SECURE THAT FUNDING. BUT IT IS CURRENTLY IN PLAY AND WE'LL KNOW FOR SURE BY THE SUMMER. >> MCKEE-RODRIGUEZ: THANK YOU. AND FOR THE BETTER BUS PLAN, PRIMARILY WITH THE GOAL TO ACHIEVE MORE FREQUENT STOPS, SLIDE 5 I NOTICED THAT FOUR OF THE TOP SIX HAVE HAD INCREASED FREQUENCY. HOW DO THESE NUMBERS COMPARE TO RIDERSHIP PRIOR TO THE NUMBERS IN FREQUENCY? SO I GUESS BROADER QUESTION IS, FOR EACH OF THESE RIDES -- BECAUSE I -- THAT PERCENTAGE IS NOT PERCENTAGE OF GROWTH, IT'S NOT. HOW MUCH HAS RIDERSHIP GROWN FOR EACH OF THESE ROUTES SINCE THE CHANGES WERE IMPLEMENTED AND THEN DO YOU HAVE A COMPARISON OF RIDERSHIP IN -- FOR THIS PAST MONTH, JANUARY 2026, COMPARED TO, SAY, ANY MONTH PRIOR TO THE PLAN? >> SO -- SORRY. >> SO AS WE IMPLEMENT THE SERVICE, IT TAKES TIME FOR THE SERVICE TO MATURE TO GET THE RIDERSHIP. OUR FIRST SERVICE CHANGE WAS DONE IN APRIL 2025, AND THEN IN AUGUST 2025 AND RECENTLY IN JANUARY 2026. WE HAVE TO GIVE AT LEAST A YEAR OR MORE TO SEE THE INCREASE IN RIDERSHIP, BUT WE ARE ALREADY SEEING THE INCREASE IN RIDERSHIP. IT'S ALMOST LIKE TWO TO THREE%, I WILL SAY. IN 2025 COMPARISON, BUT IN 2026, JANUARY, WE SAW A HUGE INCREASE IN RIDERSHIP COMPARED TO LAST JANUARY. SO WHAT WE DO IS COMPARE MONTH OF THIS YEAR TO MONTH OF THE PREVIOUS YEAR, AND WHEN WE SEE THAT RIDERSHIP, WE HAVE ALREADY SEEN A 5 TO 6% INCREASE IN THE RIDERSHIP. SO AS WE MOVE ALONG, WE WILL SEE MUCH MORE INCREASE IN RIDERSHIP BECAUSE THE SERVICE NEEDS TO MATURE, YOU KNOW, TO ATTRACT MORE CUSTOMERS. RECEIVE UPD UPDATES IN, SAY, MAY, SEPTEMBER, FEBRUARY OF -- MAY AND SEPTEMBER OF THIS YEAR, FEBRUARY OF NEXT YEAR, WE WOULD ANTICIPATE THAT VIA MAY SEE INCREASED RIDERSHIP I'LL THROW OUT A RANDOM NUMBER, 7, 8, 9, 10%, BUT THE INDIVIDUAL ROUTES THAT HAVE BEEN IMPROVED MIGHT SEE 15, 20, 30%? THROWING RANDOM NUMBERS OUT THERE. I'M JUST GUESSING. >> YOU ARE CORRECT. THE ROUTES WE ARE CHANGING, IMPROVING FREQUENCY, CHANGING THE ALIGNMENT, WE ARE SEEING AN AVERAGE OF 15 TO 20% INCREASE IN THE RIDERSHIP. BUT THE ONE SWITCH WE ARE NOT CHANGING IS JUST 1 TO 2%, OR PROBABLY 3%. BUT ON AVERAGE, WE ARE SEEING -- IF I COMPARE TO LAST AUGUST, IT'S ALMOST MORE THAN 20. 22% IN RIDERSHIP FOR THOSE 10 ROUTES WE HAVE IMPROVED IN AUGUST. >> MCKEE-RODRIGUEZ: DO YOU KNOW IF THESE ARE UNIQUE RIDERS OR ARE THEY JUST NUMBERS OF RIDES? >> NO. IT'S NUMBER OF RIDES. WE DON'T KNOW WHETHER IT'S A UNIQUE RIDES OR NOT. >> MCKEE-RODRIGUEZ: OKAY. PIVOTING TO VIA LINK, DO YOU HAVE RIDERSHIP DATAS FOR EACH OF THE ZONES ON SLIDE 8? >> YES, WE DO HAVE RIDERSHIP FOR EACH OF THE ZONE. >> MCKEE-RODRIGUEZ: WOULD YOU BE ABLE TO -- I GUESS WOULD YOU BE ABLE TO TELL US -- TR AND YOU WOULD PROBABLY SAY JUST ANECDOTALLY, WHICH ARE THE BEST PERFORMING, WHICH MIGHT NOT BE QUITE UP THERE. I GUESS STARTING THERE, WHICH ONES ARE THE BEST PERFORMING? >> MOST OF THE ZONES ARE PERFORMING REALLY GOOD. SO THE RECENTLY IMPLEMENTED ONE, THE RANDOLPH IS DOING GOOD, MIDLAND IS DOING GOOD, NACO PERRIN IS DOING REALLY GOOD. THERE IS NO ZONE OTHER THAN THE SMALL DOWNTOWN PORTION. THE REST OF THE ZONES ARE REALLY DOING GOOD, BECAUSE THOSE ZONES COVER A LOT OF AREA, SO YOU HAVE TO LOOK INTO THE SQUARE MILEAGE OF THOSE AREAS. SO FIVE OF THE ZONES HAS PRETTY -- LIKE MORE THAN 15 SQUARE MILE COVERAGE. SO IT COVERS A LOT OF POPULATION AND WE SEE A LOT OF INCREASE IN RIDERSHIP IN THOSE ZONES. >> MCKEE-RODRIGUEZ: GOT YOU. GOT YOU. DO YOU ANTICIPATE -- I GUESS HIG HOW WOULD YOU -- I IMAGINE YOU ANTICIPATE ADDING MORE ZONES BEYOND THE ONES [01:00:01] THAT ARE PLANNED, BUT WHAT WOULD DICTATE THAT? >> IT CAME OUT OF THE BETTER BUS PLANNING PROCESS, SO WE KNOW WHICH OF THE ZONES. SO IT'S LIKE FOR NOW, IT'S 10 ZONES, BUT AS WE MOVE ALONG AND AS WE IMPLEMENT THE BETTER BUS PLAN, THERE WILL BE MORE ZONES TO BE ADDED AND STUFF LIKE THAT. >> MCKEE-RODRIGUEZ: OKAY. THIS LAST BIT IS GOING TO BE A LITTLE BIT MORE BROAD, BUT ON SLIDE 4, YOU MENTIONED FUNDING. I'M LOOKING AT YOUR BUDGET RIGHT NOW, THE F FISCAL YEAR 2026 DRAFT BUDGET,IO N IF THIS IS THE ONE THAT WAS ACTUALLY APPROVED, BUT I BELIEVE IT TO BE, AND THERE'S FOUR CATEGORIES LISTED FOR REVENUE, SALES TAX, GRANTS, FARE BOX AND OTHER. WHAT MAKES UP THE "OTHER" CATEGORY? I MEAN, IT COULD BE A LONG LIST OF 10S, SO MAYBE WHAT ARE THE TOP ONES THAT STAND OUT? >> BESIDES THE GRANTS, THERE WILL BE -- OFF THE TOP OF MY HEAD, ADVERTISING REVENUE, WHICH YOU SEE ON THE SIDES OF OUR BUSES. THAT WILL BE THAT. CLEAR CHANNEL. CHEE. CLEAR CHANNEL COMMUNICATIONS. >> MCKEE-RODRIGUEZ: I WOULD LIKE TO SEE IT BROKEN DOWN JUST A LITTLE BIT MORE, BECAUSE LIKE I SAID, THE REVENUE IS ONLY THOSE FOUR CATEGORIES AND "OTHER" IS VERY PROUD, SO IF YOU COULD SHARE WITH US MAYBE A SUMMARY OF ALL REVENUE AND EXPENSES. I DID THINK IT WAS FUNNY AT THE BEGINNING OF THE PRESENTATION, SOMEONE SAID, YOU KNOW, WE CANNOT ADD ANY NEW PROGRAMS WITHOUT CUTS TO EXISTING SERVICES, WHICH TO ME SIGNALED A JAB AT ZERO FARE WHICH I'VE HEARD YOU DISCUSS A FEW TIMES, SO I WOULD LIKE TO BRING UP A FEW THINGS. ONE IS THAT -- AND THIS IS FOR MORE MY COLLEAGUES, IF ANYTHING, BUT ONE IS VIRTUALLY 100% OF SAN ANTONIANS PAY THE SALES TAX. SO EVERY SAN ANTONIO RESIDENT IS A CONTRIBUTOR TO VIA. THEY ARE PAYING A TAX THAT ALLOWS VIA TO OPERATE. SECOND, AND THIS WAS MENTIONED BY THE MAYOR, BUT LAST YEAR YOU CAME TO THE TRANSPORTATION INFRASTRUCTURE COMMITTEE, MIGHT HAVE HAD A DIFFERENT NAME AT THE TIME, AND BROUGHT UP THE TELECOM TAX, PROPOSED THAT WE APPROVE THAT. AT THE TIME FOR ME, AT LEAST, IT WAS CHALLENGING TO APPROVE SUCH A TAX WHEN WE COULDN'T -- IT WASN'T TOLD TO US HOW MUCH REVENUE IT WOULD BRING TO VIA AT THE TIME. IT SOUNDED LIKE YOU ANTICIPATED IT TO BE SOMEWHERE BETWEEN SIX TO $8 MILLION. SO THAT'S NEW INFORMATION NOW. BUT AT THE TIME IT WAS ALSO CHALLENGING THAT NO ONE COULD TELL US NECESSARILY WHAT IT WAS GOING TO HELP ACCOMPLISH, OTHER THAN THE BROADER, IT WILL HELP US DELIVER BETTER -- THE BETTER BUS PLAN. AND SO I MAINTAIN, AND I'LL TELL EVERYBODY, I WILL NOT VOTE TO APPROVE A TELECOM TAX UNLESS THERE IS A COMMITMENT AND A PLAN TO GET TO ZERO FARE. TO ME, RESIDENTS ARE BEING TAXED VIA THE SALES TAX, WE WILL ADD ANOTHER TAX ON TOP OF THAT THROUGH THE TELECOM TAX, AND THEN WE ASK THEM TO PAY A FARE TO GET ON THE BUS. PUBLIC GOODS ARE PUBLIC GOODS, AND WE SHOULDN'T BE CHARGING PEOPLE TO GO TO THE LIBRARY, TO ACCESS THE SENIOR CENTERS, TO USE THEIR PARKS. AND SO TO ME, IT'S GOOFY TO EXPECT THEM TO PAY TO GET ON A BUS THAT THEY'RE ALREADY PAYING FOR. AND YOU ALREADY MENTIONED EARLIER -- AND YOUR BUDGET DOCUMENT SAYS THE FARE BOX REVENUE IS ACTUALLY ABOUT 4.6% OF YOUR REVENUE. SO I DON'T BELIEVE THE OPPOSITION TO ZERO FARE HAS TO DO WITH COST, THE REVENUE THAT'S MADE FROM IT IS VERY SLIM. I'LL ALSO KNOW -- I DON'T REMEMBER IF IT WAS YOU WHO SHARED THIS WITH ME OR IF IT WAS IN THE BROADER RESEARCH ABOUT ZERO FARE, BUT MOST OF THE CONFLICTS THAT HAPPEN ON THE BUS ARE BECAUSE OF FARE. AND SO IF THERE'S A WAY TO INCREASE SAFETY, REDUCE CONFLICT AND MAKE THE BUSES MORE ACCESSIBLE TO EVERYONE, I'M CONFUSED AND CONCERNED THAT THIS IS NOT SOMETHING THAT WE WOULD EXPLORE MORE SERIOUSLY. AND I WORRY THAT THE CONCERN IS REALLY ABOUT HOMELESS PEOPLE EXISTING ON THE BUS. AND IF THE FEAR IS THAT HOMELESS PEOPLE ARE GOING TO BE SLEEPING ON THE BUS OR SITTING ON THE BUS FOR EXTENDED PERIODS OF TIME, I THINK THAT'S MISSING THE FOREST FOR THE TREES. WE CAN HAVE A BROADER CONVERSATION AT TRANSPORTATION AND INFRASTRUCTURE ABOUT THAT PLAN, BUT I WANT YOU TO KNOW HOW SERIOUSLY I TAKE IT. AND I THINK YOU WOULD HAVE A REALLY DIFFICULT TIME GETTING THE TELECOM TAX THROUGH WITH THE BUY-IN OF THE MAJORITY OF US. AND I MAKE UP ONE OF 11. THANK YOU. >> MAYOR JONES: JON, IN CASE IT INFORMS ANYONE ELSE'S COMMENTS FOLLOWING, CAN YOU TALK ABOUT THE STEPS THAT YOUR [INDISCERNIBLE] ALREADY HAVE TO ADDRESS THE CHALLENGE WITH HOMELESS FOLKS GETTING ON THE BUS? YOU ALL HAVE, FOR EXAMPLE -- I THINK YOU SHARED WITH ME, THERE'S -- IF SOMEONE HAS A STRONG ODOR, FOR EXAMPLE, THEY CAN BE TURNED AWAY. SO IT SOUNDS LIKE YOU HAVE STEPS IN PLACE ALREADY TO ADDRESS WHAT MAY BE A CONCERN BY SOME. BUT IF YOU WANT TO ELABORATE, IN CASE IT HELPS ANYONE ELSE'S COMMENTS, THAT WOULD BE HELPFUL. >> YEAH, IT'S INDEED THOSE MOMENTS OF THE -- THOSE THAT WOULD BE TAKING THE SERVICE FOR NOT THE SERVICE INTENTION. THAT STARTS A DISRUPTION OF NOT ONLY THE OPERATOR THEMSELVES AND IT'S THE OPERATORS WHO ACTUALLY [01:05:06] APPROACHED US, MANAGEMENT, TO SAY, THEY HATE THE IDEA. THEY DO NOT LIKE THE IDEA. ATU HAS ALSO GONE ON THE RECORD TO SAY THAT THEY DO NOT LIKE THE IDEA BECAUSE OF THE SAFETY ISSUE THAT THEY'VE EXPERIENCED PERSONALLY, BECAUSE THESE ARE OPERATORS THEMSELVES, THAT THEY HAVE EXPERIENCED PERSONALLY WITH THAT. WHILE WE HAVE SYSTEMS IN PLACE TO TRY TO MITIGATE ALL THAT, PART OF THAT MITIGATION INCLUDES A FARE CHARGE. IT JUST DOES. AND THAT'S ONE OF THOSE MOMENTS THAT WE JUST HAVE TO HAVE A CONVERSATION. COUNCILMAN, WE HAD A GREAT CONVERSATION WITH YOUR COLLEAGUE COUNCILMAN GALVAN EARLIER TODAY, AND I THINK WE'RE ALL SOMEWHAT ON THE SAME PAGE HERE BECAUSE WE ALSO WANT TO MAKE SURE THOSE ARE OUR MOST VULNERABLE IN OUR COMMUNITY ARE NOT HAVING A PROBLEM GETTING ONTO OUR SYSTEM TO TRANSPORT, INCLUDING THE FINANCIAL PIECE. WE HAVE OVER 120 NONPROFITS THAT CURRENTLY ARE BUYING DISCOUNTED FARE FROM US AND THOSE NONPROFITS, MOSTLY IN SOCIAL SERVICES, THEY GO OUT AND HAND OUT THOSE FARE CARDS TO THEIR CONSTITUENCIES OR THOSE THAT NEED THAT FOR TRAVEL PURPOSES. BUT THAT IS HELPING DEFINE THAT GROUP AND THOSE GROUPS THAT ARE INDEED USING THE SYSTEM FOR TRANSPORTATION. IN ADDITION, IT'S THAT MOMENT OF $18 MILLION IS STILL $18 MILLION. IF WE PUT 4.5% AGAINST THE CITY'S REVENUE, THAT'S $77 MILLION. YOU'RE NOT GOING TO WALK AWAY, I WOULD THINK, FROM $77 MILLION. IT'S A VERY IMPORTANT ASPECT OF OUR BUDGET, AS SMALL AS IT IS. COUNCILMAN GALVAN? >> GALVAN: THANK YOU, MAYOR. THANK YOU, JON, ROD, LAURA, FOR THE PRESENTATION TODAY. I WANT TO START OFF BY SAYING SOME THANK YOUS TO VIA FOR GETTING ME AROUND THE ENTIRE CITY AND UP TO SCHOOL IN AUSTIN AS WELL BEFORE I WAS HERE ON COUNCIL, AND FOR GETTING ME HERE TO CITY HALL EVERY SINGLE DAY AND BACK HOME BEFORE I HAD A CAR WHILE I WAS WORKING FOR COUNCILMEMBER CASTILLO. SO I JUST WANT TO SAY THANK YOU TO ALL THE OPERATORS THAT MADE THAT HAPPEN AND THE SYSTEM THAT'S HERE TO HELP NOT ONLY MYSELF, BUT MANY OF MY FRIENDS AND FAMILY IN THE COMMUNITY. LATE LAST YEAR I HAD TO REPLACE ALL MY BRAKES FROM A BRUTAL CAMPAIGN SEASON, AND SO THAT WAS GREAT. AND SO I TOOK IT TO A PLACE ALONG MARBACH ROAD AND I'M ALWAYS A BIG BELIEVER, GIVEN THE FACT THAT I RODE VIA FOR A LONG TIME THAT I CAN ALWAYS FIND A WAY BACK HOME. AND SO I DID. THE 612 WAS A MUCH FASTER SERVICE BECAUSE OF THE BETTER BUS PLAN SO I GOT HOME WITHIN 15 MINUTES FROM MARBACH ROAD TO RICHLAND HILLS. IT WAS A GREAT EXPERIENCE AND I FELT REALLY EXCITED TO SEE THAT ALL COME INTO PLACE, RIGHT? WE TALK ABOUT THE BIG STUFF HERE, BUT IT IMPACTS US DIRECTLY, NOT ONLY AS INDIVIDUALS ON THIS DAIS, BUT, OF COURSE, THE RESIDENTS THAT WE REPRESENT. SO I WANTED TO THANK YOU FOR THAT. ALSO WANT TO THANK YOU FOR THE NEW DIGITAL SIGNS ON A LOT OF THE BUSES, VERY HELPFUL TO SEE WHERE WE'RE GOING, NOT HAVE TO ALWAYS BE GLUED TO MY PHONE, OKAY, NOT MISS THE STOP, I'M ALMOST THERE, I'VE GOT 10 MORE MINUTES, I'M GOOD. AS WELL AS A LAST QUICK THANK YOU ABOUT THE UPGRADES TO THE WEBSITE. JUST AS A PERSONAL THOUGHT OF A LOT OF THE BIG THINGS THAT GO ON THE BACK END, ARE NOT ALWAYS THANKED FOR FOR THE PUBLIC PERCEPTION OF THE AGENCY, BUT A LOT OF GOOD MATERIALS ON THERE THAT ARE NOW VERY EASILY ACCEPTABLE INCLUDING A LOT OF THE WORK THAT WE'RE LOOKING AT WITH THE KEEP SAN ANTONIO MOVING PLAN. I ALWAYS WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT I'M RECOGNIZING THE WORK Y'ALL DO EVERY SINGLE DAY. AND TO MY QUESTIONS, I HAD FIRST AND FOREMOST, DISTRICT SIX SPECIFIC QUESTIONS RELATED TO THE TEZEL VIA LINK ZONE, WHEN DID THAT ONE COME ONLINE? IT WAS LATE LAST YEAR, CORRECT? >> THE CE TEZEL -- >> BY THE WAY, IF YOU WANT TO INTRODUCE YOURSELF. CINDY, RVP SERVICE LINE. >> SO THE MAINLAND ZONE, AS PART OF THE BETTER BUS PLOAN, WE'RE EXPANDING THE MAINLAND ZONE, SO IN ORDER TO BETTER EFFICIENT VIA LINK TYPE OF SERVICE, IT'S BETTER TO ALWAYS HAVE WITHIN CERTAIN AREA, BECAUSE IT'S EXPANDING SO MUCH, WE HAVE TO SPLIT THAT ZONE INTO TWO ZONE, MAINLAND AND TEZEL ZONE, BUT NOW IT'S OPERATING AS MAINLAND ZONE, BUT WILL EXPAND AND DIVIDE INTO TWO ZONES AND IT'S NOT YET ONLINE. GAL OKAY. >> SOMETIME NEXT YEAR PROBABLY WE MIGHT HAVE TWO ZONES. OKAY. THAT'S HELPFUL. >> GALVAN: A MEMBER OF MY TEAM DIDN'T HAVE A CAR FOR A WHILE, SO HE LIVES A LITTLE FURTHER UP NORTH TEZEL, IT WAS VERY DIFFICULT FOR HIM TO GET TO THE FIELD OFFICE BECAUSE THE BUS LINES AREN'T OPERATING THERE AT THIS MOMENT. [01:10:02] JUST INTERESTED TO SEE WHEN THAT WILL COME ONLINE. JUST SOMETHING I'VE BEEN KEEPING TRACK OF A LITTLE BIT, EVEN MORE JUST FOLKS ON MY TEAM TO MAKE SURE THEY'RE ABLE TO GET TO A FIELD OFFICE AND OTHER PLACES THROUGHOUT THE DISTRICT. I THINK THAT'S ULTIMATELY -- NOT JUST FOR MY OWN PERSONING LIKE REGULAR WORK, BUT OVERALL WITH A LOT OF THE DISTRICTS -- AND COUNCILMEMBER VIAGRAN MENTIONED THIS A BIT, AS WE'RE GROWING FURTHER OUTWARDS, MAKE SURE WE'RE CONNECTING THERE. BUT STILL, TOO, RIGHT, THE CONNECTIONS WITHIN SOME OF THESE DISTRICTS, AND DISTRICT SIX I THINK A LOT ABOUT, BUT SOME OF THE PARTS OF OUR AREAS THAT HAVE A GOOD BUS ROUTE NEARBY BUT IT DOESN'T REALLY CONNECT TO THE AREA WITHIN ITSELF, IF THAT MAKES SENSE, SOME OF THE NEIGHBORHOODS CAN CONNECT TO DOWNTOWN AND TO OTHER PLACES BUT NOT TO WITHIN THEIR NEARBY AREAS. I KNOW IT'S WORK Y'ALL ARE DOING, MAKING SURE YOUR SYSTEM'S PLANNED AS BEST AS IT CAN BE, GIVEN OUR DEVELOPMENT PATTERN. I ALWAYS WANT TO HIGHLIGHT BECAUSE SOMETHING I HEAR FROM OUR RESIDENTS AND SOME USER EXPERIENCE, I THINK A LOT OF -- INCLUDING ON CALLAGHAN ROAD AS WE'RE TALKING ABOUT WOLFF STADIUM REDEVELOPMENT, SOME OF THE DESTINATION PARK WORK GOING ON THERE, I MEAN, THERE IS NO ROUTE ON SOUTH CALLAGHAN GOING THAT WAY, BUT OF COURSE THERE IS THE SILVER LINE THAT WILL BE THERE. IT'S, OF COURSE, A GIVE AND TAKE WHAT WE HAVE, BUT I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT TO THINK ABOUT THE BIG COMMUNITY ASSETS WITHIN AN AREA, HOW CAN FOLKS GET TO AND F FRO HAVING TO -- HOW THEY HAVE TO GO TO A TRANSIT CENTER TO GO ANOTHER 30 MINUTES TO GET BACK TO A PLACE THAT WAS ULTIMATELY TWO TO 3 MILES AWAY FROM THEM. I'LL LEAVE THAT WHERE THAT IS. THANK YOU FOR THE COMMENTS ABOUT TEZEL. I APPRECIATE IT. >> THANK YOU. >> GALVAN: FURTHER QUESTION AROUND ON VIA LINK TO COUNCILMEMBER MCKEE-RODRIGUEZ'S POINT, A LITTLE BIT MORE -- DO WE HAVE ANY SPECIFIC DATA ON THE RIDERSHIP DIFFERENCE BETWEEN EACH OF THE VIA LINK ZONES AND THE ROUTES THAT WERE ONCE THERE? >> WE DO. THE GOOD NEWS IS ON THE VIA LINK INFORMATION THAT WE GET, IT IS VERY DETAILED. >> GALVAN: OKAY. >> BECAUSE WE HAVE AN INTERACTION DIRECTLY WITH THE CONSUMER, SO WE KNOW WHERE THEY'RE HEADING, HOW OFTEN THEY'RE USING IT AND SO FORTH. WE'VE SEEN WHERE WE ARE -- THAT HAVE HAD ROUTES BEFORE. IT'S OUTPERFORMING WHAT THOSE ROUTES WERE DOING. >> GALVAN: OKAY. THAT MAKES SENSE. >> IT DOES. IT DOES. IF YOU LOOK AT IN THAT CNACO PASS, WE HAD ONE ROUTE THAT WENT DOWN THE MIDDLE OF NACO PASS THAT WAS EVERY 45 TO 60 MINUTES. NOW WE COVER THE ENTIRE ZONE WITH SERVICE THAT'S AT LEAST 20 MINUTES OR BETTER, AND ON AVERAGE, THE CONSUMER'S WALKING ABOUT 400 FEET. >> GALVAN: RIGHT. >> TO THEIR VIRTUAL STOP. SO WE'VE SEEN THAT IMPROVEMENT. AND WE'RE DOING IT LESS THAN WHAT IT COSTS US TO RUN THAT 60-MINUTE SERVICE OUT THERE. >> GALVAN: WHAT GOES INTO THAT COST? THAT COST SAVINGS? WHAT GOES INTO THAT? >> SO ONE OF THE BIG FACTORS THAT COMES INTO THE COST SAVINGS IS WE'RE NOT DEPLOYING AN ASSET UNTIL IT'S NEEDED, SO WE'RE NOT RUNNING AN EMPTY VEHICLE. SO WE CAN BE VERY EFFICIENT WITH THAT. TWO, YOU KNOW, WE ARE INDEED STILL -- BECAUSE IT IS RIDESHARE, ABOUT HALF OF THE VANS THAT ARE OPERATING WITHIN THE SYSTEM ARE INDEED RIDESHARING, SO YOU'RE SHARING YOUR RIDE WITH OTHERS. SO THAT ALSO IS ANOTHER WAY TO REALLY DRIVE THAT EFFICIENCY. >> GALVAN: I APPRECIATE THAT. KIND OF LARGER SCOPE WITH RIDERSHIP GOALS, ARE THERE SPECIFIC RIDERSHIP GOALS WITHIN THE KEEP SAN ANTONIO MOVING PLAN FOR BETTER BUS AND [INDISCERNIBLE] >> YES, WE DO. WE ARE ACTUALLY TALKING AROUND IT. SO, YOU KNOW, WE WANT TO GO, YOU KNOW, ON THE RECORD TO SAY, OUR GOAL IS TO BE A 50 MILLION RIDERSHIP TRIPS IN THE NEXT DECADE. SO WE'RE AT 31.6. WE WANT TO GET UP TO 50 MILLION PASSENGER TRIPS. >> GALVAN: GOT IT. THAT'S FOR BETTER BUS AND DARE. >> ALL SYSTEM, INCLUDING VIA LINK, INCLUDING VIA TRANS, INCLUDING PARK AND RIDE, EVERYTHING. >> GALVAN: THAT'S HELPFUL. ON ON THE PARK AND RIDE POINT, I KNOW ON THE FIRST OR SECOND SLIDE, THERE WAS A MENTION ABOUT THE PARK AND RIDES INCREASING 50%. >> YES. >> GALVAN: WHAT WAS CONTRIBUTING TO THAT? >> WELL, THE NUMBER THINGS AND OUR PARTNERSHIP WITH THE CITY WAS A BIG MOMENT OF THAT AS WELL, BECAUSE WHEN WE WERE ABLE TO THEN -- FIRST OF ALL, GET THE OPERATORS IN PLACE TO -- FOR US TO DELIVER PARK AND RIDE, I MEAN, THAT WAS A BIG PART OF WHY HIRING OPERATORS IS SO CRITICAL TO OUR SUCCESS OVER THE LAST YEAR, BUT ONCE WE HAD THAT, WE HAD THE BUSES READY, WORKING WITH THE CITY, CITY WAS ABLE TO CARVE OUT LANES FOR US AND OUR CUSTOMERS IN ORDER TO GET INTO THE ROBERT THOMPSON CENTER QUICKLY AND EFFICIENTLY. THAT ROBERT THOMPSON CENTER IS DESIGNED TO HANDLE ABOUT 18 TO 20,000 PASSENGERS PER HOUR, HOUR AND A HALF. SO IT BECOMES A VERY EFFICIENT. BUT GETTING TO THERE AND COMING OUT OF THAT IS WHERE WE NEEDED HELP. AND ERIK AND HIS TEAM REALLY STEPPED UP, TOGETHER WITH YOUR POLICE [01:15:01] DEPARTMENT AND HELPED US GET IN AND OUT OF THERE IN A VERY EFFICIENT MANNER, SO WE'RE ABLE TO SEE THAT TYPE OF GROWTH TOGETHER. >> GALVAN: OKAY. SO THAT'S SPECIFICALLY FOR THAT CENTER, OR IS IT FOR JUST ON PARK AND RIDES AS WELL? >> IT'S SYSTEMWIDE, BUT THE MAJORITY OF THE EVENTS ARE HAPPENING DOWNTOWN. >> GALVAN: THAT'S HELPFUL. OKAY. ONE OF THE THINGS I WANTED TO ASK OF COURSE A LITTLE BIT ABOUT FARE FOR YOU, NOT NECESSARILY ON THE POLICY PROPOSAL BUT, OF COURSE W THE GREEN, SILVER LINE -- WELL, PARTICULARLY THE GREEN LINE THAT'S COMING FORWARD, IT WILL BE FARE FREE FOR THAT FIRST YEAR, I KNOW WE HAD SPOKE HOW WE'RE GOING TO IMPLEMENT THAT. BUT I GUESS ONE OF MY ASKS FOR THAT, I KNOW YOU'RE GOING TO DO IT ANYWAY, BECAUSE YOU TRACK DATA NONETHELESS, HOW IS IT IMPACTING RIDERSHIP, OPERATOR WORKING CONDITIONS, THE HEALTH AND SAFETY OF RESIDENTS, HOW IT IS AFFECTING THEIR ECONOMIC MOBILITY AS WELL, AND, THEN, OF COURSE, THE SHIFT TO THE YEAR AFTER, WHAT THE CHANGES ARE. >> YEAH, I THINK THAT'S FAIR. >> GALVAN: IT'S GOING TO HAPPEN ANYWAY, BUT I WANTED TO MAKE THAT CLEAR AND ASK FOR MYSELF. >> JUST SO WE CLARIFY, THE COUNTY IS UNDERWRITING THE COST FOR THOSE FARES. SO IT'S NOT FREE FARE. GALSZ WELL, JUST LIKE EVERYTHING, WE PAY FOR WITH TAX DOLLARS. >> RIGHT. YEAH, WE'VE STILL GOT TO FIGURE OUT HOW TO DO IT, BUT WHICH CAN MEASURE BEFORE AND AFTER. >> GALVAN: I THINK IT WILL BE ONE OF OUR BIGGEST, I THINK, POTENTIAL PILOTS IN A WAY, RIGHT, OF WHAT COULD IT LOOK LIKE WITH OR WITHOUT -- >> ABSOLUTELY, YEAH. >> GALVAN: I THINK THOSE ARE ALL MY QUESTIONS FOR NOW. THANK YOU SO MUCH, JON. THANK YOU, MAYOR. COUNCILMEMBER CASTILLO? >> CASTILLO: THANK YOU, MAYOR, THANK YOU, JON, LAURA AND ROD FOR THE PRESENTATION, BUT I JUST WANTED TO SAY HIGH TO RAZI, THE DISTRICT FIVE TEAM REALLY MISSES YOU, SO WE WANTED TO BE SURE WE ACKNOWLEDGED YOU. IN PREPARATION FOR THIS MEETING, I HAD MY CONSTITUENT SERVICE TEAM PULL SOME OF THE CASES THAT WE'VE RECEIVED FROM VIA, JUST TO HIGHLIGHT SOME OF THE TRENDS BUT I WANTED TO THEY ELOY FOR BEING VERY RESPONSIVE AND HELPING US ADDRESS THOSE CONCERNS AS WE FIELD THEM, SO THANK YOU ELOY. SOME OF THE TRENDS THAT WE SEE, AND I WAS REALLY PLEASED TO SEE THE VIA TREND SATISFACTION AT 98%, BECAUSE THE PRIMARY CONCERN AND CALL THAT WE RECEIVE IS THE RELIABILITY OF VIA TRANSAND MANY OF THE SENIORS IN OUR DISTRICT RELY ON THIS SERVICE. THEY'RE GRATEFUL FOR IT, BUT HAVE SHARED SOME INSTANCES IN WHICH IF THEY'RE NOT OUT FRONT WITHIN A SPECIFIC ALLOTTED TIME, THAT, YOU KNOW, VIA DOES HAVE TO MOVE ON TO THE NEXT RIDER. SO THEY'VE JUST EXPRESSED JUST, YOU KNOW, SOME FLEXIBILITY IN TERMS OF TIME, ESPECIALLY WHEN THEY'RE BEING PICKED UP AT A DOCTOR'S OFFICE, BECAUSE WE ALL KNOW HOW DOCTOR'S VISITS CAN SOMETIMES GO WELL OVER THE ASSIGNED TIME. SO JUST WANTED TO CONTINUE TO BRING THAT UP TO Y'ALL'S ATTENTION. THE SECOND TREND WAS REQUEST FOR BUS SHELTERS, AND, AGAIN, THANK YOU, ELOY FOR HELPING US LOOK INTO WHERE THERE'S OPPORTUNITY FOR THOSE, BUT MY UNDERSTANDING IS I BELIEVE IN 2023 -- OR 2024, RATHER, THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO ALLOCATED A MILLION DOLLARS FOR SHADE AND SHELTER STRUCTURES. CAN YOU ALL SEND A LIST TO US IN TERMS OF WHERE THOSE STRUCTURES HAVE BEEN INSTALLED OR WHICH ONES ARE IN THE QUEUE FOR INSTALLMENT. >> >> THEY HAVEN'T BEEN INSTALLED YET. BUT WE HAVE LOCATIONS. ROUGHLY OKAY. WE CAN GET YOU LOCATIONS, BUT NOT INSTALLED YET. >> CASTILLO: OKAY. APPRECIATE THAT. THE NEXT QUESTION OR CONCERN, RATHER, THAT RESIDENTS HAVE BROUGHT TO OUR T ATTENTION IS PRIMARILY AROUND THE 50 FOR FOLLOWING THE PANDEMIC, IT WAS ONE OF THE ROUTES THAT NEVER RETURNED, AND THIS IS THE ROUTE THAT TO THIS DAY WE GET CALLS FROM ANY SOUTH SIDE NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION, IS THIS SOMETHING THAT CAN RETURN, AND, YOU KNOW, I'LL CONTINUE TO ADVOCATE FOR IT BECAUSE IT'S A BUS STOP THAT STOPS BY THE PALM HEIGHTS COMMUNITY CENTER, COLLINS GARDEN, H-E-B, SO MANY COMMUNITY ASSETS AND RESOURCES THAT MANY OF THE FOLKS IN THE COMMUNITY WERE RELYING ON THAT ROUTE TO GET TO THOSE ASSETS. AND -- >> EXCELLENT FEEDBACK. ABSOLUTELY. WE DEFINITELY WANT TO LOOK AT THAT. >> CASTILLO: THANK YOU. >> BECAUSE WE WANT HIGHER UTILIZATION, RIGHT, AND CONSUMERS ARE TELLING YOU, WE WANT TO TAKE IT. BRING IT BACK. >> CASTILLO: FOR THEY HAVE BEEN ABLE TO REROUTE TO 51 TO KIND OF GET TO THE SAME ONE, BUT WHEN FOLKS ARE CALLING THEY'RE CONCERNED ABOUT THEIR ELDERLY LABEL THAT CAN'T WALK AS FAR AS THE DISTANCE, SO JUST APPRECIATE HOW FREQUENT THE 51 IS IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD. BUT TO THAT AND THE CONVERSATION AROUND THE TELECOM TAX, PLEASED TO HEAR NOW WE HAVE A NUMBER AND AN UNDERSTANDING OF WHERE THOSE DOLLARS WOULD LIKELY GO, BECAUSE THAT WAS A CONCERN THAT I HAD HAD. AND, OF COURSE, RIGHT, I NEED TO BE ABLE TO COMMUNICATE TO MY CONSTITUENTS, RIGHT, IF THEY'RE GOING TO POTENTIALLY GET TAX DZ AND I'M GOING TO HAVE TO APPROVE IT BEFORE COUNCIL, I NEED TO UNDERSTAND THAT THEIR REQUEST FOR THE 54 AND ANY OTHER ISSUES ARE BEING ADDRESSED, SO I HOPE THAT'S SOMETHING THAT Y'ALL TAKE INTO CONSIDERATION. >> SURE. ABSOLUTELY. >> CASTILLO: AND LASTLY, JUST WANTED TO SHARE, LIKE MY FAMILY, RIGHT, [01:20:02] THEY RECEIVED THIS FREE BUS PASS FOR THE MONTH OF FEBRUARY, SO JUST WANTED TO SHARE AND HIGHLIGHT, RIGHT, THAT THE REQUEST OF COUNCILMAN GALVAN IS POSSIBLE AND YOU'RE ALREADY DOING IT, BUT HOW CAN YOU CONTINUE TO INVEST IN FREE FARE BECAUSE THIS WAS SIMILAR TO THE PILOT THAT WAS REQUESTED BUT I BELIEVE WAS TOLD WASN'T POSSIBLE BUT GLAD TO SEE THIS MONTH OF FARE IN FEBRUARY IS POSSIBLE. LASTLY, AGAIN, JUST WANTED TO THANK THE TEAM. I APPRECIATE THE EXTENSIVE OUTREACH THAT YOU HAVE DONE ALONG THE GREEN AND SILVER LINE, THE DOOR-TO-DOOR OUTREACH AND THE FIELD OFFICES, LIKE RIGHT IN THE HEART WHERE THERE IS RIDERSHIP. MY LAST -- I HAVE TWO LAST QUESTIONS. SINCE THIS SLIDE'S UP, CAN YOU WALK ME THROUGH HOW YOU ALL DETERMINE WHERE THE VIA LINK SITES GET IDENTIFIED FOR VIA LINK. AND I ASK THAT QUESTION, RIGHT, BECAUSE THE POINT WAS MADE ABOUT CHANGING CONSUMER BEHAVIOR. AND IF WE KNOW THAT, FOR EXAMPLE, -- I'M NOT GOING AFTER STONE OAK, BUT IF THE STONE OAK PARK AND RIDE WASN'T BEING USED, RIGHT, AND WE'RE NOW MOVING VIA LINK THERE, I WOULD ASSUME THAT THE GOAL WOULD BE -- THE VIA BUS TO CHANGE BEHAVIOR TO USE THE BUS. CAN YOU WALK ME THROUGH HOW THESE WERE IDENTIFIED? >> SURE. I BROUGHT THIS SLIDE UP, COUNCILWOMAN, JUST TO ADDRESS SOMETHING ON VIA TRANS, A VERY IMPORTANT SERVICE THAT WE OFFER AND I DEFINITELY APPRECIATE THE FEEDBACK THAT YOU'RE HAVING. ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE'RE LOOKING AT -- WE'RE NOT LOOKING AT. WE'RE INVESTING IN THIS YEAR, THE TRANSPORTATION NOT ONLY ON THE BETTER BUS SYSTEM, THE TRANSPORTATION ON HOW WE DELIVER VIA TRANS. THAT'S A MOMENT, TOO, AND WE'D LOVE TO COME AND TALK TO YOUR TRANSPORTATION COMMITTEE ABOUT THAT IN MORE DETAILS THAN TODAY, BUT WHAT WE'RE LOOKING AT IS THOSE ZONES THERE, WHICH ARE RUN BY OUR THIRD-PARTY COMPANY THAT WE CONTRACT WITH BY RIDECO, THAT IS NOW THE SAME COMPANY THAT'S TAKING OVER THE BACK-END TECHNOLOGY ON VIA TRANS. SO NOW WE HAVE THE ABILITY TO UTILIZE SOME OF THESE ZONES TO HELP WITH VIA TRANS DEMAND. BECAUSE THE DEMAND'S AT AN ALL-TIME HIGH. SO BRINGING THAT TOGETHER, WE'RE GOING TO SEE AND WE EXPECT TO SEE A HIGHER QUALITY OF SERVICE. OUR CLIENTS THERE SHOULD BE ABLE TO GET DROPOFF TIMES THAT ARE MORE IN TUNE WITH WHAT THEY'RE TRYING TO ACHIEVE, AND IT'S THOSE MOMENTS OF INVESTMENT THAT WE'LL BE HAPPY TO COME BACK AND TALK ABOUT. THE SECOND PART IN TERMS OF HOW WE'RE DESIGNING THE VIA LINK, IT FIRST STARTED WITH THE IDEA OF THE ABILITY FOR US TO GO AND COVER SUBURBAN LESS DENSE AREAS OF OUR COMUNITY. THAT'S GENERALLY WHAT YOU SEE UP HERE IN TERMS OF WHAT'S THERE. THINK OF SOME OF THESE ZONES THAT THEY HAVE NEIGHBORHOODS WITH GATES, THEY HAVE SINGLE-FAMILY HOMES THAT AREN'T NECESSARILY CLUS ERRED TOGETHER, BUT WHAT IS AN EFFICIENT WAY FOR US TO GO AND DELIVER THAT INSTEAD OF RUNNING A 60-MINUTE ROUTE ALONG 1604 THAT WE HAD UP IN THE MAINLAND TEZEL HERE ON THIS ROUTE. BUT WE'VE ALSO RECOGNIZED, AND I'LL GO KIND OF INTO DOWNTOWN AND MEDICAL AS AN EXAMPLE OF THAT, IS OUR CONSUMERS AND OUR COMMUNITY NEED TO ALSO -- SOLUTIONS FOR WHAT WE CALL THE LAST MILE. THINK ABOUT WHEN YOU GET TO MEDICAL CENTER, WE'RE REAL GOOD ABOUT GETTING FOLKS TO THE MEDICAL CENTER TRANSIT CENTER, BUT IF YOU HAVE TO WALK THAT MEDICAL CENTER, IT'S NOT AN EASY WALK. IT'S A BIG CAMPUS. SO VIA LINK THEN GIVES YOU THAT LAST MILE SOLUTION IN THAT CAMPUS. THAT'S WHAT WE'RE DOING DOWNTOWN AS WELL, BECAUSE WE DIDN'T REMOVE ANY ROUTES OF DOWNTOWN. DOWNTOWN'S A VERY ROBUST BUS SYSTEM, BUT IT'S HELPING THE CONSUMER WITH THAT LAST MILE. THE SAME THING WITH MEDICAL. BUT THEN THE REST ARE HELPING US COVER THOSE PARTS OF THE COMMUNITY THAT WE JUST COULD NOT AFFORD TO REACH WITH A 60-FOOT BUS OR 40-FOOT BUS, I SHOULD SAY. >> ANTICIPATE COMING TO COUNCIL WITH A PROPOSAL? >> Y'ALL TELL US. I MEAN, I -- YEAH -- >> CASTILLO: WELL, I GUESS I HAVE SOME ASKS LEADING UP TO THAT. LIKE, FOR EXAMPLE, PORT SAN ANTONIO, I SHARE WITH DISTRICT FOUR, AND THERE IS A LOT OF WORKFORCE OPPORTUNITIES THERE, BUT THERE'S NOT NECESSARILY A ROUTE THAT WILL TAKE YOU TO THIS OPPORTUNITY. A LOT OF MY CONSTITUENTS ALSO ATTEND PALO ALTO, A&M-SAN ANTONIO AND ALSO NO ROUTES THERE. SO LEADING UP TO THAT TELECOM REQUEST, RIGHT, I'D LIKE TO UNDERSTAND THE PLAN TO EXPAND ACCESS TO THE SOUTH SIDE AND TO PORT SAN ANTONIO AS WELL. >> LOVE TO HAVE THAT CONVERSATION. >> CASTILLO: AND THEN IN CLOSING WITH MY TWO MINUTES, JUST WANTED TO THANK THE ENTIRE TEAM FOR BRIEFING MY ENTIRE TEAM TO ENSURE MY TEAM IS EQUIPPED TO FIELD ANY CALLS WITH THE GREEN AND SILVER LINE. AND WHAT I ASKED THEM IF Y'ALL HAD IDENTIFIED WHERE THE SIDEWALK WORKS AND LIGHTS WERE GOING TO BE INSTALLED. I UNDERSTAND THAT HASN'T BEEN IDENTIFIED. IF IT IS I WOULD LIKE TO [01:25:04] GET TOGETHER WITH Y'ALL TO UNDERSTAND WHERE THOSE INTEND TO BE PLACED. THANK YOU, JON. >> THANK YOU TO THE FEEDBACK ON PALO ALTO, WE'VE GONE OUT THERE AND DONE MORE INTENTIONAL WAY FINDING FOR OUR VIA LINK ZONES THERE BECAUSE YOU BROUGHT CONSUMER FEEDBACK TO US, EVERY TIME YOU HEAR THAT, THAT'S A GIFT FOR US TO BECOME BETTER, AND THANK YOU FOR THAT. >> CASTILLO: THANK YOU. THANK YOU, MAYOR. COUNCILMAN SPEARS? >> SPEARS: THANK YOU, MAYOR. THANK YOU FOR THE PRESENTATION. STONE OAK PARK AND RIDE. >> YES. LET ME BRING ROD BACK UP. >> SPEARS: THE FEEDBACK IN MY NEIGHBORHOOD IS, LIKE, WHY DID THEY BUILD THIS BECAUSE IT'S MY UNDERSTANDING THAT IT WAS USED BY FEDERAL FUNDING, RIGHT, THAT FUNDED THAT BUILDING? >> IT WAS TXDOT. >> SPEARS: SO WHEN YOU WERE TALKING ABOUT THE EXPANSION WITH TXDOT, CAN YOU HELP ME UNDERSTAND WHAT YOU ENVISIONED THERE? >> I THINK IT WAS A MOMENT OF WHERE THAT PART OF OUR COMMUNITY WAS SEEING A LOT OF GRID LOCK AT THE TIME, AND TXDOT HAD APPROACHED US -- THIS IS BEFORE MY TIME, SO I'M JUST GOING BASED ON WHAT I'VE HEARD. AND THEY SAID, WE HAVE TO -- WE HAVE TO INVEST IN THIS CORRIDOR TO OFFER SOME SOLUTIONS TO THE GRID LOCK THAT'S HAPPENING ALONG THAT AREA. AND THIS IS ONE OF THE IDEAS THAT CAME UP ABOUT THAT. THE INTENTION STILL IS THERE, IF THAT HOV LANE WERE TO BE COMPLETED, IF YOU COULD IMAGINE FURTHER AND BECOME MORE ATTRACTIVE FOR THE CONSUMERS, IF YOU GO OVER TO HOUSTON, YOU WILL SEE HOUSTON HAS STONE OAK PARK AND RIDE VERSIONS -- SO STONE OAK PARK AND RIDE IS ABOUT 400 SPOTS FOR US. STILL A BIG FACILITY. HOUSTON HAS 1200 PARKING SPOT -- PARK AND RIDE SYSTEMS THAT ARE CONNECTING STRAIGHT TO AN HOV LANE. THOSE ARE HIGHLY UTILIZED EVERY MORNING AND EVERY EVENING FOR FOLKS TO UTILIZE. SO THERE'S THE GREAT END OF THAT SPECTRUM, WE'RE NOWHERE NEAR THAT, WE UNDERSTAND THAT, BUT I THINK THOSE WERE THE CONCEPTS OF WHAT WAS INTENDED FOR THAT FACILITY. WE STILL SEE IT AS AN OPPORTUNITY AT THE END OF THE DAY OF HOW WE CAN UTILIZE MORE AND BRING MORE ATTENTION TO THAT. I THINK VIA LINK IS GOING TO HELP US START GROWING THAT ATTENTION AND DEMAND. IF WE CAN CONNECT PEOPLE TO THAT ZONE AND TO COUNCILWOMAN CASTILLO'S POINT, AND THEN GET THEM ONTO THE BUS THAT COMES OUT OF THAT VEHICLE, SO -- OUT OF THAT PARK AND RIDE, SO WE HAVE THAT EXPRESS ROUTE THAT GOES TO THE AIRPORT FROM THERE, BUT WE ALSO HAVE NOW -- WE ACTUALLY HAD IT -- IS A DIRECT CONNECTION TO THE MEDICAL CENTER FROM THAT LOCATION AS WELL. SO THERE'S THAT UTILIZATION. IN RETURN, THIS IS ALSO SOMETHING TO REMEMBER AS WELL, THAT AREA, YOU REPRESENT IT, YOU KNOW IT BETTER THAN I DO, HAS A NUMBER OF JOBS THAT ARE ATTRACTING JOB SEEKERS AND JOB EMPLOYMENT TO THAT LOCATION. SO WHAT'S GOING TO HELP -- VIA LINK'S GOING TO HELP US DO IS GO DELIVER THEM TO THEIR JOB LOCATIONS. JW MARRIOTT IS A GREAT EXAMPLE OF THAT. JW MARRIOTT HAS BEEN WANTING AND ASKING US FOR THAT LAST MILE CONNECTION, EVEN THOUGH IT'S A BIT MORE THAN A MILE, BUT A WAY TO GET THEIR EMPLOYEES, THEIR EMPLOYEES CAN GET OUT ZERO THAT PARK AND RIDE, THAT TRANSIT CENTER, BUT THEY CAN'T GET ALL THE WAY OVER TO THE JW MARRIOTT. WITH VIA LINK, THEY WILL BE, AND THOSE ARE THOSE MOMENTS OF MAKING THAT CONNECTION BOTH WAYS, BUT IT'S GOING TO START WITH, YOU KNOW, BABY STEPS FOR LACK OF A BETTER TERM. >> SPEARS: SO THIS HAS BEEN -- SO I AM ENTHUSIASTIC ABOUT THE LINK EXPANSION. FIRST LET ME ASK YOU THIS QUESTION ABOUT YOUR CHART ON -- WHERE YOU SHOW FREQUENCY DRIVES INTEREST IN TRANSIT. IS THERE -- >> THIS ONE? >> SPEARS: YEAH, THAT ONE. IS THERE -- CAN YOU TELL ME IF THERE'S A BETTER BENEFIT IN -- ARE YOU PURSUING 100% OF YOUR ROUTES UNDER 30 MINUTES OR ARE YOU PURSUING MORE -- SHORTENING EVEN FURTHER UNDER THE 30 MINUTES ON THE MOST FREQUENTED ROUTES? AND THEN -- >> GREAT QUESTION. >> SPEARS: SO HOW ARE YOU THINKING ACT THAT? >> IT IS INDEED, WE WANT TO GO AS FAR TO THAT LEFT OF THAT CHART AS WE CAN FINANCIALLY AFFORD. SO THAT'S WHY -- YOU KNOW, WE'RE SAYING 30 MINUTES, BUT WE WILL HAVE 10-MINUTE SERVICE, 15-MINUTE SERVICE, 20-MINUTE SERVICE AND 30-MINUTE SERVICE. IT'S THAT BALANCE THAT WE HAVE AMONG THAT BASED UPON THE ROUTES AND THE DESIGN OF THE ROUTES. DID I SAY THAT RIGHT, SANDY? [01:30:02] . >> SPEARS: LK. SO WHAT I HEAR A LOT IS ABOUT THE LINK AND THE TRANS. I THINK I SPOKE WITH -- I MET WITH TOM AND ELOY RECENT -- EARLIER IN JANUARY, AND THEY WERE GREAT, AND WE TALKED ABOUT A SATELLITE LINK, BECAUSE THE MAP FOR THE STONE OAK EXPANSION DOESN'T REACH DOWN INTO MY SENIOR CENTER. AND MY SENIOR CENTER SERVES ALL OF MY SENIORS, BUT IT ALSO SERVES A LOT IN 1 AND 8, JUST BECAUSE IT'S PROXIMITY THERE, SO THAT WAS SOMETHING WE DISCUSSED AND I REALLY WOULD LIKE TO CONTINUE TO TALK ABOUT THAT. AND TO COUNCILWOMAN ALDARETE GAVITO'S POINT, THERE IS A DESIRE TO SEE TRANS EXPANDED, BUT MY SENIORS ARE SAYING, NO, IT'S GOING TO TAKE THEM LONGER, WE'RE GOING TO MISS THE EVENT AT THE SENIOR CENTER. SO WE'D NEED TO ACTUALLY BE ADDING MORE VANS ON THE STREET VERSUS JUST GOING FURTHER OUT, JUST AS SOMETHING THAT -- THEIR FEEDBACK WHERE I THOUGHT, OH, THAT'S SMART. THAT'S A GREAT IDEA. THEY'RE LIKE, NO, DON'T DO THAT, THAT WILL TAKE TOO LONG FOR US TO GET THERE AND WE'LL MISS LUNCH OR DINNER OT WHATEVER. >> IT'S THAT MOMENT IN THE VIA LINK'S ZONE'S AN IMPORTANT DISTINCTION THAT WE HAVE -- IN THAT CONTRACT WITH THE VENDOR THAT DELIVERS THAT SERVICE FOR US, IS WE WILL NOT ALLOW THEM TO GO WORSE THAN 20 MINUTES ON WAIT TIME. SO IF THEY HAVE TO COMPLEMENT MORE VEHICLES INTO THE ZONE BECAUSE OF THE DEMAND AT A CERTAIN POINT, THEY HAVE TO GO DO THAT. THEY HAVE TO GO AND DELIVER THAT. THEY'RE INCENTIVIZED, FOR LACK OF A BETTER TERM, TO GO DO THAT. BECAUSE BACK TO YOUR FEEDBACK, EXACTLY WHAT YOU'RE GETTING, IS IF IT'S GOING TO TAKE THEM 45 MINUTES TO AN HOUR TO WAIT FOR IT, THEY'LL FIND ANOTHER WAY. RIGHT. >> SPEARS: I FEEL LIKE -- SO WE'RE GOING TO BE USING AN APP, RIGHT, FOR THE VIA LINK, IS THAT THE -- >> YES, MA'AM. >> SPEARS: SO I WOULD ASK THAT WE HAVE EXTENSIVE EDUCATION CAMPAIGNS ON THIS FOR MY SENIORS AND JUST IN GENERAL. THEY'RE GOING TO WANT TO LEARN TO USE IT. AND I DO TALK ABOUT LINK A LOT BECAUSE IT IS A GOOD DEAL. AND A QUESTION ABOUT THAT IS HOW ARE YOU GOING TO -- HOW WOULD ADDITIONAL STOPS BE ADDED BASED ON DEMAND? OR HOW WOULD THAT BE TRACKED? >> IT IS A BIT -- YOU KNOW, THE GOOD NEWS IS ON VIA LINK, SINCE ITS VIRTUAL STOPS, THOSE VIRTUAL STOPS CAN BE PLACED DEPENDING ON UTILIZATION. SO IF WE'RE HAVING, YOU KNOW, A HIGH UTILIZATION IN ONE CORNER OF ONE AREA OF A NEIGHBORHOOD, WE CAN DESIGNATE THAT AS A VIRTUAL STOP. THAT'S THE FLEXIBILITY THAT THIS SYSTEM OFFERS US. ALSO A COMMENT ABOUT YOUR SENIOR CENTER ON TEJ OF THIS, THE FLEXIBILITY THAT WE HAVE EVEN -- ON THE EDGE OF THIS, THE FLEXIBILITY THAT WE HAVE ON THE ZONE ITSELF ARE THINGS THAT WE CAN LOOK AT BECAUSE WE HAVE THAT TYPED OF TOOL IN THE TOOLBOX FOR THE FIRST TIME THAT WE DID HAVE. . >> SPEARS: EVEN WHILE WE WERE SITTING HERE WE HAD A CONSTITUENT REACH OUT ASKING FOR BETTER ACCESSIBILITY FOR OUR DISABILITY AND OUR SENIORS LIKE THE ESSENTIALS BEING ABLE TO GET TO GROCERIES, WORK AND OUR MEDICAL SENOR THE. AND WE HAVE OUR MINI MEDICAL CENTER UP IN STONE OAK, SO THAT'S WHERE I SEE LINK BEING REALLY USEFUL FOR -- I THINK THAT IS THE MOST IT'S USED FOR RIGHT NOW, AND PLUS SCHOOLS, LIKE I KNOW THEY'LL PICK UP STUDENTS FROM SCHOOL, TOO ON LINK. >> YES. >> SPEARS: SO I CAN APPRECIATE THAT. BUT I DO APPRECIATE WHAT YOU SAID, TOO, ABOUT THE INTENT WITH THE PARK AND RIDE. I FEEL LIKE WE'RE JUST GOING TO HAVE TO SHIFT GEARS, BECAUSE NOW THE TRAFFIC'S FLOWING REALLY WELL. AND WE JUST DON'T HAVE THE SAME ROUTES, RIGHT? LIKE COUNCILWOMAN CASTILLO WAS TALKING ABOUT, THERE'S JUST TWO ROUTES? I THINK WE HAVE THE AIRPORT ROUTE, WHICH IS GREAT. WE NEED IT. BUT THERE ARE DEFINITELY ASKING ME TO HAVE MORE FOR EVENTS. THEY WANT -- THEY WILL USE IT FOR EVENTS. THEY'LL COME DOWN HERE FOR FIESTA, SPURS GAMES, WHATEVER WE HAVE GOING ON DOWN HERE, BUT WE JUST DON'T HAVE IT OPEN. AND SO THAT'S DEFINITELY SOMETHING THAT'S BEEN IN DEMAND FOR MY RESIDENTS, SO... LET ME SEE IF I HAVE ANYTHING ELSE. OH, AND UTSA. >> I THINK WE ADD IT FOR -- >> SPEARS: YEAH, THEY LOVED I. AND FILLED IT UP. >> AND UTSA. I TOLD STAFF, GO TAKE A PICTURE OF IT WHILE IT'S FILLED. >> SPEARS: VERY GOOD. PUT A TIME STAMP ON THAT FOR ME THERE. YEAH. >> YEAH. >> SPEARS: I THINK THIS IS GOING TO TAKE SOME EFFORT TO GET THE COMMUNITY TO WRAP THEIR HEAD AROUND IT, HONESTLY. I THINK Y'ALL KNOW THAT. AND WE JUST HAVE TO FIGURE THIS OUT, BECAUSE -- >> IT'S A SYMPTOM OF OUR GROWTH, I MEAN, FRANKLY. I MEAN, THAT -- WHEN YOU THINK ABOUT 1 1604 IN ALL YOUR DISTRICTS, WE RARELY HAVE SERVICE OUTSIDE OF 1604, WE JUST CAN'T AFFORD TO DELIVER IT. [01:35:01] I MEAN, JUST KIND OF POINT BLANK. BUT WHERE'S ALL THE GROWTH? WHERE'S THE MAJORITY OF THE GROWTH, I SHOULD SAY, RIGHT? AND IT'S STILL GOING TO BE THOSE AREAS OF THIS TOWN WE JUST CAN'T AFFORD TO GO DELIVER. THAT AREA AT STONE OAK IS THE FURTHEST OUTSIDE 1604 THAT I THINK OUR SYSTEM EXISTS AS WELL, SO... IT'S -- IT'S A NATURE OF OUR GROWTH. >> SPEARS: AND ONE MORE THING I FORGOT TO MENTION BECAUSE IT IS ASKED A LOT, THEY DO WANT ACCESS TO -- I DO HAVE MAYBE A DISPROPORTIONATE NUMBER OF CHURCHES IN MY DISTRICT OF VARYING FAITHS, WHICH IS WONDERFUL, BUT THEY ALL WANT TO BE ABLE TO GET TO THEIR CHURCH. >> SURE. >> SPEARS: AND WE'VE GOT SOME MEGACHURCHES, TOO. A LOT ACTUALLY. SO ANYBODY WANT TO COME TO CHURCH IN D9, LET ME KNOW. I'LL HOOK YOU UP. WE CAN TAKELINK. >> ONE OF THE BIGGEST. . >> MAYOR JONES: YOU CAN GO ON THE SECOND ROUND BECAUSE I THINK YOUR TIME'S UP. SMEERS OH, OKAY. I'M SORRY. COUNCILWOMAN MEZA GONZALEZ? >> GONZALEZ: I WON'T ASK ABOUT STONE OAK. JUST A FEW QUESTIONS. THANK YOU FOR THE PRESENTATION. AND I APPRECIATE THE WORK THAT YOU'RE DOING TO GET BETTER BUS IMPLEMENTED. AND I'M USED -- I'M FAMILIAR WITH THE SLIDES ON, YOU KNOW, COMPARING VIA AND C CAP METRO AND DART AND I JUST WANTED TO KNOW IF YOU CAN EXPAND A LITTLE BIT OF THOSE ON FUTURE PRESENTATIONS OR JUST IN A MEMO TO US JUST RELATED TO CAP METRO, FOR INSTANCE, YOU GET $100 MILLION LESS -- OR HAVE 100 MILLION LESS THAN CAP METRO, BUT WHAT -- HOW -- DO YOU COMPARE AS FAR AS SERVICE AREAS, SQUARE MILES, NUMBER OF PASSENGERS? BECAUSE THAT HELPS ME BETTER UNDERSTAND THE NEED THAT VIA HAS. SO CAN YOU EXPAND ON ANY OF THAT NOW OR -- >> ON A PER CAPITA BASIS, WE CAN GET YOU THAT BREAKOUT, BUT JUST FOR THE SAKE OF THE PER CAPITA, CAP METRO'S SERVICE AREA IS HALF THE SIZE OF OURS, SO THEY HAVE THAT 398 MILLION TO USE FOR HALF THE SIZE OF OURS. SO THEIR QUALITY OF THEIR SYSTEM IS GOING TO BE BETTER. IT'S LIKE, YOU KNOW, LIKE A PEANUT BUTTER ANALOGY ON A PIECE OF BREAD, YOU KNOW, THEY'RE GOING TO HAVE A LOT OF PEANUT BUTTER ON THAT BREAD WHERE WE'RE HAVING TO SPREAD OUR PEANUT BUTTER REALLY, REALLY THIN. >> GONZALEZ I THOUGHT WE WERE DONE WITH THE PEANUT BUTTER, JON. . >> OH, YES. I WILL ADD, BECAUSE TO BE FAIR TO -- SAN ANTONIO NATIVE, LIKE MANY OF US IN THIS ROOM, TO BE FAIR TO OURSELVES ALSO ON HOUSTON METRO AND DALLAS AND DART, THAT PENNY, EVEN THE FULL PENNY, WE WOULD NOT GENERATE THOSE NUMBERS BECAUSE WE HAVE A SMALLER ECONOMY THAN THOSE TWO AS WELL. BUT CAP METRO, THEY DO HAVE A SMALLER ECONOMY THAN OURS, BUT WHAT THEY DID IS THEY ENDED UP COMPLIMENTING THEIR PENNY, BECAUSE THEY GOT THE FULL PENNY, WITH PROPERTY TAX. AND THEY WENT TO THE VOTERS AND THE VOTERS APPROVED OF THAT. SO WHEN WE GOT THE -- IN 2020 THE INITIATIVE FOR THE 1/8 TO COME IN IN '26, THEY ACTUALLY HAD THE PROPERTY TAX INCREASE TO GO AS FAR AS THEY DID, YEAH. BUT WE'RE HAPPY TO UNPACK THAT SOME MORE PER CAPITA. AGAIN, THE ONLY SYSTEM THAT'S LARGER THAN OURS OF AT LEAST SERVICE AREA, IS HOUSTON METRO. AND NOT BY A LOT. I THINK BY 70 SQUARE MILES. WE'LL GET YOU THAT DATA. >> GONZALEZ: YEAH, THAT WOULD BE HELPFUL TO BETTER UNDERSTAND THE NEED. I APPRECIATE THE QUESTIONS MY COLLEAGUES HAD BROUGHT UP REGARDING VIA LINK. I HAD SIMILAR QUESTIONS, TOO. DISTRICT EIGHT DOESN'T GET A LOT OF LOVE, I'VE SHARED THIS ON THE SILVER/GREEN LINE, WE'RE JUST THAT KIND OF HOLE ON THE FAR LEFTER SIDE OF THE COUNTY PHOTO, SO I APPRECIATE VIA LINK BEING OUT THERE AND JUST WANT TO SEE HOW WE CAN EXPAND THOSE SERVICES AND REALLY MARKET THAT THOSE SERVICES ARE EVEN AVAILABLE. I HAVE NOT RECEIVED A POSTCARD FROM VIA, SO THAT WOULD BE GOOD TO NOTE THAT THAT'S COMING OUT TO RESIDENTS AND GOING OUT TO RESIDENTS. I APPRECIATE THAT. AND SO I THINK JUST BECAUSE WE HAVE SO MANY LARGE EMPLOYERS IN DISTRICT EIGHT, USAA, VALERO, UTSA, MEDICAL CENTER, SO JUST MAKING SURE THAT YOU GUYS ARE DOING ANYTHING AND EVERYTHING TO MARKET THOSE PROGRAMS TO THE EMPLOYEES THAT ARE THERE. HOW THEY CAN USE VIA LINK DURING THE DAY TO GET TO AND FROM MAYBE A DOCTOR APPOINTMENT OR RUN AN ERRAND IN BETWEEN DURING LUNCH BREAK, SOMETHING LIKE THAT, BUT IF THERE'S JUST ANY WAY WE CAN MARKET THAT OUT. >> COUNCILWOMAN, IF I JUST REAL QUICKLY COMMENT, SINCE WE'VE BEEN TALK ABOUT PARK AND RIDE, UNDER I10 AND 1604 USED TO BE ONE OF OUR BIGGEST PARK AND RIDES GONZALEZ RIDES. >> THAT'S ALL UNDER CONSTRUCTION. >> IT'S OUR UNDERSTANDING [01:40:04] WE'RE GOING TO GO BACK AND REESTABLISH THAT. WHEN WE DO, WE'LL BE BACK WITH YOU AND YOUR STAFF AND YOUR COMMUNITY MEMBERS TO GET THAT RECONNECTED IN OUR SYSTEM. ONCE ALL THAT CONSTRUCTION ICE DONE. >> GONZALEZ: A LOT OF COLLEAGUES HAVE BROUGHT UP JUST THE SERVICES FOR OUR SENIORS, THAT IS EXTREMELY IMPORTANT FOR MY DISTRICT AND I KNOW EVERYONE ELSE BROUGHT THAT UP, SO JUST WANT TO ECHO THE STATEMENTS MADE BY OTHER COLLEAGUES. THANK YOU. THAT'S ALL. COUNCILMAN MUNGIA. >> MUNGIA: THANK YOU, MAYOR. APPRECIATE THE PRESENTATION. SO ON THE MAIN SLIDE THAT YOU HAD HERE, YOU HAD 35% GROWTH IN VIA LINK. WHERE CAN YOU ATTRIBUTE MOST OF THAT GROWTH AT THE SERVICE AREAS? >> YOU KNOW, IN TERMS OF THE ZONES? >> MUNGIA: UH-HUH. >> THEY'VE BEEN PRETTY CONSISTENT. AND I DON'T KNOW OFF THE TOP OF MY HEAD, SANDY, IF YOU KNOW -- LIKE WHICH ZONE GENERATES THE MOST RIDES VERSUS IF YOU -- JUST -- >> MUNGIA: WELL, THAT, BUT ALSO WHERE THE GROWTH IS. YOU MENTIONED 35% GROWTH. WHERE ARE WE SEEING -- >> WELL, EVERY ZONE WAS AVERAGING ABOUT 30% GROWTH. THEY WERE FIGHTING WITH EACH OTHER TO BE NUMBER ONE, SO EVERY ZONE -- LINK SYSTEM IN WAS DOING DOUBLE DIGIT INCREASES IN RIDERSHIP YEAR OVER YEAR. >> MUNGIA: OKAY. SO THAT'S FROM ONE YEAR TO THE NEXT? >> THE SOUTHEAST ZONE IS HAVING THE LARGEST BECAUSE WE JUST LAUNCHED IT, PERCENTAGE-WISE, BUT IN GENERAL, THE TOP OF MY HEAD, I BELIEVE RANDOLPH IS THE MOST ACTIVE ZONE FOR JUST RAW NUMBERS OF RIDERS, BUT THE GROWTH WAS PRETTY CONSISTENT WITH ALL THE ZONES. >> MUNGIA: THAT'S GOOD. AND I'M VERY, YOU KNOW, INTERESTED IN [INDISCERNIBLE] OBVIOUSLY THAT'S IN MY DISTRICT. IF Y'ALL CAN GIVE ME SOME NUMBERS ON THAT, THAT WOULD BE VERY HELPFUL. I HAVE TO BE HONEST, I THINK THE HERITAGE PARK IS NEW TO ME, I DON'T THINK WE'VE TALKED ABOUT THAT BEFORE. >> THAT'S BRAND SPANKING NEW. YOU UNVEILED IT WITH THIS, RIGHT, SANDY? >> MUNGIA: YEAH, MAYBE WE CAN HAVE A LITTLE SNEAK PPEEK ABOUT THAT, IT'S VERY INTERESTING TO ME WHAT WE'RE GOING TO PLAN THERE, OBVIOUSLY THAT GOES INTO DISTRICT SIX THERE, AND WE'VE HAD SOME CONVERSATIONS ABOUT POTRANCO AND HOW LINK CAN BE VERY USEFUL THERE, RIGHT, BECAUSE THERE'S A LOT OF FOLKS COMING FROM THEIR RESIDENTS SHALL PROPERTIES AND KIND OF SHOPPING AND DOING THINGS THERE AND GETTING BACK TO THEIR HOUSE. THAT'S A REALLY POSITIVE WAY TO ALLEVIATE A LONG-STANDING ISSUE ON THAT ROAD. >> COULD BE. >> MUNGIA: SO I'D APPRECIATE SOME ONE-ON-ONE TIME JUST TO LEARN A LITTLE BIT MORE. AND ALSO HOW WE CAN BE HELPFUL WITH THE OUTREACH. THERE WAS A LOT OF PEOPLE THAT DID NOT KNOW WHEN IT TRANSITIONED, AND SO I THINK THEY HAD A ROUGH START AT THE BEGINNING BECAUSE OF THE LACK OF INFORMATION FOR FOLKS. AND WHERE ARE THE -- HOW MANY PARK AND RIDES DO WE HAVE AND WHERE ARE THEY LOCATED? >> SO CONSISTENTLY WHAT WE ACTIVATE FOR AN EVENT DOWNTOWN, ALAMODOME WOULD BE THE ONE THAT DRIVES THE MOST RIDERSHIP, WE WILL RUN OUT OF BROOKS, WE'LL RUN OUT OF CROSSROADS AND WE'LL RUN FROM THE FROST CENTER, THE BEXAR COUNTY FACILITY THERE. WE'RE TRYING TO KEEP THOSE THREE AS VERY CONSISTENT TO BRING -- TO GET THE CONSUMER USED TO US DOING PARK AND RIDE AGAIN. BECAUSE THAT'S ALSO WHAT'S HAPPENING IS DURING COVID WE SHUT DOWN PARK AND RIDE. WE WEREN'T REALLY DOING IT BECAUSE WE DIDN'T HAVE THE OPERATORS TO DO IT. SO WE WANT TO BE CONSISTENT THERE. THEN WE'RE GOING TO GET INTO A SECOND TRANCHE OF PARK AND RIDE OPPORTUNITIES. I KNOW MADLA IS BEING DISCUSSED. WE HAVE GREAT PARKING OPPORTUNITY THERE, IT'S A BIG LOT FOR US. AND WE'D LIKE TO EXPLORE THAT. WE'D LIKE TO ALSO EXPLORE BACK TO THE I-10/1604 AREA, AND THEN WE'RE LOOKING AT SOME OTHER OPPORTUNITIES, EVEN WITH KELL-LACK AS THAT OPTION AND WORKING WITH THE NEIGHBOR ABOUT SOME PARKING SPOTS FROM HIM. >> MUNGIA: I THINK THAT'S A GOOD OPPORTUNITY. IT'S A VERY UNDER UTILIZED, YOU KNOW, PARKING AREA, IT'S USUALLY NOT FULL. I KNOW THAT'S IN DISTRICT SIX. >> SURE. >> MUNGIA: SO THAT'S REALLY GOOD. AND SO WHERE DO YOU HAVE -- OUTSIDE OF SPECIAL EVENTS, CURRENT PARK AND RIDE STATIONS? >> WELL, OF COURSE, RANDOLPH. WE HAVEN'T REALLY TALKED ABOUT THAT, BUT WE DO HAVE A -- AND IT'S A BRAND-NEW. WE REBUILT THAT ONE. THAT'S AT RANDOLPH. WHICH ONE DID YOU SAY? CROSS RODEOS CROSSROADS IS OUR WORK HORSE. THAT ONE IS SUPER POPULAR. WE HAVE ON THE OUTSKIRTS WHAT WE CALL PARK AND POOLS. THOSE ARE THOSE INVITING CONSUMERS TO TAKE THEIR CARS -- YOU KNOW, POOL, AND THEN CARPOOL INTO WORK, OR INTO TOWN. IF YOU'RE DRIVING UP IH-35 BETWEEN HERE AND NEW BRAUNFELS, THERE'S A PARK AND POOL RIGHT IN THE MIDDLE OF THE HIGHWAY THERE. BUT I THINK WE TOUCHED UPON ALL THE PARK AND RIDE -- [01:45:04] >> MUNGIA: SO YOU ONLY HAVE TWO CONSISTENT PARK AND RIDES OUTSIDE OF EVENTS? >> YEAH. >> MUNGIA: OKAY. AND SO, YEAH, I THINK -- ESPECIALLY WHERE THOSE ARE GEOGRAPHICALLY LOCATED AND WHERE THE REST OF IT IS, THAT'S CERTAINLY AN OPPORTUNITY FOR MORE, RIGHT? AND I'M GLAD MADLA AND KELL-LACK IS GOING TO BE CONSIDERED FOR EVENT PARK AND RIDES, WHICH IS HLPFUL, BUT I THINK LONG-TERM PARK AND RIDE OPPORTUNITIES IS IMPORTANT, BECAUSE I THINK KELL-LACK, IT IS -- A LOT OF PEOPLE TRY TO USE IT KIND OF AS A PARK AND RIDE BUT IT'S JUST NOT ENOUGH SPACE TO BE DESIGNATED AS SUCH. >> IT WOULD BE ALSO WORTHWHILE FOR US TO MENTION THAT ONCE THE GREEN AND SILVER LINES ARE UP AND RUNNING, THOSE BECOME A GREAT ASSETS FOR US TO UTILIZE FOR PARK AND RIDE PURPOSES AS WELL, BECAUSE NOT ONLY WILL WE BE ABLE TO RUN A GREEN LIGHT ON IT, BUT WE CAN RUN A PARK AND RIDE BUS ON THERE AS WELL. >> MUNGIA: YEAH. >> AND SO THINK ABOUT PARKING OUTSIDE THE CENTRAL BUSINESS DISTRICT THAT WE CAN UTILIZE TOGETHER WITH PARTNERSHIPS. I KNOW WE'RE HAVING CONVERSATIONS WITH CITY TAF ABOUT THAT, BUT THOSE BECOME THOSE MOMENTS TO BRING PEOPLE IN AND OUT OF THE CENTRAL BUSINESS DISTRICT VERY EFFICIENTLY. >> MUNGIA: SURE. I KNOW WE TALKED ABOUT THIS EARLIER, BUT HOW MANY SHADE STRUCTURES AND BENCHES HAVE YOU DONE IN THE LAST COUPLE YEARS? >> TOTAL -- WE'LL HAVE TOETTE GTO GET YOU THAT NUMBER. WE HAVE MORE SHADE NUMBERS IN OUR SYSTEM THAN CAP METRO HAS IN TOTAL STOPS. SO WE HAVE A NUMBER OF THEM, BUT, AGAIN, WE'RE QUITE LARGER THAN CAP METRO, BUT WE'LL GET YOU THAT NUMBER. >> MUNGIA: I'M CURIOUS IN DISTRICT FOUR, IF YOU DRIVE DOWN RAY ELLISON, ALL THOSE BENCHES ARE SLANTED BASICALLY AND THEY'RE FALLING BACK, AND THERE'S PLENTY OF RIGHT OF WAY TO DO WORK ON THAT, AND PART OF THAT IS GOING TO BE A BOND PROJECT FOR US NEAR VALLEY HIGH ELEMENTARY. YOU SAW A HORRIBLE BUTT STOP AT THE CORNER FALLING -- BUS STOP FALLING INTO THE DRAINAGE CULVERT, THAT'S RIGHT IN FRONT OF AN ELEMENTARY SCHOOL, BUT ID OO LIKE TO SEE THE LOCATIONS AND HOW MANY OF THEM YOU'VE DONE JUST SO WE CAN GET A BETTER UNDERSTANDING OF THAT. AND I WILL ALSO ADD THAT I THINK EARLIER IT KIND OF SOUNDED LIKE YOU ALMOST SAID WHEN GOING BACK TO FARES, THAT A FARE'S ALMOST SORT OF A BARRIER FOR SOME TO GET ONTO THE BUS, RIGHT? SO ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT FREE FARES, AND THEN YOU SAID A FARE IS KIND OF A WAY TO PREVENT SOME PEOPLE FROM DOING THAT. CAN YOU KIND OF CLARIFY THAT? >> IT'S NOT -- IF I SAID BARRIER, THAT WAS NOT MY INTENTION. >> MUNGIA: UH-HUH. >> I BELIEVE THE QUESTION WAS ABOUT SECURITY AND WHAT WE'RE DOING FOR SECURITY ONTO OUR BUS, BECAUSE THAT -- THAT IS AN IMPORTANT. >> MUNGIA: RIGHT. >> WE MUST ADDRESS THAT AS WELL. IS OUR OPERATOR -- I MEAN, OUR CUSTOMERS ARE IN A CONFINED SPACE, SO SECURITY IS A MAJOR MOMENT FOR THEM TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY FEEL SAFE IN THEIR TRANSPORTATION PURPOSES. WHAT I WAS CONNECTING TO WAS PART OF THAT MITIGATION TO HELP US WITH THAT SECURITY IS HAVING A FARE THAT'S ESTABLISHED. >> MUNGIA: UH-HUH. >> THAT THOSE THAT ARE USING THE SYSTEM ARE PAYING TO USE THE SYSTEM. >> MUNGIA: YEAH. AND HOW MUCH IS A FARE, JUST REMIND ME HOW MUCH THAT IS. >> $1.30. >> MUNGIA: THAT'S NOT A HIGH BARRIER TO CAUSE HARM. >> NO, IT'S NOT. >> MUNGIA: SO I THINK THAT'S WORTH A CONVERSATION. AND, YOU KNOW, I WILL ECHO THE COMMENTS ALSO THAT IF AND WHEN WE EVALUATE THE TELECOM TAX, I'D EXPECT SOME SORT OF DEEPER ANALYSIS INTO FREE FARE. >> SURE. >> MUNGIA: EVEN IF THAT'S NOT YOUR RECOMMENDATION, I THINK IT'S A SERIOUS ISSUE THAT SHOULD BE EVALUATED. I DON'T CONSIDER IT TO BE A PET PROJECT AS OTHERS HAVE DESCRIBED IT, SO THAT IS A REAL ISSUE FOR A LOT OF FAMILIES IN OUR COMMUNITY, AND THAT IS SOMETHING THAT A LOT OF US ARE SAYING THAT IT SHOULD BE TAKEN SERIOUSLY, SO I'D APPRECIATE THAT ANALYSIS. >> I UNDERSTAND. >> MUNGIA: THANK YOU. COUNCILWOMAN KAUR? >> KAUR: THANK YOU, MAYOR. THANK YOU FOR THIS PRESENTATION. Y'ALL KNOW I'M GOING TO FOCUS MOST OF MY TIME ON GREEN LINE. WE'RE REALLY EXCITED FOR THE WORK THAT'S HAPPENING WITH THE GREEN LINE. I WANTED TO SAY, IN CASE MY COLLEAGUES DIDN'T KNOW, THAT THE BUS STOP DESIGNS GOT PASSED BY HDRC LAST WEEK, I THINK, AND SO WE WERE EXCITED FOR THAT, MARC. IT TOOK A LITTLE BIT, BUT I THINK WHEN WE WORK WITH OUR COMMUNITY AND MAKE SURE THEY UNDERSTAND WHAT THEY'RE GETTING AND HAVE A REAL CLEAR VISUAL SENSE OF IT, THAT THEY CAN APPRECIATE IT AND GET ON BOARD. SO YOU GUYS MADE SOME CHANGES TO THE HISTORIC DESIGNS IN OUR HISTORIC NEIGHBORHOODS AND I THINK THEY REALLY APPRECIATED THAT, BECAUSE THEY -- THEY ARE HISTORIC AND THEY WANT TO BE SEEN AS SUCH. SO THANK YOU FOR YOUR WORK ON THAT. THAT BEING SAID, I ALSO WANT TO SHOUT OUT CAT FOR THE WORK THAT SHE'S BEEN DOING FOR OR TRAFFIC [01:50:03] CALMING FOR THE CORRIDORS THAT WERE ANALYZED. SOME OF OUR NEIGHBORHOODS ARE REALLY CONCERNED ABOUT THE TRAFFIC THAT'S GOING TO COME THROUGH AS A RESULT OF THE GREEN LINE. AND SO I AM EXCITED ABOUT THAT WORK. I AM CONCERNED THAT WE DON'T HAVE ENOUGH MONEY TO DO ALL THE THINGS THAT WE NEED TO DO. AND WE'VE REALLY ONLY ANALYZED A FEW OF THE CORE NEIGHBORHOODS. WE HAVEN'T EVEN GOTTEN TO KIND OF SOME OF THE OUTER ONES THAT ARE STILL GOING TO BE AFFECTED. SO I THINK TRAFFIC CALMING, AT LEAST FOR ME, IS ONE OF THE THINGS I SPEND SO MUCH TIME ON IN MY NEIGHBORHOODS, EVEN THINGS LIKE STOP BARS. NOW I'M LIKE, WHY DON'T WE HAVE STOP BARS AT EVERY STOP SIGN. AND I HONESTLY DIDN'T REALLY THINK ABOUT IT VERY MUCH BEFORE, BUT IT CAN BE AN EFFECTIVE TRAFFIC CALMING TOOL. I FEEL LIKE WE SHOULD ADD THAT IN ANY TIME WE INSTALL A STOP SIGN, JUST DO A STOP BAR WITH IT. THAT BEING SAID, I WANT TO SAY WE HAVE TO FIGURE OUT VERY QUICKLY HOW MUCH WE'RE GOING TO BE ABLE TO FUND FOR TRAFFIC CALMING AND MAKE SURE THAT WE HAVE ENOUGH PLANNING AHEAD IN OUR BUDGET FOR THIS SUMMER TO INCLUDE ADDITIONAL TRAFFIC CALMING FOR THE WORK THAT NEEDS TO BE DONE. AND THEN ALONG WITH THAT, I ALSO WANTED TO TALK ABOUT THE DRAINAGE AND SIDEWALKS THAT ARE BEING DONE. SO ON THAT SLIDE, I THINK -- WHERE YOU TALK ABOUT 138 STORMWATER DRAINS AND 6.7 MILES OF SIDEWALK, IS THAT ALL UTILITY WORK ALREADY COMPLETED? IS THAT WHAT'S BEING COMPLETED ON THE CHART RIGHT NOW? >> NO, THAT'S WHAT WE'RE WORKING ON RIGHT NOW. SO WE'LL BE DOING THAT FOR THE NEXT YEAR OR SO. >> KAUR: OKAY. >> THAT'S WHAT'S STARTED. >> KAUR: THAT'S THE HASHMARK LINE ON THE TIMELINE, RIGHT? OKAY. I HEARD SOMEONE SAY RIGHT. >> OH, YEAH. >> KAUR: THAT'S THE -- >> YEAH, THAT'S RIGHT. >> KAUR: SO WE'VE ALREADY STARTED SOME. SO I THINK -- AND THEN THE 6.7 MILES OF SIDEWALK, HAS ANY OF THAT BEEN STARTED YET? >> NO, NOT SIDEWALKS. WE'RE JUST DOING THE OVERHEAD UTILITIES AND -- >> YOU'RE ON WOODLAWN RIGHT NOW, I THINK, OR VERY CLOSE TO WOODLAWN. SO COUNCILWOMAN CASTILLO KIND OF MENTIONED THIS, AND WHAT I WOULD LOVE FOR YOU GUYS TO DO IS WHEN YOU GO TO YOUR WEB SITED AND YOU SEE THE SEGMENTS, I WOULD LOVE FOR Y'ALL TO SHOW ON THE SEGMENT PIECE BY PIECE WHERE -- WHEN YOU CAN CLICK ON IT, YOU CAN SEE WHAT UTILITY WORK IS HAPPENING AND WHICH SIDEWALKS ARE GOING TO BE IMMOVED. SO EVEN THOUGH THAT WORK HAS NOT STARTED YET, YOU CAN AT LEAST SHOW IT. BECAUSE THAT'S A NEW UPGRADE AND WHEN YOU CLICK ON THE CONSTRUCTION UPDATES, YOU CAN SEE SEGMENT WUND, 2, 3, BUT THE SEGMENTS DON'T HAVE ANY DETAILS ON THEM. SO IF YOU COULD ZOOM INTO THEM AND JUST SAY THIS IS WHERE THE UTILITY WORK IS GOING ON RIGHT NOW AND THIS IS WHAT SIDEWALK WORK WILL BE COMING, THAT WILL AT LEAST BE A STARTING POINT FOR THE CONSTRUCTION TIMELINE. >> WE'LL EXPLORE THAT, SEE WHAT WE CAN DO. AND KEEP IN MIND 30 DAYS BEFORE WE HIT SOMETHING, TOM AND HIS FOLKS ARE OUT THERE KNOCKING ON DOORS, PASSING OUT FLYERS, LETTING THEM KNOW WE'RE COMING. >> KAUR: 100%. BUT -- YOU -- WE ALL DO A GOOD JOB OF LETTING PEOPLE KNOW SOMETHING IS HAPPENING, WHAT I'M TRYING TO F FOCUS ON IS GET THE COMMUNITY ENGAGED WITH THE LONG-TERM PROJECT. SO IF THEY CAN SEE DOWN THE LINE THIS IS WHAT'S GOING TO BE COMING ON THEIR STREET OR THEIR SIDEWALK, THEY MIGHT BE MORE EXCITED ABOUT THE PROJECT IN GENERAL, RIGHT, THAT OH, OKAY, WE ARE GOING TO BE FIXING THIS STORMWATER DRAIN HERE OR WE ARE GOING TO BE BURYING THIS YOUTY TILLTY POLE THAT'S PREVENTING THE SIDEWALK FROM ACCESSING -- FROM BEING ABLE TO WALK UP AND DOWN. >> OKAY. I'LL TAKE A LOOK AT IT. >> KAUR: AND THE ONE THING -- Y'ALL -- I'VE ASKED ABOUT THIS SEVERAL TIMES, BUT I LOVE TO SHOW PEOPLE WHAT THEY'RE GOING TO BE SEEING. SO ONE OF THE BIG QUESTIONS THAT FOLKS ARE STILL ASKING IS, I'M NO T GOING TO BE ABLE TO TURN LEFT. SO IF YOU LIVE ON THE EAST SIDE OF SAN PEDRO, AND A LOT OF THOSE PARTS WHERE THERE'S A CENTER RUNNING LANE, YOU WON'T BE ABLE TO TURN LEFT. I'D LOVE TO HAVE A VISUAL ON THE WEBSITE, THAT SAYS CLICK ON A AN INTERSECTION -- MAYBE IT'S NOT EVERY INTERSECTION, BUT CLICK ON AN INTERSECTION, THIS IS WHAT IT WOULD LOOK LIKE. SO IF YOU'RE ON ONE OF THE STREETS LIKE RIGHT UNDER BASSE, LAVERA, IF YOU'RE ON LAVER AND YOU'RE TRYING TO TURN LEFT ON SAN SAN PEDRO, THIS IS WHAT IT WILL LOOK LIKE. >> YEAH, WE CAN WORK ON THAT. >> KAUR: I THINK THERE'S SOME PLAN FOR THAT -- >> YEAH, WE NEED TO DO SOME EDUCATION ON HOW IT'S GOING TO WORK. >> KAUR: NOT THE MAIN INTERSECTIONS, BUT ON THE SIDE STREETS, OKAY, I OO BELL ABLE TO TURN RIGHT AND GO AROUND OR ET CETERA. AND THEN THE LAST THING, I WAS TALKING TO A RESIDENT THE OTHER DAY WHO RIDES THE BUS FROM BEACON HILL AND SHE CAME TO OUR FIELD OFFICE, AND I WAS LIKE, AREN'T YOU SO EXCITED FOR THE GREEN LINE, YOU'RE GOING TO BE ABLE TO GET HERE SO MUCH MORE QUICKLY. AND SHE'S LIKE, ACTUALLY, NOT REALLY. SHE SAID I DON'T WANT THEM TO FORGET ABOUT ALL THE INTERSECTING LINES. GOING BACK TO THE BETTER BUS LINE, I THINK FOLKS ARE A LITTLE CONCERN -- BECAUSE TO YOUR POINT, RIGHT, TH SIS ONLY GOING TO BE ABLE TO GO UP AND DOWN AND GREEN LINE. WE NEED TO BE ABLE TO GET [01:55:01] PEOPLE TO THESE STATIONS. >> ABSOLUTELY. >> KAUR: SO I THINK ANOTHER VISUALIZATION, IF POSSIBLE, IF YOU SHOWY LINES ARE CONNECTING AND HOW QUICKLY WE'RE GOING TO BE ABLE TO GET FOLKS TO WHERE THEY NEED TO GET TO BECAUSE OF THE GREEN LINE, RIGHTS? IT'S STILL NOT -- AND THAT'S WHY WE DID IT. WE DID THIS SO YOU GET -- NEED TO GET TO. BUT THAT CONNECTION, I DON'T THINK, IS FULLY -- I DON'T EVEN THINK I FULLY UNDERSTAND IT, RIGHT? SO IF I'M COMING FROM THE MED CENTER AND I'M POTENTIALLY COMING HERE OR FROM A DIFFERENT PART OF TOWN, HOW AM I GOING -- HOW IS THIS GOING TO MAKE MY TRIP FASTER? >> ABSOLUTELY. YOU'RE ABSOLUTELY RIGHT, BECAUSE THE GREEN LINE AND THE SILVER LINE ARE PART OF THE BETTER BUS PLAN AND THEY'RE PRETTY MUCH THE BACKBONE. AND, YEAH, THEY DON'T GO EVERYWHERE, BUT THEY CONNECT LINES THAT GET YOU TO WHERE YOU NEED TO GO, SO WE NEED TO DO A BETTER JOB. >> KAUR: SO HERE'S A COUPLE OF WAYS THAT I THINK I WOULD SHOW THIS. IF YOU'RE GOING FROM THIS POINT TO THIS POINT, THIS IS YOUR TRANSITION TIME. AFTER BOTH GREEN LINE AND SILVER LINE ARE DONE, THIS WOULD BE YOUR -- THIS WOULD BE -- THROUGH THE BUS PLAN, LIKE GIVING REAL EXAMPLES FOR THAT IN AN ACCESSIBLE WAY THAT FOLKS CAN SEE, I THINK, WOULD HELP TO SEE WHAT THE DIFFERENCE IS GOING TO BE. BECAUSE RIGHT NOW, IF YOU JUST LOOK AT -- ALL RIGHT, I'M GOING TO GO FROM OBLATE TO DOWNTOWN IN SOME OF MY NEIGHBORHOOD MEETINGS, THEY'RE LIKE, THAT TIME DECREASES BY LIKE A MINUTE. THAT'S NOT WHAT WE'RE REALLY TRYING TO -- IF YOU'RE GOING ON A NONTRAFFIC TIME, SO WE WANT TO TRY TO SHOW THE WHOLE CONNECTION ROUTE. >> GOT IT. >> KAUR: COUNCILMEMBER GALVAN BROUGHT UP THE GOOD POINT ABOUT GOALS AND TARGETS. SO I'VE HEARD YOU GUYS SAY SEVERAL TIMES THAT WHEN WE DID THE FREDERICKSBURG ROAD PRIMO LINE WE HIT OUR TARGETS AND THAT'S HOW WE KNOW WE'RE GOING TO HIT OUR TARGETS FOR GREEN LINE. I'D LOVE TO SEE -- AND I LOVE THE BIG PICTURE, BUT I WANT TO SEE GREEN LINE, WHAT ARE THE TARGETS YEAR BY YEAR. AND MAYBE WE HAVE -- I'M GOING TO SAY DASHBOARD AGAIN. MAYBE -- I SHOULD COUNT EVERY TIME I ASK FOR A NEW DASHBOARD. BUT MAYBE WE HAVE A DASHBOARD THAT SHOWS OKAY THIS IS OUR TARGET FOR YEAR AFTER YEAR AND THIS IS HOW MANY PEOPLE WE WANT RIDING. OUR ASSUMPTIONS ARE BASED ON A 3% GROWTH EVERY YEAR SO WE CAN TRACK. >> SURE. >> KAUR: THE BIGGEST WAY TO GET OVER THE SKEPTICISM OF WE'RE WASTING OUR MONEY TO SHOW ACTUALLY, WE'RE NOT. PEOPLE ARE RIDING. I THINK WE SAID THAT ABOUT PRIMO, BUT THEY DIDN'T BELIEVE IT BECAUSE THEY DIDN'T SEE IT. SO IF WE CAN SHOW IT, I THINK FOLKS WILL GET MORE EXCITED ABOUT, OKAY, YEAH, THERE ARE PEOPLE RIDING. >> >> WE'RE REQUIRED TO SUBMIT THAT TO THE FTA TO GET THE FEDERAL DOLLARS. >> KAUR: MAYBE WE CAN DO THAT ON THE GREEN LINE TOO. THE LAST QUESTION I WANTED TO ASK, I ASKED THIS ABOUT MPS. AND FOR THE MPS RATINGS, CAN YOU JUST GO OVER REALLY QUICKLY ABOUT HOW YOU GUYS GET THOSE RATINGS? >> SO THE SCORE IS DONE THROUGH A SURVEY THAT'S RANDOMIZED OF OUR RIDERS THAT ARE TAKING THE SERVICE, THAT ARE ACTIVELY UTILIZING THE SERVICE. IT'S DONE RANDOMLY. IT'S DONE TO ENOUGH OF A DEGREE OF SCIENTIFIC, YOU KNOW, BLAH, BLAH, BLAH. THAT KIND OF PIECE. SO WHAT A NET PROMOTER SCORE DOES, IT'S ONE THING TO SAY THAT I'M SATISFIED WITH THE SERVICE. THAT'S THE CUSTOMER SATISFACTION SCORE. THE NET PROMOTER SCORE IS, OKAY, ARE YOU SATISFIED ENOUGH THAT YOU'RE GOING TO GO PROMOTE VIA TO YOUR FRIENDS AND NEIGHBORS. SO IF ANY OF US AS CONSUMERS EVER HAD THAT QUESTION OF WOULD YOU RECOMMEND THIS SERVICE TO YOUR FRIENDS AND NEIGHBORS, YOU'RE BEING ASKED A NET PROMOTER SCORE QUESTION. >> KAUR: I TOTALLY KNOW THE MATH ON IT. YOU TAKE THE SUPPORTERS MINUS THE DETRACTORS AND YOU GET THE SCORE. HOW ARE WE COLLECTING THE DATA? >> THROUGH AN ONBOARD SURVEY THROUGH A THIRD PARTY. >> KAUR: AND IT'S RANDOMIZED COMPLETELY. >> AND IT'S RANDOMIZED COMPLETELY. >> KAUR: CAN YOU SEND US WHERE THOSE RESPONDENTS CAME FROM, IS THAT POSSIBLE? >> WE CAN CROSS REFERENCE WHERE THOSE SURVEY RESULTS ARE COMING FROM. >> KAUR: I'M JUST CURIOUS ABOUT HOW MANY FOLKS -- YOU KNOW WHEN WE DO THE BUDGET SURVEYS, IN THE SUMMER THEY SHOW US THIS IS THE DEMOGRAPHICS OF THE 100 PEOPLE THAT WE USED. I WOULD LIKE TO SEE THAT BREAKDOWN. >> ABSOLUTELY. >> KAUR: OKAY. SO THE LAST THING ON THE TELECONTACTS -- I WANTED TO SHOUT OUT THE COUNCILWOMAN FOR HER FARE-FREE RIDES FOR STUDENTS. I WOULD LOVE FOR US TO TRACK --E TRACKING. SO THEY HAVE A SYSTEM FOR TRACKING THEY SHARED WITH ME. ANY TIME SOMEONE USES IT, THE DRIVERS ARE GOING TO BE ABLE TO TRACK. IN THE FUTURE, ONCE OUR SYSTEM BECOMES AUTOMATE. I LIKE THAT WE CAN SEE THE NUMBERS. I WOULD LIKE FOR US TO SET A TARGET AND MAYBE COUNCILWOMAN CAN TAKE THE LEAD. IF WE HAVE THIS TARGET -- I KNOW YOU GUYS DON'T HAVE A CURRENT PLAN TO FUND THAT BUT I WOULD LIKE FOR US AS A COMMUNITY COLLABORATIVE TO SEE IF THERE'S A SUCCESS FOR [02:00:01] THAT, THAT WE MAKE IT POSSIBLE. AND THEN FOR THE TELECOM, TELECONTEXT, EVERYONE IS PUTTING CONDITIONS ON THIS TELECONTEXT. I WANT TO ECHO THE COMMENTS OF MY COLLEAGUES. NONE OF US WANT TO SEE FARES AS A REASON WHY FOLKS CAN'T TAKE TRANSIT. I TOTALLY AGREE WITH COUNCILMEMBER MCKEE-RODRIGUEZ'S POINT ON CHARGING PEOPLE FOR A PUBLIC UTILITY. BUT WE DO THAT FOR A LOT OF THINGS. WE DO THAT FOR CPS, FOR SAWS. WE DO THAT FOR SOLID WASTE. SO I JUST THINK WE NEED TO FIGURE OUT THE PEOPLE WHO NEED THIS FARES SHOULD NEVER BE A BARRIER. >> WE AGREE WITH THAT ASSESSMENT 100%. A QUICK COMMENT ON THE MPS SCORE TOO. IT'S ALSO BECAUSE YOU CAN'T COMPARE IT TO OTHER INDUSTRIES EITHER. OUR MPS SCORE, YOU CAN'T COMPARE IT TO DISNEY. TWO DIFFERENT INDUSTRIES ALL TOGETHER. OUR MPS SCORE HAPPENS TO BE THE HIGHEST IN THE TRANSIT INDUSTRY, THOSE OF US WHO ARE MEASURING THAT MPS SCORE. A MOMENT OF CLARIFICATION. >> MAYOR JONES: COUNCILMAN GALVAN. >> GALVAN: AUDIO] HOW MANY ELIGIBLE RIDERS ARE UTILIZING THE REDUCED FARE PROGRAMS CURRENTLY? >> I BELIEVE IT'S 60% OF OUR CUSTOMERS ARE PAYING FULL FARE. THE OTHER 40% ARE DOING SOME TYPE OF DISCOUNT. THERE'S A BUNCH THAT RIDE FOR FREE BUT THEIR FARE IS UNWRITTEN BY SOMEBODY ELSE. >> GALVAN: DO WE TRACK ANY RIDERSHIP CHANGES? SOMEONE ASKED ABOUT THE -- MY QUESTION IS IF FOLKS WHO ARE USING THOSE PROGRAMS, DO WE SEE ANY DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THEIR RIDING PATTERNS? DO THEY RIDE MORE OFTEN? DO THEY NOT? >> THAT'S A GOOD QUESTION. I DON'T KNOW OFF THE TOP OF MY HEAD. THAT'S A GOOD QUESTION. >> GALVAN: GREAT. ONE OF THE QUESTIONS I HAD -- I KNOW YOU MENTIONED WAS WITH VIA LINK IN PARTICULAR. WHAT PERCENTAGE OF THE WORKFORCE IN VIA IS INDEPENDENT CONTRACTOR VERSUS FULL-TIME, EMPLOYED DIRECTLY BY VIA? >> WE HAVE ABOUT 2,000 EMPLOYEES. 907 OF THEM ARE OPERATORS. ANOTHER BIG CHUNK OF THEM ARE MAINTENANCE. THE MAJORITY OF OUR EMPLOYEES ARE IN THAT CATEGORY. I BELIEVE OUR SUBCONTRACTOR, WHO SUBS TO Z TRIP, THEY ARE HIRING Z TRIP LOCALLY TO DO DRIVING. I'M GOING TO SAY IT'S ABOUT 50 OR SO DRIVERS IN THE TOTAL SYSTEM AT ONCE. I GOT THE THUMBS UP ON THAT. ESTIMATE, OF COURSE. >> GALVAN: GOT IT. 50 SOUNDS GOOD. A KEY PART OF THIS, ABOUT MAKING OUR ENTIRE SYSTEM WORK, IS TO MAKE SURE WE HAVE OPERATORS THERE. WHAT'S THE WORKER RETENTION LOOKING LIKE AT VIA AND WHAT ARE THE LONG-TERM PLANS WITH THAT? >> THE WAY WE REACHED THAT ALL-TIME HIGH OF 107 OPERATORS -- BY THE WAY, SINCE OUR FISCAL YEAR OF '26, WE HAVE HIRED 75 UNTIL TODAY. WE ARE SEEING THE GROWTH OF THIS CONTINUING AT AN EXPONENTIAL RATE. THAT'S GIVING US A GOOD INDICATION TOO THAT WE HAVE FIGURED OUT TO SLOW THE TURN DOWN, THE DEPARTURES. THERE ARE A NUMBER OF PROGRAMS WE DID TO DO THAT. TO GIVE THE NEW EMPLOYEES, THE NEW OPERATORS MORE CONSISTENCY IN THEIR FAMILY LIFE, MORE CONSISTENCY ON EVEN THEIR ROUTE LIFE OF WHAT THEY TAKE. AND SO THERE WAS A COMBINATION OF THINGS GOING ON BUT WE WOULD NOT HAVE BEEN ABLE TO ACHIEVE THE 107 IF WE WERE HAVING A BACK-DOOR ISSUE OF FOLKS LEAVING US AT FASTER RATES. >> GALVAN: DO YOU HAVE ANY DATA ABOUT HOW READY TO WORK PAIRED IN WITH THAT WORK? >> WE DO HAVE A BIT OF THAT? READY TO WORK CAME OVER ABOUT SIX MONTHS AGO AND AWARDED US AS BEING LIKE THE THIRD HIGHEST UTILIZER. THIRD OR FOURTH HIGHEST UTILIZER OF READY TO WORK. A LOT OF THOSE WE WERE TALKING ABOUT CAME THROUGH READY TO WORK. >> GALVAN: MY LAST QUESTION, FOR SURE. SOMEONE MENTIONED ABOUT THE KIND OF APP FOR VIA LINK. ISN'T THERE AN APP ALREADY FOR THE REGULAR VIA? ARE THEY GOING TO MERGE? ARE THEY GOING TO BE ONE APP? JUST WONDERING. >> MAYBE OUR CHAIR WANTS TO ANSWER THAT BECAUSE OUR CHAIR HAS -- >> GREAT QUESTION. THIS IS SOMETHING THAT HAS BEEN A PET PEEVE FOR THE LAST COUPLE OF YEARS. AS SOMEBODY THAT WANTS TO SHARE AND TELL THE STORY [02:05:02] ABOUT HOW TO USE VIATRANS OR HOW TO LOOK AT THE BUSES, IT'S TOO COMPLICATED FOR THE AVERAGE USER. SO WE HAVE ADDED MONEY IN THE BUDGET LAST YEAR TO DO AN INTEGRATION OF ALL APPS. AND IT'S SUPPOSED TO LAUNCH PRIOR TO FIESTA AND BE READY FOR FIESTA. THAT IS WHAT THEY HAVE SHARED WITH ME AND THAT IS WHAT THE COMMITMENT HAS BEEN. WE STILL HAVE TO TEST IT OUT. >> ACCOMMODATE AND BRING OVER BRIAN. TO YOUR QUESTION, COUNCILMAN. USER EXPERIENCE IS NUMBER ONE FOR US. FROM LOOKING AT THE OPTIONS TO GETTING TO THE BUS STOP OR WAITING FOR YOUR BUS TO THE EXPERIENCE ON THE BUS, THE SAFETY, THE CLEANLINESS TO EXITING THE BUS AND LEAVING. THAT IS ALL ONE PACKAGE THAT WE'RE LOOKING AT ALL TOGETHER. >> GALVAN: GOT IT. THANK YOU FOR THAT. LET ME KNOW IF YOU NEED HELP FOR ANY PROMOTIONAL MATERIALS FROM DISTRICT 6 DOWNTOWN. ONE OF MY FAVORITE MEMORIES IN AUSTIN, ONE OF MY FAVORITE ROUTES IN CAP METRO WAS 803 BREEZING THROUGH TRAFFIC AND SAYING LOOK AT ME. I'M ON THE BUS . >> MAYOR JONES: COUNCILWOMAN SPEARS. >> SPEARS: I JUST HAVE ONE QUESTION. CAN YOU MOVE BETWEEN THE >> THE ANSWER IS YOU CAN BUT NOT IN THAT VEHICLE. THAT VIA LINK ZONE WOULD TAKE YOU TO A TRANSFER POINT. YOU WOULD GET ON TO OUR FIXED ROUTE. FIXED ROUTE OVER TO RANDOLPH AND THEN YOU WOULD END YOUR ROUTE IN A VIA LINK. BUT ALL THAT'S STILL ONE FARE. ONE TRIP. >> SPEARS: OKAY. THANKS. THAT'S IT. THANK YOU. >> MAYOR JONES: COUNCILWOMAN CASTILLO. >> CASTILLO: THANK YOU, MAYOR. OF COURSE THE CENTRO BUS STATION IS IN DISTRICT 5. I'M GRATEFUL THAT THE SAN ANTONIO HOUSING TRUST HAVE COMMISSIONED CORAZON MINISTRIES TO CONDUCT OUTREACH WITH THE UNHOUSED COMMUNITY IN THAT AREA, VOTING, AND CONNECTING THEM TO SERVICES . THEY ALSO CONDUCTED A SURVEY WITH THE UNHOUSED COMMUNITY ABOUT THINGS THAT COULD POTENTIALLY IMPROVE THE OVERALL QUALITY WITHIN THE AREA. AND THEY RECOMMENDED A COUPLE OF THINGS. WATER FOUNTAINS AND RESTROOMS. I UNDERSTAND THAT VIA AT CENTRO HAS RESTROOMS AND WATER FOUNTAINS. CAN YOU HELP ME UNDERSTAND IF THAT'S ACCESSIBLE TO ALL FOLKS WALKING AROUND CATTLEMAN'S SQUARE OR DOES SECURITY POTENTIALLY TURN PEOPLE AWAY TO NOT ACCESS THE RESTROOMS? CAN YOU WALK ME THROUGH THE ACCESSIBILITY OF THE CENTRO RESTROOMS? >> THEY ARE PRIORITIZED FOR THOSE USING THE SYSTEM. I THINK GENERALLY ENFORCED THAT WAY, IS WHAT YOU'RE GETTING AT. GENERALLY. >> J >> CASTILLO: I WOULD HOPE THAT THERE'S OPPORTUNITY. I THINK IT WOULD IMPROVE THE OVERALL EXPERIENCE OF THE RIDERS WHO MAY BE PAYING A FARE. BECAUSE THE ALTERNATIVE IS THE SIDEWALK ACROSS THE STREET. AND I THINK HAVING ACCESS HELPS ALLEVIATE THAT. AND THEN LASTLY, MY LAST QUESTION IS IN TERMS OF THE FEBRUARY MONTH OF FREE FARE. HOW IS THAT UNDERWRITTEN? WHAT WAS THE SOURCE TO SUPPORT THAT? >> THAT CARD THAT YOU HAVE, THAT'S REALLY A MARKETING COST OF OUR AGENCY. BECAUSE IT'S A PROMOTIONAL COST SO IT'S A DEFINED AMOUNT OF TIME. YOU GETTING IT IN THE MAIL IS INDICATING TO US THAT YOU'RE PROBABLY LIVING WITHIN AN AREA OF A ROUTE THAT WAS IMPROVED. SO WE'RE INVITING YOU TO COME AND TRY THOSE NEW IMPROVEMENTS. SO IT'S DEFINITELY, FROM A MARKETING STANDPOINT, THAT WE'RE DOING THAT. >> CASTILLO: ON THE MAILER IT SAYS FOR THE OPERATOR TO HIT STAR B. WHEN IS TYPICALLY THAT BUTTON -- ARE THERE OTHER INSTANCES BEYOND THIS SPECIFIC MAILER THAT THE OPERATORS ARE HITTING STAR B? >> YES. THEY HAVE A NUMBER OF BUTTONS THAT IF WE'RE NOT TRACKING THE UTILIZATION OF A CARD, CREDIT CARD OR EVEN GO CARD OR GO MOBILE, THEN THEY HAVE BUTTONS ALONG THEIR FARE BOX THAT THEY ARE ACTIVELY UTILIZING, LET'S SAY THE SENIOR DISCOUNT. THEY'RE ACTIVELY RECOGNIZING THAT AND COUNTING THAT AS A FARE. >> CASTILLO: THANK YOU FOR THAT CLARIFICATION. THANK YOU, MAYOR. >> MAYOR JONES: COUNCILWOMAN MEZA GONZALEZ. >> GONZALEZ: THANK YOU. QUICK QUESTION. I DIDN'T GET TO ASK MY TELECOMS QUESTION. DOES THE CITY ALSO COLLECT A TELECOMS TAX? >> THEY DO ON YOUR 1% THAT [02:10:06] YOU GET IN SALES TAX, YES. >> GORZELL: OUR 1% SALES TAX IN THE GENERAL FUND, YOU ARE REFERRING TO IT AS A TELECOM TAX. IT'S A SALES TAX ON CERTAIN TELECOMMUNICATION SERVICES. YEARS AGO STATE LEGISLATURE PASSED A LAW THAT EXEMPTED THAT -- THOSE CERTAIN TELECOM SERVICES FROM SALES TAX. ENTITIES HAD TO OPT INTO THAT. I DON'T RECALL THE TIME-FRAME. WE DID OPT IN, SO THE GENERAL FUND IS GETTING THAT SALES TAX ON THOSE TELECOM SERVICES. THERE'S A HANDFUL, FROM WHAT I REMEMBER -- JON GARY CAN CORRECT ME. IT'S A HANDFUL OF ENTITIES THAT DIDN'T OPT IN. VIA'S ONE OF THEM, ALTHOUGH THEY CAN'T OPT IN ON THEIR OWN. IT'S GOT TO BE THE CITIES THAT AUTHORIZED THE CREATION OF VIA THAT HAVE TO DO IT, OR ONE OF THOSE. I THINK THERE'S ACTUALLY A COMPTROLLER'S WEBSITE THAT TRACKS IT. YOU CAN SEE ALL THE CITIES AND ENTITIES LIST THERE AND THOSE EXEMPTED OR HAVEN'T OPTED IN. >> GONZALEZ: CAN YOU SHARE HOW MUCH GOES INTO THE GENERAL FUND WITH THAT? NOT NOW BUT AT SOME POINT. >> GORZELL: WE CAN TRY. MY RECOLLECTION WAS WORKING WITH VIA LAST YEAR. WE WERE HAVING A HARD TIME DEFINING IT BECAUSE IT IS CERTAIN TELECOM SERVICES AND WE WERE HAVING A HARD TIME TO DO IT. MY RECOLLECTION IS VIA HIRED AN ECONOMIST TO DO A PROJECTION USING DATA FROM THE COMPTROLLER'S OFFICE AND I THINK THAT'S WHERE THAT ESTIMATE COMES FROM. >> GONZALEZ: IS IT A TAX ON THE INTERNET AND PHONE? WHAT IS A TELECOM? >> GORZELL: IT'S A SPECIFIC SET OF SERVICES THAT ARE EXEMPTED OUT, UNLESS YOU RECALL EXACTLY WHAT THOSE ARE. I DON'T REMEMBER OFF THE TOP OF MY HEAD. >> GONZALEZ: WHAT VIA IS ASKING FOR TOO IS SPECIFIC TELECOM SERVICES? >> GORZELL: IT'S TO OPT INTO THAT SO THAT SALES TAX IS COLLECTED ON THOSE -- THAT'S WHAT'S MAKING IT HARD TO PROJECT. IT'S NOT ALL TELECOM SERVICES, IT'S PIECES OF A TELECOM BILL. THAT'S WHAT'S MAKING IT CHALLENGING. >> MAYOR JONES: BEN, JUST TO CLARIFY -- MAYBE THIS HELPS THE COUNCILWOMAN. WHATEVER WE WERE GETTING, THEY WOULD THEN GET. IT'S NOT THAT THEY GET A DIFFERENT TYPE OF TELECOM TAX. IT'S THE SAME. EITHER VIA GETS IT OR THEY DON'T. >> GORZELL: THAT'S CORRECT. >> MAYOR JONES: COUNCILWOMAN KAUR. >> KAUR: I WANTED TO ADD THAT WE WERE ON A HOUSING TRUST PHONE CALL YESTERDAY AND WE DID SO MUCH WORK AROUND TRANSIT-ORIENTED DEVELOPMENT AND THE GREEN LINE AND SILVER LINE ARE GOING TO BE ELIGIBLE FOR AFFORDABLE HOUSING BENEFITS FROM THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT, BELIEVE IT OR NOT. THAT'S GOING TO CUT CONSTRUCTION GRANTS FOR LOAN PERIODS FOR TWO YEARS AT HALF THE COST OF THE TREASURY. AND SO THIS IS NOT ONLY GOING TO BE ABLE TO HELP TRANSIT BUT ALSO JUST AFFORDABLE HOUSING AROUND IT. AND PROJECT D.C. IS ACTUALLY ELIGIBLE. SO THAT'S GOING TO BE EXCITING. THANKS. >> MAYOR JONES: I ALSO RECEIVED ONE OF THOSE CARDS I SHARED WITH YOU AND LAURA AND I HAD THE SAME QUESTIONS AS THE COUNCILWOMAN. IT'S BEEN IN THERE FOR NOW ABOUT A WEEK AND A HALF, 11 DAYS. DO YOU HAVE ANY DATA AS A RESULT OF FOLKS USING THAT CARD? >> NO. BUT WE CAN COME BACK WITH THAT DATA. >> MAYOR JONES: THERE'S INTEREST IN THAT. I ALSO WANT TO MAKE SURE I UNDERSTOOD THE POINT THAT YOU MADE, WHICH IS THE COST FOR THAT IS PAID FOR OUT OF A PROMOTIONAL ACCOUNT. I REMEMBER READING THAT CARD AND IT SAYS YOU CAN USE THIS AS MANY TIMES AS YOU WANT IN THE MONTH OF FEBRUARY. AND SO YOU ACTUALLY DON'T KNOW IF SOMEBODY USED IT TWICE OR 200 TIMES, CORRECT? >> CORRECT. >> MAYOR JONES: SO YOU DON'T KNOW WHAT YOU ARE POTENTIALLY -- BECAUSE YOU'RE NOT PAYING PER RIDE, CORRECT? >> CORRECT. >> MAYOR JONES: ALL THAT TO SAY CERTAINLY THERE'S A LOT MORE INTEREST IN THE ANALYTICS BUT IF WE'RE WILLING TO OFFSET IT FOR THAT AMOUNT OF TIME, I THINK THERE IS VALUE IN A PILOT. I'M GOING TO COME BACK TO THAT. I THINK WHAT YOU'RE ALSO HEAR HERE FROM SOME OF MY COLLEAGUES IS THIS IS NOT A MATTER OF SPLITTING ATOMS OR MOLECULAR RESEARCH. THIS IS FUNDAMENTALLY A QUESTION OF DO WE WANT TO HELP, FRANKLY, THE MOST COST BURDENED IN OUR COMMUNITY OR NOT. THE VAST MAJORITY OF PEOPLE THAT RIDE THE BUS HAVE TO RIDE THE BUS. IN THIS MOMENT OF TIME WHEN PEOPLE ARE SO CHALLENGED WITH AFFORDABILITY, IN A NUMBER OF WAYS, I THINK YOU HEAR FROM THIS BODY GREAT INTEREST IN UNDERSTANDING HOW WE CAN HELP PEOPLE MORE AND HELP PEOPLE FASTER. I MEAN, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE LOTS OF EXAMPLES IN OUR COMMUNITY. WHEN WE WANT TO DO BIG THINGS, WE DO THEM. WHEN WE WANT TO KNOCK DOWN [02:15:05] THE INSTITUTE OF TEXAN CULTURES IN EIGHT DAYS, WE DO THAT. SO HELPING PEOPLE IS SOMETHING THAT I THINK WE SHOULD ALSO BE AS AGGRESSIVE ABOUT. SO THIS IS WHAT I WOULD LIKE FROM YOU AND THE VIA TEAM, PLEASE, IS BY 11 MARCH OR WHATEVER 30 DAYS LOOKS LIKE, I WOULD LIKE A WRITTEN PRODUCT TO THIS BODY THAT HELPS US UNDERSTAND WHAT IT WOULD TAKE TO DO A SIX-MONTH PILOT THAT IS FARE FREE FOR THE TOP FIVE ROUTES. AND BASED ON YOUR CHART, WHICH I REALLY APPRECIATE, IT'S VERY HELPFUL. THAT'S 24% OF YOUR RIDERS. SO I'D LIKE TO UNDERSTAND THAT. AND THEN FOR A TIME-FRAME, IN TERMS OF IMPLEMENTATION, YOU CAN AIM FOR 1 JULY, RIGHT? SO SIX-MONTH PILOT THAT IS FARE FREE FOR THE TOP FIVE ROUTES WHICH AFFECTS 24% OF YOUR RIDERS. IF YOU HAD TO IMPLEMENT THAT BY 1 JULY, HOW WOULD YOU GO ABOUT DOING THAT? IN THAT MEMO, PLEASE ALSO OUTLINE YOUR TOP FIVE CONCERNS AS IT RELATES TO THAT. AND THEN HOW YOU WOULD PLAN TO MITIGATE THOSE DURING THAT PILOT. WE ARE ALSO, TO YOUR POINT, NOT TALKING ABOUT A LOT OF MONEY. 5%. IF WE WERE ASKED TO CUT 5% OF OUR BUDGET, WE WOULD CUT OUT A WEEK'S WORTH OF STARBUCKS. WE WOULD FIND THIS. AND SO WHAT I WOULD ALSO APPRECIATE THE THIRD PART OF THAT MEMO WOULD BE IF YOU HAD TO OFFSET 5% OR 3% IF YOU WERE ABLE TO COLLECT THE TELECOM TAX. 5% OR 3%, HOW WOULD YOU OFFSET THAT IN YOUR EXISTING BUDGET? >> YOU WANT US TO INCLUDE THE TELECOM TAX. IS THAT ANALYSIS -- >> MAYOR JONES: ONE ANALYSIS WOULD BE 5% -- BECAUSE YOU SAID FARE FREE WAS 5% IF WE HAD TO -- >> WE DON'T NEED A MEMO FOR THAT, MAYOR. WE WOULD STOP THE GREEN AND SILVER LINE, TO BE HONEST. >> MAYOR JONES: WELL, I KNOW THERE ARE OTHER OPTIONS DON'T HAVE TO GOLD WATCH US. >> NO, NO. >> MAYOR JONES: OKAY. AND YOU CAN GO BACK AND TALK TO YOUR TEAM ABOUT SOME OTHER OPTIONS THAT WOULD HELP US. I'M SURE THERE'S NOT JUST ONE THING YOUO COLLECT THE TELEM TAX. I THINK SEEING THAT ON PAPER AND THEN -- ONE SECOND. YEAH, LET ME JUST FINISH. SO I THINK SEEING THAT ON PAPER AND THEN HEARING, YOU KNOW, HOW YOU WOULD MITIGATE SOME OF THOSE CONCERNS I THINK WOULD BE HELPFUL FOR US. >> THAT'S WHY I WAS ASKING ABOUT THE TELECOM TAX CLARIFICATION. THAT WOULD BE AN OFFSET TO THAT 5% OF THE TOP ROUTES. WE CAN IDENTIFY THAT, FOR SURE. >> MAYOR JONES: THAT'S WHY I ASKED. SHOW US HOW YOU WOULD OFFSET 5% AND SHOW US HOW YOU WOULD OFFSET 3%. IT'S THE 3% WHEN YOU ARE ABLE TO COLLECT THE TELECOM TAX. WHAT I DON'T WANT US TO DO IS I DON'T KNOW ENOUGH ABOUT YOUR ADVERTISING BUDGET. BUT IF AS A RESULT OF FARE FREE WE'RE SEEING INCREASED RIDERSHIP YOUR ADVERTISING IS MUCH MORE VALUABLE, WHICH MAY HELP THEM OFFSET SOME OF THE THINGS YOU'RE LOOKING AT. I DON'T WANT US TO UNDERESTIMATE THE BENEFITS -- I KNOW THIS IS NOT SOMETHING YOU WILL BE ABLE TO CONNECT. BUT DON'T UNDERESTIMATE THE EFFECTS OF LESS TRAFFIC, LESS POLLUTION, AND LESS DWELL TIME. WHAT CONTRIBUTES TO YOUR DWELL TIME IS YOUR NEED TO COLLECT FARES. PEOPLE MAY BEFOREHAND OR WHAT HAVE YOU BUT IF THERE IS LESS DWELL TIME, THAT MEANS MORE FREQUENCY, THAT MEANS MORE PEOPLE POTENTIALLY RIDING IT, IF THEIR MAIN CONCERN IS HOW LONG THEY HAVE TO WAIT FOR THE BUS. >> YES, MA'AM. AND SINCE OUR CONVERSATION ON MONDAY, I WAS ABLE TO ASK FOR AN EVALUATION OF DWELL TIME. IT WAS ALSO A MOMENT YOU HAD A CONVERSATION WITH ONE OF OUR VENDORS. SO THE GOOD NEWS THERE, THE INVESTMENT THAT WE DID IN THE FARE BOX, NOW THAT FOLKS CAN GO AND DO MORE FINANCIAL INTERACTIONS WITH OUR SYSTEM AT EVERY BUS NOW. OUR DWELL TIME HAS DECREASED 8% OVER THE LAST 12 MONTHS. THAT'S A SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT OF DWELL TIME SAVINGS THAT WE'RE ALREADY SEEING ALREADY. JUST WANTED TO GET YOU THAT NUMBER BACK BECAUSE YOU WERE ASKING FOR IT. >> MAYOR JONES: THANK YOU. ALSO, AS PART OF THAT -- AND THE ANALYTICS PIECE I THINK IS REALLY IMPORTANT. I WAS ACTUALLY STRUCK BY YOUR RESPONSE OF WE KNOW WHO'S PAYING IT, WHO'S NOT PAYING. BUT WE DON'T KNOW ENOUGH ABOUT THE RIDERS. I FEEL LIKE IF MORE PEOPLE ARE RIDING IT AS A RESULT OF IT BEING REDUCED FARE OR FREE, BEING COMPENSATED FROM SOMEONE ELSE, THAT MEANS THERE'S MORE PEOPLE IN OUR [02:20:02] COMMUNITY GOING SOME PLACE, DOING SOMETHING, BEING PRODUCTIVE OR JUST ENJOYING OUR CITY. I'D REALLY WELCOME BETTER UNDERSTANDING THE ANALYTICS THAT YOU ALL ARE COLLECTING TO ENSURE THAT WE ARE BEST PROVIDING THESE SERVICES. AND THEN MY LAST TWO QUESTIONS. HAVE YOU HAD ANY ISSUES AT ANY OF YOUR STOPS, CERTAINLY IN CERTAIN PARTS OF TOWN, AS IT RELATES TO ICE ACTIVITY? >> I'M SORRY? >> MAYOR JONES: ICE ACTIVITY. IMMIGRATION ENFORCEMENT. >> I'M NOT AWARE OF ANY. >> MAYOR JONES: LASTLY, THIS IS A POINT OF PRIVILEGE. EARLY MONDAY MORNINGS WE GO DOWN WOODLAWN AND IT IS A BUS STOP -- I DON'T KNOW WHO GETS OFF OF IT. BUT THEY STOP RIGHT AT A TRAIN STATION. EXCUSE ME. IT'S NOT A TRAIN STATION, IT'S LITERALLY THE TRACKS. AND THERE'S NO SIDEWALK AND IT'S CLEARLY COMING FROM SOMEWHERE AND GOING TO SOME PLACE. IT'S JUST AN ODD STOP AND IT'S DANGEROUS. >> WE HAVE A BUS FLAG THERE? A BUS STOP? >> MAYOR JONES: YES, YOU DO. YEAH, YEAH, YEAH. BUT THE STOP IS LITERALLY THE TRAIN TRACK. THERE'S NO BENCH. THERE'S NOTHING. I'M NOT SURE IF THAT WAS A VESTIGE OF OLDER TIMES BUT IT'S REALLY UNSAFE. I WOULD FLAG THAT FOR YOU. WHEN YOU GO FROM MCCOLLOUGH TO WOODLAWN, YOU SEE IT. THANK YOU SO MUCH. I THINK YOU CAN HEAR FROM THIS BODY JUST HOW MUCH WE APPRECIATE YOUR HARD WORK. HOW MUCH WE KNOW THIS IS REALLY IMPORTANT FOR THE CITY. I KNOW WE HAVE SOME FOLKS HERE FROM CENTRO. HOW IMPORTANT IT IS FOR THE DOWNTOWN PLAN, ET CETERA. I THINK WE ALSO RECOGNIZE THERE'S A REAL OPPORTUNITY TO HELP THE MOST COST BURDENED IN OUR COMMUNITY ALREADY. I LOOK FORWARD TO THAT MEMO AND ONCE WE RECEIVE THAT, I WOULD ASK COUNCILMEMBER MCKEE-RODRIGUEZ, AS CHAIR OF THE TRANSPORTATION COMMITTEE, TO AGENDIZE THAT SO WE CAN HAVE A DISCUSSION ABOUT A GOOD WAY FORWARD. THANK YOU. >> THANK Y'ALL VERY MUCH. >> SEGOVIA: I NEED TO CLARIFY, ONLY BECAUSE WE MADE REPRESENTATIONS IN COURT. THE CITY WAS NOT INVOLVED IN THE DEMOLITION OF THE ITC. >> MAYOR JONES: I MEANT THE ROYAL WE. THANK YOU, ANDY. ON TO THE NEXT TOPIC. ERIK. >> WALSH: OUR SECOND ITEM TODAY IS AN UPDATE TO THE FULL COUNCIL ON A CCR THAT WAS SUBMITTED BY COUNCILWOMAN CASTILLO ON THE CREATION OF A JOINT CITY-COUNTY AD HOC COMMITTEE TO ESTABLISH A CENTRALIZED SYSTEM FOR DIVERSION AND RECOVERY. THAT CCR WENT TO GOVERNANCE IN DECEMBER. IT WAS HEARD AT PUBLIC SAFETY IN JANUARY. CITY STAFF RECOMMENDED, AND THE PUBLIC SAFETY COMMITTEE APPROVED THE CITY'S PARTICIPATION IN THIS RFP THAT YOU'RE GOING TO HEAR ABOUT HERE SHORTLY. AND THE PUBLIC SAFETY COMMITTEE ASKED THIS BE BROUGHT TO THE FULL COUNCIL IN B SESSION. MARIA VARGAS IS GOING TO PROVIDE THE OVERVIEW OF THE CCR AND DIVERSION CENTERS IN TEXAS. WE'RE GOING TO ASK MR. ERIC EPLEY FROM STRAC, THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, TO TALK VERY HIGH LEVEL ABOUT MENTAL HEALTH FACILITIES GLOBALLY ACROSS THE CITY. AND JALEN JAMISON FROM THE CENTER FOR HEALTHCARE SERVICES WILL TALK ABOUT THE DIVERSION CENTER AND OVERVIEW OF THE RFP AND THE FEASIBILITY OF THAT. MARIA. >> GOOD AFTERNOON. MARIA VARGAS. I WILL BE BRIEFING ON THE COUNCIL CONSIDERATION REQUEST FOR A CENTRALIZED CENTER FOR DIVERSION AND RECOVERY. AS ERIK SAID, THIS WAS SUBMITTED OCTOBER 6, 2025 BY COUNCIL DISTRICT 5. THIS CCR WAS HEARD BY GOVERNANCE COMMITTEE IN DECEMBER 2025 AND HEARD BY THE PUBLIC SAFETY COMMITTEE ON JANUARY 20, 2026. THE CCR MAKES FOUR REQUESTS. FIRST TO BEGIN THE CONVERSATION ON A POTENTIAL MENTAL HEALTH AND INTELLECTUAL DEVELOPMENTAL DISABILITIES DIVERSION CENTER. SECOND, TO IDENTIFY THE NECESSARY INFRASTRUCTURE, STAFFING, AND PROCEDURAL CHANGES TO IMPLEMENT THE NEW SYSTEM SUCCESSFULLY. THIRD, TO REVIEW THE RECOMMENDATIONS FROM DR. TESTA'S BEXAR COUNTY JUSTICE INTAKE AND EVALUATION STUDY. FINALLY, TO CREATE A JOINT CITY AND COUNTY AD HOC COMMITTEE TO ESTABLISH A CENTRALIZED SYSTEM FOR DIVERSION AND RECOVERY. I WILL NOW GO OVER THE TWO TYPES OF CENTERS DISCUSSED IN THE CCR. FIRST A DIVERSION CENTER, WHICH SERVES AS AN ALTERNATIVE TO INCARCERATION FOR INDIVIDUALS WITH MENTAL HEALTH CONDITIONS OR INTELLECTUAL AND DEVELOPMENTAL DISABILITIES, ABBREVIATED AS IDD IN THIS PRESENTATION. COMMON FEATURES OF A DIVERSION CENTER INCLUDE [02:25:03] 24/7 INTAKE, ON-SITE ASSESSMENT TO IDENTIFY MENTAL HEALTH OR IDD NEEDS. FACILITATION OF CONSULTATION WITH THE DISTRICT ATTORNEY'S OFFICE AND THE PROVISION OF STREAMLINED PROCESSES FOR STABILIZATION TO PREVENT RECIDIVISM. THE OTHER TYPE DISCUSSED IS A RECOVERY CENTER. THIS IS A LONG-TERM RESTORATION AND REHABILITATION CENTER THAT PROVIDES CENTRALIZED SYSTEM OF CARE TO ADDRESS THE ROOT CAUSE OF INSTABILITY. COMMON FEATURES OF A RECOVERY CENTER ARE COMPREHENSIVE ON-SITE CARE SUCH AS MEDICATION MANAGEMENT, PSYCHIATRIC CARE, SUBSTANCE USE DISORDER INTERVENTION AND REHABILITATION SERVICES. THEY ENSURE CONTINUITY OF CARE. AND THEY MAY ALSO UTILIZE INDIVIDUALS WITH LIVED EXPERIENCED AS A PEER SUPPORT TO ASSIST IN STABILIZATION. THERE ARE TWO PRIMARY TYPES OF DIVERSION. FIRST THERE IS PREARREST OR PREBOOKING CONCEPTUALIZED AS DIVERSION OR DEFLECTION. THIS IS PRIMARILY DRIVEN BY POLICE DROPOFF EITHER FROM THE FIELD FROM AN OFFICER OR FROM A MAGISTRATE. THIS WOULD TAKE PLACE AT A PHYSICAL LOCATION WHERE TREATMENT BEGINS IMMEDIATELY. IN CONTRAST IS POST ARREST OR POST BOOKING. TREATMENT BEGINS AS A LEGAL PROCESS OVER THE COURSE OF WEEKS OR MONTHS THROUGH JUDICIAL ORDER. AS A RESULT OF THE TWO DIFFERENT MECHANISMS, PREARRESTS OR PREBOOKING DIVERSION MEANS THAT THE CHARGES ARE SUSPENDED OR NEVER FILED. AS SUCH, NO ARREST RECORD IS CREATED. POST ARREST OR POST BOOKING DIVERSION THROUGH ADJUDICATION MEANS THE CHARGES ARE PENDING UNTIL PROGRAM COMPLETION AND THE BEXAR COUNTY D.A. AND THE PUBLIC SOBERING UNIT AND CRISIS CARE CENTER RUN BY CHCS. POST ARREST, POST BOOKING INCLUDES PRETRIAL DIVERSION AND THE SPECIALTY COURTS OF WHICH BEXAR COUNTY HAS APPROXIMATELY 14. THIS SLIDE VISUALIZES THE CURRENT SAPD ARREST PROCESS. IT BEGINS IN THE TOP LEFT CORNER WITH THE ARREST. THE ARRESTEE IS TAKEN TO THE PROCESSING CENTER AT 401 SOUTH FRIO, REFERRED TO AS THE DETENTION CENTER. HERE INTAKE AND PROCESSING BEGINS. THE ARRESTEE GOES THROUGH A MENTAL HEALTH SCREENING COMPRISED OF FOUR QUESTIONS. THE QUESTION FIRST: HAVE YOU EVER BEEN DIAGNOSED AS HAVING A MENTAL ILLNESS BY A DOCTOR OR MENTAL HEALTH PROFESSIONAL? SECOND: HAVE YOU EVER OR ARE YOU CURRENTLY TAKING ANY MEDICATION FOR MENTAL ILLNESS? THIRD, HAVE YOU EVER TRIED TO KILL YOURSELF? FOURTH, DO YOU CURRENTLY HAVE THOUGHTS OF KILLING YOURSELF? IF THE ARRESTEE ANSWERS YES TO QUESTION FOUR AND ARE ONLY BEING CHARGED WITH A CLASS C MISDEMEANOR, THEY ARE TAKEN TO THE HOSPITAL FOR EMERGENCY DETENTION. IF THEY ANSWER YES TO QUESTION FOUR BUT ARE BEING CHARGED WITH A CLASS B MISDEMEANOR OR HIGHER, THEN THEY REMAIN IN THE DETENTION CENTER BUT THEIR PROCESSING IS EXPEDITED AND THEY HAVE THEIR PROBABLE CAUSE HEARING AND ARE SWIFTLY TAKEN TO THE JUSTICE INTAKE AND ASSESSMENT INTAKE, THE JIAA, ALSO THE BEXAR COUNTY JAIL. IF THEY ANSWER QUESTION TO ONE THROUGH THREE BUT NO THROUGH FOUR, THEY HAVE THEIR HEARING AND ARE TAKEN TO THE JIAA. AT PREARREST OR PREBOOKING, AN SAPD OFFICER WITH SUPERVISOR APPROVAL MAY DETAIN A PERSON WITH MENTAL ILLNESS IN LIEU OF AN ARREST FOR MISDEMEANORS, EXCLUDING DRIVING WHILE INTOXICATED AND FAMILY VIOLENCE. THE INDIVIDUAL MUST BE BOOKED ON THE CHARGE. OTHERWISE, IF THE MISDEMEANOR IS ELIGIBLE, WITH SUPERVISOR APPROVAL, THE OFFICER MAY TAKE THE INDIVIDUAL'S INFORMATION AND THEY ALSO NOTIFY THE VICTIM OF THEIR OPTION TO PURSUE CHARGES THROUGH THE FOLLOW-UP UNIT AND THE OFFICER MAY CONDUCT THAT WARRANTLESS DETENTION. IF THE OFFENSE IS NOT ELIGIBLE THEN MENTAL HEALTH CONCERNS ARE CONVEYED TO THE CENTRAL MAGISTRATE UPON INTAKE. THE CENTRAL MAGISTRATE AND UNIVERSITY HEALTH NURSE MAY THEN DETERMINE ASSESSMENT NEEDS AS APPROPRIATE. ADDITIONALLY, THERE ARE BONDS AND SPECIAL CONDITIONS THAT CAN BE UTILIZED. THIS TABLE SHOWS CURRENT TEXAS COUNTY EFFORTS FOR PRE-ARREST DIVERSION IN THE MAJOR COUNTIES, SPECIFICALLY DALLAS, HARRIS, TARRANT, AND TRAVIS. [02:30:06] THE THIRD ROW DESCRIBES WHETHER THE COUNTY CHOSE TO BUILD NEW INFRASTRUCTURE OR SIMPLY RENOVATE EXISTING INFRASTRUCTURE. AS YOU CAN SEE, ALL FOUR COUNTIES CHOSE TO RENOVATE EXISTING INFRASTRUCTURE FOR THEIR PRE-ARREST DIVERSION CENTER. THE FOURTH ROW DESCRIBES THE OPERATOR FOR THE CENTER AND ALL OF THE COUNTIES, EXCEPT FOR DALLAS, THE OPERATOR IS THE LOCAL MENTAL HEALTH AUTHORITY. CHCH IS A LOCAL MENTAL HEALTH AUTHORITY FOR BEXAR COUNTY. DALLAS' DIVERSION CENTER IS RUN BY HOMEWARD BOUND, INC. WITH WHICH DALLAS COUNTY HAS HAD A LONG RELATIONSHIP WITH GOVERNANCE ROW DESCRIBES HOW IT IS GOVERNED WITH HARRIS AND TRAVIS USING OVERSIGHT COMMITTEES THAT SET POLICIES TOGETHER. TARRANT COUNTY USES AN ADVISORY COMMITTEE IN WHICH THE COMMITTEE SIMPLY MAKES RECOMMENDATIONS TO THE COUNTY COMMISSIONER'S COURT ON POLICY. IN DALLAS COUNTY THEY USE A PUBLIC-PRIVATE PARTNERSHIP WHICH USES A COLLABORATION BETWEEN THE D.A., HOSPITAL DISTRICT, AND HOMEWARD BOUND, INC. THE FINAL ROW DESCRIBES THE FUNDING. DALLAS AND TRAVIS COUNTY USE MULTIPLE FUNDS OF FUNDING TO RUN THEIR CENTERS. TARRANT COUNTY USED COUNTY ARPA FUNDS AND STATE AND FEDERAL GRANTS TO LAUNCH THEIR PRE-ARREST DIVERSION CENTER AND HAVE SHIFTED TO COUNTY GENERAL FUND. HARRIS COUNTY IS THE MOST UNIQUE IN THAT THEY RECEIVE A STATE ALLOCATION, WHICH THE COUNTY GENERAL FUND MATCHES, ALONG WITH HOUSING AUTHORITY VOUCHERS. THE HARRIS CENTER ALSO HAS A 501(C)(3) WHICH RAISES PRIVATE FUNDS THROUGH PHILANTHROPY AND DONATIONS. THIS SLIDE DESCRIBES HARRIS COUNTY REPORTED OUTCOMES. FROM 2018 TO AUGUST 2023, 8,835 INDIVIDUALS WERE DIVERTED TO THE RESPITE, REHAB, AND REENTRY CENTER INSTEAD OF THE HARRIS COUNTY JAIL. I WOULD LIKE TO NOTE THAT IN LATE 2020 THE JUDGE, ED EMMETT DIVERSION CENTER MOVED INTO THIS LARGER CAMPUS WHERE IT HAS ACCESS TO ADDITIONAL RESOURCES . THE VISUAL SHOWS HOW THE JUDGE ED EMMETT DIVERSION CENTER CAN SHIFT PEOPLE TO THOSE OTHER RESOURCES AND THEIR BEDS FOR THE SPECIFIC NEEDS OF THE CLIENT. ADDITIONALLY, FOR EVERY $1 SPENT ON JAIL DIVERSION, HARRIS COUNTY REPORTS THAT THEY AVOID SPENDING $5.54 ON CRIMINAL JUSTICE COSTS. INDIVIDUALS DIVERTED WITH FIVE OR MORE BOOKINGS WERE 3.1 LESS TIMES LIKELY TO BE BOOKED INTO JAIL ON A NEW OFFENSE. JAIL BOOKING REDUCTIONS WERE LARGEST AMONGST BLACK PARTICIPANTS, MALE PARTICIPANTS, AND HOMELESS PARTICIPANTS. PSYCHIATRIC EMERGENCY INCIDENT REDUCTIONS WERE LARGEST AMONGST PEOPLE WHO WERE HOMELESS AT THE TIME OF PARTICIPATION. THIS SLIDE SHOWS HARRIS COUNTY REPORTED INTAKE DEMOGRAPHICS. 77% OF INDIVIDUALS BEING NOTED AS HOMELESS AT THE TIME OF INTAKE. 89% OF THE CLASS B OFFENSES WERE COMPRISED OF CRIMINAL TRESPASS AND 46.5% WERE DIAGNOSED WITH SCHIZOPHRENIA SPECTRUM DISORDER. THIS LINE GRAPH SHOWS THE CHANGE IN BOOKINGS FOR TRESPASS OFFENSES AMONG PEOPLE WITH HARRIS CENTER TREATMENT HISTORY. THE RED LINE DENOTES THE LAUNCH OF THE JAIL DIVERSION INITIATIVE. BOOKINGS DROPPED SIGNIFICANTLY FOR THOSE INDIVIDUALS WITH A HISTORY OF TREATMENT AT THE HARRIS CENTER. THIS TABLE SHOWS DALLAS DEFLECTS REPORTED OUTCOMES. THE DIVERSION CENTER IN DALLAS COUNTY. FROM 2024 TO 2025 THE NUMBER OF REFERRALS INCREASED TO 1,087 . THIS IS LARGELY ATTRIBUTED TO THE PROACTIVE WORK OF DIFFERENT TEAMS THAT DALLAS DEFLECTS IS UTILIZING. IN 2024 A MOBILE CRISIS OUTREACH TEAM BEGAN WORKING WITH DALLAS PD DISPATCH TO DIVERT CLIENTS TO THE CENTER CALLS FROM CONVENIENCE STORES TO TRANSPORT CLIENTS. THESE TWO MEANS OF DIVERSION REPRESENT THE GREATEST INCREASE OBSERVED IN 2025. AND THE INDIVIDUAL WHO COMES TO THE DIVERSION CENTER WITHOUT A LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICER IS CLASSIFIED AS A WALK-IN. FOR THOSE CALLS THAT DALLAS PD DISPATCH INTERCEPTED ARE CLASSIFIED IN A DEFERRED POLICE CALL CATEGORY IN 2025. YOU MAY ALSO OBSERVE IN 2025 THAT DART PD WAS THE MOST CONSISTENT AGENCY UTILIZING [02:35:03] THE CENTER, AVERAGING 20 CLIENTS A MONTH. INTAKE WAS DOMINATED BY THE NON-LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCY OUTREACH GROUP AS DESCRIBED AND UNDERUTILIZATION OF THE CENTER BY MUNICIPAL LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCIES HAD BEEN OBSERVED. AS SUCH, DALLAS COUNTY HAS CHOSEN TO EXPAND ITS EFFORT WITH THE AUSTIN STREET CENTER . A PILOT BEGAN IN OCTOBER OF 2025 FUNDED BY THE LOCAL MENTAL HEALTH AUTHORITY AND IS COMPOSED OF A DEFLECTION WING WITH EIGHT BEDS. IT SERVED 11 CLIENTS IN THE FIRST MONTHS AND THE REASON FOR THIS EXPANSION IS THE 15-MINUTE TURNAROUND GOAL FOR OFFICERS UPON ARRIVAL IS ACHIEVED AT THE TRANSFER. HOWEVER, THE OVERALL COMMUTE FOR THE OFFICERS CAN BE UP TO TWO HOURS AS THEY DRIVE TO AND FROM THE ONE ENTRY POINT. AS SUCH, DALLAS COUNTY IDENTIFIED THE NEED FOR ADDITIONAL POINTS OF ENTRY FOR DEFLECTION AND ARE LOOKING TO CREATE FOUR MORE AND EXPAND THE AUSTIN STREET IN 2026. PER THE REQUEST OF THE COUNCIL CONSIDERATION REQUEST, I WILL NOW REVIEW THE RECOMMENDATIONS FROM THE BEXAR COUNTY JUSTICE INTAKE AND ASSESSMENT ANNEX EVALUATION. THE RECOMMENDATIONS RELEVANT TO THE CCR ARE TO INVEST IN A DEDICATED DIVERSION CENTER WITH THE ED EMMETT CENTER SERVING AS A MODEL. SECOND, TO UNIFY MENTAL HEALTH AND IDD SERVICES UNDER A SINGLE DIVISION. AND THIRD TO IMPLEMENT MEDICAL-BASED SCREENING AT INTAKE. STAFF RECOMMENDED IN THE PUBLIC SAFETY COMMITTEE APPROVE THE CITY'S PARTICIPATION AND THE CENTER FOR HEALTHCARE SERVICES REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL FOR A FEASIBILITY STUDY FOR A POTENTIAL BEXAR COUNTY DIVERSION CENTER. THE PUBLIC SAFETY COMMITTEE APPROVED THE REQUEST TO APPROVE AN AD HOC COMMITTEE FOR THE ESTABLISHMENT OF A MENTAL HEALTH. I WILL NOW RETURN THIS TO CITY MANAGER ERIK WALSH . >> WALSH: I THINK YOU MEAN ERIC EPLEY. THE OTHER ERIK. >> GOOD AFTERNOON, MAYOR AND COUNCIL. IT'S AN HONOR TO SPEAK WITH YOU GUYS TODAY. YOU'RE GETTING A HIGH-LEVEL SLIDE. THIS IS A SUMMARY OF A RECENT MEETING WE'VE HAD. JUDGE SAKAI ASKED ME TO CONVENE A GROUP OF HEALTHCARE LEADERS TO DISCUSS THIS ISSUE. I THINK YOU WILL FIND A PARTNER IN COLLABORATION WITH THE COUNTY ON THIS ISSUE WITH THIS CCR AND ITS DIVERSION CENTER CONCEPT. I REPORTED OUT TO HIM LAST NIGHT AFTER -- I SPOKE WITH HIM ON THE PHONE LAST NIGHT AND BRIEFED HIM OUT. THE THREE COMPONENTS, THE THREE LEGS OF THIS STOOL ARE A PSYCHIATRIC FACILITY, SORT OF A PSYCH FACILITY THAT WOULD BE ABLE TO SUPPORT A PSYCH E.R., HAVE EMERGENCY MEDICINE DOCTORS, ET CETERA. BUT ALSO HAVE THE FULL PSYCHIATRIC CAPABILITIES OF INPATIENT AND OUTPATIENT CAPABILITIES. ADDITIONALLY, THE DEFLECTION OF THE DIVERSION CENTER IS THE SECOND STOOL. I WANT TO CONCENTRATE ON THE THIRD LEG OF THAT STOOL. STOOLS WITHOUT THREE LEGS KIND OF SUCK. AND IT DOESN'T REALLY WORK. SO IF WE DON'T HAVE WRAPAROUND SERVICES, INCLUDING OUR LAW ENFORCEMENT NAVIGATION -- SO THE SOUTHWEST TEXAS COLLABORATIVE IS A PROGRAM INSIDE MY ORGANIZATION, STRAC. IT'S A DIVISION. BUT IT REPRESENTS HALF OF MY ORGANIZATION'S REVENUE AND FUNCTION. AS A REGIONAL TRAUMA AND EMS SYSTEM, I PROMISE YOU THE LAST THING I THOUGHT WE WOULD BE BROUGHT INTO IS THE CRISIS MENTAL HEALTH UNIVERSE. BUT EIGHT YEARS AGO WE DID BECOME INVOLVED IN THAT AND I'M REALLY GLAD WE DID BECAUSE I DON'T THINK I REALIZED THE SIGNIFICANT IMPACT, THE SIGNIFICANT NEGATIVE IMPACT ON THE EMERGENCY HEALTHCARE SYSTEM THAT THE LACK OF A CRISIS MENTAL HEALTH SYSTEM CAUSED. AND SO I GIVE THE EXAMPLE WE USED TO EITHER TAKE EMERGENCY DETENTIONS TO YALE OR WE TOOK THEM TO THE EMERGENCY ROOM. LARGELY THOSE EMERGENCY ROOMS DIDN'T HAVE PSYCHIATRIC SERVICES AND WHAT YOU WOULD END UP WITH IS SOMEONE WHO IS BOARDING AT AN EMERGENCY DEPARTMENT BEFORE THEY ARE ACCEPTED AT A PSYCHIATRIC FACILITY. WE NOW DIRECT THOSE DIRECTLY FROM THE SCENE ABOUT 1400 TIMES A MONTH. A LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICER RESPONDS TO THE SCENE, CALLS MED COM AND IS ROUTED DIRECTLY TO A PSYCHIATRIC FACILITY. WE TAKE TRAUMA PATIENTS TO THE TRAUMA CENTERS. WE TAKE STROKE PATIENTS TO [02:40:01] THE STROKE CENTERS. IF WE DON'T HAVE ANY MEDICAL EMERGENCY, WE SHOULD TAKE PSYCHIATRIC PATIENTS TO THE PSYCHIATRIC CENTERS. THAT'S WHAT WE HAVE LARGELY BEEN DOING FOR THE LAST SIX YEARS AND THAT'S BEEN WILDLY SUCCESSFUL. BUT THESE WRAPAROUND SERVICES, INCLUDING LAW ENFORCEMENT NAVIGATION, ALSO INCLUDE YOUR CORE TEAM. INCLUDE THE COUNTY'S SMART. WE HAVE MANY EFFORTS UNDERWAY. TRANSITIONAL HOUSING IS A GAP. IT'S A REAL GAP. PERMANENT SUPPORTIVE HOUSING IS A GAP. MY BRIEF TO YOU GUYS TODAY IS WE NEED ALL THREE LEGS OF THE STOOL IF WE DON'T WANT TO BE ON THE FLOOR. I'M HAPPY TO ENTERTAIN ANY QUESTIONS, IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS. >> GOOD AFTERNOON, MAYOR AND COUNCIL. THANK YOU FOR INVITING ME BACK. I WANT TO TALK TO YOU THIS AFTERNOON ABOUT THE POPULATION THAT WE'RE TARGETING AND WHAT WE ARE PROPOSING WITH THIS DIVERSION CENTER AND THE WORK AHEAD OF US. SO CURRENTLY WE HAVE ABOUT 550 INMATES. THIS IS A POINT IN TIME COUNT. THAT ARE BEING TREATED FOR MENTAL ILLNESS IN OUR ADULT DETENTION CENTER OR THE JAIL. WE HAVE A MONTHLY AVERAGE OF ABOUT 152 BEXAR COUNTY DEFENDANTS THAT ARE ON A WAIT LIST FOR THE STATE FORENSIC PSYCHIATRIC BED. SO I WANT TO PROVIDE A LITTLE CONTEXT THERE. OUR STATE HOSPITAL SYSTEM TRANSITIONED FROM BEING AVAILABLE TO INDIVIDUALS IN THE GENERAL POPULATION TO PRIMARILY TREATING THOSE FORENSIC PATIENTS. SO THE STATE OF TEXAS HAS BEEN MOVING INDIVIDUALS OUT OF OUR PRISON SYSTEM INTO ALL OF THE STATE HOSPITALS. AND SO OUR STATE HOSPITAL HERE IN SAN ANTONIO USED TO SERVE A 22-COUNTY CATCHMENT AREA. NOW THEY ARE OPEN TO RECEIVE INDIVIDUALS ALL OVER THE STATE OF TEXAS THAT ARE WAITING FOR A FORENSIC BED. SO THAT RESOURCE FOR CIVIL BEDS FOR LONG-TERM PSYCHIATRIC TREATMENT IS ALMOST NOT AVAILABLE TO INDIVIDUALS IN OUR COMMUNITY. TO BEXAR COUNTY AND OUR SURROUNDING COUNTIES. SO YOU MUST BE FORENSIC OR OUT OF PRISON TO GET OVER TO THAT BRAND-NEW HOSPITAL ON THE STATE HOSPITAL GROUNDS. WHICH THE HOSPITAL WAS NEEDED. IN ADDITION, WE HAVE APPROXIMATELY 300 INDIVIDUALS THAT ARE DEEMED INCOMPETENT TO STAND TRIAL. MANY OF THESE INDIVIDUALS NEED INPATIENT COMPETENCY RESTORATION. SOME OF THEM MAY BE ELIGIBLE FOR OUTPATIENT COMPETENCY RESTORATION BUT RIGHT NOW THEY ARE IN BEXAR COUNTY DETENTION CENTER WAITING FOR COMPETENCY RESTORATION. OF THAT, WE WORK WITH JUDGE RODRIGUEZ. SHE IDENTIFIES INDIVIDUALS THAT ARE ELIGIBLE FOR OUR JAIL-BASED COMPETENCY RESTORATION PROGRAM. SO MY STAFF, ALONG WITH UH AND BEXAR COUNTY SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT HAVE A PROGRAM. WE TREAT APPROXIMATELY 80 INMATES. WE HAVE 70 MALES AND 10 FEMALES. WE RESTORE INDIVIDUALS IN THE JAIL SETTING AND THEN THOSE INDIVIDUALS ARE THEN READY TO INITIATE THEIR JUDICIAL PROCESS. SO IT'S BEEN VERY SUCCESSFUL AND WE LOOK FORWARD TO CONTINUING THAT PROGRAM. THE POPULATION THAT WE WANT TO FOCUS ON ARE THE 80 TO 100 INDIVIDUALS THAT ARE BOOKED ON A DAILY BASIS. THESE INDIVIDUALS LIVE WITH MENTAL HEALTH, IDD, OR SUBSTANCE USE DISORDERS. THEY ARE BOOKED FOR LOW-LEVEL OFFENSES AND THEY ARE BASICALLY KEPT IN JAIL. AND THAT IS THE POPULATION THAT WE WANT TO TARGET INITIALLY FOR THIS INITIATIVE. SO DIVERSION IS NOT NEW TO BEXAR COUNTY. AT ONE POINT, WE WERE LEADERS AND INNOVATORS IN JAIL DIVERSION. IN 2003 THE STATE OF TEXAS DIRECTED ALL OF THE LOCAL MENTAL HEALTH AUTHORITIES TO DEVELOP JAIL DIVERSION PROGRAMS. AND BEXAR COUNTY AND CHCS WERE A LEADER. WE FUNDED AN INDIVIDUAL FROM THE BEXAR COUNTY SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT AND THEY RESPONDED TO CRISIS CALLS, NOT 9-1-1 CALLS BUT CALLS FROM THE CRISIS CALL CENTER THAT LMHAS ARE REQUIRED TO MANAGE. OUR DEPUTIES WOULD GO OUT WITH OUR MOBILE OUTREACH INDIVIDUALS, CLINICIANS. AND THAT WAS THE FIRST OF OUR JAIL DIVERSION PROGRAMS. WE EVOLVED FROM THAT. WE WERE VERY ACTIVE WITH SAPD AND THEIR MENTAL HEALTH UNIT. AND THAT HAS EVOLVED TO THE MULTIDISCIPLINARY TEAMS YOU SEE TODAY. CORE AND SMART. IN 2008 WE OPENED THE [02:45:01] SOBERING CENTER. IN 2010 THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO BEGAN FUNDING THAT SOBERING CENTER . ABOUT 70% -- MAYBE 65, 70% OF THAT UTILIZATION IS BY SAPD. AND ALL OTHER LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCIES. AND SO IF AN INDIVIDUAL IS ENGAGING WITH LAW ENFORCEMENT BECAUSE OF PUBLIC INTOXICATION, THEY CAN BRING THEM TO THE SOBERING CENTER AND NOT BOOK THEM. AND IT'S A VERY QUICK TURNAROUND FOR LAW ENFORCEMENT. THEY CAN RETURN TO SERVICE VERY QUICKLY AFTER BRINGING INDIVIDUALS THERE. WE STILL OPERATE THAT ON BEHALF OF THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO. IN 2010, WE ENTERED INTO A GENERAL FUND CONTRACT WITH BEXAR COUNTY. AND THE PURPOSE OF THAT CONTRACT WAS TO ASSESS 100% OF THOSE INDIVIDUALS SCREENED BY LAW ENFORCEMENT FOR MENTAL HEALTH AND/OR SUBSTANCE USE DISORDER. WE WOULD THEN MAKE A RECOMMENDATION TO THE MAGISTRATE FOR DIVERSION. DIVERSION TO AN OUTPATIENT TREATMENT OPPORTUNITY. OR RECONNECT THEM WITH A COMMUNITY SERVICE THAT THEY WERE ALREADY ENGAGED WITH. I'M MISSING A SLIDE. SORRY. IT'S OUT OF ORDER. THAT PROCESS CONTINUED FROM 2010 TO 2025 WHERE WE HAD CHCS CLINICIANS EMBEDDED IN THE BOOKING FACILITY. AND WE WERE ASSESSING AS MANY AS 1500 INDIVIDUALS A MONTH. I'M SHARING WITH YOU THE METRICS FROM 2025. WE RECOMMENDED OVER 486 DIVERSIONS. WE AS IN CHCS. 285 OF THOSE INDIVIDUALS WERE ASSESSED. 117 HAD AN EMERGENCY DETENTION AND REMAINED IN JAIL. AND ONLY 82 WERE ACTUALLY DIVERTED FOR TREATMENT. IN 2024, A SIMILAR RESULT. 480 OVERALL DIVERSIONS RECOMMENDED. 279 INDIVIDUALS WERE ASSESSED. 142 WERE DETAINED IN JAIL AND 96 WERE REFERRED TO CHCS FOR TREATMENT. WE REALLY WANT TO FOCUS ON THE CURRENT CRITERIA AND ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA THAT IS UTILIZED AT OUR JAIL INTAKE ANNEX. BECAUSE RIGHT NOW THAT CRITERIA IS KEEPING INDIVIDUALS IN JAIL. THIS POPULATION THAT I DISCUSSED EARLY ON. I'M GOING TO GO BACK ONE SLIDE TO SHARE WITH YOU OUR SOBERING DIVERSION ADMISSIONS. SO YOU CAN SEE WE HAVE FISCAL YEAR '24, '25, AND '26. '26 IS CURRENTLY OUR FISCAL YEAR. THE NUMBER OF ADMISSIONS. THE AVERAGE LENGTH OF STAY FOR THOSE RESPECTIVE FISCAL YEARS. THE PERCENTAGE OF UNSHELTERED INDIVIDUALS. THE PERCENTAGE OF THOSE DIVERTED FROM THE JUSTICE CENTER SYSTEM. AND THAT ACTUALLY COMPLETED THE SOBERING. WE DO HAVE A METRIC WITH THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO. I THINK WE HAVE A TARGET OF ENGAGING INDIVIDUALS AND MOVING THEM INTO OUR DETOX AND THEN FOURTH OUTPATIENT TREATMENT. YOU CAN SEE THE UTILIZATION FOR OUR LAW ENFORCEMENT . THESE NUMBERS TELL ME THAT IT'S PROBABLY TIME FOR OUR STAFF TO MAKE ROLL CALLS WITH SAPD AND BEXAR COUNTY SHERIFF'S. AGAIN, WHEN WE DO THAT, THE NUMBERS GO UP AND SO IT'S PROBABLY TIME FOR US TO MAKE ROLL CALLS AND INTRODUCE THE SOBERING CENTERS INTO OUR LAW ENFORCEMENT ENTITIES. SO THE TWO STUDIES THAT WE HAVE RELIED ON CONDUCTED BY UT HEALTH OUT OF HOUSTON. IT RECOMMENDED A NUMBER OF SIGNIFICANT IMPROVEMENTS NEEDED AT JIAA. AT THAT POINT, CHCS DISCONTINUED SERVICES AT JIAA. WE MENTIONED EARLIER THERE WERE FRAGMENTED SERVICES BUT THE SPECIFIC RECOMMENDATION WAS RELATED TO THE NON-EXISTENCE OF A SEQUENTIAL PROCESS THAT AN INDIVIDUAL IS ENGAGED IN AT THE JIAA. AND SO IT'S VERY DIFFICULT TO KEEP TRACK OF THE DETAINEES BECAUSE THEY WEREN'T SURE WHERE THEY WERE IN THE PROCESS. SO IF SOMEONE NEEDED TO BE MEDICALLY CLEARED BUT THEY WERE WITH US BEING ASSESSED FOR MENTAL HEALTH, UH DID NOT KNOW THEY WERE BEING ASSESSED FOR MENTAL HEALTH. WE DID NOT KNOW THEY WERE MEDICALLY CLEARED. THERE WAS A LOT OF CONFUSION THAT WAS WITNESSED BY DR. TESTA AND HIS TEAM. HE CONCLUDED THERE WERE [02:50:01] SIGNIFICANT IMPROVEMENTS, NOT TO MENTION STAFFING AND TECHNOLOGY IMPROVEMENTS FOR THAT OVERALL PROCESS AT JIAA. IN ADDITION, IN 2022, UNIVERSITY HEALTH COMMENCED A STUDY WITH MEADOWS TO IDENTIFY THE GAPS IN OUR MENTAL HEALTH CONTINUUM OF CARE IN BEXAR COUNTY. AND THERE WERE SIGNIFICANT RECOMMENDATIONS COMING OUT OF THERE. SPECIFICALLY FOR CHCS THEY RECOMMENDED THAT WE WORK ON OUR RETENTION RATE. IT WAS VERY LOW AT THE TIME. OUR TURNOVER RATE WAS VERY HIGH. AND AT THE TIME THAT THE MEADOWS' FINDINGS CAME OUT, WE WERE IN THE LOW 30S FOR RETENTION BUT WE HAVE DECREASED THAT AND CONTINUED TO WORK ON THAT ISSUE, SPECIFICALLY. IN ADDITION, IT ALSO RECOMMENDED THAT CHCS CONTINUE THE SERVICES OF OUR ASSERTIVE COMMUNITY TREATMENT PROGRAM AND OUR FORENSIC ASSERTIVE COMMUNITY TREATMENT PROGRAM ACT AND FACT ARE THE ACRONYMS . THEY ARE FOR HIGHER-ACUITY INDIVIDUALS AND THEY ENCOURAGE WE CONTINUE THOSE PROGRAMS AND THAT WE SEEK FUNDING TO EXPAND THOSE PROGRAMS. THE BIG RECOMMENDATION COMING OUT OF THERE WAS TWO-FOLD. ONE WAS TO MAKE IMPROVEMENTS TO THE HOSPITAL FACILITY WITHIN THE ADULT DETENTION CENTER. AND TO CREATE A PSYCHIATRIC HOSPITAL FOR OUR COMMUNITY. AND I'LL EXPLAIN MORE ABOUT THAT RECOMMENDATION IN THE FUTURE SLIDES. I'M GOING TO SHIFT TO TALK ABOUT A DIVERSION CENTER. EARLIER MARIA WALKED THROUGH WHAT WE LOOK LIKE IN TERMS OF ALTERNATIVE TO JAIL. WE WANT THIS TO BE A THERAPEUTIC DROPOFF SITE FOR ADULTS WHO ENCOUNTER LAW ENFORCEMENT. WE ARE FOCUSED ON LOW-LEVEL MISDEMEANORS WHO HAVE BEHAVIORAL HEALTH NEEDS. RECALL THE METRIC OF 80 TO 100 INDIVIDUALS THAT SIT IN JAIL TODAY WITH LOW-LEVEL MISDEMEANORS WHO LIVE WITH MENTAL HEALTH OR SUBSTANCE USE ISSUES. WE WANT TO PERFORM A PERSON-CENTERED AND TRAUMA INFORMED APPROACH TO CARE. WE WANT TO FOCUS ON STABILIZING THOSE INDIVIDUALS, PROVIDE TREATMENT TO THEM, FOCUS ON THE PREVENTION OF RELAPSE AND RECOVERY. OUR DAILY COST AT BEXAR COUNTY RIGHT NOW IS $1,750 A DAY TO HOUSE THESE INDIVIDUALS AND TREAT THEM. IT WAS REFERENCED EARLIER THE COST AT DIVERSION CENTERS. AND THIS IS REFERENCED FROM HARRIS COUNTY. IT'S A LITTLE OVER $500 A DAY. BEXAR COUNTY, THERE'S AN OPPORTUNITY FOR SAVINGS AND COST AVOIDANCE FOR THIS COMMUNITY GOING FORWARD. OUR GOAL IS TO MINIMIZE LAW ENFORCEMENT TIME WITH INDIVIDUALS EXPERIENCING BEHAVIORAL HEALTH CRISIS AND TO GET THEM IN TREATMENT AT THE RIGHT PLACE AT THE RIGHT TIME. THIS DIVERSION CENTER WOULD PROVIDE A SHORT-TERM RESIDENTIAL TREATMENT PROGRAM WITH STAYS UP TO 14 DAYS FOR ELIGIBLE INDIVIDUALS. WE ALSO HAVE A GOAL OF REDUCING THE OVERCROWDING IN THE JAIL. OVERCROWDING -- SORRY. REDUCING UNNECESSARY EMERGENCY ROOM VISITS AT THE AREA HOSPITALS. WE WANT TO STABILIZE INDIVIDUALS FOR OUTPATIENT TREATMENT AND WE BELIEVE BY MEETING THESE GOALS WE WILL CONTRIBUTE TO BETTER HEALTH OUTCOMES AND EXTEND THE LIFE EXPECTANCY OF OUR COMMUNITY. SO I WANT TO SPEND SOME TIME WITH THIS VERY HIGH-LEVEL WORK FLOW. THE WORK THAT WE'RE EXPECTING OUT OF THE STUDY WILL DETERMINE MANY OF THESE ISSUES FOR US AND OBVIOUSLY WE WILL BE BACK PRESENTING TO YOU AND TO THE COUNTY. BUT LET'S START WITH THE FIRST AREA OF LAW ENFORCEMENT. WE BELIEVE THIS IS THE BEST OPPORTUNITY FOR A FRONT DOOR FOR THIS DIVERSION CENTER. WE HAVE HAD MUCH SUCCESS WORKING WITH LAW ENFORCEMENT OVER THE YEARS BECAUSE THEY ARE THE ONES THAT OUR COMMUNITY RELIES ON FOR PROTECTION AND SAFETY. SO EVERYONE HAS BEEN TRAINED TO CALL WHEN THERE'S A NEED. AND WE BELIEVE WORKING WITH LAW ENFORCEMENT AND WORKING AND HAVING A COLLABORATION AND UNDERSTANDING WITH THE ELIGIBLE CRITERIA IS, AND PROVIDING CERTAINTY TO LAW ENFORCEMENT WHERE TO GO AND THE PROTOCOL THEY WILL BE FACING WHEN THEY ARRIVE AT THIS FACILITY WILL CERTAINLY ENHANCE THE EXPERIENCE THAT THAT INDIVIDUAL HAS AND WILL CERTAINLY GIVE CERTAINTY TO THE LAW ENFORCEMENT KNOWING WHERE TO TAKE THESE INDIVIDUALS. THE SECOND OPPORTUNITY IS IN OUR JIAA. EARLIER TODAY WE HELD OUR SOUTH TEXAS CRISIS COLLABORATIVE EXECUTIVE MEETING AND WE WERE TALKING SPECIFICALLY ABOUT THE CRITERIA CURRENTLY BEING IMPLEMENTED AT OUR JAIL INTAKE CENTER. AND THAT IS ACTUALLY THE CRITERIA THAT IS KEEPING PEOPLE IN JAIL. SPECIFICALLY, THAT [02:55:01] POPULATION I TALKED ABOUT, THE 80 TO 100 SITTING THERE WITH LOW-LEVEL OFFENSES WITH MENTAL HEALTH AND SUBSTANCE USE ISSUES. WE WANT TO WORK CLOSELY WITH BEXAR COUNTY TO DEVELOP NEW CRITERIA FOR THOSE INDIVIDUALS SO WE CAN GET THEM OUT OF JAIL AND INTO TREATMENT. SO UNDERSTANDING THOSE TWO OPPORTUNITIES FOR FRONT DOOR. THE INDIVIDUAL WOULD BE BROUGHT TO THE CENTER. WE WOULD OBVIOUSLY CHECK THEM IN, GO THROUGH AN INTAKE PROCESS. THEY WOULD BEGIN THEIR COMPREHENSIVE RECOVERY SERVICE. WE ANTICIPATE THIS RESIDENTIAL TREATMENT COULD BE UP TO 14 DAYS. AND THEN THE REALLY IMPORTANT WORK WOULD BEGIN. AS WE BEGIN TO INITIATE DISCHARGE PLANNING, WE WOULD BEGIN TO UNDERSTAND THE NEEDS ASSOCIATED WITH THESE INDIVIDUALS. WE ANTICIPATE OUR BIGGEST LIFT WILL BE AT DISCHARGE AND AFTER CARE FOR 90 DAYS. BECAUSE WE WILL NEED TO HAVE A VERY, VERY ROBUST NETWORK OF SOCIAL SERVICE CAPACITY IN OUR COMMUNITY SO THAT WE CAN RECONNECT THEM TO COMMUNITY. WE CAN MAKE SURE THEY ARE HOUSED. WE CAN MAKE SURE THEY HAVE A COMMUNITY SUPPORTIVE OF THEIR RECOVERY JOURNEY. AND WE CAN MEET ALL OF THEIR SOCIAL NEEDS. THAT WILL BE, I THINK, IN MY OPINION, THE BIGGEST LIFT FOR US TO ENSURE THAT CONTINUITY OF CARE IS THERE FOR THESE INDIVIDUALS AS WE ARE INITIATING THEIR LONG-TERM JOURNEY TOWARD RECOVERY. SO THE CHCS BOARD AUTHORIZED RELEASE OF AN RFP FOR THIS DIVERSION CENTER PLANNING. WE'VE CLOSED RECENTLY ON THAT RFP. DR. TESTA AND HIS TEAM ARE CHOSEN TO COMPLETE THIS FEASIBILITY STUDY. THEY HAVE -- DR. TESTA HAS EXPERIENCE IN THIS COMMUNITY CONDUCTING WORK FOR BEXAR COUNTY AS WELL AS SAPD. I THINK HE HAS A VERY GOOD OPERATING KNOWLEDGE OF HOW WE ALL FUNCTION AND HE UNDERSTANDS THE LANDSCAPE OF MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES, THE ROLES THAT LAW ENFORCEMENT PLAYS. HE UNDERSTANDS THE CAPACITY OF OUR COMMUNITY FOR MENTAL HEALTH AND SUBSTANCE USE TREATMENT. HE WILL SERVE AS THE INVESTIGATOR ON THIS TEAM AS HE DID ON THE EVALUATION OF THE JAIL INTAKE STUDY. THE SCOPE OF THE PLAN IS TO VALIDATE THE NEED IN BEXAR COUNTY. DETERMINE THE ELIGIBLE POPULATION, WORK WITH US ON THE ACTUAL STAKEHOLDERS TO THE TABLE. DETERMINE THE FINANCIAL JUSTIFICATION TO ESTABLISH A DIVERSION CENTER AND GIVE US A SENSE OF THE OPERATIONAL COST AND THE ECONOMIC RETURN ON OUR COMMUNITY. THE FEASIBILITY STUDY AIMS TO INFORM DATA-DRIVEN DECISIONS AND PROVIDE A DETAILED MODEL FOR HOW A DIVERSION CENTER MAY OPERATE, AS WELL AS THE GOVERNANCE STRUCTURE FOR SUCH. TO DO THIS, HE WILL RECOMMEND AN RESPONDED IN THREEC AREAS. ONE, ACCESS TO DATA OR LACK THEREOF. TWO, ACCESS TO INDIVIDUALS TO INTERVIEW OR THEIR WILLINGNESS TO PARTICIPATE. AND THE THIRD AREA WAS CONFLICT ON METHODOLOGY. AND SO I AM GOING TO TAKE THOSE HIGH RISKS VERY SERIOUSLY AT THE VERY BEGINNING TO ENSURE WE AVOID THOSE BARRIERS SO THAT WE HAVE A SUCCESSFUL OUTCOME. SO I INDICATED WE WOULD TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE PSYCHIATRIC HOSPITAL. ERIC EPLEY UPDATED YOU EARLIER THAT RECENTLY THERE WAS A MEETING WITH ALL OF THE HOSPITAL EXECS, THE FOUR LMHAS, INCLUDING CHCS THAT THE THREE SURROUNDING LMHAS OF BEXAR COUNTY, COUNTY MANAGER AND THE CITY MANAGER. AND THERE WAS CONSENSUS AT THE END OF THAT MEETING THAT AS A PART OF THE THREE-LEGGED STOOL, WE DO NEED A HOSPITAL IN THIS COMMUNITY. THAT WILL TAKE A BIG LIFT FROM ALL OF THE PARTNERS TO PARTICIPATE. INPATIENT CAPABILITY. IN OUR COMMUNITY, WE LIVE WITH A POPULATION OF ABOUT 700,000 IN OUR SAFETY NET POPULATION. OF THAT, 400,000 OF THOSE RESIDENTS UTILIZE OUR CRISIS CONTINUUM. THE PROGRAMS THAT STRAC OPERATES ON BEHALF OF OUR COMMUNITY. AND SO I THINK WE'VE ALSO SHARED SOME DEMOGRAPHIC INFORMATION, BUT JUST TO SHARE, OF THAT 400,000, ABOUT 4,000 ARE INDIVIDUALS THAT WE CATEGORIZE AS HIGH UTILIZERS. [03:00:02] THESE ARE INDIVIDUALS THAT ENGAGE WITH LAW ENFORCEMENT MORE FREQUENTLY. THEY GO THROUGH OUR CRISIS CONTINUUM, OUR CRISIS SERVICES MORE FREQUENTLY, MORE THAN ONCE OR TWICE A YEAR. AND THEY COST THIS COMMUNITY $203 MILLION. THE STATE OF TEXAS APPROVES ABOUT $14 MILLION IN FUNDING TO CHCS TO FUND 52 INPATIENT BEDS. SO WE CONTRACT WITH SEVERAL HOSPITALS TO MAKE THOSE BEDS AVAILABLE FOR INDIVIDUALS WHO ARE UNFUNDED OR HAVE NO INSURANCE COVERAGE. WE CONTRACT WITH STRAC TO NAVIGATE THOSE BEDS ON OUR BEHALF SO THAT WE ARE IN A SYSTEM WHERE THE HOSPITAL SYSTEMS AND STRAC CAN SEE THE AVAILABILITY OF THOSE BEDS. SO WE CALL IT CONTRACT BED NAVIGATION AND SO THERE'S FULL VISIBILITY ON THE AVAILABILITY OF THOSE AND STRAC HELPS US MAINTAIN AN OCCUPANCY LEVEL OF THOSE BEDS THAT HISTORICALLY IS ABOUT 97%. SO WHAT I WILL SAY IS WITH THE CURRENT FUNDING OF LOCAL MENTAL HEALTH AGENCIES IN THE STATE OF TEXAS AND WITH THE UTILIZATION OF THE STATE HOSPITAL SYSTEM, I DON'T SEE ANOTHER OPPORTUNITY FOR OUR COMMUNITY TO HAVE ACCESS TO INPATIENT CAPACITY WITHOUT US WORKING TOGETHER AS A COMMUNITY TO SOLVE FOR THIS ISSUE TOGETHER AS A COMMUNITY. SO I WANT TO THANK COUNCILWOMAN CASTILLO FOR TAKING THE INITIATIVE AND ALSO THE PUBLIC SAFETY COMMITTEE FOR THE TIME THAT YOU SPENT WITH US BEFORE TO DISCUSS THIS INITIATIVE. I PROMISE TO COME BACK AND LET YOU KNOW THE OUTCOME OF THE RFP. I'M VERY HAPPY THAT DR. TESTA AND THE UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS AT HOUSTON HAS DECIDED TO COME BACK AND PROVIDE THIS SERVICE FOR OUR COMMUNITY. I LOOK FORWARD TO WORKING WITH YOU REGARDING THIS COMMUNITY INVESTMENT. I KNOW THAT WE WILL NEED SEVERAL INPUTS FROM THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO, INCLUDING LAW ENFORCEMENT, YOUR HOUSING DEPARTMENT, YOUR SOCIAL SERVICES DEPARTMENT, PUBLIC HEALTH, AND YOUR NEW INTEGRATED COMMUNITY PUBLIC SAFETY WILL BE IMPORTANT COMPONENTS AND WE LOOK FORWARD TO WORKING WITH YOU ON THIS INITIATIVE. I'M CERTAINLY AVAILABLE TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS. >> MAYOR JONES: THANK YOU. WE HAVE BEEN GOING FOR ABOUT THREE HOURS AND 15 MINUTES NOW SO WE'RE GOING TO BREAK FOR TEN MINUT >> MAYOR JONES: GOOD AFTERNOON. THE TIME IS NOW 4:39 P.M. AND WE HAVE COME BACK FROM RECESS. I SAW THE CHIEF EARLIER. CHIEF MCMANUS, ARE YOU STILL HERE? I WANTED TO OFFER HIM THE OPPORTUNITY TO PROVIDE A FEW COMMENTS IF HE WANTED TO ON THIS TOPIC, JUST GIVEN THE CLEAR INTERSECTION WITH SAPD. OKAY. FOR EVERYONE'S EDIFICATION, WE DID LET FOLKS KNOW THAT PUBLIC COMMENT IS GOING TO START AT 6:00 P.M. CHIEF, I SAW YOU IN THE [03:06:09] BACK, SO JALEN OBVIOUSLY -- AND WE ALL KNOW THIS, THIS TOPIC IS REALLY IMPORTANT TO HOW OUR LAW ENFORCEMENT RESPONDS AND HAS THE RESOURCES, AND FRANKLY, I ALWAYS REMEMBER WHEN WE ASKED YOU DURING BUDGET SEASON, HEY, WHAT'S DRIVING YOUR BUDGET REQUESTS, AND YOU SAID WORKLOAD. AND SO TO THE EXTENT THAT THIS HELPS TO REDUCE WORKLOAD THAT IS NOT FOCUSED ON THE MOST VIOLENT CRIMINALS IN OUR COMMUNITY, WE WANTED TO OFFER YOU THE OPPORTUNITY TO SHARE WHATEVER YOU'D LIKE TO ON THIS TOPIC. THANKS. >> CHIEF MCMANUS: SURE. THANK YOU, MAYOR. I THINK SAPD HAS DONE PRETTY MUCH EVERYTHING WE CAN DO FROM A MENTAL HEALTH PERSPECTIVE. JUST FOR SOME PERSPECTIVE, BACK IN, I THINK IT WAS 2007 OR 2008, WE STARTED THE MENTAL HEALTH UNIT. WE STARTED OUT WITH TWO PEOPLE, TWO OFFICERS AND A SERGEANT, AND WE'VE INCREASED OVER THE YEARS. WE CAPE UP WITH SA-CORE ALONG WITH THE FIRE DEPARTMENT. SO -- BUT I THINK SOMETHING NEEDS TO BE DONE, AND I WAS JUST TELLING JALEN THAT SOMETHING LIKE THIS IS PROBABLY LONG OVERDUE, SO... >> MAYOR JONES: ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU, CHIEF. >> CHIEF MCMANUS: THANK YOU. >> MAYOR JONES: THANK YOU, JALEN, AGAIN FOR THE PRESENTATION. I THINK THE PIECE ABOUT THE LONGEST PART OF THIS IS REALLY THE AFTER CARE SERVICES, IT'S NOT LOST ON US. I THINK WE ALL RECOGNIZE THE INTERSECTIONS WITH PERMANENT SUPPORTIVE HOUSING, TRANSITIONAL HOUSING, ALL OF THOSE THINGS, AS WELL AS EVEN THE PLACEMENT. I THINK IN MY PREBRIEF, MARIA MENTIONED HAVING THIS RIGHT NEXT TO THE JAIL IS NOT IDEAL, GIVEN THE MESSAGE TO FOLKS THAT ARE RECOVERING, ET CETERA. LOTS FOR US TO CONSIDER AS WE THINK ABOUT MOVING IN THIS WAY, WHICH MAKES A LOT OF SENSE. AND I THINK AS YOUR CHART LAYS OUT, WE'RE BEHIND IN LIGHT OF WHERE OTHER COMMUNITIES ARE. THERE ARE SOME THINGS THAT ARE HAPPENING IN THE COUNTRY, THOUGH, AND I'D WELCOME YOU HELPING US FRAME THE -- MAYBE THE INCREASED URGENCY OF SOMETHING LIKE THIS IN LIGHT OF SOME OF THOSE CHANGES. SO THE FEDERAL ADMINISTRATION'S EXECUTIVE ORDER SUMMER OF LAST YEAR ESSENTIALLY THAT MAKES IT EASIER TO CRIMINALIZE HOMELESSNESS. CAN YOU TALK ABOUT THE IMPACT OF THAT EO AND WHAT THAT MAY MEAN IN TERMS OF INCREASING THE NECESSITY OF SOMETHING LIKE THIS. >> WELL, I DON'T HAVE IT IN FRONT OF ME, BUT IT BASICALLY COMPELLED INDIVIDUALS INTO TREATMENT THAT WERE UNSHELTERED AND ENGAGED WITH LAW ENFORCEMENT. AND FOR NOW, OUR STATE STATUTE REQUIRES THAT TO BE A VOLUNTARY ON THE INDIVIDUAL'S PART, EXCEPT FOR LAW ENFORCEMENT HAVING THE ABILITY TO EMERGENCY DETAIN AN INDIVIDUAL THAT THEY BELIEVE IS OF HARM TO THEMSELVES OR OTHERS. AND SO WHAT'S REALLY IMPORTANT FOR ME IS TO MOVE THE COMMUNITY FORWARD IN HAVING A FACILITY LIKE THIS SO THAT WE CAN GET IN FRONT OF OUR NEXT LEGISLATIVE SESSION IN THE EVENT THERE IS INTEREST FROM ONE OF THE LEGISLATORS TO ENACT OR DO SOMETHING WITH THAT PRESIDENTIAL EXECUTIVE ORDER. >> MAYOR JONES: I WAS JUST GETTING SPUN UP ON THAT EO AND KIND OF WHAT IT ACTUALLY DOES AND THE KEY PART THAT STOOD OUT FOR ME IN THE INTERSECTION WITH YOUR WORK IS IT ENDS FUNDING FOR HARM REDUCTION UPPED PROGRAMS THAT ARE -- PROGRAMS THAT ARE KNOWN TO DECREASE SOCIAL AND LEGAL IMPACTS. AGAIN, A VERY TIMELY EFFORT AND THANK YOU TO THE COUNCILWOMAN. >> MAYOR, WE'RE SEEING THAT ALREADY IN THE KINDS OF FUNDING AND THE ELIGIBILITY FUNDING THAT'S COMING OUT FROM SAMHSA. RIGHT NOW WHEN WE APPLY FOR GRANTS IF THERE'S ANY MENTION OF HARM REDUCTION, IT AUTOMATICALLY MAKES YOU INELIGIBLE FOR FUNDING. >> MAYOR JONES: THANK YOU FOR THAT, AS WE HAVE TALKED ABOUT HERE THE ONE BIG BEAUTIFUL BILL, CUTS TO MEDICARE, MEDICAID, CHIP AND SNAP, IN YOUR BACKGROUND ANALYSIS, HOW [03:10:04] HAS SOME OF THAT ALREADY POTENTIALLY IMPACTING THIS AND MAY -- GO AHEAD. >> I BELIEVE ON ONE OF THE SLIDES AT THE END, WE REFERENCED THE MEDICAID POPULATION, WHICH HAS GROWN -- I THINK IT'S THIS WAY. YEAH. SO WHEN YOU LOOK AT OUR SAFETY NET POPULATION, 400,000 NUMBER OR THE INDIVIDUALS IN THE OVERALL SAFETY NET POPULATION OF 700,000 THAT ENGAGE IN OUR CRISIS CONTINUUM, AND THAT HAS INCREASED 14% IN THE PREVIOUS FOUR YEARS, BUT THE MEDICAID POPULATION IN TEXAS HAS DECREASED BY 15%. AND IT'S ABOUT 180. SO WITH THE FUTURE ISSUES WITH MEDICAID AND ACCESS TO CARE, WE EXPECT THE NUMBER OF UNFUNDED INDIVIDUALS TO DECREASE. NOW, JUST LAST EVENING, MR. BANOS VISITED WITH THE CHCS BOARD AND REPORTED -- I WAS VERY SURPRISED, BUT IT IS GOOD NEWS -- THAT HIS CARELINK NUMBERS AND HIS COMMUNITY FIRST NUMBERS HAVE ACTUALLY INCREASED FOR THIS COMMUNITY, SO THAT'S GREAT NEWS. I DIDN'T BRING THOSE NUMBERS WITH ME TONIGHT, BUT OVERALL, I THINK TEXAS WILL EXPERIENCE A REDUCTION IN THOSE WITH MEDICAID. >> MAYOR JONES: THE FLOWCHART THAT YOU ALSO IN TERMS OF THE WORKFLOW OF THE DIVERSION CENTER, DIVERSION WORK -- THANK YOU -- IS THIS DIFFERENT IN ANY WAY FROM TARRANT COUNTY, HARRIS COUNTY, DALLAS COUNTY? >> I THINK THEY ALL GENERALLY FOCUS ON THESE SPECIFIC FUNCTIONS. I THINK THEY MAY HAVE INDIVIDUAL WORKFLOWS, AND SO THE WORK THAT DR. TESTA AND HIS TEAM WILL DO WILL BE TO COLLECT ALL OF THOSE OPERATIONAL STANDARDS AND USE THEM IN TRYING TO DEVELOP WHAT IS BEST FOR BEXAR COUNTY AND A RECOMMENDATION. BUT I THINK GENERALLY, IN MY RESEARCH, EACH ONE OF THEM HAS A COMPONENT THAT LOOKS LIKE THIS. THE STAYS ARE DIFFERENT, THE FRONT DOOR MAY BE DIFFERENT, BUT GENERALLY, THEY WORK LIKE THIS. >> MAYOR JONES: I APPRECIATE THE COST AVOIDANCE PIECE IN TERMS OF DAILY COST AT THE JAILS. I WOULD -- IF IT'S STILL POSSIBLE TO INCLUDE IN HIS NUMBERS MOVING FORWARD, YOU KNOW, I THINK WE HEAR -- IS IT MAYBE ONCE A QUARTER -- THERE'S SOMETHING WHERE SHERIFF SALAZAR IS TALKING ABOUT THE NEED FOR OVERTIME FOR HIS FOLKS. SO COST AVOIDANCE IN TERMS OF WORKLOAD THERE AS WELL WOULD BE REALLY HELPFUL FOR US TO UNDERSTAND. AND TO THE EXTENT THERE'S ANY OTHER DATA REGARDING -- AS A RESULT OF THE DIVERSION CENTER EFFORTS IN OTHER COUNTIES, HOW QUICKLY THOSE FOLKS WERE ABLE TO -- FRANKLY, FOR LACK OF A BETTER TERM, RETURNING CITIZENS, HOW QUICKLY WERE THEY ABLE TO RETURN TO COMMUNITY AND BE HEALTHY AND PRODUCTIVE? I THINK THAT WOULD GO A LONG WAY FOR OUR CONTEXT. THANK YOU. JUST PROCESS-WISE, BECAUSE IT'S A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT THAN WHAT THE RECOMMENDATION SAYS ON THE SLIDE, WHICH IS THE RFP IS COMPLETE. OKAY. SO AT THIS POINT, THEN, WE WOULD BE -- AT THIS POINT IT WOULD BE TAKING QUESTIONS FOR WHAT WE WOULD LIKE TO SEE AS PART OF WHAT THAT -- DR. TESTA WOULD INCLUDE, AND THEN THE AD HOC COMMITTEE WOULD WORK ON THE LATTER PIECE. SO PARTNERING MORE SO ON THE AD HOC COMMITTEE PIECE, BECAUSE THE RFP IS COMPLETE. >> ASSUMPTIONS ABOUT STAKEHOLDERS INVOLVEENT, WHICH INCLUDE EVERYBODY THAT I MENTIONED EARLIER, AND WE'RE NOW WORKING TO LOOK AT HIS OVERALL SCHEDULE AND HOW WE WOULD REPORT OUT TO THE COMMITTEE THAT'S BEING PROPOSED AND THE ROLE OF THE CORE TEAM VERSUS REPORTING OUT TO THE -- ARE YOU CALLING THE AD HOC COMMITTEE THAT YOU ALL ARE CONTEMPLATING. >> MAYOR JONES: AND LASTLY BEFORE I TURN IT OVER TO MY COLLEAGUES HERE, I THINK THIS IS A REALLY TIMELY DISCUSSION, A WEEK AND A HALF AGO WE HAD OUR PROPERTY DISCUSSION, WHEN WE THINK ABOUT THINGS WE WANT TO FUND IN OUR COMMUNITY, DO WE FOREGO THOSE PROPERTY TAXES OR DO WE BRING THEM BACK IN BECAUSE WE'VE GOT IMPORTANT THINGS WE WANT TO PAY FOR. CERTAINLY THIS IS SOMETHING THAT WE WOULD LOOK TO INFORM THE UPCOMING BUDGET AS WELL AS FOLLOW-ON, AND THAT'S WHY THAT COST AVOIDANCE PIECE IN ALL THOSE AREAS IS SO IMPORTANT. THANKS JEYLYNNE. >> WALSH: MAYOR, CAN I -- JUST TWO OTHER POINTS. ONE, THE STUDY THAT JEYLYNNE IS TALKING ABOUT I THINK IS ESTIMATED TO BE ABOUT $100,000. AND AS PART OF THE CONVERSATION THAT WE HAD AT PUBLIC SAFETY THE CITY IS PROPOSING TO CONTRIBUTE 30,000 TOWARDS THAT EFFORT. CERTAIN WILL I YOU SAW THE SLIDE THAT JEYLYNNE HAD THAT TALKED ABOUT THE COMMUNITY BENEFIT AND SEVERAL OF THOSE TIED DIRECTLY BACK TO THINGS [03:15:03] THE COUNCIL HAS PRIORITIZED, SO I WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT THE COUNCIL WAS AWARE OF THAT. AND THEN SECONDLY, AND I THINK COUNCILWOMAN CASTILLO'S GOING TO TALK ABOUT THE AD HOC COMMITTEE DURING HER REMARKS, BUT THE CONTEXT I PROBABLY SHOULD HAVE PROVIDED AT THE BEGINNING WAS THAT THIS WAS A PATH THAT JEYLYNNE STARTED AS THE LOCAL MENTAL HEALTH AUTHORITY SEPARATE AND APART FROM THE CCR. THEN THE CCR HAPPENED, AND SO WE'VE TRIED TO -- AND WE HAVE INVOLVEMENT IN BOTH. WE TRIED TO JOIN THEM, AND -- BUT THIS IS SOMETHING THAT I THINK JEYLYNNE HAS, IN HER ROLE, IDENTIFIED WAS A GAP. AND IT JUST HAPPENED TO VERY NICELY MIRROR WHAT COUNCILWOMAN CASTILLO AUTHORED. >> MAYOR JONES: WELL, THANK YOU. IT SAVES US A LOT OF TIME AND EFFORT TO BE ABLE TO PARTNER AND WORK WITH YOU ON IT. THANK YOU. OKAY. LET ME -- I'LL MOVE COUNCILWOMAN CASTILLO UP IN LIGHT OF SHE BEING THE AUTHOR. GO AHEAD. >> CASTILLO: THANK YOU, MAYOR, THANK YOU, JEYLYNNE, ERIK, MARIA, I'D LIKE TO GROUND FOLKS OF THE HISTORICAL CONTEXT OF THE INNER WEST SIDE. IT'S AN AREA OF WHICH HAS BEEN AN EPICENTER OF DIVESTMENT AND SEGREGATION WITHIN SAN ANTONIO AND IT'S ALSO SERVED AS A HUB FOR KEY ORGANIZATIONS LIKE HAVEN FOR HOPE, CENTER FOR HEALTHCARE SERVICES, THE COUNTY JAIL, AS WELL AS THE CITY'S MAGISTRATIVE BUILDING AS WELL. WITH THAT BEING SAID, RIGHT, THIS EXPERIENCE WITH THE INNER WEST SIDE IS NOT UNIQUE TO SAN ANTONIO. HARRIS COUNTY, TRAVIS COUNTY, ALL HAVE THEIR OWN VERSION OF THE WEST SIDE, AND WHAT WE KNOW IS TYPICALLY THESE COMMUNITIES ARE ASKED TO ABSORB A LOT OF NEED WITHOUT THE ADEQUATE SUPPORT AND/OR SYSTEMS. AND WHAT WE SEE HERE PRESENTED AND THE WORK WITH THE CENTER FOR HEALTHCARE SERVICES IS A WAY TO HELP ALLEVIATE A LOT OF THAT NEED IN OUR COMMUNITIES, BUT THEY'RE GOING TO NEED ASSISTANCE IN TERMS OF FUNDING AND ENSURING THAT WE GET TO MATERIALIZE A JAIL DIVERSION PROGRAM IN BEXAR COUNTY. AND I HIGHLIGHT THAT BECAUSE THOSE KEY INSTITUTIONS IN DISTRICT FIVE ARE ACCESSIBLE TO EVERYONE THROUGHOUT BEXAR COUNTY. SO FROM ALL 10 OF OUR DISTRICTS, ALL OF THE PRECINCTS, THOSE INDIVIDUALS IN VERY MUCH NEED GET SENT TO DISTRICT FIVE FOR SERVICES THAT ARE OFTEN LIMITED, AT CAPACITY AND UNDERFUNDED. JUST LIKE THE COUNTY JAIL, HAVEN FOR HOPE'S ALSO AT CAPACITY. I KNOW YOU AND YOUR TEAM ARE ALSO DOING THE MOST YOU CAN WITH LITTLE FUNDING, SO I THINK IT HIGHLIGHTS HOW, WHEN WE TAKE SYSTEMIC APPROACHES TO SYSTEMIC ISSUES, LIKE THE JAIL DIVERSION THAT YOUR TEAM HAS BEEN EXPLORING, THERE'S OPPORTUNITY FOR US TO REALLY SHIFT THE PARADIGM OF HOW WE NOT ONLY IMPROVE THE QUALITY -- COMMUNITIES AS A WHOLE. AND THAT'S WHY I BELIEVE IT'S IMPORTANT TO MOVE FORWARD WITH THE AD HOC COMMITTEE TO ENSURE THAT ALL INDIVIDUALS THAT HAVE A SHARED RESPONSIBILITY AND A SHARED VISION OF IMPROVING AND REHABILITATING INDIVIDUALS, THAT WE'RE ALL AT THE TABLE TO INSURE THAT OUR ORGANIZATION, OUR CITY IS DOING ITS APPROPRIATE SHARE TO HELP MOVE THIS ALONG. SO I'M JUST GRATEFUL FOR THE WORK OF JEYLYNNE, HER TEAM, AND THEN, OF COURSE, I KNOW THERE'S MANY STAKEHOLDERS THAT WERE HERE TODAY BUT THEY'VE ALREADY HEADED OUT. JUST REALLY VALUE THE WORK THEY DO DAY IN AND DAY OUT. BUT TO THE POINT THAT WAS RAISED BY ERIK, JEYLYNNE, AND THE MAYOR AS WELL, AND I KNOW MARK CARMONA IS HERE, BUT IT'S THAT AFTER CARE PIECE THAT'S GOING TO ENSURE THAT FOLKS DON'T REOFFEND AND WE DON'T SEE THEM IN THE SAME CYCLE. I THINK WITH THE PROPOSED AD HOC COMMITTEE, ALSO INCLUDING MARC CARMONA TO HELP US WITH IF AFFORDABLE HOUSING COMPONENT WILL HELP US MOVE TO THAT GOAL TO ENSURE THERE'S ACCESSIBLE HOUSING FOLLOWING THE PROGRAM. WANTED TO HIGHLIGHT THOSE KEY PIECES AND I'M HOPEFUL THAT MY COLLEAGUES WILL BE SUPPORTIVE OF THE AD HOC COMMITTEE TO ENSURE THAT AS THINGS MOVE ALONG COUNCIL IS KEPT UP TO SPEED AND THAT WAY WE CAN IDENTIFY WAYS TO SUPPORT YOU ALL IN MATERIALIZING A JAIL DIVERSION CENTER. THANK YOU, MAYOR. COUNCILMAN VIAGRAN, AND THEN YOU. >> VIAGRAN: THANK YOU, MAYOR. THANK YOU, COUNCILWOMAN CASTILLO, I BELIEVE IT WAS OUR FIRST TERM WHEN WE KNEW THAT WE WERE GETTING A SETTLEMENT FOR OPIATE ABUSE, THAT YOU BEGAN HAVING THESE CONVERSATIONS ABOUT A VISION ON HOW WE WERE GOING TO ADDRESS THIS ISSUE AND HOW IT WAS IMPACTING OUR COMMUNITIES. AND WE WOULD NEED TO LOOK TOWARDS THE FUTURE, SO TO COME TO -- TO BE HERE WITH YOU FOR THIS DAY WHERE WE'RE HAVING THIS CONVERSATION AND, JEYLYNNE, THANK YOU FOR ALL YOUR HARD WORK AND THE CONTINUED EFFORTS THAT YOU'VE MADE AS THE STATE HAS MADE ADJUSTMENTS TO THAT STATE HOSPITAL, WHICH SITS IN DISTRICT THREE ACROSS FROM BROOKS. SO WITH THE RECOMMENDATIONS FOR CITY PARTICIPATION ARE THERE, I AM COMPLETELY IN SUPPORT OF THAT. WITH THE PUBLIC SAFETY [03:20:08] RECOMMENDATION FOR ADD COUNTY AND CITY AD HOC COMMITTEE, THIS IS WHERE I AM IN SUPPORT, OF COURSE, OF HAVING MARK CARMONA THERE, BUT I DO BELIEVE THAT IT IS IMPORTANT IF WE'RE GOING TO HAVE ELECTED SITTING ON THIS COMMITTEE, IF THE COUNTY CHOOSES, THEY WANT TO PUT A REPRESENTATIVE THAT WE HAVE COUNCILWOMAN CASTILLO THERE REPRESENTING US. I'M NOT SURE THAT'S THE DIRECTION THEY'RE GOING TO GO BECAUSE I KNOW THEY'RE ALL BUSY, BUT I JUST WANT TO PUT THAT FORWARD. IF THAT'S THE DIRECTION THEY CHOOSE TO GO IN, THAT WE HAVE THE SAME KIND OF REPRESENTATION THERE. AND THAT IS -- THAT IS WHAT I'D LIKE TO SEE AS WE MOVE FORWARD TO MAKE SURE THAT THE CITY HAS A VOICE AS WE'RE PLANNING -- WE KNOW, I KNOW, AS WE HAVE THIS CONVERSATION AND WE TALK ABOUT A DIVERSION CENTER, WHEN WE TALK ABOUT LOCATIONS -- BECAUSE WE GET -- NOT IN MY BACKYARD FOR A MILES AN HOUR YARD MYRIAD OF THINGS, BUT I THINK THIS IS ONE THAT THE COUNTY AND THE CITY ARE GOING TO HAVE TO WORK TOGETHER TO SAY THAT THIS IS OF IMPORTANCE, THIS IS A COMMUNITY BENEFIT, AND HOW DO WE MOVE FORWARD TOGETHER. SO -- AND WE CAN SIT HERE AND MAKE THE DECISIONS, I JUST WANT TO PUT THAT OUT THERE PUBLICLY, BECAUSE ONCE IT GETS TO THE COUNTY, IT COULD -- ALL -- WHAT THEY DO, WE CAN'T CONTROL, SO I WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT I'VE GOT THAT ON THE RECORD. THANK YOU, MAYOR. >> WALSH: MAYOR, WOULD IT BE HELPFUL IF I GO THROUGH THE CCR AND LIST OUT THE FOLKS THAT WERE IDENTIFIED IN THE ORIGINAL CCR. >> MAYOR JONES: YEAH, PLEASE. THANK YOU. >> WALSH: SO IT'S BEXAR COUNTY SHERIFF JAVIER SALAZAR, CHIEF MCMANUS, BEXAR COUNTY JUSTICE INTAKE AND ASSESSMENT DIRECTOR TONY CASARES, OUR CHIEF MENTAL HEALTH OFFICER WITH THE CITY, JESSIE HIGGINS, WHO'S IN THE ROOM, COUNCILWOMAN CASTILLO, COMMISSIONER RODRIGUEZ, JUDGE RON RANGEL, THE DA, MR. GONZALES, CENTRO, TRISH DEBERRY. AGAIN, THIS WAS CONTEMPLATED WITHOUT KNOWING THE PATH THAT JEYLYNNE WAS ON, BUT JEYLYNNE AND CENTER FOR HEALTHCARE SERVICES, ACOG, MR. BANOS FROM UNIVERSITY HEALTH, THE BEXAR COUNTY REENTRY PROGRAM AND THE BEXAR COUNTY PROBATION OFFICE. AND, YES, MARK CARMONA OBVIOUSLY HAS A BIG ROLE, AND -- FOR THE COUNCIL TO BE AWARE, I MEAN, FROM INTERNAL, IT'S LIKELY GOING TO BE MARIA AS LEAD, JUSTINA, NEIGHBORHOOD AND HOUSING SERVICES, MARK CARMONA, MELODY WITH DEPARTMENT OF HUMAN SERVICES AND DR. JACOB WITH METRO HEALTH BECAUSE THERE ARE A LOT OF WRAPAROUND ENDS, SO INTERNAL, THOSE ARE THE FOLKS THAT ARE GOING TO BE ENGAGED IN THIS PROCESS. >> VIAGRAN: THANK YOU. I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE WE ARE EQUIVALENT WITH THE COUNTY. I DON'T WANT AN ELECTED COUNTY OFFICIAL THERE AND NOT HAVE AN ELECTED CITY OFFICIAL THERE. UNDERSTOOD COUNCILWOMAN ALDARETE GAVITO. >> GAVITO: I JUST REALLY WANT TO THANK COUNCILWOMAN CASTILLO, LISTENING TO ALL THESE WORK. AND ALSO THANK YOU, JEYLYNNE. I KNOW WHEN WE PUSH THESE CCRS FORWARD, IT'S ABOUT FINDING PARTNERSHIP AND COLLABORATION, UPLIFTING SOME OF THE WORK THAT OUR PARTNERS DO TO MAKE SURE WE CAN ALL MOVE FORWARD AS A COMMUNITY TOGETHER. THANK YOU TO COUNCILWOMAN CASTILLO. I'M FULLY SUPPORTIVE OF WHAT THIS CCR'S RECOMMENDING IN FORMING AN AD HOC COMMITTEE. I DO HAVE SOME QUESTIONS, BUT I'VE GOT TO GO, SO I WILL MAKE SURE COUNCILWOMAN CASTILLO THAT YOU ALL GET THEM FOR THE AD HOC COMMITTEE TO GO THROUGH. THANK YOU. COUNCILMAN GALVAN? >> GALVAN: THANK YOU TO EVERYBODY FOR PRESENTING TODAY AND FOR COUNCILWOMAN CASTILLO FOR PUTTING THIS FORWARD. HER TEAM HAS BEEN WORKING REALLY HARD FOR THE LAST YEAR TO GET IT OVER THE FINISH LINE. I'M EXCITED TO NOT ONLY SEE IT HERE TODAY BUT ALSO SEE THE GROUND BREAKING HOPEFULLY, SOONER THAN LATER, BUT, OF COURSE, VERY SUPPORTIVE OF MOVING FORWARD WITH THE AD HOC COMMITTEE, MAKING SURE THAT WE HAVE EVERYBODY THAT NEEDS TO BE A PART OF THIS PROCESS TOGETHER. I OFTEN FIND WHENEVER WE'RE TALKING ABOUT IMPLEMENTING NEW PROGRAMS IT'S VERY DIFFICULT TO DO SO AND WE DON'T HAVE EVERYBODY IN THE ROOM WHO UNDERSTANDS THE ININNER WORKINGS OF THIS WORK. VERY SUPPORTIVE OF, AS WELL AS THE LIST THAT'S BEEN PROVIDED. ONE BIG THING I WANTED TO ASK ABOUT THIS, AND IT WILL COME WITH THE PROCESS OF UNIVERSITY HEALTH -- MAYBE IT'S NOT AN ASK, BUT MAYBE JUST AN ASK OF ME TO MAKE IS MAKING SURE OUR HEALTHCARE PROVIDERS, [03:25:02] UNIVERSITY HEALTH AND BEYOND ARE ALIGNED AS POSSIBLE WITH THIS, I DON'T WANT TO SEE FOLKS TRYING TO ENTER THE CENTER, FACING BARRIERS. I THINK THAT'S ALREADY THE FOCUS, BUT -- >> SO WE MET EARLIER TODAY AND THE HOSPITAL EXECS ARE THERE AND THE CRISIS CONTINUUM ARE THERE, THEY'RE OVERALL SUPPORTIVE. IT WAS PART OF A THREE-LEGGED STOOL. >> GALVAN: GREAT. YEAH, THANK YOU. ONE OF THE THINGS I THINK WOULD BE WORTHWHILE, AND I THINK WE TALKED ABOUT IT WITH THE CONTINUUM OF CARE, IS MAYBE EVEN A LITTLE FURTHER ANALYSIS THAT WE CAN GET, SOME KIND OF REPORT OF SOME KIND, IDEALLY -- I DON'T KNOW IF WE CAN DO IT BEFORE THIS BUDGET, BUT EVEN JUST THROUGHOUT RECURRING BUDGET CONVERSATIONS AT THE CITY LEVEL, AND I DID IT WITH THE COUNTY AS WELL, TO KIND OF LIST OUT WHERE ARE WE AT IN TERMS OF THE TRANSITIONAL HOUSING NEEDS, ET CETERA, SO WE'RE REALLY VALUING THE CONTINUUM OF CARE VERSUS JUST LOOK AT THE DIVERSION CENTER AS IT COMES TO FRUITION NEED'S SOLO, LOOKING AT THE FULL SPECTRUM OF IT ALL. ONE LAST PLUG IN I WANTED TO JUST, PUSH, OF COURSE, IS LOOKING AT THE STOOL, SA-CORE, THAT COMPONENT, THE CITY -- WE OF COURSE HAVE AUTHORITY OVER, AND I THINK WE'VE HEARD SEVERAL TIMES THAT THIS DAIS IS TRYING TO PUSH THAT AS MUCH AS WE CAN WITHIN OUR OWN BUDGETARY LIMITS TO EXPAND AND BE PART OF THAT PROCESS. SOMETHING WE TALKED ABOUT IN THE COMMUNITY HOLISTIC PUBLIC SAFETY, IT'S ONE THING TO DO PEOPLE OUT IN THE STREETS, BUT IT'S ANOTHER THING TO HAVE A CENTER TO BRING PEOPLE INTO TO HAVE A PLACE TO SOLVE THIS PROBLEM THAT WE'RE EXPERIENCING. SO I THINK WE'LL HAVE DO THAT MULTIPRONG APPROACH, AND IF IT ALSO MEANS A 9-1-1 MENTAL HEALTH OPTION, I THINK THAT'S ALSO PART OF THIS CONVERSATION. OR SHOULD BE. THOSE ARE ALL MY COMMENTS. THANK YOU, MAYOR. COUNCILMAN MUNGIA? >> MUNGIA: YES, THANK YOU, AGAIN, TO COUNCILWOMAN CASTILLO, THIS IS A REALLY GREAT PROGRAM AND I'M GLAD TO SIGN THE CCR. I JUST WANT TO REFLECT REAL QUICK ON ONE OF THE SLIDES HERE, AND I THINK IT WAS SLIDE 4 -- >> OF THIS PRESENTATION. >> MUNGIA: YES, OF THIS PRESENTATION, JUST THE FACT THAT 46% OF THE ADMISSIONS WERE FOLKS EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS. THAT IS STAGGERING WHEN YOU THINK ABOUT THAT. AND WE HAVE -- I HAVE A PUBLIC TOWN HALL TOMORROW ABOUT COMMUNITY SAFETY AND NO DOUBT THAT'S GOING TO BE A TOPIC. AND THIS IS JUST A REALLY GREAT RESOURCE TO SHOW THAT ONCE THIS IS UP AND RUNNING AND COMPLETED AND FUNDED THE WAY IT SHOULD BE, THAT'S A REAL WAY TO HELP PEOPLE, NOT JUST THROW PEOPLE IN JAIL. AND, OF COURSE, WE'VE SEEN THE NUMBERS OF SUICIDES HAPPENING, IT'S JUST VERY, VERY TRAGIC TO SEE THAT HAPPEN. SO. >> I'D BE WILLING TO BET THOSE INDIVIDUALS THAT I TALKED ABOUT, THE 80 TO 100 THAT ARE BOOKED DAILY WITH MENTAL HEALTH AND SUBSTANCE ABUSE AND ARE THERE FOR CRIMINAL TRESPASS, ARE ALSO UNSHELTERED. >> MUNGIA: YEAH. YEAH. SO I THINK THAT'S A REALLY GOOD CONNECTION THERE. I'LL JUST GO REAL QUICK TO THE THREE-LEGGED STOOL, PSYCHIATRIC AND IN-PATIENT BED. WE LOST 50 WITH THE CLOSURE OF VISTA, WHICH WAS A HUGE ISSUE IN MY DISTRICT. WHILE IT SEEMED LIKE A DISTRICT FOUR PROBLEM, THAT IS A SYSTEMWIDE EFFECT, AND THAT'S 50 LESS OPPORTUNITIES FOR PEOPLE TO DO BETTER FOR THEMSELVES, WHICH IS ALL THE MORE REASON TO DO MORE HOSPITALS IN OUR SOUTH SIDE AND IN THE WHOLE SYSTEM. SO I JUST WANT TO HIGHLIGHT THAT. SO, YEAH, I'M SUPPORTIVE OF MOVING FORWARD WITH THE AD HOC COMMITTEE, AND I THINK IT WILL LEAD TO REALLY GOOD PROGRAM AND SUCCESS. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME. >> MAYOR JONES: MEMBER MEZA GONZALEZ. >> GONZALEZ: THANK YOU. I JUST QUICK WANTED TO EXTEND MY SUPPORT TO COUNCILMEMBER CASTILLO FOR MOVING THIS CCR FORWARD. I'M GLAD TO HEAR THAT THE CITY IS PARTICIPATING IN THAT STUDY, THAT $30,000 DEFINITELY GOES A LONG WAY. WE SEE THAT THE ROI IS CLEAR, AND THAT OTHER CITIES IN THE STATE ARE DOING THIS EXACT SAME THING, SO I'M GLAD TO SEE THAT WE'RE ALSO LOOKING INTO THIS. AND I ALSO THINK IT'S AN OPPORTUNITY BY SOME OF THE FOLKS THAT WERE LISTED, WE ARE GOING TO HAVE A NEW DA, A NEW POLICE CHIEF, OUR NEXT COUNTY JUDGE, SAME COUNTY JUDGE, NEXT COUNTY JUDGE, BUT IT'S ALL JUST -- I THINK THAT IN ITSELF IS AN OPPORTUNITY TO -- AS WE'RE THINKING THROUGH WHO THOSE FOLKS ARE, ESPECIALLY OUR POLICE CHIEF, THEIR BACKGROUND IN THIS AND UNDERSTANDING AND COMMITMENT. SO I JUST SEE THAT AS AN OPPORTUNITY. SO I'M EXCITED TO SEE THIS MOVE FORWARD. IF THERE HAPPENS TO BE SPACE IN THAT COMMITTEE, I WILL TAKE A STOOL TO SIT THERE BECAUSE I'D LOVE TO BE PART OF IT, SO... YEAH. SO IF THERE'S AN OPPORTUNITY, OBVIOUSLY WE HAVE THE MEDICAL CENTER IN DISTRICT EIGHT, ALL -- SO MANY MEDICAL RESOURCES THERE, SO PLEASE COUNT ME IN AS A FILL-IN FOR COUNCILMEMBER CASTILLO IF THE OPPORTUNITY PRESENTS ITSELF. THANK YOU. COUNCILMEMBER KAUR? >> KAUR: THANK YOU, MAYOR. I JUST WANTED TO SAY THANK YOU AGAIN FOR BRINGING THIS TO PUBLIC SSAFETY AND FOR BEING HERE TWO WEEKS IN A ROW FOR US FOR B SESSION. DIFFERENT THINGS, DID A [03:30:03] GREAT JOB BOTH TIMES. I WANT TO GIVE A SHOUTOUT TO COUNCILWOMAN CASTILLO FOR HER WORK. I SUPPORT HER REQUEST FOR AD HOC COMMITTEE. HAS ERIK WAS READING OUT ALL OF THE FOLKS ON THERE. IT'S AN IMPRESSIVE LIST. I THINK IT IS BALANCED TO COUNCILMAN VIAGRAN'S POINT, SO WE'RE HAPPY TO REPRESENT HER OR ANY FILL-IN OR HAPPY TO HAVE HER REPRESENT US ANY FILL-IN THAT'S INTERESTED IN PARTNERING WITH YOU ALL. I KNOW SOMETIMES COLLABORATION ACROSS SYSTEMS CAN BE TRICKY. THIS IS NOT ALWAYS A FIELD OF -- >> PROPOSAL T THIS IS THE RIGHT WAY TO MOVE FORWARD, MAKING SURE THAT WE'RE TRULY ADDRESSING THE MOST IMPORTANT IN THE VULNERABLE COMMUNITY. AND THAT IS LOCATED IN DISTRICT FIVE. I THE ONE THING I REALLY WANT TO DOUBLE DOWN ON IS IF YOU LOOK AT IF RESULTS ON THE DATA, HARRIS COUNTY HAS THE MOST AMOUNT OF BEDS, WITH 36 BEDS F YOU LOOK AT THEIR DATA RESULTS, THEY'RE PROBABLY THE MOST SIGNIFICANT AS WELL. SO I JUST THINK THAT GOES TO SHOW THE MORE INVESTMENT -- IT'S NOT ROCKET SCIENCE, BUT THE MORE INVESTMENT THAT YOU PUT IN, THE MORE SUPPORTS THAT YOU'RE ABLE TO PROVIDE, THE MORE THAT YOU'RE GOING TO BE ABLE TO ACCOMPLISH, SO I WOULD ENCOURAGE THE -- YOU ALL TO -- AS WE DO THIS RFP THAT WE THINK BIG AND WE NOT LIMIT OURSELVES TO WHAT MIGHT BE NEED, BUT I'LL GIVE THE EXAMPLE OF THE LOW BARRIER SHELTER THAT WE HAVE HERE, WHERE WE'RE ONLY OPERATING A PORTION OF IT. THERE'S ALWAYS A POTENTIAL WHERE IF WE FIND RESOURCES WE CAN EXPAND. AND I LOVE THAT AS A SPACE, BECAUSE WHEN WE USE A SPACE THAT WE MAY NOT BE FULLY OPERATIONAL IN, BUT THERE'S AN OPPORTUNITY FOR US TO GROW IN, IT ALLOWS FOR FURTHER SUPPORT DOWN THE ROAD. SO THAT'S THE ONLY THING I WOULD OFFER. >> BEDS WE'RE GOING TO HAVE. >> KAUR: WHAT'S THE BET? >> NO, WE'LL KEEP IT QUIET. WELL SEE HEE WHO WINS AT THE END OF THE DAY. . >> KAUR: THANKS, MAYOR. COUNCILWOMAN SPEARS? >> SPEARS: THANK YOU, MAYOR, AND, YES, THANK YOU, COUNCILWOMAN CASTILLO. -- THE VISION AND THE DETAIL YOU WENT INTO IS ADMIRABLE, SO THANK YOU FOR BRINGING THIS FORWARD. I HAD A COUPLE OF QUESTIONS HERE. OR COMMENTS. THINGS I'D LIKE US TO FOCUS ON IS THAT THE SENSITIVITY SURROUNDING VETERANS AND FIRST RESPONDERS SOMETIMES THEM SPEAKING UP PUTS THEM IN A PRECARIOUS SITUATION, AND WE'VE GOT TO BE AWARE OF THAT. I DON'T WANT THEM LOSING ANY BENEFITS FOR PARTICIPATING, AND I JUST -- I WANT THEM TO GET HELP IF THEY NEED IT. AND WE JUST NEED TO THINK ABOUT WAYS THAT WE CAN BE SENSITIVE TO THAT. I LOVE THE MAKEUP OF THE BOARD, ESPECIALLY, YOU KNOW, I'M HAPPY TO SEE AACOG ON THERE, TOO. VICE CHAIR ON ACOG, I'LL BE LOOKING TO SEE WHAT HAPPENS THERE, BUT I WOULD SUGGEST THAT WE CONSIDER INCLUDING THE BONDSMAN IN THIS. AGAIN. >> THEY'RE ON OUR LIST OF STAKEHOLDERS. >> SPEARS: OKAY. BECAUSE THIS AFFECTS THEIR INDUSTRY HUGELY, AND THEY'RE REALLY IMPORTANT TO INCLUDE HERE. THEY'RE HELPFUL IN THIS. I WAS WONDERING IF WE HAD ANY IDEA, I KNOW THIS GREATLY REDUCES RECIDIVISM, BUT IS THERE A WAY TO -- LIKE IF THEY GO THROUGH THE PROGRAM AND SHOULD THEY END UP BACK IN THE GIA OR SOMETHING, CAN THEY GO BACK INTO THE DIVERSION CENTER OR HOW DOES THAT -- >> THE HARRIS CENTER SHARED WITH US, THERE ARE INDIVIDUALS WHO WALK OUT AND THEN THEY ARE TOLD, WELL, YOU'RE GOING BACK TO JAIL BECAUSE IT'S A SUSPENDED SENTENCE. AND THEN THEY CHOOSE TO COME BACK. >> SPEARS: OKAY. >> TO DIVERSION. SO THEY'VE BEEN OPERATING FOR SOME TIME, AND SO IT'S REALLY UNKNOWN QUANTITY IN THE COMMUNITY, AND WE'LL HAVE TO GROW THE BRAND AS WELL. I DON'T WANT TO TREAT IT LIKE AN ADVERTISING OPPORTUNITY, BUT PEOPLE WILL NEED TO LEARN ABOUT IT AND FEEL COMFORTABLE AND TRUST IT AS A PLACE TO COME. >> SPEARS: YEAH. OKAY. THAT'S GOOD. I'M GLAD TO SEE THAT. SO I KNOW THAT THE FORENSIC BEDS ARE A BIG PROBLEM. I WOULD LIKE TO SAY THAT THIS IS VERY -- THIS IS SOMETHING WHERE THE COUNTY AND THE CITY ARE FULLY IN ALIGNMENT, AND THEY'VE ALREADY IDENTIFIED LOCATIONS. TO MY KNOWLEDGE, THEY'RE LOOKING AT THE TUDUS BUILDING, POSSIBLY HOPING H OPENING THAT UP. I UNDERSTAND WHAT YOU'RE SAYING, MAYOR, ABOUT IT BEING CLOSE TO THE JAIL, BEING A DETERRENT, IS THAT WHAT YOU WANT? >> MAYOR JONES: THAT'S THE WHAT THE RESEARCH SAYS, I WAS JUST ECHOING THAT. >> BEST OPPORTUNITY FOR THERAPEUTIC TREATMENT, BUT SHERIFF SALAZAR'S AWARE AND HE'S WORKING WITH US ON OTHER OPTIONS. >> SPEARS: OKAY. WELL, I'M JUST GLAD TO SIGH THEIR WILLINGNESS -- SEE THEIR WILLINGNESS TO -- >> THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE HAS BEEN EXTREMELY SUPPORTIVE. >> SPEARS: AND I'M HAPPY TO SEE THAT, AND THE UHS STUDY IS REALLY IMPORTANT, SO -- BUT, YEAH, THIS IS A HUGE PROBLEM. I KNOW WE TALKED, TOO, [03:35:02] ABOUT THE TRAINING FOR THE NURSES AND DIFFERENT STAFFING MAYBE NOT BEING PREPARED TO ENTER INTO THIS WORLD AND HOW WE -- >> WE CURRENTLY RUN A PSYCHIATRIC EMERGENCY ROOM. I MEAN, WE HAVE A FACILITY AT 601 FRIO, YOUR 401 FRIO, AND THAT'S OUR EMERGENCY ROOM -- PSYCHIATRIC EMERGENCY DEPARTMENT. AND SO WE HAVE NURSES AND PSYCHIATRISTS THAT ARE FULLY STAFF, AND OUR CHIEF MEDICAL OFFICER RAN HARRIS CENTER. AND SO SHE'S NOW OUR CHIEF MEDICAL OFFICER, SO WE DO HAVE IN-HOUSE EXPERTISE FOR RUNNING DIVERSION CENTERS. >> SPEARS: NO, I'M HAPPY TO SEE THAT. I THINK WHERE I WAS GOING WITH THAT, THOUGH, UTSA -- >> THE SCHOOLS FOR PIPELINES. >> SPEARS: YEAH, FOR THE PIPELINES, TO MAKE SURE THEY'RE READY TO ENTER INTO THIS MUCH-NEEDED FIELD, BECAUSE IT'S A GAP ALL OVER THE NATION. AND FORENSIC BEDS ARE REALLY HARD TO GET. I'M ANXIOUS TO SEE YOUR NUMBER, AND THEN FURTHER TO SEE HOW MANY WE ACTUALLY GET. SO IT'S GOING TO BE REALLY IMPORTANT MOVING FORWARD SO THOSE ARE JUST THE THINGS I WAS THINKING ABOUT. BUT I'M REALLY HAPPY THAT THE COUNTY IS SO MUCH IN ALIGNMENT ON THIS, AND I'M REALLY PROUD OF THE WORK Y'ALL HAVE DONE ON THIS. THIS IS REALLY GREAT. REALLY A GREAT PROGRAM. THANK YOU. >> THANK YOU. >> MAYOR JONES: MEMBER CASTILLO? >> CASTILLO: THANK YOU, MAYOR. I JUST WANTED TO CHIME BACK IN TO EXPRESS I WOULD BE PROUD TO CHAIR ALONGSIDE COUNCILMEMBER MEZA. >> GONZA GONZALEZ IS SUPPORTIVE OF THAT. COUNCILMEMBER MCKEE-RODRIGUEZ? >> MCKEE-RODRIGUEZ: THANK YOU FOR THE PRE PRESENTATION, THANK YOU FOR THE WORK THAT'S BEING DONE ON THIS, THANK YOU COUNCILMEMBER CASTILLO FOR THE CCR FILING FOR THE AD HOC COMMITTEE AND FURTHER ASPIRATION. SOMETHING THAT'S STOOD OUT TO ME IN THE PRESENTATION, AND THIS WAS SOMETHING THAT I THINK WE PROBABLY COULD HAVE GUESSED WAS THAT A LARGE NUMBER OF THE PEOPLE IMPACTED ARE BLACK. VERY DISPROPORTIONATELY, AND MEN. AND SO A LARGE PORTION OF THESE ARE BLACK MEN. SO I WAS LOOKING AT THE PROPOSED MAKEUP OF THE AD HOC COMMITTEE AND I NOTICED JUST BASED OFF OF WHAT I WAS LOOKING AT, IT DIDN'T LOOK LIKE THERE WERE ANY BLACK PEOPLE, ANY BLACK MEN. AND SO -- >> BRAWBT. SORRY, I DIDN'T SEE YOUR NAME ON THERE, A BLACK PERSON ON THE COMMITTEE. WOULD LOVE TO SEE MORE REPRESENTATION, IF THAT COULD BE NOT -- I'D LIKE TO PROPOSE THAT. THANK YOU. >> MAYOR JONES: HAS EVERYONE SPOKEN ON THIS ISSUE THAT WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK? OKAY. THANK YOU FOR THE PRESENTATION. I THINK YOU HEARD A LOT OF SUPPORT FOR MOVING FORWARD. GO AHEAD. YES, COUNCILMAN? SORRY, MAYOR, NO, I I'M LOOKING AT THE PROPOSED LIST AND I DO NOT SEE -- >> COUNCILWOMAN CASTILLO KNEW ME AT THAT TIME. BUT I'M LOUD AND PROUD RIGHT HERE. >> MCKEE-RODRIGUEZ: YES, MA'AM. IF THERE'S ROOM FOR, I GUESS, ANY OF THESE OTHER POSITIONS OR IF, YOU KNOW, THERE'S FLEXIBILITY, IT SOUNDED LIKE COUNCILWOMAN MEZA GONZALEZ WANTED TO SERVE ON IT. I WONDER IF COMMISSIONER TOMMY CALVERT WOULD LIKE TO SERVE ON IT THROWING OUT NOMINATIONS. THANK YOU. >> MAYOR JONES: OKAY. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. APPRECIATE IT. WITH THAT, THE TIME IS NOW 5:14 AND THIS MEETING IS ADJOURNED. * This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.