[ PROCEDURAL  ] [00:01:20] >> MAYOR JONES: GOOD MORNING. THE TIME IS NOW 9:10 A.M. ON OCTOBER 1ST, 2026, AND THE MEETING OF THE SAN ANTONIO CITY COUNCIL IS CALLED TO ORDER. MADAME CLERK, PLEASE CALL ROLL. >> CLERK: MAYOR, WE HAVE QUORUM. >> MAYOR JONES: THANK YOU. I WOULD LIKE TO INVITE COUNCILMEMBER WHYTE TO INTRODUCE TODAY'S INVOCATOR. >> WHYTE: THANK YOU VERY MUCH, MAYOR. I WOULD LOVE TO INTRODUCE YOU ALL TO REVEREND JESS LOWRY. JESS SERVES AS LEAD PASTOR AND EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF SUNSET RIDGE CHURCH WHERE SHE HAS SERVED FOR 14 YEARS. SHE HOLDS A MASTER'S OF GLOBAL LEADERSHIP FROM THE THEOLOGICAL SEMINARY AND PREVIOUSLY SPENT A DECADE IN BUSINESS LEADERSHIP AND MANAGEMENT. JESS ALSO LEADS THE SUNSET RIDGE COLLECTIVE WHOSE COMMUNITY SPACES AND INITIATIVES BRING NEIGHBORS TOGETHER AND SUPPORT THE WIDER SAN ANTONIO COMMUNITY. SHE IS GUIDED BY HER CHRISTIAN FAITH AND A CALLING TO HELP PEOPLE KNOW THEY ARE DEEPLY LOVED. WE ARE HONORED TO HAVE YOU HERE TODAY, JESS. PLEASE. >> GOOD MORNING. LET US PRAY. GOD, WE GATHER BEFORE YOU AS PEOPLE UNIFIED IN OUR COMMITMENT TO OUR BEAUTIFUL HOME, SAN ANTONIO. AS WE ENTER THIS NEW MONTH, HELP US BEGIN ANEW. AS THE RAIN COMES, MAY IT PROVIDE THE NOURISHMENT OUR LAND NEEDS AND MAY YOU PROTECT THOSE IT MAY PUT IN HARM'S WAY. AS THE HEAT BEGINS TO FINALLY LIFT, MAY TENSIONS BE LIFTED TOO. ANY TENSIONS AMONG THE DECISION MAKERS IN THIS ROOM, TENSIONS IN OUR SCHOOLS AND OUR WORKPLACES AND OUR HOMES. AS PLANS AND DECISIONS ARE MADE, MAY WE ALWAYS REMEMBER THAT BEHIND EVERY NUMBER IS A NEIGHBOR. BEHIND EVERY PROJECT IS A COMMUNITY. IN THIS NEW MONTH, MAY WE BE REMINDED OF OUR SHARED HUMANITY. MAY WE HAVE THE COURAGE TO LOOK ONE ANOTHER IN THE EYES AND RECOGNIZE THAT WE ALL BEAR THE IMAGE OF YOU, OUR CREATOR GOD. WE GIVE YOU THANKS FOR THIS BEAUTIFUL HOME, RICH IN HISTORY, CULTURE, AND BEAUTY. WE GIVE YOU THANKS FOR THE UNIQUE ROLE WE EACH HAVE AND A PROFOUND PRIVILEGE TO SERVE HERE. AND WE ASK THAT OUR CITY OF SAN ANTONIO BECOME A PLACE OF FLOURISHING FOR ALL PEOPLE. MAY IT BE SO. AMEN. >> MAYOR JONES: PLEASE JOIN ME IN THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE. >> MAYOR JONES: ITEM 3 IS APPROVAL OF THE MINUTES FOR THE CITY COUNCIL MEETINGS OF [00:05:03] SEPTEMBER 9, 10, 15, 16, AND 17, 2026. ARE THERE ANY CORRECTIONS OR EDITS TO THE MINUTES? OKAY. HEARING NONE, IS THERE A MOTION FOR APPROVAL OF THE MINUTES? >> VIAGRAN: MOTION TO APPROVE. >> SECOND. >> MAYOR JONES: OKAY. PLEASE VOTE. OKAY. THE MOTION CARRIES. THANK YOU. OKAY. OCTOBER IS A BUSY MONTH. SO I WOULD LIKE TO BRING UP THE SAN ANTONIO NEIGHBORS TOGETHER FOR A PROCLAMATION. MEMBERS OF THE POLICE DEPARTMENT THAT WOULD LIKE TO COME UP AND BE A PART OF THIS. OKAY. WHEREAS THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO RECOGNIZES SAN ANTONIO NEIGHBORS TOGETHER AS AN ANNUAL COMMUNITY BUILDING EFFORT THAT ENCOURAGES RESIDENTS TO CONNECT WITH ONE ANOTHER AND STRENGTHENS NEIGHBORHOOD RELATIONSHIPS ACROSS THE CITY. WHEREAS THE SAN ANTONIO POLICE DEPARTMENT SUPPORTS THIS INITIATIVE BY PARTNERING WITH NEIGHBORS, CITY DEPARTMENTS, AND COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS TO SHARE RESOURCES, PROMOTE SAFETY AWARENESS, AND FOSTER POSITIVE APPROACHABLE INTERACTIONS BETWEEN RESIDENTS AND PUBLIC SAFETY PERSONNEL. AND WHEREAS THE SAN ANTONIO NEIGHBORS TOGETHER KICKOFF EVENT WILL TAKE PLACE OCTOBER 3 AT SAN PEDRO SPRINGS PARK AND WILL BRING TOGETHER RESIDENTS, STAFF, SAPD PERSONNEL, AND COMMUNITY PARTNERS FOR FREE, FAMILY-FRIENDLY ACTIVITIES AND OPPORTUNITIES TO LEARN ABOUT SERVICES AVAILABLE THROUGHOUT SAN ANTONIO. AND WHEREAS THE CITYWIDE SAN ANTONIO NEIGHBORS TOGETHER TONIGHT FOCUSES ON CONNECTING NEIGHBORHOODS WITH KEY CITY DEPARTMENTS, WITH NEIGHBORHOOD GATHERINGS THAT ENCOURAGE RESIDENTS TO MEET ONE ANOTHER, ENGAGE WITH LOCAL PARTNERS, AND LEARN SIMPLE WAYS TO SUPPORT MORE CONNECTED COMMUNITIES. NOW THEREFORE I, GINA ORTIZ JONES, MAYOR OF THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO IN RECOGNITION THEREOF DO HEREBY PROCLAIM OCTOBER 6, 2026 TO BE SAN ANTONIO NEIGHBORS TOGETHER TONIGHT IN SAN ANTONIO, TEXAS AND CALL UPON ALL CITIZENS TO PARTICIPATE IN THEIR LOCAL NEIGHBORHOOD NIGHT TOGETHER AND FOSTER STRONGER TIES WITHIN OUR COMMUNITIES . CHIEF SALAME, OVER TO YOU. >> CHIEF: GOOD MORNING, MAYOR AND COUNCIL. THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR THE KIND WORDS AND FOR THE PROCLAMATION. WE TALKED A LOT ABOUT TRUST AND HOW IMPORTANT THAT IS TO US AND THAT'S EXACTLY WHAT THIS SAN ANTONIO NEIGHBORS TOGETHER REPRESENTS. IT'S AN OPPORTUNITY FOR US TO COME TOGETHER, SAPD, COMMUNITY MEMBERS, OTHER STAKEHOLDERS, MAYOR AND COUNCIL. ALL THESE THINGS MATTER. THEY'RE SO IMPORTANT AND WE'RE GOING TO BE AT EVERY NEIGHBORHOOD -- WE HAD OVER 349 NEIGHBORHOODS THAT SIGNED UP AND WE'RE PROUD OF THAT. THIS IS AN EVENT THAT IS UNLIKE NO OTHER ACROSS THE NATION. WE ARE KIND OF THE STANDARD FOR WHAT THAT MEANS TO BE COMMUNITY BUILDING AND COMMUNITY SERVICE. AND I JUST WANT TO GIVE A SPECIAL RECOGNITION TO MS. AMBROSE. SHE IS OUR COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT SUPERVISOR THAT PUT ALL THIS TOGETHER. SO THE RESIDENTS THAT ARE CALLING, THE STAFF MEMBERS THAT ARE CALLING, THE SCHEDULING, SHE'S A ONE-MAN WRECKING CREW WHEN IT COMES TO THIS -- >> MAYOR JONES: ONE WOMAN. >> CHIEF: I APPRECIATE HER. THANK YOU, ALL. APPRECIATE IT. [APPLAUSE] >> MAYOR JONES: SEE IF MY COLLEAGUES WOULD LIKE TO SAY A FEW WORDS. COUNCILWOMAN VIAGRAN. >> VIAGRAN: THANK YOU. SO WE HAVE SAN ANTONIO NEIGHBORS TOGETHER NIGHT . I FEEL LIKE IT'S GOING TO TURN INTO SAN ANTONIO NEIGHBORS TOGETHER WEEK. BUT THANK YOU FOR ALL YOU DO AND HOW YOU REACH OUT TO THE COMMUNITY. IT'S ONE THING THAT WE ON THE SOUTH SIDE REALLY LOOK FORWARD TO. I KNOW MY RESIDENTS ARE MAKING IT THEIR OWN IN TERMS OF WHEN THEY'RE ASKING OUR SAFFE OFFICERS TO COME OUT. SOMETIMES IT'S IN THE EVENING, SOMETIMES IT'S MID-DAY. SOMETIMES IT'S THE WEEKEND AND YOU KNOW. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR ALL YOU DO AND HOW WE CONTINUE TO GROW AND YOU KEEP OUR COMMUNITY TOGETHER AND MAKE SURE THAT YOU ARE A LISTENING EAR FOR THEM AND ALSO RESPONDING TO THEIR NEEDS. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. WELCOME ON YOUR FIRST SAN ANTONIO NEIGHBORS TOGETHER, CHIEF SALAME. YOUR FIRST. >> MAYOR JONES: COUNCILMEMBER MUNGIA. >> MUNGIA: I WANT TO SAY THANK YOU FOR ALL YOU DO FOR THIS EVENT. IT'S ONE OF THOSE EVENTS NOT REQUIRED BUT IT'S VERY IMPORTANT TO THE COMMUNITY. THEY LOOK FORWARD TO IT EVERY YEAR TO GET TOGETHER AND HAVE OUR OFFICERS OUT THERE AS WELL AS OUR COMMUNITY. AND IT'S FUN FOR ALL OF US TO BE OUT THERE AND PARTICIPATE AND I KNOW IN MY OFFICE WE ALWAYS TRY TO GET A PICTURE OF MY TEAM EATING A HOT DOG. WE HAVE THAT TEN YEARS ALREADY THAT'S THE MOST IMPORTANT THING WE CAN DO IS MAKE SURE WE'RE AS CONNECTED AND AVAILABLE TO THEM. THANK YOU. APPRECIATE THAT. >> MAYOR JONES: COUNCILWOMAN CASTILLO. >> CASTILLO: THANK YOU. [00:10:03] REALLY EXCITED TO CELEBRATE THIS EVENT WITH SUBSTATIONS THAT OVERSEE DISTRICT 5. GRATEFUL FOR THE WORK YOU DO BUT WOULD BE REMISS IF I DIDN'T HIGHLIGHT THE WORK AND ROLE AND WORK OF YOLANDA. THANK YOU FOR FIELDING THOSE CALLS. IT'S A REALLY EXCITING TIME THAT OFTENTIMES WE HAVE UNREGISTERED NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATIONS LOOKING TO GET PLUGGED IN AND INVOLVED. ONE OF MY FAVORITE MEMORIES OF PAST EVENTS IS OFFICER MORENO ON A LADDER HOLDING A ROPE WITH A PINATA IN THE MIDDLE OF THE STREET. REALLY APPRECIATE THE COMMUNITY AND RELATIONSHIP BUILDING THAT YOU ALL DO. NOT JUST DURING THIS EVENT BUT ALL DAY EVERY DAY. THANK Y'ALL. THANK YOU. >> MAYOR JONES: THANK YOU. COUNCILMEMBER ALDERETE GAVITO, PLEASE. >> GAVITO: THANK YOU. THIS IS ONE OF THE BEST NIGHTS OF THE YEAR. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR ALL Y'ALL'S WORK. THANK YOU, YOLANDA FOR MAKING IT HAPPEN FOR US. CHIEF, WE'RE EXCITED THAT IT'S YOUR FIRST YEAR AS CHIEF TO PARTICIPATE. YEAH, OUR FIELD OFFICE IS STOCKED FULL OF WATER AND SANDWICHES AND IT'S SUCH A GREAT TIME FOR NEIGHBORHOOD PRESIDENTS OR NEIGHBORHOOD LEADERSHIP TO COME THEN GO AND CELEBRATE AS A COMMUNITY. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR ALL THE WORK YOU ARE DOING AND WE'RE LOOKING FORWARD TO IT. THANK YOU. >> MAYOR JONES: THANK YOU. COUNCILMEMBER WHYTE, PLEASE. >> WHYTE: YEAH, I WANT TO SAY THANK YOU AS WELL. YOLANDA, THANK YOU FOR ALL THE WORK AND TO ALL THE OFFICERS THAT ARE GOING TO BE OUT THERE ON THAT NIGHT, THANK YOU FOR THAT. AND OF COURSE FOR EVERYTHING THAT YOU DO. THIS IS GOING TO BE A SPECIAL NIGHT. IT ALWAYS IS. MY TEAM'S EXCITED ABOUT IT. ALL THE NEIGHBORHOODS IN DISTRICT 10 ARE EXCITED ABOUT IT AND LOOKING FORWARD TO HAVING SOME FUN WITH ALL OF YOU ON TUESDAY. THANKS. >> MAYOR JONES: THANK YOU, CHIEF. OH, COUNCILWOMAN KAUR. >> KAUR: BUT WE LOVE OUR SAFFE OFFICERS AND APPRECIATE EVERYTHING THAT YOU ALL DO. THANKS. >> MAYOR JONES: THANK YOU. [APPLAUSE] OCTOBER IS ALSO DOMESTIC VIOLENCE AWARENESS MONTH. WE HAVE A PROCLAMATION REQUESTED BY METRO HEALTH. WHEREAS THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO RECOGNIZES THAT DOMESTIC VIOLENCE IS A SERIOUS AND PERVASIVE ISSUE AFFECTING INDIVIDUALS, FAMILIES, AND COMMUNITIES IN SAN ANTONIO AND ACROSS THE NATION. WITH CONSEQUENCES THAT CAN EXTEND ACROSS GENERATIONS AND IMPACT SAFETY, HEALTH, RELATIONSHIPS, AND WELL-BEING THROUGHOUT THE LIFE SPAN. AND WHEREAS EXPOSURE TO DOMESTIC VIOLENCE AND TRAUMA CAN HAVE LASTING EFFECTS ON CHILDREN, ADULTS, AND FAMILIES, SHAPING EXPERIENCES AND RELATIONSHIPS ACROSS GENERATIONS. YET CYCLES OF VIOLENCE CAN BE INTERRUPTED THROUGH PREVENTION, EDUCATION, HEALING, AND STRONG SYSTEMS OF SUPPORT. WHEREAS THE COMMISSION ON DOMESTIC VIOLENCE UNITED STATES LEADERS ACROSS LAW ENFORCEMENT AND COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS TO STRENGTHEN OUR REGION'S RESPONSE THROUGH SYSTEMS, CHANGE, ADVOCACY, AND COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT. WHEREAS EACH OCTOBER SAN ANTONIO JOINS THE NATION IN OBSERVING NATIONAL DOMESTIC VIOLENCE AWARENESS MONTH TO HONOR THOSE WITH LIVED EXPERIENCES, REMEMBER LIVES LOST, AND RECOGNIZE THE LASTING IMPACT OF VIOLENCE ON FAMILIES AND FUTURE GENERATIONS. WHEREAS BREAKING GENERATIONAL CYCLES OF TRAUMA REQUIRES OUR COLLECTIVE COMMITMENT TO SUPPORTING THOSE IMPACTED BY DOMESTIC VIOLENCE, STRENGTHENING RELATIONSHIPS, AND PROMOTING COMMUNITIES WHERE FUTURE GENERATIONS CAN EXPERIENCE HEALING, RESILIENCE, AND HOPE. NOW THEREFORE I, GINA ORTIZ JONES, MAYOR OF THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO IN RECOGNITION THEREOF DO HEREBY PROCLAIM THE MONTH OF OCTOBER TO BE DOMESTIC VIOLENCE AWARENESS AND PREVENTION MONTH IN SAN ANTONIO, TEXAS. MARIA, PLEASE. >> VILLAGOMEZ: THANK YOU, MAYOR . GOOD MORNING, MAYOR AND COUNCIL MEMBERS. THANK YOU FOR RECOGNIZING OCTOBER AS NATIONAL DOMESTIC VIOLENCE AWARENESS AND PREVENTION MONTH AND FOR HONORING THE WORK OF THE CITY AND COUNTY COLLABORATIVE COMMISSION ON DOMESTIC VIOLENCE. THIS PROCLAMATION CARRIES A DEEP PERSONAL MEANING FOR MANY IN OUR COMMUNITY. IT RECOGNIZES PEOPLE LIVING WITH VIOLENCE, SURVIVORS REBUILDING THEIR LIVES, AND FAMILIES GRIEVING SOMEONE WHO STILL SHOULD BE HERE. IT REMINDS US THAT OUR RESPONSIBILITY EXTENDS TO CHILDREN WHOSE SENSE OF SAFETY AND UNDERSTANDING OF RELATIONSHIPS ARE SHAPED BY WHAT HAPPENS AT HOME. AS THE PROCLAMATION AFFIRMS, THE EFFECTS OF DOMESTIC VIOLENCE CAN REACH ACROSS GENERATIONS. BUT THOSE CYCLES ARE NOT INEVITABLE. [00:15:03] WITH PREVENTION, EDUCATION, AND MEANINGFUL SUPPORT WE CAN HELP FAMILIES TO BUILD A DIFFERENT FUTURE. I WANT TO RECOGNIZE THE MEMBERS HERE WITH ME TODAY AND THANK THEM FOR THEIR COMMITMENT AND SERVICE TO SAN ANTONIO AND BEXAR COUNTY. THEY EACH BRING DIFFERENT PERSPECTIVES AND RESPONSIBILITIES TO THIS WORK. UNITED BY A SHARED BELIEF THAT EVERYONE DESERVES TO LIVE SAFELY. THE CCDV IS ALSO AN EXAMPLE OF WHAT IT MEANS TO WORK ACROSS AGENCIES AND ORGANIZATIONS, TO IDENTIFY SYSTEM GAPS AND BUILD A MORE COMPASSIONATE, COORDINATED RESPONSE. TO THOSE WITH LIVED EXPERIENCE WHO HELP GUIDE THIS WORK, THANK YOU FOR THE INSIGHT YOU CHOOSE TO SHARE. YOUR EXPERIENCES DESERVE TO BE HEARD WITH RESPECT AND REFLECTED IN THE DECISIONS THAT WE MAKE. OUR RESPONSIBILITY IS TO LISTEN AND TO FOLLOW THROUGH. MAYOR AND COUNCIL, THANK YOU FOR YOUR LEADERSHIP AND RECOGNIZING THAT PREVENTING DOMESTIC VIOLENCE IS A SHARED COMMUNITY RESPONSIBILITY. MAY THE COMMITMENT THAT WE EXPRESS IN THIS CHAMBER TODAY BE FELT IN THE LIVES OF THE PEOPLE WHO NEED US AND THE SUPPORT THEY RECEIVE, THE CHOICES AVAILABLE TO THEM, AND THE SAFETY THEY CAN BUILD FOR THEMSELVES AND THEIR CHILDREN. EVERY PERSON DESERVES A HOME WHERE THEY CAN FEEL SAFE. EVERY CHILD DESERVES TO GROW UP KNOWING THAT LOVE DOESN'T HAVE TO HURT. THAT IS THE FUTURE WE MUST KEEP WORK TOWARD TOGETHER. NOW, I'M GOING TO TURN IT OVER TO THE CO-CHAIR OF THE CCDV. >> THANK YOU, MARIA. THANK YOU, MAYOR AND COUNCIL MEMBERS. IT'S A PLEASURE JOINING YOU HERE TODAY. I JUST HAVE A COUPLE OF REMARKS AND I WANT TO START BY SAYING THANK YOU. ON BEHALF OF THE COUNTY FOR YOUR ONGOING COMMITMENT TO THIS UNIQUE PARTNERSHIP. BECAUSE WE KNOW THAT THE COLLABORATION WE HAVE IS CRITICAL AND KEY TO US IMPROVING HOW WE ADDRESS AND RESPOND TO DOMESTIC VIOLENCE. SO I WANT TO THANK YOU ALL. THIS YEAR MARKS SEVEN YEARS OF THE CCDV'S WORK. AND IN THAT TIME, WE HAVE MADE MEANINGFUL PROGRESS FOR OUR COMMUNITY. WE'VE BROUGHT TOGETHER OUR COURTS, LAW ENFORCEMENT, GOVERNMENT, SERVICE PROVIDERS, HEALTHCARE PARTNERS, AND COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS. AND MOST IMPORTANTLY, PEOPLE WITH LIVED EXPERIENCE. WE BROUGHT EVERYONE TOGETHER AROUND ONE TABLE TO ADDRESS THIS DIFFICULT ISSUE. BUT WE KNOW HOW MUCH WORK REMAINS. WE'VE WITNESSED IT HERE IN OUR COMMUNITY. WE WITNESS IT EVERY DAY. LAST YEAR OUR COMMUNITY STILL SAW NEARLY SEVEN FAMILY VIOLENCE-RELATED 9-1-1 CALLS EVERY HOUR. AND 28 PEOPLE, INCLUDING FIVE CHILDREN, LOST THEIR LIVES TO FAMILY VIOLENCE. EVERY ONE OF THOSE LIVES IS ONE LIFE TOO MANY. WHAT GIVES ME HOPE AFTER SEVEN YEARS, AGAIN, IS KNOWING THAT COLLABORATION WORKS. KNOWING THAT ACROSS THE NATION EVIDENCE-BASED DATA SHOWS THAT COLLABORATION WORKS AND THAT'S THE SAME APPROACH THAT WE ARE TAKING HERE IN OUR COMMUNITY. NONE OF US CAN SOLVE THIS ALONE BUT OUR STRENGTH IS OUR COLLABORATION AND OUR STRENGTH IN NUMBERS. THANK YOU ALL ONCE AGAIN FOR WORKING TOGETHER WITH THE COUNTY TO HELP US BUILD A SAFER COMMUNITY FOR SURVIVORS, FOR THEIR CHILDREN, AND EVEN FOR THOSE WHO HAVE USED VIOLENCE AGAINST OTHERS. THANK YOU FOR HELPING US BREAK THAT CYCLE OF ABUSE AND CONTINUING TO STAND WITH US. >> MAYOR JONES: I RECOGNIZE COUNCILWOMAN KAUR, WHO IS LEADING THE PUBLIC SAFETY COMMITTEE. BUT ALSO APPRECIATE HER EFFORTS WITH THE INTERPERSONAL VIOLENCE SUBCOMMITTEE. >> KAUR: THANK YOU, MAYOR. THANK YOU ALL SO MUCH. MARIA AND JUDGE DIAZ, YOU GUYS ARE THE PERFECT LEADERS FOR THIS GROUP AND ALL THE FOLKS SUPPORTING BEHIND. WE KNOW IT'S GOING TO BE A COLLABORATIVE EFFORT. I THINK THE HARDEST THING FOR ME TO SEE THROUGHOUT COVID WAS SEEING THIS IS THE AREAS IN WHICH WE DROPPED SIGNIFICANTLY. AND JUST COMING BACK FROM THAT INCREASE IN VIOLENCE THAT WE SAW I THINK HAS BEEN SUCH A HARD CHALLENGE. I ALSO THINK THERE'S A LOT MORE EDUCATION. WE TALK ABOUT IT ALL THE TIME. THERE'S A LOT MORE EDUCATION WE CAN DO ABOUT WHAT VIOLENCE LOOKS LIKE AND HOW TO RECOGNIZE IT AND HOW TO MAKE SURE YOU'RE STEPPING UP AND CALLING IT WHEN YOU SEE IT. I APPRECIATE ALL THE WORK THAT YOU DO. I APPRECIATE THE SERVICES YOU PROVIDE FOR THE COMMUNITY. I KNOW HOW IMPACTFUL THEY ARE AND HOW IMPORTANT THEY CAN BE TO RESIDENTS. THANK YOU ALL AND WE'LL CONTINUE TO WORK TOGETHER TO GET TO WHERE WE NEED TO BE AS A COMMUNITY. THANKS, MAYOR. >> MAYOR JONES: COUNCILWOMAN VIAGRAN. >> VIAGRAN: THANK YOU. SO EVERY YEAR YOU COME AND EVERY YEAR I TELL YOU I WAS [00:20:03] THERE WITH YOU DOING THIS WORK AND THAT I KNOW THAT IT'S A CALLING. AND THIS YEAR I GET TO TELL YOU WE WERE HERE FOR A BRIEFING AND IT WAS THE FORMER CHIEF AND THEY WERE TALKING ABOUT THE NUMBERS AND HOW MORE REPORTS WERE COMING IN. AND SOME PEOPLE ASKED, WELL, IS IT WORKING? AND I SAID YES, IT IS WORKING. THE LITTLE ADS IN THE BATHROOMS ARE WORKING BECAUSE MORE PEOPLE ARE REPORTING IT. AND THEY'RE REPORTING IT SOONER. THEY'RE NOT WAITING UNTIL THAT SEVENTH CRITICAL INCIDENT OR SIXTH CRITICAL INCIDENT. THEY'RE BEING TREATED BADLY AND THEY'RE MAKING THAT REPORT. AND THAT IS A TESTIMONY TO YOU AND TO YOUR WORK THAT YOU'RE DOING. SO THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THAT. BECAUSE I THINK WE NEED -- AND WE KNOW THIS BECAUSE I READ THE HEADLINES OVER THE WEEKEND JUST LIKE EVERYBODY ELSE. AND WE KNOW THERE'S STILL A LOT OF WORK TO DO. AND THERE'S STILL A LOT OF THINGS TO CHANGE. BUT HERE IN SAN ANTONIO WE HAVE MADE THIS A PRIORITY OVER THE PAST YEARS AND WE'VE SEEN IT MOVE. AND WE'VE SEEN THE NEEDLE MOVE AND WE'VE SEEN PEOPLE IN RELATIONSHIPS THAT ARE AGGRESSIVE OR VIOLENT AND THEY'RE MAKING THE DECISION SOONER TO GET OUT OR TO END THAT RELATIONSHIP INSTEAD OF STAYING LONGER IN THOSE. AND THAT IS A TESTIMONY TO YOUR WORK. SO THANK YOU. KEEP UP THE EFFORT. I WANT THOSE CALLS TO OF COURSE EVENTUALLY DECREASE BUT RIGHT NOW IS THE UPTICK BECAUSE Y'ALL ARE GETTING THE MESSAGE OUT THERE THAT THEY DON'T HAVE TO LIVE LIKE THIS ANYMORE. SO THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR EFFORTS AND CONTINUE THE GOOD WORK. THANK YOU. >> MAYOR JONES: THANK YOU. COUNCILMAN MUNGIA, PLEASE. >> MUNGIA: THANK YOU FOR YOUR ONGOING EFFORTS. IT'S AN EVERYDAY BATTLE THAT Y'ALL HAVE TO GO THROUGH AND IT TAKES A VILLAGE. I SEE THERE'S PROSECUTION, THERE'S LAW ENFORCEMENT, THERE'S JUDICIAL, THERE'S NONPROFIT, THERE'S THE CITY, THE COUNTY, AND OUR STATE FOLKS AND IT MEANS A LOT FOR EVERYBODY TO GET TOGETHER BECAUSE THAT'S THE BEST WAY WE'RE GOING TO MOVE FORWARD AS A CITY. LAST YEAR THERE WAS AN UNFORTUNATE TRAGEDY IN MY DISTRICT. IT WAS A MURDER-SUICIDE WHERE I GREW UP AND THAT HAPPENED AND IT WAS DEVASTATING TO SEE THAT IN THE MIDDLE OF OUR DISTRICT. AND SO THESE THINGS HAPPEN. THEY CONTINUE TO HAPPEN, UNFORTUNATELY. BUT IT TAKES, YOU KNOW, CONSTANT EFFORT EVERY SINGLE DAY TO MAKE IT HAPPEN. AND ACKNOWLEDGMENT OF THE VAST MAJORITY, OF COURSE, IS PERPETRATED BY MEN. AND SO WE HAVE TO DO BETTER WITH THE YOUNG MEN IN OUR SOCIETY AND TEACH THEM AND HELP THEM UNDERSTAND THAT VIOLENCE IS NOT THE WAY TO SOLVE ANY ISSUE. THAT'S INCUMBENT UPON ALL OF US, ESPECIALLY US AS MEN. THANK YOU FOR YOUR WORK. THIS IS WHY WE'LL GO BACK TO THIS CONVERSATION. WE CANNOT CUT THINGS THAT ARE THIS IMPORTANT TO OUR COMMUNITY. TO HAVE CUT METRO HEALTH TO WHAT WAS BEING RECOMMENDED FOR FUTURE CUTS THAT MIGHT COME UP, EVEN 1% OFF THE TOP OF YOUR BUDGET IS GOING TO AFFECT THE WORK THAT HAPPENS IN OUR COMMUNITY THAT WE ARE ALL UP HERE SAYING IS IMPORTANT. SO JUST THANK YOU FOR YOUR WORK. >> MAYOR JONES: COUNCILMEMBER CASTILLO. >> CASTILLO: THANK YOU. ECHOING THE SIMILAR SENTIMENT. GRATEFUL FOR THE COLLABORATIVE EFFORT AND THAT EACH OF ALL, YOUR ORGANIZATION AND WITHIN YOUR ROLE IN REDUCING DOMESTIC VIOLENCE ACROSS THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO. BUT I WOULD BE REMISS IF I DIDN'T HIGHLIGHT THE IMPACT OF THE DELEGATE AGENCIES THAT OFTEN, WHETHER IT'S METRO HEALTH WHO REFER INDIVIDUALS OR PD WHO REFERS, THE ROLE THEY PLAY. I THINK ABOUT FOR HER WHO WORKS FOR WOMEN, THE CHILDREN'S BEREAVEMENT CENTER, PARENTING PLUS, WHICH PROVIDES ANGER MANAGEMENT COURSES AND PARENTING CLASSES AND THE VALUE AND ROLE THOSE NONPROFIT AND DELEGATE AGENCIES THAT ARE WORKING ON VERY SMALL BUDGETS THAT ARE OFTEN UNDER THREAT BUDGET YEAR AFTER BUDGET YEAR BUT ARE DOING THAT WORK TO ENSURE THAT WOMEN, CHILDREN, AND MEN WHO ARE VICTIMS OF DOMESTIC VIOLENCE ARE CONNECTED TO THE RESOURCES THAT THEY VERY MUCH NEED AND DESERVE. SO THANKFUL FOR YOU ALL FOR BEING THOSE PARTNERS, CONNECTING INDIVIDUALS, AND OF COURSE FOR THE NONPROFIT ORGANIZATIONS THAT ARE DOING THE WORK OF RECONNECTING OUR COMMUNITIES AND FINDING HOPE. THANK YOU. >> MAYOR JONES: THANK YOU. COUNCILMAN GALVAN. >> GALVAN: THANK YOU FOR COMING HERE TODAY AND HONORING THE MONTH OF OCTOBER AS DOMESTIC VIOLENCE COMMUNITY. OF COURSE THE FOLKS WHO ARE DIRECTLY IMPACTED AS WELL. ALL THE WORK YOU DO GOES INTO SERIOUS CONSIDERATION AS WE MAKE DECISIONS UP HERE. I WANT TO THANK ALL OF Y'ALL FOR ALL THE WORK YOU DO IN EACH DIFFERENT DEPARTMENT AND ORGANIZATION YOU'RE A PART OF. I WOULD BE REMISS TO NOT NOTE THE THROUGHLINE HERE WITH DOMESTIC VIOLENCE, THE [00:25:05] EFFORTS LED BY WOMEN, IN PARTICULAR, LED BY LGBTQ FOLKS, TO RECOGNIZE THESE CYCLES AND FIND WAYS TO BREAK THEM. IT'S CRITICAL FOR MEN TO BE A PART OF THE CONVERSATION. I CANNOT TALK ABOUT THIS WITHOUT TALK ABOUT PATRICIA CASTILLO, LEADER OF THE PEACE INITIATIVE, WHO HAS THAT SPECIFIC FOCUS AS WELL. WE TALK ABOUT RESTORATIVE JUSTICE, PREVENTION, AND HAVING RESPONSIBLE FATHERS. MAKING SURE THAT MEN ARE A PART OF THIS WORK, MAKING SURE THAT WE ARE RECOGNIZING THAT OURSELVES AND THE CULTURES THAT WE CREATE AND SOMETIMES ALLOW AND ENCOURAGE ARE ALL PART OF THE SAME SYSTEM HERE THAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT TRYING TO BREAK AND THE CYCLE. IT IS INCUMBENT UPON ALL OF US TO BE A PART OF IT BUT IT'S CRITICAL FOR MEN, YOUNG MEN IN PARTICULAR TOO TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE BREAKING THOSE CYCLES WITHIN OUR OWN SPHERES AND OUR RELATIONSHIPS SO WE CAN END THIS CHRONIC CRISIS IN THIS COMMUNITY. THANK YOU, MAYOR. >> MAYOR JONES: COUNCILWOMAN ALDERETE GAVITO, PLEASE. >> GAVITO: THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR ALL Y'ALL'S WORK. I SEE MARIA, JUDGE DIAZ, MARTHA. I'M NOT GOING TO ECHO MUCH THAT HAS BEEN SAID BUT I WANT TO POINT OUT WHAT COUNCILWOMAN VIAGRAN SAID. WE'RE SEEING THESE DEVASTATING HEADLINES AND IT'S NOT JUST ONE HEADLINE, WE'RE SEEING HEADLINES CONSTANTLY AND WE'RE SEEING SHOWS ABOUT THIS. IT'S SICKENING. BUT I DO AGREE WITH THE UPTICK THAT WE'RE SEEING IN CALLS, THAT MEANS THERE IS AWARENESS. ONE OF THE THINGS I WILL SAY ABOUT NONPROFITS IN GENERAL IS THAT THE THING THAT I APPRECIATE ABOUT THIS INITIATIVE IS THAT, JUDGE DIAZ, YOU ARE TRACKING RESULTS. IT'S NOT JUST TALKING, TALKING, TALKING, IT'S ACTUALLY DOING. AND WE SEE Y'ALL'S RESULTS EVERY TIME YOU VISIT A RESTROOM AT A LOCAL PARK. YOU SEE THE SIGNAGE. YOU SEE THE SIGNAGE IN THE AIRPORTS. SO THANK YOU FOR NOT ONLY KEEPING Y'ALL'S FOOT ON THE GAS BUT ALSO HAVING DATA TO PROVE THAT REALLY APPRECIATE THAT. CAN'T TELL YOU HOW MUCH I APPRECIATE THAT. THANK YOU FOR ALL YOU'RE DOING FOR THE COMMUNITY. THANKS. >> MAYOR JONES: COUNCILWOMAN MEZA GONZALEZ, PLEASE. >> GONZALEZ: THANK YOU FOR ALL THE WORK THAT YOU DO. I SEE SO MANY PEOPLE WHO HAVE MADE PUBLIC SAFETY THEIR LIFE'S WORK. WHETHER IT'S PATRICIA, MARTHA, THE CHIEF, DR. CLAUDE. THAT'S SO IMPORTANT. WHETHER YOU FELL INTO THESE ROLES OR HAVE BEEN DOING THIS SINCE YOU COULD THINK OF WHAT YOU WANTED TO BE, YOU'RE DOING A FABULOUS JOB AND WE WANT TO THANK YOU FOR THE WORK THAT YOU'RE DOING. WE KNOW IT'S NONSTOP AND THAT YOU GUYS ARE TRULY BOOTS ON THE GROUND. SO WHEN WE PASS BUDGETS AND TALK ABOUT SAWS RATE INCREASES, THIS IS THE REAL WORK HAPPENING IN OUR COMMUNITY EVERY DAY. THANK YOU FOR EVERYTHING THAT YOU DO. >> MAYOR JONES: COUNCILMAN WHYTE, PLEASE. >> WHYTE: YEAH. SAME. MARIA, JUDGE, I DON'T KNOW HOW YOU FIND THE TIME TO DO EVERYTHING YOU DO. IT'S AMAZING. MARTHA, THANK YOU. TO THE ENTIRE GROUP UP HERE. THE WORK DOES NOT GO UNNOTICED. THIS IS PUBLIC SAFETY WORK AND IT'S TRULY VALUABLE FOR OUR COMMUNITY. SO MANY PEOPLE ARE IMPACTED. AND TO HAVE YOU ALL THERE ON THE FRONT LINES DOING THE WORK TO HELP PROTECT THE CITIZENS OF SAN ANTONIO AND HELP THEM WITH THIS ISSUE IS REALLY IMPORTANT. THANKS FOR ALL YOU DO. >> MAYOR JONES: THANK YOU. OBVIOUSLY, YOU HEAR THERE'S A LOT OF APPRECIATION FOR THE WORK THAT YOU DO HERE AS WE LOOK TO BE THOUGHTFUL TO SUPPORT NOT ONLY THE SURVIVORS BUT THOSE DOING THE HARD WORK. I REMEMBER VISITING ONE OF MS. PELAEZ'S -- ONE OF THE FACILITIES AND RECOGNIZING HERE IN MILITARY CITY, USA, 10% OF THE FOLKS YOU SERVE THERE HAVE -- ARE MILITARY FAMILIES. WE CAN NEVER FORGET THE UNIQUE RESPONSIBILITY YOU HAVE IN THIS COMMUNITY GIVEN THAT UNIQUE SUBSET. WE ALSO KNOW THE WORK THAT WAS DONE TO MAKE SURE THERE WAS KIND OF A ONE-STOP SHOP AT JOINT BASE SAN ANTONIO. IT IS A COMMUNITY EFFORT BUT WE HAVE TO MAKE SURE WE'RE NOT RETRAUMATIZING PEOPLE 15 TIMES. I WANT TO THANK YOU FOR THE COMPASSION YOU SHOW IN OUR COMMUNITY, WHICH IS A REAL TESTAMENT TO THE SERVICE AND FRANKLY YOUR PERSONAL CHARACTER. THANK YOU SO MUCH. [APPLAUSE] [00:30:06] MANUFACTURING MONTH WAS REQUESTED BY THE ALAMO CHAPTER OF THE TEXAS FEDERATION OF ADVANCED MANUFACTURING EDUCATION . . >> GOOD MORNING, MAYOR JONES -- >> MAYOR JONES: I'M GOING TO READ THIS AND TURN IT TO YOU. GREAT. OKAY. WONDERFUL. SO WHEREAS THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO RECOGNIZES MANUFACTURING MONTH AS AN OPPORTUNITY TO HIGHLIGHT THE ROLE MANUFACTURING PLAYS IN SUPPORTING THE REGION'S ECONOMIC STRENGTH. WHEREAS MANUFACTURING CONTRIBUTES TO INNOVATION ACROSS A WIDE RANGE OF INDUSTRIES AND ORGANIZATIONS THROUGHOUT THE REGION AND CONTINUE TO DEVELOP TECHNOLOGIES, PRODUCTS, AND PROCESSES THAT BENEFIT BOTH CONSUMERS AND COMMUNITIES. WHEREAS THE TEXAS FAN ALAMO CHAPTER SERVES AS A CATALYST FOR DEVELOPING TALENT FOR MANUFACTURING, WORKING WITH WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT AND TRAINING ORGANIZATIONS SUCH AS THE TEXAS ASSOCIATION OF MANUFACTURERS, THE NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF MANUFACTURERS, THE MANUFACTURING INSTITUTE, TEXAS STATE AND LOCAL GOVERNMENTS, AND EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTES TO PROMOTE CAREER OPPORTUNITIES. WHEREAS MANUFACTURING MONTH BRINGS TOGETHER COMPANIES, EDUCATORS, WORKFORCE TEAMS, AND COMPANY PARTNERS TO RECOGNIZE THE CONTRIBUTIONS OF SAN ANTONIO'S MANUFACTURING SECTOR AND TO ENCOURAGE EFFORTS THAT STRENGTHEN LOCAL TALENT, DEVELOPMENT, AND ECONOMIC GROWTH. NOW THEREFORE I, GINA ORTIZ JONES, MAYOR OF THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO IN RECOGNITION THEREOF DO HEREBY PROCLAIM THE MONTH OF OCTOBER TO BE MANUFACTURING MONTH IN SAN ANTONIO, TEXAS . OVER TO YOU, SIR. >> THANK YOU, MAYOR JONES, COUNCIL MEMBERS, CITY MANAGER WALSH, AND CITY STAFF. THANK YOU ALL FOR WELCOMING US TODAY. SINCE I'M A NEW TOYOTA FACE IN TOWN, I'M HONORED TO INTRODUCE MYSELF AND I AM THE NEW VICE PRESIDENT OF MANUFACTURING AT TOYOTA PLANT TEXAS. I JOINED THIS SAN ANTONIO PLANT THIS SUMMER AFTER MORE THAN 20 YEARS WITH THE COMPANY AT SOME OF OUR OTHER PLANTS IN NORTH AMERICA. I'M PLEASED TO JOIN YOU AND OUR FELLOW SAN ANTONIO MANUFACTURERS AS WE KICKOFF THE MANUFACTURING MONTH. THE ALAMO CHAPTER TODAY IS MORE THAN A CELEBRATION, IT'S ABOUT RECOGNIZING AN INDUSTRY THAT BUILDS OPPORTUNITY, STRENGTHENS FAMILIES , AND HELPS SHAPE THE FUTURE OF SAN ANTONIO. FIRST, I WANT TO THANK THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO FOR YOUR STRONG SUPPORT OF TOYOTA AND FOR YOUR COMMITMENT TO MANUFACTURING IN THE CITY MORE BROADLY. I MAY BE NEW IN TOWN BUT THAT'S BEEN CLEAR FOR ME SINCE I ARRIVED. THE CITY'S LONGSTANDING SUPPORT TO OUR OPERATION WAS AN IMPORTANT FACTOR FOR TOYOTA'S LATEST $3.6 BILLION INVESTMENT IN OUR PLANT. AN INVESTMENT THAT WILL DOUBLE THE PLANT SIZE AND BRING 2,000 MORE JOBS TO THIS COMMUNITY BY 2030. THANK YOU FOR YOUR PART IN THAT INVESTMENT. THAT IS NOT JUST GROWTH FOR TOYOTA, THAT IS GROWTH FOR SAN ANTONIO. TOYOTA IS PROUD TO BE ONE OF MANY LOCAL MANUFACTURERS STANDING HERE TODAY. TOGETHER WE REPRESENT AN INDUSTRY THAT IS FULL OF INNOVATION, PURPOSE, AND POSSIBILITIES. WE ARE BUILDING CAREERS, DEVELOPING TALENT, AND CREATING PATHWAYS FOR THE NEXT GENERATIONS TO THRIVE. AND ON BEHALF OF THE MANUFACTURERS ASSEMBLED HERE TODAY, THANK YOU FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION OF FUTURE INVESTMENT IN THE CRITICAL INFRASTRUCTURE THAT KEEPS ALL OF OUR OPERATIONS, OUR SUPPLIERS, OUR PEOPLE, AND OUR FINISHED GOODS MOVING. MANUFACTURING IS NOT ONLY ABOUT WHAT WE MAKE, IT IS ABOUT THE PEOPLE WE INVEST IN, THE COMMUNITIES WE STRENGTHEN, AND THE FUTURE WE BUILD TOGETHER. THANK YOU FOR YOUR LEADERSHIP, FOR YOUR PARTNERSHIP, AND YOUR BELIEF IN WHAT MANUFACTURING CAN DO FOR SAN ANTONIO. THANK YOU FOR CELEBRATING MANUFACTURING MONTH WITH US. >> MAYOR JONES: THANK YOU. SEE IF MY COLLEAGUES WOULD LIKE TO SAY SOMETHING. COUNCILWOMAN VIAGRAN, PLEASE. >> VIAGRAN: Y'ALL KNEW I WAS GOING TO SAY SOMETHING BECAUSE TOYOTA SITS IN THE SOUTH SIDE OF SAN ANTONIO AND SITS BETWEEN DISTRICT 3 AND 4. BUT WHAT YOU ALL HAVE DONE IN TERMS OF BELIEVING YES, IN TERMS OF ADVANCED MANUFACTURING HAS A PLACE HERE IN TEXAS AND IN PARTICULAR SOUTH TEXAS. SO I WANT TO RECOGNIZE NOT [00:35:03] ONLY DID YOU COME AND YOU RECOGNIZED WHAT YOU HAD HERE AND THE WORKFORCE THAT WE HAD HERE IN SAN ANTONIO AND HOW YOU'VE TRAINED THAT WORKFORCE TO NOW MAKE THIS THEIR CAREER, BUT WHAT YOU HAVE DONE FOR THE REGION. BECAUSE REGIONAL WE HAVE SEEN GROWTH COME IN THIS AREA. SO THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR BEING HERE. ENJOY THE CELEBRATION OF THIS MONTH. WE LOOK FORWARD TO MORE ADVANCED MANUFACTURING AND MORE SUPPLIERS COMING IN TO SAN ANTONIO TO MAKE SURE THAT WE GET PRODUCTS DONE AND THAT WE CONTINUE TO KEEP AMERICA ON THE ROAD AND THE STATE OF TEXAS. SO, THANK YOU VERY MUCH. THANK YOU, FRANCISCO. >> MAYOR JONES: THANK YOU. COUNCILMAN MUNGIA, PLEASE. >> MUNGIA: THANK YOU SO MUCH. I JUST HAVE TO SAY THE BEST PARTS OF ALL THE MANUFACTURING IN SAN ANTONIO ARE IN DISTRICT 4. THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR THE WORK YOU PUT IN, THE JOBS YOU HAVE FOR OUR RESIDENTS TO COME IN AND UTILIZE. WE SAW SOME NUMBERS ON JOBS AND SO MANY FOLKS ON THE SOUTH SIDE OF SAN ANTONIO. WHAT I LOVED ABOUT IT WAS IT WASN'T JUST FOLKS IN BEXAR COUNTY, IT WAS PEOPLE AROUND BEXAR COUNTY DRIVING IN TO OUR COMMUNITY TO WORK AND PROVIDE AND GET A GOOD JOB FOR THEIR FAMILIES BACK HOME. IT'S A VERY IMPORTANT REGIONAL IMPACT. WE HAVE TO START THINKING ABOUT THE SOUTH TEXAS TRIANGLE MORE AND MORE AND OUR EFFORTS SOUTH OF TEXAS ALL THE WAY DOWN TO MEXICO. AND SO I JUST CAN'T THANK Y'ALL ENOUGH. IT'S SO MUCH WORK, NOT ONLY FOR YOUR PLANT AND YOUR EMPLOYEES BUT YOU ALL HAVE CONTRIBUTED AND DONE THINGS FOR THE COMMUNITY OUTSIDE OF YOUR OWN BUSINESS. HELPING WITH SCHOOLS, HELPING WITH THE CARS THAT THE KIDS BUILD OUT THERE AND GET TO RACE. BEING A SPONSOR, THAT'S FANTASTIC WORK. THANK YOU ALL SO MUCH. JCB HASN'T OPENED UP YET AND THEY'RE INVESTING IN OUR COMMUNITY. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THE WORK. IF YOU WATCHED YESTERDAY, DON'T WORRY. WE ARE FIGHTING TO DO SOMETHING ON ZARZAMORA SO WE ARE COMMITTED TO DOING SOMETHING. THANK Y'ALL FOR YOUR TIME AND FOR ALL THE WORK YOU PUT IN FOR OUR COMMUNITY. >> MAYOR JONES: THANK YOU. COUNCILMEMBER CASTILLO, PLEASE. >> CASTILLO: THANK YOU. JUST WOULD LIKE TO ALSO EXPRESS MY GRATITUDE FOR EACH AND EVERY ONE OF YOU ALL IN YOUR RESPECTIVE INDUSTRIES FOR PROVIDING OPPORTUNITY IN TERMS OF LIVABLE WAGES AND REAL QUALITY BENEFITS. BUT APPRECIATE THAT WE ALSO HAVE WORKFORCE SOLUTIONS HERE AS WELL BECAUSE IT TAKES THAT TRAINING AND UP SKILLING UP OUR WORKFORCE TO PROVIDE AND CONNECT TO THAT OPPORTUNITY WITHIN THE MANUFACTURING INDUSTRY. JUST APPRECIATE BOTH THE WORK OF FRANCISCO AND WORKFORCE SOLUTIONS AS WELL. WHAT I REALLY VALUE ABOUT THE MANUFACTURERS THAT ARE HERE TODAY WAS WHEN I HAVE CONVERSATIONS, FOR EXAMPLE, WITH SOMERSET ISD AND THEIR PARTNERSHIP WITH JCB, FOR EXAMPLE, I ASKED HOW THAT HAPPENED AND THEY SHARED IT WAS JCB BEING A GOOD NEIGHBOR AND HOW WE CAN CONNECT OUR STUDENTS TO CERTIFICATIONS AND THAT UPWARD MOBILITY AND WORKFORCE OPPORTUNITY AT JCB. I WANT TO APPRECIATE Y'ALL BEING GOOD PARTNERS WITH OUR SCHOOL DISTRICTS AND WITH THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO OPPORTUNITIES. THANK YOU ALL VERY MUCH. >> MAYOR JONES: THANK YOU. COUNCILMEMBER ALDERETE GAVITO, PLEASE. >> GAVITO: THANK YOU. WELCOME TO SAN ANTONIO AND CONGRATULATIONS ON THE NEW POSITION. THAT'S EXCITING. HUGE FAN OBVIOUSLY OF TOYOTA AND OBVIOUSLY -- I THINK WE ARE ALL SUPPORTIVE OF THE EXPANSION. BUT OBVIOUSLY MANUFACTURING PLAYS A CRITICAL ROLE IN OUR ECONOMY. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR ALL THAT YOU ALL ARE DOING TO KEEP YOUR FOOT ON THE GAS ON THIS. WE APPRECIATE Y'ALL'S EFFORTS. THAT'S WHAT I WANTED TO SAY WAS ABOUT THE OPPORTUNITY. BUT THANK YOU FOR ALL OF Y'ALL'S WORK AND EXCITED TO CELEBRATE Y'ALL. THANKS. >> MAYOR JONES: COUNCILMEMBER MEZA GONZALEZ. >> GONZALEZ: THANK YOU. I JUST WANTED TO THANK OUR LOCAL PARTNERS, OUR LOCAL SCHOOL DISTRICTS. THE SOONER THE BETTER. NORTHEAST AND NORTHSIDE ISD ALL HAVE PROGRAMS GEARED TOWARD MANUFACTURING AND S.T.E.M. STARTING THERE FROM WHAT TOYOTA AND WORKFORCE SOLUTIONS ALAMO IS DOING. THANK YOU TO OUR EDUCATORS AND OUR EMPLOYERS FOR BUILDING OUR REGION'S FUTURE. >> MAYOR JONES: COUNCILMEMBER WHYTE. >> WHYTE: SAME. THANKS FOR EVERYTHING Y'ALL ARE DOING. WHEN I LOOK AT THIS GROUP, I DON'T JUST SEE YOU BUT I SEE ALL THE FOLKS BEHIND YOU. THE JOBS THAT ARE CREATED FOR THE CITIZENS OF SAN ANTONIO. I DON'T THINK WE FOCUS ON THIS KIND OF STUFF ENOUGH. ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, BRINGING MORE AND MORE COMPANIES LIKE YOURS TO OUR CITY SO THAT THEY CAN HIRE OUR CITIZENS. SO THANKS FOR BEING HERE AND FOR EVERYTHING YOU DO. >> MAYOR JONES: THANK YOU. COUNCILMEMBER GALVAN, PLEASE. >> GALVAN: THANK YOU, MAYOR. THANK YOU ALL FOR BEING HERE TODAY TO CELEBRATE THIS MONTH. JUST REALLY QUICKLY I WANTED TO SAY THANK YOU TO YOUR ORGANIZATIONS FOR ALL THE [00:40:02] WORK YOU DO TO MAKE OUR ECONOMY RUN. I ALSO WANT TO RECOGNIZE OF COURSE THE HISTORICAL CONNECTION WE HAVE TO MANUFACTURING HERE IN OUR CITY. MANY OF THE FOLKS IN THE WEST, EAST, AND SOUTH SIDE OVER THE PAST HUNDREDS OF YEARS HAVE BEEN PART OF THE MANUFACTURING SECTOR HERE IN OUR CITY. WHETHER IT'S PECAN SHELLERS, TXDOT WORKERS, ALL ACROSS OUR CITY HAVE MADE OUR CITY MOVE AND OUR STATE GROW AND WE CONTINUE TO SEE THAT TODAY. THINKING ABOUT OF COURSE THE CORRIDOR ON 151 THAT HAS AN INCREDIBLE MANUFACTURING SECTOR AS WELL. THIS IS A PART OF OUR DNA TO BE A MAKER SOCIETY. TO BE A MAIN URBAN CENTER ACROSS THE ENTIRE STATE AND LITERALLY IN THE CENTER OF OUR COUNTRY. CREATING SUCH VALUABLE NOT ONLY WEALTH BUT MATERIALS AND PRODUCTS THAT OUR ENTIRE COUNTRY AND WORLD USES. I WANT TO RECOGNIZE THE WORK THAT YOU DO TO ENSURE OUR COMMUNITY IS FRONT AND CENTER IN THAT WORK. GRATEFUL TO SEE THIS COORDINATED EFFORT WITH THE CITY AS WELL TO GET YOU TO BUILD ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT THAT REACHES ALL FOLKS IN OUR COMMUNITY. THANK YOU, MAYOR. >> MAYOR JONES: THANK YOU. COUNCILMEMBER KAUR. >> KAUR: I WANTED TO GIVE A QUICK SHOUT OUT FOR APPRECIATION FOR YOUR SUPPORT FOR READY TO WORK. I KNOW THAT YOU ALL ARE KEY PARTNERS IN THAT PROGRAM AND IT IS SO IMPORTANT FOR YOUR ORGANIZATIONS BUT ALSO FOR OUR COMMUNITIES. I HAVE ACTUALLY HEARD FROM SPECIFIC FOLKS THAT HAVE BEEN PART OF READY TO WORK AND NOW ARE STILL WITH YOUR COMPANIES. THANK YOU FOR YOUR CONTINUED SUPPORT. WE'LL CONTINUE TO ADVOCATE TO MAKE SURE WE KEEP FULL FUNDING THERE. >> MAYOR JONES: APPRECIATE IN PARTICULAR -- I DON'T SEE HER HERE TODAY BUT SHE'S A CRITICAL PART OF THE PIPELINE, DR. LAWSTON. OH, I SEE THE FOLKS ON THE TEAM THERE. HAVING GOTTEN TO SPEAK TO SOME OF THOSE YOUNG PEOPLE GOING THROUGH THAT PROGRAM, I KNOW THEY'RE ENERGIZED ABOUT THE OPPORTUNITY. APPRECIATE ALL THAT YOU DO. THANK YOU. [APPLAUSE] WE'VE GOT A COUPLE OF POINTS [POINT OF PERSONAL PRIVILEGE  ] OF PRIVILEGE HERE. I AM REALLY EXCITED TO BRING UP MS. JOSIE BENAVIDES WITH MARIACHI CONNECTION . I GOT A CHANCE TO CELEBRATE ALONGSIDE HER AND HER MAGNIFICENT TEAM AND ALL THE COMMUNITY MEMBERS THAT SHE HAS HELPED THROUGHOUT THE YEARS. AND THIS IS A REAL TREASURE IN OUR COMMUNITY AND ONE THAT PROVIDES A GREAT RESOURCE THROUGHOUT THE -- NOT ONLY THE CITY AND STATE BUT THE WORLD. WHEN WE THINK ABOUT SOME OF THE CONNECTIONS THAT HAVE BEEN MADE. SO THIS STARTED 30 YEARS AGO WHEN JOSIE IDENTIFIED A PRACTICAL NEED IN SAN ANTONIO'S MARIACHI'S COMMUNITY. MUSICIANS WERE STRUGGLING TO FIND SUPPLIES LOCALLY. WHAT STARTED WITH SELLING HARD TO FIND ITEMS GREW INTO A BUSINESS SERVING MUSICIANS, DANCERS, SCHOOLS, AND PERFORMANCE GROUPS NATIONWIDE. WHAT THEY DIDN'T INCLUDE IN THE NOTES, JOSIE, IS WHERE YOU SOLD THEM FROM. YOU SOLD THEM FROM THE BACK OF YOUR CAR. LAST WEEKEND WHEN I ASKED IF YOU STILL HAD THAT CAR, YOU DIDN'T. YOU SHOULD HAVE SAVED THE CAR TO PRESERVE IT. SINCE 1996, THE MARIACHI CONNECTION HAS GROWN INTO THE NATION'S LARGEST SUPPLIER, DEDICATED TO MARIACHI AND FOLKLORICO WHILE ITS WEST COMMERCE STREET HOME HAS BECOME A GATHERING PLACE FOR STUDENTS, EDUCATORS, PERFORMERS, AND FAMILIES. THEIR CONTRIBUTION IS EDUCATIONAL AS MUCH AS CULTURAL. BY HELPING SCHOOLS AND STUDENTS ACCESS INSTRUMENTS, ATTIRE, AND OTHER RESOURCES, THEY SUPPORT PROGRAMS WHEN PEOPLE ARE DEVELOPING DISCIPLINE, CONFIDENCE, COLLABORATION, AND LEADERSHIP ALONGSIDE THEIR MUSICAL AND ARTISTIC SKILLS. THEY ARE MARKING THEIR 30TH ANNIVERSARY BY INVESTING DIRECTLY IN WHAT COMES NEXT. THEIR CELEBRATION LAUNCHED FUNDRAISING TO PROVIDE HIGHER-EDUCATION SCHOLARSHIPS FOR STUDENTS PARTICIPATING IN MARIACHI AND BALLET FOLKLORICO. HELPING THOSE STUDENTS CONTINUE THEIR EDUCATION WHILE STAYING CONNECTED TO THE CULTURAL TRADITIONS THEY HAVE HELPED CARRY FORWARD. SMALL BUSINESS STORY AND A CULTURAL PRESERVATION STORY. A LOCALLY-FOUNDED BUSINESS GREW INTO A NATIONAL RESOURCE WHILE CONTINUING TO SUPPORT THE STUDENTS, EDUCATORS, MUSICIANS, AND DANCERS, KEEPING MARIACHI AND BALLET FOLKLORICO ALIVE. THANK YOU FOR MAKING US SO PROUD. LET ME SEE IF ANY OF MY COLLEAGUES WOULD LIKE TO SAY SOMETHING. COUNCILWOMAN CASTILLO. >> CASTILLO: THANK YOU. CONGRATULATIONS FOR 30 YEARS. AND THANK YOU FOR KEEPING AND REMAINING IN THE WEST SIDE ON WEST COMMERCE. IT'S A HISTORICAL CORRIDOR, NOT JUST FOR THE WEST SIDE BUT THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR REMAINING GROUNDED AND COMMITTED TO THE WEST SIDE. AND ALSO, AS MENTIONED, THERE ARE FOLKS FROM ALL AROUND THE WORLD THAT COME [00:45:02] TO THE MARIACHI CONNECTION. I THINK ABOUT ONE OF MY FAVORITE RAPPERS, PAUL WAHL, THE ORIGINAL PEOPLE'S CHAMP. HE GOES TO THE MARIACHI CONNECTION TO GET CLOTHING FOR HIS KIDS WHO ARE IN MARIACHI. SO JUST APPRECIATE YOUR ROLE, YOUR COMMITMENT, AND OF COURSE YOUR PRESERVATION OF THE MEXICAN AMERICAN IDENTITY. NOT JUST IN SAN ANTONIO BUT ACROSS THE UNITED STATES. SO, THANK YOU. >> MAYOR JONES: COUNCILWOMAN ALDERETE GAVITO, PLEASE. >> GAVITO: THANK YOU, JOSIE. WHAT AN AMAZING STORY. 30 YEARS AS A SMALL BUSINESS. BUT ALSO, AS A MOM OF TWO GIRLS WHO HAVE DONE FOLKLORICO, I AM SENDING THE MOMS Y'ALL'S WAY. IT'S SO FUNNY BECAUSE IN THE LAST FOLKLORICO RECITAL, ONE OF THE MOMS BOUGHT HER DAUGHTER'S OUTFIT ON AMAZON AND IT WAS SUPER HIGH WATER ON THE LITTLE GIRL. OF COURSE SHE'S HAVING A MELTDOWN. I WAS LIKE, SEE. YOU SHOULD HAVE GONE TO MARIACHI CONNECTION. EVERY TIME I HAVE GONE IN THERE WITH MY GIRLS, Y'ALL HAVE BEEN AMAZING. OF COURSE MY GIRLS GET SO EXCITED AND THEIR FACES LIGHT UP WHEN THEY SEE THE BEAUTIFUL GOWNS ON THEM. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR ALL THAT Y'ALL HAVE DONE FOR MY TWO GIRLS BUT ALSO OUR SCHOOL AS WELL AS SCHOOLS AND PEOPLE THROUGHOUT OUR COMMUNITY. THANK YOU. >> MAYOR JONES: THANK YOU. [APPLAUSE] COUNCILMEMBER MUNGIA IS RECOGNIZED. >> MUNGIA: THANK YOU, MAYOR. WE HAVE SOME VERY IMPORTANT BOBCATS HERE. SO HAPPY TO INVITE SOUTH SAN SUPERINTENDENT DR. HINOJOSA AND DEPUTY SUPERINTENDENT DR. GUTIERREZ . I WANTED TO BRING Y'ALL HERE TODAY BECAUSE THERE IS AN AMAZING STORY THAT GOT BURIED IN THE PRESS. THAT IS WITH THE TEA ACCOUNTABILITY RATINGS GRADES THAT CAME OUT. SOUTH SAN INCREASED THEIR GRADE BY 10 POINTS. THE LARGEST INCREASE OF ANY -- [APPLAUSE] THE LARGEST INCREASE OF ANY SCHOOL DISTRICT IN BEXAR COUNTY. AND FOR SO MANY YEARS Y'ALL WERE KIND OF LOCKED INTO A CERTAIN GRADE. WITH THIS 10 POINTS YOU MOVED UP A WHOLE LETTER GRADE. SO THAT JUST GOES TO CREDIT TO THE STAFF, THE TEAM, THE BOARD OF MANAGERS BECAUSE IT'S AMAZING WHAT HAPPENS WHEN THE DISTRICT AND ITS LEADERS PUT STUDENT OUTCOMES FIRST. AND THAT'S THE MOST IMPORTANT THING WE CAN DO. SO SOUTH SAN IS CERTAINLY REBOUNDING TO DOING SO MUCH BETTER. SO MUCH BETTER THAN MY SEVEN MONTHS THERE MANY YEARS AGO. I'M SO PROUD OF Y'ALL. THANK YOU FOR COMING AND I WANT TO RECOGNIZE YOU AND ALL THE WORK THAT'S BEEN HAPPENING. FOR SO MANY YEARS, SOUTH SAN, PEOPLE WANTED TO HAVE A NEGATIVE STORY ABOUT BUT TODAY THINGS HAVE CHANGED AND THINGS ARE ON THE RISE. IF YOU WANT TO SAY A COUPLE OF WORDS, DR. HINOJOSA. >> IT'S AN HONOR TO BE HERE. THANK YOU, COUNCILMAN MUNGIA FOR YOUR KIND WORDS IN RECOGNIZING THE DISTRICT. ALL OF YOU GUYS HAVE BEEN STRONG ADVOCATES FOR PUBLIC EDUCATION, ESPECIALLY COUNCILMAN MUNGIA AND COUNCILWOMAN CASTILLO WHO REPRESENTS SOUTH SAN ISD. ALL OF THIS WORK COULDN'T HAVE BEEN DONE WITHOUT THE HARD WORK OF OUR TEACHERS WHO ARE REALLY WORKING TO BREAK BARRIERS. WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT A ZIP CODE DOESN'T DETERMINE THE QUALITY OF EDUCATION A STUDENT RECEIVES. WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE HAVE HIGH EXPECTATIONS FOR ALL OUR STUDENTS SO WHEN THEY GRADUATE THEY CAN GET THOSE JOBS AT THE JCBS AND THE TOYOTAS. IT DOESN'T HAVE TO BE OUTSOURCED TO OTHER COMMUNITIES. AGAIN, WE'RE HONORED TO BE HERE. I DO WANT TO RECOGNIZE DR. JENNIFER GUTIERREZ, WHO OVERSEES OUR ACADEMIC TEAM, WHO REALLY WAS THE ARCHITECT AND THE LEADER BEHIND -- JUST BEING INSTRUMENTAL IN OUR SUCCESS. WE'RE HONORED TO BE HERE AND WE WANT TO THANK YOU FOR THE RECOGNITION AND THE ACKNOWLEDGMENT. >> MUNGIA: THANK YOU SO MUCH. APPRECIATE IT. >> MAYOR JONES: COUNCILMEMBER KAUR, PLEASE. >> KAUR: THANK YOU. I WANT TO CONGRATULATE YOU ALL ON ALL YOUR HARD WORK. I GOT TO MEET DR. HINOJOSA WHEN HE WAS AT SOMERSET ISD. I BELIEVE THAT LEADERSHIP IS THE KEY DIFFERENCE IN MAKING OUR SCHOOLS A SUCCESS. SO I APPRECIATE EVERYTHING THAT YOU HAVE DONE AND ALSO WANTED TO SHOUT OUT COUNCILMEMBER MUNGIA BECAUSE HE USED TO BE A BOARD MEMBER AT SOUTH SAN AND STARTED THE PUSH TO MAKING SURE THAT WHAT IS HAPPENING IN CLASSROOMS LED BY TEACHERS IS REALLY IMPORTANT. I KNOW WITH YOUR LEADERSHIP AND YOUR TEAM'S LEADERSHIP YOU GUYS WILL CONTINUE TO HAVE GREAT SUCCESS THERE. CONGRATULATIONS. WHAT YOU DID IS NO EASY FEAT. THANKS, MAYOR. >> MAYOR JONES: COUNCILMEMBER VIAGRAN, PLEASE. >> VIAGRAN: YES. WHILE SOUTH SAN DOES NOT SIT IN MY DISTRICT, A LOT OF MY NEIGHBORS AND COMMUNITY COUNT ON YOU. AND THIS IS THEIR LEGACY OVER AT SOUTH SAN. DR. HINOJOSA, I AM SUPER EXCITED TO HAVE YOU HERE ALSO. AWARE OF ALL THE HARD WORK YOU DID IN SOMERSET SO I WAS ECSTATIC WHEN I KNEW YOU WERE COMING TO SOUTH SAN AND [00:50:03] WORKING ON THAT DISTRICT. CONGRATULATIONS BUT I KIND OF EXPECTED IT. JOB WELL DONE. >> MAYOR JONES: COUNCILMEMBER CASTILLO, PLEASE. >> CASTILLO: THANK YOU. CONGRATULATIONS, SUPERINTENDENT HINOJOSA AND DR. GUTIERREZ FOR YOUR WORK IN LEADERSHIP IN FOSTERING AN EDUCATION THAT WE KNOW MANY KIDS ARE GOING TO WANT TO MOVE INTO. GRATEFUL FOR PUTTING THE SOUTH SIDE ON THE MAP. I KNOW I HIGHLIGHTED THE PROGRAMS AT SOMERSET BUT AGAIN THAT WAS MANY PROGRAMS THAT TOOK OFF UNDER YOUR LEADERSHIP, SUPERINTENDENT HINOJOSA. JUST GRATEFUL TO SEE THE DIRECTION THAT SOUTH SAN IS HEADING IN. OF COURSE WITH GREAT LEADERSHIP ON THE SOUTH SIDE. THANK YOU AND CONTINUE THE GREAT WORK. ALWAYS HERE TO SUPPORT IN ANY WAY WE CAN. PLEASE REACH OUT TO US. THANK YOU. >> MAYOR JONES: THANK YOU. COUNCILMEMBER GALVAN, PLEASE. >> GALVAN: THANK YOU, MAYOR. THANK YOU ALL FOR BEING HERE TODAY AND FOR ALL THE INCREDIBLE WORK YOU HAVE DONE AND CONTINUE TO DO NOT ONLY IN SOUTH SAN BUT FOR OUR ENTIRE REGION. OF COURSE YOU HAVE INCREDIBLE CHAMPIONS HERE ON THE DAIS AS WELL AS ON THE EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITIES COMMITTEE MEETINGS, WHICH I WILL SAY YOU MAY BE SUMMONED SOON TO LET US KNOW WHAT THINGS WE CAN DO TO SUPPORT YOU ALL. AND TO MAKE SURE THIS IS A TREND ACROSS OUR ENTIRE CITY. WHEN WE TALK ABOUT EDUCATION, IT'S A HUGE PASSION OF MINE. IT'S BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, DESPITE THE FACT THAT CITIES TYPICALLY AREN'T THE ONES WHO OVERSEE EDUCATION IN TEXAS, WHEN I TALK TO RESIDENTS IN OUR COMMUNITY ABOUT THE IMPORTANCE OF EDUCATION, WE RECOGNIZE WHEN IT COMES TO A CITY PERSPECTIVE, BETTER EDUCATION MEANS A BETTER ECONOMY BUT ALSO MEANS FOR RESIDENTS WHO ARE LOOKING FOR A PLACE TO LIVE, WHAT THEY LOOK FOR. WE LOOK FOR A SAFE PLACE TO LIVE, AFFORDABLE HOUSE, AND A GOOD SCHOOL TO SEND THEIR KIDS TO. WHEN YOU ALL SUCCEED, OUR CITY SUCCEEDS TOO, ESPECIALLY IN OUR URBAN CORE. WE'RE LOOKING FOR WAYS TO DEVELOP INTERNALLY AND SOUTH SAN YOU ALL AGAIN. KEEP UP THE GOOD WORK. THANK YOU TO ALL YOUR STAFF, TEACHERS, AND PARENTS WHO SUPPORTED YOUR STUDENTS TO MAKE SURE THIS IS ALL POSSIBLE. THANK YOU, MAYOR. >> MAYOR JONES: THANK YOU. [APPLAUSE] >> MAYOR JONES: COUNCILMEMBER ALDERETE GAVITO IS RECOGNIZED. >> GAVITO: THANK YOU. TODAY I AM SO EXCITED TO RECOGNIZE AN ORGANIZATION THAT HAS PLAYED AN IMPORTANT ROLE IN THE CITY AND THE REGION AS IT COMES TO A CLOSE. WOULD THE TEAM FROM SA DIGITAL CONNECTS PLEASE COME TO THE PODIUM? AS YOU MAY KNOW, I HAD THE PRIVILEGE OF SERVING AS THE FOUNDING EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF SA DIGITAL CONNECTS AND I REMEMBER WHEN ANITA AND I WERE -- AND OLIVIA WERE AT THEIR OCI OFFICES, YOU KNOW, STARTING IT FROM SCRATCH. IT WAS SUCH A REALLY GREAT TIME. BUT REALLY IT STARTED AFTER COVID. WE ALL SAW THE PICTURE OF THE LINES AT THE FOOD BANK OF CARS AND ROWS AND ROWS OF CARS. WE KNOW WE ALL NEEDED TO GET TOGETHER AS A COMMUNITY TO GET OURSELVES OUT OF THAT PICTURE, OF THAT HIGH-POVERTY RATE. AND WHAT WE RECOGNIZED AND OUR BOARD RECOGNIZED IS THAT ONE OF THE BEST WAYS TO DO THAT IS FOR EVERYONE TO HAVE ACCESS TO THE INTERNET. IT GIVES KIDDOS ACCESS TO THEIR SCHOOLWORK. IT GIVES PEOPLE THE ABILITY TO APPLY FOR COLLEGE. IT GIVES PEOPLE THE ABILITY TO APPLY FOR A JOB. WE SAW IT FROM THE GET-GO THAT INTERNET ACCESS IS A UTILITY. WE SHOULD ALL HAVE ACCESS TO THE INTERNET. WE SAW AT THAT TIME SEVERAL PARTS OF SAN ANTONIO DIDN'T HAVE THAT. AND SO WHAT BEGAN AS A RECOGNITION THAT SAN ANTONIO NEEDED A MORE COORDINATED APPROACH TO DIGITAL INCLUSION GREW INTO A REGIONAL PUBLIC AND PRIVATE COMMUNITY PARTNERSHIP INVOLVING MORE THAN 300 ORGANIZATIONS OVER THE LIFE OF THE WORK. THERE WERE SO MANY KEY PLAYERS AND I SEE SO MANY OF THEM HERE TODAY WHO JOINED FORCES WITH US AND SAID, HEY, WE'VE GOT TO PULL TOGETHER. IT WASN'T JUST ON ANY ONE PERSON, IT WAS A COLLECTIVE UNIT. THAT'S WHAT MAKES ME SO PROUD OF THIS WORK. SO TODAY AS DIGITAL CONNECTS CONCLUDES ITS WORK, I WANT TO TAKE A MOMENT TO RECOGNIZE WHAT THIS COMMUNITY BUILT TOGETHER . IT WAS ABOUT WHETHER PEOPLE HAD RELIABLE INTERNET, COULD AFFORD TO MAINTAIN THE SERVICES IN THEIR HOME. THAT WAS A HUGE THING. HAD COMPUTERS OR LAPTOPS IN THEIR HOME AND HAD THE SKILLS TO APPLY -- TO USE THOSE SKILLS SAFELY. WE STILL SEE THAT CONSTANTLY. WE'RE TRYING TO GET OUR OLDER ADULTS CONNECTED TO THE INTERNET SO THEY CAN SOCIALIZE AND SO PEOPLE CAN CONNECT THEMSELVES TO OPPORTUNITY. SA DIGITAL CONNECT'S ROLE WAS TO BRING PEOPLE TOGETHER, ALIGN RESOURCES AND INVESTMENTS AND CREATE A STRATEGY FOR DIGITAL [00:55:02] OPPORTUNITY. THE PARTNERSHIP LED TO THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE SAN ANTONIO/BEXAR COUNTY DIGITAL INVESTMENT PLAN. IT DEVELOPED LOCALIZED DATA SOURCES AND TOOLS TO HELP US BETTER UNDERSTAND WHERE OUR NEEDS EXISTED. IT CONVENED PARTNERS AND ENGAGED IN POLICY CONVERSATIONS AT THE LOCAL, STATE, AND FEDERAL LEVELS. THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO AND BEXAR COUNTY'S PUBLIC LEADERSHIP AND INVESTMENT WERE FOUNDATIONAL TO THIS WORK. ERIK WALSH AND HIS TEAM, JUDGE WOLFF AT THE TIME AND NOW JUDGE SAKAI WERE WONDERFUL ADVOCATES AND SUPPORTERS. I WANT TO RECOGNIZE THE COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS, SCHOOLS, PRIVATE SECTOR PARTNERS, INTERNET SERVICE PROVIDERS AND PHILANTHROPIC PARTNERS WHO CHIPPED IN TO MAKE THIS HAPPEN. I ALSO WANT TO RECOGNIZE THE MANY INDIVIDUALS WHO GAVE THEIR TIME, THEIR EXPERTISE, AND THEIR LEADERSHIP TO THIS EFFORT, INCLUDING THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS, COMMUNITY LEADERS, ADVOCATES, AND PARTNERS WHO SHOW UP AGAIN AND AGAIN TO MOVE THIS WORK FORWARD. AS SA DIGITAL CONNECTS COMES TO A CLOSE, THE WORK DOES NOT. THE FOUNDATION AND RELATIONSHIPS ARE HERE AND THE RESPONSIBILITY NOW BELONGS TO ALL OF US. THANK YOU SO MUCH TO EVERYONE WHO HELPED MAKE THIS HAPPEN. I DO HAVE TO GIVE A QUICK SHOUT OUT TO THE FOUNDING TEAM. I KNOW LOUISA WAS MY FIRST BOSS. YOU KNOW, SHE WAS OUR FIRST BOARD CHAIR. I SEE BRIAN, LAURA, ANITA, LEE, DIANE. DIANE WAS A FIRECRACKER AND KEPT US GOING. MICHELLE AND MARCY. CONGRATULATIONS TO ALL INVOLVED. SORRY. LET ME BACK UP. THERE WAS ALSO SO MANY ORGANIZATIONS. WHEN WE WERE IN OUR FOUNDING TEAM, THERE WERE SO MANY ORGANIZATIONS WHO JUMPED IN RIGHT AWAY. I HAD MELINDA FROM TOYOTA. I ALSO SEE MELINDA FROM FAMILY SERVICES. GIRLS, INC., MARIO FROM THE FOOD BANK, DAN WITH FROST BANK. THERE WERE SO MANY ORGANIZATIONS WHO JUMPED IN, SAW THIS NEED, HAD OUR BACK, AND TOGETHER WE MADE THIS HAPPEN. SO I'LL TURN IT OVER TO THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR TO SAY A FEW WORDS. >> THANK YOU, COUNCILWOMAN. AND THANK YOU, MAYOR JONES AND COUNCIL FOR RECOGNIZING SA DIGITAL CONNECTS TODAY. IT'S REALLY ESPECIALLY MEANINGFUL TO HEAR YOU REFLECT ON THE WORK BECAUSE YOU REALLY HELPED TURN THAT ORIGINAL IDEA INTO AN ORGANIZATION THAT MADE A LOT OF PROGRESS OVER THE YEARS. AND HAD A STRONG FOUNDATION MOVING FORWARD. THANK YOU. WE STARTED WITH A CHALLENGE THAT WAS TOO SIGNIFICANT TO ADDRESS THROUGH ISOLATED EFFORTS. OVER THE PAST FEW YEARS WE BUILT A COORDINATED APPROACH THAT BROUGHT TOGETHER GOVERNMENT, PHILANTHROPY, BUSINESS, SCHOOLS, HIGHER EDUCATION, AND INTERNET SERVICE PROVIDERS. NONE OF THE WORK COULD HAVE BEEN ACCOMPLISHED ALONE BY ONE ORGANIZATION AND THE PARTNERSHIP MODEL WAS THE KEY TO OUR SUCCESS. NOT ONLY DID WE CREASE A COMPREHENSIVE PLAN, WE DEVELOPED DATA AND SHARED RESOURCES. WE CONVENED PARTNERS. MANY ARE HERE TODAY. SUPPORTED ACCESS TO DEVICES AND DIGITAL SKILLS TRAINING AND BUILT A CROSS-SECTOR ECOSYSTEM THAT SEES DIGITAL OPPORTUNITY AS A COMMON THREAD IN MAJOR FACTORS RELATED TO ECONOMIC MOBILITY, SUCH AS WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT, EDUCATION, HEALTHCARE, HOUSING, AND TRANSPORTATION. THANK YOU AGAIN TO THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO AND CITY MANAGER WALSH AND HIS LEADERSHIP TEAM FOR THEIR SUPPORT. TO MY OLD TEAM IN THE OFFICE OF INNOVATION WHO STARTED A LOT OF THIS WORK, BRIAN, AND TO THE ITSD TEAM, CRAIG AND HIS TEAM WHO DID A LOT OF THE EARLY GROUNDWORK FOR THE INFRASTRUCTURE WORK THAT HAPPENED TO GET INTERNET ACCESS TO OVER 25,000 HOMES ACROSS THE CITY. WE'RE GRATEFUL TO MEMBERS OF CITY COUNCIL WHO HAVE CONSISTENTLY CHAMPIONED DIGITAL OPPORTUNITY THROUGHOUT THE LIFE OF OUR ORGANIZATION. MANY HAVE ATTENDED OUR CONVENINGS AND LAPTOP DISTRIBUTION EVENTS. COUNCILMAN MUNGIA, COUNCILWOMAN KAUR AND COUNCILWOMAN CASTILLO, AND OF COURSE COUNCILWOMAN VIAGRAN YOU HAVE BEEN A REALLY BIG PART OF THIS FOR A LONG TIME. THANK YOU. FOR ALL OF YOUR LEADERSHIP ALSO IN KEEPING DIGITAL OPPORTUNITY ON THE COMMUNITY AGENDA AND ULTIMATELY STRENGTHENING THE FOUNDATION THAT WE BUILT FOR ACCESS TO ESSENTIAL SERVICES. I WANT TO SHOUT OUT TO BEXAR COUNTY AS WELL. COMMISSIONERS KAUR AND LAURA, DIRECTOR OF BIBLIOTECH, WHO IS A FOUNDING BOARD MEMBER. WE ALSO HAVE OUR BOARD CHAIR WITH VIA. WE HAVE CO-VICE CHAIRS WITH FROST AND TOYOTA. AND OUR ORIGINAL BOARD CHAIR AND COMMUNITY LEADER, LOUISA. A REALLY BIG THANK YOU TO THE COMMUNITY PARTNERS THAT ARE HERE TODAY AND THOSE THAT ARE NOT. [01:00:02] RELATIONSHIPS AND THE COMPREHENSIVE SERVICES AND ALL THE CARE AND ATTENTION YOU AND YOUR ORGANIZATIONS GIVE TO OUR NEIGHBORS EVERY SINGLE DAY. WE HAVE RESTORE EDUCATION WITH US. GIRL, INC. WE HAVE DIGITAL LIFT. WHO ELSE? MHM FAMILY SERVICE, FOOD BANK -- DID I MISS ANYBODY? THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE. THIS FINAL PHASE OF WORK IS FOCUSED ON DOCUMENTING OUR MODEL, ASSESSING COMMUNITY IMPACT, AND MAKING SURE THE OUTPUTS WE CREATED REMAIN USEFUL BEYOND THE LIFE OF THE ORGANIZATION. IN A COUPLE OF WEEKS WE'RE EXCITED TO SHARE OUR IMPACT REPORT, WHICH WE PARTNERED WITH BETTER FUTURE INSTITUTES, UTSA, AND THE OCI GROUP. NEXT WEEK WE HAVE A VERY SPECIAL ANNOUNCEMENT OF OUR SA DIGITAL CONNECTS LEGACY FUND TO BE STEWARDED BY A COMMUNITY ORGANIZATION THAT HAS BEEN HERE IN OUR COMMUNITY FOR A LONG TIME. SO WE'RE EXCITED TO ANNOUNCE THAT. IT'S A MECHANISM TO CONTINUE INVESTMENT IN DIGITAL OPPORTUNITY BEYOND SA DIGITAL CONNECTS. WE LOOK FORWARD TO SHARING MORE WITH EVERYONE SOON. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME TODAY. THANK YOU, COUNCILWOMAN, FOR YOUR WORK AND YOUR COMMITMENT TO THIS WORK OVER THE YEARS. >> GAVITO: THANK YOU. ALSO, YES, METHODIST HEALTH CARE MINISTRIES. ALSO TOO I DO WANT TO QUICKLY POINT OUT THIS IS A GREAT EXAMPLE OF A NONPROFIT WHO'S SAYING, HEY, OUR WORK IS DONE. WE CAN DISBAND. WE CAN GO OUR SEPARATE WAYS. THE WORK WILL CONTINUE BUT WE DON'T HAVE TO KEEP GOING ON AND ON AND ON. I APPRECIATE THAT. YOU KNOW, THERE'S SO MANY, YOU KNOW, WE ALL KNOW THAT SAN ANTONIO HAS A TON OF NONPROFITS AND SO IT'S HELPFUL WHEN YOU HAVE A GOAL, YOU ACCOMPLISH THE GOAL, GOT IT, CHECK OFF THE LIST. AND THEN WE'LL GO TACKLE THE NEXT PROBLEM. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR RECOGNIZING THAT. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR ALL OF THE PARTNERS. THERE'S SO MANY TO MENTION BUT TOGETHER WE DID SOMETHING PRETTY AWESOME. THANK YOU. >> MAYOR JONES: COUNCILMEMBER VIAGRAN, PLEASE. >> VIAGRAN: THANK YOU. SO AS MY FIRST TERM AND KIDS WERE IN THE PARKING LOTS AND BRIAN DILLARD WAS ON STAFF WITH THE OFFICE OF INNOVATION. SO WAS RHEA, AND WE STARTED HAVING THESE MEETINGS BECAUSE WE KNEW THERE WAS A NEED. AND I KNEW THERE WAS A NEED IN TERMS OF CONNECTIVITY. BRIAN WOULD BE THERE AT THE MEETINGS AND I HAD ONE COUNCILMEMBER THAT SAID WHY CAN'T WE ALL USE THE CELL TOWERS? I WOULD TELL BRIAN I DO NOT WANT EVERYTHING ABOVE THE HEAD ON CELL TOWERS. WE NEED CONNECTIVITY. WE NEED SPEED. I APPRECIATE ALL YOUR WORK AND EFFORTS AND Y'ALL HAVE DONE SO MUCH IN COMING TOGETHER AND MAKING SURE THAT THEY WERE -- EVERYBODY WAS CONNECTED. AND WE HAVE THAT CONNECTIVITY. THEY KNOW WHEN THEY'RE CONNECTED TO HIGH-SPEED INTERNET. THEY KNOW WHEN THEY'RE CONNECTED TO THE DEVICE NOW BUT THERE'S STILL WORK TO BE DONE. I LOOK FORWARD TO THAT NEXT PHASE AD I LOOK FORWARD TO WORKING WITH ALL OF YOU AS WE GO OUT INTO THE COMMUNITY, WHERE WE TALK ABOUT ACCESSIBILITY. WE TALK ABOUT THE DEVICES AND WE TALK ABOUT THE LITERACY AS WE GO THERE. AND THE TASK IS GOING TO BE MONUMENTAL SO I THINK IT'S RIGHT THAT WE CLOSE THIS CHAPTER ON DIGITAL CONNECTS BUT WE NEED TO GET TOGETHER SOON AND OPEN UP THE NEXT CHAPTER BECAUSE THE NEXT CHAPTER, AS WE ALL KNOW, IS AI. AND START HAVING THOSE CONVERSATIONS. SO WITH A TEAM LIKE THAT THAT WAS ABLE TO DO THIS -- I APPRECIATE TOYOTA SO MUCH BECAUSE TOYOTA SAW THE NEED ON THE SOUTH SIDE AND STEPPED UP VERY QUICKLY. AND THEN THE PARTNERS FROM METHODIST AND GIRLS, INC., ALL OF YOU JUST CAME AND STARTED TO HELP AND SAY YES. WE WILL HELP. AND OATS WITH THE SENIORS. I LOOK FORWARD TO THIS NEXT CHAPTER AND SEEING HOW WE GET PEOPLE CONNECTED AND SEEING HOW WE MOVE SAN ANTONIO FORWARD. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR EFFORTS. BRIAN, YOU'VE COME A LONG WAY. AND RHEA, GREAT JOB. THANK YOU. >> MAYOR JONES: THANK YOU. [APPLAUSE] THE NEXT ITEM IS THE CITY MANAGER'S REPORT. MARIA, OVER TO YOU, PLEASE. [CONSENT AGENDA  ] >> VILLAGOMEZ: THANK YOU, MAYOR. NO REPORT TODAY. >> MAYOR JONES: THANK YOU. ITEMS 5 THROUGH 17 ARE ON THE CONSENT AGENDA. THEY WILL BE CONSIDERED AS A GROUP AND THERE WILL NO BE A STAFF PRESENTATION UNLESS PULLED FOR INDIVIDUAL CONSIDERATION. ITEM 13 WAS WITHDRAWN BY THE APPLICANT. ITEM 8 IS BEING PULLED BY COUNCILWOMAN VIAGRAN. ARE THERE ANY ITEMS COUNCIL MEMBERS WOULD LIKE TO PULL FROM THE CONSENT AGENDA TO BE HEARD INDIVIDUALLY? >> VIAGRAN: NO. 8. >> MAYOR JONES: YES. NO. 8 IS ALREADY PULLED. OKAY. WE'VE GOT SEVERAL INDIVIDUALS FROM THE PUBLIC THAT ARE SIGNED UP TO SPEAK. OKAY. [01:05:04] I'LL CALL INDIVIDUALS UP IN THE ORDER THAT THEY SIGNED UP TO SPEAK ON THE CONSENT AGENDA. THE FIRST PERSON IS LOUISE VASQUEZ FOLLOWED BY JACK FINGER AND THEN JAQUELINE ALI. ALL INDIVIDUALS WILL HAVE THREE MINUTES TO SPEAK. GROUPS OF THREE OR MORE WILL HAVE A TOTAL OF NINE MINUTES. LOUISE, PLEASE. >> GOOD MORNING, MAYOR JONES AND COUNCIL MEMBERS. MY NAME IS LUIS VASQUEZ, I'M THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF THE LGBTQ CHAMBER OF COMMERCE. I'M HERE IN SUPPORT OF ITEM 15, THE DESIGNATION OF A PORTION OF NORTH MAIN AVENUE AS ERIKA ANDREWS MEMORIAL WAY. IT IS MEANINGFUL THAT IT COMES BEFORE CITY COUNCIL TODAY ON THE FIRST DAY OF NATIONAL LGBT HISTORY MONTH AND THIS DESIGNATION WILL BE LOCATED IN THE HEART OF THE SAN ANTONIO'S PRIDE CULTURAL HERITAGE DISTRICT . ERIKA ANDREWS WAS AN INTERNATIONALLY-RECOGNIZED TRANSGENDER PERFORMER AND COMMUNITY FIGURE WHO CALLED SAN ANTONIO HOME. HER LEGACY IS PART OF THE HISTORY ON NORTH MAIN IN THE LGBT COMMUNITY THAT HELPED SHAPE THAT CORRIDOR. IN THE CHAMBER WE ARE ACTIVELY WORKING WITH BUSINESSES AND COMMUNITY PARTNERS AND STAKEHOLDERS TO REIMAGINE THE NORTH MAIN CORRIDOR AND BRINGING GREATER ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITY TO THE DISTRICT. AN IMPORTANT PART OF THAT WORK IS PRESERVING THE HISTORY AND CULTURAL IDENTITY THAT MAKES THIS NEIGHBORHOOD UNIQUE. WHEN WE RECOGNIZE PEOPLE AND THE STORIES THEY ARE CONNECTED, IT STRENGTHENS THE IDENTITY. IT CREATES OPPORTUNITIES FOR PLACEMAKING, CULTURAL TOURISM, INCREASED VISITATION, AND GREATER VISIBILITY FOR THE LOCALLY-OWNED BUSINESSES ANCHORED IN THIS CORRIDOR. ERIKA'S MEMORIAL WAY REPRESENTS BOTH PRESERVATION AND PROGRESS. IT HONORS THE LGBT HISTORY WHILE CONTRIBUTING TO THE ECONOMIC VITALITY OF NORTH MAIN. I WOULD LIKE TO THANK COUNCILWOMAN SUKH AND THE OFFICE OF DISTRICT 1 FOR BRINGING THIS HISTORY FORWARD. AND TO THE COMMUNITY MEMBERS WHOSE WORK HAS HELPED PRESERVE ERIKA'S LEGACY. WE RESPECTFULLY ASK THAT YOU SUPPORT THIS ORDINANCE BECAUSE LGBT HISTORY IS SAN ANTONIO HISTORY AS WELL. THANK YOU . >> MAYOR JONES: JACK FINGER FOLLOWED BY JAQUELINE ALI. >> WELL, MADAME MAYOR, OTHER MEMBERS OF OUR ILLUSTRIOUS SAN ANTONIO CITY COUNCIL. MY NAME IS JACK M. FINGER AND I WOULD LIKE TO SEE EXACTLY WHAT YOU'RE VOTING ON TODAY. ESPECIALLY IN REGARDS TO THE LAST SPEAKER THAT CAME TO THIS PODIUM. ITEM NO. 15. WHAT DOES IT SAY, MR. AUDIO-VISUAL MAN? BLOW IT UP THERE. ORDINANCE APPROVING THE MEMORIAL STREET NAME DESIGNATION OF A PORTION OF NORTH MAIN AVENUE, LOCATED BETWEEN EAST CYPRESS STREET AND EAST ASHBY PLACE AS ERICA ANDREWS MEMORIAL WAY. RETURN THE CAMERA, IF YOU WOULD. WHO EXACTLY WAS ERICA ANDREWS? HE WAS EDDIE SALAZAR, WHO TRANSFORMED HIMSELF WITH SOME FEMALE ATTRIBUTES TO BECOME A DRAG QUEEN PERFORMER. DRAG QUEEN PERFORMER. AND YOU ARE GOING TO VOTE AND LET IT SAIL RIGHT ON THROUGH WITH THE CONSENT AGENDA. RENAMING A PORTION OF MAIN AVENUE. MAIN STREET. A MAIN STREET HERE IN SAN ANTONIO THAT MANY OF OUR PEDESTRIANS AND MOTORISTS TRAVEL UPON. BUT, YOU KNOW, BESIDES ALL THE, YES, IMMORAL FACETS ABOUT THIS THAT WE COULD GO INTO, I THINK WHAT YOU NEED TO DO IS REALLY LOOK AT SOME OF THE TECHNICAL THINGS THAT REALLY PRECLUDE ANY OF THIS HERE. YEAH. THE NOMINATION -- SCROLL DOWN TO THE NEXT PARAGRAPH. THE NOMINEE BORN EDDIE SALAZAR IN MEXICO WAS AN ENTERTAINER AND DRAG PAGEANT PERFORMER. IT SAYS NO DOCUMENTED RECORD OF CIVIC LEADERSHIP, PUBLIC SERVICE, INSTITUTIONAL FOUNDING, OR MEASURABLE COMMUNITY BENEFIT HAS BEEN PRESENTED IN THE PUBLIC FILINGS OR PRESS COVERAGE SUPPORTING THIS NOMINATION. NUMBER TWO, THE CITY'S OWN CODE DOES NOT SUPPORT THIS [01:10:07] DESIGNATION, MS. VIAGRAN. YEAH. THE CITY CODE CHAPTER ARTICLE ET CETERA ET CETERA PROVIDES THAT STREET NAMES GENERALLY SHOULD BE CHOSEN TO REFLECT ONE OF EIGHT CATEGORIES. MEMORIAL OR NATIONAL STATE LEADERS. LEADERS OR PUBLIC FIGURES. THE OPERATIVE WORD HERE IS "LEADERS." ENTERTAINMENT SUCCESS DOES NOT SATISFY THIS STANDARD. YOU CAN RETURN THE CAMERA NOW. NO, SINCE THIS PERSON WAS NOT REALLY -- GEE, Y'ALL MUST HAVE REALLY GOT CURED ALL OF A SUDDEN THERE. SINCE THIS PERSON WAS REALLY NOT A PERSON WE WANT TO ADMIRE, WHOM WE WANT SCHOOL KIDS TO SEE WHEN THEY COME ACROSS THAT, 5,000 BUCKS FOR THIS THING AS WELL. WHAT ARE YOU DOING HERE? >> MAYOR JONES: THANK YOU. JAQUELINE ALI, PLEASE. >> GOOD MORNING. MY NAME IS JAQUELINE ALI AND ON BEHALF OF THE UNITED HOMEOWNERS IMPROVEMENT ASSOCIATION, WE ARE ASKING CITY COUNCIL, MAYOR TO RENAME SPLASHTOWN DRIVE TO WILLIE MITCHELL PLACE TO HONOR A SAN ANTONIO LEGACY DEFINED BY ACHIEVEMENT, SERVICE, AND A LIFELONG COMMITMENT TO COMMUNITY. MR. WILLIE MITCHELL IS A LONGTIME EAST SIDE RESIDENT WHOSE LIFE REFLECTS BOTH EXTRAORDINARY ACCOMPLISHMENTS AND MEANINGFUL SERVICE. FROM WHEATLEY HIGH SCHOOL HE WENT ON TO TENNESSEE STATE UNIVERSITY AND THEN TO THE NATIONAL FOOTBALL LEAGUE WHERE HE PLAYED IN SUPER BOWL I AND WAS A MEMBER OF THE KANSAS CITY CHIEFS TEAM THAT WON SUPER BOWL IV. BUT FOR ME, ONE OF THE MOST MEANINGFUL PARTS OF HIS STORY WAS THIS: HE CAME HOME . HE BROUGHT HIS EXPERIENCE, HIS LEADERSHIP, AND ENERGY BACK TO SAN ANTONIO AND DEVOTED DECADES TO STRENGTHENING OUR COMMUNITY THROUGH SAN ANTONIO FIGHTING BACK. HIS LEGACY NOT ONLY IS WHAT HE ACCOMPLISHED ON THE FOOTBALL FIELD BUT WHAT HE CONTINUED TO GIVE TO THE PEOPLE AND NEIGHBORHOODS THAT HELPED SHAPE HIM. I HAVE ALWAYS BELIEVED THAT WE SHOULD RECOGNIZE AND HONOR OUR ELDERS WHILE THEY ARE STILL HERE TO SEE THE EXPERIENCE AND THAT APPRECIATION. TOO OFTEN WE WAIT UNTIL SOMEONE IS GONE TO FULLY ACKNOWLEDGE THE DIFFERENCE THEY MADE. RENAMING THIS STREET GIVES US AN OPPORTUNITY TO HONOR MR. MITCHELL NOW AND PRESERVE HIS STORY. WHEN SOMEONE ASKED WHO WAS WILLIE MITCHELL, WE WILL BE ABLE TO TELL THEM ABOUT A MAN FROM SAN ANTONIO'S EAST SIDE WHO ACHIEVED GREATLY, CAME BACK HOME, AND SPEND DECADES SERVING HIS COMMUNITY. THAT IS A LEGACY WORTH RECOGNITION AND WE THANK YOU FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION. THANK YOU. [APPLAUSE] >> MAYOR JONES: THOSE ARE ALL THE INDIVIDUALS THAT HAVE SIGNED UP TO SPEAK. IS THERE A MOTION TO APPROVE THE CONSENT AGENDA EXCEPT FOR ITEM 8? >> VIAGRAN: MOTION TO APPROVE. >> MAYOR JONES: OKAY. IT IS MOVED AND SECONDED TO APPROVE THE CONSENT AGENDA, ABSENT ITEM 8. ARE THERE ANY HIGHLIGHTS OR QUESTIONS ABOUT THE CONSENT AGENDA? COUNCILMEMBER KAUR, PLEASE. >> KAUR: THANK YOU. I WOULD LIKE TO BRING UP ERICA'S FAMILY AND ALL OUR FRIENDS AND SUPPORTERS HERE FOR ITEM NO. 15. I AM SO HONORED TO HIGHLIGHT THIS ITEM TODAY. I'LL WAIT FOR THEM TO COME UP. LUIS, YOU CAN JOIN THEM TOO. SO I'LL JUST GIVE A LITTLE REMARK. THE WAS BROUGHT UP WHO WAS ERICA ANDREWS? I GOT TO LEARN A LOT FROM THE CCR AS IT WAS BROUGHT TO MY ATTENTION, THE RECOMMENDATION TO DO THIS. AND THE OFFICE OF HISTORIC PRESERVATION RECOGNIZED ERICA ANDREWS AS A LEADER AND THIS IS WHAT THEY SAID. THAT SHE WAS A TRAIL BLAZING TRANS WOMAN WHO WORKED TO GIVE THE COMMUNITY VISIBILITY IN SAN ANTONIO. ERICKA ANDREWS PERFORMED DRAG AT THE PAPER MOON, [01:15:07] PARTICIPATED IN MULTIPLE BEAUTY PAGEANTS, INCLUDING WINNING MS. INTERNATIONAL QUEEN IN 2006 AND PROVIDED VISIBILITY FOR TRANS WOMEN ON NATIONAL TELEVISION. MY FAVORITE, ONE OF HER HIGHLIGHTS IS SHE WAS ALSO -- SHE REPRESENTED MEXICO AND MS. GAY USA IN 1999 AND WAS FEATURED IN THE 2006 DOCUMENTARY TRANTASIA AS WELL AS FILMS AND VIDEOS. SHE WAS A TRAILBLAZER AT A TIME WHERE IT WAS SO MUCH MORE DIFFICULT THAN IT IS TODAY AND WE WILL CONTINUE TO HONOR HER AND RECOGNIZE HER. THIS IS A MEMORIAL WAY DESIGNATION. SO A MEMORIAL WAY DESIGNATION DOES NOT FOLLOW THE REQUEST THAT WAS SHOWN. I JUST WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT MY TEAM THAT'S HERE FOR PUTTING THE POLICY TOGETHER. WE ARE FUNDING THIS FROM DISTRICT 1 FUNDS THAT ALSO CAME UP AS A QUESTION OF WHAT IS THE COST OF THIS. THIS ENTIRE MEMORIAL WAY DESIGNATION, WE'RE ABLE TO DO ALL OF THIS WORK FOR $5,000. THAT WILL BE FUNDED FROM THE DISTRICT 1 TEAM AS WELL. THANK YOU ALL FOR YOUR ADVOCACY. GOOD IDEAS -- THE BEST IDEAS COME FROM THE COMMUNITY, SO WE APPRECIATE YOU. I WANT TO SAY THANK YOU TO CITY STAFF BECAUSE QUITE FRANKLY WE PUT THE CCR IN JUNE AND IT CAME THROUGH WAY FASTER THAN WE THOUGHT IT WAS GOING TO. I'LL HAND IT OVER TO YOU GUYS FOR A FEW WORDS. >> GOOD MORNING, MADAME MAYOR, COUNCIL MEMBERS. TODAY I STAND BEFORE YOU TO THANK YOU AND THIS COMMUNITY FOR RECOGNIZING MY SISTER, ERICA. THIS RECOGNITION IS A WONDERFUL TRIBUTE TO ERIC'S REMARKABLE LIFE. ERICA WAS MORE THAN MY SISTER, SHE WAS MY CLOSEST FRIEND. LIKE MY MOTHER, MY TEACHER, MY INSPIRATION. I BELIEVE THAT IS WHAT SHE WAS TO HER COMMUNITY TOO. MY SISTER WAS A PRANKSTER AND ENJOYED MAKING OTHERS LAUGH. IT WAS AN AMAZING CHARACTERISTIC GIVEN THE HARDSHIPS SHE ENCOUNTERED. SHE COULD BRIGHTEN THE DARKEST DAYS. WHENEVER I SAW HER AND I LOVED HER POSITIVE, FUN-LOVING ATTITUDE . ERICA WAS ALSO A VERY COMPASSIONATE PERSON. SHE CARED A LOT FOR HER FRIENDS AND WOULD DO ANYTHING TO HELP THEM. SHE WAS ONE OF THE MOST LOVING AND CARING PEOPLE I HAVE EVER MET. SHE WAS A HARD WORKER AND SHE TRAVELED THE WORLD AND DID MORE THINGS IN HER SHORT LIFE ON EARTH. THAN MOST WOULD EVER DO. SHE WAS AN AMAZING PERSON TO ME AND SHE HAD A WAY OF CAPTIVATING EVERYONE SHE MET. ERICA LOVED SAN ANTONIO. EVEN THOUGH SHE WAS NOT BORN HERE, SHE CONSIDERED THIS HOME BECAUSE IT HAD SUCH AN IMPACT ON HER AND SHE HAD AN IMPACT ON THE CULTURE AND THE PEOPLE HERE TOO. SAN ANTONIO IS WHERE SHE BLOSSOMED INTO THE REMARKABLE PERSON SHE WAS CREATIVELY, ARTISTICALLY, AND PROFESSIONALLY. I WILL ALWAYS REMEMBER MY SISTER FOR HER POSITIVE ATTITUDE, COMPASSION, GENEROSITY, LOVE FOR LIFE AND HER COMMUNITY. SHE WAS AN EXAMPLE TO EVERYONE SHE MET ON HOW TO LIVE LIFE. I'M HONORED THAT ERICA WAS MY SISTER AND I'M HONORED THAT SHE IS BEING RECOGNIZED BY HER COMMUNITY AND BY THIS ESTEEMED COUNCIL. THANK YOU, MADAME MAYOR. AND THANK YOU, COUNCIL MEMBERS. [APPLAUSE] >> GOOD MORNING, COUNCIL. THANK YOU. COUNCILWOMAN, KAUR. MCKEE, THANK YOU EVERYONE WHO SUPPORTED THIS MEASURE. THANK YOU, MAYOR JONES. MY NAME IS SOPHIA AND I'M THE FIELD DIRECTOR WITH EQUALITY TEXAS. WE ARE GRATEFUL FOR THE ERICA ANDREWS MEMORIAL WAY. I FIRST MET ERICA WHEN I WAS 19 YEARS OLD AND IT WAS IMPACTFUL. SHE STOOD IN THE MIDDLE OF THE DANCE FLOOR WITH A FACE AS RADIANT AS EVER. AND THE MUSIC THAT WAS PLAYING WAS SWEET DREAMS ARE MADE OF THIS. SHE WAS RADIATING GLAMOUR, SENSUALITY, AND TALENT. AND SHE LOVED SINGING WHILE HUNDREDS FLOCKED TO HER HANDS. WHEN I FIRST MET HER, SHE WAS AT THE FOLEY'S COUNTER WITH MINIMUM MAKEUP. SHE LOOKED AT ME AND SAID WHEN YOU'RE READY, I'LL BE HERE. AND I KNEW WHAT SHE MEANT. SHE WOULD DO THE SHOW AND I WOULD COME TO SUPPORT HER. AND SHE WOULD SUPPORT ME WHEN I WOULD DO COMPETITIONS OF KARAOKE BACK IN THE DAY. SHE ALWAYS ASKED ME TO PERFORM WITH HER. [01:20:04] I STILL REMEMBER HER FONDLY AND THE TIME WE SPENT TOGETHER AND TALKED. WHEN SHE WAS ALONE AT THE BAR, SHE WOULD FOLLOW ME WITH OTHER GIRLS SO I WOULDN'T BE ALONE. ERICA WAS A TALENTED PERFORMER AND MAKEUP ARTIST. SHE HELPED QUEER AND TRANS PEOPLE ALIKE HERE IN SAN ANTONIO. WHEN SHE PASSED IN 2013, IT WAS LIKE A PUNCH IN THE GUT. THE GUT IS THE MYTH [INDISCERNIBLE]. HOWEVER, HER LEGACY CONTINUES NOW. NOW THIS MEMORIAL WAY, ERICA'S NAME IS MEANT TO BE TALKED AND REMEMBERED TOGETHER. I WANT TO RECOGNIZE THE NAMES OF SOME OF THEM WHO ARE NO LONGER HERE WITH US. SWEET SAVAGE, JENNA MCCALL, SHADY LADIES AMONGST MANY OTHERS WHO BROUGHT HEART AND SOUL AND POISE TO THE STAGE OF SAN ANTONIO AND BEYOND. ERICA PUT THE ARTISTRY ON THE MAP AND MY SISTERS CONTINUE TO SHOW THAT DRAG EXCELLENCE THAT WE YESTERDAY WAS HIS BIRTHDAY. WHAT AN AMAZING WAY TO CELEBRATE HER. THANK YOU, COUNCIL AND MAYOR. OUR PEOPLE CONTINUE TO MAKE HISTORY. HAPPY BIRTHDAY, ERICA. >> I'M A LITTLE SHORTER. GOOD MORNING, MADAM MAYOR AND COUNCILWOMAN KAUR, COUNCILMEMBERS. I GET A LITTLE EMOTIONAL. A STREET SIGN CAN BE EASY TO OVERLOOK BUT ERICA ANDREWS MEMORIAL WILL BE HER LOVE FOR THIS COMMUNITY WILL NEVER BE FORGOTTEN. MY NAME WAS LINDSEY ANDREWS. AND TODAY I'M STANDING HERE AS AN ENTERTAINER, ADVOCATE, BUT MOST IMPORTANTLY, AS ONE OF ERICA ANDREWS' DAUGHTERS. YESTERDAY WAS ERICA'S BIRTHDAY, SO, YEAH, THIS ONE IS PERSON FOR ME. ERICA WAS MY DRAG MOM, MY MENTOR, ONE OF THE BIGGEST INFLUENCES IN MY CAREER. SHE TOLD ME HOW TO PERFORM, COMMAND A ROOM, STAND UP FOR MYSELF AND MY COMMUNITY AND TO KEEP GOING WHEN THE WORLD DIDN'T ALWAYS MAKE ROOM FOR PEOPLE LIKE ME OR HER. AND ANYBODY WHO ERICA KNOWS THAT SHE DIDN'T WAIT FOR SOMEBODY TO MAKE ROOM FOR HER, SHE MADE HER OWN ROOM. THAT'S WHY ERICA ANDREWS MEMORIAL WAY ON EARTH MAY MEAN SO MUCH. MORE THAN A STREET TO THE LGBTQA2+ COMMUNITY, WE PERFORM THERE, WE CELEBRATE THERE, WE FIND EACH OTHER THERE. WE BUILD A FAMILY THERE. SOME DAY A KID, A TRANS PERSON, A BABY DRAG QUEEN IS GOING TO WALK THROUGH NORTH MAIN AND ASK, WHO WAS SHE? WE GET TO TELL THEM THAT SHE WAS A BRILLIANT, FEARLESS, HILARIOUS, AND IMPOSSIBLE TO IGNORE AND THAT SHE OPENED DOORS FOR PEOPLE LIKE ME AND SO MANY OTHERS. ERICA ANDREWS DIDN'T JUST PASS THROUGH SAN ANTONIO, SHE LEFT HER MARK ON IT. HAPPY BIRTHDAY. YOUR NAME, YOUR WORK, AND YOUR LOVE FOR OUR COMMUNITY IS STILL HERE. THANK YOU. [APPLAUSE] >> THANK YOU ALL SO MUCH. >> THANK YOU. >> LET ME JUST SAY, THANK YOU, COUNCILWOMAN KAUR FOR BRINGING THIS FORWARD. AND AT THE FEDERAL LEVEL, I SAY ACTIVELY TAKE STEPS TO MAKE IT HARDER FOR HER TRANS NEIGHBORS TO FEEL WELCOME IN OUR OWN COUNTRY. CASE IN POINT, TICKING OUT OF TRANS SERVICE MEMBERS ARE OUR OWN MILITARY. AS THE MAKES IT HARDER TO CARE FOR TRANS FAMILY MEMBERS. THIS IS AN IMPORTANT STEP LOCALLY TO RECOGNIZE ERICA ANDREWS' CONTRIBUTIONS TO SAN ANTONIO'S ART SCENE BUT ALSO TO PERMANENTLY COMMEMORATE THE COURAGE TO BE EXACTLY WHO SHE WAS, WHICH I CAN'T THINK OF A BETTER COMMEMORATION IN OUR COMMUNITY FOR ALL PEOPLE BUT IN PARTICULAR FOR OUR YOUNG PEOPLE, SO THANK YOU FOR DOING THIS AND THANK YOU TO THE MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC FOR US SO ELOQUENTLY SHARING HER HISTORY AND CONTRIBUTION. THANK YOU. [APPLAUSE] >> ALL RIGHT. OKAY. THERE BEING NO FURTHER DISCUSSION -- I'M SORRY. COUNCILMEMBER MCKEE-RODRIGUEZ, I DID NOT SEE YOU. >> MCKEE-RODRIGUEZ: NO WORRIES, MAYOR. I'D LIKE TO HIGHLIGHT 16. AFTER 30 YEARS OF BUSINESS, THEY CLOSED THEIR OPERATION IN 2021, SHORTLY AFTER I WAS ELECTED. AN SINCE THEN THE PROPERTY HAS BEEN REDEVELOPED AND THE STREET NAME REMAINS. SO MY TEAM AND I REACHED OUT TO THE UNITED HOMEOWNERS I'M PROVEMENT ASSOCIATION TO GAUGE THEIR INTEREST AND A OFFICIALLY CHANGING THE STREET NAME AND TO ASK THEM TO THINK OF OPTIONS. WE MET WITH STAKEHOLDERS AND RISES DENTS OF THE NEIGHBORHOOD, AREA BUSINESS LEADERS TO DETERMINE A MORE APPROPRIATE NAME THAT REFLECTS THE AREA AND ITS HISTORY. [01:25:01] AFTER MUCH, MUCH, MUCH DISCUSSION, DUE DILIGENCE AND THOROUGH RESEARCH THE NEARBY RESIDENTIAL NEIGHBORS ULTIMATELY ASKED TO HONOR AN IMPORTANT MEMBER OF THE COMMUNITY AND THE BROADER SAN ANTONIO COMMUNITY BY RENAMING THE TREAT TO WILLIE MITCHELL PLACE. HE WAS RAISED ON THE EAST SIDE OF SAN ANTONIO AND GRADUATED FROM WILLIE HIGH SCHOOL. HE PLAYED IN SUPER BOWL ONE. SUPER BOWL ONE. AND PERFORMED IN EIGHT NFL SEASONS. THREE YEARS AFTER A LOSS IN SUPER BOWL ONE HE AND THE KANSAS CITY CHIEFS RETURNED AND WON SUPER BOWL IV. FOLLOWING HIS CAREER HE HELPED LAUNCHED SAN ANTONIO FIGHTING BAG, AN ORGANIZATION COMMITTED TO BETTER WITH LEADERSHIP AND MENTORSHIP. HE REACHED THE PINNACLE OF SUCCESS FOR ANY ATHLETE, ESPECIALLY IN FOOTBALL, AND PINNACLE OF SUCCESS AND CHOSE TO COME BACK TO SAN ANTONIO TO START AN ORGANIZATION TO IMPROVE HIS COMMUNITY, HIS HOME. WILLIE MITCHELL IS A PILLAR ON THE EAST EAST SIDE AND THE STREET NAME CHANGE IS A CONTRIBUTION. HIS IMPACT IS IMMEASURABLE. HE IS SAN ANTONIO HISTORY. HE IS BLACK HISTORY. HE IS AMERICAN HISTORY. MS. ALI MENTIONED IT'S IMPORTANT THAT WE HONOR OUR ELDERS WHILE THEY'RE STILL HERE TO ACCEPT THEIR FLOWERS. I WILL ASK MR. MITCHELL TO STAND WHILE MY COLLEAGUES AND EVERYONE ELSE IN THE AUDIENCE TO PLEASE RISE AND GIVE MR. MITCHELL HIS FLOWERS. [APPLAUSE] >> WE LOVE YOU, MR. MITCHELL. THANK YOU, MAYOR. >> MAYOR JONES: ARE THERE ANY OTHER HIGHLIGHTS ON THE AGENDA? OKAY. OKAY. THERE BEING NO FURTHER DISCUSSION, THERE'S A MOTION AND SECOND TO APPROVE THE CONSENT AGENDA. MINUS ITEM 8. PLEASE VOTE. THE MOTION CARRIES. ITEM 8 WAS PULLED BY COUNCIL -- [APPLAUSE] ITEM 8 WAS PULLED. [8. Ordinance approving the acquisition, on behalf of the San Antonio Water System (SAWS), through negotiation or condemnation, of interests in land sufficient for project purposes involving four (4) temporary construction easements on privately-owned real property in the southeast quadrant of the City of San Antonio in Council District 3, related to the Salado Creek - Sewer Main Replacement Project, in New City Blocks 10881, 10847, 10879, 10845, 10844, 10848, 10843, 10865, 10842, 10839, 10838, 13755, 13485, 13881, 10834, 13486, 13485, 10835, beginning near the intersection of Pecan Grove Boulevard and Treehouse Drive then proceeding south past E. Southcross Boulevard following the course of Salado Creek, to a point west of SE Loop 410; declaring the project to be for public use and public necessity for the acquisition. [John Peterek, Assistant City Manager; Michael Shannon, Director, Capital Delivery]] MADAM CLERK, PLEASE READ THE CAPTION. >> CLERK: ITEM NUMBER 8 IS AN ORDINANCE APPROVING THE ACQUISITION ON BEHALF OF THE SAN ANTONIO WATER SYSTEM, SAWS, THROUGH NEGOTIATION OR CON EMANATION OF INTERESTS IN LAND SUFFICIENT FOR PROJECT PURPOSES INVOLVING FOUR TEMPORARY CONSTRUCTION EASEMENTS ON PRIVATELY OWNED REAL PROPERTY IN THE SOUTHEAST QUADRANT OF THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO IN COUNCIL DISTRICT 3, RELATED TO THE SALA THE O CREEK, SEWER MAIN REPLACEMENT PROJECT IN NEW CITY BLOCKS 107881, 10847, 10879, 10845, 10844, 10848, 10843, 10865, 10842, 10839, 10838, 13755, 13485, 13881, 10834, 13486, 13485, 10835, BEGINNING NEAR THE INTERSECTION R INTERSECTION OF PECAN GROVE BOULEVARD AND TREE HOUSE DRIVE, THEN PROCEEDING SOUTH PAST EAST SOUTHCROSS BOULEVARD FOLLOWING THE COURSE OF SALADO CREEK TO A POINT WEST SOUTHEAST LOOP 410, DECLARING THE PROJECT TO BE FOR PUBLIC USE AND PUBLIC NECESSITY FOR THE ACQUISITION. >> CABELLO: OKAY. WE HAVE NO MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC SIGNED UP TO SPEAK ON THIS ITEM. COUNCILMEMBER VIAGRAN TO MAKE AN ITEM. >> VIAGRAN: THANK YOU. I MOVE THAT THEY EMINENT DOMAIN ON BEOF THE SAN ANTONIO WATER SYSTEM TO ACQUIRE REAL PROPERTY FOR THE PUBLIC USE PROJECT FOR THE SAWS SALADO CREEK SEWER MAIN REPLACEMENT PROJECT BY ACQUIRING THE FOLLOWING PROPERTY DESCRIBED BY THE CITY CLERK AND INCORPORATED AS PART OF THIS MOTION. THE PRIVATELY OWN EL REAL PROPERTY LOCATED ON THE SOUTHWEST SIDE OF BEAR COUNTY AND COUNCIL DISTRICT 3 CONSISTING OF FOUR TEMPORARY EASEMENTS, IT ARE QUIRES THE EASEMENTS MOW LOCATED IN THE SOUTHEAST QUADRANT OF BEXAR COUNTY AND DISTRICT 3 AND 10841, 10845, 10844, 10848, 10843, 108465, 10842, 10839, 108338, 10755, 13485, 13881, 13486, [01:30:01] 1348, AND BEGINNING NEAR THE INTERSECTION OF PECAN DROVE AND TREE HOUSE DRIVE PROCEEDING SOUTH PAST EAST SOUTH CROSS BOULEVARD FOLLOWING THE COURSE OF SALADO CREEK, TO A POINT OF SOUTHEAST LOOP 410. MORE PARTICULARLY DESCRIBED BY THE EXHIBIT ATTACHED IN THE INCORPORATE AS PART OF THIS MOTION. >> MAYOR JONES: IT IS MOVED AND SECONDED TO APPROVE ITEM 8. IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION? OKAY. COUNCIL MEMBER CASTILLO. OKAY. THE MOTION CARRIES. [Executive Session At any time during the meeting, the City Council may recess into executive session in the C Room to consult with the City Attorney's Office (Texas Government Code Section 551.071) and deliberate or discuss any of the following:  ] OKAY. I WILL TAKE US INTO EXECUTIVE SESSION. I WOULD ASK MY COLLEAGUES TO REMAIN SEATED WHILE I DO SO. THE TIME IS NOW 10:40 ON OCTOBE. THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO WILL NOW NOW MEET IN EXECUTIVE SESSION PURSUANT TO CHAPTER 551 OF THE TEXAS GOVERNMENT CODE AND TO DELIBERATE OR DISCUSS THE FOLLOWING ITEMS, ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT PURSUANT 5511 PURCHASE EXCHANGES LEASE OR VALUE, AND LEGAL ISSUES RELATED TO LITIGATION INVOLVING THE CITY, MOTION PREPAREDNESS AND COLLECTIVE BARGAINING ALL PURSUANT >> MAYOR JONES: THE TIME IS NOW 12:57 P.M. ON OCTOBER 1,N ANTONIO CITY COUNCIL WILL NOW RECONVENE IN OPEN SESSION. NO OFFICIAL ACTION WAS TAKEN IN EXECUTIVE SESSION. THE TIME IS NOW 12:57. THIS MEETING IS ADJOURNED. * This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.