[00:00:32]
GOOD MORNING.WELCOME TO THE CITY COUNCIL REGULAR MEETING OF OCTOBER THE 19TH, 2017.
COUNCIL MEMBER BROCK HOUSE PRESENT.
WELCOME TO OUR CITY COUNCIL A SESSION AGENDA.
WE WILL BEGIN FIRST WITH OUR INVOCATION, WHO IS A GUEST OF COUNCIL MEMBER TREVINO.
UM, I WOULD LIKE TO WELCOME RABBI MARA NATHAN NATHAN OF TEMPLE BETHEL, SAN ANTONIO'S LARGEST REFORMED JUDAISM TEMPLE.
SHE BEGAN HER SERVICE AT TEMPLE BETHEL ON JULY 1ST, 2014, AND SHE'S THE FIRST WOMAN TO SERVE AS THE SENIOR RABBI OF A MAJOR CONGREGATION IN THE STATE OF TEXAS, AND CURRENTLY LEADS A GROUP OF ALL FEMALE CLERGY.
RABBI NATHAN WAS ORDAINED BY THE HEBREW UNION COLLEGE JEWISH INSTITUTE OF RELIGION IN NEW YORK IN 2000, WHERE SHE WAS A RECIPIENT OF THE TI STEINHARDT FELLOWSHIP.
A SCHOLARSHIP AWARDED TO RABBINICAL STUDENTS TO FURTHER INFORMAL, TO FURTHER INFORMAL EDUCATION WITH TEENS AND COLLEGE AGE STUDENTS, AND RECEIVED ACADEMIC AWARDS FOR HEBREW HISTORY AND TALMUDIC STUDIES.
SHE RECEIVED A BACHELOR'S OF ARTS DEGREE IN HISTORY, AS WELL AS CERTIFICATES IN JEWISH STUDIES AND WOMEN'S STUDIES FROM NORTHWESTERN UNIVERSITY IN 1993.
I APPLAUD HER LEADERSHIP AS WELL AS TEMPLE ETHEL'S HISTORIC INVOLVEMENT IN OUR COMMUNITY AND COMMITMENT TO SOCIAL JUSTICE ON THE EVE OF, OF, OF BOTH OUR CITY'S TRADE MISSIONS TO ISRAEL AND TEMPLE BETHEL'S CONGREGATIONAL TRIP TO ISRAEL, LED BY RABBI NATHAN.
I WANT TO CONNECT AND REINFORCE THE DEEP HISTORY OF THE JEWISH FAITH IN SAN ANTONIO.
RABBI NATHAN, THANK YOU ONCE AGAIN FOR BEING HERE THIS MORNING.
IT'S AN HONOR TO BE WITH YOU THIS MORNING TO MORNING TO OFFER AN INVOCATION IN PREPARATION FOR THIS DAY'S ESSENTIAL WORK, AS WELL AS SEND YOU AND MAYOR NUREMBERG ON YOUR WAY TO ISRAEL WITH BLESSINGS FOR A SAFE JOURNEY THERE AND BACK IN.
AND IT IS IMPORTANT FOR ME TO BE HERE TODAY TO REMIND YOU OF YOUR ESSENTIAL WORK, THE WORK THAT ALL OF YOU HAVE BEEN ELECTED TO DO.
AS ARE SAN ANTONIO CITY COUNCIL, YOU ARE CALLED UPON TO REMEMBER THE HIGHER PURPOSE OF YOUR OFFICE, TO LEAD YOUR FELLOW SAN ANTONIANS BY CREATING OPPORTUNITIES AND SEEKING SOLUTIONS, ENABLING OUR GREAT CITY TO CONTINUE TO GROW AND EVOLVE, TO MAINTAIN ORDER IN OUR CITY, AND TO CULTIVATE A VISION FOR THE FUTURE THAT WILL KEEP SAN ANTONIO STRONG AND SAFE AND PROUD.
YOU HAVE BEEN GIVEN THE TASK OF REPRESENTING THE BEST INTERESTS OF ALL OF US WHO LIVE HERE, REGARDLESS OF OUR AGE, GENDER, RELIGIOUS ORIENTATION, ECONOMIC REALITY, OR PARTY AFFILIATION.
AND SO YOUR MISSION IN PART MUST BE TO WORK TOWARDS CREATING A JUST SOCIETY IN WHICH WE ALL FEEL PROTECTED AND SECURE.
YOUR MISSION MUST BE IN PART TO HEAR THE CALL OF THOSE IN NEED, TO PRESERVE OUR RIGHTS TO CIVIL LIBERTIES, EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITIES, AND FREEDOM OF RELIGIOUS EXPRESSION.
YOUR MISSION MUST BE IN PART TO ATTEMPT TO FASHION AND INFRASTRUCTURE THAT PROVIDES FOR ALL YOUR MISSION MUST BE TO LEAD WITH INTEGRITY, THOUGHTFULNESS, AND LOVE.
JEWISH TRADITION TEACHES IN THE BOOK PIA VOTE, THE ETHICS OF OUR FATHERS.
THERE IS MUCH WORK TO BE DONE.
IT IS NOT UP TO YOU TO FINISH THE WORK, YET YOU ARE ALSO NOT FREE TO AVOID IT TODAY.
THE TASKS AHEAD ARE NOT SMALL.
YOU MIGHT SAY THEY ARE DAUNTING.
YET, AS LEADERS, YOU HAVE AGREED TO TAKE ON THAT RESPONSIBILITY.
YOU HAVE PLEDGED TO STAND UP AND SERVE OUR COMMUNITY WITH DEDICATION, WITH COMMITMENT, AND WITH PRIDE.
THE RABBIS OF THE TALMUD UNDERSTAND, AS DO WE, THAT GREAT LEADERSHIP DOES NOT REQUIRE ONE TO FINISH ALL THE WORK THERE IS TO BE DONE, BUT RATHER TO HELP US MOVE FORWARD TOWARDS CREATING A BETTER WORLD FOR EVERYONE.
MAY YOU RECOGNIZE THE BLESSINGS YOU HAVE AND THE OPPORTUNITY TO WORK TOGETHER.
MAY YOU RECOGNIZE THE PRIVILEGE AND RESPONSIBILITY YOUR FELLOW SAN ANTONIANS HAVE GIVEN TO
[00:05:01]
YOU, AND MAY YOU EACH FEEL LIFTED UP IN THIS SACRED PURPOSE OF LEADING OUR COMMUNITY FOR THE TIME THAT HAS BEEN GIVEN TO YOU.OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA AND TO THE REPUBLIC FOR WHICH IS STANDS, ONE NATION UNDER INDIVISIBLE WITH LIBERTY AND JUSTICE FOR ALL.
ALRIGHT, WE HAVE AN ANNOUNCEMENT FOR TRANSLATION SERVICES.
[3. Approval of Minutes for the City Council Special Session of September 5, 2017 and City Council Regular Meetings of September 6-7, 2017]
AGENDA IS APPROVAL OF THE CITY COUNCIL MEETING MINUTES FROM SEPTEMBER 5TH AND SEPTEMBER 6TH THROUGH SEVENTH SEPTEMBER.THERE IS A MOTION AND SECOND FOR APPROVAL OF THE MEETING MINUTES FROM SEM, SEPTEMBER 5TH THROUGH SEVENTH.
ALRIGHT, WE HAVE A CONSENT AGENDA, UH, BUT WE DO HAVE ONE ITEM FOR
[4. A Resolution recognizing the 75th anniversary of City ownership of CPS Energy. [Ben Gorzell, Chief Financial Officer]]
SPECIAL BRIEFING AND IT IS A RESOLUTION, UH, OF THE 70, RECOGNIZING THE 75TH ANNIVERSARY OF OUR CITY OWNERSHIP OF C P S ENERGY.UH, IF THE CLERK COULD READ THE CAPTION, A RESOLUTION RECOGNIZING THE 75TH ANNIVERSARY OF CITY OWNERSHIP OF C P S ENERGY.
AND I THINK THAT IS BEING PRESENTED BY BEN.
WELL, WHY DON'T WE HAVE, UH, PAULA, WOULD YOU LIKE TO STEP UP? AND I DO HAVE A RESOLUTION TO PRESENT TO YOU FIRST, BUT I I DID WANT TO TAKE A MOMENT AND SEE IF THERE WAS ANY OTHER COUNCIL COMMENT.
UH, BUT IT, IT WILL BE LONG NOTED THAT CITY, UH, THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO HAS BEEN TRANSFORMED IN PART BY THE OWNERSHIP OF, OF ITS ELECTRIC UTILITY, WHICH IS NOW THE LARGEST MUNICIPALLY OWNED ELECTRIC UTILITY IN THE COUNTRY.
AND, UH, UNDER YOUR LEADERSHIP, WE HAVE BEEN ABLE TO MOVE FORWARD ON A NUMBER OF IMPORTANT INITIATIVES HERE, UH, PARTICULARLY WITH REGARD TO THE RESILIENCE OF OUR ENERGY GRID AND THE SUSTAINABILITY OF OUR COMMUNITY.
AND I WANTED TO, UM, ASK YOU IF YOU HAD ANY COMMENTS FIRST IN RECOGNITION OF OUR THIS REALLY IMPORTANT MILESTONE.
I AM HONORED TO BE HERE, AND I AM BEYOND HONORED TO SERVE IN THE CAPACITY OF C E O FOR C P S ENERGY.
UM, OFTENTIMES PEOPLE ASK ME, UH, WHERE ARE YOU FROM? AND I, I FIND MYSELF, YOU KNOW, STARTING WITH THIS, I'M FROM SAN ANTONIO, UH, GREW UP ON THE EAST SIDE, AND I NEVER HAD AN EXPECTATION THAT I WOULD HAVE THE HONOR TO LEAD TO SERVE THE COUNCIL, TO SERVE THE CITY.
UM, AND TO DO SO TO, WITH A ORGANIZATION LIKE C P SS ENERGY, WE ARE IN OUR 75TH YEAR OF OWNERSHIP, VERY, VERY SMART PEOPLE, UH, DECIDED THAT THE UTILITY SHOULD BE A ASSET OF THIS, OF THE COMMUNITY.
AND WE LIKE TO, WE LIKE TO TALK ABOUT.
$34 MILLION HAS RETURNED $7 BILLION FOR THE BENEFIT OF THE COMMUNITY.
AND WE HAVE COMMITTED OURSELVES TO MAKING SURE THAT OUR SERVICES ARE AFFORDABLE AND THAT WE THINK ABOUT EVERY CITIZEN IN THE COMMUNITY RELATIVE TO THAT $7 BILLION.
AND, UM, AND WE BELIEVE THAT WE ARE ABSOLUTELY ALIGNED IN EVERY WAY TO THIS OWNERSHIP.
UM, KNOWING THAT THESE FUNDS GO IN TERMS OF SUPPORTING POLICE AND FIRE AND, AND THE OVERALL SUPPORT OF THE COMMUNITY.
IN TURN, WE BELIEVE THAT OUR RESPONSIBILITY IS TO BE THERE TO HELP SAFEGUARD SUPPORT, SECURITY, MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE FOCUSED ON SERVICE.
UM, I AM, I AM IN MY FIRST FULL YEAR GOING INTO MY SECOND, I SERVED AS INTERIM.
AND FROM THAT PERSPECTIVE, WE DID COME IN A COUPLE OF YEARS AGO AND REFRESH OUR COMMITMENT.
IT HAS BEEN STRONG, BUT WE HAVE REFRESHED OUR COMMITMENT.
THERE ARE ALWAYS THINGS FOR US TO FOCUS ON CUSTOMER SERVICE, MAKING SURE THAT WE ARE FRESH, MAKING SURE OUR BLOCKING AND TACKLING THIS CRISP, MAKING SURE THAT WE ARE LISTENING MORE THAN WE ARE TALKING AND REALLY TRYING TO HELP SOLVE PROBLEMS. AND WE ARE HONORED TO DO THAT TODAY.
NEXT WEEK IS OUR ACTUAL ANNIVERSARY.
[00:10:01]
AND THAT EVENT, THE NET PROCEEDS WILL GO BACK TO THE COMMUNITY TO A PROGRAM CALLED REAP.AND IT'S A PARTNERSHIP BETWEEN THE CITY AND THE MAYOR SITS ON THAT, ON THAT BOARD ALONG WITH JUDGE WOLF AND MYSELF.
AND THAT IS THAT MONEY IS USED TO SUPPORT PEOPLE WHO NEED EXTRA HELP WITH THEIR BILLS, PARTICULARLY IN THE SUMMER OR THE WINTER.
AND SO WE CAN MAKE SURE THAT THEY HAVE THE SAME CONVENIENCES OF ELECTRICITY THAT EVERYONE ELSE DOES.
AND SO WE EXPECT AT THAT EVENT TO ANNOUNCE ABOUT A $200,000 BENEFIT BACK JUST BECAUSE WE WANNA MAKE SURE THAT THIS CELEBRATION IS REALLY MORE ABOUT THE COMMUNITY THAN ANYTHING ELSE.
THE LAST THING I'LL SAY IS WE'VE ACTUALLY BEEN AROUND FOR 157 YEARS AND WE, WE HAVE BEEN IN A GREAT MODE OF BEING REFLECTIVE AND LOOKING ABOUT HOW WE STARTED WHEN WE STARTED, THERE WERE 8,000 CITIZENS OF THIS COMMUNITY.
OUR PERSPECTIVE IS THAT WE HAVE BEEN POWERING DREAMS FOR 157 YEARS.
IT IS YOUR DREAMS, YOUR LEADERSHIP, YOUR THOUGHTS ABOUT HOW THIS CITY IS RUN.
AND AND FOR ALL THE CITIZENS WHO HAVE DONE THAT FOR 157 YEARS, WE HAVE BEEN PROUD TO PROVIDE THE POWER TO DO THAT.
AND WE ARE VERY MUCH, VERY MUCH COMMITTED TO THINKING ABOUT HOW ENERGY MUST CHANGE AND BE MORE, UM, SUPPORTIVE OF THE WAY THAT PEOPLE WANT IT TO BE, CONVENIENT WHEN THEY WANT IT, HOW THEY WANT IT AS WELL, AND AS WELL AS BEING RELIABLE.
SO WE, WE WILL CHANGE THE BUSINESS TO A GREAT DEGREE.
AND I WILL BE TALKING TO YOU MORE ABOUT THIS, UM, A LOT.
UH, AND OUR OVERALL PERSPECTIVE IS WE WANNA POWER DREAMS FOR THE NEXT 157 YEARS.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR OWNERSHIP OF C P S ENERGY ON BEHALF OF OUR 3000 PEOPLE.
AND BEFORE WE GET TO, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER COMMENT, UM, WE DO WANT TO TAKE, UH, CITIZENS WHO HAVE SIGNED UP TO SPEAK.
IT WOULDN'T BE A PROPER PUBLIC BIRTHDAY PARTY IF WE DIDN'T RECOGNIZE JACK M.
MAYOR NURENBERG AND OTHER MEMBERS OF OUR ILLUSTRIOUS SAN ANTONIO CITY COUNCIL.
I YOUR UNDOCUMENTED GADFLY JACK M FINGER, 75 YEARS OF CITY PUBLIC SERVICE, SIR.
YEAH, MY, YOU KNOW, MY DAD ACTUALLY USED TO WORK WITH CITY PUBLIC SERVICE BACK IN THE 1950S AND SIXTIES.
UH, HE, UM, HE WAS A PR DIRECTOR AND HE EVEN, UH, PUBLISHED THEIR, UH, PUBLICATION.
UH, THE, THE BROADCASTER, THE CITY PUBLIC SERVICE BROADCASTER IS A MONTHLY PUBLICATION FOR, FOR ALL OF ITS EMPLOYEES AND, AND CUSTOMERS.
THERE, A MAGAZINE ABOUT THE COMPANY.
AND, UH, HE STILL HAS MANY, HE TOLD ME HE STILL HAS MANY IN HIS NOW 90 YEARS OLD.
AND HE SAID, HE TOLD ME HE, HE STILL HAD MANY OLD COPIES OF THOSE, THOSE, UH, MAGAZINES STILL LEFT OVER AND HE WAS WONDERING IF, IF CITY PUBLIC SERVICE EVEN STILL HAD A NEED FOR IT FOR ITS ARCHIVES.
AND, UM, SO, UM, LET ME JUST SUGGEST IF ANYBODY WANTS IT, UH, PLEASE FEEL FREE TO GET IN TOUCH WITH ME AND, UM, WE'LL, UH, WE'LL TALK ABOUT HI HIS, GIVING YOU SOME EXTRA ARCHIVES THERE.
75 YEARS CITY PUBLIC SERVICE, 75 YEARS OF WELL, EXORBITANT RATE INCREASES EXCESSIVE CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER SALARIES AND SCANDALS.
UM, I REMEMBER BACK IN
I KNOW LONG TIME AGO THE, UH, THE, THE UTILITY RATE INCREASES STARTED GOING THROUGH THE ROOF THERE.
IT WAS BACK IN THE BIG ENERGY CRISIS THERE.
AND THE, UH, I THINK THE BIG, THE, THE CULPRIT COMPANY WAS CALLED, AS I RECALL, COASTAL STATES.
COASTAL STATES, I THINK IT WAS BACK IN 73, 74.
AND THE THEN CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER OF, OF, UH, CITY PUBLIC SERVICE SAID, WELL, HEY, YOU, YOU GUYS, YOU CUSTOMERS WE'RE SORRY THAT, THAT YOU HAD TO PAY ALL THESE HIGH, HIGH EXTRA RATES ON IT.
BUT, BUT DOGGONE IT, WE HERE AT CITY PUBLIC SERVICE, YOU SHOULD BE GLAD, BE GLAD THAT WE'RE GIVING YOU WAYS TO CUT DOWN ON YOUR USAGE SO YOU DON'T HAVE TO PAY SO MUCH.
HE HAD THE AUDACITY TO SAY THAT I SAW THAT ON A NEWSCAST ONE TIME AS A, HUH.
BUT THEN WITHOUT THE, UH, THOSE EXTRA RATE INCREASES, WHAT WOULD YOU DO GUYS DO WITHOUT THE EXTRA MONEY COMING IN FOR YOUR PET PROJECTS? OH,
[00:15:01]
YES.75 YEARS OF CITY PUBLIC SERVICE.
WE MOVE NOW TO COUNCIL COMMENT.
UH, WE'LL START WITH COUNCILMAN COURAGE.
UH, I THINK THAT AT THIS TIME WHEN WE'RE RECOGNIZING 75 YEARS OF SERVICE, EVERYBODY IN OUR COMMUNITY REALLY SHOULD BE APPRECIATIVE OF WHAT WE HAVE AS A, A PUBLIC UTILITY.
UH, C P SS ENERGY IS ONE OF THE TOP MUNICIPALLY OWNED PUBLIC UTILITIES IN THE COUNTRY.
UNDOUBTEDLY, IF IT'S NOT AMONG THE NUMBER ONE OR TWO, I'M SURE IT'S WITHIN THE TOP FOUR OR FIVE.
AND, UH, I THINK THAT THEY'VE REALLY SERVED US WELL.
SURE, THERE'S ALWAYS SOME DIFFERENCES OF OPINION.
THERE'S ALWAYS CONCERN ABOUT, OH, ARE MY BILLS GOING UP A LITTLE BIT HIGH.
BUT OVERALL, WE HAVE HAD CONSISTENTLY GOOD ENERGY AVAILABLE FOR THE PEOPLE IN SAN ANTONIO.
I ALSO WANT TO COMMEND OUR PREDECESSORS ON THE CITY COUNCIL, WHO A FEW YEARS AGO WERE SMART ENOUGH NOT TO PRIVATIZE C P S WHEN THAT MOVEMENT WAS GOING ON AROUND THE STATE.
THAT TOO HAS MADE A, A BIG DIFFERENCE IN THE SUCCESS OF C P SS ENERGY HERE, AS WELL AS THE INNOVATION THAT C P S HAS UNDERTAKEN OVER THE LAST 20 YEARS.
I KNOW MY OWN FAMILY HAVE TAKEN ADVANTAGE OF ELECTRICITY, HAVE BOUGHT SOME OF THE SOLAR FARM PANELS THAT WE WANT TO, UH, PAY INTO TO HELP SUPPORT THOSE KINDS OF ALTERNATIVE ENERGY RESOURCES THAT ARE BEING DEVELOPED BY C P S ENERGY, THEIR FIGHT TO REDUCE POLLUTION BY GETTING READY TO, UH, END SOME OF THE COAL-FIRED POWER PLANT USAGE THAT WE'VE HAD IN THE CITY, ALL CONTRIBUTE, I THINK, TO WHAT WE HOPE WILL BE A HEALTHIER AND MORE PROSPEROUS CITY OVER THE YEARS.
AND SO, ONCE MORE, I JUST WANT TO ADD MY CONGRATULATIONS TO THE GREAT JOB C P S ENERGY HAS DONE FOR OUR CITY.
COUNCILMAN COUNCILMAN GONZALEZ.
AND AND CONGRATULATIONS TO C P S ENERGY FOR 75 YEARS.
ONE OF THE THINGS THAT HAS IMPRESSED ME THE MOST ABOUT C P S ENERGY IS NOT ONLY YOUR VISIONARY PROJECTS THAT YOU BRING TO THE CITY, LIKE THE EPICENTER, UH, AND ALL THE SOLAR AND ALL THE ALTERNATIVE ENERGY SOURCES, BUT AT THE SAME TIME YOUR PERSONAL COMMITMENT TO YOUR INDIVIDUAL CUSTOMERS.
SO I'VE SEEN AN INCREDIBLE AMOUNT OF KINDNESS FROM YOUR STAFF, ESPECIALLY JOHN AND KARA, WHO HAVE BEEN OUR LIAISONS, WHO WILL COME MEET ONE-ON-ONE WITH INDIVIDUALS.
I HAD A YOUNG LADY, AND I'M SORRY I CAN'T REMEMBER, REMEMBER HER NAME RIGHT NOW, UM, BUT SHE WAS IN YOUR CUSTOMER SERVICE DEPARTMENT AND WE HAD A CONSTITUENT THAT WAS CONCERNED ABOUT THEIR METERS WHEN YOU WERE SWITCHING TO THE SMART METER.
AND, UH, TOOK ABOUT AN HOUR WITH THAT CONSTITUENT TO EXPLAIN TO THEM WHY, UH, IT WAS IMPORTANT TO SWITCH AND IF THEY DIDN'T WANNA SWITCH, UH, WHY THAT THAT WAS OKAY TOO.
AND SO I'M VERY GRATEFUL FOR ALL THAT YOU'VE DONE TO BE SO INNOVATIVE, AND AT THE SAME TIME, NOT FORGET, UH, WHO YOUR NUMBER ONE, UH, CUS CUSTOMER IS.
WE LOOK FORWARD TO ANOTHER 75 YEARS.
I WANT TO CONGRATULATE YOU, PAULA, UM, THE BOARD AND EVERYONE AT YOUR ENTIRE TEAM FOR, UH, JUST THE WORK THAT YOU'VE BEEN DOING ALL OF THIS TIME.
ONE OF THE GREAT THINGS ABOUT OUR C P S ENERGY IS THE ABILITY FOR US IN SAN ANTONIO TO BE ABLE TO INVEST IN THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT OPPORTUNITIES THAT WE HAVE SIMPLY BECAUSE OF C P SS ENERGY.
AND WE ARE LIKE A, UM, WE ARE A MAGNET, IF YOU WILL, THAT NOBODY ELSE HAS ON US BECAUSE OF C P SS ENERGY AND OUR UTILITY.
AND WE ARE THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT GENERATOR.
UNLIKE NO OTHER, THE LEADERSHIP, THE COMMITMENT, THE BUY-IN IS UNLIKE NO OTHER EITHER.
AND, UH, YOUR, FROM YOUR TEAM, FROM THE LINEMEN TO PEOPLE WHO ARE BEING INVENTIVE, TO PEOPLE WHO ARE ALL OVER THE PLACE TALKING ABOUT RENEWABLE ENERGY IS UNLIKE NO OTHER.
SO, I'M GLAD TO PARTNER, WE'RE GLAD TO PARTNER WITH YOU ALL IN ALL OF THESE DIFFERENT INITIATIVES THAT YOU DO.
AND I THANK YOU FOR YOUR CREATIVE SOLUTIONS.
AND ALSO IN THOSE PAST YEARS, JUST A COUPLE YEARS AGO, TIGHTENING YOUR BUDGET TO MAKE SURE THAT YOU ALL AT C P S ENERGY WOULD TIGHTEN YOUR BUDGET SACRIFICE.
A COUPLE THINGS TO MAKE SURE THAT WE DIDN'T HAVE TO GO THROUGH A RATE INCREASE FOR OUR, OUR CUSTOMERS, OUR RESIDENTS IN SAN ANTONIO.
AND I KNOW WITH, UM, YOUR LEADERSHIP AND WITH THE CREATIVE MINDS OUT THERE, THE RENEWABLE ENERGY AND THE SOLUTIONS THAT ARE COMING, I'M
[00:20:01]
LOOK FOR, I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO SEEING WHAT IS NEXT.UM, CONGRATULATIONS TO C P SS AND YOUR BOARD.
UH, IT'S, IT'S AN AMAZING PROGRESSION THAT WE'VE SEEN THROUGHOUT THE YEARS.
I'M GONNA KIND OF SIDESTEP REAL BRIEFLY AND TALK ABOUT YOU PERSONALLY, PAULA, 'CAUSE YOU HAVE DONE SOME GREAT WORK.
YOU ARE AN INSPIRATION TO MANY OF THOSE IN THE DISTRICT, AS WELL AS ACROSS THE CITY.
UH, YOUR LEADERSHIP ABILITY, YOUR LEADERSHIP SKILL, BUT MOST IMPORTANTLY, YOUR LOVE AND ABILITY TO GIVE BACK TO THE COMMUNITY WHICH YOU SERVE.
SO ON BEHALF OF, OF DISTRICT TWO, WE WANNA SAY THANK YOU, CONTINUE DOING WHAT YOU'RE DOING.
YOU'RE A GREAT INSPIRATION TO ALL OF US.
UH, I JUST ALSO WANT TO THANK YOU FOR THE C P S TEAM AND WHAT Y'ALL DO OUT THERE.
IT, IT'S NOT JUST THE DAY-TO-DAY THINGS, BUT RESPONSES TO EMERGENCIES OUT THERE AND, AND THE THINGS THAT WE OFFER NOT TO, UH, NOT ONLY TO THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO, BUT TO OTHER TEXANS AS WELL, AS WELL AS OTHER AMERICANS HERE.
I KNOW WE'VE DEPLOYED ASSETS TO THOSE AREAS THAT HAVE NEEDED THAT HELP.
AND, UH, I REALLY APPRECIATE THAT.
AND I THINK EVERYBODY STANDS BEHIND YOU IN DOING THOSE, DOING THOSE THINGS AS WELL AS, LIKE I SAID, THE EMERGENCY RESPONSES HERE IN SAN ANTONIO.
I KNOW WE, WE GET OUR SHARE OF, UH, OUTAGES HERE, UH, WITH STORMS AND, AND THAT KIND OF THING.
AND, AND I TELL YOU, Y'ALL ARE JOHNNY ON THE SPOT ON GETTING THOSE THINGS FIXED AND GETTING OUR POWER BACK ON.
IT'S, YOU KNOW, WE, WE TAKE FOR GRANTED GOING INTO OUR, UH, HOMES AND FLIPPING ON THE LIGHT SWITCH AND, AND THE ELECTRICITY FLOWS THROUGH THE LINES AND TURNS THOSE LIGHTS ON.
AND, AND WE TAKE THAT FOR GRANTED.
AND I THINK EVERYBODY REALLY NEEDS TO REFLECT ON WHAT IT TAKES TO MAKE THAT HAPPEN.
AND MY HAT'S OFF TO YOU AND, UH, I'M HAPPY THAT WE'VE MADE IT 75 YEARS AND I'M, I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO WORKING WITH YOU AND YOUR STAFF OVER THE NEXT COUPLE OF YEARS HERE.
SO THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR WHAT Y'ALL DO, AND CONGRATULATIONS AGAIN.
THANK YOU COUNCILMAN, COUNCILMAN
UM, THIS IS KIND OF A FUNNY CELEBRATION BECAUSE IT'S 75 YEARS OF US OWNING
UM, LIKE SOMEONE MENTIONED, THIS IS THE LARGEST MUNICIPALLY OWNED UTILITY IN THE UNITED STATES, AND I'M EXTREMELY PROUD TO BE A PART OF IT.
I THINK, UM, IN TERMS OF POTENTIAL OF WHAT WE CAN DO TOGETHER, UH, US AND YOU, THE SKY IS REALLY THE LIMIT.
UH, AND THE, UH, CLIMATE ACTION PLAN THAT WE'RE WORKING ON RIGHT NOW IS ONE EXAMPLE, UM, I MAY HAVE MENTIONED THIS BEFORE, BUT I'LL MENTION IT AGAIN.
WHEN I WORKED IN CALIFORNIA, WE DID NOT HAVE A MUNICIPAL UTILITY IN THE BAY AREA.
WE HAD, UM, A COMPANY CALLED PG AND E AND SO MANY LOCAL, MUNICIPAL, MUNICIPAL, UM, SORRY.
SO MANY LOCAL GOVERNMENTS WANTED TO DO SOMETHING TREMENDOUS ABOUT RENEWABLE ENERGY, AND THEY WEREN'T ABLE TO DO THAT WITH PG AND E.
SO WHAT THEY DID WAS START, UM, SOMETHING CALLED COMMUNITY CHOICE SEGREGATION.
AND THEY VOTED THEMSELVES OUT OF PG AND E AND EVERYONE STARTED FORMING THESE SMALL LITTLE, UM, UTILITIES.
BUT WE, WE DON'T HAVE THAT, UH, THAT BARRIER TO OVERCOME.
SO I'M JUST THRILLED AND EXCITED ABOUT THE WORK THAT WE'RE GOING TO BE DOING TOGETHER.
AND I AM EVEN MORE, UH, APPRECIATIVE OF THE FACT THAT YOU ARE A SAN ANTONIO NATIVE AND YOU ARE AT THE HELM OF THIS TREMENDOUS ORGANIZATION.
THE FIRST TIME I SAW YOU SPEAK WAS AT AN ENVIRONMENTAL STAKEHOLDERS MEETING THAT YOU HOST QUARTERLY.
UH, THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR DOING THAT.
UH, YOU'VE BEEN VERY RECEPTIVE TO THE INPUT, YOU AND CHRIS FROM THE STAKEHOLDERS, AND I WAS REALLY BLOWN AWAY AT, UH, HOW WELL YOU WERE ABLE TO THOROUGHLY ANSWER ALL THE QUESTIONS AND ADDRESS SO MANY OF THE CONCERNS OF THE STAKEHOLDERS.
SO JUST VERY HAPPY TO HAVE YOU AND CONGRATULATIONS.
AND I WOULD JUST, UH, LIKE TO ADD, UH, THANK YOU C P S THANK YOU, PAULA GOLD WILLIAMS, UH, YOUR CORPORATE LEADERSHIP AND CUSTOMER RESPONSE TEAM, UH, FOR BEING GREAT CITY PARTNERS.
UH, YOU ARE SETTING A GREAT EXAMPLE FOR ALL OF US, AS WAS STATED.
WE'VE HAD, UH, SOME EMERGENCIES RECENTLY, AND YOU GUYS HAVE REALLY, UH, SET A VERY HIGH BAR AND REALLY APPRECIATE THE RESPONSE, APPRECIATE THE, THE HARD WORK ETHIC.
UH, I ALSO APPRECIATE THAT C P S IS AN INDUSTRY LEADER, AND IT TAKES A VANGUARD, UH, ROLE IN, IN, UH, BEING A, A, UH, UH, STEPPING INTO SUSTAINABLE, UH, SOLUTIONS AND LOOKING FOR, FOR OPPORTUNITIES TO, TO EXPAND, UH, THE WAY WE LOOK AT ENERGY.
I WANNA ALSO THANK YOU FOR EMBRACING LOW TECH IDEAS LIKE THE ROOF PROGRAM.
AND AS, AND I'LL QUOTE AS AS WAS SAYING, SAID EARLIER, WITH, WITH OUR, UH,
[00:25:01]
CITIZENS TO BE HEARD, UH, UTILITIES SOMETIMES CAN GO THROUGH THE ROOF.IT'S A GREAT PUN IN THAT, UH, I APPRECIATE YOU ADOPTING THE, THE COOL ROOF REBATE BECAUSE A ROOF CAN HELP TO LOWER YOUR UTILITY BILLS.
AND, AND C P SS HAS EMBRACED THAT, AND I REALLY APPRECIATE YOUR WORK, UH, TO DO THAT.
UH, WE WANT YOU TO KEEP UP THAT INNOVATIVE WORK.
WE KNOW THAT'S WHERE, WHERE YOU CAME FROM.
UH, INNOVATION IS AT THE HEART OF, OF GREAT SOLUTIONS AND, UH, WANT TO SUPPORT YOU IN EVERY WAY THAT WE CAN.
UH, WE ALL KNOW THAT, UH, THE ENERGY INDUSTRY IS CONSTANTLY, CONSTANTLY, UH, CHANGING AND EVOLVING.
AND, UH, YOU NEED ALL THE SUPPORT YOU CAN, UH, MUSTER SO THAT, UH, SO THAT WE CAN, UH, STAY COMPETITIVE AND PROVIDE, UH, GOOD SOLUTIONS FOR, FOR EVERY EVOLVING CITY.
SAN ANTONIO'S, OBVIOUSLY, UH, IT'S JUST, IT'S, UM, OF GREAT BENEFIT TO HAVE YOU AND AS HAVE YOU AS A TREMENDOUS ASSET HERE IN SAN ANTONIO.
SO, THANK YOU, UH, FOR, FOR ALL, ALL YOUR WORK.
AND I ALSO JUST WANNA SAY IT'S REALLY GREAT TO SEE JOHN LE ALBACK.
A GREAT LEADER IS, IS A GREAT TEAM AROUND, AND YOU CERTAINLY HAVE PUT TOGETHER A SELLER, UH, TEAM TO HELP MANAGE THIS, UH, MASSIVE UTILITY.
BUT OCCASIONALLY, UM, WE DO GET AN OPPORTUNITY ALSO TO RECOGNIZE MEMBERS OF THE BOARD WHO HAVE SERVED SO LONG.
AND I KNOW HE IS NOT HERE, BUT WE DO WANNA RECOGNIZE THE SERVICE OF DERRICK HOWARD, WHO WILL BE STEPPING OFF THE BOARD AFTER 10 YEARS.
AND IF, UH, YOU DON'T MIND, PLEASE PASS ALONG OUR BEST REGARDS TO DEREK AS WELL.
I THINK ALL OF US UP HERE OVER THE YEARS AND CERTAINLY MYSELF, WE'VE OCCASIONALLY RECEIVED A CONSTITUENT EMAIL OR A PHONE CALL OR COMPLAINT ABOUT WHY DOESN'T C P S HAVE COMPETITION? WHY DO WE ONLY HAVE ONE UTILITY? THEY'RE A MONOPOLY.
AND THAT WOULD BE THE CASE IF IT WAS NOT PUBLICLY OWNED, IF THE LEADERS 75 YEARS AGO DIDN'T HAVE THE FORESIGHT TO MAKE THIS, UH, UTILITY NOT ANSWER TO A PROFIT OF STAKEHOLDERS, BUT ANSWER TO THE PUBLIC AS STAKEHOLDERS.
UH, AND THAT IS A REMARKABLE ABILITY WHEN WE'RE ALSO ABLE TO STAY ON THE VANGUARD OF RESILIENCY OF SUSTAINABILITY, AND ALSO KEEP C P S ENERGY AS ONE OF THE MOST COST-EFFECTIVE, INEXPENSIVE UTILITIES IN THE ENTIRE COUNTRY.
ALL OF THOSE THINGS, I THINK, ARE WORTHY OF CELEBRATION AND THE REASON WHY WE'RE SO PROUD OF YOU AND THE TEAM THAT YOU'VE ASSEMBLED.
UH, ON THAT NOTE, THIS IS A RESOLUTION RECOGNIZING THE 75TH ANNIVERSARY OF C P S, UH, THE CITY OWNERSHIP OF C P S ENERGY.
I WON'T READ THE ENTIRE THING, BUT I'LL READ A FEW LINES FROM THE RESOLUTION.
WHEREAS C P SS ENERGY, AND IF YOU'D LIKE TO COME UP PAULA, WHEREAS C P S ENERGY ESTABLISHED 157 YEARS AGO AS AN INDEPENDENT ENERGY COMPANY WAS PURCHASED BY THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO IN 1942.
TODAY WE CELEBRATE THE 75TH ANNIVERSARY OF CITY OWNERSHIP OF OUR ENERGY COMPANY.
AND WHEREAS C P S ENERGY INTRODUCED A CUSTOMER SERVICE PHONE SYSTEM, INSTALLED THE FIRST DOWNTOWN STREETLIGHT SYSTEM IN THE 1950S, PARTNERED WITH OTHER UTILITIES ON A JOINTLY OWNED NUCLEAR POWER VENTURE, KNOWN AS THE SOUTH TEXAS PROJECT, SOUTH TEXAS PROJECT DURING THE 1970S, AND INTRODUCED TWO COAL FIRE POWER PLANTS, JK SPRUCE ONE AND TWO IN THE 1990S.
AND WHEREAS IN THE FOLLOWING DECADE, C P S ENERGY INITIATED PROJECT WARM TO HELP THOSE IN NEED PAY THEIR WINTER UTILITY BILLS.
AND IN COORDINATION WITH THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO AND BEAR COUNTY ESTABLISHED THE RESIDENTIAL ENERGY ASSISTANCE PROGRAM, A NONPROFIT ORGANIZATION THAT ASSISTS LOW INCOME FAMILIES WITH CHILDREN, ELDERLY INDIVIDUALS, OR PERSONS WITH DISABILITIES IN THE HOUSEHOLD.
AND WHEREAS C P S ENERGY'S 2012 ACQUISITION OF THE RIO NOGALES NATURAL GAS PLAN AND SEIN SIGNIFICANTLY IN INCREASED THE USE OF LOW CARBON FUELS.
AND SINCE THE TURN OF THE CENTURY, C P SS ENERGY HAS BECOME ONE OF THE LARGEST BUYERS OF WIND ENERGY IN THE COUNTRY, AND NUMBER ONE IN TEXAS FOR SOLAR GENERATION.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE CITY OF COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO, THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO COUNCIL, HEREBY COMMEMORATES THE 75TH ANNIVERSARY OF SAN ANTONIO'S PURCHASE OF C P SS ENERGY AND EXTENDS SINCEREST BEST WISHES TO THIS PUBLIC UTILITY FOR ITS CONTINUED SUCCESS.
PASSED AND APPROVED ON THIS 19TH DAY OF OCTOBER, 2017, AND SIGNED BY MYSELF ON BEHALF OF THE CITY COUNCIL.
[00:31:40]
ALL RIGHT.UM,
I'D LIKE TO, I'D LIKE TO MAKE A MOTION TO ACCEPT THE RESOLUTION.
THERE IS A MOTION AND A SECOND FOR APPROVAL OF ITEM FOUR.
HISTORY HAS WRITTEN EVERYTHING WAS DONE ACCORDING TO THE RECORD,
[Consent Agenda]
TO THE BALANCE OF THE CONSENT AGENDA, AND I'LL ASK MY COLLEAGUES NOW IF THERE IS ANY ITEMS TO PULL SO FAR.WE HAVE ITEMS 8, 10, 18, 14 AND 28 PULLED.
SO 8, 10, 14, 18, AND 28 ARE PULLED FOR INDIVIDUAL CONSIDERATION.
21 AND 28 ARE PULLED AS WELL FOR RECUSALS.
ITEM NUMBER EIGHT, MAYOR EIGHT, EIGHT IS INDIVIDUAL.
ENTERTAIN A MOTION ON THE BALANCE OF CONSENT SAVED FOR ITEMS 8 10 14, 18, 21 AND 28 MO MOTION TO APPROVE.
THERE IS A MOTION AND APPROVE APPROVAL FOR THE BALANCE OF THE CONSENT AGENDA.
SAY FOR THOSE ITEMS I READ, UH, WE DO HAVE A FEW CITIZENS SIGNED UP FOR ITEMS ON THE BALANCE OF THE CONSENT.
AND WE'LL BEGIN NOW WITH JACK M FINGER.
WELL, MAYOR NURNBERG, OTHER MEMBERS OF OUR, ONCE AGAIN SAN ANTONIO CITY COUNCIL FOR THE RECORD, MY NAME IS JACK M FINGER.
FEW ITEMS I WISH TO BRING TO YOUR ATTENTION ON THIS PORTION OF THE AGENDA.
YES, WELL, NUMBER OF GIVEAWAYS, BUT FIRST OF ALL, JUST GET A FEW LITTLE THINGS OUT OF THE WAY HERE.
ITEMS NUMBER, UH, 22 AND 23, WE, THE CITY ARE GOING TO SHELL OUT 150,000 IN ONE CASE, 130,000 IN ANOTHER CASE TO A, UH, SOME MOTORISTS WHO GOT INJURED WHEN THEY, WHEN SUPPOSEDLY THEY HAD AN ACCIDENT WITH SOME, UH, CITY DRIVERS.
OKAY, WELL, SO WHO WAS AT FAULT? I DON'T KNOW.
THERE'S A CHANCE OF THIS GOING TO COURT TO FIND OUT WHY, I GUESS, OR WHO DID IT.
BUT, UH, THEY, THEY, OUR GREAT ATTORNEYS OVER HERE TO TELL US THAT, UH, IT'S BEST TO SETTLE THIS THING OUTTA COURT.
OKAY, WELL, WE'RE GONNA DO THAT.
[00:35:01]
MEANS OUR CITY EMPLOYEES, IN ALL LIKELIHOOD WERE AT FAULT.OKAY, WELL, WHO'S GONNA SPANK 'EM NOW? WHO IS, ARE THEY THE CITY EMPLOYEES RESPONSIBLE FOR THIS GOING TO BE REPRIMANDED FOR, FOR WHAT THEY DID? BIG QUESTION THAT I ALWAYS ASK, AND I ALWAYS NEVER GET AN ANSWER.
INQUIRING MINDS WOULD LIKE TO KNOW ABOUT THESE THINGS.
ARE THE CITY EMPLOYEES GONNA PAY THAT RESPONSIBLE GONNA PAY FOR THIS STUFF SO THAT WE, THE TAXPAYERS DON'T HAVE TO PAY FOR IT.
I MEAN, WHY NOT? THEY'RE RESPONSIBLE, RIGHT? THE, UM, OTHER PORTION OF THE AGENDA, THE, UH, FEW GIVE GIVEAWAYS HERE.
TAX ABATEMENTS ONE IS ITEM 26.
THE, THE CITY'S GONNA GIVE AWAY 11 OVER A HUNDRED THOUSAND DOLLARS IN FEE WAIVERS.
UH, 500,000 IN SAW WAIVERS AND 15 YEAR TAX ABATEMENT, UH, FOR $2.9 MILLION.
THIS ONE IS FOR THE BREWERY SOUTH L L C PROJECT.
THEY'RE NOT EVEN, THERE'S NO, NOT EVEN A PROMISE FOR EXTRA NEW JOBS ON THAT ONE.
THE BIG ONE THOUGH, IS OF COURSE, THE, UH, ITEM 28, THE, UH, CREDIT HUMAN CORPORATION, FORMERLY THE SAN ANTONIO CREDIT UNION.
WE, UH, WHAT I LIKE ABOUT THIS IS THAT RECENTLY THE, OUR, OUR COUNCILMAN, UH, UH, OUR SAN ANTONIO EXPRESS NEWS COLUMN IS GILBERT GARCIA HAD AN ARTICLE CALLED, UH, YEAH.
WHY SAN ANTONIO, THE TITLE PLEASE? UH, BEFORE THAT, YEAH, WHY SANTO SAID, THANKS, BUT NO THANKS TO AMAZON.
NOW GO TO THE UNDERLINED AREA THERE, IF YOU WOULD.
AND IT'S HARD TO JUSTIFY GIVING AWAY THE FARM CONCERNS FROM, FROM THE CITY AND COUNTY LEADERS WHO RECENTLY OFFERED NEARLY 9 MILLION.
9 MILLION IN A TAX ABATEMENT AND REBATES TO CREDIT HUMAN, A LOCAL CREDIT UNION JUST REINFORCED FROM THE ONE PART OF THE CITY TO ANOTHER PART.
SO HOW MUCH OF THE FARM ARE WE WILLING TO GIVE AWAY THE BARN? THANK YOU MR. FINGER PARTY.
ALRIGHT, WE'LL MOVE NOW, UH, TO THE MOTION THAT IS ON THE FLOOR FOR APPROVAL OF THE BALANCE OF THE CONSENT AGENDA, SAY FOR ITEMS 8, 10, 14, 18, 21, AND 28, THERE'S A MOTION AND A SECOND, PLEASE VOTE.
MOTION CARRIES ITEM NUMBER EIGHT.
[8. An Ordinance accepting the bids from Clarke Mosquito Control Products and Target Specialty Products to provide pesticide products for the San Antonio Metropolitan Health District for an estimated total cost of $80,000.00. [Ben Gorzell, Chief Financial Officer; Troy Elliott, Deputy Chief Financial Officer, Finance]]
ITEM NUMBER EIGHT IS AN ORDINANCE ACCEPTING THE BIDS FROM CLARK MOSQUITO CONTROL PRODUCTS AND TARGET SPECIALTY PRODUCTS TO PROVIDE PESTICIDE PRODUCTS FOR THE SAN ANTONIO METROPOLITAN HEALTH DISTRICT FOR AN ESTIMATED TOTAL COST OF $80,000.I, I PULLED THIS ITEM IN BECAUSE I WANNA FIND OUT, UH, HOW THIS IS PART OF THE, THE NETWORK THAT WE HAVE IN TERMS OF CONSTITUENTS REACHING OUT TO PROVIDE SERVICES FOR VECTOR OR MOSQUITO CONTROL.
UM, IS THIS SOMETHING THAT'S GONNA HELP SUPPLEMENT A PARTICULAR AREA OF TOWN OR IS THIS FOR THE ENTIRE CITY? CAN YOU JUST DESCRIBE A LITTLE MORE ABOUT WHAT WE'RE VOTING ON? SURE.
SO THIS IS, UM, TO CONTINUE OUR EXISTING EFFORTS TO BE ABLE TO ADDRESS, UH, MOSQUITO CONCERNS.
SO IT DOES BOTH THE, UM, THE LARVAE WITH THE LARVA SIDE AND SPRAYING FOR THE ADULTS.
AND RIGHT NOW THERE ARE MULTIPLE AVENUES WHERE CONSTITUENTS CAN CALL IN COMPLAINTS ABOUT CONCERNS ABOUT MOSQUITOES THAT WILL SEND ONE OF OUR VECTOR CONTROL SPECIALISTS OUT TO DO AN INVESTIGATION AND DETERMINE THE APPROPRIATE, UH, TREATMENT RESPONSE.
SO THIS COMPLIMENTS THE CURRENT SYSTEM THAT, UH, IS WHEN A CONSTITUENT CALLS US, TELLS US ABOUT A PARTICULAR SITE, UH, WE CALL VECTOR CONTROL AND OR CALL YOUR OFFICE TO PROVIDE SERVICES THROUGH VECTOR CONTROL.
WITHOUT THIS, WOULD THIS BE THE ONLY SOURCE OF FUNDING THAT WE HAVE FOR THE MOSQUITO PREVENTION PROGRAM OR VECTOR CONTROL? THIS IS A, A LARGE PART OF OUR FUNDING, UH, ESPECIALLY FOR THE, THE PROVISION OF THE PESTICIDE AND THE LARVICIDE.
WELL, I JUST WANTED TO BE SURE THAT THIS IS, YOU KNOW, NOT MANY TIMES THAT WE GET TO SEE IT, BUT THAT'S OFTEN THAT WE MAKE THAT CALL TO YOUR OFFICE AND OFTEN THAT WE GET THAT CALL FROM CONSTITUENTS IN, IN OUR COMMUNITY.
SO, UH, THAT WAS THE ONLY QUESTION I HAD ON IT.
THERE'S A MOTION AND A SECOND FOR APPROVAL OF A ITEM EIGHT.
WE HAVE COUNCIL COMMENT STARTING WITH COUNCILWOMAN GRO.
UH, JUST QUICKLY, I KNOW WE HAD THIS, UM, ISSUE IN THE PAST.
IS EVERYONE, DO WE HAVE A FULL STAFF NOW FOR VECTOR CONTROL? BECAUSE I KNOW WE HADN'T HAD ONE MAYBE LAST YEAR.
ARE WE AT FULL STAFF FOR THIS AR AREA NOW? SO WE WE'RE DOWN ONE RIGHT NOW, BUT WHAT WE DID WAS, UM, WE CROSS TRAINED SOME OF OUR SANITARIANS TO BE LICENSED PESTICIDE APPLICATORS.
SO RATHER THAN JUST HAVING THE THREE VECTOR
[00:40:01]
CONTROL STAFF, WE CURRENTLY HAVE SEVEN INDIVIDUALS WHO ARE LICENSED TO APPLY PESTICIDES.AND WE WILL BE DOUBLING THAT BY THE END OF THIS YEAR.
AND THEY, SO EVERYONE WHO'S CROSS-TRAINED THEN DOES HAVE THE, UM, THE CHEMICALS THAT THEY NEED.
COUNCILWOMAN GRO AND COUNCILMAN PERRY.
UH, IF, IF THERE'S ISSUES OUT THERE AND PEOPLE CALL INTO THREE ONE ONE, HOW DOES THAT, HOW DO YOU PROCESS THAT AND HOW DO YOU GET BACK TO THE CUSTOMER THAT CALLED IT IN TO BEGIN WITH? SO STEVE, I'M GONNA HAVE YOU HELP ME OUT WITH THIS ONE.
I KNOW THAT CALLING 3 1 1 IS THE BEST APPROACH AND THAT THAT WILL TRIGGER ONE OF OUR FOLKS TO GO OUT AND DO AN INSPECTION AND, UM, WORK WITH THE OTHER APPROPRIATE CITY DEPARTMENTS.
BUT HOW DO WE CLOSE THE LOOP BACK WITH THE PERSON WHO MADE THE CALL? UH, CURRENTLY THEIR CONTACT INFO? EXCUSE ME.
CURRENTLY WHEN A CUSTOMER CONTACTS 3 1 1 3 1 1 SENDS A COMPLAINT TO THE DEPARTMENT, WE ENTER IT INTO OUR COMPLAINT SYSTEM, WE INVESTIGATE, TREAT AS NECESSARY, THEN WE PASS THE INFORMATION BACK TO 3 1 1.
SO THEY HAVE THAT INFORMATION IN THEIR SYSTEM.
TYPICALLY, WE'LL ALSO CALL THE COMPLAINANT IF THEY LEAVE THEIR NAME AND NUMBER.
YOU SAID TYPICALLY, I MEAN, UH, YOU KNOW, IF, IF CUSTOMERS ARE CALLING IN COMPLAINING ABOUT MOSQUITO MOSQUITOES OUT THERE, HOW DO WE CLOSE, UH, AGAIN, TYPICALLY THAT WE SHOULD BE CONTACTING THOSE CUSTOMERS AND, AND SAYING, YES, WE GOT OUT THERE WHENEVER TO TAKE CARE OF THAT ISSUE? RIGHT.
SO COUNCILMAN, YOU REMEMBER WE TALKED ABOUT THIS AT THE AUDIT COMMITTEE THIS WEEK.
UM, IF CITIZENS LEAVE THEIR CONTACT INFORMATION WHEN THEY CALL TO MAKE THE COMPLAINT, THAT'S HOW THE LOOP GETS CLOSED WITH THEM EITHER BY EMAIL OR PHONE NUMBER.
AND I THINK THAT'S WHAT STEVE REFERRED TO TYPICALLY.
IF THE, IF THE, IF THE RESIDENTS DON'T LEAVE ANY CONTACT INFORMATION, THEN, THEN THERE'S NO ONE TO CONTACT.
SO, SO IF THEY LEAVE THEIR EMAIL OR THEIR CONTACT INFORMATION WHILE THEY MAKE THAT INITIAL COMPLAINT TO 3 1 1, THEY'RE GIVEN A SERVICE NUMBER AND THEY WILL GET A LOOP BACK ON, UH, ON THE, UH, THE RESOLUTION OF THE, OF WHAT THE ORIGINAL COMPLAINT WAS.
'CAUSE I, I'VE HAD A NUMBER OF COMMENTS FROM FOLKS OUT IN THE COMMUNITY SAYING, WE'VE GOT THESE ISSUES AND, AND A LOT OF IT HAS TO DO WITH THE ZIKA VIRUS.
AND, UM, THEY'RE SAYING, WELL, WE'RE NOT GETTING ANY INFORMATION BACK.
I WE HAVEN'T SEEN THEM COME AND SPRAY, OR WE HAVEN'T SEEN THEM COME AND TAKE CARE OF THE, UH, STANDING WATER ISSUES, THAT KIND OF THING.
AND, AND, UH, UH, DO WE DO, UH, SPRAYING DURING THE DAY OR IN THE EVENING OR, OR WHEN IS THAT HAPPENING SO THAT WE CAN LET THEM BE AWARE OF WHAT WE'RE DOING OUT THERE? SO, UM, SPRAYING IS THE, UM, THING WE LIKE TO DO LEAST IF WE DO DETERMINE THAT THERE ARE A SIGNIFICANT NUMBER OF ADULT MOSQUITOES THAT NEED TO BE SPRAYED THAT EITHER HAPPENS AT DUSK OR DAWN BECAUSE THAT'S THE WAY TO LESSEN THE PESTICIDES EFFECTS ON THE, THE BUGS WE LIKE A LOT LIKE BEES.
UM, SO IT HAPPENS, YOU KNOW, EARLY IN THE MORNING, LATE IN THE EVENING, SO FOLKS MIGHT NOT SEE US OUT THERE DOING IT, BUT IT'S RARE THAT WE WILL BE SPRAYING IN NEIGHBORHOODS, FOR EXAMPLE, WE MAY SPRAY, UM, IN THE, A PARK WHEN THE PEOPLE HAVE GONE HOME.
BUT IT'S RARE FOR US TO SPRAY IN NEIGHBORHOODS MORE.
TYPICALLY WHAT WE DO IS APPLY LARVA SIDE TO THE STANDING WATER.
AND THAT IS NOT SOMETHING THAT FOLKS WILL BE ABLE TO SEE THAT WE'VE DONE IT, IT'S A QUICK OPERATION.
WE GO OUT, WE'LL, WE'LL TREAT THE STANDING WATER.
WE OFTEN WORK WITH T C I AND PARKS AND REC AND SOME OF OUR OTHER PARTNERS TO TRY TO ELIMINATE STANDING WATER.
BUT IF IT'S SOMETHING THAT WE RECOGNIZE ISN'T GOING TO BE REMOVED VERY QUICKLY, WE'LL GO AHEAD AND PUT SOME MOSQUITO DUNKS OR SOME B T I IN THERE, WHICH WILL, UM, KILL THE LARVAE, WHICH WILL PREVENT THEM FROM BECOMING THE ADULT MOSQUITOES THAT BITE US.
UM, SOMEHOW WE NEED TO GET THAT WORD OUT A LITTLE BIT BETTER ON HOW WE'RE ACTUALLY TREATING, UH, THESE SITUATIONS.
UH, YOU KNOW, EITHER THROUGH, UH, BACK CHANNEL THROUGH 3 1 1 OR WHATEVER SAYING, YES, WE DID THIS, BUT THIS IS WHAT WE DID, UH, TO TAKE CARE OF THE ISSUES BECAUSE I I CONTINUE TO GET THE SAME, UH, COMMENTS OUT THERE.
WELL, WE HAVEN'T SEEN ANYTHING.
WE STILL HAVE A MOSQUITO ISSUE.
WE, NOBODY HAS RESPONDED, THAT KIND OF THING.
AND MAYBE WE ARE RESPONDING, BUT THEY JUST DON'T SEE IT.
SO, UH, SOMEHOW WE NEED TO HAVE, UH, BETTER INFORMATION SYSTEM ON WHAT WE'RE REALLY DOING WHEN AND HOW.
AND I KNOW THAT ALL, UH, ALL OF THE DISTRICTS HAVE NEWSLETTERS THAT THEY SEND OUT.
[00:45:01]
AND SO PERHAPS REMINDING PEOPLE THAT IF THEY LEAVE THEIR CONTACT INFORMATION, THAT'S HOW WE CAN CLOSE THE LOOP WITH THEM AND LET THEM KNOW OKAY.THAT THE, THE SITUATION HAS BEEN ADDRESSED.
I'LL TELL YOU WHAT I'D LIKE FOR YOU TO DO ME UP A LITTLE ARTICLE FOR MY NEWS FLASH ABSOLUTELY.
TO GET OUT THERE TO DISTRICT 10 ON, OKAY, HERE'S WHAT WE'RE ACTUALLY DOING TO COMBAT THE, UH, UM, MOSQUITO ISSUES THAT WE HAVE HERE.
THERE IS A MOTION AND A SECOND FOR APPROVAL OF ITEM EIGHT.
[10. Consideration of following two items related to the Federal Aviation Administration Airport Improvement Program for the San Antonio International Airport: [Carlos Contreras, Assistant City Manager; Russell Handy, Director, Aviation] 10A. An Ordinance authorizing a construction contract with SpawGlass Civil Construction, Inc in the amount of $4,368,679.15 for Runway 13R Rehabilitation - Package 5 project. 10B. An Ordinance authorizing an amendment with Kimley-Horn and Associates, Inc in an amount not to exceed $1,985,500.42 for construction administration, resident project representation, project management, inspection services and additional design services.]
NUMBER 10.ITEM NUMBER 10 IS CONSIDERATION OF THE FOLLOWING TWO ITEMS RELATED TO THE FEDERAL AVIATION ADMINISTRATION AIRPORT IMPROVEMENT PROGRAM FOR THE SAN ANTONIO INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT.
ITEM 10 A IS THE ORDINANCE AUTHORIZING A CONSTRUCTION CONTRACT WITH SPA GLASS CIVIL CONSTRUCTION INCORPORATED IN AN AMOUNT OF $4,368,679 AND 15 CENTS FOR RUNWAY 13 R REHABILITATION PACKAGE FIVE.
PROJECT ITEM B IS AN ORDINANCE AUTHORIZING THE AMENDMENT WITH KIMLEY HORN AND ASSOCIATES INCORPORATED IN AN AMOUNT NOT TO EXCEED $1,985,500 AND 42 CENTS FOR CONSTRUCTION ADMINISTRATION, RESIDENT PROJECT REPRESENTATION, PROJECT MANAGEMENT, INSPECTION SERVICES, AND ADDITIONAL DESIGN SERVICES.
MY CONCERN ABOUT THIS IS, UH, A $2 MILLION AMENDMENT UNDER 10 B TO AN EXISTING CONTRACT FOR SERVICES THAT WE'RE SUPPOSED TO, UH, LOOK AT TWO OTHER, UH, DEVELOPMENT PROJECTS THAT WERE PART OF THIS ARRANGEMENT.
UH, AND SO I'D LIKE TO FIND OUT HOW MUCH WAS THE PRIOR OR ORIGINAL KIMLEY HORN CONTRACT FOR? SO IN JANUARY OF 2013, COUNCILMAN THE CONTRACT AMOUNT WAS APPROVED AT FIVE POINT, JUST UNDER $5.2 MILLION WAS THE ORIGINAL AGREEMENT.
AND EACH YEAR WE ANTICIPATED BECAUSE THE PROJECT COST, PROJECT MANAGEMENT COST, UH, DEPEND UPON, YOU KNOW, WHO'S EXECUTING THE PROJECT AND THE SCOPE OF IT AND THE SCOPE OF IT.
AND SO WE ANTICIPATED THAT EACH YEAR THIS AGREEMENT WOULD REQUIRE AN AMENDMENT TO UPDATE IT FOR THE NEXT PHASE OF CONSTRUCTION.
THAT WAS MY, MY CONCERN WAS IT EXPRESSED TO THE COUNCIL THAT, HEY, WE'LL BE COMING BACK IN A YEAR OR TWO AND PROBABLY ASKING FOR ANOTHER MILLION OR TWO.
MY SENSE AS IT WAS, THAT WAS BACK IN 2013, I COULD GO BACK AND, AND RESEARCH THE MINUTES BECAUSE WE I KNOW ANTICIPATED THAT FULLY.
SO MY SUSPICION IS IT WAS, AND I KNOW THAT THE, UH, F A A ALSO UNDERSTOOD THAT GOING IN THE F A AS YOU KNOW, PICKS UP ABOUT 75%, UH, OF THESE ELIGIBLE EXPENSES.
SO I WOULD, YEAH, I WOULD'VE ASSUMED.
WELL, 'CAUSE I'VE NOTICED IN, IN SOME OF THE AGREEMENTS THAT WE'VE BEEN LOOKING AT, WE'VE SEEN THAT FORWARD FORECAST AND YOU HAVE SAID THE CONTRACT IS FOR THIS MUCH THIS YEAR, AND WE ANTICIPATE ANOTHER, UH, AND ANOTHER, AND SO OVER THE LIFE OF IT, IT MIGHT BE X.
AND THIS SEEMS TO BE JUST A LITTLE DIFFERENT FROM THAT.
AND HERE WE ARE ASKING FOR 2 MILLION THAT I ASSUME, OR MAYBE OUTSIDE THAT ORIGINAL AGREEMENT.
SO ARE WE IN THE PROCESS NOW OF ALWAYS DOING THAT FORECASTING AHEAD OF TIME AND NO LETTING US KNOW, OR WE CAN, CAN WE EXPECT THE UNKNOWN EVERY YEAR OR TWO, ANOTHER MILLION OR 2 MILLION HERE FROM THE AIRPORT? SO I THINK IT DEPENDS ON THE NATURE OF THE PROJECT COUNCILMEN.
SO, UH, AIRFIELD PROJECTS, ESPECIALLY, UH, BECAUSE THEY'RE DONE IN PHASES, ARE SOMETIMES UNPREDICTABLE BECAUSE THERE'S A LOT OF SURVEY WORK THAT HAPPENS.
FOR EXAMPLE, THE, UH, ITEM A, THE, THE, THE, UM, CONSTRUCTION AWARD THAT WE'RE LOOKING AT IS FOR PHASE FIVE, IT'S A TAXIWAY, UH, THAT, THAT HAS TWO BRIDGES.
AND ESSENTIALLY IT HAD CRUMBLING INFRASTRUCTURE TO THE BRIDGES SO THAT WE COULD REBUILD THAT, THE EXACT NATURE OF THAT PROJECT.
AND PRECISELY, YOU KNOW, HOW DEEP WE WERE GONNA HAVE TO GO, HOW MUCH WORK WAS GONNA HAVE TO BE DONE TO THOSE BRIDGES WASN'T KNOWN AT THE OUTSET IN 2013.
IT'S NOT KNOWN UNTIL YOU GET INTO THE DESIGN OF THAT PARTICULAR PHASE.
SO I THINK THAT THESE PHASED PROJECTS ON THE AIRFIELD ARE UNIQUE IN THAT, IN THAT FASHION, IN THAT YOU, YOU WON'T KNOW THE COMPLETE NATURE OF THE PROJECT MANAGEMENT UNTIL YOU GET TO THAT PHASE DESIGN.
ARE WE ANTICIPATING NEXT YEAR COMING BACK WITH ANOTHER PHASE AND ANOTHER INCREMENTAL INCREASE TO THIS CONSULTANT? SO, UM, COUNSEL, I'LL HAVE TO GET BACK TO YOU ON THIS.
I BELIEVE WE'RE REACHING THE CONCLUSION OF THIS PARTICULAR PACKAGE SERIES.
UH, I'LL GET BACK TO YOU ON THE FUTURE OF
[00:50:01]
THAT.UH, BUT WE WILL DO FUTURE AIRFIELD PROJECTS, WHICH WILL BE OF A SIMILAR NATURE.
UH, MAYOR, I PROPOSE THE APPROVAL OF THE, UH, AGENDA ITEM 10, 10, 10 B.
THERE IS A MOTION AND A SECOND FOR APPROVAL OF ITEM 10.
UM, JUST TO CLARIFY, RUSS, UM, THIS AMOUNT WAS BUDGETED, UH, IN YOUR DEPARTMENT ABSOLUTELY.
IN ANTICIPATION OF AN AMENDMENT RIGHT.
THE 25% THAT WE'RE PICKING UP WAS BUDGETED, AND IN FACT, WE'VE GOT, WE, WE WORK WITH A RUNNING CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT FUND WITH THE F A A AND, AND THE ADDITIONAL DESIGN SERVICES.
WE'VE ACTUALLY GOT A HALF A MILLION ON ACCOUNT WITH THE F A A THAT'S COMING BACK TO US.
SO THIS ISN'T, THIS ISN'T REQUIRING A REALLOCATION OF YOUR MEDIATION BUDGET.
UH, THERE'S A MOTION, A SECOND FOR APPROVAL OF ITEM 10.
[14. An Ordinance authorizing a lease renewal agreement between the City of San Antonio and Ella Austin Community Center for the facility located at 1023 North Pine Street for a term of five-years until October 30, 2022 for a total rental rate of $10.00 for the entire lease term. [María Villagómez, Assistant City Manager; Melody Woosley, Director, Human Services]]
ITEM NUMBER 14 IS AN ORDINANCE AUTHORIZING A LEASE RENEWAL AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO AND ELLA AUSTIN COMMUNITY CENTER FOR FACILITY LOCATED AT 10 23 NORTH PINE STREET FOR A TERM OF FIVE YEARS UNTIL OCTOBER 30TH, 2022 FOR A TOTAL RENTAL RATE OF $10 FOR THE ENTIRE LEASE TERM.COUNCILMAN SHAW, THANK THANK YOU.
AND WE DO, WE DO HAVE A FEW CITIZENS SIGNED UP TO SPEAK.
YOU LIKE TO TAKE THEM NOW? YES.
UM, WE'LL TAKE OUR CITIZEN SIGNED UP TO SPEAK ON ITEM 14, AND THEN WE'LL GET TO COUNCIL COMMENT.
DAVIS, GOOD MORNING TO EACH AND EVERY ONE OF YOU.
AND THANK YOU SO VERY MUCH FOR YOUR SERVICE.
I TRULY WANNA BE ABLE TO SAY GOOD MORNING TO MAYOR CITY, COUNCILMAN, COUNCILMAN SHAW, AND TO OUR CITY MANAGER AND I TRULY, I, I AM BEVERLY WATTS DAVIS, AND WITH ME TODAY IS OUR VICE PRESIDENT OF OUR BOARD, MR. VICTOR ZUNIGA, AS WELL AS THE CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER FOR ELLA AUSTIN.
MR. ANTHONY HARGROVE, FIRST COUNCILMAN SHAW.
LET ME TAKE THIS TIME TO THANK YOU SO VERY MUCH FOR YOUR LEADERSHIP AND WORKING WITH ELLA AUSTIN FOR AN ICON IN OUR COMMUNITY FOR A HUNDRED YEARS.
ELLA AUSTIN HAS TOUCHED SO MANY LIVES, NOT JUST IN THE EAST SIDE OF TOWN, BUT ALL OVER THE COMMUNITY.
THERE WERE SO MANY PEOPLE WHO SAID, I DID MY INTERNSHIP HERE, UM, AS A YOUNG DOCTOR, I CAME AND WORKED HERE AS A, AS A CARPENTER.
I LEARNED HERE AS I WENT TO SCHOOL HERE.
THERE ARE SO MANY PEOPLE WHO HAVE SUCH GREAT, UM, MEMORIES AND TIES TO ELLA AUSTIN.
THANK YOU SO VERY MUCH FOR WORKING WITH US.
I ALSO WANT TO THANK, UM, OUR CITY MANAGER.
I, I TRULY CONSIDER HER ONE OF OUR BEST SHEROES.
UH, MS. SCULLY, THANK YOU AND I, AND TRULY TO THE ASSISTANT CITY MANAGER, MS. VILLA GOMEZ, AND TO MELANIE NEY AND TO MR. GARZA AND TO MIKE ETAN WHO ALL JOINED FORCES IN REALLY WORKING WITH US TO MAKE SURE THAT THIS, WE COULD ACTUALLY GET THE LEASE WORKED OUT.
I JUST WANT YOU ALL TO KNOW WHEN AN INDIVIDUAL WALKS INTO ELLA AUSTIN AND ONTO THE CAMPUS, WHAT THEY, AT THAT POINT, THEY BEGIN TO TRULY LOOK AT ALL THE THINGS THAT CAN TRANSFORM THEIR LIVES.
EVERYTHING FROM OUR EARLY, UM, FROM WHAT WE'RE DOING WITH EARLY HEAD START TO OUR SENIOR SERVICES.
AND I'M SO PLEASED TO ACTUALLY SAY WITH OUR EARLY HEAD STARTS, THE TEXAS RISING STAR ASSOCIATION THAT ACTUALLY RATES THE QUALITY OF CHILDCARE IN THROUGHOUT TEXAS HAS ACTUALLY GIVEN ELLA AUSTIN THREE STARS, UM, OUT OF FOUR IN TERMS OF THE QUALITY CHILDCARE THAT WE RECEIVE.
SO I JUST WANNA BE ABLE TO SAY TO YOU, WE, WE WORK FROM CRADLE, I DON'T WANNA SAY TO THE GRAVE, BUT BEFORE PEOPLE GET TO THE GRAVE IN TERMS OF JUST MAKING SURE THAT WE CAN ADDRESS THE HEALTH, THE HUMAN SERVICE, AND THE BASIC NEEDS OF COMMUNITIES OF PEOPLE IN OUR COMMUNITY.
SO ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD OF ELLA AUSTIN, THE FRIENDS OF ELLA AUSTIN, THE SENIORS AND THE CHILDREN, WHICH I UNDERSTAND THEY DELIVERED YOU ALL SOME INFORMATION AND TALK, TALKED TO HOW IMPORTANT ELLA AUSTIN WAS TO THEM.
I TRULY THANK YOU, UH, FOR CONSIDERING THIS RESOLUTION AND ASK FOR THE PASSAGE OF ORDINANCE 17.5797, UM, FOR AND AUTHORIZE THE LEASE FOR ELLA AUSTIN.
UM, WE ALSO HAVE ANTHONY SIGNED UP TO SPEAK.
ANTHONY, WOULD YOU LIKE TO, TO SPEAK? UH, THANK YOU MAYOR, CITY MANAGER SCULLY, UM, DISTRICT TWO, COUNCILMAN SHAW COUNCIL MEMBERS MAYOR NEWBERG.
I'M ANTHONY HARGROVE, CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER OUTTA AUSTIN COMMUNITY CENTER, LOCATED IN DISTRICT TWO AT THE CORNERS OF PINE AND LAMAR.
WE OCCUPY THIS CITY ON FACILITY STRATEGICALLY
[00:55:01]
LOCATED IN THE D DIG WHITTY HILL HISTORIC DISTRICT.AND NEAR THE FAMILIES WE SERVE, WE STAND SIDE BY SIDE INDIVIDUALS AND FAMILIES TO HELP THEM WITH OPPORTUNITIES TO BE STRONGER, HEALTHIER, AND MORE SELF-SUFFICIENT.
NOW, YOU KNOW, THIS IS HARD WORK AND WE DON'T FOR A MINUTE CLAIM TO DO IT BY OURSELVES.
WE'VE MAXIMIZED OUR PARTNERSHIPS WITH THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO THROUGH OUR EARLY HEAD START PROGRAM AND UNITED WAY CHILD DEVELOPMENT INDIVIDUAL AND FAMILY SENIOR SERVICES, AS WELL AS TAX ASSISTANCE TO WORKING FAMILIES WITH THE SCHOOL OF EXCELLENCE, ST.
PHILIPS COLLEGE TO PRESENT CHILDREN WITH SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY, MATH AND ROBOTICS WITH THE SAN ANTONIO FOOD BANK, WITH OUR MALES TO YOUTH WITH THE MEN OF THE SAN ANTONIO ALUMNI CHAPTER KAPPA ALPHA SI FRATERNITY INCORPORATED FOR MENTORING OUR YOUTH WITH THE 100 BLACK MEN AND FAMILY SERVICES INCORPORATED FOR WORKING WITH OUR YOUTH, THE UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS HEALTH SCIENCE CENTER SCHOOL OF NURSING, FOR WORKING WITH OUR SENIOR CITIZENS WITH SELECT FEDERAL CREDIT UNION FOR BANKING NEEDS ON SITE FOR THOSE INDIVIDUALS THAT COME TO THE CENTER AND CONDUCT THEIR BUSINESS BY FOOT, COMERICA BANK FOR FINANCIAL LITERACY INSTRUCTIONS AND HELPING THEM WITH SMART FINANCIAL DECISIONS.
LASTLY, WE HAVE WITNESSED OUR COMMUNITY GROW AS A WHOLESOME PLACE FOR ONE TO BE, FOR ONE, TO BE A HOMEOWNER AND RAISE A FAMILY, HOWEVER THAT REMAIN FAMILIES THAT STILL REQUIRE ASSISTANCE OF ELLA ALSTER.
I TOO ECHO OUR BOARD LEADERSHIP'S REQUEST FOR YOUR SUPPORT OF THE AGENCY LEASE.
WE ASK YOUR VOTE FOR THIS FIVE YEAR LEASE.
LET ME PUBLICLY APPLAUD THE HARD WORK OF OUR COMMUNITY, FRIENDS AND NEIGHBORS, AS WELL AS ED GONZALEZ, MELODY WOOSLEY AND THE ASSISTANT CITY MANAGER, MARIA VIA GOMEZ FOR ALL OF THEIR HARD WORK IN MAKING OUR PRESENCE POSSIBLE BEFORE COUNCIL TODAY.
AND IF I COULD JUST SAY, COUNCILMAN PERRY, UM, COUNCILMAN BROCK HOUSE.
UM, THANK YOU FOR GIVING ME THE TIME, UH, TO TALK TO YOU ABOUT OUR AGENCY AND FOR YOU COMING TO VISIT TO PUT YOUR EYES ON THE SERVICES WE PROVIDE.
YOU KNOW, ELLA AUSTIN IS, IS IS A G IN OUR COMMUNITY.
AND WHAT'S MORE IMPRESSIVE AND MORE IMPORTANT IS SHOWED HOW WHEN YOU BRING PEOPLE TOGETHER WITH IDEAS, HOW WE CAN ACCOMPLISH ANYTHING.
AND THAT'S WHAT HAPPENED WITH THIS LEASE AGREEMENT TODAY WHEN WE BROUGHT WITH BOARD, UH, THE, THE ED, OUR CITY MANAGER, OUR ASSISTANT CITY MANAGER ALTOGETHER, TO HAVE A DISCUSSION ON HOW WE CAN MAKE SURE THAT THE INDIVIDUALS THAT NOT ONLY IN DISTRICT TWO, BUT ALL OF OUR DISTRICTS ARE PROPERLY SERVED AT THE END OF THE DAY, UH, A GOAL OF SELF-SUFFICIENCY.
AND THAT'S WHAT WE'VE DONE TODAY.
UH, BRINGING FOLKS TOGETHER TO ACCOMPLISH ONE MISSION.
SO I DEFINITELY WANT TO THANK THE BOARD, THE ED BEVERLY, TONY MARIA, THE CITY MANAGER.
UH, A LOT OF WORK HAS BEEN DONE.
A LOT OF LATE MEETINGS, UM, SPIRITED DISCUSSIONS HAVE BEEN HAD, BUT AT THE END OF THE DAY, WE'RE ABLE TO COME BEFORE CITY COUNCIL THIS MORNING TO GET A THE JOB DONE.
AND SO WITH THAT BEING SAID, I MOVE FOR APPROVAL.
SECOND, THERE'S A MOTION AND A SECOND FOR APPROVAL OF ITEM 14.
UH, WE'LL MOVE NOW TO COUNCIL.
MR. HARGROVE, THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR THE INVITATION TO COME DOWN THERE AND TAKING ME THROUGH THAT FACILITY.
[01:00:01]
THE L AUSTIN, UH, FACILITY DOWN THERE, BUT I DIDN'T HAVE A CLUE ON WHERE THIS PLACE WAS, WHAT, WHAT Y'ALL WERE DOING THERE.AND LEMME TELL YOU, UM, WHEN YOU TOOK ME THROUGH THAT FACILITY, I WAS, I, I WAS MOVED, I WAS MOVED BY, UH, THE DEDICATION, THE SERVICES FROM, AGAIN, THE EARLY CHILDHOOD ALL THE WAY THROUGH THE SENIOR CENTER THERE.
I I WAS MOVED BY THAT, UH, UH, NOT ONLY BY THE DEDICATION, BUT THE LOVE THAT WAS OUT THERE IN THAT FACILITY, UH, WITH THE PEOPLE AND THE FACILITY ITSELF.
I, I WAS EXCITED ABOUT WALKING THROUGH, THROUGH THAT HISTORIC FACILITY, UH, THE AUDITORIUM THERE.
WHAT, WHAT A GEM, WHAT A GEM WE HAVE THERE.
UM, THE SEATS WERE A LITTLE BIT SMALL FOR ME, BUT, UH, YOU KNOW, IT, IT WAS GREAT.
UH, THE, THE HISTORY OF THAT FACILITY, UH, IT TRULY IS A HISTORIC, UH, FACILITY THAT WE NEED TO TAKE CARE OF THERE.
SO, UH, THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR YOUR TIME TO DO THAT.
IT REALLY OPENED MY EYES ON WHAT YOU DO, WHAT YOU PROVIDE, AND, UH, I WAS VERY, VERY MOVED GOING THROUGH THAT, UH, TOUR.
UH, I WANT TO ADD MY CONGRATULATIONS ALSO TO THE SUCCESS OF, UH, HAVING A CONTRACT AND THE OPPORTUNITY TO STAY THERE RENEWED.
I WORKED, UH, IN SS A I S D FOR MANY YEARS.
UH, I TAUGHT AT WHEATLEY, I TAUGHT AT POE, I TAUGHT AT PICKET ACADEMY.
UH, AND I REALLY RECALL MANY OF THE FAMILIES WHO TALKED ABOUT THE SERVICES, THE ASSISTANCE THEY RECEIVED THROUGH THE ELLA AUSTIN CENTER.
AND TO UNDERSTAND THAT THAT'S GOING TO CONTINUE AND TO GROW AND TO SERVE SO MANY PEOPLE, UH, THROUGHOUT THAT EAST SIDE COMMUNITY, I THINK IS A VERY VALUABLE ASSET, UH, TO THE COMMUNITY AND TO THE CITY.
I REALLY WANNA COMMEND THE STAFF TOO.
'CAUSE I KNOW THAT THERE WERE, UH, SOME DIFFICULT DECISIONS TO BE MADE ABOUT THAT BUILDING.
IT'S, IT'S REALLY A, A CLASSY BUILDING AND I KNOW ALL OF US ARE CONCERNED ABOUT MAINTAINING IT AND SEEING IT CONTINUE TO BE A FOCAL POINT FOR ACTIVITY, UH, IN THE EAST SIDE.
SO I'M GLAD THAT WE'RE ABLE TO WORK OUT THE ARRANGEMENT FOR THIS CONTRACT FOR THE NEXT FIVE YEARS.
UH, AND SO I JUST WANNA CONGRATULATE YOU ALL FOR THE, UH, DILIGENT EFFORT THAT YOU PUT IN.
MAY I SPEAK JUST, UH, COUNCILMAN COURAGE? UH, THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME.
WE TALKED AT, UH, SAN ANTONIO COLLEGE, SO THANK YOU FOR LETTING ME VISIT WITH YOU.
THANK YOU, COUNCILMAN COURAGE.
COUNCILMAN SALANI, THANK YOU SO MUCH.
MR. ROMEO, THANK YOU FOR, FOR COMING TO US AND GETTING TO BE PART OF WHAT IS THE, YOU KNOW, CROSSING OF A, OF A VERY LONG FOOTBALL FIELD TO GET TO THE, TO THE, UH, THE GOAL LINE.
UM, I'VE SEEN MANY COUNCIL MEMBERS IN DISTRICT TWO TRY TO FIGURE OUT, UH, THIS REALLY DIFFICULT, COMPLEX, UH, SITUATION.
I WANNA CONGRATULATE COUNCILMAN SHAW BECAUSE I'VE READ THE REPORTS, SEEN THE TV INTERVIEWS, SEEN THE PICTURES OF THOSE VERY HEATED DISCUSSIONS.
UH, AND THIS WAS NOT SOMETHING THAT, UH, CAME ABOUT EASY.
AND, AND I'VE ALWAYS BEEN, PROFESSOR RENAN WAS SOMEBODY WHO CAME TO ME VERY EARLY AND TALKED TO ME ABOUT SOME OF THE WORK THAT GOES ON INSIDE, UH, L AUSTIN.
A LOT OF DISCUSSION AND, AND, UM, AND CONVERSATION IS DONE UP ABOUT THE HISTORIC BUILDING.
AND I BELIEVE THAT THAT IS ABSOLUTELY TRUE.
BUT, UH, A BUILDING AS HISTORIC AS IT IS, DOESN'T DO MUCH TO, UH, YOU KNOW, BRING UP A CHILD OR, OR, OR GET SOMEBODY TO FILL OUT A JOB APPLICATION.
IT IS THOSE PEOPLE WHO ARE INSIDE THAT BUILDING WHO HAVE BEEN INSTRUMENTAL, NOT ONLY THE FACT THAT THEY EXIST IN THAT BUILDING, BUT THAT THAT BUILDING EXISTS IN A LOCATION WHERE PEOPLE TRULY NEED THE HELP.
UH, WHICH HAS BEEN, UH, REALLY ONE OF THE BIG REASONS WHY WE'VE ALL BEEN ROOTING FOR, UH, ELLA AUSTIN.
AND, AND IT HAS BEEN REALLY A, A DIFFICULT ONE TO CATCH.
SO CONGRATULATIONS TO, UH, THE COUNCILMAN TO THE EAST SIDE COMMUNITY AND, AND TO YOU ALL AS LEADERSHIP AT ELLA AUSTIN FOR GETTING THIS THROUGH.
SO I'M VERY HAPPY TO GET TO VOTE ON THIS TODAY.
AND, UM, MR. AGRO AND MS. DAVIS, UH, THE WHOLE TEAM OVER AT ELLA AUSTIN.
UH, FINALLY, UH, ELLA AUSTIN IS A GOOD NEWS STORY, UH, IN THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO.
I KNOW YOU'VE BEEN WORKING VERY HARD.
I REMEMBER THE VERY FIRST TEXT AFTER CONGRATULATIONS THAT I SENT TO, UH, COUNCILMAN SHAW AFTER HE WAS ELECTED WAS, LET ME KNOW WHAT I CAN DO TO HELP WITH ELLA AUSTIN.
AND THE NEXT TIME I HEARD ABOUT THE SUBJECT WAS HE SAID, THE DEAL IS DONE.
AND SO I'M VERY PROUD TO JOIN WITH HIM AND THE REST OF CITY COUNCIL TO ACTUALLY GET IT DONE.
WE LOOK FORWARD TO MANY YEARS OF SERVICE UNDER YOUR TENURE.
THERE IS A MOTION AND A SECOND OF APPROVAL OF ITEM 14.
[01:05:01]
PLEASE VOTE.[18. An Ordinance authorizing the application and acceptance of approximately $317,146.00 in grants to fund activities such as recycling education, organics recycling, waste reduction, and illegal dumping prevention from the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality for Regional Solid Waste Pass-Through Grants for Fiscal Years 2018 and 2019 through the Alamo Area Council of Governments. [Roderick J. Sanchez, Assistant City Manager; David W. McCary, Director, Solid Waste Management]]
18.ITEM NUMBER 18 IS AN ORDINANCE AUTHORIZING THE APPLICATION AND ACCEPTANCE OF APPROXIMATELY $317,146 IN GRANTS TO FUND ACTIVITIES SUCH AS RECYCLING, EDUCATION, ORGANICS, RECYCLING, WASTE REDUCTION, AND ILLEGAL DUMPING PREVENTION FROM THE TEXAS COMMISSION ON ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY FOR REGIONAL SOLID WASTE PASS THROUGH GRANTS FOR FISCAL YEARS 2018 AND 2019 THROUGH THE ALAMO AREA COUNCIL OF GOVERNMENTS.
COUNCILMAN BROCK, HOUSE MAYOR, I DIDN'T PULL THIS ITEM.
I HAD THAT YOU PULLED THE ITEM.
WELL, I'M GLAD SOMEBODY PULLED THE ITEM
UM, AND SO WE'LL JUST GO THROUGH THE FORMALITIES OF HAVING YOU UP HERE.
UH, BUT IT GIVES US AN OPPORTUNITY TO TELL YOU PUBLICLY HOW MANY EMAILS WE'VE GOTTEN FROM PEOPLE ON THE COASTAL BEND, COMPLIMENTING YOU AND YOUR, YOUR CREW, UH, FOR THE HELP THEY'VE DONE.
THEY, THEY'VE BEEN TO THAT COMMUNITY GETTING BACK ON THEIR FEET.
I KNOW YOU'VE GOTTEN A NUMBER OF THEM FORWARDED TO YOU.
UH, BUT EVERYONE IN THIS CHAMBER SHOULD KNOW THAT, UH, WE'VE HAD A LOT OF SUPPORT OUT THERE FROM C P S ENERGY TO OUR IT STAFF, TO OUR SS A P D AND, AND SAN ANTONIO FIRE DEPARTMENT.
BUT BY FAR THE MOST COMPLIMENTS I'VE GOTTEN AND REMARKS ABOUT THE WORK AND AND SUPPORT OF OUR COASTAL COMMUNITY HAS BECOME FROM THE PEOPLE WHO ARE HELPING CLEAR OFF, UH, HOMES AND ENSURE THAT PEOPLE CAN GET SAFELY INTO THEIR, INTO THEIR HOMES AGAIN.
SO, DAVID, UH, THANK YOU FOR, UH, YOUR MANAGEMENT OF YOUR DEPARTMENT AND, AND MAKING US PROUD EVEN BEYOND YOUR CORE MISSION.
UM, WE, WE DO HAVE OTHERS, UH, TO SPEAK.
SO I'LL START WITH COUNCILWOMAN GONZALEZ.
WELL, THANK YOU FOR GIVING ME THE OPPORTUNITY.
UH, MY HUSBAND'S SON LIVES IN HOUSTON, AND HE WORKS IN THE OIL, UH, INDUSTRY, OIL RIGS WHERE THEY WOULD GO OUT TO THE, TO THE COAST AND FIX, UH, LARGE EQUIPMENT.
WELL, HIS BUSINESS WAS THEN TRANSFORMED AFTER THE STORMS BECAUSE THEY WERE MOVED INLAND TO DO THE REALLY DIFFICULT WORK THAT'S VERY SPECIALIZED.
UH, AND A FEW DAYS AFTER THE STORM, HE CALLED ME TO TELL ME THAT HE HAD SEEN LOTS OF SAN CITY, OF SAN ANTONIO, UH, TRUCKS, SPECIFICALLY SOLID WASTE GOING AROUND AND HELPING WITH THE CLEANUP AND HOW GRATEFUL THEY ALL WERE THERE.
SO IT ALSO JUST GIVES ME AN OPPORTUNITY TO THANK YOU, UH, AND LET YOU KNOW THAT IT DID NOT GO UNNOTICED, UM, THAT WE ARE GETTING CALLS, EVEN PERSONAL CALLS FROM FAMILY THANKING SAN ANTONIO FOR THE EFFORT.
THANK YOU, MAYOR DAVID, I DO WANNA GIVE THANKS TO YOU AND YOUR TEAM, ALL, EVERYONE WHO WENT OUT THERE TO THE COASTAL BEND AREA AND HOUSTON IN PARTICULAR.
I WAS ABLE TO MEET WITH SOMEONE FROM THE MAYOR MAYOR'S OFFICE FROM HOUSTON, AS WELL AS ONE OF THE COUNCIL MEMBERS.
AND THEY SAID THAT THE COUNCIL MEMBERS WERE FIGHTING OVER CITY OF SAN ANTONIO TRUCKS.
THAT'S TO GO INTO THEIR CERTAIN AREAS BECAUSE WE WERE OUT THERE WORKING HARD.
SO IT IS THE, UM, IT IS, UH, I DO MAKE A MOTION TO APPROVE, UH, THIS, AND I DO WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT, YOU KNOW, THAT WE ARE, UH, WE'RE, WE'RE VERY PROUD OF WHAT'S BEEN HAPPENING IN EVERY, ALL OF THE TEAM THAT WENT OUT THERE, ALL OF OUR EMPLOYEES AND THE SACRIFICES TOO, THAT THE FAMILIES HAD TO GO THROUGH.
AND LETTING THEIR LOVED ONES TO GO OUT THERE AND SPEND ALL THAT TIME OVER THERE.
SO EVERYONE NEEDS SOME MUCH NEEDED REST TOO.
THERE IS A MOTION AND A SECOND FOR APPROVAL OF ITEM 18.
UM, CITY MANAGER SCULLY WOULD LIKE TO MAKE REMARKS, JUST, JUST TO ADD TO THE COMMENTS.
DAVID'S BEING MODEST HERE THIS MORNING.
UM, WE SENT, UH, 60 EMPLOYEES OVER TO HOUSTON THAT PRIMARILY WORKED IN THE KINGWOOD AREA, UH, PICKING UP DEBRIS MORE THAN 50 FOOTBALL FIELDS, 10 FEET HIGH OF MATERIAL, AND THEY WORKED THERE FOR MORE THAN 30 DAYS, UH, WORKING EVERY DAY.
AND WE STILL WERE ABLE TO MAINTAIN OUR PICKUP SCHEDULE HERE IN SAN ANTONIO, EVEN THOUGH WE HAD 60 EMPLOYEES IN HOUSTON, AND WE SENT 60 PIECES OF EQUIPMENT AS WELL.
AND DAVID WAS STILL ABLE TO, UH, MANAGE OUR DAILY WORKLOAD HERE IN SAN ANTONIO.
HE WAS TRAVELING OVER TO HOUSTON ON THE WEEKENDS TO OVERSEE AND MEET AND KEEP TRACK OF HIS STAFF AND GIVE THEM SUPPORT.
HE ALSO CHAIRED OUR CHARITABLE CAMPAIGN THIS YEAR THAT SET A RECORD AT 1.2 MILLION.
SO HE'S BEEN A VERY BUSY MAN, BUT UP TO THE TASK AND DID
[01:10:01]
AN EXCELLENT JOB.SO I JUST WANTED TO SHARE THAT ADDITIONAL INFORMATION WITH YOU ABOUT DAVID AND THANK THE ENTIRE TEAM.
I I WILL TELL YOU THIS, THIS WAS EXCELLENT TEAM BUILDING FOR THE SOLID WASTE MANAGEMENT DEPARTMENT BECAUSE WHEN YOU DEPLOY AND YOU HAVE TO RELY ON EACH OTHER TO GET THE JOB DONE, THOSE 60 TALENTED INDIVIDUALS MADE IT HAPPEN ABROAD.
AND THE REMAINING 60% HERE LOCALLY ALSO HAD TEAM BUILDING TO MAKE IT HAPPEN WHERE YOU WOULDN'T MISS ANY OF YOUR SERVICES.
COUNCILMAN SHAW, I, YOU KNOW, I HAD TO JUMP IN HERE BECAUSE I'M A HOUSTONIAN AS WELL AS YOU ARE.
ALL I CAN SAY IS, DAVE, YOU'RE THE MAN.
UH, I HAVE FAMILY FRIENDS ALL THROUGHOUT THE HOUSTON AREA THAT ARE STILL THERE.
UM, WE'RE MOURNING THE LOSS OF THE, THE ASTROS RIGHT NOW, BUT, UM, THE, THE WORK THAT YOU'VE DONE IS, IS SERVED PAST BEYOND THAT.
SO ONCE AGAIN, THANK YOU, SIR.
AND, AND JUST ANOTHER EXAMPLE WHY WE ARE RIGHT IN CALLING SAN ANTONIO COMPASSIONATE CITY.
THERE IS A MOTION AND A SECOND FOR APPROVAL OF ITEM 18.
MOTION CARRIES ITEM NUMBER 21,
[21. An Ordinance authorizing a Community Spay and Neuter Services Contract in an annual amount up to $894,975 for a three-year term with the option to renew two additional one-year terms with Snap Neuter Inject Project of San Antonio, San Antonio Humane Society, Pet Spots, and Animal Defense League of Texas funded by the FY 2018 general fund budget to collectively provide 12,455 spay and neuter surgeries. [María Villagómez, Assistant City Manager; Heber Lefgren, Director, Animal Care Services]]
UH, WHICH IS PULLED FOR INDIVIDUAL CONSIDERATION FOR RECUSAL.ITEM NUMBER 21 IS AN ORDINANCE AUTHORIZING A COMMUNITY SPAY AND NEUTER SERVICES CONTRACT IN AN ANNUAL AMOUNT UP TO $894,975 FOR A THREE YEAR TERM WITH AN OPTION TO RENEW TWO ADDITIONAL ONE-YEAR TERMS WITH SNAP NEUTER JACK PROJECT OF SAN ANTONIO, SAN ANTONIO HUMANE SOCIETY, PET SPORTS AND ANIMAL DEFENSE LEAGUE OF TEXAS, FUNDED BY THE 2018 GENERAL FUND BUDGET TO COLLECTIVELY PROVIDE 12,455 SPAY AND NEUTER SURGERIES.
I JUST WANTED TO MAKE A MOTION TO APPROVE AND THANKS TO ALL OF THE WORK, UH, SPECIFICALLY THE SAN, UH, SAN ANTONIO HUMANE SOCIETY IS DOING IN THE BROOKS BAY AND NEUTER FACILITY AS WELL.
ALRIGHT, THERE IS A MOTION AND A SECOND FOR APPROVAL OF ITEM 21.
[28. Consideration of the following three items related to the relocation of Credit Human’s corporate headquarters, the retention of 435 Full-Time Jobs and the creation of an additional 50 Full-Time Jobs: [Carlos Contreras, Assistant City Manager; Rene Dominguez, Director, Economic Development] 28A. An Ordinance authorizing a Tax Abatement Agreement with Credit Human to exempt one hundred percent (100%) of Ad Valorem taxes for a period of ten years on real and personal property improvements estimated at $113,000,000 at 1803 Broadway Street, which is within a Texas Enterprise Zone 28B. An Ordinance authorizing a Chapter 380 Economic Development Program Grant Agreement with Credit Human to provide a grant in an amount, when combined with the amount of abated taxes provided through a Tax Abatement Agreement, does not exceed $5,923,882.00. 28C. A Resolution approving a Tax Abatement Agreement between Bexar County and Credit Human for an economic development project within the City created Midtown Tax Increment Reinvestment Zone.]
NUMBER 28 IS CONSIDERING OF THE FOLLOWING THREE ITEMS RELATED TO THE RELOCATION OF CREDIT HUMANS CORPORATE HEADQUARTERS, THE RETENTION OF 435 FULL-TIME JOBS AND THE CREATION OF AN ADDITIONAL 50 FULL-TIME JOBS.ITEM 28 A IS THE ORDINANCE AUTHORIZING THE TAX ABATEMENT AGREEMENT WITH CREDIT HUMAN TO EXEMPT 100% OF VALOREM TAXES FOR A PERIOD OF 10 YEARS ON REAL AND PERSONAL PROPERTY IMPROVEMENTS.
ESTIMATED AT $113 MILLION AT 18 0 3 BROADWAY STREET, WHICH IS WITHIN THE TEXAS ENTERPRISE ZONE.
ITEM 28 B IS AN ORDINANCE AUTHORIZING A CHAPTER THREE 80 ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM GRANT AGREEMENT WITH CREDIT HUMAN TO PROVIDE A GRANT IN AN AMOUNT WHEN COMBINED WITH THE AMOUNT OF ABATED TAXES PROVIDED THROUGH A TAX ABATEMENT AGREEMENT, DOES NOT EXCEED $5,923,882.
AND ITEM C IS THE RESOLUTION APPROVING A TAX ABATEMENT AGREEMENT BETWEEN BEXAR COUNTY AND CREDIT HUMAN FOR AN ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT PROJECT WITHIN THE CITY CREATED MIDTOWN TAX INCREMENT REINVESTMENT ZONE.
AND I GOTTA SAY, UH, EVEN HEARING THE CITY CLERK READ THAT OUT MAKES, MAKES A CASE FOR THIS ITEM.
UH, BUT WE'RE GONNA HEAR FROM NETTE, UH, NETTE, THANK YOU FOR, UH, ALL YOU'VE DONE AND THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT TEAM FOR THEIR HARD WORK ON THIS PROJECT.
UM, I REALLY WANT TO HIGHLIGHT THE PROCESS BECAUSE I THINK THAT THAT THAT IS, UH, KEY HERE, UH, WHY WE'RE DOING THIS AND, AND ALL THE HARD WORK THAT WENT INTO, UH, MAKING THIS DEAL HAPPEN AND, AND THE HARD WORK OF, OF YOUR DEPARTMENT.
AND OF COURSE, AT, AT THE HEART OF THAT, THE INTEGRITY OF OF, OF WHY WE DO THESE PROGRAMS TO BEGIN WITH
IF YOU'D LIKE, I CAN MAKE THE PRESENTATION AND THEN TOUCH ON THAT A LITTLE BIT AS WELL.
SO BEFORE, UH, WE GET STARTED WITH THIS ITEM, I'D LIKE TO INTRODUCE A COUPLE OF FOLKS HERE JOINING US THAT COULD ANSWER ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS IF NEEDED.
STEVE HENIGAN IS THE PRESIDENT AND C E O OF CREDIT HUMAN.
AND HE'S HERE, AS I SAID, TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS AS NEEDED.
[01:15:01]
REPRESENTING SILVER VENTURES, BILL SCHO HERE AS WELL.SO AS WAY OF BACKGROUND CREDIT, HUMAN, FORMERLY KNOWN AS THE SAN UH, SAN ANTONIO CREDIT UNION WAS ESTABLISHED OVER 80 YEARS AGO.
AND AS YOU MAY HAVE SEEN OR HEARD RECENTLY, THEY WENT THROUGH A REBRANDING EFFORT TO REALLY BEGIN EXPANDING, UH, THEIR REACH AND THEIR MEMBERSHIP BASE IN AND OUTSIDE OF SAN ANTONIO.
THEY CURRENTLY HAVE OVER 250,000 MEMBERS WITH OPERATIONS IN SAN ANTONIO CHURCH, HOUSTON, AND FOUR OTHER STATES WITH 435 LOCAL EMPLOYEES AT THEIR THREE OPERATION CENTERS.
CREDIT HUMAN RECENTLY BEGAN LOOKING TO CONSOLIDATE THESE OPERATION CENTERS INTO ONE PRIMARY HEADQUARTER LOCATION.
SO AFTER SEARCHING FOR SEVERAL, UH, AFTER SEARCHING AND LOOKING AT VARIOUS LOCATIONS IN AND OUT OF SAN ANTONIO CREDIT HUMAN BECAME VERY INTERESTED IN A SITE LOCATED NEAR DOWNTOWN IN THE PEARL AREA.
CREDIT HUMAN INTENDS TO INVEST $113 MILLION TO OWN A 10 STORY, 200,000 SQUARE FOOT FACILITY RIGHT OFF OF BROADWAY.
AND I'LL SHOW YOU THAT IN A FEW SECONDS.
THE TOWER WILL BE A STATE-OF-THE-ART FACILITY, GOLD LEAD CERTIFIED, ALONG WITH PARKING ABOVE AND BELOW GROUND.
THIS BUILDING WILL BE BUILT FOR THEIR HEADQUARTERS, BUT ALSO FOR FUTURE GROWTH, WHICH INCLUDES 50 ADDITIONAL NEW EMPLOYEES.
IN ADDITION TO LOCATING IN AN AREA OF TOWN THAT'S EXPERIENCING A REDEVELOPMENT RENAISSANCE CREDIT HUMAN WAS VERY INTERESTED IN LOCATING IN THAT SPECIFIC AREA BECAUSE IT'S CLOSE TO THE CUSTOMERS THEY WANNA SERVE.
THAT AREA OF TOWN, AS I SAID, IS GROWING AND THERE ARE NEIGHBORHOODS TO THE EAST AND WEST OF THAT AREA IN NEED OF FINANCIAL SERVICES.
SO, STAFF RECOMMENDATION TO SECURE THIS PROJECT TO SAN ANTONIO AND TO CREATE THIS PARTNERSHIP WITH CREDIT HUMAN, WE'RE RECOMMENDING A 10 YEAR, 100% ABATEMENT AND A FIVE YEAR REBATE.
THE VALUE OF THIS ABATEMENT IS CAPPED AT $5.9 MILLION, WHICH IS THE COST OF THE VARIOUS IMPROVEMENTS THEY ARE GOING TO MAKE TO THAT AREA.
SO, ALTHOUGH THE TERM OF THE AGREEMENT IS FOR 15 YEARS, THE ABATEMENT OF THOSE TAXES OR REBATE WILL END ONCE THEY REACH THAT $5.9 MILLION CAP.
AND AGAIN, THOSE, UH, THAT CAP IS INTENDED TO COVER THE COST THAT CREDIT HUMAN IS GONNA MAKE TO THAT AREA.
OR ESTIMATES SHOW THAT THEY'LL PROBABLY REACH THAT AREA IN YEAR 11 OR SOONER.
LASTLY, BECAUSE THEY'RE LOCATING IN THE ICRP, THERE ARE CERTAIN, AS OF RIGHT CITY FEE WAIVER AND SOFT FEE WAIVERS THAT THEY'LL BE ELIGIBLE FOR.
SO TO GIVE YOU A BROADER SENSE OF THE IMPROVEMENTS BEING MADE TO THIS AREA, THIS MAP IS INTENDED TO SHOW YOU AT A VERY HIGH LEVEL THOSE IMPROVEMENTS.
SO KEEP IN MIND WHEN YOU ENVISION THE TWO TOWERS THAT ARE GONNA BE, UH, BUILT IN THAT AREA, HOW THESE IMPROVEMENTS ARE REALLY GOING TO BE CRITICAL IN MOVING PEOPLE IN AND AROUND THAT AREA.
AS PART OF THE OVERALL DEVELOPMENT, THEY ARE GOING TO MAKE IMPROVEMENTS TO AVENUE B, WHICH IS AT THE VERY TOP OF THAT MAP, INCLUDING STREETS, CURBS, SIDEWALK IMPROVEMENTS, AND BIKE LANES.
THERE'LL BE TRAFFIC SIGNAL IMPROVEMENTS MADE AT JOSEPHINE STREET UP AT THE RIGHT HAND SIDE OF THAT MAP, ALONG WITH, UH, UH, MODIFICATIONS TO SIGNALS AT BROADWAY.
ADDITIONALLY, THERE'LL BE IMPROVEMENTS TO NEWELL STREET, WHICH IS RIGHT OFF, UH, TO THE LEFT OF THAT MAP AND PEARL PARKWAY, WHICH WILL ALSO GET STREET IMPROVEMENTS, INCLUDING ADDITIONAL PUBLIC PARKING.
AND THEN FINALLY, A LARGE PORTION OF THE SITE WILL INCLUDE WHAT THEY'RE CALLING A LITTLE POCKET PARK.
THAT'S THAT PUBLIC SPACE DOWN IN THE RIGHT HAND CORNER.
THEY'LL BE ADDING A GATHERING AREA WITH TREES TO MATCH THE COMPLETE STREET PROJECT THAT'S GOING TO HAPPEN AS PART OF THE BROADWAY IMPROVEMENTS.
SO TO SUMMARIZE, THERE'S NUMEROUS BENEFITS ASSOCIATED WITH THIS PROJECT, INCLUDING LOCATING A CORPORATE HEADQUARTERS IN THE MIDTOWN REGIONAL CENTER, A MAJOR CAPITAL INVESTMENT OF $113 MILLION, WHICH BY THE WAY, DOES NOT INCLUDE THE ADDITIONAL DEVELOPMENT ASSOCIATED WITH THAT SIX TOWER BUILDING THAT I MENTIONED.
THE CREATION OF 15 NEW JOBS ALONG WITH THE 435 RETAINED JOBS WITH AN AVERAGE SALARY OF 60,000.
AND THIS AGREEMENT ALSO INCLUDES UNIQUE COMMUTER BENEFITS THAT WE'VE NEGOTIATED INTO THE AGREEMENT ALONG WITH INCLUSION OF INTERNSHIP OPPORTUNITIES FOR OUR LOCAL RESIDENTS.
FINALLY, AS A SIDE NOTE, OF COURSE, THERE'S THE ADDED BENEFIT FOR ALL THE OTHER TAXING JURISDICTIONS IN THE AREA.
THEY'LL BE RECEIVING THE FULL TAX LOAD OF THIS DEVELOPMENT, INCLUDING SAN ANTONIO INDEPENDENT SCHOOL DISTRICT, THE COLLEGES, AND SO FORTH.
[01:20:01]
IS LOCATED IN THE MIDTOWN TOURS, WHICH RECEIVES THE CITY'S PORTION OF ADVIL ALARM TAXES.THERE'S NO DIRECT IMPACT TO OUR GENERAL FUND.
BY THE WAY, THE MIDTOWN TOURS APPROVED THIS PROJECT ON SEPTEMBER 8TH.
ADDITIONALLY, USING NEW REVENUE ESTIMATES THAT WE RECEIVED OVER THE TERM OF THIS AGREEMENT, THIS WILL HAVE A POSITIVE NET BENEFIT TO THE CITY OF OVER $7.7 MILLION.
AND AS A SIDE NOTE, DOESN'T INCLUDE THE FULL TAXES FROM THAT ADDITIONAL DEVELOP THAT I MENTIONED.
IT INCLUDES $1.3 MILLION OVER THE NEXT 10 YEARS FOR THAT SIX STORY BUILDING.
SO WITH THAT, STAFFER RECOMMENDS APPROVAL OF THE 10 YEAR, 100%, A HUNDRED PERCENT ABATEMENT, AND THE FIVE YEAR REBATE CAPPED AT $5.9 MILLION.
THAT CONCLUDES MY PRESENTATION.
I'M HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS.
UM, LET'S, LET'S WALK THROUGH THAT A LITTLE BIT.
UH, 'CAUSE I THINK THIS, IT IS IMPORTANT TO TO POINT OUT WHAT SOME OF THESE ITEMS ARE.
AND AS YOU MENTIONED, NUMBER ONE, THE $5.9 MILLION CAP, UM, THAT IS TO SAY THAT THE VALUE OF THE ABATEMENT HITS, HITS THAT MARK, IT, IT IT DOESN'T NECESSARILY HAVE TO GO THROUGH THE ENTIRE 10 YEARS.
IS THAT CORRECT? YEAH, WE'RE ESTIMATING THAT IT PROBABLY IS GOING TO END AT YEAR 11, IF NOT SOONER.
THAT AREA'S EXPERIENCING A LOT OF GROWTH AND REDEVELOPMENT.
SO IT MIGHT EVEN BE BEFORE THAT TIME PERIOD.
AND SO, AS PART OF THAT, AS YOU MENTIONED, UM, THE, THE TOURS, UM, EXPLAIN TO US EXACTLY HOW THAT WORKS.
I MEAN, THE FACT THAT WE HAVE A MIDTOWN TOURS AND THAT, THAT THIS IS NOT SOMETHING THAT IS CURRENTLY EXISTING, AND SO THEREFORE THIS IS A PROPO, THIS PROPOSED PROJECT WOULD, WOULD MORE THAN LIKELY, UH, GO TO THE MIDTOWN TOURS.
AND THAT'S WHERE WE'RE ABATING THAT, THAT THOSE FUNDS FROM.
IS THAT CORRECT? THAT'S RIGHT.
UH, OUR TAXES CURRENTLY, RIGHT NOW, AS AS WAY OF POLICY, BECAUSE OF A MIDTOWN TOURS GO TO THAT TOURS.
THAT'S WHY ON SEPTEMBER 8TH, WE WENT AND PRESENTED THIS PROJECT TO THEM, AND THEY, UH, APPROVED, UM, THE PROJECT, UM, AND THE FUNDS BEING USED FOR IT.
AS PART OF THAT, THEN IT COMES TO CITY COUNCIL, UH, FOR APPROVAL.
AND WITHOUT THE PROJECT, THERE ISN'T ANY FUNDS.
SO I THINK THAT'S IMPORTANT TO POINT OUT ABOUT HOW THE TOURS WORKS AND WHY, WHY THIS IS SET UP THE WAY IT IS.
UM, ALSO, YOU POINTED OUT SOME OF THE, THE ITEMS THAT THIS MONEY IS GOING TO TOWARDS.
UH, YOU TALKED ABOUT, UH, THE SIDEWALK IMPROVEMENTS, UH, THE, THE GREEN SPACES, THE TREES, THE POCKET PARK, UM, YOU KNOW, IT'S, IT'S, IT'S CLEARLY OUTLINED WHAT, WHAT IS, UH, WHAT IT'S GONNA GO TOWARDS.
IS THAT CORRECT? THAT'S, THAT'S CORRECT.
WE'VE BEEN WORKING WITH CREDIT HUMAN AND THE, THE DEVELOPER TO DETERMINE WHAT THE PUBLIC IMPROVEMENTS ARE, WHAT THEY'LL BE USED FOR.
AND WHAT I GAVE YOU WAS A VERY HIGH LEVEL OVERVIEW.
WE HAVE VERY SPECIFIC SCHEMATICS AND COST ESTIMATES FOR ALL OF THOSE IMPROVEMENTS, WHICH BASICALLY EQUAL TO $5.9 MILLION.
AND WE WORKED, UH, WE WORKED WITH, DID WE WORK WITH T C I ON THAT? THAT'S RIGHT.
AND, UH, IN ADDITION TO THAT, WE'RE WORKING WITH T C I ON ENSURING THAT AS THE BOND WORK HAPPENS ON BROADWAY, THIS IS ALL VERY COORDINATED, AND THEY'LL ALSO BE ASSISTING US AS WE MONITOR THIS PROJECT AND THE EXPENDITURES TOWARDS THOSE PUBLIC IMPROVEMENTS.
UM, SPEAKING OF THE, THE, THE PUBLIC IMPROVEMENTS, I MEAN, THESE, THESE THINGS TIE IN INTO, TO, TO THE, THE BOND PROJECT THAT WE KNOW THAT'S HAPPENING UP AND DOWN BROADWAY.
IS THAT CORRECT? THEY'LL BE COORDINATED SO THAT, UH, THEY HAPPEN EITHER SIMULTANEOUSLY OR IN A WAY THAT CAUSES THE LEAST DISRUPTION TO THE AREA.
SO NOW LET'S TOUCH A LITTLE BIT UPON THE, THE BUSINESS RETENTION PROGRAM.
UH, TELL US WHY ARE WE HERE IN THE FIRST PLACE? AND THIS IS, THIS IS REALLY AT THE HEART OF, OF, OF THE MATTER HERE.
TELL US A LITTLE BIT ABOUT WHY THIS THIS IS AN IMPORTANT PROGRAM FOR THE CITY.
WELL, I, WHILE DON'T I START WITH THE INCEPTION OF THE PROGRAM, WE CREATED A PARTNERSHIP WITH THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT FOUNDATION NEARLY EIGHT YEARS AGO.
AND ONE OF THE MAIN REASONS FOR THAT PARTNERSHIP WAS TO ESTABLISH A, UH, THE PARTNERSHIP TO ESTABLISH A BUSINESS RETENTION EXPANSION PROGRAM.
AT AND T WAS CERTAINLY ONE REASON THAT PROGRAM WAS ESTABLISHED, BUT THERE WAS ALSO, UH, A SIGNIFICANT INTEREST IN HELPING THE COMPANIES THAT WE HAVE HERE LOCALLY GROW, IN ADDITION TO ENSURING THAT THEY DON'T LEAVE OUR AREA.
SO IT IS, UH, OPERATIONALIZED THROUGH THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT FOUNDATION.
WE WORK WITH COMPANIES AS THEY ARE CONSIDERING EXPANDING AND CONSIDERING LEAVING OUR MARKET.
AND THAT'S BASICALLY WHAT HAPPENED HERE IN MARCH.
WE MET WITH REPRESENTATIVES, AND AS PART OF THE PROCESS, WE INTERVIEWED THEM, WE GO THROUGH A FORMAL APPLICATION PROCESS, WE DISCUSS WHAT THEIR INTENTIONS ARE.
AND FROM THAT POINT ON, OVER THE LAST 68 MONTHS, WE'VE BEEN WORKING WITH THEM ON STRUCTURING, UH, THIS INCENTIVE PACKAGE.
AND, AND YOU LOOK AT ALL THE, ALL
[01:25:01]
THE PLAYERS THAT ARE INVOLVED IN THIS IN THE, IN, IN THIS PROPOSAL, DO YOU NOT? ABSOLUTELY.UH, FROM A, FROM TWO STANDPOINTS.
ONE IS FROM A DUE DILIGENCE STANDPOINT, WE LOOK AT ALL THE PLAYERS, OBVIOUSLY.
BUT IN ADDITION TO THAT, ONCE WE START ESTABLISHING OUR, UM, INCENTIVE RECOMMENDATION FOR COUNCIL, WE START SHIFTING OUR, OUR MINDSET TO HOW DO WE CREATE A GREAT PARTNERSHIP.
AND SO FROM THAT SENSE, WE BEGAN LOOKING AT ALL THE PARTNERS AND TRYING TO ESTABLISH WAYS TO MAXIMIZE, UH, THE BENEFIT OF THE TOTAL PROJECT.
AND THAT'S WHY YOU SEE COMMUTER BENEFITS, WORKFORCE PARTNERSHIPS INCLUDED IN THE AGREEMENT AND THE FACT THAT, UH, YOU KNOW, IT'S QUITE HUMAN.
AND SO WE'RE TALKING ABOUT JOBS AT THE HEART OF THIS IS, IS JOBS.
AND TELL US A LITTLE BIT ABOUT HOW, HOW WE APPROACH THIS, UH, IN, IN RELATIONSHIP TO THE DEVELOPMENT, UH, AND HOW IT'LL BRING MORE JOBS TO THE CENTRAL CITY.
SO ONE OF THE KEY FACTORS IN EVALUATING ALL PROJECT IS NOT ONLY THE INVESTMENT THAT THE COMPANY'S MAKING, BUT ALSO THE JOBS, THE QUALITY OF JOBS, THE WAGES THAT THEY'RE PAYING.
IN THIS CASE, 435 JOBS ARE ASSOCIATED WITH THE THREE DIFFERENT OPERATION CENTERS.
AND THOSE WOULD BE, UH, CONSOLIDATED AND LOCATED IN THIS, UH, 10 STORY BUILDING.
UH, IN ADDITION TO THAT, WE'RE ALWAYS LOOKING FOR EXPANSION OPPORTUNITIES.
AND SO THE COMPANY HAS COMMITTED TO CREATING 50 NEW JOBS.
THE AVERAGE SALARY OF THESE JOBS ARE AROUND 60,000 WITH 52% OF THEM MAKING OVER $47,000 A YEAR.
SO, UH, YOU KNOW, ON TOP OF THAT, CREDIT, CREDIT HUMAN INTENDS TO MAKE A REALLY BOLD STATEMENT WITH THIS, WITH THIS PROJECT, WITH THIS BUILDING.
UM, AND I THINK, UH, AS WE'RE INVESTING ON IN BROADWAY, UM, THIS PROJECT, UH, AND THIS BOLD STATEMENT WITH, WITH THE STRUCTURE ITSELF, UH, ALSO PLAYS A ROLE IN HOW WE LOOK AT INCENTIVIZING THIS, BECAUSE IT, IT DOES TAKE A, A, A GARGANTUAN EFFORT TO, TO DO WHAT THEY'RE DOING.
SO, UH, AS I SAID, WE LOOK AT ALL, UH, THE PROJECT AS A WHOLE AND AS WE DEVELOP OUT RECOMMENDATIONS FOR COUNCIL FOR YOU ALL TO CONSIDER, ONE OF THE KEY ATTRIBUTES OF THIS PROJECT, UH, WELL, THERE'S ACTUALLY TWO ADDITIONAL KEY ATTRIBUTES.
ONE IS THEIR INTENTION TO BE A GOLD LEAD CERTIFIED BUILDING.
UH, AND IT IS, UH, AT LEAST FROM OUR BRIEFINGS, GOING TO BE ONE OF THE MOST EFFICIENT, UH, BUILDINGS IN THE ENTIRE CITY, IF NOT THE STATE.
SO IT INCLUDES A LOT OF FEATURES LIKE SOLAR ARRAYS, STORM WATER, UH, RECAPTURE, AND ADDITIONAL BENEFITS.
UH, TOO MANY TO, TO ACTUALLY NAME.
IN ADDITION TO THAT, UM, THE FACT THAT THEY, UH, WANNA SERVE A SPECIFIC PART OF TOWN THAT, UH, YOU COULD ARGUE IS UNDERSERVED FROM A FINANCIAL SERVICES STANDPOINT, UH, THEY ALSO FOCUS ON THE UNDERSERVED.
AND SO BRINGING THOSE TYPE OF SERVICES TO AN AREA OF TOWN THAT HAS BEEN UNDERSERVED, BUT GROWING WAS ALSO ONE OF THE FACTORS THAT WE LOOKED AT COUNCILMAN.
IN FACT, UH, I WAS JUST GONNA MENTION THAT THERE ARE ORGANIZATION, ORGANIZATIONAL MISSION IS TO SERVE THE FINANCIALLY UNDERSERVED, AND WE DO NEED THAT IN THE URBAN CORE.
UH, AND I THINK THAT THAT'S PART OF THE OVERALL PACKAGE.
AND SO WOULD YOU SAY, AS WE'RE INCENTIVIZING PROJECTS ALL OVER THE CITY, IS, IS THIS IN LINE WITH, WITH, UH, MAKING SURE THAT WE'RE LOOKING AT THE ENTIRE CITY AS A WHOLE AND, AND THAT THIS IS AN APPROPRIATE INCENTIVE INCENTIVIZED PACKAGE? YEAH, ABSOLUTELY.
I THINK IF, UH, I COULD, I COULD PERHAPS STATE IT A DIFFERENT WAY.
IF IT, IF IT WASN'T RETAINING 435 JOBS, CREATING 50 JOBS, UH, UH, THE JOBS WEREN'T, UH, AT THE SALARIES THAT THEY WERE, THE INVESTMENT LEVEL WAS DIFFERENT, UH, IT WASN'T GOLD LEAD CERTIFIED, WE PERHAPS WOULDN'T HAVE, UH, MADE SUCH A STRONG RECOMMENDATION BECAUSE IT HITS SUCH SO MANY OF THE DIFFERENT POLICY PRIORITIES YOU ALL HAVE AS A COUNCIL.
UH, AND, UH, BECAUSE THEY ARE BASICALLY UPFRONTING THE COST OF THESE PUBLIC IMPROVEMENTS.
AND THIS ABATEMENT IS BASICALLY REIMBURSING FOR THOSE, UH, THE, THE RECOMMENDATION IS WHAT IT IS.
COUNCILMAN, THANK YOU, NETTE, AND I, I APPRECIATE ALL YOUR HARD WORK ON THIS.
UH, AT THE HEART OF THIS IS, UH, UH, A LONG HISTORY, UH, AS, AS YOU STATED, UH, EVEN PREVIOUS COUNSELS HAVE, HAVE, UH, INDICATED THAT WE REALLY NEED TO DO A LOT WHAT WE, UH, EVERYTHING WE CAN TO RETAIN GOOD ACTORS HERE IN THE CITY.
AND, UH, I THINK THIS PROGRAM IS WORKING WELL, AND CERTAINLY IT'S NOT AN EASY PROGRAM TO QUALIFY FOR.
AND, AND I WANNA SAY, UH, YOU AND YOUR DEPARTMENT ARE DOING GREAT WORK TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE DOING OUR DUE DILIGENCE ON THESE VERY PROJECTS.
I DO WANT TO TAKE A MOMENT AND, AND ASK MR. UH, STEVE HANNIGAN OF CREDIT HUMAN, UH, MAYBE TO, TO SAY A FEW WORDS ABOUT, UH, CREDIT HUMAN AND, UH, THIS PART, THIS PARTNERSHIP WITH THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO, AND, AND, AND WHY THIS IS SUCH AN IMPORTANT, IMPORTANT, UH, LOCATION.
GLAD TO DO SO, COUNCILMAN, THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME IN, HONORED TO BE HERE TODAY TO, TO ADDRESS YOU ON THIS.
[01:30:01]
DID A WONDERFUL JOB ON OUTLINING MUCH OF THE ELEMENTS OF THESE AGREEMENTS THAT'S BEEN PUT FORTH.UH, I THINK THERE'S A COUPLE OF OTHER ITEMS I WOULD JUST LIKE TO ACCENT FROM OUR ORGANIZATION AND OUR BOARD OF DIRECTORS, AND ON BEHALF OF REALLY THE 250,000 FOLKS THAT WE REPRESENT AND SERVE, FIRST AND FOREMOST IS THAT, UM, IT'S A REALLY BIG UNDERTAKING TO TAKE ON A BUILDING.
AND IF YOU THINK ABOUT, UH, A, A A, AN ENVIRONMENT FOR YOUR EMPLOYEES THAT WILL NURTURE THEIR DEVELOPMENT, AND NOT ONLY JUST SINGLE GENERATION, BUT MULTI-GENERATION.
SO WHEN WE MOVED FROM DURANGO STREET IN 1976 TO THE RURAL FARMLAND OF VAN JACKSON, NINE 10, THAT WAS A 40 YEAR DECISION WE MADE.
AND THEN FROM THERE, WE THEN EXPANDED FURTHER NORTH IN THE SAN ANTONIO MARKET UP TO THE 2 81.
THESE, EACH OF THESE BUILDING DECISIONS WAS A VERY DIFFICULT DECISION.
WE WERE ACTUALLY IN FACT, OUTTA SPACE IN OUR SEATTLE, WASHINGTON BUILDING OF ALL PLACES.
I CAN JUST TELL YOU THAT TODAY.
AND WE EXPANDED INTO THAT MARKET IN 2003.
AND SO WHAT, WHAT I'M TRYING TO SUGGEST TO YOU IS THAT WHEN AN ORGANIZATION TAKES ON A BUILDING, WE'RE TAKING THIS BUILDING ON WITH A 50 TO 100 YEAR LIFE, WHICH MEANS WE'RE PLANNING THIS BUILDING WITH A MULTI-GENERATIONAL VIEW.
IT'S GONNA BE, IT'S GONNA IN YOUR LONG AFTER THIS COURT AND BOARD OF DIRECTORS THAT WORKS FOR ME, THIS COUNCIL, MY TENURE THERE, AND MOST OF THE EMPLOYEES THAT WILL BE THERE.
SO THESE ARE VERY SERIOUS DECISIONS THAT WE'RE THINKING VERY HARD ABOUT AT THE CORE OF THIS DECISION, AS YOU HEARD, IN, IN ADDITION TO WHAT WE'RE GONNA TRY TO DO TO BRING OURSELVES BACK INTO THE URBAN CORE TO SERVE THE MISSION THAT WE'VE COMMITTED RECOMMITTED TO SINCE, UH, WAS OUR BEGINNING IN THE INCEPTION OF 1935 DURING THE GREAT DEPRESSION, IS THAT WE'RE COMMITTED REALLY TO BUILDING A SUSTAINABLE BUILDING.
THIS BUILDING WHY IT HAS NOT BEEN THE ESSENCE OF THE PUBLIC POLICY DISCUSSION IT IS GOING TO EMBRACE.
AND, AND IF WE DO IT RIGHT, IT WILL SET THE STANDARDS BY WHICH YOUR VISIONARY STANDARDS OF SC 2020 FROM THE PUBLIC PROCESS THAT YOU PUT FORTH YEARS AGO, THIS BUILDING IS GONNA CUT NEARLY 800 TONS OF CARBON EMISSIONS PER YEAR.
IT'S GONNA SAVE MORE THAN 3.3 MILLION GALLONS OF WATER PER YEAR.
IT'S GOING TO CUT ELECTRICITY DEMAND BY 37%, OF WHICH 25% IS FROM THE DEMAND SIDE, AND ANOTHER 12% IS COMING FROM THE SOLAR, SOLAR ARRAYS.
SO, ON TOP OF THE VERY ESSENCE OF WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO DO TO BRING, BRING OURSELVES BACK INTO THE URBAN CORE AND REVITALIZE THAT ENVIRONMENT, WE'RE ACTUALLY TRYING TO BUILD A BUILDING THAT WE KNOW WILL BE SUSTAINABLE FOR A VERY, VERY LONG TIME FOR THIS COMMUNITY AND FOR OURSELVES.
AND SO THAT'S REALLY ONE OF THE ELEMENTS I, I, I WAS, I APPRECIATE THE OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK TO YOU ABOUT, WE COULD GO ON ABOUT OUR MISSION AND WHY WE'RE EXCITED ABOUT THAT, BUT JUST SIMPLY KNOW ON BEHALF OF MY BOARD OF DIRECTORS, MY ENTIRE STAFF, WE ARE JUST PLEASANT AND DELIGHTED TO BE DOWNTOWN AGAINST.
I THINK YOU'RE BUILDING A, A GREAT EXAMPLE FOR ALL OF US ON BROADWAY.
AND I THINK THAT, UH, THAT'S, THAT'S WHAT WE HOPE TO INCENTIVIZE, UH, WITH THIS PACKAGE.
IN FACT, UH, WE HAVE SEEN THAT, THAT THERE'S, UH, BEEN A LOT OF ATTENTION DRAWN TO THIS.
AND I, I WELCOME SHINING A LIGHT ON THIS PROCESS.
I WELCOME SHINING A LIGHT ON, ON WHAT WE'RE DOING FOR OUR CITY, WHAT WE'RE DOING FOR THE URBAN CORE, UH, BECAUSE WE'RE SET SETTING AN INCREDIBLE EXAMPLE.
IN SHORT, INCENTIVIZING GOOD PROJECTS WITH GOOD ACTORS IS GOOD BUSINESS.
UH, THIS IS DOING THE RIGHT THINGS FOR ALL THE RIGHT REASONS, UH, WITH A VERY POSITIVE BENEFIT.
AND THEREFORE, I MOTION TO APPROVE ITEMS 28 A, 28 B, AND 28 C SECOND.
ALRIGHT, THERE IS A MOTION AND A SECOND FOR APPROVAL OF ITEM 28.
UH, WE DO HAVE ONE CITIZEN SIGNED UP TO SPEAK, AND THEN WE'LL GET ON WITH, UH, COUNSEL COMMENT, UH, EDDIE ROMERO.
GOOD MORNING, MAYOR NUREMBERG, MEMBERS OF CITY COUNCIL, CITY MANAGER SCULLY, THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO BE IN FRONT OF YOU TODAY.
I'M HERE REPRESENTING CENTRO SAN ANTONIO AND OUR PRESIDENT AND C E O PAT DEGIOVANNI, UH, TO ASK YOU TO SUPPORT THE STAFF RECOMMENDATION TO APPROVE THE PROPOSED CITY 10 YEAR, A HUNDRED PERCENT TAX ABATEMENT AND FIVE-YEAR TAX REBATE, AND THE RESOLUTION APPROVING BEAR COUNTY TAX ABATEMENT FOR THE CREDIT HUMAN HEADQUARTERS PROJECT.
IT'S A WELL-KNOWN FACT THAT THE BEST AND MOST COST-EFFECTIVE ECONOMIC PROGRAMS ARE PROCESS DRIVEN, AND THEY FOCUS ON RETAINING AND EXPANDING EXISTING BUSINESSES.
THIS PROJECT IS A PERFECT EXAMPLE OF THOSE AXIOMS AT WORK.
CREDIT HUMAN IS A VIBRANT GROWING COMPANY.
WHILE SAN ANTONIO HAS BEEN THEIR HOME FOR MORE THAN 80 YEARS, THEIR GROWTH IS TAKING PLACE IN SEVERAL MARKETS AROUND THE COUNTRY.
IT IS NO SURPRISE THAT THOSE MARKETS WOULD COMPETE AGGRESSIVELY TO ATTRACT THE 435 JOBS THAT SAN ANTONIO WILL RETAIN BECAUSE OF YOUR POSITIVE ACTION.
TODAY, WE ARE EXCITED THAT CREDIT HUMAN WANTS TO BRING THOSE JOBS AND EXPAND BY ANOTHER 50 JOBS IN AN AREA THAT HAS MOMENTUM, BUT IS STILL IN NEED OF MORE PUBLIC AND PRIVATE SECTOR INVESTMENT.
WITH THE HELP OF THE CITY INCENTIVE PACKAGE CREDIT, HUMAN WILL INVEST MORE THAN 7 MILLION IN PUBLIC INFRASTRUCTURE IMPROVEMENTS AND ANOTHER 106 MILLION TO BUILD THEIR HEADQUARTERS.
THE PEARL, THE PEARL IS HELPING RETAIN AND
[01:35:01]
ATTRACT TALENTED PROFESSIONALS.THIS INCLUDES LOCAL, LOCAL, CULINARY CREATIVES, MUSICIANS, ARTISTS, AND ENTREPRENEURS.
IT IS A GATHERING PLACE FOR THE RESIDENTS OF THE SURROUNDING NEIGHBORHOODS, AND IT IS A DESTINATION.
IT ALSO SYMBOLIZES HOW PROCESS-DRIVEN PUBLIC INVESTMENT CAN CATALYZE PRIVATE INVESTMENT AND DELIVER ECONOMIC, PHYSICAL, AND PERHAPS MOST IMPORTANTLY, QUALITY OF LIFE RETURNS.
YOUR YES VOTE WILL CONTINUE THE POSITIVE MOMENTUM IN THE AREA, BUT THIS WILL SERVE TO HIGHLIGHT WHAT IS POSSIBLE AS YOU CONSIDER PROCESS-DRIVEN STRATEGIC INVESTMENTS THROUGHOUT OUR COMMUNITY.
WE'LL BEGIN WITH COUNCIL DISCUSSION NOW, STARTING WITH COUNCILWOMAN GONZALEZ.
AND, UH, RENEE, CAN YOU BRING UP THE SLIDE THAT HAS THE MAP ON IT, SORT OF THE LARGE OVERVIEW MAP? YEAH, YEAH, THAT ONE.
UM, SO YOU HAVE HERE, UH, ALSO A PUBLIC SPACE, UH, IN THE, THAT CORNER.
WHO MAINTAINS THAT PUBLIC SPACE? THEY WILL.
SO THEY, UM, THAT LAND, BUT THEY'LL BE MAINTAINING IT.
AND IS IT, I MEAN, UH, UH, PICNIC BENCHES OR A LITTLE PARK SPACE, OR WHAT IS IT? WHAT IS ENVISION FOR THE, I KNOW IT'S SMALL, BUT JUST, IS IT, I I MIGHT NEED BILL TO HELP ME OUT.
WE'VE HAD SOME DISCUSSIONS ABOUT IT.
BUT IT'S BASICALLY BEING DESCRIBED AS A SMALL PARK, POCKET PARK WITH VARIOUS TREES AND THE GATHERING SPACE THERE ON THE CORNER OF BROADWAY AND JOSEPHINE.
BUT IS THAT RIGHT, BILL? JUST OKAY.
MAYBE TO BE DETERMINED, BUT, UM, I, I JUST WANTED TO FIND OUT WHO WAS MAINTAINING THAT.
AND THAT'S FOR THE LIFE OF THE THAT'S RIGHT.
AND, UM, ALSO REGARDING THE PARKING.
SO I SEE THESE TWO BUILDINGS HERE, AND THEN SOME SURFACE LEVEL PARKING, WHICH WE KNOW IS PRETTY INEFFICIENT USE OF SPACE.
UM, AND WE HOPE THAT YOUR BUILDINGS WILL BE FULL AND OCCUPIED.
AND IS THAT ENOUGH PARKING FOR, I, I IMAGINE THAT YOU HAVE AN I D Z AND I NOTICED THAT THERE'S SOME STREET PARKING AS WELL, BUT THERE'S VARIOUS PARKING SOLUTIONS BEING PROPOSED, UH, AND INCLUDED, AS YOU SEE IN THE DIAGRAM, THERE'S GONNA BE ADDITIONAL PARKING ADDED TO PEARL PARKWAY THERE ON THE LEFT HAND SIDE AS PART OF THE STREET IMPROVEMENTS.
BUT THE ACTUAL PARKING FACILITY IS UNIQUE TO, IN THAT IT'S ABOVE GROUND AND BELOW GROUND OVER 958 SPACES, UH, OF WHICH CREDIT, HUMAN'S ONLY GONNA USE AROUND 65% OF SO ADEQUATE PARKING, ESPECIALLY FOR THE ACTIVITY THAT'S HAPPENING IN THAT ENTIRE AREA.
IT'S CERTAINLY GONNA BE AN AMENITY FOR OTHERS AS THEY GO TO ENJOY WHAT'S GOING ON THERE AROUND THE PRO SHOWING HERE IS NOT SURFACE LEVEL PARKING, THAT'S A GARAGE LIKE THE, THE WHITE SPACE IN THE MIDDLE.
IT'S, IT, THERE IS, I WANT TO SAY TWO STORIES BELOW AND TWO STORIES ABOVE.
IS THAT FOUR BELOW? FOUR ABOVE? TWO STORIES BELOW AND FOUR ABOVE.
UH, AND WILL IT BE VISIBLE FROM THE, UH, FROM BROADWAY OR FROM, UH, I, I'M JUST CONCERNED ABOUT SOME, I'M GONNA, THE ABOVE GROUND PARKING, THOSE, NO, THE AESTHETICS OF IT ALL, BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, OF COURSE, WHAT WE WANT PEOPLE TO SEE IS PARK SPACE AND BUILDINGS AND ENTRIES AND NOT A BIG PARKING LOT.
UH, SO WILL IT BE DISGUISED IN SOME WAY? I'LL HAVE TO HAVE BILL DESCRIBE IT.
THE RENDERINGS I'VE SEEN, IT'S BEAUTIFUL.
AND THE HIGHLIGHT ARE THE TWO BUILDINGS.
BUT BILL, IF YOU WANT, YOU WON'T RECOGNIZE IT AS PARKING.
IN FACT, I THINK THERE'S A SLIDE, ONE OF THE FIRST SLIDES THAT SHOWS THE BUILDING.
IF WE CAN FIND THAT SLIDE, I THINK IT'LL HELP YOU.
UM, THERE'S A RENDERING, THERE'S A, I THINK, UH, I HAVE A CITY MANAGER WANTS, WANTS TO COMMENT.
WELL, AND JUST TO POINT OUT, FOR THE COUNCIL MEMBERS CHOSE THE RENDERING OF BUILDING THIS, THE CITY'S PARTICIPATION IN THIS PROJECT IS NOT PAYING FOR THE PARKING.
I KNOW YOU HAVE QUESTIONS ABOUT IT, BUT I JUST WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT WAS CLEAR FOR THE COUNCIL MEMBERS.
OUR PARTICIPATION IN THE PROJECT IS NOT FOR THE CONSTRUCTION OF THE PARKING.
WELL, IT DOESN'T REALLY SHOW IT.
THE, THE TWO TOWERS SIT ON TOP OF A FOUR STORY STRUCTURE THAT IS, LOOKS LIKE A BUILDING AND IS A MASONRY STRUCTURE.
IT, IT WILL NOT BE RECOGNIZED AS A PARKING LOT PARKING GARAGE.
ALL I JUST, UM, ALWAYS CONCERNED ABOUT HOW THAT LOOKS FROM A STREET LEVEL.
WE DON'T WANNA LOOK ONTO VAST STREET PARKING.
[01:40:01]
I'M SORRY THAT THIS RENDERING DOESN'T SHOW IT A LITTLE BIT LOWER.IN FACT, WHEN YOU SEE THOSE SMALL WINDOWS, DO YOU SEE THOSE SMALL WINDOWS AT THE BASE OF THE BUILDING THAT'S ACTUALLY A PARKING LEVEL, SO THAT, THAT, WHAT'S THAT, THAT BASE OF THE BUILDING OTHER THAN THE GROUND FLOOR, THE NEXT TWO FLOORS ARE PARKING LEVELS INSIDE THE BUILDING.
SO THOSE LITTLE TINY WINDOWS WITH THE MASONRY BASE, THAT'S, THAT'S WHAT THE PARKING LOOKS LIKE.
I JUST, UH, WANTED TO ASK THOSE QUESTIONS REGARDING THE PROJECT.
WE KNOW THAT, UM, YOU KNOW, THE PEARL IS, IS, HAS BEEN RIGHT THE GEM OF THE CITY, AND WE LOOK FORWARD TO MORE ACTIVITY THERE AND MORE HOUSING AND, UH, MORE OPPORTUNITIES FOR THE AREA, ESPECIALLY TO MAINTAIN JOBS AND BRING MORE JOBS TO THE CORE, UH, OF THE CITY.
SO I LOOK FORWARD TO SUPPORTING, UM, THIS AGENDA, THIS ITEM TODAY.
COUNCILMAN P THANK YOU MAYOR RENEE.
UM, I'M, I'M LOOKING AT THIS PACKAGE AND I, AFTER TALKING TO THE, THE GOOD PEOPLE AT THE PEARL AND AT CREDIT HUMAN, UM, I'VE, THE OBSERVATIONS I HAVE TO MAKE, FIRST OF ALL, ARE THAT IT'S CLEAR TO ME THAT YOU GUYS HAVE PUT A LOT OF TIME INTO THIS.
AND THIS IS NOT SOMETHING THAT IS BEING HANDLED CASUALLY AND CAVALIERLY BY, BY YOUR TEAM.
UM, I LOOK AT THE PEARL, AND TO ME, THE PEARL AFTER LEARNING MORE ABOUT IT, IS A TESTAMENT TO, AND, UH, YOU KNOW, THE IMPORTANCE OF INNER CITY DEVELOPMENT TO THE VITALITY OF, UH, THE VITALITY OF A, OF THE ENTIRE CITY.
AND SO, UM, TO ME, I, I WAS TALKING TO SOMEBODY THE OTHER DAY AND I TOLD THEM THAT THE PEARL IS AN EXAMPLE OF A PROVING GROUND FOR HOW A CITY AND PRIVATE ENTITY CAN TOGETHER COLLABORATE AND CREATE NEW JOBS, UH, ADDITIONAL VALUE, UH, TO SURROUNDING PROPERTIES AND HAVE A RIPPLE EFFECT, UH, ON, YOU KNOW, THE SURROUNDING PROPERTY.
UH, THAT CAN BE FELT BY A LOT MORE PEOPLE THAN JUST THE PEOPLE WHO ARE ON THE CAMPUS OF PEARL.
AND SO, YOU KNOW, FOR THOSE OF US THAT DRIVE AROUND THAT AREA, YOU'LL SEE THAT IT'S NOT JUST THE PEARL AS, AS AN ISLAND ONTO ITSELF, THAT THERE'S A LOT OF NEW BUSINESSES THAT HAVE DEVELOPED NEARBY THAT CAN BE DIRECTLY ATTRIBUTED TO THE SUCCESS THAT THE PEARL HAS BEEN.
AND SO, CORRECT ME IF I'M WRONG, 'CAUSE THIS IS WHAT I'VE, I'VE COME TO UNDERSTAND FROM THE CONVERSATIONS I'VE HAD.
UH, SILVER VENTURES PAYS $6.4 MILLION IN AD VALOREM TAXES ANNUALLY.
IS THAT RIGHT? TO ALL TAXING JURISDICTIONS? YES, SIR.
AND THAT BEFORE THE PEARL WAS WHAT IT IS TODAY, THEY PAID ANNUALLY $150,000 IN AVALOR TAXES.
IS THAT CORRECT? YES, I BELIEVE SO.
AND SINCE THEN, ON TOP OF THE AVALOR TAXES THAT ALL THE TAXING ENTITIES GET, THEY'VE CREATED ON THEIR OWN 870 JOBS THAT EXIST TODAY.
AND THAT THIS PROJECT IS GONNA BRING 485 JOBS TO SAN ANTONIO'S DOWNTOWN, RIGHT? THAT'S RIGHT.
WHAT ARE THE BENEFITS OF BRINGING 435 JOBS THAT ALREADY EXIST OUT IN, I THINK IT'S YOUR DISTRICT COUNCILWOMAN SANDAL? OH, IT'S IN, IN DISTRICT, IN DISTRICT ONE, CLOSER TO DOWNTOWN.
UM, NOT JUST FOR, WHAT ARE THE BENEFITS FOR DOWNTOWN THE SURROUNDING AREAS, UM, THAT YOU CAN POINT TO? WELL, CERTAINLY, UM, UH, LET ME ANSWER THAT IN TWO WAYS.
ONE IS THIS PROJECT AND WHAT WE'RE DOING HERE TODAY, UM, HELPS SECURE THOSE JOBS, AT LEAST FROM A CONTRACTUAL OBLIGATION FOR THE NEXT UP TO 20 YEARS.
AND SO, FROM A RETENTION STANDPOINT, THAT'S THE LENS IN WHICH WE LOOKED AT THIS PROJECT INITIALLY.
THAT'S PART OF THE PROCESS IS KEEPING THOSE JOBS IN SAN ANTONIO.
ADDITIONALLY, OBVIOUSLY THERE'S GONNA BE A TREMENDOUS IMPACT FROM A RETAIL STANDPOINT, FROM A VIBRANCY STANDPOINT, FROM A HOUSING STANDPOINT IN THAT ENTIRE AREA.
UH, BECAUSE AS THEY CONTINUE TO GROW, EXPAND, REPLACE EMPLOYEES, THE IDEA IS THESE ARE GREAT PAYING JOBS IN A, A REGIONAL CENTER, UM, THAT IS GONNA HELP THAT AREA FROM A HOUSING STANDPOINT AND FROM A TRANSIT STANDPOINT.
SO, TO YOUR POINT EARLIER, YOU KNOW, I THINK IT'S ALSO A VERY GREAT MODEL IN WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO DO FROM AN SA TOMORROW STANDPOINT.
YOU KNOW, TAKING THESE REGIONAL CENTERS AND COMBINING TRANSIT, HOUSING, ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT TO REALLY, UH, BALANCE OUT THE DIFFERENT GROWTH AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT OPPORTUNITIES AROUND THE ENTIRE CITY.
[01:45:01]
SO IT'S REALLY A MODEL GOING FORWARD, COUNCILMAN.SO MY UNDERSTANDING IS THAT THE GOAL FOR CENTRO AND FOR US AND FOR THE SA TOMORROW PLAN IS TO FOMENT DEVELOPMENT IN THESE REGIONAL CENTERS SO THAT PEOPLE NOT JUST WORK THERE, BUT LIVE THERE.
AND PLAY THERE AND THRIVE THERE.
AND SO, UM, WE'VE SEEN THAT THE PEARL AND ITS 17 PLUS TENANTS AND ITS, YOU KNOW, A DOZEN OR MORE EMPLOYERS HAVE RESULTED IN THE PEOPLE WHO WORK AT THESE PLACES ACTUALLY LIVING IN THE PEARL OR IN THE SURROUNDING AREAS.
AND NO, I'M CONFIDENT 'CAUSE IT DOESN'T SEEM TO BE A MU A BIG LEAP OF LOGIC TO THINK THAT THERE'S A BENEFIT TO MY TRAFFIC SITUATION ON THE HIGHWAYS IF PEOPLE AREN'T HAVING TO TRAVERSE ACROSS TOWN WHEN THEY LIVE NEAR RIGHT.
UH, AND SO I SEE THAT AS AN ADDITIONAL BENEFIT THAT WASN'T LISTED ON YOUR, UH, ON YOUR SLIDES.
THE OTHER THING TOO IS THAT I LOOK AT THIS PROJECT AS A, AS AN INFRASTRUCTURE PROJECT, MORE AS JUST A JOB ATTRACTION PROJECT.
AND SO, UM, WE'RE GONNA GET ADDITIONAL SIGNALING ON BROADWAY AND ON THE STREETS SURROUNDING THE PEARL.
UM, AVENUE B AND SOME OF THE OTHER STREETS ARE GONNA GET NEW SIDEWALKS AND BIKE LANE IMPROVEMENTS, RIGHT? THAT'S RIGHT.
UH, WE'RE GONNA GET, UM, IMPROVEMENTS TO ONE OF THE MAJOR INTERSECTIONS THERE, AND WE'RE GONNA GET, UH, IMPROVED STREET PARKING FOR THE EMPLOYEES OF RESIDENTS AND VISITORS.
UH, THIS ALSO INCLUDES BEARING, THAT'S RIGHT.
UH, UH, UTILITY LINES, RIGHT? YEAH.
I GAVE YOU A PRETTY HIGH LEVEL.
BUT THERE'S ADDITIONAL ITEMS THAT ARE GONNA BE IMPROVEMENTS TO THE AREA, LIKE THE BEAR, THE AREA, LIKE THE BEARING OF OVERHEAD POWER AND DATA LINES OFF OF BROADWAY, UH, SEWER ENHANCEMENTS, UH, DRAINAGE ENHANCEMENTS.
THAT'S, SO IT'S A VARIETY OF DIFFERENT IMPROVEMENTS.
AND I WANTED TO END WITH A, WITH, WITH A, ON THAT LIST, I WANTED TO END WITH THE, WITH THE SEWER AND DRAINAGE ENHANCEMENTS BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, I, I'VE SPENT A LOT OF TIME TALKING ABOUT RESILIENCY AND, AND MAKING SURE THAT, YOU KNOW, PEOPLE'S HOUSES AND CARS DON'T GET SO SWEPT AWAY IN STORMS. FOR ME, ANY INVESTMENT THAT WE CAN MAKE IN DRAINAGE IS A WISE INVESTMENT.
AND IF THAT INVESTMENT ENDS UP RESULTING IN MORE JOBS COMING DOWNTOWN, WELL THEN EVEN WISER.
UH, HOW, WHAT IS THE SIMILARITY BETWEEN THIS PROJECT AND, UH, SECURITY SERVICES CREDIT UNION PROJECT? UH, 'CAUSE I UNDERSTAND THAT WE'VE INCENTIVIZED THAT AS WELL, RIGHT? YEAH, I THINK IT'S VERY SIMILAR, UM, IN THAT, YOU KNOW, WE ALWAYS LOOK AT WAYS TO CREATE WIN-WIN SITUATIONS.
SO JUST LIKE WITH THAT PROJECT, UH, THERE WAS SOME WORK BEING DONE BY THE CITY.
IT WAS LIMITED, UM, SECURITY SERVICE.
IT WAS IN A VERY SIMILAR SITUATION IN THAT THEY WERE LOOKING AT DEER FRONT LOCATIONS TO LOCATE AT.
AND SO THAT INCENTIVE PACKAGE WAS ALSO CAPPED AND GEARED TOWARDS REIMBURSEMENT TO SOME PUBLIC IMPROVEMENTS THAT OTHERWISE WOULD NOT HAVE BEEN MADE, AT LEAST NOT IN THE NEAR TERM.
AND GIVEN THE GROWTH AND, UH, OF THAT AREA, IT, IT CREATED AN OPPORTUNITY TO CREATE A WIN-WIN IN RETAINING THE COMPANY AND THEN LAYERING IN THE PUBLIC IMPROVEMENTS ON THE FRONT END.
SO VERY SIMILAR IN NATURE IN THAT THE STRUCTURE IS THE SAME.
UM, WILL CREDIT UNION TAKE UP THE ENTIRE BUILDING OR WILL THEY BE LEASING OUT SPACE IN THAT FACILITY? THEY INTEND TO, UH, TAKE UP EIGHT FLOORS OF THAT BUILDING, AND THEN THERE'LL BE A RETAIL FLOOR WHERE THEY'RE GONNA PROVIDE SOME FINANCIAL SERVICES.
SO, UM, THEY'LL ACCOMMODATE THAT ENTIRE BUILDING.
UM, AND IT'S, IT'S DESIGNED FOR FUTURE GROWTH.
SO THAT'S, THAT'S WHY, UH, YOU BRING UP A GOOD POINT IN THAT, UH, I'D ALSO LIKE TO POINT OUT THAT THE ABATEMENT IS ONLY BEING MADE TOWARDS THE IMPROVEMENT AND THE OWNERSHIP PORTIONS THAT CREDIT HUMAN IS, IS MAKING.
SO ANYTHING THAT'S NOT RELATED TO A CREDIT HUMAN IS NOT PART OF THE ABATEMENT VALUE OF WHAT WE'RE ABATING A COUNCILMAN.
SO A PORTION OF THE, THE PARKING AS THE, AS THE MANAGER MENTIONED, IS NOT INCLUDED.
SO THAT BASE FLOOR IS NOT INCLUDED IN WHAT WE'RE ABATING, BUT THEY WILL BE OCCUPYING IT FROM A RETAIL STANDPOINT.
THAT WAS, UH, UM, ONE OF MY KEY QUESTIONS.
IF Y'ALL, IF THEY WERE GONNA BE OCCUPYING THE WHOLE BUILDING OR NOT, UM, ON THE SITE ITSELF, IS THERE GONNA BE ANY DEMOLITION TO EXISTING FACILITIES? I BELIEVE I'LL, I'LL HAVE TO ASK BILL TO, UH, EXPAND ON THAT, BUT I BELIEVE ALL THE DEMOLITION IS DONE.
I KNOW ON SITE THERE'S A COUPLE OF BUILDINGS THAT REMAIN, THAT WON'T BE DEMOLISHED, BUT, UM, I CAN'T ANSWER THAT.
[01:50:01]
ANYMORE, BECAUSE THEY'RE GONE.SO WE, WE'VE ACTUALLY, WE ACTUALLY, IN PREPARATION OF THE SITE FOR ANY DEVELOPMENT, WE WENT AHEAD STARTING ABOUT SEVERAL MONTHS AGO AND AND REMOVED THE OLD BUILDINGS THAT WERE THERE.
HADN'T BEEN, HADN'T BEEN FOR FIVE YEARS.
AND I, UM, I NOTICED ON A GOOGLE EARTH, LOOK AT THIS, THERE'S A LOT OF TREES IN THAT AREA AND WE'RE BASICALLY MOWING THOSE DOWN AND, UH, PUTTING UP NEW BUILDINGS IN A PARKING LOT.
NO, WE'RE, WE'RE, WE ARE, I, I SAY NO, I DIDN'T MEAN TO, WE ARE SAVING AS MANY OF THE TREES AS WE CAN AND WE WILL BE REPLACING OTHER, IN FACT, WE'VE BEEN STRUGGLING WITH, THERE'S A BEAUTIFUL, VERY LARGE TREE THERE THAT WE'D LOVE TO MOVE OVER TO THE BAYLOR SITE.
WE CAN'T, IT'S SO BIG WE CAN'T GET IT UNDER 2 81.
EVEN GOING UP, UH, UP TO HILDER, BANNON COMING BACK, WE SO SEVERAL OF, MOST OF THEM WILL BE SAVED.
THE ONES THAT CAN'T BE SAVED WILL BE REPLACED.
WHEN YOU SAY MOST OF THEM, WHAT, WHAT DO YOU MEAN BY MOST OF 'EM? I DON'T, I DON'T HAVE A NUMBER.
I DON'T HAVE AN I, I'D LIKE TO KNOW THAT BECAUSE, UH, THERE ARE SOME VERY MATURE TREES ON THAT SITE.
AND, UH, IF I'M LOOKING AT THIS, UH, NEW PLAN HERE, WHAT, WHAT YOU'RE BRINGING IN THERE IS BASICALLY TAKING OUT THE MAJORITY OF THE, UH, I, I WOULD SAY THERE'S SOME HERITAGE TREES IN THERE AND SOME VERY MATURE TREES, UM, IN THAT PARKING LOT AND BUILDING AREA THERE ABOUT A DOZEN, ABOUT A DOZEN AT THEIR SEAT.
UH, AGAIN, I'M SORRY, I DON'T KNOW THE SPECIFICS.
THERE'S A DOZEN THAT WE ARE SAVING.
THERE ARE SEVERAL THAT ARE BEING REMOVED, AND AGAIN, THEY WILL BE REPLACED ALL IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE, WITH THE CITY TREE ORDINANCES.
UM, SKYLINE, WHAT, YOU KNOW, THESE ARE SOME TALL BUILDINGS IN THERE.
DID WE TAKE THAT INTO ACCOUNT ON, UH, THE SKYLINE, UH, THE EFFECTS OF THE, THE TALL BUILDINGS IN THAT AREA? WHAT, WHAT VIEWS IS IT, IS IT GONNA BLOCK FROM, UH, EXISTING FACILITIES THERE THAT, THAT KIND OF ISSUE? ON, ON, YOU KNOW, THESE ARE TALL BUILDINGS IN THAT AREA THAT WE DON'T HAVE ANY TALL BUILDINGS IN RIGHT NOW.
AND, UH, I I WILL SAY AS A PROPONENT OF DENSITY, I THINK WE NEED MORE.
BUT THAT'S A, THAT'S A SUBJECT OF DEBATE.
NO, THAT'S A MATTER OF OPINION.
UH, WE RECEIVED A ZONING VARIANCE FOR THAT, UH, FOR THAT HEIGHT, UH, MANY, MANY MONTHS AGO.
UM, I DON'T, I DON'T KNOW HOW ELSE TO ANSWER THAT.
SO THIS ACTION TODAY DOESN'T OVERRIDE ANY OF, OF THAT WHICH IS ALREADY IN PLACE, COUNCILMAN.
BUT THEY DID GET A VARIANCE FOR IT.
UH, AND RENEE, JUST MY CONCERNS ON THIS AND, UH, I KNOW I'VE EXPRESSED THIS SEVERAL TIMES ON THE AMOUNT OF INCENTIVES THAT WERE GIVEN TO THIS AREA.
UM, I'M GONNA BE LOOKING AT THAT VERY, VERY CLOSELY IN THE, IN THE FUTURE FOR INCENTIVES IN THIS AREA.
AS, AS YOU SAID, THIS IS A, A, A GROWING AREA.
YOU KNOW, DO WE REALLY NEED TO BE INCENTIVIZING FACILITIES DOWN IN THIS AREA THAT WE ALL KNOW IS GROWING AND PEOPLE WANT TO LOCATE THERE? SO, UH, I, I'M VERY CONCERNED ABOUT THAT AND, UH, IN THE FUTURE ON HOW WE'RE GONNA BE, UH, LOOKING AT INCENTIVES, PARTICULARLY ALONG BROADWAY AND THE PEARL AREA THERE.
SO WITH THAT, UH, I'LL YIELD THE FLOOR.
I KNOW YOU AND I HAVE SPENT, UM, A LOT OF TIME GOING BACK AND FORTH ON THIS IN, IN MUCH LARGER CONVERSATION THAN JUST, UH, CREDIT HUMAN AND COUNCILMAN TREVINO HAS BEEN A A AS WELL AS REACHED OUT.
AND WE'VE, WE WE TO WORK TO HELP ME GET TO AN UNDERSTANDING SO THAT I CAN SUPPORT THE PROJECT.
AND, UH, SO I WANNA THANK YOU FOR THAT.
I MEAN, I, I, YOU AND I HAVE HAD SOME PRETTY ROBUST CONVERSATIONS ABOUT, UM, INCENTIVIZING, UM, GROWTH ACROSS THE ENTIRE COMMUNITY, THE PROGRAMS AND THE THINGS AND THE DOLLARS THAT YOU ARE, YOU KNOW, YOU'RE PROTECTING AND YOU'RE, AND, AND WHAT YOU'RE DOING FOR SAN ANTONIO.
THEN COUNCILMAN TREVINO'S OPENED MY EYES TO SOME INTERESTING STUFF ABOUT WHAT MR. HANNIGAN AND CREDIT HUMANS ARE ATTEMPTING TO DO WITH THEIR BUILDING.
UH, WHICH I, I MEAN, I'M LEARNING ABOUT THAT STUFF RIGHT NOW.
SO, UH, I'M VERY THANKFUL FOR THAT.
AND I THINK IT'S ALSO INTERESTING THAT AT THE SAME TIME WE'RE DOING THIS, THAT WE VOTED ON RED BERRY RECENTLY.
AND, AND, AND COUNCILMAN SHAW, UH, SAID SOMETHING THAT WAS REALLY INTERESTING TO ME.
UH, AND HE'S, WHEN HE MENTIONED, UH, AS WE INCENTIVIZED THAT AND WE PUSHED THAT PROJECT, HE'S, UH, COUNCILMAN SHAW SAID THAT, UH, THE EAST SIDE DESERVES THIS PROJECT.
RIGHT? IT WAS LIKE, IT DESERVES, I MEAN, SOMETIMES YOU, YOU
[01:55:01]
WORDS OR SOME THINGS THAT ARE SET UP HERE OCCASIONALLY REALLY TEND TO KICK PEOPLE, YOU KNOW, AND, AND MAKE SOMEBODY LEARN A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THEMSELVES.'CAUSE YOU COME UP HERE IN THIS JOB AND YOU HAVE YOUR SET WAY OF DOING THINGS AND, AND SOMETIMES A COLLEAGUE OR A PEER WILL SAY ONE WORD AND IT, AND IT, AND IT TRIGGERS YOU.
AND WHEN I HEARD HIM SAY, YOU KNOW, THE, THE NEIGHBORHOOD DESERVED IT, IT HELPED ME KIND OF RECAST TO AN EXTENT WHAT I'VE BEEN TRYING TO SAY FOR THE LAST COUPLE OF MONTHS, WHICH IS WE HAVE TO FIGURE OUT A BETTER WAY AND, AND LOOK AT OUR ENTIRE INCENT INCENTIVIZING PROGRAM, EVERY PIECE OF IT.
UM, MUCH FOR A COUPLE OF THINGS COUNCILMAN PERRY SAID, WE'LL GET INTO IN A SECOND.
BUT THAT WE HAVE TO LOOK AT THIS FROM A COMPLETELY DIFFERENT STANDPOINT, UH, WITH NEW LEADERSHIP, UH, WHERE THE MAYOR'S LEADERSHIP, WHERE HE WANTS TO TAKE THE CITY, WHERE, WHERE THE PEERS IN EACH ONE OF OUR INDIVIDUAL DISTRICTS AND THE THINGS WE'RE TRYING TO ACCOMPLISH.
I MEAN, IT'S A GOOD, AND, AND OVER THE LAST COUPLE OF MONTHS, SIX WEEKS OR SEVEN WEEKS WE'VE BEEN TALKING ABOUT THIS, I HONESTLY THINK, AND AS WHEN I LOOK AT IT THAT THE, YOU KNOW, THE DEBATE AND THE SELF-REFLECTIONS A GOOD THING.
I MEAN, I THINK OUT OF THE CONFLICT'S GONNA COME BETTER POLICY, RIGHT? REGARDLESS IF I THINK A, A PARTICULAR AREA NEEDS TO BE SUNSETTED OR, OR WE NEED TO STOP OR ELIMINATE SOMETHING, OR WE NEED TO MOVE SOMEWHERE ELSE.
I THINK THE BOTTOM LINE IS, IS THAT THROUGH THE DEBATE, A LOT OF GOOD CONVERSATION IS COMING, RIGHT? AND WE'VE LEARNED, UH, YOU KNOW, THAT WE CAN DO THINGS BETTER IN A LOT OF DIFFERENT AREAS.
SO, UM, I WANTED TO THANK YOU FOR THAT.
AND OF COURSE COUNCILMAN SHAW AND, AND, AND TREVINO, UM, FOR HELPING ME GET TO A YES ON THIS.
I'M GONNA SUPPORT THE PROJECT TODAY, BUT IT WASN'T AN EASY ROUTE TO GET THERE.
UH, AND I, I HAVE A COUPLE OF QUESTIONS.
CAN YOU GO BACK ON THAT PROJECT SITE MAP? WHO, WHO OWNS THE, WHO, WHO OWNS THE PARKING GARAGE? I BELIEVE IT'S A SPLIT BASED ON THE AMOUNT OF, UH, OWNERSHIP THAT, THAT THE, UH, THAT'S RIGHT.
BASED ON THEM OCCUPYING 65% OF THE, UM, SPACES A PROPORTION OF OWNERSHIP BETWEEN, UH, THE DEVELOPER CIVIL VENTURES AND CREDIT HUMAN.
SO THEY'LL OWN THE PORTIONS THAT THEY USE.
AT LEAST THAT'S MY UNDERSTANDING OF IT.
SO, AND WHO OWNS THE PUBLIC SPACE? IT'S THE SAME SPLIT.
UM, THE PUBLIC SPACE IS OWNED BY, UM, SILVER VENTURES AROUND THE ACTUAL SITE.
BUT THE PAD THAT THE ACTUAL BUILDING IS ON, I BELIEVE IS QUITE HUMAN.
IT'S, IT'S COMPLICATED, BUT IT'S COMMON SPACE OWNED BY BOTH BUILDINGS, BASICALLY, PROPORTIONATELY.
AND THAT, AND THE WHITE SPACE ON YOUR MAP IS A PARKING GARAGE IS A GARAGE.
AND YOU WILL OWN A PORTION OF THAT AS YOU DO THE PUBLIC SPACE AND EVERYTHING THAT'S AROUND IT, CORRECT? YES.
ROUGHLY 65% TO CREDIT HUMAN, 35% TO SILVER VENTURES.
AND, UH, WOULD IT BE FAIR TO SAY THAT THE PUBLIC IMPROVEMENTS AND THINGS WE'RE PUTTING IN THIS AREA THAT SILVER VENTURES WILL BENEFIT FROM THAT AS WELL? I THINK THE WHOLE CITY WILL BENEFIT FROM, THAT'S NOT WHAT I ASKED, SIR.
I, I ASKED, IS IT FAIR TO SAY PART OF THE CITY WHAT I ASKED? I WOULD THINK WE WOULD BENEFIT FROM IT AS WELL.
WHAT I ASKED IS, WILL SILVER VENTURES BENEFIT FROM THE PUBLIC IMPROVEMENTS THAT ARE GOING IN THAT AREA? YOU WILL, RIGHT? SURE.
WOULD YOU BE BUILDING THIS IF IT WASN'T FOR CREDIT HUMAN? I DON'T KNOW.
UM, AND THE REASON I ASK THAT IS BECAUSE THERE'S A, THERE IS A LEVEL OF UNCOMFORTABILITY I HAVE WITH THE AREA AND HOW WE FIGURE OUT WHEN WE SUNSET A PARTICULAR LOCATION, AND THAT'S ACROSS THE CITY.
I MEAN, I REPRESENT A DISTRICT THAT HAS HALF OF IT'S BLESSED AND THE OTHER HALF'S DISTRESSED.
I MEAN, OUTSIDE FOUR 10, WE'VE GOT A LOT OF INCENTIVES AND GOOD THINGS GOING ON INSIDE FOUR 10.
IT'S CRICKETS, RIGHT? WE DON'T, WE DON'T, WE DON'T HAVE ANYTHING.
SO, AND WE GOTTA FIGHT FOR THOSE AREAS, JUST LIKE COUNCILMAN SHAW HAS PARTICULAR AREAS.
SO, UM, MY, MY CONCERN IS ALWAYS KIND OF EDGED AROUND AND I'M GONNA MAKE IT PUBLIC BECAUSE I THINK THE PUBLIC HAS A RIGHT TO KNOW.
AND THE, THE RESIDENTS I REPRESENT AS I SUPPORT THIS, ULTIMATELY THEY UNDERSTAND HOW I GOT HERE.
AND THAT WAS THAT I HAD REAL CONCERNS ABOUT SILVER VENTURE'S ROLE IN THIS PROJECT BECAUSE WE PITCH IT AS A CREDIT HUMAN DEAL IN IT'S ENTIRETY.
AND FRANKLY, IN MY OPINION, IT'S NOT JUST A CREDIT HUMAN DEAL.
WE'RE INCENTIVIZING, UH, AN AREA AND A LOCATION AND AN ORGANIZATION THAT I BELIEVE HAS HAD ENOUGH INCENTIVES.
AND I'LL SECOND OBVIOUSLY COUNCILMAN PERRY'S POINT ON THAT, WHERE AT SOME POINT YOU HAVE TO LEARN, WE HAVE TO FIGURE THAT OUT, AND THAT TAKES TIME AND ENERGY, AND IT'S GOING TO BE A DEBATE OVER A LONG PERIOD OF TIME ON WHEN WE DECIDE THAT AN AREA HAS HAD ENOUGH.
AND I THINK THAT AS WE OUT OF THIS, YOU KNOW, I DRAFTED A C C R AND, AND, AND RECEIVED COLLEAGUE SUPPORT FOR A REVIEW OF ALL OF THAT.
AND ONE OF THOSE KEY POINTS IS RENEE, IS WHEN WE SUNSET ONE OF THOSE LOCATIONS, LIKE WHATEVER IT IS, AND IT VERY MAY VERY WELL BE 1 51.
I MEAN, WE HAVE TO HAVE, AS WE DO SOMETHING, UH, AS WE GO INTO AN AREA AND IT REACHES ITS CATALYTIC ENVIRONMENT, RIGHT? ONCE WE SAY, OKAY, AT THE BEGINNING, WE HAVE REAL KIND OF, AND TAKE SOME FORETHOUGHT, RIGHT? TO SAY, WHEN IT REACHES WHAT WE'RE LOOKING FOR, WE NEED TO STOP AND LET THE FREE MARKET AT THAT POINT TAKE OVER ITSELF.
AND I THINK THIS IS A GREAT EXAMPLE.
AND I, I, AND LOOK, I THINK CREDIT HUMAN'S A FANTASTIC,
[02:00:01]
UH, PARTNER.THEY'VE GOT 80 PLUS YEARS IN THE COMMUNITY.
UM, THEY ARE, UH, THEY, THEY DO COMMUNITY LENDING.
THEY HAVE A PLAN TO HELP, UH, FOLKS RECEIVE CAPITAL, UH, IN AREAS TO HELP AVOID THINGS LIKE PAYDAY LOANS AND THE CYCLE OF DEBT ISSUES THAT CAUSE A LOT OF PROBLEMS FOR PEOPLE I'M WHOLLY COMFORTABLE WITH, WITH CREDIT HUMAN.
IN FACT, AT THE END OF THE DAY, WHEN I REALLY SIT DOWN WITH IT, IT'S CREDIT HUMAN, THAT'S IMPRESSIVE TO ME ON THEIR PLAN.
AND, AND I WOULD CHALLENGE MR. HENNIGAN, I I I, I THINK WE, I TALKED TO HIM ABOUT THIS BEFORE TO SAY, HOW DO WE HELP PEOPLE GET OUTTA THAT CYCLE OF BAD DEBT, RIGHT? BAD, BAD LENDING AND BAD FINANCING AND HIGH INTEREST RATES.
AND, AND WHEN HE, WHEN I SPOKE TO YOU AND WE HAD THE CONVERSATION, THAT WAS ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT THINGS TO ME, WAS THAT I THOUGHT TO MYSELF, WELL, IF WE DO SOMETHING LIKE THIS AND WE HELP INCENTIVIZE THIS, IS HE GONNA TURN AROUND? IS THAT ORGANIZATION GONNA TURN AROUND AND HELP TAKE A HUNDRED RESIDENTS OFF A PAYDAY LOAN? 'CAUSE THEY GAVE 'EM A FAIR AND REASONABLE INTEREST RATE AND FOUND OTHER WAYS TO WRITE CREDIT DEBT OR DO THE, AND I THINK THE ANSWER'S YES, AND I WANNA MAKE SURE TOO, THAT THE RESIDENTS WHO ARE WATCHING AND THE PEOPLE WHO READ THIS, UNDERSTAND THAT CREDIT HUMAN, I, I BELIEVE IS THAT TYPE OF PARTNER.
UH, AND THAT BROUGHT ME TO A, A STRONG LEVEL OF CREDIBILITY, UH, AS WELL TO IT.
BUT YOU HAVE TO REMEMBER TOO, AND I CHALLENGED YOU, RENEE, YOU AND I TALKED ABOUT THIS, IS, UM, FINDING DIFFERENT WAYS TO INCENTIVIZE AND BUILD UP A BUSINESS.
AND THAT'S WHAT WE HAVE TO WHAT WE HAVE TO COME BACK TO.
AND YES, I MEAN, I LOOK AT THE MAP AND, YOU KNOW, I, I, I MEAN, SILVER VENTURES IS, IS A PART OF THIS DEAL, PERIOD.
AND, UM, AND I, I THINK THAT I, THAT NEEDED TO BE SAID ON THE RECORD THAT THEY'RE GONNA BENEFIT FROM IT.
UM, THEY'RE GONNA OWN PORTIONS OF THIS.
AND FOR US NOT DOING THE INCENTIVES, THEY'RE NOT GOING THERE.
I, I MEAN, THAT WAS MENTIONED, RIGHT? SO I THINK THAT THAT'S A PRETTY SLIPPERY SLOPE, AND WE GOTTA DO BETTER TRANSPARENCY WISE ON MAKING SURE THAT THE PUBLIC UNDERSTANDS WHERE THIS MONEY'S GOING AND WHO'S, WHO'S BENEFITING FROM IT, BECAUSE THAT'S THEIR QUESTIONS.
NOW, IT'S A GOOD THING THAT I BELIEVE THAT SILVER VENTURES IS NOT GETTING, THEY'RE GONNA PAY THEIR TAXES.
SO THAT IS A POSITIVE IN THE LONG RUN.
AND THAT NEEDS TO BE MENTIONED IN ALL FAIRNESS, THAT THEY WILL PAY, THEY'RE NOT GETTING A TAX ABATEMENT, UH, BUT THEY'RE GETTING THE BENEFIT OF PUBLIC TAX DOLLARS.
AND, UH, YOU KNOW, I'VE, I'VE ASKED MY PEERS, I MADE THIS A POINT FOR A COUPLE OF MONTHS NOW, THAT LOOKING AT INCENTIVES AND THE WAY WE DO BUSINESS HELPS PEOPLE IN SMALL AND MEDIUM SIZED BUSINESS ACROSS THE SAN ANTONIO.
THIS IS NOT A DISTRICT SIX CONVERSATION.
THIS ISN'T ACROSS, YOU KNOW, THE CITY CONVERSATION.
HOW DO WE OFFER ON A SCALABLE METHOD, THESE SAME TYPES OF OPPORTUNITIES FOR A SMALL COMPANY TRYING TO CREATE 12 TO 15 JOBS, BUT THEY CAN'T PAY THE SAWS IMPACT FEES TO EXPAND.
THAT'S A, THAT'S A FAIR CONVERSATION TO HAVE GOING FORWARD.
AND THAT GOES BACK TO THE POINT THAT COUNCIL INTRAVENOUS AND I HAD ON IT.
AND, AND, AND I THINK THAT IF WE CAN FIGURE THAT OUT AND GIVE THOSE OPPORTUNITIES, THIS ISN'T A CUTOFF ANYBODY, RIGHT? THIS ISN'T AN END DOWNTOWN INCENTIVIZING OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT.
THIS IS A SPREAD THE WEALTH, SHARE THE WEALTH, DO MORE, GIVE YOU MORE TOOLS AND RESOURCES.
I MEAN, THAT $250,000 YOU PUT INTO, UM, T T B R I T B R I, I ALWAYS GET THE, THE ACRONYM MIXED, MIXED UP.
BUT THAT WAS A MASSIVE IMPACT AT A VERY SMALL YES.
AND THAT WAS A HUGE WIN, UH, FOR THE COMMUNITY.
SO I THINK WE HAVE TO REALLY LOOK TO PUSH ALL THESE INCENTIVES OUT AS FAR AS WE POSSIBLY CAN.
AND, UH, AND THEN WE HAVE TO REEVALUATE AND BE SO AND REFLECTIVE ABOUT WHAT THOSE GOALS ARE FOR A COMMUNITY PERIOD, AND HOW WE FIND OTHER WAYS TO INCENTIVIZE 'EM.
LIKE WE COULD HAVE, IN THIS PARTICULAR CASE WITH THE BUILDING THAT MR. HENNIGAN AND HIS TEAM'S GONNA PUT TOGETHER, THERE COULD HAVE BEEN ENERGY INCENTIVES THAT WE COULD OFFER.
I MEAN, THERE COULD BE A TON OF DIFFERENT THINGS WE CAN DO, UH, BEYOND JUST THE, THE PUBLIC IMPROVEMENT PIECE OR THE, UH, TAX ABATEMENT.
'CAUSE IF I'M A RESIDENT AND I SEE ANY COMPANY GETTING 10, 15, 20 YEAR TAX ABATEMENTS, MY ENERGY LEVEL AND ANGER LEVEL'S INCREASING, RIGHT? IT'S LIKE CLIMBING EVERY MILLION DOLLARS THOSE, OR EVERY YEAR THEY GET FREE TAXES IN THE MIND OF THE RESIDENT, RIGHT? WE HAVE TO BE, WE HAVE TO RECOGNIZE THAT, THAT THAT UPSETS THEM.
I MEAN, THAT IS, AND I ALWAYS CAUTION MY PEERS, IT'S THE SAME WAY, RIGHT? I MEAN, JUST REMIND 'EM THAT WHEN WE LET PEOPLE NOT PAY TAXES, THAT EVERY RESIDENT IN THIS COMMUNITY IS PAYING TAXES AND IT NEVER DECREASES OR GOES DOWN, OR THEY'RE PAYING RATES OR FEES OR, YOU KNOW, WE GOT SAWS ASKING US FOR MORE MONEY, RIGHT? THEY'RE ALWAYS ASKING FOR MORE.
SO WHEN THEY SEE BUSINESSES, AND WE, THAT'S A CHALLENGE, RIGHT? OPTICALLY FOR YOU, UM, HOW ARE YOU GOING TO MAKE SURE THAT PEOPLE FEEL OKAY WITH THESE THINGS WHEN THEY'RE PAYING MORE AND MORE EVERY DAY? AND BUSINESSES, RIGHT, IN THIS PARTICULAR CASE AREN'T, AND I THINK WE, I THINK WE HAVE TO INCENT IT BECAUSE IN THE LONG RUN, THE, THE MONEY AND THE OFFSET IS THERE 7.7 MILLION OVER, UH, 20 YEARS, CORRECT? I BELIEVE IT'S 6.766 POINT.
UM, I, I, ONE PART THAT NEEDS TO BE MENTIONED IS IT'S CAPPED AT FIVE NINE, COUNCILMAN.
OKAY? BUT THERE IS AT THE END OF THE, AT THE END OF THIS TERM, RIGHT? I WANT THE RESIDENTS TO KNOW THAT THIS IS A NET POSITIVE.
[02:05:01]
THE FISCAL BENEFIT OVER, YES.IS $7.77 MILLION ESTIMATED? YES.
SO THIS IS A BOTTOM LINE DEAL.
UM, WE HAVE TO, AS A, AS A BODY, MAKE SURE THAT THAT IS COMMUNICATED, UH, A LITTLE BIT BETTER, I THINK.
UH, BECAUSE I CAN GO OUT ON TELEVISION AND SAY, OR RADIO AND SAY, HEY, THE END, END OF THIS AREA, AND LET'S STOP AND NEVER GIVE A DIME TO ANYBODY.
RIGHT? BUT IF THE, IF THE DIME IS WORKING FOR ME AND IT'S RETURNING SOMETHING, I THINK THE RESIDENTS SHOULD KNOW THAT.
I WANTED TO MAKE SURE I HIGHLIGHTED THAT TOO.
SOMETIMES WE'VE BEEN UP HERE, ONLY SEEN, MAYBE IT WAS A COUPLE HUNDRED THOUSAND BUCKS OVER A FEW YEARS, AND YOU'RE LIKE, WHY WOULD WE EVEN DO THIS? UH, BUT I, I THINK IN THIS CASE, $7.7 MILLION IS A, IS A PRETTY SIZABLE CHUNK.
PLUS, I AM PRETTY EXCITED ABOUT THE BUILDING ITSELF.
I THINK, UH, HAVING A, I THINK THIS WILL BE THE MOST ENERGY EFFICIENT BUILDING IN THE STATE OF TEXAS UNTIL THE NEXT MOST ENERGY EFFICIENT BUILDING IN THE STATE OF TEXAS IS BUILT.
SO I, I THINK WE'VE GOT A GREAT OPPORTUNITY TO DO SOMETHING UNHEARD OF AND, UH, AND, AND IN THE AREA.
UM, AND THEN I WILL JUST, I KIND OF JUST LEAVE YOU WITH, UM, YOU KNOW, JUST A KIND OF A PUSH TO HELP US FIND BETTER WAYS TO DO THIS.
AND IT CAN'T BE A CONVERSATION.
AND I'LL ADMIT, I MEAN, IN, IN MY PASSION FOR SUBJECTS, IT MAY COME ACROSS AS IF IT'S FACT.
I'M NOT, I'M NOT TRYING TO EVER SAY THAT I HAVE THE FACTS OR I HAVE ALL THE ANSWERS, BUT IN THE PASSION I HAVE FOR THIS IS HOW DO WE HELP SMALL AND MEDIUM SIZED BUSINESSES BE SUCCESSFUL? I, I TELL THE STORY ALL THE TIME.
I HAVE A DISTRICT SIX, UH, COMPANY, AND SHE CAN'T EXPAND HER COMPANY BECAUSE OF THE 35 TO $42,000, WHATEVER IT IS, FEES, AN ASSORTMENT OF FEES.
AND THAT LIQUID CAPITAL IS JUST NOT THERE FOR HER.
SHE DOESN'T WANNA TAKE THE RISK RIGHT NOW.
AND A LOT OF THOSE FEES ARE SOMETHING THAT WE CONTROL.
SO WE HAVE TO ASK OURSELVES THE HARD QUESTIONS.
WHAT ROADBLOCKS OR COSTS OR FEES OR IMPEDIMENTS ARE WE PUTTING IN THE PATH OF BUSINESS OWNERS? AND IF, IF IT'S AT ALL POSSIBLE, CAN WE REDUCE OR MAKE THAT EASIER FOR THEM? 'CAUSE I, WHILE MR. HENNIGAN'S, 50 JOBS CREDIT, HUMANS, 50 JOBS ARE FANTASTIC.
I'M JUST AS CONCERNED ABOUT THE 12 OR 15 FROM THIS WOMAN'S SMALL MINORITY OWNED WOMAN BUSINESS.
AND SHE MAY ONLY CREATE THOSE.
BUT IF WE'RE TRYING TO CREATE LIVING WAGE AND CLOSING WAGE GAPS ACROSS THE COMMUNITY, WE'RE GONNA NEED SMALL BUSINESS TO DO THAT.
WE'RE NOT GONNA CLOSE WAGE INEQUALITY OR THOSE TYPES OF LIVABILITY GAPS WITH JUST BIG DEALS COMING IN.
WE'RE GONNA HAVE TO HAVE SMALL AND AND MEDIUM SIZED BUSINESSES CREATING A LITTLE BIT OF ENERGY TO GET THERE.
AND THAT MEANS HOW CAN WE DO IT THROUGH D S D FEES? CAN WE DO IT THROUGH, UH, IMPACT FEE WAIVERS? CAN WE DO IT THROUGH, UH, WORKFORCE EDUCATION AND TRAINING CREDITS? UH, AND THERE'S A MYRIAD OF TOOLS THAT I THINK YOU NEED TO HAVE, UM, TO GET IT THERE.
AND I, AND, AND I DO APPRECIATE THE, THE HARD WORK YOU DID ON THIS, AND YOU KEPT COMING BACK AND ANSWERING MY QUESTIONS IN, IN FRONT OF YOUR CITY MANAGER, I WOULD WANNA MAKE SURE SHE KNEW THAT YOU, YOU WENT, YOU KNOW, AND YOUR BOSSES THAT YOU WENT TO THE ANSWERED EVERY QUESTION I HAD.
I'M VERY APPRECIATIVE OF THAT.
AND, UH, AND TO, TO MR. HANNIGAN AND CREDIT HUMAN, I WANNA SAY THANK YOU AS WELL FOR MAKING SURE I WAS INFORMED.
AND I LOOK FORWARD TO THE OPPORTUNITIES TO SEE YOUR SUCCESS.
AND, UH, I WOULD CHALLENGE YOU, MR. HANNIGAN, UH, TO BE THINKING ABOUT THOSE SAME PEOPLE.
WE'RE THINKING ABOUT YOUR MEMBERS ARE OUR RESIDENTS.
WE HAVE A, WE HAVE A SYMBIOTIC RELATIONSHIP TO TAKE CARE OF THE SAME PEOPLE.
AND THE MORE WE CAN HELP, UH, PEOPLE WITH ACCESS TO GOOD CAPITAL, GOOD OPPORTUNITIES GONNA GROW OUR COMMUNITY BOLT IN JOBS, WORKFORCE, HOUSING, EVERYTHING THAT WE'RE, WE'RE PUTTING ON THE TABLE RIGHT NOW.
SO, UM, AND THAT, I WILL, UH, LEAVE IT WITH THAT.
AND THANK YOU, MAYOR, FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO HAVE A COMMENTARY.
SORRY, I WENT THERE FOR A LITTLE WHILE, BUT I WAS VERY EXCITED ABOUT THIS ONE.
COUNCILMAN BROCK, HOUSE, COUNCILMAN COURAGE.
UH, COUNCILMAN, YOU ALMOST SAID EVERYTHING THAT I WANTED TO HEAR, SO, UH, I APPRECIATE YOUR, YOUR CANDOR.
UH, LIKE SOME OF MY COLLEAGUES, I, I WAS PRETTY SKEPTICAL OF, UH, PROVIDING THE INCENTIVES FOR THIS PROJECT.
I SAID TO MYSELF, WELL, YOU KNOW, IF THEY WANNA MOVE TO SHIRTS, SO WHAT, YOU KNOW, 435 PEOPLE WHO WORK THERE WILL JUST COMMUTE TO SHIRTS AND WE DON'T HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT, YOU KNOW, FIVE OR $6 MILLION WORTH OF INCENTIVES.
BUT, UH, THE MORE YOU EXPLAIN THE PROJECT, RIGHT? UH, AND THE MORE I THINK WE DISCUSSED IT, UH, YOU KNOW, THERE CERTAINLY ARE VALUES OF KEEPING IT IN SAN ANTONIO, AND THE IDEA OF THE KIND OF BUILDING THE STRUCTURE THAT'S GOING TO BE BUILT, UH, IS IMPRESSIVE.
ALSO, I WANNA SAY I FINALLY HAD AN OPPORTUNITY TO READ THE DRAFT AGREEMENT AND COULD REALLY SEE THE SPECIFIC LANGUAGE IN THERE, WHICH I THINK IF I HAD SEEN THAT A LITTLE EARLIER, AND I KNOW YOU WERE PROBABLY STILL IN THE PROCESS OF DRAWING IT UP, IT PROBABLY WOULD'VE HELPED AS WELL.
UM, I REMEMBER WHEN WE TALKED ABOUT THIS EARLY ON, YOU SAID THAT WE WERE ONLY INCENTIVIZING EIGHT OF THE 10 STORIES IN THIS BUILDING.
BUT IT SEEMS TO ME WE REALLY ARE INCENTIVIZING
[02:10:01]
THE WHOLE BUILDING.IT, IT, THE ABATEMENT THAT THEY'RE ELIGIBLE FOR IS JUST ASSOCIATED WITH, WE EXTRACTED THE INVESTMENT ASSOCIATED WITH THOSE EIGHT FLOORS TO DRIVE THE NUMBER, THE, THE VALUE.
UM, BUT AS YOU HEARD EARLIER, THEY'RE, UM, THEY, THEY'RE IN OTHER PARTS OF THAT BUILDING, THE BASE FLOOR OF THAT BUILDING, THE RETAIL SPACE OF THAT BUILDING.
BUT AS FAR AS WHAT WE'RE USING TO DETERMINE THE VALUE THAT THEY'RE ELIGIBLE FOR, IT'S, IT'S THOSE EIGHT STORIES, COUNCILMAN.
BUT WE DON'T GET ANY TAX MONEY FROM THOSE OTHER STORES BEING THOSE FLOORS BEING USED, THOUGH.
WHAT KIND OF TAX MONEY WOULD WE GET FROM THIS? UH, UH, WE HAVE NOT MODELED OUT WHAT THAT BASE IS, BUT WE HAVE DONE SOME MODELING WITH THE SIX STORY.
UH, AND I MENTIONED THAT IN THE PRESENTATION.
SO AS IT COMES ONLINE, THERE IS GONNA BE TAX REVENUE THAT'S BEING GENERATED FROM THIS PROJECT GOING INTO THAT MIDTOWN TOURISM.
'CAUSE I KNOW WE HAD SAID 7.7 MILLION, AND THAT'S ABOUT $380,000 A YEAR ON AVERAGE, BUT WE'RE NOT REALLY GONNA GET ANYTHING FOR THE FIRST 10 OR 11 YEARS, PROBABLY BECAUSE WE'RE GIVING THE ABATEMENTS OF THE REBATES.
AND NO, THERE'S ADDITIONAL REVENUE STREAMS THAT, UM, ARE PART OF THAT COST BENEFIT ANALYSIS, LIKE C P S REVENUE AS AN EXAMPLE.
WELL, I MEAN, DIRECTLY TO THE CITY, AND I KNOW INDIRECTLY WE GET C P SS REVENUES, BUT, YOU KNOW, I'M KIND OF TAKING A LOOK AT IT THAT WAY.
BUT STILL, I THINK THAT, AS COUNCILMAN BROCK HOUSE SAYS, IT HAS MERIT, UH, IN THE, UH, LONG TERM THAT WE'RE GONNA BE GETTING THAT MUCH PUT IN.
ONE CONCERN I HAD WAS, I KNOW WE, WE'VE SAID THAT THEY'RE GONNA BE DOING 50 HIRES ACCORDING TO THE AGREEMENT THOUGH, IT'S LIKE 10 A YEAR.
SO I WOULD JUST ENCOURAGE THE COUNCIL TO TAKE ANOTHER LOOK AT WHAT IS THE MINIMUM WAGE, WHAT'S THE FLOOR THAT WE'VE BEEN SETTING, AND, AND WHAT MIGHT WE CONSIDER FOR FUTURE PRO PROJECTS? $11 AND 30, 38 CENTS AN HOUR FOR MINIMUM WAGE IS NOT VERY MUCH, YOU KNOW, WE ARE MOVING TO TRY AND RAISE THE MINIMUM WAGE FOR OUR OWN EMPLOYEES TO $15 AN HOUR.
SO JUST FOOD FOR THOUGHT ON THAT.
I'M SURE THAT, UH, CREDIT HUMAN IS NOT GONNA BE HIRING A LOT OF THOSE 50 PEOPLE AT MINIMUM WAGE.
AND I, I HOPE THAT, YOU KNOW, THEY'RE GONNA BE PAYING GOOD JOBS OVER THAT PERIOD OF TIME.
COUNCIL, CAN I JUST, UH, COUNCILMAN
SO THE, THE CURRENT POLICY IN PLACE IS THAT THE MAJORITY, VAST, VAST MAJORITY, OVER 70% HAVE TO MAKE 1568.
I, I GUESS I JUST DIDN'T SEE THAT IN THE AGREEMENT, BUT I'M GLAD TO HEAR THAT.
UH, BUT ONE OTHER ISSUE THAT COMES UP, AND I THINK A LOT OF US HAVE TALKED ABOUT THAT, IS THE MONEY THAT IS BEING DEFERRED AND THE MONEY THAT EVENTUALLY COME TO THE CITY DOESN'T REALLY COME TO THE CITY DIRECTLY.
AND, UH, I KNOW THERE'S, THERE'S BEEN CONCERN THAT MAYBE THE CITY, THE CITY'S GENERAL FUND SHOULD START BEING MORE OF THE RECIPIENT OF THESE TAX DOLLARS THAT THE TOURS HAS INCENTIVIZED THE DEVELOPMENT IN THIS AREA VERY WELL.
WE'VE SEEN A LOT OF GROWTH, A LOT OF GOOD DEVELOPMENT.
WE'RE GONNA SEE MORE BASED ON WHAT WE'RE DOING TODAY.
BUT THE CITY'S GENERAL FUND THAT WE'RE ABLE TO SPEND ON SERVICES FOR EVERYBODY IN THE CITY ISN'T SEEING ANY OF THIS UNLESS WE MAKE A CHANGE IN THAT PARTICULAR TOURS, FOR EXAMPLE.
UH, CAN WE REDESIGN THE TOURS BOUNDARIES TO DO THAT? OR EVEN DISSOLVE THE TOURS EVENTUALLY, UH, TO WHERE THE CITY RECEIVES DIRECTLY, RIGHT.
THE BENEFIT OF, OF THESE TAX DOLLARS.
AND WHAT IS THAT SOMETHING WE CAN DO, AND WHAT DO YOU THINK WOULD BE THE PROCESS FOR SOMETHING LIKE THAT? RIGHT.
UM, WE DO HAVE, UH, VERONICA HERE FROM OUR HOUSING, UH, DEPARTMENT, HOUSING AND NEIGHBORHOOD DEPARTMENT, BUT WE'VE HAD THIS CONVERSATION THAT WOULD REQUIRE AMENDMENTS TO THE CURRENT POLICY THAT'S IN PLACE.
SO IT WOULD BE WITH A DISCUSSION ABOUT, IS THIS WHAT WE WANT TO DO? AND A CONTINUED, UH, DISCUSSION ABOUT AMENDING THAT POLICY.
BUT RO IF YOU WANNA ELABORATE.
VERONICA SOTO WITH THE NEIGHBORHOOD AND HOUSING SERVICES DEPARTMENT.
SO OUR TAX INCREMENT REINVESTMENT, SOME PROGRAM RESIDES WITHIN, UH, THIS NEW DEPARTMENT.
AND, UH, WITH THE T THAT WE HAVE, WE HAVE A PROJECT AND FINANCING PLAN THAT MEETS THE STATE LAW REQUIREMENTS.
AND UNDER THOSE STATE LAW REQUIREMENTS IS HOW WE CAN AMEND THE PLAN.
SO THERE ARE, UH, PROCESSES BY WHICH WE COULD AMEND THE BOUNDARY.
WE COULD ALSO AMEND THE CONTRIBUTION THAT THE CITY, UH, CONTRIBUTES TO THE TTS.
SO RIGHT NOW, THE CITY HAS 100% OF THE PROPERTY, UH, TAXES
[02:15:01]
GOING IN.ONE OF THE POSSIBILITIES IS THAT WE HAVE THAT REDUCED.
INSTEAD OF 100% OF THE, UH, TAXES GOING INTO THE TURS, WE COULD POSSIBLY REDUCE THAT.
THERE ARE PROCESSES DELINEATED IN STATE LAW, AND WE CERTAINLY CAN LOOK AT THAT, EITHER BOUNDARY CHANGES AS YOU SUGGEST, OR PERHAPS REDUCING THE PORTION OF THE PROPERTY TAXES THAT GO INTO THE TURS, SO THAT MORE COULD COME TO THE GENERAL FUND.
UH, WE DO HAVE SEVERAL COMMITMENTS, UH, WITHIN THE MIDTOWN TERMS. SO AS LONG AS WE WERE ABLE TO LIVE UP TO THE COMMITMENTS THAT HAVE BEEN MADE IN THE PAST, WE WOULD LOOK AT THAT VERY CLOSELY WITH OUR FINANCE DEPARTMENT.
I HOPE I ANSWERED YOUR QUESTION.
YEAH, I THINK THAT ANSWERS MY QUESTIONS.
AT THIS POINT IN TIME, I'M, I'M GOING TO GO AHEAD AND SUPPORT THE PROJECT, BUT I JUST WANTED TO KIND OF GET SOME OF THOSE THINGS ANSWERED AND STRAIGHTENED OUT.
THANK YOU, COUNCILMAN COURAGE.
UH, THANK YOU, COUNCILMAN COURAGE.
THOSE WERE SOME OF MY, SOME OF MY QUESTIONS AS WELL.
UM, SO I'VE ONLY BEEN ON THIS COUNCIL A FEW MONTHS, LIKE, LIKE SOME OF THE OTHER ONES, SOME OF MY OTHER COLLEAGUES.
AND THIS IS THE BIGGEST DEAL I'VE SEEN COME THROUGH IN MY VERY SHORT TIME HERE.
UH, SO I DON'T HAVE THAT SAME EXPERIENCE THAT THE SENIOR COLLEAGUES HAVE.
UM, SO AS A STEWARD OF THE TAXPAYER DOLLARS, I'VE THOUGHT A LOT ABOUT YES.
UM, IT'S, UH, YOU KNOW, SAN ANTONIO CREDIT UNION, A K A CREDIT HUMAN, WHICH I WILL ALWAYS CALL THEM SAN ANTONIO CREDIT UNION.
OF COURSE, WE WANNA KEEP THEM HERE, UH, AND WE WANNA SUPPORT THEM AS, AS THEY GROW.
AND, AND THE PEARL, LIKE I'VE TOLD BILL, UM, IS, IS A GEM HERE IN SAN ANTONIO.
SO MANY, UH, WHEN I MOVED BACK TO SAN ANTONIO AFTER SPENDING SOME TIME IN CALIFORNIA, SO MANY OF MY FRIENDS WERE SO PROUD TO TAKE ME TO THE PEARL, UH, TO SHOW ME WHAT HAD, WHAT WAS BECOMING OF SAN ANTONIO AND HOW HIP, UH, IT WAS.
AND THEN, YOU KNOW, YOU GOT THAT AWARD JUST RECENTLY ABOUT, UH, ONE OF THE BEST PLACES.
AND SO I GUESS I WAS SURPRISED THAT, UH, INCENTIVES WERE GOING TO BE NEEDED TO, TO CREATE, YOU KNOW, EVEN, EVEN MORE, UM, DEVELOPMENT THERE.
BUT, UM, YOU KNOW, I'VE SPOKEN WITH, WITH MY COLLEAGUES, AND I'M VERY MUCH WITH YOU, RENEE, SO I'VE, I HAVE A BETTER UNDERSTANDING AS TO AS TO WHY THAT IS.
AND WE DO WANT, UH, THAT ANCHOR TENANT, THAT EMPLOYER THAT YOU NEED.
YOU DON'T HAVE A BIG ONE RIGHT NOW AT, AT THE PEARL, AND I THINK IT, IT COULD EVEN BE, UH, MORE TRANSFORMATIVE THAN, THAN WHAT WE'VE ALREADY SEEN.
UM, SO THAT'S REALLY WHAT, WHAT WE'RE VOTING ON TODAY.
AND, UH, AND ALSO THE, ALL THE CONCESSIONS THAT YOU'VE MANAGED TO SQUEEZE OUT OF CREDIT HUMAN, THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR, FOR DOING THAT.
THEY'RE ALL GOING TO BE A BENEFIT TO OUR LOCAL ECONOMY, AND, UH, YOU KNOW, HIRING OUR LOCAL GRADUATES IS GOING TO BE GREAT.
UH, SO THANK YOU VERY MUCH, STEVE FOR, FOR YOUR COLLABORATION ON THAT WITH OUR, WITH OUR TEAM, AND THANK YOU, RENEE, FOR DOING THAT.
UM, SO I FIND THESE PARTS OF THE PACKAGE REALLY, REALLY COMPELLING.
UM, AND, UH, WE'VE INVESTED REALLY HEAVILY, AS SOME OF MY COLLEAGUES SAID EARLIER, IN REDEVELOPING WHAT'S OUR URBAN CORE AND, AND WHAT WE CONSIDER DOWNTOWN.
YOU KNOW, THIS IS JUST A LITTLE BIT NORTH OF, OF DOWNTOWN.
AND, UH, REALLY THE PEARL'S BEEN, UH, A GREAT EXAMPLE OF, OF HOW THAT HAS WORKED.
UM, I AM PARTICULARLY GLAD TO SEE THE COMMUTER BENEFITS, UH, PACKAGE ADDED TO THAT.
AND, YOU KNOW, STEVE, I THINK YOU COULD HAVE BUILT A, UM, A LEAD CERTIFIED BUILDING IN, IN MOST PLACES, BUT ONE OF THE BENEFITS OF BUILDING AT THE PEARL OR IN, IN THIS AREA IS THAT IT, IT IS DENSE AND IT IS SERVED BY GREAT PUBLIC TRANSIT RIGHT NOW.
SO, UH, I'M GLAD YOU'LL BE OFFERING THOSE COMMUTER BENEFITS.
I DO HOPE YOUR EMPLOYEES TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THAT.
UM, I THINK THERE'S 435 EMPLOYEES IN 600 SPACES, SO I'M A LITTLE CONCERNED
BUT I DO HOPE THAT, THAT THEY TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THAT.
AND I WOULD ASK, UH, SILVER VENTURES TO, TO CONSIDER HOW TO ACHIEVE THAT.
RENEE, I'M TRYING TO HAVE SOME EYE CONTACT HERE.
UM, AND SO I'D ASKED SILVER VENTURES TO CONSIDER HOW TO ACHIEVE THAT WITH YOUR OTHER TENANTS, UM, AS WELL.
AND I'D, I, YOU, YOU'RE PROBABLY WELL AWARE OF THIS, BUT THE $42 MILLION FROM OUR BOND PACKAGE THAT'S GOING TO BE INVESTED ON THE BROADWAY CORRIDOR DOES CONVERT A, SOME OF OUR CURRENT VEHICULAR INFRASTRUCTURE INTO PEDESTRIAN INFRASTRUCTURE, WHICH IS, I THINK, WILL MAKE A WONDERFUL ENVIRONMENT.
BUT IT DOES MEAN WE COULD FACE SOME CONGESTION IF WE'RE NOT CAREFUL ABOUT HOW WE DIRECT, UM, THE, THE MODES OF USE, YOU KNOW, BUS AND, AND WALKING.
SO, SO WE, WE HOPE SOME OF YOUR EMPLOYEES WILL END UP LIVING WITHIN WALKING DISTANCE AND ON AND ON A NEARBY BUS ROUTE.
[02:20:01]
UM, SO, UH, I'M ALSO, UM, LIKE COUNCILMAN BROCK HOUSE SAID, I'M ALSO LOOKING FORWARD TO SEEING HOW WE CAN, UH, EXPERIENCE SOME OF THESE SAME BENEFITS IN OTHER PARTS OF THE CITY THAT ARE, THAT ARE STILL CLOSE TO DOWNTOWN, UH, MAYBE A LITTLE BIT TO THE WEST SIDE, A LITTLE BIT TO THE SOUTH SIDE.SO I'M, I'M REALLY LOOKING FORWARD TO EXPLORING THAT AS, AS WE MOVE FORWARD WITH, WITH YOU AND WITH THE REST OF THE, OF THE TEAM HERE.
SO, UH, THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR YOUR WORK.
UM, I'LL BE SUPPORTING THIS, BUT KEEPING A CLOSE EYE ON, ON YOUR COMMUTER, STEVE.
AND, UH, THIS IS, THIS IS REALLY AN EXCITING OPPORTUNITY, AND I'M GLAD THAT I GET TO SUPPORT, UH, THE, THE VENTURE, THE PARTNERSHIP THAT IS, UM, GETTING TO COMPLETE A STORY THAT WE'VE BEEN TRYING TO PREDICT, TRYING TO CREATE FOR SEVERAL YEARS.
AND IT, IT, IT BECOMES AN INTERESTING STORY TO TELL, BECAUSE SEVERAL YEARS AGO WHEN I, I GOT ON THE COUNCIL, UH, THERE WAS THIS IDEA, THERE WAS THIS CONVERSATION ABOUT CAN YOU GET, UH, DEVELOPMENT IN THE DOWNTOWN? UH, CAN YOU START TO BRING PEOPLE BACK INTO THE URBAN CORE? AND MANY PEOPLE KEPT ASKING THE QUESTION ABOUT THE CHICKEN AND EGG.
DO YOU NEED JOBS DOWNTOWN BEFORE PEOPLE WILL COME DOWNTOWN THAT WOULD BRING ROOFTOPS? OR DO YOU NEED ROOFTOPS IN THE DOWNTOWN AREA BEFORE THE JOBS WILL COME? AND PEOPLE MIGHT ASK, WELL, WHY DO YOU CARE AT ALL ABOUT DOWNTOWN DEVELOPMENT? AND THE ANSWER TO THAT QUESTION IS THAT WHEN YOU ARE A CITY THAT'S TRYING TO SUSTAIN ITSELF, IF YOU'RE TRYING TO MAKE SURE THAT YOU ARE STRETCHING THE PUBLIC DOLLARS AS AS WIDE AS YOU CAN, YOU DON'T TRY TO BECOME AS WIDE OF A CITY AS POSSIBLE, BECAUSE WE HAVE IN THE DOWNTOWN, OR IN THE URBAN CORE, OR IN SOME OF OUR OLDER COMMUNITIES, EXISTING INFRASTRUCTURE, WHETHER THAT'S POLICE STATIONS, THAT'S, UH, UTILITIES, FIRE STATIONS, PARKS.
YOU DON'T HAVE TO GO OUT AND BUILD NEW ROADWAYS, NEW HIGHWAYS.
AND THE REASON WE STARTED THAT CONVERSATION CLOSE TO SIX YEARS AGO, UH, WAS, WAS, WAS TO GET TO AN ANSWER.
AND SO WE DID, WE GOT TO AN ANSWER, WHICH WAS, IF WE'RE GONNA HAVE TO CHOOSE BETWEEN THE CHICKEN AND THE EGG, WE'RE GONNA CHOOSE THE CHICKEN.
AND THE CHICKEN WE CALLED HOUSING.
AND WE SAID WE WANTED TO COME UP WITH A POLICY THAT WOULD MAKE IT SUCH THAT, UH, THAT PERHAPS THE DEVELOPMENT COMMUNITY OR THE GROWTH COMMUNITY IN SAN ANTONIO WOULD, WOULD RESIST THE URGE TO CONTINUE TO SPRAWL OUT.
AND I THINK THE, THE, THE BIG DISCUSSION POINT WAS WOULD WE BE ABLE TO PUT SOME INCENTIVES TOGETHER THAT WOULD MAKE IT SO THAT PEOPLE WHO WERE INVESTING IN BUILDING RESIDENCES AND HOUSING WOULD CHOOSE TO DO IT IN THE DOWNTOWN AREA? AND THAT JUST SPEAKS A LITTLE BIT TO THE HISTORY OF, OF OUR CITY, THE HISTORY OF OUR CITY HAS BEEN WHAT ONE IN WHICH WE HAVEN'T ALWAYS CALLED, UH, UH, INCENTIVES AND SUBSIDIES, WHAT, UH, YOU KNOW, WHAT, WHAT THEY SHOULD BE CALLED, WHICH IS DIRECT BENEFITS TO DEVELOPERS IN SOME CASES.
UH, AND IN THIS CASE, YOU COULD SAY THAT THERE IS A, THERE IS A BENEFIT TO A DEVELOPER WHO IS DEVELOPING A BUILDING IN THE DOWNTOWN AREA, BUT WE'VE BEEN PROVIDING SUBSIDIES AND DEVELOPMENT TO SPRAWL FOR A VERY LONG TIME.
AND THE, THE FACT THAT I GET TO SEE A POLICY DISCUSSION OVER SEVERAL YEARS ACTUALLY WORK, RIGHT? UH, IS, IS SORT OF FASCINATING FOR ME AS A POLICYMAKER AND AS A COUNCIL MEMBER, BECAUSE WE, WE PICKED HOUSING, HOUSING HAS COME INTO THE DOWNTOWN, AND THE LOGICAL NEXT STEP WHEN YOU HAVE HOUSING IS, IS WILL JOBS FOLLOW.
AND TO OUR SURPRISE, YOU KNOW, WHAT WE'RE SEEING IS WHETHER IT WAS, UH, THE FORMER AT AND T FACILITY, THERE WAS AT LEAST TWO BUSINESSES.
ONE OF THEM WAS CALLED ARGO GROUP.
UH, WHICH IS A, I THINK IT'S AN EYE, UH, GLASS MANUFACTURER.
UH, MOVING INTO THE DOWNTOWN, SOME RELOCATING INTO THE DOWNTOWN.
SO ALL OF A SUDDEN THERE WAS THESE EXAMPLES THAT JOBS WERE FOLLOWING SOME OF THIS MARKET THAT WAS COMING BACK TO THE CORE.
AND I THINK THIS IS ANOTHER EXAMPLE OF THAT, IS THAT WE'RE ACTUALLY GETTING JOBS TO FOLLOW, UH, WHAT WAS THAT CHICKEN THAT WE, WE CHOSE? THAT'S, WHICH WAS THE HOUSING.
UM, SO FRANKLY, I THINK IT, IT, IT, WHAT HASN'T HAPPENED IN THE, THE PEARL AREA HAS BEEN THE JOBS COMING THROUGH.
AND I'VE ALWAYS, I'VE ALWAYS BEEN A FAN OF, OF LOCALLY NURTURED JOB GROWTH VERSUS THE RELOCATION OF A NEW COMPANY COMING INTO SAN ANTONIO.
UH, AND THAT'S WHAT CREDIT HUMAN IS, IS A LOCALLY NURTURED COMPANY THAT HAS BEEN GROWING.
AND FOR FOLKS TO RECOGNIZE THAT WE USED TO HAVE A DIFFERENT WAY OF PLAYING THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT GAME, THE WAY THAT WE PLAYED ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT GAME WAS THAT WE WERE ALWAYS LOOKING TO THE OUTSIDE, RIGHT? AND IF A COMPANY KNOCKED AT OUR DOOR, WE WOULD, WE WOULD TELL THEM, THESE ARE THE INCENTIVES THAT WE HAVE TO OFFER.
UH, BUT AT AND T TO REFERENCE WOKE US UP TO THE WAY WE WERE PLAYING IT, PLAYING THIS GAME THAT, THAT COMPANIES WHO WERE IN OUR
[02:25:01]
COMMUNITY WERE NOT FEELING LIKE THE CITY OR ANY INCENTIVES WERE BEING HELPED TO NURTURE THEIR OWN JOB GROWTH.UH, THEY DIDN'T EVEN GIVE US A CALL.
THEY LEFT FOR A NUMBER OF REASONS.
BUT THIS IS A NEW WAY OF ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT IS GROWING FROM THE INSIDE, YOUR CURRENT LOCAL BASE.
UH, AND, AND ALSO AT THE SAME TIME, YOU, YOU TAKE OPPORTUNITIES THAT COME FROM THE OUTSIDE.
UH, BUT IN THIS CASE, THIS IS FOLLOWING ALONG A POLICY THAT WE BUILT TO, TO TRY HOUSING FIRST IN THE DOWNTOWN, TO ENSURE THAT WE CAN TRY TO FOLLOW THAT UP WITH JOBS COMING IN.
UH, WE MAY HAVE TO SEE ANOTHER CASE WHERE WE'RE INCENTIVIZING, UH, JOBS COMING INTO THE CORE, WHICH IN, IN MY, AS A POLICY MAKER, IS A GOOD THING BECAUSE WE'VE SEEN FOR THE LAST SEVERAL DECADES, JOBS MOVE FURTHER AND FURTHER OUT FROM OUR COMMUNITIES, ESPECIALLY ME AS A COUNCIL REPRESENTATIVE OF THE SOUTHWEST SIDE, UH, WHO, WHO HAS COMMUNITY MEMBERS WHO COMMUTE UP TO, UM, YOU KNOW, THE CHASE BANK CALL CENTER AT STONE OAK.
UM, THAT'S THE FREE MARKET AT WORK.
AND THAT COMES WITH COST, YOU KNOW, HUNDREDS OF MILLIONS, IF NOT BILLIONS WORTH OF ROADWAY EXPANSION ON 1 51 OR 2 81, OR FLYOVERS THAT GO INTO OUR CITY'S BOND.
THOSE ARE INCENTIVES, THOSE ARE SUBSIDIES.
AND WHAT WE'RE SUBSIDIZING IS FURTHER AND FURTHER GROWTH.
SO LAISSEZ-FAIRE ECONOMICS WORKS IF YOU WANT TO SPRAWL FURTHER AND FURTHER OUT.
THE REASON YOU DIRECT TARGETED INCENTIVES IS BECAUSE YOU WANT TO ACHIEVE A POLICY OBJECTIVE, WHICH IS BRINGING JOBS AND HOUSING INTO AREAS WHERE IT IS CHEAPER TO PROVIDE SERVICES.
AND IN MY CASE, MAYBE IT'S NOT JUST CHEAPER TO PROVIDE SERVICES FOR JOBS AND JOBS COMING HERE, BUT IT IS PUTTING MY FOLKS CLOSER TO JOB OPPORTUNITIES.
UH, WHETHER THOSE FOLKS ARE ON A BUS, UH, OR THOSE FOLKS ARE DRIVING, UH, IT MEANS THAT THEY'RE NOT DRIVING OUT 40 MINUTES PAST, UH, 2 81, 16 0 4 OF WHICH THEY'RE DOING NOW.
AND THEY'LL, THEY'LL FIND THE JOBS ANY WAY THEY CAN.
AND I THINK THIS IS REALLY, UH, AN INTERESTING CASE STUDY, UH, OVER THE LAST SEVERAL YEARS OF, OF TRYING TO GET FOLKS INTO THE DOWNTOWN, SEEING HOUSING BECOME AN IMPORTANT COMPONENT OF THAT, FOLLOWED UP SUBSEQUENTLY BY, BY JOBS COMING INTO THE CORE.
I, THERE'S NOT A LOT THAT I THINK, UH, I'D LIKE TO, UH, POSE QUESTIONS ON, BUT I WILL TAKE COUNCILMAN COURAGES POINT.
WE NEED TO VERO AT THE HOUSING, UH, DEPARTMENT, LOOK AT HOW WE START THE PROCESS TO START TO RECONFIGURE THE BOUNDARIES OF THAT TOURS, WHICH MEANS AURS IS CREATED TO TRY TO KEEP MONEY IN AN AREA THAT HAS NOT YET BEEN DEVELOPED.
UH, AND WHAT WE NEED TO DO IS RE-LOOK AT THOSE LINES SO THAT WE CAN MAKE SURE THAT, AGAIN, WE'RE TARGETING THE POLICY TO AFFECT THE AREAS THAT WE THINK MOST NEED SUPPORT FROM, UH, PUBLIC SUBSIDIES OR PUBLIC INCENTIVES.
AND, AND TO THAT POINT, MAY MAYBE, UM, YOU AND VETO CAN HELP ME THINK ABOUT HOW THAT PROCESS BEGINS, BECAUSE WE HAVE SOME OBLIGATIONS IN THIS TURS RIGHT, THIS, AS WE VOTE ON THIS TODAY.
OUR OBLIGATION WILL BE TO ALLOW THE TURS TO ACCUMULATE AS MUCH TO PAY FOR THE PUBLIC INVESTMENTS AROUND CREDIT HUMAN, BUT VETO, CAN YOU TALK TO ME ABOUT THE, UH, THE PROCESS TO START THE, THE REDRAWING OF LINES FOR THE HOUSTON STREET TOURS, UNDERSTANDING THAT WE HAVE RESPONSIBILITIES TO PAY BACK COMMITMENTS? THANK YOU.
I CAN SPEAK IN GENERAL TERMS BECAUSE WE DO NEED TO LOOK AT THE VARIOUS COMMITMENTS IN THIS.
UH, IT DOES, UH, ENTAIL, UH, VISITING WITH THE TOURIST BOARD.
UM, THERE WOULD BE QUITE A BIT OF ANALYSIS INVOLVED AS WELL.
WE HAVE TO LOOK AT ALL THE, THE CURRENT PROJECTS AND WHAT THEY HAVE GENERATED, UM, IN PROPERTY TAXES, THE LONG-TERM COMMITMENTS AS WELL.
BUT IT WOULD ENTAIL A CONVERSATION WITH THE CURRENT BOARD, UM, TO SEE WHAT WE COULD DO AND A LOT OF FINANCIAL, UH, ANALYSIS AS WELL.
AND I THINK THERE'S, THERE, THERE'S, THERE'S TWO DIFFERENT WAYS WE CAN ACCOMPLISH MAKING SURE THAT AREAS THAT, UH, DON'T NEED INCENTIVES, UH, YOU KNOW, ARE WEANED OFF OF IT.
AND I THINK WE'VE HAD A LOT OF DISCUSSIONS INTERNALLY AS A COUNCIL TO SAY THAT IT, IT IS TIME TO TURN THE SPIGOT OFF FOR HOUSING IN THAT PARTICULAR AREA, UH, WHERE WE SHOULD BE DIRECTING IT AS PROBABLY SOMETHING TO THE CENTRAL CORE OR OTHER PARTS OF THE CITY THAT HAVEN'T SEEN, UH, HOUSING DEVELOPMENT.
BECAUSE AS, AS I HARKEN BACK TO THE, THE FREE MARKET WILL GO WHERE IT IS EASIER TO DEVELOP, TO DEVELOP OR MORE PROFITABLE, RIGHT? UNLESS WE CAN COME UP WITH SOME INCENTIVES TO TRY TO DIRECT THAT GROWTH.
AND I THINK THERE'S, THERE'S MAYORS AND COUNCIL MEMBERS OF, OF THE PAST ON THIS COUNCIL IN THIS CITY WHO HAVE TRIED FOR A LONG TIME TO DIRECT GROWTH.
UM, AND THAT IS A VERY HARD THING TO TAKE IN HAND.
UM, BUT I THINK WE'VE PROVEN THAT WITH SOME SUPPORT, UH, AND SOME PRIVATE INVESTMENT BECAUSE THAT'S WHAT HAPPENED AT, AT THE PEARL.
YOU CAN SUCCEED IN TRYING TO DIRECT SOME GROWTH IN, IN, IN A WAY THAT HELPS YOU SUSTAIN A CITY.
AND SO, UH, I'M EXCITED ABOUT THE OPPORTUNITY, UH, WHETHER IT WAS CREDIT HUMAN, BUT PROBABLY MORE SO BECAUSE IT
[02:30:01]
WAS A GROUP THAT WAS LOCALLY NURTURED HERE AND GREW HERE AND, AND WE'RE ALLOWING THEM TO TAP INTO, UH, INCENTIVES THAT TYPICALLY WE PROVIDE FOR OUTSIDE GROUPS.SO WITH THAT, UM, JUST TO TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT GETTING TO SEE GOOD POLICY WORK, UM, WHICH DOESN'T HAPPEN OVER A YEAR OR TWO, BECAUSE THAT'S NOT THE WAY YOU PLAY THE GAME.
YOU DON'T PLAY THE GAME JUST SO THAT YOU CAN SAY WITHIN TWO YEARS YOU'VE SEEN SOMETHING COME BACK TO YOU.
IT'S, IN THIS CASE, CLOSE TO A DECADE OF GETTING TO SEE THESE POLICIES AT WORK.
SO, UH, MAYOR, I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO GETTING SUPPORT.
AND VERY BRIEFLY, UM, CITY MANAGER SCULLY.
UM, I HAD ASKED YOU EARLIER ABOUT THE, THE INCENTIVES PROCESS AND HOW WE'RE RECALIBRATING THOSE FOR HOUSING ALONG, UM, CERTAINLY ALONG BROADWAY, BUT ALSO THE URBAN COURT.
COULD YOU DESCRIBE THAT? UH, YES.
MAYOR, UM, AS THE COUNCIL KNOWS, WE HAVE AN INNER CITY REINVESTMENT IN INFILL POLICY, AND THAT IS TO ADDRESS HOUSING AND COMMERCIAL DEVELOPMENT IN UNDERSERVED MARKETS.
THAT IS WHERE THERE IS NEED THROUGHOUT THE COMMUNITY.
AND THE, UH, ICRP DOES TOUCH ALL 10 CITY COUNCIL DISTRICTS.
SO WE DO HAVE THAT PROGRAM IN PLACE IN 2012.
AND BY THE WAY, THAT WAS RECOMMENDED COUNCIL IN 2010 AND ADOPTED BY THE CITY COUNCIL BACK IN 2010.
IN 2012, FOLLOWING SA 2020, THE COUNCIL ADOPTED A CENTER CITY, UH, IMPLEMENTATION PLAN THAT WAS A HOUSING FIRST STRATEGY, AND IT WAS REALLY TO GIVE AND FOCUS HOUSING DEVELOPMENT IN THE CORE PART OF THE CITY.
AND MOST OF THOSE, UH, INCENTIVES HAVE GONE INTO DISTRICTS 1, 2, 3, AND FIVE, UH, FOR ADVANCING HOUSING.
AND THAT PROGRAM IS BEING REEXAMINED NOW.
THIS PARTICULAR SET OF INCENTIVES EXPIRE IN MAY OF 2018.
SO WE'RE IN THE PROCESS NOW OF REEXAMINING THAT POLICY, AND WE'LL BE MAKING SOME RECOMMENDATIONS TO CITY COUNCIL ON WHAT NEEDS TO BE IN ADJUSTED BASED ON, UH, THE GROWTH AND DEVELOPMENT.
I WILL SAY THAT THE SA 2020 PLAN SET A GOAL OF 7,500 ADDITIONAL HOUSING UNITS BY THE YEAR 2020.
UH, WE'RE ON OUR WAY TOWARD ACHIEVING THAT.
AND WE'VE HAD, UH, THIS EXACT CONVERSATION THAT COUNCILMAN SALANO JUST MENTIONED ABOUT THE CORE OF THE CITY.
THAT IS, WE STILL NEED TO DO MORE WORK IN TERMS OF ADDING HOUSING UNITS DOWNTOWN, EVEN THOUGH WE'RE ALREADY OVER 6,000 HOUSING UNITS, UM, TOWARD THE GOAL OF 7,500 IN THE CENTER CITY.
SO WE'LL BE STUDYING THAT OVER THE UPCOMING MONTHS AND COMING BACK TO THE CITY COUNCIL WITH RECOMMENDATIONS ON HOUSING INCENTIVES, UH, IN THE SPRING OF 2018.
JUST A, A FOLLOW UP ON THAT I TOTALLY SUPPORT ON, UH, COUNCILMAN COURAGE AND, UH, CA COUNCILMAN SALANA ON, UH, UH, RE-LOOKING AT THESE ISSUES AND, AND, UH, MAKING SURE THAT WE'RE INVESTING IN COUNCILMAN BROCK HOUSE IN THE, UH, RIGHT AREAS HERE IN TOWN.
BUT, UH, RENEE, I, I'VE MENTIONED THIS, A COUPLE OF THINGS, UH, ON OUR RETURN ON INVESTMENTS, HOW LONG HAVE WE BEEN DOING THESE INCENTIVES HERE IN SAN ANTONIO? WELL, CERTAINLY SINCE, UH, THE TOYOTA PROJECT WAS WHEN WE CREATED OUR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT INCENTIVE FUND.
PRIOR TO THAT, UH, WE DID HAVE THE ABILITY TO OFFER THROUGH CHAPTER THREE 12 TAX ABATEMENT.
SO WE'VE BEEN DOING IT WELL OVER 15 YEARS.
1520 YEARS, SOMETHING LIKE THAT.
UM, HOW DO YOU, HOW DO YOU TRACK AND HOW DO YOU MAINTAIN THE DATA ON THESE COMPANIES THAT ARE GETTING THESE INCENTIVES? HOW ARE, HOW ARE YOU TRACKING THAT ON THEIR PROGRESS? ARE THEY MEETING THEIR COMMITMENTS TO THE CITY ON GETTING THESE INCENTIVES? HOW DO YOU DO THAT? RIGHT.
SO I HAVE A VERY, WHAT I'LL DESCRIBE, ROBUST COMPLIANCE UNIT THAT, UH, MONITORS.
I THINK RIGHT NOW WE HAVE AROUND 60 AGREEMENTS, EACH OF WHICH HAVE SPECIFIC MILESTONES COMMITMENTS.
AND SO ON A BIANNUAL BASIS, TRADITIONALLY COMPANIES REPORT BACK TO US.
AND THEN IN SOME CASES, THE AGREEMENTS ALLOW FOR PROPORTIONATE REDUCTION OF THE BENEFIT IF THEY DON'T HIT THE GOALS.
AND IN SOME CASES, THERE'S THE TERMINATION OF THOSE AGREEMENTS.
BUT IN GENERAL, I HAVE A COMPLIANCE UNIT THAT LOOKS AT THESE COMPANIES APPROXIMATELY TWICE EVERY YEAR.
THEN I TRADITIONALLY COME IN AND PROVIDE COUNSEL UPDATES ON HOW EVERYONE'S DOING.
I, I GUESS I HAVEN'T BEEN HERE LONG ENOUGH TO GET ONE OF THOSE UPDATES.
BUT IN INTEREST, WE, YOU KNOW, WE TALKED ABOUT THIS A LOT, UH, OVER THE LAST YEAR OR SO ABOUT TRANSPARENCY AND TRANSPARENCY TO THE PEOPLE THAT ARE REALLY PROVIDING
[02:35:01]
THESE INCENTIVES, WHICH ARE THE RESIDENTS HERE IN SAN ANTONIO.SO I WOULD, UH, I WOULD REALLY LIKE TO SEE SOME KIND OF A, UH, UH, INFORMATION FLOW THAT'S AVAILABLE TO THE CITIZENS YES.
ON EACH ONE OF THESE INCENTIVE PACKAGES THAT WE HAVE OUT THERE.
SO SOMEBODY CAN GO IN THERE AND TAKE A LOOK, HEY, I GOT THIS BRAND NEW BUSINESS RIGHT DOWN THE ROAD, AND WE GAVE THEM ALL THESE TAX BREAKS.
HOW ARE THEY DOING? ARE THEY LIVING UP THEIR, THEIR COMMITMENTS? AND IF THEY'RE NOT, WHAT ARE WE DOING TO, UH, TAKE BACK WHAT WE GAVE THEM UPFRONT? RIGHT.
WE'VE BEGUN THAT PROCESS, COUNCILMAN, WE ACTUALLY HAVE AN OPENGOV PORTAL HERE THAT FINANCE IS MAINTAINING AND BUILDING OUT, AND WE'VE TALKED TO THEM OVER THE LAST SEVERAL MONTHS ABOUT GETTING IN THE QUEUE AND PREPARING FOR THAT, FOR THAT, UM, FLOW OF INFORMATION.
AND THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WE ARE WORKING ON.
SO WHEN DO YOU EXPECT THAT TO HAPPEN? WELL, IT, IT'S CHALLENGING IN THAT WE NEED TO GET ALL THE DATA OVER ALL THESE DIFFERENT AGREEMENTS IN THE FORMAT THAT'S EASILY, UM, EASILY MIGRATES TO THAT SYSTEM.
SO I'M HOPING TO DO THAT IN EARLY OF NEXT YEAR.
COUNCILMAN THE FIRST QUARTER NEXT YEAR WOULD BE A HIGH LEVEL GOAL FOR ME IN THE MEANTIME.
AND YOUR ROBUST, UH, EVALUATION STUFF, IF YOU CAN GET, UH, THINGS OUT TO US NOW BEFORE YOU GET IT INTO THIS PORTAL, I WOULD REALLY APPRECIATE THAT.
'CAUSE I'D LIKE TO GET OUT TO MY NEIGHBORS IN DISTRICT 10 WHERE THEIR DOLLARS ARE GOING AND WHAT OUR RETURN ON INVESTMENT IS HAPPY TO DO.
SO AN UNSUNG, UH, UNIT WITHIN MY DIVISION AND THE HARD WORK THAT THEY PUT INTO PLACE.
SO WE'D BE HAPPY TO COME AND, AND DISCUSS THAT WITH YOU AND PROVIDE THAT INFORMATION.
AND, AND THANK YOU RENEE FOR THE HARD WORK ON THIS.
AND, UH, STEVE AND THE TEAM, UH, APPRECIATE THE WORK THAT YOU'VE DONE TO, I THINK, NEGOTIATE A VERY ELEGANT SOLUTION, UH, FOR ONE OF OUR, OUR DEAR NEEDS HERE IN SAN ANTONIO.
I DON'T WANT TO REITERATE EVERYTHING THAT COUNCILMAN SALDANA SAID, BUT WHAT HE DESCRIBED IS EXACTLY, UH, WHAT HAS HAPPENED HERE IN THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO.
AND, AND IF YOU FOLLOW THE NATURAL COURSE OF DEVELOPMENT, IT HAS BEEN AN OUTWARD, STEADY GROWTH FOR THE CITY, WHICH WE KNOW TO BE UNSUSTAINABLE.
IF WE WANT TO HAVE A COMMUNITY WHERE WE HAVE A HIGH QUALITY OF LIFE AND WHERE TAXPAYERS DOLLARS ARE BEING USED EFFICIENTLY, THEN WE'RE GONNA MAKE SURE THAT THE COMMUNITIES THAT ARE DEVELOPED ARE CONNECTED TO THE SERVICES THAT THEY NEED FROM TRANSPORTATION TO PUBLIC SAFETY AND PARKS.
AND SO WHAT WE'VE, WHAT WE'VE DONE IS NOT SIMPLY CITY CENTER FOCUSED, IT'S ABOUT BUILDING SUSTAINABILITY THROUGHOUT OUR COMMUNITY.
AND CERTAINLY WE, WE'VE HEARD THE NOTION OF DECADE OF DOWNTOWN, UH, BUT WHAT WE FOUND THROUGH THE SA TOMORROW PROCESS AND THE, AND THE DATA SHOWS THAT WE HAVE MULTIPLE DOWNTOWNS IN SAN ANTONIO, IN FACT, 13 OF THEM.
AND WHICH IS WHY YOU'VE SEEN, UH, THESE TYPES OF INCENTIVES USED JUDICIOUSLY TO ENSURE THAT THERE'S JOB GROWTH AROUND WHERE PEOPLE'S NEIGHBORHOODS ARE AND EDUCATIONAL FACILITIES ARE, AND RETAIL CENTERS AND, AND RECREATIONAL AREAS.
UM, IF WE ARE TO BUILD A SUSTAINABLE COMMUNITY, WE HAVE TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE BUILDING LIVE, WORK, PLAY OPTIONS THROUGHOUT OUR CITY.
UM, THERE IS A BIG DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE HOUSING INCENTIVES THAT ARE BEING OFFERED, WHICH ARE BY RIGHT, THAT ARE PART OF THE COUNCIL POLICY SET MANY YEARS AGO, AND THE ECONOMIC INCENTIVES THAT ARE USED TO, UH, ENSURE THAT WE HAVE JOB CREATION WHERE PEOPLE LIVE.
UH, AND IN THIS CASE, THIS AREA OF THE CITY THAT IS BEING INCENTIVIZED FOR JOB GROWTH HAS NOT SEEN IT, WHICH IS WHY I THINK IT'S SOMETHING WORTH CELEBRATING.
UM, NOT TO MENTION THE FACT THAT THE, THE DEVELOPMENTS THAT WILL OCCUR AS A RESULT OF THOSE JOBS ARE GOING TO BE SUSTAINABLE, LEAD GOLD, AND ALL THOSE THINGS THAT WE WOULD, WE WOULD, UM, LIKE TO SEE IN A DEVELOPMENT, UM, OF ANY KIND IN THE CITY.
THE COUNCILWOMAN, UH, MENTIONED THE COMMUTER BENEFITS, THE BUS STOPS, UH, THE BIKE, UH, THE BIKE STATIONS.
THE, THE TRULY IMPORTANT PART I THINK, FOR PEOPLE TO UNDERSTAND ABOUT THIS PARTICULAR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT PROPOSAL IS THAT THIS IS NOT A GIVEAWAY, AND THIS IS NOT AN ABATEMENT THAT TAKES AWAY FROM SOMEONE ELSE'S OPPORTUNITY.
IN FACT, THE TAXES THAT ARE BEING INCENTED HERE ARE REBATED FOR THE PURPOSES OF BUILDING PUBLIC INFRASTRUCTURE THAT THE ENTIRE COMMUNITY WILL BENEFIT FROM.
UM, THAT IS A CLEAR CUT WAY OF FINDING A WIN-WIN FOR THIS COMMUNITY.
SO NOT ONLY DOES THE AREA GET IMPROVED, UH, WE GET AN A, A FANTASTIC CORPORATE PARTNER TO EMPLOY SAN ANTONIO AND OUR DOWNTOWN CORE WITH AN EXCELLENT MISSION TO SERVE SMALL BUSINESS HERE IN SAN ANTONIO.
BUT WE ALSO HAVE PUBLIC IMPROVEMENTS THAT WOULD'VE COST OTHER TAXPAYERS, UH, TO BUILD AND PROBABLY WOULD'VE BEEN SHUTTLED OFF FOR DECADES FROM NOW BECAUSE WE HAVE OTHER PRIORITIES.
I WILL SAY THAT THERE IS A CONSTANT CONCERN AND HEARTBURN FROM THIS COMMUNITY THAT AS WE INCENT BUSINESSES AND HOUSING DEVELOPMENT
[02:40:01]
IN DIFFERENT PARTS OF TOWN, WE'RE ALSO, UM, RAISING EQUITY TO THE POINT WHERE PEOPLE'S TAXES ARE INCREASING AND PEOPLE ARE BEING, UH, REALLY PUSHED TO THE BRINK FOR THEIR COST OF LIVING.WE ARE NOT CERTAINLY EXPERIENCING THE STRAIN THAT OTHER CITIES ARE IN THAT REGARD.
SO WE HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO GET IT RIGHT.
UH, AND THAT IS THE PURPOSE OF THE, THE VERY IMPORTANT WORK THAT VETO AND HER STAFF AND THE HOUSING, UH, POLICY TASK FORCE ARE TAKING ON RIGHT NOW, SO THAT WE CAN CONFIDENTLY REINVEST, SEE LIVE, WORK, PLAY, UH, ENSURE THAT THERE'S HIGH QUALITY REVITALIZATION OF OUR, OF OUR CITY GROWING ALL ACROSS TOWN, NOT IN ONE PLACE, BUT WE CAN DO SO WITH CONFIDENCE KNOWING THAT OUR CITY'S RESIDENTS WILL ALL BENEFIT AND THEY WILL ENJOY LIVING IN THE COMMUNITIES THAT ARE BEING IMPROVED.
UM, SO I REALLY APPRECIATE THE, THE, THE DEBATE.
UM, I THINK, YOU KNOW, UH, COUNCILMAN, UH, YOUR COMMENTS ABOUT REEVALUATION OF THE HOUSING INCENTIVES IS, IS RIGHT ON THE MONEY.
I'M GLAD THAT THAT'S UNDERWAY AND I DO LOOK FORWARD TO SEEING THESE, UH, RECALIBRATED AND THE BENEFITS THAT WE EXPERIENCED FROM THEM.
SO WITH THAT, WE DO HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND ON THE FLOOR FOR ITEM NUMBER 28.
[29. City Manager's Report]
OF OUR AGENDA.DO WE HAVE A CITY MANAGER'S REPORT? YES, MAYOR.
AND, UH, I KNOW LUNCH HOUR IS FIVE MINUTES AWAY.
I THINK I CAN DO THIS IN LESS THAN FIVE MINUTES.
UM, THIS SUNDAY IN SAN ANTONIO AT THE HENRY B. GONZALES CONVENTION CENTER, WE KICK OFF THE 103RD ANNUAL CONFERENCE OF THE INTERNATIONAL CITY COUNTY MANAGEMENT ASSOCIATION.
OVER 3,500 LOCAL GOVERNMENT ADMINISTRATORS ARE REGISTERED TO ATTEND.
THAT'S A LOT OF CITY MANAGERS IN ONE PLACE.
AND THIS IS THE LARGEST I C M A CONFERENCE IN THE HISTORY OF THE OR OF THE 100 YEAR OLD PROFESSIONAL ORGANIZATION, ALONG WITH FAMILY MEMBERS, EXHIBITORS, AND I C M A PERSONNEL.
WE EXPECT TO WELCOME MORE THAN 5,000 TO SAN ANTONIO THIS WEEKEND.
SAN ANTONIO ALSO HOSTED THE CONFERENCE IN 2006, SO WE'RE GLAD TO WELCOME I C M A BACK.
OUR STAFF AND I HAVE BEEN MEMBERS, UH, FOR MANY DECADES.
SEVERAL OF OUR LEADERSHIP TEAM AND I WILL SERVE AS PANELISTS DISCUSSING A Y H RANGE OF TOPICS, UH, ON LOCAL GOVERNMENT MANAGEMENT.
I DO WANNA RECOGNIZE AND THANK ERIC WALSH, MARIA VILLA GOMEZ, AND EDWARD BENAVIDES FOR SERVING AS THE CO-CHAIRS OF THE CONFERENCE HOST COMMITTEE, AS WELL AS MANY OF OUR STAFF FOR VOLUNTEERING THEIR TIME TO MAKE THE CONFERENCE A SUCCESS.
IN ADDITION TO THE MORE THAN 100 EDUCATIONAL SESSIONS THAT WILL BE CONDUCTED, UH, BETWEEN SATURDAY AND NEXT WEDNESDAY, WE ARE SHOWCASING SAN ANTONIO THROUGH A NUMBER OF OTHER EVENTS, UM, AT THE WITTY MUSEUM, LATA, AND OF COURSE, OUR WORLD HERITAGE MISSIONS TO NAME A FEW.
UM, ANOTHER ONE OF THE EVENTS IS A FIVE K WALK RUN ON SUNDAY, UH, OCTOBER 22ND, THAT WILL TAKE RUNNERS AND WALKERS FROM DOWNTOWN UP BROADWAY AND BACK DOWNTOWN.
OVER 150 I C M A MEMBERS FROM NINE COUNTRIES, UH, SINCE THIS IS AN INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE, ARE ALSO REGISTERED TO JOIN THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO, WHICH HAS BECOME, THIS IS OUR 10TH, UH, ANNUAL CITY MANAGERS FIVE K, WHICH ANNUALLY INVITES OUR CITY EMPLOYEES, THEIR FAMILIES, AND THE COMMUNITY TO CELEBRATE WELLNESS.
AND ON SUNDAY, THIS YEAR, UH, AS PART OF THE CONFERENCE AND OUR WELLNESS ACTIVITIES WERE JOINED BY Y THE Y M C A SELO VIA, UH, THEY WERE A HOST, UH, WITH US BACK TO BACK EVENTS.
SO THE FIVE K STARTS AT 8:00 AM AND WITH OPENING CEREMONIES IN THE RUN, AND THEN CICLOVIA WILL FOLLOW AT 11:00 AM THIS YEAR.
THE CMM FIVE K IS ALSO THE OFFICIAL TRICENTENNIAL EVENT IN THE FIRST EVENT WHERE YOU CAN PARTICIPATE IN THE 300 MILE CAMPAIGN IN PARTNERSHIP WITH TENANT HELP, THE BA, THE BAPTIST HEALTHCARE SYSTEM, AND THE Y M C A, THE TRICENTENNIAL COMMISSION IS ENCOURAGING THE COMMUNITY TO WALK, RUN, CYCLE, UM, OR EXERCISE 300 MILES BETWEEN THIS EVENT ON SUNDAY, THIS WEEKEND, AND THE NEXT SELO VIA EVENT, WHICH IS MAY 6TH, 2018.
SO SUCCESSFUL RUNNERS AND WALKERS CAN RECEIVE A MEDAL FOR COMPLETING THE 300 MILE CAMPAIGN.
AND IF YOU HAVEN'T REGISTERED, YOU CAN STILL DO SO BY VISITING SAN ANTONIO.GOV, OR YOU CAN REGISTER DURING PACKET PICKUP AT THE CENTRAL LIBRARY UNTIL 5:00 PM TODAY, OR ON SITE ON RACE DAY MORNING SUNDAY MORNING AT ALAMO PLAZA.
SECONDLY, ITEM, UH, THE SECOND ITEM THIS MORNING, UH, YESTERDAY WE HELD OUR 2017 TRIENNIAL AIRPORT EMERGENCY EXERCISE AT THE SAN ANTONIO, UH, INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT.
[02:45:01]
EXERCISE SIMULATES AN AIRCRAFT ACCIDENT THAT RESULTS IN MULTIPLE INJURIES ON THE AIRFIELD.THE EXERCISE ALLOWS AIRPORT STAFF, THE FIRE DEPARTMENT AND KEY STAKEHOLDERS, INCLUDING HOSPITALS, TO REVIEW THEIR PROCEDURES AND IDENTIFY ANY AREAS OF IMPROVEMENT THAT WE MAY NEED TO ADDRESS SO THAT WE ARE BEST PREPARED FOR AN EMERGENCY.
THE EXERCISE IS REQUIRED EVERY THREE YEARS, UH, BY THE FEDERAL AVIATION ADMINISTRATION FOR ALL UNITED STATES AIRPORTS THAT HAVE COMMERCIAL AIR CARRIER SERVICE.
UM, I COMMEND THE AIRPORT TEAM LED BY RUSS HANDY AND THE FIRE DEPARTMENT LED BY CHIEF CHARLES HOOD FOR THEIR PROFESSIONALISM AND DEDICATION TO KEEPING OUR AIRPORT USERS AS SAFE AS POSSIBLE.
I ALSO WANT TO THANK COUNCILMAN PERRY, WHO WAS ABLE TO STOP BY YESTERDAY AND, UH, WITNESS SOME OF THAT TRAINING THAT WAS GOING ON.
SO THANK YOU FOR DOING THAT, COUNCILMAN.
UH, LASTLY, I JUST WANTED TO GIVE YOU AN UPDATE THAT ON MONDAY, UM, THE SAN ANTONIO POLICE DEPARTMENT WILL START A ANOTHER CADET CLASS.
UH, THIS IS THE FOURTH CLASS, THIS CALENDAR YEAR COMPRISED OF 43 RECRUITS.
AND, UH, AS A REMINDER, THE FISCAL YEAR 2018 BUDGET INCLUDES FOUR MORE POLICE RECRUIT CLASSES IN OUR FISCAL YEAR.
SO WE HAVE FIVE BUDGETED THIS YEAR.
UH, THIS IS THE FIRST ONE OF THE FISCAL YEAR, BUT THE FOURTH, UH, FOURTH ONE, ACTUALLY THE FIFTH ONE, UH, THIS CALENDAR YEAR.
CURRENTLY, WE HAVE 72 CADETS IN TWO CLASSES THAT WILL GRADUATE IN DECEMBER AND MARCH OF 2018.
AND AS I SAID, WE'RE SCHEDULED TO HAVE FOUR MORE CLASSES STARTING IN JANUARY, APRIL, JULY AND SEPTEMBER OF 2018.
AND IN JANUARY OF THIS YEAR, YOU MAY RECALL THAT THE SAN ANTONIO POLICE DEPARTMENT INITIATED THE VIOLENT CRIMES TASK FORCE, WHICH IS A PROACTIVE MULTI-AGENCY GROUP COMPRISED OF OUR SAN ANTONIO POLICE DEPARTMENT UNITS, THE STREET CRIMES UNIT, OR SWAT SQUAD, AND THE FUSION CENTER PERSONNEL, AS WELL AS OTHER LOCAL, STATE AND FEDERAL LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCIES DESIGNED TO EFFECTIVELY REDUCE CRIME THROUGHOUT THE COMMUNITY.
AND AMONG THE AGENCIES THAT ARE ALSO PARTICIPATING IN THIS VIOLENT CRIMES TASK FORCE ARE THE F B I, UH, THE TEXAS DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC SAFETY, BEXAR COUNTY SHERIFF'S OFFICE, THE DRUG, UH, ENFORCEMENT ADMINISTRATION, A T F, AND HOMELAND SECURITY.
THE VIOLENT CRIMES TASK FORCE IS AN INTELLIGENCE DRIVEN INITIATIVE THAT STRATEGICALLY FOCUSES ON IDENTIFYING AND APPREHENDING KNOWN CRIMINALS WHO ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR A SIGNIFICANT SHARE OF THE ILLEGAL ACTIVITY THAT ULTIMATELY CULMINATES IN VIOLENT CRIME THAT IMPACT QUALITY OF LIFE.
AND SINCE ITS INCEPTION IN JANUARY OF THIS YEAR, THEY'VE MADE CONSIDERABLE PROGRESS IN DISRUPTING CRIMINAL ACTIVITY THROUGHOUT THE CITY, AS EVIDENCED BY THE RESULTS ACHIEVED THROUGH OCTOBER.
THIS YEAR, 4,000 PERSONS ARRESTED MORE THAN 650 FIREARMS RECOVERED.
UH, 450 GANG MEMBERS ARRESTED, AND THEY'VE SEE SEIZED MORE THAN A MILLION DOLLARS IN CURRENCY.
SO THEY'RE, THEY ARE BEING IMPACTFUL.
AND THE PUBLIC SAFETY COMMITTEE WILL RECEIVE A BRIEFING ON THE DETAILS OF THIS INITIATIVE AT, AT NEXT WEEK'S, UH, COMMITTEE MEETING, AND TO SUPPLEMENT, UH, THIS CRIME FIGHTING EFFORT OF OUR VIOLENT CRIMES TASK FORCE.
UH, THE TEXAS ANTI-GANG PROGRAM, WE REFER TO THAT AS TAG.
WE HAVE SO MANY ACRONYMS, BUT THE TEXAS ANTI-GANG, UH, PROGRAM CONSISTS OF A WORKING GROUP OF FEDERAL, STATE, AND LOCAL LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCIES, UH, THAT WILL SHARE INTELLIGENCE REGARDING ALL INVESTIGATIONS OF GANG.
AND THIS PROGRAM IS FUNDED THROUGH A GRANT FROM THE OFFICE OF THE GOVERNOR CRIMINAL JUSTICE DIVISION IN THE AMOUNT OF NEARLY $2 MILLION.
THE OBJECTIVE OF THIS PROGRAM IS THIS PROGRAM IS TO PROVIDE A CENTRAL POINT FOR INVEST, INVESTIGATING AND OPERATIONAL COORDINATION OF GANG ACTIVITY INVESTIGATIONS.
AND BASED ON THE INITIAL COMMITMENTS, WE ALREADY HAVE 10 AGENCIES, INCLUDING OUR SAN ANTONIO POLICE DEPARTMENT, UH, COMMITTING APPROXIMATELY 100 PERSONNEL TO THE PROGRAM.
AND THOSE THAT ARE PARTICIPATING INCLUDE THE TEXAS DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC SAFETY, THE F B I, THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE, D E A A T F, THE DEPARTMENT OF CRIMINAL JUSTICE OF THE OFFICE OF INSPECTOR GENERAL HOMELAND SECURITY, BEXAR COUNTY DISTRICT ATTORNEY, AND THE US MARSHALS.
THIS PROGRAM IS SCHEDULED TO BEGIN IN DECEMBER OF THIS YEAR.
SO IN COMBINATION, WE'RE ADDING MORE CADETS THROUGH OUR CLASSES TO FILL POLICE VACANCIES AND MAKING TREMENDOUS PROGRESS.
SECONDLY, OUR VIOLENCE CRIME, VIOLENT CRIME TASK FORCE
[02:50:01]
IS ARRESTING MORE PEOPLE IN THE COMMUNITY.AND THEN THE TAG PROGRAM, UH, THE TEXAS ANTI-GANG UNIT PROGRAM WILL BEGIN IN DECEMBER.
AND SO ALL OF THESE EFFORTS WORKING TO, UH, PROVIDE THE SAFEST COMMUNITY POSSIBLE AND JUST WANTED TO GIVE YOU AN UPDATE THIS MORNING.
ALL RIGHT, WELL, UH, THAT IS THE AGENDA.
WE, WE WILL RECONVENE AT TWO O'CLOCK FOR ZONING.
[Zoning Consent Agenda]
WELCOME EVERYONE.WE ARE RECONVENING OUR CITY COUNCIL SESSION TO, UH, TAKE UP OUR ZONING AGENDA.
AS WE BEGIN, WE HAVE A CONSENT ZONING AGENDA, BUT WE DO HAVE SOME ITEMS THAT WILL BE HEARD INDIVIDUALLY, P THREE Z FIVE, Z SEVEN, P FIVE, Z 11, AND Z 13.
AT THIS POINT, I'LL ASK MY COLLEAGUES IF THERE ARE ANY ADDITIONAL ITEMS ON THE ZONING AGENDA IF THEY, THAT THEY WOULD LIKE TO PULL FOR INDIVIDUAL CONSIDERATION OTHER THAN THE ONES I'VE JUST LISTED.
I HAVE P THREE AND Z FIVE, Z SEVEN, P FIVE, AND Z 11, AND Z 13 FOR INDIVIDUAL CONSIDERATION.
OKAY, SO WE WILL TAKE UP NOW THE BALANCE OF THE CONSENT ZONING AGENDA AND WHEN THERE IS A MOTION AND A SECOND FOR THAT, WE'LL TAKE UP CITIZENS WHO HAVE SPO WHO HAVE SIGNED UP FOR MULTIPLE ITEMS. SO MOVED.
ALRIGHT, THERE'S A MOTION AND A SECOND FOR THE BALANCE OF THE CONSENT ZONING AGENDA.
THANK YOU, MR. MAYOR, BUT I'VE, UH, ONLY SIGNED UP ON ONE ITEM AND I WOULD LIKE TO HEAR A STAFF PRESENTATION SINCE IT HAS BEEN PULLED FOR INDIVIDUAL CONSIDERATION.
UH, UH, JACK, I DIDN'T SEE THAT IT WAS PULLED FOR INDIVIDUAL CONSIDERATION, SO WE'LL DO THAT.
I'LL CALL YOU RIGHT AFTER THAT ITEM IS PRESENTED.
UM, WE HAVE NO ADDITIONAL CITIZENS SIGNED UP ON ITEMS THAT ARE ON THE CONSENT ZONING AGENDA.
SO, UH, THERE IS A MOTION AND A SECOND FOR APPROVAL OF THE CONSENT ZONING AGENDA.
SAY FOR ITEMS P THREE Z FIVE, Z 11, P FIVE, Z SEVEN, AND Z 13, PLEASE VOTE.
[P-3. PLAN AMENDMENT CASE # 17072 (Council District 2): An Ordinance amending the San Antonio International Airport Vicinity Land Use Plan, a component of the Comprehensive Master Plan of the City, by changing the future land use from “Light Industrial” to “Low Density Residential” on Lot 23, NCB 12175, located at 116 Holbrook Road. Staff and Planning Commission recommend Approval. (Associated Zoning Case Z2017238) Z-5. ZONING CASE # Z2017238 (Council District 2): An Ordinance amending the Zoning District Boundary from "I-2 AHOD" Heavy Industrial Airport Hazard Overlay District to "R-5 AHOD" Residential Single-Family Airport Hazard Overlay District on Lot 23, NCB 12175, located at 116 Holbrook Road. Staff and Zoning Commission recommend Approval, pending Plan Amendment (Associated Plan Amendment 17072).]
THREE AND Z 5 17 0 7 2 Z 20 17, 2 38 AMENDING THE SAN ANTONIO AIRPORT VICINITY LAND USE PLAN FROM LIGHT INDUSTRIAL TO LOW DENSITY RESIDENTIAL FROM I TWO TO R FIVE, LOCATED AT 1 1 6 HOLBROOK ROAD.STAFF PLANNING AND ZONING COMMISSION RECOMMEND APPROVAL.
FIVE NOTICES MAILED ZERO IN FAVOR TO OPPOSED.
THIS WILL REQUIRE SUPER MAJORITY VOTE AS NINE OF THE VOTES TO APPROVE TO OPPOSITION EXCEEDING 20%.
WE HAVE ONE CITIZEN SIGNED UP TO SPEAK ON THESE ITEMS. DONALD REHAN.
I, I, I REALLY DON'T NEED TO SAY ANYTHING ABOUT IT IF WE DON'T HAVE ANY OPPOSITION, SO IF THERE'S ANY, ANY OPPOSITION SPEAKERS, NO.
UH, I THINK STAFF CITY STAFF AS WELL AS MY STAFF HAS BEEN WORKING DILIGENTLY ON THIS CASE.
SO AT THIS TIME, I WILL MOVE FOR APPROVAL OF UH, P THREE AND Z FIVE.
SECOND, THERE IS A MOTION AND SECOND FOR APPROVAL OF P THREE AND Z FIVE, PLEASE VOTE.
[Z-7. ZONING CASE # Z2017227 CD (Council District 2): An Ordinance amending the Zoning District Boundary from "C-3NA AHOD" General Commercial Nonalcoholic Sales Airport Hazard Overlay District to “C-2NA CD AHOD" Commercial Nonalcoholic Airport Hazard Overlay District with Conditional Use for Machinery, Tools, and Construction Equipment Sales and Service on Lots 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, Block 2, NCB 12872, located at 9292 NE Loop 410. Staff and Zoning Commission recommend Approval with Conditions.]
SEVEN C 2017 C SEVEN CD FROM C THREE NA TO C TWO NA CD WITH A CONDITIONAL USE FOR MACHINERY TOOLS AND CONSTRUCTION EQUIPMENT, SALES AND SERVICES.[02:55:01]
LOOP FOUR 10.STAFF AND ZONING COMMISSION RECOMMEND APPROVAL WITH CONDITIONS.
A TYPE B LANDSCAPING BUFFER ADJACENT TO RESIDENTIAL USES ALONG THE STREET.
FRONTAGE SIX FOOT SOLID SCREEN FENCING FOR THE MESSIAH PROPERTY ABUTTING, RESIDENTIAL AND DOWNWARD LIGHTING.
WE HAVE ONE CITIZEN SIGNED UP TO SPEAK ON ITEM Z SEVEN.
GOOD AFTERNOON, MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL.
I'M HERE REPRESENTING EASTGATE.
MY NAME IS SYLVIA ALANISE, EIGHT 30 STUDS DRIVE, UH, EASTGATE NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION PRESIDENT FOR 10 YEARS.
THIS IS A NEW BUSINESS THAT JUST CAME INTO OUR NEIGHBORHOOD.
THIS IS ACCEPTABLE TO ALL OF OUR RESIDENTS.
IT HAS NO DANGER TO NONE OF US, AND WE ARE PROUD OF THIS FACILITY.
NOW, THESE ARE OTHER PICTURES.
THIS IS ANEW THAT JUST CAME INTO OUR NEIGHBORHOOD AND WE ARE PLEASED WITH IT.
NOW THIS IS THE NEW ONE THAT WE'RE RIGHT NOW, UH, OPPOSING.
WE HAD, UM, OUR NATIONAL NIGHT OUT AND WE HAVE A PETITION HERE.
OF COURSE, THERE WERE SOME, UM, UM, UH, LETTER SENT OUT TO PEOPLE WITHIN THIS ONE, THIS FACILITY.
THIS IS, I WENT BACK TO TALK TO THE PEOPLE ABOUT WHAT WE HAD PLANNED FOR, UH, FOR OUR ACCESS ROAD.
THIS LADY, SHE SAID THERE WAS LIKE THREE BIG TORONTOS, THE LADY BEHIND THE BUSINESSES, THEY'VE HAD SNAKES, THEY HAD, UH, RATS.
AND I'VE CALLED IN THIS PARTICULAR BUSINESS BECAUSE THEY ALWAYS HAVE TALL GRASS AND IT'S JUST A BREATHING SPACE.
THE COMMUNITY IS SAYING NO, THAT WE'RE OPPOSING, UH, TO THIS ZONING CHANGE.
THEY JUST DO NOT WANT THIS BUSINESS THERE.
OKAY? AND, UH, AS YOU CAN SEE, THIS PICTURE RIGHT HERE, LAST YEAR WE CAME TO A ZONING ISSUE AND THEY, AND YOU GUYS PASSED IT.
NEXT DOOR IS A BUSINESS THAT IS DESTROYING OUR STREET.
AND I BEGGED AND I PLEAD, PLEASE DO NOT LET THESE TRUCKS COME INTO OUR COMMUNITY BECAUSE THEY'RE DESTROYING OUR STREETS.
AND NOW THIS IS WHAT WE GOT WHEN THE BUSINESS COMES OUT, WE HAVE BIG HOLES RIGHT THERE ON THE STREET.
NOW THEY'RE NOT THE 3 1 1 CANNOT FIX IT.
SO WHAT COUNCIL DID RIGHT NOW IN DISTRICT TWO, UH, NOW THEY ASKED FOR, UH, AN INVESTIGATOR TO COME AND INVESTIGATE THOSE HOLES.
AND NOW IT'S GOING FOR, UM, WHEN YOU DO THE, THE, WHAT DO YOU CALL THAT, UH, BUDGET THREE ONE ONE.
NOW THIS IS WHAT WE HAVE IN THAT STREET.
THAT BUSINESS HAS BIG OLD TRUCKS THAT KEEP DESTROYING IT.
THEY COME AND FILL IT UP AND, AND THEY, THE NEXT DAY IS THE SAME THING.
IT'S DESTROYING OUR STREET RIGHT THERE AND NOW, THIS PARTICULAR ONE, UM, THE 2, 2 7.
THIS IS WHAT WE DON'T WANT IN OUR COMMUNITY, PLEASE.
WE'RE TRYING TO TAKE CARE OF IT, KEEP IT CLEAN, AND THIS IS NOT CLEAN.
PLEASE CONSIDER, HELP US CLEAN OUR NEIGHBORHOOD.
THANK YOU, MR. THANK YOU MS. LANIS.
UH, ONCE AGAIN, I KNOW STATE STAFF HAS BEEN WORKING ON THIS CASE ALONG WITH OUR STAFF.
THIS IS THE FIRST TIME THAT WE HAVE SEEN THE, THIS PETITION.
SO AT THIS TIME, I'D LIKE TO, UH, MOTION FOR CONTINUANCE FOR TO OUR NEXT, UH, ZONE ZONING AGENDA.
SO ARE YOU LOOKING FOR THE NOVEMBER 2ND OR ARE YOU LOOKING FOR 45 DAYS, WHICH WOULD PUT US AT DECEMBER 7TH.
THAT MAY BE, UM, HAVE, GIVE US SOME TIME TO LOOK AT THE PETITION AND THEN ALSO HAVE DISCUSSION WITH THE, THE NEIGHBORS.
THERE IS A MOTION AND A SECOND FOR CONTINUANCE OF ITEM Z.
MOTION CARRIES ITEMS P FIVE AND
[P-5. PLAN AMENDMENT CASE # 17044 (Council District 7): An Ordinance amending the Northwest Community Plan, a component of the Comprehensive Master Plan of the City, by changing the future land use from “Low Density Residential” and “Parks and Open Space” to “Community Commercial” on 5.7237 acres out of NCB 18230 and NCB 15664, located at 9599 Braun Road. Staff and Planning Commission recommend Approval. (Associated Zoning Case Z2017135) Z-11. ZONING CASE # Z2017135 (Council District 7): An Ordinance amending the Zoning District Boundary from "C-1" Light Commercial District, "C-1 HE" Light Commercial Historic Exceptional District and "O-2" High Rise Office District to "C-2" Commercial District and "C-2 HE" Commercial Historic Exceptional District on 5.7237 acres out of NCB 18230 and NCB 15664, located at 9599 Braun Road. Staff and Zoning Commission recommend Approval, pending Plan Amendment. (Associated Plan Amendment 17044)]
Z 11 17 0 4 4 Z 2017.1 35 NORTHWEST COMMUNITY PLAN FROM LOW DENSITY RESIDENTIAL AND PARKS AND OPEN SPACE TO COMMUNITY COMMERCIAL FROM C ONE, C ONE,
[03:00:01]
H E, AND O TWO TO C TWO AND C TWO H E LOCATED AT 95 99 BRAUN ROAD.STAFF PLANNING AND ZONING COMMISSION RECOMMEND APPROVAL.
AND I BELIEVE THE APPLICANT WOULD LIKE TO MAKE AN AMENDMENT AT THE PODIUM.
UH, WE HAVE ONE CITIZEN SIGNED UP TO SPEAK ON ITEMS P FIVE AND Z 11 EDWARD CASTOR AS THE APPLICANT.
THIS IS JAMES MCKNIGHT, 1 1 2 EAST PECAN.
I JUST WANTED TO, JAMES, YOU'RE NOT, YOU'RE NOT SIGNED UP TO SPEAK ON THIS? NO, I'M THE APPLICANT.
SHE SAID THE APPLICANT WAS GONNA MAKE A OH, I SEE.
I'M REQUESTING AN AMENDMENT TO ADD NA TO THE PROPERTY.
SO FOR THE ENTIRE REZONING PROPERTY, COULD YOU RESTATE THE AMENDMENT? I'M ASKING FOR NA OVERLAY FOR THE ENTIRE PROPERTY THAT'S BEING REZONED.
ALRIGHT, I'LL CALL UP THE CITIZEN.
SIGNED UP TO SPEAK ON ITEM, UM, P FIVE AND C 11 EDWARD CASTOR, AFTERNOON MAYOR AND, UH, ELECTED OFFICIALS.
UH, YOU KNOW, HIM REQUESTING THAT NA, NO ALCOHOL FOR THIS.
THAT, UH, ALLEVIATES ONE OF 'EM OUR CONCERNS FOR THIS NORTHWEST SIDE SAN ANTONIO NEIGHBORHOOD.
I'VE LIVED IN NORTHWEST SIDE SAN ANTONIO SINCE 1993.
MY WIFE AND I ARE NOW RAISING THREE ADULT CHILDREN IN THIS AREA.
AND ONE OF MY BIGGEST CONCERNS IS THE TRAFFIC.
IF YOU GO LOOK AT G I S SAN ANTONIO MAP, YOU KNOW, BRON ROAD IS, UH, ONE OF THE MAJOR ARTERIALS.
THIS IS THE, UH, MASTER COMMUNITY PLANNED FROM BACK IN THE EIGHTIES AND NINETIES.
ALL AROUND HERE ARE NEIGHBORHOODS.
NEIGHBORHOODS AND NEIGHBORHOODS.
AND HOW DO WE GET AROUND IN THESE NEIGHBORHOODS WITH AUTOMOBILES? AND LET ME SAY THIS, THAT, UH, THE CITY STAFF AND C P S AND SAS, ALL THOSE FACILITIES WORK.
'CAUSE I KNOW, 'CAUSE I CALL WHEN I HAVE CONCERNS.
I'VE RECENTLY CALLED ABOUT BROUN ROAD, ABOUT, UH, SOME INFRASTRUCTURE ISSUES THERE AND HOPEFULLY THAT'S GONNA GET ON THE I M P AND THEY'LL HAVE SOME ENGINEERS COME AND LOOK AND SEE ABOUT THAT.
MY BIGGEST CONCERN ALSO IS THIS IS A COMMUTER ROUTE AND I CAN EVENTUALLY SEE IN THE FUTURE, THEY'RE GONNA PUT A TRAFFIC LIGHT SOMEWHERE AROUND THERE.
BUT, UH, THIS 9 5 9 9 BRAUN ROAD, I'VE BEEN TO THE PLANNING AND ZONING COMMISSIONS FOR 'EM, AND THAT WAS ALWAYS A BIG CONCERN WAS TRAFFIC, TRAFFIC CONGESTION, AS WELL AS PRIOR PLANS WERE HAVING THAT PROPERTY DONE TO WHERE THE ABILITY FOR SERVING ALCOHOL WOULD BE AVAILABLE.
BUT NOW THAT THAT'S BEEN ADDRESSED THROUGH THE COUNCIL WOMAN'S ACTIONS AND, AND THE SELLER'S ACTIONS, YOU KNOW, THAT'S, THAT'S GOOD.
AND, UH, I'D LIKE TO SAY THIS IS A LEARNING PROCESS.
THIS IS THE FIRST TIME I'VE BEEN TO CITY COUNCIL AND IT'S INTERESTING TO SEE THE DYNAMICS OF 11 PEOPLE.
AND I GET THE IMPRESSION THAT Y'ALL ARE LEARNING TOO, ABOUT WHAT GOES ON AND HOW CITY STAFF IS SUPPOSED TO WORK AND INSTRUCTING Y'ALL.
SO LEMME SAY, I APPRECIATE THAT.
YOU KNOW, I, I HAVE THE PRIVILEGE TO BE ABLE TO COME HERE AND SEE HOW THIS ALL WORKS.
AND ON THE SIDEBAR, I'M ALL IN FAVOR TO KEEPING ELECTED OFFICIALS FOR TWO YEARS.
THANK YOU MR. CASTOR, COUNCILWOMAN SANDOVAL.
MR. CASTOR, THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR YOUR TIME, UH, FOR COMING IN TODAY AND ATTENDING THE, UH, PLANNING AND ZONING COMMISSION MEETINGS.
UH, WE APPRECIATE YOUR TIME AND, AND YOUR FEEDBACK.
UH, MY STAFF HAS WORKED CLOSELY WITH THE, UH, WITH THE SELLER AND THE BUYER AND, UH, AND THE NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION.
YOU SEE, WE'VE ALL, WE'VE SPOKEN WITH THAT NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION.
WE'VE, UH, DRAFTED UP SOME COVENANTS, WHICH HAVE BEEN SIGNED TODAY.
UH, OUR UNDERSTANDING IS THAT THE NEIGHBORHOOD IS, UH, IS OKAY WITH THOSE COVENANTS AND WE ARE, I'D LIKE TO BASICALLY, UM, MOVE TO APPROVE AS AMENDED WITH THE NA.
THERE IS A MOTION, UH, AND A SECOND FOR APPROVAL OF ITEMS P FIVE AND Z 11 AS AMENDED.
[03:05:01]
PLEASE VOTE.MOTION CARRIES ITEM Z 13 20 17, 1 95
[Z-13. ZONING CASE # Z2017195 S (Council District 8): An Ordinance amending the Zoning District Boundary from "C-2" Commercial District to "C-2 S" Commercial District with Specific Use Authorization for a Carwash on 1.54 acres out of Lot 13 and Lot 14, Block 2, NCB 14702, located at 9545 Huebner Road. Staff recommends Approval, with Conditions. Zoning Commission recommends Denial, due to lack of a motion.]
FROM C TWO TO C TWO SS WITH THE SPECIFIC USE AUTHORIZATION FOR A CAR WASH LOCATED AT 94, I'M SORRY, 95.STAFF RECOMMENDS APPROVAL ZONING COMMISSION RECOMMENDS DENIAL DUE TO LACK OF A MOTION.
16 NOTICES MAILED TWO AND FAVOR THREE OPPOSED OAKLAND STATE'S NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION IS AN OPPOSITION.
THIS WILL REQUIRE SUPER MAJORITY VOTE OF NINE VOTES TO APPROVE DUE TO OPPOSITION EXCEEDING 20%.
I'M GONNA BE REQUESTING, UH, MY COLLEAGUES CONSIDER A CONTINUANCE ON THIS ONE FOR THE DECEMBER 7TH, UH, UH, HEARING, GIVING US TIME FOR THE, UM, DEVELOPER AND THE NEIGHBORHOODS TO TAKE ONE FINAL STAB AT TRYING TO REACH A DEAL.
UH, WE DID HAVE ONE CITIZEN SIGNED UP TO SPEAK ON ITEM Z 13 JACK M.
WELL, THANK YOU MAYOR NURENBERG AND OTHER MEMBERS OF THE SAN ANTONIO CITY COUNCIL FOR THE RECORD, MY NAME IS JACK M.
YES, I WAS LOOKING AT THE DOCUMENTS ON THIS PARTICULAR ITEM OF THE ZONING SESSION.
IT DEALS WITH A, UM, OH, WHERE ARE WE HERE? UM, EXCUSE ME JUST A MINUTE.
ORDINANCE AMENDING ZONING DISTRICT BENEFIT FROM C TWO COMMERCIAL TO C TWO SS, A SPECIFIC USE AUTHORIZATION FOR A CAR WASH.
OKAY, THIS IS ALONG EBNER ROAD.
YES, IT'S QUITE BUSY OVER THERE, BUT YOU STILL GOT ENOUGH RESIDENTS AROUND THERE WHO LIVE OVER THERE AND THEY, UM, THEY WERE COMPLAINING THAT ABOUT THE, UH, THE NOISE AND THE TRAFFIC THAT A PROPOSED CAR WASH WOULD OFFER.
AND YES, UM, I KNOW IT'S BEING BUILT UP AND I, I THANK THE COUNCILMAN FOR NOT JUST GOING OUTRIGHT AND SAY, SAYING YES TO THIS THING, OFFERING A DELAY ON IT.
BUT, UM, THE FACT REMAINS THAT, UM, WHEN YOU HAVE AS MANY AS FOUR PEOPLE, IT'S MORE THAN JUST ONE OR TWO, FOUR SPEAKING AT A ZONING COMMISSION COMING ALL THE WAY DOWN TO ZONING COMMISSION AND SAYING, WE DON'T WANT THIS FROM ALL THE WAY OVER ON THE FAR NORTHWEST SIDE OF TOWN, DOWN TO THE DOWNTOWN AREA TO SPEAK OUT ON THIS THING.
AND WHEN YOU HAVE AS MANY AS ONE IN EIGHT, THAT'S ABOUT 12% OF ALL THE PEOPLE AROUND THE AREA SAYING NO TO IT.
WELL, THAT'S, UH, THAT'S MORE THAN THE, THE NORMAL FIVE OR 10% THAT YOU HAVE.
IT WAS SO SIGNIFICANT THAT THE ZONING COMMISSIONS SAID NO, WE'RE, WE'RE NOT.
WE DON'T, WE'RE NOT GONNA TOUCH THAT DOG.
THEY, THEY, THEY COULDN'T EVEN GET A, GET A MOTION TO, TO SAY YES TO IT.
SO CONSEQUENTLY, UH, YEAH, I MEAN, YOU MAY KNOW NOT JUST WHAT WANT TO DELAY THIS.
YOU, YOU MAY JUST WANNA SAY NO TO IT ALTOGETHER.
UH, SEE, THESE PEOPLE HAVE TO YES, I KNOW, I KNOW IT'S, IT'S COMMERCIAL.
I KNOW PEOPLE NEED CAR WASHES AND I KNOW HEDON ROAD IS GETTING BUILT UP AROUND THAT AREA, BUT I ALSO KNOW THAT PEOPLE STILL HAVE TO LIVE AROUND THAT AREA AND THAT'S WHY THEY SPOKE UP AGAINST IT.
THAT'S WHY ANY MANY PEOPLE STILL DO GO TAKE ACTION AND INSTEAD OF JUST MERELY COMPLAINING ABOUT IT, THEY TAKE ACTION AND GO DOWN TO WHERE THEY NEED TO GO AND SAY NO TO WHERE THEY NEED TO SAY NO TO.
AND PERHAPS JUST MAYBE WE SHOULD RESPECT THAT.
AFTER ALL, THEY ARE THE ONES WHO STILL HAVE TO LIVE IN THAT AREA AND RIGHT NEXT TO IT.
SO, COUNCILMAN, THANK YOU FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION AND LET'S, UH, SEE WHAT HAPPENS IN DECEMBER.
I REITERATE MY, UH, MY REQUEST FOR, UH, CONTINUANCE ON THIS ONE.
UH, WE, UH, FOLLOWING PHONE CALLS AND MEETINGS WE'VE HAD UP TO LAST NIGHT WITH THE H O A AND THE CAR WASH, ALL OF THEM ARE IN FAVOR OF A CONTINUANCE.
THERE'S A MOTION AND A SECOND FOR CONTINUANCE OF ITEM Z 13 TO DECEMBER 7TH.
THAT'S THE BALANCE OF OUR ZONING AGENDA.