* 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. [00:00:02] I HAVE AN OPEN VIDEO. ALL RIGHT. GOOD MORNING EVERYONE. UH, TIME IS 9:08 AM ON THIS THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 17TH, 2020. HAPPY CONSTITUTION DAY. UM, WE ARE GOING TO BEGIN OUR SESSION. UM, LET ME GO AHEAD AND ROLL AV AND THEN NOW WE'LL GET TO OUR ROLL. A HARD ONE. LET'S SLEEVE. ARE WE A HARD ONE? THIS FRENCH MOVEMENT TRICKLE TO WOMEN OF COLOR, BUT IT SHOULDN'T SILENCE ANY DAUGHTERS OR MOTHERS, WOMEN OF ANY NATIONALITY. AGREED. OUR IDENTITIES AND OUR RIGHTS SHOULD BE RESPECTED EQUALLY HARD. ONE. COUNCIL MEMBER TREVINO HERE. COUNCIL MEMBER ANDREW SULLIVAN. HERE. COUNCIL MEMBER . I'M HERE. COUNCIL MEMBER RJA GARCIA. HERE. COUNCIL MEMBER GONZALEZ. HERE. HERE. COUNCIL MEMBER SAN HERE. COUNCIL MEMBER PEZ. COUNCIL MEMBER COURAGE HERE. COUNCIL MEMBER PERRY HERE. AND MAYOR NUREMBERG. HERE. MAYOR, WE HAVE A QUORUM. ALRIGHT, GOOD MORNING EVERYONE. TIME IS 9:10 AM WE'LL GO AHEAD AND CALL THE CITY COUNCIL A SESSION TO ORDER. UH, WE'LL BEGIN, [1. 20-5395 Invocation] UH, BY WELCOMING OUR INDICATOR GUEST OF COUNCIL MEMBER PERRY. THANK YOU, SIR. WELL, TODAY I'M HONORED TO INTRODUCE TO YOU PASTOR JOSH WOODS. UM, HE IS ACTUALLY THE PASTOR OF THE CHURCH OF THE REC, EPISCOPAL CHURCH OF RECONCILIATION. IT'S OFF OF STAR CREST IN FOUR 10. UH, REALLY NICE, UM, CAMPUS THERE. NOT ONLY THE CHURCH, BUT UM, EDUCATION FACILITIES AND, UH, COMMUNITY FACILITIES THERE. IT'S REALLY, REALLY, AND TREES ARE EVERYWHERE. IT'S BEAUTIFUL. EVEN ON THE HOTTEST DAY, YOU CAN GO OUT THERE AND, UH, REMAIN COOL WALKING AROUND THAT CAMPUS. SO, UM, JUST A BEAUTIFUL CAMPUS. SO, WELCOME, UH, PASTOR WOODS. I, I WANNA SAY A LITTLE, LITTLE BIT, UM, UM, WITH YOUR PARIS SETTING, UH, YOU CAME IN, YOU ALSO SERVE AS A PASTOR FOR THE UNITED STATES AIR FORCE RESERVE, WHICH I AM VERY PROUD OF. AND YOU ACTUALLY SUPPORT THE CHAPEL AT RANDOLPH. SO GO AIR FORCE AND, UH, UH, I'M REALLY PROUD THAT YOU DO THAT FOR THE AIR FORCE AS WELL. UM, YOU AND YOUR WIFE LAURA, MOVED TO TEXAS BACK IN 2015 TO ATTEND THE SEMINARY OF THE SOUTHWEST IN AUSTIN. RELOCATED TO A BETTER CITY HERE IN SAN ANTONIO, UH, IN 2018 TO BEGIN YOUR ORDAINED MINISTRY, UH, Y'ALL HAVE TWO DOGS. AND LISTEN TO THIS, LISTEN TO THIS. HE'S GOT, THEY GOT TWO DOGS, EZRA A CHOCOLATE LAB, AND ROXY, UH, LITTLE MINIATURE YORKIE. SO IF YOU CAN LOOK AT THAT COMBINATION, I'D LIKE TO SEE THOSE TWO GET, GET OUT THERE PLAYING. UH, WHAT A COMBINATION. UM, UH, HE'S PASSIONATE ABOUT THE, UH, CIVIL DISCOURSE, INTERFAITH COLLABORATION AND CIVIC ENGAGEMENT FOR THE COMMON GOOD OF ALL. WHO CALLS SAN ANTONIO THEIR HOME. SO, WELCOME AGAIN, PASTOR WOODS, AND, UM, THE FLOOR IS YOURS. THANK YOU, COUNCILMAN PERRY. UH, I INVITE YOU ALL TO JOIN ME IN PRAYER, GRACIOUS AND LOVING GOD, WE RISE ON THIS DAY WITH OUR HEARTS FILLED WITH GRATITUDE FOR THE WORLD WHICH YOU HAVE GIVEN TO US FOR THIS CITY WHICH YOU HAVE ENTRUSTED TO OUR CARE AND FOR THE MANY BLESSINGS OF OUR LIVES, FOR FAMILY, FOR FRIENDS, AND FOR OUR NEIGHBORS. WE OFFER OUR FOR THE MEMBERS OF OUR CITY COUNCIL WHO HAVE BEEN ELECTED TO AND ENTRUSTED WITH POSITIONS OF LEADERSHIP, ESPECIALLY IN THIS TIME WHERE MUCH ABOUT OUR IMMEDIATE FUTURE IS UNCERTAIN. HELP US TO LOOK UPON THE WHOLE HUMAN FAMILY, THOSE WHO YOU HAVE CALLED US TO SEE AND KNOW [00:05:01] AS OUR NEIGHBORS WITH COMPASSION, SEND DOWN UPON THOSE WHO HOLD OFFICE IN THIS CITY, THE SPIRIT OF WISDOM, CHARITY AND JUSTICE THAT WAS STEADFAST PURPOSE. THEY MAY FAITHFULLY SERVE IN THEIR OFFICES TO PROMOTE THE WELLBEING OF ALL PEOPLE. REMOVE FROM US ANY IGNORANCE, ANY ARROGANCE, AND ANY HATRED WHICH COULD INFECT OUR HEARTS. BREAK DOWN THE WALLS THAT SEPARATE US, UNITE US IN THE BONDS OF LOVE, AND WORK THROUGH OUR STRUGGLE AND CONFUSION TO ACCOMPLISH THE THINGS WHICH YOU HAVE CALLED US TO DO. SERVING NOT OURSELVES, BUT ONE ANOTHER IN HARMONY. GUIDED BY YOUR PERFECT LOVE. WE ASK ALL THESE THINGS IN YOUR HOLY NAME, AMEN. THINK REVEREND WOODS. AND NOW THE PLEDGE, [2. 20-5396 Pledge of Allegiance] I PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE TO THE FLAG OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA AND TO THE REPUBLIC FOR WHICH IT STANDS, ONE NATION UNDER GOD, INDIVISIBLE, WITH LIBERTY AND JUSTICE FOR ALL. THANK YOU PASTOR WOODS. REALLY DO APPRECIATE THAT INVITATION. ALRIGHT, UM, WE'RE GONNA MOVE NOW TO OUR BUSINESS AGENDA. WE'VE GOT A FULL DAY TODAY. UM, SO I WANNA REMIND EVERYONE, UH, IF THEY WOULD LIKE TO QUEUE UP OR SPEAK, UM, PLEASE USE THE RAISE HAND BUTTON IN YOUR WEBEX. UM, WE DO HAVE, UH, THE [3. 20-5397 Approval of Minutes from the City Council Meetings of June 11, 2020 and June 17, 2020] FIRST ITEM ON OUR AGENDA IS THE APPROVAL OF THE CITY COUNCIL MEETING MINUTES, UM, OF THE DATE, JUNE 11TH AND JUNE 17TH, 2020. I'LL ENTERTAIN A MOTION FOR THOSE, THOSE MINUTES. MOVE TO APPROVE. SECOND VIA. OKAY. THERE WAS A MOTION, UH, BY VIRON SECOND WHO HAD THE SECOND COURAGE. UH, SECOND BY COURAGE. UH, ANY DISCUSSION? HEARING NONE. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SAY AYE. AYE. AYE. AYE. ANY OPPOSED? AYE. MOTION CARRIES. UH, WE HAVE, UM, UH, A COUPLE OF POINTS ACTUALLY, ONE POINT, POINT OF PERSONAL PRIVILEGE. UH, SO LET ME RECOGNIZE OUR COLLEAGUE, COUNCIL MEMBER JANE ANDREWS SULLIVAN. UM, THANK YOU MAYOR AND THANK YOU TO ALL MY CITY COUNCIL COLLEAGUES , BUT MOST DEFINITELY THANK YOU TO DISTRICT TWO. WE HAVE BEEN SEEING AN UPTICK IN THE LIVES OF OUR YOUTH BEING TAKEN BY CENSUS GUN VIOLENCE HERE IN THE DISTRICT. WE HAVE LOST SEVERAL CHILDREN, WHETHER IT WAS SELF-INFLICTED OR WHETHER IT WAS THROUGH, UM, ACTS OF JUST SENSELESSNESS. WE HAVE LOST TOO MANY LIVES THAT HAVE BEEN CUT SHORT AND NOT HAVE BEEN ABLE TO FULFILL THEIR FULL PURPOSE. SO ON THIS DAY, SEPTEMBER 17TH, WE STAND WITH MOTHERS WHO ARE UNITED TO FIGHT FOR CHILDREN NOT TO BE LOST TO GUN VIOLENCE. WE STAND WITH THE RISING STARS OF SAN ANTONIO TO SAY THAT GUN VIOLENCE WILL NOT BE WHILE WE CONTINUE TO LOSE OUR YOUTH AT EIGHT 30. TODAY, WE ASK THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO TO STAND WITH THE RESIDENTS AND THE COMMUNITY OF DISTRICT TWO BY LIGHTING YOUR HOME WITH THE YELLOW LIGHT BULB. WE KNOW THAT THIS REPRESENTS A FEELING OF OPTIMISM, A FEELING OF REMEMBRANCE, BUT MOST DEFINITELY A FEELING OF WANTING OUR YOUTH TO KNOW THAT WE ARE LIGHTING THE PATH FOR THEM TO HAVE BETTER OUR FUTURE. WE WANNA SAY THANK YOU TO OUR MAYOR AND HIS TEAM FOR HELPING US TO LIGHT DOWNTOWN IN THE COLOR OF YELLOW. WE KNOW THAT THIS IS ONLY A SYMBOL AND IT DOESN'T SPEAK TO ALL OF THE THINGS THAT WE MUST DO TO TAKE ACTION AGAINST THIS SENSELESSNESS, BUT IT'S THE FIRST STEP IN UNITING US AS ONE AGAINST THIS PANDEMIC THAT WE'RE NOW FACING CALLED GUN VIOLENCE. I THANK YOU TO DISTRICT TWO FOR BEING RESILIENT, FOR MAKING SURE THAT YOU CONTINUE TO REACH OUT TO YOUR OFFICE AND TO HELP US TO BRING IT IN TO THE CONTINUATION OF HAVING TO BURY OUR YOUTH. SO THANK YOU MAYOR, FOR THIS PERSONAL POINT OF PRIVILEGE. AT EIGHT 30, WE FLIP THE SWITCH. SO LET OUR YOUTH KNOW THAT THEY HAVE PEOPLE HERE THAT SEE THEM, THAT UNDERSTANDS THEIR WORTH, UNDERSTANDS THAT THEY ARE ON A PATH TO DO SOMETHING BETTER, AND WE'RE HERE TO GET THEM TO THAT, THAT DESTINATION. SO AGAIN, THANK YOU. THANK YOU, DISTRICT TWO AND THANK YOU CITY OF SAN ANTONIO. [00:10:02] THANK YOU. COUNCIL MEMBER ANDREW SULLIVAN. ALRIGHT, UM, TODAY, UH, WE'VE GOT SEVERAL BIG ITEMS ON OUR AGENDA. UH, WE'VE GOT THE BUDGET, UH, WHICH IS ITEM FOUR TO BE HEARD INDIVIDUALLY. WE ALSO HAVE THE, UH, CONTINUATION OF THE EDWARD AFER PROTECTION PROGRAM, WHICH IS ITEM FIVE. BOTH OF THOSE WILL BE HEARD INDIVIDUALLY. [Consent Agenda] ALL THE OTHER ITEMS ARE ON CONSENT, INCLUDING OUR ZONING AGENDA. UM, I'VE GOT A FEW ZONING ITEMS THAT ARE LISTED FOR INDIVIDUAL CONSIDERATION. UM, I WILL READ THOSE AND I'M GONNA ASK MY COLLEAGUES IF THERE ARE ANY ITEMS THEY WOULD LIKE TO PULL FROM THE CONSENT AGENDA. UH, AND THEN WE'LL TAKE UP A MOTION ON CONSENT ITEMS Z ONE, P TWO AND Z THREE Z NINE, P FOUR AND Z 10, Z 15 P SEVEN, AND Z 17 ARE FOR INDIVIDUAL CONSIDERATION. IN ADDITION TO ITEMS FOUR AND FIVE, ARE THERE ANY OTHER ITEMS FROM CONSENT THAT WE'D LIKE TO PULL FOR INDIVIDUAL CONSIDERATION? COUNCIL MEMBER , UH, MAYOR, I'D LIKE TO PULL ITEM 18. OKAY. ITEM 18. MAYOR, I RECEIVED NOTICE FROM D FIVE. THEY WOULD LIKE TO ADD Z 13 TO INDIVIDUAL FOR ZONING ITEM Z 13. YES, MA'AM. OKAY. AND, UH, AND MAYOR, UM, ITEM NUMBER EIGHT FOR INDIVIDUAL CONSIDERATION. ITEM EIGHT. OKAY, MAYOR. UH, ANY OTHER MAYOR, THIS IS DISTRICT SIX. I NEED TO PULL ITEM 25 FOR RECUSAL PLEASE. OKAY. ITEM 25 FOR REFUSAL. ALRIGHT, ANY OTHERS? IF THERE ARE NONE, I'LL ENTERTAIN A MOTION FOR THE BALANCE OF THE CONSENT AGENDA. THAT'S ALL ITEMS SAY FOR 4, 5, 8 25 Z ONE P TWO Z THREE Z NINE, P FOUR, AND Z 10, Z 13 P SEVEN AND Z 17. UH, I DIDN'T HEAR ITEM 18, MAYOR. OH, AND ITEM 18, SORRY. AND MAYOR I MOVED, I'M SORRY, MAYOR, I BELIEVE Z 15 IS ALSO ON INDIVIDUAL. I DIDN'T HEAR THAT ONE. YEAH, I SAW AN INDIVIDUAL. SORRY IF I MISSED THAT ONE. YEAH. OKAY. IS THAT MOTION FROM PERRY? YEAH. ALRIGHT. WAS THERE A SECOND? SECOND. COURAGE. OKAY, SECOND FROM COURAGE. UH, LET ME, UM, WE'VE GOT SEVERAL CITIZENS SIGNED UP TO SPEAK. LEMME JUST MAKE SURE THAT NONE ARE FOR CONSENT ITEMS. NO, SIR. OKAY. YOU'RE GOOD? THERE, THERE ARE ANY, UH, OKAY. UM, WE HAVE, UH, OUR MOTION TO SECOND. ANY DISCUSSION? COUNCIL MEMBER GRO? OKAY. I'M GETTING UNMUTED. THANK YOU, MAYOR. UM, THANK YOU MAYOR. AND I WANT TO TAKE THIS TIME AND THANK MY COLLEAGUES SPECIFICALLY IN THE GOVERNANCE COMMITTEE AND ALL MY COLLEAGUES. ITEM 16 IS MOVING FORWARD WITH, UH, THE SAS RECOMMENDATION FOR, UH, THE SOUTH SECTOR. AND I BELIEVE THE, UM, CANDIDATE OR THE NOMINEE IS ON THE CALL. SO I JUST WANTED TO GO ON THE RECORD AGAIN, STATING SOME VERY IMPORTANT CONCERNS THAT WE HAVE IN THE SOUTH SECTOR, SPECIFICALLY IN DISTRICT THREE WHEN IT COMES TO SAWS. AND THAT COMES TO, UM, HELPING AND FIXING OUR LIFT STATIONS. THAT MEANS FIXING, UM, THE ISSUES THAT WE'RE EXPERIENCING AT SIMPSON PARK. AT FIVE DIAMONDS BASEBALL FIELD. IT ALSO MEANS TO CONTINUE TO WORK WITH ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AND THE PROPER PROTECTION WITH MITCHELL LAKE AND OUR EAST WEST CORRIDOR THAT WE'RE DEVELOPING OUT THERE. AS WELL AS LOOKING AT, AS WE WE'RE LOOKING FOR AFFORDABLE HOUSING AND CONTINUING TO GROW WITH SINGLE FAMILY HOUSING IN THE SOUTHERN SECTOR. PLEASE LOOK AT WHAT WE ARE DOING, WHAT SAWS IS DOING WHEN IT COMES TO GROWTH WITH OUR SEWER AND WATER, UM, MAINS OUT THERE IN THAT AREA SO WE CAN CONTINUE TO HAVE SINGLE FAMILY HOUSING, BUT, AND IT'S ALL WITHIN 1604. UM, SO WE CAN HAVE THAT SINGLE FAMILY HOUSING, BUT HAVE IT CONTINUE TO, UM, BE AFFORDABLE FOR THE HOUSING. SO THOSE ARE MY COMMENTS. THANK YOU MAYOR. ALRIGHT, THANK YOU. COUNCIL MEMBER , UH, WE DO HAVE ONE CITIZEN SIGNED UP TO SPEAK FOR A ZONING ITEM THAT WILL REMAIN ON CONSENT. UH, SOME MAY CALL JAMES MCKNIGHT. [00:15:01] UH, IF YOU'RE ON JAMES, WOULD YOU LIKE TO MAKE YOUR COMMENTS ON Z 12? IT'S STAYING ON CONSENT. HELLO? YES, THIS IS JAMES MCKNIGHT. UM, I AM THE ONLY THE COMMENTS I HAVE ARE, ARE THAT WE HAVE, UH, REACHED OUT TO COMMUNITY AND WE'VE, UM, YOU KNOW, RECEIVED A RECOMMENDATION FROM, FOR APPROVAL FROM EVERYONE. SO, UH, AT THIS MOMENT WE'D JUST LIKE TO MOVE FORWARD AS IS. OKAY. THANK YOU MR. MCKNIGHT. ALRIGHT, THERE IS A MOTION AND A SECOND FOR APPROVAL OF THE CONSENT AGENDA. THAT'S ALL ITEMS, UH, SAY FOR THOSE PREVIOUSLY READ. UM, ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SAY AYE. AYE. AYE. AYE. AYE. ANY OPPOSED? ALRIGHT. MOTION CARRIES. ALRIGHT, THERE'S, UM, UH, GO AHEAD. I'M GONNA SHUFFLE THE ORDER A LITTLE BIT JUST TO BE EXPEDITIOUS, UH, ON A COUPLE OF THESE ITEMS. UM, LET ME GO AHEAD AND TAKE ITEMS EIGHT AND 25, WHICH IS A RECUSAL FIRST, AND THEN WE CAN GO INTO OUR BUDGET ITEMS, UH, FROM THERE. SO, UH, LET'S GO AHEAD AND, UM, LET'S GO AHEAD AND, UH, [8. 20-5051 Ordinance approving a construction contract with J. Sanchez Contracting, Inc. in an amount not to exceed $458,244.81 for the Brazos St. Pocket Park Connection, located in Council District 5. Funding in the amount of $330,775.02 is available from the voter-approved Sales Tax Venue funds included in the FY 2020 - FY 2025 Capital Improvement Program, $101,292.29 is available from the Parks and Recreation Department General Fund FY 2020 Adopted Budget, and $26,177.50 is available for supplemental trees and irrigation from the Tree Canopy Preservation and Mitigation Fund FY 2020 Adopted Budget. [Colleen M. Bridger, MPH, PhD, Assistant City Manager; Homer Garcia III, Director, Parks & Recreation]] TAKE ITEM EIGHT. ITEM EIGHT IS AN ORDINANCE APPROVING A CONSTRUCTION CONTRACT WITH JAY SANCHEZ CONTRACTING INC. AND THE AMOUNT NOT TO EXCEED $458,244 AND 81 CENTS FOR THE BRAVO STREET POCKET PART CONNECTIONS LOCATED IN COUNCIL DISTRICT FIVE FUNDING ON THE AMOUNT OF $330,775 AND 2 CENTS IS AVAILABLE FROM THE VOTER APPROVED SALES TAX VENUE FUND INCLUDED IN THE FISCAL YEAR 2020 DASH FISCAL YEAR 2025, CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PROGRAM, $101,292 AND 29 CENTS IS AVAILABLE FROM THE PARKS AND RECREATIONS DEPARTMENT, GENERAL FUND, FISCAL YEAR 2020, ADOPTED BUDGET AND $26,177 AND 50 CENTS IS AVAILABLE FOR SUPPLEMENTAL TREE AND IRRIGATION FROM THE TREE CANOPY PRESERVATION AND MITIGATION FUND, FISCAL 2020 ADOPTED BUDGET. THANK YOU MADAM CLERK. UH, COUNCIL MEMBER GONZALEZ. UH, OKAY. THANK YOU, UH, MAYOR. AND, UM, I, I, I, THIS ITEM I WANTED TO HIGHLIGHT, BUT I, I THOUGHT THAT IF THE PRESENTATION WAS IMPORTANT, UH, GIVEN THE VARIETY OF, UH, FUNDING SOURCES FOR THIS PROJECT AS PART OF THE, UM, UH, GREENWAY, UH, TRAILS PROGRAM, UM, THAT GOES THROUGH THE INNER CITY. SO, UH, HOMER, CAN YOU SHOW US A PRESENTATION, PLEASE? YES, WE CAN WALK THROUGH THAT. UH, WE HAVE A COUPLE OF, UM, SLIDES HERE THAT REALLY SHOW WHAT THE DEVELOPMENT AND CONNECTION TO, UH, THIS POCKET PARK AND THE CREEKWAY WILL LOOK LIKE. UM, THIS IS ALONG APACHE CREEK AND THIS POCKET PARK WILL ALLOW PEOPLE TO SAFELY ACCESS THE TRAIL. AND THROUGH THIS POCKET PARK, WE'VE GOT A 13 FOOT WIDE, UH, CONCRETE, UH, AND IT IS GONNA BE LANDSCAPED WITH LARGE NATIVE TREES. SO, UM, YOU MENTIONED THE MULTITUDE OF FUNDING, UH, THAT IS GOING TO DELIVER THIS PROJECT. SO WE DO HAVE, UH, WE ALWAYS ACTUALLY AS A, A GENERAL PRACTICE LOOK TO EXTEND ANY OF OUR PARK PROJECTS, UH, WITH THE TREE, UH, MITIGATION FUND WHERE APPROPRIATE. CERTAINLY THIS, UM, MEETS THAT NEED. IN ADDITION, YOU KNOW, WE ARE, UM, MONARCH CHAMPION CITY, SO AS WE'VE LOOKED FOR WAYS TO EXTEND POLLINATOR GARDENS, UH, THIS WILL HAVE ONE AS WELL. UH, AND I THINK THESE TWO ELEMENTS ARE REALLY IMPORTANT, THE TREES AND, UM, THE POLLINATOR GARDEN, BECAUSE LARGELY WE KNOW THAT THERE'S A CONCRETE CHANNEL THAT HELPS, UH, CONVEY WATER THROUGH OUR WEST SIDE CREEKS, AND THEN OUR TRAILS THAT GO THROUGH THERE ADD TO THAT, UM, JUST HARD LOOK OF, OF, OF HARDSCAPE. SO WE WANTED TO LOOK FOR OPPORTUNITIES AND HOW WE CAN SOFTEN THIS LOOK. UH, AND SO DOING SO WITH NATIVE TREE PLANTING IS A POLLINATOR GARDEN. UM, I THINK IT CAN HELP BALANCE SOME OF THAT. UH, ADDITIONALLY WE WILL HAVE, UH, BILINGUAL SIGNAGE IN ENGLISH AND SPANISH FOR PEOPLE COMING TO THIS POCKET PARK, UH, SO THEY CAN SEE WHAT THE, THE CREEK IS LIKE AND LEARN SOME OF THE HISTORY OF THE AREA. UH, AND THEN ON THE NEXT SLIDE, UM, YOU'LL SEE KIND OF A DIFFERENT PERSPECTIVE OF WHAT IT WOULD LOOK LIKE ON THE, UH, THE POCKET PART IS THAT NEXT SLIDE COMING UP? THANK YOU. UM, BEYOND JUST, UH, [00:20:01] WHAT WE WOULD DO FROM A, UM, NATURAL ELEMENT PERSPECTIVE, UH, THERE WILL BE A COUPLE OF PUBLIC ART SCULPTURES AND A LARGE PAVILION WITH, UH, THE COMMUNITY TO CONGREGATE AND HAVE SOME OUTDOOR SEATING AS WELL AS, UH, EXERCISE EQUIPMENT. SO FOR THOSE COMING ALONG THE TRAIL BEYOND JUST USING IT, UH, FOR WALKING, RUNNING, BIKING, UH, THOSE THAT WANT TO GET A BIT MORE EXERCISE WILL HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO DO THAT. UH, THE CONSTRUCTION OF THE PAVILION, WE WILL BE USING NATURAL WOOD MATERIALS SO THAT IT IS, UH, ECOLOGICALLY FRIENDLY AND, UM, LOCALLY SOURCED. AND AS WE DEVELOPED THIS PROJECT, I KNOW WHEN WE VISITED LAST WEEK ON THIS ITEM, WE REALLY WANTED TO LOOK HOW WE CAN CONTINUE TO, UM, AS WE MOVE TO FINAL DESIGN AND CONSTRUCTION SOFTENS SOME OF THE LOOK OF THIS POCKET PARK. BUT, UM, YOU KNOW, THERE'S A, THIS IS A GREAT AREA. THERE'S A LOT OF, UH, TRANSFORMATION KIND OF GOING ON AROUND APACHE CREEK AREA, AND SO WE THINK THIS WILL BE A NICE ELEMENT TO THE OVERALL, UH, WEST SIDE CREEK, APACHE CREEK, AND THEN OF COURSE WITH THIS NEW BRAZEL STREET PARK. UH, SO THANK YOU HOMER. THANKS FOR THE PRESENTATION. AND, UM, I, I WANTED TO SHARE THIS WITH MY COLLEAGUES AND, AND THE VIEWING AUDIENCE BECAUSE, UH, FIRST OF ALL, NOT ONLY IS THIS A LONG TIME COMING, UM, I THINK THIS FUNDING HAS BEEN ALLOCATED FOR A COUPLE OF YEARS. HOMER, AM I RIGHT ABOUT THAT? I FEEL LIKE I WAS FIRST PRESENTED THIS PROJECT MAYBE THREE YEARS AGO. UM, AM I EXAGGERATING ABOUT THAT? YEAH, NO, YOU'RE NOT. IT, IT, IT IS BEEN A LONG TIME COMING. UH, PART OF IT HAS BEEN, UH, BEING ABLE TO MAKE SURE WE HAD THE FUNDING IN PLACE. AND SO BACK TO AUGMENTING SOME OF THE ORIGINAL PLAN PROJECT, YOU KNOW, THAT'S WHERE OUR TREE MONEY COMES IN. WE, UH, ALLOCATED SOME ADDITIONAL PARKS FUND, UH, MONEY TO AUGMENT THEN OF COURSE THE PROPOSITION TO INVESTMENT. SO IT TOOK A LITTLE WHILE, BUT WE WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT WE GOT IT RIGHT. AND, UH, I THINK THAT, UH, WITH COUNCIL APPROVAL TODAY, WE'LL BE ABLE TO MOVE FORWARD TO CONSTRUCTION AND DELIVER THIS PROJECT FOR THE COMMUNITY. UM, WELL, THANK YOU VERY MUCH. AND, AND, UH, SO FOR, UM, SOME OF MY COLLEAGUES THAT HAVE BEEN PAYING ATTENTION AND OF COURSE, UH, THE, THE CONSTITUENTS, THIS IS RIGHT ACROSS THE STREET FROM THE PROJECT THAT, UH, WE APPROVED CENTERS FUNDING FOR. UM, AND THAT, I THINK, UM, THAT, UH, JOHN OSA HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO VISIT SOME OF YOU, UH, ABOUT THAT PROJECT ALONG THE APACHE CREEK, UH, AREA. AND ALSO JUST TO HIGHLIGHT THE IMPORTANCE OF CONTINUING TO FUND THE WE, UH, THE CREEKS PROGRAM, THE WEST SIDE CREEKS. UM, WE KNOW THAT, UH, THAT THIS HAS BEEN A PRIORITY FOR THE CITY, UM, AND ITS CONNECTIVITY TO THE SOUTH SIDE CREEKS AND THE MISSION REACH. UM, THERE'S A PART OF THE CREEKS THAT ARE STILL UNDER CONSTRUCTION, UM, CLOSE TO OUR LADY OF THE LAKE THAT'S ALSO BEEN MANY, MANY YEARS, UH, IN THE MAKING, UM, BECAUSE OF A SASS PROJECT. SO AS COUNCIL MEMBER VERAN HIGHLIGHTED OUR SAS BOARD, UM, APPOINTMENT TODAY, UH, IT WAS PART THAT HAS ALWAYS BEEN A CONCERN OF MINE IS THAT, UM, SAS IS TAKING TOO LONG TO DO INFRASTRUCTURE PROJECTS ON THE SOUTH AND SIDES. SO WE NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT THOSE PROJECTS GET COMPLETED TIMELY, UH, AND ON BUDGET BECAUSE OUR COMMUNITY IS DEPENDING ON THESE RESOURCES, UM, FOR CONNECTIVITY, FOR ALTERNATIVE TRANSPORTATION, UM, IT'S PART OF THEIR TAX DOLLARS. UM, AND OF COURSE, OURS ARE THE PART THAT ARE STILL, UM, LEFT TO DO. SO I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO THIS, UH, PROJECT, UM, UH, GETTING DONE AND COMPLETED AND, AND, UH, ALSO AND STARTED, UM, PRIMARILY, UM, SO, UM, SO THAT WE CAN REALLY USE THESE FACILITIES. SO THANK YOU, UH, FOR, UH, THE OPPORTUNITY TO, TO HIGHLIGHT THIS ITEM, BUT ALSO TO GIVE MY COLLEAGUES AN OPPORTUNITY TO VOTE ON IT, UH, AND ASK ANY QUESTIONS IF THEY HAD ABOUT, UH, THE CREEKWAY, UH, PROJECTS. UM, SO, UH, THANK YOU VERY MUCH, MAYOR WITH THAT MOTION TO APPROVE. SECOND. ALL RIGHT. THERE'S A MOTION, UH, BY GONZALEZ, SECOND BY FOR, UM, I BELIEVE THAT'S ITEM NUMBER EIGHT. UH, COUNCIL MEMBER VERAN. YEAH, THANK YOU SO MUCH, COUNCIL MEMBER GONZALEZ FOR PULLING THIS. IT'S MOY FANCY. I LOVE IT A LOT. UM, AND I THINK IT IS ABSOLUTELY WELL DESERVED AND CONGRATULATIONS. JUST SO YOU KNOW, LAST NIGHT I DID TAKE A RIDE DOWN THE WEST SIDE CREEK, UH, FROM CONCESSION AND TOOK A RIDE. AND SO I'M GLAD THAT WE ARE, UH, VOTING ON THIS TODAY. AND HOMER, WHAT I WOULD JUST LIKE TO SHARE WITH YOU IS I HOPE YOU CAN EXPEDITE THIS BUILDING OUT OF THIS SO WE CAN GET IT DONE IN SEVEN MONTHS OR SO. SO COUNCILWOMAN GONZALEZ CAN BE A PART OF IT. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. COUNCIL MEMBER VERAN. ALRIGHT, THERE'S A MOTION AND A SECOND FOR APPROVAL OF ITEM NUMBER EIGHT. [00:25:01] ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SAY AYE. AYE. AYE. AYE. ANY OPPOSED? AYE. MOTION CARRIES. UM, ALRIGHT, UH, LET'S, UH, GO AHEAD AND TAKE UP ITEM NUMBER FIVE, WHICH, OR EXCUSE [25. 20-5050 Ordinance authorizing the execution of an interlocal agreement with Northside Independent School District for the disposition of 0.47 acres containing Meadowcliff Community Center and the acceptance of 4.231 acres of property located in the floodplain adjacent to Timberwilde Elementary School to serve as part of the Culebra Tributary Greenway Trail located in Council District 6. [Colleen M. Bridger, MPH, PhD, Assistant City Manager; Homer Garcia III, Director, Parks & Recreation]] ME, ITEM 25, WHICH IS A RECUSAL, UH, MADAM CLERK. ITEM 25 IS AN ORDINANCE AUTHORIZING THE EXECUTION OF AN INTERLOCAL AGREEMENT WITH THE NORTHSIDE INDEPENDENT SCHOOL DISTRICT FOR THE DISPOSITION OF 0.47 ACRES CONTAINING MEADOW CLIFF COMMUNITY CENTER AND THE ACCEPTANCE OF 4.231 ACRES OF PROPERTY LOCATED IN THE FLOODPLAIN ADJACENT TO TIMBER WELD ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS TO SERVE AS PART OF THE COLLIBRA TRIBUTARY GREENWOOD GREENWAY TRAIL LOCATED IN COUNCIL DISTRICT SIX. AND, UH, PLEASE LET THE RECORD SHOW COUNCIL MEMBER CAB VEDA HAS, UM, RECUSED HERSELF FROM THIS VOTE. SO I'LL ENTERTAIN A MOTION FOR THE APPROVAL OF ITEM NUMBER 25, MOVE TO APPROVE SECOND I MOTION, UH, BY , SECOND BY PAUL. ANY DISCUSSION? HEARING NONE. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SAY AYE. AYE. AYE. AYE. ANY OPPOSED? MOTION CARRIES. ALRIGHT, UH, LET'S GET NOW INTO THE ORDER OF THE DAY. UM, AND SO WE WILL BEGIN WITH ITEM NUMBER FOUR. I . MAYOR, DID YOU WANNA PICK UP ITEM 18 OR YOU WANNA SAVE THAT FOR AFTER ITEM FOUR? NO, WE'LL GET ITEM FOUR. UM, SO IF YOU CAN GO AHEAD AND, AND START WITH THE CAPTION. YES, SIR. APPROVING THE FOLLOWING ORDINANCES RELATING TO FISCAL YEAR 2021, OPERATING CAPITAL BUDGET FOR THE TAX YEAR 2020. ITEMS FOUR, A, B, C, AND D MUST BE VOTED ON INDIVIDUALLY AND IN THE FOLLOWING ORDER AS REQUIRED BY STATE STATUTE AND CITY CHARTER. WOULD YOU LIKE ME TO READ FOUR A THROUGH F MAYOR? NO, JUST, UH, FOUR A FOR NOW. OKAY. ORDINANCE [4A. 20-5334 Ordinance adopting the Annual Consolidated Operating and Capital Budgets for the City of San Antonio Fiscal Year 2021 that begins October 1; approving projects included in the FY 2021 to FY 2025 Five-Year Infrastructure Management Plan; approving the FY 2021 to FY 2026 Six-Year Capital Improvements Program for the City of San Antonio; approving certain contracts; providing for a one-time annuity increase for retirees and their beneficiaries and a revision to the City’s contribution rate in connection with the Texas Municipal Retirement System; authorizing personnel complements; appropriating funds; and amending related ordinances.] ADOPTING THE ANNUAL CONSOLIDATED OPERATING CAPITAL BUDGETS FOR THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO FISCAL YEAR 2020. THAT BEGINS OCTOBER ONE, APPROVING PROJECTS INCLUDED IN THE FISCAL YEAR 2021 TO FISCAL YEAR 20 25, 5 YEAR INFRASTRUCTURE MAINTENANCE PLAN APPROVING THE FISCAL YEAR 2021 TO FISCAL YEAR 20 26, 6 YEAR CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PROGRAM FOR THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO, APPROVING CERTAIN CONTRACTS PROVIDED FOR A ONE-TIME ANNUITY INCREASE FOR RETIREES AND THEIR BENEFICIARIES, AND A REVISION TO THE CITY'S CONTRIBUTION RATE AND CONNECTION WITH THE TEXAS MUNICIPAL RETIREMENT SYSTEM AUTHORIZING PERSONNEL COMPLIMENTS, APPROPRIATING FUNDS, AND AMENDING RELATED ORDINANCES. ALRIGHT, UH, LET ME NOW GIVE FLOOR OVER TO OUR CITY MANAGER, ERIC WALSH. GO HERE. MORNING, MAYOR. UH, COUNCIL, UM, TODAY WE ARE ASKING THE, UH, MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL TO APPROVE THE F Y 2021 PROPOSED BUDGET. THE, JOHN, DO YOU WANNA PULL THE SLIDE? GO AHEAD, JOHN. NEXT SLIDE. UH, YESTERDAY, UM, WE, UH, TALKED ABOUT SEVERAL PRIORITIES, UM, AND I SENT OUT A, UM, PROPOSED AMENDMENT LIST BASED ON THAT CONVERSATION, UH, YESTERDAY. UM, THE, UH, AND I SENT, SO LAST NIGHT, THE TOTAL BUDGET, UH, AND WITH THE AMENDMENTS THAT WERE DISCUSSED YESTERDAY, THOSE AMENDMENTS, UM, DID NOT CHANGE IN THE MEMO THAT I SENT LAST NIGHT. UM, OUR F Y 21 BUDGET IS A BALANCE, UH, DESPITE A FAIR AMOUNT OF, UH, ECONOMIC UNCERTAINTY AND WITH THE AMENDMENTS, OUR OVERALL BUDGET IS, UH, LESS, UM, BY, UH, $4.4 MILLION. UH, THE BUDGET DOES INCLUDE, UM, STRATEGIC INVESTMENTS IN PUBLIC HEALTH, HOMELESS HOUSING, AND MENTAL HEALTH. IN TERMS OF OUR OWN CITY BUDGET, UH, IT INCLUDES, UH, $342 MILLION AND $291 MILLION IN FEDERAL GRANTS, UH, THAT ARE PRIMARILY UNDER ITEM NUMBER 18 THAT YOU'LL BE TALKING ABOUT A LITTLE LATER THIS MORNING. BUT WE DO KNOW THAT IN NEXT YEAR'S PROPOSED BUDGET, UH, OVER THE NEXT SIX MONTHS, THERE'S A LOT OF WORK THAT NEEDS TO BE DONE ON THE POLICE SIDE, UM, BOTH FROM A, A NUMBER OF DIFFERENT APPROACHES. UH, WE'LL NEED TO DO THE WORK THAT WE STARTED [00:30:01] ON, ON POLICIES, UH, SUCH AS, UM, HOW WE RESPOND TO MENTAL HEALTH CASES. UH, AND LAST WEEK'S, UH, CHANGE ON THE PROHIBITIONS OF THINGS LIKE NO-KNOCK WARRANTS AND LDNS. WE WILL CONTINUE TO HAVE TO DEAL WITH OR WILL DEAL WITH, UH, CORNERSTONE ISSUES OF ACCOUNTABILITY AND CITIZEN ENGAGEMENT AND THINGS SUCH AS HIRING AND TRAINING AND PROMOTIONS. WE WILL BE ENGAGING THE ENTIRE COMMUNITY TO SET EXPECTATIONS AND GET FEEDBACK FROM THE ENTIRE COMMUNITY. DO THINGS LIKE REVIEWING OUR CALLS FOR SERVICE AND ENSURING THAT WE'RE PUTTING OUR OFFICERS IN THE ENCOUNTERS THAT WE THINK THAT WE WANT TO BE IN OR THAT WE SHOULD BE IN. UM, AND THE COMMUNITY FEEDBACK WILL BE, UH, IMPORTANT TO THAT. UH, WE'LL NEED TO CONTINUE TO WORK WITH OUR PARTNERS ON ALTERNATIVE RESPONSE THAT MAKES SENSE, UM, AND THAT ARE ACHIEVABLE AND ARE FUNDED. UM, AND THAT CAN INCLUDE PARTNERS FROM OUTSIDE THE ORGANIZATION, BUT ALSO, UH, POTENTIALLY SOME OF OUR OWN DEPARTMENTS. UM, I HAVE A, UH, STRONG INTERNAL TEAM THAT WILL CONTINUE TO LEAD THAT EFFORT. AND, UH, WE WILL BE WORKING VERY CLOSELY WITH COUNCILWOMAN HRA, UH, AND THE ENTIRE PUBLIC SAFETY COMMITTEE AS WE GO THROUGH THIS PROCESS WITH THE APPROPRIATE CHECK-IN POINTS WITH THE ENTIRE COUNCIL IN, UM, IN, IN B SESSION TYPE OF FORMATS. UH, WE WILL ALSO NEED TO CONTINUE TO PREPARE FOR UPCOMING COLLECTIVE BARGAINING NEGOTIATIONS, WHICH BEGIN IN 20, UH, IN JANUARY OF 2021. AND WE'VE TALKED A LOT ABOUT, UH, WHAT OUR PRIORITIES ARE IN THE AREA OF DISCIPLINE, UM, AND CHANGING THAT, UH, FRAMEWORK WITHIN THE CONTRACT, UM, AS BEING A TOP PRIORITY IN GIVING THE CHIEF A MORE OF A ROLE. IN THE FINAL SAY OF DISCIPLINE, UH, MAYOR COUNCIL, I WANNA ASSURE YOU THAT, UH, UH, I, UH, MY TEAM AND, UH, THE COMMAND STAFF OF THE POLICE DEPARTMENT UNDERSTAND THE IMPORTANCE OF THESE, UH, STRUCTURAL ISSUES, UH, TO FRAME AND BUILD UPON OUR SERVICE TO THE COMMUNITY. UM, IT IS GONNA BE CRITICAL THAT WE CONTINUE THIS CONVERSATION. IT IS A CONVERSATION THAT, UH, IN SOME AREAS BEGAN BEFORE, UH, THE KILLING OF GEORGE FLOYD, BUT HAS INTENSIFIED OVER THE SUMMER, AND WE UNDERSTAND THE IMPORTANCE OF IT, AND WE WILL BE DILIGENT AND, AND WORK HARD TO CONTINUE TO REVIEW AND MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE, UH, PUTTING OURSELVES, UH, AND THE COMMUNITY AND THE POLICE DEPARTMENT IN THE BEST POSSIBLE POSITION. THE PROPOSED BUDGET ALSO, UH, RESUMES OUR HISTORIC INVESTMENTS IN STREETS AND SIDEWALKS. WE HAVE $102 MILLION IN OUR STREET MAINTENANCE PROGRAM, UM, AND $18 MILLION IN SIDEWALKS. WE HAVE BEEN ABLE TO, UH, GET TO THIS POINT, UH, WITHOUT, UH, WITH, BY ACHIEVING KIND OF OUR TWO ORIGINAL GUIDEPOSTS THAT WE TALKED ABOUT AT THE, UH, JUNE, UH, COUNCIL BUDGET WORK SESSION, WHICH WAS, UH, MAINTAINING CITY SERVICES TO THE COMMUNITY AND AVOIDING CITY EMPLOYEE LAYOFFS. NEXT SLIDE. SO OUR OVERALL BUDGET IS, UH, $2.9 BILLION, UH, 1.28, UH, BILLION, UH, FROM THE GENERAL FUND, 999 MILLION IN RESTRICTED FUNDS AND $641 MILLION IN OUR CAPITAL BUDGET. AND AGAIN, OUR BUDGET, UH, HAS DECREASED BY $4.4 MILLION, UH, OVER 2020. NEXT SLIDE. SO WE WILL, UM, NEED TO CONTINUE, AND I TALKED A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THIS STUFF YESTERDAY. UH, WE WILL NEED TO CONTINUE TO, UM, MANAGE ACTIVELY OUR FINANCIAL SITUATION. UH, THE F Y 21 PROPOSED BUDGET DID INCLUDE $49 MILLION IN PLANNED CUTS IN 2022. UH, AS WE CONTINUE TO, UH, MONITOR OUR RECOVERY, UH, IN OUR MAJOR REVENUE SOURCES, UM, AND WE WILL CONTINUE TO, UH, WATCH THAT, UH, PLANNED REDUCTION LIST IN, IN AS WE GO THROUGHOUT THE YEAR. WE WILL INCORPORATE THOSE INTO THE QUARTERLY UPDATES THAT WE'LL BE GIVING COUNCIL. UM, I THINK IT'S EXTREMELY IMPORTANT AND HAS PUT US IN A POSITION TODAY, UH, BECAUSE WE HAVE, UM, UH, UH, BEEN QUICK, UH, AND COMPREHENSIVE ON HOW WE HAVE MANAGED, UM, OUR ORGANIZATION AND THE SERVICES FROM A FINANCIAL STANDPOINT THAT GIVES US THE LATITUDE TO DO THE THINGS AND MOVE AND ADJUST ACCORDINGLY. UH, AND WE'LL NEED TO CONTINUE TO DO THAT. IT'LL BE IMPORTANT TO ME, UH, AS WE, AS I SHARED YESTERDAY, AS WE MONITOR ON A QUARTERLY BASIS, WE'LL WRAP FROM A REVENUE STANDPOINT, UH, IF, IF, IF, IF WE ARE IN A BETTER POSITION THAN WE BEGIN DIALING DOWN. UH, AND, UH, FROM THE 2022 PLANNED REDUCTIONS AS WE GO THROUGH THE FISCAL YEAR, ONE OF MY TOP PRIORITIES WILL BE THAT, UH, WE ELIMINATE THE FURLOUGH DAYS THAT ARE CURRENTLY SCHEDULED OR CURRENTLY PLANNED IN THE 2022 BUDGET. AND, AND WHAT THAT'LL DO, MAYOR COUNSEL, [00:35:01] IS THAT AS WE GO INTO THE APRIL, MAY, JUNE TIMEFRAME, UH, THAT WILL HELP US SET THE TABLE AND PUT US A LITTLE BIT AHEAD IN TERMS OF PREPARING FOR 2022 AND BEING ABLE TO FOCUS ON COUNCIL PRIORITIES AND OUR OWN FINANCIAL HEALTH. THE ORGANIZATION WILL CONTINUE TO FOCUS ON THE RESPONSE AND RECOVERY. AND, AND, AND WE'VE TALKED ABOUT THIS A NUMBER OF TIMES. IT IS THE, IT IS OUR PRIMARY GOAL RIGHT NOW ORGANIZATIONAL WIDE, AND HAS IMPACTED AND CHANGED THE, UH, THE WORK OF A NUMBER OF OUR DEPARTMENTS. AND, AND I'M EXTREMELY PROUD THAT THEY HAVE, UH, SHIFTED AS QUICKLY AS THEY HAVE. WE HAVE, UM, UH, AS COUNCILMAN TIO POINTED OUT YESTERDAY, WHEN WE STARTED THE EAP, IT TOOK US 52 DAYS TO GET THROUGH THAT PROCESS. AND NEIGHBORHOOD HOUSING SERVICES IS DOWN TO NINE DAYS. AND SO IT HAS BEEN, UH, IT HAS BEEN, UH, A HUGE EFFORT, UH, AND IT'LL CONTINUE TO BE A TOP PRIORITY FOR THIS ORGANIZATION. UH, AS WE GO FORWARD. THE CITY TEAM IS COMMITTED TO CONTINUING THE SERVICE TO THE COMMUNITY, UM, AND, AND THIS ORGANIZATION. AND WE ARE ASKING COUNSEL, AS THE CLERK MENTIONED, TO APPROVE SIX SEPARATE ITEMS. MARY COUNCIL, I'D LIKE TO THANK THE ENTIRE BUDGET STAFF AND, AND, AND ALL THE FISCAL STAFF FROM ALL OF OUR DEPARTMENTS. UH, AND THANK SCOTT, UH, FOR EASILY TRANSITIONING INTO HIS ROLE HERE THIS SUMMER. AND FOR JUSTINA FOR GUIDING US ALL. UM, I WANT TO THANK ALL THE DEPARTMENT EXECUTIVES WHO HAVE DONE AN AMAZING JOB, UH, OVER THE, UH, LAST, UH, SEVEN MONTHS. IT'S A GOOD, GOOD GROUP. IT'S A GOOD TEAM, IT'S A GREAT TEAM. UH, AND, AND WE WOULD NOT BE AT THIS TODAY'S POINT, UM, HAD IT NOT BEEN FOR THEIR, UH, DILIGENCE AS, UH, THEY WORKED THROUGH THEIR OWN DEPARTMENTAL OPERATIONS. I WANNA THANK THE EXECUTIVE LEADERSHIP TEAM, UH, ANDY AND LIZ AND ROD, COLLEEN, UM, UH, DAVID LAURIE, UH, ALL HAVE, UH, BEEN, UH, LEADERS IN THEIR, UH, AREAS. UH, I WANNA THANK, UH, MARIE AND BEN WHO ARE, WHO DIRECTLY, UH, WORK TO MANAGE OUR ENTIRE PROCESS, UH, AND, AND MAYOR AND COUNCIL. UM, YOU KNOW, NO ONE PERSON DOES ANYTHING AROUND HERE. UH, IT'S, IT'S REALLY JUST NOT POSSIBLE. UM, UH, THIS TEAM IS COMMITTED, UH, IS COMMITTED, HAS BEEN COMMITTED AND WILL CONTINUE TO BE COMMITTED TO SERVE THIS ORGANIZATION OF THE COMMUNITY AND THE MILLION AND A HALF PEOPLE THAT, UH, RELY UPON US EVERY DAY, UH, AT THAT. SOMEHOW OR ANOTHER, THE CITY TOUCHES EVERY ONE OF THOSE INDIVIDUALS, UH, EVERY SINGLE DAY. UH, I APPRECIATE THE VALUABLE POLICY GUIDANCE PROVIDED BY THE CITY COUNCIL DURING THE BUDGET PROCESS. UH, I KNOW IT'S BEEN A, UH, A DIFFICULT YEAR SO FAR, UH, AND WE HAVE A LOT OF WORK TO CONTINUE TO DO, UH, BUT I AM SINCERELY APPRECIATIVE OF THE COUN TO THE COUNCIL, UH, FOR YOUR APPROACH AND GUIDANCE, UH, AS A TEAM. I, I KNOW WE CAN CONTINUE TO DO GREAT THINGS FOR OUR COMMUNITY. UH, COUNCILWOMAN VERAN AND COUNCILWOMAN GONZALEZ. I KNOW, UH, THIS WAS, UH, NOT HOW YOU ENVISIONED, UH, YOUR LAST BUDGET PROCESS, UH, TO, TO GO. UH, BUT I WANT TO THANK, UH, BOTH OF YOU FOR YOUR, UH, STEADY HAND AS WE HAVE BEEN DEALING WITH A MULTITUDE OF ISSUES, UH, GOING BACK TO MARCH. UM, WITH THAT MAYOR, I WILL TURN IT BACK OVER TO YOU. UH, WE HAVE STAFF ONLINE, UH, TO BE ABLE TO RESPOND TO QUESTIONS, AND I'M AVAILABLE AS WELL. THANK YOU. THANK YOU, ERIC. AND, UM, THANK YOU ALSO TO THE ENTIRE TEAM, UM, CITY STAFF AND CITY COUNCIL FOR, UH, SOME GREAT WORK THROUGH, UH, EXTRAORDINARY CIRCUMSTANCES. UM, WE DO HAVE MANY CITIZENS SIGNED UP TO SPEAK ON ITEM FOUR, SO I'LL GO AHEAD AND START CALLING, UH, FOLKS UP NOW, AND THEN WE'LL GET INTO OUR COUNCIL DISCUSSION. UM, I'LL START WITH FIRST NAME ON THE LIST. I'LL ALSO READ THE SECOND NAME IF YOU CAN BE PREPARED TO SPEAK. UH, AND FOLKS HAVE, UH, BEEN PROVIDED THE INFORMATION TO GET CONNECTED. THOSE WHO HAVE SIGNED UP TO SPEAK ON THIS. UM, SO JORDAN GUTIERREZ, FOLLOWED BY MAUREEN KAKI. JORDAN GUTIERREZ. I BELIEVE JORDAN WAS NOT CONNECTED, SO WE'LL GO TO MAUREEN KHAKI, FOLLOWED BY KAREN MUNOZ. HI. UM, THERE'S NOTHING THAT I'M GOING TO SAY THAT ALREADY HASN'T BEEN SAID. UH, THE MAYOR HAS SAID THAT THIS IS A COMPLICATED ISSUE, UH, WITH WHICH I AGREE, AND I ALSO DON'T. UM, IT'S DELIBERATELY COMPLICATED BY A CONTRACT, A CONTRACT THAT THE MAYOR CLAIMS TO HAVE OPPOSED THE LAST NEGOTIATION, WHICH IS TRUE. BUT MAYOR RON BERG, YOU AND I BOTH KNOW THAT YOU DIDN'T DO ENOUGH TO OPPOSE IT. YOU WERE OPPOSING IT NOT WITH A DEFUND FRAMEWORK, UM, LIKE WE ARE TRYING TO PUSH, RIGHT? YOU OPPOSED IT ON A PROCEDURAL BASIS, AND YOU'VE SINCE TRIED TO SORT OF SHIFT AND SEEM AS IF YOU'VE BEEN ON THE DEFUND SIDE, AND THAT'S JUST NOT TRUE. YOU NEVER ENTERED INTO THESE NEGOTIATIONS [00:40:01] WITH THAT FRAMEWORK, AND THAT SHOWS THROUGH WHAT YOU WOULD TRY TO ADVOCATE. BUT MORE THAN THAT, UM, THE POINT IS, IS THAT THERE ARE MILLIONS OF DOLLARS THAT CAN GO TODAY TO OTHER PROGRAMS. UM, IT MAY BE COMPLICATED, BUT IS IT REALLY MORE COMPLICATED THAN THE DEATHS OF DARRYL ZAMAL SR. OR MARQUEE JONES OR CHARLES ROUNDTREE JR. OR ANTRON SCOTT? IF YOU ACCEPT THAT RACISM IS A PUBLIC HEALTH CRISIS, THEN YOU ACCEPT RACISM AS A SYSTEMIC STRUCTURAL ISSUE. THE ONLY SOLUTION TO THAT IS RESTRUCTURING. THIS IS AN OPPORTUNITY FOR YOU ALL TO HAVE A LITTLE BIT OF IMAGINATION AND TO DO SOMETHING THAT'S GENUINELY A STEP FORWARD FOR OUR COMMUNITY. POLICING DOESN'T WORK. DARRYL ALT SR. DIED OF VIOLENT AND SUDDEN DEATH. IF IT WERE ANYONE ELSE WHO KILLED MR. ZAMAL IN THAT FASHION, THEY WOULD BE CALLED MURDERERS AND VIOLENT PEOPLE AMONG A HOST OF OTHER NAMES. BUT THE OFFICERS WHO MURDERED HIM ARE INSTEAD AFFORDED INSTITUTIONAL PROTECTION AND NOT JUST ANY INSTITUTIONAL PROTECTION, THE MOST WELL-FUNDED PUBLIC INSTITUTION IN THE CITY, THEY'RE AFFORDED UNANIMITY EVEN. AND MEANWHILE, THE FAMILY OF MR. ZAMAL GETS NOTHING WORSE THAN NOTHING. THEY WATCH HIS SS A P D OFFICERS SMEAR AT THEIR FAMILY MEMBER'S DEATH. THEY GET TO WATCH HIS PEOPLE WHO HAVE NEVER HEARD MR. ALT'S NAME BEFORE, MAKE UP EXCUSES IN A HORRIFIC ATTEMPT TO JUSTIFY HIS MURDER. NOW THAT A FAMILY GRIEVING IS TRAUMATIZED FOREVER AND ONE OF THEIR OWN GONE. AND FOR WHAT? FOR WHAT? IN THE NAME OF PROTECTING AND SERVING THE COMMUNITY? IS THAT WHAT IT LOOKS LIKE? ALL OF THIS FOR AN ACCUSATION, EVEN IF MR. ZAMAL WAS GUILTY OF EVERYTHING THEY ACCUSED HIM OF, HE MOST CERTAINLY DID NOT DESERVE AN EXECUTION IN HIS HOME. AND I WOULD ASK ANYONE WHO MAKES THAT LEAP OF JUSTIFICATION TO PLEASE JUST SIT FOR A MOMENT AND THINK ABOUT THEIR SHEER LACK OF HUMANITY. POLICING FAILS TO DETER CRIME. THIS ISN'T A MATTER OF OPINION, IT'S BACKED BY RESEARCH, BUT MORE THAN THAT, POLICING CREATES MORE VIOLENCE AND POLICING INFLICTS TRAUMA ON OUR COMMUNITIES. WE'RE HERE BECAUSE WE LITERALLY CAN'T TAKE IT ANYMORE. WE'RE HERE TALKING TO YOU BECAUSE THERE'S ANOTHER WAY. WE'RE HERE BECAUSE WE LOVE OUR COMMUNITIES AND BECAUSE WE HAVE THE IMAGINATION AND THE HOPE THAT OUR COMMUNITIES CAN BE MORE THAN ARENAS FOR POLICE TO LIVE OUT THEIR COMBAT FANTASIES. DEFUNDING SAN ANTONIO POLICE SHOWS THAT YOU PRIORITIZE THE CARE, THE NEEDS OF THE COMMUNITY, AND THE MOST MARGINALIZED OF OUR COMMUNITY, AND THAT YOU'RE BRAVE ENOUGH TO BELIEVE IN OUR COMMUNITY RATHER THAN TO INFLICT MORE VIOLENT ON US, VIOLENCE ON US IN AN EFFORT TO SUBDUE US. THERE IS NO OTHER WAY TO DO THIS. BREAK THE CONTRACT. WHAT COULD, WHAT COULD, WHAT COULD COME OF IT? BREAK THE CONTRACT. 22,000 PEOPLE ARE HERE TO SUPPORT YOU AND BREAKING THAT CONTRACT. HAVE YOU LOOKED INTO IT? THANK YOU, MS. KHAKI. KAREN OZ, FOLLOWED BY ANTONIO DIAZ. HI, UM, THIS IS KAREN OZ. I'M A RESIDENT OF DISTRICT EIGHT. UM, AND I'M HERE AGAIN AS I WAS LAST NIGHT TO EXPRESS JUST MY DEEP DISAPPOINTMENT IN YOU ALL. UM, WE ALL UNDERSTAND THAT BUDGETS ARE MORAL DOCUMENTS, AND THE REALITY IS THE BIGGEST PIECE OF THE PIE, THAT IS THE BUDGET GOES TO LAW ENFORCEMENT. AND LAW ENFORCEMENT, AS WE'VE SEEN COUNTLESS TIMES, CONTINUES TO ABUSE OUR COMMUNITY AND ESPECIALLY BLACK PEOPLE IN THIS COMMUNITY. UM, I JUST DON'T UNDERSTAND. I JUST, IT'S JUST BEYOND ME THAT YOU ALL AS CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS, PEOPLE THAT HAVE THE POWER TO PROTECT ALL OF US, DRIVE AROUND THIS CITY AND SEE HOW MANY PEOPLE NEED HOUSING IN THIS COMMUNITY, AND WATCH THE NEWS AND SEE HOW MANY PEOPLE ARE SUFFERING JUST EDUCATION AND LACK OF RESOURCES AND HAVING TO, THERE'S SO MUCH GOING ON IN YOUR ANSWER IS TO INSTEAD, CONTINUE TO GIVE MONEY TO THE PEOPLE WHO ARE KILLING OUR COMMUNITY MEMBERS AND TO GIVE WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT WHEN PEOPLE NEED HOUSING. UM, EVERYTHING OTHER THAN GIVING, MOVING RESOURCES AWAY FROM LAW ENFORCEMENT AND TOWARDS ACTUAL SERVICES IS NOT ENOUGH. THANK THANK YOU, MS. MUNOZ. ANTONIO DIAZ, FOLLOWED BY LEXI GARCIA. UH, YES, DIEGO WILL BE GIVING HER TIME AS WELL. I'M SORRY. UM, JUST SAY THAT AGAIN. ANTONIO, IF YOU CAN CONFIRM THAT MS. DIEGO WILL BE GIVING YOU HER TIME AS WELL. UM, DEANNA'S NOT SIGNED UP TODAY. UM, ANTONIO, SO GO AHEAD. SIGNED UP. OKAY. WELL, SHE WAS, BUT YES, AGAIN, AS I KEEP COMPLAINING ABOUT THIS PROCESS, WE HAVE CHILDREN THAT ARE ATTENDING NOW IN-PERSON SCHOOLING, AND YET WE CANNOT HAVE IN-PERSON CITY COUNCIL MEETINGS SO THAT WE CAN AFFIRM WHEN WE SIGN UP FOR CERTAIN ITEMS OR IN ATTENDANCE. I WITNESSED MS. DIANA UGA SIGNING UP AND SPEAKING TO THE CITY CLERK, AND YET SHE HAS NOT SIGNED UP. SO THIS PROCESS IS VERY, VERY FLAWED [00:45:01] AS FAR AS, UH, UH, OUR PARTICIPATION IN LOCAL GOVERNMENT WITH OUR ELECTED OFFICIALS ACTUALLY COMPLAINING ABOUT THAT. I KNOW THE GOVERNOR, UH, APPROVED THE EMERGENCY ACT AS FAR AS NOT HAVING TO MEET IN PERSON, BUT AGAIN, I STATE IF OUR CHILDREN THE MOST VULNERABLE ARE BEING PUT TO SCHOOL IN PERSON, AND YET WE THE PUBLIC COULD WANT THEM DEMAND TO ATTEND THESE MEETINGS WITH OUR ELECTED OFFICIALS OR DENIED IT BECAUSE OF PROFITS IS VERY DAMNING AS FAR AS OUR LOCAL GOVERNMENT GOES FOR AS FAR AS I'M CONCERNED. AGAIN, UH, THE BUDGET THERE, THERE ARE SEVERAL ITEMS IN IT THAT ARE, TO BEGIN WITH. AGAIN, THE POLICE BUDGET IS AT 60 SOME ODD PERCENT IS, IS TOO TOP HEAVY. IT IS, IT IS A VITAL INFRASTRUCTURE FOR OUR, FOR OUR CITY, FOR OUR CITIZENS, FOR OUR, UH, CORPORATE AND BUSINESS INTEREST, OF COURSE, BUT IT IS TOP HEAVY AND IT, IT DID NOT CONTINUE TO GET ALL THE GRANTS AND ALL THE ALLOCATIONS THAT, UH, ARE, ARE JUST, AGAIN, BY PROCEDURE AND PROCESS CONTINUE TO BE ALLOWED TO PERMITTED TO THEM OR TO, AND AGAIN, THAT WE'RE, WE'RE TALKING ABOUT WHAT THE, THE BUDGET FOR, FOR IT WOULD BE A FIVE YEAR PROCESS I SAW AS FAR AS GRANTS AND PROVISIONS THAT ARE FOR, FOR FI FINANCING, FOR, FOR CONTRACTS AND SO FORTH INTO 2026. AND YET, UH, THE CONTRACT WITH, UH, IS SUPPOSED TO START BEING NEGOTIATED IN 20, UH, 21 JANUARY, ENDING IN SEPTEMBER, AND YET YOUR ALREADY AGREEMENTS GOING INTO 2026. SO WE, UNLESS I'M CONFUSED ABOUT THIS, AND SO WHY WE SHOULD HAVE THIS IN PERSON MEETINGS, AND I'VE, AGAIN, CITY MANAGER WALSH, I'VE PUT TOGETHER A A, A A COMMUNITY COMMITTEE AND WE'VE ASKED TO MEET WITH YOU TO DISCUSS THIS ISSUE AS FAR AS SUPPORT GOES AND, AND POLICING, UH, ACTIVITIES SUCH AS, AGAIN, I KNOW PEOPLE WANT TO PUT 1 43 AND 1 74 FOR TRANSPARENCY INTO, UH, POLICE FILES AND, AND THEIR DISCIPLINARY ACTIONS THAT ARE OMITTED OR SOMEHOW NOT OPAQUE, NOT NOT TRANSPARENT TO THE PUBLIC OR TO EVEN TO THE THANK YOU, MR. DIAZ. LEXI GARCIA, FOLLOWED BY ISABELLA VERNO. HI, COUNSEL. UM, MY NAME IS LEXI GARCIA, AND I WANNA ECHO A LITTLE BIT OF WHAT, UM, MAY BEFORE ME, UH, OR THE PERSON BEFORE ME SAID ABOUT THE COMPLETE INACCESSIBILITY OF THESE, OF THIS VIRTUAL, UM, CALL-IN, UM, MEETING STYLE. I DON'T AGREE THAT WE SHOULD GO BACK TO IN-PERSON MEETINGS, BUT THERE ARE CERTAINLY BETTER TECHNOLOGICAL, UM, SYSTEMS TO USE, UM, FOR US, FOR YOU TO HEAR, UM, FROM YOUR CONSTITUENTS. UM, BUT I'M HERE AS A MEMBER OF DISTRICT NINE AND HERE TO SPEAK FIRMLY AGAINST THE BUDGET AS OPPOSED SAN ANTONIO'S POLICE DEPARTMENT DOES NOTHING TO ALTER THE SOCIAL AND ECONOMIC THAT MAKE ALL OF THESE THINGS PEOPLE SEEM SO AFRAID OF, UM, POSSIBLE THINGS LIKE, UM, VIOLENCE AND INTERPERSONAL STRIFE. THESE THINGS ARE FACILITATED THROUGH FAILURE TO TIME AND TIME AGAIN TO SUPPORT, UM, PEOPLE IN THIS COMMUNITY, WHICH IS WHY DIVESTING FROM POLICE, UM, IT'S JUST THE START OF THAT REPAIR. WE HAVE TO START NOW. AND IT'S TIME FOR COUNCIL TO STOP HEARING PEOPLE AND VALIDATING WHAT, WHAT WE FEEL AND TO START ACTING TO ACHIEVE ANY KIND OF ROAD TO HEALING, UM, OR ROAD TO ACTUAL PUBLIC SAFETY. YOU CAN, UH, TODAY DO THIS IN YOUR DISCUSSIONS IMMEDIATELY, DEFUND $28 MILLION THAT ISN'T TIED TO THE COLLECTIVE BARGAINING AGREEMENT AND PUT IT TOWARDS OTHER, UM, OTHER THINGS. I'M ALSO HERE BECAUSE MARQUIS JONES SHOULD BE ALIVE TODAY, MURDERED BY AN OFF-DUTY MEMBER OF YOUR POLICE DEPARTMENT. I'M HERE BECAUSE CHARLES ROUNDTREE SHOULD BE ALIVE TODAY, MURDERED BY A MEMBER OF YOUR POLICE DEPARTMENT. AND I'M HERE BECAUSE AN SCOTT SHOULD BE ALIVE TODAY, MURDERED BY YOUR POLICE DEPARTMENT. I'M HERE BECAUSE DAMIEN DANIELS SHOULD BE ALIVE TODAY, AND I'M HERE BECAUSE DARRELL DEMAL SR. SHOULD BE ALIVE TODAY. SERVING A WARRANT SHOULDN'T [00:50:01] BE A DEATH SENTENCE. BEING BLACK IN SAN ANTONIO SHOULD NOT BE A DEATH SENTENCE, YET THE SAN ANTONIO POLICE DEPARTMENT PROVES TO US THAT THIS IS THE CASE OVER AND OVER AGAIN. IT, IT PROVED IT TO US JUST THIS WEEK AND THE DISGUSTING, UNFATHOMABLE WAY ONCE AGAIN. DO YOU NOT CARE ABOUT BLACK LIVES AND DOES THE FONT SHAKE YOU AND KEEP YOU UP AT NIGHT TOO? IN A TIME WHEN WE'RE ASKING TEACHERS TO RISK THEIR LIVES TO UNNECESSARILY GO BACK TO SCHOOL AND TEACH MY LITTLE SISTER'S, NINTH GRADE TEACHER IS STILL HAVING TO PURCHASE THEIR OWN SCHOOL SUPPLIES FOR THEIR CLASSROOM. HAS A MEMBER OF YOUR POLICE DEPARTMENT EVER HAD TO PURCHASE THEIR OWN SUPPLIES, HAD TO PURCHASE THEIR OWN LETHAL WEAPON? CERTAINLY NOT. WE NEED TO FUND PUBLIC EDUCATION. 70% OF THE PEOPLE WHO ARE FIRED, UH, FROM THIS POLICE DEPARTMENT ARE REINSTATED. HOW CAN THAT POSSIBLY LEAD TO A COMPASSIONATE POLICE PORT FORCE? IT HASN'T AND IT NEVER WILL. EVERY SINGLE POLICE OFFICER. THANK YOU MS. GARCIA. ISABELLA BRUNO, FOLLOWED BY WILLOW RUBIN. UM, GOOD MORNING COUNSEL. I'M ISABELLA BRUNO. I LIVE IN DISTRICT FOUR AND I'M HERE TODAY LIKE MANY OTHERS, TO OFFER FINAL PLEA TO DEFUND S A P D AND FOR YOU TO VOTE ON A BUDGET THAT REDIRECTS THEIR FUNDS TO RESOURCES THAT ACTUALLY HELP OUR CITY. YOU'RE GOING TO HEAR AND HAVE BEEN HEARING A LOT OF IMPORTANT NUMBERS AND FACTS THAT SHOULD BE ABHORRENT OR EYE-OPENING TO YOU THAT IN THIS PROPOSED BUDGET, S A P D IS BUDGETED MORE THAN THE ENTIRETY OF COMMUNITY SERVICE. THAT POLICE BRUTALITY IS VERY REAL, HORRIFYING REAL TO OUR COMMUNITY AND TO THE FAMILIES OF DARL AL, SR. MAR JONES, ANTHONY, SCOTT, DAMIEN, AND DANIELS. TOO MANY TO NAME IT. ONLY THREE MINUTES THAT IN A SURVEY, SAN ANTONIANS TOLD YOU THAT PUBLIC SAFETY IS NOT A PRIORITY IN THIS BUDGET. THESE SAME SANTON, IF YOU DIDN'T KNOW, ARE THE ONES WHO CAN VOTE YOU OUT AND WOULD DO SO WITHOUT HESITANCY. AS YOU MAKE MORE AND MORE CLEAR WITH THIS BUDGET THAT YOU DON'T CARE WHAT WE HAVE TO SAY, WE'RE TIRED OF THINKING OF DIFFERENT WAYS TO TELL YOU THE SAME THING. WE AREN'T STUPID AND WE AREN'T GOING TO GO AWAY. VOTE FOR A BUDGET THAT PRIORITIZES REAL PEOPLE, PEOPLE WHO IT'S YOUR JOB TO SERVE AND ACCURATELY REPRESENTS WHEN THE MOST YOU CAN DO IS MAKE A 25 TWEET THREAD THAT AMOUNTS TO NO, BUT SORRY, THAT'S NOT BEING A LEADER. THAT'S BEING AFRAID. PEOPLE ARE LOSING THEIR JOBS, THEIR HOUSES, THEIR LOVED ONES, AND OTHERWISE HAVING THEIR LIVES TURNED UPSIDE DOWN. DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT WHEN YOU DON'T. YOU MAY AS WELL WALK STRAIGHT UP TO THE LINE AT THE FOOD BANK AND TELL THOSE FAMILIES YOU DON'T CARE TILL THEIR FACES. GIVE PEOPLE THEIR EVICTION NOTICES YOURSELF. THAT WOULD BE PARTLY ON YOUR SHOULDERS OR YOU CAN TODAY DEFUND S A P D FUND, HOUSING PUBLIC HEALTH FUND EDUCATION. YOU'VE HEARD THESE THINGS ALL BEFORE, SO PROVE THAT YOU CARE ABOUT WHAT WE KEEP TELLING YOU. THANK YOU. THANK YOU, MS. ZENIO WILLOW RUBIN, FOLLOWED BY SARAH MOCK. HELLO, MY NAME IS WILLOW RUBIN AND I AM A RESIDENT OF DISTRICT ONE HERE IN SAN ANTONIO. I'M HERE TO ECHO MY COMRADES AND DEMAND THAT CITY COUNCIL DEFUND SS A P D AND REALLOCATE FUNDS TO ESSENTIAL PROGRAMS AND SERVICES SUCH AS EDUCATION, PUBLIC HEALTH, HUMAN RESOURCES, AND HOUSING. THERE ARE MANY REASONS I COULD GIVE FOR MAKING THIS REQUEST TODAY. HOW ABOUT THAT? THE OFFICERS OF SS A P D MUST BE HELD ACCOUNTABLE RATHER THAN REWARDED FOR MURDERING CHARLES ROUNDTREE, ANTHONY SCOTT, MARQUIS JONES, DAMIEN DANIELS, AND MOST RECENTLY DARRYL AL S SENIOR THAT AMIDS A GLOBAL PANDEMIC AND UNEMPLOYMENT CRISIS. CITY COUNCIL IS CHOOSING TO REDUCE FUNDING FOR PUBLIC HEALTH AND HOUSING EFFORTS, BUT THE CRIES FOR JUSTICE FROM THE COMMUNITY ARE CONTINUOUSLY FALLING, FALLING ON DEAF EARS. THE LIST GOES ON. HOWEVER, I'LL FOCUS ON ONE TINY PART OF THE BUDGET. THAT BUDGET CUTS THAT I HOPE CAN BRING ATTENTION TO THE MANY SMALLER PROGRAMS THAT WILL BE SACRIFICED WHILE SS A P D LIVES ON. I'M A COLLEGE ADVISOR HERE IN SAN ANTONIO. OFFICIALLY, I WORK WITH JUNIOR AND SENIOR STUDENTS AS THEY GO THROUGH THE COLLEGE APPLICATION PROCESS. IN PRACTICE, I LISTEN TO AND SUPPORT MY STUDENTS AS THEY WORK TOWARD THEIR POST-SECONDARY DREAMS. I HAVE MANY PARTNERS WHO DO AND HAVE DONE THIS WORK LONG BEFORE ME. THEY SERVE AS MENTORS AND LEADERS FOR OUR STUDENTS. OUR STUDENTS WHO ARE ON THE PRECIPICE OF BEGINNING TO LIVE THEIR LIVES, INDEPENDENT OF THEIR PARENTS. THEY'RE PREPARING TO JOIN THE WORKFORCE, LEAD THE COMMUNITY, PURSUE HIGHER EDUCATION, AND SO MUCH MORE. THE CUTS TO THE BUDGET HAVE ALREADY OR WILL ELIMINATE SOME OF THE COLLEGE READINESS AND WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT PRO PARTNERS THAT I KNOW SAN ANTONIO STUDENTS AND FAMILIES RELY ON, INCLUDING, BUT NOT LIMITED TO. THE GOODWILL CAREER NAVIGATORS, THE GOOD SAMARITAN COMMUNITY SERVICES AND THE FAMILY SERVICES ASSOCIATION. THESE PROGRAMS ARE BEING LEFT BEHIND, BEHIND A CITY COUNCIL, BENDS THE KNEE TO THE POLICE UNION. IT'S [00:55:01] TIME TO HARNESS YOUR POWER, RENEGOTIATE THIS CONTRACT AND DEFUND SS A P D, STOP HIDING BEHIND BUREAUCRATIC EXCUSES IN AN ATTEMPT TO SILENCE US. I HOPE YOU CHOOSE TO ACT TODAY RATHER THAN JUST HEAR US. TO REINVEST IN OUR COMMUNITY, SUPPORT OUR FUTURES, PROTECT OUR HEALTH, AND DEFUND S A P D. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. UH, MS. RUBIN. SARAH MOCK, FOLLOWED BY OLIVIA RO MS. MOCK. OKAY, WE'LL GO TO OLIVIA ROYLE, FOLLOWED BY GINA KRAMER. MS. ROYLE, HI. HELLO. HI, IS THIS UH, OLIVIA ROYLE? YES, THIS IS OLIVIA. OKAY, YOU HAVE THE FLOOR. YOU'LL BE FOLLOWED BY GINA KRAMER. HI, MY NAME IS OLIVIA ROYBAL AND I AM A DIS, UH, RESIDENT OF DISTRICT 10. UH, I OPPOSE THE BUDGET PROPOSAL. UH, THE BUDGET IS PARTICULARLY GROTESQUE BECAUSE IT DEFUND VITAL SERVICES DURING A MASSIVE CRISIS BROUGHT ON BY THE COVID PANDEMIC. WHILE INCREASING FUNDING TO THE SAN ANTONIO POLICE DEPARTMENT, POLICE SHOULD NOT BE FUNDED MORE THAN THEY ALREADY ARE. INSTEAD, S A P Z SHOULD BE DEFUNDED AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE IN THIS BUDGET CYCLE. INSTEAD, CITY SERVICES SHOULD BE FUNDED FULLY TO BETTER PROVIDE FOR THE RESIDENTS OF THIS CITY. SS A P D HAS KILLED EIGHT PEOPLE THIS YEAR. IT IS ONLY SEPTEMBER. I HAVE NOTICED SAN ANTONIO ELECTED OFFICIALS REFERENC INSTANCES OF POLICE MURDERS AND BRUTALITY THAT HAPPENED IN OTHER PLACES IN OTHER CITIES AND ADDRESS THE NATIONAL CLIMATE AND CONVERSATION. YOU DON'T HAVE TO LOOK TO MINNEAPOLIS, IT IS HAPPENING HERE. CHARLES ROUNDTREE, MARQUEES JONES, ANTHONY SCOTT, DAMIEN DANIELS MOST RECENTLY SS A P D MURDERED DURRELL, DARRELL AL SR. THIS ORGANIZATION IS BEYOND THE HELP OF SMALL REFORMS LIKE CITIZEN REVIEW BOARDS AND STREAMLINE HIRES AND FIRES. THE ONLY VIABLE SOLUTION IS TO SLOWLY MOVE FUNDS AWAY FROM THE DEPARTMENT AND TO FUND SERVICES THAT UPLIFT THE COMMUNITY INSTEAD OF REPRESS IT. IF ANY OTHER DEPARTMENT WAS MURDERING CITIZENS, PEOPLE OF SAN ANTONIO, AN INCREASE IN FUNDING WOULD NOT BE ON THE TABLE BY NOT REMOVING FUNDS FROM SAP'S BUDGET. AND INCREASING FUNDING CITY COUNCIL IS ENDORSING EVERY VIOLENT ACTION THEY COMMIT. ACCORDING TO THE UNITED WAYS OF TEXAS, MORE THAN HALF OF BEXAR COUNTY FAMILIES OR EITHER IN POVERTY OR LIVING IN A SINGLE FINANCIAL MISSTEP AWAY FROM IT IN 2018, CONDITIONS THAT HAVE ONLY BEEN EXACERBATED BY THE PANDEMIC. WHILE SS A P D RECEIVES A DISPROPORTIONATE AMOUNT OF THE CITY BUDGET, THE BUDGET REMOVES $47,500 FROM THE SAN ANTONIO FOOD BANK AT THE SAN ANTONIO FOOD BANK. $1 EQUALS SEVEN MEALS, MEANING MISS BUDGET CUTS 332,000 MEALS. BEYOND SUPPLYING FOOD, THE FOOD BANK PROVIDES ESSENTIAL SERVICES LIKE HELPING PEOPLE APPLY FOR STATE AND FEDERAL BENEFITS LIKE SNAP, SNAP CAMPS AND N S L P EQUALLY, UM, BILINGUAL SERVICES OF EQUAL QUALITY AS WELL. REALLOCATING FUNDING FROM S A P D TOWARD INCREASING FUNDING FOR PUBLIC HEALTH, HOUSING, EDUCATION AND SOCIAL SERVICES IN SAN ANTONIO IS NECESSARY. AND POPULARLY SUPPORTED BY SAN ANTONIO. OVER 22,000 CITIZENS RESPONDED TO THE SS A SPEAKUP BUDGET SURVEY. PUBLIC SAFETY, THE MISLEADING TERM THE CITY PROVIDES FOR PUBLIC SERVICES, I WILL ADD AS WELL, WAS NOT AMONG THE TOP THREE PRIORITIES WHERE PEOPLE INSTEAD DEMANDED MORE FUNDING FOR PUBLIC HEALTH, AFFORDABLE HOUSING, AND SENIOR AND YOUTH SERVICES. FULLY FUNDING CITY SERVICES IS THE ONLY REAL WAY TO PREVENT CRIME AND GIVE JUSTICE TO THE COMMUNITIES THAT HAVE BEEN HARMED BY S A P D. THANK YOU. THANK YOU, MS. ROY. THANK YOU MS. ROAL. GINA KRAMER, FOLLOWED BY ANN FERGUSON. HELLO, MY NAME IS GINA KRAMER AND I AM A RESIDENT OF DISTRICT ONE. I'M SPEAKING OUT TODAY IN ANGERED OPPOSITION TO THE PROPOSED BUDGET. I CAN'T LOOK AT THE NEARLY HALF A BILLION DOLLARS GOING TO POLICING WITHOUT THINKING OF THE MILLIONS OF DOLLARS IN CUTS BEING MADE TO WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT, SENIOR SERVICES AND AFTERSCHOOL PROGRAMS. WHY DOES THIS CITY CONTINUE TO INVEST MORE MONEY INTO POLICING THAN HEALTH, HOUSING, EDUCATION, AND HUMAN SERVICES? ALL COMBINED, POLICE OFFICERS DON'T PREVENT CRIME, AND THEY CERTAINLY DON'T PROTECT MANY IN THE COMMUNITY THAT THEY ARE PAID TO SERVE. TRUE PUBLIC SAFETY BEGINS WITH MAKING SURE THAT THE NEEDS OF OUR COMMUNITY ARE MET, AND THAT STARTS WITH INVESTING IN PUBLIC HEALTH, HOUSING, AND EDUCATION. WE NEED MORE MENTAL HEALTH WORKERS, MORE SUBSTANCE USE TREATMENT FACILITIES, MORE AFFORDABLE HOUSING, NOT MORE POLICE. ADDRESSING THE NEEDS OF OUR COMMUNITIES INEVITABLY LEADS TO IMPROVED SAFETY AND QUALITY OF LIFE FOR EVERYONE. A COMMON SENSE BUDGET DEFUND [01:00:01] THE POLICE AND INVESTS IN COMMUNITY. BACK IN JUNE, FOLLOWING THE MURDER OF GEORGE FLOYD, I BEGAN TO LOOK INTO HOW SAN ANTONIO IS SUFFERING AT THE HANDS OF POLICE. I FOUND THAT BETWEEN NOVEMBER 1ST, 2013 AND DECEMBER 31ST, 2019, 57 PEOPLE WERE MURDERED BY POLICE IN SAN ANTONIO. THAT'S 57 PEOPLE MURDERED BY POLICE IN SIX YEARS. THAT'S 57, 7 FAMILIES WHO HAVE NOT RECEIVED JUSTICE BECAUSE OUT OF THOSE 57 MURDERS, ONLY ONE OFFICER WAS CHARGED AND HE WAS SUBSEQUENTLY ACQUI ACQUITTED. MEANWHILE, NO KNOWN CHARGES HAVE BEEN BROUGHT AGAINST ANY OF THE OTHER OFFICERS. I'M ANGRY TO REPORT THAT EIGHT MORE PEOPLE HAVE BEEN KILLED BY S A P D IN 2020 ALONE. MOST RECENTLY, DARRYL'S MALT SR. EARLIER THIS WEEK, DAMIEN LAMAR DANIELS WAS MURDERED BY BEXAR COUNTY SHERIFF'S OFFICERS JUST A FEW WEEKS BEFORE THAT. HOW MANY MORE PEOPLE WILL BE MURDERED BY POLICE BEFORE OUR ELECTED OFFICIALS BEGIN TO WORK TOWARDS ACTUAL CHANGE? WE WILL KEEP FIGHTING FOR A BETTER FUTURE LONG AFTER THIS BUDGET VOTE, AND I HOPE THAT YOU ALL WILL TAKE STEPS TO DO THE SAME. MY VOTE IN MAY CERTAINLY DEPENDS ON Y'ALL DOING JUST THAT. THANK YOU. THANK YOU MS. KRAMER. ANN FERGUSON, FOLLOWED BY NICK SWANSON. HELLO, CITY COUNCIL. HELLO, MAYOR ERENBERG. MY NAME IS ANN FERGUSON. I'M A LIFELONG NATIVE SAN ANTONIO CURRENT D ONE RESIDENT AND MEMBER OF THE NEW LEADERS COUNCIL OF SAN ANTONIO. AS COUNCIL IS AWARE, THERE WAS RECORD BREAKING PARTICIPATION IN THE ESSAY SPEAKUP BUDGET SURVEY. OVER 22,000 CITIZENS RESPONDED LETTING CITY COUNCIL KNOW THAT OUR BUDGET PRIORITIES ARE PUBLIC HEALTH, AFFORDABLE HOUSING, AND SENIOR AND YOUTH SERVICES. WE KNOW, HOWEVER, FROM THE PROPOSED BUDGET THAT THESE ARE OBVIOUSLY NOT YOUR PRIORITIES. WHY NOT? AND PLEASE DO NOT BLAME IT ON THE POLICE UNION'S COLLECTIVE BARGAINING AGREEMENT, $101 MILLION. THE PROPOSED POLICE BUDGET DOES NOT FALL UNDER THE THE AGREEMENT. THIS IS MONEY THAT CAN BE REALLOCATED AS WE AND YOU SEEK FIT ALSO. HELLO, MR. ERIC WALSH. I TOO AM A GRADUATE OF TRINITY UNIVERSITY'S URBAN STUDIES PROGRAM. I KNOW YOU KNOW ABOUT THE GEOGRAPHIC AND ENVIRONMENTAL INEQUITIES IN OUR CITY. HOW DOES AN OVERINFLATED POLICE BUDGET HELP ADDRESS ANY OF OUR CITY'S BIGGEST PROBLEMS? CAN YOU IMAGINE HOW A $100 MILLION INVESTMENT IN AFFORDABLE HOUSING COULD IMPACT OUR CITY? WE DON'T HAVE TO JUST IMAGINE IT, IT'S WITHIN YOUR POWER TO DO THIS. BUT DESPITE THE LACK OF REALLOCATION OF POLICE FUNDS THAT WE SEE IN THE PROPOSED BUDGET, CITY COUNCIL DID RECENTLY PASS A RESOLUTION DECLARING RACISM, A PUBLIC HEALTH CRISIS IN OUR CITY. SECTION ONE OF THIS RESOLUTION STATES THAT THE COUNCIL COMMITS TO ADVOCATING FOR RACIAL JUSTICE AS A CORE ELEMENT OF ALL POLICIES, PROGRAMS, AND PROCEDURES. SO WHERE IS THE RACIAL JUSTICE IN THIS BUDGET? WHERE IS THE RACIAL JUSTICE YOU COMMITTED TO COUNCIL MEMBERS? WHERE IS THE RACIAL JUSTICE YOU PROMISED US MAYOR NURNBERG? IT FEELS WRONG TO DECLARE RACISM A PUBLIC HEALTH CRISIS AND NOT TAKE ACTION. IT'S YOUR JOB TO LISTEN TO THE PEOPLE YOU REPRESENT AND TO TAKE ACTION ON BEHALF OF THEM. KNOW THAT YOUR CONSTITUENTS WILL FEEL ACTIVELY IGNORED IF THE BUDGET REMAINS AS IS. AND WE'LL REMEMBER THIS WHEN IT'S TIME TO ELECT OUR NEXT MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS. I KNOW I WANT ELECTED OFFICIALS THAT WORK TOWARD THE BETTERMENT OF OUR CITY'S ABILITY TO PROVIDE AND PROTECTED CITIZENS ALL ITS CITIZENS. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME. THANK YOU, MS. FERGUSON. NICK SWANSON, FOLLOWED BY MARIE BOOKER. NICK SWANSON. OKAY, WE'LL MOVE TO MARIE BOOKER, FOLLOWED BY AMOR SALAZAR, MARIE BOOKER. OKAY, WE'LL GO TO AMADOR SALAZAR, FOLLOWED BY VICTORIA G**O. HELLO, UH, MR. SALAZAR? YES. GOOD MORNING. GO AHEAD. OH, I'M SORRY. UH, GOOD MORNING TO THE DEFUND COALITION ONLY, UH, MY NAME IS . I'M A RESIDENT OF DISTRICT ONE AND I'M IN COMPLETE OPPOSITION TO THE CURRENT CITY BUDGET. THE CITY BUDGET IS CURRENTLY CONSTRUCTED DISPLAY OF THE CITY COUNCIL'S FUNDAMENTAL MISUNDERSTANDING OF WHAT KEEPS OUR COMMUNITIES SAFE. A VOTE IN FAVOR OF THIS BUDGET IS A VOTE IN FAVOR OF CONTINUING THE CURRENT SYSTEM OF POLICE BRUTALITY. 487 MILLION IN POLICING NEARLY HALF A BILLION DOLLARS. THIS IS NOT A PEOPLE'S BUDGET. A PEOPLE'S BUDGET WOULDN'T DEFUND THE SAN ANTONIO FOOD BANK. AS MANY MEMBERS OF OUR COMMUNITY LOSE THEIR JOBS DUE TO THE PANDEMIC. THIS DOES NOT KEEP OUR COMMUNITY SAFE. WE NEED [01:05:01] MORE FUNDING TO FIGHT FOOD INSECURITY. A PEOPLE'S BUDGET WOULDN'T DEFUND AFTERSCHOOL PROGRAMS FOR SEVEN OF OUR CITY COUNCIL'S DISTRICTS, OR FOR SEVEN OF OUR CITY SCHOOL DISTRICTS. SHOUT OUT TO THE TEACHER UNIONS LEADING THE FIGHT FOR SAFER SCHOOLS. UM, A PEOPLE'S BUDGET WOULDN'T INCREASE THE POLICE BUDGET AFTER THE TEXAS JUSTICE INITIATIVE'S LATEST REPORT REVEALING BEXAR COUNTY AS THE COUNTY WITH THE SECOND MOST DEATHS DUE TO A POLICE OFFICER'S GUN. THAT IS AN ALARMING STAT, BUT FOR SOME MEMBERS OF OUR COMMUNITY, THAT'S NOT JUST A STAT THAT SUDDENLY BECOMES THEIR REALITY. WHEN A POLICE OFFICER DECIDES TO EXECUTE A WARRANT OR SHOWS UP TO THEIR HOME FOR A MENTAL HEALTH ISSUE, DAMIEN DANIELS AND DARRELL ZAMAL SR. SHOULD BE ALIVE TODAY. SAY THEIR NAMES. BLACK LIVES MATTER DEFUND THE POLICE, RELEASE THE BODY CAM FOOTAGE TO THE ALT FAMILY NOW. UM, AND I DON'T KNOW, HAVE A GOOD DAY OR SOMETHING. BYE. THANK YOU, MR. SALAZAR. VICTORIA GUERRERO, FOLLOWED BY IAN DILL. HI EVERYONE. UM, I'M HERE TO ASK THAT THE CITY COUNCIL DEFINE THE POLICE DEPARTMENT BY THE VERY LEAST 20 MILLION THAT ISN'T TIED TO THE COLLECTIVE BARGAINING AGREEMENT. AS CITY OFFICIALS AND LEADERS, YOUR ONLY JOB, YOUR SOLE PURPOSE, IS TO LISTEN TO CONSTITUENTS AND ENSURE THEIR SAFETY IN THIS COMMUNITY. AND THAT'S NOT SOMETHING YOU CAN SAY YOU DO IF YOU DO NOT SUPPORT THE FUNDING. THE POLICE'S ENORMOUS BUDGET, THE POLICE DEPARTMENT HERE ARE ACTIVELY CAUSING HARM TO AND MURDERING COMMUNITY MEMBERS. SO I SIMPLY DON'T UNDERSTAND WHY THE CITY WOULD EVEN WANNA FUND THAT SORT OF VIOLENCE IN THE FIRST PLACE. THE FACT THAT DARRELL'S AMOUNTS WAS MURDERED TWO DAYS AGO, AND WE ARE STILL HERE HAVING THIS CONVERSATION, HAVING TO CONVINCE THIS COUNCIL THAT DEFUNDING THE POLICE IS A GOOD IDEA, IS ABSOLUTELY DISGUSTING. WE'RE IN THE MIDDLE OF A PANDEMIC THAT'S ALREADY KILLING PEOPLE DAILY, AND WE HAVE TO STILL BE HERE TO BEG THE CITY COUNCIL NOT TO FUND THE DEPARTMENT THAT'S ALSO GOING TO KILL MORE PEOPLE AND ABSOLVING YOURSELVES WITH ANY POWER. AND CHANGING THE BUDGET BECAUSE OF A CONTRACT SIGNED IN 2016 IS JUST ABSOLVING YOURSELF WITH THE GUILT OF HAVING PEOPLE'S BLOOD ON YOUR HANDS. AND FRANKLY, IT'S EMBARRASSING AND SAD TO ADMIT THAT YOU HAVE APPARENTLY HAVE SO LITTLE CONTROL OVER THE POLICE'S BUDGET THAT THE CITY'S PRIORITIES ARE TO ENSURE THAT THIS VIOLENCE IS FUNDED FIRST, AND COMMUNITY SERVICES IS AN AFTERTHOUGHT. THERE'S A MILLION DIFFERENT PLACES THAT THIS MONEY CAN GO TO TO CREATE A SAFER COMMUNITY LIKE HOUSING, PUBLIC HEALTH, SOCIAL SERVICES, NOT THE POLICE. ALL THESE PEOPLE WHO HAVE BEEN MURDERED BY S A P D ALL HAVE NAMES, LIVES, FAMILIES, BUT YOU ALL ARE REFUSING TO ACKNOWLEDGE EVERY SINGLE TIME YOU REFUSE TO REALLOCATE THE POLICE'S BUDGET TO COMMUNITY SERVICES. YOU HAVE THE POWER TODAY, NOT A YEAR FROM NOW, NOT WHEN A CONTRACT IS OVER TODAY TO CREATE A SAFER SAN ANTONIO. AND I WOULD HATE TO SEE YOU ALL. CHOOSE NOT TO DEFUND S A P D AND CHOOSE TO FUND THE VIOLENCE AGAINST THE CITIZENS OF SAN ANTONIO. AND IF YOU DO CHOOSE NOT TO DEFUND S A P D, YOU CAN TRUST THAT WE'LL MAKE SURE TO BE AT YOUR OFFICES AND YOUR EMAILS, YOUR VOICEMAILS, YOUR SOCIAL MEDIA ACCOUNTS, BECAUSE WE WILL NOT FORGET YOUR COWARDICE IN THIS MOMENT. THANK YOU, MS. GUERRERO. IAN DILL, FOLLOWED BY ISABELLA . HI, UH, I'M IAN DILL AND I'M DEEPLY CONCERNED ABOUT THE PRIORITIZATION OF SS A P D OVER COMMUNITY SERVICES LIKE HOUSING, HEALTHCARE, WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT, AND FOOD AID. UM, THIS BUDGET IS TAKING AWFUL CUTS FROM EACH OF THESE PROGRAMS. UM, SOME OF THE MORE UNCOMFORTABLE CUTS INCLUDE ALMOST 50 K FROM THE FOOD BANK, UM, ALL AT A TIME WHEN DEMAND FOR FOOD BANK SERVICES IS SKYROCKETING 'CAUSE OF THE PANDEMIC. UM, THE FUNDING HAS TO INCREASE AT LEAST TO MATCH THAT IF NOT EXCEEDED. UM, LOCAL SCHOOL DISTRICTS ARE TAKING AN $837,000 CUT IN TOTAL AT A TIME WHEN SCHOOL RESOURCES ARE ALSO BEING SIGNIFICANTLY STRAINED. SO MANY TEACHERS HAVE TO WORK OVERTIME WITH REMOTE AND IN-PERSON LEARNING. UH, SCHOOLS HAVE TO KEEP UP WITH THE DEMANDS OF P P E AND SANITIZATION FOR IN-PERSON CLASSES. UH, COVID IS ALSO BRINGING IN ENORMOUS EVICTION CRISIS, AND THAT CAN ONLY BE ADDRESSED BY SURGING FUNDING FOR RENT RELIEF AND PUBLIC HOUSING. UM, IN THESE CONDITIONS, THE CITY BUDGET JUST HAS TO RAMP UP FUNDING FOR SCHOOLS, STUDENT HOUSING. IT CANNOT SCALE THEM BACK. AND THE MOST IMPORTANT POINT I'D LIKE TO MAKE ON THIS IS THAT THIS MONEY IS NOT ONLY, UH, THERE, BUT IT CAN BE EASILY ACQUIRED FROM THE $479 MILLION, UH, QUOTE UNQUOTE PUBLIC SAFETY BUDGET. UH, THE $8 MILLION INCREASE IN THE BUDGET FOR S A P ALONE CAN OFFSET A LOT OF THE CHANGES I JUST LISTED. UM, BUT I'M GONNA ASK FOR MORE THAN JUST THE REVERSAL OF THAT $8 MILLION INCREASE. UM, IT'S TIME TO REMOVE TENS TO HUNDREDS OF MILLIONS OF DOLLARS FROM SS A P D, UM, AND PUT THAT IN THE HANDS OF THE PEOPLE WHO ARE THE MOST AT RISK, BOTH FROM THIS PANDEMIC AND FROM RACIST POLICE VIOLENCE. UM, JUST ON TUESDAY, S A B D MURDER, GET ANOTHER BLACK MAN, UH, DARRYL'S JAMAL SENIOR. UM, THIS KIND OF VIOLENCE IS JUST ROUTINE FOR S A P D OFFICERS. UM, I CAN SPEND ALL THREE MINUTES JUST RECOUNTING THE STORIES OF POLICE MURDERS IN SAN ANTONIO FROM THE PAST FEW YEARS. UM, S A P D DOES NOT PROTECT THE MOST VULNERABLE PEOPLE IN OUR COMMUNITY. UM, THEY EXIST TO PROTECT A RACIST, EXPLOITATIVE [01:10:01] ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL SYSTEM IN THE CITY, UM, THAT ONLY BENEFITS A HANDFUL OF PEOPLE. UM, IF YOU DISAGREE WITH THIS, I WOULD ASK YOU WHY PEACEFUL PROTESTORS IN THE CITY ARE MET WITH RIOT POLICE, TEAR GAS, AND OFF-DUTY OFFICERS ATTACKING PROTESTORS WITHOUT CONSEQUENCE. THE S A P D REALLY BELIEVE IN DEMOCRACY OR ACCOUNTABILITY. THESE OFFICERS WOULD NOT BE ATTACKING SAN ANTONIO RESIDENTS REGULARLY. THE DEPARTMENT IS DEEPLY RACIST AND HAS SHOWN THAT IT CANNOT ABIDE ANY JUSTICE FOR THE OPPRESSED PEOPLE OF THE CITY. THEREFORE, IT HAS TO BE DISMANTLED AND REPLACED BY A SYSTEM THAT GUARANTEES ECONOMIC SECURITY, PUBLIC HEALTH AND JUSTICE FOR EVERYONE WHO'S BEEN ATTACKED AND KILLED BY THE POLICE COUNCIL PEOPLE. IT'S YOUR RESPONSIBILITY TO PROTECT AND EMPOWER YOUR RESIDENTS NOW CONTINUE TO FUNNEL MONEY TO THE ORGANIZATION THAT IS REPRESSING, DESCENT, AND MURDERING BLACK AND BROWN PEOPLE. WE CAN START BY GOING BACK TO THE DRAWING BOARD OF THIS BUDGET ONLY FUNDING EDUCATION SERVICES, HOUSING SERVICES, AND COVID RELIEF. AND IF YOU STAND WITH THE OPPRESS PEOPLE OF THE CITY, YOUR TOP PRIORITY WOULD BE GIVING EVERY RESIDENT THOSE BASIC RIGHTS LIKE ACCESS TO HOUSING, FOOD, A DECENT JOB, EDUCATION, AND DECENT HEALTHCARE, NOT POLICING THEM. I'M ASKING YOU TO FINALLY STAND UP TO THE POLICE UNION AND ACTUALLY PROTECT SAN ANTONIO. THANKS. THANK YOU, MR. DILL. ISABELLA, I'M THETO, FOLLOWED BY JANS FLORES. HELLO, UH, MS. NATO. HELLO? OH, YES, GO AHEAD. YOU HAVE THE FLOOR. GOOD MORNING. MY NAME IS NIETO, RESIDENT OF DISTRICT EIGHT. I'M HERE OPPOSED TODAY'S BUDGET MEMBERS OF THE COUNCIL. I DO NOT HAVE TO READ MORE EVIDENCE TO YOU. I DO NOT HAVE TO READ THE COUNTLESS NEWS ARTICLES AND STUDIES THAT PROVE THE EFFECTIVENESS OF DEFUNDING THE POLICE BECAUSE CHANCES ARE YOU'VE PARTED A DOZEN TIMES AND HAVE ALREADY FORGOTTEN. BUT WHAT YOU CANNOT FORGET AS YOU VOTE TODAY IS THE DOZENS OF PEOPLE KILLED BY SS A P D. DESPITE THE MILLIONS OF DOLLARS ALLOCATED TO THE POLICE DEPARTMENT, PEOPLE ARE STILL DYING. AND IT'S DISPROPORTIONATELY PEOPLE OF COLOR. DECADES OF EVIDENCE HAS SHOWN US THAT POLICING DID NOT END VIOLENCE, BUT RATHER SUPPORTS IT. WHAT IS PERHAPS NOT TALKED ABOUT ENOUGH IS THE INHERENT RACIAL BIAS ON WHICH POLICE DEPARTMENTS WERE BUILT ON. THE FIRST POLICE OFFICERS WERE SLAVE PATROL, AND AS THE COUNTRY GREW RACIAL TARGETING PERSISTED FROM STOP AND FRISK TO THE WAR ON DRUGS, BLACK AND BROWN PEOPLE ARE DISPROPORTIONATELY TARGETED FROM A YOUNG AGE, BEGINNING THE VICIOUS CYCLE OF MASS INCARCERATION. THE OVER MILITARIZATION OF THE POLICE FORCE IN SAN ANTONIO HAS SUPPORTED THE RACIAL OPPRESSION OF MINORITIES EVERYWHERE. I UNDERSTAND HOW DIFFICULT IT IS TO PUT ASIDE PARTISAN POLITICS, BUT TODAY A VOTE FOR THIS BUDGET SHOWS SUPPORT FOR AN INSTITUTION THAT WAS BUILT ON DISCRIMINATION AND HATE COUNCIL MEMBERS. THIS IS YOUR CHANCE TO HAVE LOOKED THE OPPRESSED, REINVEST BACK INTO THE INDIVIDUAL WHO ELECTED YOU AND REPLACED FEAR WITH HOPE. WE MUST INVEST IN SYSTEMS AT WORK AND PREVENTATIVE MEASURES INSTEAD OF USING BANDAIDS TO FIX BULLET HOLES. IN THIS MOMENT, REFORMS ARE NOT ENOUGH. COUNCIL MEMBERS DO NOT SWEEP THIS ASIDE. THIS IS NOT A TREND. THIS ISN'T A MERE BUMP IN THE ROAD. THIS IS A CALL TO ACTION. THIS ISN'T. THIS IS A MOVEMENT FIGHTING FOR JUSTICE, FOR EQUITY, AND FOR THE COMMUNITIES WE HAVE BECOME A PART OF. IF YOU IGNORE US TODAY, WE WILL COME BACK AND WE WILL HOLD YOU ACCOUNTABLE. OPPONENTS OF DEFUNDING THE S A P D WILL PRESENT RHETORIC THAT PAINTS THE COMMUNITY WITH A DIVESTMENT OF FUNDS AWAY FROM THE DEPARTMENT AS CHAOTIC AND FRAGMENTED, BUT THAT IS NOT THE CASE. THE BRAVE AND PASSIONATE INDIVIDUAL YOU SEE TODAY, ADVOCATING FOR A REINVESTMENT INTO OUR SCHOOLS, HOUSING, OUR HEALTHCARE. THAT'S WHAT A COMMUNITY LOOKS LIKE AND IT WORKS WITHOUT THE S A P D. THANK YOU. THANK YOU, MS. NIETO. GIANNIS FLORES, FOLLOWED BY TERRY CASTILLO. HI, CAN YOU HEAR ME? YES, WE CAN HEAR YOU. GO AHEAD. HELLO. GREAT. THIS IS YEZ. UM, I WANNA GIVE A SHOUT OUT TO MY COUNCIL PERSON , FOR LISTENING TO HIS CONSTITUENCY. I REALLY URGE ALL OF YOU TO DO THE SAME. I ALSO WANNA NOTE HOW UNACCEPTABLE THIS PLATFORM IS AND THAT THE INSTRUCTIONS LISTED ON THE CONFIRMATION EMAIL ARE SUPER MISLEADING. IF YOU'RE STRUGGLING TO CALL IN, PLEASE DIAL (415) 655-0001 AND THEN ENTER THE ACCESS CODE. UH, I JUST REALLY WANNA KNOW WHY YOU'RE STRINGING US ALONG IN A FAKE ASS PUBLIC PROCESS. YOU KNOW, THIS IS HOW YOU END UP IN RUNOFFS. ALL OF THIS TALK ABOUT ACCOUNTABILITY. ALL OF THE PUBLIC SURVEYS WITH RECORD HIGH ENGAGEMENT, ALL OF THE PUBLIC COMMENTS AND THE CITIZENS TO BE HEARD SESSIONS FOR YOU TO TURN AWAY FROM A MURDER AS OF NOTHING. I DON'T KNOW WHO BOUGHT YOU, BUT I WANT TO REMIND YOU, YOU WORK FOR YOUR RESIDENTS, NOT YOUR DONORS. YOU PROTECT A DEADLY POLICE FORCE. AND THIS IS ON YOU. YOUR PRIVATE INTEREST WORK DIRECTLY AGAINST THE WELLBEING OF THIS COMMUNITY, TIME AFTER TIME. THIS IS HOW WE GET HERE. THIS ISN'T ABOUT HOW YOU CAN SCAM THE LADDER. THIS ISN'T ABOUT YOUR REELECTION. AND THIS SURE AS HELL ISN'T ABOUT YOUR TO BE MAYORAL [01:15:01] RUN. THIS IS ABOUT WHERE THIS ISN'T WHERE YOU GET TO SAY MY HANDS ARE TIED. YOUR HANDS ARE NOT TIED. SAN ANTONIO IS A SUNDOWN TOWN. THREE WEEKS AGO, WE LOST DAM AND MARS DURING A MENTAL HEALTH CALL. HE WAS KILLED BY THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE. DO YOU KNOW WHOSE HANDS ARE ACTUALLY TIED BLACK FOLKS IN SAN ANTONIO? DARRELL SR. WAS MURDERED TWO DAYS AGO, AND YOU DO NOTHING. AND THIS IS ON YOU TOO. YOU ARE AN ACCOMPLICE. YOUR LACK OF ACTION HAS FACILITATED THE DEBTS OF COMMUNITY MEMBERS AT THE HANDS OF S A P D AND THE SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT AND THE MOST ECONOMICALLY SEGREGATED CITY IN THE UNITED STATES. YOU LACK THE LEADERSHIP TO KEEP US AFLOAT. WE NEED TO DIVEST FROM A HARMFUL AND RACIST POLICE DEPARTMENT AND INVEST IN COMMUNITY CARE. THIS IS OVERDUE. INVEST IN PUBLIC HEALTH AMIDST THE GLOBAL PANDEMIC, INVEST IN PUBLIC HOUSING AS WE FACE A VERY REAL HOUSING CRISIS IN SAN ANTONIO. ONE OF AMERICA'S FASTEST GENTRIFYING CITY. INVEST IN EDUCATION. KEEP IT ACCESSIBLE TO COMMUNITY. INVEST IN THE ARTS, A LIFELINE TO THE CULTURE OF THE CITY. REALLOCATE ANY MONEY THAT FALLS OUTSIDE OF THAT FRAGILE AND POLICE CONTRACT FOR COMMUNITY PROGRAMS SO WE CAN BEGIN TO SEE A COMMUNITY ENGAGED PRO PROCESS RIGHT NOW. AND FOR A LONG, LONG TIME, AND YOU ALL KNOW THIS AND I KNOW YOU KNOW HOW TO BREAK CONTRACT, THERE HAS BEEN, THERE HAS BEEN ABSOLUTELY NO TRUST IN CITY HALL. REST IN POWER. DARRYL WALT SR. I PRAY THAT THE CITY DOES YOU JUSTICE. THANK YOU, MS. FLORES. TERRY CASTILLO, FOLLOWED BY MICHAEL TORRES. A HI. I AM CARRIE CASTILLO, A DISTRICT FIVE RESIDENT, AND I ECHO THE SENTIMENTS OF THOSE ASKING ARE ELECTED TO DEFUND SS A P D AS OUR CITY GRAPPLES WITH IN ADDRESSING INCREASING POVERTY RATES. GROWING NUMBER OF ENCAMPMENT HAVEN FOR HOPE HAS EVEN REPORTED AN INCREASE OF FAMILIES. IT ESSENTIAL OUR ELECTED OFFICIALS REALIGN OUR BUDGET. IMPLEMENTING EFFECTIVE SOLUTIONS THAT HAVE LONG LASTING EFFECTS ON INDIVIDUALS AND COMMUNITIES IS PAST DUE AND IS WHY WE CONTINUE TO ASK OUR COUNCIL REPRESENTATIVES, MAYOR AND CITY MANAGER TO PRIORITIZE AND INVEST IN PUBLIC HEALTH PROGRAMS, HUMAN SERVICES, THE ARTS, SMALL BUSINESSES, HOMEOWNER, RENTAL OCCUPIED REHABILITATION PROGRAMS, THE UNDER ONE ROOF PROGRAM. UM, ACCORDING TO THE NATIONAL, UH, LOW INCOME COALITION, UH, SAN ANTONIO HAS ONLY 38 AFFORDABLE UNITS FOR EVERY A HUNDRED FAMILIES AT 30% A M I. AND THIS IS WHY WE MUST INVEST IN THE PRESERVATION AND CONSTRUCTION OF TRULY AFFORDABLE HOUSING. THE PROPOSED BUDGET DOES NOT REFLECT THE VERY REAL AND URGENT NEEDS OF COMMUNITY, AND WE HOPE YOU CHOOSE TO ACT TODAY. THANK YOU, MS. CASTILLO. MICHAEL TORRES, FOLLOWED BY MARIO MONTELONGO. HELLO. CAN Y'ALL HEAR ME? YES, WE CAN HEAR YOU. GO AHEAD. GOOD MORNING, MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS. MY NAME IS MICHAEL. I'M A SAN ANTONIO NATIVE AND SOCIAL WORK EDUCATOR. I'M URGING SAN ANTONIO CITY COUNCIL TO DEFINE S A P D AND ALLOCATE THOSE FUNDS TO BLACK, BROWN, AND INDIGENOUS COMMUNITIES WHOSE LIVES ARE AT RISK. DURING THIS PANDEMIC TIMES HAVE WARRANTED CHALLENGES, ESPECIALLY IN LOW INCOME COMMUNITIES. HIGHER POLICE PRESENCE DO NOT MAKE US FEEL SAFER. AND WHEN POLICE VIOLENCE ERUPTS, SO DOES DISTRUST, FUNDS SHOULD BE REALLOCATED TO MENTAL HEALTH, EDUCATION, PUBLIC HEALTH AND HOUSING RESOURCES. THE POLICE ARE NOT TRAINED NOR SKILLED IN DEESCALATION NOR PREVENTATIVE MEASURES. POVERTY PREVENTS CRIME. MORE RESOURCES PREVENTS CRIME. POLICE DO NOT EVERY DAY. I FEAR FOR MY FRIENDS WHO ARE BLACK THAT THEY MAY NOT MAKE IT HOME SAFELY. THEY MAY NEVER EVER HAVE THE TIME TO HEAL FROM TRAUMA. WHEN KILLINGS ARE OCCURRING EVERY DAY AMONGST BLACK FOLKS, THAT THEY'LL BE ABLE TO GO TO THE GROCERY STORE FREE FROM HARASSMENT AND RACISM WITHOUT BEING MURDERED BY THE POLICE. LISTEN TO YOUR CONSTITUENTS. THE WORLD IS WATCHING. I YIELD THE REST OF MY TIME. THANK YOU, MR. TORRES. MARIO MONTELONGO, FOLLOWED BY JENNIFER FALCON. HI. GOOD MORNING EVERYBODY. MY NAME IS MARIO MONTELONGO. I'M A RESIDENT OF DISTRICT ONE. I'M IN OPPOSITION OF THE CURRENT CITY BUDGET AND IN FAVOR OF MOVING THE FOLLOWING CIVILIAN FUNCTIONS OUTSIDE OF THE POLICE DEPARTMENT. VICTIMS' ADVOCACY CAN MOVE TO A COMMUNITY GROUP OR GROUPS OR HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES ID. RECOVERY PROGRAMS CAN GO TO MUNICIPAL SERVICE OR HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES. AS HAS BEEN, UH, PROPOSED BY COUNCILMAN TREVINO OF DISTRICT ONE, UH, THE MENTAL HEALTH UNIT SHOULD [01:20:01] MOVE TO A COMMUNITY ORGANIZATION. THE RECENT, RECENT DEATH OF DAMIEN DANIELS IS A TESTAMENT TO WHY A GUN AND A BADGE ARE NOT THE ANSWER TO A MENTAL HEALTH CRISIS. THIS IS A PARTICULAR CONCERN TO ME AS A DOCTOR APPLYING TO PSYCHIATRY, RESIDENCY, UH, BODY FUNDING, SS A P D, AND MOVING THESE SERVICES TO OTHER DEPARTMENTS. WE WILL BE ABLE TO ENHANCE THE PHYSICAL, PSYCHOLOGICAL, AND SOCIAL WELLBEING OF THOSE WITHIN OUR COMMUNITY. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. THANK YOU. UH, MR. MONTELONGO JENNIFER FALCON, FOLLOWED BY AMANDA THOMPSON. THANK YOU. UH, MY NAME'S JENNIFER FALCON. I'M A RESIDENT OF DISTRICT SEVEN, UH, DEFUNDING POLICE STATE HAS BEEN, THAT HAS BEEN SOLD TO US AS PUBLIC SAFETY HAS BEEN HINDERED BY THE C V A WITH THE POLICE ASSOCIATION, SHIRLEY GONZALEZ, ROBERTO TREVINO, AND RE, REBECCA VIRON. YOUR VOTE FOR THAT CONTRACT HAS NOT ONLY SILENCED THE BLACK VOICES SPEAKING UP AT THAT TIME, BUT HAS CREATED AN ENVIRONMENT WHERE THERE IS NO JUSTICE FOR BLACK PEOPLE MURDERED BY S A P MOST RECENTLY, LIKE DARL AL SENIOR. AND I DIDN'T SEE ANY OF YOU GUYS AT THE VIGIL FOR HIM LAST NIGHT. DESPITE YOU BEING COMPLACENT IN HIS DEATH, YOU SAY THAT BLACK LIVES MATTER AND HAVE PUT YOUR FIST UP AND WROTE OP-EDS AND WRITE LONG FACEBOOK PAGES. BUT YOUR ACTIONS VOTING FOR THE C B A HAVE STOLEN BLACK LIVES AND WILL CONTINUE TO DO SO LONG AFTER YOU ARE NO LONGER HOLDING YOUR SEAT. TWO DAYS AGO, THE POLICE SAID WE NEEDED MORE POLICE TO RESPOND TO AN UPTICK IN CRIMES DUE TO COVID. THE CYCLE OF POLICE RESPONDING TO CRIME NEEDS TO BE STOPPED. THE ROOT CAUSES OF CRIME MUST BE ADDRESSED TO ACTUALLY REDUCE CRIME. I'VE SEEN ALL OF YOU USE THE POLICE TO SHUFFLE OCEAN. INSTEAD OF INVESTING IN AFFORDABLE HOUSING OR ADDRESSING THE ISSUE OF HOUSELESSNESS AT ITS ROOT, ANOTHER WORLD IS POSSIBLE. BUT THE PROBLEM IS, IS WE KEEP ELECTING PEOPLE WHO DON'T HAVE THE VISION OR MORALS TO ACTUALLY BUILD IT. THE ELECTEDS WHO GAVE THE CORRUPT ASSOCIATION SO MUCH POWER AND CONTROL OF THE BUDGET AT THE EXPENSE OF OTHER SERVICES THAT ACTUALLY CARE FOR YOUR COMMUNITY WILL BE HELD ACCOUNTABLE. EVERY LIFE LOST SINCE THEN AND UNTIL THE C B A IS ENDED DESERVE IT. BLACK LIVES MATTER DEFUND THE POLICE, AND WE'RE NOT GOING ANYWHERE. THANK YOU. MS. FALCON. AMANDA THOMPSON, FOLLOWED BY CELESTE BROWN. YES. HELLO? HELLO. GO. GO AHEAD, MS. THOMPSON. WE CAN HEAR YOU. OKAY, THANK YOU. FIRST OFF, I WANNA THANK, UH, MAYOR BERG AND THE OTHER, OTHER COUNCIL MEMBERS FOR THEIR SERVICE TO OUR COMMUNITY. UM, I I ABSOLUTELY AGREE WITH THE BUDGET. I AGREE WITH THE BUDGET INCREASE. AND THE REASON FOR THAT IS I FEEL LIKE IN OUR SOCIETY TODAY, EVERYONE, EVERYONE HAS BECOME VICTIMS OF THE MEDIA. THE MASSES AREA WITH THE CORONAVIRUS HAS BEEN A VEHICLE FOR THE POLICE VIOLENCE, WHICH IS PROPAGANDA BECAUSE IN MY EXPERIENCE IN OUR CITY OF SAN ANTONIO, I'M ACTUALLY SO INCREDIBLY PROUD OF OUR POLICE FORCE. I HAVE DEALT WITH THEM ON NUMEROUS OCCASIONS. I HAVE A FAMILY MEMBER WHO IS, UM, SOMEONE WHO DEALS WITH, UM, MENTAL ILLNESS. AND I'VE DEALT WITH THE POLICE IN DEALING WITH THEM. AND I HAVE EXPERIENCED SO MUCH HEART, SO MUCH COMPASSION, AND I'M JUST SO INCREDIBLY PROUD OF OUR POLICE FORCE. AND I FIND IT A TRAGEDY THAT OUR CITIZENS AREN'T STANDING AND PROTECTING OUR POLICE. THEY HAVE BECOME A TARGET OF THE MEDIA, OF THE CULTURE TODAY. UM, WE WOULD BE IGNORANT TO DENY THAT THERE ARE BLACK PEOPLE WHO, WHO ARE VICTIMIZED BY POLICE TODAY. BUT I DON'T THINK THE SOLUTION IS MAKING OUR STREETS MORE UNSAFE. WE NEED OUR POLICE. WE SHOULD STAND AND PROTECT AND UNITE WITH OUR POLICE, WITH OUR COUNCILMEN. UM, WE SHOULD SHOW A LEVEL OF RESPECT TO OUR MAYOR. I DON'T NECESSARILY AGREE WITH HIM. I'M A REPUBLICAN. HE'S NOT, BUT I HAVE A CERTAIN RESPECT TO HIM BECAUSE HE IS HERE SERVING US. AND US AS PATRIOTS SHOULD STAND TOGETHER WITH OUR, OUR CITY COUNCIL AND WORK WITH THEM IN NEGOTIATIONS. NOT THREATS OF WE'RE GONNA COME AFTER YOU AT ELECTION TIME. WE'RE GONNA EMAIL YOU. NO, IF YOU, IF YOU DISAGREE WITH HIS VIEWS, THAT'S 100% GONNA HAPPEN WITH ANYONE WHO'S UP THERE BEING THE MAYOR. BUT OUR MINDSET SHOULD NOT BE THE MINDSET OF DIVISION. EVERYONE I'VE HEARD SPEAK TODAY IS TALKING ABOUT, UM, FAIRNESS AND, AND EQUALITY. BUT THEIR VIEWS WHEN THEY WANT TO BE HEARD, IT'S ATTACKING THE MAYOR. IT'S ATTACKING THE POLICE. [01:25:01] AND IT SHOULD BE, WHAT, WHERE CAN WE ALLOCATE THESE POLICE FUNDS? CAN WE HAVE A LITTLE MORE CONTROL? CAN CAN OUR POLICE GET TRAINING TO DEAL WITH MENTAL HEALTH PATIENTS? BECAUSE IF THEY'RE A DANGER TO CITIZENS IN OUR, IN, IN, IN THEIR AREA, THEN THEY'RE CALLING ON POLICE TO BE PROTECTED, TO BE HELPED. SO WE'RE GONNA THROW OUR POLICE OFFICERS OUT THERE AND THEY DON'T HAVE TRAINING. HOW ARE THEY SUPPOSED TO PROTECT THEMSELVES? THEY HAVE FAMILIES TO COME HOME TO AT NIGHT AS WELL. UM, I'M FROM DISTRICT NINE, BUT I'VE LIVED ON THE WEST SIDE OF SANGEN. I'VE LIVED IN SEVERAL AREAS OF SAN ANTONIO, AND I'VE JUST BEEN INCREDIBLY PROUD OF OUR POLICE IN ALL OF OUR INTERACTIONS. AND I BELIEVE THAT THEY NEED MORE PROTECTION. THEY NEED MORE PROTECTION. THEY NEED THEIR COMMUNITIES TO STAND UP FOR THEM AS THEY'VE BEEN STANDING UP UP FOR US, THEY TOOK THEIR LIVES ON THE LINE. THANK YOU, MS. THOMPSON. CELESTE BROWN, FOLLOWED BY JESSICA GUERRERO. CAN YOU HEAR ME? YES, WE CAN HEAR YOU. GO AHEAD. HELLO. OKAY. THANK YOU. UM, FIRST AND FOREMOST, LET ME JUST SAY THAT POLICE VIOLENCE IS NOT PROPAGANDA TO MY FAMILY THAT IS CURRENTLY MOURNING THE MURDER OF DARRYL JAMAL SENIOR. FIRST AND FOREMOST, THE BUDGET YOU WILL VOTE TO APPROVE TODAY DOES NOT REPRESENT THE COMMUNITY'S NEED. BUT YOU KNOW, THIS AND DOES NOT REFLECT THE 22,000 RESIDENTS PRIORITIZE PUBLIC HEALTH HOUSING AND ABOVE ALL ELSE. IN THE ESSAY SPEAKUP SURVEY, IT DOES NOT REFLECT THE FACT THAT RESIDENTS THAT HAD NEVER BEFORE EVEN THOUGHT TO ENGAGE POLITICALLY SHOWED UP IN DROVES TO CALL OUT THE OVERINFLATED POLICE BUDGET. IT DOES NOT REFLECT THAT BLACK LIVES MATTER THE WAY Y'ALL SAID THEY DID ON THE DUS BACK IN JUNE. BECAUSE IF BLACK LIVES TRULY MATTERED, WE WOULD INVEST IN PROACTIVE PROGRAMS VERSUS PUNITIVE ONES. WE WOULD NOT BE GIVING SIGNING BONUSES TO POLICE WHILE WE FACE THE CITY BUDGET DEFICIT. WE WOULD NOT BE CUTTING AFTER SCHOOL PROGRAM FUNDING WHILE GIVING RAISES TO THE POLICE. I'VE HEARD Y'ALL SAY THAT DEFUNDING AND THE WAY THAT WE WANT IS NOT POSSIBLE. SO I ASK HOW IS IT POSSIBLE THAT THE DEFUND COALITION IDENTIFIED ROUGHLY $28 MILLION OF LOW HANGING FRUIT? IT'S NOT AS COMPLEX AS ADDRESSING THE ENTIRE $101 MILLION AVAILABLE THAT COULD HAVE BEEN DEFUNDED TODAY. HOW IS IT POSSIBLE IF CITY COUNCIL DIDN'T QUESTION A SIX PAGE DISAGGREGATE BUDGET ON THEIR BUDGET RETREAT UNTIL OUR ORGANIZATION PUSHED FOR OVER A MONTH TO GET ACCESS TO THE REAL 163 PAGE DOCUMENT? Y'ALL SAT IN THAT BUDGET RETREAT AND THOUGHT EVERYTHING WAS OKAY WHEN YOU GOT A SIX PAGE DOCUMENT AND DIDN'T THINK TO QUESTION IT AND DIDN'T THINK THAT THAT WAS A LACK OF TRANSPARENCY. DEFUNDING HAS ALWAYS BEEN POSSIBLE. THERE WAS SIMPLY NOT THE POLITICAL WILL FOR THE GHANA TO DO IT. MURDER BY POLICE HERE IN SAN ANTONIO. SO LONG AS POLICING EXISTS IN THE CAPACITY THAT IT CURRENTLY DOES, I WANT YOU TO HEAR MY WORDS AND REMEMBER THEM. YOU CAN'T REFORM A SYSTEM WORKING EXACTLY THE WAY IT WAS DESIGNED TO REFORMS, COULDN'T HAVE SAVED MY SECOND DAD, DARREL WAYNE JAMAL SR. FROM BEING SHOT IN THE BACK AND MURDERED BY SS A P D JUST TWO DAYS AGO. HE IS GONE. HE WAS TAKEN FROM US. WE WILL NEVER GET HIM BACK. SO I DON'T WANNA HEAR ABOUT MEANINGLESS TASK FORCES OR COMMITTEES. THE AMOUNT OF BLOOD THAT I SAW SPLATTERED ACROSS HIS PORCH WILL NEVER LEAVE MY MIND. HOLDING MY NIECE AND NEPHEWS WHILE THEY WERE BAWLING, ASKING WHY THEY TOOK THEIR POSSIBLE WILL NEVER LEAVE MY MIND. I WILL NEVER SWEEP WELL AGAIN, AND I HOPE THAT Y'ALL DON'T EITHER. I WANT TO QUITE LITERALLY SEE THE CITY AND PUT ITS MONEY WHERE ITS MOUTH IS. AND I KNOW THAT WE WON'T SEE THAT TODAY, BUT KNOW THAT WE ARE JUST GETTING STARTED AND WE ARE NOT GOING ANYWHERE BECAUSE THE SAME QUESTION WE ASK THE POLICE, I WILL ASK YOU, WHO DO YOU SERVE? WHO DO YOU SERVE? BECAUSE I GUARANTEE YOU RIGHT NOW, IT'S DEFINITELY NOT MY FAMILY. I YIELD THE REST OF MY TIME. THANK YOU, MS. BROWN. JESSICA GUERRERO, FOLLOWED BY MARLON DAVIS ENO. I CHAIR THE SAN ANTONIO HOUSING COMMISSION AND I'M HERE TODAY REPRESENTING THAT BODY TO CITY MANAGER, REQUESTING A GREATER INCREASE IN FUNDING FOR HOUSING PROGRAMS AND INITIATIVE. THE PRIMARY CHARGE OF THE SAN ANTONIO HOUSING COMMISSION IS TO SERVE AS THE PUBLIC OVERSIGHT BOARD AND TO GUIDE THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE MAYOR'S HOUSING POLICY TASK FORCE RECOMMENDATIONS. AS SUCH, THE HOUSING COMMISSION IS RECOMMENDING AN INCREASE TO THE CITY'S YEAR OVER YEAR FUNDING LEVEL COMMITTED TO AFFORDABLE HOUSING PROGRAMS AND INITIATIVES. AS PART OF THE CITY'S FY 2021 ADOPTED BUDGET, OUR COMMISSIONERS ARE WELL AWARE OF THE FINANCIAL BURDEN THE COVID 19 PANDEMIC HAS HAD ON OUR LOCAL ECONOMY AND IMPACTS TO THE CITY'S ANNUAL BUDGET PROCESS. WE ARE ALSO EQUALLY AWARE OF THE DEVASTATING IMPACT THE C 19 PANDEMIC HAS HAD ON OUR LOWEST WAGE RESIDENTS WHO ARE DISPROPORTIONATELY PEOPLE OF COLOR, WHO PRIOR TO C OVID 19, WERE STRUGGLING TO MEET BASIC HOUSEHOLD OBLIGATIONS. IN 2018, THE MAYOR'S HOUSING POLICY TASK FORCE AFFIRMED THAT SAN ANTONIO RESIDENTS WERE EXPERIENCING HOUSING INSECURITY AND AFFORDABILITY CHALLENGES LIKE NEVER BEFORE IN AREAS SUCH AS DISPLACEMENT, AFFORDABILITY OF HOUSING [01:30:01] AND UTILITIES, QUALITY OF AVAILABLE HOUSING, AND THE ACCESSIBILITY OF AFFORDABLE HOUSING. FAST FORWARD TO 2020 C, OVID 19 HAS MADE THE PRESSURES ON OUR MOST VULNERABLE EXPONENTIALLY WORSE. THE HOUSING COMMISSION RECOGNIZES THAT THE CITY'S PANDEMIC RESPONSE REQUIRED N H SS D TO PIVOT BY SIGNIFICANTLY INCREASING THE RESOURCES AND STAFF WORKING ON EMERGENCY HOUSING ASSISTANCE. AS A RESULT OF THAT TEMPORARY SHIFT, THE CITY HAS PROVIDED RENT, MORTGAGE, UTILITY, AND CASH ASSISTANCE TO OVER 15,000 FAMILIES AS COMMISSIONERS CARRYING ON ARE CRITICAL CHARGE. WE ARE COMMITTED TO ENSURING ALL SAN ANTONIO RESIDENTS, REGARDLESS OF INCOME, HAVE HEALTHY PLACES TO LIVE THAT PROMOTE DIGNITY, CHOICE, AND SECURITY. WE HAVE HEARD FROM COUNTLESS RESIDENTS, ADVOCATE GROUPS, RESIDENT ASSOCIATIONS, COMMUNITY LEADERS, INSTITUTIONAL EXPERTS, AND OTHERS WITH A UNIFYING THEME THAT OUR HOUSING SYSTEM IN SAN ANTONIO REQUIRES CONTINUOUS IMPROVEMENT, INVESTMENT AND LEADERSHIP. THEREFORE, OUR COMMISSIONING BODY IS RESPECTFULLY REQUESTING THAT THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO CONTINUE TO INCREASE ITS OVERALL INVESTMENT IN AFFORDABLE HOUSING PROGRAMS AND INITIATIVES IN THE F Y 2021 ADOPTED BUDGET. IN ORDER TO ADDRESS THESE CHALLENGES, MEMBERS OF THE HOUSING COMMISSION ARE AVAILABLE TO MEET WITH YOU AND YOUR STAFF, SHOULD YOU LIKE ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION OR INSIGHTS REGARDING THIS REQUEST. AND THIS LETTER IS SIGNED BY MYSELF, JESSICA GUERRERO, ON BEHALF OF THE HOUSING COMMISSION AND APPROVED BY ALL HOUSING COMMISSIONERS. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. MS. G**O MARLON DAVIS, FOLLOWED BY JOLENE GARCIA. YESTERDAY I ASKED THE QUESTION, WHO DO YOU PROTECT AND WHO DO YOU SERVE? BUT TODAY, I THINK I MIGHT HAVE ANSWERED IT, BECAUSE DESPITE CONSISTENT PUBLIC COMMENTS, MEETINGS WITH COUNCIL AND THE RESULTS OF THE SSX SPEAKUP SURVEY, THE CURRENT VERSION OF THE BUDGET FAILS TO REFLECT THE PEOPLE'S PRIORITY OF PUBLIC HEALTH. WHAT IT DOES REFLECT ARE THE WANTS AND DESIRES OF RED MCCOMBS, VALERO, U S A A NEUSTAR, ALL IN A DISAPPOINTING FARCE OF THE PUBLIC PROCESS. THE CITY WE DESERVE IS NOT ONE THAT SELLS US OUT TO MAKE A REELECTION CAMPAIGN EASIER. IF WE'RE TRULY COMMITTED TO AN APPROACH THAT'S NOT JUST BUSINESS AS USUAL, AS CITY MANAGER WALSH SAYS, THEN OUR BUDGET SHOULD BE THE FIRST PROOF OF THAT. LET'S BE AS PROTECTIVE OF OUR PEOPLE AS WE ARE OUR BOND RATING. IT'S TIME TO DEFUND THE POLICE. JUST THIS WEEK, POLICE BRUTALITY HAS CLAIMED THE LIFE OF YET ANOTHER PERSON, DARRYL ZAMAL SR. THE MOMENT THAT HE WAS BEING SERVED A WARRANT. I AND OTHERS WERE IN A MEETING WITH THE MAYOR WHERE WE EXPLAINED YET AGAIN, AS WE HAVE DONE SINCE JUNE, THAT PUBLIC SAFETY REFORM IS NOT ENOUGH. THE FAULTY MODELS OF PUBLIC SAFETY REFORM THAT WE HIDE AND COWER BEHIND OR EVEN WORSE TOUT AS VICTORY. WERE NOT ENOUGH FOR GERALD WALTON SR. THEY WEREN'T ENOUGH FOR CHARLES ROUNDTREE OR MARQUEE JONES OR ANTHONY SCOTT, OR ANY OF THE OTHER MANY NAMES. THIS VIOLENCE IS A DIRECT CONSEQUENCE OF YOUR ABSENCE AND LEADERSHIP. WE MUST UNDERSTAND THAT STRUCTURAL PROBLEMS REQUIRE STRUCTURAL SOLUTIONS, AND THE FIRST STEP IN THAT PROCESS IS THIS BUDGET. I ECHO THE SENTIMENTS OF THOSE BEFORE ME IN DEMANDING THAT WE DEFUND S A P D AND REINVEST IN PUBLIC HEALTH, HOUSING AND EDUCATION. I'M NO LONGER INTERESTED IN WASTING MY BREATH, DECIDING RESEARCH AND STATISTICS I HAVE ALREADY SHARED WITH YOU OVER AND OVER AGAIN FOR THE PAST THREE MONTHS. TODAY, AS WE MOTION TO VOTE ON THIS BUDGET, I URGE YOU TO PRETEND THAT A CAMERA'S THERE, SINCE THAT SEEMS TO INSPIRE YOU TO ACT, SAY IT AND DO ACTION THAT'S CONSISTENT WITH WHAT PEOPLE ACTUALLY WANT. I YIELD THE REST OF MY TIME. THANK YOU, MR. DAVIS. JOLENE GARCIA, FOLLOWED BY THOMAS CAMBER. . LET IT GO. YEAH, JOLENE. OKAY. UH, THOMAS CAMBER, FOLLOWED BY RICK VIN THOMAS CAMBER. ALRIGHT. RICK TREVINO FOLLOWED BY GRA SANCHEZ. HELLO. CAN YOU GUYS HEAR ME? YES, WE CAN HEAR YOU. GO AHEAD. HELLO. YES. UH, MY NAME IS RICK VINNO AND I'M A RESIDENT OF THE SEVEN. UH, I AM A, I GO TO ST. MARY'S UNIVERSITY. I WORK ON THEIR EVICTION HOUSING HOTLINE, BUT I'M NOT HERE SPEAKING IN AN OFFICIAL CAPACITY. I'M JUST HERE AS A CITIZEN AND I'M HERE TO TALK ABOUT HOUSING. AND I ALSO WANT TO MENTION THAT I DO SUPPORT DEFUNDING AND SAP P D AND THERE'S NOTHING ELSE I COULD SAY [01:35:01] THAT HASN'T ALREADY BEEN SAID ABOUT THAT ISSUE. UM, I'M HERE 'CAUSE OF AN ARTICLE IN THE HERON THAT SAID THAT SOME CITY OFFICIALS ARE PROPOSING THAT THE RISK MITIGATION FUND, THE RENTAL ASSISTANCE FUND BE CHANGED. AND THAT IT IS GONNA INCLUDE MEANS TESTING THAT'S GOING TO BASICALLY CHANGE THE PROGRAM THAT YOU ONLY GET ONE MONTH'S RENTAL SYSTEM AND SOME CASH. AND THEY'RE GONNA, AND YOU GUYS ARE THINKING ABOUT CHANGING THE PROGRAM THE WAY IT IS NOW. NOW THE PROGRAM, THE WAY IT IS NOW ISN'T PERFECT, BUT I THINK IT SHOULD REMAIN THE SAME RATHER THAN CHANGING AND ADDING SOME WORK, UH, WORKFORCE TRAINING REQUIREMENTS BECAUSE ACTUALLY THE PROGRAM YOU GUYS CREATED IS HELPING A LOT OF PEOPLE. I MEAN, THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE HAVE BEEN HELPED BY THIS PROGRAM THE WAY IT IS. AND, YOU KNOW, IT DOESN'T HAVE TO GET TOO COMPLICATED. I MEAN, IN D TWO WHERE I TAUGHT 2000 PEOPLE BENEFITED FROM THE PROGRAM THE WAY IT IS, 1500 IN D SIX WHERE I HAVE FRIENDS ALL ACROSS IN D SEVEN WHERE I LIVE NOW, 1500 PEOPLE. COUNCILMAN PERRY IN YOUR DISTRICT, OVER 1300 PEOPLE. AND YOU KNOW, I I I AGREE WITH WHAT, UH, JESSICA G**O SAID IT SHOULD INCLUDE MORE MONEY. BUT WHAT I'M MORE CONCERNED ABOUT IS CHANGING AND, AND SAYING THAT ANYBODY OVER THAT'S 81% OF THE AVERAGE MEDIAN INCOME UP TO A HUNDRED PERCENT, THAT THEY BE BARRED FROM THIS. YOU KNOW, THAT'S, THAT'S, THAT'S CLOSE TO FOUR, THAT'S CLOSE TO 400 FAMILIES THAT THE PROGRAM HELPED. NOW THAT YOU'RE SAYING THEY AREN'T GONNA GET ANY HELP. AND AN EVICTION IS A TRAUMATIZING EVENT NO MATTER WHERE YOU'RE RICH OR POOR. AND WE DON'T WANT, YOU KNOW, I JUST, I JUST THINK THAT IT SHOULD BE FAIR TO EVERYBODY. AND I, I I JUST THINK THAT THE WAY IT IS NOW WORKS. UM, I KNOW IT'S ONLY GOT THREE MINUTES. I FEEL RUSHED, BUT JUST STICK WITH IT. DON'T, DON'T LISTEN TO THE CITY MANAGER IN HIS OFFICE. I KNOW THEY'RE GOOD PEOPLE. THEY THINK THEY'RE DOING GOOD WORK, BUT PUT THE POWERPOINTS AWAY. YOU KNOW, YOU GUYS MADE A GOOD PROGRAM. KEEP IT THE WAY IT IS. I I HEARD SOMEONE TO DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT. JUST KEEP THE PROGRAM THE WAY IT IS. JUST ADD MORE MONEY. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. MR. TINO GRACIE SANCHEZ, FOLLOWED BY GERALD BILLS. CAN YOU HEAR ME? HI. CAN HEAR YOU SEE A, UH, MAYOR BERG. BEFORE I CONTINUE, I DID WANNA SAY THAT, UM, IMAN, AVIVA AND AMY LEY ARE ALSO ON FOR THIS TALK. SO IF YOU CAN GIVE ME THE FULL NINE MINUTES. UM, AMY, ARE YOU THERE? I NEED TO HEAR, UH, HEAR YOUR VOICE AND THEN I CAN GIVE YOU HER TIME. HELLO, THIS IS AMY. I'M ONLINE. OKAY. AND AND WHO ELSE IS, UH, HELLO. PROVIDING YOU TIME, LIKE TO IMAN SALIBA. OKAY. IMAN, ARE YOU THERE? SHE IS. I KNOW THAT. SHE JUST TEXTED ME. OKAY. OKAY, GO AHEAD, GRAB ON PIECE. AND JUSTICE CENTER IS A MULTI-ISSUE CULTURAL ARTS CENTER. ESPERANZA BEGUN BY WOMEN OF COLOR CULTURAL WORKERS, WORKS TO CHANGE THE CULTURE OF VIOLENCE THAT HAS SO DEVASTATED OUR HOMES, OUR COMMUNITIES, OUR CULTURES, AND OUR WORLD. WE DO THIS THROUGH PROGRAMMING THAT SPEAKS TO OUR COMMUNITIES, THAT CREATES AND BUILDS A COMMUNITY OF JUSTICE, COMPASSION, . AS A 33 YEAR OLD GRASSROOTS, COMMUNITY-BASED, MULTIDISCIPLINARY ARTS AND CULTURAL ORGANIZATION, WE ARE COMMITTED TO SERVING MARGINALIZED COMMUNITIES AND PRESERVING SAN ANTONIO'S UNIQUE CULTURAL HERITAGE. WE PRODUCE AND PRESENT PROGRAMS THAT PROVOKE DIALOGUE, HONOR TRADITIONAL CULTURES, NURTURE NEW AESTHETICS, RENEW THE SOUL, BREAK STEREOTYPES, AND STRENGTHEN COMMUNITIES. WE BELIEVE THAT TO BE FULL CITIZENS OF THIS CITY, NATION, AND THE WORLD, INDIVIDUALS MUST BE CULTURALLY GROUNDED, CONFIDENT IN THEIR VOICES AND CERTAIN OF THE VALUE OF THEIR CONTRIBUTIONS. ART AND CULTURE CONNECT US TO OUR HISTORIES AND PLANT THE SEEDS FOR OUR SELF-WORTH. WE SEEK TO INCREASE ACCESS OF MARGINALIZED GROUPS TO ARTISTIC EXPRESSION AND TO BRIDGE COMMUNITIES THROUGH ACCURATE AND RESPECTFUL CULTURAL UNDERSTANDING. SAN ANTONIO IS A CITY WITH A RICH CULTURAL HERITAGE, BUT WE ARE ALSO A CITY OF LOW INCOMES WITH SUBSTANDARD LIVING CONDITIONS, HIGH LEVELS OF DOMESTIC VIOLENCE, [01:40:01] AND LITTLE OPPORTUNITY FOR JOBS OUTSIDE OF THE SERVICE INDUSTRY. OUR CULTURAL PROGRAMMING TACKLED SOME OF THE MOST PRESSING ISSUES FACING THE COMMUNITY. LOW HIGH SCHOOL GRADUATION RATES, GENERATIONAL POVERTY AND CHRONIC DISEASES. NOW WE CAN ADD THE EFFECTS OF THE CORONAVIRUS AND THE NATIONAL CONVERSATIONS AND REALITIES OF POLICE VIOLENCE, CLIMATE CHANGE, GENTRIFICATION, AND STRUCTURAL INEQUALITY. THESE ARE ISSUES THAT HAVE BEEN FED BY DECADES OF DISINVESTMENT IN THE INNER CITY OF SAN ANTONIO. OUR CULTURAL PROGRAMMING ENCOMPASSES MULTIPLE ARTISTIC AND CULTURAL PRO PROGRAMS, INCLUDING NOT JASU WITH ASU NACHAS, THE 25 YEAR OLD WOMAN'S ARTS COOPERATIVE , WHO WOMEN FROM THE COMMUNITY TELL PERSONAL STORIES THROUGH CLAY PHOTO BANNERS, AN EXHIBITION WITHOUT WALLS DISPLAYING LARGE SCALE BANNERS OF HISTORIC FORMAL AND INFORMAL PORTRAITS OF COMMUNITY MEMBERS FROM THE 19 HUNDREDS TO THE LATE 1950S. FILM SCREENINGS, THEATER AND PERFORMANCE ART, WRITING WORKSHOPS IN LITERARY PRESENTATIONS, AS WELL AS OUR ANNUAL EVENT SUCH AS THE SIDE LOS MUTOS AND THE BEST ARTS MARKET IN THE CITY FOR OVER 30 YEARS. IN MEGO DE, WHICH MANY OF YOU ON THE DIOCESE HAVE ATTENDED. THIS PAST JANUARY, WE HAD THE UNVEILING OF THE FIRST MOUNTED SOLO MURAL IN THE WORLD, HIGHLIGHTING THE STUDENTS OF JT BRECKEN RIDGE ELEMENTARY FROM 1906 AND 2018, AND FEATURING THE POETRY OF GO TAFOYA AND GRAPHIC ART DESIGNER AT BRIANNA GARCIA. GO BY ANY DAY AND SEE IT ON THE TWO STORY WEST WALL OF JT AT BRASO AND GUADALUPE STREET. ONCE THE RENOVATIONS TO THE SCHOOL ARE DONE, EDTA WILL USE THE ENERGY PRODUCED BY THE SOLAR MURAL TO ILLUMINATE 50 PHOTO BANNERS MOUNTED ALONG THE SCHOOL FENCE ON GUADALUPE STREET. EDTA HAS TWO MAIN SPACES, OUR HEADQUARTERS JUST NORTH OF DOWNTOWN AND THE OTHER ON SOUTH GUADALUPE. BUT TO REACH THE UNDERSERVED, WE TAKE OUR PROGRAMMING TO THE STREETS, TO PARKS, TO SENIOR CENTERS, TO SCHOOLS, AND TO WHEREVER WE ARE INVITED. BY DECEMBER OF THIS YEAR, ESPER WILL HAVE RESTORED LEMAS 10,000 SQUARE FOOT BUILDING, AND BY THE TIME THE PANDEMIC IS OVER, WE WILL BEGIN USING A PORTION OF THAT BUILDING FOR A VARIETY OF COMMUNITY EVENTS AND BE BY DECEMBER OF 2021, WE HOPE TO BE OPENING THE DOORS OF THE EO VILLE WEST SIDE, THE FIRST COMMUNITY MUSEUM HONORING THE CULTURE AND HISTORY OF WEST SIDE WORKING CLASS COMMUNITIES. THROUGHOUT OUR HISTORY, WE HAVE HOSTED HUNDREDS OF TIKAS WITH LEGENDARY SHEROES LIKE GLORIA UA, WHEN NO OTHER CULTURAL SPACE OR UNIVERSITY WOULD OPEN THEIR DOORS TO SUCH A GENIUS AND OTHER MU SUCH AS THETA. AND OUR BELOVED ANGELA DAVIS. WE'VE PRESENTED FREE CONCERTS FEATURING INTERNATIONAL STARS SUCH AS LILA DOWN AND SUSAN BACA. WAY BEFORE OTHER ARTS ORGANIZATIONS BROUGHT THESE ARTISTS TO TOWN. YEARS LATER, WE REDISCOVERED FOUR AMAZING ELDER SINGERS AND HAD THEM GRACE THIS CITY AND THE STATE OF TEXAS AS LASSO DE SAN ANTONIO. THE TWO REMAINING WOMEN NOW AGES 84 AND 86 WON THE PRESTIGIOUS NATIONAL ENDOWMENT FOR THE ARTS HERITAGE AWARD IN WASHINGTON D C JUST A YEAR AGO. THROUGHOUT OUR HISTORY, WE HAVE SERVED AND PROMOTED GROUPS AND INDIVIDUALS WHO OTHERWISE WOULD BE OVERLOOKED OR UNHEARD PEOPLE OF COLOR, WOMEN, QUEER PEOPLE, POOR PEOPLE, AND IMMIGRANTS. WE WORK TO MAKE OUR PROGRAMS FREE OR LOW COST SO THAT THEY ARE AVAILABLE TO ALL COMMUNITY MEMBERS DURING THE PANDEMIC. WE HAVE BEEN PRESENTING REGULAR PROGRAMMING VIRTUALLY ON FACEBOOK AND YOUTUBE. SOME OF YOU MAY QUESTION OUR CULTURAL ARTS PROGRAMMING, BUT OUR WORK HAS BEEN RANKED FIRST BY PEER REVIEW PANELS FOR OVER 25 YEARS. AND WE ARE ONE OF THE FEW ARTS GROUPS IN SAN ANTONIO WHO RECEIVED PUBLIC ARTS SPENDING FROM THE NATIONAL ENDOWMENT FOR THE ARTS. AND FOR THE LAST TWO YEARS, WE HAVE RECEIVED ARTS FUNDING FROM THE FORD FOUNDATION TO USE STORYTELLING AND OTHER CULTURAL PROGRAMMING TO COUNTER RACISM AND WHITE SUPREMACY. IF YOU DON'T KNOW OUR CULTURAL ARTS WORK, PLEASE COME TO OUR PROGRAMS WHEN WE'RE BACK IN PUBLIC SESSIONS OR WATCH OUR PROGRAMMING ON FACEBOOK OR YOUTUBE. FINALLY, BECAUSE WE ARE DEEPLY, WE ARE DEEPLY ROOTED IN OUR COMMUNITIES, OUR STAFF AND HAN IS WITH OUR OWN TIME AND OWN MONEY, HAVE BEEN DISTRIBUTING DONATED FOOD DURING THE PANDEMIC, SUPPORTING LOW INCOME FAMILIES FACING EVICTIONS, COLLABORATING WITH THE CITY AND DOMESTIC AS BONITA TO [01:45:01] ASSIST LOW INCOME FAMILIES TO APPLY FOR EMERGENCY HOUSING FUNDS, COLLABORATING WITH THE CITY TO DISTRIBUTE INFORMATION ON EMERGENCY RESOURCES AND ADVOCATING TO VARIOUS FUNDING SOURCES FOR INCREASED SUPPORT FOR LOW-INCOME TENANTS FACING EVICTION AND FOR LOW-INCOME HOMEOWNERS FACING CODE COMPLIANCE VIOLATIONS OR DEMOLITION. WE THANK YOU FOR YOUR FINANCIAL SUPPORT AND LOOK FORWARD TO WORKING WITH YOU TO BUILD CULTURAL EQUITY IN THE ARTS ENC GARCIA. THANK YOU MS. SANCHEZ. GERALD , FOLLOWED BY CAROLINA GONZALEZ REMISS. OKAY, UM, I WANNA FIRST SAY THAT I SECOND THE WORDS OF EVERYONE WHO'S SPOKEN AGAINST, UH, THE PROPOSED BUDGET SO FAR. AND, UM, IN RESPONSE TO THE WOMAN WHO SAID POLICE ARE BEING ATTACKED, UH, THE POLICE ARE LITERALLY ATTACKING BLACK AND BROWN PEOPLE IN OUR CITY. SO FORGET THAT. IF YOU'RE MORE WORRIED ABOUT WHAT YOU DEEM TO BE VERBAL ATTACKS AGAINST POLICE, THEN YOU ARE ABOUT PHYSICAL ATTACKS WITH POLICE AGAINST BLACK PEOPLE, YOU'RE ANTI-BLACK. WITH THAT SAID, I WANT TALK ABOUT THIS BUDGET. TWO DAYS AGO, SAN ANTONIO POLICE MURDERED DARRYL ZAMAL SR. AND THEY SHOT HIM IN THE BACK AND REFUSE TO ADMINISTER AID OR ALLOW ANYONE ELSE TO DO SO. WHY WAS HE LATE DYING? TODAY, YOU'RE ABOUT TO VOTE ON A BUDGET PROPOSAL THAT WOULD INCREASE FUNDING TO THE DEPARTMENT THAT MURDERED HIM AND MANY OTHERS. A BUDGET THAT WOULD INCREASE FUNDING TO THE ONLY CITY DEPARTMENT THAT SHOOTS PEOPLE WHILE CUTTING FUNDING EVERYWHERE ELSE. EVEN AS THE CITY FACES AN ECONOMIC CRISIS, HUNDREDS OF CITY RESIDENTS HAVE FOR MONTHS BEEN CALLING ON YOU TO MAKE CUTS TO THE POLICE BUDGET AND INVEST THAT MONEY IN MUCH NEEDED AND UNDERFUNDED HUMAN SERVICES IN OUR COMMUNITY SERVICES THAT IS ADEQUATELY FUNDED WOULD ACTUALLY MAKE OUR COMMUNITY SAFER WITHOUT SHOOTING ANYBODY OR PUTTING ANYBODY IN A CAGE. THE PROPOSED BUDGET DOES THE OPPOSITE AND IT, IT INCREASES FUNDING TO THE POLICE WHILE MAKING CUTS EVERYWHERE ELSE. THINK ABOUT WHAT THAT SAYS ABOUT YOUR PRIORITIES AS THEY CONCERN YOUR CONSTITUENTS AT THIS TIME OF ECONOMIC HARDSHIP. IT SAYS YOU FEAR YOUR CONSTITUENTS MORE THAN YOU CARE ABOUT THEIR WELLBEING, BECAUSE WHEN THEY NEED JOBS, HIGHER WAGES, EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITY, MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES AND HOUSING, YOU CUT THOSE FUNDS AND INSTEAD GIVE THEM MORE COPS WITH MORE EQUIPMENT. THAT INVESTMENT IN THE POLICE DOES NOTHING TO IMPROVE THE ECONOMIC CONDITIONS OF SAN ANTONIO RESIDENTS. IT DOESN'T EVEN DO ANYTHING TO IMPROVE SAFETY, BUT IT DOES ENSURE THAT PEOPLE OF COLOR, ESPECIALLY BLACK PEOPLE IN OUR COMMUNITY, WILL FEEL MORE INTIMIDATED. IT ENSURES THEY WILL BE UNDER INCREASED SURVEILLANCE. IT ENSURES MORE POLICE HARASSMENT, MORE ARRESTS, MORE PEOPLE IN JAIL, AND IT ENSURES SS A P D WILL MURDER MORE PEOPLE LIKE DARRYL ALD SR. BY SUPPORTING THIS BUDGET, YOU ARE TELLING YOUR MOST VULNERABLE CONSTITUENTS. WE DON'T CARE ABOUT YOUR ECONOMIC SITUATION, BUT WE DO WANT TO KEEP OPPRESSING YOU. THERE ARE PLACES IN THE WORLD THAT ARE DEMOCRATIC IN NAME WITH ELECTED REPRESENTATIVES, BUT IN PRACTICE, THE MILITARY RUNS THINGS BEHIND THE SCENES BASED ON THE PROPOSED BUDGET AND THE PERSISTENT WILLINGNESS OF CITY COUNCIL TO GIVE THE POLICE EXACTLY WHAT THEY WANT WHENEVER THEY WANT IT. I BELIEVE THAT IN SAN ANTONIO WE HAVE A DEMOCRACY AND NAME ONLY. WE ELECT OUR CITY COUNCIL, BUT THE POLICE ARE THE ONES WHO ACTUALLY RUN THIS CITY. YOUR VOTING RECORD IS PROOF OF THAT. IF YOU DISAGREE, PROVE ME WRONG. VOTE TO DEFUND THE POLICE TODAY. AND MR. MAYOR, THE FAMILY OF MR. ZAMAL SR. NEEDS THAT BODY CAM FOOTAGE. SIR. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. MR. BILLS CAROLINA CONZALEZ RAMIREZ, FOLLOWED BY DAVID SUGGS. HI. CAN HEAR ME? YES, WE CAN HEAR YOU. YOU CAN HEAR ME? OH, HI. YES, THANK YOU. THIS IS, UH, CAROLINA CAN GONZALEZ. UH, I'M A RESIDENT OF DISTRICT TWO AND I'VE BEEN WORKING WITH THE IMMIGRANT RIGHTS, UH, COMMUNITY IN THE CITY, STATE AND NATION FOR THE LAST 10 YEARS. I'M PROUD MEMBER OF THE SA STEMS IMMIGRATION COALITION AS WELL AS THE DEFUND SS A P D COALITION. AND TODAY, JUST LIKE THE REST OF THE POWERFUL TESTIMONIES THAT WERE HEARD, I OPPOSE THE BUDGET BEING PROPOSED AND ECHO THE DEMAND TO DEFUND THE POLICE AND INVEST IN OUR COMMUNITIES. IT'S BEEN A REALLY HARD PROCESS FOR ME, UM, JUST TO DEAL WITH THE RAGE AND THE HEARTBREAK THAT THIS, YOU KNOW, BUDGET PROCESS HAS BROUGHT TO ME AND THOUSANDS OF COMMUNITY MEMBERS THAT ARE IN CRISIS, NOT JUST BECAUSE OF THE PANDEMIC, BUT BECAUSE OF THE VIOLENT POLICING THAT BLACK AND BROWN COMMUNITIES CONTINUE TO SUFFER FROM ALL LOCAL LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCIES. AND THAT INCLUDES ICE TOO. FOR THE IMMIGRANT COMMUNITY WHO KEEP TERRORIZING US. I AM ALSO VERY APPALLED ON HOW POWERFUL VOICES OF OUR SISTERS, YOU KNOW, AND BROTHERS CELESTE BROWN, YOU KNOW, KIMIA MARLIN ARE NOT SHAKING YOU RIGHT NOW TO DO THE RIGHT THING. SHE, YOU KNOW, OUR SISTER, CELESTE BROWN IS LIVING THE PAIN AND OF POLICE VIOLENCE RIGHT HERE, RIGHT NOW. AND SHE WAS FORCED TO COME TO TELL YOU THE SAME THING THAT SHE'S BEEN SCREAMING FOR IN THE PAST SUMMER. THIS SYSTEM IS NOT SET OUT FOR OUR PEOPLE AND, AND OR TO MEET THEIR NEEDS. WE'VE BEEN SUFFERING [01:50:01] THE CONSEQUENCES OF A POLICE STATE FOR FAR TOO LONG. WE'VE BEEN ADDRESSING CRIME THE WRONG WAY FOR FAR TOO LONG. SO BEFORE YOU TAKE THIS VOTE, I ASK YOU THAT YOU THINK, WHAT ARE THE UNDERLYING CAUSES OF CRIME AND WHY ARE WE USING TOOLS LIKE ARREST AND DEFINITE DETENTION IN JAIL, LETHAL AND HARMFUL APPREHENSION WITH GUNS AND TASERS? THIS VIOLENCE DOES NOT SOLVE THE ROOT PROBLEMS, ATE THEM BY CAUSING MORE TRAUMA AND PAIN. I ASK YOU THAT YOU IMAGINE LONG-TERM SOLUTIONS FOR THE SOCIAL PROBLEMS WE'VE ALWAYS FACED, POVERTY, MENTAL HEALTH, ADDICTION, HOMELESSNESS, TRAUMA. WE MUST STOP CRIMINALIZING THIS PROBLEM AND RE RECOGNIZE THAT THE REASONS FOR WHAT THIS THINGS HAPPEN CAN GET RESOLVED WITH EQUITY AND A RESOURCE ALLOCATION AND EQUAL ACCESS TO SERVICES FOR ALL AND NOT VIOLENT POLICING. I'M DISAPPOINTED TO NOT SEE ANY MORE AMENDMENTS FROM YOU ALL TODAY TO DEFUND THE POLICE AND INVEST IN OUR COMMUNITIES. UH, AND I'M ALSO OUTRAGED, YOU KNOW, BY THE KILLING OF THE RALPH SAML SENIOR AND MANY OTHERS, UM, YOU KNOW, IN THIS CASE THAT HAPPENED TO THE INCIDENT THAT HAPPENED TWO DAYS AGO. LETHAL FORCE WAS TOTALLY NECESSARY FOR AN ARREST WARRANT. AND WE ALL KNOW THAT. AND THIS DID NOT PROVIDE ANY SOLUTION FOR MR. ALT'S PROBLEMS OR ANY OF OUR PROBLEMS. THE PEOPLE OF SAN ANTONIO DESERVE TO BE THE PRIORITY IN THIS BUDGET AND THEIR NEEDS THAT DESERVE TO BE MET. SO NOT JUST ONE DEPARTMENT, YOU KNOW, I'M ALSO A PUBLIC ADMINISTRATOR. I ALSO HAVE AN M P A, JUST LIKE OUR CITY MANAGER DOES. AND ANY GOOD M P A DOES, RIGHT? THAT AS WE INCREASE BUDGET FOR ONE DEPARTMENT, THE OTHERS WILL CEASE TO EXIST. AND WHAT WE'RE GONNA DO WHEN THANK YOU. THANK YOU, MS. CAN RAMEZ, UH, GO NOW TO DAVID SUGGS, FOLLOWED BY ANANDA THOMAS DAVID SUGGS. OKAY, WE'LL GO TO ANANDA THOMAS. THANK YOU. I'M CALLING IN THE CITIZEN OF D SEVEN, NOT AS PART OF ANY ORGANIZATION. I'M DISGUSTED THAT YOU'RE PART PATTING YOURSELF ON THE BACK FOR THIS BUDGET. YOU TALK ABOUT LONG-TERM CHANGES BEGINNING NEXT YEAR, AND WE WANT THAT, BUT WE HAVE DEMANDED AN IMMEDIATE CHANGE AS WELL. 1 MILLION, 5 MILLION, $10 MILLION. NOT A SINGLE PENNY TAKEN, NOT A SINGLE AMENDMENT THAT DECREASES SAP'S BUDGET. BUT YOU CUT THE FOOD BANK BY 47,000 DURING A PANDEMIC, YOU CUT THE AUTISM NETWORK MADE CUTS TO WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT. HELL, EVEN THE GIRL SCOUTS SAW A CUT. THE HOUSING COMMISSION LITERALLY JUST ASKED YOU FOR MORE FUN. AFTER THE DEATH OF DAM AND DANIELS, THE COUNTY WITHIN TWO WEEKS CREATED A PLAN TO DIVERT MENTAL HEALTH CALLS AWAY FROM THE SHERIFF. THEY DECREASED SHERIFF'S LAW ENFORCEMENT BY 5.9%, INCREASED MENTAL HEALTH BY 46%. THAT WAS AFTER ONE DEATH THIS MONTH. YOU'VE HAD EIGHT DEATHS AT THE HANDS OF LAW ENFORCEMENT THIS YEAR ALONE. TWO IN THE LAST MONTH, RESTING POWER. DARRYL LAAL SR. AND DAMIEN DANIEL, BY THE WAY, DEMAND THE RELEASE OF MR. LAMONT'S BODY CAM FOOTAGE TO THE FAMILY. BE JUST AS STRONG ON THIS AS YOU WERE FOR MR. KO'S CASE. MR. MAYOR, IS THIS A LOOMING ELECTION THAT HAS YOU ALSO SCARED BECAUSE YOU'RE IN MORE TROUBLE NOW BY YOUR LACK OF INACTION THAN YOU WERE BEFORE THIS BUDGET PROCESS BEGAN? BELIEVE THAT WE KEEP GIVING YOU ANSWERS. CIVILIANIZED ADMINISTRATIVE AND TECHNICAL JOBS IN THE DEPARTMENT. DON'T FILL RETIRED POSITIONS. STOP POLICING THE HOMELESS, MOVE DEPARTMENTS LIKE THE MENTAL HEALTH UNIT AND VICTIMS' ADVOCACY OUT OF THE PURVIEW OF SS A P D AND INTO MUNICIPAL OR COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS THAT ALREADY PROVIDE THESE EXISTING SERVICES. LOOK AT THE EXPENSIVE CONTRACTUAL SERVICES THAT CURRENTLY EXIST WITH S A P D IN THE CITY. I SINCERELY HOPE NEXT YEAR YOU REVISIT THE EXPENSIVE IT ASSESSMENT FEE THAT THE CITY HAS IN ALL ITS DEPARTMENTS. LITERALLY $13 MILLION A LOAN FOR SS A P D WHILE COLLEGES AROUND THE NATION WITH TENS OF THOUSANDS OF STUDENTS RUN, RUN IT DEPARTMENTS FOR HALF OF THAT CAUSE. TAKE RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE BLOOD ON YOUR HAND, DEFUND THE POLICE, FUND THE COMMUNITY, OR LOSE YOUR JOB. THANK YOU. THANK YOU, MS. THOMAS JOSIE GARCIA, FOLLOWED BY JOLENE GARCIA. CAN YOU HEAR ME? YES, WE CAN HEAR YOU. OKAY. HELLO, MY NAME IS JOSIE JOLENE GARCIA. I'M A RESIDENT OF DISTRICT FOUR AS WELL AS RETIRED UNITED STATES AIR FORCE. I'M CALLING BECAUSE I AM BEGGING YOU ALL TO DEFUND, S A P D OF HALF A BILLION [01:55:01] DOLLARS OF RESOURCES THAT ARE SPENT ON POLICING THIS COMMUNITY. A HUNDRED MILLION DOLLARS ARE AVAILABLE TO HELP HEAL THE PAIN AND SUFFERING THAT YOU ALL HAVE CONTINUALLY LISTEN TO FROM YOUR CONSTITUENTS. FOR THE LAST SIX MONTHS, ONE OF OUR VERY OWN LOST A FAMILY MEMBER BY BEING SHOT IN THE BACK BY S A P D. AND WE ARE SITTING HERE ANXIOUSLY AWAITING THE RELEASE OF BODY CAM FOOTAGE TO SHOW HOW SS A P D RESPONDS TO SERVING WARRANTS IN OUR COMMUNITY. WHAT I'M ASKING YOU IS TO CONSIDER DEFUNDING MILITARIZED WEAPONS AND CONSIDERING INVESTING IN HELP AND THINGS SUCH AS CROSSFIT OR STRENGTH TRAINING FOR YOUR, YOUR POLICE OFFICERS. BECAUSE THE FIVE OFFICERS COULD NOT SUBDUE ONE ARMED ARMED MAN WITHOUT SHOOTING HIM IN THE BACK. WE HAVE A HUGE PROBLEM. WE SAT IN COMMISSIONER'S COURT AND LISTENED TO CONSTABLES GO OUT OF THEIR WAY TO TELL US HOW THEY ARE NOT INVOLVED WITH S A P D, HOW THEY ARE NOT BEXAR COUNTY. THEY WERE SO DESPERATE TO SEPARATE THEMSELVES FROM THESE LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCIES THAT THEY DID SO IN OPEN COURT, THEY SEE THE PROBLEMS, THEY'RE LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICIALS, AND THEY SEE THE PROBLEMS THAT WE ALL SEE. I'M AN IRAQI WAR VETERAN. I'M THE WIFE OF AN IRAQI WAR VETERAN WITH A PURPLE HEART. I'M THE MOM OF TWO SONS WITH AUTISM. AND TO HEAR AND TO SEE PUBLIC COME SAY THAT MENTAL HEALTH IS NOT AN ISSUE IN MILITARY CITY U S A, IT'S HEART-WRENCHING BECAUSE A LOT OF US HAVE SACRIFICED MORE THAN TIME FOR OUR COUNTRY. A LOT OF US HAVE SACRIFICED OUR OWN MENTAL CAPACITY. I PERSONALLY HAVE STRUGGLED WITH P T S D. I'M THE LEVEL TO WHERE ALL I CAN DESCRIBE IS PURE DARKNESS. IF ARMED INDIVIDUALS, POLICE OFFICERS SHOW UP AT MY DOOR WHEN I AM SUFFERING FROM THE THROWS OF P T S D, I COULDN'T IMAGINE FEELING ANYTHING OTHER THAN FEAR AT THAT TIME. I CANNOT IMAGINE WHAT DAMIEN AND DANIELS WAS GOING THROUGH, BUT I'VE BEEN CLOSE. I BEG OF YOU, ALL OF YOU SITTING ON THAT DAIS TODAY TO LISTEN TO WHAT'S BEING TOLD TO YOU. WE'RE NOT A BUNCH OF PEOPLE THAT ARE RUNNING AROUND ROGUE TRYING TO TAKE MONEY AWAY FROM OUR CITY TO MAKE OUR CITY GO INTO PANDEMONIUM. YOU'VE HEARD OVER AND OVER AGAIN, THE STUDIES HAVE TOLD YOU HEAVY POLICING DOES NOT ELIMINATE CRIME. IT DOES NOT REDUCE CRIME, LOVE, AND CARE AND INVESTMENT IN YOUR COMMUNITY. DOES. THANK YOU, MS. GARCIA. JOLENE GARCIA. YES. JOLENE, ARE YOU CONNECTED? I AM CONNECTED. HELLO. OKAY, GO AHEAD JOLENE. YOU HAVE THE FLOOR. THANK YOU. I AM HERE. UH, MY NAME IS JOLENE GARCIA. I'M HERE, UM, AS A MOTHER OF TWO, UM, LIVING IN, UH, CITY COUNCIL DISTRICT SIX, UM, IN THE EDGEWOOD NEIGHBORHOOD. UM, AND, UM, I, I SUPPORT THE VOICES THAT HAVE COME BEFORE ME TO ASK YOU TO DEFUND SS A P D. UM, AS WE KNOW, UM, SAFETY IS A, UM, VERY COMPLEX, UM, CONCEPT THAT NEEDS TO BE BECOME, THAT NEEDS TO BE ACHIEVED, UM, THROUGH, UM, TRUE ECONOMIC JUSTICE. WHEN WE TALK ABOUT, UM, OUR COMMUNITY AND I THINK ABOUT THE SAFETY OF MY CHILDREN AND THE CHILDREN, UM, UM, THAT ARE IN THEIR CLASSES, YOU KNOW, THEIR CLASSMATES AND THE FAMILIES, UM, YOU KNOW, UM, LOMA PARK, UH, YOU KNOW, ELEMENTARY IS JUST DOWN THE STREET. UM, AND THOSE FAMILIES HAVE EXPERIENCED, UM, THE LOSS, UM, IN THEIR COMMUNITY, UH, DARRYL MONT SENIOR. AND, UM, AND I THINK ABOUT HOW WE CAN MAKE OUR COMMUNITY SAFER. AND, UM, WHEN I'VE SEEN IT IN MY LIVED EXPERIENCE, SAFETY MEANS A STABLE, UM, A STABLE ECONOMIC, UM, SITUATION. IT MEANS LIVING WAGES AT THE JOBS THAT WE KNOW OVER 350,000 FAMILIES IN THIS CITY WORK JOBS WITHOUT PAID SICK LEAVE. AND WE ARE NOT DOING ANYTHING ON THE, ON THE, UM, AMOUNT OF, UM, YOU KNOW, UH, ON THE, [02:00:01] THE SIZE THAT WE NEED TO, TO ADDRESS LIVING WAGES FOR OVER 350,000 FAMILIES. AND WHERE CAN WE GET THAT MONEY IF ONLY THERE WAS AN OVERFUNDED, UM, YOU KNOW, DEPARTMENT THAT WE COULD GET THAT MONEY FROM. AND WE DO. WE FIND THAT IT IS, UM, AN SS A P D WHERE WE CAN, UH, DIRECTLY RIGHT NOW, AS MANY PEOPLE HAVE TOLD YOU ALREADY. UM, WE CAN DEFUND OVER $20 MILLION RIGHT NOW AND WE CAN HAVE, UH, STABLE ECONOMIC SITUATIONS FOR MANY FAMILIES. AND, UM, STABLE FUTURES MEAN, UM, HEALTHCARE, IT MEANS HOUSING AND IT MEANS EDUCATION AND IT MEANS LIVING WAGES. IT DOES NOT MEAN A BADGE OR A GUN OR A POLICE FORCE OR LAW ENFORCEMENT. AND I SPEAK, YOU KNOW, COMING FROM A COMMUNITY THAT RIGHT NOW IS HURTING AND I SUPPORT ALL OF THOSE VOICES THAT CAME BEFORE ME, UH, WITH BOTH THEIR LIVED EXPERIENCE AND THE RESEARCH THAT THEY HAVE PRESENTED TO YOU SAYING HOW WE AS RESIDENTS OF THIS CITY ARE DEMANDING THAT, UM, THAT YOU DO TAKE THIS ACTION TODAY. THANK YOU MS. GARCIA. JACK FINGER, JACK FINGER. WE ARE DONE. OKAY. UM, THAT'S EVERYONE WHO SIGNED UP TO SPEAK. UM, WE'RE GONNA GO AHEAD AND GET STARTED ON OUR, OUR COUNCIL CONVERSATION HERE AND LEMME JUST OPEN UP. UM, AND THANK OUR, OUR COMMUNITY, OUR STAFF, OUR COLLEAGUES ON THE CITY COUNCIL FOR WORKING TOGETHER. THIS HAS NOT BEEN, UH, A NORMAL NOR AN EASY, UH, FISCAL YEAR. UH, IT'S BEEN A YEAR THAT'S BEEN FRAUGHT WITH ANGER, UH, DIVISION TENSION, ANXIETY DISEASE. AND IT'S DIFFICULT TO IMAGINE THAT WE'VE BEEN IMMERSED IN THE COVID WAVE OF LIFE FOR OVER SIX MONTHS. BUT WE HAVE TO REMIND OURSELVES WE'RE NOT LOOKING UP FROM THE BOTTOM OF AN INESCAPABLE PIT. WE'RE SIMPLY IN A DEEP TUNNEL WITH A LONG WAY TO GO. WE HAVE OUR LOVED ONES AND MANY OF WHOM WE'VE LOST. WE HAVE OUR NEIGHBORS. WE HAVE A PATH FORWARD AND WE DO HAVE HOPE. THE ADJUSTMENTS THAT EVERY SAN ANTONIO RESIDENT HAS BEEN FORCED TO MAKE THROUGHOUT THIS PANDEMIC HAVE BEEN NOTHING SHORT OF REMARKABLE. AND THIS COMMUNITY HAS, AGAIN, RISEN TO THE CHALLENGE. EVERY SINGLE COUNCIL MEMBER DROPPED EVERYTHING TO MEET THE NEEDS OF OUR NEIGHBORS. GOOD HEALTH, SAFETY, SECURITY, FOOD ESSENTIALS, AND A ROOF OVER OUR HEADS BECAME OUR ONLY MEASURE OF SUCCESS. CITY STAFF TURNED ON A DIME TO PROVIDE EVERY AMOUNT OF ASSISTANCE IMAGINABLE TO MEET THE NEEDS OF OUR RESIDENTS. AND AS WE'VE WORKED THROUGH THIS PANDEMIC, WE'VE RESOLVED THAT THESE PRIORITIES SHOULD BE OUR BENCHMARK EVEN LONG AFTER THIS VIRUS HAS BEEN DEFEATED. SO THE GROUND HAS SHIFTED BENEATH OUR FEED AND PROVIDING AN OPPORTUNITY FOR US TO DISCOVER NEW FIXES, FAULT LINES AND CRACKS WERE EXPOSED IN EVERY CORNER OF OUR CITY, BUT THAT MEANT THEY LAID BARE, ALLOWING US TO DRESS THE WOUNDS SO THAT WE COULD BEGIN TO HEAL. THE BUDGET IN FRONT OF US IS REFLECTIVE OF A UNIQUE, CHALLENGING AND INSPIRING MOMENT IN OUR COMMUNITY. SO I DO WANT TO THANK OUR CITY STAFF, PARTICULARLY ERIC MARIA, BEN SCOTT. FROM TAKING THE TIME AND TAKING ON THE MOST DIFFICULT BUDGET PROCESS TO DATE, WE HAD HARDLY ANY WIGGLE ROOM, AS YOU CAN IMAGINE, BUT YOU'VE ADAPTED TO MEET THE UNCERTAIN DEMANDS OF A NOVEL VIRUS WHILE RETAINING OUR EMPLOYEES AND WORKING DAY AND NIGHT TO PROVIDE COMFORT TO THE CITY. WE HOPE THAT YOU CAN SEE THAT SAN ANTONIO AND HOPE THAT YOU'LL BE ABLE TO FEEL THE POSITIVE IMPACTS OF THESE INVESTMENTS IN YOUR LIVES IN THE COMING YEAR. PARALLEL TO THIS PANDEMIC, THE NATION AND OUR COMMUNITY CONTINUES TO GRAPPLE WITH A FAMILIAR DISEASE, RACE AND DISCRIMINATION. THE DEATHS OF BLACK LIVES AT THE HANDS OF THE POLICE HAS SHED A BRIGHT SPOTLIGHT ON THE WORK WE HAVE ALL YET TO DO. AND WE WILL DO TO IMPROVE POLICING AND PUBLIC SAFETY IN THE UNITED STATES IN ORDER TO LIVE UP TO THE RECOGNITION THAT BLACK LIVES MATTER SAN ANTONIO MUST NOT BE AN EXCEPTION. WHILE THIS BUDGET MAY NOT REFLECT THE EXACT SAME CHANGES THAT SOME OF OUR RESIDENTS HAVE CALLED FOR, I BELIEVE IT DOES COMMIT TO THE HEALTH, HOUSING, EDUCATION AND WORKFORCE NEEDS OF OUR CITY. I'M GRATEFUL TO AN EMPOWERED COMMUNITY OF RESIDENTS, ORGANIZERS, ACTIVISTS WHO HAVE PUSHED US TO REVIEW AND TO IDENTIFY OPPORTUNITIES TO DIRECT FUNDS TO ADDRESS THESE ISSUES. WE HOPE YOU SEE CHANGES BEFORE YOU AS THE BEGINNING OF A MUCH LONGER CONVERSATION. THANK YOU FOR THE TIME AND EFFORT YOU'VE [02:05:01] PUT INTO HOLDING US ACCOUNTABLE. WE ARE BETTER FOR YOUR EFFORTS SINCE WE WERE TO APPLY AN EQUITY LENS TO OUR BUDGETARY PROCESS IN 2017. I'VE BEEN COMMITTED TO PURSUING EVERY OPPORTUNITY TO INCREASE TRANSPARENCY AND ACCESSIBILITY IN OVERALL BUDGET. I'M STILL COMMITTED TO THIS GOAL. WE ALSO CONTINUE TO WORK TO ENSURE SAN ANTONIO RESIDENTS VOICES AND INPUT ARE GENUINELY HEARD, ALL OF THEM INCLUDED AND REFLECTED IN THE DECISION MAKING PROCESS IN THIS COMMUNITY TO CLOSE. AND THIS IS GONNA BE A LITTLE BIT DIFFICULT TO ACKNOWLEDGE, BUT THIS IS THE LAST CITY BUDGET FOR SHIRLEY GONZALEZ AND REBECCA VIRON. AS MEMBERS OF OUR CITY COUNCIL, WE HAVE THE ELE EQUITY LENS I JUST MENTIONED BECAUSE OF SHIRLEY GONZALEZ AND THE MISSIONS ARE UNESCO WORLD HERITAGE CENTER BECAUSE OF REBECCA VIA, I KNOW Y'ALL STILL HAVE MANY MORE MONTHS OF SERVICE, BUT YOUR STEADFAST COMMITMENTS TO THE RESIDENTS OF DISTRICTS FIVE AND THREE IN OUR CITY HAVE LEFT INDELIBLE MARKS ON OUR COMMUNITIES AND OUR CITY IN MANY YEARS. THESE MARKS ORIGINATED AND IN MANY WAYS THROUGH THESE BUDGETARY PROCESSES. SO THANK YOU AND THANK YOU TO MY CITY COUNCIL, COLLEAGUES, CITY STAFF, AND OUR COMMUNITY FOR BRAVING THE UNKNOWN. I'M HOPEFUL FOR US TO COME AND THANKFUL WE WILL GET THERE TOGETHER. SO LET ME NOW GO TO, OUR COLLEAGUES WILL BEGIN DISCUSSION. WE'LL START WITH COUNCIL MEMBER ROCHA GARCIA. THANK YOU MAYOR. AND, UH, THANK YOU ALSO, UH, TO THE CITY STAFF. UM, OUR CITY HAS SPARED WELL SO FAR BECAUSE WE HAVE AN EXCELLENT TEAM LED BY THE CITY MANAGER AND, UH, UH, WELL, ERIC WALSH AND, AND MARIA EZ, OUR DEPUTY CITY MANAGER, OUR C F O, BEN GOEL, UM, AS WELL AS SCOTT AND JUSTINE AND THE ENTIRE TEAM OVER IN THE BUDGET OFFICE. AND I DO WANNA TAKE THE OPPORTUNITY TO SAY THANK YOU, UH, TO MY COUNCIL COLLEAGUES WHO SAY ON THE LEFT AND RIGHT SIDE OF ME ON THE DIA. AND I WISH WE COULD HAVE BEEN THERE, UH, TODAY. BUT I'M, I'VE BEEN VERY FORTUNATE TO HAVE STRONG WOMEN, UH, TO, TO MY RIGHT AND LEFT THAT I CAN, UH, ALWAYS COUNT ON AND WORK WITH ON BEHALF OF OUR COMMUNITY. UM, SO, UH, I I WANTED TO START OFF AND, AND TALK IN GENERAL ABOUT A LITTLE BIT OF THE, THE WINS FOR DISTRICT FOUR AND THEN GO INTO THE MORE GENERAL, UH, PORTION OF MY COMMENTS. AND SO THANKS TO THE STAFF AND THE, THE BUDGETING THAT YOU ALL HELPED WITH LAST YEAR EVEN AND, AND INTO THIS YEAR, WE WERE ABLE IN, IN DISTRICT FOUR AND WITH THE HELP ALSO OF MY COUNCIL COLLEAGUES VOTED, UH, WE WERE ABLE TO ASSIST 1,422 FOLKS IN MY COMMUNITY WITH HOUSING AND UTILITY, UH, ASSISTANCE. WE WERE ALSO ABLE TO HELP SOME OF OUR SCHOOL DISTRICTS, INCLUDING SOUTHWEST SOUTH SIDE, UH, NORTHSIDE, I S D AND FOLKS FROM, UH, CENTRAL MED WITH OVER 1500 SCHOOL SUPPLIES AND BACKPACKS ARE DELIVERED. WE'RE ABLE TO, UH, DISTRIBUTE CLOSE TO 500 FOOD BOXES WITH THE HELP OF THE SAN ANTONIO FOOD BANK AND THE SAN ANTONIO, UH, FIREFIGHTERS ASSOCIATION. WE ALSO WERE ABLE TO GET 89 LIGHTS AFTER DOING A LIGHTING STUDY THAT, UH, THE PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT TOOK ON FOR ME LAST YEAR WHEN I REQUESTED. AND WE WILL CONTINUE THAT WORK. UM, AND THEN WE ARE ALSO, AND I'M VERY GRATEFUL BY THE WAY THAT AT MY REQUEST THERE WAS, UH, UH, I HAD REQUESTED FOR A FEASIBILITY STUDY FOR THE RELOCATION OF THE CURRENT VEHICLE IMPOUND FACILITY. AND SO, UM, I WAS PROJECTING ABOUT $125,000 AND OUR TEAM HAS COMMITTED TO DOING THAT IN-HOUSE, UH, WITH, WITH THE PUBLIC WORKS TEAM. AND I'M VERY EXCITED TO GET THAT STARTED, I KNOW IT'S GOING TO HELP OUR MILITARY, UM, MISSION. IT'S GOING TO HELP, UM, UH, THE TEXAS AIR NATIONAL GUARD, AND I'M HOPING TO WORK WITH COUNCILMAN PERRY ON THIS AND ADVANCING IT FORWARD. I ALSO WANNA THANK THE CITY STAFF FOR TAKING MY RECOMMENDATION AND LOOKING INTO THE KAHOOT PROGRAM, UH, FOR CONTINUING TO LOOK ALSO AT THE CARE ZONE IN, UH, SOUTH SAN I S D AND LOOKING AT PREVENTION AND INTERVENTION STRATEGIES OVER PUNITIVE STRATEGIES. SO, THANK YOU. UM, I APPRECIATE, UH, WHAT YOU'VE DONE. I'M CERTAIN THAT WE'VE WEATHERED FINANCIAL UNCERTAINTY IN THE PAST FEW MONTHS, AND I'M CONFIDENT THAT SOUND FINANCIAL DECISIONS OF THE PAST WILL HELP MITIGATE SOME OF THE IMPENDING ECONOMIC CONSEQUENCES THAT ARE YET TO COME. I'M VERY GRATEFUL FOR ALL THE EMPLOYEES WHO, FROM FORMER PART OF THE ENTIRE CITY ORGANIZATION AND WHO HAVE QUICKLY ADAPTED TO DELIVERING SOME OF THE QUALITY SERVICES TO OUR RESIDENTS WITH LITTLE INTERRUPTION OR MODIFICATION IN SERVICES. MY TEAM, WHO I DO WANT TO THANK VERY MUCH RIGHT NOW, UH, AND I HAVE WORKED ALMOST, UM, YOU KNOW, JUST, JUST RELENTLESSLY TO IDENTIFY BUDGET PRIORITIES FOR OUR DISTRICT WITH INPUT FOR DISTRICT FROM DISTRICT FOUR RESIDENTS, WHICH, BY THE WAY, UM, THE RESIDENTS ON THE SPEAK UP ESSAY, THERE WAS 929, UH, COMMENTS THAT CAME FROM THAT. UH, AND I WANNA THANK THE DISTRICT FOUR RESIDENTS. I'VE ALSO RECEIVED 400, UH, OR, OR ACTUALLY OVER 600 EMAILS DIRECTLY FROM [02:10:01] D FOUR RESIDENTS. AND I DO WANNA APPRECIATE THE COMMITMENT THAT YOU HAVE TO OUR COMMUNITY. UM, THE TYPES OF CONSTITUENT CALLS THAT WE TYPICALLY RECEIVE ARE RENTAL, UTILITY ASSISTANCE, CODE COMPLIANCE, PUBLIC SAFETY, AND ANIMAL CARE SERVICES. SO IN ADDITION TO REVIEWING OUR CONSTITUENT, UH, CASE LOGS, WE GET TO SEE OUR 3 1 1 REPORTS, AND WE USE THIS TYPE OF INFORMATION TO MAKE OUR DECISIONS. AND I'M AN AVID READER, AS YOU ALL KNOW. SO I, I READ THROUGH AND I LEARN ABOUT THE COMMUNITY, UM, SO THAT I CAN UNDERSTAND THEIR NEEDS. THE NEEDS OF THE COMMUNITY THAT I REPRESENT REFLECT THE DEMOGRAPHIC DATA THAT INDICATES THAT 56% OF DISTRICT FOUR RESIDENTS HAVE A HIGH SCHOOL DEGREE OR LOWER EDUCATIONAL ATTAINMENT WITH ONLY 12.4 RESIDENTS EARNING A BACHELOR'S DEGREE OR HIGHER LIMITED EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITIES MEAN LIMITED JOB OPPORTUNITIES WITH VERY LITTLE FINANCIAL SECURITY AND WORK MOBILITY, ESPECIALLY WITH 7.5 UNEMPLOYMENT RATE THAT I PRESUME IS PROBABLY MUCH HIGHER RIGHT NOW. UH, AND POST PANDEMIC, AN AVERAGE COMMUTE TIME OF 27.6 MINUTES, THE HIGHEST OF ALL COUNCIL DISTRICTS MEANS THAT A LOT OF OUR RESIDENTS HAVE TO TRAVEL FAR AND OUT OF THE DISTRICT FOR EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES. SAID IT'S ALSO PROBABLY NOT SURPRISING LISTENING TO THESE DEMOGRAPHICS AT 19.4% OF THE POPULATION IS UNINSURED. AND EVEN MORE ALARMING IS THAT WITHIN 18 TO 64 AGE GROUP, 28.4% OF THE RESIDENTS ARE UNINSURED. YOU CAN SEE WHY I ADVOCATE TIRELESSLY HERE ON, UH, IN FRONT OF MY COUNCIL COLLEAGUES FOR, UH, PUBLIC HEALTH AND THINGS THAT WILL HELP THE RESIDENTS OF DISTRICT FOUR. NOW, MANY OF OUR RESIDENTS ASK AND, AND RECEIVE HOUSING AND OUR UTILITY ASSISTANCE. AND SO I WANT TO THANK, UH, ALL OF THE OFFICES THAT ARE INVOLVED. I ALSO WANT TO THANK D H SS FOR THE DASHBOARD THAT TRACKS THE EMERGENCY HOUSING ASSISTANCE. UM, THE, THE CATEGORIES RENT, MORTGAGE, C P S, ENERGY SOURCE, INTERNET, AND CASH ASSISTANCE ARE VERY BENEFICIAL TO MY, UH, MY RESIDENTS, AND I WANT TO THANK YOU. I THINK IT'S ALSO FAIRLY EVIDENT HOW QUICKLY THE $51.7 MILLION ALLOCATED TO THIS PROGRAM HAS BEEN EXPENDED TO THE TUNE OF 45.4 MILLION. SO IT ACTUALLY SHOWS HOW GREAT THE NEEDS ARE FOR OUR RESIDENTS. MY MAIN CONCERN, IN ADDITION TO RUNNING OUT OF FUNDING FOR THIS, IS THE WAY WE COMMUNICATE WITH WHO QUALIFIES AND THE METHODS OF COMMUNICATION THAT WE USE. EARLIER THIS WEEK, I HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO MEET METRO HEALTH, UM, AND, UH, THEIR PREVENTION TEAM TO DISCUSS THE RESULTS OF A COMMUNITY SURVEY AND THE AREAS MOST ADVERSELY AFFECTED BY C OVID 19. THE RESPONSE RATE FOR DISTRICT FOUR WAS 72 OUT OF 605 SURVEYS, AND THE MARKETING SIDE OF ME KEPT ME THINKING THAT THERE'S WAYS THAT WE COULD PROBABLY ENGAGE OUR RESIDENTS MORE, BUT I ALSO, UM, WANT TO, UH, THANK THOSE WHO DO, UH, PARTICIPATE THROUGH INTERNET CONNECTION. BUT I KNOW THAT NOT EVERYONE FEELS COMFORTABLE USING AND ACCESSING INFORMATION THROUGH THE INTERNET. SOME OF OUR RESIDENTS, ESPECIALLY THE OLDER POPULATIONS, PREFER PRINT OR BROADCAST TV, WHICH WAS EVIDENT IN THE SURVEY THAT WE RECEIVED, AND THAT I LEARNED ABOUT THROUGH METRO HEALTH. I ALSO, UM, WANT TO THANK, UH, PARTNERS WHO HAVE HELPED US IN THE SPREAD OF THE VIRTUAL BUDGET TOWN HALL MEETINGS. I KNOW THAT, UH, THE DISTRICT FOUR BUDGET TOWN HALL, WE WERE ABLE TO CONNECT WITH MORE THAN 26,000 RESIDENTS THROUGH MULTIPLE PLATFORMS. AND SO, COMMUNITY PARTNERS LIKE ION WHO HELP WITH OUR SPANISH SPEAKING RESIDENTS ARE OF ESSENCE. I ALSO WANT TO THANK THE CENSUS STAFF FOR THE CENSUS CALLAN THIS PAST SATURDAY. ANOTHER GREAT EXAMPLE OF HOW WE SHOULD LEVERAGE AND CONTINUE TO LEVERAGE OUR PARTNERSHIPS PRIOR TO THIS PANDEMIC, I DON'T THINK THAT CITY COUNCIL AND, UH, THE COUNTY WORKED AS CLOSELY AS WE DO NOW. UM, I WANT TO THANK COUNCILMAN PALS AND THE INTERGOVERNMENTAL RELATIONS COMMITTEE BECAUSE WE'VE MORPHED INTO A HYBRID, UM, WITH THE COUNTY, AND BECAUSE WE RECOGNIZE THE SIGNIFICANCE OF COLLABORATION, COORDINATION WITH THE ENTITIES AND, UM, THE CITY AND THE COUNTY BOUNDARIES. SO I'D LOVE TO, UH, JUST TAKE THE OPPORTUNITY TO THANK ALL OF MY COLLEAGUES THAT I I WORK WITH RIGHT NOW. LEVERAGED PARTNERSHIPS ARE CRITICAL, AND I THINK WE CAN AGREE THAT THIS IS WHERE WE NEED TO WORK TOGETHER TO ACHIEVE COMMON GOALS AND DELIVER THE QUALITY SERVICES AND RESOURCES OUR RESIDENTS DESERVE. THERE'S NO DOUBT THAT OUR BUDGET PRIORITIES MAY HAVE SHIFTED IN THE PAST SIX MONTHS, BUT PERHAPS OVER LONG OVERDUE PUBLIC HEALTH HAS TAKEN THE CENTER STAGE, AND I'M HAPPY TO CONTINUE ADVOCATING ON THAT, UH, WITH COUNCILWOMAN, UH, SANDOVAL AND, AND, AND WITH THE MAYOR AS WELL, TO LET US KNOW THAT THERE'S, THERE'S PRIORITIES THAT WE STILL, UM, FACE AND WE SHOULD CONTINUE ADVOCATING FOR. I'M DISAPPOINTED THAT DEPARTMENTS LIKE METRO HEALTH, NEIGHBORHOOD HOUSING SERVICES IN THE DEPARTMENT OF HUMAN SERVICES THAT PROVIDE RESOURCES AND TO IMPROVE QUALITY OF LIFE FOR OUR RESIDENTS ARE STILL UNDERFUNDED. BUT I'M NOT SURE THAT ANY DOLLAR AMOUNT EVER WILL BE SUFFICIENT TO UNDO THE CENTURIES OF DAMAGE ASSOCIATED WITH POVERTY AND OPPRESSION, TARGETED EFFORTS, DIRECT OUTREACH TO OUR MOST VULNERABLE RESIDENTS. THIS SHOULD NOT SEEM LIKE A GROUNDBREAKING [02:15:01] IDEA THAT HAS NEVER BEEN SUGGESTED IN THE PAST. SO I LOOK FORWARD TO CONTINUING TO WORKING WITH MY COLLEAGUES ON THAT. IF A GLOBAL PANDEMIC DOESN'T TRANSFORM THE BLATANT ECONOMIC SEGREGATION AND DISPARITIES PLAGUING OUR CITY FOR CENTURIES, THEN WHAT WILL IT TAKE? I DON'T KNOW WHAT ELSE IT WOULD TAKE, BUT WITH RECORD HIGH UNEMPLOYMENT RATES AND STAGNANT CONGRESS, WILLING TO, UM, UNWILLING TO ACT PROMPTLY TO ASSIST OUR FAMILIES THROUGH THIS PANDEMIC, WHAT CAN WE DO AT THE LOCAL LEVEL, LEVEL TO HELP OUR COMMUNITY? SO WE SOMETIMES FORGET THAT OUR LOCAL GOVERNMENT IS THE ONE THAT WE HAVE CLOSEST TO US, ONE ELECTED OFFICIAL, REPRESENTING APPROXIMATELY 170,000 RESIDENTS OR SO. AND OUR CONSTITUENTS VERY MUCH SO DEMAND AND EXPECT SO MUCH FROM US, AND I AM PROUD THAT WE ARE TAKING THE OPPORTUNITY TO TRY TO ENGAGE WITH THEM AS MUCH, AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE. NOW, I DON'T THINK ANYONE ON THE DIOCESE HAD A PLAYBOOK ON HOW TO HANDLE A PANDEMIC, BUT WE DO HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO WRITE SOME LINES OF THE PAST. AND IT'S TO NO SURPRISE THAT THE HIGHEST NUMBER OF CASES OF DEATHS DUE TO COVID IN DISTRICTS THREE, FOUR, AND FIVE WERE, UM, DUE TO SOME OF THE UNINSURED AND AND LIMITED ACCESS TO HEALTHCARE. SO I LOOK FORWARD TO CONTINUING, UH, WORKING WITH MY COUNCIL COLLEAGUES. UM, MY COMMITMENT TO CONSISTENTLY ASSESSING WHAT IS PRESENTED TO ME AND ASKING TOUGH QUESTIONS WILL REMAIN STEADFAST. AND SUPPORTING, UH, SUPPORTING AN IDEA OR POLICY DOESN'T MEAN THAT IT DOESN'T COME WITH SCRUTINY OR CRITICISM, BUT I BELIEVE THAT OUR RESIDENTS DESERVE A LOCAL FORM OF GOVERNMENT THAT IS TRANSPARENT AND ACCOUNTABLE AT ALL TIMES. BUT THAT REQUIRES THE COLLABORATION OF COMMUNITY PARTNERS AND YOU TO WORK TOGETHER TOWARD A COMMON GOAL AND NOT JUST, UH, PRESENT SYMBOLIC GESTURES. THANK YOU, MAYOR. MAYOR. THANK YOU. COUNCIL MEMBER ROCHE GARCIA, COUNCIL MEMBER T UH, THANK YOU MAYOR. AND, UM, FIRST I WANT TO THANK, UM, ERIC WALSH AND YOUR ENTIRE TEAM. UH, I'D LIKE TO THANK THE BUDGET TEAM MARIA BENZEL, SCOTT JUSTINA, AND THE AND SO MANY OTHERS WHO WORK MASSIVELY DURING ONE OF THE MOST DIFFICULT BUDGETS, SEASONS THE CITY HAS EVER HAD. UM, THE NEED TO ADDRESS THE SYSTEMIC RACISM AND VIOLENCE THAT DISPROPORTIONATELY HARMS THE AFRICAN AMERICAN COMMUNITY. AGAINST THE BACKDROP OF A DEADLY PANDEMIC, HAS AND WILL CONTINUE TO TEST THE STRENGTH AND RESILIENCY OF OUR COMMUNITY WITH PROCEDURAL CHANGES AND ACTIONS THAT MIRROR THE RESOLUTIONS WE HAVE RECENTLY DECLARED. AS MUCH AS I WANNA SAY, THE ONLY WAY TO END SYSTEMIC RACISM IS SY SYSTEMATICALLY, UH, THAT WE MUST CONTINUE POUNDING THE ROCK. I KNOW SONS, FATHERS FATHER FIGURES, DAUGHTERS, MOTHERS, AND FAMILIES OF COLOR, LIKE THE FAMILY OF CELESTE BROWN, WILL CONTINUE TO HAVE THEIR FATES DECIDED PRIOR TO STEPPING INTO A COURTROOM. I KNOW THIS BUDGET COULD HAVE DONE MORE TO ADDRESS THE DISPARITY IN FUNDING BETWEEN ITEMS LIKE HOUSING AND S A P D FUNDING. FOR EXAMPLE, WITH LESS THAN A 10TH OF THE TOTAL SS A P D BUDGET, THE HOUSING ASSISTANCE PROGRAM WAS ABLE TO PROTECT AND STABILIZE OVER 15,000 FAMILIES, NOT PEOPLE, FAMILIES. THAT BEING SAID, I'M PROUD OF THE INITIATIVES DISTRICT ONE HAS PUT FORTH. MY OFFICE HAS CONTINUOUS, CONTINUALLY ADVOCATED FOR A ROBUST HOUSING ASSISTANCE PROGRAM EVEN BEFORE THE FIRST DRAFT OF THE BUDGET WAS PRESENTED. $24 MILLION IS A LOT BETTER THAN 5.25 MILLION. THANK YOU TO THE CITY STAFF FOR WORKING TO FIND THE FUNDING ACROSS DIFFERENT POTS. THANK YOU TO N HS A S D, ESPECIALLY THOSE ON THE FRONT LINES WHO HEAR HEARTBREAKING STORIES. AFTER HEARTBREAKING STORIES, I DEEPLY RESPECT THE WORK YOU ARE DOING. VERO, I KNOW THE MATTHEW DESMOND ARTICLE MUST HAVE BEEN ROUGH ON YOUR DEPARTMENT, BUT I KNOW WE AS LEADERS MUST DO MORE LIKE USING MORE LOCAL FUNDING FOR HOUSING ASSISTANCE TO ENSURE YOU AND YOUR STAFF CAN SWIFTLY ASSIST AS MANY RESIDENTS AS POSSIBLE. HOUSING IS HEALTHCARE. HOUSING IS PUBLIC SAFETY. IF WE ARE HOUSING FIRST CITY, THEN WE NEED TO ENSURE FAMILIES STAY HOUSED BEYOND THE NEW YEAR, AND LANDLORDS RECEIVE MUCH NEEDED RENT. AND WHILE I'M GLAD TO SEE HOUSING ASSISTANCE GOT A SIGNIFICANT BUMP IN FUNDING FROM INITIAL PROJECTS, I WILL REITERATE THAT WE NEED A PLAN FOR A PHASE FOUR AND A PHASE FIVE. WHETHER OR NOT THE CHANGES TO THE PROGRAM CRITERIA CRITERIA CHANGE, [02:20:01] THE 11 HOMELESS OUTREACH COORDINATORS FOR EACH DISTRICT WILL PROVIDE AN ALTERNATIVE TO POLICE ENFORCEMENT AS THE CITY WORKS TO END HOMELESSNESS. I WANNA HIGHLIGHT THE WORK OF D H S EMPLOYEE JOE VAN KIKEN AND OUR SOCIAL WORK INTERN FROM OUR LADY LAKE UNIVERSITY, JAMIE NICHOLSON, BOTH VETERANS WHO BUILT STRONG RELATIONSHIPS AND WORKED TO GET OVER 34 UNSHELTERED FOLKS INTO SERVICES. JAMIE EVEN SAVED A PERSON'S LIFE WITHOUT HER COMPASSION. THIS PERSON WHO WAS HOMELESS DUE TO EVICTION WOULD'VE DIED ON THE STREET FROM A SEVERE MEDICAL CONDITION. I LOOK FORWARD TO BRINGING IN MORE SOCIAL WORK STUDENTS AND TAKING A MORE COMPASSIONATE APPROACH TO WORKING WITH UNSHELTERED RESIDENTS. I ALSO LOOK FORWARD TO THE OUTREACH COORDINATORS UTILIZING THE EXPANDED ID RECOVERY PROGRAM, WHICH WAS MOVED UNDER THE SUPERVISION OF THE DEPARTMENT OF HUMAN SERVICES AND THE OFFICE OF THE CITY CLERK. HOMELESS SERVICE PROVIDERS IDENTIFIED A LACK OF AN IDENTIFICATION AS THE NUMBER ONE REASON. SO MANY PEOPLE ARE STUCK IN THE CYCLE OF HOMELESSNESS. AN ID IS NEEDED TO APPLY FOR JOBS, HOUSING, AND SELECT SERVICES. CURRENTLY, AN OFFICER MUST DEDICATE TIME OUT OF THEIR DAY TO STAY WITH AN ID APPLICANT AT THE DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC SAFETY OFFICE AS THEY GO THROUGH THE ID PROCESS. AND S A P D I D D RECOVERY SERVICES WERE ONLY OFFERED ABOUT ONCE PER WEEK PRE PANDEMIC, AND HAVE SEIZED ENTIRELY SINCE COVID TO 19. THIS IS JUST ONE OF THE MANY WAYS WE CAN START TO TAKE SOME OF THE UNNECESSARY BURDENS WE HAVE PLACED ON S A P D AND STREAMLINE THEM. I WAS A BIT DISAPPOINTED TO SEE THE FUNDING TO PROVIDE, UH, HOMELESS FOLKS WITH BIRTH CERTIFICATES DID NOT MAKE THE CUT. UH, A BIRTH CERTIFICATE, UH, AGAIN, WILL DRASTICALLY IMPROVE A PERSON'S CHANCES TO GET AN ID QUICKLY. UH, CURRENTLY I THINK THAT THE BUDGET NUMBER IS AT 3,977,756, WHICH BASICALLY LEAVES ABOUT 22,244. AND I WOULD ASK IF THERE'S A POSSIBILITY FOR THAT TO BE, UH, INCLUDED. UH, AND MOVED OVER TO THE, AND MOVED OVER TO THE CITY CLERK'S OFFICE TO FUND THE PART OF THE ASK THE $30,000. ASK FOR BIRTH CERTIFICATES THAT GO TO UNSHELTERED FOLKS. DISTRICT ONE WILL USE ITS CARRY FORWARD MONEY TO COVER THE REST OF THAT, THAT FUNDING TO GET US TO 30,000. I KNOW THAT THE CITY CLERK'S OFFICE AND D H SS, UH, ARE REALLY WORKING VERY HARD TO HELP EXPAND THE ID RECOVERY PROGRAM AND KNOW THAT, UH, UH, S A P D UH, OFFICERS HAVE WORKED VERY HARD TO ESTABLISH THE PROGRAM INITIALLY EXPANDING THIS WILL BE THE RIGHT THING TO DO. MY OFFICE WAS ALSO APPROACHED BY THE SAN ANTONIO LEGAL SERVICES ASSOCIATION ABOUT A PROPOSAL TO INCREASE UNDERSERVED POPULATIONS ACCESS TO LEGAL REPRESENTATION VIA KIOSK, STRATEGICALLY SET UP IN EVERY DISTRICT WHERE UNSHELTERED FOLKS, THOSE FACING EVICTION AND OTHERS CAN CONSULT WITH A VOLUNTEER ATTORNEY. CAN I WAIT TO SEE THESE KIOSKS IN ACTION? AND WE HAVE SEEN SUCCESS WITH CITY STAFF THAT HAS HAD MEETINGS WITH THOSE IN NEED ONSITE AT EVICTION COURTS. I ALSO WANTED TO SPEAK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT PROGRAMS CONTINUING, LIKE THE UNDER ONE ROOF PROGRAM. I LOOK FORWARD TO 3 1 1, UH, BEING EVALUATED AND STUDIED, UH, THROUGH THE OFFICE OF IN INNOVATION. I BELIEVE WE SHOULD, UH, INCREASE THE ACCESSIBILITY OF 3 1 1. AND OF COURSE, I WANT TO THANK AGAIN, BENZEL RAZ OI AND ANTHONY DULE FOR WORKING WITH ME ON THE SIDEWALK RECONSTRUCTION PROGRAM. I ALSO WANT TO COMMEND, UH, MY COLLEAGUES ON THEIR WORK TO ENSURE THE NEEDS OF THE COMMUNITY WERE REPRESENTED IN THIS BUDGET. THIS WAS BY FAR THE MOST DIFFICULT BUDGET PROCESS I HAVE EVER BEEN A PART OF, BUT IT'S ONLY THE BEGINNING. THANK YOU TO EVERYONE WHO MADE THEIR VOICE HEARD THROUGH THE SPEAKUP PROCESS. YOUR FEEDBACK WILL CON, WILL CONTINUE TO BE EVALUATED AND IMPLEMENTED. THANK YOU AGAIN TO THE CITY STAFF AND MY COLLEAGUES. WE MUST CONTINUE TO HAVE DIFFICULT CONVERSATIONS LEADING UP TO THE SS A P D CONTRACT AND THE FISCAL YEAR 22 BUDGET. BUT MOREOVER, WE NEED TO BE ABLE TO QU QUANTIFY OUR COMMITMENT TO MAKE THE CHANGES THE PUBLIC DEMANDS. LASTLY, I JUST, I WANNA MENTION THAT I'VE, I'VE, I'VE BEEN, UH, TALKING WITH OUR CITY ATTORNEY ABOUT ONE OF OUR ASKS, WHICH WAS THE MUSIC COURT INVESTIGATOR. UH, I'M HAPPY TO HEAR THAT. UM, MY UNDERSTANDING IS THAT THAT POSITION WILL BE FILLED AND DOESN'T REQUIRE ANY ADDITIONAL FUNDING. I WOULD ASK THAT, UH, AS, AS THAT MOVES FORWARD, [02:25:01] THAT WE COORDINATE WITH THE PUBLIC SAFETY CHAIR, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER, UH, MELISSA CABELLO HODRA, AND, AND WE WORK, UH, TO FIND A, A, A SOLUTION THAT HELPS, UM, FILL A, A MUCH NEEDED ROLE THAT SOME OF THE PROSECUTORS HAVE INDICATED TO ME, UH, WHEN I VISITED THE MISSISSIPPI COURT. UH, AGAIN, WITH THAT, I WANNA THANK EVERYBODY AND, UH, AND AGAIN, THANKS MAYOR. THANK YOU, COUNCIL MEMBER TREVINO, COUNCIL MEMBER. THANK YOU, MAYOR. UM, THANK YOU OF COURSE TO ALL OF MY, MY COLLEAGUES, MY COUNCIL COLLEAGUES, THE MAYOR, OUR CITY MANAGER AND CITY STAFF FOR THE INCREDIBLE JOB THEY'VE DONE DEVELOPING THIS BUDGET IN THE MIDST OF A PANDEMIC, A CRIPPLED ECONOMY, AND IMMENSE SOCIAL UNREST, WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO FOSTER PROGRESS. OUR CITY NOW BOASTS THE LARGEST EMERGENCY HOUSING FUND IN THE COUNTRY, AND CONTINUES TO SEIZE UPON OPPORTUNITIES AROUND ISSUES LIKE WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT THAT WILL ELEVATE THE QUALITY OF LIFE IN OUR COMMUNITY. WE'VE TAKEN THE INSTABILITY CREATED BY THE PANDEMIC AND FOUND OPPORTUNITY UNDER THESE CIRCUMSTANCES. IT'S MORE, EVEN MORE IMPORTANT THAT WE FOCUS ON THE BASIC CITY SERVICES PROVIDED TO THE COMMUNITY, LIKE STREETS AND SIDEWALKS. I THINK THOSE OFTEN GO UN UM, UH, UN UNNOTICED, UM, BY, BECAUSE OF THE BIGGER ISSUES THAT ARE HAPPENING, BUT REALLY IS SOMETHING THAT, UM, THE MEMBERS OF OUR COMMUNITY ARE STILL ASKING FOR. SO, OF COURSE, I ADVOCATED FOR THIS, AND I'M HAPPY TO SEE THESE INVESTMENTS WILL RESUME AS WELL AS A NUMBER OF PARK IMPROVEMENTS IN DISTRICT SIX AND THE CREATION OF A NEW PARK NEAR HOLMES HIGH SCHOOL PARKS HAVE ALWAYS BEEN A, A PRIORITY FOR DISTRICT SIXERS. AND SO I'M, I'M VERY HAPPY TO BE ABLE TO DELIVER PARK IMPROVEMENTS THIS BUDGET CYCLE. I'M ESPECIALLY GRATEFUL FOR FUNDING GOING TO TWO INSTITUTIONS IN D SIX, THE FOOD BANK AND THE WET SEA FUNDING TO THE FOOD BANK FOR THEIR COMMUNITY KITCHEN WILL SERVE NOT ONLY EDGEWOOD AND DISTRICT SIX, BUT OUR ENTIRE CITY. I'M ALSO THANKFUL FOR FUNDING TO THE WET C, WHICH ALREADY HAS MANY WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMS, AND WILL SOON BE ABLE TO SUPPORT THE UPSKILLING EFFORTS OF THE NEARBY F G F BAKERY, WHICH IS MOVING INTO THE AREA. I LOOK FORWARD TO WORKING WITH BOTH THE FOOD BANK AND THE WET C TO FURTHER THEIR WORK. THANK YOU, MAYOR. THANK YOU. COUNCIL MEMBER CAB BERDA, COUNCIL MEMBER ANDREW SULLIVAN. THANK YOU, MAYOR. UM, THANK YOU TO THE CITY STAFF. UM, THANK YOU TO OUR CITY MANAGER LIAISON, MR. DAVID AND CARE, UM, FOR CONTINUING TO, TO BE AN ADVOCATE FOR OUR DISTRICT AND THE DISTRICT TWO RESIDENTS, UM, TO THE BUDGET TEAM. UM, I KNOW THIS WAS NOT AN EASY TASK. UM, TODAY'S CLIMATE OF WHERE WE ARE NOW IS TOTALLY DIFFERENT THAN WHERE WE WERE LAST YEAR. AS I SAT HERE AND LISTENED TO CELESTE BROWN SPEAK, IT REMINDS ME OF WHY WE CONTINUE TO FIGHT. WHEN I, I SIT HERE AND LISTEN TO THE BUDGET THAT STILL DOESN'T TRULY REPRESENT THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO, BUT TRULY REPRESENTS THE SPIRIT OF GOING FORWARD. I QUESTION HOW CAN WE DO BETTER? I'M THANKFUL FOR ERIC, OUR CITY MANAGER, LISTENING TO THE REQUESTS THAT WE HAD AS OUR AMENDMENTS THANKFUL THAT WE'RE ADVOCATING AND ALLOCATING MORE DOLLARS FOR THE MOST VULNERABLE, WHICH ARE AGED OUT FOSTER YOUTH AND OUR SENIORS. I'M THANKFUL THAT WE'RE LOOKING TO BETTER THE LIVES OF THE PEOPLE OF SAN ANTONIO THROUGH A ENTREPRENEURSHIP PROGRAM. I'M THANKFUL FOR COUNCILMAN TREVINO, THOSE 10 KIOSKS THAT WILL HELP RESIDENTS TRULY GET THE LEGAL REPRESENTATION THEY NEED. THANK YOU TO COUNCILWOMAN HARVARD. THANK YOU FOR ADVOCATING FOR THE SAN ANTONIO FOOD BANK TO BE SOMETHING THAT IS MOBILE, FOR THOSE WHO CANNOT GET TO IT. TO OUR COUNCILWOMEN, WHO THIS IS YOUR LAST BUDGET, THANK YOU FOR BEING THE STRENGTH TO CONTINUE TO ADVOCATE FOR THE THINGS THAT YOU DO NOT SEE. AND HELPING US AS THE NEW LEADERS OF OUR DISTRICTS KNOW WHERE WE CAN STAND AND HOW WE CAN STAND STRONGER FOR THOSE WE REPRESENT. I KNOW THAT WE'RE ASKING FOR A LOT OF THINGS WITHIN THIS BUDGET, BUT ERIC, AS WE GO FORWARD, SOME OF THE THINGS THAT I'VE SEEN, SUCH AS THE COUNSELATION OF NATIONAL NIGHT OUT WITH A HUNDRED THOUSAND DOLLARS, I THINK THAT THAT CAN BE REALLOCATED INTO [02:30:01] THE PROGRAMS THAT OUR COMMUNITY ARE ASKING FOR. I KNOW THAT YOU'RE LOOKING AT RESTRUCTURING THE SAN ANTONIO POLICE DEPARTMENT, AND EVEN LOOKING AT THAT, MAYBE MOVING THE FINGERPRINTING AND BACKGROUND CHECKS, THE OPEN RECORDS AND FINANCIAL GRANT INVENTORY AND DONATION MANAGEMENT CAN BE MOVED TO OUR TECHNOLOGY DEPARTMENT. THERE ARE SEVERAL THINGS THAT I KNOW THAT WE CAN CONTINUE TO DO AS WE MOVE FORWARD. THIS IS NOT THE LAST STEP IN HOW WE MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE GIVING THE RESOURCES TO OUR COMMUNITY. THIS IS THE FIRST STEP OF MAKING SURE THAT WE ARE NOW NOT ONLY SPEAKING TO EQUITY, BUT EQUALITY AND INCLUSION. SO, MAYOR, AS WE GO FORWARD, WE GO FORWARD IN STRENGTH, WE GO FORWARD IN UNITY, GO FORWARD AS A FULL COUNCIL AND ASK THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO LEADERS TO MAKE SURE THAT NOT ONLY ARE WE SPEAKING TO ONE, BUT WE ARE SPEAKING TO ALL THE RESOURCES THAT WE ARE ALLOCATING TODAY. AND HOUSING, HEALTHCARE, AND MAKING SURE THAT OUR CITIZENS GIVE BACK TO A SUSTAINABLE LIFE IS WHAT WE ARE HERE TO DO. IT IS THE HARDEST TIME BECAUSE WE ARE STILL UNSURE OF WHAT THE ROAD IS AHEAD WHEN IT COMES TO, BUT WE CAN BE SURE THAT WE, WE ARE TAKING THE MOST RELIABLE STEPS TO GIVE THOSE BENEFITS TO OUR COMMUNITY, TO MAKE SURE THOSE RESOURCES ARE AFFORDED FOR EACH AND EVERY LIFE TO BE MOVED OUTTA THAT DEFINITION OF POVERTY INTO A DEFINITION OF SUSTAINABILITY AND A DEFINITION OF PROGRESSION. I THANK YOU ALL FOR THE WORK THAT YOU ARE DOING. I THANK YOU FOR THE WORK THAT WE WILL CONTINUE TO DO. AND I KNOW AS WE GO FORWARD, THIS BUDGET WILL TRULY REFLECT THE MORAL THAT WE HAVE FOR OUR COMMUNITIES AND THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO. THANK YOU MAYOR, AND THANK YOU CITY STAFF. BUT THANK YOU, MOST OF ALL, TO THE COMMUNITY AND THE RESIDENTS OF THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO. THANK YOU. COUNCIL MEMBER ANDREW SULLIVAN. COUNCIL MEMBER COURAGE. THANK YOU, MAYOR. UH, I THINK ALL OF US HAVE, UH, EXPRESSED, AND I WILL EXPRESS MY APPRECIATION FOR THE DILIGENCE OF OUR CITY STAFF IN WORKING TO PUT TOGETHER, UH, THIS BUDGET. YOU KNOW, I WAS THINKING, AS I'VE HEARD FROM THE CITIZENS THIS MORNING, AND I, I'VE HEARD FROM MANY OF MY FELLOW COUNCILMEN THAT A YEAR AGO WHEN WE WORKED ON, UH, THE CURRENT BUDGET, UH, I THINK THERE WAS A LOT OF OPTIMISM IN OUR COMMUNITY AND WHAT WE WERE, UH, LOOKING AT IN THE WAY OF SERVICES AND THE WAY WE COULD HELP OUR COMMUNITY. WE WERE STARTING TO UNDERSTAND SOME OF THE CHALLENGES WE WERE FACING, UH, CHALLENGES SUCH AS POVERTY AND HOUSING AND HEALTHCARE. AND I THINK THAT WE WERE REALLY ON A ROAD TO CONTINUE TO ADDRESS THOSE A MUCH MORE GREATLY THAN WE HAD EVER DONE THAT IN OUR COMMUNITY BEFORE. BUT THEN, AS ALL OF US KNOW, WE WERE HIT WITH THIS TERRIBLE EPIDEMIC. THIS, THIS TERRIBLE, UH, CORONAVIRUS, UH, WORLDWIDE EPIDEMIC THAT HAS SET US BACK ON OUR DEALS AND HAS MADE IT VERY CHALLENGING FOR US TO CONTINUE TO MOVE IN A DIRECTION. I THINK ALL OF US WANT TO MOVE IN APPRO IN IMPROVING THE QUALITY OF LIFE FOR EVERYBODY IN OUR CITY. WE'VE HAD TO MAKE SOME REALLY DIFFICULT DECISIONS. WE'VE HAD TO REDUCE FUNDING IN MANY AREAS THAT WE DIDN'T WANT TO AND THAT WE SHOULDN'T HAVE TO. BUT I THINK THAT THE STAFF RECOGNIZED WHAT WE COULD DO AND WHAT WE COULDN'T DO, AND DID A VERY GOOD JOB OF GUIDING US THROUGH THIS. BUT IN THE LONG RUN, IT'S UP TO US AS COUNCIL PEOPLE TO MAKE THOSE DECISIONS. AND I THINK WE'VE MADE SOME GOOD DECISIONS OVER THE LAST SIX OR SEVEN MONTHS, PUTTING US IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION, PARTICULARLY IN THE AREA OF PROTECTING THE HEALTH OF THE PEOPLE IN OUR COMMUNITY. SO, WHILE WE'RE FACING A TERRIBLE PANDEMIC, AND, YOU KNOW, THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE IN OUR COMMUNITY ARE GETTING SICK, AND, AND HUNDREDS ARE, ARE DYING, NOW WE'RE FACING WITH ANOTHER EPIDEMIC AND EPIDEMIC OF THE DEATH OF, OF BLACK AMERICANS IN THIS COUNTRY, THAT HAS BEEN BROUGHT TO THE FOREFRONT FOR ALL OF US TO THINK ABOUT. AND I THINK THAT THAT ADDS QUITE A BIT TO THE CHALLENGES THAT WE HAVE AS A CITY TO CONTINUE TO MOVE FORWARD. WE'VE ALSO SEEN A LOT OF PEOPLE LOSE THEIR JOB, AND SO THEY DON'T HAVE A PLACE [02:35:01] TO LIVE, OR THE SECURITY OF REMAINING IN THEIR PLACE TO LIVE IS SEVERELY THREATENED. AND AS A CITY WE NEEDED TO DEAL WITH. HOW CAN WE HELP PEOPLE STAY IN THEIR HOMES, STAY SAFE, UH, AND, YOU KNOW, THESE KINDS OF THINGS ARE, ARE SO UNANTICIPATED THAT IT'S REALLY, REALLY DIFFICULT TO TRY AND MEET THESE PROBLEMS AND DEAL WITH THEM ALL FACE TO FACE. AND NOW WE'RE DOING WHAT WE CAN TO HELP OUR SCHOOLS SO THAT THEY CAN REACH OUT TO THEIR STUDENTS SO THAT THEY CAN CONTINUE THEIR EDUCATION. IT'S NEARLY OVERWHELMING ALL OF THE CHALLENGES THAT WE HAVE FACED IN THIS COMMUNITY AND AS YOUR CITY COUNCIL OVER THE LAST SIX OR SEVEN MONTHS. BUT I, I DO KNOW THAT WE HAVE FACED THESE, AND WE ARE MOVING IN DIRECTIONS THAT WE KNOW ARE GONNA CONTINUE TO PROVIDE THE KIND OF SERVICES THAT PEOPLE IN THIS COMMUNITY EXPECT AND NEED FROM US. AND WE'RE ALSO CONTINUING THE DIRECTION OF ADDRESSING POVERTY AND ADDRESSING HOUSING AND ADDRESSING HEALTHCARE. WE'RE JUST IN THE KIND OF FINANCIAL SITUATION WHERE WE DON'T HAVE THE RESOURCES TO DO EVERYTHING THE WAY EVERYTHING NEEDS TO BE DONE. SO I DO BELIEVE THAT THE BUDGET THAT WE PUT TOGETHER NOW AND THAT WE'RE PUTTING FORWARD IS THE BEST THAT WE CAN OFFER TO CONTINUE TO SUPPORT THE NEEDS OF NEARLY EVERY PERSON IN SAN ANTONIO, BUT CERTAINLY NOT ALL OF THEM. AND I THINK WE NEED TO CONTINUE TO WATCH FOR OTHER AVENUES WE CAN TO HELP EVERYBODY CONTINUE TO MOVE FORWARD AS SUCCESSFULLY AS POSSIBLE IN THESE DIFFICULT TIMES. AND I WILL NOT SIT BY AND NOT RECOGNIZE THAT THERE ARE REFORMS THAT NEED TO BE MADE IN LAW ENFORCEMENT IN OUR COMMUNITY. WE KNOW WE'RE DEALING WITH A VERY DIFFICULT CONTRACT THAT WE'VE HAD WITH THE SAN ANTONIO POLICE OFFICERS ASSOCIATION, AND THERE ARE SOME SIGNIFICANT IMPROVEMENTS THAT NEED TO BE MADE IN THAT CONTRACT, BECAUSE THAT CONTRACT IS NOT JUST WITH THE CITY COUNCIL, IT IS WITH THE CITIZENS OF SAN ANTONIO. AND WE REALLY NEED TO LOOK AT HOW WE CAN DO THAT. AT THE SAME TIME, THOUGH, AS A FORMER MILITARY POLICEMAN, I UNDERSTAND THE CHALLENGES THAT EVERY POLICE OFFICER FACES EVERY DAY WHEN THEY GO OUT ON THE STREETS, BUT THAT CERTAINLY DOESN'T JUSTIFY ANY DEATHS OF PEOPLE. THERE HAVE GOT TO BE OTHER WAYS OF, OF DOING OUR JOB AS A, AS A CITY AND FOR THE POLICE TO DO THEIR JOB, TO PROTECT THE PEOPLE IN THIS COMMUNITY OTHER THAN HAVING PEOPLE DIE AT THE HANDS OF POLICE OFFICERS. AND I THINK WE NEED TO STRIVE TO CONTINUE THAT. BUT THAT DOESN'T MEAN WE DON'T SUPPORT THE GOOD WORK THAT A LOT OF POLICE OFFICERS DO. BUT THERE'S A LOT OF WORK AHEAD OF US. AND I THINK WE'VE COMMITTED OURSELVES AS A COUNCIL, NOT JUST TO PASS THIS BUDGET, BUT TO CONTINUE REVIEW WHAT'S GOING ON WITH OUR BUDGET, WITH OUR RESOURCES, WITH THE WANTS AND NEEDS OF OUR CITY EVERY THREE MONTHS, EVERY SIX MONTHS, EVERY NINE MONTHS GOING FORWARD, TO ENSURE THAT WE CONTINUE TO MEET THE NEEDS OF OUR COMMUNITY AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE. AND I'M COMMITTED TO THAT, AND I KNOW EVERY MEMBER OF THE COUNCIL IS. SO, FOR TODAY, I'LL BE SUPPORTING THIS BUDGET. I KNOW IT'S A BUDGET THAT HAS BEEN DEVELOPED WITH THE BEST INTEREST OF THE MAJORITY OF OUR COMMUNITY, IF NOT EVERY MEMBER OF OUR COMMUNITY, AS MUCH AS WE'RE ABLE TO PUT THIS TOGETHER. SO I JUST WANNA LET PEOPLE KNOW, I AND OUR FELLOW COUNCIL MEMBERS WILL CONTINUE TO TRY AND PROVIDE THE BEST SERVICES, RESOURCES, AND PROTECTIONS FOR THE CITIZENS OF THIS CITY. THANK YOU, MAYOR. THANK YOU. COUNCIL MEMBER COURAGE. COUNCIL MEMBER EZ. UH, THANKS, MAYOR ERIC. UM, YOU DID IT AGAIN, AND IT'S AMAZING. YOU DELIVERED A BALANCED BUDGET, A BUDGET THAT DOES NOT RAISE TAXES. A BUDGET INFORMED BY ALL VOICES, A BUDGET THAT BALANCES ALL COMPETING INTERESTS AND NEEDS. A BUDGET THAT ADDRESSES OUR MOST PRESSING NEEDS, LIKE, UH, HOUSING, UNEMPLOYMENT, SMALL BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT, DOMESTIC VIOLENCE, MENTAL HEALTH, METRO HEALTH'S CAPABILITIES, UH, INFRASTRUCTURE, INVESTMENT, AND, UH, PUBLIC SAFETY. AND, AND LIKE I SAY, EVERY YEAR, I'M ALWAYS AMAZED AT HOW YEAR AFTER YEAR, [02:40:01] YOUR TEAM AND, UH, MY COUNCIL COLLEAGUES ARE ABLE TO SYNTHESIZE MOUNTAINS OF DATA AND INPUT THAT WE GET, UM, FROM ALL CORNERS OF THE CITY TO DELIVER A MULTI-BILLION DOLLAR BUDGET THAT HELPS US KEEP THE CITY MOVING IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION. AND SO, YOU KNOW, ON BEHALF OF MY CONSTITUENTS, AND QUITE HONESTLY, ON BEHALF OF MY KIDS, THANK YOU. UM, YOU KNOW, MAX AND SOPHIA LIVE IN WHAT I BELIEVE TO BE THE BEST CITY IN THE UNITED STATES BECAUSE OF THE HARD WORK THAT, UM, YOU AND, UH, YOUR TEAM DO, ERIC. AND, UM, YOU HAVE EVERY RIGHT TO, UM, TAKE A VICTORY LAP. AND YET I KNOW THAT YOU'RE TOO HUMBLE A GUY, UH, TO DO IT. AND SO, UM, PLEASE ACCEPT MY CONGRATULATIONS. UH, I, I, I DO WANNA SPEAK TO MY CONSTITUENTS AND A LOT OF THE FOLKS OUT THERE WHO ARE WATCHING, I, I CAME IN HERE WITH, WITH, UH, A LOT OF NOTES, UH, TO BE ABLE TO SORT OF TALK THROUGH WHAT I THOUGHT WAS THE MOST IMPORTANT PARTS OF THIS BUDGET AND SOME OF THE THINGS THAT, YOU KNOW, WE DID IN ORDER TO GET TO WHERE WE ARE. BUT BASED ON THE COMMENTS THAT WE'VE HEARD TODAY, UM, I, I, I GOTTA, I JUST GOTTA TALK ABOUT, SO WHAT, WHAT IS OUR JOB, RIGHT? UM, AND THE WAY I SEE IT IS, IS THAT EVERY SINGLE 11 OF US UP HERE ON THIS DAIS OR, YOU KNOW, ON THIS SCREEN TODAY, WHEN WE RAN FOR OFFICE AND GOT ELECTED, WE, WE MADE A DEAL WITH THE PUBLIC. UM, AND EACH OF US MADE THREE PROMISES. UM, PROMISE NUMBER ONE WAS THAT WE'D LISTEN TO ALL VOICES AND USE DATA TO INFORM OUR MOST IMPORTANT DECISIONS. PROMISE NUMBER TWO WAS THAT WE DO OUR BEST TO BALANCE COMPETING INTERESTS AND PROMISE. NUMBER THREE, AND I, I REALLY HAVE HEARD EVERYONE OF MY COLLEAGUES MAKE THIS, MAKE THIS PROMISE. AND THAT IS THAT WE WOULDN'T SHY AWAY FROM TOUGH DECISIONS. AND THAT BECAUSE WE WON'T SHY AWAY FROM TOUGH DECISIONS, SOMETIMES WE WON'T MAKE EVERYBODY HAPPY. I PROMISE THAT EVERY SINGLE YEAR, SOMETIMES I WON'T MAKE YOU HAPPY. THAT'S OUR JOB. NOW, WHAT WE DIDN'T PROMISE WAS THAT, UM, WE'D FALL IN LINE TO APPEASE THE LOUDEST VOICES, OR WE DIDN'T PROMISE THAT WE'D COWER. UM, YOU KNOW, AT THE SOFT SOPHISTRY AND DISHONESTY OF OPINION MONGERS, UH, IN, YOU KNOW, ON RADIO, TV AND NEWSPAPER, NONE OF US PROMISED THAT WE'D SURRENDER OUR AGENCY IN EXCHANGE FOR A RUBBER STAMP. AND NONE OF US PROMISED THAT WE'D EVER BE SWAYED BY SLOGANEERING OR HYPERBOLE FROM THE RIGHT OR FROM THE LEFT. AND NONE OF US EVER PROMISED THAT WE'D BE BEHOLDEN TO FALLACIOUS BINARY CHOICES. SO, I, I GOTTA BE HONEST WITH YOU, I HEAR THE MESSAGE LOUD AND CLEAR. MANY OF YOU BELIEVE THAT FUNDING A POLICE DEPARTMENT IS TANTAMOUNT TO HATING BLACK OR BROWN PEOPLE, OR TO NOT CARING ABOUT THEM. THAT MESSAGE COMES ACROSS LOUD AND CLEAR. BUT I ALSO GET A MESSAGE FROM MY NEIGHBORS, AND THEIR MESSAGE IS COMING IN FIVE BY FIVE ALSO. AND THEY'RE TELLING ME THEY WANT A WELL-FUNDED POLICE DEPARTMENT. THEY WANT PATROLS IN THEIR NEIGHBORHOOD. THEY WANNA MAKE SURE THAT THEIR 9 1 1 CALLS ARE ANSWERED ON TIME. THEY WANT, YOU KNOW, A MORE ROBUST, SAFE PROGRAM. THEY WANT OFFICERS TO WORK THESE DOMESTIC VIOLENCE CASES. I CAN'T IGNORE THOSE VOICES. AND JUST BECAUSE THEY DON'T SHOW UP TO CITY COUNCIL, UM, YOU KNOW, AND HOLLER AT US, AND BECAUSE THEY'RE NOT MARCHING IN THE STREET, DOESN'T MEAN THAT I DON'T LISTEN TO THEM. I ALSO LISTEN TO POLICE OFFICERS, AND, YOU KNOW, THE ETHICAL AND PROFESSIONAL POLICE OFFICERS THAT I VISIT TO, THEY HAVE A LOT IN COMMON WITH EVERYBODY I'VE LISTENED TO ALSO. AND THEY AGREE THAT SOMETHING'S BROKEN. SOMETHING NEEDS TO BE FIXED. THEY'D LIKE THIS TRUST CRISIS TO BE ADDRESSED AND RESOLVED. THEY ALSO SEND THEIR KIDS TO PUBLIC SCHOOLS. THEY WANNA MAKE SURE THAT THE SCHOOLS ARE THE BEST THEY CAN BE. THEY WORRY ABOUT THEIR DAUGHTERS MAYBE ONE DAY GROWING UP AND GETTING ASSAULTED BY AN INTIMATE PARTNER. THEY ALSO, LIKE EVERYBODY WANTS TO LIVE IN A TOWN WHERE EVERYBODY THRIVES. AND SO, YOU KNOW, I, I'LL STOP, I'LL STOP BY BY POINTING OUT SOMETHING. ONE OF OUR, ONE OF OUR SPEAKERS TODAY SAID THAT, YOU KNOW, THERE'S PEOPLE OUT THERE WITH NAMES AND FAMILIES AND FUTURES THAT WERE DENIED TO THEM. I AGREE. GEORGE FLOYD IS A NAME THAT NONE OF US, NONE OF US SHOULD OR WILL EVER FORGET. IT'S A NAME THAT HAS BEEN FOREVER SEARED INTO OUR CONSCIOUSNESS, AND IT'S A NAME THAT SHOULD CONTINUE TO MOTIVATE US TO FIX WHAT'S OKAY. BUT I'M NOT DOING MY JOB IF I DON'T REMIND EVERYBODY THAT THERE'S OTHER NAMES THAT WE SHOULD ALSO NEVER FORGET. OFFICER MIGUEL MORENO, OFFICER BOBBY DECKARD, DETECTIVE BEN MARCONI. THESE ARE PEOPLE WHO ALSO HAD FAMILIES. THESE ARE PEOPLE WHO WERE UNJUSTIFIABLY DENIED THE RIGHT TO CONTINUE BREATHING. THERE'S NOTHING WRONG WITH SAYING [02:45:01] THEIR NAMES, TOO. SO MY JOB IS TO BALANCE INTERESTS, TO LISTEN TO EVERYBODY, AND TO MAKE DIFFICULT CHOICES. TODAY, WE'VE BEEN CALLED UPON TO MAKE THAT DIFFICULT CHOICE, AND I'M NOT GONNA SHY AWAY FROM IT. AND I'M PROUD OF MY CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS WHO AREN'T GONNA SHY AWAY FROM IT EITHER. MAYOR, THIS BUDGET HAS MY SUPPORT. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. COUNCIL MEMBER EZ. COUNCIL MEMBER GONZALEZ. UH, THANK YOU MAYOR. UM, AND THANK YOU, UH, MAYOR FOR ACKNOWLEDGING, UH, THE WORK ON THE EQUITY BUDGET. UH, IT TOOK MY TEAM AND I, UH, ABOUT A YEAR AND A HALF TO COMPILE THE DATA. WE WORKED WITH OUR AUDIT DEPARTMENT. WE WORKED WITH T C I, UM, AND AT THE TIME, WE WERE JUST ASKING FOR FUNDING FOR STREET MAINTENANCE, UH, AND THAT BE DONE MORE EQUITABLY. UH, AND IT WAS BECAUSE OF YOUR LEADERSHIP AND THAT SUPPORT OF MY COLLEAGUES THAT WE WERE ABLE TO PUT EQUITY INTO EVERY CITY BUDGET, OR RATHER, EVERY CITY DEPARTMENT. UH, CHERYL SCULLY, OUR CITY MANAGER AT THE TIME, UH, ALSO REINSTATED THE EQUITY, UH, OFFICE. UH, AND WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO DO THAT IN EVERY DEPARTMENT, AND I AM REALLY VERY PROUD OF THAT. UH, BUT THE OTHER DEPARTMENT THAT WE USED FOR EQUITY WAS THE POLICE DEPARTMENT. AND AS A RESULT IN THAT YEAR, IN 2017, UM, DISTRICT FIVE GOT EIGHT MORE POLICE OFFICERS. AND I WAS REALLY PROUD OF THAT, UH, BECAUSE IT WAS WHAT THE COMMUNITY WAS ASKING FOR MORE PUBLIC SAFETY. WE HAD A HIGHER CRIME RATES. UM, PEOPLE DIDN'T FEEL SAFE IN THEIR NEIGHBORHOOD, SO WE ASKED FOR MORE OFFICERS. UM, BUT WHAT I HAVE ALWAYS BEEN ASKING FOR ALL THESE YEARS, UH, IS ALSO, UH, MORE FUNDING FOR DELEGATE AGENCIES. UH, SINCE MY VERY FIRST TERM ON THE COUNCIL, UM, I, I SAID WE NEEDED TO FUND MORE PROPERLY, UH, OUR, UH, DELEGATE AGENCIES, UH, ESPECIALLY THOSE THAT DEALT WITH YOUTH, UH, AND, AND DOMESTIC VIOLENCE IN OUR COMMUNITY. AND WE DID THAT. UH, WE ADDED A WHOLE, UH, DEPARTMENT, UM, FOR, UH, DOMESTIC VIOLENCE PREVENTION. AND SINCE I KNOW THAT COLLEEN IS HERE AND, UM, OF COURSE OUR, OUR BUDGET OFFICE IS HERE, UM, CAN YOU TALK JUST A LITTLE BIT ABOUT HOW MUCH ADDITIONAL FUNDS WERE PUT IN THE DOMESTIC VIOLENCE, UH, PORTION THAT WAS, UM, UH, I THINK CREATED IN THIS YEAR'S BUDGET THAT, THAT WAS A QUESTION FOR FOR ONE OF YOU ALL. I DIDN'T KNOW WHETHER IT WAS A QUESTION FOR BUDGET OR A QUESTION FOR COLLEEN. NO, GO AHEAD, COLLEEN, PLEASE. OKAY. UM, SO COUNCILMAN YOU. YOU'RE, UM, YOU'RE, YOU'RE CORRECT IN MENTIONING WE'VE CREATED AN ENTIRELY NEW DIVISION, UM, IN THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT FOCUSING ON VIOLENCE PREVENTION AND DOMESTIC VIOLENCE. UM, PREVENTION IS A BIG PART OF THAT DIVISION. SO, UM, IT'S ALSO THE FIRST TIME THAT WE PUT THEM ALL IN THE SAME PLACE AT THE SAME TIME. UH, AND DID YOU HAVE A NUMBER FOR THAT? UH, DR. BRIDGER, UH, DR. BRIDGER, I CAN HELP WITH THAT. THIS IS MARIA VIA GOMEZ. UM, COUNCILWOMAN, UH, THE INVESTMENTS THAT WERE ADDED TO DOMESTIC VIOLENCE THIS YEAR, UH, WE ADDED $1.3 MILLION IN, UM, PROGRAMMING IN THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT TO EXPAND SOME OF THE PROGRAMS THAT ARE ALREADY IN PLACE. UH, SPECIFICALLY STANDUP SA AS THAT WILL BE EXPANDED TO THE WEST SIDE IS CURRENTLY ON THE EAST SIDE. WE'VE ALSO ADDING SOME OTHER POSITIONS WITHIN THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT. WE ALSO TRANSFER THE CRISIS RESPONSE TEAM FROM THE POLICE DEPARTMENT, 20 CIVILIAN POSITIONS INTO THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT TO AUGMENT THE WORK THAT DR. BRIDGER IS LEADING IN TERMS OF ADDRESSING VIOLENCE ACROSS OUR COMMUNITY. AND, UH, AND WE ARE ALSO ADDING, UM, 25 POLICE OFFICERS THROUGH A CS GRANT THAT WE WERE AWARDED BY THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT. AND THIS, UH, DETECTIVE POSITIONS, UH, WILL BE DEDICATED TO ADDRESS DOMESTIC VIOLENCE AND BE AVAILABLE TO THE COMMUNITY SEVEN DAYS A WEEK, 24 HOURS A DAY. SO THOSE ARE THE ENHANCEMENTS THAT WE MADE. UM, WELL, THANK YOU, UH, MARIA FOR THAT. AND WHILE, YOU KNOW, IT'S, IT'S NOT THE SHIFT THAT I KNOW A LOT OF OUR COMMUNITY MEMBERS ARE LOOKING FOR, UH, IT, IT'S, IT'S AN ATTEMPT TO ADDRESS SOME OF THE CONCERNS THAT WE HAVE. UM, THE REALITY IS WE HAVE SPENT THE LAST, UH, PERHAPS EVEN EIGHT YEARS THAT I'VE BEEN ON THIS COUNCIL, UM, INCREASING, UH, OFFICERS, UH, PER THE REQUEST OF OUR CONSTITUENTS. UM, AND, UH, I HAVE, UH, BRAGGED ON A NUMBER OF OCCASIONS THAT WE HAVE AS MANY AS SEVEN DIFFERENT LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCIES WORKING IN THE DOWNTOWN AREA, UH, OF DISTRICT FIVE, IF YOU INCLUDE, UH, VIA AND U T S A AND S A P, AND, UM, SS A I S D, SS A P D, [02:50:01] UH, UM, UH, AND A COUPLE OF OTHERS, ALL RIGHT THERE, CONCENTRATED IN ONE AREA. AND WHAT WE HAVE FOUND IS, UM, EVEN JUST IN THE SHORT TIME, UH, THAT WE'VE SORT OF ACKNOWLEDGED THAT WE HAVE THIS VERY HIGH RATE OF LAW ENFORCEMENT IN THE AREA, IS THAT WE HAVE NOT SEEN A SAFER COMMUNITY. AND SO I THINK WE HAVE ENOUGH INFORMATION TO SHOW THAT WE NEED TO CONTINUE TO REDIRECT THOSE RESOURCES. UM, AND WHILE MUCH OF THE FUNDING THAT WE HAVE IS UNDER CONTRACT, UM, IT HAS ALSO BEEN BECAUSE OF, UH, MANY YEARS OF INCREASING, UM, UH, OFFICERS ON THE STREET BASED ON COMMUNITY INPUT. AND SO WE'VE GOT A LONG WAY TO GO TO MAKE THOSE ADJUSTMENTS. UM, I THINK ABOUT THE FAMILY, UH, MR. ALT WHO, UM, IS, UH, WHO HAS BEEN ACKNOWLEDGED TODAY, UH, AND AT WHAT POINT IN THE, IN THE, IN ALONG THE WAY, COULD SOCIETY, UH, UM, WE AS A CITY, UH, HAVE, UM, HAVE MADE CONNECTIONS, UH, TO, TO CHANGE THE RESULT OF WHAT HAPPENED, UH, RECENTLY. AND SO I BELIEVE THAT WE COULD DO THAT BY CONTINUING TO FUND OUR DELEGATE AGENCIES, UH, BY CONTINUING TO BE VERY SERIOUS ABOUT THE EQUITY BUDGET, UM, AND REDIRECT RESOURCES WHERE WE HAVE NEEDED THEM MOST. UH, WE HAVE THE CARES FUNDING THAT WE ALSO INVESTED MILLIONS OF DOLLARS THAT WE'VE NEVER INVESTED BEFORE, UH, IN HOUSING, UH, AND EDUCATION AND WORKFORCE TRAINING. UM, NOT BECAUSE, UH, WE, UM, WITH, NOT BECAUSE OF, OF ANY OTHER THING, BUT THIS TRAGEDY THAT BE FELT, OUR COMMUNITY. AND I BELIEVE THAT WE USE THAT FUNDING WISELY, UH, PRIMARILY, UH, DOING OUR BEST TO KEEP PEOPLE IN THEIR HOMES FOR AS LONG AS POSSIBLE. AND I KNOW THAT WE ARE TRYING TO STRETCH OUT THOSE DOLLARS AS MUCH AS WE CAN TO MAKE SURE THAT WE DON'T CREATE, UM, UH, UH, HOMELESS, UH, UH, AN INCREASED HOMELESS SITUATION, UH, IN OUR COMMUNITY AS A RESULT OF THIS PANDEMIC. I THINK ANOTHER THING THAT WE'VE SEEN, AGAIN, IS MORE INVESTMENT IN THE METRO HEALTH DEPARTMENT. UM, AGAIN, UH, A, A, A DEPARTMENT THAT'S BEEN PRIMARILY GRANT FUNDED, UM, FOR AT LEAST THE ENTIRE TIME THAT I'VE BEEN ON THIS COUNCIL, UM, IN FACT, I'VE UNDERSTAND, UH, SOMETHING LIKE 60% OF THE BUDGET HAS BEEN GRANT FUNDED, AND WE KNOW THAT WE NEED TO START MAKING THOSE SHIFTS. UM, AND WHILE, UH, IT'S NOT A PERFECT, UM, UH, BUDGET, UM, I, UH, IT IS, UM, MY LAST BUDGET, CERTAINLY NOT THE ONE, THE WAY THAT I WOULD HAVE CHOSEN TO, UM, TO LEAVE. UH, LAST YEAR, WE APPROVED THE LARGEST BUDGET IN OUR CITY'S HISTORY, ALMOST $3 BILLION. UM, AND AMAZINGLY WE'RE REALLY CLOSE TO THAT SAME $3 BILLION. UH, BUT THEN WE HAD THE CARES FUNDING TO TRY TO ADDRESS SOME OF THE SYSTEMIC PROBLEMS THAT WE'VE SEEN, UH, UH, HIT OUR CITY SO FAR. AND I BELIEVE THAT WE HAVE DONE THE BEST THAT WE CAN, UM, TO TRY TO ALLEVIATE, BUT WE'RE ALSO STILL, UH, LEARNING. AND WE HAVE A VERY LONG WAY TO GO, UM, TO TRY TO ADDRESS EQUITY, UM, IN, IN THIS CITY. AND I BELIEVE THAT WE CAN DO THAT. IF THE VOTERS WILL SUPPORT THE, UH, ECONOMIC, UH, RECOVERY PROGRAM THAT WILL BE ON THE BALLOT BEFORE THEM, UH, IN A COUPLE OF MONTHS, UH, WE CAN START TO MAKE SOME OF THOSE CHANGES, UH, AND START TO INVEST MORE IN OUR COMMUNITY. WE KNOW THAT PEOPLE THAT HAVE, UH, BETTER EDUCATION AND BETTER INCOMES ALSO HAVE BETTER HEALTH OUTCOMES. AND THAT'S ONE OF THE WAYS THAT WE CAN ADDRESS THE SYSTEMIC RACISM THAT WE'VE, UM, WE'VE HAD IN OUR, IN OUR COMMUNITY FOR SO LONG. UH, THE, UM, UH, I, I'LL JUST, UM, YOU KNOW, CLOSE, UH, BY, UM, THANKING, UH, ALL OF, UM, YOU ALL, ALL OF THE CITY DEPARTMENTS THAT HAVE PRESENTED TO US TODAY AND TRIED TO BE CREATIVE IN THIS VERY CHALLENGING TIME. UH, I ALSO WILL JUST TAKE A MOMENT TO THANK MY OWN, UH, INTERNAL STAFF, UM, JEAN RODRIGUEZ, UH, DANIEL MESSA, UH, KEVIN BARTON, ROSA, LINDA, UM, THERESA MENENDEZ, MY CHIEF OF STAFF, UH, VICTOR LANDA, MY COMMUNICATIONS DIRECTOR, AND DORA GALVAN, WHO HAVE BEEN WITH ME ALL OF THESE YEARS, UH, SERVING OUR COMMUNITY, UM, AND, AND, UH, HAVE BEEN ALSO, UH, SUFFERING IN THIS DIFFICULT TIME BECAUSE WE'VE, UH, SO USED TO BEING WITH OUR CONSTITUENTS, UH, ESPECIALLY OUR SENIORS. UM, AND, UH, THANKFUL TO THE DISTRICT FIVE COMMUNITY FOR, UM, UH, BELIEVING IN ME ALL OF THESE YEARS. UH, AND AS WE CLOSE, UM, AND FINALIZE THIS BUDGET TODAY, UH, THAT I'M, I'M, I'M PROUD TO SUPPORT DESPITE, UM, ITS SHORTCOMINGS. UH, I BELIEVE THAT WE AT LEAST ARE MAKING STEPS IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION, UH, TO ADDRESS, UH, VIOLENCE AND, UH, SYSTEMIC RACISM IN, IN THIS COMMUNITY. AND THAT WE CONTINUE TO EXPAND ON THE EQUITY BUDGET THE WAY THAT, UM, [02:55:01] UH, I BELIEVE THAT WE CAN, UH, WE HAVE A LONG WAY TO GO. AND WHILE I WON'T BE HERE, UH, TO FURTHER THE, UM, THE, UH, THAT BUDGET, UH, I DO HOPE THAT, UH, MY COLLEAGUES WILL CONTINUE ON THE MISSION. UH, AND THANK YOU TO THE MAYOR FOR ACKNOWLEDGING THE WORK, UH, THAT I'VE DONE HERE, THE WORK WE'VE DONE TOGETHER, UH, AND THAT, UM, HE WILL ALSO CONTINUE TO EXPAND ON THE EQUITY BUDGET. UH, THANK YOU VERY MUCH, UM, MAYOR, AND TO, UH, ALL OF MY COLLEAGUES, ESPECIALLY ERIC AND MARIA, AND THE BUDGET DEPARTMENT. OKAY. THANK YOU. COUNCIL MEMBER GONZALEZ, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER PERRY. THANK YOU, SIR. WELL, LET ME TELL YOU, 2020 HAS BEEN A DIFFICULT YEAR FOR A LOT OF DIFFERENT REASONS. AND SPEAKING BUDGET-WISE, THIS C OVID 19 HAS BEEN A DISASTER FOR US, FOR THE CITY, NOT ONLY THE CITY, BUT THE STATE AND THE NATION AS WELL. EVERYBODY'S TRYING TO WORK AROUND THE ISSUES THAT WE'VE, UH, ENCOUNTERED. AND A LOT OF THOSE ARE MONEY ISSUES. AND I WANNA SAY, ERIC, LET'S SEE, ERIC, MARIA, SEE YOU THERE, BEN SCOTT, SOMEBODY THAT'S LEAVING THE BUDGET DEPARTMENT. YOU KNOW, I HATE TO SEE HER GO, BUT JUSTINA, I WANT TO THANK Y'ALL PARTICULARLY, AND THE BUDGET DEPARTMENT AND THE REST OF THE CITY STAFF. THIS IS, THIS IS NOT JUST THE BUDGET PEOPLE THAT PUT THIS TOGETHER, THE REST OF THE CITY STAFF GETS INVOLVED AS WELL IN DEVELOPING THEIR BUDGET. AND IF I REMEMBER RIGHT, WE KIND OF START FROM ZERO EVERY YEAR IS, ISN'T THAT RIGHT, ERIC? WE KIND OF START FROM ZERO AND BUILD UP EACH ONE OF THESE BUDGETS FOR THE, FOR THIS BUDGET YEAR. WELL, I KNOW IT'S A DIFFICULT JOB, BUT I, I REALLY APPRECIATE EVERYBODY THAT'S HAD A HAND IN THIS BUDGET. LIKE I SAID, IT'S BEEN DIFFICULT, BUT I'VE ALWAYS SAID, AND I STILL MAINTAIN THAT THIS IS THE MOST IMPORTANT THING THAT THIS COUNCIL OR ANY COUNCIL WILL DO, IS DEVELOP A BUDGET, PUT IT TOGETHER, AND VOTE ON IT, AND APPROVE A BUDGET. THE MOST IMPORTANT THING. 'CAUSE IF YOU THINK ABOUT IT, EVERYTHING IN THIS ENTIRE ORGANIZATION, EVERYTHING IN THIS WHOLE CITY REVOLVES AROUND THE BUDGET. SO TO ME, EVERY PROGRAM WE HAVE, EVERY SOCIAL PROGRAM WE HAVE, EVERY CORE REQUIREMENT THAT OUR CHARTER SPELLS OUT IS DEVELOPED AND PAID FOR THROUGH THIS BUDGET. SO I, I STILL MAINTAIN THAT. UM, THIS IS THE MOST IMPORTANT THING WE DO EVERY YEAR. UM, YEAH, THERE'S THINGS THAT I WOULD LIKE TO HAVE BEEN INCLUDED IN THIS BUDGET, BUT I, I WANT TO FOCUS BACK ON WHAT COUNCILWOMAN GONZALEZ SAID THERE FOR A SECOND. WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE TOTAL BUDGET, AND WE'RE, I ALMOST, OR WE'RE RIGHT AT WHAT THE BUDGET WAS LAST YEAR AT 2.9, SOMETHING, ANOTHER, UH, LAST OR THIS CURRENT YEAR, AND THIS NEXT YEAR, IT'S 2.9, LITTLE BIT LESS THAN LAST YEAR. BUT, YOU KNOW, I THINK WE SHOULD TRY TO CONTROL OUR BUDGETS EVERY YEAR AND NOT JUST TAKE THAT ATTITUDE, WELL, WE'RE GETTING MORE REVENUE, WE NEED TO SPEND IT. UH, I THINK, I THINK THIS IS A GOOD EXERCISE IN THAT, IN DIGGING DEEP AND LOOKING WHERE OUR REQUIREMENTS ARE AND FUNDING THOSE THE BEST WE CAN, AS COUNCILMAN PURGE SAID, UM, YOU KNOW, WE, WE TOOK A HIT THIS YEAR, BUT BOTH THIS YEAR, OUR CURRENT YEAR, 2020, AND WE'RE TAKING A HIT IN 2021, UM, MY HOPE IS THAT WE CAN CATCH UP OVER THE NEXT SEVERAL, NEXT SEVERAL YEARS. BUT IN REALITY, IT'S GONNA TAKE A LONG TIME FOR US TO REALLY RE FULLY RECOVER FROM WHERE WE WERE TO TRY TO GET BACK TO WHERE WE WERE BEFORE. AND, UM, IT'S, IT'S, IT'S GONNA BE TOUGH. WE STILL HAVE MORE STORMS TO WEATHER IN THE FUTURE, BUT I THINK WE CAN DO IT. WE DID IT THIS YEAR. WE ARE DOING IT FOR THIS BUDGET. AND I THINK, I THINK WE HAVE THE MEANS AND METHODS TO DO THAT. UM, OVERALL, I, I THINK THIS IS A, UH, A VERY DIFFICULT BUDGET THAT IT'S THE BEST WE COULD DO [03:00:01] WITH THE RESOURCES THAT, WITH THE HAND THAT WE'VE BEEN DEALT, RIGHT? UM, I, I'VE ALWAYS BEEN ONE TO SAY WE NEED TO FOCUS ON WHAT OUR CITY CHARTER REALLY DIRECTS US TO DO ON THOSE CORE SERVICES. FOR THE MOST PART, WE'RE, WE'RE DOING THAT IN THIS BUDGET. THERE'S SHORTFALLS, THERE'S SHORTFALLS IN A LOT OF DIFFERENT AREAS, BUT AGAIN, THIS IS A BALANCED BUDGET. AND, UM, I'M, I'M HAPPY THAT WE'RE STILL ABLE TO PUT A LOT INTO OUR STREETS AND OTHER MAINTENANCE PROGRAMS, UM, BECAUSE, AND, AND POLICE AND FIRE, THOSE ARE ALL CORE REQUIREMENTS IN OUR CITY CHARTER. AND, YOU KNOW, I, I KEEP GOING BACK TO THAT BECAUSE THAT'S IN BLACK AND WHITE, WHAT WE SHOULD BE PROVIDING THIS CITY AND THE SERVICES THAT WE PROVIDE. SO I'LL BE, I'LL BE SUPPORTING THIS BUDGET TODAY, AND I'M HOPEFUL THAT THINGS TURN AROUND IN THE NEXT YEAR OR SO. BUT I'M VERY SUPPORTIVE OF WHAT OUR CITY STAFF HAS PUT TOGETHER TODAY. AND AGAIN, WE ARE TAKING CARE OF A LOT OF THOSE CORE RESPONSIBILITIES IN THE CITY CHARTER. SO THAT'S IMPORTANT TO ME. AND, UM, YOU KNOW, AGAIN, I HOPE THAT WE CAN GET OUT OF THIS A LITTLE BIT MORE QUICKLY, BUT TIME WILL TELL, WE'LL SEE HOW THIS SORTS OUT NEXT YEAR, IN THE NEXT YEAR'S BUDGET, AND THE FOLLOWING SEVERAL YEARS AFTER THAT, WHERE WE'LL BE, I DON'T KNOW, UH, BUT THAT'S WHAT THIS BUDGET DOCUMENT IS ABOUT. IT'S AN ESTIMATE BASED ON BEST GUESSES AND HISTORY. WE DON'T HAVE A LOT OF HISTORY IN THIS C OVID 19 THING AND HOW THIS BUDGET WAS DEVELOPED. WE, SO WE DON'T HAVE A LONG TRACK RECORD THAT WE CAN GO BACK AND SAY, YEAH, WE'RE GONNA GET AN INCREASE IN THIS REVENUE OR THAT REVENUE AND BE ABLE TO PUT THAT IN THE BUDGET. WE DON'T HAVE THAT. SO THIS IS KIND OF A, THE FIRST YEAR FOR THIS, AND IT'S SOMETHING THAT WE'LL BUILD ON THE FOLLOWING YEAR. THEN WE WILL HAVE A LITTLE BIT OF A TRACK RECORD BETWEEN 2020 AND 2021. SO, UH, I'M, I'M LOOKING FOR FORWARD TO THOSE DISCUSSIONS AS WELL. AND, UM, I, I JUST, AGAIN, I REALLY THANK THE CITY STAFF FOR PUTTING IN THE TIME AND EFFORT TO COME UP WITH THIS, THIS BUDGET. THAT'S ALL I HAVE. THANK YOU VERY MUCH, SIR. APPRECIATE IT. THANK YOU. COUNCIL MEMBER PERRY. COUNCIL MEMBER SANDOVAL. THANK YOU, MAYOR. UM, I WANNA START BY THANKING EVERY MEMBER OF THE PUBLIC WHO MAY TIME TO CALL IN, UH, THIS MORNING, SORRY, WHAT IS NOW THIS AFTERNOON, TO SHARE WITH US THEIR COMMENTS AND TO BE CIVICALLY ENGAGED. I ALSO WANT TO THANK, UH, ALL OF THOSE RESIDENTS WHO COMPLETED THE SPEAKUP SURVEY. I THINK THERE WERE OVER 22,000 OF THEM. AND IN ADDITION TO THEM, THERE WERE MANY OTHERS WHO EMAILED OUR OFFICES AND MADE PHONE CALLS. SO, THANK YOU ALL FOR PARTICIPATING IN THIS PROCESS. UM, I ALSO, UH, HEARD SOME FRUSTRATION BY EMAIL AND, UH, THIS MORNING, AND I, AND I UNDERSTAND, UM, I THINK YOU COULD SAY THAT THAT'S THE REASON MANY OF US RAN FOR OFFICE, IS THAT WE THOUGHT IT COULD BE DONE BETTER, AND WE THOUGHT WE COULD DO IT BETTER. SO, SO HERE WE ARE. UM, IN THE TIME I'VE BEEN HERE, I'M VERY GLAD THAT I'VE BEEN ABLE TO SECURE, UH, FUNDING FOR THINGS THAT IMPROVE QUALITY OF LIFE, UH, FOR ALL SAN ANTONIOS AND IN PARTICULAR FOR DISTRICT SEVEN RESIDENTS. UH, UNFORTUNATELY THIS YEAR WAS VERY DIFFERENT. THIS WAS MORE OF A, I WOULD SAY, A TRIAGE BUDGET THAN A, UH, NICE TO HAVE, UH, BUDGET. I WANNA THANK ERIC MARIA AND THE ENTIRE E L T. I RESPECT THE WORK THAT YOU DO THIS YEAR. YOU'VE REALLY PUT YOUR CREATIVITY, UH, ON DISPLAY. THANK YOU. I ALSO WANNA THANK ALL OF THE CITY STAFF, UH, FOR THE WORK THAT YOU PUT INTO THIS BUDGET, UH, BUT ALSO FOR THE WORK THAT YOU DO ALL YEAR LONG. UH, THIS IS A YEAR THAT REALLY DEMONSTRATED HOW VALUED OUR PUBLIC SERVANTS ARE. UM, CITY EMPLOYEES WERE DEPLOYED. UM, IT, IT SOUNDS LIKE A MILITARY TERM, BUT THEY WERE DEPLOYED, UH, AND MAYBE IN A SENSE IT WAS, UH, TO MISSIONS, UH, ALL OVER THE CITY THAT THEY PROBABLY DIDN'T REALLY SIGN UP FOR. AND I, I WANNA THANK YOU FOR YOUR FLEXIBILITY, YOUR WILLINGNESS, AND, UH, THE FACT THAT YOU HAVE GOTTEN US, UH, TO, TO THIS POINT. UM, I ALSO WANNA THANK YOU AGAIN FOR, FOR GOING YOUR COST OF LIVING INCREASE THIS YEAR. UH, THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR THAT SACRIFICE. I WANNA GIVE A SPECIAL THANK YOU TO MS. EMILY MCGINN, UH, ASSISTANT TO CITY [03:05:01] COUNCIL. EMILY TOOK MATERNITY LEAVE LAST FALL, AND BEFORE WE LEFT, WE SAID, CONGRATULATIONS, HAVE A GREAT TIME. WE'LL BE FINE. DON'T WORRY ABOUT IT. WHAT IS THE WORST THAT COULD HAPPEN? AND THEN SHE CAME BACK AND, UH, P D A WAS, UH, EMPTY , AND, UH, THE WORST THAT COULD HAPPEN PROBABLY HAPPENED, UH, BUT EMILY HAS NOT MISSED A BEAT. UH, AND SHE'S DONE TERRIFIC WORK. THANK YOU, UH, EMILY, UH, WE'RE VERY LUCKY TO HAVE YOU AND FATIMA, UH, HELPING US. UM, SO I'LL GO INTO, UH, SOME COMMENTS AND QUESTIONS REGARDING THE BUDGET. SO, UM, I THINK WE ALL KNOW WE'LL NEVER BE ABLE TO FUND, UH, EVERYTHING, UH, TO, TO THE AMOUNT THAT WE WOULD REALLY WANT TO. UH, AND THAT'S BEEN, IT'S NEVER BEEN MORE TRUE THAN THIS YEAR WHERE WE'VE HAD THE MOST NEEDS AND PROBABLY THE LEAST RESOURCES, UH, AVAILABLE. UM, SO THEY, THEY ARE TOUGH DECISIONS, BUT, UH, I THINK IT'S AT A TIME LIKE THIS, WHEN OUR, BASICALLY, OUR CORE VALUES ARE TRUE, PRIORITIES ARE, HAVE TO COME TO THE FRONT. AND FOR, UM, FOR ME, ONE OF THOSE PRIORITIES IS PUBLIC HEALTH. UH, I'M VERY GLAD TO SEE THE GROWTH OF THE HEALTHY NEIGHBORHOODS PROGRAM, UH, INCLUDED IN THIS BUDGET. I THINK IT'S GOING TO HELP US, UH, IT'S AN INVESTMENT IN THE FUTURE, IN OUR FUTURE HEALTH. RESILIENCY, PROSPERITY CAN'T WORK IF YOU DON'T HAVE GOOD HEALTH. AND, UH, AND I THINK IT'S GOING TO HELP US CHIP AWAY AT THAT 20 YEAR AGE GAP THAT WE HEAR ABOUT. WE HAVEN'T TALKED ABOUT IT LATELY, BUT, UM, IT EXISTS BETWEEN, UH, BETWEEN OUR NEIGHBORHOODS. UM, I WANNA THANK THOSE OF YOU WHO SUBMITTED LETTERS OF SUPPORT FOR THIS AMENDMENT, INCLUDING, UH, SUPERINTENDENT BRIAN WOODS, THE SAN ANTONIO VASCULAR AND ENDOVASCULAR CLINIC, UH, THE POPULATION HEALTH ADVISORY COMMITTEE, AND OTHER INDIVIDUALS. THOSE LETTERS WERE DISTRIBUTED TO CHIEFS OF STAFF AND, UH, SUBMITTED TO THE CITY CLERK FOR, FOR THE RECORD. UM, I HAVE ONE QUESTION REGARDING, UH, THE HEALTH, UH, BUDGET. I AM, I'M GLAD TO SEE THAT WE'VE MOVED, UH, THINGS THAT DON'T NEED TO BE IN THE PD DEPARTMENT AND S A P D TO HEALTH. I THINK IT'S GONNA CREATE A GREAT SYNERGY THERE, ESPECIALLY, UH, SINCE THE START OF THE, OF THE ADVERSE CHILDHOOD EXPERIENCES WORK. I THINK IT'S A GREAT PLACE FOR IT TO BE. UM, THE ONE QUESTION I DO HAVE, UH, GOES BACK TO PAID SICK LEAVE. UH, ERIC, YOU AND I HAVE HAD A LITTLE BIT OF THIS DISCUSSION. I JUST, UH, WANNA PUT IT OUT THERE FOR, FOR THE RECORD AND FOR MY COLLEAGUES. UM, I'VE OFTEN SAID THAT, UM, YOU KNOW, EVEN THOUGH WE WANT TO UPSKILL EVERYONE, AND I THINK WE'RE GOING TO DO A TREMENDOUS JOB OF UPSKILLING MANY PEOPLE, WE WILL CONTINUE TO HAVE MANY JOBS IN SAN ANTONIO THAT ARE NOT, UH, SUPER HIGH EARNING. AND WE WANNA MAKE SURE THOSE JOBS ARE DIGNIFIED AND, UM, IN SERVE OUR COMMUNITY. UH, AND ONE WAY THAT THEY CAN DO THAT IS BY OFFERING PAID SICK LEAVE. UM, SO WHILE WE CANNOT MANDATE IT, UH, I THOUGHT WE COULD PROMOTE IT. SO, ERIC, CAN YOU TELL ME, OR, OR CAN THE STAFF EXPLAIN WHAT THE, WHAT THE FOUR FULL-TIME STAFF OR PAID SICK LEAVE WILL BE ACCOMPLISHING THIS YEAR? I, I CAN COUNCILMAN, LET ME JUST HIGH LEVEL, JUST TO REMIND THE COUNCIL, UH, UH, THIS TIME LAST YEAR, WE HAD INCLUDED, UH, ADDITIONAL POSITIONS IN THE METRO HEALTH DEPARTMENT, UH, TO DO OUTREACH ON, UH, PAID SICK LEAVE TO EMPLOYERS HERE IN SAN ANTONIO. UH, THOSE POSITIONS WERE FILLED IN THE FALL, UM, AND THEN SOME OF THEM DEPLOYED DURING COVID. AND SO, AS WE, UH, GET BACK TO, UH, THE, THE EFFORTS THAT, UH, ARE PART OF OUR CORE RESPONSIBILITIES, UH, THE OUTREACH PROGRAM, UH, THAT WAS ORIGINALLY ENVISIONED THIS YEAR, UM, AND MAKING THE OUTREACH TO BUSINESSES, UH, WE'LL BE BACK ON, ON, ON THE FOREFRONT. AND DR. BRIDGER, IF YOU WANT TO MAYBE JUST EXPAND UPON THAT A LITTLE BIT. YEAH, THANK YOU. SO WE HAVE, UM, STAFF WHO ARE TRANSITIONING BACK TO THEIR REAL JOBS, UM, THROUGHOUT THE MONTH OF OCTOBER. AND AS ERIC MENTIONED, WE WILL BE, UM, REDEPLOYING OR UNEP PLOYING THOSE, UM, STAFF WHO WERE WORKING ON PAID SICK LEAVE, UM, TO REFOCUS THEIR EFFORTS ON THE VOLUNTARY SICK LEAVE PROCESS THAT WE TALKED ABOUT LAST YEAR. SO, UM, THAT SHOULD BE UP AND RUNNING AGAIN IN OCTOBER. AND I GUESS I'LL ADD THAT IT SEEMS IT'S EVEN MORE IMPORTANT NOW THAN IT WAS WHEN WE WERE TALKING ABOUT THIS LAST YEAR BECAUSE OF WHAT WE'RE DEALING WITH. AND SO MAKING SURE THAT EMPLOYERS, UH, HAVE THE INFORMATION, YOU KNOW, KNOW, INFORM. I THINK PART OF THE, THE CARESS ACT, WHEN IT WAS ORIGINALLY APPROVED BY CONGRESS, UM, A MANDATED, UH, PAID SICK LEAVE, [03:10:01] UH, FOR ALL EMPLOYERS. AND SO, UH, IF AN EMPLOYER WASN'T FAMILIAR WITH PAID SICK LEAVE BEFORE CARES, EVERYBODY, UH, HAD TO BECOME FAMILIAR WITH IT AND THE REQUIREMENT OF THE CARESS ACT. AND SO, UH, THE, I THINK THE, THE ENVIRONMENT AND THE, THE LANDSCAPE IS A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT THAN WHEN WE WERE SITTING HERE 12 MONTHS AGO, UH, CONSIDERING ADDING PHYSICIANS. SO THOSE ROLES WILL BE CRITICAL TO, TO, TO, UH, PROVIDING THAT ADDITIONAL OUTREACH AND GUIDANCE TO THE BUSINESS COMMUNITY AND, AND THE NONPROFIT COMMUNITY OR WHOEVER HAS EMPLOYEES. THANK YOU VERY MUCH TO BOTH OF YOU, AND I LOOK FORWARD TO SEEING HOW THAT PROGRESSES. UM, I, I'LL SPEAK BRIEFLY ON THE, ON THE POLICE BUDGET. UH, I, I THINK YOU MADE SOME GREAT STRIDES WHEN YOU PRESENTED THE DRAFT BUDGET, UH, ERIC AND, AND MARIA. AND, UH, I KNOW THAT THERE ARE SOME PEOPLE OUT THERE WHO WANTED TO SEE MORE, MORE, UH, MEANINGFUL REIMAGINING OR MORE, UH, SERIOUS REIMAGINING OF OUR PUBLIC SAFETY SYSTEM. UM, AND I JUST, I WANNA REITERATE THAT WE'VE HEARD CHIEF MCMANUS SAY MANY TIMES, UH, THAT WE CAN'T ARREST OUR PROBLEMS AWAY. AND I HEAR YOU, WE CONTINUE TO SEND OUR POLICE OFFICERS INTO NEIGHBORHOODS WITH CRIME, EXPECTING CRIME TO GO DOWN. AND WE'RE SURPRISED WHEN IT DOESN'T. SO WE HAVE TO ASK OURSELVES, AND I THINK THAT'S WHAT THIS COUNCIL IS DOING NOW. DO OUR NEIGHBORHOODS HAVE THE RESOURCES THAT THEY NEED? DO OUR RESIDENTS HAVE THE OPPORTUNITIES TO EARN A DECENT LIVING AND DO THOSE WITH ADDICTION PROBLEMS, UH, HAVE ACCESS TO TREATMENT, DO THOSE WITH MENTAL HEALTH PROBLEMS, HAVE ACCESS TO TREATMENT. SO I THINK IN THIS BUDGET YEAR, UM, IT'S REALLY OBVIOUS THAT HEALTH AND SOCIAL SERVICES MAYBE DON'T HAVE THE RESOURCES THEY NEED TO REALLY MAKE THOSE CHANGES. AND EXPECTING THE POLICE TO FILL THAT GAP IS, UH, IS NOT GOING TO GET US VERY FAR. SO, AND IT'S SETTING THEM UP FOR, FOR FAILURE TOO, AND IT'S NOT FAIR TO OUR POLICE OFFICERS TO EXPECT THEM TO SOLVE ALL OF THOSE PROBLEMS. UM, SO I LOOK FORWARD TO EXPLORING THE MORE EFFECTIVE WAYS TO SOLVE THESE SOCIAL ISSUES. AND I'D, I'D REALLY LIKE, UH, TO SPEND, UH, TO SPEND MY LAST 20 SECONDS HEARING FROM ERIC ABOUT THE TIMELINE FOR THAT, UH, PROGRAM AND HOW THAT'S GOING TO INTERACT WITH THE TIMELINE FOR C B A, UH, NEGOTIATION. SO, SO THANK YOU. UH, THANK YOU COUNCILWOMAN. UH, SO THE, THE TIMELINE, EVERYTHING WILL RUN CONCURRENTLY BECAUSE, UH, WE HAVE ALREADY BEGUN, UH, HAVING CONVERSATIONS AND, AND SOME OF THESE, THE COUNCIL'S FAMILIAR WITH ABOUT OUR STRATEGY AND APPROACH, UH, AS COLLECTIVE BARGAINING BEGINS, UH, BY JANUARY OF 2021. SO THAT IS REALLY RIGHT AROUND THE CORNER. AND, AND I THINK WE'VE BEEN VERY, UH, UPFRONT, UH, AND, UH, UH, AND DELIBERATE ABOUT OUR CONVERSATION ABOUT WHAT THE PRIORITIES ARE, UM, THAT WILL BEGIN, UH, HAS ALREADY BEGUN AND WILL CONTINUE TO DEVELOP DURING THE FALL. UM, THE, THE, UH, I'LL BE ISSUING A, A MEMO, UH, SHORTLY THAT WILL OUTLINE THE INTERNAL PROCESS. AND, AND I THINK, UH, COUNCILWOMAN HAVE, AND I HAD A BRIEF CONVERSATION AND, AND WE NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE MESHING FORWARD THE WORK EFFORT OF THE, OF THE PILLARS, UH, IN PARTICULAR THE COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT AND HEARING FROM EVERYBODY IN THE CITY, UH, ABOUT WHAT THEIR EXPECTATIONS ARE FOR THE POLICE DEPARTMENT. UM, AND, AND, UH, WE'LL, WE'LL NEED TO USE, UH, THE, WE'LL NEED TO BE IN LINE WITH, UH, A SCHEDULE WITH THE PUBLIC SAFETY COMMITTEE. I'LL, I'LL ALSO SAY THAT, AND YOU'RE FAMILIAR WITH THIS, THERE'S ONE PIECE OF WHAT WE'LL BE LOOKING AT, UM, WHICH IS MENTAL HEALTH AND HOW IT ALIGNS WITH, UH, POTENTIAL CONVERSATIONS WITH YOUR COMMITTEE. MY RECOMMENDATION IS GONNA BE THAT THE PUBLIC SAFETY COMMITTEE BE THAT PRIMARY GROUP WITH THE COUNCIL AS WE GO THROUGH THIS PROCESS. BUT I DO THINK FROM A MENTAL HEALTH STANDPOINT, AND, AND BY EXTENSION, PUBLIC HEALTH, UM, TIES VERY TIGHTLY INTO THE THINGS THAT YOU'VE TALKED ABOUT AND THE THINGS THAT COUNCILWOMAN GARCIA TALKED ABOUT YESTERDAY ABOUT THE LONG-TERM, UM, EXPECTATIONS THAT WE HAVE IN PUBLIC HEALTH AND MENTAL HEALTH INVESTMENTS. AND THOSE ARE NOT EASY, THAT, THAT'S ALMOST AS DIFFICULT AS THE POLICE CONVERSATION BECAUSE WE'RE TALKING ABOUT ADDITIONAL RESOURCES AND, AND, UH, IT WILL REQUIRE US OR OTHERS TO REPRIORITIZE. UM, THE IDEA IS THAT WE HAVE SOME SEMBLANCE OF AN IDEA. WE, WE, WE CAN ALL COME UP WITH IDEAS THAT THE TRICK IS IMPLEMENTING AN IDEA AND MAKING IT WORK. AND, AND THAT'S WHERE THE HARD PART IS AT. AND I THINK WE'RE GONNA NEED TO SPEND, UH, IT [03:15:01] IS, IT IS UNDOUBTEDLY GONNA BE, UH, CONTINUE TO BE ONE OF OUR TOP PRIORITIES. I SEE THE CHIEF ON THE SCREEN. IT IS A, A MAJOR PRIORITY OF HIM AND OUR PUBLIC HEALTH DEPARTMENT. UM, AND, AND, UH, I THINK IT'S PROBABLY, UH, WHEN, WHEN I TALKED TO COUNCILWOMAN HARA, BEING ABLE TO LAY OUT THOSE STEPS TO THE PUBLIC SAFETY COMMITTEE WILL BE KEY AS WELL. MM-HMM. , THANK YOU, ERIC. I LOOK FORWARD TO WORKING WITH YOU ON THAT. THANK YOU. COUNCIL MEMBER SANDOVAL, I'LL GO BACK TO COUNCIL MEMBER VINNO. UH, THANK YOU, MAYOR. UH, AND I JUST WANTED TO, UH, GET SOME CLARIFICATION. SO I, I REQUESTED, UM, THE 22,000, UH, 244 UH, DOLLARS THAT SEEMS TO BE LEFT OVER, UH, MARIA, IS THAT CORRECT? UH, COUNCILMAN, WE ALLOCATED ALL THE RESOURCES THAT WE HAD AVAILABLE FROM A COMBINATION OF BETTER REVENUES AND, UH, SALES TAX AND SAUCE THAT WE PRESENTED YESTERDAY, THE CITY MANAGER DID, AND ALSO THE ELIMINATION OF THE POLICE CADET HIRING BONUS. UM, THO ALL THOSE FUNDS WERE, WERE ALLOCATED. I, I CAN SEE PERHAPS WHERE THERE MAY BE SOME CONFUSION, WE ROUNDED UP TO A 4 MILLION EXACT NUMBER IN THE PRESENTATION THAT WAS PRESENTED YESTERDAY. YEAH. BUT, UH, THE, THE MEMO THAT WE SENT LAST NIGHT THAT THE CITY MANAGER SENT LAST NIGHT ADDS UP THE NUMBERS TO $3,977,000. 756. SO LET ME, I'M SORRY. GO AHEAD. I'M SORRY. I THOUGHT YOU WERE DONE. GO AHEAD. I WAS JUST GONNA SAY, SO THAT REPRESENTS THE FUNDS AVAILABLE. COUNCILMAN, LET ME, LET ME SUGGEST, BECAUSE THAT, YOU KNOW, UH, AND, AND I'M LOOKING FOR TINA ON THE SCREEN. YEAH. SO THE, THE 30,000 FOR, FOR CLARIFICATION WAS TO HELP OFFSET THE REVENUE NEEDED FOR THE PURCHASE OF BIRTH CERTIFICATES FOR INDIVIDUALS DURING THE ID RECOVERY. SO FROM A REVENUE PERSPECTIVE, AND LET ME, LET ME SUGGEST, BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, FRANKLY, I THINK THE, THE, THE, THE HONEST ANSWER HERE IS THAT, UH, THE POLICE, THIS PROGRAM STARTED AT THE POLICE DEPARTMENT WE'RE LOOKING TO, UH, AND, AND IT WAS KIND OF PART-TIME. AND I THINK THE IDEA OF REMOVING, UH, UH, MOVING ID RECOVERY TO HUMAN SERVICES AND THE CITY CLERK IS THAT WE'VE GOT A FULL-TIME ATTENTION TO THE ISSUE BECAUSE WE DO KNOW THERE'S NEED, THAT PROGRAM EXISTED, AND WE, AND, AND WE HADN'T MADE ANY ADJUSTMENTS TO THE REVENUE. MIGHT I SUGGEST THAT, UH, UH, WE KNOW THAT THERE'S GONNA BE A NEED AND THEN WE, WE WE'RE GONNA DO IT REGARDLESS OF THE 30,000 OR NOT, AND WE'LL MONITOR IT AND SEE WHAT TYPE OF IMPACT IT HAS ON THE REVENUE. BECAUSE, BECAUSE YOU, YOUR $30,000 WAS KIND OF TRYING TO NET OUT THAT REVENUE ADJUSTMENT, TINA, IS THAT CORRECT? THANK YOU, ERIC. THE IDEA WAS, UM, WE FIGURED THERE'S APPROXIMATELY 3000 HOMELESS INDIVIDUALS AT $23 PER BIRTH CERTIFICATE, UM, THAT WAS CLOSER TO 60,000 OR SO. SO WE FIGURED IF WE HAVE A SMALLER TARGET OF MAYBE A THOUSAND PER YEAR, THAT WOULD GET US TO THE POPULATION THAT WE'RE TRYING TO SERVE. UM, THE 3000 NUMBER, WE'RE NOT EXACTLY SURE IF THAT'S HOW MANY HOMELESS INDIVIDUALS THERE ARE. UM, THAT WAS A TARGET NUMBER THAT WAS PROVIDED TO US. SO THAT'S THE IDEA. SO TINA, IT'S OFFSET, IT'S, IT'S TO OFFSET THE $23 BIRTH CERTIFICATE CHARGE, RIGHT? YES, SIR. CORRECT. I WOULD PROPOSE COUNCILMAN THAT WE, WE CAN, WE ARE GONNA DO ID RECOVERY THROUGH HUMAN SERVICES AND CITY CLERK, AND THAT WE MONITOR WHAT THAT, WHAT THAT REVENUE IMPACT AND INCLUDE THAT IN THE QUARTERLY UPDATE TO YOU IN DECEMBER AND THE REST OF THE COUNCIL. BUT THAT WE CONTINUE FORWARD AND DO THAT BECAUSE AS TINA MENTIONED, WE DO KNOW THERE'S A LOT OF NEED. UM, AND, AND, AND HOPEFULLY WE'RE ABLE TO, TO RESOLVE THAT ISSUE FOR EVERYBODY, UM, UH, AND GOING FORWARD THAT WAY WE CAN CONTINUE, ERIC, WELL, HOW QUICKLY CAN WE RESOLVE THAT? BECAUSE SEE, THE, THE, THE, THE IDEA WAS REALLY TO JUST, UH, HIT THE GROUND RUNNING WITH, WITH TINA, GETTING THESE BIRTH CERTIFICATES GOING AS PEOPLE ARE, ARE REQUESTING THEIR ID RECOVERY, BUT THEN ALSO WORKING WITH THE LEGISLATURE TO, TO, TO CHANGE HOUSE BILL 1 23. THEY CAN PICK UP THE BATON FROM THERE. SO THE, THE THE, WE WERE ESTIMATING THAT WE COULD TRY TO GET TO ABOUT A THOUSAND BIRTH CERTIFICATES, UH, OR SO, UH, WITH THIS FUNDING. SO YOU, YOU KNOW, I THINK THE, THE SOONER WE CAN GET THERE, THE BETTER, BECAUSE I MEAN, SHE'S READY TO GET STARTED. UH, AND, AND I'D LIKE, I'D LIKE TO HAVE ACCESS TO THAT. YEP. COUNCILMAN, I GUESS THAT'S WHAT I'M SAYING, IS THAT THROUGH THIS PROCESS, UH, YOUR VOTE TODAY, [03:20:02] WE'LL, WE'RE GOING TO, WE'RE GONNA MOVE FORWARD WITH, WITH IDEA RECOVERY. WE'VE ALREADY MOVED THE FUNCTIONS TO THE CITY CLERK OF HUMAN SERVICES. OKAY. SO THAT WORK IS, IS HAPPENING NOW AND WE'LL, AND SHOULD CONTINUE. I GUESS WHAT I'M SUGGESTING IS THAT AS LONG AS, UH, MAYBE WE, UH, THE, THE COUNCIL INCLUDES IN THE BUDGET AMENDMENT AUTHORIZATION FOR THE CITY MANAGER OR THE CHIEF, OR THE CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER TO, TO, UM, UH, NOT CHARGE THAT $23 FOR THOSE INDIVIDUALS. AND WE'LL MONITOR WHAT THAT INCREMENT IS AS WE GO ON AND PROVIDE YOU AN UPDATE. BUT WE'RE, WE'RE KICKING IT OFF AND MOVING FORWARD REGARDLESS OF THE AMENDMENT. SO THAT'S BASICALLY A MOTION I HAVE TO MAKE RIGHT NOW. YES. AT THE APPROPRIATE TIME. I THINK THERE'S ONE MORE COUNCILPERSON THAT NEEDS TO TALK. UH, I, WELL, I THINK THIS IS THE SECOND ROUND, BUT I, SO IF I, I COULD, I WOULD JUST, I WOULD, I WOULD JUST ASK THAT. UM, AND IF I DO NEED TO CHIME BACK IN, I'M, I'M HAPPY TO DO THAT, BUT I WANNA, I WANNA MAKE A MOTION AS, AS STATED BY, UH, OUR CITY MANAGER TO NOT CHARGE OUR HOMELESS INDIVIDUALS FOR BIRTH CERTIFICATES AND KEEP TRACK OF THAT INCREMENT AND SEE WHAT THAT IS. OKAY. UM, THANK YOU. COUNCIL MEMBER TREVINO. ANDY, UH, IS THIS THE APPROPRIATE MOMENT FOR THAT MOTION? WELL, AGAIN, IT DEPENDS ON HOW WE WANNA, UH, HANDLE THE, YOU KNOW, ANY OTHER MOTIONS. BUT, UH, YES, I MEAN, THAT WAS A, I GUESS A GOOD ENOUGH KIND OF START, MAYOR, SO WHY DON'T, WHY DON'T WE GO AHEAD AND, AND TAKE UP THAT MOTION NOW, UM, AND, AND MOVE, MOVE ON FROM THERE. SO THERE IS A MOTION AS STATED BY COUNCIL MEMBER TREVINO ON, UH, THE BIRTH CERTIFICATE PROCESS. DID I HEAR A SECOND? SECOND BY ROCHA GARCIA? OKAY. THERE'S A SECOND. ALRIGHT. SO, UM, I'M GONNA ASK, UH, FOR THOSE WHO WANT DISCUSSION, JUST ON THAT MOTION TO RAISE THEIR HAND, UH, AND IF I DON'T SEE ANY HANDS, WE'LL JUST GO AHEAD AND TAKE UP THAT MOTION NOW, AND THEN WE'LL MOVE ON TO THE REST OF, SO, UM, ANY DISCUSSION ON THE MOTION REGARDING BIRTH CERTIFICATES? FAIR? OKAY. HEARING NONE, UH, ON A FAIR HAND. YEAH, I, I NEED TO SEE IT ON THE SCREEN BECAUSE I'M GONNA SEE, I GOT TWO CUES GOING, SO PLEASE RAISE YOUR HAND ON THE SCREEN IF YOU'D LIKE TO, UH, DISCUSS THIS MOTION. OKAY. UH, GO AHEAD, PLEASE. ALRIGHT, COUNCIL MEMBER PERRY. YEAH, UM, I, I GUESS ERIC, WE'RE NOT ABLE TO ABSORB THAT WITHIN THIS BUDGET. COUNSEL, I GUESS THAT'S WHAT I'M SUGGESTING, BECAUSE MOVING FORWARD, YOU'RE GIVING THE, THE AMENDMENT GIVES ME THE AUTHORITY TO, UH, ME, NOT ME, THE CITY, THE AUTHORITY TO NOT CHARGE THOSE INDIVIDUALS GOING THROUGH OUR E RECOVERY. AND WE'LL BE EATING THAT EXPENSE, AND I'LL BE REPORTING TO YOU WHAT THAT EXPENSE WAS IN DECEMBER. SO WE ARE MOVING FORWARD. DO WE HAVE ANY KIND OF ESTIMATE ON HOW MUCH THIS IS GONNA COST? WELL, UH, TINA IS TALKING ABOUT $30,000, BUT, UH, AS SHE DESCRIBED WHAT HER, WHAT HER ESTIMATE IS, IT REALLY DEPENDS ON HOW MANY FOLKS NEED THAT RECOVERY. AND I DON'T THINK WE REALLY KNOW. I DON'T THINK IT'S GONNA, I DON'T THINK, I DON'T THINK IT'S GONNA THROW THE BUDGET OFF. COUNCILMAN AREN'T THERE? $30,000 WILL HELP US HELP 1000 HOMELESS INDIVIDUALS IS THE INITIAL TARGET, SINCE IT'S UNKNOWN AT THIS TIME. AND I GUESS I GOT, GOT A OVERARCHING QUESTION. I I THOUGHT THERE WERE ORGANIZATIONS OUT THERE THAT ARE PROVIDING THE SERVICE ALREADY, COUNCILMAN THE, THE, UM, IT, IT'S NOT THE SERVICE. UM, AND IT'S NOT AN EXPENSE ITEM. THERE, THERE ARE, UNDER STATE LAW, UH, THERE'S A CHARGE FOR $23 TO GET A BIRTH CERTIFICATE. AND SO WHEN YOU AND I OR ONE OF US GOES TO THE CITY CLERK OFFICE TO GET A COPY OF OUR BIRTH CERTIFICATE, WE'RE CHARGED $23. UM, AND THAT'S, THAT'S A STATE CHARGE OF THE DOLLAR AMOUNT IS SO THAT WE WON'T CHARGE THE HOMELESS INDIVIDUAL WHO NEEDS AN ID, UH, RECOVERED THE $23. AND SO WE WILL WAIVE THAT EXPENSE FOR THOSE INDIVIDUALS. UM, AND THEN TO COUNCILMAN TREVINO'S POINT AS POTENTIALLY AS PART OF THE, THE, OUR INTERGOVERNMENTAL EFFORTS, UH, FOR THE UPCOMING LEGISLATURE, UH, PROPOSE SOMETHING THAT STATEWIDE SO THAT THE INDIVIDUALS IN THAT POSITION DON'T HAVE TO PAY 23 BUCKS. SO IT'S REALLY A REVENUE ITEM FOR US, AND YOU'RE JUST GIVING ME A LITTLE BIT OF FLEXIBILITY TO NOT CHARGE THOSE INDIVIDUALS, UH, SO THAT, UM, THEY CAN RECOVER THEIR IDS. OKAY. ALRIGHT. I GOT YOU. ALRIGHT. ALRIGHT. THANK YOU. THANKS. THANK YOU. COUNCIL MEMBER PERRY. ALRIGHT, ANYONE ELSE ON THE MOTION ON THE FLOOR, UH, REGARDING BIRTH CERTIFICATES? ALRIGHT, HEARING NONE. HEARING NONE. UM, WE'LL TAKE UP THE MOTION AGAIN, UH, AS STATED BY COUNCIL MEMBER TREVINO ON THE PROCESS FOR BIRTH CERTIFICATES, UH, AND THE REVENUE ADJUSTMENT BY THE MANAGER. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SAY AYE. AYE. AYE. AYE. AYE. ANY OPPOSED? ALRIGHT. [03:25:01] MOTION CARRIES. WE'LL GET BACK NOW TO, UM, THE, UH, MAIN DISCUSSION ON ITEM FOUR A. SO, UH, LET ME GO NOW TO COUNCIL MEMBER GONZALEZ. UH, THANK YOU VERY MUCH, MAYOR. AND, UM, PROBLEM WITH SPONTANEOUS REMARKS IS THAT YOU ALWAYS FORGET SOMEONE, AND SO I FORGOT TO MENTION SAMANTHA HERNANDEZ, DR. SAMANTHA HERNANDEZ ON MY STAFF, UH, WHO WAS REALLY SO INSTRUMENTAL IN HELPING ME, UH, PREPARE MY BUDGET AMENDMENT. SHE ALSO, UH, HELPED WITH THE STATUS OF WOMEN REPORT, UH, WORKING INTERNALLY WITH, UM, OUR LEGAL DEPARTMENT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ADVANCED, UM, THAT INITIATIVE, WHICH WAS OF COURSE, INSTRUMENTAL IN, UH, MOVING ALONG OTHER INITIATIVES, UM, UH, FOR, UH, FOR US HERE IN THE CITY. UM, ALSO, I JUST WANT TO TAKE A, A MOMENT TO ACKNOWLEDGE HER WORK ON A NEEDLE EXCHANGE PROGRAM THAT WE ENDED UP DOING WITH THE COUNTY. UH, SO THIS IS A PROJECT THAT SHE WORKED ON FOR A COUPLE OF YEARS AND WE, FOR WHATEVER REASON, LEGAL OR OTHERWISE, COULD NOT FUND IT WITHIN THE CITY. SO IT ENDED UP BEING THE COUNTY'S INITIATIVE. UH, BUT COUNCILMAN ROHA GARCIA MENTIONED THE COOPERATION THAT WE HAVE WITH THE COUNTY, AND, UH, WHILE WE DID ALL OF THE WORK INTERNALLY, THE COUNTY ENDED UP, UH, FUNDING IT. SO I'M GRATEFUL FOR HER EFFORT ON THAT. UM, BUT JUST ALSO FOR A LITTLE BIT OF CLARITY, UM, YOU KNOW, I TALKED ABOUT THE SHOTGUN, UH, HOUSE PROGRAM YESTERDAY, UH, DURING THE AMENDMENT PROCESS AND YOU KNOW, OF COURSE AS, UH, AS POLICYMAKERS WHERE THE FUNDING COMES FROM, YOU KNOW, IS OFTEN NOT OF GREAT CONCERN IF IT COMES FROM WHATEVER DEPARTMENT, UM, ESPECIALLY WHEN WE'RE TALKING ABOUT A SMALL DOLLAR AMOUNT, IF IT COMES FROM HOUSING, IF IT COMES FROM O H P, IF IT COMES FROM, YOU KNOW, WHATEVER, IT'S ALL GENERAL FUND MONEY. UH, BUT I, I DID WANT TO SPECIFICALLY ASK ABOUT THE SHOTGUN HOUSE PROGRAM BECAUSE IT'S NOT AS A SEPARATE LINE ITEM, BUT, UH, WE HAVE BEEN WORKING INTERNALLY WITH O H P FOR A NUMBER OF YEARS, UH, TRYING TO FIND A WAY TO RESTORE SOME OF OUR OLD SHOTGUN HOUSES. SO, UM, CAN I JUST GET A COMMITMENT FROM MARIA, UM, THAT IT'S FUNDED IN ONE OF THOSE DEPARTMENTS WHERE WE DO HOUSING. UH, I DON'T WANT THAT TO PROGRAM TO GET PARTICULARLY LOST IN SOME OF THE OTHER HOUSING REHAB PROGRAMS THAT WE DO, UH, BECAUSE IT IS SPECIFIC TO SHOTGUN HOUSES, UH, AND A PROJECT WITH O H P, UH, YES, COUNCILWOMAN, UH, WHAT WE, UM, TALKED ABOUT IS RECOMMENDING THAT WE FUND THAT PROGRAM IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD AND HOUSING SERVICES DEPARTMENT BUDGET AS PART OF THEIR AFFORDABLE HOUSING, UM, UH, PROGRAM THAT THEY HAVE WITHIN THAT DEPARTMENT. OKAY. OKAY. SO THANK YOU VERY MUCH. I JUST SORT OF WANTED TO GET THAT ON THE RECORD BECAUSE IT WAS, UM, UH, QUITE A BIT OF WORK, UH, IN INTERNALLY, UH, BETWEEN JEAN RODRIGUEZ ON MY STAFF, UH, DANIELLE MESA ON MY STAFF AND, UM, THE DEPARTMENT OF O H P, UH, TO HAVE A MODEL FOR, UM, SHAHA AROUND THE CITY. SO WE HAVE, I KNOW, 500, UH, IN DISTRICT FIVE. UH, I THINK THERE'S MANY OTHERS ALL AROUND THE CITY. UM, BUT, UH, WE WANT TO, UM, USE THAT AS A MODEL TO, UH, CONTINUE TO HOUSE PEOPLE, WHICH IS THAT WE KNOW A PRIORITY, UH, IN THIS BUDGET. AND ALSO A PRIORITY FOR THIS COUNCIL, UH, IS THAT WE ARE, UM, GETTING PEOPLE IN HOUSING, UH, STABLE HOUSING AND, UM, SAFE HOUSING. UH, SO THANK YOU VERY MUCH. JUST WANTED CLARITY ON THAT ONE. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. COUNCIL MEMBER GONZALEZ. COUNCIL MEMBER ANDREWS SULLIVAN. THANK YOU, MAYOR. I JUST WANTED TO CHIME IN AND THANK COUNCILWOMAN SANDOVAL FOR ALL OF THE WORK THAT SHE CONTINUES TO DO, UH, WHEN IT COMES TO PUBLIC HEALTH, UM, AND DEFINITELY HELPING ME WHEN WE CAME TO THE RESOLUTION DECLARING RACISM OF PUBLIC HEALTH CRISIS. UM, I WANTED TO, UM, ASK ERIC, WHEN WE TALK ABOUT THE FOOD INSECURITY AND WE'RE WORKING ON THE PUBLIC HEALTH, UM, STATUS WITH COUNCILWOMAN SANDOVAL, UM, WITHIN THE BUDGET WHEN IT COMES TO FOOD INSECURITY, I KNOW THAT WE'RE WORKING WITH THE SAN ANTONIO FOOD BANK AND WE'VE HEARD MANY, UM, ADDRESS THE DECREASE IN THE BUDGET FOR THE SAN ANTONIO FOOD BANK, UM, WITHIN THE ASK OF THE A HUNDRED THOUSAND FROM THE NATIONAL NIGHT OUT, UM, BEING THAT THAT'S CANCELED, IS THIS AN AREA THAT WE CAN LOOK AT, UH, FUNDING SOME OF THAT, UM, MONEY BACK INTO THE FOOD BANK OR, UM, LOOKING AT OTHER HEALTHY INITIATIVES WITHIN THE PUBLIC, UM, HEALTH SECTOR THAT COUNCILWOMAN SANDOVAL IS, IS SEEKING? SURE. COUNCILWOMAN. SO I'LL, UH, LET, LET, WE'LL ADDRESS BOTH THOSE ISSUES ABOUT, UH, THE COMMENTS ABOUT REDUCED FUNDING FOR THE FOOD BANK AND THEN, UH, NATIONAL NIGHT OUTRE. DO YOU WANT TO COVER THOSE TOO? YES, I'LL BE HAPPY TO. UM, COUNCILWOMAN ON THE, ON THE FOOD BANK SPECIFICALLY, UM, WE HAVE, UH, [03:30:01] THREE PROGRAMS THAT WE WORK WITH. THE FOOD BANK ONE, WE PROVIDE FUNDING FOR MEALS, UH, THAT THEY PROVIDE HEAVEN FOR HOPE. AND LAST YEAR WE HAD TWO PROGRAM, A KIDS CAFE FUNDED AT $47,500 AND A WHOLE PROGRAM, WHICH IS HALF A MILLION DOLLARS FOR MEALS FOR SENIORS. THE FOOD BANK REQUESTED THAT WE MOVE THE $47,500 FROM THE KIDS CAFE PROGRAM TO THE SENIORS PROGRAM. SO THE FUNDING DID NOT DECREASE. WE ACTUALLY INCREASED THE SENIOR PROGRAM AND THEY ASKED US NOT TO FUND THE, THE KIDS CAFE FOR THE, UM, PROGRAM FOR HEAVEN FOR HOPE. WE ACTUALLY INCREASE OUR FUNDING, UM, ROUGHLY ABOUT $30,000 FROM THE CURRENT YEAR, UH, AGAIN, JUST FOR THEM TO CONTINUE TO PROVIDE MEALS FOR OUR SENIORS. SO OVERALL, THEIR FUNDING DID NOT DECREASE FOR THE FOOD BANK. THEY SAW A VERY SMALL, UH, INCREASE IN 2021 BRIA. AND THE A HUNDRED THOUSAND DOLLARS THAT THE COUNCILWOMAN IS, IS, UH, REFERRING TO FOR NATIONAL NIGHT OUT, UH, DO, DO YOU, CAN YOU COVER WHAT THOSE EXPENSES, UH, INCLUDE? SURE. FOR NATIONAL NIGHT OUT COUNCILWOMAN PRIMARILY THE, THE COST ASSOCIATED WITH THE PROGRAM, UH, WE HAVE ONE CIVILIAN POSITION THAT IS DEDICATED, UH, TO THE COORDINATION OF THE PROGRAM, AS WELL AS SOME OF OUR, UH, SAFE OFFICERS PARTICIPATE. UM, WE HAVE, UM, SOME LIMITED FUNDING THAT IS ASSOCIATED WITH, UH, GIVEAWAYS THAT WE PROVIDE DURING THOSE EVENTS. UM, SO, SO IT IS NOT MOST OF THE, THE BUDGET IS RELATED TO, UH, PERSONNEL. OKAY. AND SINCE THAT, UM, EVENT HAS BEEN COUNSELED FOR THIS YEAR, HAVE WE LOOKED AT, UM, THE POTENTIAL REALLOCATING THAT INTO OTHER, UH, SERVICES THAT IT CAN BE USED FOR? UM, COUNCILMAN, THE, THE, THE PIECE THAT WE COULD POTENTIALLY REALLOCATE IS WHAT WE BUY FOR, UH, GIVEAWAYS, UM, AND MATERIAL SIGNAGE AND, UH, THE, THE AMOUNT, UM, UM, DON'T RECALL THE EXACT DOLLAR AMOUNT. IT'S PROBABLY ABOUT $30,000 THAT IS, UH, THE PIECE THAT WE COULD POTENTIALLY REALLOCATE. UM, BUT AGAIN, THE, THE MAJORITY OF THE COST IS ASSOCIATED WITH PERSONNEL THREE. IT'S $12,000. 12,000. YES. YES, MA'AM. OKAY. WELL, I'D LIKE FOR US TO, UM, LOOK AT HOW WE CAN TAKE THAT 12,000 AND REALLOCATE IT EITHER TOWARDS HOUSING OR TO HELP OUT WITH OUR PUBLIC HEALTH, UM, INITIATIVES. UM, AND, AND THAT'S ALL THAT I HAVE, SO I JUST WANNA SAY THANK YOU AND, UM, LOOKING FORWARD TO GOING, UM, AND DOING MORE AS WE CAN. SO THANK YOU SO MUCH. THANK YOU, MAYOR. THANK YOU. COUNCIL MEMBER ANDREW SULLIVAN, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER GRO. THANK YOU MAYOR. AND, UH, HERE WE ARE AT THE END OF, UH, THIS CONVERSATION. SO I'D LIKE TO THANK EVERYONE FOR THEIR WORK. UM, I'M PROUD TO SEE THAT THERE ARE MORE DOLLARS AND THE MOST DOLLARS FOR SIDEWALKS IN THIS BUDGET GOING INTO DISTRICT THREE. ERIC MARIA, THAT THIS IS A BALANCED BUDGET, MAINTAINING CITY SERVICES WITH NO TAX INCREASES. WE HAVE OUR HOMELESS OUTREACH TEAMS THROUGHOUT THE CITY IN PUBLIC HEALTH. WE'RE SEEING THE GROWTH IN THE VEEVA SAN ANTONIO HEALTHY CORNER STORE INITIATIVE AND SUSTAINING THE STORES IN DISTRICT THREE. WE KEEP PLANNING FOR OUR PUBLIC SAFETY SUBSTATION IN DISTRICT THREE. THAT WILL BE ONE OF A KIND AND FORWARD THANKING THANK YOU TO MY COLLEAGUES EVEN FROM LAST YEAR, WHO HAVE CONTINUED TO ADVOCATE FOR THIS AND FOR ALL OF THE RESIDENTS WHO HAVE ADVOCATED FOR THIS, AND TO ALL OF THOSE WHO ARE GOING TO HELP US REIMAGINE WHAT THIS PUBLIC SAFETY HEADQUARTERS CAN BE. WE'VE HAD ALMOST 1,700 RESIDENTS FROM DISTRICT THREE TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THE EMERGENCY HOUSING AND, UM, FUNDS. AND I HAVE COMMITTED MORE DOLLARS FOR MY OWN DISTRICT THREE CARRYOVER BUDGET TO DELIVER MORE DOLLARS TO DISTRICT THREE RESIDENTS AS SOON AS THOSE FEDERAL DOLLARS, UM, DISSIPATE OVER A HUNDRED DISTRICT THREE SMALL BUSINESSES RECEIVED 3.7 MILLION IN SMALL BUSINESS GRANTS TO HELP STAY AFLOAT AND KEEP JOBS IN THE COMMUNITY. I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO INVESTING IN OUR MOBILE INTEGRATED HEALTH UNIT BECAUSE THAT IS A PHENOMENAL UNIT THAT WE HAVE WITH THE FIRE DEPARTMENT, AND I'LL CONTINUE TO ADVOCATE FOR MORE INVESTMENT IN TRAINING WITH OUR MENTAL HEALTH UNIT. I'M GRATEFUL FOR THE BUDGET AMENDMENTS THAT HAVE INVESTED IN THE FOOD BANK IN SMALL BUSINESS AND IN HOUSING AND PUBLIC HEALTH. I DO WANT TO CONTINUE TO, UM, ADVOCATE FOR OUR CITY EMPLOYEES AND THANK YOU, ERIC, FOR KEEPING THEM AT THE FOREFRONT [03:35:02] OF ALL THAT WE DO HERE AT THE CITY AND TO MAKE SURE THAT WE CAN, UM, CONTINUE TO INVEST IN THEM. AND ERIC AND LAURIE STEWART. SO, YOU KNOW, I AM NOT FORGETTING ABOUT OUR RESTRUCTURING AND MORE EQUITABLE STEP PAY PROGRAM, EVEN THOUGH THIS IS MY LAST BUDGET. I'M NOT GOING TO LET THAT FALL. AND THIS IS AN EXTRAORDINARY TIME AND A BUDGET FOR OUR COMMUNITY AND OUR CITY WITH NOT MUCH HELP FROM OUR FEDERAL GOVERNMENT, BUT WE HAVE MADE CHANGES. AND WITH THIS BUDGET AND WITH OUR DIRECTION, WE HAVE PUT IN PLACE THE START OF RESTRUCTURING OF WHAT PUBLIC SAFETY IS AND WHAT OUR POLICE DEPARTMENT WILL LOOK LIKE IN THE FUTURE. TO MY DISTRICT THREE RESIDENTS, WE HAVE FOUGHT SO HARD AND HAVE MADE SO MANY ADVANCES. WE HAVE FIXED STREETS THAT HAVE BEEN LONG, UM, NOT TAKEN CARE OF, BUT WE HAVE FIXED THEM BECAUSE OF YOU AND BECAUSE OF YOUR WORK AND YOUR VOICE, WE HAVE TURNED THE TIDE TO SHOWCASE A NEW WORLD HERITAGE OFFICE THAT IS THERE WORKING DILIGENTLY WITH AN INCREDIBLE TEAM. WE'VE SEEN MORE SINGLE FAMILY HOUSING GROWTH AT A RATE THAT HAS NEVER BEEN SEEN BEFORE OUT IN OUR AREA. WE SEE CONTINUED INVESTMENT AND GROWTH IN OUR LEGACY BUSINESSES AND OUR LEGACY BUSINESS PROGRAM, THE HARVEY MAJOR, Y M C A, THE CONTINUATION OF OUR CITY FEE WAIVER PROGRAM. WE PUT THOSE POWER LINES AROUND THE MISSIONS UNDERGROUND. AND AGAIN, R VIVA SAN ANTONIO HEALTHY CORNER STORE, OF COURSE, THE GROWTH AT STINSON AIRPORT, THE NEW TOWER, THE NEW VENDOR, THE INVESTMENT IN DRAINAGE, AND HELPING WITH FLOODING THE NEW DOG PARKS IN OUR COMMUNITY. ERIC, THE BROOKS SPAN NEUTER FACILITY, OUR MEDICAL SCHOOL, NEW JOBS, MOORE RIVER AND CREEK TRAILWAYS THAT ARE ALIGNED WITH OUR NEW DEVELOPMENTS, DEDICATED CODE AND ANIMAL CARE SERVICE OFFICERS FOR DISTRICT THREE INVESTMENT IN THE HOPE TEAM TWO YEARS AGO AND OUR CONTINUED INVESTMENT AS IT CHANGES, I WAS ABLE TO TRAVEL THROUGH OUR MISSION REACH, UM, WHERE IT USED TO END AT MISSION ESPADA, BUT NOW CONTINUES TO THE MEDINO RIVER EXTENSION ALL THE WAY TO MISSION DE LAGO. WE CONTINUE FOR THE NEW AND REVITALIZATION OF OUR TOURS. AREAS THAT HAD LONG BEEN DORMANT ARE NOW SEEING GREAT GROWTH. WE HAVE IN DISTRICT THREE, THE SECOND FASTEST GROWING ZIP CODE IN THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO. AND WE TRULY DO REPRESENT THE PAST, THE PRESENT, AND THE FUTURE OF SAN ANTONIO. AND I STILL KNOW WE HAVE A LONG WAY TO GO WITH THE DISTRIBUTION OF OUR BUDGET, BUT NOT JUST EQUITABLE DISTRIBUTION, BUT INVEST MORE DOLLARS IN DISTRICTS. 2, 3, 4, 5 IN PORTIONS OF SIX THAT HAVE BEEN LONG UNDER INVESTED IN DUE TO ROUGH PROPORTIONALITY AND EVEN EQUITY. STILL WON'T GET US TO WHERE WE SHOULD BE TO THE TEAM CITY STAFF. THANK YOU FOR YOUR PATIENCE AND YOUR PERSEVERANCE WITH ME THROUGH ALL OF THESE YEARS. YOU KNOW, HOW MUCH I FOUGHT AND ASKED AND RAISED A RUCKUS FOR DISTRICT THREE AND THE SOUTHERN SECTOR. IT IS NOT TO GET, IT IS NOT ENOUGH JUST TO GET WHAT THE NORTH SIDE HAS, BUT I WANT TO SEE WHAT DO OTHER WORLD CLASS CITIES HAVE AND THAT IS WHAT WE SHOULD BE CREATING AND INVESTING IN IN DISTRICT THREE, IN THE SOUTHERN SECTOR OF SAN ANTONIO TO MY DISTRICT THREE TEAM FROM 2013 TO NOW, RUBEN, CHRIS, SAL, ENRIQUE, DEBBIE, KELLY, ANA GALINDO, EVEN I'LL ADD EMILY AND FATIMA AND ALEX AND DEBRA HOSEY, YOUR HARD WORK IS MUCH APPRECIATED BY ME PERSONALLY AND ALL OF OUR RESIDENTS. ERIC, THANK YOU FOR ALL YOUR WORK. YOU KNOW, ONE OF MY HESITATIONS WITH YOU AT THE BEGINNING WHEN YOU WERE SELECTED WAS THE HISTORY OR YOUR STRENGTH WITH THE BUDGET. BUT I AM GLAD TO HAVE BEEN PROVEN WRONG AND I DIDN'T HAVE TO BE CONCERNED ABOUT THAT. BUT AS YOU SAID, IT TAKES EVERYONE. LAST YEAR'S BUDGET WAS DIFFICULT WITH THE CUTS FROM THE STATE AND NOW A HISTORICAL ECONOMIC GLOBAL CRISIS. THANK YOU FOR YOUR MANAGEMENT AND YOUR MOTIVATION AND UNIFYING YOUR TEAM, OUR TEAM, AND TO MARIA. I HAVE LEARNED SO MUCH FROM WATCHING YOU WORK. I'M AMAZED AT YOUR CAPACITY TO HANDLE SO MUCH. AND WHEN I LOOK FOR A NORTH STAR OF AN EXAMPLE FOR NOT JUST OF LATINA LEADERSHIP OR FEMALE LEADERSHIP, BUT JUST LEADERSHIP, PERIOD, I POINT PEOPLE AND MYSELF TO YOU, MARIA, UH, COUNCILWOMAN GONZALEZ. THIS IS OURS, UH, OUR LAST RODEO. SO I'M GLAD, I THINK WE'VE DONE GOOD WORK TO [03:40:01] MY COLLEAGUES. ANTE, YOU ARE STRONG AND YOU'LL CONTINUE TO REPRESENT YOUR DISTRICTS AND THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO. SO WELL, THANK YOU MAYOR FOR YOUR, UM, WILLINGNESS AND, UH, YOUR WILLINGNESS TO WORK WITH ME THROUGH ALL THINGS. AND MAYOR, ALTHOUGH THIS IS MY LAST BUDGET, I HAD ENVISIONED SO MUCH MORE AND IN THE MIDDLE OF A GLOBAL PANDEMIC, I THINK THIS BUDGET IS SOMETHING THAT WE ALL NEED TO BE VERY PROUD OF, AND I'M VERY PROUD TO SUPPORT. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. COUNCIL MEMBER VERAN. UM, OKAY. OH, UM, COUNCIL MEMBER SANDOVAL. OKAY. YEAH. IF, IF YOU WE'RE GONNA GO THROUGH LOTS OF ROUNDS NOW, SO IF YOU CAN JUST BRING YOUR HANDS DOWN, UH, BECAUSE WE HAVE A LOT OF PROCEDURAL, RECUSALS, ET CETERA THAT WE HAVE TO GO THROUGH THAT EVERYONE'S FILLED OUT. UM, WE'RE GONNA GO THROUGH THE, UH, SCRIPT NOW. AND SO, UM, I'LL READ OFF THE, UM, BUDGET PORTION THAT WE'LL GO TO, AND I'LL RECOGNIZE THE COUNCIL MEMBER, UH, TO MAKE THE MOTION. UM, AND SO LET ME START, AND I THINK EVERYONE'S GOT, UH, THE PAGES WE'LL BE READING FROM. THE FIRST ITEM IS TO, UH, TAKE UP THE BUDGET FOR THE BEARER APPRAISAL DISTRICT. AND SO, UH, THE, LET THE RECORDS SHOW COUNCIL MEMBER TREVINO IS RECUSED FROM THIS VOTE. SO LET ME RECOGNIZE COUNCIL MEMBER GONZALEZ, I MOVE TO APPROVE THE FUNDING IN THE BUDGET FOR BEARER COUNTY APPRAISAL DISTRICT. SECOND, THERE'S A MOTION AND A SECOND FROM, UM, COUNCIL MEMBER GONZALEZ AND SECONDED BY COUNCIL MEMBER VIE, UH, ANY DISCUSSION? HEARING NONE. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SAY AYE. AYE. AYE. AYE. AYE. MOTION CARRIED. OUR SECOND, UH, PORTION IS, UH, THE BUDGET FOR ALAMO AREA COUNCIL OF GOVERNMENT, UH, AND THE RECORD WILL SHOW COUNCIL MEMBERS TNO, CIA, GARCIA, AND PERRY ARE RECUSED FROM THIS VOTE. WE RECOGNIZE NOW, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER GONZALEZ, I MOVE TO APPROVE THE FUNDING IN THE BUDGET FOR ALAMO AREA COUNCIL OF GOVERNMENT MOTION BY COUNCIL MEMBER GONZALEZ, SECONDED BY COUNCIL MEMBER VIE, UH, ANY DISCUSSIONS? HEARING NONE? ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SAY AYE. AYE. AYE. ANY OPPOSED? MOTION CARRIES. THIRD ITEM IS, UH, THE BUDGET FOR VISIT SAN ANTONIO. UH, THE RECORD WILL SHOW COUNCIL MEMBER VINNO AND GRO ARE RECUSED, UH, FROM THIS VOTE. COUNCIL MEMBER GONZALEZ, I MOVE TO APPROVE THE FUNDING IN THE BUDGET FOR NATIONAL LEAGUE OF CITIES. OH, UM, THAT'S, UH, THAT'S THE NEXT THING. I'M SORRY. SAN ANTONIO. I'M SORRY. UH, SO I MOVED TO APPROVE, UH, THE FUNDING FOR THE BUDGET FOR VISIT SAN ANTONIO. SECOND. ALRIGHT, THERE'S A MOTION, UH, BY COUNCIL MEMBER GONZALEZ, SECONDED BY COUNCIL MEMBER ROCHA GARCIA. UH, ANY DISCUSSION? ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SAY AYE. AYE. AYE. AYE. ANY OPPOSED? MOTION CARRIES. UH, OUR FOURTH PORTION, UM, IS THE NATIONAL LEAGUE OF CITIES, AND THE RECORD WILL SHOW COUNCIL MEMBER VERAN IS RECUSED FROM THIS VOTE. COUNCIL MEMBER GONZALEZ, I MOVE TO APPROVE THE FUNDING AND THE BUDGET FOR NATIONAL LEAGUE OF CITIES. SECOND. AYE. THERE'S A MOTION BY GONZALEZ, SECONDED BY ROCHA GARCIA. ANY DISCUSSION? HEARING NONE. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SAY AYE. AYE. ANY OPPOSED? MOTION CARRIES. FIFTH PORTION IS THE BUDGET FOR COMMUNITIES AND SCHOOLS. THE RECORD WILL SHOW COUNCIL MEMBER GARCIA IS RECUSED FROM THIS VOTE. COUNCIL MEMBER GONZALEZ, I MOVE TO APPROVE THE FUNDING IN THE BUDGET FOR COMMUNITIES AND SCHOOLS. SECOND, THERE'S A MOTION BY COUNCIL MEMBER GONZALEZ, SECONDED BY COUNCIL MEMBER VERAN. ANY DISCUSSION? HEARING NONE. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SAY AYE. AYE. AYE. AYE. ANY OPPOSED? MOTION CARRIES. A SIXTH PORTION IS THE BUDGET FOR THE NORTH SIDE INDEPENDENT SCHOOL DISTRICT, UH, AFTER SCHOOL CHALLENGE. UM, THE RECORD WILL SHOW THAT COUNCIL MEMBER HDA IS RECUSED FROM THIS VOTE. COUNCIL MEMBER GONZALEZ, I MOVE TO APPROVE [03:45:01] THE FUNDING IN THE BUDGET FOR THE NORTHSIDE INDEPENDENT SCHOOL DISTRICT AFTER SCHOOL CHALLENGE. SECOND. ALRIGHT, THERE'S A MOTION BY, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER GONZALEZ, SECONDED BY COUNCIL MEMBER VIA, UM, THERE NO FURTHER DISCUSSION. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SAY AYE. AYE. AYE. AYE. ANY OPPOSED? OKAY. MOTION CARRIES. UH, THE SEVENTH ITEM, UH, WILL BE ONE IN WHICH, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER SANDOVAL AND I ARE BOTH RECUSED. SO LEMME TURN THE FLOOR OVER TO COUNCIL MEMBER TREVINO MAYOR. OKAY. SO, UH, WE HAVE A VOTE ON ITEM NUMBER SEVEN, SAN ANTONIO MOBILITY CO COALITION. WE'LL HEAR FROM COUNCIL MEMBER GONZALEZ, I MOVE TO APPROVE THE FUNDING AND THE BUDGET FOR SAN ANTONIO MOBILITY COALITION. SECOND, I HAVE A MOTION SECOND FROM COUNCILMAN GONZALEZ. SECONDED FROM, UH, . ALL IN FAVOR SAY AYE. AYE. AYE. AYE. ALL OPPOSED. MOTION PASSES. ALRIGHT, THANK YOU. UM, NEXT, UH, ITEM IS THE BUDGET FOR THE FAMILY VIOLENCE PREVENTION SERVICES AND CHILD ADVOCATES OF SAN ANTONIO. UM, AND THE RECORD WILL SHOW COUNCIL MEMBER EZ IS RECUSED FROM THESE VOTES OR FROM THIS VOTE. UH, COUNCIL MEMBER GONZALEZ, I MOVE TO APPROVE THE FUNDING AND THE BUDGET FOR THE FAMILY VIOLENCE PREVENTION SERVICES AND CHILD ADVOCATES OF SAN ANTONIO BUDGET ITEMS SECOND. THERE IS A MOTION BY GONZALEZ SECONDED BY VIE ANY DISCUSSION. ALRIGHT, ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SAY AYE. AYE. AYE. ANY OPPOSED? MOTION CARRIES. UM, OUR NINTH ITEM IS THE SAN ANTONIO EDUCATION PARTNERSHIP. COUNCIL MEMBER COURAGE IS RECUSED FROM THIS VOTE. COUNCIL MEMBER GONZALEZ, I MOVE TO APPROVE THE FUNDING IN THE BUDGET FOR THE SAN ANTONIO EDUCATION PARTNERSHIP. OKAY, THERE'S A MOTION AND A SECOND. AND, AND LET ME, UH, UH, CORRECT FOR THE RECORD, BOTH COUNCIL MEMBER COURAGE AND COUNCIL MEMBER CAVE HOBAR ARE RECUSED ON THIS VOTE. ANY DISCUSSION? HEARING NONE. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SAY AYE. AYE. AYE. CARRIES. ALRIGHT. UM, NOW, UH, I, I, UH, THIS NEXT ITEM, OND, COUNCIL MAYOR, VOTE FOR BIOMED ESSAY. UH, I'LL HEAR A MOTION FROM COUNCILMAN GONZALEZ TO APPROVE THE FUNDING IN THE BUDGET FOR BIOMED ESSAY. SECOND DISCUSSION. HEARING NONE. ALL OF THE FAVOR SAY AYE. AYE. ALL THOSE AGAINST HEARING NONE AGAINST MOTION PASSES. ALRIGHT, THANK YOU COUNCIL. THE NEXT ITEM IS THE NORTHEAST CORRIDOR ENHANCEMENT MATCHING GRANT PROGRAM RECORD WILL SHOW COUNCIL MEMBER PERRY IS RECUSED FROM THIS VOTE. COUNCIL MEMBER GONZALEZ, I MOVE TO APPROVE THE FUNDING AND THE BUDGET FOR THE NORTHEAST CORRIDOR ENHANCEMENT MATCHING GRANT PROGRAM. SECOND, THERE'S A MOTION FROM COUNCIL MEMBER GONZALEZ. SECOND IS BY COUNCIL MEMBER GRO. ANY DISCUSSION? HEARING NONE. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SAY AYE. AYE. AYE. AYE. ANY OPPOSED? MOTION CARRIES. UM, I'LL BE REC MYSELF, UH, FROM THE NEXT VOTE ON SEVERAL, ON SEVERAL ITEMS. LEMME TURN THE FLOOR BACK TO COUNCIL MEMBER TINO MAYOR. UM, ITEM NUMBER 12, H E B C V ENERGY, SAN ANTONIO ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION, SAN ANTONIO ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT FOUNDATION, PROJECT CLASS, TEXAS MUNICIPAL LEAGUE, US CONFERENCE OF MAYORS SAN ANTONIO MUSICAL BRIDGES AROUND THE WORLD. AND SISTER CITIES INTERNATIONAL. HERE. MOTION FOR COUNCILWOMAN GONZALEZ. OKAY. UH, I MOVED TO APPROVE THE FUNDING AND THE BUDGET FOR H E B C P S ENERGY, SAN ANTONIO ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION, THE SAN ANTONIO ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT FOUNDATION, PROJECT QUEST, TEXAS MUNICIPAL LEAGUE, US CONFERENCE OF MAYORS, OUAS SAN ANTONIO MUSICAL BRIDGES AROUND THE WORLD AND SISTER CITIES INTERNATIONAL. [03:50:02] SECOND. ANY DISCUSSION? HEARING NONE. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SAY AYE. AYE. AYE. AYE. OPPOSED? MOTION PASSES. THANK YOU. ALRIGHT. UM, THAT LEAVES US WITH, UM, THE MAIN MOTION. SO I'LL ENTERTAIN A MOTION ON THE BALANCE OF THE BUDGET AS AMENDED TODAY. MAY I MOVE TO APPROVE THE, I MOVE TO APPROVE THE BALANCE OF THE BUDGET AS AMENDED TODAY? SECOND. ALRIGHT. THERE IS A MOTION, UH, BY COUNCIL MEMBER , SECONDED BY COUNCIL MEMBER GONZALEZ. ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION ON THE 2021, UH, SAN ANTONIO CITY BUDGET? HEARING NONE. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SAY AYE. AYE. AYE. AYE. ANY OPPOSED? MOTION CARRIES. UM, THERE ARE A FEW OTHER PROCEDURAL ITEMS AS NOTED, UH, THAT WE'LL GET BEFORE, UM, MARIA AND ERIC AND TEAM CAN POP THE, UH, COURT. UM, SO WE'LL TAKE UP [4B. 20-5335 Ordinance ratifying the adoption of the FY 2021 Budget that will require raising more revenue from property taxes than in the FY 2020 Budget] ITEM FOUR B FIRST. UH, THIS IS AN ORDINANCE, UH, REQUIRED BY LOCAL GOVERNMENT. CODE TWO SEVEN C MUST BE VOTED ON SEPARATELY FROM AND AFTER THE VOTE TO ADOPT THE BUDGET. UH, MADAM CLERK, COULD YOU READ THE CAPTION? ITEM FOUR B IS AN ORDINANCE RATIFYING THE ADOPTION OF THE FISCAL YEAR 2021 BUDGET THAT WILL REQUIRE RAISING MORE REVENUE FROM PROPERTY TAXES THAN IN THE FISCAL YEAR 2020 BUDGET. ALRIGHT, UM, WE, UH, HEARD CITIZENS TO BE TO BE HEARD ON THAT ITEM ALREADY. UM, SO LET ME GO AND RECOGNIZE COUNCIL MEMBER GONZALEZ, I MOVE TO RATIFY THE ADOPTION OF THE BUDGET. SECOND. ALRIGHT, THERE'S A MOTION AND A SECOND FOR RATIFICATION OF THE F Y 21 BUDGET. ANY DISCUSSION? COUNCIL MEMBER HARRIS? YES. YES. THANK YOU, SIR. UM, ERIC OR MARIA, CAN Y'ALL TALK ABOUT THIS A LITTLE BIT? 'CAUSE IT SAYS, RAISING MORE REVENUE AND THIS IS KIND OF ON THE NEXT, NEXT THREE OF'EM HERE THAT TALKS ABOUT RAISING TAXES AND, UH, THAT TYPE OF THING. SO WE NEED TO, I'D LIKE TO EXPLAIN OR HAVE YOU EXPLAIN THAT A LITTLE BIT BETTER. OKAY. BEN, YOU WANT TO, LET'S, CAN YOU EXPLAIN THAT, BEN? HI, COUNCILMAN. UH, YES. THIS LANGUAGE THAT YOU SEE IN THE NEXT THREE ITEMS IS REQUIRED BY STATE STATUTE, BUT ITEMS FOUR C AND FOUR D WHERE YOU'RE ADOPTING THE TAX RATE BOTH FOR THE MAINTENANCE AND OPERATIONS PORTIONS OF OUR BUDGET, WHICH IS THE GENERAL FUND AND THE DEBT SERVICE PIECE, WHICH FUNDS THE, UH, PROPERTY TAXES FOR OUR DEBT. NEITHER ONE OF THOSE TAX RATES IS CHANGING FROM THE CURRENT YEAR. THE REMAINING THE SAME. UH, THE LANGUAGE IS REFERRING TO THE FACT THAT YOU WILL CALL THAT OUR TAXABLE VALUES ACROSS THE CITY GURU BY 3.1%. AND SO WITHOUT CHANGING THE RATE, WE DO COLLECT MORE PROPERTY TAX REVENUE, UH, BUT WE ARE NOT CHANGING THE TAX RATE EITHER FOR ITEMS FOUR C OH FOUR D. THEY WE'RE RECOMMENDING THAT THEY STAY THE SAME. UM, MATTER OF FACT, F Y 21 WILL REPRESENT THE 28TH CONSECUTIVE YEAR THAT WE HAVE NOT INCREASED THE TAX RATE. OKAY, GREAT. I JUST WANTED PEOPLE OUT THERE TO UNDERSTAND WHAT THIS VERBIAGE MEANS AND, UH, NOT THINK THAT WE'RE INCREASING THE TAX RATES OR ANYTHING. SO THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR THAT EXPLANATION. BEN? YES, SIR. THAT'S ALL, SIR. THANKS. THANK YOU. COUNCIL MEMBER PERRY, ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION ON ITEM FOUR B? HEARING NONE. UH, ALL THOSE IN FAVOR OF THE RATIFICATION, UH, OF THE BUDGET, UH, SAY AYE. AYE. AYE. AYE. ANY OPPOSED? MOTION CARRIES. UH, WE'LL GO NOW TO ITEM FOUR C, WHICH [4C. 20-5336 Ordinance setting the Ad Valorem Tax Rate for Maintenance and Operation of the City of San Antonio at 34.677 cents per $100 of taxable valuation for the Tax Year beginning on January 1, 2020, and ending on December 31, 2020.] IS THE ADOPTION OF THE ORDINANCE, SETTING THE MAINTENANCE AND OPERATION TAX RATE. UH, MADAM CLERK, DID YOU READ THE CAPTION? ITEM FOUR C IS AN ORDINANCE SETTING THE A VALE TAX RATE FOR MAINTENANCE AND OPERATION OF THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO AT 34.68 CENTS PER $100 OF TAXABLE VALUATION FOR THE TAX YEAR, BEGINNING JANUARY 1ST, 2020, AND ENDING ON DECEMBER 31ST, 2020. OKAY. UM, COUNCIL MEMBER VIA, OKAY. [03:55:01] OH, I MOVE THAT PROPERTY TAXES BE INCREASED BY THE ADOPTION OF A MAINTENANCE AND OPERATION TAX RATE OF 3 4 34 0.68 CENTS PER 100 OF DOLLARS OF TAXABLE VALUATION WITH IT, WHICH IS EFFECTIVELY A 1.79% INCREASE IN THE TAX RATE. SECOND. OKAY, THERE'S A MOTION AND A SECOND. UM, A MOTION BY, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER GRA SECONDED BY COUNCIL MEMBER GONZALEZ. UH, ANY DISCUSSION? HEARING NONE. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SAY AYE. AYE. AYE. AYE. ANY OPPOSED? MOTION CARRIES. ITEM FOUR D IS THE [4D. 20-5337 Ordinance setting the Ad Valorem City Property Tax Rate to pay the principal and interest on the funded debt of the City of San Antonio at 21.150 cents per $100 of taxable valuation for the tax year beginning on January 1, 2020 and ending on December 31, 2020.] ADOPTION OF THE ORDINANCE SETTING THE DEBT SERVICE TAX RATE. UH, MADAM CLERK ITEM FOUR D IS AN ORDINANCE SETTING THE AT VALIUM CITY PROPERTY TAX RATE TO PAY THE PRINCIPAL AND INTEREST ON THE FUNDED DEBT OF THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO AT 21.15 CENTS PER $100 OF TAXABLE EVALUATION FOR THE TAX YEAR, BEGINNING ON JANUARY 1ST, 2020, AND ENDING DECEMBER 31ST, 2020. COUNCIL MEMBER GONZALEZ, I MOVE THAT THE TAXES BE INCREASED BY THE ADOPTION OF A DEBT SERVICE TAX RATE OF 21.15 CENTS PER $100 OF TAXABLE VALUATION, WHICH IS EFFECTIVELY A 1.79% INCREASE IN THE TAX RATE. SECOND, THERE'S A MOTION BY COUNCIL MEMBER GONZALEZ, A SECOND BY COUNCIL MEMBER VERAN. ANY DISCUSSIONS, ANY DISCUSSION ON, UH, ITEM FOUR D? HEARING NONE. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SAY AYE. AYE. AYE. AYE. AYE. ANY OPPOSED? MOTION CARRIES. ITEM FOUR [4E. 20-5338 Ordinance amending fees as included within the Fiscal Year 2021 Budget within the Development Services Fund and amending the City Code of San Antonio, Texas to reflect such changes.] E IS THE ADOPTION OF THE FEE ADJUSTMENT ORDINANCE, MADAM CLERK. ITEM FOUR E IS AN ORDINANCE AMENDING FEES AS INCLUDED WITHIN THE FISCAL YEAR 2021 BUDGET WITHIN THE DEVELOPMENT SERVICES FUND AND CITY CODE OF SAN ANTONIO, TEXAS TO REFLECT CHANGES. COUNCIL MEMBER GRA I MOVE TO APPROVE THE FEE ORDINANCE ITEM NUMBER FOUR E. SECOND, THERE IS A MOTION, UH, BY COUNCIL MEMBER GRA AND A SECOND BY COUNCIL MEMBER GONZALEZ. ANY DISCUSSION ON ITEM FOUR E? HEARING NONE. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SAY AYE. AYE. AYE. ANY OPPOSED? MOTION CARRIES. ITEM FOUR F IS THE ADOPTION OF [4F. 20-5339 Ordinance carrying forward certain FY 2020 Funds; amending prior appropriations; appropriating Funds for requirements in City projects and departments; authorizing the ratification of Grants, Emergency Contract and Purchases as a result of the impacts of COVID-19 on the community, approving certain contracts, and appropriating funds] THE CLOSING ORDINANCE FOR THE F Y 21 BUDGET, MADAM CLERK. ITEM FOUR F IS BURDEN CARING FOR CERTAIN FISCAL YEAR'S 2020 FUND AMENDING FIRE APPROPRIATIONS APPROPRIATING FUNDS FOR REQUIREMENTS IN CITY PROJECTS AND DEPARTMENTS AUTHORIZING THE RATIFICATION OF GRANTS EMERGENCY CONTRACT AND PURCHASES AS A RESULT OF THE IMPACTS OF C OVID 19 ON THE COMMUNITY APPROVING CERTAIN CONTRACTS AND APPROPRIATING FUNDS. COUNCIL MEMBER GONZALEZ, I MOVE TO APPROVE THE CLOSING ORDINANCE. ITEM NUMBER F NUMBER FOUR, F SECOND. THERE'S A MOTION BY COUNCIL MEMBER GONZALEZ, A SECOND BY COUNCIL MEMBER VIA ANY DISCUSSION ON ITEM FOUR F. HEARING NONE. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SAY AYE. AYE. AYE. AYE. AYE. ANY OPPOSED? MOTION CARRIES. UH, MY THANKS TO MY COLLEAGUES ON THE CITY COUNCIL, UM, OUR COLLEAGUES ON THE CITY STAFF AND THE MANY, MANY COMMUNITY MEMBERS, UH, THROUGH MANY DIFFERENT FORUMS, UH, PHONE CALLS, EMAILS TO SPEAK UPS, UH, FOR MAKING YOUR VOICES HEARD AND HELPING US TO ASSEMBLE THIS BUDGET. UH, IT'S NO SMALL TASK IN THE MIDDLE OF A GLOBAL PANDEMIC. AND ALSO THE SERIOUS CHALLENGES WE'RE TRYING TO ADDRESS AS A COMMUNITY AND, AND WE DO HAVE TO ACKNOWLEDGE, UH, THERE IS A LOT OF WORK TO DO AND THERE'S A LOT OF PAIN IN THE VOICES THAT WE HEAR FROM OUR COMMUNITY, AND WE'RE GONNA BE WORKING EVERY DAY, UH, TO ADDRESS THEM AND WORK TOGETHER, UH, IN DOING SO. SO, THANK YOU VERY MUCH, UH, ERIC. GREAT JOB, MARIA. GREAT JOB TEAM. EXCELLENT. ALRIGHT, UH, WE ARE HAVE NOW SEVERAL OTHER ITEMS TO GO THROUGH. SO LET'S MOVE ON NOW TO ITEM NUMBER FIVE. ITEM NUMBER FIVE IS APPROVING ITEMS RELATED TO THE CITY'S EDWARDS AQUIFER PROTECTION PROGRAM. FIVE A IS [5A. 20-5560 Ordinance establishing continuation of the City’s Edwards Aquifer Protection Program with a $100 million funding commitment and approving a Programmatic and Finance Agreement with the Municipal Facilities Corporation to administer the continued Program.] AN ORDINANCE ESTABLISHED [04:00:01] ESTABLISHING CONTINUATION OF THE CITY'S EDWARDS AQUIFER PROTECTION PROGRAM WITH A $100 MILLION FUNDING COMMITMENT AND APPROVING A PROGRAMMATIC AND FINANCE AGREEMENT WITH THE MUNICIPAL FACILITIES CORPORATION TO ADMINISTER AND CONTINUE PROGRAM. OKAY. UH, WE DO HAVE A, A STAFF PRESENTATION. I BELIEVE BEN, YOU'RE GONNA BE GIVING THAT, OR IS IT HOMER? UH, ACTUALLY IT'S BOTH OF THEM. MAYOR, UH, WE'LL START OFF WITH HOMER AND THEN END WITH BEN. OKAY, GO AHEAD. THANK YOU ERIC. AND, UH, GOOD AFTERNOON, MAYOR AND COUNCIL. I'M HOMER GARCIA, PARKS DIRECTOR, AND, UH, THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO PROVIDE SOME BACKGROUND AND SHARE SOME HIGHLIGHTS ON THE EDWARDS AQUIFER PROTECTION PROGRAM. UH, ON THIS NEXT SLIDE, WE'LL NOTICE THE, UM, LAYOUT OF THE AQUIFER. UH, IT SPANS ACROSS SEVERAL COUNTIES IN THE HILL COUNTRY. THERE'S THREE PRIMARY PARTS OF THE AQUIFER OF THE CONTRIBUTING ZONE, ALSO KNOWN AS THE DRAINAGE AREA, THE, UH, RECHARGE ZONE, AND THEN THE ARTESIAN ZONE. UH, THE CONTRIBUTING ZONE IS APPROPRIATELY ALSO KNOWN AS THE DRAINAGE AREA BECAUSE THAT DRAINS DIRECTLY INTO THE RECHARGE ZONE. THE AQUIFER ITSELF, UH, DOES FLOAT FROM WEST TO EAST AND IS WATER THROUGH STACK ZONE, MANY STREAMS AND RIVERS, UH, SINK HOLES, ENC CASE THAT ALLOW THE, UH, AQUIFER TO REPLENISH ITSELF. AND THEN OF COURSE, ANY RAINFALL DIRECTLY OVER THE RECHARGE SYSTEM WILL DRAIN DIRECTLY INTO THE AQUIFER. UH, ALSO, YEAH. ON THIS NEXT SLIDE, I WANTED TO HIGHLIGHT THE MISSION OF THE AQUIFER PROTECTION PROGRAM AND SOME OF OUR PARTNERS. THE MISSION OF THE AFER PROTECTION PROGRAM IS REALLY FOCUSED ON PROTECTING WATER QUALITY AND QUANTITY. AND WE DO THAT IN PRIMARILY THROUGH LAND PURCHASES, CONSERVATION EASEMENTS, BUT ALSO IN DEMONSTRATION PROJECTS THAT SPECIFICALLY ARE TARGETING, UH, IMPROVING WATER QUALITY WITHIN BEXAR COUNTY. AND IT'S IMPORTANT TO NOTE THE PRIMARY METHOD FOR HOW WE PROTECT ACREAGE OVER THE AQUIFER IS THROUGH CONSERVATION EASEMENTS. AND THESE CONSERVATION EASEMENTS EXIST IN PERPETUITY. SO THE PROTECTION WITH THE, THAT'S TIED TO THE LAND, WHETHER IT'S SOLD OR PASSES ON TO FAMILY HEIRS, THAT WILL REMAIN IN PLACE, UH, FOREVER. NOW TO HELP DRIVE AQUA PROTECTION FORWARD. WE DO HAVE MANY PARTNERS, UH, SOME OF THEM ARE REFLECTED HERE ON THIS SLIDE. UH, THAT'S THE EDWARDS AQUIFER AUTHORITY, UH, SAN ANTONIO WATER SYSTEM, SAN ANTONIO RIVER AUTHORITY. UH, OF COURSE OUR LAND ACQUISITION TEAM, WHICH ACTS, UH, ON BEHALF OF THE CITY TO SEEK PROPERTIES THAT, UH, COULD POTENTIALLY PARTICIPATE IN THE PROGRAM. AND THEN, OF COURSE, OUR SCIENTIFIC EVALUATION TEAM AS WELL, WHICH HELPS, UH, EVALUATE THOSE PROPERTIES THAT ULTIMATELY COME FORWARD TO THE CONSERVATION ADVISORY BOARD FOR CONSIDERATION. AND THEN THE CRITICAL PARTNERS, THE CONSERVATION ADVISORY BOARD, WHICH, UH, WE HAVE A SLIDE THERE THAT I WILL, UH, DELVE A LITTLE BIT DEEPER ON MOMENTARILY. UH, ON THE NEXT SLIDE, WE REALLY HIGHLIGHT, UH, THE DELIBERATIVE PROCESS THAT GOES INTO EVALUATING PROPERTIES THAT COULD POTENTIALLY, UH, PARTICIPATE IN THE AQUIFER. THIS IS A VERY, UH, OPEN AND TRANSPARENT PROCESS. AND, UM, AT A MINIMUM FOR ANY PROPERTIES THAT ARE CONSIDERED FOR, UH, ACQUISITION UNDER THE PROGRAM, THEY, THEY COME TO THE CONSERVATION ADVISORY BOARD THREE TIMES, UH, THREE SEPARATE TIMES, AND THEN, UH, IN SOME INSTANCES THEY MAY COME BACK, UH, ADDITIONALLY AS NEEDED BASED ON NEGOTIATIONS. AND, AND REALLY THE PROCESS BEGINS WITH MODELING AND RANKING PROPERTIES, UTILIZING THE SCIENTIFIC EVALUATION TEAM AND THE TOOL THAT'S UTILIZED LOOKS AT MANY ATTRIBUTES, A COUPLE OF THEM BEING SIZE AND LOCATION OF THE PROPERTY WITHIN, UH, KEY WATERSHED. AND, UH, OF COURSE, IN CONSULTATION WITH THE CONSERVATION ADVISORY BOARD, UM, THE PARKS DEPARTMENT, WE WORK WITH THEM TO UPDATE THE SCORING MODEL AS RECENTLY AS 2019, SO JUST, UH, A YEAR AGO. AND THEN WE DO SO PERIODICALLY [04:05:02] AS NEEDED, UH, TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE ALWAYS INCORPORATING THE MOST RECENT AND CURRENT SCIENCE IN HOW WE'RE LOOKING AT AREAS THAT WE WANT TO PROTECT. UM, ONCE THAT PROPERTY IS RANKED, THE LAND ACQUISITION TEAM, UH, WHICH IS THE NATURE CONSERVANCY AND GREEN SPACE ALLIANCE, UH, THEY BRING THOSE PROPERTIES FORWARD TO THE CAP FOR CONSIDERATION. AND THERE'S VARIOUS STAGES OF, OF DUE DILIGENCE. INITIALLY. THEY'RE, UH, JUST SEEKING CAB'S INPUT ON HOW WE CAN MOVE FORWARD AND WHETHER THESE PROPERTIES SHOULD CON, SHOULD MOVE FORWARD IN THE PROCESS. SO SPECIFICALLY, THEY WILL LOOK AT A GEOLOGICAL ASSESSMENT AND, UH, PROPERTY APPRAISAL. UH, WE DO TEAM UP WITH, UH, E A A THAT HELPS PERFORM THAT GEOLOGICAL ASSESSMENT. AND BASED ON THE DIRECTION OF CAB, UH, IF THIS LOOKS LIKE A PROPERTY THAT IS SOMETHING THAT IS, UM, SOMETHING THAT WE WANT TO ACQUIRE, THEN THE LAND ACCURACY TEAM WILL GO OUT AND PERFORM FURTHER DUE DILIGENCE THAT IS LOOKING AT THE ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT. UH, AND THEN THEY'LL ALSO LOOK AT AND, AND BEGIN PROPERTY NEGOTIATIONS GIVEN THOSE PARAMETERS FOR, UH, FROM THE CONSERVATION ADVISORY BOARD. AND THOSE NEGOTIATIONS, UM, ALSO LOOK AND ARE DRIVEN BY PROPERTY APPRAISAL. SO THERE'S A POLICY OF CONSERVATION ADVISORY BOARD THAT WE PAY MARKET VALUE BASED ON, UH, A CONSERVATION EASEMENT ON THAT PROPERTY VALUE. AND IN MANY INSTANCES, OR NOT MANY, BUT WE DO HAVE, UH, SOME, SOME INSTANCES WHERE, UH, PROPERTY OWNERS WILL ACTUALLY SELL, OR EXCUSE ME, MOVE INTO AN ACQUISITION OR CONSERVATION EASEMENT BELOW THE MARKET RATE. SO, UM, THERE'S A STRICT, I THINK, FISCAL AND PRUDENT POLICY THAT, UH, CAB ADHERES TO, TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE MAXIMIZING THESE INVESTMENTS FOR PROTECTING THE AQUIFER. AND UPON, UH, FINISHING THOSE NEGOTIATIONS, THE LAND ACCURACY TEAM DOES COME BACK TO THE CONSERVATION ADVISORY BOARD, UH, FOR FINAL APPROVAL. AND DURING THE PROCESS, IT'S IMPORTANT TO ALSO NOTE THAT EACH PROPERTY OWNER PARTICIPATING IN THE PROGRAM IS REQUIRED TO DISCLOSE ANY POTENTIAL CONFLICTS OF INTEREST. SO AGAIN, WANT TO HAVE A VERY OPEN AND TRANSPARENT PROCESS AND MAKING SURE THAT, UM, THESE CAN PROCEED FORWARD, ULTIMATELY, BASED ON CAP APPROVAL STAFF BRINGS THESE ITEMS TO CITY COUNCIL FOR CONSIDERATION. IN THE, UH, NEXT SLIDE, WE HIGHLIGHT THE CONSERVATION ADVISORY BOARD. IT IS A NINE MEMBER BODY THAT WAS CREATED IN 2000 BY CITY ORDINANCE. UM, YOU SEE THOSE PARTNER AGENCIES AND MEMBERS LISTED THERE, UH, FOR MEDINA AND COUNTY, THOSE RECOMMENDATIONS COME FROM THE COUNTY JUDGE FROM THOSE RESPECTIVE BODIES. AND THEN, OF COURSE, THE CONSERVATION ADVISORY BOARD, UM, IS CHAIRED BY DR. FRANCINE ROMERO, WHO IS THE REPRESENTATIVE OF THE PARKS AND RECREATION BOARD. AND AGAIN, I WANNA HIGHLIGHT HERE THAT AS ITEMS MOVE FORWARD THROUGH CAB FOR CONSIDERATION, UH, RECUSALS DO OCCUR AS NEEDED AND NECESSARY, UH, AND THAT AT THE TIME EACH MEMBER, UH, COMES ONTO THE CONSERVATION ADVISORY BOARD, THEY ARE BOUND BY THE CITY'S CODE OF ETHICS, UH, WHEN SWORN IN BY THE CITY CLERK. AND AS IT RELATES TO THE, THE PROPOSED ALTERNATIVE FUNDING PLAN FOR THE FOR PROTECTION PROGRAM, THE, THIS STRUCTURE OF THE CONSERVATION ADVISORY BOARD, UH, THIS IS NOT IMPACTED BY THAT, UH, ALTERNATIVE PROPOSED FUNDING PLAN. SO IF THERE'S EVER A TIME THAT THIS STRUCTURE WOULD NEED TO BE, UH, REVISITED AND UPDATED IN THE PAST, THEN COUNCIL WOULD HAVE THE ABILITY TO DO THAT. . THIS NEXT SLIDE WILL HIGHLIGHT SOME FUNDING HISTORY OF THE PROGRAM. UH, TO DATE, VOTERS HAVE APPROVED $325 MILLION, UH, RESULTING IN OVER 160,000 ACRES BEING PROTECTED. UH, AGAIN, ALL OF THESE ACQUISITIONS THAT OCCUR UNDER THE PROGRAM ARE IN PERPETUITY. SO, UH, WE NEVER HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT THE LANDOWNERS, WHETHER IT PASSES TO HEIRS OR BEING SOLD. THE CONSERVATION AGAIN GOES WITH IT. AND, AND SO THERE'S NO CONCERNS THERE. UH, YOU KNOW, WE TALKED ABOUT PARTNERSHIPS EARLIER. THERE'S MANY PARTNERS THAT HELP DRIVE FORWARD THE MISSION OF THE PROGRAM, UH, BUT THE CITY ALSO LOOKS FOR WHERE WE ARE ABLE TO LEVERAGE FUNDS. AND SO, UM, THE CITY HAS LEVERAGED $11.6 MILLION IN PROGRAM REVENUE RESULTING IN NEARLY $19 MILLION IN PARTNER MATCH, ALLOWING US TO [04:10:01] ADD OVER 2,700 PROTECTED ACRES TO THE E A P P PORTFOLIO. UH, AND THEN I ALSO WANNA HIGHLIGHT, YOU'LL SEE HERE IN 2015, UH, THERE WAS A JUMP FROM 90 MILLION IN THE PRIOR TAX ISSUANCE TO 100 MILLION. UH, THAT $10 MILLION IS, UH, GOING DIRECTLY TO INVESTMENTS HERE IN BEX COUNTY. THAT IS LOOKING AT TARGETING AREAS OF BEXAR COUNTY, UM, THAT WE CAN IMPROVE WATER QUALITY. SO WE REFER THESE AS DEMONSTRATION PROJECTS. SO IF YOU'VE HEARD THAT TERM BEFORE, THAT'S WHAT THAT IS. BUT THE LION'S SHARE OF THE 100 MILLION, WHICH IS 90 MILLION, ALL OF THAT GOES TO, UM, ACQUISITION. THIS, UH, NEXT SLIDE WILL HIGHLIGHT, UM, THE PROTECTED PROPERTIES UNDER THE E A P P PROGRAM. AND, YOU KNOW, YOU'LL SEE, UM, THERE'S A LOT, THE ORANGE POLYGONS REFLECT THOSE INVESTMENTS, AND A LOT OF THEM ARE WEST OF BEAR COUNTY, WHERE, UM, CONSISTENT WITH THE ORIGIN OF THE AQUIFER. BUT I ALSO LIKE TO POINT OUT THAT EARLIER TODAY ON CONSENTS AGENDA, AND WE HAD A CONSERVATION EASEMENT THAT WAS IN THE CONTRIBUTING ZONE. AND SO COUNCIL APPROVED THAT THAT ADDED NEARLY 1200 ACRES, UH, TO OUR PORTFOLIO. SO AS OF RIGHT NOW, UH, YOU KNOW, THAT 160,330 IS NOW 161,511 PROTECTED ACRES UNDER THE PROGRAM. SO THAT CONCLUDES MY PORTION OF THE PRESENTATION AT THIS TIME. I'LL TURN IT OVER TO BEN. UH, THANK YOU HOMER, AND GOOD AFTERNOON, MAYOR AND COUNCIL MEMBERS AGAIN, UH, AS I BEGIN THIS NEXT PHASE OF THE, UH, PRESENTATION, I'LL JUST GIVE YOU A QUICK STATUS AGAIN ON THE 2015 PROPOSITION THAT HOMER WAS JUST TALKING ABOUT. SO AGAIN, IN 2015, VOTERS DID APPROVE A HUNDRED MILLION DOLLARS FROM A ONE 8 CENTS SALES TAX FOR THE EDWARDS AQUIFER PROTECTION PROGRAM. THE WAY THAT PROPOSITION WAS STRUCTURED IS THAT SALES TAX FUNDING WILL EXPIRE ONCE THAT DOLLAR THRESHOLD IS REACHED. UH, WE BELIEVE THAT BASED ON CURRENT PROJECTIONS, THAT THAT WILL OCCUR IN THE SPRING OF 2021, THAT WE WILL REACH THE $100 MILLION THRESHOLD. UH, AT THAT POINT, UH, SALES TAX FUNDING FOR THE EDWARDS AQUIFER PROGRAM WILL, WILL STOP. UH, WE KNOW THAT BECAUSE, UH, YOU KNOW, ON AUGUST 13TH, THE CITY COUNCIL DID APPROVE PLACING A BALLOT ON THE, UH, UM, NOVEMBER ELECTION THAT WOULD USE THE ONE 8 CENTS SALES TAX FOR WORKFORCE TRAINING AND HIGHER EDUCATION. UH, ONCE THE SALES TAX EXPIRES IN THE SPRING OF 2021, WE ARE PROJECTING THAT THERE'LL BE ABOUT $20 MILLION, UH, THAT WILL HAVE BEEN COLLECTED, BUT WILL NOT HAVE BEEN SPENT ON THE PROGRAM. THAT FUNDING WILL TAKE THE PROGRAM THROUGH F Y 2022. IF WE GO TO THE NEXT SLIDE, WE'LL TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT NOW THE ALTERNATIVE FUNDING OPTION. SO WE DID WORK WITH OUTSIDE BOND COUNCIL TO LOOK AT A NUMBER OF DIFFERENT OPTIONS IN TERMS OF HOW WE COULD CONTINUE FUNDING THE EDWARDS AQUIFER PROTECTION PROGRAM. UM, THAT FUNDING OR THOSE ALTERNATIVES, WE REALLY FOCUSED ON BEGINNING IN F Y 2023. AS I MENTIONED ON THE PREVIOUS SLIDE, WE BELIEVE THAT WE HAVE FUNDING IN PLACE THROUGH FY 2022. SOME OF THE GOALS WE WERE LOOKING AT AS WE LOOKED AT OPTIONS WERE, ONE, WE NEED TO IDENTIFY WHAT WOULD THE NEXT ITERATION OF FUNDING LOOK LIKE FOR THIS PROGRAM. THAT THERE WAS A DESIRE TO KEEP THE PROGRAM UNDER THE ADMINISTRATION OF THE CITY, AND THAT, UH, WE WANTED TO MAINTAIN THE CURRENT OPERATIONAL, UH, STRUCTURE TO INCLUDE THE CONSERVATION ADVISORY BOARD. ONE OF THE QUESTIONS THAT WE'VE GOTTEN, UH, SEVERAL TIMES OVER THE PAST FEW WEEKS IS WHY NOT JUST INCLUDE IT IN A FUTURE GENERAL OBLIGATION BOND PROGRAM? UM, AND IT GOES BACK TO LANGUAGE THAT'S INCLUDED IN OUR CITY CHARTER, SORRY, CITY CHARTER HAS, UH, LIMITATIONS ON WHAT WE CAN ISSUE GENERAL OBLIGATION DEBT FOR. THOSE ARE BASICALLY HOW WE FUND OUR BOND PROGRAMS. IT SAYS WE'VE GOT ISSUE DEBT FOR, UH, SPECIFICALLY PUBLIC WORKS. PUBLIC WORKS, UH, WOULD MEAN INFRASTRUCTURE PROJECTS, UH, FACILITIES, SIDEWALK STREETS, THINGS LIKE THAT. UH, MOST CITIES IN TEXAS DON'T HAVE THIS LANGUAGE AS A LIMITATION. UH, IT THEIR, THEIR CHARTERS REFER TO PUBLIC PURPOSE. SO THIS IS THE SAME ISSUE THAT FOR THE COUNCIL MEMBERS THAT WERE HERE IN 2017, AS WE WORKED ON, UH, THE AFFORDABLE HOUSING, UH, UH, PROPOSITION FOR OUR 2017 BOND PROGRAM, THIS IS ONE OF THE CHALLENGES THAT WE HAVE IN PLACE, IS THIS LANGUAGE IS, UH, LIMITING. UH, CERTAINLY WOULD, UH, ENCOURAGE AND RECOMMEND THAT THIS IS SOMETHING WE LOOK AT IN THE FUTURE, UH, AND MAYBE ASK THE VOTERS TO [04:15:01] CONSIDER, UH, BROADENING THAT LANGUAGE, UH, TO PUBLIC PURPOSE. UH, SO WITH THAT OPTION NOT AVAILABLE TO US, WE LOOKED AT OTHER OPTIONS. UM, AND PARTICULARLY WE LOOKED AT AN OPTION THAT, UH, COULD LOOK AT OUR OWNERSHIP OF SAWS AS WELL AS THE LOCAL GOVERNMENT CORPORATION STATUTES. AND THAT REALLY GOT US TO DEVELOPING AN OPTION TO UTILIZE ONE OF OUR EXISTING MUNICIPAL FACILITIES CORPORATIONS. UH, THAT CORPORATION IS A STATUTORY CORPORATION. THE MARIN COUNCIL SERVE AS THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS. UM, AND IT IS A, IT IS A VEHICLE THAT WE CAN USE TO ISSUE, UH, DEBT. WE HAVE SEVERAL OF THESE CORPORATIONS IN PLACE UNDER THIS PROPOSED, UH, FUNDING OPTION. THE CITY WOULD CONTRACT WITH THAT MUNICIPAL FACILITIES CORPORATION TO CARRY OUT THE EDWARD EDWARDS AQUIFER PROTECTION PROGRAM ON BEHALF OF THE CITY. AND WE'RE TALKING ABOUT FUNDING THE PROGRAM PRIMARILY THROUGH THE ISSUANCE OF DEBT. UH, ALTHOUGH THERE WOULD BE AN OPPORTUNITY TO DO CASH FUNDING AS WELL, THE REQUIREMENTS FOR DEBT SERVICE AND CASH FUNDING WOULD COME FROM ANTICIPATED FUTURE GROWTH IN THE CITY'S GENERAL FUND. AND I'LL TALK ABOUT A LITTLE BIT, UH, MORE ABOUT THAT ON SOME SUBSEQUENT SLIDES. UH, THIS FINANCING DOES RECOGNIZE THE UNIQUE NATURE OF THE EDWARDS AQUIFER PROTECTION PROGRAM. YOU ALL KNOW THAT MANY TIMES AS WE'RE, AS WE'RE LOOKING AT DEBT FINANCING FOR A CAPITAL PROGRAM, WE ARE LOOKING AT FUNDING THAT FROM CAPITAL SOURCES AND NOT OUR GENERAL FUND OPERATING BUDGET. HOWEVER, WE HAVE DONE THIS ON SPECIFIC, UH, IN SPECIFIC SITUATIONS WHERE WE'VE HAD KIND OF UNIQUE FINANCING NEEDS. AND THE EDWARDS AQUIFER PROTECTION PROGRAM, I WOULD DESCRIBE IT AS NOT A TYPICAL CAPITAL PROGRAM. THERE'S NO INFRASTRUCTURE HERE, BUT RATHER WE'RE ACQUIRING ASSETS, WHICH REALLY ARE A LAND AND OR CONSERVATION EASEMENT. SO WE'RE NOT CONSTRUCTING OR BUILDING. UH, SO IT'S A LITTLE BIT OF A DIFFERENT TYPE OF CAPITAL PROGRAM. THIS FINANCING APPROACH WOULD TIE IN WITH OUR OWNERSHIP OF SAWS AND THE PROTECTION OF OUR PRIMARY SOURCE OF DRINKING WATER. SO GIVEN THIS VERY NON-TRADITIONAL NATURE OF THIS PROGRAM AND ITS PURPOSE, UH, WE ARE RECOMMENDING THAT IN THIS CASE, THE REQUIREMENTS FOR THE PROPOSED FINANCING BE FUNDED FROM THE CITY'S GENERAL FUND IN TERMS OF SOME OF THE KEY AGREEMENTS FOR, UH, UH, WITH THE MUNICIPAL FACILITIES CORPORATION. UH, JOHN, IF YOU GO TO THE NEXT SLIDE, UH, I'LL JUST HIGHLIGHT SOME THINGS HERE. SO, OUR TOTAL COMMITMENT, AGAIN, IS A HUNDRED MILLION DOLLARS. THE PROGRAM FUNDING IS UP TO 10 YEARS. UH, THE A HUNDRED MILLION DOLLARS DOES EXCLUDE INTEREST COSTS, FINANCING COSTS, AS WELL AS SOME OF THE MAINTENANCE AND SUPPORT COSTS THAT WE, UM, THAT WE INCUR AS WE MONITOR THESE CONSERVATION EASEMENTS. THE PROGRAM, THE PROGRAM OBJECTIVES, UH, STAY EXACTLY AS THE CURRENT PROGRAM. SO THE PROGRAM OBJECTIVE IS AN ACTION TAKEN FOR THE PURPOSE OF PRESERVING AND PROTECTION OF THE EDWARDS AQUIFER WATERSHED TO INCLUDE A RECHARGE, RECHARGE AREA OR RECHARGE FEATURE PROTECTION PROJECT, A CONSERVATION EASEMENT, AND AN OPEN SPACE PRESERVATION PROGRAM. THIS IS THE SAME LANGUAGE THAT YOU'LL FIND IN CHAPTER 3 34 OF THE TEXAS LOCAL GOVERNMENT CODE, WHICH WAS UTILIZED AS THE BASIS FOR THE SALES TAX VENUE ELECTIONS THAT WE'VE HAD OVER THE PAST FEW YEARS, UH, THAT PROVIDED FUNDING FOR THIS PROGRAM. SO THE PROGRAM, UH, REMAINS THE SAME IN TERMS OF THE ANNUAL PROGRAM OF FUNDING. WE'VE ASSUMED THAT THAT A HUNDRED MILLION DOLLARS WILL BE DONE IN ROUGHLY EQUAL AMOUNTS OVER THE PROGRAM, UH, TERMS, SO ROUGHLY $10 MILLION A YEAR. HOWEVER, WE HAVE BUILT IN THE ABILITY TO ADJUST THAT BOTH ON THE, BASED ON THE NEEDS OF THE PROGRAM, HOW MUCH WE THINK WE NEED FOR THE UPCOMING FISCAL YEAR TO SUPPORT THE PROGRAM AND WHAT THE FINANCIAL CAPACITY OF THE CITY IS. AFTER WE'VE TAKEN INTO CONSIDERATION, UH, ALL OF OUR BUDGET NEEDS, UM, WE WILL KEEP THE CONSERVATION ADVISORY BOARD IN PLACE. UM, OBVIOUSLY THEY HAVE SERVED A CRITICAL ROLE, UH, IN THIS PROCESS SINCE THIS PROGRAM'S IN INCEPTION IN 2000. THEIR SHARP, THEIR, UH, ROLE WILL CONTINUE TO BE THE SAME. THEY WILL CONTINUE TO ADVISE ON THE PROGRAM. UH, WE'VE INCLUDED A COLLABORATIVE PROCESS OR THEY WILL HAVE INPUT INTO THE RECOMMENDATION FOR, UH, WHAT THE FUNDING WILL BE LIKE, OR, OR WHAT THE FUNDING WILL BE IN AN UPCOMING FISCAL YEAR. SO WE WANT THAT TO BE A COLLABORATIVE PROCESS FOR THEM TO HAVE INPUT AS WE START TO LOOK AT WHAT THE NEEDS OF THE PROGRAM ARE AND, AND WHAT SOME OF OUR OTHER BUDGET NEEDS ARE. ALL OF THAT WILL BE TAKEN INTO CONSIDERATION, UH, AS WE MAKE A, A RECOMMENDATION THROUGH THE ANNUAL, UH, CITY'S PROPOSED BUDGET. THE CURRENT PARKS DEPARTMENT STAFF THAT PROVIDES SUPPORT TO THE PROGRAM WILL CONTINUE, UH, TO DO THAT UNDER THIS REVISED STRUCTURE. UH, IN TERMS OF PROGRAM FUNDING, UH, WE WILL BE FUNDING IT THROUGH THE ISSUANCE OF DEBT PRIMARILY. UH, WE DO HAVE A SHORT, WE'RE [04:20:01] RECOMMENDING A SHORT TERM COMMERCIAL PAPER PROGRAM OF $30 MILLION. UM, WE'RE RECOMMENDING THIS BECAUSE THIS STRUCTURE REALLY ALLOWS US TO MATCH UP WITH, UH, MATCH UP WHEN WE NEED CASH, WHEN WE'RE ACQUIRING EASEMENTS OR LAND WITH, WHEN WE BORROW THE FUNDS. AND BY MORE CLOSELY MATCHING THOSE THINGS, UH, THAT WILL LOWER OUR INTEREST COST OVER TIME. AGAIN, THIS EDWARDS PROGRAM IS NOT THE TYPICAL INFRASTRUCTURE PROJECT INVOLVING DESIGN CON AND CONSTRUCTION, UH, AND THEN ULTIMATELY PROGRESS BILLINGS. IT'S, UH, REALLY RIGHT NOW FOCUSED ON ACQUISITIONS OF EASEMENTS AND PROPERTY. SO THIS COMMERCIAL PRO, UH, PAPER PROGRAM WILL BE A GREAT TOOL THAT WE CAN ADD TO HELP US MANAGE THE OVERALL COST OF THE PROGRAM. UH, WE HAVE BUILT IN THE ABILITY FOR THE CITY TO DO CASH FUNDING AT OUR DISCRETION FROM OTHER SOURCES. UM, SO AS YOU KNOW, SOMETIMES WITHIN THE BUDGET PROCESS, WE IDENTIFY ONE-TIME REVENUES OR ONE-TIME SOURCES THAT THAT HAVE COME IN. UH, WE WOULD BE ABLE TO USE THOSE, UH, IF AT THE CITY'S DISCRETION TO FUND THE PROGRAM AS WELL. UH, INSTEAD OF ISSUING ALL DEBT FUNDS, UH, WE CAN ALSO USE IT TO LEVERAGE GRANT FUNDS. SO AS LONG AS WE'RE MEETING THE PROGRAM PURPOSE OR THE PROGRAM OBJECTIVES, WE CAN USE THIS FUNDING TO LEVERAGE, UH, GRANT SOURCES AS WELL. UH, WE WILL USE ANY LAWFUL AVAILABLE REVENUES OF THE CITY, UH, CAN BE USED TO PAY FOR THE DEBT SERVICE REQUIREMENTS OF THE DEBT THAT WE ISSUE, AS WELL AS TO PROVIDE ANY CASH FUNDING FOR THE PROGRAM. UM, REALLY WHAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT HERE PRIMARILY IS THE CITY'S GENERAL FUND DEBT SECURITY FOR THE BONDS, UM, IS GOING TO BE, WE'RE RECOMMENDING A PLEDGING A PORTION OF THE CITY'S PAYMENT FROM SAS. THESE ARE CITY GENERAL FUND DOLLARS. THERE IS NO OTHER APPROVAL OR COORDINATION THAT'S REQUIRED FROM SAS, UH, BUT WE'RE DOING THE PLEDGE OF THE CITY'S PAYMENT FROM TO PROVIDE SECURITY TO BOND HOLDERS. SO THIS, THIS HELPS TO FORM THEIR CREDIT PROFILE AS BOND HOLDERS LOOK TO POTENTIALLY INVESTING IN THESE BONDS. UH, BUT MOST IMPORTANTLY, THIS, UH, PLEDGE CREATES THE ABILITY FOR THE CITY TO ISSUE DEBT FOR THE EDWARDS AQUIFER PROTECTION PROGRAM. AND AS I MENTIONED, IN TERMS OF HOW WE PAY FOR THE DEBT OR HOW WE CASH FUND, WE CAN USE ANY LAWFUL AVAILABLE REVENUES IN THE GENERAL FUND, UH, TO MEET THOSE REQUIREMENTS. IN TERMS OF OUR OPERATING BUDGET, WE WILL, AGAIN, DO THAT ON AN ANNUAL BASIS. UH, WE WILL PROVIDE THE FUNDING TO THE MUNICIPAL FACILITIES CORPORATION FOR BOTH DEBT SERVICE REQUIREMENTS AND FOR CASH FUNDING OF THE PROGRAM. AND THEN PROGRAM EXPENSES SUCH AS THE MONITORING FOR COMPLIANCE OR UPDATES TO THE SET MODEL, THOSE WOULD BE FUNDED FROM THE CITY'S OPERATING BUDGET. UH, A COUPLE OF OTHER KEY TERMS HERE ON THE NEXT SLIDE. UH, RELATED TO THIRD PARTY ASSISTANCE. UH, THE CURRENT PROGRAM, UH, STAFF DOES, UH, HAVE PARTNERSHIPS WITH OTHER ENTITIES, UH, AS IT RELATES TO TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE OR MONITORING FOR COMPLIANCE. THAT WILL CONTINUE TO BE AVAILABLE, UH, UNDER THE PROPOSED STRUCTURE THAT WE'RE RECOMMENDING HERE. THOSE COSTS WILL BE ALLOCATED EITHER, EITHER AS A PROGRAM COST, IF THEY'RE, IF THEY'RE PART OF THE ACQUISITION PROCESS OF EITHER ACQUIRING LAND OR AN EASEMENT, THEY'LL COME OUT OF THE A HUNDRED MILLION DOLLARS PROGRAM. UH, IF THEY'RE MORE OF AN EXPENSE RELATED TO MONITORING ACTIVITIES FOR COMPLIANCE, THOSE WOULD COME OUT OF THE CITY'S OPERATING BUDGET. LAST KEY CHANGE HERE ARE LAST KEY PROVISION OF THE AGREEMENT IS THAT IN ORDER FOR MATERIAL MODIFICATIONS TO HAPPEN TO EITHER THE BUDGET OR, OR, UH, TO THE ORDINANCE OR THE FINANCING AGREEMENT, THOSE CANNOT BE DONE THROUGH THE ANNUAL OPERATING BUDGET. IF A MATERIAL CHANGE, UH, WERE TO HAPPEN IN THIS PROGRAM, UH, IT WOULD HAVE TO TAKE PLACE, UH, WITH A, A VOTE OF THE COUNCIL TO AMEND THE ORDINANCE AND THE AGREEMENT. AND THAT COULD ONLY OCCUR AFTER HAVING TWO PUBLIC HEARINGS, TWO PUBLIC HEARINGS AT LEAST 30 DAYS APART. SO, UH, IF APPROVED TODAY, THE WAY THESE AGREE, DISAGREEMENT, AND ORDINANCE IS STRUCTURED, AGAIN, THERE WOULDN'T, THERE WOULD NOT BE THE ABILITY TO JUST, UH, CHANGE THE PROGRAM, UH, THROUGH THE BUDGET PROCESS, BUT RATHER WOULD REQUIRE TWO PUBLIC HEARINGS 30 DAYS APART, AND THEN A, A VOTE BY THE COUNCIL TO BOTH AMEND THE ORDINANCE AND THE FINANCING AGREEMENT. THIS SLIDE, AGAIN, JUST GRAPHICALLY REPRESENTS, UH, GENERALLY HOW THIS WOULD WORK. SO WE'VE GOT THE MISSILE FACILITIES CORPORATION HERE. WE'VE GOT THE EDWARDS AQUIFER PROTECTION PROGRAM AT A HUNDRED MILLION DOLLARS, AND WE'VE GOT THE CON CONSERVATION ADVISORY BOARD CONTINUING TO PROVIDE ADVICE ON THE PROGRAM. UH, THE FIRST STEP WOULD BE THE CITY ENTERS INTO THE CONTRACT WITH THE MUNICIPAL FACILITIES CORPORATION TO CARRY OUT THE EDWARDS AQUIFER PROTECTION PROGRAM ON THE CITY'S BEHALF. UH, [04:25:01] THE CORPORATION WOULD ISSUE DEBT, UM, SO WE WOULD BE GETTING PROCEEDS FROM BOND HOLDERS THAT WOULD THEN PROVIDE FUNDING TO THE EDWARDS AQUIFER PROTECTION PROGRAM. UM, AS PART OF THAT, WE WOULD BE PLEDGING A PORTION OF OUR SAUCE PAYMENT, UH, THAT WE GET IN THE GENERAL FUND AS SECURITY TO THE BOND HOLDERS. UH, AGAIN, THAT WOULD BE THE SECURITY THE BOND HOLDERS WOULD HAVE IN PLACE, BUT ALSO THAT CREATES THE ABILITY FOR THE CITY TO ISSUE DEBT FOR THIS PURPOSE. UH, I MENTIONED THAT WE HAVE, UH, PROVIDED IN THE DOCUMENTS THE ABILITY FOR THE CITY TO PROVIDE CASH FUNDING TO THE CORPORATION TO FUND THE PROGRAM. AND THEN OF COURSE, THE CORPORATION HAS DEBT SERVICE, UH, REQUIREMENTS TO PAY THE BOND HOLDERS BACK. UH, THE REQUIREMENTS FOR DEBT SERVICE AND CASH FUNDING WOULD COME FROM THE CITY, UH, THROUGH OUR ADOPTED BUDGET ON AN ANNUAL BASIS. UH, A COUPLE OF SLIDES HERE THAT ARE GONNA TALK ABOUT THE PRELIMINARY FINANCE PLAN. UM, THIS IS A PRELIMINARY PLAN. IT IS SOMETHING THAT WE WILL UPDATE AT LEAST ONCE A YEAR, AND WE'LL BE LOOKING AT A NUMBER OF DIFFERENT FACTORS AND CONDITIONS IN TERMS OF HOW WE, UH, MANAGE THE PROGRAM FROM YEAR TO YEAR. BUT THIS IS A PRELIMINARY PLAN, UH, THAT, THAT, I'M GONNA SHOW YOU SOME NUMBERS ON HERE JUST TO GIVE YOU AN IDEA OF, UH, THE PROGRAM. SO, AGAIN, WE'RE PLEDGING A PORTION OF THE CITY'S PAYMENT FROM SAS, A SECURITIES TO BOND HOLDERS. WE ARE ESTABLISHING THAT BILL ABILITY TO ISSUE DEBT FOR THE EDWARDS AQUIFER PROTECTION PROGRAM. RIGHT NOW, WE'RE NOT ASSUMING CASH FUNDING IN THIS PARTICULAR, UH, PLAN. UH, WE CERTAINLY COULD DO THAT IN THE FUTURE. UH, WE'VE GOT ASSUMPTIONS BUILT IN AROUND WHAT SHORT-TERM AND LONG-TERM INTEREST RATES ARE GOING TO DO. THOSE ARE JUST ASSUMPTIONS. UH, WE'VE ASSUMED THAT $30 MILLION COMMERCIAL PAPER PROGRAM, I'VE TOLD YOU HOW WE'RE GONNA USE THAT AS A TOOL TO HELP US MANAGE THE INTEREST COSTS ON THIS PROGRAM. THE LONG-TERM DEBT AT THIS POINT, WE'RE ASSUMING WOULD BE A 25 YEAR AMORTIZATION. UH, WE'RE ASSUMING ROUGHLY $10 MILLION PER YEAR OVER 10 YEARS IS HOW THE A HUNDRED MILLION DOLLARS, UH, WOULD BE FUNDED. I'VE TALKED ABOUT HOW THAT CAN BE ADJUSTED ON AN ANNUAL BASIS, BUT THIS IS KIND OF THE BASE PLAN. UM, AND THEN REQUIREMENTS FOR FUNDING THE DEBT SERVICE OR ANY CASH FUNDING THAT WE WANT TO DO WOULD COME FROM ANTICIPATED FUTURE GROWTH IN THE CITY'S GENERAL FUND. THE ACTUAL IMPACT TO THE GENERAL FUND WILL VARY BASED ON THE CONDITIONS PRESENT AT THAT TIME AND HOW WE MANAGE THE PROGRAM AND FINANCE PLAN FROM YEAR TO YEAR. SO BASED ON THOSE ASSUMPTIONS, THIS WOULD BE THE PRELIMINARY PROJECTED IMPACT. SO THE TABLE ON THE RIGHT KIND OF SHOWS YOU WHAT THE IMPACT WOULD LOOK LIKE OVER THE NEXT FIVE YEARS FROM 20 FISCAL YEAR 2023 WHEN THE PROGRAM WOULD BEGIN UNTIL FISCAL YEAR 2027. UH, YOU SEE THE ESTIMATED OPERATIONS AND MAINTENANCE COSTS. WE'VE GOT SOME, UH, STAFF COST, UH, AS WELL AS A THIRD PARTY THAT WE PAY TO HELP US MONITOR FOR COMPLIANCE. UH, WE'VE ASSUMED, UH, MODEST GROWTH IN THAT, UH, CONSISTENT WITH WHAT TYPICALLY HAPPENS WITH OPERATING EXPENSES IN THE GENERAL FUND. THE NEXT COLUMN IS OUR ESTIMATED DEBT SERVICE. YOU CAN SEE LOWER AMOUNTS THERE IN 23 THROUGH 25. THAT'S US USING THE COMMERCIAL PAPER PROGRAM AND THEN MOVING THAT TO FIXED RATE DEBT IN F Y 26, AND THEN CONTINUING THAT PROGRAM OUT INTO THE FUTURE. SO YOU CAN SEE IN F Y 23, A LITTLE UNDER $600,000 PROJECTED IMPACT IN THE GENERAL FUND BY 2027, ABOUT $3.1 MILLION. UM, ON THE DEBT SERVICE SIDE, I'LL MENTION THAT IF YOU GO BEYOND 2027 BASED ON THIS PRELIMINARY PLAN, THAT DEBT SERVICE NUMBER WOULD, UH, GRADUALLY INCREASE TO $7.1 MILLION ANNUALLY. IT WOULD REMAIN CONSTANT FROM, UH, UH, THROUGH ABOUT 2050, AND THEN IT WOULD GRADUALLY DECLINE TO ITS FINAL MATURITY IN 2057. UH, THIS PROGRAM DOES NOT REQUIRE A SIZE RATE INCREASE. THIS IS COMING FROM CITY GENERAL FUND DOLLARS. THAT IS HOW WE WOULD FUND OUR REQUIREMENTS, BOTH FOR DEBT SERVICE AND FOR, UH, OPERATIONS AND MAINTENANCE COSTS, AS WELL AS ANY CA CASH FUNDING FOR THE PROGRAM. AND WE'RE DOING THAT FROM MANY AVAILABLE REVENUES THAT WE'VE GOT ON THE GENERAL FUND. SO THIS IS A PRELIMINARY LOOK. HOW WE MANAGE THE PROGRAM FROM YEAR TO YEAR WILL CHANGE BASED ON AS CONDITIONS, UH, CHANGE. WE DO HAVE SEVERAL TOOLS THAT WE CAN USE TO MANAGE THE IMPACT TO THE GENERAL FUND OVER TIME. THAT DOES INCLUDE THAT COMMERCIAL PRO, UH, PAPER PROGRAM THAT I JUST MENTIONED, AS WELL AS THE POTENTIAL TO CASH FUND SOME OF THE PROGRAM. SO, FOR EXAMPLE, IF WE WERE TO HYPOTHETICALLY GO IN AND START TO SMOOTH THE IMPACT HERE TO THE GENERAL FUND OVER THAT FIVE YEAR PERIOD AND PUT A LITTLE BIT MORE MONEY IN THAN WHAT'S REQUIRED HERE TO SMOOTH THIS OUT, THAT WOULD GENERATE CASH FUNDING. [04:30:01] YOU'RE AVOIDING INTEREST COSTS ON THAT, THAT CHANGES THE PICTURE. UM, IF WE WERE TO GET A ONE-TIME SOURCE OF REVENUE THAT THE COUNCIL WANTED TO CONTRIBUTE TOWARDS THE PROGRAM, THAT WOULD CHANGE THE PICTURE. UM, INTEREST RATE ASSUMPTIONS, CLEARLY, WHAT INTEREST RATES ARE GOING TO DO OVER THE NEXT 10 YEARS. UH, WE WILL USE THE TOOLS WE HAVE BASED ON WHAT THOSE INTEREST RATES ARE DOING, UM, THAT WILL ESSENTIALLY ALLOW US TO MANAGE THE COST OF THE PROGRAM FROM YEAR TO YEAR. UM, SO ESSENTIALLY WHAT WE'RE DOING IS WE'RE CREATING A MINI DEBT SERVICE PROGRAM WITHIN THE GENERAL FUND. AGAIN, WE'LL UPDATE THAT AT LEAST ANNUALLY, AND THEN WE'LL CONTINUE TO ADJUST AS CONDITIONS, UH, CHANGE. I'VE GOTTEN THIS, UH, QUESTION A FEW TIMES, AND THAT'S LIKE, WHAT HAPPENS IF A RECESSION HAPPENS AGAIN, AND YOU'RE IN THE GENERAL FUND? AND, AND OBVIOUSLY THE GENERAL FUND, UH, GETS IMPACTED AS THE ECONOMY CONTRACTS OR GROWS. WELL, UH, THE CURRENT FUNDING IS SALES TAX. AND WHEN YOU'RE ENTERING INTO A RECESSION, TYPICALLY SALES TAX IS GOING TO BE IMPACTED. IT'S JUST GONNA BE ONE OF THE FIRST REVENUES TO BE IMPACTED, UH, BY OUR RECESSION. SO THIS WILL BECOME PART OF HOW WE MANAGE THE PROGRAM GOING FORWARD. AND EVEN IN A RECESSION, WE'VE GOT A NUMBER OF TOOLS THAT WE CAN USE TO MANAGE THE IMPACT. THE COMMERCIAL PAPER PROGRAM WILL BE AN IMPORTANT ONE. AND THEN TYPICALLY WHAT YOU SEE WHEN A RECESSION STARTS TO HAPPEN IS YOU WILL SEE THE FEDERAL RESERVE START TO REDUCE RATES. AND SO THAT WILL BE, UH, ANOTHER TOOL THAT WE CAN LOOK AT. UH, FOR EXAMPLE, UM, YOU KNOW, MANY HAVE PROJECTED THAT RATES ARE LIKELY TO STAY, UH, LOW FOR, UH, THE FORESEEABLE FUTURE. IF WE GET TO FY 2023 AND RATES CONTINUE TO BE LOW, WE MIGHT DO LESS COMMERCIAL PAPER. WE MIGHT IN, WE MIGHT ISSUE MORE OF THAT LONG TERM. UH, WE ALSO HAVE THE ABILITY TO STRUCTURE OUR DEBT. SO UNLIKE WHEN, UH, SOMEONE, UH, GOES OUT AND GETS A MORTGAGE AND YOU GET KIND OF A FIXED PAYMENT MONTH TO MONTH, WE CAN ACTUALLY STRUCTURE OUR DEBT AND, AND MANAGE THAT IMPACT FROM YEAR TO YEAR. UM, THE LAST THING I'LL SAY, AND, AND, AND I'LL, I'M NOT, UH, GONNA GIVE YOU THIS NUMBER IN ANY WAY TO DIMINISH, UH, THE, THE IMPACT. UH, I THINK IT'S CERTAINLY SOMETHING MANAGEABLE AND SOMETHING THAT, THAT WE CAN, UH, MANAGE. UH, BUT I THINK WHEN SOMETIMES WHEN PEOPLE ARE HEARING A HUNDRED MILLION DOLLARS AND WHAT'S THE IMPACT GONNA BE TO THE GENERAL FUND, YOU SEE THAT ON THE TABLE HERE IS A, I, I BELIEVE, CONSERVATIVE FORECAST OF HOW WOULD, WOULD IMPACT IT UNDER THIS PRELIMINARY PLAN. BUT EVEN IF THIS PLAN HAPPENED AS EXACTLY AS WE'VE LAID IT OUT HERE, UH, THE DEBT SERVICE WOULD, UM, REACH A VALUE OF ABOUT $7.1 MILLION ANNUALLY. THAT WOULD BEGIN IN 2034. SO 13 YEARS FROM NOW, IF YOU TOOK THE $7.1 MILLION AND COMPARED IT TO OUR GENERAL FUND BUDGET TODAY, THAT'S LESS THAN SIX TENTHS OF 1%. SO, AND THAT'S AGAINST TODAY'S GENERAL FUND BUDGET, NOT THE BUDGET THAT WILL BE IN PLACE IN 2034. SO OUR GENERAL FUND BUDGET, I WOULD EXPECT IT TO GROW AS OUR ECONOMY GROWS. SO, UH, JUST WANTED TO PROVIDE THAT, UH, AS SOME PERSPECTIVE. AND CERTAINLY, UH, WE ARE ISSUING DEBT, SO WE WILL BE INCURRING INTEREST COSTS, BUT I THINK WE'VE GOT SEVERAL TOOLS IN PLACE THAT WILL ALLOW US TO MANAGE THIS PROGRAM GOING FORWARD. UH, SO IN TERMS OF NEXT STEPS, UH, TODAY YOU HAVE THE, UH, CONSIDERATION OF THE ORDINANCE AND THE FINANCING AGREEMENT. THESE TWO DOCUMENTS, UH, CREATE THE FINANCING STRUCTURE THAT WE WOULD USE IN ORDER TO PROVIDE THE FUNDING FOR THIS PROGRAM. BEGINNING IN FY 2023. WE WOULD BE COMING BACK IN EITHER LATE FISCAL YEAR OF, UH, 22, UM, TO LOOK AT SOME OTHER FINANCING DOCUMENTS THAT WE WILL GET APPROVED. THESE ARE DOCUMENTS THAT WILL THEN HELP US ESTABLISH THE COMMERCIAL PAPER PROGRAM AND ALLOW US TO MOVE FORWARD WITH THE PROGRAM THAT WE'VE TALKED, UH, TALKED WITH YOU TODAY ABOUT, UM, THE LAST ITEM I'LL MENTION IS THE CAB DID LOOK AT THIS, UH, PROPOSED FINANCING OPTION. THEY PASSED A RESOLUTION ON AUGUST 26TH SUPPORTING A FUNDING ALTERNATIVE TO CONTINUE THE EDWARDS AQUIFER PROTECTION PROGRAM TO INCLUDE THE FUNCTIONS OF THE CONSERVATION ADVISORY BOARD. UH, WE SHARED THAT WITH YOU AS PART OF THE, UH, AGENDA MATERIALS FOR THIS ITEM. AND THEN AS I WRAP UP AGAIN TODAY, I, I DO WANT TO THANK AGAIN, CLAY BENFORD, OUR OUTSIDE BOND ATTORNEY FOR HELPING, UH, WORK WITH US ON DEVELOPING THIS OPTION. I CERTAINLY WANT TO THANK THANK ANDY SEGOVIA AND HIS TEAM, UH, HOMER GARCIA AND THE PARKS TEAM, UH, AND, AND SEVERAL OTHER STAFF MEMBERS THAT WERE, THAT WERE VERY, UH, INSTRUMENTAL IN HELPING PUTTING THIS PROGRAM TOGETHER. AND THEN LASTLY, I WANT TO THANK AGAIN, ALL THE MANY STAKEHOLDERS THAT WE'VE HAD AN OPPORTUNITY TO TALK WITH OVER THE PAST SEVERAL WEEKS ABOUT THIS, UH, RECOMMENDED FINANCING ALTERNATIVE. SO WITH, UH, THAT MAYOR, THAT CONCLUDES THE STAFF, UH, STAFF'S PRESENTATION. AND I'LL TURN IT BACK OVER TO YOU. [04:35:02] AND THANK YOU VERY MUCH, BEN, AND, AND, AND GREAT WORK TO EVERYONE, UH, INVOLVED WITH THIS EFFORT. AND THERE HAVE BEEN MANY, UM, BUT, UH, WONDERFUL JOB, BEN, UH, TO YOU AND YOUR TEAM SPECIFICALLY. UM, WE DO HAVE TWO CITIZENS SIGNED UP TO SPEAK ON ITEM FIVE. WE'LL GO AHEAD AND TAKE THEM NOW. UM, KATHY RHODES, FOLLOWED BY JACK FINGER. YES, YES. THANK YOU. I'M SPEAKING TODAY ON BEHALF OF THE CONSERVATION SOCIETY OF SAN ANTONIO'S PRESIDENT PATTY ZIONS. THE CONSERVATION SOCIETY HAS BEEN DEDICATED TO THE CONSERVATION OF SAN ANTONIO'S ARCHITECTURAL NATURAL AND CULTURAL HERITAGE FOR 96 YEARS. WE ARE GREATLY CONCERNED ABOUT THE VIABILITY OF THE EDWARDS AQUIFER, THE SOURCE OF WATER FOR OUR RAPIDLY GROWING CITY. WE DO NOT SUPPORT THE PROPOSED ALTERNATIVE FUNDING SOURCE FOR THE EDWARDS AQUIFER PROTECTION PLAN, AND WE URGE YOU TO VOTE NO. THE EDWARDS AQUIFER PROTECTION PLAN IS VITAL TO PROVIDING THE WATER WE NEED TO GROW AS A COMMUNITY. AND WITHOUT ADDITIONAL LAND PURCHASES IN THE RECHARGE ZONE ZONE, THAT ABILITY WILL BE CURTAILED. THE EDWARDS AQUIFER AND THE SAN ANTONIO GREENWAYS ARE MORE ROBUST TODAY BECAUSE OF THE SALES TAX FRACTION. TO SUDDENLY REMOVE THAT PROTECTION AND FUNDING FROM AQUIFER CONSERVATION IS DANGEROUS. THE REMOVAL OF THE E A P P FROM THE FUNDING SOURCE CREATED FOR THIS PURPOSE NEGATES THE ORIGINAL VOTER MANDATE. MOREOVER, A FAIR AND REASONABLE BALLOT INITIATIVE WOULD ALLOW VOTERS TO, AGAIN, CHOOSE TO FUND THE E A P P AS IT AS IT HAS BEEN IN THE PAST. THIS INITIATIVE DENIES VOTERS AND CITIZENS THAT ABILITY. RECENT RESEARCH HAS PROVEN THE NEED TO CONTINUE THE E A P P AND THE TANGIBLE RISK OF FAILING TO DO SO. THE PURPOSE OF THE SALES TAX IS TO BENEFIT THE CITIZENS OF SAN ANTONIO, AND THE CITIZENS DESERVE TO HAVE A FAIR CHOICE AMONG ALL THE OPTIONS, INCLUDING THE EDWARDS AQUIFER PROTECTION PROGRAM. USING DEBT AS A FUNDING SOURCE IS AN ILL-CONCEIVED CONCEPT, AND THE SOURCE IS NOT GUARANTEED. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. MS. RHODES. JACK FINGER? YES. CAN YOU HEAR ME OKAY? YES, WE CAN GO AHEAD. HELLO, MR. FINGER? OKAY. YES. UH, MAYOR NURENBERG, MEMBER OF THE CITY COUNCIL FOR THE RECORD, THIS IS JACK M. FINGER. THE, UH, THE RESOLUTION YOU AND THE CITY COUNCIL ARE PROPOSING A CHANGE OUT OF FUNDING FOR ONE, FOR OUR AQUIFER PROTECTION PROGRAM. FROM THE VOTER APPROVED SALES TAX TO A COMBINED GENERAL FUND AND, AND SAUCE FUNDING MECHANISM AMOUNTS REALLY TO A CONVOLUTED, INCOMPETENT SHELL GAME AT BEST AND A MAJOR DECEPTION. AT WORST, YOU ARE TAKING A MECHANISM THAT IS SOLID AND SAFE AND HAS BEEN DIRECTLY DELIBERATED AND APPROVED BY THE VOTERS. AND SHIFTING IT TO AN ARBITRARY, I REPEAT ARBITRARY PROCESS SUBJECT TO THE WHIMS OF YOU, THE, THE POLITICIANS, THE GENERAL FUND BUDGET, THAT AND THE SAS FUND, ONCE AGAIN, OUR VERY OWN SAS STAFF HAVE TOLD US THAT HIGHER WATER RATES ARE INEVITABLE IN ORDER TO COMPLETE THIS SHELL GAME GYRATION. AND WHAT ARE WE GETTING OUT OF ALL THIS CHICANERY LESS, I REPEAT LESS THAN WE HAD BEFORE. WE HAD BEEN GETTING UP TO 17, $18 MILLION EVERY YEAR FOR AQUIFER PROTECTION. AND NOW, NOW WE WOULD BE GETTING JUST OVER HALF THAT AMOUNT. AND WHAT ABOUT THE LINEAR CREEK AND GREENWAY TRAIL FUNDING? THEY, TOO, ARE IN JEOPARDY ALSO. AND WHY THE RUSH BEFORE THE NOVEMBER 3RD DEC ELECTION DECISION ARE BY CHANCE, Y'ALL AFRAID THAT THE VOTERS JUST MIGHT NOT APPROVE WHAT I CALL YOUR PET PROJECTS? NO, I THINK, UH, IT IS TIME THAT WE SHOULD STOP THIS INSANITY AND LET THE VOTERS GO BACK TO DECIDING ON THE, UH, UH, THE, THE, THE SALES TAX THAT THEY HAD BEFORE, EVEN IF YOU NEED TO REMOVE YOUR EARLIER DECISION OF [04:40:01] RESCINDED OF THE, THE, UH, USING THAT SALES TAX FOR THE, UH, THE, THE, THE PRE-K, UH, PROGRAM AND PRE-K, PRE PRE-K KINDERGARTEN PROGRAM, AND THE, UH, UH, THE WORK, THE WORKFORCE, UH, INITIATIVE AS WELL. THANK YOU. THANK YOU, MR. FINGER. UM, ALSO, I WANNA ACKNOWLEDGE, UM, UM, ON THIS GREAT WORK ON THIS AS WELL. THE EDWARDS AQUIFER IS A UNIQUE TREASURE. THE AQUIFER'S CLEAN, LOW COST WATER HAS SUSTAINED OUR CITY AND HELPED IT PROSPER. THERE'S NO DISPUTING THAT. SO WE MUST PROTECT THIS RESOURCE FOR THE FUTURE. AND TODAY, SAN ANTONIO ALSO IS CONFRONTING A PANDEMIC THAT HAS DEVASTATED OUR LOCAL ECONOMY, WIPING OUT TENS OF THOUSANDS OF JOBS, AND LEAVING A STAGGERING NUMBER OF OUR NEIGHBORS UNEMPLOYED AND STRANDED WITHOUT A PATH FORWARD. THIS IS AN EXISTENTIAL THREAT FOR MANY OF OUR NEIGHBORS. IN A PIVOTAL MOMENT FOR OUR CITY'S ECONOMY, WE ARE FACING AN EMERGENCY. I CAN'T SAY IT ANY MORE CLEARLY THAN THAT. WE CANNOT ABANDON OUR NEIGHBORS WHO NEED HELP. THAT WOULD BE CALLOUS AND INHUMANE. SAN ANTONIO IS BETTER THAN THAT. FORTUNATELY, WE AREN'T CHOOSING BETWEEN THE AQUIFER AND OUR NEIGHBORS. WE CAN ADDRESS THE NEEDS OF BOTH. ON NOVEMBER 3RD, VOTERS WILL WEIGH OUR PLAN TO REDIRECT THE ONE 8 CENT SALES TAX THAT HAS BEEN FUNDING THE AQUIFER PROGRAM TO FUNDING WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT. TODAY, WE MUST DECIDE TO CONTINUE THE AFER PROGRAM BY APPROVING THE ELEGANT ALTERNATIVE FUNDING PLAN DEVELOPED BY STAFF. I WANT TO THANK BEN, GO FOR THE HARD WORK AND CREATIVITY PUT INTO THIS PLAN OVER THE NEXT DECADE. $100 MILLION FROM THE GENERAL FUND WILL BE USED FOR THE E A P P, AND THE IMPACT ON THE ANNUAL BUDGET WILL BE MANAGED BY BONDS. THE PROGRAM STAYS WITH THE CITY AND WILL BE MANAGED AS IT HAS BEEN FOR THE LAST 20 YEARS. CHANGE CAN BE DISCONCERTING, BUT THE REALITIES WE FACE FORCE US TO ACCEPT IT. MANY AQUIFER ADVOCATES HAVE ASKED HARD QUESTIONS ABOUT THE CHANGES WE'RE MAKING. AND AFTER TAKING THE HARD LOOK, MOST HAVE ACKNOWLEDGED THE NEW PLAN WORKS. I TOO AM PASSIONATE ABOUT THE AQUIFER, AND I'LL CONTINUE WORKING TO PROTECT IT. WE ALSO WILL CONTINUE THE GREENWAY TRAILS PROJECT AND ENSURE IT'S COMPLETION. OUR WORLD THROWS HARD CHOICES OUR WAY. CHANGE IS INEVITABLE. WE CAN'T DO THE THINGS THE SAME WAY WE ALWAYS HAVE AND ADDRESS THE NEEDS OF OUR CHANGING WORLD. BUT WITH MUCH HELP FROM BEN GOEL AND OUR COLLEAGUES, AS WELL AS OUR COMMUNITY'S PASSIONATE SUPPORTERS FOR THE AQUIFER, WE HAVE FOUND A PATH FORWARD. ADOPTING THIS PLAN MOVES US TOWARD A SUCCESSFUL FUTURE. CLINGING TO THE STATUS QUO DOES NOT. AND MY THANKS AGAIN TO COUNCIL MEMBER JOHN COURAGE, AND LEMME, UH, YIELD THE FLOOR TO HIM. THANK YOU, MAYOR. YOU KNOW, A LOT OF PEOPLE HAVE BEEN CONCERNED, UH, ABOUT THE AQUIFER OVER THE LAST FEW WEEKS AND COUPLE OF MONTHS AS WE'VE TALKED ABOUT THIS. BUT THEIR CONCERN IS UNANIMOUS IN THEIR COMMITMENT TO SUPPORT THE CONTINUED SUPPORT BY THE CITY OF PROTECTING THE AQUIFER. YOU KNOW, THERE, THERE IS NO DIFFERENCE OF OPINION ON WHETHER OR NOT WE SHOULD PROTECT THE AQUIFER. THE ONLY DIFFERENCE OF OPINION IS, YOU KNOW, WHAT COULD BE, UH, THE FINANCIAL RESOURCES WE USE TO DO THAT? AND RIGHT NOW, THE ONLY CHOICE WE HAVE TODAY IS TO CONSIDER WHAT WE ARE MOVING FORWARD WITH, BECAUSE WE CAN'T HAVE AN ELECTION ON THIS. THERE'S NO ELECTION TO BE HAD IN NOVEMBER. THERE'S NO ELECTION TO BE HAD IN NEXT MAY OR NEXT NOVEMBER. THE TIME TO MAKE THE DECISION IS NOW. AND I RECOGNIZE A LOT OF PEOPLE ARE SAYING, WELL, WHY DON'T WE JUST DO WHAT WE'VE BEEN DOING? WELL, RIGHT NOW, WE DON'T HAVE THAT OPTION, BUT WE DO HAVE AN OPTION OF HAVING A SAFE, STRONG COMMITMENT TO PROTECT THE AQUIFER. THERE'S NO REASON NOT TO DO IT TODAY. YOU KNOW, I THINK THERE'S SOME PEOPLE THAT QUITE HONESTLY, ARE PLAYING POLITICS. THEY WOULD RATHER HAVE SOME KIND OF ELECTION RESULT THAT HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH THE AQUIFER IN NOVEMBER, KIND OF DETERMINE WHAT WE SHOULD BE DOING WITH THE AQUIFER. YOU KNOW, THE ELECTIONS THAT ARE SCHEDULED IN NOVEMBER HAVE NOTHING TO DO WITH THE AQUIFER. [04:45:02] WHAT WE DO HAVE IN FRONT OF US IS A SOUND PROJECT THAT IS GOING TO CONTINUE TO KEEP ALL OF THE SAME PROCESSES AND PROCEDURES AND O ORGANIZATIONS INVOLVED WHO HAVE BEEN INVOLVED OVER THE LAST 20 YEARS IN PROTECTING THE AQUIFER. WHAT MORE CAN WE ASK FOR FIGHTING OVER HOW YOU FINANCE SOMETHING, UH, SEEMS TO, UH, TAKE AWAY FROM THE FACT THAT WE ARE GOING TO PROTECT THE AQUIFER. UM, YOU KNOW, IT'S, IT'S REALLY A GOOD DECISION TO MAKE TODAY. WAITING TILL AFTER AN ELECTION IS JUST, YOU KNOW, IT, IT REALLY HAS NO SENSE. WHATEVER HAPPENS IN THE NOVEMBER ELECTION, UH, WE COULDN'T POSSIBLY VOTE ON A SALES TAX MEASURE THAT COULD INCLUDE THE AQUIFER FOR OVER A YEAR AND A HALF FROM NOW. SO HOW DOES THAT PROTECT THE AQUIFER? HOW DOES THAT ENSURE THAT AN ELECTION A YEAR AND A HALF FROM NOW, THAT, THAT SOMEBODY HOPES COULD HAPPEN, WOULD ACTUALLY VOTE TO PROTECT THE AQUIFER? BUT HERE WE HAVE YOUR, YOUR CITY ELECTED OFFICIALS AND YOUR CITY MAKING A FIRM COMMITMENT TO CONTINUE THAT PROTECTION GOING FORWARD. YOU KNOW, PEOPLE WORRY ABOUT THE COST. YOU'VE HEARD OUR, OUR CITY BUDGET OFFICE ESTIMATE THAT THE COST FOR THE FIRST YEAR WILL BE ABOUT 500 TO $600,000, AND THE SECOND YEAR, $800,000, AND MAYBE THE THIRD YEAR UP TO A MILLION DOLLARS. BUT OVER THOSE THREE YEARS, WE WILL HAVE ALREADY SPENT 20 TO $30 MILLION OR MORE PROTECTING THE AQUIFER. SO THE COST TO US IS REALLY NEGLIGIBLE COMPARED TO THE BENEFIT OF HAVING THIS PROGRAM IN PLACE AND WORKING. SO, YOU KNOW, LET'S NOT PLAY POLITICS WITH THIS AND LET'S, LET'S NOT PLAY GAMES SAYING, WELL, LET'S WAIT, LET'S DECIDE LATER. LET'S SEE WHAT HAPPENS WITH OTHER ELECTIONS THAT HAVE NOTHING TO DO WITH THE AQUIFER. YOU KNOW, I'M ALL FOR, UH, LETTING PEOPLE TO VOTE FOR THINGS WHEN THERE'S A SIGNIFICANT DIFFERENCE BETWEEN WHAT DIFFERENT PEOPLE IN THE COMMUNITY WANT OR EXPECT, OR WHAT THE CITY IS PROPOSING AND WHAT PEOPLE ARE TALKING ABOUT. BUT THERE IS NO DIFFERENCE OF, OF OPINION ABOUT PROTECTING THE AQUIFER. SO THERE'S NO NEED TO HAVE SOME KIND OF ELECTION A YEAR AND A HALF FROM NOW WHEN WE CAN MAKE THAT DECISION THAT EVERYBODY AGREES IS THE RIGHT ONE TO PROTECT THE AQUIFER TODAY. SO WITH THAT PERSPECTIVE, MAYOR, I MOVE THAT WE APPROVE THE MOTION AND MOVE TO PROTECT THE AQUIFER UNDER THIS PLAN PROPOSED SECOND. SECOND. OKAY. THERE'S A MOTION AND A SECOND. UM, I, I HEARD, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER, UH, SANDOVAL WITH THE SECOND. UM, LET ME GO NOW TO COUNCIL MEMBER, UH, KIO BERDA. THANK YOU, MAYOR. I HAVE A COUPLE OF QUESTIONS, UH, JUST FOLLOW UP FROM, FROM THE, UH, LAST, UM, UH, SESSION WE HAVE, WE HAD THIS PRESENTATION. THE FIRST IS FOR HOMER. UH, YOU, YOU TALKED ABOUT THE HUNDRED 60,000 ACRES THAT HAVE BEEN PROCURED. WILL YOU TELL ME IF THAT AVERAGE, I'M SORRY, WITH THE ACREAGE BENCHMARKS IN THE ORIGINAL GOAL SET BACK WHEN THE PROGRAM FIRST STARTED, I'M INTERESTED TO KNOW IF WE'RE NEAR THE ORIGINAL GOAL. THE, UH, WE DID DO SOME RESEARCH, UH, UH, THE DEVELOPMENT AND INCEPTION OF THE PROGRAM, AND WE WERE NOT ABLE TO IDENTIFY AND, AND NOR THE FEEDBACK THAT WE RECEIVED WAS THERE WAS A SET ACREAGE OF X WITH THE INITIAL AMOUNT OF FUNDING. IT WAS MORE JUST A, A GOAL AND SHARED VISION OF THE NEED TO PROTECT THE AQUIFER. UM, SUBSEQUENT TO THE INITIAL TAX ISSUANCE WHEN IT WAS RENEWED BY VOTERS, THEN, UH, THAT INITIAL TAX ISSUANCE WAS JUST RELEGATED TO BEXAR COUNTY. AFTER THAT, UH, FROM 2005 FOUR, WE WERE ABLE TO EXPAND OUTSIDE OF BEXAR COUNTY. AND SO THAT'S WHEN, YOU KNOW, AS PART OF OUR PROCESS, YOU KNOW, IN, IN TRACKING ANNUAL ACREAGE, THAT, THAT WE PROTECT, LOOKING AT ESTABLISHING MEASURES AT THAT TIME. BUT BACK TO THE INCEPTION, UH, THERE WAS NOT A SET ACREAGE. AND, OKAY. THANK YOU, HOMER. MY NEXT QUESTION IS FOR BEN. UM, AGAIN, I ASKED THIS LAST TIME, BUT I WANNA JUST MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE, WE'RE, WE'RE GETTING THIS INFORMATION OUT TO THE COMMUNITY. UM, I, I MENTIONED THAT I LISTENED TO SOME COMMUNITY MEMBERS EXPRESS CONCERN THAT SAWS WILL INCREASE RATES TO COVER THEIR PAYMENT TO THE CITY GENERAL FUND. CAN YOU ADDRESS THAT? [04:50:01] UH, YES. UH, THERE WOULD BE NO INCREASE IN SAS RATES TO COVER THIS PROGRAM IN THE CITY'S GENERAL FUND. UH, THE CURRENT, UH, CITY PAYMENT FROM SAS IS THAT 4% OF GROSS REVENUES, THAT'S WHAT WE ASSUMED WOULD CONTINUE IN THE FUTURE. SO THERE WOULD BE NO RATE INCREASE REQUIRED BY SAS TO SUPPORT THIS PROGRAM. THANK YOU, BEN. I'VE HEARD, UH, MANY OPINIONS ON THIS ISSUE FROM MY CONSTITUENTS AND READ ALL THE LETTERS OF BOTH OPPOSITION AND SUPPORT FROM, UH, VARIOUS ORGANIZATIONS THROUGHOUT THE CITY. I THINK THERE'S A LOT OF MISINFORMATION OUT THERE. AND IN THE WEEKS LEADING TO A VOTE, I URGE, I URGE EVERY PERSON TO DO THEIR OWN RESEARCH. THE PANDEMIC HAS LAID BARE THE AREAS IN WHICH, WHICH CITIZENS IN OUR CITY ARE STRUGGLING. AND THIS INITIATIVE IS PART OF A GREATER RESPONSE TO HELP OUR NEIGHBORS IN NEED. I'M HAPPY TO SUPPORT THIS. UM, I THANK CONVERGE FOR THE WORK HE'S DONE ON THIS AND, AND REALLY WANNA FOCUS ON SOME OF HIS WORDS, THAT THESE ARE VERY MUCH THE SAME PROCEDURES, THE SAME ANALYSIS, THE SAME, UH, PEOPLE IN A LOT OF CASES THAT ARE INVOLVED WITH THE, THE CURRENT PROGRAM. SO, AGAIN, I'M HAPPY TO SUPPORT THIS. AND, UM, AND THAT'S ALL. THANK YOU, MAYOR. THANK YOU. COUNCIL MEMBER. COUNCIL MEMBER GONZALEZ. UM, NO, I DON'T HAVE ANY QUESTIONS, MAYOR. I DON'T KNOW IF MY HAND WAS UP, BUT I MEANT TO TAKE IT DOWN. BUT, UM, SINCE YOU CALLED ON ME, UM, I, I WILL JUST HAVE, UH, THANK, UH, HAVE TAKE THE OPPORTUNITY TO THANK HOMER, UH, AND, UM, UH, BEN FOR THE PRESENTATION. UM, YOU KNOW, OF COURSE, VERY INFORMATIVE AND, UM, I'M HAPPY TO SUPPORT. I DON'T HAVE ANY QUESTIONS. THANK YOU, MAYOR. THANK YOU. COUNCIL MEMBER GONZALEZ. UM, GO NOW TO, UM, LET ME PULL UP THE QUEUE. OH, COUNCIL MEMBER LIA. THANKS, MAYOR. UM, YOU KNOW, NOT, NOT MANY COMMENTS. I, YOU KNOW, I, I'VE BEEN GETTING A LOT OF HEAT, UM, FROM, UH, FROM MANY DIFFERENT, UM, VOICES IN MY, IN MY DISTRICT, AND I GET IT. UM, YOU KNOW, PEOPLE LOVE THE IDEA THAT THERE'S A PROGRAM OUT THERE PROTECTING THEIR EDWARDS AQUIFER. IT, IT'S FRUSTRATING ME. IT, WHEN I DO TALK TO, YOU KNOW, THESE FOLKS AND JUST ASK THEM, DO YOU KNOW WHAT THIS PROGRAM DOES? AND THEY SAID, WELL, YEAH, IT PROTECTS THE AQUIFER. I WAS LIKE, YEAH, BUT DO YOU KNOW HOW WE DO THAT? WELL, NO, NOT REALLY. AND THEN YOU TELL THEM, WELL, WHAT WE DO IS WE TAKE SALES TAX DOLLARS AND WE SEND THEM OUT OF COUNTY, AND WE PAY RANCHERS TO CONTINUE DOING WHAT THEY'VE ALWAYS DONE. UM, AND THAT MONEY DOESN'T COME BACK TO SAN ANTONIO. AND THAT, YOU KNOW, PEOPLE ARE LIKE, NO, NO, NO, WAIT, WHAT? REALLY? YEAH, REALLY. UM, AND, UM, THAT OPENS UP AN OPPORTUNITY FOR A LONG CONVERSATION AND AN EXPLANATION ABOUT HOW SUCCESSFUL THE PROGRAM'S BEEN, BUT IT REALLY DOES BLOW A LOT OF PEOPLE'S MINDS THAT THAT'S WHAT THE EDWARDS AQUIFER PROTECTION PROGRAM IS. NOT EVERYBODY, THERE'S A LOT OF SMART PEOPLE OUT THERE, UM, WHO'VE READ UP ON IT AND WHO UNDERSTAND IT, BUT THERE'S ALSO A LOT OF REALLY SMART PEOPLE OUT THERE WHO JUST, YOU KNOW, HAVEN'T HAD THE OPPORTUNITY OR THE TIME TO GET GRANULAR WITH THIS, UH, WITH THIS PROGRAM. SO, UM, AND, AND WE'RE NOT GONNA MAKE EVERYBODY HAPPY WITH THIS VOTE TODAY. UH, AND SO, MAYOR WITH THE, THE WAY I SEE THIS IS WE JUST VOTED ON A RESILIENCY AND, AND CRISIS RESPONSE BUDGET. AND I, I SEE THAT IN THE SAME VEIN, THIS AQUIFER PROTECTION PROGRAM VOTE IS A RESILIENCY AND CRISIS RESPONSE VOTE. UM, AND IF I'VE LEARNED ANYTHING OVER THESE PAST THREE YEARS, IS THAT MANAGING A LARGE CITY MEANS HAVING TO BE COMFORTABLE WITH THE DISCOMFORT OF KNOWING THAT, YOU KNOW, THE EQUILIBRIUM OF OUR SYSTEM IS ALWAYS IN CRISIS. BUT THEN ALONG COMES, YOU KNOW, A REALLY ACUTE C CATASTROPHE AND OTHER CRISIS THAT PLACES US IN WHAT I CALL A CRISIS CRUCIBLE, RIGHT? AND, UH, YOU KNOW, THE AIR IS FULL OF CRISIS ALL THE TIME, AND WE'RE IN THAT CRISIS RIGHT NOW. UH, AS MUCH AS, UH, YOU KNOW, I WISH IT WASN'T TRUE. UM, CAN ANYBODY ON THIS CALL REMEMBER A TIME WHEN OUR CENTER OF GRAVITY WAS SO DRAMATICALLY SHIFTED, UM, AS IT IS IN SEPTEMBER OF 2020? I MEAN, THE FOOD BANK IS FEEDING A HUNDRED THOUSAND PEOPLE A WEEK. THAT'S HARD TO COMPREHEND. BUT THAT'S WHAT'S HAPPENING. AND SO I THINK WE'RE A CITY THAT CAN WALK AND CHEW GUM AT THE SAME TIME. I THINK THIS IS A CITY THAT CAN PROTECT THE AQUIFER THE WAY WE ALWAYS HAVE, KEEP THIS PROGRAM ALIVE. I'M CONFIDENT AFTER, UH, VISITING WITH, UH, WITH ERIC AND LOOKING, UH, AT THIS PROGRAM AND REALLY DIG IN DEEP AND ASKING A LOT OF QUESTIONS. I'M CONFIDENT THAT THIS PROGRAM IS GOING TO REMAIN IN PLACE. IT'S FINE, IT'S SAFE. [04:55:01] I'M ALSO CONFIDENT THAT WE'RE INOCULATING IT FROM THE WHIMS OF THE NEXT CITY COUNCIL, UH, WHO MAY JUST WANT TO THROW IT OUT THE WINDOW. I THINK THAT BY WAY OF SETTING UP THIS MUNICIPAL FINANCE CORPORATION, THE BONDING, THE CONTRACTUAL OBLIGATIONS, I THINK THAT THAT'S GONNA KEEP, UH, THIS PROGRAM ALIVE. AND, UM, I'M ALSO CONFIDENT THAT SAN ANTONIO IS GONNA SEE THAT, UM, YOU KNOW, WE CAN DO THE EDWARDS AQUIFER PROTECTION PROGRAM AND THE WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM. UH, I BELIEVE THAT OUR SAN ANTONIONS ARE SMART ENOUGH TO KNOW THAT WE CAN WALK AND CHEW GUM AT THE SAME TIME. MAYOR, THIS HAS MY SUPPORT. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. COUNCIL MEMBER EZ, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER ROCHA GARCIA. THANK YOU MAYOR. AND THANK YOU, UH, BEN GARZA, UM, IN, IN YOUR INNOVATIVE APPROACH, UH, TO THIS. I REALLY APPRECIATE IT. THANK YOU FOR HELPING ME UNDERSTAND. THANK YOU ALSO TO HOMER GARCIA, UM, WHO HAS BEEN WORKING ON THIS, UH, IN, IN CONJUNCTION WITH THE ENTIRE TEAM OVER THERE. AND SO I WANTED TO FOCUS MY REMARKS ON, UH, THE CONVERSATION THAT HAPPENED LAST WEEK, AND SOME OF MY, UH, COLLEAGUES HAD HAD A LITTLE BIT OF, UM, CONCERN. BUT EARLIER TODAY, DURING THE BUDGET, UM, VOTE, I REFERENCED IN MY REMARKS HOW PROUD I AM OF THE COLLABORATION WE'VE BEEN FOSTERING WITH THE COUNTY. AND I'M GONNA CONTINUE TO GIVE THANKS TO THE COUNTY HERE, AND IN PARTICULAR TO THE JUDGE AND COMMISSIONER RODRIGUEZ AND COMMISSIONER CALVERT. AND SO ON MARCH 10TH, THERE WAS A MEETING, UH, AT THE COMMISSIONER'S COURT WITH A PRESENTATION FROM THE SAN ANTONIO RIVER AUTHORITY, WHICH WE KNOW TO BE GREAT PARTNERS. ALSO, I'LL TAKE THE OPPORTUNITY TO SAY THANK YOU TO SAN ANTONIO RIVER AUTHORITY FOR THE BENEFIT OF MY COUNCIL COLLEAGUES WHO, WHO ARE A BIT WORRIED ABOUT THE CREEKS. UM, I, I TOOK IT UPON MYSELF TO GO AND, AND, AND SEE WHAT HAPPENED AT THAT MEETING. AND I WANTED TO RECAP THAT MEETING AND OFFER SOME TIMESTAMPS FOR REFERENCE, JUST IN CASE YOU WANTED TO GO WATCH FOR YOURSELF. JUST LIKE COUNCILWOMAN CAVI HDA, UM, MENTIONED EARLIER THAT SHE ENCOURAGES EVERYBODY TO DO THE RESEARCH. SO 24 MINUTES AND 34 SECONDS INTO THE MEETING, JUDGE WOLF SPECIFICALLY ASKED ABOUT THE PARTNERS THAT SAN ANTONIO RIVER AUTHORITY WOULD BE LOOKING FOR TO COMPLETE SOME OF THE IDENTIFIED PROJECTS, SPECIFICALLY THE WEST SIDE CREEKS. AND SUZANNE SCOTT AT THE TIME, UH, WITH SARAH MENTIONED THAT THE CORPS OF ENGINEERS, UM, UH, WAS LOOKING TO, UH, FUND THE WEST SIDE CREEKS RESTORATION PROJECT. SHE STATED THAT THE PROJECT IS READY TO GO, AND THAT THEY HAVE CONTINUOUSLY ADVOCATED, AND THAT NOW THAT THEY HAVE COMPLETED THE REIMBURSEMENT PROCESS FOR THE MISSION REACH PROJECT, THE WEST SIDE CREEKS RESTORATION PROJECT WAS NOW THE TOP PRIORITY, AND THAT THE FEDERAL DELEGATION HAD BEEN ADVOCATING STRONGLY FOR THE FUNDING, AS WELL AS THE CORPS OF ENGINEERS, FORT WORTH DISTRICT, WHO WAS PRIORITIZING THIS IN THEIR FUNDING REQUEST. MS. SCOTT ALSO EMPHASIZED HOW PROJECTS WITH LOCAL MATCHES TEND TO BE FUNDED FASTER. JUDGE WOLF ASKED HOW MUCH, UH, COSA HAD CONTRIBUTED TO SAN PEDRO CREEK PROJECT $19.5 MILLION, BY THE WAY. AND MS. SCOTT EMPHASIZED THAT LEVERAGE PARTNERSHIPS ARE IMPORTANT IN THIS CASE. THE COUNTY BUILDS THE PROJECTS AND THE CITY HELPS WITH MAINTENANCE AND OPERATIONS. JUDGE WOLF ALSO REFERENCED THE SIGNIFICANCE OF THESE PROJECTS AND HOW THEY'VE HAD A GREAT IMPACT ON SPURRING ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, INCLUDING THE APARTMENTS ALONG THE RIVER. AND HE INDICATED THAT THE ITEM WOULD BE ON A SIX MONTHS TIMELINE, SIMILAR TO THE 10 YEAR FLOOD CONTROL, UM, PROGRAM APPROVED IN 2007, WHICH, BY THE WAY, I THINK THERE'S ONLY ONE OR TWO REMAINING PROJECTS. THEN COMMISSIONER RODRIGUEZ ASKED ABOUT THE LOCAL MATCH, UH, FOR THE WEST SIDE PROJECTS, AND HE ECHOED WHAT MS. SCOTT HAD SAID EARLIER ABOUT THE CORPS OF ENGINEERS ALSO PRIORITIZING WEST SIDE CREEK'S PROJECT BASED ON A MEETING IN DC AND COMMITTED TO ADVOCATING FOR FEDERAL FUNDING IN THE FUTURE. BY THE WAY, WAIT, AGAIN, I'M SO HAPPY TO SERVE ON THE JOINT I G R COMMITTEE WITH COMMISSIONER RODRIGUEZ AND, UM, AND, AND MY COLLEAGUES HERE. HE ALSO MENTIONED THAT HE UNDERSTOOD IT WOULD BE A STARTING POINT FOR THE NEXT, UH, FEW MONTHS THAT WOULD INCLUDE, UH, UH, AN ENGAGEMENT PROCESS, AND ALSO REFERENCED THAT THERE WAS MANY PROJECTS THAT HAD BEEN IDENTIFIED YEARS BEFORE, AND HE ASKED IF THERE WERE OTHER PROJECTS NOT INCLUDED. UM, AND MS. SCOTT INDICATED THAT THERE'S ALWAYS PROJECTS THAT ARE NOT INCLUDED BECAUSE OF THE, THE LONG TIME, UH, FRAME OF WORK AND THE LEVERAGE PARTNERSHIPS. AND SO SHE, UM, LEO KNOW, CONTINUED TO ANSWER QUESTIONS. COMMISSIONER RODRIGUEZ ASKED ABOUT THE FLEXIBILITY OF THE PLAN. UM, HE ASKED ABOUT THE REPRIORITIZATION OF ITEMS, UM, AND SAFETY, SPECIFICALLY WITH BLOOD CONTROLS ISSUES. AND SO I JUST WANTED TO SAY THAT COMMISSIONER RODRIGUEZ ASKED TO, TO SEE A MORE COMPREHENSIVE PLAN, INCLUDING A DEBT CAPACITY INFORMATION FROM THE COUNTY MANAGER SO THAT THEY COULD BETTER UNDERSTAND THE PROGRAM. AND SO I'M GLAD THAT WE ARE GOING TO BE WORKING WITH THE COUNTY, AND I THANK COMMISSIONER RODRIGUEZ FOR HIS VERY STRATEGIC QUESTIONS. THEN AT 35 MINUTES AND 36 SECONDS, COMMISSIONER CALVERT AGREED WITH COMMISSIONER RODRIGUEZ ON, UM, THE WISDOM OF USING [05:00:01] DOLLARS TO HELP THE DEEPEST NEEDS ON PROJECTS. AND HE REMEMBERED, OR HE MENTIONED AT THE TIME, THAT THERE'S NOTHING LIKE A CRISIS TO HELP GET PEOPLE FOCUSED ON BUDGET PRIORITIES. UM, AND, AND HE DID SAY THAT HE WAS A LITTLE SQUEAMISH ABOUT, UM, THE $240 MILLION MARK FOR LANIER, UH, CREEK PROJECTS BECAUSE HE HAD NOT HEARD THAT DEMAND IN HIS COMMUNITY FOR THE LINEAR CREEK PROJECTS, AND IN LIGHT OF THE DECLINING TAX REVENUE BECAUSE OF COVID AND THE IMPENDING HEALTH BURDENS. UM, HE DID MAKE THAT CLEAR. BUT WITH THAT BEING SAID, HE ACTUALLY SAID THAT HE WOULD LOOK FORWARD TO PROJECTS THAT COULD ACTUALLY FINANCE THEMSELVES SEPARATE, APART FROM THE CAPITAL BUDGET EXCLUSIVELY, AND HE WANTED TO THROW SOME OF THOSE OUT THERE. AND HE DID, HE REFERENCED ECONOMIC ACTIVITY THAT LINKS WOULD CREATE, THAT PROJECTS LIKE THIS WOULD CREATE, UM, MEANING LESS OF A BURDEN AND ALLOWING OTHER PROJECTS LIKE THE WEST SIDE CREEKS AS AN EXAMPLE, TO GET MORE SHARE OF THE MONEY. HE ALSO MENTIONED THAT WHEN HE STOOD FIRST, FOR INSTANCE, STARTED WORKING WITH THE SDO CREEK, HIS GOAL WAS, UH, SOLELY FOCUSED ON ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT. AND THEN THAT, WHEN HURRICANE HARVEY HIT SAN ANTONIO, HIS WHOLE MENTALITY CHANGED. AND IT WAS TO PROTECT ARMY NORTH AND ARMY SOUTH, UH, COMMAND AT FORT SAM HOUSTON FOR FLOODING, AND TO ENSURE THAT 35 IS POSSIBLE IN MAJOR FLOOD EVENTS. HE AGREED WITH COMMISSIONER RODRIGUEZ THAT THERE ARE A LOT OF PRIORITIES FOR THE COURT, AND THAT HE DIDN'T HEAR MANY CONSTITUENTS COME TO HIM ABOUT THE EXPANSION OF LINEAR CREEKS AT THAT TIME, BUT THAT IN FACT, UH, A LOT OF 'EM HAD GOTTEN CRITICIZED IN THEIR ELECTIONS FOR SOME OF THESE PROJECTS. BUT, AND THIS IS PROBABLY, UM, THE PART WHERE I MOST AGREE WITH COMMISSIONER CALVERT, THE COMMISSIONER SAID, AND I QUOTE, PEOPLE HAVE BEEN WAITING FOR US TO INVEST IN JOBS, HELPING PEOPLE TRANSITION TO THE JOBS OF THE IT ECONOMY, THE KNOWLEDGE ECONOMY, THOSE PRIORITIES, THE COMMISSIONER SAID HE HEARS A LOT ABOUT, AND I WANNA THANK HIM FOR HIS ACKNOWLEDGEMENT AND WHAT THE CONSTITUENTS NEED. AND THEN, UH, OF COURSE, WE ALL KNOW THE REST IS HISTORY AND IT'S DOCUMENTED AND, AND THE, THE, THE MOTION CARRIED. BUT I'D LIKE TO REMIND MY COLLEAGUES TODAY THAT THIS ISN'T AN NEITHER OR VOTE TODAY, LIKE COUNCILMAN COURAGE SAID. AND BY THE WAY, THANK YOU COUNCILMAN COURAGE FOR, UH, TIRELESSLY BEING AN ADVOCATE FOR AQUIFER AND THE MAYOR AS WELL. I KNOW THAT YOU HAVE BEEN TALKING ABOUT THIS SINCE YOU WERE, UH, IN THE D EIGHT, UM, UH, SPOT. AND SO I APPRECIATE THAT, UH, YOU ALL HAVE GIVEN US THE OPPORTUNITY BECAUSE TODAY WE AS A COUNCIL HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO SHOW OUR COMMITMENT TO BOTH OUR WATER, BUT ALSO TO OUR MOST VULNERABLE RESIDENTS. AND WE SHOULDN'T HAVE TO WAIT TO PUBLICLY MAKE THAT COMMITMENT. SO, MAYOR, WITH THAT SAID, I MOVE THAT WE CALL A QUESTION. ALRIGHT, UM, THERE IS A MOTION AND A SECOND, UM, QUESTIONS CALLED, UM, THERE'S NO OTHER, UM, COUNCIL MEMBER SANDOVAL. UM, SO WE HAVE TO TAKE UP THE MOTION TO CALL THE QUESTION. SO WITH A TWO THIRDS VOTE, UH, WE'LL TAKE UP THE MOTION ON THE FLOOR. SO LET, LET ME GO AHEAD AND GO THROUGH THAT MOTION FIRST. THERE'S A MOTION, UH, TO QUESTION, UH, ANDY, YOU THERE? OKAY, ANDY, THERE WAS A, A, A MOVE TO CALL THE QUESTION, UM, UNDERSTAND TWO THIRDS VOTE. UH, WE'LL CALL THE QUESTION AND WE WOULD VOTE ON THE MOTION ON THE FLOOR. YES. YOU FIRST NEED TO VOTE ON THE MOTION TO CALL THE QUESTION MAYOR. OKAY. ALRIGHT. WE'LL, UH, THERE A SECOND ON THE, DO WE NEED A SECOND ON THE CALL TO QUESTION ANDY? YES, MAYOR, YOU DO. OKAY. WAS THERE A SECOND? YOU CALL TO QUESTION THERE WAS FROM COUNCILMAN CURRY? YES. YES. ALRIGHT, SO LET'S TAKE UP, UM, THE QUESTION, UH, TO MOVE TO THE MOTION ON THE FLOOR, UH, AGAIN, A TWO THIRDS VOTE. WE'LL MOVE TO THE MOTION THAT JOHN, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER COURAGE MADE. UH, SO ALL THOSE IN FAVOR OF CALLING THE QUESTION SAY AYE. AYE. AYE. WE MIGHT HAVE TO HAVE A A A ROLL THERE. UH, MADAM CLERK, COULD YOU GIVE US A ROLL? COUNCIL MEMBER TREVINO NATE, COUNCIL MEMBER ANDREW SIMON. AGAIN, I DON'T KNOW WHAT'S GOING. AYE. COUNCIL MEMBER RJA GARCIA. COUNCIL MEMBER GON [05:05:09] YOU CALLING ME TINA? YES, MA'AM. OKAY. AYE. COUNCIL MEMBER SANDOVAL, POINT OF CLARIFICATION. GO AHEAD. COUNCIL MEMBER, MAYOR, MY UNDERSTANDING IS THAT THE MOTION TO ALL THE QUESTIONING FILED VOTE NOW AND THE ITEM IS OVER. IS IT ALRIGHT, ANDY, YOU MOVE DIRECTLY TO A VOTE ON THE ITEM COUNCILWOMAN? ESSENTIALLY IT MEANS THERE'S NO MORE, NO MORE DISCUSSION ON THE ITEM. YOU KNOW, WHY WOULD I VOTE FOR THAT? WHEN THE MAYOR ASKED ME TO SUPPORT THE ITEM, I SECONDED THE MOTION AND I HAVEN'T GONE YET. OKAY. YEAH, THERE WAS NO, UH, NO ONE ELSE IN THE QUEUE. SO I'LL ASK COUNCIL MEMBER, UH, UH, ROSA GARCIA IF SHE WANTS TO PROCEED WITH THE MOTION. AND I DIDN'T REALIZE THAT THERE WAS STILL PEOPLE IN LINE, UH, TO DO THAT. OKAY. I, SO, YEAH. SO, UM, WE CAN SO GO. WHAT? YOU'RE WITHDRAW YOU'RE WITHDRAWING THE MOTION IN COUNCILWOMAN. I'LL WITHDRAW THE MOTION AS I DIDN'T KNOW THAT. THERE IS STILL SOME COLLEAGUES OF MINE. THANK YOU, COUNCILWOMAN. THANK YOU. OKAY, SO WE WILL, UM, WE WILL PROCEED WITH THE DEBATE THEN. UM, WE'LL MOVE TO COUNCIL MEMBER SANDOVAL. THANK YOU, MAYOR. I DON'T THINK THERE'S ANY DEBATE. UM, WE'RE NOT, UH, NO ONE'S TRYING TO POST ON THE ITEM. NO ONE'S TRYING TO SHUT IT DOWN. I THINK WHAT WE WANNA DO IS GO ON THE RECORD EXPRESSING OUR SUPPORT. UM, I WANNA THANK, UM, EXCUSE ME. YOU KNOW, PART OF THE PROBLEM IS WE DON'T KNOW WHO'S IN THE QUEUE. WE CAN'T SEE OTHER PEOPLE IN THE QUEUE. IS THERE A WAY THAT WE CAN FIX THAT OR THAT SOMEONE CAN ANNOUNCE THAT? THANK YOU. UM, I WANTED TO KNOW, FIRST OF ALL, IS, UH, MS. ROMERO ON THE LINE? DR. ROMERO? THERE WOULD BE NO. OH, THIS IS JOHN. NO, MA'AM. OKAY. WELL, I WANNA THANK HER AND BEN, GO FOR JOINING ME ON FACEBOOK, UH, LAST NIGHT TO DISCUSS THIS VERY ITEM. AND I ALSO WANNA THANK, UM, I ALSO WANNA THANK FRANCINE FOR ALL OF THE 10 YEARS THAT SHE HAS SERVED ON THIS BOARD, UM, AND FOR HER COMMITMENT TO THE PROGRAM, UM, AND TO ALL THE MEMBERS OF, OF THE CAB AS WELL. UH, WHEN I THANK, UH, HOMER AND THE REST OF THE STAFF FOR PUTTING TOGETHER, UM, FOR PUTTING THIS TOGETHER, UH, COUNCILMAN COURAGE, THANK YOU FOR LEADING ON THIS. UH, AND I WANNA THANK SARAH AND SUZANNE SCOTT FOR HER COMMITMENT AND HER WILLINGNESS TO TAKE THIS PROGRAM ON, EVEN THOUGH WE DIDN'T END UP GOING IN THAT DIRECTION. SO, UM, LET'S BE HONEST, WE HAVE BEEN SEARCHING FOR A VIABILITY, A LIFELINE FOR THIS PROGRAM SINCE LAST FALL. IT HAS TAKEN US A WHILE, UH, TO GET HERE, BUT I'M GLAD, UH, THAT WE'RE HERE TODAY. I WILL BE SUPPORTING THE ITEM. I'M NOT SURE THAT, UM, THAT THE ITEM DOES ENOUGH RIGHT NOW, SO I'LL GET INTO THAT IN A, IN A MOMENT. UM, FIRST I WANNA ADDRESS THE MANY COMMENTS WE'VE HEARD, UH, AND IN FACT, ONE THAT WE HEARD TODAY FROM THE CONSERVATION SOCIETY, UH, BEN OR HOMER. WERE YOU AWARE THAT THERE WAS ANY, UH, CONCERN FROM THE CONSERVATION SOCIETY, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER? I WAS NOT AWARE OF THAT. I, I THINK YOU MAY. OKAY. WELL, I, I'M SURPRISED THEY DIDN'T COME TO US EARLIER, BUT I THINK THERE'S A LITTLE BIT OF A MISUNDERSTANDING REGARDING, UM, THE FACT THAT IF WE WERE TO WAIT UNTIL THE NOVEMBER ELECTION, UM, WELL, ACTUALLY, I'LL TAKE THAT BACK. THIS GUY WAS PASSED, UH, IN AUGUST WHEN WE PUT THE OTHER ITEM FOR THE BALLOT, THE WORKFORCE INITIATIVE ITEM FOR THE BALLOT. UM, SO REALLY WE CAN'T GO BACK ON THAT. SO I JUST WANTED TO EXPLAIN THAT TO, UM, THE MEMBERS OF THE CONSERVATION SOCIETY WHO, WHO COMMENTED, UH, TODAY, AND BEN, IF WE WANTED TO PUT THIS ON THE BALLOT, HOW LONG WOULD WE HAVE TO WAIT? ANDY, YOU WANNA HELP ME WITH THAT ONE? I BELIEVE, UH, WE HAVE PETER WAYNE BECAUSE WE HAVE, BECAUSE I'LL ANSWER IT, BEN. YES. BECAUSE WE HAVE A INITIATIVE ON THE BALLOT ALREADY IN TERMS FOR A, UH, SALES TAX PROPOSAL, THE NEXT AVAILABLE TIME BECAUSE IT'S 365 DAYS, AND BECAUSE OF THE DATES OF THE ELECTION [05:10:01] NEXT NOVEMBER, THE EARLIEST WE CAN PUT ANOTHER ONE OF THESE ON THE BALLOT IS MAY OF 2022. SO I DO NOT WANT TO, FOR THOSE OF US, FOR THOSE PEOPLE WHO ARE REQUESTING THAT WE WAIT, UH, WE'D HAVE TO WAIT UNTIL MAY OF 2022. AND I CERTAINLY DON'T WANT TO TAKE THAT RISK WITH THIS PROGRAM. I THINK WE HAVE A SOLUTION TO FIND FUNDING FOR IT NOW, AND THAT WE SHOULD, UH, TAKE THAT WHILE WE CAN. NOW, I ALSO UNDERSTAND THAT, UM, THERE IS SORT OF A DISAPPOINTMENT FROM MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC ABOUT NOT BEING ABLE TO VOTE ON THE AQUIFER PROGRAM. THEY SAW MANY MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC SAW THE E A P P DECISION AS ONE THAT THEY WERE ABLE TO MAKE, AND IS AN AGREEMENT THAT THEY WOULD HAVE WITH THE CITY COUNCIL TO PROTECT THE AQUIFER. ALMOST SOMETHING SACRED BETWEEN THE TWO OF THEM. AND, UH, I KNOW THAT THIS SOLUTION, UM, MAYBE DOESN'T SATISFY THAT NEED. BUT WHAT I WOULD LIKE TO ASK, UH, ANDY AT THIS POINT IS, IS IT POSSIBLE TO CONSIDER IN THE FUTURE A CHARTER AMENDMENT THAT COMMITS THE CITY COUNCIL TO PROTECTING THE AQUIFER IN SOME FINANCIAL WAY? COUNCILWOMAN, UM, UH, UH, A CHARTER AMENDMENT IN TERMS OF SOMETHING THAT WOULD REQUIRE, UH, CONTINUED COMMITMENT TO, UH, FUND THE AQUIFER AQUIFER PROTECTION, UH, THAT IS WITHIN THE REALM OF SOMETHING THAT CAN BE CHANGED UNDER THE CITY CHARTER. OBVIOUSLY THE CHARTER REVIEW COMMISSION WILL HAVE TO TAKE A LOOK AT THAT AND OFFER A RECOMMENDATION TO COUNCIL, BUT THE SHORT ANSWER TO YOUR QUESTION IS YES. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. SO I, UM, I'D LIKE TO PUT THAT ON THE TABLE FOR FUTURE DISCUSSION, UH, TO SEND TO THE CHARTER REVIEW COMMISSION, UM, THE OTHER, UM, SO THAT THIS PROGRAM DOESN'T HAVE THE RISK OF GOING AWAY IN, IN THE FUTURE UNLESS BY, UH, BY THE VOTERS, UH, SELECTION. UH, THE OTHER QUESTION I HAVE IS, UH, WE ARE PURCHASING, UH, EASEMENTS AND PROPERTY MOST OF THESE OUTSIDE OF THE COUNTY, AND THAT'S BECAUSE WE CAN'T REGULATE THEM, UH, BECAUSE THEY DON'T FALL WITHIN THE BOUNDARY. THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO, UH, SEVERAL YEARS AGO THERE WAS, UH, SOME LAND, UH, I THINK IT WAS IN THE, IN THE CODE PASSED ABOUT WHAT WE WOULD DO AND REQUIRE A PROPERTY BEING DEVELOPED OVER THE AQUIFER. UM, I ONLY HAVE A FEW MINUTES, BUT COULD SOMEONE ON THE STAFF EXPLAIN WHAT THOSE REQUIREMENTS ARE AND HOW DIFFERENT THEY ARE FROM, UH, DEVELOPING LAND OVER AREAS THAT DO NOT CONTRIBUTE TO, UM, THAT ARE NOT PART OF THE RECHARGE ZONE? YEAH, SO THIS IS HOMER. SO, UM, GRANT ELLIS IS OUR, OUR NATURAL RESOURCES MANAGER, AND HE'S WITH US, SO I'M GONNA ASK HIM TO GO A LITTLE BIT DEEPER THAN WHAT I'M GONNA OFFER. BUT, YOU KNOW, FOR THE EASEMENTS WE HAVE, THERE ARE, UM, REQUIRE MAINTENANCE REQUIREMENTS EFFECTIVELY AND THINGS THAT ARE, UM, PROHIBITED BECAUSE AGAIN, WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT THE PROPERTY WE'RE ACQUIRING IS PROTECTED, BEHAVE THAT WAY. SO GRANT CAN PROVIDE YOU, UH, SOME INSIGHTS ON HOW FAR THAT GOES. ADDITIONALLY, UM, THE, YOU KNOW, THE E A A DOES ALSO KEEP AN EYE ON, UM, THEIR, I GUESS, REALM OF, OF AUTHORITY, IF YOU WILL. AND SO THEY ALSO HAVE SOME THINGS THAT THEY MONITOR AS WELL. SO IT IS, IT IS NOT AS IF, UH, EVERYTHING OUTSIDE OF BEXAR COUNTY IS UNCHECKED OR, OR NOT ON, UH, THE RADAR, WHETHER IT'S THROUGH A CONSERVATION EASEMENT OR THINGS THAT E A TYPICALLY LOOKS FOR. SO, UH, WITH THAT, I'M GONNA ASK GRANT TO PROVIDE SOME ADDITIONAL INSIGHTS. THANK YOU ELMER. UH, COUNCILWOMAN SANDOVAL, UH, MAYOR COUNCIL MEMBERS, THANK YOU VERY MUCH. MY NAME IS GRANT ELLI. I'M THE NATURAL RESOURCES MANAGER FOR THE PARKS AND RECREATION DEPARTMENT. UM, THE REQUIREMENTS THAT ARE STIPULATED UNDER THE TERMS OF OUR CONSERVATION EASEMENTS ARE PRETTY, ARE PRETTY BASIC, UH, BUT ESSENTIALLY WE HAVE A SERIES OF, OF REGULATIONS AND REQUIREMENTS THAT, THAT PROHIBIT, UM, A CERTAIN AMOUNT OF DEVELOPMENT ON, UH, PROPERTIES THAT ARE, UH, HELD UNDER CONSERVATION EASEMENTS BY THE CITY. AND SO THOSE RESTRICTIONS ARE, ARE PRIMARILY LIMITED TO, UH, IMPER IMPERIAL IMPERMEABLE COVER LIMITATIONS THAT ARE ONE HALF OF 1% OF THE TOTAL SQUARE FOOTAGE OF THE PROPERTY. UM, SO THE, YOU KNOW, PROPERTY MAY BE HUNDREDS OF ACRES, UH, LARGE, BUT WE DETERMINE WHAT THEIR IMPER, THEIR, UM, IMPERMEABLE, [05:15:01] UM, COVER LIMITATIONS MAY BE BASED ON THE SQUARE FOOTAGE. UH, SO IT'LL, IT'LL BE LIMITED TO ONE HALF OF 1% OF THE TOTAL SQUARE FOOTAGE. ADDITIONALLY, UH, EACH LANDOWNER WILL RESERVE A SERIES OF BUILDING ENVELOPES THAT THEY ARE ALLOWED TO ADD TO, UM, AND BUILD ON, UM, WITHIN THE, UM, BOUNDARIES OF THE CONSERVATION EASEMENT. USUALLY THOSE ARE ESTABLISHED, WELL, NOT USUALLY, BUT ALWAYS THOSE ARE ESTABLISHED AWAY FROM, UH, VERY SIGNIFICANT RECHARGE FEATURES SUCH AS CAVES OR SINK HOLES OR, OR ANYTHING THAT MIGHT, UM, UM, IMPACT THE, THE RECHARGE ON THE PROPERTY OUTSIDE OF THAT PARTICULAR BUILDING AT THE LOAN. SO WE MAKE SURE, UH, WHEN WE ARE WORKING WITH ALL OF THE LANDOWNERS TO ESTABLISH THE TERMS OF THE CONSERVATION EASEMENT, THAT THEY UNDERSTAND THAT THERE ARE SIGNIFICANT LIMITATIONS ON WHERE THEY BUILD, UH, HOW MUCH THEY BUILD AND WHAT THEY BUILD. UM, AND, AND THEN WE GO OUT ON AN ANNUAL BASIS TO MONITOR THOSE CONSERVATION EASEMENT TO MAKE SURE THAT THE TERMS OF THE EASEMENTS ARE BEING ADHERED TO BY THE, BY BY EACH OF THE LANDOWNERS. OKAY. SO, UH, MAYOR, I'M GONNA CHIME IN FOR MY ADDITIONAL FIVE MINUTES AT THIS TIME. SO GRANT, SO YOU'RE SPENDING THAT TIME OUTSIDE OF THE, UM, THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO, AND YOU'RE, UH, TALKING TO PEOPLE WHOSE, WHOSE, UH, DEVELOPMENT RIGHTS WE'VE ACTUALLY PURCHASED, RIGHT? TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY'RE, UH, TAKING CARE OF WHAT THEY DO. WHAT I WANNA KNOW IS WHAT DO WE DO WITH THE PEOPLE THAT HAVE CONSTRUCTED HERE IN SAN ANTONIO, AND WE HAVEN'T PURCHASED THEIR DEVELOPMENT, RIGHT? BUT THEY'VE DEVELOPED, RIGHT? SO WHAT IS, UH, WHAT, HOW DO WE PREPARE FOR THAT, THAT THAT PARTICULAR QUESTION ACTUALLY IS GONNA BE OUTSIDE THE SCOPE OF, OF THE PURVIEW OF THIS PROGRAM, UM, COUNCILWOMAN AND, AND I THINK IT MAY BE BETTER ADDRESSED BY THE, THE, UH, OUR COLLEAGUES IN THE DEVELOPMENT SERVICES DEPARTMENT. UH, YOU KNOW, I, I THINK THAT THERE, I KNOW THAT THERE ARE LIMITATIONS ABOUT WHAT CAN BE BUILT OVER THE, THE RECHARGE ZONE, AND THERE ARE ADDITIONAL RESTRICTIONS OR SOME RESTRICTIONS ABOUT WHAT CAN BE BUILT OVER THE CONTRIBUTING ZONE AND AT CERTAIN LOCATIONS IN OVER BOTH OF THOSE, THOSE SENSITIVE PARTS OF THE AQUIFER. UM, BUT I CAN HELP OUT A LITTLE BIT, GRANT, IF YOU WANT. OH, YEAH. SO, UH, THE, THE MAIN THING WE HAVE IS WE, WE HAVE AN E R Z D, UH, OVERLAY. AND, UH, AS GRANT WAS ALLUDING TO THAT, THAT THAT DOES NOT ALLOW CERTAIN USES. UH, EVEN THE, THE MOST POPULAR ONE IS, IS GAS TANKS. SO YOU'LL NOTICE ON THE RECHARGE ZONE, THERE ARE NO GAS STATIONS EXCEPT FOR THE ONES THAT EXISTED PRIOR TO THAT ORDINANCE. UH, THERE'S SOME OTHER HEAVY INDUSTRIAL USES THAT WE JUST DON'T ALLOW OVER THE RECHARGE ZONE. ASIDE FROM THAT, THERE ARE IN IMPERVIOUS COVER LIMITS, UH, DEPENDING ON, ON USE IF YOU'RE IN THE CITY, UH, IF YOU'RE IN THE COUNTY, WE ACTUALLY HAVE IMPERVIOUS COVER LIMITS. I BELIEVE IT'S 15% IMPERVIOUS COVER LIMITS IN THE COUNTY IF YOU'RE IN THE CITY. IT DEPENDS IF YOU'RE A SINGLE FAMILY, MULTIFAMILY OR, OR COMMERCIAL. UH, SO THOSE ARE, THOSE ARE THE BASIC REQUIREMENTS ON THE RECHARGE ZONE THAT YOU WON'T FIND ELSEWHERE IN THE CITY. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. WE'VE GOT A COUPLE MORE FOLKS NOW IN THE QUEUE, SO I'LL BRING YOU BACK ON, ON YOUR SECOND ROUND FOR THE ADDITIONAL TIME. UM, COUNCIL MEMBER TREVINO FOLLOWED BY COUNCIL MEMBER VIA, UH, THANK YOU MAYOR, UH, MAYOR. AND LET ME FIRST START OFF BY THANKING, UM, BENZEL, UH, YOU KNOW, I, I APPRECIATE ALL YOUR HARD WORK AND, UH, KNOW THAT, UH, YOU, YOU PROVIDE US, UH, WITH MEANINGFUL AND THOUGHTFUL SOLUTIONS THAT, UH, NOBODY SHOULD BE QUESTIONING OR, OR, OR, OR, OR, OR CHALLENGING. SO I, I, I, I WANT TO THANK YOU FOR THAT. I WANNA THANK THE HARD WORK OF, UH, COUNCILMAN JOHN COURAGE. UM, YOU KNOW, I KNOW YOU WORK VERY HARD ON THIS. THE POINT HERE IS WE JUST HAVE A, A, A DIFFERENCE OF OPINION. AND, UH, YOU KNOW, QUITE FRANKLY, UH, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE TO BE, WE HAVE TO BE, UH, FORTHRIGHT AND, AND HONEST ABOUT WHAT WE'RE SAYING, AND WE HAVE THE RIGHT TO, TO, TO REPRESENT OUR COMMUNITY THE BEST WAY WE THINK, UH, THEY SHOULD BE REPRESENTED. UM, AND, UH, AND, YOU KNOW, AGAIN, WHAT I CAN SAY IS THAT IN MY DISTRICT, IN MY COMMUNITY, UH, MORE PEOPLE HAVE, UM, BY, BY A LONG SHOT, HAVE, HAVE WRITTEN TO ME ABOUT THE EDWARDS AQUIFER PROGRAM, ABOUT THE TRAILWAYS PROGRAM, AND, UM, AND THEY'RE INTERTWINED. UM, QUITE FRANKLY, [05:20:01] THERE'S STILL JUST A LOT OF QUESTIONS AROUND ALL OF THIS. AND THE QUESTION IS WHY WE, WHY WE VOTING ON IT, UH, A WEEK AFTER WE LEARNED ABOUT IT? AND THE QUESTION IS, UH, IS, CAN WE, CAN IT WAIT? CAN, CAN WE LEARN MORE ABOUT IT? YOU, YOU HEAR THAT THERE'S STILL A LOT OF QUESTIONS ABOUT THIS, AND I WANNA POINT SOMETHING OUT. UH, UH, JUST THE OTHER DAY, THE, I WAS ON A CONFERENCE CALL WITH THE LEAGUE OF WOMEN VOTERS WHO EXPRESSED A LOT OF CONCERN. NOW, LET ME BE CLEAR, THEIR JOB IS NOT TO PROVIDE AN OPINION ON WHAT'S HOW TO VOTE, BUT THEY DO WANT TO, THEY FEEL LIKE IT IS THEIR JOB TO EDUCATE PEOPLE ON WHAT THEY'RE VOTING ON. AND THEY EXPRESSED A LOT OF CONCERN, AND I, I DID ASK THEM IF I COULD SAY THAT, AND THEY SAID, ABSOLUTELY. BECAUSE YOU KNOW, WHAT'S HAPPENING IN NOVEMBER IS ABSOLUTELY TIED TO THIS TOO. TO SAY THAT IT'S NOT IS, IS, YOU KNOW, THIS LET'S JUST CALL IT A, A DIFFERENCE OF OPINION. OKAY? AND, YOU KNOW, I, I, I GET IT. I THINK THAT, UH, YOU KNOW, WE, WE HAVE THE RIGHT TO BELIEVE WHAT WE, WE WANT TO BELIEVE, BUT, UM, I THINK THAT, THAT, UH, IF WE HAVE TIME TO, TO VOTE ON THIS, THEN WE SHOULD TAKE THAT TIME TO LEARN MORE, ANSWER A LOT OF OUR QUESTIONS. WE KNOW THAT, UM, YOU KNOW, THE, THE CURRENT PROGRAM HAS BEEN VERY POPULAR. UH, IT HAS INCLUDED THE, THE TRAILWAYS. AND AGAIN, LIKE I SAID, LAST WEEK, AND, AND I PROVIDED VIDEO TO THE CITY MANAGER, UH, AS, AS TOMMY CALVERT HAD COMMUNICATED TO ME, AND HE SENT ME THE VIDEO, UH, THAT REALLY CAUSED THE QUESTION WHETHER THE TRAILWAYS IS GONNA BE SUPPORTED BY THE COUNTY. IN FACT, IN IN THE VIDEO, IT SAYS, WELL, THE CITY TO STOP SAYING THAT THE COUNTY'S GONNA SUPPORT IT. THAT'S IN THE VIDEO. UH, AND I'M HAPPY TO SHARE THAT WITH ANYBODY. UM, YOU KNOW, WHAT, WHAT I HOPE WE CAN, UH, AT LEAST, UH, AGAIN, AGREE TO IS THAT THESE ARE ALL IMPORTANT ITEMS FOR US. UH, YOU KNOW, THE, THE EDWARDS AQUIFER PROGRAM IS, IS SOMETHING THAT WILL BE FUNDED THROUGH 2022, WHICH MEANS THAT WE CAN CREATE A STRATEGIC PLAN, UH, A, A BETTER PLAN. I THINK WHEN, WHEN WE, WHEN WE KNOW, UH, WHAT WILL OCCUR AFTER A NOVEMBER ELECTION. I THINK THAT'S JUST, AGAIN, THAT IS HOW I FEEL, THAT'S HOW MY CONSTITUENTS FEEL. UM, AND I, AND, AND I THINK WE CAN FORMULATE, UH, A, A PLAN THAT I THINK IS REFLECTIVE OF, OF THE, THE, UM, THE BEST INTERESTS OF OUR COMMUNITY WORKING THAT WAY. UM, I THINK THAT THE FUTURE OF THE GREENWAY TRUST, UH, FUNDING IS, IS, IS UNCERTAIN. UM, AND, UM, AND I ALSO THINK THAT, UH, YOU KNOW, WHAT, WHAT SAW SAWS, UH, THE IMPACT TO SAWS IS ALSO QUESTIONABLE. THEY'VE AL THEY ALREADY SAID THAT WHEN WE WENT, UH, FROM 2.7 OR FOUR PER 4%, UH, CONTRIBUTION, THAT, THAT'S GONNA ACCELERATE A RATE INCREASE. AND QUITE FRANKLY, I, WELL, AGAIN, WHILE I RESPECT EVERYTHING THAT BEN GO HAS PUT TOGETHER, I, I SIMPLY DON'T UNDERSTAND HOW, HOW WE CAN MAKE 10, WE CAN MAKE $10 MILLION, UH, BASICALLY AMOUNT TO FREE MONEY. I, I, IT'S NOT, AND I DON'T THINK HE'S SAYING THAT. I THINK, I THINK WHAT WHAT'S CRITICAL IS, UH, WHAT DEBT SERVICE REALLY MEANS. IT, IT MEANS, IT MEANS MONEY THAT YOU HAVE TO PAY FOR TAKING THAT ALONE. I MEAN, NO MATTER WHAT, IT'S, AND, AND I THINK THOSE ARE THE KINDS OF THINGS THAT, UH, YOU KNOW, WE ALL NEED TO WRAP OUR HEADS AROUND. AND WE NEED TO BE VERY THOUGHTFUL IN WHAT, IN, IN HOW OUR GENERAL FUND IS IMPACTED. UM, THIS IS THE VERY THING WE JUST DISCUSSED IN, IN OUR BUDGET SESSION. THIS IS EXACTLY THE KIND OF THING THAT I THINK IS, IS VERY CRITICAL THAT WE DO NOT DIMINISH FURTHER AND FURTHER, UH, OUR ABILITY TO, TO, TO PROVIDE THE, THE BASIC SERVICES AND, AND PROGRAMS THAT ARE HELPING PEOPLE, UH, TODAY. AND, AND I HAVE TO AGAIN REITERATE THAT, YOU KNOW, HOUSING AND, AND, AND THE PANDEMIC ARE, ARE, NEED TO BE OUR NUMBER ONE PRIORITY. UM, SO WITH THAT, UH, I MOVE TO DELAY ITEM FIVE TO THE FIRST AVAILABLE MEETING OF THE CITY COUNCIL AFTER THE ELECTION OF NOVEMBER 3RD, 2020 SECOND. SO, MAYOR, IS, THAT IS, THAT'S A MOVE TO DELAY. THAT TAKES PRIORITY. GOOD. THERE'S A MOTION, UH, TO DELAY THE ITEM. UM, AND THAT IS, UH, WAS THERE A SECOND? [05:25:01] YES, CLAYTON. OKAY. UH, AND A SECOND BY CLAYTON. SO WE WILL, UM, HOLD, UH, THE, THE DISCUSSION TO THE MOTION ON THE FLOOR, UH, WHICH IS TO DELAY. UH, WE DO HAVE A QUEUE FOR THE PREVIOUS, UM, SO LEMME SEE A, A HAND IF YOU'D LIKE TO DISCUSS THE MOTION TO DELAY. ALRIGHT. IF THERE'S NO DISCUSSION ON THE MOTION TO DELAY, COUNCIL MEMBER PERRY. OKAY. UH, DOES THAT MEAN WE VOTE ON THE DELAY FIRST BEFORE WE GO INTO, OKAY, THAT'S RIGHT. CORRECT. THAT'S CORRECT, COUNCILMAN. AND ALSO THE, THE CURRENT DISCUSSION IS LIMITED ON WHETHER WE SHOULD DELAY OR NOT. I'M MEMBERS OF THE FIRST MOTION. OKAY. UM, THEN I'LL GO AHEAD AND TAKE MY TIME NOW TO DISCUSS THE DELAY. OKAY, GO AHEAD. COUNCIL MEMBER PERRY. ALRIGHT, THANK YOU. UM, I FULLY SUPPORT EVERYTHING THAT COUNCILMAN TINO SAID. UH, PREVIOUSLY, I, I KIND OF LISTENED TO THE COMMENTS ABOUT THIS BEING POLITICAL IN NATURE. UM, YOU KNOW, WE NEED TO DO THIS NOW BEFORE WE KNOW WHAT THE RESULTS OF THE NOVEMBER ELECTION IS. I DON'T LOOK AT THIS AS POLITICAL AT ALL. I LOOK AT THIS AS COMMON SENSE BECAUSE NOTHING GUARANTEES THAT THOSE THREE ITEMS IN THE NOVEMBER ELECTION IS GONNA PASS. ONE MIGHT PASS, THEY ALL MIGHT PASS, OR THEY ALL MIGHT FAIL. TWO, THAT MEANS THAT THIS CURRENT METHOD OF FUNDING THAT WE HAVE NOW, WE COULD REINSTITUTE, YEAH, IT WOULD TAKE TILL MAY OF 20 20, 20 22. BUT I'LL REMIND EVERYBODY ON THIS COUNCIL THE MONEY THAT WE HAVEN'T EVEN FINISHED COLLECTING THE MONEY YET UNDER THIS CURRENT TAX, TAX, UH, UM, SALES TAX PORTION. SO BY THE TIME WE GET THIS DONE COLLECTING THAT SALES TAX MONEY, WE WON'T EVEN HAVE THAT AMOUNT OF MONEY SPENT UNTIL LATER THAN MAY OF 2022. SO I WOULD SAY THAT THAT'S THE CORRECT TIME TO VOTE ON ONE 8 CENTS SALES TAX IF ONE OF THESE OTHER, UH, INITIATIVES FAILS. SO I, AGAIN, I THINK THIS IS COMMON SENSE. LET'S SEE WHAT HAPPENS FIRST DURING THE ELECTION VERSUS FORCING SOMETHING THROUGH WITHIN ONE WEEK'S TIME. ONE WEEK, WE GOT BRIEFED ON THIS LAST WEEK AND IT'S GONNA IMPACT OUR GENERAL FUND. JUST AS WAS SAID, WE JUST WENT THROUGH A VERY PAINFUL PROCESS LOOKING AT DOLLARS, NOT HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS INDIVIDUAL DOLLARS TO SUPPORT SOME OF THESE PROGRAMS. AND WE MADE A LOT OF CUTS ACROSS THE PROGRAM. SO I, I'M CONFUSED WHEN WE TALK OUT OF BOTH SIDES OF OUR MOUTH THAT, HEY, WE HAD A HORRIBLE YEAR, WE HAD TO MAKE ALL THESE CUTS. BUT THEN ON THE OTHER SIDE, WE SAY, BUT WE CAN AFFORD THAT IN OUR GENERAL FUND FOR THE FUTURE, STARTING RIGHT AWAY. AND I, THAT HYPOCRISY THAT'S NOT BEING FORTHRIGHT WITH THE COMMUNITY ON WHAT HAS TO BE THEN COLLECTED OFF OF THAT DEBT. I MEAN, I APPRECIATE BEN GELLE AND ALL THE WORK THAT YOU PUT INTO THIS, BUT BORROWING A HUNDRED MILLION DOLLARS, YOU STILL HAVE TO PAY IT BACK. AND THAT'S WHAT, YOU KNOW, I THAT A HUNDRED MILLION DOLLARS IS NOT, IF WE'RE BORROWING THAT, WE'RE GONNA PAY MORE THAN THAT BECAUSE YOU HAVE TO PAY THE INTEREST. IT'S LIKE GETTING ANY OTHER LOAN ON YOUR HOUSE. IF YOU PAY FOR IT RIGHT AWAY, YOU DON'T HAVE ANY INTEREST, BUT YOU SPREAD THAT ACROSS 30 YEARS, YOU'RE GONNA, YOU'RE GONNA BASICALLY DOUBLE THE AMOUNT OF PAYMENTS TO THAT LOAN THAN YOU WOULD'VE DONE IF YOU EXCUSE ME, THEN IF YOU WOULD'VE PAID IT RIGHT OFF THE BAT. SO IT'S THE SAME THING HERE. IT'S THE SAME PRINCIPLE. AND AGAIN, IT MIGHT NOT LOOK MUCH AT THE BEGINNING, BUT LEMME TELL YOU, $500,000 WOULD'VE GONE A LONG WAY IN THIS, THIS YEAR'S BUDGET THAT WE JUST PASSED. AND THEN IT'S GONNA BE COMPOUNDED AS TIME GOES ON MAKING A BIGGER AND BIGGER DENT INTO THE GENERAL FUND. AND I REMEMBER WHEN WE PASSED, WHICH I VOTED AGAINST, THAT INCREASE OF THE RATE FROM SAS IS 2.7% THAT WE WERE COLLECTING ABOUT $20 MILLION A YEAR. WE KICKED IT UP TO 4%, AN ADDITIONAL $10 MILLION A YEAR THAT WILL [05:30:01] ACCELERATE A RATE INCREASE. I DON'T CARE WHAT, HOW YOU LOOK AT IT, MR. PUENTE LOOKED ME IN THE EYE ON THE DAIS WHEN I ASKED HIM THAT QUESTION. I SAID, IS THIS GONNA CAUSE A RATE INCREASE? HE SAID, YES, IT WILL. SO, YOU KNOW, WE KEEP CALLING OURSELVES THE MOST ECONOMICALLY SEGREGATED AND THE MOST THE POOREST BIG CITY IN THE US BUT YET WE HAVE NO PROBLEM IN TAKING MONEY AWAY FROM THE GENERAL FUND FOR SOMETHING THAT'S BEING PAID FOR BY ANYBODY HERE IN SAN ANTONIO THAT PURCHASE ANYTHING. IT SPREADS THE COST. AGAIN, THE MOTION IS ON THE DELAY, NOT ON THE MERIT. I'M GETTING THERE. WHAT THIS DELAY WOULD MEAN IS WE CAN SIT BACK AND TAKE A LOOK AT THAT INSTEAD OF PASSING IT AND TAKING IT OUT OF OUR GENERAL FUND. LET'S WAIT AND SEE WHAT HAPPENS IN THE NOVEMBER ELECTIONS AND THEN DO IT. AND EVEN THOUGH WE CAN'T, AGAIN, EVEN THOUGH WE CAN'T VOTE ON THAT UNTIL MAY OF 2022, WE STILL HAVE THE CURRENT MONEY AVAILABLE WAY PAST MAY OF 2022 TO THEN REAUTHORIZE IT IF THE CITIZENS GET TO VOTE ON IT. AND LEMME TELL YOU, FOR THE LAST FOUR OR FIVE TIMES OVER THE LAST 20 YEARS, WE HAVE GOTTEN CITIZENS BUY-IN ON THIS. IT'S THEIR MONEY. IT'S NOT OUR MONEY. SO DELAYING THIS VOTE WOULD GIVE THAT OPPORTUNITY FOR THE CITIZENS TO BUY INTO IT AGAIN, OR THERE MIGHT BE SOMETHING ELSE THAT COMES UP AND THEY MIGHT NOT WANT TO FUND IT. THE ONLY REASON WE CAN'T PUT IT IN THIS NOVEMBER'S ELECTION IS BECAUSE OF THE OTHER ITEMS THAT HAVE BEEN ADDED ON THERE. WE HAD PRE-K FOR SA BEFORE. THIS IS FOR REAUTHORIZING THAT WHETHER THAT GETS PASSED OR NOT, I DON'T KNOW. NOW THE WORKFORCE TRAINING THAT'S PUT ON THE BALLOT. SO WE COULDN'T PUT THE AQUIFER AND LEMME TELL YOU THAT THAT WAS CALCULATED. YOU TALK ABOUT POLITICS, THAT IS POLITICS ON PUTTING THAT ON AND BUMPING OFF THE AQUIFER AND SAYING, OH, WELL, WE'VE GOT ANOTHER FUNDING SOURCE BY PAYING FOR IT OUT OF THE GENERAL FUND. I GOT A TOTALLY DIFFERENT OUTLOOK ON THIS AS I NORMALLY DO, BUT I THINK I HAVE A MORE COMMON SENSE APPROACH BY DELAYING THIS, THIS VOTE. IT IS, WE DON'T HAVE TO DO IT RIGHT NOW, AND IT'S NOT POLITICS. AND AGAIN, THE DEBT THAT WE'RE GONNA INCUR IS MORE THAN WE'RE GONNA TAKE FROM THE PROGRAM. WE'RE GONNA BORROW A HUNDRED MILLION DOLLARS, IT'S GONNA COST US MORE THAN A HUNDRED MILLION DOLLARS. AND YOU KNOW, AGAIN, WE SAY A LOT OF THINGS ABOUT BEING AGGREGATED ECONOMICALLY AND BEING THE POOREST CITY IN THE US BUT WE SURE DON'T ACT LIKE IT WHEN WE HAVE STUFF LIKE THIS COMING OUT OF THE GENERAL FUND THAT HELPS SUPPORT THE SERVICES TO THOSE PEOPLE THAT NEED IT THE MOST. AND THAT'S WHAT YOU'RE DOING. THAT IS WHAT YOU'RE DOING. REDUCING OUR GENERAL FUND FOR THAT. AND AGAIN, DELAYING THIS WOULD HELP SOLVE THE ISSUE ABOUT THE LINEAR CREEKS. I MEAN, WE'VE ALREADY SPENT, WHICH WAS THESE WERE PAIRED TOGETHER, THE LINEAR CREEKS AND THE AQUIFER PROTECTION. WE'VE, WE'VE ALREADY, WE NEED ANOTHER $280 MILLION TO FUND THE LINEAR CREEKS. THAT'S A LOT OF MONEY. WE'RE SAYING THAT THE COUNTY'S GONNA DO IT. I HAVEN'T HEARD THAT. THEY HAVE ABSOLUTELY VOTED ON A BUDGET TO HELP SUPPORT THE CREEKS, THE LINEAR TRAILS THAT HAS NOT HAPPENED. AND THINK ABOUT IT. WHAT ARE THEY GOING TO TAKE AWAY OUT OF THEIR CURRENT PROGRAM TO FUND THE LINEAR CREEKS? MONEY DOESN'T JUST FALL OUT OF THE SKY. AND OH, BY THE WAY, YOU AND I AND EVERYBODY ELSE IN SAN ANTONIO PAYS INTO THE COUNTY TO DEVELOP THEIR BUDGET. THIS WOULD HELP BY DELAYING THIS VOTE TO SORT THAT OUT. HOW IS THE LINEAR CREEKS GONNA GET DONE? AND AGAIN, IF ONE OF THOSE INITIATIVES DON'T GET FUNDED OR PASSED BY THE CITIZENS IN NOVEMBER, THERE'S OUR ANSWER RIGHT THERE. WE CONTINUE ON WITH THIS PROGRAM WITH THE SALES TAX, THE LINEAR CREEKS IS A GREAT PROGRAM. [05:35:02] THE AQUIFER IS A GREAT, GREAT PROGRAM. I AGREE THAT IS TANTAMOUNT FOR THIS CITY TO KEEP GROWING AND TO PROTECT THAT. BUT I JUST DON'T UNDERSTAND WHY Y'ALL ARE IN SUCH A HELL BENT RUSH TO GET THIS THING DONE THIS WEEK BEFORE THE NOVEMBER ELECTION WHERE WE COULD SIT BACK AND SAY, OKAY, WHAT ARE WE GONNA DO HERE? AND IT MAKES NO SENSE TO ME AND I'M CERTAINLY NOT GONNA SUPPORT IT. I CAN TELL YOU THAT. AND I SUPPORT DELAYING THIS UNTIL AFTER NOVEMBER. THAT'S ALL I GOTTA SAY, SIR. THANK YOU. I HOPE Y'ALL THINK, I HOPE Y'ALL THINK ABOUT WHAT YOU'RE DOING, TAKING AWAY SERVICES FROM THE POOREST OF THE POOR HERE IN SAN ANTONIO FROM THE GENERAL FUND. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. COUNCIL MEMBER PERRY. UM, NEED TO SEE HANDS AGAIN ON THE MOTION ON THE FLOOR, WHICH IS A DELAY THAT WILL BE TAKEN UP FIRST OR ANY, ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION ON A DELAY OF ITEM FIVE. OKAY, HEARING NONE, UH, WE'RE GONNA GO AHEAD AND TAKE UP A MOTION, UH, TO DELAY ITEM FIVE. UH, AND THAT WILL BE FIRST. AND SO TO CLEAR UP ANY CONFUSION, UH, I'M GONNA GO AHEAD AND ASK THE CLERK FOR A ROLL CALL. VOTE. OKAY. SO A MOTION TO DELAY ITEM FIVE YES. MEANS TO DELAY THE ITEM, NO MEANS TO MOVE ON WITH A MOTION MADE BY COUNCIL MEMBER COURAGE. COUNCIL MEMBER CLARK. COUNCIL MEMBER TIA. YES. COUNCIL MEMBER ANDREW SULLIVAN. NAY. COUNCIL MEMBER VERAN NAY. COUNCIL MEMBER ROCHA GARCIA. NO. COUNCIL MEMBER GONZALEZ NAYYY. MEMBER CAB . NAYYY. COUNCIL MEMBER SANDOVAL NAYYY. COUNCIL MEMBER PEZ. NO. COUNCIL MEMBER COURAGE. COUNCIL MEMBER CURRY? NO. COUNCIL MEMBER PERRY. COUNCIL MEMBER PERRY? YES. COUN AND MAYOR NUREMBERG. AYE. ITEM MAYOR. OKAY. UM, LET'S GO BACK TO OUR QUEUE ON THE MAIN MOTION. UM, WE'LL START WITH COUNCIL MEMBER VERAN, FOLLOWED BY COUNCIL MEMBER SANDOVAL. MAYOR. UM, THANK YOU VERY MUCH. UH, THANK YOU TO, UH, YOU MAYOR FOR YOUR, YOUR WORK, UM, ON THIS AND COUNCIL MEMBER COURAGE FOR YOUR, UM, DILIGENCE ON THIS AS . AND AGAIN, BEN, I WILL SAY THAT YOU CAN'T GO ANYWHERE BECAUSE YOU, UM, KNOW ALL OF THE, THE INTRICACIES OF THIS AND THANK YOU HOMER AND ALL OF YOUR TEAM FOR BEING A PART OF THIS. I JUST HAVE A COUPLE OF THINGS. NUMBER ONE, UM, WE DIDN'T JUST START WORKING ON THIS THIS LAST WEEK BECAUSE IF YOU REMEMBER THE CONNECT SA CONVERSATION, THE MAYOR HAS BEEN TRYING TO WORK ON SOMETHING BECAUSE IT WAS EITHER GONNA BE CONNECT SA OR SOMETHING ELSE THAT WAS IN THE TALKS. AND BACK THEN I WASN'T SOLD ON CONNECT SA AND REMOVING THE DOLLARS. UM, AND SINCE, SO JUST TO PUT THAT, TO REMIND EVERYONE THAT A LOT OF CONVERSATION HAS BEEN TALKING ABOUT AQUIFER FUNDING EVER, EVEN SINCE BACK THEN. UM, BUT WHAT WE HAVE HERE NOW IS A LOT OF, UM, A LOT OF COLLABORATION AND A LOT OF WORK HERE. I DO HAVE TO SAY THANK YOU, DR. PROFESSOR, UH, ROCHA GARCIA FOR BRINGING ALL THE FACTS AND THE RECEIPTS AS YOU LAID THEM OUT, SO VERY NICELY HERE TODAY. UM, APPRECIATE THAT. AND, UM, I, I AM JUST GOING TO SAY YOU ALSO, UM, SHOWED A LOT OF YOUR STUDIOUS, I GUESS THAT'S THE UT LONGHORN RESEARCH THAT YOU'VE DONE. UM, SO THANK YOU FOR BRINGING THAT FORWARD. AND YES, THIS IS, I'M NOT SURE WHY A, A CONVERSATION BACK WHEN IT WAS CONNECT SA WAS MANY PEOPLE WANTED TO KNOW, WANTED TO HAVE SECURITY OF WHAT WE WERE GOING TO DO FOR THE AQUIFER, AND THAT DID NOT CHANGE WITH OUR GLOBAL PANDEMIC. WE KNEW THAT WE NEEDED TO HAVE SOMETHING FOR PROTECTION WITH OUR AQUIFER AND OUR CREEK WASTE. AND I WOULD VENTURE THAT BECAUSE OUR CREEK WAVES ARE A VERY, VERY WELL UTILIZED, UM, AND POPULAR AMENITY THAT OUR COUNTY COMMISSIONERS AND OUR JUDGE WILL LOOK AND SUPPORT OUR CREEK WAVES BECAUSE THAT IS SOMETHING THAT MANY PEOPLE [05:40:01] IN OUR COUNTY USE. AND I WOULD ENCOURAGE THEM TO DO THAT. AND THE, THE, UM, THE ARGUMENTS SAYING THAT WE ARE GOING TO BE HURTING ALL OF OUR, UM, ALL OF THE, THE INDIVIDUALS BY TAKING FROM THE GENERAL FUND. WE ARE MAKING A, A DELIBERATE INVESTMENT IN OUR COMMUNITY WITH THE WORKFORCE AND EDUCATION INITIATIVE ON THE BALLOT. AND I KNOW I VOTED TO PUT IT ON A BALLOT TO MAKE SURE THAT THE RESIDENTS COULD HAVE A VOICE. SO WITH THAT MAYOR, I KNOW THERE MAY BE SOME MORE QUESTIONS, BUT I THINK THEY CAN BE HANDLED OFFLINE AND WE'LL CONTINUE TO DO THAT. SO I DON'T KNOW IF I CAN DO THIS AGAIN, BUT I CALLED THE QUESTION SO WE CAN MOVE THIS FORWARD BECAUSE WE STILL HAVE SOME ZONING CASES WE HAVE TO GO THROUGH. THAT'S ALL. OKAY, THANK YOU. COUNCIL MEMBER IRAN, I, I THINK, UM, COUNCIL MEMBER SANDOVAL IS THE LAST IN THE QUEUE. UH, SO LET ME GIVE HER TIME AND THEN WE WILL GET TO THE QUESTION, UH, UNLESS THERE'S OTHERS IN THE QUEUE MOTION TO GET TO THE, TO THE QUESTION. SO COUNCIL MEMBER SANDOVAL, JUST TO CLARIFY, MAYOR, TO, TO AVOID HOPEFULLY TWO VOTES, UH, COUNCILMAN , YOU'RE NOT MOTIONING TO CALL THE QUESTION RECOGNIZING THERE'S STILL SOMEONE WHO WANTS TO SPEAK ON THE MARRIAGE. IS THAT CORRECT? UH, NO. WHAT, NO, I WANNA, I WANNA VOTE ON THIS. CORRECT. SO TO AVOID TWO VOTES, COUNCILWOMAN, IF THERE'S ONE COUNCIL MEMBER THAT STILL WANTS TO SPEAK, UM, OKAY. I JUST WANT CLARIFY. LET'S JUST, LET'S JUST GO, LET'S JUST, THANK YOU. THANK YOU. COUNCIL MEMBER VE, COUNCIL MEMBER SANDOVAL, WE'RE ALLOWED TO HAVE ONE LONG MEETING ONCE A YEAR IF IT'S THE ONE WHEN WE ADOPT THE BUDGET AND WE DECIDE TO ADD THIS ITEM ON THE AGENDA, UM, WHICH IS A VERY WORTHY AND IMPORTANT ITEM. UM, SO WHAT I WANTED TO, UH, WRAP UP THAT I WAS SAYING LAST TIME WAS THAT I DO THINK IT'S IMPORTANT FOR US TO ALSO BE COGNIZANT THAT THERE MAY BE OTHER MORE COST EFFECTIVE WAYS OF PROTECTING OUR AQUIFER WHEN IT COMES TO ASKING PEOPLE TO PAY, WHETHER IT'S FROM THE GENERAL FUND OR FROM A SALES TAX WHEN WE'RE ASKING PEOPLE TO PAY AS OPPOSED TO TIGHTENING REGULATION, WHICH MAY BE MORE COST EFFECTIVE. IT'S JUST, IT'S JUST IMPORTANT TO, TO BE COGNIZANT OF THAT. THE OTHER THING I'D LIKE TO BRING UP IS, UH, AS IT LOOKS LIKE THIS ITEM WILL BE PASSING AND WE WILL BE FORMING, UH, A NEW, UH, LOCAL GOVERNMENT CORPORATION, I THINK IT WOULD BE AN APPROPRIATE TIME TO ASK STAFF AND THE CAB TO REVIEW THEIR COMPOSITION AND COME BACK WITH ANY RECOMMENDATION TO EITHER MODIFY OR LEAVE THE SAME. BUT I WOULD BE INTERESTED IN HEARING, UH, FROM HOMER AND THE CAB ON THAT. UM, IN TERMS OF, AND, AND WHY THIS IS IMPORTANT, I THINK I JUST, UH, I WON'T EVEN TALK ABOUT THE TIMING, UM, EXCEPT TO SAY THAT THIS IS OVERDUE. IT, IT'S NOT A, A THING TO BE POSTPONED, BUT THIS IS SOMETHING THAT WE PROBABLY SHOULD HAVE, UH, TAKEN CARE OF, UH, IN AUGUST, UH, THE LINEAR CREEK WAYS. I DO WANNA BE COGNIZANT. SOMEONE MENTIONED SOMETHING ABOUT HOW THEY ENCOURAGE DEVELOPMENT AND THEY DO, UH, AND THAT DEVELOPMENT SOMETIMES INCREASES HOUSING COSTS AND MAY INCREASE DISPLACEMENT. THERE WAS A RECOMMENDATION MADE BY THE MAYOR'S, UH, HOUSING POLICY, HOUSING TASK FORCE ABOUT SETTING ASIDE FUNDING FOR PROJECTS LIKE THAT TO ASSIST PEOPLE WHO MAY BECOME DISPLACED, AS WE'VE SEEN IN SOME OF THE AREAS DOWNTOWN. SO I JUST WANNA BE COGNIZANT OF THAT AS WELL. AND LASTLY, UM, I THINK THERE'S SOME PEOPLE OUT THERE WHO WILL NOT SUPPORT THIS PROGRAM NO MATTER WHERE WE PUT IT, WHETHER IT'S ON A BALLOT OR ON THE COUNCIL AGENDA. MY FIRST ENGINEERING INTERNSHIP WAS, UM, WAS HERE IN SAN ANTONIO, BUT IT WAS ON A GROUNDWATER REMEDIATION PROJECT. UH, THESE ARE EXTREMELY EXPENSIVE PROJECTS, UH, AND THEY'RE EXTREMELY HARD TO, TO ENGINEER, AND I DON'T THINK WE EVER WANT TO PUT OUR AQUIFER AT RISK FOR THAT. IT'S THE PRIMARY SOURCE OF DRINKING WATER FOR ALL OF OUR POPULATION. UH, I CAN TELL YOU THAT'S CERTAINLY NOT A PLACE WHERE, WHERE WE WANNA BE. SO WITH THAT, I AM, UH, VERY GLAD TO SUPPORT THE CONTINUATION OF THE EDWARDS AQUIFER PROTECTION PROGRAM. THANK YOU TO ALL OF THOSE WHO WORKED ON IT. THANK YOU. COUNCIL MEMBER SANDOVAL, UM, [05:45:01] COUNCIL MEMBER, UH, PERRY. THANK YOU, SIR. JUST A COUPLE MORE QUESTIONS. WE KEEP TALKING ABOUT THIS, UM, MUNICIPAL FINANCE CORPORATION WHO WE'RE USING AN EXISTING ONE, BEN? UH, YES, SIR, THAT IS CORRECT. AND WHO IS THAT? SO IT'S A STATUTORY CORPORATION. YOU ALL SERVE AS THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS OF THAT CORPORATION, WHICH CORPORATION? THE SAN ANTONIO MUNICIPAL FACILITIES CORPORATION. OKAY. SO HAS THAT BEEN USED FOR ANYTHING ELSE OR WE USING IT FOR ANYTHING ELSE RIGHT NOW? UH, YES, SIR. I BELIEVE THAT IS A CORPORATION THAT WE HAVE, UH, FINANCED OUR, UH, PUBLIC SAFETY ANSWERING POINT OUT OF, WHICH IS OUR, UH, 9 1 1 DISPATCH CENTER. THAT WAS DONE BACK IN 2011. OKAY. ALL RIGHT. WE'VE ACTUALLY HAD THIS CORPORATION IN PLACE SINCE I BELIEVE 2001. OKAY. WELL, UM, THANK YOU, BEN. APPRECIATE IT. UM, I, I'M OBVIOUSLY DISAPPOINTED THAT, UM, YOU KNOW, WE'RE PRESSING ON WITH THIS EVEN THOUGH, UH, I'VE GOTTEN A LOT OF COMMENTS FROM MY FOLKS AND I DID NOT HAVE TIME IN ONE WEEK'S TIME TO GET THIS INFORMATION OUT TO MY DISTRICT. BUT THE LITTLE BIT THAT I DID GET OUT, I GOT A LOT OF FEEDBACK SAYING, NO, WE SHOULDN'T DO THIS. AND JUST LIKE TODAY, WE GOT TWO CALL TO QUESTIONS TO SHUT OFF, YOU KNOW, ANY OTHER COMMENTS ON THIS? IT'S JUST LIKE WE'RE SHUTTING OFF OUR NEIGHBORS AROUND THE CITY FROM MAKING A DECISION ON HOW THEY WANT TO SPEND THEIR TAX DOLLARS. AND IT'S NOT A FEW, IT'S A LOT. A HUNDRED MILLION DOLLARS PLUS. SO I'M, I'M STILL VERY DISAPPOINTED ABOUT THAT. UM, YOU KNOW, IN LOOKING AT THE POLLING THAT HAS HAPPENED, THE AQUIFER POLLED A LOT HIGHER THAN WORKFORCE TRAINING AND PRE-K FOR SA, BUT YET WE'RE NOT GIVING OUR CITIZENS AN OPPORTUNITY TO GIVE US THE GO AHEAD TO SPEND THIS MONEY THAT THEY, IT'S, IT'S NOT THIS MONEY, IT'S THEIR MONEY. SO AGAIN, JUST VERY DISAPPOINTED IN THAT, BUT THAT'S OKAY. WE'LL, WE'LL SEE WHAT HAPPENS IN THE FUTURE. THANK YOU, SIR. THANK YOU. UH, GARY. OKAY. THAT'S THE DURATION OF OUR DISCUSSION. THANK YOU EVERYONE, UH, FOR YOUR HARD WORK ON THIS AGAIN. UM, THANK YOU, UH, TO COUNCIL MEMBER COURAGE ESPECIALLY, AND BEN AND HIS TEAM. UH, THERE IS A MOTION AND A SECOND, A YES VOTE IS TO CONTINUE THE EDWARDS A FOR PROTECTION PROGRAM. A NO VOTE IS TO ALLOW THE EDWARD ER PROTECTION PROGRAM TO EXPIRE IN 2021. UM, LET ME CALL. ROLL, UH, COUNT. UH, MADAM CLERK, COUNCIL MEMBER TREVINO NAY. COUNCIL MEMBER ANDREW SULLIVAN. YES. COUNCIL MEMBER VIA AS COUNCIL MEMBER ROJA GARCIA. YES. COUNCIL MEMBER GONZALEZ. AYE. COUNCIL MEMBER CAB AYE. COUNCIL MEMBER SANDOVAL AYE. COUNCIL MEMBER? AYE. COUNCIL MEMBER CURTIS AYE. COUNCIL MEMBER PERRY. COUNCIL MEMBER PERRY AYE. AND MAYOR BERG. AYE. MOTION PASSES, MAYOR. THANK YOU. UM, AYE. HAVE IT ON ITEM FIVE, UH, NINE TWO. THERE IS A SECOND, [5B. 20-5561 Resolution of the Municipal Facilities Corporation accepting assignment of responsibility for the City’s Continued Edwards Aquifer Protection Program and approving a Programmatic and Finance Agreement with the City of San Antonio to administer the continued Program] UM, PORTION OF ITEM TWO, UH, PROCEDURALLY THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO WHILE RECESS AND THE MUNICIPAL FACILITIES CORPORATION WILL RE, WILL CONVENE TO CONSIDER ITEM FIVE B. UM, AND THIS IS THE COMPANION TO ITEM FIVE A MADAM CLERK, COULD YOU READ THE CAPTION? ITEM FIVE B IS A RESOLUTION OF THE MUNICIPAL FACILITIES CORPORATION ACCEPTING ASSIGNMENT OF RESPONSIBILITIES FOR THE CITY'S CONTINUED EDWARDS AQUIFER PROTECTION PROGRAM AND APPROVING A PROGRAMMATIC AND FINANCE AGREEMENT WITH THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO TO ADMINISTER THE CONTINUED PROGRAM. ALRIGHT, THE, UH, MUNICIPAL FACILITIES CORPORATION BOARD IS HEREBY CONVENE TO CONSIDER ITEM FIVE B. UH, I'LL ENTERTAIN A MOTION ON ITEM FIVE B. CHAIRMAN, I RECOMMEND APPROVAL OF THE MOTION ITEM FIVE B SECOND. OKAY. [05:50:01] THERE'S A MOTION BY COUNCIL MEMBER COURAGE, A SECOND BY COUNCIL MEMBER GONZALEZ ON, ON ITEM FIVE B. ANY DISCUSSIONS? ALRIGHT, UH, LET'S GO AHEAD AND, AND, UH, DO A ROLL VOTE AGAIN. MADAM CLERK, COUNCIL MEMBER TINO NATE. COUNCIL MEMBER ANDREW SULLIVAN. YES. COUNCIL MEMBER GAN. COUNCIL MEMBER GAN AYE. COUNCIL MEMBER R GARCIA. YES. COUNCIL MEMBER GONZALEZ. AYE. COUNCIL MEMBER CAB AYE. COUNCIL MEMBER SANDOVAL AYE. COUNCIL MEMBER REPLIES. AYE. COUNCIL MEMBER COURAGE. AYE. COUNCIL MEMBER PERRY NAY AND MAYOR BERG. AYE. MOTION PASSES, MAYOR. OKAY. AYES HAVE IT, UH, ON ITEM FIVE B, THE MUNICIPAL FINANCE CORPORATION WILL NOW ADJOURN AND THE CITY COUNCIL, THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO, WILL RECONVENE TO CONSIDER THE BALANCE OF THE AGENDA. UH, WE DO HAVE, UM, TWO MORE ITEMS FOR INDIVIDUAL CONSIDERATION, OR ACTUALLY ONE MORE ITEM FOR INDIVIDUAL CONSIDERATION, AND THEN WE GET TO THE ZONING. OKAY. SO, UM, LET'S GO NOW TO ITEM NUMBER [18. 20-5414 Ordinance amending the Recovery and Resiliency Plan for the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic and supplemental initiatives to further the objectives of the plan. [Maria Villagómez, Deputy City Manager; Ana Bradshaw COVID-19 Financial and Performance Liaison]] 18. ITEM 18 IS AN ORDINANCE OF MENDING THE RECOVERY OF RESILIENCE PLAN FOR THE ONGOING COVID 19 PANDEMIC AND SUPPLEMENTAL INITIATIVES TO FURTHER THE OBJECTIVE OF THE PLAN. ALRIGHT, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER VINNO, I THINK A PRESENTATION IS AVAILABLE IF YOU'D LIKE IT. UH, DONATE IT. I THINK WE JUST HAD IT, UM, YESTERDAY. SO, UH, LET ME JUST STATE BRIEFLY. UH, THE PANDEMIC HAS AFFECTED FOLKS ACROSS ALL INCOME BRACKETS, AND WE CANNOT PULL THE RUG OUT FROM UNDERNEATH THEM, WHETHER THEY MAKE $9 OR $99,000 THE AVERAGE AWARD FOR ASSISTANCE. UH, THE PROGRAM CHANGES ARE, ARE NOT ONES OF A COMPASSIONATE CITY, UH, ONES THAT AS COMPASSIONATE CITY WOULD MAKE, AND THEY ARE MADE SOLELY AT THE BENEFIT OF EXTENDING, UH, OR EXPANDING THE WORKFORCE PLAN. IF WE WOULD PROVIDE FUND, IF WE PROVIDED FUNDING FOR LIVING EXPENSES DIRECTLY THROUGH N H S C INSTEAD OF, UM, ASKING THEM TO BE A PART OF THE WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT, UH, ENTITY, WE WOULDN'T HAVE TO SCALE BACK OUR ASSISTANCE. I APPRECIATE STAFF TAKING, UH, THE COUNCIL'S FEEDBACK FROM LAST WEEK AND MAKING SOME CHANGES. I'M SURE THE CHANGES WERE MADE, UH, TO ENSURE THE EMERGENCY HOUSING ASSISTANCE, UH, PROGRAM LASTS THROUGH THE, THROUGH THE NEW YEAR. THE PROGRAM NEEDS MORE FUNDING, THEN WE SHOULD HAVE THAT DISCUSSION, BUT WE CAN, WE CANNOT CREATE GAPS IN THE PROGRAM. ALSO, THE EMERGENCY, UH, HOUSING PROGRAM, UH, DATA SHOWS THAT THE AWARD WAS 2,853. SO CHANGES WOULD NOT REALISTICALLY HELP MANY CASES WHERE MULTIPLE, WHERE MULTIPLE OF RENT ARE, ARE DUE, UH, ARE OWED. THIS WOULD ALSO LIMIT THE AMOUNT OF RENT OWED, UH, LAND RENT OWED TO LANDLORDS, UH, AND WHICH MAY LEAD THEM TO ADD FEES OR PURSUE AN INFORMAL EVICTION UNDER THE EXISTING CRITERIA, THE APPROXIMATE APPROXIMATELY $24 MILLION IN ASSISTANCE WOULD LAST, BY MY CALCULATIONS TILL ABOUT THE 1ST OF DECEMBER. UH, THE PROPOSED CHANGES STILL WOULDN'T GET US THROUGH THE NEW YEAR. UH, THEREFORE I MOTION TO AMEND ITEM 18 TO EXCLUDE THE NEW AMENDMENTS TO THE ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA FOR PHASE THREE OF THE EMERGENCY HOUSING ASSISTANCE PROGRAM, UH, VIA THE RE RECOVERY RESILIENCY PLAN CITY'S EMERGENCY RESPOND AND INSTEAD DIRECT THAT TO CITY TO, UH, CITY COUNCIL COMMITTEE FOR FURTHER REVIEW. UH, WE ARE, WE CURRENTLY HAVE THE, UM, CITY AUDITOR, UH, DOING A STUDY OF THE, OF THE PROGRAM. UH, THAT INFORMATION I THINK WILL BE VERY USEFUL IN, IN MAKING THE POINT THAT I THINK I'M MAKING, WHICH IS, UH, THE, THE, THE NEED IS, IS GONNA BE, IS CERTAINLY GONNA BE MORE THAN JUST ONE MONTH OF ASSISTANCE. UH, I THINK US CUTTING THAT BACK IS, IS, IS UH, CAN BE VERY TRAGIC FOR SOME AND, UH, WE NEED TO KEEP THE PROGRAM AS IS. BUT AGAIN, I'M ASKING MY COLLEAGUES TO ALLOW US TO SEND THIS BACK TO, UH, TO A, A NEIGHBORHOOD AND CULTURAL SERVICES COMMITTEE SO THAT WE CAN, UH, SO THAT WE'RE ABLE TO, UH, DISCUSS, UH, THE, THE CRITERIA, UH, MORE FULLY AND WITH MORE DATA. UH, AGAIN, THIS HAS JUST GIVEN US MORE TIME, UH, TO, TO ACCOMPLISH THAT WHILE APPROVING THE FUNDING SO THAT THAT FUNDING IS AVAILABLE. THANK YOU, MAYOR. THANK [05:55:01] YOU. COUNCIL MEMBER TREVINO. UM, ERIC, YOU HAD, UH, YOU WANTED TO MAKE SOME CLARIFICATIONS? UH, YES, SIR. I, UH, JUST, UH, IN LIGHT OF WHAT COUNCILMAN TREVINO JUST TO SET UP, I DID WANT TO POINT OUT, AND WE DIDN'T GET A CHANCE TO LET, UH, ON, UH, GIVE THE PRESENTATION, BUT BASED ON THE COUNCIL COMMENTS, UH, AT B SESSION YESTERDAY, ACTUALLY, THE, THE RECOMMENDATION TODAY WAS TO HAVE TWO FULL MONTHS. UH, WE, WE MADE ADJUSTMENTS FROM LAST WEEK, LAST WEEK'S A SESSION, OR LAST WEEK'S B SESSION THAT GRADUATED SCALE THAT WENT UP TO 80% A M I THAT WAS A CONVER THAT WAS A SUGGESTION FROM COUNCILMAN PERRY. THERE WERE COMMENTS MADE YESTERDAY ABOUT MOVING FROM ONE MONTH ASSISTANCE TO THEN CASH ASSISTANCE, UH, TO INCREASE THAT ONE MONTH TO TWO MONTHS. AND THAT'S WHAT'S BEFORE YOU TODAY. I WOULD, UH, I, I FEEL OBLIGATED TO LET THE COUNCIL KNOW THAT, YOU KNOW, THAT THERE WILL, THERE WILL UNDOUBTEDLY BE ONGOING CONVERSATIONS ABOUT THIS PROGRAM, BUT GIVEN OUR CURRENT SPEND RATE, UH, THE FACT THAT WE, WE DON'T HAVE COUNCIL NEXT WEEK, UH, MY RECOMMENDATION STRONGLY IS TO RECOMMEND THE APPROPRIATION SO THAT WE CAN CONTINUE, WE CAN ALWAYS TALK ABOUT WHAT THE PROGRAMMATIC ELEMENTS ARE, BUT I WANTED THE COUNCIL TO KNOW AND COUNCILMAN TREVINO TO KNOW THAT WHAT WE ARE RECOMMENDING TODAY IS TWO MONTHS RENT AND THEN THE CASH ASSISTANCE. AND SO IT'S NOT, IT'S NOT WHAT, UH, WHAT YOU HEARD AT THE COMMITTEE MEETING ON MONDAY, BECAUSE WE HEARD, WE HAD SEVERAL COUNCIL MEMBERS SAY YESTERDAY THEY WERE LOOKING FOR, THEY WERE SUGGESTING TWO MONTHS. AND I JUST WANNA MAKE SURE THAT'S CLEAR. WELL, I, AND I WANNA, I ALSO WANT TO COMMENT THAT THAT'S, THAT'S ESSENTIALLY MY MOTION IS TO MAKE THE FUNDS AVAILABLE, BUT TO HAVE FURTHER DISCUSSION ABOUT HOW THE, THE, THE PROGRAMMATIC CHANGES, UH, UH, HAVE, HAVE, HAVE CHANGED FROM THE ORIGINAL, UH, PROGRAM OF, OF HAVING THE AVAILABILITY OF THREE MONTHS OR $5,000 CHANGE TO ONE MONTH. I, I, I REALIZE THAT SOME PEOPLE SAID MAYBE TWO MONTHS WOULD WORK. I JUST WANT US TO HAVE A A, A BETTER DISCUSSION ABOUT THAT AND, AND JUST SIMPLY FUND THAT MONEY, GET IT GOING. UH, I THINK WE HAVE TIME TO DO THAT AND, AND, AND GET IT RIGHT. UH, AGAIN, THE AUDITOR IS, IS PROVIDING US DATA THAT'S GONNA SHOW, I THINK WILL SHOW US, UH, YOU KNOW, UH, USEFUL INFORMATION, UH, THAT'LL HELP US UNDERSTAND HOW WE SHOULD BE FUNDING, UH, THIS PROGRAM OR HOW, HOW WE SHOULD MAKE THE, UH, THE PROGRAM AVAILABLE. YES, BUT I THINK YOU AND I ARE SAYING THE SAME THING, BUT I WANNA MAKE SURE I'M, I'M CRYSTAL CLEAR ON THE SAME PAGE. WHAT, WHAT IS ON THE COUNCIL AGENDA RIGHT NOW IS TWO MONTHS. IT'S NOT ONE MONTH AND IT'S NOT THREE MONTHS. SO IT'S, IT'S TWO MONTHS. AND SO WE, IF THERE'S, IF THERE'S A VOTE TODAY AND THERE'S ONGOING CONVERSATION, JUST SO YOU KNOW, THAT, THAT, THAT IF IT'S, IF IT'S CONSIDERED AND APPROVED BY COUNCIL, IT'S TWO MONTHS, IT COULD ALWAYS CHANGE. COUNCIL CAN ALWAYS CHANGE IT LATER ON. I JUST DON'T WANT ANY MISUNDERSTANDING DOWN THE ROAD. OKAY, WELL THEN, THEN, THEN, OKAY, LET THEN JUST TO SIMPLIFY THE MOTION, LET'S, WE, I I, I MOVE TO APPROVE, UH, THE ITEM, UH, AND, UH, INSTEAD DIRECT THE ELIGIBILITY CHANGES TO THE OCTOBER MEETING OF THE CULTURAL NEIGHBORHOOD SERVICES COMMITTEE FOR FURTHER CONSIDERATION BEFORE BRINGING BACK TO FULL COUNCIL, UH, AT THE OCTOBER EIGHT MEETING. SO LET, LET ME, TO ME JUST CLARIFY, SO WHAT, YEAH, SO IF WE DO THAT, WHAT ARE THE PROGRAMMATIC ELEMENTS THAT ARE APPROVED TODAY? THE PROGRAMMATIC ELEMENT? WELL, AGAIN, I'M, I'M SAYING, UH, THAT WE NEED TO KEEP THE PROGRAM AS IS. I DIDN'T, I DIDN'T LIKE THE ONE MONTH. YOU'RE SAYING THAT YOU'RE INCLUDING THE TWO MONTHS. IF WE CAN HAVE A FURTHER DISCUSSION TO, TO, TO THEN DISCUSS WHETHER THAT WE CAN BRING IT BACK TO THE THREE MONTHS AS IS, THEN I, THEN I'M FINE WITH THAT. IF THAT KEEPS, IF THAT MAKES IT EASIER FOR EVERYBODY. I'M CLEAR. YES, SIR. PERFECT. THANKS. BUT I, AGAIN, I, I, AND, AND, AND COUNCILMAN, I ALSO WANNA MAKE SURE WE'RE ALL ON THE SAME PAGE, BUT ERIC, WHAT, WHAT IS BEFORE THE COUNCIL THOUGH, RIGHT NOW IS THE TWO MONTHS RIGHT, WITH THE RECOGNITION THAT IT MAY CHANGE AFTER FURTHER DISCUSSION AT A COMMITTEE LEVEL. THAT'S WHAT I UNDERSTAND BASED ON WHAT COUNCILMAN SINA JUST SENT. ALRIGHT. THAT IS CORRECT. OKAY. JUST I'M, I'M GONNA SUMMARIZE HERE AND MAKE SURE I GOT IT RIGHT. SO BASICALLY THE MOTION IS TO APPROVE THE ITEM, BUT SEND THE ELIGIBILITY DISCUSSION TO THE CULTURE NEIGHBORHOOD COMMITTEE, UH, FOR FURTHER REVIEW. CORRECT. OKAY. AND, AND POTENTIAL CHANGE TO ABOVE, TO, TO THREE MONTHS OR BEYOND, UH, ABOVE THE TWO MONTHS, YES. GOT IT. OKAY. I'LL SECOND THE MOTION. ALRIGHT, THAT'S WHAT I WAS LOOKING FOR. SO THERE'S A MOTION BY COUNCIL MEMBER TREVINO, SECONDED BY COUNCIL MEMBER COURAGE. I SEE NA UH, HANDS UP, I THINK FROM THE PREVIOUS ITEM. SO IF YOU CAN JUST REMOVE YOUR HAND IF YOU DON'T WANNA SPEAK ON THIS ITEM AND SHOW ME YOUR HAND IN YOUR SCREEN IF YOU DO. UM, WE'LL TAKE UP DISCUSSION. [06:00:02] UH, IF THERE IS NONE, UH, WE ALSO HAVE NO CITIZEN SIGNED UP TO SPEAK ON THIS ITEM, SO, UH, WE'LL GO AHEAD AND, AND TAKE THE MOTION THAT'S ON THE FLOOR, WHICH IS THE APPROVAL OF ITEM, UM, UH, MAYOR COUNCILMAN VIA VRAN WANTS TO SPEAK, IT LOOKS LIKE. YEAH, SHE'S IN THE, UM, BRIAN BRADY PORTION OF MY SCREEN, SO I MISSED HER. UH, COUNCIL MEMBER VRAN. THANK YOU, MAYOR, CAN SOMEONE JUST PUT UP THE SLIDE, SHARE THE SLIDE WITH US OF THE STAFF'S RECOMMENDATION O OF WHAT THIS IS THAT WE'RE VOTING ON, PLEASE? ERIC SAYS THAT MY COUNCIL COLLEAGUE, IF THE, IF THE COUNCIL COLLEAGUE AND ERIC ARE SAYING THE SAME THING, I JUST WANNA SEE IT ON A SLIDE, PLEASE. UH, GIVE, GIVE JOHN THE SLIDE, UH, THAT HAS THAT CRITERIA ON IT, PLEASE, JOHN, SLIDE 10 , BECAUSE I JUST WANNA MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE ALL ON THE SAME PAGE THINKING OF THE SAME THING. SO THIS SAYS MONTHS ONE AND TWO, WE'LL BE DOING THAT, AND THEN MONTH THREE. OKAY. I, I'M GOOD WITH THIS, BUT IS THIS TO MY COLLEAGUE? IS THIS WHAT YOU THOUGHT THAT YOU WERE MOVING FORWARD WITH? COUNCIL MEMBER TREVINO? THAT'S ALL MY TIME. THAT'S, I JUST WANNA KNOW TO MAKE SURE THAT COUNCILMAN TREVINO. THAT'S RIGHT. YES. I THINK, UH, UH, ERIC AND I CLEARED IT UP, UH, HAD OUR, BASICALLY HAD OUR MEETING RIGHT HERE ON COUNCIL. THANKS. YEAH, I THINK THE, UH, THE, THE ADDITION TO THE MOTION IS PROCEDURAL, UH, NOT AN APPROPRIATION. OKAY, THAT'S FINE. THANK YOU. UM, ANYBODY ELSE ON THIS ITEM? COUNCIL MEMBER ROCHA GARCIA. THANK YOU. SO JUST TO CLARIFY, WE ARE VOTING ON THE ITEM THAT WAS ON THE SLIDE AND, AND IT SAYS WHAT COUNCILMAN TREVINO IS TRYING TO ADD, BUT IT'S ALREADY ON THE SLIDE. CHECK. CHECK ME ON THIS, COUNCILMAN. WHAT THE COUNCILMAN IS SAYING IS THAT, UM, HE'S OKAY WITH WHAT'S ON THE SLIDE, BUT HE WANTS THE COMMITTEE, UH, TO REVIEW AND DISCUSS FURTHER ELIGIBILITY CHANGES AND THEN, UH, BROUGHT BACK TO COUNCIL, UH, IF THERE ARE CHANGES THAT THEY'RE, THAT THEY, THAT THEY COME UP WITH. CORRECT. MUNDO. OKAY. GOOD. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. THANKS COUNCILMAN. ALRIGHT, UM, EVERYBODY CLEAR ON THAT? OKAY. COUNCIL MEMBER SANDOVAL. THANK YOU. JUST A QUICK CLARIFICATION, ACTUALLY NOT RELATED TO, UH, TO THE HOUSING PILLAR, BUT TO THE HEALTH IMPLEMENTATION, UH, PLAN PILLAR. UM, THE MEMO STATES THAT THE REVISED AMOUNT FOR THE HEALTH IMPLEMENTATION PLAN IS A $53.5 MILLION TOTAL, WHICH I'M FAMILIAR WITH. WE WALKED THROUGH THAT. MARIA, UH, THANK YOU VERY MUCH, UH, FOR, FOR WALKING ME THROUGH THAT. UM, WHEN I CLICK ON THE REVISED LINE ITEM BUDGET, UH, WHICH IS, UH, ATTACHMENT ONE TO THIS ITEM AND I GET TO THE BOTTOM OF THE HEALTH IMPLEMENTATION PLAN, THE REVISED TOTAL IS SOMETHING ELSE. IT'S 45.7 MILLION AND I'M SURE THERE'S A VERY LOGICAL EXPLANATION OF SOMETHING VERY OBVIOUS THAT I'M MISSING, BUT IF YOU COULD JUST CLARIFY IT FOR ME, I'D FEEL A LOT BETTER. YES. UH, COUNCILWOMAN, I, UM, THAT ATTACHMENT IS, AND ANNA, I'LL MAKE SURE THAT I'M SAYING THIS CORRECTLY 'CAUSE I DON'T HAVE IT IN FRONT OF ME, BUT I BELIEVE THAT IS BREAKING OUT. UM, THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT FROM THE FIRE DEPARTMENT, WHEN YOU COMBINE THE TWO THAT IS A 53.4, METRO HEALTH BY ITSELF IS A $45 MILLION OR THE OH, OKAY. ALRIGHT. THANK YOU VERY MUCH, MARIA. THANK YOU. OKAY. UM, COUNCILMAN TNO, IF YOU COULD, UH, PLEASE TAKE OVER AS MAYOR PROTON, THE MAYOR STEPPED AWAY MOMENTARILY. OH, OKAY. THERE'S A MOTION ON THE FLOOR. I DON'T KNOW IF YOU CAN CALL YOUR OWN MOTION THERE, BUT THERE'S A MOTION ON THE FLOOR. I'LL DO IT. NO, ACTUALLY, YEAH. ALRIGHT. I HAVE A MOTION BY ME AND A SECOND BY WHO? SECONDED. COURAGE. ALL RIGHT. UH, ANY MORE DISCUSSION? ALL RIGHT. OKAY, LET'S, UH, ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SAY AYE. AYE. AYE. AYE. AYE. AYE. AYE. ALL THOSE AGAINST. ALRIGHT. MOTION PASSES. PERFECT. WE'LL MOVE TO THE PLANNING AND ZONING AGENDA. UM, SO MADAM CLERK, IF YOU MOVE TO THE FIRST PULLED INDIVIDUAL ZONING ITEM, UH, THANK YOU. THAT WILL [06:05:01] ACTUALLY GO TO MELISSA RAMIREZ, ASSISTANT DIRECTOR OF DEVELOPMENT SERVICES. THANK YOU. ALRIGHT, THANK YOU. UH, COUNCIL MEMBER SANDOVAL. I HAD MY QUESTION ANSWERED. MAYOR, DOES HE WANT, DOES HE WANT MELISSA? MELISSA, WE CAN'T HEAR YOU. YOU WANT ME TO START? YES, GO AHEAD. MELISSA. CAN YOU HEAR ME NOW? YES, YES, YES. [Z-1. 20-5031 ZONING CASE Z-2020-10700023 CD (Council District 1): Ordinance amending the Zoning District Boundary from "R-4 AHOD" Residential Single-Family Airport Hazard Overlay District to "R-4 CD AHOD" Residential Single-Family Airport Hazard Overlay District with Conditional Use for a Professional Office on Lot 9 and Lot 10, Block 7, NCB 2800, located at 116 Annie Street. Staff recommends Approval. Zoning Commission recommends Denial. (Continued from August 20, 2020.)] Z ONE IS FROM R FOUR R FOUR CD, WHICH GONNA USE FOR PROFESSIONAL OFFICE LOCATED AT 1 1 6 ANNIE STREET. STAFF RECORDS APPROVAL ZONING COMMISSION RECOMMENDS DENIAL. 16 NOTICES MELD FIVE IN FAVOR AND ZERO OPPOSED. MONTE VISTA. TERRA NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION IS IN SUPPORT. ALRIGHT, WE HAVE, UH, TWO CITIZENS SIGNED UP TO SPEAK ON ITEM C ONE. UH, LET ME GO AHEAD AND CALL 'EM NOW. MS. SUKO RAMOS, FOLLOWED BY RUSSELL REYES. GOOD AFTERNOON. THIS IS MITSUKO RAMOS WITH GOVERNMENT RELATIONS GROUP OF TEXAS. I REPRESENT VEDA AND REYES LIMITED, WHICH OPERATES THE SMALL MINORITY FAMILY OWNED LEGACY BUSINESS, THE BELOVED PANCHITO'S MEXICAN RESTAURANT. WE ARE REQUESTING A CONDITIONAL USE AUTHORIZATION TO ALLOW PROFESSIONAL OFFICE USE WITHIN A, UH, RESIDENTIAL STRUCTURE THAT'S LOCATED AT ONE 16 ANNIE STREET. THIS IS LOCATED ACROSS THE STREET FROM CHEETOS AND THE COMMERCIAL PARKING LOT THAT SERVICES THE PON CHEETOS PATRONS. UM, WE DID MEET WITH THE MONTE VISTA TERRACE ASSOCIATION MEMBERS SINCE THE LAST ZONING CASE IN AUGUST AND HAVE REACHED AN AGREEMENT ON DE RESTRICTIONS. SO WE HAVE RECEIVED HER SUPPORT AND I WANTED TO ESPECIALLY THANK MS. MARY JOHNSON, THE PRESIDENT OF THE ASSOCIATION FOR HER HARD WORK AND THE MEMBERS FOR THEIR SUPPORT. AND I ALSO, UH, APPRECIATE THE MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL'S CONSIDERATION. THANK YOU. THANK YOU MS. RAMOS, RUSSELL REYES. SURE. SO ALMOST WEARING A GENERAL MANAGER HAT THERE WHILE STILL DOING HIS RESPONSIBILITIES AS AN OPERATIONS DIRECTOR. UM, DOES HE, DOES HE WORK WITH HECTOR? HE DOES. UH, SIR, YOU'RE LIVE MR. REYES, YOU'RE LIVE SIR. THINGS WITH HIM THAT ARE GOING ON. MR. REYES. MR. REYES. SO YOU'RE LIVE ON THE COUNCIL MEETING, SIR. THEN THERE'S A NEW CONSENT THAT JESUS, TWO OPTIONS OF NAMES. YES. UH, BUT YEAH, SO, ALRIGHT, WE'RE GONNA MOVE ON BECAUSE THAT IT DOESN'T APPEAR THAT, UH, MR. REYES CAN HEAR US, BUT WE CAN HEAR HIM. UH, SO WE'LL GO AHEAD AND, UH, MOVE THIS ITEM. COUNCIL MEMBER TREVINO, WE HEAR HIM LOUD AND CLEAR. UH, THE, THE MONTE VISTA TERRACE, UH, NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION HAS HAD EXTENSIVE CONVERSATIONS WITH THE DEVELOPERS TO ENSURE THE NEIGHBORHOOD PROTECTIONS WOULD BE GUARANTEED WITH THIS PROJECT. I WANNA THANK ALL INVOLVED. I APPRECIATE THE FACT THAT THEY WERE ABLE TO COME TO AN AGREEMENT. EVERYONE IS SATISFIED, UH, WHILE SUPPORTING PANCHITO'S A FAMILY OWNED SAN ANTONIO RESTAURANT. A PLACE I GO TO A LITTLE, UH, ALMOST ALL THE TIME I MOTION TO APPROVE THIS REQUEST. SECOND. OKAY, THERE, THERE'S A MOTION AND A SECOND FOR APPROVAL OF ITEM Z ONE. UM, ANY DISCUSSION? HEARING NONE. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SAY AYE. AYE. AYE. AYE. ANY OPPOSED? MOTION [Items P-2 & Z-3: P-2. 20-5298 PLAN AMENDMENT CASE PA-2020-11600028 (Council District 2): Ordinance amending the Government Hill Neighborhood Plan, a component of the Comprehensive Master Plan of the City, by changing the future land use from “Low Density Residential" to "Mixed Use" on Lots 1,2,3,4,7,8,9,10, Block 3, NCB 1178, located in the 2000 block of North Walters Street. Staff recommends Approval. Planning Commission recommends Denial with an Alternate Recommendation. (Associated Zoning Case Z-2020-10700113) Z-3. 20-5300 ZONING CASE Z-2020-10700113 (Council District 2): Ordinance amending the Zoning District Boundary from "R-6 MLOD-3 MLR-2" Residential Single-Family Martindale Army Airfield Military Lighting Overlay Military Lighting Region 2 District and "R-6 CD MLOD-3 MLR-2" Residential Single-Family Martindale Army Airfield Military Lighting Overlay Military Lighting Region 2 District with a Conditional Use for Multi-Family Dwellings not to exceed three units per acre or a total of 3 units to "C-2 MLOD-3 MLR-2" Commercial Martindale Army Airfield Military Lighting Overlay Military Lighting Region 2 District on Lots 1,2,3,4,7,8,9,10, Block 3, NCB 1178, located in the 2000 block of North Walters Street. Staff recommends Approval, pending Plan Amendment. Zoning Commission recommends Denial. (Associated Plan Amendment PA-2020-11600028)] CARRIES. ITEMS P TWO AND Z THREE P TWO AND Z THREE IS AMENDING THE GOVERNMENT HILL NEIGHBORHOOD PLAN FROM LOW DENSITY RESIDENTIAL TO MIXED USE FROM R SIX AND R SIX CD WITH THE CONDITIONAL USE FOR THREE UNITS TO C TWO LOCATED AT THE 2000 BLOCK OF NORTH WALTER STREET. STAFF RECOMMENDS APPROVAL ZONING COMMISSION RECOMMENDS DENIAL PLANNING COMMISSION RECOMMENDS DENIAL WITH AN ALTERNATE RECOMMENDATION FOR LOW DENSITY MIXED USE. 44 NOTICES MAILED 10 IN FAVOR. 17 OPPOSED GOVERNMENT HILL ALLIANCE NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION IS IN SUPPORT AND THIS ITEM WILL REQUIRE NINE VOTES TO APPROVE DUE TO OPPOSITION EXCEEDING 20%. ALRIGHT, UH, WE DO HAVE SOME CITIZENS SIGNED UP TO SPEAK ON ITEM P TWO AND CREE. UH, SO LET ME GO AHEAD AND CALL THEM IN ORDER. UM, WE'LL START WITH STACY SCHWANS FOLLOWED BY DICK COLE. OKAY, CAN YOU HEAR ME? YES, WE CAN HEAR YOU. GO AHEAD. OKAY. MY NAME IS STACY SCHWAN. [06:10:01] I LIVE IN DISTRICT TWO. I WOULD LIKE TO READ FROM THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO FACT SHEET CALLED ZONING IN THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO. IT'S BASED UNDER THE HEADING DEEDED RESTRICTIONS AND COVENANTS. NEITHER DEEDED RESTRICTIONS OR COVENANTS CAN BE IMPOSED BY THE CITY DEEDS TO FIND THE PROPERTY BOUNDARIES AND COVENANTS OR PRIVATE AGREEMENTS LIMITING USE THAT CAN TAKE PLACE ON THE PROPERTY TIED TO THE TITLE OF THE PROPERTY. THIS MEANS THEY'RE PART OF THE PROPERTY OWNER'S RIGHT AND OBLIGATION AND NOT ENFORCED BY LOCAL GOVERNMENTS OR PLANNING AUTHORITY. WE HAVE THIS FACT SHEET THAT THAT WAS NOT ALL THIS WAS MADE VERY CLEAR BY D S B STAFF IN A MEETING AUGUST 14TH WITH THE 200 FOOT NEIGHBORS, JADA, ANDREW SULLIVAN, KA HERNANDEZ AND MICHAEL SHANNON. IT REQUIRES A CIVIL LAWSUIT BY THOSE NEIGHBORS TO ENFORCE THOSE NEIGHBORS WOULD HAVE TO BE WRITTEN INTO THE CON COVENANT OR DEEDED RESTRICTIONS AFTER THIS WAS MADE VERY CLEAR. THE MOTION LAST MONTH ON THE PARTNER FROST PROPERTY WAS TO INCREASE THE INTENSITY TO C TWO AS REQUESTED BY THE APPLICANT BASED ON AN AFFIDAVIT PROMISING DEEDED RESTRICTIONS. NO DEEDED RESTRICTIONS EXIST TO THIS DAY. THE REPRESENTATIVE FOR PROCESS THEY MIGHT NOT SELL TO GET DEVELOPED. SO THEN IF IT DOESN'T SELL, HOW WILL THE DEEDED RESTRICTIONS HAPPEN? AND EVEN IF THEY DO HAPPEN, WILL THE 200 FOOT NEIGHBORS BE LISTED? AND EVEN IF THE 200 FOOT NEIGHBORS ARE LISTED, HOW WILL WE WE BE ABLE TO SUE A DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION? FROST HAS BECOME A BULLY IN OUR NEIGHBORHOOD SUPPORTING TODAY'S CASE, WHICH PROMOTES THE LOSS OF HOUSING. WHY SHOULD WE TRUST THE RESTRICTIONS TO HELP TRULY HELP US ZONING APPROVALS OR THE COUNCIL'S RESPONSIBILITY, NOT DEEDED RESTRICTIONS OR COVENANTS OR OTHER PROMISES. THE APPROVAL OF THE COMMERCIAL ZONING IN THE CITY COUNCIL IS THE CITY COUNCIL APPROVING THE LOSS OF AFFORDABLE HOUSING. THERE'S NO OTHER WAY TO LOOK AT THIS. THIS IS NOT SOMETHING THAT HAS BEEN WORKED OUT AT THE DISTRICT LEVEL. THERE HAVE BEEN NO TRANSPARENT NEGOTIATIONS. THE U D C RECOMMENDS AFFIDAVITS BE SUBMITTED ALONG WITH THE APPLICATION FOR ZONING CHANGE, NOT THE MORNING IT GOES TO COUNCIL. IF OUR COUNCILWOMAN IS PUTTING THE RESPONSIBILITY ON US TO WORK THIS OUT OURSELVES AND NOT CONTROL THE DEVELOPMENT THROUGH ZONING, AS IS THE COUNCIL'S RESPONSIBILITY, THEN WE NEED MORE TIME TO DO THAT. IF YOU CAN'T STOP THIS MAG TODAY, THEN GIVE US THE TIME TO DO THE WORK OUR DISTRICT LEADERS HAVE NOT DONE. PLEASE DO NOT APPROVE THIS C TWO TODAY. THANK YOU. THANK YOU MS. SWANS ETTE COLE, FOLLOWED BY DORA PEREZ. GOOD AFTERNOON COUNSEL. PLEASE SHOW OPPOSITION SLIDE THREE. MY NAME IS DS COLE, A 200 FOOT NEIGHBOR. WE LIVE JUST 24 FEET ACROSS THE STREET FROM THIS PROPERTY. RACISM IS A PUBLIC HEALTH CRISIS AND I'M EMBARRASSED THAT MY COMMENTS TODAY AT THIS SESSION MUST BE ABOUT ZONING. THE ISSUES OF RACE AND COVID AND HOW THE BUDGET CAN ADDRESS THESE PROBLEMS ARE SO VITAL TO US ALL. BUT YET I AM HERE BECAUSE OF COVID. THE APPLICANT SIGNED AND FILED THIS ZONING CHANGE APPLICATION APRIL 20TH. DURING THE HEIGHT OF THE CITY'S STAY-AT-HOME ORDER, THEY SOUGHT TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THIS VULNERABLE TIME TO MAKE A PLATE OF SLIP A BLOCK OF OUR NEIGHBORHOOD FROM RESIDENTIAL TO COMMERCIAL. AND I'M HERE BECAUSE OF RACE. MY NEIGHBORHOOD IS A HISTORICALLY CULTURAL NEIGHBORHOOD OF COLOR, ONE THAT IS MARGINALIZED. AUGUST 4TH, COUNCILWOMAN SULLIVAN MET WITH THE 200 FOOT NEIGHBORS HEARD OUR COMPROMISE FOR C ONE SAID C TWO WAS TWO WIDE OPEN AND REPEATEDLY STATED SHE WOULD RECOMMEND ONLY C ONE WITH STIPULATIONS ON THIS PROPERTY. AUGUST 14TH, COUNCILWOMAN SULLIVAN HELD ANOTHER MEETING WITH THE 200 FOOT NEIGHBORS AND D SS D ON THE AGENDA WAS HOW TO WORD HER. MOTION FOR C ONE. THE LIST OF UNACCEPTABLE USES UNDER C ONE. THE 200 FOOT NEIGHBORS WERE ASKED TO PROVIDE AND DEEDED RESTRICTIONS AND HOW THE CITY CANNOT ENFORCE THEM. AUGUST 20TH, COUNCILWOMAN SULLIVAN MOTIONS FOR C TWO NA ON THE PARTNER PROPERTY JUSTIFYING THIS WITH THOSE MEANINGLESS DEED RESTRICTIONS THE CITY CANNOT ENFORCE. IT'S AN OUTRAGE FOR THE COUNCILWOMAN TO REACH INTO OUR WALLETS AND ASK US NEIGHBORS TO ENFORCE DEEDED RESTRICTIONS IN A CIVIL SUIT, WHICH WOULD BE OUR ONLY REMEDY. THIS IS A VERY REASON WE NEED A CONTINUANCE. C ONE WAS THE PERFECT IMPERFECT FIT. IT WAS A COMPROMISE ALREADY. YOU CANNOT COMPROMISE ON A COMPROMISE AND THEN COMPROMISE THAT MORE AND THINK THOSE INVOLVED REALLY HAD INPUT. ALL WE ASKED IS FOR AN EXTENSION. WE WERE TOLD OUR COMPROMISE WAS ACCEPTED AND WE WERE SHOCKED WHEN WE FOUND IT WASN'T. WE NEED TO UNDERSTAND WHAT'S GOING ON. WE HUMBLED OURSELVES TO COMPROMISE AND THEN WE WERE HUMILIATED. WE HAVE COMPROMISED ALL THE WAY TO C ONE 15 LEVELS UP IN ZONING INTENSITY. ALL WE'RE DOING IS ASKING FOR AN EXTENSION TO GIVE US TIME TO WORK THROUGH THIS WITH THE PROPERTY OWNERS. IF YOU'RE NOT PREPARED TO SAY NO TO C TWO, PLEASE VOTE [06:15:01] TO CONTINUE THIS CASE. PLEASE DON'T VOTE IF YOU HAVE NOT BEEN OUT HERE TO SEE OUR NEIGHBORHOOD, SEE OUR STREETS, SEE OUR SCHOOL. SEE THE FULL BLOCK OF BUNGALOWS BEING LOST, THIS WILL NEGATIVELY IMPACT THE 200 FOOT NEIGHBORS. OUR EAST GOVERNMENT HILL UP OUR EAST GOVERNMENT, HILL NEIGHBORHOOD, DISTRICT TWO, THE EAST SIDE AND THE ENTIRE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO. WE HEAR EACH OTHER TODAY, BUT WE DON'T SEE EACH OTHER. GIVE US TIME, COME SEE OUR NEIGHBORHOOD. COME SEE HOW IT IS LIKE A NEIGHBORHOOD IN YOUR DISTRICT. COME SEE HOW WE ARE PEOPLE JUST LIKE THOSE IN YOUR DISTRICT. COME SEE US. THIS IS THE WAY YOU WANT THINGS TO GO. IN YOUR DISTRICT. APPROVAL TODAY IS A RUBBER STAMP DEVELOPERS TO TREAT YOUR DISTRICT NEIGHBORHOODS THE SAME WAY. TAKE TIME PLEASE TO GET THIS RIGHT. THANK YOU. THANK YOU MS. COLE. DO DORA PENEZ FOLLOWED BY ROSE HILL. CAN YOU HEAR ME? YES, WE HEAR YOU. GO AHEAD. CAN YOU HEAR ME? OH, OKAY. THANK YOU. UH, GOOD AFTERNOON. MY NAME IS DORA BEEZ. I LIVE AT 7 25 SANDMEYER ONLY 58 FEET FROM THE APPLICANT'S PROPERTY. OUR R 60 EAST SIDE GOVERNMENT HILL IS BEING CHIPPED AWAY TO COMMERCIAL. THE FIRST PROPERTY CHIPPED AWAY WAS LAST YEAR ON THE CORNER OF EDGAR AND I 35 FRONTAGE ROAD IN OUR EAST SIDE GOVERNMENT HILL NEIGHBORHOOD. OUR MAYOR, THE CITY COUNCIL MEMBER VOTED IN FAVOR OF COMMERCIAL ZONING. THE SECOND PROPERTY TRIPPED AWAY WAS JUST 29 DAYS AGO IN THE SAME EAST SIDE GOVERNMENT HILL RESIDENTIAL NEIGHBORHOOD. THIS PROPERTY IS ON THE CORNER OF WALTERS AND I FIVE FRONTAGE ROAD AND WAS VOTED IN FAVOR OF A C TWO COMMERCIAL ZONING. TODAY THE THIRD REZONING CASE IS AGAIN IN THE SAME EAST SIDE GOVERNMENT HILL NEIGHBORHOOD. BUT THIS PROPERTY IS DIFFERENT. THIS PROPERTY IS NOT ON THE CORNER. THIS PROPERTY IS NOT ON THE MAIN FRONTAGE ROAD. THIS PROPERTY IS IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD. WE'VE BEEN TOLD BY THE APPLICANT THAT THIS PROPERTY COMBINED WITH ANOTHER PROPERTY ALREADY VOTED COMMERCIAL, I'M SORRY, ALREADY VOTED. 60 COMMERCIAL 29 DAYS AGO WILL MAKE A 2.1 ACRE PROPERTY THAT IS HUGE FOR OUR NEIGHBORHOOD. WE, THE NEIGHBORS HAVE TAKEN THE ADVICE OF A COMMISSIONER, A D TWO REPRESENTATIVE AND, AND REACHED OUT TO THE APPLICANT SEVERAL TIMES TO WORK TOGETHER AND DISCUSS A COMPROMISE. THE APPLICANT IS SAYING IT COULD BE, MIGHT BE, BUT WE DON'T KNOW. YOU DON'T KNOW. I DON'T THINK THE APPLICANT EVEN KNOWS WHAT'S GOING TO BE DEVELOPED. THE APPLICANT HAS NO INTEREST IN A COMPROMISE WITH THE NEIGHBORS, PERIOD. THEY SAID THEY HAVE SAID THEY WANTED THE MOST MONEY THEY CAN GET WITH A C TWO REZONING. THIS IS A BLIND REZONE CODE REQUEST. A SITUATION HAS ALREADY HAPPENED BEFORE SEVERAL MONTHS AGO. SAME D TWO DISTRICT, BUT ANOTHER NEIGHBORHOOD. OUR D TWO REPRESENTATIVE, OUR CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS AND OUR MAYOR VOTED IN FAVOR OF A C TWO COMMERCIAL AND WHAT HAPPENED? THE APPLICANT WASN'T TRANSPORT, UM, SORRY. TRANSPARENT ENOUGH, THE REZONING CODE WAS GRANTED AND A GUNSHOT WENT UP THREE BLOCKS FROM OUR, UH, FROM AN ELEMENTARY SCHOOL. OUR ELEMENTARY SCHOOL IS ONLY 425 FEET FROM THE APPLICANT'S PROPERTY. WE, THE NEIGHBORS, I'M SORRY. WE, THE NEIGHBORS ARE FIGHTING OUR HARDEST TO SAVE OUR NEIGHBORHOOD FROM BEING SHIPPED AWAY FROM AN UNKNOWN COMMERCIAL TAKEOVER. THE FEAR OF WHAT THESE ZONING CODES C TWO CAN BRING INTO OUR NEIGHBORHOOD LIKE A GUN SHOP, PAWN SHOP, OR A TAXI POWER SCARES US. MAYOR, CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS, IF YOU ARE NOT PREPARED TO SAY NO TO A C TWO, PLEASE VOTE TO CONTINUE THIS CASE. PLEASE, PLEASE DON'T VOTE IF YOU HAVE, UM, NOT SEEN OUR NEIGHBORHOOD IN PERSON TO SEE HOW THIS WILL IMPACT US. PLEASE DON'T KILL GOVERNMENT HILL AND THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME. THANK YOU. MS. PEREZ ROSE HILL, FOLLOWED BY STEVEN RSTI. UH, CAN YOU HEAR ME SIR? YES, WE HEAR YOU. GO AHEAD. CAN YOU HEAR ME OKAY? YES, MA. YES SIR. MY NAME IS ROSE HILL, PRESIDENT OF GOVERNMENT HILL, UH, NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION. UH, WE ARE IN SUPPORT OF THIS PROJECT. THIS HAS BEEN A LONG ONE YEAR PROJECT THAT WE HAVE BEEN, THERE HAVE BEEN, UH, DISCUSSIONS WITH THE NEIGHBORS AND MEETINGS. UH, I DON'T THINK THIS SHOULD BE DELAYED ANY FURTHER. AND TODAY WHAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT, SIR, IS ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT. WE HAVE RESTAURANTS AND OUR NEIGHBORHOODS THAT ARE CLOSING. WE'VE GOT FAMILIES THAT HAVE LOST INCOME. WE NEED JOBS. AND THAT'S THE ONLY WAY THAT WE'RE GONNA BE ABLE TO BRING OUR NEIGHBORHOOD. WHY SHOULD WE HAVE TO SETTLE? WHY SHOULD GOVERNMENT? I HAVE TO SETTLE FOR SECOND DEATH. WE SHOULD BE UP THERE WITH EVERYBODY ELSE. WE DESERVE TO HAVE OUR NEIGHBORS HAVE GOOD JOBS BRINGING ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT. WE'RE NOT TALKING ABOUT PUTTING A GAS STATION THERE. WE'RE NOT TALKING ABOUT PUTTING A TATTOO PARTNER THERE, THERE WE'RE NOT TALKING ABOUT PUTTING A GUN SHOP THERE. WE CONTINUE TO HEAR THAT AND WE, WE HEAR IT LOUD AND CLEAR AND WE DON'T WANT THAT THERE. I SUPPORT THE NEIGHBORS ON THAT. BUT AT THE SAME TIME, THE NEIGHBORS HAVE TO UNDERSTAND THAT IS A CORNER THAT DOES NOT BELONG AS RESIDENTIAL. IT BELONGS AS COMMERCIAL. IT'S THE IN MAIN GATE TO OUR FORT SAM BASE. WE ALSO DESERVE IT TO OUR NEIGHBORS AND [06:20:01] FORT SAM MILITARY AND THE ENTIRE COMMUNITY THAT EVERYBODY MUST BENEFIT NOT JUST TO SELECT YOU, BUT THE ENTIRE NEIGHBORHOOD NEEDS TO, FROM ALL THE WAY FROM HINES ALL THE WAY TO BROADWAY AND GOVERNMENT HILL. WE NEED TO WORK TOGETHER. WE NEED TO SEE, I KNOW THE CHANGE IS HARD. IT IS THE MOST DIFFICULT, THIS DECISION THAT THE PRESIDENT SOMETIMES WE HAVE TO MAKE, BUT WE HEAR IT AT THE SAME TIME. AND I WANNA TAKE AS THE COUNCIL TODAY, AS YOU'RE HEARING PEOPLE CALL IN, PLEASE CONSIDER AND READ THOSE COMMENTS THAT WERE PUT IN. THERE WERE 31 PEOPLE THAT COULDN'T BE HERE TODAY FROM GOVERNMENT HILL. OUR BUSINESSES, OUR SMALL BUSINESSES THAT HAVE SUPPORTED THIS, THAT WANNA SEE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT HAPPENING IN THAT NEIGHBORHOOD. THEY TOO DON'T WANNA SHUT THEIR DOORS. SO THEY'RE SUPPORTING THIS AND THOSE OTHER PEOPLE THAT HAD TO WORK TODAY COULDN'T BE HERE. I URGE YOU, COUNSEL, PLEASE ALSO VOTE, VOTE IN FAVOR OF THIS AND GIVE THOSE PEOPLE THAT SIGNED IN ON THE COMMENTS TODAY. GIVE THEM THE, THE RESPECT THEY DESERVE. READ THEIR COMMENTS TODAY BECAUSE THEY COULDN'T BE THERE AND THEY TOO WANNA SEE SOMETHING GREAT HAPPEN AT THAT CORNER. WE'VE GOTTA WORK TOGETHER. WE GOTTA STOP FIGHTING. WE GOTTA WORK TOGETHER AND WE GOTTA SEE THE CHANGES COMING. LET'S WORK TOGETHER ON CHANGE. LET'S NOT WORK AGAINST EACH OTHER. THIS IS NOT HAPPENING IN THE CORNER MIDDLE OF THE NEIGHBORHOOD. IT'S HAPPENING ON THE CORNER LOT. IT IS NOT IN THE HEART OF THE NEIGHBORHOOD. SO WE GOTTA WE GOTTA WORK OUT. WE GOTTA STOP TELLING PEOPLE THE WRONG INFORMATION, GIVING OUT THE WRONG INFORMATION. LET'S START SITTING DOWN AT THE CA AT THE TABLE OVER A CUP OF COFFEE. LET'S TALK ABOUT THIS. YES, I AGREE, BUT THIS WAY OVERDUE. AND I URGE YOU COUNSEL TO PLEASE, PLEASE VOTE ON IT TODAY. LET'S PUT THIS BEHIND US SO THAT WE, THE NEIGHBORS THAT EVENTUALLY CAN SIT DOWN TOGETHER AND WORK THROUGH THIS ONE WAY OR THE OTHER. BUT I URGE OUR COUNSEL AND EVERYBODY GIVE, LET, ALLOW THOSE PEOPLE'S COMMENTS TO BE READ TODAY, PLEASE. MS. HILL. UH, STEVEN TI FOLLOWED BY RANDY COLE. HELLO. UH, JUST REAL QUICK. THERE WILL BE NO CUP OF COFFEE IF YOU VOTE ON THIS TODAY. I CAN ASSURE YOU OF THAT. UH, I'M STEVE ORTEIG, 1 0 5 RENO STREET. UH, 200 FOOT NEIGHBOR WITHIN 24 FEET. PLEASE PUT UP OPPOSITION. SLIDE TWO. EVERYONE CANNOT AGREE ON AN ISSUE. HOWEVER, THERE BETTER BE AN EXPLANATION. WE ARE NOT CHILDREN BECAUSE I SAID SO IS NOT AN EXPLANATION FOR AN ELECTED OFFICIAL. WE ARE WAITING ON ANSWERS AND EXPLANATION. WE DO NOT UNDERSTAND WHY OUR HISTORICALLY CULTURAL NEIGHBORHOOD CANNOT STAY RESIDENTIAL THE WAY IT WAS BUILT. WE DO NOT, WE DO NOT UNDERSTAND WHY COMMERCIAL GOING TWO BLOCKS DEEP INTO OUR NEIGHBORHOOD IS HELPFUL. WE DO NOT UNDERSTAND WHY THE PLAN SHOULD EVER BE FOR SINGLE FAMILY HOMES TO BE ACROSS, RIGHT ACROSS AND FACE. FACE INTENSE COMMERCIAL. WE DON'T UNDERSTAND WHY WE'RE LOSING HOUSING. WE DO NOT UNDERSTAND WHY THERE IS RESIDENTIAL DEVELOPMENT ALL OVER THE URBAN CORE AREA, BUT CANNOT HAPPEN HERE. WE WANT OUR SMALL STREETS AND SIDEWALKS TO BE SAFE FOR AN ELEMENTARY SCHOOL CHILDREN ON THEIR WAY TO PERSHING A BLOCK AWAY. WE TRIED TO BE HUMBLE IN THE FACE OF POWERFUL MONEY INTEREST. WE SET OUR, WE SET OUR SLINGSHOT THAT GOT THE GOLIATH QUICKTRIP. NOW WE NEED TO COMPROMISE. WE SAID WE WOULD ACCEPT LIGHT COMMERCIAL C ONE. WE NEED PEOPLE TO UNDERSTAND THAT C ONE WAS A BIG COMPROMISE FOR US NEIGHBORS WITHIN 200 FEET. WE SAT DOWN, WE COMPROMISED, WE COMPROMISE. WE HAVE THAT CUP OF COFFEE AND NOW THEY DON'T. LISTEN, WE HAD A STRONG COMMITMENT FROM OUR COUNCILWOMAN FOR C ONE AND NOT C TWO. WE DON'T UNDERSTAND HOW IT CAME TO THIS. WHEN THE COUNCILWOMAN DECIDED WE WILL GET C TWO AND LIKE IT. WE NEED MORE TIME TO UNDERSTAND DENIAL IS THE RIGHT THING BECAUSE THE APPLICANT HAS NOT RESPECTED THE PROCESS, NOT RESPECTED THE INTENT OF THE U D C, NOT RESPECTED THE COMMISSIONS AND NOT RESPECTED US NEIGHBORS. IF YOU CANNOT VOTE FOR DENIAL TODAY, WE NEED MORE TIME. IT DOESN'T MATTER WHAT DISTRICT IT IS IN. COUNCIL MUST MAKE SURE PEOPLE RESPECT AND FOLLOW THE PROCESS. IF YOU DON'T KNOW IN YOUR HEART OF HEARTS, THEN YOU NEED MORE TIME. ALL YOU ALL COUNCIL MEMBERS NEED TO VISIT OUR NEIGHBORHOOD AND NOT JUST DRIVE BY ON THE ACCESS ROAD. BUT WALK DOWN SANDMEYER, WALK DOWN EDWARD STREET, WALK DOWN RENO, WALK DOWN JIM STREET ZONING COMMISSIONER DR. FRANCINE ROMERO SAID WHEN YOU GO THERE, YOU CAN SEE THE R SIX IS A FUNCTIONING, ORGANIC, HEALTHY NEIGHBORHOOD. WE NEED TIME FOR SINCERE NEGOTIATIONS BECAUSE THOSE HAVE NOT HAPPENED. DON'T SET A PRECEDENT WHERE BULLYING YOUR WAY THROUGH THE PROCESS IS REWARDED. WE HAVE GOT ONLY MIXED MESSAGES. WE DESERVE PLANS FULLY REVEALED. WE DON'T VOTE. DON'T VOTE FOR SOMETHING THAT MIGHT BE OKAY. FIND OUT IF IT IS OKAY. IF YOU WANT TO VOTE FOR APPROVAL TODAY, WE BETTER HEAR YOUR REASONS AND DISCUSSION. OUR MESSAGE HAS BEEN OUT THERE AND IF YOU HEARD IT LOUD AND CLEAR AND ARE READY TO VOTE FOR DENIAL, THEN GREAT. LET'S HEAR THAT OPINION AND DISCUSSION AS WELL. IF WE CANNOT HAVE OPEN TRANSPARENT DISCUSSION HERE TODAY, THEN CALL A TIMEOUT AND MAKE IT A FULL TIMEOUT FOR EQUITY. WE DESERVE YOU TO NOT BE FOOLED BY C TWO. NA X, Y Z C TWO IS C TWO. WE DESERVE TO NOT BE MADE TO SWALLOW SOMETHING NEVER SHARED WITH US UNTIL TODAY. WE DESERVE OUR CITY COUNCIL MAKING A TRUE COUNCIL DECISION, NOT A RULING BY A DISTRICT MONARCH. NOW IS THE TIME [06:25:01] FOR DISCUSSION. A TOUGH DECISION OR A CONTINUUM. THANK YOU MR. . RANDY COLE, FOLLOWED BY LIZ FRANKLIN. GOOD AFTERNOON. CAN YOU HEAR ME? YES, WE HEAR YOU. GO AHEAD. ALRIGHT. I'M RANDY COLE. I LIVE IN DISTRICT TWO. I'LL BE READING AN OPPOSITION LETTER FROM COUNTY COUNCIL. COUNTY COMMISSIONER TOMMY CALVERT TO COUNCILWOMAN SULLIVAN. UH, MR. CALVER BEGINS, I WRITE WITH A STRONG LEVEL OF HUMILITY IN ACKNOWLEDGING THAT THERE IS A REASON WHY I DON'T REGULARLY WEIGH IN ON CITY ISSUES. BUT HUMILITY ALSO MEANS YOU CAN ADMIT WHEN YOU MAY HAVE MADE A MISTAKE AND KNOW THAT IT'S NEVER TOO LATE TO MAKE THINGS RIGHT. I'M WRITING TO ASK YOU TO DO ALL YOU CAN TO PROTECT THE RESIDENTS WHO WILL BE ACROSS THE STREET FROM THE UPCOMING ZONING CASE AND NOT GIVE A C TWO INTOXICATION, BUT KEEP LOWER COMMERCIAL USE OF C ONE IN A OR RESIDENTIAL. IN 2002, I REPRESENTED THE BUSINESS OWNERS IN GOVERNMENT HILLS AND I'VE BEEN INVOLVED IN TRYING TO CREATE A BETTER GATEWAY FOR FORT SAM HOUSTON ALONG NEW BRONZEVILLE AND WALTER STREET. FORT SAM HOUSTON IS HOME TO THE CONSOLIDATION OF MILITARY MEDICINE FOR ALL OF THE ARMED FORCES. THE CONSOLIDATION OF THE MILITARY MEDICINE IN FORT SAM HOUSTON IS THE LARGEST ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT PROJECT IN THE HISTORY OF BEXAR COUNTY. THE ECONOMIC IMPACT OF THOSE MEDICAL AND TEACHING JOBS IS 2.5 TIMES THE ECONOMIC IMPACT OF LANDING THE TOYOTA PLANT. HOWEVER, WALTER STREET AT FORT SAM DOESN'T REFLECT ITS HUGE ECONOMIC INFUSION AND THE NEIGHBORHOOD NEARBY HAS NOT SHARED IN THESE BENEFITS. IT IS MY HUMBLE OPINION THAT A C TWO THAT ALLOWS TIRE REPAIR, TATTOO PARLORS, AUTO AND LIGHT TRUCK OIL AND TUNE UP ADJACENT TO THE RESIDENCE DOESN'T REFLECT THE GATEWAY WE SHOULD PROJECT TO THE HOME OF MILITARY MEDICINE AND THE CENTER OF HOMELAND SECURITY OF ARMY NORTH AND SOUTH, WHICH AS YOU KNOW, IS HEADQUARTERS TO HOMELAND SECURITY FOR THE ENTIRE WESTERN HEMISPHERE. IT HAS COME TO MY ATTENTION THAT STARBUCKS WAS NOT INVOLVED IN THIS PARTICULAR ENDEAVOR, BUT THE CARROLL REAL ESTATE, WHICH HAS A RELATIONSHIP WITH THEM IS SO, SUCH AN OPPORTUNITY TO RECRUIT THEM, CAN BE SALVAGED AND PITCHED USERS LIKE STARBUCKS WON'T NEED A C TWO CLASSIFICATION. THE RESIDENTS ARE NOT OPPOSED TO USE LIKE THAT AND OTHER THINGS WITHIN C ONE AND A NA. AND WE NEED TO TRY TO BE PARTICULARLY CONCERNED WITH THOSE WHOSE PROPERTY IS CLOSEST TO THE ZONING REQUEST. I'M GOING TO REACH OUT TO FROST BANK, THE FAMILY TRUST AND OTHER PROPERTY OWNERS TO TRY TO SALVAGE A COMMUNITY USE THAT COULD BE A LONG-TERM BENEFIT TO THE COMMUNITY. I HAVE RELATIONSHIPS WITH STARBUCKS FOR MY SERVICE AND THE HONORARY COMMANDER OF THE 433RD FLYING WING OF THE US AIR FORCE AND WILL WORK WITH YOU TO RECRUIT AN ANCHOR TENANT LIKE STARBUCKS THAT CAN BE UNIFYING TO ALL OF THE RESIDENTS. I ENCOURAGE YOU TO REVISIT YOUR ORIGINAL COMMITMENT OF A C ONE NA ZONING CLASSIFICATION FOR THIS PARCEL. DOING SO WILL ENSURE THAT THE RESIDENTS ACROSS THE STREET ARE NOT NEGATIVELY IMPACTED BY FUTURE END USERS THAT ARE NOT CONGRUENT WITH THE WORK OF REVITALIZING THE GOVERNMENT HILL COMMUNITY, WHICH I HAVE WORKED ON FOR MORE THAN 20 YEARS. PERSONALLY. THANK YOU FOR LABORING WITH THE DIFFICULT WORK WE HAVE IS PUBLIC SERVICE IN THESE CONSEQUENTIAL TIMES AND THE GREAT WORK YOU DO FOR THE COMMUNITY. I'M AT YOUR SERVICE TO PLAY BOOTLEG REALTOR TO PITCH THE BUYING POWER OF THE SOLDIERS IN SO THAT WE CAN GET END USERS TO DELIVER FOR THINGS THAT THE EAST SIDE HASN'T HAD FROM COFFEE SHOPS AND SPAS TOGETHER WE CAN DO IT. THANK YOU MR. CALL TOMMY LIZ FRANKLIN, FOLLOWED BY FERNANDO LOZANO. YES SIR. CAN YOU HEAR ME? YES, WE CAN HEAR YOU. GO AHEAD. UH, LIZ FRANKLIN D TWO. UH, UH, THE FIRST THING I'D LIKE TO DO IS, UH, UH, THANK THE BUDGET TEAM AND, AND ALL OF YOUR COUNCIL MEMBERS, AND I'M NOT GONNA TAKE LONG, BUT I DON'T HAVE TO TAKE LONG. WE'VE HEARD ALL YOU NEED TO HEAR. I THINK. UM, THAT WAS A TREMENDOUS PROCESS TO THE MOST DIFFICULT TIMES I'VE EVER SEEN IN MY LIFETIME. AND I WORE BOOTS FOR 21 YEARS. SO HAT THOUGHT TO ALL OF YOU THAT PUSHED AND PULL TO MAKE THAT WORK. UH, BITTERSWEET, COUNCILWOMAN GONZALES AND VIA GRAND. I DON'T KNOW IF I'M HAPPY OR SAD BECAUSE YOU GUYS SEEM TO GET YOUR WAY AND THAT'S A COMPLIMENT. UH, YOU LEARNED EVERY BIT OF IT, UM, BUT YOU STILL GOT TIME TO SERVE. SO, BUT THAT WAS YOUR LAST BUDGET, BUT I WANTED TO ACKNOWLEDGE THAT I LEARNED AS A COMMUNITY ADVOCATE AN AWFUL LOT FOR ME TOO, AND I APPRECIATE YOUR SERVICE ON THAT. AND LASTLY, BEFORE I GET STARTED, AND HOPEFULLY I'LL RUN OUT OF TIME AND YOU'LL BE HAPPY WITH THAT. UM, POLICE REFORM, I'M NOT HAPPY ABOUT THE BUDGET. UM, AND $8 MILLION TOWARDS, UH, UH, THE POLICE. IT'S NOT ABOUT DEFUNDING THE POLICE. I HAVE HIGH REGARD FOR EVERYBODY THAT WEARS A UNIFORM THAT SUITS UP EVERY DAY TO DO THEIR JOB. I [06:30:01] JUST CANNOT LIVE WITH THE IDEA THAT AS A SOCIETY WE CAN JUST BE LAISSEZ-FAIRE ABOUT SHOOTING A A BLACK MAN, ANY MAN, A BROWN MAN, ANY MAN IN THE BACK AND MOVE ON AS IF NOTHING HAPPENED. MS. FRANKLIN, UM, NEED TO ASK YOU TO KEEP IT TO THE ITEM POSTED, MA'AM. ALRIGHT, SIR. SORRY, I GOT OFF ON THE WRONG TRACK. LET'S GO BACK TO THE C ONE. COUNCILMAN ANDREW SULLIVAN KNOWS SO WELL THAT SHE PROMISED C ONE WITH STIPULATIONS. SHE HAD A STIPULATION ON THE C ONE. THEY DIDN'T ANSWER THAT THEY COMPROMISED FOR C FOR C ONE. SHE COMES BACK ON THE DAY OF BOTH ON THE SISTER PROPERTY, C TWO NA D RESTRICTIONS WAS KNOWING FULL WELL, FIRST OF ALL, SHE NEVER WENT BACK TO THEM OR US. SECOND OF ALL, SHE KNOWS THAT'S GOT TO COME OUT OF THEIR POCKET. IF IT CAN'T BE ENFORCED, THE CITY CAN'T ENFORCE THAT. THAT WAS A SHAM VOTE. THAT WAS A SHAM COMPROMISE THAT WAS MANIPULATIVE BECAUSE WHAT YOU BASICALLY SAID IS AFTER THE FACT IS YOU GUYS WON'T CHANGE YOUR POSITION. SHE KNOWS FULL WELL IN THAT. HAVING SAID ALL THAT, IF YOU CAN'T DENY THE PROJECT, AND I GET IT, YOU DON'T WANT ANYBODY MEDDLING IN YOUR BUSINESS, BUT A NEIGHBORHOOD, YOUR AUNT, YOUR SISTER, YOUR MOTHER, YOUR UNCLE, WHO IN A NEIGHBORHOOD LIKE THAT AND THAT COMPROMISE GOES TO THEM, THEN ANSWER FOR CONTINUANCE. THANK FERNANDO LOZANO, FOLLOWED BY CALEB JAMES. HI. CAN YOU HEAR? YES? CAN YOU HEAR ME? GO AHEAD. THANK YOU. UH, HONORABLE MEMBERS OF THE CITY COUNCIL. MY NAME IS, UH, FERNANDO LOZANO, AND I'M ONE OF THE SEVERAL NEIGHBORS WITHIN THE 200 FEET THAT FULLY SUPPORT THE CT ZONING CHANGE. I COME NOT ONLY AS A NEIGHBOR AND A REAL ESTATE BROKER, BUT ALSO LENDING MORE SUPPORT TO THE DEVELOPER OF THIS PROJECT. THE DEVELOPER IS NOT THE TYPICAL CORPORATION OR MILLIONAIRE TYCOON. INSTEAD, THIS DEVELOPER IS AN INCREDIBLE STRONG WOMAN, FAMILY NAMED LAELA, THE GRANDMA OF GOVERNMENT HILL. WHEN SHE FIRST CAME TO ME ASKING FOR HELP, SHE WAS WEEPING ABOUT HER SITUATION AND THE EFFORTS OF FOUR PARTICULAR NEIGHBORS THAT SEEK TO HOLD PROGRESS USING LIES, RACISM TOWARDS IMMIGRANTS AND THREATS. FOR EXAMPLE, SOME WERE TOLD THAT THEIR OWN HOMES ARE GONNA BE TORN DOWN. OTHERS HAVE BEEN TOLD THAT HISTORIC HOUSES ARE AT RISK. UH, WHEN THESE ARE SOME OF THE LATER BUILT HOMES IN THE AREA AND NOT IN THE HISTORIC DISTRICT, NO OTHER PROJECTS ON THE SITE IS FEASIBLE. THE IMPROVEMENTS CANNOT BE SOLD INDIVIDUALLY AS A PROPERTY SET UP AS COMMERCIAL MULTI-FAMILY ASIDE ALREADY THEY WILL NOT BE ABLE TO PASS THE UNDERWRITER LOAN APPROVAL GIVEN THE POOR CONDITION OF THEM. SOME OF THE NEIGHBORS IN A POSITION DON'T EVEN HAVE A HOUSE HERE. JUST VACANT TRASH FILLED LAWS FOR OUR LANDLORDS. AS A NEIGHBOR AND PROPERTY OWNER, THIS PROPERTY MAKES PERFECT SENSE FOR THE PROJECT ADJOINED TO THE TRUSSES PROPERTY MANAGED BY FROST IN ORDER TO BRING A NEW DEVELOPMENT WORTHY NOT ONLY TO GOVERNMENT HILL AND THE EAST SIDE, BUT A DEVELOPMENT WORTHY AFFORD SAM OR ANY OTHER DRIVING AREA OF THE CITY. WE DESERVE BETTER. PLEASE VOTE IN FAVOR. I THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR YOUR TIME. THANK YOU, MR. JAMES. MARLENE HAWKINS, FOLLOWED BY MATTHEW BATTERS. THIS IS MARLENE HAWKINS. I LIVE IN GOVERNMENT HILL AND I'M ASSOCIATED WITH THE GOVERNMENT HILL COMMUNITY ASSOCIATION, A REGISTERED ORGANIZATION WITH THE CITY. THE PEOPLE IN THIS AREA ARE FIGHTING FOR THE HELP AND SAFETY OF THE RESIDENTS OF THIS AREA, AND, AND C TWO BRINGS IN SO MANY BAD THINGS. IT COULD BRING IN A A, A GAS STATION. IT COULD, IT COULD BRING IN OTHER THINGS THAT BRING IN A LOT OF MORE TRAFFIC. WE HAVE AN ELEMENTARY SCHOOL, JUST TWO BLOCKS FROM THERE. PLUS WE HAVE PEOPLE IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD THAT WOULD BE IMPACTED BY FUMES FROM SOMETHING LIKE A GAS STATION. FOR EXAMPLE. WE HAVE TWO TRANSPLANT PEOPLE IN OUR NEIGHBORHOOD. ONE HAS A HEART TRANSPLANT AND ONE HAS A LUNG TRANSPLANT THAT IT WOULD BE FATAL FOR THEM TO HAVE CERTAIN KINDS OF THINGS GO INTO THAT AREA. UM, THE PLANNING COMMISSION, WHICH YOU VOTE, YOU APPOINT THE PEOPLE VOTED NO AND AN ALTERNATIVE FOR, UH, LOW DENSITY MIXED RESIDENTIAL. THERE ARE EIGHT LIVABLE HOUSES ON THIS. NO MATTER WHAT MR. LOZANO SAYS, THEY ARE LIVABLE. THEY WERE JUST OCCUPIED BY FAMILIES THAT WERE EVICTED BY SARAH MARTINEZ, THE OWNER. BY [06:35:01] DOUBLING THEIR RENT, THEY GOT NO HELP FROM THE CITY IN MOVING. AND THEY ARE LIKE DAYCARE WORKERS AND TEACHER'S AIDES. THEY HAD A HARD TIME FINDING, UH, AFFORDABLE LIVING. UM, THEY WERE PUSHED OUT BECAUSE SHE WAS GONNA DOUBLE THEIR RENT IF THEY DIDN'T MOVE OUT. UH, I'LL GET BACK TO THOSE IN A MOMENT. BUT ZONING COMMISSION ALSO DENIED C TWO. THEY HAD A MUCH MORE TIME FOR DISCUSSION AND QUESTIONING THAN Y'ALL DO, AND THEY SAW THROUGH WHAT LAWYER BATTERS WAS TELLING THEM ABOUT STARBUCKS WANTING THAT PLACE. THE, UH, PEOPLE HAVE, UM, AN EMAIL FROM STARBUCKS SAYING THAT THEY HAD NOT CONSIDERED THAT FOR OUR LOCATION. WHO BATTERS TALKED TO WAS, UH, THE, UH, A GROUP THAT BILLS FOR STARBUCKS, BUT STARBUCKS HAD NOT COMMITTED TO ANYTHING. UH, SO THEY ASKED THE STAFF, UH, THE COMMISSION ASKED THE STAFF, AND THE STAFF TOLD THEM, NO, STARBUCKS DOESN'T NEED C TWO. THEY ONLY NEED C ONE. SO THAT WAS A LIE. IT WAS THE SAME LIE THAT WAS TOLD TO YOU AT THE LAST, UH, COMMISSION. UH, AT THE LAST COUNCIL, UH, ZONING, UH, THE HOUSES HAVE SOME PEOPLE LIVED THERE 12, ANOTHER SEVEN, ANOTHER FIVE YEARS. THEY ARE LIVABLE. AND IF THEY'RE NOT, THERE ARE, THERE ARE LOANS THAT CAN BE GOTTEN, UH, CALLED F H A T OH THREE K LOAN, WHICH INCLUDES REPAIRS. THE PEOPLE THAT LIVE THERE ASKED TO BUY THEIR HOUSES, BUT SARAH WAS MISLED BY HER LAWYER AND ALSO FERNANDO LOPEZ, WHO IS HER? WHO IS HER? THANK YOU, MS. HAWKINS. MATTHEW BATTERS, FOLLOWED BY CYNTHIA SPIELMAN. GOOD AFTERNOON. I'M, UH, ADDRESSING YOU TODAY AS THE APPLICANT AND THE PROPERTY OWNER. UH, MRS. MARTINEZ SEATED HERE TO MY LEFT, AND, UH, SHE HAS ASKED ME TO MAKE HER COMMENTS TODAY. THIS DEVELOPMENT BEING UNDERTAKEN BY THE PROPERTY OWNERS DIRECTLY, THERE ARE TWO PARCELS COMPRISING THIS PROJECT. I DON'T KNOW IF THE PRESENTATION WE'VE PREPARED IS IN FRONT OF YOU. IF IT IS, I WOULD DIRECT YOUR ATTENTION RIGHT NOW TO SLIDE NUMBER TWO TO GIVE YOU AN UNDERSTANDING OF THE CONTEXT OF THESE PROPERTIES. YOU CAN SEE THAT WE ARE IMMEDIATELY SOUTH OF FORT SAM HOUSTON AND THE MOST IMPORTANT GATE OF FORT SAM HOUSTON ON WALTER STREET. SLIDE THREE WILL SHOW YOU A GREATER CONTEXT OF THE TWO PARTICULAR PARCELS THAT ARE REFERRED TO IN THIS PROJECT. THE PREVIOUS PARCEL IS 0.7 ACRES, AND IT WAS BEFORE THE COUNCIL ON AUGUST 20TH AND APPROVED BY THIS COUNCIL AFTER BEING PULLED FOR INDIVIDUAL CONSIDERATION. THE 0.7 ACRE TRACT IS MANAGED BY FROST BANK AS TRUSTEE FOR THE KOMA JACKSON TRUST AND THE APPROXIMATELY 1.1 ACRE TRACT THAT'S BEFORE YOU TODAY IS OWNED BY MRS. MARTINEZ. WE'LL GET THE CHANCE TO DISCUSS MORE HER BACKGROUND LATER. UH, STAFF RECOMMENDS APPROVAL FOR GOOD REASON. THIS IS IN THE GOVERNMENT HILL NEIGHBORHOOD. IT IS NOT IN THE HISTORIC DISTRICT. WE WILL BE MERGING THE PARCELS LATER TO CREATE AN OVERALL, UH, JUST OVER 2.2 ACRE TRACT, 1.8 BEING DEVELOPABLE AND 1.4 TARGETED FOR DEVELOPMENT ON THIS PROJECT AND EITHER TRACK NEEDS. THE OTHER ONE, UH, PROJECT IS TO BUILD A CLASS, A MODERN RETAIL IMPROVEMENT SUITABLE FOR A GROUND LEASE. IF YOU'LL TURN TO SLIDE NUMBER SIX, SEVEN, AND EIGHT, SEE SOME AERIAL PHOTOS GIVE YOU A GREATER UNDERSTANDING OF THE PROPERTY THAN A SIDE PLAN ON THIS PROPERTY. AGAIN, THESE TWO PROPERTIES NEED THE OTHER ONE FOR THE DEVELOPMENT THAT WE WERE CHALLENGED TO CREATE. TO MAKE SENSE, UH, BOTH CITY COUNCIL ONE'S OFFICE AND THE NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION TOLD US THEY DON'T WANT ANOTHER FAST FOOD UNHEALTHY OPTION. THEY WANT SOMETHING FIRST CLASS NAME BRAND THAT WILL BRING AMENITIES TO THIS NEIGHBORHOOD. IT DOESN'T HAVE, AND ALSO ENTICE THOSE HIGH PAYING JOBS IN FORT SAM HOUSTON TO REOPEN THAT GATE AND COME DOWN WALTER STREET. SO WE'VE WORKED IN A STATEWIDE HUNT FOR THE RIGHT DEVELOPMENT PARTNERS TO HELP US CONSTRUCT THE IMPROVEMENTS, AND WE ARE ALMOST FINALIZED ON THAT ARRANGEMENT. DESPITE SOME PARTY'S BEST EFFORTS, THE PROPERTY OWNERS ARE WORKING TO FINALIZE THAT. WE WENT BEFORE THE NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION AND WE HEARD THEIR CONCERNS. THERE WAS SOME CONFUSION ABOUT WHAT THIS PROJECT WAS. WE GOT THAT RESOLVED AND WE EARNED THEIR SUPPORT. THERE WAS CONFUSION ABOUT WHAT WAS BEING DONE. WE MADE COMPROMISES THE MOST NOTABLE OF WHICH NO ONE WANTED A BAR, NO PROBLEM. WE AGREED TO NA RESTRICTIONS [06:40:01] C TWO A. WE LEARNED FROM MEETING WITH DEVELOPMENT SERVICES. THERE IS NO C ONE NA DESIGNATION. THERE WAS VIA PROPOSAL IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD TO A GAS STATION OR FIREARM SALES. NO PROBLEM. WE WILL COMPROMISE WITH THE EXTRAORDINARY STEP OF A DEEDED RESTRICTION, WHICH IS MEMORIALIZED IN THE PUBLIC RECORD PERMANENTLY. THANK YOU MR. BAT. AND THERE WAS CONCERNED ABOUT DEMOLISHING THE TREAT. CYNTHIA SPIELMAN, FOLLOWED BY LORENZO ORTIZ. GOOD AFTERNOON MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS ON BEHALF OF NINE D ONE NEIGHBORHOOD LEADERS. I HAVE THE FOLLOWING STATEMENT, DENIAL OF THE REQUEST FOR PLAN AMENDMENT FROM LOW DENSITY RESIDENTIAL TO MIXED USE AND A ZONING CHANGE FROM R SIX TO C TWO OR C TWO AND A IN THIS CASE IS CRITICAL IN ORDER TO MAINTAIN SOME SEMBLANCE OF QUALITY OF LIFE FOR THE FAMILY SURROUNDING THIS PROPERTY. IT IS NOT IN THE FURNISH ROAD AND DOES NOT DESERVE THE SAME CONSIDERATION AS THE FROST PROPERTY TO WHICH A GRANTED C TWO NA ZONING ON THE AUGUST 20TH COUNCIL SESSION. DESPITE THE FACT THAT THE TWO PROPERTY OWNERS APPLICANTS ARE LOOKING TO MARKET THE PROPERTIES AS A PACKAGE DEAL AND THEREFORE WANT THE SAME ZONING, THEIR OBSESSION WITH POSSIBILITY SHOULD NOT TRUMP THE HOMEOWNER'S RIGHTS TO LIVE IN A RESIDENTIAL NEIGHBORHOOD CONSISTENT WITH THEIR NEIGHBORHOOD PLAN AND MORE RECENTLY EXECUTED WALTER STREET CORRIDOR PLAN. THE RESIDENTS HAVE BEEN URGED TO COMPROMISE AND THEY HAVE DONE SO. WHEREAS THEY WERE ORIGINALLY FIGHTING TO KEEP THEIR RESIDENTIAL LAND USE AND ZONING, ESPECIALLY IN THE LIGHT OF A SEVERE HOUSING SHORTAGE, THEY'RE WILLING TO SUPPORT LOW DENSITY MIXED USE, LAND USE AND C ONE ZONING. BOTH THE PLANNING COMMISSION AND ZONING COMMISSION VOTED AGAINST MIXED USE AND C TWO RESPECTIVELY. PLANNING COMMISSION MADE AN ALTERNATE RECOMMENDATION FOR LOW DENSITY MIXED UNITS, UNDERSTANDING THAT THIS WOULD CAP THE ZONING AT C ONE. EVEN THOUGH THIS CASE IS NOT IN DISTRICT ONE, WE ARE OPPOSED TO THE PLAN AMENDMENT AND REZONING REQUESTS FOR THIS PROPERTY IN GOVERNMENT HILL AT THE REQUEST OF THE RESIDENCE WITHIN 200 FEET. WE HAVE BEEN FOLLOWING, SUPPORTING THEIR OPPOSITION. WE KNOW WHAT IT IS IS ALLOWED TO HAPPEN IN ONE NEIGHBORHOOD, CAN HAPPEN IN ANOTHER. AND AS THE MAYOR STATED IN THE EXPRESSING NEWS, WE ARE ALL NEIGHBORS. IF THAT'S NOT MORE TRUE THAN NOW, WE ASK THAT YOU LISTEN TO THEIR SIDE OF THE STORY AND GIVE THEIR PLEA FOR YOUR SUPPORT. SERIOUS CONSIDERATION. WE UNDERSTAND ABOUT COUNCIL COURTESY, WE ALSO UNDERSTAND ABOUT STANDING UP FOR WHAT'S RIGHT AND WE WILL, AND WE'VE SEEN CERTAINLY ALL OF YOU DO THAT. WE RESPECTFULLY REQUEST THAT YOU OPPOSE BOTH THE MIXED USE PLAN AMENDMENT AND C TWO REZONING REQUESTS. IT'S OUR HOPE THAT COUNCILWOMAN ANDREW SULLIVAN WILL AMEND THE APPLICANT'S REQUEST TO SEE ONE ZONING. IF THAT IS THE CASE, WE WOULD ASK YOU TO SUPPORT THAT INSTEAD. THANK YOU. THANK YOU, MS. FIELDEN LORENZO ORTIZ. UH, YES SIR. MAYOR, MAYOR, AND THE STATE COUNCIL MEMBERS. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME. UH, MY NAME IS LORENZO ORTIZ. IF YOU CAN PLEASE, UH, UH, SHOW SLIDES ON OPPOSITIONS TO NINE AND 10 NOW, PLEASE. I AM A HOMEOWNER WITH 200, WITHIN 200 FEET OF THE PROPERTY THAT IS ASKING FOR C TWO ZONING. THE ATTORNEY, MATT BATTERS, SENT US AN EMAIL STATING THAT C ONE WOULD WORK AT THAT POINT. WE BELIEVE WE HAD TO COME TO A COMPROMISE. I PERSONALLY, ALONG WITH THE MOST IMPACTED HOMEOWNERS, MET WITH OUR CITY COUNCILWOMAN IN AUGUST TWICE, ALONG WITH CATHERINE FROM THE D S D OFFICE. AT THAT POINT, A QUESTION ABOUT DEEDS WAS ASKED AND THE COUNCILWOMAN WAS TOLD BY KATT THAT THE CITY WOULD NOT ENFORCE DEEDS IN THE SCENE. IN THE SAME MEETING, THE COUNCILWOMAN STATED THAT SHE EXPRESSED TO THE APPLICANT THAT SHE WAS FOR C ONE WITH STIPULATIONS. WE REACHED OUT TO OUR COUNCILWOMAN FOR OVER THREE WEEKS WITH EMAILS AND CALLS TO HAVE A MEETING WITH HER WITH NO RESPONSE FROM HER NOR HER OFFICE. THEN THIS PAST SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 13TH, WE RECEIVED AN EMAIL AT 7:41 PM FROM THE COUNCILWOMAN STATING THAT HER SCHEDULE DOES NOT HAVE A, AN AVAILABILITY BETWEEN NOW AND SEPTEMBER 17TH, HOW CONVENIENT. ALONG WITH THAT EMAIL, SHE STATES NOT TO CONFUSE HER CONTINUAL WILLINGNESS TO ENTERTAIN IDEAS AND SUGGESTIONS AS BINDING OR FINAL. ALL WE ASK IS, PLEASE VISIT OUR COMMUNITY AND ADD FOR CONTINUANCE. WE STILL HAVE MANY UNKNOWN FACTORS. NO RED DEEDS HAVE BEEN RECORDED AT THE COUNTY CLERK'S OFFICE OR ANY PLANS OF INTENDED USE TO VOTE ON. PLEASE, UH, PLAY THE VIDEO THAT WAS ATTACHED AS WELL. SOLDIERS COME OFF OF THE BASE AND START PUTTING BACK [06:45:01] INTO THE COMMUNITY. YES, THOSE ARE JUST SOME THINGS I WOULD LIKE TO SEE HAPPEN AT THAT PARTICULAR POINT. HAVE YOU EXPRESSED THIS TO THE APPLICANT? I HAVE EXPRESSED THIS TO THE APPLICANT. I'VE EXPRESSED IT TO ROSIE. I'VE EXPRESSED IT TO THE ZONING COMMISSIONER. UM, AND SO SHE'S, SHE IS NEW TO ZONING, RIGHT? BUT, UM, AT THE TIME, EVERYTHING, SHE WAS LIKE, OKAY, I THOUGHT THIS WAS THE GAS STATION THING ALL OVER AGAIN. AND I WAS LIKE, NO, WE'RE NOT GONNA HAVE THAT. UM, AND IF WE LEAVE IT OPEN TO THAT C TWO, WE LEAVE OURSELVES OPEN TO ANY REAL OUTSIDE DEVELOPMENT, EVEN OTHER THAN A GAS STATION THAT'S NOT GONNA REALLY BE BENEFICIAL TO THE COMMUNITY. SO THAT'S MY CONCERN. UM, C ONE WITH, WITH STIPULATIONS IS, IS WHAT I'LL BE RECOMMENDING. OKAY. I THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME. THANK YOU MR. ORTIZ. I'LL GO NOW TO COUNCIL MEMBER ANDREW SULLIVAN. THANK YOU, MAYOR. UM, THANK YOU TO THE COMMUNITY OF GOVERNMENT HILL. UM, THANK YOU FOR ALL THREE NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATIONS. UM, WE ARE SO HAPPY IN OUR DISTRICT TWO OFFICE TO KNOW THAT A COMMUNITY IN A NEIGHBORHOOD HAS SO MANY VOCAL VOICES. UM, AND TRYING TO DECIPHER BETWEEN ALL THREE NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATIONS CAN SOMETIMES BE PROBLEMATIC. BUT IN THE POSITION OF MAKING SURE THAT WE ARE SECURING THE BEST INTERESTS OF OUR COMMUNITY IS WHAT WE'LL CONTINUE TO DO. PROGRESS IS IMPOSSIBLE WITHOUT CHANGE. AND THOSE WHO CANNOT CHANGE THEIR MINDS CANNOT CHANGE ANYTHING, CHANGES THE HARDEST AT THE BEGINNING, THE MESSIEST IN THE MIDDLE, AND THE BEST AT THE END. SO INSTEAD OF ALL OF THE NEGATIVITY, WE CONTINUE TO MAKE ROOM FOR POSITIVITY. THAT'S WHAT THIS ZONING DOES AS I GO THROUGH THE GATE TO SUPPORT SAM HOUSTON ON A DAILY BASIS. SO SOMETIMES JUST TO GO ON BASE, TO GO TO THE GROCERY STORE, TO LOOK AT MY OUTSIDE PATIO OR FURNITURE, OR JUST TO CONVERSATE WITH SOME OF THE OTHER SERVICE MEMBERS, THE CONVERSATION IS ALWAYS THE SAME. THERE'S NOTHING FOR US TO GO OFF BASE FOR. A LOT OF TIMES WHEN WE DRIVE THROUGH WALTERS, WE CAN SEE MCDONALD'S TACO BELL, AND WE SEE WENDY'S. WE SEE NO HEALTHY FOOD CHOICES, NO RESTAURANTS THAT STAY OPEN FAST PAST FIVE O'CLOCK. WE KNOW OUR COMMUNITY IS VERY CONCERNED WITH OUR YOUTH AND MAKING SURE THAT THEY HAVE A PATHWAY THAT IS GONNA LEAD A LEGACY FOR THEM TO FLOURISH. WE HAVE BEEN UNDERSERVED, UNDERDEVELOPED AND UNDERUTILIZED FOR FAR TOO LONG. WHEN I WENT INTO THIS PROCESS, I LOOKED AT C ONE THINKING, YES, THIS WOULD BE BEST. AND THEN THE, THE UNDERSTANDING OF DEED RESTRICTIONS CANNOT BE ENFORCED BY THE CITY. WAIT ON MY HEART, DO I PUT SOMETHING IN PLACE THAT CONTINUOUSLY LEAVES A COMMUNITY VULNERABLE? OR DO I STEP UP AS A LEADER AND PUT THE BEST ZONING IN PLACE FOR THIS COMMUNITY KNOWING THAT ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT IS SOMETHING THAT IS NEEDED. AND KNOWING THAT OUR SERVICE MEMBERS CAN COME OUT TO AN AREA WHERE THEY CAN FIND OUT EXACTLY WHAT DISTRICT TWO IS ABOUT, IS EXACTLY WHAT THE ZONING WILL REPRESENT. IT IS THE HARDEST DECISION TO MAKE WHEN YOU HAVE SO MANY PEOPLE THAT WANT TO SEE THE BEST THING HAPPEN. DISTRICT TWO IS NOT ONLY THE AREA THAT I REPRESENT, IT IS THE AREA IN WHICH I LIVE AND WHICH I PLAY, AND THAT Y'ALL WHERE I RAISE MY KIDS AND WHERE I RAISE MY GREAT NIECES. THIS IS A DECISION THAT TAKES A LOT OF UNDERSTANDING, BEING THAT A C ONE NA IS NOT EVEN A RECOGNIZABLE ZONING, I CANNOT RECOMMEND FOR SOMETHING THAT DOES NOT EXIST. HOWEVER, I DO THANK COMMISSIONER CALVERT FOR SENDING IN HIS, HIS, UH, NOTICE OF SUPPORT. I THANK COMMISSIONER CALVER FOR MESSAGING ME THIS MORNING TO WISH ME GOOD LUCK ON THIS CASE. I HAVE HEARD, AND I HAVE SAT WITH ALL OF THESE NEIGHBORS. I HAVE LISTENED AND I HAVE MADE THE DECISION AND THE DECISION AND THE MOTION IS TO APPROVE C TWO NA WITH LOW DENSITY MIXED USE. THANK YOU, MAYOR. SECOND. ALL RIGHT. THERE'S A MOTION BY COUNCIL MEMBER SULLIVAN, SECOND BY CDA, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER SANDOVAL. HI, UH, MAYOR. THANK YOU. UM, I, I JUST WANTED TO SHARE WITH MY COLLEAGUES AND THOSE WHO, UH, HAVE COME TO SPEAK OR THEORETICALLY COME TO, TO SPEAK, UH, [06:50:01] THAT I KNOW THE COUNCILWOMAN HAS BEEN THINKING VERY, VERY HARD ABOUT THIS, UH, ABOUT THIS DECISION. AND AT SOME POINT OR ANOTHER, SOMEONE ON THE COUNCIL FINDS THEMSELVES IN THIS POSITION WHERE THERE'S A LOT OF THINGS THE PUBLIC DOESN'T WANT. AND AS A COUNCIL MEMBER, YOU HAVE TO MAKE THE DECISION FOR, FOR ELIMINATING THAT LEAST DESIRABLE, BUT YOU STILL END UP WITH SOMETHING THAT YOU MAY NOT ENTIRELY, UH, LIKE. BUT I JUST, UM, I I JUST WANNA SAY THAT I'VE, I'VE SEEN HER WORK AND I KNOW, UM, THAT SHE IS TRYING, UH, VERY, HER VERY BEST. AND THAT'S WHAT HER DECISION IS BASED ON, IS PROTECTING THE COMMUNITY FROM SOMETHING THAT THEY, UH, THAT THEY DON'T WANT, WHICH IS THE, UH, THE ALCOHOLIC USE. SO, UM, THAT, THAT SAID, I, I GUESS I HAVE A, A QUESTION FOR THE, UM, UH, FOR THE DEVELOPER. UH, IT LOOKS LIKE IF I, IF I LOOK AT THIS ON, UH, GOOGLE MAPS, 'CAUSE I, I DON'T ACTUALLY HAVE A, A PICTURE OF THE PROPERTY, BUT IF I LOOK AT IT ON GOOGLE MAPS, THERE'S HOW MANY, HOW MANY HOMES ON THERE RIGHT NOW? IT LOOKS LIKE THERE'S, UH, SEVEN STRUCTURES. IS JOHN, IS THE APPLICANT STILL THERE? THAT'S MR. BATTERS. YEAH. ONE SECOND. WE'LL UNMUTE MR. BATTERS, UM, ON THE PUBLIC COMMENT LINE. SORRY, ONE SECOND. IF YOU STILL THERE? YES, I'M HERE. COUNCILMAN, CAN YOU HEAR ME? YES. YES, I'M HERE, SIR. OKAY. THERE'S, UH, YES, YOU COUNCILWOMAN IS CORRECT. SEVEN STRUCTURES. THANK YOU. AND THERE WAS SOME CONCERN FROM, FROM SOME OF THE MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC MEMBERS ABOUT, UH, THOSE HOMES NOT BEING AVAILABLE ANYMORE. IS THERE ANYONE LIVING IN THOSE HOMES RIGHT NOW? I'LL ADDRESS THAT. UH, NO MA'AM. THOSE HOMES ARE ALL VACANT TODAY. AND I ALSO WANT TO ADDRESS THE ALLEGATION THAT THE RENTERS WERE EVICTED. THERE WAS NOT ONE SINGLE EVICTION FILED. MRS. MARTINEZ INFORMED THEM THAT, THAT SHE WOULD NOT BE RENEWING THEIR LEASE. SHE GAVE ALL OF THEM FREE RENT FOR THE MONTHS THAT FOLLOWED TO FIND A SUBSTITUTE PLACE. AND A VERY NICE HANDWRITTEN NOTE IS INCLUDED IN MY MATERIALS TODAY FROM ONE OF THE RENTERS, UM, SINCERELY APPRECIATING MRS. MARTINEZ'S EFFORTS. OKAY. AND SO ALL THOSE, WELL, YOU MAY NOT KNOW, BUT HOPEFULLY ALL OF THOSE PEOPLE HAVE A HOME SOMEWHERE. YES, AS FAR AS WE KNOW, THEY DO BECAUSE THEY PROVIDE MRS. MARTINEZ, THEIR MAIL FORWARDING ADDRESS, AND SHE HAS REFUNDED THEIR SECURITY DEPOSITS. UH, OKAY. AND ONE THING I I COULDN'T UNDERSTAND, UH, BY LOOKING AT THIS ONLINE WAS WHERE IS THE ACCESS TO THE PROPERTY? BECAUSE IT FACES WALTERS, BUT THERE IS A GRAY DIFFERENCE. ISN'T THAT, ISN'T THAT RIGHT BETWEEN WALTERS AND THE PROPERTY? THAT'S CORRECT. AND THAT GOES TO THE POINT OF HOW THIS PROPERTY AND FROST BANK'S PROPERTY FROM LAST MONTH, UH, ARE SO INTERRELATED AT THIS POINT. UH, TWO INGRESS AND EGRESS POINTS CAN COME INTO THE PROPERTY. ONE WILL BE A BRIDGE OVER THE DRAINAGE EASEMENT, UH, FROM WALTER STREET TO THIS TRACT. THE OTHER ONE IS A DIRECT, UH, OUTLET ONTO THE ACCESS ROAD OF I 35 OVER THE FROST BANK TRACT. OKAY. THAT SOUNDS EXPENSIVE. UM, AND, UM, MAYBE THIS IS PROBABLY A QUESTION FOR, FOR ROD. UM, I DON'T KNOW, ROD, IF YOU WERE THERE WHEN THIS, WHEN THIS PART OF THE TOWN GOT BUILT, BUT I NOTICED THERE'S TWO DEAD ENDS AND THAT'S DUE TO THE GREAT SEPARATION OR, OR WHAT'S THAT DUE TO? BECAUSE USUALLY WHEN I THINK OF DEAD ENDS, I THINK OF PEOPLE WANTING PRIVACY IN A NEIGHBORHOOD. YEAH. I'LL, UH, I'LL SEE IF, IF CAT OR MELISSA HAVE THE ANSWER TO THAT COUNSEL. MR. WHERE IS THE AREA THAT YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT? IT'S THE STREET, RENO STREET AND JIM STREET THAT DEAD END INTO, WAL, INTO WALTERS, CORRECT. OH, IT'S A RIGHT, RIGHT INTERSECTION. MM-HMM. . YEAH, IT'S A T INTERSECTION. THOSE, THOSE WERE PROBABLY PLOTTED IN THAT MANNER THERE. THE ACCESS IT WAS TO THAT, UM, THAT EDGAR STREET GOING OUT TO EAST CARSON OR TO THE ACCESS ROAD. OKAY. ALRIGHT. THANK YOU. UH, THANK YOU VERY MUCH. UH, AND THANK YOU COUNCILWOMAN SULLIVAN FOR, UH, ALL THE INFORMATION YOU'VE PROVIDED ON THE CASE. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. COUNCIL MEMBER SANDOVAL, COUNCIL MEMBER COURAGE. THANK YOU, MAYOR. MAYOR, UH, MAYOR. I JUST LIKE TO SAY THAT I UNDERSTAND THE DIFFICULTY THAT THE COUNCILWOMAN AND THE PEOPLE IN THE COMMUNITY ARE FACING. [06:55:01] UH, I, I GREW UP IN A FEW AREAS WHERE THERE WERE A LOT OF NEIGHBORHOODS, AND THEN ALL OF A SUDDEN, SLOWLY BUT SURELY THE AREAS BECAME MORE AND MORE COMMERCIALIZED AND THE NEIGHBORHOODS GOT AFFECTED BY THAT. SO I GUESS I HAVE A LOT OF EMPATHY FOR THE PEOPLE WHO LIVE IN THIS NEIGHBORHOOD. AND I'VE ALWAYS SAID I'M A NEIGHBORHOOD KIND OF GUY, SO I TRY AND LISTEN TO THE NEIGHBORS. UH, AND IN THIS CASE, I, I HAVE BEEN LISTENING TO THEM, AND SO I'M GONNA BE, UH, VOTING IN OPPOSITION OF THE, UH, OF THE ZONING REQUEST. I'D SURE LIKE TO SEE A CONTINUANCE. THANK YOU. COUNCIL MEMBER COURAGE. UM, WE DO HAVE, UH, ONE CITIZEN I FAILED TO, TO CALL UP, UM, BEFORE I TURN IT BACK OVER TO THE COUNCIL MEMBER. SO LET ME CALL UP, UH, CALEB JAMES TO MAKE HIS COMMENTS, AND THEN WE WILL GO AHEAD WITH THE MOTION. HELLO, MR. JAMES? GO AHEAD. YOU HAVE A FOUR. HELLO? AH, THANK YOU. I THOUGHT I GOT SKIPPED. THANK YOU FOR GIVING ME THE OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK. UM, I WANNA, OH, I, I WANNA ASK, WHAT IS THE POINT OF YOUR ZONING COMMISSION AND YOUR PLANNING COMMISSION IF YOU DO NOT LISTEN TO WHAT, UH, THEY RECOMMEND? UM, THEY BOTH RECOMMENDED TWICE ON THE SAME PROPERTY TO, UM, GO FOR A C ONE OR LESS, AND YET THAT'S BEEN IGNORED. AND THEN JADA SULLIVAN MEETS WITH THE NEIGHBORS, UM, THE ONES THAT ARE NOT OKAY WITH THE C TWO, AND SHE PROMISES THEM THAT SHE'S GONNA GIVE 'EM A C ONE, AND THEN SHE TURNS AROUND AND SHE APPROVES A C TWO ON BOTH PROPERTIES. SO WHY THAT? I'M NOT CALLING HER A LIAR, BUT I'M DEFINITELY NOT CALLING HER A TRUTHER. THAT IS, THAT SEEMS LIKE A LIE TO ME. UM, AND THEN WE NEED A DENIAL OF THIS BECAUSE THE DEVELOPER HAS YET TO MEET WITH US, HAS YET TO BUDGE ON ANY NEGOTIATIONS. I HIGHLY RECOMMEND THAT YOU GUYS PUSH UP FOR A CONTINUANCE. WE NEED THE PEOPLE, THE NEIGHBORS NEED MORE TIME TO TALK ABOUT THIS AND CONTINUE TO PUSH FOR, FOR, UM, MORE MEETINGS BECAUSE THE DEVELOPER IS NOT NEGOTIATING WITH US IN ANY WAY. WE, WE, THE NEIGHBORS, THE PEOPLE WHO HAVE INVESTED IN THIS NEIGHBORHOOD FIRST HAVE A RIGHT TO DEFINE OUR NEIGHBORHOOD. AND IF WE GO, WE HAPPILY GO THROUGH ALL OF THESE PROCESSES, ZONING AND PLANNING JUST TO HELP DEFINE OUR NEIGHBORHOOD, AND THE DEVELOPER JUST SKIPS STRAIGHT TO CITY COUNCIL, WHO IS VERY, SEEMS TO BE VERY DISCONNECTED WITH THE NEIGHBORHOOD. THEN, THEN WHAT'S THE POINT? WHAT'S THE POINT OF ALL THESE PROCESSES IF YOU'RE NOT GONNA ACTUALLY ADHERE TO WHAT THEY RECOMMEND? UM, THE MAJORITY OF THE NEIGHBORS DISAGREE WITH THIS C TWO, THE MAJORITY, AND WE HAVE, UH, THE PAPERS IN FRONT OF YOU, ALL OF THE, UH, THE PEOPLE THAT DISAGREE. UM, I DON'T UNDERSTAND WHY YOU GUYS CONTINUE TO PUSH COMMERCIAL PROPERTIES RIGHT NEXT TO US RESIDENTIAL HOMES. UM, IF YOU, IF A C ONE IS APPROVED, THAT THAT WOULD MAKE SENSE. WE HAVE THIS C TWO FROST BANK PROPERTY BECAUSE WE HAVE THE HIGHWAY, THE C TWO FROST BANK PROPERTY, AND THEN NOW WE'RE REDUCING TO C ONE, UM, WITH SARAH MARTINEZ'S PROPERTY. AND THEN WE FINALLY HAVE THE, THE RESIDENTIAL PROPERTIES. THEN IT'S ONLY FAIR TO ALLOW THESE PROPERTIES TO KIND OF FLOW INTO THE RESIDENTIAL PROPERTIES FROM C FROM THE HIGHWAY TO C TWO TO C ONE THAN OUR US RESIDENTIAL. I HIGHLY RECOMMEND YOU GUYS APPROVE A C ONE. UH, PLEASE LISTEN TO YOUR NEIGHBORS AND DO NOT KILL GOVERNMENT HILL. THANK YOU. THANK YOU, MR. JAMES. UM, COUNCIL MEMBER PERRY. THANK YOU, SIR. UM, YOU KNOW, THESE ARE REALLY DIFFICULT DECISIONS. UM, I'M, I'M A PROPERTY RIGHTS TYPE OF GUY, SUPPORT BUSINESS, THE BUSINESS COMMUNITY. BUT, UM, I'M ALSO A VERY BIG SUPPORTER OF NEIGHBORHOODS AND, UM, YOU KNOW, I LISTEN TO THE NEIGHBORHOODS AND I, IF THERE'S AN OPPOSITION TO A DEVELOPMENT, UM, I PUT THE NEIGHBORHOODS FIRST AND I THINK THAT'S THE WAY IT SHOULD BE. BUT AT THE END OF THE DAY, MOST OF THE TIMES THAT I, WELL, EVERY TIME THAT I'VE HAD A SITUATION WHERE THERE WAS CONFLICTS BETWEEN THE NEIGHBORHOODS AND THE DEVELOPERS AND BUSINESS OWNERS, THAT KIND OF THING, [07:00:01] UH, I HAVE PERSONALLY GOTTEN INVOLVED. I'VE SAT DOWN IN MEETINGS WITH BOTH OF 'EM SITTING THERE AND TO HELP TRY TO COME UP WITH A COMPROMISE AND GET FOLKS TO EITHER BOTH BE HAPPY OR BOTH BE SAD BECAUSE IT'S VERY, AGAIN, IT'S VERY DIFFICULT TO WEIGH THE PROPERTY RIGHTS PORTION AGAINST WHAT THE NEIGHBORHOODS WANT. AND MOST OF THE TIME, THE NEIGHBORHOODS HAVE ALWAYS BEEN IN THAT AREA FIRST. AND I LOOK AT THAT THEY'VE INVESTED THEIR, THEIR TIME, THEIR MONEY INTO THAT HOME WHERE THEY WANNA LIVE. AND, UH, THIS MAKES IT VERY DIFFICULT. AND I GUESS I'D HAVE A QUESTION FOR COUNCILWOMAN SULLIVAN, IF SHE HAS SAT DOWN WITH BOTH PARTIES AT THE SAME TIME TO COME UP WITH A COMPROMISE AND IF SHE'D BE WILLING TO DO ANOTHER CONTINUANCE TO MAKE THAT HAPPEN. ARE YOU YIELDING THE FLOOR COUNCIL MEMBER? YES. YES, SIR. OKAY. THANK YOU. COUNCIL MEMBER PERRY. COUNCIL MEMBER SANDOVAL. I'M SORRY. COUNCIL MEMBER ANDREW SULLIVAN. SORRY. NO PROBLEM, MAYOR. IT'S BEEN A LONG DAY. UM, THANK YOU COUNCILMAN PERRY. UM, WHAT WE HAVE DONE IS WE SAT DOWN WITH THE NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION, WHICH IS GOVERNMENT HILL ALLIANCE. UM, WE SAT DOWN WITH, UM, THE PROPERTY OWNERS WITHIN THE 200 FEET. WE'VE SAT DOWN WITH MR. MATT BATTERS. WE'VE TRIED TO COMPROMISE AND COME UP WITH THE BEST SOLUTION, LISTEN TO EVERYONE. HAVE WE BEEN ABLE TO GET EVERYONE ALL IN THE SAME ROOM? NOT AT THE SAME TIME. UM, AND SO THAT IS THE ONE THING THAT WE HAD NOT DONE. UM, THAT WAS THE LAST THING THAT I ASKED, UM, FOR THINGS TO HAPPEN WITH THE NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION, SPEAKING WITH MR. BATTER, SPEAKING WITH THE PROPERTY OVER OWNER, SPEAKING WITH MS. MARTINEZ, WORKING WITH THE NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATIONS. THERE'S THREE DIFFERENT NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATIONS WITHIN THIS ONE NEIGHBORHOOD. UM, AND SO IT STILL CAUSES A DISCOURSE, UM, TO TRY TO SIT DOWN WITH ALL THREE NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATIONS WITH THE OWNER OF THE PROPERTY, WITH THE DEVELOPER, UM, AND TRULY COME UP WITH THE BEST COMPROMISE. SO WITHIN THE C TWO AND A LOW DENSITY MIXED USE THAT PUTS EVERYBODY'S UNDERSTANDING ONTO THE TABLE, THE LOW DENSITY FOR THE COMMUNITY, THE MIXED USE FOR THE DEVELOPMENT WE WANNA SEE HAPPEN, THE C2 TO BRING IT ALL TOGETHER, AND THE NA TO KEEP AWAY ANY FORM OF ALCOHOL CELLS WITHIN THIS COMMUNITY. THAT'S WHY WE ARE RECOMMENDING THE C TWO NA LOW DENSITY MIXED USE. THANK YOU. COUNCIL MEMBER ANDREW SULLIVAN. COUNCIL MEMBER TINO. UH, THANK YOU, MAYOR. UM, AND I JUST, YOU KNOW, I JUST WANNA EXPRESS, UH, THAT, UH, TYPICALLY AGAIN, WE, WE ALWAYS WANNA SUPPORT OUR, OUR, OUR COLLEAGUES ON, ON, UH, ESPECIALLY ON ZONING CASES. UH, BUT I WOULD ASK THAT, UM, MY COLLEAGUE MAYBE, UH, CONSIDER, UH, SOME MORE TIME. UH, YOU KNOW, WE WE'RE GETTING LETTERS, UH, FROM WITHIN OUR OWN DISTRICT, OR AT LEAST I AM, AND, YOU KNOW, ASKING, UH, FOR, FOR SOME TIME. AND AS YOU EXPLAINED, AND, AND IT'S, IT SOUNDS LIKE A GOOD EXPLANATION AND, AND I'D LOVE TO, UH, WORK WITH YOUR TEAM TO GET A BETTER UNDERSTANDING OF WHAT THAT MEANS. UH, SO I WOULD ASK IF YOU COULD, IF YOU COULD DELAY THIS, I THINK IT WOULD, IT WOULD HELP, HELP SOME OF US, UM, MAKE A DECISION. AT LEAST I, I'M SPEAKING FOR MYSELF, SO I, I WOULD ASK THAT, UH, SEEING THAT THERE'S SEEMS TO BE A LOT OF CONFUSION AND OPPOSITION ON THIS PARTICULAR ITEM. THANK YOU, MAYOR. THANK YOU. COUNCIL MEMBER TREVINO. COUNCIL MEMBER SANDOVAL. UM, THANK YOU MAYOR. AND, UM, I, I WANTED PRO TO SHARE THE SAME WORDS WITH, UH, COUNCILWOMAN ANDREW SULLIVAN. THIS IS A, A TOUGH VOTE FOR MORE FOR YOU THAN FOR US, BUT IT'S TOUGH FOR US TOO. UH, SO I, I DON'T WANNA PRETEND THAT, THAT WE HAVE IT AS, UH, AS DIFFICULT AS, AS YOU DO RIGHT NOW. BUT I ALSO THINK, UM, YOU KNOW, ONE THING THAT MY COLLEAGUES HAVEN'T SAID YET IS, YOU KNOW, WITH COVID, WE REALLY HAVEN'T GIVEN OURSELVES THE CHANCE TO GO BACK AND DO SOME OF THAT IN-PERSON DIALOGUE THAT YOU WOULD NORMALLY DO, UH, FOR ZONING CASES THAT HAD BEEN POSTPONED FOR A WHILE. AND I THINK YOU'VE DONE A TREMENDOUS JOB OF TRYING TO REACH YOUR CONSTITUENTS AND TALK WITH ALL PARTIES INVOLVED, BUT I DO THINK COVID HAS STILL MADE IT, UH, DIFFICULT ON YOU AND ON THE COMMUNITY. UM, SO I, I WOULD, UH, ALSO, UM, REQUEST THAT YOU CONSIDER, UM, UH, A CONTINUANCE AS, AS WELL. I'M LIKE COUNCIL MEMBER TRIVIO SAID, I'M ALSO GETTING A LOT OF, [07:05:01] UH, UM, MESSAGES, UH, FEMALE MESSAGES ABOUT THE, THE CASE. THANK YOU VERY MUCH, MAYOR. ALRIGHT, THANK YOU. COUNCIL MEMBER SANDOVAL. UM, OKAY, THERE IS A MOTION AND A SECOND, UH, FOR APPROVAL OF ITEM, WHICH ONE'S WE ON P TWO AND Z THREE. UM, ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? MAYOR, JUST A REMINDER, THIS WILL NEED NINE VOTES TO PASS AS THE OPPOSITION EXCEEDS THE 20%. OKAY? ALRIGHT, UH, THERE'S A MOTION AND SECOND FOR APPROVAL OF ITEMS P TWO AND Z THREE. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SAY AYE. AYE. AYE. AYE. AYE. ANY OPPOSED? AYE. OKAY. UM, MME. CLARK, DID YOU GET I'M OKAY. WE'LL, WE'LL NEED TO GO ROLL CALL ON THIS ONE THEN. SO, UM, MME. CLARK, GO AHEAD AND READ THE ROLL. COUNCIL, MEMBER T I'M SORRY, VIN, CAN YOU SAY THAT AGAIN? NAY, NAY. COUNCIL MEMBER SULLIVAN. A COUNCIL MEMBER? AYE. COUNCIL MEMBER ROJA GARCIA. AYE. COUNCIL MEMBER GONZALEZ. AYE. COUNCIL MEMBER? AYE. COUNCIL MEMBER. COUNCIL MEMBER PEZ. COUNCIL MEMBER PEZ. COUNCIL MEMBER COURAGE? NO. COUNCIL MEMBER PERRY. I SUSTAIN AND MAYOR BERG. AYE. 3, 4, 5, 6. THERE'S SEVEN DAYS. TWO ABSTAINS AND TWO NAYS. SO THAT, THAT, THAT'S NOT ENOUGH FOR THIS ZONING CASE TO PASS. UM, I, I DO WANNA POINT OUT THOUGH, IF, IF, UH, THERE IS A MOTION FOR DENIAL AND IT GETS DENIED, THERE WOULD BE A ONE YEAR DELAY BEFORE THEY COULD APPLY AGAIN FOR THIS, FOR THE COUNCIL'S INFORMATION. UM, ANDY, I, I NEED SOME PROCEDURAL CLARIFICATION HERE. THE, THE MOTION TO, UH, APPROVE DID NOT PASS. THAT'S NOT A DENIAL THOUGH, IS IT? THAT'S CORRECT. IT'S NOT A DENIAL, MAYOR. OKAY. SO TELL ME, TELL ME WHERE WE'RE WITH THIS PARTICULAR ITEM. UH, FOR THE COUNCIL, BUT ALSO FOR, FOR THE, UH, PROCESS. I, I'LL LET ROD ANSWER THAT ONE. MAYOR, WE, WE NEED A MOTION PROBABLY TO DO SOMETHING, UH, BECAUSE IT, IT'S KIND OF IN LIMBO RIGHT NOW. UM, SO IT COULD BE A CONTINUOUS OR IT COULD BE A DENIAL. OH, OKAY. I SEE. SO, UM, COUNCIL MEMBERS, UH, ANDREW SULLIVAN, UM, HEARING WHAT ROD HAD TO SAY. SO THE ITEM IS STILL HERE. UH, WE CAN ENTERTAIN A MOTION TO CONTINUE OR A MOTION TO DENY. UM, AND I, I'LL GIVE YOU THE FLOOR TO GIVE US, UM, SOME GUIDANCE. WE'LL FOLLOW YOUR LEAD. GO AHEAD. UM, CONTINUE. MAYOR, THIS IS A LONG TIME COMING FROM THIS AREA. UM, THE CONCERN WITH THE COUNCIL COLLEAGUES IS MAKING SURE THAT THEY HAVE ALL OF THE INFORMATION, MAKE AN ACCURATE JUDGMENT, UM, ON THIS. THAT'S FINE WITH THE, UM, I GIVE COMMUNITY MORE TIME TO UNDERSTAND WHY WE ARE MOTIONING FOR HOW WE'RE MOTIONING AND MORE TIME FOR THE APPLICANT TO MEET WITH OUR COMMUNITY. UM, SO WE CAN MOTION TO, UH, DELAY THAT'S FINE. OUR MOTION TO CONTINUE. EXCUSE ME SECOND. OKAY. ALRIGHT, THERE'S A MOTION, UM, TO CONTINUE BY COUNCIL MEMBER ANDREWS SULLIVAN. UH, TO DO WE NEED TO DATE CERTAIN MAYOR, WE CAN DO A CONTINUANCE TO OCTOBER 1ST IF THAT'S ACCEPTABLE TO THE COUNCILWOMAN AND TO CONTINUE TO OCTOBER 1ST. OKAY, GREAT. AND, UH, SECOND. SECOND WAS . OKAY. ALRIGHT, UH, THERE'S A MOTION AND A SECOND TO CONTINUE THE ITEM TO OCTOBER 1ST. UH, ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? I'LL, I THINK THERE'S SOME HANDS STILL RAISED FROM THE PREVIOUS QUEUE, SO IF YOU JUST SHOW ME YOUR HAND IF YOU WANNA DISCUSS THE CONTINUANCE. ALRIGHT, HEARING NO FURTHER DISCUSSION. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SAY AYE. AYE. AYE. AYE. AYE. ANY OPPOSED? ALRIGHT. MOTION CARRIES. WE'LL GO TO [07:10:01] ITEM [Z-9. 20-5285 ZONING CASE Z-2020-10700169 (Council District 2): Ordinance amending the Zoning District Boundary from "C-2 RIO-1 UC-2 NCD-9 AHOD" Commercial River Improvement Overlay Broadway Urban Corridor Westfort Neighborhood Conservation Airport Hazard Overlay District to "IDZ-2 RIO-1 UC-2 NCD-9 AHOD" Medium Intensity Infill Development Zone River Improvement Overlay Broadway Urban Corridor Westfort Neighborhood Conservation Airport Hazard Overlay District with uses permitted in "C-2" Commercial District and allowing a fence up to eight (8) feet in height in accordance with Section 35-514 (c)(2)(D) of the Unified Development Code, on 0.7101 acres out of NCB 3594, located at 2600 Broadway Street. Staff and Zoning Commission recommend Approval.] Z NINE. Z NINE IS FROM C2 TO IDZ. TWO WITH USES PERMITTED IN C2 LOCATED AT 2,600 BROADWAY STREET STAFF AND ZONING COMMISSION RECOMMEND APPROVAL. 20. NOTICES MAILED ONE IN FAVOR AND ZERO OPPOSED. COUNCIL MEMBER ANDREW SULLIVAN. OH, UH, THANK YOU MAYOR. UM, SO THIS ONE WAS A, UM, UNDERSTANDING M O O OR MEMO UNDERSTANDING BETWEEN THE WESTWARD ALLIANCE NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION AND THE APPLICANT. UM, SO I MOTION TO INCLUDE THE ALLOWANCE OF A EIGHT FOOT OR UP TO AN EIGHT FOOT INCH, UM, ON THIS PARTICULAR, UM, MOTION. THANK YOU. SORRY. OKAY. UM, I'M SORRY THAT THE, YOU CUT OUT ON THE MOTION. COUNCIL MEMBER, COULD YOU REPEAT THE MOTION? MOTION FOR APPROVAL TO INCLUDE THE ALLOWANCE OF DEFENSE UP TO EIGHT FEET IN HEIGHT IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE UNIFIED DEVELOPMENT CODE? OKAY, GREAT. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. THERE IS A MOTION BY COUNCIL MEMBER ANDREW SULLIVAN WITH CONDITIONS AS READ. UH, SECOND BY COUNCIL MEMBER. ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION ON ITEM D NINE? ALRIGHT, HEARING NONE. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SAY AYE. AYE. AYE. AYE. ANY OPPOSED? MOTION CARRIES. UM, [Items P-4 & Z-10: P-4. 20-5271 PLAN AMENDMENT CASE PA-2020-11600044 (Council District 4): Ordinance amending the Heritage South Sector Plan, a component of the Comprehensive Master Plan for the City, by changing the future land use from “Suburban Tier" to "General Urban Tier" on 18.042 acres out of CB 4295 and CB 4301, generally located in the 13000 block of Watson Road. Staff and Planning Commission recommend Approval. (Associated Zoning Case Z-2020-10700161) Z-10. 20-5270 ZONING CASE Z-2020-10700161 (Council District 4): Ordinance amending the Zoning District Boundary from "C-2 MLOD-2 MLR-2 AHOD" Commercial Lackland Military Lighting Overlay Military Lighting Region 2 Airport Hazard Overlay District to "MF-25 MLOD-2 MLR-2 AHOD" Low Density Multi-Family Military Lighting Overlay Military Lighting Region 2 Airport Hazard Overlay District on 18.042 acres out of CB 4295 and CB 4301, generally located in the 13000 block of Watson Road. Staff and Zoning Commission recommend Approval, pending Plan Amendment. (Associated Plan Amendment PA-2020-11600044)] ITEMS P FOUR AND Z 10, P FOUR AND Z 10 AMENDING THE HERITAGE SOUTH SECTOR PLAN FROM URBAN TIER TO GENERAL FROM C C2 TO MS 25, GENERALLY LOCATED AT 13 BLOCK OF TON ROAD STAFF SIGNING, ZONING, COMMISSION RECOMMEND APPROVAL. 10 NOTICES MEL ONE IN FAVOR OPPOSED THE APPLICANT HAS COMMISSIONED AN AMENDMENT TO REDUCE THE ACREAGE TO FROM EIGHT 18 ACRES TO 17.4 ACRES. COUNCIL MEMBER RO GARCIA MAYOR, I MOVE FOR APPROVAL. ALRIGHT, THERE WAS A MOTION FOR APPROVAL ON HERE. SECOND. OKAY. APPROVED BY COUNCIL MEMBER SECOND BY COUNCIL MEMBER COURAGE. SO THERE'S A, A RESIDENT ON, ON THIS SIDE. WE, YES WE DO HAVE, UH, ONE CITIZEN SIGNED UP TO SPEAK ON ITEMS P FOUR AND Z 10. UH, KEVIN NDA? UH, GOOD AFTERNOON MAYOR AND COUNCIL MEMBERS. THIS IS KEVIN DENDA WITH BROWN ORTIZ ONE 12 REPRESENTATIVE APPLICANT, UH, WITH STAFF PLANNING AND ZONING COMMISSION RECOMMENDING APPROVAL OF OUR REQUEST. WE ARE DEFERRING OUR PRESENTATION. ALRIGHT, THANK YOU MR. DENDA. UM, ALRIGHT, THERE'S A MOTION AND A SECOND FOR APPROVAL OF ITEMS P FOUR AND V 10. ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? HEARING NONE. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SAY AYE. AYE. AYE. AYE. AYE. ANY OPPOSED? MOTION CARRIES ITEMS OR EXCUSE ME. ITEM [Z-13. 20-5034 ZONING CASE Z-2020-10700118 (Council District 5): Ordinance amending the Zoning District Boundary from "R-4 AHOD" Residential Single-Family Airport Hazard Overlay District and “I-2 AHOD” Heavy Industrial Airport Hazard Overlay District to "IDZ-3 AHOD" High Intensity Infill Development Zone Airport Hazard Overlay District with uses permitted for a Recycling Facility with Outside Storage and/or Processing (Excluding Metal Recycling Entity) on Lots 11,12,23 and 24, Block 8, NCB 2118, located at 1203 North Colorado Street and 1406 West Poplar Street. Staff and Zoning Commission recommend Approval. (Continued from August 20, 2020)] Z 13. ITEM Z 13 IS FROM R FOUR AND I TWO TO I D Z THREE WITH USES PERMITTED FOR A RECYCLING FACILITY WITH OUTSIDE STORAGE AND PROCESSING LOCATED AT 1203 NORTH COLORADO STREET AND 1406 WEST POPULAR STREET. STAFF AND ZONING COMMISSION RECOMMEND APPROVAL. 28 NOTICES MAILED THREE IN FAVOR. NINE OPPOSED GARDENDALE NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION AND WEST END HOPE IN ACTION ARE IN OPPOSITION. COUNCIL MEMBER GONZALEZ. UH, THANK YOU. UH, MAYOR, UH, WE HAD SOMETHING WORKED OUT WITH THE, UM, APPLICANT IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD. MOTION TO APPROVE WITH THE CONDITIONS READ, I'M SORRY, WITH THE CONDITIONS. READ SECOND. ALRIGHT, THERE'S A MOTION, UH, FOR APPROVAL WITH CONDITIONS AS READ BY COUNCIL MEMBER GONZALEZ, SECONDED BY COUNCIL MEMBER ROCHE GARCIA. ANY DISCUSSION? HEARING NONE. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SAY AYE. AYE. I AYE. ANY OPPOSED? MOTION CARRIES. GO TO ITEM Z 15. [Z-15. 20-5035 ZONING CASE Z-2020-10700055 CD (Council District 6): Ordinance amending the Zoning District Boundary from "R-6 MLOD-2 MLR-1 AHOD" Residential Single-Family Lackland Military Lighting Overlay Military Lighting Region 1 Airport Hazard Overlay District to "C-2NA CD MLOD-2 MLR-1 AHOD" Commercial Nonalcoholic Sales Lackland Military Lighting Overlay Military Lighting Region 1 Airport Hazard Overlay District with a Conditional Use for Motor Vehicle Sales (Full Service) on Lot 2, Block 16, NCB 16526, located at 2206 Pinn Road. Staff and Zoning Commission recommend Approval, with Conditions. (Continued from August 20, 2020)] ITEM Z 15 FROM R SIX C2, A CD WITH A CONDITIONAL USE FOR MOTOR SERVICE AT 2206 ROAD STAFF AND ZONING COMMISSION. RECOMMEND APPROVAL WITH CONDITIONS, HOURS OF OPERATIONS MONDAY THROUGH FRIDAY, 7:00 AM TO 6:00 PM SATURDAYS 8:00 AM TO 5:00 PM AND SUNDAYS 8:00 AM TO 3:00 PM A 15 FOOT LANDSCAPE BUFFER YARD, A BUDDING RESIDENTIAL ZONING AND, AND OR USES NO TEMPORARY SIGNAGE, WIND WAIVERS, PENANT SI [07:15:01] SNIPIT SIGNS 25 NOTICES MAILED ZERO IN FAVOR. ZERO OPPOSED CABLE. WESTWOOD NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION IS OPPOSED. COUNCIL MEMBER ARE STILL WORKING ON A COMPROMISE THE MOTION AND SO YOU WANNA CONTINUE THAT ITEM, COUNCILMAN? YES PLEASE. FOR 30 DAYS SECOND. THAT WOULD BE OCTOBER 15TH. OKAY. UM, COUNCIL MEMBER RE COULD YOU JUST REPEAT THAT IN THE FORM OF A MOTION? YES, I MOVE TO CONTINUE THE ITEM FOR 30 DAYS. ALRIGHT, THERE'S A MOTION AND, UH, WHO HAD THE SECOND? OKAY. COUNCIL MEMBER RO GARCIA. UM, ANY DISCUSSION ON ITEM G 15? HEARING NONE. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SAY AYE. AYE. AYE. AYE. ANY OPPOSED? ALRIGHT. MOTION CARRIES. [Items P-7 & Z-17: P-7. 20-4715 PLAN AMENDMENT CASE PA-2020-11600013 (Council District 9): Ordinance amending the San Antonio International Airport Vicinity Plan, a component of the Comprehensive Master Plan of the City, by changing the future land use classification from “Business Park” to "High Density Residential" on 1.973 acres out of NCB 12059, generally located in the 12000 block of San Pedro Avenue. Staff and Planning Commission recommend Approval. (Associated Zoning Case Z-2020-10700054) Z-17. 20-4714 ZONING CASE Z-2020-10700054 (Council District 9): Ordinance amending the Zoning District Boundary from "C-3 AHOD" General Commercial Airport Hazard Overlay District and "I-1 AHOD" General Industrial Airport Hazard Overlay District to "MF-33 AHOD" Multi-Family Airport Hazard Overlay District on 1.973 acres out of NCB 12059, generally located in the 12000 block of San Pedro Avenue. Staff recommends Approval. Zoning Commission recommends Denial] WE'LL GO TO ITEMS P SEVEN AND Z 17 AMENDING THE SAN ANTONIO INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT VICINITY PLAN FROM BUSINESS PARK TO HIGH DENSITY RESIDENTIAL FROM C THREE AND I ONE MF 33. GENERALLY LOCATED AT THE 12,000 BLOCK OF SAN PEDRO AVENUE. STAFF AND PLANNING COMMISSION RECOMMEND APPROVAL. ZONING COMMISSION RECOMMENDS DENIAL. NINE NOTICES MAILED ONE IN FAVOR AND ZERO OPPOSED. ALRIGHT, WE HAVE, UH, SEVERAL CITIZENS SIGNED UP TO SPEAK ON ITEMS SEVEN AND Z 17. I'LL CALL THEM NOW. UH, AGAIN, CALL THE NAME, UH, IN ORDER CALL THE SECOND TO BE READY TO SPEAK. I'LL START WITH CINDY MUNCH, FOLLOWED BY DONNA THOMPSON. CINDY MUNCH, DONNA THOMPSON AND RICHARD ROUSE ARE ON A TEAM CALLED THE WOODLANDS GROUP AND I HAVE FIVE POWERPOINT SLIDES WITH THAT. OKAY. UH, IF YOU'RE A GROUP, CAN YOU HEAR ME? WHO'S IN WHO? YES, I CAN HEAR YOU. WHO'S IN YOUR GROUP AND IF THEY CAN JUST, UH, IDENTIFY THEMSELVES BY NAME? DONNA THOMPSON. RICHARD. OKAY. UH, DONNA? YES. OKAY. AND WHO ELSE? UH, IF THEY CAN JUST, RICHARD BROWN. OKAY. RICHARD AND DONNA, ARE YOU BOTH THERE? IF YOU COULD SPEAK. YES, I'M HERE. DONNA IS HERE. OKAY. RICHARD. RICHARD, I NEED HIM PRESENT IN ORDER TO TAKE HIS TIME. TIME. RICHARD. RICHARD. OKAY. UM, ALRIGHT. HE'S NOT CONNECTED. SO, UM, GO AHEAD CINDY. YOU'LL HAVE SIX MINUTES AND YOU'LL BE TAKING, UH, THE TIME FOR YOU. AND DONNA, I AM SPEAKING FOR A GROUP IN OPPOSITION OF BOTH THE PLANNING AND ZONING CHARGES PROPOSED TO ALLOW HIGH DENSITY RESIDENTIAL APARTMENT BUILDING AT INNER PARK AND HIGHWAY 2 81 ACCESS ROAD. UH, THE PLANNING AGENDA, ITEM P SEVEN COMES WITH A RECOMMENDATION TO PROOF. THEY'VE ALREADY READ THAT CHART ONE. ARE YOU, DO YOU HAVE MY CHARTS I SENT IN? YOU HAVE A CHART OPINION? NO, MA'AM. I, I DON'T, I DID NOT RECEIVE CHARTS, MA'AM. OKAY. THE SITE PLAN SUBMITTED BY THE DEVELOPER SHOWS RED ARROWS TO IDENTIFY THE, OH GOD. COMMISSIONER GONZALEZ ACKNOWLEDGED CONCERN FOR TRAFFIC AND COMMUNITY COMM COMMENTS AND SUGGESTED THAT THIS IS WHERE WE HAVE TO BE THINKING ABOUT PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION IN VIA THE DEVELOPER COM. COMMENTED ON BUS ACCESS AND SAID THIS LOCATION IS DIRECTLY ACROSS PUBLIC TRANSIT STOP AT INNER PARK IN SAN PEDRO WITH ACCESS TO VERY ATTRACTIVE, VARIOUS ATTRACTIVE RANDOM NEWS IN THE CITY. THE LAW IS ON THE HIGHWAY ACCESS ROAD GOING SOUTH. YOU CANNOT CROSS THE STREET TO CATCH A BUS GOING NORTH. IF YOU'RE GOING TO CATCH, TAKE THE BUS SOUTH, YOU HAVE TO GET OFF THE BUS AROUND, UH, BITTERS ROAD, ACROSS THE HIGHWAY AND AROUND THE SIDE AND IT'S ABOUT A MILE WALK. THERE ARE OTHER BETTER LOCATIONS WITH HAVE THAT HAVE ACCESS FOR BUS LOCATIONS GOING BOTH WAYS. COMMISSIONER ROHR NOTED THAT THE PLAYGROUND ON THE HIGHWAY WAS AND ASKED IF IT COULD BE MOVED TO THE BACK OF THE LOFT. YOU CAN'T SEE THESE PICTURES WITH THE PARKING ON THE 2 81 SIDE. SORRY TO INTERRUPT. I'VE GOT THE PICTURES UP NOW. OH, THANK YOU. THE FIRST ONE, THE COMMISSIONER ASKED ABOUT THE PLAYGROUND ON THE RIGHT SIDE AND ASKED ABOUT MOVING TO THE LOT ON THE BACK OF THE CHART. THE DEVELOPER AGREED THAT THEY WOULD LIKE TO PUSH THE BUILDING BACK, BUT THAT WOULD VIOLATE CITY CODE. THE BUILDING IS ON THE LOT NEXT TO THE 15 FOOT PUBLIC EASEMENT OF THE ACCESS ROAD. CITY CODE REQUIREMENT IS ABOUT 10 FEET. ABOUT 10 FEET BUILDING SETBACK ON THE LOT LINE ON THE OPPOSITE SIDE OF THE PROPERTY, MARKED WITH A RED STAR ON THAT FIRST SLIDE. DEVELOPMENT PLAN HAS PARKING LOT AND BUILDING ON ALL BUT THREE FEET OF THE WIDTH OF THE LOT, [07:20:01] FLIPPING THE PLAN TO MOVE THE PLAYGROUND AND BUILDING AWAY FROM THE HIGHWAY, WHICH IS 10 FOOT LOT WIDTH FOR BUILDING SETBACK, WHICH MAKES THE PLAN SEVEN FOOT FOUR SHORT OF PARKING LOT WIDTH AND THUS NOT ENOUGH ROOM TO PROVIDE THE REQUIRED MINIMUM SPACES. THE CITY DOES NOT HAVE TO PUT PLAYGROUNDS BY 14 LANES OF HIGHWAY TO, FOR THE SAKE OF AFFORDABLE HOUSING. OPTIONS ARE AVAILABLE FOR THE USE OF FEDERAL S TAX CREDIT FUNDING TO PLAY AND SUPPORT COURTS AWAY FROM THE HIGHWAY. UH, THE NEXT CHART PLEASE. LET'S SKIP THAT CHART. UM, I WOULD LIKE TO GO UP TO THE AIRPORT AREA PLAN CHART THREE AND, UH, THE CHART WAS TAKEN FROM THE AIRPORT AREA PLAN AND IT SHOWS ALL THE ZONING IS IS COMMERCIAL AND INDUSTRIAL, EXCEPT FOR ONE THAT SAYS RESIDENTIAL AND THAT REALLY IS THE PARKING LOT FOR THE CHURCH. SOMEONE THE STAFF ASKED, THE DEVELOPER ADVISED THAT THE SITE WAS NINE TENTHS OF A MILE FROM THE NEAREST RUNWAY AND THAT THIS PROJECT WILL ALLOW HUD REQUIREMENTS FOR SOUNDPROOFING COMMISSION. MEMBER ASKED ABOUT THE AIRPORT EXPANSION PLANS. SOMEONE ANSWERED, TWO PEOPLE ANSWERED THAT IT WAS 50 PLUS YEARS OUT OF RANGE AGENDA ITEM P SEVEN IS ABOUT A REQUEST TO CHANGE THE AIRPORT LAND USE PLAN, WHICH IN 1997 RECOGNIZED THE NEED TO DESIGNATE USAGE IN THE AREA TO PROTECT AIRPORT OPERATIONS. 20 YEARS AGO, FAMILIES COULD SHORT-TERM PARK RIGHT BY THE TERMINALS AND STROLL TO THE GATE TO GREET FAMILY OR SEND OFF FAMILY. 13 YEARS AGO WHEN ONLY TICKETED PASSENGERS COULD GO DOWN, CROWDED CONCOURSES TO CROWDED GATES, THE CITY LOST A MAJOR CORPORATE HEADQUARTERS TO INSUFFICIENT AIR SERVICE. THE AIR AIRPORT STRATEGIC DEVELOPMENT PLAN BEGAN A REVIEW IN 2018, WHICH INCLUDED 91 CONCEPTS FOR RUNWAY EXPANSION FOR HIGH LEVEL PHASING IN THE SIX, 10, AND 20 YEAR PLANNING PERIODS IN DECEMBER. THOSE CONCEPTS SELECTED TO GO FORWARD TO PHASE TWO OF THOSE 14 RUNWAY CONCEPTS. 11 PROPOSED RUNWAY DEVELOPMENT WEB THAT WILL MOVE TAKEOFF AND LANDING AIRSPACE CLOSER TO INNER PARK. FIVE OF THOSE CONCEPTS OF THOSE CONCEPTS WOULD PUT THE FLIGHT LINE DIRECTLY OVER INNER PARK AT SAN PEDRO. NO DECISION HAS BEEN MADE, BUT THEY ARE NOT 50 YEARS OUT. CONFLICTING DECISIONS CITY NOT ONLY AFFORDABLE HOUSING INVENTORY, BUT THE PURCHASE PRICE OF THE LAND ON THE THAT THE IN LOST INVENTORY WOULD BE AT EMINENT DOMAIN. THE CITY DOES NOT HAVE TO GIVE UP FAVORABLE HOUSING TO PROTECT SIX, 10, AND 20 YEAR PLANS FOR AIRPORT IMPROVEMENTS. THERE ARE OTHER BETTER OPTIONS THAT OFFER LONG-TERM LIFE CHART FOUR PLEASE. CHART FOUR IS A REMARKABLE COMPARISON THAT HAS BEEN SENT TO COUNCIL AND SHOWS HOW MUCH BILL IS AT PAIR AND VITAL OFFERS RESIDENTS AND THAT IT PROVIDES MORE NEW WORKFORCE HOUSING FOR SAN ANTONIO SCHOOLS. A COMMISSIONER ASKS THE DEVELOPER REPRESENTATIVE HOW WILL THE NUMBER OF NEW STUDENTS IMPACT THE NEIGHBORHOOD SCHOOLS. THE DEVELOPER'S RESPONSE WAS THAT THEY HAD SPOKEN WITH ANY I S D OFFICIALS WHO WERE SAYING THAT THEY WERE CONFIDENT IN THEIR ABILITY FOR TO PROVIDE AN EVENT, AN EXEMPLARY EDUCATION TO ALL STUDENTS. THIS WAS ACCEPTED AS REASSURANCE FOR PLANNING THAT NEIGHBORHOOD SCHOOLS WERE NOT AN ISSUE FOR CHILDREN IN THE AREA. HOWEVER, EXEMPLARY IS A RATING OF A AND THE MOST RECENT TEXAS EDUCATION EVALUATION FOR HARMONY HILLS IS F THE SCHOOL'S NINE ACRE CAMPUS REMAINS CROWDED WITH PORTABLES YET IN THE PAST THREE YEARS DOING DIRECTORY FOR MY H O A I HAVE NOT HAD A FAMILY SENDING CHILDREN TO HARMONY HILLS PARENTS WHO HAVE OPTED SEND TO HAVE OPTED FOR ANY I S D SCHOOL CHOICE CHARTER POOL SCHOOLS AND PUBLIC SCHOOLS AND PRIVATE SCHOOLS, PARDON ME, HARMONY HILLS IS MEETING CHALLENGES THAT ANY I S D IS ADDRESSING WITH IMPROVEMENT PLAN, BUT THEY HAVE NOT BEEN ABLE TO MAKE THAT IMPROVEMENT SO FAR FOR THE CURRENT POPULATION. I CHOSE TO USE THIS TIME AS A REBUTTAL TO THE RESPONSES TO IMPORTANT CONCERNS THAT THE PLANNING COMMISSION HAD WHEN MAKING THEIR RECOMMENDATION TO YOU. THERE'S A STAKEHOLDER THAT PROBABLY IS NOT CALLING IN AND THAT'S THE PROTECTIVE TENANT, PROSPECTIVE TENANT. I DO NOT BELIEVE A FAMILY PREFER TO BE NEAR OTHER PEOPLE WHO HAVE SWIMMING POOLS OVER LIVING WITH A LIVING IN A UNIT WHERE THEY HAVE A SWIMMING POOL. I THINK WE ALL WANT THE BEST SCHOOLS FOR OUR CHILDREN AND THE NEXT HOUSING OPPORTUNITY IN LINE FOR THIS COMPETITIVE TAX CREDIT OFFERS MORE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL AND MIDDLE SCHOOL RATED HIGHER. LOOK AT THE COST PLEASE. BEFORE THANK YOU. THANK YOU MS. MUNCH. PATTY GIBBONS. OKAY, WE'LL MOVE TO DAWN MOND. DAWN MOND. UM, DON MOND. IS DON MOND THERE? [07:25:05] OLIVIA TRA YES, I'M HERE. OKAY. OLIVIA, YOU'LL BE FOLLOWED BY ANITA FERNANDEZ. ANITA HAVE YIELDED HER TIME TO ME. OKAY. ANITA, ARE YOU CONFIRMED THAT I YIELD MY TIME? OKAY, GREAT. YES SIR. I CONFIRMED THAT I YIELD MY TIME. TOSO. OKAY, GO AHEAD OLIVIA. SIX MINUTES. THANK YOU. GOOD AFTERNOON COUNSEL. MY NAME IS OLIVIA. I'M ONE OF THE DEVELOPERS OF TED INNER PARK AND THE DESIGNATED REPRESENTATIVE FOR O C I GROUP AND ATLANTIC PACIFIC COMMUNITIES. O C I GROUP IS A SAN ANTONIO BASED, LATINA LATINO OWNED SOCIAL PURPOSE CONSULTING AND DEVELOPMENT FIRM. I'M JOINED TODAY BY MY O C I GROUP PARTNERS AND ALSO GONZALEZ AND A FERNANDEZ. OUR FAMILIES HAVE BEEN NATIVE SAN ANTONIO FOR GENERATIONS AND IT GIVES US GREAT PRIDE TO BE CONTRIBUTING TO THE ECONOMIC AND HOUSING DEVELOPMENT IN OUR HOMETOWN. OUR DEVELOPMENT PARTNER, ATLANTIC PACIFIC COMMUNITIES SHARES THE SAME COMMITMENT TO COMMUNITY FOCUSED AND RELATIONSHIP BASED DEVELOPMENT AS A FOURTH GENERATION FAMILY OWNED COMPANY WITH OVER 36,000 UNITS ACROSS THE UNITED STATES. OUR TEAM HAS SEVERAL DEVELOPMENTS IN THE SAN ANTONIO METRO AREA WITH THE MOST RECENT BEING THE LEGACY AT PIEDMONT, A HIGH QUALITY, AFFORDABLE RESIDENTIAL COMMUNITY FOR SENIORS. LOCATED IN THE HIGHLAND PARK NEIGHBORHOOD WHERE I GREW UP IN DISTRICT THREE, THE PROPOSED MULTI-FAMILY DEVELOPMENT VISTA INNER PARK WILL CONSIST OF 64 HIGH QUALITY APARTMENT HOMES, 36 1 BEDROOMS, 24 2 BEDROOMS, AND FOUR THREE BEDROOMS. THE COMMUNITY WILL BE 80 A ACCESSIBLE AND WILL INCLUDE 97 SURFACE PARKING SPACES AND WE'LL HAVE OVER 2,400 SQUARE FEET OF COMMON AREA SPACE. THE PROPERTY IS PART OF THE INNER PARK BUSINESS PARK. AFTER NEARLY 30 YEARS, ABOUT HALF OF THE BUSINESS PARK REMAINS UNDEVELOPED. WE ARE REQUESTING AN AMENDMENT TO THE SITE, GENERALLY LOCATED IN THE 12,000 BLOCK OF SOME FEDERAL FROM BUSINESS PARK TO HIGH DENSITY RESIDENTIAL AND A ZONING AMENDMENT FROM C THREE AND I ONE TO MS 33 CITY STAFF HAS RECOMMENDED APPROVAL OF BOTH COMMUNITY SUPPORT FOR VISTA INNER ART INCLUDES A DIVERSE GROUP OF SURROUNDING RELIGIOUS AND CIVIC ORGANIZATIONS, BUSINESS OWNERS, NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATIONS, AND RESIDENTS IN NEARBY NEIGHBORHOODS. THIS HAS INCLUDED SHEARER HILLS BAPTIST CHURCH LOCATED NEXT DOOR TO VISTA INNER PARK MOVE TEXAS FAMILY VIOLENCE PREVENTION SERVICES THROUGH PROJECT RK, SAN ANTONIO LULAC, ROOT ED, AND RESIDENTS OF DISTRICT NINE. WITH THIS COMMUNITY SUPPORT AND THE UNANIMOUS APPROVAL OF VISTA INNER PARK BY CITY COUNCIL, OUR APPLICATION WAS SELECTED TO RECEIVE TAX CREDITS FROM THE STATE BECAUSE IT IS ONE OF THE BEST POSSIBLE LOCATIONS TO DEVELOP A NEW HIGH QUALITY AFFORDABLE HOUSING. THE SITE SCORED MAXIMUM POINTS FOR BEING LOCATED IN AN UNDERSERVED AREA, WHICH MEANS THAT THERE ARE NO HOUSING TAX CREDIT DEVELOPMENT IN CLOSE PROXIMITY THAT HAVE BEEN AWARDED IN THE LAST 15 YEARS. THE SITE ALSO SCORED MAXIMUM POINTS FOR ITS PROXIMITY TO JOB AREAS, WHICH WE KNOW IS MORE CRITICAL THAN EVER AS OUR CITY FIGHTS TO GET SAN ANTONIO BACK TO WORK. LASTLY, THE SITE RECEIVED MAXIMUM OPPORTUNITY INDEX POINTS FROM T D H C A. THIS IDENTIFIES AREAS THAT WOULD PROVIDE GREATER OPPORTUNITIES FOR RESIDENTS THROUGH IMPORTANT FACTORS SUCH AS A LOW POVERTY RATE, HIGHER MEDIAN HOUSEHOLD INCOME, AND GREATER PROXIMITY TO SERVICES SUCH AS PUBLIC TRANSIT, GROCERY, PHARMACY, INDOOR OUTDOOR RECREATION AREAS, COMMUNITY OR CIVIC GROUPS AND CHILDCARE SERVICES, WHICH ARE ALL LOCATED WITHIN APPROXIMATELY HALF A MILE FROM THIS DEAD INNER PARK. AND A MEDICAL FACILITY, WHICH IS LOCATED LESS THAN TWO MILES AWAY. VISIT INNER PARK WILL PROVIDE A HIGH QUALITY RESIDENCE FOR OUR CITY'S ESSENTIAL WORKERS. LIKE THE STAFF AT OUR LOCAL HOSPITALS, POST OFFICE EMPLOYEES, SENIOR CAREGIVERS, AND GROCERY STORE CLERKS. ADDITIONALLY, RESIDENTS OF NEW AFFORDABLE HOUSING DEVELOPMENTS OFTEN HAVE BEEN LONGTIME MEMBERS OF THE SURROUNDING COMMUNITY AND WILL CONTINUE TO MAKE CONTRIBUTIONS TO THEIR NEIGHBORHOODS. WHILE THERE HAS BEEN SIGNIFICANT MISINFORMATION SPREAD, WHETHER INTENTIONALLY OR UNINTENTIONALLY CAUSING SOME AREA RESIDENTS TO BELIEVE THAT THIS DEVELOPMENT WOULD CAUSE THEIR PROPERTY VALUES TO PLUMMET, INCREASE CRIME, OVERCROWDING, AND NEGATIVELY AFFECT THE SCHOOL. NONE OF THIS IS CORRECT OR SUPPORTED BY EVIDENCE. AND WHEN SUCH STATEMENTS ARE MADE FROM THE CITY'S APPOINTED LEADERS WHO HAVE CONSIDERABLE INFLUENCE OVER ZONING, WHICH SHAPES OUR COMMUNITIES, THIS IS UNACCEPTABLE AND ANTITHETICAL TO THE CITY'S COMMITMENT TO NON-DISCRIMINATION AND EQUITY FOR ALL RESIDENTS. WE CANNOT ALLOW MINDY ATTITUDES AND PREJUDICES TO IMPEDE ACCESS TO AFFORDABLE HOUSING IN HIGH OPPORTUNITY AREAS THROUGHOUT [07:30:01] SAN ANTONIO. IT'S TIME TO ACKNOWLEDGE THAT THE ARGUMENT, THIS JUST ISN'T THE RIGHT LOCATION WHEN ALL INDICATORS POINT TO THE CONTRARY, IS A THINLY VEILED ATTEMPT TO CONTINUE STRUCTURAL SEGREGATION OF OUR NEIGHBORHOODS AND COMMUNITIES. OUR TEAM SPECIALIZES IN DEVELOPING IN URBAN AREAS AND WE ARE COMMITTED TO CREATING A SAFE AND COMFORTABLE HOME FOR ALL OF OUR RESIDENTS. WE HAVE GONE ABOVE AND BEYOND TO ADDRESS ANY CONCERNS AROUND TREE PRESERVATION, TRAFFIC IMPACT, DRIVEWAYS, AND SOUND. AND WE ARE MEETING ALL OF THE CITIES AND TDHCA A'S REQUIREMENTS THROUGHOUT THIS PROCESS. WE HAVE SHOWN THAT OUR PLANNING AND ZONING REQUESTS ARE HARMONIOUS TO THE USES AROUND US AND THAT WE ARE PROPOSING A HIGH QUALITY RESIDENTIAL COMMUNITY THAT WILL BE AFFORDABLE FOR THE LOCAL WORKFORCE IN A SUPERIOR LOCATION THAT WILL INCREASE HOUSING EQUITY IN OUR CITY. WE APPRECIATE EVERYTHING THAT THIS CITY COUNCIL AND MAYOR HAS DONE DURING THIS EXTREMELY CHALLENGING YEAR TO SUPPORT THE RESIDENTS OF SAN ANTONIO, ESPECIALLY THOSE MOST IN NEED. THANK YOU FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION OF OUR REQUEST. THANK YOU. MR. JANICE VAN CLEVE. JANICE VAN CLEVE. OKAY, THAT'S EVERYONE WHO SIGNED UP. UM, COUNCIL MEMBER KURTZ? YES. MS. CLEVE THERE? YES. MS. IS IS HERE. OKAY, GO AHEAD. YOU HAVE THE FLOOR? YES, IT'S YES. MY NAME'S JANICE VAN CLEVE AND I AM A DISTRICT NINE RESIDENT AND I AM A LONG-TERM MEMBER OF SHE HILL BAPTIST CHURCH, UH, WHICH WILL BE THE NEIGHBOR OF THIS PROJECT. HELLO? YES, WE CAN, WE CAN HEAR YOU MA'AM. AT THIS TIME IS YOURS, PLEASE PROCEED. OKAY. UM, I'M A MEMBER OF THE CHURCH AND WE ARE SO EXCITED ABOUT THIS OPPORTUNITY TO MINISTER TO THIS COMMUNITY AND IN PARTICULAR THE CHILDREN. THEY'VE BEEN IN A LOT OF COMMUNICATION WITH THE DEVELOPERS SINCE THE BEGINNING OF THIS, UH, PROJECT AND THEY HAVE BEEN VERY RESPONSIVE TO US ANSWERING QUESTIONS. PERSONALLY, I AM EXCITED ABOUT THIS DEVELOPMENT AND, UM, BECAUSE MY HUSBAND IS AN ENTITY AND WE ARE NOW ON A FIXED INCOME AND WE NEED TO DOWNSIZE. THE ABILITY TO STAY IN DISTRICT NINE AND HAVE A FULL A D A ACCESSIBLE APARTMENT THAT IS AFFORDABLE IS HUGE TO US. NOT MANY AFFORDABLE APARTMENTS IN DISTRICT NINE HAVE ROLL-IN SHOWERS, WIDER DOORWAYS, AND ALL OF THE OTHER NECESSITIES FOR, UM, SOMEONE IN A WHEELCHAIR. MANY TIMES TODAY I HAVE HEARD THIS, THE COUNCIL MEMBERS REFER TO A NEED FOR MORE AFFORDABLE HOUSING. THIS IS EASY TO SAY, BUT IMPLEMENTING IS NOT AS EASY IT SEEMS WE ALWAYS BUMP UP AGAINST THAT, NOT IN MY NEIGHBORHOOD ATTITUDE. THAT STATEMENT REFLECTS THE SYSTEMIC INEQUALITY AND YOU HAVE STATED, NOW IS THE TIME TO ADDRESS THAT ISSUE. NOW IS THE TIME. TODAY IS THE DAY THAT YOU SHOULD NOT SHY AWAY IN FEAR, BUT INSTEAD TAKE A BOLD STEP TOWARD ACCOMPLISHING BOTH OF YOUR STATED GOALS, MORE AFFORDABLE HOUSING AND ENDING SYSTEMIC EQUALITY. THIS APARTMENT WOULD HAS FIVE MINUTE ACCESS TO WALMART, H E V, TARGET GAS STATIONS, WALGREENS, AND ANY OTHER AMENITY THAT YOU WOULD NEED. FURTHERMORE, IT HAS THAT BUS STOP AJA ON THE ADJACENT CORNER AND IT IS QUITE FRANKLY, A GREAT LOCATION FOR AFFORDABLE HOUSING. UM, I VOLUNTEER AT WEST AVENUE COMPASSION, WHICH IS ALSO IN DISTRICT NINE. AND 10 YEARS AGO IT MET WITH THE SAME OBJECTIONS, WITH THE ATTITUDE OF NOT IN OUR NEIGHBORHOOD TODAY, THE RESIDENTS OF THAT AREA BRING, UM, SANDWICHES AND LUNCH TO THE VOLUNTEERS AND APPRECIATION FOR WHAT WE DO. AND I AM SURE THAT IF YOU WERE TO PROVE THIS PROJECT, THAT THE ATTITUDES OF THE NEIGHBORS WOULD CHANGE. SO PLEASE LET TODAY BE THE DAY THAT YOU START ACTING ON YOUR GOALS. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. BYE. THANK YOU, MS. CLEVE. COUNCIL MEMBER COURAGE. THANK YOU MAYOR. I WANNA THANK THE APPLICANT IN THIS CASE FOR TAKING THE RISK [07:35:01] OF BRINGING THIS PROJECT FORWARD. NOT ONLY DID IT NEED APPROVAL FOR TAX CREDITS, WHICH THIS BODY IS ALREADY APPROVED, INCLUDING AN EARLIER VOTE BY MYSELF, BUT ALSO THE ZONING WHICH WE ARE CONSIDERING TODAY. I WOULD ALSO LIKE TO THANK THE MANY RESIDENTS AND ORGANIZATIONS THAT HAVE REACHED OUT TO ME TO VOICE YOUR STANCE IF THERE'S BEEN MANY, MANY ON BOTH SIDES OF THE ISSUE. I'M A PROPONENT OF AFFORDABLE HOUSING IN OUR CITY AND IN MY DISTRICT. SINCE TAKING OFFICE, I HAVE PUBLICLY SUPPORTED THREE AFFORDABLE MULTI-FAMILY PROJECTS PROVIDING 420 UNITS AT 60%, UH, BELOW OR BELOW OF THE AVERAGE MEDIAN INCOME, AND ANOTHER 174 UNITS AT 80% AND BELOW OF THE AVERAGE MEDIAN INCOME FOR A TOTAL OF 594 U UH, UNITS. HOWEVER, I'M NO LONGER CONVINCED THAT THIS SITE IS APPROPRIATE FOR THIS MULTIFAMILY ZONING. TODAY, WE'RE NOT CONSIDERING THE AFFORDABILITY MERITS OF THE PROJECT, BUT RATHER THE LAND USE. THIS IS WHAT IS MOST CONCERNING TO ME. THE SITE IS LESS THAN TWO ACRES, WHICH WILL RESULT IN VERY DENSE MULTIFAMILY PROJECT AND WILL PROVIDE VERY FEW OPTIONS FOR AMENITIES INCLUDING GREEN SPACE. IT IS LOCATED ADJACENT TO 2 81 AND THE ACCESS ROAD, WHICH IS VERY HEAVILY TRAFFICKED RIGHT NEXT TO WACH PARKWAY WITH LITTLE ROOM FOR A BUFFER. I DON'T THINK THE ACCESS TO THE SITE OFF 2 81 IS GOING TO BE SAFE. IT IS ALSO SURROUNDED BY COMMERCIAL AND BUSINESS PARK ZONING. THIS PROJECT IS COUNTER TO THE ADOPTED COMMUNITY NEIGHBORHOOD PLAN, WHICH CALLS FOR BUSINESS PARK INDUSTRIAL USES, WHICH WILL SUPPORT JOBS. WE SHOULD ALSO BE MINDFUL THAT THIS SITE IS LOCATED UNDER THE FLIGHT PATTERN OF THE AIRPORT. HOWEVER, EVEN THOUGH I'M O I'M SAYING WE'RE ONLY CONSIDERING THE ZONING IN THIS CASE, IT IS IMPOSSIBLE TO ALSO NOT CONSIDER THE AFFORDABILITY ASPECT. UH, THEY'RE INTERTWINED PROVIDING AFFORDABLE HOUSING IN HIGH OPPORTUNITY NEIGHBORHOODS WITH GREAT SCHOOLS EXPANDS ACCESS TO ECONOMIC MOBILITY FOR MANY LOWER INCOME FAMILIES. IF I'M GOING TO SUPPORT AN AFFORDABLE PROJECT IN MY DISTRICT, I WANTED TO FEED INTO THE SCHOOLS THAT ARE BEST PREPARED TO ACCEPT ADDITIONAL STUDENTS AND PROMOTE THEIR SUCCESS. THERE ARE MANY ADDITIONAL AREAS IN OUR DISTRICT THAT MEET THESE SITUATIONS. IT'S ALSO NOT LOST ON ME THAT THE 9% TAX CREDIT PROGRAM THIS PROJECT IS DEPENDENT ON IS A VERY COMPETITIVE PROCESS. ONLY ABOUT THREE PROJECTS CITYWIDE WILL ACTUALLY BE AWARDED THESE TAX CREDITS. THIS PROJECT CHECK CHECKED, EXCUSE ME, CHECKED MANY BOXES ON THE OBJECTIVE SCORING MATRIX, MAKING IT VERY COMPETITIVE. HOWEVER, THAT PROCESS LACKED A ROBUST PUBLIC INPUT PROCESS, WHICH THE ZONING PROCESS ENTAILS. ALTHOUGH THE CHURCH NEXT TO THE PROPERTY, UH, UNDERSTOOD WHAT WAS GOING ON, AND MEETINGS WERE HELD THERE, THERE WERE OTHER NEARBY NEIGHBORHOODS ASKING FOR MORE INFORMATION THAT WERE NOT REALLY REACHED OUT TO. AND HEREIN LIES THE TROUBLE. IF THIS PROJECT WERE NOT TO SECURE A FAVORABLE ZONING VOTE TODAY, ANOTHER 9% TAX PROJECT WOULD MOVE UP IN RANKING ONE PROJECT LOCATED IN COUNCILMAN PERRY'S DISTRICT WOULD PROBABLY MOVE UP IN THE PROCESS. I BELIEVE IT MAY BE A LARGER PROJECT AND IS ALSO LOCATED WITHIN THE N E I S D SCHOOL SYSTEM. PRACTICALLY SPEAKING, BY VOTING AGAINST THIS PROJECT, WE ARE SUPPORTING MORE AFFORDABLE HOUSING WITHIN A NEIGHBORHOOD THAT IS SUPPORTIVE AND A SITE THAT IS MORE APPROPRIATE FOR MULTIFAMILY PROJECT. THEREFORE, I MOVE DENIAL OF THE ZONING. OKAY. THERE IS A MOTION FOR DENIAL, UH, BY COUNCIL MEMBER COURAGE. IS THERE A SECOND? OKAY. UM, OKAY. SECOND BY COUNCIL MEMBER PERRY. UH, COUNCIL MEMBER . YEAH. MAYOR, WITHOUT, I, I REALLY HAVE NOT MUCH TO SAY OTHER THAN, UM, I SUPPORT THE PROJECT. I UNDERSTAND, UH, THE POSITION, UH, COUNCILMAN COURAGE IS IN. UM, I ALSO UNDERSTAND THE, UH, THE NEED FOR THIS KIND OF HOUSING, PARTICULARLY SO CLOSE TO, UM, YOU KNOW, MULTIPLE UNIVERSITIES AND, UM, YOU KNOW, THE KIND OF HOUSING THAT WE NEED IN THAT ONE AREA. UM, AND AT THE RISK OF DRAWING, UM, MY COLLEAGUES IER, UH, AND I APOLOGIZE IN ADVANCE IF, IF I HAVE DONE THAT, JOHN, UM, [07:40:01] I MOVE TO APPROVE. SECOND. SECOND. OKAY. THERE'S A MOTION, UH, FOR APPROVAL, UM, ON ITEM D SEVEN AND Z 17 BY COUNCIL MEMBER PLIE, UH, SECONDED BY I THINK, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER TREVINO. UM, WE HAVE SOME DISCUSSION ON THAT. UH, MAYOR, UH, IF, IF COUNCILMAN COURAGE WANTS TO, HE CAN EITHER WITHDRAW HIS MOTION TO DENY OR WE'D HAVE TO VOTE ON THAT FIRST. I WILL REQUEST A VOTE ON MY MOTION. OKAY. ALRIGHT. UM, SO THERE'S TWO ITEMS, OR THERE'S TWO MOTIONS ON THE FLOOR. ONE FOR DENIAL, ONE FOR APPROVAL. I'LL TAKE THE DENIAL FIRST. UH, BUT BEFORE THAT, WE DO HAVE DISCUSSION. COUNCIL MEMBER SANDOVAL. THANK YOU, MAYOR. UM, AND I WANNA THANK EVERYONE WHO, UH, WHO PROVIDED, UH, COMMENTS. UM, I DO HAVE A QUESTION IF IT WOULD BE POSSIBLE TO PUT MS. REVIA. SO, UH, BACK ON THE LINE, UM, YES, IF SHE'S STILL CONNECTED. UM, OLIVIA ZO, ARE, ARE YOU STILL CONNECTED? I'M STILL HERE. OKAY. GO AHEAD. I, I AM STILL HERE. I'M ALSO JOINED BY OUR DEVELOPMENT PARTNER AND OUR ENGINEER AND OUR LAND USE ATTORNEY. OKAY, EXCELLENT. THANK YOU. UM, I, I THINK WHAT YOU DESCRIBED IN TERMS OF THE AMENITIES THAT YOU'RE OFFERING AND WHAT THE PROJECT IS TRYING TO ACHIEVE ARE ALL, UH, SOMETHING THAT, THAT I WOULD SUPPORT. UM, I, I DO GENERALLY GET A LITTLE BIT NERVOUS ABOUT DEVELOPMENT THAT'S ON FREEWAY, UH, FRONTAGE. I, UH, BECAUSE IT'S JUST NOT EASY TO WALK AROUND USUALLY. SO I WANTED TO KNOW IF YOU COULD JUST, UH, EXPLAIN TO ME A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT, UM, THE TRANSIT ACCESSIBILITY. LIKE IF, IF SOMEONE, UH, I, I THINK THERE'S GONNA BE FAMILIES LIVING HERE. YOU DESCRIBED THREE AND FOUR BEDROOMS, A APART BEDROOM, APARTMENTS. THAT'S GREAT. UM, SO IF SOME OF THE CHILDREN WERE GOING TO SCHOOL, HOW WOULD THEY GET THERE? VIA, VIA BUS? ARE YOU THERE? IS THAT SOMETHING, UH, ONE OF YOU COULD DESCRIBE? HELLO? CAN YOU HEAR ME? I CAN, MM-HMM. . HELLO. OKAY, GREAT. YES, I CAN HEAR YOU. YES. SO WE'VE BEEN WORKING, UM, IN, IN TERMS OF OUR ACCESS TO TRANSIT, IT IS ACTUALLY MUCH CLOSER TO THE NEAREST, UM, BUS STOP THAN WAS DESCRIBED, UM, BY ONE OF THE, THE MEMBERS OF THE COMMUNITY. UM, BUT WE, WE HAVE ALSO BEEN WORKING, UM, WITH TXDOT, AND THEN WE WORK WITH SURROUNDING COMMUNITY AS WELL, UM, TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY ALSO HAVE THOSE SUPPLEMENTAL SERVICES. UM, WE ARE REALLY FOCUSING ON INNER PARK AS WELL AS THE PRIMARY EGRESS AND INGRESS FOR THE DEVELOPMENT SO THAT THEY ALSO DON'T HAVE TO USE THE FRONTAGE ROAD TO COME INTO THE PROPERTY IF THEY DON'T WANT TO. UM, BUT THAT WILL BE ONE OF THE PRIMARY METHODS. AND THEN I ALSO HAVE WITH ME ANISA FERNANDEZ, WHO, UM, IS PART OF OUR DEVELOPMENT TEAM. SHE'S ACTUALLY FROM THE AREA, GROWN UP IN THE AREA AND KNOWS IT VERY WELL. ALSO. I THINK THE ONLY ADDITION THAT I'D ADD TO THAT, IN TERMS OF THE CONCERN AND, AND WE TAKE THAT VERY SERIOUSLY IN TERMS OF SAFETY AND TRAFFIC, IS, UM, WE'VE ALREADY DISCUSSED THAT LENGTH, THAT THIS IS A BUSINESS PARK AREA, AND IF YOU'RE FAMILIAR, THERE'S AN ENTIRE BLOCK, IF NOT MORE THAN THAT, OF, UM, BUSINESSES AND STORES THAT ARE LEADING UP TO THIS ENTRANCE THAT WOULD BE ON THE ACCESS ROAD. AND SO THERE ARE PLENTY OF OPPORTUNITY FOR ENTRANCE AND EXIT TO THOSE BUSINESSES AS WELL ON THAT ACCESS ROAD. UH, SO I THINK THAT THAT ALSO COVERS A LITTLE BIT TO WHAT YOU'RE ASKING, COUNCILWOMAN, AT LEAST I HOPE IT DOES. UH, SO I'LL, I'LL REPHRASE. IF I LIVE ON THE PROPERTY AND I'M GOING TO SCHOOL, WHERE IS THE SCHOOL? WHERE'S THE, WHERE ARE THE CLOSEST PUBLIC SCHOOLS AND HOW DO I GET THERE VIA PUBLIC TRANSIT? THE CLOSEST PUBLIC SCHOOL IS GOING TO BE HARMONY HILLS ELEMENTARY SCHOOL, AND WE CAN SEND SOME MORE INFORMATION SPECIFICALLY ON THE BUS ROUTE THAT THEY WOULD BE ABLE TO TAKE. BUT I WILL TELL YOU THAT WE HAVE BEEN WORKING VERY CLOSELY SINCE THE BEGINNING WITH NORTHEAST I S D AND IN PARTICULAR HARMONY HILLS ELEMENTARY SCHOOL TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY ARE GOING TO BE ABLE TO ACCOMMODATE ANY NEW STUDENTS, WHICH THEY HAVE SAID THAT THEY WELCOME. UH, THEY PROVIDED A LETTER OF SUPPORT TO T D H [07:45:01] C A, ALSO STATING THAT THEY WERE GOING TO BE PROVIDING A, UH, DETAILED IMPROVEMENT PLAN FOR HARMONY HILLS ELEMENTARY SCHOOL. AND THE STATE FELT THAT EVERYTHING THAT THEY SHARED IN TERMS OF THE IMPROVEMENT PLAN, THE COMMUNICATION WITH NORTHEAST I S B, IN ADDITION TO INFORMATION THAT WAS PROVIDED REGARDING TRANSIT AND BUS STOP, UM, WAS ENOUGH TO SUPPORT THE AWARD OF THE HOUSING TAX CREDITS FOR THE DEVELOPMENT. BUT WE CAN DEFINITELY SEND MORE DETAILED INFORMATION REGARDING THE SPECIFIC BUS ROUTE, UM, SO THAT YOU CAN HAVE THAT REFRAME. OKAY. WELL, UM, YEAH, THE, THE CONCERN IS JUST SO HARMONY HILLS, UH, ELEMENTARY IS ACROSS THE, THE FREEWAY. AND, UM, FOR ALL THE WONDERFUL THINGS FREEWAYS DO FOR US, THEY ALSO DIVIDE COMMUNITIES, RIGHT? AND THEY MAKE IT VERY HARD TO WALK FROM, FROM ONE NEIGHBORHOOD TO, TO ANOTHER. I, I DON'T HAVE ANY ISSUES WITH, UM, WITH ADDING MORE KIDS TO THE PUBLIC SCHOOLS. I MEAN, THAT'S WHAT OUR PUBLIC SCHOOLS WANT, RIGHT? THEY, THEY DO WANT MORE, UH, MORE STUDENTS AND THEIR, THEY'RE, THEY'RE BUILT SO THAT THEY CAN SCALE UP AS THEY HAVE MORE, MORE STUDENTS. UM, I'M JUST A LITTLE BIT, I GUESS I'D LIKE TO SEE THAT INFORMATION. UM, BUT SINCE WE'RE, I'M SORRY I DIDN'T ASK FOR THIS SOONER, UH, IT'D BE GREAT TO TO HAVE IT SINCE WE ARE VOTING TODAY ON THIS. UM, MY, MY OTHER QUESTION, OR, OR JUST A COMMENT REALLY IS THERE ARE NO NEARBY NEIGHBORHOODS TO THIS SITE. SO I, I DON'T, UM, I KNOW COUNCILMAN CUR YOU SAID SOMETHING ABOUT THE OTHER NEARBY NEIGHBORHOODS, NOT NOT BEING ABLE TO WEIGH IN, BUT ON THE CONTRARY, I FEEL LIKE THIS SITE IS ALMOST GONNA BE SEGREGATED FROM, FROM THE NEIGHBORHOODS. IT IS CLOSE TO, UH, TO JOB POINTS. UH, LIKE, UH, ONE OF THE SPEAKERS MENTIONED, LIKE OLIVIA, UH, MENTIONED. SO IT'S GONNA END UP BEING, I GUESS, A LITTLE BIT MORE MIXED, MORE MIXED USE. MY, MY CONCERN ABOUT ONE OF THE SITES OVER HERE IS WE'VE GOT THE BULKY WASTE COLLECTION CENTER, UH, SORT OF SOUTHEAST FROM THE SITE. IS THAT, DOES THAT CREATE ANY, ANY NUISANCES AS FAR AS YOU KNOW? UM, MIKE, MIKE SHANNON, UH, NO COUNCILWOMAN THAT, UM, YOU KNOW, WE KNOW THAT THAT SITE IS AROUND THERE, BUT WE, WE BELIEVE THIS SITE IS, UM, IS, IS APPROPRIATELY DISTANCED FROM THAT AND WOULDN'T CAUSE A HAZARD. OKAY. ALRIGHT. THANK YOU. THOSE ARE ALL MY COMMENTS. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. COUNCIL MEMBER, UH, SANDOVAL, COUNCIL MEMBER TRAVINO. UH, THANK YOU MAYOR. AND I JUST, YOU KNOW, I JUST WANNA EXPRESS MY SUPPORT FOR AFFORDABLE HOUSING ALL OVER, UH, THE CITY. UH, WE GOT THE STATS BACK ON, UM, THE RENTAL ASSISTANCE AND IT DEMONSTRATED THAT THERE IS A LOT OF NEED ALL OVER OUR CITY. AND AS, UH, UH, ONE OF THE, UH, REPRESENTATIVES FROM OUR, UH, NEIGHBORHOOD HOUSING SERVICES POINTED OUT IS THAT WE HAVE, UH, POCKETS OF POVERTY, UH, ALL OVER THE CITY. AND, UH, CREATING AFFORDABLE HOUSING THAT'S ACCESSIBLE, UH, TO ALL PARTS, ALL SECTORS, ALL DISTRICTS IS, IS CRITICAL. SO THAT'S WHY I'M SUPPORTING THIS PROJECT. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. COUNCIL MEMBER VINNO. COUNCIL MEMBER PERRY. THANK YOU, SIR. UH, JUST WANTED TO, UM, ACTUALLY ADD SOME ADDITIONAL INFORMATION FROM WHAT COUNCIL SAID. I DO DO HAVE AN AREA UP IN DISTRICT 10, WHICH IS ALL OVER THE CITY. AND, AND THIS PARTICULAR DEVELOPMENT, WHICH IS I THINK NEXT ON THE LIST, IS OVER 300 UNITS. SO, UM, YOU KNOW, IF, UM, IF THIS DOESN'T MAKE IT, I'M, I'M IN THE SURROUNDING NEIGHBORHOODS AND EVERYBODY'S GOOD WITH IT, AND IT'S, IT'S READY TO GO. THAT'S ALL I WANTED TO SAY. MAYOR BLUE. THANK YOU, COUNCIL MEMBER PERRY. UM, ALRIGHT. THERE ARE, UH, I, I'LL JUST ADD, I, I CAN'T SAY ANY BETTER. I, I THINK THERE'S BEEN A NUMBER OF COMMENTS ABOUT THE IMPORTANCE OF, UM, ACCESSIBLE, AFFORDABLE HOUSING IN OUR COMMUNITY. UM, AND, UH, THIS IS ANOTHER OPPORTUNITY IN MY MIND, UH, UNDERSTAND THE CONCERNS OF THE COUNCIL MEMBER. UH, BUT I THINK THIS IS, UH, A PROJECT THAT MEETS THE STANDARD. UM, SO THERE ARE TWO MOTIONS ON THE FLOOR. ONE IS, UH, FOR DENIAL. THE SECOND, UH, IS FOR APPROVAL. SO WE'LL GO THROUGH THOSE IN ORDER. UM, SO WE'LL TAKE UP THE MOTION FOR DENIAL FIRST. UM, AND AGAIN, UH, A YES VOTE IS TO DENY THE ITEM, UH, NO VOTE IS TO, [07:50:01] UH, DENY THE DENIAL. SO WE WILL VOTE FOR APPROVAL AFTER THAT. SO, UM, WE'LL GO AHEAD AND TAKE UP THE MOTION AND SECOND FOR DENIAL. UM, ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SAY AYE. AYE. OKAY. UH, THOSE AGAINST NAY, UH, I DUNNO IF I HAD THE TERMINOLOGY RIGHT, ANDY, BUT, UM, I THINK, UH, THE, THE MOTION TO DENY FAILS, MAYOR. OKAY, GREAT. ALRIGHT. UM, SO WE WILL TAKE UP THE SECOND MOTION, WHICH IS THE MOTION BY COUNCIL MEMBER AYA, UH, AND SECONDED BY, UH, TREVINO FOR APPROVAL OF ITEMS, UH, P SEVEN AND ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION ON THOSE, IF THERE IS NONE. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR OF APPROVING THE ITEM, PLEASE SAY, AYE. AYE. AYE. AYE. ANY OPPOSED? I ABSTAIN. ABSTAIN. OKAY. UM, AND I BELIEVE THAT MOTION CARRIES WITH THE TWO ABSTENTIONS, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER PERRY, COUNCIL MEMBER COURAGE. ALRIGHT. BELIEVE IT OR NOT, FOLKS, IT'S FIVE O'CLOCK AND THAT IS THE LAST ITEM ON OUR BUSINESS AGENDA. UH, WELL DONE TODAY. WE DO HAVE A BRIEF EXECUTIVE SESSION, BUT BEFORE THAT WE HAVE A BRIEF CITY MANAGER'S [28. 20-5398 City Manager's Report] REPORT. SO LEMME TURN IT OVER TO STATE MANAGER ERIC WALSH. I KNOW I'LL STATE ONE OF THE ITEMS FOR, UH, FOR NEXT COUNCIL MEETING. I JUST WANTED TO GIVE THE COUNCIL A QUICK UPDATE. WE HAVE BEEN WORK, DAVID MCCARRY AND HIS AND, UH, AND CRAIG HOPKINS. AND, UH, ALL THE DEPARTMENTS HAVE BEEN WORKING TO UPDATE OUR RETURN TO WORK PLAN. UM, AND I WILL BE SENDING AN E A MEMO TO THE COUNCIL TOMORROW. UM, AS EVERYBODY'S BEEN WATCHING ON THE, ON THE END OF DAY REPORTS, OUR NUMBERS HERE, UH, HAVE CONTINUED TO, UH, LOOK BETTER AND BETTER. UH, WE ARE USING THE HEALTH PROTOCOLS AND THE, UH, THE, UH, GREEN, YELLOW, RED SCALE TO KIND OF MEASURE OUR REOPENINGS. AND SO, UH, DAVE HAS BEEN WORKING HARD WITH THE GROUP, UH, TO GET EVERYTHING LAID OUT. I WILL UPDATE ALL OF THE COUNCIL TOMORROW. UM, AS WE START TO PHASE REOPENINGS OF MORE OF OUR, UH, FACILITIES. WE'RE GONNA BE VERY MEASURED AND WE'RE GONNA UTILIZE THOSE, UM, HEALTH PROTOCOLS, UH, TO, TO GUIDE US BOTH IN THE REOPENING. AND IF SOMETHING HAPPENS, UH, AND WE START TO SEE ACTIVITY GOING UP OR CASES GOING UP, WE CAN SCALE BACK DOWN. SO, UM, YOU'LL SEE THAT TOMORROW THE SECOND ITEM. ANDY WANTED TO GIVE THE COUNCIL A QUICK UPDATE OF SOME EVENTS THAT OCCURRED WHILE WE WERE IN COUNCIL TODAY. YES. UH, THANK YOU COUNCIL. UH, BUT YES, AS ERIC SAID, BELIEVE IT OR NOT, THERE WERE SOME, UH, THINGS THAT HAPPENED WHILE WE WERE IN THIS MEETING. AND ACTUALLY, UH, LIZ WAS ABLE TO, UM, REVIEW PRETTY, UH, IN, IN, IN PRETTY MUCH DETAIL A NEW ORDER THAT WAS ISSUED BY THE GOVERNOR AS IT RELATES TO THE COVID RESPONSE. SO I'LL ASK HER TO GO OVER SOME OF THE HIGHLIGHTS. LIZ. THANK YOU, ANDY. GOOD AFTERNOON COUNCIL MEMBERS. AND SO THE GOVERNOR ISSUED TWO EXECUTIVE ORDERS TODAY, AND THEY ARE CONTINGENT UPON, UH, TRAUMA SERVICE AREAS. AND THE TRAUMA SERVICE AREA THAT WE SIT IN WITH BEXAR COUNTY IS CONSIDERED, UM, ALPHA LETTER, ALPHA, UH, LETTER P. AND BASED ON OUR HOSPITAL METRICS, UM, THE FOLLOWING OPENINGS WILL BE ALLOWED. UM, THE ONLY AREAS THAT ARE NOT FOLLOWING THESE ADDITIONAL, UM, OPENINGS THAT YOU SEE BELOW ARE GONNA BE THE AREAS IN THE RIO GRANDE VALLEY IN LAREDO AND VICTORIA. AND THAT'S BECAUSE THEY'RE AT GREATER THAN 15%, UM, OF TOTAL HOSPITALIZATIONS RELATED TO C OVID 19. SO WITH THAT, IMMEDIATELY HOSPITALS CAN RETURN TO THEIR ELECTIVE SURGERIES IN FULL. YOU WILL RECALL THAT THEY HAD TO SHOW CERTAIN PARAMETERS BEFORE ELECTIVE SURGERIES COULD BE PERFORMED. NOW THEY CAN PERFORM THEM IN TOTALITY WITH THE EXCEPTION THAT THEY MUST RETAIN 10% CAPACITY FOR C OVID 19 PATIENTS. AND THEN ON MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 21ST, YOU'LL RECALL WE HAVE A LIST OF ACTIVITIES THAT HAVE CERTAIN OCCUPANCY LIMITS AND OTHERS THAT ARE, UM, EXEMPTED FROM THOSE LIMITS. EXEMPTED FROM THOSE LIMITS CURRENTLY ARE THINGS LIKE CSA ACTIVITIES, RELIGIOUS ACTIVITIES, UM, RELIGIOUS WORSHIP, THE GOVERNOR ADDED PUBLIC AND PRIVATE SCHOOL, UM, ACTIVITIES TO NO CAPACITY LIMITS EFFECTIVE MONDAY, AS WELL AS WHAT WE'VE SEEN MORE OF, WHICH [07:55:01] ARE THE DRIVING CONCERTS, MOVIES, OR SIMILAR EVENTS WHERE YOU'RE REQUIRED TO STAY IN YOUR CAR AND SOCIALLY DISTANCE AND, AND STAY WITH THAT WITH THE VEHICLE. UM, THERE ARE NO CAPACITY LIMITS ON THOSE TYPES OF ACTIVITIES AS OF MONDAY. IN ADDITION, UM, RETAIL, RESTAURANTS, OFFICE BUILDINGS, MANUFACTURING MUSEUMS, AND LIBRARIES AND GYMS WILL INCREASE CAPACITY ON MONDAY TO 75%. AND WE ALSO HAVE SOME EXPANSION IN NURSING HOME VISITS AND LONG-TERM CARE FACILITIES. AND YOU'LL RECALL THAT THERE WERE, UM, SOME OF THOSE VISITS ALLOWED, PROVIDED THAT THEY MET WITH CERTAIN STATE PROTOCOLS. AND SO THIS WILL STILL REQUIRE THOSE STATE PROTOCOLS AS DETERMINED BY H H S C, BUT IT'S GONNA OPEN UP, UM, TO ALLOW FOR MORE VISITATION IN THOSE LONG-TERM FACILITIES. AND THOSE PROTOCOLS WILL REQUIRE CERTAIN MEASURES TO BE IN PLACE AND CERTAINLY, UM, WILL BE CONTINGENT ON NO OUTBREAKS WITHIN THOSE FACILITIES. SO THIS WILL ALSO BE INCLUDED AT THE END OF THE DAY SO YOU HAVE THAT TO BE ABLE TO REFER TO IT. AND YOU'LL HAVE THE SPECIFIC ORDERS AS WELL. BUT DON'T HESITATE TO CALL US IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS. OKAY, THAT'S, THAT'S IT. UH, LIZ AND, UH, ERIC. ALRIGHT. ANY QUESTIONS FOR, UH, MANAGER? CLAY, I SEE YOUR HAND RAISED, BUT IS THAT FROM THE LAST ITEM? OKAY. ALRIGHT. UM, [Executive Session] WELL THE TIME IS, LET'S SEE, WE'RE GONNA GO INTO EXEC SESSION NOW. LEMME JUST, UH, GRAB THE CAPTION. ALRIGHT. 30 SECONDS. ALRIGHT. UH, THE TIME IS NOW 5:05 PM AND THE CITY COUNCIL WILL RECONVENE ITS EXECUTIVE SESSION PREVIOUSLY SCHEDULED FOR WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 16TH. AND GO OVER THE ITEMS NOT COVERED, UH, THAT DAY AND THEN WE WILL RETURN SHORTLY THEREAFTER. OKAY? ALRIGHT. UH, THE TIME IS NOW 5:19 PM ON THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 17TH, 2020. CITY COUNCIL HAS RECONVENED FROM ITS EXECUTIVE SESSION. NO OFFICIAL ACTION WAS TAKEN AND THIS SESSION IS NOW MERCIFULLY, MERCIFULLY ADJOURNED. HAVE A WONDERFUL EVENING Y'ALL. * 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.