[00:01:24]
          >> MAYOR JONES: GOOD MORNING. THE TIME IS NOW 9:05 A.M. ON APRIL 2ND, 2026, AND THE MEETING OF THE SAN ANTONIO CITY COUNCIL IS CALLED TO ORDER. MADAM CLERK, PLEASE CALL ROLL. 
          THANK YOU. COUNCILMEMBER CASTILLO IS CALLED TO INTRODUCE TODAY'S 
          INVOKE INDICATOR. >> CODY FORD IS WITH WORTHY PEOPLE, A SAN ANTONIO NON-PROFIT BASED ON SUPPORT AND NON-RECIDIVISM AS WELL AS PRISON OUTREACH. 
          THEY TRAVEL TO PRISONS TO REMOVE THE LABELS OF SOCIETY AS ACCEPTING ALL PEOPLE AS JESUS DOES. 
          ON THE STREETS AT 18 YEARS OLD. AT 20 YEARS OLD THE TEXAS PRISON SYSTEM, THREE YEARS INTO HIS SENTENCE, HE DESIRED A NEW WAY OF LIFE. 
          WHEN HE LEARNED HIS WORTH IN JESUS, IT CHANGED HIM AND HE NEVER LOOKED BACK. 
          TODAY HE AND JULIA LEAD THE NUMBER ONE PODCAST IN PRISON'S NATIONWIDE WITH ENGAGING PODCAST CONTENT AND MINISTRY CONNECTIONS BOTH INSIDE AND OUTSIDE OF THE PRISON THAT SERVE AS A ROBUST SUPPORT SYSTEM FOR INMATES AND THEIR FAMILIES. 
          THEIR HOPE IS NOT JUST PREACHING SERMONS, BUT REBUILDING LIVES AND RESTORING DIGNITY. WORTHY PEOPLE IS FOR THE INCARCERATED FAMILY AND THE FORGOTTEN. THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE TODAY, CODY, AND WE'LL HAND 
          IT OVER TO YOU. >> THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME. LET US PRAY. 
          HEAVENLY FATHER, WE COME BEFORE YOU TODAY WITH GRATITUDE FOR THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO, A CITY RICH IN CULTURE, HISTORY AND COMMUNITY. 
          WE THANK YOU FOR THE PEOPLE WHO CALL THIS PLACE HOME AND FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO GATHER AND SERVE FOR THE GOOD OF ALL. LORD, WE LIFT UP OUR MAYOR, OUR CITY COUNCILMEMBERS, OUR DISTRICT REPRESENTATIVES AND EVERY ELECTED OFFICIAL ENTRUSTED WITH LEADERSHIP IN THIS CITY. WE ASK THAT YOU GIVE THEM THE WISDOM IN THEIR DECISIONS, CLARITY IN TIMES OF COMPLEXITY AND UNITY IN MOMENTS WHERE DIFFERENCES ARISE. WE PRAY FOR OUR SAN ANTONIO POLICE DEPARTMENT, BEXAR COUNTY SHERIFF'S OFFICE, FIRST RESPONDERS, AND ALL WHO WORK DAILY TO PROTECT AND SERVE. STRENGTHEN THEM, PROTECT THEM, GUIDE THEM AS THEY CARRY OUT THEIR DUTIES WITH COURAGE AND INTEGRITY. 
          FATHER, WE ASK THAT EVERY DECISION MADE IN THIS CHAMBER WOULD HELP SHAPE SAN ANTONIO INTO A CITY THAT IS SAFE, THRIVING AND FULL OF OPPORTUNITY. 
          A PLACE WHERE FAMILIES FLOURISH, BUSINESSES GROW AND COMMUNITIES ARE STRENGTHENED. A PLACE WHERE PEOPLE ARE PROUD TO LIVE, WORK AND PLAY PLAY. GIVE THEM SERVANT HEARTS. LEAD WITH HUMILITY AND ALWAYS CONSIDER THE PEOPLE BEHIND EVERY POLICY AND VOTE. 
          WE PRAY FOR PEACE ACROSS EVERY NEIGHBORHOOD, FOR UNITY ACROSS EVERY DISTRICT AND FOR A SHARED VISION THAT MOVES THIS CITY FORWARD. AND IT'S IN JESUS' NAME THAT 
          WE PRAY, AMEN. >> MAYOR JONES: THANK YOU FOR THAT, CODY. 
          PLEASE JOIN ME IN THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE. 
          [00:05:21]
          >> MAYOR JONES: ITEM 3 IS APPROVAL OF THE MANIPULATE FOR THE CITY COUNCIL MEETINGS OF MARCH 19TH, 2026. ARE THERE ANY CORRECTIONS OR EDITS TO THE MINUTES? OKAY. HEARING NONE, IS THERE A 
          MOTION FOR THE APPROVAL OF THE MINUTES? >> SECOND. 
          >> MAYOR JONES: THERE'S A MOTION AND A SECOND. PLEASE VOTE. 
          O■KAY. THE MOTION CARRIES. THANK YOU. 
          SO TODAY WE ARE CELEBRATING NATIONAL PUBLIC HEALTH WEEK. I WILL READ A PROCLAMATION AND THEN INVITE DR. JACOB WITH METRO HEALTH TO SPEAK. THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO RECOGNIZES THAT THE FIRST FULL WEEK OF APRIL MARKS THE OBSERVANCE OF NATIONAL PUBLIC HEALTH WEEK ESTABLISHED IN 1995 BY THE AMERICAN PUBLIC HEALTH ASSOCIATION TO RAISE AWARENESS OF PUBLIC HEALTH ISSUES AND PROMOTE INITIATIVES THAT STRENGTHEN AND BUILD HEALTHIER COMMUNITIES. 
          AND WHEREAS THE 2026 THEME, READY, SET, ACTION, CALLS UPON EACH OF US TO REFLECT ON OUR INDIVIDUAL PROGRESS AND COMMIT TO TAKING ACTION FOR AN HEALTHIER FUTURE. 
          AND WHEREAS THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO METRO HEALTH DEPARTMENT REMAINS DEDICATED TO HEALTHY PEOPLE THRIVING IN A COMMUNITY. AND THAT IT HELPS PREVENT THE SPREAD OF DISEASES AND PROMOTES BEHAVIORS FOR QUALITY OF LIFE AND PROTECT COMMUNITIES FROM ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH HAZARDS. 
          WHEREAS FOR THE THIRD CONSECUTIVE YEAR SAN ANTONIO HAS BEEN AWARDED THE GOLD RATING OF CITY HEALTH FOR THE COMMITMENT IN IMPLEMENTING POLICIES THAT ENHANCE THE HEALTH AND WELL-BEING OF ITS RESIDENTS. WHEREAS SAN ANTONIO REMAINS ONE OF SEVEN CITIES NATIONWIDE AND ONLY CITY IN TEXAS TO RECEIVE THIS PRESTIGIOUS HONOR FOR THREE CONSECUTIVE YEARS AS RECOGNIZED BY THE FOUNDATION AND KAISER PERMANENT. THEREFORE I, GINA ORTIZ, JONES, MAYOR OF THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO, IN RECOGNITION THERE OF DO PROCLAIM APRIL 6 THROUGH 13. 
          WE ARE ALL PUBLIC HEALTH AND IT STARTS HERE AND STARTS WITH US. 
          THANK YOU, DR. JACOB. YOU'RE RECOGNIZED TO SPEAK. >> THANK YOU. 
          GOOD MORNING, MAYOR, MEMBERS OF THE CITY COUNCIL. THANK YOU, ERIK, FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO BE HERE TODAY. I'M DIRECTOR OF METRO HEALTH AND I'D LIKE TO RECOGNIZE OUR FANTASTIC STAFF AND VALUED COMMUNITY PARTNERS WHO ARE JOINING US TODAY AND WHO WORK EVERYDAY TO IMPROVE THE HEALTH OF OUR COMMUNITY. 
          I'D ALSO LIKE TO ACKNOWLEDGE DAVE, DIRECTOR OF CITY HEALTH, AS A SPECIAL GUEST JOINING US FROM AUSTIN, AS WELL AS DR. GARCIA, CEO OF THE CENTER FOR HEALTH EMPOWERMENT IN SOUTH TEXAS. JUST KNOW THAT IT TAKES A VILLAGE TO DO THIS WORK AND EACH APRIL COMMUNITIES ACROSS THE COUNTRY JOIN THE AMERICAN PUBLIC HEALTH ASSOCIATION ALSO REFERRED TO AS APHA TO CELEBRATE NATIONAL PUBLIC HEALTH WEEK. 
          WE'VE BEEN DOING THIS FOR OVER 30 YEARS AND THIS CAMPAIGN IS TAKING PLACE APRIL 6 THROUGH 12TH AND HIGHLIGHTS THE CRITICAL ROLE THAT PUBLIC HEALTH PLAYS IN KEEPING OUR COMMUNITY SAFE AND HEALTHY. KNOW THAT AT METRO HEALTH AS YOU HEARD FROM THE MAYOR WE ARE GUIDED BY HEALTHY PEOPLE THRIVING IN OUR COMMUNITY. 
          OUR WORK FOCUSES ON PREVENTING DISEASE, PROMOTING HEALTHIER LIFESTYLES AND PROTECTING OUR RESIDENTS FROM ENVIRONMENTAL AND PUBLIC HEALTH RISKS. JUST KNOW THAT WE KNOW THAT STRONG PARTNERSHIPS ARE ESSENTIAL TO THIS WORK. OUR TEAM COLLABORATES CLOSELY WITH BEXAR COUNTY AND THE HEALTH CARE SYSTEMS, THE COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS, SCHOOLS AND MANY OTHERS TO ENSURE OUR EFFORTS ARE IMPACTFUL AND RESPONSIVE TO THE COMMUNITY'S NEEDS. 
          ALSO I WANT TO INVITE THE PUBLIC TO JOIN US FOR OUR ANNUAL PUBLIC HEALTH FEST THAT'S TAKING PLACE NEXT THURSDAY, APRIL 9TH FROM 3:00 TO 6:00 P.M. AT ROSEDALE PARK. THE EVENT IS FREE AND WILL INCLUDE HEALTH RESOURCES, SCREENINGS, IMMUNIZATIONS, FOOD DEMONSTRATIONS AND FAMILY FRIENDLY ACTIVITIES. 
          WE'RE ALSO EXCITED THAT LATER THIS FALL THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO WILL HOST APHA'S ANNUAL MEETING AND EXPOSITION, BRINGING PUBLIC HEALTH PROFESSIONALS FROM ACROSS THE COUNTRY TO OUR FAIR CITY. THIS IS A SIGNIFICANT OPPORTUNITY TO SHOWCASE OUR WORK AND STRENGTHEN PARTNERSHIPS THAT ADVANCE PUBLIC HEALTH NATIONWIDE. FINALLY AGAIN I WANT TO THANK OUR INCREDIBLE STAFF AND MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC HEALTH STEERING COMMITTEE FOR ORGANIZING A WEEK OF MEANINGFUL EVENTS IN RECOGNITION OF NATIONAL PUBLIC HEALTH WEEK, AGAIN TAKING PLACE NEXT WEEK APRIL 6 . FOR MORE INFORMATION PLEASE CHECK YOUR WEBSITE. 
          [00:10:06]
          SA.GOV/NPHW. THANK YOU. >> MAYOR JONES: THANK YOU. 
          WOULD ANYONE ELSE LIKE TO SPEAK? NO? OKAY. GREAT. COUNCILMEMBER VIAGRAN? 
          >> VIAGRAN: THANK YOU. I DO LOVE HEALTH WEEK AND I DO WANT TO ENCOURAGE EVERYONE TO GO OUT. WE'VE HAD IT AT LEAST TWICE IN DISTRICT 3 AND IT HAS ALWAYS BEEN AN AMAZING TIME. AND I ENCOURAGE EVERYONE TO GET OUT THERE TO GO AHEAD AND GET YOUR BLOOD PRESSURE CHECKED TO MAKE SURE YOU DO THAT AND TAKING THE TIME TO UNDERSTAND YOU'RE A WHOLE PERSON AND WE HAVE A WHOLE LOT TO TAKE CARE OF FROM OUR MENTAL HEALTH TO OUR PHYSICAL HEALTH. AND I WANT TO THANK YOU, DR. JAR EVERY YEAR COMING OUT WITH A DIFFERENT DEPARTMENTS, WHETHER IT COMES FROM THE TOOTHBRUSHES TO THE FOOD PORTIONS, WE REALLY LOOK FORWARD TO IT. 
          I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO SEEING HOW THE ROSEDALE PARK DOES WITH THEIR FESTIVAL BECAUSE OF COURSE I WANT IT BACK IN DISTRICT 3. WE'LL SEE HOW THAT GOES. 
          ALL RIGHT, THANK YOU. >> MAYOR JONES: COUNCILMEMBER MUNGIA. 
          >> MUNGIA: MAYBE NEXT YEAR IT WILL BE IN DISTRICT 4. THANK YOU ALL SO MUCH. 
          AND ALL THREE OF US RIGHT HERE ACTUALLY HAD RECENT HEALTH FAIRS IN OUR OWN DISTRICTS. IN ADDITION TO CLAY FLORES AND PREPANDEMIC THAT DIDN'T EXIST, RIGHT? WE WEREN'T TALKING ABOUT THAT ESPECIALLY AS PUBLIC OFFICIALS AND WE'RE DOING A LOT BETTER JOB BECAUSE OF YOUR WORK. 
          AND OF COURSE I COULDN'T GO WITHOUT MENTIONING MY PREDECESSOR DR. ROCHA GARCIA WHO DID A LOT OF WORK AND DURING THE PANDEMIC TO BRING PUBLIC HEALTH TO THE FORWARD. IT STARTS WITH YOU ALL AND AS WE START HAVING DISCUSSIONS LATER IN THE COUNCIL I WANT US TO REMEMBER THAT HAVING HEALTHY KIDS, HAVING HEALTH CARE FOR FOLKS IS WHERE WE START FOR THE FOUNDATION OF OUR 
          SOCIETY REALLY TO TRULY MAKE IT SAFE. >> MAYOR JONES: 
          COUNCILMEMBER CASTILLO. >> CASTILLO: THANK YOU. I WANTED TO THANK YOU FOR YOUR WORK AND DEDICATION, BUT TO STRONGLY ENCOURAGE MY COLLEAGUES TO JOIN THE METRO HEALTH DEPARTMENT OVER AT ROSEDALE PARK. IT'S AN EVENT LIKE NO OTHER I'VE SEEN IN THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO HOST. THE ATTENDANCE IS BEYOND ANY TOWN HALL, BUDGET TOWN HALL THAT I'VE SEEN DURING MY TENURE ON COUNCIL, BUT I HIGHLIGHT THAT BECAUSE IT DEMONSTRATES THE NEED. IT'S SAN ANTONIO RESIDENTS ALL THROUGHOUT THE CITY LOOKING TO GET CONNECTED TO RESOURCES, ACTIVITIES AND SO MUCH MORE. AS WE NAVIGATE THE 2026 BUDGET, I THINK IT WILL DEMONSTRATE THE IMPORTANCE AND THE IMPACT THAT YOUR DEPARTMENT BRINGS TO RESIDENTS OF THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO AND THE IMPORTANCE TO ENSURE THAT WE CONTINUE TO SUPPORT THE METRO HEALTH DEPARTMENT AS MUCH AS WE CAN AS WE NAVIGATE FEDERAL 
          CHANGES. THANK YOU, MAYOR. >> MAYOR JONES: 
          COUNCILWOMAN GALVAN. >> GALVAN: THANK YOU, MAYOR AND FOR THE WONDERFUL WORDS. THANK YOU TO THE METRO HEALTH DEPARTMENT FOR ALL THE WORK YOU DO NOW AND WHAT YOU'VE BEEN DOING FOR YEARS THAT OTHER CITIES ONLY WISH THEY COULD DO HERE AND HAVE THAT KIND OF TRUST IN OUR COMMUNITIES AS WELL TO LOOK OUT NOT ONLY FOR OUR COMMUNITY HEALTH WORKERS BUT ANYBODY ON THE METRO HEALTH TEAM THAT UNDERSTAND THEY CAN GET NOT ONLY HEALTH CARE SERVICES, BUT SOCIAL SERVICES TOO TO ENSURE THAT THEY HAVE THE FOUNDATIONAL THEY NEED TO BE ABLE TO THRIVE IN OUR CITY. I OFTEN THINK ABOUT, OF COURSE, THE BUDGETARY CONVERSATIONS WE'LL HAVE LATER THIS YEAR AND CONVERSATIONS WE'VE BEEN HIGHLIGHTING A LOT OF THE WORK THAT METRO HEALTH HAS BEEN DOING THAT IS UNFORTUNATELY AT RISK AT THIS TIME DUE TO NATIONAL POLITICS AND OTHER STATE FUNDING. BUT I'M EAGER TO SAY AND I FEEL CONFIDENT TO SAY THAT I BELIEVE THAT CITY OF SAN ANTONIO AND THE FOLKS UP HERE WILL BE ABLE TO FIGHT TOOTH AND NOW TO PRESERVE THE PROGRAMS AND HOPEFULLY EXPAND WHEREVER WE CAN TO ENSURE THAT WE'RE SUPPORTING THE HEALTH OF OUR KIDS, OUR FAMILIES, OUR SENIORS AS WELL. AND THE WHOLE HOLISTIC WAY. 
          IT'S NOT JUST ABOUT HEALTH CARE ACCESS, IT'S ABOUT THE ENVIRONMENTAL ASPECTS OF IT, THE CIVIC LIFE OF FOLKS, ABOUT THE HEALTH AND RECREATION OF THEM AS WELL. 
          I'LL END WITH THIS BECAUSE I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT TO REMEMBER, THAT I HAVE TRIED TO KEEP IN MIND WHENEVER WE TALK ABOUT THIS -- A LOT OF FOLKS WHEN I TALK TO THEM SAY IS THAT PART OF THE BASIC PARTS OF OUR CITY? I SAID YES, SECTION 3 OF OUR CHARTER, THE FIRST PARAGRAPH SAYS QUITE CLEARLY THAT AS NEEDED FOR THE GOVERNMENT INTEREST, WELFARE OF THE CITY, HEALTH, MORALS, COMFORT, SAFETY AND CONVENIENCE OF ITS INHABITANTS, WE HAVE THE ABILITY TO INVEST IN OUR HEALTH SYSTEM SO THAT'S HOW WE DO AT METRO HEALTH AND I'M GRATEFUL TO HAVE YOU HERE NOT ONLY FOR PUBLIC HEALTH WEEK, BUT YEAR-ROUND. THANK YOU. 
          >> MAYOR JONES: COUNCILWOMAN MEZA GONZÁLEZ. >> GONZÁLEZ: THANK YOU, MAYOR, THANK YOU, EVERYBODY ON METRO -- THE METRO HEALTH --H WEEK. 
          SORRY, LOST MY WORDS FOR A MINUTE. I JUST WANTED TO THANK YOU FOR ALL THE WORK THAT YOU GUYS ARE DOING. DISTRICT 8 IS HOME TO THE MEDICAL CENTER SO MAKING SURE THAT WE KEEP THAT IS A PRIORITY TO MYSELF AND THE RESIDENTS OF DISTRICT 8. SO APRIL 30TH WE ARE WORKING WITH METRO HEALTH, JESSE HIGGINS, ON A TEEN MENTAL HEALTH TOWN HALL WITH UT SAN ANTONIO, METRO HEALTH, 
          [00:15:03]
OUR SAN ANTONIO YOUTH COMMISSION AND SAPD. SO I LOOK FORWARD TO THAT EVENT AND THANK YOU FOR ALL THE WORK YOU'RE DOING IN OUR COMMUNITY. 
          >> MAYOR JONES: GREAT. THANK YOU SO MUCH. I WANT TO -- CLAUDE, YOU DO GREAT WORK AND A LOT OF YOUR WORK IS BUTTRESSED BY FEDERAL FUNDING. 
          HALF OF YOUR BUDGET BEING FEDERAL FUNDING. SO WE KNOW AS ALREADY ALLUDED TO WHEN WE LOOK AT THE BUDGET, WHEN WE LOOK AT THE MEDICAID 1115 WAIVER PROGRAM THAT WILL END HERE SHORTLY, I AM PROUD TO HEAR SOME OF MY COLLEAGUES ALREADY THINKING ABOUT CONVERSATIONS ABOUT HOW TO NOT ONLY CLOSE THAT GAP, NOT JUST THE FUNDING BUT THE CONSEQUENCES OF THAT AND WHAT IT MEANS FOR THE TRAJECTORY OF KIDS GOING TO SCHOOL, BUT KIDS SHOWING UP TO WORK HEALTHY. 
          IT'S NOT AN INSIGNIFICANT AMOUNT OF MONEY. $8 MILLION. 
          AS WE'RE DISCUSSING THE IMPACTS OF THE BIG BEAUTIFUL BILL, MEDICAID, MEDICARE AND SNAP. IT'S NOT JUST OUR AWARENESS OF THE MONEY NOT COMING INTO OUR COMMUNITY, BUT OUR UNDERSTANDING OF WHO IT'S IMPACTING, WHO IT'S DISPROPORTIONATELY IMPACTING, WHAT ASSUMPTIONS ON WHO MAY HELP US COVER THAT AND HOW DO WE POTENTIALLY OFFSET SOME OF THOSE THINGS IN BUDGET. 
          BUT THEN ALSO COMMUNICATE, UNFORTUNATELY, THINGS WE'RE NOT GOING TO BE ABLE TO OFFSET AND HOW DO WE UNDERSTAND WHAT THAT MEANS FOR THE LONG-TERM HEALTH OF OUR COMMUNITY. I THINK IT'S ALSO IMPORTANT AS WE HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY HERE LATER ON THIS YEAR, WE WILL REVIEW OUR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT POLICY. 
          AND IT WILL REQUIRE US AT THE LOCAL LEVEL TO HELP OURSELVES AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE. WE HAVE TO THINK NOT ONLY OF THE CONSEQUENCES OF THE CUTS THAT I JUST TALKED ABOUT, BUT ALSO THE ROLLBACK OF PROTECTIONS, THE ENDANGERMENT CLAUSE, FOR EXAMPLE, WITH THE E.P.A. AND WHAT THAT MEANS TO OUR AIR QUALITY AND THUS WHAT IT MEANS TO THE PUBLIC HEALTH OF OUR YOUNG KIDS IN PARTICULAR. YOU KNOW, I WAS JUST AT THE PORT A COUPLE OF WEEKS AGO AND THE PORT, PORT SAN ANTONIO, IT'S GREAT TO SEE THE GOOD WORK THAT STANDARD AERO AND BOEING DOES THERE. I WAS NOT SUPER SURPRISED, BUT I WAS SHOCKED TO HEAR ABOUT THE INVESTMENTS THAT THEY THEMSELVES ARE HAVING TO MAKE IN THEIR OWN MEDICAL CARE AS WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE WORKFORCE FOR EXAMPLE OF BOEING AND OTHERS, IT'S A DIFFERENT CALIBER OF HEALTH THAN IN OTHER COMMUNITIES. 
          SO THAT RESTS ON ALL OF US AS WE THINK NOT ONLY OF THE HEALTH INVESTMENTS, BUT ALSO THEN THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT ASKS AND CONSIDERATIONS WE SHOULD BE INCLUDING. SO AGAIN, MY HAT'S OFF TO YOU FOR THE GOOD WORK THAT YOU ALL DO. THANK YOU FOR RECOGNIZING THIS IMPORTANT WEEK AND THANK YOU FOR ALWAYS KEEPING THIS TOPIC AT THE FOREFRONT. THANK YOU EVERYBODY. 
          >> THANK YOU. [APPLAUSE]. >> MAYOR JONES: THIS MONTH IS ALSO FAIR HOUSING MONTH, SO I'M PROUD TO READ A PROCLAMATION AS WELL. 
          THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO RECOGNIZES THE FAIR HOUSING ACT ENACTED ON APRIL 11TH, 1968, WHICH ENSHRINED INTO FEDERAL LAW THE GOAL OF ELIMINATING RACIAL SEGREGATION AND ENDING HOUSING DISCRIMINATION IN THE UNITED STATES. 
          WHEREAS THE FAIR HOUSING ACT PROHIBITS DISCRIMINATION AND HOUSING, LENDING AND INSURANCE BASED ON RACE OR COLOR, RELIGION, SEX, NATIONAL ORIGIN, FAMILIAL STATUS OR DISABILITY, AND COMMITS RECIPIENTS OF FEDERAL FUNDING TO FURTHER EQUAL ACCESS TO FAIR HOUSING IN THEIR COMMUNITIES. AND WHEREAS THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO IS COMMITTED TO THE MISSION AND INTENT OF CONGRESS TO PROVIDE FAIR AND EQUAL HOUSING OPPORTUNITIES FOR ALL RESIDENTS AND WHEREAS DIVERSE AND INCLUSIVE COMMUNITIES STRENGTHEN OUR SOCIAL FABRIC, ECONOMY, HEALTH AND ENVIRONMENT AND WHEREAS OTHER BARRIERS TO AFFORDABLE HOUSING OPPORTUNITIES PERSIST MORE THAN 50 YEARS AFTER THE PASSAGE OF THE FAIR HOUSING ACT AND SUCH BARRIERS ARE REPUGNANT TO A COMMON SENSE OF DECENCY AND FAIRNESS. 
          NOW THEREFORE I, GINA ORTIZ JONES, MAYOR OF THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO, IN RECOGNITION THEREOF, DO HERE BY PROCLAIM APRIL 2026 TO BE FAIR HOUSING MONTH 2026 IN CITY OF SAN ANTONIO, TEXAS. I THINK THIS IS A PARTICULARLY TIMELY TOPIC, AND FRANKLY WE UNDERSTAND THE INTERSECTIONS BETWEEN HOUSING AND PUBLIC HEALTH. 
          JUST YESTERDAY, IN FACT, WE DISCUSSED AN ORDINANCE THAT WOULD HAVE PROVIDED PROTECTIONS TO PROTECT AGAINST SOURCE OF INCOME DISCRIMINATION FOR VETERANS. 
          YOU'LL HEAR WHEN I READ THROUGH WHO THE FAIR HOUSING ACT PROHIBITS DISCRIMINATION AGAINST, YOU DID NOT HEAR VETERANS. YOU DID NOT HEAR VETERANS. 
          AND UNFORTUNATELY THIS CONTINUES TO BE A SIGNIFICANT SOURCE OF ANGST 
          [00:20:01]
AND FRUSTRATION IN HERE -- HERE IN MILITARY CITY USA. AND SO I AM THANKFUL FOR THE WORK OF GROUPS LIKE AMERICAN GI FORUM THAT HAVE SHOWN THE WAY. 
          COMMUNITIES LIKE FORT WORTH THAT HAVE ALSO DEMONSTRATED THAT IT IS POSSIBLE IN FACT TO PASS AN ORDINANCE TO PROHIBIT DISCRIMINATION BASED ON THE USE OF A VETERAN USING A VOUCHER. SO I KNOW THAT ORDINANCE IS GOING TO -- IT WILL MAKE ITS WAY TO PCDC AND WILL EXIT QUICKLY TO ENSURE THAT WE ARE NOT NEEDLESSLY DISCRIMINATEING AGAINST VETERANS FOR ONE DAY ANY LONGER THAN NEEDED. 
          I WILL NOW RECOGNIZE COUNCILMEMBER CASTILLO TO SPEAK. 
          >> CASTILLO: THANK YOU, MAYOR. GRATEFUL TO HEAR YESTERDAY CONSENSUS FROM COUNCIL TO SUPPORT THE ORDINANCE TO SUPPORT VETERANS. 
          AS WE KNOW FOR MUCH OF THE 20TH CENTURY, HOUSING DISCRIMINATION WAS DEEPLY ENTRENCHED ACROSS AMERICA, ESPECIALLY IN SAN ANTONIO WHERE THE HISTORY OF RED LINING CONTINUES TO IMPACT OUR PUBLIC SCHOOLS, PUBLIC HOUSING AND OVERALL COMMUNITY INVESTMENT. THIS MONTH IT'S NOT JUST ABOUT OBSERVING HISTORIC LEGISLATION, IT'S ALSO ABOUT CHALLENGES THAT CONTINUE TO WORK TOWARDS AFFORDABILITY, ACCESSIBILITY AND ADDRESSING SYSTEMIC INEQUALITY. WE MUST ACKNOWLEDGE THOSE WHO WORK TOWARDS THESE IDEALS YEAR-ROUND FROM NHSD AND THEIR TEAM AND THE FAIR HOUSING TRUST AND THEIR SUCCESSFUL TENANT PROTECTION POLICY FOR ALL OUR ADVOCATES AND ORGANIZERS. I'M GRATEFUL FOR VERONICA GARCIA AND HER TEAM AS WELL AS JUST CONTINUE HOLLY AND COUNCILMEMBER CASTILLO AND OF THRIVE YOUTH CENTER AND THE HOUSING COMMISSION. IF YOU ALL CAN JOIN US AT THE PODIUM TO SHARE A COUPLE 
          OF WORDS WE'D GREATLY APPRECIATE IT. >> IT'S A LITTLE CHILLY IN HERE. [LAUGHTER]. BUT GOOD MORNING AND THANK YOU TO THE CITY COUNCIL FOR RECOGNIZING FAIR HOUSING MONTH. 
          AS WE ALL KNOW, THE FAIR HOUSING ACT OF 1968 WAS A VERY CRITICAL AND NECESSARY STEP. IT WAS ABOUT OPENING DOORS AND CREATING ACCESS WHERE THERE HAD BEEN BARRIERS FOR FAR TOO LONG. IT MADE IT ILLEGAL TO DISCRIMINATE IN HOUSING BASED ON RACE, COLOR, RELIGION, SEX. 
          I WANT TO EMPHASIZE SEX HERE, OR NATIONAL ORIGIN. WHILE WE RECOGNIZE HOW IMPORTANT THAT MOMENT WAS, WE ALSO HAVE TO BE HONEST ABOUT WHERE WE ARE TODAY BECAUSE FOR A LOT OF YOUNG PEOPLE, ESPECIALLY THE YOUTH WE SERVE, ACCESS TO SAFE HOUSING IS STILL NOT ALWAYS GUARANTEED. AT THRIVE YOUTH CENTER WE WORK WITH LBGTQ+ YOUTH WHO ARE NAVIGATING HOUSING INSTABILITY EVERY SINGLE DAY AND MANY OF THEM DIDN'T JUST LOSE HOUSING, THEY WERE PUSHED OUT OF IT. 
          LBGTQ+ YOUTH ARE ALSO OVERREPRESENTED IN OUR HOMELESS POPULATION, NOT BECAUSE OF WHO THEY ARE, BUT BECAUSE OF REJECTION, DISCRIMINATION AND SYSTEMS THAT WEREN'T BUILT WITH THEM IN MIND. SO WHEN WE TALK ABOUT DISCRIMINATION BASED ON SEX, WE HAVE TO BE CLEAR THAT THOSE PROTECTIONS MUST INCLUDE LBGTQ+ YOUTH PLUS WHEN THEY DON'T, OUR YOUNG PEOPLE ARE THE ONES WHO PAY THE PRICE. IF THIS ISN'T HAPPENING SOMEWHERE ELSE, IT'S HAPPENING RIGHT HERE IN SAN ANTONIO. TO YOUNG PEOPLE IN OUR COMMUNITY, WE RECENTLY ADDED FOUR MORE BEDS AT THRIVE AND EVEN THAT ISN'T ENOUGH TO MEET THE NEED WE'RE SEEING EVERYDAY. AT A TIME WHEN PROTECTIONS ARE BEING QUESTIONED AND ROLLED BACK, MOMENTS LIKE THIS MATTER EVEN MORE BECAUSE FAIR HOUSING ISN'T JUST A POLICY ISSUE, IT'S A HUMAN ISSUE AND ABOUT WHETHER A YOUNG PERSON HAS A PLACE TO SLEEP, WHETHER THEY FEEL AFFIRMED AT THAT SPACE AND WHETHER THEY HAVE A CHANCE AT A FUTURE. SO THE FAIR HOUSING ACT CREATED A FOUNDATION, BUT OUR WORK IS ABOUT MAKING THOSE PROTECTIONS REAL, ESPECIALLY FOR LBGTQ+ YOUTH WHO ARE STILL BEING PUSHED TO THE MARGINS. 
          AT THRIVE WE'RE PROUD TO BE PART OF THAT WORK TO CLOSE THAT GAP AND WE WILL ALWAYS BE THAT SPACE WHERE YOUNG PEOPLE ARE NOT JUST HOUSED, BUT RESPECTED, SUPPORTED AND ABLE TO SHOW UP AS THEIR FULL SELVES. SO YES, TODAY IS A CELEBRATION, BUT IT'S ALSO A REMINDER THAT EQUITY AND HOUSING ISN'T JUST FINISHED AND IT'S ON ALL OF US TO KEEP PUSHING FORWARD UNTIL EVERY YOUNG PERSON HAS NOT JUST A SAFE PLACE TO STAY, BUT A PLACE WHERE THEY BELONG BECAUSE HOUSING IS MORE THAN JUST A ROOF, IT'S SAFETY, IT'S DIGNITY AND FOR MANY OF OUR YOUTH, IT'S THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN SURVIVING AND ACTUALLY HAVING A FUTURE. 
          THANK YOU. >> MAYOR JONES: THANK YOU. [APPLAUSE]. 
          >> CASTILLO: THANK AS WE GROUND OURSELVES IN HISTORY AND GROUND OURSELVES IN SYSTEMS THAT ARE UNDER THE GUISE OF PROCESS. I WOULD BE REMISS IF I DIDN'T HIGHLIGHT THE WAYS IN WHICH ACTIONS WE TAKE TODAY CAN IMPACT AND PERPETUATE THOSE SYSTEMS AND HIGHLIGHTING ONE OF OUR STRATEGIC HOUSING LIMITATION PARTNERS, OPPORTUNITY HOME, AND HOW THEY VOTED TO APPROVE THEIR PROGRAM TO ERADICATE PUBLIC HOUSING, THIS IS A TREND THAT WE'VE SEEN ALL THROUGHOUT THE UNITED STATES AND HOW IT IMPACTS AND INCREASES HOMELESSNESS ACROSS THE CITY, AND CREATES MORE BARRIERS TO ACCESS TO HOUSING TO SUPPORT OUR 
          [00:25:03]
HOUSING PARTNERS. SO WITH THAT BEING SAID, RIGHT, I WOULD HOPE AND REQUEST THE MAYOR NOT SUPPORT A LETTER OF RECOMMENDATION TO OPPORTUNITY HOME TO SUPPORT 
          THANK Y'ALL. >> MAYOR JONES: COUNCILMEMBER VIAGRAN. 
          >> VIAGRAN: THANK YOU SO MUCH AND THANK YOU FOR -- WE UNDERSTAND THAT THIS IS HISTORIC, THAT WE HAVE MADE SOME PROGRESS, BUT WHAT WE DON'T WANT TO DO IS GO BACK. 
          AND THANK YOU FOR BRINGING UP THE ISSUE OF DISCRIMINATING BASED ON SEX. 
          BECAUSE AS WE KNOW, THE LBGTQ ARE FACING IT, WOMEN ARE FACING IT, PEOPLE WHO IDENTIFY AS WOMEN ARE FACING IT, AND WE NEED TO CONTINUE TO MOVE FORWARD. 
          AND WITH YOUR EFFORTS AND WORKING TOGETHER I THINK WE CAN CONTINUE TO MAKE SURE THAT WE GET PEOPLE IN HOUSING AND IN HOMES, AND CAN SOUND THE ALARM IF WE SEE PEOPLE ARE DISCRIMINATING AND BANKS ARE DISCRIMINATING AGAINST THOSE TRYING TO GET LOANS, COUPLES TRYING TO GET LOANS BECAUSE WE ARE NEEDING TO PAY ATTENTION TO WHAT'S GOING ON HERE. AND COMPLETELY IN SUPPORT. 
          THE COUNCILWOMAN BROUGHT UP RED LINING, AND THEY USED TO DO THAT BASED ON REGION, USED TO DO THAT BASED ON COLOR, BUT I THINK WE'RE SEEING REDLINES COME IN BASED ON HOW YOU IDENTIFY, HOW YOU -- WHERE YOU SPEND YOUR MONEY, WHAT YOU'VE DONE AND HOW YOU'VE SERVED. SO I THINK THAT IS KEY AS WE MOVE FORWARD AND WE DO HAVE SOME GREAT LEGISLATION -- POLICY RIGHT NOW TO DISCUSS WITH THE VETERANS THAT WE REMEMBER ALL THE GROUPS THAT ARE CURRENTLY BEING REDLINED AND PUSHED TO THE SIDE. 
          SO THANK YOU FOR YOUR EFFORTS. I LOOK FORWARD TO WORKING WITH YOU GUYS ON THE HOUSING TRUST, AND AS WE FIND THAT MISSING MIDDLE AND AS WE MAKE SURE THAT WE GET PEOPLE INTO HOMES AND WE GET PEOPLE FEELING SECURE ON WHERE 
          THEY'RE STAYING. THANK YOU. >> MAYOR JONES: COUNCILMAN 
          MUNGIA. >> MUNGIA: COUNCILMEMBER, WE MISS YOU. 
          THANK YOU FOR THE WORK YOU DO AT THRIVE AND IN THE COMMUNITY. 
          YOU'RE DOING SOME OF THE MOST IMPORTANT WORK ACROSS THE CITY, WHICH IS MAKING SURE THAT KIDS AND YOUNG ADULTS HAVE A HOME AND A SAFE PLACE SIMPLY FOR BEING WHO THEY ARE. AND AS YOU SAID, A LOT OF FOLKS ARE FORCED OUT OF THEIR HOME FOR BEING HONEST ABOUT THEMSELVES. AND IT'S A TRUE TRAGEDY IN THE SOCIETY THAT WE HAVE. SO PUBLIC HOUSING, FAIR HOUSING IS VERY IMPORTANT AND THANK YOU FOR YOUR WORK ON THE SUPPLY TASK FORCE. MAKING SURE THAT CERTAIN POPULATIONS THAT ARE KIND OF MISSED THROUGHOUT OUR SOCIETY AND OUR HOUSING ARE THOUGHT OF AND HAVE A SAFE PLACE TO LIVE. AND HAVING A STABLE HOME, HAVING HEALTH CARE ARE THE TRUE LITERAL FOUNDATIONS OF PUBLIC SAFETY ACROSS OUR CITY. SO I THINK WE SHOULD ALSO REMEMBER THAT AS WE HAVE OUR DISCUSSION TODAY. THANK YOU ALL FOR YOUR WORK AND LOOK FORWARD TO CONTINUE 
          TO WORKING WITH YOU ALL. THANK YOU. >> MAYOR JONES: COUNCILMAN 
          GALVAN. >> GALVAN: THANK YOU, MAYOR. 
          THANK YOU FOR RECOGNIZING THE FAIR HOUSING MONTH THIS MONTH. 
          SOMETHING THAT I ALWAYS FIND INTERESTING ABOUT FAIR HOUSING MONTH AND THE ACT ITSELF IN 1968, WAS THAT IT WAS THE MOST AND CONTINUES TO BE HISTORICALLY THE MOST FILIBUSTERED BILL IN ALL OF THE UNITED STATES SENATE HISTORY BECAUSE ONE THING TO SAY EVERYONE SHOULD HAVE A PLACE TO LIVE, EVERYONE DESERVES DIGNITY. 
          ONE THING TO SAY EVERYONE SHOULD BE ABLE TO HAVE ACCESS TO THIS AND ANOTHER TO ACTUALLY DELIVER UPON IT. ACT IS INTENDED TO ENSURE THAT EVERY CITY IN AMERICA, EVERY PLACE IN OUR COUNTRY WAS ABLE TO FIND HOUSING, CREATE HOUSING FOR PEOPLE NO MATTER THEIR AGE, NO MATTER THEIR SEX, THEIR ORIGIN, ALL THE ABOVE. 
          AND THEY DIDN'T BECAUSE THERE'S A LACK OF ENFORCEMENT. 
          AND OFTEN IT WAS BECAUSE A DECISION WAS MADE AT THE LOCAL LEVELS. 
          BECAUSE DECISIONS MADE WORRIED ABOUT RACIAL CONCERNS, QUOTE, UNQUOTE, WORRIED ABOUT NON-DISCRIMINATION OVERALL, WORRIED ABOUT CHANGING THE CULTURE HERE IN OUR COMMUNITIES. 
          AND ACTUALLY DELIVERING RESULTS FOR OUR COMMUNITIES. COULD WE IMAGINE WHAT THIS COUNTRY AND OUR CITY WOULD LOOK LIKE IF WE COULD DELIVER ON THESE THINGS NOT ONLY IN 1968, BUT ALL THROUGHOUT, NOT TURNING AWAY AS OUR COUNTRY DID IN 1971. 
          THAT'S STILL THE HISTORY THEY HAVE TO DEAL WITH TODAY AND I'M GRATEFUL TO BE IN THE STRUGGLE FOR BETTER HOUSING ACROSS OUR CITY TO ENSURE THAT PEOPLE ARE A ABLE TO AFFORD TO LIVE IN OUR CITY AS WE CONTINUE TO GROW. 
          IT'S A COMMITMENT WE HAVE TO CONTINUE TO MAKE BACK AND PUSH BACK ON THE HISTORY AND SAY INSTEAD OF BEING THE CITIES THAT RESISTED AND FOUGHT AGAINST INTEGRATION AND DELIVERING ON ACTUAL HOUSING AND FOR PEOPLE TO LIVE ANYWHERE IN OUR CITY, THAT WE ACTUALLY DO THAT, THAT WE ACTUALLY DELIVER UPON IT. 
          I WANT TO SAY THANK YOU TO LOWIO AND JUSTIN FOR ALL THE WORK YOU'RE DOING EVERYDAY. 
          ALL THE ORGANIZATIONS THAT CONTINUE TO PUSH FOR FAIR HOUSING IN OUR CITY AND 
          [00:30:01]
UNDERSTAND THAT IT'S NOT JUST AFFORDABLE HOUSING, IT'S NOT JUST VOUCHERS, IT'S NOT JUST HOME OWNERSHIP SUBSIDIES, IT'S ALL THOSE THINGS AND PUBLIC HOUSING TOO. 
          CONVERSATION TODAY AND THE RECOGNITION OF IT. AND THANK YOU AGAIN FOR THE COMMENTS. WE MISS YOU, LEO. HOPEFULLY WE CAN GET YOU FOLKS BACK UP HERE ONE DAY. AND JUSTIN, AGAIN, INCREDIBLE WORK AND GRATEFUL TO ALL THE CONVERSATIONS WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO HAVE AND SUPPORTING ALL THE WORK YOU 
          DO IN THRIVE. THANK YOU, MAYOR. >> MAYOR JONES: 
          COUNCILMEMBER ALDERETE GAVITO. >> GAVITO: I WANT TO THANK MY COLLEAGUE TERI CASTILLO FOR HIGHLIGHTING THIS. IT IS IMPORTANT. 
          AND I ALSO DO WANT TO THANK YOU LEO AND JUST JUSTIN BECAUSEI COULDN'T HAVE SAID IT BETTER THAN COUNCILMAN GALVAN. IT IS THAT WORK OF MAKING THESE PROTECTIONS REAL AND AS YOU SAID HOUSING IS SAFETY. THAT TAKES CONSISTENT, YOU KNOW -- CONSISTENT WORK EVERY SINGLE DAY. AND IT'S TOUGH WORK AND Y'ALL ARE IN THE MIDST OF IT. SO THANK YOU FOR PUSHING THE ROCK ON THIS FOR US, CHIPPING AWAY AT THE ROCK. WE NEED IT AND WE'RE HERE TO 
          SUPPORT YOU. THANK YOU. >> MAYOR JONES: WOULD YOU 
          LIKE TO COME UP AND SAY A FEW WORDS? >> THANK YOU, COUNCILMEMBER CASTILLO FOR HIGHLIGHTING THIS ITEM. THANK YOU, MAYOR. 
          I'M VERONICA GARCIA, THE DIRECTOR FOR OUR NEIGHBORHOOD AND HOUSING SERVICES DEPARTMENT. DURING FAIR HOUSING MONTH WE CELEBRATE PROGRESS WE'VE MADE TO HELP PEOPLE FIND AFFORDABLE HOUSING AS WELL AS THE WORK THAT REMAINS AHEAD TO ENSURE THAT HOUSING IS ACCESSIBLE FOR ALL PEOPLE IN SAN ANTONIO. 
          THIS WEEK -- THANK YOU, MAYOR, FOR HIGHLIGHTING THE PROGRESS WE'VE MADE WITH OUR AFFORDABLE HOUSING BOND. WE JUST CELEBRATED THAT WE NOW HAVE OVER 3,000 HOMES COMPLETED WITH THE BOND AND IN ADDITION OVER 1,000 MORE THAT ARE IN PROGRESS. 
          IN SHARING FAIR ACCESS TO THE HOUSING THAT WE ARE OBSERVING AND PRODUCING IS VERY CRITICAL. AFFORDABLE HOUSING STRENGTHENS NEIGHBORHOODS, ENSURING FAMILIES CAN STAY CLOSE TO WORK AND SCHOOL AND CLOSE TO THE PEOPLE THAT ARE THEIR SUPPORT SYSTEM. OUR TEAM PROVIDES SERVICES TO OVER 1,000 HOUSEHOLDS EVERY YEAR. WE HELP RENTERS UNDERSTAND THEIR RIGHTS AND RESPONSIBILITIES. WE HELP MEDIATE TENANT AND LANDLORD ISSUES SUCH AS LEASING ISSUES OR MAKE REPAIRS TO THEIR HOME. WE HELP HOMEOWNERS BUY THEIR FIRST HOME THROUGH MORTGAGE COUNSELING SERVICES, HOME BUYER CLASSES AND OFFERING UP TO $30,000 IN DOWN PAYMENT ASSISTANCE. FOR FAMILIES THAT ARE FACING A MORTGAGE CRISIS WE WORK DIRECTLY WITH THE HOMEOWNERS AND THEIR FINANCIAL INSTITUTIONS HELPING THEM RESTRUCTURE PAYMENTS SO THEY DON'T LOSE THEIR HOME. 
          WE ALSO THIS MONTH INVITE THE COMMUNITY TO JOIN US AT A RENTER'S RIGHTS WORKSHOP. 
          OUR PROPERTY TAX SECTIONS KICK OFF THIS MONTH AND WE HAVE SO MANY MORE OTHER EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITIES. WE ASK THEM TO SHARE OUR RESOURCES, SHARE FLYERS WITH EACH OTHER. FAIR HOUSING IS A COMMUNITY RESPONSIBILITY AND WE WORK WELL BEYOND THIS MONTH. OUR TEAM, OUR CITY, OUR FELLOW DEPARTMENTS ARE HERE EVERYDAY TO HELP FAMILIES FIND HOUSING AND STAY HOUSED. 
          SO THANK YOU. >> MAYOR JONES: THANK YOU. THANK YOU, VERONICA FOR AGAIN THE HARD WORK THAT YOU AND YOUR TEAM DO EVERY SINGLE DAY. 
          THANK YOU, JUSTIN AND LEO. JUSTIN, THANK YOU FOR SERVING AS MY APPOINTEE ON THE COMMISSION, THE HOUSING COMMISSION. I ALSO WANT TO THANK YOU FOR YOUR CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE SPECIAL SUPPLY HOUSING TASK FORCE THAT I ESTABLISHED AND HAD -- MADE SURE WAS WORKING THROUGH PCDC. THAT INCLUDES NOT ONLY CERTAINLY MAKING SURE THAT WE'VE GOT HOUSING SUPPLY FOR OUR LBGTQ YOUTH, BUT ALSO FOR SENIORS, THOSE WITH DISABILITIES AND OF COURSE OUR VETERANS. 
          SO THANK YOU FOR YOUR CONTRIBUTIONS TO THAT. I DO WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT I, FRANKLY, THANK AND CONGRATULATE THE TEAM AT OPPORTUNITY HOME FOR THE GOOD WORK THAT THEY'VE DONE. THE MOVING TO WORK PLAN IS AN IMPORTANT STEP IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION. I'VE THOUGHT ABOUT THIS ISSUE NOT ONLY FOR OUR COMMUNITY, BUT ALSO MY OWN PERSONAL EXPERIENCE. IT WAS A SECTION 8 VOUCHER THAT ALLOWED US TO LIVE IN A PLACE THAT WAS SAFE AND WAS CLEAN. 
          IT WAS NOT A CONCENTRATION OF POVERTY. AND I HAVE SEEN SOME OF THE HOUSING PROJECTS AND I'VE VISITED SOME OF THE HOUSING PROJECTS, AND UNFORTUNATELY WE CANNOT SAY THAT FOR SOME OF THE SUPPLY IN OUR COMMUNITY. 
          WE ARE IN FACT THE LAST BIG CITY IN TEXAS THAT HAS NOT EVEN STARTED THIS PROCESS. 
          COMMUNITIES LIKE EL PASO ARE ALREADY DONE. WHEN I TALK TO MAYORS ACROSS THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, THEY WERE DONE WITH THIS 20 YEARS AGO, 20 YEARS AGO. SO MOVING FORWARD TO REPOSITION AND ENSURE THAT FOLKS HAVE A SAFE, CLEAN, AFFORDABLE PLACE TO LIVE, WHICH IS WHAT THEY WILL 
          [00:35:04]
HAVE, IT MAKES A LOT OF SENSE AND I LOOK FORWARD TO SUPPORTING THAT. 
          OKAY. IT IS ALSO NATIONAL POETRY MONTH. 
          I WILL NOW READ A PROCLAMATION FOR NATIONAL POETRY MONTH. 
          THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO RECOGNIZES THAT FOR MORE THAN 25 YEARS THE AMERICAN ACADEMY OF POETS HAS CELEBRATED APRIL AS NATIONAL POETRY MONTH TO INCREASE AWARENESS OF THE IMPORTANCE OF POETRY AND ENCOURAGE THE READING, WRITING AND PERFORMANCE OF POETRY. AND WHEREAS SAN ANTONIO IS A COMMUNITY KNOWN FOR THE VITALITY OF ITS ARTS AND CULTURE, INCLUDING THE LITERARY ARTS, AND WHEREAS IN 2012 SAN ANTONIO BECAME THE FIRST PUBLIC CITY TO APPOINT A POET LAWYER RAT AND LAUNCHED THE POETRY MONTH INITIATIVE TO PROMOTE POETRY READINGS, WORKSHOPS, READINGS AND SLAM COMPETITIONS. AND WHEREAS FOR 12 YEARS IT HAS BEEN HELD AT MISSION MARQUEE PLAZA NEXT TO THE HISTORIC MISSION SAN JOSÉ AND SERVES AS THE KICKOFF EVENT FOR THE NATIONAL POETRY MONTH SAN ANTONIO TAKING PLACE THIS YEAR ON SATURDAY, APRIL 11TH. NOW THEREFORE I, GINA ORTIZ JONES, IN RECOGNITION THEREOF, DO HERE BY PROCLAIM APRIL 2026 TO BE NATIONAL POETRY MONTH HERE IN SAN ANTONIO, TEXAS. KRYSTAL JONES, DIRECTOR OF THE DEPARTMENT OF ARTS AND CULTURE, IS RECOGNIZED TO SPEAK. 
          >> THANK YOU, MAYOR AND THANK YOU, COUNCIL. IT'S A GREAT JOY TO BE HERE THIS MORNING TO CELEBRATE NATIONAL POETRY MONTH. SUCH A BIG JOY THAT I BROUGHT MY FAMILY HERE FROM OHIO. MY NIECE WHO IS 10 AND NEPHEW WHO IS 7 ARE IN THE AUDIENCE ON SPRING BREAK. AFTER THAT WE'LL GO ENJOY SOME GREAT POETRY THROUGHOUT THE COMMUNITY. THIS BEGAN IN 1996 AND HAS SINCE BLOSSOMED INTO ONE OF THE LARGEST LITERARY CELEBRATIONS IN THE WORLD, REMINDING US THAT POETRY DOESN'T SIT QUIETLY ON A PAGE. 
          IN SAN ANTONIO WE LIVE AND BROTH POETRY. ALL APRIL WE ARE CELEBRATING THE LITERARY ARTS WITH MORE THAN 65 EVENTS THROUGHOUT THE CITY. 
          FROM DYNAMIC POETRY SLAMS TO MOVING PERFORMANCES AND CONVERSATIONS THAT WE GENETIC THE RICH, UNMISTAKABLE VOICE OF SAN ANTONIO. 
          WE HOPE THAT YOU CAN JOIN US FOR THE 12TH ANNUAL EVENT HOLD AT HISTORIC MISSION MARQUEE PLAZA. AS THE MAYOR SAID IT IS ON APRIL 11TH FROM 6:00 TO 10:00 P.M. AND THAT'S ALSO THE SAN ANTONIO BOOK FESTIVAL DAY, SO JUST HAVE AN ENTIRE DAY OF LITERARY ARTS. THE SAYING IS LIFE, LIBERTY AND THE PURSUIT OF POETRY CELEBRATES THE JOURNEY THROUGH POWERFUL VOICES, BOLD STORIES AND A WHOLE LOT OF CREATIVITY. SO IF ANYBODY WOULD LIKE TO FOLLOW ALONG AND JOIN US AT THESE EVENTS, YOU CAN VISIT DA.GOV/ARTS. 
          WE'RE ON ALL SOCIAL MEDIA PLATFORMS ADD GET CREATIVE SA. 
          AND NOW I AM REALLY EXCITED TO INVITE SOME INSPIRATION AND POETRY TO YOUR MORNING BY WELCOMING SAN ANTONIO'S POET LAWYER RAT EDUARDO VEGA TO THE STAND. 
          THANK YOU. [APPLAUSE] >> GOOD MORNING. 
          I LOOKED ALL MY FILES AND COULD NOT FIND WHAT I READ LAST YEAR SO I HAD TO WRITE A NEW POEM. [LAUGHTER]. THIS POEM IS DEDICATED TO YOU, MADAM MAYOR, TO YOU, THE REST OF CITY COUNCIL, TO THE DEPARTMENTS OF ARTS AND CULTURE, VISIT SAN ANTONIO, PARKS AND RECREATION, THE WORLD HERITAGE OFFICE, THE FIESTA COMMISSION, THE BEXAR COUNTY SHERIFF'S OFFICE, THE RED ENCHILADA LIBRARY, THE SAN ANTONIO SPURS, THE SAN ANTONIO MISSIONS, BOTH THE BASEBALL TEAM AND THE ACTUAL MISSIONS, THE TACO TRUCK ON ST. MARY'S STREET THAT DOESN'T OPEN UNTIL 9:00 A.M. THE RIVERWALK, THE H.E.B., THE NORTH STAR, THE IN AUDIO]. THE DUDES THAT SELL CANDY APPLES AT THE STREET CORNERS, THE KIDS THAT SELL BANANA BREAD AT THE GAS STATIONS, THE PEOPLE THAT SELL EASTER BLANKETS AND DALLAS COWBOYS BASKETS ON JUST ABOUT EVERY OTHER STREET ALL THE ASKED ARE YOU READY, RESPOND WITH AYE. THIS POEM IS FOR YOU. 
          FOR THE WOMAN AND HER GRANDSON AT THE BUS STOP ON MARY LOUISE. 
          FOR THE MAN WHO FIXES FLAT TIRES ON CULEBRA. FOR THE SKATERS AT ROSEDALE, THE PICKLE PLAYERS NEAR UTSA, FOR EVERY SOCCER MOM, EVERY CHEER DAD, AND EVERY SIBLING SITTING ON A SIDE LINE SOMEWHERE JUST WAITING FOR THIS GAME TO END. 
          FOR EVERY HUMAN SEEKING REFUGE AND SANCTUARY AND HOPE. 
          [00:40:02]
FOR EVERY TAQUERIA WITH ANY FORM OF JALISCO IN ITS NAME. FOR ANY OF THE FOOD ROLLS, WHO REMIND US THIS IS SAN ANTONIO WHERE WE ROLL, WHERE WE ROLL, WHERE WE ROLL. YEAH. POETRY IS FOUND ALL OVER THE CITY. IT MOVES TO THE BEAT OF A TACO TRUCK SPATULA, DANCES TO THE TUNES OF FLACO AND AUGIE. STANDS FOR ATTENTION AT FORT SAM, MARCHES DOWN MLK. STROLLS THE RAINBOW SIDEWALK. 
          IT IS SPREAD AS FAR AND WIDE AS VICTOR'S ARMS. THIS IS A CITY OF POETRY. 
          OF JESSE'S AND ANTHONY'S EGGS. IT BRINGS THE PUNK OUT. 
          CARMEN TELLS US THE STORY, SHE SINGS HER WORDS, THEY ARE PAINTED, JENNY CARRIES THEM ABROAD, LORI ANN REMINDS US WHERE THEY CAME FROM AND NAOMI TELLS US HOW BEAUTIFUL WE A ALL ARE. THIS IS A CITY OF POETRY. WE LIVE IN A LEGACY OF VERBAL WARRIORS AND WORDSMITHS, MYTH MAKERS AND TRUTH SAYERS WHO WILL ALWAYS REMEMBER THE HEROES OF THE ALAMO AS LONG AS YOU NEVER FORGET THE HORRORS OF JIM CROW. TRAGEDY DOES NOT TRIUMPH HERE. 
          INJUSTICE DOES NOT WEIGH US DOWN. WE ARE A CITY OF LOVE, OF JOY, OF FIESTA, OF BLOOMING MOUNTAIN LAURELS AND SINGING. 
          WE ARE SAN ANTONIO. WE ARE A CITY OF POETRY. THANK YOU. 
          [APPLAUSE] >> MAYOR JONES: COUNCILWOMAN VIAGRAN. 
          >> VIAGRAN: THANK YOU, EDDIE, AND MY FAVORITE POEM STILL AND I BRING IT UP EVERY TIME IS THE PILOTE MAN. HE IS OUR HERO HERE IN SAN ANTONIO. I INVITE YOU OUT. POETRY IS AMAZING. 
          IT IS ONE OF THOSE THINGS THAT SPEAK. I HAVE BEEN ON THE STAGE SO HE INVITE MY COUNCIL MEMBERS OUT AND HAVE BEEN INSPIRED BY EDDIE AND ANTHONY THE POET TO CREATE A POEM RIGHT THERE AS I STOOD ON STAGE ABOUT MISSION MARQUEE. 
          SO PLEASE COME OUT AND SHARE. IT'S VERY CATHARTIC TO HEAR THESE POEMS AND THESE YOUNG PEOPLE AND REFLECT ON THE UNIVERSE AND LOVE BEING THE UNIVERSE. SO PLEASE COME OUT TO THE EVENT. 
          WE ARE VERY PROUD OF THIS EVENT. IT A GREAT WAY. 
          AND I DO ASK THAT MY COUNCIL COLLEAGUES PREPARE A POEM AND COME OUT AND SHARE. 
          [LAUGHTER]. THIS CROWD IS VERY FORGIVING, SO IT DOES NOT NEED TO RHYME EITHER. AND I'M LOOKING AT YOU, JALEN, BECAUSE I KNOW YOU CAN PUT SOMETHING OUT THAT CAN RHYME TOO. [LAUGHTER]. 
          SO PLEASE COME OUT. THANK YOU SO MUCH. KRYSTAL, THANK YOU FOR CONTINUING TO MOVE THIS FORWARD AND AS WE MOVE FORWARD, JUST REMEMBER ARTS, CULTURE, THAT THIS IS WHY WE LIVE AND THIS IS WHY WE'RE HERE. 
          SO THANK YOU. THANK YOU, MAYOR. >> MAYOR JONES: COUNCILMAN 
          MUNGIA. >> MUNGIA: I WOULD LOVE FOR ALL OF US TO DO A POEM AND HAVE YOU JUDGE IT HONESTLY. NO, BUT THANK YOU, MR. VEGA. 
          AND KELLY SAYS HELLO TO YOU. I JUST KNOW THAT YOU ARE SUCH AN INSPIRATION TO YOUR STUDENTS ALSO AS WELL AS BEING A CREATIVE ARTIST. SO THANK YOU FOR UPLIFTING US EVERY TIME YOU COME HERE. MAYBE WE HAVE A SPECIAL SPOT FOR YOU WHEN TIMES GET STUFF THAT TOUGH THAT YOU CAN GIVE US A POEM AND LIGHTEN IT UP. 
          AND THANK YOU FOR RECOGNIZING THIS COMMUNITY AND THERE'S SO MUCH TO -- SO MUCH POETRY AROUND THE CITY THAT WE NEED TO BE AWARE OF. THANK YOU ALL FOR THAT. 
          APPRECIATE IT. >> MAYOR JONES: COUNCILMEMBER CASTILLO. 
          >> CASTILLO: THANK YOU, EDDIE. I WILL NOW HAVE THE SAN ANTONIO ANTHEM SONG STUCK IN MY HEAD FOR THE REST OF THE DAY. 
          [LAUGHTER]. >> MAYOR JONES: WHAT DOES IT SOUND LIKE? 
          [LAUGHTER]. >> CASTILLO: HE DID A GOOD JOB. 
          WITH THAT BEING SAID, I WANTED TO THANK YOU, EDDIE, FOR YOUR WORK. 
          I ALWAYS HIGHLIGHT THE STORY, I BELIEVE IT WAS ABOUT 15 YEARS AGO FOR A SPOKEN WORD NIGHT I GOT TO SEE YOU PERFORM ONE OF YOUR POEMS AND I DON'T REMEMBER THE TITLE AND I ALWAYS FORGET, BUT IT'S THE NUMBER OF A BUS, AND AT THE TIME I ALWAYS HIGHLIGHTED HOW I DIDN'T GET MY DRIVER'S LICENSE UNTIL ABOUT THREE MONTHS BEFORE BEING ELECTED A COUNCILMEMBER. SO THAT WAS A POEM THAT RESONATED FOR MANY REASONS BECAUSE THE STORY WITHIN YOUR POEM OF WHAT YOU'RE OBSERVING ALONG THE ROUTE WAS JUST SO POWERFUL AND SOMETHING THAT'S ALWAYS STUCK WITH ME. SO I WANT TO THANK YOU FOR YOUR WORK AND SHARING WITH US THIS MORNING. AND OF COURSE ENCOURAGE FOLKS TO GO TO THE EVENT IN DISTRICT 3. I HAD AN OPPORTUNITY TO GO. I BELIEVE A COUPLE OF YEARS AGO AND I READ A POEM FROM AN AWARD WINNING POET HERE IN SAN ANTONIO. 
          [00:45:02]
SO JUST A GREAT EVENT AND ENCOURAGE FOLKS TO GO VISIT IN DISTRICT 3. 
          THANK YOU. >> MAYOR JONES: COUNCILMEMBER GALVAN. 
          >> GALVAN: THANK YOU, MAYOR. THANK YOU FOR ALL THE THINGS YOU'VE DONE TO INSPIRE YOUR STUDENTS AND EVERYONE IN THE CITY. 
          I DO AGREE WITH COUNCILMEMBER MONEY MUNGIA'S STATEMENT. 
          SOMETHING THAT GOES UNSAID OR WHATEVER MAY BE, MAYBE LEFT OUT, IS WHEN WE TALK ABOUT THE ARTS OVERALL. IT'S ALWAYS THE KIND OF CONVERSATION OF MAYBE IT'S NICE TO HAVE, A NICE THING FOR SOMEONE ELSE TO LOOK AT, ET CETERA, ET CETERA. 
          BUT IT'S QUITE LITERALLY THE FOUNDATION OF WHO WE ARE AS HUMANS, RIGHT? PARTICULARLY THE ART OF THE SPOKEN WORD AND THE WRITTEN WORD IS NOT ONLY SOMETHING THAT WE JUST EXPRESS OURSELVES WITH, BUT IT'S HOW WE CONNECT TO EACH OTHER, IT'S HOW WE MOVE FOLKS TO DO THINGS AND INSPIRE THEM TO DO THINGS AS WELL. 
          INSPIRE OURSELVES TO DO SOMETHING. WHEN WE TALK ABOUT ALL THE OTHER THINGS WE TALKED ABOUT TODAY, PUBLIC HEALTH WEEK, THE CONNECTIONS THEY MAKE EVERY SINGLE DAY IS THROUGH THE SPOKEN WONDER THAT COMMITMENT AND TRUST THAT'S BUILT WITH THAT. THE INSPIRATION TO HAVE THAT PERSON SAY DO YOU KNOW WHAT, I WILL GO SEE HOW I CAN ADDRESS MY DIABETES. FOR SOMEONE TO SAY I WILL WORK TO BUILD A BETTER COMMUNITY FOR EACH OTHER AND SHOW THERE'S QUALITY HEALTH IN THAT CONVERSATION TOO. WE TALK ABOUT FAIR HOUSING. THE ONLY REASON THE FAIR HOUSING ACT WAS PASSED WAS BECAUSE OF IMMENSE CIVIL RIGHTS ORGANIZING THAT TOOK PLACE IMMEDIATELY AFTER, A WEEK LATER, AFTER MLK PASSED AWAY AND WAS KILLED. 
          AND IT WAS BECAUSE THE ART OF SPOKEN WORD, BECAUSE OF THE ART OF THE WRITTEN WORD AS WELL, THE ADVOCACY THAT COMES WITH THAT TO PUSH PEOPLE HERE ON THE DAIS TO DO THINGS AND EVEN WHAT WE DO WITH EACH OTHER. SO I JUST WANTED TO LEAVE THAT THERE BECAUSE I THINK IT'S POETRY I THINK IS THE MOST BEAUTIFUL FORM OF IT, BUT IT'S THE PRACTICE OF DOING THAT TOO TO GIVES FOLKS LIKE US THE ABILITY TO MAKE DECISIONS AND PUSH OUR RESIDENTS TO DO THE SAME THING THAT CAN CHANGE OUR ENTIRE CITY AND STRUCTURES AND CULTURES HERE. THANK YOU, MAYOR. 
          >> MAYOR JONES: COUNCILMEMBER ALDERETE GAVITO. 
          >> GAVITO: GOSH, I HAVE TO FOLLOW YOU AGAIN. MIC DROP. 
          THANK YOU, KRYSTAL FOR ALL YOUR EFFORTS AND THANK YOU, EDDIE, FOR EXCITING US TODAY AND TREATING US WITH THAT. ALL OF US WERE LAUGHING. AND JUST GIGGLING JUST BECAUSE YOU'RE DRAWING OUT MEMORIES OF SAN ANTONIO FOR ALL OF US. 
          SO THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THAT. YOU KNOW, MY NEPHEW JOE WAS IN A LITTLE POETRY SLAM THE OTHER DAY AND IT WAS SO CUTE TO SEE HIM READING POETRY IN HIS SPURS JERSEY. I LOVE THAT IT'S PASSING ON FROM TRADITION TO TRADITION. 
          AND COUNCILWOMAN VIAGRAN, MAYBE MY GIRLS AND I WILL TAKE YOU UP. 
          I'M NOT SURE YOU WANT ME TO WRITE A POEM, BUT I'M OPEN TO TAKING THEM OUT THERE AND LISTENING IN ON THAT. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR SHARING THAT WITH US. 
          THANK YOU. >> MAYOR JONES: COUNCILWOMAN MEZA GONZÁLEZ. 
          >> GONZÁLEZ: THANK YOU, MAYOR. THANK YOU FOR YOUR WORDS AND CELEBRATING NATIONAL POETRY MONTH. I JUST WANTED TO HIGHLIGHT AN EVENT THAT WE'RE HAVING IN DISTRICT 8. THE POETRY CIRCLE AT IGO BRANCH LIBRARY, APRIL 20TH FROM 6:00 P.M. TO 7:00 P.M. CITY. 
          >> MAYOR JONES: WE'LL MOVE ON TO POINTS OF PERSONAL PRIVILEGE. 
          I'LL RECOGNIZE COUNCILMEMBER SPEARS FOR TWO POINTS OF PERSONAL PRIVILEGE. 
          >> SPEARS: THANK YOU, MAYOR. I WANT TO START BY HONORING THE LIFE OF MY FRIEND BOB BRUCE WHO PASSED AWAY EARLIER THIS WEEK. 
          HE IS A WELL-KNOWN SAN ANTONIO RESIDENT AND HE CARED DEEPLY ABOUT HIS COMMUNITY AND THE PEOPLE IN IT. HE WAS KNOWN FOR BEING ENGAGED, CANDID AND WILLING TO STEP INTO CONVERSATIONS THAT MANY WOULD AVOID. 
          HE BELIEVED THAT EVERYDAY RESIDENTS DESERVE TO UNDERSTAND AND HAVE A VOICE IN DECISIONS THAT AFFECTED THEM. HE BROUGHT THE SAME MINDSET TO HIS PUBLIC SERVICE, INCLUDING HIS ROLE ON THE BEXAR COUNTY APPRAISAL DISTRICT BOARD OF DIRECTORS. IN THAT ROLE HE WORKED TO REPRESENT TAXPAYERS AND ADVOCATE FOR TRANSPARENCY AND ACCOUNTABILITY. BOB ALSO SPENT MANY YEARS IN BUSINESS HERE IN SAN ANTONIO AND BUILDING RELATIONSHIPS, CONTRIBUTING TO THE LOCAL ECONOMY. BUT MORE THAN ANY TITLE OR ROLE, HE WILL BE REMEMBERED FOR HIS PRESENCE IN THE COMMUNITY AND HIS WILLINGNESS TO STAY INVOLVED. HE WAS A MAN OF FAITH AND FAMILY AND CONVICTION. 
          AND THOSE WHO KNEW HIM REMEMBER A MAN WHO IS DIRECT, THOUGHTFUL AND UNAFRAID TO SPEAK HIS. HE HAD A GENUINE DESIRE TO DO WHAT HE BELIEVED WAS RIGHT FOR SAN ANTONIO. ON BEHALF OF DISTRICT 9 AND THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO, I EXTEND OUR SINCERE CONDOLENCES TO HIS FAMILY AND FRIENDS AND ALL WHO KNEW HIM. HIS CONTRIBUTIONS TO THIS COMMUNITY WILL NOT BE FORGOTTEN. I WILL MISS HIS RADIO VOICE, HIS FRIENDSHIP, SO PLEASE KEEP HIS WIFE NANCY AND THEIR FAMILY IN YOUR PRAYERS. 
          THANK YOU. I WANT TO RECOGNIZE APRIL AS DISTRACTED DRIVING AWARENESS 
          [00:50:02]
MONTH AND HIGHLIGHT THE IMPORTANT EFFORT HAPPENING RIGHT HERE IN OUR COMMUNITY AT JOHNSON HIGH SCHOOL WHO MANY HAVE JOINED US HERE TODAY. 
          DO YOU WANT TO STAND UP FOR A SECOND? THANK YOU FOR COMING OUT? [APPLAUSE]. A SPECIAL CALLOUT TO MELINDA COX WHO STARTED THIS INITIATIVE. THEY PARTICIPATE IN EYES ON THE ROAD, AN INITIATIVE THAT BRINGS ATTENTION TO THE VERY REAL DANGERS OF DISTRACTED DRIVING. 
          THIS IS ESPECIALLY IMPORTANT FOR YOUNG DRIVERS WHO ARE JUST BEGINNING TO BUILD LIFELONG HABITS BEHIND THE WHEEL. A QUICK GLANCE AT A PHONE OR A MOMENT OF DISTRACTION CAN HAVE LIFE-ALTERING CONSEQUENCES NOT JUST FOR THE DRIVER, BUT FOR EVERYONE ON THE ROAD. WHAT MAKES THIS EFFORT MEANINGFUL IS THAT IT IS PEER DRIVEN AND ROOTED IN AWARENESS, RESPONSIBILITY AND CARE FOR ONE ANOTHER. THESE STUDENTS ARE STEPPING UP TO LEAD BY EXAMPLE AND TO REMIND ALL OF US TO BE MORE MINDFUL WHEN WE GET BEHIND THE WHEEL. 
          I WANT TO THANK THE STUDENTS, FACULTY AND COMMUNITY PARTNERS AT JOHNSON HIGH SCHOOL FOR TAKING THIS ISSUE SERIOUSLY AND FOR HELPING TO KEEP OUR VOIDS SAFER. I ENCOURAGE EVERYONE IN OUR COMMUNITY TO TAKE THIS MESSAGE TO HEART, PUT THE PHONE DOWN, STAY FOCUSED AND KEEP YOUR EYES ON THE ROAD. 
          SMALL DECISIONS BEHIND THE WHEEL MAKE A BIG DIFFERENCE. SO THANK Y'ALL FOR COMING DOWN HERE THROUGH THE HEAVY RAIN AND MAKING IT. AND WE REALLY APPRECIATE ALL YOUR HARD WORK AND EFFORT AND TAKING THE LEAD. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. 
          [APPLAUSE]. >> MAYOR JONES: I RECOGNIZE COUNCILMEMBER ALDERETE GAVITO FOR TWO POINTS OF PERSONAL PRIVILEGE. 
          >> GAVITO: THANK YOU. FIRST OFF I WOULD LIKE TO INVITE THE FAMILY OF THE BELOVED DOLORES GRIFFEN HERE TODAY AND CALL THEM TO UP TO THE PODIUM. 
          ON DECEMBER 25TH 2025, AT 95 YEARS OF AGE, SAN ANTONIO LOST ONE OF THE MOST IMPACTFUL WOMEN OUR CITY HAS EVER SEEN. I'M HUMBLED TODAY TO BE ABLE TO HONOR DOLORES WHO WAS TRULY LARGER THAN LIFE. WE PREPARED A RECOGNITION FOR DORRIS'S FAMILY. IN RECOGNITION OF DORRIS, SHE WILL ALWAYS BE REMEMBERED AS A BEACON OF HOPE, A FAITHFUL SERVANT AND TRUE PILLAR IN OUR SAN ANTONIO COMMUNITY. DAY AFTER DAY SHE WAS INSTRUMENTAL IN ADVOCATING FOR THE NEEDS OF OLDER ADULTS, ENSURING THAT THEY MAINTAINED ACCESS TO SUPPORT AND SERVICES NEEDED TO LIVE AN ACTIVE, HEALTHY AND FULFILLING LIFE AND ALWAYS -- AND SHE DID SO ALWAYS WITH GRACE. HER OUTSTANDING ACHIEVEMENTS AND SUCCESS WILL ENDURE FOR GENERATIONS. DORRIS LIVED A LONG AND FULL LIFE WITH MUCH OF HER TIME BEING DEDICATED TO FAMILY, TRAVEL, FAITH AND HER SERVICE TO OUR COMMUNITY. ADVOCATING FOR OLDER ADULTS WAS HER CALLING. 
          HER EFFORTS CHANGED THE LANDSCAPE FOR AGING PEOPLE IN SAN ANTONIO. 
          SHE WORKED FOR 27 YEARS AS THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF THE JEFFERSON COMMUNITY OUTREACH FOR OLDER PEOPLE OR THE JEFF CO-OP, RAISING HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS TO SUPPORT OLDER ADULTS. SHE ALSO CO-CHAIRED THE CITY-COUNTY JOINT COMMISSION ON ELDERLY AFFAIRS REPRESENTING DISTRICT 7, SERVED 12 TERMS IN THE TEXAS SILVER HAIRED LEGISLATURE AND CO-HOSTED A TV PROGRAM CALLED LIVE LONGER AND LOVE IT. HER CONTRIBUTIONS WERE FORMALLY RECOGNIZED BY THEWELL THEWELL MED CHARITABLE FOUNDATION. SHE NEVER WAIVERED IN HER COMMITMENT AND WE ALL KNOW THAT SHE DID IT IN STYLE. DORRIS WAS ALWAYS KNOWN FOR SHOWING UP WITH A PAIR OF HIGH HEELS AND THAT WAS HER ICONIC SIGNATURE LOOK. AND SHE TOLD ME CONSTANTLY, GIRL, DON'T STOP WEARING YOUR HEELS, SO I'M NOT. TO KNOW DORRIS WAS TO LOVE HER AND I'M SURE NO ONE FEELS HER ABSENCE MORE THAN HER FAMILY. 
          I WANT TO EXPRESS MY SINCERE GRATITUDE TO DORRIS' FAMILY TO SHARING HER WITH THE COMMUNITY FOR ALL THESE YEARS. HER IMPACT AND LEGACY WILL BE FELT FOR YEARS TO COME. LET'S PLEASE GIVE A ROUND OF APPLAUSE FOR THE LIFE OF DORRIS GRIFFEN. [APPLAUSE] AND IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO SAY A FEW WORDS. 
          >> WELL, I'M JOY AND AS YOU SEE, I AM NOT WEARING MY HEELS SO I CAN'T FOLLOW AFTER HER WORDS, BUT I WANT TO THANK THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO AND THE CITY COUNCIL AND ESPECIALLY MARINA. I KNOW MY MOM WORKED TIRELESSLY WITH DISTRICT 7. 
          I WOULD ALSO LIKE TO RECOGNIZE FRIENDS OF MY MOM THAT CAME TO SUPPORT HER TODAY. SHE HAS A LEGACY THAT WE WILL NOT -- WE WILL HAVE A TOUGH TIME LIVING UP TO. WE ARE VERY PROUD AND HONORED THAT Y'ALL HAVE RECOGNIZED HER FOR ALL HER HARD WORK. SHE LOVED SENIORS MORE THAN ANYTHING, BUT SHE WOULD HELP ANYBODY OF ALL AGES. THE MINUTE SHE HEARD SOMEBODY HAD A NEED SETTLE SHE WAS IN ACTION. AND IT TOOK A VILLAGE TO DO IT. BUT I WOULD LIKE TO ALSO RECOGNIZE MARINA'S MOM, CHRIS ALDERETE. SHE WAS CO-HOST WITH MY MOM OR MY MOM WAS CO-OH HOST 
          [00:55:02]
WITH HER ON THE LIVE LONGER, LOVE IT. CAN YOU COME UP? AND THEN JENNY BROWN IS FROM OASIS SINNING EDUCATION. AND I SAID TO HER, I SAID OH, WOW, YOU'RE GETTING A PROCLAMATION? SHE SAID NO, I'M HERE FOR YOUR MOM. SO I'M REALLY PROUD OF THAT. AND KELLY. 
          AND THEN IS PEACHES HERE? PEACHES HALL IS THE DIRECTOR AT THE DORRIS GRIFFEN ONE STOP CENTER AND SHE BROUGHT A WHOLE VAN OF SENIORS TODAY SO I WOULD LIKE TO HONOR THEM TOO. COME ON UP, GUYS. [APPLAUSE] AGAIN, WE APPRECIATE YOU HONORING MY MOM AND WE LOVE HER AND WE MISS HER AND WE KNOW THAT SHE'S UP IN HEAVEN HELPING SENIORS UP THERE TOO IF THEY NEED IT. 
          TODAY I ALSO HAVE THE PRIVILEGE OF HELPING KICK OFF CHILD SAFE CARDBOARD KIDS REVEAL DAY. THANK YOU SO MUCH TO RANDY, PRESIDENT AND CEO AND THE CHIEF DEVELOPMENT OFFICER FOR BEING HERE WITH US TODAY. 
          Y'ALL CAN COME UP TO THE PODIUM. THIS IS THE THIRD YEAR IN A ROW THAT I'VE HAD THE HONOR OF KICKING OFF THIS DAY AT COUNCIL. 
          I'M EXCITED TO KEEP THIS TRADITION ALIVE. CHILD SAFE IS BEXAR COUNTY'S DESIGNATED ADVOCACY CENTER THAT COORDINATES SERVICES AND SUPPORT FOR CHILDREN AND ADOLESCENTS TRAUMATIZED BY ABUSE, NEGLECT OR EXPLOITATION. 
          IN 2014 THEY CREATED CARDBOARD KIDS, A CITYWIDE PUBLIC AWARENESS CAMPAIGN TO DRAW ATTENTION TO CHILD ABUSE AND THE FACT THAT EVERY STORY IS DIFFERENT AND EVERY CHILD IS UNIQUE. THE CAMPAIGN SERVES AS A START TO AN OFTEN DIFFICULT CONVERSATION AROUND CHILD ABUSE BECAUSE STAYING SILENT WITH MEAN MORE SUFFERING FOR A CHILD. CARDBOARD KIDS ARE THE CUTE CARDBOARD FIGURES YOU SEE AROUND TOWN EVERY SPRING. THEY REPRESENT ONE OF THE THOUSANDS OF CHILDREN THAT ARE ABUSED AND NEGLECTED IN BEXAR COUNTY EACH YEAR. THESE CARDBOARD KIDS SERVE AS A START TO A DISCUSSION BY CREATING A VISUAL SYMBOL FOR CHILDREN TO IDENTIFY WITH AND PROVIDING VALUABLE TIPS FOR CAREGIVERS ON HOW TO TALK TO THE CHILDREN, ON HOW TO TALK TO THEIR CHILDREN ABOUT ABUSE AND NEGLECT. 
          WHAT STARTED OUT AS 5800 CARDBOARD CUT OUTS IN 2014 DREW TO OVER 80,000 DISTRIBUTED EVERY YEAR. CARDBOARD KIDS CAN BE SEEN AT SCHOOLS, BUSINESSES, HOMES AND OTHER COMMUNITY LOCATIONS. EVERY YEAR REVEAL DAY IS CELEBRATED THE FIRST WEEK OF APRIL, COINCIDING WITH CHILD PREVENTION MONTH. 
          I WANT TO GIVE A HUGE THANK YOU TO CHILD SAFE FOR THE CRUCIAL WORK YOU ALL DO IN OUR COMMUNITY. THERE'S NOTHING MORE PRECIOUS THAN OUR CHILDREN AND IT'S UPON ALL OF US TO KEEP THEM SAFE AND MAKE SURE THEY ARE HEARD EVERYDAY WHEN THEY REACH OUT FOR HELP. I'LL TURN IT OVER TO RANDY TO SAY A FEW WORDS. 
          >> THANK YOU, COUNCILWOMAN. I REALLY APPRECIATE YOU HAVING US OUT HERE. 
          I LOOK AT YOU GUYS HOLDING UP THESE CARDBOARD KIDS AND I'VE BEEN LISTENING TO THE POETRY EARLIER AND THE FAMILY THAT WE JUST HONORED, AND I'M JUST REMINDED ABOUT THE COLLECTIVENESS OF EVERYDAY AND WHAT IT TAKES TO CREATE CHANGE INSIDE OF OUR COMMUNITY. SO I'M HONORED TO BE HERE AS YOUR SPECIAL GUEST AGAIN AND TO BE ABLE TO SPEAK TO THE DAIS. MANY OF YOU GUYS HAVE COME 
          [01:00:02]
OUT TO OUR ORGANIZATION, HAVE SPENT A LITTLE TIME WITH US TO LEARN A LITTLE ABOUT US AND WHO WE ARE. MANY OF YOU GUYS HAVE PERSONALLY SPONSORED THE CARDBOARD KIDS CAMPAIGN TO LAUNCH THIS YEAR SO THIS IS SOMETHING WE CAN'T DO WITHOUT THE COMMUNITY AND WITHOUT OUR CIVIC LEADERS AND SUPPORT OF OUR CIVIC LEADERS IN OUR COMMUNITY. WE STARTED CARDBOARD KIDS I WANT TO SAY IT WAS 2012 -- I'VE BEEN WITH CHILD SAFE FOR 16 YEARS AND WE STARTED IT IN 2012 AS A WAY TO RAISE AWARENESS AROUND CHILD ABUSE PREVENTION MONTH. AND THE FIRST YEAR WE DISTRIBUTED ABOUT 6500 CARDBOARD KIDS AND THAT WAS REALLY TO RECOGNIZE THE CONFIRMED VICTIMS OF CHILD ABUSE THAT WE HAD IN BEXAR COUNTY FOR THAT PARTICULAR YEAR. OVER THE YEARS WE'VE GIVEN OUT I THINK 1.2 MILLION CARDBOARD KIDS THROUGHOUT THE COMMUNITY, OVER 12 YEARS I THINK IT'S BEEN. 
          BUT I WANT TO GO BACK TO THAT 6500 NUMBER REAL QUICK BECAUSE WHAT YOU'LL SEE NOW TODAY, I WAS AT THE CASA WREATH-LAYING CEREMONY ON FRIDAY AND THEY MADE THE ANNOUNCEMENT THAT WE HAVE A CONFIRMATION IN BEXAR COUNTY OF 4500 CARDBOARD KIDS. 
          AND THAT'S A MISNOMER. A COUPLE OF YEARS AGO THE TEXAS LEGISLATION CHANGED THE DEFINITION OF NEGLECTFUL SUPERVISION INSIDE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS AND MADE IT A LITTLE BIT MORE DIFFICULT FOR CPS TO CONFIRM VICTIMS OF CHILD ABUSE. 
          AND I WANT TO STIPULATE THIS. I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT TO POINT OUT. JUST BECAUSE THERE'S A CONFIRMATION DOESN'T NECESSARILY MEAN THAT THERE'S A REMOVAL OF A CHILD INSIDE OF A HOME. 
          A CONFIRMATION MEANS THAT WE NEED TO WORK WITH THAT FAMILY, TO ENGAGE THAT FAMILY, TO ENSURE THAT THAT FAMILY RECEIVES THE ACTUAL SERVICES THAT THEY NEED SO THAT THAT CHILD CAN STAY INSIDE THE HOME. COUPLED WITH THE WREATH-LAYING CEREMONY, WHAT THEY'RE DOING THERE IS THEY'RE HONORING THE NUMBER OF CHILDREN THAT HAVE DIED AS A RESULT OF ABUSE AND NEGLECT IN OUR COMMUNITY. 
          13 CHILDREN WERE HONORED ON FRIDAY OUTSIDE OF OUR COURTHOUSE. 
          AND THAT NUMBER IS ASTOUNDING TO ME. IT'S USUALLY SEVEN, EIGHT, NINE CHILDREN THAT I'VE SEEN AND I CANNOT HELP BUT BELIEVE THAT IT'S A DEREK CORRELATION TO CHANGE IN THE LEGISLATION THAT WE DECIDED TO MAKE TO MAKE IT MORE DIFFICULT TO ENGAGE THESE FAMILIES EARLY ON FOR NEGLECTFUL SUPERVISION. 
          68% OF THE CHILDREN WHO DIE IN OUR COMMUNITY FROM CHILD ABUSE AND NEGLECT DIE AS A RESULT OF NEGLECTFUL SUPERVISION. THESE CASES GET MORE SERIOUS AS THEY PROGRESS AND NOW THAT WE CAN'T ENGAGE WITH THESE FAMILIES EARLIER ON IN THE PROCESS, WE'RE SEEING THE ACUITY OF THESE CASES COME THROUGH OUR DOOR RAISE EVERY SINGLE DAY. I WORK VERY, VERY CLOSELY WITH THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE. 
          I SEE THE SHERIFF HERE TODAY. I WORK VERY CLOSELY WITH LAW ENFORCEMENT, THE DA'S OFFICE AS WELL. THEY'RE ACTUALLY HOUSED -- MANY OF THE -- SHERIFF SALAZAR HAS A NUMBER OF INVESTIGATORS HOUSED AT OUR FACILITIES ALONG WITH SAPD AND THE DEPARTMENT OF FAMILY AND PROTECTIVE SERVICES AND MANY OF THOSE INDIVIDUALS SIT ON OUR BOARD. AND THEY TALK ABOUT THE ACUITY OF THESE CASES AND HOW SERIOUS THIS ISSUE IS IN SAN ANTONIO. 
          SO IF WE'RE GOING TO CHANGE THIS, IF WE'RE GOING TO PUT A DENT IN THIS ISSUE, THIS IS A SCOURGE ON OUR COMMUNITY. IT'S GOING TO TAKE CIVIC LEADERS LIKE YOURSELVES. IT'S GOING TO TAKE DAYS LIKE TODAY WHERE WE DO REVEAL DAY WHERE WE HOLD UP CARDBOARD KIDS AND WE BEGIN TO CHANGE THE NARRATIVE AROUND THIS THING. THE CHILDREN WHO SIT AT HOME AND THEY'RE SUFFERING IN SILENCE FROM ABUSE AREN'T GOING TO SPEAK OUT UNLESS US AS LEADERS INSIDE THE COMMUNITY RAISE OUR CARDBOARD KIDS, WE CELEBRATE TODAY AS REVEAL TODAY AND WE CHANGE THE NARRATIVE TO SAY IT'S OKAY FOR YOU TO COME FORWARD, IT'S OKAY FOR YOU TO SAY NO, IT OKAY FOR YOU TO PROTECT YOUR BODY. SO I THANK YOU GUYS, THANK YOU SO VERY MUCH FOR THE COMMUNITY TO BE HERE TO CELEBRATE TODAY AS REVEAL DAY. THANK YOU FOR BEING -- FOR ALLOWING US TO BE YOUR SPECIAL GUESTS TODAY. I REALLY, REALLY APPRECIATE YOU GUYS. 
          THANK YOU SO MUCH. [APPLAUSE]. >> MAYOR JONES: THE NEXT ITEM IS THE CITY MANAGER'S REPORT. ERIK, DO YOU HAVE A REPORT 
          TODAY? >> YES, MA'AM. THREE ITEMS. THE FIRST I SHARED IN A MEMO WITH THE COUNCIL EARLIER THIS WEEK, BUT I WANTED TO MAKE SURE THE COUNCIL WAS AWARE OF THE ITEM THAT WAS PRESENTED AT THE MARCH 12TH AUDIT COMMITTEE THIS MONTH. I AM PROUD TO SHARE THAT FOR THE EIGHTH YEAR IN A ROW THE CITY'S EXTERNAL AUDITORS HAVE PRODUCED A REPORT OF NO FINDINGS THIS IS THE REVIEW OF OUR FINANCIAL STATEMENTS AND HOW WE MANAGE OUR FINANCIAL RECORDS. IT'S AN ANNUAL REQUIRED AUDIT OF THOSE RECORDS AND ACCOUNTS AND WAS COMPLETED BY AN INDEPENDENT EXTERNAL AUDIT GROUP. 
          [01:05:03]
YOU KNOW, GIVEN THE SIZE AND COMPLEXITY OF OUR ORGANIZATION, THIS IS A SIGNIFICANT ACCOMPLISHMENT FOR -- TO HAVE NO AUDIT FINDINGS OR -- IN ANY GIVEN YEAR, BUT WE HAVE ACHIEVED IT OVER A YEAR PERIOD. YOU ALL KNOW WE MANAGE A WIDE ARRAY OF SERVICES, COMPLEX PROJECTS, DIFFERENT TYPES OF REVENUE WITH DIFFERENT TYPES OF RULES. THE ANNUAL FINANCIAL REPORT IS LOCATED ON OUR CITY'S WEBSITE AND IS USED EXTENSIVELY FOR RATING AGENCIES AND INVESTORS. 
          SO I WANTED TO RECOGNIZE AND THANK THE ENTIRE FINANCE DEPARTMENT AND ALL OF THE DEPARTMENTAL FISCAL ADMINISTRATORS THAT ARE LOCATED THROUGHOUT OUR ORGANIZATION, IN PARTICULAR I WANT TO RECOGNIZE VICKY ROTOR AND MELANIE KEETON, OUR TWO DEPUTY FINANCE DIRECTORS, ELIZABETH JULLIARD, OUR CITY CONTROLLER. 
          RECOGNIZED. [APPLAUSE] GREAT JOB, Y'ALL. THE SECOND ITEM, AND I'VE HEARD A COUPLE OF THE NOTICES GO OFF IN THE COUNCIL CHAMBERS, BUT WE'VE SENT -- THE STATE OF TEXAS IS DOING AN EMERGENCY NOTIFICATION TEST TODAY, SO THROUGHOUT THE MORNING WE ALL SHOULD BE GETTING THOSE EMERGENCY NOTIFICATIONS. 
          THE CITY HAS BEEN ACTIVELY MAKING SURE THAT THE PUBLIC HAS BEEN AWARE OF THAT AND PREPARED FOR IT TODAY. I WANTED TO THEIR WITH YOU ALL HERE, BUT ALSO THOSE THAT MAY BE WATCHING THAT IF THIS GOES OFF IT'S A VERY IMPORTANT ASPECT OF ENSURING THAT SETTINGS ARE ON ON YOUR PHONE AND THAT YOU ARE ABLE TO RECEIVE THOSE EMERGENCY ALERTS. AND LASTLY, MAYOR, OUR SPOTLIGHT VIDEO IS ON A PUBLIC WORKS EMPLOYEE, SPECIFICALLY A RIVER MAINTENANCE EMPLOYEE, JAMES, WHO IS ONE OF OUR STORM WATER OPERATION SUPERVISORS. JAMES HAS BEEN WITH THE CITY SINCE 2016, DOES A GREAT JOB AND LEADS A VERY IMPORTANT TEAM. 
          SO LET'S ROLL THE VIDEO. 
          CITY, AND ALL EYES ARE ON THE RIVER. I MAINTAIN THE WATER LEVELS 
          FOR THE RIVERWALK. >> RIGHT NOW WE'RE AT THE SAN ANTONIO RIVER TUNNELS INLET. THIS IS THE START OF THE SAN ANTONIO BEFORE IT GOES DOWN TO SAN ANTONIO. RIGHT HERE BEHIND ME YOU SEE THE TRASH RACKS. 
          IT'S LIKE A CONVEYOR BELT IN THE RIVER. WE COLLECT THE BE BRING BEFORE IT GETS CLOGGED UP. WE DON'T WANT ANY DAMMING TO THE DOWNTOWN AREA BECAUSE IT CREATES FLOODING. WE MAINTAIN THE GATES, WE MAINTAIN ALL THE SENSORS THROUGHOUT THE RIVERWALK. DURING A RAIN EVENT WE DIVERT THE WATER TO THE TUNNELS TO PROTECT THE CITY. WHEN THERE'S A DROUGHT LIKE THERE IS RIGHT NOW WE ACTUALLY COLLECT THE WATER AND WE RECIRCULATE THE WATER BACK INTO THE SAN ANTONIO 
          RIVER. >> OUR INFRASTRUCTURE MANAGEMENT CENTER WORK CLOSELY WITH THE CREWS HERE AT OUR TUNNELS AND ON OTHER STORM WATER CREWS DURING 
          FLOODING EVENTS TO MAKE SURE OUR ROADWAYS ARE SAFE. >> THERE ARE TWO CORE VALUES THAT THE PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT EXEMPLIFIES. THE FIRST IS TEAMWORK NOT ONLY WITH OUR STAFF, BUT WITH OTHER DEPARTMENTS. THE OTHER CORE VALUE IS INTEGRITY. WE ARE OUT THERE ALL THE TIME, WHETHER PEOPLE KNOW THAT WE'RE THERE OR NOT. AND WE ACTUALLY PREFER IF FOLKS ARE ABLE TO GO ABOUT THEIR DAY AND NOT KNOW THAT PUBLIC WORKS WAS THERE TO MAKE THEIR DAY BETTER. 
          >> I WANTED TO SAY THANK YOU TO THE NEARLY 700 EMPLOYEES OF OUR PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT THAT ARE OUT THERE ON THE STREETS EVERYDAY THAT HELP US TO BE ABLE TO BE SUCCESSFUL IN KEEPING THE PEOPLE OF THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO MOVING 
          SAFELY AND EFFICIENTLY. [APPLAUSE]. >> THAT'S IT, MAYOR. 
          THANK YOU. >> MAYOR JONES: THANK YOU, ERIK. 
          ITEMS 8 THROUGH 28 ARE ON THE CONSENT AGENDA. THIS MEANS THEY WILL BE CONSIDERED AS A GROUP AND THERE WILL NOT BE A STAFF PRESENTATION UNLESS PULLED FOR INDIVIDUAL CONSIDERATION. ARE THERE ANY ITEMS COUNCIL MEMBERS WOULD LIKE TO PULL FROM THE CONSENT AGENDA TO BE HEARD INDIVIDUALLY TODAY? 
          >> 23. >> MAYOR JONES: COUNCILWOMAN KAUR IS PULLING ITEM 23 TO BE HEARD INDIVIDUALLY. ARE THERE ANY OTHERS? OKAY. 6 IS INDIVIDUAL, AN INDIVIDUAL ITEM. 
          ANYTHING ELSE FROM THE CONSENT AGENDA? OKAY. 
          OKAY. ITEM 23 HAS BEEN PULLED BY COUNCILWOMAN KAUR FOR 
          [01:10:02]
INDIVIDUAL CONSIDERATION. THERE ARE, LET'S SEE -- WE HAVE SEVERAL INDIVIDUALS FROM THE PUBLIC SIGNED UP TO SPEAK ON THE REMAINDER OF THE CONSENT AGENDA. 
          I WILL CALL ON INDIVIDUALS IN ORDER OF SIGN-UP FOR ALL ITEMS ON THE CONSENT AGENDA. 
          THE FIRST PERSON IS HERSCHEL BOARD FOLLOWED BY JACK FINGER. 
          ALL INDIVIDUALS WILL HAVE THREE MINUTES TO SPEAK AND GROUPS OF THREE WILL HAVE A 
          TOTAL OF NINE MINUTES. >> GOOD MORNING. MY NAME IS HERSCHEL BOYD. 
          I AM ONE WHOSE PROPERTY IS BEING TAKEN BY VIA AGAINST MY WILL. 
          I AM NEGOTIATING WITH VIA FOR A PROPERTY I DON'T WANT TO SELL, BUT NO MATTERS WHAT HAPPENS IN THIS MEETING I WANT YOU TO KNOW I WILL BE AT EVERY MEETING, VIA'S BOARD MEETINGS, AS WELL AS THE CITY OF AUSTIN, AS YOUR GHOST OF EMINENT DOMAIN PAST. I WANT YOU TO KNOW THAT THIS IS WRONG HOW IT WAS DONE, WHAT I FOUND OUT ABOUT SOME OF VIA'S PRACTICES IN MAKING IT HAPPEN, BUT THE LAW ITSELF IS WRONG. REAL ESTATE DECISIONS MADE BY A GOVERNMENT ENTITY SHOULD NOT BE CONDUCTED BEHIND CLOSED DOORS. I UNDERSTAND WHY IT IS, JUST AS I UNDERSTAND WHAT VIA -- WHY VIA WOULD WANT THIS VERY UNIQUE LOT AND BUILDING. 
          IT BREAKS MY HEART THEY MAY BE THINKING OF KNOCKING DOWN THIS 130-YEAR-OLD HISTORICAL 
          BUILDING, WHICH IS WHAT I -- >> MAYOR JONES: SIR, DO YOU HAVE ANY COMMENTS SPECIFIC TO ITEM 12? THAT'S THE ITEM THAT YOU SIGNED UP TO SPEAK ON. 
          >> THAT WAS THE EMINENT DOMAIN. >> MAYOR JONES: SPECIFICALLY THE CONSERVATION EASEMENT OVER THE EDWARD'S AQUIFER. 
          THERE'S NOT A MENTION OF RELATION TO VIA. >> I FEEL LIKE YOU'RE NOT REALLY GIVING THEM ENOUGH MONEY FOR THE LAND, BUT I DON'T REALLY KNOW ABOUT THAT AS FAR AS HOW MUCH -- LIKE A SMALL TRACT OF LAND BECAUSE VIA IS TAKING MY ENTIRE PROPERTY AND THEY'VE REFUSED TO LEASE IT. AND THERE'S EVEN A SIX 
          BILLION DOLLAR SIGN OUTSIDE THE BUILDING THERE. >> MAYOR JONES: SIR, WE CERTAINLY WANT TO HEAR YOUR FEEDBACK AND PUBLIC COMMENT ON WEDNESDAYS WOULD BE THE MOST APPROPRIATE TIME TO SHARE THAT. WHATEVER YOU HAVE, THOUGH, IF THERE IS ANYTHING POTENTIALLY IN YOUR COMMENTS RELATED TO ITEM 12, YOU'RE WELCOME TO SUBMIT THAT FOR THE RECORD. IF NOT, WE LOOK FORWARD TO YOUR COMMENTS ON WEDNESDAY OR TO ANY OF THE INDIVIDUALS UP HERE. 
          >> OKAY. LIKE I SAID BEFORE ON WEDNESDAY AT 5:00 I CAN'T MAKE IT BECAUSE I HAVE A NIGHT CLASS. 
          THE PUBLIC COMMENT PART DIDN'T CHANGE, SO I'M STILL NOT ABLE TO SPEAK THERE. 
          THIS IS REALLY MY ONLY WAY TO SPEAK. BUT THERE IS SOMETHING THAT I ENCOURAGE YOU TO SPEAK TO THE PEOPLE THAT WILL BE AFFECTED BY IT BECAUSE I WOULD WANT YOU TO KNOW THAT I HAD PLANS FOR THE BUILDING,IST GOING TO GO BACK TO SCHOOL AS A SCHOOL LIBRARIAN OR BACK TO WORK WITH AN EXTRA $3,000 A MONTH TO SUPPLEMENT THAT VERY LOW INCOME THAT EDUCATORS GET. AND I WAS GOING TO USE THOSE PROFITS TO FIX UP THE OUTSIDE. HE JUST WANT YOU TO IMAGINE WORKING AT A PLACE AND SOME OF THESE PEOPLE MIGHT BE WORKING AT THESE PLACES ON THIS LAND WITHOUT TELLING ANYONE, AND COMING HOME TO AN EMPTY DARK HOUSE BECAUSE YOU'RE FAMILY'S ALL ASLEEP AND SOMETIMES YOU ONLY GET THERE TO PLAY CATCH WITH YOUR KID AT NIGHT BECAUSE YOU WERE WORKING OVER THERE. AND RIGHT AFTER THAT YOU GET A LETTER FROM VIA SAYING THEY'RE GOING TO TAKE ALL OF YOUR PROFITS. 
          AND IT'S JUST NOT A GOOD WAY TO DO IT. I WOULD HAVE HOPED YOU WOULD HAVE REACHED OUT TO THOSE PEOPLE AT THOSE LANDS AND MADE SURE THEY WEREN'T IN THIS SAME SITUATION BECAUSE IT IS VERY DIFFICULT -- [BUZZER] -- TO COMPREHEND, 
          IN FACT. >> MAYOR JONES: SIR, YOU CAN SUBMIT THE REST OF YOUR 
          COMMENTS FOR THE RECORD. THANK YOU. >> OKAY. 
          WHERE WOULD I SEND THAT? >> DEBBIE IS GOING TO REACH OUT TO YOU RIGHT NOW. 
          THANK YOU. >> THANK YOU. >> MAYOR JONES: JACK FINGER. MADAM MAYOR, OTHER MEMBERS OF THE ILLUSTRIOUS SAN ANTONIO CITY COUNCIL. FOR THE RECORD MY NAME IS JACK M FINGER. 
          JUST A COUPLE OF ITEMS I WISH TO BRING UP ON THIS PORTION OF THE AGENDA. 
          ITEM 21 AND 22 ARE ABOUT SOME LAWSUITS THAT THE CITY HAS BEEN CAN ENGAGED IN. 
          BASICALLY ITEM 21, A POLICE OFFICER COLLIDED WITH A MOTORIST AND IS CAUSING US TO SHELL OUT ABOUT OVER $147,000 IN DAMAGES. ITEM 22, SIMILAR SITUATION, 
          [01:15:04]
A GARBAGE TRUCK DRIVER APPARENTLY CAUSED ANOTHER ACCIDENT, AND WE ARE SHELLING OUT $135,000 IN THAT CASE. THE QUESTION ALWAYS ARISES, IF POLICE OFFICERS, GARBAGE TRUCK DRIVERS, ANY EMPLOYEE DRIVING A VEHICLE OR CAUSING ANY KIND OF ACCIDENT HERE IN THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO, DO THEY EVER GET REPRIMANDED FOR THE ACCIDENT THAT THEY CAUSED AND THAT WE HAD TO PAY FOR? NOW, I CAN UNDERSTAND IF IT HAPPENS ONLY ON RARE OCCASIONS FOR CERTAIN INDIVIDUALS AND YOU CAN SAY, WELL, IF THEY ARE AN EMPLOYEE AND THEY ROUTINELY DRIVE THE SPEED LIMIT, THESE THINGS DO HAPPEN AND SOMETIMES IT'S THEIR FAULT, SOMETIMES IT'S NOT. BUT WHAT HAPPENS IF THE POLICE OFFICER OR THE GARBAGE TRUCK DRIVER HAVE HAD A HISTORY OF CAUSING ACCIDENTS LIKE THIS AND WE HAVE TO CONTINUE SHELL OUT MONEY FOR THESE THINGS? DO THESE PEOPLE EVER GET REPRIMANDED? IT'S A BIG QUESTION. I'M STILL WAITING FOR SOME ANSWERS ON THIS. I THINK A LOT OF CITIZENS WOULD LIKE TO KNOW THE ANSWERS ON WHAT THE POLICY IS FOR THESE THINGS AS WELL, YOU KNOW. 
          SO ANYWAY, IF ANYONE WOULD LIKE TO PUBLICLY STATE WHAT THE ANSWER IS, WE'LL BE 
          LOOKING FORWARD TO IT THERE. THANK YOU. >> MAYOR JONES: ALL INDIVIDUALS SIGNED UP TO SPEAK HAVE SPOKEN. IS THERE A MOTION TO APPROVE 
          THE BALANCE OF THE CONSENT AGENDA? >> MOTION TO APPROVE. 
          >> SECOND. >> MAYOR JONES: IT IS MOVED AND SECONDED TO APPROVE THE BALANCE OF THE CONSENT AGENDA. COUNCIL MEMBERS, I KNOW THERE ARE A FEW TO HIGHLIGHT HIGHLIGHT. COUNCILMEMBER 
          MCKEE-RODRIGUEZ, A HIGHLIGHT? >> MCKEE-RODRIGUEZ: THANK YOU, MAYOR. I'M EXCITED TO HIGHLIGHT ITEM 19 APPROVING THE REAPPOINTMENT OF MONICA TO THE HISTORIC DESIGN REVIEW COMMISSION FOR THE REMAINDER OF THE TERM. MONICA HAS BEEN A HUGE DISTRICT 2 ADVOCATE AND A PRESERVATION WARRIOR. SHE'S ALSO AN ARCHITECT AND A MEMBER OF THE DIGNITY HILL NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION AND WE'RE SO GLAD AND GRATEFUL TO HAVE HER SERVE AS OUR APPOINTEE GOING ON FIVE YEARS AND COUNTING. THANK YOU FOR AGREEING TO SERVE. I REALLY APPRECIATE THAT HDRC IS ONE OF THE COMMISSIONS I DO NOT HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT TOO MUCH SO I LOOK FORWARD TO CONTINUING TO WORK ALONGSIDE YOU, MONICA. THANK YOU. 
          >> MAYOR JONES: COUNCILMEMBER MEZA GONZÁLEZ. >> GONZÁLEZ: THANK YOU, MAYOR. AS IT IS PUBLIC HEALTH WEEK, I'M PROUD TO HIGHLIGHT ITEMS 25 AND 26. ITEM 25 IS AN ORDINANCE APPROVING AN AGREEMENT WITH THE SAN ANTONIO AREA FOUNDATION TO DISTRIBUTE SMALL GRANTS TO COMMUNITY-BASED ORGANIZATIONS WORKING TO REDUCE FOOD INSECURITY AND INCREASE ACCESS TO PRENATAL CARE, MENTAL BEHAVIORAL HEALTH AND HOUSING SERVICES. 
          METRO HEALTH ALONG WITH THE SAN ANTONIO AREA FOUNDATION WILL COLLABORATE TO PROVIDE GRANT TO ORGANIZATIONS PROVIDING SERVICES AND RESOURCES TO ADDRESS ACCESS TO FOOD HOUSING SERVICES. PRIORITY WILL BE GIVEN TO ORGANIZATIONS SERVING COMMUNITIES IN SAN ANTONIO, BEXAR COUNTY WITH THE GREATEST NEED. 
          BY PROVIDING GRANTS TO TRUSTED COMMUNITY-BASED ORGANIZATIONS, WE ARE STRENGTHENING THE LOCAL NETWORK OF SUPPORT THAT FAMILIES RELY ON EVERYDAY. 
          PRIORITIZING ORGANIZATIONS THAT SERVE COMMUNITIES WITH THE GREATEST NEED ENSURES THAT RESOURCES ARE DIRECTED WHERE THEY WILL HAVE THE GREATEST IMPACT, HELPING US REDUCE DISPARITIES AND BUILD HEALTHIER, MORE RESILIENT NEIGHBORHOOD. 
          THANK YOU TO METRO HEALTH AND THE AREA FOUNDATION FOR STEPPING FORWARD WITH THE MODEL THAT UP LIFTS TRUSTED LOCAL ORGANIZATIONS AND STRENGTHENS A FOUNDATION OF HEALTH AND STABILITY ACROSS OUR CITY. ITEM 26 IS AN ORDINANCE AMENDING AN AGREEMENT WITH THE UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS HEALTH SCIENCE CENTER TO ADD $135,000 FOR A TOTAL AMOUNT UP TO $295,910. FUNDING IS FROM THE MEDICAID 1115 WAIVER. METRO HEALTH'S DISTRICT ORAL HEALTH PROGRAM CONTRACTS WITH UT HEALTH SAN ANTONIO SCHOOL OF DENTISTRY TO PROVIDE DIAGNOSTIC AND PREVENTIVE HEALTH CARE FOR CHILDREN AT NO COST TO FAMILIES WHO QUALIFY FOR SERVICES. ON AN ANNUAL BASIS, THE ORAL HEALTH PROGRAM SERVES OVER 17,000 CHILDREN, MOST OF WHICH ARE LIVING AT OR BELOW THE POVERTY GUIDELINES BY PROVIDING PREVENTIVE AND RESTORATIVE DENTAL SERVICES AND NON-TRADITIONAL SETTINGS SUCH AS HEAD START, EARLY HEAD START AND ON CAMPUSES OF LOCAL TITLE I ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS. FAR TOO MANY OF OUR FAMILIES FACE BARRIERS THAT PREVENT THEM FROM ACCESSING ROUTINE DENTAL CARE AND UNTREATED ORAL HEALTH ISSUES CAN LEAD 
          [01:20:01]
TO PAIN, MISSED SCHOOL DAYS AND LONG-TERM MEDICAL COMPLICATIONS. 
          BY PROVIDING NO COST DIAGNOSTIC AND PREVENTIVE DENTAL SERVICES THIS PROGRAM DIRECTLY ADDRESSES THE CRITICAL HEALTH DISPARITY AFFECTING OUR CROSS VULNERABLE RESIDENTS. DISTRICT 8 IS HOME TO ONE OF SAN ANTONIO'S MOST DIVERSE IMMIGRANT POPULATIONS AND WE KNOW MANY OF THESE FAMILIES HAVE HISTORICALLY LACKED ACCESS TO CONSISTENT, PREVENTIVE DENTAL CARE. AS WE BEGIN WEIGHING BUDGET PRIORITIES, I STRONGLY URGE MY COUNCIL COLLEAGUES TO RECOGNIZE THAT PROGRAMS LIKE THIS ARE NOT OPTIONAL, THEY ARE ESSENTIAL PUBLIC HEALTH INVESTMENTS. 
          THANK YOU. >> MAYOR JONES: COUNCILMEMBER SPEARS. 
          >> SPEARS: THANK YOU, MAYOR. I AM HIGHLIGHTING ITEM NUMBER 9, WHICH IS APPROVING SOME FUNDING FOR STUBING PARK IMPROVEMENTS. 
          THIS IS THE MOST POPULAR PARK I THINK FOR SURE IN DISTRICT 9, BUT FOR MANY ACROSS THE WHOLE CITY. THE REASON IS BECAUSE IT MEETS NEEDS THAT OTHER PARKS CANNOT. IT'S UNIQUE BECAUSE IT'S INTENTIONALLY DESIGNED TO BE ACCESSIBLE FOR INDIVIDUALS OF ALL ABILITIES. THESE IMPROVEMENTS BUILD ON THIS FOUNDATION BY ENHANCING ACCESS, MOBILITY AND OVERALL USABILITY THROUGHOUT THE PARK. INVESTMENTS IN PARK PEDESTRIAN INFRASTRUCTURE AND GENERAL PARK UPGRADES ARE NOT JUST ABOUT CONVENIENCE. 
          THIS IS ABOUT ENSURING THAT MORE RESIDENTS CAN FULLY EXPERIENCE AND ENJOY THIS SPACE. IT REFLECT BOND FUNDING AND ACCESS TO PUBLIC AMENITIES. 
          FOR MANY FAMILIES MITCHELL'S LANDING ADAPTIVE EQUIPMENT MAKES THIS ONE OF THE FEW PLACES WHERE EVERY CHILD CAN PLAY, EXPLORE AND FEEL INCLUDED. 
          AND I APPRECIATE THE WORK OF OUR STAFF AND PARTNERS WHO HAVE MOVED THIS PROJECT FORWARD. I'M PROUD TO SUPPORT THIS INVESTMENT IN A PARK THAT MEANS SO MUCH TO OUR COMMUNITY AND I ENCOURAGE MY COLLEAGUES TO SUPPORT THIS ITEM, AND A SPECIAL SHOUT-OUT TO MY FRIEND APRIL CHANG FOR ALL HER EFFORTS TO MOVE MITCHELL'S LANDING FORWARD. THANK YOU, MAYOR. 
          >> MAYOR JONES: HAVING BEEN TO THE LANDING, OH MY GOSH, IT'S AMAZING AND KIND OF A STANDARD. ACTUALLY, WHEN I WAS THERE WE WERE WALKING AROUND AND THERE WERE FOLKS WHO HAD DRIVEN LIKE 25 MILES BECAUSE THERE'S NOTHING LIKE THAT ON ANY OTHER PART OF TOWN. I KNOW A LOT OF THAT IS PRIVATELY FUNDED SO I APPRECIATE APRIL AND HER FAMILY DOING THAT. COUNCILWOMAN KAUR. 
          >> KAUR: THANK YOU, MAYOR. I WANTED TO HIGHLIGHT ITEM NUMBER 18, WHICH IS MY APPOINTMENT TO THE TRANSPORTATION ADVISORY BOARD, MICHELLE MARTINEZ. 
          THE SHE HAD TO LEAVE, BUT I LOVE HER STORY. SHE'S A PROUD TAFOYA GRAD AND IS THE STEERING CHAIR OF LA350 WHICH HAS BEEN AN AMAZING EXPERIENCE FOR OUR OWN CAT HERNANDEZ AND MY CHIEF OF STAFF. SHE ALSO IS THE CO-OWNER OF THE LOCAL SATX WHICH HAS BEEN WORKING WITH US TO PROVIDE FREE SHUTTLES FOR FOLKS'S SOUTH TOWN I'M REALLY EXCITED FOR HER AND WHAT SHE'S GOING TO DO ON THE TRANSPORTATION ADVISORY BOARD. ALSO EXCITED FOR THE NEW MAYORAL APPOINTEE, WHO I'M SURE THE MAYOR WILL RECOGNIZE IN JUST A SECOND. 
          THANKS, MAYOR. >> MAYOR JONES: COUNCILMAN MUNGIA. 
          >> MUNGIA: THANK YOU, MAYOR. I WOULD LIKE TO HIGHLIGHT ITEM NO. 15, WHICH IS A GRANT FROM TCEQ FOR LOCAL AIR MONITORING EFFORTS. 
          AS WE KNOW, THAT'S A HUGE ISSUE IN OUR COMMUNITY, ESPECIALLY WITH ASTHMA. 
          ESPECIALLY ON THE SOUTHWEST SIDE OF SAN ANTONIO WHERE WE HAVE A LOT OF INDUSTRIAL ACTIVITY. IT'S VERY IMPORTANT TO MONITOR AIR QUALITY IN THAT AREA. I ALSO WANT TO HIGHLIGHT ITEM NO. 20, WHICH IS AN AGREEMENT WITH BISSELL PET FOUNDATION FOR SPAY AND NEUTER SERVICES. 
          IT'S VERY IMPORTANT TO OUR COMMUNITY, ESPECIALLY DISTRICT 4. 
          THERE'S A WONDERFUL GRAPHIC SOMEBODY PUT OUT THAT FOR ONE DOG WHO DOES NOT GET SPAYED AND NEUTERED, THE EFFECTS THAT CAN HAPPEN AFTER THAT IS ASTRONOMICAL. 
          I APPRECIATE THAT AND LOOK FORWARD TO MORE SPAY AND NEUTERING. 
          >> MAYOR JONES: COUNCILMAN WHYTE. >> WHYTE: THANKS, MAYOR. 
          JUST BRIEFLY HIGHLIGHTING ITEM 8, WHICH IS FUNDING FOR THE EISENHOWER NORTHWOOD DEVONSHIRE DRAINAGE PROJECT. IT WAS APPROVED IN THE 2022 BOND PROGRAM. 
          CPS ENERGY IS GOING TO DO SOME WORK TO REPLACE THE GAS MAIN AND ASSOCIATED GAS SERVICE LINES. SAWS IS GOING TO DO SOME SEWER WORK, INCLUDING REPLACEMENT OF THE SANITARY SEWER MAINS. DRAINAGE HAS BEEN A BIG ISSUE IN THE CITY OVER THE LAST YEAR, IF NOT MORE. VERY APPRECIATIVE THAT THIS 
          IS MOVING FORWARD. THANKS. >> MAYOR JONES: ARE THERE ANY OTHER HIGHLIGHTS? I WOULD LIKE TO HIGHLIGHT MS. LYN-Z ANDREWS, MY 
          [01:25:02]
APPOINTEE TO THE SAN ANTONIO ARTS COMMISSION. I BELIEVE SHE'S THE FIRST OPENLY-OUT TRANS MEMBER TO SERVE ON THAT COMMISSION. AS MANY OF YOU KNOW, SHE IS VERY ACTIVE IN OUR COMMUNITY ON A NUMBER OF ISSUES AND DOES A GREAT JOB HIGHLIGHTING THE INTERSECTION OF SO MANY ISSUES THAT AFFECT OUR LGBTQ COMMUNITY BUT ALSO JUST IN GENERAL AFFECT EQUITY IN OUR COMMUNITY. 
          SO I'M VERY THANKFUL FOR HER AND HER HUSBAND AND ALL THAT THEY DO FOR OUR COMMUNITY. 
          THANK YOU, LYN-Z FOR YOUR SERVICE ON THAT. [APPLAUSE] THERE BEING NO FURTHER DISCUSSION, THERE'S A MOTION AND A SECOND TO APPROVE THE CONSENT AGENDA, ABSENT ITEM 23, WHICH IS PULLED FOR INDIVIDUAL CONSIDERATION. 
          PLEASE VOTE. THE MOTION CARRIES. THANK YOU. 
          ITEM 5, WE'LL MOVE ON TO INDIVIDUAL ITEMS. ITEM 5 IS THE RESULT OF A SPECIAL MEMO. MADAME CLERK, PLEASE READ THE CAPTION. 
          >> CLERK: ITEM NO. 5 IS A BRIEFING ON A PROPOSED ORDINANCE TO ADDRESS JURY SERVICE FRAUD AND OTHER SCAMS USING BITCOIN KIOSKS AND ATMS. 
          >> MAYOR JONES: I UNDERSTAND STAFF HAS A PRESENTATION. 
          >> GOOD MORNING, MAYOR AND COUNCIL. BEFORE I START MY PRESENTATION TODAY, I'M GOING TO TURN IT OVER TO SHERIFF JAVIER SALAZAR. 
          >> THANK Y'ALL SO MUCH. GOOD MORNING. SHERIFF JAVIER SALAZAR. 
          AS YOU ALL KNOW, GETTING TWO GOVERNMENT ORGANIZATIONS OR BODIES TO AGREE ON ANYTHING IS A MONUMENTAL TASK. BUT THIS IS JUST THAT. I THINK IT'S POETRY IN MOTION, TO BE QUITE FRANK. SCAMS ARE A BIG BUSINESS, UNFORTUNATELY, AND THEY ARE MILKING SAN ANTONIO AND/OR BEXAR COUNTY RESIDENTS OUT OF MILLIONS OF DOLLARS EVERY SINGLE YEAR. BUT WE HAVE THE ABILITY TO STOP THIS, TO PREVENT THIS CRIME FROM EVE EVEN HAPPENING. WE HAVE SEEN AN UP SURGE IN SCAMS INVOLVING THESE BITCOIN MACHINES LOCATED THROUGHOUT SAN ANTONIO AND BEXAR COUNTY WHERE IN THE MOST COMMON SCAMS THAT WE'RE SEEING, SCAMMERS ARE CALLING VICTIMS, EITHER THE FAMILIES OF THOSE THAT ARE INCARCERATED IN THE BEXAR COUNTY JAIL OR JUST FOLKS THAT ARE SITTING HOME MINDING THEIR OWN BUSINESS. THEY'RE GETTING CALLS FROM PEOPLE CLAIMING TO BE GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS SAYING ONE OF TWO THINGS:  YOU EITHER MISSED JURY DUTY AND YOU HAVE WARRANTS OUTSTANDING FOR YOUR ARREST OR YOUR LOVED ONE IS IN JAIL AND WE HAVE THE ABILITY TO HELP YOU GET THEM OUT ON AN ANKLE MONITOR. THEY WILL KEEP THESE PEOPLE ON THE PHONE IN UPWARDS OF EIGHT HOURS, HAVING THEM GO FROM RETAIL ESTABLISHMENT, DEPOSITING MONEY INTO WHAT THEY BELIEVE IS AN ATM MACHINE BUT THEY'RE PURCHASING BITCOIN. 
          WE HAVE SEEN UPWARDS OF $25,000 IN SOME OF THESE SCAMS, PEOPLE BEING TAKEN. 
          WHILE WE'RE MAKING OUR BEST EFFORT TO GET THEIR MONEY BACK, WE ARE MET WITH MIXED RESULTS. HAVING RECENTLY GONE TO THE SHERIFF'S CONFERENCE IN WASHINGTON, D.C. AND HAVING HAD THE PLEASURE OF MEETING SHERIFF HANSON FROM DOUGLAS COUNTY, NEBRASKA, SHARED WITH ME THIS WAS ADDRESSED IN OMAHA NEBRASKA WITH A CITY ORDINANCE. ADDRESSING MAINLY SIGNAGE, LIKE SIMILAR TO WHAT WE'RE LOOKING TO DO HERE TODAY. AND ALSO A STATE LAW IN THE STATE OF NEBRASKA, WHICH WE'RE LOOKING FORWARD TO TRYING TO GET GOING, WITH Y'ALL'S ASSISTANCE AS WELL. 
          AND SO I THANK YOU FOR YOUR WORK IN THIS EFFORT TO THIS POINT. 
          AND I CERTAINLY LOOK FORWARD TO CONTINUING TO WORK WITH YOU ALL TO CONTINUE TO SEE BOTH OF THESE PROJECTS THROUGH TO COMPLETE FRUITION. 
          THANK Y'ALL. >> WE'LL START OFF, AGAIN, THIS IS THE DIGITAL ASSET FRAUD PREVENTION ORDINANCE. BY WAY OF AGENDA, I'LL GIVE YOU A QUICK BACKGROUND. 
          WE'RE GOING TO TALK ABOUT THE BACKGROUND AND HOW WE GOT HERE TODAY. 
          I'LL GIVE YOU A HIGH-LEVEL OVERVIEW OF SOME OF THE SAPD CASES AND OUR CURRENT EFFORTS. AND I'LL CONCLUDE WITH SOME STAFF RECOMMENDATIONS. 
          BEFORE I GET STARTED ON IT, I WANT TO THANK COUNCIL MEMBERS CASTILLO, ALDERETE GAVITO, SPEARS, AND WHYTE FOR YOUR LEADERSHIP ON THIS BRINGING US HERE TODAY . 
          [01:30:01]
I WON'T REHASH EVERYTHING THAT THE SHERIFF SAID BUT ON FEBRUARY 12, THE LETTER SENT TO MAYOR AND COUNCIL SPECIFICALLY REQUESTING THAT THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO PASS A BITCOIN ORDINANCE TO ADDRESS JURY DUTY SCAMS. IT'S EXACTLY HOW HE DESCRIBED. VICTIMS ARE TRICKED INTO BELIEVING THEY HAVE A WARRANT AND THEY GO TO A BITCOIN ATM MACHINE AND WITHDRAW MONEY. 
          ON FEBRUARY 25, THIS WAS REQUESTED AND SUBMITTED FOR A SPECIAL MEETING, WHICH IS WHAT WE'RE GOING TO DISCUSS HERE TODAY. JUST TO GIVE YOU A HIGH-LEVEL OVERVIEW OF THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN CRYPTO AND CASH. 
          THE CRIMINALS TODAY DON'T NEED TO DO IT FACE-TO-FACE . THEY CAN USE E-MAIL, TEXT, AND PHONE NUMBERS. I GUARANTEE YOU EACH AND EVERY ONE OF YOU HAVE GOTTEN A CALL OR A TEXT FROM SOME OF THESE SCAMMERS. THEY ARE HIGHLY ORGANIZED. 
          THEY ARE FAST MOVING AND THEY ARE EVOLVING VERY QUICKLY TO STAY AHEAD OF LAW ENFORCEMENT AND STAY AHEAD OF THE LAWS THAT WE'LL TALK ABOUT LATER THAT REALLY DON'T EXIST FOR THIS TYPE OF CRIME. THEY ALL LOOK DIFFERENT BUT ON THEIR FACE AND WHAT THEY'RE REALLY ABOUT, THEY RELY ON PRESSURE, FEAR, AND MANIPULATION. AND THAT'S WHAT WE'RE GOING TO TALK ABOUT THIS TODAY. 
          THE CRYPTO SCAMS ARE REALLY DIFFICULT TO ENFORCE. THEY'RE DIFFICULT TO TRACE BECAUSE THEY ARE VERY FAST. ONCE THAT MONEY GOES, IT IS GONE WITHIN MINUTES. 
          SO THE COMMON TACTICS THAT WE SAW HERE WITH OUR DATA IS SOME VERSION OF YOUR LOVED ONE IS IN TROUBLE. YOU OWE MONEY TO THE GOVERNMENT. 
          YOUR UTILITIES ARE ABOUT TO BE SHUT OFF. THERE'S A LOT OF FAKE INVESTMENT OPPORTUNITIES, ROMANCE SCAMS, TECH SUPPORT SCAMS, AND IMPERSONATING LAW ENFORCEMENT. AGAIN, SOME OF THE HIGHLIGHTS THAT WE DISCOVERED WHEN WE STARTED DIGGING INTO THIS DATA IS THERE'S NOT A SINGLE CRIME CATEGORY FOR CRYPTOCURRENCY SCAMS. THERE'S NO LAW ON THE BOOKS THAT ADDRESSES CRYPTOCURRENCY CRIMES IN GENERAL, SPECIFICALLY. 
          BECAUSE OF THAT, THE CRIMINAL BEHAVIOR VARIES. BUT, AGAIN, THE GOAL IS THE SAME. IT'S TO GET THE MONEY AND IT'S JUST THE METHODS, THE WAY THEY USE THREATS, COERCION, AND MANIPULATION IS DIFFERENT. 
          BECAUSE THERE'S NO SPECIFIC LAW, THESE CASES ARE REPORTED UNDER A BUNCH OF DIFFERENT OFFENSES. AGAIN, WE HAD 625 REPORTS JUST USING THE WORDS CRYPTOCURRENCY AND BITCOIN. WE'LL TALK TO YOU ABOUT THE ISSUE HERE. 
          IF YOU LOOK AT THIS CHART HERE, IT SHOWS BOTH THE SCALE AND THE CHALLENGE. 
          AGAIN, WE IDENTIFIED 625 REPORTS TIED TO CRYPTOCURRENCY. 
          534 OF THOSE WERE CRIMINAL CASES THAT WERE CATEGORIZED ACROSS 53 DIFFERENT CRIME-TYPE CATEGORIES. THESE CASES INVOLVE MULTIPLE UNITS. 
          WE GOT A LOT OF DOCUMENTED FINANCIAL LOSSES AND A LOT OF DEMOGRAPHIC DATA THAT REALLY UNDERSCORES THE ISSUE WE'RE DEALING WITH. LET'S TALK ABOUT THE VICTIM DEMOGRAPHICS IN THE CITY AND THE REPORTED LOSSES. I MEAN, RIGHT OFF THE BAT, THIS IMPACTS EVERYONE. YOU SEE WE HAD VICTIMS FROM 15 YEARS OLD TO 92 YEARS OLD. NO SURPRISE TO ANYBODY ON THE DAIS IS THAT OUR OLDER ADULTS ARE ALWAYS HIT THE HARDEST, ESPECIALLY WHEN IT RELATES TO THIS TYPE OF SCAM. A LOT OF THE REPORTED LOSSES WERE UNDER $50,000, WHICH IS SUBSTANTIAL. WE HAD A FEW CASES THAT WERE MULTIMILLION-DOLLAR LOSSES FOR THE VICTIMS. IF YOU LOOK AT THIS ON THE NATIONAL PICTURE, THE FBI PUBLISHES A REPORT EVERY YEAR. THE FBI ANNUAL INTERNET CRIME REPORT. REPORTED LOSSES LAST YEAR EXCEEDED $16 BILLION, WHICH WAS A 33% INCREASE IN THE PREVIOUS YEAR. VICTIMS OF INVESTMENT FRAUD, SPECIFICALLY THOSE INVOLVING CRYPTOCURRENCY, REPORTED THE MOST LOSSES, WHICH WAS OVER $6.5 BILLION. AS A GROUP, AGAIN, NO SURPRISE, PEOPLE OVER THE AGE OF 60 SUFFERED THE MOST LOSSES AT NEARLY $5 BILLION. AGAIN, I APPRECIATE THE SHERIFF BRINGING THIS FORWARD TO ALL OF US AND WORKING ON WAYS TO COLLABORATE. WHAT WE HAD ALREADY BEEN DOING WITH OUR TWO DETECTIVES THAT ARE ASSIGNED TO THE UNITED STATES SECRET SERVICE TASK FORCE, THEY HAD RECOGNIZED THAT THERE WAS AN ISSUE LATE LAST YEAR, EARLY THIS YEAR WHERE THEY WANTED TO DO SOME OUTREACH AND SOME EDUCATION. PART OF THAT WAS IDENTIFYING THESE BITCOIN LOCATIONS THAT WERE ACROSS SAN ANTONIO. THE UNITED STATES SECRET SERVICE MADE A SIGN, A STOP CRYPTOCURRENCY SCAM SIGN. BETWEEN FEBRUARY AND MARCH 
          [01:35:03]
AND ALL OF MARCH THEY WERE ABLE TO PUT SIGNS IN 103 OF THOSE IDENTIFIED LOCATIONS. 
          THE TASK FORCE DETECTIVES REPORTED THAT MOST OF THE BUSINESS OWNERS AND THE MANAGERS WERE SUPPORTIVE OF THE EFFORT. THERE WERE SOME THAT WERE NOT SUPPORTIVE AND DIDN'T WANT THOSE SIGNS AND SO I THINK THAT'S IMPORTANT WHEN WE TALK ABOUT WHAT AN ORDINANCE MIGHT LOOK LIKE. THIS WAS THE WARNING SIGN THAT WAS CREATED AGAIN BY THE SAN ANTONIO FIELD OFFICE OF THE UNITED STATES SECRET SERVICE. I THINK THAT THERE'S A SIGN THAT WE'RE LOOKING AT WITH THE COUNTY THAT I THINK WOULD BE MORE APPROPRIATE FOR OUR COMMUNITY. 
          YOU KNOW, THIS IS A GOOD START. THIS IS SOMETHING THAT IT REFLECTS ALL THE SCAMS THAT WE'RE SEEING IN OUR COMMUNITY. 
          BUT WE'RE LOOKING TO COORDINATE MORE WITH OUR PARTNERS HERE LOCALLY TO DO SOMETHING THAT'S BOTH CLEAR MESSAGING IN ENGLISH AND IN SPANISH. 
          WE'VE GOT 193 LOCATIONS ACROSS THE CITY. THESE ARE KNOWN LOCATIONS BECAUSE BITCOIN MACHINES AREN'T REGULATED. THERE MAY BE OTHER LOCATIONS WE'RE NOT AWARE OF. BUT OF THE ONES DOCUMENTED, THERE ARE 193. 
          SURPRISINGLY OR NOT SURPRISINGLY, WE LEAD THE STATE OF TEXAS TO INCLUDE DALLAS, FORT WORTH, AND AUSTIN. IF YOU LOOK BY DISTRICT, THERE'S THE BREAKDOWN OF WHERE THOSE MACHINES ARE LOCATED. 
          THE HIGHEST CONCENTRATION IS IN DISTRICT 1, DISTRICT 2, 3, AND 5. 
          BUT THEY ARE IN EVERY CORNER OF THE CITY ACROSS THE CITY. I WANT TO CONCLUDE WITH MY LAST SLIDE AND TALK ABOUT THE STAFF RECOMMENDATIONS BASED ON THE INFORMATION AND THE WORK THAT WE'VE DONE SO FAR. MY MAIN ONE IS THAT WE WOULD LIKE TO EXPAND THE PROPOSED ORDINANCE. AS I MENTIONED EARLIER, WHILE JURY DUTY SCAMS ARE ONE OF THE IDENTIFIED CONCERNS, OUR DATA SHOWS THAT SCAMMERS ARE USING A VARIETY OF NARRATIVES WHICH PRESENT ADDITIONAL OPPORTUNITIES AND CHALLENGES FOR US TO ENGAGE WITH PREVENTION AND OUTREACH EFFORTS. I THINK THOSE ARE GOING TO BE THE MOST EFFECTIVE IS ABSOLUTELY GOING TO BE THE KEY TO TRY AND STOP THESE CRIMES FROM EVEN HAPPENING. 
          ON THE LEGISLATIVE LEVEL, THE EXPANSION OF THIS DISCUSSION WILL INCLUDE SOME DISCUSSION WITH OUR LEGISLATIVE TEAM. LAST SESSION, SB 1705 WAS INTRODUCED AND THAT BILL AIMED TO REGULATE CRYPTO AT ATMS. THEY WERE GOING TO REQUIRE REGISTRATIONS, A LOT OF CONSUMER PROTECTIONS INCLUDING FRAUD AND IRREVERSIBILITY WARNING. A 72-HOUR HOLD. 
          THAT BILL DID NOT PASS. ON THE FEDERAL SIDE, THERE WAS A PROPOSED CRYPTO ATM FRAUD PREVENTION ACT, WHICH WOULD REQUIRE THE FRAUD WARNINGS AND THE ADDED SAFEGUARDS. 
          OBVIOUSLY SUPPORT FROM OUR LEGISLATIVE EFFORTS THIS YEAR. 
          A PUBLIC AWARENESS CAMPAIGN. WE'RE GOING TO PARTNER WITH C&E. 
          WE HAVE BEGUN THE DISCUSSIONS TO FORM A WORK GROUP TO INCLUDE US, THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE, THE DHD, AND OUR FEDERAL PARTNERS. WE WANT TO DEVELOP A COORDINATED, MULTI-MEDIA, BILINGUAL AWARENESS CAMPAIGN THAT'S NOT THE ACCESSIBLE DESIGNS AND THE CLEAR LANGUAGE THAT WE CAN DO OUTREACH TO EVERYONE THAT NEEDS TO HEAR THIS MESSAGE. WE WOULD ALSO WANT TO ENGAGE THE COUNCIL OFFICES FOR THAT AS WELL. OUR OUTREACH EFFORTS WILL SIMULTANEOUSLY COORDINATE WITH DHS TO MAKE SURE WE ARE REACHING OUR SENIOR CENTERS AND OTHER STAKEHOLDERS, LIKE THE CITY-COUNTY COMMISSION ON ELDERLY AFFAIRS TO DETERMINE THE MOST EFFECTIVE WAY TO AMPLIFY THIS FOR OUR SENIOR POPULATION. LASTLY, FOR SAPD, WE'VE GOT TO DEVELOP AN ENFORCEMENT STRATEGY. IF THERE'S AN ORDINANCE, WE'VE GOT TO MAKE SURE THAT OFFICERS ARE AWARE OF THEIR RESPONSIBILITIES, THEIR FOLLOW UP, AND THE GUIDANCE SO THEY KNOW WHAT TO DO AND HOW TO ENFORCE THIS. 
          THEN WE NEED A BUILT-IN MECHANISM FOR OUR OFFICERS TO ENSURE COMPLIANCE. 
          SO WE CAN GO OUT AND EDUCATE AND ISSUE CITATIONS, IF NEEDED, IF THAT'S SOMETHING WE'RE GOING TO DO. THE LAST THING AND MOST IMPORTANT THING IS WE NEED TO COORDINATE OUR EFFORTS ON THE INVESTIGATIVE FRONT AND THAT'S GOING TO BE AN INVESTIGATIVE TEAM OR A TASK FORCE, IF YOU WILL, CONSISTING OF SAPD. 
          WE WOULD LIKE TO GET THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE ON BOARD AND OUR FEDERAL PARTNERS. 
          THESE ARE MULTI-JURISDICTIONAL CASES AND THEY DO NOT HAVE ANY BOUNDARIES. OFTENTIMES THEY LEAVE THE UNITED STATES. 
          WE WOULD LIKE TO CATCH THESE FOLKS AND BRING THEM TO JUSTICE. 
          WE'RE GOING TO GET THIS STARTED VERY QUICKLY. WE'RE MOVING FAST BUT WE'RE BEING VERY DELIBERATE SO OUR PLAN IS TO PRESENT TO PUBLIC SAFETY ON APRIL 21, UPDATE THE COMMITTEE ON THE EFFORTS I DESCRIBED, AND ULTIMATELY WANT TO BRING THIS BACK IN MAY FOR CONSIDERATION OF AN ORDINANCE. THAT CONCLUDES MY PRESENTATION. I'M HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS YOU MAY HAVE. 
          >> MAYOR JONES: GREAT. THANK YOU. THERE ARE NO MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC THAT HAVE SIGNED UP TO SPEAK ON THIS ITEM. THIS IS AN ITEM THAT IS FOR BRIEFING ONLY. WE'VE GOT SEVERAL COUNCIL MEMBERS THAT HAVE SIGNED UP 
          [01:40:04]
TO SPEAK. COUNCILWOMAN CASTILLO IS RECOGNIZED. 
          >> CASTILLO: THANK YOU. THTHANK YOU, CHIEF STANLEY FOR THE PRESENTATION. 
          I WANT TO ALSO COMMEND SHERIFF SALAZAR FOR IDENTIFYING THE TREND AND PROPOSING A RESOLUTION FOR CITY COUNCIL TO CONSIDER AND HERE WE ARE TODAY. 
          CONSTITUENTS CALL OUR OFFICE BECAUSE THEY HAVE FALLEN A VICTIM, WHETHER IT'S A ROMANCE SCAM, SUN SOLAR SCAM, OR BITCOIN SCAM, THESE ARE SOME OF THE TOUGHEST CASES FOR OUR CONSTITUENT SERVICES TEAM TO HANDLE. A LOT OF TIMES THEY HAVE MADE THEIR REPORTS AND THERE'S NOT MUCH IN TERMS OF PROVIDING A RESOLUTION. 
          AND WHAT WE HAVE HERE IS A PREVENTIVE APPROACH TO ENSURE THAT FOLKS THAT MAY BE GOING TO A BITCOIN MACHINE, AND WITH STAFF'S RECOMMENDATION, EXPANDING THAT BEYOND BITCOIN TO REMIND FOLKS THAT IT MAY BE A SCAM THEY MAY BE FALLING FOR. OF COURSE, WORKING WITH FEDERAL AGENCIES IN TERMS OF ACCOUNTABILITY. BECAUSE AS YOU MENTIONED, OFTENTIMES THE ACTOR IS NOT IN THE STATES. AND JUST WANTED TO HIGHLIGHT THAT OVER 50% OF THE VICTIMS WERE 56 AND OLDER. AND THE RECOMMENDATION THAT SHERIFF SALAZAR HAS PUT FORWARD WAS SUPPORTED BY AARP, WHO HAS ALSO SUBMITTED A LETTER OF RECOMMENDATION ON THIS ORDINANCE AS WELL. YOU KNOW, THIS IS SOMETHING THAT WE'VE HAD CONSTITUENTS COME TO OPEN OFFICE HOURS TO JUST ASK FOR HELP IN TERMS OF FALLING VICTIM TO THESE FINANCIAL SCAMS. I BELIEVE -- I'M NOT SURE IF IT WAS THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE, THEY PROVIDED US ONE, OR PD, BUT THE AMOUNT OF MONEY FOLKS ARE LOSING IS A HUGE LOSS. WHETHER IT'S A $500 LOSS OR UP TO THE $33,000 LOSS. 
          THIS IS VERY IMPACTFUL IN IMPACTING THE FUTURE OF OUR SENIORS AND FAMILIES. 
          GRATEFUL FOR THIS SOLUTION THAT'S PUT FORWARD. I'M SUPPORTIVE OF STAFF'S RECOMMENDATION MOVING THIS FORWARD BUT I'M ALSO GRATEFUL FOR COUNCILMEMBER ALDERETE GAVITO, MARC WHYTE, AND SPEARS FOR MOVING WITH URGENCY. 
          AND OF COURSE THE STAFF AND THE CHIEF FOR PROVIDING THIS RECOMMENDATION. 
          OF COURSE, THIS IS SOMETHING THAT WE HAVE PROPOSED A COUNCIL CONSIDERATION REQUEST TO HOW CAN WE MITIGATE SOLICITATION BY CREATING PARAMETERS. 
          BUT ALSO HOW CAN WE SUPPORT ENFORCEMENT. BECAUSE THIS IS SOMETHING THAT CAME TO THE PUBLIC SAFETY COMMITTEE A COUPLE OF MONTHS AGO AND THE TRENDS WERE ALARMING. SO THAT'S WHY WE DRAFTED THE COUNCIL CONSIDERATION REQUEST ON HOW CAN WE TAKE ACTION. AND THOSE SIGNS CAN POTENTIALLY PREVENT SOMEONE FALLING A VICTIM. I HAVE SHARED THIS WITH STAFF, THE SHERIFF, AND CHIEF AS WELL. MY BROTHER WORKS IN SALES AND IN THAT INDUSTRY, IF THEY ARE FOUND FACILITATING A TRANSACTION THAT RESULTED IN FRAUD, MEANING IF SOMEONE GOES AND BUYS GIFT CARDS AT A SPECIFIC STORE AND THE CUSTOMER THEN CALLS CORPORATE OR THAT STORE SAYING, HEY, I JUST WAS A VICTIM OF FRAUD, THAT EMPLOYEE GETS FIRED. THIS IS ALSO PROTECTING EMPLOYEES. AND AS IT MOVES THROUGH PUBLIC SAFETY, ADDRESSING SCAMS AND OTHER COMMUNITY. THANK YOU, SHERIFF SALAZAR AND CHIEF SALAME . 
          >> MAYOR JONES: COUNCILMEMBER ALDERETE GAVITO. 
          >> GAVITO: I ALSO WANT TO THANK SHERIFF SALAZAR AND CHIEF SALAME. 
          I WANT TO THANK MY COLLEAGUES, COUNCILWOMAN CASTILLO, COUNCILMAN WHYTE, AND COUNCILWOMAN SPEARS. WE DO HAVE TO MOVE WITH A SENSE OF URGENCY BECAUSE WE'RE SEEING THIS SKYROCKET IN OUR COMMUNITY. WE KNOW THAT OUR OLDER ADULTS ARE BEING TARGETED. AND SO THIS IS EXACTLY WHERE THE LOCAL LEVEL OF ELECTED OFFICIALS CAN MOVE IN AND WORK QUICKLY. WE JUST NEED TO KEEP OUR PUBLIC SAFE FROM FINANCIAL EXPLOITATION. I DO HAVE A FEW QUICK QUESTIONS. MY UNDERSTANDING IS THAT MAPPING THESE KIOSKS CAN BE DIFFICULT. SO WHAT EFFORTS ARE TAKEN TO MAKE SURE WE'RE TRYING TO 
          ACCOUNT FOR ALL OF THEM? >> YES, MA'AM. SO WE WORK WITH OUR DATA ANALYST TEAM AND WE'RE USING ALL THE AVAILABLE PUBLIC DATA. 
          THERE ARE WEBSITES THAT THERE ARE SOME LEVEL OF REGISTRATION WHERE THERE'S A NETWORK OF PARTICULAR BITCOINS. SO WE'RE LOOKING AT THAT. 
          I THINK THE SECRET SERVICE HAS INDICATED THEY ARE AWARE OF OTHER LOCATIONS THAT AREN'T MAPPED. SO WE'RE BRINGING OUR TWO GROUPS TOGETHER TO MAKE SURE THAT WE HAVE A REALLY ACCURATE ACCOUNTING OF HOW MANY WE ACTUALLY HAVE. 
          >> GAVITO: YEAH, WE ACTUALLY HAD A GOOD CONVERSATION WITH AARP EARLIER THIS WEEK. AND, YOU KNOW, THEY WERE SAYING THAT THEY WERE USING THE WEBSITES TO KIND OF MAP THE KIOSKS. BUT I CAN'T REMEMBER IF IT WAS BITCOIN DEPOT OR COIN FLIP -- I THINK IT WAS BITCOIN DEPOT . 
          THEY WERE SEEING IN EACH ZIP CODE THE MAX WAS 20 OF THE KIOSKS THAT WERE NOTATED. 
          [01:45:06]
IT JUST KIND OF SEEMED WEIRD LOOKING ZIP CODE AFTER ZIP CODE AND SEEING ALL OF THEM BEING 20. IT KIND OF GIVES US THE SENSE THAT SOMETHING IS OFF. 
          YOU KNOW, TRYING TO CATCH THE NUMBER OF KIOSKS IS GOING TO BE DIFFICULT AND I DO THINK IT'S ALARMING WHAT YOU SAID. HOW SOME OF THEM DIDN'T WANT THAT SIGNAGE THERE. AND SO, YES, IT'S GOING TO TAKE ALL OF US TO ATTACK THIS. I'M DEFINITELY SUPPORTIVE OF THE RECOMMENDATION ON SLIDE 10. FULLY ON BOARD WITH DEPLOYING SIGNAGE AT THE CRYPTO KIOSKS. I ALSO THINK WE SHOULD LOOK AT DEPLOYING SIGNAGE AT OUR SENIOR CENTERS. WE KNOW THIS IS TARGETING OUR SENIORS. 
          SO THE MORE EXPOSURE AND EDUCATION THAT WE CAN PROVIDE, THE BETTER. 
          IN ADDITION TO STAFF'S RECOMMENDATIONS, I KNOW ALL OF US DID GET THIS LETTER FROM AARP. AND SO I WANT TO BRING AARP INTO THIS DISCUSSION AND ALSO TO CONSIDER THEIR EXPERTISE. THEY HAVE DONE A TON OF WORK TO COMBAT THIS ISSUE OVER THE LAST FEW YEARS AND I THINK THEY ARE A GOOD, TRUSTED RESOURCE. IN ADDITION TO ALSO WHAT STAFF IS RECOMMENDING, I WOULD LIKE US TO LOOK INTO THEIR SUGGESTION THAT WE CONSIDER ZONING AND LAND USE CHANGES ON WHERE THESE KIOSKS CAN GO AND SEE HOW WE CAN PREVENT IT THAT WAY. 
          THESE KIOSKS ARE POPPING UP EVERYWHERE AND SO I FEEL THAT WITH ZONING AND LAND USE CHANGES WE CAN POTENTIALLY GET AHEAD OF IT. I WOULD ALSO LIKE US TO LOOK INTO EXPANDING SAPD'S FINANCIAL CRIMES UNIT, INCLUDING ADDITIONAL OFFICERS OR MORE ADVANCED TECHNOLOGY TO INVESTIGATE THESE CRIMES, AS COUNCILWOMAN CASTILLO MENTIONED. WHEN THEY COME TO OUR COUNCIL OFFICES -- AND AS YOU ALL MENTIONED, THESE CRIMES ARE REALLY DIFFICULT TO TRACK. HOWEVER WE CAN BOOST EITHER SAPD'S FINANCIAL CRIMES UNIT OR MORE ADVANCED TECHNOLOGY, I WOULD BE SUPPORTIVE OF. SO I WOULD LIKE FOR CITY STAFF TO LOOK INTO THESE ADDITIONAL CONSIDERATIONS AND IN THAT PUBLIC SAFETY COMMITTEE MEETING SEE IF AND HOW THAT CAN BE FEASIBLE. BUT ALSO, TOO, AS CHIEF SALAME YOU MENTIONED, WE HAVE TO ACT QUICK. I APPRECIATE THE URGENCY IN COMING BACK TO COUNCIL IN MAY SO WE CAN GET THIS DONE. THANKS. 
          >> MAYOR JONES: COUNCILMEMBER VIAGRAN. >> VIAGRAN: THANK YOU FOR THE PRESENTATION. SHERIFF, THANK YOU FOR CALLING ME AND MAKING ME AWARE OF THIS SITUATION. I AM VERY ALARMED AT SLIDE NO. 10 IN TERMS OF THE NUMBER OF LOCATIONS. DISTRICT 3 IS AT 25. WE BORDER 2, 4, AND 5 AND THESE ARE ALL HIGH NUMBERS. ARE THEY TARGETING SENIORS AND PEOPLE WITH SOCIOECONOMIC -- LOWER SOCIOECONOMIC STATUS? YES, THEY ARE. 
          THE OTHER THING IS I KNOW MY DISTRICT. THEY ARE TARGETING PEOPLE THAT PROBABLY HAVEN'T PAID TICKETS ALSO. AND HOW THEY ARE FINDING OUT THIS INFORMATION OR WHERE THEY'RE GETTING THAT, THAT'S ANOTHER CONVERSATION. 
          SO I THINK AS WE MOVE FORWARD THERE ARE TWO THINGS WE NEED TO DO. 
          ONE, I'M COMMITTED TO AND I WOULD LOVE TO SEE THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE AND SAPD COME WITH ME TO GET INTO THE SENIOR CENTERS OR GET OUT INTO THE PUBLIC TO TELL THEM THIS IS NOT LEGIT. THIS IS NOT HOW YOU PAY FOR A TICKET. 
          THAT'S ONE THING. THE SECOND IS I THINK WE AS A CITY NEED TO LOOK AT, IF WE ARE GOING TO HAVE PEOPLE PAY FOR THINGS ONLINE, THAT WE LOOK AT CERTIFYING IT, WORK WITH THE MUNICIPAL COURTS TO MAKE SURE IF THEY DO HAVE A TICKET OR THEY KNOW THEIR BROTHER GETS IN TROUBLE, YOU KNOW, THAT THEY HAVE LEGITIMATE WAYS TO DO THIS. THAT WE HAVE VETTED AND CERTIFIED WHAT CAN BE HELPFUL. I THINK THEY ARE BASING IT ON LACK OF INFORMATION AND FEAR. AND IT'S A SCAM. WE KNOW IT'S A SCAM. 
          I THINK PUTTING OUT THIS IS A BITCOIN MACHINE -- LABELING IT JUST A BITCOIN MACHINE AND NOT CERTIFIED BY EITHER DEPARTMENT IS KEY ALSO. 
          AND WE NEED TO WORK WITH MUNICIPAL COURTS OF IF THEY HAVE THE MONEY, IF THEY JUST WANT TO PAY AND DON'T WANT TO GO INTO LITIGATION OR THEY DON'T WANT TO SEE THEIR BROTHER -- BECAUSE HE'S DONE THIS SO MANY TIMES BEFORE -- THEY CAN GIVE HIM THE MONEY AND HOW DO WE DO THAT HERE. I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO THIS GOING BACK TO PUBLIC SAFETY. 
          HAVE THEM HAVE THE CONVERSATIONS. I'LL BE SENDING OUT INVITES TO BOTH OF YOUR DEPARTMENTS TO COME AND TALK TO MY COMMUNITY ABOUT HOW THEY 
          TAKE CARE OF IT. THANK YOU. >> MAYOR JONES: 
          COUNCILMEMBER WHYTE. >> WHYTE: THANK YOU, MAYOR. 
          I WANT TO JUST THANK MY COLLEAGUES AS WELL. COUNCILWOMAN SPEARS, ALDERETE GAVITO, AND ESPECIALLY COUNCILWOMAN CASTILLO FOR SPEARHEADING THIS ON OUR END. IT'S A VERY REAL PROBLEM AND IT'S GROWING. 
          AS HAS BEEN SAID TODAY, OUR SENIORS ARE REALLY THE TARGET. 
          [01:50:01]
AND WE HAVE TO DO EVERYTHING THAT WE CAN TO PROTECT OUR SENIORS. 
          I'M SUPPORTIVE OF THE STAFF'S APPROACH. I THINK WE NEED MANDATORY PHYSICAL AND ON-SCREEN SIGNAGE REQUIREMENTS. BILINGUAL AWARENESS CAMPAIGN, COMMUNITY OUTREACH EFFORTS, ESPECIALLY I LIKE THE IDEA OF GOING TO THE SENIOR CENTERS AND TALKING WITH THE FOLKS THERE. AND THEN A CLEAR ENFORCEMENT STRATEGY WITH CERTAINLY SIGNIFICANT PENALTIES FOR NON-COMPLIANCE. 
          I ALSO WANT TO POINT OUT, YOU KNOW, THANK YOU TO SHERIFF SALAZAR. 
          AND THIS IS REALLY SOMETHING THAT I'VE BEEN TALKING ABOUT FOR TWO YEARS THAT WE NEED MORE OF. CITY-COUNTY COLLABORATION. THERE ARE SO MANY AREAS WHERE WE CAN WORK TOGETHER TO SOLVE THE PROBLEMS FACING OUR COMMUNITY. 
          THIS IS CERTAINLY ONE RIGHT HERE. THERE'S MANY OTHERS WHERE WE HAVE OVERLAP OR REDUNDANCIES IN PROGRAMS WHERE WE COULD SAVE THE TAXPAYERS MONEY OR WE COULD JUST BE MORE EFFICIENT OR EFFECTIVE IN WHAT WE DO FOR OUR CITIZENS. 
          THANK YOU TO SHERIFF SALAZAR AND ALSO OF COURSE OUR SAPD FOR GETTING INVOLVED. 
          AND LET'S TAKE CARE OF THIS PROBLEM SOONER RATHER THAN LATER. 
          THANKS. >> MAYOR JONES: COUNCILMEMBER SPEARS. 
          >> SPEARS: THANK YOU, MAYOR. WELL, I'M GOING TO SAY A LOT OF WHAT WE HAVE ALREADY HEARD BUT THANK YOU, COUNCILWOMAN CASTILLO AND THANK YOU TO COUNCILWOMAN ALDERETE GAVITO AND COUNCILMEMBER WHYTE FOR SUPPORTING THIS EFFORT. I AM SO HAPPY TO BE COLLABORATING WITH THE COUNTY. I'M PROBABLY THE HAPPIEST ABOUT IT. 
          AND SO THANK YOU, SHERIFF SALAZAR AND TO CHIEF SALAME. SO WE HAD A DISTRICT 9 RESIDENT THAT LOST $25,000 AND THEY WERE A SENIOR. IT'S INFURIATING BECAUSE THESE ARE THE KIND OF FINANCIAL LOSSES THAT SENIORS CANNOT ABSORB. 
          THEY DON'T HAVE A FUTURE EARNING CAPACITY AND HOW DO THEY GET THAT MONEY BACK. 
          AND IT'S OFTEN VERY, VERY CHALLENGING AND OFTEN THEY ARE ON FIXED INCOMES. 
          SO FOR ME, IT'S REALLY ABOUT PROTECTING THE VULNERABLE POPULATIONS IN OUR COUNTY AND CITY. THEY LOSE A SIGNIFICANT PORTION OF THEIR SAVINGS AND OFTEN THEIR FINANCIAL SAFETY NET. THIS ORDINANCE IS A SIMPLE ONE. IT'S PUTTING BASIC PROTECTIONS FORWARD AND PUTTING THEM IN PLACE BEFORE THE HARM HAPPENS. IT'S A PROACTIVE APPROACH. 
          IT'S PRACTICAL. IT'S A LOW-COST STEP THE CITY CAN TAKE AND IT PROTECTS OUR RESIDENTS AND ESPECIALLY THE MOST AT RISK. AT THE END OF THE DAY IT'S OUR JOB TO WORK TO PROTECT PEOPLE, PRESERVE FINANCIAL STABILITY, AND TO MAKE OUR COMMUNITY DIFFICULT TO EXPLOIT. SO I FULLY SUPPORT THE STAFF RECOMMENDATIONS UNDER YOUR GUIDANCE AND I WANT TO ENCOURAGE MY COLLEAGUES TO INCLUDE ALL OF THIS INFORMATION AND GRAPHICS ABOUT THIS SCAM IN YOUR TOWN HALLS, AT YOUR SENIOR CENTERS, IN YOUR NEWSLETTERS AND ON YOUR SOCIAL MEDIA. 
          I'M READY TO WORK ON THIS AT THE STATE AND FEDERAL LEVEL AS WELL. 
          THANK YOU SO MUCH. >> MAYOR JONES: COUNCILMEMBER MEZA GONZALEZ. 
          >> GONZALEZ: THANK YOU, MAYOR. JUST WANTED TO SHOW MY SUPPORT FOR THIS ITEM AND STAFF RECOMMENDATIONS. IF WE CAN INCLUDE ON THE PUBLIC AWARENESS CAMPAIGN A NEIGHBORHOOD NEWS. THEY'RE RESPONSIBLE FOR A LOT OF THE NEIGHBORHOOD NEWSLETTERS THAT GO OUT. THEY'RE JUST AN EASY SOURCE TO PUT A ONE-PAGER THERE. AND ALSO OUR LOCAL MALLS. A LOT OF OUR SENIORS USE THE MALLS IN THE MORNING FOR GETTING THEIR MILE IN. AND OBVIOUSLY SENIOR PLANET. 
          THANK YOU FOR ALL THE WORK WE HAVE DONE ON THIS AND TO MY COLLEAGUES WHO PRESENTED 
          THIS ITEM. THANK YOU. >> MAYOR JONES: THANK YOU FOR THE PRESENTATION. THANK YOU, SHERIFF SALAZAR, FOR INITIALLY RAISING IT. 
          CAN YOU HELP US UNDERSTAND -- I KNOW THIS IS GOING TO COME BACK TO US EVENTUALLY -- BUT WHEN WE TALK ABOUT PREVENTION. BUT I WOULD ALSO WELCOME UNDERSTANDING HOW WELL THE SIGNS WORKED IN THE OTHER COMMUNITY IN WHICH THIS WAS IMPLEMENTED. IF WE HAVE ANY DATA THAT SUGGESTS IT WAS EFFECTIVE. 
          >> SURE. THESE SIGNS AND THE SIGNS WE'RE LOOKING TO MAKE ARE PROUDLY MADE IN THE BEXAR COUNTY JAIL. WE HAVE A NUMBER OF JOB TRAINING PROGRAMS IN THE JAIL AND ONE OF THEM IS WE'RE TEACHING AND CERTIFYING SOME OF THE INMATES ON HOW TO RUN THE EQUIPMENT THAT MAKES THESE SIGNS. THESE SIGNS WILL EVENTUALLY BE MADE FREE OF COST TO THE TAXPAYERS, WHICH IS A GREAT THING. TO HEAR SHERIFF HANSON TELL IT, AS FAR AS WHAT HAPPENED IN OMAHA, HE SAID THEY HAD GREAT SUCCESS IN PREVENTING THESE CRIMES THROUGH THIS SIGNAGE. NOW, BETWEEN US AND THE SECRET SERVICE, WE HAVE ACTUALLY ALREADY GOT SIGNS OUT THERE THAT WERE 
          [01:55:01]
VOLUNTARILY ASKING PEOPLE TO PLACE THAT ARE SIMILAR TO THIS BUT NOT NECESSARILY THE SIMILAR PRODUCT. AND THEY HAVE MET WITH SOME SUCCESS. 
          LAST NIGHT WE ACTUALLY HAD ONE PREVENTED BY A SIGN. AND SO THIS IS SOMETHING THAT WE'RE SEEING, AT LEAST ONE OR TWO A DAY COME IN TO MY E-MAIL. 
          IT'S PICKING UP IN PACE. BUT IT DOES WORK AND I BELIEVE JUST LIKE OMAHA HAD GREAT SUCCESS, WE WILL TOO. OF COURSE THE SIGNS ARE THE LOW-TECH VERSION OF IT. 
          THE ACCOMPANYING PUBLIC AWARENESS CAMPAIGNS WILL CERTAINLY HELP, ALONG WITH ALL THE IDEAS THAT THE COUNCIL MEMBERS PRESENTED AS WELL. 
          >> MAYOR JONES: COUNCILMEMBER KAUR. >> KAUR: THANKS, MAYOR. 
          THANK YOU TO MY COLLEAGUES FOR BRINGING THIS FORWARD. I LOOK FORWARD TO HAVING THE DISCUSSION AT PUBLIC SAFETY. SOME OF THE DATA, WHEN WE DO BRING IT BACK IN APRIL, IF WE HAVE ENOUGH TIME TO GATHER, I WOULD BE INTERESTED IN LEARNING THE BREAKDOWN OF THE AGE GROUPS. YOU ALL GAVE US A PERCENTAGE OVER 50 BUT IF YOU ALREADY HAVE THAT, YOU CAN SHARE IT OR YOU CAN JUST BRING IT BACK TO PUBLIC SAFETY, SINCE WE'RE GOING TO DISCUSS IT. PARTICULARLY THE TEENAGE GROUP. 
          IT SAID YOU STARTED AT 15. THAT'S ONE THING. THE SECOND COMPONENT THAT I'D LIKE TO SEE, AS KIND OF THE MAYOR WAS ASKING. I KNOW DALLAS HAD A VERY HIGH AMOUNT, IT WAS THE SECOND, BUT THEN AUSTIN WAS THE LOWEST. 
          TO ME IS KIND OF COUNTERINTUITIVE. DID WE DIG INTO WHY THAT IS? 
          >> NO. BUT WE THINK IT'S PROBABLY, AGAIN, WHAT'S BEING REPORTED AND DOCUMENTED THROUGH ONE OF THE PARTICULAR WEBSITES, THE BITCOIN WEBSITE. 
          I WOULD VENTURE A GUESS THAT THERE'S A LOT MORE IN AUSTIN, FOR SURE. 
          THAT WAS SURPRISING TO ME TOO. >> KAUR: I WOULD BE CURIOUS TO SEE IF WE CAN REACH OUT TO YOUR COLLEAGUES IN THOSE TWO CITIES JUST TO BETTER UNDERSTAND WHAT THEY'RE SEEING. I DON'T KNOW IF BECAUSE THERE IS MORE TECHNOLOGY FOCUS AND THAT IS WHY THEY'RE NOT TRACKING THERE AS MUCH. I WOULD BE CURIOUS TO SEE WHAT THEY'RE DOING AND TO SEE IF THEY'RE DOING ANYTHING ELSE SIMILAR TO WHAT YOU ARE DOING WITH SIGNAGE, ET CETERA, TO HELP CREATE THE AWARENESS PIECE. THE LAST THING I WOULD LIKE TO HAVE A LITTLE BIT MORE DETAIL ON WHEN YOU GUYS COME BACK IS THE EDUCATIONAL AWARENESS CAMPAIGN. WHAT WOULD THAT LOOK LIKE. HOW LONG WOULD IT SPAN. 
          WHAT METRICS WOULD WE TRACK. AND SIMILAR TO WHAT YOU WERE SAYING, SHERIFF, IF WE CAN START TRACKING HOW MANY CRIMES WE'RE SEEING DECREASE AS A RESULT, I THINK IT WOULD BE GREAT TO COME BACK IN SIX MONTHS AND SAY THIS IS WHAT WE HAVE SEEN OVER THE LAST SIX MONTHS AS A RESULT. ERIK SHARED WITH ME THE NEWS ARTICLE THAT CAME OUT ABOUT THE PARTNERSHIP THAT YOU GUYS HAVE. 
          CONGRATULATIONS. THANK YOU FOR BEING AHEAD OF THIS AND LOOK FORWARD TO 
          SUPPORTING. THANK YOU. >> MAYOR JONES: ERIK HAS 
          SOMETHING WE WOULD LIKE TO SAY. >> WALSH: THANK YOU, MAYOR. I WANTED TO ALSO ECHO SOMETHING THAT BOTH THE ASSISTANT CHIEF AND THE SHERIFF MENTIONED. AND IT'S ONE OF THE DISTINCTIONS IN NEBRASKA. IT WAS SIGNAGE, IT WAS PUBLIC EDUCATION, AND IT WAS A STATE LAW. AS PART OF THAT ELEMENT OF CONVERSATION IN PUBLIC SAFETY AND BOTH THE SHERIFF AND JESSE MENTIONED IT, NEEDING TO WORK TOGETHER MAYBE WITH OTHER URBAN AREAS, CITIES AND COUNTIES TO DEVELOP A STATE LAW THAT ALLOWS US, COLLECTIVELY, TO ALSO TRY TO PREVENT THESE THINGS. 
          IT'S KIND OF A MULTI-FACETED APPROACH AND I WANTED TO MAKE SURE I REINFORCED WHAT 
          BOTH OF THEM SAID. THANKS. >> MAYOR JONES: THAT'S A KEY POINT. THANKS, ERIK. COUNCILMEMBER GALVAN. 
          >> GALVAN: THANK YOU, MAYOR. THANK YOU TO MY COLLEAGUES FOR BRINGING THIS ITEM FORWARD. IT IS A CRITICAL ISSUE IN OUR COMMUNITY AND I'M GRATEFUL FOR THE WORK BEING DONE, BOTH ON THE COUNTY AND CITY SIDE AND THE ABILITY TO WORK TOGETHER ON THIS INCREDIBLY SCARY ISSUE THAT'S BEEN GOING AROUND, FOR PEOPLE OF ALL AGES. OF COURSE YOU SEE PARTICULARLY SENIORS BUT ALSO OUR YOUTH TOO. I'M VERY SUPPORTIVE OF THE ORDINANCE MOVING FORWARD AND GOING TO PUBLIC SAFETY TO MAKE SURE WE HAVE ALL THE TWEAKS WE NEED THERE. ALSO SUPPORTIVE OF THE REQUESTS OF AARP TO LOOK AT THINGS WE CAN DO ON THE CITY SIDE WITH LAND USE, ZONING, WORKING WITH THE FINANCIAL CRIMES UNIT AS WELL TO MAKE SURE THEY ARE PREPARED TO ADDRESS THESE ISSUES. 
          ALSO, OF COURSE, A COUPLE OF MY COLLEAGUES MENTIONED IT, THE SENIOR CENTERS AND WORKING WITH MUNICIPAL COURTS BUT ALSO PARKS AND REC AND ANY OTHER PUBLIC-FACING BUILDINGS AND SERVICES. COMMUNITY CENTERS, PARKS AND REC, LIBRARIES, EVEN OUR FINANCIAL EMPOWERMENT CENTERS. 
          I KNOW WE HAVE A FEW OF THOSE IN OUR CITY. I DON'T KNOW IF THERE'S ANY ROOM TO PARTNER WITH SOME OF OUR FINANCIAL INSTITUTIONS, WITH CREDIT UNIONS, BANKS, ET CETERA. TO JUST BE ABLE TO PROVIDE EDUCATIONAL MATERIAL SO IT WILL HOPEFULLY END ALL OF THIS FINANCIAL ABUSE WE'RE SEEING IN OUR COMMUNITY. 
          IT'S TOUGH BUT I'M GRATEFUL TO SEE THE JOINT WORK HERE AND HAPPY TO BE SUPPORTIVE 
          WHEREVER I CAN. >> MAYOR JONES: ANYONE ELSE ON THE FIRST ROUND OF 
          THIS DISCUSSION HERE? COUNCILMEMBER CASTILLO. >> CASTILLO: THANK YOU. 
          I WANTED TO EMPHASIZE WHAT ERIK LAID OUT IN TERMS OF THE LEGISLATIVE AGENDA AND WORKING COLLABORATIVELY WITH THE COUNTY TO INITIATE A STATE LAW. 
          [02:00:03]
WHAT'S SET OUT IN THE LETTER THAT SHERIFF SALAZAR SUBMITTED TO COUNCIL WAS WHEN HE HIGHLIGHTED THAT WHEN PASSED IN THE CITY OF OMAHA, THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE REPORTED AN 80% REDUCTION IN LOSSES FROM 2024 TO 2025 AND REPORTS OF PEOPLE BEING SCAMMED AT THE KIOSKS DROPPED. IT NEEDS TO BE COUPLED WITH SEVERAL OTHER INITIATIVES BUT GRATEFUL FOR THE COLLABORATION AND OF COURSE SHERIFF SALAZAR HIGHLIGHTING THIS TREND AND PROPOSING A SOLUTION. 
          THANK YOU. >> MAYOR JONES: THANK YOU, GENTLEMEN. 
          ITEM 6 IS THE RESULT OF A SPECIAL MEETING MEMO BY COUNCIL MEMBERS SPEARS, WHYTE, AND ALDERETE GAVITO. MADAME CLERK, PLEASE READ THE CAPTION. 
          >> CLERK: ITEM 6 IS A RESOLUTION AFFIRMING COUNCIL SUPPORT FOR HIRING 65 OFFICERS IN FISCAL YEAR 2027, CONSISTENT WITH THE CITY'S IMPLEMENTATION PLAN RESPONDING TO THE WEISS CONSULTING STAFFING RECOMMENDATIONS . 
          >> MAYOR JONES: I UNDERSTAND STAFF HAS A PRESENTATION. 
          NO? NO PRESENTATION. ITEM 6, WE HAVE SEVERAL MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC THAT HAVE SIGNED UP TO SPEAK. NOT FOR THE PUBLIC COMMENT? OKAY. OKAY. THE FIRST INDIVIDUAL SIGNED UP TO SPEAK, ANANDA THOMAS. FOLLOWED BY CHRISTIAN RAMIREZ. 
          ALL INDIVIDUALS WILL HAVE THREE MINUTES TO SPEAK AND GROUPS OF THREE OR MORE WILL 
          HAVE A TOTAL OF NINE MINUTES. >> SO WE SPOKE WITH THE CITY CLERK UP FRONT ABOUT SPEAKING AS A GROUP FOR A TOTAL OF SIX MINUTES TOGETHER. OH, I'M SORRY. THIS IS CHRISTIAN. 
          >> FOR THE RECORD, CHRISTIAN NUNEZ. >> MAYOR JONES: YOU'LL 
          HAVE THREE MINUTES A PIECE. >> SECOND. ACTUALLY, IF YOU'RE GOING TO SPEAK IN SPANISH AND YOU NEED A TRANSLATOR, YOU GET DOUBLE THE TIME. WOULD YOU LIKE THAT? 
          >> I DON'T NEED A TRANSLATOR. >> MAYOR JONES: ALL RIGHT. 
          GO AHEAD. >> FOR SA AND A RESIDENT OF DISTRICT 8. I'M SPEAKING AGAINST THE RESOLUTION TO HIRE 65 MORE POLICE OFFICERS BEFORE BUDGET SEASON AND MORE SO BEFORE AN AUDIT, NOT A FINANCIAL REVIEW, OF SAPD HAPPENS. 
          WE MUST BE FISCALLY RESPONSIBLE AND SMART IN A TIME OF CRISIS LIKE WE'RE IN RIGHT NOW. AND TO BE CLEAR, DEPARTMENT. WE ARE CURRENTLY IN CONTRACT NEGOTIATIONS. 
          THIS RESOLUTION IS BEING PROPOSED OUTSIDE OF A BUDGET CYCLE. 
          AND OUR OWN INVESTIGATION FOUND MILLIONS OF DOLLARS IN OVERSPENDING ON A SINGLE LINE ITEM. AND WE KNOW IT DOESN'T JUST STOP THERE. 
          AUDITS OF DEPARTMENTS SHOULDN'T JUST STOP AT SAPD ANYWAYS. 
          IT SHOULD BE NOTED THAT THE CITY HAS NOT RELEASED ACTUALS FOR FY 2025 DESPITE OUR OPEN RECORDS REQUEST, CLAIMING THEY CANNOT SHARE UNTIL JUNE. 
          IF WE DO NOT HAVE THESE NUMBERS AND IF YOU DO NOT HAVE THESE NUMBERS IN FRONT OF YOU TODAY, HOW CAN YOU CONFIDENTLY VOTE FOR A RESOLUTION OUTSIDE OF BUDGET 
          [02:05:02]
SEASON THAT'S GOING TO COST MILLIONS OF DOLLARS? SAPD HAS OVERSPENT ITS OVERTIME BUDGET THREE YEARS IN A ROW. IN FY24 THEY NEARLY DOUBLED WHAT WAS BUDGETED, SPENDING $34.4 MILLION AGAINST $17.8 MILLION THAT'S APPROVED. AND EVERY YEAR WE ADD MORE OFFICERS, OUR OVERTIME CONTINUES TO INCREASE BY MILLIONS DESPITE CLAIMS THAT MORE COPS MEAN LESS OVERTIME AND LESS BURDENED OFFICERS. THE MATH DOES NOT ADD UP. SOME HAVE ALSO STATED THAT COPS WOULD HAVE STOPPED THE STRING OF SHOOTINGS OR CRIME THE OTHER WEEKEND. 
          THIS IS INCORRECT. POLICE MOSTLY RESPOND TO CRIME. 
          THEY DON'T PREVENT IT. CRIME IS DOWN 13% OVERALL. HOMICIDES DECREASED 17% BUT SPENDING KEEPS BALLOONING. STUDIES SHOW COMMUNITY PROGRAMS DO FAR MORE FOR PREVENTION THAN COPS EVER HAVE BECAUSE PREVENTION AND RESPONSE ARE TWO DIFFERENT THINGS AND WE HAVE TO FUND BOTH OF THEM. HOUSTON FACED A $300 MILLION DEFICIT. THEIR CITYWIDE AUDIT FOUND WELL OVER $250 MILLION IN SAVINGS WITHOUT LAYOFFS. MEANWHILE, DURING PUBLIC HEALTH WEEK, METRO HEALTH IS POISED TO LOSE ALMOST A THIRD OF ITS BUDGET AND FUNDING, WHICH THOUSANDS OF SAN ANTONIANS RELY ON THEIR PROGRAMS FOR BOTH SURVIVAL AND SAFETY. 
          IDENTIFYING MILLIONS OF DOLLARS IN WASTEFUL OR UNNECESSARY SPENDING CAN SAVE METRO HEALTH. BUT ONLY AN AUDIT, DIRECTED BY COUNCIL, NOT A FINANCIAL REVIEW, CAN SHOW US THAT. I ASK YOU TO VOTE NO ON THIS RESOLUTION OR PUSH THIS DECISION BACK TO BUDGET SEASON WHERE IT BELONGS. I CALL FOR AN AUDIT OF SAPD, ESPECIALLY RELATED TO COMPENSATION AND LINE ITEMS WHERE WE SEE OVERSPENDING AGAIN AND AGAIN AND AGAIN. AUDIT FIRST, THEN DECIDE ON THE PROPER VENUE AND TIME ON THIS DECISION. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR TIME. 
          >> MAYOR JONES: LISA WRIGHT FOLLOWED BY JULIETTE THURBER. 
          LISA WRIGHT? JULIETTE THURBER? BIANCA MALDONADO FOLLOWED BY 
          GARY HUDMAN AND KATY SCOTT. >> GOOD MORNING. MY NAME IS BIANCA MALDONADO 
          AND GARY HUDMAN IS GOING TO YIELD HIS TIME. >> I'M GARY HUDMAN, DISTRICT 
          7. >> MAYOR JONES: YOU'LL HAVE SIX MINUTES. 
          GO AHEAD. >> THANK YOU, MAYOR JONES, COUNCILWOMAN GAVITO IN AUDIO] AND I'M THE PRESIDENT OF THE MONTICELLO PARK NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION LOCATED IN DISTRICT 7. WE ARE A COMMUNITY BASED WITHIN THE ORIGINALLY 36 SQUARE MILES OF THE CITY AND WE'RE SUPPORTED BY THE WEST SUBSTATION. THE WEST SUBSTATION IS ONE OF THE BUSIEST, IF NOT THE SECOND BUSIEST SUBSTATIONS WITH RESPECT TO CALLS FOR SERVICE. 
          MONDAY, OUR NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION PASSED A RESOLUTION TO SUPPORT THE HIRING OF ADDITIONAL SAPD OFFICERS IN THE UPCOMING FISCAL YEAR 2027 CITY BUDGET. THE SUPPORT FOR THIS RESOLUTION WAS UNANIMOUS. 
          ADDITIONAL RESOURCES FOR SAPD, SPECIFICALLY PATROLMEN AND WOMEN IS IMPORTANT TO CREATING A SAFE ENVIRONMENT WITHIN OUR COMMUNITY AND FOR OUR GROWING CITY. 
          THIS RESOLUTION IS A DIRECT RESPONSE TO THE LIVED EXPERIENCES OF RESIDENTS AND OUR CONTINUED COMMITMENT TO SUPPORT AND PARTNER WITH SAPD. 
          SAPD CALL RESPONSE TIMES IS INCONSISTENT OR AT TIMES DOES NOT EXIST. 
          AND THIS HAS CHANGED, THIS IS A DYNAMIC THAT HAS CHANGED IN OUR COMMUNITY. 
          RESPONSE TIMES FOR OUR RESIDENTS HAVE RANGED FROM 15 MINUTES TO TWO AND A HALF HOURS OR SOMETIMES NOT AT ALL. THIS IS BASED ON THE CALL VOLUME AT THE TIME OF WHEN THEY'RE CALLING IN SEEKING SERVICE. 
          SOME LIVED EXPERIENCES. IN OCTOBER OF 2025, SEVERAL CALLS WERE MADE TO SAPD BY BUSINESS OWNERS AND RESIDENTS REGARDING A SUSPICIOUS YOUNG INDIVIDUAL WALKING THE STREETS, HITTING CARS, AND TRESPASSING. LESS THAN THREE WEEKS LATER HE BLUDGEONED PEOPLE TO DEATH WITHIN 24 HOURS. THIS INDIVIDUAL HAD BEEN ARRESTED MULTIPLE TIMES IN THE THREE MONTHS PRIOR TO COMING INTO OUR NEIGHBORHOOD. SUSPICIOUS PEOPLE WALKING AND TRESPASSING WITHIN THE COMMUNITY IS A DAILY OCCURRENCE WITHIN OUR COMMUNITY. 
          ANOTHER EXAMPLE IS A BUSINESS OWNER TRYING TO GAIN ENTRY TO THEIR PROPERTY AND THERE'S AN UNKNOWN INDIVIDUAL BLOCKING ACCESS. A CALL TO SAPD, MORE THAN TWO HOURS LATER THERE'S NO RESPONSE FROM SAPD. THEIR CALL IS STILL PENDING. 
          A HOMEOWNER WAS OUTSIDE WATERING THEIR YARD AND THERE WERE TWO CARS THAT WERE EXCHANGING GUNFIRE WITH EACH OTHER. THEY EXCHANGED 15 ROUNDS AND 
          [02:10:04]
A MINUTE AND A HALF LATER THEY EXCHANGED 15 ROUNDS MORE. 
          MORE THAN TWO HOURS FOR SAPD TO RESPOND DUE TO THE CALL SERVICE LOG AT THAT TIME. 
          BURGLAR OF A HABITATION. TWO HOMES BROKEN INTO. IT WASN'T THE DETECTIVE WHO WAS ABLE TO FIND AND RECOVER THE STOLEN MERCHANDISE. IT WASN'T THE DETECTIVE THAT LINKED TWO BURGLARY OF HABITATIONS TOGETHER. IT WAS THE NEIGHBORHOOD AND THE VIGILANCE OF THE VICTIMS IN THE SITUATION. WE NEED MORE DETECTIVES. 
          SEVERAL HOMEOWNERS CALL SAPD WHEN AN INDIVIDUAL IS ACTIVELY SCOPING HOUSES. 
          FOR TWO HALF HOURS THIS IS CAPTURED ON VIDEO AND IT'S CALLED IN MULTIPLE TIMES BUT IT'S NOT A HIGH ENOUGH PRIORITY AND SAPD MAY RESPOND BUT THAT PERSON IS LONG GONE. ANOTHER SITUATION THAT OCCURRED IS WE HAD MULTIPLE GUNSHOTS FIRED FROM A RESIDENTIAL PROPERTY. NEIGHBORS CALLED IN MULTIPLE TIMES. THE SAFFE OFFICER GOT ENGAGED BUT THE BEHAVIOR CONTINUED. THESE CALLS FOR SERVICE CONTINUED AND RESPONSE TIMES LAGGED AND AT TIMES DID NOT OCCUR. TURNS OUT, THIS GENTLEMAN HAD AN ACTIVE WARRANT, HAD A CRIME ON THE SOUTH SIDE, BROUGHT IT INTO OUR COMMUNITY AND SAPD SHOWED UP WITH A SWAT TEAM TO SERVE HIS WARRANT. 
          FOLKS, THAT'S EAGLE ONE OVERHEAD FOR 45 MINUTES, THE SWAT VEHICLES, AND ALSO AN AMBULANCE ON SITE. WE HAD ELDERLY RESIDENTS WITNESSING THIS FROM THEIR FRONT WINDOW. THERE'S ESCALATION AND THE OPPORTUNITY TO RESPOND TO THESE INCIDENTS COULD HELP CURTAIL THAT, THAT IS WHAT WE'RE SEEKING. 
          ALSO, SAPD IMPOUNDED A VEHICLE FOR EXCESSIVE SPEEDING AND DOING BURNOUTS IN OUR COMMUNITY. WE ARE A SMALL COMMUNITY AND TO HAVE AN ESCALATION OF THESE TYPES OF EVENTS IN OUR COMMUNITY, IT'S NOT THAT THE CRIME IS GOING UP, IT'S PEOPLE COMING IN AND OUT OF OUR COMMUNITY. THEY ARE EGREGIOUS EXAMPLES BECOMING FAR TOO COMMON. WHEN A RESIDENT CALLS SAPD THE EXPECTATION IS THEY WILL HAVE MANPOWER TO RESPOND TIMELY. WE CONTINUE TO ACTIVELY ENGAGE WITH OUR SAFFE OFFICER, OUR SAFFE SERGEANT, OUR SUBSTATION CAPTAIN AND ALL WHO RESPOND. I THANK YOU FOR CONSIDERATION OF OUR COMMENTS AND I HOPE THAT YOU WILL CONSIDER THIS AS AN ITEM IN THE UPCOMING BUDGET. 
          THANK YOU. >> MAYOR JONES: KATY SCOTT FOLLOWED BY JACK FINGER. 
          KATY SCOTT? OKAY. JACK FINGER IS OUR FINAL 
          SPEAKER ON THIS ITEM. >> MADAME MAYOR, OTHER MEMBERS OF OUR SAN ANTONIO CITY COUNCIL. ONCE AGAIN, MY NAME IS JACK M. FINGER AND ITEM 6 DEALS WITH LAW ENFORCEMENT. ITEM 5, SIMILARLY DEALT WITH LAW ENFORCEMENT. 
          JUST A LITTLE ASIDE, I COULDN'T HELP NOTICING SOMETHING THAT THE COUNTY SHERIFF MENTIONED. DID HE SAY THAT JAIL INMATES ARE CREATING SIGNS FOR THE BENEFIT OF LAW-ABIDING CITIZENS ON HOW THEY, THE LAW-ABIDING CITIZENS CAN AVOID THE CRIMES THAT THE CRIMINALS ARE COMMITTING? SOUNDS LIKE A LITTLE CONFLICT OF INTEREST THERE TO ME. ANYWAY, ON THIS ITEM, ITEM NO. 6 IS BASICALLY ABOUT RESOLUTION AFFIRMING COUNCIL SUPPORT FOR HIRING 65 POLICE OFFICERS, CONSISTENT WITH THE CITY'S IMPLEMENTATION PLAN, ET CETERA, ET CETERA. 
          YEAH. WELL, SOMETHING A LITTLE CONFUSING HERE. 
          YOU WANT TO HIRE 65 MORE OFFICERS BUT I DON'T KNOW IF Y'ALL DIDN'T GET THE MEMO OR WHATEVER HERE BUT THE NEWS REPORT IS SAYING THAT CRIME IS DOWN. 
          YEAH. HEY, I'M JUST GOING BY WHAT THE REPORTS ARE. 
          PROPERTY CRIME DROPPED BY VANDALISM FELL BY 30%. ADDITIONAL CRIMES, KIDNAPPINGS WERE CUT IN HALF BY 31%. YES. WHY? NOW, WHY WOULD WE NEED MORE POLICE OFFICERS IF CRIME IS SUPPOSEDLY DROPPING? HUH? I'M JUST CURIOUS. YEAH. 
          NOW, AT THE RISK OF MAKING ENEMIES OUT OF MY FRIENDS WITH THE POLICE DEPARTMENT, I JUST WANT TO SAY, YOU KNOW, I MEAN, TRY TELLING THOSE REPORTS TO THE GUY WHO HAD HIS CATALYTIC CONVERTER STOLEN NOT LONG AGO, AS IS RAMPANT IN THE CITY. 
          IF THIS IS TRULY HAPPENING, WELL, I HAVE ALSO HEARD REPORTS THAT THE POLICE DEPARTMENT IS NOT REPORTING ALL THE CRIMES THAT ARE CALLED INTO THE DEPARTMENT. 
          [02:15:02]
COULD THAT BE WHY THESE REPORTS ARE STATING WHAT THEY ARE STATING? THAT THE POLICE DEPARTMENT IS NOT REPORTING ALL THE CRIMES THAT THE CITIZENS REPORT. YOU MAY WANT TO ASK THOSE QUESTIONS. 
          BUT ANYWAY, THE THING IS IF YOU WANT TO HIRE 65 MORE OFFICERS, PLEASE, WHAT'S STOPPING YOU? WHAT HAS STOPPED YOU FOR THE LAST YEAR OR TWO? I THINK YOU WERE ASKING FOR THESE THINGS AS RECENTLY AS A YEAR OR SO AGO. 
          WHAT STOPPED YOU? BY ALL MEANS, PLEASE DO IT AND DO IT SOON. 
          THANK YOU. >> MAYOR JONES: THAT WAS THE FINAL INDIVIDUAL SIGNED UP TO SPEAK ON THIS ITEM. IS THERE A MOTION TO APPROVE ITEM 6 SO WE MAY BEGIN COUNCIL DISCUSSION? OKAY. WE'LL NOW MOVE ON TO COUNCIL 
          DISCUSSION. COUNCILMEMBER WHYTE. >> WHYTE: THANK YOU, MAYOR. I'M GLAD WE'RE HERE TODAY ON THIS BECAUSE WE ALWAYS TALK ABOUT HOW PUBLIC SAFETY IS OUR NUMBER ONE RESPONSIBILITY AS A CITY GOVERNMENT. AND TODAY IS REALLY ABOUT REAFFIRMING OUR COMMITMENT TO THE PUBLIC TO DO ALL THAT WE CAN TO KEEP THEM SAFE. AND SO LET'S TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT HOW WE GOT HERE. AND IF THE AUDIO-VISUAL FOLKS COULD PUT UP THE FIRST SLIDE. IN 2023, BEFORE I WAS ON COUNCIL AND A FEW OF US WERE ON COUNCIL, THERE WAS A STUDY DONE WHERE THE CITY PAID MORE THAN $100,000 FOR AN OUTSIDE GROUP TO COME IN AND LOOK AT OUR POLICE STAFFING NEEDS. 
          WE COULD HIT THE NEXT SLIDE. YOU CAN SEE HERE ON THE FIRST SLIDE -- AND I'M ONLY GOING TO GO OVER A COUPLE OF THESE -- WHAT THE GOALS WERE OF THE STUDY AND WHAT SOME OF THE CONSIDERATIONS WERE, INCLUDING OUR GROWING COMMUNITY, RESPONSIBLY SPENDING OUR TAX DOLLARS, AND HEIGHTENED EXPECTATIONS FROM THE PUBLIC ABOUT WHAT THEY WANTED IN TERMS OF WHAT A SAFE COMMUNITY LOOKS LIKE. THE MAIN ISSUE HERE AS TO WHY WE NEED MORE OFFICERS, OF COURSE, IS TO MOVE TO THIS 60/40 MODEL THAT THE POLICE CHIEF HAS TALKED ABOUT WHERE 60% OF OUR OFFICERS WILL BE OUT ON THE STREETS ON PATROL WHILE 40% WILL BE ON CALL. AND OF COURSE THE MAIN POINT IN DOING THIS IS RIGHT THERE AT THE TOP. IT'S ABOUT CRIME PREVENTION. 
          BECAUSE WE ALL KNOW -- AND WE'RE GOING TO LOOK AT A STUDY IN A SECOND. 
          BUT EVEN WITHOUT THE STUDIES, WE KNOW THAT WHEN OFFICERS ARE PATROLLING THE STREETS, THERE'S LESS LIKELY TO BE CRIME IN THOSE AREAS. SO WHAT DID THE RECOMMENDATION OF THIS INDEPENDENT ANALYSIS SHOW? IT SHOWED THAT WE NEEDED 360 NEW OFFICERS TO REACH THAT 60/40 RATIO I JUST TALKED ABOUT. 
          WE NEEDED TO GET THEM ON THE STREETS IN THE NEXT THREE TO FIVE YEARS. 
          AND THERE YOU SAW WHAT THEY RECOMMENDED FOR THE 2024 BUDGET. 
          AND WE WERE ON PACE TO FOLLOW THIS RECOMMENDATION UP UNTIL LAST YEAR WHERE ANALYSIS I THINK HAS TO COME WITH THE INDEPENDENT STUDY THAT CITY MANAGEMENT AND CITY COUNCIL AGREED IN 2023 WE NEEDED TO DO THIS STUDY. WE PAID FOR IT. 
          WE GOT IT DONE AND THERE WAS THE RECOMMENDATION. THEN LAST YEAR, DURING BUDGET SEASON, CHIEF MCMANUS WAS AT THE PODIUM AND I WANTED TO HEAR FROM OUR HEAD LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICIAL HERE IN THIS CITY TO HEAR WHAT HE SAID. 
          >> THE ANSWER IS YES. >> WHYTE: BUT LET ME ASK IT AGAIN AND SEE IF I CAN SIMPLIFY IT AND JUST GET THE ANSWER. GETTING TO THIS 60/40 RATIO WITH ADDING THE OFFICERS, LIKE WE'VE TALKED ABOUT DOING. 
          IN YOUR OPINION, WILL THAT MAKE SAN ANTONIANS SAFER? >> YES. 
          IT'S IMPORTANT. >> WHYTE: AND THE REASON YOU SAY THAT IS BECAUSE BY 
          DOING SO WE WILL HOPEFULLY DETER MORE CRIME. >> YES. 
          >> WHYTE: OKAY. AND CHIEF, I WOULD SAY THEN THAT YOU WOULD AGREE, SINCE GETTING TO 60/40 WILL MAKE SAN ANTONIANS SAFER, THE QUICKER WE CAN DO THAT, THE 
          BETTER. >> YES. >> WHYTE: OKAY. 
          THOSE ARE MY QUESTIONS FOR YOU, CHIEF. 
          >> WHYTE: WE HAVE OUR HEAD LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICER SAYING WE NEED TO GET TO THE 60/40 RATIO AND THE QUICKER WE DO IT WE WILL BE A SAFER COMMUNITY. 
          AND THEN FINALLY I WANT TO PUT THIS SLIDE UP FROM A COUPLE OF WEEKS AGO IN OUR 
          [02:20:05]
PUBLIC SAFETY COMMITTEE WHERE UTSA GAVE US THE LATEST RESULTS OF THEIR CRIME PREVENTION STUDY. AND WHILE IT'S TRUE -- AND YOU CAN SEE OVER THERE ON THE LEFT THAT CRIME IS DOWN OVERALL. IF YOU LOOK AT THOSE SECOND, THIRD, AND FOURTH BAR GRAPHS THERE, YOU CAN SEE THAT CRIME IS SIGNIFICANTLY DOWN EVEN FURTHER WHEN OFFICERS ARE ON THE STREETS IN THESE HIGH-CRIME AREAS AND VISIBLE. SO YOU'VE GOT THE DATA. YOU'VE GOT OUR HEAD LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICER SAYING WE NEED THEM AND WE HAVE AN INDEPENDENT STUDY ALL SAYING THAT WE NEED MORE POLICE ON THE STREETS. NOW, MARIA, IF I COULD ASK YOU TO COME TO THE PODIUM, WE TALKED THE OTHER DAY -- BECAUSE I GOT A QUESTION -- I THINK IT WAS FROM COUNCILWOMAN KAUR -- ABOUT WHY THIS 60/40 RATIO AND WHAT WAS THE METHODOLOGY, WHAT WERE THE FACTORS THAT WERE CONSIDERED IN COMING UP WITH THIS RATIO. YOU MENTIONED WORKLOAD, COMMUNITY POLICING, AND EMPLOYEE MORALE. IF I COULD ASK YOU TO BRIEFLY EXPAND ON THAT. 
          >> VILLAGOMEZ: GOOD MORNING, MAYOR AND COUNCIL. YES, SOME OF THE BENEFITS THAT WERE HIGHLIGHTED FROM THIS STAFFING STUDY, THE GOAL TO REACH 60/40 RATIO, MEANING THAT OUR POLICE OFFICERS WOULD BE PROACTIVELY ADDRESSING ISSUES IN THE COMMUNITY 60% OF THE TIME. AND 40% OF THE TIME ON ADDRESSING CALLS OR REACTIVE. ONE OF THE BENEFITS IS ENHANCING PUBLIC SAFETY, MEANING THAT HIGHER LEVELS OF PROACTIVITY AND VISIBILITY DIRECTLY REDUCE CRIME IN THE COMMUNITY. AND IT ALSO IMPROVES RESPONSE TIMES. IT ALSO INCREASES COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT BY ALLOWING THE POLICE OFFICERS TO ENGAGE WITH THE COMMUNITY, TO PATROL THEIR NEIGHBORHOODS IN AREAS OF THEIR DISTRICTS WHERE THERE'S HIGH CRIME. AND FINALLY, THE OTHER ASPECT WAS IMPROVING EMPLOYEE MORALE AND HEALTH. MEANING THAT WHEN A POLICE OFFICER IS GOING FROM CALL AFTER CALL, IT DOESN'T GIVE THEM AN OPPORTUNITY TO ENGAGE WITH THE COMMUNITY. IT DOESN'T GIVE THEM AN OPPORTUNITY TO HAVE A MORE BALANCED MENTAL HEALTH. SO IT IMPROVES MORALE AND MENTAL HEALTH BY HAVING 60% OF THEIR TIME ENGAGING WITH THE COMMUNITY, DOING PROACTIVE WORK. 
          AND 40% ENGAGING IN DIRECT CALLS. >> WHYTE: THANKS, MARIA. 
          AGAIN, SOME OF THE REASONING TO ADD THESE OFFICERS, WE HEARD THAT THE VISIBILITY DIRECTLY RESULTS IN A REDUCTION IN CRIME. WE HEARD ABOUT POLICE OFFICERS' MENTAL HEALTH AND WE HEARD ABOUT IT GIVES THE OFFICERS MORE TIME TO BE IN THE COMMUNITY WITH THE RESIDENTS. THE CASE FOR ADDING OFFICERS IN THE 2027 BUDGET I THINK IS EXTREMELY CLEAR. SOME OF THE ARGUMENTS THAT I'VE HEARD AGAINST THIS I WANT TO BRIEFLY ADDRESS. NUMBER ONE, THAT WE NEED TO ADDRESS -- BE ADDRESSING THE ROOT CAUSES OF CRIME. I 100% AGREE. 
          BUT THIS IS NOT AN EITHER/OR. WE CAN ADDRESS ROOT CAUSES OF CRIME. WE CAN FUND VARIOUS PROGRAMS THAT WILL HELP US DO THAT. 
          BUT THAT DOES NOT ALLEVIATE THE NEED TO PUT OFFICERS ON THE STREET NOW. 
          I'VE ALSO HEARD THERE'S OTHER THINGS WE CAN DO SUCH AS LIGHTING. 
          RIGHT? LIGHTING, OF COURSE, WE KNOW THAT THAT HELPS MAKE AREAS SAFER. AND AGAIN, I COMPLETELY AGREE. 
          WE CAN ADD MORE LIGHTING. WE CAN TAKE OTHER STEPS TO MAKE THE COMMUNITY SAFER. 
          BUT IT DOES NOT REPLACE THE EFFECTIVENESS OF PUTTING POLICE ON THE STREET. 
          I LOOKED AT THE CRIME DATA THAT OUR SAPD AND ERIK GAVE TO US LAST YEAR REGARDING 2024 CRIME, RIGHT? OVER 33,000 CRIMES AGAINST PEOPLE. 
          OVER 100,000 CRIMES AGAINST PEOPLE'S PROPERTY. CRIME MAY BE DOWN BUT WE CAN DO BETTER. AND LET'S NOT LET THIS BE POLITICAL. 
          THIS IS NOT ABOUT WINNERS AND LOSERS. THIS IS ABOUT MAKING OUR COMMUNITY SAFER. AND WE WILL PREVENT CRIMES AGAINST OUR CITIZENS. 
          [02:25:04]
WE WILL PREVENT MORE OF THOSE CRIMES IN THE COMING YEARS IF WE HAVE MORE OFFICERS ON THE STREET. IT IS OUR DUTY TO PUT MONEY IN THE 2027 BUDGET TO ADD POLICE PERSONNEL TO OUR SAPD. OUR COMMUNITY WANTS IT. 
          IT'S THE RIGHT THING TO DO AND IT WILL MAKE SAN ANTONIO SAFER. 
          THANKS, MAYOR. >> MAYOR JONES: COUNCILWOMAN VIAGRAN. 
          >> VIAGRAN: THANK YOU, MAYOR. WITH A NEW CHIEF THAT WE'RE LOOKING TO HIRE, THE NEW SUBSTATION THAT NEEDS TO BE STAFFED, NEW TECHNOLOGIES THAT WE ARE MADE AWARE OF, INCLUDING DRONES AND ALL SORTS OF INFORMATION THAT HELP OFFICERS DO THEIR JOB. WITH A BUDGET DEFICIT THAT WE FACE AND A CRIME RATE THAT IS DOWN, I MOVE TO CONTINUE ITEM 6 TO THE FIRST MEETING IN MAY OF THE PUBLIC 
          SAFETY COMMITTEE FOR FURTHER REVIEW AND DELIBERATION. >> SECOND. 
          >> MAYOR JONES: DID YOU WANT TO SAY SOMETHING, ANDY? >> SEGOVIA: MAYOR, WITH A MOTION TO CONTINUE, THAT BECOMES THE PRIMARY MOTION AND THE DISCUSSION SHOULD NOW SIMPLY FOCUS ON WHETHER WE -- SORRY. WHETHER THE COUNCIL WILL 
          CONTINUE OR NOT. >> MAYOR JONES: THANK YOU, ANDY. 
          SO THERE'S A MOTION AND A SECOND TO CONTINUE THIS ITEM TO THE FIRST WEEK IN MAY FOR 
          THAT PUBLIC SAFETY MEETING. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR? >> 
          >> MAYOR JONES: DISCUSSION ON THAT ITEM. EXCUSE ME. 
          GO AHEAD, COUNCILWOMAN ALDERETE GAVITO. ON THE CONTINUANCE, CORRECT? 
          >> GAVITO: YEAH. THANK YOU. FIRST OFF, I DO WANT TO THANK BIANCA AND GARY FOR BEING HERE WITH US TODAY. YOU KNOW, I'M GOING TO MENTION A COUPLE OF THINGS COUNCILMAN WHYTE SAID. WE KNOW PUBLIC SAFETY IS OUR TOP PRIORITY. THEY TELL EACH OF MY COUNCIL COLLEAGUES AND I THAT IT IS AND CONTINUES TO REMAIN A TOP PRIORITY. WE KNOW THAT PEOPLE WANT TO FEEL SAFE AND WE ALSO KNOW PEOPLE WANT PEOPLE HELD ACCOUNTABLE FOR THE CRIMES THEY COMMIT. ONE OF THE STORIES THAT BIANCA WAS SHARING WAS THAT GENTLEMAN WHO -- GUY WHO LITERALLY TOOK A WOOD STICK AND KILLED TWO OTHER HOMELESS GUYS, WHO HAD NO CHANCE OF SURVIVING. THESE ARE THE HORRIFIC CRIMES WE ARE SEEING HAPPEN IN OUR CITY. TO ME, IT DOES NOT MAKE ANY SENSE TO PAY FOR A CONSULTANT AND THEN DISMISS THEIR RECOMMENDATIONS. 
          I DO UNDERSTAND THAT WE'RE FACING ANOTHER BUDGET DEFICIT BUT THAT DOESN'T MEAN THAT WE DECREASE THE FUNDING OR NOT LISTEN TO THE RECOMMENDATIONS OF WHAT OUR RESIDENTS ARE TELLING US THAT THEY NEED, QUITE FRANKLY. 
          THEY NEED SAFETY IN THEIR NEIGHBORHOODS. SO, YOU KNOW, WE CAN SLICE AND DICE THE BUDGET ALL DAY. I KNOW WE HAVE MENTIONED BEFORE, I DON'T THINK WE HAVE A REVENUE PROBLEM, WE HAVE A SPENDING PROBLEM HERE. 
          WE NEED TO KEEP PUBLIC SAFETY AS THE TOP PRIORITY. WE HAVE TO MAKE TOUGH CHOICES. WE KNOW THAT THAT'S COMING UP. 
          BUT THAT DOES NOT MEAN WAVERING ON RESIDENTS' TOP PRIORITY. 
          ANANDA, THANK YOU FOR YOUR COMMENTS ABOUT LOOKING AT OVERTIME. 
          I WOULD ARGUE IF WE WOULD HAVE STAYED WITH THE STAFFING RECOMMENDATIONS, WE'RE NOT GOING TO SEE THAT OVERTIME CHARGE THAT WE'RE LOOKING AT. 
          SO WE NEED TO FOLLOW THE RECOMMENDATIONS THAT WE PAY FOR. 
          I ALSO AGREE THAT THIS IS NOT AN EITHER/OR. WE CAN CONTINUE TO LOOK AT CRIME PREVENTION MEASURES AS WELL AS LOOK AT MAKING SURE OUR COMMUNITY STAYS SAFE. 
          RESIDENTS EXPECT QUICK RESPONSE TIMES. THERE'S NO REASON WHY PEOPLE ARE WAITING FOR TWO HOURS FOR CRIMES BEING COMMITTED IN THEIR NEIGHBORHOODS. 
          THAT IS UNACCEPTABLE. YOU KNOW, WITH OUR POPULATION RAPIDLY GROWING, OUR POLICE STAFFING HAS TO GROW AS WELL. WE ARE GOING TO SEE AN INCREASE IN 9-1-1 CALLS. SO STAYING ON TRACK WITH THE PLAN WILL HELP IMPROVE RESPONSE TIME. IT WILL HELP KEEP OUR STREETS SAFE. 
          IT WILL HELP ENSURE OUR OFFICERS HAVE THE CAPACITY TO SUPPORT PROGRAMS THAT ADDRESS THE ROOT CAUSES OF CRIME. AND I WOULD SAY -- AND WE CAN DEFINITELY LOOK INTO THIS -- IT WILL CUT THE OVERTIME NUMBERS. 
          THANK YOU TO MY COLLEAGUES, COUNCILWOMAN SPEARS AND COUNCILMAN MARC WHYTE FOR 
          [02:30:02]
CO-AUTHORING THIS RESOLUTION WITH ME. I LOOK FORWARD TO SUPPORT FROM THE REST OF MY COLLEAGUES AND I DO SUPPORT IT GOING TO PUBLIC SAFETY. 
          THANK YOU. [APPLAUSE] >> MAYOR JONES: IS THERE ANY OTHER DISCUSSION ON THE MOTION TO CONTINUE? COUNCILWOMAN KAUR. 
          >> KAUR: THANK YOU, MAYOR. I'LL BE BRIEF. 
          JUST WANTED TO MAKE SURE EVERYONE WAS AWAKE. I WILL BE BRIEF. 
          I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO THE DISCUSSION AT PUBLIC SAFETY. I SPOKE TO MANY OF YOU ABOUT THIS LAST WEEK ABOUT THE DATA -- AND Y'ALL KNOW HOW MUCH WE LOVE TO LOOK INTO IT. I FOUND OUT THAT WHILE WE HAVE THE PRESENTATION PROVIDED, WE DON'T ACTUALLY HAVE THE REPORT BECAUSE UNFORTUNATELY THE GENTLEMAN THAT DID DO THE REPORT FOR US HAS PASSED AWAY AND WE NEVER HAD A FULL COPY OF IT TO BE ABLE TO SHARE. WE ARE EXTRAPOLATING A LOT OF THIS DATA FROM ANOTHER REPORT THAT WE HAVE BEEN SIMILARLY LOOKING AT FROM ALBUQUERQUE. 
          I DO HAVE SOME QUESTIONS ABOUT IT. SO I THINK MAYBE FOR MARIA AND I CAN GET TOGETHER FOR OUR PUBLIC SAFETY MEETING IN MAY AND MAKE SURE WE CAN DO A LITTLE BIT OF A DEEPER DIVE ON EXACTLY HOW THIS CAME ABOUT AND MAYBE WHAT THE GAPS ARE AND HOW WE CAN FILL IN THOSE GAPS AS WE GO INTO BUDGET SEASON AND CAN DISCUSS THIS MORE WHEN IT COMES TO BUDGET SEASON. I DO THINK IT'S IMPORTANT THAT WE LOOK AT THIS COMPREHENSIVELY AND PUBLIC SAFETY IS A VERY IMPORTANT ISSUE IF WE ARE ADDRESSING IT IN A COMPREHENSIVE MANNER. 
          THERE'S ALWAYS TRADE-OFFS. WE HAVE JUST HEARD A BUNCH FROM PUBLIC HEALTH TODAY AND WE KNOW SOME OF THE DEFICITS THAT WE'RE FACING SO THERE'S ALWAYS TRADE-OFFS WHEN WE DECIDE TO FUND ONE THING OVER THE OTHER. WE HAVE TO MAKE SURE WE VERY WELL UNDERSTAND WHAT THOSE TRADE-OFFS ARE IF WE MOVE FORWARD WITH CONTINUING WITH MORE OFFICERS. NOT TO MENTION WE ARE IN THE MIDST OF ONGOING NEGOTIATIONS WITH THE POLICE UNION. LET'S TALK ABOUT THIS AT PUBLIC SAFETY. NOW THAT YOU'RE ON PUBLIC SAFETY, YOU'LL BE THERE WITH GREAT QUESTIONS AND A GREAT PRESENTATION. WE DON'T NEED TO SEE THAT VIDEO AGAIN THOUGH. I THINK WE'RE GOOD THERE. THANKS, COUNCILMEMBER. 
          THANKS, MAYOR. >> MAYOR JONES: ANYONE ELSE THAT WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK ON CONTINUING THE ITEM? COUNCILMEMBER MEZA GONZALEZ 
          AND COUNCILMEMBER SPEARS. >> GONZALEZ: THANK YOU, MAYOR. 
          THANK YOU TO MY COLLEAGUES WHO BROUGHT THIS UP. PUBLIC SAFETY CONTINUES TO BE ONE OF MY TOP PRIORITIES AND I STRONGLY SUPPORT ENSURING SAPD HAS THE STAFFING LEVELS THEY NEED TO RESPOND QUICKLY AND EFFECTIVELY TO OUR COMMUNITY. MY COMMUNITY IN DISTRICT 8 HAS CONSISTENTLY REAFFIRMED THIS AT EVERY TOWN HALL AND NEIGHBORHOOD MEETING. DURING THE LAST PUBLIC ADOPTION I SUPPORTED AUTHORIZING 65 POSITIONS VERSUS THE 40 APPROVED. 
          AS WE PREPARE FOR THE NEXT BUDGET CYCLE, I REMAIN COMMITTED TO SUPPORTING THOSE POSITIONS, WHICH IS WHY I WILL BE SUPPORTIVE OF MOVING THIS TO PUBLIC SAFETY. THANK YOU. THOSE ARE ALL MY COMMENTS. 
          >> MAYOR JONES: COUNCILMEMBER SPEARS. >> SPEARS: I JUST WANTED TO REAFFIRM WHAT COUNCILMAN WHYTE AND COUNCILWOMAN ALDERETE GAVITO AND I ARE REALLY PUSHING FORWARD HERE. PUBLIC SAFETY IS AND REMAINS THE NUMBER ONE CONCERN FROM ALL OF THE RESIDENTS IN DISTRICT 9. AND I WOULD VENTURE TO SAY ACROSS THE CITY. WHEN PUSH COMES TO SHOVE, WHO ARE YOU GOING TO CALL WHEN YOU NEED HELP? JUST THINK ABOUT THAT FOR ONE SECOND. 
          WHO WOULD YOU CALL? AND CAN THEY GET TO YOU AND CAN THEY HELP YOU? IT'S THE NUMBER ONE THING WE NEED TO BE THINKING ABOUT. I'VE BEEN VERY CONSISTENT IN MY POSITION ON THIS. WE MUST GROW OUR POLICE FORCE BECAUSE WE'RE A GROWING CITY. WE CAN DO THIS IN A MEANINGFUL WAY AND A HOLISTIC APPROACH BUT YOU CANNOT REPLACE BOOTS ON THE GROUND AND THEIR DETERRENCE OF CRIME ACROSS THE CITY. OUR OWN RESIDENTS TELL ME THAT THEY FEEL LESS SAFE TODAY THAN THEY DID FIVE YEARS AGO. EVERY EVENT I'M AT I HEAR THOSE REMARKS. THIS IS NOT POLITICAL POSTURING. 
          WE NEED TO HAVE THESE DISCUSSIONS NOW. CITY STAFF DID ASK US TO MAKE APPARENT OUR BUDGET PRIORITIES FOR 2027 AS EARLY AS POSSIBLE, AND THAT'S WHAT WE'RE DOING. THAT'S EXACTLY WHAT WE'RE DOING. 
          AND WE'RE SEEING CONTINUED CONCERNS AROUND VIOLENT CRIMES, PROPERTY CRIMES. 
          RESIDENTS ARE LOOKING FOR A STRONGER PRESENCE AND A CLEAR SENSE THAT WE ARE BEING PROACTIVE AND NOT REACTIVE. WE ARE ASKING FOR MORE -- WE ARE ASKING MORE OF OUR OFFICERS NOW THAN EVER IN THE PAST. 
          THEIR LIFESTYLE, WE HAVE A RESPONSIBILITY TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE ABLE TO RETAIN GOOD, QUALITY TALENT AND THEY ARE TAKEN CARE OF SO THEY CAN SERVE OUR COMMUNITY WELL. THIS IS A CHALLENGING CAREER AND IT'S AN ACT OF SERVICE FOR OUR COMMUNITY AND WE NEED TO REMEMBER THAT. JUST EVEN TWO WEEKENDS AGO, 
          [02:35:06]
LOCAL MEDIA REPORTED THERE WERE SIX SHOOTINGS WITHIN A 48-HOUR PERIOD. 
          A CHILD WAS AMONG THOSE VICTIMS AND TWO OF THE INCIDENTS PROVED DEADLY. 
          WE NEED TO BASE OUR HIRING ON THE STUDIES AND NOT BUDGET CONSTRAINTS. 
          PUBLIC SAFETY IS CLEARLY A CORE SERVICE. IT'S OUTLINED IN OUR CITY CHARTER AND IT'S OUR FIRST RESPONSIBILITY. I'M GOING TO BE HOSTING TOWN HALLS ON THIS IN DISTRICT 9. I ENCOURAGE ALL OF YOU TO DO THE SAME IN YOUR DISTRICTS. 
          AND TO LISTEN TO YOUR RESIDENTS. THIS IS ME LISTENING TO MY RESIDENTS TALKING ABOUT THIS. AND WHEN YOUR RESIDENTS TELL YOU THEY DO NOT FEEL AS SAFE, THEY DO WANT TO FEEL MORE SAFE, THAT YOU HAVE THE COURAGE TO ACT AND GET BEHIND THIS MEASURE. I THINK THIS IS AN APPROPRIATE TIME TO TALK ABOUT THIS AS WE APPROACH THE BUDGET. 
          AS WE MOVE FORWARD, WE REALLY CAN'T STEP AWAY FROM WHAT'S BEING RECOMMENDED. 
          EVERY TIME WE LOWER THE NUMBER THAT WE'RE HIRING, WE JUST FALL FURTHER INTO THE HOLE. I'VE BEEN ASKING FOR 100 POLICE OFFICERS FROM THE BEGINNING. AND I MAINTAIN THAT. IN FACT, I MAY GO TO 150 BECAUSE IT IS JUST THAT IMPORTANT. I LOOK FORWARD TO MORE DISCUSSION ON THIS AND HOW WE CAN POSITION OURSELVES. I KNOW WE WILL FIND A WAY TO PUT THIS INTO OUR BUDGET. THIS IS DEFINITELY MY TOP PRIORITY. 
          THANK YOU, MAYOR. >> MAYOR JONES: ANY OTHER COUNCIL MEMBERS THAT WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK ON THE MOTION TO CONTINUE? OKAY. 
          COUNCILMEMBER WHYTE ON THE SECOND ROUND. GO AHEAD. 
          >> WHYTE: YEAH. I'LL SUPPORT THE MOTION TO SEND IT TO PUBLIC SAFETY, SIMPLY BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, IT'S GOING TO ALLOW US TO HAVE ANOTHER CONVERSATION ABOUT THIS. AND WE CAN'T TALK ABOUT THIS ENOUGH. 
          IN TERMS OF THE BUDGET, I MEAN, WHETHER WE HAVE $1.7 BILLION IN THE GENERAL FUND, 1.8, 1.6, 1.2, IT JUST SIMPLY DOESN'T MATTER. $4 MILLION OR $5 MILLION, WHATEVER IT WILL BE TO HIRE 65 MORE OFFICERS, THAT'S WHERE YOU BEGIN WHEN YOU DO THE BUDGETING. YOU BEGIN WITH THE PUBLIC SAFETY AND THEN YOU DO EVERYTHING ELSE AROUND IT. TO NOT DO SO WOULD BE GOVERNMENT MALPRACTICE. 
          WE'VE TALKED A LOT ABOUT FOLLOWING RECOMMENDATIONS FROM OUR CHIEFS. 
          WE HAVE OUR CHIEF GIVING US HIS RECOMMENDATION HERE. WE HAVE THE INDEPENDENT STUDY. WE HAVE THE DATA. SO AGAIN, COUNCILWOMAN, I LOOK FORWARD TO SITTING ON YOUR COMMITTEE AND TALKING ABOUT IT AGAIN AND I WOULD JUST ASK MY COLLEAGUES, AS WE MOVE FORWARD AND WE DO GET INTO BUDGET SEASON, LET'S REMEMBER TAKING CARE OF OUR RESIDENTS' SAFETY HAS GOT TO BE NUMBER ONE. 
          THANKS, CHAIR. MAYOR. >> MAYOR JONES: ERIK, YOU HAD A COMMENT. UNLESS YOU WANT TO DO IT AT THE END. 
          >> WALSH: I'LL DO IT AT THE END. >> MAYOR JONES: 
          COUNCILWOMAN CASTILLO. >> CASTILLO: THANK YOU AND THANK YOU FOR THE PRESENTATION. I ALSO BELIEVE THAT THIS IS A THIS AND CONVERSATION. 
          WE KNOW ADDRESSING THE ROOT CAUSES OF VIOLENT CRIME AND CRIME IN GENERAL ARE AT RISK OF HAVING THEIR FUNDING REDUCED THROUGH FEDERAL CUTS. 
          SO WHILE I DO BELIEVE IT IS IMPORTANT TO SUPPORT THE EFFORTS TO ENSURE THAT OUR POLICE OFFICERS HAVE THE RESOURCES NECESSARY, IT'S IMPORTANT THAT THE "AND" PART OF OUR VIOLENCE INTERRUPTTORS ARE FULLY FUNDED AND SUPPORTED. 
          WE DISCUSSED THIS MORNING METRO HEALTH IS PRIMARILY GRANT FUNDED AND BEING A CITY EMPLOYEE GRANT FUNDED, NAVIGATING THE CRISIS, DOES IMPACT MORALE. 
          I'M SUPPORTIVE OF HAVING THIS CONVERSATION WITHIN THE PUBLIC SAFETY MEETING BECAUSE THIS WILL RUN PARALLEL TO OUR BUDGET CONVERSATIONS. 
          MAY 14 IS THE COUNCIL A SESSION FOR THE MID-YEAR BUDGET ADJUSTMENT. 
          MAY 22, SPECIAL SESSION FOR CITY COUNCIL BUDGET GOAL SETTING. 
          SUPPORTIVE OF HAVING THIS CONVERSATION RUN PARALLEL. I ALSO ENCOURAGE THAT WE SPEAK TO THE RANK AND FILE POLICE OFFICERS. IF YOU ASK WHAT THEY NEED, IT'S A DECIBEL READER SO WHEN THEY GET A CALL ABOUT LOUD MUSIC, THEY HAVE THE RESOURCES NECESSARY TO MEASURE THE MUSIC AT THE SITE. 
          ALSO I'M THINKING ABOUT SPECIFIC UNITS AND THE IMPACT THEY HAVE. 
          I THINK IT'S EASY TO SAY YES MORE PATROL BUT WE NEED TO THINK ABOUT WHAT'S ACTUALLY NEEDED TO ADDRESS THE CRIME IN OUR COMMUNITIES. OFTENTIMES IT'S ADDITIONAL RESOURCES, LIKE A DECIBEL READER. AND SUPPORTING OUR DETECTIVES WITH THE NECESSARY EQUIPMENT TO ADDRESS THE CRIME. 
          AND OF COURSE ACCOUNTABILITY FOR THE VICTIM AS WELL. JUST A BUNCH OF MOVING PIECES. LOOKING FORWARD TO THE CONVERSATION IN PUBLIC 
          SAFETY. THANK YOU. >> MAYOR JONES: COUNCILMAN 
          [02:40:07]
          MCKEE-RODRIGUEZ. >> MCKEE-RODRIGUEZ: THANK YOU, MAYOR. 
          I REALLY WANT US ALL TO BE ON THE SAME PAGE HERE. NONE OF US ARE DEBATING WHETHER OR NOT WE SHOULD HIRE MORE OFFICERS. I KNOW THE HEADLINE THAT I READ WAS COUNCIL SET TO SQUARE OFF OVER MORE OFFICERS. 
          THAT DISCUSSION WILL HAPPEN IN THE BUDGET. AND WE MAY VERY WELL SUPPORT THE ADDITION OF HOWEVER MANY OFFICERS. BUT WE'LL DO IT ALONGSIDE A HANDFUL OF OTHER CHALLENGING DECISIONS. THE REALITY IS THAT WE DON'T KNOW WHAT OUR FINANCIAL OUTLOOK IS BUT WE HAVE A SENSE THAT IT'S BLEAK. 
          WE DON'T KNOW HOW MANY CUTS WE'LL HAVE TO MAKE TO PUBLIC WORKS, TO METRO HEALTH, TO PARKS AND REC, TO LIBRARIES, ANIMAL CARE SERVICES, OUR FIRE DEPARTMENT, OUR HOUSING PROGRAMS, CODE ENFORCEMENT, THE NONPROFITS WHO PROVIDE ESSENTIAL AND WRAPAROUND SERVICES TO OUR COMMUNITY. WE DON'T KNOW IF WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO RAISE PROPERTY TAXES ALONGSIDE UTILITY RATES TO AFFORD ANY OF THIS GROWTH. 
          I'M VERY INTERESTED IN THE FIRE DEPARTMENT'S NEEDS ASSESSMENT THAT IS IN THE PIPELINE AS WELL AS THE FEASIBILITY STUDY FOR A SECOND ANIMAL CARE SERVICES DEPARTMENT THAT'S LOOKING AT THE NEEDS OF OUR EASTERN SECTOR. 
          I'M ALSO INTERESTED IN ENSURING THE WORK THAT THE SAFETY OFFICE IS ABLE TO CONTINUE AND EXPAND. I WOULD LIKE FOR US TO RECOMMIT TO OUR STRATEGIC HOUSING IMPLEMENTATION PLAN, OUR CLIMATE ACTION AND ADAPTATION PLAN, OUR ACS STRATEGIC PLAN, OUR SA FORWARD PLAN, WHICH MAY BE AT GREATEST RISK WITH THE LOSS OF FEDERAL FUNDING. IT IS OF EACH OF OUR CONSTITUENTS' CONCERN THAT WHEN WE MAKE OUR DECISIONS ABOUT STAFFING AND DEPARTMENTS THAT WE ARE DOING IT WITH ALL OF THE INFORMATION NEEDED. I'LL ALSO ADD THAT WE CAN'T BE FLIPPANT ABOUT 4, 5, $6 MILLION. THAT IS A LOT AND PEOPLE ARE GOING TO BE EXPERIENCING IT WHEN WE HAVE TO CUT A DEPARTMENT THAT SERVES THEM. 
          I WILL SUPPORT SENDING THIS TO PUBLIC SAFETY AND DISCUSSING IT FURTHER AND AT OUR BUDGET GOAL-SETTING SESSION WHEN IT'S APPROPRIATE TO HAVE THIS CONVERSATION AS A BODY. I WOULD INVITE MY COLLEAGUES TO SHARE THE CUTS THEY'RE WILLING TO MAKE WITHIN THE BUDGET. WHICH SERVICES ARE YOU REALLY WILLING TO CUT? WE'RE IN THE MIDDLE OF CONTRACT NEGOTIATIONS. 
          ARE WE WILLING TO SACRIFICE WAGE INCREASES FOR OFFICERS? ARE YOU GOING TO SUPPORT A STRONG FINANCIAL AUDIT OF THE DEPARTMENT TO IDENTIFY EVEN FURTHER CUTS? IF WE COULD FIND 4, 5, $6 MILLION WITHIN THE EXISTING BUDGET, ADD THE OFFICERS. WON'T FIGHT YOU. BUT WE NEED TO MAKE ANY OF THESE DECISIONS WITH AS MUCH INFORMATION AS POSSIBLE. FOR THAT REASON, I'LL SUPPORT TODAY AND I LOOK FORWARD TO A VERY ROBUST CONVERSATION AND FOR US TO REALLY SQUARE OFF OVER POLICE HIRING. THANK YOU, MAYOR. 
          >> MAYOR JONES: OKAY. WOULD ANY OTHER FOLKS LIKE TO SPEAK ON CONTINUING THE ITEM? COUNCILMAN GALVAN. ANYONE ELSE AFTER COUNCILMAN 
          GALVAN? >> GALVAN: THANK YOU, MAYOR. 
          JUST A COUPLE OF QUICK THINGS. FIRST OF ALL, I CERTAINLY APPRECIATE ANY EARLIER CONVERSATIONS BUT I THINK FRANKLY THIS CONVERSATION COULD HAVE BEEN SAVED FOR MAY 22 DURING OUR BUDGET GOAL-SETTING SESSION WHERE WE SHAPE OUR UPCOMING FISCAL BUDGETS WITHIN THE CONTEXT OF HOW MUCH REVENUE WE HAVE, ARE GOING TO HAVE SO WE CAN LOOK AT THE WAY WE LOOK AT A DYNAMIC CITY BUDGET FOR ONE OF THE LARGEST CITIES IN AMERICA. 
          ALL THAT TO BE SAID, WE ALL KNOW SAPD IS A CRUCIAL PART OF ADDRESSING PUBLIC SAFETY HERE IN OUR COMMUNITY. IT'S EASY TO SAY THAT AND ALSO EASY TO PIGEON HOLE THE CONCEPT OF SAFETY. WE NEED TO ADDRESS ALL ASPECTS OF PUBLIC SAFETY BUT THAT'S NOT WHAT WE'RE LOOKING AT REAFFIRMING OUR COMMITMENT TODAY ABOUT. 
          WITH THIS RESOLUTION, WE ARE IGNORING THE PLETHORA OF DATA-DRIVEN PLANS. 
          COUNCILMAN MCKEE-RODRIGUEZ LISTED THEM OUT AS WELL. VISION ZERO, ALL CALLING FOR INFRASTRUCTURE INVESTMENTS TO REDUCE DEATHS. THE CLIMATE ADAPTATION PLAN, CALLING FOR INVESTMENT IN CLIMATE-PROOFING OUR INFRASTRUCTURE. 
          SA FORWARD PLAN WHICH INCLUDES THE STAND UP SA PROGRAM, WHO BREAK CYCLES OF GUN VIOLENCE WITH DATA-DRIVEN RESOURCES. AND IT HAS A HIGH SUCCESS RATE HERE. A PROGRAM THAT'S IN FISCAL PERIL. 
          PUBLIC LIBRARY STRATEGIC PLAN, PARKS AND REC STRATEGIC PLAN, EXPANDING LIBRARIES AND GREEN SPACE TO IMPROVE MENTAL HEALTH OUTCOMES AND KEEP OUR KIDS OUT OF TROUBLE. OUR SHIP PLAN TO ENSURE ALL OF OUR FAMILIES ARE ABLE TO AFFORD TO LIVE HERE IN OUR CITY. AND REDUCE INDUSTRIES LIKE 
          [02:45:04]
VAPE SHOPS OR BITCOIN KIOSKS IN OUR COMMUNITIES. OF COURSE WE KNOW COUNCILMEMBER MCKEE-RODRIGUEZ HAS INTRODUCED THE NEEDS ASSESSMENT FOR THE FIRE DEPARTMENT, WHICH IS BEING LOOKED INTO TO UNDERSTAND HOW WE CAN SUPPORT OUR FIRE DEPARTMENT TOO. I THINK THIS CONVERSATION COULD HAVE BEEN HAD LATER. WE HAVE IT EVERY SINGLE TIME. 
          I THINK FRANKLY, IF WE'RE GOING TO TALK ABOUT ALL THESE THINGS, WHICH ONE OF THESE PLANS ARE LESS VALUABLE TO PUBLIC SAFETY? LESS VALUABLE TO CRIME PREVENTION? ACS? STREET SAFETY? FLOOD INFRASTRUCTURE? KEEPING OUR KIDS OFF THE STREETS? KEEPING PEOPLE OFF THE STREETS? AND THIS WHOLE CONCEPT OF THIS CAN'T BE EITHER/OR. WE LIVE IN TEXAS. OUR STATE LAW REQUIRES A BALANCED BUDGET. THAT'S WHAT WE DID LAST YEAR. 
          WE ADDED 45 OFFICERS BECAUSE WE COULDN'T AFFORD TO ADD 60. 
          IF THAT'S AN ISSUE FOR SOME FOLKS, THAT'S FINE. THAT'S OUR OPINION AND WE'RE GOING TO WORK TO ADDRESS THOSE CONCERNS OR RAISING TAXES. HAPPY TO HEAR WHAT THE SOLUTION IS THERE. 
          HERE'S THE THING WITH THAT TOO. THESE ARE NOT ONE-TIME DOLLARS WE CAN THROW OUT, THEY ARE PERMANENT DOLLARS. THEY REQUIRE REVENUE. 
          THEY REQUIRE PERMANENT CUTS TO PROGRAMS TOO IF WE DON'T GET ANYMORE REVENUE INTO IT. 
          IT IS EITHER/OR. IT'S EASY TO SAY IT'S NOT BUT THAT'S FISCALLY IRRESPONSIBLE TO SAY THAT. HAPPY TO HAVE THE CONVERSATIONS. 
          I THINK IT'S HEALTHY TO HAVE THOSE DEBATES. WE DO THEM EVERY YEAR IN OUR BUDGET PROCESS AND WE ALSO DO IT WITHIN OUR COMMUNITIES YEAR ROUND. 
          THAT'S WHY I'M SUPPORTING TO MOVING THIS CONVERSATION TO PUBLIC SAFETY, MOVING 
          FORWARD WITH THE MOTION HERE. >> MAYOR JONES: THIS IS NOT ABOUT ANYONE'S COMMITMENT TO PUBLIC SAFETY, WHICH WE ALL RECOGNIZE TO BE OUR NUMBER ONE RESPONSIBILITY, OF COURSE. THIS IS AN ISSUE OF THE FACT THAT WE DON'T HAVE ENDLESS RESOURCES AND THAT WE LACK A LOT OF THE INFORMATION THAT ERIK AND THE TEAM WOULD PROVIDE TO ENSURE THAT WE ARE BALANCING NEEDS ACROSS OUR COMMUNITY. CERTAINLY, IN LIGHT OF OUR FISCAL DEFICIT BUT ALSO THE CHANGES AT THE FEDERAL LEVEL THAT ARE CONTRIBUTING TO PUBLIC SAFETY CONCERNS, WHETHER YOU TALK ABOUT PUBLIC HEALTH, MENTAL HEALTH, ET CETERA, ET CETERA. SO ERIK, I KNOW YOU WANTED TO SAY A FEW THINGS HERE BUT I DO SUPPORT CONTINUING THIS ITEM TO THE APPROPRIATE TIME DURING BUDGET SEASON. 
          ERIK, GO AHEAD. >> WALSH: THANKS, MAYOR. I WAS JUST GOING TO MAKE ONE POINT AND IT WAS SOMETHING THAT COUNCILMAN WHYTE SAID. ALL OF YOU, EVERY ONE OF YOU WHO HAS SPOKEN HAVE TALKED ABOUT THE ANTICIPATED WORK AND CONVERSATIONS THAT YOU ALL WILL BE DOING WITH THE STAFF AS WE PREPARE FOR THE BUDGET. 
          AND EVERY YEAR THERE ARE CONSISTENCIES AND THERE ARE ADJUSTMENTS. 
          BUT NOTHING THAT YOU DO AND NOTHING THAT THE STAFF DOES IS GOVERNMENT MALPRACTICE. 
          IT IS GOVERNMENT. IT IS LOCAL GOVERNMENT. IT IS PRIORITIZATION BY ELECTED OFFICIALS AND IT'S EXECUTION BY STAFF. BUT IT IS NOT GOVERNMENT MALPRACTICE. I JUST WANT TO, FOR THOSE OF YOU THAT MAY BE WATCHING AT HOME, I DON'T WANT A COMMENT LIKE THAT HANGING OUT THERE WITHOUT ADDRESSING IT. 
          THANK YOU, MAYOR. >> MAYOR JONES: THANK YOU, ERIK. 
          OKAY. HAVE ALL MEMBERS WHO WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK ON CONTINUING THIS ITEM SPOKEN? OKAY. THERE'S A MOTION AND A SECOND TO CONTINUE THIS ITEM TO MAY, THE FIRST PUBLIC SAFETY MEETING IN MAY. 
          PLEASE VOTE. THE MOTION CARRIES. ITEM 7 IS INTERVIEWS FOR THE PLANNING COMMISSION. ACTUALLY, LET'S TAKE A QUICK BREAK. 
          WE'LL RECESS FOR ABOUT 15 MINUTES AND THEN COME BACK. THANK YOU. 
          [RECESS] 
          >> MAYOR JONES: COUNCIL, WE'RE GOING TO RECONVENE. ITEM 7 IS INTERVIEWS FOR THE 
          PLANNING COMMISSION. STAFF HAS A PRESENTATION. >> GOOD AFTERNOON, MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL. MY NAME IS DEBBIE RACCA-SITTRE AND I'M THE CITY CLERK. ALL BOARD APPOINTMENTS GO THROUGH THE CITY CLERK'S OFFICE. THE PLANNING COMMISSION WAS CREATED UNDER SECTION 117 OF THE CITY CHARTER AND HAS THE PRINCIPAL DUTY OF ACTING AS AN ADVISORY BODY TO THE CITY COUNCIL REGARDING BOTH AMENDMENTS TO THE MASTER PLAN OF THE CITY AND THE UNIFIED DEVELOPMENT CODE. THEY SERVE ADDS A FINAL AUTHORITY PERTAINING TO SUBDIVISION PLAT WITHIN THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO CITY LIMITS AND THE ETJ. 
          THE PLANNING COMMISSION IS COMPOSED OF NINE AT-LARGE CITIZEN MEMBERS, THE CITY MANAGER, ONE COUNCILMEMBER, ONE COMMISSION CHAIR AND THE ZONING BOARD OF ADJUSTMENT 
          [02:50:03]
CHAIR. AND MEMBERS SERVE TWO-YEAR TERMS OVERLAPPING. 
          AND THERE'S NO LIMIT ON THEIR TERMS. THE CITY CLERK'S OFFICE OPENED APPLICATIONS 90 DAYS BEFORE THE EXPIRATION OF THEIR TERM, WHICH WAS JULY 8, 2025. WE WORKED WITH THE COMMUNICATIONS AND -- COMMUNICATIONS DEPARTMENT AND ENGAGEMENT DEPARTMENT FOR WEB-HOSTING, SOCIAL MEDIA POSTINGS, [INDISCERNIBLE] AND TEXTS. THROUGH NOVEMBER 22ND WE HAD THE APPLICATIONS OPEN AND THEN REOPENED THEM JANUARY 13TH THROUGH JANUARY 28E APPLICANTS. SO 39 RESIDENTS SUBMITTED THEIR APPLICATIONS BY THE REVISED DEADLINE OF JANUARY JANUARY 29TH. THEY WERE VETTED BY THE CITY ATTORNEY'S OFFICE AND 32 WERE ELIGIBLE. THE MAYOR CREATED AN AD HOC COMMITTEE THAT REVIEWED AND SHORTLISTED 13 APPLICANTS. SO I WANT TO THANK COUNCILMEMBER MUNGIA AND COUNCILMEMBER GALVAN FOR SHORTLISTING THOSE APPLICANTS DOWN TO 13. THEY WERE PROVIDED QUESTIONS IN ADVANCE THAT WERE QUESTIONS PROVIDED BY THE COUNCIL, AND THOSE QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS WERE GIVEN TO THE COUNCIL IN ADVANCE, SO THE COUNCIL HAS BEEN REVIEWING THE QUESTIONS AND THE ANSWERS PROVIDED. AND THEN THEY'VE ALL BEEN INVITED TO THE INTERVIEWS. 
          WHAT WILL HAPPEN NEXT IS CITY COUNCIL WILL VOTE ON THE BOARD APPOINTMENTS AT A SESSION. THEY WILL BE SWORN IN NOT TODAY AT THE A SESSION, BUT THEY WILL BE SWORN IN BEFORE THEIR NEXT MEETING IN APRIL 22ND BY DSD STAFF. 
          WE'RE GOING TO SEND TODAY A WELCOME EMAIL TO NEW MEMBERS AND FINANCIAL DISCLOSURE REPORTS AND INVITE THEM TO THE MUNICIPAL LEADERSHIP INSTITUTE TRAINING. 
          THEY WOULD SERVE ON THE BOARD THE REMAINDER OF THEIR TERM OR UNTIL REPLACED. 
          SO WE HAVE FOUR SEATS OPEN FOR THE REMAINDER OF THE UNEXPIRED TERM, WHICH IS THROUGH OCTOBER 6, 2027. THESE INDIVIDUALS WANTED TO PROVIDE AN UPDATE. 
          REBECCA CONTRERAS IS NOT HERE TODAY. SHE HAD SOME CAR TROUBLE. 
          KEVIN COOPER IS HERE, CHAD DENNY IS HERE, CHRIS GARCIA HAS WITHDRAWN. 
          REMIGIO GARCIA, MY APOLOGIES, IS NOT HERE TODAY. 
          BRIAN ALLEN LOPEZ IS HERE TODAY. NAOMI MILLER, WENDELLYN MILLER AND BARBARA WALLERSTEDT ARE HERE. MATTHEW PINA AND STEVEN STRAIN SUBMITTED LETTERS. WE DO HAVE 11 APPLICANTS TO BE CONSIDERED. 
          EACH APPLICANT WHO IS HERE TODAY WILL GIVE AN OPENING TWO-CHRISTIANITY STATEMENT. 
          SOME APPLICANTS HAVE PROVIDED A WRITTEN STATEMENT AND YOU HAVE THOSE WRITTEN STATEMENTS PROVIDED TODAY AND THE ONES THAT WERE PROVIDED IN ADVANCE. 
          CITY COUNCIL WILL INTERVIEW ALL THE SHORTLISTED APPLICANTS THAT ARE HERE TODAY, BREAK INTO RECESSION FOR DELIBERATION, BUT NO FORMAL ACTION WILL BE TAKEN IN EXECUTIVE SESSION AND THEN CITY COUNCIL WILL RECONVENE AND A COUNCILMEMBER WILL MAKE A MOTION TO APPOINT THE MEMBERS TO THE FOUR OPEN SEATS. THAT'S MY PRESENTATION. IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS I 
          AM AVAILABLE. THANK YOU. >> MAYOR JONES: THANK YOU, MADAM CLERK. THERE ARE NO MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC THAT HAVE SIGNED UP TO SPEAK ON THIS ITEM. SO AS MENTIONED, WE HAVE 11 APPLICANTS FOR THE FOUR AVAILABLE AT-LARGE SEATS ON THE PLANNING COMMISSION, SEVEN OF THEM ARE PRESENT. 
          AND AGAIN, THOSE FOLKS THAT ARE NOT PRESENT WILL STILL BE CONSIDERED. 
          SOME HAVE LEFT -- HAVE PROVIDED A WRITTEN STATEMENT FOR CONSIDERATION. 
          OKAY. SO EACH APPLICANT WILL HAVE TWO MINUTE TO PROVIDE THEIR OPENING STATEMENT, THEN WE'LL MOVE INTO INTERVIEWS. A REMINDER FOR MY COLLEAGUES, IF YOU ASK A PERSON A QUESTION, WE HAVE TO ASK THAT SAME QUESTION TO EVERY INDIVIDUAL THAT IS PRESENT. SO THE FIRST PERSON THAT WE HAVE IS KEVIN COOPER. YOU SO TWO MINUTES, GO AHEAD. 
          THANK YOU FOR THIS OPPORTUNITY I I'M A SAN ANTONIO RESIDENT WHO HAS BEEN LIVING IN THE CITY FOR 10 YEARS. PRIOR TO THAT I WAS IN CHICAGO SO I'VE HAD THE PLEASURE OF RELOCATING TO THIS WONDERFUL CITY. 
          FOR THE LAST DECADE I'VE BEEN WORKING FOR DECKTON DICKINSON, A FORTUNE 500 HEALTH CARE COMPANY. I BEGAN IN THE OPERATION, SPECIFICALLY CUSTOMER SERVICE, AND MOVED INTO ETHICS AND COMPLIANCE AND NOW SERVE AS AN ETHICS AND COMPLIANCE MANAGER. I SPECIALIZE IN HEALTH CARE PROFESSIONAL INTERACTIONS AND PROBABLY TRANSPARENCY REPORTING. MY DUTIES INVOLVE PREPARING 
          [02:55:02]
REPORTS FOR SUBMISSION TO THE GOVERNMENT, OF MANY DIFFERENT NATIONS, INCLUDING THE UNITED STATES, JAPAN, SOUTH KOREA AND INDEPENDENT NIECE I CAN'T -- INDONESIA. 
          I HAVE EXPERIENCE WITH INTERPRETING POLICY AND ENSURING ACCURATE REPORTING, INTERPRETING FEEDBACK WHEN NEEDED FROM STAFF, AND FROM OUR SALES STAFF. 
          MY CORE APPROACH IS USING EVIDENCE-BASED DECISION-MAKING AND SHARING THAT EVERY SINGLE REPORT THAT WE PREPARE OR SYSTEM THAT WE IMPLEMENT IS ACCURATE AND THAT WE HAVE PROOF AS TO WHAT NEEDS TO BE SUBMITTED. 
          I RESPECT THE ESTABLISHED PROCESSES AND THE STAFF EXPERIENCE THAT APPEAR BEFORE ME AND THAT I CAN PROVIDE FEEDBACK ON MY PROCESSES. 
          I PREFER LONG-TERM THINKING OVER SHORT-TERM PRESSURE AND ENSURE THAT ALL REPORTS ARE ACCURATE AND ARE NOT RUSHED. AND I WOULD APPROACH THIS ROLE WITH CONSISTENCY, TRANSPARENCY AND A COMMITMENT TO DECISIONS THAT SERVE THE LONG-TERM INTEREST 
          OF SAN ANTONIO. THANK YOU. >> MAYOR JONES: THANK YOU. 
          QUESTIONS FROM MY COLLEAGUES, IF THERE ARE ANY? OKAY. COUNCILMAN -- COUNCILWOMAN VIAGRAN. 
          >> VIAGRAN: WHAT INSPIRED YOU TO CHOOSE THIS -- WE HAVE TONS OF COMMITTEES THAT 
          YOU COULD SERVE ON. WHAT WAS IT ABOUT PLANNING? >> I'VE ALWAYS HAD AN INTEREST IN PLANNING, AND DI HAVE MORE FAMILIARITY WITH IT BACK IN CHICAGO. 
          AND I'VE DECIDED THAT MY SKILL SET BEING THAT I'M GOOD AT INTERPRETING POLICY AND ENFORCING THINGS FAIRLY, AND I FELT THAT THE PLANNING COMMISSION WAS A GOOD FIT TO 
          MY ETHICS AND COMPLIANCE BACKGROUND. >> MAYOR JONES: JUST FOR THE PUBLIC'S EDIFICATION, CAN YOU SPEAK TO YOUR PHILOSOPHY ON HOW YOU WOULD APPROACH YOUR WORK ON PLANNING COMMISSION WITH ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT 
          AT-LARGE IN THE COMMUNITY? >> SO WHEN ATTEMPTING ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT I WOULD REVIEW ALL OF THE POLICIES RELATED TO OUR PLANNING AND THE SA NEXT DOCUMENTATION TO DECIDE WHAT THE BEST PATHWAY FORWARD TO ENSURE THAT WE'RE PERFORMING EQUITABLE 
          PLANNING ACROSS THE CITY. >> MAYOR JONES: ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS FROM MY COLLEAGUES? OKAY. THANK YOU. 
          THE NEXT INDIVIDUAL IS CHAD DENNY. SIR, YOU HAVE TWO MINUTES. 
          >> THANK YOU. MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL, THANK YOU FOR THIS OPPORTUNITY TO INTRODUCE MYSELF. MY NAME IS CHAD DENNY AND I'M A RESIDENT OF DISTRICT 1. OVER THE PAST DECADE I'VE LIVED IN MULTIPLE DISTRICTS. I BELIEVE THAT GIVES ME A GOOD OPPORTUNITY TO SEE, YOU KNOW, DIFFERENT INFRASTRUCTURES AND ISSUES THAT THE CITY HAS. 
          ANY PROFESSIONAL BACKGROUND IS IN INDUSTRIAL CONSTRUCTION. 
          WE BUILD MASSIVE SYSTEMS FROM THE GROUND UP THAT DEMAND PRECISION BECAUSE THERE'S NO ROOM FOR GUESSWORK. IF A MACHINE IS OFF BY EVEN A FRACTION OF AN INCH, THE ENTIRE SYSTEM FAILS. THE EXPERIENCE TAUGHT ME THAT SUCCESS IS ENTIRELY DEPENDENT ON THE QUALITY OF THE INITIAL PLAN AND THE EFFICIENCY OF ITS EXECUTION. CURRENTLY I'M CONTINUING MY EDUCATION AS A DATA IN DATA ANALYTICS. THIS ALLOWS ME TO BRINK THE GAP BETWEEN PHYSICAL CONSTRUCTION AND MODERN TECHNOLOGIES AND ANALYSIS. THE INDUSTRIAL WORLD WE USE BLUEPRINTS, IN THE PLANNING WORLD WE USE DATA. BOTH SERVE A GOOD PURPOSE. 
          THEY ENSURE THAT DECISIONS WE MAKE TODAY DO NOT BECOME EXPENSIVE LIABILITIES FOR THE FUTURE. I'M SEEKING THIS SEAT IN PLANNING COMMISSION BECAUSE I BELIEVE SAN ANTONIO NEEDS MORE VOICES FOCUSED ON PRECISION AND OBJECTIVE DATA, WHETHER WE'RE DISCUSSING SMART DENSITY OR CORRECTING HISTORICAL INFRASTRUCTURE GAPS, MY APPROACH WILL BE THE SAME, WHAT DOES THE DATA TELL US? IS THIS PLAN EFFICIENT, IS IT SUSTAINABLE FOR THE NEXT 20 YEARS? I WANT TO USE MY BACKGROUND IN BOTH THE INDUSTRIAL AND THE ANALYTICS BUILD TO HELP THIS COUNCIL MAKE INFORMED DECISIONS THAT PROTECT OUR CITY'S FUTURE. 
          [03:00:01]
          >> MAYOR JONES: THANK YOU. COUNCILWOMAN VIAGRAN. >> VIAGRAN: YES. 
          YOU MENTIONED IT A LITTLE, BUT WITH ALL THE COMMITTEES THAT WE HAVE THAT DEAL WITH DATA THAT THE CITY HAS, WHAT DREW YOU TO THIS PLANNING COMMISSION IN PARTICULAR? 
          >> I FEEL LIKE WITH MY BACKGROUND I REALLY HAVE A GOOD UNDERSTANDING OF PLANS AND HOW THEY HAVE TO BE IMPLEMENTED AND THE IMPORTANCE OF, YOU KNOW, FOLLOWING THROUGH WITH THOSE PLANS AND BEING REALLY EFFICIENT. 
          AND I THINK THE FACT THAT I HAVE, YOU KNOW, SOME SORT OF UNDERSTANDING FROM DIFFERENT FIELDS OF THAT, IT REALLY DREW ME TO THIS COUNCIL. COMMITTEE. 
          >> MAYOR JONES: THANK YOU. WOULD YOU PLEASE SHARE YOUR PHILOSOPHY ABOUT THE WORK THAT YOU WOULD DO ON PLANNING COMMISSION AND HOW IT FITS INTO OVERALL 
          ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT IN OUR COMMUNITY? >> GOOD QUESTION. 
          CAN YOU REPEAT THAT ONE MORE TIME. >> MAYOR JONES: SURE. 
          YOUR PHILOSOPHY, WHAT WOULD THAT BE AS YOU THINK ABOUT YOUR WORK ON THE PLANNING COMMISSION AND HOW THAT WOULD FIT INTO ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT IN OUR 
          COMMUNITY? >> I JUST THINK AS OVERALL WE HAVE TO -- WE HAVE TO BE FISCALLY RESPONSIBLE. I THINK AS A CITY WE'VE SPRAWLED A LOT SO WE HAVE TO MAKE SURE THAT WE DON'T BECOME -- HAVE PHYSICAL TRAPS OF LOW DENSITY AREAS THAT AREN'T EFFICIENTLY BUILT SO WE CAN -- SO WE HAVE -- WE NEED TO BE ABLE TO PROVIDE THE CORRECT SYSTEMS FOR ALL PARTS OF THE CITY. 
          AND IF WE DON'T BUILD OUT PROPERLY, WE CAN'T DO THAT. >> MAYOR JONES: THANK YOU. 
          >> THANK YOU. >> MAYOR JONES: THE NEXT PERSON IS ANTONIO FRIETZE. 
          >> GOOD AFTERNOON MAYOR AND COUNCIL. IT'S REALLY AN HONOR TO BE HERE WITH YOU TODAY SEEKING APPOINTMENT TO THE PLANNING COMMISSION OF THE CITY. 
          MY NAME IS ANTONIO FRIETZE. I'M FROM, LIVE AND WORK IN SAN ANTONIO, TEXAS, AND I BELIEVE THAT WE HAVE A SHARED RESPONSIBILITY TO RESPOND TO THE GIFTS WE'VE RECEIVED WITH A WILLINGNESS AND EFFORT TO BUILD A BETTER FUTURE TOGETHER. 
          I LEARNED THAT FROM MY MOTHER WHO RAISED ME IN THE SHADOW OF FORT SAM HOUSTON, AND WORKED VERY HARD TO SEND ME TO A MONTESSORI SCHOOL AND THEN A CATHOLIC HIGH SCHOOL AND THEN ULTIMATELY A COLLEGE IN NEW ENGLAND. I'M SURE MANY OF YOU WILL EMPATHIZE WITH THE EXPERIENCE OF LEARNING HOW SPECIAL SAN ANTONIO IS BY HAVING TO LIVE SOMEWHERE ELSE. IT'S THAT SPECIALNESS AND SENSE OF RESPONSIBILITY THAT BROUGHT ME BACK HERE AND MOTIVATED ME TO VOLUNTEER WITH INTERFAITH, ORGANIZING, ENVIRONMENTAL ADVOCACY AND TAKE PART IN THE NORTH CENTRAL COMMUNITY AREA PLAN PROCESS. IT'S THAT MOTIVATION THAT LEADS ME TO SEEK APPOINTMENT TO THE PLANNING COMMISSION TODAY. 
          THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME. COUNCILMEMBER COUNCILWOMAN VIAGRAN. 
          >> VIAGRAN: THANK YOU. WITH ALL THE COMMITTEES THE CITY HAS, WHAT DREW YOU TO 
          THE PLANNING COMMISSION? >> MY EXPERIENCE ON THE NORTH CENTRAL COMMUNITY AREA PLANNING TEAM ILLUSTRATED TO ME HOW IMPACTFUL SAN ANTONIANS ARE AUDIO]. THERE'S NO BETTER PLACE TO MAKE REAL DECISIONS OF SEQUENCE THAN ON THE -- CONSEQUENCE THAN ON THE PLANNING COMMISSION. 
          >> VIAGRAN: THANK YOU. >> MAYOR JONES: WOULD YOU DESCRIBE YOUR PHILOSOPHY ABOUT THE WORK THAT YOU DO ON THE PLANNING COMMISSION AND HOW YOU THINK THAT FITS INTO ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT IN OUR COMMUNITY AT LARGE? THANKS. 
          >> SURE, ABSOLUTELY. SO PRINCIPALLY IT'S FIRST AND FOREMOST GETTING TO UNDERSTAND THE NEEDS OF THE COMMUNITY IN RELATION TO THE COMPREHENSIVE PLAN AND UNIFIED DEVELOPMENT CODE. ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT HAS TO GOING TO BE SUCCESSFUL AND ULTIMATELY CONTRIBUTE TO A FUTURE WE WANT TO SEE FOR 
          GENERATIONS TO COME. >> MAYOR JONES: OKAY. THANK YOU. 
          >> THANK YOU. >> MAYOR JONES: THE NEXT PERSON IS BRIAN LOPEZ. 
          BRYAN LOPEZ. >> THANK YOU, MAYOR AND COUNCIL FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK TODAY. AS A WAY OF A SHORT BIOGRAPHY, I'M A NATIVE SAN ANTONIAN, I GREW UP HERE IN SAN ANTONIO, THE NORTHWEST SIDE, THROUGH PARENTS WHO GREW UP ON THE HISTORIC WESTSIDE AND I WENT TO SCHOOL DOWNTOWN. 
          AND AFTER ATTENDING SCHOOL IN AUSTIN ON A SHORT STINT IN DALLAS, I MOVED BACK TO SAN ANTONIO AND LIVED IN THE DISTRICT 10 AREA. AND FOR THE LAST 12 YEARS HAVE BEEN DOWNTOWN IN THE RIVER NORTH AREA. I'VE PRACTICED LAW SINCE 2001 FOCUSING PRIMARILY ON RESIDENTIAL AND COMMERCIAL REAL ESTATE. 
          AND FOR THE PAST SIX YEARS HAVE PRACTICED LAW WITH A COUPLE OF FRIENDS OF MINE WHO ARE ALSO NATIVE SAN ANTONIANS. WITH MY FAMILY TIES HERE A LAW PRACTICE HERE AND TWO SONS WHOM I EXPECT TO RETURN HERE, I AM -- I AM HIGHLY INTERESTED IN THE CIVIC ACTIONS AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT OF OUR CITY. 
          [03:05:03]
TO THAT END IT'S BEEN MY GREAT PLEASURE TO HAVE SERVED ON THE PLANNING COMMISSION FOR THE LAST FOUR YEARS. MY BACKGROUND IN REAL ESTATE LAW AND THE DEVELOPMENT PROCESS I BELIEVE HAS ALLOWED ME TO CONTRIBUTE TO OUR ONGOING CIVIC DIALOGUE INTO HOW WE COLLECTIVELY ENVISION OUR CITY AND HOW WE WANT IT TO EVOLVE AND GROW. AND THE COMMISSION SITS REALLY AT THE INTERSECTION OF OUR POLITICAL WILL, PRIVATE PROPERTY RIGHTS AND THE SCIENCE AND ART OF URBAN PLANNING. IN CONCERT WITH THE DEDICATED STAFF AT DSD THE COMMISSION IS DECIDED TO DISCERN WHAT THE NEEDS OF THE NEIGHBORS ARE, THE NEEDS OF THE NEIGHBORHOODS AND THE BEST INTEREST OF OUR GROWING AND DYNAMIC CITY S I'VE BEEN INSPIRED BY THE ENTHUSIASM AND TENACITY OF NEIGHBORS AND NEIGHBORHOODS, IMPRESSED BY THE PROFESSIONALISM OF DSD AND ENCOURAGED BY THE THOROUGHNESS OF THE INNOVATION OF THE DEVELOPERS AND LANDOWNERS AND THEIR PLAN FOR THE FUTURE AND IT WOULD BE MY HONOR TO CONTINUE TO SERVE ON THIS COMMISSION. 
          COUNCILMEMBER COUNCILWOMAN VIAGRAN IS NOT HERE, BUT SHE WILL RETURN. 
          YOU HAVE A QUESTION. GO AHEAD. >> AS YOU'RE AWARE THERE ARE A NUMBER OF BOARDS ARE COMMISSIONS AND COMMITTEES THAT YOU COULD SEEK TO SERVE ON. WHAT DREW YOU TO THE PLANNING COMMISSION? 
          >> IT REALLY IS IN MY MIND BECAUSE OF MY BACKGROUND, BECAUSE OF MY BUSINESS, IT IS ONE THAT I THOUGHT I COULD REALLY CONTRIBUTE TO. THERE'S A LOT OF GREAT BOARDS OUT THERE, A LOT OF NEEDS OUT THERE THAT COVER SUBJECTS THAT I DON'T HAVE THE EXPERIENCE IN. THIS ONE SEEMED NATURAL. THE OTHER PART MAY BE MORE PERSONAL, AND THAT'S THE IDEA THAT I'VE SPENT A LOT OF TIME -- AGAIN, I CHOSE TO RETURN HERE, GREW UP HERE RAISING MY FAMILY, I HAVE A BUSINESS HERE. 
          I THINK WE'RE AN AMAZING OPPORTUNITY AS A CITY COMPARED TO MANY, MANY OTHER ONES IN TERMS OF THE WAY WE GROW, THE WAY WE HAVE GROWN IN OUR OPPORTUNITIES, AND TO JUST BE A LITTLE PART OF THAT I THOUGHT IT WAS A GREAT USE OF KIND OF MY 
          SERVICE TIME. >> MAYOR JONES: CAN YOU SHARE WITH US YOUR PHILOSOPHY ABOUT THE WORK THAT YOU WOULD DO ON THE PLANNING COMMISSION AND HOW IT FITS INTO ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT WITH OUR COMMUNITY AT LARGE? 
          >> AGAIN, IT'S ONE PIECE OF OBVIOUSLY A MUCH BROADER ECOSYSTEM, BUT I BELIEVE THAT THE ABILITY FOR A CITY TO CONSISTENTLY EXPRESS ITS WANTS AND NEEDS ABOUT HOW ITS LAND IS USED IS IMPORTANT FOR TWO ASPECTS. ON THE ONE HAND, PEOPLE WHO CHOSE TO INVEST HERE AND GROW HERE NEED TO UNDERSTAND WHAT THEY CAN EXPECT, HAVE SOME UNDERSTANDING THAT A PROPOSAL FOR LAND USE THAT IS RESPONSIBLE, RESPONSIVE, EQUITABLE, IS SOMETHING THAT CAN BE ACCEPTED. ON THE OTHER HAND, PEOPLE WHO LIVE HERE ALREADY NEED TO UNDERSTAND WHAT THEY CAN EXPECT ABOUT THEIR OWN REAL PROPERTY RIGHTS, ABOUT WHAT THEIR OWN NEIGHBORHOODS ARE GOING TO LOOK LIKE. 
          AND SO THAT'S THE COMBINATION OF, I THINK, WHAT ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT NEEDS, PEOPLE NEED TO EXPECT, PEOPLE NEED TO BE ABLE TO PREDICT THE FUTURE IN SOME MEANINGFUL WAY AND LAND USE BEING A SMALL PART OF IT IN CONNECTION WITH ZONING, THOSE THINGS CAN WORK TOGETHER AND CONTRIBUTE TO OUR BROADER WAVE OF HOW WE CONTINUE TO BE A GREAT PLACE TO LIVE AND HOPEFULLY BECOME AN EVEN BETTER PLACE 
          TO LIVE. >> MAYOR JONES: THANK YOU. THAT WAS THE FINAL QUESTION. 
          >> THANK YOU VERY MUCH. APPRECIATE YOUR TIME. >> MAYOR JONES: THE NEXT 
          PERSON IS NAOMI MILLER. >> GOOD AFTERNOON MAYOR AND COUNCIL MEMBERS. 
          THANK YOU FOR YOUR NAME TODAY. MY NAME IS NAOMI MILLER AND I'M HONORED TO BE CONSIDERED FOR APPOINTMENT TO THE PLANNING COMMISSION. 
          I LIVE IN DISTRICT 10, BUT THE FIRST HALF OF MY LIFE I WAS A PROUD RESIDENT OF DISTRICT 3. MY CAREER SITS AT THE INTERSECTION OF PUBLIC POLICY AND IMPLEMENTATION, MOST RECENTLY WITH INFRASTRUCTURE. 
          THROUGH MY WORK I PARTNER WITH ENGINEERING FIRMS, PUBLIC AGENCIES AND COMMUNITY LEADERS, INCLUDING HERE IN SAN ANTONIO, TO ADVANCE PROJECTS THAT SHAPE HOW OUR CITY GROWS, MOVES AND FUNCTIONS. I SEE FIRSTHAND HOW PLANNING DECISIONS MOVE FROM POLICY INTO REAL WORLD OUTCOMES AND I UNDERSTAND THE LEVEL OF COORDINATION AND ACCOUNTABILITY THAT REQUIRES. 
          IN ADDITION TO MY PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE, I'VE SPENT MORE THAN A DECADE SERVING MY COMMUNITY THROUGH BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS ROLES. 
          THAT EXPERIENCE HAS SHAPED HOW I APPROACH PUBLIC DECISION-MAKING WITH PREPARATION, ACCOUNTABILITY AND RESPECT FOR THE RESPONSIBILITY THAT COMES WITH SERVING THE PUBLIC. I ALSO BRING A STRONG ANALYTICAL FOUNDATION THROUGH MY WORK AT UT AUSTIN AND LEADERSHIP WHERE I FOCUS ON DECISION-MAKING, ORGANIZATIONAL STRATEGY AND LONG-TERM PLANNING. MUCH OF MY WORK CENTERS AROUND UNDERSTANDING WHAT DRIVES INVESTMENT, PARTICIPATION AND SUSTAINABILITY. INSIGHT THAT DIRECTLY TRANS TRANSLATES TO HOW WE THINK 
          [03:10:01]
ABOUT LAND USE DEVELOPMENT AND COMMUNITY IMPACT. SAN ANTONIO IS AT A PIVOTAL POINT. GROWTH IS NOT A QUESTION, IT'S A REALITY. 
          THE QUESTION IS WHETHER WE SHAPE THAT GROWTH WITH INTENTION AND THE PLANNING COMMISSION PLAYS A CRITICAL ROLE IN MAKING SURE DEVELOPMENT ALIGNS WITH INFRASTRUCTURE CAPACITY, SUPPORTS HOUSING ACCESSIBILITY AND REFLECTS THE LONG-TERM VISION OF THE SA TOMORROW COMPREHENSIVE PLAN. 
          IF APPOINTED I WILL BRING DISCIPLINE, FAIR APPROACH TO EVERY DECISION. 
          GROUNDED IN BOTH TECHNICAL UNDERSTAND INNING AND COMMUNITY AWARENESS. 
          AT THE END OF THE DAY, PLANNING IS ABOUT LEGACY. WHAT WE CHOOSE TO BUILD TODAY DEFINES HOW SAN ANTONIO FUNCTIONS FOR DECADES TO COME, AND I'M READY TO TAKE THAT RESPONSIBILITY SERIOUSLY AND CONTRIBUTE FROM DAY ONE. 
          THANK YOU. >> MAYOR JONES: COUNCILMEMBER VIAGRAN. 
          >> VIAGRAN: WITH ALL THE COMMITTEES IN SAN ANTONIO THAT WE HAVE, WHAT DREW YOU 
          TO PLANNING? >> A NEW CHALLENGE. I THINK BECAUSE LIKE I SAID WE'RE AT A PIVOTAL MOMENT IN PLANNING WITH ALL THE DIFFERENT THINGS THAT ARE HAPPENING, WITH THE COMPREHENSIVE PLAN, WITH THE SPORTS AND ENTERTAINMENT DISTRICT AND DIFFERENT THINGS. I'D JUST LIKE TO SEE MY COMMUNITY GROW RESPONSIBLY, SO THAT'S WHAT ATTRACTED ME TO THE PLANNING COMMISSION. 
          >> MAYOR JONES: WOULD YOU SHARE WITH US YOUR PHILOSOPHY ABOUT THE WORK YOU WOULD DO ON THE PLANNING COMMISSION AND HOW THAT FITS 72 ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AT 
          LARGE IN OUR COMMUNITY? >> I BELIEVE IT FITS INTO ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT BECAUSE WE HAVE TO LOOK AT THE CITY AS A WHOLE WITH PLANNING AND ZONING AND THINGS LIKE THAT, AND IF WE'RE -- AS WE PLAN DIFFERENT ITEMS FOR THE COMMUNITY, THEY'VE ALL GOT TO FIT TOGETHER FOR EVERY COUNCIL DISTRICT AND FOR SAN ANTONIO AS A WHOLE. 
          SO I WOULD LOOK AT THAT HOLISTICALLY. >> MAYOR JONES: THANK YOU. 
          THAT WAS THE FINAL QUESTION. >> THANK YOU SO MUCH. >> MAYOR JONES: WENDELLYN 
          MILLER IS THE NEXT CANDIDATE. >> GOOD MORNING. 
          MY NAME IS WENDELLYN MILLER. GROWING UP IN SAN ANTONIO I'VE SEEN HOW THE CITY HAS GROWN AND EVOLVED. I HAVE ALSO LIVED IN EUROPE AND EXPERIENCED DIFFERENT WAYS OF LIFE. THOSE GAVE ME AN APPRECIATION OF SAN ANTONIO AND WHAT MAKES IT UNIQUE. OUR CULTURE HAS A STRONG IDENTITY ROOTED IN HISPANIC HERITAGE BUT ENRICHED BY MANY CULTURES. THAT PLAYS AN IMPORTANT ROLE IN OUR FUTURE TO HOW PEOPLE LIVE TO HOW OUR COMMUNITIES AND BUSINESSES GROW. 
          SAN ANTONIO IS MORE THAN FIESTA OR THE RIVERWALK, IT'S A CITY BUILT ON GENERATIONS OF FAMILIES WHILE ALSO ATTRACTING NEW RESIDENTS NATIONWIDE WHO CHOSE TO CALL THIS PLACE HOME. I EARNED MY BACHELOR'S DEGREE FROM UT SAN ANTONIO AND MY MASTER'S FROM WAY LAND UNIVERSITY. 
          I SERVED IN A ROLE IN THE AIR FORCE WHERE I GAINED EXPERIENCE IN PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION AT BOTH THE FEDERAL AND MILITARY LEVELS. DURING MY GRADUATE STUDIES I DEVELOPED A STRONG INTEREST IN PUBLIC WORKS, COMMUNICATION AND HOW STRATEGIC PLANNING SHAPES THE GROWTH OF A CITY. WHAT STANDS OUT THE MOST TO ME IS HOW THESE DECISIONS MAKE TODAY DIRECTLY AFFECT US IN THE FUTURE. 
          THIS IS WHY I WOULD LIKE TO JOIN THE PLANNING COMMISSION. 
          WHILE I HAVE INSIGHT INTO LOCAL GOVERNMENT WHERE I BELIEVE THE GREATEST IMPACT IS MADE. I WANT TO CONTRIBUTE THROUGH THOUGHTFUL AND RESPONSIBLE GROWTH OF OUR CITY. I CURRENTLY LIVE IN DISTRICT 6. 
          I ATTEND A UNIVERSITY IN DISTRICT 3, WHICH HAS ALSO ALLOWED ME TO BUILD CONNECTIONS AND GAIN PERSPECTIVE ACROSS SAN ANTONIO. 
          I CARE DEEPLY ABOUT THIS CITY AND ITS FUTURE. SAN ANTONIO WILL GROW, DECISIONS WE MAKE NOW WILL SHAPE THE QUALITY LIFE FOR GENERATIONS TO COME. 
          WITH A BACKGROUND IN PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION I'M READY TO HELP SUPPORT SMART, SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME AND CONSIDERATION. 
          >> MAYOR JONES: COUNCILMEMBER VIAGRAN. >> VIAGRAN: WENDELLYN, YOU MENTIONED IT A LITTLE, BUT IF YOU COULD TALK, WITH ALL THE COMMITTEES IN SAN ANTONIO AND THEN WITH YOUR EXPERIENCE, WHAT -- EXPAND A LITTLE MORE ABOUT 
          WHY PLANNING, WHAT DREW YOU TO PLANNING? >> PLANNING WAS INTERESTING TO ME BECAUSE A LOT OF TIMES --D IN DIFFERENT PLACES FOR DIFFERENT REASONS THROUGHOUT THE CITY, SOMETIMES THE HIGHWAYS WOULD CHANGE, SOMETIMES A BUSINESS WOULD BE BUILT AND PEOPLE WOULD COMPLAIN AND WE WOULDN'T KNOW WHY. 
          SO ME BEING IN MY LATE 20S I'VE BEEN DOWN TO ST. MARY'S STRIP AND A LOT OF THE RESIDENTS THERE WERE COMPLAINING AND SO JUST LOOKING TO THE DIKE OF HOW DID THESE BUSINESSES AND BARS GET APPROVED, WHY ARE THE RESIDENTS UPSET, WHERE CAN WE FIND A MIDDLE GROUND? AND DIFFERENT ISSUES GROWING UP IN SAN ANTONIO LIKE THAT 
          ONE ATTRACTED ME TO THE PLANNING COMMISSION. >> VIAGRAN: THANK YOU. 
          >> MAYOR JONES: WOULD YOU PLEASE SHARE WITH US YOUR PHILOSOPHY ON HOW YOUR WORK ON THE PLANNING COMMISSION WOULD INTERSECT WITH ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AT 
          LARGE IN OUR COMMUNITY? THANKS. >> I THINK I BRING A 
          [03:15:01]
DIFFERENT PERSPECTIVE. SO CONNECTING THAT WITH THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT WOULD BE HOW BUSINESSES GROW HERE, DOES THE COMMUNITY APPROVE OF IT, WHAT BUSINESSES 
          THRIVE HERE, AND THAT'S WHAT I WOULD CONTRIBUTE. >> MAYOR JONES: THANK YOU. 
          THAT WAS THE FINAL QUESTION. >> THANK YOU. >> MAYOR JONES: BARBARA 
          WALLERSTEDT IS THE FINAL CANDIDATE IN-PERSON. >> ALL RIGHTY. 
          GOOD AFTERNOON AND THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO BE HERE TODAY. 
          MY NAME IS BARBARA WALLERSTEDT, AND I AM A SAN ANTONIO NATIVE WITH DEEP ROOTS ACROSS THE -- DEEP ROOTS ACROSS THE CITY. I GREW UP ON THE SOUTHSIDE. 
          I THEN MOVED TO THE WESTSIDE AND WENT TO JEFFERSON AND THEN HOLMES HIGH SCHOOL. 
          AND THEN I LIVED ON THE EASTSIDE AND NOW I LIVE ON THE NORTHSIDE IN STONE OAK. 
          SO I'VE HAD THE EXPERIENCE -- WITH THE EXPERIENCE IT'S GIVEN ME A UNIQUE PERSPECTIVE ON LIVING IN ALL PARTS OF THE CITY, AND I HAVE A CONNECTION WITH THE DIFFERENT PARTS OF THE CITY. DURING MY HUSBAND'S 22-YEAR AIR FORCE CAREER I SUPPORTED HIM FOR 19 YEARS, AND 13 OF THAT WAS LIVING OUTSIDE OF SAN ANTONIO. I LIVED THREE YEARS IN JAPAN AND 10 YEARS IN COLORADO SPRINGS, AND LIVING IN OTHER COMMUNITIES AND RETURNING HOME HAS GIVEN ME A RENEWED RENEWED -- A RENEWED APPRECIATION FOR SAN ANTONIO THROUGHOUT -- AND HOW IMPORTANT THOUGHTFUL PLANNING IS IS HOW OUR CITY CONTINUES TO GROW. 
          PROFESSIONALLY I HAVE OVER 20 YEARS OF PROJECT MANAGEMENT EXPERIENCE AND I HOLD BOTH A PMP AND PSM CERTIFICATION. I'VE ALSO WORKED AS A REAL ESTATE BROKER FOR MORE THAN 13 YEARS AND INCLUDING SEVEN HERE IN SAN ANTONIO. 
          OF WHICH THAT HAS GIVEN ME A DIRECT EXPERIENCE WITH HOUSING DEVELOPMENT AND THE CHALLENGES THAT IMPACT NEIGHBORHOODS. TODAY I SERVE AS VICE-PRESIDENT OF MY NEIGHBORHOOD HOA BOARD WHERE I STAY ACTIVE AN ENGAGING THE COMMUNITY ISSUES AND RESIDENTS' CONCERNS. I AM SEEKING A SEAT ON THE PLANNING COMMISSION BECAUSE I CARE DEEPLY ABOUT THE FUTURE OF SAN ANTONIO. 
          AS OUR CITY GROWS, IT IS IMPORTANT THAT DEVELOPMENT IS THOUGHTFUL, SUPPORTED BY INFRASTRUCTURE AND BALANCED WITH PRESERVING THE CHARACTER OF OUR 
          NEIGHBORHOODS. [BUZZER] >> MAYOR JONES: THANK YOU. 
          THAT'S YOUR TIME. COUNCILMEMBER VIAGRAN. >> VIAGRAN: THANK YOU. 
          BARBARA, WITH ALL THE COMMITTEES THE CITY HAS, WHAT DREW YOU TO PLANNING? 
          >> COULD YOU REPEAT THE QUESTION? >> VIAGRAN: WITH ALL THE COMMITTEES THAT THE CITY HAS, WHAT DREW YOU TO THE PLANNING COMMISSION IN 
          PARTICULAR? >> WELL, YOU KNOW, WORKING IN REAL ESTATE, I HAVE KIND OF HAD A CONNECTION, YOU KNOW, WITH THAT, TRYING TO FIND AFFORDABLE HOUSING. 
          I HAD ONE INVESTOR IN THE PAST THAT WOULD LOOK FOR SECTION 8 HOUSING AND IT'S VERY FEW AND FAR BETWEEN. AND SO I FELT WITH THE PLANNING COMMISSION I COULD, YOU KNOW, IMPACT, YOU KNOW, WHERE WE COULD -- BASED ON THE INFRASTRUCTURES WE CAN ENSURE THAT THERE'S AFFORDABLE HOUSING IN ALL QUADRANTS OF THE CITY. 
          >> MAYOR JONES: CAN YOU SHARE WITH US YOUR PHILOSOPHY ON HOW YOUR WORK ON THE PLANNING COMMISSION WOULD INTERSECT WITH ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AND THE 
          COMMUNITY AT LARGE? >> RIGHT. WELL, YOU KNOW, THE SOUTH PART OF THE CITY IS AN AREA THAT IS PRIME FOR GROWTH. WE JUST NEED TO SUPPORT THE INFRASTRUCTURES SO THAT WE CAN THEN SUPPORT THE BUSINESSES THAT WOULD GO INTO THOSE AREAS AND THEN WE COULD FOLLOW THAT WITH AFFORDABLE HOUSING AND ALSO ENCOURAGE MORE BUSINESSES TO GO DOWN THERE, ALLOWING FOR MORE JOBS IN THE SOUTHERN SECTOR. SINCE I'VE LIVED DOWN THERE I HAVE A SPECIAL PLACE IN MY HEART, THAT'S WHERE I GREW UP, AND I FEEL THAT IT HAS BEEN KIND OF NEGLECTED. 
          ALSO LIVING ON THE EASTSIDE I FEEL THAT IT IS ALSO AN AREA THAT NEEDS EXPANSION AS 
          FAR AS JOBS AND HOUSING. >> MAYOR JONES: THANK YOU. THAT WAS THE FINAL QUESTION. 
          >> THANK YOU. I APPRECIATE YOUR TIME. GOOD DAY. 
          >> MAYOR JONES: SO WITH THAT HE'LL GO INTO EXECUTIVE SESSION. 
          [03:20:01]
THE TIME IS NOW 12:41 P.M. ON APRIL 2ND, 2026. THE SAN ANTONIO CITY COUNCIL WILL NOW MEET IN EXECUTIVE SESSION TO CONSULT WITH THE CITY ATTORNEY'S OFFICE PURSUANT TO CHAPTER 551.071, CHAPTER 551.074 OF THE TEXAS GOVERNMENT CODE AND TO DISCUSS THE PLANNING COMMISSION APPLICANTS. 
          >> MAYOR JONES: THE TIME IS NOW 1:08 P.M. THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO CITY COUNCIL RECONVENES IN OPEN SESSION. NO ACTION WAS TAKEN IN EXECUTIVE SESSION. MY THANKS AGAIN TO THOSE THAT TOOK THE TIME NOT ONLY TO APPLY, ALSO VERY THOUGHTFUL WITH YOUR ANSWERS AND BEING WITH US AND ANSWERING OUR QUESTIONS TODAY AS WELL. APPRECIATE YOUR WILLINGNESS TO VOLUNTEER AND THE MANY WAYS MANY OF YOU ALREADY SERVE OUR COMMUNITY AND LOOKING AT YOUR RESUMES. WE HAD MANY GREAT APPLICANT. UNFORTUNATELY THERE ARE ONLY FOUR OPEN SEATS, BUT AGAIN WE LOOK FORWARD TO HOPEFULLY YOU ALL APPLYING FOR OTHER OPPORTUNITY TO SERVE OUR CITY AND COMMUNITY AGAIN. FOR THOSE THAT ARE NOT SELECTED HERE. IS THERE A MOTION FOR THE APPOINTMENTS OF FOUR 
          PLANNING COMMISSIONERS? >> YES. MAYOR, I MOVE TO APPOINT THE FOLLOWING INDIVIDUALS FOR THE FOUR AT-LARGE SEATS TO THE PLANNING COMMISSION FOR THE REMAINDER OF THE UNEXPIRED TERM, WHICH ENDS OCTOBER 6, 2027. 
          KEVIN COOPER, BRYAN ALLEN LOPEZ, NAOMI MILLER AND BAR RA WALLERSTEDT. 
          >> MAYOR JONES: WE HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND TO APPOINT KEVIN COOPER, BRYAN ALLEN LOPEZ, NAOMI MILLER AND BARBARA WALLERSTEDT TO THE PLANNING COMMISSION. 
          IS THERE ANY COUNCIL DISCUSSION? OKAY. 
          COUNCILMAN MCKEE-RODRIGUEZ. >> MCKEE-RODRIGUEZ: THANK YOU. 
          THANK YOU ALL SO MUCH FOR APPLYING AND CONGRATULATIONS TO THOSE WHO ARE GOING TO BE APPOINTED. WHAT I WOULD LIKE TO CONVEY IS THAT QUITE OFTEN IF YOU'RE FAMILIAR WITH PLANNING, RIGHT, YOU KNOW THAT WE'VE INVESTED A LOT OF RESOURCES INTO OUR PLANNING DOCUMENTS AND THESE ARE CONSIDERED SOMEWHAT PROMISES THAT WE'RE MAKING TO THE COMMUNITY. AND THEY HAVE AN IDEA OF WHAT'S TO BE EXPECTED IN THEIR AREA AND THE DEVELOPMENT PATTERNS THAT ARE GOING TO BE TAKING PLACE AND VERY OFTEN WE SEE THAT NEARLY ALL PLAN AMENDMENTS ARE APPROVED. SO THERE'S A CONCERN AMONGST MY RESIDENTS AND I'M SURE THROUGHOUT THE CITY THAT WE'RE NOT GIVEN DEFERENCE TO THE COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT AND TO THE PLANNING EFFORTS THAT, AGAIN, READ AS PROMISES TO OUR COMMUNITY. 
          SO MY ASK IS THAT YOU REALLY THINK ABOUT HOW CAN YOU PROTECT OUR RESIDENTS FROM DISPLACEMENT, FROM DEVELOPMENT PATTERNS THAT ARE INCONSISTENT WITH THEIR NEIGHBORHOOD AND THAT ARE LEADING TO HARM. SO THAT'S GOING TO BE MY TASK AND MY CHALLENGE FOR YOU ALL WHO ARE APPOINTED. THANK YOU. 
          >> MAYOR JONES: WOULD ANY OTHER COUNCILMEMBER LIKE TO SPEAK ON THIS? OKAY. THERE BEING NO FURTHER DISCUSSION, PLEASE VOTE. 
          OKAY. THE MOTION CARRIES. CONGRATULATIONS TO THE FOUR INDIVIDUALS AND TO THOSE THAT APPLIED, THANK YOU AGAIN. 
          AND PLEASE CONTINUE TO APPLY FOR OPPORTUNITIES TO SERVE OUR CITY. 
          THANK YOU. [APPLAUSE]. OUR FINAL ITEM TODAY IS AN ITEM THAT WAS PULLED FROM CONSENT FOR INDIVIDUAL CONSIDERATION. 
          THIS IS ITEM NUMBER 23. THIS WAS PULLED BY COUNCILMEMBER KAUR. 
          MADAM CLERK, PLEASE READ THE CAPTION. >> ITEM NUMBER 3 IS AN ORDINANCE CREATING THE MAYOR'S COMMISSION ON VOTING TO IDENTIFY AND RECOMMEND TO CITY COUNCIL WAYS TO INCREASE VOTER PARTICIPATION ACROSS SAN ANTONIO. 
          >> MAYOR JONES: GREAT. THANK YOU. IS THERE A MOTION AND SECOND 
          FOR APPROVAL SO WE MAY BEGIN DISCUSSION? >> I MOVE TO CONTINUE THIS 
          ITEM TO THE NEXT AVAILABLE B SESSION IN APRIL OR MAY. >> SECOND. 
          >> MAYOR JONES: I DID NOT HEAR THE DATE. WHAT WAS THE DATE? 
          >> APRIL OR MAY, THE NEXT AVAILABLE B SESSION. >> MAYOR JONES: SO THERE'S 
          [03:25:05]
A MOTION AND A SECOND TO MOVE THIS ITEM TO APRIL OR TO MAY. 
          A B SESSION. ON CONTINUING THE ITEM, YEAH. 
          THE SECOND WAS -- WHO WAS THE SECOND? WAS THAT VIAGRAN? COUNCILMEMBER VIAGRAN. I'M GOING TO PROVIDE A COUPLE OF COMMENTS RIGHT NOW, THOUGH. THOSE THAT DON'T HAVE ACCESS TO A PASSPORT OR A BIRTH CERTIFICATE. SO ALL OF THAT TO SAY THE RECENT EXECUTIVE ORDER BY PRESIDENT TRUMP, WHO WOULD ESSENTIALLY CALL FOR A STATE REGISTRAR OF VOTERS, THESE ARE VERY CHALLENGING THINGS FOR US TO GRAPPLE WITH AS A COUNTRY, WHICH I THINK REALLY CALLS UPON US AT THE LOCAL LEVEL TO IDENTIFY WAYS IN WHICH WE CAN HEAR AND PROTECT OUR COMMUNITY AND ENSURE THAT THEY'RE HEARD AT THE BALLOT BOX. 
          IF YOU LOOKED AT THE RESOLUTION THAT YOU ALL WERE PROVIDED PROBABLY ABOUT A WEEK AGO, YOU'LL SEE THAT THE TIMING OF THIS IS QUICK IN TERMS OF THE PRODUCT THAT WOULD BE ASKED OF THE MEMBERS THAT WERE BE APPOINTED. 
          THREE APPOINTED BY MYSELF AND THEN OF COURSE ONE EACH FROM YOUR COUNCIL DISTRICTS TO MAKE SURE WE HAD A GOOD PERSPECTIVE AND EXPERTISE TO ENSURE WE'RE HELPING OUR NEIGHBORS BE INFORMED VOTERS AND OF COURSE PARTICIPATE IN THE VOTING PROCESS. 
          IN A VERY SHORT AMOUNT OF TIME WE'LL CELEBRATE OUR COUNTRY'S BIRTHDAY, 250 YEARS. MANY OF WHICH -- MANY OF US WOULD NOT HAVE BEEN ABLE TO VOTE AT THAT TIME AS A WOMAN OR AS A PERSON OF COLOR. ALL THE MORE REASON FOR US TO -- WHICH IS WHY I REALLY FOCUSED ON THE DATE BY WHICH SHOULD THE COMMISSION BE UP AND RUNNING, ASKING THEM TO PROVIDE ACTIONABLE STEPS THAT WE COULD THEN WORK TO EMPLOY AND EXECUTE TO ENSURE THAT WE HELPED OUR NEIGHBORS VOTE AS WE APPROACH THE 2026 ELECTION. AGAIN, THIS WAS A VERY TIMELY EFFORT. 
          THAT BEING THE INITIAL PIECE. SO GIVEN THE REAL CONSEQUENCE AND THE REAL OPPORTUNITY THAT WE HAVE AT THE LOCAL LEVEL TO HEAR, TO HAVE OUR NEIGHBORS BE HEARD AT THE BALLOT BOX AND HAVE A COMMUNITY ENTITY THAT IS UP AND RUNNING, AGAIN, THESE ARE JUST THE STEPS THAT WE KNOW OF NOW. 
          UNCLEAR WHAT MAY COME DOWN THE PIKE WHEN IT COMES TO ADDITIONAL STEPS AT THE FEDERAL LEVEL OR AT THE STATE LEVEL THAT MAKE IT MORE DIFFICULT FOR OUR NEIGHBORS TO VOTE. SO I REALLY THINK THIS IS A RESPONSIBILITY THAT WE HAVE TO CONTINUE TO ENSURE THAT OUR COMMUNITY IS ENGAGED AND WE ARE REDUCING -- REMOVING BARRIERS TO ENSURE THAT OUR NEIGHBORS ARE ABLE TO VOTE AT THE LOCAL LEVEL. 
          I PERSONALLY DON'T SUPPORT CONTINUING THE ITEM TO A B SESSION IN APRIL OR MAY BECAUSE I THINK THAT JUST REDUCES THE AMOUNT OF TIME THAT WE WOULD HAVE TO HEAR FROM OUR NEIGHBORS THAT WOULD SERVE ON THE COMMISSION ABOUT IDEAS THEY COULD HAVE, THAT WE COULD EMPLOY AROUND 2026. IS THERE ANY OTHER DISCUSSION ON CONTINUING THE ITEM? COUNCILMEMBER VIAGRAN. 
          >> VIAGRAN: YES, THANK YOU, MAYOR. I THINK B COMMISSION IS A GREAT IDEA. I THINK YOU'RE RIGHT THAT WE NEED TO MOVE FAST. 
          MY CONCERN IS AS WE WERE HAVING CONVERSATIONS AS COUNCIL MEMBERS, I THINK THERE NEEDS TO BE SOME CLARITY ON THE SCOPE AND THE BEGIN DATE AND THE END DATE OF THIS COMMISSION ON HOW LONG WE WANT THIS COMMISSION TO GO. 
          AND THEN ALSO IN OUR APPOINTEES. I HAVE AN IDEA OF WHO I WANT TO APPOINT, HOWEVER, IF THE SCOPE IS GOING TO CHANGE AND WE'RE GOING TO KEEP THIS FURTHER THAN THE 2026 ELECTION, WHICH IS POSSIBLE THAT WE COULD, AND HAVE THEM MOVE ON TOWARDS ELECTIONS IN 2027, REALLY UNDERSTANDING WHAT THE SCOPE OF THIS 
          [03:30:01]
ADVISORY COMMITTEE IS. SO I THINK IF WE CAN GET THIS ON THE NEXT AVAILABLE B SESSION AND THEN WE CAN ALL AGREE ON SOME POLICY AND SOME PARAMETERS MOVING FORWARD THAT WE CAN MOVE RATHER QUICKLY ON THIS. BUT I THINK THIS IS AN OPPORTUNITY FOR US TO THINK ABOUT WHAT WE WERE THINKING. THE ONE CONCERN I ALWAYS HAVE AS WE CREATE NEW BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS AND EVEN WITH THE TERM ADVISORY IS THAT WE SET UP, AND COUNCILMEMBER CASTILLO ALWAYS BRINGS THAT UP, PSEUDO COMMITTEES -- COMMITTEES THAT ACT AS A PSEUDO GOVERNMENT COMMITTEE AND MAKE DECISIONS THAT ARE OUTSIDE THEIR SCOPE. SO I THINK IF WE CAN JUST TIGHTEN THAT UP SO WE'RE ALL FULLY AWARE OF WHAT THE ROLE OF THESE APPOINTEES ARE GOING TO BE, WE CAN MOVE FORWARD ON WHAT YOU'VE ASKED US TO DO IN TERMS OF REALLY FINDING A SAN ANTONIO SOLUTION TO HOW WE GET THESE VOTERS TO COME OUT. 
          SO I LOOK FORWARD, ERIK, TO YOU TRYING TO MAKE ROOM ON THESE B SESSIONS THAT WE HAVE COMING UP SO THAT WE CAN DISCUSS THIS, AND I LOOK FORWARD TO MY COUNCIL COLLEAGUES REALLY PUTTING IN SOME THOUGHTFUL QUESTIONS IN TERMS OF WHAT THEY THINK ABOUT IN TERMS OF SCOPE AND RESPONSIBILITY OF THIS ADVISORY COMMITTEE. 
          AND HOW OFTEN WE PLAN FOR THEM TO MEET, WHETHER -- BECAUSE THE TIMELINE IS TIGHT, WILL IT BE ONCE A MONTH, IT BE TWICE A MONTH UP TO WE GET TO THAT MAY ELECTION AND MAKING SURE WE HAVE THE TURNOUT THAT WE NEED HERE IN THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO. SO THANK YOU. I LOOK FORWARD TO SEEING THIS COMMITTEE FORMED AND GETTING ALL THOSE QUESTIONS ANSWERED. 
          >> MAYOR JONES: GREAT. THANK YOU COUNCILWOMAN VIAGRAN. 
          I DID WANT TO HIGHLIGHT SOME OF THOSE ARE IDENTIFIED IN THE DRAFT ORDINANCE, SO JUST FOR -- THIS IS POSTED, OF COURSE, SO THOSE FOLLOWING ALONG COULD EASILY IDENTIFY THESE THINGS, BUT JUST IN THE INTEREST OF LAYING IT FLAT, THE PURPOSE AND THE FUNCTION, IDENTIFY APPROACHES TO HELP AMERICANS PARTICIPATE IN THE VOTING PROCESS. SECONDLY, AVOID UNNECESSARY DUPLICATION. 
          I CERTAINLY DON'T WANT THAT TO BE THE CASE. BY REVIEWING THE FINDINGS, CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS OF OTHER APPROPRIATE TASK FORCES, COMMITTEES, COMMISSIONS OR ENTITIES RELATED TO COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT, ENHANCING VOTER PARTICIPATION. THIRDLY, IDENTIFY BARRIERS AND LOCAL ELECTION POLICIES, PROCESSES, ACTIVITIES AND SOLUTIONS TO MITIGATE THESE BARRIERS TO ENSURE STRONG VOTER REGISTRATION AND PARTICIPATION. 
          AND FOURTH, SUBMIT A REPORT TO THE MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL ON ITS FINDINGS, CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS TO STRENGTHEN VOTER PARTICIPATION IN ELECTIONS. THAT REPORT AS I MENTIONED, THE KEY DATE THERE IS JULY 4TH. SO NOT LATER THAN 4 JULY 2026 SHALL THE COMMISSION SUBMIT A REPORT TO THE MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL WITH INITIAL FINDINGS AND RECOMMENDATIONS AS HAVE BEEN AGREED TO BY A SIMPLE MAJORITY OF THE APPOINTED MEMBERS OF THE COMMISSION. THE REPORT SHALL INCLUDE AT LEAST FIVE RECOMMENDATIONS THAT THE COMMISSION BELIEVES CAN BE IMPLEMENTED AT THE LOCAL LEVEL. AND OF COURSE THE REPORT SHALL BE MADE AVAILABLE ON THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO WEBSITE. TO YOUR POINT ABOUT HOW LONG THE COMMISSION WOULD LIVE ON, I THINK THIS IS SOMETHING THAT THERE WOULD BE BENEFIT, JUST LIKE STATUS OF WOMEN OR SOME OF THE OTHER COMMISSIONS, THIS IS SOMETHING THAT VOTING IS A HALLMARK OF A CITIZEN. SO THE WAYS IN WHICH WE CAN CONTINUALLY IDENTIFY WAYS TO ENSURE THAT OUR NEIGHBORS ARE ENGAGED AND PARTICIPATING AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE. SO THIS IS -- IT IS DESIGNED TO LIVE ON CERTAINLY PAST THIS COUNCIL. BUT TO THAT POINT, AFTER THE REPORT, THE JULY 4TH REPORT SUBMITTED TO THE MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL HAS BEEN MADE AVAILABLE TO THE PUBLIC, THE COMMISSION WILL REVIEW THE FINDINGS, RECOMMENDATIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS OF THE REPORT AT LEAST BIANNUALLY. SO THERE IS A SPECIFIC TASK IN THERE BY WHICH THEY WOULD REVIEW THOSE TO MAKE SURE THEY REMAINED APPROPRIATE. 
          YOU ASKED, COUNCILMEMBER, ABOUT THE MEETING SCHEDULE. SECTION 9 OF THE NOTES, THE COMMISSION SHALL MEET AND BEGIN THE OPERATIONS OF THE COMMISSION AS SOON AS PRACTICAL. IN GENERAL THE COMMISSION SHALL MEET NO FEWER THAN ONCE A MONTH UNTIL THE RELEASE OF THE REPORT TO THE MAYOR AND COUNCIL. 
          AFTER THE RELEASE OF THE REPORT, THE COMMISSION SHALL MEET AT LEAST TWICE A YEAR TO DETERMINE WHETHER SUBSEQUENT REPORTS UNDER SECTION 4 ARE NECESSARY. 
          SO I DID WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT THAT INFORMATION WAS REITERATED AS SEEN IN THE DRAFT ORDINANCE THAT WAS POSTED ONLINE AND SHARED FOR YOUR COMMENT. 
          OKAY. COUNCILMEMBER MUNGIA. >> MUNGIA: THANK YOU, MAYOR. I DO SUPPORT THIS COMMISSION. 
          I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT, ESPECIALLY CONSIDERING THAT I'VE MENTIONED BEFORE THAT DISTRICT 4 IS -- CONTINUES TO BE THE SECOND LOWEST VOTER TURNOUT DISTRICT IN THE CITY. I HAVE A DUTY AND OBLIGATION TO MAKE THINGS HAPPEN IN THAT DISTRICT AND GET MORE OF OUR VOICES HEARD AT THE CITY. 
          [03:35:04]
I DO UNDERSTAND SOME OF MY COLLEAGUES HAVE SOME OTHER ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS AND PERHAPS WANT TO GIVE INPUT, SO I UNDERSTAND THE MOVE TO B SESSION. 
          BUT I WILL ALSO NOTE THAT THIS IS NOW THE FOURTH ITEM BETWEEN YESTERDAY AND TODAY THAT IS NOW MOVING BACKWARDS SOMEWHERE ELSE. THAT'S AN IN-- FOR ME THAT'S A LITTLE FRUSTRATING BECAUSE AGAIN, THAT'S FOUR ITEMS THAT ARE GOING BACK SOMEWHERE ELSE THAT WE COULD HAVE SPENT THIS TIME DOING SOMETHING ELSE. 
          SO THAT'S FOR DIFFERENT REASONS, BUT I THINK WE NEED TO DO BETTER AS A COLLECTIVE TO ENSURE THAT WHEN WE GET HERE THINGS AREN'T GOING BACKWARDS. 
          THAT'S JUST MY INPUT ON THAT. I WILL SUPPORT THE IDEA OF HAVING OUR COLLEAGUES ADD ADDITIONAL INPUT AND GET ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS 
          ANSWERED AT A B SESSION. THANK YOU. >> MAYOR JONES: COUNCILMAN 
          WHYTE. >> WHYTE: THANKS, MAYOR. COUNCILMAN MUNGIA, COMPLETELY AGREE, COMPLETELY AGREE. AND I THINK WE CAN DO BETTER BETTER. GETTING MORE PEOPLE TO VOTE IN SAN ANTONIO, EXTREMELY IMPORTANT. I'M ALL FOR IT. I ALSO ABSOLUTELY HATE BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS THAT ARE EITHER REDUNDANT OR DON'T REALLY SERVE A RELEVANT PURPOSE ANYMORE. I MEAN, WE KNOW, WE HAVE 90 -- WHAT, 90-PLUS BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS? SOME OF THEM AREN'T ACTIVE, BUT ALL OF THEM EXPEND CITY TIME AND RESOURCES. I HATE THAT. SO DEFINING THE SCOPE AS THE COUNCILWOMAN MENTIONED EARLIER I THINK IS EXTREMELY IMPORTANT. 
          I'VE GOT QUESTIONS ON THIS TOO, LIKE -- I MEAN, MATURE, YOU WANT THREE APPOINTMENTS OUT OF -- I MEAN, I DON'T PERSONALLY UNDERSTAND WHY. I THINK THEY DID THAT SORT OF WAY BACK WHEN, RIGHT, MAYOR WITH THREE OF AND YOU WILL OF US WITH ONE. 
          I DON'T UNDERSTAND WHY WE WOULDN'T ALL HAVE JUST ONE APPOINTEE. 
          HAPPY TO HEAR YOU OUT ON YOUR REASONING ON THAT. SO I DO THINK THAT HAVING A B SESSION WHERE WE CAN DEFINE THE SCOPE, THE LENGTH, THE LENGTH OF TIME THIS COMMISSION WILL BE ACTIVE AND WHAT EXACTLY THEY'RE GOING TO DO, AND OF COURSE MAKE SURE THAT THERE'S NOT OTHER GROUPS OUT THERE DOING THE EXACT SAME THING I THINK IS IMPORTANT. SO I'LL SUPPORT THE COUNCILWOMAN'S MOTION. 
          THANKS. >> MAYOR JONES: COUNCILMEMBER 
          MCKEE-RODRIGUEZ. >> MCKEE-RODRIGUEZ: THANK YOU, MAYOR. 
          I'M NEITHER HERE NOR THERE ON THE CONTINUIAN, ON THE COMMISSION ITSELF. 
          I THINK WHAT I'M HEARING IS TO CREATE A TIMELINE FOR SUBPOENA POTENTIALLY THE SUNSETTING OF A COMMISSION OF THIS SORT, DETERMINING SCOPE ABOUT THE COMMISSION AND THEIR WORK AND MAKING SURE THAT THEY DON'T OVERLAP WITH OTHERS. 
          AND THEN ISSUES OF THE MAKEUP OF THE COMMISSION. SO TO THE POINT OF THE TIMELINE, I DON'T THINK -- AND WHAT I REALLY WANT TO GET AT IT ARE WE GOING TO MEANINGFULLY CHANGE ANYTHING BETWEEN NOW AND THE TIME IT GOES TO A B SESSION AND THE TIME IT GOES TO AN A SESSION, ARE WE GOING TO ESSENTIALLY BE VOTING ON THIS AS IS AND A COUPLE OF MONTHS FROM NOW? AND COULD WE JUST GET IT OUT OF THE WAY NOW? I DON'T THINK WE NEED TO PREPREPARE FOR THE SUNSETTING OF A COMMISSION THAT HAS AND WILL CONTINUE TO EVOLVE, THE LANDSCAPE OF THE ELECTIONS AND VOTER ENGAGEMENT AND CIVIC DUTY AND RIGHTS AND WHATNOT, CONTINUE TO CHANGE AND IS GOING TO HAVE CHALLENGES IN PERPETUITY. 
          SO THE WORK OF THE COMMISSION COULD EVOLVE AND I DON'T THINK THAT THE SUNSETTING PART IS -- I'M NOT SOLD ON THAT NECESSARILY. 
          WITH REGARD TO THE SCOPE OF THE COMMISSION, I DON'T FEEL LIKE I'M IN THE DARK AS TO WHAT THE SCOPE IS. IT SOUNDS TO ME LIKE IN SIMPLE TERMS THE GOAL IS FOR THE COMMISSION TO IDENTIFY GAPS IN OUR VOTING ECOSYSTEM THAT ARE EITHER BARRIERS OR INHIBIT VOTER PARTICIPATION IN SOME WAY. AND THEN FIGURE OUT WHAT EFFORTS ARE BEING DONE TO ADDRESS THOSE AND WHAT ROLE CAN THE CITY PLAY SEPARATE FROM THAT ON THEM TO MAKE RECOMMENDATIONS TO US. FAIRLY BROAD, BUT IT BECOMES NARROWER AS THEY ACCOMPLISH THE GOALS THAT THE MAYOR LAID OUT, INCLUDING THE REPORT IN JULY. SO I -- AND EVEN THE MAKEUP, I MEAN, COMMISSIONS AND BOARDS ALL HAVE DIFFERENT MAKEUP. IF IT'S GOING TO BE THE MAYOR'S COMMISSION -- I THINK TO THE POINT THAT COUNCILMEMBER MUNGIA MADE ABOUT ITEMS BEING SENT BACKWARDS, THE CHALLENGE I HAVE IS THAT WE'VE SENT A LOT OF THINGS DIRECTLY TO A SESSION OR WE'VE SENT THINGS FROM COMMITTEE TO A OR WE'VE DONE -- WE'VE DONE THINGS THAT PREVENT EVERYBODY FROM WEIGHING IN, AND THAT LEADS TO CONFLICT AND CHALLENGES. I THINK ONCE WE DO MAKE IT UP HERE. 
          SO I WOULD ENCOURAGE ALL OF MY COLLEAGUES FOR NOT JUST THIS ITEM, BUT FOR ANY 
          [03:40:02]
FUTURE CONSIDERATIONS, ANYTHING THAT IS GOING TO MAJORLY IMPACT POLICY OR ENGAGEMENT THROUGHOUT OUR CITY, I THINK WE ALL WANT TO BE ABLE TO WEIGH IN ON THAT AND WE WANT TO TO DO IT BEFORE AN A SESSION. SO I WOULD ENCOURAGE THAT MAYBE WE DON'T HAVE THIS BACK AND FORTH GO ON THAT WE DO THAT. 
          I ALSO UNDERSTAND THAT THIS IS A VERY SIMILAR ASK AND I UNDERSTAND THAT I DISAGREE SOME OF MY COLLEAGUES. NOW THAT I'VE TALKED IT THROUGH I THINK I WILL BE SUPPORTING THE CONTINUANCE. I THINK IT WILL PASS AND I LOOK FORWARD TO THE FEEDBACK 
          FROM ALL MY COLLEAGUES. THANK YOU. >> MAYOR JONES: 
          COUNCILMEMBER GALVAN? PHOTOGRAPHY. >> GALVAN: THANK YOU, MAYOR. I'M UNCOMFORTABLE WITH THE COMMISSION OVERALL. 
          I THINK JUST SOME PARAMETERS I WOULD THROW IN THERE TO THINK ABOUT AS WE'RE LOOKING AT ADOPTING IT. I THINK SOMETHING ON THE EXPECTATIONS ABOUT COLLABORATING WITH THE ELECTIONS OFFICE, THE SCHOOL DISTRICTS, ALAMO COLLEGE DISTRICTS. WHETHER OR NOT THERE ARE SPECIFIC SEATS ON THERE OR MAKE SURE THOSE TOPICS ARE LAID OUT IN THAT. I THINK THE EXPECTATION, WHETHER IT'S IN THE RESOLUTION ITSELF OR OTHERWISE, I THINK IT'S A GOOD IDEA. I KNOW IT'S MY IDEA, JUST THROWING IT OUT THERE. 
          I JUST THINK THAT'S HELPFUL TO LOOK AT THE MOST COMPREHENSIVE WAY GIVEN IT'S A LARGER COMMISSION. DON'T WANT TO LIMIT OURSELF TO ONLY WHAT THE CITY DOES OR CONNECT THESE OTHER FOLKS INVOLVED IN ELECTIONS THROUGHOUT OUR AREA. 
          THAT'S ONE PART OF IT. I THINK ONE QUESTION -- ON THE REOCCURRENCE OR THE TIMELINE OF IT, I FEEL FINE WITH MEETING TWICE A YEAR, POST THE REPORT. 
          I'M EVEN COMFORTABLE WITH ONCE A YEAR. I WOULD LIKE TO GIVE THAT DISCRETION TO THE COMMISSION BUT ONCE OR TWICE IS FINE. IF THEY GIVE A REALLY COMPREHENSIVE REPORT ON JULY 4TH THEN JUST CHECKING IN FROM THERE, WHICH WAS THE INTENT ANYWAY. THE APPOINTMENT COMPONENT. I THINK I PREFER THE ONE APPOINTMENT EACH BUT I THINK I WOULD BE FINE WITH THE MAYOR'S APPOINTEE BEING THE CHAIR, GIVEN IT'S THE MAYOR'S COMMISSION. ONE QUESTION I DID HAVE ABOUT IT BEYOND THOSE -- AND THIS CAN BE FOR THE MAYOR OR FOR DEBBIE ABOUT THE ETHICS COMMISSION. JUST ANY OVERLAP THERE. I KNOW A LOT OF OUR CHARTER -- MAYBE NOT CHARTER BUT SOME OF THOSE CLEAN UPS GO TO THE ETHICS COMMISSION. 
          NOT OVERLAP IN A BAD WAY BUT WOULD THERE BE A WAY FOR THEM TO COLLABORATE ON THAT? 
          >> THE ETHICS COMMISSION IS A CHARTER BOARD AND YOU CANNOT SERVE ON THE ETHICS COMMISSION AND ANY OTHER BOARD. SO THERE COULD NOT BE THAT KIND OF OVERLAP. HOWEVER, THERE COULD BE DISCUSSIONS THAT THIS COMMITTEE MIGHT HAVE ABOUT ELECTIONS THAT COULD BE REFERRED, POTENTIALLY, TO THE ETHICS COMMISSION IF THEY FOUND SOMETHING LIKE THAT. 
          >> GALVAN: JUST WONDER ON THE CLARIFICATION. I KNOW IT'S WHAT WE DO IN COMMITTEES TOO. THERE'S A LOT OF OVERLAP SO WE OFTEN TALK ABOUT SHARING WITH PCDC OR PUBLIC SAFETY, ET CETERA. SOME OF THOSE TIMELY ITEMS. I DON'T FEEL TOO STRONGLY EITHER WAY MOVING FORWARD WITH IT TODAY OR MOVING IT TO A SESSION OR B SESSION. I'M SUPPORTIVE OF THE MOTION, JUST BECAUSE I THINK IT'S WORTHWHILE TO HAVE THAT CONVERSATION MORE. THOSE ARE MY CLARIFICATIONS ON IT. BUT HAPPY TO HAVE THE CONVERSATION AND JUST CONTINUE TO SEE WHERE WE'RE GOING WITH IT. WHETHER IT'S TODAY OR IN A B SESSION OR A SESSION NEXT TIME. THANKS. 
          >> MAYOR JONES: THANKS, COUNCILMAN. AND ON THE DRAFT THAT YOU ARE UNNECESSARY DUPLICATION BY REVIEWING THE FINDINGS, CONCLUSIONS THAT'S CERTAINLY WHAT THAT IS REFERRING TO . DON'T WANT TO BE DOING THINGS THAT OTHERS ARE DOING, ESPECIALLY GIVEN THE SHORT TIME-FRAME BY WHICH WE WANT TO ACT AND SERVE OUR COMMUNITY. OKAY. ANY OTHERS THAT WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK ON THE CONTINUANCE? SO THERE'S A MOTION AND A SECOND TO CONTINUE THE ITEM TO A B SESSION IN APRIL OR IN MAY. PLEASE VOTE. 
          >> THANK YOU. YEP. CAN I JUST BRING HIM UP NOW? 
          GO AHEAD, JACK FINGER. >> WELL, MAYOR ORTIZ JONES. OTHER MEMBERS OF OUR ILLUSTRIOUS SAN ANTONIO CITY COUNCIL. FOR THE RECORD, MY NAME IS JACK M. FINGER, YOUR UNDOCUMENTED GADFLY. THIS ITEM REGARDING A PUSH 
          [03:45:06]
TO TRY AND INCREASE VOTER TURNOUT. ONE WONDERS -- I WAS JUST THINKING ABOUT THIS AND WONDERING IF CERTAIN QUESTIONS AROSE IN MY MIND AND JUST WONDER IF IT AROSE IN ANYBODY ELSE'S. ONE TELLING QUESTION WOULD BE:  WOULD THERE STILL BE A PUSH TO INCREASE VOTER TURNOUT IF THERE WERE ABSOLUTELY NO, NO CONSERVATIVE OR REPUBLICAN ELECTED OFFICIALS HERE IN THIS CITY AND COUNTY? NO CONSERVATIVE IN DISTRICT 10. 
          NO CONSERVATIVE IN DISTRICT 9. NO CONSERVATIVE IN COUNTY COMMISSIONER PRECINCT 3, ET CETERA. TELL ME, WOULD THERE STILL BE A PUSH FOR THIS? AND IF YOU SAY OH, JACK, WE DON'T CARE ABOUT ANYBODY'S POLITICAL PHILOSOPHIES ON THESE THINGS. I WOULD SAY THANK YOU FOR GIVING ME A GOOD LAUGH FOR TODAY. I KNOW YOU ARE A VERY CREATIVE COUNCIL AND I THINK --E THE DAY WHERE YOU WILL ACTUALLY THINK OF A REAL GOOD WAY TO INCREASE THE VOTER TURNOUT FOR YOUR ELECTIONS HERE. 
          I THINK YOU'LL LOOK BACK ON JUST A COUPLE OF YEARS AGO DURING THE BIDEN ADMINISTRATION, SAN ANTONIO WAS A HUB FOR ILLEGAL ALIENS AND WE WERE FLYING THEM OUT TO LOS ANGELES, CHICAGO, NEW YORK. I WOULDN'T DOUBT THAT SOMEONE FROM THIS COUNCIL WILL CALL UP THOSE CITIES AND SAY WE WANT 'EM BACK. 
          WE NEED OUR VOTERS. YEAH. I WOULDN'T DOUBT THAT COMING 
          FROM THIS COUNCIL. THANK YOU. >> MAYOR JONES: THAT WAS THE ONLY MEMBER OF THE COMMUNITY THAT SIGNED UP TO SPEAK ON THAT ITEM. 
          BEFORE WE VOTE, I DO WANT TO SAY IF THERE WEREN'T ACTIVE ATTACKS ON ANY COMMUNITY MEMBER'S ABILITY TO VOTE, WE MIGHT BE FOCUSING OUR EFFORTS ELSEWHERE. 
          HOWEVER, WHEN THERE IS LEGISLATION BEING PASSED AND, FRANKLY, ALL OTHER LEGISLATION BEING HELD AS BOUNTY UNTIL THIS THING THAT WOULD DISPROPORTIONATELY DISENFRANCHISE POOR VOTERS, MARRIED WOMEN, ET CETERA. I MEAN, SOME OF THESE THINGS AMOUNT TO A POLL TAX. THE FACT THAT YOU HAVE TO EVER A PASSPORT. 
          HALF OF THE COMMUNITY DOESN'T HAVE A PASSPORT OR ACCESS TO YOUR BIRTH CERTIFICATE. THE URGENCY WITH WHICH SOME ARE WORKING TO MAKE IT MORE DIFFICULT FOR CERTAIN COMMUNITIES TO VOTE IS WHY THE URGENCY -- WE SHOULD MATCH THAT URGENCY AT THE LOCAL LEVEL TO ENSURE OUR COMMUNITY IS HEARD AT THE BALLOT BOX. THE MARK OF A CITIZEN. THE MARK OF A CITIZEN. 
          SO THERE'S A MOTION AND A SECOND TO CONTINUE THIS ITEM. 
          PLEASE VOTE. THE MOTION CARRIES. >> WALSH: MAYOR, JUST ONE -- BASED ON THAT VOTE AND SOME OF THE COUNCIL'S CONVERSATIONS. 
          AND WE HAVE A PRETTY BUSY APRIL AND MAY -- WELL, FROM NOW UNTIL JUNE, ACTUALLY. 
          BUT WE'LL LOOK AT SOME OPTIONS TO SCHEDULE THE APRIL/MAY BUT I JUST TALKED TO ANDY A SECOND AGO AND I THINK BASED ON SOME OF THE COMMENTS, TO MAKE THE B SESSION CONVERSATION A LITTLE BIT MORE FRUITFUL IN LINE WITH WHAT SOME OF THE COUNCIL MEMBERS SAID -- AND WE CAN TALK ABOUT THIS OFFLINE. 
          IS THERE SOMEBODY -- OBVIOUSLY YOU, MAYOR, AND MAYBE ONE OR TWO OTHER COUNCIL MEMBERS TO WORK ON SOMETHING SO THAT -- BECAUSE OTHERWISE WE ARE GOING TO PRESENT THE SAME THING AT THE NEXT B SESSION. MAYBE A WORK GROUP TO ADDRESS SOME OF THE COMMENTS. AND THAT WAY IT'S A FRUITFUL 
          CONVERSATION FOR THE COUNCIL. >> MAYOR JONES: WE CAN TAKE THAT OFFLINE. I THINK THAT'S HELPFUL. THIS IS, AGAIN, THE DRAFT THAT WAS SHARED VIA E-MAIL AND WAS POSTED. WE'LL MA MAKE SURE WE 
          [03:50:04]
INCORPORATE FEEDBACK AND OUTLINE WHAT MAY BE DIFFERENT THAN WHAT'S IN HERE. THANKS, ERIK. WE'RE GOING INTO AN EXEC SESSION. WE WILL BE GOING INTO EXECUTIVE SESSION. 
          I WOULD ASK MY COLLEAGUES TO REMAIN SEATED WHILE I TAKE US INTO THAT. 
          THE TIME IS NOW 1:38 ON APRIL 2, 2026. THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO WILL NOW MEET IN EXECUTIVE SESSION TO CONSULT WITH THE CITY ATTORNEY'S OFFICE PURSUANT TO CHAPTER 551.071 OF THE TEXAS GOVERNMENT CODE AND TO DELIBERATE OR DISCUSS THE FOLLOWING ITEMS: ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT NEGOTIATIONS PURSUANT TO SECTION 551.087. PURCHASE, EXCHANGE, LEASE OR VALUE OF REAL PROPERTY PURSUANT TO SECTION 551.072. AND LEGAL ISSUES RELATED TO LITIGATION INVOLVING THE CITY EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS AND COLLECTIVE BARGAINING ALL PURSUANT TO 551.071. 
          THANKS. 
          >> MAYOR JONES: THE TIME IS NOW 2:15 ON APRIL 2, 2026 AND THE SAN ANTONIO CITY COUNCIL WILL NOW RECONVENE IN OPEN SESSION. NO OFFICIAL ACTION WAS TAKEN IN EXECUTIVE SESSION. I WILL NOW RECESS THIS A SESSION AT 2:16 TO 
          ACCOMMODATE THE ZONING SESSION MEETING. >> MAYOR JONES: THE TIME IS NOW 2:30 AND THIS IS RECONVENING THE A SESSION FROM EARLIER TODAY. 
          WE WILL NOW GO BACK INTO EXECUTIVE SESSION. SO THE TIME IS 2:30 P.M. ON APRIL 2, 2026. THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO WILL NOW MEET IN EXECUTIVE SESSION TO CONSULT WITH THE CITY ATTORNEY'S OFFICE PURSUANT TO CHAPTER 551.071 OF THE TEXAS GOVERNMENT CODE AND TO DELIBERATE OR DISCUSS THE FOLLOWING ITEMS: ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT NEGOTIATIONS PURSUANT TO SECTION 551.087. 
          THE PURCHASE, EXCHANGE, LEASE OR VALUE OF REAL PROPERTY PURSUANT TO SECTION 551.072. AND LEGAL ISSUES RELATED TO LITIGATION INVOLVING THE CITY, EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS, AND COLLECTIVE BARGAINING, ALL PURSUANT TO SECTION 551.071. 
          >> MAYOR JONES: THE TIME IS NOW 4:37 P.M. ON APRIL 2, 2026, AND THE SAN ANTONIO CITY COUNCIL WILL NOW RECONVENE IN OPEN SESSION. NO OFFICIAL ACTION WAS TAKEN IN EXECUTIVE SESSION. THE TIME IS NOW 4:37 AND THIS MEETING IS ADJOURNED.
* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.