3. Approval of Minutes for the City Council Regular Meetings of January 17-18, 2018 and the Special Meeting of January 25, 2018.

[4. 18-1128 Ordinance amending the City Code relating to First Amendment assembly and procession activities within the City; and authorizing a personnel complement and associated budget. [Andrew Segovia, City Attorney][Andrew Segovia, City Attorney]]

MOTION CARRIES.

ALL RIGHT.

ITEM NO. 4.

>> ITEM NO. 4 IS AN ORDINANCE AMENDING THE CITY CODE RELATING TO THE FIRST AMENDMENT ASSEMBLY AND PROCESSION ACTIVITIES WITHIN THE CITY AND AUTHORIZING A PERSONNEL COMPLEMENT AND ASSOCIATED BUDGET.

>> GOOD MORNING AUDIO].

I'M JUST KIDDING.

>> MAYOR NIRENBERG: BY CUSTOM, YOU PROBABLY HAVE UNTIL 4:00.

>> BEFORE I ACTUALLY START THE PRESENTATION, MAYOR AND COUNCIL, I WISH YOU WOULD INDULGE ME.

I WANT TO THANK A NUMBER OF PEOPLE THAT HAVE BEEN INVOLVED IN PUTTING THE ORDINANCE THAT WE'RE GOING TO ASK YOU TO CONSIDER TODAY TOGETHER, AND FIRST AND FOREMOST WE HAVE HAD THE SUPPORT OF THE CITY MANAGER.

WE HAVE HAD THE SUPPORT OF CARLOS CONTRERAS, ERIK WALSH AND THEIR DEPARTMENTS.

RUSS HANDY, THE AVIATION DIRECTOR, PLAYED A KEY ROLE.

SAPD PLAYS A KEY ROLE IN THE PERMITTING PROCESS, SO WE HAD CHIEF MCMANUS, CHIEF TREVINO, CAPTAIN BLANTON, LIEUTENANT BILLY, OFFICER VALASQUEZ, MCLAUGHLIN, AND GEORGE HAVE BEEN PARTICIPATING IN THIS.

KEVIN GOODWIN WAS INSTRUMENTAL IN COMING UP WITH SOME OF THE I.T. SOLUTIONS THAT YOU'LL SEE OR THAT I'LL PRESENT TODAY.

AND DORRIAN SANCHEZ, WHO IS ONE OF OUR FELLOWS, DID SIGNIFICANT WORK IN PUTTING THIS ALL TOGETHER.

FROM MY DEPARTMENT, ELIZABETH AND CHELSEA DID THE HEAVY LIFTING IN TERMS OF ACTUALLY MAKING CHANGES TO THE ORDINANCES AND WORKING WITH THE FIRST AMENDMENT COALITION.

I DO WANT TO EXTEND OUR

[00:20:06]

APPRECIATION TO THE FIRST AMENDMENT COALITION, PARTICULARLY JOLENE GARCIA AND DR. AMY KESSLEY FOR THEIR COMMITMENT IN WORKING WITH US IN TRYING TO MAKE THESE REVISIONS.

ALSO ANTONIO DISA WAS A KEY CONTRIBUTOR IN TERMS OF RECOMMENDATIONS.

THERE WAS A LOT OF WORK PUT IN BY BOTH SIDES.

THEY PROVIDED US A LOT OF USEFUL INFORMATION, RESEARCH.

AGAIN, THE KEY TO WHERE WE'RE AT TODAY WAS THAT BOTH SIDES TRIED TO NOT ONLY LISTEN BUT UNDERSTAND WHAT EACH OTHER'S POSITIONS WERE AND I THINK WE'RE ENDING UP IN A VERY GOOD PLACE.

WE'RE GOING TO START OFF THE PRESENTATION WITH A QUOTE.

TWO THINGS THAT FORM THE BEDROCK OF ANY OPEN SOCIETY ARE FREEDOM OF EXPRESSION AND THE RULE OF LAW.

IF YOU DON'T HAVE THOSE THINGS, YOU DON'T HAVE A FREE COUNTRY.

AND I USE THIS BECAUSE IT IS A BALANCING ACT THAT WE HAVE TO USE.

OBVIOUSLY, THE RULE OF LAW PRESUPPOSES THAT YOU HAVE A LEGAL SYSTEM THAT PROMOTES THE WELFARE OF THE SOCIETY AND THAT ALLOWS FOR A DEMOCRATIC REPRESENTATIVE GOVERNMENT THAT RESPECTS THE MAJORITY BUT PROTECTS INDIVIDUAL RIGHTS.

NOW ONE OF THE BEST TOOLS THAT WE HAVE TO MAKE SURE THAT HAPPENS IS THE FREEDOM OF EXPRESSION, THE RIGHT OF FREE SPEECH.

THE RIGHT OF FREE SPEECH IS, IN ESSENCE, THE CONSCIENCE THAT GUIDES THE RULE OF LAW.

SO THERE'S A NECESSARY AND NATIONAL TENSION BETWEEN THE TWO BUT YOU NEED TO HAVE THE TWO TO CO-EXIST, AS SALMAN SAID, IF YOU WANT TO HAVE A FREE COUNTRY.

QUICK TIMELINE AS TO HOW WE GOT HERE.

ON JANUARY 27, PRESIDENT TRUMP SIGNED THE FIRST TRAVEL BAN OF NUMEROUS TRAVEL BANS AND THAT PROMPTED A NUMBER OF DEMONSTRATIONS AROUND THE COUNTRY AT A NUMBER OF AIRPORTS, MAJOR AIRPORTS.

DURING THAT TIME THERE WAS A GROUP THAT CAME INTO THE SAN ANTONIO AIRPORT AND, FRANKLY, THERE WAS A DISCONNECT IN TERMS OF WHETHER THEY WERE ALLOWED TO BE IN THE BAGGAGE CLAIM AREA.

THERE WAS A PERMITTING PROCESS THAT WAS ESTABLISHED BY THE AIRPORT.

THEY DIDN'T FOLLOW THAT SO IT TURNED INTO A SITUATION WHERE THE PEOPLE THAT WERE THERE TO DEMONSTRATE WEREN'T ALLOWED TO DO THAT.

AND SO THAT PROMPTED DISCUSSIONS WITH A NUMBER OF COUNCIL MEMBERS.

COUNCILMAN TREVINO SUBMITTED THE CCR ASKING US TO NOT ONLY TAKE A LOOK AT THE AIRPORT BUT AT ALL OUR FIRST AMENDMENT PLACES AND OUR FIRST AMENDMENT PARADE ORDINANCE AND SEE WHAT IMPROVEMENTS WE CAN MAKE.

SO THAT STARTED THIS OFF.

AND THEN WE, AS YOU CAN SEE, WE HAD A GOVERNANCE COMMITTEE MEETING.

WE HAD A COUPLE OF MEETINGS WITH THE COALITION AND THOSE CONTINUED.

AND WE ULTIMATELY HAD A MEETING AT THE ESPERANZA CENTER WHERE WE HAD SAPD AND MEMBERS OF VARIOUS CITY DEPARTMENTS.

IT WAS A PRODUCTIVE MEETING IN WHICH WE WERE ABLE TO RESOLVE A NUMBER OF THE ISSUES THAT HAD BEEN BROUGHT UP.

WE DID A B SESSION PRESENTATION ON DECEMBER 13TH IN WHICH WE PRESENTED A NUMBER OF RECOMMENDATIONS THAT CAME OUT OF THE MEETINGS AND THE DISCUSSIONS.

THE COUNCIL WERE FAVORABLE TO MOST OF THE RECOMMENDATIONS, AND I'LL GET INTO THAT LATER.

BUT WE DID GET SOME HOMEWORK FROM THAT WHICH INITIATED SOME FURTHER DISCUSSIONS WITH THE COALITION.

AND ON FEBRUARY 9 SAPD MET WITH THE INTERNATIONAL WOMAN'S DAY MARCH PLANNING GROUP AUDIO] WE WERE RECOMMENDING FOR THE AIRPORT.

WE FINALLY HAD A CONFERENCE CALL WITH THE COALITION ON FEBRUARY 22, WHICH BRINGS US HERE TO THE A SESSION IN WHICH WE ARE ASKING YOU TO CONSIDER THE CHANGES.

JUST A REMINDER OF WHAT HAPPENED AT B SESSION.

AS I SAID, WE HAD A NUMBER OF RECOMMENDATIONS, ALTHOUGH WE GOT SOME ADDITIONAL HOMEWORK FROM THE COUNCIL, PRIMARILY TO REVISIT SOME OF THE THINGS WE WERE DOING AT THE AIRPORT, THE CONVENTION CENTER, AT THE ALAMODOME.

THE OTHER KEY TAKEAWAY WE GOT WAS WE WERE TRYING TO LOOK AT MINIMIZING THE REQUIRED INTERACTION WITH SAPD BECAUSE THE MESSAGE WE WERE GETTING FROM THE COALITION AND OTHERS IS THAT SOME GROUPS OR INDIVIDUALS FELT INTIMIDATED IN TERMS OF DEALING WITH THE SAPD DURING THE PERMITTING PROCESS.

SO WE WORKED ON THOSE THINGS AT THE DIRECTION OF THE COUNCIL DURING THE NEXT FEW MONTHS AND

[00:25:04]

WEEKS.

SO SINCE THAT TIME I SAY WE HAVE MET WITH THE COMMUNITY SEVERAL TIMES.

WE ADDRESSED QUESTIONS THAT WOULD COME UP FROM INDIVIDUAL COUNCIL MEMBERS, AND WE MODIFIED THE ORDINANCE TO INCORPORATE MOST OF THE RECOMMENDATIONS THAT CAME OUT OF THOSE DISCUSSIONS.

SO WITH THAT, I'LL JUMP TO THE ACTUAL RECOMMENDATIONS.

WE WERE TRYING TO STRIKE THE RIGHT BALANCE IN TERMS OF PROTECTING FREE SPEECH AND RESPECTING THE RULE OF LAW.

AND THERE WERE A NUMBER OF OTHER THINGS WE HAD TO FACTOR IN, PRIMARILY PUBLIC SAFETY.

PUBLIC SAFETY WAS A CRITICAL THING AS WE WORKED IN TERMS OF THE ORDINANCE, MAKING SURE THAT WE DIDN'T COMPROMISE PUBLIC SAFETY AS WE WERE TRYING TO ENHANCE FLEXIBILITY.

AND OBVIOUSLY SHARED USE OF PUBLIC SPACES.

PEOPLE HAVE A RIGHT TO ASSEMBLE AND PROTEST BUT OTHER PEOPLE HAVE THE RIGHT TO ALSO OCCUPY THOSE SAME SPACES.

OUR INITIAL RECOMMENDATION WAS TO INCLUDE A SPECIFIC PROTECTION THAT IN THE ORDINANCE ITSELF THAT SAYS SPONTANEOUS ASSEMBLIES ARE ALLOWED AND THEY ARE ALLOWED, OBVIOUSLY, UNDER CONSTITUTIONAL LAW.

BUT OUR ORDINANCE PRIOR TO THAT WAS SILENT ON THAT.

SO NOW WE HAVE SPECIFIC LANGUAGE, OR WE ARE INCORPORATING SPECIFIC LANGUAGE THAT ALLOWS SPONTANEOUS ASSEMBLY, OR AT LEAST MAKES IT VERY CLEAR THAT THAT IS ALLOWED.

THE NEXT BIG ISSUE WAS COST.

WE GOT THE MESSAGE THAT COST WAS EITHER A REAL OR PERCEIVED BARRIER TO HAVING ASSEMBLIES OR PARADES.

THERE WAS SIGNIFICANT DISCUSSION WITH THE COALITION AND WITH THE VARIOUS CITY DEPARTMENTS.

AND WE ULTIMATELY ARE RECOMMENDING THAT WE HAVE A SYSTEM WHERE, AS LONG AS THEY FOLLOW THE PERMIT PROCESS, THERE'S NO COST ASSOCIATED WITH HAVING A PARADE OR ASSEMBLY.

SO WE ARE RECOMMENDING THAT AND MAKING THAT CHANGE TO THE ORDINANCE, OR RECOMMENDING THAT CHANGE TO THE ORDINANCE.

THE COALITION SUGGESTED THAT WE HAVE APPROPRIATE TIME, MANNER, AND PLACE LIMITATIONS FOR PROCESSIONS THAT WOULD MITIGATE SOME OF THE CONCERNS IN TERMS OF HAVING PROCESSIONS OR PARADES THAT WERE BEYOND THE CAPABILITY OF THE POLICE TO CONTROL OR BEYOND THE CAPABILITY OF THE STREETS TO HANDLE.

AND SO WE ADOPTED THOSE AND THOSE ARE NOW PART OF THE ORDINANCE.

ONE OF THE OTHER REQUESTS WAS TO ALLOW PROCESSION MARSHALS TO CONTROL AND DIRECT TRAFFIC.

THIS IS ONE THAT GENERATED QUITE A BIT OF CONVERSATION.

WE ARE NOT RECOMMENDING THAT, PRIMARILY FOR SAFETY REASONS.

WE FIND THAT HAVING UNIFORMED POLICE, UNIFORMED PEACE OFFICERS CONTROL TRAFFIC IS THE BEST WAY TO HANDLE TRAFFIC CONTROL.

SO WE'RE NOT ADOPTING THAT.

WHAT WE HAVE DONE IS CHANGE THE ORDINANCE SO THAT IF AN ORGANIZATION WANTS TO USE PARADE MARSHALS, THAT'S A VOLUNTARY THING.

THEY CAN USE THEM.

THEY WILL COORDINATE WITH THE POLICE DEPARTMENT IN TERMS OF INWARD FACING -- IN OTHER WORDS HELPING PROVIDE DIRECTION TO THE PROCESSION PARTICIPANTS.

RECOMMENDATION NUMBER FIVE WAS TO REMOVE SAPD FROM ROUTE AND TRAFFIC SAFETY PROCESS.

AGAIN, LESS INTERACTION OR REQUIRED INTERACTION WITH THE SAPD.

WE HAVE ACCOMMODATED THAT.

CCDO WILL NOW BE THE CENTRAL POINT OF CONTACT FOR THE PERMITTING PROCESS.

THE PERMITTING OFFICIAL WITHIN CCDO WILL SERVE AS THE LIAISON WITHIN SAPD AND OTHER DEPARTMENTS WITHIN THE CITY.

SO CONTACT WITH SAPD WILL BE PURELY ON A VOLUNTARY BASIS.

I WILL TELL YOU THAT A NUMBER OF GROUPS AND INDIVIDUALS FELT VERY COMFORTABLE DEALING WITH THE SAPD.

THEY HAVE A HISTORY OF DEALING WITH THEM AND THAT OPTION WILL STILL BE AVAILABLE TO INTERACT DIRECTLY WITH THE SAPD ON A TRAFFIC PLAN.

THE NEXT RECOMMENDATION WAS TO TAKE OUT FROM OUR EXISTING ORDINANCE THE REQUIREMENT FOR FORWARD MOVEMENT AND ALSO TO ALLOW FOR DISTRIBUTION OF LITERATURE.

UNDER OUR CURRENT ORDINANCE, IT WAS REQUIRED THAT THE PROCESSION KEEP A FORWARD MOVEMENT.

THE CONCERN WAS THAT MANY PROCESSIONS, BASED ON WHAT THE MESSAGE IS, WOULD HAVE -- THEY WOULD STOP AND HAVE A SMALL SPEECH OR CEREMONY ALONG THE WAY OR AT DIFFERENT POINTS ALONG THE WAY.

THE THOUGHT WAS THAT OUR ORDINANCE EITHER DID NOT ALLOW THAT OR AT LEAST MANY PEOPLE FELT IT DIDN'T ALLOW IT.

SO IT DIDN'T GIVE THEM THAT FLEXIBILITY.

WE MODIFIED THE LANGUAGE TO MAKE IT CLEAR THAT AS LONG AS THE PROCESSION STAYS WITHIN THE

[00:30:03]

PARAMETERS OF THE PERMIT AND TIME AND ROUTE, THAT WE GAVE THEM THE FLEXIBILITY IN THE LANGUAGE.

IT GIVES THEM THE FLEXIBILITY TO ACCOMPLISH THAT AND AT THE SAME TIME IT GIVES SAPD THE FLEXIBILITY TO MAKE SURE THEY STAY WITHIN THE PARAMETERS OF THE PERMIT.

WE ARE ALSO ALLOWING THE DISTRIBUTION OF LITERATURE DURING THE PROCESSION.

NEXT I WANT TO HIT THE AIRPORT, THE CONVENTION CENTER, AND THE ALAMODOME.

AS WE TALKED ABOUT IN THE B SESSION, PUBLIC AREAS LIKE PARKS, CITY HALL ARE GIVEN -- PEOPLE ARE GIVEN A MUCH MORE EXPANSIVE RIGHTS WHEN IT COMES TO FREE SPEECH.

THOSE AREAS THAT ARE NOT DESIGNATED PUBLIC AREAS LIKE THE AIRPORT, LIKE THE CONVENTION CENTER AND THE ALAMODOME, THE CITY HAS MUCH OR FLEXIBILITY IN TERMS OF PUTTING PARAMETERS AROUND FREE SPEECH RIGHTS.

AGAIN, WE ARE TRYING TO STRIKE THE RIGHT BALANCE BETWEEN WHAT WE SAW AS THE DIRECTION TO ENHANCE OR PROVIDE MORE FLEXIBILITY FOR FREE SPEECH AND SAFETY.

SO AT THE AIRPORT, WE RECOGNIZE THAT FIRST AMENDMENT ACTIVITY HAD TO BE STILL WE'RE LOOKING TO MAKE SURE WE HAD A SAFE AND EFFICIENT OPERATION OF THE AIRPORT AND MAKE SURE THAT THE OPERATIONAL NEEDS OF THE AIRPORT WERE MET AT THE SAME TIME.

WITH RESPECT TO THE CONVENTION AND ALAMODOME, WE DID LOOK TO SEE WHERE WE COULD ENHANCE FIRST AMENDMENT RIGHTS.

BUT ONE OF THE THINGS TO REMEMBER IS THAT THOSE FACILITIES, THEIR FUNDAMENTAL PURPOSE IS TO GENERATE REVENUE FOR THE CITY AND THE WAY THEY GENERATE REVENUE TO THE CITY IS THEY ARE LEASED TO THIRD PARTIES FOR ACTIVITIES.

WE HAD TO KEEP THAT IN MIND AS WE TRIED TO ACCOMMODATE AS BEST WE COULD THE REQUEST FROM THE FREE SPEECH COALITION.

SO THE FIRST RECOMMENDATION WAS TO IDENTIFY THE AIRPORT AS A LIMITED PUBLIC FORUM.

WE'RE NOT RECOMMENDING THAT.

YOU'LL SEE THAT WE HAVE, THOUGH, AN ALTERNATIVE TO THAT.

THE REASON WE ARE NOT RECOMMENDING IT IS ONCE YOU DECLARE SOMETHING A PUBLIC FORUM, AS I SAID, THE RIGHTS ARE MORE EXPANSIVE AND THE ABILITY TO SET CERTAIN PARAMETERS IN AUDIO].

ONCE YOU ESTABLISH A PLACE AS A PUBLIC FORUM IT'S VERY DIFFICULT, IF NOT IMPOSSIBLE, TO TAKE THAT DESIGNATION BACK.

SO IT'S A VERY SIGNIFICANT MOVE.

BUT WHAT WE ARE DOING IS -- I'M SORRY.

THE NEXT REQUEST WAS TO IDENTIFY SPACES IN THE AIRPORT WHERE DEMONSTRATION PROTEST IS NOT ALLOWED, RATHER THAN DEZNATING THOSE WHERE IT IS ALLOWED.

SO WE ARE NOT RECOMMENDING TO FOLLOW THAT PARADIGM, BUT INSTEAD THE RECOMMENDATION IS TO IDENTIFY SPACES WHERE FREE SPEECH, NON-COMMERCIAL SPEECH ACTIVITY IS ALLOWED.

YOU'LL SEE WHAT SPACES WE HAVE DESIGNATED FOR THAT.

SO WHAT WE'RE GOING TO DO IS ALLOW APPLICANTS TO APPLY FOR A PERMIT TO USE SPACES THAT AREN'T DESIGNATED AS FREE SPEECH SPACES WITHIN THE AIRPORT.

AND THAT WILL BE AT THE DISCRETION OF THE DIRECTOR AS TO WHETHER THAT PERMIT IS GRANTED.

HE WILL TAKE INTO CONSIDERATION A NUMBER OF FACTORS.

FIRST AND FOREMOST THE SAFE AND EFFICIENT OPERATION OF THE AIRPORT, BUT WHAT HE WILL NOT DO IS HE WILL NOT BASE HIS DECISION ON ANYTHING HAVING TO DO WITH CONTENT.

IN OTHER WORDS, THE PERMIT WILL HAVE NOTHING TO DO WITH WHAT MESSAGE IS BEING DELIVERED BY THE PERSON SUBMITTING THE PERMIT.

HERE'S THE DIAGRAM OF WHAT AREAS WE HAVE DESIGNATED WITH THE AIRPORT.

THE FIRST AREA, THIS IS FOR A SMALL-SIZED GROUP.

AND I DO WANT TO EMPHASIZE THAT -- AND THIS IS INDICATIVE OF HOW FAR WE'RE GOING IN TERMS OF OPENING THINGS UP.

THIS SMALL BOOTH WITH -- I THINK IT WAS THREE PEOPLE WITH AN ADVANCED NOTICE -- THIS WAS ALL WE HAD IN TERMS OF ALLOWING FREE SPEECH ACTIVITY AT THE AIRPORT.

SO BEFORE WE'RE ASKING FOR THESE CHANGES FROM COUNCIL, THAT IS ALL THAT WAS ALLOWED WAS THREE PEOPLE AROUND A BOOTH.

AND AS COUNCILMAN TREVINO'S CCR POINTED OUT WE HAD TO GO BEYOND THAT.

AND SO ALTHOUGH THAT IS STILL A DESIGNATED AREA, THAT'S ONE OF THREE DESIGNATED AREAS.

ANOTHER ONE IS OUTSIDE, WHICH IS ON THE UPPER LEVEL, THAT WOULD ACCOMMODATE UP TO 30 PARTICIPANTS.

AND, I'M SORRY, THIS IS A VISUAL OF ANOTHER AREA INSIDE THE TERMINAL THAT WOULD BE ALSO DESIGNATED FOR ASSEMBLIES AS WELL.

AS YOU CAN SEE, IT'S A PRETTY LARGE AREA INSIDE A AND B TERMINAL.

THERE IS AN AREA OUTSIDE ALSO

[00:35:04]

FOR LARGER ASSEMBLIES.

IT IS OUTSIDE.

IT IS ON THE UPPER LEVEL.

IT IS A GRASSY AREA.

HERE'S A PICTURE OF THAT.

AND I APOLOGIZE, SOME OF THE PICTURES ARE PRETTY GLOOMY.

YOU WOULD THINK YOU WERE IN SEATTLE INSTEAD OF SAN ANTONIO, BUT WE JUST HAPPENED TO BE TAKING THEM THIS PAST WEEK.

BUT THAT'S A VISUAL OF THE AREA OUTSIDE OF THE AIRPORT THAT'S BEEN DESIGNATED.

AGAIN, I WANT TO EMPHASIZE THESE ARE THE DESIGNATED AREAS.

IF SOMEBODY WANTS TO ASSEMBLE IN OTHER AREAS OF THE AIRPORT THEY CAN ASK FOR A PERMIT TO DO THAT.

AND THEN THE AIRPORT DIRECTOR WILL HAVE THE DISCRETION, USING THOSE OBJECTIVE CRITERIA, TO GRANT THE PERMIT OR NOT.

THE OTHER THING THAT WAS ASKED FOR WAS TO INCREASE THE SIGNAGE THAT'S ALLOWED AT THE AIRPORT.

AND WE TOOK A LOOK AT THAT AND FOUND NO ISSUE WITH THAT AS WELL.

WITH RESPECT TO THE CONVENTION CENTER AND ALAMODOME, THE AREA THAT WE JUST COVERED WITH THE AIRPORT, THAT IS COVERED BY ORDINANCE.

THE CONVENTION AND ALAMODOME IS STRICTLY A POLICY BY THE CONVENTION CENTER DEPARTMENT.

AND SO THE DRAFT POLICY, WE WANT TO HAVE A POLICY THAT'S INCLUDED IN THERE THAT IDENTIFIES PUBLIC ASSEMBLY AREAS.

AND THEN WE'LL UTILIZE NEW PROCESSION AND ASSEMBLY WEBSITE TO PROCESS APPLICATIONS FOR NOT ONLY THOSE AREAS BUT OTHER AREAS WITHIN THE ALAMODOME AND CONVENTION CENTER, BUT THAT WILL BE DICTATED BY WHAT ACTIVITIES ARE ON GOING AT THE TIME THE PERMIT IS REQUESTED.

I'M NOT EXPECTING ANYBODY TO READ THAT.

I JUST WANTED TO HIGHLIGHT THAT IT WILL BE A POLICY-DRIVEN INITIATIVE VERSUS ANY CHANGE IN ORDINANCE THAT WILL COVER THE CONVENTION CENTER AND ALAMODOME.

HERE'S AN OVERVIEWIE OF WHAT WEE DESIGNATING FOR THE CONVENTION CENTER.

THOSE AREAS IN RED ON THE TOP LEFT AND TOP RIGHT ARE ON THE NORTH SIDE.

WHAT WAS DRIVING OUR DESIGNATION OF AREAS FOR EVEN THE AIRPORT, CONVENTION CENTER, ALAMODOME IS RESPECTING THE OPERATION OF THE FACILITY BUT AT THE SAME TIME DESIGNATING THOSE PUBLIC ASSEMBLY AREAS THAT WOULD PROVIDE FOR VISIBILITY SO THAT IN EFFECT THE ASSEMBLY WASN'T HIDDEN, THAT THEY HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO CONVEY THEIR MESSAGE TO PEOPLE ENTERING THE CONVENTION CENTER.

AND SO THAT'S WHY THOSE AREAS WERE DESIGNATED.

AGAIN, HERE'S A VISUAL OF THE AREAS THAT WERE DESIGNATED FOR THE CONVENTION CENTER.

THAT'S AREA ONE AND THAT'S AREA TWO.

WITH RESPECT TO THE ALAMODOME, WE DID HAVE ONE PUBLIC ASSEMBLY AREA DESIGNATED.

THE ALAMODOME WAS A MUCH MORE DIFFICULT CHALLENGE IN TERMS OF DEZNATING AN AREA BECAUSE MUCH IS DRIVEN BY SECURITY REQUIREMENTS FOR THE ALAMODOME AND BY THE FLEXIBILITY IN TERMS OF LEASE SPACE FOR THE VARIOUS ACTIVITIES THAT COULD OCCUR THERE.

AND SO THAT PORTION DOWN ON THE LOWER LEFT IS WHAT WAS DESIGNATED.

AND THAT'S A VISUAL OF THAT.

LAST BUT NOT LEAST I WANT TO COVER SOME ADDITIONAL IMPROVEMENTS THAT WHILE THEY ARE NOT PART OF THE ORDINANCE, THEY ARE PART OF THE COMMITMENT WE MADE TO THE FIRST AMENDMENT COALITION, BUT ALSO TO THIS COUNCIL IN TERMS OF WHAT WE'RE GOING TO DO TO IMPROVE THE PERMITTING PROCESS.

AGAIN, WE WERE TRYING TO BE GUIDED BY MAKING IT EASIER FOR OUR CITIZENS TO GET A PERMIT.

HOW DO WE MAKE THE PROCESS CLEARER, MORE USER FRIENDLY, SO TO SPEAK.

ANOTHER THING IS TO BAKE IN FEEDBACK MECHANISMS SO THAT PEOPLE WHO ARE APPLYING FOR PERMITS CAN PROVIDE US FEEDBACK IN TERMS OF THE PROCESS ITSELF OR HOW THE PERMIT WAS IMPLEMENTED AND SO WE CAN USE THAT FEEDBACK TO IMPROVE THE PROCESS GOING FORWARD.

ADDITIONAL IMPROVEMENTS.

AS WE'RE GOING TO HAVE A LOT OF INFORMATION OUT THERE FOR THE PUBLIC, WE HAVE A BASIC WEBSITE THAT'S BEEN SET UP.

IN FACT, WE SAW A TEST CASE OF IT EARLIER THIS WEEK.

IT LOOKS TO BE VERY USER FRIENDLY AND I THINK IT WILL WORK VERY WELL.

WE'LL HAVE FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS.

WE'LL HAVE A FEATURE WHERE PEOPLE CAN ACTUALLY MAP OUT THEIR ROUTES USING THE WEBSITE.

IT WILL HAVE POINTS OF CONTACT.

THAT'S JUST PHASE ONE OF THE WEBSITE.

WE'RE HOPING THE WEBSITE WILL BE UP AND RUNNING, ASSUMING THE COUNCIL PASSES THE CHANGES, MARCH 13.

WE'RE GOING TO WORK ON PHASE TWO TO MAKE SURE THAT WE HAVE MORE DATA COLLECTION GOING FORWARD THAT THE WEBSITE WILL BE A GOOD TOOL TO DO THAT.

[00:40:04]

THIS IS THE LANDING PAGE OF THE WEBSITE.

I'M NOT GOING TO GO THROUGH THE WHOLE THING BUT JUST TO SHOW YOU THAT IT WILL HAVE A LOT OF INFORMATION, A LOT OF TABS THAT WOULD BE USER FRIENDLY TO HELP NAVIGATE THROUGH THE PROCESS.

AND THE OTHER SLIDE I WANTED TO SHOW YOU WOULD BE THAT GROUPS WOULD BE ABLE TO REGISTER ON THE WEBSITE.

AND SO IF THEY ARE RECURRENT PERMIT SEEKERS THEY WILL HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO MAKE THAT PROCESS EVEN EASIER.

ADDITIONAL IMPROVEMENTS.

WE'RE GOING TO HAVE A QUESTIONNAIRE FOR MAKING SURE WE GET FEEDBACK.

WE'RE GOING TO CONTINUE THE DIALOGUE WITH THE FIRST AMENDMENT COALITION.

WE'LL HAVE AT LEAST QUARTERLY MEETINGS WITH THEM TO MAKE SURE THAT WE CALIBRATE GOING FORWARD TO MAKE SURE THE CHANGES WE ARE ASKING YOU TO IMPLEMENT ARE INDEED BEING EFFECTIVE.

WE ARE GOING TO HAVE PRINT MATERIALS IN SPANISH AND ENGLISH IN BRANCH LIBRARIES.

WE EXPECT TO COME BACK TO THE COUNCIL WITH PERIODIC REPORTS TO LET YOU KNOW HOW THIS IS ALL GOING.

AS I SAID, ONE OF THE KEY THINGS WE WANT TO DEVELOP GOING FORWARD IS DATA COLLECTION.

ONE OF THE THINGS WE FOUND, BOTH US AND THE FIRST AMENDMENT COALITION, WAS THAT WE DIDN'T HAVE MUCH DATA IN TERMS OF NUMBER OF PERMITS, NUMBER OF PERMITS THAT WERE DENIED, NUMBER OF ROUTES THAT WERE CHANGED, THINGS LIKE THAT.

SO WE WERE HOPING THAT NOW THAT WE'LL HAVE A TOOL TO COLLECT SOME OF THAT, WE'LL BE MORE INFORMED AS WE TALK TO EACH OTHER IN TERMS OF POTENTIAL CHANGES OR CALIBRATIONS OF THE ORDINANCE.

SO WHAT ARE WE ASKING FOR? WE ARE ASKING YOU TO ADOPT THE REVISED ASSEMBLY AND PROCESSION ORDINANCE.

WE'RE ASKING YOU TO ADOPT THE AIRPORT ORDINANCE THAT DESIGNATES THOSE AREAS AND ALLOWS FOR A PERMITTING PROCESS FOR THOSE AREAS THAT ARE NOT DESIGNATED.

AND WE WOULD LIKE TO GO AHEAD AND IMPLEMENT SOME OF THE PROCESS IMPROVEMENTS THAT I DESCRIBED EARLIER.

AND THAT'S ALL I HAVE, MAYOR.

>> MAYOR NIRENBERG: GREAT.

THANK YOU FOR THE PRESENTATION, ANDY.

I'LL TURN NOW TO OUR COUNCILMAN WHO HAS REALLY CHAMPIONED THIS EFFORT, COUNCILMAN TREVINO.

OH, I'M SORRY.

WE DO HAVE CITIZENS SIGNED UP TO SPEAK.

MY APOLOGIES.

WE'LL BEGIN NOW WITH AMY CONTRERAS.

>> GOOD MORNING.

MY NAME IS AMY CONTRERAS AND I LIVE IN DISTRICT 10.

I'M A PROUD MEMBER OF THE FREE SPEECH COALITION REPRESENTING MY WEBSITE IN THE KNOW S.A.

MAYOR NIRENBERG, THANK YOU FOR SUPPORTING THIS INITIATIVE AND FOR INVITING COLLABORATION IN THE PROCESS.

COUNCILMAN TREVINO, THANK YOU FOR PRESENTING THE CCR.

COUNCILMAN PERRY, AS MY REPRESENTATIVE, THANK YOU FOR TAKING A MEETING WITH US TO DISCUSS THE IMPORTANCE OF THIS NATURE.

I HOPE THAT YOU VOTE IN FAVOR OF THESE CHANGES.

IN FACT, I HOPE THE WHOLE COUNCIL VOTES UNANIMOUSLY.

TRULY WHAT'S HAPPENING HERE IS THAT YOU HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO GIVE A VOICE TO THE VOICELESS.

I CAN'T THINK OF A BETTER WAY TO PROMOTE SAN ANTONIO THAN TO PROMOTE THE FREE SPEECH OF ITS CITIZENS.

SPEAKING OF CITIZENS, I WOULD LIKE TO APPLAUD JOLENE GARCIA FOR HER EFFORTS AND FOR THE EFFORTS OF HER COLLEAGUES IN LEADING THIS COALITION.

IF YOU HAVE A MEDAL OR A COMMENDATION OF SOME SORT TO GIVE, PLEASE CONSIDER GIVING IT TO HER AS THANKS FROM THE CITIZENS OF SAN ANTONIO WHO HAVE BEEN FIGHTING THIS REALLY GOOD FIGHT FOR MANY YEARS.

THANK YOU.

[APPLAUSE]

>> MAYOR NIRENBERG: THANK YOU, MS. CONTRERAS.

ANTONIO DIAZ.

>> AS I HAVE BEEN A PART OF THIS AND NOT QUITE A PART OF THE COALITION, BUT A PART OF THE COMMUNITY OF SAN ANTONIO, MANY PEOPLE THAT ARE IGNORANT OF EITHER THEIR FIRST AMENDMENT RIGHTS OR OF THE ORDINANCES THAT THE CITY HAS THAT IMPACTS THEIR BEING ABLE TO ADDRESS GRIEVANCES ARE NOT A PART OF THE FREE SPEECH COALITION.

SO HOPEFULLY OUR CITY ATTORNEYS OFFICE WOULD BE AMENABLE TO MEETING WITH THEM AS WELL AND NOT JUST ORGANIZATIONS OR THIS COALITION.

AS YOU KNOW, I HAVE MET ALSO AS PART OF THE COMMUNITY REPRESENTING PEOPLE FROM THE CITY THAT DID NOT WANT TO BE A PART OF THE COALITION.

NOT TO HAVE ANY ANIMOSITY BUT SIMPLY BECAUSE WE DISAGREED WITH SOME POINTS.

I AGREE WITH ABOUT 98% OF THIS BUT NOT WITH IT IN TOTALITY.

[00:45:07]

I BELIEVE THERE SHOULD BE BRIDGE BUILDING BETWEEN OUR POLICE FORCE AND THE COMMUNITY, NOT ISOLATION.

I WAS ONE THAT WAS VERY COMFORTABLE.

BECAUSE WE GET OUR DIFFERENCES OUT FRONT WITH OUR POLICE FORCE AT THAT TIME THAT WE MEET WITH THEM.

INSTEAD OF NOT KNOWING WHAT THOSE DIFFERENCES ARE UNTIL THE DAY OF THE MARCH.

SO THAT IS MY REASONING BEHIND THAT.

AND THERE ARE CERTAIN THINGS THAT ARE IN HARD LANGUAGE HERE THAT WE WILL NOT BE ABLE TO ADDRESS UNTIL AFTER IT IMPACTS PEOPLE THAT ARE ABIDING BY THIS OR NOT ABIDING BY THIS ORDINANCE.

SO THERE WILL BE CHANGES AGAIN IN THE FUTURE, I AM SURE, BECAUSE THERE ARE CERTAIN CAVEATS, LANGUAGE THAT I DON'T AGREE.

LIKE I SAID, I'M ABOUT 98% IN AGREEMENT WITH IT.

I APPRECIATE YOU ADDRESSING THE AIRPORT ISSUE BUT THAT REALLY DOESN'T ADDRESS TELLING US WE CAN HAVE 10 PEOPLE OR 30 PEOPLE.

BUT WE KNOW THERE'S WAYS AROUND IT BUT THAT WOULD BE FOLLOWING STATE LAW.

BECAUSE TO ADDRESS THINGS LIKE THE ALAMODOME, THE CONVENTION CENTER, OR THE AIRPORT, I BELIEVE WE HAVE TO USE THE SIDEWALK, PUBLIC ACCESS.

TO HAVE AN ACTUAL AMOUNT OF PEOPLE TO HAVE AN IMPACT ON OUR MESSAGE, NOT JUST A FEW PEOPLE OUT THERE THAT ARE BEING ENGULFED BY EVERYBODY ELSE AND THE MESSAGE BEING SILENCED STILL.

SO WHEN YOU SAY VOICE FOR THE VOICELESS, IT'S NOT TRUE.

BUT WE WILL BE HEARD.

>> MAYOR NIRENBERG: THANK YOU, MR. DIAZ.

NAZIRITE REUBEN FLORES PEREZ.

>> YES.

AS YOU PROBABLY KNOW, MY NAME IS NAZIRITE REUBEN FLORES PEREZ AND YOU PROBABLY KNOW TOO THAT I'M UNDER THE LAW OF LOVING KINDNESS, THE LAW OF HEAVEN, AND THE LIBERTY LAWS AND I'LL BE CONNECTING THESE LAWS WITH HAVING A LAW.

OF COURSE, THIS IS A CONSTITUTIONAL LAW.

THE MAIN ONE, YOU KNOW.

THESE ARE PARALLELS THAT I NOTICED, YOU KNOW, LOCAL THEN IT GOES TO STATE AND FEDERAL.

AND THEN, OF COURSE, THE LAWS OF GOD.

NOW, JEHOVAH.

MEANING LAWS, RIGHT, LEFT, AND SO ON CAN BE OVERRULED.

IN WHAT WAY? IN THE LAW OF SAFETY.

I WILL BE BRINGING THIS UP IN THE FUTURE HAVE TO BE CHANGED.

AND THIS IS WORLDWIDE.

I'M TALKING ABOUT WORLDWIDE.

AND JUST KEEP IT IN MIND.

I KNOW YOU FELLAS -- PERSONS AND MEMBERS -- ARE DOING A GREAT JOB.

I'M SORRY.

SOMETIMES MY MIND GOES OFF.

I KNOW YOU'RE DOING A GOOD JOB AND JUST KEEP IT UP.

THE VISUAL WILL SAY A LOT, IS GOING TO TELL US A LOT.

YOU KNOW, I USED TO TAKE UP THIS GENERAL LAW AND THEOLOGY HELPED ME A LOT.

EVEN MY PROFESSOR WOULD SAY WHERE DO YOU GET THOSE IDEAS, THOSE ZIGZAGS AND SO ON? WELL, IT WAS ACCORDING TO THE SCRIPTURES, YOU KNOW.

AND THE LAW OF SAFETY, KEEP IT IN MIND.

THE LAW OF SAFETY CAN OVERRULE ANY LAW, CONSTITUTIONAL LAW.

LOCAL OR WORLDWIDE.

THANK YOU.

>> MAYOR NIRENBERG: THANK YOU, MR. PEREZ.

WE HAVE A GROUP, JOLENE GARCIA, AMY, AND GRACIELA SANCHEZ.

YOU HAVE NINE MINUTES.

>> HELLO.

MY NAME IS JOLENE GARCIA AND I AM REPRESENTING THE FREE SPEECH COALITION.

I JUST WANT TO SAY JUST TO START OFF THAT THIS IS REALLY THE BEST SEAT IN THE HOUSE, BEING OUT HERE WITH THE PEOPLE AND THE PUBLIC.

AND I WOULD BE NO OTHER PLACE IF I HAD THE CHOICE, HERE AT COUNCIL.

I JUST WANT TO THANK YOU FOR RECEIVING US.

THE FREE SPEECH COALITION IS A GROUP OF 45-PLUS INDIVIDUALS --

[00:50:01]

AND ORGANIZATIONS, I SHOULD SAY, AND MANY, MANY INDIVIDUALS.

TODAY THERE ARE SEVERAL ORGANIZATIONS PRESENT.

I WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE THEM.

MOVE SAN ANTONIO IS HERE.

TEXAS ORGANIZING PROJECT IS HERE.

ESPERANZA PEACE AND JUSTICE CENTER IS REPRESENTED TRAIN, THE TEXAS REFUGEE AND IMMIGRANT NETWORK.

PRIDE SAN ANTONIO.

THE MARCH FOR OUR LIVES HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS REPRESENTING STUDENTS THAT ARE FIGHTING FOR SENSIBLE GUN LEGISLATION.

THE INTERNATIONAL WOMEN'S DAY MARCH IS REPRESENTED, OUR REVOLUTION, THE WOMEN'S MARCH OF SAN ANTONIO, IN THE KNOW SAN ANTONIO, AND MANY INDIVIDUALS THAT ACTUALLY WERE MEETING WITH YOU AS THEIR COUNCIL REPRESENTATIVES AND WERE ORGANIZERS IN THEIR OWN DISTRICTS.

I JUST WANT TO THANK THEM SO HEARTILY AND FROM THE BOTTOM OF MY HEART FOR PARTICIPATING AND SACRIFICING SO MUCH OF THEIR TIME TO BE HERE.

AND, REALLY, TO GIVE CONTEXT TO THIS, IN 2006 -- I DON'T KNOW IF Y'ALL REMEMBER, BUT WE HAD THE LARGEST IMMIGRATION MARCHS THAT THIS CITY HAS EVER SEEN.

AND I THINK THAT SCARED QUITE A FEW PEOPLE IN THE CITY.

AND WHAT HAPPENED AS A RESULT OF THAT WAS IN SECRET -- AND WHAT I MEAN BY IN SECRET IS WITHOUT PUBLIC KNOWLEDGE, WITHOUT INVOLVING THE PUBLIC, THIS CITY BEGAN TO NEGOTIATE DIFFERENT -- A NEW ORDINANCE TO PUT MORE RESTRICTIONS ON FREE SPEECH.

AND WHAT RESULTED WAS THEN IN 2007 AND THEN AN AMENDMENT IN 2008.

THAT ORDINANCE WAS PASSED THAT CREATED A LOT OF BURDENS ON MANY INDIVIDUALS AND KEPT THEM FROM SPEAKING OUT.

IT KEPT THEM FROM HAVING THEIR RIGHT TO FREE SPEECH IN THIS CITY.

AND SO FOR OVER TEN YEARS, SINCE THAT TIME, A LOT OF SPEECHES HAVE BEEN SILENCED.

THAT MEANS WHEN THEY WENT TO THE POLICE DEPARTMENT TO ASK FOR A PERMIT THEY WERE TOLD THAT IT WOULD BE THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS.

AND THEY DECIDED THAT THEY WEREN'T GOING TO MARCH AND THEY DECIDED THAT THEY WOULD CHANGE THE PLANS THAT THEY HAD BECAUSE IT WAS GOING TO BE TOO DIFFICULT, TOO COSTLY.

AND THEY WERE TOLD THAT THEY WOULD HAVE TO GET INSURANCE BECAUSE IT WAS TOO RISKY.

AND SO A LOT OF ACTIONS THAT WERE TAKEN WERE SILENCING FREE SPEECH.

AND THAT SHOULDN'T HAPPEN HERE IN SAN ANTONIO.

WE NEED OUR PUBLIC VOICE.

WE NEED TO HEAR FROM THE PEOPLE BECAUSE THAT'S THE WAY WE MAKE SMART POLICY.

IF WE DON'T HEAR FROM THE PEOPLE AND IF WE DON'T CREATE AVENUES FOR PEOPLE TO SPEAK OUT, TO HEAR THEIR VOICES AND TO LET THEM KNOW THAT THEY ARE WELCOME ON THE STREETS OF SAN ANTONIO, THEN WE WON'T BE ABLE TO GET THE INFORMATION NEEDED TO MAKE GOOD POLICY.

SO THAT'S WHAT WE ARE FIGHTING FOR.

THAT'S WHY WE CAME TO, YOU KNOW, TO PUSH THESE ISSUES.

AND I KNOW THAT IT WAS VERY UNCOMFORTABLE FOR MANY PEOPLE.

I KNOW THE CITY ISN'T ACCUSTOMED TO HAVING SO MUCH PUBLIC INVOLVEMENT AND HAVING PEOPLE LOOK AT THE ORDINANCE AND PUT RED LINES ALL OVER IT AND MARK IT UP AND SEND IT BACK TO YOU AND SAY WE WANT THIS CHANGED.

BUT THIS IS HOW WE MAKE GOOD POLICY, WHEN YOU INVOLVE THE PEOPLE.

AND THEN WE ARE EMPOWERED TO TAKE THAT POLICY AND USE IT AS IT IS INTENDED.

TO BRING OUT WHAT IS NECESSARY FOR THIS CITY TO RUN AND THRIVE IN A POSITIVE AND HEALTHY WAY.

AND SO, YOU KNOW, WHAT STARTED THIS PROCESS -- I KNOW WE MENTIONED THE AIRPORT IN THE PRESENTATION.

MOMS AND THEIR CHILDREN WENT TO THE AIRPORT LAST YEAR TO GO AND HAVE THEIR VOICE HEARD ON A TRAVEL BAN POLICY THAT WAS IMPLEMENTED AT THE FEDERAL LEVEL.

AND THEY WERE THREATENED WITH ARREST.

THAT IS NOT UNCOMMON.

HERE IN SAN ANTONIO, WHAT HAD BEEN HAPPENING FOR THE LAST TEN YEARS AND I DARE SAY EVEN BEFORE THAT MANY PEOPLE HAD BEEN INTIMIDATED.

THAT'S HOW SPEECH WAS SILENCED.

THAT'S WHY IT WAS SO IMPORTANT WHAT WE'RE DOING HERE TODAY.

AND THE CURRENT PROCESS, AS I MENTIONED, WAS NOT VERY EASY.

AT FIRST THE CITY WAS RESISTANT TO OUR CHANGES.

AND IT WAS NOT UNTIL WE CAME TO THE STREETS, CAME TO THESE PUBLIC SIDEWALKS AND CLAIMED SPACE AND HELD RALLIES THAT THE CITY THEN STARTED MOVING.

THEY STARTED LISTENING TO US.

THERE ARE SEVERAL OF Y'ALL WHO ORGANIZED THE MEETINGS WITH YOUR COUNCIL MEMBERS.

AND EVEN THAT WAS DIFFICULT AT TIMES TO GET THE COUNCIL MEMBER TO AGREE TO MEET WITH US.

BUT WE HAD ORGANIZERS IN EACH OF THE CITY COUNCIL DISTRICTS AND THEY MET WITH THEIR COUNCIL REPRESENTATIVES.

AND WE FINALLY GOT SOME MOVEMENT THERE WHEN WE GOT THE ATTENTION OF CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS AND CITY STAFF.

AND SO THE PROCESS IS IMPORTANT.

SO WE UTILIZED THE ORDINANCE.

[00:55:01]

WE UTILIZED THE PROCESS TO TRY TO GET OUR VOICE HEARD.

AND SO IT WAS A DEMONSTRATION OF WHY THIS IS SO IMPORTANT.

SO THE THINGS THAT WE ASKED FOR WERE A FAIR AND CONSISTENT PROCESS.

THE THINGS THAT WE ASKED FOR WAS NO MORE INTIMIDATION BY THE POLICE DEPARTMENT.

NO MORE INTIMIDATION BY CITY STAFF, AND DISCOURAGEMENT IS WHAT IT WAS.

IT WAS A DISCOURAGEMENT TO USE OUR VOICE.

AND WHAT WE FEEL IS A RESULT OF ALL THESE EFFORTS IS SOMETHING THAT IS GOING TO BE A VERY POSITIVE STEP.

SO LET ME GO TO THAT POSITIVE PART BECAUSE YOU DID LISTEN.

YOU DID LISTEN AFTER WE KNOCKED ON THAT DOOR REALLY HARD AND RAISED OUR VOICES REALLY LOUD.

AND WE DID GET A LOT OF MOVEMENT.

WE GOT COSTS ELIMINATED, AND THAT IS HUGE.

WE HAD SO MANY PEOPLE THAT HAVE OUTSTANDING BILLS, REALLY.

THE JUNETEENTH ORGANIZATION, THEY PAID OVER $8,000 IN THE LAST TWO YEARS -- WERE CHARGED OVER $8,000 TO HAVE AN EMANCIPATION, YOU KNOW, ISSUE BROUGHT BEFORE THE CITY.

AND THAT IS NOT RIGHT.

THEY SHOULDN'T HAVE TO SACRIFICE SO MUCH OF THEIR OWN HARD-EARNED MONEY TO HAVE THEIR VOICE HEARD.

AND SO THAT IS AN EXAMPLE OF WHY IT'S IMPORTANT, YOU KNOW, WHAT WE'RE DOING TODAY.

SO COSTS WERE ELIMINATED.

THE PROCESS IS MORE FAIR AND CONSISTENTLY APPLIED.

WE'RE LOOKING FOR MORE SPACES, YOU KNOW, TO MAKE SURE THAT PEOPLE KNOW THAT THEY CAN ASSEMBLE AND USE THE STREETS.

AND THEN WE ALSO ACKNOWLEDGE THAT THERE ARE PEOPLE WITHIN OUR MARSHALS.

AND THERE ARE SEVERAL MARCH MARSHALS HERE TODAY THAT KEEP OUR PROTESTS AND OUR EVENTS SAFE.

AND I WILL END BY SAYING THIS IS THAT WE'RE NOT ONLY TALKING ABOUT MARCHS AND ISSUE-BASED PROTESTS, WE'RE ALSO TALKING ABOUT THE CULTURAL EVENTS OF OUR CITY AND THAT INCLUDES THE MATACHINAS.

WE'RE TALKING ABOUT POSADAS.

WE'RE TALKING ABOUT FUNERAL PROCESSIONS THAT PEOPLE STILL WALK IN THE COMMUNITY AND HONOR PEOPLE WITH MEMORIALS.

AND DIA DE LOS MUERTOS, THE MARCHS FOR DIA DE LOS MUERTOS.

THERE ARE SO MANY THINGS BEING PROTECTED TODAY BUT I WANT TO GIVE JUST A MINUTE OR SO TO OUR PRO BONO LAWYER, AMY KESSLEY TO ROUND IT OUT WITH SOME LEGAL COMMENTS.

>> THANK YOU, COUNCIL, AND THANKS TO THE COALITION, OF COURSE.

I JUST WANTED TO MAKE ONE POINT AND THAT IS THAT THERE IS A LITTLE BIT OF INTERESTING AND 21ST CENTURY WORK IN HERE AND THAT IS THE TRADITIONAL PUBLIC SPACES IN OUR CITY LIKE MAIN PLAZA, LIKE ALAMO PLAZA THAT ARE NOW TECHNICALLY MANAGED BY A PRIVATE COMPANY.

BUT THEY ARE TRADITIONAL PUBLIC SPACES.

AND WE HAVE HAD THE ASSURANCE OF THE CITY ATTORNEY AS WELL AS YOU ALL, AS WE TALK WITH YOU, THAT THESE WOULD BE MAINTAINED AS IF THEY ARE CITY PARKS, AS IF THEY ARE OWNED BY THE CITY.

AND THEY WOULD BE AVAILABLE TO THE PEOPLE, JUST LIKE THE PARKS ARE AVAILABLE.

SO THANK YOU VERY MUCH AND I DO APPRECIATE THE WORK OF THE CITY ATTORNEYS OFFICE AND EACH OF YOU AND YOUR STAFF.

THANK YOU.

>> I WANT TO SAY ONE MORE THING.

I KNOW OUR TIME IS UP BUT TODAY THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO IS MAKING PROGRESS.

THAT ACROSS THE COUNTRY THEY ARE PULLING BACK ON FREE SPEECH.

COUNTRY IN RAISING THE PUBLIC DISCOURSE AND MAKING SURE THAT PEOPLE HAVE THEIR FIRST AMENDMENT RIGHTS.

THANK YOU.

[APPLAUSE]

>> MAYOR NIRENBERG: THANK YOU, DR. GARCIA AND THE FREE SPEECH COALITION.

I'LL TURN IT OVER NOW TO COUNCILMAN TREVINO.

>> TREVINO: THANK YOU, MAYOR.

YOU KNOW, I GOT TO ADMIT THIS IS REALLY -- THAT LAST SENTIMENT IS JUST TRUE.

THIS IS REALLY HISTORY IN THE MAKING AND I'M REALLY, REALLY PROUD OF THIS CITY WHEN WE SEE ACROSS THE BOARD AND THE COUNTRY, IT CAN FEEL LIKE SOMETIMES THINGS ARE HEADED IN A NEGATIVE DIRECTION.

BUT THIS CITY IS SHOWING ITS REAL COLORS.

IT IS SHOWING ITS IDENTITY.

IT'S SHOWING ITS RESILIENCE.

I SAID IT, MANNY.

SO I JUST WANT TO SAY THANK YOU.

THIS IS REALLY, AS WAS STATED, IT'S A MODEL FOR HOW WE MOVE OUR PROCESSES FORWARD.

FIRST I GOT TO THANK THE MAYOR

[01:00:05]

FOR PARTNERING.

IN FACT, I WANT TO THANK MAYOR, COUNCILMAN SALDANA, COUNCILWOMAN GONZALES.

THEY'RE SIGNATURES WERE ON THE CCR INITIALLY TO GET THIS GOING.

IT'S BEEN OVER A YEAR NOW AND IT'S BEEN A DELAYED PROCESS BUT IT'S BEEN A GOOD PROCESS.

FIRST I GOT TO THANK SOME PEOPLE.

I JUST WANT TO SAY I GOT TO COMMEND ALL THE GREAT WORK.

JOLENE, YOU'RE RIGHT.

JOLENE, AMY, GREAT WORK.

BECAUSE WE WANT TO SHOW THIS IS A REAL PROCESS, A REAL MODEL PROCESS.

ANDY, YOUR QUOTE FROM SALMAN RUSHDI EXEMPLIFIES THAT.

WE MUST HAVE BOTH.

AND I THINK THE IDEA OF FREEDOM OF EXPRESSION AND LAW PLAY HAND IN HAND.

BECAUSE SOMETIMES WE HAVE TO QUESTION THE LAWS THAT ARE IN PLACE.

THANK YOU FOR, YOU KNOW, REMINDING US OF SOME LEGACY ISSUES AND REMINDING US THAT WE HAVE THE POWER TO MOVE FORWARD, TO MOVE THIS CITY FORWARD IN A VERY POSITIVE DIRECTION.

I CAN'T THINK OF A BETTER TRICENTENNIAL THEME, RIGHT? THAT'S WHAT OUR TRICENTENNIAL IS ABOUT.

AND SO THANK YOU, CARLOS CONTRERAS.

I CAN RECALL CALLING YOU ON THIS SPECIFIC ISSUE AND WORKING WITH YOU AND RUSS HANDY.

ANDY, YOU TOOK THIS ON WITH REAL ENTHUSIASM AND I CAN STILL REMEMBER HEARING THE FIRST WORDS YOU EXPRESSED, WHICH WAS THIS IS REALLY SOMETHING I WANT TO GET INVOLVED IN.

AND YOU HELPED WRITE THE CCR.

THANK YOU FOR THAT.

THANK YOU FOR ALL THE GREAT WORK OF YOUR STAFF.

I WANT TO THANK NICOLE FOYE.

SHE WAS ONE OF THE FIRST PEOPLE TO CONTACT ME ABOUT THIS ISSUE.

SHE IS ONE OF THOSE MOTHERS WITH KIDS AND WAS JUST CONFOUNDED OF WHAT WE HAD.

AND THEN, OF COURSE, WHEN WE DUG DEEPER, ANDY, YOU SAID, YEAH.

THIS IS REALLY SOMETHING THAT WE NEED TO WORK ON.

SO WITH THAT, I WANT TO AGAIN POINT OUT ALL THE GREAT PEOPLE THAT WERE A PART OF THIS.

MARISSA BONO FROM THE MAYOR'S OFFICE WORKING ALONGSIDE JED AND MY STAFF.

YOU GUYS ARE GREAT.

YOU KNOW, I CAN RECALL SITTING WITH YOU AT ONE OF THE MEETINGS AT ESPERANZA AND SEEING THE INTERACTION BETWEEN THE FREE SPEECH COALITION, SAPD, MANAGEMENT.

ERIK WALSH, YOU'RE GREAT.

I CAN'T SAY THAT ENOUGH.

YOU GET IT.

AND SO OFFICER BENAVIDES AND OUR SAPD OFFICERS, JOE FRANK, JESSE SALME.

THIS SHOWS EVERYBODY THAT WORKING TOGETHER CREATES A TRULY GREAT OUTCOME BUT IT ALSO MAKES PEOPLE FEEL BETTER AND, I THINK, HELPS TO BUILD TRUST THAT THEIR CITY OFFICIALS ARE LISTENING TO THEM AND WORKING FOR THEM.

AND FREEDOM OF SPEECH IS TRULY THE BEDROCK OF ANY COMMUNITY.

I'M CERTAINLY VERY PROUD OF WHAT HAS OCCURRED AND KNOWING THAT WE, AS PART OF YOUR PRESENTATION, ANDY, YOU TALKED ABOUT THE ONGOING WORK.

BECAUSE WE KNOW THAT THERE ISN'T REALLY A FINISH LINE TO THIS.

THIS HAS TO -- THIS PROCESS HAS TO TALK ABOUT THE ONGOING WORK.

AND CERTAINLY, AS JOLENE HAS MENTIONED, THERE'S MORE TO DO.

THERE'S MORE TO TALK ABOUT.

AND THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN THE FREEDOM OF EXPRESSION AND THE ABILITY TO CREATE RULES AND LAWS GO HAND IN HAND.

SO JUST, AGAIN, I CAN'T THANK ANYBODY ENOUGH.

CAN'T THANK EVERYBODY ENOUGH.

I LEFT OUT LIZ, CHIEF MCMANUS, SHERYL SCULLEY.

IF I LEFT YOU OUT, I REALLY APOLOGIZE BECAUSE THIS ONE IS ONE OF THOSE CHARACTERIZED BY A GREAT COMMUNITY COMING TOGETHER.

I WANT TO SAY I PROUDLY MOTION TO APPROVE THE ORDINANCE AMENDING THE CITY CODE RELATING TO FIRST AMENDMENT RIGHTS.

>> SECOND.

[01:05:02]

>> MAYOR NIRENBERG: THERE IS A MOTION AND A SECOND FOR APPROVAL OF ITEM 4.

WE HAVE ADDITIONAL COUNCIL COMMENTS AND QUESTIONS.

WE'LL BEGIN WITH COUNCILMAN SALDANA.

>> SALDANA: THANK YOU, MAYOR.

THANK YOU TO COUNCILMAN TREVINO.

YOU HAVE BEEN LEADING ON THIS SUBJECT MATTER FOR A LONG TIME AND IT WAS NOT JUST BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, THIS IS SOMETHING THAT WAS INSPIRED BY SOMETHING THAT HAPPENED IN YOUR DISTRICT BUT IT'S BECAUSE YOU'RE REALLY THE FIRST TO ANSWER THE CALL WHEN THE FOLKS WERE KNOCKING LOUDLY ON THE DOOR TO MAKE SURE THAT WE DID SOMETHING ABOUT IT.

AND LET ME JUST SAY -- I'LL BE SHORT -- BUT I AM AWE STRUCK BY THE POWER OF A FEW INDIVIDUALS TO HAVE AN OUTSIZED VOICE IN THIS CHAMBER.

AND I THINK THE QUOTE THAT JOLENE SAID WAS THAT THE BEST SEAT IN THE HOUSE IS NOT UP HERE ON THE DAIS BUT IT'S OUT THERE.

I TRULY BELIEVE THAT.

YOU'LL HAVE NO ARGUMENT FROM ME THAT MANY DAYS THAT IS A BETTER SEAT TO HAVE THAN THE ONE UP HERE.

BUT THE QUESTION IS IS YOUR VOICE AS EQUAL, ON LEVEL PLAYING FIELD TO HAVE JUST AS MUCH POWER? AND I THINK THAT'S WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO GET TO.

I'M REALLY GLAD THAT YOU GAVE US THE HISTORY, BECAUSE I DIDN'T REALIZE THAT IN 2006.

I WAS AWAY FROM SAN ANTONIO AT THAT TIME.

BUT CERTAINLY HEARING AND READING ABOUT THINGS THAT WERE GOING ON ALL AROUND THE COUNTRY, DIDN'T REALIZE THAT BACK IN SAN ANTONIO THERE WAS PROGRESS AFOOT TO TRY TO KEEP A LOT OF THAT SPEECH TEMPERED, PUSH IT TO A SIDE THAT WOULDN'T BE AS LOUD OR WELL HEARD AS IT NEEDED TO BE.

AND SO I APPRECIATE KNOWING THAT HISTORY.

BECAUSE WHAT I REFLECT ON IS WHAT WE AS A COUNCIL ARE DOING HERE TODAY AND WHAT THE GROUP FROM THIS FREE SPEECH COALITION HAS HAD AN EFFECT ON IS WHAT WE PROBABLY COULD NOT HAVE MEASURED IN TERMS OF THE CONSEQUENCE OF 2006 AND THE HAMPERING OF THE FREE SPEECH, WHICH IS EVERY TIME SOMEONE FELT LIKE THEY NEEDED TO COME FORWARD AND THERE WAS TOO MANY RED TAPE, INTIMIDATION, TOO MUCH OF A BARRIER TO ORGANIZING.

WHETHER THAT WAS COST OR A FEAR OF GOING IN FRONT OF SAPD OR THE FEAR THAT THEIR ROUTES OR THEIR DESIRE TO DO A CERTAIN TYPE OF EVENT WOULD BE HAMPERED BY THIS FILTERING PROCESS THAT WAS PUT IN PLACE IN 2006.

I'M REALLY GLAD THAT YEARS FROM NOW WHEN WE FORGET ABOUT TODAY, YEARS FROM NOW WHEN WE FORGET ABOUT ALL THE PLAYERS THAT WERE PART OF MAKING THIS HAPPEN, WE'LL BE IN A BETTER PLACE TO ENGAGE WITH THE PUBLIC AND THE CITIZENS' VOICE, WHICH IS SOMETHING THAT WE SHOULD NEVER BE AFRAID OF.

I'M GRATEFUL THAT JOLENE, YOU HAVE BEEN THE TIP OF THE SPEAR IN THIS.

AMY, YOU HAVE BEEN DESCRIBED AS AS PRO BONO LAWYER.

I DON'T KNOW YOU AS ANYTHING BUT A PRO BONO LAWYER.

I DON'T KNOW IF YOU HAVE EVER DONE ANY WORK FOR PROFIT IN MY YEARS THAT I HAVE ACTUALLY WATCHED YOU.

[APPLAUSE]

>> SALDANA: THANK YOU FOR THE REST OF THE COALITION FOR PUTTING A LOT OF HEART AND SPIRIT INTO THIS.

THERE'S BEEN SOME HICCUPS WE HAVE HAD ALONG THE WAY.

I'M LOOKING AT YOU ANDY BECAUSE YOU HAVE BEEN THE TIP OF THE SPEAR ON OUR END, MAKING SURE WE NEGOTIATE AND COMPROMISE.

SO WE APPRECIATE YOU GETTING TO A POINT WHERE WE FEEL LIKE THERE IS A PLACE FOR YOUR VOICE AT THE AIRPORT OR THE CONVENTION CENTER AND AT THE ALAMODOME.

AND ULTIMATELY I THINK WE'RE AT A REALLY GOOD PLACE WITH WHAT COULD HAVE BEEN A VERY CONTENTIOUS DISCUSSION THAT LED TO NOTHING.

TO THE FOLKS FROM MY DISTRICT, I KNOW THE FOLKS FROM [INDISCERNIBLE] WERE ENGAGED WITH THE SUBJECT MATTER.

IT'S REALLY LIKE THE SECRET WEAPON FOR ME.

IF YOU WANT TO GET TO ME YOU JUST GO THROUGH PETRA.

I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO SUPPORT THIS.

>> MAYOR NIRENBERG: THANK YOU, COUNCILMAN SALDANA.

COUNCILWOMAN GONZALES.

>> GONZALES: I WANT TO THANK EVERYONE FOR ORGANIZING, ESPECIALLY THE PEOPLE AT THE GRASSROOTS LEVEL WHO REALLY ORGANIZED AND EDUCATED THEMSELVES ON THIS ISSUE AND THEN TOOK THE TIME TO EDUCATE ME ON THIS ISSUE AS WELL.

I WAS ALSO CONCERNED ABOUT THE EXPENSE THAT NONPROFITS, THAT SMALL ORGANIZATIONS AND COMMUNITIES HAD TO GO THROUGH JUST TO ORGANIZE A SMALL MARCH.

AND I GAVE A COUPLE OF EXAMPLES IN B SESSION ABOUT HOW OUR CULTURAL EVENTS MIGHT BE IMPACTED.

AND I THINK ■SOME OF THESE WERE,

[01:11:43]

>> GONZALES: WHERE VIOLENCE HAS OCCURRED AND PRAY THE ROSARY OVER THAT PARTICULAR AREA.

[APPLAUSE]

>> GONZALES: I'M INVITING EVERYONE TO THE LIVE STATIONS OF THE CROSS MARCH 9 STARTING AT ST. TIMOTHY'S, BUT THAT'S ANOTHER WAY THAT WE TAKE OUR STREETS BACK AND WE TURN THEM BACK OVER TO THE COMMUNITY.

NOW, CHIEF MCMANUS IS SUPPOSED TO BE THERE TOO SO I'M SURE THAT WE'LL BE FAIRLY WELL PROTECTED.

BUT THAT'S JUST ONE EXAMPLE.

AND I'M JUST GOING TO THROW OUT ANOTHER EXAMPLE OF HOW I HOPE THAT IT HELPS US TAKE OUR STREETS BACK.

LAST NIGHT I HAD A TOWN HALL MEETING AND I WAS REALLY PROUD TO SHOW OFF THE CULINARY ARTS OF THE LANIER HIGH SCHOOL CULINARY ARTS PROGRAM THAT'S IN COOPERATION WITH THE CIA.

IT'S ONE OF THE FIRST MODELS IN THE COUNTRY WHERE WE'RE DOING THAT.

I HAD A LOT OF COMMUNITY MEMBERS THERE AND I'M GRATEFUL THAT COUNCILWOMAN SANDOVAL STOPPED BY TO SEE THE WONDERFUL PROGRAM THAT WE HAVE AT LANIER.

WHILE I WAS THERE, I MET A COMMUNITY HEALTH WORKER, A YOUNG WOMAN NAMED JENNIFER LOPEZ GARZA.

SHE IS AN EMPLOYEE OF THE CITY AND THEY ARE ORGANIZING A WALKING BUS TO SARA KING ELEMENTARY.

WHILE THIS IS NOT NECESSARILY ABOUT FREE SPEECH, IF PEOPLE FEEL SAFE IN THE STREETS THEY TAKE BACK THE STREETS AND WE CAN DO THINGS LIKE WALKING BUSES AND LIVE PROCESSIONS AND POSADAS AND IT MAINTAINS OUR CULTURAL HISTORY.

IT REMINDS OUR NEIGHBORS TO GET TO KNOW EACH OTHER.

THAT WE HAVE SAFE NEIGHBORHOODS WHERE PEOPLE KNOW EACH OTHER AND CARE ABOUT EACH OTHER.

IT'S JUST ANOTHER OPPORTUNITY FOR HEALTH AND WELLNESS.

IT HAS SUCH A GRAND COMMUNITY IMPACT.

AND SO WHILE I KNOW THAT YOU ALL WORKED VERY CLOSELY WITH OUR LAWYERS, OUR CITY ATTORNEYS, I'M GRATEFUL FOR ANDY AND LIZ FOR BEING SO PROGRESSIVE.

AND IN OUR MEETING WITH THEM THEY SAID WE HAVE ADDRESSED ALMOST ALL OF THEIR CONCERNS.

WE'VE GOT TWO STICKING POINTS AND I THINK WE HAVE RESOLVED THEM ALL.

AND I THINK THAT'S A GREAT RESPONSE FROM OUR CITY ATTORNEYS, AND I'M THANKFUL FOR THAT.

BUT MOSTLY FOR THE PERSISTENCE OF JOLENE AND GRACIELA AND AMY CONTRERAS AND THOSE OF YOU ALL WHO HAVE WORKED VERY HARD ON THIS ISSUE.

NOT ONLY DID WE CREATE A POLICY WHERE THE WHOLE CITY CAN FEEL COMFORTABLE GOING TO SPACES AND PROTESTING AND HAVING THEIR FREE SPEECH HEARD, BUT I BELIEVE THAT AT THE VERY GRASSROOTS LEVEL IT GIVES THE LOCAL COMMUNITIES, THE CHURCHES, THE SCHOOLS THE OPPORTUNITY TO TAKE THEIR STREETS BACK.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR ALL THE EFFORT.

I THINK IT'S A MUCH GRANDER ISSUE THAN WHAT WE'VE REALLY EVEN THANK YOU, COUNCILMAN, FOR THE CCR.

I JUST LOOK FORWARD TO MANY, MANY MORE COMMUNITY EVENTS.

THANK YOU.

THANK YOU, MAYOR.

[APPLAUSE]

>> TREVINO: THANK YOU, COUNCILWOMAN.

COUNCILMAN BROCKHOUSE.

>> BROCKHOUSE: THANK YOU, SIR.

I WANT TO THANK COUNCILMAN TREVINO FOR THE GOOD WORK.

SINCE I CAME ON COUNCIL SEVEN MONTHS IN, IT WAS ALREADY A HOT BUTTON ISSUE AND YOU HAD BEEN WORKING IT FOR A WHILE AND I'M HONORED TODAY TO SUPPORT YOUR WORK ON THE CCR AND THE TEAM AT THE FREE SPEECH COALITION.

JOLENE IS A RESIDENT OF DISTRICT 6 SO SHE WAS ON THE DOOR COMING IN AND VISITING WITH ME AS QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE.

[01:15:02]

ONE OF THE THINGS I PRIDE MYSELF ON IS THE ABILITY TO SAY WHATEVER IT IS I THINK.

AND THAT IS THE ROOT OF WHAT FREE SPEECH IS.

SO THIS WAS AN EASY OPPORTUNITY FOR ME TO JUMP ON BOARD AND BE A PART OF SOMETHING THAT IS BOTH TO THE COUNCILWOMAN'S POINT -- THE FAITH OPPORTUNITY SPOKE TO ME AS WELL AS THE RIGHT FOR SOMEBODY TO STAND IN FRONT OF SOMEBODY ELSE.

A LOT OF TIMES THE HALLS OF POWER, CITY GOVERNMENT, TO STAND UP TO THEM TO SAY WHAT THEY THINK WITHOUT FEAR OF RETRIBUTION OR ANGER OR RESPONSE.

YOU HAVE TO DEAL WITH SOMEBODY GIVING IT RIGHT BACK BUT AT THE END OF THE DAY YOU GET TO SAY EXACTLY WHAT YOU THINK.

IF WE WERE ABLE TO DO THAT AND UNDERSTAND EACH OTHER BETTER FROM A POLICY PERSPECTIVE, THAT'S THE BEST POSSIBLE SCENARIO.

I FIRMLY BELIEVE THAT THE MORE WE ARGUE ABOUT IT, THE MORE WE PUT OUT EXACTLY WHAT WE BELIEVE THE BETTER THE POLICY BECOMES.

I THINK ANDY HAS GONE ABOVE AND BEYOND TO MEET A LOT OF THOSE POINTS.

IN FACT, ANDY AND I HAD A CONVERSATION ABOUT HIM ATTENDING ONE OF YOUR MEETINGS OVER AT YOUR COALITION LOCATION.

MAYBE CONFIDENCE ESPERANZA WHERE YOU WENT TO.

HIM AND I WERE TALKING ABOUT IT AFTER THE FACT AND HE WAS REALLY STRUCK ABOUT HOW WELL HE WAS TREATED, ABOUT HOW GOOD THE DIALOGUE WAS AND HOW THE PROCESS WENT.

THAT'S ANOTHER TESTAMENT TO GRACIELA AND HER TEAM AND EVERYBODY, JOLENE, THAT YOU CAN ENGAGE SOMEBODY WHO BELIEVES SOMETIMES THE EXACT OPPOSITE OF YOU.

IT REALLY WORKS WHEN YOU LET THE DIALOGUE AND OPPORTUNITY FLOW.

ANDY AND THE TEAM, YOU DID A HECK OF A JOB.

THE STAFF CAME THROUGH ON THIS ONE.

THE ONLY POINT I WOULD WANT TO MAKE A BIT OF A CONTENTION ON IS THAT IF YOU'RE A LOCATION AND YOU ACCEPT ONE PUBLIC DOLLAR FROM US YOU MUST BE SUBJECTED TO FREE SPEECH OPPORTUNITY.

THAT'S IT.

YOU CANNOT -- I DON'T CARE WHAT SPACE YOU ARE.

I AM CONCERNED THAT WE HAVEN'T NARROWED IN THAT IF YOU RECEIVE PUBLIC MONEY YOU'RE OPEN TO THIS.

I KNOW THEY SAID THERE WERE SOME ASSURANCES YOU GAVE THE COALITION GOING FORWARD IN THE FUTURE.

WHAT ASSURANCES EXACTLY HAVE YOU GIVEN THEM? [APPLAUSE]

>> I WANT TO BETTER UNDERSTAND YOUR QUESTION, COUNCILMAN.

>> BROCKHOUSE: THERE ARE SOME ASSURANCES GIVEN TO THE COALITION.

I'M CONCERNED ABOUT THE WORD "ASSURANCES." THAT IF YOU ACCEPT PUBLIC MONEY YOU'RE OPEN TO THE FREE SPEECH OPPORTUNITY, PERIOD.

I'M CONCERNED ABOUT SPACES THEIR PUBLIC PRIVATE PARTNERSHIP THAT RECEIVE PUBLIC MONEY.

IT IS MY BELIEF, AND I'M NOT SAYING WE'RE HERE TO MAKE AN AMENDMENT OR CHANGES, BY ANY MEANS, BUT I'M SAYING WHAT ARE WE GOING TO DO ABOUT PLACES THAT RECEIVE PUBLIC MONEY THAT AREN'T SUBJECTED TO FREE SPEECH? TO ME THAT'S A VIOLATION OF THE CORE OF WHAT YOU'RE TRYING TO DO IN YOUR ORDINANCE.

>> WHICH SPACES ARE DESIGNATED AS PUBLIC SPACES, COUNCILMAN.

LIKE, FOR EXAMPLE, HPARC IS A PERFECT EXAMPLE OF P3.

WE HAVE DESIGNATED 18 ACRES THERE.

THERE ARE AREAS THAT ARE DESIGNATED BASED ON WHATEVER THE PLAN IS OF DEVELOPMENT FOR THAT PARTICULAR PROJECT.

NOW, GOING FORWARD, AS WE HAVE THOSE PROJECTS, WE WILL OBVIOUSLY WORK ON IDENTIFYING THOSE PLACES THAT ARE EITHER PARKS OR TO BE UTILIZED AS PUBLIC SPACES.

BUT THAT WOULD BE A PROJECT-DRIVEN INITIATIVE.

>> BROCKHOUSE: IS IT NOT TRUE THAT IF YOU RECEIVE PUBLIC MONEY YOU'RE A PUBLIC SPACE?

>> NO.

THAT'S NOT THE DEFINITION OF A PUBLIC SPACE IF YOU RECEIVE PUBLIC MONEY.

>> A PROJECT OR A PROPERTY RECEIVES PUBLIC FUNDS.

THAT DOESN'T AUTOMATICALLY MAKE THAT A PUBLIC FORUM.

>> BROCKHOUSE: WE CAN TELL HPARC OR MAIN PLAZA, WHOEVER THESE PUBLIC PRIVATE PARTNERSHIPS ARE, THERE ARE SO MANY OF THEM.

I THINK WE DO HAVE A TENDENCY TO FARM OFF PORTIONS OF OUR GOVERNANCE THAT BECOME LESS TRANSPARENT TO THE PUBLIC.

THAT'S A PROBLEM.

WE DO IT AND THEY ARE THEIR OWN GOVERNING ENTITIES AND WE DON'T KNOW WHAT THE HECK IS GOING ON OVER THERE.

WE CAN LIST SEVERAL ORGANIZATIONS THAT WE HAVE PRIVATIZED BUT STILL RECEIVE PUBLIC MONEY.

I WOULD LIKE TO MOVE FURTHER WITH THIS WHEN THE TIME COMES AND IMMEDIATELY MOVE TO FIGURING OUT HOW WE REGULATE PUBLIC-PRIVATE SPACES TO IMMEDIATELY OPEN UP THEIR ACCESS TO FREE SPEECH.

I DON'T THINK THE WORD ASSURANCES -- I'M VERY UNCOMFORTABLE WITH THAT WORD IN THE ORDINANCE OR EVEN IN YOUR CONVERSATIONS WITH THEM.

I WOULD LIKE TO FIGURE OUT WHAT THAT LOOKS LIKE AFTER THE VOTE.

I'M GOING TO SUPPORT THE ORDINANCE, OBVIOUSLY.

IT'S A MONUMENTAL LEAP FORWARD BUT THAT DOESN'T MEAN WE CAN'T FIX SOMETHING THAT TO ME SEEMS

[01:20:03]

SO GLARINGLY OBVIOUS.

BY VIRTUE OF TAKING THE CITY MONEY, YOU ARE PART OF US.

>> AND, COUNCILMAN, CERTAINLY AS I POINTED OUT, WE ARE GOING TO CONTINUE THE DIALOGUE SO WE'LL MAKE THAT PART OF THE DISCUSSIONS GOING FORWARD.

I WILL SAY THAT FOR THOSE PROJECTS THEY WILL PROBABLY BE DRIVEN BY WHAT THE FUNDAMENTAL PURPOSE OF THE PROJECT IS FOR BUT WE CAN CERTAINLY TALK ABOUT FOR THOSE PROJECTS GOING FORWARD AT LEAST ACCOMMODATE OR AT LEAST CONSIDERING WHAT SPACES WE DO WANT TO DESIGNATE AS PUBLIC SPACES.

>> BROCKHOUSE: GREAT.

I JUST WANTED TO MAKE SURE WE GOT THAT ON THE RECORD THAT YOU UNDERSTOOD THE CONCERN AND YOU'RE GOING TO MOVE FORWARD WITH THE COALITION TO HELP THEM IDENTIFY OPPORTUNITIES TO CREATE DEMONSTRATION OF PUBLIC-PRIVATE SPACES.

THANK YOU, ANDY.

AND I DO THINK, I'LL CLOSE WITH THE SAPD COMMENTS.

YOU KNOW, I LIKE TO PRIDE MYSELF ON BEING THE BIGGEST SUPPORTER POSSIBLE OF THE SAN ANTONIO POLICE DEPARTMENT.

WE GOT THE BEST POLICE DEPARTMENT IN THE NATION.

BUT, YOU KNOW, THE BADGE AND THE UNIFORM DOES CARRY -- AND I DON'T BELIEVE THE OFFICERS IN THEIR HEART OR -- EVERY JOB HAS BAD APPLES BUT I THINK WHEN AN OFFICER PUTS ON THE UNIFORM THEIR ROLE IS TO PROTECT AND GIVE YOU EVERY RIGHT POSSIBLE.

AND BUT THE UNIFORM DOES -- SO I WANT TO SAY I HOPE SAPD AND THE CHIEF AND THEM CONTINUE TO WORK WITH YOU.

I HAVE CONVERSATIONS WITH THEM ABOUT THAT BECAUSE IT CAN BE INTIMIDATING AND THE UNIFORM IS SUCH.

THE LAST THING I WOULD WANT TO SEE -- AND I HAVE HEARD THAT FROM YOU AND YOUR TEAM.

THAT ONE ALWAYS STRUCK ME AS WELL, JOLENE.

THAT PERCEPTION AND HOW Y'ALL FELT ABOUT IT.

I WANTED TO MAKE SURE I ACKNOWLEDGE THAT AS WELL AND I'LL TRY TO WORK WITH MY FRIENDS AT THE POLICE DEPARTMENT AND POLICE OFFICERS ASSOCIATION TO BE A LITTLE BIT MORE UNDERSTANDING OF THE THINGS THEY ARE DOING AND TRY TO HELP BRIDGE SOME GAP THERE SO THEY ARE A PART OF IT.

WE CAN ALWAYS DO BETTER IN THAT CONVERSATION IS WHAT I WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE, JOLENE, IS THAT YOU REALLY STRUCK A CHORD WITH ME ABOUT HOW PEOPLE FEEL ABOUT POLICING.

COUNCILMAN TREVINO, GREAT WORK.

I'M PROUD TO SUPPORT THIS TODAY.

THANK YOU, SIR.

[APPLAUSE]

>> MAYOR NIRENBERG: THANK YOU, COUNCILMAN BROCKHOUSE.

COUNCILWOMAN VIAGRAN.

>> VIAGRAN: THANK YOU, MAYOR.

THANK YOU, COUNCILMAN TREVINO, FOR INITIATING THE CCR.

THANK YOU, COUNCILWOMAN GONZALES.

VERY WELL SAID.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH, BECAUSE A LOT OF THE THINGS YOU WERE MENTIONING, IT'S THE SAME THING.

WE HAVE OUR MATACHINAS THAT COME TO MISSION CONCEPCION AND THIS IS A WAY FOR OUR COMMUNITY STANDING FORWARD FOR WHAT OUR COMMUNITY IS AND BIRTHED FROM.

I HAVE TO THANK OUR FREE SPEECH COALITION.

THANK YOU FOR ORGANIZING.

YOUR PERSISTENCE, YOUR RELENTLESSNESS.

THIS IS HOW, LIKE YOU SAID, WE GET GOOD POLICY MADE.

AND THANK YOU, DISTRICT 3 COALITION MEMBERS FOR COMING AND BEING PERSISTENT AS WELL WITH ME AND TO MAKE SURE THAT YOUR NEEDS AND THOUGHTS AND REQUESTS WERE A PART OF THIS POLICY MOVING FORWARD.

MANY OF US DO KNOW THE HISTORY OF SAN ANTONIO AND THE HISTORY OF RED LINING AND SHUTTING PEOPLE'S VOICES OUT.

BUT NOW THE VOICES ARE CONTINUING TO RISE UP AND CONTINUING TO MAKE THE MOTIONS AND THE MOVEMENTS THAT WE DO NEED IN THIS COMMUNITY.

I WANT TO THANK YOU FOR THE ORDINANCE THAT IT'S GOING TO CALL FOR REGULAR CHECK UPS AND UPDATES AND MAKING SURE THAT WE CONTINUE THIS DIALOGUE BETWEEN THE COMMUNITY AND THE COUNCIL.

I DO HAVE A COUPLE OF QUESTIONS, ANDY.

AS WE'RE LOOKING FORWARD AT THIS AND THE SPACES, SUCH AS THE ALAMODOME AND THE HENRY B.

GONZALEZ CONVENTION CENTER.

SO SOME OF THE LOCATIONS THAT WE'VE IDENTIFIED, SOME OF THEM -- WILL THEY BE RENTED OUT? SO IF CONFERENCES, COMPANIES, PLACES COME IN AND THEY GET RENTED OUT IS THAT GOING TO INFRINGE THEN ON THE PUBLIC ASSEMBLY SPACES? AND HOW ARE THEY GOING TO LIVE TOGETHER, BOTH?

>> THAT'S A GOOD QUESTION, COUNCILWOMAN.

THE SPACES THAT WERE DESIGNATED WERE THOSE THAT WERE DESIGNATED ARE NOT LEASED OUT.

SO IN OTHER WORDS, THEY WILL KNOW -- SOMEBODY WANTS TO HAVE AN ASSEMBLY THERE, THEY WILL KNOW THAT NO MATTER WHAT'S HAPPENING AT THE CONVENTION CENTER, NO MATTER WHAT'S HAPPENING AT THE ALAMODOME, THOSE SPACES ARE AVAILABLE.

AND TALKING WITH CARLOS, WE WILL HAVE A PROCESS WHERE FOR THOSE SPACES THAT AREN'T DESIGNATED, ORGANIZATIONS, INDIVIDUALS CAN ASK PERMISSION TO USE THOSE BUT THAT WILL DEPEND ON WHAT'S OCCURRING AT THAT PARTICULAR DATE AND WHO IT WAS LEASED TO AND WHAT ACTIVITY IS GOING ON.

[01:25:02]

A LOT OF IT WILL BE DRIVEN ON WHAT IS OCCURRING AT THE ALAMODOME, SECURITY REQUIREMENTS, TRAFFIC FLOW, THINGS LIKE THAT.

THOSE SPACES THAT ARE DESIGNATED THEY CAN REST ASSURED THOSE WILL ALWAYS BE AVAILABLE.

>> VIAGRAN: I THINK FOR CLARIFICATION, JUST FOR MY OWN PURPOSES FOR UNDERSTANDING, SAY SOMEBODY COMES TO SAN ANTONIO AND PEOPLE DON'T LIKE WHO THE PERSON IS COMING TO SAN ANTONIO, AND IT'S A PRIVATE LOCATION.

WE ARE STILL ABLE TO PROTEST WHERE? SAY THEY GO TO A COUNTRY CLUB, IF YOU WILL, AND THEY WANT TO PROTEST IN FRONT OF A PRIVATE BUILDING OR PRIVATE ENTITY.

WHERE ARE PEOPLE ABLE?

>> SIDEWALKS ARE STILL PUBLIC PROPERTY.

YOU CAN PROTEST THERE AGAIN, RECOGNIZING YOU CAN'T BLOCK ENTRANCES OR EXITS.

AND SO THEY CAN USE THE SIDEWALK OR ANY OTHER RIGHT OF WAY THAT'S PUBLIC.

>> VIAGRAN: ALL RIGHT.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

AND THANK YOU ALL FOR BRINGING UP THE INFORMATION ABOUT THE COSTS AND JUST THE EXORBITANT AMOUNT OF COST THAT HAS BEEN COMING UP AS WELL.

I DO WANT TO THANK ALL OF THE ACTIVISTS AND THOSE WHO HAVE BEEN HERE FOR STAYING FOCUSED ON THE ISSUE AND SEEING IT THROUGH.

AND WE'RE GOING TO CONTINUE TO SEE IT THROUGH.

IT'S NOT ALWAYS EASY BUT WE KNOW THAT WE ARE WORKING TOGETHER ON THIS.

I HAVE TO ALSO THANK ANDY SEGOVIA, LIZ, AND ALL THE CITY ATTORNEYS WHO WORKED ON THIS.

AND CCDO FOR STEPPING UP TO THE PLATE AS WELL TO BE THAT NEW LIAISON THAT WE NEEDED TO ENSURE THAT EVERYONE FELT WELCOME AND INVITED TO HAVE THEIR VOICE USED.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

CARLOS, BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, DONE LIKE A VERY GOOD, AS I MENTIONED BEFORE, FORMER MALDEF BOARD MEMBER.

THANK YOU FOR YOUR WORK AND CONTINUING IN YOUR RELENTLESSNESS TO WORK TOGETHER TO MAKE SURE THAT WE HAVE WHAT WE HAVE TODAY.

AND I JUST WANT TO ALSO SAY TO MY COLLEAGUES, THE MAYOR AND MY COLLEAGUES AND THOSE IN THE CROWD TOO, EVERY TIME PEOPLE TALK ABOUT MAYBE THE LACK OF TRUST IN GOVERNMENT AND THE BROKEN SYSTEM THAT WE HAVE, LET'S GO BACK TO THIS TIME.

LET'S GO BACK TO THIS PROCESS AND HOW WE ALL WORKED TOGETHER TO COME TO THIS SOLUTION, ONE OF THE SOLUTIONS THAT WE KNOW WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO MAINTAIN FURTHER DOWN THE LINE.

I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO SUPPORTING THIS AND I WOULD BE REMISS IF I DID NOT MENTION THAT EARLY VOTING ENDS TOMORROW, MARCH 2.

SO PLEASE REMEMBER TO GO AND EARLY VOTE.

ELECTION DAY FOR THE PRIMARY ELECTIONS IS ON MARCH 6.

PLEASE BE SURE TO USE YOUR VOICE AND CAST YOUR VOTE.

THANK YOU, MAYOR.

[APPLAUSE]

>> MAYOR NIRENBERG: THANK YOU, COUNCILWOMAN VIAGRAN.

COUNCILMAN PERRY.

>> PERRY: APPRECIATE IT.

THIS WHOLE ISSUE, I REALLY DIDN'T UNDERSTAND WHAT THE BARRIERS AND THE ISSUE WAS UNTIL AMY, Y'ALL CAME IN TO SEE ME AND WE HAD A AND I STILL HAVE SOME RESERVATIONS.

AND ONE OF MY BIGGEST RESERVATIONS IS, AMY, WHAT WAS MY BIGGEST RESERVATION ON THIS THING? COST.

YES.

AND LET ME TELL YOU.

I DO HAVE SOME QUESTIONS, ANDY, ABOUT WHAT HAPPENED IN THE PAST.

I UNDERSTAND THAT THERE WAS A LAWSUIT IN THE PAST.

CAN YOU GO OVER THE BACKGROUND AND WHAT CAUSED THAT AND WHERE IT WAS?

>> YES.

I CAN GIVE YOU A REAL OVERVIEW ON THAT, COUNCILMAN.

IT WAS A CASE THAT WENT ALL THE WAY TO THE COURT OF APPEALS IN THE FIFTH CIRCUIT, FEDERAL COURT.

WE WERE SUED BY THE INTERNATIONAL WOMEN'S DAY MARCH HAVING TO DO WITH THE ORDINANCE IN 2006.

THERE WERE ISSUES WITH THAT IN TERMS OF NOT ONLY IMPOSING FEES FOR THE PERMIT BUT ALSO THE DISCRETION THAT THE POLICE DEPARTMENT HAD IN TERMS OF ISSUING THE PERMIT.

WE WERE ENJOINED FROM IMPLEMENTING THAT ORDINANCE.

WE MADE CHANGES TO THAT.

AFTER THOSE CHANGES WERE MADE, THE ORDINANCE, WHICH STILL INCLUDED THE FEES FOR PARADES AND PROCESSIONS, WAS REVIEWED BY THE FIFTH CIRCUIT AND THEY HELD THAT ON ITS FACE THAT THE ORDINANCE WAS CONSTITUTIONAL.

SO THERE IS AT LEAST SOME LAW OUT THERE THAT SAYS, YEAH, CITIES CAN IMPOSE FEES AND COSTS FOR PARADES AND PROCESSIONS.

>> PERRY: WHY DID THE CITY

[01:30:02]

IMPOSE A FEE FOR THIS?

>> AT THE TIME, THE CITY FELT THAT THE COST IN TERMS OF SECURITY AND BARRICADES, TRYING TO OFFSET SOME OF THOSE COSTS, FELT THAT IT WAS APPROPRIATE TO HAVE A COST MECHANISM FOR A PROCESSION OR PARADE FOR THAT.

THAT WAS THE REASON FOR COST.

>> PERRY: SO COUNCIL AT THAT TIME SAID WE SEE THIS AS A COST THAT WE DON'T WANT TO BE SENDING OUT TO THE CITIZENS OF SAN ANTONIO.

THE ORGANIZATIONS NEED TO BE BEARING THAT COST.

>> YES.

THAT WAS THE DIRECTION TO COUNCIL AT THE TIME.

>> ALONG WITH THAT, DOES ANYBODY HAVE ANY IDEA HOW MUCH WE WERE SPENDING ON THAT DURING THAT TIME BACK THEN, ERIK? I MEAN, WHAT WERE WE SPENDING BACK THEN THAT PROMPTED THIS TO START CHARGING?

>> COUNCILMAN, I'VE GOT WHAT OUR SPEND HAS BEEN OVER THE LAST THREE YEARS.

I DON'T HAVE WHAT IT WAS 12 OR 10 YEARS AGO.

OVER THE LAST THREE YEARS, IN 2015, THERE WERE 15 EVENTS.

WE SPENT A TOTAL OF $21,600.

BILLED $4,000.

SO THAT INCLUDED BOTH ON-DUTY AND OFF-DUTY OFFICERS AND BARRICADES.

FOR THAT YEAR THE CITY SPENT 21 AND WE BILLED FOR $4,000.

IN 2016, THERE WERE 23 EVENTS.

WE HAD -- WE SPENT $41,000 AND WE BILLED ALMOST $11,000.

AND THEN IN 2017 WE HAD 15 EVENTS.

WE SPENT $24,600 AND WE BILLED ABOUT $9600.

SO OVERALL, OVER THE LAST COUPLE OF YEARS THE EXPENSES RANGED FROM $4,000 AND $9600.

>> PERRY: DOES THAT INCLUDE THE BIG MARCHS LIKE THE MLK MARCH?

>> NO, SIR.

THESE WERE ALL FIRST AMENDMENT MARCHS.

IN TERMS OF MLK, AND MLK IN FISCAL YEAR '16 BETWEEN POLICE OFFICER AND PARAMEDIC AND BARRICADE COST WAS $65,000.

IN FY17, $82,000.

MLK IS A BUDGETED ITEM SO WE BUDGET EVERY YEAR FOR THAT.

FOR CESAR CHAVEZ, IT WAS $17,400.

IN FISCAL YEAR '16.

RIGHT ABOUT THE SAME AMOUNT IN FISCAL YEAR '17.

THAT'S ANOTHER EVENT THAT WE BUDGET FOR.

WE SPENT 18,700 IN '16 AND $11,000 IN '17.

>> PERRY: YOU ARE CLOUDING MY MIND HERE WITH ALL THESE FIGURES.

DO YOU HAVE IT TOTALED UP PER YEAR FOR ALL OF THE GRADES -- PARADES AND DEMONSTRATIONS?

>> FOR PARADES -- I HAVE THEM SEPARATELY HERE.

FOR PARADES, FOR VETERANS, CESAR CHAVEZ, AND MLK.

WE SPENT $118,000 IN 2016.

AND $121,000 IN 2017.

>> PERRY: ALL RIGHT.

SO I GUESS I'M LOOKING BACK AT HISTORY A LITTLE BIT, AND HISTORY KIND OF REPEATS ITSELF, IF YOU LISTEN TO HISTORIANS.

YOU KNOW, THE COUNCIL BACK THEN WENT AHEAD AND DECIDED TO PASS THIS TO HELP DEFRAY SOME OF THESE COSTS ON THESE PARADES.

WAS THAT A -- YOU KNOW, I'M JUST ASKING HERE.

WAS THAT KIND OF LIKE A -- SOMETHING TO KIND OF PUT THESE THINGS OFF TO WHERE THEY DIDN'T HAPPEN? WAS IT LIKE AN INTIMIDATING THING TO TRY TO KEEP PARADES FROM HAPPENING?

>> ONE THING TO CLARIFY, COUNCILMAN, IS THAT WHEREVER WE STARTED THE FIRST PERMITTING PROCESS FOR PARADES AND PROCESSIONS, IT ALWAYS CARRIED A FEE.

SO IT WASN'T WHERE THE COUNCIL AT THAT TIME WAS REACTING TO COST PRESSURES.

BUT FROM ITS INCEPTION IT ALWAYS CHARGED A FEE FOR PROCESSIONS AND PARADES.

SO I THINK THAT WAS YOUR QUESTION.

IT WASN'T A REACTION TO BUDGETARY PRESSURES OR INCREASED COSTS.

IT WAS THAT WAY FROM THE BEGINNING.

>> PERRY: SO WHAT WE'RE BASICALLY SAYING NOW, ANDY, IS WE'RE TAKING AWAY OUR ABILITY TO RECOUP ANY COSTS FOR ANY KIND OF PARADE OR PROCESSION IN THIS ORDINANCE REWRITE.

>> IN THE ORDINANCE REWRITE,

[01:35:04]

YES.

TO REQUEST A PERMIT FOR A PARADE OR PROCESSION, COST WILL NOT BE A FACTOR.

>> PERRY: ALL RIGHT.

WELL, ONE OF THE COMMENTS THAT WAS MADE EARLIER BY THE GROUP, WHICH I HAD TO JOT DOWN HERE.

COSTS WERE ELIMINATED.

WELL, COSTS WERE NOT ELIMINATED IN THIS.

BASICALLY WE'RE SAYING THAT MR. TAXPAYER, YOU'RE GOING TO COVER THE COST FOR EVERYTHING THAT WE DO OUT HERE.

AND THAT'S WHERE MY CONCERN IS.

AND I'M STILL CONCERNED ABOUT THAT.

I THINK THAT THIS IS SOMETHING THAT WE NEED TO KEEP OUR EYE ON FOR FUTURE REFERENCE.

IF THIS DOES CREATE SOME BUDGETARY PRESSURES ON THE CITY THAT WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO TAKE ANOTHER LOOK AT THIS.

THAT'S WHERE MY CONCERN IS RIGHT NOW.

WE ARE NOT ELIMINATING THE COSTS ON THIS, AND I HOPE EVERYBODY UNDERSTANDS THAT.

WE'RE BASICALLY SAYING, CITY OF SAN ANTONIO AND TAXPAYERS IN AUDIO] WE'RE NOT GOING TO RECOUP OR TRY TO RECOUP ANY FUNDS FROM ANY OF THESE DEMONSTRATIONS AND MARCHS.

YOU KNOW, I UNDERSTAND FREE SPEECH AND WHAT IS REALLY FREE SPEECH.

YOU KNOW, YOU CAN EXPRESS ANYTHING THAT YOU WANT TO NOWADAYS, TO COUNCILMAN BROCKHOUSE'S COMMENT EARLIER.

BUT, YOU KNOW, ALMOST NOTHING IS FREE ANYMORE.

AND THIS IS AN EXAMPLE OF THAT WHERE THIS IS NOT FREE.

SOMEONE IS PAYING FOR THIS.

AND I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT EVERYBODY UNDERSTANDS THAT, THAT THIS ORDINANCE IS GOING TO BE PASSING ALL OF THOSE COSTS TO THE TAXPAYERS HERE IN SAN ANTONIO.

AND IT'S LIKE WHAT HAPPENED BEFORE, THE ORDINANCE WAS PASSED TO GIVE THAT ABILITY AND IT WAS CHALLENGED IN THE COURT SYSTEMS AND IT WAS UPHELD BY THE COURTS.

AND NOW WE'RE GIVING THAT AWAY, WHICH THIS ORDINANCE -- AND WE CERTAINLY CAN DO THAT -- WE'LL JUST SEE HOW HISTORY PLAYS OUT ON THE NEXT REWRITE ON THIS ORDINANCE.

SO, YOU KNOW, I'LL SUPPORT THIS AND COALITION FOR COMING AND MEETING WITH ME AND EXPLAINING THE CIRCUMSTANCES AND THE SITUATIONS THAT WE HAVE TODAY.

BUT, AGAIN, I'M STILL CONCERNED ABOUT THE COST ISSUE FOR THE CITY.

WITH THAT, THANK YOU, MAYOR.

I APPRECIATE IT.

>> MAYOR NIRENBERG: THANK YOU, COUNCILMAN PERRY.

COUNCILMAN COURAGE.

>> COURAGE: I'M REALLY PLEASED TO SEE WHERE WE HAVE ARRIVED ON THIS ISSUE.

I REMEMBER SPEAKING WITH SOME OF THE PEOPLE FROM THE COALITION A WHILE BACK AND I HAVE TO SAY I HAVE MARCHED WITH SEVERAL GROUPS OVER THE YEARS.

I NEVER REALLY THOUGHT, WELL, WE HAVE TO PAY FOR THIS.

AND THINGS WERE PAID FOR, IN MANY INSTANCES.

BUT NOW I REALLY FEEL GOOD TO KNOW THAT I'M ABLE TO SAY, YOU KNOW, FREE SPEECH WILL REALLY BE FREE IN SAN ANTONIO.

[APPLAUSE]

>> COURAGE: AND WHAT I MEAN IS FREE FOR THE INDIVIDUALS TO EXERCISE THAT FREEDOM.

AND I THINK IT'S THE ROLE OF THE CITY TO SUPPORT ALL OF THE CONSTITUTIONAL RIGHTS THAT PEOPLE HAVE.

AND WE SUPPORT THEIR FREEDOM OF SPEECH BY PROTECTING THEM WITH PUBLIC SAFETY.

AND SO I DON'T THINK THAT THAT'S SOMETHING OUT OF THE BOUNDS OF WHAT A CITY SHOULD BE RESPONSIBLE FOR.

OF YOUR GRIEVANCES IS SO IMPORTANT FOR ALL OF US.

AND SOMETIMES WE PETITION WITH

>> AND SO I THINK THAT WE NEED TO ENSURE THAT WE DO EVERYTHING WE CAN AS A CITY TO PROTECT THESE INDIVIDUAL RIGHTS AND IT'S SOMETHING THAT WE PAY FOR COMMUNALLY AS A PART OF THIS SOCIETY.

>> COURAGE: I DID HAVE A QUESTION THAT SOMEONE BROUGHT UP A MINUTE AGO, ARE THERE PUBLIC SIDEWALKS AROUND THE CONVENTION CENTER IN THE ALAMODOME IN THE AIRPORT, THAT PEOPLE CAN USE OUTSIDE OF THESE AREAS THAT WE'RE DESIGNATING?

>> ABSOLUTELY.

THE ANSWER TO THE QUESTION PREVIOUSLY, THERE ARE STILL SIDEWALKS, STILL PUBLIC RIGHTS OF WAY THAT, AGAIN, AS LONG AS THEY ARE NOT IMPEDING EXITS AND

[01:40:01]

ENTRANCES AND AS LONG AS THEY ARE NOT SECURITY ISSUES, YES, PEOPLE CAN USE THAT TO PROTEST.

>> COURAGE: THEORETICALLY PEOPLE COULD MARCH AROUND THE ALAMODOME IF THEY STAYED ON THE SIDEWALK?

>> IF THEY STAYED ON THE SIDEWALK AND WEREN'T FOR SAFETY AND SECURITY MEASURES WEREN'T BLOCKING ENTRANCES.

>> COURAGE: OR UP AND DOWN THE SIDEWALK IN FRONT OF THE CONVENTION CENTER.

>> RIGHT, RIGHT.

>> COURAGE: I WANT TO CLARIFY AND I WHOLEHEARTEDLY ENCOURAGE THIS, AND I BELIEVE WE HAVE THAT KIND OF SUPPORT AND APPRECIATE THE WORK PUT IN BY THE STAFF AND COALITION, THANK YOU, MAYOR.

>> MAYOR NIRENBERG: THANK YOU COUNCILMAN COURAGE, COUNCILMAN SHAW.

>> SHAW: THIS WAS NOT ORIGINALLY PART OF MY COMMENTS BUT SINCE IT WAS BROUGHT UP I WOULD LIKE TO ADDRESS IT IN TERMS OF FEES AND WHO PAYS FOR THESE MARCHES, AND LIMITATION TO THE RIGHT TO FREE SPEECH.

THE ISSUE, WHEN YOU ASSESS FEES TO ANYBODY, YOU DIVIDE THE HAVES AND HAVE NOTS.

SO IT ALLOWS THE HAVES TO HAVE MORE OPPORTUNITY THAN THE HAVE NOTS.

TO ME, IT'S BASIC COMMON SENSE.

IF YOU CONTINUE TO CHARGE MORE MONEY FOR CERTAIN THING, THOSE WHO HAVE ACCESS TO THAT MONEY THEREFORE CAN USE THOSE THINGS.

IF YOU DON'T HAVE THE ABILITY TO PAY FOR THOSE THINGS YOUR VOICE IS LIMITED.

OUR FIRST AMENDMENT RIGHTS, OUR GOVERNMENT, ALLOW US US THAT OPPORTUNITY AND FREE SPEECH.

WE CANNOT ALLOW FEES OR MONETARY VALUE TO INFRINGE THAT.

SO I'M VERY SUPPORTIVE OF THIS.

>> SHAW: SECONDLY, I HEAR, AND I'VE SEEN BALANCES THAT ARE DUE FROM PREVIOUS MARCHES.

ARE THOSE BALANCES WIPED OUT, OR ARE WE REQUESTING THOSE INDIVIDUALS TO PAY THOSE BALANCES? I GUESS BEFORE YOU ANSWER, ARE THERE ANY BALANCES THAT ARE DUE?

>> I GUESS WE WILL HAVE TO LOOK AT THAT.

THAT'S FRANKLY SOMETHING WE HAVE NOT LOOKED AT BECAUSE THERE'S SOME OTHER ORDINANCE THAT WE HAVE TO LOOK AT IN TERMS OF -- BECAUSE THAT'S A PAYABLE TO THE CITY.

SO WE'LL TAKE A LOOK AT THAT, THOUGH, TO SEE IF THAT CAN HAPPEN.

>> SHAW: I WOULD LIKE TO SEE THOSE BALANCES WIPED OUT.

WE STARTED A VERY GRASS ROOTS LEVEL.

>> WE'LL TAKE A LOOK AT THAT AND SEE HOW WE CAN MAKE THAT HAPPEN.

>> SHAW: ME AND MY STAFF WERE LOOKING AT THE PREVIOUS -- MARCH, DIFFERENT COSTS FOR DIFFERENT EVENTS.

IS THERE A RATIONALE BEHIND THAT, AND IF THERE IS, CAN SOMEONE EXPLAIN THAT, PLEASE? I'M SORRY, I WAS CONFIRMING -- TRYING TO GET TO WHAT YOU HAD -- YOUR INITIAL REQUEST.

CAN YOU REPEAT YOUR QUESTION?

>> IN PRE VIEWING THE PREVIOUS COSTS, THEY ARE DIFFERENT, FOR DIFFERENT -- FOR THE FOURTH OF JULY PARADE, FOR BLUE SANTA, FOR JUNE TEEN, FOR LIVE STOCK SHOW AND RODEO, THERE'S ALL DIFFERENT COSTS.

I WANT TO MAKE SURE MOVING FORWARD WE DON'T HAVE A DIFFERENT COST FOR DIFFERENT EVENTS OR DIFFERENT MARCHES.

>> A COUPLE POINTS.

ONE IS THERE WILL BE NO COST FOR FREE SPEECH PROCESSIONS OR PARADES.

THERE WILL BE COSTS FOR WHAT WE CALL COMMERCIAL EVENTS, ANYTHING THAT'S REVENUE-GENERATING OR THAT IS TO COLLECT CONTRIBUTIONS, BUT THE DIFFERENCE IN COSTS COME FROM THE SECURITY REQUIREMENTS.

NUMBER OF BARRICADES, NUMBER OF POLICE REQUIRED, SOMETIMES FROM LOCATION, SO THAT'S WHERE YOU SEE THE VARIANCES COST.

IT DEPENDS ON THE AMOUNT OF PARTICIPANTS, THE PROCESSION ROUTE AND NUMBER OF BARRIERS AND POLICE PRESENCE WE NEED.

THAT'S WHERE THE DIFFERENCE COMES FROM.

>> SHAW: WITH THIS NEW ORDINANCE WE NO LONGER HAVE THAT COST.

>> FOR FIRST AMENDMENT.

NO, THERE WILL BE NO COST.

>> THE POLICE DEPARTMENT IS STILL GOING TO TRACK THE INTERNAL COST, SO THAT SIX MONTHS FROM NOW OR A YEAR FROM NOW, WHEN THE MANAGER OR COUNCIL ASKS, HOW MUCH HAVE WE BEEN SPENDING, WE'RE GOING TO TRACK INTERNALLY.

>> SHAW: I WANT TO MAKE SURE WE'RE CLEAR WHAT PEOPLE HAVE TO PAY.

IF AN INDIVIDUAL WANTS TO HAVE A MARCH THEY WILL NOT HAVE TO PAY ANYTHING.

SEE RECEIVE THE PERMIT AND THAT'S IT?

>> YES.

AND THE POLICE DEPARTMENT --

>> SHAW: I DO SUPPORT THE ORDINANCE.

BUT ALSO, I BELIEVE THERE'S A BIGGER ISSUE THAT WE NEED TO BE ADDRESSING AND WE HAVE TO WORK ON OUR COMMUNITY AND POLICE RELATIONSHIP.

WE HAVE GREAT PEOPLE AND WE NEED TO WORK ON THAT RELATIONSHIP CITYWIDE, NATIONWIDE.

I THINK THE ORDINANCE IS A GREAT ORDINANCE, AND, LIKE I SAID, I'M

[01:45:02]

SUPPORTIVE.

BUT LET'S NOT FORGET ABOUT THE ELEPHANT IN THE ROOM.

OKAY? WE NEED TO CONTINUE TO HAVE THAT CONVERSATION, CONTINUE TO WORK TOGETHER WITH ALL OF OUR FIRST AMENDMENT FOLKS WITH OUR COMMUNITIES WITH CITY COUNCIL TO ENSURE THAT WE CAN AMEND THAT RELATIONSHIP, BECAUSE AT THE END OF THE DAY, WE NEED EACH OTHER.

WE CONTINUE TO BE SCARED.

WE HAVE TO WORK TOGETHER TO BETTER OUR COMMUNITIES.

SO, I JUST ASK THAT WE CONTINUE TO MOVE FORWARD.

THIS DOES NOT SOLVE THAT PROBLEM AND WE NEED TO CONTINUE TO HAVE THAT CONVERSATION, THANK YOU TO EVERYBODY WHO DRAFTED THIS ORDINANCE.

ANDY, YOUR TEAM, THE OH LEGS, THIS IS A VERY TOUCHING TIME RIGHT NOW BUT WE HAVE A LONG WAY TO GO.

THANK YOU, MAYOR.

>> MAYOR NIRENBERG: THANK YOU COUNCILMAN SHAW, COUNCILMAN PELAEZ.

>> PELAEZ: BUT RUTH BADER GINSBURG AND COLLEAGUES ON THE SUPREME COURT REVIEWED THIS AND DO YOU REMEMBER THE CASE SNYDER V. PHELPS, THAT'S THE ONE WHERE HORRIBLE PHASIES FROM WESTBORO CHURCH WENT OUT AND PICKETED AND HELD UP VERY OFFENSIVE SIGNS AT A SOLDIER'S FUNERAL AND THE FATHER SUED CLAIMING THEY CAUSED INTENTIONAL INFLATION OF EMOTIONAL DISTRESS ON HIM AND TOOK IT ALL OF THE WAY TO THE SUPREME COURT AND HE LOST.

AND THERE'S TWO -- THERE'S TWO OBSERVATIONS THAT THE COURT MADE WHEN THEY LOOKED AT THIS ISSUE, AND ONE OF THEM -- I'LL SHARE BOTH OF THEM WITH YOU.

THE FIRST AMENDMENT REFLECTS A PROFOUND NATIONAL COMMITMENT OF THE PRINCIPLE, THE DEBATE ON PUBLIC ISSUES SHOULD BE UNINHIBITED ROBUST AND WIDE OPEN.

THEY SAID THAT'S BECAUSE SPEECH CONCERNING PUBLIC AFFAIRS IS MORE THAN JUST SELF EXPRESSION, IT'S THE ESSENCE OF SELF GOVERNMENT AND SPEECH ON PUBLIC ISSUES OCCUPIES THE HIGHEST RUNG OF THE HIERARCHY OF FIRST AMENDMENT VALUES AND IS ENTITLED TO SPECIAL PROTECTION.

I DON'T THINK THERE'S ANYBODY IN THIS ROOM WHO DISAGREES WITH THAT SENTIMENT.

BUT THEN THEY GO OUT TO POINT OUT THAT EVEN PROTECTED SPEECH IS NOT EQUALLY PERMISSIBLE IN ALL PLACES.

AND AT ALL TIMES.

AND THAT WESTBORO'S CHOICE OF WHERE AND WHEN TO CONDUCT THE PICKETING IS NOT BEYOND THE GOVERNMENT'S REGULATORY REACH AND IT IS SUBJECT TO REASONABLE TIME, PLACE AND MANNER RESTRICTIONS.

AND SO, I THINK ABOUT THOSE THINGS AND I WENT BACK AND READ SUPREME COURT LAW, BECAUSE AMY CASTLY WAS GOING TO BE IN THE ROOM AND SHE'S ONE OF MY FORMER PROFESSORS AND I WANT TO GET A GOOD GRADE TODAY, BUT MY JOB AS A POLICY MOOIKER, EVERYBODY'S JOB UP HERE IS NOT JUST WORRY ABOUT CONSTITUTIONAL RIGHTS, AND YOUR RIGHT TO BE FREE FROM GOVERNMENT'S IMPEDIMENTS TO YOUR EXERCISING THOSE RIGHTS BUT ALSO THE RIGHTS OF MY OTHER CONSTITUENTS TO GET TO WORK ON TIME AND NOT HAVE SOMEBODY BLOCK THEIR TRAFFIC, RIGHT? AND TO BE ABLE TO GET HOME ON TIME TO THEIR KIDS, AND MAKE THEIR DOCTORS APPOINTMENT.

SO, LET'S ALL REMEMBER THAT YOUR RIGHT TO SWING YOUR ARM ENDS AT THE TIP OF MY NOSE, SO THERE'S THAT BALANCE THAT WE HAVE TO DO.

AND I'M ALSO REMINDED OF THAT HORRIBLE CASE RECENTLY THAT WE ALL SAW PLAY OUT ON TELEVISION NATIONWIDE OF THAT YOUNG WOMAN NAMED HEATHER HIGHER OF CHARLOTTESVILLE BECAUSE THAT MAN THOUGHT HIS RIGHTS INCLUDED RUNNING HER OVER WITH HIS CAR AND SAN ANTONIO WAS EXAMINING THE ISSUE OF CONFEDERATE STATUTE IN TRAVIS PARK WE SAW GROWN MEN IN HILL TEAR COSTUMES RUNNING AROUND OUR STREETS, WAVING SWASTIKAS AND WAVING MACHINE-GUNS.

THAT'S SOMETHING WE THINK OF, BECAUSE THEY HAVE RIGHT TO FREE SPEECH AND SUPREME COURT SAYS THEY CAN DO IT WAVING SWASTIKAS AND OLDING MACHINE-GUNS BUT PEOPLE HAVE A RIGHT TO SAFETY AND NOT BE SHOT AND THEY HAVE A RIGHT TO POLICE PROTECTION, SO, ALL OF THOSE THINGS WOULD BE A DIFFICULT BALANCING ACT AND THAT'S OUR JOB.

WE WERE ELECTED TO HAVE DIFFICULT DISCUSSIONS AND DO DIFFICULT BALANCING ACTS BUT AMY, THE FREE SPEECH COALITION, YOU GUYS MADE THIS SO MUCH EASIER FOR US, BECAUSE YOU'RE REASONABLE.

AND YOU REALLY WORKED HARD WITH ANDY AND ERIC WALSH AND WITH LIZ AND ALL OF US HERE ON THIS DAIS.

YEAH, WE'RE BUSY PEOPLE AND

[01:50:01]

SOMETIMES IT'S HARD TO GET A HOLD OF US AND SIT DOWN IN THE SAME ROOM WITH US BECAUSE OF OUR SCHEDULES BUT I TELL YOU, NONE OF US UP HERE COULD DO ANYTHING BUT HEAR YOU.

YOU WERE REALLY LOUD.

WE HEARD YOU IN EVERY WAY POSSIBLE.

SO THE LEADERSHIP YOU EXHIBITED IN BEING WILLING TO NEGOTIATE AND HELP US BALANCE, RIGHT, IS SOMETHING THAT I'M SO GRATEFUL FOR, BECAUSE IN THIS WORLD OF EVERYBODY BEING AGAINST SOMETHING, IT JUST MAKES THIS JOB SO MUCH HARDER AND SO I'LL REMIND EVERYBODY IN THIS ROOM THAT SITTING BEHIND MY FRIEND THE MAYOR, IS LOOK AT IT ON THE HARD-TO-SEE WORDS LIBERTATIS CABERNE.

THAT MEANS CRADLE OR BIRTH PLACE OF LIBERTY.

I TOOK AN OATH TO UPHOLD THAT.

EVERYBODY UP HERE TOOK THAT OATH AND WHO ELSE TOOK AN OATH TO UPHOLD THAT, OUR POLICE OFFICERS.

I AGREE WITH MR. BROCKHOUSE THAT WE HAVE THE FINEST POLICE FORCE AROUND AND THESE PROFESSIONALS NEVER CEASE TO IMPRESS ME WITH THEIR DEDICATION WITH THAT ONE OATH THEY TOOK, BUT, EVERY ONCE IN A WHILE THERE'S A KNUCKLE HEAD WHO DOES SOMETHING DUMB, RIGHT, EITHER BECAUSE HE DOESN'T KNOW OR HE DOESN'T CARE OR SHE DOESN'T CARE.

THAT NUMBNESS IMPEDES EVERYBODY'S RIGHTS.

I'VE WITNESSED THAT.

AND WE CAN'T DOLL RATE IT WHEN IT HAPPENS.

I'M GLAD YOU BRING IT TO OUR ATTENTION WHEN IT DOES.

ONE OF THE THINGS I NEED FROM YOU ERIC AND ANDY, IS THAT THIS POLICY WILL BE ROLLED OUT IN A WAY WE GET THE ATTENTION OF ALL OF OUR SAPD OFFICERS THAT WE UNDERSTAND WHAT THE NEW POLICY IS, RIGHT, THAT WE UNDERSTAND THAT WE'VE -- DOUBLED DOWN TOLERANCE ON THIS DAIS FOR PEOPLE WHO VIOLATE OUR CONSTITUENT'S RIGHTS.

>> PELAEZ: THAT SAID TO ALL OF YOUR CLAPPERS BEING A POLICE OFFICER IS HARD.

THEY GOT A LOT OF THINGS TO WORRY ABOUT.

PLEASE WORK WITH THEM AND BE PATIENT WITH THEM.

I'VE ALSO GOT TON SEE THEM IN ACTION, AND PEOPLE HAVE BAD DAYS ON THAT SIDE, TOO.

AND THEY GOT TO GO HOME TO THEIR FAMILIES, SO I ASK YOU ALL WITH THE SAME LEADERSHIP AND WILLINGNESS TO WORK WITH US, THAT YOU EXHIBITED, PLEASE WORK WITH THEM.

THANK YOU, MAYOR.

>> MAYOR NIRENBERG: THANK YOU, COUNCILWOMAN SANDOVAL.

>> SANDOVAL: THANK YOU, MAYOR.

FIRST OFF I WOULD LIKE TO THANK THE COUNCILMAN FOR BRINGING THIS FORWARD.

WE HEARD AT MY FIRST GOVERNANCE -- ARE YOU OKAY? -- WE HEARD IT AT MY FIRST GOVERNANCE MEETINGS SO THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR SEEING THIS THROUGH AND SHEPARDING IT THROUGH HERE.

I WOULD LIKE TO THIS ANDY AND STAFF, YOU SHOULD BE EXTREMELY PROUD OF YOURSELVES FOR THE WORK THAT YOU'VE DONE.

YES.

I THINK THAT DESERVES CLAPPING.

TOO.

>> SANDOVAL: AND TO THE FREE SPEECH COALITION FOR YOUR DILIGENCE, DEDICATION AND YOUR PATIENCE AND YOUR WILLINGNESS TO WORK IN EDUCATING US AND BRINGING THIS FORWARD.

AGAIN, HERE WE ARE MAKING ANOTHER CHANGE AT CITY HALL, AND YOU'RE INVOLVED, LIKE I SAID, I DON'T KNOW HOW YOU HAVE THE TIME TO DO IT.

YOU'RE HERE AS OFTEN AS WE ARE.

AND I HAVE TO SAY, I AM VERY IMPRESSED WITH YOU HAVE LEADING THE WORK THAT YOU'RE DOING.

WHEN YOU CAME UP AND STOOD UP HERE, I THINK THERE WERE A COUPLE MEN BUT I DIDN'T SEE THEM BECAUSE THERE WERE SO MANY WOMEN AND I'M EXTREMELY PROUD OF THE WORK THAT YOU'VE DONE, AND THAT YOU HAVE TAKEN THE INTEREST AND DEDICATION IN BRINGING THIS FORWARD.

I DO THINK IT'S UNFORTUNATE THAT FOR SO LONG, THERE WERE VOICES THAT WENT UNEXPRESSED IN OUR COMMUNITY.

I THINK WE CAN'T BRING THAT BACK BUT GOING FORWARD WE CAN MAKE SURE THAT THEY ARE EXPRESSED.

I ALSO WANT TO GIVE -- COMMEND YOU COALITION MEMBERS FOR NOT JUST COMPLAINING, BUT COMING WITH PROPOSED SOLUTIONS, AND EDUCATING ME ON THE UNINTENDED CONSEQUENCES OF HOW THAT ORDINANCE WAS WRITTEN.

I WASN'T AWARE OF THAT AND I'M GLAD YOU MADE THAT CLEAR TO US.

I AM VERY HAPPY WITH THE FACT THAT WE HAVE A CENTRALIZED LOCATION NOW FOR PEOPLE TO SEEK A PERMIT.

I DO THINK THAT EVEN INTERNALLY, IF WE COULD GET LOST IN THE PROCESS, IMAGINE SOMEONE IN THE

[01:55:01]

PUBLIC, AND I DO -- I DO VERY MUCH SUPPORT THE IDEA OF NOT HAVING A COST ASSOCIATED WITH THE TYPE OF MESSAGE, BECAUSE THAT -- YOU KNOW, WHETHER IT WAS INTENDED OR NOT, IT SORT OF -- IT LIMITS CERTAIN MESSAGES MORE THAN OTHERS.

AND, YOU'RE RIGHT, THAT IS A FORM OF CENSORSHIP.

ANDY, I APPRECIATE THE WEBSITE THAT YOU'VE PUT TOGETHER, THE USER FRIENDLINESS THAT YOU TOOK INTO ACCOUNT, AND I HOPE THAT THERE WERE SOME USERS OUT THERE, SOME TEST USERS OUT THERE THAT COULD TELL YOU IF IT WAS FRIENDLY OR NOT.

>> COUNCILWOMAN.

WE JUST SAW A PILOT OF THE WEBSITE EARLIER THIS WEEK.

WE'RE GOING TO ROLL THAT OUT PUBLICLY.

OBVIOUSLY THE REAL TEST WHAT WILL COME, ONCE WE ACTUALLY START USING IT TO PROCESS PERMITS, AND ONE OF THE REASONS WE WANT TO HAVE THE ONGOING DIALOGUE, OUR PERCEPTION WHAT IS USER FRIENDLY MAY BE DIFFERENT THAN SOMEBODY ELSE'S, WE'LL KEEP TRACKING THAT AND PART OF THE FEEDBACK IS HOW USER FRIENDLY IT IS.

IT WILL BE OPEN -- I'M SURE THERE WILL BE IMPR BOVEMENTS TO MAKE IT EVEN MORE USER FRIENDLY.

>> SANDOVAL: THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

SO, I AM REALLY I DO WANT TO ASK ANDY, WHAT WILL BE THE PROCESS OF INFORMING THE PUBLIC THAT THIS IS AVAILABLE NOW, SO IN THE PAST -- I HEARD FROM THE COALITION MEMBERS AND FROM THE COUNCILWOMAN THAT THERE WERE SOME EVENTS THAT JUST STOPPED TAKING PLACE OVER TIME.

I DO THINK IT'S VERY SAD THAT THERE ARE EXPRESSIONS OF OUR CULLING TOUR THAT WASN'T BY THE WAYSIDE.

HOW CAN WE ENSURE THAT THOSE COME BACK AND THOSE COMMUNITIES KNOW THAT THIS IS A POSSIBILITY ONCE AGAIN?

>> WE'LL HAVE, I'M SURE, A PROMINENT SPACE ON OUR CITY WEBSITE TALKING ABOUT, OR ANNOUNCING THE ORDINANCE CHANGE AS COUNCIL SAID.

PART OF OUR PLAN WOULD BE TO HAVE FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTION AND INFORMATION ON THE NEW PROCESS AT PUBLIC LIBRARIES AND OTHER PUBLIC SPACES THAT WILL BE VERY ACCESSIBLE TO THE PUBLIC AND I'M SURE WE'LL GET FURTHER IDEAS FROM OTHERS IN TERMS OF MAKING SURE THE WORK GETS OUT SO TO SPEAK THAT THERE IS EYE NEW PROCESS.

>> PRIOR TO THE 2006 ORDINANCE, WE DOESN'T DON'T HAVE RECORDS OF WHO HAD PARADES OR MARCHES BEFORE THEN, RIGHT?

>> IT WAS VERY LIMITED INFORMATION AS TO WHAT PERMITS WERE FILED.

NUMBER -- PARTICULARLY MORE IMPORTANTLY NUMBER THAT WERE DENIED OR A NUMBER OF PEOPLE THAT ACTUALLY ARTICULATED THAT THE COST WAS AN ISSUE.

AS I SAID, PART OF THE NEW PROCESS WOULD BE DEVELOPING SOME DATA COLLECTION TOOLS SO WE HAVE BETTER INFORMATION ON HOW IT'S WORKING.

YES, WE HAD VERY LIMITED DATA GOING BACK IN TERMS OF NUMBER OF PERMITS.

OTHER THAN THE MAJOR ONES, VERY LIMITED DATA ON THAT.

>> SURE.

I APPRECIATE YOU TAKING THAT INTO CONSIDERATION.

IT IS IMPORTANT TO TRACK OUR PROGRESS AND SO THAT WE CAN REDIRECT IF WE NEED MORE IMPROVEMENTS.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR DOING THAT ANDY.

I DO WANT TO ECHO SOME STATEMENTS THAT WERE MADE ABOUT THE ELEPHANT IN THE ROOM AND PD THAT DAY IN B SESSION WHEN WE DISCUSSED THIS.

THAT WAS THE BIG ELEMENT IN THE ROOM AND I DO HOPE WE'LL THINK ABOUT WAYS OF BRIDGING THAT RELATIONSHIP.

BETWEEN THE COMMUNITY AND OUR POLICE DEPARTMENT.

I ALSO LOOK FORWARD TO A CONTINUED DIALOGUE ON THE CITY-OWNED AND LEASED SPACES.

AND HOW THEY -- HOW THEY WILL BE IMPACTED BY THIS ORDINANCE.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH, ANDY.

THANK YOU TO THE MEMBERS OF COALITION AND COUNCIL FOR YOUR WORK.

>> THANK YOU, COUNCILWOMAN ZOECHL.

COUNCILWOMAN VERY VINO.

>> THANK YOU, MAYOR.

ANDY, I NEED TO ASK YOU A QUESTION.

BECAUSE WE WERE GETTING SOME QUESTION REGARDING SOME RUMORS ABOUT SOME RACE ORGANIZERS, CONCERN THAT WHAT WE ARE DOING TODAY MIGHT AFFECT THEIR COST.

CAN YOU CLARIFY HA?

>> ABSOLUTELY.

WE HAD HEARD THAT.

I THINK THE GIST OF THE RUMORS WERE THAT WE WERE GOING TO C OFFSET THE COST OF FREE SPEECH PROCESSIONS AND PARADES BY INCREASING THE FEES AND COSTS OF THE COMMERCIAL PROCESSIONS LIKE THE 10KS AND 5 KS.

THAT IS NOT THE CASE.

AGAIN, THOSE COSTS DRIVEN BY THE NUMBER OF PARTICIPANTS THE BARRICADES NEEDED, THE POLICE PERSONNEL NEEDED ALL THOSE REMAIN THE SAME.

THERE'S NO INTENT AT ALL TO INCREASE THOSE FEES IN ANY SORT OF WAY TO TRY TO OFFSET ANY OTHER COSTS.

>> THANK YOU FOR THAT CLARIFICATION.

I WAS CLOSED BY ALSO COMMENTING

[02:00:01]

AS WAS STATED BY COUNCILMAN SHAW.

WHILE WE KNOW THAT WE HOPE FOR BETTER POLICE RELATIONSHIPS, HERE'S A GOOD EXAMPLE, IF WE NEED TO BUILD A BRIDGE, I THINK THIS PROCESS IS A GREAT SET OF PLANS SO LET'S MOVE FORWARD AND I HOPE TO GET YOUR SUPPORT ON THIS VOTE.

THANK YOU, MAYOR.

>> MAYOR NIRENBERG: THANK YOU, COUNCILMAN TREVINO.

I'LL CLOSE BY SAYING I WAS REFLECTING ABOUT WHERE WE WERE ABOUT A YEAR AGO ON THIS AND REFLECTING ON THE AIRPORT SITUATION AND PROTESTS REGARDING THE TRAVEL BAN.

WHICH WE ALSO HEARD PEOPLE WERE GETTING SIGNIFICANT PUSH-BACK ABOUT PROTESTING IN THE AIRPORT AND DIDN'T SOUND LIKE THE CITY I WANTED TO LIVE IN.

AND I CALLED THE CHIEF AND IT SAID -- HE TOLD ME IT DIDN'T SOUND LIKE THE CITY HE WANTED TO LIVE IN EITHER.

SO HE MADE A CHANGE ON THE FLY TO ALLOW FOR FREE SPEECH AND ALLOW FOR THE EXPRESSION THAT WE INHERENTLY WANT TO SEE AS PART OF A FREE AND HOPE COMMUNITY.

I MENTIONED THAT, BECAUSE WE WERE ALSO TALKING LAST NIGHT THAT THIS IS REALLY A DEMONSTRATION OF LOCAL GOVERNMENT THE RIGHT WAY.

SAN ANTONIO IS A NOTORIOUSLY CIVICALLY DISENGAGED COMMUNITY, AND THERE ARE MANY FOLK, SOME FOLKS, SMALL GROUPS OF FOLKS WHO WOULD LIKE TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THAT AND MANIPULATE PEOPLE BECAUSE OF THAT.

BUT I THINK THAT WHEN WE ELECT FOLKS THAT ARE GOING TO BE RESPONSIVE TO THE COMMUNITY THAT CAN TAKE A LOOK AT THE POSITIVES AND NEGATIVES OF THE WAY WE'VE DONE BUSINESS, AND SEE HOW WE CAN IMPROVE THINGS, AND WE WORK TOGETHER, THOSE MEMBERS OF OUR COMMUNITY WHO WANT TO HAVE A POSITIVE IMPACT NOT JUST ON THEIR OWN LIVES BUT THE REST OF THE COMMUNITY CAN WORK TOGETHER AND CREATE SOMETHING GOOD, AND THAT'S EXACTLY WHAT HAS HAPPEN IN THIS CASE.

I WANT TO THANK EVERYONE WHO HAS BEEN INVOLVED, CERTAINLY COUNCILMAN TREVINO FOR CHAMPIONING THIS EFFORT FOR A LONG PERIOD OF TIME.

AMID SOME PRETTY INCREDIBLE ODDS, BECAUSE I THINK PEOPLE CAN BE MORE SEPARATED ON THIS ISSUE THAN WHERE WE STARTED.

I ALSO WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE THE GREAT WORK OF MY STAFF, MY CHIEF POLICY, MARISA BONO AND COUNCILMAN TREVINO'S CHIEF OF STAFF WHO HAS MUCH AS ANYONE HAVE BEEN ROLLING UP THEIR SLEEVES AND WORKING AS A BRIDGE BETWEEN THESE TWO PARTIES AND TWO GROUPS.

>> MAYOR NIRENBERG: BUT ALSO SHOCKINGLY TO SOME PEOPLE WE HAVE TO PUT ON THE PLATFORM THE WAY IT DO WORK AT THE CITY ON BEHALF OF THE PEOPLE, CITY STAFF, ANDY, ERIC WALSH WHO WERE RIGHT THERE ALONG WITH YOU, REALLY TRYING TO MAKE IT WORK AND HERE WE ARE.

DR. GARCIA, WE THOUGHT THERE WERE OBSTACLES THAT WERE OVERCOME AND NEEDED TO BE OVERCOME AND I DON'T THINK EITHER OF US THOUGHT WE COULD EVENTUALLY GET THERE AS WELL AS WE DID TODAY, AND WE AREN'T PERFECT.

I DON'T THINK WE'LL EVER BE PERFECT AND WE'LL ALWAYS LOOK AT WAYS WE CAN IMPROVE AND HERE WE ARE, CONGRATULATIONS TO YOU TO THE FREE SPEECH COALITION, THANK YOU FOR WORKING WITH YOUR LOCAL GOVERNMENT THE RIGHT WAY TO BENEFIT ALL CITIZENS.

AND AGAIN A TIP OF THE HAT TO THE CITY STAFF FOR MAKING THIS ALL WORK AND GETTING US TO THE FINISH LINE.

SO, WITH THAT, WE DO HAVE HAVE A MOTION AND SECOND FOR THE APPROVAL OF ITEM NUMBER 4.

PLEASE VOTE.

MOTION CARRIES.

YOU ALL VERY MUCH.

[18. 18-2117 City Manager's Report]

HAVE A GREAT AFTERNOON.

WE DO HAVE -- BEFORE WE ASOUTHERN WE HAVE A CITY MANAGER'S REPORT.

>> THANK YOU MAYOR AND COUNCIL.

TWO THINGS TO TALK ABOUT TODAY, FIRST THE FISCAL YEAR 2018 FIRST QUARTER FINANCIAL REPORT AND THEN SECONDLY, JUST A BRIEF PRESENTATION ON THE S.A.

SPEAK-UP PROGRAM THAT WILL LAUNCH OUR 2019 I HAVE A FEW SLIDES, THAT I'LL PASS OUT TO EACH OF YOU THAT SUMMARIZES THIS BUDGET PRESENTATION BUT ALSO SHARES WITH YOU OUR PERFORMANCE METRICS FOR THIS YEAR'S FINANCIAL PICTURE.

SO, TODAY I AM PRESENTING THE FIRST QUARTER FINANCIAL REPORT, IT'S FOR OUR CURRENT FISCAL YEAR 2018 THAT BEGAN OCTOBER 1.

AND THE STATUS OF THE INITIATIVES APPROVED BY THE CITY COUNCIL IN THIS YEAR'S BUDGET.

I'M ALSO RECOMMENDING FOR YOU

[02:05:01]

TODAY THE FISCAL YEAR 19 BUDGET PROCESS FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION.

SO, AS YOU KNOW, I MEET MOLLY WITH MY BUDGET AND FINANCE STAFF TO REVIEW FINANCIAL PERFORMANCE OF THE CITY AND REPORT QUARTERLY TO THE CITY COUNCIL.

THESE QUARTERLY REPORTS POSTED ON THE CITY'S WEBSITE.

THE FIRST THREE-PLUS NINE FINANCIAL PERFORMANCE REPORTS PROVIDES AN --

>> -- FINANCIAL DATA.

THE CITY'S CONSOLIDATED BUDGET FOR FISCAL YEAR 2018 IS 2.7 BILLION.

RESTRICTED FUNDS MAKE UP 858 MILLION OF THIS TOTAL.

THESE FUNDS ARE REGULATED BY EITHER FEDERAL, STATE OR LOCAL LAWS AND REVENUES FROM THESE FUNDS MUST BE USED FOR A SPECIFIC PURPOSE.

FOR EXAMPLE THE AVIATION FUND IS REGULAR LALTHED BY FEDERAL LAW AND ALL REVENUES GENERATED AT THE AIRPORT MUST BE USED TO SUPPORT AVIATION RELATED ACTIVITIES.

HOTEL OCCUPANCY TAX IS REGULATED BY STATUTE.

FUNDS MUST BE USED FOR TOURISM, CONVENTION OR HOTEL INDUSTRY-RELATED ACTIVITY.

THE FUND IS REGULATED BY STATE AND LOCAL LAW AND REVENUES COLLECTED IN THIS FUND MUST BE USED FOR WASTE MANAGEMENT SERVICES INCLUDING TRASH RECYCLING AND OUR ORGANIC COLLECTION MUCH THE SECOND COMPONENT OF THE 2018 CAPITAL BUDGET OF 639 MILLION, INCLUDES PROJECTS APPROVED BY THE VOTERS IN THE 2017 BUN PROGRAM AS WELL AS PROJECTS THAT ARE FUNDED THROUGH THE AIRPORT FOR AVIATION AT NEARLY 1.2 BILLION.

THE GENERAL FUND IS FUNDED BY FOUR MAJOR REVENUE SOURCES.

CPS PAYMENT MAKES UP 30 PERCENT OF GENERAL FUND REVENUES.

AS A REMIND IRTHE CITY SERVES 14 PERCENT OF ALL CPS GROSS REVENUE AS A RETURN ON INVESTMENT FOR THE RATE PAYERS AND A PAYMENT IN LIEU OF TAXES.

PROPERTY TAX IS THE SECOND LARGEST SOURCE OF REVENUE COMPRISING 29 PERCENT OF THE GENERAL FUND AND SALES TAXES MAKE UP 24 PERCENT OF REVENUE.

THE FINAL COMPONENT OF REVENUES IS THE OTHER SOURCES CATEGORY AND THIS INCLUDES REVENUES SUCH AS EMERGENCY MEDICAL SERVICE TRANSPORT, TELECOMMUNICATION FEES AND S.A.W.S. PAYMENT.

ALL OF THESE REVENUES COMBINE FUND IMPORTANT CITY SERVICES SUCH AS POLICE AND FIRE THAT CONSUME 66 PERCENT OF THE GENERAL FUND.

STREETS AND SIDEWALK, PARKS AND RECREATION, LIBRARIES, HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICE, ANIMAL CARE, PUBLIC HEALTH, THE MUNICIPAL COURT, CODE ENFORCEMENT AND GENERAL ADMINISTRATION OF THE CITY.

SO, FOR THE FIRST QUARTER OF THIS YEAR, THIS PHYSICAL YEAR IN THE GENERAL FUND, REVENUES ARE NET AHEAD OF BUDGET BY 5.4 MILLION.

>> AS I MENTIONED IN DECEMBER WHEN I PRESENTED THE FISCAL 2017 YEAR-END REPORT, THE FISCAL YEAR 2018 EMERGENCY MEDICAL SERVICES SUPPLEMENT AT PAYMENT FROM THE STATE WAS RECEIVED EARLIER THIS YEAR.

AND WAS 4.6 MILLION MORE THAN BUDGETED.

SO, THIS IS AN INCREASE THAT IS STRICTLY RELATED TO TIMING AS BACKGROUND IN 2010, THE STATE EXPANDED THE AMBULANCE SUPPLEMENT AT PAYMENT PROGRAM TO INCLUDE EMS SERVICES.

THE EXPANSION IS FUNDED THROUGH THE 11/15 WAIVER PROGRAM AND UNDER THIS PROGRAM THE STATE BEGAN MAKING SUPPLEMENTAL PAYMENTS TO CITY IN 2014 TO OFFSET UNCOMPENSATED CARE COST FOR AMBULANCE SERVICES, ALOE INDICATED TO MEDICAID AND UNINSURED PATIENTS.

OUR OTHER GENERAL FUND REVENUES NET AHEAD BY ONLY $1.3 MILLION AND YOU'LL SEE IN THE NEXT FEW SLIDES THAT SALES TAX AND CPS FOR THE FIRST QUARTER ARE BELOW BUDGET.

SO, FOR EXPANSES, WE HAVE REALIZED ALMOST 1.6 MILLION IN LESS EXPENSE IN OUR GENERAL FUND SO FAR IN THIS FIRST QUARTER.

SO BASED ON FIRST QUARTER FINANCIAL RESULTS THE GENERAL FUND IS PROJECTED TO BE AHEAD BY 7.8 MILLION WHICH IS LESS THAN 11 PERCENT BETTER THAN THE BUDGET ADOPTION.

6.1 MILLION IN ADDITIONAL REVENUE, 1.7 MILLION IN LESS EXPENSES AND IN THE NEXT FEW SLIDES I'LL REVIEW THE FIRST QUARTER STATUS AND PROJECTIONS

[02:10:02]

FOR PROPERTY TAX SALES TAX AS WELL AS CPS REVENUE.

FOR THE FIRST QUARTER THE REVENUES WE HAVE RECEIVED ARE IN LINE WITH THE BUDGET AND PROJECTING TO BE AT BUDGET BY THE END OF THIS FISCAL YEAR.

ANNUALLY IN JULY THE CITY RECEIVED THE CERTIFIED APPRAISAL RULE FROM THE BEXAR APPRAISAL DISTRICT OFFICE WHICH PROVIDES THE CITY WITH THE TOTAL APPRAISED VALUE FOR THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO.

WITH THIS INFORMATION THERE'S LITTLE DEVIATION BETWEEN WHAT IS BUDGETED AND ESTIMATES.

IN THE FIRST QUARTER, SALES TAX IS SLIGHTLY BELOW BUDGET BY 435,000 AND PROJECTING TO BE BELOW BUDGET BY ALMOST 2 MILLION BY THE END OF THE YEAR.

THE GRAPH ON THE RIGHT SHOWS THE BUDGET AND ACTUAL COLLECTION FOR SALES TAX BY MONTH THROUGH JANUARY.

THE BUDGET FOR SALES TAX IS IN GRAY AND THE ACTUAL AMOUNT COLLECTED IN GREEN.

FOR THE FIRST THREE MONTHS WE DIRECTED APPROXIMATELY 435,000 LESS THAN BUDGET.

JANUARY SALES, WHICH REFLECT CHRISTMAS SALES, WERE 1.1 MILLION, OR 3.4 PERCENT BELOW BUDGET FOR JANUARY.

THE DALLAS FEDERAL RESERVE IN LATE JANUARY REPORTED THAT RETAIL SALES THOUGHT TEXAS FELL IN JANUARY FOR THE FIRST TIME SINCE JULY.

THE DALLAS FEDS RETAIL SALES INDEX WHICH MEASURES THE PACE OF SAILS IN THE INDUSTRY'S HEALTH DROPPED INTO NEGATIVE TERRITORY IN JANUARY, INDICATING THAT RETAIL SALES ARE SHRINKING.

THROUGH JANUARY, WE HAVE COLLECTED 2.9 PERCENT MORE IN SALES TAX THAN LAST YEAR DURING THE SAME PERIOD OF TIME, BUT IT IS LESS THAN WHAT WE BUDGETED.

IN FISCAL YEAR 2018 YEAR-END PROJECTION IS 3.6 PERCENT HIGHER THAN FIS YAL YEAR 17 BUT SLIGHTLY LOWER THAN WHAT WE BUDGETED AT 4 PERCENT.

SO WE ARE COLLECTING MORE THAN LAST YEAR, BUT IT IS STILL LESS THAN WHAT WE ANTICIPATED WHEN WE ADOPTED THE BUDGET.

WITH CPS, WE ARE BELOW BUDGET AT THE FIRST QUARTER BY APPROXIMATELY 858,000 HOWEVER, WE ARE PROJECTING TO BE AT BUDGET BY YEAR-END DUE TO INCREASED REVENUE FROM THE COLDER WEATHER IN JANUARY.

THE GRAPH ON THE RIGHT ILLUSTRATES THE BUDGET AND ACTUAL COLLECTION FOR CPS BY MONTH THROUGH JANUARY.

THE BUDGET FOR CPS IS IN YELLOW AND THE ACTUAL AMOUNT COLLECT SD IN GREEN.

CPS REVENUE IS THE MOST VOLATILE REVENUE IN THE GENERAL FUND AND BASED ON CURRENT ROW JEKZ, CPS IS ESTIMATED TO BE AT BUDGET BY YEAR END.

SO IN SUMMARY WITH REGARD TO GENERAL FUND REVENUES, WE ARE PROJECTING A 13.8 MILLION BETTER ENDING BALANCE FOR FISCAL YEAR 2 2018, 6 MILLION IN ADDITIONAL ENDING BALANCE FOR FISCAL YEAR 2017 WHICH IS CONSISTENT WITH THE REPORT I PROVIDED COUNCIL IN DECEMBER.

4.8 MILLION IN MORE REVENUE AND LESS EXPENSE OF 1.2 MILLION IN HURRICANE HARVEY.

REIMBURSEMENTS WEAVE' RECEIVED AND I REPORTED THAT AT THE END OF YEAR 2017.

1.7 MILLION IN LESS EXPENSE FOR FISCAL YEAR 18 PROVIDES 13.8 MILLION AND BETTER ENDING BALANCE AS COMPARED TO THE ADOPTED BUDGET.

AT THIS TIME I RECOMMEND THAT THIS BETTER ENDING BALANCE WE RESERVED FOR THE 2019 STREET MAINTENANCE PROGRAM, OR OTHER PROGRAMS OR PROJECTS COUNCIL WOULD WISH TO FUND.

AS YOU KNOW ADDITIONAL 35 MILLION IN STREET MAINTENANCE ADDED THIS YEAR WAS W FUNDED WI ONE-TIME BALANCES FROM THE 2007 AND 2012 SAVINGS, SO, THUS, WE HAVE YET TO IDENTIFY 35 MILLION TO KEEP THIS PROGRAM ON TRACK IN FISCAL YEAR 2019.

WITH REGARD TO OUR RESTRICTED FUNDS, LET ME BEGIN WITH THE HOTEL OCCUPANCY TAX RATE.

AS YOU KNOW THE HOTEL OCCUPANCY TAX IS 16.75 PERCENT OF THAT, 9% IS ALLOCATED TO THE CITY.

6 PERCENT TO THE STATE.

AND 1.75 PERCENT TO BEXAR COUNTY.

OF THE 9 PERCENT, 2 PERCENT IS TO FUND THE CONVENTION CENTER EXPANSION DEBT SERVICE, AND THE 7 PERCENT PROVIDES FUNDING FOR VISIT S.A., THE CONVENTION AND SPORTS FACILITIES, AND 15 PERCENT EACH TO ARTS AND CULTURE.

IT ALSO FUNDS HISTORY AND PRESERVATION, WHICH IS THE MAXIMUM ALLOWED BY STATE LAW, 15 PERCENT FOR THOSE LAST TWO CATEGORIES.

ANNUAL REVENUE IS GENERATED BY THE HOT TAXES APPROXIMATELY 69

[02:15:02]

MILLION AND FOR THE FIRST QUARTER WE ARE BELOW BUDGET BY APPROXIMATELY 130,000 IN PROJECTING TO BE AT BUDGET BY FISCAL YEAR END.

THE NEGATIVE VARIANCE TODAY IS DUE TO A SLIGHT SLIP IN HOTEL ROOM DEMAND FOR NOVEMBER, RELATIVE TO THE PRIOR YEAR, HOWEVER, THE HOTEL MARKET ACTIVITY REMAINS STRONG AND WITH THE ANTICIPATED ADDITIONAL VISITORS FOOT THE TRISENCENTENN ACTIVITIES AND NCAA MEN'S FINAL FOUR BASKETBALL TOURNAMENT IN LATE MARCH WE DO EXPECT TO BE ON BUDGET.

THE EXPENSES FOR THE RESTRICTED FUND DEPARTMENTENS SUPPORTED BY HOT TAX INCLUDING THE CONVENTION SPORTS FACILITIES, VISIT SA AND ARTS AND CULTURE ARE ALL WITHIN THE ADOPTED BUDGET.

NOW, FOR DEVELOPMENT SERVICES.

THIS ENTERPRISE FUND IS 33 MILLION AND IS SUPPORTED BY REVENUES PAID BY DEVELOPERS AND RESIDENTIAL PERMIT USERS FOR THE FIRST QUARTER REVENUES ARE SLIGHTLY AHEAD OF BUDGET AND WE ANTICIPATE ENDING THE YEAR AT BUDGET.

EXPENSES ARE EXPECTED TO ENDS FISCAL YEAR 160,000 BELOW BUDGET WHICH REPRESENTS LESS THAN 1 PERCENT OF THE EXPENDITURES FOR THAT BUDGET.

IN SOLID WASTE THE SOLID WASTE ENTER PRIZE FUND IS AN OPERATING BUDGET OF 119 MILLION.

AND THE FIRST QUARTER.

REVENUES ARE 655,000 ABOVE BUDGET AND PROJECTED AT 1.6 MILLION AHEAD OF BUDGET BY YEAR END.

THIS IS DUE TO MORE CUSTOMERS RETAINING THE LARGER MORE EXPENSIVE BROWN CART.

WE PROJECTED A MIGRATION RATE OF 85 PERCENT IN THE LARGE CATEGORY, 10 PERCENT MEDIUM, 5 PERCENT SMALL BUT THE DISTRIBUTION HAS REMAINED 95 PERCENT.

2 PERCENT -- IN LARGE, 2 PERCENT MEDIUM.

3 PERCENT SMALL.

WE WILL PROVIDE RECOMMENDATIONS TO THE CITY COUNCIL SOON ON HOW TO FURTHER INCREASE OUR RECYCLING EFFORTS.

AS YOU KNOW, WE INCREASED RECYCLING, FROM 6 PERCENT TO 33 PERCENT TODAY.

THE COUNCIL ADOPTED POLICY GOAL IS 60 PERCENT BY THE YEAR 2025.

FOR EXPENSES IN THE SOLID THE FUND IS ANTICIPATED TO BE 400,000 OVER BUDGET, DUE TO -- PERHAPS IN AUDIO ] BUT OVERALL THAT WILL BE BALANCED BITE END OF THE FISCAL YEAR.

A COUPLE OF COMMENTS ON THE PROJECTS COUNCIL REQUESTED BE INCLUDED IN THIS FISCAL YEAR BUDGET, OR GREATER EMPHASIS TO THEM, FIRST WITH REGARD TO OUR STREET MAINTENANCE PROGRAMS THE TOTAL STREET BUDGET OF 99 MILLION WILL ALLOW FOR THE COMPLETION OF MORE THAN 1100 PROJECTS CITY WIDE.

THESE ARE STREETS, WALK IMPROVEMENTS THROUGHOUT THE COMMUNITY.

FOR THE FIRST QUARTER 165 PROJECTS HAVE ALREADY BEEN COMPLETED.

WITH AN ADDITIONAL 130 PROJECTS THAT WE WILL COMPLETE IN THE SECOND QUARTER, 389 IN THE THIRD, AND 394 IN THE FOURTH QUARTER.

THERE ARE ABOUT 100 PROJECTS THAT WILL BE COMPLETED FROM THIS YEAR'S BUDGET IN FISCAL YEAR 2019, AS MOST OF THOSE ARE MAJOR RECONSTRUCTION PROJECTS THAT TAKE MORE THAN 12 MONTHS TO COMPLETE.

WITH REGARD TO PUBLIC SAFETY, LET ME BEGIN WITH OUR BUDGET FOR THE POLICE DEPARTMENT, WHICH ADDED 42 NEW POLICE OFFICER POSITIONS THIS YEAR.

25 NEW POLICE OFFICERS THROUGH OUR COMMUNITY ORIENTED POLICING SERVICES GRANT, FROM THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT, WHERE WE MATCH FEDERAL FUNDS AND LOCAL FUNDS TO HIRE THOSE OFFICERS.

PLUS, 8 NEW SAFE OFFICERS, THREE NEW POLICE OFFICERS FOR THE ANNEXATION AREAS OF FOSTER ROAD AND BABCOCK, FOUR NEW PARK POLICE AND TWO NEW AIRPORT POLICE.

THE POLICE DEPARTMENT HAS ALREADY STARTED TWO NEW ACADEMY CLASSES SO FAR THIS FISCAL YEAR.

>> 25 OF THE COPS GRANT FUNDED OFFICERS.

THREE MORE CLASSES ARE SCHEDULED THIS FISCAL YEAR BEGINNING IN APRIL, JULY, AND SEPTEMBER.

AND THE EIGHT NEW SAFE OFFICERS WILL BE ASSIGNED TO WEST AND EAST PRECINCTS AND FOUR PARK POLICE AND TWO AIRPORT POLICE WILL BE TRAINED THIS SPRING.

WITH REGARD TO THE FIRE DEPARTMENT, THE FISCAL YEAR 2018 BUDGET ADDED A TOTAL OF 43 NEW FIREFIGHTERS TO INCLUDE 15 NEW FIREFIGHTERS FOR ONE LADDER COMPANY TO ENHANCE LADDER COVERAGE.

12 NEW PARAMEDICS FOR ONE NEW

[02:20:01]

EMERGENCY MEDICAL SERVICES UNIT FOR HIGH-VOLUME CALLS AT THE MEDICAL CENTER.

15 NEW FIREFIGHTERS FOR THE FOSTER ROAD ANNEXATION AREA.

ONE NEW TRAINING OFFICER FOR AIRPORT RESCUE AND FIREFIGHTER TRAINING COORDINATION PAID FOR BY THE AVIATION FUND.

THE TRAINING OFFICER BEGAN IN JANUARY.

THE MEDIC UNIT AND LADDER ARE SCHEDULED TO BE ONLINE BY JULY AND 27 FIREFIGHTERS FOR THE LADDER UNITS ARE IN THE JANUARY 2018 ACADEMY CLASS.

I WOULD ALSO LIKE TO SHARE WITH YOU THE RECOMMENDED BUDGET CALENDAR THAT SETS DATES AND EVENTS FOR FISCAL YEAR 2019.

WITH CITY COUNCIL INPUT WE WILL ADJUST THE SCHEDULE ACCORDINGLY.

WE ASK YOU FOR YOUR INPUT BY NEXT WEEK.

IF YOU CAN SHARE THAT WITH MARIA OR ME BY MARCH 8 THEN WE WILL PUBLISH THE FINAL CALENDAR AND THAT WILL BE DISTRIBUTED AND OF COURSE POSTED ONLINE FOR THE PUBLIC AS THIS PUBLICATION OF A BUDGET CALENDAR IS REQUIRED BY LAW.

WE ARE GOING TO MAKE SOME OTHER PRESENTATIONS ON THE BUDGET COMING UP IN THE NEXT TWO MONTHS.

FIRST WE'LL PRESENT ON APRIL 18, THE SIX PLUS SIX REPORT.

THAT'S OUR MID YEAR BUDGET ADJUSTMENT.

AND WE WILL PRESENT OUR FIVE-YEAR FINANCIAL FORECAST.

WE'LL PLAN ON APRIL 19 ANY ADJUSTMENTS THE COUNCIL WOULD LIKE TO MAKE AND ADOPT IN REGARD TO THE MID YEAR BUDGET REVIEW.

WE HAVE SCHEDULED AND COORDINATED A CITY COUNCIL GOAL-SETTING SESSION FOR BUDGET PURPOSES ON MAY 30TH.

AND WE HAVE SCHEDULED AUGUST 9 TO PRESENT THE FISCAL YEAR 2019 PROPOSED BUDGET.

AND BUDGET ADOPTION IS SCHEDULED FOR SEPTEMBER 13 AS WE ARE REQUIRED TO ADOPT THE BUDGET BEFORE SEPTEMBER 27 BY CHARTER.

SO, IN SUMMARY, THE GENERAL FUND FINANCIAL POSITION IS PROJECTED SLIGHTLY BETTER THAN AT BUDGET ADOPTION.

THERE IS TREMENDOUS UNCERTAINTY, THOUGH, WITH THE FEDERAL AND STATE BUDGETS THAT COULD IMPACT SERVICE SERVICES.

WE'RE ALREADY BEING ASKED QUESTIONS ABOUT REDUCTIONS THAT THE STATE AND FEDERAL BUDGETS MAY IMPOSE ON US LOCALLY AND WHETHER OR NOT WE'RE GOING TO PICK UP THOSE SERVICES THROUGH THE CITY'S ANNUAL BUDGET, WHICH WILL BE VERY DIFFICULT TO DO UNDER OUR CURRENT REVENUE SITUATION.

SO WE'RE NOT RECOMMENDING THAT WE USE ANY OF THE GREATER GROWTH AND REVENUES FOR OUR GENERAL FUND AT THIS TIME BUT WE CONTINUE TO MONITOR THE STATE AND FEDERAL BUDGETS TO DETERMINE A BETTER HANDLE ON THE IMPACT ON OUR OVERALL BUDGET.

AND WE DO RECOMMEND RESERVING THAT UNTIL WE GET INTO THE FISCAL YEAR '19 BUDGET SO WE KNOW BETTER WHAT OUR FINANCIAL POSITION IS.

AGAIN, I JUST WANT TO DRAW YOUR ATTENTION TO THIS THREE-RING BINDER AND THANK JUSTINA OUR BUDGET DIRECTOR AND OUR TEAM AND ALSO OUR FINANCE STAFF, BEN GORZELL, TROY ELLIOTT, AND THE ENTIRE TEAM.

AS I SAID, WE MEET ON A MONTHLY BASIS TO REVIEW THE INCOME AND EXPENSE FOR ALL OF OUR CITY FUNDS AND THE PROGRESS WE ARE MAKING WITH REGARD TO OUR PERFORMANCE METRICS FOR EACH OF THE DEPARTMENTS.

YOU'LL NOTE IN THIS BINDER THAT THERE ARE OVER 60 DIFFERENT CATEGORIES THAT WE MEASURE FOR OUR DEPARTMENTS ON THEIR PERFORMANCE, AND SO WE'RE GIVING YOU AN UPDATE BASED ON OUR FIRST QUARTER REVIEW.

SO THAT IS THE FIRST ITEM FOR TODAY, MAYOR.

AND SECONDLY, AND TYING IN WITH OUR BUDGET CONVERSATION, OUR NEXT ITEM IS A PREVIEW OF THE UPCOMING SA SPEAK UP PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT CAMPAIGN TO GATHER MORE INPUT FOR THE FISCAL YEAR 2019 BUDGET.

SA SPEAK UP GATHERS INPUT FROM OUR RESIDENTS ON THE CITY BUDGET IN ADVANCE OF THE COUNCIL'S BUDGET WORK SESSION AND TO HELP CITY COUNCIL AND STAFF IN DEVELOPING A BUDGET THAT ALIGNS WITH THE COMMUNITY'S PRIORITIES.

BY CHARTER AND STATE LAW THE CITY IS ONLY REQUIRED TO HOST ONE PUBLIC HEARING REGARDING THE BUDGET AND PUBLIC HEARING ON THE TAX RATE.

IN 2006 WE BEGAN HOSTING BUDGET MEETINGS OUT IN THE COMMUNITY.

WE TOOK THE BUDGET CONVERSATIONS TO COUNCIL DISTRICTS TO ENSURE THAT WE WERE PROVIDING OPPORTUNITIES FOR FEEDBACK FROM RESIDENTS IN THEIR NEIGHBORHOODS WHERE IT WAS EASY TO TALK WITH US.

HOWEVER, WE NOTICED THAT OFTENTIMES PUBLIC HEARINGS AND MEETINGS DRAW THE SAME PEOPLE WHO ALWAYS PARTICIPATE AND WE WANTED TO EXPAND OUR OUTREACH TO ENGAGE RESIDENTS WHO AREN'T TYPICALLY ENGAGED IN THEIR CITY GOVERNMENT, FOR THEM TO LEARN ABOUT HOW WE BUDGET BUT ALSO TO PROVIDE US INPUT ON WHAT'S MOST IMPORTANT TO THEM.

TO THE OFFICE OF MANAGEMENT AND BUDGET AND GOVERNMENT AND PUBLIC

[02:25:03]

AFFAIRS COLLABORATED TO LAUNCH SPEAK UP S.A. FOUR YEARS AGO.

WE CONTINUE TO REFINE THE PROGRAM AND THE CAMPAIGN HAS REALLY TAKEN OFF.

WE HAVE TRIPLED THE NUMBER OF RESPONSES FROM LESS TO 2,000 THREE YEARS AGO TO MORE THAN 6,000 RESIDENTS NEAR.

AND THE CAMPAIGN INCLUDES TRADITIONAL GRASSROOTS OUTREACH SUCH AS BLOCK WALKING AND ONE-ON-ONE CONVERSATIONS FOR RESIDENTS AT PUBLIC MEETINGS AS WELL AS DIGITAL MARKETING, SOCIAL MEDIA BUYS, PODCASTS, AND EVEN INCENTIVES FOR PARTICIPATING SUCH AS FIESTA MEDALS THAT WE GIVE OUT TO ENTICE PEOPLE TO GIVE US ADDITIONAL INPUT ON OUR BUDGET.

THE CAMPAIGN CONTINUES TO EVOLVE.

WE ARE ABOUT CONTINUOUS IMPROVEMENT.

WE MODIFY IT EACH YEAR AND I WOULD JUST LIKE TO ASK JEFF COYLE TO MAKE A FEW COMMENTS AND SHARE WITH YOU OUR PLANS FOR SA SPEAK UP FOR OUR FISCAL 2019 BUDGET.

>> THANK YOU, MAYOR AND COUNCIL.

I'LL BE QUICK BUT THIS IS AN IMPORTANT PART OF THE BUDGETING PROCESS.

WE KNOW HOW IMPORTANT IT IS TO EACH OF YOU TO ENGAGE YOUR CONSTITUENTS IN THIS PROCESS AND ALSO WE RECOGNIZE THAT A NUMBER OF YOU CAME INTO OFFICE AT THE TAIL END OF LAST YEAR'S CAMPAIGN.

I WANT TO START VERY QUICKLY WITH JUST A ONE-MINUTE VIDEO THAT ENCAPSULATED WHAT WE DID FOR THIS FISCAL YEAR.

>> SAN ANTONIO IS A LARGE DIVERSE CITY WITH A $2.7 BILLION BUDGET.

HOW DO WE GET OUR RESIDENTS INVOLVED? WE TAKE IT TO THOME.

THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO MADE BUDGETING EASIER THAN EVER TO UNDERSTAND WITH ITS SA SPEAK UP CAMPAIGN.

WE VISIT COMMUNITY-WIDE EVENTS TO FIND OUT WHAT OUR RESIDENTS WANTED TO SEE IN THEIR CITY BUDGET.

>> I THINK IT'S FANTASTIC.

IT SEEMS TO ME WHENEVER YOU HAVE TO DEAL WITH THE CITY IT'S OFTENTIMES YOU NEED TO SHOW UP AT CITY HALL OR YOU NEED TO FILL OUT SOME KIND OF ARCHAIC FORM.

THIS IS A GREAT WAY TO GET PEOPLE KIND OF QUICK HITS, SAY WHAT'S REALLY IMPORTANT TO YOU.

>> WE TOOK THE PROPOSED BUDGET ON THE ROAD TO SIX DIFFERENT COMMUNITY NIGHTS TO SHOW HOW FEEDBACK WAS USED AND SEE WHAT THEY THINK.

>> THIS IS THE FIRST TIME WE HAVE EVER HAD A COMMUNITY BUDGET SESSION IN SPANISH.

FOR A LONG TIME, MEMBERS OF OUR COMMUNITY WHO DID NOT SPEAK EVERYTHING WERE LEFT OUT OF THE PROCESS.

>> WE MAKE IT EASY FOR SAN ANTONIO TO --

>> SPEAK UP!

>> SO, AS YOU CAN SEE, IT IS INTENDED TO BE FUN.

IT'S VERY UNBUREAUCRATIC IN ITS APPROACH.

OUR GOALS REALLY ARE TO MAKE SURE THAT PEOPLE KNOW HOW AND WHEN THEY CAN PARTICIPATE.

WE PUT A LOT OF EFFORT INTO PROMOTING AND ADVERTISING THAT.

NUMBER TWO, GIVING THEM A VEHICLE TO GIVE INPUT THAT WE CAN ULTIMATELY PRESENT TO YOU AS YOU ALL MAKE YOUR DECISIONS ABOUT THE BUDGET.

AS SHERYL MENTIONED, BY LAW WE ARE ONLY REQUIRED TO DO ONE PUBLIC HEARING.

AND PRIOR TO HER TENURE THAT WAS ABOUT WHAT THE CITY DID.

WE DO A LOT MORE NOW.

WE DO OPEN HOUSES AFTER THE PROPOSED BUDGET IS PRESENTED IN AUGUST.

THAT INVOLVED, AS THE MAYOR MENTIONED, THE SPANISH LANGUAGE OPEN HOUSE.

WE HAD A MILLENNIAL-FOCUSED ONE.

WE HAVE DONE SOME BLOCK WALKING TO DRIVE ATTENDANCE.

IT'S ALL CENTERED AROUND A VERY SIMPLE SURVEY THAT WE DO ONLINE, E-MAIL, IN PAPER AT A NUMBER OF CITY PLACES.

WE DISTRIBUTE IT TO ALL OF OUR PARTNER ORGANIZATIONS.

AND WE'LL EVEN CAPTURE PEOPLE'S COMMENTS ON SOCIAL MEDIA AND INCLUDE THAT IN THE PACKET TO YOU.

AS SHERYL MENTIONED, THE GROWTH HAS BEEN EXPONENTIAL.

1900 IN 2015.

THAT WAS THE YEAR WE DID MEET UPS WHERE WE COORDINATED WITH GROUPS AND WENT TO THEIR EVENTS.

THAT WAS VERY TIME INTENSIVE AND THE AUDIENCE WAS LIMITED TO WHO THE GROUP COULD GET THERE, SO IN 2016 WE STARTED GOING OUT TO THE COMMUNITY, PICKING EVENTS THAT WERE DRAWING FOLKS FROM ALL PARTS OF TOWN.

AND ESSENTIALLY DEPLOYING STREET TEAMS THAT WE'RE CALLING OUR SA SPEAK UP SQUADS TO STOP PEOPLE BEFORE THEIR 5KS.

LAST YEAR WE ADDED THE FIESTA MEDALS, AMONG OTHER THINGS, AND THAT PUSHED NUMBERS EVEN HIGHER.

WHERE I KEEP SETTING THE BAR HIGHER AND HIGHER FOR LAURA MAYS, WHO IS THE BRAIN CHILD, WE KEEP SETTING THE BAR HIGHER AND WE KEEP EXCEEDING IT.

WE EXPECT TO DO THAT THIS YEAR TOO.

VERY QUICKLY, IN TERMS OF DEMOGRAPHICS, WE DID HAVE MORE WOMEN AND MEN LAST YEAR.

WE ALSO HAD A LITTLE BIT MORE WHITE RESPONDENTS THAN HISPANIC, ALTHOUGH THE GAP CLOSED FROM 16-17 IT HAD BEEN ABOUT A 9% DIFFERENCE AND WE BROUGHT IT DOWN TO 2.5, WITH 10% NOT WANTING TO ANSWER THAT QUESTION AND ABOUT 5% AFRICAN AMERICAN.

THEN BY COUNCIL DISTRICT, IT'S NOT AN EVEN DISTRIBUTION.

WE DO OUR BEST TO MAKE IT SO.

THIS YEAR WE'RE REALLY GOING TO

[02:30:04]

OVEREMPHASIZE THE DISTRICTS WHERE WE HAD LOWER RESPONSES TO TRY TO GET IT AS EVEN A DISTRIBUTION AS POSSIBLE.

WE COULD MAKE IT A PERFECT DISTRIBUTION IF WE DID A SCIENTIFIC STUDY LIKE WE DO WITH OUR COMMUNITY SURVEY, WHICH WILL ALSO BE TAKING PLACE THIS SPRING.

BUT THEN THE ONLY PEOPLE THAT GET TO PARTICIPATE ARE THOSE THAT ARE RANDOMLY SELECTED AND ANSWER THE CALL AT HOME OR ON THEIR CELL.

WE WANT TO GIVE EVERYONE AN OPPORTUNITY TO SAY.

SO IT'S NEVER GOING TO BE PERFECT.

I WILL SAY THIS DISTRIBUTION WAS SKEWED THIS WAY MOSTLY BECAUSE OF THE ONLINE.

WHEN WE PULL THE ONLINE RESPONSES OUT OF IT WE ACTUALLY SEE A HEAVIER RESPONSE AMONG DISTRICTS 1 THROUGH 6.

AND THEN WHEN YOU LAYER IN THE ONLINE COMPONENT IT PUSHES UP 7, 8, 9, AND 10.

WE'RE GOING TO MAKE EVERY EFFORT WE CAN TO GET EVERY DISTRICT AS CLOSE TO 10% AS POSSIBLE, AND WE'LL SHARE THAT WITH YOU AT THE WORK SESSION.

THERE'S REALLY TWO COMPONENTS.

I'LL BE VERY QUICK HERE, BUT THE IN-PERSON PART AND THE DIGITAL COMPONENT.

WE'RE GOING TO DO ABOUT 30 EVENTS THIS YEAR.

THE PRINCIPLE HERE IS NOT TO DO A DISTRICT 2 OR DISTRICT 6 EVENT.

WE TRY TO FIND EVENTS IN EVERY DISTRICT THAT DRAW PEOPLE FROM ALL OVER THE COMMUNITY, DIFFERENT DEMOGRAPHICS.

EVERYTHING FROM FIRST FRIDAY AT THE BRICK TO THE DERBY CAR EVENT AT DIGNOWITY WILL TO THE RACE FOR THE CURE AT THE ALAMODOME.

FIESTA DE LOS NINOS.

WE TRY TO MAKE THE SURVEY SIMPLE.

IF SOMEONE IS GETTING READY FOR A 5K THEY'RE NOT GOING TO STAND AND TAKE A TEN-MINUTE SURVEY.

WE TRY TO HAVE THEM IN AND OUT IN A MINUTE OR SO.

AND WE ALSO LEAVE THESE SURVEYS AT ALL THE LIBRARIES AND COMMUNITY CENTERS AND SENIOR CENTERS AND GROUPS THAT REQUEST THEM WE WILL PROVIDE THEM WITH PACKETS.

THE ESPERANZA CENTER ASKS FOR SURVEYS, SO WE'LL PROVIDE THEM TO ANYONE WHO WANTS TO COMPLETE THEM.

WE'LL TAKE COMMENTS DIGITALLY AND PUT MONEY BEHIND ADVERTISING ONLINE SO PEOPLE WILL PARTICIPATE IN THAT WAY.

AND A FEW NEW WRINKLES FOR THIS YEAR.

WE ARE GOING TO ENGAGE OUR BLOGGER COMMUNITY, ESSENTIALLY.

THOSE WHO SPEAK TO CERTAIN DEMOGRAPHICS IN THE COMMUNITY AND OUR INFLUENCERS ONLINE.

AND ENGAGE THEM EARLY, TREAT THEM THE WAY WE TREAT TRADITIONAL MEDIA SO THAT THEY WILL UTILIZE THEIR AUDIENCES.

WE DID THAT WITH THE ALAMODOME.

WE DID A SNEAK PEEK WITH A NUMBER OF BLOGGERS AND ONLINE FOLKS AND IT WAS A TREMENDOUS SUCCESS.

WE HAD OVER 100 ORIGINAL POSTS ONLINE AND ALMOST 300,000 IMPRESSIONS FROM THEM COMING, TASTING THE FOOD, SEEING THE BIG SCREENS AND THE SOUND SYSTEM.

SO WE'RE GOING TO DEPLOY THAT HERE TOO.

I MENTIONED THE WHOLE PRINCIPLE IS GOING TO WHERE PEOPLE ARE.

SO ONE OF THE WAYS WE'LL DRIVE UP THE NUMBERS IN THE DISTRICTS THAT HAVE PERFORMED LOWER IN THE PAST IS GOING TO GROCERY STORES, CITY PARKS ON WEEKENDS.

IT WILL BE A LATER PHASE IN THE CAMPAIGN AS WE START TO LOOK AT THE NUMBERS AND SEE WHERE WE NEED TO PUT OUR EFFORT.

WE'LL SUPPLEMENT, IN THAT SENSE.

AND THEN HERE'S WHAT WE'RE ASKING OF YOU.

WE WOULD LOVE FOR EACH OF YOU TO APPOINT A DISTRICT LIAISON, A NEIGHBORHOOD LEADER, COMMUNITY VOLUNTEER, SOMEBODY WHO IS VERY ACTIVE AND WELL-CONNECTED WHO WOULD TAKE ON THE RESPONSIBILITY FOR HELPING SPREAD THE WORD ABOUT THE CAMPAIGN.

WE REALLY WANT YOUR INPUT IN EVENTS THAT WE SHOULD ATTEND.

AND WE, OF COURSE, WOULD LOVE FOR YOU TO DISTRIBUTE THE SURVEY TO EVERYBODY YOU CAN.

YOU HAVE HUGE FOLLOWINGS.

IF YOU WILL COME TO SOME OF THESE EVENTS IT'S AN EXTRA DRAW FOR PEOPLE TO BE THERE.

WE REALLY HOPE TO WORK CLOSELY WITH YOUR OFFICES TO DRIVE UP NUMBERS.

TIMING.

WE'RE LOOKING AT A MID-MARCH LAUNCH.

WE HAVEN'T SET A DATE YET BUT WE'RE GOING TO KICK IT OFF WITH A PRESS CONFERENCE SOMEWHERE AROUND SPRING BREAK.

IT WILL LIKELY BE RIGHT AFTER THAT.

THEN WE'RE GOING TO RUN THE CAMPAIGN THROUGH THE TRICENTENNIAL COMMEMORATIVE WEEK SO WE CAPTURE ALL THOSE PEOPLE OUT AT EVENTS.

FIRST WEEK OF MAY WE'LL WRAP THINGS UP AND START TALLYING THE RESULTS TO PRESENT TO YOU AT THE BUDGET WORK SESSION.

I'M HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS.

>> MAYOR NIRENBERG: THANK YOU, JEFF.

THANK YOU, SHERYL, FOR THE PRESENTATION.

WE'VE GOT A FEW COUNCIL QUESTIONS AND COMMENTS.

COUNCILWOMAN VIAGRAN.

>> VIAGRAN: THANK YOU, MAYOR AND THANK YOU, JEFF AND LAURA FOR ALL OF YOUR WORK WITH THE SA SPEAK UP.

I THINK THIS IS GOING TO BE A GREAT COMPLEMENT WITH WHAT COUNCILWOMAN SANDOVAL'S CCR IS LOOKING AT WITH THE PUBLIC PARTICIPATION, OUR PARTICIPATION IN THE COMMUNITY.

I THINK WE HAVE A LOT OF MISSED OPPORTUNITIES AND THAT'S ONE OF THE REASONS I WAS PROUD TO SIGN ON.

BECAUSE WE HAVE SO MANY PEOPLE

[02:35:02]

WHO MAKE THEIR VOICES HEARD EITHER WITH SIDEWALKS OR THROUGH 311, WHO CALL ABOUT SOLID WASTE, ABOUT SIDEWALKS, ABOUT CODE ENFORCEMENT OR ANIMAL CARE SERVICES OR THOSE PEOPLE WHO HAVE SIGNED UP TO SPEAK HERE ON CERTAIN ISSUES THAT WE HAVE CAPTURED THEIR INFORMATION, HOW CAN WE REENGAGE THEM.

ZONING, PEOPLE WHO SIGN THE CARDS.

KEEP THEIR INFORMATION PRIVATE BUT ENGAGE THEM WITH THIS PROCESS.

AND IT GOES BACK TO OUR DATA COLLECTION AND HOW WE ARE USING THAT DATA SAFELY AND ENGAGING.

BECAUSE THEY HAVE ALREADY BEEN ENGAGED IF THEY CAME HERE TO SPEAK OR CAME TO CITY HALL OR CITIZENS TO BE HEARD, LET'S MAKE SURE WE HAVE THAT INFORMATION SO YOU ALL HAVE IT SO WE CAN ENGAGE THEM FURTHER DOWN THE ROAD.

SO I'M HAPPY TO SEE THAT.

I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO GIVING YOU THOSE CONTACTS AND THOSE PEOPLE I'M GLAD TO SEE MOVE SAN ANTONIO.

THEY ARE ALREADY DOING THEIR PARTY AT THE POLLS.

THEY WERE AT MISSION MARQUEE TOO, SO WE'RE HAPPY TO SEE THEM DOING THE WORK THEY ARE DOING.

YOU ALL NEED TO MAKE A NOTE TO GO TO SAN JOSE MISSION FEST DURING FIESTA WEEK IN DISTRICT 3.

A LOT OF PEOPLE, A LOT OF GREAT OPPORTUNITIES.

AND ANOTHER THING THAT YOU CAN DO TO INCENTIVIZE IS AT THESE MEET UPS OR AT THESE LOCATIONS TELL PEOPLE THAT YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE ANOTHER -- INSTEAD OF THAT VIDEO THAT YOU STARTED WITH, HAVE ANOTHER DESPOCITO VIDEO WHERE JEFF COYLE OR MICHAEL CAN DANCE WITH PEOPLE AND WE'LL MAKE SURE WE HAVE A DESPOCITO VIDEO MADE.

THOSE ARE MY RECOMMENDATIONS THERE.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH, SHERYL, FOR THE PRESENTATION.

I'M GLAD WE'RE GOING TO HAVE A LARGER DISCUSSION AT A B SESSION FURTHER DOWN THE LINE.

I WILL SAY I THINK MY CONCERNS ARE VERY MUCH LIKE YOURS.

WE DON'T KNOW WHAT THESE UNFUNDED MANDATES WILL BE COMING THROUGH FROM THE STATE, BUT ALSO FROM THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT.

AND WE'RE LOOKING AT TRANSPORTATION AND WHEN WE'RE LOOKING AT INFRASTRUCTURE COSTS.

THOSE ARE THINGS WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO PLAN FOR IN THE FUTURE.

ONE OF THE THINGS I HAVE TO PLAN FOR IN THE FUTURE TOO, AND I HAVE MADE IT KNOWN TO YOU AND OTHERS, IS WE NEED A POLICE SUBSTATION IN DISTRICT 3.

WE ARE HAVING TO SHARE THE SOUTH AND THE EAST, WHICH IS IN BOTH DISTRICTS 2 AND 4.

BUT IT DOES -- WE ARE CONTINUING TO GROW SO WE NEED TO SEE THIS SUBSTATION CLOSER TO 410 TO THE SOUTHERN SECTOR BECAUSE WE KNOW THAT THIS IS CONTINUING TO GROW.

SO I WANTED TO BE SURE THAT THAT IS GOING TO BE A FOCUS OF MINE AND A FOCUS THAT WE HAVE SEEN IN THE COMMUNITY THAT THEY HAVE WANTED FOR THE COVERAGE FROM SAPD.

SO WITH THAT, THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

THANK YOU FOR ALL OF THE WORK JUSTINA AND YOUR TEAM.

I REALLY APPRECIATE IT.

THANK YOU.

>> MAYOR NIRENBERG: THANK YOU, COUNCILWOMAN VIAGRAN.

COUNCILWOMAN GONZALES.

>> GONZALES: THANK YOU, SHERYL, AND THANK YOU, JEFF FOR THE PRESENTATION.

WE LOOK FORWARD TO ADDRESSING THIS AS THE YEAR GOES ON.

I JUST WANTED TO TAKE THIS OPPORTUNITY TO PUBLICLY THANK SOME OF OUR FIRST RESPONDERS IN CASE I DON'T HAVE ANOTHER OPPORTUNITY.

AS I WAS LEAVING A VERY CONTENTIOUS PUBLIC MEETING A FEW NIGHTS AGO KEVIN AND I WERE LEAVING THE NEIGHBORHOOD AND WE FOUND AN INDIVIDUAL UNCONSCIOUS ON THE SIDE OF THE ROAD.

I CALLED 9-1-1 AND BEFORE I COULD EVEN HANG UP THE PHONE THE FIRST RESPONDERS WERE COMING AROUND THE BLOCK.

AND SO I JUST AM VERY THANKFUL FOR THAT.

THEY IMMEDIATELY RESPONDED TO THE INDIVIDUAL AND GAVE HIM AN INJECTION, WHICH I THINK IS SOME OF THE DRUG THAT I KNOW THAT THEY HAVE ON HAND ALL THE TIME TO HELP PEOPLE IN THE EVENT OF AN OVERDOSE.

AND I THINK THAT'S WHAT HAD HAPPENED THERE.

BUT I LEFT AS SOON AS I KNEW EVERYTHING WAS UNDER CONTROL AND THE RESPONSE TIME COULD HAVE BEEN TWO MINUTES, THREE AT THE VERY MOST.

SO I JUST WANT TO HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO THANK THEM AS I KNOW THAT FUNDING IS ALWAYS A CONCERN FOR OUR FIRST RESPONDERS.

THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY.

>> MAYOR NIRENBERG: THANK YOU, COUNCILWOMAN GONZALES.

COUNCILWOMAN SANDOVAL.

>> SANDOVAL: THANK YOU, MAYOR.

THANK YOU, JEFF AND SHERYL FOR YOUR PRESENTATIONS.

JEFF, GREAT JOB TO YOU AND YOUR TEAM, OF COURSE, FOR EXPANDING THE OUTREACH AND GETTING THE MESSAGE OUT THERE.

I THINK YOU'VE COME UP WITH SOME VERY NOVEL WAYS, AT LEAST NOVEL TO ME, OF GETTING THE WORD OUT.

THE BLOCK WALKING, THE BLOGGERS, AND I COMPLETELY THINK THAT YOU HAVE THE ABSOLUTELY RIGHT APPROACH ABOUT GOING WHERE PEOPLE ARE INSTEAD OF WAITING FOR THEM TO COME TO US.

BUT I ALSO WANT TO ECHO THE COUNCILWOMAN'S COMMENTS.

YOU AND I DID TALK ABOUT THE CCR

[02:40:02]

BEFORE IT WAS SUBMITTED, TO I REALLY APPRECIATE YOUR COLLABORATION WITH ME ON THAT.

BUT THE COUNCILWOMAN BRINGS UP A GOOD POINT IS THAT WE DON'T HAVE TO START THE CAMPAIGN FROM SCRATCH EVERY YEAR BECAUSE WE HAVE PEOPLE THAT ARE ENGAGED WITH THE CITY THROUGHOUT OUR PROCESSES, EVEN IF THEY'RE NOT ABOUT BUDGET THEY ARE ENGAGED WITH US IN OTHER WAYS.

SO GOING FORWARD WE DO NEED TO THINK ABOUT HOW WE'RE GOING TO CAPTURE THAT INFORMATION SO THAT THEY KNOW THAT THERE'S AN OPPORTUNITY TO FIND A SOLUTION TO WHATEVER THEIR CONCERN IS THROUGH THE BUDGETING PROCESS.

I WANT TO ASK IN TERMS OF WHEN WE DO THIS SURVEY, I THINK I HAVE SEEN THE SURVEY RESULTS BEFORE, ARE WE ASKING PEOPLE TO GIVE AN OPINION IN TERMS OF THE AREA OF FUNDING? BECAUSE THAT'S HOW WE HAVE SEEN THE RESULTS IN THE PAST? OR SPECIFIC PROJECTS?

>> NOT SPECIFIC PROJECTS.

WHAT WE FIND IS THAT THE VAST MAJORITY OF PEOPLE ARE NOT GOING TO BE INFORMED ENOUGH ABOUT A SPECIFIC INITIATIVE THAT COUNCIL MAY BE CONSIDERING.

WHAT WE DO IS TAKE THE LARGEST CATEGORIES OF THE BUDGET.

IN THE PAST TWO YEARS WE HAVE ASKED THEM TO RANK THEM, TO PRIORITIZE THEM AS MOST IMPORTANT TO LEAST IMPORTANT.

WE HAVE ALSO ASKED WHAT THEY USE MOST OFTEN.

BUT IT OCCURRED TO US THIS YEAR THAT PEOPLE MIGHT STILL -- AS THE LAST SEVERAL YEARS, THE RESULTS HAVE BEEN STREETS AND SIDEWALKS FIRST, PUBLIC SAFETY SECOND.

PARKS AND LIBRARIES AND SO ON.

THEY MAY STILL SEE STREETS AND SIDEWALKS AS MOST IMPORTANT BUT THEY MAY FEEL THAT THE FUNDING IS ADEQUATE IN THAT AREA NOW AND THAT THERE OUGHT TO BE MORE FUNDING FOR ANIMAL CARE.

WE'RE GOING TO TRY A NEW WRINKLE AND ASK ESSENTIALLY THE GOLDILOCKS APPROACH.

SHOULD IT BE MORE OR LESS.

IF WE'RE GOING TO PUT MORE MONEY INTO SOMETHING THEN WHERE CAN WE, YOU KNOW, WHERE CAN WE PULL FROM? WHERE HAVE WE ADEQUATELY ADDRESSED? THERE IS AN OPEN-ENDED QUESTION ALSO, SO WE'LL TAKE COMMENTS ABOUT ANYTHING AND EVERYTHING UNDER THE SUN AND WE TRY TO CATEGORIZE AND SHARE IT WITH YOU AFTER THE FACT.

ABOUT YOUR COMMENT OF FOLLOWING UP, WE HAVE BUILT AN E-MAIL BASE OF ABOUT 6,000 NOW FROM PEOPLE WHO HAVE TAKEN PART IN PAST SURVEYS.

WE DO, LATER IN THE SUMMER, SEND A FOLLOWUP TO THEM WITH THE PROPOSED BUDGET SO THEY SEE WHAT'S IN IT.

AND I THINK WE CAN DO AN EVEN BETTER JOB OF DEMONSTRATING HOW WE TOOK THEIR INPUT AND APPLIED IT IN THE BUDGET AND WE'LL BE LOOKING AT WAYS TO DO THAT AS PART OF YOUR CCR.

>> SANDOVAL: THANK YOU, YES.

THAT'S VERY IMPORTANT TO LET PEOPLE KNOW HOW THEIR INPUT ACTUALLY MADE A DIFFERENCE, BECAUSE THAT KEEPS THEM ENGAGED.

I THINK LAST TIME WHEN YOU PRESENTED THE SURVEY RESULTS I ASKED YOU A QUESTION ABOUT HOW MANY PEOPLE HAD COMPLETED THE SURVEY IN SPANISH.

I KNOW YOU OFFERED IT IN SPANISH.

I'LL BE ASKING YOU THE SAME QUESTION AGAIN WHEN YOU GIVE US YOUR RESULTS.

I JUST HOPE YOU WILL CONSIDER ALSO HOW YOU CAN INCREASE THE PARTICIPATION IN --

>> ALL OF OUR STREET TEAMS ARE BILINGUAL.

WE DO OFFER IT IN ENGLISH AND SPANISH.

ACTUALLY, LAST YEAR'S SPANISH LANGUAGE EVENT AT PEARSALL PARK WAS THE HEAVIEST ATTENDED OF ALL THE EVENTS.

SO THERE'S DEFINITELY A MARKET OUT THERE, A PART OF THE POPULATION THAT WANTS TO ENGAGE, AND WE'RE TRYING TO REMOVE ALL THE BARRIERS TO MAKE SURE THEY DO IT.

UNIVISION WAS A PARTNER WITH US LAST YEAR AS WELL.

>> SANDOVAL: RIGHT.

I DO HAVE A CONCERN ABOUT HOW THOUGHTFUL THE INPUT CAN BE WHEN SOMEONE FILLS OUT A SURVEY AND THEY'RE ABOUT TO DO A 5K RUN AND ONLY HAVE TWO MINUTES TO DO THAT.

CAN YOU SPEAK TO HOW THAT'S REALLY USEFUL AS WE GO FORWARD?

>> WELL, IT IS, ADMITTEDLY, IT IS IN LARGE BUCKETS THAT WE'RE ASKING.

AND WE ARE ASKING PEOPLE ON THE SPOT.

BUT YOU ALSO TEND TO GET AN AUTHENTIC ANSWER.

WITH THIS IS OUR COMMUNITY SURVEY THAT WE DO, WHICH IS AN ACTUAL SCIENTIFIC SURVEY DONE BY TELEPHONE AND SO FORTH THAT WE ASK A MUCH BROADER RANGE OF QUESTIONS AND IT'S ABOUT SERVICE QUALITY, KNOWLEDGEABILITY OF CITY EMPLOYEES WHEN THEY MAKE A PHONE CALL OR A 311 REQUEST.

WE CAN GET MORE INTO THE DETAILS WITH THAT SURVEY.

WE EXPECT THAT SURVEY TO BE DONE EARLY MAY ALSO.

AND SO IF ALL GOES RIGHT WE'LL ALSO BE ABLE TO TOUCH ON THAT AS WELL.

WE'RE GOING TO ASK A BUDGET QUESTION IN THAT SURVEY TOO, SO WE'LL BE ABLE TO CROSS REFERENCE THE RESULTS OF THAT WITH OUR LESS SCIENTIFIC OUTREACH EFFORT TO BE ABLE TO PRESENT IT.

BUT IF WE LOAD TOO MUCH IN WE'LL LOSE A LOT OF THE PARTICIPATION.

AND WE'RE STILL ASKING A LOT OF DEMOGRAPHIC QUESTIONS, WHAT COUNCIL DISTRICT THEY LIVE IN.

[02:45:01]

IT'S A BALANCE.

>> SANDOVAL: I JUST HAVE A COUPLE OF QUESTIONS ON THE FINANCIAL REPORT, SHERYL.

WE WERE -- YOU LOOKED AT -- I THINK YOU GAVE US PROJECTIONS FOR THE HOT REVENUES.

I JUST WANTED TO KNOW HOW THOSE ARE BEING AFFECTED BY THE POTENTIAL STR ORDINANCE THAT'S BEING DEVELOPED OR IF WE HAVE SEEN ANY REVENUE INCREASES FROM MORE SHORT-TERM RENTALS BEING REGISTERED NOW.

>> SCULLEY: NOTHING YET, COUNCILWOMAN, WITH REGARD TO SHORT-TERM RENTALS.

WE DO HAVE THAT ON A B SESSION COMING UP WITHIN THE NEXT 30 TO 60 DAYS, SO WE'LL BE DISCUSSING THAT WITH YOU AND WE'LL TRY TO GATHER SOME FINANCIAL INFORMATION ABOUT THAT TO DISCUSS WITH THE COUNCIL.

>> SANDOVAL: THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

THANK YOU, MAYOR.

>> MAYOR NIRENBERG: THANK YOU, COUNCILWOMAN SANDOVAL.

COUNCILMAN COURAGE.

>> COURAGE: THANK YOU, MAYOR.

JEFF, I'M GOING TO ASSUME MY COUNCIL COLLEAGUE, COUNCILMAN PERRY'S HAT, AND ASK YOU SOME FINANCIAL QUESTIONS.

WHAT IS THE EXPENSE TO THE CITY FOR THESE SURVEYS THAT WE DO?

>> THE TOTAL CAMPAIGN IS ABOUT $100,000? IS THAT RIGHT? AND THAT INCLUDES ALL OF OUR PAID ADVERTISING.

WE HAVE TO PURCHASE FIESTA MEDALS.

THAT'S A NOMINAL COST, BUT THERE'S A WHOLE SERIES OF EXPENSES.

IT'S ABOUT $100,000.

>> COURAGE: ABOUT THE FIESTA MEDALS.

HOW MANY DID WE GIVE AWAY LAST YEAR?

>> 2500, AND WE RAN OUT OF THEM.

THEY WERE POPULAR.

>> COURAGE: I WOULD OFFER ANOTHER SUGGESTION.

I MEAN, A LOT OF PEOPLE LIKE MEDALS, BUT HOW ABOUT WE GIVE THEM A GET OUT OF JAIL FREE PASS OR WE GIVE THEM A BUS PASS? IN OTHER WORDS, LET'S SAY IF THEY GET A PARKING TICKET IN THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO WE'LL FORGIVE YOU FOR THAT ONE PARKING TICKET.

OR, IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO RIDE -- IF YOU TAKE THE BUS AND YOU DON'T DRIVE A CAR, THEN WE'LL GIVE YOU A FREE RIDE ON A BUS ONE WAY.

I THINK YOU WOULD PROBABLY GET MORE PEOPLE STOPPING TO FILL THAT OUT THAN YOU WOULD FOR A MEDAL.

SO I WOULD LIKE YOU TO CONSIDER HOW WE MIGHT INCLUDE THAT IN THE MIX OR MAYBE OFFER THOSE AS AN ALTERNATIVE TO A MEDAL.

JUST LOOK INTO THAT.

MAYBE DO A LITTLE SURVEY ON THAT, BUT THAT WOULD BE MY RECOMMENDATION.

OTHERWISE I THINK IT'S GREAT THAT WE'RE REACHING OUT TO THE COMMUNITY BUT WE NEED TO GET AS MUCH FEEDBACK AS WE CAN.

I WOULD LIKE TO HEAR FROM 20,000 PEOPLE RATHER THAN SIX OR SEVEN OR EIGHT.

THE OTHER THING I WANTED TO COMMENT ON IS JUST AN OBSERVATION, AND THAT IS ON THE BUDGET.

YOU KNOW, FOR MANY OF MY COUNCIL COLLEAGUES THEY HAVE HEARD ME TALK ABOUT WHAT I BELIEVE IS A REASONABLE NEED TO PROVIDE TAX RELIEF TO PEOPLE IN OUR COMMUNITY.

I HAVE FELT STRONGLY ABOUT THAT AND MY BELIEF HASN'T CHANGED.

HOWEVER, BECAUSE OF THE UNCERTAINTY OF WHAT THE CITY FACES IN THE 2019 AND 2020 BUDGET YEARS COMING, BECAUSE OF THE FEDERAL TAX LAWS THAT HAVE JUST BEEN PASSED AND BECAUSE WE'RE HEARING SO MUCH FROM STATE ELECTED OFFICIALS, THAT THEY WANT TO CUT TAXES, WHICH WILL MEAN CUTTING THEM FOR THE CITY.

I'M VERY RELUCTANT TO BE AN ADVOCATE FOR THE CITY ALSO ADDING A THIRD LAYER OF TAX CUTS GOING INTO THE NEAR FUTURE UNTIL WE SEE WHAT ARE THE OVERALL EFFECTS FROM THE OTHER TAX CUTS THAT HAVE BEEN MADE AND THAT ARE BEING PROPOSED BY THE STATE.

SO I JUST WANTED TO ADD THAT COMMENT TO MY WAY OF THINKING AS WE GO FORWARD IN THIS BUDGET PROCESS.

THANK YOU, MAYOR.

>> MAYOR NIRENBERG: THANK YOU, COUNCILMAN COURAGE.

COUNCILMAN PELAEZ.

>> PELAEZ: THANK YOU, MAYOR.

TWO THINGS.

JEFF, THERE'S A PILOT PROGRAM RIGHT NOW UNDERWAY AT VIA WITH A COMPANY CALLED AVANCE WHERE THEY ARE USING BEACON TECHNOLOGY TO ACTUALLY DO SOME BACK AND FORTH DATA COLLECTION AND PUSHING INFORMATION TO RIDERS VIA TELEPHONES.

AND I'M GOING TO PUT YOU IN CONTACT WITH THEM BECAUSE I THINK THIS IS ONE OF THE SOLUTIONS YOU ARE LOOKING FOR.

A LOT OF THIS PUSH TECHNOLOGY IS AVAILABLE WHERE YOU CAN ACTUALLY GET -- INCENTIVIZE PEOPLE TO TALK TO YOU AND WHERE THEY CAN TALK BACK AND YOU CAN TALK TO THEM.

WILL YOU FOLLOW UP WITH ME LATER AND I'LL PUT YOU IN TOUCH WITH THOSE GUYS?

>> SURE.

>> PELAEZ: AND THE SECOND THING IS, SHERYL, AS YOU WERE TALKING I PROMISE I WAS LOOKING AT THESE SLIDES, BUT WITH GREAT INTEREST IS THE BUDGET AND

[02:50:06]

PERFORMANCE MEASURES.

WHAT POPS OUT TO ME IS AHEAD OF SCHEDULE.

MAN, I'M IMPRESSED WITH YOU AND YOUR TEAM AND NOTHING BRINGS A SMILE TO MY FACE AND MY CONSTITUENTS' FACES LIKE AHEAD OF SCHEDULE, UNDER BUDGET, AHEAD OF SCHEDULE, UNDER BUDGET.

CONGRATULATIONS AND THANKS FOR ALL YOUR HARD WORK.

>> SCULLEY: THANK YOU, COUNCILMAN.

I'LL GIVE THE CREDIT TO OUR ENTIRE TEAM.

THEY WORK HARD TO PROVIDE THE BEST SERVICE TO OUR PUBLIC.

AS I SAY TO THEM OFTEN IT'S ABOUT PERFORMANCE.

DOESN'T MATTER HOW MUCH YOU TALK ABOUT IT IT'S WHETHER OR NOT YOU PERFORM.

SO THANK YOU FOR THEIR COMMENT.

>> MAYOR NIRENBERG: THANK YOU, COUNCILMAN PELAEZ.

COUNCILMAN PERRY.

>> PERRY: THANK YOU, SIR.

JUST A QUICK QUESTION HERE, JEFF.

ONE OF THE THINGS THAT'S KIND OF SORT OF FRUSTRATING, AND IT AFFECTED ME DURING THE COMPREHENSIVE PLAN, YOU KNOW, COMMENT SESSION AND PUTTING IN COMMENTS.

YOU NEVER GOT ANY FEEDBACK BACK FROM THE SYSTEM SAYING, OKAY, THIS IS WHAT YOUR COMMENT WAS AND, YOU KNOW, THIS IS, YOU KNOW, GET SOME FEEDBACK FROM THAT COMMENT.

HAVE Y'ALL LOOKED AT THAT AT ALL ON FEEDBACK MECHANISMS TO GET BACK TO THE CUSTOMERS WHO HAVE ACTUALLY TAKEN THE TIME TO DO THAT?

>> YOU WANT TO ANSWER THAT?

>> GREAT QUESTION, COUNCILMAN.

WE HAVE BEEN LOOKING AT WAYS TO IMPROVE OUR FEEDBACK LOOP SO OUR RESIDENTS KNOW THAT WE'RE HAVING A DISCUSSION AND DIALOGUE WITH THEM RATHER THAN JUST BEING SPOKEN TO.

ONE OF THE WAYS WE DO THAT IS WITH COMMUNICATING TO OUR E-MAIL LIST.

SO IF THEY DO LEAVE US THEIR E-MAIL ADDRESS WE ARE ABLE TO SHOW THEM HOW THEIR FEEDBACK WAS USED, WHAT'S NEXT IN THE BUDGET PROCESS AND HOW THEY CAN PARTICIPATE THE NEXT TIME.

ANOTHER WAY WE DO THAT IS ON BUT WE'RE CONSTANTLY LOOKING FOR OTHER WAYS TO KEEP THAT FEEDBACK WITH THEM.

>> PERRY: THAT'S GREAT.

IF SOMEONE IS GOING TO TAKE THE TIME TO DO THIS IT'S ALWAYS GOOD TO HEAR BACK, OKAY, WHAT DID THEY DO WITH MY COMMENT? DID IT JUST GO WITH A BLACK HOLE SOMEWHERE? ARE THEY TAKING NOTICE IN THAT PROCESS.

THAT'S GOOD TO HEAR.

IF WE COULD JUST CONTINUE TO IMPROVE ON IT.

THANK YOU.

AND JUST ONE FINAL COMMENT ON MY GOOD COLLEAGUE HERE, MR. COURAGE HERE FROM LOOKING AT FUTURE SAVINGS FOR OUR TAXPAYERS HERE.

I UNDERSTAND HIS COMMENTS AND CONCERNS BUT, YOU KNOW, WE LOOK AT THIS BUDGET A YEAR AT A TIME AND IF THERE'S CHANGES THAT COME THAT AFFECT OUR BUDGETS WE CAN CERTAINLY TAKE THAT INTO ACCOUNT FOR THE FOLLOWING YEAR TO COMPENSATE FOR THAT.

IT'S A YEARLY PROCESS AND I WANT TO CONTINUE TO STRESS THAT WE NEED TO BE LOOKING OUT FOR OUR NEIGHBORS HERE IN SAN ANTONIO TO OFFER ANY KIND OF RELIEF THAT WE CAN HERE FROM THE CITY'S PERSPECTIVE.

AND, OF COURSE, I'M TALKING ABOUT A HOMESTEAD EXEMPTION FOR THOSE WHO OWN HOMES AND ARE PAYING THOSE TAXES.

ANYWAY, JUST MY TWO CENTS AGAIN ABOUT THAT.

THANK YOU, SIR.

>> MAYOR NIRENBERG: THANK YOU, COUNCILMAN PERRY.

SHERYL, DID YOU HAVE SOMETHING YOU WANTED TO ADD?

>> SCULLEY: JUST TO ADD TO WHAT LAURA SAID IN ANSWER TO THE QUESTION ABOUT DO WE GET BACK TO THE RESIDENTS WHO OFFER SUGGESTIONS.

WHEN WE PRESENT THE ANNUAL BUDGET, WE ESTIMATE FOR YOU ALL AND PROVIDE YOU A LIST OF HOW MANY SUGGESTIONS WE ACTUALLY RECEIVE FROM RESIDENTS, WHETHER IT'S THROUGH THE BUDGET DROP BOX OR THROUGH SOCIAL MEDIA OR SURVEYS.

AND THEN WE ALSO GIVE YOU SOME NUMBERS ON HOW MANY OF THOSE WE HAVE INCORPORATED INTO THE BUDGET AS WELL, SO YOU HAVE THE BIGGER PICTURE.

SO BEYOND LAURA GETTING BACK TO THOSE WHO LEAVE THEIR ACTUAL E-MAIL ADDRESS THEN WE ALSO TRY TO TELL YOU IN THE AGGREGATE HERE'S HOW MANY SUGGESTIONS.

YOU KNOW, I'LL SAY THAT SOME OF THEM THAT WE HAVE IMPLEMENTED HAVE EVEN COME FROM FERRIS HODGE, WHO WAS A REGULAR HERE AT CITY HALL.

BUT HERE'S ACTUALLY OFFERED A FEW SUGGESTIONS OVER THE YEARS THAT WE HAVE INCORPORATED INTO THE RECOMMENDATION.

SO THEY COME FROM EVERYWHERE AND ALL TYPES OF RESIDENTS WITHIN THE COMMUNITY.

>> MAYOR NIRENBERG: GREAT.

THANK YOU, SHERYL.

THANK YOU, JEFF, SHERYL, THE WHOLE TEAM FOR THE PRESENTATION.

ENCOURAGING SIGNS AMIDST SOME PRETTY SIGNIFICANT UNCERTAINTY, SO I AGREE WITH YOUR ASSESSMENT AND ALSO MY COLLEAGUES IN SAYING WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE HOLD THE LINE ON THE RESERVE.

I WILL SAY ALSO I KNOW A NUMBER OF THE DEPARTMENTS HAVE GONE THROUGH THE EQUITY TRAINING THAT THE DEPARTMENT OF EQUITY AND OUR CHIEF EQUITY OFFICER, KAREN BANES IS DOING.

WE DID IT IN MY OFFICE AND IT IS AN EXTRAORDINARY EXPERIENCE IN MAKING YOU LOOK AT DATA DIFFERENTLY.

WE ALSO TALK ABOUT BEING DATA DRIVEN AND THAT'S WHY THE NUMBERS AND PEOPLE RESPONDING TO THE SPEAK UP SURVEYS ARES

[02:55:01]

IMPORTANT.

WE WANT TO BE INFORMED BY THE DATA TO BE RESULTS DRIVEN.

WHAT WOULD BE INSTRUCTIVE FOR ME AND THE REST OF US IS WHEN WE GET INTO THE MID YEAR REPORT AND INTO THE FY19 DISCUSSIONS, IF YOU CAN SHOW US THE DIFFERENCE OF HOW WE'RE LOOKING AT THAT, THE SPEAK OUT NUMBERS VERSUS USING THE SPEAK OUT NUMBERS TO GET US TO A RESULT THAT WE'RE DRIVING TOWARDS.

JUST THE DIFFERENCE OF HOW WE LOOK AT THE DATA AND ALSO HOW WE WOULD GO ABOUT ACQUIRING IT WOULD BE GREAT FOR US.

IT WOULD BE INSTRUCTIVE.

GREAT WORK, EVERYONE.

THAT IS EVERYTHING ON OUR AGENDA.

BEFORE WE RECESS, AND WE'LL BE COMING BACK FOR ZONING AT 2:00.

WE HAVE A BIRTHDAY TO RECOGNIZE.

OUR VERY OWN CITY ATTORNEY ANDY SEGOVIA IS TURNING UNDISCLOSED.

HIS BIRTHDAY IS ON TUESDAY, MARCH 6.

AS WE DO, WE'LL SING HAPPY BIRTHDAY.

♪ HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YOU ♪ ♪ HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YOU ♪ ♪ HAPPY BIRTHDAY DEAR ANDY ♪ ♪ HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YOU ♪ [APPLAUSE]

>> MAYOR NIRENBERG: THERE'S CAKE IN THE HALLWAY.

>> THANK YOU, MAYOR.

I APPRECIATE IT.

AS I WAS RIDING MY BIKE ON DEVINE STREET I DID SEE THE TOWER OF THE AMERICAS GOING UP AT THE SAME TIME, IF THAT GIVES YOU AN INDICATION.

[LAUGHTER]

>> MAYOR NIRENBERG: THE NUMBER WILL REMAIN ATTORNEY-CLIENT PRIVILEGE.

[Zoning Consent Agenda]

>> MAYOR NIRENBERG: GOOD AFTERNOON, EVERYONE, WE ARE RECONVENED FROM OUR MORNING SESSION.

WE WILL TAKE UP OUR ZONING AGENDA.

PLEASE NOTE THAT ZONING ITEMS P-2 AND Z-6 HAVE BEEN WITHDRAWN BY THE APPLICANT AND WILL NOT BE ADDRESSED.

WE HAVE SEVERAL ITEMS ON CONSENT ZONING AGENDA ALONG WITH INDIVIDUAL ITEMS P1 AND Z5.

P3 AND Z7.

I'LL ASK MY COLLEAGUES IF THERE'S ANY OTHERITE THAEMS THEY WOULD LIKE TO PULL OFF THE CONSENT AGENDA.

WE HAVE P1, Z5.

P3 AND Z7 FOR INDIVIDUAL CONSIDERATION.

ANY OTHERS? I WILL ENTERTAIN A MOTION FOR BALANCE OF CONSENT AGENDA AND TAKE UP CITIZENS SIGNED UP FOR CONSENT AGENDA ITEMS.

>> SO MOVED.

THERE'S A MOTION AND SECOND FOR APPROVAL OF CONSENT ZONING AGENDA.

WE HAVE ONE CITIZEN SIGN SIGNED UP TO SPEAK FOR CONSENT AGENDA ITEMS, JAN WELLS.

[03:00:18]

>> GOOD AFTERNOON.

IT'S BEEN A LONG TIME SINCE I'VE BEEN DOWN HERE.

I WANT TO SPEAK ABOUT THE APARTMENTS THAT ARE PROPOSED TO BE BUILT AT 5200 ROGERS ROAD, GIVE OR TAKE, THAT'S THE CONSTRUCTION ADDRESS.

I LIVE IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD THAT'S RIGHT ACROSS ROGERS ROAD FROM THERE.

THERE HAVE BEEN A LOT OF MISTAKES MADE IN OUR PART OF TOWN RECENTLY.

ONE OF THEM IS HOW WHEN 51 COMES DOWN AND ENDS IN A ONE-LANE STREET.

ONE OF THEM IS WHAT I'M CALLING PHASE 1 OF THESE APARTMENTS.

THERE'S A RETENTION BOND THAT THE BUILDER -- DAWSON DESIGNED IT.

CITY SAN ANTONIO OKAYED IT.

WE'RE JUST BUILDING IT AND IT WAS BUILT UPSIDE-DOWN.

>> THE MAJOR LARGE FLOOD HOLES ARE ON THE BOTTOM, NOT THE TOP.

THEY WENT BACK AND TOOK A PIECE OF CORRUGATED TIN AND PARTIALLY BLOCKED ONE OF THOSE HOLES.

THERE ARE THINGS HAPPENING IN THAT PART OF TOWN.

IN MY PART OF TOWN, THAT ARE CAUSING A LOT OF ANGER.

I SUBSTITUTE TEACH, AND SO I AM COMING FROM BRISCO MIDDLE SCHOOL, ALAMO RANCH, TAFT HIGH SCHOOL, ZACHARY MIDDLE SCHOOL.

I'M COMING FROM ROBB ELEMENTARY IN WESTOVER HILLS, I'VE SEEN ALL OF THIS CONSTRUCTION AND I'VE SEEN SOME HORRIBLE DRIVING.

THERE'S A LOT OF APARTMENTS AT 1604 AND CLAY BROOK.

THERE'S A LOT OF PEOPLE, HIGH DENSITY RESIDENTIAL, BEING DIRECTED TOWARDS 1604 IN CLAYBROOK AND WE NEED TO PUT A HALT TO THAT, A PAUSE TO THAT.

WE NEED TO NOT DO A TRAFFIC STUDY THAT TELLS US HOW MUCH TRAFFIC, BUT HOW FAST THEY ARE GOING, AND HOW THEY ARE DRIVING.

THERE'S A LOT OF AGGRESSIVE DRIVERS OUT THERE.

I HAD SOMEONE PULL INTO A RIGHT TURN ONLY LANE.

I WAS IN A LANE CONGESTION BESIDE ME FOR TWO LANES.

CONGESTION IN FRONT, BEHIND.

THIS GUY WANTED TO MERGE INTO MY LANE.

I LOOKED UP AND HIS FACE WAS RIGHT THERE.

I HAD NO CHOICE.

HE RAN INTO ME.

I HAVE OVER SIX ACRES OUT THERE.

I HAVE ONE OF THOSE GIANT VEHICLE WAS A BIG GUARDRAIL ON FRONT.

HE TORE OFF HIS LEFT FENDER AND TAILLIGHT.

THE GUY BESIDE ME SAYING, YOU NEED TO PULL OVER, YOU NEED TO PULL OVER AND FOLLOW HIM.

I SAID THIS IS ROAD RAGE, HE RAN INTO ME AND YOU WANT ME TO FOLLOW HIM INTO THE PARKING LOT AND TALK TO HIM? THERE'S A LOT OF STUFF GOING ON OUT THERE.

WE NEED TO NOT PUT A LOT MORE PEOPLE OUT THERE.

>> MAYOR NIRENBERG: THANK YOU, MISS WELLS.

>> THINK ABOUT THAT.

THANK YOU.

>> THANK YOU.

>> MAYOR NIRENBERG: OKAY THAT'S EVERYONE SIGNED UP FOR CONSENT ZONING ITEMS. THERE'S A MOTION AND SECOND FOR THE BALANCE OF THE CONSENT AGENDA.

PLEASE VOTE.

MOTION CARRIES.

ALL RIGHT.

[P-1. 18-2053 PLAN AMENDMENT CASE # 18016 (Council District 3): An Ordinance amending the Heritage South Sector Plan, a component of the Comprehensive Master Plan of the City, by changing the future land use from “Rural Estate Tier” and "Suburban Tier" to “Suburban Tier” on 100.349 acres out of CB 4167, located in the 3700 block of South Loop 1604 East. Staff and Planning Commission recommend Approval. (Associated Zoning Case Z2018062) (Continued from February 15, 2018) Z-5. 18-2051 ZONING CASE # Z2018062 (Council District 3): An Ordinance amending the Zoning District Boundary from "RE" Residential Estate District and "C-2" Commercial District to "R-5" Residential Single-Family District on 81.941 acres out of NCB 4167 and “C-2” Commercial District on 18.408 acres out of NCB 4167, generally located in the 3700 block of South Loop 1604. Staff and Zoning Commission recommend Approval, pending Plan Amendment. (Associated Plan Amendment 18016) (Continued from February 15, 2018)]

WE'LL MOVE NOW TO INDIVIDUAL ITEMS STARTING WITH P1 AND Z5.

>> 18016 AND ZONING CASE 2018062 AMENDING THE HERITAGE SOUTH SECTOR PLAN FROM RURAL ESTATE TIER AND SUBURBAN TIER TO SUBURBAN TIER FROM RE AND C2 TO R5 AND C2 LOCATED AT 3700 BLOCK OF SOUTH LOOP 1604 EAST.

STAFF, PLANNING AND ZONING COMMISSION RECOMMEND APPROVAL.

7 NOTICES MAILED.

ZERO IN FAVOR AND ZERO OPPOSED.

I BELIEVE THE APPLICANT HAS AN AMENDMENT TO THE ZONING CASE.

>> MAYOR NIRENBERG: ALL RIGHT.

WE DO HAVE A CITIZEN SIGNED UP TO SPEAK ON THESE ITEMS. MARK BROWN.

>> YES.

THANK YOU.

I HAVE COME TODAY TO MAKE A WITHDRAWAL OR AMENDMENT TO OUR REQUEST.

IN TALKING WITH THE COUNCILWOMAN, WE'VE COME UP WITH A DESIRE TO GET THE RESIDENTIAL DONE TODAY BUT TO HOLD THE COMMERCIAL FOR A FUTURE DATE.

AND WE'RE GOING TO WORK OUT ON SOME DETAILS TO PUT MORE

[03:05:02]

DEFINITION INTO THE FUTURE COMMERCIAL.

SO, TODAY, I WANT TO LEAVE THE PLAN AMENDMENT EXACTLY AS IT IS, BUT I WOULD PROPOSE THAT WE WITHDRAW THE COMMERCIAL REQUEST, AND PUT THAT AT A LATER DATE AND THEN ALLOW THE RESIDENTIAL REQUEST TO GO FORWARD TODAY.

>> MAYOR NIRENBERG: THANK YOU, MR. BROWN.

>> THANK YOU.

>> MAYOR NIRENBERG: COUNCILWOMAN VIAGRAN.

>> VIAGRAN: THANK YOU MR. BROWN VERY MUCH FOR MEETING WITH US AND FOR WORKING THIS OUT.

I DO WANT TO -- JUST CLARIFICATION.

MELISSA, IF I MAKE THIS MOTION AS AMENDED, WHAT WILL THAT DO TO THE COMMERCIAL PORTION? AM I GOING TO HAVE TO MOTION TO CONTINUE THAT?

>> NO, MA'AM.

YOU'RE JUST MAKING A MOTION ON THE R5.

THE C2 HE'S WITHDRAWING FROM CONSIDERATION TODAY AND THAT WILL GO BACK TO ZONING COMMISSION FOR CONSIDERATION.

>> VIAGRAN: OKAY.

THEN ON THIS ONE, I WOULD LIKE TO MOTION TO APPROVE AS AMENDED.

>> AND PLAN AMENDMENT WILL BE APPROVED AS IS JUST TO CLARIFY.

>> VIAGRAN: OKAY.

DO I NEED TO SAY THAT ON MY MOTION IN.

>> I STATED ON RECORD.

YOU'RE MORE THAN WELCOME TO CONTINUE WITH YOUR MOTION AS IS.

I 346 THEN I MOTION TO APPROVE AS AMENDED.

>> THANK YOU.

>> MAYOR NIRENBERG: THERE'S A MOTION AND SECOND FOR APPROVAL OF YANKEE P1 AND Z5 AS AMENDED.

[P-3. 18-2058 PLAN AMENDMENT CASE # 18014 (Council District 5): An Ordinance amending the Kelly South/San Pueblo Community Plan, a component of the Comprehensive Master Plan of the City, by changing the future land use from “Low Density Residential” to “Regional Commercial” on Lot 38, Block 33 and Block 35, NCB 3694, located at 435 Menefee Boulevard. Staff and Planning Commission recommend Denial. (Associated Zoning Case Z2018055 S) (Continued from February 15, 2018) Z-7. 18-2057 ZONING CASE # Z2018055 S (Council District 5): An Ordinance amending the Zoning District Boundary from "R-6 AHOD" Residential Single-Family Airport Hazard Overlay District to "C-3 S AHOD" General Commercial Airport Hazard Overlay District with Specific Use Authorization for a Construction Contractor Facility on Lot 38, Block 33 and Block 35, NCB 3694, located at 435 Menefee Boulevard. Staff and Zoning Commission recommend Denial. (Associated Plan Amendment 18014) (Continued from February 15, 2018)]

PLEASE VOTE.

MOTION CARRIES.

ITEMS P3 AND Z7.

18014 AND ZONING CASE Z2018055 AMENDING THE KELLY SOUTH SAN PUEBLO COMMUNITY PLAN FROM LOW DENSITY RESIDENTIAL TO REGIONAL COMMERCIAL FROM R6 TO C3S WITH SPECIFIC USE AUTHORIZATION FOR CONSTRUCTION CONTRACTOR FACILITY LOCATED AT 435 MENEFEE BOULEVARD.

STAFF AND PLANNING COMMISSION RECOMMEND DENIAL.

18 NOTICES MAILED 5 IN FAVOR AND 5 OPPOSED THOMPSON NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION IS OPPOSED.

>> MAYOR NIRENBERG: WE HAVE TWO CITIZENS SIGNED UP TO SPEAK FOR P3 AND Z7.

SARAH CERVANTES.

>> GOOD AFTERNOON, I RESIDE AT 2322 SOUTHWEST 21ST STREET.

I ALSO HAVE PHOTOS AND PETITION WITH 32 SIGNATURES IN OPPOSITION FROM OUR NEIGHBORS WHICH THEY EXPRESSED THEIR ANGER.

THIS IS CLASSIFIED AS RESIDENTIAL RESIDENTIAL SINGLE FAMILY DISTRICT.

THE EXISTING DISTRICT WHICH OPERATES SIX TO SEVEN DAYS A WEEK IS HIGHLY INTENSE WITH COMMERCIAL AND AUTOMOBILE-RELATED USES WHICH ARE NOT APPROPRIATE AT THE LOCATION.