[00:00:09] ♪ >> MAYOR ORTIZ JONES: ALL RIGHT. GOOD MORNING. THE TIME IS NOW 9:00 A.M. ON OCTOBER 8, TO 26, AND THE MEETING OF THE CITY OF COUNCIL OF SAN ANTONIO IS CALLED TO ORDER. MADAM CLERK, PLEASE CALL ROLL. >> CLERK: MAY YOUR, WE HAVE QUORUM. >> MAYOR ORTIZ JONES: GREAT. THANK YOU, MADAM CLERK. I WOULD LIKE TO WELCOME BACK TODAY'S P INVOKE TAR, THE VICE RECTOR AND DEAN OF MEN AT ASSUMPTION SEMINARY FOR THE -- OR SAN ANTONIO, PLEASE. >> WE MAKE OURSELVES AWARE OF GOD'S PRESENCE AS WE START THIS SESSION WITH A PRAYER. GRACIOUS AND LOVING GOD, WE COME BEFORE YOU THIS BEAUTIFUL THURSDAY MORNING. THANK YOU FOR YOUR GIFT OF LIFE, THE GIFT OF A NEW DAY, THE CHANCE TO EXPERIENCE YOUR PRESENCE IN A NEW WAY. YOU KNOW US, AND YOU LOVE US DEARLY. AS WE BEGIN THIS SESSION OF THE SAN ANTONIO CITY COUNCIL, WE ASK YOU TO SEND YOUR HOLY SPIRIT UPON US A ALL. GRANT OUR MAYOR, COUNCILMEMBERS, AND ALL WHO SERVE THIS COMMUNITY THE WISDOM TO LISTEN CAREFULLY , THE COLONEL TO MAKE DIFFICULT DECISIONS, AND THE HUMILITY TO VALUE THE COMMON GOOD, NOT ONLY OUR PERSONAL GOOD. WE LIFT UP THOSE FACING RI RISING COSTS, CHALLENGES WITH HOUSING AND TRANSPORTATION, CONCERNS ABOUT THEIR HEALTH AND SAFETY, LIMITED OPPORTUNITIES, AND THE PAIN OF FEELING NEGLECTED. MAY SAN ANTONIO BE A PLACE WHERE EVERY PERSON CAN LIVE WITH DIGNITY, SECURITY, AND HOPE. GUIDE OUR LEADERS TO SEEK WHAT IS RIGHT AND TRUE TO SERVE THE GOOD OF BOTH PRESENT AND FUTURE GENERATIONS ON THIS FILIPINO AMERICAN HISTORY MONTH, WE GIVE THANKS FOR THE FILIPINO AMERICAN COMMUNITY AND FOR ITS MANY CONTRIBUTIONS THROUGH FAITH, SERVICE, HARD WORK PROFESSIONAL EXCELLENCE AND FRIENDSHIP. MAY ITS STORY REMIND US THAT SAN ANTONIO IS STRONGER WHEN EVERY COMMUNITY HAS THE OPPORTUNITY TO SHARE ITS GIFTS. MAKE THIS COUNCIL A PLACE OF RESPECTFUL DIALOGUE, THO THOUGHTFUL AND INTELLIGENT DISCUSSION, AND DECISIONS GUIDED BY THE COMMON GOOD. AND MAY THE WORK DONE HERE HELP MAKE SAN ANTONIO A MORE JUST, SAFE, COMPASSIONATE, AND PROSPEROUS CITY. A CITY WORTHY OF THE NAME OF A SAINT, A CITY PLEASING TO YOUR EYES, A CITY THAT [00:05:05] RADIATES YOUR CARE AND KI KINDNESS T UNTIL WE ARE ALL LED TO THE ETERNAL HEAVENLY CITIES YOU HAVE PREPARED FOR US. FOR YOU LIVE AND REIGN AND LOVE US FOREVER AND EVER, AMEN. >> MAYOR ORTIZ JONES: THANK YOU, PLEASE JOIN ME IN THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE. I PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE TO THE FLAG OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, AND TO THE REPUBLIC FOR WHICH IT STANDS, ONE NATION, UNDER GOD, INDIVISIBLE, WITH LIBERTY AND JUSTICE FOR ALL. OKAY. TODAY IS INDIGENOUS PEOPLE'S DAY, AND I WILL READ A PROCLAMATION CELEBRATING THAT. PLEASE, FOR THOSE THAT ARE PART OF THAT GROUP, IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO COME UP FRONT. OKAY. OKAY. WHEREAS THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO ALONG WITH THE TEXAS INDIGENOUS COUNCIL WILL OBSERVE THE 11TH ANNIVERSARY OF INDIGENOUS PEOPLE'S DAY ON OCTOBER 12, 2026 CELEBRATING THE RICH HERITAGE, TRADITIONS AND HISTORY OF INDIGENOUS CULTURES AND WHEREAS THE TEXAS INDIGENOUS COUNCIL IS A GROUP OF LOCAL CITIZENS DEDICATED TO INCREASING AWARENESS OF PROFOUND CONTRIBUTIONS INDIGENOUS PEOPLE HAVE MADE TO THE WORLD, AND WHERE THEY'RE RECOGNIZED AS THE ORIGINAL HABITANTS OF THIS REGION WHOSE STEWARDSHIP PRACTICE HAVE SHAPED SAN ANTONIO EVEN IN THE FACE OF HISTORICAL ADVERSITY AND WHEREAS THE UNITED NATIONS DECLARATION ON THE RIGHTS OF INDIGENOUS PEOPLE HAVING BEEN ACCEPTED BY THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA AFFIRMS WORLDWIDE ACKNOWLEDGEMENT AND ACCEPTANCE OF INDIGENOUS PEOPLE'S RIGHT TO EXIST AND FULLY ENJOY THEIR CULTURAL IDENTITY AND SPIRITUALTY AND WHEREAS THIS ONER IS ADVANCE CONFIRMS THE EFFORTS TO ADVOCATE FOR LAND, NATURAL RESOURCES, PRESERVE CULTURAL IDENTITY AND STRENGTHEN COLLABORATIVE RELATIONSHIPS WITHIN OUR CITY, NOW THEREFORE I, MAYOR OF THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO IN RECOGNITION THEREOF DO HEREBY PROCLAIM OCTOBER 12, 2026 TO BE INDIGENOUS PEOPLE'S DAY IN SAN ANTONIO, TEXAS. SIR, OVER TO YOU. >> I JUST WANT TO THANK YOU ALL AGAIN FOR RECOGNIZING OUR EXISTENCE, BASICALLY. WE'VE, FOR YEARS AND YEARS, THIS -- ACTUALLY, WE ACHIEVED THIS IN 2015 AT THE CITY COUNCIL LEVEL, AND AT COUNTY LEVEL, 2014, WHICH I IS, AGAIN, GETTING OCT OCTOBER 12 RECOGNIZED AS INDIGENOUS PEOPLE'S DAY, AND IT IS AN AN IDENTITY ISSUE THAT WE'VE, I GUESS, SUFFERED THROUGH, MEANING WE WERE COLONIZED AND WE'RE STILL FIGHTING TO BE RECOGNIZED AS THE ORIGINAL PEOPLES OF THIS LAND. WE HAVE MANY ACCOMPLISHMENTS THAT OUR ANCESTORS HAVE CONTRIBUTED TO TODAY'S SOCIETY, THERE'S RICHES UPON RICHES, THE RESOURCES, THE FOODS THAT OUR ANCESTORS CREATED ARE WORLDWIDE NOW AND FEED MILLIONS OF PEOPLE AROUND THE WORLD. THOSE CONTRIBUTIONS, I WANT OUR CHILDREN TO BE PROUD OF SO THEY CAN STAND AND SAY WHO THEY ARE WITH PRIDE BECAUSE IN THE PAST DUE TO DISCRIMINATION AND BIGOTRY, WE WERE HARASSED, WE WERE DIMINISHED, WE WOULD NOT BE PROUDFUL OF OURSELVES, INSTEAD WE WOULD SAY WE'RE SOMETHING ELSE, EITHER HISPANICS OR LATINOS OR SOMETHING JUST TO BE HUMAN BEINGS. WELL, TODAY, WE'RE INDIGENOUS PEOPLE OF DIFFERENT NATIONS, DIFFERENT TRIBES, DIFFERENT VILLAGES, ONE PEOPLE. WE'RE ACTUALLY AN ETHNIC RACE. WE'RE NOT A NATIONALITY. WE CROSS BORDERS, BOUNDARIES ON THIS LAND, THIS IS OUR LAND, OUR HOMELAND. SO WE THANK YOU FOR THIS RECOGNITION, AGAIN, AND WE HAVE DIFFERENT PEOPLE HERE. JESSE, WOULD YOU LIKE TO SAY A FEW WORDS? >> HELLO, JESSE RAYS, MY ANCESTORS ARE BURIED AT THE [00:10:01] ALAMO, AND WE'RE STILL WORKING TO DEAL WITH THAT, AND I WOULD LIKE TO LEAVE A LEGACY FOR OUR PEOPLE THAT OPEN THE DOOR, ESPECIALLY DISTRICT 3 WHERE I'M FROM, THE MISSION, SAN JOSE, WE WORK -- WE WORK -- I'M PART OF ISTSIM, AND WE'RE WOR WORKING. IN FACT I'VE GOT TO GO PICK UP DIAPERS TO GIVE TO MY DAD AND MY MOM. SO WE'RE SERVING THE PEOPLE. AND WHO THEY -- WHO THEY REPRESENT, AND THEY REPRESENT US AND THE CHILDREN IN THE FUTURE. SO THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME, AND THANK YOU. >> GOOD MORNING. HAPPY INDIGENOUS PEOPLE DAY. I BROUGHT MY PICTURES. THEY'RE OLD PICTURES MY PARENTS -- MY GREAT GRANDPARENTS RIGHT HERE, THESE TWO ARE VERY OLD PICTURES FROM THE SAN JOSE MISSION WHERE THEY WERE INCARCERATED IN THEIR TIMES. WE'VE BEEN HERE. WE HAVEN'T LEFT. THE BORDER CROSSED US, BUT WE'RE STILL HERE. I HAVE PICTURES RIGHT HERE. THIS ONE RIGHT HERE IS PHYLIS VIAGRAN'S UNCLE, AND THESE RIGHT HERE, THESE RIGHT HERE ARE MUNGIA'S FAMILY. WE'RE HERE. WE NEVER LEFT. YEAH, I WEAR A CROSS ON MY -- JESUS, OUR GOD, ONE GOD. DOESN'T MATTER WHAT GOD YOU BELIEVE IN, IT'S JUST ONE FOR EVERYBODY. EITHER YOU BELIEVE OR YOU DON'T, WHAT SIDE ARE YOU ON? REMEMBER THAT. WE ARE INDIGENOUS PEOPLE FROM HERE. YOU HAVE TO THINK WHAT YOU WANT TO DO. YOU'RE GOING TO PAY FOR YOUR ACTIONS AND YOUR CHARACTERS. LISTEN, YOU'RE HERE, WE CHOSE YA'LL TO BE IN THE SEATS TO DO FOR THE PEOPLE. WE NEED TO DO FOR THE PEO PEOPLE. AND NOT FOR OURSELVES. BECAUSE WE'RE OUR OWN EN ENEMIES, EACH ONE OF US. WE HAVE AN OLD PRAYER THAT WE SAID WE WOULD NEVER PRAY, BUT WE DID. WE'RE NOT SAVAGES. WE'RE HUMAN BEINGS. WE BLEED THE SAME, EVEN THOUGH WE'RE DIFFERENT CO COLORS. OH, GREAT SPIRIT WHOSE VOICE I HEAR IN THE WIND AND WHOSE BREATH GIVES LIFE TO ALL THE WORLD. HEAR ME, I'M SMALL AND WEAK, I SEEK YOUR STRENGTH AND WISDOMS. HELP ME WALK IN BEAUTY IN MY EYES, BEHOLD THE RED AND PURPLE SUNSET. MAY MY HAND RESPECT THE THINGS YOU HAVE MADE AND MY EARS SHARP TO HEAR YOUR VOICE. MAKE ME WISE SO THAT I MAY UNDERSTAND THE THINGS YOU HAVE TAUGHT YOUR PEOPLE. FOR I SEEK STRENGTH NOT TO BE GREATER THAN MY BROTHER, BUT TO FIGHT THE GREATEST ENEMY, MYSELF. FOR WHAT I FACE THAT'S A FADING SUNSET, I MAY COME TO YOU WITH STRAIGHT EYES, CLEAN HANDS, AND A CLEAN SPIRIT. IT'S AN OLD PRAYER. IT WAS TRANSLATED INTO ENGLISH SO THAT YOU COULD UNDERSTAND. >> MAYOR ORTIZ JONES: THANK YOU. THANK YOU, ANTONIO, THANK YOU, DIANA. >> THANK YOU, DIANA. [00:15:08] THOSE ARE REALLY GREAT WORDS OF ELDER AND I JUST WANT TO THANK CITY COUNCIL FOR ALL OF YOUR EFFORTS. THIS IS MY DIANA -- WHAT'S YOUR NAME? WE'RE DESCENDENTS HERE, YOU KNOW, WE'RE THE GRANDCHILDREN THAT THE SYSTEM OR THE -- THAT THEY DIDN'T KILL, SO WE'RE HERE TO STAND, AND WE'RE HERE TO PROGRESS. AGAIN, THANK YOU FOR ALL OF YOUR EFFORTS AND YOUR TIME. AMEN. AHO. >> AHO. >> MAYOR ORTIZ JONES: OKAY. I WILL NOW READ A PROCLAMATION FOR LGBTQ + HISTORY MONTH. SO THERE'S TWO, AND YOU'RE WELCOME TO COME TOGETHER. THERE'S ONE THAT'S LGBTQ + HISTORY MONTH AND THEN LGBTQ + VETERANS, SO I MEAN IT'S -- EXACTLY. YEAH. THANK YOU, SEW SOPHIA. THANK YOU. OKAY. WHEREAS THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO RECOGNIZES LGBTQ + HISTORY MONTH AS A TIME TO VALUE THE HONORABLE CONTRIBUTIONS OF INDIVIDUALS WHOSE WORK HAS SHAPED CULTURE, PUBLIC LIFE AND COMMUNITIES ACROSS THE NATION AND WHEREAS SINCE ITS ESTABLISHMENT IN 1994, LGBTQ + HISTORY MONTH HAS INTRODUCED INDIVIDUALS WHOSE ACHIEVEMENTS CONTINUE TO INFLUENCE TECHNOLOGY, PUBLIC HEALTH, AND CIVIC ENGAGEMENT , AND WHEREAS WE PAY TRIBUTE TO THE ONGOING EFFORT TO EXPAND EDUCATIONAL RESOURCES THAT DOCUMENT LGBTQ + HISTORY ENSURING THAT YOUTH CAN LEARN ABOUT TRAIL BLAZER 'S ACCOMPLISHMENTS, AND THIS MONTH'S ORGANIZATIONS, HELP SHARE STORIES TO HELP BROADEN THE DIVERSE EXPERIENCES WITHIN THE COMMUNITY AND STRENGTH AND RECOGNITION OF THE CONTRIBUTIONS FOR LOCAL, NATIONAL, AND GLOBAL HISTORY, WHEREAS THE TO LEARN, REFLECT, AND CELEBRATE THE MANY INDIVIDUALS WHOSE WORK CONTINUES TO ENRICH OUR COMMUNITY AND SUPPORT A FUTURE WHERE INCLUSION AND RESPECT REMAIN GUIDING VALUES. NOW THEREFORE, I, MAYOR OF THE CITY OF THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO IN RECOGNITION THEREOF DO HEREBY PROCLAIM THE MONTH OF OCTOBER TO BE LGBTQ+ HISTORY MONTH IN SAN ANTONIO TEXAS AS BOTH A TRIBUTE TO HISTORY AND REAFFIRMATION OF OUR SHARED VALUES OF INCLUSION, EQUALITY, AND UNITY. IF I MAY, I WOULD ALSO AT THE SAME TIME LIKE TO READ THE ONE FOR LGBTQ+ VETERANS. OKAY. WHEREAS THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO RECOGNIZES LGBTQ+ VETERANS WHOSE HONORABLE SERVICE REFLECTS COMMITMENT TO MISSION, DUTY, AND THE NATION THEY HAVE STRENGTHENED THROUGH THEIR CONTRIBUTIONS , AND WHEREAS LGBTQ+ SERVICE MEMBER HAVES LONG SERVED ACROSS EVERY BRANCH OF THE UNITED STATES ARMED FORCES, OFTEN DURING PERIODS WHERE FEDERAL POLICY RESTRICTED THEIR ABILITY TO SERVE OPENLY AND WHEREAS THIS YEAR MARKS THE 15TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE REPEAL OF DON'T ASK DON'T TELL, A TURNING POINT THAT ENABLED LESBIAN, GAY, AND BISEXUAL SERVICE MEMBERS TO CONTINUE THEIR CAREERS WITHOUT FEAR OF SEPARATION AND VALUE OF AUTHENTIC SERVICE AND INCLUSION WITHIN THE MILITARY AND WHEREAS ORGANIZATIONS SUCH AS OUT AND NATIONAL SECURITY SUPPORT LGBTQ + ACROSS NATIONAL SECU SECURITY, VET RAN AND ENSURING THEY CAN CONTRIBUTE THEIR EXPERTISE OPENLY AND EFFECTIVELY AND WHEREAS THIS OBSERVANCE BRINGS RENEWED ATTENTION TO THE VETERAN'S WHOSE RECORDS WERE SHAPED BY POLICIES THAT DID NOT REFLECT THEIR DEDICATION AND ACKNOWLEDGES THE RESILIENCE THEY DEMONSTRATED WHILE CONTINUING TO SERVE WITH PROFESSIONALISM AND INTEGRITY. NOW THEREFORE I, MAYOR OF THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO IN RECOGNITION THEREOF DO HEREBY RECOGNIZE MY FELLOW LGBTQ+ VETERANS IN SAN ANTONIO, TEXAS. OVER TO YOU. >> THANK YOU, MADAM MAYOR, CITY COUNCIL. MY NAME IS OCTAVE YA HARRIS. I SERVED MY COUNTRY PROUDLY FOR 30 YEARS IN THE UNITED [00:20:06] STATES NAVY. AND I SPENT THOSE 30 YEARS IN THE CLOSET BECAUSE I WANTED TO SERVE MY COUNTRY. THE REPEAL OF DON'T ASK DON'T TELL HAPPENED TWO YEARS AFTER I RETIRED FROM THE MILITARY, AND I COULD NOT HAVE BEEN HAPPIER FOR MY BROTHERS AND SISTERS SERVING. IT WAS A SIGH OF RELIEF. TODAY IS A GREAT RECOGNITION. WE ALL SERVED, REG REGARDLESS OF WHO WE LOVE. LOVE IS LOVE, SERVICE IS SERVICE. I WANT TO GIVE A SPECIAL THANK YOU FOR THIS PROCLAMATION TO SOME ADVOCATES WHO AREN'T HERE FROM THE OUT IN THE NATIONAL SECURITY. VICE PRESIDENT KARA WILLIAMS. MELISSA BRYANT, AND COE AND FOUNDER LINDSAY CHURCH WHO STARTED THIS MOVEMENT. AND ALL THE VETERANS BEHIND ME PRESENT THAT ADVOCATE HERE TODAY. THANK YOU ALL FOR BEING HERE ACROSS ALL THE SERVICES. I LOVE YOU. LGBTQ+ SERVICE MEMBERS, PAST AND PRESENT, APPRECIATE SAN ANTONIO, TEXAS LEADING THE WAY, MADAM MAYOR. 17 OR 18 CITIES SO FAR HAVE SIGNED A SIMILAR PROCLAMATION FOR OUR NATION, COUNTING THIS TO SERVE OPENLY NO MATTER WHO YOU ARE, WHO YOU A ARE, AS LONG AS YOU WANT TO SERVE YOUR COUNTRY. I THINK THE INVO INVOCATOR SAID SOMETHING THAT STUCK WITH ME, WHEN WE COME TOGETHER IN OUR COMMUNITY, WE BRING ALL OF OUR SPECIAL GIFTS, THAT STUCK WITH ME JUST THIS MORNING BECAUSE WE ALL HAVE OUR SPECIAL GIFTS IN WANTING TO SERVE OUR COUNTRY. YOU CAN LOVE NATIONAL SECURITY AND BE A PART OF A GREAT NATION REG REGARDLESS OF WHO YOU LOVE IN YOUR PERSONAL LIFE, AND YEARS.BEEN DOING IT FOR ON BEHALF OF THE ARMED SERVICES AND ALL OF US SERVING YESTERDAY, TO TODAY, AND WHO WILL CONTINUE TO SERVE OUR GREAT NATION, THANK YOU. MEMBERS OF THE COUNCIL. TEXAS RARE RI TEACHES THE CORRECT HISTORY AND NOW WITH THE TEXAS LAWS TARGETING BLACK AND MEXICAN-AMERICAN HISTORY, GENDER STUDIES, LGBTQ TOPICS, THE HISTORY AND ACCOMPLISHMENTS OF OUR LGBTQ COMMUNITY MIGHT NOT BE TAUGHT NOW SO THIS RECOGNITION FOR LGBTQ A HISTORY MONTH IS TO CONTINUE TO UPLIFT THE BREAKTHROUGHS AS A COMMUNITY, TO LEARN ABOUT THE ACCOMPLISHMENT AND CONTINUE TEACHING OUR KIDS, NOT JUST OUR QUEER KIDS WHAT RESILIENT AND AMAZING PEOPLE HAVE CONTRIBUTED TO MAKE OUR COMMUNITIES BETTER. OUR COMMUNITY HAS BEEN AND CONTINUES TO BE INNOVATORS, MOVEMENT LEADERS, CHANGE MAKERS, AND EARTH SHAKERS, AND WE MUST CONTINUE TO TELL OUR HISTORY TO MOTIVATE AND INSPIRE OUR YOUNG LGBTQ SIBLINGS FOR WHAT WE'VE DONE, FOR WHAT WE'VE ACCOMPLISHED, LIKE THE MATHEMATICIAN AND COMPUTER SCIENCE WHO CREATED THE BASIS FOR MODERN COMPUTERS AND LED THE TEAM THAT CR CRACKED THE INEGG MA CODE DURING WORLD WAR II. SOPHIE WILSON, A BRITISH SCIENTIST WHO DESIGNED THE FOR THE FUTURE PROCESSOR WHICH IS USED IN THE VAST MAJORITY OF MODERN SMART PHONES. A RUSSIAN MUSICIAN WHOSE GREAT WORKS INCLUDE SWAN LAKE, SLEEPING BEAUTY, AND THE NUTCRACKER THAT PEOPLE CRAM TO GO WATCH DURING HOLIDAYS. HARVEY MILK ELECTED TO THE SAN FRANCISCO BOARD OF SUPERVISORS BECOMING ONE OF THE MOST PROMINENT EARLY ARTIFICIALS BEFORE HIS THE ANTHEM FOR THE WOMEN'S SOCIAL AND POLITICAL UNION. GRETA GAR GUILE, ICONIC AMERICAN WHO DIDN'T SHY AWAY FOR BEING BI, BECOMING A QUEER MICHAEL ANGELO THE FAMOUS PAINTER WHO EXPRESSED HIS LOVE FOR MEN AND CREATED THE ART, AND OF COURSE BIA SERVED TO MLK JR. AND ORGANIZER OF THE MARCH IN WASHINGTON. THE HISTORY WE CONTINUE TO MAKE EVEN TODAY WITH THE FIRST BLACK IN OUR OPENLY ELECTED JALEN MCKEE RODRIGUEZ, THE FIRST OPENLY OUT MAYOR IN SAN ANTONIO, MAYOR JONES RIGHT HERE, WHO'S LIVING IN SAN ANTONIO REPRESENTING DRAG KING IN A [00:25:04] NATIONAL COMPETITION, AND THE KING OF DRAG, SO WATCH IT, TO OUR FIRST CITY IN THE STATE OF TEXAS TO OPENLY RECOGNIZE TRANSHISTORY MONTH AND HAVE A MEMORIAL NAMED AFTER OUR ICONNER, ERICA ANDREWS, WHICH MADE AND CONTINUES TO MAKE HISTORY FOR OUR WORKER'S ART, CHANGE AND INSPIRATION FOR GENERATIONS TO COME. >> GO GOOD MORNING. MY PRONOUNS ARE THEY, ELLE, AND HE, AND IN DRAG, YOU MAY KNOW ME AS POPIKULI. I'M SORRY, YA'LL. I AM ALSO PROUD TO REPRESENT SAN ANTONIO AS THE FIRST DRAG KING FROM OUR C CITY TO COMPETE ON THE WORLD'S FIRST AND ONLY ALL DRAG KING TELEVISION COMPETITION, KING OF DRAG. WHILE THAT'S DRAG HISTORY IN THE MAKING, I KNOW THAT MY ABILITY TO BE VISIBLE AS A TRANS NONBINARY WOULD NOT BE POSSIBLE WITHOUT THE COURAGE AND RESILIENCE OF THE MANY LGBTQIS2S + PEOPLE THAT CAME BEFORE ME. THE FOLKS WHO STOOD RESOLUTELY AS THEIR AUTHENTIC SELVES, NO MATTER HOW SOCIETY TREATED OR STEREOTYPED THEM AS. IT'S A REMINDER OF WHY RECOGNIZING LGBTQ+ HISTORY MONTH IS SO IMPORTANT. LEARNING AND KNOWING OF THE ACHIEVEMENTS AND CONTRIBUTIONS FROM OUR COMMUNITY MEMBERS HELPS US ALL SEE THAT OUR DREAMS ARE, IN FACT, POSSIBLE. THAT WE CAN BE WHO WE WANT TO BE IN THIS LIFETIME, AND THAT WE ARE DESERVING OF THE SAME UNALIENABLE HUMAN RI RIGHTS AS OTHERS, NO MATTER WHO WE ARE OR WHO WE LOVE. AND THESE HISTORY MAKERS ARE LOCAL TO US. EVEN HERE IN SAN ANTONIO AND ACROSS TEXAS LGBTQ+ PEOPLE HAVE BEEN ORGANIZING, FI FIGHTING, AND BUILDING COMMUNITY FOR GENERATIONS. WE HAVE AUTHOR HAPPEN FELT, ERICA ANDREWS, JUST TO NAME A FEW, AND THE PEOPLE BEHIND ME TODAY. THEY HAVE HELPED CREATE A LEGACY THAT PEOPLE LIKE ME NOW GET TO CARRY FORWARD, AND I GIVE GRATITUDE TO THEM AND THEIR WORK. BY MAKING SURE THAT THE NEXT GENERATION DOESN'T JUST KNOW THAT WE, AS A COMMUNITY, EXISTED AND SURVIVED, BUT THAT WE HAVE AND WILL FOREVER CONTINUE TO FIGHT, CREATE, LOVE, AND THRIVE THIS IS THE ESSENCE OF THIS MONTH THE ESSENCE OF OUR COMMUNITY, AND THE ESSENCE OF OUR CITY, SAN ANTONIO. SO THANK YOU. >> GOOD MORNING TO THE COUNCIL AND GOOD MORNING TO GINA ORTIZ, OUR MAYOR. THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME TODAY, I'M MONIQUE UPON TANE, AND I'M CURRENTLY MS MS. TRANSUNIVERSE, AND BECAUSE OF PEOPLE IN THE PAST, HISTORY IS SO IMPORTANT BECAUSE IF IT WASN'T FOR LGBTQ HISTORY, I WOULDN'T BE HERE AS A PROUD BLACK TRANSWOMAN LIVING IN THE STATE OF TEXAS. NOT BEING FROM TEXAS ORI ORIGINALLY, BEING FROM THE EAST COAST, I FELT MORE SAFE IN THE EAST COAST, BUT BEING HERE FOR THE PAST FOUR YE YEARS, I'VE HAD FAMILY BEHIND ME, AND EVERYONE IN FRONT OF ME WHO HAS OPE OPENED -- WHO HAS WELCOMED ME WITH OPEN ARMS, SO THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME HERE, AND THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE IN SAN ANTONIO AND THANK YOU FOR MAKING THE LGBTQIA COMMUNITY FEEL SAFE AND PROTECTED HERE IN THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO. THANK YOU. >> MAYOR ORTIZ JONES: LET ME SEE IF ANY OF MY COLLEAGUES WOULD LIKE TO SAY ANYTHING. NO? OKAY. THANK YOU. OKAY. OUR FINAL PROBAB PROCLAMATION IS FOR FILIPINO HISTORY MONTH. SO PLEASE. OKAY. WHEREAS THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO RECOGNIZES FILIPINO AMERICAN HISTORY MONTH AS A TIME TO REFLECT ON THE RICH HERITAGE OF FILIPINO AMERICANS AND COMMEMORATE THEIR LONGSTANDING PRESENCE [00:30:01] TO CONTRIBUTIONS NATIONWIDE AND WHEREAS SAN ANTONIO PROUDLY CELEBRATES A MEANINGFUL CONNECTION TO THE PHILIPPINES THROUGH ITS SISTER CITY AND THE OPPORTUNITY TO HONOR THE FILIPINO COMMUNITY WHOSE PRESENCE AND HISTORY DATE BACK TO THE ARRIVAL OF MOREAU BAY CALIF CALIFORNIA, AND WHEREAS FILIPINO AMERICANS HAVE SHAPED NATIONAL AND LOCAL HISTORY THROUGH LEADERSHIP INCLUDING THE MORE THAN 260,000 WHO SERVED DURING WORLD WAR II AND THE 75,000 WHO ENDURED THE BATON DEATH MARCH AND WHOSE LEGACIES CONTINUE TO INSPIRE FUTURE GENERATIONS. WHERE THIS CREATES A MOMENT TO HONOR SUCH AS THE ENDURING IMPACT OF FILIPINO AMERICANS ON CIVIC LIFE, COMMUNITY AND OF COURSE BRUNO MARS A COUPLE WEEKS AGO, AND WHEREAS SAN ANTONIO WILL OFFER OPPORTUNITIES TO CELEBRATE THE MAGNIFICENT CONTRI CONTRIBUTIONS OF FILIPINOS AND FILIPINO AMERICANS THROUGH THE GALA TAKING PLACE ON OCTOBER 23 AT THE SAN ANTONIO MARRIOTT NORTHWEST AS WELL AS THE ADOE BOW THROWDOWN, AT THE GARDEN RIDGE COMMUNITY EVENTS CENTER, NOW THEREFORE I, MAYOR OF THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO IN RECOGNITION THEREOF DO HEREBY PROCLAIM THE MONTH OF OCTOBER TO BE FILIPINO HISTORY MONTH IN THE SAN ANTONIO TEXAS. OVER TO YOU. >> WHOO-HOO. MY BOY. NOPE. IT'S NOT ON. I DON'T KNOW WHY I SAID OPEN. CAN I -- OKAY. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. PHILIPPINES. THANK YOU TO THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO FOR YOUR CONTINUEDS RECOGNITION OF FILIPINO AND FILIPINO AMERICANS AND THEIR ONGOING CONTRIBUTIONS IN MAKING SAN ANTONIO A BETTER CITY FOR ALL OF US, BY RECOGNIZING FILIPINO AMERICAN HISTORY MONTH, THIS IS MORE THAN JUST A YEARLY CELEBRATION BUT A TESTAMENT TO THE RESILL YENTY OF FILIPINOS THROUGHOUT HISTORY TO BUILD LIVES, FAMILIES, AND LEGACIES THAT LAST GENERATIONS. THIS IS FOR EVERY KID, EVERY PERSON, ANYBODY WHO GREW UP FEELING TOO FILIPINO TO BE AMERICAN, AND TOO AMERICAN TO BE FILIPINO, BUT IT'S A PART OF THIS EXPERIENCE OF BEING FILIPINO AND HONORS ALL THE THINGS THAT MAKE US UNIQUELY FILIPINO, LIKE CARE YOLK KEY, OUR OFFICIAL SPORT, AND OUR LOVE FOR UBE, BUT ALSO IMMIGRATION STORY, COLONIAL MENTALITY, AND MULTIGENERATIONAL RESILIENCE, AS YOU CAN SEE BY THE AMAZING FOLKS STANDING IN THE DIAS BEFORE ALL OF YA'LL. WE CELEBRATE THESE ST STORIES AND ASPECTS OF CULTURAL IDENTITY BECAUSE THERE'S NO ONE WAY TO BE FILIPINO OR FILIPINO AMERICAN BUT WHAT THIS MEANS MORE IS THERE'S A REASON TO KEEP STRIVING TO SHARE OUR STORIES AND CONTRI CONTRIBUTIONS FROM FILIPINO HEALTHCARE WO WORKERS LIKE THE FILIPINO NURSES ASSOCIATION OF SAN ANTONIO TO FILIPINO SMALL BUSINESS OWNERS, CELEBRATING 35 PLUS YEARS OF THEIR LEGACY BUSINESS, AND YOU KNOW EVEN OUR FILIPINO EDUCATORS THAT HELP EDUCATE, YOU KNOW, OUR STUDENTS AND OUR PUBLIC SCHOOL SYSTEMS AND ALL OF OUR SCHOOL SYSTEMS. WE HAVE AND ARE PART OF THE COMMUNITY HERE IN SAN ANTONIO. SO PLEASE, TAKE THIS TIME TO O NOT ONLY SUPPORT THE OFFICIAL FILIPINO AMERICAN NATIONAL HISTORICAL SOCIETY OF SAN ANTONIO AND ALL OF THEIR EVENTS THIS MONTH, BUT PLEASE ALSO SUPPORT THE FILIPINO AMERICAN CHAMBER OF COMMERCE GREATER SAN ANTONIO WITH THE OUTSTANDING FILI FILIPINOS OF SAN ANTONIO ON OCTOBER 23 AND OF COURSE WITH OUR ADOE BOW THROWDOWN HAPPENING ON OCTOBER 24 AND 25 AND I WOULD BE REMISS IF I DIDN'T MENTION SAR RI SAR RI'S FILIPINO AMERICAN HISTORY MONTH CELEBRATION HAPPENING OCTOBER 15, THERE'S SO MANY WAYS FOR EACH AND EVERY ONE OF YA'LL TO FEEL PART OF OUR COMMUNITY, AND WE'LL MAKE YA'LL FEEL LIKE HON NARE REMEMBERS OF OUR COMMUNITIES, BUT THE BEST PART IS GETTING TO CELEBRATE THIS COMMUNITY EVERY DAY AND CREATING MORE SUSTAINABLE IMPACT FOR OUR FUTURE GENERATIONS OF FILIPINO COMMUNITIES TOO. I'D BE REMISS IF I DIDN'T MENTION MY PARENTS ARE HERE AND THEY'RE THE REASON WHY I'M THE FILIPINO THAT I AM. MY MOTHER REMINDS ME ALL THE TIME IF SHE WASN'T SUCH A STRICT FILIPINO MOM I WOULDN'T BE WHO I AM TODAY AND I FEEL LIKE THAT'S ECHOED WITH ALL OF OUR FOLKS RIGHT HERE, THE RESILIENCY OF GROWING UP FILIPINO, BUT HONESTLY THE WAY IN WHICH WE CARE FOR OUR COMMUNITY. AS I MENTIONED, YOU KN KNOW, WE HAVE A HUGE -- THE FILIPINO HEALTHCARE WORKERS OF AMERICA ARE REALLY THE BACKBONE OF OUR HEALTHCARE SYSTEM. THEY CARED FOR OUR COMMUNITY IN WAYS THAT RESOUNDS ALL OF US, AND I THINK OF MY MOM SPECIFICALLY BECAUSE SHE WAS A NURSE FOR SO MANY YEARS, LIKE SO MANY -- LIKE EVEN ELSY, ALL OF OUR NURSES HERE, THEY CARE FOR OUR COMMUNITY AND THROUGH THEM WE CAN CONTINUE TO TAKE CARE WE HAVE OWN ANOTHER. SO THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR RECOGNIZING FILIPINO AMERICAN HISTORY MONTH, NOT JUST FOR US, BUT FOR [00:35:04] GENERATIONS AND LEGACIES OF FILIPINOS WHO GET TO CALL SAN ANTONIO HOME AND GET TO SHARE THE LOVE OF THE CULTURE, WITH EACH AND EVERY ONE OF YA'LL HERE IN SAN ANTONIO. SO THANK YOU. >> MAYOR ORTIZ JONES: THANK YOU. THANK YOU. I'LL SEE IF ANY OF MY COLLEAGUES WOULD LIKE TO SAY SOMETHING. COUNCILMEMBER VIAGRAN, PLEASE. >> VIAGRAN: THANK YOU VERY MUCH, MAYOR. NICK CO LET AND I GO WAY BACK AND ALWAYS HAD THIS ENERGY, AND I'M SO EXCITED THAT YOU'RE ALL HERE TODAY YEAR AFTER YEAR, YOU COME, FAMI FAMILIES, A LOT OF WOMEN TODAY, THANK YOU FOR KEEPING EVERYTHING GO GOING. I DO HAVE JUSTIN ONE THING, I WAS AT THE S SARRI SARRI ANNIVERSARY EVENT, AND YA'LL DIDN'T TELL ME ABOUT WHAT IS LIKE A FILIPINO BINGO GAME, SO I HAVE IT NOW , AND I MAY NEED TUTORING BECAUSE I'M HAVING A LITTLE TROUBLE WITH IT, SO LET ME KNOW NEXT TIME SOMEBODY HAS A GAME BECAUSE I WANT TO BE THERE AND LEARN BECAUSE BINGO IS MY FAVORITE AND I WAS LIKE WHAT IS THIS, NICOLELET NEVER TOLD ME ABOUT THIS. SO THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR SHARING SO MUCH OF YOUR COMMUNITY AND CULTURE WITH US, AND ALWAYS EMBRACING AND CONTRIBUTING TO THE SAN ANTONIO STORY, AND THAT YOU ARE THE SAN ANTONIO STORY AND THAT YOU CONTINUE TO COME YEAR AFTER YEAR AND REMIND US OF THAT, AND I LOOK FORWARD TO ALL THE CELEBRATIONS THAT WE HAVE THIS FALL AS WE LOOK AT ALL THE COMMUNITIES AND CULTURE THAT WE HAVE HERE IN SAN ANTONIO. SO THANK YOU, CELEBRATE. I'LL BE WATCHING LOTS OF MOVIES, AND I EXPECT A FILIPINO BINGO INVITE HERE PRETTY SOON. THANK YOU. >> MAYOR ORTIZ JONES: OKAY. WE'LL HAVE TO UPDATE THE PROCLAMATION NEXT TIME TO INCLUDE DYLAN HARPER. OKAY. THANK YOU, ALL, THANK YOU. COUNCILMAN GALVAN IS RECOGNIZED FOR A POINT OF PERSONAL PRIVILEGE. >> GALVAN: THANK YOU MAYOR, ON SEPTEMBER 16, DISTRICT 6 LOST A BELOVED MEMBER OF OUR COMMUNITY. FOR 20 YEARS, LAYLA HERNANDEZ WAS A FIXTURE AT THE HEB RIGHT ON THE SI CENTER OF DISTRICT 6, ALWAYS THERE SERVING FOOD SAMPLES AND KI KINDNESS, IN HONOR OF HER MEMORY I WOULD LIKE TO SHARE HISTORY WITH MY OFFICE. WE'RE HONORING OUR MOTHER, SO MANY IN SAN ANTONIO KNOWN AS MS. MS. SUE, OUR MOTHER WAS FUN, OUTGOING, UNAPOLOGETIC WOMAN WHO CARED DEEPLY ABOUT PEOPLE, SHE LOVED TO COOK, FEED PEOPLE, ENTERTAIN FAMILY AND FRIENDS, TAKE PEOPLE OUT TO DONOR, FESTIVALS, AMUSEMENT PARKS OR ANYWHERE SHE THOUGHT THERE WAS A GOOD TIME. IF SHE UPSET SOMEONE WHO WAS DETERMINED TO BECOME FRIENDS AGAIN, THAT'S WHO SHE WAS. FOR 20 YEARS SHE WAS THE FAMILIAR FACE BEHIND THE FOOD SAMPLES AT THE HEB BUT NEVER SAW HERSELF AS SIMPLY THE FOOD SAMPLER, THE CUSTOMERS WERE HER CUSTOMERS, SHE TALKED TO THEM, REMEMBERED THEM, WATCHED CHILDREN GROW UP AND MADE PEOPLE FEEL WELCOME. KNOWN TO HELP FAMILIES BY PAYING FOR GROCERIES OR TOYS WHEN SEEING PEOPLE IN NEED. SOME PEOPLE CAME AND RETURNED LATER TO SEE IF SHE REMEMBERED THEM AND THANK HER FOR SOMETHING DONE YOUNGER, AS CHILDREN WE KNOW HOW SOCIAL OUR MOTHER WAS AND HOW MUCH SHE LOVED PEOPLE BUT NEVER UNDERSTOOD HOW DEEPLY SHE HAD BECOME A COMMUNITY AROUND HER. AFTER THE PASSING HEARING THE STORIES FROM CUSTOMERS, COWORKERS AND MEMORIAL CREATED FOR HER SHOWED US A SIDE OF HER LIFE WE ONLY PARTIALLY KNEW. PEOPLE CALLED HER THE SOUL OF HEB, REMEMBERED HER KINDNESS, WELCOMING SMILE, WATCHING CHILDREN GROW UP AND ASKING ABOUT THEM, TO DISCOVER OUR MOTHER HAD CREATED RELATIONSHIPS WITH SO MANY PEOPLE HAS BROUGHT OUR FAMILY SO MUCH COMFORT AND JOY DURING A DIFFICULT TIME. WE TRIED MANY TIMES TO BRING HER BACK TO CALIFORNIA WHERE MUCH OF HER FAMILY LIVES BUT SHE TOLD US SAN ANTONIO WAS HER HOME. SHE MEANT IT. SAN ANTONIO WAS HER COMMUNITY, AND THE PEOPLE SHE ENCOUNTERED THERE HAD BECOME PART OF HER EXTENDED FAMILY. OUR MOTHER IS SURVIVED BY HER FOUR CHILDREN, HER GRANDCHILDREN, AND MANY SIBLINGS, NIECES, NEPHEWS, AND OTHER LOVED ONES. SHE'LL BE REMEMBERED FOR HER MIDDLE EASTERN CO COOKING AND HER OWN SPECIAL TWIST ON BAK BAKLAVA. WE'LL THANK HAVING OUR MOTHER RECOGNIZ ED BY THE CITY. CHRISTIAN DE LOS SANTOS, AND AN EMPLOYEE AT HEB, A COWORKER OF SUE HAVING COORDINATE THIS, THE COUNCILMEMBER, THEIR OFFICE, MAYOR'S OFFICE TO MAKING THIS POSSIBLE AS WELL. TO OUR FAMILY, THIS MEANS MORE THAN HAVING HER NAME RECOGNIZED WE THOUGHT WE KNEW THE FULL MEASURE OF THE WOMAN WE CALLED MOM, THROUGH THE PEOPLE AT SAN ANTONIO WE HAVE LEARNED HER KI KINDNESS REACHED FURTHER THAN WE KNEW. WHEN OUR MOTHER CALLED SAN ANTONIO HOME, SAN ANTONIO CAME TO CALL HER MS. SUE. THANK YOU FOR MAKING SURE SHE, THE KINDNESS AND THE LOVE SHE GAVE WILL CONTINUE [00:40:02] TO BE REMEMBERED, WITH APPRECIATION, THE FAM FAMILY. MAY THE MEMORY OF YOUR MOTHER ALWAYS BE REMEMBERED HERE IN THE CITY AND PARTICULARLY ON THE NORTHWEST SIDE OF SAN ANTONIO WHERE MANY OF OUR FAMILIES WERE SUPPORTED BY YOUR MOTHER DIRECTLY AND CONTINUE TO BE RECOGNIZING HER AND SHARING STORIES AS WE RECOGNIZE AT THE MEMORIAL SITE AT HEB ITSELF, THANK YOU SO MUCH, MAYOR. >> MAYOR ORTIZ JONES: THANK YOU. ERIC IF YOU'RE READY. >> WALSH: YES. WE'VE GOT THREE ITEM I WANT ED TO SHARE WITH THE COUNCIL THAT AT 1:00 TODAY, WE WILL HAVE OUT HERE IN THE ALLEY THE LAST BEAM THAT WILL GO UP FOR THE NEW TERMINAL, AND SO THAT'S CALLED THE TOPPING OUT CEREMONY, AND GENERALLY THOSE ARE ASSIGNED, AND I'M INVITING THE MAYOR AND COUNCIL BETWEEN 1:00 AND 2:00 TO GO SIGN THE BEAM. IT WILL BE PLACED ON TOP OF THE TERMINAL, THE LAST BEAM NEXT WEEK. SO THAT'S ON TRACK AND ON BUDGET. SECONDLY, I WANTED TO RECOGNIZE MIKE SHANNON, DIRECTOR OF CAPITAL DELIVERY WHO WAS AWARDED -- HE'S CATCHING A LOT OF -- THERE'S A LOT OF MEMES AND NICKNAMES COMING OUT OF THIS, BUT HE WAS AWARDED THE INAUGURAL MAGIC MAKER AWARD BY THE MAGIC THEATER, AND IT'S REALLY TOWARDS HIM AND THE DEPARTMENT'S WORK -- HIM AND THE DEPARTMENT'S WORK AROUND THE COMPLETION OF ALAMO STREET AND CERTAINLY GRATEFUL FOR THE TEAM'S WORK OVER THERE. IT WAS A NICE CEREMONY THAT THEY PROVIDED -- THAT THEY HAD FOR MIKE, AND, YES, HE IS -- HE IS CATCHING A LOT OF EXTRA NICKNAMES AS A RESULT OF THAT. BUT THANK YOU, MIKE, AND THE CAPITAL DELIVERY TEAM. AND SECONDLY THE VIDEO OF THE DAY IS KIND OF OUTLINING UPCOMING CUSTOMER SERVICE WEEK AND A BIG THING WE DO IN TERMS OF CUSTOMER SERVICE IS OUR 311 CENTER AND PARTICULARLY OUR QUALITY ASSURANCE TEAM, WHICH IS A GROUP OF FIVE INDIVIDUALS THAT DO THE FOLLOW UP WITH REPEAT 311 TYPE OF COMPLAINTS AND TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE ACTUALLY WELCOMING AND RESOLVING THOSE THINGS, SO THIS TEAM IS VERY IMPORTANT, THE VIDEO HIGHLIGHTS THEIR WORK AND IN PARTICULAR DAVID MARTINEZ, ONE OF OUR MEMBERS OF THE QUALITY ASSURANCE TEAM. SO LET'S RUN THE VIDEO. >> I WANT TO PROVIDE AN UPDATE THAT QUALITY ASSURANCE REACHED OUT AND CONFIRMED THEY'RE WORKING -- QUALITY ASSURANCE IS IN CHARGE OF TAKING CARE OF RESIDENTS WHO SAID THEY'RE DISSATISFIED WITH A PARTICULAR CASE SO OUR JOB IS TO DO A DEEPER INVESTIGATION AND COMMUNICATE WITH THE CORRECT DEPARTMENTS THAT THEY'RE AWARE OF THEIR RESIDENT'S CONCERNS. >> BACK IN JUNE, OUR NEIGHBORS MOVED OUT, AND THE PROPERTY HAS NOW BEEN TAKEN CARE OF, AND WE HAVE A LOT OF WEEDS IN THE FRONT YARD AND BACKYARD, AND THAT THEY'RE INCLINED TO GET SOMETHING DONE ABOUT IT. >> WHEN I HEARD FIRST THAT THEY PROVIDED AN UNSATISFIED SURVEY, HE MENTIONED THEY WERE DISSATISFIED WITH A PARTICULAR CASE, OUR JOB WAS TO MAKE SURE WE TAKE THIS CONCERN AND REALLY START GETTING INVOLVED AND PROVIDE THOSE. I BELIEVE THAT THE TWO CORE VALUES THAT 311 EMBRACES ARE TEAMWORK AND PROFESS PROFESSIONALISM. WE KNOW THAT 311 WOULDN'T BE ABLE TO COMPLETE AS MANY CASES AS POSSIBLE IF IT WASN'T FOR THE HELP OF ALL THE OTHER DEPARTMENTS. WE ARE PROUD TO KNOW THAT EVERY SINGLE DAY WE'RE SERVICING RESIDENTS. WE PROVIDE PROFESSIONAL AND EXCELLENT CUSTOMER SERVICE. I WANT PEOPLE AND THE REST OF SAN ANTONIO TO KNOW THAT THEY CAN ALWAYS CALL 311, EVEN IF IT'S JUST FOR A QUESTION, THEY CAN ALWAYS CALL US AND KNOW THAT WE WILL GET IT TAKEN CARE OF. >> THE 311 FOLKS WORK REALLY HARD AND THE QUALITY ASSURANCE TEAM TO MAKE SURE THOSE INDIVIDUALS IN THE VIDEO REACH SATISFACTION SO I APPRECIATE ALL OF THEIR WORK OUT THERE, AGAIN, IN ANTICIPATION OF THE UPCOMING CUSTOMER WEEK WE'LL BE CELEBRATING HERE IN A COUPLE OF WEEKS WITH THE [00:45:02] ENTIRE ORGANIZATION. THANKS, MAYOR. >> MAYOR ORTIZ JONES: THANK YOU, ERIC. IS THERE ANY OBJECTION TO TAKING THE CONSENT AGENDA BEFORE THE INDIVIDUAL ITEMS TO CLEAR OUT MOST OF THE BUSINESS? OKAY. HEARING NONE, ITEM 6 THROUGH 12 ON THE CONSENT AGENDA, MEANING THEY WILL BE CONSIDERED AS A GROUP AND THERE WILL NOT BE A STAFF PRESENTATION UNLESS PULLED FOR INDIVIDUAL CONSIDERATION, ARE THERE ANY ITEMS COUNCILMEMBERS WOULD LIKE TO PULL FROM THE CONSENT AGENDA TO BE HEARD INDIVIDUALLY? OKAY. HEARING NONE. OKAY. NO ONE SIGNED UP TO SPEAK ON THE CONSENT AGENDA. OKAY. IS THERE A MOTION TO APPROVE THE CONSENT AGENDA? OKAY. COUNCILMEMBERS, ARE THERE ANY HIGHLIGHTS OR QUESTIONS ABOUT THE AGENDA? COUNCILWOMAN VIAGRAN. PLEASE. >> VIAGRAN: THANK YOU. I WOULD LIKE TO HIGHLIGHT MY APPOINTMENT TO THE SAN ANTONIO YOUTH COMMISSION. LAST YEAR HE SERVED ON A DISTRICT 3 LEGACY LEADERSHIP INITIATIVE THAT WE HAVE, IT'S A 6 6-MONTH WORKSHOP LEADERSHIP PROGRAM THAT TEACHES LEADERSHIP TRAINING, COMMUNITY SERVICE, CAREER EXPLORATION, SERIES AND NETWORKING WHILE OUR STUDENTS GO ON TO DO GREAT THINGS, GET INTERNSHIPS, GO OFF TO COLLEGE, WE DO ASK THEM TO FIND A WAY TO SERVE WITHIN THE CITY AND IN THE PAST, PEOPLE HAVE SAID YES TO SERVE ON THE YOUTH COMMISSION AND I'M GLAD THAT DREW HAS SAID YES TO SERVE ON THE YOUTH COMMISSION FOR THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO SO I JUST WANT TO CONGRATULATE HIM ON THAT AND THANK YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT. >> MAYOR ORTIZ JONES: THANK YOU. COUNCILMEMBER MUNGIA, PLEASE. >> MUNGIA: THANK YOU, MAYOR, I WANT TO BRIEFLY HIGHLIGHT ITEM 10 WHICH IS APPROVING THE AT LARGE APPOINTEES FOR ZONING BOARD OF ADJUSTMENT AND THANK MY COLLEAGUES ON A VERY QUICK AND EFFICIENT INTERVIEW PROCESS AND THOSE COMMITTED TO SERVE ON THE ZONING BOARD OF ADJUSTMENT. THANK YOU. >> MAYOR ORTIZ JONES: THANK YOU. COUNCILMEMBER ALDERETE GAVITO, PLEASE. >> ALDERETE GAVITO: THANK YOU, I WANTED TO HIGHLIGHT ITEM 6, APPROVING A CONSTRUCTION CONTRACT WITH CRAFTSMAN EQUIPMENT FOR THE NEW SPLASH PAD. THIS PROJECT IS PART OF AN $8 MILLION INVESTMENT IN WOODLAWN LAKE PARK INCLUDING FISHING NODES, TERRACE SEATING AND HUNDREDS OF NEW TREES. THIS PARTICULAR PROJECT IS PART OF THE 2022 BOND AND IS ALSO SERVING AS A GRANT MATCH FOR THE ROLP FOR THE PARK IMPRO IMPROVEMENTS, I WANT TO GIVE A SHOUTOUT FOR CONTINUING TO ADVOCATE FOR THIS PROJECT. IF YOU ALL KNOW, WOODLAWN LAKE POOL IS HUGE, AND IT'S ALSO SUPER PACKED. SO THIS SPLASH PAD AL ALLOWS KIDDOS IN OUR COMMUNITY TO COOL OFF IN THE HOT SUMMERS. SO WE'LL BE PUSHING THAT THIS PROJECT IS DONE ON TIME , AND I JUST WANT TO THANK ALL OF THE DEPARTMENTS WHO ARE HELPING MAKE THAT HAP HAPPEN. THANKS SO MUCH. >> MAYOR ORTIZ JONES: THANK YOU. COUNCILMEMBER SPEARS, PLEASE. >> SPEARS: THANKS, MAYOR, I WANT TO HIGHLIGHT ITEM 7 WHICH IS AN ORDINANCE AUTHORIZING THE ACCEPTANCE OF GRANT FUNDS FROM THE FEDERAL AVIATION ADMINISTRATION IN THE AMOUNT OF $124,950 WITH A CASH MATCH OF $41,650 TOTALING $166,600. YA'LL ARE SO GREAT AT GOING OUT AND GETTING THE FUNDING FROM THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT, AND I JUST REALLY, REALLY APPRECIATE JESUS AND HIS TEAM AND EVERYTHING YA'LL DO TO TRY TO MAKE SURE THAT OUR AIRPORT IS GROWING, THRIVING , AND MOVING FORWARD. OUR TERMINAL C IS ALMOST FINISHED, AS WE JUST HEARD, AND WE'RE ALL VERY, VERY EXCITED, AND, YOU KNOW, THIS IS THE FIRST AND LAST THING THAT VISITORS SEE WHEN THEY COME TO SAN ANT ANTONIO, SO I JUST WA WANTED TO SAY THANK YOU FOR YOUR HARD WORK ON THAT, AND CONGRATULATIONS ON THE GRANT. >> MAYOR ORTIZ JONES: GREAT. THANK YOU. THERE BEING NO FURTHER DISCUSSION, THERE'S A MOTION AND A SECOND TO APPROVE THE CONSENT AGENDA. PLEASE VOTE. OH. COUNCILMAN WHYTE >> WHYTE: YES. OKAY. >> MAYOR JONES: THE MOTION CARRIES. THANK YOU. MADAME CLERK, PLEASE READ THE CAPTION FOR ITEM 4. >> CLERK: ITEM NO. 41 IS AN ORDINANCE APPROVING ADJUSTMENTS TO THE SAN ANTONIO WATER SYSTEM'S RATES FOR RESIDENTIAL, GENERAL, IRRIGATION, AND WHOLESALE CUSTOMERS FOR 2027 THROUGH 2030. >> MAYOR JONES: WHO IS DOING THE PRESENTATION? OKAY. AT THIS POINT I THINK WE'VE GOT IT MEMORIZED, ROBERT. >> PUENTE: IT WILL BE QUICK. >> MAYOR JONES: THANK YOU. >> PUENTE: GOOD MORNING, [00:50:02] MAYOR, COUNCIL MEMBERS. THANK YOU FOR THE TIME YOU HAVE SPENT WITH US OVER THE LAST FEW MONTHS. BEFORE CECILIA PRESENTS THE DETAILS OF OUR RATE PLAN THAT YOU WILL VOTE ON, I JUST WANT TO TALK TO YOU ABOUT SOMETHING THAT I BELIEVE IS JUST AS IMPORTANT AND THAT IS HOW SAWS AND THE CITY WORK TOGETHER GOING FORWARD. OUR CONVERSATIONS HAVE GONE WELL BEYOND RATES. YOU HAVE RAISED QUESTIONS ABOUT HOW SAWS MAKES DECISIONS AND HOW THOSE DECISIONS AFFECT YOUR CONSTITUENTS AND HOW WE COORDINATE WITH YOUR OFFICES REGARDING THOSE DECISIONS WE MAKE. I BELIEVE THOSE AUDIO] AND RESPONSIVE WORKING RELATIONSHIP. THAT MEANS NOT SIMPLY EXPLAINING OUR EXISTING POLICIES BUT A WILLINGNESS TO EXAMINE HOW THEY SERVE YOUR CONSTITUENTS, OUR RATEPAYERS. FOR EXAMPLE, WE ARE TAKING A FRESH LOOK ON HOW WE ASSESS IMPACT FEES APPLY. WE SHOULD ALSO EXAMINE WHETHER OUR METHODS APPROPRIATELY SMALLER APARTMENT UNITS AND THEIR ACTUAL DEMANDS ON THE SYSTEM, ESPECIALLY THESE SMALL APARTMENT UNITS ARE IN THE INNER CITY AND ARE AFFORDABLE HOUSING. AS THE CITY CONSIDERS INCENTIVES FOR HOUSING AND INVESTMENT IN PARTICULAR AREAS, SAWS SHOULD BE AT THE TABLE EARLY WORKING THROUGH WHAT IS POSSIBLE, WHAT IS EQUITABLE, AND HOW TO PROTECT THE FINANCIAL INTEGRITY OF THE UTILITY. YOU HAVE ALSO HEARD OUR CONCERNS ABOUT WE HAVE -- WE HAVE ALSO HEARD YOUR CONCERNS ABOUT LOST WATER. REDUCING WATER LOSS IS EVERY BIT AS IMPORTANT TO OUR BOARD AND TO OUR STAFF AS IT IS TO THIS COUNCIL. IT AFFECTS OUR CUSTOMERS, OUR OPERATING COSTS, AND OUR STEWARDSHIP OF A VERY VALUABLE RESOURCE. RESTORING THE FULL 77 MILES OF WATER MAIN REPLACEMENT TO OUR PLANT IS ONE TANGIBLE STEP. ANOTHER OPPORTUNITY IS THE WAY OUR CONSTRUCTION PROJECTS INTERSECT. WHEN THE CITY CONSTRUCTS STREETS AND SAWS NEEDS TO REPLACE WATER AND SEWER MAINS BENEATH IT, RESIDENTS DO NOT DISTINGUISH BETWEEN THE CITY AND SAWS. IT IS ONE PROJECT. IT IS ONE PUBLIC ENTITY. WE NEED TO HAVE EARLIER CONVERSATIONS ABOUT SCOPE, SCHEDULES, COST RESPONSIBILITIES, AND CHANGES IN THE FIELD. THE CURRENT MOU BETWEEN THE CITY AND SAWS DOES THAT. THE SAWS BOARD HAS A RESPONSIBILITY TO PROTECT OUR LONG-TERM RELIABILITY AND THE FINANCES OF SAWS. AND COUNCIL HAS A RESPONSIBILITY TO ITS CONSTITUENTS AS A WHOLE AND THE CITY AS A WHOLE. THOSE RESPONSIBILITIES ARE NOT IN CONFLICT WHEN WE COMMUNICATE AND PLAN WELL AND EARLY. I■ APPRECIATE OUR CHAIRWOMAN&-Ú, WE WORKED WITH THE PUBLIC UTILITY OFFICE AND REDUCED THE MAXIMUMS FROM OUR ORIGINAL PROPOSAL. AT THE MINIMUM ADJUSTMENTS, THE AVERAGE RESIDENTIAL BILL WOULD INCREASE FROM TODAY'S $56.68 AVERAGE BILL TO $70.13 BY 2030. THIS REPRESENTS A CUMULATIVE FOUR-YEAR IMPACT. CUSTOMERS ENROLLED IN OUR UPLIFT AFFORDABILITY PROGRAM WILL NOT BE SUBJECT TO THESE INCREASES DURING THE ENTIRE FOUR-YEAR PERIOD. AFFORDABILITY IS AN ESSENTIAL COMPONENT OF OUR RATE PLAN. WE ARE PROPOSING TO EXPAND OUR UPLIFT ELIGIBILITY FROM 125% TO 150% OF THE FEDERAL POVERTY LEVEL. APPROXIMATELY 25,000 CUSTOMERS ARE CURRENTLY ENROLLED IN THIS PROGRAM. OUR STRATEGIC GOAL IS TO INCREASE PARTICIPATION BY A TOTAL OF 30% OVER THE NEXT FOUR YEARS. WE HAVE ALSO LAUNCHED AN AUTOMATIC ENROLLMENT PILOT PROGRAM IN COUNCIL DISTRICTS 1, 2, AND 5. CUSTOMERS RECEIVED THE DISCOUNTED RATE FOR SIX [00:55:04] MONTHS WHILE SAWS CONDUCTS FOLLOW-UP OUTREACH EFFORTS TO HELP ELIGIBLE HOUSEHOLDS COMPLETE THE APPLICATION. THIS APPROACH ALLOWS US TO PROVIDE IMMEDIATE ASSISTANCE WHILE BUILDING SUSTAINED PARTICIPATION IN THE PROGRAM. OUR AVERAGE BILL CALCULATIONS ASSUME A MONTHLY USE. HOWEVER NEARLY 70% USED LESS THAN THAT AMOUNT IN 2025. IN MOST COUNCIL DISTRICTS, MORE THAN 70% OF RESIDENTIAL BILLS REFLECT A USAGE AT OR BELOW THAT AVERAGE. THIS MEANS THE AVERAGE BILL IS NOT THE EXPERIENCE OF MOST CUSTOMERS BECAUSE MOST HOUSEHOLDS USE LESS WATER. THIS TRANSLATES THE PROPOSED ADJUSTMENT INTO ESTIMATED BILL AMOUNTS FROM 2025. FOR DISTRICTS 1 THROUGH 5 THE PROPOSED AVERAGE BILLS RANGE FROM $48.50 TO $53.37 PER MONTH. EVERY ONE OF THE DISTRICT AVERAGES REMAINS BELOW THE SYSTEM-WIDE PROPOSED BILL OF $60.59. IT REINFORCES THAT ACTUAL CUSTOMER IMPACTS DEPEND ON WATER USE AND HOUSEHOLDS USING LESS THAN THEY'RE AVERAGE USE WILL GENERALLY EXPERIENCE A LOWER DOLLAR INCREASE . THIS SLIDE PROVIDES THE SAME COMPARISON FOR DISTRICT 6 THROUGH 10 USING THE ACTUALS FROM 2025. PROPOSED DISTRICT AVERAGES RANGE FROM $51.44 IN DISTRICT 6 TO $77.34 IN DISTRICT 9, REFLECTING THOSE DIFFERENCE IN CONSUMPTION LEVELS. DISTRICTS 8 AND 9 ARE HIGHER BECAUSE THEIR AVERAGE USAGE IS HIGHER. THIS SLIDE FOCUSES ON THE FIRST TWO USAGE TILES WHICH REPRESENT CUSTOMERS USING NO MORE THAN 4500 GALLONS OF WATER PER MONTH. FOR USAGE IN THE FIRST CORE TILE, UP TO 2600 GALLONS, THE ESTIMATED BILL INCREASES $1.87 PER MONTH. FOR CUSTOMERS IN THE SECOND CORE TILE, UP TO 4500 GALLONS, THE BILL INCREASES $2.54 PER MONTH. THESE EXAMPLES DEMONSTRATE THAT LOWER-USAGE HOUSEHOLDS WILL EXPERIENCE A CONSIDERABLE SMALLER DOLLAR IMPACT THAT THE SYSTEMWIDE AVERAGE. THE CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PROGRAM TOTALS APPROXIMATELY $3 BILLION. WASTEWATER REPRESENTS APPROXIMATELY $1.3 BILLION AND 42 PROJECTS REFLECTING THE IMMEDIATE NEED TO REHABILITATE AND EXPAND OUR CRITICAL TREATMENT INFRASTRUCTURE. WATER DELIVERY INCLUDES APPROXIMATELY $941 MILLION WITH 77 PROJECTS INCLUDING 51 WATER MAIN REPLACEMENT PROJECTS. WATER SUPPLY INCLUDES APPROXIMATELY $400 MILLION IN INVESTMENT WITH 12 PROJECTS THAT SUPPORT OUR LONG-TERM WATER SUPPLY RELIABILITY AND DROUGHT RESILIENCY. THE PROGRAM PRIORITIZES THE INVESTMENTS NEEDED TO ADDRESS OUR AGING INFRASTRUCTURE, MAINTAIN REGULATORY COMPLIANCE, SUPPORT CUSTOMER GROWTH, AND STRENGTHEN SYSTEM RELIABILITY. AS OUR TOP PRIORITY PROJECT, THE STEVEN M. CLAUS RECYCLING CENTER MAKES THIS A CRITICAL OPERATIONAL INVESTMENT . THIS PROJECT WILL CONSTRUCT A CENTRALIZED PROCESSING FACILITY AND REPLACE EQUIPMENT THAT HAS EXCEEDED ITS USEFUL LIFE. THIS WILL INCREASE CAPACITY, AUTOMATE OPERATIONS, IMPROVE OUR PLANT EFFICIENCY, AND HELP SAWS MAINTAIN COMPLIANCE WITH ITS PERMIT REQUIREMENTS. THIS HAS A BUDGET OF $170 MILLION. THE CONSTRUCTION CONTRACT IS ESTIMATED TO BE AWARDED IN THE FOURTH QUARTER OF 2026 AND COMPLETION IN THE THIRD QUARTER OF 2031. WE ALSO WANTED TO PROVIDE YOU WITH THE BENCHMARKING DATA THAT WE HAVE PROVIDED TO OUR BOARD THAT COMPARES SAWS WITH OTHER LARGE WATER AND WASTEWATER UTILITIES ACROSS THE UNITED STATES FROM A FINANCIAL AS WELL AS AN OPERATIONAL PERSPECTIVE. THIS ANALYSIS INCLUDES THE UTILITY SERVING THE NATIONS TEN LARGEST CITIES AS WELL AS THE NEXT TWO LARGEST TEXAS CITIES WHICH ARE AUSTIN AND EL PASO. FOR THIS METRIC, SAWS CONTINUES TO OPERATE EFFICIENTLY RELATIVE TO THAT PEER GROUP. IN 2025, SAWS SERVED 532 CUSTOMER CONNECTIONS PER EMPLOYEE. COMPARED WITH AN AVERAGE OF 409 AMONG THE OTHER 11 CITIES IN THE PEER GROUP. THE MEASURE DEMONSTRATES THAT SAWS' EMPLOYEES SUPPORT A LARGE CUSTOMER BASE AND THAT OPERATIONAL EFFICIENCY REMAINS AN IMPORTANT PART OF OUR STRATEGY TO CONTROL COSTS AND PROTECT OUR CUSTOMERS. THIS METRIC MEASURES THE NUMBER OF DAYS SAWS COULD CONTINUE FUNDING OPERATIONS [01:00:05] USING AVAILABLE UNRESTRICTED CASH AND INVESTMENTS. AT THE END OF 2025, SAWS MAINTAINED 459 DAYS CASH ON HAND COMPARED WITH AN AVERAGE OF 250 DAYS AMONG THE OTHER 11 CITIES. SAWS RANKS SECOND AMONG THE UTILITIES SHOWN. THIS PROVIDES FINANCIAL FLEXIBILITY TO ADDRESS UNEXPECTED COSTS, SUPPORT OUR CAPITAL PROGRAM, AND MAINTAIN FINANCIAL STABILITY. SAWS HAS STRATEGICALLY USED AVAILABLE CASH TO HELP REDUCE FUTURE DEBT SERVICE COST AND PLANS TO CONTINUE TO USE UNRESTRICTED CASH TO FUND OUR FUTURE CAPITAL PROGRAMS. AS THIS WAS THE END OF 2025, WE WILL BE USING CASH TO FUND THE 2026 CIP. EVEN WITH THE PROPOSED 2027 ADJUSTMENT, SAWS AVERAGE RESIDENTIAL WATER AND WASTEWATER BILL WOULD REMAIN AMONG THE LOWEST COMPARED WITH THE MAJOR TEXAS CITIES. THE PROPOSED AVERAGE BILL IS $65.05 WOULD REMAIN THE BILL SHOWN FOR FORT WORTH, LUBBOCK, EL PASO, ARLINGTON, CORPUS CHRISTI, PLANO, AUSTIN, AND HOUSTON. MOST SAWS CUSTOMERS USE LESS THAN THE AVERAGE CONSUMPTION IN THIS COMPARISON AND WILL EXPERIENCE A LOWER MONTHLY DOLLAR IMPACT. UPLIFT CUSTOMERS WILL RECEIVE ADDITIONAL PROTECTION WITH NO RATE INCREASE UNDER THE PROPOSED PLAN OVER THE FOUR-YEAR PERIOD AND WILL REMAIN THE LOWEST ACROSS THE ENTIRE COMPARISON. THIS EXPANDED COMPARISON SHOWS SAWS POSITION RELATIVE TO THE TEN LARGEST CITIES IN THE COUNTRY, EVEN WITH THAT 2027 PROPOSED INCREASE, THE AVERAGE RESIDENTIAL BILL IS $65.05 WOULD REMAIN LOWER THAN LOS ANGELES, SAN DIEGO, PHILADELPHIA, NEW YORK, AND CHICAGO. AT THE SAME TIME, MAINTAINING AFFORDABLE RATES REQUIRES MAKING RESPONSIBLE INVESTMENTS NOW TO AVOID GREATER COSTS AND RISKS IN THE FUTURE. THE ADDITIONAL REVENUE IS NEEDED TO MAINTAIN REGULATORY COMPLIANCE, UPGRADE OUR AGING INFRASTRUCTURE, AND PRESERVE OUR FINANCIAL POSITION. OUR PROPOSAL BALANCES AFFORDABILITY AND RESPONSIBILITY. IT KEEPS SAWS AVERAGE BILL COMPETITIVE WHILE PROVIDING THE FUNDING NECESSARY TO PROTECT PUBLIC HEALTH, SUPPORT OUR GROWING COMMUNITY, AND DELIVER RELIABLE SERVICE FOR THE FUTURE. THANK YOU. >> MAYOR JONES: THANK YOU, CECILIA. WE'RE GOING TO PUBLIC COMMENT. FIRST PERSON TO SPEAK IS PAUL FOLLOWED BY ANTONIO DIAZ AND JACK FINGER. YOU HAVE THREE MINUTES EACH. >> GOOD MORNING, MAYOR AND COUNCIL MEMBERS. MY NAME IS PAUL BUSTLE AND HERE HERE SERVING IN MY ROLE AT THE CHAIR OF THE SAN ANTONIO METRO CHAMBER OF COMMERCE. I ALSO HAVE KEVIN DENNEN SERVING AS THE GREATER SAN ANTONIO CHAMBER OF COMMERCE. THANK YOU FOR HAVING US. ON BEHALF OF OUR CHAMBER AND OUR MORE THAN 900 MEMBER BUSINESSES WE WANT TO EXPRESS OUR STRONG SUPPORT. THE CHANGES MADE TO THE SAWS RATE PLAN AND BUDGET WERE STRATEGIC AND THEY PRESERVE THE GOALS THAT MATTER MOST: RELIABLE SERVICE, COMPLIANCE WITH REGULATORY REQUIREMENTS, STRONGER SYSTEM RESILIENCE AND THE PROTECTION OF PUBLIC HEALTH AND SAFETY. WITH THE HOPES OF HAVING COUNCILS VOTE IN SUPPORT OF THIS AGREEMENT TODAY WE VIEW THIS AS A MUCH-NEEDED UNIFYING MOMENT FOR OUR COMMUNITY. WE ACKNOWLEDGE IT WAS NOT EASY TO GET HERE. SAWS HAS HAD TO ANSWER PLENTY OF TOUGH QUESTIONS FROM BOTH CITY COUNCIL AND THE COMMUNITY AT-LARGE. BUT ULTIMATELY THE SAWS BOARD AND EXECUTIVE LEADERSHIP FINE TUNED THE PROPOSAL SEVERAL TIMES AND WE THANK THEM FOR THEIR WORK AND THEIR EFFORT TO BRING THE BUSINESS COMMUNITY AND CITY COUNCIL TOGETHER AROUND A PLAN THAT REFLECTS SHARED PRIORITIES. WE ALSO APPRECIATE SAWS' WILLINGNESS TO MEET WITH US. SAWS HAS COME BEFORE THE METRO SAN ANTONIO CHAMBER LEADERSHIP THREE TIMES SINCE FEBRUARY AND WE BELIEVE THAT DIALOGUE HAS STRENGTHENED BOTH THE PROPOSAL AND THE TRUST BEHIND IT. I WOULD ESPECIALLY LIKE TO THANK PRESIDENT AND CEO OF SAWS, ROBERT PUENTE. ROBERT AND I HAVE HAD SOME SPIRITED CONVERSATIONS FOR SEVERAL MONTHS AND ALTHOUGH WE WERE NOT ALWAYS ON THE SAME PAGE HE CONTINUED TO COMMUNICATE IN GOOD FAITH. THANK YOU, ROBERT FOR YOUR WORK IN BRINGING US TOGETHER. WE ALSO APPRECIATE THAT AT TIMES LIKE THIS WHEN RESIDENTS AND RATEPAYERS ARE BEING ASKED TO TIGHTEN THEIR BELTS CONSISTENTLY, SAWS WAS WILLING TO DO THE SAME. SAWS WILL CONTINUE TO FUND CRITICAL PROJECTS WHILE REDUCING ITS REVENUE BY $27.5 MILLION. THAT REDUCTION EQUATES TO FAR LESS DEBT THAT THIS COMMUNITY HAS TO INCUR, TO THE TUNE OF OVER $500 MILLION. THANK YOU FOR THAT. METRO SA CHAMBER ACKNOWLEDGES THIS WILL HAVE AN IMPACT ON RESIDENTIAL AND COMMERCIAL RATEPAYERS AND WE [01:05:03] ASK SAWS LEADERSHIP TO MAKE EVERY EFFORT TO ENSURE THE ADDITIONAL REVENUE COLLECTED FROM RATEPAYERS PROVIDED THE MAXIMUM RETURN ON INVESTMENT. THAT BEING SAID, METRO SA CHAMBER REMAINS COMMITTED TO STRENGTHENING SAN ANTONIO'S INFRASTRUCTURE FOR CURRENT AND FUTURE RESIDENTS AND FOR THE WORKFORCE TOMORROW. WE STAND READY TO PARTNER WITH SAWS, CITY COUNCIL, AND ALL STAKEHOLDERS TO ADVANCE THIS SHARED VISION FOR OUR REGION . THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME. >> MAYOR JONES: THANK YOU. ANTONIO DIAZ FOLLOWED BY JACK FINGER. >> I TIE THIS IN WITH WHAT'S GOING ON WITH THE DATA CENTERS AND ALSO WITH DIFFERENT DEVELOPMENTS SUCH AS THIS DETENTION CENTER. THAT ACTUALLY HAVE A HIGHER DEMAND FOR WATER USAGE AND FOR OTHER INFRASTRUCTURE THAT SAWS PROVIDES. INCREASING RESIDENTIAL RATES I THINK IS BROUGHT ON BY THIS LARGE COMMERCIAL VENTURES THAT ENTER INTO OUR CITY. AND SO THERE SHOULD BE SOME WAY TO DEFER THAT. BECAUSE I'VE NOTICED THAT THROUGH THE YEARS MOST OF THIS COMMERCIAL INTEREST GET ABATEMENTS FOR THE INFRASTRUCTURE PROVIDED TO THEM. YET RESIDENTS DON'T. SO, TO INCREASE RATES FOR RESIDENTS, RESIDENTIAL USE AT THE -- I GUESS THE SAME PERCENTAGE FOR COMMERCIAL USE DOESN'T SEEM QUITE ADEQUATE TO ME. THERE SHOULD BE SOME WAY TO MEASURE ALL THE GIFTING THAT GOES TO COMMERCIAL INTERESTS, ALL THE INFRASTRUCTURE PROVIDED FOR THEM AND ABATED FOR YEARS AND YEARS. RESIDENTS INCUR THE COSTS FOR THEIR BENEFIT. SO, CONSIDER THIS AS YOU VOTE. I MEAN, I KNOW THIS YEAR WITH AN INCREASE IN EVEN PROPERTY TAXES AND SO FORTH AND THE CUTBACKS IN STAFFING AND CUTBACKS IN SERVICES THAT WE ARE INCURRING AS RESIDENTS OF SAN ANTONIO, WE'LL BE FEELING IT EVEN MORE AS THE YEAR GOES ON. AND MANY PEOPLE ARE ON FIXED INCOMES. I'VE HEARD THAT THEY WILL NOT INCUR THIS RATE INCREASES THROUGH THE NEXT FOUR YEARS. HOPEFULLY THAT IT WILL BE SO. I DON'T KNOW HOW YOU WILL TRACK THAT. BUT HOPEFULLY IT WILL BE SO. SO, AGAIN, TAKE A VERY, VERY DEEP LOOK INTO HOW YOU'RE RAISING RATES FOR EVERYTHING FOR RESIDENTIAL USE. THANK YOU. >> MAYOR JONES: THANK YOU. JACK FINGER, PLEASE. MA'AM, I DON'T SEE YOU ON THE LIST. IT'S JACK FINGER'S TURN. THANK YOU, MA'AM. YOU ARE ON THE NEXT ITEM, THOUGH, DIANA. >> MADAME MAYOR, OTHER MEMBERS OF OUR ILLUSTRIOUS SAN ANTONIO CITY COUNCIL. FOR THE RECORD, MY NAME IS JACK M. FINGER. YES. SO WHAT ARE YOU GOING TO DO TODAY? WELL, JUST ON THE HEELS OF A BIG PROPERTY TAX RATE INCREASE A WHILE AGO, THIS IS WHAT YOU'RE PLANNING ON DOING TODAY. THE HIGHLIGHTED AREA, MR. AUDIO-VISUAL MAN, SEE WHAT IT SAYS THERE. IF YOU CAN BLOW IT UP A LITTLE BIT. SAWS IS SEEKING TO RAISE RATES EVERY YEAR FROM 2027 THROUGH 2030 WITH A TOTAL INCREASE OF 23.7% AND 30% FOR RESIDENTIAL CUSTOMERS. PLEASE RETURN THE CAMERA . YOU KNOW, THAT'S AN AVERAGE OF 6, 7% A YEAR INCREASE IN OUR WATER RATES. YOU REALIZE THAT'S TWO TO THREE TIMES THE INFLATION RATE? TWO TO THREE TIMES THE INFLATION RATE IS NOT AFFORDABLE. DO YOU REALIZE YOUR UPLIFT UPLIT PROGRAM WHERE YOU PLACE [01:10:01] PEOPLE ON WATER WELFARE SO THAT THEY CAN'T PAY THEIR BILLS. DO YOU REALIZE THEY'RE GOING TO THAT PROGRAM BECAUSE YOU ARE RAISING THE RATES IN THE FIRST PLACE. THEY CAN'T AFFORD IT. MAYBE SOCIALISM IS WHAT YOU WANT, RIGHT? I TELL YOU WHAT, LET'S SEE IF THEY CAN DO SOMETHING BETTER THAN THAT. LET'S SEE WHAT THIS OTHER FACT BRINGS FORWARD HERE. THE CITY RECEIVES 4% OF GROSS REVENUES FROM SAWS. RETURN THE CAMERA, IF YOU WOULD. I TELL YOU WHAT. DO YOU REALLY WANT TO MAKE THIS EASIER ON THE RATEPAYERS? WHY DON'T YOU GIVE BACK TO THE RATEPAYERS THE 4%? HUH? 4%. YEAH. I MEAN, IT'S SOMETHING. I MEAN, IF YOU WANT TO SHOW GOOD FAITH TO ALL THE RATEPAYERS THAT ARE SUFFERING BECAUSE OF THIS. HUH? HERE'S ANOTHER IDEA. MAYBE, AS A PUBLIC SERVICE, HERE'S A SUGGESTION HOW SAWS CAN LOWER ITS COSTS. WHAT IS IT PAYING ITS EMPLOYEES? WHAT IS ITS CEO GETTING? MR. PUENTE GETS A TOTAL OF $726,687 ANNUALLY, INCLUDING HIS BONUS. YEAH. THAT'S THREE QUARTERS OF A MILLION DOLLARS. THREE QUARTERS OF A MILLION DOLLARS. EXCUSE ME. IS THIS -- SOMEHOW THIS DOESN'T COMPUTE WHEN YOU'RE TRYING TO SUPPOSEDLY DO SOMETHING EQUITABLE FOR ALL THE RATEPAYERS WHO PAY THE FREIGHT HERE. THANK YOU. [APPLAUSE] >> MAYOR JONES: THANK YOU. IS THERE A MOTION TO APPROVE ITEM 4 SO WE MAY BEGIN COUNCIL DISCUSSION? >> VIAGRAN: I MAKE A MOTION TO APPROVE. >> MAYOR JONES: WE'LL MOVE ON TO COUNCIL DISCUSSION. LET ME FIRST THANK THE STAFF, OF COURSE MY FELLOW BOARD MEMBERS FOR THE DUE DILIGENCE THAT HAS GOTTEN US TO THIS POINT. OBVIOUSLY, THE WORK TO MAKE SURE EVERYBODY'S QUESTIONS WERE ANSWERED TO THEIR SATISFACTION. AND OF COURSE THE COMMITMENT TO MAKING SURE THAT THERE'S A GOOD DIALOGUE GOING BACK AND FORTH AS MY COLLEAGUES RAISE THEIR CONCERNS. THANK YOU, ROBERT AND THANK YOU, CECILIA AND YOUR TEAM. COUNCILMEMBER ALDERETE GAVITO, PLEASE. >> GAVITO: THANK YOU. I DO WANT TO START BY THANKING ROBERT PUENTE AND HIS TEAM FOR CONTINUING TO KEEP THE CONVERSATION OPEN. I THINK SINCE THE LAST TIME WE WERE HERE THERE'S BEEN A LOT MORE TRANSPARENCY. THERE'S BEEN A LOT MORE DIALOGUE, SO THANK YOU TO YOU. THANK YOU FOR THE BOARD. AND THANK YOU FOR ALL OF Y'ALL'S WORK TO MAKING SURE THAT THIS IS A RATE CASE THAT ALL OF US CAN FEEL COMFORTABLE WITH. BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, AGAIN AT THE END OF THE DAY, THIS IS A TOUGH POSITION. OUR RESIDENTS ARE GOING TO FACE A HIGHER SAWS BILL POTENTIALLY, BUT WE KNOW IT'S THE RIGHT THING TO DO. WE HAVE TO INVEST IN OUR UTILITIES. BUT MY COLLEAGUES AND I ARE GOING TO DO OUR DUE DILIGENCE TO MAKE SURE THE RATE CASES IS THE RIGHT ONES FOR OUR RESIDENTS. FOR ME, WE ALL KNOW THAT WATER LEAKS ARE MY MOST PRESSING ISSUE. WE KNOW WE HAVE RECURRING WATER LEAKS IN CERTAIN AREAS. I WAS PLEASED IN THE LAST -- I GUESS IT WAS THE SESSION LAST WEEK. Y'ALL'S MAPS OF THE WATER LEAKS ADDRESSES THE MAIN WATER CONCERNS THAT DISTRICT 7 HAS SPOT ON. THANK YOU FOR Y'ALL'S WORK IN MAKING SURE THAT OUR WATER LEAKS ARE GOING TO GET ADDRESSED AND ARE CONTINUING TO STAY IN THIS PACKAGE. I'M ALSO HAPPY WITH ALL THE UPUPLIFT PROGRAM ENHANCEMENTS I THINK THAT'S REALLY GOING TO HELP OUR MOST VULNERABLE, NOT ONLY THE RESIDENTS BUT THEIR NEIGHBORS TOO IN Y'ALL TARGETING FOLKS WHO COULD BE ELIGIBLE FOR THAT PROGRAM. THANK YOU FOR THINKING AHEAD THAT WAY. I DO HAVE A FEW QUESTIONS ABOUT THE CURRENT PROPOSAL. ROBERT, IF YOU DON'T MIND, CAN YOU EXPLAIN THE RATE REVIEW PROCESS FOR YEAR THREE AND YEAR FOUR. ALSO, I HAVE A FEW QUESTIONS SO I DON'T KNOW IF WE CAN PAUSE A CLOCK FOR YOUR ANSWER. >> PUENTE: I'M SORRY. THE RATE REVIEW PROCESS? >> GAVITO: FOR YEAR THREE AND YEAR FOUR. >> PUENTE: EVERY FIVE YEARS OR SO WE GO THROUGH A RATE STUDY AND THE LAST ONE WAS DONE ROUGHLY ABOUT FOUR YEARS AGO SO WE'RE GOING TO DO ANOTHER ONE THIS COMING YEAR IN '27. IT WILL BE READY BY '28. THAT WILL TELL US WHAT OUR NEEDS ARE AND CAPITAL AND O&M AND SO WE GO THROUGH THIS STUDY ALL THE TIME. RIGHT NOW, YEARS THREE AND FOUR WERE ORIGINALLY NUMBERS THAT WERE HIGHER THAN WHAT YOU SEE IN FRONT OF YOU. TWO THINGS HAPPEN. [01:15:07] ONE, MEETING WITH ERIK'S OFFICE, PUBLIC UTILITIES OFFICE. WE REACHED AN AGREEMENT TO LOWER THOSE NUMBERS IN YEARS THREE AND FOUR. THE CEILING AND THE FLOOR. SUBSEQUENT TO THE JUNE MEETING, WE, SAWS, ON OUR OWN, HEARING YOUR CONCERNS, WE LOWERED THE FLOOR. SO ALL OF THE STUDIES THAT WERE DONE REGARDING THOSE NUMBERS HAVE BEEN ADJUSTED. WHERE WE ARE NOW IS NUMBERS THAT ARE IN FRONT OF COUNCIL RIGHT NOW THAT WE ARE PLANNING FOR FOR OUR FUTURE CAPITAL PROGRAM. >> WALSH: LET ME ADD A LITTLE BIT TO THAT. I THINK SPECIFICALLY YOU WERE ASKING ABOUT HOW WOULD IT WORK IN YEARS THREE AND FOUR. >> GAVITO: YEAH. >> WALSH: ESSENTIALLY IT WILL WORK THE SAME WAY, THE SAME PROCESS WE HAVE JUST GONE THROUGH WITH THEM, WITH SAWS. AND THAT MEANS THAT IN ANTICIPATION OF YEAR THREE, THEY WILL SUBMIT ALL THEIR REQUIRED FINANCIAL INFORMATION TO PUBLIC UTILITIES TO DO THE RATE REVIEW. WE WILL HAVE THOSE CONVERSATIONS WITH SAWS AND THEN WE'LL BE BACK IN FRONT OF THE COUNCIL TO LAY OUT KIND OF THE STATUS OF THE CONDITIONS THAT EXIST NOW. THINGS UNDOUBTEDLY MAY CHANGE. THERE MAY BE DIFFERENT PRIORITIES BUT WHERE ARE THEY AT IN TERMS OF THE PLAN, WE'LL COME BACK TO COUNCIL. THEY STILL HAVE TO GO THROUGH THAT RATE PROCESS FOR YEARS THREE AND FOUR. THE COUNCIL, IT'S NOT NECESSARY FOR YOU TO VOTE ON IT BUT WE STILL HAVE TO HAVE THAT RATE REVIEW PROCESS AND THE PUBLIC PRESENTATION TO YOU ALL. >> GAVITO: THAT'S HELPFUL BECAUSE I DO THINK THAT WHILE THIS IS A FOUR-YEAR -- PROPOSED FOUR-YEAR RATE INCREASE, WE DO KNOW THAT THINGS CAN CHANGE AND AS PROJECTS ARE GETTING KNOCKED OUT, WHAT THE REMAINDER OF THE PROJECTS LOOK LIKE. THAT'S HELPFUL. ROBERT, YOU MENTIONED THAT YOU ALL WORKED WITH OUR CITY TEAM TO REDUCE THE FLOOR LEVELS BUT NOT THE CEILING LEVELS. MAYBE IT'S HELPFUL TO PULL UP SLIDE 2 OR 3 ON THE RESIDENTIAL RATE INCREASE. CAN YOU HELP ME UNDERSTAND WHY YOU ALL REDUCED THE FLOOR AND NOT THE CEILING? >> PUENTE: FROM THE JUNE MEETING? >> GAVITO: UH-HUH. >> PUENTE: ONE THING I HEARD FROM COUNCIL -- >> MAYOR JONES: PAUSE THE CLOCK, PLEASE. >> PUENTE: KEEP THE RATES THE SAME. DON'T COME BACK IN SEPTEMBER AND IF YOU CAN LOWER THE RATES. SO TO MINIMIZE THE IMPACT TO SAWS, I CHOSE TO TRY TO LOWER THOSE FLOORS RATHER THAN THE CEILINGS. AND THOSE FLOORS STILL HAVE A VERY MEANINGFUL IMPACT TO WHAT YOU CAN TELL YOUR CONSTITUENTS AND WHAT WE HAVE TO GO THROUGH. IT'S STILL A, AS ERIK SAID, AN EFFORT ON OUR PART TO COME IN FRONT OF Y'ALL TO PROVE THAT THE RATES THAT WE NEED. NOW THERE IS A LOWER FLOOR THAT WE COULD POTENTIALLY GO UNDER. THE RISK WAS THERE. IT WAS A MEANINGFUL GIVE TO COUNCIL SO WE COULD PROCEED ON AND COUNCIL WOULD BE ABLE TO SHOW THE CONSTITUENTS THAT YOU ARE BEING GOOD STEWARDS OF THE UTILITY THAT Y'ALL OWN. >> GAVITO: THANK YOU. I APPRECIATE THAT. BUT I DO THINK THAT LOWERING THE CEILING ON YEAR THREE IN 2029, 7%. AND IN 2030 IT'S MAX 6.6. I THINK LOWERING THE CEILING LEVELS COULD POTENTIALLY HAVE A GREATER IMPACT ON OUR RESIDENTS IN SAVINGS. CAN YOU HELP ME UNDERSTAND WHAT A .1% DECREASE IN THE CEILING COMES OUT TO BE, ROUGHLY IN DOLLARS? >> PUENTE: I APPRECIATE SOME OF THE QUESTIONS THAT WE'VE BEEN EXCHANGING AND THE INFORMATION WE'VE BEEN EXCHANGING. PUBLIC UTILITIES OFFICE THIS MORNING CALLED CECILIA AND ASKED FOR THAT VERY QUESTION. SO WE WERE ABLE TO HAVE THAT READY. SO A .1 MEANS A $2.65 MILLION IMPACT TO SAWS AS FAR AS THE REVENUE WE WOULD OTHERWISE BE GETTING. IT RELATES TO A $14.4 MILLION CAPITAL PROGRAM -- CAPITAL THAT WE CANNOT SPEND ON PROJECTS. SO THE MONEY THAT WE DO NOT RECEIVE, WE WOULD NOT BE ABLE TO PAY DEBT ON $14 MILLION WORTH OF PROJECTS. >> GAVITO: OKAY. SO WITH THAT, YOU KNOW, WHEN MY TEAM AND I WERE CRUNCHING SOME NUMBERS AND SOME OF MY COLLEAGUES WERE CRUNCHING SOME NUMBERS. IF WE LOWERED THE CEILING BY .2% IN 2029 AND BY .4% IN 2030, THAT COULD POTENTIALLY [01:20:04] GENERATE MILLIONS OF DOLLARS IN SAVINGS WORTH FOR RESIDENTS. IS THAT ALSO SOMETHING SAWS CAN WORK WITH IN MAKING SURE THE PROJECTS Y'ALL OUTLINE AND THE WATER LEAKS ARE ADDRESSED? >> PUENTE: YOU HAVE A LOT OF LITTLE QUESTIONS IN THERE. YES, IT'S A MEANINGFUL AMOUNT OF MONEY BACK TO THE RESIDENTS. IT'S ROUGHLY $7 MILLION OF NON-REVENUE THAT WE WILL RECEIVE, MONEY THAT STAYS IN THE POCKETS OF THE CONSTITUENTS. YOU ASKED ABOUT THE WATER LOSS. THE 77 MILES ARE STILL WITHIN THE FIRST PART OF THE RATE INCREASE. IT GOES OUT THROUGH FIVE YEARS BUT WE HAVE LEFT THOSE 77 MILES ALONE FROM JUNE TO SEPTEMBER. WE CAME BACK TO 77 MILES. SO UNDERSTANDING, LIKE I SAID WHEN I WAS HERE JUST A FEW MINUTES AGO, THAT IS, THE 77 MILES IS A NUMBER THAT WE DO NOT WANT TO DEVIATE FROM. SO IF THOSE REDUCTIONS ARE MADE TO THE CEILING, THE 77 MILES, WE WOULD NOT TOUCH. WE WOULD STILL NEED AND WANT TO FULFILL THAT COMMITMENT THAT WE MADE TO COUNCIL. SO CAN WE WORK WITH IT? THE ANSWER IS WE HAVE TO WORK WITH IT. COUNCIL IS THE ENTITY THAT DETERMINES OUR RATES. WHATEVER COUNCIL DOES IS WHAT WE HAVE TO WORK WITH. AND I'M VERY PROUD OF THE FACT -- IF YOU COULD GO TO SLIDE 10 OF HOW WE'RE RUNNING OUR UTILITY. THIS WILL GIVE YOU AN IDEA, I THINK, OF WHY WE FEEL -- I FEEL THAT IT'S SOMETHING WE CAN WORK WITH. AND I'M PUTTING "WORK WITH" IN PARENTHESES. WE ARE ON THE FAR LEFT SIDE, WHICH MEANS WE ARE EFFICIENT. ONE EMPLOYEE CAN HANDLE 532 CUSTOMERS AS OPPOSED, FOR EXAMPLE, EL PASO, AUSTIN WHERE IT TAKES ONE EMPLOYEE CAN ONLY HANDLE 372 OR 52 EMPLOYEES. SO WE ARE EFFICIENT. SO WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO CONTINUE THAT EFFICIENCY LOOK. WHAT WE ALSO WOULD HAVE TO DO IS RELOOK AT THE PLAN THAT WE HAVE CURRENTLY AND READJUST IT. THERE WILL BE LESS REVENUE COMING IN SO WE HAVE TO ADJUST ACCORDINGLY. THE MAIN THINGS WE HAVE TO DO IS REGULATORY COMPLIANCE. WE HAVE TO ABIDE BY REGULATIONS. WE'RE GOING TO FIND A WAY NOT TO HAVE THAT PROBLEM. PERMITS THAT WE HAVE THAT WE HAVE TO ABIDE BY, WE'RE GOING TO FIND A WAY NEVER TO VIOLATE THOSE PERMITS. ANY VIOLATIONS THAT COME IN, OF SOMETHING HAPPENING, IS SOMETHING WE WOULD HAVE TO DEAL WITH. WE DO NOT HAVE VIOLATIONS FROM TCEQ OR EPA THAT ARE ANYTHING OUT OF THE ORDINARY. AND SO WE WOULD HAVE TO MAKE SURE THAT WE KEEP THOSE THREE THINGS TOPMOST IN MIND. WHATEVER COUNCIL DOES WE HAVE TO WORK WITHIN IT TO MAKE SURE THERE'S REGULATORY REQUIREMENTS, NO PERMIT VIOLATIONS. SO YES, WE CAN WORK WITH IT. >> GAVITO: THANK YOU, ROBERT. I APPRECIATE YOU SAYING THAT BECAUSE FOR US, THERE'S A WANT TO WORK WITH SAWS, WE HAVE TO WORK WITH OUR UTILITIES. WE KNOW WE HAVE TO INVEST IN OUR UTILITIES SO WE CAN DO THE JOB YOU NEED TO DO TO PROVIDE SUCH AN IMPORTANT SERVICE TO ALL OF OUR RESIDENTS. SO I ALSO WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT SAWS HAS WHAT THEY NEED TO DO ALL THE THINGS YOU JUST MENTIONED. COMPLY WITH REGULATORY REQUIREMENTS, DO THE WATER LEAKS. DO ALL THE PROJECTS THAT YOU ALL MENTIONED. AND AT THE SAME TIME ALL OF US HAVE OUR RESIDENTS' BEST INTERESTS IN MIND AND I'M LOOKING AT WAYS TO SQUEEZE A LITTLE BIT MORE. OUR RESIDENTS ARE FEELING A LOT OF PRESSURE FROM SO MANY RATE INCREASES ACROSS THE BOARD. I KNOW SCHOOL DISTRICTS ARE LOOKING AT THEIR POTENTIAL RATE INCREASES TOO. IT'S SOMETHING WE HAVE TO BE MINDFUL OF. SO -- GO AHEAD. >> PUENTE: I WOULD LIKE TO ADD THAT IT'S NOT SOMETHING THAT WE LOOK FORWARD TO. THE REDUCTION. >> GAVITO: I KNOW. >> PUENTE: IT'S GOING TO BE PAINFUL. IT'S NOT GOING TO BE A PANACEA. WE HAVE TO MAKE SACRIFICES ALONG THE LINE. ONE OF THE THINGS WE'RE WATCHING VERY CLOSELY, FOR EXAMPLE, IS THE BOND ISSUE THAT'S BEFORE Y'ALL IS WHETHER IT'S GOING TO BE A HUGE, LARGE BOND OR A MUCH SMALLER BOND. A MUCH SMALLER BOND MEANS WE HAVE LESS WORK TO DO WITH THE CITY WHEN WE HAVE GOVERNMENTAL PROJECTS. THAT WILL HELP. THOSE KINDS OF THINGS ARE OUT THERE THAT WE HAVE TO UNDERSTAND AND APPRECIATE AND SO THINGS OUTSIDE OUR CONTROL WILL AFFECT HOW MUCH IT AFFECTS US. >> GAVITO: I UNDERSTAND. THANK YOU. I'D LIKE TO MAKE AN AMENDMENT TO THE MAIN [01:25:02] MOTION. I WOULD LIKE TO -- I MOVE TO AMEND THE MAIN MOTION TO REDUCE THE RESIDENTIAL RATE CEILING IN YEAR THREE, WHICH IS 2029, BY .2%. AND THE RESIDENTIAL RATE BY .4% IN YEAR 4, WHICH IS 2030, WITH ANY REQUISITE ADJUSTMENTS TO OTHER CLASSES. >> MAYOR JONES: THERE'S A MOTION AND A SECOND AS DESCRIBED. WHAT I'D LIKE CECILIA TO COME UP HERE AND DO IS SPEAK TO THE OPERATIONAL IMPACT OF A REDUCTION. AS WAS BRIEFED TO THE BOARD, THE PLAN AND THE RATE SUPPORTING THAT IS BASED ON THE PROJECTS THAT NEED TO BE DONE, GIVEN THE OPERATIONAL -- WHERE THEY ARE IN THEIR LIFE CYCLE AND THE MAINTENANCE THAT IS REQUIRED. AND I CAN CERTAINLY APPRECIATE THE DESIRE TO BRING DOWN COSTS. HOWEVER, IF THE PLAN THAT HAS BEEN PRESENTED IS BASED ON OUR ABILITY TO COMPLETE THE PROJECTS, WHICH ARE BASED ON AN OPERATIONAL AND RISK ASSESSMENT, IF THAT IS NOW BEING MODIFIED, WE NEED TO UNDERSTAND THE RISKS ASSOCIATED WITH THAT POTENTIAL REDUCTION. I ALSO, SECONDLY, PLEASE ARTICULATE IF THERE IS ANY INFORMATION THAT SUGGESTS WHEN YOU EITHER LOWER THE MINIMUM OR LOWER THE FLOOR, THAT THE LIKELIHOOD OF ACHIEVING THOSE THINGS HAS CHANGED. AGAIN, JUST TO REMIND MY COLLEAGUES, GIVEN YEARS THREE AND YEARS FOUR, AS HAS BEEN BRIEFED, IF THEY NEED TO GO ABOVE THAT, THE CEILING, THEN THAT NEEDS TO COME BACK TO US FOR ACTION. BUT THEY ARE GOING TO MAKE THAT DETERMINATION AND COST THAT OUT AND IF IT'S NOT -- IF IT DOESN'T BUST THE MAX THEN IT'S KIND OF AN ADMINISTRATIVE THING THAT IS HANDLED WITH THE UTILITIES FOLKS. BUT IF IT BUSTS THAT, IT HAS TO COME BACK TO US ANYWAYS. I WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE UNDERSTAND THAT, YOU KNOW, WHEN THIS COMES BACK TO US. EVEN IF WE LOWER IT, THE LIKELIHOOD OF ACHIEVING IT HASN'T MATERIALLY CHANGED. IT MAY BE SOMETHING THAT WE WANT BUT WHETHER OR NOT IT'S ACTUALLY ACHIEVABLE IS A DIFFERENT THING. I ALSO REMIND FOLKS THAT SINCE SAWS WAS HERE LAST, UNTIL TODAY, WE HAVE SEEN INTEREST RATES RISE. SO THERE'S REALLY ACTUALLY NOTHING THAT SUGGESTS THAT EVEN THE LOWER MIN IS MORE LIKELY THAN IT WAS WHEN YOU PRESENTED THIS INFORMATION THIS SUMMER. >> FROM AN OPERATIONAL PERSPECTIVE, AS MR. PUENTE SAID AND FROM A REGULATORY PERSPECTIVE, FROM A SERVICE DISRUPTION PERSPECTIVE FROM THE WATER LEAKS, FROM OUR CRITICAL INFRASTRUCTURE PERSPECTIVE. WHEN WE CAME HERE FIRST IN JUNE UNTIL NOW, WE HAVE HAD TO PUSH OUT PROJECTS. SO FROM AN OPERATIONAL PERSPECTIVE, YES. AS MR. PUENTE SAID, WE HAVE FOCUSED ON THE CRITICAL PROJECTS AND WE CAN INCLUDE THOSE IN THOSE FOUR YEARS THAT WE'RE BRINGING TO YOU. HOWEVER, WE WILL HAVE TO REEVALUATE AND MAKE SURE THAT WATER LEAKS, AS YOU SAID THE 77 MILES, WE WILL HAVE TO ENSURE THAT THE CRITICAL INFRASTRUCTURE, PERMIT REGULATIONS, TCEQ REGULATIONS, EPA REGULATIONS, ALL OF THOSE STILL FIT. BECAUSE AS YOU SAID, I KNOW WE TALKED ABOUT A $7 MILLION IMPACT BUT THE IMPACT TO OUR CIP WOULD BE ROUGHLY $45 MILLION. SO WE WOULD HAVE TO CUT BETWEEN 2029 AND 2030, WE DON'T HAVE A MAGIC CIP PROJECT THAT FITS THOSE AMOUNTS. SO WE WOULD HAVE TO CONTINUE TO PUSH PROJECTS OUT. THAT JUST INCREASES OUR OPERATIONAL RISK. I KNOW WE'VE TALKED ABOUT RISK. WE'VE TALKED ABOUT OPERATIONAL RISK. AND AS MR. PUENTE SAID, AT OUR WASTEWATER TREATMENT FACILITY, SEVERAL OF YOU HAVE BEEN OUT TO OUR STEVEN M. CLAUS FACILITY. THAT NEEDS SIGNIFICANT INVESTMENT. $450 MILLION OF OUR 2027 CIP IS FOR STEVEN M. CLAUS. THERE ARE SIGNIFICANT INFRASTRUCTURE INVESTMENTS THAT NEED TO BE DONE WHILE WE'RE ONLY LOOKING AT '27 AND '28, THERE ARE SIGNIFICANT WASTEWATER TREATMENT PROJECTS THAT ARE ALSO IN 2029, 2030, AND PROJECTED OUT TO 2031. AS WE CONTINUE TO MOVE, WE WILL CONTINUE TO FIND WAYS. BUT JUST KNOW THAT THAT INCREASES OUR OPERATIONAL RISK, SPECIFICALLY IN OUR WASTEWATER TREATMENT. THE OTHER THING THAT'S IN 2029 AND 2030, WHICH I SHOWED YOU LAST WEEK, SIGNIFICANT INVESTMENTS IN OUR WATER SUPPLIES. SO WE KNOW THAT WE'RE GOING TO CONTINUE TO GROW AS A COMMUNITY FROM AN ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT STANDPOINT. BUT JUST IN OUR EXISTING CUSTOMER BASE WE WILL CONTINUE TO GROW. IN 2029 AND 2030 IS OUR ASR [01:30:04] EXPANSION PROJECT. THIS IS THE ONLY WAY THAT WE ARE GOING TO FILL THOSE GAPS THAT WE HAVE IN WATER SUPPLIES IN '29 AND '30. THESE ARE NOT ONE-YEAR PROJECTS. THESE PROJECTS MUST START AND THEN TAKE FOUR TO FIVE YEARS TO COMPLETE. SO IF WE DON'T START THEM IN 2029 OR '30 AND WE CONTINUE TO PUSH THOSE OUT, IT INCREASES THE RISK THAT WE'RE NOT ABLE TO PROPERLY ACCOMMODATE CUSTOMER GROWTH WHEN WE NEED IT. IF WE DON'T CONTINUE TO GROW, IT'S NOT A PROBLEM BUT WE KNOW THAT WE'RE GOING TO CONTINUE TO GROW. THE OTHER THING YOU ASKED ABOUT WAS OUR INCREASED COST. WE CONTINUE TO HAVE INCREASED COST. WHETHER THAT WAS DURING COVID -- YOU CAN'T HEAR ME? OH. FROM AN INCREASED COST PERSPECTIVE, WE CONTINUE TO SEE INCREASED COST. WE HAVE WORKED WITH THE PUBLIC UTILITIES OFFICE AND WE HAVE SEEN INCREASED COSTS --D ABOUT $170 MILLION THAT WE HAD PROJECTED FOR OUR CLAUS PROJECT, WE ARE SEEING THAT PROJECT, JUST WITHIN THE SIX MONTHS OF DESIGN THAT WE HAVE GONE THROUGH, THAT THAT'S NOW REACHED $205 MILLION. THESE ARE MASSIVE PROJECTS WITH THE INVESTMENT NEEDED OUT AT THE WASTEWATER TREATMENT PLANT. OUR COSTS WILL CONTINUE TO INCREASE. BUT, AS MR. PUENTE SAID, I KNOW WE CAN ACCOMMODATE. I WANTED TO MAKE SURE EVERYONE IS AWARE OF THE OPERATIONAL RISK. THE OTHER THING MR. PUENTE ALSO SAID WAS WHILE IT'S $7 MILLION FROM OUR REVENUE IMPACT, I WANTED TO ALSO GIVE YOU THE BILL IMPACT OF A.2% INCREASE OR REDUCTION IN 2029 AND A 3.4% REDUCTION IN 2030. IT SOUNDS LIKE IT'S A GOOD AMOUNT. I WANT TO MAKE SURE YOU UNDERSTAND. RIGHT NOW WE ARE AT THE MAX, WE WOULD HAVE A $69.05 BILL IN 2029. FROM THIS REDUCTION, OUR CUSTOMERS WOULD SEE A 15-CENT REDUCTION. THAT BILL IS STILL $68.90. FROM A .4% REDUCTION IN 2030, OUR BILL AT THE MAX IS $73.61. WE ARE REDUCING IT, WITH THIS AMENDMENT, 39 CENTS. IT NOW BECOMES $73.22. WHILE AGAIN WE WILL HAVE TO FIND AND CONTINUE TO PUSH OUT PROJECTS TOTALING $41 MILLION. >> MAYOR JONES: THANK YOU, CECILIA. TROY OR BEN, DO YOU ALSO WANT TO SPEAK TO THIS? I KNOW THIS WAS A LAST -- OR ERIK. I KNOW THIS IS A LAST-MINUTE REQUEST. WE HAVE BEEN GOING OVER THIS FOR MONTHS BUT IF YOU WANT TO SPEAK TO ANY ANALYSIS THAT YOU HAVE DONE. I KNOW LAST TIME WE SPOKE ON THIS, WE HAD A DISCUSSION ON THIS, TROY, YOU SPOKE ABOUT THE HEIGHTENED RISK OF THE LOWERED MINIMUM. SO AS A RESULT OF THIS NOW REQUEST HERE, APPRECIATE YOUR ASSESSMENT OF ANY OTHER RISKS. >> ELLIOTT: YES, MA'AM. WE'RE JUST MADE AWARE OF THE MOTION THIS MORNING AND WE WERE HAVING CONVERSATION WITH SAWS ABOUT WHAT WOULD BE THE REVENUE IMPACT. ONE OF THE THINGS WHEN WE CAME BEFORE THE COUNCIL LAST WEEK IN THE B SESSION, OUR RECOMMENDATION TO STAFF IS APPROVING A RATE PLAN IN THE LAST TWO YEARS IS A RANGE. I THINK AS Y'ALL HAVE SAID TODAY, BASED ON THAT RANGE, THEN ABOVE THE FLOOR, WHICH IS THE GUARANTEED MINIMUM, WHICH WE AS CITY STAFF LOOKED AT. AND WE ARE COMFORTABLE THAT THOSE FLOORS ARE REASONABLE, BASED ON OUR ASSUMPTIONS. WILL IT COMMIT THE FLOOR? I CAN'T TELL YOU. THAT'S BASED ON WHAT HAPPENS IN THAT YEAR THREE AND FOUR. WE'LL COME BACK AND WE WILL ADMINISTRATIVELY LOOK AT THAT AND MAKE A RECOMMENDATION TO WHERE THAT RATE SHOULD BE BETWEEN THE FLOOR AND THE MAXIMUM. WE ARE NOT RECOMMENDING THE MAXIMUM. WE'RE NOT RECOMMENDING THE FLOOR. WHAT WE ARE RECOMMENDING IS AT A RANGE AND WE WILL COME BACK TO Y'ALL WITH A RECOMMENDATION AT THAT POINT IN TIME. WE AS STAFF ARE COMFORTABLE WITH THE FLOOR THAT WE RECOMMENDED AT THAT POINT IN TIME IN JUNE AT THE 5.5 AND THE 5%. WE FELT THOSE FLOORS WERE REASONABLE BASED ON ASSUMPTIONS WE WERE MAKING. SAWS CAME BACK AND MOVED THOSE DOWN TO TAKE ON MORE RISK. THE REASON WHY I THINK THERE'S MORE RISK THERE IS BECAUSE THEY NOW HAVE TO COME BACK TO US, CITY STAFF, AND PROVE TO GET ANYTHING ABOVE THAT GUARANTEED FLOOR, THE GUARANTEED MINIMUM. ALSO, THERE MAY BE OTHER THINGS AT RISK AS FAR AS WHAT ARE THE ECONOMIC CONDITIONS AT THAT POINT IN TIME. IN OTHER WORDS, WE'RE TWO TO THREE YEARS OUT. I THINK CECILIA USED A GREAT WORD. AT THAT POINT WE WILL NEED TO REEVALUATE WHERE WE ARE AT THAT TIME, CONDUCT A FULL RATE PLAN, AND COME FORWARD WITH A RATE RECOMMENDATION. >> WALSH: MAYOR, LET ME [01:35:05] JUST ADD THAT I THINK -- AND MR. PUENTE SAID IT EARLIER. THIS IS A PLAN AND PLANS CHANGE AND THAT'S WHY THE PROPOSAL BEFORE YOU HAS SAWS AS WELL AS PUBLIC UTILITIES GOING BACK THROUGH THE RATE REVIEW PROCESS TO PRESENT TO YOU FOR YEARS THREE AND FOUR. THINGS WILL CHANGE. THERE MAY BE NEW PRIORITIES THAT COME UP THAT AREN'T IN THE CAPITAL BUDGET. THERE MAY BE ADJUSTMENTS AND PRIORITIES. THE BOND PROGRAM MAY IMPACT SOME OF IT. TXDOT WORK MAY IMPACT SOME OF HIS ASSUMPTIONS IN HIS CAPITAL PROGRAM BUT THAT'S WHY YEARS THREE AND FOUR ARE A PLAN. AND I THINK THE REASON WHY WE HAVE A BALANCE HERE, WE HAVE OPPOSING VIEWS ON 3 AND 4 IN THE SENSE MR. PUENTE'S GOAL IS TO ACHIEVE THE MAXIMUM CEILING . OUR GOAL, AS TROY JUST LAID OUT, WE'RE LOOKING AT THE FLOOR. THEY HAVE GOT TO BE ABLE TO JUSTIFY THAT AS THEY GO THROUGH THE RATE REVIEW PROCESS. YOU KNOW, THERE COULD BE IMPACTS ON THE OPERATING SIDE, NOT JUST ON THE CAPITAL SIDE. BUT THINGS CHANGE WHEN YOU'RE LOOKING AT TWO YEARS DOWN TO ROAD, YEARS THREE AND FOUR. THAT'S JUST OUR PERSPECTIVE. >> MAYOR JONES: OKAY. SO JUST TO RECAP, TROY. YOU GOT THIS THIS MORNING. YOU HAVEN'T HAD A CHANCE TO ANALYZE IT AND IT SOUNDS LIKE YOUR RECOMMENDATION REMAINS WHAT WAS PUT FORTH IN THE B SESSION WHEN THEY PRESENTED THE MINIMUM AND THE MAXIMUM AS PRESENTED IN THE PRESENTATION TODAY. YOUR RECOMMENDATION REMAINS THAT? >> ELLIOTT: OUR RECOMMENDATION BASED ON THE PROPOSAL AT LAST WEEK'S B SESSION, WE HAD THAT RANGE. THAT RANGE STAYS INTACT. >> MAYOR JONES: LET ME SEE IF ANY OF MY OTHER COLLEAGUES WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK ON THIS. COUNCILWOMAN KAUR. THIS IS JUST THE AMENDMENT. >> KAUR: I JUST HAVE A QUICK QUESTION. WHAT ERIK JUST MENTIONED HELPED ME A LITTLE BIT BETTER UNDERSTAND. BUT WHAT IS THE PURPOSE OF A MINIMUM AND A MAXIMUM IF YOU CAN ALREADY SAY WITH JUSTIFICATION YOU'RE GOING TO FORCE ME TO PUSH OUT $41 MILLION OF PROJECTS. ISN'T THAT JUST INHERENTLY SAYING WE'RE NEVER GOING TO GO FOR THE FLOOR. WE'RE ALREAD PLANNING FOR THE MAXIMUM? >> WALSH: THAT'S WHY THERE'S A DIFFERENT VIEW HERE. THAT'S WHY WE HAVE TO GO BACK THROUGH THE RATE REVIEW PROCESS TO VALIDATE THE THINGS THAT YOU ALL ARE ASSUMING TODAY FOR FOUR YEARS FROM NOW. AND SO THAT'S WHY THE FLOOR IS IMPORTANT TO THE CITY IN TERMS OF THAT ASPECT. >> KAUR: SO IT'S LIKE WHAT I'M STRUGGLING WITH IS THE CITY IS WORKING ON THE ASSUMPTION THAT WE WANT TO HIT THE MINIMUM. AND YOU ALL ARE ALREADY WORKING ON THE ASSUMPTION THAT YOU'RE GOING TO GET THE MAXIMUM. AND SO AT SOME POINT THERE HAS TO BE -- I KNOW YOU GUYS ARE GOING TO DO YOUR DILIGENCE WHEN THAT COMES BACK. I JUST WANTED TO BETTER UNDERSTAND HOW DO WE THINK WE'RE GOING TO GET -- HOLD YOU GUYS TO THE MINIMUM WITH THE SAME AMOUNT OF PROJECTS? ARE WE ASSUMING THAT, YOU KNOW, INTEREST RATES CHANGE? ARE WE ASSUMING WE HAVE LESS CHANGE ORDERS THAT YOUR CAPITAL PROJECTS ARE MORE EFFICIENT? WHAT ARE SOME OF THOSE ASSUMPTIONS THAT WE THINK TO ACTUALLY GET TO THE MINIMUM OR IS THAT JUST A MINIMUM FOR THE SAKE OF A MINIMUM AND THE RATE THAT WE ARE ACTUALLY APPROVING IS THE MAXIMUM? >> WALSH: BECAUSE THINGS CHANGE. I MEAN, I'LL USE OUR BUDGET AS AN EXAMPLE. THE FORECAST THAT WE DO IN APRIL AND THE TRIAL BUDGET AND THE PROPOSED BUDGET, THERE WERE ADJUSTMENTS MADE IN TERMS OF ECONOMIC CONDITIONS. WE'RE ONLY TALKING ABOUT A SIX, SEVEN-MONTH PERIOD. SAWS AND MR. PUENTE ARE LAYING OUT AN OPERATING AND CAPITAL PLAN FOR YOU ALL FOR THE NEXT FOUR YEARS. SO THINGS WILL CHANGE. THAT'S WHY INHERENTLY IN THIS PROCESS, IN A MULTI-YEAR PROCESS, IT'S REQUIRED TO GO BACK THROUGH THAT RATE REVIEW PROCESS TO VALIDATE THE EXPENSES, VALIDATE THE PRIORITIES. THEY MAY BE AHEAD ON THE CAPITAL PROGRAM. THEY MAY BE BEHIND ON THE CAPITAL PROGRAM. THERE'S A LITANY OF THINGS BUT THAT'S WHY THAT'S IN PLACE. >> KAUR: SO IF THEY'RE BEHIND ON THE CAPITAL PROGRAM THEY MAY NOT NEED AS MUCH REVENUE BECAUSE THEY HAVEN'T BEEN ABLE TO EXECUTE ON THE DEBT THAT HAS BEEN PROVIDED. >> WALSH: OR THEY COULD BE AHEAD AND COSTS MAY BE DIFFERENT TWO YEARS FROM NOW. WE DON'T KNOW. WE KNOW WHAT THE TRENDS ARE AND THEIR CAPITAL PLAN MAKES CERTAIN ASSUMPTIONS JUST LIKE OUR POTENTIAL BOND PROGRAM DOES. THERE'S A CERTAIN AMOUNT OF INFLATION AND CONTINGENCY THAT ARE BUILT INTO THOSE PROGRAMS BECAUSE THEY NEED TO BE ABLE TO DELIVER A BIG PROJECT LIKE CLAUS AT $450 MILLION AND THEIR GOAL, I'M SURE AS THEY PUT TOGETHER THEIR CAPITAL BUDGET, THEY DIDN'T JUST PUT THE BARE MINIMUM ESTIMATE FOR CLAUS. ALL THAT STUFF NEEDS TO PLAY OUT. [01:40:02] >> KAUR: I WANT TO MAKE SURE YOU ALL UNDERSTAND IS OUR STANCE IS WE WANT THE MINIMUM -- I SHOULD SAY MINE. I SHOULDN'T SPEAK FOR ANYBODY ELSE. MY STANCE IS I WANT THE MINIMUM. BY SAYING YOU ARE GOING TO CAUSE $41 MILLION OF PROJECTS TO BE MOVED, TO ME THAT IS A HYPOTHETICAL STATEMENT BECAUSE WE DON'T KNOW WHAT'S GOING TO HAPPEN IN YEARS THREE AND FOUR. IT IS UNSURE IF WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO MOVE $41 MILLION. SO I WANTED TO MAKE THAT POINT THAT THAT IS NOT A LEGITIMATE ARGUMENT, IN MY OPINION. I JUST WANT TO SAY, MR. PUENTE, IF YOU WANT TO ADD ANYTHING. DO YOU SUPPORT LOWERING THIS MAXIMUM SO THAT WE COULD TRY TO GET A LOWER RATE FOR OUR RESIDENTS? >> PUENTE: ON THE SURFACE, NO. BUT I UNDERSTAND THAT COUNCIL IS COUNCIL. I UNDERSTAND WHATEVER COUNCIL DOES I HAVE TO WORK WITH AND I'M GOING TO MAKE IT WORK. PLANNING, WHAT YOU TALKED ABOUT, TODAY ON PAPER WE UNDERSTAND WE HAVE TO REDO OUR PLANNING PROCESS. AS ERIK SAID, TWO YEARS FROM NOW THINGS ARE GOING TO CHANGE. WE ALREADY BELIEVE THAT THE CEILING, AS IT CURRENTLY IS, IS NOT ENOUGH FOR THE PROJECTS WE WANT TO DO. BECAUSE ERIK AND HIS OFFICE ALREADY LOWERED THE CEILING BEFORE JUNE, BEFORE WE EVEN CAME BEFORE Y'ALL. SO ON PAPER, WE ALREADY HAVE PROJECTS THAT CAN JUSTIFY A HIGHER RATE THAN WHAT YOU EVEN SAW IN JUNE. BUT THE PROCESS IS EXACTLY WHAT THE PROCESS IS. WE HAVE TO JUSTIFY THOSE NUMBERS, WHATEVER THEY ARE, TO ERIK AND HIS OFFICE. AND HE MAKES A RECOMMENDATION TO COUNCIL AFTER HE HAS LOOKED AT OUR NUMBERS AND SEE IF THEY ARE JUSTIFIED. IN HIS BELIEF -- I WAS GOING TO SAY WISDOM -- HE WANTED US TO LOWER SOME O&M NUMBERS AND WE DID. FOR EXAMPLE, GETTING RID OF 42 VACANCIES. THOSE ARE JOBS WE DON'T HAVE ANYMORE. AND NOT JUST FOR '27 BUT FOR THE REST OF THE PLAN. MY JOB IS TO MAKE SURE SAWS CAN FUNCTION AS IT HAS BEEN FOR THE LAST FEW YEARS. AND HIS JOB IS TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY KEEP A LOOK OVER OUR SHOULDER, PROTECTING COUNCIL. >> KAUR: THANK YOU, MAYOR. >> MAYOR JONES: ANYONE ELSE LIKE TO SPEAK ON THIS? COUNCILWOMAN VIAGRAN. >> VIAGRAN: THANK YOU. THANK YOU, ROBERT FOR THAT PRESENTATION -- >> MAYOR JONES: THIS IS ON THE AMENDMENT? >> VIAGRAN: THIS IS ON THE AMENDMENT. I AM FOR A RATE INCREASE, THE MORE COUNCIL MEMBERS SUPPORTING IT, THE BETTER. I DO BELIEVE WE NEED TO GET RID OF THE MINIMUM OR WE NEED TO GO WITH THE CITY'S RECOMMENDATION REGARDING THE MINIMUM. FOR ME IT'S NOT ABOUT GETTING TO THE MINIMUM, IT'S ABOUT GETTING TO THE NUMBER THAT IS GOING TO PROVIDE QUALITY SERVICE AND CLEAN WATER FOR THE RESIDENTS OF THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO. IF YOU CAN LOWER THE MINIMUM, I THINK YOU CAN LOWER THE MAXIMUM AND RAISE THE MINIMUM. BUT WE ARE TALKING ABOUT 2029 AND 2030 AND THE OPPORTUNITIES WE HAVE BETWEEN NOW AND THERE. I SEE YOUR BOARD AND I THANK YOU FOR YOUR WORK. UNDERSTANDING IF THE COUNCIL MOVES FORWARD WITH THE AMENDMENT AS IT IS TODAY, WE DO NEED TO LOOK AT WHAT WE ARE MOVING FORWARD WITH COOPERATION AT THE STATE AND FEDERAL LEVEL. THE OTHER THING THAT YOU BROUGHT UP IS WE AS A CITY NEED TO MAKE DECISIONS REGARDING THE BOND BECAUSE THAT WILL IMPACT, IF WE ARE LOOKING AT STREET PROJECTS THAT INCLUDE WHERE THESE WATER MAIN BREAKS ARE, WE NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT YOU ARE ALL AWARE OF IT TOO. THANK YOU FOR YOUR EFFORT. I WOULD LIKE TO GO WITH WHAT THE CITY PUT FORWARD BACK IN JUNE, WAS IT THAT YOU CAME INITIALLY? BUT WE'RE HERE COLLEAGUES ON THEIR OPINIONS. THANK YOU. >> MAYOR JONES: THANK YOU. COUNCILMAN MUNGIA, PLEASE. >> MUNGIA: THANK YOU, MAYOR. YEAH, I'M NOT SURE THE FLOOR AND THE CEILING IS AS BENEFICIAL AS MAYBE WE THOUGHT VERSUS STATIC RATE INCREASE. SO MAYBE LESSONS LEARNED ON THAT FOR THE NEXT TIME. WERE YOU ALL THINKING ABOUT THE CEILING BEING A GUARANTEE FOR YOU? >> PUENTE: NO, NOT AT ALL BECAUSE WE ACTUALLY WANT A NUMBER HIGHER THAN THE CEILING. BUT AGAIN THERE ARE LIMITATIONS. THERE ARE PRACTICAL LIMITATIONS. THERE ARE POLITICAL LIMITATIONS. AND SO WHEN WE WENT WITH THOSE HIGHER NUMBERS IN FRONT OF PUBLIC UTILITIES [01:45:06] OFFICE , THEY LOWERED THOSE CEILINGS. UNDERSTANDABLY. BUT ON PAPER -- AGAIN ON PAPER WE CAN JUSTIFY THOSE NUMBERS ABOVE THE CEILING. AND SO WHERE WE ARE NOW IS SOMETHING THAT WE AGREED WITH THE PUBLIC UTILITIES OFFICE. THEY HEARD OUR CONCERNS. THERE WAS COMPROMISES BACK AND FORTH AND WE AGREED ON THAT CEILING. SO WE CAN LIVE WITHIN THAT CEILING. WE CAN LIVE WITHIN THE FLOOR. IN FACT, I BROUGHT TO A LOWERING OF THE FLOOR. NOW COUNCILWOMAN GAVITO WANTS TO LOWER THE CEILING AND I WANT THIS COUNCIL AND THE PUBLIC TO HAVE CONFIDENCE IN SAWS THAT SOMEHOW I'M GOING TO CREATE A WIN-WIN-WIN SITUATION. WIN FOR COUNCIL, WIN FOR SAWS, AND WIN FOR OUR JOINT CONSTITUENT RATEPAYERS. I HAVE TO MAKE IT WORK. WHATEVER Y'ALL DO, I HAVE TO MAKE IT WORK. AND TO MAKE IT WORK MEANS REGULATORY COMPLIANCE, NO PERMIT VIOLATIONS, AND ADDRESSING THE NEEDS OF THIS COMMUNITY -- OF ADEQUATE SERVICE. >> MUNGIA: I 100% BELIEVE THAT TOO, BASED ON THE WORK WE HAVE SEEN YOU DO IN THE PAST FEW MONTHS AND THE COLLABORATION WE HAVE SEEN. NO DOUBT ABOUT THE ABILITY FOR YOU TO ACCOMPLISH THAT. SO JUST TO BE CLEAR, THOUGH, YOU COULD ENVISION YOURSELF -- WHATEVER THE ORIGINAL REQUEST WAS BEFORE THE AMENDMENT YOU COULD ENVISION YOURSELF ANYWHERE IN BETWEEN THE FLOOR AND THE CEILING. YOU COULD HAVE BEEN TWO STEPS ABOVE THE FLOOR. YOU COULD HAVE BEEN ONE STEP BELOW THE CEILING. BUT THAT TARGET IS MOVABLE, RIGHT? I WANT TO MAKE SURE BECAUSE I THINK CECILIA, YOU DID A VERY GOOD JOB OF LAYING OUT SOME POTENTIAL RISKS AND SOME THINGS THAT WOULD HAPPEN BUT THAT'S A POTENTIAL ON THE TOP END. BUT YOU ALL WERE ALREADY CONSIDERING THE IDEA THAT YOU WOULD BE SOMEWHERE IN BETWEEN. YOU WEREN'T GOING TO AUTOMATICALLY JUST GO TO THE CEILING WHEN THAT YEAR CAME. >> PUENTE: EXACTLY. IT COULD BE ANOTHER WINTER STORM URI. IT COULD BE INTEREST RATES THAT GO EVEN HIGHER OR INTEREST RATES THAT LOWER. IT COULD BE MORE COMPETITION AMONG CONSTRUCTION COMPANIES THAT ARE BIDDING ON OUR PROJECTS, THEREFORE LOWERING THE RATES. OR IT COULD BE THE EXACT OPPOSITE. WHATEVER IT IS TWO YEARS FROM NOW WE'RE GOING TO BE IN FRONT OF ERIK JUSTIFYING THOSE NUMBERS. >> MUNGIA: THAT'S GOOD. SO EVEN WITH THE PROPOSED AMENDMENT, CLOUSE IS STILL A NUMBER ONE PRIORITY YOU CAN ACCOMPLISH. SO WITHIN THE NEXT TWO, THREE, FOUR YEARS YOU IMAGINE FOLKS WILL BE ABLE TO USE THE SEWER SYSTEM WITHOUT ISSUE. THERE WILL STILL BE CLEAN WATER WITHOUT ISSUE. FOLKS WILL HAVE ACCESS TO THE RESOURCES THEY NEED. >> PUENTE: YES. THE SEVEN PRIORITY PROJECTS THAT I TALKED ABOUT ON SEPTEMBER 30TH ARE STILL THE SEVEN PRIORITY PROJECTS THAT WILL NOT BE TOUCHED BECAUSE THEY'RE SO IMPORTANT FOR THOSE THINGS THAT WE TALK ABOUT: RESILIENCY, PROTECTION OF OUR HEALTH, AND MAKE SURE WE HAVE THE BASIC SERVICES OF WATER AND WASTEWATER. >> MUNGIA: THAT'S GOOD. AND I THINK FOR SOMETHING LIKE THIS, HAVING MORE THAN, YOU KNOW, JUST FIVE OR SIX FOLKS SUPPORTING THAT IS IMPORTANT AND I THINK THE MORE WE CAN BRING PEOPLE ON BOARD, LIKE COUNCILWOMAN VIAGRAN SAID, THE BETTER IT IS FOR THE COMMUNITY TO UNDERSTAND THAT THE VAST MAJORITY OF COUNCIL BELIEVES IN THAT AND, YOU KNOW, HAS FAITH IN WHAT YOU'RE ABLE TO DO AND WITH THE RESOURCES THAT WE'RE GIVING. I WANT TO THANK YOU FOR ALL THAT ALSO. >> PUENTE: THAT IS INVALUABLE. THE FEELING FOR THE COMMUNITY THAT SAWS IS WITH COUNCIL, COUNCIL'S WITH SAWS. THAT OUR BOARD IS SUPPORTIVE OF WHAT COUNCIL'S DOING AND THE OTHER WAY AROUND. I THINK MEANS A WHOLE LOT TO THE COMMUNITY, THE BUSINESS COMMUNITY, THE DEVELOPMENT COMMUNITY, OUR REGULAR RESIDENTS THAT JUST KNOW ABOUT CITY GOVERNMENT. AND THEY SEE A UNIFICATION OF IDEAS AND SUPPORT. THAT MEANS A LOT FOR THIS COMMUNITY. >> MUNGIA: I THINK IT'S A TESTAMENT TO YOU AND TO THE BOARD MEMBERS AND TO THE TEAM AT SAWS AND TO COUNCIL MEMBERS. I THINK IT'S COME A LONG WAY SINCE THE ORIGINAL PRESENTATION. AND I THINK THAT, YOU KNOW, IT'S A COMPLETE 180 ON THE HEADLINES FROM WHAT IT WAS ORIGINALLY TO WHAT IT COULD BE TODAY. SO I THINK GETTING AS MANY PEOPLE ON BOARD AS POSSIBLE IS REALLY GOOD. SO THANK YOU FOR THAT. THANK YOU, MAYOR. >> MAYOR JONES: >> MAYOR ORTIZ JONES: IN CASE IT HELPS ANYONE'S THOUGHTS, THE 45 MILLION YOU HAVE TO MOVE OUT, CAN YOU GIVE US AN IDEA AT THIS POINT OF WHAT THAT MIGHT BE? YOU OR CECILIA? >> PUENTE: ANDREA IS OUR COO. >> MAYOR ORTIZ JONES: OKAY. THTHERE WE GO. >> HELLO. THANK YOU. AS MR. IMMUNITY DAYS HAS SAID. WE ONLY PRELIMINARILY LOOKED AT THIS. NUMBER 1, THE KEY PRIORITIES ARE PRIORITIZING RISK FOR [01:50:01] OUR RESIDENTS, PRIORITIZING PUBLIC HEALTH AND SAFETY. SO AS WE LOOKED AT THAT, SOME PRELIMINARY AREAS WE FOUND RELATE TO, NUMBER 1, OUR OVERSIZING BUDGET, SO RELATED TO SYSTEM EXPANSION AND GROWTH. WE WOULD LOOK AT POTENTIALLY REDUCING THAT AS WELL AS OUR GOVERNMENTAL BUDGET. RIGHT NOW THERE ARE UNCERTAINTIES RELATED TO THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO BOND, UNCERTAINTIES RELATED TO TEXAS D DOT AND SOME OF THE OTHER ENTITIES, SO POTENTIAL FOR REDUCTION THERE, THE LAST POINT IS ON OUR RECYCLED WATER PROGRAM. >> MAYOR ORTIZ JONES: CAN YOU ELABORATE SOMETHING ABOUT THE RECYCLED WATER, THAT'S SOMETHING THAT'S GOTTEN ATTENTION ESPECIALLY AS WE TALK ABOUT DATA CENTER S AND CONSUMERS WE WANT AND THAT IN PARTICULAR, SO CAN YOU SPEAK A LITTLE BIT TO -- I KNOW, AGAIN, YOU GOT THIS MORNING BUT TO THE EXTENT YOU CAN ELABORATE FURTHER ON THE IMPACTS OF RECYCLED WATER INFRASTRUCTURE. >> WE HAVE ABOUT $20 MILLION PROGRAMMED IN 2030 FOR RECYCLED WATER IMPROVEMENTS, WE MAY LOOK AT PHASING THOSE A LITTLE BIT FURTHER, PARTICULARLY SINCE WE'RE IN THE MIDST OF THE MASTER PLAN AND MAYBE PUSHING THOSE OUT JUST A LITTLE BIT FURTHER IN ORDER TO ALLOW SOME BUDGET CAPACITY. >> MAYOR ORTIZ JONES: OKAY. OKAY. THANK YOU. ANYONE ELSE LIKE TO SPEAK ON THE AMENDMENT? YOU WANT TO SPEAK ON THE AMENDMENT? COUNCILWOMAN MEZA GONZALEZ. PLEASE. >> GONZALEZ: THANK YOU FOR THAT AMENDMENT, AND I HAD A COUPLE OF QUESTIONS JUST TO CLARIFY. YOU MENTIONED THE .2% -- I'M SORRY, THE .1 IS 2.65 MILLION IN SAVING; IS THAT CORRECT? SO THE AMENDMENT IS CALLING FOR A .2 IN '29 AND .4 IN '30, SO JUST THAT SIMPLE MATH, THAT COMES OUT TO ABOUT 21 MILLION; IS THAT CORRECT? OR CAN -- >> PUENTE: BECAUSE OF COMP COMPOUNDING AND ALL OF THAT STUFF, FOR THE TWO YEARS, IT'S 6.9 MILLION. >> SO .1 IS BOTH FOR '29 AND '30. SO .1 FOR BOTH OF THOSE YEARS, IT'S THE 6.9 MILLION BECAUSE IT'S ONLY .2% IN 2029 AND THEN .4% IN 2030. IT'S ROUGHLY A .3%, SO THE MATH IS ROUGHLY .3% IN BOTH YEARS. >> GONZALEZ: AND I DO HAVE A FEW CONCERNS WITH THIS BECAUSE IT'S BEEN STATED -- THIS COULD JU JUST -- IF ANYTHING UNEXPECTED HAPPENS, I DO APPRECIATE THE CEILING AND FLOOR BECAUSE IT PROVIDES A FLEXIBILITY THAT ANY ORGANIZATION NEEDS, AND SO FOR ANY UNEXPECTED EVENT THAT OCCURS OR WE'RE IN THE SITUATION WE'RE IN STILL, I DON'T WANT YOU TO COME BACK AND SAY YOU NEED MORE THAN THE CEILING. RIGHT. AND SO -- BUT I DO UNDERSTAND THE NEED TO SAVE OUR RATE PAYERS MONEY. I MEAN, IT'S REALLY THAT SIMPLE, AND IT'S NOT JUST -- IT'S A 1-10 ISSUE; RIGHT? EVERY ONE OF US HAS RATE PAYERS THAT ARE JUST FEELING THE PINCH RIGHT NOW. AND SO IF THIS AMENDMENT DOES PASS, DO YOU GO BACK TO THE OFFICE AND SCRATCH ANY -- OR CUT ANY CAPITAL PROGRAMS PLANNED FOR '27 AND '28? >> NO. >> GONZALEZ: THAT'S -- GO AHEAD. >> PUENTE: LUCKILY, THOSE TWO -- RATES FOR THOSE TWO YEARS ARE SET, AND SO WE DO NOT HAVE TO TOUCH THOSE PROJECTS. >> GONZALEZ: THAT'S WHAT I -- I DON'T WANT ANY OF THOSE PROGRAMS TO GET TURNED BUT THEN APPROVE THE AMENDMENT AND THEN GO BACK AND SCRATCH OFF SOME OF THOSE PROJECTS SCHEDULED FOR '27 AND '28. SO I'M GLAD TO KNOW THOSE ARE NOT MOVING, AND I THINK THOSE WE WERE -- THOSE ARE ALL OF MY QUESTIONS. THANK YOU. COUNCILWOM AN ALDERETE GAVITO, ACTUALLY ANYONE ON THE FIRST ROUND. I SEE YOU, COUNCILMAN WHYTE. >> WHYTE: SO GOING BACK TO SOMETHING COUNCILMAN ALDERETE GAVITO SAID, WE MIGHT AS WELL JUST DO A FLAT RATE, WHAT I ENVISIONED IS THAT YOU HAVE AN IDEA OF THE FORECAST FOR THE NEXT FOUR OR FIVE YEARS IN TERMS OF WHAT'S NEEDED IN ORDER TO FULFILL THE CAPITAL PROGRAM. WHAT WOULD BE THE AVERAGE RATE YOU WOULD BE LOOKING FOR OVER FOUR YEARS IF YOU WERE TO DO THAT OVER ONE YEAR, 5%, 5%, 5%, WHAT IS THAT NUMBER? DO YOU KNOW? >> PUENTE: NOT OFF THE TOP OF OUR HEADS. >> SO WHEN WE ORIGINALLY BROUGHT IT OUT, IT WAS ROUGH LY ABOUT 6.5% EVERY YEAR, WHEN WE GOT COUNCIL AND OUR BOARD FEEDBACK, THEY WANTED THAT TO BE A FAZED APPROACH, SO WE HAD STARTED WITH ROUGHLY [01:55:05] 7.9% ALL THE WAY DOWN TO ROUGHLY 5%, SO THAT'S HOW WE WERE ABLE TO PHASE IT GOING DOWN OVER THE FOUR YEARS, BUT WHEN WE WORKED WITH PUBLIC UTILITIES OFFICE, WHEN WE MADE ADJUSTMENTS TO O AND M, MADE ADJUSTMENTS TO CAPITAL PROGRAM, DIDN'T GET THE ADDITIONAL 7 AND A HALF MILLION FOR 2026, WE MADE THE ADJUSTMENTS, AND NOW THE PROPOSED RATE -- RATE PROPOSAL IS WHAT IT LOOKS LIKE BASED ON THAT, BUT WE HAD ORIGINALLY FAZED IT TO WHERE IT WOULD BE PHASED FROM OUR CUSTOMERS FROM 7.9% TO ROUGHLY 5%. >> MCKEE-RODRIGUEZ: AND I WANT TO -- SO THERE'S TWO WAYS THAT I'M THINKING ABOUT THE FLOOR AND CEILING ISSUE, AND I THINK SOMETHING THAT COUNCILWOMAN KAUR ALLUDED TO, HEY IF WE'RE GOING TO LOWER THE CEILING, THEN YOU TELL US WE NEED TO FIND $41 MILLION IN CUTS TO THE CAPITAL PROGRAM IN ORDER TO JUSTIFY THAT, THEN THAT SOUNDS LIKE EVERY SINGLE YEAR WE'RE LOOKING AT THE MAXIMUM. WHEN I THINK OF A FLOOR TO CEILING, AND I'M LISTENING TO SORT OF THE DISCUSSION ABOUT FLEXIBILITY IN TERMS O OFOF, YOU KNOW, MAYBE THINGS CHANGE AND WE NEED TO GO UP A LITTLE BIT, ON AVERAGE, WHAT WE'RE LOOKING AT IS BETWEEN THESE FOUR YEARS, HOW DO WE GET TO THAT 6.5% AVERAGE, SO SOME YEARS YOU'LL -- LET'S SAY FOR THE VERY FIRST YEAR LET'S SAY YOU'LL GET CLOSER TO THE CEILING, AND THEN THE FOLLOWING YEAR, MAYBE IT'S A YEAR WHERE, YOU KNOW, YOU'RE DOING DECENT ENOUGH, NOTHING LOOKS TOO CRAZY, YOU'RE ABLE TO FUND WHAT YOU NEED, YOU STILL NEED A LITTLE BIT OF AN INCREASE, PEOPLE ARE FEELING IT, YOU'RE ABLE TO DO SOMETHING CLOSER TO THE FLOOR THE SECOND YEAR, AND EVERY YEAR IT'S BASED ON A NUMBER OF FACTORS, BUT THAT'S ULTIMATELY -- THAT'S -- THERE'S TWO CONFLICTING THOUGHTS, AND SO WHICH ONE IS IT. >> PUENTE: IT'S ALL A MATTER OF PLANNING, THE PLANNING WE'RE DOING, CAPITAL PLANS, WE HAVE FIVE YEAR PLANS, BUT EVERY YEAR IT'S A NEW FIVE-YEAR PLAN BECAUSE THE PLANNING ALWAYS CHANGES, EITHER BECAUSE A NEW CONTRACTOR COMES INTO TOWN FROM HOUSTON AND WANTS TO COMPETE FOR WORK OR PRICES ARE COMPETITIVE, OR ONE GOES OUT OF BUSINESS AND DOESN'T COMPETE ANYMORE, INTEREST RATES GO UP OR DOWN. SO ALL OF THESE PLANNING THINGS ARE HAPPENING, AND WHAT WE REALLY KNOW IS JUST FROM THE NEXT YEAR, WHAT'S GOING TO HAPPEN FOR THE NEXT YE YEAR. THE REST IS WHAT'S THE MATTER FOR HAVING TO ADJUST AND PLANNING FOR THOSE THINGS OF WHAT COULD OR COULDN'T HAP HAPPEN. SO IT'S VERY HARD TO CHOOSE ONE OR THE OTHER THAT YOU MENTIONED. >> MAYOR ORTIZ JONES: COUNCIL, IF I MAY, JUST A REMINDER, ONCE WE GET THROUGH THIS RATE DISCUSSION, WE WILL GO BACK TO HAVING THE UPDATES EVERY OTHER MONTH FROM SAWS TO GIVE US AN UPDATE ON KIND OF WHERE THEY A ARE, WHERE THEY ANTICIPATE BEING IN THAT RANGE AS WE APPROXIMATE THAT MOVING FORWARD. SO, AGAIN, THE ONLY THING THAT IS FIXED ARE THE FIRST TWO YEARS, 27, 28, THE RANGE, WE'LL GET UPDATES ON AS THEY REVIEW AND APPROVE THE CAPITAL BUDGET EVERY YEAR, IT'S A BETTER SENSE OF THEY MAY BE IN THE RANGE EITHER BELOW THE MINIMUM OR ABOVE THE MAXIMUM. >> MCKEE-RODRIGUEZ: I CAN APPRECIATE THAT, WE'RE ESSENTIALLY AUTHORIZING THE FOUR YEARS, THOUGH, AND COUNCIL HAS REALLY TWO POWERS OVERSOAKS, AND THE RATE INCREASE AND BOARD MEMBERS AND THIS IS ONE OF THE MAJOR LEVERS AND TOOLS WE HAVE AT OUR DISPOSAL THAT WE ARE RELINQUISHING OR UTILIZING THIS ONE TIME OVER FOUR YEARS, AND THEN WE WON'T HAVE -- I WON'T BE HERE IN FOUR YEARS. AND SO THAT'S SORT OF WHY -- I DON'T KNOW I'M NOT SURE THAT WAS ENT ENTIRELY A SATISFACTORY ANSWER, I DON'T THINK YOU CAN GIVE ME ONE. I UNDERSTAND WHAT YOU'RE SAYING. I UNDERSTAND THAT THINGS WILL CHANGE. MY HOPE IS THAT IT'S CLOSER TO THAT. SOME YEARS -- I DON'T KNOW. ANOTHER QUESTION, AND I DON'T KNOW THAT WE TALKED NECESSARILY ABOUT THIS, BUT A FEW YEARS AGO WE IMPLEMENTED A RESPONSIBLE BIDDERS ORDINANCE AND THE GOAL WAS TO REALLY HOLD ACCOUNTABLE BAD CONTRACTORS AND MAKE SURE OUR CONTRACTS CAN MOVE ON TIME, ON PACE, ON BUDGET OR UNDER BUDGET, DOES SAWS HAVE SOMETHING COMPARABLE, AND IF SO, WHAT IS IT? >> PUENTE: YES. WE -- IT DOESN'T MAKE THE NEWS BECAUSE IT'S DONE BEFORE IT COMES TO OUR BOARD , AND THAT IS WHEN WE HAVE LOW BID, WE OFTEN DEEM THE LOWEST BID UNRESPONSIBLE BECAUSE OF PRIOR PROBLEMS WE'VE HAD WITH THEM OR WE HAVE SITUATIONS WHERE WE KNOW THERE'S A PROJECT OF UNIQUE COMPLEXITY, LIKE THE HILDERBERG PROJECT WE'VE BEEN TALKING TO COUNCILWOMAN KAUR A LOT LATELY, WE DO IT ON BEST VALUE, IN OTHER [02:00:02] WORDS, THE REPUTATION, QUALITY OF WORK, NOT JUST LOW BID, SO WE HANDLE IT THOSE TWO WAYS, YES, A VERY RIGOROUS PROGRAM WHERE WE HOLD OUR CONTRACTORS ACCOUNTABLE FOR THEIR WORK. ANYTHING ELSE, ANDREA? OH, THANK YOU. WE ALSO HAVE -- AND THIS IS HISTORIC, THIS IS NOT JUST LAST YEAR, THIS IS OVER THE LAST FIVE YEARS, A 1.3% CHANGE ORDER ON ALL THE PROJECTS THAT WE HAVE. SO THE CONTRACTORS ARE HOLDING THEM VERY RESPONSIBLE TO ONLY 1.3% OF ALL OF THAT WORK IS CHANGE ORDERS, THROUGH CHANGE ORDERS. >> MCKEE-RODRIGUEZ: I DO THINK THERE MAY BE -- BEYOND THIS CONVERSATION, THERE MAY BE OPPORTUNITIES TO FURTHER REFINE THAT -- NOT THAT PROGRAM SPECIFICALLY, BUT THE BROADER TOPIC OF RESPONSIBLE BIDDERS AND EVEN THE TYPE OF SOLICITATIONS THAT YA'LL DO RATHER THAN, YOU KNOW, LOW BID -- THE OTHER ONE, WHAT IS THAT ONE? >> PUENTE: THERE IS A STATE REQUIREMENT ABOUT LOW BID, AND WE HAVE TO JUSTIFY GOING OFF OF LO BID, AND WE DO THAT ON A BASIS WHEN THOSE PROJECTS ARE MORE COMPLEX THAN LAYING A PIPE IN THE GROUND. >> MCKEE-RODRIGUEZ: IN ADDITION TO THIS, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT FOLK ARE REALLY INTERESTED IN, AND YOU MENTIONED 42, 43 VAC VACANCIES THAT WERE REDUCED OR ELIMINATED, WHAT ARE THE OTHER OPERATIONAL MAINTENANCE COSTS THAT YOU REDUCED? WHAT ARE THE BUDGET CU CUTS? >> PUENTE: ONE CONTRACT THAT WE HAVE WITH A WATER SUPPLY COMPANY THAT WE HAD BEEN BUDGETING FOR IT AT A -- I THINK IT WAS AT $8 MILLION AMOUNT, AND THAT CONTRACT, IT WAS A BEAR MET CONTRACT, SO WHEN WE DON'T NEED THE WATER, WE HAVE TO BUY THE WATER, AND WE'VE BEEN UNDER DRAUGHT CONDITIONS, THEREFORE THEY COULDN'T PRODUCE THE WATER WHEN WE WANT THE WATER, AND THAT WAS ENOUGH TO WHERE ERIC AND COMPANY SAID JUST BUDGET FOR WHAT YOU'VE SEEN THE LAST FEW YEARS AS OPPOSED TO WHAT MAY HAPPEN. SO THAT'S ONE WAY THAT THE O AND M WAS REDUCED. THE VACANCIES AND -- >> MCKEE-RODRIGUEZ: THE TOTAL NUMBER OF -- DO YOU KNOW THE TOTAL VALUE OF REDUCTIONS TH THAT -- OR JUST GENERALLY? YEAH. >> SO A TOTAL OF $11 MILLION, SO $3.8 MILLION WERE REG REGARDING VACANCIES, $6 MILLION WERE REG REGARDING THE CONTRACT THAT WE WERE REFERRING TO AND THEN 1.4 MILLION WAS FOR UTILITY COSTS THAT WE WERE ABLE TO REDUCE THAT CPS DID NOT MOVE FORWARD WITH RATE INCREASE, WE HAD $3 MILLION IN ADDITION TO THE 1 IS MILLION DOLLARS IN O AND M THAT WE HAD TO REDUCE FROM REVENUE REQUIREMENTS. SO INSTEAD OF BEING EXTRA, AS WE HAVE ALWAYS WITH OUR CONSERVATIVE ESTIMATES, WE ACTU ACTUALLY -- FOR OUR SENIOR DEBT, WE ALWAYS HAD A DEBT SERVICE RESERVE, THAT WAS REMOVED, AND SO AN ADDITIONAL $3 MILLION WAS NEEDED TO BE REDUCED FROM OUR REVENUE REQUIREMENT. SO IN TOTAL, 14 MILLION WAS NEEDED TO BE REDUCED BEFORE WE CAME IN JUNE. >> MCKEE-RODRIGUEZ: AND THAT'S 11 MILLION ANNUALLY? LET ME THINK ABOUT THIS SOME. THANK YOU. COUNCILMAN WHYTE, PLEASE. >> WHYTE: THANK YOU, MAYOR. LOOK, I'VE SAID FROM THE BEGINNING I DON'T THINK NOW IS THE TIME TO BE RAISING RATES ON THE CITIZENS AND I'VE OBVIOUSLY HAD MY ISSUES IN THE PAST WITH SAWS RELATED TO THIRD PARTY EFFICIENCY AUDIT THAT DIDN'T GET DONE AND THINGS LIKE THAT AND IT WAS THOSE REASONS, OF COURSE, THAT I WAS AGAINST ANY RATE HIKE, BUT TODAY I WANT TO FOCUS ON REALLY A SILVER LINING HERE AND HOW WE GOT TO THIS POINT. THE SILVER LINING IS IS THAT THE DAYS OF RUBBER STAMPING THESE RATE HIKES, I BELIEVE, ARE NOW OVER. THE AMENDMENT THAT'S ON THE TABLE NOW, SOME MAY SAY, WELL IT'S JUST A LITTLE SAVINGS TO THE RATE PAYERS, BUT I DON'T THINK THAT'S POINT. I MEAN, FIRST OF ALL, COSTS ARE SO HIGH ON PEOPLE RIGHT NOW, RATES ARE BEING RAISED ON THEM IN EVERY WHICH WAY, SO I DO BELIEVE EVERY LITTLE BIT THAT WE CAN SAVE OUR RESIDENTS MATTERS. BUT I WANT TO TALK ABOUT HOW WE GOT HERE. AND FIRST, IT'S WITH A THANK YOU TO MY COLLEAGUES, TWO MONTHS AGO WHEN SAWS FIRST CAME BEFORE US REQUESTING A RATE HIKE, WE ALL TOOK IT REALLY SERIOUSLY, AND AT THAT POINT WE SAID NO BECAUSE WE HAD QUESTIONS WE [02:05:05] WANTED ANSWERED. WE WANTED NUMBERS CRUNCHED, AND EVEN THOSE THAT DIDN'T VOTE FOR THE DELAY AT THAT POINT ISSUES SINCE THAT TIME HAVE ALL BEEN SO ACTIVE IN TRYING TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE GETTING THE BEST DEAL THAT WE POSSIBLY CAN FOR THE CITIZENS, AND THAT'S OUR JOB , AND SO I REALLY APPRECIATE ALL OF THE EFFORTS OF MY COLLE COLLEAGUES, AND I SHOULD SAY IN PARTICULAR COUNCILWOMAN ALDERETE GAVITO HAS BEEN A LEADER ON THIS AS WELL AS COUNCILMAN MUNGIA, THEY'VE PUSHED THE BALL FORWARD HERE TO MAKE SURE OUR RESIDENTS ARE GETTING THE BEST DEAL POSSIBLE. SECONDLY, THE SAWS BO BOARD, THOSE THAT I'VE TALKED TO ED AND GREG AND ADRIANNA, ANGEL LEAN, I APPRECIATE ALL OF YOUR EFFORTS AND THE OPEN LINE OF COMMUNICATION WE'VE HAD ON THIS, AND THEN MR MR. PUN DAY, THE LAST TWO MONTHS I HAVE REALLY COME TO RESPECT, EVEN MORE THAN BEFORE HOW YOU DO THIS JOB. I KNOW YOU WEREN'T HAPPY WHEN WE SAID NO A COUPLE OF MONTHS AGO, BUT FROM THAT POINT FORWARD YOU HAVE REALLY REACHED OUT AND MADE EVERY EFFORT TO ANSWER COUNCIL'S QUESTIONS AND TO WORK WITH US. YOU HAVE ACKNOWLEDGED AND RECOGNIZED THAT WE ARE DOING OUR JOB AS COUNCILMEMBERS TO LIMIT THE IMPACT OF ANY POTENTIAL RATE HIKE ON THE RESIDENTS. AND SO YOUR LEADERSHIP HAS BEEN INVALUABLE IN THIS, IN GETTING US TO A POINT TO WHERE WE ARE TODAY, AND, AGAIN, REGARDLESS OF WHETHER, YOU KNOW, THIS RATE HIKE GOES FORWARD OR NOT, I THANK YOU FOR ALL OF THOSE EFFORTS. FINALLY, IT'S THE BUSINESS COMMUNITY THAT I WANT TO RECOGNIZE AS WELL. WHEN I TALK ABOUT NOT JUST RUBBER STAMPING THESE RATE HIKES MOVING FORWARD, I MEAN THIS REALLY BEGAN A COUPLE OF MONTHS AGO IN THE CHAMBERS, PARTICULARLY THE GREATER CHAMBER AND THE METRO CHAMBER, THE WAY THEY STOOD UP AND SAID, HEY, TIMES ARE TOUGH RIGHT NOW, ECONOMIC CONDITIONS AREN'T GREAT, WE NEED TO SEE ACCOUNTABILITY, WE NEED TO SEE TRANSPARENCY FROM SAWS, AND WE NEED TO RECOGNIZE THAT THE DAY-TO-DAY CITIZEN IN SAN ANTONIO IS FEELING THE CRUNCH RIGHT NOW OF ALL OF THESE ADDITIONAL COSTS, AND THAT REALLY HELPED SET THE TONE HE HERE. THERE'S PARTICULAR FOLKS WITH THE LEADERSHIP OF THE METRO CHAMBER AND THE GREATER CHAMBER THAT I WANT TO PARTICULARLY THANK. YOU KNOW WHO YOU ARE. BUT YOUR EFFORTS HERE HAVE NOT GONE UNNOTICED. THERE ARE ALSO MANY PEOPLE THAT I RELY ON AS WELL TO BOUNCE IDEAS OFF OF THAT HAVE SAID HEY, MARC, YOU KNOW, WE MIGHT DISAGREE ON WHETHER THE RATE HIKE IS NEEDED OR NOT, BUT WE COMPLETELY SEE WHERE YOU'RE COMING FROM, AND YOU SHOULD CONTINUE TO PUSH TO GET YOUR CITIZENS A BETTER DEAL. AND SO TO ALL OF THOSE FOLKS OUT THERE, THANK YOU, THANK YOU FOR DOING THAT. YOU KNOW, WHEN I -- I PUT FORTH THAT PLAN SEVERAL MONTHS AGO THAT I CALLED ACCELERATE SA, AND I TALKED ABOUT HOW A LOT OF TIMES THERE SEEMS TO BE A CONFLICT, YOU KNOW, I CALLED IT THE 8 TO 5 VERSUS THE 5 TO 8. YOU HAVE THE BUSINESS COMMUNITY HERE PUSHING FOR SOME THINGS THAT SOMETIMES THE PEOPLE IN THE NEIGHBORHOODS DON'T SEE THE VALUE IN, AND THEN ALSO THERE'S TIMES WHEN THE BUSINESS COMMUNITY, YOU KNOW, DOESN'T TRULY UNDERSTAND OR DOESN'T APPEAR TO UNDERSTAND HOW EVERYDAY RESIDENTS IN SAN ANTONIO ARE LIVING AND WHAT THEIR NEEDS ARE AND WHAT THEIR DAY-TO-DAY CON CONCERNS ARE. THE WAY THE BUSINESS COMMUNITY RESPONDED ON THIS PARTICULAR ISSUE, I WANT THE CITIZENS OF SAN ANTONIO TO KNOW THAT THERE WAS A RECOGNITION OF THE ADDITIONAL COSTS THAT ARE PILING UP ON OUR CITIZENS, AND, AG AGAIN, I APPRECIATE THAT GREATLY. WE HEARD FROM MR. P MR. PUENTE, HE SAID WITH THIS AMENDMENT THEY COULD MAKE IT WORK. WE ALSO HEARD FROM SAWS THAT THE SEVEN PROJECTS EVEN WITH THIS AMENDMENT WILL NOT BE TURTOUCHED. I KNOW FROM PAST CONVERSATIONS WITH SAWS THAT I BELIEVE IT'S FIVE OUT OF THE SEVEN PRO PROJECTS HERE HAVEN'T EVEN BEEN -- GOB THROUGH THE DESIGN PHASE YET AND I DON'T THINK THERE'S HARD BUS BIDS [02:10:02] ON SOME OF THOSE PROJECTS SO THERE'LL BE NEGOTIATIONS TO TAKE PLACE WITH THE CONTRACTORS AND THE COST OF ALL OF THOSE PROJECTS HASN'T BEEN FINALLY SET. AND SO WITH ALL OF THAT BEING SAID, THIS AMENDMENT IS A GOOD ONE. THIS IS ONE THAT WILL SAVE OUR RESIDENTS MO MONEY, REGARDLESS OF WHETHER THIS RATE HIKE GOES THROUGH OR NOT, I WOULD URGE MY COLLEAGUES TO VOTE YES FOR THIS AMENDMENT, LET'S LOWER THOSE TOP NUMBERS JUST A BIT IN THOSE LAST TWO YEARS TO PROTECT THE RESIDENTS OF SAN ANTONIO AS BEST WE CAN, TO HELP ENSURE THAT THEY'LL KEEP MORE MONEY IN THEIR POCKETS BECAUSE I BELIEVE THAT'S ONE OF OUR CENTRAL JOBS AS COUNCILMEMBERS. SO, AGAIN, I APPRECIATE EVERYONE'S EFFORT ON THIS. I'M GLAD TO SEE THAT THIS AMENDMENT WAS PUT FORWARD TODAY. I HOPE THAT IT IS SUCCESSFUL. THANKS, MAYOR. COUNCILMAN GALVAN, PLEASE. >> GALVAN: THANK YOU, MAYOR, AND THANK YOU, ROBERT FOR THE PRESENTATION. AND FOR ANSWERING ALL OF OUR QUESTIONS THROUGHOUT, YOU KNOW, THESE PAST SEVERAL MONTHS AS WELL AS THROUGHOUT THE MEETING, THANK YOU COUNCILWOMAN FOR PUTTING THIS FORWARD TO HELP ENSURE WE'RE PROTECTING THE RATE PAYER AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE AND THEIR POCKETBOOKS. YOU KNOW, I THINK, BEING HONEST ABOUT IT, RIGHT, THIS IS SOMETHING THAT I THINK IS CRUCIAL, MAKING SURE THAT WE'RE INV INVESTING IN OUR PUBLIC UTILITIES, AND GENERALLY IN PUBLIC SERVICES TO MAKE SURE WE'RE PROVIDING THE BEST PUBLIC SERVICE POSSIBLE TO OUR COMMUNITY. AND THAT THIS AMENDMENT, I THINK, IS TRYING TO CONTINUE TO DO THAT, BUT ALSO, OF COURSE, WE'RE GOING TO SEE SOME WAY THAT IF SOMETHING GOES AWRY, THAT SAWS CAN STILL AFFORD PROJECTS BEING PUT FORWARD TODAY, AND THEN THE NOTE ARO AROUND, WHAT WAS IT, THE 45 MILLION POTENTIALLY AND -- IN O AND M OPERATIONS OR OTHER AR AREAS BEING REDUCED TO HELP ADDRESS SHORTFALLS OR ANY RISKS THAT MAY COME UP, THE RECYCLED WATER PIECE OF COURSE HITS CLOSE TO HOME. I'LL BE GRAN FRANK, I SHARED WITH YOU ROBERT OVER SUMMER TALKING TO RESIDENTS THROUGHOUT DISTRICT 6 IT WAS A BIG CONCERN AROUND ALL THE COMPOUNDING INCREASES IN COST, WHETHER FROM PUBLIC UTILITIES OR THE CITY OR OTHER FORMS, EVEN THE PRIVATE MARKET, FINDING WAYS TO ENSURE THAT SAWS IS CONTINUING TO DO ITS BEST TO MAKE SURE THEY'RE MITIGATING COSTS FOR RESIDENTS HAS BEEN CRUCIAL, AND TWO BIG FACTORS I CONTINUE TO WORK ON ARE RELATED TO DATA CENTERS HERE IN OUR CITY, PARTICULARLY IN DISTRICT 6 WHERE THE VAST MAJORITY EXIST, AND ALSO CONSERVATION EFFORTS, PARTICULARLY AROUND COMMERCIAL AND LARGE RESIDENTIAL CUSTOMERS. SO CAN YOU TALK TO ME A LITTLE BIT ABOUT WITH THIS AMENDMENT, POTENTIALLY THE IMPACT TO RECYCLED WATER EXPANGS, DEFERRING, WHAT DOES THAT MEAN ABOUT DATA CENTER CONVER CONVERSATIONS WE'LL HAVE LATER THIS YEAR OR IN GENERAL. >> PUENTE: A COUPLE OF THINGS, FIRST OF ALL A LOT OF THE -- NOT A LOT OF, THE INFRASTRUCTURE NEEDED TO CONNECT FROM A DATA CENTER TO OUR SYSTEM HAS TO BE PAID FOR BY THAT PRIVATE ENTITY. THIS IS NOT UNIQUE TO DATA CENTERS, THIS IS ANY PRIVATE ENTITY THAT WANTS TO CONNECT TO OUR SYSTEM HAS TO PAY FOR THE INFRASTRUCTURE TO DO THAT. THEY ALSO HAVE TO PAY IMPACT FEES. ON THE RECYCLED SYSTEM RIGHT NOW TODAY THEY DON'T HAVE TO PAY IMPACT FEES SO THAT'S ONE WAY FOR EXAMPLE WE COULD MITIGATE THE ISSUE OF NOT ENOUGH MONEY FOR OUR RECYCLED PROJECTS OR EXPANSION IS START REQUESTING, DEMANDING AN IMPACT FEE FROM THE DATA CENTERS. THE REASON WE DON'T CURRENTLY HAVE ONE IS BECAUSE WE WANTED TO INCENTIVIZE USERS TO USE RECYCLED WATER, OTHERWISE THEY WOULDN'T, POTABLE WATER WOULD BE JUST AS -- IT WOULD BE LESS EXPENSIVE, AND WE WANT IT TO BE LESS EXPENSIVE, THE RECY RECYCLED -- TO INCENTIVIZE THEM TO USE RECYCLED WATER. BUT BECAUSE WE'VE HAD THE RECYCLED RATES GOING UP IN THE LAST FEW YE YEARS, THEY'RE ALMOST TO THE LEVEL OF COST OF SERVICE, SO WE -- OBJECT WASTE WATER SIDE DID NOT HAVE TO SUBSIDIZE RECYCLED WATER AS WE DID BEFORE. SO, AGAIN, THE PRIVATE INDUSTRY WILL PAY FOR THAT INFRASTRUCTURE CHANGE, AND NOW WE CAN GO THE IMPACT FEE ROUTE. >> GALVAN: OKAY. SO WITH THE IMPACT FEE, DO YOU ANTICIPATE THAT COVERING THE C COST OF INSURING THAT DATA CENTERS AND OTHER LARGE WATER USERS ARE ABLE TO CONNECT AS SOON AS POSSIBLE? OR DO YOU ANTICIPATE LONGER RUNWAY TO MAKE THAT HAPPEN? >> PUENTE: YES. NOW, WE HAVE TO BE CAREFUL ABOUT WE DON'T CHANGE REGULATIONS JUST BECAUSE IT'S A DATA CENTER. UNDER THE LAW AND UNDER FAIRNESS , WE HAVE TO JUST TREAT EVERYBODY EQUALLY. UNLESS -- THE BIG GROUP WOULD BE LARGE WATER USERS, AND SO, YES, AN IMPACT FEE SCENARIO TAKES A LOT OF TIME. IT DOESN'T START FOR ANOTHER YEAR OR SO. [02:15:05] IT GOES THROUGH A BIG PROCESS THROUGH SAWS AND THEN THROUGH CITY COUNCIL, BUT THERE'S A BRIDGE BEFORE THAT WHERE WE COULD ASSESS A SPECIAL FEE ON ON THESE LARGE USERS OF WATER, A LOT OF THEM BEING DATA CENTERS TO WHERE THE COST IS STARTING TO BE ABSORBED ALREADY BY THEM AS THEY WANT TO LOCATE WITHIN OUR JURISDICTION, OUR CERTIFICATED AREA OF SERVICE. >> GALVAN: SO YOU ANTICIPATE THAT WITH THEM LIKE THIS, YOU COULD SEE WITH RESPECT TO WATER AND PIPELINE EXPANSIONS THAT LARGE WATER USERS WOULD NOT BE ABLE TO CONNECT? >> PUENTE: NOT WHAT? >> GALVAN: NOT BE ABLE TO CONNECT TO LARGE WATER SYSTEM. >> PUENTE: STILL CONNECT, BUT THEY WOULD HAVE TO PAY FOR THAT CONNECTION. >> GALVAN: OKAY. GOT IT. I GUESS WHAT I'M TRYING TO MAKE CLEAR FOR MYS MYSELF, AND I THINK I GOT THE ANSWER, WAS THAT THIS WILL NOT DELAY ANY OF THE POLICY INITIATIVE LOOKING AT LARGE WATER USERS INCLUDING DATA CENTERS AND CONNECTING TO RECYCLED WATER AND MAKE SURE THEY'RE NOT UTILIZING THE WATER AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE, OF COURSE THEY USE MINIMAL AMOUNTS CURRENTLY BUT MAKING SURE THEY'RE DOING NEXT TO 0 IS IMPORTANT FOR RESIDENTS IN DISTRICT OF AND IN PARTICULAR, LARGER CONSERVATION PLANS AS WELL ON COMMERCIAL AND INDUSTRIAL USERS OF OUR WATER SYSTEM TO BE ABLE TO ADOPT MORE CONSERVATION EFFORTS. I KNOW THAT'S PART OF THE PROCESS HERE, OF COURSE IT'S ALL DIFFERENT IN TIME FOR EACH OF THE ENTITIES WE'RE LOOKING AT, BUT OF COURSE RECYCLED WATER BEING A CRUCIAL PART OF THAT, I WANT TO MAKE SURE THOSE THINGS ARE ABLE TO GO THROUGH, SO I WANT TO HEAR IT WON'T BE IMPACTED TOO SEVERELY. IS THAT ACCURATE? >> PUENTE: YOU'RE CORRECT. >> GALVAN: THANK YOU SO MUCH. THANK YOU MAYOR. >> MAYOR ORTIZ JONES: CECILIA OR WATER WHEN YOU TALK ABOUT PUSHING OUT PROJECTS MEANS HIGHER OPERATIONAL RISK AND THEN WE'RE HEARING YOU COULD MITIGATE THOSE RISKS, COULD YOU ARTICULATE WHAT THOSE RISKS ARE AND HOW YOU INTEND TO MITIGATE THEM. >> WE ARE IN THE MIDST OF STARTING SOME NEW MASTER PLANS, SO AS WE LOOK AT MITIGATING RISK, WE'RE GOING TO TAKE THAT INTO EFFECT AS WE UPDATE OUR POTABLE WATER MASTER PLAN, AS WE'RE LOOKING IN THE FUTURE AT OUR TREATMENT MASTER PLAN, WE'RE IN THE MIDST OF OUR RECYCLED WATER PLASTER MASTER PLAN, SO AS WE'RE SEEING CHANGES IN GROWTH PATTERNS, PRECIPITATION PATTERNS, ALL OF THAT GETS TAKEN INTO EFFECT AS WE LOOK IN AT THE PROJECTS AHEAD OF US, SO WHAT DO WE DO TO MITIGATE THAT RISK, THAT'S SOMETHING WE DEVELOP THROUGH THE MASTER PLAN, PHASING THESE PROJECTS RESPONSIBLY, GIVEN CONSTRAINTS, SO WE'LL BE LOOKING AT THAT THROUGH THE MASTER PLAN PROCESS. >> MAYOR ORTIZ JONES: OKAY. THANK YOU FOR THAT, AND OBVIOUSLY JUST KIND OF LIKE A NORMAL PERSON, WHEN YOU GO TO HEB, IF YOU'VE GOT LESS MONEY IN YOUR POCKET THAN YOU THOUGHT YOU WOULD INITIALLY, THEN YOU MODIFY, UNDERSTOOD. BUT WHAT ARE THE THINGS THAT -- IF THE ASSUMPTION -- IF THE NEEDS HAVE NOT CHANGED, IF THE NEEDS HAVE NOT CHANGED, HOW THEN DO YOU ADDRESS THAT? WE'RE STILL EXPECTING A CERTAIN LEVEL OF GROWTH, EVEN AS YOU HAVE TO MODIFY THE PLAN BASED UPON HAVING A LOWER AMOUNT OF MONEY TO INVEST WITH, SO HELP US UNDERSTAND, AND AGAIN THIS IS ALL HAPPENING KIND OF AT THE LAST MINUTE HERE, BUT GIVE US A SENSE OF WHAT THAT LOOKS LIKE FROM A PL PLANNING PURPOSE ESPECIALLY AS WE KNOW THE PLANNING ASSUMPTIONS YOU'VE PLANNED FOR HAVEN'T CHANGED. >> WELL AS IDENTIFY SHOWN YA'LL IN TERMS OF IMPACT FEES, WE'VE SEEN A REDUCTION, SO THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WE'LL HAVE TO TAKE INTO ACCOUNT, BUT THEN IT BOILS DOWN TO PRIO PRIORITIZATION OF PROJECTS AND PHASING OF PROJECTS. SO MAYBE HAVING TO BREAK A PROJECT UP INTO MULTIPLE PHASES OVER MULTIPLE YEARS BEFORE WE WOULD HAVE BILLED ALTOGETHER AT ONCE, THAT'S ONE EXAMPLE THAT I COULD GIVE YOU. IT IS THEN SUBSTITUTING SOME PROJECTS BASED ON RISK AND PRIORITY, THOSE ARE THE TOUGH DECISIONS THAT WE'LL HAVE TO MAKE. >> MAYOR ORTIZ JONES: OKAY. THE -- JUST BECAUSE WE KNOW THERE'S FINES ASSOCIATED WITH ANY OF THE INFRASTRUCTURE NOT PERFORMING AS SPENDED. COULD YOU REMIND US O OF -- CECILIA MENTIONED THE WASTE WATER TREATMENT EFFORTS THAT WOULD BE AFFECTED BY THIS. COULD YOU SPEAK TO -- REMIND US AGAIN OF THE FINES ASSOCIATED TO THAT INFRASTRUCTURE IF NOT PERFORMING AS INTENDED AND THEN THE RISKS -- THE MODIFICATIONS IN ANY WAY THAT WOULD BE SPECIFIC TO THE WASTE WATER TREATMENT INFRASTRUCTURE IN OUR COMMUNITY. >> THE FINES ASSOCIATED WITH THE WASTE WATER TREATMENT PPLANTS, I THINK AS STATED BEFORE, BASED ON NUMBER OF OUTFALLS, IT COMPOUNDS, AND UP TO $10,000 A DAY. $10,000 A DAY. OKAY. [02:20:02] >> HOWEVER, AS STATED, 2027, WE HAVE FOUR PROJECTS PLANNED FOR OUR WASTE WATER TREATMENT PLANS THAT ADDRESS OUR HIGHEST RISK FROM A REGULATORY PERSPECTIVE THAT -- BEING ABLE TO PROCEED WITH THOSE SIGNIFICANTLY MINIMIZES OUR REGULATORY RISK. >> MAYOR ORTIZ JONES: AND THE OPERATIONAL RISK? >> AND THE OPERATIONAL RISK AS WELL, YES. >> MAYOR ORTIZ JONES: OKAY. ANYONE ELSE WANT TO SPEAK ON THE AMENDMENT, PLEASE. COUNCILWOMAN MEZA GONZALEZ. OH D OH ON THE FIRST ROUND, PLEASE. COUNCILWOMAN CASTILLO. >> CASTILLO: THANK YOU. AND THANK YOU, ROBERT, FOR THE PRESENTATION AS WELL AS TO THE SAWS BOARD FOR YOUR CONTINUED BRIEFINGS AND DUE DILIGENCE WITH THIS ITEM AS WELL AS TO THE DISTRICT 5 RESIDENTS WHO ATTENDED THE RATE ADJ ADJUSTMENT CONVERSATION AND UNDERSTOOD THE NEED TO INVEST IN OUR PUBLIC UTILITIES TO ENSURE THAT WE CONTINUE TO MOVE FORWARD WITH THE CAPITAL IMPROVEMENTS, AND THEN OF COURSE WITH THE UPLIFT PROGRAM, EXP EXPANDING THAT. I THINK WHAT WE HAVE BEFORE US TODAY WITH THIS AMENDMENT IS AN OPPORTUNITY FOR US TO MOVE FORWARD. WE KNOW THE FINANCIAL IMPACT THAT THE DELAY HAS HAD ON SAWS AND CAPITAL IMPROVEMENTS, AND THE AMENDMENTS WE HAD HERE IN FRONT OF US TODAY IS ENSURING THAT WE HAVE ENOUGH SUPPORT TO MOVE FORWARD WITH THE MUCH NEEDED PROJECTS IN OUR COMMUNITY. SO I'M SUPPORTIVE OF THE AMENDMENT TODAY BECAUSE I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT THAT WE TAKE THAT ACTION TO GIVE THE AUTHORIZATION TO CONTINUE MOVING FORWARD WITH ANY IMPROVEMENT AND ANY ADDITIONAL DELAY WILL HAVE MORE FINANCIAL IMPACT TO RATE PAYERS AND TO THE UTILITY OVERALL. SO THOSE ARE MY COMMENTS IN SHORT, AND I'LL BE SUPPORTING THIS AMENDMENT. >> MAYOR ORTIZ JONES: ANYONE ELSE ON THE FIRST ROUND? ON THE FIRST ROUND? OKAY. SO ON TO THE SECOND ROUND, COUNCILWOMAN MEZA GONZALEZ. AND THEN ALDERETE GAV GAVITO. >> GONZALEZ: I JUST HAD A QUESTION ON THE ACTUAL AMENDMENT LANGUAGE. CAN SOMEONE HELP ME -- JUST READ IT AGAIN OR SOMETHING. >> MAYOR ORTIZ JONES: MADAM CLERK OR COUNCILWOMAN, GO AHEAD. >> GONZALEZ: CITY ATTORNEY. SORRY. >> IT SAYS I MOVE TO AMEND THE MAIN MOTION TO ADDRESS THE RESIDENTIAL RATE CEILING IN YEAR 3, WHICH IS 2029 BY .2% AND RESIDENTIAL RATE BY .4% IN YEAR 4, 2030 WITH ANY REQUISITE ADJUSTMENTS TO ANY CLASSES. >> GONZALEZ: OKAY. REQUISITE GAWKSMENTS TO OTHER CLASSES. CAN SOMEONE HELP EXPLAIN THAT WROTE IT, WHAT THAT MEANS IS TO THE EXTENT THAT WE NEED TO MAKE ANY CHANGES TO THE OTHER CATEGORIES TO MAINTAIN COMPLIANCE WITH REGULATORY RATES THAT SAWS HAS TO DO, WE WOULD MAKE THOSE ADJ ADJUSTMENTS AS WELL. >> GONZALEZ: OKAY. THANK YOU. >> EXCUSE ME. I DON'T KNOW WHAT -- IF THAT'S HER INTENT. >> ALDERETE GAVITO: MINE WAS JUST RESIDENTIAL. >> ALL RIGHT. HELP ME OUT, BUT TO COMPLY WITH YOUR REGULATORY REQUIREMENTS, YOU MAY OR MAY NOT NEED TO MAKE ADJUSTMENTS TO THE OTHER TWO, AT LEAST THAT'S WHAT I WAS INFORMED. >> IN THE KNOLLS COUNCIL DIRECTS US IN THAT MATTER. >> UNDER THAT LANGUAGE, THEY'RE GIVING YOU THAT FLEXIBILITY. >> THE MOTION SAYS TO MAKE CHANGES ON RESIDENTIAL AND REQUISITE CHANGES ON OTHER CATEGORIES AND WE COULD MAKE IT MORE SPECIFIC TO SAY YOU COULD COMPLY WITH REGULATORY REQUIREMENTS WHEN IT COMES TO RATES. >> IF THAT LANGUAGE IS ADDED, I UNDERSTAND, THANK YOU, ANDY. >> MAYOR ORTIZ JONES: WHAT ARE SOME OF THE OTHER REQUISITE CHANGES THAT MAY NEED TO BE CHANGED AS A RESULT. IT SOUNDS LIKE YOU'RE MOVING ONE TO IMPACT ANOTHER, POTENTIALLY VERSUS JUST MOVING ONE, SO CAN SOMEBODY ELABORATE ON WHAT ARE THOSE OTHER REQUISITE CHANGES THAT ARE POTENTIALLY NECESSARY. >> WE MAY NOT KNOW IT RIGHT NOW THAT'S WHY WE HAVE THE LANGUAGE THE WAY IT IS. WE MAY NOT HAVE TO I WANT TO MAKE SURE SAWS HAS THE FLEXIBILITY THEY NEED IF THEY WANT TO MAKE ADJUSTMENTS TO THE OTHER CATEGORIES THEY HAVE THE ABILITY TO DO THAT. >> AND IF I MAY, I THINK THE WAY I WOULD UNDERSTAND IT, IS YOU'RE ASKING THAT IN THOSE YEARS 3 AND 4 TO REAPPOINT .2 REDUCTION IN THE RESIDENTIAL RATE ONLY. >> MAYOR ORTIZ JONES: THE CEILING, JUST THE CEILING. >> THE CEILING, CORRECT, BUT THE RESIDENTIAL -- THE COMMERCIAL RATE AND THE IRRIGATION RATE WILL REMAIN THE SAME AS THEY ARE; CORRECT? >> ALDERETE GAVITO: YEAH. I WAS CLEAR THAT WE'RE JUST LOOKING AT RESIDENTIAL RATE. >> CORRECT. SO I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT IT'S CLEAR THAT THE INTENT IS THE REDUCTION WOULD ONLY BE TO RESIDENTIAL RATE TO .2 IN YEAR 3, .4 IN YEAR 4, AND THOSE OTHER TWO RATES WOULD REMAIN THE SAME AS THEY ARE IN PROPOSED IN YEARS 3 AND 4. >> ALDERETE GAVITO: YEAH. THAT WAS THE INTENT. >> AND I THINK IF WE COULD MAKE THAT THE BASIS, WITH THE LANGUAGE IF THERE DOES HAVE TO BE A CHANGE OTHER THAN TH THAT, I THINK THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WOULD BE ACCURATE. >> AND THAT'S WHAT IT SAYS, [02:25:03] I THINK. >> OKAY. WE CAN WORK ON THE LANGUAGE TO MAKE SURE IT GETS IN CORRECTLY TO WHERE IT NEEDS TO BE. >> MAYOR ORTIZ JONES: I UNDERSTAND THE INTENT, BUT I WANT TO MAKE SURE WE UNDERSTAND IT BECAUSE ARE THERE GOING TO BE CHANGES, IMPACTS ON OTHER CLASSES OR NOT? >> MY UNDERSTANDING -- >> MAYOR ORTIZ JONES: AS A RESULT OF THE AMENDMENT. >> MY UNDERSTANDING IS THERE SHOULD NOT BE ANY IMPACTS TO THOSE OVERALL CLASSES. THE -- I THINK IT WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE TABLE, THE DISCONNECT IS THAT WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE TABLE, WHEN YOU LOOK AT THAT CEILING NUMBER, THAT CEILING NUMBER IS A BLEND OF THE THREE RATES THAT ARE BEING IMPACTED, BUT YOU'RE ONLY SAYING THAT ONE OF THOSE THREE IS GOING TO BE IMPACTED, SO THAT OVERALL NUMBER, THAT NUMBER IS DIFFERENT THAN IF YOU WERE TO JUST AFFECT THE RESIDENTIAL PORTION OF IT. SO OVERALL PERCENTAGE IS GOING TO BE LESS THAN .2 OVER THE FORM THAT'S BEING RECITED TO EVERYBODY, IF I UNDERSTAND THAT COR CORRECTLY. OKAY. BECAUSE WE JUST TALKED ABOUT THIS, THE RESIDENTIAL -- BR BRINGING THE FLOOR DOWN ON JUST THAT CLASS IS WHAT PERCENTAGE OF THE REVENUE? >> THE FLOOR OR THE CEILING? >> MAYOR ORTIZ JONES: WELL OF THE FOLKS THAT WOULD BE IMPA IMPACTED, WHAT PERCENTAGE OF THE REVENUE, I KNOW WE'RE TALKING ABOUT 50 CENTS BUT IN TERMS OF THE REVENUE, WE'RE TALKING ABOUT. >> THESE ARE THE NUM NUMBERS; RIGHT? IT'S THE SAME NUMBERS WE'VE BEEN RESPONDING TO, 6.9 MILLION FOR THE TWO YEARS COMBINED. >> MAYOR ORTIZ JONES: UNDEUNDER. JUST WE'RE ONLY IMPACTING THE RESIDENTIAL BASED ON THE INTENT OF THE AGREEMENT, SO THAT THEN IMPACTS JUST WHAT PERCENT OF THE BUDGET? >> OH, ABOUT HALF, 3.5 MILLION. >> MAYOR ORTIZ JONES: THANK YOU. OKAY. COUNCILWOMAN MEZA GONZALEZ ON THE SECOND ROUND? NO? OKAY. COUNCILWOMAN -- COUNCILMAN? NO. OKAY. COUNCILWOMAN ALDERETE GAVITO, PLEASE. >> ALDERETE GAVITO: THANK YOU. YOU KNOW, AGAIN, I JUST WANTED TO PUT A BOW ON THIS, THE INTENT IS -- AND, ROBERT, I THINK YOU HIT THE NAIL ON THE HEAD WHEN YOU'RE CALLING THIS A WIN/WIN, YOU KNOW. BECAUSE WE WANT -- I BELIEVE MY COLLEAGUES AND I'S INTENTION IS TO WANT TO INVEST IN SAWS. WE WANT YA'LL TO HAVE THE FUNDING CAPACITY TO DO WHAT YOU ALL NEED TO DO TO, AGAIN, MAKE SURE OUR WATER IS SAFE , AND THE INTENT FOR US IS ALSO TO PROTECT OUR RESIDENT'S POCKETBOOKS RIGHT NOW BECAUSE IT IS A TOUGH, TOUGH TIME FOR SO MANY RESIDENTS RIGHT NOW, WHETHER IT'S THE GAS STATION, WHETHER IT'S HEB , WHETHER IT'S, YOU KNOW, SCHOOL BOARD BONDS THEY HAVE TO VOTE ON. TIMES ARE TOUGH. AND SO, YOU KNOW, I THINK TODAY IS A GOOD OPPORTUNITY FOR MY COLLEAGUES AND I TO LOCK ARMS AND SAY, YES, WE WANT TO INVEST IN SAWS, AND YES, WE ALSO WANT TO PROTECT OUR RESIDENTS, AND THAT'S WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO DO TODAY, AND THIS HAS BEEN A TEAM EFFORT. THANK YOU COUNCILMAN WHYTE, I KNOW OUR TEAMS TOGETHER HAVE WORKED ON REALLY TRYING TO CRUNCH NUMBERS AND SEEING HOW WE CAN PROTECT OUR RESIDENT'S POCKETBOOKS, I KNOW COUNCILWOMAN CASTILLO HAS BEEN PUSHING HARD FOR THE UPLIFT PROGRAM. I KNOW COUNCILWOMAN KAUR HAS WORKED HARD ON CONSTRUCTION AND MAKING SURE THAT YOU ALL ARE GOOD PARTNERS WITH US AS WE TRY TO MINIMIZE THOSE IMPACTS, I WAS THANKING COUNCILMAN GALVAN WITH DATA CENTERS AND HOLDING YOU ALL ACCOUNTABLE WITH THAT. I KNOW COUNCILMAN MCKEE RODRIGUEZ AND I FIRST TAG TEAMED ON THE APARTMENT WATER SHUT SHUTOFFS, AND YA'LL HAVE BEEN HELPFUL WITH THAT. AND SO -- AND COUNCILMAN MUNGIA FOR CONSISTENTLY PUSHING FOR HIS RESIDENTS. SO I DO FEEL THAT FROM THE LAST VOTE WITH THE DELAY UNTIL NOW, THE TONE AND THE COLLABORATIVE SPIRIT IS MUCH DIFFERENT; RIGHT? BECAUSE THE LAST TIME I THINK THERE WAS STILL SO MANY UNANSWERED QUESTIONS. YOU ALL HAVE ANSWERED OUR QUESTIONS. WE DO TRUST SAWS' INT INTENT, WE KNOW THAT YOU ALL WILL LOOK OUT FOR OUR RESIDENTS JUST AS MUCH AS WE CAN. SO THANK YOU FOR, AGAIN, STATING THAT YOU ALL CAN MAKE THINGS WORK, AND THANK YOU FOR WORKING WITHIN OUR CONF CONFINES; RIGHT? BECAUSE WE ARE TRYING TO PROTECT OUR RESIDENT'S POCKETBOOK WHILE ALSO T WORKING WITH SAWS SO THEY COULD DO WHAT THEY NEED TO DO, SO THANK YOU FOR FOLK'S COMMENTS AND BEING OPEN TO THIS AMENDMENT. THANK YOU. >> MAYOR ORTIZ JONES: ANYONE ELSE ON THE SECOND ROUND? OKAY. THANK YOU, AGAIN, ON THIS JOURNEY. THIS IS, AGAIN, JUST ON THE AMENDMENT. I APPRECIATE -- I THINK WE ALL SHARE THE SENTIMENT OF THE ECONOMIC CHALLENGE BEFORE THE COMMUNITY AND THEN CERTAINLY WANT TO MAKE SURE WE'RE PROVIDING SUFFICIENT OVERSIGHT OF THIS UTILITY. HOWEVER, I'M NOT COMFORTABLE [02:30:05] WITH THE REQUEST THAT WAS PRE PRESENTED JUST THIS MORNING THAT DID NOT ALLOW SAWS SUFFICIENT TIME TO PROVIDE AN OPERATIONAL RISK ASSESSMENT THAT WOULD BE REQUIRED OF SUCH A DECISION, IN LIGHT OF THE WORK THAT'S HAPPENED OVER THE LAST SEVERAL MONTHS, I THINK ALSO IN LIGHT OF THE RECOMMENDATION THAT TROY AND THE STAFF MADE ABOUT THEIR LEVEL OF COMFORT WITH THE RISK -- THE PRESENTATION AND THE RATE REQUEST THAT WAS MADE LAST TIME, WHICH THEY ACKNOWLEDGED ALREADY INTRODUCED MORE RISK THAT WE'VE ALREADY BEEN PRESENTED WITH. SO I WILL NOT BE SUPPORTING THIS AMENDMENT. OKAY. THERE'S A MOTION AND A SECOND ON THE AMENDMENT. PLEASE VOTE. COUNCILMAN WHYTE, PLEASE VOICE VOTE. >> WHYTE: YES. >> MAYOR ORTIZ JONES: OKAY. THE MOTION CARRIES. TO THE MAIN MOTION. YES, UNDERSTOOD. YEAH. SO NOW WE GO TO THE MAIN MOTION. COUNCILWOMAN VIAGRAN, PLEASE. THE MOTION AS -- THE MAIN MOTION AS AMENDED. DO YOU HAVE ANYTHING ELSE? OKAY. COUNCILWOMAN MEZA GONZALEZ? THIS IS ON THE MAIN MOTION. >> GONZALEZ: OKAY. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THE PRESENTATION. WELL ACTUALLY I -- WE ALWAYS START OFF WITH S SAYING THANK YOU FOR THE PRESENTATION. I ACTUALLY WANT TO THANK MY RESIDENTS IN DISTRICT 8 FOR ATTENDING THE TOWN HALL THAT WE HOSTED. WE ALSO DID AN HOA PRESIDENT'S ROUND TABLE AND ALSO HAD TWO RAIN TO DRAIN TOURS WITH 80 RESIDENTS FROM DISTRICT 8, AND REALLY THE GOAL THERE WAS JUST TO MAKE SURE THAT MY RESIDENTS KNEW ABOUT THE UTILITY THEY PAY FOR AND THAT WE OWN, AND I FEEL THAT THAT GOAL WAS MET, SO I REALLY WANT TO THANK THEM FOR THEIR TIME THAT THEY TOOK TO BE AT THOSE EVENTS, THE INPUT AND PERSPECTIVE THAT THEY PROVIDED, AND THEY ALWAYS PROVIDE, SO I WANT TO START THERE. BUT ALSO THANK YOU TO SAWS AND TO THE CITY FOR GETTING US HERE. I KNOW THIS PLAN HAS BEEN THROUGH EXTENSIVE DID, REVISION, AND REVIEW NOT ONLY BY COUNCIL BUT BY THE SAWS BOARD AND CITY STAFF, IT HAS ALSO STOOD UP TO THE SCRUTINY OF OUR RESIDENTS THAT SEVERAL HEARINGS THAT EVERY ONE OF MY COLLEAGUES HAS HAD, AND I THINK THAT PROCESS IS IMPORTANT, AND IT'S IN LARGE PART WHY I'M CONFIDENT THAT THIS PROPOSAL BEFORE US IS ONE THAT BEST SERVES DISTRICT 8 RESIDENTS AND OUR CITY'S FUTURE. THESE ARE TARGETED INVESTMENTS FOCUSED ON THE INFRASTRUCTURE SAWS HAS IDENTIFIED BASED ON CONDITION AND RISK AS MOST IN NEED -- AND MOST IN NEED OF REPLACEMENT. THIS WILL KEEP OUR WATER SYSTEMS MEETING ITS REGULATORY REQUIREMENTS AND REDUCE THE COST IN THE YEARS AHEAD. AND AS WE'VE HEARD FROM SAWS , AND WE KNOW THIS HERE AT THE CITY, THAT THE COST OF INACTION COMPOUNDS THE LONG ER WE WAIT. IT COSTS MORE TO KEEP MAINTAINING AGING INFRASTRUCTURE THAN TO MAKE THE IMPROVEMENTS IT NEEDS AND WHEN THE INFRASTRUCTURE FAILS THE COST TO REPAIR FALLS ON THE VERY RATE PAY ERS WE'RE TRYING TO PROTECT. I APPRECIATE THE SAWS' RESPONSIVE ENOUGH TO MANY OF MY COLLEAGUE'S CONCERNS AND RESIDENT'S CONCERNS THAT I KNOW THEY SHARED WITH YOU. I'M HAPPY TO SUPPORT THIS RATE ADJUSTMENT. THANK YOU. >> MAYOR ORTIZ JONES: THANK YOU. COUNCILMEMBER WHYTE ON THE MAIN MOTION. >> WHYTE: YEAH. THANKS, MAYOR, JUST BRIEFLY. I APPRECIATE ALL OF MY COLLEAGUES PASSING THAT AMENDMENT. AS I'VE SAID FROM THE VERY BEGINNING, I DON'T THINK NOW IS THE TIME TO BE RAISING RATES ON OUR CITIZENS, AND THAT'S WHY I WILL BE VOTING NO, BUT I AM PLEASED, AGAIN, WITH THE WORK THAT COUNCIL HAS DONE, WITH MR. PUENTE AND HIS TEAM, THEIR COLLABORATION WITH EVERYBODY , AND, AGAIN, THE BUSINESS COMMUNITY'S ACKNOWLEDGEMENT OF REALLY WHAT'S GOING ON IN THE NEIGHBORHOODS WITH ALL OF THE CITIZENS AND THE INCREASE COST THAT THEY'RE FEELING. SO, AGAIN, I -- WHILE I WISH WE WEREN'T RAISING RATES TODAY, I UNDERSTAND MY COLL COLLEAGUE'S POSITION ON THIS. I UNDERSTAND SAWS' POSITION, AND I REALLY DO THANK EVERYONE FOR WORKING TO AT LEAST BRING THE TOP NUMBER DOWN AND PROTECT THE CITIZENS A LITTLE BIT TODAY. THANKS, MAYOR. >> MAYOR ORTIZ JONES: THANK YOU. COUNCILWOMAN SPEERS, PLEASE. >> SPEARS: THANKS, MAYOR. WELL, I WANT TO BEGIN BY EXPRESSING MY DEEP DISAPPOINTMENT WITH HOW THIS ENTIRE RATE INCREASE HAS BEEN PREACHED, COMMUNICATED, AND PRESENTED TO BOTH THE COUNCIL AND THE PUBLIC. I BELIEVE THAT THIS PROCESS [02:35:01] HAS BEEN MISHANDLED FROM THE BEGINNING. I DO UNDERSTAND THAT SAWS HAS SIGNIFICANT INFRASTRUCTURE NEEDS, AND I UNDERSTAND WE HAVE DEFERRED MAINTENANCE, AGING SYSTEMS, AND CRITICAL IMPROVEMENTS THAT CANNOT CONTINUE TO BE PUT OFF, AND I BELIEVE MOST OF OUR RESIDENTS AND RATE P PAYERS UNDERSTAND THAT AS WELL. BUT WHAT IS PARTICULARLY FRUSTRATING TO ME AS A RELATIVELY NEW ME MEMBER OF THIS COUNCIL IS THAT WE ARE BEING ASKED TO ADDRESS PROBLEMS THAT HAVE BEEN DEVELOPED OVER YEARS, AND IN SOME CA CASES, DECADES BECAUSE DIFFICULT DECISIONS WERE DELAYED OR SIMPLY NOT MADE, AND NOW THE EXP EXPECTATION IS THAT OUR RESIDENTS SHOULD SHOULDER THE FINANCIAL BURDEN OF THOSE DECISIONS. JUST A FEW WEEKS AGO, THIS COUNCIL VOTED TO INCREASE PROPERTY TAXES, AND OUR RESIDENTS ARE ALREADY STRUGGLING WITH INFLATION, RISING HOUSING COSTS, AND THE INCREASING EXPENSE OF EVERYDAY LIFE. WE HAVEN'T EVEN FELT THE IMPACT OF THE LATEST PROPERTY TAX INCREASE, AND NOW HERE WE ARE ASKING THESE SAME FAMILIES TO ABSORB ANOTHER INCREASE IN THEIR WATER BILLS OVER THE NEXT FOUR YEARS. AND I DON'T TAKE THAT LIGHTLY. LET ME BE CLEAR, I AM NOT POSED TO INVESTING IN OUR INFRASTRUCTURE, I AM OPPOSED TO ASKING OUR RESIDENTS TO COMMIT TO YEARS OF INCREASES WITHOUT THE LEVEL OF TRANSPARENCY, OVERSIGHT THAT THEY DESERVE. I'VE SAID FROM THE BE BEGINNING THAT I BELIEVE THAT THERE IS A MORE RESPONSIBLE APPROACH. IF SAWS NEEDS A RATE INCREASE, THEN COME BEFORE THIS COUNCIL AND JUSTIFY THAT INCREASE FOR THE COMING YEAR. SHOW US EXACTLY WHERE MONEY IS GOING, WHAT PROJECTS WILL BE COMPLETED, AND WHAT RESULTS OUR RESIDENTS CAN EXPECT, AND THEN COME BACK THE FOLLOWING YEAR AND DEMONSTRATE THAT THE PREVIOUS YEAR'S FUNDS WERE SPENT AS PROMISED, THAT THE PROJECTS ARE MOVING FORWARD, AND THAT ANOTHER INCREASE IS TRULY NECESSARY. THAT IS NOT UNREAS UNREASONABLE, THAT IS ACCOUNTABILITY, AND I STRONGLY DISAGREE WITH THE IDEA OF SHIFTING THAT RESPONSIBILITY TO AFFECT THE PEOPLE WE WERE ELECTED TO REPRESENT AND I BELIEVE IT'S OUR RESPONSIBILITY AS COUNCILMEMBERS TO QUESTION THEM AND BE ACCOUNTABLE FOR THEM. AND I'M DEEPLY CONCERNED ABOUT THE LACK OF MEANINGFUL PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT THROUGHOUT THIS PROCESS. OUR RESIDENTS DESERVE TO UNDERSTAND HOW MONEY IS BEING SPENT TODAY, WHY ADDITIONAL REVENUE IS NEEDED AND EXACTLY HOW THAT REVENUE WILL BE USED TOMORROW. I DO NOT BELIEVE THAT SAWS HAS DONE ENOUGH TO COMMUNICATE THAT OR EARN THE ADMITTED IN EVIDENCE THIS PROPOSAL. I HAVE CONCERNS ABOUT THE PROPOSED CHANGES TO THE UPLIFT PROGRAM, PARTICULARLY AND NEIGHBORHOODS RATHER THAN ENSURING THAT RATE PAYER FUNDER ASSISTANCE IS APPROPRIATELY TARGETED TO THOSE WHO GENUINELY NEED IT. WE NEED GREATER CLARITY ABOUT HOW THAT PROGRAM WILL BE ADMINISTERED AND ITS EFFECTIVENESS, AND WE CANNOT IGNORE THE BIGGER PICTURE. THIS COUNCIL HAS ADDITIONAL BOND AND DEBT DECISIONS AHEAD OF US. EVERY FINANCIAL DECISION WE MAKE HAS CONSEQ CONSEQUENCES, AND WE HAVE AN OBLIGATION TO CONSIDER THE CUMULATIVE IMPACT ON OUR TAXPAYERS AND RATE PAYERS. I DO RECOGNIZE THAT INFRASTRUCTURE IMP IMPROVEMENTS COST MONEY, AND I RECOGNIZE THAT DELAYING NECESSARY REPAIRS CAN ULTIMATELY MAKE THEM MORE EXP EXPENSIVE, BUT RECO RECOGNIZING A PROBLEM DOES NOT MEAN WE HAVE TO ACCEPT EVERY PROPOSED SOLUTION, ESPECIALLY WHEN THE PROCESS HAS FAILED TO PROVIDE THE TRANSPARENCY AND CAN ACCOUNTABILITY OUR RESIDENTS DESERVE. WHEN I RAN FOR CITY COUNCIL I MADE A PROMISE TO DISTRICT 9 THAT I WOULD LISTEN TO THEM, REPRESENT THEIR CONCERNS AND BE A RESPECTFUL STEWARD OF THEIR HA HARD-EARNED MONEY, AND I INTEND TO KEEP THAT PROMISE. I'M WILLING TO HAVE A SERIOUS CONVERSATION ABOUT WHAT SAWS NEEDS, WHAT THOSE IMPROVEMENTS COST AND HOW WE RESPONSIBLY MOVE FORWARD BUT I BELIEVE THAT CONVERSATION NEEDS TO HAPPEN WITH ONE YEAR AT A TIME WITH CLEAR EXP EXPECTATIONS MEASURABLE RESULTS, AND DIRECT ACCOUNTABILITY TO THIS COUNCIL AND THE PUBLIC. SAWS NEEDS A SUSTAINABLE PLAN FOR ITS INFRASTRUCTURE, OUR RESIDENTS DESERVE A SUSTAINABLE PLAN FOR THEIR HOUSEHOLD BUDGETS, WE HAVE A RESPONSIBILITY TO DELIVER BOTH. FOR THOSE REASONS, I WILL NOT SUPPORT THIS PROPOSAL AS PRESENTED. TODAY I WILL BE VOTING NO ON THE SAWS RATE INCREASE. >> MAYOR ORTIZ JONES: THANK YOU. COUNCILWOMAN KAUR, PLEASE. >> KAUR: THANK YOU, MAYOR. THANK YOU, ALL FOR YOUR HARD WORK AND -- SINCE COUNCILWOMAN MEZA GONZALEZ SAID, LET'S TRY TO REFRAIN SOMEONE, THANK YOU TO SOMEBODY ELSE, I'M THANKFUL FOR WCP THE CONSULTING FIRM THAT DID THE REPORT, SO AFTER THE LAST MEETING I WENT BACK AND READ THE REPORT AND I FELT SO REASSURED BECAUSE I'M GOING TO SAY, YA'LL HAD ONE SLIDE THAT SAID THE OVERALL HEADLINE CIP PROJECT IS GREAT, BUT ALL OF THOSE OPPORTUNITY AREAS IS EXACTLY WHAT I HAVE BEEN SAYING. I NEVER -- I ALWAYS AGREED THAT WE NEEDED THESE INFRASTRUCTURE IMPROVEMENTS BUT QUITE FRANKLY THE REASON WHY I ASKED FOR A DELAY WAS THAT I FELT THERE WAS NOT ENOUGH EMPHASIS THAT WAS [02:40:04] BEING SHARED TO ME ABOUT WHAT WE WERE DOING TO MAKE OUR UTILITIES STRONGER, AND THERE WERE THREE OPPORTUNITY AREAS THAT I DON'T FEEL LIKE WAS EVER DISCUSSED IN THE LAST MONTH, BUT I WANT TO SHARE BECAUSE WHAT I WOULD LIKE TO SEE IS AS I VOTE YES FOR THIS TODAY IS EVERY THREE MONTHS WHEN YOU COME BACK, I WANT TO SEE WHAT PROGRESS IS BEING MADE ON THESE AREAS BECAUSE AS COUNCILMEMBERS SAID EARLIER, WE DON'T REALLY HAVE A LOT OF SAY ON WHAT GOES ON AT SAWS OR THE WAY WE DO IS THE BOARD APPOINTEES AND THESE RATE CASES. AND SO FOR US -- BUT YOU GUYS DON'T GET THE CA CALLS. WE GET THE CALLS. WE'RE THE ONES THAT ARE CONSTANTLY DEFENDING YOUR WORK. SO IN ORDER TO DEFEND YOUR WORK, WE NEED TO BE ABLE TO SEE THE SAME PROGRESS THAT I WOULD REQUIRE FROM CITY MANAGER AND CITY MANAGER STAFF FROM YOU ALL AND YOUR LEADERSHIP TEAMS AS WELL. SO THE FIRST -- THE GREATEST OPPORTUNITY AREA, THE FIRST IS WHAT COUNCIL SPEARS I THINK WAS JUST SAYING, , THAT IS -- OH SORRY THAT'S SECT. THE FIRST IS CIP GOVERNANCE AND ADMINISTRATIVE FRAM FRAMEWORKS. THEIR BOARD HAS TO APPROVE EVERYTHING OVER 100K, THAT'S NOT EFFICIENT. WE -- LAST YEAR AT THE BEGINNING OF JAN JANUARY 2025 CREATED A CITY MANAGER'S DELEGATION PROCESS AND HE HAS APPROVAL OF UP TO 1 MILLION TO $2 MILLION, THAT SHOULD BE IMMEDIATELY CHANGED AND IT SHOULDN'T BE VERY DIFFICULT TO DO. CONTRACTING PROCUREMENT, THAT WAS ONE OF THE CHALLENGES THAT CAME UP IN THIS. WE SAW THAT WITH HILDER BRAND, WE NEED TO FIGURE OUT WAYS TO GET BETTER AND MORE EFFICIENT FOR CONTRACTORS TO BE ABLE TO PROCURE THEM SO PROJECTS GET DONE ON TIME. TWO IS WHAT COUNCILWOMAN SPEARS WAS SAYING. CREATING MORE OF A PROACTIVE PROGRAM VERSUS REACTIVE PROGRAM. WE'RE IN THIS SPACE BECAUSE IT WAS REACTIVE TO INFRASTRUCTURE PROJECTS THAT FOR A LONG TIME WENT WITHOUT THINKING ABOUT, AND SOME OF THE RECOMMENDATIONS UNDER PRIORITY 2 WERE DEVELOPING A MULTIYEAR PLAN THAT CATEGORIZES PROJECTS BY URGENCY AND VALUE TO DEMONSTRATE THE PATH TO PROACTIVE PLANNING, WHEN WE ASKED ABOUT WHAT WOULD THOSE $45 MILLION BE, YOU DIDN'T HAVE A CLEAR ANSWER, WHAT ARE THE METRICS YOU'RE USING TO PRIORITIZE PROJECTS, CREATE RUBRICS THAT SHOW COMMUNITY MEMBERS THIS IS HOW WE'RE PRIOR PRIORITIZING PROJECTS. ANOTHER RECOMMENDATION WAS CREATE A VISUAL WAY TO SHOW RESIDENTS HOW OLD OUR PIPES ACTUALLY ARE, WHAT DOES IT VISUALLY LOOK LIKE EXTERNAL LY TO SAY THESE AREAS NEED MORE MONEY BECAUSE THOSE PIPES ARE OLDER AND HOW DO YOU SHOW WHAT THE INFRASTRUCTURE LOOKS LIKE. ANOTHER THING THAT WAS MENTIONED UNDER THAT IS WHAT IS THE OPTIMAL LEVEL OF ANNUAL PIPE REPLACEMENT PER YEAR? I DON'T KNOW WHAT THE ANSWER TO THAT IS. I ALSO DID NOT EVEN REALIZE THIS, BUT THE WAY THAT RIGHT NOW YOU GUYS ARE ASSET MANAGING, IT'S ON AN INDIVIDUAL -- IT'S ON A STRUCTURAL LEVEL VERSUS INDIVIDUAL LEVEL, SO BREAKING IT DOWN SO YOU CAN SEE EACH PIECE OF THE VERTICAL ASSET MANAGEMENT INTEGRATION. THE THIRD IS WHAT I'VE BEEN SAYING THE WHOLE TIME. I WAS LATE BECAUSE I DROVE BY CINCINNATI AVENUE, THANK YOU FOR ACCELERATING THE PROCESS BECAUSE INITIALLY THE TEAM TOLD MY TEAM WE'RE NOT DOING THAT PROJECT ANYMORE BECAUSE OF THE DELAY, SO THERE IS A SEWER PROJECT GOING ON RIGHT NOW, AND IT'LL BE A QUICK BUILD BIKE LANE, WHICH IS WHAT MY RESIDENTS HAVE BEEN ASKING FOR, BUT WE WA WANTED TO MAKE SURE WE DID AN OVERLAY AND THEN A BIKE LANE AND THEN SAWS COMES BY A YEAR LATER AND TEARS IT UP AND BECAUSE THAT WOULD HAVE MADE PEOPLE MORE ANGRY, AND I DROVE BY THERE, AND ONE THING I'VE BEEN ASKING FOR, BEGGING FOR, AND YOU'VE HEARD ME SAY THIS. IF I OPEN MY PHONE I SHOULD BE ABLE TO SEE ON GOOGLE MAP S OR WAZE THAT THERE'S A SAWS PROJECT HAPPENING ON CINCINNATI AVENUE. NO. AND I'VE BEEN ASKING AND BEGGIN, PLEASE ALL YOU HAVE TO DO IS SEND A MESSAGE TO WAZE, AND I KNOW JOHN IS SITTING OVER THERE, AND THE PUBLIC WORKS TEAM HAS BEEN TRYING IT, I WOULD BEG YOU GUYS TO GET WITH PUBLIC WORKS AND JUST ASK THEM, HOW DO YOU DO THIS, CAN YOU TRAIN OUR TEAM TO DO THIS, BECAUSE IT REALLY REALLY HELPS, CINCINNATI IS A CUT THROUGH, A LOT OF PEOPLE USE IT, I DROVE UP AND SAW THE DETOUR TIME, AND I WAS LIKE WELL, TAKING AN ILLEGAL U TURN. I KNOW I ALWAYS CALL MYSELF OUT ON THIS ST STUFF, BUT I REALLY, REALLY, REALLY, REALLY, REALLY WOULD LOVE FOR HILDERBRAND TO BE THE EXEMPLAR OF AN EXTERNAL COMMUNICATION STRATEGY THAT WE'RE ALL PROUD OF. I KNOW YOU'RE WORKING WITH VIA ON IT, BUT THAT IS MY GOAL IS THAT WE SHOW PEOPLE WE CAN COMMUNICATE, WE KNOW WHAT GOOD STAKEHOLDER GAUGEMENT LOOKS LIKE, AND PITTING UP SIGNS THAT SAY DETOUR IS NOT SUFFICIENT. THE LAST THING, AND THIS WAS SOMETHING -- THOSE ARE THE ONES I JUST MENTIONED, ALL OF PRIORITY 1, BUT PRIORITY 3 WAS OPERATIONAL EFFICIENCIES , AND THERE WERE COMPONENTS IN THERE THAT ARE DIRECTLY RELATED TO THE MOU THAT WE HAVE WITH THE COSA BONDS. SO THE MOU WE PASSED, I WANT TO SAY TWO YEARS AGO, CAME AS A RESULT OF THE FAILURES WE SAW ON SOUTH ALAMO, ON [02:45:05] ST. ST. MARY'S WHERE WE DID NOT HAVE GOOD COORDINATION, THERE'S STILL SOME CHALLENGES WE'RE FAC ING AND SETTLING UP ON THAT, AND SO ONE OF THE RECOMMENDATIONS THERE IS MAKING SURE WE'RE DES DESIGNING KEY PERFORMANCE METRICS TO EVALUATE THE OUTCOMES OF THOSE PROJECTS, THAT'S A GREAT RECOMMENDATION, IT'LL TAKE BOTH TEAMS TO BE ABLE TO DO THAT, BUT I WOULD LIKE TO SEE THAT AS A FOCUS AS WE MOVE FORWARD AS WE MOVE INTO WHATEVER IT LOOKS LIKE, BONDS, AND THEN ALSO EVALUATING POTENTIAL CHANGES TO CONTRACTING REQUIREMENTS TO CREATE AS-BUILT DOCUMENTATION, I KNOW TH THAT'S NOT -- THAT'S A TRICKY THING FOR SOME OF OUR DEVELOPMENT COMMUNITY, BUT IF WE HAVE BETTER DOCUMENTATION IN THE FUTURE, WE WON'T HAVE -- THE COUNCIL AHEAD OF US WON'T HAVE THE PROBLEMS THAT WE'RE HAVING. SO I SAY ALL OF THAT TO SAY THAT THERE IS A LOT OF GREAT STUFF IN THAT REPORT, AND I'M SURE THAT THE BOARD IS LOOKING AT IT CLOSELY, BUT WOULD REALLY LOVE TO SEE THOSE UPDATES EVERY THREE MONTHS TO ENSURE THAT THE CAPITAL PROJECT IS RUNNING AS EFFE EFFECTIVELY AS POSSIBLE. WE KNOW YOU GUYS ARE IN A GOOD FINANCIAL POSITION, LIKE THE DAYS CASH ON HAND SLIDE IS AWESOME, YOU GUYS ARE IN A GREAT FINANCIAL POSITION, BUT ONE OF THE QUESTIONS I NEVER THOUGHT TO ASK, ARE YOU OVER BEING -- ARE YOU OVERANALYZING HOW MUCH RISK THAT YOU NEED IN THOSE PROJECTS, IS THERE A WAY FOR YOU TO BE ABLE TO USE YOUR CURRENT FINANCIAL POSITION TO DO MORE CIP PROJECTS, TO BE MAKING DECISIONS IN A DIFFERENT WAY, SO THERE WAS A REALLY GOOD QUESTIONS ABOUT THE FINANCES TOO IN THAT REPORT. I'LL END BY SAYING SOMETHING THAT I THINK IS REALLY IMPORTANT AS A MESSAGING PIECE, THANK YOU FOR SLIDES 5 THROUGH 7 IN THE PRESENTATION I ASKED FOR THOSE LAST WEEK AND YOU PRESENTED THEM. IF YOU COULD PULL UP SLIDES 7, THIS IS SOMETHING THAT I THOUGHT WAS REALLY INTERESTING. MEAN AND MEDIAN MAKES A DIFFERENCE, AND SO WHEN WE SAY AVERAGE, EVERYBODY JUST THINKS AVERAGE MEANS HALFWAY, BUT AVERAGE CAN MEAN A LOT OF THINGS, AND THIS ACTUALLY SHOWS YOU THAT THE MEDIAN USAGE FOR WATER IN OUR CITY IS 4500 GALLONS, WE ACTUALLY HAVE -- OUR CITY FOR THE MOST PART IS DOING A GOOD JOB OF NOT OVERUSING WATER. THE AVERAGE FROM SLIDE FOUR, I THINK, IS 6250, SO THAT IS SIGNIFICANTLY HIGHER. SO WE HAVE A LOT OF OUTLIERS ON THE HIGH END THAT BRING UP OUR AVERAGE, BUT -- SO MOST OF OUR RESIDENTS, THE MAJORITY OF OUR RESIDENTS IS ACTUALLY GOING TO HAVE A $2.50 INCREASE IN THEIR BILL EVERY MONTH. I UNDERSTAND SOME OF MY COLLEAGUE'S OPINION IS A LOT. WE JUST DID $12 ANNUALLY IN PROPERTY TAX, THIS $2.50 IS GOING TO BE SIMILAR TO THAT, BUT AT THE END OF THE DAY THAT'S -- WE WANT TO MAKE SURE OUR MOST VULNERABLE ARE PROTECTED AND THOSE ARE THE FOLKS GENERALLY USING LESS WATER AND OF COURSE THE UPLIFT PROGRAM. SO I WILL BE SUPPORTING THIS TODAY, BUT I -- ALONG WITH MY COLLEAGUES WOULD LOVE TO SEE CONTINUED PARTNERSHIPS AND PROGRESS TOWARDS SOME OF THOSE THINGS THAT WERE FOUND IN THE REPORT BECAUSE I DO TRULY FEEL LIKE THOSE REALLY HIGHLIGHT SOME OF THE THINGS THAT WE'RE SEEING ON OUR SIDE. SO THANK YOU, MAYOR. >> MAYOR ORTIZ JONES: THANK YOU, COUNCILMEMBER CASTILLO, PLEASE. >> MAYOR JONES: COUNCILMAN GALVAN, PLEASE. >> GALVAN: THANK YOU, MAYOR. THANK YOU AGAIN FOR THE PRESENTATION AND FOR OUR QUESTIONS. I'LL BE HONEST. I THINK OVER THE LAST SEVERAL MONTHS, ALMOST A YEAR WHEN WE TALK ABOUT THIS WITH RESIDENTS, THEY UNDERSTAND THE IMPORTANCE OF INVESTING IN OUR SAWS SYSTEM. WE HAVE FOLKS THROUGHOUT OUR ENTIRE DISTRICT THAT ARE MAJOR CONSERVATIONISTS, MAKING SURE THEY ARE INVESTING IN THEIR OWN HOMES TO REDUCE THEIR WATER USAGE IS A BIG REASON DATA CENTERS HAVE BEEN A BIG CONCERN. THAT'S A CORE VALUE FOR RESIDENTS IS MAKING SURE WE ARE CONSERVING WATER AND OUR ENVIRONMENT IN THE BEST WAYS WE CAN. I THINK SAWS HAS BEEN A TRUE LEADER. THERE'S STILL MORE WORK TO BE DONE, AS I HAVE ARTICULATED MULTIPLE TIMES EVEN WHEN THIS FIRST CAME THROUGH TO US SEVERAL MONTHS AGO. WE TALKED ABOUT THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN HOW MANY GALLONS OF WATER GENERAL VERSUS RESIDENTIAL CLASS USES. LAST TALKING ABOUT HOW WE CAN GET GENERAL-CLASS CUSTOMERS TO EFFECTIVELY HAVE MORE CONSERVATION EFFORTS AT A SIMILAR RATE THAT RESIDENTIAL CUSTOMERS HAVE BEEN DOING OVER THE PAST COUPLE OF YEARS. THERE'S A SIGNIFICANT DIFFERENCE THERE AND IT'S CRITICAL FOR MY RESIDENTS AND MYSELF TO SEE THAT DONE OVER THE NEXT SEVERAL YEARS. THAT ALL BEING SAID, I CAME HERE TODAY AFTER A LONG SUMMER OF TALKING TO RESIDENTS ABOUT OUR CITY BUDGET. AND THE IMPORTANCE OF MAKING SURE WE'RE INVESTING IN PUBLIC SERVICE AND PUBLIC SERVICES. THERE'S A LOT OF [02:50:03] DISAGREEMENT. OF COURSE WE HAD A CONTENTIOUS CONVERSATION HERE FOR OUR BUDGET AND OUR RESIDENTS UNDERSTOOD, FOR THE MOST PART, THE NEED TO INVEST IN OUR CITY SERVICES TOO. THAT BEING SAID, I THINK THERE WAS SOME HEARTBURN THROUGHOUT THOSE NEXT SEVERAL MONTHS AND MOST RECENTLY IN THE PAST FEW WEEKS ABOUT HOW WE KEEP PILING ON SOME OF THESE COSTS HERE. I CAME IN TODAY NOT VERY SUPPORTIVE OF THIS MOVE BECAUSE I THINK I HAD TO PROVE TO MY RESIDENTS THAT WE'RE DOING EVERYTHING WE CAN TO ADDRESS THE RISING COSTS IN OUR COMMUNITY. HOWEVER, I THINK, BASED ON THE INFORMATION Y'ALL HAVE GIVEN US OVER TIME, THE CONVERSATION WE'RE HAVING TODAY, THE MORE DETAILS ON HOW WE'RE GOING TO ADDRESS THE CONSERVATION EFFORTS, THE DATA CENTERS, LARGE WATER USERS ACROSS THE BOARD, THIS VOTE IS GOING TO HAVE TO COME WITH ACCOUNTABILITY. I THINK WE FELT THAT. FOR MANY OF MY COLLEAGUES, MAKING SURE WE'RE ADDRESSING THE NEEDS OUR RESIDENTS ARE FACING BEYOND JUST THE RATE. YES, WE HAVE TO INVEST IN OUR WATER SYSTEM HERE, WHETHER IT'S A PIPELINES OR THE INFRASTRUCTURE OR THE WASTEWATER. ALL OF THE THINGS THAT HAVE TO BE DONE. TALKING ABOUT STAFFING, THAT'S A GOOD POINT WE WERE MAKING EARLY ON IN THE CONVERSATION IS THE INVESTMENT IN YOUR WORKERS. ENSURING THEY ARE PAID FAIRLY TO ADDRESS THE ISSUES IN A RESPONSIBLE MANNER. SO WHEN WE CALL Y'ALL, IF GOD FORBID THERE'S ANOTHER HOT SUMMER AND WE SEE BREAKS THROUGHOUT OUR STREETS AND ALSO YOUR WATERMAINS THAT YOU'RE GOING TO ADDRESS THEM, REACHING OUT TO CONTRACTORS. THAT WE'RE ALL UTILIZING TOO. THAT BEING SAID, I'LL BE SUPPORTIVE OF THE RATE INCREASE TODAY. WHILE I UNDERSTAND MY RESIDENTS MAY CONTINUE TO HAVE SOME HEARTBURN ON THIS ISSUE, I THINK IT'S CRITICAL TO NOTE THAT WE HAVE DONE A LOT OF SCRUTINY HERE AND THERE WILL CONTINUE TO BE SCRUTINY AS WE GO THROUGH YEAR THREE AS WELL REVIEWING ALL THE WORK. AND EVERY OTHER MONTH REVIEWING WHAT WE'RE WORKING ON HERE. I EXPECT, AND I'LL CONTINUE TO ADVOCATE ON MAKING SURE THAT BY THE END OF THIS YEAR, EARLY NEXT YEAR THAT WE'RE MAKING MOVEMENT ON ISSUES RESIDENTS HAVE BEEN MAKING AROUND DATA CENTERS, AROUND LARGE WATER USERS, PARTICULARLY IN DISTRICT 6. THAT WE ARE AHEAD OF THE CURVE, OF COURSE ALIGNING WITH THE STATE AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE WHERE WE NEED TO BUT NOT IGNORING THE FACT THAT THESE ARE CRITICAL ISSUES FOR OUR RESIDENTS. SAME TOO FOR CONSERVATION ACROSS THE BOARD. AGAIN, MY RESIDENTS HAVE DONE A LOT. YOU CAN SEE BY THE CHART SHOWING HOW MUCH FOLKS ARE PAYING. THERE'S A CLEAR DIFFERENCE IN THE LARGE LOT SIZE THAT DISTRICT 6 RESIDENTS HAVE. WHEN YOU GO FURTHER OUT NORTH AND NORTHWEST. FOLKS WITH STILL CONSERVING WATER AT A SIGNIFICANT RATE. SO THERE HAS TO BE SOME UNDERSTANDING THAT WE'RE EXPECTING THAT FROM INDUSTRIAL AND COMMERCIAL USERS AS WELL. PARTICULARLY THE LARGER ONES. AS WE CONTINUE TO WORK ON THOSE ISSUES WE EXPECT TO SEE SOME RESULTS, ESPECIALLY IN THE NEXT SEVERAL YEARS. THANK YOU. >> MAYOR JONES: THANK YOU. COUNCILMEMBER MCKEE-RODRIGUEZ. >> MCKEE-RODRIGUEZ: I'M STILL TORN AND IF THE VOTING BUTTON CAME UP I DON'T KNOW WHICH ONE I'M PRESSING. THERE'S A FEW THINGS THAT I'M THINKING OF AT THE MOMENT. ONE IS THAT I APPRECIATE THAT -- ESPECIALLY OVER THESE PAST FEW MONTHS SAWS AND ROBERT HAVE BEEN RESPONSIVE AND ATTENTIVE TO MY DISTRICT'S ISSUES AND NEEDS. I ALSO APPRECIATE THE COMMERCIAL AND LARGE-WATER USERS ARE AND WILL BE PAYING A HIGHER RATE COMPARED TO THOSE WHO USE LESS WATER. THAT'S A RATE STRUCTURE I WOULD ASK OF CPS. I ALSO APPRECIATE RESIDENT 2 RESIDENTS WILL SEE THE LOWEST BILLS, LARGELY THAT'S A RESULT OF USING THE LEAST AMOUNT OF WATER. DISTRICT 2 WAS ONE OF THE DISTRICTS FOR YOUR PILOT PROGRAM. I'M ALSO THINKING ABOUT -- JUST A FEW WEEKS AGO I VOTED FOR A PROPERTY TAX INCREASE AND LARGELY THE REASON -- AND THAT WEIGHED VERY HEAVILY ON ME AND CONTINUES TO WEIGH HEAVILY ON ME. LARGELY, THE REASON WHY IS THAT STAFF HAD DEMONSTRATED, ONE, A SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT OF RESTRAINT AND THEY ALSO DEMONSTRATED THAT THEY COULD MAKE A SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT OF CUTS. DID DO THAT. THEY SHOWED AREAS WHERE THEY WOULD REDUCE THE BUDGET IN ORDER TO TRY TO PREVENT A RATE INCREASE AND THEN THEY WORKED WITH US OVER SEVERAL MONTHS TO TRY TO COME UP WITH SOMETHING A LITTLE BIT BETTER. WE DIDN'T WANT TO IMPACT TOO MANY JOBS. WE DIDN'T WANT TO IMPACT OUR RESIDENTS TOO GREATLY IN TERMS OF SERVICES THEY WOULD PROVIDE. BUT ULTIMATELY IF WE DID NOT APPROVE THE RATE INCREASE, WE WOULD SEE A REDUCTION IN SERVICE TO PROGRAMS THAT MY DISTRICT RELY ON. AND WE WOULD SEE MORE JOBS LOST AND MORE DEPARTMENTS CUT AND THE WORK WE DO AS A CITY WOULD BE WORSENED. AT THE END OF THE DAY I FELT IT NECESSARY TO APPROVE THE RATE INCREASE. HERE I'M NOW BALANCING THAT DECISION ON TOP OF A BOND [02:55:07] DISCUSSION THAT WE'RE STILL DISCUSSING. AND PENDING CPS RATE REQUEST AT SOME POINT IN THE NEAR FUTURE, AS WELL AS THE INCREASED COST OF LIVING, THE CHALLENGES THAT WE CONTINUE TO SEE WITH SAWS -- I THINK IT WAS JUST SEVERAL WEEKS AGO WE GOT A CONSTITUENT WHO CALLED AND SAID, HEY, SAWS OPENED UP THIS SIDEWALK AND LEFT IT LIKE THAT UNTIL WE CALLED. THE CONTRACTOR DIDN'T FINISH THE JOB, ULTIMATELY, AND SAWS DIDN'T REALIZE THAT. SO THERE'S ISSUES WITH ACCOUNTABILITY, QUALITY OF PROJECTS, WORK WITH CONTRACTORS THAT I DON'T KNOW THAT YOU'VE TAKEN THE STEPS TO RESOLVE THOSE ISSUES IN A WAY THAT I THINK THE MOMENT DEMANDS. I DO WANT TO PROVIDE AN OPPORTUNITY -- SO IF YOU COULD SELL ME AND MY CONSTITUENTS -- IF I WERE TO GO OUT TO A TOWN HALL NEXT WEEK AND JALEN VOTED TO APPROVE THIS RATE INCREASE FOR FOUR YEARS. WHY WOULD I DO THAT? WOULD YOU MIND SELLING THIS TO MY CONSTITUENTS FOR ME? DISTRICT 2, SPECIFICALLY. >> PUENTE: I WOULD TELL YOUR CONSTITUENTS THAT JALEN HEARD THE ARGUMENTS. THAT HE UNDERSTOOD THERE'S AN INVESTMENT NEEDED IN THE INFRASTRUCTURE OF ALL OF OUR CITY. THAT SAWS LOOKED AT THEIR O&M BUDGET AND REDUCED IT $14 MILLION. AND THAT THIS RATE INCREASE THAT'S BEFORE THEM, BEFORE YOU IS FOR CAPITAL PROJECTS. IT'S NOT TO KEEP THE LIGHTS ON. IT'S NOT FOR THE EVERYDAY THINGS THAT WE DO. IT'S FOR THESE HUGE, MONUMENTAL -- ALMOST ONCE IN A GENERATION KIND OF PROJECTS THAT WE PURPOSELY CHOSE TO NOT ADDRESS SOME OF THOSE ISSUES AT THE BEGINNING BECAUSE WE WERE ALREADY SENSITIVE TO RATE INCREASES THAT WERE HAPPENING FOR OTHER REASONS. WATER SUPPLY, AS OPPOSED TO WASTEWATER. AND SO HOPEFULLY YOUR CONSTITUENTS WOULD HEAR AND UNDERSTAND THAT SAWS IS A GOOD STEWARD OF THEIR MONEY. THAT THE ONE-OFFS OF A SIDEWALK NOT BEING FINISHED IS EXACTLY THAT, A ONE-OFF. AND WE RELY ON OUR CONSTITUENTS TO REPORT A LEAK, TO REPORT WHEN THERE'S THOSE KINDS OF ISSUES. AND HOPEFULLY WE WERE QUICK AND RESPONSIVE WITH OUR CONTRACTOR IN MAKING SURE THAT SIDEWALK WAS PUT BACK IN THE CONDITION AS BEFORE. I WOULD HOPE YOUR RESIDENTS WOULD SEE THAT IN FACT ONE OF THE THINGS THAT YOU MENTIONED IS THAT THEIR USAGE OF WATER IS MOSTLY INDOORS AND SO THEY DON'T HAVE THAT PEAKING PERIOD. AND THEREFORE THEIR RATES ARE NOT GOING TO GO UP AS MUCH AS OVERALL AVERAGE OF THIS COMMUNITY. I THINK, AND I HOPE YOUR RESIDENTS WOULD RECOGNIZE THAT IT IS OVERALL AN INVESTMENT IN THEIR UTILITY THAT PROVIDES THAT MOST BASIC SERVICE OF WATER AND WASTEWATER. >> MCKEE-RODRIGUEZ: THANK YOU. >> PUENTE: I'LL GO TO THAT TOWN HALL WITH YOU AND HELP YOU IN THAT ENDEAVOR. >> MCKEE-RODRIGUEZ: THANK YOU. >> MAYOR JONES: ANYONE ELSE WANT TO SPEAK ON THIS ITEM? GO AHEAD. >> KAUR: SORRY. I MEANT TO ASK EARLIER BUT THE RECOMMENDATION FROM THE REPORT IS THERE IS A PHASE 2 THAT OUTLINES HOW YOU ARE GOING TO MOVE FORWARD? ARE YOU GUYS DOING THAT? THANKS, MAYOR. >> MAYOR JONES: OKAY. THERE'S A MOTION AND A SECOND ON THIS ITEM. PLEASE VOTE. >> KAUR: TO CLARIFY, IT'S AS AMENDED, RIGHT? >> MAYOR JONES: CORRECT. COUNCILMAN WHYTE, A VOICE VOTE, PLEASE. >> WHYTE: NO. >> MAYOR JONES: THE MOTION PASSES. WE WILL TAKE A SHORT FIVE-MINUTE BREAK BEFORE THE NEXT ITEM. ALL RIGHT, FOLKS. WE'RE GOING TO GET STARTED. OKAY. MADAME CLERK, PLEASE READ THE CAPTION FOR ITEM 5. >> CLERK: ITEM 5 IS DISCUSSION AND POSSIBLE ACTION TO REQUEST SAWS AND CPS TO PERFORM OPERATIONAL AND ENVIRONMENTAL [03:00:01] ASSESSMENTS FOR PROVIDING SERVICES TO THE PROPOSED DETENTION CENTER LOCATED AT 542 SOUTHEAST LOOP 410 ACCESS ROAD . >> MAYOR JONES: THANK YOU. WE HAVE SEVERAL MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC SIGNED UP TO SPEAK. I'LL CALL THEM IN THE ORDER I HAVE THEM. THE FIRST IS CAROLINA -- ALL INDIVIDUALS WILL HAVE THREE MINUTES TO SPEAK AND GROUPS OF THREE OR MORE WILL HAVE A TOTAL OF NINE MINUTES. >> HI. GOOD AFTERNOON. CAN I START OR NOT YET? >> MAYOR JONES: ONE SECOND, PLEASE. SORRY. JOHN, DO YOU HAVE A PRESENTATION? OKAY. THANK YOU. >> HI. I'M WITH THE LEGAL IMMIGRANT CENTER. I'M ALSO ONE OF THE 150,000 FAMILIES IN BEXAR COUNTY THAT HAS UNDOCUMENTED LOVED ONES IN MINE . AND THE PAIN OF HAVING HAD ALREADY FAMILY MEMBERS DEPORTED OR FORCED TO RETURN IS SHARP FOR ME EVERY DAY. I WANT TO THANK COUNCILMEMBER MCKEE-RODRIGUEZ FOR BEING THE FIRST PERSON TO TAKE STEPS FOR THE ICE REPORTING AND ICE FACILITY ASSESSMENT RESOLUTION. I ALSO WANT TO THANK ALL OF YOU COUNCIL MEMBERS WHO SIGNED A MEMO LAST WEEK TO MAKE SURE WE HAD ITEM 5 TODAY ON THE AGENDA. FOR THE ITEM 5 TODAY, I THINK IT'S JUST VERY IMPORTANT TO REMEMBER THAT PROCEDURAL AND FACTUAL DATA IS ACTUALLY REALLY STRONG TOOLS AGAINST THE DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY. HAVING ALL INFORMATION AVAILABLE IS WHAT HAS WORKED IN OTHER CITIES WHO HAVE FOUGHT AND DEFEATED SIMILAR DETENTION FACILITIES. SO THIS INDEPENDENT ASSESSMENT WE HOPE WILL STRENGTHEN ANY LEGAL ACTION THAT THE CITY DECIDES TO TAKE IN THE FUTURE. FOR ITEM 5 WE DEFINITELY URGE YOU TO ENSURE THAT THE ASSESSMENT IS MULTI-AGENCY. UTILITIES ARE SO IMPORTANT BUT WE HAVE TO LOOK AT IT IN A VERY HOLISTIC WAY SO WE HOPE THAT YOU LOOK AT OTHER AGENCIES BESIDES THE UTILITIES AND HOW THEY'RE GOING TO BE IMPACTED, HOW RESIDENTS, BUSINESSES ARE GOING TO BE IMPACTED. TODAY, THE ICE WAREHOUSE IS LIKE THE IMMINENT THREAT AND I'M HAPPY WE'RE TALKING ABOUT AND WE'RE GOING TO TAKE STEPS AGAINST IT BUT I ALSO WANT US NOT TO FORGET THAT EVEN WITHOUT THIS FACILITY BEING FULLY OPERATIONAL OR OPENED YET WE STILL RANK NUMBER FOUR IN ICE ARRESTS AND THAT IS BECAUSE ICE HAS THE OVERWHELMING SUPPORT OF LOCAL LAW ENFORCEMENT IN OUR REGION. AND RIGHT NOW THERE'S NOTHING STOPPING SAPD FROM WORKING WITH THE PRIVATE DETENTION COMPANY, GARTER WORLD. GARTER WORLD HAS A $400 MILLION CONTRACT THAT HAS STARTED SINCE AUGUST 31 AND THEIR SOLE JOB IS TO INCREASE ARRESTS AND DEPORTATIONS IN OUR COMMUNITIES. SO WHAT IS STOPPING GARTER WORLD FROM COLLABORATING WITH SAPD RIGHT NOW? THERE'S NOTHING. SO FOR FAR TOO LONG WE HAVE BEEN ASKING SAPD AND WAITING FOR THEM TO BE TRANSPARENT ABOUT THE EXTENT OF THEIR IMMIGRATION ENFORCEMENT WORK. FOR FAR TOO LONG WE HAVE BEEN AFRAID OF WHAT COULD HAPPEN TO THE CITY IF WE ASK MORE QUESTIONS OF THE DEPARTMENT. BUT I DON'T THINK -- WE CANNOT BE MORE AFRAID OF THE THREATS AGAINST OUR CITY THAN WE ARE AFRAID OF WHAT IS HAPPENING WITH THE ICE AND POLICE COLLABORATION AND WHAT THAT IS DOING TO SAN ANTONIANS. HOW MANY MORE PEOPLE NEED TO BE HARMED, NEED TO BE SHOT IN OUR CITIES? I URGE YOU TO JUST VOTE YES ON THE ITEM AND MAKE SURE THAT WE ALSO PUT THE ICE REPORTING RESOLUTION NEXT. >> MAYOR JONES: THANK YOU. ALEJANDRO LOPEZ FOLLOWED BY PRISCILLA OLIVAREZ. >> GOOD AFTERNOON, MAYOR AND COUNCIL MEMBERS. MY NAME IS ALEJANDRA LOPEZ. I SERVE AS THE SAN ANTONIO ALLIANCE OF TEACHERS AND SUPPORT PERSONNEL. I'M A RESIDENT OF DISTRICT 3 OUR UNION IS A PROUD FOUNDING MEMBER OF THE SA STANDS COALITION, OUR CITY'S IMMIGRANT RIGHTS COALITION. I'M THE PROUD PRESIDENT OF THE AFL-CIO REPRESENTING OVER 30 AFFILIATED UNIONS AND I'M HERE TODAY TO URGE YOUR SUPPORT OF THE TWO COUNCIL CONSIDERATION REQUESTS INTRODUCED BY COUNCILMEMBER MCKEE-RODRIGUEZ AND I WANT TO EXPRESS SUPPORT FOR ALL OF THE COUNCIL MEMBERS WHO OF THE EAST SIDE DETENTION FACILITY. THE SECOND ONE REGARDING TRANSPARENCY ON ALL COLLABORATION BETWEEN ICE AND THE SAN ANTONIO POLICE [03:05:01] DEPARTMENT, WE DO HOPE WILL COME TO THE FULL COUNCIL SOON. THE SAN ANTONIO CENTRAL LABOR COUNCIL SUPPORTS THESE TWO RESOLUTIONS BECAUSE WORKERS ACROSS OUR CITY DESERVE SAFETY, DIGNITY, AND RESPECT. IMMIGRANT WORKERS, STUDENTS, THEIR FAMILIES, AND THE COMMUNITIES OF WHICH THEY FORM A VITAL PART SHOULD FEEL SAFE. FOR MORE THAN A YEAR, SAN ANTONIANS HAVE EXPERIENCED ICE ARRESTS IN OUR STREETS, OUTSIDE OF OUR SCHOOLS, RESTAURANTS, COURTHOUSES, AND PLACES OF WORSHIP. THE SAN ANTONIO ICE FIELD OFFICE RANKS NUMBER FOUR IN THE NATION FOR ICE ARRESTS AND THAT REFLECTS THE EXTRAORDINARY LEVEL OF IMMIGRATION ENFORCEMENT HAPPENING IN OUR COMMUNITIES. IN MY ROLE AS THE PRESIDENT OF THE SAN ANTONIO ALLIANCE, I CAN SAY OUR MEMBERS, WHO ARE THE TEACHERS, BUS DRIVERS, FOOD SERVICE WORKERS IN OUR SCHOOLS ARE HORRIFIED THAT THIS FACILITY COULD OPEN IN OUR SCHOOL DISTRICT. RIGHT DOWN THE STREET FROM TWO OF OUR CAPTIONS. THE IDEA THAT OUR TEACHERS, BUS DRIVERS, STUDENTS, FAMILIES WOULD HAVE TO DRIVE PAST A FACILITY HOUSING HUMAN BEINGS IN WHAT I'M SURE WILL BE DEPLORABLE CONDITIONS IS HEARTBREAKING. OUR DISTRICT IS 96% STUDENTS OF COLOR AND IF CHILDREN ARE GOING TO BE DETAINED IN THAT BUILDING IT WILL BE CHILDREN THAT LOOK LIKE OUR STUDENTS. TELL ME HOW DO YOU EXPLAIN TO A CHILD THAT SOME CHILDREN GET TO GO TO SCHOOL WHILE OTHERS ARE LOCKED IN CAGES. WE ASK THAT YOU SET AN EXAMPLE FOR OTHERS TO FOLLOW. TAKE ACTION AGAINST THE DELIBERATE AND SYSTEMIC DEHUMANIZATION OF OUR UNION'S SIBLINGS, FRIENDS, AND FAMILIES AND SEND A MESSAGE EVERYWHERE. SAN ANTONIO IS A LOVING, CARING, PRO-IMMIGRANT CITY. THANK YOU. >> MAYOR JONES: PRISCILLA OLIVARES FOLLOWED BY SARAH CRUZ. >> MY NAME IS PRISCILLA OLIVAREZ AND I'M AN ATTORNEY WITH THE IMMIGRANT RESOURCE CENTER. OUR ORGANIZATION IS A PROUD MEMBER OF THE SA STANDS COALITION. I WANT TO THANK COUNCILMEMBER MCKEE-RODRIGUEZ AND ALL THE COUNCIL MEMBERS WHO SIGNED ON AND SUPPORTED THIS EFFORT. PUTTING FORTH THIS RESOLUTION IS A CRITICAL FIRST STEP IN BUILDING THE RECORD TO DOCUMENT HOW THE ICE FACILITY WILL ADVERSELY IMPACT OUR SAN ANTONIO COMMUNITY. AND DIVERT CRITICAL RESOURCES AWAY FROM RESOURCES. THE 1500 BED FACILITY WILL WASTE CRUCIAL RESOURCES RESIDENTS NEED TO MEET THEIR BASIC NEEDS. I WILL SPEND MY BRIEF TIME FOCUSED ON ONE OF THOSE CRUCIAL RESOURCES, WATER. WE ALL NEED ACCESS TO CLEAN WATER YET THE ICE FACILITY WILL USE AN ESTIMATED 36 TO 82 MILLION GALLONS A YEAR. THIS IS 5 TO 12 TIMES THE BUILDING'S DESIGNED USE. THIS IS ACCORDING TO ICE'S OWN ESTIMATES AND DATA FOR OTHER PROPOSED ICE FACILITIES. LET ME REMIND CITY COUNCIL THAT OUR CITY IS UNDER A STAGE 2 WATER RESTRICTION THAT RESTRICTS OUTDOOR WATER USE FOR RESIDENTS. YET IF THIS FACILITY OPENS, ICE WILL BE ALLOWED TO USE NEARLY 40 TO 80 MILLION GALLONS OF WATER PER YEAR TO DETAIN OUR LOVED ONES. THIS IS UNJUSTIFIABLE. THE ICE FACILITY WILL ALSO PRODUCE WASTEWATER AND THIS WASTEWATER WILL GO INTO OUR CITY SYSTEM AND WILL IMPACT ALL RESIDENTS. THE PROPOSED ICE FACILITY WAS BUILT TO BE A SUPPLY WAREHOUSE, NOT TO DETAIN 1500 OF OUR LOVED ONES. ICE MUST BE MADE TO ANSWER IMPORTANT QUESTIONS ABOUT THE CITY RESOURCES IT WILL WASTE. THE ICE WAREHOUSE WAS PURCHASED FOR $17.3 MILLION. ALARMINGLY, $17.3 MILLION IS JUST THE INITIAL COST. BASED ON ICE'S OWN DATA, TO RUN THE FACILITY, IT WILL COST AN ESTIMATED 50 TO $133 MILLION A YEAR. FINALLY, I WANT TO END BY HIGHLIGHTING THE MOST IMPORTANT COST, THE HUMAN COST. THE LOSS OF LIFE THAT HAS HAPPENED IN ICE FACILITIES. THERE HAVE BEEN NEARLY 60 DEATHS IN ICE DETENTION CENTERS SINCE 2025 AND EVEN MORE INDIVIDUALS ABUSED. IF THIS ICE FACILITY OPENS, THOSE INHUMANLY DETAINED, OUR RESIDENTS, WILL BE AT RISK FOR SIGNIFICANT HARM. I, FOR ONE, AM SICK AND TIRED OF THE WASTE ICE HAS PRODUCED. WASTING OUR TAXPAYER DOLLARS AND WASTING OUR RESOURCES. WE ARE LOOKING TO YOU, OUR CITY LEADERS, TO HELP US GET THE ANSWERS WE DESERVE. YOU HAVE THE POWER TO MAKE THE DEMANDS TO THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT AND YOU HAVE THE POWER TO ENSURE AN INDEPENDENT ALAMO CITY STUDY IS CONDUCTED. >> MAYOR JONES: SARAH CRUZ. >> HI. GOOD AFTERNOON, MAYOR JONES AND CITY COUNCIL. THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO PROVIDE TESTIMONY AND THANK YOU TO [03:10:02] ALL OF THE CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS WHO HAVE PUSHED TO HAVE THIS DISCUSSION AND BRING FORTH THIS RESOLUTION. MY NAME IS SARAH CRUZ AND I AM HERE ON BEHALF OF THE ACLU OF TEXAS. IMMIGRATION ENFORCEMENT AND POLICIES ARE SUPPOSED TO BE A ROLE EXCLUSIVELY HELD BY THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT. UNFORTUNATELY, WE HAVE AN ADMINISTRATION, STATE LEADERSHIP, AND A STATE LEGISLATURE BODY THAT HAS WORKED IN CONCERT TO SIGNIFICANTLY BLUR THOSE LINES THROUGH A PATCHWORK OF LAWS AND OTHER ADMINISTRATIVE MEASURES. THIS DETENTION WAREHOUSE IS YET ANOTHER FIGHT THAT WE DID NOT ASK FOR BUT OUR SAN ANTONIO COMMUNITY HAS MET THE MOMENT BY TESTIFYING AND MARCHING IN THE STREETS VOICING OUR OPPOSITION TO THIS WAREHOUSE. BUT WE NEED OUR COUNCIL TO DO THE SAME AND TAKE FURTHER ACTIONS THAT REPRESENT OUR COMMUNITY, LIKE OPPOSING THIS WAREHOUSE AND DEMANDING FURTHER TRANSPARENCY ABOUT ICE COLLABORATION. ICE IS NOT GOING TO STOP. THIS AGENCY AND ITS CONTRACTORS HAVE DEMONSTRATED TIME AND AGAIN THAT IT DOES NOT CARE ABOUT THE PEOPLE THEY ARREST AND DETAIN. ICE HAS GROSSLY MISREPRESENTED AND LIED ABOUT THE TREATMENT OF INDIVIDUALS AND FAMILIES IN DETENTION. LAST MONTH DHS PUBLISHED AND THEN REMOVED A REPORT DETAILING NUMEROUS AND OFTEN PREVENTABLE DEATHS IN DETENTIONS DUE TO A LACK OF MEDICAL CARE. THEN THERE IS THE ECONOMIC COST TO THIS ENFORCEMENT. SCHOOLS IN TEXAS HAVE LOST MORE THAN 14,000 STUDENTS AND BUSINESSES ACROSS THE STATE HAVE RAISED CONCERNS ABOUT WHAT ICE'S OPERATIONS HAVE DONE TO THEIR WORKFORCE. FURTHER, THE CONCERN THAT SAN ANTONIO AND BEXAR COUNTY RESIDENTS WILL FOOT THE BILL TO DETAIN INDIVIDUALS IN HORRIFIC CONDITIONS IS NOT UNFOUNDED. AS OF JUNE OF THIS YEAR, ICE OWED BEXAR COUNTY $2.2 MILLION IN UNPAID MEDICAL BILLS. EVEN THE LIMITED CARE PROVIDED GOES UNPAID DESPITE THE AGENCY BEING PROVIDED MORE THAN $45 BILLION IN TAXPAYER FUNDS. I HAVE NO DOUBTS ICE WILL FORCE OUR COMMUNITY TO FOOT THE BILL FOR THIS WAREHOUSE AND NEITHER SHOULD YOU. THIS IS NOT A FIGHT YOU ASKED FOR BUT IT IS HERE AND OUR RESOURCES ARE BETTER SPENT PROTECTING OUR COMMUNITY, NOT HARMING IT. THANK YOU. >> MAYOR JONES: CHRISTIAN RAMIREZ. CHRISTIAN RAMIREZ. DENISE LA ROCK. WILLIAM SHEPHERD. >> GOOD AFTERNOON, MAYOR AND COUNCIL MEMBERS. THANK YOU FOR THIS OPPORTUNITY. ANY NAME IS SISTER DENISE LA ROCK. I THANK YOU FOR TAKING UP THIS IMPORTANT MATTER OF THE PROPOSED NEW ICE DETENTION CENTER . DHS STATED IT WILL BE A PROCESSING CENTER AND PEOPLE DETAINED WILL ONLY BE THERE FOR A COUPLE OF DAYS. I WOULD LIKE TO POINT OUT THAT DILLEY DETENTION CENTER IS A PROCESSING CENTER AND KARNES. IN PEARSALL I HAVE MET INDIVIDUALS WHO HAVE BEEN THERE FOR TWO YEARS AND THEIR BEING THERE IS INDEFINITE. THERE'S NO SCHEDULED END TO THEIR DETENTION, WHICH IS QUITE COMMON. MAYBE, I APPRECIATE YOUR LETTER REQUESTING CRITICAL INFORMATION FROM ICE REGARDING THE PROPOSED ICE FACILITY ON THE EAST SIDE. THE LACK OF RESPONSE SPEAKS VOLUMES ABOUT THE PATTERNS WE SEE WITH ICE REGARDING INFORMATION, TRANSPARENCY, ACCOUNTABILITY, AND DUE PROCESS -- OR LACK THEREOF. IN TEXAS ALONE, THERE ARE ABOUT 16,000 IMMIGRANTS IN ICE DETENTION. THIS INCLUDES CHILDREN. NATIONALLY, THERE ARE ABOUT 70,000 PEOPLE IN ICE DETENTION CENTERS AND CURRENTLY 63,530 HAVE SUBMITTED THEIR HABEAS CORPUS. THAT'S 91% OF THOSE IN CUSTODY FILE THAT THEY ARE BEING HELD WITHOUT CAUSE AND THEREFORE HELD ILLEGALLY. I VISIT MANY PEOPLE IN ICE CUSTODY. IT'S ASTOUNDING HOW MANY PEOPLE HAD AN ASYLUM CASE IN PROCESS WHEN THEY WERE SNATCHED. TO THE POINT THAT THEY ALREADY HAD A SOCIAL SECURITY NUMBER, WORK PERMIT, AND WERE ABLE TO OBTAIN A VALID DRIVER'S LICENSE. A FAMILY WAS TAKEN AND EACH MEMBER HAD A GREEN CARD, THEIR RESIDENCY. THEY WERE SENT TO DILLEY. THE CHILDREN WERE DOING SO POORLY THAT AFTER 58 DAYS THE FAMILY SELF-DEPORTED. ACCORDING TO JUDGE FLORES' AGREEMENT, CHILDREN ARE NOT TO BE HELD FOR MORE THAN 21 DAYS. WE CANNOT STAND BY WHILE ICE FUNCTIONS WITHOUT [03:15:01] ACCOUNTABILITY, WITHOUT TRANSPARENCY. WE MUST STAND FOR DUE PROCESS AND HUMAN RIGHTS, WHICH ARE IN GRAVE DANGER. THANK YOU. [APPLAUSE] >> MAYOR JONES: THANK YOU, SISTER. WILLIAM SHEPHERD FOLLOWED BY ERICA GALINDO AND THEN MOLLY. >> [INDISCERNIBLE] HAS AGREED TO DONATE THEIR TIME. >> MAYOR JONES: YOU HAVE SIX MINUTES, SIR. >> HELLO. IT'S WILLIAM SHEPHERD AGAIN. I'M THANKFUL FOR THE STATEMENT THAT THE CITY RELEASED THE CASE TO PROCEED WITH THIS VERY SUIT. IT TRULY GAVE ME HOPE FOR THE CITY. HOWEVER, I SAW WITHIN THE DOCKET FOR THIS MEETING CPS AND SAWS TO DO AN IMPACT REPORT, AN ENVIRONMENTAL FOR ICE. FIRSTLY, THE CITY CANNOT DO THE LATTER. AT ALL. IT IS NOT WITHIN OUR JURISDICTION. THEY HAVE TO DO THAT. ICE, OR RATHER THE DHS WOULD HAVE TO DO THAT, WHICH THEY WILL NOT. IMPACT STATEMENT MAKES SENSE TO ME BUT I WOULD ALSO URGE THE CITY TO FULFILL ITS PRIOR STATEMENT AND FILE THE SUIT. ADDITIONALLY, IF ICE REQUESTED ASSISTANCE FROM THE CITY, CPS, AND/OR SAWS, IT MUST BE MADE PUBLIC. AND IF THE COUNCIL IS LISTENING TO THEIR OFFER, IF SUCH AN OFFER EXISTS, WHICH I HOPE NOT, THEN CPS AND SAWS MUST BE PUBLIC AND BRING IN CONSERVATIONISTS, ARCHAEOLOGISTS, CIVIL ENGINEERS, AND AGAIN GO PUBLIC. HAS ICE OFFERED TO DOWN SHOVELS AND COMMITTEE TO AN EA? I WILL STAY AFTER SO THAT WE MIGHT HELP COORDINATE THE SUES AGAINST ICE THAT THE COUNCIL HAS NOTABLY APPROVED. AND WE MUST NOT ACCIDENTALLY SHIELD THEM FROM PROSECUTION BY MAKING AN ILLEGALLY DUBIOUS EA. WE HAVE TO DEFEND THE CITY AND COORDINATE AMONGST THE PLAINTIFFS, THE ARCHDIOCESE, LULAC, AND VARIOUS OTHER INDIVIDUALS WILL BE INTERESTED IN ENGAGING IN THIS SUIT. WE MUST PROCEED WITH IT. ADDITIONALLY, I WANT TO MAKE A SMALL ECONOMIC STATEMENT IN DEFENSE OF THE NECESSITY OF THIS SUIT. WE HAVE THE SAME GDP AS NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA. IT IS NOT A FIRST-RANK CITY. WE HAVE FOUR TIMES THE POPULATION. THE THING IS THAT IF SUDDENLY WE HAVE A MASSIVE DOWNTURN IN GDP, EVERYONE EXPECTS EXPONENTIAL GROWTH FROM THE CITY. THAT'S NOT INHERENT. IF WE BEGIN HAVING 1500 PEOPLE IN A FACILITY, A LOT OF WHOM WILL PROBABLY BE CITIZENS, WHO ARE HERE RIGHTFULLY AND ARE ABSOLUTELY CONTRIBUTING TO OUR ECONOMY AND THEN THEY ARE SUDDENLY LOCKED UP AND NO LONGER ABLE TO INTERACT WITH THE ECONOMY IN SAN ANTONIO, SUDDENLY IT SHRINKS AND PEOPLE ARE SCARED. THEY ARE RIGHT NOW IN THEIR HOMES TERRIFIED OF BEING DEPORTED. EVEN CITIZENS AND FOLKS WHO HAVE GREEN CARDS AND PEOPLE WHO ARE HERE LEGALLY KNOW THAT THEY ARE STILL IN DANGER. SO MY POINT IS WE NEED TO ACT NOW AND WE CAN'T WAIT. THE SIMPLE PART OF IT IS ANY DAYS LEFT NOT USING THIS SUIT, NOT PROCEEDING WITH IT, NOT LAYING IT OUT AND NOT FILING THAT COMPLAINT WILL LEAD TO MORE PEOPLE BEING TAKEN. I MEAN, IT WILL CONTINUE TO BASICALLY ALLOW FOR THIS DEBACLE TO PROCEED AND EXPAND IN SCOPE. AND NONE OF YOU WANT THAT. NONE OF YOU WANT TO BE THE COUNCIL MEMBERS WHO WERE SITTING UPON THIS COUNCIL AND POSSIBLY LET SAN ANTONIO DIE. BECAUSE THAT IS GENUINELY THE POSSIBILITIES HERE. WE COULD SUDDENLY HAVE NOT ENOUGH OF A TAX BASE TO CONTINUE HOLDING ANY INFRASTRUCTURE. WE COULD SUDDENLY HAVE MORE PEOPLE THAN WE HAVE MONEY TO ACTUALLY INVEST IN THE PROCESSES THAT KEEP THIS CITY FROM JUST FULLY FALLING INTO A PIT OF DYSFUNCTION. WE NEED TO ACT NOW. PLEASE DO SEEK ME OUT AFTER COMMENTS HAVE CONCLUDED. THANK YOU AGAIN. LET'S GET TO WORK BEFORE IT'S TOO LATE. >> MAYOR JONES: THANK YOU. ERICA GALINDO. FOLLOWED BY MOLLY AND THEN ANANDA THOMAS. >> HELLO. MY NAME'S ERICA GALINDO. I'M A RESIDENT OF DISTRICT 5 AND I'M HERE BECAUSE SAN ANTONIO NEEDS YOU TO VOTE YES ON ITEM NO. 5 AND MANDATE AN INDEPENDENT [03:20:06] ASSESSMENT ON THE IMPACT OF THE PROPOSED ICE WAREHOUSE, ALSO KNOWN AS ALAMO ALCATRAZ. A DETENTION FACILITY IN SAN ANTONIO. I'M A BIG FAN OF REPRODUCTIVE JUSTICE, THE FRAMEWORK THAT PUTS FORTH THAT EVERYONE, INCLUDING UNDOCUMENTED IMMIGRANTS, SHOULD BE FREE TO MOVE AND LIVE IN SAFE ENVIRONMENTS WITH DIGNITY AND SECURITY AND NOT BE DETAINED AND ABUSED BY AN OPAQUE GOVERNMENT ENTITY. WE SHOULD GET MORE INFORMATION ON WHAT THE PROPOSED DETENTION FACILITY'S UNWELCOME PRESENCE WILL ACTUALLY DO TO THE WATER USE, WASTE, ELECTRICITY SERVICES, USE OF LANDS, ROADS, AND PERMITS. THIS IS THE LEAST WE CAN DO AND WE SHOULD DO EVERYTHING WE CAN TO MAKE SURE IT DOESN'T ACTUALLY COME TO FRUITION IN OUR HOME. I DON'T THINK SAN ANTONIO OR ITS POLICE DEPARTMENT AND LAW ENFORCEMENT SHOULD HAVE ANY PART OF FACILITATING THE ARREST OR DETENTION OF OUR NEIGHBORS. SO WHILE I ASK THAT WE DO A STUDY OF THE IMPACT OF THE ICE WAREHOUSE, I ALSO WANT TO ASK THAT WE PASS A RESOLUTION TO MANDATE THE REPORTING OF ALL ICE AND SAPD COLLABORATION. WE DON'T HAVE ANY PUBLIC INFORMATION ON WHAT WE SEE HAPPENING IN OUR COMMUNITIES, UNDOCUMENTED FOLKS OF SAN ANTONIO. GARTER WORLD IS BECOMING A MAJOR PART OF TEXAS' IMMIGRATION DEPORTMENT INFRASTRUCTURE. ICE AWARDED THEM $17 MILLION TO RENOVATE AND OPERATE THE ALAMO ALCATRAZ AND THEN AWARDED THE COMPANY NEARLY $400 MILLION CONTRACT FOR CONSTANT ARMED TRANSPORTATION OF PEOPLE IN ICE CUSTODY ACROSS ALL TEXAS COUNTIES, INCLUDING PRIORITY OPERATIONS IN BEXAR COUNTY. THE CITY NEEDS TO KNOW WHAT THIS MEANS FOR SAN ANTONIO. IF GARTER WORLD BEGINS TRANSPORTING PEOPLE FROM TRAFFIC STOPS, JAILS, COURTHOUSES WHILE SAPD OR OTHER CITY DEPARTMENTS COORDINATE WITH OR SUPPORT THIS PRIVATE TRANSPORTATION SYSTEM. WHAT REPORTING MECHANISM IS AVAILABLE FOR THIS AND OTHER PRIVATE CONTRACTORS CONDUCTING BUSINESS FOR ICE ENFORCEMENT AS THEY EVADE ACCOUNTABILITY? WHAT CITY RESOURCES WILL BE INVOLVED? WE NEED THIS AND ALL OTHER INFORMATION ON THE WAYS THE CITY WILL BE IMPACTED AND INVOLVED WITH ICE ENFORCEMENT SO PLEASE MOVE FORWARD THE ASSESSMENT AND ADVANCE THE ICE REPORTING RESOLUTION, EXPAND TRANSPARENCY AROUND SAPD'S COLLABORATION WITH ICE, AND PUBLICLY OPPOSED THE PROPOSED ICE DETENTION WAREHOUSE. THANK YOU. >> MAYOR JONES: THANK YOU. MOLLY? MOLLY? ANANDA THOMAS FOLLOWED BY ANTHONY PASTELO AND LAURA MARSHALL. >> GOOD AFTERNOON. I'M ACTUALLY GOING TO READ TESTIMONY FROM LAURA, ONE OF OUR COALITION MEMBERS WHO HAD TO LEAVE. GOOD MORNING. MY NAME IS LARA AND I WAS BORN AND RAISED IN SAN ANTONIO AND I'M A RESIDENT OF DISTRICT 1 AND CO-FOUNDER AND EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF WE ARE A PROUD MEMBER OF THE SA STANDS COALITION . MY ORGANIZATION WORKS ALONGSIDE IMMIGRANT WOMEN AND FAMILIES NAVIGATING THE SPECTRUM OF REPRODUCTIVE HEALTHCARE IN SAN ANTONIO. OUR WORK IS GROUNDED IN THE SELF-DETERMINATION, JOY, AND DIGNITY OF OUR IMMIGRANT COMMUNITY MEMBERS. WE SUPPORT WOMEN THROUGH PREGNANCY AND POSTPARTUM, CONNECT WOMEN TO RESOURCES, AND HELP MOTHERS NAVIGATE THE UNCERTAINTY THAT IMMIGRATION ENFORCEMENT HAS BROUGHT INTO THEIR LIVES. RIGHT NOW OUR ORGANIZATION IS SUPPORTING WOMEN CARING FOR THEIR BABIES AND WOMEN ALONE WHILE GRIEVING THE TREMENDOUS LOSS OF THEIR PARTNERS WHO HAVE BEEN DETAIN AND DEPORTED BY ICE. WE ARE SUPPORTING WOMEN AND FAMILIES WHO HAVE TO ENDURE THE TRAUMA OF INCREASED IMMIGRATION ENFORCEMENT IN THEIR COMMUNITIES. I CARRY THEIR STORIES CLOSE TO MY HEART AND INTO THIS ROOM. I CARRY THE RESPONSIBILITY TO SPEAK ABOUT THE FULLNESS OF THEIR LIVES, THEIR JOY, THEIR HUMOR, THEIR LOVE AND HOPE FOR THEIR CHILDREN'S FUTURE. THE PRESENCE OF AN ICE DETENTION FACILITY THREATENS THESE FUTURES AND IT THREATENS THE HEALTH AND FUTURE OF EVERY SAN ANTONIO RESIDENT. THE PROPOSED WAREHOUSE DEMANDS SERIOUS INDEPENDENT SCRUTINY. WHAT WOULD THIS FACILITY DEMAND FROM OUR ALREADY-STRAINED POWER GRID? WATER. HOW WOULD IT IMPACT OUR WASTEWATER SYSTEMS? WHAT STRAIN WILL IT PUT ON OTHER LIMITED RESOURCES? WHAT BURDEN WOULD IT CAUSE TO FIREFIGHTERS AND PARAMEDICS WHO HAVE TO RESPOND TO CALLS HERE. WHAT STRAIN WILL IT PUT ON HEALTH PROVIDERS IN AN ALREADY-STRAINED PUBLIC HEALTH SYSTEM, WHICH IS ALREADY FACING DEVASTATING CUTS AND LIMITED BUDGETS. INDEPENDENT IMPACT ASSESSMENTS CAN HELP US FIND THESE ANSWERS. I URGE THE COUNCIL TO MOVE TOWARD WITH THE FORMAL REQUEST FOR CPS AND SAWS TO PERFORM OPERATIONAL AND ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT ASSESSMENTS FOR PROVIDING SERVICES TO THE PROPOSED DETENTION FACILITY LOCATED IN SAN ANTONIO. [03:25:01] I BELIEVE THESE AND OTHER STUDIES ARE IMPORTANT IN HELPING US UNDERSTAND THE DETRIMENTAL IMPACTS ON OUR COMMUNITY AND WILL HELP US IDENTIFY AND PURSUE EVERY AVENUE TO PROTECT OUR COMMUNITY, INCLUDING LITIGATION. THE MOTHERS I WORK ALONGSIDE ARE FIGHTING FOR THEIR FAMILY'S SAFETY AND FUTURES EVERY DAY. I AM ASKING YOU TO SHOW THAT THE SAME DETERMINATION TO PROTECT OUR NEIGHBORS, DEFEND THEIR DIGNITY, AND PROTECT OUR SAN ANTONIO COMMUNITY. I WILL JUST SAY WITH MY FINAL TIME, I THINK YOU GUYS ARE VERY MUCH AWARE THAT WE ARE PUSHING FOR MORE THAN JUST CPS AND SAWS IMPACT STUDY. WE DO KNOW THIS IS GOING TO IMPACT PUBLIC SAFETY. IT IS GOING TO IMPACT THE HOSPITAL SYSTEMS, THE ENVIRONMENT. SO I JUST URGE COUNCIL TO CONTINUE EXPLORING HOW TO FURTHER GET THOSE IMPACT ASSESSMENTS IN BECAUSE THEY CAN INFORM LITIGATION. THANK YOU. [APPLAUSE] >> MAYOR JONES: THANK YOU. ANTHONY PASTELO. LAURA MARSHALL. LAURA MARSHALL. JAMES JAMISON. JAMES JAMISON. MARIA KENNEDY. MARIA KENNEDY. CHASTITY EAST. CHASTITY EAST. PHILIP MANNA FOLLOWED BY ANTONIO DIAZ AND DIANA FLORES URIEGAS. >> GIVE ME A SECOND HERE. HELLO. I'M PRESIDENT -- I'M PHILLIP AND I'M PRESIDENT OF THE [INDISCERNIBLE]. I'M A COMMUNITY PLANNING CHAIR FOR THE HEUBNER LEON CREEK COMMUNITY PLAN AND HAVE BEEN ACTIVE IN EFFORTS WITH THE CITY AND I'M REPRESENTING SPEAK USA TODAY. IN ADDITION TO THE CONSIDERATION THAT YOU ALL ARE WORKING ON, I BELIEVE THE COUNCIL SHOULD ALSO CONSIDER A FEW MORE POINTS WHILE MAKING THIS AND FUTURE DECISIONS. OUR COMMUNITY HEAVILY WEIGHS THEIR INPUT THROUGH THINGS THAT IMPACT OUR COMMUNITY AND OUR CITY -- WITH OUR CITY, INCLUDING PUBLIC WELFARE, SAFETY, AND COMPLIANCE TO THE UDC BEING CORE TO THOSE DECISIONS. COMMUNITIES WORK WITH THE CITY PLANNERS, CITY SERVICES, BUSINESS PARTNERS, FAITH GROUPS, AND MANY OTHERS TO BUILD PLANS ON HOW THEY SEE THEIR COMMUNITY AND WORK WITH THE CITY TO DEVELOP AND ADOPT PLANS. WITH LITTLE MORE THAN VOICE, COMMUNITIES HAVE LITTLE INPUT OUTSIDE OF THESE PLANS AS DEVELOPMENT HAPPENS WITHIN THEIR COMMUNITIES. A COMMUNITY'S PRIMARY TOOL IS A UDC WHEN HELPING THE CITY HONOR ALL OF THOSE PLANS. RECORDING PUBLIC FEEDBACK, SEEING THE FEEDBACK FROM THE COMMUNITY ON LOCAL MEDIA AND FROM THOSE PRESENT HERE, I BELIEVE THE OVERWHELMING HAS BEEN FAIRLY CONSISTENT IN THEIR OPPOSITION REGARDING THE PROPOSED ICE CONCENTRATION CAMP. FROM A COMMUNITY PLANNING POSITION, THIS PROPOSED CAMP IS NOT A VALUED BUSINESS COMMUNITY PARTNER BUT A COMMUNITY DIVIDER. REGARDING PUBLIC SAFETY, THE BACK OF THE PROPERTY SITS WITHIN THE 100-YEAR FLOODPLAIN VIA THE ROSILLO CREEK. THE BUILDING ITSELF MAY BE LOCATED JUST OUTSIDE THE FLOODPLAIN BUT PUTTING A MASSIVE AMOUNT OF LIVES THIS CLOSE TO A HAZARD JUST SEEMS NOT SAFE. REGARDING COMPLIANCE WITH CITY CODE, THERE IS A UDC SECTION ARTICLE 4, WHICH IS PROPERTY MAINTENANCE CODE WHICH PROVIDES STANDARDS FOR HEALTH, SAFETY, AND BUILDING STANDARDS. IN SECTION 654, IT ADDRESSES DETENTION CENTERS. AND WITHIN IT IS THE ORDINANCE 2026-041257 AND IT INCLUDES APPLICABILITY, NO DETENTION FACILITY SHALL BE ALLOWED TO OPERATE WITHIN A THOUSAND FEET OF A RESIDENTIAL AREA, A PRIMARY OR SECONDARY SCHOOL, PROPERTY DESIGNATED AS A PARK OR CHURCH, SYNAGOGUE, OR OTHER PLACE OF WORSHIP. COPERNICUS AT 5003 LORD ROAD IS LOCATED 875 FEET AWAY . THERE IS A MULTIFAMILY -- COPERNICUS ALSO CLOSE BY AND RESIDENTS ALSO CLOSE BY. THERE ARE SEVERAL VIOLATIONS ALREADY. PLEASE CONSIDER THOSE. [03:30:01] THANK YOU. >> MAYOR JONES: ANTONIO DIAZ FOLLOWED BY DIANA FLORES URIEGAS. ANTONIO DIAZ? >> WELL, I'M GLAD THAT YOU ALL ARE CONSIDERING THIS ACTION. AT LEAST SOMETHING, WHETHER THERE'S AN ACTION TO USE NEPA TO HOLD A PRIVATE PRISON ACCOUNTABLE TO AT LEAST DOING AN ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT STUDY. IT'S A GOOD IDEA. AS WE'VE SEEN WHAT OCCURS IN OUR STREETS, MULTIPLE ARRESTS EVERY DAY AND IT'S NOT DONE IN A CIVIL WAY. IT'S DONE IN A VIOLENT WAY. IT'S DONE IN AN INTIMIDATING WAY WHERE MOST OF OUR PEOPLE THAT ARE OF MY PIGMENT AND APPEARANCE, BECAUSE IT'S USING SB 4 AS RACIAL PROFILING. I THOUGHT SOMETHING COULD BE DONE IN THOSE ASPECTS BUT THAT WOULDN'T BE THE CITY, THAT WOULD BE A PRIVATE LAW ENTITY TO TAKE THAT ON, I THINK. THESE VIOLATIONS KEEP OCCURRING AN I'M PRETTY SURE IT'S INTENTIONAL. SO ANYTHING YOU CAN DO. WE'VE SEEN WHAT IS OCCURRING IN EL PASO, IN DILLEY, IN MCALLEN, PEARSALL, SO ALL THESE PRISONS, WHETHER THEY BE TRAILER OR TENTS OR STONE, THEY'RE COMMITTING ALL SORTS OF ATROCITIES. WE WENT TO THE CCA PRISON WHEN THEY HAD IT -- OR THEY STILL HAVE IT. WE'RE TRYING TO CLOSE IT DOWN. 2007. WE WENT EVERY MONTH FOR THREE YEARS FROM SAN ANTONIO DOING CARAVANS TO TRY TO SHUT THAT PLACE DOWN. THERE WERE RAPES BY THE GUARDS OF FEMALE INCARCERATED BECAUSE THE MOTHERS WERE SEPARATED FROM THEIR CHILDREN. IT'S ALL SORTS OF ATROCITIES THAT SHOULD NOT BE HAPPENING. AND ESPECIALLY OUR CITY IS SUPPOSED TO BE A TOURIST IS THAT AN ATTRACTION? WOULD THAT BE CONSIDERED AN ATTRACTION? FOR THEM TO COME TO OUR CITY AND STUDY HOW MANY PEOPLE HAVE BEEN ABUSED IN THAT SYSTEM. I DON'T THINK SO. I THINK THAT WOULD BE A DETRACTION FROM TOURISTS COMING TO OUR CITY. DIANA IS GIVING ME HER TIME. >> MAYOR JONES: THREE MINUTES, SIR. >> SO TO ME IT'S A GOOD THING THAT HOPEFULLY THE MAJORITY OF YOU WILL ACTUALLY APPROVE THIS. BECAUSE IT'S JUST SUCH A BAD THING. THERE'S NO GOOD IN IT OTHER THAN INSTILLING FEAR IN OUR COMMUNITY AT-LARGE. WHETHER IT'S POLITICALLY CORRECT OR ACCEPTED OR NOT, WE'RE 65% OF OUR PEOPLE STILL LIVING IN SAN ANTONIO. WE'RE STILL THE MAJORITY. SO AS WE'RE BEING RACIALLY PROFILED, TO ME WE'RE THE ONES WITH THE TARGET. AND TO KEEP US QUIET, TO ACCEPT THAT THIS IS GOING TO PEOPLE WITH SOME SORT OF A WORK VISA OR SOME SORT OF AN IMMIGRATION PERMISSION. BUT WE ALL LOOK THE SAME. SO WITH SB 4 BEING IN PLACE, ANY OF US CAN BE ATTACKED, WHETHER WE'RE CITIZENS OR NOT. AND THE WAY THAT THERE'S NO ACCOUNTABILITY FOR ICE. WE CAN BE HELD IN DETENTION UNTIL THEY FEEL -- UNTIL THEY HAVE VERIFIED THAT WE ARE CITIZENS AND THERE'S NO RECOURSE FOR US, OTHER THAN [03:35:01] TO HIRE A PRIVATE LAW FIRM AND SUE FOR OUR CONSTITUTIONAL RIGHTS BEING VIOLATED. OR THE VIOLENCE THAT'S PERPETRATED IN OUR BEING TAKEN DOWN IF WE REFUSE TO IDENTIFY OR REFUSE TO BE SHACKLED OR WHATEVER. WE WILL BE VIOLENTLY TAKEN DOWN. ALL THESE THINGS JUST RUN THROUGH MY MIND. WE'RE GOING THROUGH THESE TIMES AND ALL WE HAVE IS ACTUALLY AN ENVIRONMENTAL STUDY TO FALL BACK ON TO TRY TO HOLD THESE ACTIONS BY OUR FEDERAL GOVERNMENT ACCOUNTABLE. AND THESE ARE THE TIMES, HUH? THESE ARE THE TIMES. SO YOU ALL HAVE TO DEAL WITH IT. AGAIN, I'M JUST HERE -- SHE'S GIVING ME HER TIME SO I'M TRYING TO MAKE USE OF THE TIME. IT'S BASICALLY JUST TO SAY I'M GLAD -- I KNOW YOU WON'T GET 100%, BEING WHAT IT IS HERE IN SAN ANTONIO AND A PERSON -- HE'S LOOKING AT ME AND I'M LOOKING AT HIM. I KNOW HE WILL NOT PROBABLY VOTE TO HOLD THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT ACCOUNTABLE TO DO AN IMPACT STUDY BUT HOPEFULLY Y'ALL WILL AND Y'ALL WILL TAKE WHATEVER RECOURSE YOU NEED TO. SUE THEM OR WHATEVER NEEDS TO BE DONE. THANK YOU. Y'ALL HAVE A GOOD DAY. >> MAYOR JONES: THANK YOU. VERONICA GUAL. >> DESTINY PENA. SERENA MORENO. FOLLOWED BY JASMINE EVANSTAD. >> HELLO. MY NAME IS SERENA MORENO AND I AM UPSET THAT WE'RE HAVING THIS CONVERSATION. HELP ME. I HAVE TWO BEAUTIFUL BROWN BABIES. THEY ARE SO LITTLE AND SO VULNERABLE AND THEY'VE LOST SO MANY CLASSMATES BECAUSE THEIR FAMILIES WERE TOO SCARED TO REMAIN IN SAN ANTONIO. THEY'VE HAD TO SAY GOOD-BYE TO THEIR CLASSMATES BECAUSE THEY WERE TOO SCARED TO STAY IN SAN ANTONIO. DO YOU HEAR ME, MARC, BECAUSE I'M YOUR CONSTITUENT. COOL. >> MAYOR JONES: MA'AM, PLEASE DIRECT YOUR COMMENTS TO THE CHAIR. >> I JUST WANTED TO MAKE SURE. BECAUSE WE HAVE HAD SEVERAL COMMENTS, AS I'M SITTING HERE LISTENING, TALKING ABOUT PERCENTAGES OF CPS AND WHATEVER OR SAWS. WE'RE TALKING ABOUT WE HOPE THAT WE'RE GOOD CONSTITUENTS OF YOUR MONEY. RIGHT? MS. MISTY, WE TALKED ABOUT DEMANDING TRANSPARENCY AND ACCOUNTABILITY AND KNOWING EXACTLY WHERE THE MONEY'S GOING. WE WANT THAT FOR THIS TOO. THIS IS A SIPHON ON ALL RESOURCES WITHIN SAN ANTONIO. OUR MONEY. WE CAN'T KEEP MONEY IN PEOPLE'S POCKETS IF YOU DON'T HAVE ANY MORE I HAVE THIS IN MY FRONT YARD SO MY BABIES CAN SEE IT EVERYDAY, GROW WILD AND FREE. FREE! PLEASE HELP ME! KEEP MY GORGEOUS BABIES FREE, HELP KEEP YOUR OWN GORGEOUS BABIES FREE, KEEP YOURSELF FREE, BECAUSE FRIENDS, LAST TIME WE HAD THIS CONVERSATION I TALKED ABOUT HOW THIS IS A WOMEN'S ISSUE. HOW MANY OF US SIGNED ON TO HAVE THIS DISCUSSION TODAY? THANK YOU TO THOSE WHO DID. QUITE FRANKLY ONLY TO THOSE WHO DID. I AM SOMEONE WHO TAKES PRIDE IN LEADING WITH LOVE, AND I PROMISE YOU ANY GAS IN MY VOICE TODAY COMES FROM DEEP-SEATED COMPASSION AND LOVE. I AM SCARED, I WANT EVERYONE HERE TO BE SAFE AND TO GROW WILD AND FREE. PLEASE DO YOUR PART AND HELP ME DO THAT. PLEASE. KEEP ICE OUT OF HERE, ICE OUT OF EVERYWHERE, BUT ICE OUT HERE. YOU ALL HAVE THE POWER TO [03:40:03] KEEP THEM OUT HERE, WHETHER IT'S CPS AND SAWS AND WHATEVER, I DON'T CARE. HELP ME, PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE HELP ME. HELP YOURSELVES, HELP ALL OF US, PLEASE. ICE OUT! [APPLAUSE] >> JASMINE EVEN-STAD, FOLLOWED BY ISA LEE AND THEN THE LAST SPEAKER, JACK FINGER, PLEASE. >> GOOD AFTERNOON MAYOR, GOOD AFTERNOON CITY COUNCIL. I'M HERE AGAIN. I WAS HERE LAST WEEK TO URGE THAT THE SHUTTING DOWN OF THE CONCENTRATION CAMP PROPOSED ON THE HE'D SIDE EASTSS THE TOP PRIORITY OF THIS BODY. THANK YOU TO THOSE WHO LISTENED TO THE OUTRAGE AND COMMITTED AGAINST THE DETENTION CENTER. AND TO THE UNPAID ORGANIZERS IN SAN ANTONIO WHO ARE WORKING ON TOP OF THEIR DAY JOBS TO DEFEND SAN ANTONIO AGAINST CRUELTY AND INJUSTICE POSED BY ICE. I'D LIKE TO ASK FOR MORE CITY COUNCILMEMBERS TO BE UNITED IN THE CALL AGAINST THE CONCENTRATION CAMP AND FOR LEGALLY REQUIRED NEPA REPORTS EVERY 60 DAYS AND FOR ALL SPECIAL SESSIONS TO BE HELD PUBLICLY WITHOUT CANCELLATION UNTIL THE FACILITY IS SHUT DOWN. I ALSO WANT TO EMPHASIZE THAT WE'VE BEEN WAITING TO SPEAK HERE FOR THREE HOURS WHILE THIS BODY DELIBERATED THE SAWS RATE INCREASE. I ASK WHAT IS THE POINT OF INVESTING IN INFRASTRUCTURE FOR WATER WHILE PUBLIC FUNDS HAVE BEEN USED TO PURCHASE A FACILITY THAT POSES GREAT THREATS TO WATERWAYS ON THE EASTSIDE AND EYESIGHT FROM PEOPLE'S HOMES? THANK YOU. [APPLAUSE] >> ISA LEE AND THEN JACK FINGER, PLEASE. >> HI MAYOR JONES AND COUNCIL MEMBERS. MY NAME IS ISA. I'M A THE CITY IN DISTRICT 2. I WOULD LIKE TO THANK THANK EVERYONE FOR COMING OUT IN SUPPORT OF LEGAL ACTION. IT'S TAKEN SOME TIME, BUT WE'RE GLAD TO BE HERE WITH YOU. YOU KNOW, I'M A COMMUNITY ORGANIZER MYSELF, AND, YOU THINK, MY FELLOW ORGANIZERS AND SEVERAL OTHER VOLUNTEERS HAVE BEEN DOING A LOT OF OUTREACH IN THE NEIGHBORHOODS DIRECTLY AROUND THIS PLANNED FACILITY, INCLUDING AROUND COPERNICUS PARK, THE HIDDEN LAKE MOBILE HOMES COMMUNITY, THE 707 LOFTS, WHICH AT LEAST TWO COMMUNITY MEMBERS THAT WE SPOKE TO, THEY, LIKE, EXPLICITLY REFERENCE LIKE THE FACT THAT EVERY MORNING WHEN THEY WANT TO STEP OUT INTO THEIR BALCONY, THAT'S THE FIRST THING THAT THEY SEE, YOU KNOW. AND IT REALLY -- I SAW IT FOR MYSELF AS WELL. I REALLY GOT A SENSE OF THE SCALE OF THIS PLACE. YOU KNOW, 640,000 SQUARE FEET. SO THESE COMMUNITY MEMBERS THAT GRACIOUSLY OPENED THEIR DOORS TO US TO SPEAK WITH US AND AS YOU MIGHT IMAGINE, THEY ALL ECHOED THE SAME FEARS. MANY OF THEM ARE WORKING MULTIPLE JOBS. THEY HAVE CHILDREN, YOU KNOW. AND THEIR CHILDREN WILL BE FORCED TO, YOU KNOW, SEE THIS EVERYDAY, YOU KNOW. SO THIS IS A VERY REAL MATERIAL REALITY, YOU KNOW, FOR A LOT OF FAMILIES. LIKE, YOU KNOW, I'M ON THE EDWC, BUT I HAVE -- ON THE EASTSIDE, BUT I HAVE THE BENEFIT IT'S NOT IN MY DIRECT VIEW, YOU KNOW. YOU KNOW, IT'S HARD TO TALK ABOUT THIS WITHOUT, YOU KNOW, MENTIONING, OF COURSE, LIKE YOU KNOW IN TEXAS IT'S BEEN MENTIONED THAT ONE IN FOUR ICE ARRESTS HAPPEN IN TEXAS, SAN ANTONIO. IT'S BEEN REPORTED THIS YEAR IS FOURTH IN ALL ICE ARRESTS IN THE NATION, RIGHT? AND RECENTLY WE'VE SEEN THE PUBLIC EXECUTION OF LORENZO ROJO AND RECENTRY RECENTLY WILBR PEREZ WAS SHOT, RIGHT, AND A BULLET WAS LEFT LODGED NEAR HIS SPINE. HE WAS A COUPLE OF HOURS LATER FORCED TO SIT IN PEARSALL ON THE FLOOR. AND LIKE OF COURSE WE HAVE OUR OWN RUBEN RAY MARTINEZ, A SAN ANTONIAN, 23 YEARS OLD, WHO WAS -- WHO SUFFERED FROM ANXIETY, WHO WAS CELEBRATING HIS BIRTHDAY ON SOUTH PADRE ISLAND. AND IT'S BEEN CORROBORATED BY BODY CAMERA FOOTAGE THAT HE WAS FOLLOWING DIRECTIONS, BUT HE WAS GETTING MIXED SIGNALS. AND THIS IS LIKE THE STATE OF, YOU KNOW, LIKE HEIGHTENED ANXIETY THAT WE PUT OUR COMMUNITY MEMBERS, OUR BLACK AND BROWN CHILDREN THROUGH, YOU KNOW. SO IMAGINE -- WE SIMPLY CANNOT ALLOW THIS THING TO [03:45:05] OPEN. AND I HOPE THAT YOU TAKE ALL MEASURES. [APPLAUSE] >> MAYOR JONES: THANK YOU. JACK FINGER. >> MADAM MAYOR, OTHER MEMBERS OF OUR SAN ANTONIO CITY COUNCIL. FOR THE RECORD MY NAME IS JACK M FINGER, YOUR UNDOCUMENTED GADFLY. YES, YOU'RE ASKING SAWS AND CPS TO CONDUCT SOME STUDIES, STUDIES ABOUT WHAT? WELL, LET'S SEE WHAT THE HIGHLIGHTED AREAS SAYS HERE, MR. AUDIO-VISUAL MAN. KIND OF BLOW IT UP A LITTLE BIT THERE. STUDIES SHOULD ASSESS AT A MINIMUM IMPACTS ON WATER, SEWAGE, WASTEWATER, PARKING AND TRANSPORTATION, PUBLIC HEALTH AND PUBLIC SAFETY WITH FINDINGS PUBLICLY PRESENTED. RETURN TO THE CAMERA, IF YOU WOULD. MR. MCKEE-RODRIGUEZ AND MR. MUNGIA, MR. GALVAN, MS. GONZÁLEZ, I'D EVEN SAY MS. VIAGRAN BUT SHE'S NOT IN HER SEAT RIGHT NOW. YOU WILL FIND THIS MEMORANDUM -- YOU ALL SIGNED THIS MEMORANDUM HERE ASKING FOR THIS TO BE DONE. COME ON. YOU -- EVERYBODY KNOWS WHAT KIND OF GAME YOU'RE PLAYING HERE. AND IT'S NOT REALLY SUCH A HIDDEN GAME. I MEAN, DO YOU REALLY THINK THAT -- LET ME ASK YOU THIS: DID YOU OR YOUR PREDECESSORS EVER STOP -- >> MAYOR JONES: SIR, PLEASE DIRECT YOUR COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS TO THE CHAIR, THANK YOU. >> MY QUESTION IS DO YOU DO THIS FOR EVERY FEDERAL BUILDING THAT GETS BUILT HERE IN SAN ANTONIO? I'M SURE THEY WILL ALL FOLLOW THE REGULATIONS, THE ENVIRONMENTAL REGULATIONS, AND WITHOUT MUCH FANFARE THAT Y'ALL ARE PRESENTING HERE TODAY. NO. THERE IS -- IT'S OBVIOUS WHAT YOU'RE TRYING TO DO, AND IT REALLY WON'T WORK. YOU'RE REALLY DELAYING THE INEVITABLE, AND I'D APPRECIATE IT IF YOU'D JUST LET THE IMMIGRATION FACILITY, THE PEOPLE DO THEIR JOB IN, YES, ARRESTING ILLEGAL ALIENS, ILLEGAL ALIENS. I MEAN, THEY ARE LIKE ILLEGAL, AREN'T THEY? YOU KNOW? CONSEQUENTLY I THINK THAT YOU SHOULD LET THEM DO THEIR JOB SO WE CAN ALL LIVE IN PEACE FOR ONCE, SO WE DON'T HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT SUCH CRIMINALS, YES CRIMINALS CAUSING THEFT, MURDERS, SEXUAL ASSAULTS, ET CETERA, HERE IN OUR CITY. BECAUSE THAT'S EXACTLY WHAT THEY HAVE BEEN DOING, IN CASE YOU DIDN'T KNOW. THANK YOU. [BUZZER]. >> MAYOR JONES: OKAY. THAT WAS OUR FINAL SPEAKER. IS THERE A MOTION TO APPROVE THE RESOLUTION SO WE CAN BEGIN COUNCIL DISCUSSION? OKAY. DID YOU HEAR THAT? THERE'S A MOTION AND A SECOND TO APPROVE THE RESOLUTION. WE'LL MOVE ON TO COUNCIL DISCUSSION. LET ME FIRST REITERATE MY THANKS TO EVERYBODY FROM THE COMMUNITY THAT HAS BEEN SO VOCAL ON THIS ISSUE AND HELPING US GET TO A PLACE THAT IS REFLECTIVE OF WHAT IS IN THE BEST INTEREST OF OUR COMMUNITY. MY THANKS, SOME FOLKS THAT ARE NOT EVEN IN THE ROOM, BUT WE ARE OF COURSE THANKFUL FOR THEIR LEADERSHIP. WE HAVE FOR MONTHS BEEN VERY PATIENT WITH THE FEDERAL AUTHORITIES IN REQUESTING INFORMATION THAT THEY COMMITTED TO PROVIDING AND HAVE YET TO DO SO DESPITE THEIR COMMITMENT TO EITHER DO THE ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT, IMPACT ASSESSMENT, PROVIDE INFORMATION REGARDING HOW THEY MAY COMPLY WITH THE CITY'S PERMITTING PROCESSES, AND OF COURSE HOW THEY WOULD SOLICIT AND THEN CONSIDER IN GOOD FAITH THE PUBLIC'S FEEDBACK ON THE PROPOSED ICE FACILITY ON THE EASTSIDE. AND AGAIN, THE LAST DEADLINE THAT WAS PASSED WITH NO RESPONSE WAS THE 30TH OF SEPTEMBER. SO AT THE VERY MINIMUM, AGAIN, I SUPPORT THIS RESOLUTION TO THE EXTENT IT PROVIDES ADDITIONAL CONTEXT. I ALSO BEGIN WILL REITERATE MY SUPPORT FOR STOPPING [03:50:09] TURNING IT INTO A PROCESSING CENTER. WITH THAT, COUNCILMAN MCKEE-RODRIGUEZ IS RECOGNIZED. >> MCKEE-RODRIGUEZ: THANK YOU, MAYOR. I WANT TO START OFF BY SAYING THANK YOU TO THE THOUSANDS OF RESIDENTS WHO HAVE WRITTEN LETTERS, SENT EMAILS, MADE PHONE CALLS, ATTENDED PROTESTS AND TOWN HALLS AND PUBLIC MEETINGS, AS WELL AS TODAY'S MEETING. I ESPECIALLY WANT TO THANK THOSE MEMBERS OF OUR COMMUNITY THAT PROVIDED SUPPORT TO MEMBERS OF OUR UNDOCUMENTED AND IMMIGRANT COMMUNITY WHO CONTINUE TO FACE ATTACK AFTER ATTACK UNDER THIS ADMISSION AND THOSE PRIOR. THIS IS AN ISSUE OF HUMANITY AND WE MUST NOT FORGET THE VERY REAL HARM AND SUFFERING THAT'S TAKING PLACE. EVERYDAY I PICK MY DAUGHTER UP FROM DAY CARE AND AS I'M DRIVING HOME I PASS BY THIS GIANT WAREHOUSE WITH 542 AT THE TOP OF IT. AND JUST A FEW FEET AWAY AS WAS MENTIONED EARLIER IS COPERNICUS PARK AND COMMUNITY CENTER AND THE SITE OF WHAT WILL BECOME A SENIOR CENTER WITH AFFORDABLE HOUSING FOR OUR SENIORS. AND I THINK ABOUT THE DISPOSITION OF THIS PLACE WHERE CHILDREN ARE PLAYING SPORTS AND MAKING MEMORIES AND FATHERS ARE PLAYING WITH THEIR DAUGHTERS, AND THEN ACROSS THE STREET IS A DETENTION FACILITY WHERE FATHERS WILL BE SEPARATED FROM THEIR DAUGHTERS AND WHERE HARMS AND ATROCITIES WILL BE TAKING PLACE EVERY SINGLE DAY. ICE HAS NO PLACE IN OUR COMMUNITY. AND IF I HAVE MY WAY THIS FACILITY WILL NOT OPEN AND I WILL SUPPORT LEGAL ACTION. THIS IS AN AREA WHERE I THINK THE VAST MAJORITY OF US ARE ON THE SAME PAGE. SO WITH THIS VOTE WE'RE TAKING A FORMAL STEP TOWARDS ARMING YOURSELVES WITH MORE INFORMATION. I APPRECIATE THAT SAWS AND CPS HAVE BEEN WORKING ON THIS REQUEST SINCE THE CCR WAS FILED. WE'VE HAD MANY CALLS AND MEETINGS ABOUT IT. THOUGH WE ARE TAKING FORMAL ACTION TODAY, THAT WORK IS ALREADYUNDER WAY. EARLIER THIS YEAR WE DIRECTED STAFF TO ON A NUMBER OF WAYS WE COULD PROTECT OUR IMMIGRANT COMMUNITY AND THAT WORK HAS CONTINUED, PUBLISHING REPORTS IN COORDINATION WITH SAPD AND ICE AND WE'LL BE ASKING THEM TO EXPAND ON THAT REPORT IN THE COMING WEEKS. WE'VE REQUIRED NOTIFICATION OF PRIVATE DETENTION FACILITIES BECAUSE IT'S NOT JUST THIS FACILITY WE HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT, BUT PRIVATE OPERATORS LOOKING TO CAPITALIZE ON THIS MOMENT. WE'VE DIRECTED STAFF TO FURTHER EXPLORE THE PRACTICALITY ON MORATORIUM ON PRIVATE FACILITIES AND WHEN THE BEST TIME FOR SOMETHING LIKE THAT IS. WE'VE COMPLETED A STUDY THAT DEMONSTRATES THE POSITIVE IMPACTS THAT IMMIGRANTS PLAY IN OUR COMMUNITY AND I'M PROUD THAT WE HAVE SO MANY HERE TODAY WILLING AND READY TO JOIN US IN ANY ACTIONS THAT WE TAKE TO DEFEND OUR COMMUNITY AND PROTECT OUR MOST VULNERABLE RESIDENTS ESPECIALLY AS IT RELATES TO THIS FACILITY. YOU CAN EXPECT NEXT STEPS AND I KNOW THAT YOU WILL ANSWER THE CALL. SO TO THAT END WE'VE HEARD FROM OUR FRIENDS, ALLIES AND CONSTITUENTS THAT BEYOND THIS UTILITY ASSESSMENT WE SHOULD IMPACT THE IMPACTS OF A FACILITY LIKE THIS USED IN THIS WAY WILL IMPACT OUR SERVICES. I KNOW STAFF WILL DO THAT WORK, BUT I WOULD LIKE TO FORMALIZE IT WITH THE FOLLOWING AMENDMENT. I MOVE TO AMENDMENT THE RESOLUTION TO ADD THAT CITY STAFF WILL WORK WITH CITY DEPARTMENT INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO POLICE, FIRE, PUBLIC WORKS AND DEVELOPMENT SERVICES TO BETTER DETERMINE AS MANY IMPACTS OF THE FACILITY ON CITY SERVICES AS POSSIBLE, INCLUDING EMERGENCY RESPONSE TIMES, NECESSARY INFRASTRUCTURE AND OPPORTUNITIES FOR ENFORCEMENT OF CITY POLICY. THANK YOU, MAYOR. >> MAYOR JONES: OKAY. THERE'S A MOTION FOR AN AMENDMENT AND A SECOND. WOULD ANYONE ELSE LIKE TO COMMENT ON THE MOTION? ON THE AMENDMENT RATHER, EXCUSE ME. ANY OTHER COMMENTS ON THE AMENDMENT? OKAY. THERE'S A MOTION AND A SECOND. PLEASE VOTE ON THE AMENDMENT. A VOICE VOTE. COUNCILMEMBER WHYTE, PLEASE. >> NO. >> MAYOR JONES: THE MOTION CARRIES. WE'LL GO BACK TO THE MAIN MOTION AS AMENDED. COUNCILWOMAN VIAGRAN, PLEASE. >> VIAGRAN: THANK YOU. I -- THANK YOU ALL FOR COMING OUT. THIS HAS BEEN LONG IN TALKING, IT HAS BEEN AN ISSUE THAT HAS IMPACTED MY DISTRICT AND CITYWIDE AND PEOPLE THAT LOOK LIKE ME VERY MUCH. SO I WANT TO THANK YOU FOR YOUR EFFORTS BECAUSE I DON'T BELIEVE THAT IF Y'ALL HADN'T COME OUT AND SPOKE UP THE WAY YOU DID ON THE -- ON SEPTEMBER 30TH DURING PUBLIC [03:55:03] COMMENT, WE WOULDN'T BE HERE TODAY. AND THEN I ASKED YOU AND MANY ORGANIZATIONS TO GO OUT AND TO MARCH AS I SAT THERE AT THE CONGRESSMAN'S HEARING. AND I SAID GO OUT. WE NEED TO SEE YOU GO OUT, AND YOU DID. AND YOU MARCHED AMAZINGLY. TO MY SURPRISE I TRIED TO HAVE A PUBLIC INPUT MEETING AND I HAD A VERY SMALL GROUP BECAUSE THE MAJORITY OF YOU WERE OUT NEAR FREEMAN COLISEUM YESTERDAY FROM 4:00 TO WHATEVER TIME IT WAS. TO SHOW THE NATION AND THE WORLD WHO SAN ANTONIO IS, AND WHAT SAN ANTONIO PRIORITIZES, WHICH IS COMMUNITY. AND THE ENVIRONMENTAL AND OPERATIONAL ASSESSMENT BY OUR UTILITIES AND WHAT WE ADDED IN THE AMENDMENT ARE ONLY PART OF THE NECESSARY EFFORTS BY OUR ENTIRE COMMUNITY TO DELAY OR PREVENT A DETENTION CENTER OF THE SIZE AND SCOPE DEEP WITHIN THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO. WE ARE IN A POSITION WHERE NOT ONLY LOCAL CONTROL IS BEING TAKEN AWAY, BUT AS ONE OF THE SPEAKERS MENTIONED, OUR FREEDOM THROUGH INTIMIDATION TACTICS. SO THERE ARE OTHER AVENUES THAT THE BUSINESS COMMUNITY, NON-PROFITS, THE RELIGIOUS COMMUNITY, LOCAL GOVERNMENT ENTITIES AND OTHER STAKEHOLDERS CAN TAKE TO PREVENT OR DELAY THE DETENTION CENTERS. WE NEED TO BE STRATEGIC ON HOW WE WORK TOGETHER TO HAVE A BETTER CHANCE OF SUCCESS. SO WHILE I AM PROUD TO HAVE SIGNED THIS AND PROUD TO VOTE FOR THE AMENDMENT, IT IS WHY I ASKED THE COUNCILWOMAN KAUR, COUNCILWOMAN CASTILLO, COUNCILWOMAN ALDERETE GAVITO AND COUNCILWOMAN MEZA GONZÁLEZ TO SIGN ON TO A THREE-SIGNATURE MEMO THAT BECAME A FIVE-SIGNATURE MEMO TO STATE THAT WE NEED TO DO MORE. AND WE HAVE THAT AND WE HAVE DATES SET. BUT RIGHT NOW I WILL ASK THAT NEXT WEEK THE COUNCIL CAN CONSIDER A RESOLUTION CALLING ON THE CITY MANAGER AND THE CITY MANAGER TO WORK WITH AND SUPPORT NOT JUST WHAT WE HAVE WITHIN THE CITY, BUT THE STAKEHOLDERS FROM THE COPS SA, AND OTHERS TO PROTECT THE COMMUNITY FROM THIS UNWANTED AND UNNECESSARY DETENTION CENTER. THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO SHOULD CONTINUE TO WORK ON COOPERATION AND SUPPORT WITH ALL STAKEHOLDERS SO THAT WE CAN STAND TOGETHER AS A COMMUNITY. THIS IS STEP 1, BUT THIS? THIS IS NOT GOING TO BE WON WITH ONE ACTION TODAY. IT IS GOING TO BE A CONTINUAL PROCESS. AND THAT'S WHY WE NEED TO DO THIS TODAY. WE NEED TO HAVE DISCUSSION NEXT THURSDAY AND HAVE A RESOLUTION AND HAVE THE PUBLIC COME OUT ON THE 15TH AND SPEAK ON THIS ISSUE AGAIN AND SHARE A LITTLE OF THEIR PLANS THAT THEY HAVE MOVING FORWARD. SO I LOOK FORWARD TO SUPPORTING THIS TODAY. I AM GRIEVED, I AM GRIEVED THAT WE HAVE TO BE ON THIS JOURNEY, BUT THERE IS NO OTHER CITY AND NO OTHER COMMUNITY I WOULD BE IN THIS FIGHT WITH OTHER THAN THIS ONE. SO THANK YOU AND I LOOK FORWARD TO SUPPORTING THIS. THANK YOU. >> MAYOR, JUST A FOLLOW-UP AND CLARIFICATION. COUNCILWOMAN, WHAT YOU'RE ASKING FOR IS ON NEXT THURSDAY THE 15TH A RESOLUTION ENACTING WHAT YOU WERE DESCRIBING? >> VIAGRAN: YES. >> YES, MA'AM. THANK YOU. >> MAYOR JONES: TO CLARIFY THE INTENT, COUNCILWOMAN, IS IT TO HELP THOSE ENTITIES DO IN THE ASSESSMENT THAT WAS JUST OUTLINED BY COUNCILMEMBER MCKEE-RODRIGUEZ? >> VIAGRAN: NO, THERE ARE OTHER STAKEHOLDERS INVOLVED THAT WE NEED TO GET STRAC INVOLVED, WE NEED THE COUNTY INVOLVED. IT'S A SLEW OF OTHER STAKEHOLDERS. GENERAL STAKEHOLDERS. >> MAYOR JONES: THE ACTIVITIES THAT YOU WANT THEM TO HELP WITH, ARE THEY ESSENTIALLY THE ONES THAT ARE OUTLINED IN THE RESOLUTION WE ARE CONSIDERING TODAY? >> VIAGRAN: IT WILL BE OUTLINED IN THE RESOLUTION, BUT IT WOULD BE FOR POSSIBLE LEGAL ACTION AS STATED IN THE MEMO. IT WOULD BE FOR LEGAL ACTION. >> MAYOR JONES: COUNCILWOMAN ALDERETE GAVITO, PLEASE. >> GAVITO: THANK YOU. I DO ALSO WANT TO THANK [04:00:04] COUNCILMAN MCKEE-RODRIGUEZ FOR HIS CCR AND PUSHING AND LEADING A LOT OF EFFORTS HERE. AND THANK YOU TO THE REST OF MY COLLEAGUES WHO COLLECTIVELY WE'VE BEEN CONTINUOUSLY PUSHING ON THIS FRONT. I DO ALSO WANT TO THANK SA STANDS AND ACT FOR SA FOR THEIR ADVOCACY ON THIS ISSUE, AS WELL AS OTHER MEMBERS OF THE COMMUNITY. I SEE PHILLIP MANN FROM DISTRICT 7. THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE. THANK YOU FOR USING Y'ALL'S VOICES FOR JUSTICE. WE KNOW THE IMPACTS OF ICE HAVE BEEN FELT GREATLY. ACTUALLY, LAST NIGHT A COUPLE OF TEXTS WERE BEING EXCHANGED FROM MY NEIGHBORHOOD BECAUSE THE DEI CAN'T DE LA MURR TOSS FEST IS BEING CANCELED AND THAT IS A TRADITION THAT A LOT OF US ON THE WESTSIDE LOOK FORWARD TO, BUT PEOPLE ARE LIVING IN FEAR AND THEY DID NOT WANT IT TO BE A PLACE WHERE QUITE FRANKLY PEOPLE ARE POACHED. SO IT'S SAD WHEN OUR CULTURE AND OUR -- AND THE SPIRIT OF OUR CITY JUST STARTS FALLING APART IN WAYS BIG AND SMALL. AS MANY OF YOU MENTIONED, MANY PEOPLE ARE SCARED TO LEAVE THEIR HOMES, BE IN THEIR CARS OR GO TO SCHOOL BECAUSE OF THE COLOR OF THEIR SKIN AND THIS IS NOT WHAT ANYBODY WANTS OR WISHES FOR OUR SAN ANTONIO. THIS IS THE OPPOSITE. SAN ANTONIO IS KNOWN FOR BEING A TIGHT KNIT CLOSE COMMUNITY, BEING A FAMILY FRIENDLY COMMUNITY FOR ALL OF US. WE HAVE A TON OF PRIDE HERE IN SAN ANTONIO AND OUR CULTURE IS BEAUTIFUL. SO I FEEL WE MUST TAKE ACTION TO PROTECT OUR CITY, AND, YOU KNOW, PROTECT OUR DIVERSITY AND PROTECT OUR BEAUTY AND OUR CULTURE. SO AGAIN, THANK YOU TO COUNCILMAN MCKEE-RODRIGUEZ FOR SPEARHEADING THE CCRS AND MY COLLEAGUES WHO WE HAVE ALL BEEN PUSHING IN OUR OWN WAYS. I KNOW THAT ONE COUNCILMEMBER JUST HAD A KNOW YOUR RIGHTS IN ONE DISTRICT. I'M SUPPORTIVE OF WHAT COUNCILWOMAN VIAGRAN SAID SO THAT ON THE 15TH WE CAN LOOK AND HAVE A VERY SERIOUS DISCUSSION ABOUT POTENTIAL LEGAL ACTION WHICH I'D BE SUPPORTIVE OF. SO THIS IS A COLLECTIVE EFFORT. IT'S NOT JUST CITY COUNCIL, IT'S OUR STATE LEADERS, IT'S OUR FEDERAL LEADERS, IT'S OUR COMMUNITY. WE ALL HAVE TO LOCK ARMS TOGETHER TO PUSH BACK ON ICE. SO THOSE ARE ALL MY COMMENTS. THANK YOU. >> MAYOR JONES: THANK YOU. COUNCILMEMBER MUNGIA, PLEASE. >> MUNGIA: I'LL BE LEAVE. I WANT TO THANK THE COMMUNITY FOR CONSTANTLY COMING OUT TO CITY COUNCIL AND EMAILING US AND CALLING US AND ASKING US TO DO MORE, AND SO I THINK IT'S AMAZING THAT OUR COMMUNITY IS LEADING ON THIS ISSUE. I DO BELIEVE THAT THE BEST IDEAS COME FROM OUT THERE AND NOT NECESSARILY UP HERE. I WANT TO GIVE EVERYBODY -- THANK YOU FOR TAKING TIME OFF FROM WORK, TAKING TIME OFF FROM THEIR FAMILIES TO ADVOCATE FOR FOLKS WHO COULDN'T EVEN BE HERE AT ANY OF THOSE MOMENTS. SOMEONE SAID EARLY E AND I DISPUTE, THAT IT REALLY IS NOT A GAME. IT'S VERY SAD, IT'S VERY DANGEROUS AND IT'S BECOMING VERY LETHAL IN OUR COMMUNITY. AND OUR COMMUNITY SIMPLY DOES NOT WANT THAT, DOES NOT DESERVE THAT. SO THIS IS CAN DO AND WE CERTAINLY MUST DO MORE. I KNOW OUR COMMUNITY OF FOLKS WILL BE BEHIND US ON THAT. WILL BE BEHIND YOU ALL ON THIS JOURNEY. SO I DO THINK THAT WE HAVE A LOT MORE TO DO, ESPECIALLY WHEN IT COMES TO LEGAL ACTION. AND I JUST HOPE THAT THERE WILL BE SOME CHANGES BY THE END OF THIS ELECTION PROCESS AND PUT SOME BRAKES ON THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT'S EFFORTS TO DO THIS. SO WE'VE GOT TO REMIND OURSELVES TO GO OUT THERE AND VOTE. THANK YOU TO COUNCILMEMBER MCKEE-RODRIGUEZ FOR CHAMPIONING THIS AND EXPANDING THE PARAMETERS OF THAT. AND I DO WANT TO THANK OUR UTILITIES FOR BEING GOOD PARTNERS IN DEVELOPING THIS PROCESS IN ADDITION TO OUR CITY STAFF WHO WILL BE HELPING WORK ON THIS. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. >> MAYOR JONES: THANK YOU. COUNCILMEMBER SPEARS, PLEASE. >> SPEARS: THANKS, MAYOR. I HAVE VERY SERIOUS CONCERNS ABOUT THIS RESOLUTION, AND I WILL NOT BE SUPPORTING IT. FIRST, WE NEED TO RECOGNIZE THE LIMITS OF OUR AUTHORITY. THE SUPREMACY CLAUSE OF THE UNITED STATES CONSTITUTION DOES ESTABLISH THAT FEDERAL LAW TAKES PRECEDENCE OVER CONFLICTING STATE AND LOCAL LAWS. IMMIGRATION ENFORCEMENT IS A FEDERAL RESPONSIBILITY AND THIS COUNCIL CANNOT USE ITS LOCAL AUTHORITY TO OBSTRUCT LAWFUL FEDERAL OPERATIONS SIMPLY BECAUSE WE DISAGREE WITH FEDERAL POLICY. WE ARE A CITY COUNCIL, WE ARE NOT CONGRESS. OUR RESPONSIBILITY IS TO [04:05:01] GOVERN SAN ANTONIO, NOT USE OUR PUBLIC UTILITIES AS POLITICAL INSTRUMENTS AGAINST THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT. I ALSO THINK THAT IT'S IMPORTANT THAT WE ACCURATELY DESCRIBE WHAT'S BEING PROPOSED. THIS IS A FEDERAL IMMIGRATION PROCESSING CENTER WHICH MAY TEMPORARILY HOLD INDIVIDUALS BEFORE THEY ARE TRANSFERRED ELSEWHERE. THIS DISTINCTION MATTERS WHEN DISCUSSING ITS OPERATIONS AND POTENTIAL IMPACTS. AND THESE FACILITIES ARE NOT UNIQUE IN SAN ANTONIO. FEDERAL IMMIGRATION PROCESSING CENTERS ALREADY OPERATE IN PEARSALL, EL PASO AND CONROE TEXAS, AS WELL AS LOUISIANA, WASHINGTON AND OTHER STATES. THIS IS AN ESTABLISHED FEDERAL FUNCTION, NOT SOMETHING UNPRECEDENTED. I ALSO HAVE TO QUESTION THE CONSISTENCY OF THIS RESOLUTION. JUST A FEW YEARS AGO OUR CITY OPERATED THE MIGRANT RESOURCE CENTER ON SAN PEDRO AVENUE SERVING LARGE NUMBERS OF MIGRANTS TRAVELING THROUGH SAN ANTONIO. DID WE DEMAND THE SAME ENVIRONMENTAL INFRASTRUCTURE, WATER, WASTEWATER, ELECTRICITY ASSESSMENTS, WHEN THE CITY ITSELF WAS OPERATING A MIGRANT FACILITY? IF NOT, WHY ARE WE DEMANDING THEM NOW? IF THIS IS TRULY ABOUT PROTECTING OUR INFRASTRUCTURE, THEN THE STANDARDS SHOULD BE CONSISTENT REGARDLESS OF WHO OPERATES THE FACILITY OR WHETHER WE AGREE WITH ITS MISSION. I ALSO WANT TO SHARE SOMETHING PERSONAL. RECENTLY I HAD THE PRIVILEGE OF ATTENDING AND SPEAKING AT A NATURALIZATION CEREMONY RIGHT HERE IN OUR CITY COUNCIL CHAMBERS. IT WAS A BEAUTIFUL AND MOVING EXPERIENCE TO WATCH INDIVIDUALS FROM AROUND THE WORLD BECOME AMERICAN CITIZENS. THESE WERE PEOPLE WHO FOLLOWED THE LEGAL PROCESS, MET THE REQUIREMENTS, WORKED HARD AND MADE A COMMITMENT TO OUR COUNTRY AND THE VALUES THAT WE SHARE. IT WAS A POWERFUL REMINDER OF WHAT MAKES AMERICA SO SPECIAL. WE ARE A NATION THAT WELCOMES PEOPLE FROM ALL OVER THE WORLD AND WE HAVE ESTABLISHED LEGAL PATHWAYS FOR PEOPLE TO BECOME CITIZENS. BUT WE ARE ALSO A NATION OF LAWS, AND THOSE LAWS MUST MEAN SOMETHING. SO WE CANNOT CELEBRATE THOSE WHO HAVE WORKED TO FOLLOW OUR IMMIGRATION LAWS WHILE SIMULTANEOUSLY SUGGESTING THAT ENFORCING THOSE LAWS IS SOMEHOW INAPPROPRIATE. I BELIEVE WE CAN WELCOME LEGAL IMMIGRATION, CELEBRATE NEW AMERICAN CITIZENS AND TREAT EVERY INDIVIDUAL WITH DIGNITY AND STILL RECOGNIZE THAT THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT HAS A RESPONSIBILITY TO ENFORCE OUR NATION'S IMMIGRATION LAWS. THOSE PRINCIPLES ARE NOT MUTUALLY EXCLUSIVE. I FULLY SUPPORT RESPONSIBLE INFRASTRUCTURE PLANNING IN COMPLIANCE WITH ENVIRONMENTAL LAWS, BUT I DO NOT SUPPORT SELECTIVELY DIRECTING OUR UTILITIES TO CONDUCT ASSESSMENTS AND MEANS OF CHALLENGING FEDERAL IMMIGRATION POLICY. I WILL ADD IN ADDITIONALLY OUR SAPD AND OUR LAW ENFORCEMENT AND FIREFIGHTERS. SAWS AND CPS ENERGY HAVE SIGNIFICANT RESPONSIBILITIES TO THEIR CUSTOMERS, PARTICULARLY WHEN OUR RESIDENTS ARE ALREADY FACING RISING UTILITY COSTS. PROTECTING OUR INFRASTRUCTURE IS OUR RESPONSIBILITY, USING OUR PUBLIC UTILITIES TO WAGE POLITICAL BATTLES IS NOT. FOR THESE REASONS I WILL BE VOTING NO. >> MAYOR JONES: THANK YOU. COUNCILMEMBER CASTILLO, PLEASE. >> CASTILLO: THANK YOU. I'LL BE BRIEF. I'D LIKE TO BUILD UPON THE POINT THAT WE'RE HERE TODAY BECAUSE COMMUNITY MEMBERS ALL THROUGHOUT THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO HAVE CONTINUED TO ORGANIZE, TO DEMAND THAT THEIR ELECTED OFFICIALS DO BETTER FROM THE LOCAL LEVEL TO THE STATE, FEDERAL, IT'S BEEN COMMUNITY DRIVING AND PUSHING ELECTED OFFICIALS TO HAVE AND MEAT AN EXPECTATION, RIGHT? AND BECAUSE OF THE PUBLIC COMMENT, THE RALLYING, THE PROTESTS, YOU ALL HAVE PUSHED COUNCIL MEMBERS AND MODERATES IN PARTICULAR TO FINALLY SAY ENOUGH IS ENOUGH IS ENOUGH, AND ICE OUT. AND THAT WOULD NOT HAVE HAPPENED WITHOUT YOU ALL, AGAIN, HOLDING OUR FEET TO THE FIRE TO DEMAND BETTER. I'M EXTREMELY GRATEFUL FOR THE LEADERSHIP OF COUNCILMAN MCKEE-RODRIGUEZ WITH THESE COUNCIL REQUESTS AND RESOLUTIONS AND SETTING THAT EXPECTATION TO SHOW UP AND RESPOND TO OUR THE CITY'S NEEDS AS WELL AS TO COUNCILWOMAN VIAGRAN. I THINK WHAT'S EVIDENT TODAY AND WITH THE TWO RESOLUTIONS THAT I WAS VERY GRATEFUL TO SIGN ON, IT DEMONSTRATES THAT THIS COUNCIL IS THE MAJORITY -- IS OVERWHELMING SUPPORTIVE OF DOING MORE AND DEMANDING BETTER IN TERMS OF OUR FEDERAL GOVERNMENT AND OUR EXPECTATION IS THAT THEY ALSO FOLLOW POLICIES AND PROCEDURES, BUT ULTIMATELY THAT WE'RE SAYING WE'RE WILLING TO FILE SUIT AND CHALLENGE THIS SYSTEM AND ICE IN PARTICULAR. SO GRATEFUL FOR, AGAIN, THIS BODY, THIS COUNCIL, FOR OVERWHELMINGLY SAYING ENOUGH AND WE EXPECT BETTER. SO JUST GRATEFUL FOR THE LEADERSHIP MUCH ALL OF MY COLLEAGUES UP HERE FOR TAKING THAT INITIATIVE AND LEAD. AGAIN, FOLLOWING WHAT COMMUNITY HAS SET AS THE EXPECTATION. SO I'LL BE SUPPORTING THIS RESOLUTION AND LOOKING FORWARD TO NEXT WEEK'S RESOLUTION AS WELL. [04:10:02] THANK YOU. >> MAYOR JONES: THANK YOU. COUNCILWOMAN MEZA GONZÁLEZ, PLEASE. >> GONZÁLEZ: THANK YOU TO EVERYBODY WHO WAS -- CAME OUT TODAY AND WHO HAS COME OUT TO PUBLIC COMMENT OVER THE LAST FEW MONTHS. I AGREE WITH MY COLLEAGUES, I THINK IT REALLY DOES START WITH COMMUNITY IN SO MANY WAYS. THAT'S HOW WE ALL GOT HERE WAS BECAUSE OF THE COMMUNITY. AND SO WE CONTINUE TO DO -- WE CONTINUE TO DO THE WORK BECAUSE THE COMMUNITY IS ASKING FOR IT AND SOMETIMES COMMANDING FOR IT. I THINK SAN ANTONIO HAS ALWAYS BEEN A CITY THAT TAKES CARE OF ITS OWN. I WAS BORN AND RAISED HERE, I'M RAISING MY KIDS HERE, AND WE UNDERSTAND THAT WHEN -- WHEN WE REACH OUR FULL POTENTIAL ONLY WHEN EVERY MEMBER OF OUR COMMUNITY IS ABLE TO THRIVE. WHEN RESIDENTS DO NOT FEEL SAFE AND SECURE, THAT AFFECTS DO NOT STOP AT OUR FRONT DOORS. PEOPLE STEP BACK FROM THEIR COMMUNITY AND FROM THE EVERYDAY LIFE OF OUR LOCAL ECONOMY. THEY THINK TWICE ABOUT GOING TO WORK, ABOUT KEEPING THEIR BUSINESSES OPEN, ABOUT TAKING THEIR CHILDREN TO SCHOOL OR TO THE DOCTOR EVEN. A COMMUNITY WHERE RESIDENTS LIVE IN FEAR CANNOT FULLY PARTICIPATE AND A COMMUNITY THAT CANNOT FULLY PARTICIPATE CANNOT THRIVE. I THINK THAT EACH OF US IS CALLED TO RESPECT THE DIGNITY AND FREEDOM OF EVERY MEMBER OF OUR COMMUNITY AND TO HOLD ACCOUNTABLE THOSE WHO WOULD ENDANGER THE SAFETY, FREEDOM AND WELL-BEING OF OUR NEIGHBORS. I WAS PROUD TO SIGN ON TO ONE OF JALEN'S CCRS, COUNCILMAN MCKEE-RODRIGUEZ'S CCR AND APPRECIATE HIS EFFORTS. I BELIEVE THAT AS A CITY WE SHOULD DO EVERYTHING WITHIN OUR LEGAL POWER TO ENSURE THAT OUR RESIDENTS FEEL SAFE AND SECURE IN THE PLACES THAT THEY CALL HOME. SO I LOOK FORWARD TO CONTINUED RECOMMENDATIONS AND IDEAS FROM OUR COLLEAGUES AND CITY STAFF THAT THEY BRING FORWARD. AND ON HOW WE PROTECT OUR RESIDENTS AND THEIR FAMILIES. THANK YOU. >> MAYOR JONES: THANK YOU. COUNCILMEMBER WHYTE, PLEASE. >> WHYTE: THANKS, MAYOR. I'LL BE BRIEF. I'M NOT SURE ONE PERSON THAT'S SPOKEN IN FAVOR OF THIS RESOLUTION TODAY HAS TALKED ABOUT SAWS AND CPS AND WATER USAGE AND POWER USAGE OR ANY OF IT, RIGHT? AND I THINK COUNCILWOMAN VIAGRAN WAS THE MOST HONEST WHEN SHE SAID THIS IS SIMPLY ABOUT TRYING TO DELAY THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT FOR EXERCISING THEIR RIGHT TO CONTROL IMMIGRATION ENFORCEMENT ACTIVITIES IN THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA. SIMPLY PUT, THIS IS NOTHING MORE THAN POLITICAL THEATER. TO MY COLLEAGUES, YOU KNOW I ENJOY WORKING WITH YOU AND WE HAVE SO MANY IMPORTANT ISSUES THAT CITY GOVERNMENT IS SUPPOSED TO BE WORKING ON, YET INSTEAD OF THAT TODAY, AGAIN, WE'RE INVOLVED IN THIS POLITICAL EXERCISE SIMPLY SO THAT SOME UP HERE CAN MAKE A POINT AND PLEASE A PARTICULAR SEGMENT OF THE POPULATION. ILLEGAL IMMIGRATION IS WRONG WRONG. THE UNITED STATES GOVERNMENT HAS EVERY RIGHT TO CONDUCT THE ACTIVITIES THAT THEY'RE CONDUCTING HERE IN SAN ANTONIO AND TO ASK OUR CITY GOVERNMENT AND OUR UTILITIES TO SPEND TAXPAYER DOLLARS AND RATEPAYER MONEY ON THIS LITTLE EXERCISE SIMPLY BECAUSE YOU DON'T APPROVE OF WHAT THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT IS DOING IS WRONG. IT'S A WASTE OF MONEY. IF WE END UP FILING A LAWSUIT, THAT'S GOING TO BE A FURTHER WASTE OF MONEY. AND AGAIN, WHY? TO DELAY. TO DELAY, MAKE SOME PEOPLE IN THE COMMUNITY HAPPEN, MAKE THEM FEEL LIKE CITY GOVERNMENT IS DOING SOMETHING WHEN IN ACTUALITY AS IT'S BEEN SAID BEFORE, THERE IS NOTHING THAT THIS CITY GOVERNMENT CAN DO TO CHANGE WHAT THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT IS DOING HERE IN SAN ANTONIO AND ACROSS THE COUNTRY, AND THAT'S TO ENFORCE THE IMMIGRATION LAWS OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA. SO I OPPOSE THIS RESOLUTION, I FEAR IT'S ANOTHER UNBELIEVABLE WASTE OF TAXPAYER RESOURCES, AND WE SHOULDN'T BE DOING IT. THANKS, MAYOR. >> MAYOR JONES: THANK YOU. COUNCILMEMBER KAUR, PLEASE. >> KAUR: THANKS, MAYOR. IRONICALLY WE JUST GOT OUT OF A CONVERSATION TALKING ABOUT SAWS AND HOW DO WE MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE JUDICIOUSLY SPENDING DOLLARS AND NOT PUTTING DOLLARS ON OUR RESIDENTS. AND HAVING AN EXTRA PROJECT THAT WOULD COST THEM TIME, EFFORT, ENERGY IS GOING TO BE WAY MORE THAN THE DILIGENCE THAT IT TAKES TO SEE WHAT THAT WOULD LOOK LIKE. AND SO IT IS VERY IMPORTANT THAT WE DO WHAT WE CAN IN OUR CONTROL. IT WAS ARGUED THAT WE CAN'T DO THIS THINGS. ACTUALLY, WE OVERSEE CPS AND SAWS LAST TIME I CHECKED. IT'S ON OUR LEGISLATIVE AGENDA TO EVEN KEEP THAT. [04:15:01] SO DOING THE DILIGENCE AROUND WHAT THE IMPACT OF A FACILITY LIKE THIS WOULD BE IS EXACTLY WHAT WE SHOULD BE DOING AS A COUNCIL AND IT IS EXACTLY WITHIN OUR PURVIEW. SO WE ARE NOT OVERSTEPPING WHAT WE ARE ALLOWED TO DO AND WE'RE PROTECTING OUR RESIDENTS AND THAT IS WHAT WE WERE PUT INTO THESE SEATS TO DO. I JUST GOT AN EMAIL TODAY FROM A RESIDENT WHO WAS TELLING ME THAT HER FATHER'S --R WAS DETAINED IN JUNE, HAS BEEN AT THE DETENTION CENTER, WAS TOLD THAT NEEDED TO VOLUNTARY DEPORT. CAN'T GET ANY INFORMATION FROM THE ICE FACILITY ABOUT WHAT'S GOING ON. SHE SAID SHE'S ALREADY SPENT OVER $30,000 IN ATTORNEY FEES AND DOESN'T KNOW WHAT TO DO. AND THAT IS CONSISTENT ACROSS OUR COMMUNITIES. THAT'S A DISTRICT 1 RESIDENT WHO I MET BECAUSE WE WERE DOING -- TALKING ABOUT A DRAINAGE PROJECT THAT WAS IN COMBINATION WITH CASTLE HILLS. I MEAN, THESE ARE OUR FOLKS LIVING IN OUR COMMUNITIES, PAYING OUR TAXES AND NOW THEY'RE LOSING PEOPLE IN THEIR FAMILY, AND THAT CHILD WON'T BE ABLE TO GROW UP WITH A FATHER. SO THINK ABOUT THE IMPACT THAT'S GOING TO HAVE ON OUR FUTURE GENERATION. SO ALL OF THAT TO SAY I ABSOLUTELY SUPPORT THIS. I WANT TO THANK MY COUNCIL COLLEAGUES FOR THEIR WORK, BOTH COUNCILMEMBER MCKEE-RODRIGUEZ AND COUNCILMEMBER VIAGRAN. I THINK THE POINTS THAT WERE MADE ARE VERY TRUE, THE MORE THAT WE STAND UNITED -- WE SAW IT ON THE LAST VOTE TOO. COMMUNITY WANTS TO SEE A COUNCIL WORKING TOGETHER TOWARDS THE ISSUES THAT MATTER TO OUR RESIDENTS. AND THAT IS TRUE ABOUT ALL THINGS. AND SO WORKING TOGETHER, HAVING PUBLIC COMMENT, I KNOW I STOPPED BY THE PUBLIC COMMENT YESTERDAY AT CENTRAL LIBRARY AND SAW SOME OF YOU ALL THERE. THERE WAS FOLKS FROM COPS/METRO THERE, THERE ARE QUESTIONS BEING ASKED AROUND PUBLIC SAFETY. SO AS CHAIR OF PUBLIC SAFETY I WANTED TO SAY THAT WE EARLIER THIS YEAR DID A KEY WORD SEARCH FOR RECORDS THAT SHOWED WHEN ICE OR IMMIGRATION WAS MENTIONED. AND A LOT OF IT WAS JUST FOLKS ASKING FOR HELP WHEN WE SAW THOSE RESULTS, BUT I WILL WORK WITH MARIA AND CHIEF SAL MAY TO REDO THAT SEARCH SO WE CAN SEE WHAT'S HAPPENED AND SHARE WITH THE COMMUNITY OVER THE LAST 10 MONTHS AND ANY CHANGES IN THE RESULTS WE SAW THIS YEAR. I WANT AS MUCH TRANSPARENCY AND ACCOUNTABILITY AS POSSIBLE THAT WE ARE DOING AND WE ARE ENSURING THAT OUR RESIDENTS KNOW THAT WE WANT THEM TO BE SAFE, FREE AND THIS IS WHERE THEY BELONG. BECAUSE TO HEAR THAT PEOPLE ARE LEAVING SAN ANTONIO BECAUSE THEY DON'T FEEL SAFE HERE IS TRULY BREAKING TO MY HEART AND I KNOW ALL OF US WANT TO PROTECT OUR RESIDENTS. THIS IS THE WAY THEY NEED TO BE PROTECTED. THANKS, MAYOR. >> MAYOR JONES: THANK YOU. COUNCILMEMBER GALVAN, PLEASE. >> GALVAN: THANK YOU, MAYOR AND THANK YOU TO MY COLLEAGUES WHO HAVE PUT FORWARD THESE RESOLUTIONS, PUT FORWARD THE ACTIONS AND MADE SURE TO INCLUDE MANY OF US HERE WHO WE NO HE ARE IN ALIGNMENT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE CAN HOLD ICE ACCOUNTABLE AND THEY CONTINUE TO TRY TO EXPAND THEIR ACTS OF TERROR NOT ONLY IN OUR STATE, BUT HERE PARTICULARLY IN OUR CITY. I WANT TO THANK CITY STAFF, THE ADVOCATES AND RESIDENTS IN OUR COMMUNITY WHO HAVE CONTINUED TO PUSH UPON EVERY LEVEL OF GOVERNMENT TO TAKE ACTION, NOT JUST RECOGNIZE, NOT JUST NOTICE, NOT JUST MENTION, BUT TO ACT UPON HOLDING ICE ACCOUNTABLE. WE KNOW DESPITE THE HISTORY OF THE PEOPLE OF TEXAS AND HOW FOUNDATIONAL MIGRATION IS TO OUR IDENTITY, OUR CULTURE AND ECONOMY, THAT OUR STATE LEADERS HAVE LONG-AWAITED VIOLENT ACTION THAT WE SEE BEFORE US. OUR STATE HAS MADE IT INCREASING ILY DIFFICULT FOR CITIES TO PUSH BACK ON POLICIES THAT HARM OUR WORKING CLASS RESIDENTS. THAT DOESN'T MEAN WE HAVE TO WAIT ON THE SIDELINES. NOR DOES IT MEAN IN PARTICULAR SAN ANTONIO CAN BACK DOWN. OUR CITY MADE CLEAR TO ICE AND HOMELAND SECURITY THAT THEY NEED TO FOLLOW FEDERAL LAWS WHEN IT COMES TO THIS DETENTION CENTER AND THEY AGREED. THEY AGREED IN WRITING. YET THEY'RE MOVING FORWARD WITH HIRING CONTRACTORS TO BEGIN CONSTRUCTING THIS FACILITY WITHOUT A SINGLE PERMIT FROM US AND WITHOUT A FEDERAL ENVIRONMENTAL STUDY AS REQUIRED BY FEDERAL LAW. ICE DESERVES NOTHING LESS THAN THE FULL STRENGTH OF THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO'S LEGAL DEPARTMENT HOLDING THEM ACCOUNTABLE, A FULL EVALUATION OF HOW THIS FACILITY WILL IMPACT OUR LOCAL ENVIRONMENT, UTILITIES, ECONOMY AND OUR PEOPLE. THIS IS ABOUT ONE THING, ACCOUNTABILITY. ACCOUNTABILITY IN A ROGUE FEDERAL AGENCY THAT CONTINUES TO VIOLATE CONSTITUTIONAL RIGHTS ACROSS OUR COUNTRY, ACCOUNTABILITY ON A FEDERAL ADMINISTRATION THAT CARES SO LITTLE ABOUT OUR COUNTRY'S SYSTEMS OF CHECKS AND BALANCES THAT THEY HAVE IGNORED OUR FEDERAL AND LOCAL LAWS WHEN IT COMES TO THIS PROPOSED DETENTION CENTER. AND FRANKLY, ACCOUNTABILITY UPON US TO TAKE ACTION AND MAKE LOUD AND CLEAR THAT NO ONE, NO PROJECT AND NO ADMINISTRATION IS ABOVE THE LAW. I'M SO HAPPY TO SUPPORT THIS RESOLUTION AND FURTHER ACTION ON THIS MATTER. THANK Y'ALL SO MUCH. >> MAYOR JONES: THANK YOU. WOULD ANYONE ELSE LIKE TO SPEAK ON A SECOND ROUND? [04:20:02] OKAY. THANK YOU AGAIN TO THOSE THAT CAME OUT. THANKS TO MY COLLEAGUES FOR SUPPORTING BRINGING THIS TO DISCUSSION AND ACTION TODAY. SO THERE'S A MOTION AND A SECOND ON THE MAIN MOTION AS AMENDED. PLEASE VOTE. COUNCILMAN WHYTE, PLEASE. >> WHYTE: NO. >> MAYOR JONES: OKAY. THE MOTION CARRIES. [APPLAUSE]. THAT IS THE BUSINESS OF THE DAY. THE TIME IS 1:39 P.M. AND THIS MEETING IS ADJOURNED. * This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.