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WELCOME TO THE CITY COUNCIL REGULAR MEETING.
WOULD YOU PLEASE BE SEATED? THANK YOU.
WELCOME TO THE CITY COUNCIL MEETING OF APRIL 5, 2018.
>> MAYOR, WE DO HAVE A QUORUM.
WELCOME EVERYONE TO OUR CITY COUNCIL A SESSION AGENDA.
I WOULD LIKE TO WELCOME OUR INVOCATOR.
I WOULD LIKE TO WELCOME OUR INVOCATOR, WHO IS A GUEST OF COUNCILWOMAN VIAGRAN.
I HAVE THE GREAT PLEASURE OF INTRODUCING SISTER O DELIA, WHO SERVES AS A TEACHER AND ADMINISTRATOR FOR MOST OF HER ACADEMY LIFE.
HER TEACHING AND ADMINISTRATIVE ASSIGNMENTS CALLED HER TO ELEMENTARY AND SECONDARY SCHOOLS IN VICTORIA, SAN ANTONIO, CROSBY, FLORESVILLE, AND LAGRANGE, TEXAS.
IN 1990 SHE WAS MISSIONED TO BLESSED SACRAMENT ACADEMY TO DEVELOP PROGRAMS REQUESTED AND NEEDED BY THE SOUTH SIDE.
SHE IS PRESIDENT AND C.E.O. OF BLESSED SACRAMENT ACADEMY AND A LOT OF TIME WAS SPENT DEVELOPING NETWORKS AND PARTNERS WHO COULD HELP SECURE THE RESOURCES NEEDED TO PROVIDE THE SERVICES REQUIRED FOR QUALITY CHILD CARE, ALTERNATIVE HIGH SCHOOL EDUCATION, ADULT PARENTING EDUCATION, CARING AND SOLID COUNSELING SERVICES.
ONE OF THESE PARTNERSHIPS EMERGED WHEN SHE SAW THE MUTUAL BENEFIT OF PARTNERING TO PROVIDE COUNSELING SERVICES ON THE SOUTH SIDE LOCATION .
SHE PLAYS A KEY ROLE IN PROGRAMS AT BLESSED SACRAMENT ACADEMY AND ALTERNATIVE HIGH SCHOOL FOR STUDENTS WHO HAVE BEEN BYPASSED BY SOCIETY'S REGULAR GUIDANCE AND ACADEMIC INSTITUTIONS AND PARENTS ACADEMY FOR THOSE NEEDING AND WANTING TO LEARN HEALTHY PARENTING SKILLS.
SHE IS GRATEFUL FOR VARIOUS LEARNING OPPORTUNITIES, A BA FROM THE UNIVERSITY OF THE INCARNATE WORD IN SAN ANTONIO.
A MASTERS FROM GONZAGA UNIVERSITY AND SPIRITUAL DIRECTION CERTIFICATION FROM STN AUSTIN.
SHE IS GRATEFUL FOR THE SUPPORT OF THE SAN ANTONIO COMMUNITY AND THE SISTERS OF THE INCARNATE WORD AND BLESSED SACRAMENT IN HER LONG STANDING MINISTRY SHE IS A STALWART IN OUR COMMUNITY, DEDICATED TO SERVING ALL OF GOD'S PEOPLE AND HELPED IN MY FORMATION.
SHE IS A STRONG WOMAN LEADER WHO TAKES RISK AND HAS BEEN A ROLE MODEL TO ME.
SHE WAS MY PRINCIPAL WHEN I WAS IN KINDERGARTEN.
SHE IS ALSO A FORCE THAT MANY OF THE CITY STAFF KNOW AS WELL.
SO THANK YOU, SISTER, FOR BEING HERE TODAY.
>> THANK YOU, BEKAH, OR COUNCILWOMAN VIAGRAN, IN THIS SETTING.
OH GOD OF THE UNIVERSE, YOU HAVE ENTRUSTED THE PEOPLE IN THIS ROOM WITH THE RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE OFFICES WHICH THEY HOLD.
IN HUMILITY AND CONFIDENCE WE ASK FOR THE WISDOM, UNDERSTANDING, STRENGTH, COURAGE, AND COMPASSION WE NEED TO FULFILL OUR ROLE AS LEADERS IN OUR COMMUNITY.
GRANT US HEARTS, MINDS, AND SPIRITS WHICH SEE CLEARLY AND
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ACT JUSTLY IN THE PERFORMANCE OF OUR CHOSEN WALK WITH THE PEOPLE WE REPRESENT.TEACH US WHAT WE NEED TO KNOW TO DO OUR JOBS WELL.
GRANT US THE HEALTH WE NEED TO STAY WITH THE TASK.
TEACH US PERSISTENCE AND GIVE US INNER STRENGTH SO THAT WE MAY KEEP LEARNING UNTIL WE COME OUT OF DIFFICULT CONVERSATIONS AND DECISIONS WITH OUR HOPE, INTEGRITY, AND FAITH INTACT.
KEEP US IN TOUCH WITH OUR INNER JOY, OUR KNOWING WHY WE CHOOSE TO CONTINUE WHAT WE DO AS PUBLIC SERVANTS DAY IN AND DAY OUT WITH THE PEACE BORN OF A RELATIONSHIP WITH YOU.
GOD, YOU ARE THE ULTIMATE POWER, WHICH IS BORN OF LOVE AND FORGIVENESS.
OF AWAITING UNTIL YOUR PEOPLE ARE WILLING TO SHARE THAT PURE POWER WITH YOU.
LET US NOT BE TIMID OR FEARFUL IN ASKING YOU FOR A SHARE IN YOUR ASTONISHING POWER AND LOVE.
GRACE US WITH THE ABILITY TO BE THE KIND OF LEADERS WHO TOGETHER WILL FORM A COMMUNITY OF GOOD IN OUR WORLD.
A GOOD WHICH WILL TONE DOWN AND TAKE AWAY THE VIOLENCE WHICH SEEMS SO STRONG IN OUR COMMUNITY AT TIMES.
INSPIRE US, GOD, TO ADD GOOD TO THE WORLD.
GOD OF CREATION, GOD OF LIFE, YOU KNOW THAT I HAVE BEGUN TO CALL YOU THE GREAT NUDGER, THE ONE WHO NUDGES PEOPLE TO REACH OUT TO PEOPLE IN WAYS WHICH MAKE FOR A BETTER COMMUNITY, A BETTER WORLD.
TEACH US TO BE THOSE WHO NUDGE OTHERS TO GOOD.
WE ARE GRATEFUL FOR YOU EVEN AS THE FIRST STORY OF CREATION IN GENESIS TELLS US THAT YOU ARE GRATEFUL FOR US.
HOW GOOD IT IS TO HAVE YOU IN OUR LIVES.
>> MAYOR NIRENBERG: THANK YOU VERY MUCH, SISTER.
WE HAVE AN ANNOUNCEMENT FOR TRANSLATION SERVICES.
>> MAYOR NIRENBERG: THANK YOU.
THE FIRST ITEM ON OUR AGENDA IS THE APPROVAL OF THE CITY COUNCIL MEETING MINUTES FROM FEBRUARY 28 THROUGH MARCH 1.
>> MAYOR NIRENBERG: THERE'S A MOTION AND A SECOND FOR APPROVAL OF THE FEBRUARY 28 AND MARCH 1 CITY COUNCIL MEETING MINUTES.
WE HAVE A FEW POINTS OF PERSONAL PRIVILEGE.
I WOULD FIRST LIKE TO RECOGNIZE OUR COLLEAGUE, COUNCILMAN PELAEZ, WHO WOULD LIKE TO WELCOME SOME GUESTS TO THE AUDIENCE.
>> PELAEZ: YEAH, MAYOR AND COLLEAGUES, TODAY I DECIDED TO INVITE ABOUT 100 OF MY BEST FRIENDS IN SAN ANTONIO.
THE REALTORS OF SAN ANTONIO, MEMBERS OF THE SAN ANTONIO BOARD OF REALTORS.
YOU KNOW, SISTER, THAT WAS A BEAUTIFUL INVOCATION AND YOU MENTIONED THE GREAT NUDGER.
I'LL TELL YOU THAT YOU'RE SURROUNDED BY A GROUP OF NUDGERS TODAY WHO ARE OVER, YOU KNOW, THE TIME THAT THEY ARE GOING TO BE SPENDING HERE TODAY WITH US, THEY ARE JUST DOING A LITTLE BIT OF SHOWING US WHAT REALTORS DO.
WHAT THEY DO IS WHAT WE TALK ABOUT, RIGHT? AND WE'RE TALKING ABOUT HOUSING.
WE'RE TALKING INFILL, WE'RE TALKING ABOUT ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT.
WE'RE TALKING ABOUT GIVING PEOPLE A SAFE PLACE TO LIVE.
AND I WANT TO LET YOU ALL KNOW THAT WE CAN'T DO WHAT WE DO IN SAN ANTONIO WITHOUT YOU.
IF YOU LOOK AT SAN ANTONIO'S MAP, FROM 300 YEARS AGO WE WERE A TINY BUCOLIC VILLAGE AND NOW WE'RE THIS HUGE SPRAWLING METROPOLIS.
IF I WERE TALKING TO A GROUP OF DOCTORS THEY WOULD TELL ME CLEARLY THE CITY HAS A GLANDULAR
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PROBLEM AND THAT'S WHY IT'S GROWING.BUT THE REAL REASON IS BECAUSE OF ALL THE HARD WORK THAT YOU GUYS DO FOR FAMILIES AND FOR BUSINESSES.
TODAY I AM HONORED TO CELEBRATE YOU AND I'M HONORED TO ASK MY CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS AND THE MAYOR TO APPLAUD ALL OF YOUR HARD WORK AND ALL THE CONTRIBUTIONS YOU MAKE TO SAN ANTONIO.
>> MAYOR NIRENBERG: THANK YOU, COUNCILMAN PELAEZ.
THERE ARE SOME OTHER GUESTS IN OUR MIDST TODAY THAT I WOULD LIKE TO RECOGNIZE.
I THINK IF YOU DIDN'T SEE THEM THIS PAST WEEKEND YOU FELT THEIR PRESENCE ABUNDANTLY.
AND THAT IS THE SAN ANTONIO LOCAL ORGANIZING COMMITTEE AND SAN ANTONIO SPORTS STAFF.
JENNY KARNES, THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF KAYLA JOYCE, AND MAHOGANY JOHNSON.
SAN ANTONIO, AS YOU KNOW, HOSTED THE 2018 NCAA FINAL FOUR, MEN'S FINAL FOUR FROM MARCH 30 THROUGH APRIL 2, BUT THE PLANNING REALLY BEGAN AFTER WE RECEIVED THE BID AWARD IN NOVEMBER OF 2014.
THE STAFF HAD BEEN HARD AT WORK ON THIS EVENT FULL TIME FOR ABOUT TWO YEARS.
THE SAN ANTONIO LOCAL ORGANIZING COMMITTEE, WHICH CONSISTS OF SAN ANTONIO SPORTS, THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO, VISIT SAN ANTONIO, AND UTSA, THE EVENT HOST INSTITUTION.
THE PREEVENT PROJECTION WAS THAT WE WOULD WELCOME 93,000 OUT OF TOWN VISITORS AND THE EVENT WOULD GARNER A $185 MILLION DIRECT VISITOR SPENDING ECONOMIC IMPACT.
WE ARE IN THE PROCESS OF DETERMINING THE POST EVENT NUMBERS BUT I THINK THE EARLY INDICATIONS ARE WE EXCEEDED ALL EXPECTATIONS OF OURSELVES AND OTHERS THAT HAD FOR US.
THE ALAMODOME, WHICH HAS RECEIVED $60 MILLION IN IMPROVEMENTS, HOSTED ALMOST 70,000 PEOPLE ON EACH NIGHT OF COMPETITION.
SATURDAY, THE SEMIFINALS AND MONDAY THE CHAMPIONSHIP, ALL RECORD DAYS.
THE HENRY B. GONZALEZ CONVENTION CENTER HOSTED MORE THAN 52,000 PEOPLE DURING THE FOUR DAYS OF THE FINAL FOUR FAN FEST AND MORE THAN 145,000 PEOPLE ATTENDED THE MARCH MADNESS MUSIC FESTIVAL AT HEMISFAIR OVER THE THREE DAYS THAT INCLUDED JASON ALDEAN, IMAGINE DRAGONS, AND MAROON FIVE.
THE EVENT REACHED CAPACITY ON BOTH SATURDAY AND SUNDAY NIGHTS.
OUR THANKS ALSO TO THE SAN ANTONIO POLICE DEPARTMENT, THE SAN ANTONIO FIRE DEPARTMENT, AND LAW ENFORCEMENT PARTNERS FROM THE REGION AND FEDERAL AGENCIES WHICH DID A STELLAR JOB DELIVERING A SAFE ENVIRONMENT.
THEY WORKED HARD ON A VERY SOPHISTICATED SECURITY PLAN WITH THE NCAA FOR MORE THAN A YEAR AND WERE PREPARED FOR EVERY EVENTUALITY.
THEY PROVIDED WONDERFUL SERVICE AND SUPPORT TO OUR STAFF IN THE NCAA.
COSA DEPARTMENTS WHO SUPPORTED THE FINAL FOUR INCLUDED SAPD, SAFD, ALAMODOME, THE AIRPORT,PO CENTER CITY, DEVELOPMENT OFFICE AND SO MANY MORE.
SO I WANT TO SAY ON BEHALF OF THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO, MY COLLEAGUES, THIS ENTIRE COMMUNITY, WAY TO GO, GUYS.
YOU KNOCKED IT OUT OF THE PARK AND WE CAN'T WAIT UNTIL YOU COME BACK.
>> MAYOR NIRENBERG: I'M GOING TO COME DOWN TO THE FRONT TO PRESENT A CITATION TO THE SAN ANTONIO LOCAL ORGANIZING COMMITTEE.
IN THE MEANTIME I'M GOING TO HAND THE MIC TO OUR CITY MANAGER, SHERYL SCULLEY.
I TOO WANT TO SAY THANK YOU TO THE SAN ANTONIO LOCAL ORGANIZING COMMITTEE, BUT ALSO TO NAME SOME OF OUR CITY DEPARTMENTS THAT REALLY WORKED SO HARD WITH THE TEAM AS WELL AS THANK VIA AND UTSA, THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO DEPARTMENTS INCLUDED A MULTITUDE OF DEPARTMENTS.
THIS WAS A TRUE TEAM EFFORT WORKING WITH JENNY AND VISIT SAN ANTONIO.
SO I WANT TO MENTION CARLOS CONTRERAS, PATRICIA, NICK, WHO RUNS THE ALAMODOME, AND QUITE CANDIDLY, FOR A 25-YEAR-OLD FACILITY WITH $60 MILLION IN IMPROVEMENTS IT LOOKED THE BEST OF ANY FACILITY THAT I HAVE ATTENDED FOR A FINAL FOUR.
YOU MENTIONED THE POLICE DEPARTMENT.
I'M PROUD TO SAY THERE WERE VERY FEW INCIDENTS.
LESS THAN A HALF DOZEN INCIDENTS THAT INVOLVED THE POLICE AND FIRE DEPARTMENTS.
BUT THEY WERE VERY VISIBLE AND READY.
SO WE THANK THEM FOR THEIR WORK.
OUR DEVELOPMENT SERVICES IN AUDIO].
THERE WAS A LOT OF WORK INVOLVED
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IN CLOSING THE STREETS AND REOPENING THEM, AT LEAST THREE TIMES FOR ALL MUSIC FESTIVALS.WE'RE TOLD THAT THIS WAS THE LARGEST ATTENDANCE OF ANY NCAA FINAL FOUR.
SO WE'RE REALLY EXCITED TO HAVE SHOWN SAN ANTONIO SO WELL TO NOT JUST THE NATION, BUT TO THE ENTIRE WORLD WITH EVERYONE WATCHING.
SO WE THANK THE TEAM AND CONGRATULATE EVERYONE FOR THE HARD WORK.
I KNOW WE'RE STILL KIND OF JUST COMING UP FOR AIR RIGHT NOW, BUT IT WAS A GREAT EVENT.
I'LL BE HAPPY TO SAY THAT WE ARE BIDDING ON THE NEXT ROUND OF MEN'S FINAL FOUR AS WELL AS THE WOMEN'S FINAL FOUR.
SO WE'RE EXCITED TO DO SO AND SHOWCASE SAN ANTONIO ONCE AGAIN.
>> MAYOR NIRENBERG: SO I'LL READ THE CITATION NOW AND JENNY, YOU'RE UP HERE.
I KNOW YOU HAVE A TEAM OF THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE THAT WERE ACTUALLY BEHIND YOU.
BUT IF THERE'S OTHER MEMBERS THAT WANT TO COME FORWARD TO BE WITH YOU, WE'LL TAKE A COUPLE OF PICTURES.
TO THE SAN ANTONIO LOCAL ORGANIZING COMMITTEE, IN RECOGNITION OF YOUR STELLAR CONTRIBUTION OF THE 2018 NCAA MEN'S FINAL FOUR WEEKEND, THIS HONOR RECOGNIZES YOUR YEARS OF DEVOTED PLANNING AND SPECTACULAR FINAL EXECUTION.
AS MILLIONS OF EYES WERE UPON OUR CITY AND AN ESTIMATED 93,000 OUT OF TOWN VISITORS DESCENDED ON TO THE ALAMO PLAZA, THE RIVER WALK, HEMISFAIR PARK, CONVENTION CENTER, AND THE ALAMODOME, SAN ANTONIO SHONE BRIGHTLY AND OFFERED THE ULTIMATE FINAL FOUR EXPERIENCE.
YOUR DEDICATION TO KEEPING OUR CITY IN THE GAME IS WORTHY OF COMMENDATION.
I, RON NIRENBERG, MAYOR OF THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO AND ON BEHALF OF THE CITY COUNCIL, EXTEND OUR APPRECIATION TO THE SAN ANTONIO LOCAL ORGANIZING COMMITTEE ON THIS OUTSTANDING ACHIEVEMENT AND WE EXTEND OUR BEST WISHES FOR CONTINUED SUCCESS.
>> WOO HOO! [APPLAUSE] [APPLAUSE]
>> WE HAVE SOME COUNCIL MEMBERS THAT WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK.
TO THE SAN ANTONIO LOCAL ORGANIZING COMMITTEE, JENNY, MARY, RUSS, CASSANDRA, EVERYONE WHO PLAYED SUCH TO ALL THE BEHIND THE SCENES.
ONE, I THINK YOU ARE SUPERMEN AND SUPERWOMEN BECAUSE YOU ARE HERE BLINKING WITH YOUR EYES OPEN.
TWO, I WANT TO THANK YOU FOR REACHING OUT AND REALLY ENGAGING THIS COMMUNITY.
TAKING SO MUCH INTO ACCOUNT TO MAKE SURE THAT PEOPLE WHO PARTICIPATED THIS WEEKEND REALLY HAD AN AUTHENTIC PURO SAN ANTONIO MOMENT HERE.
I KNOW EACH OF YOU REPRESENTED HERE HAVE TEAMS BEHIND YOU THAT DID SO MUCH AS WELL.
THANK YOU FOR ALLOWING ME TO BE A PART OF THAT AND LEVERAGE THOSE INTERACTIONS THAT WE HAD TO MAKE SURE THAT PEOPLE COME BACK TO SAN ANTONIO AND SPREAD THE GOSPEL ABOUT SAN ANTONIO.
>> MAYOR NIRENBERG: THANK YOU, COUNCILWOMAN VIAGRAN.
>> TREVINO: I WANT TO ECHO THOSE SENTIMENTS.
THANK YOU ALL FOR YOUR HARD WORK.
AS THE EXPRESSION WOULD SAY, YOUR EFFORT WAS NOTHING BUT NET.
>> MAYOR NIRENBERG: THANK YOU,
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COUNCILMAN TREVINO.>> GONZALES: I ALSO WANT TO SAY HOW FABULOUS I THOUGHT IT WAS.
I LIVE VERY CLOSE TO THE DOWNTOWN AREA SO WE PEDALED OVER ON OUR BICYCLES.
WE GOT TO SEE WHAT WAS HAPPENING AROUND THE GROUNDS, ALL THE STREET CLOSURES AND IN THE PARKS AND IN THE CIVIC PARK.
IT WAS JUST SUCH AN INCREDIBLE EXPERIENCE.
I LIKE THE SPREADING THE GOSPEL SAYING.
I THINK THAT SHOULD BE A HASHTAG.
SPREAD THE GOSPEL OF SAN ANTONIO.
IT WAS JUST SUCH A WONDERFUL EXPERIENCE AND I KNOW I REALLY ENJOYED SEEING SO MANY VISITORS FROM SAN ANTONIO OF ALL AGES AND JUST ALL TYPES OF PEOPLE ENJOYING OUR CITY.
I THINK I WOULD IMAGINE THAT IT WAS THE BEST EXPERIENCE OF ANY FINAL FOUR, AND I'M HOPEFUL THAT WE'LL HAVE ANOTHER OPPORTUNITY TO SHOW OFF OUR BEAUTIFUL CITY.
THANK YOU ALL FOR A GREAT EXPERIENCE.
>> MAYOR NIRENBERG: THANK YOU, COUNCILWOMAN GONZALES.
I HAVE TO TELL THIS STORY BECAUSE IT TELLS YOU ABOUT PRIORITIES.
BUT, YOU KNOW, WE HAD EASTER OVER THE WEEKEND AT THE SAME TIME AS FINAL FOUR.
SO WHEN I CALLED MY WIFE TO ASK HER WHAT FINAL FOUR EVENTS WE'LL BE GOING TO, SHE SAID THE ONLY FINAL FOUR EVENT WE'LL BE GOING TO IS IN THE VALLEY BECAUSE IT'S EASTER WEEKEND AND WE'RE SPENDING IT WITH MY FAMILY.
I WENT TO THE VALLEY IN A FULL BEARD AND LONG SLEEVE SHIRTS.
I GOT A LOT OF SYMPATHY BECAUSE PEOPLE FELT BAD I HAD TO GO TO THE VALLEY WITH MY IN-LAWS INSTEAD OF HERE IN SAN ANTONIO ATTENDING THE FINAL FOUR.
I GOT TOPNOTCH TREATMENT FROM THOSE IN EDINBURGH.
MY MOTHER-IN-LAW, I LOVE YOU, IT WAS GREAT SEEING YOU AGAIN BUT I WOULD SAY THAT PEOPLE DOWN IN THE VALLEY WERE SO IMPRESSED WITH HOW SAN ANTONIO HANDLED ITSELF WITH THE FINAL FOUR AND THE ATTENTION AND THE ABILITY TO HANDLE SUCH A LARGE CROWD.
>> MAYOR NIRENBERG: THANK YOU, COUNCILMAN SHAW.
LET ME JUST CLOSE BY SAYING, SAYLOCK, YOU DID A WONDERFUL JOB IN MAKING OUR COMMUNITY LOOK GREAT.
I WANT TO RECOGNIZE THE WONDERFUL WORK OF OUR CITY TEAMS. I SAW MIKE, WHO WAS HERE BRIEFLY JUST AS A PATRON, I GUESS, ENJOYING THE WORK THAT HAD LED UP TO THIS.
I WATCHED AND WORKED WITH THE CITY STAFF, OUR CITY MANAGER, OUR CONVENTION CENTER STAFF, OUR VISIT SAN ANTONIO STAFF, PATRICIA CANTOR AS BIG AS THIS WAS.
OF COURSE CARLOS CONTRERAS, WHO HAS BEEN A GO-TO FOR ALL OF THESE PURPOSES, AIRPORT AS WELL AS CONVENTION AND VISITOR SPACE.
YOU ALL HAVE DONE AN AMAZING JOB.
WE LOOK FORWARD TO THE NEXT BIG EVENTS THAT ARE COMING TO US.
I WOULD LIKE TO NOW RECOGNIZE MY COLLEAGUE, COUNCILMAN SHAW, WHO HAS A POINT OF PERSONAL PRIVILEGE.
SINCE WE FIRST LEARNED ABOUT HIV MANY DECADES AGO, AUDIO] DESPITE THOSE ADVANCES WE STILL HAVE HIV INFECTIONS ON THE RISE.
AND YOU MAY NOT KNOW THIS BUT ONE IN SEVEN PEOPLE WITH HIV DON'T KNOW THEY HAVE THE VIRUS.
AND UNFORTUNATELY IN THE PAST TEN YEARS BEXAR COUNTY'S NEW HIV DIAGNOSIS RATES HAVE BEEN CONSISTENTLY HIGHER IN ALL OF TEXAS AS WELL AS THE NATION.
WHEN A PERSON IS INFECTED WITH HIV HE OR SHE MAY HAVE SYMPTOMS FOR A LONG PERIOD OF TIME.
IN FACT, HIV IS A DISEASE OF MANY STAGES.
PEOPLE WITH HIV HAVE NO SYMPTOMS, FEW SYMPTOMS, OR SEVERAL SYMPTOMS. THE AVERAGE PERSON THAT HAS THE VIRUS MAY HAVE IT FOR AT LEAST THREE YEARS BEFORE BEING DIAGNOSED.
IF YOU TREAT HIV EARLY ENOUGH YOU CAN LIVE A LONG, HEALTHY LIFE AND HAVE CHILDREN.
GETTING TREATED ALSO PREVENTS THE SPREAD OF HIV.
DURING THIS MONTH OF FIESTA, WE WANT TO RAISE THE AWARENESS ABOUT THIS ISSUE SO WE CAN, TOGETHER, CURB THE SPREAD OF HIV IN OUR COMMUNITY AND ELIMINATE THE DISEASE ALTOGETHER.
TODAY I CALL ON ALL SAN ANTONIANS, INCLUDING MY FELLOW CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS TO HELP US REDUCE THE INCIDENCE OF HIV IN THE ALAMO CITY.
APRIL IS I KNOW MY STATUS MONTH.
TO ENCOURAGE ALL COMMUNITY TO GET TESTED AND KNOW YOUR STATUS.
METRO HEALTH, ALONG WITH COMMUNITY PARTNERS, ARE JOINING FORCES TO TEST 4,000 INDIVIDUALS FROM APRIL 1 TO APRIL 30.
FOUR TIMES THE AMOUNT OF TESTS NORMALLY DONE EACH MONTH.
AND RIGHT NOW I WOULD LIKE TO CALL UP MY NEIGHBOR TO SPEAK
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BRIEFLY REGARDING HIV AND THE IMPORTANCE OF BEING TESTED.IS EBONY HERE? CAN YOU PLEASE COME TO THE PODIUM, PLEASE?
>> I LEARNED ABOUT MY HIV STATUS WHEN I WAS 19 YEARS OLD.
I DIDN'T KNOW ANYTHING ABOUT THE VIRUS SO I WAS AFRAID WHEN THE DOCTOR TOLD ME THAT I WAS POSITIVE.
IT WASN'T UNTIL A FEW MONTHS LATER AFTER MY DIAGNOSIS WHEN I MET MRS. DURHAM AND MY FAMILY HERE AT BEAT AIDS.
I CALLED ON MY FAMILY BECAUSE STAFF AND CLIENTS HAVE BEEN HERE TO HELP ME GROW INTO A FEARLESS YOUNG WOMAN.
THEY HAVE TAUGHT ME SO MUCH ABOUT WHAT LOVE, HONOR, AND SUPPORT TRULY IS.
I HAVE MET SO MANY DOCTORS AND TRAINED PROFESSIONALS WHO TAUGHT ME SO MUCH ABOUT HIV.
I LEARNED ABOUT THE MEDICATIONS I AM PRESCRIBED AS WELL AS THE NEW MEDICATIONS THAT ARE COMING OUT INTO ONE PILL.
I HAVE ALSO LEARNED THAT MY CD4 COUNT IS THE AMOUNT OF WHITE T-CELLS IN MY BODY THAT HELP ME FIGHT OFF THE VIRUS IN MY BLOOD.
THE MEDICATIONS I'M ON GIVES ME STRENGTH AND MORE T-CELLS TO HELP FIGHT OFF THE VIRUS.
SO I CAN LIVE A FULL HEALTHY LIFE JUST LIKE YOU.
WHEN I LEARNED ABOUT MY STATUS I WAS 19 AND PREGNANT WITH MY FIRST-BORN CHILD, TREY ALLEN.
WE CALLED HIM TREY TREY FOR SHORT.
I DIDN'T KNOW WHAT TO EXPECT SO I DIDN'T KNOW IF THE DOCTOR WAS CALLING ME AFTER SOME TEST RESULTS THAT IT COULDN'T HAVE BEEN NOTHING GOOD.
AFTER I GOT THE NEWS ABOUT MY RESULTS BEING POSITIVE FOR HIV, I CRIED AND I FELT LIKE MY WHOLE LIFE WAS OVER.
HE REFERRED ME TO DR. MARTINEZ, AN HIV SPECIALIST AT CENTRAL MED HEALTH CLINIC.
I IMMEDIATELY STARTED MY MEDICATIONS AND DR. MARTINEZ ASSURED ME THAT IF I WAS TO TAKE MY MEDICATIONS THERE WAS A LOWER RISK OF MY SON CONTRACTING THE VIRUS.
SO I TOOK MY PILLS EVERY DAY ON TIME.
SINCE OCTOBER I HAVE BEEN TAKING MY MEDICATION FAITHFULLY.
MY SON WAS TESTED FOUR TIMES SINCE BIRTH AND EACH TEST RESULT CAME BACK HIV NEGATIVE.
I HAVE GIVEN BIRTH TO THREE MORE BEAUTIFUL CHILDREN AND BECAUSE I AM COMPLIANT WITH MY MEDICATION, ALL OF MY CHILDREN ARE NEGATIVE.
THIS IS JUST ONE OF THE REASONS WHY IT IS IMPORTANT TO GET TESTED AND KNOW YOUR STATUS SO THAT YOU CAN PROTECT YOURSELF, YOUR LOVER, AND YOUR CHILDREN.
SO I ENCOURAGE EACH AND EVERY LAST ONE OF US IN THIS ROOM TODAY TO GET TESTED, REGARDLESS OF BEING MARRIED OR NOT.
YOU DON'T KNOW WHAT YOUR PARTNER IS DOING.
IT'S JUST SAFE TO KNOW YOUR STATUS AND BE PROTECTED.
>> MAYOR NIRENBERG: COUNCILMAN TREVINO.
>> SHAW: WHEREAS DURING THE MONTH OF APRIL, 2018 IN THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO'S METROPOLITAN DISTRICT WILL OBSERVE STD AWARENESS MONTH TO EDUCATE THE PUBLIC ON THE IMPORTANCE OF SEXUAL HEALTH.
AND WHEREAS STDS ARE DISEASES THAT AFFECT ALL WALKS OF LIFE ARE TRANSMITTED FROM PERSON TO PERSON THROUGH UNPROTECTED SEXUAL ENCOUNTERS.
AND ARE LIFE-THREATENING AND CAN EITHER BE TREATED OR CURED AND ARE 100% PREVENTABLE.
AND THE GOAL OF THE OBSERVANCE IS TO EDUCATE AND CREATE AWARENESS OF THE SPONSOR IN AUDIO] TO NORMIZE SCREENINGS AND CELEBRATE THE ACHIEVEMENTS MADE IN COMBATING THIS DISEASE.
WHEREAS THE YEAR'S NATIONAL THEME TREAT ME RIGHT FOCUSES ON PROTECTING THE PATIENT'S SEXUAL HEALTH AS A PROVIDER AND STANDING UP FOR YOUR OWN SEXUAL HEALTH AS A PATIENT.
THE STRONGER THESE RELATIONSHIPS ARE THE WEAKER STDS WILL BECOME.
NOW THEREFORE, I CRUZ SHAW, ON BEHALF OF MAYOR RON NIRENBERG DO HEREBY PROCLAIM APRIL 2018 TO BE STD AWARENESS MONTH.
>> MAYOR NIRENBERG: THANK YOU, COUNCILMAN SHAW.
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YOU DON'T MIND.I'M SPEAKING ON THE OTHER SIDE NOW.
NOW I'M SPEAKING AS A CITIZEN.
I CHALLENGE ALL OF MY COLLEAGUES, UNDER THREE MINUTES TO GET FOLKS TESTED IN YOUR RESPECTIVE DISTRICTS.
AND I CHALLENGE EACH ONE OF YOU TO A COMPETITION TO SEE WHO CAN GET THE MOST TESTED.
AT THE VERY END WHOEVER HAS THE MOST TESTED WILL HAVE A SURPRISE AT THE END OF THE DAY FOR YOUR DISTRICT.
IT'S GOING TO BE A COMPETITION BUT AT THE END OF THE DAY I KNOW DISTRICT 2 IS GOING TO WIN.
BUT TO KEEP EVERYTHING FAIR, WE'LL GIVE YOU THE OPPORTUNITY TO GET IN THE GAME.
FROM NOW UNTIL THE END OF APRIL, IT'S GAME ON.
>> MAYOR NIRENBERG: THANK YOU, COUNCILMAN SHAW.
>> TREVINO: CHALLENGE ACCEPTED, DISTRICT 2.
>> TREVINO: I WHOLEHEARTEDLY SUPPORT THIS ISSUE AND I APPRECIATE YOUR LEADERSHIP, COUNCILMAN SHAW.
CERTAINLY ALSO APPRECIATE THE WORK OF DR. BRIDGER TO CONTINUE TO IMPROVE THE COLLECTIVE HEALTH AND WELLNESS OF OUR COMMUNITY.
IN FACT, DUE TO A RECENT ANNUAL PHYSICAL, I CAN ASSERT THAT I KNOW MY STATUS.
THIS IS SOMETHING THAT IS SO IMPORTANT IN OUR DIVERSE COMMUNITY.
I AM PROUD THAT DISTRICT 1 HAS BEEN ACTIVE IN PROMOTING ISSUES OF EQUALITY IN OUR CITY AND IS THE HISTORIC HOME OF THE LGBTQ COMMUNITY IN SAN ANTONIO.
I AM HUMBLED TO HAVE PARTNERED IN THE EFFORT TO FIND A PERMANENT HOME FOR THE PRIDE CENTER IN SAN ANTONIO, WHICH WILL OPEN IN THE HEART OF DISTRICT 1 AND PROVIDES A MUCH-NEEDED RESOURCE FOR THE LGBTQ COMMUNITY.
I WOULD ALSO LIKE TO ACKNOWLEDGE THE WORK OF THE ALAMO AREA HE SOURCE CENTER WHOSE FACILITY I RECENTLY VISITED FOR THE OUTSTANDING WORK THEY DO TO PROVIDE MENTAL AND PHYSICAL HEALTH CARE TO THE LGBTQ POPULATION.
TODAY WE HAVE MR. RAPHAEL MADISON.
I WOULD LIKE TO INVITE HIM UP TO SAY A FEW WORDS ABOUT THE ALAMO RESOURCE CENTER.
I DO DEVELOPMENT AND I.T. AT THE ALAMO AREA RESOURCE CENTER.
WE DO A LOT OF OUTREACH PROGRAMS FOR ALAMO RESOURCE CENTER FOR LGBTQ AND HIV SERVICES.
WE HAVE PREVENTION TEAMS THAT GO OUT INTO THE COMMUNITY, DO TESTING.
WE HAVE MENTAL HEALTH, TRANSPORTATION FOR PEOPLE WHO CAN'T MAKE IT, THAT ARE LOW-INCOME FUNDED.
WE HAVE A CLINIC SO IF PEOPLE WANTED TO GET TESTED FOR HEP C, SYPHILIS, HIV, WE'RE ALL THERE.
IT WAS AN HONOR WELCOMING MR. TREVINO TO COME TO OUR FACILITY TO WALK AROUND, SEE WHAT WE DO, HOW EVERYTHING IS COORDINATED.
AND WE'RE HERE FOR THE COMMUNITY.
I ENCOURAGE ALL OF MY COLLEAGUES TO TAKE A VISIT.
THEY ARE DOING GREAT WORK AT THE ALAMO AREA RESOURCE CENTER.
ALSO THIS MORNING I WOULD LIKE TO RECOGNIZE THE REVEREND OF THE UNIVERSITY OF PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH.
>> THANK YOU, COUNCILMAN TREVINO AND MR. MAYOR.
I WANTED TO ADDRESS -- OR LET ME APOLOGIZE.
I DIDN'T WEAR MY CLERICAL COLLAR TODAY BUT SOMETIMES A CLERICAL COLLAR STANDS IN THE WAY OF GETTING A MESSAGE OUT.
AND THE MESSAGE IS UNDETECTABLE EQUALS UNTRANSMITBLE.
IF YOU'RE UNDETECTABLE YOU CAN TRANSMIT THE DISEASE.
SOMETIMES AS A COMMUNITY AND FAITH WE STAND IN THE WAY OF GETTING THE MESSAGE OUT.
AND WE ARE AT A PRIVILEGED TIME WHERE THE SCIENCE HAS BROUGHT US TO A POINT WHERE WE CAN ERADICATE HIV/AIDS, BUT FEAR, STIGMA, AND ISOLATION STANDS IN THE WAY OF PEOPLE GETTING TESTED AND GETTING THE SUPPORT THEY NEED.
I CHALLENGE FELLOW CLERGY AND OTHER MEMBERS OF FAITH TO KNOW YOUR STATUS.
I KNOW MY STATUS AND I AM VERY GLAD THAT WE LIVE IN A TIME WHERE UNDETECTABLE MEANS UNINFECTIBLE.
>> TREVINO: THANK YOU, REVEREND.
LASTLY I WANT TO WISH ALL OF YOU, ALL MY COLLEAGUES WHO HAD GREAT SUCCESS IN THIS COMPETITION THAT COUNCILMAN SHAW LAID DOWN IN PROMOTING HIV TESTING IN YOUR DISTRICTS.
>> MAYOR NIRENBERG: THANK YOU, COUNCILMAN TREVINO.
[00:35:01]
CHALLENGE.YOU HAVE CALLED THE THUNDER DOWN FROM THE MOUNTAIN.
DISTRICT 8 WILL BEAT YOU LIKE A DRUM.
THIS IS GOING TO BE A LOT OF FUN BUT, YOU KNOW, I DON'T WANT YOU TO THINK THAT MY HUMOR BELIES OR BETRAYS THE SERIOUSNESS OF THIS MATTER.
I DO WANT TO POINT OUT THAT YOU WILL OFTEN HEAR FROM THIS DAIS TALK ABOUT THE IMPORTANCE OF BEING AWARE OF THE CONSEQUENCES THAT DOMESTIC VIOLENCE HAS ON SAN ANTONIO'S PROBLEMS. AND HIV AND DOMESTIC VIOLENCE HAVE A VERY NASTY RELATIONSHIP.
OFTENTIMES VICTIMS FIND THEMSELVES RAPED BY THEIR ABUSERS.
VICTIMS FIND THEMSELVES IMPRISONED BY THIS PATTERN OF CONTROL AT THE HANDS OF THEIR ABUSERS.
THE ABUSERS DON'T LET THEM GO TO DOCTORS, AND THE SAME HOLDS TRUE FOR THEIR CHILDREN.
IF YOU DON'T GO TO A DOCTOR IT CAN'T BE DETECTED AND YOU HAVE SERIOUS HEALTH PROBLEMS. ADDITIONALLY WE KNOW THAT ABUSERS WILL ALSO ENGAGE IN UNSAFE SEX OUTSIDE OF THEIR ALREADY EXISTING ABUSIVE RELATIONSHIP.
AND SO I WANT Y'ALL TO KEEP IN MIND THAT IT'S WITH THAT FOCUS THAT I'M APPROACHING THIS CHALLENGE.
AND COUNCILMAN CRUZ, I CONGRATULATE YOU ON TAKING THIS UP AND BEING A CHAMPION FOR THIS.
I'M BEHIND YOU CLAPPING ALL THE WAY BUT ALSO YOU GOT A TARGET ON YOUR BACK, BUDDY.
>> MAYOR NIRENBERG: THANK YOU, COUNCILMAN PELAEZ.
AND THANK YOU, COUNCILMAN SHAW, FOR BRINGING THIS TO OUR ATTENTION BECAUSE THIS ALSO IMPACTS SO MANY OF OUR COMMUNITY THROUGHOUT THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO.
AND WHERE WE ARE STATISTICALLY THROUGHOUT THE STATE I THINK IT IS SOMETHING ALARMING THAT EACH AND EVERY ONE OF US SHOULD TAKE VERY, VERY SERIOUSLY.
I WANT TO THANK YOU FOR ALL OF THE WORK THAT YOU DO AND BEAT AIDS.
EBONY, THANK YOU FOR YOUR COURAGE AND FOR COMING UP AND STEPPING UP AND BEING BRAVE LIKE YOU ARE, AND FOR TAKING THE PROPER STEPS FOR YOURSELF AND YOUR ENTIRE FAMILY.
LET'S GIVE HER A ROUND OF APPLAUSE.
AND JUST SO EVERYONE KNOWS, YES, WE ACCEPT THE CHALLENGE IN DISTRICT 3.
YOU ALL HAVE NO IDEA HOW RELENTLESS THE SOUTH SIDE CAN BE, BUT YOU'LL FIND OUT SOON ENOUGH.
AND THEN FOR YOU ALL TO KNOW, TOO, A BUS IS OUTSIDE.
THERE'S A MOBILE UNIT OUTSIDE IN FRONT OF CITY HALL TODAY, THIS MORNING, RIGHT NOW.
SO AFTER ALL OF THIS YOU ALL ARE WELCOME TO GO ACROSS THE STREET, GET TESTED, AND KNOW YOUR STATUS.
AND I ALSO HAVE TO GIVE A GREAT ACKNOWLEDGMENT TO DR. BRIDGER, WHO IS THIS IS ALSO A VERY IMPORTANT ISSUE FOR HER IN GETTING THE WORD OUT.
AND ALSO HER FABULOUS DYNAMIC METRO HEALTH STAFF WHO MAKE EVERYTHING FUN AND WHO WILL ALSO HELP YOU OUT OVER THERE.
>> MAYOR NIRENBERG: THANK YOU, COUNCILWOMAN VIAGRAN.
SPEAKING FOR MYSELF AND MY ESTEEMED COLLEAGUE, COUNCILMAN PERRY, WE REPRESENT KIND OF AN OLDER GENERATION WHEN IT COMES TO ISSUES INVOLVING STDS AND HIV.
MY OFFICE, I UNDERSTAND, WAS THE FIRST OFFICE TO UNDERGO CHECKING THEIR STATUS ON MONDAY OF THIS WEEK, SO I THINK WE ALREADY HAVE A LEAD ON THE OTHER COUNCIL DISTRICTS.
BUT IT IS A SERIOUS ISSUE AND WE INTEND TO PROMOTE THIS.
THERE'S NO ONE WHO SHOULD BELIEVE THAT THEY ARE IMMUNE OR THAT IT'S NOT GOING TO OCCUR IN THEIR LIVES UNLESS THEY ARE CAUTIOUS ENOUGH TO BE TESTED TO KNOW FOR SURE.
SO WE'LL CERTAINLY PROMOTE IT IN OUR DISTRICT AND WE HOPE THAT EVERYBODY RECOGNIZES THE SIGNIFICANCE OF THIS HEALTH ISSUE IN OUR COMMUNITY.
>> MAYOR NIRENBERG: THANK YOU, COUNCILMAN COURAGE.
>> SANDOVAL: THANK YOU, MAYOR.
THANK YOU, COUNCILMAN SHAW, FOR BRINGING THIS FORWARD AND FOR YOUR ENTHUSIASM.
I WANT TO FIRST ALSO THANK EBONY AND CONGRATULATE YOU FOR WHAT YOU'VE DONE.
YOU HAVE BEEN EXTREMELY BRAVE.
I THINK DOING THE RIGHT THING, WHAT YOU'VE DONE IS A LOT EASIER WHEN YOU HAVE THE SUPPORT OF THE COMMUNITY AND WHEN YOU HAVE A GROUP LIKE BEAT AIDS WHO'S AVAILABLE FOR YOU.
THEY ARE SUCH A POSITIVE FORCE.
I WILL TELL YOU WE HAD THEM OUT A COUPLE OF TIMES IN DISTRICT 7 AT WOODLAWN POINT CHURCH.
EVEN THOUGH HIV IS SUCH A SERIOUS ISSUE, WHEN YOU WALK INTO THAT ROOM WITH THEM, THERE
[00:40:03]
IS SO MUCH JOY FOR LIFE AND FOR COMING TOGETHER.I THINK THAT REALLY MAKES THEIR MISSION SO MUCH MORE EFFECTIVE AT FULFILLING THEIR MISSION.
I WANT TO THANK THEM FOR THEIR WORK AND FOR BEING SO PRESENT IN DISTRICT 7.
AND I ALSO WANT TO THANK DR. BRIDGER FOR HER LEADERSHIP ON THIS ISSUE AND SO MANY OTHERS.
I'M STILL AMAZED AT HOW YOU DO IT ALL.
WE HAVE SO MANY SERIOUS HEALTH ISSUES BUT THIS ONE IS ABSOLUTELY IMPORTANT.
AND I ALSO WANT TO MENTION THAT IT'S NATIONAL PUBLIC HEALTH WEEK.
I'M GLAD THAT WE ARE DOING SOMETHING IN CELEBRATION OF NATIONAL PUBLIC HEALTH WEEK.
>> MAYOR NIRENBERG: THANK YOU, COUNCILWOMAN SANDOVAL.
I FORGOT TO MENTION THAT IF ANY OF THE COUNCIL MEMBERS WOULD LIKE TO ATTEND TESTING FACILITIES OR DO A VIDEO REGARDING THE CHALLENGE, YOU CAN GET WITH DR. BRIDGER SO YOU CAN DO THE VIDEO EITHER IN YOUR COMMUNITY OR IN YOUR OFFICES, BUT THAT IS ALSO AN OPTION.
>> MAYOR NIRENBERG: THANK YOU, COUNCILMAN SHAW.
TO COUNCILMAN SHAW, WE THANK YOU FOR YOUR LEADERSHIP AND POINTING US IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION IN GOING AFTER THIS ISSUE.
I THINK IT MEANS A LOT TO THE ENTIRE COMMUNITY WHEN WE'RE FOCUSED LIKE A LASER ON A SPECIFIC ISSUE WE KNOW WE CAN DO SOMETHING ABOUT, LIKE QUADRUPLING THE AMOUNT OF FOLKS THAT CAN KNOW THEIR STATUS.
WE THANK METRO HEALTH, BEAT AIDS, LEADERSHIP AND TESTIMONY LIKE THAT OF MANY EBONY, WHO HAS COME FORWARD.
IF I CAN, JUST OUT OF CURIOSITY, DR. BRIDGER, ASK YOU WHAT THAT PROCESS LOOKS LIKE.
AND IT'S SOMETHING THAT MAYBE FOLKS MAY BE WEARY OF TAKING THAT STEP.
I THINK YOU HAVE EXPLAINED WITH YOUR STAFF WHAT THAT LOOKS LIKE.
>> THERE'S TWO WAYS THAT SOMEBODY CAN BE TESTED.
ONE CAN BE DONE IN ABOUT A MINUTE, WHICHS IS FINGER PRICK.
IT LETS YOU KNOW IF YOU HAVE HIV INFECTION.
THE OTHER OPTION IS FOR AN ACTUAL BLOOD DRAW, AND THAT TAKES A LITTLE BIT LONGER.
WHAT WE GENERALLY RECOMMEND IS THAT PEOPLE DO BOTH, THE FINGER PRICK AND BLOOD DRAW.
THE BLOOD DRAW HELPS IDENTIFY PEOPLE WHO HAVE BEEN RECENTLY INFECTED.
IF YOU HAVE BEEN INFECTED IN THE LAST THREE MONTHS OR SO IT MAY NOT SHOW UP ON THE FINGER PRICK BUT IT WILL DEFINITELY SHOW UP ON THE BLOOD DRAW.
>> SALDANA: IN THESE TYPES OF CASES KNOWLEDGE IS POWER AND THE ABILITY TO KNOW WHAT YOU ARE GOING INTO, SOMETHING AS SIMPLE AS A PRICK OR A BLOOD DRAW CAN GO A LONG WAY IN TERMS OF BEATING THIS, AND THE COMMUNITY IS BEHIND US.
THAT BEING THE CASE, WE'VE GOT PLENTY OF EVENTS IN DISTRICT 4, WHETHER IT'S OUR 5K OR OUR HEALTH BACK TO SCHOOL FAIR.
WE WORK WITH PARENTS AUDIO] I'M EXCITED ABOUT THIS BECAUSE I THINK IT MEANS THE ENTIRE COMMUNITY WINS.
>> MAYOR NIRENBERG: THANK YOU, COUNCILMAN SALDANA.
THANK YOU, AGAIN, COUNCILMAN SHAW FOR YOUR LEADERSHIP IN THIS AND THE ENTIRE BEAT AIDS CREW AND EVERYONE WHO IS WORKING SO DILIGENTLY IN THIS EFFORT, AS WELL AS DR. BRIDGER.
OUR NEXT POINT OF PERSONAL PRIVILEGE IS FROM COUNCILMAN SALDANA.
AT THIS TIME I WOULD LIKE TO ASK THE REST OF THE COUNCIL TO REINTRODUCE US TO THE GUESTS WE HAVE WITH US TODAY IN THE COUNCIL CHAMBERS.
WE ARE BEING GRACED BY THE PRESENCE OF NOT ONLY CHILD SAFE, WHICH IS THE ORGANIZATION WHO PUTS THIS TOGETHER EVERY YEAR, BUT CARDBOARD KIDS.
SO I WANT TO TELL EVERYBODY ABOUT WHAT EXACTLY CARDBOARD KIDS IS.
SO AS YOU CAN SEE, WE HAVE SPECIAL VISITORS IN OUR CHAMBERS.
THEY ARE EACH UNIQUE AND MADE TO REMIND US THAT APRIL IS NATIONAL CHILD ABUSE PREVENTION MONTH.
AND TODAY IS THE COMMUNITY-WIDE REVEAL DAY OF CARDBOARD KIDS.
THE CHILD ABUSE AWARENESS CAMPAIGN CREATED BY CHILD SAFE.
CHILD SAFE IS BEXAR COUNTY'S ONLY CHILDREN'S ADVOCACY CENTER.
UNFORTUNATELY, WE CONTINUE TO HAVE HIGH CHILD ABUSE AND NEGLECT NUMBERS IN OUR COMMUNITY AND IT IS WHY CHILD SAFE DEVELOPED THIS CAMPAIGN.
NOW IN ITS FIFTH YEAR, THE CAMPAIGN HAS GROWN FROM 5,846 CARDBOARD KIDS IN YEAR ONE TO MORE THAN 100,000 THIS YEAR, DEMONSTRATING SAN ANTONIO'S DEDICATION TO ELIMINATING CHILD ABUSE.
BUT IT TAKES EVERYONE IN OUR COMMUNITY.
AGAIN, THAT'S GOING FROM CLOSE TO 6,000 CARDBOARD KIDS TO NOW 100,000.
AND SO LAST YEAR CHILD SAFE SERVED 3,451 CHILDREN AND THEIR NON-OFFENDING FAMILY MEMBERS AND EXPERIENCED A 90% INCREASE IN COUNSELING SESSIONS OVER THE LAST TWO YEARS.
CHILD SAFE PROVIDES FORENSIC INTERVIEWS, ADVANCED COUNSELING, CASE MANAGEMENT, AND ADVOCACY SERVICES TO THE MOST VULNERABLE IN BEXAR COUNTY.
[00:45:01]
VITAL TO HELP YOUNG VICTIMS HEAL.SO THANK YOU TO KIM, WHO I WILL ASK TO COME TO THE FRONT AND PERHAPS ADDRESS THE COUNCIL.
CHILDREN SAFE PRESIDENT AND C.E.O. FOR BEING HERE TODAY AND FOR HER LEADERSHIP AND COMMITMENT TO SAN ANTONIO CHILDREN AND TEENS.
BECAUSE THIS IS AN ISSUE THAT IS INCREDIBLY IMPORTANT, SOMETIMES FOLKS SUFFER IN SILENCE, WHICH IS WHY THEIR SPOKESPERSONS CAN BE NOT ONLY US AS COMMUNITY LEADERS BUT THE RECOGNITION AND AWARENESS THAT CARDBOARD KIDS DOES THROUGHOUT THE CITY.
>> THANK YOU, MAYOR, AND ALL THE COUNCIL PEOPLE.
I ALSO WANT TO THANK THE SISTER.
WE HAVE BEEN HERE SINCE 8:15 AND WE HAVE BECOME GOOD FRIENDS.
I ALWAYS GET TO MEET -- I MEAN, THROUGH MY YEARS COMING HERE, I ALWAYS MEET SOMEBODY I BECOME FRIENDS WITH.
SHE SAID I HAVE BEEN INTERESTED IN WHAT YOU GUYS ARE DOING AND I'M GOING TO STAY AND LISTEN FOR YOU.
I SAID I'M GOING TO BE A POINT OF PRIVILEGE SO I SHOULD GO PRETTY EARLY.
I'M EXCITED TO BE HERE AND EXCITED TO TALK ABOUT CARDBOARD KIDS.
I KNOW WITH THE WORK THAT WE DO IT SEEMS KIND OF ODD TO SAY I'M EXCITED.
BUT I AM EXCITED BECAUSE THERE'S SO MUCH AWARENESS GOING ON.
AND I WANT TO -- JUST TO BE PRECISE, IT'S ABOUT 104,000 TODAY SINCE WE SENT YOU THAT DATA.
YOU KNOW, 104,000 KIDS ACROSS THE CITY REALLY DOES MAKE AN IMPACT.
PEOPLE REALLY DO START TO SEE THEM AND ASK ABOUT THEM.
AND OVER THE YEARS WE HAVE HAD SO MANY.
LAST YEAR 30,000 OF THOSE KIDS WERE IN SCHOOLS, SO IT'S A BIG TEACHING MOMENT FOR CHILDREN IN SCHOOLS.
BUT I'M EXCITED BECAUSE -- AND LISTEN TO ME.
AND THAT'S WHAT WE WANTED TO HAPPEN FIVE YEARS AGO WHEN WE STARTED THIS AWARENESS CAMPAIGN AND WHEN WE STARTED AN ACTIVE EDUCATION AND AWARENESS PROGRAM IN THE COMMUNITY.
LAST YEAR WE SERVED OVER 20,000 INDIVIDUALS, TRAINING THEM HOW TO RECOGNIZE AND REPORT ABUSE AND HELPING CHILDREN UNDERSTAND HOW THEY CAN REPORT WHEN SOMETHING HAPPENS TO THEM.
WE KNEW WHEN WE DID THAT THE NUMBERS SHOULD GO WAY UP BEFORE THEY GO DOWN.
BECAUSE ONLY ONE IN TEN INDIVIDUALS EVER IN THEIR LIFE WILL TELL IF THEY HAVE BEEN SEXUALLY ABUSED.
SO IT'S A GOOD DAY THAT WE'RE SERVING SO MANY CLIENTS.
THIS PAST MONTH IN MARCH WE DID 207 FORENSIC INTERVIEWS, WHICH IS HOW CHILDREN ENTER OUR SERVICES.
LAST YEAR AT THE SAME TIME THAT'S ABOUT ALMOST 75 MORE INTERVIEWS THAN WE DID AT THE SAME TIME.
I CAN'T THANK ALL OF YOUR SUPPORT ENOUGH.
I KNOW THAT -- I JUST WANT TO SAY A SHOUT OUT TO SHIRLEY GONZALES FOR WHAT SHE'S DOING IN HER DISTRICT.
THANK YOU TO THE MAYOR FOR HIS SUPPORT.
IF YOU HAVEN'T SEEN THEM, THEY ARE TV STARS ON A COMMERCIAL, ON OUR CHILD SAFE COMMERCIAL THIS TIME.
THANK YOU ALL SO MUCH FOR YOUR SUPPORT.
>> PARDON ME? I DON'T LIVE IN SAN ANTONIO.
>> SALDANA: SO ONCE AGAIN, THANK YOU, MAYOR.
JUST TO INTRODUCE, THIS IS AMELIA.
IF A COUNCIL MEMBER IS SPEAKING, MAYBE THEY WILL INTRODUCE THEIR CARDBOARD KID AS WELL.
THE IDEA IS TO GET THESE TO AS MANY VISIBLE PLACES.
YOUR OFFICE, OFFICE WINDOW, SCHOOLS, MEDICAL CLINICS, OUT IN THE PARK.
YOU SHOULD BE SEEING THESE THROUGHOUT SAN ANTONIO, THROUGHOUT THE MONTH OF APRIL, WHICH IS THE NATIONAL CHILD ABUSE AWARENESS PREVENTION MONTH.
SO MY COUNCIL COLLEAGUES, TAKE THESE FROM THE DAIS AND PLEASE PUT THEM INTO PLACES WHERE FOLKS WILL R AUN INTO THEM, INTERACT, AND READ THE STORIES ABOUT WHY THEY ARE SEEING THEM.
>> MAYOR NIRENBERG: THANK YOU, COUNCILMAN SALDANA.
THANK YOU FOR THE AWARENESS CAMPAIGN THAT Y'ALL ARE DOING TO RECOGNIZE THE CHILDREN IN OUR COMMUNITY.
THE REASON I MADE IT A PRIORITY FOR ME IN THIS TERM IS BECAUSE IT WAS REPORTED TO ME THAT OVER 30% OF ALL CHILD ABUSE NEGLECT CASES WERE COMING OUT OF TWO ZIP CODES IN MY DISTRICT.
AND SO THIS IS NOT SOMETHING THAT I'M PROUD OF.
WE HAVE TO ADDRESS THIS ISSUE IMMEDIATELY.
SO I'M VERY GRATEFUL THAT THERE ARE SO MANY RESOURCES IN THE CITY TO DEAL WITH THIS.
AND SO I'M THANKFUL TO KIM AND ALL THE WORK THAT YOU DO AT CHILD SAFE.
SEXUAL ABUSE IS REALLY PARTICULARLY TRAUMATIC FOR CHILDREN AND FOR FAMILIES.
[00:50:01]
AND SO I KNOW THAT PEOPLE THAT WORK IN THE AREA OF SEXUAL ABUSE FOR CHILDREN HAVE A VERY HARD TIME DEALING WITH THEIR OWN EMOTIONS.AND SO IT'S ALSO FOR THE PEOPLE THAT WORK AT THE CENTER, THE VOLUNTEERS, THEY ALSO DESERVE OUR GREATEST AMOUNT OF RESPECT.
I'M SO THANKFUL THAT WE CONTINUE TO BRING AWARENESS TO THIS ISSUE.
AND YOU MENTIONED THAT THE NUMBERS KEEP RISING AND KEEP RISING, AND THAT'S VERY STARTLING, BUT WE HOPE THAT BY BRINGING THE AWARENESS, BY GIVING DIRECT ATTENTION, BY HAVING SOMEWHERE TO GO LIKE CHILD SAFE AND HAVING GREAT VOLUNTEERS AND EDUCATED PEOPLE IN THE COMMUNITY THAT WE CAN EVENTUALLY SEE THOSE NUMBERS DECLINE.
THANK YOU FOR ALL YOU DO AND FOR BRINGING THIS TO OUR ATTENTION.
>> MAYOR NIRENBERG: THANK YOU, COUNCILWOMAN GONZALES.
THANK YOU, AGAIN, KIM AND THE TIME AT CHILD SAFE FOR THE WORK THAT YOU'RE DOING ON AN INCREDIBLY IMPORTANT ISSUE.
AT THIS TIME WE'RE GOING TO MOVE NOW TO OUR AGENDA FOR THE DAY.
I WOULD LIKE TO START BY ASKING MY COLLEAGUES IF THEY HAVE ANY ITEMS TO PULL FROM THE CONSENT AGENDA.
HEARING NONE, WE'LL GO AHEAD AND MOVE ON.
10 IS PULLED FROM THE CONSENT AGENDA.
WE DO HAVE ONE CITIZEN SIGNED UP TO SPEAK ON ITEMS 5 THROUGH 16.
WE'LL GO AHEAD AND TAKE YOU AS SOON AS WE GET TO THE CONSENT AGENDA, JACK.
WE DO NEED A MOTION AND A SECOND FOR THE CONSENT AGENDA, BALANCE OF THE CONSENT AGENDA, WHICH IS ALL ITEMS SAVE FOR ITEM 10.
THERE'S A MOTION AND A SECOND FOR THE BALANCE OF THE CONSENT AGENDA.
>> WELL, MR. MAYOR AND OTHER MEMBERS OF OUR ILLUSTRIOUS CITY COUNCIL.
FOR THE RECORD, MY NAME IS JACK M. FINGER.
A LITTLE BIT OF HOUSEKEEPING BEFORE WE GO ON TO THINGS, MR. MAYOR.
Y'ALL HAD A LOT OF HOOPLA ABOUT THE FINAL FOUR THIS WEEKEND BUT I DIDN'T SEE ANYBODY TOUTING THE FACT THAT THERE WERE MASSIVE TRAFFIC JAMS DOWNTOWN.
THERE WAS AN HOUR AND A HALF WAIT AND YOU HAD $100 TAXI CAB RIDES FROM UBER AND LYFT.
ALSO, MR. SHAW, YOUR HIV/AIDS PREVENTION PROGRAM THAT YOU'RE TOUTING.
YOU KNOW, CONTRARY TO WHAT Y'ALL ARE TRYING TO TELL US, YOU CANNOT -- NOT JUST ANYBODY CAN CONTRACT AIDS/HIV.
YOU HAVE TO HAVE HAD SEXUAL CONTACT OUTSIDE OF ONE MAN, ONE WOMAN MARRIAGE, FOR THE MOST PART.
MAYBE IF Y'ALL CHALLENGED PEOPLE ON ABSTINENCE PROMOTION INSTEAD OF HIV TESTING, AND MAYBE IF OUR METRO HEALTH DISTRICT SUPPORTED ABSTINENCE INSTEAD OF CONDOM USAGE, OUR TAX DOLLARS WOULD NOT BE SO WASTED.
NOW, AS FAR AS THIS PORTION OF THE AGENDA.
YES, WE HAVE A NUMBER OF ITEMS I WISH TO BRING TO YOUR ATTENTION.
YOU ARE GOING TO OFFER A CONTRACT WITH A COMPANY THAT'S GOING TO HELP OUT WITH TRAFFIC CALMING.
WHAT EXACTLY IS TRAFFIC CALMING? DO THEY HIRE PEOPLE TO GO OUT ON THE SIDE OF THE ROAD AND SAY HEY, EVERYBODY, SLOW DOWN! CALM YOUR TRAFFIC.
TRAFFIC CALMING IS REDUCING YOUR LANES THAT YOU DRIVE UPON FROM FOUR TO, SAY, TWO BOTTLENECKS.
IF YOU DON'T BELIEVE ME TAKE A LOOK AT MAIN AVENUE AND WHAT THEY'RE DOING NEXT TO FOX TECH HIGH SCHOOL THERE.
ALSO THE ITEM NO. 8 ABOUT HELPING OUT AT CHURCH WITH ONE OF ITS -- WHAT DOES IT SAY HERE?
[00:55:06]
DOO DEE DOO DEE DOO.CLOSING VACATING AN AREA NEAR A CHURCH THERE.
MOST OF THE TIME YOU DON'T THINK THAT LOBBYISTS DON'T HAVE THE BEST REPUTATION AROUND.
YOU THINK THEY ACTUALLY HAVE KIND OF A SLEAZY REPUTATION.
YOU DON'T THINK OF A CHURCH HIRING A LOBBYIST.
THE LOBBYIST ACTUALLY GAVE A NUMBER OF YOU CAMPAIGN FINANCE CONTRIBUTIONS JUST BEFORE OR AFTER HE WAS PROMOTING YOUR IDEA ON HELPING OUT THE CHURCH THERE.
I COULDN'T HELP NOTICING THIS.
I SAW THE LIST THAT THE LOBBYIST MENTIONED AND WHAT DID HE GIVE ALL YOU GUYS? NEARLY EVERY SINGLE ONE OF Y'ALL CALL CAMPAIGN FINANCE CONTRIBUTIONS FROM THAT GENTLEMAN.
MS. SANDOVAL, MR. PELAEZ, AND MR. COURAGE DIDN'T GET ANY.
I'LL LET Y'ALL VOTE ON THAT ONE.
THE REST OF YOU, IF YOU WANT TO DO THE RIGHT THING, YOU JUST HAVE TO ABSTAIN.
>> MAYOR NIRENBERG: THAT'S EVERYONE WHO WAS SIGNED UP TO SPEAK ON THE BALANCE OF THE CONSENT AGENDA.
WE HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND ON THE CONSENT AGENDA, WHICH IS FOR ALL ITEMS SAVE FOR NO. 10.
>> ITEM 4 IS A RESOLUTION CONFIRMING THE NOMINATION OF DR. WILLIS MACKEY BY THE CITY PUBLIC SERVICE TO SERVE AS TRUSTEE OF THE SOUTHEAST QUADRANT FOR A TERM COMMENCING APRIL 6, 2018 AND EXPIRING JANUARY 31, 2023 AND APPROVING THE APPOINTMENT OF DR. WILLIS MACKEY TO THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS OF THE SA ENERGY ACQUISITION PUBLIC FACILITY CORPORATION FOR A TERM COMMENCING APRIL 6, 2018 AND EXPIRING JANUARY 31, 2020.
I THINK WE DO HAVE A FEW CITIZENS SIGNED UP TO SPEAK.
LET'S GO AHEAD AND TAKE THE PRESENTATION FIRST.
IS THERE A PRESENTATION? ARE YOU SIGNED UP TO SPEAK, JOHN? LET'S TAKE THE CITIZENS SIGNED UP TO SPEAK IN THAT ORDER, THEN.
WE'LL START WITH MAYOR MARY DENNIS.
GOOD MORNING, COUNCIL MEMBERS.
I SERVE AS THE MAYOR OF THE CITY OF LIVE OAK, YOUR NEIGHBOR.
AT YOUR DESK I HAVE PUT OUR FIESTA MEDAL.
AND OUR MOTTO IS STRENGTH IN COMMUNITY.
YOU CAN SEE ON THAT MEDAL WE HONOR AND HAVE RECOGNIZED THE 300TH YEAR CELEBRATION OF SAN ANTONIO.
AND WE INCLUDED THAT ON OUR MEDAL THIS YEAR.
SO I HOPE THAT YOU WILL ENJOY THAT.
I LIKE TO START OUT BY JUST SAYING THANK YOU ALL VERY MUCH FOR THE HARD WORK THAT YOU DO.
I UNDERSTAND THAT THIS TAKES A LOT OF TIME, A LOT OF COMMITMENT, SO I APPLAUD YOU AND THANK YOU FOR YOUR HARD WORK AND COMPASSION THAT YOU GIVE EVERY DAY TO THE CITIZENS OF SAN ANTONIO.
I'M HERE, HOWEVER, TO SPEAK ON ITEM 4 IN SUPPORT OF DR. MACKEY'S NOMINATION TO THE CPS BOARD.
I HAVE KNOWN DR. MACKEY FOR EIGHT OR NINE YEARS AND HAVE FOUND HIM TO BE A VERY CREDIBLE, KNOWLEDGEABLE INDIVIDUAL.
I BELIEVE THAT HIS APPOINTMENT TO THAT BOARD WOULD CERTAINLY BRING HIS COMPASSION IN REGARDS TO THE CITIZENS AND WHAT CPS ENERGY DOES.
I LOVE WHAT OUR PRESIDENT SAYS.
AND I'M SURE THAT DR. MACKEY, AND HE HAS EXEMPLIFIED THAT HE DOES UNDERSTAND THAT PHILOSOPHY.
I AM HERE IN SUPPORT AND HOPE YOU WILL VOTE TO APPROVE THE NOMINATION OF DR. WILLIS MACKEY TO YOUR CPS BOARD.
>> MAYOR NIRENBERG: THANK YOU, MAYOR DENNIS.
GOOD MORNING, MAYOR, CITY COUNCIL.
THANK YOU FOR ALLOWING ME TO COME UP HERE AND SUPPORT DR. MACKEY AND HIS APPOINTMENT TO THE CPS ENERGY BOARD OF TRUSTEES.
FIRST I WOULD LIKE TO RELAY MY SINCERE CONGRATULATIONS TO THE FINAL FOUR TO YOU AND YOUR STAFF.
VERY PROUD TO BE BORN AND RAISED IN SAN ANTONIO.
WAS RAISED IN COUNCILWOMAN VIAGRAN'S DISTRICT.
I'M VERY PROUD TO SEE SAN ANTONIO MAKE THEIR MARK.
I'M POSITIVE THAT THE NCAA WILL COME KNOCKING AGAIN.
WHY WOULDN'T THEY? FANTASTIC PARTY YOU GUYS HELD.
I WAS ELECTED MAYOR IN CONVERSE MAY 2007.
WORKED AT DR. MACKEY SINCE HIS ARRIVAL IN DECEMBER OF 2007.
DR. MACKEY HAS MADE SIGNIFICANT
[01:00:01]
CHANGES, POSITIVE CHANGES TO THE JUDSON ISD.AS A MATTER OF FACT, YOU ALL KNOW THAT JUDSON HIGH SCHOOL, THE FOOTBALL DYNASTY, SIX STATE CHAMPIONSHIPS.
BASICALLY WHAT DR. MACKEY DID TO THE PROGRAM, HE ADDED THE ACADEMIC PORTION TO THE DYNASTY.
SO IT'S NOW KNOWN AS AN ACADEMIC DYNASTY, IF YOU WILL.
I'LL SHARE SOME PERSONAL STORIES.
DR. MACKEY ESTABLISHED THE EARLY COLLEGE ACADEMY.
WHAT THAT IS, HE BUILT A HIGH SCHOOL ON THE NORTHEAST LAKEVIEW COLLEGE CAMPUS.
SO THE KIDS, THEY ATTEND HIGH SCHOOL AND THEY WALK THE LITTLE SIDEWALK TO THE COLLEGE CAMPUS THERE.
YOU KNOW, ONE OF THE FIRST IN THE UNITED STATES.
AS A MATTER OF FACT, IT'S A VERY PERSONAL CONTACT ON THIS ISSUE BECAUSE MY SON, AND I'LL SHOW YOU HOW THAT WORKED, GRADUATED WITH THE FIRST CLASS THERE.
HE WAS ABLE TO RECEIVE HIS ASSOCIATE DEGREE.
HE ACTUALLY GRADUATED FROM NORTHEAST LAKEVIEW COLLEGE FIRST BEFORE HE GRADUATED FROM HIGH SCHOOL.
HE SPENT TWO YEARS AT THE UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS AUSTIN BECAUSE OF WHAT HE DID AT THE EARLY COLLEGE ACADEMY.
AND NOW AT 22, 23 YEARS OLD HE'S ABOUT TO START HIS THIRD YEAR IN SEPTEMBER AT THE UNIVERSITY OF HOUSTON LAW SCHOOL.
THAT'S ONE STORY, ONE SUCCESSFUL STORY OF MANY OF WHAT DR. MACKEY STANDS FOR.
MANY PROJECTS IN CONVERSE BUILT THE COPPERFIELD ELEMENTARY SCHOOL FROM THE GROUND UP, MANAGED IT.
ALSO THE NEW JUDSON HIGH SCHOOL.
IF YOU HAVE NEVER BEEN TO THE JUDSON HIGH SCHOOL IT'S LIKE A COLLEGE CAMPUS.
2010 IN UNIVERSAL CITY THE KITTY HAWK MIDDLE SCHOOL WAS UNDERGOING MAJOR RENOVATIONS.
JUST HAPPENED THERE WERE SOME ISSUES.
THE BUILDER WAS UNABLE TO COMPLETE THE SCHOOL WITHIN A WEEK OF THE START OF THE SCHOOL SEASON, THE SCHOOL YEAR.
DR. MACKEY, BECAUSE OF HIS RELATIONSHIP WITH THE COMMUNITY, REACHED OUT AND COORDINATED WITH THE PASTOR OF THE BIBLE CHURCH IN CONVERSE AND USED THOSE FACILITIES FOR ALMOST TWO WEEKS.
VERY REMARKABLE THAT HE WAS ABLE TO DO THAT BECAUSE OF HIS LEADERSHIP AND CLOSE CONTACT WITH THE COMMUNITY.
I'LL GO AHEAD AND CLOSE BECAUSE I KNOW.
I'M VERY FAMILIAR WITH THAT IN MY CITY AS WELL.
>> BUT DR. MACKEY IS A TEAM PLAYER.
HE WOULD BE A BIG ASSET FOR THE CPS BOARD OF TRUSTEES.
I HAVE BEEN MAYOR SINCE 2007, WORKED WITH A LOT OF LEADERS.
AND HE'S DEFINITELY A LEADER THAT YOU CAN COUNT ON.
>> MAYOR NIRENBERG: THANK YOU, MR. SUAREZ.
>> GOOD MORNING, MAYOR NIRENBERG, MEMBERS OF THE CITY COUNCIL, CITY MANAGER SCULLEY, STAFF.
FOR THE RECORD, I'M JOHN STEEN AND I SERVE AS CHAIR OF THE CPS ENERGY BOARD OF TRUSTEES AND I'M HERE TODAY TO RESPECTFULLY ASK FOR YOUR SUPPORT TO CONFIRM DR. WILLIS MACKEY AS THE NEW SOUTHEAST QUADRANT TRUSTEE REPLACING DERRICK HOWARD.
BY THE WAY, I HAVE SOME FELLOW TRUSTEES HERE TODAY.
I HAVE OUR IMMEDIATE PAST CHAIR AND CURRENT TRUSTEE AT KELLY.
AND OUR THIRD IS DR. HOMER GUEVARA.
HE'S A COLLEGE PROFESSOR AND HE CAN'T MISS THOSE CLASSES, SO HE'S NOT WITH US TODAY FOR THAT REASON.
EACH REPRESENTING A QUADRANT OF BEXAR COUNTY PLUS THE MAYOR.
AND BOARD MEMBERS MAY SERVE TWO FIVE-YEAR TERMS. WHEN A VACANCY OCCURS THEY SELECT A REPLACEMENT NOMINEE.
THE CITY COUNCIL IS CALLED ON TO CONFIRM OR REJECT THE NOMINEE.
AND THIS PROCESS IS ESTABLISHED IN THE BOND COVENANTS OF CPS ENERGY.
HOWARD HAS SERVED TWO FIVE-YEAR TERMS. A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE PROCESS.
IN MAY 2017, SO THAT LONG AGO, THE BOARD'S NOMINATIONS COMMITTEE MET AND DEVELOPED A THOROUGH PROCESS TO PUBLICIZE THE SEARCH FOR MR. HOWARD'S REPLACEMENT.
AND DERRICK HOWARD, HE WAS THE CHAIR OF THE NOMINATIONS COMMITTEE AND I WAS THE OTHER MEMBER OF IT.
AN APPLICATION WAS PUBLICLY DISTRIBUTED ON JULY 21.
NOTICE OF THE POSITION WAS WIDELY PUBLICIZED.
AN OP-ED WAS PUBLISHED, A BROAD
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COMMUNITY OUTREACH WAS CONDUCTED, REACHING ELECTED OFFICIALS, CHAMBERS OF COMMERCE AND BUSINESS LEADERS.THEN WE MET TO REVIEW 18 APPLICATIONS THAT WERE RECEIVED.
AND IN NOVEMBER BEGAN CONDUCTING INTERVIEWS OF A NUMBER OF HIGHLY-QUALIFIED CANDIDATES.
WE WENT THROUGH TWO ROUNDS OF INTERVIEWS AND INTERVIEWED 12 PEOPLE.
ON MARCH 6 THE BOARD MET AND ELECTED DR. MACKEY, A SUPERINTENDENT, AS THE NOMINEE TO REPLACE MR. HOWARD.
AND SO HIS NAME IS BEING PRESENTED TO THE CITY COUNCIL FOR CONFIRMATION TODAY.
IF I'M ON THE TIMER -- DO YOU WANT ME TO INTRODUCE DR. MACKEY IN TERMS OF A LITTLE BIT ABOUT HIS BACKGROUND? HE'S A GRADUATE OF SOUTHWEST TEXAS STATE AND HOLDS A MASTER'S DEGREE FROM PRAIRIE VIEW A&M AND A DOCTORATE FROM TEXAS A&M UNIVERSITY.
HE WAS A FORMER CABINET MEMBER OF THE TEXAS COMMISSION OF EDUCATION.
FORMER EXECUTIVE BOARD MEMBER, TEXAS ASSOCIATION OF SCHOOL ADMINISTRATORS, FORMER MEMBER OF TEXAS ASSOCIATION OF SCHOOL BOARDS RISK ADVISORY MANAGEMENT BOARD ALONG WITH A NUMBER OF PROFESSIONAL AFFILIATIONS HE HAS ALSO HELD POSITIONS WITH THE FOLLOWING.
SUPERINTENDENT OF NEWTON INDEPENDENT SCHOOL DISTRICT.
NAVASOTA INDEPENDENT SCHOOL DISTRICT, SUPERINTENDENT OF PORT ARTHUR INDEPENDENT SCHOOL DISTRICT, AND AS WE JUST WERE HEARING FOR EIGHT YEARS HE WAS SUPERINTENDENT, VERY SUCCESSFUL SUPERINTENDENT OF JUDSON INDEPENDENT SCHOOL DISTRICT.
HE ALSO HAS ADDITIONAL TEACHING EXPERIENCE AT BEAUMONT HIGH SCHOOL, KILLEEN INDEPENDENT SCHOOL DISTRICT, VAN VALECK AND GOLIAD.
THE MARTIN LUTHER KING FOUNDATION MAN OF THE YEAR.
PRAIRIE VIEW LIVING LEGEND AWARD.
PRESS CLUB OF SOUTHEAST TEXAS, NEWS MAKER OF THE YEAR FINALIST, URBAN SUPERINTENDENT'S ASSOCIATION OF AMERICA SCHOLARSHIP WINNER.
AS I MENTIONED IN EDUCATIONAL ORGANIZATIONS AND CURRENTLY PROVIDES CONSULTING SERVICES TO SCHOOL DISTRICTS THROUGHOUT THE STATE OF TEXAS.
I HOPE HE'LL TELL YOU ABOUT THAT BECAUSE HE'S HAVING A LOT OF SUCCESS WITH SCHOOL DISTRICTS THAT ARE CHALLENGED.
HE IS AN EXPERIENCED AND DISTINGUISHED LEADER WHO IS READY TO UNDERTAKE THE VERY IMPORTANT JOB OF GUIDING CPS ENERGY THROUGH THE NEXT FEW YEARS.
THE BOARD UNANIMOUSLY SUPPORTS HIM AS OUR NEXT BOARD MEMBER.
>> MAYOR NIRENBERG: THANK YOU, MR. STEEN.
I'LL GO AHEAD AND START BY ASKING A FEW OTHER QUESTIONS REGARDING THE PROCESS, BECAUSE I KNOW THERE'S BEEN SOME QUESTIONS RAISED ABOUT THAT.
FIRST, DR. MACKEY THANK YOU FOR JOINING US TODAY AND YOUR WILLINGNESS TO SERVE ON THIS BOARD.
I HAVE GOTTEN TO KNOW YOU THROUGH THE INTERVIEW PROCESS AND BY PEOPLE WHO HAVE SPOKEN ON YOUR BEHALF AND KNOW YOU AS A QUALIFIED PROFESSIONAL TO HELP LEAD THIS EXTREMELY IMPORTANT ORGANIZATION FOR OUR CITY AND FOR MANY CITIES, ACTUALLY.
LET ME ASK YOU, JOHN, A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THIS.
BECAUSE THIS IS A LENGTHY PROCESS.
YOU STATED THAT THE APPLICATION PERIOD OPENED IN -- OR THE NOMINATIONS COMMITTEE FIRST MET IN MAY OF 2017?
>> MAYOR NIRENBERG: COULD YOU DESCRIBE THE OUTREACH PROCESS AND THE INTERVIEWS THAT WERE TAKEN PLACE AND THE AMOUNT OF TIME INVOLVED IN THAT?
>> MAYOR, WE DEVOTED A TREMENDOUS AMOUNT OF TIME, AND I DID PERSONALLY.
IN ADDITION TO WHAT WE WERE DOING IN TERMS OF ADVERTISING AND I CALLED PEOPLE.
I WANTED TO HAVE A VERY ROBUST APPLICANT POOL.
AND SO A LOT OF IT -- I KNOW DERRICK HOWARD WAS DOING THE SAME THING AND ED KELLY.
WE WERE MAKING CALLS TO ORGANIZATIONS AND PEOPLE JUST TO SAY PLEASE SEND US QUALIFIED APPLICANTS.
BUT WE ADVERTISED IN THE MEDIA.
IT WAS A VERY CONCENTRATED EFFORT TO GET THE WORD OUT AS MUCH AS WE COULD ABOUT THIS OPENING.
WAS THE CITY COUNCIL INFORMED ABOUT THE OPPORTUNITY?
AND WHAT EFFORTS WERE MADE TO ATTRACT CANDIDATES THROUGH THE PUBLIC PROCESS BUT ALSO THROUGH THE COUNCIL?
>> I BELIEVE, AND I WOULD HAVE TO GO BACK AND LOOK, BECAUSE I THINK WE WERE ASKING OUR APPLICANTS WHERE THEY HEARD ABOUT IT.
BUT WE HAD A GOOD NUMBER OF APPLICANTS THAT ACTUALLY HEARD ABOUT IT FROM A CITY COUNCIL PERSON.
>> MAYOR NIRENBERG: DID THE MEDIA COVER THE PROCESS AND THE CANDIDATES?
THERE WERE A NUMBER OF ARTICLES.
I THINK ONE WAS IN THE BUSINESS JOURNAL WHERE THEY LOCATED PHOTOGRAPHS OF ALL 18 APPLICANTS.
BUT EVEN BEFORE THAT K.J FEDDER
[01:10:02]
WAS HEADING THAT UP.SHE WORKED AND WORKED TO GET THE WORD OUT.
AND IT WAS COVERED IN A LOT OF PLACES, MAYOR.
I FEEL LIKE I'M A PERSON THAT KEEPS UP WITH THINGS.
I THINK SOMEBODY LIKE MYSELF, THERE'S NO WAY YOU COULD HAVE AVOIDED KNOWING ABOUT IT.
>> MAYOR NIRENBERG: AND THIS MIGHT BE MORE FOR ANDY, BUT THIS IS AN ORGANIZATION NOW THAT'S 75 YEARS OLD.
WE JUST CELEBRATED THE 75TH ANNIVERSARY OF CPS AND WE KNOW ITS ROLE WITHIN OUR CITY.
WHERE IS THE SELECTION PROCESS FOR BOARD MEMBERS OUTLINED, ANDY?
>> MAYOR, THE SELECTION PROCESS FOR THE CPS BOARD OF TRUSTEES IS LAID OUT IN BOND COVENANTS, AND IT IS LAID OUT IN THE BOND COVENANTS.
AS YOU MIGHT IMAGINE, BONDHOLDERS ARE VERY KEENLY INTERESTED IN WHAT THE SELECTION PROCESS WOULD BE FOR THE CPS WHERE BOARD OF TRUSTEES.
IT'S OUTLINED IN PRETTY GOOD DETAIL.
THE PROCESS ESSENTIALLY IS THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES SELECTS A CANDIDATE AND IT IS PUT BEFORE COUNCIL AND THEN COUNCIL CAN EITHER APPROVE OR DISAPPROVE.
IF IT IS DISAPPROVED IT GOES BACK TO THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES.
>> MAYOR NIRENBERG: SO THE QUESTION BEFORE US IS ON THE RATIFICATION OF DR. WILLIS MACKEY.
JOHN, COULD YOU SPEAK AS THE NOMINATIONS PROCESS, AND MAYBE THIS IS FOR BOTH YOU AND DERRICK.
COULD YOU SPEAK TO THE KINDS OF PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE THAT WAS SOUGHT FOR THIS BOARD AND THE INDIVIDUAL THAT WILL TAKE THIS POSITION, BUT ALSO IN THE BOARD OVERALL?
>> THANK YOU, MAYOR AND COUNCIL MEMBERS.
THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME TODAY.
THERE WAS MANY THINGS THAT WERE TAKEN INTO CONSIDERATION IN REVIEWING THE APPLICANTS.
ONE SPECIFIC ONE WAS SOMEWHAT OF A BUSINESS ACUMEN.
IN REVIEWING THE BACKGROUNDS OF THE CANDIDATES AS WELL AS THEIR IMPRESSION IN THE COMMUNITY AND PERSONAL SUCCESS.
AND IN TERMS OF THE WAY THAT WE BELIEVE THAT DR. MACKEY FILLS THOSE QUALIFICATIONS IN TERMS OF THE PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE NECESSARY TO THE BOARD, GIVE US YOUR VIEW ON THAT.
>> MY PERSONAL VIEW IS THAT GIVEN DR. MACKEY'S BACKGROUND, AND I THINK ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WAS NOT MENTIONED IS IN HIS EDUCATIONAL EXPERIENCE PRIOR TO, HE ACTUALLY BEGAN TO PERSONALLY INTRODUCE SOME OF THE STUDENT ACTIVITIES WITH CPS IN THE S.T.E.M. PROGRAM YEARS AGO PRIOR TO ACTUALLY EVEN THINKING ABOUT BEING CONSIDERED FOR THIS POSITION.
AND SO I THINK HE'S HAD A LONG STANDING INTEREST IN CPS AND HAS A PRETTY GOOD KNOWLEDGE OF THE ORGANIZATION AND ENTITY AS WELL.
THERE ARE MANY THINGS THAT WERE TAKEN INTO CONSIDERATION AS IT RELATES TO WHO THE NEXT INDIVIDUAL WOULD BE.
AND THAT WAS CERTAINLY DIVERSITY.
FROM MANY DIFFERENT PERSPECTIVES.
WE THOUGHT ABOUT THAT REALLY HARD AS WE WENT THROUGH THE PROCESS IN REVIEWING THE CANDIDATES AS WELL.
>> MAYOR NIRENBERG: WOULD YOU SAY THAT DIVERSITY IS A PRIORITY FOR THE BOARD TODAY AND MOVING FORWARD?
GET ON WITH YOUR LIFE, BUT I DO WANT TO RECOGNIZE YOUR TEN YEARS OF SERVICE.
THE CPS SERVICE AREA IN GENERAL OWES YOU A DEBT OF GRATITUDE FOR YOUR SERVICE ON THE BOARD.
WHAT KIND OF PROFESSIONAL BACKGROUND DID YOU COME INTO CPS WITH?
>> HAVING WORKING IN THE ARENA OR WHAT WE CALL THE PUBLIC SERVICE INDUSTRY, LOTS OF BACKGROUNDS WITH CONTRACT NEGOTIATIONS, WITH FACILITY DEVELOPMENT, AND WITH BUILDINGS.
AND IT TOOK A PRETTY -- TWO OR THREE YEARS TO GET UP TO SPEED ON THE ENERGY SIDE OF IT.
SOMETIMES THE JARGON IS DIFFERENT BUT AT THE SAME TIME JUST REALLY ABOUT BOOKS.
THE BOOKS AND THE BUSINESS MODELS THAT YOU'RE LOOKING AT IN ORDER TO MANAGE AND MOVE A BUSINESS FORWARD.
>> MAYOR NIRENBERG: AND I WOULD SAY -- THIS IS ISN'T YOUR COMMENDATION, DON'T WORRY.
WE'RE GOING TO BRING IT BACK AND DO IT RIGHT.
YOU SERVED THAT FUNCTION EXTREMELY WELL FOR THE COMMUNITY, DERRICK, IN TERMS OF MANAGEMENT OF A LARGE ORGANIZATION LIKE THIS.
>> DO YOU WANT DERRICK TO STAY OR GO?
>> MAYOR NIRENBERG: HE CAN STAY.
>> MAYOR, CAN I SAY SOMETHING? EVERYBODY AGREES THROUGHOUT OUR ORGANIZATION HE'S BEEN A STELLAR TRUSTEE.
HE'S SO HIGHLY THOUGHT OF THROUGHOUT OUR ORGANIZATION BY PEOPLE IN THE UTILITY BUSINESS.
IT'S A GOOD POINT YOU'RE MAKING BECAUSE WHEN MR. HOWARD CAME IN HE DIDN'T HAVE AN EXTENSIVE BACKGROUND IN THE UTILITY BUSINESS.
AND ACTUALLY HE RECEIVED AN AWARD YESTERDAY, AND I WAS ONE
[01:15:01]
OF THE PRESENTERS.IT HAD TO DO WITH MENTORING KIDS.
THAT ALL OF US FEEL SO INDEBTED TO DERRICK.
HE'S A SENIOR MEMBER BUT HE MENTORED EACH OF US AS WE CAME ON THE BOARD.
I HAVE BEEN ON THERE TWO YEARS NOW.
BUT DERRICK HAD TO GET UP TO SPEED ON IT BUT TODAY, YOU KNOW, WE'RE VERY SORRY TO LOSE HIM BECAUSE OF HIS TREMENDOUS EXPERTISE IN THIS AREA.
>> MAYOR NIRENBERG: THANK YOU AGAIN, DERRICK, FOR YOUR SERVICE.
AGAIN, WE'LL THROW A BETTER PARTY THAN THIS, TRUST ME.
SO, JOHN, DIVERSITY IS A PRIORITY, THE QUALIFICATIONS, THE PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE IS A PRIORITY AS WELL.
GIVE US A SENSE OF WHAT'S HAPPENING TO THIS BOARD OVER THE NEXT SIX, 12, 18, 24 MONTHS.
>> WHAT DIRECTION WE'RE MOVING IN IN TERMS OF --
>> MAYOR NIRENBERG: WELL, WE KNOW THERE'S ONE BOARD POSITION THAT WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO START.
DERRICK GOT TERM LIMITED AT TEN YEARS AND WE HAVE A TRUSTEE, DR. GUEVARA, WHO IS IN HIS NINTH YEAR.
REALLY JUST VERY SOON, WITHIN A MONTH OR TWO, WE'RE GOING TO START UP THE NOMINATIONS COMMITTEE AGAIN TO GO THROUGH THIS PROCESS AND CHOOSE ANOTHER TRUSTEE FOR THIS SOUTHWEST QUADRANT.
>> MAYOR NIRENBERG: AND I HAVE JUST -- I JUST WANTED TO ASK PAULA, JUST REAL QUICK A COUPLE OF QUESTIONS.
AND I HAVE ONE LAST QUESTION FOR YOU, JOHN, TO CLOSE.
PAULA, GIVE US A SENSE -- YOU'RE THE BEST PERSON TO TELL US THE SIZE OF THE ORGANIZATION THAT YOU MANAGE AND THE INTERACTION WITH THE BOARD AND THE ROLE OF THE GOVERNANCE IN THAT ORGANIZATION.
>> SO OUR ORGANIZATION IS 3,000 PEOPLE -- BUT BEFORE I START.
I DON'T GET UP HERE ALL THE TIME.
I TRY TO GET AROUND TO EVERY COUNCIL MEMBER AND I WANT TO SAY THANK YOU FOR ALL OF YOUR TIME AND YOUR COMMITMENT.
THANK YOU FOR LISTENING TO US TODAY.
BUT CPS ENERGY IS 158 YEARS OLD, OLD 3,000 EMPLOYEES THAT SERVE 1.4 MILLION PEOPLE.
WE DO EVERYTHING IN TERMS OF WHAT A UTILITY WOULD PROVIDE TO THE COMMUNITY.
AND SO AREAS IT'S ALL BROKEN UP.
FOR US WE MANAGE THE ASSETS THAT INCLUDE GENERATING ASSETS, TRANSMISSION SYSTEMS, ALL OF THE DISTRIBUTION SYSTEMS, AND THE CARE OF OUR CUSTOMERS.
IT'S AN EXTREMELY COMPLICATED BUSINESS AT A COMPLICATED TIME IN TERMS OF CHANGE.
WHAT WE SEE NOW IS THAT THERE IS A TREMENDOUS INFLUX OF PUTTING IN TECHNOLOGY SOLUTIONS AT THE GENERATION END OF THE BUSINESS AS WELL AS GENERAL TECHNOLOGY IMPROVEMENTS FOR OUR CUSTOMERS, TRYING TO GET THEIR PHONES AND OTHER TECHNOLOGY TO WORK BETTER WITH THE SYSTEMS THAT WE HAVE.
AND THEN EVERYTHING IN BETWEEN IN TERMS OF WORKING WITH OUR COUNCIL, THINKING ABOUT POLICY, THINKING ABOUT CLIMATE, THINKING ABOUT ALL OF THESE THINGS COLLECTIVELY THAT WE NEED TO DO TO EVOLVE THE BUSINESS AND MAKE OUR BUSINESS MODEL CHANGE SO IT DOES NOT GET OUTDATED.
THERE'S A TREMENDOUS AMOUNT OF WORK THAT HAPPENS.
AS A C.E.O. I'M ENTRUSTED TO DEVELOP THE VISION OVER TIME.
I HAVE BEEN WORKING AS A PROFESSIONAL IN THIS COMMUNITY FOR EVERY 30 YEARS.
I HAVE BEEN WITH CPS ENERGY FOR 13 YEARS.
I HAVE BEEN C.E.O. FOR OVER TWO YEARS.
I RELY ON MY BOARD TO BRING ME PROSPECTIVE AND CHALLENGE AND PROBING IN TERMS OF THEIR EXPERTISE.
I HAVE BEEN FORTUNATE -- YOU ASKED EARLIER -- EVERY BOARD MEMBER BRINGS SOMETHING SPECIAL.
DERRICK HAS A BROAD BUSINESS SENSE.
REALLY THINKS ABOUT SERVICE, THINKS ABOUT CONNECTIONS TO LOCAL BUSINESSES.
HE CHALLENGES US TO DO THE RIGHT LEVEL OF OUTREACH.
JOHN STEEN IS TREMENDOUSLY TALENTED IN TERMS OF GOVERNANCE, THINKING ABOUT PROTOCOL, IMPROVING OUR PROCESSES.
ED KELLY, HIS FINANCIAL BACKGROUND AND EXPERTISE IN REAL ESTATE HAS BEEN TREMENDOUS.
WE HAVE A HUGE AMOUNT OF PROPERTY ACROSS OUR SERVICE TERRITORY TO SERVE AND MANAGE.
HOMER GUEVARA IS AN ECONOMICS MAJOR.
FROM THE STANDPOINT OF ALL THE CHALLENGES OF ANALYZING THE THINGS IN FRONT OF US, HOMER HAS BEEN TREMENDOUS.
THEY WORK HARD, THEY HAVE MONTHLY MEETINGS, COMMUNITY MEETINGS.
WE THINK ABOUT WHAT THAT INPUT IS AND WHAT THE CHALLENGES THAT WE GET, THEY HAVE BEEN NOTHING BUT ENCOURAGING TO ME.
TO REALLY BE MORE TRANSPARENT, THINK ABOUT OUTREACH.
AND SO FOR US THESE POSITIONS IN GOVERNANCE, BECAUSE THEY COME TO US WITH NO OTHER AGENDA BUT TO CHALLENGE US TO BE BETTER SERVICE PROVIDERS.
AND THEY WORK A TREMENDOUS AMOUNT OF HOURS FOR VERY MODEST COMPENSATION.
THEY MAKE ABOUT $2500 A YEAR FOR ALL OF THE EFFORTS THAT THEY TAKE.
[01:20:03]
KNOW, HOURS PER MONTH VISITING WITH US, MEETING WITH US, DOING THOSE THINGS.BUT IT IS ALL VERY IMPORTANT IN TERMS OF THEM CHALLENGING US.
WE ARE A BUSINESS OWNED BY THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO.
THEY CHALLENGE US TO THINK ABOUT THINGS IN TERMS OF BUSINESS.
AND THEN I'LL CONNECT THAT TO HOW WE'RE LOOKED AT BY THE INVESTMENT COMMUNITY.
THE INVESTMENT COMMUNITY IS EXTREMELY IMPORTANT BECAUSE IT LETS THE OWNERS OF OUR COMMUNITY STRETCH OUT INVESTMENT OVER TIME.
WHAT WE HAVE IS EVERY SINGLE ONE OF OUR CUSTOMERS PAYS A RATABLE AMOUNT BUT WE ARE FINANCED THROUGH INVESTORS OUT OF OUR COMMUNITY.
WHAT THEY ARE LOOKING FOR IS US TO BE GOOD STEWARDS OF ALL OF THE ASSETS AS WELL.
AND THEY LET US USE THEIR BORROWED FUNDS.
THEY HAVE VERY MUCH SO, AND WE HAVE HAD MANY INTERACTIONS WITH INVESTORS.
WE GO UP REGULARLY TO TALK TO THEM AND THEY HAVE BEEN ABSOLUTELY ENCOURAGED BY THE WAY THAT WE HAVE HAD OUR GOVERNANCE SET UP.
WE ARE OFTEN ABLE TO GET THEM TO WORK WITH US IN TERMS OF ANSWERING QUESTIONS TO AN INVESTOR OR A RATING AGENCY OVER TIME.
AND THEY HAVE BEEN KNOWLEDGEABLE ENOUGH TO OFFER THEIR SERVICES FROM THAT PERSPECTIVE.
IN TURN, THE RATING AGENCIES, WHICH IS HEAVILY RELIED UPON BY INVESTORS, THEY ARE CONSTANTLY LOOKING AT OUR GOVERNANCE MODEL.
AND THEY HAVE THOUGHT AND TOLD US PERSONALLY THAT OUR GOVERNANCE MODEL THAT BE SUPERIOR FROM THE STANDPOINT OF WE HAVE A GREAT COUNCIL IN AUDIO] CONFIRMATION OF THE BOARD MEMBERS, IMPORTANT.
THOSE TYPES OF BROAD ACTIVITIES THAT REALLY CAUSE FIVE-YEAR INVESTMENTS IN TRUSTEES , 25-YEAR INVESTMENTS IN BORROWING.
BEFORE WE EVER COME TO THE COUNCIL OUR BOARD MEMBERS LOOK AT EVERYTHING WE DO AND THEY LOOK AT IT IN TERMS OF STRATEGY.
THEY LOOK AT IT IN TERMS OF EFFICACY, TRANSPARENCY, AND CHALLENGE.
AND THAT HAS WORKED FOR US FOR OVER 75 YEARS.
WE'RE IN THE TOP 2.5% OF ALL UTILITIES.
THOSE ARE IOUS INCLUDING MOUS.
SO FOR US THEY HAVE SAID THAT THAT HAS WORKED EXTREMELY WELL.
IT IS DIFFERENT THAN THE AUSTIN MODEL.
AUSTIN HAS -- THEY ARE TREATED AS A DEPARTMENT AND THERE ARE A LOT OF CHALLENGES FOR THEM THAT WE HAVE NOT HAD TO DO BECAUSE THE GOVERNANCE AND THE INDEPENDENCE OF THE BOARD HAS WORKED WELL.
MY JOB IS TO MAKE SURE THAT EVERYTHING IS CONNECTED.
MY JOB IS TO MAKING MAKE SURE TT STRATEGY IS SET, THAT I AM LISTENING AND PAYING ATTENTION TO COUNCIL MEMBERS, THAT I AM TAKING ALL THE INPUT NECESSARY FROM CUSTOMERS, STAKEHOLDERS, AND MOVE FORWARD IN TERMS OF THAT GUIDANCE.
BUT IT REALLY, REALLY HELPS ME TO HAVE AN INDEPENDENT BOARD THAT IS THINKING ABOUT THE BUSINESS OF SERVICE.
I WILL TELL YOU ON BEHALF OF OUR 3,000-PLUS EMPLOYEES, WE HEAR YOU.
WE ARE INTERESTED VERY MUCH IN CREATING ADDITIONAL OUTREACH SO CUSTOMERS CAN HAVE MORE INPUT TO OUR FLEXIBLE PATH PLAN AND OTHER ISSUES.
AND MY BOARD HAS BEEN NOTHING BUT SUPPORTIVE FROM THAT PERSPECTIVE.
BUT IT ALL WORKS REALLY WELL AND OUR WHOLE POSITION IN THIS INDUSTRY IS A THOUGHT LEADER, AS A GREAT AND WELL-RUN COMPANY IS ALL ENHANCED BY THE WAY OUR EXISTING GOVERNANCE IS CURRENTLY WORKING.
>> MAYOR NIRENBERG: THANK YOU, PAULA.
I'LL SAY WHEN I MET YOU YOU WERE CFO AND YOU OVERSAW THE CUSTOMER SERVICE OPERATIONS OF THE UTILITY.
AND IN THE TIME THAT YOU HAVE BECOME THE C.E.O., THOSE OPERATIONS AND OUTREACH HAVE BECOME EXTREMELY ROBUST.
IT WAS ONE OF THE REASONS AS MAYOR THAT I HAVE ASKED FOR CPS, YOU AND KEY LEADERS WITHIN THE ORGANIZATION TO COME INTO COUNCIL EVERY MONTH TO BRIEF US.
NOT TWICE A YEAR, NOT ONCE EVERY QUARTER, BUT WE HAVE MONTHLY BRIEFINGS ON ISSUES FROM POLICY TO GOVERNANCE TO HOW WE DO OUR ENERGY MIX.
AND THOSE HAVE BEEN VERY GOOD FOR CREATING THAT CONNECTION.
BUT THAT'S ALSO ONE OF THE REASONS WHY IN THE GOVERNING DOCUMENTS IT ALSO HAS THE SEAT FOR THE MAYOR TO MAKE SURE THAT THERE IS THE DAY-TO-DAY GOVERNANCE AND OVERSIGHT PROVIDED FROM THE CITY COUNCIL.
[01:25:02]
THE LAST QUESTION I'LL ASK IS, JOHN.WE HAVE HEARD THIS ALL AND WE HAD A PROCESS THAT WAS OPENED, ESSENTIALLY IN MAY.
IT WAS REOPENED FOR ADDITIONAL APPLICANTS.
READVERTISED TO BRING IN ADDITIONAL CANDIDATES.
SO WE HAVE SEEN AND TALKED TO A LOT OF CANDIDATES, SPENT A LOT OF TIME ON THIS PROCESS WITH ALL THE PROFESSIONALS HERE.
IN YOUR ESTIMATION, CONSIDERING THE LENGTH AND TRANSPARENCY OF THAT PROCESS, DO YOU FEEL THAT THE BOARD IS RECOMMENDING THE BEST QUALIFIED CANDIDATE IN DR. MACKEY?
I'LL SAVE SOME FINAL COMMENTS FOR THE END, BUT I'LL TURN IT OVER TO MY COLLEAGUE, COUNCILMAN SHAW.
>> MAYOR, DO YOU WANT ME TO STAY UP HERE OR SIT DOWN?
MR. HOWARD, THANK YOU FOR ALL YOUR SERVICE.
YOU'VE DONE OUTSTANDING WORK FOR THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO AND FROM DISTRICT 2 AS WELL AS THE REST OF THE RESIDENTS IN SAN ANTONIO, WE APPLAUD YOU FOR YOUR EFFORTS.
WHAT I REALLY APPRECIATE IS THE FACT THAT YOU RAISED THE BAR IN TERMS OF PROFESSIONALISM.
YOU RAISED THE BAR IN TERMS OF DIVERSITY.
YOU RAISED THE BAR IN TERMS OF OUTPUT.
SO WHOEVER COMES AFTER YOU, THAT BAR IS SET EXTREMELY HIGH.
ALSO LIKE TO OFFER MY SUPPORT TO YOU, DR. MACKEY.
I BELIEVE WITH YOUR HISTORY, YOUR EXPERIENCE, YOU WILL BRING A NEW PERSPECTIVE TO THE CPS BOARD.
I ALSO CHALLENGE THE CPS BOARD MOVING FORWARD, DIVERSITY IS A MAJOR ISSUE IN OUR CITY AND WE ALWAYS INCLUDE DIVERSITY IN TERMS OF SELECTING INDIVIDUALS.
WITH THIS PROCESS AND THE WAY -- GOD DOG IT.
I'M SORRY FOR CALLING YOU PAULA.
THANK YOU FOR THAT EXPLANATION IN TERMS OF WHAT CPS IS AND THE RELATIONSHIP IT IS WITH THE CITY.
BECAUSE IT'S A VERY UNUSUAL RELATIONSHIP COMPARED TO OTHER RELATIONSHIPS THAT WE HAVE WITH ENTITIES WITHIN THE CITY.
AND COMPARING THAT WITH AUSTIN, WE HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO MAKE CPS A DEPARTMENT WITH THE SAN ANTONIO, AND I DON'T THINK THAT'S THE RIGHT ROAD TO GO DOWN.
SO I LIKE THE SEPARATION IN OUR QUOTE, UNQUOTE, OUR LIMITED LIABILITY PARTNERSHIP WE HAVE.
WE HAVE AN INTEREST BUT WE HAVE LIMITED ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES IN TERMS OF CPS AND ALLOW CPS TO DO WHAT Y'ALL DO.
IT'S A VERY COMPLICATED MODEL.
IT'S A VERY COMPLICATED ORGANIZATION.
YOU ARE THE PROFESSIONALS AND WE SHOULD ALLOW YOU TO WORK IN THAT SPACE.
DR. MACKEY, YOUR WORK IS CUT OUT FOR YOU, BOSS.
WE HAVE TO MOVE FORWARD AS OUR CITY CONTINUES TO GROW.
WE HAVE TO RECOGNIZE THAT GROWTH AND BE ABLE TO PLAN FOR THAT GROWTH.
AND THE -- LOOKING FORWARD IS GOING TO BE A TOUGH ROAD AHEAD OF US BECAUSE THE WAY OUR CITY IS CHANGING.
BUT I BELIEVE THE WAY OUR BOARD IS MADE UP AS OF NOW AND THE WAY IT WILL BE MADE UP IN THE FUTURE, THAT WE CAN TACKLE THESE ISSUES.
WITH THAT SAID, MAYOR, I MOTION FOR APPROVAL.
>> MAYOR NIRENBERG: THERE'S A MOTION AND A SECOND FOR APPROVAL OF ITEM NO. 4.
I WOULD LIKE TO START BY SAYING THANK YOU TO DERRICK HOWARD AND YOUR TEN YEARS OF SERVICE ON THE CPS ENERGY BOARD.
WE HAVE GONE THROUGH SO MANY TRANSITIONS WITH OUR ENERGY AND THE STATE OF ENERGY IN TEXAS AND IN THE UNITED STATES.
AND WE'RE GOING INTO THAT NEW TRANSITION AS WELL.
PAULA, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR WORK.
IT WAS MY HONOR TO BE THERE TALKING TO YOU AND YOUR CONFIRMATION AND INTERVIEW PROCESS WHEN WE WERE SELECTING A NEW CPS ENERGY PRESIDENT AND C.E.O.
IT WAS IMPORTANT AND, YES, ALL OF YOUR BACKGROUND AND QUALIFICATIONS, BUT ALSO YOUR LOVE AND YOUR SERVICE TO THE COMMUNITY.
DR. MACKEY, THANK YOU FOR YOUR APPLICATION AND YOUR DEDICATION TO EDUCATION AND YOUR SERVICE TO THE COMMUNITY.
YOUR WORK IN THE SAN ANTONIO AREA HAS TO BE COMMENDED.
I DON'T KNOW IF MAYOR SUAREZ IS STILL HERE, BUT MAYOR SUAREZ, DENNIS, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR BEING HERE TODAY AND FOR ALL OF THE MEMBERS.
TO MY COLLEAGUES, SOME THINGS YOU MAY OR MAY NOT KNOW BUT I ALSO REMEMBER SITTING AROUND A TABLE A COUPLE OF MONTHS AGO.
I THINK IT WAS BACK IN FEBRUARY OR LATE FEBRUARY, WITH ABOUT 12 SUPERINTENDENTS OF THE SAN ANTONIO AREA.
THE MAYOR WAS THERE, COUNCILMAN SALDANA, COUNCILMAN PELAEZ, PERRY, IT WAS FOR AN IGR COMMITTEE.
THE ONE THING THAT STUCK OUT TO ME WAS I WAS THE ONLY WOMAN SITTING AT THE TABLE.
AND I ALSO REMEMBER SITTING WITH YOU, MR. MAYOR, SHORTLY AFTER YOU WERE ELECTED IN JULY, EIGHT
[01:30:02]
MONTHS AGO, AND HIGHLIGHTING HOW THERE WERE NO WOMEN ON THE CPS ENERGY BOARD AND HOW THAT WAS IMPORTANT TO HAVE THE REPRESENTATION THAT -- BECAUSE IT WOULD COVER DISTRICT 3.AND I MADE THAT A POINT TO BRING THAT UP.
BECAUSE ONE THING THAT WAS STARTLING TO ME WAS, WELL, THAT WAS CURIOUS TO ME WHEN I WAS READING THE FANTASTIC, WONDERFUL CPS MAGAZINES THAT WE GET AND YOU ALWAYS HAVE A PICTURE OF THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES IN THE BACK.
AND JUST TO SEE THE REPRESENTATION OF OUR BOARD OF TRUSTEES.
AND I ALSO REMEMBER SHARING WITH YOU, MR. MAYOR, YOUR CHIEF OF STAFF, COUNCILMAN SHAW HOW THAT IT WAS IMPORTANT AND WE NEEDED TO ALSO INVITE WOMEN TO APPLY.
AND I REMEMBER SHARING WITH MR. KELLY, ED KELLY, IN MY OFFICE OF MY VIEWS OF FEMALE REPRESENTATION ON THE CPS ENERGY BOARD.
I REMEMBER DOING THIS OVER EIGHT MONTHS AGO.
OF COURSE IT'S ALSO IMPORTANT TO NOTE THAT THE PROCESS STARTED BEFORE THE NEW COUNCIL ALSO CAME INTO PLAY.
AND I ALSO REMEMBER BEING TOLD IT'S IN THE HANDS OF THE CPS ENERGY BOARD MEMBERS BECAUSE WE DIDN'T WANT TO GET THIS POLITICIZED.
I ALSO REMEMBER THREE WEEKS AGO ABOUT HOW WE HAD THE SAWS' REPRESENTATION HERE AND IT WAS IMPORTANT TO HAVE PEOPLE WITH EXCEPTIONAL EXPERIENCE IN THIS CAPACITY.
WE WERE TALKING ABOUT THE S.A.
TOMORROW PLAN, SUSTAINABILITY PLAN, A NEWER RA OF TRANSPORTATION.
WE ARE BEING PLACED WITH SUSTAINABILITY, NEW TECHNOLOGIES, AIR QUALITY, RENEWABLE ENERGY.
AND I DO BELIEVE IN DIVERSITY.
I BELIEVE IN DIVERSITY JUST LIKE YOU ALL DO.
I ALSO BELIEVE IN DIVERSITY OF AGE, OF GENDER, OF RACE, AND I ALSO BELIEVE IN EQUITY AND PERSPECTIVE AND CHALLENGES.
AND I ALSO THINK THAT A WOMAN ON OUR BOARD WOULD BE A GREAT MESSAGE TO OUR INVESTORS AS WELL.
AND MY COUNCIL COLLEAGUES, AFTER WE MET WITH DR. MACKEY AND OTHERS, AND I AGREE, A CANDIDATE IS A VERY WONDERFUL, WILLING, NICE MAN.
AND SOME OF MY COLLEAGUES ARE SAYING WE'RE GOING ALONG TO GET ALONG AND BECAUSE THAT'S THE PROCESS AND THERE'S NO FATAL FLAW.
WELL, LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, I HOPE THAT YOU SEE THAT SINCE THE BEGINNING I HAVE BEEN REACHING OUT.
I HAVE BEEN INVITING WOMEN TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY MOVE FORWARD.
AND I CAN'T REMEMBER WHEN THAT MOMENT WHEN THE MEMBERS OF THE CPS ENERGY BOARD REACHED OUT TO ME.
AND I ALSO WOULD HAVE LOVED TO HAVE KNOWN WHAT WERE THE QUALIFICATIONS THAT YOU ALL WERE LOOKING FOR AS A BOARD, SO THAT WOULD HAVE INFORMED ME TO MAKE SURE THAT WE GOT THE RIGHT PEOPLE FROM THE ENTIRE DISTRICT 2 AND DISTRICT 3.
BUT UNFORTUNATELY WE DIDN'T GET THAT.
AND I DID SHARE MY CONCERNS WITH THE CPS ENERGY STAFF.
BUT BECAUSE OF THE PROCESS AND THE SETUP THE STAFF COULDN'T REALLY INTERACT BECAUSE IT WAS IN THE HANDS OF THE BOARD.
AND AND AS CITY COUNCIL LEADERS AND MEMBERS, FOR OUR RESPECTIVE COMMUNITIES WE HAVE TO THINK WHAT CREATES GOOD GOVERNANCE FOR WHAT IMPACTS THE DAILY LIVES OF OUR CONSTITUENTS.
FOR S.A.W.S., V.I.A., WE HEED TO MAKE SURE THESE ARE MARKED EFFECT BIVELY BY THEIR RESPECTIVE BOARD OF TRUSTEES.
ONE THING IS RECOGNIZING AND TAKING ACTION TO CREATE DIVERSE REPRESENTATION.
YOU ALL SHARED THAT WITH PERSPECTIVES.
DIVERSITY AND LEADERSHIP LEADS TO BETTER THINKING.
IT LEADS TO INNOVATION, IT PRESENTS MISTAKES AND LEADS TO BETTER GOVERNANCE AND ULTIMATELY LEADS TO GETTER OUTCOMES THIS HAS BEEN PROVEN TIME AND TIME AGAIN.
YESTERDAY TODAY 60 PERCENT OF ALL BOARDS AND COMMISSION MEMBERS MEN AND ONLY 37 PERCENT ARE HISPANIC AND THIS IS A CITY WHERE 64 PERCENT OF OUR ENTIRE POPULATION IS HISPANIC AND 51 PERCENT OF OUR POPULATION IS FEMALE.
THIS LACK OF EQUITY AND LEADERSHIP IS DISTURBING REALITY IN A CITY THAT PRIDES ITSELF ON DIVERSITY.
WE CANNOT CONTINUE TO ESPOUSE OUR DIVERSITY TO THE WORLD WHILE AT THE SAME TIME WE FAIL TO DEMONSTRATE LEADERSHIP BY ENSURING EQUITY IS REFLECTED IN OUR PUBLIC INSTITUTIONS.
WE CREATED AN OFFICE OF DIVERSITY AND INCLUSION OR EQUITY OFFICE IN THIS CITY.
WE CREATED AN EQUITY COMMITTEE.
YET, HERE WE SIT AT CITY COUNCIL PREPARING TO ALLOW THE VALUES WE
[01:35:01]
ESPOUSE TO BE IGNORED.WE ARE SO FAR AWAY FROM WHAT SHOULD BE CONSIDERED ACCEPTABLE THAT EVERY ONE OF THESE APPOINTMENTS SHOULD BE VIEWED AS AN OPPORTUNITY FOR US TO DEMONSTRATE COURAGE IN ADDRESSING DISPARITY THAT WE SEE TODAY.
DISPARITY WHICH HAS BEEN CAUSED BY DECADES OF INSTITUTIONAL BIAS AND INACTION.
EVERY SINGLE APPOINTMENT SHOULD BE VIEWED AS AN OPPORTUNITY TO WALK THE WALK ON PROMISES WE MADE TO OUR RESIDENTS.
THIS IS OUR DUTY AND THE COURT END THOM NATION FOR CPS ENERGY BOARD OF TRUST JEES A GOOD MAN WITH A STRONG LEGACY OF SERVICE.
HOWEVER HIS SELECTION WILL MEAN THAT NOT A SINGLE WOMAN SERVES ON THE BOARD OF ONE OF OUR MOST IMPORTANT PUBLIC INGS INSTITUTIONS IN A CITY OF 1.4 MILLION PEOPLE, I FIND IT UNFATHOMABLE THAT THERE IS NOT A WOMAN QUALIFIED TO SERVE ON THE CPS ENERGY BOARD.
THAT THERE WAS NOT A WOMAN QUALIFIED IN DISTRICTS 2 OR 3 WHO WAS NOT QUALIFIED TO SERVE ON THE CPS ENERGY BOARD.
THERE ARE MANY STRONG WOMEN IN THIS COMMUNITY THAT WOULD BRING DIVERSITY OF THOUGHT AND LEADERSHIP TO THIS BOARD YET BEFORE US TODAY IS A CONTINUATION OF THE STATUS QUO.
THIS IS FOR LONGER THAN THE TERM WE HAVE, TWO-YEAR TERMS. I HAVE 3.5 YEARS LEFT AS CITY COUNCIL REPRESENTATIVE AND THAT TAKES IT ALL OF CITY COUNCIL DISTRICT THREE.
MOVER I'M CONCERNED THAT THE TRUSTEE REPRESENTING CITY COUNCIL DISTRICT 2 AND 3 WILL NOT HAVE WORKED OR LIVED IN OUR COMMUNITY.
THIS INDIVIDUAL WILL BE VOTING ON SERIOUS POLICY MATTERS THAT DEEPLY IMPACT THE LIVES AND FINANCES OF RESIDENTS IN MY DISTRICT.
AND I CAN'T LOOK MY CONSTITUENTS IN THE EYE AND TELL THEM THAT IT'S OKAY THAT PERSON WHO REPRESENTS THEM DOESN'T UNDERSTAND THEIR NEEDS OR THEIR NEIGHBORHOODS.
AND I UNDERSTAND THERE HAS BEEN A LOT OF PRESS USUAL TO SAY THAT THIS PROCESS PLAYED OUT EFFECTIVELY AND THAT WE SHOULD ACCEPT HIS APPOINTMENT.
TO GO ALONG, TO GET ALONG, TO BE OKAY, TO TRADE OUT VOTES FOR PROMISES TO THE FUTURE THAT THERE WILL BE A WOMAN ON THE NEXT COMMITTEE, THE NEXT BOARD OF TRUSTEES WILL BE A WOMAN.
I HAVE A RESPONSIBILITY TO MY CONSTITUENTS TO TAKE A STAND WHEN I SEE THE STATUS QUO BEING ALLOWED TO CONTINUE UNCHECKED.
I HAVE A RESPONSIBILITY TO ENSURE THAT THEIR VOICES ARE HEARD AND THAT THEIR NEEDS ARE MET.
I HAVE A RESPONSIBILITY TO ENSURE THAT OUR MUNICIPALLY OWNED ENTITIES LIKE CPS ARE EFFECTIVELY GOVERNED.
TO ALL OF THE WOMEN WHO APPLIED, PLEASE KNOW THAT I SEE YOU, I APPLAUD YOUR EFFORTS, AND I, SPECIFICALLY TO TERRY WILLIAM, THANK YOU.
FOR YOUR APPLICATION AND YOUR SERVICE.
AND WE HAVE REPRESENTATIVES, AND YOU KNOW, FIVE -- WITH FIVE PEOPLE ON THE COUNCIL, ON THE BOARD OF TRUSTEE, I THINK IT MAKES SENSE TO HAVE TWO PEOPLE ON THE CPS, TWO WOMEN ON THE CPS ENERGY BOARD OF TRUSTEES.
WE DECEIVE SERVE /* DESERVE AT LEAST TWO.
I'M ASKING MY COLLEAGUE TOEGS THINK LONG AND HARD ABOUT THE ACTION WE ARE TO TAKE.
NOW IS THE OPPORTUNITY FOR US TO LEAD IS THE OPPORTUNITY TO LIVE OUT OUR VALUES.
NOW IS AN OPPORTUNITY FOR US TO START MAKING REAL CHANGE BECAUSE I KNOW THERE WERE QUALIFIED WOMEN IN THIS POOL OF CANDIDATES WHO HAD CPS ENERGY EXPERIENCE.
THE PROCESS, I WILL SAY ALSO, AS I SHARED -- I DID EXPRESS MY CONCERNS.
I DID DO OUTREACH AND MY NO VOTE -- TO THE LADIES AGAIN, I'M SORRY WE AREN'T DOING BETTER FOR YOU AND MY NO VOTE IS AN OPPORTUNITY FOR CPS ENERGY TO GO BACK TO TAKE ANOTHER CRACK AT GOVERNANCE IN TACT.
IF WE VOTE NO, TO TAKE ANOTHER CRACK AT IT AND HAVE EQUITY REPRESENT SENSATION IT LIES IN THE HANDS TO HAVE THE BOARD OF TRUST DWREES LOOK AT THE CANDIDATES AND COME BACK WITH THE CITY COUNCIL FOR THAT CONFIRMATION.
I THINK WITH THAT, NOW IS THE OPPORTUNITY FOR US TO START MAKING REAL CHANGE.
>> MAYOR NIRENBERG: THANK YOU COUNCILWOMAN VIAGRAN.
[01:40:01]
>> GONZALES: THANK YOU, COUNCILWOMAN FOR THOSE STRONG WORDS.
YOU AND I HAVE HAD LOTS OF DISCUSSIONS ABOUT THIS ISSUE, AND WE CAME ON THE COUNCIL ABOUT THE SAME TIME, IN 2005 -- ABOUT FIVE YEARS AS AND IT WAS THEN WE STARTED TO RECOGNIZE REALLY WHAT THE BALANCE OF NOT JUST OF THE COUNCIL, BUT A LOST OUR BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS AND SINCE THEN WE'VE WAIVE WAIVED FROM ABOUT 30 PERCENT WOMEN ON BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS TO AS LOW AS 27.
RECENTLY WE'RE BACK UP TO THE MID 30S SOMEWHERE.
STILL NOT EQUAL IN FAIR REPRESENTATION OF WHAT OUR COMMUNITY LOOKS LIKE.
AND WE ALL KNOW THAT THAT'S TRUE FOR A LOT OF REASONS.
EVEN REGARDING THE RECRUITING PROCESS, SO I HEARD SOME OF YOU ALL MENTION THAT YOU ACTIVELY WENT OUT AND RECRUITED PEOPLE TO APPLY FOR THE BOARD.
I THINK MR. STEEN, YOU MENTIONED WERE YOU ACTUAL LIVE OUT RECRUITING AND ONE OF THE PROBLEMS WE HAVE AS WOMEN WE CAN'T GO FOR A DRINK AFTER HOURS.
WE CAN'T MEET ON THE WEEKENDS.
WE HAVE OTHER COMMITMENTS THAT DON'T ALLOW FOR SUCH FLEXIBILITY TO MEET PEOPLE, OR TO TALK ABOUT ISSUES.
AND WHEN YOU HAVE AN ALL MALE BOARD RECRUITING, YOU'RE GOING TO TEND TO SEE AN ALL MALE BOARD BEING REPRESENTED AND THOSE ARE SOME OF THEISH THUS I HAVE AS WE'RE GOING THROUGH THIS PROCESS TODAY.
I UNDERSTAND HOW THE PROCESS WORKS.
I HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO MEET SEVERAL OF THE PEOPLE WHO APPLIED TO THE BOARD AS SOME WERE MEN, SOME WERE WOMEN.
I FELT EVERYBODY THAT I MET WITH WAS QUALIFIED AND INTERESTED TO SERVE AND HAD A GREAT EXPERIENCE.
IN FACT MR. STEEN ALSO MENTIONED THAT WHEN MR. HOWARD CAME ON THE BOARD HE DID NOT HAVE EXTENSIVE BACKGROUND IN CPS ENERGY BUT THAT HE QUICKLY GOT UP TO SPEED AND BECAME ONE OF YOUR MOST ACTIVE, DEDICATED MEMBERS SO WHY WOULDN'T WE ALLOW THAT FOR ONE OF THE WOMEN WHO APPLIED WHO PERHAPS DIDN'T HAVE THE IMMEDIATE SKILL SET THAT THE BOARD WAS LOOKING FOR WHEN THEY WERE LOOKING FOR ONE OF THEIR MEMBERS.
I ALSO FELT LIKE WE THRASH THERE WAS A PART OF DISTRICT 5 THAT'S BEING REPRESENTED ON THIS BOARD, AND I KNOW THAT I HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO MEET ONE OF THE WOMEN WHO APPLIED AND I FELT SHE WOULD HAVE BEEN A VERY STRONG CANDIDATE AS WELL BUT I UNDERSTAND THE BOARD IS THE ONE WHO MAKES THE DECISION AND EVEN AS WE'RE GOING THROUGH THIS PROCESS, I WOULD HOPE THAT WE COULD EVENTUALLY GET BACK AND LOOK AT COVENANT, WHAT THAT MEANS AND HOW IT WAS DIVIDED INTO FOUR SECTORS PERHAPS WHEN THIS WAS DECIDED 70-PLUS YEARS AGO.
OUR CITY LOOKED MUCH DIFFERENT THAN IT DOES NOW.
AND PERHAPS THAT NEEDS TO BE REVISITED.
BUT WE'LL LEAVE THAT FOR ANOTHER DISCUSSION.
I DO BELIEVE IN THE ABILITY TO LET THE BOARD DICTATE WHO THE REPRESENTATIVE IS, BUT I BELIEVE THAT AS WAS STATED, ONE OF THE WOMEN THAT WAS SELECTED COULD HAVE ALSO BEEN BROUGHT UP TO SPEED AND ALSO BEEN TRAINED AND ALSO BEEN ABLE TO BE THE VOICE, BECAUSE AS ALSO WAS MENTIONED, THE MAJORITY OF THE PEOPLE THAT PAY BILLS IN THIS CITY ARE WOMEN.
IT'S THE WOMEN WHO TAKE CARE OF THE FAMILIES.
IT'S THE WOMEN WHO ULTIMATELY CONSERVE OR USE OR ARE THE ONES WHO WILL BE IMPACTED ESPECIALLY BY RATES.
WE KNOW THERE'S A LOST CHANGES GOING ON IN THE SECTOR AND I THINK THAT PERHAPS SOMEBODY WHO HAD A COMPLETELY DIFFERENT EXPERIENCE MIGHT HAVE BENEFITTED FROM THE BOARD I PERSONALLY WROTE LETTERS OF RECOMMENDATION TO A COUPLE OF PEOPLE WHO APPLIED.
>> AND I WAS REALLY IMPRESSED WITH THE POOL OF ALL OF THEM.
MY VOTE TODAY HAS NO REFLECTION ON DR. MACKEY AND WE DID HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO MEET AND I THINK HE WOULD BE A FINE CANDIDATE, AND WOULD BE A STRONG BOARD MEMBER.
CERTAINLY THE EXPERIENCE AND BACKGROUND TO BE A STRONG CANDIDATE BUT I BELIEVE THERE WOULD HAVE BEEN -- THAT THERE WERE WOMEN PRESENTED THAT WOULD ALSO MAKE STRONG CANDIDATES AND I UNFORTUNATELY CANNOT SUPPORT WHAT'S BEING PRESENTED TO US TODAY BUT WE LOOK FORWARD TO GREATER DIALOGUE, AND JUST HOPE -- I CIRCULATED A CCR ABOUT TWO YEARS AGO ASKING FOR GENDER EQUITY ON THE BOARD THAT ALL OF OUR BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS SHOW AT LEAST 50 PERCENT REPRESENTATION AND THAT DIDN'T GO ANYWHERE.
SO I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO BRINGING THAT UP AGAIN.
AT THE TIME THE CCR WAS REJECTED FROM THE GOVERNANCE COMMITTEE OR SENT BACK FROM THE COMMITTEE THAT THERE WAS THIS IDEA THAT WE DIDN'T WANT TO MAKE -- HAVE
[01:45:03]
QUOTAS FOR OUR BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS AND PEOPLE THAT WERE ON THE GOVERNANCE COMMITTEE AT THE TIME A DIFFERENT COUNCIL THAT WE SEE TODAY, THEIR ARGUMENT WAS WE SHOULD BE ABLE TO APPOINT WHOMEVER WE WANT.WE BELIEVE WE SHOULD APPOINT THE MOST QUALIFIED PEOPLE TO OUR BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS.
THEIR REPRESENTATIVE OF OUR SE SELVES, OUR BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS ARE REPRESENT SENSITIVE OF THE BODY AND WE BELIEVE THAT PERSON SHOULD BE REFLECTIVE OF THE COUNCIL MEMBER AND AS A RESULT YOU HAVE A GROUP OF BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS WHERE MORE THAN 60 PERCENT WERE MEN.
SO I URGE THAT WE GO BACK TO THAT, THE CCR THAT I CIRCULATED AND ENSURE THAT OUR BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS MADE UP OF 50 PERCENT WOMEN.
WE KNOW THAT OF THE 18 PEOPLE WHO WERE APPLIED FOR THIS POSITION, 8 OF THEM WERE WOMEN, AND SO THERE'S CERTAINLY NO DOUBT THAT THE WOMEN ARE QUALIFIED AND INTERESTED, AND HAVE THE DESIRE AND CAPABILITY TO SERVE.
I THINK OUR RYE ECRUITING IS OF BECAUSE OF ISSUES WITH WOMEN.
WOMEN HAVE TO RECRUIT DIFFERENTLY.
WE NEED TO CONTINUE TO USE ALL OF THOSE MECHANISMS. I DO BELIEVE THE INFORMATION WAS CIRCULATED WELL.
THAT'S WHY YOU DID HAVE SO MANY CANDIDATES APPLY AND WHY YOU HAD SO MANY WOMEN APPLY.
I THINK IT'S VERY IMPORTANT AS WE MAKE DECISIONS ABOUT, ESPECIALLY LARGE ENTITIES LIKE CPS, THAT WE HAVE AT LEAST 50 PERCENT AND WAS MENTIONED SORT OF IN THE DIALOGUES THAT WE'VE HAD.
OH, THE NEXT ROUND WILL GET WOMEN -- HOW ABOUT IF WE HAVE HALF OF THEM WOMEN.
HAS THERE EVER BEEN A TIME WHERE THERE WAS MORE THAN ONE WOMAN ON THE BOARD? SO I CANNOT SUPPORT DR. MACKEY AND I HOPE THAT YOU UNDER IT'S NOT A REFLECTION OF YOU PERSONALLY, BUT JUST A REFLECTION OF WHAT WE WANT TO HAVE IN OUR BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS MOVING FORWARD.
>> MAYOR NIRENBERG: THANK YOU COUNCILWOMAN XWS.
>> BROCKHOUSE: THANK YOU, MAYOR.
FIRST OFF MR. HOWARD, THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE, TEN YEARS AT ANY JOB IS A LONG TIME NOWADAYS.
PEOPLE ARE ALWAYS JUMPING AROUND.
I LOOK FORWARD TO RECOGNIZING YOU IN THE FUTURE FOR SERVICE AT CPS ENERGY.
I LIKE THE WAY UTILITY APPOINTMENTS ARE ADDING SUCH SPICE TO OUR COUNCIL MEETINGS.
I DO WANT TO BE A LITTLE FRANK ON MY PROCESS OF COMING TO AN ANSWER TO THIS NOMINATION HERE.
SO, A FEW WEEKS AGO, WE HAD A S.A.W.S. APPOINTMENT AND IT WAS A ROBUST DISCUSSION.
AND WHAT I LEARNED, I DID LEARN A VALUABLE LESSON OUT OF, REALLY THIS IS MAINLY TO MY COLLEAGUES HERE.
I LEARNED A VALUABLE LESSON OUT OF THAT DISCUSSION FROM THE COUNCILWOMAN FROM DISTRICT 5.
WHAT I LEARNED WAS, I SEE NUMBERS OR DATA OR ANALYTICS.
OR IDEAS, TO ME, DON'T KNOW GENDER OR IDENTITY POLITICS BUT THAT'S ME, SO, OUT OF THAT DISCUSSION, I WALKED AWAY REALIZING THAT, THERE ARE PEOPLE ON THIS DAIS, THERE ARE COLLEAGUES WHO SIMPLY LIVE IN THAT.
THEY SEE THAT, RIGHT? IT'S NOT THAT I AM -- I AM DISMISSIVE OF IT, OR WE CAN CATEGORIZE WORD AS ROUND, I FRANKLY DIDN'T EVEN SEE IT.
THAT IS A LEARNING LESSON FOR ALL OF US.
WE PUT OUR OWN THOUGHTS OUT THERE AND I TEND TO BELIEVE EVERY ONE OF US DOES IT FROM THE BEST OF OUR HEART TO DO WHAT'S RIGHT FOR THE COMMUNITY PERIOD.
I DON'T THINK THERE'S ANY ILL-WILL ON THIS COUNCIL WHATSOEVER.
HOWEVER WE ALL HAVE BLIND SPOTS.
MAYBE IT'S SOMETHING YOU DON'T GENERALLY SEE.
LIKE I SAID YESTERDAY'S "B" SESSION, SOMETIMES YOU GET KNOCKED AROUND IN YOUR COMMUNITY AND REALIZE SOMETHING THAT YOU -- YOU WEREN'T TRYING TO HURT ANYBODY, YOU JUST DON'T UNDERSTAND SOMEONE ELSE'S POINT OF VIEW OR SOMEONE SEEING OR WORKING THEIR LIFE AND HOW THINGS GOING, SO WHEN I CAME AT THIS AND I MET WITH DR. MACKEY, WHEN I CAME AT THIS OVER THE LAST WEEKS I GOT TO TELL YOU I WAS PRETTY MOVED ON COUNCILWOMAN VIAGRAN'S ARGUMENTS ON THE POINT AND HERE'S WHERE I FALL ON IT.
AND WE HEAR A LOT ABOUT THE PROCESS, AND THE MAYOR LED A LINE OF QUESTIONING THERE TO PROTECT THIS PROCESS.
BUT I'D ARGUE THAT THE PROCESS IS BROKE.
AND VOTING FOR AND -- OR, NOT BROKEN BUT IT NEEDS MASSIVE IMPROVEMENT.
AND SO I WOULD TELL YOU THAT I HAD A GOOD AND RESPECTFUL MEETING WITH DR. MACKEY AND HIS HISTORY.
I WALKED AWAY FROM IT THINKING, OKAY, OKAY.
[01:50:01]
I CAN LOOK INTO THIS.AND HIS SERVICE OVER HIS SCHOOL BOARD, OVER MULTIPLE PLACES IN THE STATE.
HE SPURS IT UP A LITTLE BIT WHERE HE'S GONE.
I LIKE -- OBVIOUSLY I LIKE PORTIONSES OF HIM AND UNLIKE COUNCILWOMAN GONZALES MY VOTE IS NOT ABOUT MR. MACKEY.
IT'S GOING TO BE ABOUT CPS ENERGY.
BECAUSE FRANKLY I THINK YOU CAN DO A WHOLE HECK OF A LOT BETTER.
THE FIRST QUESTION SHOULD NOT HAVE BEEN LET'S GET AFTER A REPLACEMENT.
THE FIRST THOUGHT SHOULD BE WHAT SHOULD THIS BOARD LACK LIKE, PERIOD.
THAT SHOULD HAVE BEEN YOUR FIRST THOUGHT.
AND OPENED THE APPLICATION PROCESS.
BY I MEAN WHAT DOES IT LOOK LIKE, DOES IT LOOK LIKE SAN ANTONIO? SO, YOU CAME OUT OF THE GATE, AND YOU'RE APPLYING AND YOU WORK IN THIS PROCESS, AND YOU DIDN'T ASK YOURSELVES, DO WE HAVE -- WHAT DOES DIVERSITY MEAN TO US ON THIS BOARD.
ARE WE MEETING THAT? I'M NOT SAYING THERE NEEDS TO BE A QUOTA FOR IT.
I HEARD LANGUAGE NEXT APPOINTMENT HAS TO BE THIS, THIS HAS TO BE THERE.
I DON'T BUY INTO THE IDENTITY POLITICS BUT IT HAS TO REFLECT WHAT THE COMMUNITY IS.
YOU'RE ASKING THAT QUESTION OF YOURSELVES, SOLICITING APPLICATIONS BUT WE HAVE TO IN THE FACE OF MONUMENTAL CHALLENGES PUT MECHANIC THINKSMENTS IN PLACE TO ENSURE OUR LEADERSHIP LOOKS LIKE THE COMMUNITY.
WE DO IT ON OUR OWN BOARDS AT THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO.
WE SPECIFICALLY ALLOCATE ON CRITICAL BOARDS APPOINTMENTS FOR DIFFER SEGMENTS OF THE COMMUNITY, WHETHER A UN B ONOPERATIVE, OR ELECTRICAL PORTION MEMBER OF THE REAL ESTATE COMMUNITY.
YOU CAN GO RIGHT DOWN THE LINE.
WE APPOINT BASED ON PREFERENCES TO ENSURE BOARD DIVERSITY.
THERE'S NO REASON WHY YOU COULDN'T DO THAT AS WELL.
SO, I THINK THAT REALLY SHOULD HAVE OCCURRED AND MOST REFLECT THE VALUES OF THE COMMUNITY AND AREA YOU'RE REPRESENTING.
I THINK YOU JUST MISSED THE BOAT ON THAT AND FRANKLY, I THINK YOU HAVE TO TWO MUCH BETTER AT IT.
AND IS IT GOING TO FORCE YOU TO MAKE TOUGH DECISIONS? YES.
IT'S GOING TO FORCE YOU TO EXAM YOURSELF AND SAY WHAT ARE THE VALUES YOU'RE TRYING TO ACCOMPLISH AND WHAT DOES THIS MEAN.
SOMETIMES THE VALUE IS NOT IN A RATE, THE VALUE IS IN THE VOICE THAT'S SITTING IN THAT ROOM AT THAT TABLE.
SO I'M GOING TO CONCEDE THAT I THINK COUNCILWOMAN VIAGRAN AND COUNCILWOMAN GONZALES HAVE THE RIGHT POINT THE BOARD IS NOT REFLECTIVE OF SAN ANTONIO.
THAT'S WHY TODAY I'M NOT GOING TO SUPPORT THE NOMINATION.
I JUST BELIEVE YOU CAN DO BETTER AND SOMETIMES FROM ACROSS EVERY QUADRANT, DR. KAVATA IS UP IN THE THE END OF THE YEAR.
AND NOW WE'RE GOING TO GO RIGHT INTO ANOTHER ONE.
WHAT QUESTIONS YOU GOING TO ASK OURSELF OF CPS ENERGY AND THAT APPOINTMENT.
AND IS IT REFLECTIVE OF SAN ANTONIO.
MOST LIKELY THIS WILL PASS TODAY.
I'M HOPING WHEN YOU COME OUT ON THE NEXT ONE THOSE QUESTIONS ANSWERED FIRST.
IS THIS THE RATE PAYER? IS IT REFLECTIVE OF THE VALUES AND RESIDENTS AND PEOPLE PAYING THOSE BILLS TO COUNCILWOMAN GONZALES'S POINT.
IT'S THEIR MONEY AND THEIR OPPORTUNITY.
I'M SORRY, YOU -- WE OWN THE UTILITY.
I -- GENUINELY SCARES ME OUR DRIVE TO SEPARATE THE COUNCIL FROM DECISION MAKING AT CPS ENERGY.
IF YOUR CHARTER IS 75 YEAR OLD AND THAT'S WHAT YOU'RE STANDING ON.
MAYBE IT'S TIME TO RELOOK AT THE GOVERNANCE STRUCTURE JUST TO MAKE SURE THAT THIS COUNCIL HAS MORE OPPORTUNITY AND UNDERSTANDING.
WE DON'T GET ANY INPUT ON WHAT'S HAPPENING IN THE ROOM.
I'LL TELL YOU RIGHT NOW, MOST OF US DIDN'T HEAR ANYTHING ABOUT THE QUALITY APPOINTMENTS OR INTERVIEW PROCESS.
I THINK THAT'S A BROKE PROCESS.
I THINK WE NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT IT RETLEBTS WHO WE ARE AND EVERYBODY UNDERSTANDS WHAT YOUR INTERVIEWING.
I'M NOT SURE WE MAKE THE FINAL DECISION.DE I'M SAYING THERE NEEDS TO BE A LOT MORE INFORMATION.
THE TRUTH IS, I DON'T HAVE THE ANSWERS TO THE QUESTION, HOW YOU FIX THIS.
IT'S A VERY TOUCHY SUBJECT ABOUT US AS A COMMUNITY AND THINGS WE VALUE.
IT'S A VALUABLE SITUATION TO HAVE WHEN YOU LINE UP EQUITY, DIVERSITY, WHAT THINGS SHOULD OR SHOULDN'T LOOK LIKE.
IT'S A VERY DIFFICULT CONVERSATION AROUND WHAT IS MOST TROUBLING OR DIFFICULT IN YOUR COMMUNITY.
SO I DON'T HAVE THE ANSWERS BUT I KNOW THE QUESTION EXISTS.
THE QUESTION EXISTS, IN EVERY ASPECT OF OUR ARE BOARD AND GOVERNANCE.
DOES THIS LOOK AND FEEL LIKE THE COMMUNITY WE'RE REPRESENTING AND THAT COMES TO US IN EVERYTHING WE DO.
WE HAD ON THE ALAMO MASTER PLAN YESTERDAY.
I SAID THE SAME THING YESTERDAY.
[01:55:02]
REFLECTIVE OF THE RESIDENCE AND PEOPLE AND HOW ARE WE QUANTIFYING WHAT THAT IS AND FEELS LIKE.WE HAVE PROBLEMS ENGAGING OUR COMMUNITY TO COME APPLY.
MR. STEEN AND I TALKED YESTERDAY ABOUT HOW DIFFICULT IT IS, THE APPLICATION PROCESS TRYING TO DRAW PEOPLE IN.
COUNCILMAN SHAW AND I TALKED ABOUT IT.
YOU'RE PROBABLY ASKING YOURSELVES WHY.
WHY ARE PEOPLE NOT WANTING TO ENGAGE US.
I'M WILLING TO BET BECAUSE THEY DON'T TRUST US.
THEY DON'T FEEL WE ARE OF THEM.
OUR GOVERNANCE IS NOT FOR THEM.
SO, THEY DISENGAGED WHEN THEY -- WE SHOULD BE TRYING TO ENGAGE THEM AND WE GOT TO CROSS THAT IN ITEMS LIKE THIS.
SO, MR. MACKEY, AND, LIKE I SAID, FROM ALL -- WHAT I CAN COUNT IS GOING TO PASS TODAY, I WISH YOU THE BEST OF LUCK.
I HOPE YOU HAVE A STRONG -- I'LL BE SUPPORTIVE OF YOU AND WE'LL WORK TOGETHER.
I TRUST FULLY IN PAULA GOLD WILLIAMS LEADERSHIP.
I'M GOING TO ASK YOU FROM A VALUE PERSPECTIVE, YOU THINK ABOUT SERVICE AND ENGAGEMENT, BECAUSE I DON'T THINK WE HAVE ENOUGH OF IT AND HOW THE RESIDENT ACTUALLY FEELS.
I THINK YOU HAVE TO VALUE THE RATE PAYER TO A LEVEL THAT CPS ENERGY -- I DON'T KNOW IF YOU EVER REALLY GET TO TRULY UNDERSTANDING THE RATE PAYER BUT EVERY BATTLE IS A VALUED RATE PAYER.
THAT'S WHAT IS MOST IMPORTANT TO ME.
THAT'S WHAT IS MOST IMPORTANT ON THE DAIS.
IT BELONGS TO THE RESIDENT AND HOW DO WE PROTECT THAT AND THAT PERSON PAYING THOSE BILLS.
THE NUMBER ONE FLUCTUATING BILL YOU HAVE IN YOUR LIFE IS CPS ENERGY BILL.
YOUR MORTGAGE PAYMENT IS THE SAME.
THAT CPS ENERGY BILL CAN BE THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN NO LIGHTS NO MAUER NO REFRIGERATOR WORKING.
TO DO THAT, YOU GOT TO PUT YOURSELVES IN THOSE PO POSITION OF WHERE THE RATE PAYER IS AND CITIZEN IS.
I'LL CLOSE WITH DR. MACKEY NO REFLECTION ON YOU WHATSOEVER.
I LOOK FORWARD TO YOUR FUTURE SUCCESS.
MY PROCESS IS IF IT DOESN'T DEFINE WHO SHOULD BE ON THAT BOARD -- I'LL GIVE YOU A BOARD MEMBER AND A COUPLE LEADERS TOLD ME HE'S A GOOD FIT.
HE'S GOING TO FIGHT RIGHT IN WITH US.
HE'S GOING TO BE A GOOD PART OF THE TEAM.
WHAT WE NEED IS SOMEONE THAT WILL HAVE A VOICE FOR PEOPLE.
MR. MACKEY, I THINK HE'S GOT SOME CONTRARIAN STREAK IN HIM.
SOMEBODY THAT WILL FIGHT FOR WHAT THEY BELIEVE IN AND REPRESENTS THEY REPRESENT, IF WE GET THERE ON THE NEXT ONE, I THINK WE SHOULD ALL BE A PART OF WHAT THAT NEXT APPOINTMENT LOOKS LIKE.
I HAVE AN EVEN MORE VESTED INTEREST IN IT, THAT IS THE BEST EXERCISE WE CAN HAVE TO DIVINE THE FUTURE AND WHAT THAT LOOKS LIKE WHEN YOU PUT THE PROCESS OUT THERE.
DR. MACKEY THANK YOU FOR YOUR EFFORT, AND HARD WORK GETTING TO THIS POINT.
I LOOK FORWARD TO YOUR FUTURE SUCCESS.
>> MAYOR NIRENBERG: COUNCILMAN PELAEZ
>> PELAEZ: THANK YOU, DR. MACKEY YOU'LL GET MY YES VOTE TODAY.
I MET WITH YOU AND WE GOT TO TALK.
WE TALKED ABOUT THE CHANGING NATURE OF UTILITIES.
TALKED ABOUT THE ENERGY GENERATION MIX THAT PAULA HAS BEEN VERY GOOD ABOUT BRIEFING US.
WE TALKED ABOUT RATE PAYERS AND PRESSURES THAT THEY FEEL WITH INCREASING COST OF LIFE, THEIR EXPECTATION THAT WE REALLY FOCUS ON SUSTAINABLE AND RENEWABLE SOLUTIONS.
WE TALKED ABOUT HOW WE SERVE NOT JUST SAN ANTONIANS BUT OTHER COMMUNITIES IN THE SURROUNDING AREA.
WE ALSO TALKED ABOUT THE CHANGING NATURE OF UTILITIES IN GENERAL AND HOW, IN ALL LIKELIHOOD, CPS WILL, OVER THE NEXT 20, 30 YEARS, NO LONGER BE AN ENERGY UTILITY.
YOU'LL BE A VETICALLY INTEGRATED COMPANY THAT JUST HAPPENS TO DEAL IN ENERGY AS ONE OF YOUR PRODUCTS.
RIGHT? THAT'S WHAT WE TALKED ABOUT.
I NEVER ASKED YOU WHAT GENDER YOU WERE, WHAT YOUR RELIGION WAS, WHAT YOUR OPINION WAS ON SOCIAL ISSUES AND ALL OF THAT STUFF, MAYBE I SHOULD HAVE.
MY COUNCILWOMAN VIAGRAN AND COUNCILWOMAN GONZALES, THEY'RE NOT WRONG.
WHEN YOU LOOK AT THIS BOARD AND YOU LOOK AT PHOTOS ON THE WEBSITE, IT DOES MAKE ANY PERSON OUT THERE WITH A CONSCIOUS WHO LIVES IN 2018 THINKING, WHAT IS GOING ON HERE? I LOOK AT THIS FROM A 30,000 FOOT VIEW AND REALLY WHAT IT LEFT ME WAS THE QUESTION, REALLY?
[02:00:01]
WE ONLY HAVE FOUR APPOINTEES TO THE CPS BOARD, THE LARGEST MUNICIPALLY OWNED UTILITY IN THE COUNTRY? ISN'T THAT RIGHT, PAULA, ISN'T THAT WHAT WE ARE, OR UP THERE? LARGEST MUNICIPALLY OWNED UTILITY.WE'RE IN ESSENCE A PUBLICLY OWNED -- WE'RE HUGE, MULTIBILLION OPERATION, THOUSANDS OF EMPLOYEE.
ONLY FOUR PEOPLE FROM THE COMMUNITY ARE SITTING OVER THIS BOARD ASIDE FROM THE MAYOR.
I THINK YOU GOT A GREAT BRAIN ON YOUR SHOULDERS AND WILL DO FINE.
WHAT I'D REALLY LIKE TO PUT ON THE TABLE IS I WANT TO CALL YOUR ATTENTION TO MY COLLEAGUES S.A.W.S. HAS SIX SEATS.
RIGHT? I THINK THAT'S A GOOD IDEA TO HAVE MORE PEOPLE AT THE TABLE.
V.I.A. HAS TEN MEMBERS AND THEY ARE DOING BUSES.
RIGHT? ANIMAL CARE SERVICES IS 11.
OUR ARTS COMMISSION HAS 15 PEOPLE ON IT.
OUR MUNICIPAL GOLF COMMISSION HAS MORE PEOPLE ON IT.
OUR TRICENTENNIAL HAS 19 PEOPLE ON THAT BOARD.
IT DOESN'T PLAN I'M TRYING TO BE FUNNY BUT THE SOUTHERN EDWARDS HABITAT COMMISSION HAS MORE SAN ANTONIANS ON IT HELPING TO GUIDE WHAT THEY DO, BUT I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT.
I THINK WE NEED TO SIT DOWN AND EXAMINE WHETHER OR NOT THE QUADRANT SYSTEM APPOINTING PEOPLE TO THIS BOARD IS THE RIGHT WAY TO HANDLE THE MOST IMPORTANT ASSET THIS CITY HAS.
AND SO, WHAT I'D LIKE TO DO IS PROPOSE TO MY CITY COUNCIL AND MY MAYOR THAT WE START TO REALLY HAVE A SERIOUS CONVERSATION ABOUT THE WISDOM OF HAVING ONLY FOUR BRILLIANT PEOPLE AT A TABLE AS OPPOSED TO HAVING ONE FOR EVERY DISTRICT.
MAYBE HAVING EVEN MORE THAN THAT.
I MEAN, SURELY THIS BOARD THE HEAVY LIFTING THAT IT HAS TO DO, AND ALL THE THINKING THAT IT HAS TO DO OVER THE NEXT DECADES, THREE DECADES IS WORTHY OF HAVING MORE PEOPLE ON IT THAN THE MUNICIPAL GOLF COMMISSION.
SO, I THINK CPS IS DOING AN AMAZING JOB WITH THE FOUR PEOPLE AND MAYOR AT THE TABLE, AND YOU GUYS ARE DO ING SOMETHING THAT S HARD TO BELIEVE IN 2018.
YOU'RE ONE HAVE THE HIGHEST RATED MUNICIPAL UTILITIES IN THIS COUNTRY.
YOU GUYS ARE DELIVERING VERY INEXPENSIVE ENERGY AND YOU'RE HELPING US WITH THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENTMENT IMAGINE HOW MUCH MORE WE COULD DO IF WE HAD OTHER BIG BRAINS AT THE TABLE.
SO, I'LL LET SMARTER PEOPLE THAN ME TALK ABOUT GENDER ISSUES AND DIVERSITY ISSUES.
I WANT TO FOCUS ON THIS MUCH BIGGER PICTURE WHICH IS, ARE WE SERVING ALL OF SAN ANTONIO BY ONLY LIMITING IT TO FOUR SEATS? I HAVE A FEELING, PAULA, YOU HAVE A BIG CONFERENCE ROOM THAT WILL FATE MORE THAN FOUR PEOPLE IN IT.
WITH THAT, DR. MACKEY, STAY IN TOUCH, WILL YOU? I WANT TO WORK WITH YOU ON MAKING SURE WE GET THE BEST WORK OUT OF THE YOU AS POSSIBLE AND THE ONLY WAY THAT'S GOING BE ACCOMPLISHED IS IF WE HAVE A CONTINUOUS OPEN LINE OF COMMUNICATIONS THAT I ENJOY WITH ED KELLY AND I ENJOY WITH THE OTHER BOARD MEMBERS.
THANKS FOR ALSO AGREEING TO SERVE.
>>> THANK YOU COUNCILMAN PELAEZ.
I HAVE THE PLEASURE OF BES FLANKED BY TWO VERY STRONG AND POWERFUL ELOQUENT WOMEN TO MY LEFT AND RYE.
THE MESSAGE I HEARD TO THEM IS PRETTY CLEAR.
IT'S CRYSTAL CLEAR TO ME AS SOMEONE WHO HAS AUTHORITY TO APPOINT MEMBERS TO MY COMMISSION.
I THINK IT'S INCREDIBLY CLEAR TO ANYBODY THAT MIGHT BE IN THE AUDIENCE LISTENING TO THE MESSAGE THAT THEY ARE TRYING TO SEND.
IT'S NOT JUST IMPORTANT TO HEAR WHAT THEY ARE SAYING, IT'S IMPORTANT TO ACT ON IT, SO, MR. STEEN, IF YOU'LL JOIN ME AT THE FRONT OF THE MICROPHONE, I'D LIKE TO ASK YOU, AS SOMEBODY WHO IS IN THE ROOM MAKING THESE DECISIONS AT CHAIR OF CPS, AND WE'LL BE MAKING THE DECISION IF THIS DOES NOT SUCCEED ON THIS OPENING, AND THIS OPPORTUNITY, THAT MAY BE SUBSEQUENT IN THE FUTURE, DID YOU HEAR THE SAME MESSAGE I HEARD?
>> YES, SIR, I HEARD IT LOUD AND CLEAR.
>> SALDANA: I THINK THAT'S THE CONCEPT THAT WE'VE BEEN TRYING TO WORK WITH HERE.
I'VE SEEN A FEW DIFFERENT CPS APPLICANTS COME THROUGH CITY COUNCIL, I CAN TELL YOU NONE OF THEM HAVE BEEN AS INTERESTING AS THIS ONE AND FRANKLY, I THINK
[02:05:01]
IT'S ON US THAT WE HADN'T PUT THE SAME KIND OF PRESSURE WHEN YOU WERE CHOSEN, MR. STEEN, OR WHEN MR. KELLY WAS CHOSEN, BECAUSE PERHAPS WE WOULDN'T HAVE HAD TO HAVE SENT THIS MESSAGE TODAY.BUT SOMETHING INTERESTING THAT'S IMPORTANT TO POINT OUT ABOUT WHAT HAPPENED IN YOUR DECISION MAKING AND THE DECISION MAKING OF THE MAYOR INCLUDED IN THAT ROOM, WHICH IS WHO IS TERRY WILLIAMS? CAN YOU TELL ME WHO TERRY WILLIAMS? I DIDN'T KNOW TERRY WILLIAMS UNTIL COUNCILWOMAN VIAGRAN MENTIONED THE NAME AND I LOOKED IT UP.
>> TERRY WILLIAMS IS THE ORIGINAL NOMINEE WE PUT FORWARD, AND AS WEAVE' DISCUSSED, SHE WAS CONSIDERING AT THE SAME TIME TAKING A POSITION ON THE OF NORTHEAST SCHOOL DISTRICT BOARD AND SHE DECIDED TIME WISE SHE COULDN'T DO BOTH AND I RECALL SHE WAS THINKING MORE ABOUT THE STUDENTS AND THEIR FUTURE AND DECIDED TO GO WITH THE SCHOOL DISTRICT.
ARE YOU ASKING ABOUT HER POSITION? SHE'S BEEN A CAREER AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AND THERE'S A DEPARTMENT NOW AT UTSA THAT FOCUSES ON SMALL BUSINESS AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT.
SHE'S THE DIRECTOR OF THAT DEPARTMENT.
>> SALDANA: I WAS LOOKING FOR THE SORT ANSWER.
THIS IS PROBABLY DIFFICULT, BECAUSE IN A SENSE, DR. MACKEY WAS NOT THE FIRST CHOICE AND I -- FORGIVE ME FOR SAYING THAT, DR. MACKEY, BECAUSE I THINK WHAT'S IMPORTANT IS SOMETHING THAT THE COUNCILWOMAN BROUGHT UP.
IN THIS VAST GEOGRAPHIC SPACE ON THE SOUTHEAST SOUTH SIDE, COULD HAVE THERE BEEN A QUALIFIED PERSON THAT'S ALSO A WOMAN.
>> THERE'S NO DOUBT THERE'S QUALIFIED WOMEN.
>> SALDANA: IN FACT THERE WAS ONE AND IT'S INCREDIBLY IMPORTANT TO AT LEAST POINT THAT OUT IN THIS PROCESS AND WE NEED TO RECOGNIZE THAT WHILE WE DON'T MAKE THE DECISION FOR YOU ALL, THAT YOU HAVE HEARD THE MESSAGE THAT I'VE HEARD FROM SOME INCREDIBLY POWERFUL VOICES THAT SIT ALLOWANCE WITH ME AS MY COLLEAGUES SO THAT WAS ONE OF THE QUESTIONS I HAD FOR YOU.
>> NO, I HAVE THE HIGHEST REGARD FOR COUNCILWOMAN VIAGRAN AND WE HAD A MEETING YESTERDAY AND I LOOKED THE AT YOU AND I SAID, I HEAR YOU, SO --
>> SALDANA: THANK YOU, MR. TEEN.
YOU CAN TAKE A SEAT IF YOU'D LIKE.
THIS IS A DIFFICULT CONVERSATION THAT WE HAVE OFTENTIMES BUT I THINK IT'S INYOU CAN BENT UPON US TO NOT JUST SAY AND SPEAK INTO WORDS WHAT WE FEEL WITHOUT PROVIDING SOME SORT OF SUBSEQUENT ACTION TO THAT WHICH IS IN THE EVENT YOU HAD AN OPPORTUNITY TO RECTIFY SOME MISTAKE, RECTIFY SOME PAST TRANSGRESSIONS ON ABILITY FOR FOLKS TO HAVE ACCESS TO AUTHORITY AND POSITIONS THAT WE DO THAT.
IN THIS CASE, THE COUNCIL HAS EVERY AUTHORITY TO SAY THAT WE DON'T AGREE WITH THE CON CONFIRMATION EXCEPT IN THE FACT IN MY CASE I WILL BE SUPPORTING DR. MACKEY BECAUSE I HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO MEET WITH HIM MYSELF AND PERSONALLY MAKE THE ASSESSMENT OF WHETHER HE IS CAPABLE OF BEING A VOICE ON THE CPS BOARD, SO I FOLLOW ALONG COUNCILMAN CRUZ WHO IS SUPPORTING THE SUBMISSION OF DR. MACKEY BUT LET'S RECOGNIZE THIS, TOO ABOUT DR. MACKEY.
I KNOW A LITTLE ABOUT SCHOOL BOARDS AND SCHOOL BOARD POLITICS SO ANYBODY THAT CAN GO THROUGH THE WRINGER ON THREE OR FOUR DIFFERENT SCHOOL BOARDS IS SOMEBODY WHO IS HELD IN HIGH ESTEEM IN MY PERSPECTIVE, DR. MACKEY AND CITY COUNCIL POLITICS CAN BE MASTER AND DIRTY SOMETIMES BUT COMES NOTHING CLOSE TO SCHOOL BOARD POLITICS AS I CAN ASSURE YOU AND THAT SAYS A LOT ABOUT YOUR ABILITY.
NOT ONLY YOUR ABILITY TO HANDLE THINGS LIKE GOVERNANCE WHICH MR. STEEN HAS BEEN RECOGNIZED AS BEING SOMEBODY WHO PROVIDED SOME EXPERTISE IN.
BUT ALSO THINGS LIKE THE FINANCIAL MATTERS THAT GO BEFORE SCHOOL BOARDS, SO AS I'M GOING THROUGH MY ASSESSMENT OF YOU COMING INTO MY OFFICE, TAKING AWAY YOUR ABILITY TO REALLY LEAD ON CPS, MAYBE YOU DON'T HAVE A LOST EXPERTISE AND HAVEN'T FORMULATED A LOT OF OPINIONS ON THE ENERGY MARKET BUT I HOPE AND TRUST THAT YOU'RE GOING TO BE A QUICK STUDY AND I BELIEVE YOU'RE QUALIFIED TO DO THAT.
BUT IT MEANS A LOT TO HAVE SOMEBODY WHO IS A FORMER EDUCATOR FROM THE TEACHING LEVEL TO THE ADMINISTRATION LEVEL, ALSO HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY IN A VOICE AND IT IS NOT LOST ON ME AS WELL, TOO, THAT CPS DOES NOT HAVE SERVICE ONLY IN SAN ANTONIO.
WE SERVICE OUR SUBURBAN CITIES OF WHICH I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT FOR US TO RECOGNIZE THAT THEY DON'T HAVE A SEAT AT THE TABLE AT CPS BUT FOR PERHAPS YOUR OPPORTUNITY TO SERVE AND MR. HOWARD'S PREVIOUS RECORD THERE.
I THINK THAT NEEDS TO BE MENTIONED AS WELL, SO, I -- I'M EXCITED TO SUPPORT YOU, DR. MACKEY, BECAUSE I RECOGNIZE THAT IN YOUR OWN BEING A SUPERINTENDENT IN YOUR OWN WORK HISTORY, IT'S NOT LOST ON ME, AS
[02:10:03]
I CONSIDER LEADERSHIP WITHIN SUPERINTENDENTS AND SCHOOL BOARDS AND WHERE -- THERE WAS A TIME WHERE THERE WASN'T A LOT OF AFRICAN-AMERICAN SUPERINTENDENTS IN EDUCATION.AND I THINK THIS ALSO REPRESENTS AN OPPORTUNITY FOR DIVERSITY IN A DIFFERENT KIND OF WAY THAT WE'RE NOT TALKING ABOUT WHICH IS THAT THIS PORTION OF THE CPS QUADRANT, BEING HELD BY MR. HOWARD, REPRESENTS A TYPE OF DIVERSITY THAT I'M NOT SURE WE'LL FIND IN EVERY OTHER PART OF THE CITY AS PROMINENTLY AS IT IS SPOKEN FOR ON THE EAST OR SOUTHEAST PORTION OF THIS CITY, SO, AS A PREVIOUS EDUCATOR, AS SOMEBODY WHO STOOD UP A CAREER IN SEVERAL SCHOOL DISTRICTS I THINK YOU'VE EMINENTLY QUALIFIED TO DO THE JOB AND AT THE SAME TIME I RESPECT WE NEED TO FIGURE SOMETHING OUT HERE BECAUSE IT IS A BIT SHAMEFUL TO LOOK AT ANN ENTIRE BOARD THAT'S NOT ENCOMPASSING OF AT LEAST ONE WOMAN.
SO, IN THAT RESPECT, I KNOW THAT THERE'S OPPORTUNITY IN THE FUTURE FOR COUNCILMAN BROCK LSU AND I AND A FEW OTHERS THAT REPRESENT THAT OTHER TO TAKE THE MESSAGE THAT'S PRETTY CLOUD AND CLEAR, NOT REALIZING WE DON'T MAKE THE DECISION BUT REALIZE WE HAVE TO BE THE FINAL BACKSTOP ON THE DECISION.
WE COULD DO IT HERE TODAY AND SEND THE CPS BOARD OUT AND SAY WE WANT TO SEND THE MESSAGE OF THE TYPE OF PERSON WE'RE LOOKING FOR.
THAT WOULD MEAN DR. MACKEY NEED NOT APPLY AND I THINK THAT'S A DIFFICULT POSITION FOR ME TO SAY OR FEEL COMFORTABLE WITH AS I'M CONSIDERING WHAT WOULD HAPPEN IF WE DECIDE NOT TO AFFIRM THE CONFIRMATION OF SOMEBODY WHO IS QUALIFIED, WHO IS ABLE, WHO IS A FORMER EDUCATOR, WHO I'M PROUD TO SUPPORT TODAY.
WITH THAT, MAYOR, I'LL JUST GO AHEAD AND CLOSE.
>> MAYOR NIRENBERG: THANK YOU COUNCILMAN SALDANA.
I WANT TO RECOGNIZE THAT THIS SUBJECT IS VERY, VERY IMPORTANT AND THE REALITY IS THAT SOMETIMES IT DOES NEED TO BE BROUGHT TO LIGHT AND I WANT TO THANK COUNCILWOMAN VIAGRAN AND COUNCILWOMAN GONZALES FOR THEIR STATEMENTS.
BEFORE 2016 WE DIDN'T HAVE TRANSLATORS IN THE BACK OF THE ROOM FOR SPANISH TRANSLATION, AND IT'S BECAUSE WE DIDN'T REALLY THINK TO -- THAT THERE WAS A NEED FOR THAT.
SO I CAN CERTAINLY APPRECIATE THE PERSPECTIVE.
I WANT TO BE MINDFUL THAT I THINK WHAT WE'RE VOTING ON TODAY IS ALSO EXPANDING THIS IDEA OF HOW WE SHOULD BE LOOKING AT IMPLEMENTING BOARDS OR COMMISSIONS, HOW WE SHOULD REPRESENT OUR CITY WITH AS MUCH REPRESENTATION AND DIVERSITY AS POSSIBLE.
SO, I CERTAINLY -- I DEFINITELY APPRECIATE THAT AND WANT TO VOICE MY SUPPORT FOR MOVING FORWARD WITH A THOUGHTFUL PROCESS.
WITH THAT BEING SAID, I, TOO, HAD A CHANCE TO MEET WITH DR. MACKEY.
I WANT TO SAY HE HAS MY SUPPORT ON TODAY'S VOTE AND I WANT TO TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT WHAT WE DISCUSSED.
WE DISCUSSED IS THE PARTNERSHIP THAT WE HAVE.
THE IMPORTANCE OF THAT AND HOW THAT IS PART OF WHAT MAKES US AN EFFECTIVE TEAM AND I TALKED A LOT ABOUT THE WORK THAT MISS PAULA GOLD WILLIAMS HAS DONE COLLABORATING WITH OUR OFFICE, AND HOW I HOPE TO HAVE CONTINUED CONVERSATIONS AND WORK WITH YOU IN THE FUTURE TO MAKE SURE THAT WE CONTINUE THAT GREAT WORK.
OF SO, WITH THAT BEING SAID, I THINK IT'S -- I THINK YOU'RE ALSO HEARING TODAY, DR. MACKEY, WHAT'S GOING TO REST ON YOUR SHOULDERS IS ALSO UNDERSTANDING WHAT IS BEING SAID UP HERE TODAY, WHICH IS EVERYBODY MUST BE REPRESENTED, AND WE'LL LOOK TO THIS BOARD TO REALLY START TAKING A CLOSER LOOK AT HOW WE MAKE THIS BOARD MORE -- LOOK MORE LIKE OUR COMMUNITY.
TAKE THESE COMMENTS TO HEART AND HELP US MOVE FORWARD.
I THINK YOU ARE SOMEBODY THAT IS EMINENTLY QUALIFIED AND MOST IMPORTANTLY, CARES.
AND CARES ABOUT THAT PARTNERSHIP THAT YOU HAD WITH THE CITY, SO YOU HAVE MY SUPPORT TODAY.
>> MAYOR NIRENBERG: THANK YOU COUNCILMAN TREVINO.
>> SANDOVAL: THANK YOU, MAYOR.
FIRST I WANT TO THANK ALL THOSE FROM CPS HERE TODAY.
MR. MACKEY FOR VOLUNTEERING YOUR SERVICE.
I DON'T KNOW IF YOU KNEW WHAT YOU WERE GETTING YOURSELF INTO BUT CLEARLY YOU WANT TO SERVE AND YOU REALLY CARE ABOUT THIS.
BOTH OF THE MAYORS WHO ARE HERE
[02:15:04]
AND SPOKE.YOU MOW, I HAD THE PRIVILEGE OF ATTENDING AN ENERGY WORKSHOP THIS WEEK WITH SOME OF THE CPS BOARD MEMBERS AND SOME OF YOUR STAFF, AND I REMEMBERED -- I WAS REMINDED THAT A FEW YEARS AGO, CPS WAS IN A SLIGHTLY DIFFERENT POSITION.
THERE WAS A LITTLE BIT OF UPHEAVAL, BUT THAT TODAY P-BECAUSE OFCA SOME OF THE PEOP WHO ARE HERE, WE'RE IN A WHOLE DIFFERENT PLACE, AND THANK GOODNESS.
SO, I -- YOUR ROLE IS EXTREMELY IMPORTANT, AND PAULA, I THINK A LOT OF THAT IS ALSO THE DOING OF YOU AND YOUR TEAM.
YOU'RE THE STEADINESS THAT REALLY KEEPS THAT SHIP GOING, AND I APPRECIATE HOW RESPONSIVE YOU HAVE BEEN TO MY CONCERNS, AND YOUR TEAM HAS BEEN.
YOU'VE BEEN RECENTLY DECLARED A THOUGHT LEADER.
CONGRATULATIONS ON THAT, BUT YOU AND YOUR TEAM HAVE BEEN OPEN TO THE CHALLENGES THAT I HAVE IMPRESSED UPON YOU.
AND EVEN THOUGH YOU GUYS HAVE YOUR -- I THINK YOU'RE GOING IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION.
YOU HAVE SOME GREAT INNOVATION.
I THINK I PUSHED YOU JUST A LITTLE BIT FURTHER AND YOU HAVE BEEN REALLY OPEN TO THAT.
SO I DON'T WANT TO FORGET THAT.
BECAUSE TODAY WE ARE VOTING ON THE BOARD AND THAT'S ABSOLUTELY IMPORTANT.
BUT WE'RE -- IN THAT, WE'RE ALSO TALKING ABOUT THE LEADERSHIP AT CPS.
WHICH I FEEL IS IN A LARGE SENSE YOU, PAULA, AND YOU ARE A HOME GROWN SUPERSTAR FROM SAN ANTONIO, A WOMAN AT THE HELM, AND I THINK YOU'RE DOING A TREMENDOUS JOB.
SO, WHATEVER HAPPENS WITH THE VOTE TODAY, I FEEL VERY CONFIDENT THAT WITH YOU BEING THERE, WE WILL BE OKAY.
DR. MACKEY, YOU AND I HAVE ALSO HAD THE PLEASURE OF TALKING, AND I WANT TO THANK YOU FOR YOUR APPLICATION, AND I KNOW IT'S BEEN A LONG PROCESS, RIGHT? FROM THE MOMENT YOU FILLED OUT THAT PIECE OF PAPER UNTIL TODAY.
AND BASED ON MY CONVERSATION WITH YOU, I KNOW THAT YOU VOLUNTEERED TO SERVE BECAUSE YOU CARE ABOUT YOUR COMMUNITY, AND I REALLY APPRECIATE THAT.
WE HAVE A LOT OF BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS AND WE HAVE A LOT OF PEOPLE WHO CARE TO SERVE AND WE HAVE PEOPLE WHO JUST VOLUNTEER, SO I REALLY APPRECIATE YOUR GENUINE SPIRIT IN WANTING TO SERVE THE COMMUNITY.
I KNOW YOU CAME IN THERE AND YOU THOUGHT IT WAS PROBABLY GOING TO BE A FRIENDLY MEET AND GREET AND I OPENED MY NOLDER AND I HAD A LIST OF QUESTIONS THAT I WENT THROUGH WITH YOU, AND YOU SAID THIS IS LIKE A SENATE CONFIRMATION AND I THOUGHT I'D NEVER WANT TO BE IN THAT POSITION SO I APPRECIATE YOUR THOROUGHNESS WITH WHICH YOU DISCUSSED THOSE QUESTIONS WITH ME.
AND I ALSO UNDERSTAND, BASED ON CONVERSATIONS WITH THE OTHER BOARD MEMBERS AND THE MAYOR, WHAT THOSE SPECIAL QUALIFICATIONS ARE THAT YOU'RE BRINGING FORWARD THAT ARE SO IMPORTANT FOR THE BOARD.
YOU WERE SUPERINTENDENT, NOT A VERY EASY JOB TO HAVE, I IMAGINE.
BUT I ALSO THINK THERE ARE A FEW OTHER THINGS YOU BRING TO THE BOARD THAT WEREN'T MENTIONED BY SOME OF THE OTHER FOLKS WHO VOUCHED FOR YOU AND I WANT TO ADDRESS THOSE THINGS THAT ARE IMPORTANT TO ME.
ONE OF THEM WAS YOUR CONNECTION TO S.T.E.M. EDUCATION.
YOU SAID THAT'S WHERE YOUR RELATIONSHIP WITH CPS BEGAN AND I THOUGHT THAT WAS A GREAT OPENING.
YOU ALSO MENTIONED, WHEN I ASKED YOU, AREN'T YOU INTIMIDATED BY ALL OF THIS SCIENCE, AND THE TECHNICAL ASPECTS AND YOU SAID ACTUALLY, NO, MY FIRST JOB WAS IN THE -- IN THIS FIELD.
COULD YOU TELL US ABOUT WHAT THAT WAS? I'M NOT SURE I'M GOING TO PHRASE IT PROPERLY.
>> MR. MAYOR AND MEMBERS OF THE CITY COUNCIL, IT'S A PLEASURE TO BE HERE THIS MORNING AND THANK YOU ALL FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO VISIT WITH YOU ALL INDIVIDUALLY, AND LISTEN TO YOUR CONCERNS.
ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I DID WAS, WHEN I WAS IN HIGH SCHOOL I WAS PART AFTER A PROGRAM WHERE YOU WORK HALF A DAY AND GO TO SCHOOL HALF A DAY AND I WAS EMPLOYED BY THIGPEN ELECTRIC, WE WORK THROUGHOUT THE COMMUNITY, BUILDING TRANSFORMER, RETURNING LINES AND DOING THINGS LIKE THAT AND THAT HAPPENED IN THE SUMMER AND DURING THE SCHOOL YEAR I WORKED FOR BUILDING CITY AND LIGHT ELECTRIC COMPANY AND THEY TRUSTED ME SO MUCH THAT I WENT OUT AND PUT UP THE CITY LIGHTS AND TRIMMED THE TREE, CUT DOWN LINES AND I WAS ASSISTANT BUILDING TRANSFORMER BANKS AND I DID THINGS LIKE THAT.
THAT WAS MY BEGINNING AND MY INTRODUCTION THROUGH ELECTRICITY.
>> SANDOVAL: THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
I DIDN'T THINK YOU WERE GOING TO
[02:20:01]
HAVE THAT ANSWER WHEN I INTERVIEWED YOU.SORRY, IT WASN'T AN INTERVIEW.
WHEN WE MET, BUT VERY IMPRESSED BY THAT.
BUT, PROBABLY I THINK THE MOST IMPORTANT THING THAT YOU BRING IS THE FACT THAT YOU WERE IN A VERY HIGH PROFILE HIGH SCRUTINY JOB FOR A NUMBER OF YEARS, AND YOU WERE EXPECTED TO OPERATE OPENLY, TRANSPARENTLY, AND WITH A CONSTANT EAR TO THE COMMUNITY AND I TOLD YOU THAT, TO ME, THAT WAS SOMETHING VERY IMPORTANT IN A BOARD MEMBER AND IN EVERYTHING WE DO.
I PROPOSED COUNCIL CONSIDERATION WE WREST ABOUT ADVANCING PUBLIC PARTICIPATION IN OUR PROCESSES, SO I TOLD YOU I THOUGHT YOU WOULD MAKE A GREAT ADDITION, BECAUSE OF THAT PERSPECTIVE.
I THINK THAT'S SOMEWHAT DIFFERENT THAN WHAT OUR OTHER BOARD MEMBERSES HAVE OPERATED IN AND, NO, THAT IS NOT MEANT TO DISPARAGE YOUR EXPERIENCE, BUT THIS IS A TYPE OF DIVERSITY THAT I THINK IS ABSOLUTELY IMPORTANT, AND I TOLD YOU IT WAS IMPORTANT FOR ME FOR YOU TO CONSIDER EVERYTHING BOARD MEMBERS IN THE COMMUNITY, SOME OPPORTUNITY FOR THEM TO INTERACT WITH THE CITIZEN, THE RESIDENTS, WHO OWN THIS UTILITY BUT ALSO WITH THE CUSTOMERS OF THE UTILITY, RIGHT? WHETHER IT'S BEING THE BOSS UNDER COVER OR SOMEHOW BEING OUT IN THE COMMUNITY AND YOU WERE AMENABLE TO THAT, AND I DO APPRECIATE THAT.
NOW, ON TO THE ISSUE OF -- CONTINUING ON THE ISSUE OF DIVERSITY, SOMEONE ONCE ASKED RUTH BADER GINSBURG, IT COULD BE AN URBAN LEGEND BUT I LIKE TO TELL THIS ONE.
THEY SAID JUSTICE WHEN DO YOU THINK THERE WILL BE ENOUGH WOMEN ON THE SUPREME COURT, YOU KNOW, TWO, FOUR, SIX? SHE SAID WHEN THERE ARE NINE.
AND I WOULD LIKE TO SEE A DAY WHEN WE HAVE ALL WOMEN ON THIS COUNCIL, OR ALL WOMEN ON THE CPS BOARD.
I DON'T THINK WE HAVE TO SETTLE AT TWO.
BUT I THINK THAT'S A LONG PATH AHEAD OF US AND I WOULD LOVE TO SEE THAT DAY.
I DON'T THINK THAT'S GOING TO HAPPEN RIGHT NOW, OBVIOUSLY, WITH -- BECAUSE WE'VE GOT MR. STEEN AND MR. KELLY.
BUT I'M NOT SAYING THAT I'M GOING TO VOTE FOR YOU MR. MCKEE MACKEY, BUT TO OPEN OUR MINDS TO THAT POSSIBILITY WHERE WE'RE NOT JUST SAYING, WELL WE GOT TO GET ONE WOMAN AT LEAST, IT HAS TO BE A COMPLETELY OPEN, DIFFERENT FRAME OF MIND WHERE IT'S QUITE POSSIBLE THAT IN ONE FUTURE, WE'LL HAVE ALL WOMEN ON THIS.
AND I THINK THE WAY TO APPROACH THAT IS -- AND IT'S SOMETHING I'VE SPOKEN WITH MY COLLEAGUES ABOUT, IS HOW DO WE DO THIS RECRUITMENT IN THE FUTURE.
AND I HAVE A LITTLE BIT OF PERSONAL EXPERIENCE ON THIS, HAVING BEEN SOMEONE WHO WAS RECRUITED, SO I AM MEXICAN BORN.
I DID NOT LIVE IN A RICH NEIGHBORHOOD BUT SOMEHOW I ENDED UP AT M.I.T.
I ENDED UP WITH A NATIONAL SCIENCE FOUNDATION FELLOWSHIP FOR GRADUATE SCHOOL.
HOW DID THAT HAPPEN IF THOSE OPPORTUNITIES WERE NOT READY AVAILABLE TO ME.
I WAS NOT AT JUDSON WITH SOME OF THE BEST SCHOOLS.
SO, THE WAY THAT HAPPENED, IS THAT THOSE ORGANIZATIONS WERE COMMITTED TO SEEKING OUT THE BEST CANDIDATES, THE BEST DIVERSE CANDIDATES WHERE THEY WERE.
SO, WE HAVE TO CHANGE ON THE CITY, AND ELSEWHERE, THIS MENTALITY OF THAT -- THE BEST CANDIDATES GOING TO JUST POP UP AND COME TO US.
BECAUSE THAT -- THEY ARE NOT ALREADY PART OF OUR NETWORK.
SO, WE NEED TO GO OUT AND FIND THEM WHERE THEY ARE, SO, AND THAT'S HOW I -- THAT'S WHAT HAPPENED TO ME.
IS THOSE ORGANIZATIONS WERE COMMITTED TO COMING TO FIND ME AT A CONFERENCE OF HISPANIC STUDENTS AT MY HIGH SCHOOL, ADD THINGS THAT I VOLUNTEERED FOR.
SO, AS WE GO FORWARD, I WANT US TO THINK ABOUT THAT, AND MR. KELLY AND MR. STEEN, I REALLY APPRECIATE YOUR OPENNESS AND WILLING TO WORK ON THAT, AND I THINK I TOLD YOU, I SAID, YOU HAVE TO LET US COME UP WITH THE IDEAS.
THEY ALL CAN'T COME FROM YOU WHEN IT COMES TO DIVERSE RECRUITMENT BECAUSE WE HAVE A DIFFERENT PERSPECTIVE TO BRING TO THE TABLE, SO I APPRECIATE YOU BEING OPEN TO THAT, AND I LOOK FORWARD TO WORKING WITH YOU ON THAT, IN THE UPCOMING RECRUITMENT.
SO, I THINK I'VE TAKEN ENOUGH TIME AND I KNOW THIS IS -- WE'VE GOT A FEW MORE PEOPLE LEFT TO SPEAK.
THANK YOU, MAYOR AND THANK YOU, MR. MACKEY.
>> MAYOR NIRENBERG: THANK YOU COUNCILWO SANDOVAL, COUNCILMAN
[02:25:05]
PERRY?>> PERRY: THANK YOU, I MET YOU YESTERDAY, FLOWERYW WORDS AND ACCOLADES CAME FROM THE AWARD YOU RECEIVED YESTERDAY.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR WORDS AND FOR YOUR SERVICE.
AND DR. MACKEY, I ENJOYED OUR TIME TOGETHER.
OPEN, FRANK DISCUSSION ABOUT YOUR PAST AND YOUR QUALIFICATION S.
I WAS IMPRESSED ABOUT YOUR FISCAL CONSERVATISM.
I WAS VERY IMPRESSED ABOUT THAT.
AND ALSO YOUR BACKGROUND, YOU KNOW? AS WAS SAID ALREADY THAT BEING A SCHOOL SUPERINTENDENT IS NOT THE MOST GLAMOUROUS JOB OUT THERE.
YOU TAKE A LOT OF CRITICISM AND HEAT ABOUT THE DIFFERENT DECISIONS THAT YOU MAKE IN THAT PARTICULAR JOB, AND I THINK THAT'S IMPORTANT FOR THIS TYPE OF LEADERSHIP POSITION.
BUT SPECIFICALLY, ABOUT MANAGING BUDGETS, AND BEING A LEADER, A LEADER OF AN ORGANIZATION, A LEADER OF PEOPLE PROVIDING THAT VISION, AND MOVING FORWARD WITH THAT ORGANIZATION.
SO, THAT'S ALL VERY IMPORTANT TO ME, BUT ONE OF THE THE MOST IMPORTANT THINGS IS THAT YOU'RE WILLING, YOU'RE ABLE AND YOU'RE MOTIVATED FOR THIS.
AND I THINK THAT'S VERY IMPORTANT.
AND I'M NOT SAYING THAT THE OTHER CANDIDATES DIDN'T HAVE THAT.
BUT AS I UNDER THE PROCESS, YOU KNOW, IN THE HISTORY OF WHAT HAPPENED HERE, YOU WERE RECOMMENDED BY YOUR FUTURE PEERS ON WHAT, YOU KNOW, FILLING THIS JOB.
I THINK IT IS IMPORTANT, AS MY COLLEAGUES, COUNCILWOMAN VIAGRAN, GONZALES, AND SANDOVAL, AND THEIR VIEWS ABOUT DIVERSITY.
I -- YOU KNOW, THAT'S AN ISSUE THAT NEEDS TO BE TAKEN A LOOK AT AND I'M SURE THAT THE BOARD WILL LOOK AT THAT IN THE FUTURE.
I'M -- YOU KNOW, WHEN I LOOK AT THE REQUIREMENTS OF A POSITION LIKE THIS, I WANT THE BEST QUALIFIED PERSON, AND WHAT THE BOARD IS RECOMMENDING IS YOU.
AND I HAVE TO TAKE THAT AT FACE VALUE.
ARE THERE DIFFERENT CHANGES THAT WE CAN DO FOR THIS PROCESS? YEAH.
POSSIBLY, BUT LET'S TAKE A LOOK AT CPS.
I MEAN, HAS THERE EVER BEEN A RECOMMEND -- I DON'T KNOW.
HAS THERE EVER BEEN A RECOMMENDATION TURNED DOWN BEFORE IN THE HISTORY OF CPS? OKAY.
WELL, CPS HAS BEEN VERY, VERY SUCCESSFUL AND IT'S BASED ON THOSE EVALUATIONS AND WHO THEY THINK ARE THE BEST PEOPLE TO RUN THIS ORGANIZATION.
AND I HAVE TO LOOK AT THE RESULTS.
I FEEL VERY UNCOMFORTABLE SITTING UP HERE AND TRYING TO DICTATE OR TELL AN ORGANIZATION WHO WAS DESIGNED TO BE AT ARM'S LENGTH FROM THE CITY, TO KEEP THAT POLITICS OUT OF THE SYSTEM ON WHO THE BOARD RECOMMENDS AS MEMBERS OF THAT ORGANIZATION.
THERE'S PROVING -- PROVEN SUCCESS IN WHO HAS BEEN SELECTED IN THE PAST, AND I'M SURE THAT THAT WILL CONTINUE TO HAPPEN HERE WITH CPS.
AND I FEEL VERY COMFORTABLE WITH THE RECOMMENDATION OF DR. MACKEY AND WITH MY CONVERSATION WGS HIM, AND I WILL SUPPORT THAT.
BUT HAVING SAID ALL THAT, KEEPING THAT ARM'S LENGTH AWAY FROM THIS ORGANIZATION, WHY WAS IT DESIGNED THAT THE CITY COUNCIL VOTE ON A RECOMMENDATION.
IT A RECOMMENDATION AND CITY COUNCIL DOES VOTE ON THAT.
WELL, IT COULD BE THAT, YOU KNOW, WHEN THIS WAS ALL PUT TOGETHER, THERE COULD BE RECOMMENDATIONS OUT THERE THAT, FOR WHATEVER REASON, THERE MIGHT BE SOME INCONSISTENCIES, THERE MIGHT BE SOME IRREGULARITIES OR SOMETHING THAT DIDN'T COME OUT AT THE BOARD PROCESS, BUT, YOU KNOW, THROUGH THE COUNCIL GETTING INVOLVED, MAYBE SOMETHING COULD COME OUT THAT WOULD NOT MAKE THAT RECOMMENDATION A VIABLE PERSON FOR THAT BOARD.
[02:30:01]
OR, IN THIS CASE, TAKING THE RECOMMENDATION THAT WE FEEL THAT THERE SHOULD BE MORE DIVERSITY ON THE BOARD.I THINK THAT WHAT HAS BEEN DESIGNED IN THE PAST FOR THIS ORGANIZATION HAS BEEN VERY SUCCESSFUL.
THERE'S A REASON THAT IT WAS SET UP THIS WAY.
AND I WOULD BE VERY CAUTIOUS AND, YOU KNOW, CRITICAL, OF US TAKING A LOOK AT THAT ORGANIZATION AND HOW IT'S BUILT, HOW IT'S STRUCTURED AND TRYING TO MAKE CHANGES WITH IT.
YOU KNOW, WE HAVE A PROVEN SUCCESSFUL MODEL HERE IN SAN ANTONIO.
I -- I WOULD HAVE TO THINK LONG AND HARD ABOUT MESSING AROUND WITH SOMETHING THAT HAS BEEN SO SUCCESSFUL.
BUT, AGAIN, HAVING SAID THAT, THERE'S VERY GOOD COMMENTS TODAY, AND WANTING TO SEE A MORE DIVERSE BOARD, AND I THINK THAT, IN ITSELF, IS PART OF THIS PROCESS, AND THAT INFORMATION FLOW GOING BACK TO THE BOARD SAYING, HEY, WE WANT YOU TO SEE ABOUT BRINGING IN MORE WOMEN, INTO THE ORGANIZATION.
I STILL GOT -- YOU KNOW, COUNCILMAN SALDANA BROUGHT UP A GOOD POINT.
WELL, DOES THAT HALLOWEEN THIS NEXT TIME THERE'S NOT GOING TO BE ANY MEN APPLYING FOR THE JOB? MAN, THAT -- THAT'S SENDING A BAG SIGNAL AS FAR AS I'M CONCERNED.
AGAIN, I LOOK AT THE SUCCESS OF WHAT'S HAPPENED IN THE PAST AND YOU HAVE TO USE THAT AS A MODEL GOING FORWARD IN THE FUTURE.
IF THERE'S QUALIFIED CANDIDATES OUT THERE AND I'M SURE EVERYBODY WAS QUALIFIED, BUT DR. MACKEY IS THE RECOMMENDATION.
AND I SUPPORT THAT RECOMMENDATION, BUT I ALSO TAKE MY ROLE IN THIS VERY SERIOUSLY, ABOUT WHETHER THIS IS A STEP IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION.
I THINK YOU ALL HAVE HEARD LOUD AND CLEAR SOME OF THE CONCERNS FROM COUNCIL FOLKS HERE THAT THOSE ITEMS WILL BE ADDRESSED AND TAKEN CARE OF HERE COMING UP SOON, FOR WHATEVER THAT -- WHATEVER THAT MEANS.
BUT IMME SATISFIED IN MY CONVERSATIONS AND WITH THE BOARD RECOMMENDATION FOR DR. MACKEY AND I'LL BE SUPPORTING THAT.
>> MAYOR NIRENBERG: COUNCILWOMAN VIAGRAN.
JUST QUICKLY BECAUSE I FEEL VERY COMPELLED TO SHARE A LITTLE MORE, JUST A LITTLE MORE, DON'T WORRY.
BECAUSE WE JUST CELEBRATED WOMEN'S HISTORY MONTH LAST MONTH IN MARCH.
AND TALKING ABOUT ACCOUNTABILITY, AND THAT'S WHAT THIS IS ABOUT, ACCOUNTABILITY FOR MYSELF.
AND MANY OF THE REMARKS THAT WERE MADE TO MY MALE COUNTERPARTS, YOU KNOW, WE WERE TALKING ABOUT HOW DIFFICULT IT WAS TO GO THROUGH THE WRINGER OF THESE THINGS, WHICH IT SHOULD BECAUSE IT'S A VERY IMPORTANT POSITION.
BUT I ALSO WANT YOU ALL TO UNDERSTAND HOW DIFFICULT IT IS FOR A WOMAN, AN ELECTED OFFICIAL, A WOMAN WHO IS GOING TO FOR A BOARD APPOINTMENT AND THE WRINGER THAT WOMEN, ON TOP OF THINGS THAT WOMEN HAVE TO GO THROUGH.
I NEED TO ARTICULATE THAT OUT LOUD.
THERE IS ANOTHER LEVEL OF SCRUTINY THAT ONLY WOMEN WHO HAVE BEEN IN THESE POSITIONS WITH UNDERSTAND.
I ALSO WANT TO SAY WHAT I AM HEARING, BECAUSE WHAT I AM HEARING IS EVERYONE MUST BE REPRESENTED BUT JUST NOT NOW.
WHAT I'M ALSO HEARING IS THAT, AGAIN, LADIES, WAIT YOUR TURN.
TO THE MALE COLLEAGUES HERE AND TO THE OTHER MEN ON THE BOARD, YOU KNOW, THERE IS AN URGENCY OF NOW AND YOU HAVE THE LUXURY TO WAIT.
AND HAVING LIVED THIS IN THIS POSITION FOR FOUR AND A HALF YEARS ALREADY, THAT IS WHY, AND THIS IS THE LAST SHOT FOR THE CPS ENERGY IN MY AREA THAT I WILL HAVE TO HAVE MY VOICE HEARD OR USE MY VOICE.
BECAUSE I STILL DON'T THINK IT'S BEING HEARD.
BECAUSE IF IT WERE WE WOULD BE HAVING TAKEN DIFFERENT ACTIONS RIGHT NOW.
AND I ALSO HAVE TO SAY THAT I THINK MANY PEOPLE AND MANY PEOPLE BEFOREHAND BELIEVED THAT WAITING ON GIVING WOMEN THE RIGHT TO VOTE IN THE 1920S WAS A THOUGHTFUL PROCESS TOO BUT THERE ARE STEPS WE NEED TO MAKE.
I AM JUST CALLING TO ACTION ALL
[02:35:04]
OF YOU.CALLING TO ACTION THAT WE NEED ALLIES.
WOMEN NEED ALLIES IN ALL OF THESE POSITIONS.
SO I AM LOOKING FOR YOU TO BE ALLIES HERE AND I'M ASKING FOR YOUR SUPPORT, TO TAKE ANOTHER CRACK AT THIS FOR CPS ENERGY.
>> MAYOR NIRENBERG: THANK YOU, COUNCILWOMAN VIAGRAN.
THIS HAS BEEN A VERY EDUCATIONAL PROCESS, I THINK, FOR ME AND PROBABLY FOR MANY OF THE OTHERS HERE ON THE COUNCIL TODAY.
I WANT TO THANK DR. MACKEY, WHO I HAD AN OPPORTUNITY TO VISIT WITH.
I THOUGHT WE HAD A VERY GOOD CONVERSATION AND AN UNDERSTANDING OF HOW YOU PERCEIVED YOUR ROLE AND HOW I PERCEIVED YOUR ROLE ON THE BOARD.
I WANT TO THANK THE BOARD ALSO, THE CPS ENERGY BOARD BECAUSE I KNOW, I UNDERSTAND THE TIME AND ENERGY AND COMMITMENT THAT YOU PUT INTO THIS PROCESS.
AND I WANT TO THANK PAULA, BECAUSE I BELIEVE HER LEADERSHIP HAS BEEN GOOD AND THE DIRECTION THAT CPS ENERGY IS GOING IN IS BASICALLY SOMETHING THAT THEY ARE VERY SUPPORTIVE OF.
BUT I ALSO WANT TO COMMENT ON A COUPLE OF THINGS I HAVE HEARD FROM MY FELLOW COUNCIL MEMBERS.
I THINK COUNCILMAN PELAEZ HAD A REAL GOOD POINT ABOUT HOW IT'S PROBABLY TIME WE LOOK TO HOW WE CAN EXPAND REPRESENTATION ON OUR CPS BOARD SO THAT WE HAVE A BROADER REPRESENTATION OF THE COMMUNITY ON THAT BOARD.
IT HAS BEEN 75 YEARS SINCE THAT INITIAL CHARTER WAS PUT TOGETHER AND SAN ANTONIO THEN HAD PROBABLY 300,000, 400,000.
MAYBE IT'S TIME TO LOOK AT MAKING THAT REPRESENTATION A LITTLE BETTER THAN IT IS NOW.
I REALIZE THAT MAY BE A PROCESS THAT'S DIFFICULT TO ACCOMPLISH BECAUSE OF A LOT OF THE AGREEMENTS WE HAVE BEEN MAKING OVER THE YEARS.
BUT IT'S SOMETHING THAT WE NEED TO LOOK AT.
BUT I ALSO FEEL A LITTLE GUILTY ABOUT THIS DECISION THAT I'M MAKING INDIVIDUALLY BECAUSE I FEEL LIKE I HAVEN'T EDUCATED MYSELF WELL ENOUGH ABOUT HOW THE BOARDS OPERATE.
NOT JUST CPS ENERGY BUT VIA AND SAWS.
AND SO I'M MAKING A COMMITMENT TO MYSELF AND TO THE CITY THAT I'M GOING TO START ATTENDING THOSE BOARD MEETINGS MORE SO I CAN GET INSIGHT INTO HOW THEY ARE OPERATING, WHAT THEY'RE THINKING ABOUT, WHAT THEY'RE TALKING ABOUT AND HOW IT CAN THEN HELP ME FORM BETTER DECISIONS AS A MEMBER OF THE COUNCIL REPRESENTING OUR CONSTITUENTS.
YOU KNOW, AND I'M MORE OFTEN THAN NOT INCLINED TO SUPPORT THE PROCESS OF EQUAL REPRESENTATION BY WOMEN IN LEADERSHIP POSITIONS.
IT'S LITERALLY HARD FOR ME TO LISTEN WITH THE RESPECT I HAVE FOR MY FELLOW COUNCILWOMEN AND THE ANGST I SEE YOU'RE EXPERIENCING IN THIS KIND OF A DECISION.
MY HEART GOES OUT TO YOU AND I'M THE KIND OF PERSON WHO SAYS YOU'RE RIGHT.
BUT THEN I ALSO REALIZE THAT THE FIRST CHOICE THIS COMMITTEE HAD WAS A WOMAN AND THEY DID PUT THAT FORWARD.
HOWEVER, THAT WOMAN ALSO HAD ANOTHER OPPORTUNITY WHICH SHE CHOSE TO TAKE AND IT PUT US IN THIS QUANDARY.
AND I THINK IT'S EVEN MORE DIFFICULT NOW TO GO BACK AND SAY YOU HAD A PRIORITY LIST.
THE FIRST PRIORITY WAS A WOMAN.
SHE, FOR WHATEVER REASON, DECLINED AND IS NO LONGER AVAILABLE.
WELL THE SECOND PERSON OR NEXT BEST PERSON I THINK IT MAKES SENSE YOU WOULD BRING FORWARD.
BUT TO GO BACK AND SAY WE NEED TO FIND A WOMAN, I THINK THAT IS A DIFFICULT DECISION FOR US TO FORCE UPON THAT BOARD AT THIS POINT IN TIME.
BUT I'VE MADE MY PERSONAL FEELINGS KNOWN TO PAULA, TO THE MAYOR ABOUT WHERE I THINK WE SHOULD BE GOING IN THE FUTURE WITH THE KIND OF LEADERSHIP AND REPRESENTATION ON THE BOARD FOR CPS ENERGY.
AND I HOPE -- I HAVE NO PROBLEM WITH SEEING THAT THE IDEAL THAT COUNCILWOMAN SDO COME TO FRUITION, THAT WE COULD HAVE ALL WOMEN ON BOARDS OR ON THIS COUNCIL, THAT'S FINE, AS LONG AS THEY ARE GOOD, POSITIVE LEADERS FOR OUR COMMUNITY.
AND I REGRET THAT WE DON'T HAVE THAT WOMAN BEING PRESENTED TO US TODAY BUT I'M NOT PREPARED TO SEND THIS BACK FOR RECONSIDERATION.
[02:40:01]
NOMINATION OF DR. MACKEY TODAY.>> MAYOR NIRENBERG: THANK YOU, COUNCILMAN COURAGE.
AND THANK YOU TO EVERYONE WHO HAS SAT THROUGH A LONG SESSION THIS MORNING.
DR. MACKEY, THANK YOU AGAIN FOR YOUR WILLINGNESS TO SERVE OUR COMMUNITY.
I'LL JUST WRAP UP WITH SOME QUICK COMMENTS STARTING WITH A LITTLE BIT OF LIFTING OF THE VEIL OF HOW THIS PROCESS UNFOLDED.
JOHN AND DERRICK, YOU DESCRIBED IT VERY WELL.
WHEN IT COMES TO ACHIEVING A VERY QUALIFIED DIVERSE POOL OF APPLICANTS I BELIEVE THAT THE BOARD AND THE NOMINATING COMMITTEE DID EXACTLY THAT.
IN FACT, EXTENDING THE APPLICATION PROCESS TO MAKE SURE THAT IT WAS SO FROM A DIVERSITY'S PERSPECTIVE BUT ALSO FROM A QUALIFICATION'S PERSPECTIVE.
IT WAS A VERY QUALIFIED POOL OF CANDIDATES.
THERE WAS A FINALIST PROCESS AND DR. MACKEY WAS IN THE FINALS.
HE WAS AMONG THE FINALISTS THAT WE VETTED.
AND WHEN WE MADE OUR NOMINATION IT WAS TERRY WILLIAMS. WHEN TERRY DECIDED TO PURSUE THE NORTHEAST SCHOOL BOARD POSITION THE BOARD WAS FACED WITH SHOULD WE JUST GO TO OUR NEXT BEST CANDIDATE OR SHOULD WE STRIVE AGAIN, BECAUSE DIVERSITY IS AN EXTREMELY IMPORTANT PRIORITY, TO GO BACK TO THE QUALIFIED POOL OF CANDIDATES AND INTERVIEW FINALISTS AGAIN TO ENSURE THAT WE'RE MAKING DIVERSITY A PRIORITY FROM A GENDER PERSPECTIVE.
AND THAT'S WHEN, AGAIN, DR. MACKEY WAS SELECTED AS THE MOST QUALIFIED FINALIST AND ULTIMATELY OUR CANDIDATE ONCE AGAIN.
I WHOLEHEARTEDLY AGREE THAT DIVERSITY IN THE WORKPLACE ONLY BRINGS ABOUT THE BETTERMENT OF THAT WORKPLACE, FROM A NUMBER OF LEVELS.
I ALSO AGREE THAT THERE ARE SMART, STRONG, AND AMAZING WOMEN IN SAN ANTONIO THAT SHOULD APPLY FOR BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS AND COUNCILS.
IN FACT, MY WIFE HERSELF HAS DEVOTED THE LAST THREE YEARS OF HER LIFE TO ENCOURAGING WOMEN TO APPLY FOR THESE KINDS OF SERVICE OPPORTUNITIES IN THIS SPACE.
AND I HAVE ALWAYS LOOKED AT PEOPLE I WORK WITH THROUGH A LENS OF QUALIFICATION, REGARDLESS OF THEIR GENDER.
AND SO MY OFFICE, IN FACT, HAS BEEN WORKING WITH MY COLLEAGUES TO ENSURE THAT WE IMPROVE ON DIVERSITY IN OUR WORKFORCE AND OUR BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS AND IT CARRIES FORWARD AN INITIATIVE THAT WE HAVE DONE HERE ON CITY STAFF, WHICH HAS DONE AN AMAZING JOB ENSURING DIVERSITY IN OUR WORKPLACE UNDER OUR CITY MANAGER SCULLEY.
I HAVE SAT HERE AND DEFENDED QUALIFIED WOMEN AND MEN IF I BELIEVED THEY WERE THE RIGHT CHOICE.
TO ME, DR. MACKEY IS QUALIFIED JUST AS TERRY WILLIAMS WAS.
HE IS A DIVERSE THOUGHT PARTNER, A QUALIFIED PROFESSIONAL.
HE HAS A TRACK RECORD OF MOVING LARGE ORGANIZATIONS FORWARD INTO EXCELLENCE.
HIS GENDER SHOULD NOT DISQUALIFY HIM.
THE FACT THAT HE IS A MAN SHOULD NOT BE HELD AGAINST HIM JUST AS THE FACT THAT AMY HARDBERGER IS A WOMAN SHOULD NOT BE HELD AGAINST HER WHEN I SUPPORTED HER LAST MONTH BASED ON HER QUALIFICATIONS.
I HAVE NEVER VEERED OFF MY COMMITMENT TO SUPPORT PEOPLE WHO BRING DIVERSE POINTS OF VIEW AND THIS IS NO EXCEPTION.
I DO URGE MY COLLEAGUES TO SUPPORT DR. MACKEY, A VERY STRONG, QUALIFIED INDIVIDUAL IN OUR COMMUNITY WHO HAS STEPPED UP TO SERVE AND WILL DO AN INCREDIBLY GOOD JOB FOR THIS CITY.
>> MAYOR NIRENBERG: HOLD ON ONE SECOND.
>> WELL, MR. MAYOR AND OTHER MEMBERS OF CITY COUNCIL.
FOR THE RECORD, MY NAME IS JACK M. FINGER AND YES, MR. PERRY, SOME THINGS MAY JUST COME OUT.
FRIENDS, DO YOU THINK YOUR ELECTRIC BILLS, NATURAL GAS BILLS ARE NOT HIGH ENOUGH? DO YOU THINK THAT THE SMART METERS, THOSE WHO COMPLAIN ABOUT THEM ARE JUST A BUNCH OF FUDDY DUDDIES WHO DON'T LIKE THE EXCITEMENT OF A HOME FIRE AT THEIR HOUSE? BY GOLLY, YOU'LL BE HAPPY TO KNOW WE HAVE A CANDIDATE FOR THE CPS BOARD WHO IS NO STRANGER TO CONTROVERSY.
MR. AUDIO-VISUAL MAN BLOW UP ALL
[02:45:02]
THAT WRITING THERE, AND ESPECIALLY THE BOLDED AREAS.FACING TROUBLESOME FISCAL QUESTIONS.
NOW SCROLL DOWN TO THE FIRST PARAGRAPH THERE.
BLOW IT UP A LITTLE BIT IF YOU WOULD.
FORMER ADMINISTRATOR IS HAVING DIFFICULTIES AS A SUPERINTENDENT IN SAN ANTONIO JUDSON ISD.
LITTLE BIT LESS SO WE CAN SEE THE WHOLE THING.
MR. MACKEY, FORMER SUPERINTENDENT OF PORT ARTHUR IS FACING QUESTIONS ABOUT THE DISTRICT SPENDING AND HIRING PRACTICES IN CONNECTION WITH SEVERAL BUILDING PROJECTS ACCORDING TO THE "SAN ANTONIO EXPRESS NEWS." AN EXTERNAL AUDIT FOUND THE ADMINISTRATORS VIOLATED DISTRICT POLICY AND STATE LAW ON NUMEROUS OCCASIONS.
IN ONE SITUATION, VIOLATED STATE PROCUREMENT LAW BY AWARDING MULTIPLE CONTRACTS TO -- BASICALLY AWARDING A CONTRACT TO A COMPANY THAT DIDN'T RESPOND TO REQUESTS FOR QUALIFICATIONS.
IT WAS NOT RANKED BY THE DISTRICT COMMITTEE THAT EVALUATED OTHER FIRMS. FLIP THE PAGE.
WHAT IS THAT? IN THE THREE YEARS THAT FOLLOWED, THE DISTRICT ALSO SAW A DOWNWARD SPIRAL TO CHANGES IN THE SCHOOL TRUSTEES, DISCORD AMONG THE BOARD MEMBERS AND ADMINISTRATIVE INCREASING LEVELS OF STATE INTERVENTION.
YEAH, STATE INTERVENTION MARKED IN THAT TIME PERIOD ENTERPRISE REPORTED AT THE TIME.
EVENTUALLY THE TRUSTEES ACCEPTED MR. MACKEY'S RESIGNATION BACK THEN.
YOU'RE GOING TO SAY, YOU KNOW, IF YOU'RE HAVING LITTLE MISGIVINGS ABOUT THIS WELL, OBVIOUSLY, YOU'RE RACIST AND YOU'RE GOING TO SAY, WELL, JACK, THAT WAS YEARS AGO.
HUH? YEAH, UNTIL THE NEXT TIME.
DOESN'T ANY OF YOU DO YOUR RESEARCH ON THESE CANDIDATES? A FEW MINUTES ON THE COMPUTER AND YOU WOULD HAVE FOUND THIS STUFF!
>> MAYOR NIRENBERG: THANK YOU, MR. FINGER.
>> YEAH, THANK YOU, MR. MAYOR.
>> MAYOR NIRENBERG: JOHN, COME UP FOR A SECOND AND DR. MACKEY AS WELL.
HAD I TAKEN JACK IN ORDER WE WOULD HAVE HEARD THIS BEFORE AND YOU WOULD HAVE HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO CLARIFY THAT.
WOULD YOU DO THAT FOR US, JOHN?
>> I TOOK A JOB, STATE OF TEXAS COMMISSION OF EDUCATION CALLED ME TO GO TO PORT ARTHUR AND TAKE A JOB IN PORT ARTHUR WHICH IS $10 MILLION IN DEBT.
AND THE FIRST DAY I HAD TO RELIEVE 200 EMPLOYEES OF THEIR JOBS.
SO I WASN'T VERY WELL RECEIVED HAVING TO CUT BOARD MEMBERS, BROTHERS, COUSINS, AND THINGS LIKE THAT.
BUT THEY HIRED -- THE TEXAS EDUCATION AGENCY HIRED ME TO DO A JOB AND I DID.
YES, THEY WERE $10 MILLION IN DEBT.
WHEN I LEFT THEY WERE $9 MILLION STRONG.
IT WAS TOUGH TO MAKE TOUGH DECISIONS, HOLD PEOPLE ACCOUNTABLE, MANAGE ALL THE DISTRICT RESPONSIBILITY AND IT WAS DONE.
IF YOU GO BACK AND LOOK AT THAT SAME ARTICLE YOU WILL SEE HOW MOODY AND POORS SAID HOW WELL THE DISTRICT HANDLED THEIR FISCAL RESPONSIBILITY AND THAT WAS BECAUSE, THEY SAID, NEW LEADERSHIP, DR. MACKEY.
>> MAYOR NIRENBERG: THANK YOU, DR. MACKEY.
JUST TO FINISH THIS, JOHN, WAS THAT PART OF THE VETTING PROCESS OF DR. MACKEY, THE NEWS ARTICLE THAT WAS JUST READ?
DR. MACKEY, THEY WERE TALKING ABOUT FISCAL THINGS AND YOU WERE THE DRIVER IN ALL OF THAT.
>> I THINK THE ARTICLE IS SOMEWHAT MISLEADING THE WAY IT WAS PRESENTED, BUT YOU WERE THE ONE.
I WAS THE DRIVER OF THAT BECAUSE THE TEA SENDING ME DOWN THERE.
IF YOU LOOK AT THE REPORT, I WAS THE DRIVER OF THAT ERA FOR JUDSON ISD AND I'M THE ONE THAT GOT THE ATTORNEY TO RESEARCH ALL THE ARCHITECTS, ENGINEERS, ALL THE INEQUITIES AND THINGS THAT WERE GOING ON.
I WAS THE DRIVER OF BOTH ONES, AND THAT'S WHY THEY CALLED ME A TURNAROUND SUPERINTENDENT BECAUSE I GO AND I TURN THINGS AROUND AND MAKE IT RIGHT.
>> MAYOR NIRENBERG: THANK YOU, DR. MACKEY.
JOHN, I JUST WANTED THE OPPORTUNITY TO CLARIFY THAT.
AGAIN, THANK YOU ALL FOR COMING OUT.
THANK YOU FOR THE GOOD DISCUSSION.
WE HAVE A CHARGE AMONG US AND WE ALSO HAVE A VOTE TO TAKE, SO THERE IS A MOTION AND A SECOND
[02:50:01]
FOR THE APPROVAL OF DR. MACKEY, ITEM NO. 4.>> ITEM NO. 10 IS AN ORDINANCE ON BEHALF OF SAWS AUTHORIZING THE ACQUISITION THROUGH NEGOTIATION OR CONDEMNATION OF INTEREST IN LAND SUFFICIENT FOR PROJECT PURPOSE OF APPROXIMATELY 20 PERMANENT AND TEMPORARY EASEMENTS ON PRIVATELY-OWNED REAL PROPERTY LOCATED IN COUNCIL DISTRICT 9, GENERALLY ALONG THE ROUTE FROM WEST BITTERS ROAD AND WEST AVENUE IN A SOUTHERLY DIRECTION CROSSING HIGHWAY 1604 TO VOIGHT DRIVE AND CONTINUING SOUTH THROUGH THE OLMOS BASIN, TERMINATING AT THE OLMOS BASIN PUMP STATION AND DECLARING THE PROJECT TO BE PUBLIC USE PROJECT AND PUBLIC NECESSITY FOR THE ACQUISITION OF REAL PROPERTY INTEREST RELATED TO THE CENTRAL WATER INTEGRATION PIPELINE PROJECT.
>> MAYOR NIRENBERG: COUNCILMAN SALDANA.
I MOVE THAT THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO AUTHORIZE THE USE OF THE POWER OF IMMINENT DOMAIN TO ACQUIRE PRIVATELY OWNED REAL PROPERTY FOR A PUBLIC USE PROJECT FOR SAWS CENTRAL WATER INTEGRATION PIPELINE PROJECT BY ACQUIRING THE FOLLOWING PROPERTIES DESCRIBED BY THE CITY CLERK.
>> THE PRIVATELY OWNED PROPERTIES FOR TEMPORARY AND PERMANENT EASEMENT INTEREST LOCATED IN COUNCIL DISTRICT 9 ARE OUT OF THE FOLLOWING NEW CITY BLOCKS 19221, 17606, 17428, 15669, 16332, 16331, 16329, 12059, 19214, 17429, 17430, 12008, AND COUNTY BLOCK 5833E.
THESE PROPERTIES ARE DEPICTED IN THE OVERALL PROJECT DRAWING MAPS IN EXHIBITS A-2 AND A-3 RESPECTIVELY ATTACHED TO THE ORDINANCE AND INCORPORATED.
>> MAYOR NIRENBERG: THERE IS A MOTION AND A SECOND FOR APPROVAL OF ITEM NO. 10.
>> MAYOR NIRENBERG: ALL RIGHT.
THAT CONCLUDES OUR MORNING AGENDA.
IS THERE A CITY MANAGER'S REPORT?
>> SCULLEY: MAYOR, JUST QUICKLY.
A FEW ITEMS THIS MORNING, AND I THINK OUR STAFF IS HERE.
I'M EXCITED TO ANNOUNCE THAT THE SAN ANTONIO PUBLIC LIBRARY'S EMMA HERNANDEZ HAS BEEN RECOGNIZED AS A 2018 MOVER AND SHAKER BY THE LIBRARY JOURNAL.
THE AWARD RECOGNIZES 50 UP AND COMING INDIVIDUALS FROM AROUND THE WORLD WHO ARE INNOVATIVE, CREATIVE, AND MAKING A DIFFERENCE IN OUR LIBRARIES.
EMMA WAS CHOSEN AS A COMMUNITY BUILDER FOR HER ROLE IN THE LIBRARY'S DIGITAL INCLUSION EFFORTS.
SHE BEGAN WORKING AT THE SAN ANTONIO PUBLIC LIBRARY AS A DIGITAL INCLUSION FELLOW IN 2016 AS THE DIGITAL INCLUSION FELLOW SHE EXPANDED THE LIBRARY'S DIGITAL LITERACY COURSES, CREATED A VOLUNTEER TECHNOLOGY TRAINING PROGRAM, DEVELOPED A DIGITAL LIBRARY CURRICULUM, INCREASED DIGITAL LITERACY PROGRAMMING AT THE LIBRARY LOCATIONS AND INTEGRATED LITERACY TRAINING INTO PROGRAMMING FOR ADULT IMMIGRANTS.
SHE IS THE LATINO COLLECTION AND RESOURCE CENTER COORDINATOR AND OF COURSE WE OPENED THE LATINO SECTION JUST A FEW MONTHS AGO.
WHAT A FANTASTIC RESOURCE OF RECOGNITION FOR OUR SAN ANTONIO CULTURE THAT CENTER IS.
WE ARE FORTUNATE EMMA LEADS THE LATINO CENTER AND WE CONGRATULATE EMMA ON THIS IN AUDIO] SECONDLY I JUST WANTED TO GIVE YOU A QUICK UPDATE.
YOU KNOW THAT TWO START UPS HAVE BEEN SELECTED FOR THE CITY'S INAUGURAL SIVTAC SA RESIDENCY.
IT IS OUR UNIQUE CIVIC INNOVATION PROJECT IN PARTNERSHIP WITH GEEKDOM AND CITY OF SAN ANTONIO THAT CONNECTS OUR STUDENTS, ENTREPRENEURS, AND STARTUPS TO ADDRESS CIVIC CHALLENGES AND INCREASE OUR CAPACITY FOR INNOVATION.
WE KNOW THERE IS GREAT TALENT AND CREATIVITY THAT EXISTS IN OUR MIDDLE AND HIGH SCHOOLS, UNIVERSITIES, AND START-UP COMPANIES AND OUR COMMUNITY, AND WE WANT TO TAP THAT POTENTIAL RESOURCE TO CREATE OPPORTUNITIES FOR THOSE IN OUR COMMUNITY SO FOLLOWING A COMPETITIVE
[02:55:02]
PROCESS, WE HAVE RECEIVED SEVERAL APPLICATIONS FROM DIFFERENT START-UPS AND WE ARE SELECTING TWO START-UPS FROM SAN ANTONIO.RECKON POINT AND INDOOR MAPPING TECHNOLOGY COMPANY THAT WILL PARTNER WITH THE SAN ANTONIO INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT.
RECKON POINT DEVELOPED A ROBOT THAT CAN MAP INDOOR SPACES WITH EXTREME ACCURACIES.
THEY WILL BUILD A TRAVELER NAVIGATION TOOL THAT ALLOWS OUR CUSTOMERS TO PLAN TRIPS, NAVIGATE IN REALTIME AND ENGAGE IN OUR AIRPORT IN A USER FRIENDLY WAY.
AND WE HAVE A FIRM SPECIALIZING IN CUSTOM APPLICATION DEVELOPMENT.
KINETIC IS PARTNERING WITH THE DEPARTMENT OF HUMAN RESOURCES -- EXCUSE ME, HUMAN SERVICES TO DEVELOP WEB AND MOBILE-BASED PLATFORMS FOR RESIDENTS IN EMERGENCY SITUATIONS TO QUICKLY AND EFFECTIVELY APPLY FOR UTILITY ASSISTANCE SO THEY CAN KEEP THEIR LIGHTS ON AND WATER RUNNING.
THE START-UPS WILL BEGIN THEIR 16-WEEK RESIDENCIES THIS MONTH AND END IN JULY.
THE DEPARTMENTS AND START-UPS WILL PRESENT THEIR SOLUTIONS TO THE CITY COUNCIL AND TO THE COMMUNITY DURING A DEMO DAY IN AUGUST.
THE START-UPS ARE NOT BEING PAID DURING THE 16 WEEKS.
THE DEMO DAY WILL TAKE PLACE IN AUGUST AND DURING THE BUDGET SEASON IN ORDER FOR CITY STAFF TO MAKE A RECOMMENDATION ON THE PURCHASE OF THE SOLUTIONS DEVELOPED DURING THE RESIDENCY.
I WANT TO CONGRATULATE RECKON POINT AND KINETIC CLOUD ON THEIR SELECTION AND WE ARE EXCITED AND LOOK FORWARD TO WORKING WITH THEM OVER THE UPCOMING MONTHS .
NEXT, MAYOR, I WANT TO MAKE A NOTE ABOUT OUR POTHOLE PROGRAM THAT WE HAVE ONGOING DURING THE MONTH OF APRIL.
OF COURSE, NO ONE LIKES POTHOLES AND WHEN WE HAVE THE KIND OF RAIN THAT WE HAVE HAD OVER THE PAST SEVERAL MONTHS WE GET LOTS MORE POTHOLES.
WHEN THEY APPEAR OUR TRANSPORTATION AND CAPITAL CAPIL IMPROVEMENTS DEPARTMENT DOES A GREAT JOB OF REPAIRING IN A TIMELY WAY.
AND JUST TO NOTE ON THAT, IN FISCAL YEAR 2017, TCI, OUR TRANSPORTATION AND CAPITAL IMPROVEMENTS DEPARTMENT, &-ÚN
[03:03:37]
>> MAYOR NIRENBERG: GOOD AFTERNOON, EVERYONE, WELCOME BACK TO OUR CITY COUNCIL MEETING.
IF I CAN ASK EVERYONE TO TAKE OUR SEATS WE'LL GET UNDER WAY WITH OUR ZONING SESSION AGENDA.
CITY COUNCIL IS CONVENING FROM ITS EXECUTIVE SECTION NO ACTION WAS TAKEN.
WE'LL GET STARTING WITH THE ZONING AGENDA.
I ASK COLLEAGUES IF THERE ARE ANY ITEMS THEY WOULD LIKE TO FULL FROM CONSENT.
SO FAR ITEM 18, Z-5, Z6, Z18, Z20, P5, Z22, P6, Z24, Z26, Z27, Z31, Z32.
BESIDES THOSE ITEMS, ARE THERE ANY OTHER ITEMS MY COLLEAGUES WISH TO PULL FROM THE CONSENT AGENDA?
>> MAYOR, I WOULD LIKE TO PULL Z-23.
ARE THERE ANY OTHERS? LET ME READ IT AGAIN.
ON INDIVIDUAL CONSIDERATION, WE HAVE ITEM 18, Z-5, Z6, Z17, Z18,
[03:05:08]
Z20, P5 AND Z22, Z23, P6 AND Z24, Z26, Z27, Z31, AND Z32.IF THAT'S IT I'LL ENTERTAIN A MOTION FOR THE BALANCE OF THE CONSENT AGENDA.
>> MAYOR NIRENBERG: THERE'S A MOTION AND SECOND.
DO HAVE CITIZENS SIGNED UP TO SPEAK ON CONSENT AGENDA ITEMS. I'LL START WITH JACK FINGER.
>> MAYOR NIRENBERG, OTHER MEMBERS OF THE SAN ANTONIO CITY COUNCIL.
FOR THE RECORDS MY NAME IS JACK M. FINGER.
A NUMBER OF -- QUITE A FEW CASES I WISH TO BRING TO YOUR ATTENTION TODAY.
THE LYING SHARE SEEMS TO BE IN MISS SANDOVAL'S DISTRICT.
MISS SANDOVAL, YOU GOT AN ALCOHOL VARIANCE NEXT TO THE MADISON ELEMENTARY SCHOOL.
DISTRICT 7, ALCOHOL VARIANCE, NEXT TO MADISON ELEMENTARY SCHOOL.
YOU WANT TO -- THEY'RE GOING TO ALLOW ALCOHOL SALES WITHIN 300 FEET OF THE PLAYGROUND.
I'D LIKE OUR COUNCILWOMAN TO LISTEN TO THIS, ANYWAY.
JUST A FEW SECONDS, MISS SANDOVAL, PLEASE, EARN STEAD OF CONVERSING WITH ANOTHER CITY COUNCIL PERSON.
THAT'S THE WAY IT IS HERE AT CITY COUNCIL THERE.
WHY DON'T YOU JUST GET A NEWSPAPER AND READ THAT.
YEAH, THAT ONE, MISS SANDOVAL.
THERE'S A CASE ON SHERYL DRIVE.
THEY WANT TO INTENSIFY THE HOUSING THERE.
I -- A NUMBER OF RESIDENTS I THINK DO NOT LIKE THAT.
I SPOKE TO ONE INDIVIDUALLY MYSELF, PERSONALLY AND QUITE FRANKLY, MISS SANDOVAL, THEY LIVE IN THAT AREA.
THEY DON'T WANT THE OVER INCE TENSE HOUSING ON THAT DRIVE THAT'S SHERYL DRIVE.
WHAT ELSE DO WE HAVE IN YOUR DISTRICT.
YOU HAVE THE OH, DUPLEX ON LONE EAGLE STREET.
THERE ARE ALL KINDS OF RED FLAGS ON SOME OF THESE I'M MENTIONING.
THE STAFF -- ZONING STAFF RECOMMENDS DENIAL, ZONING COMMISSION RECOMMENDED DENIAL ON SOME OF THESE.
ALSO, DISTRICT Z-28, THERE IS 107-FOOT TOWER, A COMMUNICATIONS TOWER RIGHT THERE NEAR INGRAM ROAD THAT IS GOING UP.
DO YOU REALLY WANT TO PUT SUCH A BIG MONSTROSITY OVER THERE? QUITE A FEW HERE, YES, ON TODAY'S -- TOO MUCH FOR THREE MINUTES, I MUST SAY THAT THERE, BUT LET'S GO AS BEST WE CAN TO SOME OF THESE.
DISTRICT 2, MR. SHAW, THE STAFF ON Z-5, THEY HAVE SUGGESTED THAT IT'S A BAD IDEA.
STAFF RECOMMENDED DENIAL BECAUSE OF THE ADVERSE EFFECTS ON PUBLIC HEALTH, SAFETY AND WELFARE OF THE NEIGHBORHOOD.
YOU MAY WANT TO VOTE KNOW ON THAT ONE, SIR.
>> MAYOR NIRENBERG: THANK YOU, MR. FINGER.
I JUST WANT TO CONFIRM THAT ITEM 18 WAS CONTINUED.
>> MAYOR NIRENBERG: WE'LL GET TO ITEM 18 IN JUST A MOMENT BUT I DO UNDERSTAND THAT IT WILL BE CONTINUED SO IF THAT AFFECTS A NUMBER OF PEOPLE THAT SIGNED UP TO SPEAK.
I KNOW A LOT OF PEOPLE DO WANT TO SPEAK.
IT WON'T BE HEARD TODAY FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION.
THERE'S A MOTION AND SECOND FOR THE BALANCE OF THE CONSENT AGENDA WHICH ARE THE ONES I ANNOUNCED EARLIER SAVE FROM THE ONES I MENTIONED EARLIER.
[03:10:04]
GRANTING VARIANCE TO CITY CODE 4-61 AND 3 AND 4-6 SUB SECTION D6 OF THE CITY CODE AND AUTHORIZING THE SALE OF ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGES ON LOTS 2, 3, AND 4 BLOCK 1NCB8347 LOCATED AT 838 BANDERA ROAD FOR OFF-PREMISE CONSUMPTION WITHIN 300 FEET OF MADISON ELEMENTARY SCHOOL A PUBLIC EDUCATION INSTITUTION LOCATED WITHIN THE SAN ANTONIO INDEPENDENT SCHOOL DISTRICT.>> MAYOR NIRENBERG: COUNCILWOMAN SANDOVAL.
>> SANDOVAL: I WOULD LIKE TO MAKE A MOTION TO CONTINUE TO TWO WEEKS FROM NOW.
>> MAYOR NIRENBERG: ALL RIGHT.
THERE'S A MOTION AND SECOND FOR CONTINUANCE OF ITEM NUMBER 18 FOR TWO WEEKS.
THAT, TO CLARIFY IS FOR APRIL 19TH WE'LL BE HEARD NEXT.
>> ITEM Z MACHINE 5, Z2018082 FROM C2 TO C3NA LOCATED AT 8103 MULBERRY FOREST.
ZONING COMMISSION RECOMMENDATION IS FORWARDED AS A DENIAL DUE TO LACK OF A MOTION.
NINE NOTICES MAILED ZERO IN FAVOR AND ZERO OPPOSED.
>> MAYOR NIRENBERG: COUNCILMAN SHAW.
>> SHAW: I BELIEVE WE HAVE CITIZEN HERE TO SPEAK ON THIS CASE.
DO WE? I'LL GO ALONG WITH STAFF RECOMMENDATION, MOTION FOR DENIAL.
THERE IS A MOTION AND SECOND FOR DENIAL OF ITEM NUMBER Z-5 AND TO CLARIFY A YES VOTE IS TO DENY THE ITEM AND TO AGREE WITH THE MOTION.
Z2017066 FROM R-4 TO C2CD WITH CONDITIONAL USE FOR VEHICLE SALES LOCATED ON 3302 MARTIN LUTHER KING DRIVE.
STAFF AND ZONING COMMISSION RECOMMEND DENIAL.
42 NOTICES MAILED ZERO IN FAVOR ZERO IN POKED.
WEEKLEY HEIGHTS ACTION GROUP IS IN FAVOR.
>> MAYOR NIRENBERG: COUNCILMAN SHAW.
>> SHAW: I MOVE FOR CONTINUANCE TO THE APPLICANT CAN HAVE TIME TO RECOGNIZE RESENT CHANGES TO HIS PROJECT.
>> WOULD THAT BE TO THE MAY 17TH AGENDA?
THERE'S A MOTION AND SECOND FOR CONTINUANCE OF ITEM NUMBER Z-6 TO THE MAY 17TH ZONING AGENDA.
ITEM NUMBER Z-17Z2018074CD FROM I-1 AND MF 33 TO CDMACD AND C1 FOR CONDITIONAL USE MOTOR VEHICLE SALES LOCATED AT 6200 SOUTH FLORES STREET.
STAFF AND ZONING COMMISSION RECOMMEND APPROVAL WITH CONDITIONS NO TEMPORARY SIGNS NO PENNANT FLAGS FEATHER FLAGS OR STREAMERS OR STRINGING.
LIGHTING DIRECTED ON TO THE PROPERTY ONLY 27 NOTICES MAILED FIVE IN FAVOR MAILED AND ZERO OPPOSED MISSION SAN JOSE ASSOCIATION IS IN FAVOR.
>> MAYOR NIRENBERG: COUNCILWOMAN VIAGRAN.
>> VIAGRAN: I WANT TO THANK THE ASSOCIATION FOR EXPRESSING CONCERNS AND WORKING WITH THE APPLICANT TODAY.
I HAVE ONE ADDITIONAL CONDITION IN RESPECT TO SIGNAGE AND I WANT TO THANK THE APPLICANT FOR WORKING TOGETHER WITH OUR OFFICE.
I MOTION TO APPROVE WITH CONDITIONS AS STATED AS WELL AS ADDITIONAL CONDITION TO LIMIT SIGNAGE TO ONE STAND ALONE SIGN NOT TO EXCEED 18 FEET IN HEIGHT AND 50 SQUARE FEET.
>> MAYOR NIRENBERG: THERE'S A MOTION AND SECOND FOR APPROVAL OF ITEM NUMBER Z-17 WITH CONDITIONS AS READ AND AMENDED.
LOCATED EAST OF PECAN VALLEY DRIVE AND EAST SOUTH CROSS.
[03:15:02]
RECOMMEND APPROVAL.67 NOTICES MAILED FOUR IN FAVOR AND FIVE OPPOSED.
PECAN VALLEY AND HIGHLAND NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATIONS ARE IN OPPOSITION.
>> MAYOR NIRENBERG: WE HAVE SEVERAL SIGNED UP TO SPEAK BUT I UNDER THE INTENT IS TO CONTINUE THE ITEM.
I WILL PERMIT THE COUNCILWOMAN TO SPEAK FIRST.
IF THAT CHANGES ANYONE'S MIND IF NOT I'LL HAVE THE FLOOR BACK TO SPEAK.
I WANT TO THANK THE PECAN VALLEY NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION AS WELL AS HIGHLAND HILLS ASSOCIATION AND ALL NEIGHBORS HERE MAKING THEIR PRESENCE TODAY AND FOR DISCUSSING THIS WITH THE APPLICANT FOR, MANY MEETINGS ALREADY AND TO EXPRESS THE COMMUNITY PRIORITIES AND CONCERNS.
IT'S ALSO MY UNDERSTANDING THAT THERE ARE SOME DEED RESTRICTIONS AND COVENANTS THAT ARE STILL NOT MY OFFICE, I WILL BE HOSTING A MEETING LATER THIS MONTH, IN THIS AREA OF THE DISTRICT TO DISCUSS THE CASE FURTHER.
SO, TO ALLOW FURTHER COMMUNITY INPUT AND CONVERSATION, I DID WANT TO MAKE A MOTION TO CONTINUE THIS UNTIL MAY 17TH ZONING MEETING.
>> MAYOR NIRENBERG: THERE A MOTION AND SECOND FOR CONTINUANCE OF ITEM NUMBER Z-18 TO MAY 17TH.
LIKE I SAID THERE ARE MANY CITIZENS SIGNED UP TO SPEAK.
IF YOU DECLINE TO SPEAK JUST WAVE.
IF OTHERWISE, JUST PLEASE COME FORWARD AND YOU'LL HAVE THE ALLOTTED TIME.
WE'LL START WITH ALBERTO DEL RIO.
COUNCILWOMAN MOORHOUSE YOU'LL FOLLOW MR. BARTLET.
>> THANK YOU MAYOR NIRENBERG AND MEMBERS OF THE COUNCIL.
I APPRECIATE SO MUCH YOU ALLOWING US TO SPEAK TODAY ON THIS DEVELOPMENT, THIS PROPOSED DEVELOPMENT, AND AS WE'VE DISCUSSED ITEMS THAT WOULD PROTECT OUR NEIGHBORHOOD.
I'VE BEEN A BUSINESS OWNER AND RESIDENT OF THIS NEIGHBORHOOD FOR 43 YEARS.
THE FIRST ITEM ON THE AGENDA IS A PHOTOGRAPH OF THE -- OF A FLOODED AREA.
THIS PICTURE THAT YOU'LL SEE SHORTLY WAS TAKEN ONLY 41 DAYS AGO ON THE 22ND OF FEBRUARY.
IT'S AN IDENTICAL FLOODING OF MY BACKYARD ON PECAN GROVE ALSO OCCURRED SEVEN DAYS AGO WITH THE RISE IN THE CREEK WATER LEVEL TO 16 FEET.
THIS NEIGHBORHOOD IS TYPICALLY A BEAUTIFUL AREA NEAR THE SOUTH SIDE LIONS REGIONAL PARK BUT VERY FREQUENTLY NOW, MOTHER NATURE TAKES REVENGE FOR DESECRATION OF THE FLOODPLAIN AND INAPPROPRIATE DEVELOPMENT IN OR NEAR THE EDGE OF THE 100-YEAR FLOODPLAIN AND THIS IS THE RESULT WE SEE WITH FLOODING.
HERE YOU SEE A LISTING OF RESENT FLOODINGS.
BETWEEN 1913 AND 1998, FOR 85 YEARS, THERE WAS VERY LITTLE FLOODING ON THE CREEK, BUT FROM 1998 TO THE PRESENT, DEVELOPMENT ON THE NORTHERN 25 MILES OF THE CREEK HAS CAUSED US TO HAVE ONE SIGNIFICANT FLOOD EVENT AFTER ANOTHER.
AS SHOWN HERE IN YEAR ALONE IN FEBRUARY AND MARCH WE'VE HAD TWO FLOODING EVENTS.
NOW WE HAVE ANOTHER PROPOSAL TO BUILD IN WHAT WE HAVE FOR GENER GENERATIONS AS THE FLOODPLAIN.
FOR MAN 1400 RESIDENTIAL UNITS, AS MANY AS 3,000 PARKING SPACES AND ON AND ON.
IT'S A MINI CITY IN THIS -- TO BE DEVELOPED IN THIS TINY AREA
[03:20:03]
OF WHAT WEIGH KNOW AS THE FLOO FLOODPLAIN.LEVEL THE AREA AND PREPARE FOR DEVELOPMENT I ESTIMATE 100,000 CUBIC YARDS OF ROCK AND OIL WILL BE NEEDED TO LEVEL THE AREA.
THAT MUCH FILL DISPLACE ACE HUGE AMOUNT OF FLOODWATERS.
THIS SHOWS SOME OF THE HOMES HISTORICALLY, HOST IN THE FLOODPLAIN RIGHT ALONG THE -- I CAN'T
>> MAYOR NIRENBERG: THANK YOU, MR. BARTLET.
>> I THINK MR. DEL RIO IS GOING TO DONATE HIS TIME TO ME.
>> MAYOR NIRENBERG: GO AHEAD MR. BARTLET.
>> LET'S SEE IF WE CAN GET SOMETHING.
THIS SLIDE JUST ON THERE NOW SHOWS RIGHT ALONG THE EDGE THERE ALONG THE SOUTH SIDE LIONS PARK, YOU SEE THE HOMES MOST HISTORICALLY FLOOD PRONE AND IN THE GREATEST DANGER.
THERE ARE THREE IN THIS AREA, IF WE CAN GO TO THE NEXT SLIDE QUICKLY ON THE NEXT PHOTO, THIS PHOTOGRAPH SHOWS THREE MAJOR WATER FLOOD CHOKE POINTS ON THE SALADO CREEK.
THERE ARE FOUR SIGNIFICANT CHOKE POINTS ONE IS DISTRICT TWO IN THE COMMERCE STREET AREA.
THE OTHER THREE ON THE SALADO RIGHT HERE.
ON THE NORTHERN PART OF THE CREEKWAY, YOU SEE THE CHOKE POINT AT THE BRIDGE YOU SEE ANOTHER CHOKE POINT AND FURTHER SOUTH YOU SEE ANOTHER CHOKE POINT.
THIS IS THE AREA WHERE THE WATER COMES IN THERE, IT SLOWS DOWN.
THAT CAUSES FLOODING DAMAGE, NOT ONLY TO THE HOMES ALONG PECAN GROVE BUT DAMAGE TO SOUTH SIDE LIONS PARK, HUGE DAMAGE TO THE MULTI MILLION HIKE AND BIKE TRAIL WE HAVE IN THE SOUTH SIDE LIONS PARK AND FURTHER NORTH, AND CAN ALSO DESTROY OUR PLANNED 3.7 MILE EXTENSION OF THE HIKE AND BIKE TRAIL THROUGH THE PECAN VALLEY BIKE AREA.
THIS SOUTHERN EXTENSION OF THE TRAIL SYSTEM IS A $4 MILLION PROJECT IN JEOPARDY BECAUSE OF FLO FLOODING.
TO COMPOUND THIS PROBLEM, WE ALSO HAVE A NEED TO BUILD RTAINING WALLS AND BERMS AND DAMS ALONG THE AREA TO PROTECT THE NEWLY -- AND WHEN YOU CREATE BERMS, DAMS AND RETAINING WALLS AND STUFF LIKE THAT.
RIGHT UP TO THE EDGE OF THE FLOODPLAIN THERE'S NO ROOM FOR ERROR.
THE SLIGHTEST INCREASE IN RAINFALL CAN CAUSE HUGE NUMBERS OF DEATHS.
HUGE URBAN DAMAGE AND MILLIONS OF DOLLARS THAT OCCURRED IN 1998 WHERE $750 MILLION WORTH OF DAMAGE AND 11 DEATHS OCCURRED HERE IN SAN ANTONIO.
ALL OF OUR CITIZENS HERE TODAY FROM THE NEIGHBORHOOD AND TWO TWO NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATIONS WERE ALL PROUD OF OUR CITY AND WERE VERY, VERY, VERY PROUD OF WHAT YOU'VE DONE AS A CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS TO PROTECT OUR CITY, AND WE'RE ASKING THAT YOU PROTECT OUR NEIGHBORHOOD, AND THE SOUTHEAST EARN PART OF THE CITY BY VOTING NO ON THIS ILL ADVISED PROPOSED DEVELOPMENT WHEN IT COMES UP NEXT MONTH FOR RECONSIDERATION.
>> MAYOR NIRENBERG: THANK YOU, MR. BARTLET.
>> MAYOR NIRENBERG: STEVEN KINSING.
>> MAYOR NIRENBERG: TO WHO NOW? DAVID MORALES.
DAVID, WHEN I CALL YOU, YOU'LL HAVE MISS HOLLOWAY'S TIME.
>> I WOULD LIKE TO GIVE MY TIME TO SOMEBODY ELSE.
>> MAYOR NIRENBERG: DOTTIE SEINS.
>> I GIVE MY TIME TO DAVID TORRES.
>> MAYOR NIRENBERG: DAVID TORRES?
>> MAYOR NIRENBERG: OH, I'M SORRY.
AND YOU HAVE NINE MINUTE, DAVID.
[03:25:07]
>> MAYOR NIRENBERG: I FAILED TO ANNOUNCE WE HAVE TRANSLATION SERVICE AVAILABLE FOR ANYONE WHO NEEDS IT IN THE BACK.
SO, STAFF, IF YOU SEE ANYONE THAT NEEDS IT, PLEASE ALERT US.
>> I'VE GOT A HAND-OUT GOING FOR YOU, MR. MAYOR.
>> MAYOR NIRENBERG: YOU'RE UP, DAVID.
>> DO YOU WANT TO WAIT TO GET THE HANDOUT? YOU CAN FOLLOW ALONG IF YOU'D LIKE.
>> MAYOR NIRENBERG: MR. MAYOR, LADIES AND GENTLEMEN OF THE COUNCIL, I APPRECIATE YOUR TIME HERE.
MY NAME IS DAVID TORRES, AND I THANK YOU FOR LISTENING TO US TODAY.
LIKE EACH OF YOU, I A PUBLIC SERVANT -- -- GROWING UP ON THE SHALLOW WEST SIDE AND MOVING INTO THE PECAN VALLEY AREA AS A TEENAGER.
I SERVED ALMOST 28 YEARS IN THE TEXAS ARMY NATIONAL GUARD AND IN THE U.S. ARMY.
THE HIGHLIGHT OF MY CAREER WAS SERVING OUR SOLDIERS IN IRAQ UNDER ALAMO DUST-OFF AS MEDEVAC PILOT.
IT WAS THE FIRST MEDEVAC UNIT TO SERVE IN COMBAT.
FOR ME NOTHING HAS BEEN MORE REWARDING THAN PICK UP WOUNDED SOLDIERS AND GET THEM TO THE BEST MEDICAL CARE IN THE WORLD.
I MENTIONED THESE THINGS SO EACH OF YOU CAN SEE WHERE I COME FROM, AND UNDER MY COMMITMENT TO TAKING CARE OF MY BROTHERS AND SISTERS.
WHEN I FIRST HAESHD OF THE VALOR CLUB IN 2012 I WAS PLAYING GOLF WITH WOUNDED WARRIORS.
I WAS VERY EXCITED TO LEARN ABOUT IT AND SUPPORTED IT 100 PERCENT.
AS A COMBAT VETERAN AND DISABLED VETERAN MYSELF, I COMMEND ANY SUPPORT GIVEN BY OUR CITIZENS.
I DO BELIEVE THE FOUNDER OF THE VALOR CLUB MEANT WELL AND WOULD LIKE TO DO HIS BEST FOR VETERANS WHEN HE CAME UP WITH THE PROJECT BUT UNFORTUNATELY THE NEW VALOR CLUB REPRESENTED TO THE PECAN VALLEY NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION AND ZONING COMMISSION IS VERY DIFFERENT THAN THE ORIGINALLY PLANNED COMMUNITY THAT IS STILL ADVERTISED ON THEIR WEBSITE.
I BELIEVE YOU CAN PUT THE PICTURE -- IS IT UP? THE VALOR CLUB WEBSITE AND YOUTUBE VIDEOS AND RADIO BROADCAST IS VERY DIFFERENT FROM WHAT WE HAVE BEEN PROPOSED.
SINCE THE ZONING COMMISSION HEARING I HAVE DONE MORE RESEARCH AS WELL ATTENDED ALL OF THE MEETINGS BETWEEN THE NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION AND THE VALOR CLUB STAFF.
YOU SEE THE PROJECT HAS BEEN IN WORKS FOR YEARS AND HAS BEEN SOLICITING DONATIONS AS A 501C3 ORGANIZATION SINCE ITS INCEPTION AND HAS BEEN IN WORKS -- SINCE ITS INCEPTION WITH THE FOCUS ON THE LIVE, IN SAFE AND AFFORDABLE HOUSING.
THEY ADVERTISE IT AS A FAMILY ORIENTED MASTER PLAN COMMUNITY DEDICATED TO VETERANS.
THE MASTER RANCH WITH 252 APARTMENTS IS ADVERTISED AS A HIGH QUALITY APT HOMES, WILL BE AVAILABLE TO ASSIST VETERANS WHILE THEY FIND PERMANENT HOUSING.
THEY OBVIOUSLY COULDN'T FILL IT WITH ENOUGH VETERANS, SO IT IS NOW GOVERNMENT ASSISTED VOUCHER HOUSING.
NOT AT ALL WHAT IT WAS ADVERTISED AND IS STILL ADVERTISED.
FROM THE VALOR CLUB WEBSITE AND ON PAGE 6 OF THEIR BROCHURE THEY ADVERTISE SINGLE FAMILY HOMES.
AGAIN, THE WEBSITE AND BROCHURE STATES IT PROVIDES HIGH QUALITY SUITABLE AND AFFORDABLE HOUSING WHICH VETERANS AND THEIR FAMILIES CAN FLOURISH AS THE FOUNDATION OF THEIR MISSION.
THEY ADVERTISE BUILDING 73 -- 73 BEDROOM SINGLE FAMILY HOMES IN A GATED FAMILY-ORIENTED NEIGHBORHOOD, COMPLETE WITH TRADITIONAL BACKYARD, FRONTYARDS AND TWO-CAR GARAGES.
THESE NEWLY BUILT HOMES WILL BE AVAILABLE TO VETERAN FAMILIES AROUND $1,000 A MONTH AND THEY COULD LIVE THERE FOR AS LONG AS THEY NEED OR WANT TO STAY.
AGAIN, ON THEIR WEBSITE AND IN THE BROCHURE THEY STATE THEY WANT TO PROVIDE RETIREMENT HOUSING TO VETERANS AT THE VALOR CLUB IN LINE WITH THEIR MISSION.
THEIR RESEARCH SHOWS THAT THE COMMUNITY WOULD NOT BE COMPLETE WITHOUT THE INFLUENCE OF OUR SENIOR VETERANS.
SO, THE VALOR CLUB ADVERTISES A COMMUNITY WITH WELL-BUILT AFFORDABLE AGE-RESTRICTED HOUSING ADJACENT TO THE FAMILY NEIGHBORHOOD.
THEY STATED WE LOOK FORWARD TO SEEING THE SOCIAL DYNAMIC BETWEEN OUR RETIREES AND CHILDREN OF YOUNGER FAMILIES BLOSSOMED AS WELL AS FAMILIAL INTERACTION BETWEEN GENERATIONS.
UNFORTUNATELY, SOMETIME IN THE LAST FEW MONTHS THEIR MISSION HAS CHANGED DRAMATICALLY.
BUT THIS IS WHY I NO LONGER SUPPORT THE PROJECT.
TO THIS DAY, AND AFTER ALL OF THESE YEARS THE MASTERS RANCH APARTMENT COMPLEX HAS BEEN THE ONLY PART OF THE ADVERTISED AND
[03:30:01]
PROPOSED PROJECT TO BE COMPLETED.MASTERS RANCH HAS BECOME A PROBLEM AREA FOR LAW ENFORCEMENT AND HAS NOW TURNED INTO A GOVERNMENT SUBSIDIZED APARTMENT COMPLEX.
UNLIKE THE COMPLEX PROPOSED, ADVERTISED AND SOLICITED AND RECEIVED DONATIONS FOR.
A FEW MEETINGS AGO WE WERE TOLD MASTERS RANCH WAS NO LONGER PART OF THE PROJECT BECAUSE IT TURNED INTO A GOVERNMENT SUBSIDIZED HOUSING YET IT'S STILL ADVERTISED ON THEIR WEBSITE AND BROCHURE.
THEY'VE TOLD US THEY NEED TO UPDATE THE WEBSITE BUT EVEN AFTER ALL OF THIS TIME IT STILL HASN'T BEEN DONE.
NOW THE DEVELOPERS WANT TO BUILD 1400 MORE APARTMENTS AND POSSIBLY SOME SINGLE FAMILY HOUSES TO BUTT UP AGAINST THE EXISTING NEIGHBORS HOMES.
THE EXTREMELY IMPORTANT QUESTION IS, HOW WILL THEY VIL THE VALUE LAR CLUB WITH 1400 NEW APARTMENTS WITH VETERANS, WHEN THEY COULDN'T FILL THE 252 FROM THE FIRST PHASE OF MASTERS RANCH.
THIS IS OVER FIVE TIMES AS MANY APARTMENTS.
WHAT ABOUT THE SINGLE FAMILY AND RETIREMENT HOUSING? IT'S STATED THAT THE RESEARCH -- IT'S STATED IN THE RESEARCH THAT THEY NEED IT AND SAY IT IS THE FOUNDATION OF THEIR MISSION.
SO, YOU CAN PROBABLY UNDERSTAND WHY WE DON'T SUPPORT THE NEW UPDATED PROJECT.
THERE ARE OTHER REASONS MAINLY DUE TO GREATER POTENTIAL FOR FLOODING AS A RESULT OF LESS IMPERVIOUS COVER.
IF THEY WERE MOVING FORWARD WITH BUILDING SINGLE FAMILY HOUSES AND RETIREMENT COMMUNITY THAT THEY HAVE BEEN ADVERTISING AND SOLICITING DONATIONS FOR, I WOULD WELCOME THEM AND SUPPORT THEM ONCE AGAIN.
OBVIOUSLY, WE DO EXPECT THE COMPLETION OF THE OTHER PROJECTS THAT INCLUDE THE GOLF COURSE, THE VALOR DOME, VETERAN'S ASSISTANCE CENTER BUT UNFORTUNATELY WE HAVE RESERVATIONS ABOUT THIS SINCE THE APARTMENTS WILL TAKE SUCH A LARGE FOOTPRINT AND THERE MAY NOT BE ENOUGH ROOM FOR THE OTHER PROJECTS.
THE VALOR CLUB STAFF STATES, THAT WE HAVE A GREAT DEAL OF SUPPORT FROM VETERANS ORGANIZATIONS SO WE HAVE ASKED THEM TO PROVIDE ANY DOCUMENTATION FROM THESE ORGANIZATIONS OR NAMES OR POINTS OF CONTACT FOR THEM.
BUT THEY HAVE YET TO PROVIDE EVEN ONE.
AND I STAND CORRECTED BECAUSE THEY GAVE US SOME THIS MORNING.
AT OUR ZONING HEARING, MR. PEDROTI STATED AND I QUOTE WE WORK CLOSELY WITH ARMY NORTH AND DIRECTLY WITH THE SECRETARY OF THE ARMY HIMSELF AND AGAIN HE STATED WE HAVE A WORKING RELATIONSHIP PRIMARILY WITH ARMY NORTH.
SO WE CONTACTED ARMY NORTH PUBLIC AFFAIRS AND SPOKE TO SERGEANT SPENCER AND PUBLIC AFFAIRS OFFICER.
AFTER A WEEK OF RESEARCH, THEY STATED THAT MR. PEDROTI HAD SPOKEN TO A SENIOR DID DEPUTY AT ARMY NORTH AND PREVIOUS COMMANDER BUT HE HAS SINCE RETIRED IN 2016.
ARMY NORTH WANTED TO MAKE IT CLEAR EVEN THOUGH THEY OFTEN ENGAGE IN DIALOGUE WITH MANY ORGANIZATIONS OF VARIOUS TYPES THEY CANNOT AND DO NOT PROMOTE OR ENDORSE ANY PRIVATE ENDEAVORS OF ANY KIND, THE VALOR CLUB BEING ONE.
BECAUSE MORE THAN ANYTHING, I WOULD LOVE FOR THE VALOR CLUB TO BE A SUCCESS.
WHAT VETERAN WOULDN'T WANT ADDITIONAL ASSISTANCE.
WITH THE CURRENT PLAN, THE VALUE DOOR CLUB WILL ONLY BE A VERY LARGE APARTMENT COMPLEX THAT, ONCE AGAIN, IS GOING TO BE EXTREMELY DIFFICULT TO FILL WITH VETERANS.
THE TRUTH OF THE MATTER IS, THAT I CAN'T, WITH A CLEAR CONSCIENCE, SUPPORT THE PROJECT THEY WOULD PROBABLY RECONSIDER.
SAN ANTONIO PRIDES ITSELF AS MILITARY CITY USA.
SO, IT IS OUR DUTY AND OUR OBLIGATION TO PROVIDE COMMUNITY OVERSIGHT, TO QUESTION AND CLARIFY VAGUENESS OF PLANS, AND TO PROTECT THE INTEGRITY OF OUR HE -- MILITARY FAMILIES.
IN CLOSING, EACH OF YOU HAS THE AUTHORITY AND RESPONSIBILITY TO SPEAK FOR THOSE WHOM YOU REPRESENT.
YOUR CONSTITUENTS RESPECTFULLY REQUEST DENIAL OF THE ZONING WITH A
>> TO BUILD THE VALUE DOOR CLUB AS PRESENTED AN ADVERTISED REMEMBER NOT ONCE DID THEY EVER ADVERTISE BUILDING 1400 --
>> MAYOR NIRENBERG: THANK YOU, MR. TORRES, THAT WAS TWO SENSES.
[03:35:03]
DOROTHY MOYEYOU CAN HOLD ON TO YOUR MINUTES IF THERE'S ANOTHER PERSON THAT NEEDS THEM.
DAVID YOU'RE THE LAST TO SPEAK.
>> VIAGRAN: THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
TO MY COUNCIL COLLEAGUES I THINK YOU ALL SEE WHY WE NEED MORE TIME HERE AND I WANT TO AGAIN THANK YOU, MR. TORRES, MR. MORALES, EVERYBODY FOR BEING HERE, MR. BARTLET TOO AND SERVING ON THE WEST SIDE CREEK COMMISSION THAT YOU DO, BECAUSE WE DO HAVE A LOT OF QUESTIONS STILL WITH THIS AND I DO KNOW THAT -- I WANT TO MAKE SURE YOU A UNDERSTAND FLOODING IS IMPORTANT TO ME AND I'M GRATEFUL TO HEAR THESE CONVERSATIONS.
SO, AS STATED MY MOTION STAYS TO MAY 17TH.
>> MAYOR NIRENBERG: THERE'S A MOTION AND SECOND FOR CONTINUANCE OF ITEM Z-18 TO MAY 17.
>> Z2018018 FROM R6NC LOCATED TO
THERE ARE THREE CITIZENS WHO SIGNED UP TO SPEAK ON ITEM Z-20 I'LL BEGIN WITH GUADALUPE SALAZAR.
>> I'M REQUESTING A CONTINUANCE TO MARCH 17TH.
YOU HAVE 6 MINUTES, MR. SANCHEZ.
IF YOU WANT TO USE THEM IF NOT I'LL GIVE THE FLOOR BACK TO THE COUNCILWOMAN.
>> MR. MAYOR, THIS IS THE APPLICANT, HE HEARD HIS NAME CALLED AND HE APPROACHED A LITTLE LATE.
>> I'M A LITTLE HARD OF HEARING.
>> MAYOR NIRENBERG: IS JUAN SANCHEZ STILL HERE? WE'LL LET MR. SALAZAR SPEAK FIRST.
YOU HAVE THREE MINUTES, MR. SALAZAR.
>> ALL I'M REQUESTING IS A C-1 ZONING TO NC NEIGHBORHOOD COMMERCIAL ON 2015 FOR A RESTAURANT WHICH IS 2500 SQUARE FEET TO BETTER THE NEIGHBORHOOD, AND THAT'S IT.
>> MAYOR NIRENBERG: AND YOU HAVE SIX MINUTES MR. SANCHEZ.
>> THANK YOU, MAYOR, AND COUNCIL, CITY COUNCIL.
THIS IS IN REGARDS TO THEM TRYING TO PUT IN A RESTAURANT.
PROGRESS IS PROGRESS BUT IT'S A ONE-WAY STREET AND IT'S NEXT TO A FIRE STATION.
SO, IF YOU TRAVEL FROM ELJARDIN NORTHBOUND FROM HIGHWAY 90 TOWARDS CASTROVILLE.
I CANNOT SEE THE BACK OF A RESTAURANT YOU CANNOT SEE THE ENTRANCE OF A RESTAURANT BECAUSE THERE'S PLENTY OF MESQUITE TREES ON THE PROPERTIES THAT FALL ON THE EASEMENT OF THE CITY.
SO UNLESS THE CITY WANTS TO SPEND THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS TO CLEAR ALL OF THE EASEMENT SO YOU CAN PUT A SIGN FOR A RESTAURANT, BY ALL MEANS SPEND THE MONEY.
THEN YOU DON'T HAVE A SIDEWALK.
PUT A SIDEWALK ON 36TH STREET.
YOU HAVE ONE ON ONE SIDE FOR THE BUS STOP, FOR THE BUS STATION BUT YOU DON'T HAVE A SIDEWALK ON THE BACK PART OF THE PROPERTY, SO, PUT IN, PUT IN A SIDEWALK.
ANYONE YOU HAVE TO PUT A SIGN RIGHT NEXT TO THE FIRE STATION.
[03:40:01]
SO, ARE YOU WILLING TO PUT A BIG SIGN TO BLOCK THE ENTRANCE AND EXIT OF EMERGENCY VEHICLES? AT THE FIRE STATION? BECAUSE THEY WANT TO PUT A RESTAURANT NEXT TO IT.NOW, I MEAN, IF DO YOU APPROVE IT, BY ALL MEAN, I WILL HOLD YOU RESPONSIBLE WHEN THE ACCIDENTS START OCCURRING, BECAUSE YOU'RE GOING TO BE BLOCKING THE ENTRANCE TO THE FIRE STATION.
YOU'RE GOING TO BLOCK EMERGENCY VEHICLES COMING OUT OF THE STATION, GOING INTO THE STATION.
THEN, THE COMMON ONE WOULD BE, IF YOU TRAVEL FROM CASTROVILLE SOUTHBOUND TOWARDS HIGHWAY 90 AND IT'S A MAIN INTERSECTION, BECAUSE 36TH STREET FEEDS THE TRAFFIC TO LACKLAND FAIR FORCE BASE.
PORT SAN ANTONIO AND THEN YOU HAVE OFF 1515 1 IS WHERE IT STARTS RIGHT THERE ON HIGHWAY 90.
NOW, IF YOU TRAVEL FROM CASTROVILLE TOWARDS HIGHWAY 90 AND YOU'RE GOING SOUTHBOUND.
AND IF YOU TRY AND TURN INTO THE RESTAURANT, IT'S 85 FEET OF FRONTAGE, FINE.
YOU'RE GOING TO PARK -- YOU'RE GOING TO BE HALFWAY.
A VEHICLE IS, WHAT, 15 FEET LONG? 20 FEET LONG? 12 FEET LONG? NOW, YOU STOP THERE, THE HEAVY TRAFFIC IS SLOWING.
YOU CANNOT TURN LEFT INTO THE RESTAURANT.
SO, WHAT HAPPENS? YOU HAVE A TWO LANE ROAD, YOU STOP ONE LANE.
TRAFFIC STARTS TO BACK UP AND WHAT'S GOING TO HAPPEN? 45 FEET LATER, FOUR CARS, YOU BLOCK THE EXIT OF THE FIRE STATION.
YOU BLOCK THE EXIT OF THE EMERGENCY VEHICLES.
YOU BLOCK THE EXIT OF THE EMS, WHICH USES EL JARDIN TO EXIT.
WHAT'S GOING TO HAPPY, HAPPEN.
EMS HAS TO GO ALL THE WAY AROUND TO 45TH STREET.
TURN LEFT GO TO CASTROVILLE AND 36TH STREET JUST TO ANSWER A CALL ON THE SOUTH SIDE.
IT CAN COST SOMEBODY'S LIFE IN TWO MINUTES BECAUSE IT'S BLOCKED.
THE EXIT OF THE FIRE STATION IS BLOCKED.
BY ALL MEAN, IF YOU APPROVE IT, YOU APPROVE IT.
WE'LL HOLD YOU ACCOUNTABLE FOR THE PEOPLE WHO DIE.
BECAUSE EMS CANNOT RESPOND FAST ENOUGH.
IF THE EMS, THE FIRE TRUCKS CANNOT DRIVE ON EL JARDIN TO RESPOND TO -- IT'S A DEADEND, TO THE HOUSES THERE, THE FIRE TRUCKS BECAUSE THE STREET IS NOT WIDE ENOUGH.
FIREMAN RUN FROM THE FIRE STATION TO THE END OF THAT STREET TO HELP PEOPLE.
THE EMERGENCY TRUCKS DO, BUT NOT THE FIRE TRUCKS.
SO, IF YOU WANT TO ALLOW TO BUILD THE RESTAURANT, BLOCK THE EXIT OF THE FIRE STATION, BLOCK THE EXIT ON NORTHINGTON, BY ALL MEANS.
AND, LIKE I SAID, EVERY TIME THERE'S AN ACCIDENT, FIRST THING I'M GOING TO DO, PICK UP THE PHONE, HEY, GUESS WHAT CHANNEL 5, GUESS WHAT CHANNEL 12, GUESS WHAT, CHANNEL 4.
AND I WILL JUST FOLLOW THROUGH PLUS THE REST OF THE FAMILY MEMBERS ALSO.
WE'VE COUNTED APPROXIMATELY BETWEEN 2,000 TO 2,400 VEHICLES AN HOUR BETWEEN 6:00 IN THE MORNING TO 8:00, 8:30 IN THE MORNING.
THEN LUNCH HOUR IS ANOTHER 2,000 BETWEEN 11:30 TO 1:00.
THAT'S HOW MANY VEHICLES TRAVEL ON 36TH STREET BOTH WAYS.
IN THE AFTERNOON BETWEEN 4:00 TO 5:30.
WE STILL HAVE ANOTHER 2, 500, 2,SOMETHING VEHICLES TRAVELING ON 36TH STREET.
TWO GOES NORTH AND TWO GOING SOUTH.
PLUS YOU HAVE A V.I.A. BUS RIGHT THERE.
PLEASE -- IF YOU'RE GOING TO APPROVE IT, PLEASE DO ALL OF THE UPGRADES THAT NEED TO BE DONE PLUS GO AHEAD AND CUT BACK ALL OF THE TREES ON THE EASEMENT.
THE NEIGHBORHOOD WILL LOOK GOOD.
>> MAYOR NIRENBERG: THANK YOU, MR. SANCHEZ, COUNCILWOMAN GONZALES.
>> GONZALES: MOVE TO DELAY, TO
[03:45:02]
POSTPONE, UNTIL MAY 17TH.>>> THERE'S A MOTION AND SECOND FOR CONTINUANCE OF ITEM NUMBER Z-20 TO MAY 17TH.
>> ZONING CASE Z-2018079 AMENDING THE KELLY SOUTH SAN PUEBLO COMMUNITY PLAN FROM NEIGHBORHOOD COMMERCIAL TO COMMUNITY COMMERCIAL, FROM C-2NA AND R-6 TO C2NA FOR CONDITIONAL USE WITH MOTOR VEHICLE SALES WITH FULL SERVICE LOCATED AT 1102CUPPLES ROAD.
DOWNWARD FACING LIGHTING, NO OUTDOOR SOUND AMPLIFICATION, HOURS OF OPERATION MONDAY THROUGH SATURDAY.
16 NOTICES MAILED ONE IN FAVOR, TWO OPPOSED.
>> MAYOR NIRENBERG: WE HAVE ONE CITIZEN TO SIGN UP TO SPEAK ON THESE ITEMS. PATRICE WE VIERO.
>> GOOD AFTER, I'M HERE REPRESENTING THE PROPERTY OWNER AT THIS LOT.
BASICALLY WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO DO IS DOING AN OIL LUBE AND TUBE AND NOW WE'RE TRYING TO DO AN AUTO MECHANIC.
WE WENT FROM A -- WE WENT FROM DOING HEY C-3 TO C-2 AND WE HAVE THE APPROVAL OF THE NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION AND AT THIS TIME WE WOULD REQUEST AND ASK YOU GUYS TO PLEASE HELP US TO BE ABLE TO COMPLY WITH THIS AND DO OUR WORK UNDER CODE COMPLIANCE AND MEET WITH THE GUIDELINES THAT WE DID.
THE REASON WE CHANGED THIS WAS BASICALLY TO COMPLY WITH CODE COMPLIANCE AND BE ABLE TO DO MECHANIC WORK VERSUS JUST OIL, LUBE AND TUBE.
>> MAYOR NIRENBERG: THANK YOU, MISS VILLA REAL.
>> MAYOR NIRENBERG: COUNCILWOMAN GONZALES.
>> MOTION TO APPROVE WITH THELE FOLLOWING CONDITION, DOWNWARD FACING LIGHTING, NO OUTDOOR SOUND AMPLIFICATION, HOURS OF OPERATION MONDAY THROUGH SATURDAY 8:00 A.M. TO 6:00 P.M.
THERE'S A MOTION AND SECOND FOR APPROVAL OF ITEMS P-5 AND Z-22 WITH CONDITIONS AS STATED.
>> Z2018063 FROM C2NA TO C2NACD WITH CONDITIONAL USE FOR MOTOR VEHICLE SALES LOCATED AT 1932 SOUTH CALLAHAN ROAD AND 1934 SOUTH CALLAHAN ROAD STAFF AND ZONING COMMIIO APPROVAL.
21 NOTICED MAILED ZERO IN FAVOR AND THREE OPPOSED.
>> MAYOR NIRENBERG: COUNCILMAN BROCKHOUSE.
>> BROCKHOUSE: TODAY I'LL MOTION TO DENY THE REQUEST.
THE OFFICE FOUND NO SUPPORT FOR THIS REZONING TO FOLLOW THE WILL OF THE NEIGHBORHOOD AND COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT PLANS I REQUEST DENIAL ON THE MOTION AT THIS TIME.
>> MAYOR NIRENBERG: THERE IS A MOTION AND SECOND FOR DENIAL OF ITEM Z-23.
AND TO CLARIFY, A YES VOTE IS TO DENY THE ITEM.
>> 18032 AND ZONING CASE Z2018110, AMENDING THE WEST AND SOUTHWEST SECTOR PLAN FROM RURAL ESTATE TIER TO REGIONAL CENTER FROM C2NA TO C3NA LOCATED AT 10540VULEBRA ROAD.
STAFF AND PLANNING CONDITION RECOMMEND DENIAL.
ZONING COMMISSION RECOMMENDS APPROVAL.
13 NOTICES MAILED 2 IN FAVOR AND ZERO OPPOSED.
>> MAYOR NIRENBERG: COUNCILMAN BROCKHOUSE.
>> BROCKHOUSE: TODAY I'LL BE MOTIONING TO APPROVE THIS.
THIS PARCEL IS ADJACENT BOTH SIDES TO C-3, SO THIS IS COMPLIANT WITH THE REST OF THE DEVELOPMENT AREA.
THERE'S A GOOD BUFFER BETWEEN THIS AND ONE OF MY MAIN NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATIONS.
WE FEEL DEVELOPMENT THE DEVELOPMENT MEETS THE NEEDS AND DESIRES OF THE COMMUNITY AND WITH THAT, I MOTION TO APPROVE.
>> MAYOR NIRENBERG: THIS IS ITEMS P-6 AND Z-24.
>> BROCKHOUSE: THIS IS AMOTION TO APPROVE.
>> MAYOR NIRENBERG: THERE'S A MOTION TO APPROVE ITEMS P-6 AND
[03:50:04]
Z-24.>> Z-2018078 FROM R-6 TO R-6CD WITH CONDITIONAL USE FOR A DUPLEX LOCATED AT 4606 LONE EAGLE STREET STAFF RECOMMENDS DENIAL.
ZONING COMMISSION RECOMMENDS APPROVAL.
28 NOTICES MAILED 2 IN FAVOR, 6 OPPOSED.
THIS WILL REQUIRE NINE VOTES TO BE APPROVED DUE TO OPPOSITION EXCEED EGG 20 PERCENT.
>> MAYOR NIRENBERG: THERE'S ONE CITIZEN SIGNED UP TO SPEAK ON ITEM Z-26.
>> THANK YOU MAYOR, THANK YOU, COUNCIL.
AND ESPECIALLY COUNCILWOMAN SANDOVAL AN YOUR OFFICE FOR YOUR HELP COMING TO THIS POINT.
I WANT TO EXPLAIN WHAT I'M TRYING TO DO.
I WORK AT SOUTHWEST RESEARCH INSTITUTE I'M THREE MINUTES AWAY FROM THE HOME.
MY INTENTION IS TO LIVE IN ONE FROM THE UNITS ENDEAVOR KNITLY AS MY PRIMARY RESIDENCE AND MY INTENT TO RENT OUT THE OTHER PORTION OF IT AS ADDITIONAL REVENUE FOR MYSELF.
THE BIGGEST CONCERN THAT CAME UP WITH THE OPPOSITION THAT CAME THROUGH IS RELATED TO PARKING.
I WANT TO EMPHASIZE THERE'S NO CHANGE IN THE SQUARE FOOTAGE OF THE HOME NOR CHANGE OF THE NUMBER OF BEDROOMS. THERE WERE PREVIOUSLY FIVE BEDROOMS AND WILL CONTINUE TO BE FIVE BEDROOMS. IN ADDITION TO THAT, I'M INTENDING IN THE NEAR FUTURE TO UNCONVERT HALF OF THE CURRENTLY CONVERTED GARAGE BACK INTO A PARKING SPACE SO WE'LL ADD ADDITIONAL PARKING SPACE TO THE PROPERTY THAT DID NOT EXIST PREVIOUSLY.
I BELIEVE THE PARKING ISSUE IS MOOT.
I'M HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY OTHER SPECIFIC QUESTION COUNCIL HAS.
>> MAYOR NIRENBERG: THANK YOU.
THANK YOU, DANIEL FOR BEING HERE TODAY AND FOR YOUR WORK WITH US.
AND FOR YOUR WORK WITH OUR OFFICE AS WELL AS, I KNOW YOU'VE BEEN CANVASSING THE NEIGHBORHOOD.
CAN YOU TELL ME ABOUT YOUR CONVERSATION WAS THE NEIGHBORS?
PRIOR TO ANY MAILERS GOING OUT BEFORE ZONING COMMISSION BEFORE ANYONE WAS AWARE I KNOCKED ON EVERY DOOR WITHIN THE PERIMETER NOTIFIED, I THINK IT'S 200 FEET FROM THE PROPERTY LINE.
I SPOKE TO EVERYONE WHO ANSWERED THE DOOR.
I WAS ONLY ABLE TO REACH IN PERSON TWO OF THE NEIGHBORS.
I FOLLOWED UP AND CALLED INDIVIDUALS WHO HAD BEEN IN OPPOSITION TO TRY AND EXPLAIN TO THEM BUT I DID NOT GET ANY ANSWERS WHEN I DID THAT.
I ALSO TRIED DOOR KNOCKING ON THESE PEOPLE'S DOORS TO REACH OUT TO THEM IN PERSON.
IT'S HARD TO GET IN TOUCH WITH PEOPLE ESPECIALLY WHEN I'M NOT LIVING THERE YET BUT I DID MY BEST EFFORT TO REACH OUT TO THEM AND ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS.
THOSE WHO I DID SPEAK TO SEEMED SATISFIED WITH THE ANSWERS, BUT I WAS ONLY ABLE TO REACH OUT TO A SMALL PORTION OF THE OBJECTIVES.
I UNDERSTAND THERE WERE SOME CONCERNS WITH THE TENANTS PREVIOUSLY.
COULD YOU SPEAK TO THAT? I WANT TO MAKE SURE THE RESIDENTS' CONCERNS ARE ALLAYED WITH REGARD TO THAT.
>> SO, THE STORY BEHIND THIS PROPERTY PLAYS A LOT INTO THIS.
THE NEIGHBORS FAMILIAR WITH THE PREVIOUS PROPERTY OWNER WHO HAD BEEN RENTING IT OUT FOR MANY DECADES NOT LIVING IN THE CITY.
THE PROPERTY HAD BEEN ALLOWED TO GO INTO DISREPAIR.
THERE WAS A LOST CRIME GOING ON IN THE HOME.
THAT'S TAINTED THE PICTURE OF THIS PROPERTY AND A LOT OF THE OPPOSITION SEEMS TO COME FROM A KNOWLEDGE OF HOW IT USED TO BE AND NOT UNDERSTANDING WHAT THE IMPLICATIONS OF THIS ARE.
THE NEW OWNER OBVIOUSLY, AS ONE OF THE RESIDENTS IN THE TWO-UNIT HOME, I CARE A LOT OF B MY HOME.
I ALREADY REBUILT THE BALCONY ON THE EXTERIOR OF THE HOME WHICH WAS ROTTING OFF.
I HAVE REDONE THE FRONT LAWN AND REPAIR THE ENTIRE UNIT.
MY INTENTION IS HAVE HIGH QUALITY RENTERS I WANT TO BE NEIGHBORS WITH.
I WANT TO MAKE THE PROPERTY FAR BETTER THAN WHEN I RECEIVED IT.
>> SANDOVAL: SO YOU DO PLAN TO LIVE ON SITE.
>> SANDOVAL: AND YOU WILL HAVE OFFSTREET PARKING AVAILABLE AND THERE IS NO CHANGE IN SCARE FOOTAGE.
>> SANDOVAL: THE ONLY CHANGE IS WITH THIS APPROVAL YOU WILL BE ABLE TO -- -- FOR DWELLING UNIT.
>> SANDOVAL: WITH THAT, I WOULD LIKE TO MOVE FOR APPROVAL.
>> MAYOR NIRENBERG: THERE'S A MOTION AND SECOND FOR APPROVAL OF ITEM NUMBER Z-26 AND JUST REAL QUICK, NOT MOWING THE DETAILS OF THIS, THIS SEEMS TO STRIKE AT A CONVERSATION THAT WE'RE HAVING ABOUT SHORT-TERM RENTALS AND I JUST WANT TO APPLAUD THE COUNCILWOMAN AND MR. ROSSITER FOR WORKING TOGETHER AND DOING THIS THE RIGHT WAY.
I DON'T THINK THAT HAPPENS ENOUGH BUT CONGRATULATIONS TO BOTH OF YOU FOR DOING THAT AND SOLVING IT.
SO THERE'S A MOTION AND SECOND FOR APPROVAL OF ITEM NUMBER
[03:55:03]
Z-26.>> Z2018088 FROM R-5 TO R-20CD WITH CONDITIONAL USE FOR FOUR RESIDENTIAL DWELLING UNITS LOCATED AN 211 WEST CHERYL DRIVE STAFF AND ZONING COMMISSION RECOMMEND DENIAL WITH ALTERNATE RECOMMENDATION.
UNIVERSITY PARK NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION IS IN FAVOR.
>> MAYOR NIRENBERG: OH, I'M SORRY THERE'S ONE CITIZEN SIGNED UP TO SPEAK.
>> HELLO, MY NAME IS ALEX TRIFF.
I'M CURRENT OWNER AT 211 WEST CHERYL.
I'M HERE TODAY JUST TO CLARIFY ONE OF THE OPPOSITIONS THAT I -- ON THE PROPERTY.
FROM MY NEIGHBOR, AND I'VE MET -- I TRY TO MEET WITH HER.
I CALLED HER TO GET THE ISSUE RESOLVED, SHE WAS EXPRESSING SOME CONCERN ABOUT THE PROPERTY BEFORE WE PURCHASED THE PROPERTY WHICH WAS LAST YEAR.
I TOLD HER RERECENTLY PURCHASED IT IN DECEMBER.
I MADE MULTIPLE MULTIPLE TIMES I TRIED CALLING HER TO REACH OUT TO SEE IF WE COULD RESOLVE ANY CONCERNS SHE HAD AND THERE WAS REFUSAL.
>> MAYOR NIRENBERG: THANK YOU,
>> SANDOVAL: THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE AND FOR WORKING WITH US AND FOR STAFF FOR FINDING AN ALTERNATIVE RECOMMENDATION.
WE'RE GOING TO MOVE -- IS THERE ANYTHING YOU NEED TO ADD?
>> SANDOVAL: I WOULD LIKE TO MOVE FOR APPROVAL OF 211 WEST SHERYL FOR R-20 WITH CONDITIONAL USE FOR THREE RESIDENTIAL DWELLING UNITS.
>> SO THAT'S STAFF'S ALTERNATE RECOMMENDATION.
>> MAYOR NIRENBERG: THAT'S FINE.
THERE IS A MOTION AND A SECOND FOR APPROVAL OF ITEM Z-27 AND THE ALTERNATE RECOMMENDATION AS RECOMMEND BY THE COUNCILWOMAN.
>> Z2018052 FROM R-5 TO O-1 LOCATED ON WEST AVENUE.
STAFF AND ZONING COMMISSION RECOMMEND APPROVAL.
17 NOTICES MAILED, ZERO IN FAVOR, FOUR OPPOSED.
>> MAYOR NIRENBERG: COUNCILMAN COURAGE.
THE APPLICANT NEEDS A LITTLE MORE TIME TO SUBMIT A SITE PLAN AND FINALIZE A MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING WITH THE ABUTTING NEIGHBORHOOD.
I'M GOING TO MOVE TO CONTINUE THIS TO MAY 17TH.
>> MAYOR NIRENBERG: THERE'S A MOTION AND A SECOND FOR CONTINUE ANSWER OF ITEM Z-31 TO MAY 17TH.
>> Z2018091 FROM R-6 TO R-CD WITH A CONDITIONAL USE FOR AN ASSISTED LIVING FACILITY UP TO 10 RESIDENTS LOCATED AT 5450 MAPLE VISTA.
STAFF AND ZONING COMMISSION RECOMMEND DENIAL.
33 NOTICES MAILED ONE IN FAVOR AND ONE OPPOSED .
>> MAYOR NIRENBERG: COUNCILMAN PERRY.
>> PERRY: YES, I'M REQUESTING THAT BE DELAYED FOR A MONTH.
>> SO WE ARE LOOKING AT THE MAY 17TH AGENDA?
IS THERE A SECOND? THERE'S A MOTION AND A SECOND FOR CONTINUE ANSWER OF ITEM Z-32 TO MAY 17TH.
THAT IS THE BALANCE OF OUR AGENDA FOR ZONING TODAY.
HAVE A GREAT AFTERNOON.
* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.