* This transcript was created by voice-to-text technology. The transcript has not been edited for errors or omissions, it is for reference only and is not the official minutes of the meeting. [00:00:01] COUNCIL MEMBER TRINO HERE. COUNCIL MEMBER ANDREW SULLIVAN. HERE. COUNCIL MEMBER . HERE. COUNCIL MEMBER ROCHE GARCIA. HERE. COUNCIL MEMBER GONZALEZ. PRESENT. COUNCIL MEMBER CAB HTA. HERE. COUNCIL MEMBER SANDOVAL. COUNCIL MEMBER PEZ HERE. COUNCIL MEMBER COURAGE PRESENT. COUNCIL MEMBER PERRY HERE. AND MAYOR NUREMBERG. HERE. MAYOR, WE HAVE A QUORUM. GOOD MORNING EVERYONE. WELCOME TO OUR CITY COUNCIL A SESSION AGENDA. THE TIME IS 9:19 AM AS WE'VE BEEN DOING [Additional Item] FOR THE LAST, UH, FEW MONTHS AS WE'VE GOTTEN INTO THIS PANDEMIC. UH, WE ARE TAKING A MOMENT OF SILENCE AT THE BEGINNING OF EACH COUNCIL SESSION FOR A MINUTE. UH, AT WHICH TIME WE HEAR THE BELLS OF THE SAN FERNANDO CATHEDRAL RINGING ALONG WITH THE SAN JOSE, UH, MISSION CONCE AND SAN JUAN, UH, MISSIONS, UH, IN SAN ANTONIO, AS WELL AS, UH, MANY OTHER CHURCHES THAT ARE JOINING IN. IT'S AN OPPORTUNITY FOR US TO REFLECT ON JUST HOW MUCH, UH, WORK, UH, IS GOING INTO, UH, KEEPING OUR COMMUNITY HEALTHY, AND ALSO THOSE WHO ARE STRUGGLING TO KEEP THEIR LIVES AND THOSE WHO HAVE LOST THEIR LIVES AS A RESULT OF CORONAVIRUS HERE IN SAN ANTONIO AND ACROSS THE WORLD. SO LET'S TAKE A MOMENT OF SILENCE TO RECOGNIZE THOSE FIGHTING ON OUR BEHALF AND THOSE WHO ARE FIGHTING FOR THEIR LIVES. THANK YOU VERY MUCH, UH, TO [1. Invocation] BEGIN OUR SESSION TODAY. UH, IT GIVES ME GREAT HONOR TO INTRODUCE REVEREND LONNIE E COLEMAN. PASTOR LONNIE COLEMAN HAS BEEN PREACHING THE WORD OF GOD SINCE 2002. HE ANSWERED HIS CALL TO PREACH UNDER HIS PASTOR DR. CARL JOHNSON AT GREATER CORINTH BAPTIST CHURCH HERE IN SAN ANTONIO. AND WHILE GREAT WHILE AT GREATER CORINTH, HE SERVED AS YOUTH AND CHILDREN'S PASTOR FOR THREE YEARS, PASTOR COLEMAN ALSO SERVED AS AN OFFICER IN THE BAPTIST MINISTER'S UNION, UNION OF SAN ANTONIO AND VICINITY. PASTOR COLEMAN LEADS A MENTORING PROGRAM CALLED AT THE TIMBER WILD ELEMENTARY SCHOOL CALLED BOYS TO MEN FOR THIRD TO FIFTH GRADE BOYS. IN OCTOBER OF 2010, THE LORD LED PASTOR COLEMAN TO PLANT GOD'S WAY CHRISTIAN FELLOWSHIP IN SAN ANTONIO WITH JUST 13 PEOPLE. TODAY, IT IS A THRIVING CHURCH ON THE NORTHWEST SIDE OF SAN ANTONIO. PASTOR COLEMAN BELIEVES IN PREACHING THE WORD OF GOD, AS HE SAYS, AS HE LOVES TO SAY IN A WAY THAT EVEN A CHILD COULD UNDERSTAND. PASTOR COLEMAN IS MARRIED TO PAULETTE. THEY'RE PARENTS OF TWO CHILDREN, ROY BLACKSHIRE AND JANA COLEMAN, AND HAVE THREE GRANDCHILDREN. WELCOME REVEREND. THANK [00:05:01] YOU. LET US PRAY. FATHER GOD, WE COME RIGHT NOW. FIRST, JUST WANT TO SAY THANK YOU. WE THANK YOU FOR WAKING US UP TODAY. LORD, I COME RIGHT NOW PRAYING FOR THIS COUNCIL. FATHER GOD, THIS CITY COUNCIL OF SAN ANTONIO THAT'LL HAVE TO COME TOGETHER RIGHT NOW TO MAKE DECISIONS. LORD, I PRAY FOR EVERY COUNCILWOMAN AND COUNCILMAN, I PRAY THAT YOU GIVE THEM DIRECTION. I PRAY THAT YOU GIVE THEM ANSWERS TO TOUGH QUESTIONS. LORD, YOUR WORD TELLS US THAT NO MAN COMES INTO POWER UNLESS YOU ALLOW IT. SO I PRAY RIGHT NOW FOR THE MAYOR, UM, THESE ARE SOME TOUGH TIMES WE'RE LIVING IN RIGHT NOW. DIFFICULT TIMES, TIMES THAT MANY OF US NEVER THOUGHT WE WOULD SEE. AND HE NEEDS YOUR HELP. HE NEEDS YOUR DIRECTION. I PRAY, LORD, THAT WHEN HE'S UP LATE AT NIGHT TRYING TO MAKE DECISIONS, I PRAY THAT YOU GIVE HIM THE WISDOM OF SOLOMON. I PRAY THAT HE WOULD LEAN ON HIS OWN UNDERSTANDING, NOT ON HIS OWN UNDERSTANDING, BUT TO LEAN ON YOURS. I PRAY FOR THE CITY. I PRAY THAT YOU KEEP US ALL SAFE, FATHER GOD, WITH THIS VIRUS THAT IS GOING AROUND, LORD JESUS, I PRAY THAT WE WOULD MAKE THE GOOD DECISIONS. LORD, I EVEN SAW THE CHIEF OF POLICE WALKING HERE. I PRAY FOR HIM AS WELL. PRAY FOR HIM AND HIS, HIS POLICE DEPARTMENT AS EVEN HE HAS SOME DIFFICULT DECISIONS TO MAKE. LORD BLESS AND KEEP US IS MY PRAYER. YOU SEE YOUR SON, JESUS CHRIST'S NAME WE PRAY. AMEN. [2. Pledge of Allegiance] UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, ONE NATION, INDIVISIBLE, LIBERTY AND JUSTICE FOR ALL. THANK YOU VERY MUCH PASTOR COLEMAN. ALRIGHT, THE [3. Approval of Minutes from the City Council Meetings of April 28, 2020.] FIRST ITEM ON OUR AGENDA IS THE APPROVAL OF THE CITY COUNCIL MEETING MINUTES OF APRIL 28TH, 2020. I'LL ENTERTAIN A MOTION FOR THOSE MINUTES. SECOND, THERE'S A MOTION AND A SECOND FOR APPROVAL OF THE CITY COUNCIL MEETING. MINUTES OF APRIL 28TH, 2020. THERE'S NO DISCUSSION. PLEASE VOTE. AYE AYE. AYE. AYE. MOTION CARRIES. OKAY, FOR THE BENEFIT OF THOSE IN THE CHAMBERS AND AS WELL AS THOSE WATCHING, UH, THERE ARE FOUR COUNCIL MEMBERS WHO ARE REMOTING IN, UH, IT'S AN, UH, IT'S IN AN EFFORT FOR US TO BE ABLE TO MAINTAIN PHYSICAL DISTANCE UP HERE ON THE DAIS. UH, I DO APPRECIATE EVERYONE WHO'S HERE TODAY, UH, WHO I, I SEE IF THEY'RE NOT ABLE TO MAINTAIN PHYSICAL DISTANCE, ARE INDEED WEARING THEIR MASK. WE MUCH APPRECIATE THAT. UH, SO WE'RE GONNA GO AHEAD AND MOVE [Consent Agenda] NOW TO OUR BUSINESS AGENDA FOR TODAY. WE HAVE TWO ITEMS, UH, SCHEDULED FOR INDIVIDUAL BRIEFING ITEMS FOUR AND ITEMS FIVE. EVERYTHING ELSE IS ON CONSENT. UH, SO I'LL, I'LL, UM, ASK MY COLLEAGUES NOW IF THERE ARE ANY ITEMS FROM WHICH THEY WOULD LIKE TO PULL FROM THE CONSENT AGENDA FOR INDIVIDUAL CONSIDERATION. IF THERE ARE NONE, I'LL ENTERTAIN A MOTION FOR THE BALANCE OF THE CONSENT AGENDA. ALL ITEMS SAVED FOR FOUR AND FIVE, SO MOVED SECOND. OKAY, THERE'S A MOTION AND A SECOND FOR THE BALANCE OF THE CONSENT AGENDA. UM, LET'S SEE IF THERE ARE, YES, THERE ARE NO CITIZENS SIGNED UP TO SPEAK. YES, THERE ARE. WELL, ACTUALLY, YEAH, THERE ARE. OKAY, SO THERE ARE SOME CITIZENS SIGNED UP TO SPEAK ON ITEMS REMAINING ON CONSENT. SO I'LL GO AHEAD AND TAKE YOU NOW. UM, AND THEN WE'LL GET INTO COUNCIL DISCUSSION. ON THE CONSENT AGENDA, I'LL CALL THE FIRST NAME UP AND THEN I'LL CALL THE NEXT NAME IN LINE. WE HAVE A MICROPHONE ON THE STAND, UH, SO YOU DON'T HAVE TO MAKE CONTACT WITH IT. WE WILL SANITIZE IT IN BETWEEN SPEAKERS. WE'LL START WITH KIMBERLY BRAGMAN, AND NEXT STEP TO SPEAK WILL BE MARTY HUTCHISON. AND LEMME JUST REMIND EVERYBODY, UH, TEXAS OPEN MEETINGS ACT REQUIRES THOSE COMMENTS TO, UH, REMAIN ON THOSE ITEMS POSTED ON THE AGENDA. SO PLEASE, UH, BEAR THAT IN MIND. SO, KIM BRAGMAN, FOLLOWED BY MARTY HUTCHISON. THANK YOU. UH, GOOD MORNING COUNSEL. ON BEHALF OF MORE THAN 12,000 SAN ANTONIO AREA REALTORS, WE URGE YOU TO SUPPORT THE PUR THE PROPOSED NOTICE OF TENANT'S RIGHTS ORDINANCE TO ENSURE THAT SAN ANTONIO FAMILIES ARE PROVIDED WITH DIRECT INFORMATION ABOUT THE ESSENTIAL RESOURCES THEY NEED WHEN FACED WITH A NOTICE TO VACATE FOR NONPAYMENT OF RENT, THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO HAS POSITIONED ITSELF AS A LEADER ACROSS THE COUNTRY IN UNDERSTANDING THE IMPORTANCE OF AFFORDABLE HOUSING AND ADDRESSING THE CONCERNS ASSOCIATED WITH REDUCTIONS IN HOUSING OPPORTUNITY ACROSS THE INCOME SPECTRUM FOR RENTERS. SABOR SAN ANTONIO BOARD OF REALTORS IS COMMITTED TO THE GOAL OF DECENT HOME AND SUITABLE LIVING ENVIRONMENT FOR EVERY FAMILY. [00:10:01] SABOR RECOGNIZES THE HOUSING NEEDS THAT ARE PRESENT AMONG RENTAL HOUSEHOLDS AND STRIVES TO BE PART OF THE SOLUTION. OWNERS OF RENTAL PROPERTY SHOULD PROVIDE SAFE AND DECENT HOUSING FOR THEIR RESIDENTS. THEY MUST BE DEPENDABLE AND KNOWLEDGEABLE HOUSING PROVIDERS FOR OCCUPANTS AND UNDERSTAND AND ACCEPT THEIR LEGAL RESPONSIBILITY TO MAINTAIN AND CARE FOR THE PROPERTY. THIS NOTICE IS A CRITICAL TOOL TO ENSURE RENTERS GET THEIR QUESTIONS ANSWERED AND ARE PROVIDED RELIEF DURING THIS DIFFICULT TIME. LANDLORDS AND TENANTS CONTINUE TO WORK THROUGH UNUSUAL AND ADVERSE CIRCUMSTANCES. A MEASURE FURTHER EXACERBATED BY C OVID 19 PANDEMIC. WE ENCOURAGED BY THE LEGISLATION TO ESTABLISH CLEAR LINES OF COMMUNICATION THAT ADVANCES DIALOGUE AND AIMS AT WORKING WITH TENANTS TO AVOID EVICTIONS. THESE EFFORTS COMBINED WITH A FAIR HOUSING COUNCIL CENTER AND FAMILY RESOURCE CENTER AND THE EMERGENCY HOUSING ASSISTANCE PROGRAM OFFER A COMPREHENSIVE RESPONSE. OUR COMMUNITY NEEDS TO STABILIZE NEIGHBORHOODS AND ADDRESS LONGSTANDING POVERTY CONCERNS WHICH PLAGUE OUR MOST VULNERABLE, VULNERABLE POPULATIONS. THE COLLECTIVE APPROACH TAKEN BY THE CITY AND PARTNERING ORGANIZATIONS ENSURES RENTERS ARE BETTER INFORMED OF THEIR RIGHTS AND RESPONSIBILITIES AND CAN SEEK HELP IF THEY FEEL THE RIGHTS ARE BEING VIOLATED. AS SUCH, WE RESPECTFULLY ASK THE CITY COUNCIL TO ADOPT AND ACT, TO ACT AND ADOPT THE NOTICE OF TENANT'S RIGHTS AS PROPOSED TODAY. THE NOTICE WILL ENCOURAGE TENANTS TO COLLABORATE WITH THEIR LANDLORDS, TO WORK OUT PAYMENT PLANS AND TOWARDS A SOLUTION THAT ARE MORE PRODUCTIVE FOR ALL PARTIES, THEREBY PREVENTING UNDUE STRESS AND HARM FOR THE TENANT. WE ENCOURAGE THE CITY TO ACTIVELY PROMOTE THE USE OF THIS NOTICE UPON ITS PASSAGE, AND WE UNDERSTAND AND WE STAND READY AS PARTNERS IN MAKING SURE OUR MEMBERS AND THE COMMUNITY ARE AWARE AND COOPERATIVE IN THESE IMPORTANT CHANGES. THANK YOU FOR CAREFULLY CONSIDERING THIS REQUEST. OUR MEMBERS DEEPLY APPRECIATE YOUR LEADERSHIP AND ADDRESSING THE HOUSING NEEDS OF ALL SAN ANTONIO RESIDENTS. WE ARE COMMITTED TO WORKING WITH YOU TOWARDS THIS SHARED OBJECTIVE. THANK YOU. THANK YOU, MS. BRAGMAN, MARTY HUTCHINSON. MR. HUTCHINSON, YOU'LL BE FOLLOWED BY ANTONIO DIAZ. GOOD MORNING, COUNCILMAN. MY NAME IS MARTY HUTCHINSON. I'M A PROPERTY MANAGER IN SAN ANTONIO. I WANNA THANK YOU FOR THIS PROGRESSIVE PIECE OF LEGISLATION, WHICH IS THE ARTICLE 13, YOUR RIGHTS AND RESOURCES FOR AFTER RECEIVING NOTICE OF MEDICAID FOR A NONPAYMENT OF RENT. AS A PROPERTY MANAGER, I TRY TO EDUCATE TENANTS WITH THE TEXAS PROPERTY CODE AND THE RESIDENTIAL LEASE, WHICH THEY HAVE SIGNED SO THEY CAN BE LEAVING A RENTAL PROPERTY. DURING THE INITIAL LEASE SIGNING STATEMENT. IT IS EXPRESSED BY THE PROPERTY MANAGER AND ALSO CONFIRMED BY THE TENANT THAT EVICTION WILL NOT OCCUR. HOWEVER, WE'RE GONNA BE DOING IS THAT WE'RE BE ADDING THIS PIECE OF DOCUMENT TO OUR INITIAL PROCESS IN WHICH WE, UH, PRESENT THE LEASE. 'CAUSE THAT WAY WE'RE GONNA TELL THE TENANTS FRONT WHAT'S GOING ON AND WHAT TO EXPECT. THE PROPERTY MANAGER KNOWS WITH EVERY TENANT AND WOULD RATHER ESTABLISH A GOOD RELATIONSHIP WITH THE TENANT TO PREVENT EVICTION. HOWEVER, WHEN A TENANT HAS NOT PAID THE RENT FOR SOME UNSEEN REASON, SUCH AS A FAMILY ISSUE, MEDICAL, JOB, OR FINANCIAL, IT HAS BEEN BECOME NECESSARY TO GO AHEAD AND USE THE EVICTION PROCESS. SOMETIMES THE TENANTS STOP COMMUNICATING WITH US AND THEY STOP BY CHANGING THEIR PHONE NUMBERS OR CHANGING THEIR EMAIL ADDRESS. SOMETIMES THE ONLY WAY THAT WE CAN TALK TO 'EM IS GO OUT THERE TO THE HOUSE AND POST A NOTICE. THIS WOULD BE A GREAT FORM SO THAT WE CAN EDUCATE THE TENANTS AGAIN, THAT THEY HAVE RIGHTS AFTER THE NOTICE HAS BEEN GIVEN TO THE TENANT. AND IF I'M ABLE TO HAVE A CONVERSATION WITH THE TENANT, I CAN DISCUSSION THE EVICTION PROCESS. I FIND SOMETIMES I HAVE TO USE EVERY SKILL I HAVE AS AN INSTRUCTOR AND A TEACHER TO LET THE TENANT KNOW THE RESOURCES THAT ARE OUT THERE. UNFORTUNATELY, SOME OF THEM GIVE US A BLIND EAR. THEY ARE EMBARRASSED, OR SOME CASES THEY JUST, YOU KNOW, HAVE LOST THEIR WILL. I FEEL THAT THIS IS A GOOD THING TO HAVE. NO ONE WANTS TO GO TO A JUSTICE OF PEACE COURT FOR AN EVICTION. IT'S A WASTE OF TIME, RESOURCES, ENERGY, AND ESPECIALLY NOWADAYS WITH WHAT'S GOING ON. WE NEED ALL THE RESOURCES, ENERGIES THAT WE HAVE TO HAVE THIS PIECE OF INFORMATION TO PROVIDE TO THE TENANTS, TO ASSIST AND EDUCATE THE TENANTS IN THE UNDERSTANDING OF THE NOTICE OF VACATE PROCESS WOULD BE GREATLY BENEFICIAL. I THANK YOU AGAIN FOR THIS PROGRESSIVE PIECE OF EDUCATION THAT WE CAN USE TO SHOW THAT SAN ANTONIO IS A VERY PROGRESSIVE TOWN TO EDUCATE, TO EDUCATE THE TENANTS AND THE PUBLIC AND AS A WHOLE, THANK YOU, SIR. THANK YOU, MR. HUTCHINSON. ANTONIO DIAZ. MR. [00:15:01] DIAZ, YOU'LL BE FOLLOWED BY DEANNA REGAS, UH, AS I'M, I'M HERE BASICALLY, AGAIN, REQUESTING THAT THAT STATUE OF COLUMBUS BE TAKEN DOWN. WE SEE THIS AS SOMETHING THAT'S IMPACTING THE NATION AS WE START TO REALIZE HOW INSTITUTIONALIZED SLAVERY AND WHITE SUPREMACY HAS BEEN, AND THIS GOVERNMENT AND THIS NATION. WE'RE ASKING FOR ALL THESE SYMBOLS OF COLONIALISM AND HATRED AND RACISM AND COLONIALISM TO BE REMOVED, TO BE TAKEN DOWN. AS WE KNOW HERE IN SAN ANTONIO, THE SOCIETY OF CHRISTOPHER COLUMBUS HAS AGREED TO TAKE THIS DOWN ALREADY, BUT IT'S NOT A PRIORITY FOR OUR CITY GOVERNMENT TO DO SO. WILL I SAY IT IS A PRIORITY? IT SHOULD BE DOWN ALREADY. IT SHOULD HAVE BEEN DOWN AS SOON AS THAT SOCIETY SAID WE AGREE TO TAKE IT DOWN. THERE SHOULD BE NO VACILLATION, NO WAITING, NO SAYING. IT'S NOT A PRIORITY FOR PUBLIC SAFETY. IT'S IMPACTING US DAILY. PERHAPS OUR ELECTED OFFICIALS DON'T THINK IT IS, BUT IT IS, ESPECIALLY WITH EVERYONE THAT STAYS HOME, THAT SEES WHAT'S GOING ON AROUND THE COUNTRY AND SEIZE THE CONTINUED ABUSE OF BLACK PEOPLE, OF PEOPLE OF COLOR BY THOSE THAT ARE SUPPOSED TO SERVE AND PROTECT US. WE WANT THAT REMOVED. WE WANT THAT EXPEDITED. THAT IS WHY I'M HERE TO, TO CONTINUE TO TELL YOU THIS IS NOT SOMETHING THAT'S REMOVING HISTORY. WE KNOW OUR HISTORY. WE KNOW HOW TERRIBLE AND HOW HORRIBLE OUR HISTORY HAS BEEN. WE ARE REWRITING OUR OWN NARRATIVE STARTING NOW, AND WE WANT YOU TO PARTICIPATE ALONG WITH US. DON'T IGNORE US ANYMORE. I WILL SHARE MY TIME. I DON'T KNOW WHO SIGNED UP TO SPEAK OR NOT. IF YOU DIDN'T SIGN UP, YOU CAN HAVE WHATEVER MINUTE I HAVE HERE. I BELIEVE I'M GONNA HAVE ANA'S TIME. YOU WANNA SPEAK FARRELL? DID YOU SIGN UP? ANYBODY DIDN'T SIGN UP? COME UP HERE. YEAH, I LIKE, OKAY, GO AHEAD. UM, JUST TO BORROW OR CONTINUE OFF WHAT HE HAS SAID, I BELIEVE THAT THE CURRENT RESOLUTION WITH REGARD TO THE STATUTE SPEAKS TO, UH, WHAT HAS ESSENTIALLY BEEN AN INADEQUATE PROCESS OF INPUT FROM THE COMMUNITY. WE'VE ONLY HAD ABOUT THREE PUBLIC POSSESSIONS AND THEY'VE BEEN IN THE MIDST OF A PANDEMIC, TWO OF WHICH HAVE BEEN VIRTUAL, WHERE THERE HAS NOT BEEN ENOUGH SUPPORT OR FURTHER INFRASTRUCTURE WITH REGARDS TO SUSTAINING A MEANINGFUL DIALOGUE ABOUT THESE ISSUES. ON TOP OF THAT, BECAUSE THESE THINGS HAVE NOT BEEN, UM, SUFFICIENT, AND IT'S ONLY BEEN WITHIN THIS PAST WEEK, WE ARE VERY MUCH CONCERNED THAT THE LITTLE PROGRESS THAT WE HAVE MADE WILL BE ERASED OVER THE COMING MONTH. AND SO WE SAY TO YOU ON THIS DAY THAT THE REVOLUTION DOES NOT TAKE A SUMMER VACATION, AND NEITHER DO YOU. AS WE ARE HERE, WE'LL CONTINUE TO LIVE UNDER THESE CONDITIONS AND WE WILL CONTINUE TO ORGANIZE UNDER THESE CONDITIONS BECAUSE WE HAVE NO CHOICE. AND IF YOU ARE TRULY DEDICATED AND COMMITTED IN THIS OATH THAT YOU HAVE TODAY TO SERVICE IN THE PUBLIC OFFICE, THEN YOU WILL BE HERE WORKING ALONGSIDE US. WE REALLY, IT'S IMPERATIVE THAT WE CONTINUE TO WORK AND THAT WE CONTINUE TO MAINTAIN THIS, UH, DIALOGUE THAT WE'VE STARTED BECAUSE IT HAS ONLY BEEN, AS WE'VE SAID HERE, JUST A START. WE NEED TO SEE THIS MEANINGFUL TRANSFORMATION HAT. AND THAT CAN ONLY HAPPEN WITH A CONSISTENT, VERY PUBLIC TRANSPARENT PROCESS, ESPECIALLY AS WE PROCEED INTO BUDGETS, ESPECIALLY AS WE PROCEED INTO, UM, BUDGETS THAT HAVE A, UM, THAT HAVE A DECLARED SHORTFALL. AND WHERE WE HAVE SEEN, YOU KNOW, THE, THE SERVICES OF FRONTLINE, UH, WORKERS IN THE HEALTHCARE AND EDUCATION AND HOUSING, UH, SUFFERED THE CONSEQUENCES OF BEING UNDERFUNDED WITHIN THE CONTEXT OF A PANDEMIC. SO, I MEAN, I THINK WE EARLY JUST STARTED THIS MEETING, YOU KNOW, WITH, UM, A RINGING OF THE BELL OF THE CATHEDRAL FOR THE FRONTLINE WORKERS HERE THAT WE CLAIM TO SUPPORT. AND EVEN IN THAT CONTEXT, YOU SAW THAT THE BELL WAS SORT OF CUT OFF. I THINK THAT'S A FITTING METAPHOR FOR THE SORT [00:20:01] OF POLITICAL THEATER THAT WE'VE DONE HERE WITH REGARD TO TRUMPETING THESE HEROES HERE THAT WE CLAIM TO SAY OUR HEROES. BUT FOR SOME REASON, THESE SAME HOSPITAL STAFF THAT WE ARE SEEING VERY QUICKLY APPROACHING CAPACITY, DO NOT HAVE THE MONEY OR FINANCIAL SUPPORT FOR MAINTAINING THE PROPER P P E WHILE AS WE PROTEST IN THE STREETS, SOME MIRACULOUSLY, POLICE STILL HAVE ENOUGH MONEY FOR RIOT GEAR TEAR GAS, DESPITE THE FACT THAT THESE ARE PEACEFUL DEMONSTRATIONS. AND SO THAT'S WHY WE ARE HERE ON THIS DAY. THESE ARE THE RESOLUTIONS THAT WE SPEAK TO, AND THANK YOU FOR JOINING US. THANK YOU, MR. DIAZ. ALL RIGHT. THAT WAS, UM, DIANNA'S TIME AS WELL. SO WE'RE GONNA MOVE NOW TO COURTNEY ROSEN, YOU'LL HAVE 47 SECONDS. GO AHEAD, MR. DIAZ. WELL, I'D LIKE TO INVITE EVERYBODY TO OUR PROTEST THIS SATURDAY AT COLUMBUS PARK. WE'LL START GATHERING THERE BEFORE NOON. IF YOU WISH TO JOIN US AND SAY A FEW WORDS, YOU ARE WELCOME. AND EVERYONE HERE AS WELL. IT WAS MEANT TO BE A CELEBRATION FOR THE REMOVAL OF THE STATUE, BUT IT WILL BE A PROTEST BECAUSE IT IS STILL THERE. TI THANK YOU, MR. DIAZ. COURTNEY ROSEN, MS. ROSEN, YOU'LL BE FOLLOWED BY JACK FINGER. HI, MY NAME IS COURTNEY ROSEN. I'M A PROPERTY MANAGER AND I WOULD LIKE TO STAY, UM, ASK FOR YOUR SUPPORT AND THANK YOU FOR THE PROPOSITION 13 OR THE PROPOSITION I'M SPEAKING ON FOR TENANTS RIGHTS. IT IS SOMETHING WHEN I READ THAT PROPOSITION THAT I DO ON A REGULAR BASIS WHEN I'M REQUIRED TO GIVE BY MY CONTRACT TO THE OWNERS AND LET THEM KNOW THEY HAVE NOT PAID RENT AFTER THE LATE NOTICE, UM, THAT I NEED TO GIVE THEM NOTICE OF VACATION TO VACATE THAT I ALSO GIVE THEM A LOT OF EDUCATION. THIS IS NOT AN EVICTION. THE CITY CAN HELP YOU. I'VE ALREADY SENT OUT A LOT OF INFORMATION ABOUT THE SUPPORT THAT YOU HAVE TO MY TENANTS, AND WE HAVE RECEIVED CHECKS, AND I WANNA THANK YOU FOR THAT AS WELL, FOR TENANTS TO BE ABLE TO STAY IN PLACE IN THEIR HOMES. AND I JUST WANNA SAY THAT WE DO A LOT OF EDUCATION AS PROPERTY MANAGERS AND TRYING TO EXPLAIN TO TENANTS. THEY SAY SOMETIMES, OH, YOU'RE JUST GONNA TAKE MY SECURITY DEPOSIT OR YOU'RE JUST GONNA DO THAT. AND I GO, NO, I DO EVERYTHING IN ACCORDANCE TO THE LAW AND THE LEASE. AND I EXPLAIN A LOT AS AN EDUCATOR TO TENANTS WHAT THEIR RIGHTS ARE. AND HAVING THIS DOCUMENT WILL MAKE IT MORE, UM, EQUAL ACROSS SAN ANTONIO TO MAKE SURE THAT ALL TENANTS ARE KNOWING WHAT THEIR RIGHTS ARE AND HOW THEY CAN STAY IN THEIR HOME, AND WHAT SUPPORT IS GIVEN TO THEM, AND HOW THEY CAN APPLY FOR THAT SUPPORT. AND I WANNA THANK YOU FOR WORKING WITH US SO WE CAN WORK TOGETHER TO MAKE SURE THAT ALL PEOPLE IN SAN ANTONIO CAN HAVE A SAFE AND HEALTHY HOME AND CAN STAY IN IT AND NOT WORRY ABOUT THE EVICTION PROCESS AND KNOW THEIR RIGHTS IF WE HAVE TO GET TO THAT POINT. THANK YOU. THANK YOU, MS. ROSEN. JACK FINGER. OH, MAYOR NURNBERG, OTHER MEMBERS OF OUR ILLUSTRIOUS SAN ANTONIO CITY COUNCIL. FOR THE RECORD, MY NAME IS JACK M FINGER. A COUPLE ITEMS WISH TO BRING YOUR ATTENTION ON THIS PORTION OF THE AGENDA. ONE LITTLE, UH, HOT BUTTON IS, UH, NUMBER ITEM NUMBER 13. IT SAYS, ORDINANCE REQUIRING A LANDLORD OR PROPERTY MANAGER TO PROVIDE AN INFORMATION SHEET TO A TENANT WHEN A NOTICE TO VACATE FOR NON-PAYMENT OF RENT IS DELIVERED. YOU MAY RECALL, UH, LAST MONTH THERE WAS, UH, QUITE A BRUHAHA RIDING THESE VERY CHAMBERS WHEN, UH, YOU, THE CITY COUNCIL TRIED TO PLACE AN UNFAIR BURDEN ON YES, UNFAIR BURDEN ON THE, UH, LANDLORDS OF OUR CITY, TELLING THEM TO GIVE AN EXTRA MONTH OR SO WAS RENTED TO, UH, UH, RENTERS WHO ARE NOT PAYING THEIR RENT. WELL, UM, INSTEAD OF LET LETTING THE LANDLORDS TO DO THEIR JOB, THEY HAD TO COME HERE AND FIGHT THAT OFF. AND, AND YOU GUYS FINALLY RELENTED. BUT, UH, NOW GESTURE OF GOODWILL, THEY, THEY'VE COME BACK AND DECIDED TO, TO COMPROMISE ON SOME THINGS AND MAYBE AT LEAST OFFER AN INFORMATION SHEET TO, UH, TENANTS WHO ARE ABOUT TO BE EVICTED. BUT, UH, UH, I'M SORRY. UH, THE, I, I THINK THERE, I THINK THE LANDLORDS ARE STILL, STILL GETTING, UH, UM, THE, THE, THE, THE SHORT END OF THE STICK ON THIS ONE HERE. MR. DIVISION MAD PUT UP THAT FIRST, UM, I ITEM, UH, FIRST SHEET THAT I HAVE THERE, AND THE BLOW UP THE AREA WHERE THE UNDERLINED AREA IS THERE. YEAH. WHAT, WHAT'S THE, THE POINTS ON THIS THING? FOUR DIFFERENT POINTS ON THIS PROPOSAL HERE. THE FIRST ONE, IT SAYS, EMPHASIZES THAT NOTICE OF VACATE DOES NOT, DOES NOT REQUIRE TENANTS [00:25:01] TO LEAVE THE PREMISES. TO ME, THAT THAT WAS THE MOST GLARING ONE OUT OF THERE , ALONG WITH REQUIRING THE LANDLORDS TO PROVIDE OTHER INFORMATION TO THEM, THAT'S GONNA BE KIND OF EXPENSIVE. BUT ANYWAY. YEAH. UH, RETURN THEM CAMERA. THANK YOU. RE NOTICE TO VACATE DOES NOT REQUIRE, REQUIRE THEM TO VACATE. I MEAN, UH, WHAT THE HECK IS GOING ON THERE? AND THIS IS WHAT LANDLORDS HAVE TO PUT UP WITH. YEAH. OH MY GOD. YES. THE, UH, FINALLY ON THE, ANOTHER I ITEM ON THE AGENDA. AN APPOINTMENT THIS TIME FROM MR. VINNO. YES. UH, DISTRICT ONE. HE'S GOING, YOU'RE MR. VINNO, YOU'RE GOING TO APPOINT AMANDA STEFFENS TO THE AFFIRMATIVE ACTION ADVISORY COMMITTEE. NOW, THAT'S, THAT'S A COMMITTEE THAT, THAT DISCRIMINATOR TO TRIES TO ACT LIKE A, A, A NON-DISCRIMINATION COMMITTEE THAT THEY TRY TRIES TO, UH, ALLOW, UM, WELL, UH, MORE AFFIRMATIVE ACTION, GIVING MORE PERSONS OF, OF COLOR AND DIFFERENT ORIENTED SEXUAL ORIENTATIONS, A CHANCE TO BE EMPLOYED BY THE CITY. BUT I NOTICED THAT THIS PERSON, JURY REQUIRING, UH, MR. OUS MAY PUT THAT UP. YEAH. AND GO TO THE SECOND PAGE. WHAT HAS SHE SAID IN THE PAST THAT, UH, OH. THANK YOU, MR. MR. FINGER. SO MANY SCANDALS. THAT'S TOTAL LITTLE TIME. MOVE NOW TO COUNCIL MEMBER TRAVINO. COUNCIL MEMBER TNI. THANK YOU, MAYOR. UM, AND FIRST I WANT TO THANK AMANDA STEVENS FOR, UH, ACCEPTING THE, THE ROLE, UH, IN, IN THIS NEW COMMISSION. WE LOOK FORWARD TO YOUR HARD WORK. UH, AND I WANNA JUST SPEAK ON ITEM 13. UH, C OVID 19 HAS HAD A PROFOUND IMPACT ON RENTERS AND SO MUCH THAT CITIES AND STATES AROUND THE COUNTRY HAVE DEVELOPED INITIATIVES, UH, LIKE THE NOTICE OF RIGHTS TO RESPOND TO RENTERS NEEDS. UH, HOUSING HAS A PERMANENT INTERSECTION WITH RACE, GENDER, AND SOCIOECONOMIC FACTORS. WHILE WE, WHILE WE AS LEADERS, MUST WORK DILIGENTLY TO ENSURE ALL RESIDENTS HAVE ACCESS TO A SATISFACTORY QUALITY OF LIFE, WE ALSO NEED TO WORK TO BRING THEIR VOICE TO PO TO THE POLICYMAKING ARENA LIKE WE HAVE RIGHT HERE WITH SO MANY GR OTHER GROUPS. UH, I WOULD ALSO LIKE TO THANK LORI HOUSTON AND, UH, NEIGHBORHOOD AND HOUSING SERVICES STAFF FOR THEIR HARD WORK ON THE NOTICE OF RIGHTS. BECAUSE THERE IS NOT A SILVER BULLET FOR AFFORDABLE HOUSING AND EVICTIONS, IT IS IMPORTANT THAT THE COMMUNITY ELECTED LEADERS AND PUBLIC ADMINISTRATORS WORK TOGETHER TO DEVELOP A PATCHWORK OF DIVERSE POLICIES AND PROGRAMS WHICH HELP THE MOST UNDERSERVED RENTERS SLASH FAMILIES. AS WE PROCEED INTO A NEW NORMAL, I'M HOPEFUL WE AS A CITY, WILL MEANINGFULLY ENGAGE A GROUP THAT MAKES UP ALMOST HALF OF OUR POPULATION WHO STATISTICALLY EARN LESS, SPEND A GREATER PROPORTION OF THEIR INCOME ON HOUSING, AND WHO HAVE MORE BARRIERS TO CIVIC ENGAGEMENT. RENTERS HAVE A UNIQUE VIEWPOINT ON ISSUES LIKE TRANSPORTATION, EDUCATION, PUBLIC SAFETY, HOUSING, AND SO MUCH MORE. BECAUSE THEY ARE UNIQUELY AFFECTED BY THESE ISSUES GOING FORWARD, RENTERS SHOULD HAVE A PLATFORM WHERE THEY CAN PROVIDE DIRECT FEEDBACK ON POLICIES WHICH IMPACT THEIR QUALITY OF LIFE. I BELIEVE A RENTER'S COMMISSION MADE UP OF RENTERS ONLY WILL PRODUCE SOME AMAZING STORIES. AND SOLU THANK YOU. COUNCIL MEMBER TREVINO. COUNCIL MEMBER VERAN. I SKIPPED YOU. COUNCIL MEMBER ANDREW SULLIVAN. YOU'RE NEXT. GO AHEAD. THANK YOU, MAYOR. UM, I JUST WANNA SAY THANK YOU, LORI. I WANNA SAY THANK YOU TO OUR CITY STAFF. UM, I WANNA REALLY SAY THANK YOU FOR, UH, ALLOWING US AS CITY COUNCIL TO TRULY SPEAK TO HAVING A, AN ORDINANCE THAT IS GONNA TRULY HELP ALL OF THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO. UM, NOT JUST THE SELECTED FEW. I KNOW THAT THE RIGHT THAT WE HAVE TO, TO PUSH FORWARD ORDINANCES THAT TRULY SPEAK TO THE HEART OF OUR COMMUNITY IS WHAT WE ARE HERE TO DO. TO SPEAK TO THE GENTLEMAN THAT SAID THAT YOU ARE NOT TAKING OFF IN JULY. THE DISTRICT TWO OFFICE WILL NOT BE TAKEN OFF IN JULY. WE WERE HERE LAST YEAR, WE'RE HERE THIS YEAR. WE WILL CONTINUE TO PUSH TO HEAR YOUR VOICES, AND WE WILL CONTINUE TO PUSH OUT THE INFORMATION THAT YOU WANT TO SEE AS FAR AS CHANGES. [00:30:01] WE ARE HERE FOR THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO. WE ARE HERE TO DO THE WORK FOR THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO, BUT WE ARE HERE TO MAKE SURE THAT THE BLACK LIVES THAT LIVE HERE IN THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO ARE TRULY COVERED. THIS VOICE WILL NOT BE SILENCED, AND YOU'LL NOT BE SILENT. PLEASE UNDERSTAND THAT WE'RE HERE TO DO THAT WORK FOR YOU. THANK YOU, MAYOR. THANK YOU. COUNCIL MEMBER ANDREW SULLIVAN. COUNCIL MEMBER VERAN. THANK YOU, MAYOR. UM, FIRST ITEM IS I WANT TO, UH, THANK MY LOAN CHIEF FOR STEPPING UP TO SERVE ON THE BROOKS TURS BOARD. AND THEN I DO HAVE A QUESTION. UM, UH, ERIC'S NOT HERE, BUT I HAVE A QUESTION IN REGARDS TO WHAT WAS DISCUSSED IN OUR CITIZENS ABOUT, AND ANDY, I DON'T KNOW IF I CAN TALK ABOUT IT, BUT I DO NEED TO ASK, WHEN IS ERIC GOING TO GIVE US AN UPDATE ON THE REMOVAL OF THE COLUMBUS STATUE AND WHEN THAT'LL TAKE PLACE? BECAUSE I THINK WE NEED TO HAVE THAT CONVERSATION SOONER THAN WE COUNCILWOMAN, IF I MAY. I THINK, UH, UH, ERIC DID COMMUNICATE WITH THE COUNCIL ON A PLAN FOR GOING FORWARD. UH, THE ITEM IS NOT AGENDIZED FOR TODAY'S MEETING. UM, BUT, UH, I THINK THERE'S AN AN ITEM ON GOVERNANCE THAT'S GOING TO OCCUR NEXT WEEK ON TUESDAY. SO IT'S NOT UNTIL NEXT WEEK WHERE IT'S GONNA BE DISCUSSED CORRECT. AT GOVERNANCE. OKAY. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. COUNCIL MEMBER VERON. COUNCIL MEMBER CURRY. THANK YOU, MAYOR. UH, ON ITEM 13. I, I THINK THAT IS, UH, A VERY VALUABLE TOOL FOR PROPERTY OWNERS AND RENTERS TO HAVE. I THINK IT'S SOMETHING THAT I'D JUST LIKE TO RECOMMEND THAT PROPERTY OWNERS START CONSIDERING GIVING OUT AS A TENANT MOVES IN, UH, TO OFFER THEM, UH, A LIFELINE WHEN THEY'RE DROWNING IS ONE THING, BUT TO OFFER THEM THE EDUCATION THEY NEED BEFORE THEY START DROWNING IS SOMETHING ELSE. AND I HOPE THAT MOST OF THE PROPERTY OWNERS IN THIS COMMUNITY WILL DECIDE THIS IS IMPORTANT ENOUGH TO GIVE IT TO THEIR TENANTS AS THEY COME AND MOVE IN SO THEY CAN AVOID THE PITFALLS THAT MIGHT PUT THEM INTO A SITUATION OF, UH, HAVING TO VACATE. SO I JUST WANTED TO ASK PROPERTY OWNERS TO CONSIDER GIVING IT OUT AT THE BEGINNING OF A LEASE, NOT JUST AT THE END. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. COUNCIL MEMBER COURAGE. COUNCIL MEMBER SANDOVAL. THANK YOU, MAYOR. UM, CAN EVERYONE HEAR ME OKAY? I WAS, UH, ADVISED TO, UH, TO WEAR MY MASK WHILE I SPOKE SO THAT, UH, I CAN REMIND PEOPLE THAT THAT'S ACTUALLY WHEN YOU DO SPREAD YOUR, UM, POTENTIAL COVID GERMS IF, IF YOU HAVE THEM. SO THAT'S REALLY THE MOST IMPORTANT TIME TO KEEP YOUR MASK ON. UM, I WANTED TO, UM, THANK, UH, STAFF FOR, UM, ITEM 16. UH, BEN, THAT'S A LOT OF WORK. THANK YOU FOR GETTING THAT DONE. THE, UM, ALL THE DEBT REFINANCING AND, UM, I WANTED TO SAY A FEW WORDS ON THE, UH, RENTAL ITEM. UH, NUMBER ONE, THANK YOU, UH, TO COUNCILMAN TREVINO FOR ALL OF HIS WORK ON THAT, AND TO ALL THE GROUPS THAT PARTICIPATED, UH, IN DOING THAT, INCLUDING SABOR. UH, I BELIEVE REX A WAS INVOLVED, BUT CERTAINLY TOP AND, AND COPS METRO FOR, FOR ALL OF THEIR WORK. IF YOU CAN'T PROTECT YOURSELF FROM THE ELEMENTS, IT'S GOING TO BE VERY HARD TO GET THROUGH THIS, UH, THROUGH THIS PANDEMIC. SO, UH, THANK YOU VERY MUCH. AND I, I JUST WANNA MAKE SURE THAT WE ALSO, WHEN WE CONDUCT OUTREACH FOR THAT, UM, MAKE SURE WE CAN GET TO SOME OF THE SMALLER LANDLORDS. UH, WE HEARD, UH, WHEN WE WERE TRYING TO, WHEN WE CONSIDERED THE RIGHT TO CURE ORDINANCE PREVIOUSLY, THAT THERE ARE MANY INFORMAL, UH, LANDLORD TENANT RELATIONSHIPS. UM, SO I THINK I, IT'S IMPORTANT THAT WE'RE ABLE TO, TO GET TO THEM AS WELL. UM, THANK YOU VERY MUCH, MAYOR. THANK YOU. COUNCIL MEMBER SANDOVAL. OKAY, THERE IS A MOTION AND A SECOND FOR THE BALANCE OF THE CONSENT AGENDA. THAT'S ALL ITEMS SAVED FOR FOUR AND FIVE. PLEASE VOTE. AYE. AYE. AYE. AYE. MOTION CARRIES. AND MOVE NOW TO ITEM [4. Briefing with possible action on the City’s response and preparedness for COVID-19.] NUMBER FOUR. ITEM FOUR IS A BRIEFING WITH POSSIBLE ACTION ON THE CITY'S RESPONSE AND PREPAREDNESS. I, GOOD MORNING, MAYOR. UH, WE WANTED TO JUST PROVIDE A QUICK UPDATE ON THE LATEST, UM, ORDERS THAT HAVE COME OUT FROM BOTH THE GOVERNOR'S OFFICE, UM, THE, UH, OFFICE OF THE, THE COUNTY, THE COUNTY JUDGE, UM, AND, UH, THE MAYOR'S MOST RECENT, UM, ORDER AS WELL, ADDENDUM TO HIS ORDER. SO WITH THAT, THE FIRST SLIDE, PLEASE. SO, UH, GOVERNOR, UH, ABBOTT'S ORDER, REMEMBER, THE LAST FULL ORDER HE CAME OUT WITH WAS GA 26. [00:35:01] IT WAS ISSUED JUNE 3RD IN THAT HE ALLOWED LOCAL AUTHORITIES TO RESTRICT OUTDOOR GATHERINGS, ESTIMATE ESTIMATED TO BE 500 PEOPLE OR MORE, WITH THE FOLLOWING EXCEPTIONS, AND I WON'T GO OVER ALL THE EXCEPTIONS, BUT AS YOU CAN SEE, THERE ARE NUMEROUS EXCEPTIONS THAT, UH, REALLY LIMIT AND TO WHAT EXTENT THE LOCAL AUTHORITIES COULD LIMIT GATHERINGS SINCE A LOT OF 'EM WOULD FALL UNDER THE LISTED EXEMPTIONS. UH, JUST, UH, THIS WEEK, UH, THE GOVERNOR THEN REVISED THAT GA 26 TO LOWER THAT ABILITY OF LOCAL AUTHORITIES TO RESTRICT GATHERINGS FROM 500 TO 100. UH, SO THAT IS THE LATEST CHANGE TO, UH, THE GOVERNOR'S PROCLAMATION OF GA 26, IS TO NOW PROVIDE LOCAL PUBLIC HEALTH, UM, SORRY, LOCAL AUTHORITIES IN CONSULTATION WITH THEIR, UH, PUBLIC HEALTH, UH, EXPERTS TO RESTRICT GATHERINGS OF, UH, A HUNDRED OR MORE PEOPLE. UH, NEXT SLIDE. SO, UH, IN ADDITION TO THAT, UH, JUDGE WOLF ISSUED AN EXECUTIVE ORDER, UH, ON JUNE 17TH. UH, IT, AND IT EXTENDS THROUGH THE END OF THIS MONTH. IT APPLIES TO ALL OF BEAR COUNTY, WHICH INCLUDES THE SAN ANTONIO. AND WHAT IT DOES IS IT REQUIRES COMMERCIAL ENTITIES IN, IN OTHER WORDS, ENTITIES PROVIDING GOODS AND SERVICES TO THE PUBLIC, UH, TO IMPLEMENT A HEALTH AND SAFETY POLICY. THAT MUST INCLUDE, AGAIN, IT MUST INCLUDE A FACE COVERING REQUIREMENT. SO, IN OTHER WORDS, IF THEY'RE PROVIDING GOODS AND SERVICES TO THE PUBLIC UNDER THEIR POLICY, THEY MUST REQUIRE, UH, THOSE ENTERING THEIR FACILITY TO HAVE A MASK. UH, THERE'S A PENALTY FOR THAT OF UP TO A THOUSAND DOLLARS. UH, I DO WANNA EMPHASIZE THAT THE PENALTY IS IMPOSED ON THE BUSINESS AND NOT IN THE, ON THE INDIVIDUAL, BECAUSE, AGAIN, UNDER THE GOVERNOR'S ORDER, WE CANNOT IMPOSE PENALTIES ON INDIVIDUALS. UM, IT CONTINUES TO LIMIT ACCESS TO THE JUSTICE CENTER AND OTHER, UH, COUNTY FACILITIES. UM, AND IT ALSO INCLUDES, UH, ALL, UH, FURTHER REQUIREMENTS IN TERMS OF CONDUCTING BUSINESS WITH THE COUNTY. NEXT SLIDE. AFTER THE, UH, GOVERNOR GAVE THE LOCAL AUTHORITIES THE ABILITY TO RESTRICT GATHERINGS OF A HUNDRED AND MORE, UH, THE MAYOR DID, UH, ADD THAT ADDITIONAL MEASURE TO THE CURRENT EMERGENCY ORDER THAT THE CITY COUNCIL HAS, UH, EXTENDED. AND WHAT IT DOES IS IT ACKNOWLEDGES THE COUNTY, BEXAR COUNTY EXECUTIVE ORDER. IT URGES ALSO ALL SAN ANTONIO BUSINESSES TO COMPLY WITH A GREATER SAFER TOGETHER, UH, PLEDGE THAT WAS OUTLINED BY, UH, THE COMMITTEE THAT THE, UH, MAYOR FORMED. AND, UH, IT DOES INCLUDE WAYS TO FACILITATE THEM COMPLYING WITH THE REQUIREMENTS UNDER THE COUNTY ORDER. IT DOES ALSO BRING BACK OUR FACE COVERING REQUIREMENT, BUT IT ALSO DOES SAY THAT THERE ARE NO CIVIL OR CRIMINAL PENALTIES FOR INDIVIDUALS. AND THAT IS, AGAIN, IN COMPLIANCE WITH THE GOVERNOR'S ORDER. UM, THE SECOND ADDENDUM THAT WAS ADDED, UH, AGAIN, RIGHT AFTER THE GOVERNOR PROVIDED LOCAL AUTHORITIES THE ABILITY TO LIMIT, UH, UH, GATHERINGS OF A HUNDRED OR MORE PEOPLE, UH, THE MAYOR DID ADD THAT RESTRICTION TO THE ADDENDUM. SO NOW THERE ARE RESTRICTIONS OF ANY, UH, GATHERING OF OVER A HUNDRED PEOPLE, BUT AGAIN, ALL THE EXCEPTIONS THAT ARE LISTED ALSO IN THE ADDENDUM, THEY WOULD APPLY AS WELL. UH, WE HAVE JUST HEARD, BUT HAS NOT BEEN VERIFIED. I HAVEN'T SEEN ANYTHING, UH, IN TERMS OF AN ACTUAL ORDER. BUT WE HAVE, UH, STARTING TO GET REPORTS THAT THE GOVERNOR HAS NOW, UH, PUT A MORATORIUM ON ELECTIVE SURGERIES, UH, IN BEAR IN HARRIS COUNTY AND IN DALLAS, I THINK DALLAS COUNTY. UM, WE WILL HAVE TO VERIFY THAT ALL WE HAVE RIGHT NOW IS SOCIAL MEDIA REPORTS ON THAT. UH, BUT AS SOON AS WE GET SOMETHING THAT, UH, IS AN OFFICIAL ORDER OR AN OFFICIAL DIRECTIVE, UH, WE WILL RELAY THAT TO THE COUNCIL. AND THAT'S ALL I HAVE, MAYOR. THANK YOU, ANDY. AND, AND MY OFFICE WAS IN COMMUNICATION WITH THE GOVERNOR'S OFFICE TODAY, AND HE DID CONFIRM THE ELECTIVE SURGERY, UH, PROHIBITION ALSO IN TRAVIS COUNTY AS WELL. UM, WE DO HAVE SEVERAL CITIZENS SIGNED UP TO SPEAK ON ITEM FOUR. I'LL GO AHEAD AND DO THE SAME CALL, THE FIRST PERSON ON THE LIST AND THE SECOND, IF YOU CAN BE PREPARED TO COME FORWARD. MELANIE COFFIN. MS. COFFIN, YOU'LL BE FOLLOWED BY ANTONIO DIAZ. MY NAME IS MELANIE COFFIN, AND I'M COMMENTING AS A CONCERNED CITIZEN AND EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR FOR DISABILITY SA, A DISABILITY SERVICE PROVIDER IN SAN ANTONIO. THANK YOU, MAYOR AND COUNCIL FOR YOUR TIME. I'D LIKE TO TAKE THIS OPPORTUNITY TO BRIEF THE COUNCIL ON, UM, WHY SHIFTING TAX REVENUES TO TRANSPORTATION, UM, WHILE INCONVENIENT, UNTIMELY, AND PERHAPS EVEN UNPOPULAR FOR THOSE WHO HAVE THE LUXURY OF OTHER TRANSPORTATION OPTIONS. IT IS IN FACT AN URGENT AND IMPERATIVE TO THE RECOVERY AND [00:40:01] RESILIENCY PLANNING AS VIA, UM, RESPECTS THE SOCIAL DISTANCING, UM, ORDINANCES OF OUR COMMUNITY. WE KNOW THAT THE RIDERS WILL RETURN TO VIA, AND AS OUR CONT CITY CONTINUES TO OPEN UP, NOT ONLY WILL THE RIDER RETURN, BUT AS ADDITIONAL HOUSEHOLDS ARE FORCED TO CHOOSE BETWEEN CAR PAYMENTS AND HOUSE PAYMENTS, THE HOUSE PAYMENTS WILL INEVITABLY WIN, INCREASING THE RIDERSHIP OF VIA WITH THE SALES TAX REVENUES DECLINING. AND THE HALF CENT TAX THAT VIA CURRENTLY RECEIVES WILL BE AT AN ALL TIME LOW. AND THE ADDITIONAL 8 CENT WILL HELP TO EVEN OUT THE SHORT TERM SHORTFALL AND ENABLE, UM, THE LEADERS TO MAKE DECISIONS EARLIER RATHER THAN LATER. SO, EFFECTIVE PLANNING CAN ENSUE, AND I'D LIKE TO, UM, IT SEEMS LIKE THE LACK OF URGENCY TO MOVE FORWARD AND LET THE PEOPLE DECIDE HOW THE 8 CENT TAX WILL BE ALLOCATED IS NOT TAKING, BEING TAKEN INTO CONSIDERATION. IF YOU, UM, YOU ALL HAVE RECEIVED THE LETTER OUTLINING WHY TRANSPORTATION'S CONSIDERATIONS ARE IMPERATIVE TO OUR COMMUNITY. BUT I'D LIKE TO HIGHLIGHT THE REASONS FOR MOVING FORWARD WITH THE NOVEMBER BALLOT ITEM. IT MAY NOT BE CONVENIENT, IT MAY NOT BE UNTIMELY, BUT THE FACT IS, IT'S STILL AN URGENT ISSUE. THE LOWER AND PROJECTED DEFICIT OF THE BOTTOM VIA BOTTOM LINE, THE FEWER SERVICES WILL BE CUT, UM, CUT BEGINNING IN JANUARY. THEY CAN'T PROJECT WHAT HAS NOT BEEN DECIDED, AND VIA CANNOT OPERATE IN A DEFICIT. SO CUTS WILL START HAPPENING SOONER RATHER THAN LATER. THEY CANNOT WAIT TILL THE LAST MINUTE. THEY WILL HAPPEN EARLY TO AVOID A DEFICIT LATER ON. THE UNKNOWN, UM, PREVENTS LEADERSHIP FROM BEING ABLE TO DEVELOP AND LAY OUT A SOLID PLAN FOR MOVING FORWARD. MORE PEOPLE WHO ARE MARGINALIZED, INCLUDING OLDER ADULTS, PEOPLE LIVING WITH A DISABILITY AND THOSE LIVING IN POVERTY WILL SHOW UP AND BE REPRESENTED IN THE NOVEMBER ELECTION OVER THE MAY ELECTION. IT IS ALSO PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION YEAR, WHICH MEANS WE WILL SEE A MUCH LARGER TURNOUT OF THESE POPULATIONS FOR THIS NOVEMBER ELECTION OVER WHAT WE SEE IN OTHER YEARS. THESE MARGINALIZED POPULATIONS ARE THE ONES THAT MAKE UP THE RIDERSHIP OF VIA METROPOLITAN TRANSIT. TODAY, I ASK YOU TO REMAIN SUPPORTIVE OF YOUR RENEWED SUPPORT AND COMMITMENT TO HELP LEAD SAN ANTONIO TOWARDS AN OVERDUE DECISION TO SHIFT MORE OF OUR SALES TAX REVENUES TO OUR TRANSPORTATION SYSTEM WITH 8 CENT VOTE TAX IN ON THE BALLOT IN NOVEMBER. THE FACT THAT OUR TRANSPORTATION SYSTEM HAS BEEN HISTORICALLY AND CHRONICALLY UNDERFUNDED IN THANK YOU. THANK YOU, MR. COFFIN. OKAY. ANTONIO DIAZ, FOLLOWED BY DEANNA ORGA. WELL, THIS WILL BE THE ONGOING THEME IS WHEN WILL YOU LISTEN TO US AND REMOVE THAT STATUE? , IT WILL BE ONGOING BECAUSE YOU OBVIOUSLY HAVEN'T GOTTEN IT. AND I KNOW THERE'S PROCESSES FOR ALL THAT OUR GOVERNMENT DOES LOCALLY AND STATE AND, AND FEDERAL, BUT WE'VE ALSO SEEN THAT WHEN THE PEOPLE DEMAND ACTION, OUR GOVERNMENT HAS BEEN WILLING TO PROVIDE THAT ACTION, ESPECIALLY WHEN ALL ENTITIES ARE IN, IN AGREEMENT. THERE IS NO DISAGREEMENT RIGHT NOW AS TO THE REMOVAL OF THAT STATUTE. THERE MUST BE SOMETHING WITHIN THE CHARTER THAT ALLOWS YOU TO EXPEDITE THE REMOVAL OF THAT STATUTE. IT SHOULD BE DOWN ALREADY. IT SHOULD BE DOWN SOMEWHERE IN THE SOCIETY'S BUILDING AS WE SPEAK, NOT OUTSIDE ON PUBLIC LAND. NOT OUTSIDE IN PUBLIC PARK. SO I WILL CONTINUE TO TAKE THIS OPPORTUNITIES TO NEEDLE YOU, TO COAX YOU, AND PERHAPS TO TRY TO CHAIN YOU AND TO TAKING ACTION, ACTION THAT I'VE BEEN ASKING FOR SINCE 1998. I THINK WAY BEFORE YOU EVEN ARRIVED HERE, MAYOR, I'VE BEEN ASKING FOR THIS STATUTE TO BE REMOVED. REMOVED FOR THE PARK TO BE RENAMED. WE HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY NOW, NOW BECAUSE OF THE TRAVESTY AND THE TRAGIC DEATHS THAT CONTINUE TO OCCUR, AND THE NATIONWIDE MOBILIZATION [00:45:01] OF BLACK COMMUNITIES IN OUR NATION. THAT IS WHAT'S BRINGING THESE CHANGES ABOUT. AND I SAID, SO FOR YEARS AND YEARS, CHANGE IS COMING. IT'S COMING, BUT IT'LL TAKE YOU, ALL OF YOU TO MAKE IT HAPPEN. MUST THIS INSTITUTION OF RACISM MUST BE TAKEN ON. YOU CANNOT JUST CONTINUE TO ACT AS IF YOU UNDERSTAND US, BUT IGNORE US. YOU MUST TAKE ACTION. YOU MUST TAKE ACTION NOW. AND AGAIN, I THANK YOU TI REMOVE THAT STATUE. THANK YOU ALL. THANK YOU MR. DIAZ. DIANNA REGAS. GOOD MORNING, EVERYBODY. UH, I'M HERE ALSO TO ASK FOR THE REMOVAL OF THE STATUE. UH, AND ALSO, UH, I'M NOT THE ONLY ONE. LOOK AROUND AND, AND PEOPLE THAT ARE NOT HERE BECAUSE OF ONE THING OR ANOTHER, THEY'RE OUT THERE ASKING THE SAME THING YOU SAY, THERE'S NOT THAT MANY PEOPLE HERE. YOU KNOW, UH, EVERY TIME MR. DIAZ AND I SHOW UP FOR THIS REMOVAL, BUT LOOK AROUND THESE PEOPLE VOTE FOR Y'ALL. DO YOU STILL WANT YOUR SEAT? DO YOU WANT YOUR SEAT STILL? OR ELSE THEY WILL VOTE FOR SOMEBODY ELSE. IF WE DON'T GET ANY CHANGE AROUND HERE, THEY WILL VOTE FOR SOMEBODY ELSE. CAN IT BE Y'ALL TO TAKE A STAND WITH US? STOP AND IGNORE ME. WHY DON'T YOU LOOK AT ME. I'M HERE. WE ALL ARE HERE IN SPIRIT AND EMBODY, STOP BEING BOUGHT OFF. TAKE A STAND. IF IT AIN'T Y'ALL THAT DOES THIS, WELL IT BE SOMEBODY ELSE. YOU KNOW, I'M A GREEN PARTY MEMBER, AND I WILL VOTE FOR MR. ANTONIO DIAZ, ASKED A MAYOR AND REPLACE YOU. MR. BERG. I LOVE YOU. BUT WE WILL REPLACE YOU IF YOU DON'T DO THE RIGHT THING AND STAND WITH US. LOOK AROUND. THESE PEOPLE ARE STANDING FOR MR. ANTONIO DIAZ STANDING FOR THEMSELVES. SO WOULD YOU LIKE TO KEEP YOUR SEAT OR GIVE IT UP TO HIM? THANK YOU, MS. URIEGAS. OKAY. D JACK FINGER. MR. FINGER, YOU'LL BE FOLLOWED BY A NAZARITE. RUBEN FLORES PEREZ. WELL, MAYOR NURNBERG, OTHER MEMBERS OF OUR SAN ANTONIO CITY COUNCIL FOR THE RECORD, MY NAME IS JACK M. FINGER. YES, MR. MAYOR, I, I THINK YOU GOT A REAL PROBLEM HERE, MR. MAYOR. I REMEMBER A MONTH OR SO AGO WHEN THE TEXAS FREEDOM FORCE WAS IN THE CHAMBERS AND THEY GOT OFF TOPIC. THEY, YOU, UH, SUMMARILY TOLD TO STAY ON TOPIC REPEATEDLY. I HEAR NO SUCH ENFORCEMENT FROM YOU THIS TIME. NOW YOU BE NICE TO YOUR TOKEN CONSERVATIVE HERE, . YEAH. YES. THE, UH, BRIEFING AND POSSIBLE ACTION ON THE CITY'S RESPONSE TO THE, AND PREPAREDNESS TO THE C OVID 19. YEAH. UM, MAYBE YOU'RE, WE'VE ALL BEEN WONDERING, YOU KNOW, THE, THE, UH, THE PROGRESS WAS, WAS IMPROVING FOR, FOR A WHILE UNTIL THE, UH, THE CASES STARTED TO SPIKE UPWARDS THERE. YEAH. UPWARDS. AND WE ALL [00:50:01] KEPT, YOU KEPT WONDERING WHAT COULD POSSIBLY HAVE CAUSED THAT? WELL, WELL, AS I RECALL MR. MAYOR, UH, BACK ABOUT THAT TIME WHEN, UH, JUST BEFORE THAT HAPPENED A FEW WEEKS AGO, WHAT WAS HAPPENING IN THE STREETS OF SAN ANTONIO. ALL RIGHT, EVERYBODY, LET'S RESPECT THIS SPEAKER AT THE PODIUM. EVERYBODY GETS A CHANCE. YEAH. SO, YES, I THINK WE HAD, WE DID HAVE DEMONSTRATIONS, UH, THAT LED TO RIOTING AND LOOTING AND SO FORTH. AND, BUT, UH, MY GOODNESS, UH, I, UH, I NOTICED THAT, UH, THESE PEOPLE IN THE STREETS, THEIR BIGGEST CRIME WAS THAT THEY WEREN'T WEARING MASKS, MR. MAYOR. AND I NOTICED THAT YOU HAD NO ENFORCEMENT OF THAT. IT'S BEEN DOCUMENTED. NO ENFORCEMENT. NO. SO MAYBE THAT'S WHY THE, THE NUMBERS ARE GOING UP. AND YET, AND NOW YOU'RE REQUIRING EVERYBODY TO WEAR MASKS. WE, YEAH. UM, ALSO, THE, THE, UH, THE NUMBERS, UH, THE DEATHS OF IT ALL. I MEAN, WE LOOK AT THE, LOOK AT THE DEATHS, ONLY ABOUT MAYBE A HUNDRED OUT OF A COUNTY, OF ABOUT 2 MILLION. NOW THAT TRANSLATES TO ABOUT, UH, OH FIVE THOUSANDTHS OF 1%, FIVE THOUSANDTHS OF 1% DEATH TO, UH, FROM THE CHINA VIRUS, AS I CALL IT THERE. NOW, YET, YOU ARE REQUIRING ALL OF US TO GO THROUGH THESE DRACONIAN RESTRICTIONS OF FACE MASKS AND, AND, UH, SEPARATION OF SIX FEET AND BETWEEN EACH OTHER. AND, UH, WELL, MR. MAYOR, I , UH, I MUST SAY, I, I DON'T THINK YOU'RE SETTING A GOOD EXAMPLE. I DON'T, I DON'T THINK YOU'RE SITTING SIX, QUITE SIX FEET AWAY FROM, FROM MR. PERRY THERE. AND, AND QUITE FRANKLY, I DON'T SEE EITHER OF YOU GUYS WERE WEARING YOUR MASK EITHER THERE. SO SAD. NOW, UM, JUST, JUST MAYBE JUST, MAYBE WE SHOULD START SETTING SOME BETTER EXAMPLES ABOUT THIS BEFORE WE START REQUIRING PEOPLE TO GO THROUGH THE DRACONIAN MEASURES HERE. THANK YOU, MR. FINGER NAZARITE, RUBEN FLORES PEREZ. MR. FLORES PEREZ, YOU'LL BE FOLLOWED BY ANDREW PERRETA. UH, YES. AS YOU PROBABLY KNOW. AND FOR THE RECORD, MY NAME IS NAZA FLORE PEREZ. AND AS YOU PROBABLY KNOW TOO, THATAND OF THE LAW OF AND KINDNESS, THE LAW OF HEAVEN AND THE LAW OF THE LAND, THE LIBERTY LAWS, THAT EVERYTHING FALLS UNDER THE LAWS. AND IT WAS WRITTEN TO BE LIKE THAT NOW ON, ON THESE, UH, VIRUSES AND PROBLEMS THAT WE'RE HAVING, UH, YOU KNOW, TIME CHANGES. AND THEY WERE GIVING SOME BREAKS HERE AND THERE. AND MAN, EVERYTHING STARTED POPPING UP ALL OVER MY AREA. A LOT OVER THERE IN LAS PALMAS TOO, YOU KNOW, UH, H E B UH, PEOPLE STARTED GETTING SICK AND SO ON. UH, YOU GIVE, UH, AS HUMANS LIBERTY, AND, AND WE DON'T GO BY THE LAWS THAT ARE WRITTEN LIKE, UH, ROMANS CHAPTER 13, THAT IT EXPLAINS THAT WE ARE UNDER LAW AND, UH, WE GOTTA BE OBEDIENCE TO THE . AND THERE'S GONNA BE CORRECTIONS. LET'S FOLLOW THE CORRECTIONS. I KNOW, I, I KIND OF COVER UP. AND SO NOT, NOT HERE WHILE SPEAKING. 'CAUSE I WANNA GET A LITTLE BIT ACROSS. AND I GOT MY OWN PROBLEMS TOO. MY DAUGHTERS OVER IN ENGLAND, AND THEY'RE BEEN HAVING PROBLEM. MY GRANDDAUGHTER'S OVER THERE TOO. AND, BUT TIME WILL TELL, AND I, I'LL TELL YOU, WE, WE NEED TO FOLLOW THE, THE, UH, OUR PEOPLE, BUT WE PRESSURE, YOU'LL MAKE CHANGES IN WE SEEN, AND THAT'S WHAT WE LOOKING FOR, THE LAWS THAT FOLLOW UNDER SPECIFICATIONS. AND I KNOW THERE'S GONNA BE CORRECTIONS, AND THE SOONER, THE BETTER, AND HOPEFULLY THINGS WORK WELL, THEY WILL WORK OUT ACCORDING TO THE PROPHECY. BUT OTHER THINGS ARE COMING UP. AND THE CORRECTIONS OF RELIGION, THERE IS GOING TO BE THE BIG ONE. AND IT'S COMING. AND THE CORRECTION OF RELIGION WOULD BE ROMANS CHAPTER, OH, I TAKE IT BACK. FIRST CORINTHIANS CHAPTER SIX, VERSE NINE. AS TIME WILL COME, WE'LL BE TALKING MORE ABOUT THAT. AND I DO THANK YOU. THANK YOU, MR. PEREZ. ANDREW PERRETTA. [00:55:03] MORNING. CAN EVERYONE HEAR ME WITH MY MASK ON? YES. WONDERFUL. THANK YOU. UM, MY NAME IS ANDREW PRETA. I'M HERE TO TALK TO YOU TODAY ABOUT SOMETHING VERY IMPORTANT TO ME. UM, I AM A SECOND GENERATION ITALIAN AMERICAN, AND I'M HERE TO ASK YOU TO REMOVE THE COLUMBUS STATUE. THANK YOU. THE LEGACY AND ATROCITIES OF CHRISTOPHER COLUMBUS HAVE BROUGHT SHAME ON MY FAMILY AND MY ROMAN ANCESTORS. I'M HERE TODAY TO ASK YOU ALSO TO PLACE MORE URGENCY ON THE ISSUE OF REMOVING THE COLUMBUS STATUE. AS WAS MENTIONED EARLIER TODAY, THERE IS A PROTEST SCHEDULED FOR SATURDAY AFTERNOON AT THE PARK WITH THE STATUE. I'M ALSO AWARE THAT THERE IS AN ARMED RIGHT WING GROUP IN THIS TOWN WHO HAVE ALREADY DEMONSTRATED WILLINGNESS TO USE VIOLENCE IN FRONT OF THEIR STATUES AND MONUMENTS. I FEEL LIKE NOW IS THE TIME TO PLACE A LITTLE MORE URGENCY ON THE ALREADY AGREED UPON ISSUE OF MOVING THE STATUE. AND TO ASK FORMALLY IN FRONT OF ALL OF YOU AND THE CITY COUNCIL AND THE MAYOR TO PUT SOMETHING IN EFFECT THIS WEEK THAT PUTS MOVEMENT AND REAL ACTION TO TOWARDS GETTING THE STATUTE REMOVED. THANK YOU. I YIELD MY TIME. THANK YOU, MR. PERRETA. OKAY. THERE, THERE'S NO, UH, UH, ACTION SCHEDULED FOR ITEM FOUR. UM, ANDY, SO BRIEFING. YEAH, IT WAS JUST A BRIEFING, UH, MAYOR, AND IN CASE, YOU KNOW, COUNCIL MEMBERS HAVE QUESTIONS EITHER ON ANY OF THE ORDERS OR AS TO OUR RESPONSE. UM, WE CAN TAKE THOSE NOW. OKAY, GREAT. UH, WE'LL START WITH COUNCIL MEMBER GRO. THANK YOU, MAYOR. AND I THINK I WANNA START EXACTLY WHERE, UM, ANDREW LEFT OFF. AND IN THE SPIRIT OF, UH, WHEN WE'RE TALKING ABOUT COVID RESPONSE AND, UM, EMERGENCY AND KEEPING OUR COMMUNITY SAFE, I THINK REMOVING THE STATUE IMMEDIATELY IS A WAY THAT WE CAN KEEP OUR COMMUNITY SAFE. UM, AND SO, UH, YOU KNOW, AND I ALSO WANNA SHARE, BECAUSE IT HAS TO, IT'S SCHEDULED TO GO TO GOVERNANCE, AND I DO NOT SIT ON GOVERNANCE, BUT I DO BELIEVE THAT, UM, CHRISTOPHER COLUMBUS HAS LONG BEEN A FIGURE THAT, UM, TWO REASONS WHY WE SHOULD JUST TWO, FROM MY PERSPECTIVE RIGHT NOW OF WHY THIS STATUE NEEDS TO BE REMOVED OF THIS INDIVIDUAL IS BECAUSE IT'S ASSAULT AND EXPLOITATION OF THE INDIGENOUS PEOPLES AND HIS ROLE IN THE VIOLENT CONQUEST OF THE AMERICAS. AND SECOND, IT HAS BEEN WELL DOCUMENTED BY SCHOLARS AND HISTORIANS ALIKE THAT HE IS INACCURATELY RE-ACCREDITED AS FIRST TO DISCOVER THE NEW WORLD, WHICH INDIGENOUS MEMBERS HAD ALREADY BEEN LIVING IN. AND SO WE NEED TO START WITH THIS PROCESS IMMEDIATELY TO PROTECT ALL OF THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO. AND HISTORY CONTINUES TO AFFECT OUR PRESENT DAY. AND LOCAL GOVERNMENT HAS THE PLATFORM TO ACKNOWLEDGE WHAT WAS WRONG AND THE POWER TO DO THINGS DIFFERENTLY AND LET THIS STATUE OF COLUMBUS BE ASSIGNED TO THE BOOKS AND NOT IMMORTALIZED ON OUR PUBLIC GATHERING SPACES. SO NOW LET ME MOVE TO, UM, TESTING AND OUR C O I TESTING. AND I'M CONCERNED A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE UNDER COUNT OF OUR A POSSIBLE UNDER COUNT OF THE TESTINGS. AND DR. BRIDGER, I WON'T, UH, IF YOU CAN SHARE A LITTLE BIT ABOUT HOW ARE CLINICS SUPPOSED TO, CLINICS ARE REPORTING THESE CASES, BUT IT'S MY UNDERSTANDING THAT NOW YOU ALL ARE ONLY ACCEPTING, UM, OR YOU ARE MAJORITY ACCEPTING CASES BY FAX. AND WE HAVE TWO FAX NUMBERS THAT THE CLINICS CAN SHARE. AND A LOT OF THESE CLINICS ARE TRYING TO SHARE THESE CASE POSITIVES, BUT THE LINE, THE FAX LINES ARE BUSY OR ELSE THEY DON'T GO THROUGH. SO HOW DO WE KNOW WE'RE GETTING, UM, NOT AN UNDER COUNT OR THE RIGHT COUNTING OF OUR, AND HOW ARE WE GOING TO HELP, UH, EXPEDITE OR MAKE THAT PROCESS MORE EFFICIENT? WE ARE ACCEPTING, UM, TEST RESULTS TWO DIFFERENT WAYS. UM, FOR ANY OF THE TEST RESULTS THAT THE CITY HAS PAID FOR, UM, WE ARE GETTING THAT RETURN TO US ELECTRONICALLY. UH, SO ALL THE C P L LAB RESULTS ARE COMING TO STR ELECTRONICALLY. THAT INFORMATION IS BEING SHARED ELECTRONICALLY WITH METRO HEALTH. UM, SO THAT COULD BE BETWEEN PROBABLY AROUND A THOUSAND TESTS A DAY, UM, THAT WE'RE DOING, THAT WE'RE PAYING FOR, FOR THE, UM, OTHER PLACES THAT ARE DOING TESTING. UH, SOME ARE INDEED HAVING TO USE FAX MACHINES. AND AS YOU'VE NOTED, THAT CAN CAUSE A PROBLEM. LAST WEEK WE ONLY HAD ONE FAX MACHINE. WE'VE INCREASED IT TO TWO FAX MACHINES. UM, SINCE WE DID THAT, [01:00:01] I HAVE NOT BEEN NOTIFIED OF ANY PROBLEMS WITH CLINICS GETTING THEIR FAXES INTO US. BUT IF THAT CONTINUES TO BE A PROBLEM, PLEASE LET ME KNOW. AND, UM, WE'LL ADD A THIRD FAX LINE. SO IT IS CONTINUING TO BE A PROBLEM. OKAY. AND I KNOW SOME CLINICS HAVE GONE TO THE FACT OF THEY ARE PERSONALLY TAKING, DRIVING THE PAPERWORK TO, UH, WHICHEVER SITE THEY NEED TO, TO DROP OFF THE DOCUMENTATION BECAUSE THEY'RE NOT ABLE TO GET THE FAXES THROUGH. OKAY. SO I THINK THAT IS A CONCERN. AND IF IT'S A MATTER OF, UM, I KNOW METRO HEALTH NEEDS TO HIRE OR IS LOOKING TO HIRE SOME WORKERS, UM, IF THERE'S A WAY THAT WE CAN HIRE SOME THAT IF TO, IN ORDER TO EXPEDITE OR TO MAKE THIS PROCESS MORE STREAMLINED, I HOPE WE CAN DO THAT. UM, MAYBE WITH COVID MONEY IF WE CAN, UM, OR BRING BACK SOME FURLOUGHED EMPLOYEES TO HELP IN THAT CAPACITY. SO THOSE ARE SOME THINGS THAT I WANTED TO BRING TO YOUR ATTENTION. ALSO, I WANTED TO ASK ABOUT, UM, UH, PLASMA AND, UH, THE DONATION OF PLASMA AND US DOING OUR PART TO MESSAGE THAT, PR THAT OUT. WE HAVE ABOUT 3000 PEOPLE WHO HAVE RECOVERED FROM C O V I D AND THEY COULD HELP WITH THOSE THAT ARE IN THE HOSPITAL RIGHT NOW WITH THE, UM, RECOVERY WITH THE THERAPY. AND I THINK WE NEED TO DO MORE OF A, A MORE OF A CAMPAIGN TO REACH OUT TO THOSE WHO HAVE RECOVERED TO DONATE THEIR PLASMA. IS THERE A WAY THAT WE COULD EVEN INCENTIVIZE THIS? BECAUSE I KNOW THIS, UH, SOUTH TEXAS BLOOD AND TISSUE CENTER IS ACTUALLY HAVING TO BUY PLASMA FROM OTHER OUTSIDE OF THE AREA TO HELP WITH IT. SO IF WE CAN INCENTIVIZE OUR OWN RESIDENTS TO COME OUT AND DONATE THEIR PLASMA OR GIVE THEIR PLASMA, IT CAN HELP WITH A BETTER RECOVERY. UM, HOPEFULLY. SO THO I'D LIKE US TO INVE AND RESEARCH THAT AND SEE WHAT WE CAN DO TO START THAT UP. AND REALLY, WHAT ARE YOU DOING RIGHT NOW TO REACH OUT TO THOSE WHO HAVE RECOVERED TO DONATE PLASMA EARLY ON? UH, G P A DEVELOPED SOME REALLY NICE, UH, SOCIAL MEDIA MESSAGES THAT WE, UM, PUSHED OUT WITH THE HELP OF YOUR OFFICES AS WELL. SO WE CAN RECYCLE THOSE MESSAGES, UM, AND GET THAT OUT TO, UM, THE COMMUNITY AGAIN. OKAY. THANK YOU. AND THEN, UM, FOR THE C OVID 19 ASSISTANCE, FOR THE DOLLARS ASSISTANCE FOR THE HOUSING EMERGENCY HOUSING, UM, ERIC, I THINK IN OUR NEXT UPDATES THAT WE HAVE, I WOULD LIKE TO SEE JUST HOW MANY INDIVIDUALS ON A, EVEN IF IT'S WITH YOUR EMAIL UPDATES, HOW MANY INDIVIDUALS HAVE WE HELPED WITH THE, UM, EMERGENCY HOUSING ASSISTANCE DOLLARS, AND HOW MANY WE HAVE ALSO HELPED MAYBE AT THE JP, UH, BEFORE THEY GET EVICTED AND, AND HOW, WHAT'S OUR RETURN ON THAT COUNCILMAN? WE'LL INCLUDE THAT IN THE UPDATE TOMORROW AS PART OF THE WORK SESSION, ACTUALLY. OKAY, GREAT. THANK YOU. AND THEN, UM, BUT I'D LIKE TO SEE IT ON A CONSISTENT BASIS EVEN AFTER THAT, PLEASE. AND THEN I THINK IT WOULD BE HELPFUL. UM, I WILL GIVE THE CREDIT TO COUNCIL MEMBER SANDOVAL, 'CAUSE SHE WAS THE ONE WHO, WHO MENTIONED IT TO ME ABOUT, UM, REALLY CONTINUING TO HAVE UPDATES AS A COUNCIL EVEN THROUGH THE MONTH OF JULY, BECAUSE WHEN WE'RE SEEING THE INCREASE OF CASES, I THINK WE NEED TO CONTINUE TO BE ABLE TO CONNECT WITH ONE ANOTHER, EVEN IF IT'S VIRTUALLY. AND THE LAST, UM, THING I WILL SAY IN, FOR THOSE IN, UM, WHO ARE GOING OUT IN PUBLIC, I WOULD LIKE TO TELL YOU, IF YOU DO NOT FEEL COMFORTABLE WEARING A MASK IN PUBLIC OR WHEN YOU GO OUT, IF YOU DO NOT FEEL COMFORTABLE WEARING A MASK, THEN PLEASE STAY HOME, BECAUSE WE ALL NEED TO BE WEARING A MASK WITH ONE, WITH ONE ANOTHER. SO THAT'S ALL. MAYOR, THANK YOU. THANK YOU. COUNCIL MEMBER GRO. COUNCIL MEMBER SANDOVAL. THANK YOU, MAYOR. UM, I KNOW I SUGGEST THAT YOU WEAR YOUR MASK WHEN YOU SPEAK, BUT I HAVE TO TELL YOU, I'M STILL TRYING TO GET USED TO IT. UM, ESPECIALLY UP, UP HERE. UM, I WANNA THANK EVERYBODY WHO'S COME OUT TO SPEAK THIS MORNING. UM, I KNOW YOU PROBABLY HAVE LOTS OF OTHER THINGS YOU, YOU COULD BE DOING, BUT I APPRECIATE YOUR COMMITMENT TO YOUR, UM, TO ALL THE ISSUES THAT YOU'VE BROUGHT FORWARD FOR US. UM, I DO WANT TO ADDRESS, UM, SOMETHING THAT WAS SAID EARLIER REGARDING THE BREAK THAT COUNCIL USUALLY TAKES IN IN JULY. UM, AND, UH, I, I THINK PROBABLY CITY STAFF CAN EXPLAIN WHY THAT IS BETTER, BETTER THAN I CAN. BUT, UM, I LIKE THE COUNCILWOMAN. I AM ALSO CONCERNED THAT GIVEN THE RISE IN CASES, UH, THAT WE WON'T BE HAVING AN OPEN MEETING TO DISCUSS ANY ISSUES THAT ARISE. IN ADDITION, WE DO KNOW THAT THE COMMUNITY IS, UH, EXTREMELY MOBILIZED RIGHT NOW AND ON SOME ISSUES THAT ARE VERY IMPORTANT TO THEM AND TO US. [01:05:01] AND, UH, I WOULD NOT WANT TO GIVE THE IMPRESSION THAT WE'RE NOT HERE TO, TO LISTEN DURING THE MONTH OF JULY AS THEY'RE, AS THEY'RE RAMPING UP, UM, TO, TO LET THE COMMUNITY MEMBERS KNOW. UM, WE STILL WORK DURING JULY. UH, THERE ARE NO FORMAL MEETINGS SCHEDULED DURING THAT TIME, BUT OUR OFFICES ARE OPEN. WE STILL MEET WITH, UH, CONSTITUENTS AND, AND TRY TO GET THINGS DONE AND READY FOR, FOR AUGUST. UH, PART OF THE REASON IS THAT THE STAFF SPENDS A LOT OF TIME PUTTING TOGETHER THE DRAFT BUDGET. UM, SO WE, WE KIND OF TRY NOT TO BOTHER THEM TOO MUCH, UH, DURING, DURING THAT TIME. UM, BUT NONETHELESS, I'M GOING TO REQUEST THAT WE DO BOTHER YOU AND, UH, CONSIDER CHECKING IN, UH, AT LEAST ONCE A WEEK AS, UH, DURING THE MONTH OF JULY REGARDING THE, THE COVID RESPONSE. UM, I, UH, I AM ALSO CONCERNED ABOUT NOT BEING ABLE TO GET THE TEST RESULTS, WHAT THE COUNCILWOMAN, UM, MENTIONED EARLIER. UM, I, I HOPE A THIRD FAX, THIRD, FOURTH, OR FIFTH FAX MACHINE IS NOT A LOT TO ASK. WE HAVE A, A GREAT IT DEPARTMENT. I REALLY DON'T UNDERSTAND THE, THE, THE CHALLENGES, UH, WITH THAT. UM, IN TERMS OF TRYING TO GET OUR CASE NUMBERS DOWN, UH, AND THE SITUATION UNDER CONTROL. I KNOW WE'RE NOT THE ONLY CITY GOING THROUGH THIS. UM, BUT, UH, THIS IS THE ONLY CITY WHERE I'M A COUNCIL PERSON, SO THAT'S WHERE I'M GONNA WEIGH IN. UM, NUMBER ONE, I WANNA THANK THE STAFF AND EVERYONE WHO'S BEEN WORKING ON, UH, EXPANDING TESTING. I THINK THERE WAS A TREMENDOUS MOMENT OF FEAR WHEN PEOPLE WERE LINING UP AT THE MED CLINIC, TEXAS MED CLINIC AND COULD, AND, YOU KNOW, HAD TO WAIT FOR HOURS TO TRY TO GET A TEST. UH, SO I, I REALLY APPRECIATE THE, THE WORK THAT'S BEEN DONE. THAT'S THE FIRST AND THE MOST IMPORTANT THING, UM, THAT WE HAVE TO DO IN TERMS OF THE RESPONSE, I BELIEVE. UM, WE ALSO HAVE TO DO A COUPLE OF OTHER THINGS ONCE THE TESTING IS IN PLACE. AND THAT IN INCLUDES, OF COURSE, THE CONTINUED EDUCATION AND THE TRACKING OF THE CASES. UM, SO ERIC, UH, AS YOU KNOW, I SENT YOU AN EMAIL, UH, VERY LATE, UH, LAST NIGHT WITH A SUMMARY OF SUGGESTIONS THAT I WOULD LIKE FOR, UH, STAFF TO CONSIDER. UM, I'LL JUST HIGHLIGHT SOME OF THEM FOR MY COLLEAGUES. THESE INCLUDE, UH, USING AN EMERGENCY NOTIFICATION SYSTEM. I KNOW IN THE PAST YOU CONSIDERED USING THE REVERSE 9 1 1 CALL, UH, BUT THOUGHT IT MIGHT BE TOO EXTREME AND ALARMING. UH, GIVEN THE CASE NUMBERS THAT WE HAVE TODAY, UH, I THINK WE NEED TO RECONSIDER THAT. UH, THAT IS PROBABLY THE ONLY WAY WE CAN TOUCH EVERY RESIDENT IN SAN ANTONIO. UM, YOU KNOW, SOCIAL MEDIA OR TV, IT'S, UM, IT'S KIND OF JUST LIKE THROWING SOMETHING OUT THERE AND YOU HOPE SOMEONE CATCHES IT. BUT A CALL OR A MESSAGE THAT GOES TO EVERY SINGLE PHONE LINE IN THE AREA, IT'S, UH, IT'S A MUCH BETTER CHANCE OF ACTUALLY REACHING PEOPLE, REMINDING THEM TO TAKE CARE OF THEMSELVES. UH, CURRENTLY THE COVID HOTLINE, UH, HOURS ARE LISTED ON THE WEBSITE AS 8:00 AM TO 4:00 PM MONDAY THROUGH FRIDAY. AND, UH, OVER THE WEEKEND, EIGHT TO 12, I WOULD SUGGEST EXPANDING THAT AS AS WELL. UM, WE'VE SEEN THAT THE NEW CASE NUMBERS IN THE RECENT SURGE, UH, 63% OF THOSE PEOPLE HAVE BEEN UNDER 40 YEARS OLD, AND ALMOST HALF OF THOSE HAVE BEEN BETWEEN THE AGES OF 20 AND 29. SO WE DO NEED TO PROBABLY SHIFT SOME OF THE MESSAGING THAT WE DO SO THAT WE, UH, EFFECTIVELY REACH THOSE POPULATIONS BY WHATEVER MEANS THAT THEY USE, WHETHER IT'S SOCIAL MEDIA, BUT ALSO THE MESSAGES THAT ARE MORE EFFECTIVE TO THEM. I COULDN'T TELL YOU HOW TO BEST COMMUNICATE WITH A 20 YEAR OLD, BECAUSE I'M NOT IN THAT AGE RANGE, UH, ANYMORE. SO I DO THINK IT'S, I KNOW SOME OF YOU'RE SHOCKED TO HEAR THAT, BUT I, I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT TO HEAR FROM, UM, FROM PEOPLE IN THAT AGE RANGE TO GET THEIR INPUT. UM, I ALSO THINK IT'S IMPORTANT TO REACH OUT TO THE SPANISH SPEAKING COMMUNITY. UM, 79% OF THE NEW CASES HAVE BEEN IN PEOPLE WHO IDENTIFY AS HISPANIC. OBVIOUSLY NOT ALL OF THEM SPEAK, UH, SPEAK SPANISH, BUT IT'S QUITE POSSIBLE THAT MANY OF THEM DO. UM, I'VE SUGGESTED ONSITE BUSINESS TRAININGS. I KNOW THAT WE'VE DONE DOOR TO DOOR TO DIFFERENT BUSINESSES, BUT I THINK IT COULD BE HELPFUL TO DO AN ONSITE TRAINING. MAYBE IT'S HALF AN HOUR WITH, UH, WITH A HEALTH WORKER OR SOMEONE WHO CAN, UM, GO OVER BEST PRACTICES, NOT JUST IN THE WORKPLACE, BUT OUTSIDE OF THE WORKPLACE DO TOO. WHAT DO YOU DO WHEN YOU DO CONVENE WITH YOUR FAMILY? UH, I BELIEVE SOME OF THESE CASES ARE PROBABLY NOT JUST COMING FROM BUSINESS INTERACTIONS, BUT FROM A FAMILY, UH, GATHERINGS AND SOCIAL GATHERINGS AS WELL IN PLACES THAT WE DON'T, WE CAN'T REGULATE WITH OUR ORDER RIGHT NOW. UM, I, UH, WROTE IN THERE SOMETHING ABOUT CONTINUING EDUCATION FOR PROVIDERS AND, UH, REACHING OUT AT, UH, CONGREGATION CENTERS LIKE CHURCHES OR SUPERMARKETS. UM, AND THEN THE LAST TWO BULLETS HAVE TO DO WITH DISEASE INVESTIGATION AND CONTACT, UH, TRACING. UM, YOU [01:10:01] KNOW, WE HAVE A LOT OF VOLUNTEERS. WE WANNA MAKE SURE WE HAVE THE MATERIALS AND THE SUPPLIES AND THE SPACE THAT THE VOLUNTEERS NEED IN ORDER TO HELP US. I KNOW WE HAVE, YOU KNOW, HUNDREDS OF NEW CASES EVERY DAY WHERE WE NEED TO CALL THE PATIENT, UM, AND PROBABLY MULTIPLE TIMES. SO I, I JUST WANNA MAKE SURE WE HAVE, YOU KNOW, WHETHER IT'S FAX, MACHINES, PHONES, UH, HEADSETS, THOSE ARE, THOSE ARE CRITICAL THINGS AND, UM, IT'S NOT ROCKET SCIENCE, RIGHT? SO, UH, I THINK THE CARES FUNDING SHOULD BE ABLE TO BE USED, UH, FOR THAT. UM, WELL, THOSE ARE MY COMMENTS, UH, AT THIS POINT IN TIME. UH, THANK YOU VERY MUCH, MAYOR. THANK YOU. UH, COUNCIL MEMBER SANDOVAL. COUNCIL MEMBER GONZALEZ. UH, THANK YOU MAYOR. AND, UM, THANK YOU FOR THOSE THOROUGH QUESTIONS, COUNCILWOMAN, OR SUGGESTIONS. THOSE WERE GREAT. UH, AND ALSO TO MY COLLEAGUE ABOUT THE STATUE. I THINK, UH, IT'S TIME. SO, UM, SOME QUESTIONS I HAVE, UH, REGARDING THE TESTING. UM, THERE WAS ANNOUNCEMENT IN THE NEWS, UH, YESTERDAY ABOUT, UH, LIMITING TESTING FROM THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT, UM, ALL OVER THE COUNTRY. IS THAT IMPACTING US AT ALL? NO, MA'AM, IT DOES NOT. OKAY, GOOD. I'M GLAD TO HEAR THAT. AND SO, UM, GIVEN, UH, YOU KNOW, THE, UM, WE, YOU KNOW, WE INCREASED TO SIX DAYS A WEEK IN TESTING. HAVE WE ALREADY STARTED THAT, OR? YES, WE STARTED ON MONDAY. OKAY. AND SO, UM, I KNOW THAT I'VE SEEN REALLY LONG LINES AT A LOT OF PLACES, SO, UM, ARE WE STARTING TO TAKE RESERVATIONS? IS IT STILL FIRST COME, FIRST SERVE, OR, UM, JUST GIVEN THE HEAT AND, AND THE, MOSTLY THE PEOPLE I SAW WERE IN CARS, UM, WITH THE LINES. SO ARE THEY, IS THAT STILL THE CASE OR IS IT NOW BY APPOINTMENT? WE OFFER TWO DIFFERENT METHODS TO GET TESTED. IF YOU WANT AN APPOINTMENT, UH, YOU CAN GO TO THE FREEMAN COLISEUM, DRIVE-THROUGH FACILITY AND GET IN AND OUT IN 15 MINUTES. IF YOU'D PREFER TO JUST BE ABLE TO WALK UP IN YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD AND GET TESTED, THEN THAT'S WHERE WE'RE DOING THE ROTATING WALKUP SITE SIX DAYS A WEEK. UM, WE DO NOT CURRENTLY OFFER APPOINTMENTS AT THE WALKUP SITES. OKAY. THANK YOU. SO, I KNOW, UM, I I, I FEEL LIKE I'M NOT SEEING THAT INFORMATION LIKE I DID COUPLE OF WEEKS AGO OR MAYBE, YOU KNOW, A WEEK AGO OR SOMETHING. SO I, I, I'M, THIS IS WHY I ALWAYS GET CONCERNED ABOUT, UM, TOO MUCH INFORMATION IS THAT, YOU KNOW, WE DON'T, I DON'T SEE IT ANYMORE. SO I, I'M NOT SURE WHAT THE SOLUTION TO THAT IS. IT LOOKS LIKE, JEFF, YOU WANNA SAY SOMETHING? I, I, I DO GET A LITTLE BIT CONCERNED WITH JUST LIKE TOO MUCH INFORMATION. WELL, SORRY. THANKS. THAT IS A CHALLENGE RIGHT NOW. IS, UM, THANKS. CLIFF IS CUTTING THROUGH ALL THE INFORMATION. THERE'S A TON OF IT. THERE'S NO QUESTION. JUST IN THE PAST 10 MINUTES, WE'VE HAD ABOUT FOUR OR FIVE DIFFERENT TOPICS. WE'VE TALKED ABOUT WANTING TO GET OUT TO PEOPLE. UM, WE HAVE BEEN PUSHING A LOT OF THE TESTING OR THE NUANCES THAT WE'VE ADDED AND THAT WE WOULD ASK YOU ALL TO HELP US WITH IS ENCOURAGING THOSE WHO DO HAVE HEALTH INSURANCE TO SEEK TESTING THROUGH A PROVIDER SO THAT WE CAN RESERVE THOSE WALK UP AND THOSE, UH, DRIVE UP AT RESERVE AT FREEMAN FOR FOLKS WHO DON'T HAVE INSURANCE. UM, BUT WE'VE BEEN PUTTING A LOT OF INFORMATION OUT THROUGH SOCIAL MEDIA. OUR, OUR PARTNERS IN THE MEDIA, WE'RE SPREADING A LOT OF IT THIS WEEKEND. UH, AS THE, UM, RESERVATIONS HAVE FILLED UP, UH, YOU KNOW, FOR PERIODS OF TIME WE'VE BEEN UPDATING INFORMATION ON THE WEBSITE AND OUR, OUR CALL TAKERS AT THE HOTLINE HAVE THAT SO THAT WE CAN LET PEOPLE KNOW, UH, WHAT THE, THE PERIOD OF TIME IS RIGHT NOW THAT WE'RE SCHEDULING OUT. BUT, UH, WE ARE CONTINUING TO PUSH THE, THE TESTING PIECE, UH, FOR CERTAIN AS WELL AS MASKS AND OTHER, UH, INFORMATION AND OTHER THINGS. AND SO IT, YOU KNOW, A COUPLE OF, I DON'T KNOW IF IT'S BEEN DAYS NOW OR WE, UM, THERE WAS, UH, SOME INFORMATION THAT WE WERE HAVING A DIF WE WERE HAVING A DIFFICULT TIME CONTACTING PEOPLE, UM, BECAUSE OF, UH, YOU KNOW, NOT HAVING, UM, CALLER ID AND CALLBACK NUMBERS. HAS THAT NOW BEEN CORRECTED? IT HASN'T BEEN CORRECTED, BUT WE HAVE A PLAN TO CORRECT IT. OKAY. ONE OF THE THINGS WE'RE WORKING ON IS, UM, COMBINING THE PHONE CALL THAT NOTIFIES PEOPLE OF THEIR POSITIVE TEST RESULTS WITH THE CASE INVESTIGATION AT THE SAME TIME THAT GOES INTO EFFECT JULY 1ST. ANOTHER THING THAT WE'RE WORKING ON IS CHANGING THE CALLER ID SO THAT IT SAYS COVID OFFICIAL RESULTS OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT. THEY'RE WORKING ON THAT WITH IT. THEY EXPECT TO HAVE THAT READY TO ROLL OUT BY JULY 1ST AS WELL. UM, AND I THINK THE MEDIA HAS DONE A NICE JOB OF HELPING US GET [01:15:01] THE MESSAGE OUT TO ANSWER THE CALL. UM, COUNCILMAN SANDOVAL SENT US A GOOD EXAMPLE OF, UM, A POSTER THAT OTHER AREAS HAVE USED REALLY TARGETING THE, THE YOUNGER DEMOGRAPHIC. AND, UM, THE THING THAT THEY CAN DO TO HELP WITH THIS RESPONSE IS TO ANSWER THE CALL. SO WE'RE, WE'RE WORKING WITH G P A ON, ON THAT LEVEL OF MESSAGING. OKAY, GOOD. I HOPE WE CAN CORRECT THAT AS SOON AS POSSIBLE. WHICH SORT OF LEADS TO THEN MY NEXT QUESTION ABOUT, YOU KNOW, I MEAN, I, I, I SAW THAT THERE WAS A VERY CONSISTENT PLAN FOR, UM, HAVING CONTRACT TRACERS AND, UM, YOU KNOW, AND ENOUGH PEOPLE TO ANSWER THE CALLS AND, BUT JUST GIVEN THIS HUGE SPIKE WE'VE SEEN, HAVE WE BEEN ABLE TO RAMP UP THAT PART IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE NUMBER OF POSITIVE CASES? NOT AS QUICKLY AS PREFERRED? UM, METRO HEALTH IS WORKING ON IT, BUT WE ARE NOT WHERE WE NEED TO BE, AND AS A RESULT, WE ARE SEEING A BIT OF A DELAY. OKAY. UM, I WOULD JUST, UM, I THINK, I DON'T, I DON'T WANNA SAY THIS BIKE WAS UNEXPECTED. I MEAN, I THINK WE, I FEEL LIKE WE'VE BEEN PLANNING FOR IT. UM, BUT YOU KNOW, NOW IT'S UPON US. AND, AND SO, UM, I, I JUST, I KNOW WE NEED TO MOVE AS QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE TO, TO DO THAT, AND I BELIEVE THAT WE ARE, BUT, UM, WE ALSO NEED THE HELP OF THE COMMUNITY TO DO THEIR PART AS WELL. UM, AND AS JUST IN SOME OF THE REPORTS I WAS READING, THE DIFFICULTY IN THE CONTACT TRACING IS BECAUSE PEOPLE HAVE BEEN SO MANY PLACES AND SEEN SO MANY FRIENDS, AND, UM, I KNOW WE MISS PEOPLE. I MEAN, I KNOW I HAVE MISSED, UM, SEEING MY CONSTITUENTS, UM, AND, AND ESPECIALLY DURING THE BUDGET MEETINGS. UH, BUT THAT'S ALSO THE DIFFICULTY OF THE TRACING IS THAT PEOPLE ARE ALL OVER THE PLACE. SO THEN IT'S HARD TO DETERMINE WHERE AM I RIGHT ABOUT THAT? OR IS THAT JUST A, UM, THAT, THAT'S ONE OF THE CHALLENGES, UM, IS THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE WHO WE NEED TO, UM, IDENTIFY AND TRACK DOWN. UM, BUT TO BE HONEST WITH YOU, THE BIGGEST CHALLENGE WE HAVE HAVE RIGHT NOW IS TO EVEN START THE CASE INVESTIGATION PROCESS. WE NEED PEOPLE TO ANSWER OUR CALL. OKAY. WELL, THAT'S, UH, UH, RULE NUMBER ONE. SO THAT ACTUALLY MESSAGE I HAVE SEEN. SO, UM, UH, YOU KNOW, HOPEFULLY WE CAN CONTINUE TO DO THAT. AND SO JUST, UH, MY LAST QUESTION, THANK YOU VERY MUCH, UH, DR. BRIDGER, UM, IS, UH, REGARDING, UH, OF COURSE THE, UM, THE ORDER THAT LOOKS LIKE WAS CONFIRMED ABOUT THE, UM, UH, NOT TAKING EMERGENCY SURGERIES RIGHT NOW, UM, IS THAT, ARE WE, UH, HOW SECURE ARE WE IN OUR HOSPITALIZATION RATES HERE IN SAN ANTONIO? I KNOW THERE WAS A REPORT YESTERDAY, BUT I THINK, UM, THAT IS, UH, WHAT'S OF GREAT CONCERN. SO IF YOU COULD JUST REITERATE WHAT THAT LOOKS LIKE FOR US HERE LOCALLY, WE GET DATA EVERY DAY ON HOW MANY HOSPITAL BEDS ARE AVAILABLE, HOW MANY VENTILATORS ARE AVAILABLE, AND HOW MANY I C U BEDS ARE AVAILABLE. UM, WE ALSO HAVE MODIFIED THE INDICATORS SO THAT IT IS MORE SENSITIVE TO CHANGES. UM, AND WHAT WE'RE SEEING IS DEFINITELY A TREND. UM, I THINK THE LAST DATA POINT I SAW WAS THAT THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE HAS INCREASED 500% FROM, UM, UM, SIX WEEKS AGO TO WHERE WE ARE YESTERDAY. UM, AND THAT IS STRESSING THE HOSPITALS. UM, THE BIGGEST CHALLENGE THAT THEY HAVE RIGHT NOW IS HAVING ENOUGH STAFF. SO BED AVAILABILITY IS, IS, UM, STABLE, BUT HAVING ENOUGH STAFF IS A CHALLENGE FOR THEM. THEY'VE PUT IN LIKE 15 DIFFERENT STEPS, UM, IN ORDER TO ADDRESS THAT AND, UM, HAVE REALLY BEEN VERY PROACTIVE. BUT RIGHT NOW THERE ARE STILL, UM, OVER 20% OF BEDS AVAILABLE, UH, AT THE, AT THE HOSPITALS. UM, AND THEY THEMSELVES HAD BEGUN TO REVIEW ALL SURGERIES. UM, AGAIN, I THINK SOMETIMES PEOPLE HEAR ELECTIVE SURGERIES AND THINK THAT IT'S PLASTIC SURGERY OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT. UM, THESE ARE, UM, MEDICALLY NECESSARY IN ORDER TO DETERMINE A COURSE OF TREATMENT. SO SOMEBODY WHO, UM, NEEDS TO HAVE A, A BIOPSY OR SOMEBODY WHO NEEDS TO HAVE, UM, A GANGRENOUS TOE REMOVED, UM, THOSE ARE THINGS THAT ARE CRITICAL TO THE PERSON'S, UM, HEALTH, BUT STILL FALL UNDER THE CATEGORY OF ELECTIVE. SO, UM, THEY'VE BEEN BEING VERY SMART IN HOW THEY'VE BEEN LIMITING THE NUMBER OF SURGERIES THAT THEY PROVIDE, BUT THAT IT'S NOW IT'S IN THE GOVERNOR'S HANDS. WELL, UM, THANK YOU FOR THE UPDATE AND, AND JUST ALLOWING ME TO VERBALIZE SOME OF THE QUESTIONS, UM, THAT I KNOW. YOU KNOW, WE, WE GET A DAILY REPORT [01:20:01] EVERY NIGHT. I KNOW, I, I LOOK WITH GREAT ANTICIPATION FOR THE REPORT EVERY NIGHT. UM, AND, BUT THAT INFORMATION DOESN'T GET SHARED TO THE PUBLIC, AND WE DO SOMETIMES GET OVERWHELMED WITH SO MUCH INFORMATION. IT'S HARD TO KNOW, UH, REALLY WHAT'S HAPPENING TODAY. SO CONTINUING TO REMIND EVERYBODY TO, TO PLEASE, UH, TAKE CARE. THANK YOU. MAYOR, IF I MAY, WE ALREADY HAVE THE GOVERNOR'S ORDER. WE HAVE A QUICK SUMMARY SLIDE IF WE CAN, SINCE WE'RE STILL ON THE SAME TOPIC. CAN YOU PUT THAT UP PLEASE? SO, WE DID RECEIVE THE GOVERNOR'S ORDERS GA 27. UH, IT DOES POSTPONE ALL SURGERIES AND PROCEDURES NOT MEDICALLY NECESSARY TO DIAGNOSE OR CORRECT A SERIOUS MEDICAL CONDITION OR TO PRESERVE THE LIFE OF THE PATIENT. SO JUST AS, UH, DR. BRIDGER WAS JUST SAYING, UM, THOSE SURGERIES THAT ARE NEEDED TO DIAGNOSE OR CORRECT SERIOUS MEDICAL CONDITIONS, THOSE STILL CAN GO FORWARD. IT APPLIES TO BEAR DALLAS, HARRIS, AND TRAVIS COUNTIES. UH, THE OTHER EXCEPTION OR THE EXCEPTION IS THAT SUR SURGERIES OR PROCEDURES THAT IF PERFORMED ACCORDING TO STANDARD PRACTICE, WOULD NOT DEPLETE HOSPITAL CAPACITY FOR C OVID 19 TREATMENT. THOSE ARE ALLOWED AS WELL. UH, SO THAT'S THE, UH, GOVERNOR'S ORDER THAT HE JUST ISSUED THIS MORNING. THANK YOU, MAYOR. THANKS, ANDY. COUNCIL MEMBER AND, UH, RO CHAIR GARCIA. THANK YOU, MAYOR. UM, AND THANK YOU TO MY COLLEAGUES. I, UM, WANNA ALSO REMIND EVERYBODY THAT COVID DOESN'T TAKE A BREAK, SO WE CONTINUE TO WORK. UM, I KNOW THAT, UH, THERE'S A MISUNDERSTANDING THAT WE'RE OFF DURING JULY, BUT WE ARE NOT, WE CONTINUE TO WORK AND, UM, MY OFFICE IS ALSO AVAILABLE AS WE WERE, UM, LAST, UH, YEAR. UM, I HAVE A QUESTION, AND THESE ARE ALL PROBABLY QUESTIONS FOR DR. BRIDGER. AND SO FIRST, CAN YOU HELP ME UNDERSTAND, I'VE HAD SEVERAL OF MY CONSTITUENTS SEND, UM, MESSAGES OR CALL US, AND THEY WERE SPECIFICALLY WORRIED BECAUSE EVERY TIME THAT THEY'VE, UM, BEEN CALLING IT, THERE'S LIKE A TWO HOUR AND A HALF WAIT OR THERE'S BUSY PHONE LINES. UM, I HAD REPORTS OF FOLKS THAT WENT OUT AT 4:30 AM THIS MORNING TO LINES. THEY'RE STANDING OUT IN THE HEAT. AND, AND I'M JUST, UH, I'M JUST WONDERING IF YOU COULD HELP ME, UM, SPREAD THE MESSAGE RIGHT NOW. UH, TELL EVERYBODY WHAT WE'RE DOING TO ALLEVIATE SOME OF THOSE WAIT TIMES. CAN YOU LET EVERYBODY KNOW DR. BRIDGER? SURE. UM, WE HAVE BROUGHT IN THE TEXAS MILITARY DEPARTMENT TO VASTLY EXPAND OUR ABILITY TO PROVIDE TESTS. UM, OVER THE WEEKEND, THEY DID OVER A THOUSAND TESTS JUST ON THOSE TWO DAYS. SO THAT HAS REALLY HELPED US. UM, WE ARE, WE, AS I'VE MENTIONED BEFORE, HAVE EXPANDED THE, UM, THE POP-UP SITES TO SIX DAYS A WEEK. AND, UM, WE ARE ALSO WORKING WITH ALL OF THE PRIVATE CLINICS, UM, TO ENCOURAGE THEM TO EXPAND THEIR TESTING AS WELL. UM, SO YOU KNOW, WE'RE, SO THAT'S, THAT'S TODAY. UM, DOWN THE ROAD, WE ARE NEGOTIATING AN INCREASE IN THE NUMBER OF TESTS THAT, UM, WE CAN SEND TO OUR C P L LAB FOR PROCESSING, UM, LOOKING AT ADDING ADDITIONAL, UM, LABS LIKE LABCORP IN ORDER TO BE ABLE TO DO ADDITIONAL TESTS. UM, SO WE RECOGNIZE THAT A LACK OF TESTING STILL REMAINS A PROBLEM. UM, WE'RE ALSO EXPLORING ANOTHER OPPORTUNITY TO BRING IN SOME ORAL TESTS, AGAIN, THROUGH THE STATE. UM, AND THAT COULD, WE COULD DO, UM, A SIGNIFICANT NUMBER OF TESTS EVERY DAY IF WE CAN MOVE FORWARD ON THAT. SO, UM, WE, WE ARE TRYING TO PULL ALL THOSE PIECES TOGETHER INTO INCREASING ACCESS TO PEOPLE'S TESTING. AND, UM, DR. BRIDGER, IF I UNDERSTAND CORRECTLY, THE TEXAS, UM, MILITARY, THE, THE FOLKS THAT YOU MENTIONED A WHILE AGO, THEY'VE BEEN AVAILABLE TO US BEFORE. AND SO IF WE JUST STARTED RAMPING UP WITH THEM THIS, WAS THERE A REASON? WAS THERE THERE SOMETHING THAT WAS HOLDING US BACK FROM USING THAT, FROM THAT ACCESS? CAN YOU HELP ME UNDERSTAND THAT AS WELL? Y YOU'RE CORRECT. WE DID USE THEM EARLY ON IN THE RESPONSE BACK IN APRIL, UM, AND THEN TWO THINGS HAPPENED. ONE, THEY WERE OVERWHELMED AND IT WAS TAKING UP TO TWO WEEKS TO GET LAB RESULTS BACK. AND THAT WAS UNACCEPTABLE. AND THE NUMBER OF CASES AND THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE WANTING TO BE TESTED FELL SIGNIFICANTLY AFTER THAT FIRST WAVE THAT WE HAD IN APRIL. UM, SO FOR THOSE TWO REASONS, WE, UM, DID NOT REQUEST THAT THEY COME INTO BEXAR COUNTY. UM, BUT WITH THIS RECENT SURGE, WE HAVE REQUESTED THAT THEY RETURN, THEY HAVE RETURNED, UM, THEY ARE DOING A BETTER JOB WITH GETTING THE TEST RESULTS BACK TO US. THEY HAVE SWITCHED TO A DIFFERENT LAB. SO WE'RE GETTING THOSE RESULTS BACK IN A MORE TIMELY MANNER. OKAY. THANK YOU. AND I [01:25:01] KNOW THAT, UH, AND THANK YOU FOR ANSWERING THE, THE OTHER QUESTION I APPRECIATE THAT WE'RE TRYING TO ADD, UM, A SECOND LAB AS I UNDERSTAND. WHAT IS THE AVERAGE WEIGHT RIGHT NOW FOR TEST RESULTS? I KNOW THAT, UH, I, I THINK LAST WEEK IT WAS FIVE TO EIGHT DAYS. WERE DO WE HAVE AN UPDATE ON WHAT THE TIME PERIOD IS TO WAIT FOR TEST RESULTS? SOME OF THAT DEPENDS ON WHERE YOU GET YOUR TEST. UM, IT, FOR PEOPLE WHO ARE GOING TO SOME OF THE URGENT CARE CENTERS WHO ARE OFFERING THE RAPID TEST, THAT'S A 15 MINUTE TEST, UM, THAT IS A RELIABLE RESULT. WE HAVE NO PROBLEM WITH PEOPLE, UM, GETTING THOSE TESTS OR PROVIDERS USING THOSE TESTS. SO, UM, THOSE FOLKS GET IT IN 15 MINUTES. FOR PEOPLE WHO ARE STILL GETTING THE P C R TEST, UM, THAT CAN BE ANYWHERE FROM THREE TO FIVE DAYS BEFORE THE RESULTS RETURN. OKAY. AND DR. BRIDGER, I, I THINK I HAD ASKED THIS BEFORE, BUT HONESTLY I DON'T REMEMBER, UH, IF I DID OR DIDN'T, BUT ARE WE ALSO USING TEXT MESSAGING OR ARE WE JUST USING PHONE CALLS AND, AND VOICEMAILS DO, ARE WE ALSO ABLE TO CONNECT THEIR TEXT MESSAGING TO, UH, PATIENTS WHO MAYBE AREN'T PICKING UP THE PHONE? WE ARE, UM, NOT YET USING TEXT MESSAGING. THAT WAS ONE OF THE ITEMS THAT CAME UP AS A KIND OF A MEDIUM TERM SOLUTION TO, UM, TEXT INDIVIDUALS WHO TEST POSITIVE TO HAVE THEM COMPLETE THE CASE INVESTIGATION FORM THEMSELVES ON THE PHONE AND SEND IT BACK TO US. UM, SO WE ARE WORKING WITH IT IN ORDER TO PURSUE THAT TECHNOLOGY. WE DO NOT CURRENTLY HAVE THAT AVAILABLE. OKAY. AND SO I, I THINK THAT IN THAT AGE GROUP, 20 TO 29, UH, I THINK A LOT OF OUR CONSTITUENTS WOULD PROBABLY APPRECIATE THAT AND, AND SEE THAT COMING. SO, SO I'D ENCOURAGE YOU AND I, I DON'T KNOW HOW LONG IT WOULD TAKE, BUT I THINK WE SHOULD PROBABLY DEDICATE SOME, SOME, SOME MORE TIME AND EFFORT ON THAT PART. I DO AGREE WITH MY COUNCIL COLLEAGUE, UH, COUNCILMAN SANDOVAL ON ADDING SOME ADDITIONAL HOT MIND TIMES AND, AND ALSO, UH, LOOKING AT THE SPANISH SPEAKING POPULATION AND HOW WE'RE, UM, HELPING THEM UNDERSTAND THAT THIS HAS NOT GONE AWAY, THAT IT, IT'S IN FACT A LITTLE BIT MORE PREVALENT. SO I APPRECIATE OUR COMMENTS. I DO ALSO WANNA, UM, APPRECIATE COUNCILMAN ANDREW SULLIVAN A FEW WEEKS AGO HAD BROUGHT UP THE REACHING OUT THROUGH CHURCHES AND, AND POSSIBLY YOUTH GROUPS AS WELL. AND SO, UM, I THINK COUNCILMAN SANDOVAL, UH, AGAIN, UH, MENTIONED THAT TODAY. SO, UH, IF THERE'S ANY WAY THAT MAYBE WE COULD SEE A LIST OF PARTNERS THAT YOU ALL ARE, ARE WORKING WITH, UH, OR IF YOU NEED OUR HELP, WE'D BE HAPPY TO SHARE, UH, THE GROUPS IN OUR AREA THAT MIGHT BE ABLE TO HELP YOU, UM, GET ACCESS TO SEND OUT THAT INFORMATION. SO I JUST WANTED TO, UM, TO, TO THROW THAT OUT THERE. I'M SURE ALL MY COLLEAGUES WOULD, WOULD LOVE TO SHARE INFORMATION. UM, THERE'S, UH, IS THERE A DIFFERENCE, CAN YOU HELP ME UNDERSTAND THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE WALKUP SITE AND THE APPOINTMENT SITE? SO I UNDERSTAND, AND AGAIN, I'VE GOTTEN SEVERAL CALLS FROM MY CONSTITUENTS THAT SAY, WELL, I WALKED UP TO, FOR INSTANCE, TO JORDAN MIDDLE SCHOOL, AND THE APPOINTMENTS WERE GOING THROUGH 2:00 PM BUT THEY WERE ALREADY FULL BY LIKE NINE SOMETHING AM AND SO, CAN YOU HELP ME UNDERSTAND THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE WALKUP SITES AND THE APPOINTMENT SITES? LIKE, LIKE THERE, LIKE, UH, OVER THAT WE HAVE AT THE FREEMAN, THE, THE DRIVE THROUGH, UH, TESTING SITE AT FREEMAN COLISEUM, YOU HAVE TO CALL, GET AN APPOINTMENT, UM, AND YOU CAN BE IN AND OUT IN 15 MINUTES. THE CHALLENGES THAT, UM, WE'RE LIMITED TO BEING ABLE TO DO ABOUT 350 TESTS A DAY AT THAT SITE. AND, UM, WE ARE LOOKING AT HOW TO EXPAND THAT RIGHT NOW. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT IS STAFFING THAT, AND AS YOU CAN IMAGINE, THERE BEING, UM, STRETCHED RATHER THIN. SO WE ARE LOOKING AT OTHER OPTIONS FOR HOW TO EXPAND THAT. UM, FOR THE, THE POP-UP TESTING SITES, WE'VE INCREASED, I DON'T, IF YOU REMEMBER IN THE BEGINNING, WE WERE LIMITING IT TO ABOUT 150, BUT THEN WE WOULD BRING 175 IF NEEDED. UM, WE THEN INCREASED IT AND INCREASED IT AND INCREASED IT. WE'RE NOW AT ABOUT 300 AT EACH OF THE POP-UP SITES, BUT WE'LL COUNT TO 300, UM, IN LESS THAN AN HOUR. AND THEN WE'LL HAVE RUN OUT OF TESTS AND SUPPLIES, AND WE'LL NEED TO TELL PEOPLE WHERE THEY NEED TO GO THE NEXT DAY TO, TO BE TESTED. OKAY. THANK YOU, DR. BRIDGER. I, I THINK THAT'S HELPFUL AND, AND SOME FOLKS WE'RE WONDERING. AND SO THAT 300 NUMBER I, I THINK IS IMPORTANT. UM, AND, AND I KNOW WE'RE WORKING ON INCREASING IT. ALSO, I WANNA SAY THANK YOU FOR, UM, CONTRIBUTING E EVERY DAY. YOUR STAFF HAS BEEN DOING A WONDERFUL JOB AND, AND DR. EMRICH AND HER ENTIRE STAFF AS WELL. THE REPORTS THAT WE GET ON A DAILY BASIS, I THINK ARE VERY, UH, IMPORTANT. AND, AND I APPRECIATE IT AND I APPRECIATE THAT. UM, THE MAYOR'S BACK ON THE DAILY, UH, BRIEFINGS, UM, BECAUSE I WATCH THEM [01:30:01] AND I, UM, YOU KNOW, GET ALL OF MY QUESTIONS, A LOT OF MY QUESTIONS ANSWERED FROM THERE. UM, ALSO, I, I WANNA THANK YOU DR. BRIDGER, FOR COMBINING THE CALLS ABOUT THE RESULTS AND THE CONTRACT OR CONTACT TRACING. I THINK THAT'S IMPORTANT, UM, BECAUSE I DON'T KNOW THAT SOME PEOPLE WOULD PICK UP THE PHONE A SECOND TIME TO AN UNKNOWN NUMBER. SO, UH, THANK YOU FOR THINKING OF THAT. I KNOW THAT I HAD SEVERAL PEOPLE REACH OUT AND SAY, HEY, I GOT A CALL FROM A NUMBER THAT WASN'T A 2 0 7 NUMBER, AND SO I DIDN'T REALIZE IT WAS MY, UM, RESULT. SO, SO THANK YOU FOR THAT. I APPRECIATE IT. AND THOSE ARE ALL MY, MY COMMENTS AND QUESTIONS. THANK YOU, MAYOR. THANK YOU. COUNCIL MEMBER ROCHA GARCIA, COUNCIL MEMBER CURRY. THANK YOU MAYOR. DR. BRIDGER, I'M SORRY YOU DON'T HAVE TIME TO SIT DOWN. UH, ONE OF THE, ONE OF THE THINGS I WANNA HAVE CLARIFIED IS I'VE HEARD OUR PRESIDENT SAY WE'RE DOING MORE TESTING THAN WE NEED, AND THEN I'VE HEARD MANY PEOPLE IN THE PUBLIC DECLARE, WELL, THE REASON WHY WE'VE GOT SO MANY INFECTIONS IS BECAUSE WE'RE DOING SO MUCH MORE TESTING THAN WE DID BEFORE. COULD YOU EXPLAIN THE, UH, THE TESTING AND HOW IT TELLS US ABOUT THE INFECTIONS AND HOW THAT LEADS TO HOSPITALIZATIONS? AND IS IT ALL RELATED TO JUST MORE TESTING? OKAY. SO, UM, THE THING THAT'S IMPORTANT TO UNDERSTAND IS THAT WE'VE BEEN MEASURING TWO THINGS WHEN IT COMES TO TESTING. WE'VE BEEN MEASURING THE NUMBER OF TESTS THAT WE DO AND THE POSITIVITY RATE, AND THAT'S THE, THOSE ARE THE TWO CHECKS AND BALANCES WHEN IT COMES TO TESTING. BECAUSE WHAT WE WANNA MAKE SURE IS, UM, JUST BECAUSE WE'RE TESTING MORE PEOPLE DOESN'T NECESSARILY MEAN THAT WE'RE GONNA BE FINDING MORE POSITIVES. AND SO WE'RE MONITORING THAT. WHAT WE'RE SEEING IN THIS CURRENT SPIKE IS, UM, YES, WE'RE TESTING MORE PEOPLE, BUT ALSO OUR POSITIVITY RATE HAS MORE THAN DOUBLED IN THE LAST MONTH, WHICH TELLS US THAT WE'RE TESTING THE RIGHT PEOPLE AND WE'RE FINDING PEOPLE WHO ARE POSITIVE. SO I, I DON'T THINK THAT IT'S A TRUE STATEMENT TO SAY THAT THE REASON WHY WE HAVE MORE CASES IS JUST BECAUSE WE'RE TESTING MORE, WE HAVE MORE CASES BECAUSE WE HAVE MORE CASES. UM, THE OTHER THING THAT BACKS THAT UP IS THE, THE INCREASE IN PEOPLE BEING HOSPITALIZED. AS I MENTIONED, THERE'S A 500% INCREASE IN THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE WHO ARE BEING HOSPITALIZED FROM SIX WEEKS AGO TO TODAY. HOSPITALS DON'T ADMIT PEOPLE WHO DON'T NEED TO BE ADMITTED. THEY ARE TESTING POSITIVE FOR C OVID 19. SO THAT'S ANOTHER INDICATOR TO ME THAT THE, THE CASE RATE HERE IN SAN ANTONIO HAS INDEED INCREASED SIGNIFICANTLY OVER THE LAST MONTH. UH, IS THE RATE, UH, INCREASED? SO WHAT IS THE, THE RATE COMPARED TO A MONTH OR TWO AGO WHEN YOU WERE TESTING THE, THE CASE RATE HAS ALSO INCREASED, UM, ABOUT, WELL, YES, THE CASE RATE HAS, HAS INCREASED. IT TOO HAS ABOUT DOUBLED SINCE THE, UM, THE END OF THE LAST WAVE TO WHERE WE ARE NOW, BECAUSE I REMEMBER SEEING SOME OF THE RESULTS SHOWING THAT THE RATES WERE GOING DOWN TO THREE OR 4% OF THE PEOPLE BEING TESTED. WHAT WAS THE MOST RECENT RATE? SO THE POSITIVITY RATE, UM, MOST RECENTLY WAS OVER 10%. UM, AT ITS LOW IT WAS AROUND 3%. SO, UM, THAT IS A SIGNIFICANT INCREASE. THE OTHER THING IS, IN THE BEGINNING THERE WAS SOME CONCERN ABOUT, UM, YOU KNOW, DO WE TEST SYMPTOMATIC PEOPLE? DO WE TEST ASYMPTOMATIC PEOPLE? THERE WAS A WORRY THAT IF WE TEST TOO MANY ASYMPTOMATIC PEOPLE WILL RUN OUTTA TESTS. UM, WHAT WE'RE FINDING IS THE VAST MAJORITY OF THE PEOPLE WE'RE TESTING ARE SICK. THEY FEEL SICK. THAT'S WHY THEY GO TO GET THE TEST. OKAY. UH, I UNDERSTOOD THAT A FEW WEEKS AGO WE ENDEAVORED TO TEST AT LEAST 50 FAMILIES IN EVERY COUNCIL DISTRICT. AND I'D BEEN EXPECTING TO HEAR THE RE REPORT FROM THAT, WHICH GIVES US KIND OF A CITYWIDE LOOK AT WHAT KIND OF INFECTION RATE WE MIGHT HAVE, BUT WE HAVEN'T HEARD ANYTHING ABOUT THAT. YEAH. COULD YOU TELL US IF THAT'S BEEN FINALIZED? AND THAT'S A, THAT'S A GOOD QUESTION, UH, THAT I DO NOT KNOW THE ANSWER TO. UM, I WILL FIND OUT, UM, THAT WAS THE ASYMPTOMATIC RESEARCH STUDY, AND I THINK YOU'RE RIGHT. I THINK THOSE RESULTS WERE DUE SOMETIME AROUND NOW. SO I'LL CHECK IN, UM, WITH THE, THE TEAM AND SEE IF THEY CAN GIVE US AN UPDATE AND WE'LL SEND IT OUT WITH THE, THE MANAGER'S DAILY UPDATE. MM-HMM. , UH, I'VE LOOKED AT THE NUMBERS AND I THINK MANY WHO FOLLOW THIS ARE CONCERNED RIGHT NOW. FROM WHAT I SEE, AND YOU CAN TELL ME IF YOU THINK I'M OFF, ABOUT 85% OF THOSE WHO TEST POSITIVE ARE BELOW THE AGE OF 60 MEANS EIGHT AND A HALF, 8 85 [01:35:01] OUT OF EVERY A HUNDRED WHO ARE POSITIVE ARE UNDER THE AGE OF 60. BUT WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE WHO HAVE DIED, UH, OVER A HUNDRED NOW, 75% OF THOSE ARE OVER THE AGE OF 60. IS THAT PRETTY ACCURATE? YEAH. SO THE YOUNGER ARE GETTING SICKER AND SICKER, BUT THE ONES WHO ARE DYING ARE THE OLDER THAT PRETTY MUCH SUM IT UP. I WOULD REPHRASE THAT TOO. MORE AND MORE OF THE YOUNGER ARE GETTING SICK, BUT IT'S THE PEOPLE OVER 65 WHO SUFFER THE MOST SERIOUS CONSEQUENCES AND ARE MOST LIKELY TO DIE. WHEN YOU'VE DONE CONTRACT TRACING ON SOME OF THE OLDER PEOPLE WHO HAVE GONE INTO THE HOSPITAL WHO HAVE BEEN VERY SICK OR HAVE PASSED AWAY, HOW HAVE THEY CONTRACTED IT? 'CAUSE I KNOW I'M 69, I'M STAYING HOME. HOW ARE THESE OLDER PEOPLE CONTRACTING THIS? WHAT ARE THEY TELLING YOU? I, I DON'T HAVE THAT INFORMATION. I'LL CHECK IN WITH THE TEAM AND WE'LL INCLUDE THAT AT THE END OF THE, THE DAY. I GUESS I'LL JUST PUT OUT A WORD OF CAUTION TO EVERYBODY WHO'S YOUNG TO WATCH OUT FOR THEIR, THEIR FAMILY, THEIR GRANDPARENTS. UH, IT, IT SEEMS PRETTY OBVIOUS THAT A LOT OF OLDER PEOPLE ARE GETTING INFECTED AND, UH, THAT HAS TO HAVE SOMETHING TO DO WITH MANY OF THE YOUNGER PEOPLE IN THEIR FAMILIES THAT THEY COME IN CONTACT WITH. UH, SO PEOPLE BEWARE. I'VE GOT ANOTHER QUESTION. YOU KNOW, WE'VE GOT SO MANY MORE PEOPLE IN THE HOSPITAL, AND I, I KNOW WE'RE TALKING ABOUT HAVING ENOUGH HEALTHCARE PROFESSIONALS TO SERVICE THOSE BEDS. WHAT ARE WE HEARING FROM THE NUMBER OF NURSES OR HEALTHCARE PROFESSIONALS WHO HAVE BEEN CONTRACTING THE VIRUS RECENTLY? IS THERE AN UPTICK THERE? AND HOW IS THAT GOING TO AFFECT THE AVAILABILITY OF BEDS? WE'VE BEEN MONITORING THAT FROM THE BEGINNING, AND I, OFF THE TOP OF MY HEAD, I WANNA SAY ABOUT 15% OF, UM, OUR CASES ARE HEALTHCARE WORKERS, BUT THE MAJORITY OF THEM WERE INFECTED NOT ON THE JOB. UM, WHAT WE'RE SEEING IS THAT AS WE LEARN MORE AND MORE ABOUT HOW THE VIRUS IS TRANSMITTED, UM, HEALTHCARE WORKERS ARE DOING A GOOD JOB OF STAYING PROTECTED AGAINST THE VIRUS WHILE THEY ARE ON THE JOB. I GUESS THOUGH, IT'S REGARDLESS OF WHETHER THEY, THEY GET IT ON THE JOB OR THEY GET IT IN THE COMMUNITY, THE FEWER WE HAVE AVAILABLE TO SERVICE THOSE BEDS, THAT MEANS THE FEWER BEDS WE HAVE AVAILABLE FOR PEOPLE TO GO IN WHO ARE SICK WITH COVID. RIGHT? THAT'S CORRECT. OKAY. WELL, I JUST WANTED TO CLARIFY A FEW OF THOSE THINGS. I HOPE WE GET THAT REPORT THAT WAS WORKED ON, I THINK A MONTH AGO, PRETTY SOON. THANK YOU VERY MUCH, MAYOR. UH, MAYOR, CAN I JUMP IN REAL QUICK AND JUST, UH, ANSWER PART OF, UH, COUNCILMAN KO'S QUESTION? 'CAUSE I'M LOOKING AT THE NUMBERS, UH, THAT POSITIVITY RATE THAT, UH, DR. BRIDGER WAS TALKING ABOUT, UM, ON THE WEEK OF MAY 17TH. UH, IT WAS 3.6%, MAY 24TH, 3.6%, UH, MAY 31ST, THE WEEK OF MAY 31ST, 4.5, JUNE 7TH, 9.3. AND ON JUNE 14TH, UM, 16.9, THIS NUMBER WILL BE UPDATED, UH, THIS COMING MONDAY. AND, AND I THINK THAT GETS TO THE POINT THAT DR. BRIDGER WAS TALKING ABOUT AND THE INCREASE IN OUR POSITIVITY RATE. THANK YOU, COUNCIL MEMBER COURAGE. COUNCIL MEMBER PALAIS. UM, THANKS, MAYOR. I, I, I WANNA MAKE TWO COMMENTS. ONE, UM, YESTERDAY WE SAW PLAY OUT IN THE NEWS, UH, THIS, UM, THIS DISTURBING SCENARIO WHERE A MAN WAS BERATING A FEMALE, UM, HOURLY WORKER AT LOWE'S, AND THEN, UH, YOU KNOW, OVER HAVING TO WEAR A MASK. AND THEN, UH, AND, UM, THAT MAN'S BEEN ARRESTED THIS MORNING, BUT, YOU KNOW, COUNCIL MAY BE GROUND SAID SOMETHING, WHICH IS, YOU KNOW, IF YOU'VE GOT A PROBLEM WEARING MASKS, YOU KNOW, PLEASE STAY AT HOME AND DON'T PUT THE REST OF US AT RISK. I, I, WHAT I, WHAT I WOULD SAY TO ADD TO THAT IS, IF YOUR PROBLEM WITH WEARING A MASK IS SO BIG TO WHERE YOU CAN'T EVEN CONTROL YOURSELF FROM BERATING A YOUNG WOMAN EARNING MINIMUM WAGE AT A RETAILER, UM, DON'T JUST GO HOME, BUT PLEASE JUST LEAVE SAN ANTONIO ALTOGETHER. THIS IS NOT WHAT WE NEED IN THIS CITY. UM, I, I'LL, I'LL ADD, UM, SOMETHING THAT I, I, I'VE BEEN READING DR. BRIDGER AND, UM, I, I'M GONNA, I ALREADY SENT OUR CLERK A P D F COPY OF AN ARTICLE THAT I WAS READING FROM THE HARVARD BUSINESS REVIEW, TALKING ABOUT, UM, HOW CITIES AROUND THE UNITED STATES WOULD, UH, BETTER SERVE THEIR, THEIR RESIDENTS IF THEY LOOK TO OTHER CITIES OUTSIDE OF THE UNITED STATES FOR BEST PRACTICES. AND, [01:40:01] YOU KNOW, JUST AS AN EXAMPLE, THEY SAY, YOU KNOW, UM, WE HAVE A MUCH HIGHER RATE, UM, OF INFECTION, UM, AND A MUCH HIGHER RATE OF DEATHS, UH, ARISING FROM THOSE, YOU KNOW, INFECTIONS THAN SOME SECOND AND THIRD WORLD COUNTRIES IN, IN ASIA AND IN AFRICA. UM, AND THAT, YOU KNOW, HONG KONG AND SINGAPORE, AND, YOU KNOW, SOUTH KOREA AND TAIWAN ARE DEVELOPING SOLUTIONS, INEXPENSIVE ONES, UM, THAT, YOU KNOW, WE ARE, UH, THAT SOME WE ADOPT OTHERS, WE JUST, YOU KNOW, IN, IN OUR RUSH TO CONTINUE RESPONDING, YOU KNOW, HAVEN'T EVEN BOTHERED LOOKING AT. AND SO, UM, YOU KNOW, AND, AND, AND DR. BRIDGER, I'M GONNA, I'M GONNA EMAIL YOU THE ARTICLE AND, AND I'VE, I'VE EMAILED IT TO OUR, OUR CLERK, AND MY REQUEST IS THAT WE MAKE IT PART OF THE RECORD FOR EVERYBODY TO READ. UH, UM, AND, AND BASICALLY, YOU KNOW, WHAT THIS, WHAT THE AUTHORS SUGGEST IS THAT, YOU KNOW, AS POLICYMAKERS AND AS YOU KNOW, PEOPLE WHO ARE IN CHARGE OF THE RESPONSE TO COVID, UM, WE HAVE TO NOT JUST LOOK AT IT AS A PROBLEM WITHIN OUR OWN BORDERS, BUT HAVE A, HAVE A GLOBAL MINDSET, AND THAT WE GOTTA HAVE, THAT, WE HAVE TO BE VULNERABLE TO THE IDEA THAT SOMEBODY ELSE MIGHT HAVE BETTER IDEAS THAN US, UM, AND THAT THOSE IDEAS MAY RESIDE IN IN OTHER COUNTRY. UM, AND SO I I, I WILL POINT OUT THAT MAYOR, WE'VE GOT SISTER CITIES OUT THERE THAT MAY BE DOING THINGS THAT WE OUGHT TO BE DOING, UM, AND WE HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY HERE TO LEARN. AND, AND I WOULD SAY THAT SISTER CITIES AREN'T JUST FOR, YOU KNOW, CULTURAL EXCHANGES AND, UH, BUT I, I THINK THAT THEY, THEY SHOULD BE A RESOURCE. UM, AND, YOU KNOW, I'M, I AM, I'M SEEING THAT, YOU KNOW, OUR OUR SISTER CITY IN KOREA ACTUALLY HAS, UM, YOU KNOW, SOME PRETTY INTERESTING SOLUTIONS AND THAT'S INCLUDED HERE IN THIS ARTICLE. AND SO, DR. BRIDGER, I, MY, MY ONLY REQUEST, AND I DON'T REALLY HAVE A QUESTION, IS, IS THAT YOU TAKE A LOOK AT IT AND, UH, ERIC, MAYBE THIS IS THE KIND OF THING THAT WE ASSIGN SOMEBODY IN THE INNOVATION DEPARTMENT TO JUST RESEARCH AND SEE IF THERE'S SOLUTIONS OUT THERE THAT WE AREN'T, UM, EXPLORING JUST BECAUSE, UM, YOU KNOW, WE HAVEN'T TAPPED INTO, UM, THAT BANDWIDTH OF, OF, OF INFORMATION. SO ANYWAY, MAYOR, THANK, THANKS. THOSE ARE MY COMMENTS. THANK YOU. COUNCIL MEMBER PALAIS, COUNCIL MEMBER ANDREW SULLIVAN. THANK YOU, MAYOR. UM, I WANNA SAY THANK YOU TO DR. BRIDGER AND THE WHOLE, UH, METRO HEALTH TEAM, UM, ESPECIALLY DR. EMRICH. UM, WE KNOW THAT SHE'S DOING ALL THAT SHE CAN TO JUMP INTO A CITY THAT SHE HADN'T EVEN HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO UNDERSTAND OUR CULTURE, UM, AS WE GO INTO COVID. AND SO, UM, DOING THIS WORK CAN BE A LITTLE TEDIOUS WHEN THE CULTURE OF SAN ANTONIO IS TO GATHER AND BE AMONGST ONE ANOTHER. AND HOW DO WE TELL A CULTURE AND A COMMUNITY THAT THEY CAN NO LONGER DO? SO, MY QUESTION IS, WHEN IT COMES TO THE ADDITIONAL RESOURCES AVAILABLE TO BUSINESSES TO RECEIVE P P E, WHAT ARE WE DOING TO ENSURE OUR BUSINESSES STAY WITHIN COMPLIANCE? SO, COUNCILMAN, I, YOU'RE, YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT IN COMPLIANCE WITH THE JUDGE'S ORDER ON MASKS? YES, SIR. SO I KNOW THAT WE DID THE ADDITIONAL, UM, OR WE DID THE P P E, UM, BUT WHAT ADDITIONAL RESOURCES DO WE HAVE AVAILABLE FOR THOSE COMPANIES? WHAT THE HECK? SORRY GUYS. , SOMEBODY JUST THREW SOMETHING AT ME. , CAN WE MUTE DISTRICT EIGHT FOR A MINUTE SO WE CAN HAVE THIS CONVERSATION ? SO, COUNCIL COUNCILWOMAN, UH, I KNOW, UH, ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT HAS BEEN WORKING, UM, ON THE SMALL BUSINESS PILLAR, AND THERE HAVE BEEN SOME REQUESTS FOR ADDITIONAL P P E. WE DID HAVE SOME P P E LEFT OVER FROM OUR EVENT. I ALSO KNOW THE COUNTY JUST RECENTLY, UM, UM, UTILIZED SOME OF THEIR CARE'S MONEY TO PUSH OUT, UM, IN TERMS OF ENFORCEMENT. UM, IN CASE THAT WAS YOUR QUESTION TOO, UM, WE ARE, UH, RESPONDING TO COMPLAINTS THAT ARE BEING, UH, UH, SENT IN, UM, UH, ON, ON INDIVIDUALS NOT WEARING MASKS OR BUSINESSES NOT REQUIRING THEIR CUSTOMERS, UH, TO WEAR MASKS. AND, UH, AS OF YESTERDAY, WE HAD 142 CALLS AND, UH, I'LL INCLUDE IN THE END OF THE DAY REPORT TODAY HOW MANY CALLS WE HAD TODAY. AND, AND ULTIMATELY THOSE WILL RESULT IN CITATIONS. OKAY. THANK YOU. UM, WHEN IT COMES TO CONTRACT TRACERS, UM, HOW MANY DO WE HAVE AT THIS TIME? DR. BRIDGER? [01:45:08] IN THE BEGINNING, WE UNIVERSALLY USE THE TERM CONTACT TRACERS TO INCLUDE CASE INVESTIGATORS AND CONTACT TRACERS. THOSE FUNCTIONS ARE ACTUALLY COMPLETED BY TWO DIFFERENT GROUPS OF PEOPLE. UM, SO THE CASE INVESTIGATION IS WHEN SOMEBODY CALLS AND DOES ABOUT A 45 MINUTE INTERVIEW WITH SOMEBODY WHO IS A CASE WHO HAS TESTED POSITIVE. UM, I, THE LAST NUMBER I SAW WAS WE HAD AROUND 60 INDIVIDUALS WHO WERE DOING CASE INVESTIGATIONS, AND THEY ARE WORKING ON INCREASING THAT NUMBER EVERY DAY. UM, CONTACT TRACING IS WHAT IS DONE WITH PEOPLE WHO ARE NOT POSITIVE, BUT WHO HAVE COME IN CONTACT WITH CASES WHO ARE TESTING POSITIVE. SO PART OF THAT FIRST INTERVIEW IS HOW WE IDENTIFY WHO NEEDS TO BE PART OF THAT CONTACT TRACING PROCESS. UM, THE VAST MAJORITY OF THAT WORK IS BEING DONE BY A GROUP CALLED IMOCA. AND, UM, WE HAVE CONTRACTED WITH THEM. SO WHEN THE CASE INVESTIGATOR TALKS TO ME, AND I SAY, I HAD CLOSE CONTACT WITH THESE THREE PEOPLE, WE GIVE THOSE THREE PEOPLE'S NAME AND INFORMATION TO IMOCA AND THEY FOLLOW UP. THE PROBLEM IS NOT A DELAY IN CONTACT TRACING THE PROBLEM IS A DELAY IN CASE INVESTIGATION. UM, SO I JUST WANTED TO CLARIFY THAT. OKAY. THANK YOU. AND I KNOW THAT WE WERE TALKING BEFORE, UH, WITHIN KNOWING OUR, WHERE OUR FACTORS WOULD LIE WHEN WE STARTED SEEING A SPIKE AND THAT WE WOULD BE ADDING, UM, FOR EVERY, EVERY 75 CASES THAT WE WOULD ADD A NEW, UM, CONTRACT TRACING COMPONENT TO, I THINK GOING TO 175. IS THAT STILL IN PLACE? THAT'S, THAT'S, THAT WAS THE FORMULA THAT THEY HAD IN PLACE? THAT IS CORRECT. AND I, I THINK THAT, UM, I, I THINK THAT FOR THE PURPOSES OF THIS CONVERSATION, YOU CAN JUST INSERT CASE INVESTIGATORS INSTEAD OF CONTACT TRACERS, UM, AND MAKE THE SAME POINT, WHICH IS, WE DON'T HAVE ENOUGH PEOPLE DOING CASE INVESTIGATIONS. UM, WE NEED TO EXPEDITE THE PLAN THAT WE HAVE IN PLACE SO THAT WE CAN HAVE THE RIGHT NUMBER OF PEOPLE DOING THE CASE INVESTIGATIONS. UM, AND I WILL SAY ONE MORE TIME, WE WON'T NEED AS MANY PEOPLE DOING CASE INVESTIGATIONS. IF PEOPLE WOULD ANSWER THE PHONE WHEN WE CALLED. THANK YOU, . AWESOME. UM, IS THERE A NUMBER OR, OR A WAY THAT WE COULD, UM, NOTIFY THE COMMUNITY OF THAT NUMBER THAT WILL BE CALLING THEM? UM, FOR THE CO A CASE INVESTIGATION? UH, WE DID WORK WITH G P A TO PUT OUT SOME MESSAGING AROUND, UM, WHAT THAT NUMBER WOULD BE, AND, UM, DIDN'T GET GREAT RESULTS WITH THAT. AND SO THAT'S WHY WE DECIDED TO CHANGE TO A, UM, AN IDENTIFIABLE, UM, MESSAGE WHEN WE CALL SO THAT IT SAYS, YOU KNOW, OFFICIAL COVID NOTIFICATION OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT. UM, AS SOON AS WE GET THAT, WE WILL, UM, START MESSAGING AROUND THAT AS WELL. OKAY. UM, AND THERE'S NO WAY FOR US TO BRING BACK ANY OF OUR FURLOUGHED, UM, CITY EMPLOYEES TO ASSIST WITH, UM, GETTING OUT MORE INFORMATION OR, OR TOUCHING MORE PEOPLE WITHIN THE COMMUNITY ABOUT THIS INFORMATION? YES, THERE IS, AND WE ARE WORKING ON THAT AS WELL. OKAY, THANK YOU. AND THEN AS WE GO FORWARD, ARE WE PUTTING ANYTHING IN PLACE FOR RESIDENTS THAT CANNOT AFFORD, OR FOR OUR SENIORS, UM, THAT MAY NOT BE ABLE TO RECEIVE MASKS? UM, SO THROUGH THE DEPARTMENT OF HUMAN SERVICES AND HELM KEY HAS, UM, SPEARHEADED A, AS PART OF HER COMPASSIONATE SA INITIATIVE, UM, A GOAL OF 50,000 CLOTH MASKS BEING DONATED THAT CAN THEN BE DISTRIBUTED. UM, THE LAST NUMBER I HAD, WE WERE AT ABOUT 35,000. UM, THEY JUST GOT A FRESH BATCH. AND SO, UM, WE'LL LOOK TO PUSH THAT MESSAGE OUT AS WELL ABOUT WHERE PEOPLE CAN GO TO PICK UP THOSE, UM, FREE CLOTH MASKS. THANK YOU, DR. BRIDGER. UM, I'D LIKE TO JUST TAKE THIS TIME TO SAY THANK YOU TO THE CONSULATE GENERAL OF VIETNAM. THEY WILL BE MAKING A DONATION OF MASKS TO THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO ON [01:50:01] TOMORROW. SO MAYOR, THAT SPEAKS TO COUNCILMAN PIAS, UM, SUGGESTION OF TRULY WORKING WITH OUR SISTER CITIES. WITH THAT BEING SAID, THANK YOU, MAYOR. THANK YOU. COUNCIL MEMBER ANDREW SULLIVAN. COUNCIL MEMBER GRO. THANK YOU, MAYOR. UM, ERIC, I HAVE A QUESTION ABOUT, UH, STARTING ON MONDAY, I BELIEVE IS EARLY VOTING AND THE LOCATIONS ARE GOING TO BE SOME OF THE CITY FACILITIES. NOW I WANT TO MAKE SURE, ARE PEOPLE GOING TO HAVE TO WEAR THEIR MASKS WHEN THEY GO AND VOTE? IS THAT MANDATED NOW WITH THE GOVERNOR'S NEW, UM, COUNCILWOMAN? WE HAVE AN ANSWER FOR THAT. OKAY. 'CAUSE WE HAVE GUIDANCE FROM THE STATE. OH, HI, GO AHEAD. HI, COUNCILWOMAN. HI, UH, EDWARD GUSMAN, DEPUTY CITY ATTORNEY. UH, THE, UM, STATE ACTUALLY HAS SET OUT ITS OWN CHECKLIST FOR WHAT'S REQUIRED FOR ELECTION SITES. UH, WE MAY BE ABLE TO REQUIRE MASS IF THEY'RE GOING TO GO INTO A LIBRARY AND THEN DO SOMETHING ELSE THERE. IF THEY'RE THERE SOLELY TO VOTE, YOU FOLLOW THE CHECKLIST. SO AGAIN, WE'RE BACK TO THE RECOMMENDATION OF A MASK. UM, SO THERE, THERE WON'T BE A MANDATE THAT IF YOU'RE VOTING THAT YOU HAVE TO WEAR A MASK. BUT IF THEY'RE IN OUR CITY FACILITY, WE CAN MANDATE IT. WE CAN ONLY MANDATE IT IF THEY'RE GOING TO BE USING THE CITY FACILITY. SO IF THEY GO INTO THE LIBRARY PROPER TO CHECK OUT A BOOK OR TO LOOK AROUND, THAT'S WHEN WE CAN ASK THEM TO PUT ON A MASK. BUT IF THEY'RE GOING IN SOLELY TO VOTE, IT'S ONLY RECOMMENDATION. AND THAT'S BEEN SET BY THE STATE AND COUNCILWOMAN, OUR LIBRARIES ARE NOT OPEN RIGHT NOW, SO THERE WON'T BE ANY WANDERING AROUND. CORRECT. THE ONLY LIBRARIES THAT ARE OPEN ARE THOSE NINE LIBRARIES WHERE WE OPENED UP THE COMPUTER LABS MM-HMM. , WHERE WE'RE METERING AND, UM, UH, MANAGING THE TIME THAT INDIVIDUALS STAY THERE. UM, AND I ASKED FOR A REPORT AT THE END OF THE DAY YESTERDAY, ON, ON, UH, GIVEN THE, THE SPEED AT WHICH THINGS ARE CHANGING, IS THERE ANYTHING WE NEED TO DO TO ADJUST? WHILE THE COUNCIL HAS LITERALLY BEEN TALKING ABOUT THIS, THE GOVERNOR HAS ISSUED TWO NEW ORDERS. SO I THINK THINGS ARE GONNA BE HAPPENING PRETTY FAST HERE. SO THAT'S WHAT MY CONCERN IS. I THINK I'D LIKE TO MAKE SURE THAT IF WE CAN MANDATE IT FOR THOSE GOING INTO OUR FACILITIES TO VOTE FOR A MASK, I'D LIKE TO MAKE SURE THAT WE KEEP UP TO DATE, ESPECIALLY 'CAUSE EVERYONE'S GOING ABSOLUTELY. COUNSEL, WE'RE GONNA CONTINUE TO LOOK, WE'VE BEEN MONITORING ALL OF THE ORDERS EVERY DAY. YEAH. YOU KNOW, MINUTE TO MINUTE. YEAH. WELL, WE'RE CERTAINLY GONNA BE DOING THAT OVER THE WEEKEND BEFORE ANYTHING OPENS UP ON MONDAY. AND IF WE HAVE THE ABILITY TO TAKE THAT ACTION, WE CERTAINLY WILL. AND IF THEY DON'T, THEN I SAY, UM, WHY NOT? WE KEEP THE, THE, A COUPLE OF, UM, MACHINES OUTSIDE. SO IF PEOPLE DON'T WANNA WEAR A MASK, THEN THEY CAN VOTE OUTSIDE. THEY HAVE THE OPTION TO DO THAT IF THEY WANT. SO THOSE ARE JUST SOME RECOMMENDATIONS. THANK YOU, MAYOR. THANK YOU. COUNCIL MEMBER GRO. COUNCIL MEMBER GONZALEZ. THANK YOU, MAYOR. UH, I FORGOT TO, UH, ALSO ASK, UM, DR. BRIDGER, UM, I HEAR THAT, UH, THE FOOD, UH, THE BLOOD BANK, UH, THE, THE, IF YOU DONATE BLOOD, UM, THAT THEY DO ANTIBODY TESTING. AND I FEEL LIKE OVER THE MONTHS WE'VE GOTTEN MIXED MESSAGES REGARDING THE ANTIBODY TESTING. SO IS THERE, UM, AN UPDATE ON THAT? I MEAN, IS IT, UH, I, I KNOW THAT WE SHOULD ALL GIVE BLOOD IF WE'RE ABLE, BUT IS THERE ANY, UH, FURTHER INFORMATION ON THE ANTIBODY TESTING? WE ARE STILL NOT A HUNDRED PERCENT COMFORTABLE WITH THE ACCURACY OF THE ANTIBODY TESTING. UM, AND AGAIN, THE ANTIBODY TESTING, EVEN IF IT WERE ACCURATE, DOESN'T TELL YOU IF YOU'RE CURRENTLY INFECTED OR YOU'VE BEEN PREVIOUSLY INFECTED. IT ALSO DOESN'T TELL YOU WHETHER YOU ARE THEREFORE IMMUNE FROM FUTURE INFECTION. SO YOU, YOU'VE GOT A TEST THAT'S NOT SUPER ACCURATE THAT GIVES RESULTS THAT DON'T REALLY MEAN MUCH. SO WE ARE NOT RECOMMENDING ANTIBODY TESTING RIGHT NOW. UM, OKAY. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. THAT'S ALL MAYOR. THANK YOU. COUNCIL MEMBER GONZALEZ. COUNCIL MEMBER SANDOVAL. UH, THANK YOU VERY MUCH, MAYOR. UM, THANKS FOR ALL, ALL THE COMMENTS THAT THE COUNCIL MEMBERS HAVE BEEN WEIGHING, UH, SHARING. UM, I WANTED TO, TO SAY A COUPLE OF THINGS. I KNOW I GAVE YOU A TON OF SUGGESTIONS, UH, EARLY ON, AND I, UM, AND DR. BRIDGER, YOU'RE DOING A FANTASTIC JOB ANSWERING THE QUESTIONS. IT PROBABLY FEELS LIKE A BARRAGE, UH, COMING AT YOU. AND IT'S, IT'S A LOT TO HANDLE, GIVEN THE, THE CASE NUMBERS RIGHT NOW. UM, I, WHAT I WANNA MAKE SURE THAT WE ALL UNDERSTAND IS THIS ISN'T JUST ABOUT C OVID 19, BUT WE'VE HAD A HEALTH DEPARTMENT THAT MAYBE FOR YEARS HAS PROBABLY BEEN UNDERFUNDED. AND RIGHT NOW, YOU KNOW, THE, THE LIGHT IS SHINING ON YOU. AND SO, UM, WE CAN SEE WHERE WE PROBABLY HAVE NEEDED TO, UH, TO PROP UP THAT DEPARTMENT IN THE PAST SO THAT IT CAN ADAPT TO THESE THINGS QUICKLY. SO I, YOU KNOW, IN ADVANCE OF OUR HEALTH WORK, OUR HEALTH WORKSHOP, YOU KNOW, WHERE MY [01:55:01] MIND IS IN ADVANCE OF OUR BUDGET WORKSHOP TOMORROW, UM, I WOULD JUST LIKE FOR US TO, TO KEEP THAT IN MIND IS THAT, UM, WE HAVE TO MAKE SURE THAT THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT CAN ALWAYS OPERATE SO THAT IT'S READY TO EXPAND WHEN, WHEN THE NEED COMES. UM, I WANTED TO, UM, TO ALSO MENTION THAT, UM, I AGREE WITH COUNCILMAN LANZA'S POINT ABOUT LOOKING TO OTHER AREAS FOR EXAMPLES, AND WHETHER IT'S THE INNOVATION DEPARTMENT OR, UH, OR EVEN AN ADVISORY GROUP, UH, THAT DOES THAT, I THINK IT WOULD, IT WOULD INFORM US, WELL, WE KNOW THAT WE'VE HAD SOME CHALLENGES GETTING GUIDANCE FROM THE STATE AND FROM THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT, AND WE, WE MAY HAVE TO DO THIS PART ON OUR OWN TOO. AND WE CAN'T HAVE A SUCCESSFUL ECONOMIC RECOVERY IF WE DON'T HAVE A HEALTH RECOVERY, UH, IN, IN OUR COMMUNITY. SO THAT HAS TO BE PRIORITY. UM, WHEN WE WERE VOTING ON THE CARESS ACT FUNDING, I MENTIONED TO SOME OF YOU THAT WE SHOULD SET ASIDE SOME CONTINGENCY MONEY FOR A HEALTH, UH, IN CASE OTHER THINGS AROSE THAT WE, THAT WE DIDN'T FORESEE, UH, THEY ARE ARISING. UM, SO I THINK WE, UH, IF WE NEED TO RECONSIDER THE BUDGET, I THINK WE SHOULD GO AHEAD AND, AND DO THAT TO MAKE SURE THAT YOU CAN HAVE THE FAX MACHINES THAT YOU NEED AT THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT OR THE, THE TELEPHONES AND THE HEADSETS THAT YOU NEED. WE, WE SHOULDN'T, UM, YOU SHOULD HAVE THE ABILITY TO HANDLE THAT WITHOUT HAVING US TO MOVE, MOVE THE CARES MONEY AROUND. UM, I WANTED TO BRING UP, UH, JUST A, A COUPLE OF ITEMS. UM, I'M GLAD TO HEAR THE WORK ON, UH, CONNECTING THE CALL, UH, BETWEEN, UM, PROVIDERS, TEST PROVIDERS AND THE DISEASE INVESTIGATORS. I THINK THAT'S FANTASTIC. I'D ALSO PUT THAT IN MY, IN MY MEMO TO, TO ERIC. UM, I, I'M A LITTLE BIT WORRIED ABOUT HAVING TOO MANY MESSAGES OUT THERE, ESPECIALLY RIGHT NOW WHEN PEOPLE, THE MOST IMPORTANT THING FOR PEOPLE TO DO RIGHT NOW IS PROTECT THEMSELVES AND THEIR NEIGHBORS, UH, BY PRACTICING PHYSICAL DISTANCING AND WEARING THEIR MASK. UM, SO I, I KNOW WE ALSO HAVE A SURVEY THAT'S GOING ON RIGHT NOW. I JUST, UH, I JUST WANNA BE MY MULTIPLE SURVEYS RIGHT, THAT ARE GOING ON RIGHT NOW. SO I, I JUST WANNA BE A LITTLE BIT MINDFUL OF THAT. UH, WE GOT A MESSAGE YESTERDAY THAT THE FRANK GARRETT CLINIC, UH, WAS GOING TO BE CLOSED FOR, FOR SOME TIME, AND I, I ALSO WANT US TO THINK ABOUT THIS TOMORROW IS, IS THE CLOSURE OF CLINICS, OUR CLINICS, AND OTHER COMMUNITY CLINICS GOING TO GIVE US, UH, SORT OF A, SOME LATENT HEALTH PROBLEMS IN THE COMMUNITY THAT WE MAY HAVE TO DEAL WITH WHEN EVERYTHING OPENS BACK UP. UM, I HEARD SOME STORIES ABOUT, UH, PEOPLE NOT BEING ABLE TO GET THEIR REGULAR, UH, CHECKUPS OR, OR REGULAR CARE, WOMEN NOT BEING ABLE TO GET BIRTH CONTROL, UH, DURING THIS TIME. SO, UH, I'M A, I'M CONCERNED ABOUT THAT. I'M ALSO CONCERNED ABOUT, UH, YOU KNOW, OUR IMMUNIZATIONS, UH, HAPPENING ON TIME. IS, IS ANY OF THAT BEING IMPACTED RIGHT NOW WITH, WITH THAT CLOSURE OR WITH OTHER METRO HEALTH CLINICS? SO, JUST TO CLARIFY, UM, FRANK GARRETT IS A SECONDARY IMMUNIZATION SITE THAT OPERATES TWO OR THREE DAYS A WEEK. UM, WE ARE MOVING AWAY FROM DOING A CLINIC-BASED IMMUNIZATION DELIVERY TO, UM, MOBILE IMMUNIZATION DELIVERY. SO SERVICES WILL NOT BE AFFECTED. UM, JUST TO CLARIFY, WE ARE A RARE HEALTH DEPARTMENT THAT DOES NOT PROVIDE BIRTH CONTROL EXCEPT FOR A PILOT PROJECT WE WERE WORKING ON IN FAMILY PLANNING. DAMN. I MEAN, IN, UM, IN S T D CLINIC. SO, UH, FORTUNATELY OR UNFORTUNATELY, DEPENDING ON YOUR PERSPECTIVE, UM, THAT IS NOT BEING AFFECTED BY ANYTHING THAT THE CITY IS DOING. AND IN TERMS OF OTHER CLINICS OUT THERE, HAVE YOU HEARD OF THAT? I KNOW THIS IS HAPPENING IN OTHER, IN OTHER CITIES. I JUST DUNNO IF IT'S, UH, HAPPENING HERE. WHAT, WHAT WE'RE SEEING PRIMARILY IS, UM, MEDICAL PROVIDERS ARE DOING A VERY GOOD JOB OF EITHER PIVOTING TO TELEMEDICINE OR USING P P E APPROPRIATELY AND RESUMING SERVICES, UM, THAT THE COMMUNITY NEEDS. ALRIGHT, THAT'S GREAT TO HEAR. THANK YOU VERY MUCH, DR. BRIDGER. COUNCILWOMAN, LET ME JUST, UM, UH, REITERATE SOMETHING THAT YOU, THAT YOU MENTIONED AND I CAN'T, UM, I, I'M REALLY GLAD YOU BROUGHT IT UP BECAUSE IT'S BEEN BOUNCING AROUND IN MY HEAD THE LAST TWO OR THREE DAYS AS WE'VE SEEN INCREASES. UM, REMEMBER WHEN, WHEN THE COUNCIL APPROVED THE RECOVERY AND RESILIENCY PLAN, WE TALKED ABOUT MONTHLY REPORTS SO THAT WE COULD ADJUST AS NEEDED AND, AND, AND, AND I SEE ADJUSTMENT IN OUR FUTURE, UH, GIVEN, UH, THE RESOURCES THAT WE HAVE. AND THOSE THINGS ARE GONNA BE KEY. SO I WANT, I, I'M, I'M GLAD YOU BROUGHT THAT UP BECAUSE, UM, I THINK THAT'S THE REALITY OF THE SITUATION THAT WE WENT INTO AS, AS THE COUNCIL APPROVED THAT RESILIENCY PLAN. UM, THE, THE NUMBERS I SHARED [02:00:01] WITH COUNCILMAN COURAGE AND THE REST OF YOU, UM, IT LOOKED VERY DIFFERENT THREE WEEKS AGO. AND, AND, UH, THE IMPORTANT PART ABOUT WHAT YOU DO AND WHAT WE DO FOR THE COMMUNITY IS BEING ABLE TO ADJUST QUICKLY AND TO BE ABLE TO RESPOND. AND IF THAT MEANS WE HAVE TO CHANGE THINGS, THEN WE'RE GONNA NEED TO CHANGE 'EM. AND, UM, YOU HAVE MY COMMITMENT THAT WE WILL MAKE ADJUSTMENTS WHERE NEEDED, UH, BECAUSE WE OBVIOUSLY HAVE RESOURCES AND IT MAY, IT, IT MAY IMPACT SOME OF OUR OTHER PLANS. AND, AND I THINK THAT'S JUST THE ONGOING CONVERSATION THAT, UM, THAT WE'RE GONNA HAVE TO HAVE. AND I THINK IT'S THE REALITY OF THE SITUATION. SO THANK YOU FOR BRINGING THAT UP. GREAT, THANK YOU ERIC. UH, THANK YOU. COUNCIL MEMBER SANDOVAL. AND I'LL JUST, UH, JUST TAKE A MOMENT TO, TO THANK FOLKS THAT ARE WORKING ON THIS. UM, I SPENT SOME TIME TALKING TO OUR PEERS IN OTHER CITIES, AND EVERYTHING THAT WE'RE EXPERIENCING HERE IN SAN ANTONIO IS AN ANALOG IN ALL THE OTHER URBAN AREAS OF, OF, OF TEXAS. UH, WE HAVE, YOU KNOW, 2000 SOME ODD CASES THAT WE'RE WAITING FOR PHONE CALLS RETURNED. UH, AND IN THE MIDDLE OF INVESTIGATION, EVERYBODY IS SLAMMED. UH, AND I RECOGNIZE THAT OUR METRO HEALTH TEAM IN PARTICULAR IS, IS BEING SLAMMED. SO, UM, THANK YOU DR. BRIDGER, DR. EMMERICH, UH, ALL THE FOLKS THAT WORK WITH YOU ON THIS EFFORT. IT'S, IT'S HERCULEAN, IT'S CRITICALLY IMPORTANT, BUT IT UNDERSCORES, UH, SOMETHING THAT I THINK WE NEED TO BE AWARE OF. THERE'S A LOT OF TALK OF RECOVERY, THERE'S A LOT OF TALK ABOUT OUR RESILIENCY PLAN, WHERE WE'RE GOING FROM HERE. WE DON'T NEED TO REHASH WHERE WE'VE BEEN, BUT THIS IS WHERE WE'RE AT. WE ARE STILL IN THE MIDDLE OF THIS FIGHT AGAINST THE PANDEMIC. UH, AND SO IT'S CRITICALLY IMPORTANT THAT WE STAY, UH, TRANSPARENT. WE STAY, UH, ON TOP OF THE HEALTH GUIDANCE AND THAT WE WORK TOGETHER, UH, TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE ADHERING TO, UH, WHAT THE MEDICAL EXPERTS ARE TELLING US. SO THANK YOU VERY MUCH, UM, FOR ALL THE FOLKS THAT ARE WORKING ON THIS. I KNOW IT'S VERY HARD, UH, BUT WE'RE WORKING TOGETHER. ALRIGHT, ITEM FOUR WAS JUST A BRIEFING. WE'RE GOING NOW [5. Resolution outlining the City Council's priorities related to the San Antonio Police Officers Association Collective Bargaining Agreement.] TO ITEM FIVE. UM, SO ITEM FIVE IS A RESOLUTION OUTLINING THE CITY COUNCIL'S PRIORITIES RELATED TO SAN ANTONIO POLICE OFFICERS ASSOCIATION COLLECTIVE BARGAINING AGREEMENT. ALRIGHT, IS THERE, LIZ, DO YOU HAVE A PRESENTATION? WHY DON'T WE DO THE QUICK PRESENTATION AND THEN WE'LL GO, UH, TO COUNT TO, UM, PUBLIC COMMENT. GOOD MORNING COUNCIL MEMBERS. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THIS OPPORTUNITY. ELIZABETH PROVENCIO, FIRST ASSISTANT CITY ATTORNEY OF COURSE WORKS WITH CLOSELY WITH THE CITY TEAM, UM, CITY MANAGER'S OFFICE, AND ALL THOSE THAT ADDRESS, UM, THE C B A ISSUES. AND THE RESOLUTION TODAY IS FOCUSED ON C B A ISSUES SPECIFICALLY, ALTHOUGH IT'S JUST ONE PIECE OF THE BROADER PLAN THAT WE'VE RECEIVED POLICY DIRECTION ON. SO THERE'S REALLY NO NEED TO RECAP, BUT I'LL START WHERE WE'VE STARTED RECENTLY, THERE HAS BEEN A PUBLIC CALL FOR ACTION AND IN THE WEEK SINCE GEORGE FLOYD'S MURDER, WHILE IN CUSTODY OF THE MINNEAPOLIS POLICE DEPARTMENT, MANY PEOPLE HERE IN SAN ANTONIO VOICE THE NEED FOR REFORM AND FOR POLICIES TO PROMOTE EQUITY AND JUST DISCIPLINE. WE'VE HEARD THAT THROUGH PUBLIC DEMONSTRATIONS, CITY COUNCIL MEETINGS, YOUR BUDGET SESSIONS THROUGH YOUR DISTRICT OFFICES, WE'VE HAD A WHOLE SERIES OF PUBLIC SAFETY LISTENING SESSIONS WHERE THE SUBCOMMITTEE HAS SAT THROUGH THAT. AND OF COURSE, THERE HAVE BEEN THE ONE-ON-ONE MEETINGS THAT YOU'VE PARTICIPATED ON INDIVIDUALLY WITH DIFFERENT MEMBERS OF THE COMMUNITY. AND SO IN ORDER TO RESPOND TO THAT CALL FOR ACTION, IT'S IMPORTANT THAT WE REVISIT FOR A MOMENT THE PARAMETERS THAT GOVERN THE RELATIONSHIP WITH OUR POLICE OFFICERS AS WE ARE GONNA TALK ABOUT THE SSS A P O A CONTRACT. AND SO, AS A RECAP, YOU'LL RECALL THAT IN 1947, THERE WAS ADOPTION OF CIVIL SERVICE FOR OUR PUBLIC SAFETY OFFICERS. SO BACK IN 1947, AS A RESULT OF PETITION AND VOTE THAT WENT TO THE VOTERS, THE CITY ADOPTED CHAPTER 1 43 OF THE TEXAS LOCAL GOVERNMENT CODE, COMMONLY KNOWN AS CIVIL SERVICE. LATER IN 1974, THERE WAS A SUBSEQUENT INITIATIVE PETITION TO ADOPT. IT WENT TO THE VOTERS AND THE VOTERS APPROVED COLLECTIVE BARGAINING FOR BOTH OUR FIRE AND POLICE OFFICERS. SO WHAT COLLECTIVE BARGAINING ALLOWS US TO DO IN THE CONTEXT [02:05:01] OF CIVIL SERVICE STATE LAW IS IF THE ASSOCIATIONS IN THE LABOR AGREEMENT AGREE, WE HAVE THE ABILITY TO BE ABLE TO OVERRIDE STATE LAW, CIVIL SERVICE PROVISIONS. SO WE EFFECTIVELY CAN EITHER AUGMENT, REMOVE, OR SUPPLANT CERTAIN PROVISIONS IN CIVIL SERVICE LAW AS A RESULT OF NEGOTIATIONS WITH OUR LABOR ASSOCIATIONS. OTHERWISE, WE'RE JUST STRICTLY OPERATING UNDER CIVIL SERVICE STATE LAW. SPECIFIC TO THE ISSUE AT HAND TODAY, OUR CURRENT COLLECTIVE BARGAINING AGREEMENT WITH THE SAN ANTONIO POLICE OFFICERS ASSOCIATION WILL EXPIRE IN ITS PRIMARY TERM AT THE END OF SEPTEMBER NEXT YEAR. AND AS A RESULT, AS YOU KNOW, THE CONTRACT REQUIRES US TO START DISCUSSIONS WITH THEM IN JANUARY OF 2021 AS A RESULT OF WHAT WE HAD BEEN CALLED TO DO IN TERMS OF THE CALL TO ACTION, THE MAYOR HAD ISSUED A, A MEMO IN JUNE, JUNE 11TH OUTLINING THE DIFFERENT COMMITTEE WORK THAT WAS GONNA BE DONE TO ADDRESS VARIOUS ISSUES THAT HAD BEEN BROUGHT TO THE FOREFRONT, WHICH INCLUDED GOING TO PUBLIC SAFETY COMMITTEE WITH CERTAIN ISSUES. IT INCLUDED GOING TO COMMUNITY HEALTH WITH CERTAIN ISSUES. AND IT ALSO, UH, COMMITTED TO GOING TO I G R FOR FEDERAL AND STATE LEGISLATIVE ISSUES. THE MAYOR'S MEMO ALSO ASKED FOR A RESOLUTION ON PRIORITIES TO DIRECT STAFF TO FOCUS ON AS PART OF THE PREPARATION FOR OUR NEGOTIATING SESSIONS WITH SS A P O A. AND SO AS PART OF WHAT WE'RE HERE TODAY TO DO IS TO PRESENT ON THE BROAD TOPICS THAT ARE INCLUDED IN THE RESOLUTION FOR DIRECTION TO US AS WE BEGIN TO PREPARE FOR THOSE NEGOTIATIONS WITH S A P O A. AND SO BROADLY SPEAKING, WHAT WE HAVE HEARD IS THAT FOR PURPOSES OF WHAT WE CAN DO THROUGH OUR C B A TO BE ABLE TO RESPOND TO THE CALL FOR REFORM IS THAT THERE NEEDS TO BE IMPROVEMENTS TO OUR DISCIPLINARY PROCEDURES. THERE NEEDS TO BE MORE TRANSPARENCY WHEN IT COMES TO, UH, DISCIPLINE MATTERS. AND WE'VE ALSO HEARD THAT THERE NEEDS TO BE A BALANCE IN MANAGING THE COST OF THE C B A WITH OUR ASSOCIATION, ESPECIALLY IN COMPARISON TO OTHER CITY SERVICES. AND SO TO FINE TUNE THAT MORE WHAT YOU SEE IN THE RESOLUTION IN ADDRESSING THE DISCIPLINARY PRIORITIES AS PART OF WHAT WE WILL BE PREPARED TO DO IN MOVING FORWARD WITH NEGOTIATIONS, UM, WHEN THOSE COMMENCE NEXT YEAR, WE WOULD BE SEEKING TO ELIMINATE THE 180 DAY LIMITATION ON THE IMPOSITION OF DISCIPLINE. THAT, AS YOU KNOW, IS A 1 43 STATE LAW PROVISION. UM, SO IT IS MANDATED BY STATE LAW. IT'S ALSO RESTATED IN OUR C B A. AND SO AGAIN, BECAUSE OF THE ABILITY TO BE ABLE TO OVERRIDE STATE PROVISIONS, IF WE COME TO AN AGREEMENT IN A LABOR AGREEMENT, WE WOULD BE LOOKING TO ELIMINATE THAT PROHIBITION. WE WOULD BE SEEKING TO BE ABLE TO INCLUDE PAST DISCIPLINE HISTORY WHEN THE CHIEF IS MAKING CURRENT CONSIDERATIONS FOR DISCIPLINE. SO IF YOU RECALL, YOU'VE HEARD HEARING ABOUT THE PROVISIONS IN OUR C B A THAT ALLOW FOR ONLY A TWO YEAR LOOK BACK PERIOD AT PRIOR RULE VIOLATIONS. IT'S A FIVE YEAR LOOK BACK PERIOD FOR INTENTIONAL VIOLENCE VIOLATIONS, AND IT'S A 10 YEAR LOOK BACK PERIOD FOR DRUG AND ALCOHOL. AND SO WE WOULD BE LOOKING TO ELIMINATE OUR ABILITY OR THE CHIEF'S ABILITY TO BE ABLE TO CONSIDER THOSE PRIOR DISCIPLINARY MEASURES WHEN HE'S MAKING CURRENT DISCIPLINARY DECISIONS. WE'VE RECEIVED FEEDBACK, UH, FOR A COUNCIL APPOINTMENT OF AN INDEPENDENT REVIEW BOARD THAT SOMEHOW, SOMEHOW HAS A PROCESS OF REVIEW IN CONSIDERATION WITH, UH, THE IMPOSITION OF DISCIPLINE. AND WE'VE HEARD FOR, AND WE'VE HEARD THE CONCERNS ABOUT, UM, THE ARBITRATION PROCESS AND EFFECTIVELY WHAT WE'VE SEEN WHERE [02:10:01] THE CHIEF WILL IMPOSE DISCIPLINE, BUT AN ARBITRATOR UP ON APPEAL WILL REVERSE THAT DISCIPLINE, SPECIFICALLY DIVING INTO WHAT WE WOULD BE SEEKING FOR CHANGE AND WHERE THAT PROCESS COULD BE IMPROVED. YOU'VE HEARD US TALK ABOUT THE FACT THAT AN ARBITRATOR'S ROLE IS SUPPOSED TO REVIEW FOR PREPONDERANCE OF EVIDENCE TO SUSTAIN THE FACTS. AND EFFECTIVELY WHAT WE SEE HAPPEN IS ALSO A REVISIT OF WHETHER THE DISCIPLINE IS ACTUALLY APPROPRIATE. AND SO THEY PUT THEMSELVES IN THE POSITION AND REVIEW FOR THEMSELVES IN A DE NOVO PERSPECTIVE. AND AS A RESULT WE SEE DISCIPLINE OVERTURNED SOMETIMES AND REDUCED SOMETIMES. AND SO WE'VE ALSO HEARD THAT THERE IS, UH, A NEED FOR CITIES, FOR THE CITY THAT BEING THE CHIEF OR THE MANAGER TO BE ACCOUNTABLE FOR FINAL DISCIPLINE. AND SO LOOKING AT HOW WE MAY ABLE TO DO THAT AS PART OF THE DISCIPLINARY PROCESS WOULD BE WHAT WE WORK ON IN ANTICIPATION OF NEGOTIATIONS WITH THE ASSOCIATION. MOVING TO TRANSPARENCY, CIVIL SERVICE. SO CHAPTER 1 43 HAS A VERY SPECIFIC RECORDS PROVISION AND 1 4 3 0 8 9 G IS A PROVISION THAT CATEGORIZES RECORDS INTO TWO CATEGORIES. AND ONLY FINAL DISCIPLINE IS, ARE RECORDS THAT CAN BE RELEASED TO THE PUBLIC. SO ANYTHING THAT THE STATUTE DOES NOT CHARACTERIZE IS FINAL DISCIPLINE CANNOT BE RELEASED, OR RATHER ONLY IF IT IS FINAL DISCIPLINE CAN IT BE RELEASED. SO IF IT'S LEADING UP TO OR CONT UH, YOU KNOW, CONTEMPLATED BUT NOT FINAL, THEN IT CANNOT BE RELEASED. SO WE HAVE HEARD THAT TRANSPARENCY IS A, A HUGE PRIORITY, AND SO CONCURRENTLY SEEKING THAT EITHER AS LEGISLATIVE CHANGE OR AS AN OVERRIDE IN THE C V A ARE TWO PATHS FORWARD TO BE ABLE TO INCREASE THAT TRANSPARENCY, WHICH WOULD ALLOW MORE DISCLOSURE TO THE PUBLIC, WHICH WOULD ALLOW FOR THE DATABASES THAT WE'VE HEARD PEOPLE ASK ABOUT, AND WOULD ALLOW FOR MORE SHARING OF INFORMATION ACROSS AGENCIES. NOW, OUTSIDE OF THE C B A PROCESS, THE MAYOR'S MEMO CALLED FOR A REVIEW ON THE BUDGET ISSUE SO THAT THERE'S A MORE HOLISTIC, UM, PERSPECTIVE ABOUT HOW WE LOOK AT PUBLIC SAFETY SERVICES AND MANAGING THE COST OF THE C B A AND SEPARATE. AND APART FROM THAT, OF COURSE, IS THE LEGISLATIVE WORK, UM, WHERE WE WOULD BE WORKING WITH OUR STATE AND FEDERAL DELEGATIONS ON ADVANCING LEG PUBLIC SAFETY, TRANSPARENCY, AND ACCOUNTABILITY. SO ALL OF THESE ELEMENTS ARE WHAT YOU SEE IN THE RESOLUTION BEFORE YOU TODAY, AND I'M HAPPY TO TAKE ANY QUESTIONS THAT YOU MAY HAVE. GREAT. THANK YOU VERY MUCH, LIZ FOR THE PRESENT, LIZ, FOR THE PRESENTATION. WE'LL GO NOW TO PUBLIC COMMENT, UH, AND WE HAVE MANY CITIZENS SIGNED UP TO SPEAK ON THIS ITEM. SO AGAIN, I'LL CALL, UH, THE FIRST PERSON UP, CALL THE NEXT PERSON IN LINE IF YOU CAN BE PREPARED TO COME FORWARD. UH, AND WE DO HAVE THE MICROPHONE ON THE STAND. UH, WE'LL START WITH BRANDON JOHNSON. MR. JOHNSON, YOU'LL BE FOLLOWED BY NIKA CLEAVER. THANK YOU. MEMBERS OF THE COUNCIL. THIS RESOLUTION CANNOT BE THE BE ALL, END-ALL SOLUTION TO THE PROBLEMS THAT THE COMMUNITY IS FACING AND OUR GRIEVANCES AGAINST AOAH. THIS IS THE FIRST STEP. UH, SECTION ONE OF THE RELU OF THE RESOLUTION TALKS ABOUT ITEMS THAT WOULD SUPPOSEDLY MAKE IT EASIER FOR EVIDENCE TO BE PRESENTED AGAINST AN OFFICER AND GET RID OF THE LIMITATION TIME LIMITATION. THAT O UM, EVIDENCE CAN BE PRESENTED AGAINST AN OFFICER. HOWEVER, IN SECTION 1 43 OF THE COLLECTIVE BARGAINING AGREEMENT, EVEN IF AN OFFICER IS FIRED, THEY CAN STILL BE REHIRED. SO THIS IS STILL A PROBLEM THAT WE ARE FACING. THE RESOLUTION IS EQUIVALENT OF LIKE PUTTING A BANDAID ON A DISLOCATED SHOULDER. AND I USE THAT, UH, ANALOGY BECAUSE THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO [02:15:01] RIGHT NOW IS DISJOINTED. ON ONE SIDE WE HAVE THE CITIZENS OF SAN ANTONIO, AND ON THE OTHER SIDE WE HAVE SPOA. SO I ASK YOU MEMBERS OF THIS COUNCIL, WHAT SITE DO YOU STAND WITH? WHAT SITE DO YOU STAND WITH? ANY EFFECTIVE COMMUNITY IS NOT DESIGNED TO BE DISJOINTED. SO YOU HAVE THE POWER TO STAND WITH US TO SUPPORT US AND REPEALING 1 43 AND 1 74 SO THAT WE CAN PUT THE POWER BACK IN THE HANDS OF THE PEOPLE, PLEASE PICK A SIDE. SECTION THREE, IT STATES THAT, UH, THE COUNCIL'S DECLARING A PRIORITY OF MAKING A BALANCED APPROACH TO THE NEXT, UH, COLLECTIVE BARGAINING AGREEMENT SO THAT OTHER CITY SERVICES WOULDN'T BE CROWDED OUT. BUT AS FAR AS I'M CONCERNED, THAT IS JUST A COP OUT BECAUSE WE KNOW THAT UNLESS 1 43 AND 1 74 ARE REPEALED, THAT WE CAN'T EVEN TOUCH 83% OF WHAT'S IN THE POLICE BUDGET. SO WE NEED YOU TO STAND WITH US AND TO SUPPORT REPEALING 1 43 AND 1 74. FINALLY, IN SECTION SIX, IT TALKS ABOUT PROVIDING COMMUNITY UPDATES AND REACHING OUT TO THE COMMUNITY ABOUT THESE EFFORTS OF WHAT'S GOING ON. BUT MYSELF AND MY BROTHERS AND SISTERS HAVE NOT BEEN UPDATED ABOUT THIS RESOLUTION UNTIL LATE LAST NIGHT OR EARLY THIS MORNING. SO AS FAR AS I'M CONCERNED, WE'RE ALREADY FAILING. WHAT'S IN SECTION SIX NOW, EITHER MEMBERS OF THIS COUNCIL IS BEING DUPED INTO BELIEVING THAT THIS RESOLUTION ALONE IS THE BE ALL, END ALL SOLUTION TO OUR PROBLEM. OR YOU ARE TRYING TO DUP THE COMMUNITY. AND I'M HERE TO TELL YOU THAT THIS COMMUNITY CAN NO LONGER BE DUPED. YOU CAN'T PULL THE WOOL OVER OUR EYES ANYMORE. WE KNOW WHAT'S GOING ON, AND WE ARE GONNA HOLD YOU ACCOUNTABLE. SO I ASKED YOU TO MAKE A DECISION AND POP THAT JOINT BACK INTO PLACE AND PUT POWER BACK INTO THE PEOPLE. THANK YOU. THANK YOU, MR. JOHNSON. NIKA CLEAVER. MY NAME IS NIKA, AND UH, I AM HERE BECAUSE AT THE END OF THE DAY, I'M HERE TO SAY STOP THE TALK AND LET'S GET TO ACTION. WE ARE ABSOLUTELY SICK OF HEARING THE BANDAID. I THINK THAT THE DIRECTION IS FANTASTIC. HE IS RIGHT. THIS IS NOT THE END ALL BE ALL. IT IS A FIRST STEP YOU GET IN HERE AND I KNOW THAT YOU SAY, OH, WE LOVE THE PEOPLE AND OUR OFFICE ISN'T OH, CLOSED AND HONEY, I'M, I'M TRYING TO FIGURE OUT WHEN THE OFFICE IS OPEN, OPEN BECAUSE AT THE END OF THE DAY, I'M GONNA BE HONEST, I HAVEN'T SEEN OUTSIDE OF THE MAYOR, I HAVE CALLED ALMOST EVERYBODY'S OFFICE. YOUR OFFICE IS THE ONLY ONE THAT RESPONDED TO ME. IT'S JUST TALK. AND AT THE END OF THE DAY, WE'RE SICK OF THE JUST TALK. WE KNOW AS A COMMUNITY THAT WE HAVE ACCOMPLISHED THINGS AND WE DON'T EVEN HAVE THE TITLE. THERE'S NOTHING LEFT TO DISCUSS. IT IS TIME FOR YOU TO PUT THE ORDINANCES IN. IT IS TIME FOR YOU TO STOP DOING THE LET ME CHECK AND LET'S RESEARCH. WHAT, WHAT DO WE NEED TO RESEARCH? WE, THE BLACK COMMUNITY IS DYING THE MAC, LET ME, LET ME EXPLAIN SOMETHING TO YOU. WE HAVE WATCHED YOU GUYS PUT ORDINANCES IN LIKE THIS DURING C OVID 19. THERE ARE MORE THINGS THAT ARE HAPPENING IN THIS CITY THAT KILL THE BLACK COMMUNITY MORE THAN C O 19. SO I NEED YOU GUYS TO TAKE THE ABILITY AND THE POWER THAT YOU HAVE AND ACT ON IT. DON'T GIVE US A PROMISE TO ACT ON IT. JUST ACT ON IT. BECAUSE JUST LIKE MY YOUNG PEOPLE WHO I AM SO PROUD OF Y'ALL, I AM SO PROUD OF Y'ALL MOBILIZING IN THESE STREETS. THERE ARE OTHER OF US MOBILIZING TO GET IN THESE SEATS BECAUSE IF YOU DO NOT HAVE THE CONFIDENCE IN US, IN YOUR COMMUNITY, IF YOU DON'T HAVE THE NON FEAR FACTOR OF SAYING, YOU KNOW WHAT, I'M GONNA PROTECT A PEOPLE, THEN WHAT I'M THINKING IS THAT YOU'RE MORE WORRIED ABOUT CAMPAIGN MONEY AND VOTES, AND YOU DON'T WANNA SEE THE BLACK COMMUNITY COME TOGETHER WHEN IT'S TIME TO PUT SOME DIFFERENT PEOPLE IN THESE SEATS. THAT PART. AND I'M JUST HERE TO TELL YOU, STAND STRONG IN MY FAITH, IN MY BELIEF IN OUR CITY, THAT I'M NOT BACKING DOWN AND I WILL BE ANOTHER. WHAT'S THE GUY THAT COMES EVERY WEEK? I'M GONNA BE ANOTHER ONE OF HIM. I'M GONNA BE ANOTHER ONE OF MY BABIES WITH THE SIGN EVERY WEEK UNTIL I CAN GET [02:20:01] A SEAT. THANK YOU. THANK YOU, MS. CLEAVER. KRISTEN PEREZ. MS. PEREZ WOULD BE FOLLOWED BY SARAH WAGNER, RIGHT? THIS IS MY FIRST ONE OF THESE. BUT UH, LEMME GO AHEAD AND SAY THE FACT THAT, UM, THERE'S LIKE A FINAL DISCIPLINE THAT THE PUBLIC CAN SEE. UH, SOUNDS LIKE A RECIPE FOR MISTRUST FOR THE PUBLIC WITH THE POLICE FORCE. UM, I'D LIKE TO CALL FOR THE REPEAL OF CHAPTERS 1 43 AND 1 74, WHICH ENCOMPASS COLLECTIVE BARGAINING AND POLICE TENURE IN THE STATE OF THE TEXAS GOVERNMENT CODE. THE ISSUE WITH KEEPING SOMEONE ON THE POLICE FORCE WHO IS NOT EQUIPPED MENTALLY FOR THEIR JOB IS QUITE OBVIOUS. IF YOU FORCE HARM ON AN INNOCENT PERSON, EVEN AFTER YOU'RE TRAINED, YOU ARE NOT A GOOD COP, YOU ARE NOT A GOOD EMPLOYEE. AND THAT IS ALL COP ISRAELI, A GOVERNMENT EMPLOYEE, NOT AN UNTOUCHABLE, TENURED FIGURE, WHICH CONTINUES THEIR EMPLOYMENT ELSEWHERE WHEN THEY CONTINUE THEIR NEGLECTFUL AND LESS THAN LAWFUL PERFORMANCE AT THEIR JOB. THE FACT THAT POLICE HAVE THE ABILITY TO ERASE ANYTHING FROM THEIR PUBLIC RECORD IS OBVIOUSLY NOT IN THE BEST INTEREST OF THE PUBLIC. THIS IS A BIG REASON WHY STATISTICAL DATA ON POLICING IS SO HARD TO COMPUTE FOR THE PUBLIC. HOW IS THIS POSSIBLE? HOW CAN OUR MOST LETHAL EMPLOYEES GO LESS CHECK THAN SAY AN EMPLOYEE ON H IN H E B? HOW IS THE PUBLIC GOING TO TRUST THEIR POLICE WHEN THEY HAVE SO MUCH TO HIDE? I'VE BEEN FIRED BEFORE BECAUSE I WAS NOT A GOOD SERVER. I MESSED UP A FEW ORDERS WITH FOOD AND THEY SAID, MAYBE THIS ISN'T FOR YOU. HOW CAN OUR GOVERNMENT POSSIBLY KEEP PEOPLE WHO ARE TAKING LIVES HURTING INNOCENT AND BREAKING THE LAWS THAT THEY WERE EMPLOYED TO ENFORCE ? IF I'M NOT EVEN ALLOWED TO GET A FEW SALAD ORDERS WRONG AFTER I'M DONE WITH TRAINING, HOW DARE WE WASTE OUR TAX DOLLARS ON PEOPLE WHO DON'T DESERVE THEIR JOBS? HOW DO WE, HOW ARE WE PAYING FOR OUR OWN POLICE DEPARTMENT TO BE INFILTRATED WITH COPS WHO HAVE A RECORD OF NOT COMPLYING WITH THEIR OWN TRAINING? HOW ARE OUR TAX DOLLARS PAYING FOR COPS TO BE BE EX EXCUSED FOR VIOLENCE AND SOMETIMES LETHAL ACTS JUST TO BE EXCUSED, SWEPT UNDER THE RUG, AND ALSO PAY COPS WITH A RECORD TO JUST RECIRCULATE INTO OUR STATE. IF THE SS A P D LOVES ENFORCING THE LAW SO MUCH, THEN FORCE THE LAW WITHIN YOUR OWN RANKS THEN. OR IF I REFUSE TO HAVE CONFIDENCE IN A POLICE FORCE COMPILED OF A RAGTAG GROUP OF LITERALLY ANYONE THE GOVERNMENT CAN RE-EMPLOY, I'D RATHER DEAL WITH THE DANGEROUS ISSUES BY MYSELF IF THAT'S THE CASE. ALSO, SS A P D CAN WORK ON THE RATES OF DEESCALATION BECAUSE THEY ARE NOT EVEN REQUIRED TO DO SO. STOP PAYING TAXES FOR A POLICE FORCE THAT'S ALLOWED TO KILL YOU BECAUSE THEY ARE QUITE LITERALLY BAD AT WHAT THEY'RE EMPLOYED TO DO. THANK YOU, MS. PEREZ. UM, I APOLOGIZE. I PICKED UP THE SECOND PAGE OF SPEAKERS BEFORE THE FIRST PAGE, BUT MS. WAGNER, YOU'LL BE FOLLOWED BY. I'LL GO BACK TO THE FIRST PAGE. UM, SO MS. WAGNER, YOU'LL BE FOLLOWED BY, UH, ROGER MORTENSON MORNING. MY NAME IS SARAH JOE WAGNER, AND I RECENTLY GRADUATED WITH MY MASTER'S DEGREE IN PUBLIC HEALTH FROM UT HEALTH. DURING MY TIME AT UT HEALTH, I ASSISTED WITH DATA COLLECTION FOR THE 2019 BEXAR COUNTY AND ATASCOSA COUNTY COMMUNITY HEALTH NEEDS ASSESSMENT REPORT. UH, I DID THIS THROUGH FACILITATION OF FOCUS GROUPS. THE FOCUS GROUPS GAVE ME THE OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK DIRECTLY WITH RESIDENTS THROUGHOUT SAN ANTONIO ABOUT THEIR PERCEIVED STRENGTHS AND WEAKNESSES OF THE CITY, AS WELL AS THEIR PRIORITIES FOR IMPROVEMENT. MANY NEIGHBORHOODS, ESPECIALLY THOSE MADE UP OF LOW SOCIOECONOMIC STATUS HOUSEHOLDS FEEL NEGLECTED BY THE LOCAL GOVERNMENT DUE TO POLICIES AND BUDGETS THAT IGNORE OR DIRECTLY HARM SOME RESIDENTS. WHILE BUILDING UP OTHERS COMMUNITY MEMBERS STATED THAT THE ONLY TIME ELECTED OFFICIALS ENTER THEIR NEIGHBORHOODS IS DURING ELECTIONS, AND THAT UPON BEING ELECTED, THEY AND THEIR PROMISES QUICKLY DISAPPEAR. ADDITIONALLY, THESE COMMUNITIES STRESSED A LACK OF TRUST BETWEEN THEM AND SS A P D. WHILE THE WORK OF LOCAL NONPROFITS WAS LISTED AS MORE BENEFICIAL TO THE COMMUNITY THAN ANYTHING ELSE, MANY OF THESE CITIZENS ASKED FOR SAFER COMMUNITIES BY WAY OF INCREASING FUNDING AND FOCUSING ON COMMUNITY RESOURCES, NOT INCREASING POLICE PATROLS AND BUDGETS. A PART OF MY EXPERIENCE THAT I WANNA HIGHLIGHT WAS WHEN NUMEROUS FOCUS GROUP MEMBERS ASKED ME WHY THEY SHOULD EVEN BOTHER PROVIDING THEIR VALUABLE TIME AND SHARING THEIR VERY PERSONAL STORIES WITH US. THEY VOICED THEIR CONCERNS AND HARDSHIPS IN THE PAST, AND THEY'VE BEEN IGNORED. NO NOTICEABLE IMPROVEMENTS WERE MADE. I'M COMMITTED TO ADVOCATING FOR THEM AND TO DO MORE THAN JUST PASS ON A ONE-TIME REPORT. I URGE THE CITY COUNCIL TO ALSO SHOW YOUR COMMITMENT TO SAN ANTONIO THROUGH [02:25:01] YOUR ACTIONS AND NOT JUST YOUR WORDS. WE NEED TO ADDRESS AN EQUITABLE RESOURCE ALLOCATION BY DEFUNDING THE POLICE AND INVESTING IN OUR COMMUNITY. THANK YOU, MS. WAGNER. ROGER MORTENSON OPPORTUNITY, UH, JORDAN'S NEXT. ARE YOU YIELDING TO JORDAN? YEAH. OKAY. UH, JORDAN, YOU HAVE, UH, SIX MINUTES, UH, AND YOU'LL BE FOLLOWED BY CAMIA DENISE, THAT PART. THANK YOU. I WOULD START, UH, I WOULD LIKE TO START BY ECHOING THE COMMUNITY ON THE REMOVAL OF THE COLUMBUS STATUE, BUT I ALSO DO NOT WANT TO STOP THERE. WE ARE ALSO AS A COMMUNITY DEMANDING THE RENAMING OF MAVERICK PARK, THE REMOVAL OF HIS PICTURES AND JOHN HAYES STREET. WE ARE, UH, UH, DEMANDING THAT YOU REMOVE ALL OF THE RACIST AND RAPIST THAT YOU GUYS, UH, UH, CONTINUE TO KEEP UP IN OUR COMMUNITIES THAT CONTINUALLY REMIND US THAT YOU DON'T GIVE A DAMN ABOUT US, PLEASE AND THANK YOU. UM, WE ALSO WANTED TO SPEAK ABOUT, UH, REPARATIONS FOR FAMILIES KILLED BY POLICE TO BE PAID OUT OF THEIR PENSIONS AND NOT TAX DOLLARS. YOU LITERALLY HAVE US, WE ARE PAYING FOR OUR OWN HITMEN AND WE'RE TIRED OF IT. SO IF, IF THEY ARE, IF YOU ARE NOT GOING TO PENALIZE THEM BY DISCIPLINE, THEN YOU NEED TO PENALIZE THEM BY THAT MONEY THAT THEY EXPECT TO STILL RECEIVE AFTER THEY DROP OUR BODIES AND THEY'RE STILL ALLOWED TO WORK. THAT MONEY NEEDS TO BE GOING TO THE FAMILIES WHO NOW HAVE TO BURY THEIR CHILDREN. I ALSO WANT TO ECHO THE, UH, REPEALING OF STATE LAWS 1 43 AND 1 74, WHICH ALLOW COPS TO COLLECTIVELY BARGAIN AND TAKE DISCIPLINE TO ARBITRATION AFTER BEING FIRED. WE DON'T GET THOSE SAME LIBERTIES BEING IN THE COMMUNITY. TEXAS IS AN AT WILL STATE, AND IT SHOULD BE FOR THE CIVILIANS WHO ARE WORKING FOR US JUST LIKE WE ARE AT WILL WITH OUR COMPANIES AS WELL. WE DON'T GET, WE DON'T GET FREE LAWYERS TO COME AND REPRESENT US AT OUR JOBS WHEN WE GET FIRED FOR DOING A BAD JOB. AND IF WE GET MURDERED, WE DON'T GET 48 HOURS TO TRY AND FIGURE OUT WHAT OUR STORY'S GOING TO BE IF WE ARE TELEVISED, MURDERING ANOTHER HUMAN BEING. ALSO EIGHT CAN'T WAIT, DOES NOT STOP THE DEATHS. IF THERE IS NO ENFORCEMENT OF PUNISHMENT FOR BREAKING POLICIES, THEN, THEN SAYING YOU CAN'T CHOKE HOLD SOMEONE DOES NOT STOP SOMEONE FROM PUTTING THEM IN A CHOKE HOLD IF THEY KNOW THAT THEY WILL STILL BE FREE AFTER THEY DO IT. TELLING A RACIST TO NOT KILL BLACK PEOPLE, KNOWING THAT HE DOES NOT HAVE REPERCUSSIONS FOR THOSE ACTIONS IS NOT HELPFUL TO THIS COMMUNITY. SO BY, BY PUSHING EIGHT, CAN'T WAIT. ONCE AGAIN, WE CALL BULL CRAP ON THAT BECAUSE THAT IS NOT STOPPING ANYONE FROM DYING IN THIS COMMUNITY. THERE IS ALREADY A RULE THAT THEY SHOULD NOT BE SHOOTING OUR BLACK MEN IN THE BACK. THERE IS ALREADY A RULE THAT THEY SHOULD NOT BE ASPHYXIATING US. THERE IS ALREADY A RULE THAT THEY SHOULD NOT BE BREAKING INTO OUR HOMES AND PLANTING THINGS. AND THOSE THINGS ARE STILL HAPPENING. SO WHAT WE NEED IS DISCIPLINE AND, AND REPERCUSSIONS FOR THESE THINGS. WE DO NOT NEED YOU TO TELL THEM NOT TO DO IT. NOT DOING IT IS COMMON SENSE. THANK YOU. ALSO, I WANTED TO, TO SPEAK ON, UH, COUNCILMAN PERRY SANDOVAL VIA GRAHAM, MR. COURAGE, SEGOVIA AND MR. WALSH. WE HAVE BEEN IN THE STREETS FOR 30 DAYS TODAY, MARKS A MONTH SINCE THE DEATH OF GEORGE FLOYD. AND WE HAVE NOT SEEN ANY OF YOU AT A PROTEST. WE HAVE NOT SEEN ANY OF YOU RAISE A FIST IN SOLIDARITY FOR THE BLACK COMMUNITY. WE HAVE NOT HEARD THE WORDS COME OUT OF YOUR MOUTH. BLACK LIVES MATTER. IN FACT, THE ONLY PEOPLE UP THERE WHO HAVE SP SPECIFICALLY SAID THOSE WORDS ARE MAYOR AND, AND JADA ANDREWS AND ACTUALLY PUBLICLY STOOD WITH THIS COMMUNITY. ACTUALLY, THAT'S NOT TRUE. MR. PALELLA DID THE SAME THING. MY APOLOGIES. HE DID COME OUT TO A PROTEST AND SPOKE. SO THE THREE OF THEM ARE THE ONLY ONES WHO HAVE ACTUALLY STOOD IN SOLIDARITY WITH THIS COMMUNITY AND STATED THAT THEY STAND AND SUPPORT BLACK LIVES BECAUSE WE ARE THE ONES BEING KILLED OUT HERE. WE ARE THE ONES WHO ARE OUR SACRIFICIAL LAMBS TO YOUR POLICE OFFICERS. AND ONCE AGAIN, WE ARE TIRED OF IT. NO MORE HASHTAGS, NO MORE NAMES RIGHT NOW. TODAY WE ARE PEACEFUL AND WE ARE TRYING TO KEEP IT THAT WAY. BUT WE WILL NOT ACCEPT MORE DEATHS SINCE THE DEATH OF GEORGE FLOYD. 120 BLACK KILLINGS HAVE STILL OCCURRED IN THIS 30 DAYS. AND YOU GUYS ARE STILL TALKING ABOUT COMMISSIONS AND MEETINGS AND CONVERSATIONS THAT NEED TO BE HAD. THERE IS NOTHING LEFT TO DISCUSS. WE ARE DYING TODAY. WE NEED ACTION TODAY. AND FOR THOSE OF YOU WHO HAVE NOT STOOD IN SOLIDARITY WITH THE BLACK LIVES MATTER MOVEMENT AND ACTUALLY SPOKEN OUT AGAINST THE INJUSTICES, THE RACIAL INJUSTICES, SOCIAL INJUSTICES, AND ECONOMICAL INJUSTICES, I JUST WANT TO POINT OUT THAT YOU SHOULD BE VERY ASHAMED OF YOURSELVES. MR. WALSH. YOU SET A MEETING WITH THE LEADERS AND CANCELED. WE HAVE NO IDEA [02:30:01] WHAT HAPPENED TO IT. THERE WAS NO INFORMATION GIVEN TO US ON WHEN WE WERE GOING TO FOLLOW UP. WE RECEIVED A CALL FROM YOUR, YOUR ORGANIZATION STATING THAT YOU WOULD MEET WITH US AND THEN WE RECEIVED NOTHING FROM THAT. THAT IS NOT ACCEPTABLE WHEN YOUR COMMUNITY IS CRYING OUT FOR HELP. NOT ACCEPTABLE. UM, ANOTHER QUESTION FROM ONE OF THE COMMUNITY WAS, WHERE ARE WE WITH CRIMINAL JUSTICE REFORM? WHEN CAN WE EXPECT TO SEE THESE REFORMATIONS TAKING PLACE? CONTINUING TO HAVE CONVERSATIONS ABOUT WHEN WILL BE ABLE TO DO IT IS NOT HELPFUL TO US. THERE IS AGAIN, THERE IS NOTHING ELSE TO DISCUSS. COMMISSIONS HAVE BEEN HELD, MEETINGS HAVE BEEN HELD, SCIENTIFIC EVIDENCE HAS BEEN GATHERED. WHAT ELSE ARE YOU GUYS TALKING ABOUT? WE ARE DYING. FIX IT. AMEN. ALSO, WE HAVE MET WITH A FEW OFFICIALS OVER THIS PAST MONTH TODAY. I, I, AS I JUST STATED, MARKS THE ONE MONTH OF THE TRAGIC MURDER OF GEORGE FLOYD. IN THAT MONTH, THERE HAVE BEEN OVER 120 POLICE RELATED KILLINGS AND FIVE LYNCHINGS LABELED AS SUICIDES. I WOULD LIKE TO GO ON RECORD AND ALERT COUNSEL AND LAW ENFORCEMENT THAT BLACK PEOPLE DO NOT HANG OURSELVES FROM TREES. AND IF YOU BELIEVE OTHERWISE, I WOULD SUGGEST THAT YOU OPEN AN ACTUAL HISTORY BOOK AND NOT THE WHITEWASH ONES THAT YOU ARE NOW GIVING OUR CHILDREN. WE'VE CONTINUED TO HEAR ABOUT, UM, UM, YOUR HANDS BEING TIED DUE TO CONTRACTS, BUT YOU HAVE A NEGOTIATION TEAM THAT NEGOTIATES ON BEHALF OF THE COMMUNITY THAT NONE OF US KNOW. SO HOW DO LAWS LIKE 1 43 AND 1 74 GET APPROVED TO BEGIN WITH WITHOUT CONSULTING THE COMMUNITY THAT YOU CLAIM TO REPRESENT AND FIGHT FOR? THE COMMUNITY DEMANDS, TRANSPARENCY AND INPUT ON THESE EXECUTIVE DECISIONS THAT IMPACT OUR LIVES. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. MS. PARKS KIMIA. DENISE, MS. DENISE, YOU'LL BE FOLLOWED BY VICTOR JOHNSON. MR. I'LL ADD YOU THE LIST. JAMES. THANK YOU SIR. BEFORE I SPEAK, I WANT TO YIELD ONE MINUTE TO THE LIVES OF CHARLES ROUNDTREE MARQUIS JONES, ANTRON SCOTT NORMAN COOPER AND CITY COUNCIL. I'M CALLING ON YOU TO RAISE A FIST OR TAKE A KNEE. IF YOU STAND IN SOLIDARITY WITH US TODAY. TAKE NOTES OF WHO DON'T. CITY MANAGER. YOU WANTED TO BE HELD ACCOUNTABLE. RIGHT? NOW'S YOUR CHANCE. IT'S FUNNY, RIGHT? OKAY. THE MAYOR'S ON HIS KNEE AND SANDOVAL TAKE OF THOSE WHO DON'T, WHO AIN'T. THE CURRENT RESOLUTIONS WITH REGARD TO THE C B A NEGOTIATIONS ARE VAGUE AND INSUFFICIENT, WHICH SHOWS THE LACK OF MEANINGFUL CONVERSATION AND DIALOGUE WITH THE BLACK FOLKS ON THE GROUND LEADING THIS WORK. THREE, PUBLIC SAFETY HEARINGS ARE INSUFFICIENT FOR ACCURATE REPRESENTATION AND TRUE PUBLIC ENGA ENGAGEMENT. TWO OF THEM BEING VIRTUAL. HOWEVER, THERE WASN'T EVEN VIRTUAL SUPPORT FOR MEANINGFUL DIALOGUE. THESE CONDITIONS LIMIT THE OVERALL INPUT COMMUNITY IS CAPABLE OF AND WHAT LITTLE PROGRESS WE HAVE MADE THAT CAN BE ERASED IN JUST A MONTH. IT IS IRRESPONSIBLE TO NOT HAVE HAD AN ADEQUATE PUBLIC ACCESS FOR ACTUALLY DISCUSSING MEANINGFUL RESOLUTIONS WITH THE ORGANIZERS THAT YOU TAKE TIME TO MEET WITH. THE MINNESOTA DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH HAS REPORTED THAT THE PROTESTS DO NOT DIRECTLY CONTRIBUTE TO THE SPREAD OF THE CORONAVIRUS. BUT DO YOU KNOW WHAT DOES THE CLASSISM ASSOCIATED WITH BLACK FOLK AND P O C TESTING THE REOPENING OF ONE IN ONE OF THE LARGEST STATES OF THE COUNTRY AND THE FALLACIES BEING PRESENTED TO THE PUBLIC ABOUT CERTAIN RADICAL GROUPS. MS. SANDOVAL, YOU STATED TO THE DOCTOR THAT YOU IMAGINE SHE HAS A GARAGE OF CASELOADS FLYING AT HER, BUT I WANT CITY COUNCIL TO IMAGINE BULLETS FLYING AT BLACK FOLK FOR SIMPLY BEING BLACK. THE DOCTOR HAS HER PRIVILEGE AND AMASSED TO PROTECT HER, BUT WHO PROTECTS US? MAYOR, YOU SAID THAT YOUR MEDICAL MENTORS ARE BEING SLAMMED, BUT BLACK BODIES ARE BEING SLAMMED TOO. I ALSO WANT TO TO SAY THAT THE REVOLUTION DOES NOT TAKE A SUMMER A BREAK. BLACK LIVES DO NOT GET TO TAKE A BREAK, THEREFORE, YOU SHOULD NOT GET TO TAKE A BREAK TODAY. AND WITH THAT BEING SAID, SINCE WE ARE SPEAKING ON PUBLIC SAFETY ISSUES, THE REAL PUBLIC SAFETY ISSUE ARE THE MILITIA THAT ARE GUARDING A WHITE COLONIALIST STATUE AND ARE ARMED WITH ARMED WEAPONS. THEY'RE PROVOKING THE COMMUNITY, THEY'RE PROVOKING THE PEOPLE. THEY'RE [02:35:01] RUNNING PEOPLE OUT OF THE PARK THAT WANT TO GO THERE AND EXHIBIT THEIR FIRST AMENDMENT, RIGHTS OF FREEDOM OF SPEECH, ASSEMBLY, PRESS, AND RELIGION. PEOPLE WHO WANNA GO TO THAT PARK AND PRAY CANNOT BECAUSE THEY ARE CHASED OFF BY ARMED MALICIOUS A SECOND AMENDMENT RIGHT. DOES ANYBODY YIELD THEIR TIME FOR ME TO SPEAK? WHAT'S YOUR NAME, MA'AM? KATE. OKAY, KATIE, GO AHEAD. YOU HAVE THREE MINUTES. COME IN FOR THIS ARMED MILITIA TO BE ABLE TO EXHIBIT ITS SECOND AMENDMENT RIGHT TO HOLD. AN ARMED SHOULD NOT SUPERSEDE THAT OF CITIZENS WHO HAVE A FIRST AMENDMENT RIGHT TO EXHIBIT AND ASSEMBLE PEACEFULLY FOR PROTEST. THE AMOUNT OF OF, OF FUNDING THAT THE CITY PUTS INTO RUBBER BULLETS AND TEAR GAS TO, UH, TO AFFECT PROTESTS IS INADEQUATE TO THE PEOPLE WHO HAVE A RIGHT TO ASSEMBLE. SO TODAY'S CITY COUNCIL, I'M CALLING ON YOU. I'M CALLING ON YOU TO NOT ONLY MAKE YOU AWARE. PERRY, ARE YOU AWAKE? PERRY, ARE YOU GOOD? I'M TALKING TO YOU. FOR THE PEOPLE TO ASSEMBLE DURING A PANDEMIC IS THE FIRST TIME IN HISTORY THAT THE NATION HAS COME TOGETHER AND PROTESTED FOR LIVES. I SEE YOU CHUCKLE. PERRY, DO YOU HAVE SOMETHING YOU WANNA SAY, KIM? YOU'RE ADDRESSING THE WHOLE COUNCIL. GO AHEAD. FOR THE, FOR THE NATION TO ASSEMBLE DURING A PANDEMIC FOR BLACK LIVES IS THE FIRST TIME IN HISTORY THAT WE HAVE SEEN PEOPLE SACRIFICE THEIR HEALTH FOR THE BETTERMENT OF BLACK BODIES IN THIS NATION AND AROUND THE WORLD. I WANT TO HEEDED THAT C OVID 19. AND THE PROGRESSION OF THAT NEEDS TO BE MET WITH THE SAME ENERGY OF THAT FOR BLACK PEOPLE, FOR P O C AND AND MARGINALIZED COMMUNITIES IN THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO. IF YOU WANT THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO TO SEE THAT YOU CARE ABOUT THEM, DO NOT PUSH THE AGENDA TO TAKE DOWN THE COLUMBUS STATUE TO NEXT WEEK, NEXT WEEKEND. IT'S TOO LATE THAT THESE ARMED MILITIAS ARE PROVOKING THE PUBLIC WITH THEIR WEAPONS. THEY'RE PROVOKING PEOPLE WHO WANT TO GO AND PEACEFULLY ASSEMBLE AT THIS PARK. CHANGE THE NAME OF THE STREET, CHANGE THE NAME OF THE PARK, TAKE THE STATUE DOWN, AND ADVOCATE FOR THE INDIGENOUS FOLK WHOSE BLOOD HAS BEEN SHED ON SAN ANTONIO AND SOIL. IT'S BECAUSE CHRISTOPHER COLUMBUS COLLO COLONIZED THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA THAT MY BLACK AND BROWN PEOPLE STAND HERE TODAY WITH OUR FISTS UP AND WE HAVE MADE IT INTO THE IVORY TOWER. YOU'LL HEAR US TODAY, PERRY. YOU'LL HEAR US PRESIDENT TRUMP, DONALD TRUMP. 'CAUSE HE AIN'T MY PRESIDENT. YOU'LL HEAR US AND CITY COUNCIL, YOU'LL HEAR US. YOU'LL FEEL OUR RAGE BECAUSE WE ARE OUT IN THE STREETS FIGHTING FOR THE LIVES THAT YOU CLAIM TO REPRESENT. SO I STAND HERE TODAY TO SAY THAT BLACK LIVES MATTER LIVES AND AIN'T LIVES AND AIN'T NO POWER LIKE THE POWER OF THE PEOPLE BECAUSE THE POWER OF THE PEOPLE DOESN'T STOP. THANK YOU. THANK YOU, MS. FACTORY. VICTOR JOHNSON. TO TO WHO? OH, FARRELL. OKAY. FARRELL, YOU GOT SIX MINUTES. FIRST OFF, I WAS GONNA COME TO YOU TODAY TO TALK TO YOU ABOUT A PUBLIC HEALTH EPIDEMIC. AND NO, I'M NOT TALKING ABOUT C OVID 19. WHAT I'M TALKING ABOUT IS THE UNARMED OR INNOCENT MURDER AND SLAUGHTER OF BLACK LIVES. BUT BEFORE I GET INTO THAT, I WOULD LIKE TO TELL YOU THAT TODAY WE AS UNITED REVOLUTIONARIES, AND I'M SURE I SPEAK ON BEHALF OF MAJORITY OF THE PEOPLE IN HERE, WE ARE CALLING FOR THE RESIGNATION OF CLAYTON PERRY. AND WE ARE ALSO CALLING FOR THE RESIGNATION OF ERIC WALSH. AND I WILL TELL YOU RIGHT NOW, I WILL TELL YOU RIGHT NOW THAT I WILL SPEND EVERY OUNCE OF ENERGY IN MY BODY TO MAKE SURE THAT YOU, MR. PERRY, DO NOT HAVE THAT SEAT. COME THIS TIME NEXT YEAR. YOU HAVE SHOWN YOUR RACIST DISRESPECT FOR THE PEOPLE OF THIS CITY. AND I HOPE THAT EVERYBODY WILL STAND WITH ME IN HELPING TO UNITE AND, AND, AND A CAMPAIGN AGAINST THIS GUY. WE NEED THIS PERRY REMOVED. HE'S A RACIST SLAVE OWNING, PROUD PRODUCING PHARAOH. PHARAOH OF HIS ENVIRONMENT. PERIOD TO THE WHOLE COUNCIL. PHARAOH. COME ON. DONE. NUMBER TWO, WE'RE HERE TO TALK ABOUT MORE THAN JUST C OVID 19, BECAUSE THE PEOPLE OF THIS CITY ARE NOT WORRIED ABOUT C OVID 19. RIGHT NOW, THE BLACK COMMUNITY IS WORRIED ABOUT THE LOSS OF BLACK LIVES. WE COULD PUT C OVID 19 ON THE BACK BURNER FOR THE LOSS OF BLACK LIVES TODAY. AND IF YOU AS CITY COUNCIL CARED ANYTHING ABOUT THIS, YOU WOULD STOP PRETENDING TO CARE BY PASSING RESOLUTIONS THAT DO NOT MATTER, WILL NOT HOLD WATER, AND THEY'RE SOFT AS HELL. IF YOU TRULY CARED AND WANTED TO MAKE A CHANGE, YOU WOULD START PUTTING TOGETHER SOME THINGS THAT COULD MAKE A CHANGE. NOW, IMPACT. NOW, NOT COMMITTEES, [02:40:01] NOT FOREIGN MEETING, NOT MEETINGS FROM A MONTH LATER, NOT MEETINGS. THAT'S GONNA HAPPEN IN TWO WEEKS. WE WANT CHANGES TODAY. WHAT CAN YOU SIGN IN THE LAWS TODAY TO AFFECT BLACK LIVES, BROWN LIVES IN YOUR CITY THAT YOU CLAIM TO REPRESENT? WE DON'T WANNA HEAR ABOUT, OH, WELL, WE RECOMMEND THIS HAPPENS. WE RECOMMEND THAT HAPPENS. WE RECOMMEND THIS HAPPENS. IT'S SOFT AS HELL. WE WANT REAL ACTION FROM THE PEOPLE THAT ARE UP THERE. LET ME TELL YOU RIGHT NOW, WE ARE GOING TO BE ORGANIZING TO BE COMING TO YOUR NEIGHBORHOODS. WE ARE GONNA BE ORGANIZING TO COME TO YOUR CHURCHES. WE ARE GONNA BE ORGANIZING TO COME TO YOUR GROCERY STORES, TO YOUR CHILDREN'S SCHOOLS. AND UNTIL YOUR NEIGHBORS START TELLING YOU, PERRY, WHAT ARE THESE ANGRY BLACK AND BROWN PEOPLE DOING AT OUR NEIGHBORHOOD COMMUNITY MEETINGS? AND THEY ARE GOING TO BE ASKING YOU TO STEP DOWN. I'M HERE TO TELL YOU TODAY, PERRY, YOUR DAYS ARE NUMBERED BECAUSE YOU'VE NOW BEEN UP HERE FAIR, THE BLACKLIST PERIOD. PERIOD. NUMBER TWO, IF ANY OF YOU CALL YOURSELVES CHRISTIANS, ANY OF YOU, AND YOU HAVE THE NERVE TO SIT UP THERE AND CALL YOURSELVES A CHRISTIAN, AND YOU DO NOT HEEDED THE CALL OF INNOCENT LIES AND INNOCENT BLOOD THAT'S BEING SHED IN THE STREETS, AND YOU CAN'T CALL YOURSELF TO JUMP UP AND CALL FOR ACTION, THEN I SAY TODAY, SHAME ON ALL OF YOU. SHAME ON ALL OF YOU. YOU ARE A DISGRACE TO, TO THE NAME. ANY ONE OF YOU THAT CAN FIND IT IN YOUR HEART TO SIT UP THERE ON THAT DAIS. AND YOU ACT LIKE YOU REPRESENT THESE PEOPLE THAT ARE STANDING BEFORE YOU, YET YOU HAVE DONE NOTHING, NOTHING TO FURTHER THEIR AGENDA. NOTHING. THESE PEOPLE HAVE BEEN OUT HERE FOR 30 DAYS AND IT HAS BEEN THEIR BLOOD, THEIR SWEAT, AND THEIR TEARS. I'VE BEEN ASLEEP TWO TO THREE HOURS EVERY SINGLE NIGHT FOR THE LAST 30 DAYS BECAUSE I'M OUT HERE FIGHTING THE FIGHT THAT YOU ALL SHOULD BE FIGHTING. WE ARE OUT HERE IN THE STREETS FIGHTING THE FIGHT THAT YOU ALL GOT ELECTED TO FIGHT, THAT YOU ALL GET PAID TO FIGHT, THAT YOU ALL GET CONTRIBUTIONS TO FIGHT. WE DON'T GET MILLIONS OF DOLLARS FROM SOAS, S PAS, POAS. WE DON'T GET G*****N CAMPAIGN CONTRIBUTION DOLLARS FROM THE CITY YET. WE FIGHT FOR THE CITY. WHAT DO YOU DO? AND THAT'S MY QUESTION TO YOU ALL. WHAT JOB DO YOU DO? WHAT DO YOU TELL YOURSELVES AT THE END OF THE DAY WHEN YOU GO HOME AND YOU LOOK AT A EMPTY, UH, UH, EMPTY LIST OF REQUESTS THAT HAVE BEEN FILLED, AND YOU SAY, HOW CAN WE, UH, PRESENT SOMETHING TO THE PEOPLE THAT'S GONNA GET THEM TO SHUT UP? HOW CAN WE PRESENT SOMETHING TO THE PEOPLE THAT PRETEND THAT WE, UH, ARE ADDRESSING THEIR DEMANDS? YOU'RE NOT ADDRESSING ANYTHING. YOU HAVEN'T ADDRESSED ANYTHING. AND UNTIL YOU DO, WE WILL NOT SLEEP. WE WILL NOT STOP. WE WILL NOT TIRE AND WE'RE DAMN SURE NOT GOING HOME BECAUSE OF NO C OVID 19, WE'RE DAMN SURE NOT GONNA HOLD OUR PROTEST TO UNDER A HUNDRED PEOPLE. AND I GUARANTEE YOU, WE WILL START TO MOBILIZE IN YOUR NEIGHBORHOODS. SO I WANT YOU TO KNOW TODAY AS A DECLARATION, THIS IS A DECLARATION OF WAR. AND UNTIL YOU DECIDE, ERIC WALSH, CLAYTON PERRY, AND THE REST OF THE DAAS THAT YOU ALL WANT TO DO SOMETHING THAT IS PROGRESSIVE TO THE COMMUNITY, UNTIL YOU ALL DECIDE THAT YOU'RE READY TO PUT SOME RESOLUTIONS ON THE TABLE THAT ARE GOING TO HAPPEN IMMEDIATELY, THEN ALL OF YOU ARE NEXT TO BE BLACKLISTED. AND I IS IT. I YIELD MY F*****G TIME. THANK YOU MR. CLARK. ALL RIGHT. ALL RIGHT FOLKS. I'M JUST GONNA REMIND FOLKS ONE, ONE TIME HERE. WE'RE TRYING TO REMAIN, KEEP SOME DECORUM IN HERE. YOU'RE HERE TO ADDRESS THE COUNCIL. WE WANNA SHOW RESPECT TO EVERYBODY AT THE PODIUM. WE'VE GOTTA SHOW RESPECT FOR THE FOLKS UP HERE LISTENING AS WELL. SO, SO LET'S, OKAY. RESPECTING US. IF HE'S LAUGHING AND SMILING, IT'S NOT RESPECTING. AGAIN, I'LL REMIND EVERYBODY WHILE WE'RE TRYING TO HAVE A CONVERSATION. RESPECT AND RESPECT HAS TO HAPPEN ON BOTH. HEY, THAT'S NOT, LOOK, LOOK, Y'ALL ARE HERE TO SPEAK. Y'ALL ARE HERE TO SPEAK. WE ARE HERE TO LISTEN. OKAY? BUT, BUT IF WE CAN'T MAINTAIN DECORUM AND ORDER IN HERE, I'M GONNA HAVE TO RECESS THE MEETING AND EVERYBODY'S GOTTA GO HOME. OKAY? SO LET'S GET THIS MEETING DONE. LET'S DO WHAT WE'RE HERE TO DO, WHICH IS THAT YOU ARE HERE TO SPEAK AND WE'RE HERE TO LISTEN. THAT'S HOW IT WORKS. AND IN ORDER TO DO THAT, WE GOTTA SHOW A LITTLE BIT OF RESPECT. SO WHEN YOU COME UP HERE, YOU MAY HAVE FRUSTRATIONS ABOUT ME OR ONE OF MY COLLEAGUES. YOU'RE DIRECTING IT TO THE WHOLE COUNCIL, OKAY? AND WE'RE LISTENING. WE DON'T WANT TO HAVE TO STEP OFF, WE DON'T WANT TO HAVE TO STEP OFF. WE WANT THIS MEETING TO GO CONDUCTED. AND THEN ALL THE THINGS THAT YOU'RE ASKING FOR, YOU WILL HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO SEE IF WE ACT ON 'EM OR NOT. OKAY? ACCOUNTABILITY COMES, BUT WE'RE [02:45:01] HERE TODAY TO LISTEN. SO LET'S DO IT THE RIGHT WAY ALL. SO I'M GONNA MOVE NOW TO THE NEXT PERSON ON THE LIST. NATHANIEL HILDEBRAND. HILDEBRAND. I'M SORRY. OKAY, NEXT PERSON ON THE LIST IS, WE GOT, WE GOT A LIST. WHAT'S YOUR NAME, MA'AM? AMBER THOMPSON. UM, MS. THOMPSON? MM-HMM. . UM, I DON'T SEE ON YOU ON THE LIST. MS. THOMPSON. YEAH, YOU, YOU, HIS TIME NAME. SO YOU GOTTA HAVE, YOU GOTTA HAVE SIGNED UP IN ORDER TO TAKE SOMEBODY'S TIME OR TO GIVE YOUR TIME. WHAT'S YOUR NAME? KE AMBER THOMPSON. KIANA KE. AMBER KE. OKAY. ALRIGHT. YOU'RE NOT ON THE LIST, MS. THOMPSON, BUT GO AHEAD. YOU GOT THREE MINUTES AND YOU'RE, YOU'RE TAKING IT FROM, UH, MR. HIL. MR. HILDEBRANDT. YEAH. RIGHT. OKAY. AGAIN, MY NAME IS CAMRA THOMPSON AND I GREW UP IN DISTRICTS ONE, IN DISTRICTS TWO, AND I HAVE NEVER HAD A POSITIVE INTERACTION WITH A POLICE OFFICER. I HAVE NEVER FELT SAFE AROUND POLICE. IN MY EXPERIENCE, POLICE INTIMIDATE, THEY HARASS, THEY BRUTALIZE AND THEY TAKE LOVED ONES. UH, THROUGH ARRESTS AND THROUGH MURDER. I'VE HAD UNCLES WHO'VE BEEN BRUTALIZED BY POLICE WHO'VE HAD TO HAD THEIR, UH, JAW WIRED SHUT. AND IN 2018, MY YOUNGER COUSIN, CHARLES CHOP RE, JR, WAS SHOT AND KILLED BY SS A P D. HE WAS 18, HE WAS JUST A BABY. JUSTICE IS DISMANTLING THE STRUCTURES THAT HARM OUR COMMUNITIES AND KEEP US FROM LIVING FULL, HEALTHY, AND DIGNIFIED LIVES AND CREATING THE ALTERNATIVE STRUCTURES TO, UM, THE ALTERNATIVE LIFE AFFIRMING STRUCTURES THAT ARE ABLE TO, UH, CREATE COMMUNITY ACCOUNTABILITY AND HEALING. POLICE DO NOT CREATE SAFETY IN OUR COMMUNITIES, ESPECIALLY NOT FOR BLACK, BROWN, AND INDIGENOUS COMMUNITIES. SO I DEMAND THAT ALL OF YOU COMMIT TO DEFUNDING POLICE IN SAN ANTONIO BY FIR BY EXPRESSING YOUR FULL SUPPORT IN THE REPEALING OF CHAPTER 1 43 AND CHAPTER 1 74 OF THE STATE GOVERNMENT CODE BY RETURNING ANY FINANCIAL CONTRIBUTIONS YOU HAVE ACCEPTED FROM SPOA OR SPOA MEMBERS, UM, BY RETURNING THOSE FUNDS TO BLACK LED ORGANIZATIONS. AND THREE, PROVIDE US WITH A DISAGGREGATED LINE ITEM POLICE BUDGET FROM THE CURRENT FISCAL YEAR. AND WE NEED TO BE RE REINVESTING ALL OF THESE FUNDS AND THINGS THAT ACTUALLY CREATE SAFE AND HEALTHY COMMUNITIES LIKE EDUCATION, LIKE SAFE HOUSING FOR EVERYONE, LIKE PROGRAMS FOR YOUTH AND ELDERLY, LIKE COMMUNITY LED NON-POLICE PROGRAMS THAT ACTUALLY REDUCE AND PREVENT VIOLENCE IN OUR COMMUNITIES. THAT'S ALL. THANK YOU, MS. THOMPSON. ALL RIGHT. ANTHONY MENDOZA. OKAY. YOU GOTTA GIMME A, A, A SOMEBODY. YOU'RE GONNA YIELD AT TWO. YOU ALREADY SPOKE MS. CLARK. YOU CAN ONLY TAKE, YOU CAN ONLY BE UP ONE. SO WE GOTTA GO TO THE NEXT PERSON. UM, ADRE TO CELESTE. OKAY? OKAY. YOU WANT TO WAIT TILL I'M CALLING YOU UP, CELESTE? OKAY. ADVER ARAEL QUESTION. SO EACH PERSON, YEAH. SO WE NEED TO SIGN UP LINE ONE PERSON. YEAH, YOU SIGN UP WHEN YOU COME IN AND YOU CAN TAKE SOMEBODY'S TIME OR YOU CAN YIELD IT TO SOMEBODY ELSE. UM, AD RAIL MENDOZA, YOU'RE GONNA YIELD YOUR TIME TOO. TO, TO WHO? CELESTE. TO CELESTE, CAN YOU TALK THAT LONG? CELESTE, THAT'S NINE MINUTES, FEW MINUTES IS FINE, BUT IF THERE'S ANYBODY ELSE IN OUR GROUP, OKAY. ALRIGHT. YOU CAN TELL ME IN A MINUTE. ISABELLA CIO, MS. SENIO. OKAY. YOU'LL BE FOLLOWED BY CAMILLE WRIGHT. ALL RIGHT. UM, GOOD MORNING. OR MAYBE GOOD AFTERNOON NOW. UM, I'M ISABELLA SENIO. I'M AN ORGANIZER OF TEXAS RISING, AND I'M HERE TO URGE YOU TO KEEP WORKING WITH THE PUBLIC THROUGHOUT JULY, NOT BY HAVING YOUR OFFICES OPEN, BUT BY MEETING AND HEARING THE PUBLIC THROUGHOUT JULY SO THAT WE CAN CONTINUE TO CORRECT OUR CITY'S BUDGET AND COLLECTIVE BARGAINING AGREEMENT IN THIS. [02:50:01] AND IN MOST ISSUES, THE PROBLEM IS ACCOUNTABILITY. WHAT WOULD THE REACTION BE IF A GROCERY WORKER ASSAULTED A SHOPPER AND THEN WAS GIVEN A 48 HOUR, I'M SORRY, AND THEN WAS GIVEN A 48 HOUR HEADS UP AND ACCESS TO ALL EVIDENCE BEFORE THEY'RE INVESTIGATED? WOULD IT MAKE SENSE TO THEN GIVE THEM PAID LEAVE AT THE ARBITRATION OF ONE OF THEIR COWORKERS BEFORE WIPING THE ASSAULT OFF THEIR RECORD ONLY TWO YEARS LATER? IT WOULDN'T MAKE SENSE, AND IT DOESN'T MAKE SENSE WHEN WE LET THE POLICE DO IT EITHER. LUCKILY, WE HOLD MOST CASHIERS TO A HIGHER LEVEL OF ACCOUNTABILITY THAN WE DO HOLD SS A P D, WHO ARE GIVEN THESE DISCIPLINE LOOPHOLES AND MORE IN THE CURRENT COLLECTIVE BARGAINING AGREEMENT. OUR MOST MARGINALIZED COMMUNITIES AREN'T EXTENDED THE BENEFIT OF THE DOUBT AND THEIR CHARGES MUST OFTEN FOLLOW THEM THROUGHOUT THE REST OF THEIR LIVES. THIS CURRENT COLLECTIVE BARGAINING AGREEMENT AND THE CODES LIKE 1 43 AND 1 74 THAT UPHOLD IT ARE ABYSMAL AND NEED TO END AND BE CHANGED. WE NEED TO DIVEST FROM SS A P D AND INVEST IN OUR COMMUNITIES AS SOON AS POSSIBLE, NOT MONTHS FROM NOW, BECAUSE OF THE TOLL. THESE ISSUES CAN TAKE YOU LIKE THE HYPOTHETICAL CASHIER, AND MOST REAL WORKERS DON'T GET TO HAVE A MONTH OFF NOT UNTIL THE WORK'S DONE. THANK YOU. THANK YOU, MS. SENIO, AND, AND I KEEP MISSING MY PAGES. SO CAMILLE WRIGHT, YOU'RE NEXT. AND AFTER MS. WRIGHT, I'M GONNA GO STRAIGHT TO YOU. COUNCILMAN SALAS. OKAY, YOU'RE NEXT. TAMIR RICE WOULD HAVE TURNED 18 TODAY. HE WAS SHOT BY AN OFFICER WHO HAD BEEN DEEMED EMOTIONALLY UNFIT FOR DUTY AND THE NEXT TOWN OVER. THE OFFICER DIDN'T DISCLOSE THIS INFORMATION TO HIS NEW JOB. A DATABASE OF DE-CERTIFIED AND TERMINATED OFFICERS MAY HAVE SAVED TAMIR'S LIFE A PROBLEM WE HAVE IN OUR OWN CITY. SO PLEASE JOIN ME IN TAKING A SILENT KNEE IF YOU ARE ABLE AS WE HONOR HIM. THANK YOU. TO START, I WANT TO CLARIFY. WE KNOW THAT IN JULY YOU CONTINUE TO WORK TOGETHER, BUT WE ARE DEMANDING THAT YOU WORK WITH US AS MENTIONED BEFORE. DO YOU WANT TO KEEP YOUR SEAT? I FULLY SUPPORT THE REPEAL OF CHAPTERS 1 43 AND 1 74 OF THE STATE GOVERNMENT CODE. AND I URGE YOU TO TAKE A PUBLIC STANCE ON THESE UNFAIR PROVISIONS. AS REPRESENTATIVES OF OUR COMMUNITY, YOU SHOULD BE SHOWING LEADERSHIP ON THIS ISSUE BEYOND PERFORMATIVE SPEECHES AND CONSIDER TAKING ACTION TO DRIVE A REPEAL TO THE BALLOT IN NOVEMBER OR THE EARLIEST POSSIBLE ELECTION. AS STEWARDS OF THIS COMMUNITY, I FIND IT DISHONEST FOR ANY OF YOU WHO CLAIM TO SUPPORT BLACK LIVES, TO ACCEPT ANY FINANCIAL CONTRIBUTIONS FROM SPOA OR MEMBERS OF SPOA, I REQUEST YOU RETURN TO ANY PREVIOUS I REQUEST YOU RETURN ANY PREVIOUS CONTRIBUTIONS FROM THIS ORGANIZATION OR ITS MEMBERSHIP THROUGH A DONATION TO A BLACK LED ORGANIZATION. AND WE ARE ALL HERE. I URGE YOU TO COMMIT TO REPEALING ARTICLE 28, SECTION 19 OF CURRENT POLICE CONTRACT, WHICH ALLOWS CERTAIN VIOLATIONS TO AUTOMATICALLY DISAPPEAR FROM OFFICER RECORDS AFTER A CERTAIN AMOUNT OF TIME, MAKING IT EVEN MORE IMPOSSIBLE TO FIRE THESE OFFICERS AFTER CONSISTENT OR MULTIPLE VIOLATIONS WHEN UNDERGOING THE ARBITRATION PROCESS BETWEEN THE UNION AND THE DEPARTMENT. FINALLY, I ASK YOU TO PROVIDE A DISAGGREGATED LINE ITEM POLICE BUDGET FROM THE CURRENT FISCAL YEAR AS CONTEXT FOR THE CURRENT BUDGET WORK SESSIONS AND TO IMMEDIATELY CEASE DESCRIBING POLICE FUNDING AS WHAT? PUBLIC SAFETY. THANK YOU. DEFUND THE POLICE. DO YOU WANT TO KEEP YOUR SEAT? THANK YOU. MS. WRIGHT, RIGHT? MARIO SALALA. COUNCILMAN SALAS. YOU'LL BE FOLLOWED BY ALEJANDRO. ALEJANDRO RO. OKAY. THANK, UH, THANK YOU MAYOR. I J I JUST WANNA FIRST SAY RIGHT OFF THE TOP THAT I WAS A CITY COUNCILMAN AND AS A MINUTES AT, AT THREE MINUTES MIND. YES. AND AS A FORMER CITY COUNCILMAN, I SALUTE THESE HEROES ON THE FRONT LINE IN THE BATTLE AGAINST RACISM AND WHITE SUPREMACY. THANK YOU, SIR. WE HAVE SEVERAL PROBLEMS, ONE OF WHICH NEEDS TO BE INCLUDED. I THINK AT SOME POINT THESE OFFICERS NEED TO BE TESTED FOR RACIST IDEOLOGY IN A POLYGRAPH TEST. THERE ARE POLYGRAPH TESTS THAT ARE DEVELOPED TO DO JUST THAT. WE NEED TO ELIMINATE PEOPLE WHO OBVIOUSLY HAVE RACIAL IDEAS IN THEIR MIND. THE OTHER THING IS, THERE HAVE BEEN CELLS OF RACIST GROUPS THAT HAVE INFILTRATED POLICE DEPARTMENTS ACROSS THE COUNTRY. WE NEED TO WEEDED THEM OUT [02:55:01] BECAUSE THEY'RE DEFINITELY PART OF ALL POLICE DEPARTMENTS AND PARTICULARLY SAN ANTONIO HAS A PROBLEM WITH THAT. WE NEED THE NAMES RELEASED OF THOSE WHO COMMIT CRIMES AGAINST OUR COMMUNITY BECAUSE WE'RE ENDANGERED. I SAW WHERE ONE OFFICER, THE DOG POOP COP, WHO WAS LET GO IF HE HADN'T HAVE BEEN LET, UH, TERMINATED. I WOULD HAVE TOLD PEOPLE IF HE STOPS YOU, IF FOR ANY REASON CALL 9 1 1 BECAUSE THIS IS A DANGEROUS MAN. WE'VE GOT DANGEROUS POLICE OFFICERS SITTING ON THAT POLICE FORCE RIGHT NOW THAT ARE BEING REHIRED AT A 70% LEVEL. AND THAT'S TOTALLY UNACCEPTABLE. I MUST SAY. I MUST SAY THAT THESE THINGS MUST BE CONTINUED WHEN WE'RE LOOKING AT SERIOUS CRIMES. I DON'T SEE WHAT SENSE IT MAKES IF THE MEDICAL EXAMINER RULES HOMICIDE FOR THAT POLICE OFFICER TO EVEN HAVE THE AUTHORITY OR THE ABILITY TO GO TO ARBITRATION, THAT NEEDS TO GO STRAIGHT TO THE DISTRICT ATTORNEY TO BE PRESENTED TO A GRAND JURY FOR PROSECUTION. IF A POLICE OFFICER IS FEEDING A DOG POOP SANDWICH TO A HOMELESS MAN THAT DOESN'T NEED TO GO TO ARBITRATION, THAT NEEDS TO GO TO THE DISTRICT ATTORNEY FOR ATTEMPTED POISON. SO THAT NEEDS TO BE UNDERSTOOD. LOOK, I'VE BEEN ON THIS BATTLE LINE FOR OVER 20 YEARS IN FIGHTING ABUSIVE POLICE OFFICERS. I'M HERE REPRESENTING THE SAN ANTONIO COMMITTEE FOR POLICE ACCOUNTABILITY AND REFORM. AND LET ME GET A COUPLE OF THINGS STRAIGHT. SOMEBODY CAME UP HERE A WHILE AGO AND SAID, THE PROTESTORS AREN'T WEARING MASKS. I'VE BEEN TO A LOT OF THEM, AND EVERY ONE OF THE PROTESTORS WERE MARRIED WEARING A MASK. OKAY? OKAY, SO THAT'S A TOTAL LIE. THE THE OTHER THING I WANNA POINT OUT IS THEY'VE BEEN, EVEN HERE, I SAW SOMEONE PASSING OUT THE HAND SANITIZER. I'VE SEEN THAT HAPPEN IN EVERY ONE OF THEIR PROTESTS. SUCH TO PORTRAY THEM IN A NEGATIVE LIGHT IS A TOTAL LIE. THE PEOPLE THAT AREN'T WEARING THE THE MASKS ARE THE PEOPLE ASSOCIATED WITH THE BOOGALOO, THE TEXAS FREEDOM FORCE, SOME OF THEM AND, AND THESE OTHER THAT THEY NEED TO RENAME. THEY OUGHT TO RENAME THAT GROUP, THE TEXAS FASCIST FORCE BECAUSE THAT'S EXACTLY WHAT THEY ARE. WHEN WE GET TO THE CONCEPT OF WHEN PEOPLE SAY BLACK LIVES MATTER, IT'S REAL SIMPLE WHY THEY SAY THAT. BECAUSE BLACK LIVES NEVER MATTERED. WHITE LIVES ALWAYS MATTERED. AND THAT'S THE BIG DIFFERENCE. SO WE CELEBRATE THAT AS WELL. THE, I COMPLETELY AGREE WITH ABOLISHING OR REMOVING THE STATUTE OF LIMITATIONS CALLED THE 180 DAY RULE. I COMPLETELY AGREE WITH CIVILIAN REVIEW, POLICE OFFICERS, UH, APPOINTED AND TO LIVE IN THAT DREAM. REVEREND CLAUDE BLACK, WHO WAS A CITY COUNCILMAN, FOUGHT FOR THAT DREAM A LONG TIME AGO. AND IN HIS HONOR, WE OUGHT TO DO THAT. AND WHEN WE PICK PEOPLE TO BE ON THAT CIVILIAN REVIEW BOARD, THEY DON'T NEED TO HAVE RELATIVES THAT ARE A POLICE OFFICER. THEY DON'T NEED TO HAVE PEOPLE THAT WERE PASSING OUT SANDWICHES IN CONNECTION WITH THE DARE PROGRAM OR WHATEVER OTHER PROGRAM. THEY NEED TO BE PEOPLE THAT ARE COMPLETELY INDEPENDENT OF THAT. AND BY THE WAY, BY THE WAY, WE NEED TO PULL THE RECORDS OF EACH AND EVERY CITY COUNCILMAN THAT GOT MONEY FROM THE SAN ANTONIO POLICE OFFICERS ASSOCIATION. AND I THINK YOU BETTER RETURN IT BECAUSE YOU'RE GONNA BE IN BIG TROUBLE IF YOU DON'T. SO THIS IS SOMETHING THAT WE NEED TO MONITOR VERY CLOSELY. I, UH, I, I DON'T PARTICULARLY WANT TO PRESENT 20,000 SIGNATURES TO REPEAL 1 43 OR 1 74, WHICHEVER ONE IT IS, AND THE OTHER AMOUNT OF SIGNATURES THAT NEED TO BE DONE. BUT IF WE CAN'T MOVE THIS THING FORWARD IN A VERY POSITIVE WAY, I DON'T HAVE A PROBLEM WITH GETTING THAT. AND I THINK WE CAN GET ALL OF THOSE SIGNATURES. WE WE GONNA GET 'EM. YES, WE CAN GET THEM, WE CAN GET THEM. WE SHOULD UNDERSTAND THAT PEOPLE'S LIVES ARE IMPORTANT. WE DO REMEMBER IN PAST CASES, BOBBY JOE KI PHILLIPS WAS KILLED IN 1968, THE MEDICAL EXAMINER RULED HOMICIDE. NOTHING HAPPENED TO THOSE OFFICERS. THEY'RE STILL WALKING AROUND SOME OF THEM. AND WE'VE GOT THIS SAME THING CONTINUING ON. IT'S ALWAYS BEEN A PROBLEM IN THE BLACK COMMUNITY. PEOPLE USED TO BE TAKEN TO THE WATER TANK BEHIND ST. ROGER'S HIGH SCHOOL BEATEN UP. PEOPLE IN THE BLACK COMMUNITY ARE OLD ENOUGH TO REMEMBER THAT THEY CAN STILL TESTIFY TO THAT NOTHING WAS EVER DONE TO THEM AS WELL. WE'VE GOT A LONG HISTORY OF POLICE ABUSE IN THIS CITY. AND WE HAD TO GO THROUGH AMERICAN CIVIL LIBERTIES LAWYERS TO GET A RECORD OF 123 PEOPLE WHO HAVE DIED IN POLICE CUSTODY ACCORDING TO THE TEXAS ATTORNEY GENERAL RECORDS. AND OF THAT 1 23, THE MAJORITY SO FAR, AND WE'RE STILL EXTRAPOLATING THOSE NUMBERS OF BLACK AND BROWN PEOPLE WHO HAVE BEEN KILLED IN THIS CITY. WHY IS THAT NOT SAID? BECAUSE THAT UNION HAS COVERED IT UP WITH NOT REPORTING THE NAMES OF THESE PEOPLE WHO ARE DESPICABLE POLICE OFFICERS WHO NOT ONLY ENDANGER THE PUBLIC, BUT ENDANGER THEIR FELLOW POLICE OFFICERS. SO [03:00:01] WE ARE HAPPY THAT SOME POLICE OFFICERS HAVE FILED ON OTHERS, THEY NEED TO KEEP DOING THAT BECAUSE IT IS NOT ENOUGH OF THAT. SO WE ARE HAPPY THAT THE POLICE OFFICER FILED AGAINST THE DOG POOP COP. WE'RE HAPPY THAT OTHER OFFICERS ARE ACTUALLY DOING THAT, BUT MORE OF 'EM NEED TO DO THAT BECAUSE THEIR SILENCE IS CRIMINAL. IF YOU'RE SERVING WITH ANOTHER OFFICER WHO'S A CRIMINAL, THAT MY GOD, YOU'RE A CRIMINAL TOO AGENT AND ABED A CRIMINAL BEHAVIOR. THANK YOU MR. SALAS. SO THANK YOU. 123 DEATHS WHILE IN S A P D CUSTODY. 70% PEOPLES WE HIRED. DO YOU, DO YOU HAVE SOMEONE ELSE'S TIME? YEAH. YEAH. WHAT, UH, IS RYAN SILVA RYAN, UM, ONE SECOND. OKAY, MARIO, YOU GOT THREE MORE MINUTES. ALRIGHT, UH, BLACK AND BROWN AND WHITE PEOPLE PROTESTING IN THE STREETS. AND, UH, THIS IS, LEMME TELL YOU, IT WAS THE MOST EXCITING THING TO SEE HUNDREDS OF ALAMO HEIGHTS RESIDENTS MARCHING THROUGH ALAMO HEIGHTS WAS A BEAUTIFUL THING TO SEE PEOPLE IN TARRELL HILLS MARCHING FOR, TO PROTECT BLACK LIVES. IT'S A BEAUTIFUL THING UP AND DOWN COLLIBRA TO SEE PEOPLE MARCHING IN PROTEST AGAINST BLACK LIVES. THIS IS, LOOK, POLICE OFFICERS ASSOCIATION. GUESS WHAT? I GOT NEWS FOR YOU. THIS IS NOT GOING AWAY. THAT WE ARE NOT GOING AWAY. WE'RE GOING TO KEEP ON GOING. AND IF WE HAVE TO GET ALL THOSE SIGNATURES, WE'RE GONNA KNOCK YOU OUT. PERIOD. THE UM, OFFICER JONES BADGE NUMBER 1746 WAS REPORTED FOR DISCIPLINARY ACTION. THERE'S NO WAY THAT DEESCALATION PROCEDURES ARE BEING OR TAUGHT TRAINING THAT SHOULD BE DONE ALL THE TIME. WE HAD A VIDEO PLACED ON FACEBOOK WHERE HE COMPLETELY TRIED TO ESCALATE SOMETHING THAT SHOULD HAVE BEEN NOTHING INTO SOMETHING BIG. SO, SO, SO, SO WE'RE, WE'RE DEALING WITH THAT. AND I WANNA SAY THIS, ANYBODY WHO HAS A POLICE ABUSE COMPLAINT, WHETHER IT WAS PHYSICAL OR WRITTEN, LET ME KNOW ABOUT IT BECAUSE WE'RE GONNA MAKE A, A YOUTUBE ONE HOUR DOCUMENTARY OF ABUSES IN SAN ANTONIO THAT WILL FLY ACROSS THE WORLD. AND I CAN TELL YOU WITHOUT A DOUBT, THERE HAVE BEEN DOZENS AND DOZENS OF PEOPLE, IF NOT HUNDREDS, WHO HAVE TOLD ME THEY WERE CALLED THE N WORD. THEY WERE DISRESPECTED ALL KINDS OF THINGS. AND I THINK WE HAVE ENOUGH TO MAKE ABOUT A FIVE HOUR VIDEO. WE'RE GONNA START OFF WITH AN HOUR AND, UH, THAT IF WE HAVE TO GO THERE, THAT'S WHERE GO. WE'RE GONNA GO NATIONALLY. SINCE 2007, 5,000 BLACK PEOPLE HAVE LOST THEIR LIVES AT THE HANDS OF POLICE. AND THE AGES GO FROM TWO TO 92 OF PEOPLE WHO HAVE BEEN KILLED BY THE POLICE. SO THIS IS A NATIONAL PROBLEM. WE GOT A PARTICULAR PROBLEM WITH A, WITH AN ASSOCIATION. I DON'T LIKE TO CALL THEM A UNION BECAUSE I'M A MEMBER OF A UNION. IN MY OPINION, THEY'RE NOT A UNION NOR WILL THEY EVER BE BECAUSE, BECAUSE THEY KEEP DEFENDING CRIMINAL, RACIST COPS TO THE UTMOST OF THEIR ABILITY. WE NEED TO TAKE THAT POWER AWAY FROM THEM. WE NEED TO LOOK AT FAT IN THE BUDGET. WE NEED TO EXAMINE THE BUDGET FOR CUTS WHERE WE CAN PROVIDE MORE SOCIAL SERVICES FOR PEOPLE IN THIS COMMUNITY AND NOT GIVE THEM THE WHOLE NINE YARDS. UH, IN TERMS OF THE BUDGET 20 YEARS AGO, 25 YEARS AGO, I REMEMBER ALL THAT. THERE'S BEEN NO JUSTICE, THERE'S BEEN NO PEACE. AND WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE MOVE FORWARD. I WOULD HATE TO SEE DEMONSTRATIONS IN THE FRONT OF ANYBODY ON THIS COUNCIL'S HOUSE, BUT IF THAT'S WHAT WE HAVE TO DO, GUESS WHAT? THAT'S PROBABLY GOING TO HAPPEN. LOOK IN FRONT OF YOUR HOUSE ON THE PUBLIC SIDEWALK. SO WATCH OUT, UH, IF YOU DON'T DO THE RIGHT THING. THANK YOU, MR. SALAS. THANK YOU ALEJANDRO MAYORAL. MR. MAYORAL, YOU'LL BE FOLLOWED BY THOMAS RI HOLLERER. THANK YOU. CITY COUNCIL. UH, I DON'T REALLY HAVE MUCH TO ADD. I THINK A LOT'S BEEN SAID HERE TODAY, AND I'M JUST CURIOUS ABOUT WHEN YOU'RE GOING INTO COLLECTIVE BARGAINING WITH A POLICE UNION, UM, WHAT YOU WANT. UH, I I WOULD REALLY LIKE FOR A HUNDRED POLICE BODY CAM ENFORCEMENT AND SEVERE SCRUTINY TO ANY OFFICERS WHO HAVE A REPEATED HISTORY OF SHUTTING OFF OR DISABLING THEIR BODY CAMS. UM, BLACK POWER IS AN AMERICAN POWER, AND I YIELD THE REST OF MY TIME TO MAMA JOSIE. THANK YOU, MR. THANK YOU MR. MAYORAL. UH, THOMAS RI HOLLER. YEAH, SO YOU CAN TAKE YOUR TIME OR YOU CAN YIELD YOUR TIME. YOU CAN'T, YOU CAN'T DO A LITTLE BIT OF BOTH. SO HE TOOK HIS TIME. [03:05:01] SO IF THE NEXT PERSON WANTS TO YIELD THEIR TIME, THEY CAN DO THAT. UM, MR. RI HOLLERER. UM, MR. RIHA, YOU'LL BE FOLLOWED BY JOSEFINA FERNANDEZ. THANK YOU, COUNSEL. UM, I DON'T HAVE, I ALSO DON'T HAVE MUCH I CAN ADD THAT HASN'T ALREADY BEEN SAID. UM, I HAVE SOME SPECIFIC SECTIONS OF THE POLICE BARGAINING AGREEMENT THAT I THINK SHOULD BE REMOVED OR CHANGED. REMOVED. UH, I THINK YOU SHOULD REMOVE ARTICLE 28, SECTION 19 E OF THE COLLECTIVE BARGAINING AGREEMENT, WHICH AUTOMATICALLY DOWNGRADES UNCONTESTED SUSPENSIONS OF THREE DAYS OR LESS TO WRITTEN WARNINGS AFTER TWO YEARS IF THERE'S NO SUSTAINED COMPLAINT FOR THE SAME RULE. BECAUSE THE SAME IS NOT APPLIED TO PEOPLE THAT ARE CHARGED WITH A CRIME. IT'S NOT APPLIED IN ANY OF THE JOBS THAT I'VE HAD. SO WHY SHOULD IT, WHY SHOULD POLICE OFFICERS BE HELD TO A LOWER STANDARD? I ALSO WOULD LIKE TO SAY THAT YOU SHOULD MAKE SURE THAT ANY CITIZEN REVIEW BOARD NEEDS TO HAVE MORE POWER THAN JUST REVIEWING WHAT INTERNAL AFFAIRS, UH, UH, INTERNAL AFFAIRS INVESTIGATIONS HAVE DONE. THEY NEED TO BE ABLE TO DO THEIR OWN INVESTIGATION, HAVE THEIR OWN INVESTIGATION, AND HAVE SOME POWER, HAVE MORE POWER THAN JUST BEING ABLE TO RUBBER STAMP WHAT INTERNAL AFFAIRS HAS SAID. YOU SHOULD ALSO RESTRICT THE ABILITY OF OFFICERS IN ARTICLE 29, SECTION TWO C OF THE COLLECTIVE BARGAINING AGREEMENT TO VIEW EVIDENCE PRESENTED IN MISCONDUCT CASES BEFORE THEY GIVE THEIR STATEMENT. THE SAME IS NOT GIVEN FOR, SORRY, THE SAME IS NOT GIVEN FOR PEOPLE WHEN THEY'RE IN ANY OTHER JOB. AND THIS ALLOWS BAD ACTORS TO CONSTRUCT A FALSE NARRATIVE OF WHAT HAPPENED THAT FITS THE EVIDENCE AND LETS THEM GO FREE. FINALLY, I SUPPORT THE DEVELOPMENT OF ALTERNATIVES TO SENDING ARMED UNIFORMED POLICE OFFICERS TO CASES TO 9 1 1 CALLS THAT DO NOT REQUIRE ARMED UNIFORMED POLICE OFFICERS TO GO AND POTENTIALLY MAKE PEOPLE FEEL MORE UNCOMFORTABLE, MORE THREATENED IN CASES WHERE THEY ARE ALREADY FEELING THREATENED BY SOMEONE ELSE. THANK YOU. THANK YOU, MS. RIDHA JOSEFINA FERNANDEZ. MS. FERNANDEZ, YOU'LL BE FOLLOWED BY DEANNA ORGA. GOOD AFTERNOON COUNSEL. MY NAME IS JOSEFINA FERNANDEZ. I'M A RESIDENT OF DISTRICT EIGHT AND A SENIOR AT U T S A. I COME TO YOU THIS MORNING TO DISCUSS THE REPEAL OF CHAPTER 1 43 AND CHAPTER 1 74 IN THE STATE GOVERNMENT. CODE 1 43 IS A ONE-SIDED DUE PROCESS GIVEN TO LAW ENFORCEMENT AND ALLOWS 70% OF SS A P D OFFICERS TO BE REINSTATED ONCE THEY'VE BEEN FIRED. CHAPTER 1 74 FAVORS POLICE ASSOCIATIONS AND GIVE OFFICERS BENEFIT OF THE DOUBT. AND BOTH CHAPTERS ARE AN ACT OF UNFAIR JUSTICE TO THE COMMUNITY. I'M URGING ALL OF YOU TO EXPRESS YOUR SUPPORT PUBLICLY IN THE REPEAL OF THESE CODES. I'M ALSO ASKING COUNCILWOMAN HDA, COUNCILWOMAN SANDOVAL, COUNCILWOMAN ROCHA GARCIA, COUNCILMAN COURAGE COUNCILMAN PERRY, TO RETURN THE FINANCIAL CONTRIBUTIONS YOU RECEIVED FROM THE SAN ANTONIO POLICE OFFICERS ASSOCIATIONS. SHAME ON EACH OF YOU. IT IS SO INSULTING TO THE BLACK COMMUNITY AND THE AFFECTED FAMILIES THAT YOU RECEIVED MONEY FROM. AN ORGANIZATION THAT MURDERED CHARLES ROUNDTREE, ANTONY SCOTT, MARQUEES JONES, AND COUNTLESS OTHERS. SHAME ON EACH OF YOU. I ASK THAT YOU RETURN THE MONEY AND DONATE THAT MONEY TO A BLACK LED ORGANIZATION HERE IN SAN ANTONIO. LASTLY, I'M ASKING ALL OF YOU TO KEEP WORKING WITH THE PUBLIC THROUGHOUT THE SUMMER BECAUSE THE REVOLUTION DOESN'T STOP WHEN YOU GO ON BREAK. PEOPLE ARE STILL FIGHTING FOR BETTER CONDITIONS THAN THE ONES YOU HAVE GIVEN US. AND WE HAVE A LONG WAY TO GO. THANK YOU. THANK YOU, MS. FERNANDEZ. DEANNA ORGA, MISS ORGA, YOU'D BE FOLLOWED BY ALEX COY. MAYOR, I YIELD MY TIME TO ANTONIO DIAZ. YES. YEAH, ANTONIO YIELD HIS TIME. SO I'LL PRETEND THAT YOU YIELDED YOUR TIME TO THE PERSON HE GAVE HIS TIME TO. AND SO ANTONIO, YOU HAVE TIME NOW. THREE MINUTES TI WELL, AGAIN, WE'VE BEEN AT THIS FOR QUITE A WHILE. I'VE MET WITH, UH, MR. WALCH WHEN HE WAS A DEPUTY CITY MANAGER OVER THE ISSUE OF NEGOTIATING THE CONTRACT WITH [03:10:01] AND THE CHANGES WE NEEDED. THEN AGAIN, ON TRANSPARENCY, ADDRESSING CHAPTERS 1 43 AND 1 74 ARE VERY NECESSARY FOR US. AND UH, I'D JUST LIKE TO SAY THAT EVEN THOUGH TEXAS IS A RIGHT TO WORK STATE, I WOULD LIKE TO SEE IT NOT BE A RIGHT TO WORK STATE BECAUSE I AM PRO-UNION, BUT I AM NOT FOR AN ORGANIZATION THAT WANTS TO HIDE RECORDS OF POLICE, OF BAD POLICE OFFICERS THAT INSTEAD, INSTEAD OF SERVING THE COMMUNITY, THEY WANT TO BE OUT THERE DESTROYING THE COMMUNITY. RIGHT? THAT ELEMENT WITHIN OUR POLICE FORCE NEEDS TO BE REMOVED AND IT NEEDS TO BE MADE POSSIBLE BY YOU. OUR REPRESENTATIVES, I KNOW THAT THIS IS A CITY MANAGER MAN, UH, UH, MAYOR TYPE OF GOVERNMENT AND A CITY MANAGER HAS A LOT OF INPUT. CITY STAFF HAS A LOT OF INPUT. SO ERIC, A LOT OF IT IS ON YOU. I KNOW WE'VE MET AND PREVIOUSLY YOU SAID HOW YOUR HANDS WERE TIED BECAUSE OF THE POWER OF UA, BUT YOU MUST EXERCISE THOSE MUSCLES, MAN. WE NEED CHANGES AND WE NEED 'EM NOW. YOU'RE SEEING IT NATIONWIDE. YOU'RE SEEING IT. WE'VE MET BEFORE. I REQUESTED THIS CHANGES IN TRANSPARENCY. I'VE, I'VE REQUESTED SO MANY THINGS THAT, AND I ALSO SAID THERE'S CHANGE IS COMING IF IT'S NOT IN MY TIME. YOU SEE THE YOUNG PEOPLE COMING AFTER ME, THEY'RE GOING ENSURE THESE CHANGES. THIS IS THE LAST GENERATION, THE LAST GENERATION BEING DISRESPECTED. YOU SAW MARIO SALAS, WHO WAS THE NEXT CITY COUNCILMAN IN HIS FIGHT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE HAD CIVILIAN POLICE REVIEW BOARD REPRESENTING THE COMMUNITY. WE WORK TIRELESSLY, BUT WE'RE NOT TIRED. AND WE WON'T GROW TIRED BECAUSE WE HAVE PEOPLE COMING BEHIND US THAT WILL CONTINUE THE BATTLE, THAT WILL CONTINUE THE FIGHT TO MAKE THE IMPROVEMENTS THAT OUR CITY AND OUR COMMUNITY NEEDS, OUR PEOPLE. BLACK LIVES DO MATTER, BROWN LIVES DO MATTER. NATIVE PEOPLE DO MATTER. WE'RE EQUAL HUMAN BEINGS. WHITE PEOPLE ARE NOT SUPERIOR TO ANY OF OTHER PEOPLE'S LIVES. THEY'RE THE SAME, HAVE THE SAME VALUE. MR. PERRY, I KNOW YOU BELIEVE THIS, RIGHT? YOU KNOW THIS. WE'RE ALL EQUAL. ALL LIVES MATTER. YOURS DO AS WELL. BUT UNTIL BLACK LIVES MATTER, NONE DO. SO REMEMBER THAT BLACK LIVES MATTER. THANK YOU MR. DIAZ. ALEX COY. MR. COY, YOU'LL BE FOLLOWED BY JACK SCHOMAKER. THANK YOU. CITY COUNCIL. UH, WE'RE FACING AN UNPRECEDENTED CRISIS. WE ARE SEEING, UH, A PROJECTED TWO YEAR $110 MILLION SHORTFALL AS WE SEE A COALESCENCE OF CRISES THAT ARE GOING TO BE COMPOUNDING EACH OTHER. ONE OF THESE CRISES WILL BE DIRECTLY FUELED BY THE POLICE AND THAT IS EVICTIONS. UH, THERE'S GOING TO BE A HUGE WAVE OF EVICTIONS PUTTING POTENTIALLY 300,000 OF YOUR CONSTITUENTS OUT OF THEIR APARTMENTS, OUT OF THEIR HOMES AND ONTO THE STREETS. THEY WILL NOT BE ABLE TO STAY AT HOME BECAUSE THEY WILL HAVE NO HOME. AND THEY WILL BECOME VECTORS FOR DISEASE, NOT JUST OF THE CURRENT PLAGUE WE ARE EXPERIENCING, BUT OF MEDIEVAL DISEASES THAT WE LONG THOUGHT WERE DEFEATED. AS YOU SEE IN THE TENT CITIES IN CALIFORNIA, WHAT WE NEED MORE THAN POLICING RIGHT NOW IS HOUSING ASSISTANCE. AT THE VERY LEAST, WE NEED TO CONTINUE THE RENT ASSISTANCE PROGRAM FUND THAT THE CITY HAS SET UP. BUT WE NEED MORE THAN THAT. WE NEED MORE PUBLIC HOUSING. WE NEED TO EXPROPRIATE THESE HOUSES THAT HAVE BEEN SITTING EMPTY AS ASSET DUMPS FOR BANKS AND REALTORS FOR YEARS. WE NEED HEALTHCARE. MILLIONS OF YOUR CONSTITUENTS ARE UNEMPLOYED AND HAVE LOST THEIR INSURANCE IN THE MIDDLE OF A PANDEMIC. WE CAN'T GET TESTED. YES, THERE'S FREE SITES, BUT THEY FILL UP AND UH, IF WE TRY TO GO TO ONE OF THE URGENT CARES, THEY CHARGE US UPWARDS OF $200. WE DON'T HAVE THAT. WE DON'T HAVE JOBS. WE ALSO NEED CHILDCARE AND ELDER CARE IF YOU INSIST ON HAVING US GO BACK TO WORK. AND, UH, IF YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE, UH, HOPEFULLY THE SCHOOLS WILL BE CLOSED. THIS IS INSANE THAT WE'RE EVEN, UH, HAVING TO DEBATE THIS AS WE'RE WORSE OFF NOW THAN WE WERE WHEN WE, UH, INITIATED THE FIRST LOCKDOWN. RIGHT. AND WE CAN'T DO ANY OF THESE THINGS AS LONG AS WE ARE PAYING FOUR TIMES MORE ON POLICING THAN WE DO ON EVERYTHING ELSE COMBINED. MINUS THE FIRE DEPARTMENT. THAT'S CRAZY. WE SPENT $479 MILLION ON THE POLICE. [03:15:01] WE HAVE COPS THAT ARE DRESSED UP FOR WAR TO GO TO WAR WITH US, TO TEARGAS US, TO SHOOT US WITH RUBBER AND WOODEN BULLETS. BUT TEACHERS HAVE TO PAY FOR THEIR OWN CLASSROOM SUPPLIES AND DOCTORS HAVE TO WRAP TRASH BAGS AROUND THEIR FACES. 'CAUSE WE DON'T HAVE ENOUGH. P P E. IT'S INSANE. UH, DEFUNDING THE POLICE IS NOT A RADICAL PROPOSITION. WE'VE BEEN DEFUNDING HEALTHCARE, HOUSING, EDUCATION, AND THE ARTS FOR YEARS. IT'S TIME THAT WE REVERSE THE TREND. SO TO RECAP, DEFUND THE POLICE, CANCEL THE RENTS, GIVE US HEALTHCARE AND REISSUE A SHELTER IN PLACE UNTIL WE SEE TWO WEEKS OF DECLINES AND GET A TEST AND TRACE SYSTEM IN PLACE. AND FOR ALL OF THE LANDLORDS WHO HAVE BEEN ACTING LIKE WHINY LITTLE BABIES ABOUT NOT GETTING THEIR RENT, OWN RENT, OWNING PROPERTY IS NOT A JOB. IT'S AN INVESTMENT. AND SOMETIMES THEY DON'T PAY OFF. AMEN. EVICTING 300,000 PEOPLE WILL EXACERBATE THIS CRISIS. IT IS RECKLESS AND IRRESPONSIBLE. PICK A ASIDE. BLACK LIVES MATTER. THANK YOU. THANK YOU, MR. COY. JACK SHOEMAKER, SC SCHOMAKER. UH, YOU'LL BE FOLLOWED BY LEXI GARCIA. OKAY. I, I WANNA SPEAK ON A TOPIC RELATED TO THE AGENDA, BUT VERY FAMILIAR TO CITIZENS IN SAN ANTONIO WAR. WE ARE A MILITARY CITY. MANY UNDERSTAND WAR HERE. A WORD, UH, WE HA HAVE HEARD A LOT RECENTLY THAT IT'S RELATED TO WAR IS LOOTING. THE WORD IS DERIVED FROM THE HINDI WORD LOOT AND CAME INTO LINGUISTIC USE IN BRITAIN FROM HINDI OVER TIME, THROUGH WARS IN THE 1840S AND 1850S. INDIA WAS UNDER THE BOOT OF THE BRITISH, AND YES, WAS LOOTED BY THE BRITISH. ONE ELEMENT WAS THE EAST INDIA COMPANY, WHICH TOOK OVER TRADE AND COMMERCE THROUGH VIOLENCE AND RACIST, COLONIZATION. WAR AND GREED BY THE RICH IS THE LITERAL, LITERAL ORIGIN OF THE WORD LOOT. THE ENGLISH ALSO LOOTED BEYOND THE SUBCONTINENT OF INDIA. LOOTING THE CONTINENT OF AFRICA, THIS TIME LOOTING BLACK PEOPLE. TODAY COMMERCE IS INSURED THROUGH THE POLICE. WE HAVE SEEN WHAT LENGTHS THEY WILL GO TO DO THE WHIMS OF THE OWNERS OF PROPERTY. GEORGE FLOYD. FLOYD WAS MURDERED TO PRESERVE THE INTEGRITY OF THE DOLLAR EMBLAZONED WITH SLAVE OWNERS WHO LOOTED HIS ANCESTORS IN AFRICA, HELD THEM IN BONDAGE AND PREVENTED THEM FROM BUILDING WEALTH LOCALLY. MARQUIS JONES WAS MURDERED BY A COP WORKING OFF DUTY FOR CHACHA'S RESTAURANT. THERE IS A WAR AGAINST THE PEOPLE RIGHT NOW, ACROSS THE COUNTRY BY THE POLICE. THE POLICE UNIONS DON'T REPRESENT THE UNION MOVEMENT. THEY'RE THE PROTECTORS OF THE BOSSES. BLACK LIVES. BLACK LIVES HAVE TO MATTER MORE THAN PROFITS SIDE WITH THE PEOPLE, DEFUND THE POLICE AS A MEMBER OF THE WORKING CLASS, SOMEBODY WHO DOESN'T HAVE INSURANCE, WHO HAS NEVER HAD INSURANCE. I DENOUNCED THE POLICE UNION. AND WE NEED TO KICK OUT THE UNIONS FROM THE, THE UNION MOVEMENT. AND, UH, THE LANDLORDS, UH, NOW ARE GONNA BE RELYING ON THE CONSTABLES AND THE POLICE TO KICK PEOPLE OUT, UH, ONTO THE STREETS AND ENDANGER THEM. KILLING MORE BLACK PEOPLE, KILLING MORE BROWN PEOPLE, KILLING MORE POOR PEOPLE. BLACK LIVES MATTER. THANK YOU, MR. SCHOMAKER, LEXIE GARCIA. MS. GARCIA, YOU'LL BE FOLLOWED BY SCOTT KANSKY. HI, UH, MY NAME IS LEXI. I LIVE IN DISTRICT EIGHT, AND I'M HERE TO URGE TO CITY COUNCIL THAT WE HAVE TO CHANGE EVERYTHING ABOUT HOW WE ADDRESS SAN ANTONIO'S ISSUES. MY NEIGHBORS RIGHT NOW ARE BEING EVICTED. SO MANY ARE LEFT OUT OF ANY FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE MURDEROUS POLICE PATROL OUR NEIGHBORHOODS AND THE UNINSURED AND UNDERPAID CONTINUE TO BE EXPLOITED AND FORGOTTEN. THIS MEANS NO ONE HERE GETS TO TAKE A BREAK. NO ONE HERE GETS TO BE COMFORTABLE OR FEEL ACCOMPLISHED BECAUSE CERTAINLY THE MOST MARGINALIZED IN OUR CITY NEVER HAVE SAN ANTONIO'S POLICE DEPARTMENT DOES. AND I CANNOT STRESS THIS ENOUGH, NOTHING TO ALTER THE SOCIAL AND ECONOMIC CONDITIONS THAT MAKE ALL OF THE THINGS THAT YOU'RE SO AFRAID OF. POSSIBLE. THINGS LIKE VIOLENCE AND INTERPERSONAL STRIFE THINK THESE THINGS ARE FACILITATED THROUGH FAILURE TO SUPPORT OUR PUBLIC INSTITUTIONS, WHICH IS WHY DIVESTING FROM POLICE IS JUST THE START OF REPAIR. WE HAVE TO START NOW. AND IT'S, UM, TIME FOR COUNSEL TO STOP HEARING US AND VALIDATING US AND TO START ACTING TO ACHIEVE ANY OF THIS. THIS ALSO MEANS MAKING CUTS TO THE PUBLIC SAFETY BUDGET THAT ARE A LOT BIGGER THAN LESS THAN 1%. TO ACHIEVE THIS, YOU WILL HAVE TO FOREGO YOUR SUMMER PLANS [03:20:01] AND KEEPING ENGAGING WITH THE PUBLIC THROUGH HEARINGS AND MORE TESTIMONY, MORE BACK AND FORTH AND INTENTIONAL COMMUNICATION. MAYOR, YOU'VE SAID THAT YOU'RE TAKING WHAT YOU'RE HEARING IN PUBLIC SAFETY LISTENING SESSIONS TO BUDGET GOAL SETTING MEETINGS. I SIMPLY DON'T TRUST THAT, UH, THIS WILL BE THE CASE. IF COUNCIL DOES NOT COMMIT TO STAYING ACTIVE WITH COMMUNITY INPUT, OTHER MEMBERS OF COUNCIL, MANY OF YOU HAVE SAID THAT YOU NEED TO WORK ON HOW YOU SOLICIT INPUT FROM YOUNG PEOPLE IN TOWN. AND I WOULD LIKE TO PROVIDE THAT THE SUMMER IS A PERFECT TIME TO DO THAT. LOTS OF OUR YOUNG FOLKS ARE OUT OF SCHOOL AND READY TO BE ENGAGED. I'M URGING YOU TO CONSIDER THAT IT DOESN'T HAVE TO BE LIKE THIS. WE CAN STOP LIVING SOCIALLY ESTRANGED FROM ONE ANOTHER, OFTEN FRIGHTENED AND ALONE. IF OUR COMMUNITIES CAN CHANGE, UM, ARE WELL-FUNDED, AND OUR ECONOMIC CIRCUMSTANCES CAN CHANGE BOTH THINGS THAT EVERYONE HERE HAS AN IMPACT ON. ONLY THEN CAN WE START TO TALK ABOUT HEALING AND ENDING CARCERAL VIOLENCE. THANK YOU. THANK YOU, MS. GARCIA. SCOTT KSKY. MR. KSKY, YOU'LL BE FOLLOWED BY JOLENE GARCIA . SCOTT KSKY AND I LIVE IN DISTRICT FOUR. I'LL SPEAK, I'LL SPEAK PLAINLY OF MY DISCUSS WITH THE SAN ANTONIO POLICE DEPARTMENT AND THE SAN ANTONIO POLICE OFFICERS ASSOCIATION. AND FRANKLY, WITH YOU AS WELL, COUNSEL. EACH OF THESE GROUPS HAVE PLAYED THEIR PART IN MAINTAINING THE STATUS QUO WHEN IT COMES TO POLICE VIOLENCE IN THE CITY, SHOWING TIME AND TIME AGAIN THAT SAN ANTONIO DOES NOT VALUE THE COMMUNITY IT CLAIMS TO PROTECT THE SIMPLE FACT THAT BECAUSE OF CHAPTERS 1 43 AND 1 74 OF THE STATE GOVERNMENT CODE AND THE COLLECTIVE BARGAINING AGREEMENT, THAT NEARLY 70% OF ALL FIRED S A P D OFFICERS ARE HIRED BACK THROUGH AN UNFAIR ARBITRATION PROCESS IS TO SPIN THE FACE TO THE CITIZENS OF THIS CITY. SOME PEOPLE MIGHT TAKE THE TIME TO SAY THAT SAN ANTONIO DESERVES BETTER POLICE. I WILL NOT. SAN ANTONIO DESERVES BETTER PUBLIC SCHOOLS. IT DESERVES BETTER PUBLIC HEALTH SERVICES, ESPECIALLY IN THE MIDST OF A DEADLY PANDEMIC THAT CLAIMS MORE TEXANS EVERY DAY AND DESERVES A BETTER SYSTEM. NOT ONLY DO POLICE OFFICERS MAKE BLACK AND BROWN COMMUNITIES UNSAFE WITH THEIR OVER POLICING AND POLICE BRUTALITY, THEY FACE VIRTUALLY NO REAL CONSEQUENCES WHEN THEY DO OVERSTEP THEIR SEEMINGLY EXTRA JUDICIAL. RIGHT, RIGHT. WHILE I'M FRUSTRATED WITH YOU, COUNSEL, AS SEVERAL OF YOU HERE HAVE ACCEPTED DONATIONS FROM THE POLICE OFFICERS ASSOCIATION IN THE PAST, AS WELL AS APPLAUDED THE SS A P D FOR THEIR WORK, DESPITE THE FACT THAT THE FAMILIES OF CHARLES ROUNDTREE MARQUIS JONES AND ANTHONY SCOTT HAS STILL NOT RECEIVED JUSTICE, I BELIEVE THAT YOU CAN DO THE RIGHT THING BY SUPPORTING THE DEFUNDING AND THE S A P D, ABOLISHING, THE SAN ANTONIO POLICE OFFICERS ASSOCIATION, AND DONATING THE FUNDS YOU RECEIVED FROM THE SSS A P P O A TO BLACK LEG COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS SO THAT THEY CONTINUE THE FIGHT. I URGE YOU ALL TO CONTINUE THESE SESSIONS IN THE, WITH THE PUBLIC INTO THE SUMMER AS POLICE BRUTALITY. AND THE LACK OF ACCOUNTABILITY IS NOT SOMETHING THAT CAN BE WISHED AWAY OVER A QUIET SUMMER'S BREAK. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. UH, MR. KANSKY, JOLENE GARCIA, MS. GARCIA BE FOLLOWED BY TRISTAN MAYS. YOU HAVE SIX MINUTES. MS. GARCIA. THANK YOU. AS I OBSERVED EVERYONE'S RESPONSES ON THE DAIS TO, UM, MY BROTHERS AND SISTERS HERE, I KINDA WANNA DELIVER A MESSAGE TO YOU IN A DIFFERENT WAY. I COME TO YOU TODAY AS NOT ONLY A RETIRED AIR FORCE MEMBER, BUT ALSO AS A MOTHER. NOT ONLY AM I A MOTHER, BUT I AM A MOTHER TO SPECIAL NEEDS CHILDREN. AND WE SIT HERE AND WE'RE TALKING ABOUT THE POLICE AND THINGS THAT ARE GOING ON WITH THE POLICE AND, AND WE'RE REALLY NOT FOCUSING ON THE FACT THAT THOSE POLICE ARE ALSO HARASSING AND BULLYING OUR KIDS IN SCHOOL. UM, I HAVE A COLLECTION OF STORIES FOR YOU ALL, AND I WILL SPARE YOU ALL THE DETAILS RIGHT NOW. BUT WHAT I WANNA ASK YOU IS, THOSE OF YOU ON THE DAS WHO DID NOT STAND WITH BLACK LIVES AND WHO DID NOT STAND WITH OUR COMMUNITY, I WANNA KNOW IF YOU STAND WITH THE CHILDREN THAT ARE BEING DRUG DOWN THE HALLWAYS BY THE I S D POLICE WHEN THEY'RE HAVING A MELTDOWN. I WANNA KNOW IF YOU STAND BEHIND THE I S D POLICE WHO ARE HANDCUFFING CHILDREN WITH AUTISM TWO CHAIRS. I WANNA KNOW IF YOU STAND BESIDE THE I S D POLICE WHO TREAT OUR SPECIAL NEEDS CHILDREN LIKE CRIMINALS. I WANNA LET YOU KNOW THAT SPECIAL NEEDS BLACK AND BROWN CHILDREN, OUR 80 TIMES MORE LIKELY TO END UP IN ALTERNATIVE SCHOOL OR JAIL AS CHILDREN INSTEAD OF RECEIVING THE LOVE, COMPASSION, AND SUPPORT THAT THEY NEED. IT'S MY UNDERSTANDING THAT YOU ALL HAVE ACCESS TO 18% OF THE POLICE BUDGET. 18% IS OVER $90 MILLION. SO WHAT I'M ASKING YOU IS, IF YOU DON'T LOVE BLACK LIVES, [03:25:01] DO YOU LOVE CHILDREN? DO YOU LOVE CHILDREN WITH SPECIAL NEEDS? BECAUSE THEY'RE BEING TERRORIZED IN OUR SCHOOLS BY PEOPLE THAT YOU ARE PUTTING THERE TO PROTECT THEM. SO I URGE YOU, AND I BEG YOU TO PLEASE TAKE SOME OF THAT 18% THAT YOU HAVE ACCESS TO NOW. HIRE SOCIAL WORKERS, HIRE PEOPLE WHO CAN DO THERAPIES. HIRE PEOPLE WHO CAN LEARN TO RESPOND TO CHILDREN WITH SPECIAL NEEDS IN SCHOOL AND NOT BULLY THEM. NOT ONLY ARE THEY BULLYING OUR SPECIAL NEEDS CHILDREN, BUT THEY'RE BULLYING YOUR CHILDREN TOO. WHETHER YOU WANNA ADMIT IT OR NOT. OUR KIDS ARE BEING BULLIED IN SCHOOL BY OFFICIALS WHO HAVE NO BUSINESS BEING THERE. WE NEED COUNSELORS. WE NEED PEOPLE WHO ARE GONNA UNDERSTAND AND RECOGNIZE CHILDREN WHO ARE IN TURMOIL. THAT IS WHAT WE NEED. WE DON'T NEED COLONIZED EDUCATION. WE DON'T NEED TO BE POLICED. AND PLEASE UNDERSTAND, I HAVE A LOT OF TIME ON MY HANDS AND I'M COMING FOR THE ISDS. I'M COMING FOR THE SCHOOL SYSTEMS BECAUSE I WILL NOT SEND MY CHILD TO SCHOOL TO BE COLONIZED OR ABUSED. AND WITH THAT BEING SAID, I AM READY AND WILLING AND, AND JUST EXCITED TO START OUR OWN SCHOOLS WITH OUR OWN CURRICULUM TO TEACH OUR KIDS HOW TO BE IN THIS SOCIETY. WE WILL BE GOING TO WAGNER HIGH SCHOOL TODAY AT FIVE O'CLOCK. WE ARE REACHING OUT TO THE COMMUNITY TO LET THEM KNOW WE ARE STILL HERE. 30 DAYS, THIRTY ONE, SIXTY ONE, A HUNDRED ONE. I HAVE TIME. AND I WILL CONTINUE BEING HERE UNTIL I KNOW FOR A FACT ALL OF YOU ARE HEARING ME. I'M BEGGING THAT YOU HEAR ME AS A VOICE FOR THE PEOPLE OF SAN ANTONIO, BUT DON'T GET IT TWISTED. I AM HERE SUPPORTING BLACK LIVES BECAUSE IT IS FAR TOO OVERDUE. WE'RE ALL CREATED EQUAL BS AND EVERYBODY KNOWS IT. SO AT WAGNER HIGH SCHOOL TODAY, WHAT WE WILL BE DOING IS RALLYING THE YOUTH TOGETHER TO HIT EVERY I S D EVERY SCHOOL IN SAN ANTONIO'S REACH TO LET THEM KNOW THAT THEIR VOICES WILL BE HEARD BECAUSE THEY'RE TELLING US THEY HAVE GRACIOUS TEACHERS WHO ARE REPORTED AND STILL THERE ALLOWED TO TEACH YOUR KIDS THAT THEY ARE LESS THAN BECAUSE OF THE COLOR OF THEIR SKIN. I DON'T KNOW ABOUT YOU, BUT IN 2020, I NEVER IN MY WILDEST DREAMS IMAGINE THAT THIS IS WHAT I WOULD BE FIGHTING FOR FOR MY CHILDREN. YOU DON'T HAVE TO BELIEVE THE WORDS BLACK LIVES MATTER, BUT IF YOU ARE CHRISTIANS OR IF YOU ARE HUMAN AND YOU SIGNED UP TO PROTECT THIS COMMUNITY, THEN YOU DO BELIEVE THAT WE DO NOT DESERVE TO BE PERSECUTED. WE DO NOT DESERVE TO BE BEATEN. WE DO NOT DESERVE TO BE HANDCUFFED TO CHAIRS IN SCHOOL. WE DO NOT DESERVE TO BE DRUG DOWN THE HALLWAYS BY POLICE WHO ARE BROUGHT THERE TO SUPPOSEDLY PROTECT OUR STUDENTS. ARBITRATORS. WHO ARE THESE PEOPLE? WHEN I THINK ABOUT THEM, I THINK OF THEY'RE A TYPE OF JURY OF PEERS, RIGHT? I THINK OF THEM AS PEOPLE WHO SPEAK FOR THE PEOPLE BECAUSE THEY ARE THE PEOPLE. AND, AND YOU KNOW WHAT? THE ARBITRATORS ARE NOT PEOPLE OF COLOR. I DON'T KNOW IF ANYBODY KNOWS THAT THE ARBITRATION BOARD, THE INDIVIDUALS WHO ARE ARBITRATORS, ARE NOT PEOPLE OF COLOR. THEY ARE NOT YOUR PEERS. THAT IS A MAJOR PROBLEM. NOT ONLY THAT, THEY DON'T LIVE IN SAN ANTONIO. WHY ARE WE CALLING PEOPLE FROM DENTON, TEXAS TO COME HERE AND TELL US HOW WE DISCIPLINE OUR POLICE FORCE? I DON'T UNDERSTAND THAT. WHAT'S YOUR NAME, SIR? ALRIGHT. YOU GOT THREE MORE MINUTES, JOLENE, TO SUM IT UP. I JUST WANNA LET YOU ALL KNOW THAT IF WE'RE ANNOYING YOU BEING HERE, THAT IF WE'RE BOTHERING YOU BEING HERE, IF YOU HATE SEEING US IN THE STREETS, THEN DO SOMETHING TANGIBLE. NOW. WE DON'T NEED TO WAIT. I BOUGHT INTO YOUR RHETORIC OF, OH, THE COVID IS GONNA KILL YOU. I HAVE RESPIRATORY DISEASE AND I STAYED HOME BECAUSE YOU GUYS TOLD ME THAT COVID WAS GONNA KILL ME. I SEE PEOPLE OUT HERE PROTESTING FOR RIGHTS TO LIVE IN THIS COUNTRY AND BEING A BLACK OR BROWN CITIZEN OF THIS COUNTRY, I CAME OUT AND RISKED MY LIFE TO STAND NEXT TO MY BROTHERS AND SISTERS BECAUSE I'LL BE DAMNED IF I'M GONNA DIE AT HOME [03:30:01] FROM A COVID WHEN MY PEOPLE ARE HURTING IN THE STREETS. AND IF YOU DON'T LOOK AT IT THE SAME WAY THAT SHAME ON YOU. BLACK LIVES MATTER. BLACK LIVES MATTER. BLACK LIVES MATTER. BLACK LIVES MATTER. SHOW THEM WHAT DEMOCRACY LOOKS LIKE. THIS IS WHAT LOOKS LIKE. THIS IS WHAT DEMOCRACY LOOKS LIKE. WHAT? DON'T, DON'T SHOOT. DON'T STREETS. OUR STREETS. OUR STREETS. OUR STREETS LIVES MATTER. LIVES MATTER MATTER. BLACK LIVES MATTER. CHARLES, YOU SAYE, CHARLESE REE SCOTT BLACK MATTER. BLACK LIVES MATTERS. BLACK LIVES MATTER. BLACK LIVES MATTER. NO JUSTICE, NO PEACE, NO POLICE, NO JUSTICE, NO PEACE, NO RACIST POLICE, NO JUSTICE, NO PEACE, NO RACIST POLICE, NO JUSTICE, NO PEACE, NO RACISTS. POLICE. POLICE, PLEASE VOTE IN PEACE. NO JUSTICE, NO PEACE, NO RACIST POLICE. BLACK LIVES MATTER. BLACK LIVES MATTER. BLACK LIVES MATTER. BLACK LIVES MATTER. BLACK LIVES MATTER. BLACK LIVES MATTER. BLACK LIVES MATTER. BLACK LIVES MATTER. BLACK CHILDREN MATTER. BLACK CHILDREN MATTER. BLACK WOMEN MATTER. BLACK WOMEN MATTER. BLACK MEN MATTER. BLACK MEN MATTER JUSTICE FOR JOB JUSTICE, FOR JOB PEACE. FOR MAR KEYS, PEACE FOR MAR KEYS. JUSTICE FOR JOB JUSTICE FOR PEACE. FOR PEACE. FOR MAR KEYS. HANDS, DON'T SHOOT HANDS. DON'T SHOOT HANDS. DON'T SHOOT HANDS. DON'T SHOOT. BLACK LIVES MATTER. BLACK LIVES MATTER. BLACK LIVES MATTER. BLACK LIVES MATTER. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. THANK YOU MS. GARCIA. OKAY, UM, WE'RE GOING NOW TO HAILEY BLOOMER. MS. BLOOMER, YOU'LL BE FOLLOWED BY JACK FINGER. GOOD AFTERNOON. UM, THE ONLY THING THAT I REALLY WANNA SAY RIGHT NOW, 'CAUSE I, THIS IS THE THIRD TIME I'VE COME TO TALK AND IT'S REALLY FRUSTRATING. I REALLY WOULD LIKE TO ENCOURAGE YOU GUYS TO HAVE SOME TYPE OF OPEN DIALOGUE WITH US BECAUSE WE COME UP HERE AND WE SAY WE NEED TO SAY YOU'RE MAKING, ASKING QUESTIONS, MAKING SMALL CHANGES. UM, BUT I FEEL LIKE WE'RE NOT GONNA GET WHERE WE NEED TO AND BE ON ANY PAGE OF UNDERSTANDING. IF I JUST TALK, YOU GUYS DON'T EVEN LOOK AT ME. AND THEN YOU GO HOME. YOU KNOW? SO YEAH, THAT'S WHAT I HAVE TO SAY. AND BLACK LIVES MATTER. DEVE DIVEST THE POLICE AND INVEST IN YOUR COMMUNITIES, PLEASE. THANK YOU. THANK YOU, MS. BLOOMER. JACK FINGER. MR. FINGER, YOU'LL BE FOLLOWED BY NAZARITE. RUBEN FLORES PEREZ. WELL, MAYOR NURNBERG, OTHER MEMBERS OF OUR SAN ANTONIO CITY COUNCIL FOR THE RECORD, MY NAME IS JACK M. FINGER. YEAH, I NOTICED MR. MERA, YOU ONCE AGAIN, PRETTY SELECTIVE ABOUT THAT. UH, NOT STRAYING OFF THE SUBJECT TO A RULE THERE. UH, MR. CLAYTON PERRY. I, I, UH, I DIDN'T KNOW THAT YOU WERE SO POWERFUL. YEAH. I MEAN, HOW MANY TIMES HAVE YOU BEEN THE LDES DESCENDING VOTES ONE OUT OF 11. AND YET, UH, WE'RE GONNA FIND OUT JUST HOW POWERFUL YOU ARE WHEN SOMEBODY TR TRIES TO GET YOU OUTTA OFFICE. THERE, WE'RE HERE TO ADDRESS ALL THE CITY COUNCIL. YEAH. OH, YES. UH, UH, Y'ALL ARE RATHER SUBDUE THIS AFTERNOON. UH, LET'S SEE. THERE MUST BE A WORD I OR TWO I THINK I CAN SAY TO ROUSE YOU THERE LONG LIVED DONALD TRUMP AND CHRISTOPHER COLUMBUS. ALL RIGHT, FOLKS. JACK'S GOT THE MIC. GO AHEAD, JACK. YOU'RE UP HERE. YES. UM, WELL, AND WELL, HERE'S A GOOD ONE. UM, [03:35:01] I DO BELIEVE IN BLACK LIVES MATTER. IN FACT, I BELIEVE UNBORN BLACK LIVES LIVES MATTER. THAT BE GOOD ENOUGH, JACK, YOU'RE ADDRESSING THE COUNCIL, NOT THE AUDIENCE. COME ON. VICTIMS MATTER. YES, I NOTICED, UH, JUST HOW EVERYBODY ELSE DID, UH, JUST A FEW MOMENTS AGO THERE, MR. MAYOR. YOU KNOW, THERE IS ONE THING. THEY, THEY, THEY MAY HAVE A POINT ON THE, UH, THE POLICE, THE POLICE, UH, POLICE UNIONS. THEY, UH, THEY DO, UH, WIELD AN EXTRAORDINARY MA EXTRAORDINARY AMOUNT OF POWER, UH, ESPECIALLY WITH THE, UH, UH, THE NEGOTIATION PROCESS WITH, WITH THE, UH, UH, THE VARIOUS OFFICERS THAT ARE, ARE, UH, CHARGED WITH, WITH THE INFRACTIONS AND, UH, HOW THEY, THE, THE, THE, THE OFFICERS AND THE POLICE UNION GET, GET A CHANCE TO NAME THEIR OWN NEGOTIATORS IN THIS REGARD. YEAH. UM, AND THEN HOW TWO THIRDS OF 'EM STAY ON AFTERWARDS, EVEN AFTER THEY'RE, THEY'RE KICKED OFF THE FORCE. NOW MAYBE, MAYBE JUST, MAYBE THE CITY COUNCIL WOULD LIKE TO PLACE BACK UPON THE BALLOT. THE, UH, THE IDEA OF WHETHER WE SHOULD HAVE A POLICE OFFICER'S UNION. YES. THAT WILL THEN WE WILL FIND OUT WHETHER ALL THE FOLKS HERE IN THIS AUDIENCE, JUST HOW POWERFUL THEY ARE IN INFLUENCING ALL THE VOTERS, WHETHER THERE SHOULD BE ANY MORE POLICE OFFICERS UNION. I THINK THAT WOULD BE THE, THE BEST, UH, THING THAT YOU COULD DO. AND THE MEAN, AND, AND BESIDES, UH, DEFUNDING THE POLICE DEPARTMENT. WELL, I HAVE, I HAVE NO DOUBT THAT YOU WILL TO TRY TO LOWER THEIR, THEIR, UH, THEIR BUDGET, UH, AND GIVE THE REST OF IT TO TWO, THE VARIOUS SOCIAL ENGINEERING INITIATIVE INITIATIVES. SIR? THANK YOU, MR. FINGER NAZARITE. RUBEN FLORES PEREZ. IS MR. FLORES PEREZ STILL HERE? ALRIGHT, MOVE ON TO LUCA Y ZOS. YOU'LL BE FOLLOWED BY CELESTE BROWN. I WOULD LIKE TO BEGIN BY THANKING OUR COUNCILMEN AND COUNCILWOMEN FOR REACHING OUT TO THE PUBLIC TO HEAR OUR COLLECTIVE VOICES. HOWEVER, MY CONTENTION IS THIS, WE DON'T NEED LIP SERVICE. WE DON'T NEED INSINCERITY. WE NEED CHANGE, AND WE NEED ACTION. AND WE NEED IT NOW. AS YOUR CONSTITUENTS, WE HAVE VOICED, OUR DEMANDS CLEARLY END THOROUGHLY. WE WILL NOT STOP UNTIL WE SEE THE CHANGE IMPLEMENTED, AND WE WILL REMEMBER WHOSE SIDE EACH OF YOU STAND ON. COME ELECTION TIME. NOW, ASK YOURSELVES OUR BIG DONATIONS FROM SS A P D AND SPOA WORTH LOSING YOUR SEAT. AND MORE IMPORTANTLY, ARE DONATIONS MORE IMPORTANT THAN THE BEHEST OF THOSE WHO GAVE YOU POWER IN THE FIRST PLACE? I WOULD LIKE TO GIVE YOU ALL THE BENEFIT OF THE DOUBT AND ASSUME YOU'RE NOT CONSCIOUSLY IGNORING THE WILL OF THE PEOPLE. I WILL, FOR THIS PURPOSE, REPEAT THE DEMANDS I AND MANY OTHERS HAVE BEEN ECHOING FOR WEEKS NOW. HELP US REPEAL AND REPLACE THE CURRENT COLLECTIVE BARGAINING AGREEMENT THAT HAS ALLOWED TWO THIRD OF FIRED OFFICERS TO BE REHIRED IN SAN ANTONIO. IMPLEMENT A ZERO TOLERANCE POLICY ON RACISM AND DISCRIMINATION BY LAW OFFICERS AND ELECTED OFFICIALS AT EVERY LEVEL. CREATE A WEBSITE AND RECORD AND RECORD DATABASE DEDICATED TO DOCUMENTING POLICE MISCONDUCT AND FILING COMPLAINTS AGAINST LOCAL OFFICERS. HELP US REPEAL ARTICLE 28, SECTION 19 OF THE CURRENT POLICE CONTRACT, WHICH ALLOWS VIOLATIONS TO DISAPPEAR FROM OFFICER RECORDS AFTER 180 DAYS, CREATE A NEW CITIZEN BOARD SEPARATE FROM S A P D WITH BINDING POWER IN REGARDS TO PUNISHMENT OF OFFICERS AND THE POWER TO CONDUCT INDEPENDENT INVESTIGATIONS. CONTINUE TO HOLD MEETINGS BETWEEN SS A P D AND THE COMMUNITY IN ORDER TO BEGIN MENDING THE BROKEN RELATIONS BETWEEN THE PEOPLE AND THE POLICE. REALLOCATE OUR TAX DOLLARS TO ORGANIZATIONS THAT WORK TO MEND THE COMMUNITY RATHER THAN EXPANDING OUR POLICE DEPARTMENTS WE'VE BEEN DOING FOR YEARS TO NO AVAIL. AND FINALLY, REALLOCATE MONEY WITHIN SAP'S BUDGET SO THAT MORE THAN 0.005% OF THEIR RESOURCES ARE GOING TO CHILD PROTECTION AND POLICE TRAINING. WITH A BUDGET OF ALMOST 500 MILLION, THIS FIGURE IS INEXCUSABLE. AND TO THE COUNCILWOMAN, I WOULD LIKE TO PROPOSE TO PROPOSE A SOLUTION TO YOUR CONCERN ABOUT A MERE 11% OF OFFICERS BEING FEMALE. AND MIGHT I ADD A MORE EFFECTIVE AND PRODUCTIVE SOLUTION THAN MR. FINGER GAVE LAST WEEK? MY PROPOSITION IS THAT WE BEGIN HIRING SOCIAL WORKERS TO WORK IN UNISON WITH SS A P D. ALMOST 82% OF SOCIAL WORKERS ARE FEMALE, CREATING AN ALMOST PERFECT OPPOSITE TO THE REPRESENTATION WE SEE ON THE POLICE FORCE. SO I SAY, INSTEAD OF TRYING TO RECRUIT MORE POLICE OFFICERS THAT ARE FEMALE, WE HIRE THE MORE QUALIFIED SOCIAL WORKERS WHO ARE ALREADY MOSTLY WOMEN TO HANDLE CASES OF CIVIL DOMESTIC DISPUTES, MENTAL HEALTH CRISES, [03:40:01] HOMELESS TRANSFERS, AND ANY OTHER CASE IN WHICH POLICE OFFICERS DO NOT POSSESS THE KNOWLEDGE TO DEESCALATE. THIS WILL SIMULTANEOUSLY INCREASE THE AMOUNT OF FEMALE REPRESENT REPRESENTATION IN SS A P D, ESPECIALLY AMONG THE HIGHER RANKS AND LOWER THE RATE OF POLICE USE OF FORCE AND VIOLENCE. WE APPRECIATE YOU HEARING OUR DEMANDS. NOW. WE NEED YOU TO HELP BEGIN IMPLEMENTING THEM. THANK YOU. THANK YOU, MR. ZOSS. CELESTE BROWN. MS. BROWN, YOU'LL BE FOLLOWED BY MOHAMMED RASUL. CELESTE, YOU HAVE SIX MINUTES. THANK YOU. MY NAME'S CELESTE ALANA BROWN. I LIVE IN DISTRICT TWO, AND I KNOW EVERY SINGLE ONE OF YOU AND ALL OF YOUR STAFFS BECAUSE I'VE BEEN ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THAT DAAS. AND SO WHAT I'M HERE TO SHARE TODAY IS NOT TO, TO EVEN HAVE TO ECHO THE FOLKS THAT HAVE SPOKEN BEFORE ME ABOUT 1 43 AND 1 74. I'M HERE TO TALK ABOUT HOW WE'RE SETTING RESOLUTIONS WITHOUT THE COMMUNITY SEEING IT MUCH LESS WITHOUT THE COMMUNITY BEING INVITED INTO THAT PROCESS OF IDENTIFYING WHAT THOSE RESOLUTIONS ARE. MEETING WITH US ONCE WHO CHECK A BOX IS UNACCEPTABLE. AND IT IS NOT, IT IS NOT IN FACT, THE WAY THAT ANY OF US ARE GONNA MOVE FORWARD IN THE, IN THE WAY THAT WE KNOW TO. I'M ALSO HERE TO EXPRESS MY DEEP DISAPPOINTMENT AND THE FACT THAT THE CITY HAS THIS FEIGNED SENSE OF PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT. WE HAVE THREE PUBLIC SAFETY HEARINGS. IT'S HARD TO LEAVE A DIGITAL COMMENT. UM, WE'RE TOLD ABOUT 'EM A WEEK AND A HALF IN ADVANCE. AND LET'S EVEN TALK ABOUT FOLKS THAT COULDN'T BE HERE TODAY BECAUSE OF COVID, BECAUSE THERE ARE PEOPLE THAT ARE IMMUNOCOMPROMISED LIKE ME. BUT I HAD TO COME HERE AND REMIND Y'ALL TO DO YOUR DAMN JOBS. UM, RIGHT NOW, THE FOLKS THAT SUBMITTED COMMENTS TO BE SUBMITTED FOR THE RECORD, THE CITY'S PAGE HAS NOT BEEN UPDATED BY THE CITY CLERK'S OFFICE SINCE APRIL 27TH. WITH THE MINUTES FROM THESE MEETINGS APRIL 27TH, CAN SOMEONE REMIND ME TODAY'S DATE? IT'S THE 25TH OF JULY. OF JUNE. THAT IS UNACCEPTABLE. THAT IS YOUR JOB. AND YOUR RESPONSIBILITY IS TO BE TRANSPARENT AND OPEN AND ACCESSIBLE IN THE PROCESS IN WHICH YOU ARE CREATING. AND YOU ARE NOT DOING THAT. AND I KNOW THAT. 'CAUSE AS I'VE SAID, I'VE WORKED BEHIND ON THE OTHER SIDE. I'VE WORKED FOR CITY COUNCIL. AGAIN, YOU ALL KNOW ME. AND SO I'M HERE LIVID. I WOULD RATHER NOT BE HERE. I WOULD RATHER BE AT HOME BECAUSE AS I SAID, I AM IMMUNOCOMPROMISED. BUT I CAN'T DO THAT BECAUSE YOU'RE STILL NOT SHOWING THAT YOU VALUE BLACK LIVES BECAUSE YOU'RE CREATING A RESOLUTION WITHOUT ANY OF US IN THE ROOM FOR IT TO HAPPEN. AND WE WOULDN'T HAVE NOT, WE WOULD NOT HAVE EVEN KNOWN THAT IT WAS ON THIS AGENDA TODAY IF WE DIDN'T LOOK IT UP FOR OUR DAMN SELVES. SO YOU'RE MEETING WITH US. YES, BUT I'M ANGRY. AND I, I NEED YOU TO KNOW THAT I'M ANGRY, AND I'M NOT GONNA APOLOGIZE FOR THAT ANGER BECAUSE I'M DISAPPOINTED IN EVERY SINGLE ONE OF YOU, IN EVERY SINGLE ONE OF YOU, BECAUSE YOU DO NOT VALUE BLACK LIVES. IF YOU ARE NOT INCLUDING US IN THESE CONVERSATIONS, YOU CANNOT COME UP HERE AND PRESENT AND SAY THAT THESE ARE THE COMMUNITY PRIORITIES IF WE HAVEN'T EVEN HANDED YOU OUR DAMN DEMANDS. RIGHT? WE ARE WORKING ALL TOGETHER. AND THOUGH SOME OF OUR FOLKS THAT WERE HERE WITH US HAD TO LEAVE TO GO TO THEIR PROTEST, WE'RE ALL TOGETHER NOW. SO TO PUT A RESOLUTION OUT AS THIS DO GOOD OR MEANS OF HOW WE'RE MOVING FORWARD, IT'S B******T. AND PUT THAT ON THE RECORD. I DON'T CARE. RIGHT? AND I UNDERSTAND. LET ME BE CLEAR. I'M AWARE THAT WITH MY ANGER, LIKE I DEFINITELY CURRENTLY HAVE IN APPLICATIONS TO SIT ON COMMISSIONS THAT LACK BLACK REPRESENTATION. AND THIS MAY VERY MUCH SO RISK MY CHANCE OF GETTING ACCESS TO THOSE SPOTS. AND I DON'T GIVE A DAMN, BECAUSE I HAVE NEVER BEEN THIS DISAPPOINTED IN YOU GUYS, EVER. AND I'M ASHAMED TO SAY THAT I WORKED FOR A CITY THAT CLAIMS TO CARE ABOUT PUBLIC PARTICIPATION, BUT IT'S SHOWING THAT IT DOESN'T. 'CAUSE I CAN'T EVEN ACCESS THE MINUTES FROM THE MEETINGS LAST WEEK. THIS IS UNACCEPTABLE. AND YOU SHOULD ALL BE ASHAMED BECAUSE IF YOU DIDN'T REALIZE THAT THE WEBSITE HASN'T BEEN UPDATED SINCE APRIL 27TH AND YOUR STAFF HASN'T REALIZED THAT'S PART OF THE PROBLEM, I HAVE NEVER BEEN SO ANGRY. AND I'M, AGAIN, I'M NOT APOLOGIZING FOR IT BECAUSE NONE OF YOU DESERVE AN APOLOGY FROM ME FOR HOW I'M FEELING, BECAUSE YOU'RE NOT VALUING BLACK LIVES. THEN LET'S, LET'S GO BACK TO THIS RESOLUTION FOR A SECOND, RIGHT? IT'S ONE THING NOT TO INCLUDE US IN THIS SPACE OF THESE CONVERSATIONS, OF CRAFTING THESE RESOLUTIONS AND IDENTIFYING WHAT NEEDS TO HAPPEN. Y'ALL DON'T EVEN HAVE BLACK PEOPLE WORKING ON POLICY ON YOUR STAFFS. LET'S TALK ABOUT THAT. IF YOU VALUE BLACK LIVES, WHY ARE BLACK VOICES NOT IN THESE ROOMS TO BEGIN WITH? YOU DON'T EVEN HAVE BLACK VOICES ON YOUR COMMISSIONS, RIGHT? SO YOU DON'T SHOW BLACK LIVES MATTER IN YOUR DAILY LIFE OUTSIDE OF THESE ISSUES. NONE OF YOU. NOT A SINGLE ONE OF YOU. AND I, I CAN'T EVEN BEGIN, RIGHT? I WAS GONNA COME UP HERE CALMLY AND LET Y'ALL KNOW THIS, BUT I DON'T, AGAIN, LIKE I DON'T OWE Y'ALL THAT CALMNESS ANYMORE. I'M TIRED, RIGHT? MY RAGE IS VALID AND MY RAGE IS BEAUTIFUL BECAUSE I DO THIS DAMN WORK. I'VE DEDICATED MY LIFE TO PUBLIC SERVICE. I'VE DONE NOTHING BUT ADVOCATE FOR POLICY. AND NOW I'M DOING IT WITH FOLKS BEHIND ME BECAUSE WE'RE JUST ASKING NOT TO DIE. BUT EVEN THAT SEEMS TO BE TOO MUCH TO EVEN INCLUDE US IN THE CONVERSATION, TO EVEN HAVE US IN THERE. SO I KNOW MORE THAN ANYBODY THAT Y'ALL DO, DO BUDGET WORK SESSIONS DURING JULY, BUT WHAT YOU ALSO NEED TO DO IS MEET WITH US, US BECAUSE YOU CANNOT CONTINUE TO HAVE THESE CONVERSATIONS WITHOUT US PRESENT. AND WHEN I SAY US, I MEAN US AS A COLLECTIVE. I AM SO ASHAMED, I AM SO DISAPPOINTED, AND I HAVE NEVER BEEN MORE ANGRY AT YOU ALL. AND I NEED YOU TO KNOW THAT BECAUSE YOU ALL ARE PEOPLE THAT WHEN I LEFT CITY COUNCIL, YOU TALKED ABOUT HOW PROUD YOU WERE OF ME AND HOW MUCH YOU WANTED TO [03:45:01] SEE ME SUCCEED. BUT IT'S NOT GONNA MATTER IF I DIE IN THE STREETS ADVOCATING FOR MY DAMN BROTHERS AND SISTERS. LIKE I SAID, I'M IMMUNOCOMPROMISED AND I'M A BLACK WOMAN. AND EVERY TIME I SPEAK OUT PUBLICLY, EVERY TIME I'M ON THE NEWS, EVERY TIME I'M OUT HERE PUBLICLY ADVOCATING FOR BLACK LIVES, I'M PUTTING MYSELF AND MY FUTURE MORE AT RISK. WE'RE ALL PUTTING OURSELVES AND OUR FUTURE MORE AT RISK. DON'T YOU EVER FORGET THAT. DON'T YOU EVER FORGET THAT BECAUSE Y'ALL GET TO GO HOME AND BE SAFE, AND THAT'S FINE. Y'ALL AREN'T OUT HERE GETTING DEATH THREATS. Y'ALL AREN'T OUT HERE WITH MILITIA MEN COMING TO YOU FACE TO FACE WITH THEIR HAND ON THE TRIGGER, NOT A SINGLE ONE OF YOU. SO YOU CAN SHOW UP TO OUR PROTEST, YOU CAN PUT A FIST WITH US, UP WITH US IN HERE, BUT IF YOU'RE NOT SHOWING IT THROUGH ACTION AND HAVING US AT THE TABLE, YOU'RE NOT DOING A DAMN THING. THANK YOU. THANK YOU, MS. BROWN. MOHAMED RASUL, MR. RASUL, YOU'LL BE FOLLOWED BY BRIELLE INSULAR. I GOT MY MASK SO I CAN MAKE SURE YOU GUYS CAN HEAR ME. UH, SO, YOU KNOW, I DISAGREE. I THINK THAT MORE PEOPLE ON THIS DIOCESE HAVE SAID BLACK LIVES MATTER RECENTLY, RIGHT? AND I'M PROUD OF Y'ALL FOR SAYING THAT. BUT I WANNA MAKE SURE YOU GUYS THINK BACK TO THE MOMENT, THE FIRST TIME YOU WERE SCARED TO SAY BLACK LIVES MATTER IN PUBLIC. RIGHT? THINK BACK TO THE FIRST TIME IT CAME UP AND WAS IT AFTER TAMIR RICE WAS KILLED, OR WAS IT AFTER TRAYVON MARTIN? WAS IT AFTER ERIC GARNER? OR WAS IT AFTER SANDRA BLAND? LIKE, WHEN WAS IT THAT YOU KNEW? YOU SHOULD HAVE SAID IT, BUT YOU REFUSED TO SAY IT. I WANT YOU TO REFLECT ON THAT. THINK ABOUT THAT. BUT I COME BEARING GOOD NEWS, RIGHT? 'CAUSE I COULD SAY THAT IF MORE ELECTED OFFICIALS HAVE SAID THE WORDS BLACK LIVES MATTER AND SHOWED WHERE THEY STAND ON THE ISSUE ACROSS THE COUNTRY, NOT JUST HERE IN SAN ANTONIO, WE WOULD'VE MADE A DIFFERENCE. MAYBE SOME OF THE BLACK LIVES WE LOST WOULD STILL BE HERE TODAY. AND I'M NOT SAYING THAT YOU GUYS HAVE BLOOD ON YOUR HANDS, BUT I AM INSINUATING IT AND I COME VERY GOOD NEWS. HISTORY DOESN'T HAPPEN IN A VACUUM, RIGHT? WE COME FULL CIRCLE, AND RIGHT NOW, WE'RE IN THE SAME PLACE WE WERE WHEN BLACK LIVES MATTER STARTED AS A HASHTAG, AND IT'S CONVERTED TO DEFUND THE POLICE. AND YOU HAVE A CHANCE TO DO THE RIGHT THING TODAY AND JOIN US IN SAYING THE WORDS DEFUND THE POLICE. SHOW US THERE'S MORE COURAGE ON THIS COUNCIL THAN THE NAMEPLATE SITTING IN FRONT OF JOHN, COURAGE RIGHT NOW. AND TO THE MAYOR TO ASK US TO HOLD HIM ACCOUNTABLE FOR HIS GOD CITY. I'M GONNA DO THAT RIGHT NOW. YOU'RE THE ONLY SITTING COUNCIL MEMBER THAT COULD HAVE PLACED THE REMOVAL OF THE COLUMBUS STATUE ON THE AGENDA FOR TODAY. YOU HAD THE C C R LAST WEEK, YOU SAT ON IT. YOU CHOSE TO INSTEAD PUT THIS TOOTHLESS WORTHLESS RESOLUTION ON THE AGENDA FOR TODAY. INSTEAD OF DOING WHAT THE ENTIRE COMMUNITY HAS BEEN ASKING YOU TO DO FOR OVER WHAT, 20 YEARS NOW, ANTONIO? 22, 22 YEARS, YOU HAD THE OPPORTUNITY, IT WAS GIVEN TO YOU. IT WAS GIFT WRAPPED FOR YOU, AND YOU DIDN'T FAIL TO PUT IT ON THE AGENDA. YOU REFUSED TO PUT IT ON THE AGENDA. AND THAT'S A SHAME. IT'S A SHAME FOR US. BUT IT'S MORE OF A SHAME FOR ALL OF YOU, RIGHT? THIS IS A COUNCIL. THIS IS NOT ONE SINGLE MAYOR THAT MAKES DECISIONS. THE ENTIRE COUNCIL SHOULD RALLY BEHIND THIS. I HEAR NOW FROM REBECCA. OH YEAH. THE STATUE HAS TO COME DOWN. RIGHT? WHERE, WHERE WAS THE LANGUAGE BEFORE? WHERE WAS THAT? IT'S REALLY EASY RIGHT NOW. IT'S REALLY SIMPLE BECAUSE IT'S ALREADY IN FRONT OF YOU. RIGHT? THE SOCIETY'S AGREE TO TAKE IT. WE CAN DO IT TOMORROW, AND WE'RE REFUSING TO DO IT. AND THAT'S A SHAME. THE BUCK STOPS WITH YOU AS THE MAYOR, RON. I'M SORRY. IT'S JUST THE CASE, RIGHT? YOU COULD HAVE PUT THIS ON AGENDA AND YOU REFUSE TO. AND WHAT YOU'RE SHOWING US IS NO MATTER HOW MANY TIMES YOU SAY BLACK LIVES MATTER, IT DOESN'T MATTER TO US WHAT YOU'RE SAYING UNTIL YOU SHOW US WHAT ACTION AND THAT ACTION NEEDS TO BE YOU SAYING THE WORDS DEFUND THE POLICE. I'VE HEARD YOU TRY TO DESCRIBE IT AND TRY TO DEFINE IT. JUST SAY THE WORDS AND SAY YOU BELIEVE IN THE WORDS. AND UNTIL, UNTIL THEN, I WILL NOT BELIEVE YOU WHEN YOU SAY BLACK LIVES MATTER. AND UNTIL THAT STATUTE'S TAKEN DOWN, I WON'T BELIEVE YOU THAT YOU CARE, THAT YOU CARE ABOUT ANYTHING WE'RE SAYING BECAUSE YOU'RE NOT SHOWING IT THROUGH YOUR ACTIONS. THANK YOU, MR. UL. BRIELLE INSULAR. UM, I'M HERE TO, TO SPEAK, TO SUPPORT MY BROTHERS AND SISTERS THAT ARE WORKING EVERY DAY ON THE STREETS FOR, FOR THE CAUSE. I CAN'T UNDERSTAND WHY WE'D BE SO HASTY TO MAKE A RESOLUTION LIKE THIS WITHOUT FULL INPUT FROM THE COMMUNITY AND THE BLACK COMMUNITY AND THE LEADERSHIP THAT ARE DRIVING THIS ISSUE EVERY DAY, ADDRESSING CHAPTERS 1 43 AND 1 74 WITHOUT COMMITTING TO REPEALING THEM. SEEMS LIKE AN ATTEMPT TO QUIET US BEFORE THE PUBLIC COMMITTEES ARE DONE. WE CAN'T STAND BEHIND A VOTE THAT HAPPENED IN 1947 AND 1975 TO JUSTIFY WHY WE JUST PLAY AROUND WITH THESE CHAPTERS, NOT REPEAL THEM ENTIRELY. WE DON'T NEED A RESOLUTION TO SPEAK BROADLY ON THIS ISSUE. SORRY, THIS IS NOT A REPLACEMENT FOR REAL. AND SWIFT ACTION, ACTION WE KNOW IS POSSIBLE FROM LOOKING AT OTHER CITIES ACROSS THE COUNTRY RIGHT NOW. THERE ARE THINGS WE CAN DO RIGHT NOW [03:50:01] TO BREAK DOWN THE RACIST SYSTEM AMERICA IS BUILT UPON. FOR EXAMPLE, WE COULD HAVE GONE AHEAD WITH REMOVING THE COLUMBUS PARK STATUE BEFORE ANY DAMAGE OR VIOLENCE TAKES PLACE. THIS IS A PUBLIC SAFETY ISSUE. WE HAVE OUR MILITIA ON THE STREETS INTIMIDATING PEOPLE. THEY'RE STANDING THERE INTIMIDATING PEOPLE THAT WANNA STAND UP FOR THEIR RIGHT TO SPEAK. AND THEY'RE, AND THEY'RE STRAPPED WITH GUNS. THEY'VE CAME TO OUR SPACE. THEY CAME TO OUR OFFICE TO TRY TO INTIMIDATE US AND INTIMIDATE A GROUP OF BLACK PEOPLE THAT ARE CELEBRATING JOY. AND THIS IS THE PUBLIC SAFETY ISSUE WE'RE FACING EV. AND WE CAN'T FORGET THAT EVERY TIME A BLACK LEADER IN THIS COMMUNITY STANDS UP TO SPEAK OUT THERE, PUTTING THEIR LIVES AT RISK EVERY SINGLE TIME. SO IF WE CAN'T, YOU KNOW, IF WE CAN'T DO THE EASY THINGS THAT ARE PACKAGED UP AND READY TO GO LIKE THAT, HOW ARE WE GONNA DO THE HARD THINGS? HOW CAN WE TRUST YOU TO DO THE HARD THINGS? WE NEED A COMMITMENT TO DEFUND THE POLICE. TAMIR RICE WOULD'VE BEEN 18 YEARS OLD TODAY. HE WAS A BABY. HE WAS A BOY WHEN HE WAS MURDERED BY THE POLICE. LAQUANA MCDONALD WAS A CHILD WHEN HE WAS MURDERED BY THE POLICE. AND AN ENTIRE SYSTEM, A POLICE FORCE, A MAYOR, AND A CITY STOOD UP AND LIED ABOUT IT AND COVERED UP. HOW CAN WE TRUST THE SYSTEMS WITH THESE LOFTY RESOLUTIONS TO ACTUALLY STAND UP AND TAKE THE EFFORTS TO MAKE THE ACTION. WE NEED A COMMITMENT TO DEFUND THE POLICE. WE NEED A COMMITMENT TO PUBLIC HEARINGS THROUGH JULY. WE NEED A COMMITMENT TO HEED THE LEADERSHIP OF OUR BLACK COMMUNITY. AND WHEN THEY'RE READY, CARRY OUT THE LIST OF DEMANDS TO DEFUND THE POLICE. AND POLICE ARE NOT VICTIMS. I JUST HAVE TO SAY THAT THEY'RE OUT HERE CRYING ON THE STREETS BECAUSE WE'RE STANDING UP TO A ENTIRE SYSTEM OF INJUSTICE AND ANTI-BLACKNESS AND RACISM. AND THEY'RE TRYING TO ACT LIKE THEY'RE THE VICTIMS. NO, THEY ARE NOT. THE VICTIMS ARE HERE EVERY DAY FIGHTING FOR THEIR LIVES, AND THE POLICE ARE OUT THERE THREATENING US AND DEFUND THE POLICE. THANK YOU, MS. LER. KAREN MUNOZ. IS KAREN MUNOZ HERE? OKAY. UH, JAMES MEYER. I'M REMINDED OF THAT SONG BY SAM COOK. A CHANGE IS GONNA COME. I WANT TO FIRST GIVE PROPER RESPECT TO MY CITY COUNCIL PERSON. MS. ANDREWS, THE MAYOR, THE MEMBERS HERE OF CITY COUNCIL. AND MR. ERIC WALSH, THE CITY MANAGER. AND I WANT TO SAY THIS, THIS GROUP OF PEOPLE THAT YOU'VE SEEN HERE, RON AND ERIC, THEY'RE VERY YOUNG. I AM ABSOLUTELY IMPRESSED BY THEIR INVOLVEMENT. 30 DAYS SO FAR. AND THEY'RE WILLING TO GO THREE MORE YEARS UNTIL THINGS CHANGE. BUT MR. MAYOR AND MR. CITY MANAGER, YOU TWO INDIVIDUALS ARE THE MOST POWERFUL MEN IN THIS CITY. MR. MAYOR. MILLIONS OF PEOPLE ARE DEPENDING ON YOU, MR. WALSH, A CITY MANAGER, THAT MANY PEOPLE ARE ALSO DEPENDING ON YOU. I'VE HEARD YOU SAY MR. MAYOR. AND I'VE HEARD FROM THE CITY MANAGER'S OFFICE THAT Y'ALL SUPPORT THE MOVEMENT. NOW IT'S TIME FOR YOU TO EXERCISE LEADERSHIP. LEADERSHIP IS CALLING YOU THE CITY COUNCIL. YOU OFFSET POLICY, SET THE POLICY, SUPPORT YOUR MAYOR, AND SUPPORT YOUR CITY MANAGER. THINGS NEED TO BE DONE. THERE ARE NO TOP LEVEL BLACK EMPLOYEES IN THE POLICE DEPARTMENT. THIS IS 2020, NOT 1940. THERE ARE NO TOP BLACK LAWYERS IN YOUR LAW OFFICE, THE LARGEST LAW FIRM IN SAN ANTONIO. NO TOP BLACK LAWYERS. HOW DO YOU EXPECT BLACK LIVES TO MATTER WHEN THERE'S NOBODY IN POSITIONS OF AUTHORITY THAT THEY CAN EVEN IDENTIFY WITH? YOU GOT 15 OR 20 CIVIL RIGHTS CASES, MR. MAYOR, YOUR LAWYER, JUST SITTING ON THEM LIKE A CHILL OF THE HUNT. WE AIN'T MOVING. WE NEVER HAD TO PAY THAT MUCH ON A CIVIL [03:55:01] RIGHTS KING. GET RID OF THOSE CIVIL RIGHTS CASES. THE TIME RIGHT NOW, THIS ENVIRONMENT IS RIGHT FOR THE SETTLEMENT OF LEGITIMATE CIVIL RIGHTS CASES. AND THAT DOES NOT THAT I WANTED TO SAY ONE LAST THING, MR. MAYOR. WHAT I'M TELLING YOU ABOUT RIGHT NOW, DON'T TAKE A LOT OF TIME. THERE NEEDS TO BE AN OFFICE OF CIVIL RIGHTS AS A DEPARTMENT LEVEL IN THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO. Y'ALL CAN DO THAT RIGHT NOW. THANK YOU MR. MEYER. THANK YOU MR. MAYOR. AND THANK YOU, MR. ALRIGHT, THAT'S EVERYONE WHO SIGNED UP TO SPEAK ON ITEM FIVE. UM, WE'RE GONNA GO AHEAD NOW TO, UH, COUNCIL DISCUSSION. WE'LL START WITH COUNCIL MEMBER KEO H THANK YOU MAYOR. I, I HAD SOME COMMENTS, BUT, UH, I'M VERY DEEPLY MOVED TODAY AND I'M GRATEFUL THAT YOU GUYS SHOWED UP THAT YOU'RE HERE TO TALK TO US. AND I, I JUST WANNA CONTINUE MY COMMITMENT TO LISTEN, TO HEAR. AND I KNOW THAT THE, THE, THE LISTENING SESSIONS ARE ENOUGH. I, I KNOW WE'RE GONNA HAVE TO CONTINUE TO MEET AND WE, I WANT TO, WE WANT TO, WE WANT TO KEEP THIS GOING. WE WANNA SEE YOU HERE. WE WANNA HEAR FROM YOU. I REMINDED TODAY, AND I REMIND MYSELF EVERY DAY THAT THIS IS NOT MY SEAT. THIS IS NOT MELISSA'S SEAT. THIS IS THE SEAT FOR THE PEOPLE OF DISTRICT SIX. AND DISTRICT SIX HAS MADE IT VERY CLEAR TO ME HOW THEY FEEL. THERE WAS A, A DEMONSTRATION ON UP RA ROAD GOING UP TO TAF. 'CAUSE THERE WAS A YOUNG, UH, GRADUATE OF TAF, MY AMMA MATER WHO WAS HURT IN AUSTIN, JUSTIN HOWELL, WHO WAS HURT, UH, BY BEANBAG BULLETS. I HEAR MY DISTRICT, I HEAR PEOPLE, I HEAR YOU TODAY, AND I HEAR MY DISTRICT. THIS IS NOT SOMEONE SAID, YOU KNOW, THIS IS NOT THE END ALL, BE ALL THIS, THIS RESOLUTION. THIS IS, THIS IS JUST A START. AND MAYBE IT IS A SOFT START. I'LL, I'LL TAKE THAT CRITICISM. BUT IT'S A START. AND OF MANY CONVERSATIONS, I, I HAVE BEEN MEETING WITH WELL ORGANIZED BLACK LED GROUPS, AND THEY'RE TELLING ME TANGIBLE, SPECIFIC ITEMS THAT I, I'M KEEPING CLOSE TO ME. I CARRY WITH ME EVERYWHERE SO THAT WE CAN WORK ON THOSE. I CAN WORK ON THOSE, AND WE CAN WORK ON THOSE AS A COUNCIL. I'LL JUST STOP THERE. IT'S A LOT. UM, BUT I, I, I MOVE THAT WE APPROVE TODAY'S RESOLUTION AND KEEP THE CONVERSATION GOING. THANK YOU. OKAY. THERE'S A MOTION AND A SECOND FOR APPROVAL OF ITEM NUMBER FIVE. COUNCIL MEMBER ELAS. UM, TH THANK YOU MAYOR. AND, UH, I THANK YOU TO EVERY YOUNG PERSON, UH, WHO SHOWED UP TODAY, UH, INCLUDING YOU, MARIO SILAS, AND INCLUDING YOU. MR. MEYER. THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE. UM, YOU KNOW, EVERY, EVERY VOICE MATTERS AS WELL. UM, I, I, EARLIER TODAY, MAYOR, I, I MENTIONED TO, UM, TO ALL OF YOU TO LOOK TO OTHER COUNTRIES FOR LESSONS AND OPPORTUNITIES REGARDING, YOU KNOW, COVID RESPONSE, INNOVATION. AND, UM, I, I, I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT FOR US TO ALSO LOOK AT OTHER COUNTRIES AND LEARN LESSONS. UM, AND FOR THOSE OF US, UH, YOU KNOW, WHO STUDIED GOVERNMENT AND INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS AND, AND WORLD HISTORY, WE, WE'VE SEEN COUNTRIES WHERE MILLIONS OF PEOPLE PETITION THEIR GOVERNMENT AND MANIFEST ON THE STREETS. AND, AND THEY DISRUPT. AND THEY RECEIVE ONLY SILENCE FROM THEIR LEADERS. AND WE, WE'VE WITNESSED COUNTRIES WHOSE PEOPLE JUST LOSE FAITH IN THEIR GOVERNMENT AND IN THEIR INSTITUTIONS AND ALL THEIR LEADERS. IN TURN, UM, UH, THEY LOSE LEGITIMACY. AND THE GOVERNMENT LOSES LEGITIMACY BECAUSE THEY'RE NOT ABLE TO REGAIN THAT TRUST AND GET COMPLETE LACK OF COMMUNITY, A COLLAPSE OF COMMUNITY. AND THERE'S A NAME FOR COUNTRIES LIKE THAT. UM, IT, IT, THE, THE NAME OR THE TERM IS FAILED STATE. AND, YOU KNOW, THE FASTEST WAY TO GUARANTEE A FAILED STATE IS WHEN THE STATE, EITHER BY, BY ACTOR OR OMISSION, CREATES IN THE MINDS OF THE CITIZENS THAT THEY'RE BEING HUNTED. AND STATE PREDATION OF PEOPLE WITHIN ITS BORDERS IS THE FASTEST WAY TO GUARANTEE, UH, YOU KNOW, CATASTROPHE. AND SO THESE YOUNG PEOPLE TODAY, UM, SHOWED UP AND THEY'RE TELLING US THAT THEY BELIEVE THAT THEY'RE BEING PREYED ON. AND, UM, THEIR MESSAGE, I GUESS COULD BE SAID LOUDER, BUT IT, IT CAN'T BE SAID ANYMORE CLEARLY. UM, AND, AND FOLKS, WHEN, WHEN THESE YOUNG PEOPLE ASK US TO RAISE A FIST TO SIGNAL THAT WE HEAR THEM [04:00:01] AND UNDERSTAND, UH, THAT THIS IS THE WAY THEY FEEL, THAT FIST SAYS, I HEAR YOU, AND THE WAY YOU FEEL IS ABSOLUTELY UNACCEPTABLE, UH, UH, OF COURSE, I'M GONNA RAISE MY FIST. SO, UM, IF ANYBODY IN THIS ROOM, OR ANYBODY WATCHING, OR ANYBODY WHO'S GONNA READ THIS TOMORROW, YOU KNOW, IF Y'ALL WANT TO HAVE A CONVERSATION ABOUT OPPORTUNITIES TO MAKE H I P D MORE EFFICIENT AND MORE EFFECTIVE AND MORE TRANSPARENT AND MORE EQUITABLE AND MORE FLEXIBLE AND MORE ANSWERABLE TO THE PUBLIC, WELL THEN I'M YOUR GUY. AND, AND I'M DEFINITELY EAGER TO HAVE A DATA INFORMED CONVERSATION WITH YOU. AND I'M EAGER TO HAVE A CONVERSATION THAT FOCUSES ON PERMANENT SOLUTIONS TO WHAT'S BROKEN AND WHERE DO WE START? AND, AND WE START BY RECOGNIZING THAT THIS CITY COUNCIL, ME AND, AND THESE OTHER, UH, COLLEAGUES OF MINE, THAT WE OWN THIS TRUST CRISIS, AND THAT THE BURDEN IS ON US, NOT ON Y'ALL. THE BURDEN'S ON US TO REPAIR THIS TRUST CRISIS. SO HOW DO WE DO THAT? UM, Y'ALL REMEMBER THE, THE OLD, UH, PROVERB ABOUT HOW YOU EAT AN ELEPHANT ONE BITE AT A TIME. WELL, WE, WE, WE DO THAT BY TAKING ONE STEP AT A TIME. AND TODAY, MAYOR, WE'VE GOT A RESOLUTION IN FRONT OF US. THAT RESOLUTION, I AM GUARANTEEING EVERYBODY WHO'S WATCHING THAT RESOLUTION IS A FIRST STEP. NOT, NOT, IT'S NOT THE SOLUTION. THIS RESOLUTION ON ITS OWN WON'T SOLVE ANYTHING, BUT IT'S A FIRST STEP IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION. AND, AND I GET IT. YOU'RE IMPATIENT. YOU'VE LOST PATIENCE. UM, WITH EVERY DAY WE WAIT TO TAKE NEXT STEPS. UM, AND EVERY DAY THAT WE TAKE TO, YOU KNOW, TO, TO, FOR THE NEXT STEP THAT JUST COMPOUNDS THE, THE TRUST CRISIS. I, I GET IT. UM, BUT I, I WILL TELL YOU, THERE'S NO WAY, NO WAY THAT WE'RE GONNA GET ANYWHERE. WE NEED TO GET ON, AND WE'RE NOT GONNA SUCCEED IF WE DON'T GET THIS UNION, UM, TO THE TABLE, AND IF WE DON'T GET THEM TO AGREE ON THE MOST REASONABLE AND BASIC OF IDEAS THAT EVERYBODY AGREES ON. AND THAT IDEA IS THAT EVERY ORGANIZATION ON THIS PLANET CAN BENEFIT FROM CONTINUOUS IMPROVEMENT. SO, SO, MAYOR, I, I KNOW THAT YOU AND, AND ERIC AND THE CHIEF HAVE, HAVE SPOKEN TO, UH, SPO LEADERSHIP, BUT I, I SPOKE TO THE, THE LEADERSHIP AS WELL. AND, UM, I, I GOTTA TELL YOU, I'M, I'M THANKFUL. I, I'M THANKFUL THAT THEY'VE KEPT THE LINES OF COMMUNICATION OPEN TO US, AND I'M THANKFUL THAT THEY'RE RESPECTFULLY LISTENING TO THE IDEAS THAT THEY DISAGREE WITH. UM, BECAUSE BOY, THEY, THEY DISAGREE A LOT WITH WHAT THEY'RE HEARING, BUT THEY'RE SITTING ON THEIR HANDS AND THEY'RE LISTENING, RIGHT? AND INSTEAD, THEY COULD HAVE, AND THEY HAVEN'T. AND I'M VERY, VERY THANKFUL THAT THEY DIDN'T TAKE THE TACK OR THE APPROACH THAT YOU SAW THE, THE UNION PRESIDENT IN NEW YORK CITY TAKE THAT WAS VERY, VERY UNHELPFUL. UM, AND I, I THANK THEM FOR AGREEING TO ROLL UP THEIR SLEEVES AND TO HELP ME AND HELP THE REST OF THIS COUNCIL DO THE DIFFICULT WORK OF REGAINING NO, OF RE-RUNNING THAT, THAT TRUST THAT'S BEEN LOST. UM, AND SO TO THE PRESIDENT OF THIS UNION, AND TO HIS MEMBERS, I TAKE YOU AT YOUR WORD WHEN YOU'VE TOLD US THAT YOU ARE READY TO HAVE THIS REALLY DIFFICULT CONVERSATION WITH US. UM, I, I DO WANNA SAY THAT I ALSO THINK, AND 'CAUSE IT'S NOT A BINARY CHOICE, SAYING BLACK LIVES MATTERS, AND I'LL SAY IT, BLACK LIVES MATTERS, PERIOD. BUT IT'S NOT A, A, A, A BINARY CHOICE. YOU CAN BE, UM, COMPLETELY COGNIZANT OF THE FACT THAT THERE IS A MAJOR INJUSTICE BEING DONE EVERY SINGLE DAY WHILE AT THE SAME TIME IDENTIFYING THOSE POLICE OFFICERS WHO ARE DOING A GREAT JOB. AND SO I'VE GOT POLICE OFFICERS AT DISTRICT EIGHT'S, P ROAD STATION, UM, OFFICER PETE MENDEZ, SERGEANT SAM ESPARZA, OFFICER YVETTE MEAD, SERGEANT , OFFICER SCOTT BA, OFFICER TIM HENRY, AND ALL THE OTHER OFFICERS OUT THERE WHO SUIT UP EVERY SINGLE DAY. UH, AND THEY KEEP MY NEIGHBORHOOD SAFE. AND, AND GUYS, THANK YOU. IF YOU'RE WATCHING, THANK YOU FOR YOUR THICK SKIN AND YOUR PROFESSIONALISM AND YOUR LEADERSHIP AND YOUR ENORMOUS, ENORMOUS SERVANT HEARTS AND COPS. LIKE YOU GUYS ARE THE KIND THAT THESE YOUNG PEOPLE WHO SHOWED UP TODAY, YOU ARE THE KIND THAT THEY DESERVE. SO, MAYOR, UM, TO GET TO THIS RESOLUTION, I'LL, I'LL SUPPORT TODAY'S RESOLUTION IN BROAD STROKES, BUT I, I, I, I DO PAUSE WHEN I READ THE, UH, I THINK IT'S THE FOURTH BULLET POINT ABOUT ARBITRATION IN THE DOCUMENT. I THINK WE CAN WRITE THAT BETTER. UM, YOU KNOW, AND FOR THOSE OF YOU WHO DON'T KNOW, I'M AN ARBITRATOR AND I'M AN ARBITRATOR OF COLOR, BY THE WAY. UM, AND INFORMED BY ABOUT 20 YEARS OF DOING THIS ARBITRATION STUFF, I, I LOOK AT THAT ARBITRATION BULLET POINT, AND IT, AND IT TROUBLES ME A LITTLE BIT, UH, BECAUSE IT READS LIKE WE'RE EXPECTING TO HAVE CHIEF MCMANUS AND ERIC WALSH, YOU KNOW, SITTING [04:05:01] WITH THE ARBITRATOR TO HELP THEM FAN, UH, FASHION, THEIR, THEIR DECISION, THE ARBITRATOR'S DECISION. AND, UM, YOU KNOW, HAVING THE, THE CHIEF AND THE MANAGER ON THE ARBITRATION PANEL, IF YOU WILL, THAT'S NOT ARBITRATION. THAT'S SOMETHING ELSE. UH, MAYBE THAT'S SOMETHING ELSE IS A GREAT IDEA, BUT IT'S NOT ARBITRATION. UM, AND SO ARBITRATION REQUIRES A TRUSTWORTHY, NEUTRAL, FREE OF INFLUENCE PERSON WHO IS NOT GONNA BE SWAYED, UM, DIRECTLY BY ONE OF THE PARTIES, UM, AND HAVE ONE OF THE PARTIES HELP THEM WRITE THEIR DECISION. AND I THINK THAT EVERYONE, INCLUDING THE, THE UNION AGREES THAT WE, WE PROBABLY ARE GONNA HAVE TO FIX THIS ARBITRATION PROCESS 'CAUSE IT'S BROKEN. UM, AND, UH, AND, AND THAT THERE'S SOME OPPORTUNITIES HERE TO FIX IT. SO MAYOR I, I MAKE A MOTION, UM, TO ACCEPT THIS RESOLUTION AND MODIFY THE LANGUAGE ON THE DOCUMENT JUST A LITTLE BIT. UM, SO THAT IT, INSTEAD OF WHAT IT READS RIGHT NOW, IT JUST SIMPLY READS, UM, AND I WROTE IT DOWN, AN IMPROVED OR MORE TRANSPARENT ARBITRATION PROCESS THAT RESTORES PUBLIC TRUSTS. END QUOTE. THAT'S MY MOTION. THANK YOU. OKAY. THERE'S A, UH, MOTION ON AN AMENDMENT. DID I HEAR A SECOND? I DID NOT. SO THE MOTION DIES. UM, BUT, UH, I THINK, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER, UM, ERIC WALSH WOULD LIKE TO, UM, CLARIFY ON THAT POINT. ERIC, THANKS, MAYOR. UH, COUNCILMAN, UH, THANKS FOR RAISING THAT POINT. AND, AND LET ME TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THAT LANGUAGE. OBVIOUSLY, UM, UM, AS YOU RAISED IT, IT'S NOT TO, UM, INCLUDE THE CHIEF OR MYSELF IN THAT ARBITRATION ROLE, BUT I THINK THE MESSAGE BEHIND THAT BULLET POINT IS TO RECOGNIZE THAT WE NEED A REBALANCED, UH, ARBITRATION PROCESS THAT, UH, CLEARLY DELINEATE, DELINEATES THE ARBITRATOR'S AUTHORITY TO THE FACTS. AND, AND THE SECOND PART OF THAT SENTENCE, AND INCLUDES A ROLE FOR THE POLICE CHIEF AND OR THE CITY MANAGER IN FINAL DISCIPLINE. AND, AND I THINK THAT'S A, THAT'S A CHECK OR CHECK AND BALANCE TO, UH, WHAT WE'VE SEEN BEFORE IN THE PAST. UM, LET ME GIVE YOU AN EXAMPLE. UH, THERE WE HAVE, UH, PROBABLY A LITTLE OVER 4,000 EMPLOYEES THAT, THAT HAVE, UH, THE ABILITY TO APPEAL, DISCIPLINE OR TERMINATIONS TO THE MUNICIPAL CIVIL SERVICE COMMISSION. THE COMMISSION OF THREE INDIVIDUALS THAT'S APPOINTED BY COUNSEL. UH, THEY CAN REVIEW, UH, DISCIPLINE, UH, UH, UH, CITY EMPLOYEES CAN APPEAL AND, AND THAT COMMISSION CAN EITHER, UM, UH, SUSTAIN THE DISCIPLINE, REDUCE THE DISCIPLINE, OR INCREASE THE DISCIPLINE. BUT THAT REPORT COMES BACK TO THE CITY MANAGER AND THE CITY MANAGER HAS THE FINAL AUTHORITY. AND SO I THINK WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO INTRODUCE THERE IS THAT MAYBE A DIFFERENT TYPE OF ARBITRATION THAT OF COURSE, IN A, AND, AND WE'VE HAD A COUPLE OF SPEAKERS TALK ABOUT UNIONS. UM, I THINK THE CORNERSTONE OF ANY ORGANIZATION IS ITS DISCIPLINARY PROCESS AND, AND ALLOWING EMPLOYEES TO HAVE AN APPEAL, RIGHT? IS IMPORTANT. BUT I THINK WHAT'S EVEN MORE IMPORTANT, UH, ESPECIALLY HERE, IS TO PROVIDE A ROLE FOR THE, EITHER THE CHIEF OR MYSELF OR BOTH, AND WHOEVER THE FUTURE POLICE CHIEF IS AND WHOEVER THE FUTURE CITY MANAGER IS, UM, TO BE ABLE TO, UH, STEP IN AND, UH, OVERRIDE THAT RULE OR THE FINDING OF THE ARBITRATOR IF IT'S IN THE BEST INTEREST OF THE COMMUNITY AND THE DEPARTMENT AND THE ORGANIZATION. I, AND, AND I GET WHAT YOU'RE LAYING OUT, ERIC, AND I KNOW I'M OUT OF TIME. UH, I, I, I GET WHAT YOU'RE LAYING OUT. UM, AND YOU KNOW, IT'S ONLY ONE BULLET POINT AND IT'S A SENTENCE LONG AND, UM, YOU KNOW, AND, AND YET THERE'S A LOT TO UNPACK THERE. 'CAUSE ARBITRATION CAUSES, UM, YOU KNOW, UH, OUR MULTI-PAGE LONG SOMETIMES. AND SO, YOU KNOW, UH, I I I THINK IT WAS, IT WOULD JUST BE SIMPLE AND IT WOULD, IT WOULD ACHIEVE WHAT WE'RE ALL TRYING TO ACHIEVE IF WE JUST SAID WE WANT IT TO BE MORE TRANSPARENT AND WE WANT IT TO RESTORE PUBLIC TRUST. BUT A, A AGAIN, I'M NOT GONNA DIE ON THIS HILL, UM, AS FAR AS THIS ONE LANGUAGE. 'CAUSE I THINK THAT WE'RE ALL MOVING IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION. SO I'LL, I'LL SUPPORT THIS RESOLUTION. UM, BUT, UM, YOU KNOW, I I, I DO THINK THAT, UM, YOU KNOW, IT, IT'S GONNA BE THE SOURCE OF, OF, OF HEADACHES FOR US BECAUSE IT'LL BE EASILY MISINTERPRETED. BUT, UM, THANK YOU. THANK YOU. COUNCIL MEMBER ELA, COUNCIL MEMBER TREVINO. THANK YOU, MAYOR MARQUIS JONES. ANTHONY SCOTT, CHARLES ROUNDTREE JR. THEIR LIVES MATTERED. BLACK LIVES MATTER. THOSE ARE THE NAMES OF THE MEN THAT THIS CURRENT SYSTEM FAILED THAT WE FAILED. SAN ANTONIO, LIKE MANY OTHER US CITIES, IS CONTEMPLATING SOLUTIONS TO ADDRESS THE SYSTEMIC RACISM, PERVADING OUR LEGISLATIVE AND JU [04:10:01] JUDICIAL BODIES. THESE INEQUITIES HAVE HISTORICALLY AND DISPROPORTIONATELY HARMED PEOPLE OF COLOR, PARTICULARLY AFRICAN-AMERICANS LIKE EMMETT TILL, FRED HAMPTON, RODNEY KING, ERIC GARDNER, MICHAEL BROWN, GEORGE FLOYD, RENA TAYLOR, AND ELIJAH MCCLAIN. DID WE EVEN REACH OUT TO OUR COMMUNITY FOR INPUT ON THIS RE RESOLUTION? DID WE TALK TO ANY OF THE MANY ADVOCATES AND ORGANIZERS THAT WE'VE SEEN THROUGHOUT THE MARCHES AND ARE HERE THIS MORNING WHO'VE JOINED INVOICES AND CONCERN AND HAD REQUESTS? THE THREE PRIORITIES LISTED ARE STRONG, ARE A STRONG STARTING POINT AS THEY ADDRESS LONGSTANDING DISCIPLINARY ISSUES WITH S A P D. HOWEVER, THEY SHOULD BE REINFORCED WITH PERFORMANCE METRICS AND CLEAR LANGUAGE, THE COMMUNITY'S INPUT, THE COMMUNITY LOOKS TO US TO TAKE CONSIDERATE ACTION INTO HOW WE CAN DEFUND THE POLICE AND UTILIZE THOSE DOLLARS IN AREAS OF PUBLIC SAFETY THAT CURRENTLY ARE NOT EQUALLY MET ACROSS THE CITY. IT IS OUR RESPONSIBILITY TO PROVIDE OPPORTUNITIES FOR CHANGE THAT OFFERS A SENSE OF SECURITY FOR EVERYONE, ESPECIALLY THOSE THAT FEAR BEING MET WITH FATAL DISCRIMINATION BECAUSE OF THEIR COLOR OF THEIR SKIN. THE PUBLIC SAFETY COMMITTEE SHOULD HAVE, SHOULD HAVE HAD AN OPPORTUNITY TO TAKE THIS UP. TAKE UP THIS ITEM FOR DETAILED DISCUSSION. THE COMMITTEE JUST WRAPPED UP THEIR PUBLIC SAFETY TOWN HALL SERIES YESTERDAY, AND THE COMMUNITY INPUT IS NOT REFLECTED IN THIS RESOLUTION. COMMUNITY OF CO COMMUNITIES OF COLOR HAVE SUFFERED AND ARE TIRED OF NOT BEING HEARD. MY EARS ARE OPEN AND I HEAR YOU. THE VOICE OF THE COMMUNITY HAS BEEN HEARD. WE NOW, WE KNOW OUR COMMUNITY IS FRUSTRATED BY THE LACK OF ACTION. ARE JUST NOT AS OUR COMMUNITY NEEDS SOLUTIONS. SOLUTIONS THAT CALL FOR ACTIONS, NOT WORDS. DEFUND THE POLICE MEANS DIVESTING FUNDS FROM POLICE DEPARTMENTS AND REALLOCATING THEM TO NON POLICING FORMS OF PUBLIC SAFETY AND COMMUNITY SUPPORT, SUCH AS SOCIAL SERVICES, YOUTH SERVICES, HOUSING, EDUCATION, AND OTHER COMMUNITY RESOURCES. WE MUST ACT TO DEFUND THE POLICE BY ALLOCATING DOLLARS, EARMARKED FOR POLICE TO PERFORMS SOCIAL SERVICES AND TO ACTUALLY FUND NON POLICING FORMS OF PUBLIC SAFETY AND COMMUNITY SUPPORT, SUCH AS SOCIAL SERVICES, MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES, YOUTH SERVICES, AND HOUSING, EDUCATION, AND OTHER COMMUNITY RESOURCES TO APPROPRIATELY ADDRESS THESE ISSUES IN OUR COMMUNITY. FOR EXAMPLE, MANY PEOPLE CALL FOR MORE COMMUNITY POLICING. OUR OFFICE IS IN CON IN CONSTANT CONTACT WITH A SAFE OFFICER WHO SERVES THE NEIGHBORHOOD OF OUR FIELD OFFICE. HE IS CURRENTLY TASKED WITH RESPONDING TO ALL CRIME, ADDRESSING HOMELESSNESS, FUNCTIONING AS A SOCIAL WORKER, AND RESPONDING TO FOLKS IN MENTAL HEALTH CRISES. THIS IS PLACED IN THE HANDS OF ONE ENTITY, AN ENTITY WHOSE PRIMARY FOCUS IS NOT PROVIDING MOST OF THESE SERVICES. THESE SOCIAL SYSTEMIC ISSUES COULD BE BEST CARED FOR WITH SERVICES OTHER THAN POLICING. WE DO NOT HAVE TO WAIT UNTIL IT'S TIME TO NEGOTIATE THE C B A. WE CAN BEGIN NOW BY LOOKING AT THE UPCOMING CITY BUDGET. IT'S OFTEN SAID ON THIS DAUS THAT THE BUDGET IS A MORAL DOCUMENT. WE MUST PUT THIS CONCEPT INTO ACTION IMMEDIATELY. ACTIONS SPEAK LOUDER THAN WORDS. WHAT ACTIONS ARE WE PREPARED TO TAKE TO ENSURE THE SAFETY AND REQUESTS FROM OUR COMMUNITY ARE THOUGHTFULLY AND GENUINELY ANSWERED? WE MUST ACT TO DEFUND. WE MUST ACT TO INVEST IN OUR COMMUNITY. LAST NIGHT, THE CHRISTOPHER COLUMBUS STATUE WAS VANDALIZED, A STATUE THAT I REQUESTED BE REMOVED LAST WEEK AT THE BEHEST OF THE CHRISTOPHER COLUMBUS ITALIAN SOCIETY WHO ORIGINALLY DONATED IT TO THE CITY. WE HAD AN OPPORTUNITY TO TAKE ACTION TO ENSURE THAT IT BE REMOVED AND RETURNED SAFELY, AND ALSO ANSWER THE REQUEST OF OUR COMMUNITY WHO'D BEEN ASKING FOR CHANGE AND ITS REMOVAL ACTION THAT WAS DELAYED. WE HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO CHANGE THE NAME OF THE PARK AND REPLACE THE STATUE WITH A NEW PIECE THAT WOULD BETTER REPRESENT OUR ITALIAN COMMUNITY, WHILE ALSO REPRESENTING THE COUNTLESS REQUESTS OF OUR INDIGENOUS SCHOOL. HAVE ASKED WHAT CERTAIN NAMES AND HISTORY REPRESENT TO THEM. I WOULD LIKE TO AGAIN, ASK THAT IT BE TAKEN DOWN PENDING COUNCIL VOTE. GIVEN THE IMPORTANCE OF THIS CONTRACT COMPARED TO THE WEIGHT OF ACTION [04:15:01] THAT THIS RESOLUTION CARRIES, I HAVE CONCERNS THAT WE ARE SETTING EXPECTATIONS THAT ARE ONE VAGUELY DEFINED WITH LITTLE EXPLANATION OF, OF THE WORK THAT WILL BE DONE TO ENSURE EXPECTATIONS ARE MET. AND TWO, DO NOT ADEQUATELY REFLECT THE STANDARDS THE PUBLIC HAS EXPRESSED. BE CONFIDENTLY MET AS A REPRESENTATIVE OF OUR COMMUNITY. WE HAVE A RESPONSIBILITY TO GET THIS CONTRACT RIGHT. I WANT TO ENSURE WE ARE DILIGENT THIS TIME. I VOTED FOR THE LAST CONTRACT WITHOUT ASKING ENOUGH QUESTIONS, THE RIGHT QUESTIONS. I WON'T DO THAT A SECOND TIME. THANK YOU, MAYOR. I COUNCILWOMAN ANDREW SULLIVAN. NO, IT'S SUPPOSED TO BE ME. OH, I'M SORRY. I WENT OUT OF ORDER. UM, COUNCILMAN JOHN. COURAGE. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. BLACK LIVES MATTER. BLACK. THE BLACK LIVES MATTER MEANT MORE TO ME BEFORE I EVEN HEARD THE TERM BLACK LIVES MATTER. BLACK LIVES MATTER MEANS MORE TO ME NOW AND GOING FORWARD, AND ALWAYS WILL BECAUSE OF SOMETHING SOMEONE SAID A LITTLE WHILE AGO, WHICH I THINK ALL OF US UNDERSTAND, IS THAT WE ARE ALL HUMAN BEINGS AND WE ALL NEED TO BE TREATED WITH THE SAME AMOUNT OF RESPECT. BUT BLACK LIVES HAVE NOT IN THE PAST. AND I'M COMMITTED TO WORK ON THIS COUNCIL TO ENSURE THAT BLACK LIVES, THE, THE LIVES OF AFRICAN AMERICANS, BLACKS AS WELL AS OTHER PEOPLE OF COLOR ARE RESPECTED IN THIS CITY BY ITS GOVERNMENT AND BY ITS POLICE FORCE. AND I THINK THAT'S THE DIRECTION WE ARE GOING TO GOING THROUGH TODAY WAS A FIRST STEP. YES. UH, YOU MIGHT SAY A BABY STEP. IT WAS LOOKING AT WHAT FAILED TO BE PUT INTO THE LAST AGREEMENT WITH THE POLICE AND SAYING, WHEN WE START LOOKING AT WHAT WE'RE GOING TO DO GOING FORWARD, WE'RE GOING TO COMPLETELY FINISH THE WORK THAT WE BEGAN A FEW YEARS AGO. THAT'S A GOOD FIRST STEP. I KNOW PEOPLE WHO WERE HERE TODAY WERE VERY PASSIONATE, VERY EMOTIONAL ABOUT THIS AND DESERVEDLY SO. I'M PASSIONATE AND EMOTIONAL ABOUT THESE ISSUES AS WELL BECAUSE I FEEL LIKE AS A CITY COUNCILMAN, I DON'T JUST REPRESENT DISTRICT NINE, A COUNCIL PERSON IS A COUNCILMAN FOR THE WHOLE CITY. AND THE DECISIONS WE MAKE ON THIS DIAZ AFFECT THE LIVES OF EVERYBODY IN THIS CITY. AND I ALWAYS REMEMBER THAT, AND I KNOW MANY OF US, ALL OF US PROBABLY DO. SO DON'T THINK, PLEASE, THAT WHAT WE ARE DOING TODAY IS THE ONLY STEPS. THERE IS GOING TO BE MUCH MORE OF AN OPPORTUNITY FOR US AS A COUNCIL TO GIVE DIRECTION AND TAKE ACTION TO IMPROVE THE QUALITY OF THE POLICE FORCE AND PUBLIC SAFETY IN THIS CITY. BUT WE HAVE PROCESSES WE HAVE TO FOLLOW. LET ME ASK THE, UH, THE CITY ATTORNEY, IF I MAY, UH, ANDY, CAN THIS COUNCIL OVERTURN THE, UH, PROVISIONS OF 1 74 OR 1 43 ON OUR OWN ACTIONS. UH, NO COUNCILMAN, YOU CAN'T, THEY'RE THE BOTH STATUTES HAVE SPECIFIC PROVISIONS WITHIN THEM AS TO WHAT HAS TO HAPPEN TO REPEAL THEM. UM, AND IT, IT SORT OF MIRRORS WHAT IS NEEDED FOR THEM TO BE PUT IN PLACE. SO TO BE PUT IN PLACE, THE CITY HAS TO ADOPT THEM THROUGH A VOTE OF THE PUBLIC. SIMILARLY, TO REPEAL THEM, THEY HAVE TO BE REPEALED BY PUBLIC VOTE. AND THAT'S WHAT I THOUGHT. BUT YOU KNOW, THAT'S SOMETHING THAT A LOT OF PEOPLE DID NOT UNDERSTAND HERE TODAY. WHEN THEY'RE DEMANDING US TO DO THAT, WE MAY WANT TO DO THAT, BUT WE CAN'T. IT'S UP TO YOU. IT'S UP TO THE PEOPLE IN THE COMMUNITY TO SAY WE WANT THOSE OVERTURNED AND TO TAKE THE ACTION THAT ENABLES US AS A COUNCIL TO OVERTURN THOSE THINGS. SO MUCH OF WHAT WAS DISCUSSED TODAY, UH, WE HAVE OUR HANDS TIED ON EXACTLY HOW QUICKLY AND HOW STRONGLY WE CAN DO THOSE THINGS. WE HAVE A POLICE CONTRACT. WE CAN'T BREAK THAT CONTRACT. [04:20:01] I MEAN, WE COULD TRY, BUT WE'D END UP BEING IN COURT AND WE'D LOSE, AND THAT WOULD ONLY DELAY THE ACTIONS THAT WE NEED TO TAKE. SO, I, I WANT PEOPLE WHO MAY HAVE LEFT, BUT HOPEFULLY WILL CONTINUE TO LISTEN TO UNDERSTAND THAT I, FOR ONE, AND I KNOW MANY OF THE COUNCIL PEOPLE HERE ARE COMMITTED TO GO AHEAD AND MAKE THESE REFORMS, TO IMPROVE OUR POLICE FORCE, TO IMPROVE THE SAFETY AND THE PROTECTION AND THE QUALITY OF LIFE FOR EVERYBODY IN THIS COMMUNITY. WE JUST CAN'T DO IT TODAY. AND I'M NOT SAYING WE'RE GONNA WAIT AND DO IT TWO YEARS FROM NOW, OR EVEN A YEAR FROM NOW. THE SOONER THE BETTER. ABSOLUTELY. BUT THERE IS A, A LEGAL GOVERNMENTAL PROCESS THAT ALL OF US LIVE UNDER. YOU WANT THE LAWS PROPERLY AND JUSTLY ADMINISTERED UPON YOU AS A CITIZEN. AND SO WE AS A COUNCIL HAVE TO JUSTLY AND PROPERLY ADMINISTER THE LAWS THAT WE WORK UNDER AS WELL. THAT JUST MEANS THINGS TAKE MORE TIME. BUT IT DOESN'T MEAN WE'RE NOT AS CONCERNED OR AS PASSIONATE AS YOU ARE TO DO THESE THINGS. I DON'T THINK THAT WE'VE HEARD THE END OF THE DISCUSSIONS OR THE OPPORTUNITIES FOR PEOPLE TO COME FORWARD AND TELL US HOW THEY FEEL AND OFFER THEIR SUGGESTIONS AND NEGOTIATE A WAY FORWARD TO SOLVE THESE PROBLEMS. AND I, I AM AFRAID PEOPLE THINK THAT THAT'S WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO DO. IT'S NOT. IT'S JUST THAT WE HAVE TO FOLLOW THE LAWS OF OUR GOVERNMENT. AND AS WE DO THAT, IT JUST TAKES TIME. BUT THERE'S GONNA BE PLENTY OF OPPORTUNITY. AND I WANT TO HEAR FROM THE AUDIENCE WHO WAS HERE TODAY CONTINUALLY. ONE THING I SUGGESTED A COUPLE OF WEEKS AGO IS WE NEEDED TO BRING ALL THE COMMUNITY TOGETHER. WE NEED TO HAVE A RECONCILIATION COUNCIL WHERE PEOPLE FROM ALL PARTS OF THE COMMUNITY COME TOGETHER AND SIT DOWN AND SHARE THEIR CONCERNS, AND SHARE THEIR IDEAS, AND SHARE THEIR SUGGESTIONS, AND KIND OF GO BACK AND FORTH AND COME TO A MUTUAL UNDERSTANDING OF WHERE WE SHOULD BE AND WHAT WE SHOULD DO TO GET THERE. AND IT DOESN'T NEED TO BE JUST ALL THE ELECTED OFFICIALS OR ALL THE RICH AND POWERFUL LEADERS IN THE COMMUNITY. IT NEEDS TO BE YOU AND OTHER PEOPLE IN THIS COMMUNITY WHO CARE ENOUGH TO COME TOGETHER AND SAY, WHAT ARE THESE PROBLEMS? AND HOW CAN WE SHARE ANSWERS TO THOSE TOGETHER? SOME GIVE AND TAKE. I HOPE THAT WE'LL SEE SOME OF THAT KIND OF GIVE AND TAKE AND AN UNDERSTANDING THAT WE ALL WANT TO ENJOY THE SAME OPPORTUNITIES AND QUALITY OF LIVES THAT WE ALL DESERVE, NO MATTER WHETHER WE'RE OF COLOR OR WHATEVER CLASS OR WHATEVER PART OF TOWN WE LIVE IN. BUT IT'S SOMETHING THAT HASN'T EXISTED FOR A LONG TIME. SO IT'S GOING TO TAKE A PROCESS TO CREATE IT IN OUR COMMUNITY TODAY. LET'S START OVER. I LOVE SAN ANTONIO. I'VE LIVED HERE 49 YEARS, BUT I KNOW IT CAN BE BETTER FOR ALL OF US, AND I'M COMMITTED TO WORKING IN THAT DIRECTION. THANK YOU, MAYOR. THANK YOU. COUNCIL MEMBER COURAGE. COUNCIL MEMBER ANDREWS SULLIVAN. THANK YOU, MAYOR. I WANNA SAY, FIRST THANK YOU TO MR. FARRELL CLARK. MS. JORDAN SPARK, TABITHA CARTER, AND TO ALL OF THOSE WHO STOOD UP TO MR. ESTE BROWN, ALL OF THOSE WHO SPEAK AND HAVE RESONATED. THE CONCERNS OF DISTRICT TWO, I CAN HONESTLY SAY AS A RESIDENT, GROWING UP HERE IN DISTRICT TWO, I AM SO FULLY FAMILIAR WITH THE JUDICIAL SYSTEM AND HOW IT DOES NOT WORK FOR US AS BLACK PEOPLE. I, I CAN RECALL THE DAYS WHEN I WAS IN THE MILITARY AND BEING IN A UNIFORM. I WAS COMPLETELY CALLED OUT OF MY NAME. I KNOW HOW THAT FEELS. I KNOW HOW IT FEELS TO SIT UP ON A CITY COUNCIL AS THE ONLY BLACK REPRESENTATIVE, AND STILL FEEL LIKE OUR VOICES ARE NOT HEARD. I WENT AND I DID THE RESEARCH BECAUSE RESEARCH AND EDUCATION IS KEY FOR THIS COMMUNITY. SO YES, I ASKED FOR CHAPTER 1 43 AND CHAPTER 1 74 TO BE BROUGHT TO THE TABLE BECAUSE AFTER 40 YEARS OF LIVING IN THIS COMMUNITY, NO OTHER CITY COUNCIL REPRESENTATIVES STOOD UP TO EDUCATE OUR COMMUNITY ON HOW TO REVEAL THOSE DECISIONS. I WILL CONTINUE TO PUSH AND WORK FOR THIS COMMUNITY. THIS IS NOT A COMMUNITY THAT YOU WILL SIT DOWN ON. THIS IS NOT AN ISSUE WE WILL SIT DOWN ON. THIS IS NOT SOMETHING THAT WE WILL TAKE LIGHTLY. THIS IS A FIRST STEP [04:25:01] IN A FIRST STEP OF MANY BECAUSE WHAT THE CCRS THAT WE ARE PUSHING TO ENSURE THAT OUR POLICE JUST SHOW, DON'T SHOW UP AT A HOUSE AND JUST START SHOOTING, BUT CONTINUOUSLY ANNOUNCE THEMSELVES INSTEAD OF HAVING ANOTHER BREONNA TAYLOR TO MAKE SURE THAT WE HAVE A C C R IN PLACE TO TAKE THE KNEES OFF OF OUR NECK. SO WE DO NOT HAVE ANOTHER GEORGE FLOYD TO MAKE SURE THAT WE DO DECLARE AS A PUBLIC HEALTH CRISIS WHAT RACISM TRULY IS. WE AS A CITY STEPPED UP WITH NO HESITATION TO PUT IN A PUBLIC HEALTH CRISIS WHEN IT CAME TO COVID. WE SHOULD NOT BE WAITING TO DECLARE RACISM A PUBLIC HEALTH CRISIS. WE WILL CONTINUE TO LISTEN TO OUR COMMUNITY. AND THE REASON WHY WE WILL CONTINUE TO IS BECAUSE YOU HAVE SOMEONE SITTING IN THIS SEAT THAT HAS LIVED YOUR EXPERIENCE. THIS IS NOT SOMETHING THAT I TAKE LIGHTLY, AND IT'S NOT SOMETHING THAT I WILL PUT TO THE SIDE FOR OTHERS TO PUSH FORTH A PERSONAL AGENDA. WE HAVE PLENTY THAT HAVE STEPPED UP, BUT WHERE HAVE YOU BEEN? THIS HAS BEEN IN EFFECT FOR OVER 70 PLUS YEARS. WHERE HAVE YOU BEEN AS YOUR CITY COUNCIL REPRESENTATIVE? I WILL ENSURE THAT YOU WILL NO LONGER HAVE TO WONDER WHERE WE ARE AS THE CITY COUNCIL. I WANNA FIRST THANK YOU FOR CONTINUOUSLY IN THE LAST 30 DAYS, MAKING YOUR VOICES HEARD. THERE IS A LOT OF WORK TO DO, A MUCH BIG WORK TO DO. AND IT DOESN'T JUST STOP HERE ON YOUR CITY LEVEL. WE HAVE TO GO TO THE STATE, AND WE HAVE TO GO TO THAT NATIONAL LEVEL TO TRULY ADDRESS THE LAWS, THE CODES THAT HAVE BEEN AGAINST US FOR OVER 400 YEARS. WE MADE A SMALL PROGRESS WITHIN THE CIVIL RIGHTS MOVEMENT, BUT THIS MOVEMENT IS ABOUT HUMANITARIAN RIGHTS, AND THAT'S WHAT WE'RE FIGHTING FOR. SO YES, I STAND FOR A FIRST STEP, BUT WE NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE PUTTING FORTH ACTION, BECAUSE CONTINUOUSLY WRITING SOMETHING THAT IS NOT PUT FORWARD, IS NOT PUTTING FORTH ACTION. SO WITH THAT BEING SAID, I WANT TO FIRST SAY THAT WE WILL PUT IN EFFECT THAT RACISM IS A PUBLIC HEALTH CRISIS. WE WILL MAKE SURE THAT OUR POLICE OFFICERS ARE TRAINED TO NOT LOOK AT A PERSON FOR THE COLOR OF THEIR SKIN, BUT BECAUSE THEY, THEY'RE A HUMAN BEING. THESE ARE THE THINGS THAT WE HAVE TO DO. WE ARE NO LONGER TALKING ABOUT IT. WE ARE WITH YOU. WE STAND IN SOLIDARITY WITH BLACK LIVES MATTER, PERIOD. YES. BECAUSE WE KNOW THAT THERE IS STILL AN INJUSTICE ON THE BASIS OF SKIN, AND WE HAVE TO CHANGE THAT RHETORIC. THANK YOU, MARY. THANK YOU. COUNCIL MEMBER ANDREW SULLIVAN, COUNCIL MEMBER ROCHA GARCIA. THANK YOU, MAYOR. UM, AND, AND THANK YOU TO ALL OF THE FOLKS THAT ARE HERE IN ATTENDANCE TODAY AND WHO HAVE BROUGHT FORWARD, UM, SOME REALLY GOOD QUESTIONS. UH, I WATCHED ALL OF THE PUBLIC SAFETY LISTENING SESSIONS, UM, INTENTLY AND I, I JUST WANNA MAKE SURE THAT YOU KNOW, THAT WE HAVE SOME SCHEDULED MEETINGS ALREADY. OUR OFFICES WORKING WITH VARIOUS GROUPS ON, ON SCHEDULING MEETINGS AND, AND WE HAVE OVER THE PAST WEEK AS WELL. UM, I HAVE JUST A FEW QUESTIONS. I DON'T HAVE, UH, COMMENTS, BUT I DO HAVE A LOT OF QUESTIONS. UH, SOME OF THEM WILL PROBABLY HAVE TO BE ADDRESSED BY CHIEF AND MARIA. I DON'T KNOW IF THEY'RE AROUND, BUT I JUST WANT TO GIVE 'EM A HEADS UP. AND THEN MAYBE I CAN START WITH ERIC OR RANDY, I DON'T KNOW WHO CAN HELP ME WITH THIS QUESTION, BUT WHO HELPED DRAFT, UH, THIS RESOLUTION? UH, COUNCILWOMAN. UM, I HAD A HAND IN SOME OF THAT, UH, EDITS. UM, BUT, UH, THE ORIGINATION OF IT, UH, STARTED WITH THE CITY ATTORNEY'S OFFICE AS A RESULT OF THE MEMO THAT MAYOR, UH, NUREMBERG SENT OUT TO THE COUNCIL LAST WEEK. UM, IN ORDER TO, UM, BEGIN THE, THE, THE, THE WORK ON A RESOLUTION THAT SPECIFICALLY IDENTIFIED THE PRIORITIES, UH, IN TERMS OF NEGOTIATIONS FOR COLLECTIVE BARGAINING. OKAY. DO YOU, CAN YOU TELL ME WHAT GROUPS WERE CALLED ON TO HELP? UH, I'M NOT, I'M NOT AWARE OF ANY OUTSIDE GROUPS THAT WERE, THAT WERE ASKED FOR ANY, UH, INPUT ON THIS COUNCILWOMAN. OKAY. THANK YOU. BECAUSE ON AGENDA ITEM NUMBER 13, WE RECEIVED SOME INPUT I KNOW FROM COPS METRO AND EVEN FROM THE SAN ANTONIO APARTMENT ASSOCIATION, AND I HADN'T SEEN ANY LETTERS OF SUPPORT YET. SO I, I JUST WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT I DIDN'T MISS SOMETHING AND I WANTED TO ASK THAT PUBLICLY. UM, AND THEN CAN YOU HELP ME, I THINK, ERIC, YOU MIGHT BE ABLE TO, UH, ANSWER THIS. WE GOT A REALLY NICE MEMO. UM, I THINK IT WAS MONDAY NIGHT. IT WAS A 98 PAGE MEMO THAT MARIA WROTE. [04:30:01] AND MOST OF MY QUESTIONS WILL BE BASED ON THAT. UM, IN THAT, DO WE, I I DIDN'T FIND EXACTLY, YOU MENTIONED IT EARLIER, HOW DO WE ENGAGE OUR RESIDENTS RIGHT NOW WITH, UM, BOARDS AND REVIEW BOARDS? CAN YOU REMIND ME, PLEASE? ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT, UH, FOR THE, UM, THE, UM, REVIEW BOARD AT THE POLICE DEPARTMENT? COUNCILMAN? YES. OR ANY OTHER REVIEW BOARDS? AND, UH, I, I'M JUST TRYING TO FIGURE OUT HOW WE ENGAGE COMMUNITY. SO, UH, THE, THE, UM, UM, CHIEF'S ADVISORY ACTION BOARD, WHICH IS THAT DISCIPLINARY REVIEW BOARD THAT'S ALLOWED FOR IN THE CONTRACT, UM, WHEN THERE'S A VACANCY, WE ADVERTISE FOR THAT VACANCY, UM, THROUGH, UH, OUR NORMAL BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS ADVERTISEMENT. UM, THERE ARE INTERVIEWS THAT ARE SET, UH, TYPICALLY THAT IS A REPRESENTATIVE, USUALLY THAT'S, UM, UH, LIZ, CIO, UH, THE CHIEF OF POLICE, AND, UH, THE DEPUTY CITY MANAGER WHO OVERSEES POLICE. I USED TO DO THAT WHEN I WAS A DEPUTY CITY MANAGER. WE DO THOSE INTERVIEWS. UH, WE TRY TO MAKE SURE THAT, UM, UH, WE'RE BALANCED IN TERMS OF BOTH GENDER AND, AND RACE AND, UH, GEOGRAPHICAL, ALTHOUGH IT'S NOT ASSIGNED TO THE COUNCIL DISTRICTS. AND THEN THAT PROCESS IS BROUGHT FORWARD TO THE COUNCIL FOR APPROVAL. UM, AND, UM, I, I, I CAN, THE, THE CHIEF ON HIS PRESENTATION ON JUNE 10TH TO YOU, HAD A SLIDE ON THE, ON THE MAKEUP OF THAT BOARD. AND WE CAN REPRODUCE THAT AND SHARE THAT WITH THE COUNCIL. UH, YES, PLEASE, ERIC. THANK YOU. AND THEN ALSO, I KNOW THAT WE'VE REFERENCED BEFORE THE 21ST CENTURY POLICING, UH, REPORT, AND I, I'D LOVE TO SEE AN UPDATE OF HOW MANY OF THOSE RECOMMENDATIONS WERE IMPLEMENTED. I KNOW IT'S BEEN A WHILE. I THINK IT WAS 2014 OR 2015, BUT I HAVEN'T BEEN ABLE TO SEE AN UPDATE DIRECTLY ON WHAT HAS BEEN DONE, UM, IN RESPONSE TO THAT REPORT AND WHAT HASN'T. SO I'LL, I'LL GIVE YOU ALL, SOME, SOME TIME TO LOOK THAT UP, BUT I'D LOVE TO SEE THAT WE, WE CAN SHARE AND THEN POSSIBLY WE, WE GO, WE CAN, WE CAN SHARE THAT WITH YOU. COUNCILMAN. I DON'T THINK, OUT OF THE 76 RECOMMENDATIONS, THERE WERE 73 THAT WERE IMPLEMENTED, AND, UM, UM, THE, ONE OF THE ONES THAT, UM, I'M NOT REMEMBERING ALL THREE, BUT ONE OF THEM WAS A REQUIREMENT TO, UH, TO, TO MANDATE THE USE OF, UM, OF, UM, BULLETPROOF VESTS. AND OUR POLICIES DON'T MANDATE IT BECAUSE OF, UM, UM, WE LEAVE IT UP TO THE OFFICER. WE HIGHLY ENCOURAGE IT. AND I'M NOT REMEMBERING WHAT THE OTHER TWO ARE, BUT WE'LL GET THAT, UH, INFORMATION TO YOU, THE REST OF THE COUNCIL. GREAT. THANK YOU, ERIC. ALSO, UM, I WAS LOOKING OVER THE DOCUMENT, UH, THAT YOU ALL SENT, THAT MARIA SENT IN IN RESPONSE, UM, TO THE QUESTIONS IN ABOUT THE TASK FORCE THAT HAD BEEN CREATED IN SEPTEMBER OF 2016. AND I LOOKED AT THE T O COURSES, AND I'LL JUST BE COMPLETELY HONEST, I'M VERY CONCERNED THAT THERE'S ONLY TWO HOURS OF IMPLICIT BIAS AND SOCIAL JUSTICE TRAINING ACCORDING TO THAT DOCUMENT. AND THERE'S ONLY FOUR HOURS OF RACIAL PROFILING. UM, I JUST WANNA MAKE SURE THAT I DID NOT READ THAT INCORRECTLY. DO THEY, UH, DO OUR OFFICERS GET ADDITIONAL TRAINING IN ADDITION TO THOSE SIX HOURS ON IMPLICIT BIAS, SOCIAL JUSTICE OR RACIAL PROFILING? UM, COUNCILWOMAN, THAT WAS FOR, FOR THE, UH, THE ACADEMY. UM, WHAT I DON'T HAVE IN FRONT OF ME IS WHETHER OR NOT WE DO ANY OF THAT AS PART OF THE ANNUAL IN-SERVICE REQUIREMENT FOR OFFICERS. BUT I CAN GET THAT FOR YOU AND THE REST OF THE COUNCIL. OKAY. BUT IT, BUT IT'S SAFE TO SAY THAT OFFICERS THAT ARE, ARE GOING THROUGH THE ACADEMY BEFORE THEY BECOME A A OFFICER, THEY'RE, THEY ONLY HAVE TO TAKE SIX HOURS ON THOSE ITEMS. YES, SIR. YES, MA'AM. THAT THOSE WERE THE DOCUMENTS FROM THE POLICE DEPARTMENT THAT INDICATE THAT. OKAY. WELL, JUST FOR THE RECORD, I, I'M DISAPPOINTED, IN THAT PART. I THOUGHT IT WAS A LOT MORE HOURS BECAUSE THEY GO THROUGH LOTS OF HOURS OF TRAINING. AND I, I'M, I'M JUST, UM, I, I WANTED TO MAKE SURE I WASN'T INCORRECT IN READING THAT DOCUMENT, UM, FROM THE, THE 27, UM, TASK FORCE RECOMMENDATIONS BACK IN SEPTEMBER OF 2016. THERE ARE SIX, UH, THAT I, UH, STILL HAVE SOME QUESTIONS ON IMPLEMENTATION. I KNOW THAT YOU ALL GAVE AN UPDATE, AND THANK YOU FOR PROVIDING THAT IN THE MEMO. UM, BUT NUMBER TWO, THERE WAS A LONG RANGE PLAN FOR FACE-TO-FACE, UH, COMMUNICATION WITH OUR PUBLIC, UM, WITH OUR COMMUNITIES OF COLOR SPECIFICALLY. AND I'M WONDERING IF YOU CAN GIVE ME, UH, A BETTER UPDATE OF WHERE IT IS. IT, IT JUST SAID THAT, YOU KNOW, WE WOULD BE DOING THIS, BUT HOW ARE WE ACTUALLY ENGAGING? HOW ARE WE ACHIEVING THAT? WELL, I THINK THE, THE, THE CHIEF TALKED A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THAT ON THE JUNE 10TH AND, AND, UM, WE CAN PROVIDE MORE INFORMATION. THE CHIEF HAS, THE POLICE DEPARTMENT HAS A NUMBER OF PROGRAMS AND COMMUNITY GROUPS. UM, HE MENTIONED THAT THE, UM, THE PROGRAM THAT WAS INITIATED LAST YEAR TO, UM, MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE CONNECTING WITH ALL COMMUNITIES AND, AND NEIGHBORHOODS. UM, AND, AND I THINK, UH, YOU KNOW, UM, THAT THAT IS A TASK THAT IS NEVER [04:35:01] YOU, YOU NEVER ACTUALLY GET DONE WITH THAT. YOU, YOU ALWAYS HAVE TO CONTINUE TO IMPROVE UPON THAT, UM, THAT THERE IS NO FINISH LINE IN TERMS OF THAT TYPE OF COMMUNICATION AND ENGAGEMENT. AND I THINK THAT'S PROBABLY WHAT WE'RE HEARING ABOUT NOW. AND, AND, AND THE DESIRE FOR THAT TO BE, UM, A LOT MORE, UM, INTENSIVE IN TERMS OF THAT ENGAGEMENT, ESPECIALLY IN TIMES RIGHT NOW, BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE NEIGHBORHOODS AND WE DON'T, UH, THAT AREN'T HAVING THEIR REGULAR FACE-TO-FACE MEETINGS. SO, SO I THINK WE'RE GONNA HAVE TO RECREATE HOW WE ENGAGE THE PUBLIC AND MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE OUT AND ABOUT AND FACE-TO-FACE. BUT WE CAN GET A, WE CAN GET AN UPDATE ON THAT. GREAT. THANK YOU. YEAH, I'D LOVE TO SEE, UM, MAYBE A DASHBOARD OR, OR KEY PERFORMANCE INDICATORS THAT ARE MEASURED ON SOME OF THESE ITEMS. UM, NUMBER 10 IN, IN THAT TASK FORCE RECOMMENDATION WAS ALSO STATE LEGISLATION, UM, THAT ADVANCED FOR, UH, PREFERENCE FOR POLICE THAT LIVE WITHIN CITY LIMITS. I DON'T UNDERSTAND WHAT THAT MEANS. WHAT DO YOU MEAN PREFERENCE POINT? CAN YOU HELP ME UNDERSTAND THAT? WHERE DO THEY GET PREFERENCE POINT THAT, THAT, THAT WOULD BE, AND THAT'S AN EXCELLENT, I'M GLAD YOU BROUGHT THAT UP, BECAUSE FRANKLY, THAT OUGHT TO BE PART OF NEXT, UH, OUR NEXT LEGISLATIVE AGENDA TWO, UM, APPLICANTS FOR THE POLICE DEPARTMENT ARE ELIGIBLE FOR, UM, UH, POINTS FOR, UM, SERVING IN THE MILITARY. UM, AND, AND THE, THE NOTION THERE WAS THAT, BECAUSE THAT'S CHAPTER 1 43, UM, WE HAD ATTEMPTED, THE CITY HAD ATTEMPTED, UH, UH, TWO CONTRACT NEGOTIATIONS AGO TO INSERT, UH, BONUS POINTS OR ADDITIONAL POINTS IN THAT A HUNDRED POINT SCALE, UM, IN ADDITION TO THE, THE, THE WRITTEN TEST TO GIVE EXTRA CREDIT FOR, UM, INDIVIDUALS THAT ARE, THAT LIVE IN SAN ANTONIO. AND WE WERE UNSUCCESSFUL AT THE NEGOTIATIONS TABLE. AND SO THE ROUTE, UH, DETERMINED WAS TO GO AROUND THE COLLECTIVE BARGAINING AGREEMENT AND ATTEMPT TO GET CHAPTER 1 43 ADJUSTED AT THE STATE LEVEL SO THAT WE COULD, UM, FURTHER, UM, ENHANCE THE, THE MAKEUP OF THE POLICE DEPARTMENT AND GIVE, UH, APPLICANTS THAT LIVE IN SAN ANTONIO, UH, A LITTLE BIT MORE, UM, IN TERMS OF THE SCALE, UM, UH, FOR ENTRANCE INTO THE POLICE DEPARTMENT. AND, AND BY THE WAY, WHILE WE'RE TALKING ABOUT IT, THAT'S ALSO BEEN AN ISSUE ON THE FIRE SIDE. UM, AND, UH, IF WE, UH, I WOULD, I WOULD HIGHLY RECOMMEND THAT AS PART OF THE NEXT LEGISLATIVE AGENDA FOR THE CITY THAT WE CONTINUE TO, UH, PUSH FOR ADDITIONAL POINTS FOR SAN ANTONIO RESIDENTS TO BE IN BOTH DEPARTMENTS. GREAT. THANK YOU, ERIC. AND THEN ON, UH, ITEM NUMBER 11 OF THOSE RECOMMENDATIONS, IT TALKED ABOUT TRAINING OUR OFFICERS, UM, FOR, UH, CENTERING AROUND IMMIGRANT COMMUNITIES AND, AND COMMUNITIES WITH LANGUAGE BARRIERS. AND I KNOW THAT THERE'S AN EXPLANATION SPEC SPECIFICALLY ABOUT, UM, MULTICULTURALISM AND, UH, TRAININGS RELATED TO DEESCALATION. BUT I'M WONDERING IF YOU CAN GET ME A TOTAL NUMBER OF HOURS AS WELL ON THAT. UM, SO AS YOU'RE DOING THE RESEARCH FOR THE OTHER ONE, I'D LOVE TO KNOW THAT. SURE. YES, MA'AM. I ONLY HAVE 10 SECONDS, BUT I STILL HAVE A FEW QUESTIONS. SO MAYOR, IF I COULD SIGN UP FOR THE NEXT ROUND. THANK YOU. COUNCIL MEMBER ROCHA GARCIA, COUNCIL MEMBER GONZALEZ. UH, THANK YOU MAYOR. AND SO JUST LET ME ASK ABOUT THE CODE FOR 1 43, UM, AGAIN, WITH THE COLLECTIVE BARGAINING AGREEMENTS, UM, I THINK, ANDY, YOU ALREADY ANSWERED ABOUT POLICE AND FIRE, BUT WHAT ABOUT OTHER ORGANIZATIONS' ABILITY TO COLLECTIVE BARGAIN? WHAT IMPACT WOULD, UM, UH, THAT HAVE ON ON OTHER ORGANIZATIONS, TEACHERS, PLUMBERS, UH, MANUFACTURERS? AM I ON? YES, COUNCILWOMAN. THAT STATUTE IS SPECIFIC ONLY TO FIRE AND POLICE. AND SO IF THE ORGANIZATIONS WERE TO GO AND GET THOSE SIGNATURES FOR COLLECTIVE BARGAINING, IT WOULD ONLY BE RELATED TO THAT ISSUE. YES, MA'AM. UH, IS THERE, UM, AND I GUESS MAYBE THIS IS MORE A POLITICAL QUESTION, BUT, UM, UH, I BELIEVE VERY MUCH IN UNIONS AND THEIR ABILITY TO COLLECTIVE BARGAIN. UM, IS THERE, UM, I GUESS PERHAPS A RISK THAT IT WOULD INTERFERE WITH OTHER ORGANIZATIONS' ABILITY TO COLLECTIVE BARGAIN AT THE STATE LEVEL TEACHERS, FOR EXAMPLE? NO, MA'AM. IT'S SOLELY APPLICABLE TO, UH, PUBLIC SAFETY, WHICH IS FIRE AND POLICE AS IT'S OUTLINED IN THE CODE. OKAY. WELL, THANK YOU VERY MUCH. AND HOW ABOUT THE, UM, THE ONE ON THE, THE 1 74 ALSO EXCLUSIVE TO POLICE AND FIRE? YES, MA'AM. OKAY. YES, MA'AM. EXCLUSIVE TO POLICE AND FIRE. OKAY. AND, UM, I, UH, THANKS. THANK YOU FOR CLARIFYING [04:40:01] THAT. 'CAUSE I, I THINK THAT'S REALLY IMPORTANT. I MEAN, WE KNOW THAT A LOT OF THE REASON THAT WE'VE HAD, UM, UH, PEOPLE'S WAGES RAISE IT ALL WAS BECAUSE WE HAD UNIONS. UH, AND I THINK UNIONS ARE IMPORTANT, UM, FOR DEMOCRACY. UH, THIS ONE LOOKS LIKE IT WENT TOO FAR. AND SO THERE ARE SOME THINGS THAT ARE IN HERE THAT, UM, I THINK HAVE GONE TOO FAR, UH, AND, UM, HAVE, YOU KNOW, REALLY NEGATIVELY IMPACTED OUR COMMUNITY AND OBVIOUSLY COMMUNITIES ALL OVER THE COUNTRY. UM, UH, AND UNFORTUNATELY, AS SORT OF WAS MENTIONED BY MY COLLEAGUE, WE'RE LIMITED IN WHAT WE CAN DO, UM, REGARDING THOSE ISSUES. BUT WE'RE NOT LIMITED IN WHAT WE CAN DO REGARDING THE BUDGET. AND THAT'S, YOU KNOW, WHERE I REALLY WANNA CONTINUE TO FOCUS MY ATTENTION IS ON THE BUDGET. BECAUSE EVEN IF WE APPROVE THIS TODAY, UM, WE'LL KNOW IF WE'RE SERIOUS OR NOT WHEN WE HAVE OUR BUDGET DISCUSSIONS TOMORROW. UH, AND I THINK THAT'S WHERE REALLY THE TRUTH IS, AND WHERE THE SUBSTANCE IS. I DON'T LIKE RESOLUTIONS. I'VE NEVER LIKED RESOLUTIONS. I KNOW THAT THEY'RE MEANINGLESS UNLESS YOU'VE REALLY PUT SOMETHING IN THERE, UH, TO THAT WE CAN VOTE ON, UH, IT'S ALL MEANINGLESS 'CAUSE WE CAN ALL UNANIMOUSLY SUPPORT THIS TODAY. UH, AND THEN ALSO TOMORROW IN OUR DISCUSSION, SAY WE WANNA FULLY FUND THE POLICE TO THE FULLEST EXTENT POSSIBLE, AS WE'VE BEEN DOING. AND I, I HAVE APPROVED IN THE LAST SEVEN YEARS, UM, WHICH THEN WILL MAKE THIS ALL PRETTY MUCH MEANINGLESS. SO, I, I, UM, AS OTHERS, UM, YOU KNOW, WE JUST HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO SEE THIS LAST NIGHT. I KNOW IT WENT THROUGH A COUPLE OF ITERATIONS, UH, BEFORE WE HAD A CHANCE TO, TO SEE IT. UM, BUT I, I, I THINK THAT THERE IS, UM, WHILE THERE'S NOTHING IN HERE THAT I DON'T SUPPORT, UM, THE TRUTH IS, WE, WE WILL SEE TOMORROW. AND I MEAN, I'VE BEEN DISCUSSING WITH, UH, I KNOW THE, UM, UH, WITH MARIA AND WITH ERIC, UM, ARE GRANT FUNDED POSITIONS. AND IF, UH, WHILE IT MAY SEEM ON THE SURFACE LIKE A PRETTY GOOD DEAL, THE REALITY IS MOST OF THE OFFICERS STAY IN THAT POSITION FOR THE ENTIRETY OF THEIR CAREERS, WHICH WE KNOW THAT MOST GRANT FUNDED POSITIONS DON'T HAVE THAT LUXURY, UM, UH, OF STAYING ON EVEN IF THE GRANT ENDS. UM, SO THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WE HAVE TO CONSIDER. WE TALKED ABOUT THE 25 DOMESTIC VIOLENCE OFFICERS. WE KNOW THAT THERE ARE SEVEN OFFICERS DEDICATED TO OTHER PUBLIC, UH, OTHER WITH AUTO THEFT, AND I SUSPECT THAT THERE ARE OTHERS. BUT, UM, AT WHICH, YOU KNOW, PERHAPS WE'LL HAVE THAT DISCUSSION TOMORROW IF WE JUST KNOW LIKE HOW MANY POLICE OFFICERS ARE GRANT FUNDED POSITIONS. UM, AND SO, UH, WELL, THAT PERHAPS WE DON'T NEED TO MATCH, UM, BECAUSE OF THE LONG-TERM, UM, INVESTMENT THAT THOSE OFFICERS MAKE, IF YOU DO JUST DO THE QUICK MATH WITH THE 25 OFFICERS, UH, OF WHICH WE WILL GET A GRANT, UH, FOR $3 MILLION ACTUALLY ENDS UP COSTING THE CITY ABOUT $57 MILLION OVER THE LIFETIME OF THEIR CAREER. SO, UM, YOU KNOW, I I, I THINK WE HAVE TO REALLY THINK ABOUT THAT AND WE'LL SEE TOMORROW, UH, IF WE'RE SERIOUS, UM, ABOUT MAKING CHANGES, UH, IN, IN, UH, OUR BUDGETS, UH, AS IT RELATES TO, UM, HOW WE, UM, UH, SUPPORT OUR CITY. I'VE ALSO MENTIONED ABOUT THE PARK POLICE. I DON'T KNOW HOW THAT'S EVOLVED OVER TIME. UM, BUT, YOU KNOW, PERHAPS, UM, THAT SORT OF MILITARIZATION OF OUR PARK POLICE HAS GONE IN THE WRONG DIRECTION. MAYBE AT ONE POINT, UM, THEY HAD A DIFFERENT ROLE. AND I DON'T KNOW THE HISTORY OF THAT. UM, I THINK AS WE'RE LEARNING ABOUT PUBLIC SAFETY, UM, DO THOSE NEED TO BE ARMED OFFICERS? WOULD THEY, COULD THEY, UM, COULD THIS TRAIL STEWARDS HANDLE SOME OF THAT WORK? WE KNOW THAT WE ARE TRAIL STEWARDS AND ARE A GREAT WAY TO KEEP THE AREA SAFE. UM, AND THE OTHER THING, YOU KNOW, AS WE ARE FURLOUGHING MULTIPLE CITY DEPARTMENTS, LIKE OUR ARTS DEPARTMENT AND OUR PEOPLE IN HEALTH DEPARTMENTS, AND, I'M SORRY, NOT HEALTH, BUT LIBRARIES, UM, BUT YET WE'RE NOT CONSIDERING, UM, NOT FURLOUGHING RATHER, BUT, UM, NOT, UH, OR PERHAPS RELEASING, UM, PUBLIC SAFETY OFFICERS, WHICH I THINK THERE'S A LOT OF RELUCTANCE FOR US TO DO, UM, BECAUSE OF, UH, THE FEEDBACK THAT WE GET. PEOPLE WANT, HAVE ALWAYS WANTED TO SEE MORE OFFICERS ON THE STREETS. I KNOW I'VE ALWAYS BEEN SUPPORTIVE OF THAT. AND SO AS WE GO THROUGH THIS RESOLUTION AND SUPPORT IT TODAY OR NOT, UM, IT'S REALLY NOT ADDRESSING THE ISSUE THAT I THINK, UM, MANY OF US HAVE, UM, ARE STARTING TO RECOGNIZE THAT, [04:45:01] THAT PERHAPS, UH, WE HAD NEED TO RECONSIDER THOSE BUDGETARY DECISIONS. SO, UM, I, I, I THINK THAT'S ALL THE, THE COMMENTS, UM, THAT I HAVE. AND, AND, YOU KNOW, WE, UM, I, I, UH, APPRECIATE THE EFFORT OF TRYING TO GET THIS, UH, ON THE AGENDA. I KNOW THAT IT'S A TOPIC OF A LOT OF DISCUSSION HERE ON THE COUNCIL, HOW WE HANDLE IT. UM, YOU KNOW, IT, I, I DON'T LIKE RESOLUTIONS, AS I MENTIONED BEFORE. UM, AND I DON'T THINK THERE'S ANYTHING IN HERE THAT MAKES ME REALLY STRONGLY WANTED TO SUPPORT IT. UM, ALTHOUGH I DO LOOK FORWARD TO LOTS OF CONVERSATIONS. SO THANK YOU. THANK YOU, MAYOR. THANK YOU. COUNCIL MEMBER GONZALEZ, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER SANDOVAL. THANK YOU, MAYOR. UM, I THOUGHT WE WERE ONLY GONNA TALK ABOUT ONE PARTICULAR RESOLUTION TODAY, BUT ALL OF OUR GUESTS HAVE BROUGHT UP SO MANY WONDERFUL POINTS, UM, THAT I THINK WE SHOULD ALSO, UM, SPEAK TO A LITTLE BIT, AND SOME OF YOU ALREADY HAVE. FIRST OF ALL, I WANNA THANK EVERYONE WHO, UH, CAME DOWNTOWN, TOOK THE TIME TO SPEAK. FOR THOSE OF YOU WHO ARE STILL HERE, I KNOW THIS IS A LONG SLOG, AND YOU GUYS ARE PROBABLY READY FOR LUNCH. UH, THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE. UH, IF YOU'RE ANGRY, YOU HAVE EVERY RIGHT TO BE ANGRY. UM, THANK YOU FOR REMINDING US AND NOT LETTING US FORGET OUR OBLIGATIONS. UM, I JUST WANTED TO MENTION THAT, UM, THIS ISN'T JUST ABOUT ALL THE NAMES THAT YOU GUYS MENTIONED. UH, EVERY SINGLE ONE OF THOSE IS A TRAGEDY. WE ALSO HAD ANOTHER TRAGEDY HERE THAT, UM, WE HAVEN'T, I HAVEN'T HEARD MENTIONED LATELY, BUT I WAS WATCHING THE VIDEO OF IT, AND I EMAILED YOU ABOUT IT. MARIA IS A, A MAN, JESSE AGUIRE, WHO DIED IN 2013. UM, AND THERE WERE, IT WAS ALSO KNEELING ON THE NECK AND, AND THE BACK. SO, UM, THAT, THAT'S ALSO VERY EXTREMELY TRAGIC. UM, I JUST WANTED TO ALSO HIGHLIGHT THAT. UM, I WAS AT THE FIRST PROTEST ON MARCH 30TH. I DID NOT TAKE A SELFIE, UH, THERE. THAT'S NOT WHAT IT WAS ABOUT. UM, I WORE A FACE MASK, SUNGLASSES, MAYBE YOU DIDN'T RECOGNIZE ME. IT'S TOTALLY OKAY. UH, BUT I WAS THERE TO SUPPORT YOU AND TO SUPPORT THE MOVEMENT. UM, I WANNA THANK MS. CELESTE BROWN. UH, NOT ONLY FOR YOUR WORDS TODAY, BUT FOR, UH, YOUR JOINING ME ON THIS JOURNEY. UM, I HAVE A LOT TO LEARN TOO. UH, SO THANK YOU FOR BEING WITH ME, UH, ON THE FACEBOOK LIVE, TO TALK ABOUT RACISM, TO TALK ABOUT POLICING. UM, THE WEEK AFTER THAT, WE HOSTED A FACEBOOK LIVE, UM, SPECIFICALLY ABOUT WHAT COUNCILWOMAN SULLIVAN IS TALKING ABOUT. AND I COMPLETELY SUPPORT THAT EFFORT, UH, ABOUT RACISM AS A PUBLIC HEALTH CRISIS. UH, WE WERE VERY FORTUNATE TO HAVE, UH, THE DEAN OF THE HARVARD SCHOOL OF HEALTH WITH US. SHE'S AN AFRICAN AMERICAN WOMAN. SHE SPOKE ABOUT IT AND WILL BE CONTINUING A COLLABORATION WITH HER. ALSO WANTED TO HIGHLIGHT THAT SOME OF US DO HAVE AFRICAN AMERICAN MEMBERS ON OUR STAFF, AND SOME OF THEM DO HAVE, UH, EXPERTISE IN, IN CIVIL RIGHTS AS, AS WELL. UM, I, UH, ANDY, STOP ME. OH, HE'S NOT, OH, HE'S THERE. ANDY, STOP ME IF I'M GOING TOO FAR HERE, , BUT I DON'T WANNA GET IN TROUBLE. UM, I DID ACCEPT A CONTRIBUTION FROM SAO, UH, IN THE LAST CYCLE, THIS LAST WEEK. THAT MONEY WAS DONATED TO A LOCAL NONPROFIT THAT SUPPORTS RESTORATIVE JUSTICE EFFORTS FOR YOUNG MEN OF COLOR. AND THANK YOU. THANK YOU. UM, I JUST, UH, WANNA CONVEY THAT I, I AM COMMITTED TO A VISION OF PUBLIC SAFETY THAT'S BUILT ON PREVENTION, FIRST OF ALL, UH, TRANSPARENCY AND ACCOUNTABILITY. SO IF THAT MONEY PUTS THAT IN QUESTION, THEN, UM, THEN I SHOULD NOT HAVE THAT MONEY. BUT I HOPE THIS ACTION MAKES THAT CLEAR. UM, I, UH, I WANNA HIGHLIGHT SOME OF THE THINGS THAT, THAT THE SPEAKERS MENTIONED. UH, YOU KNOW, THE POLICE CHIEF HAS SAID A NUMBER OF TIMES, WE CAN'T ARREST PROBLEMS AWAY. UM, WE HAVE TO MAKE SURE OUR NEIGHBORHOODS HAVE WHAT THEY NEED. UH, IT'S NOT POLICE THAT MAKES CRIME GO AWAY. IT'S A COMBINATION OF MANY OTHER PROGRAMS THAT, AND MANY OTHER SUPPORT SYSTEMS THAT, THAT DO THAT. SO, TOMORROW IS WHEN WE CAN HAVE THAT DISCUSSION, IS HOW DO WE MAKE SURE THOSE OTHER SUPPORT SYSTEMS ARE THERE? BECAUSE PUBLIC SAFETY IS JUST NOT A PERSON IN A UNIFORM WITH A BADGE, HANDCUFFS, AND A FIREARM, RIGHT? A PUBLIC SAFETY IS A SUPPORTIVE COMMUNITY. SO I ACTUALLY THINK IT'S A LITTLE BIT OF A MIS, NOT A LITTLE BIT, IT'S A MISNOMER, RIGHT? THAT BUILDING THAT'S OVER THERE TO CALL THAT PUBLIC SAFETY HEADQUARTERS. YOU KNOW, I THINK THAT'S, THAT'S NOT A THOROUGH, UH, DEFINITION OF, OF PUBLIC SAFETY. UM, I WANT TO, UH, TALK ALSO ABOUT WORK GOING FORWARD IN, IN THIS AREA. UM, YOU KNOW, THERE'S BEEN PROTESTS, THERE'S BEEN CONVERSATIONS, COUNCIL MEETINGS. AND AS A MEMBER OF THE PUBLIC, EVEN AS A MEMBER OF THE COUNCIL, UH, I THINK IT'S PROBABLY NOT VERY CLEAR ALL THE STEPS THAT THIS BODY IS GOING TO BE TAKING IN THE FUTURE TO ADDRESS [04:50:01] THIS PROBLEM. SOME OF IT, UH, WE'RE, WE'RE FIGURING IT OUT AS IT GOES ALONG SO I CAN UNDERSTAND THE CONCERNS ABOUT THE RESOLUTION, UM, MOVING FORWARD TODAY. I, I DON'T THINK IT WAS PART OF THE, THE MASTER PLAN. IT'S CERTAINLY NOT A, A BAD IDEA, BUT, UM, I'LL, I'LL GET TO THAT IN JUST A SECOND. WHAT I DO WANNA TELL YOU IS THE MAYOR DID TAKE, UH, SOME COMPREHENSIVE ACTION EARLY ON. HE ISSUED A, UH, ASSIGNMENTS TO OUR COMMITTEES. I CHAIR A COMMITTEE CALLED COMMUNITY HEALTH AND EQUITY, AND MY COMMITTEE IS CHARGED WITH, UM, EVALUATING BEST POLICING PRACTICES TO ADDRESS RACIAL AND GENDER EQUITY. SO THIS JULY, I'M NOT GONNA BE ON VACATION. I AM GOING TO BE HAVING COMMUNITY DIALOGUES ABOUT THOSE PARTICULAR ISSUES. TO HEAR MORE ABOUT YOU, I WAS PART OF THE LISTENING SESSIONS, AND I UNDERSTAND IT IS VERY HARD TO HAVE A MEANINGFUL DIALOGUE WHEN IT'S A CITIZENS TO BE HEARD FORMAT. WE FOLLOW OPEN MEETINGS LAWS. THAT'S WHY WE DO THAT. I'M GONNA TRY SOMETHING A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT, WHICH MEANS IT'S, IT'S GONNA, YOU'RE GONNA HAVE TO SIGN UP FOR IT IN, IN ADVANCE, UM, SO THAT WE CAN ACTUALLY HAVE A DI AN OPEN DIALOGUE ABOUT THAT. UM, IT MIGHT BE ON ZOOM, SO IF YOU WANNA PARTICIPATE IN THAT, UM, SIGN UP TO MY EMAIL LIST OR MY STAFF PERSON MET THOSE HERE, HE CAN GET YOUR, YOUR EMAIL CELESTE, YOU KNOW, WHO, WHO MATEO IS. UM, AND I WILL, I WOULD LIKE TO INVITE CITY STAFF TO BE PART OF SOME OF THOSE CONVERSATIONS WITH US. I CAN DO MY BEST AT ANSWERING SOME THINGS, BUT, YOU KNOW, UH, A WHOLE LOT MORE. ERIC, YOU'VE BEEN INVOLVED IN POLICE SINCE I DON'T KNOW HOW MANY YEARS NOW, OVER A DECADE, PROBABLY. SO THERE'S SO MUCH THAT, YOU KNOW, UM, I WANT TO, UH, SPEAK TO THE RESOLUTION, UH, A LITTLE BIT NOW. UM, NUMBER ONE, UH, THANK YOU FOR MAKING THIS BOLD STATEMENT, MAYOR. I THINK IT IS IMPORTANT THAT BEFORE WE GO INTO A NEGOTIATIONS, UM, WE, WE PUT THAT STATEMENT OUT THERE ABOUT WHAT WE WANT TO GET OUT OF THE NEXT NEGOTIATIONS. IN THE PAST, UM, NEGOTIATIONS HAVE BEEN BEHIND CLOSED DOORS, RIGHT? ALL OF IT, UH, HAS, AND, UH, THAT'S THE NATURE OF, OF IT. UH, BUT I DO THINK WE OWE THE PUBLIC, UH, SOME LEVEL OF INFORMATION ABOUT WHAT IS IMPORTANT TO US. SO, PUTTING IT OUT THERE, THIS, THIS IS AN EFFORT TOWARD, TOWARD TRANSPARENCY. INSTEAD OF, INSTEAD OF CARRYING THAT ALL OUT BEHIND CLOSED DOORS AND WAITING UNTIL WE GET CLOSER TO THE EVENT, WE'RE TELLING YOU NOW WE'RE DRAWING THAT LINE IN THE SAND, RIGHT? THIS IS WHAT WE WANT. SO, I KNOW THAT THE PUBLIC INPUT ON THIS WAS NOT PERFECT. UM, BUT I WANT YOU TO KNOW THE INTENTIONS, UH, WHAT I BELIEVE ARE, ARE THE INTENTIONS, AND I SUPPORT THOSE INTENTIONS. NOW, I AM GONNA TALK ABOUT THE PROCESS A LITTLE BIT. I WOULD BE REMISS IF I DIDN'T REMIND MYSELF THAT IN 2018, I LOBBIED A BUNCH OF YOU COUNCIL MEMBERS TO PASS PRINCIPLES OF PUBLIC PARTICIPATION. UH, NOT ALL OF YOU WERE HERE WHEN, WHEN WE DID THAT. UM, AND SOME OF THOSE PRINCIPLES INCLUDE, UH, BEING TRANSPARENT, BEING TIMELY, BEING RESPONSIVE. THAT IS IF WE TOOK INPUT FROM YOU, GOING BACK TO YOU AND TELLING YOU, THIS IS HOW WE'RE USING YOUR INPUT. SO THIS, THIS RESOLUTION IS AN EFFORT TO DO THAT. UM, CLEARLY WE, WE MISSED THE MARK A. LITTLE BIT. SO NEXT WEEK, WE ARE GOING TO HEAR THE SUMMARY OF THE LISTENING. SORRY, NOT LET, YESTERDAY WE HEARD A QUICK SUMMARY OF THE LISTENING SESSIONS AT THE COUNCIL WOMAN'S PUBLIC SAFETY COMMITTEE MEETING, AND WHAT, AND WHAT THAT COMMITTEE RECOMMENDED WAS TO TAKE WHOLE SUMMARY TO A FULL COUNCIL B SESSION. UH, BECAUSE THE COUNCILWOMAN, UH, AND RIGHTLY SO FELT IT WAS IMPORTANT TO HAVE THAT AS A FULL DISCUSSION. AND I, AND WE ALL CONCURRED WITH THAT. AND I, UM, I'M WONDERING IF IT WOULD BE APPROPRIATE TO ALSO HAVE THE DISCUSSION OF THIS RESOLUTION AT THAT TIME WHEN WE DO HAVE THAT B SESSION. SO I AM GOING TO PROPOSE THAT, I KNOW IT KIND OF CHANGES THE, THE TIMELINE HERE, BUT I BELIEVE IN THE SPIRIT OF RESPECTING, UH, ALL OF THE INPUT THAT WAS GIVEN TO US, THAT WE SHOULD WEIGH THOSE TWO, UH, TOGETHER. BUT, BUT BEFORE I MAKE THAT MOTION, I'LL ASK, UH, MARIA, IS THERE ANYTHING YOU WANT TO SHARE WITH US ABOUT THE LISTENING SESSION SUMMARY? SURE. COUNCILWOMAN, I'M MARIA VILLAGOMEZ, DEPUTY CITY MANAGER. AND AS THE COUNCILWOMAN MENTIONED YESTERDAY, OUR PUBLIC SAFETY COMMITTEE, WE PROVIDED THE COMMITTEE WITH A SUMMARY AND ACTUALLY ALL THE COMMENTS THAT WERE PROVIDED BY THE COMMUNITY. WE ROUGHLY HAD ABOUT 341, UH, COMMENTS OR PARTICIPANTS, I SHOULD SAY, THAT, UH, PARTICIPATED IN THE PROCESS. UH, 306, UH, COMMENTS WERE, UH, PROVIDED IN WRITING. [04:55:01] AND 35, UH, SPEAKERS SPOKE AT THE TWO VIRTUAL MEETINGS AND THE IN-PERSON MEETINGS THAT WE HELD ON JUNE 15, JUNE 18, AND JUNE 20TH. THOSE, UH, COMMENTS, UH, WERE PROVIDED AGAIN TO THE COMMITTEE YESTERDAY. THEY ARE AVAILABLE ON OUR WEBSITE, UH, AND THEY ARE SORTED BY CITY COUNCIL DISTRICTS. SO, IF, UH, ANY OF THE COUNCIL MEMBERS IS INTERESTED IN, IN SEEING WHAT THE COMMUNITY SAID FROM THEIR DISTRICTS, THOSE ARE AVAILABLE. WHAT THE COUNCILWOMAN ALLUDED TO IS, UH, WE FINALIZE THE REVIEW OF EVERY SINGLE COMMENT THAT WAS PROVIDED AND CATEGORIZE THOSE COMMENTS SO WE CAN, UH, PROVIDE THAT INFORMATION TO THE COUNCIL IN TERMS OF WHAT THE COMMUNITY SAID. SO SOME OF THE, UH, COMMENTS, AND I'LL JUST GIVE THE HIGHLIGHTS THAT I PROVIDED TO THE COMMITTEE YESTERDAY INCLUDED, UM, CHANGES TO THE COLLECTIVE BARGAINING AGREEMENT, INCLUDING DISCIPLINE, REPEALING CHAPTERS ONE, UM, UH, 43 AND 1 74. UH, ALSO DEFUNDING THE POLICE REALLOCATING, UH, DOLLARS FROM THE POLICE BUDGET TO OTHER, UH, SOCIAL SERVICES WITHIN THE CITY. UH, IT ALSO INCLUDED, UH, INDIVIDUALS THAT SUPPORT THE POLICE, INDIVIDUALS THAT DO NOT WANT TO DEFUND THE POLICE. SO THAT IS JUST A QUICK OVERVIEW OF WHAT WE PRESENTED TO THE PUBLIC SAFETY COMMITTEE YESTERDAY. UM, THANK YOU VERY MUCH, UH, MARIA, I, I'D LIKE TO JUST PUT THAT OUT THERE FOR THE COUNCIL MEMBERS TO, UM, TO, TO CONSIDER, UM, MOVE TO, UH, SEND TO DISCUSSION FOR B SESSION SECOND. WAS THAT A MOTION, OR YOU WANT US TO CONSIDER THAT? 'CAUSE I AM GONNA SPEAK, UH, AFTER, DURING, WHEN IT'S MY TIME TO SPEAK, I'M GONNA TALK ABOUT THE TIMING A LITTLE BIT. UM, I'M GONNA GO AHEAD AND MAKE THE MOTION NOW. I, I, UM, I DO THINK IT WAS IMPORTANT TO TALK ABOUT THE TIMING. PLEASE DON'T WAIT TILL THE END TO TALK TO US, UH, ABOUT THE TIMING. I THINK WE'RE GONNA INTEGRATE THAT ALL INTO, INTO OUR COMMENTS. MAYOR, IF, IF, IF YOU WOULD, BUT I, I'LL GO AHEAD AND MOVE. THANKS. OKAY. THANK YOU. COUNCIL MEMBER SANDOVAL. COUNCIL MEMBER GRO. THANK YOU, UH, MAYOR. THANK YOU EVERYONE FOR BEING HERE. UH, FOR THOSE IN THE AUDIENCE, FOR THOSE WHO'VE BEEN A PART OF THE LISTENING SESSIONS, FOR THOSE WHO WERE HERE AND HAD TO LEAVE. AND FOR THOSE WHO CONTINUE THE FIGHT AND THE STRUGGLE, UM, COUNCIL MEMBER SALAS FOR ALL OF YOUR YEARS OF WORK AND CONTINUE TO EDUCATE EVERYONE IN THE CITY AND IN OUR STATE AND REGION. UM, I DO WANT TO THANK EVERYONE WHO'S BEEN A PART OF THIS, AND I'M JUST GOING TO SPEAK RIGHT NOW, UH, TO SOME CONVERSATIONS, UH, WHAT MY COUNCIL COLLEAGUE GONZALEZ MENTIONED. YOU KNOW, I THINK OUR COMMITMENT TO THE TRANSFORMATION AND THE, UM, THE TRANSFORMATION OF THIS, THIS CONVERSATION AROUND POLICE AND THE POLICE DEPARTMENT IS GOING TO BE VERY EVIDENT TOMORROW IN OUR GOAL SETTING SESSIONS AND WHERE WE, UM, PUT THE DOLLARS FOR OUR MORAL DOCUMENT, FOR OUR BUDGET. AND IT'S WHERE WE QUANTIFY WHAT'S IMPORTANT. UM, I DO LIKE A LOT OF THE, THE SUGGESTIONS THAT WAS, THAT WERE BROUGHT FORWARD TODAY BY MANY OF THE MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC. AND I THINK THAT'S WHY IT'S IMPORTANT THAT EVEN THOUGH WE GOT THIS RESOLUTION WITH ALL OF THE LATEST CHANGES LATE LAST NIGHT, I THINK IT COULD BE EVEN BETTER WHEN WE GET THE INPUT AND MORE IN INFORMATION AND IDEAS FROM THE PUBLIC. UM, SUCH THINGS AS, UH, LOOKING AT, AT, UH, YOU KNOW, PAY OUT OF PENSIONS, LOOKING AT, UM, CONTINUE TO LOOK AT THE DATABASES, CONTINUE TO LOOKING AT OTHER, UM, ITEMS. I THINK THAT'S REALLY IMPORTANT FOR US TO LOOK AT AND TO HAVE THOSE CONVERSATIONS AND LARGER CONVERSATIONS AS A COUNCIL COMMITTEE. UM, I DO BELIEVE THAT, AND I DO LIKE THE IDEA, AND I'VE BEEN TALKING ABOUT THIS FOR A WHILE, EVER SINCE YOU ALL GAVE, UH, UH, SOME OF THE VERY FIRST LIST OF, OF REQUESTS WAS, UM, THE INDEPENDENT THIRD PARTY REVIEW AND SEE PART OF THE RESOLUTION. IT TALKS ABOUT A CITY COUNCIL APPOINTED, UM, REVIEW COMMISSION. ARE THERE OTHER EXAMPLES OF NOT JUST BEING A CITY COUNCIL, UH, APPOINTED, UH, CIVILIAN REVIEW COMMISSION? IS IT OTHER OPPORTUNITIES OR A MIX? AND I DO LIKE THE IDEA THAT NO, NO ONE WITH ANY CONNECTIONS IN, UH, IN POLICING SHOULD, UH, HAVE SOME CONNECTIONS TO THAT CIVILIAN, UH, REVIEW COMMISSION. UM, OF COURSE, I THINK WE NEED TO DO SOME IMMEDIATE CHANGES. AND I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO WHAT ARE THOSE ADMINISTRATIVE IMMEDIATE CHANGES THAT WE CAN DO NOW, AND I'M GOING TO SAY IT AGAIN BECAUSE [05:00:01] IT'S VERY, VERY IMPORTANT TO ME ABOUT THE PSYCHOLOGICAL TESTING THAT IS DONE TO ALL POLICE OFFICERS ON A QUARTERLY BASIS, NOT JUST ONCE. AND ALSO LOOKING AT RACIAL TENDENCIES. UM, SO I THINK IF THOSE ARE ADMINISTRATIVE THINGS THAT WE CAN IMPLEMENT NOW, I WANT, I WOULD LOVE TO SEE STAFF BRING FORWARD THOSE RECOMMENDATIONS NOW SO WE CAN START IMPLEMENTING THEM NOW, UM, WITH THE ADMINISTRATIVE CHANGES, AND I KNOW YOU GAVE SOME INFORMATION ABOUT IT, CAN'T WAIT, AND, UM, THOSE ITEMS YESTERDAY, BUT I THINK WE NEED TO GO A, A STEP FURTHER. UH, AND SO I, SO THOSE ARE SOME OF THE, THE RECOMMENDATIONS I HAVE. I DO APPRECIATE US MOVING FORWARD. THIS IS A VERY, THIS IS A, A STEP, AND I KNOW I WOULD BE HAPPY TO HAVE A RESOLUTION MOVING FORWARD, ONE WITH MORE INPUT FROM THE COMMUNITY AND A RESOLUTION WHEN WE GO TO THE COLLECTIVE BARGAINING TABLE, BECAUSE I WILL STILL BE IN THE SEAT IN FEBRUARY 21. AND I WANNA MAKE SURE THAT THIS COUNCIL RIGHT NOW HAS A VOICE IN WHAT YOU ALL ARE GOING TO START THAT NEGOTIATION AND THE COLLECTIVE BARGAINING, UH, UH, UH, AGREEMENTS DOWN THE LINE. SO I WANNA MAKE SURE THAT THIS VOICE IN DISTRICT THREE IS GOING TO HAVE THAT, UM, STATED IN THOSE NEGOTIATIONS. BUT ARE WE THERE YET WITH THIS RESOLUTION? UH, I'M NOT SURE. I'M OPEN TO MORE CONVERSATION AND GETTING THAT INFORMA AND GETTING, UM, MORE DIALOGUE, BUT MORE DIALOGUE FROM THE COMMUNITY, BECAUSE I DO BELIEVE, AND ALWAYS I DO BELIEVE, BECAUSE BLACK LIVES MATTER, THAT'S WHY WE HAVE TO HAVE THIS CONVERSATION AND MORE DIALOGUE WITH OUR COMMUNITY AND INPUT DIRECTION FROM THEM. THANK YOU, MAYOR. THANK YOU. COUNCIL MEMBER VIA GRIME, COUNCIL MEMBER PERRY. THANK YOU, SIR. ALRIGHT, THIS IS, UH, REALLY A DISCUSSION THAT WAS BROUGHT FORWARD BY A MEMO FROM THE MAYOR ABOUT WHAT WE SHOULD BE DOING IN A NEXT CONTRACT NEGOTIATIONS. AND, AND THAT'S, UM, THAT'S WHERE WE'RE AT WITH THIS RESOLUTION RIGHT NOW. LET ME GIVE YOU A LITTLE BIT OF A BACKGROUND ABOUT MYSELF FOR THOSE THAT, UH, HAVE BEEN CRITICAL. BACK IN 1979, I TOOK AN OATH TO SUPPORT THE CONSTITUTION OF THE UNITED STATES AND ALL 27 AMENDMENTS TO IT, WHICH INCLUDES A LOT OF RIGHTS GIVEN TO EVERYONE IN THIS COUNTRY. AND I SERVED THIS COUNTRY FOR 21 YEARS. AFTER THAT, I SIGNED UP FOR CITY COUNCIL. I TOOK ANOTHER OATH, NOT ONLY TO DEFEND THE CONSTITUTION, BUT ALSO TO UPHOLD THE LAWS OF THE TEXAS CONSTITUTION. SO I CAN TELL YOU, I'VE HAD A LIFE OF SERVICE FOR EVERYBODY IN THIS ROOM AND EVERYBODY IN THIS CITY, AND THAT'S WHAT I WILL CONTINUE TO DO. SO, HAVING SAID THAT, UH, AND I'VE SAID THIS BEFORE, AND I'M GONNA REITERATE IT AGAIN. I SUPPORT OUR POLICEMEN OUT IN THE FIELD. WE HAVE WORKED SO HARD OVER THE LAST THREE YEARS TO GET OUR NUMBERS UP THAT HAVE BEEN DWINDLING OVER THE PAST YEARS. AND THE LAST THREE YEARS, WE'VE DONE A GREAT JOB. AND EVERYBODY ON THIS COUNCIL WAS WORKING ON THAT BUDGET LAST YEAR TO MAKE THAT HAPPEN. A COUPLE OF PEOPLE ARE GONE THAT HELP WORK ON THAT BUDGET, THE TRUE PRIOR YEARS THAT I WAS ON THE, ON THE COUNCIL. SO I DO SUPPORT OUR POLICE, BUT THERE'S SOMEONE ELSE THAT I SUPPORT ALSO, I SUPPORT OUR TAXPAYERS, AND THAT'S WHERE THE RUBBER MEETS THE ROAD. HOW DO YOU GET THOSE TWO TOGETHER, BOTH SUPPORTING THE POLICE OFFICERS OUT IN THE FIELD AND SUPPORTING OUR TAXPAYERS, BECAUSE WE ARE PUTTING THE PRIORITIES AND THE POLICIES TOGETHER TO, UH, GOVERN THAT ORGANIZATION AND THE WHOLE CITY DEPARTMENT. EVERYTHING THAT MR. WALSH EXECUTES IS BY DIRECTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL. AND WHAT WE'RE GONNA START TOMORROW IS, AND I'VE SAID THIS BEFORE, IS THE MOST IMPORTANT THING THAT WE DO ON COUNCIL, BECAUSE EVERYTHING THAT FOLLOWS THE BUDGET IS THAT'S WHAT THIS WHOLE CITY OPERATES ON EVERY DEPARTMENT. SO WHETHER IT'S A SOCIAL SERVICE, WHETHER IT'S A, UM, POLICE, WHETHER IT'S A FIRE DEPARTMENT, PARKS, DRAINAGE, STREETS, ALL OF THAT IS GOVERNED BY THE BUDGET. SO WE HAVE TO REALLY GET INTO THIS AND LOOK AT IT DEEPLY AND DO THE ANALYSIS ON WHAT'S, WHAT'S BEST AND WHERE DO WE SPEND YOUR TAX DOLLARS, THE RESOURCES THAT ARE GIVEN TO US. AND I GUESS THAT'S, UM, UH, WITH THE NEXT THING WE'RE IN DEALING WITH THAT, THAT'S WHAT WE'RE GONNA BE MOVING INTO NEXT IS THE CONTRACT NEGOTIATIONS. AND WHEN WE GO INTO THE CONTRACT NEGOTIATIONS, EVERYTHING IS ON THE TABLE. EVERYTHING IS OUT THERE TO BE DISCUSSED AND AGREED UPON. [05:05:01] AND I, I, MY BIGGEST CONCERN WITH THIS IS, UM, I I'M CONCERNED THAT WE'RE PUTTING THIS OUT THIS FAR IN ADVANCE OF THE CONTRACT NEGOTIATIONS, BECAUSE YOU'RE GONNA START BUILDING SIDES, AND YOU'RE GONNA HAVE THAT PROBLEM WHEN YOU FINALLY SIT DOWN WITH THE UNION TO START NEGOTIATIONS. THIS SHOULD NOT BE AN THEM OR US. IT SHOULD BE A TEAM. OKAY? UM, AND PLUS WE'RE JUST IDENTIFYING SEVERAL AREAS. THERE'S PROBABLY OTHER AREAS THAT WE WANNA HAVE NEGOTIATED IN THIS CONTRACT ALSO. SO THAT'S WHAT I'M, THAT'S WHAT I'M CONCERNED ABOUT STARTING THIS FAR IN ADVANCE. AND, UM, AND I'M GENERALLY NOT A FAN OF RESOLUTIONS. DOESN'T REALLY MEAN MUCH. IT'S JUST WORDS ON A PAPER. IT'S NOT POLICY, IT'S NOT ANYTHING LIKE THAT, BUT IT'S, IT'S JUST TELLING WHAT WE SHOULD BE DOING. SO, UM, ESPECIALLY THIS ONE, I MEAN, WE DIDN'T, WE DIDN'T, UM, GET ANY COMMENTS FROM THE POLICE UNION. WE DIDN'T GIVE COMMENT, GET COMMENTS FROM, UH, THE COMMUNITY. SO YEAH, WE'RE, WE'RE KIND OF, WE'RE KIND OF BACKING THIS THING IN BASED ON AN ORIGINAL MEMO FROM THE MAYOR. SO, UM, IT, IT'S ABOUT OUR FUTURE CONTRACT NEGOTIATIONS. THE PROCESS IS GONNA BE LONG. IT'S GONNA BE A LOT OF , A LOT OF TALKING. IT'S NOT GONNA GET DONE OVERNIGHT, AND IT'S GONNA BE A DIFFICULT ONE. BUT I THINK THAT THERE ARE COMPROMISES OUT THERE THAT WE CAN ALL AGREE ON AND HAVE A GOOD CONTRACT AT THE END OF THE DAY, THAT'S FAIR FOR THE POLICE OFFICERS AND FAIR FOR THE CITY TAXPAYERS. AND THAT'S MY BOTTOM LINE, MAKING SURE THAT THAT HAPPENS. BUT, UH, YOU KNOW, I DON'T PERSONALLY AGREE WITH THIS RESOLUTION, PUTTING THESE THINGS OUT IN FRONT OF THE CONTRACT NEGOTIATIONS. BUT ON THE OTHER HAND, OKAY, THE, THESE ARE WHAT WE'RE SAYING, OUR TOP PRIORITIES ARE THE, THE VERY TOP PRIORITIES GOING INTO THE CONTRACT NEGOTIATIONS. SO THAT IS SENDING A SIGNAL OUT THERE TO THE, TO OUR POLICEMEN AND TO THE POLICE OFFICERS ASSOCIATION. WHAT WE'RE GONNA BE LOOKING AT IS OUR TOP PRIORITY. YOU KNOW, UM, I I JUST THINK THAT WE, WE KEEP PUTTING SIDES ON THIS THING BETWEEN THE COMMUNITY AND THE POLICE. AGAIN, THIS SHOULD BE A TEAM, THIS SHOULD BE A TEAM. AND I'M, I'M REALLY LOOKING FORWARD TO THE CONTRACT NEGOTIATIONS THAT IT WILL COME OUT AT THE END OF THE DAY SUPPORT BY, BY BOTH SIDES. I, I HOPE IT DOES. AND THAT'S EVERYBODY'S HOPE ON THIS DAIS THAT WE DO GET, THAT, THAT AGREEMENT AND SIGNATURES ON. BECAUSE AGAIN, IT'S NOT JUST SUPPORTING THE POLICE AND IT'S NOT JUST SUPPORTING THE COMMUNITY. IT'S SUPPORTING BOTH. AND I THINK WE CAN GET THERE, AND I'M, I'M VERY HAPPY TO, UM, BE A PART OF THAT PROCESS. I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO IT. AND AGAIN, WHILE I HAVE SOME CONCERNS ABOUT SOME SECTIONS, SECTIONS OF THIS RESOLUTION, HOW IT'S, HOW IT'S PUT TOGETHER, IT IS A STARTING POINT, AND WE'RE GIVING NOTICE OUT THERE ON WHAT OUR TOP PRIORITIES ARE FOR, FOR THE POLICE. SO, UM, THAT'S REALLY ALL THE POINTS THAT I WANTED TO TALK ABOUT. UM, ERIC, I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO WHAT Y'ALL WILL BE DOING ON THE, ON THE NEGOTIATIONS AND KEEPING US APPRISED ON, ON HOW THOSE NEGOTIATIONS GOING WHEN THEY GET STARTED. THANK YOU VERY MUCH, SIR. APPRECIATE IT. THANK YOU. COUNCIL MEMBER PERRY, COUNCIL MEMBER ROCHA GARCIA. THANK YOU, MAYOR ERIC. WE'LL CONTINUE ON WITH THE MEMO. UM, ON ITEM NUMBER 17, IT SAYS THAT THERE WOULD BE NEIGHBORHOOD COUNCIL GROUPS THAT WOULD BE GO TEAMS EVERY TIME AN OFFICER INVOLVED SHOOTING OCCURRED. CAN YOU LET ME KNOW, UM, HOW MANY TIMES THAT HAS HAPPENED AND WHO'S ON THOSE GROUPS? AND IF YOU DON'T HAVE THE INFORMATION RIGHT NOW, YOU CAN ALWAYS GET IT TO ME, BUT I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT, THAT, THAT, THAT QUESTION IS, IS ASKED COUNCILWOMAN. I, I, WE'LL, I'LL LET YOU ASK ALL YOUR QUESTIONS AND THEN WHAT WE CAN'T ANSWER, WE'LL ANSWER. AND IF NOT, THEN WE'LL GET BACK THAT WAY YOU DON'T GET PRESSED. PERFECT. THANK YOU. UM, AND THEN ITEM NUMBER 19, UH, IT SAYS THAT WE WILL BE EXAMINING HOW POLICE, UH, OFFICER PROMOTIONS IMPACT COMMUNITY RELATIONSHIPS. AND I'D LIKE TO KNOW HOW WE DO THAT. ARE WE BASING IT ON, WHAT ARE WE BASING IT ON? UM, I'M, UM, ARE WE LOOKING AT DEMOGRAPHICS? WHAT ARE WE [05:10:01] DOING THERE? UM, ON ITEM NUMBER 24, UH, THEY RECOMMEND THAT PSYCHOLOGICAL EXAMS BE GIVEN MORE FREQUENTLY. AND SO I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW FROM 2016 TO 2020 TO NOW, WHAT HAS CHANGED? HOW MANY MORE PSYCHOLOGICAL EXAMS HAVE, HAVE HAD TO BE, UH, BE ADMINISTERED? AND THEN ON ITEM NUMBER 25, IT ASKS ABOUT, UH, OR IT TALKS ABOUT A COMMITTEE THAT I IDENTIFIES EXCEPTIONAL OFFICERS, AND I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW WHO IS ON THAT COMMITTEE, WHO MAKES UP THE COMMITTEE THAT IDENTIFIES EXCEPTIONAL OFFICERS. AND THEN, UM, IN, I WOULD ALSO LIKE TO KNOW, UM, IF WE, UH, SO AGAIN, AND, AND I'VE, I'VE MENTIONED THIS A COUPLE OF TIMES ALREADY, BUT THE CAHOOTS PROGRAM, UM, AND, UH, PROVIDING MAYBE SOME ADDITIONAL FOLLOW UP OR AVENUES FOR SOCIAL WORKERS OR SOCIAL SERVICES TO BE IMPLEMENTED. AND SO I'D LOVE TO, UM, SEE IF YOU ALL HAVE BEEN ABLE TO DO SOME RESEARCH, BECAUSE I'M GONNA BRING IT UP AGAIN TOMORROW AT THE BUDGET HEARING. BUT THOSE ARE ALL THE QUESTIONS, ERIC, THANK YOU, COUNCILWOMAN. WE'LL GET ANSWERS TO ALL THOSE AND PROVIDE THEM TO YOU AND THE REST OF THE COUNCIL. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. COUNCIL MEMBER ROCHA GARCIA. UM, LET ME GO AHEAD AND MAKE MY COMMENTS NOW. UM, AND I REALLY DON'T KNOW WHERE TO BEGIN. UM, MARIO, YOU'VE BEEN DOWN THIS ROAD BEFORE. UM, CAMIA, THANK YOU FOR COMING. SPEAKING, CELESTE, MARLON, UM, KATIE WAS HERE. DENISE, I KNOW A NUMBER OF YOU HAVE BEEN SPEAKING ABOUT THIS FOR QUITE SOME TIME. THE LAST TIME THE COUNCIL HAD AN OPPORTUNITY TO MAKE A RECORD VOTE ON THE ISSUES THAT ARE IN THIS RESOLUTION WAS IN 2016. WE KNOW HOW THAT TURNED OUT. WHAT THIS RESOLUTION WAS INTENDED TO DO WAS TO SEND A MESSAGE, UH, AND TO IDENTIFY AND PUT IN WRITING FOR THE WHOLE PUBLIC TO SEE WHAT OUR POSITION IS ON THE THINGS THAT WENT AWRY SIDEWAYS LAST TIME. AND YOU'VE GOT 'EM RIGHT HERE. ELIMINATE THE 180 DAY LIMITATION ON IMPOSING DEADLINE, UH, DISCIPLINE, THE ABILITY TO INCLUDE PAST DISCIPLINE IN CURRENT DISCIPLINARY CONSIDERATIONS SO THAT OFFICERS WHO WERE INVOLVED IN MISCONDUCT OUTSIDE OF THAT STATUTE WOULD HAVE THEIR FULL DISCIPLINARY RECORDS CONSIDERED BY THE ARBITRATION PANEL. THE ABILITY TO INDEPENDENTLY APPOINT A CITIZEN REVIEW BOARD TO REVIEW INTERNAL AFFAIRS, INSTA INVESTIGATIONS, AND MAKE DISCIPLINARY RECOMMENDATIONS. SO THAT'S NOT TILTED IN FAVOR OF THE UNION, A BALANCED ARBITRATION PROCESS. AND WE TALKED A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THAT. THESE ISSUES ARE NOT A SURPRISE. THESE ISSUES DIDN'T GET STARTED DISCUSSING. WE, WE DIDN'T GET STARTED DISCUSSING THIS, UH, A MONTH AGO. TALKED ABOUT 20 16, 20 15, 20 14. THEY'VE BEEN TALKED ABOUT FOR 30 YEARS, MARIO, SINCE WE HAD THESE PROVISIONS THAT HAVE ENABLED BAD OFFICERS TO STAY ON THE FORCE. THE SAME THINGS THAT THE CHIEF HAS BEEN TALKING ABOUT. BUT WHAT HAPPENS IS THAT, AND, AND THERE'S SOME OTHER THINGS IN HERE AS WELL, UH, THE, UM, INTERGOVERNMENTAL RELATIONS COMMITTEE IS, IS INVOKED BECAUSE I AGREE WITH WHAT YOU'RE SAYING ABOUT CHAPTER 1 43, CHAPTER 1 74. THOSE BECOME PROBLEMS FOR US IF WE'RE TRYING TO HAVE A POLICE FORCE THAT IS BOTH REFLECTIVE OF OUR COMMUNITY AND ACCOUNTABLE TO OUR COMMUNITY. NOT A SURPRISE. WHAT'S DIFFERENT TODAY IS THAT WE HAVE A COMMUNITY THAT'S ERUPTING AND VIRTUAL UNANIMITY, BROWN, BLACK, WHITE, EVERYBODY IS SAYING, WE'VE GOTTA FIX THIS. AND SO WHAT I WANTED TO DO BEFORE OUR COUNCIL STOPS MEETING FOR A MONTH, EVEN THOUGH WE'RE ALL HERE, WE'RE GONNA BE WORKING. TRUST ME, WE'RE GONNA BE WORKING AND I'LL BE MEETING WITH YOU ALL TOO. AT THE SAME TIME. AT THE SAME TIME, WHAT I WANTED TO DO BEFORE, JUST IN CASE SOME OF THAT PASSION ABATES, IS THAT I WANTED TO GET THIS COUNCIL ON THE RECORD SAYING, WE ARE NOT AGAIN, GOING TO ACCEPT A UNION CONTRACT THAT DOESN'T FIX THIS STUFF. AND WE ARE NOT, AGAIN, GONNA GO PAST AN OPPORTUNITY IN A LEGISLATIVE SESSION TO NOT MAKE YOUR VOICES HEARD ON OUR BEHALF, TO FIX 1 73 AND 1 1 43, 1 74, [05:15:01] AND 1 43. THAT'S WHAT THIS IS ABOUT. AND IT DOES SEEM RUSHED. I APOLOGIZE TO MY COLLEAGUES. WE PUT IT OUT THERE LITERALLY THE BEGINNING OF THE WEEK. I GOT SOME INPUT, IT WAS INCORPORATED, AND THAT'S WHAT YOU GOT LAST NIGHT. BUT I WANTED TO STRIKE WHEN THE IRON IS HOT, BECAUSE I'VE SEEN THIS MOVIE BEFORE AND I SEE HOW THE UNION POLITICS CAN GET ITS FANGS INTO A CITY COUNCIL TO PREVENT REFORM FROM HAPPENING. AND I DON'T WANT THAT TO HAPPEN THIS TIME. COUNCILMAN SANDOVAL AND I TALKED A MINUTE AGO, SO DID CAVEO HBAR AND I, AND SHE MADE A VERY GOOD POINT. WE HAVE SENT A MESSAGE TO ANYBODY LISTENING THAT WE'RE SERIOUS ABOUT THIS. YOU WANT IMMEDIATE ACTION. WE'VE GOTTA REALLY WORK HARD NOT TO PREVENT THE, NOT TO ALLOW THE BUREAUCRACY FROM GETTING IN THE WAY. I KNOW THE INPUT PROCESS FOR THIS PARTICULAR PIECE OF RESOLUTION, THIS PARTICULAR RESOLUTION DIDN'T LOOK LIKE OTHERS. BUT LET ME TELL YOU, WE'VE BEEN GETTING INPUT FOR DECADES ON THESE ISSUES. WE DON'T NEED ANYMORE. IF WE NEED MORE PROCESS FOR THIS ISSUE, AIN'T NOTHING GONNA CHANGE. WE DON'T NEED ANY MORE PROCESS. SO I'LL TELL YOU WHAT I AGREE. UM, LET'S MAKE SURE THAT EVERYBODY FEELS GOOD ABOUT THIS. AND, AND I'M GONNA ASK, UM, MY COLLEAGUE TO MAKE A MOTION HERE, TO SEND IT TO A B SESSION SO WE CAN HAVE A LITTLE BIT MORE TIME TO WORK WITH YOU ALL TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'VE GOT IT IN. IT'S NOT GONNA BE EXHAUSTIVE. THIS IS, THIS IS PARTICULARLY POINTED TOWARDS THE UNION CONTRACT WITH REGARD TO DISCIPLINE ITSELF. IT'S NOT SUPPOSED TO BE ALL INCLUSIVE. IT'S NOT SUPPOSED TO BE EVERYTHING WE ARE GOING TO DO. IT'S NOT. WE WILL NEVER GET A RESOLUTION LIKE THAT DONE, BUT IT IS SUPPOSED TO PUT A FLAG IN THE GROUND ABOUT WHAT WE'RE NOT GOING TO ACCEPT NEXT TIME. SO I WILL ENTERTAIN A MOTION TO MOVE IT INTO THE B SESSION IN A SECOND, BUT I NEED YOUR HELP. YOU'RE SHOWING UP HERE TODAY, FIST RAISED FOR GOOD REASON. Y'ALL CAN'T BACK OFF WHEN WE NEED YOUR HELP TO KEEP PRESSURE ON THIS DAIS AND OUT IN THE COMMUNITY WHEN IT COMES TO TIME TO ACTUALLY NEGOTIATE, BECAUSE THAT CONTRACT HAS AN EIGHT YEAR EVERGREEN CLAUSE, AND WHEN IT EXPIRES, THERE IS NO REAL INCENTIVE TO GET BACK TO THE TABLE AND FIX THINGS. THE ONLY INCENTIVE IS THAT WE WANT PEACE IN THIS COMMUNITY. AND SO WE NEED JUSTICE, RIGHT? SO WE NEED YOUR HELP. LET'S GET THE POLITICS OUT OF IT. WE'RE GONNA MOVE AS FAST AS WE CAN. WE TALKED SOME ABOUT SOME OTHER ISSUES. WE DO NEED TO TALK ABOUT SOME OTHER ISSUES. BUT ON THIS THING, WE'RE GONNA NEED YOUR HELP. 'CAUSE IT, WE'VE SEEN THIS MOVIE BEFORE, MARIO. NOT EVERYBODY'S GONNA AGREE, BUT WE NEED TO GET IT DONE TOGETHER. AND, AND WE'RE GONNA COUNT ON YOU TO HELP US WITH THAT. SO I WILL NOW, UM, ASK COUNCIL MEMBER SANDOVAL TO MAKE A MOTION TO SEND THIS TO THE B SESSION SO THAT WE CAN HAVE AN OPEN, TRANSPARENT DIALOGUE. WE CAN GET YOUR INPUT ALONG THE WAY. WE'RE GONNA KEEP IN MEETING INDIVIDUALLY. IT DOESN'T HAVE TO BE AT THE DIOCESE FOR US TO GET INPUT ON A GOOD RESOLUTION. IT CAN HAPPEN IN THE GALLERY, IT CAN HAPPEN IN MY OFFICE. IT CAN HAPPEN IN ANY FIELD OFFICE. WE'VE GOT, WE NEED INPUT. UM, AND WE'RE GONNA GET SOME MORE INPUT. BUT MARK MY WORDS, IF WE'RE NOT BACK HERE WITH A RESOLUTION IN A MONTH OR SO THAT IS CLEAR ABOUT THESE DISCIPLINARY FORMS, WE'RE LOSING OUR MOMENTUM. AND IT'S GONNA BE REAL DIFFICULT AFTER THAT. SO DO NOT LET THAT HAPPEN. ALL RIGHT? OKAY, MAYOR, MAYOR, IF I MAY, UH, A TECHNICALITY ON, ON THE MOTION, THE, UH, THERE, THERE'S A RESOLUTION IN CONSIDERATION FOR THE COUNCIL. I THINK THE COUNCIL ONE'S GONNA MAKE A MOTION TO DELAY THAT. WE NEED TO PUT IT IN A TIME CERTAIN, NOT A SPECIFIC DATE, BUT TO SAY IT'LL BE DELAYED TO A SUBSEQUENT COUNCIL MEETING IN AUGUST, WHICH WILL BE THE NEXT AVAILABLE TIME. SO I THINK THE INTENT FROM THE COUNCIL MEMBER IS THAT WE WANT TO SEND IT TO A B SESSION. HOW CAN WE DO THAT? UH, THE, THE, THE MOTION WOULD BE TO DELAY THE ITEM CURRENTLY UNDER CONSIDERATION UNTIL A, UH, COUNCIL A SESSION IN AUGUST, BUT SUBSEQUENT TO A B SESSION. 'CAUSE AGAIN, THE MATTER'S UNDER MAYOR, THE MAYOR'S, THE, THE, YEAH, THE, THE, IT'S UNDER CONSIDERATION NOW FOR ACTION. OKAY? SO IF YOU'RE GONNA DELAY IT, YOU NEED TO DELAY IT TO ANOTHER OPPORTUNITY FOR IT TO BE TAKEN FOR ACTION. ANYBODY GOT A CALENDAR? CAN'T, UH, JUST A, JUST A QUICK SUGGESTION. I USED TO BE ABLE TO ASK THIS QUESTION OF ANDY WHEN HE WAS SITTING NEXT TO ME, BUT CAN'T THEY, CAN'T THE COUNCIL REMOVE THE ORIGINAL MOTION AND THEN RESET IT BASED ON THE NEW MOTION THAT [05:20:01] COUNCILWOMAN SANDOVAL'S GONNA LAY OUT? ISN'T THAT POSSIBLE? COUNCIL MEMBER VEO H OFFERED TO WITHDRAW THE MOTION. SO IF WE DO THAT, CAN WE HAVE A CLEAN MOTION TO SEND IT TO B SESSION? CORRECT? YES. IF, IF COUNCILWOMAN HOVER RE UH, UH, TAKES AWAY HER MOTION, YES, WE CAN DO THAT. COUNCIL MEMBER KEO H I HEREBY WITHDRAW MY MOTION. THANK YOU. COUNCIL MEMBER SANDOVAL. I MOVE TO TABLE THIS ITEM TO THE AUGUST 6TH. CAN I SAY TABLE MOVE THIS ITEM. GO AHEAD. B SESSION WILL BE ON AUGUST 5TH. RIGHT. SO, ANDY, DO I GIVE THE A SESSION DATE AND THEN SAY, UH, NOW THAT THE, UH, MO THE ORIGINAL MOTION WAS TO WITHDRAWN? COUNCILMAN, YOU CAN SIMPLY SAY THAT YOU MOVED TO HAVE THE ISSUE CONSIDERED AT A B SESSION AUGUST 5TH. OKAY. I'M SORRY, I DIDN'T CATCH THAT. UH, FOR EVERYONE WATCHING APOLOGIZE, WE DO NOT KNOW OUR ROBERT RULES OF BORDERS BACKWARDS AND FORWARDS. GO AHEAD ERIC. ONE SUGGESTION. UM, AUGUST 12TH IS ALSO AVAILABLE 'CAUSE AUGUST 6TH IS THE, UH, THE ANN THE PROPOSED BUDGET. SO, UM, IF YOU'RE GONNA, IF YOU WANNA MAKE SURE THAT YOU'VE GOT, UH, OPPORTUNITY TO GET INPUT, UM, THE AUGUST 12TH DATE IS AVAILABLE AS WELL. OKAY. UM, CAN I LEAVE THAT OPEN LIKE AUGUST 5TH OR 12TH? I WAS GONNA SAY, COUNCILMAN, IF YOU ALL REALLY, THE, ALL YOU HAVE TO SAY IS YOU, YOU RE YOU HAVE, YOU'RE MAKING A MOTION TO HAVE THIS ISSUE CONSIDERED AT A B SESSION IN AUGUST. YEP. EXCELLENT. MOVE TO HAVE THIS ITEM CONSIDERED AT A B SESSION IN AUGUST 2ND. THERE'S A MOTION AND A SECOND FOR EXACTLY WHAT SHE JUST SAID. UM, ANY OTHER COMMENT? ALRIGHT, PLEASE VOTE. AYE, YES. AYE. AYE. MOTION CARRIES. ALRIGHT. UM, I THINK THAT'S ALL THE ITEMS ON OUR AGENDA. IS THERE A CITY MANAGER'S REPORT? YES, SIR. JUST REAL QUICK, UM, UM, I KNOW I'VE BEEN INCLUDING THIS IN THE UPDATE TO YOU, UM, ON A DAILY BASIS, BUT I WANTED TO, TO MAKE SURE THAT I GAVE YOU AN UPDATE TODAY ON THE, UM, UM, AS THE COMMUNITY HAS SEEN AN INCREASE IN COVID CASES, UH, WE HAVE SEEN AN INCREASE AS AN ORGANIZATION. UM, AS OF YESTERDAY, AT THE END OF THE DAY WE HAD 88, UH, EMPLOYEES OUT OF OUR 12,000 EMPLOYEES, THAT'S A POLICE FIRE AND CIVILIAN THAT HAD TESTED POSITIVE. UM, AND A TOTAL OF 417 EMPLOYEES THAT ARE IN QUARANTINE. UM, THAT INCLUDES THE 88 THAT HAVE TESTED POSITIVE 199 THAT WERE SYMPTOMATIC AND PENDING RESULTS, 128 WHO WERE CLOSE CONTACT TO POSITIVES. UM, AND SO WE ARE, WHAT WE'RE SEEING IN THE COMMUNITY, WE ARE SEEING, UH, HERE IN THE ORGANIZATION, AND I'LL CONTINUE TO KEEP YOU UPDATED. WE'VE MADE SOME ADJUSTMENTS OPERATIONALLY, THERE AREN'T ANY STRESSES AT ANY OF OUR DEPARTMENTS. UM, AND I HAD AN OPPORTUNITY TO HAVE A TOWN HALL WITH 1500 EMPLOYEES YESTERDAY TO TRESS, UH, THE, UM, THE, THE USE OF MASKS, UH, THE PROTOCOLS WE'VE PUT IN PLACE AT THE WORKPLACE, AND ASK EMPLOYEES TO USE THEIR BEST JUDGMENT, UH, ON THEIR OFF-DUTY HOURS AND THOSE SOCIAL SITUATIONS TO PROTECT THEMSELVES, THEIR FAMILIES, AND THEIR COWORKERS. SO I, I WANTED TO GIVE YOU AN UPDATE, UH, AS WELL TODAY. UM, SECONDLY, MAYOR, UM, IN KEEPING, UM, WITH THE EFFORT THAT A LOT OF FOLKS HAVE BEEN DOING, AND WE SPENT SOME TIME TALKING ABOUT THE, THE, THE EFFORTS IN TERMS OF, UH, OUR GOVERNMENT AND PUBLIC AFFAIRS TEAM, I DO HAVE A SHORT VIDEO THAT I WANTED TO SHOW, I WANT TO GIVE YOU AN UPDATE ON. SO AT THE ONSET OF THE PANDEMIC, THERE WAS THIS IMMEDIATE NEED TO GET INFORMATION OUT VERY QUICKLY. AND WHEN THESE CHALLENGES CAME UP, WE WERE ABLE TO PIVOT AND CHANGE OUR SCHEDULES AND CHANGE OUR WAY OF WORKING. AND SO EVERY DAY IT'S REINVENTING THE WHEEL. IT'S TRYING TO SOLVE A, A NEW PROBLEM WHERE THE GUYS BEHIND THE CAMERA AND, UH, THE GUYS BEHIND US ARE OUR ENGINEERS. THEY ARE JUST HAVE BEEN FANTASTIC THROUGH THIS WHOLE CHALLENGE. THREE, TWO, WE JUST DON'T DO MEETINGS. WE, WE INFORM, NOT ONLY DO YOU KNOW THE EMPLOYEES, BUT CITIZENS, WE'VE CREATED CONCEPT THAT WE'VE BEEN SHARING AND IT'S BEEN GOOD CONTENT. IT'S JUST INCREDIBLE THE AMOUNT OF VIEWS AND ENGAGEMENT THAT WE'VE HAD WITH THIS CONTENT. WE'RE TALKING ABOUT 230 VIDEOS ON A YOUTUBE PLAYLIST THAT HAVE ALMOST 200,000 VIEWS. UH, OUR FACEBOOK NUMBERS, WE HAVE OVER 400,000 VIEWS. SAN ANTONIO'S BEEN VERY PROGRESSIVE WHEN IT COMES [05:25:01] TO REACHING OUT TO THE COMMUNITIES OF, OF NEED. UH, SPANISH LANGUAGE A S L HAS JUST BEEN TWO OF OUR MAIN FOCUSES ON PRETTY MUCH EVERY PRODUCTION HE PUT TOGETHER. STAY SAFE AND STAY STRONG. SAN ANTONIO, JUST REALLY PROUD THAT WE ARE, YOU KNOW, AS A CITY, WE PUT THOSE RESOURCES IN THOSE COMMUNITIES THAT, THAT NEED IT. THIS IS OUR CITY AND I HOPE PEOPLE WILL REALLY TAKE INTO ACCOUNT THAT WE PROVIDE THESE SERVICES AND WE CAN ALSO CHANGE OR, YOU KNOW, MAKE SOMETHING BETTER OUT OF ALL OF EVERYTHING. SO ESPECIALLY AS WE, UH, MOVE FORWARD IN THE CURRENT, UM, INCREASE, UM, HERE IN THE COMMUNITY AND IN, IN, UH, COVID CASES, UM, THIS WORK IS, IS CRITICAL TO MAKING SURE THAT WE ARE REACHING THE PUBLIC, UH, THE ENTIRE PUBLIC, UH, HOWEVER WAY, UH, WE NEED TO. AND, UH, SO THANK YOU TO THE G P A TEAM. YOU GUYS HAVE DONE A GREAT JOB. KEEP IT UP BECAUSE IT'S GONNA BE, IT'S GONNA BE A TOUGH, UH, UH, COUPLE OF MONTHS AHEAD OF US, SO WE'RE GONNA NEED TO DOUBLE DOWN. THIRD ITEM, MAYOR, I'M GONNA HAND IT OVER TO ANDY, BUT, UH, WE HAVE A, UH, UH, AN INDIVIDUAL FROM OUR LEADERSHIP TEAM WHO WILL BE MOVING ON AND, UH, LET ANDY TALK ABOUT IT. UM, I'LL JUST SAY THAT, UM, UM, I'VE KNOWN THIS INDIVIDUAL SINCE, UH, OUR DAYS, UH, IN HIGH SCHOOL AND, AND, UH, I WILL MISS HIM AND HIS, UH, WORK HERE, ANDY. THANK YOU ERIC. UM, I WANTED TO ANNOUNCE THE COUNCIL WITH, UH, HEAVY HEART ACTUALLY, AND I USE THAT, I DON'T USE THAT TERM LIGHTLY. WE'RE ANNOUNCING THE DEPARTURE OF DEPUTY CITY ATTORNEY EDWARD GUZMAN. ED WILL BE LEAVING THE, UH, CITY ATTORNEY'S OFFICE TO TAKE A SENIOR, UH, ATTORNEY POSITION WITHIN THE SAS LEGAL DEPARTMENT. ED , ED JOINED THE, UH, CITY ATTORNEY'S OFFICE IN AUGUST, 2007 AS AN ASSISTANT CITY ATTORNEY, AND HE QUICKLY ESTABLISHED A REPUTATION FOR PROVIDING SOUND TIMELY AND PRACTICAL LEGAL ADVICE. SOME OF THE MAJOR DEPARTMENTS THAT HE HAS SUPPORTED DURING HIS TIME HERE IN SAN ANTONIO ARE HEALTH CODE ENFORCEMENT, UH, THE CENTER CITY DEVELOPMENT, OFFICE PLANNING AND COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT, AND THE PRE-K FOR SA PROGRAM AND THE CITY MANAGER'S OFFICE. UH, ED ACTUALLY SERVED AS A FIRST ASSISTANT CITY ATTORNEY FROM 2014 TO 2016, AND HE HAS, HE IS CURRENTLY SERVING AS OUR DEPUTY CITY ATTORNEY FOR THE REGULATORY DIVISION. BEFORE HE JOINED THE CITY, HE SERVED SIX YEARS AS AN ASSISTANT DISTRICT ATTORNEY, UH, FOR BEXAR COUNTY IN THE FAMILY JUSTICE DIVISION. AND FOR SIX YEARS PRIOR TO THAT HE WAS IN PRIVATE PRACTICE. UH, IN GENERAL CORPORATE BUSINESS LITIGATION IN BOTH SAN ANTONIO AND HOUSTON. THAT IS A GRADUATE OF ST. MARY'S UNIVERSITY AND THE UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS AT AUSTIN. AND CENTRAL CATHOLIC. AND CENTRAL CATHOLIC. THAT'S RIGHT. I MISSED THAT. UH, I WANT TO TAKE THE OPPORTUNITY TO REALLY EXPRESS OUR DEEPEST APPRECIATION, UH, TO ED FOR ALL HE'S DONE FOR THE CITY. UH, HIS ACCOMPLISHMENTS ARE MANY AND VARIED AND THE, THIS IS JUST IN RECENT MEMORY. HE'S WORKED, HE'S PLAYED A HEAVY ROLE IN THE, IN OUR BARGE CONTRACT, THE ALAMO PROJECT, OUR P S L ORDINANCE, THE REVISED PARADE ORDINANCE. AND HE'S PLAYED A REALLY SIGNIFICANT ROLE IN OUR PANDEMIC RESPONSE IN TERMS OF HELPING TURN AROUND A LOT OF THE ORDERS THAT WE'VE PUT IN PLACE. UH, SO A LOT OF THESE THINGS THAT ED HAS TOUCHED OVER THE YEARS ARE RESOUNDING NOW WILL RESOUND FOR YEARS TO COME WITHIN OUR COMMUNITY. UH, WILL MISS ED TREMENDOUSLY. HIS WITT, HIS WORK ETHIC, HIS KEEN SENSE OF STYLE, AND FOR ME, MOST IMPORTANTLY, UH, HIS WINE RECOMMENDATIONS. UH, SO WE WISH YOU ALL ED, ED, THANK YOU SO MUCH FROM ALL OF US AND, UH, GOOD LUCK ON YOUR NEW ENDEAVOR. THANK YOU. THANK YOU ANDY. AND THANK YOU ERIC AND ED. DON'T YOU KNOW THAT EVERY TIME ONE OF OUR EXECUTIVES GOES TO A UTILITY, THEY COME CRAWLING BACK AFTER THAT. , THANKS VERY MUCH FOR YOUR SERVICE SET. IT'S BEEN A PLEASURE TO WORK WITH YOU. UM, WE DO HAVE AN EXECUTIVE SESSION, UM, TO GO TO, BUT BEFORE WE DO THAT, I WANNA RECOGNIZE THE FACT THAT IT IS COUNCIL MEMBER REBECCA VIA GRAND'S BIRTHDAY TODAY. SO, UM, LET'S GO AHEAD AND SING HER HAPPY BIRTHDAY. HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YOU. HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YOU. HAPPY BIRTHDAY, YOU MANY MORE. HAPPY BIRTHDAY, REBECCA. ALRIGHT, WE'RE GONNA MOVE DOWN TO IT [Executive Session] [05:30:42] NOW. 2:45 PM ON THURSDAY, JANUARY JUNE 25TH, 2020. THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO WILL NOW MEET IN EXECUTIVE SESSION TO CONSULT WITH THE CITY ATTORNEY'S OFFICE PURSUANT TO SECTION GOVERNMENT CODE SECTION 5 5 1 0.071 AND DELIBERATE, DISCUSS THE FOLLOWING ITEMS, ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT NEGOTIATIONS PURSUANT TO SECTION 5 5 1 0.087 PURCHASE EXCHANGE LEASE FOR VALUE OF REAL PROPERTY PURSUANT TO SECTION 5 5 1 0.072 IN CONSULTATION WITH THE CITY ATTORNEY FOR LEGAL ISSUES RELATED COLLECTIVE BARGAINING LITIGATION AGAINST THE CITY AND C OVID 19 PREPAREDNESS PURSUANT TO SECTION 5 5 1 0.07. ONE TIME IS NOW 3:22 PM ON THIS THURSDAY, JUNE 25TH, 2020. THE CITY COUNCIL HAS RECONVENED FROM ITS EXECUTIVE SESSION. NO OFFICIAL ACTION WAS TAKEN. OUR A SESSION IS NOW ADJOURNED. * This transcript was created by voice-to-text technology. The transcript has not been edited for errors or omissions, it is for reference only and is not the official minutes of the meeting.