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WELCOME TO THE CITY COUNCIL REGULAR MEETING OF JUNE 14, 2018.
>> COUNCILMAN PELAEZ IS ON HIS WAY.
>> MAYOR, WE DO HAVE A QUORUM.
>> MAYOR NIRENBERG: GOOD MORNING.
WELCOME EVERYONE TO OUR CITY COUNCIL A SESSION AGENDA.
I HAVE THE PRIVILEGE OF STARTING US OFF WITH A GUEST FOR OUR INVOCATION.
AND I WOULD LIKE TO WELCOME REVEREND JOHN GARLAND.
REVEREND GARLAND IS A PASTOR OF THE SAN ANTONIO MENNONITE CHURCH AT THE SOUTHERN END OF ST.
SAN ANTONIO MENNONITE CHURCH IS A CHRISTIAN CHURCH COMMITTED TO BUILDING PEACE THROUGH PRAYER, SERVICE, AND STEWARDSHIP.
THE CHURCH HOSTS MANY EVENTS INCLUDING THE CONJUNTO HERITAGE WHICH PRESERVES AND TEACHES THE TREASURE OF SAN ANTONIO'S MUSICAL ROOTS.
THEY ALSO HOST THE PEACE INITIATIVE THAT WORKS WITH THE DOMESTICALLY ABUSED AND THE ABUSERS WITH THE EFFORT TO END CYCLES OF VIOLENCE.
THEY OFFER LEGAL SUPPORT FOR ASYLUM SEEKERS AROUND OUR CITY.
THEY HOST A TEEN MOTHER SUPPORT ORGANIZATION, MENTAL HEALTH SUPPORT GROUPS AND MUCH MORE.
THEY ARE VERY INVOLVED WITH THE INTERFAITH WELCOME COALITION THAT SUPPORTS REFUGEES MOVING THROUGH OUR BUS STATIONS AND AIRPORT.
IN A COMMITMENT TO SIMPLICITY, THE MENNONITE CHURCH MAINTAINS A PASTORAL POSITION COMPENSATED BELOW THE POVERTY LINE.
AND REVEREND GARLAND OWNS A SMALL FARM ON THE CAMPUS OF A LOCAL HIGH SCHOOL THAT SELLS VEGETABLES TO LOCAL RESTAURANTS AND MARKETS.
HIS WIFE IS AN EDUCATOR AND HIS TWO DAUGHTERS ARE BOTH IN SAISD, JUST UP THE STREET FROM THE CHURCH.
WE WELCOME REVEREND GARLAND TODAY.
YOU ARE AN EXAMPLE OF WHY WE ARE PROUD TO BE SAN ANTONIANS.
GOD, YOU ARE IN THIS PLACE AND WE LIFT OUR HEARTS UP TO YOU.
WE GIVE YOU THANKS, GOD, FOR ALL THAT YOU HAVE GIVEN US.
WE GIVE YOU THANKS FOR ALL THAT YOU HAVE ENTRUSTED US WITH, GOD, AND WE ASK FOR WISDOM.
GIVE US THE WISDOM TO RECOGNIZE OURSELVES AS NOT THE CENTER.
GIVE US THE WISDOM TO RECOGNIZE OURSELVES AS BUT TEMPORARY GRASS IN YOUR WONDROUS CREATION, GOD.
GIVE US THE WISDOM TO PURSUE THE ONLY THINGS THAT LAST, GOD.
WE LIFT UP THOSE WHO HAVE GARDEN HERE TODAY.
GOD, WE GIVE YOU THANKS FOR THESE WOMEN VETERANS WHO LAID THEIR LIVES ON THE LINE FOR THOSE THAT THEY LOVE.
WE GIVE YOU THANKS FOR THESE COUNCIL MEMBERS AND FOR THEIR STAFF.
THEY SERVE, GOD, AND WE KNOW THAT THEY ARE ATTACKED.
THEY GIVE OF THEMSELVES, GOD, AND WE KNOW THAT THEY MUST BE WEARY.
AND SO WE ASK THAT YOU WOULD TRANSFORM IN THIS ROOM TODAY ALL RESENTMENT AND ALL ANGER AND ALL HURT.
TRANSFORM COMPETITION INTO FAITH.
TRANSFORM AMBITION, GOD, INTO HUMBLE LOVE.
WE ASK THAT YOU WOULD TRANSFORM US, GOD, INTO LIGHT FOR THIS CITY.
TRANSFORM US INTO SALT FOR THIS WORLD.
I ASK THIS HUMBLY IN THE NAME OF CHRIST JESUS, AMEN.
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>> MAYOR NIRENBERG: THANK YOU, REVEREND GARLAND.
WE HAVE AN ANNOUNCEMENT FOR TRANSLATION SERVICES.
>> MAYOR NIRENBERG: THANK YOU.
AT THIS TIME I WOULD LIKE TO CALL ON OUR FIRST ITEM OF THE DAY, WHICH IS THE APPROVAL OF THE CITY COUNCIL MEETING MINUTES FROM MAY 16 AND 17.
THERE'S A MOTION AND A SECOND FOR APPROVAL OF ITEM NO. 3, THE CITY COUNCIL MEETING MINUTES OF MAY 16 AND 17.
I WOULD LIKE TO NOW ASK MY COLLEAGUE, COUNCILMAN PERRY, TO COME JOIN ME AT THE PODIUM FOR A SPECIAL RECOGNITION OF SOME VETERANS WE HAVE IN THE AUDIENCE.
TODAY WE ARE RECOGNIZING WOMEN VETERANS DAY IN SAN ANTONIO.
THERE'S NO BETTER PLACE TO DO THAT THAN IN SAN ANTONIO, TEXAS.
I WOULD LIKE TO THANK MY COLLEAGUE, COUNCILMAN PERRY, ONE OF THE MEMBERS OF THE MILITARY TRANSFORMATION TASK FORCE HERE IN SAN ANTONIO.
IF WE COULD HAVE THE MEMBERS OF OUR MILITARY COME FORWARD AND THEN WE'LL HAVE SOME COMMENTS AND SO FORTH.
WHEREAS ON JUNE 14, 2018 THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO WILL OBSERVE WOMEN VETERANS DAY TO RECOGNIZE THE ROLE OF WOMEN IN THE MILITARY AND COMMEMORATE THEIR SACRIFICES AND WHEREAS SINCE THE REVOLUTIONARY WAR WOMEN HAVE SERVED THEIR COUNTRY HONORABLY IN A VARIETY OF MILITARY ROLES TO INCLUDE COOKS, DRIVERS, MECHANICS, PILOTS, SOLDIERS, SAILORS, DOCTORS, AND NURSES.
WHEREAS ON JUNE 12, 1948 PRESIDENT HARRY TRUMAN SIGNED INTO LAW THE WOMEN'S ARMED SERVICES INTEGRATION ACT ALLOWING WOMEN TO SERVE AS PERMANENT REGULAR MEMBERS OF THE MILITARY.
WHEREAS TEXAS SENATE BILL 805 WAS PASSED JUNE 9, 2017 COMMEMORATING THE SACRIFICES OF AND THE VALOR DISPLAYED BY TEXAS WOMEN VETERANS MAKING JUNE 12 THE OFFICIAL WOMEN VETERANS DAY.
NOW THEREFORE I RON NIRENBERG, MAYOR OF THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO, IN RECOGNITION THEREOF, PROCLAIM JUNE 12, 2018 TO BE WOMEN VETERANS DAY IN SAN ANTONIO, TEXAS.
>> MR. MAYOR, WE JUST APPRECIATE EVERYBODY, ALL THE COUNCIL AS WELL AS THE CITY MANAGER FOR ALLOWING US TO BE HERE TODAY.
ONE OF THE GREATEST THINGS FOR US -- THERE'S OVER 300,000 VETERANS WITHIN THIS REGION OF SAN ANTONIO.
WE WANT TO THANK EVERYBODY WHO CAME BEFORE US.
FOR PRESIDENT TRUMAN WHO SIGNED THE INTEGRATION ACT AS WELL AS FOR THE GOVERNOR, WHO DURING THE 85TH LEGISLATURE, RECOGNIZED TEXAS WOMENS VETERANS AND ESTABLISHED A DAY FOR EVERYBODY WHO HAS SERVED.
WE ALSO WANT TO THANK THE SUPERVISORS WHO HAVE ALLOWED ALL OF THE CITY WORKERS TO COME HERE TODAY.
WE HAVE JUST BROKEN THROUGH THE CODE WITH HR TO ALLOW PEOPLE TO DECLARE WHETHER OR NOT THEY ARE VETERANS OR WHETHER THEY HAVE SERVED AND IN WHAT SERVICE THEY WERE A PART OF.
I HAD OVER 100 RESPONSES FROM WOMEN ALONE THAT RAISED THEIR HAND AND SAID I AM A VETERAN.
AND FROM THOSE WOMEN WE REACHED OUT.
AND THEY ARE HERE TODAY BECAUSE OF THEIR SUPERVISORS ALLOWING THEM TO BE HERE.
BECAUSE THIS CITY IS MILITARY CITY, USA.
AND THEY ARE HERE TO EMBRACE THIS DAY.
I WANT TO SAY THANK YOU VERY MUCH TO EVERYBODY OUT THERE THAT ALLOWED THAT TO HAPPEN.
AND, FINALLY, TO THESE WOMEN I WILL SAY THAT VETERANS TODAY HAVE LAID THE PATH FOR WHERE WE ARE TODAY IN THE ACTIVE DUTY.
THEY HAVE MADE THE SACRIFICES TO ENSURE THAT NOW IN 2016 ALL WOMEN CAN SERVE IN ANY CAPACITY THAT THEY WANT TO, WHETHER IT BE SOMEONE ON THE FRONT LINES.
WHETHER IT BE A NURSE, WHETHER IT BE SOMEONE IN THE SEALS, WHETHER IT BE SOMEONE THAT IS IN
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DIRECT CONTACT IN THE MARINES.WE HAVE THAT OPPORTUNITY TO BE ABLE TO DO THAT.
THAT IS BECAUSE OF EVERYBODY STANDING BEHIND ME.
BECAUSE OF THEIR SERVICE AND BECAUSE WHAT THEY HAVE DONE FOR THIS GREAT NATION, WE HAVE HAD THAT OPPORTUNITY TO DO.
AND I THINK THAT IS A TREMENDOUS REMINDER OF HOW IMPORTANT WOMEN ARE TO THE MILITARY AS WELL AS THE DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE.
I THINK OFTEN WE FORGET THAT WOMEN DO SERVE.
I HAVE TALKED TO A LOT OF THESE INDIVIDUALS AND THEY HAVE SAID THEY AUTOMATICALLY LOOK AT THEIR SPOUSE OR THEIR BOSS OR THEIR, YOU KNOW, OR THEIR FRIEND, WHO IS A MAN.
AND THEY GET THANKED FOR THEIR SERVICE.
I AM GLAD THAT TODAY WE RECOGNIZE THAT THESE WOMEN HAVE STEPPED FORWARD AND THAT WE HAVE ALSO COME TO REALIZE THAT COURAGE, A DEDICATION TO THIS COUNTRY AND THE ABILITY TO PUT OUR LIVES ON THE LINE IS NOT BASED ON GENDER.
IT IS BASED ON OUR ABILITY TO RAISE OUR RIGHT HAND AND TO MAKE THAT COMMITMENT TO THIS COUNTRY AND TO THIS CONSTITUTION.
AND WE GREATLY APPRECIATE EVERYTHING YOU HAVE DONE.
THANK YOU FOR RECOGNIZING US TODAY.
AND ONE LAST THING I WOULD LIKE TO SAY IS FOR ALL THESE WOMEN HERE THAT IS IN THE UNITED STATES ARMY, TODAY IS THE 243RD BIRTHDAY OF THE U.S. ARMY.
SO CONGRATULATIONS TO ALL THE WOMEN VETERANS.
AND CONGRATULATIONS TO THE UNITED STATES ARMY.
>> TREVINO: WE HAVE A FEW COUNCIL MEMBERS WHO WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK.
THANK YOU ALL WOMEN FOR ALL THAT YOU DO FOR US.
NOT JUST BECAUSE OF YOUR ACTIVE DUTY SERVICE, BUT ALL YOU DO FOR US EVERY DAY AS WORKING MOMS, AS PROFESSIONALS, AS STAY AT HOME MOMS, ALL THE THINGS THAT YOU DO THAT WE DON'T RECOGNIZE.
BUT THIS IS A REALLY SPECIAL RECOGNITION AND I'M JUST SO HONORED TO BE BEFORE YOU AND HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO TELL YOU MYSELF THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE.
ON THAT NOTE I DO HAVE A VACANCY IN THE VETERANS ADVISORY COMMITTEE.
PERHAPS I'M NOT THE ONLY PERSON ON THE COUNCIL THAT HAS A VACANCY ON THIS COMMITTEE.
PLEASE REACH OUT TO MY OFFICE AND LET ME KNOW IF YOU'RE AVAILABLE AND INTERESTED IN SERVING IN THAT POSITION.
THANK YOU ALL AND THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE.
>> TREVINO: THANK YOU, COUNCIL MEMBER GONZALES.
>> VIAGRAN: I JUST WANTED TO SAY THANK YOU ALL SO MUCH FOR YOUR SERVICE.
BUT I THINK THE WORD "THANK YOU" DOESN'T EVEN REALLY GRASP EVERYTHING THAT YOU ALL REPRESENT TO ME AND TO THE ENTIRE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA.
I KNOW EACH AND EVERY ONE OF YOU, IN SOME WAY, YOU WERE YOUR OWN TRAIL BLAZER.
YOU HAD TO BREAK STRONGHOLDS AND BREAK THROUGH.
THANK YOU FOR STAYING WITH IT.
THANK YOU FOR CONTINUING TO SERVE.
AND THANK YOU FOR CONTINUING TO BE LEADERS AND ROLE MODELS FOR A GENERATION THAT IS COMING UP IN A GENERATION LIKE MINE TOO.
>> TREVINO: THANK YOU, COUNCIL MEMBER VIAGRAN.
>> TREVINO: COUNCILMAN SALDANA.
WE ARE JUST SO PLEASED TO HAVE YOU IN THE CHAMBERS TODAY.
SOME OF YOU ALL COMING FROM THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO AS EMPLOYEES GET TO REMIND US OF YOUR SERVICE.
YOU'RE NOT WEARING THE UNIFORM BUT YOU CERTAINLY CARRY THE WEIGHT, THE DEDICATION, AND THE COURAGE OF WHAT IT WAS LIKE TO SERVE, TO RAISE YOUR RIGHT HAND.
I WANT TO ACTUALLY, ESPECIALLY POINT OUT JUANITA, WHO IS PART OF OUR VETERANS COMMISSION FOR DISTRICT 4.
SHE IS BEEN A STRONG LEADER IN CITY IN SUPPORTING OUR VETERANS, ESPECIALLY OUR VETERAN WOMEN.
SO WE'RE NO -- SO PLEASED TO SEE YOU HERE TODAY.
TO THE CITY EMPLOYEES THAT ARE ALSO VETERANS, I'M GLAD I GET TO SEE YOU ALL IN A NEW LIGHT.
IT'S IN A LIGHT THAT IS REFLECTIVE OF WHAT WE HOPE TO SEE IN OUR COMMUNITY THROUGH YOUNG GIRLS WHO CAN SEE ROLE MODELS THROUGH YOU ALL.
THEY CAN'T SEE YOU WEAR THE UNIFORM TODAY, BUT I'M SO GLAD WE'RE ABLE TO RECOGNIZE AND PUT THAT AURA BACK ON YOU.
AGAIN, THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE AND THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE THIS MORNING.
>> TREVINO: THANK YOU, COUNCILMAN SALDANA.
>> BROCKHOUSE: THANK YOU, SIR.
AGAIN, I WANT TO THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE AND YOUR DEDICATION.
I WOULD BE REMISS IF I DIDN'T RECOGNIZE MY MOTHER TODAY.
IN FACT, I HAVE TO TEXT HER TO
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REMIND HER.MY MOTHER WAS AN ARMY VETERAN OUT OF FORT SAM.
SPENT 17 YEARS IN THE MILITARY.
WHEN I WAS IN BASIC TRAINING MY MOTHER WAS ALREADY DEPLOYED IN OPERATION DE SHIELD/DESERT STORM.
SHE WAS A TRANSPORTATION SPECIALIST.
AND NO BIGGER PRIDE IN MY MOTHER THAN WHEN SHE PUT ON HER UNIFORM AND LEFT US FOR A YEAR IN DEPLOYMENT IN SERVICE OF HER COUNTRY.
BUT NONETHELESS IN LOVE WITH HER COUNTRY AND THE THINGS SHE FINDS IMPORTANT.
THOSE THINGS ENDED UP SHAPING WHO I AM TODAY.
MY FATHER AND I BOTH SERVED, BUT IT WAS MY MOTHER THAT STOOD, IN MY EYES, AS DOING SOMETHING THAT WAS ABSOLUTELY AMAZING.
RAISING HER CHILDREN, PUTTING ON THE UNIFORM.
AND ALL OF THAT THAT I STILL TO THIS DAY, WHEN I SEE MY MOTHER, I BURN WITH PRIDE FOR THE SERVICE SHE GAVE OUR COUNTRY.
AND TO EACH OF YOU, THAT STORY TO YOUR CHILDREN, BROTHERS, SISTERS, WHOEVER IN YOUR LIFE IS LOOKING AT YOU.
JUST KNOW THAT THAT'S IN THE HEARTS OF THE PEOPLE THAT WATCH YOU, ESPECIALLY WHEN IT'S A WOMAN WEARING THE UNIFORM DOING THINGS THAT, YOU KNOW, WHEN I WAS A 17-YEAR-OLD YOUNG MAN I COULDN'T IMAGINE MY MOM DOING.
AND TO YOUR FAMILIES AND THOSE THAT STAND BEHIND YOU, THE ONES THAT ARE CARRYING, BLESSINGS AND THANKS TO THEM AS WELL.
I WAS AIR FORCE BUT I GUESS I HAVE TO SAY GO ARMY.
>> TREVINO: THANK YOU, COUNCIL MEMBER BROCKHOUSE.
>> SANDOVAL: THANK YOU, MAYOR PRO TEM.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR BEING HERE.
YOU MAKE US ALL EXTREMELY PROUD.
LIKE WAS SAID EARLIER, WE OFTEN APPRECIATE OUR VETERANS HERE.
WE DO A NUMBER OF THINGS TO THANK THEM, AND RIGHTFULLY SO.
IT'S A SHOW OF BRAVERY AND OF YOUR PATRIOTISM TO SERVE.
BUT I IMAGINE AS WOMEN YOU HAD TO WORK JUST A LITTLE BIT HARDER, PERHAPS.
AND TO BE JUST A LITTLE BIT BRAVER TO GET WHERE YOU WERE.
SO EACH OF YOU HAD TO PUSH SOME BOUNDARIES AND MAYBE BREAK SOME STEREOTYPES TO GET TO WHERE YOU ARE TODAY.
THANK YOU FOR THAT LITTLE BIT EXTRA SACRIFICE, THAT LITTLE BIT EXTRA BRAVERY, THAT LITTLE BIT EXTRA PATRIOTISM YOU HAD TO SHOW.
>> TREVINO: THANK YOU, COUNCILWOMAN SANDOVAL.
>> SHAW: THANK YOU, COUNCILMAN.
IT'S INTERESTING THAT WE'RE HAVING THIS CONVERSATION TODAY BECAUSE WHEN I WAS IN THE NAVY -- FIRST OF ALL, THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE AND TO YOUR FAMILIES.
IT'S FUNNY BECAUSE MY BIGGEST COMPETITION IN PROMOTION WAS A COLLEAGUE OF MINE, WHICH HAPPENED TO BE A FEMALE.
WE FOUGHT BACK AND FORTH FOR OUR PROMOTION ON TRYING TO GET THE BEST SCORES ON THE TEST.
SHE DID MORE PUSH UPS AND RAN FASTER THAN ME IN THE PFA.
ONCE WE BOTH EXITED THE NAVY TOGETHER, I HIRED HER.
SO SHE IS RUNNING MY LAW PRACTICE RIGHT NOW WHILE I SERVE HERE.
SO I WILL BE REMISS IF I DIDN'T SAY THANK YOU FOR SERVING OUR COUNTRY AS WELL AS TAKING CARE OF YOUR FAMILY AS WELL AS MY FAMILY AND CONTRIBUTING TO MY LAW PRACTICE TO KEEP ME AFLOAT WHILE I'M SERVING THIS GREAT CITY.
THANK YOU FOR WHAT YOU DO FOR YOUR COUNTRY.
THANK YOU FOR WHAT YOU DO FOR YOUR FAMILIES.
>> TREVINO: THANK YOU, COUNCILMAN SHAW.
YOU KNOW, WHEN I SERVED IN 1971 TO 1975 WOMEN WERE VERY RARE IN THE MILITARY, EXCEPT FOR NURSES, I THINK.
BUT TODAY WOMEN ARE EVERYWHERE IN THE MILITARY AND THEY ARE DOING EVERY JOB IN THE MILITARY THAT ANY MAN HAS EVER DONE.
AND I THINK THAT'S GREAT FOR US AS A SOCIETY.
AND OBVIOUSLY IT GIVES EVERY WOMAN AN OPPORTUNITY TO PURSUE THE KIND OF CAREER OR THE FUTURE THEY WANT TO PURSUE.
AND THAT'S THE WAY WE ARE TODAY.
AND THANK YOU FOR THE SERVICE THAT YOU PERFORMED.
YOU KNOW, IT'S TOUGH TO WEAR THE UNIFORM.
MANY OF YOU SACRIFICED WITH YOUR FAMILIES.
I KNOW YOU HAVE A LOT OF PRIDE IN WHAT YOU DID, JUST LIKE I DID, LIKE MANY OF US WHO SERVED.
BUT I ALSO WANT TO SAY YOU CONTINUE TO SERVE HERE IN THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO IN VARIOUS WAYS.
THANK YOU FOR THAT CONTINUED SERVICE.
IT'S VERY IMPORTANT TO OUR COMMUNITY.
I WANTED TO ACKNOWLEDGE ONE PERSON I KNOW WHO IS HERE.
FORMER GENERAL RETIRED SALINAS, WHO IS THE C.E.O. OF THE GIRL SCOUTS OF AMERICA AND THEIR HEADQUARTERS IN MY DISTRICT 9.
GENERAL SALINAS, SO GOOD TO SEE YOU HERE TODAY.
THANK YOU FOR ALL THE SERVICE YOU PROVIDED AND THE LEADERSHIP FOR OTHER WOMEN WHO FOLLOWED IN YOUR FOOTSTEPS.
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CONGRATULATIONS.>> TREVINO: THANK YOU, COUNCILMAN COURAGE.
>> PELAEZ: THE NICE THING ABOUT KNOWING VETERANS, ESPECIALLY SO MANY FEMALE VETERANS, IS THAT NOBODY MESSES WITH ME BECAUSE I HAVE A BUNCH OF TOUGH FRIENDS BEHIND ME.
I WOULD LIKE TO HIGHLIGHT ONE IN PARTICULAR, KITTY MYERS.
IT'S SO NICE TO SEE YOU IN THIS GROUP.
YOU HAVE ALWAYS BEEN SOMEBODY I ADMIRE VERY MUCH.
LADIES, I WANT TO TELL YOU I LOOK AT YOU THROUGH THE LENS OF A FATHER OF A LITTLE GIRL NAME SOPHIA.
SHE'S 11 -- NO, SHE'S 10 YEARS OLD.
I ALWAYS POINT OUT HEROES THAT SHE CAN EMULATE AND KEEP IN MIND AS ROLE MODELS.
EACH AND EVERY ONE OF YOU HAS MY ETERNAL GRATITUDE FOR GIVING SOPHIA VERY, VERY FEW EXCUSES TO DO SMALL THINGS.
I WANT YOU TO KNOW THAT NOT JUST US BUT YOU GOT A LITTLE GIRL WATCHING YOU.
>> TREVINO: NOW WE HAVE COUNCILMAN PERRY.
I WANTED TO MAKE SURE I WAS ON, THAT EVERYBODY COULD HEAR ME HERE.
EVERYBODY HAS SAID THE THINGS THAT REALLY COME FROM OUR HEART.
AND WE ARE SO -- AND I AM SO PROUD OF YOUR ACCOMPLISHMENTS.
YOU KNOW, SERVING NOWADAYS IS NOT FORCED UPON YOU.
IT'S BECAUSE YOU WANT TO SERVE AND SERVE OUR NATION.
AND YOU AS WOMEN, YOU HAVE UNLIMITED POTENTIAL, WHETHER YOU'RE SERVING IN THE SERVICE NOW, WHETHER YOU'RE SERVING IN VOLUNTEER ORGANIZATIONS, WHETHER YOU'RE WORKING FOR THE CITY OR ANY OTHER ORGANIZATION HERE IN SAN ANTONIO.
YOU HAVE EVIDENCE RIGHT HERE WITH THE GENERAL TO GET TO THE TOP.
LET ME TELL YOU, I AM SO PROUD OF EACH AND EVERY ONE OF YOU AND ALL OF OUR WOMEN VETERANS FOR STEPPING FORWARD TO SERVE.
AND TO SERVE OUR GREAT NATION AND HELP POINT OUR YOUNGER FOLKS IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION AS WELL.
THEY ARE OUR FUTURE AND I KNOW ALL OF YOU ARE DOING THAT.
AND I ENCOURAGE YOU TO KEEP DOING THAT BECAUSE IT'S SO VERY, VERY IMPORTANT FOR OUR NATION AND OUR YOUTH TO BRING THEM UP THE RIGHT WAY AND BE PROUD OF OUR COUNTRY.
SERVE OUR COUNTRY AND SERVE EACH OTHER.
SO, AGAIN, FROM THE BOTTOM OF MY HEART, THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR WHAT Y'ALL HAVE DONE AND GOOD LUCK AND GOD BLESS.
>> MAYOR NIRENBERG: WE'LL TAKE A PICTURE NOW, BUT THANK YOU.
YOU HAVE THE CITY'S GRATITUDE.
FOR ALL OF YOU WOMEN VETERANS WHO HAVE NOW CHOSEN A LIFE IN SERVICE OF THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO, THANK YOU TIMES TWO.
OUR CITY, OUR CITY COUNCIL IS GRATEFUL FOR YOUR SERVICE.
>> TREVINO: MAYOR, I WOULD LIKE TO -- I DIDN'T GET A CHANCE TO SAY THIS, BUT I'LL GO AHEAD AND THANK EVERYONE AS WELL.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE AND FOR THE ONE THAT'S WATCHING, HATS OFF TO YOU AND SHOUT OUT.
MAY THE CITY RECOGNIZE THE POWER.
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>> MAYOR NIRENBERG: ALL RIGHT.
>> TREVINO: IF I CAN GET EVERYBODY'S ATTENTION.
>> MAYOR NIRENBERG: IF I CAN ASK EVERYONE'S COURTESY AS YOU EXIT THE CHAMBER TO ■KEEPIT&-ÚD,
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>> I JUST GOT A TOOTH PULLED YESTERDAY, SO BEAR WITH ME A LITTLE BIT.
MARK ARIAS, ALSO KNOWN AS DJ HOMEY MARCO.
FOR THOSE OF YOU WHO WAKE UP WITH ME EVERY MORNING FROM 6:00 TO 10:00, THANK YOU.
THANK YOU TO THE COUNCIL FOR HAVING US TODAY.
IT'S BEEN SUCH AN AWESOME EXPERIENCE TO BE PROGRAMMING SUCH A GREAT RADIO STATION IN THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO.
IT'S NOT JUST A MUSIC BUT, YOU KNOW, THE CULTURE OF BEING TEJANO AND GROWING UP IN THIS CITY.
I MOVED HERE IN 2007 FROM ST. PAUL, MINNESOTA.
AND TO COME TO TEXAS AND LIVE IN THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO I HAD TO CALL MY MOTHER IMMEDIATELY AND TELL HER, MOM, THERE'S HISPANIC MEXICANS EVERYWHERE YOU TURN.
YOU KNOW, COMING FROM A CITY LIKE MINNESOTA.
SO, AGAIN, SUCH AN AWESOME RADIO STATION AND TO MEET SONNY FROM BACK IN THE DAY.
GUYS LIKE JOE POSADA AND JAY PEREZ USED TO SNEAK IN THE BACK AND WATCH HIM PERFORM.
TO HAVE THESE ARTISTS HERE IN OUR BACKYARD FROM THE SOUTH SIDE AND THE WEST SIDE.
AND THEY CONTINUE TO MAKE BEAUTIFUL MUSIC.
AND THE PEOPLE IN SAN ANTONIO, YOU KNOW, TO BE THE CAPITAL OF TEJANO MUSIC RIGHT HERE IN SAN ANTONIO, I TELL PEOPLE ALL THE TIME WE'RE SO SPOILED BECAUSE THE ARTISTS ARE ALL RIGHT HERE AND THEY CONTINUE TO MAKE GREAT MUSIC.
THANKS TO UNIVISION FOR BELIEVING IN US FOR SO MANY YEARS.
TO ALL THE DJS THAT HAVE COME EVEN BEFORE ME.
HE'S BEEN ON FOR OVER 20 YEARS.
LADY DI USED TO BE ON BACK IN THE DAY.
THERE'S BEEN SO MANY THROUGHOUT THE YEARS.
AGAIN, WE JUST WANT TO SAY THANK YOU, MAYOR, TO THE CITY COUNCIL.
IT'S AWESOME TO GIVE BACK, TO BE ABLE TO GIVE BACK TO THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO WITH SO MANY GREAT COMMUNITY LEADERS AS WELL.
WE TEAM UP WITH THEM AND GIVE BACK.
THANKS AGAIN FOR HAVING US AND WE APPRECIATE THE RECOGNITION.
>> MAYOR NIRENBERG: THANK YOU.
LET ME START WITH COUNCILMAN TREVINO.
>> TREVINO: CONGRATULATIONS FOR THIS RECOGNITION.
I JUST WANT TO TELL A SMALL STORY.
I DON'T KNOW IF MANY PEOPLE HAVE EXPERIENCED THIS BUT THIS HAS ALWAYS BEEN MY EXPERIENCE.
MY BROTHER AND I WOULD DRIVE IN FROM WHEREVER ELSE, LET'S SAY WE WERE IN WEST TEXAS WHERE THERE WASN'T AN ABUNDANCE OF TEJANO MUSIC, BUT DRIVING INTO SAN ANTONIO, TEXAS AND TUNING INTO KXTN, IT WAS REALLY AMAZING BECAUSE IT REALLY MADE US FEEL LIKE WE WERE COMING BACK HOME.
AND IT WAS THE VERY FIRST THING THAT MADE US FEEL THAT WAY WAS TUNE INTO THE TEJANO MUSIC AND TO KNOW WE WERE COMING BACK HOME.
>> MAYOR NIRENBERG: THANK YOU, COUNCILMAN TREVINO.
I WANT TO OFFER MY CONGRATULATIONS TO YOU ALL AT KXTN 107.5 -- AND THANK YOU FOR COMING AND SPEAKING.
I THINK YOU REMIND US THAT WE TAKE IT FOR GRANTED WHAT WE HAVE HERE IN SAN ANTONIO.
THE RICH TEJANO CULTURE AND HISTORY IN MUSIC AND THE ARTISTS HERE.
THAT IT'S NOT UNCOMMON FOR US TO GO TO ANY CHURCH FESTIVAL OR ANYTHING AT TRADER'S VILLAGE OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT AND TO HAVE THESE TEJANO STARS AND WORKING WITH KXTN.
THANK YOU FOR ALLOWING US TO REMEMBER THAT WE SHOULD NOT TAKE THIS FOR GRANTED.
THIS IS MORE THAN JUST A RADIO STATION, BUT IT HELPS CONTINUE OUR LEGACY AND OUR CULTURAL LEGACY AS WELL.
AND ALSO THE OPPORTUNITY THAT YOU EVEN GIVE YOUNG AND NEW ARTISTS TO COME FORWARD AND TO HAVE THE MUSIC PLAY.
AND YOUR PARTNERSHIP AND COMMITMENT TO THE COMMUNITY.
I HAVE TO THANK UNIVISION AND KXTN FOR THAT AS WELL.
WE WERE TALKING THAT YOU SHOULD HAVE COME UP TO THE PODIUM WITH SOME MUSIC PLAYING.
IT WOULD HAVE GOTTEN US ALL IN THE MOOD.
HERE'S TO ANOTHER 30 YEARS AND BEYOND.
>> MAYOR NIRENBERG: THANK YOU,
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COUNCILWOMAN VIAGRAN.I WANTED TO CHIME IN TO SAY CONGRATULATIONS TO KXTN, TO UNIVISION.
KXTN HAS BEEN THE THEME SONG TO MY CHILDHOOD, WHETHER IT WAS A WEDDING OR A COOKOUT OR A QUICEANERA.
I THOUGHT IT WAS IMPORTANT TO SHARE THAT IT STILL SOMETIMES BRINGS A CHILL TO MY SPINE WHEN I RUN INTO KXTN.
I THINK ABOUT MY MOMS ON THE WEEKENDS NOT LETTING ANY ONE OF US OVERSLEEP.
ONCE WE KNEW KXTN WAS ON, WE HAD TO START CLEANING THAT DAY.
SO IT WAS IMPORTANT FOR A LOT OF US BECAUSE IT REALLY LACED THROUGH US A LOT OF MEMORIES, POSITIVE ONES, EXCITING ONES.
YOU HAVE DONE THAT FOR GENERATIONS HERE IN SAN ANTONIO.
AND I THINK IT'S SOMETHING ABOUT HEARING IT THAT BRINGS YOU RIGHT BACK TO THE MOMENT.
SO BECAUSE OF THE IMPACT THAT YOU ALL HAVE HAD ON SO MANY SAN ANTONIANS WE SAY THANK YOU AND CONGRATULATIONS.
>> MAYOR NIRENBERG: THANK YOU, COUNCILMAN SALDANA.
WELL, I KNOW THAT WE HAVE OUR PERSONAL STORIES ABOUT THE RADIO AND KXTN AND HEARING IT IN THE MORNINGS OR HEARING IT PLAYED THROUGHOUT OUR CHILDHOOD.
IN MY BUSINESS, ON ZARZAMORA AND COMMERCE, WE ALWAYS WOULD ADVERTISE WITH KXTN.
AND JOHNNY RAMIREZ WAS OUR HOST FOR OUR LIVE RADIO SHOWS.
I WOULD TALK TO PEOPLE THROUGHOUT THE NEIGHBORHOOD AND PEOPLE WOULD SAY WE HEARD YOU WITH JOHNNY RAMIREZ IN THE MORNING.
THAT'S HOW THEY ALWAYS SAID IT, JOHNNY RAMIREZ IN THE MORNING.
WE LOVE TO LISTEN TO HIM BECAUSE HE TALKS ABOUT THE ISSUES THAT WE'RE HAVING IN OUR LIVES.
HE TALKED ABOUT HIS BOUT WITH CANCER.
AND HE TALKED ABOUT HIS EMOTIONS AND HIS FEELINGS.
WE CAN RELATE TO HIM BECAUSE HE'S LIKE ONE OF US.
I THOUGHT, WELL, ISN'T THAT REMARKABLE? I THINK WHEN YOU TALK ABOUT WHAT YOU ALL DO IN YOUR WORK EVERY DAY, TO FEEL LIKE YOU'RE CONNECTING ON A DAILY BASIS WITH PEOPLE IS HOW YOU PROVIDE THE MOST SATISFACTION.
I KNOW I FEEL LIKE THE WAY THAT I KNOW I'M DOING A GOOD JOB IS WHEN I FEEL LIKE I CONNECT WITH PEOPLE.
AND THAT'S WHAT Y'ALL HAVE DONE SO WELL FOR 30 YEARS.
AND WE LOOK FORWARD TO CELEBRATING WITH YOU ALL FOR ANOTHER 30.
>> MAYOR NIRENBERG: CONGRATULATIONS.
WHAT A MILESTONE ACHIEVEMENT FOR A BROADCAST FACILITY, TO BECOME AN INSTITUTION, NOT JUST IN OUR CITY BUT REALLY THE SOUND OF SOUTH TEXAS.
THERE IS NO DISPUTING THAT SAN ANTONIO IS THE CAPITAL OF CONJUNTO, IN LARGE PART BECAUSE OF KXTN.
YOU GUYS HAVE BEEN AN IMPORTANT PART OF OUR TRADITION AND HERITAGE.
AS COUNCILWOMAN VIAGRAN SAID, HERE'S TO ANOTHER 30.
>> YOU'RE ALL INVITED TOMORROW AND SATURDAY.
IT'S GOING TO BE A GREAT CELEBRATION.
>> MAYOR NIRENBERG: WE HAVE A LATE ARRIVAL TO THE PARTY.
I WANT TO POINT OUT, I HAVE TO MAKE AN ADMISSION.
I DIDN'T GROW UP IN SAN ANTONIO AND I DIDN'T GROW UP WITH KXTN.
HOWEVER, I DO CONSIDER Y'ALL A LITTLE BIT LIKE FAMILY, ESPECIALLY ROLAND OUT THERE.
YOU KNOW, ROLAND, I REMEMBER YOU WHEN YOU HAD NO WHITE HAIR ON YOUR HEAD AND NOW YOU HAVE A LOT.
I USED TO BE AN INTERN AT KWBX AND ONE DAY ROLAND ASKED ME TO DO A VOICEOVER FOR TWO ADS RUNNING ON KXTN AND ALSO ON KWX.
I WOULD ALSO INSPIRE TO HAVE VOICEOVER ARTIST ON MY RESUME.
WE LOCKED OURSELVES IN THE BOOTH AND I HAVE THE PRIVILEGE OF BEING ABLE TO SAY THAT -- MANY OF YOU DON'T KNOW, BUT I AM THE VOICE FOR AND MY PARENTS ARE VERY, VERY PROUD.
BUT WITHOUT YOU GUYS I WOULD HAVE NEVER HAD THAT BEAUTIFUL EXPERIENCE.
AND I AM SO IMPRESSED THAT YOU GUYS ARE STILL HERE.
THANK YOU FOR EVERYTHING YOU DO.
>> MAYOR NIRENBERG: THANK YOU, COUNCILMAN PELAEZ.
AT THIS TIME I WOULD LIKE TO ASK MY COLLEAGUES IF THERE ARE ANY ITEMS FROM WHICH THEY WOULD LIKE TO PULL FROM THE CONSENT AGENDA.
I DO HAVE ITEMS 20 AND 34 PULLED FOR INDIVIDUAL CONSIDERATION.
>> MAYOR, I WOULD LIKE TO MAKE A CORRECTION TO 23F.
IT SHOULD READ DISTRICT 4 AND NOT DISTRICT 6.
>> MAYOR NIRENBERG: ITEMS 30 AND 31.
>> MAYOR NIRENBERG: I'LL ENTERTAIN A MOTION FOR THE BALANCE OF THE CONSENT AGENDA, ALL ITEMS SAVE FOR 20, 30, 31,
[00:40:04]
AND 34.THERE'S A MOTION AND A SECOND FOR APPROVAL OF THE BALANCE OF THE CONSENT AGENDA SAVE FOR ITEMS AS READ.
I'M GOING TO TAKE ITEM 20, WHICH IS SIMPLY FOR RECUSAL PURPOSES FIRST.
I'LL ASK MY COLLEAGUES FOR COURTESY OF THAT ORDER CHANGE.
>> ITEM 20 IS AN ORDINANCE CLOSING, VACATING, AND AN ABANDONING AN ALLEY LOCATED BEHIND OR BETWEEN EAST JONES AVENUE AND TENTH STREET AS REQUESTED BY LIBERTY PROPERTIES FOR A FEE OF $97,518 .
WE HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND.
WE'LL MOVE ON TO THE NEXT ITEM.
34 IS AN ORDINANCE NAMING A BRIDGE ON JONES MALTSBERGER ROAD BETWEEN OAKLINE DRIVE AND OLD TRAIL DRIVE, THE SFC DAVID JAMES TODD JR. MEMORIAL BRIDGE.
LOCATED IN COUNCIL DISTRICTS 9 AND 10.
>> GOOD MORNING, MAYOR AND COUNCIL.
IT'S WITH GREAT HONOR THAT WE PROPOSE, BASED ON COUNCILMAN PERRY, COUNCILMAN COURAGE, AND A COMMITTEE TO NAME A BRIDGE, THE JONES MALTSBERGER BETWEEN OAKLINE DRIVE AND OLD TRAIL DRIVE, WHICH BORDERS THE TWO DISTRICTS, TO NAME THAT BRIDGE SERGEANT FIRST CLASS DAVID JAMES TODD JR. MEMORIAL BRIDGE.
I WANT TO TELL YOU A LITTLE BIT ABOUT MR. TODD AND HIS ACCOMPLISHMENTS AND HIS PASSING TEN YEARS AGO AND THE HONOR OF RENAMING THIS BRIDGE THAT WE HAVE BEFORE YOU TODAY.
SINCE MOVING TO BURNING TREE SUBDIVISION IN DECEMBER OF 1980, DAVID'S FAMILY FREQUENTLY VISITED MCALLISTER PARK USING THE BRIDGE, CROSSING OVER SALADO CREEK, WHICH SEPARATES THE RESIDENTIAL AREA AND THE PARK.
DAVID PLAYED LITTLE LEAGUE, LEARNED TO RIDE A BIKE, WALKED THE NATURE TRAILS, WATCHED WILDLIFE, PLAYED ON THE PLAYGROUND AT MCALLISTER PARK.
HE ENLISTED IN THE UNITED STATES ARMY.
WHEN HE CAME HOME ON MILITARY LEAVE HE WOULD CROSS THE BRIDGE TO VISIT MCALLISTER PARK.
HE WOULD ALSO CREATE NEW MEMORIES SUCH AS VOLUNTEERING HIS TIME AND SKILLS TO A BUILDER CONSTRUCTING A CHURCH NEAR THE PARK.
HIS ULTIMATE SERVICE AND SACRIFICE CAME ON AUGUST 20, 2008, ABOUT TEN YEARS AGO.
SERGEANT FIRST CLASS DAVID JAMES TODD JR. CAME TO THE AID OF 12 SOLDIERS DURING A FIERCE NINE-HOUR BATTLE IN AFGHANISTAN.
TODD ORGANIZED A QUICK REACTION FORCE OF AMERICAN SOLDIERS AND RECOVERED THE SOLDIERS THROUGH A BARRAGE OF SMALL ARMS FIRE AND ROCKET-PROPELLED GRENADE IMPACTS.
SERGEANT FIRST CLASS TODD IN AUDIO] IN THE BAGHDAD PROVINCE, JUST THREE KILOMETERS SOUTH OF THE BATTLE LOCATION.
AS A RESULT OF HIS HEROIC MILITARY SERVICE, TODD RECEIVED THE PURPLE HEART MEDAL AND BRONZE STAR MEDAL FROM THE UNITED STATES ARMY.
DAVID'S FAMILY STILL LIVES IN SAN ANTONIO AND REMEMBERS THEIR SON ON EACH OF THEIR FREQUENT USES OF THE BRIDGE.
I DO WANT TO RECOGNIZE DAVID AND MARY TODD, THE PARENTS OF SERGEANT TODD.
I'LL HAVE YOU COME UP IN JUST ONE MOMENT.
THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE AND OUR SINCERE CONDOLENCES FOR YOUR LOSS.
LET ME JUST GO THROUGH THE PROTOCOL.
WE DO HAVE AN ORDINANCE ON A PROCESS AND THIS BRIDGE, YOU CAN SEE HERE, JONES MALTSBERGER ON THE BORDER OF THE TWO DISTRICTS.
BASED ON A MEMO FROM COUNCILMAN PERRY, THAT STARTS THE PROCESS.
AND WE ESTABLISHED A COMMITTEE, WHICH INCLUDED MYSELF AS THE CITY ENGINEER, MICHAEL SHANNON,
[00:45:01]
DAN MARTIN, THE DISTRICT 9 DESIGNATED COMMITTEE MEMBER, AND MARY TODD, SERGEANT TODD'S MOTHER.AND MIKE GALLAGHER REPRESENTING DISTRICT 10.
WE HELD A PUBLIC MEETING ON APRIL 25 AND THE COMMITTEE, AFTER RECEIVING INPUT, THEN UNANIMOUSLY SUPPORTED THE NAMING OF THE BRIDGE.
BASICALLY THE PLAN IS IN AUGUST.
THE TIMING WOULD BE TO INSTALL THE TWO SIGNS COMMEMORATING THE BRIDGE.
WE WOULD MAKE SURE THAT THAT EVENT IS SUITABLE FOR THE OCCASION AND WELL ATTENDED BY THE MILITARY PRESENCE AS WELL.
TODAY IS FLAG DAY AND SO IT'S A GREAT DAY TO BE HONORING OUR MILITARY IN GENERAL.
LOTS OF GREAT THINGS THIS MORNING.
AND ALSO THIS TRIBUTE AS WELL.
UPON APPROVAL THAT WE WILL MANUFACTURE THE SIGNS AND BE READY FOR THE INSTALLATION.
WE DO RECOMMEND THAT THE SMALL FEE ASSOCIATED WITH THE SIGNS BE WAIVED BY CITY COUNCIL.
AND WITH THAT, WE RECOMMEND APPROVAL OF THE BRIDGE NAMING.
I WOULD LIKE TO HAVE DAVID TODD SR. COME UP AND SAY A FEW WORDS.
>> ON BEHALF OF THE TODD FAMILY, I WOULD LIKE TO THANK YOU, MR. MAYOR AND COUNCIL PEOPLE, IF YOU WOULD CONSIDER TO PASS THIS ORDINANCE, CREATING A MEMORIAL FOR OUR SON.
HE WAS BORN A FEW BLOCKS AWAY AT SANTA ROSA HOSPITAL.
HE'S A TRUE SAN ANTONIAN, TRUE TEXAN.
HE WENT TO THE AID OF 12 PEOPLE AND BECAUSE OF HIS RESCUE MISSION, 12 SOLDIERS WERE SAVED THAT DAY.
UNFORTUNATELY OUR SON WASN'T ABLE TO MAKE IT BACK.
BUT, AGAIN, I WOULD SPECIFICALLY LIKE TO THANK COUNCILMAN PERRY AND COUNCILMAN COURAGE FOR THEIR SUPPORT ON THIS MATTER.
AND I ALSO WOULD LIKE TO THANK CITY STAFF, MS. SARA LINDLEY.
SHE WAS OUR POINT OF CONTACT AND SHE'S BEEN VERY HELPFUL TO ME AND MY WIFE TO SEE THAT THIS COULD BE PASSED.
>> I WOULD LIKE TO SAY THAT -- EXCUSE ME.
IT'S JUST A HARD THING WHEN YOU RECEIVE A KNOCK AT THE DOOR.
OUR SON WAS THE SOLDIER THAT EVERY MAN WANTS TO BE, A FATHER THAT EVERY MAN WANTS TO BE.
A TRUE AND HONEST HUMAN BEING THAT WAS ALWAYS THERE FOR THOSE WHO NEEDED HIM.
HE IS THE TRUE DEFINITION OF A HERO.
NEVER GIVING UP THE MISSION UNTIL THE MISSION WAS DONE AND NEVER EVER LEAVING A FELLOW SOLDIER BEHIND.
THAT WAS PROVEN IN THIS FIERCE BATTLE IN AFGHANISTAN.
WHEN A PARENT RECEIVES A KNOCK AT THE DOOR, REST ASSURED YOUR LIFE CHANGES.
OUR SON IS THE OLDEST OF TWO CHILDREN.
THIS TRIBUTE WOULD MEAN SO MUCH TO US.
BECAUSE THAT BRIDGE IS DAVID IN SO MANY WAYS.
>> AS THIS PROGRAM WAS CALLED BRIDGES FOR THE FALLEN.
IT'S A PROGRAM THAT'S CARRIED ACROSS THE UNITED STATES, NOT JUST HERE IN TEXAS OR SAN ANTONIO.
SO HOPEFULLY THIS WILL BE THE FIRST OF MANY HERE IN SAN ANTONIO THAT WE CAN DO.
>> MAYOR NIRENBERG: THANK YOU BOTH FOR YOUR HONOR AND YOUR COURAGE AND FOR YOUR SACRIFICE TO OUR COMMUNITY AND TO OUR NATION.
AND MR. AND MRS. TODD, IT'S GREAT FOR Y'ALL TO BE HERE.
I HAD THE PLEASURE OF MEETING Y'ALL AT THE COMMITTEE MEETING AND WHAT A GREAT STORY AND A SON TO BE PROUD OF, WHAT HE DID.
BUT THIS IS A LITTLE BIT OF SOMETHING THAT THE CITY CAN DO FOR YOU AND IN HIS MEMORY TO RECOGNIZE HIM FOR WHAT HE DID FOR US, FOR ALL OF US HERE TODAY.
THIS BRIDGE, AS I UNDERSTAND IT, AND MIKE MENTIONED IT ALSO THAT WHEN YOU LIVE THERE IN BURNING TREE THAT HE WOULD WALK BACK AND FORTH TO MCALLISTER PARK ACROSS THAT BRIDGE.
[00:50:04]
HIM TO PUT THAT UP ON THAT BRIDGE.I, TOO, WANT TO THANK MY COLLEAGUE COUNCILMAN COURAGE FOR HIS SUPPORT.
TCI, DSD, MY STAFF MEMBER, SAMANTHA WICKWIRE, WHO WORKED VERY HARD TO MAKE THIS HAPPEN, AND EVERYBODY THAT'S A PART OF THIS.
BUT HERE IN SAN ANTONIO OUR MILITARY CITY, USA, I DON'T WANT TO USE THAT AS A CLICHE.
I THINK THIS IS INDICATIVE OF WHO WE ARE HERE IN SAN ANTONIO THAT WE RECOGNIZE OUR MILITARY, ESPECIALLY THOSE THAT GAVE THE ULTIMATE SACRIFICE FOR US.
SO FROM THE BOTTOM OF MY HEART PLEASE ACCEPT MY CONDOLENCES AND WHAT WE'RE DOING HERE AS A SMALL TOKEN FROM SAN ANTONIO FOR OUR GRATITUDE FOR WHAT HE DID.
I WAS GETTING CARRIED AWAY WITH THE EMOTIONS ON THAT.
>> MAYOR NIRENBERG: THERE'S A MOTION AND A SECOND FOR APPROVAL OF ITEM NO. 34.
I WANT TO CONCUR WITH THE REMARKS YOU HAVE JUST HEARD FROM MY FRIEND, COUNCILMAN PERRY.
BOTH OF US HAVING SERVED IN THE MILITARY WE UNDERSTAND WHAT IT MEANS TO SERVE YOUR COUNTRY IN THAT CAPACITY.
EVERYBODY WHO WEARS THE UNIFORM VOLUNTEERS TO SERVE THIS COUNTRY AND SOMETIMES WE SERVE IN DANGEROUS SITUATIONS.
WE ARE VERY SORRY AT THE LOSS THAT YOU HAVE SUFFERAVED AS A FAMILY.
AND OUR COMMUNITY HAS SUFFERED.
I'M SURE SOME DAY DAVID WOULD HAVE COME BACK AND MADE GREAT CONTRIBUTIONS TO OUR COMMUNITY.
AND SO IN THAT MEMORY I THINK IT'S VERY APPROPRIATE FOR US TO FIND A WAY TO CONTINUE HIS MEMORY THROUGH RENAMING THIS BRIDGE.
I WANT TO THANK COUNCILMAN PERRY AND HIS STAFF FOR THEIR LEADERSHIP IN THIS INITIATIVE.
I WANT TO THANK DAN MARTIN, WHO ALSO SERVED ON THE COMMITTEE.
AND THERE WAS A LOT OF SUPPORT IN OUR ENTIRE NEIGHBORHOOD FOR THIS.
I KNOW LARRY, THE PRESIDENT OF THE NECKTONA NEIGHBORHOOD SPOKE IN STRONG TERMS FOR THIS AND CALLED US AND SAID THIS IS THE RIGHT THING TO DO.
ON BEHALF OF OUR CITY, THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR THE SACRIFICE OF YOUR SON AND FOR HIS SERVICE.
AND WE HOPE THAT YOU'LL ALWAYS HAVE A GOOD MEMORY AND BE PROUD OF THE NAMING OF THIS BRIDGE.
>> MAYOR NIRENBERG: THANK YOU, COUNCILMAN COURAGE.
TO MR. AND MRS. TODD, THIS IS THE FIRST TIME I HAVE HEARD YOUR SON'S STORY.
WITH OUR ACTION AND WHAT YOU HAVE DONE FOR HIM TODAY WILL ENSURE IT WILL NOT BE THE LAST TIME FOLKS HEAR HIS STORY.
I, LIKE MANY PEOPLE IN THE FUTURE, WHO SEE AND CROSS THE BRIDGE AND ASK QUESTIONS ABOUT WHO IT IS NAMED AFTER ARE GOING TO BE TOUCHED BY THAT.
AND SO I JUST WANTED TO CHIME IN TO SAY I'M HONORED TO SUPPORT THAT TODAY.
>> MAYOR NIRENBERG: THANK YOU, COUNCILMAN SALDANA.
>> BROCKHOUSE: THANK YOU, MAYOR.
I JUST WANTED TO THANK YOU FOR YOUR COURAGE AND YOUR SACRIFICE AND FOR COMING DOWN TO SEE US HERE TODAY.
VOTES COME AND GO AT CITY COUNCIL, AND I'LL CONSIDER IT THE HIGHEST HONOR TO CAST MY VOTE IN SUPPORT OF DAVID TODAY AND THE RENAMING OF THIS BRIDGE.
IT IS MY HONOR AND I WILL NOT FORGET THE OPPORTUNITY TO SEE THAT DAVID GETS RECOGNIZED, AND IT'S ALWAYS GOING TO BE REMEMBERED.
I'LL TAKE MY FAMILY UP THERE AND AN OPPORTUNITY TO SPEND SOME TIME THERE.
THESE ARE THINGS WE NEED TO BE DOING MUCH MORE OFTEN.
THANK YOU TO COUNCILMAN PERRY AND COUNCILMAN COURAGE.
THESE ARE THE RIGHT DECISIONS.
I'M HONORED TODAY TO PUSH THAT BUTTON FOR DAVID.
AND FOR YOU AND YOUR SERVICE AND SACRIFICE.
30 YEARS YOUR SERVICE AND YOUR FAMILY RUNS DEEP.
ON BEHALF OF THE RESIDENTS OF DISTRICT 6, WE ARE PRAYING FOR YOU AND GOD BLESS YOU.
>> MAYOR NIRENBERG: THANK YOU, COUNCILMAN BROCKHOUSE.
I TOO WANT TO EXPRESS MY GRATITUDE FOR YOUR SACRIFICE AND FOR SHOWING UP TODAY AND ASKING US FOR AN ACTION THAT WE THINK IS GOING TO SET AN EXAMPLE FOR THE REST OF THIS CITY.
THIS IS SOMETHING THAT WE SHOULD DO MORE OF, AND I WANT TO THANK MY COUNCIL MEMBERS, COUNCILMAN PERRY AND COUNCILMAN COURAGE FOR LEADING ON THIS AND MAKING SURE WE'RE DOING THE RIGHT THING.
I WHOLEHEARTEDLY SUPPORT THIS EFFORT.
[00:55:01]
THANK YOU.>> MAYOR NIRENBERG: THANK YOU, COUNCILMAN TREVINO.
>> PERRY: THAT WAS FROM BEFORE, BUT I WOULD LOVE TO SPEAK AGAIN.
AND WHAT BETTER DAY -- I THINK IT WAS MENTIONED ABOUT TODAY BEING FLAG DAY, BUT IT'S ALSO THE ARMY BIRTHDAY, 243 YEARS.
I CAN'T THINK OF A BETTER DAY TO BE DOING ALL THIS.
IF YOU WOULD LIKE, WE COULD COME DOWN THERE AND TAKE A PICTURE WITH YOU IF YOU WOULD LIKE.
>> MAYOR NIRENBERG: THANK YOU, COUNCILMAN PERRY.
AND MR. AND MRS. TODD, ON BEHALF OF THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO, ALL THE CITIZENS AND VISITORS WHO WILL PASS OVER OR UNDER THAT BRIDGE, NO ONE REALLY KNOWS WHAT IT'S LIKE TO STAND UP THERE RIGHT NOW, BUT HOPEFULLY YOU TAKE A MEASURE OF PRIDE IN KNOWING THAT EVERYONE WHO COMES TO OUR CITY WILL SEE HOW WE HONOR HIS MEMORY.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR SERVICE AND YOUR SACRIFICE.
THERE IS A MOTION AND A SECOND FOR APPROVAL OF ITEM NO. 34.
>> MAYOR NIRENBERG: THANK YOU AGAIN MR. AND MRS. TODD.
WE WILL MOVE NOW TO ITEM NO. 30.
>> ITEM NO. 30 IS AN ORDINANCE AUTHORIZING THE SAN ANTONIO HOUSING TRUST FINANCE CORPORATION TO ISSUE MULTI-FAMILY TAX EXEMPT MORTGAGE BACKED BONDS IN AN AMOUNT NOT TO EXCEED $23 MILLION FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE ST. JOHN'S APARTMENT PROJECT LOCATED IN COUNCIL DISTRICT 3.
>> MAYOR NIRENBERG: COUNCILMAN COURAGE.
I WOULD LIKE TO HEAR THE PRESENTATION ON THIS.
I HAVE A QUESTION OR TWO ABOUT THESE PROJECTS IN GENERAL, WHEN YOU'RE FINISHED.
>> GOOD MORNING, MAYOR AND COUNCIL.
THE ITEM BEFORE YOU IS TO HAVE THE ISSUANCE OF MULTI-FAMILY REVENUE BONDS FOR A PROJECT LOCATED IN DISTRICT 3.
THIS IS TO HAVE THE ISSUANCE OF THESE MULTI-FAMILY TAX EXEMPT MORTGAGE BACKED BONDS NOT TO EXCEED $23 MILLION FOR AN EXISTING STRUCTURE, ST. JOHN'S APARTMENTS, THE SITE OF THE ST. JOHN'S SEMINARY.
SO THE PROJECT IS LOCATED AT 222 MITCHELL DRIVE WITHIN COUNCIL DISTRICT 3.
THE PROPOSED ADAPTIVE REUSE OF THIS EXISTING STRUCTURE IS TO HAVE A TOTAL OF 228 UNITS WITHIN THOSE 228 UNITS 176 OF THE UNITS ARE PROPOSED TO BE AFFORDABLE FOR FAMILIES AT 60% OF THE AREA MEDIAN INCOME.
THE REMAINING UNITS ARE PROPOSED TO BE MARKET RATE UNITS.
THIS PROJECT HAS RECEIVED A 4% TAX CREDIT FROM THE TEXAS DEPARTMENT OF HOUSING AND COMMUNITY AFFAIRS VALUED AT OVER $10 MILLION.
AND THE TOTAL DEVELOPMENT COST FOR THIS IS $40 MILLION.
STAFF IS RECOMMENDING APPROVAL OF THIS ITEM.
THIS ALSO COMES FORWARD WITH A RECOMMENDATION FROM THE SAN ANTONIO HOUSING TRUST FINANCE CORPORATION FOR APPROVAL.
AGAIN, THIS IS TO HAVE THESE BONDS ISSUED SO THAT THE DEVELOPMENT CAN PROCEED AND THE
[01:00:02]
AFFORDABLE HOUSING CAN BE DEVELOPED AS AN ADAPTIVE REUSE PROJECT.THAT REALLY IS THE PRESENTATION.
I WOULD BE HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS.
I WANT TO COMMEND THIS PROJECT BECAUSE THIS IS THE KIND OF PROJECT THAT WE NEED TO SEE MORE OF IN SAN ANTONIO SO THAT WE CAN DEVELOP MORE WORKFORCE HOUSING AND IT LOOKS LIKE THIS IS A VERY WORTHWHILE PROJECT.
THE REASON WHY I WANTED TO ASK A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT THIS IS I HAD AN OPPORTUNITY TO VISIT A COUPLE OF AFFORDABLE HOUSING PROJECTS RECENTLY WITH A LOCAL BUILDER.
AND I UNDERSTOOD THAT MANY OF THESE PROJECTS -- AND I DON'T KNOW IF THIS WILL BE INCLUDED -- END UP BEING RETURNED BACK TO THE CITY FOR OWNERSHIP, BUT END UP BEING MANAGED BY OTHER ORGANIZATIONS.
CAN YOU TELL ME HOW THAT WORKS? AND IF WE HAVE A PORTFOLIO OF PROPERTIES THAT WE DO OWN THAT ARE BEING MANAGED AS AFFORDABLE HOUSING UNITS IN TOWN?
>> THAT MIGHT BE A QUESTION THAT IS ANSWERED BY OUR REPRESENTATIVES THROUGH THE SAN ANTONIO HOUSING TRUST.
>> THERE ARE PROVISIONS IN MOST OF THE DEALS THAT WE DO WHERE AT THE END OF THE 15-YEAR COMPLIANCE PERIOD THE SAN ANTONIO HOUSING TRUST PUBLIC FACILITY CORPORATION HAS THE RIGHT TO ACQUIRE A PROJECT FOR THE OUTSTANDING DEBT ASSOCIATED WITH THE PROJECT.
THIS PARTICULAR PROJECT DOES NOT HAVE THAT PROVISION.
IT WILL CONTINUE TO BE OWNED BY THE PARTNERSHIP THAT IS FINANCING IT OVER AN EXTENDED PERIOD OF TIME.
HOWEVER, THE SAN ANTONIO HOUSING TRUST PUBLIC FACILITY CORPORATION, ALONG WITH THE DEVELOPMENT ENTITY, WILL HAVE A 50% INTEREST IN THE PROJECT AT THAT TIME PERIOD, AND SHOULD THE PROJECT BE EITHER REFINANCED OR SOLD FOR ANY REASON THEN THEY WOULD RECEIVE 50% OF THE PROCEEDS.
ALL PROCEEDS RECEIVED BY THAT ORGANIZATION GO BACK INTO AFFORDABLE HOUSING.
>> COURAGE: THAT'S KIND OF WHAT I WAS HOPING TO FIND OUT A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT.
WHAT I WOULD LIKE TO ASK IS IF WE COULD PUT TOGETHER AN UNDERSTANDING OF WHAT OUR OWNERSHIP INTERESTS ARE IN SOME OF THE PROPERTIES THAT HAVE COME THROUGH THIS PROCESS.
I THINK THAT WOULD BE USEFUL FOR US IN THE FUTURE.
THAT ANSWERS MY QUESTIONS AND I MOVE THE APPROVAL OF THE ITEM.
>> COUNCILMAN, I DO WANT TO POINT OUT THESE TIME FRAMES ARE 15 YEARS, SO WE DON'T CURRENTLY OWN ANY PROJECTS OUTRIGHT BECAUSE OF THE TIME-FRAME INVOLVED.
LET US KNOW WHICH ONES WE HAVE AN INTEREST IN, WHAT THAT VALUE POTENTIALLY COULD BE.
>> MAYOR NIRENBERG: THANK YOU, COUNCILMAN COURAGE.
GLAD WE'RE ABLE TO HIGHLIGHT THIS RIGHT NOW.
THANK YOU ALL VERY MUCH, JIM, MARK.
WE ALL KNOW THAT THIS HAS BEEN A VERY LONG TIME COMING.
AND FOR REVIEW FROM MY COUNCIL COLLEAGUES, THIS IS THE FORMER ST. JOHN'S SEMINARY WHERE OUR PRIESTS USED TO GO AND LEARN AND GROW IN THIS AREA.
I KNOW THE DEVELOPERS HAVE WORKED CLOSELY WITH THE AREA AND THE COMMUNITY AND IT IS A BEAUTIFUL BUILDING AND IT WILL BE A REHABILITATION OF THIS BUILDING AS WELL, AND PROTECTION OF THE FRONT PART OF THE AREA.
AND TO BE CLEAR, THE OWNERSHIP OF THE LAND WILL STAY WITH THE ARCHDIOCESE OF SAN ANTONIO.
BECAUSE THEY ARE STILL THE OWNERS OF THE LAND.
AND SO THEY WILL -- YOU ARE LONG-TERM -- WE ARE LONG-TERM LEASING IT FROM THE ARCHDIOCESE.
SO THAT IS NOT -- WE ARE NOT -- THAT IS NOT GOING TO GO AWAY.
THEY WILL STILL MAINTAIN THAT.
I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO THIS MOVING.
DO WE HAVE A TIMELINE, MARK, SINCE YOU'RE UP HERE? I KNOW A LOT OF MY RESIDENTS HAVE BEEN WAITING AND WAITING AND WAITING.
AND IT HAS BEEN A VERY COMPLICATED PROCESS.
>> AND THAT LEASE THAT YOU MENTIONED IS PART OF THE COMPLEXITY.
BUT IF YOU APPROVE THIS TODAY, WE ARE PROJECTING A CLOSE FOR JULY 11 AND CONSTRUCTION WILL COMMENCE IMMEDIATELY PROCEEDING THAT.
>> VIAGRAN: THAT IS SUCH GOOD NEWS.
I WILL BE HAPPY TO REPORT THAT TO OUR NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATIONS AS WELL.
I WOULD LIKE TO ADD THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR YOUR LONG-TERM SUPPORT ON THIS.
IT HAS BEEN A -- IT HAS BEEN A LONG-TERM STRUGGLE AND I THINK IT'S GOING TO BE A VERY WORTHWHILE PROJECT AND A CENTERPIECE FOR THE SOUTH SIDE AND YOUR DISTRICT.
[01:05:01]
THANK YOU.>> MAYOR NIRENBERG: THANK YOU, COUNCILWOMAN VIAGRAN.
FIRST OF ALL, 210 DEVELOPERS, YOU GUYS ARE LEADERS.
THANKS FOR STEPPING UP AND HELPING US FILL THIS MUCH TROUBLING NEED THAT WE'VE GOT FOR AFFORDABLE HOUSING IN SAN ANTONIO.
AND I HAVE NO DOUBT THAT THIS IS GOING TO BE A BEAUTIFUL AND IMPRESSIVE PROJECT.
SO THANKS AGAIN FOR DOING THAT.
I DO HAVE A QUESTION FOR VERONICA.
VERONICA, I WANT TO URGE YOU TO THINK ABOUT -- AND I'LL BE HAPPY TO SEND IT TO YOU.
THERE'S A CCR THAT I FLOATED UP HERE AND OBTAINED SIGNATURES.
IT'S MAKING ITS WAY THROUGH STAFF REGARDING RESPONSIBLE BIDDER INITIATIVES.
AND SO WHAT I WOULD LIKE TO DO IS FOR -- ARE YOU FAMILIAR WITH WHAT I FLOATED? YEAH.
AND SO WHAT I WOULD LIKE TO DO IS MEET WITH YOU AT SOME POINT TO TALK ABOUT, FOR FUTURE PROJECTS -- NOT THIS ONE -- BUT FOR FUTURE PROJECTS HOLDING OURSELVES AND HOLDING OUR PARTNERS ACCOUNTABLE TO LIVE UP TO THE VALUES THAT ARE CONTAINED IN THAT CCR.
I THINK WE OWE IT TO THE PEOPLE WHO BUILD THESE FACILITIES TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE EMPLOYING BEST PRACTICES, AND THERE'S OTHER CITIES DOING WHAT I'M SUGGESTING.
SO PLEASE CONSIDER INCORPORATING THAT.
I THINK THIS IS ONE OF THOSE EASY OPPORTUNITIES FOR US TO, YOU KNOW, INCLUDE THAT AS ONE OF THE OBLIGATIONS IN DOING BUSINESS
>> MAYOR NIRENBERG: COUNCILWOMAN SANDOVAL.
>> SANDOVAL: THANK YOU, MAYOR.
FIRST, I WANT TO CONGRATULATE COUNCILWOMAN VIAGRAN ON HAVING THIS BEAUTIFUL PROJECT GO ON IN HER DISTRICT.
THANK YOU FOR STEPPING UP TO MEET THE CHALLENGE OF AFFORDABLE HOUSING.
IT'S NOT ALWAYS EASY, SO THANK YOU FOR DOING THAT, COUNCILWOMAN.
AND YOU HAVE -- I GUESS THAT'S WHAT COMES WITH BEING A REPRESENTATIVE OF SOME OF THE OLDEST AND MOST BEAUTIFUL PARTS OF SAN ANTONIO IS YOU GET BUILDINGS LIKE THIS TO TURN INTO HOUSING.
SO THANK YOU FOR TAKING THAT ON AS WELL AS THE DEVELOPER.
I JUST DO HAVE SOME CLARIFYING QUESTIONS.
FIRST OF ALL, I'M GLAD TO HEAR THAT YOU SAID THE ARCHDIOCESE WOULD CONTINUE TO BE THE OWNER.
BUT ON OUR MEMO IT DOES SAY THE HOUSING TRUST PUBLIC FACILITY CORPORATION OWNS THE REAL ESTATE.
SO DOES THAT MEAN THERE'S AN ERROR IN HERE?
>> THE TECHNICAL ANSWER IS THE ARCHDIOCESE CONTINUES TO OWN THE LAND.
THERE WILL BE A 75-YEAR LEASE TO THE SAN ANTONIO HOUSING TRUST PUBLIC FACILITY CORPORATION.
SO THEY WILL HAVE A 75-YEAR LEASEHOLD INTEREST.
>> SANDOVAL: I DIDN'T MEAN TO CHIDE YOU ABOUT THAT.
JUST SOME CLARIFYING QUESTIONS ON THE RENTS.
SO IT SAYS HERE 176 OF THE UNITS WOULD BE RESTRICTED TO 60% OF THE AREA MEDIAN INCOME.
SO THEY WOULD BE RESERVED FOR FAMILIES THAT EARN 60% OR LESS OF THE AREA MEDIAN INCOME.
WHAT DO YOU ESTIMATE THE RENT WILL BE FOR THEM, THE MAXIMUM RENT THAT THEY WOULD PAY? AND ALSO WOULD THAT CHANGE YEAR TO YEAR?
ON THOSE UNITS THAT RENT IS SET AT 30% OF THE TENANT'S INCOME.
IT IS A TAX CREDIT RENT SET BY THE STATE OF TEXAS.
AND IT WILL CHANGE AS THAT NUMBER CHANGES OVER TIME.
BUT IT WILL ALWAYS BE BASED UPON 60% OF MEDIAN INCOME.
>> SANDOVAL: SO THE TENANT WOULD COME AND TELL YOU HOW MUCH THEY EARN AND THEN YOU WOULD SET IT AT 30% OF THAT?
>> THERE IS ACTUALLY A PUBLISHED RENT.
SO IF THEY SAY WE'RE A 50% TENANT, THEY'RE STILL PAYING THE PUBLISHED RENT FOR A 60%.
THAT'S THE WAY THE TAX CREDIT PROGRAM WORKS.
>> SANDOVAL: IN TERMS OF THE MARKET RATE, WHAT DO WE EXPECT THAT WILL BE AND WILL THAT FLUCTUATE YEAR TO YEAR?
>> I'LL HAVE TO TURN THAT OVER TO THE DEVELOPER.
>> THANK YOU, COUNCILWOMAN SANDOVAL.
THE ROUGHLY 23% THAT'S MARKET RATE WILL BE AT WHAT THE MARKET WILL BEAR.
HOWEVER, I WILL SAY THAT THEY WILL BE -- I WOULD CONSIDER MODERATELY PRICED FOR THE MARKETPLACE ITSELF.
THE EXACT RENTS FOR THE MARKET RATE HAVE YET TO BE DETERMINED.
WE HAVE AN 18 MONTH PROCESS TO CONSTRUCT THIS PROCESS.
ALL I CAN TELL YOU IS IT WILL BE WHAT THE MARKET CAN BEAR AT THAT TIME.
>> SANDOVAL: YOU IMAGINE YOU WOULD BE CHANGING THAT FROM YEAR
[01:10:01]
TO YEAR? OR HOW FREQUENTLY WOULD YOU BE CHANGING THAT?>> IT WILL CHANGE YEAR TO YEAR.
NOT NECESSARILY HAVE TO CHANGE BUT THERE WILL BE THE OPTION TO CHANGE.
YOU MUST KEEP IN MIND THAT APPROXIMATELY 42 OF THESE UNITS, AS YOU POINTED OUT, ARE HISTORIC ADAPTIVE REUSE.
THOSE ARE VERY EXPENSIVE UNITS TO REFURBISH.
GENERALLY SPEAKING, TWO TO THREE TIMES THE COST OF NEW CONSTRUCTION, WHICH IS WE FOUND THAT OUT THE HARD WAY.
THE MARKET RATE COMPONENT HELPS OFFSET THE COST FOR THE REFURBISHMENT AND REUTILIZATION OF THE HISTORIC.
AND THANKS AGAIN TO THE WHOLE TEAM.
CONGRATULATIONS ON A VERY BEAUTIFUL MIXED-INCOME HOUSING PROJECT.
>> MAYOR NIRENBERG: THANK YOU, COUNCILWOMAN SANDOVAL.
THERE IS A MOTION AND A SECOND FOR APPROVAL OF ITEM NO. 30.
>> ITEM NO. 31 IS AN ORDINANCE AMENDING THE EXISTING FUNDING AGREEMENT WITH HEMISFAIR PARK AREA REDEVELOPMENT CORPORATION TO INCREASE THE AGREEMENT BY $1,318,566 FOR A TOTAL OF $5,811,403.71 FOR CAPITAL MANAGEMENT OF HPARC RELATED PROJECTS LOCATED IN COUNCIL DISTRICT 1.
>> MAYOR NIRENBERG: COUNCILMAN COURAGE.
I WAS KIND OF SURPRISED TO SEE SUCH AN INCREASE.
I WOULD LIKE TO UNDERSTAND A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT WHY WE'RE PUTTING THIS IN.
I THOUGHT THE AGENCY WAS SUPPOSED TO BE DEVELOPING SELF-SUSTAINING FUNDING FOR MANAGEMENT AND OPERATIONS AND THINGS OF THAT NATURE.
SO CAN YOU EXPLAIN A LITTLE BIT MORE? MAYBE I'M JUST NOT WELL INFORMED.
THE MAJORITY OF OUR BOND PROJECTS IS DEALT WITH BY TCI.
WE LOOK TO PUBLIC TO PRIVATE FIRMS TO ASSIST US TO MAKE SURE WE BUILD THOSE PROJECTS THE WAY IT IS SUPPOSED TO BE.
ON THIS ONE WE GET HELP FROM HPARC THAT ONLY LASTS FIVE YEARS.
THEY HAVE HELPED US ON A NUMBER OF PROJECTS.
THIS IS A VERY COMPLICATED PROJECT.
THERE'S A LOT OF STAKEHOLDERS INVOLVED.
IT REQUIRES A LOT OF COORDINATION AND COMMUNICATION.
MAKE SURE THE PROJECT IS DESIGNED AND BUILT TO MEET THE FUNCTIONALITY OF THE AREA.
THAT'S THE REASON THEY HAVE HELPED US OVER THE LAST FIVE YEARS ON A NUMBER OF THE PROJECTS DURING DESIGN AND CONSTRUCTION.
AND WE ARE HOPING COUNCIL WILL APPROVE THIS ORDINANCE.
ALSO FOR THEM TO ASSIST US ON A NUMBER OF THE PROJECTS WE HAVE PART OF THE 2017 BOND TO DESIGN AND BUILD IT.
>> COURAGE: I GUESS I STILL DON'T UNDERSTAND WHY THEY ARE NOT ABLE TO MAKE THEIR CONTRIBUTION JUST BASED ON THEIR OWN FINANCIAL RESOURCES AND INCOMES THEY GENERATE.
>> COUNCILMAN COURAGE, THERE ARE TWO CONTRACTS WE HAVE WITH HPARC.
THE FIRST ONE IS FOR AN OPERATING AGREEMENT.
IT'S FUNDING FOR THEIR OPERATIONS.
SO SINCE HPARC WAS CREATED IN 2009, THE CITY HAS PROVIDED THEM OPERATING FUNDS FROM THE GENERAL FUND ON AN ANNUAL BASIS.
THEY WILL BE COMPLETELY SELF-SUPPORTING BY 2021 AND THEY WILL NO LONGER RECEIVE THE OPERATING FUNDS FROM THE GENERAL FUND.
THIS IS A CAPITAL FUNDING AGREEMENT WHERE HPARC TAKES ON SOME OF THE SERVICES THAT TCI WOULD NORMALLY DO.
SO THEY ARE PROVIDING THE CITY A SERVICE, INSTEAD OF TCI DOING THE SERVICE, HPARC WOULD DO THE SERVICE.
IT DOESN'T COST ANY MORE FOR HPARC OR TCI TO MANAGE THE PROJECT, BUT THEY ARE HELPING US.
AND SO IN EXCHANGE FOR THESE CAPITAL FUNDS THEY ARE PROVIDING US A SERVICE.
SO IT'S TWO SEPARATE AGREEMENTS.
YES, THEY WILL BE SELF-SUPPORTING BY 2021.
AS WE HAVE MORE BOND PROJECTS FOR HPARC, HPARC WILL CONTINUE TO HELP US MANAGE THAT.
>> COURAGE: WHAT IS THEIR ROLE IN ASSISTING TCI IN THIS PROJECT? AND HOW MANY EMPLOYEES DO THEY HAVE?
>> THEY ARE GOING TO HELP US [INDISCERNIBLE].
THEY ASSIST US ON SCOPING, PLAN REVIEW, AND COMMUNICATION AND COORDINATION WITH THE STAKEHOLDERS.
AS YOU KNOW, COUNCILMAN, THERE'S A LOT OF PRIVATE DEVELOPMENT THAT'S HAPPENING IN THAT AREA.
IF THEY DON'T DO THIS WORK, WE'VE GOT TO DO IT.
THERE'S NO REALLY ADDITIONAL COST.
EITHER TCI DOES IT OR THEY HELP US WITH PART OF THE WORK.
[01:15:05]
FULL-TIME EQUIVALENT IS 1.7.>> TWO ARE GOING TO SPEND 85% OF THEIR TIME, NOT 100% OF THEIR TIME, CORRECT.
>> COURAGE: THAT SEEMS LIKE A LOT OF MONEY FOR TWO PEOPLE TO DO THAT WORK.
>> THIS WILL BE DONE FOR THE NEXT FIVE OVER FIVE YEARS, NOT ONE YEAR.
I DON'T HAVE ANY OTHER QUESTIONS.
>> MAYOR NIRENBERG: THANK YOU, COUNCILMAN COURAGE.
I MOTION TO APPROVE THIS ITEM.
THERE IS A MOTION AND A SECOND FOR APPROVAL OF ITEM NO. 31.
IS THERE A CITY MANAGER'S REPORT?
JUST TWO QUICK RECREATION TRAIL DESIGNATION PROGRAM.
I'M HAPPY TO ANNOUNCE THAT THE SALADO CREEK GREENWAY NORTH TRAIL HAS BEEN DESIGNATED AS A RECREATIONAL TRAIL.
THE U.S. SECRETARY OF THE INTERIOR ANNOUNCED 19 NEW NATIONAL RECREATION TRAILS IN 17 STATES, INCLUDING OUR OWN SALADO CREEK GREENWAY NORTH PROJECT.
THESE DESIGNATIONS ADD MORE THAN 370 MILES TO THE NATIONAL RECREATION TRAIL SYSTEM OF MORE THAN 1,000 TRAILS IN ALL 50 STATES.
AND SAN ANTONIO WAS THE ONLY CITY IN TEXAS TO RECEIVE THE DESIGNATION THIS YEAR.
THIS DESIGNATION IS GIVEN TO EXISTING TRAILS THAT CONTRIBUTE TO THE HEALTH, CONSERVATION, AND RECREATION GOALS OF THE UNITED STATES.
AND THE PROGRAM IS JOINTLY ADMINISTERED BY THE NATIONAL PARK SERVICE AND THE U.S. FOREST SERVICE IN CONJUNCTION WITH A NUMBER OF FEDERAL AND NOT FOR PROFIT PARTNERS, NOTABLY AMERICAN TRAILS, WHICH HOSTS THE NATIONAL RECREATION TRAILS WEBSITE.
THE SALADO CREEK GREENWAY NORTH -- THAT'S KIND OF AN AWKWARD TITLE.
PERHAPS WE NEED TO CALL THAT SOMETHING A LITTLE SIMPLER, BUT NONETHELESS IT IS 15 MILES LONG AND IT IS A CONNECTED TRAIL THAT RUNS ALONG SALADO CREEK IN NORTH SAN ANTONIO FROM HEUBNER.
AND THE GREENWAY TRAIL BRINGS TOGETHER OF COURSE THE COMMUNITY TO SHARE IN HEALTH RECREATION AND WELLNESS.
WE ALL KNOW USING OUR TRAIL SYSTEM THAT THERE ARE MANY FAMILIES THAT ARE WALKING, JOGGING, RUNNING, AS WELL AS CYCLING ON THE TRAIL SYSTEM.
THE HOWARD PETE GREENWAY TRAIL SYSTEM, OUR ENTIRE SYSTEM OF 65 MILES THAT WE ARE CONTINUING TO EXPAND IS FUNDED BY A PORTION OF THE VOTER APPROVED ONE-EIGHTH CENT SALES TAX, FIRST APPROVED IN 2000, AND IN THREE SUBSEQUENT ELECTIONS BY OUR SAN ANTONIO VOTERS.
AND IT IS CONTINUOUSLY EXPANDING AS CURRENTLY IT IS 65 MILES LONG.
IN ADDITION TO THE SALADO CREEK GREENWAY NORTH AND SOUTH SEGMENTS, OTHER TRAILS INCLUDE THE WEST SIDE CREEKS AND TRIBUTARIES AND THE LEON CREEK AND MEDINA RIVER GREENWAY, BOTH OF WHICH WERE DESIGNATED AS NATIONAL RECREATION TRAILS BACK IN 2012.
SO WE'RE EXCITED THAT MANY OF OUR TRAILS THROUGHOUT OUR GREENWAY SYSTEM ARE NOW A PART OF THE NATIONAL TRAIL SYSTEM.
OF COURSE THE PUBLIC CAN GET MORE INFORMATION ABOUT OUR GREENWAY TRAILS AND THE MAPS AND WE CONTINUE TO WORK ON CONNECTIVIVETY FROM NEIGHBORHOODS TO THE TRAIL SYSTEM SO OUR RESIDENTS CAN ACCESS THEM MORE READILY AND THEY CAN VISIT WWW.SAPARKSANDREC.COM.
SO WE INVITE THE PUBLIC TO GO OUT THERE AND ENJOY OUR TRAILS, IF THEY HAVEN'T BEEN THERE.
THEN SECONDLY, LAST ITEM, MAYOR, IS JUST TO SAY THAT AS SCHOOLS ARE LETTING OUT FOR SUMMER VACATION ACROSS THE CITY, MOST CHILDREN ARE LOOKING FORWARD TO THE BREAK BUT THERE ARE MANY CHILDREN WHO APPROACH THE SUMMER WITH STRESS AND ANXIETY BECAUSE THEY RELY ON THE SCHOOLS TO PROVIDE MEALS.
I'M PLEASED TO REPORT THAT THE SAN ANTONIO PUBLIC LIBRARY IS JOINING A STRONG LIST OF LOCAL ORGANIZATIONS, PARTNERING WITH THE SAN ANTONIO FOOD BANK AND THE NORTH EAST INDEPENDENT SCHOOL DISTRICT TO HAVE FREE SUMMER MEALS AND SNACKS AVAILABLE TO CHILDREN AND TEENS, INCLUDING EIGHT LIBRARY LOCATIONS DURING OUR SUMMER MONTHS.
THE PROGRAM OFFERING FREE MEALS IS AIMED AT CHILDREN AND TEENS 1 TO 18 YEARS OF AGE.
THE LIBRARY LOCATIONS WITH PROGRAM DATES ARE AUDIO] THROUGH AUGUST 18.
THAT'S OUR PARTNERSHIP WITH THE FOOD BANK.
CENTRAL LIBRARY MONDAY THROUGH THURSDAY DURING THE NOON HOUR WITH OUR FOOD BANK PARTNERSHIP.
[01:20:01]
BROOKHOLLOW BRANCH LIBRARY, AND THE SEMIS BRANCH LIBRARY AS WELL.THOUSAND OAKS LIBRARY, TOBIN LIBRARY AT OAKWELL, POTRANCO LIBRARY, ROOSEVELT HIGH SCHOOL.
AND THAT'S CO-LOCATED WITH THE PRUITT LIBRARY.
SO THOSE ITEMS AND FOOD IS AVAILABLE FOR CHILDREN AT THOSE LOCATIONS.
WE'RE EXPLORING A NINTH LOCATION AT THE CARVER BRANCH LIBRARY, WHICH SHOULD BE ACTIVE BY THE END OF JUNE, FIRST OF JULY.
WE WANT TO THANK THE FOOD BANK AND THE INDEPENDENT SCHOOL DISTRICTS THAT ARE PARTICIPATING IN THIS SUMMER MEAL PROGRAM FOR CHILDREN THAT DON'T HAVE ACCESS TO FOOD.
I'M PROUD TO SAY AND THANK OUR LIBRARY STAFF FOR JOINING IN THIS PARTNERSHIP TO CO-HOST THE SERVICE TO THE COMMUNITY.
AND HOPEFULLY, AS THE CHILDREN COME TO THE LIBRARY FOR A MEAL, WE ALSO WILL GET THEM INVOLVED IN OUR SUMMER READING PROGRAM.
THAT'S ALL TO REPORT TODAY, MAYOR.
AND ALSO ON THAT NOTE, CITY MANAGER SCULLEY, I KNOW THAT HARLANDALE ISD AND SAISD ARE ALSO PROVIDING FREE LUNCHES AS WELL AS THE HARVEY YMCA.
I'M WONDERING IF THERE'S A WAY WE CAN HAVE A PAGE OR A LINK TO HAVE ALL OF THESE COORDINATED TOGETHER SO RESIDENTS CAN COME ON TO SANANTONIO.GOV AND FIND IT IN THEIR LOCAL AREAS, IF IT IS NOT NECESSARILY PROVIDED BY THE CITY BUT IN OUR AREAS.
>> SCULLEY: WE WILL DO THAT, COUNCILWOMAN, AND HAVE IT AVAILABLE ON OUR WEBSITE.
I'LL ALSO SEND YOU ALL A LINK, BECAUSE I KNOW MANY OF YOU HAVE YOUR OWN NEWSLETTERS AND THAT WILL GIVE YOU AN OPPORTUNITY TO IDENTIFY THOSE LOCATIONS IN YOUR DISTRICTS AS WELL.
AND ALSO, MAYOR, I JUST WANT TO MAKE AN ANNOUNCEMENT FOR EVERYONE.
FOR THE FIRST TIME IN 26 YEARS, THE SOUTHERN FRIED POETRY SLAM IS HAPPENING HERE -- IS BEING HELD IN TEXAS AND IN SAN ANTONIO.
AND WE WERE SELECTED AS THEIR HOST CITY.
SO FROM JUNE 12 TO JUNE 17 YOU WILL HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO HEAR SOME OF THE WORLD'S MOST OUTSTANDING POETS, WRITERS, WORDSMITHS AT OUR OWN CENTRAL LIBRARY.
AND AFTER THREE DAYS OF 32 POETRY TEAMS, YOU ALL, 18 STATES.
THEY ARE ALL HERE IN THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO.
AND 17 INDIVIDUAL POETS ON SATURDAY AT THE CARVER COMMUNITY CENTER WILL HOST THE 26TH ANNUAL SOUTHERN FRIED POETRY SLAM FINALS.
SO I INVITE YOU ALL TO GET OUT THERE AND TAKE PART.
THESE ARE STATES FROM FLORIDA TO CALIFORNIA.
SO OUR SAN ANTONIO AWARD-WINNING POETS WILL BE THERE.
PLEASE GO OUT AND SUPPORT THEM.
>> MAYOR NIRENBERG: THANK YOU, COUNCILWOMAN VIAGRAN.
OUR CITY COUNCIL A SESSION AGENDA HAS CONCLUDED.
WE WILL ADJOURN AND RECONVENE AT 1:00 P.M. IN THE B ROOM FOR OUR UTILITY BRIEFING.
>> WELCOME TO THE CITY COUNCIL SPECIAL MEETING OF JUNE 14, 2018.
>> MAYOR, WE DO HAVE A QUORUM.
>> MAYOR NIRENBERG: WELCOME TO OUR REGULARLY SCHEDULED UTILITY BRIEFING.
TODAY WE HAVE A BRIEFING FROM THE SAN ANTONIO WATER SYSTEM, SO I'LL TURN IT OVER NOW TO C.E.O.
>> GOOD AFTERNOON, MR. MAYOR, COUNCIL MEMBERS.
THIS IS ONE OF OUR BIMONTHLY BRIEFINGS TO THE BOARD.
WHAT WE WANTED TO TALK TO YOU ABOUT IS HOW WE'RE GETTING READY FOR THE SUMMER.
AND NOT JUST THIS SUMMER BUT A PARTICULAR SUMMER THAT'S HOT AND DRY OUT THERE, HOW WE RESPOND TO DROUGHT, WHAT OUR SITUATION IS, HOW WE MOVE WATER FROM NORTH TO EAST, EAST TO WEST.
THE DIFFERENT WATER SUPPLIES THAT WE HAVE TO MAKE SURE THAT EVERY RESIDENT AND EVERY BUSINESS IN OUR CITY HAS WATER WHEN THEY NEED IT.
HOWEVER, THERE WAS A REQUEST YESTERDAY THAT WE GIVE A VERY BRIEF UPPER LEVEL BRIEFING ON VISTA RIDGE AND HOW IT'S GOING WITH THAT.
WHAT I WOULD LIKE TO ALWAYS REMIND YOU OF IS THE PROJECT
[01:25:02]
TIMELINE.IF YOU LOOK AT THIS, THE DEVELOPMENT CONSTRUCTION OPERATION AND THE PROJECT CONTINUE STAGES, WE ARE UNDER THE CONSTRUCTION STAGE.
WE SHOULD HAVE WATER DELIVERY BY 2020.
AFTER THAT THERE'S 30 YEARS THAT THIS PROJECT WILL BE DELIVERING WATER TO SAWS.
AT THE END OF THAT 30 YEARS, ALL OF THE ASSETS TRANSFER TO SAWS.
ALL OF THE RIGHTS OF WAY, THE PUMPS, THE WELLS, THE PIPELINE, EVERYTHING TRANSFERS TO SAWS.
AFTER THAT, ANOTHER 30 YEARS OF DELIVERY OF WATER TO OUR COMMUNITY.
SPECIFICALLY OVER 60 MILES OF THE 142-MILE PIPELINE IS IN THE GROUND.
17 OUT OF THE 18 WELLS ARE COMPLETE.
THREE DIFFERENT PUMP STATIONS BETWEEN HERE AND BURLESON COUNTY, ALL OF THEM ARE CURRENTLY UNDER CONSTRUCTION.
ON THIS SIDE OF THE METER IN BEXAR COUNTY THE INTEGRATION PART IS WELL UNDERWAY.
THE TANK CONSTRUCTION ON THE FAR NORTH SIDE IS ONGOING.
AND THE EAST ACQUISITION IS ALSO ONGOING.
NEXT I WOULD ACTUALLY LIKE TO INTRODUCE TO YOU STEVE, OUR CHIEF OPERATING OFFICER ALONG WITH KAREN, AND SHE WILL TALK ABOUT WATER CONSERVATION AND HOW WE ARE MEETING OUR CUSTOMERS' NEEDS ON THAT.
SO WE ARE IN TYPICAL SAN ANTONIO SUMMER WHERE IT'S HOT AND DRY.
IT'S VERY EASY TO ASSUME THAT WE'RE IN A DROUGHT IN SAN ANTONIO BECAUSE IT'S HOT AND DRY, BUT THAT'S NOT ALWAYS THE CASE.
AT SAWS WE PLAN FOR DROUGHT REALLY ON A YEAR ROUND BASIS.
WE HAVE A CROSS FUNCTIONAL TEAM, WHICH INCLUDES MEMBERS OF OUR PUBLIC RELATIONS GROUP, OUR CUSTOMER SERVICE GROUPS, OPERATIONS, WATER RESOURCES, AND WE GET THEM TOGETHER ON A REGULAR BASIS.
WE CALL THEM THE AQUIFER MANAGEMENT TEAM.
AND THAT GROUP LOOKS AT OUR CURRENT STATUS.
THEY GIVE US PROJECTIONS OF CHANGES THAT MIGHT OCCUR IN THE FUTURE.
AND THEY MAKE RECOMMENDATIONS TO US ON HOW WE MIGHT RESPOND IF A DROUGHT WERE TO DEVELOP MOVING FORWARD.
WHAT YOU CAN SEE ON THIS SLIDE IS A CURRENT ONE-MONTH OUTLOOK FROM THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE THAT ANTICIPATES WHAT WE CAN EXPECT OVER THE NEXT MONTH.
AS YOU CAN SEE, WE'RE GOING TO BE HOTTER THAN NORMAL AND THEY EXPECT THAT WE'RE GOING TO BE DRIER THAN NORMAL OVER THE NEXT MONTH.
WE ALL KNOW THERE'S RAIN COMING.
WE'RE CERTAINLY HOPING FOR SOME THIS WEEKEND, BUT OVER THE NEXT MONTH, THAT'S WHAT WE SHOULD EXPECT.
THE LATEST FROM THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE ALSO SAYS THAT OVER THE NEXT MONTH WE CAN EXPECT A DROUGHT CONDITION TO START DEVELOPING.
SO WHAT I'VE GOT HERE FOR YOU IS A COPY OF THE DROUGHT MANAGEMENT TEAM INFORMATION THAT THEY REVIEW AT EACH ONE OF OUR MEETINGS.
YOU'LL FIND IT'S PACKED FULL OF INFORMATION.
I THINK YOU WILL FIND A LOT OF THINGS IN HERE THAT WILL BE OF INTEREST AND USE FOR YOU.
WE WILL HAND THAT OUT FOR YOU AT THE END OF THE MEETING.
THE THING THAT WE ARE WELL PREPARED HERE FOR AT SAWS.
WE HAVE A ROBUST SET OF TOOLS THAT ALLOW US TO ENSURE WE GET THE MESSAGE OUT TO OUR CUSTOMERS AND MANAGE OUR RESOURCES PROPERLY SHOULD A DROUGHT DEVELOP.
SO THE FIRST QUESTION THAT EVERYBODY HAS WHENEVER A DROUGHT DEVELOPS IS ARE WE GOING TO HAVE ENOUGH WATER? AND THAT ANSWER IS CERTAINLY YES.
THROUGH THE SUPPORT OF THE CITY COUNCIL AND OUR SAWS BOARD OF TRUSTEES THEY HAVE REALLY GIVEN US A GOOD PORTFOLIO OF OPTIONS THAT WE CAN USE TO MANAGE.
WE PLAN FOR A WORST CASE SCENARIO, THAT BEING THE DROUGHT OF THE 1950S, THAT SEVEN-YEAR SPAN.
WE OVERLAY THAT WITH THE INTENSITY OF THE DROUGHT WE SAW IN THE 2011 TO 2014 PERIOD.
SO IT'S A HYBRID THAT WE LOOK AT BUT IT'S REALLY A REAL-WORLD WORST CASE SCENARIO.
ONCE WE KNOW THAT, THEN WE OVERLAY THE CITY'S ESTIMATED POPULATION PROJECTIONS IN THE FUTURE AND WE DETERMINE WHAT OUR WATER NEEDS WILL BE OVER THE FUTURE.
SO WE'RE READY FOR A DROUGHT TODAY.
IF YOU WANT TO THINK OF IT THAT WAY, WE'RE READY FOR A DROUGHT IN 50 YEARS AS WELL.
I CAN ASSURE YOU THAT'S REALLY NOT THE STANDARD THAT MOST CITIES PLAN BY.
THIS IS A SNAPSHOT OF OUR WATER DIVERSITY.
OF COURSE, WE ALL LIKE TO FOCUS ON THE OVERALL LEVEL OF THE EDWARDS AQUIFER.
THE AQUIFER IS SITTING AT ABOUT 645 FEET AND IT'S A WONDERFUL RESOURCE.
IT'S JUST ABUNDANT AND A GREAT RESOURCE, BUT IT'S ALL THAT WE COULD REALLY PLAN ON IF WE GOT INTO A DROUGHT CYCLE.
TODAY WE HAVE MULTIPLE WATER SUPPLIES IN PLACE.
VISTA RIDGE SUPPLY ONLINE AS WELL.
THIS SNAPSHOT IS JUST A VIEW OF WHAT WE CALL WATER THAT WILL BE AVAILABLE DURING THE WORST YEAR OF THE REPEAT OF A DROUGHT CYCLE.
WE HAVE OTHER SUPPLIES IN OUR INVENTORY BUT WE DON'T SHOW THEM IN THIS CHART BECAUSE THEY'RE
[01:30:02]
REALLY NOT FIRM.WE DON'T PLAN ON THEM IN A DROUGHT.
WHILE THE EDWARDS REALLY IS A FANTASTIC RESOURCE OVERALL, SAN ANTONIO'S WATER DIVERSITY GIVES US AMAZING RESILIENCY TO MANAGE THROUGH THE NEXT DROUGHT CYCLE.
SO HOW OFTEN ARE WE IN SOME FORM OF WATER RESTRICTION? THIS CHART SHOWS YOU HOW OFTEN THE EDWARDS AQUIFER AUTHORITY, THE EAA, DECLARES RESTRICTIONS BASED ON THE LEVEL OF THE EDWARDS AQUIFER.
IN 2009, THE EAA CHANGED THE STARTING POINT FOR STAGE 1 PRIOR TO 2009 WE USED 650 FEET ABOVE MEAN SEA LEVEL AS STAGE 1 START.
BUT SINCE 2009, WE HAVE BEEN USING 660 FEET.
SO IT'S A MORE CONSERVATIVE APPROACH.
THE EAA DECLARES WE'RE IN RESTRICTIONS EARLIER THAN THEY DID BEFORE 2009.
THE EAA CHANGES WATER RESTRICTION STAGES AS THE AQUIFER JUST MOVES UP AND DOWN.
YOU CAN SEE IN 2012, FOR EXAMPLE, THINGS CHANGED VERY QUICKLY AS THE EAA DECLARED STAGE 1, STAGE 2, AND STAGE 3 EVENTS.
I THINK THERE WERE SIX OR SEVEN DIFFERENT CHANGES IN THE STAGES THAT YEAR.
IN 2014, THE EAA DECLARED A STAGE 4 EVENT AS THE LEVEL OF THE AQUIFER DROPPED BELOW 640 FEET.
THESE EAA RESTRICTIONS OF COURSE ONLY APPLY TO WATER PUMPERS LIKE SAN ANTONIO.
THEY DON'T APPLY TO THE AVERAGE HOMEOWNER.
HERE'S HOW SAWS AND THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO HAVE RESPONDED TO WATER RESTRICTION STAGES.
WE DON'T LOOK AT JUST THE LEVEL OF THE EDWARDS AQUIFER.
IF WE JUST FOLLOWED THE LEVEL OF THE EDWARDS I THINK IT WOULD BE VERY CONFUSING WITH ALL THE JUMPING BACK AND FORTH ON WHAT STAGE WE'RE ACTUALLY IN AND WHAT THE COMMUNITY IS EXPECTED TO DO.
THIS COULD CREATE A FALSE IMPRESSION THAT WE DON'T HAVE WATER RESILIENCY.
YOU CAN SEE THAT SAN ANTONIO IS NEVER DECLARED A STAGE 3 OR STAGE 4 EVENT.
WE LOOK AT OUR INVENTORIES, WEATHER PROJECTIONS AND WE COMPILE ALL THAT TO MAKE A RECOMMENDATION TO THE CITY MANAGER ON HOW OUR CITIZENS SHOULD RESPOND TO CHANGES IN THE EDWARDS LEVEL.
WE HAVE MANY OPTIONS THAT ALLOW THE CITY TO AVOID MORE SEVERE RESTRICTIONS ON USE.
SAWS CUTS BACK ON OUR USE OF THE EDWARDS AND WE PROVIDE WATER THROUGH OTHER SUPPLIES.
SO WE MANAGE USING ALL AVAILABLE INFORMATION AND NOT REACT JUST TO THE CURRENT LEVEL OF A SINGLE WATER SUPPLY.
SO HERE'S WHY WE CAN CONSIDER MORE THAN JUST THE LEVEL OF THE EDWARDS AS A DROUGHT STARTS TO INTENSIFY.
SAWS' SYSTEM WAS ORIGINALLY CONSTRUCTED AS WHAT WE LIKE TO REFER TO AS A SPOKEN HUB.
SO YOU WOULD DRILL A WELL AND YOU WOULD HAVE DISTRIBUTION PIPES THAT DEVELOP ALL AROUND THAT WELL TO REACH OUT TO THOSE CUSTOMERS.
TYPICALLY, SMALLER DIAMETER PIPES, NOT GREAT BIG PIPES.
AS TIME GOES ON, ANOTHER WELL GETS DRILLED AND A DISTRIBUTION SYSTEM GETS BUILT AROUND THAT WELL.
AND EVENTUALLY THOSE TWO DISTRIBUTION SYSTEMS START TO TOUCH.
I LIKE TO THINK OF IT AS SPIDER WE WEBS THAT SOMEHOW TOUCH EACH OTHER.
IT'S VERY DIFFERENT THAN WHAT WE SEE IN, SAY, AUSTIN OR DALLAS WHERE YOU HAVE A LAKE AND A VERY LARGE DIAMETER PIPE THAT SOMETIMES GOES A GREAT DISTANCE OFF TO REACH ALL OF THE CUSTOMERS FROM THAT SINGLE SUPPLY.
THE MAP SHOWS THREE AQUIFER ZONES ACROSS BEXAR COUNTY AND WE UTILIZE EACH AQUIFER.
IN ADDITION WE SHOW YOU DIFFERENT WATER SUPPLIES THAT WE PIPE IN FROM EXTERNAL SOURCES.
ADD TO THAT WE CAN MOVE WATER FROM EACH AQUIFER ZONE INTO ANOTHER ZONE.
IN OTHER WORDS, WE CAN MOVE WATER NORTH TO SOUTH OR SOUTH TO NORTH, DEPENDING ON OUR NEEDS.
THE DIVERSITY THAT WE HAVE IN SUPPLY AND THE DESIGN OF OUR SYSTEM MAKES SAN ANTONIO VERY RESILIENT TO DROUGHT.
OTHER THAN THE EDWARDS AQUIFER, WE CAN LOSE ANY SINGLE SUPPLY AND NOT HAVE A PROBLEM PROVIDING SERVICE TO OUR CUSTOMERS.
WE CAN LOSE ONE OR TWO OR MAYBE EVEN THREE OF OUR PRIMARY EDWARDS STATIONS AND NOT HAVE A PROBLEM DELIVERING WATER TO OUR CUSTOMERS OVERALL.
WEATHER EXTREMES AND PARTICULARLY DROUGHT MEANS SOILS MOVE.
YOU MAY RECALL MY LAST PRESENTATION TO YOU WHERE I TALKED ABOUT AS THE SOIL GETS DRIER AND DRIER IT PUTS STRESSES ON THOSE PIPELINES WHICH CAN INCREASE THE NUMBER OF LEAKS OR CAUSE MAIN BREAKS.
AS THAT SOIL RESTRICTS AND WE'RE IN PEAK SUMMER DEMAND AND A LOT OF FLOW GOES THROUGH THAT LINE ADDITIONAL DAMAGE ON OUR SYSTEM.
[01:35:01]
SAWS ADJUSTS OUR WORK PLANNING BASED ON HOW DRY THE SOIL CONDITIONS ARE AND THE PIPELINE PROBLEMS THAT DEVELOP AS A RESULT OF THAT.OUR CREW SCHEDULING IS ADJUSTED TO COVER MORE HOURS OF THE 24 HOURS OF THE CLOCK.
WE'LL COVER MORE TIME ON NIGHTS AND WEEKENDS.
AND WE'LL HAVE OVERTIME THAT WE PROVIDE FOR REPAIR CREWS.
WE CAN'T DO IT ALL WITH SAWS CREWS.
WE DO HAVE EXTERNAL CONTRACTORS ON BOARD NOW WHO HELP US SUPPORT THAT INCREASED WORKLOAD.
IF THE DROUGHT INTENSIFIES WE ARE PREPARED TO BRING ON ANOTHER ROUND OF ADDITIONAL CONTRACTORS TO MAKE SURE WE ARE RESPONDING TO THESE ISSUES IN AS TIMELY A MANNER AS PROBABLE.
WE HAVE PREORDERED SUPPLIES AND STOCKED THEM IN OUR WAREHOUSES.
THE WAREHOUSES ARE AVAILABLE FOR THE CREWS SEVEN DAYS A WEEK.
FINALLY, WE INCREASE OUR ACTIVITY IN OUR WORKLOAD TRACKING AND MANAGEMENT OVERALL.
ANY TIME A LEAK IS REPORTED, A SAWS EMPLOYEE WILL VISIT THE SITE OF THE LEAK, DOCUMENT WHAT THEY FIND, AND THEY WILL HELP US PRIORITIZE THAT LEAK WITH ALL THE REST OF THE WORK WE HAVE TO DO.
THEN WE'LL HAVE A DAILY REVIEW OF OUR WORK LOGS TO MAKE SURE THE HIGHEST PRIORITY LEAKS ARE GETTING ADDRESSED IN THE PROPER ORDER.
ONE THING WE ALWAYS LIKE TO TALK ABOUT IS HOW WE ARE A GROUND WATER-BASED CITY.
IT'S CONVENIENT FOR US SINCE WE SIT ON TOP OF THOSE THREE AQUIFER ZONES I TALKED ABOUT.
BUT THERE'S ALSO OTHER BENEFITS THAT THAT PROVIDES TO US AS WELL.
AS A GROUND WATER-BASED CITY WE HAVE FANTASTIC WATER QUALITY.
SURFACE WATER CAN HAVE ISSUES DEVELOP FROM A WATER PERSPECTIVE.
THE GROUNDWATER DOESN'T SEE, SUCH AS A LAKE TURNOVER.
A LAKE WILL TURN OVER EVERY YEAR.
IT'S NOT SOME YEARS IT DOES IT AND SOME YEARS IT DOESN'T.
LAKES HAVE ALGAE BLOOMS AND EVEN OUR ROUTINE DISINFECTION IN A SURFACE WATER ENVIRONMENT CAN CREATE SOME UNDESIRABLE BY-PRODUCTS.
OUR WATER COMES OUT OF THE GROUND READY TO DRINK AS IT IS AND IT'S NOT EXPOSED TO A LOT OF THE CHALLENGES THAT SURFACE WATER IS EXPOSED TO.
NEXT, A LAKE WILL LOSE A SIGNIFICANT VOLUME OF WATER EVERY YEAR TO EVAPORATION.
WHEN YOU CONSIDER CANYON LAKE WHERE WE RECEIVE WATER THROUGH OUR AGREEMENT WITH THE GUADALUPE-BLANCO RIVER AUTHORITY.
WE RECEIVE ABOUT 6 MILLION GALLONS OF WATER FROM CANYON LAKE EVERY DAY.
DURING A DROUGHT PERIOD, FOUR TIMES MORE WATER WILL BE LOST TO EVAPORATION AT THE LAKE THAN WE TAKE FROM THE LAKE ON A DAILY BASIS.
BUT ON THE POSITIVE SIDE, I HAVE TO SAY OUR SURFACE WATER PARTNERS, THOSE SUPPLIERS DO A GREAT JOB.
THEY DO A LOT OF WORK TO TRY TO HELP US MATCH THAT WATER QUALITY SO THAT PEOPLE DRINKING WATER IN SAN ANTONIO, AS FAR AS THEY KNOW, THEY ARE GETTING EDWARDS AQUIFER THE WHOLE TIME.
IF THEY SHOULD EXPERIENCE A PROBLEM, THEY HAVE A TURNOVER, AN ALGAE BLOOM, WE HAVE ENOUGH ROBUSTNESS IN OUR SYSTEM AND ENOUGH DIVERSITY IN OUR SUPPLIES THAT WE CAN TURN THAT SUPPLY OFF UNTIL THEY GET THEIR PROBLEMS COMPLETELY RESOLVED.
HERE'S AN EXAMPLE OF WATER SUPPLY THAT WE DON'T RELY ON, WHICH IS MEDINA LAKE.
AND MEDINA LAKE WAS 30% TO 31% OF THE TOTAL SUPPLY THAT BEXAR MET USED TO OPERATE UNDER.
YEARS AGO SAN ANTONIO CHOSE NOT TO PARTICIPATE IN THE PROJECT BECAUSE WE DIDN'T CONSIDER THAT WATER SUPPLY TO BE FIRM.
WE DIDN'T THINK IT WOULD BE THERE IN A DROUGHT.
AS YOU CAN SEE BY THIS CHART, IN 2014 AND AGAIN IN 2015 MEDINA LAKE WENT ALMOST COMPLETELY DRY.
MEDINA LAKE WAS VERY PROBLEMATIC FOR BEXAR-MET FROM A WATER QUALITY PERSPECTIVE TOO.
AS AN EXAMPLE, THEY HAD TO DO EXTENSIVE FLUSHING OF THE WATER FROM THE DISTRIBUTION SYSTEM.
IT WOULD BE CLEAN AT THE PLANT BUT IT WOULDN'T BE CLEAN ENOUGH TO DELIVER BY THE TIME IT GOT TO THEIR CUSTOMERS, SO THEY HAD TO KEEP FLUSHING THE SYSTEM.
AT TIMES IT APPEARED THEY WERE THROWING MORE WATER ON THE STREETS BY FLUSHING THE SYSTEM THAN THEY WERE ACTUALLY PROVIDING TO THEIR CUSTOMERS.
SHORTLY AFTER SAWS TOOK OVERBEAR-MET WE STOPPED USING THE MEDINA LAKE SUPPLY COMPLETELY.
WE COULD GO BACK TO USING IT BUT THE CHALLENGES WE WOULD HAVE TO MEET MAKE IT UNLIKELY THAT WE WOULD WANT TO USE IT FOR THE TIME BEING.
INSTEAD, WE LEAVE ALL THAT WATER IN THE RIVER AND LET IT FLOW FURTHER DOWNSTREAM WHERE CPS CAN PICK IT UP AND USE IT IN THEIR COOLING LAKES.
AS YOU CAN SEE, IN 2018 SAN ANTONIO HASN'T MADE ANY CALLS FOR WATER OUT OF MEDINA LAKE.
AND THE LAKE HAS ALREADY DROPPED TO 55% OF ITS AVAILABLE CAPACITY.
SO IN A SIGNIFICANT DROUGHT CYCLE THAT LAKE COULD GO DRY WITHOUT SAN ANTONIO USING A SINGLE DROP OF WATER FROM IT.
SO LET'S FOCUS ON HOW WE WORK TO ENSURE OUR WATER USES DO NOT
[01:40:02]
CREATE PROBLEMS FOR OTHERS.THE FIRST EXAMPLE IS PROTECTING ENDANGERED SPECIES IN THE EDWARDS AQUIFER, AND WE DO THAT THROUGH THE EDWARDS AQUIFER HABITAT CONSERVATION PLAN.
SAWS PROVIDES $11.6 MILLION A YEAR FOR PROTECTION ACTIVITIES ALL DESIGNED TO PROTECT SPRING FLOW AT COMAL AND SAN MARCOS SPRINGS.
WE GET SIGNIFICANT BENEFITS FROM THIS PROGRAM AS WELL.
SAWS HAS RECEIVED $18.6 MILLION FROM THE EAA AND USES THIS MONEY FOR THE PURPOSE OF ELIMINATING LEAKS IN OUR SYSTEM.
BY REDUCING WATER WASTED THROUGH LEAKS, SAWS CAN REDUCE ITS RELIANCE ON THE EDWARDS THE NEXT TIME WE'RE IN A DROUGHT CYCLE.
FINALLY, SAWS STORES SOME OF THE EAA-OWNED WATER RIGHTS IN OUR AQUIFER STORAGE AND RECOVERY FACILITY.
AND A DROUGHT OF RECORD PERIOD THE EAA-OWNED WATER WILL BE PUMPED OUT OF THE ASR AND DISTRIBUTED IN SAN ANTONIO WHICH, AGAIN, REDUCES OUR DEPENDENCE ON THE EDWARDS.
THE HABITAT CONSERVATION PROGRAM IS A MODEL FOR OTHER REGIONS TO FOLLOW.
SAWS' ASR IS REALLY A FANTASTIC TOOL.
WHILE WE STORE WATER WHEN THE DEMAND IS LOW AND THEN WE TURN AROUND AND SUPPLEMENT THAT WATER BACK INTO SAN ANTONIO WHEN DRY CYCLES OR DROUGHTS STRESS THE EDWARDS OVERALL.
THE BLUE SECTION OF THIS CHART SHOWS YOU HOW AND RETURNED IT INTO SAN ANTONIO SINCE WE OPENED THE FACILITY BACK IN 2004.
WE HAVE PUMPED ABOUT 74,000 ACRE FEET OF WATER THAT WE HAD PREVIOUSLY STORED OUT OF THE ASR AND THEN DISTRIBUTED IT TO OUR CUSTOMERS.
THE GREEN AREA SHOWS YOU HOW MUCH AND WHEN WE HAVE STORED WATER IN THE ASR.
TODAY WE HAVE ABOUT 165,000 ACRE FEET OF WATER ACTUALLY UNDERGROUND AND READY FOR USE AT THE ASR.
IT'S OUR EMERGENCY SAVINGS ACCOUNT.
AND THAT REPRESENTS ABOUT 70% OF WHAT SAN ANTONIO WOULD USE ON A TYPICAL YEAR.
WE CONSTANTLY HAVE OTHER WATER UTILITIES COMING TO SAN ANTONIO TO LEARN FROM OUR ASR EXPERIENCE.
IN ADDITION TO BEING AN EMERGENCY WATER SUPPLY, THE BENEFITS OF ASR IS SIMILAR TO WHAT WE HAVE ALREADY COVERED.
THE ASR WATER DOES NOT EVAPORATE, SINCE IT IS UNDERGROUND.
AND IT IS PROTECTED FROM ALGAE, LAKE BLOOMS, AND OTHER WATER QUALITY THREATS.
IT'S NOT DISAPPEARING EVERY SUMMER, WHETHER WE USE IT OR NOT.
HOW MANY MAJOR PROJECTS, WATER PROJECTS, LOOKS LIKE THIS PICTURE WHEN THEY ARE COMPLETED AND OPERATING? ANOTHER GREAT BENEFIT OF THE ASR TECHNOLOGY IS THAT THE SURFACE OF THE LAND CAN BE CONTINUED TO BE USED FOR ITS RURAL AGRICULTURE LIFESTYLE BEFORE THE FACILITY WAS CONSTRUCTED.
WE EXPECT THE LAND TO BE USED FOR AGRICULTURE PURPOSES FOR GENERATIONS TO COME.
HERE'S ANOTHER EXAMPLE OF HOW WE USE WATER WHILE PROTECTING OTHER USERS OF THE AQUIFER.
MOST OF THE WATER THAT WE PROVIDE IN SAN ANTONIO FROM THE TRINITY IS WATER WE PURCHASE UNDER CONTRACT.
IF SAWS DIDN'T HAVE CONTRACTS TO BUY THIS WATER, OTHERS WOULD PURCHASE THAT AND IT WOULD PROBABLY BE PUMPED AND USED SOMEWHERE MORE THAN BEXAR COUNTY.
THERE ARE OVER 101,200 PRIVATE WELL OWNERS IN NORTH BEXAR COUNTY AND MORE FURTHER THAN THE COUNTY LINE .
INSTEAD OF JUST BUYING THE WATER, SAWS NEGOTIATED THE CONTRACTS TO INCLUDE CUTBACK LEVELS WHERE THE SUPPLY OF WATER IS REDUCED OR TERMINATED BASED ON THE AQUIFER LEVEL FALLS TO A POINT WHERE WE KNOW PRIVATE WELLS OR OTHER GOVERNMENTAL ENTITY WELLS WOULD START TO GO DRY.
BY AGREEING TO THE VOLUNTARY CUTBACKS SAWS IS PROTECTING MILITARY OPERATIONS LIKE CAMP BULLIS OR OUR NEIGHBORS FURTHER TO THE NORTH, SUCH AS FAIR OAKS.
BEXAR-MET DID NOT HAVE THESE CUTBACKS IN PLACE AND INTENDED TO PUMP THIS WATER REGARDLESS OF THE IMPACT IT HAD ON OTHER ENTITIES OR ON PRIVATE WELL OWNERS.
SO THE LAST ITEM I'LL TALK ABOUT IS WHAT WE DO WITH RECYCLED WATER.
SAWS IS CPSE'S LARGEST ELECTRIC CUSTOMER.
THEY BUY MORE WATER FROM SAWS THAN ANY OTHER CUSTOMER THAN WE HAVE.
CPS USES OR WATER FOR COOLING IN CALAVERAS LAKE.
SAWS DEPENDS ON THE LARGE POWER SUPPLY COMING OUT OF THESE LAKES TO GIVE US THE POWER TO PUMP WATER TO OUR CUSTOMERS.
IT'S A MUTUAL EXISTENCE, CO-EXISTENCE.
SAWS AND CPS ALSO BOTH HIT THEIR PEAK DEMAND PERIODS ABOUT THE SAME TIME, SO AS YOU CAN IMAGINE THAT REQUIRES A LOT OF COOPERATION BETWEEN THE TWO UTILITIES.
THROUGH A CONTRACT THAT WAS ESTABLISHED IN 1996, SAWS PROVIDES CPSE WITH 50,000 ACRE FEET OF WATER ON AN ANNUAL
[01:45:02]
BASIS.BUILD THE RECYCLED SYSTEM THAT CIRCLES SAN ANTONIO TODAY.
SO THAT CONTRACT ULTIMATELY REQUIRED THE LARGEST RECYCLED SYSTEM IN THE U.S.
SAWS AND CPS WORK CLOSELY ON PROVIDING COOLING WATER FOR THE LAKES AND FOR OUR LARGE INDUSTRIAL CUSTOMERS LIKE MICROSOFT AND TOYOTA, AS WELL AS TO ALL OF OUR CITY GOLF COURSES.
BUT OUR FOCUS IS ENSURING ADEQUATE FLOW IS AVAILABLE TO SUPPORT THE IT'S NOT AN EASY THING TO BALANCE ALL OF THAT, BUT WE FOCUS ON IT AND WE'VE BEEN SUCCESSFUL ENSURING THAT WE USE RECYCLED WATER TO THE MAXIMUM EXTENT POSSIBLE BUT WE DON'T CREATE PROBLEMS FOR THE ENVIRONMENTAL COMMUNITY DOWNSTREAM.
SO WE DO A LOT OF GREAT THINGS FROM THE OPERATIONAL PERSPECTIVE, BUT OF COURSE SAN ANTONIO IS ALSO WELL-KNOWN FOR OUR CONSERVATION EFFORTS, AND AT THIS TIME I'D LIKE TO CALL KAREN UP TO TALK ABOUT THAT.
STEVE HAS TALKED TO YOU ABOUT THE OPERATION SIDE OF SAWS, WHICH IS INCREDIBLY IMPORTANT WHEN WE GET SO BUSY IN THESE HOT DRY SUMMERS.
I'M GOING TO ST TALK TO YOU ABOUT THE CUSTOMER SIDE, MAKE SURE OUR CUSTOMERS KNOW WHAT'S GOING ON, GIVE THEM INFORMATION THAT'S TIMELY AS CONDITIONS CHANGE.
LET ME MAKE SURE I'M PUSHING THE RIGHT BUTTON HERE.
ONE OF THE THINGS THAT'S A TOP PRIORITY WHEN IT GETS HOT AND DRY IS MAKE SURE WE COMMUNICATE CONSTANTLY WITH OUR CUSTOMERS.
THIS IS A PRIORITY AT ALL TIMES OF THE YEAR BUT MOST PARTICULARLY NOWHEN THE WEATHER HAS BECOME SUCH A NEW STORY.
ONE OF THE WAYS WE'RE MAKING GOOD USE OF THESE DAYS IS SOCIAL MEDIA.
WHY IS THAT SO IMPORTANT? I PROBABLY DON'T HAVE TO TELL YOU THAT WE HAVE A MIX OF HOW PEOPLE GET THEIR INFORMATION NOW.
WE HAVE CITIZENS THAT NO LONGER CHOOSE TO MAYBE READ A LOCAL NEWSPAPER, WATCH LOCAL TV AND MAYBE THEY DON'T LISTEN TO THE RADIO, BUT THE GOOD NEWS IS IF THEY DON'T DO ANY OF THOSE THINGS THAT'S A GOOD CHANCE MAYBE THEY'RE ON NEXT DOOR, MAYBE FACEBOOK OR SOME OTHER SOCIAL MEDIA CHANNEL.
SAWS MAINTAINS A VERY STRONG PRESENCE ON THOSE SO THAT WHEN WE HAVE IMPORTANT MESSAGES LIKE WHAT'S GOING ON WHEN STAGE 1 AND WHEN WE MOVE TO STAGE 2 WE HAVE A BUILT-IN AUDIENCE.
IN ADDITION TO THAT WE ALSO WORK TO HAVE MEDIA THAT WE DEVELOP AND USE ON OUR WEB SITES, LIKE SAWS.ORG AND GARDEN STYLE SAN ANTONIO, SO PEOPLE CAN SEE -- FIND THE INFORMATION THEY NEED EASILY.
WE DEVELOP PRINT MEDIA AND THERE ARE BANNERS BEING DEVELOPED RIGHT NOW THAT WILL GO ON SOME OF THE LOCATIONS THAT ARE SAWS INFRASTRUCTURE THAT YOU SEA AROUND TOWN, TO USE THOUGH -- SEE AROUND TOWN TO USE THOSE AS PLACES FOR DISSEMINATING INFORMATION.
AND THEN IN ADDITION TO THAT ONE OF THE NEW THINGS WE'VE TAKEN ADVANTAGE OF THIS YEAR IS THAT CUSTOMERS HAVE CHOSEN TO SHARE WITH US THEIR EMAILS.
ABOUT 45% OF OUR CUSTOMERS NOW SHARE EMAILS WITH US.
WE'RE TOLD THAT'S VERY HIGH FOR A WATER UTILITY.
SO WHEN WE WENT INTO STAGE 1 AND LATER INTO STAGE 2, WE SENT ALL OF THEM THE EMAIL THAT YOU SEE ON THE SCREEN.
WE HAD OVER 95% OF THEM OPENED FOR STAGE 1.
WE'RE STILL TRACKING THE STAGE 2 OPENINGS, BUT THEY SEEM TO BE ADDING UP TO A SIMILAR AMOUNT.
SO WE'RE TAKING ADVANTAGE OF ALL OF THOSE MORE CURRENT METHODS OF GETTING IN TOUCH WITH PEOPLE.
AND OF COURSE OUR LOCAL MEDIA IS EXTREMELY HELPFUL.
SO IF WE SEND OUT A PRESS RELEASE SAYING THERE'S SOMETHING GOING ON WITH STAGE 1 OR 2 SOMETHING IS GOING ON.
PARTICULARLY FOR STAGE 2 WE HAD ALL OF THE PRINT, NEWS SHOW UP AND DID STORIES THAT WERE EXTREMELY HELPFUL AND INFORMATIVE FOR OUR CUSTOMERS.
SO ALL OF THESE THINGS ADD UP WE HOPE TO PEOPLE HAVING A CHANCE TO UNDERSTAND THAT YES, WE'RE ASKING YOU TO MAKE JUST A MODIFICATION TO YOUR BEHAVIOR.
WE'RE NOT ASKING YOU TO STOP WATERING YOUR LANDSCAPES.
WE'RE JUST MODERATING HOW WE DO THAT DURING THIS TIME.
ONE OF THE TOPICS OF CONVERSATION THAT STEVE HAS BROUGHT UP HAS BEEN THE WEATHER.
IT HAS BEEN EXCEPTIONALLY HOT AND VERY SUDDENLY SO IN MAY, AND IT'S BEEN HOT AND DRY IN JUNE AS WELL.
BUT ONE OF THE THINGS I THINK THAT PEOPLE DON'T REMEMBER TO BRING TO THAT CONVERSATION IS THAT EVEN THOUGH, YES, MAY WAS MAYBE THE 13TH HOTTEST MAY ON RECORD AND IT WAS CERTAINLY EXTREMELY DRY, IN JUNE, SO FAR NO RAIN, WE HAVE HOPES FOR THIS WEEKEND, THIS HOT AND DRY PERIOD THAT WE'RE EXPERIENCING RIGHT NOW IS CERTAINLY NOT UNPRECEDENTED.
WE'VE HAD HOT DRY SUMMERS BEFORE AND THEY'VE GONE ON FOR A VERY LONG TIME, UNFORTUNATELY.
IF WE THINK BACK TO 2009, THAT WAS A YEAR WHEN THERE WERE DROUGHT RESTRICTIONS.
2011 WAS EXCEPTIONALLY HOT AND DRY AND IT BEARS REMEMBERING THAT IF WE LOOK AROUND AT OUR LANDSCAPES, THE STREES AND THE SHRUBS -- TREES AND SHRUBS WE SEE AROUND TOWN, MOST OF THEM WERE HERE DURING THE DROUGHT PERIODS.
THEY GOT THROUGH IT, MAYBE NOT THE NEW HOMES BUT A LOT OF OUR LANDSCAPES GOT THROUGH IT AND THEY'RE VERY TEXAS TOUGH AND THEY WILL
[01:50:02]
AGAIN.IF WE USE THE RULES, WATER MODERATELY, THE LANDSCAPES WE HAVE WILL RETAIN THEIR HEALTH AND SAWS IS PREPARED TO MAKE SURE WE HAVE THE WATER TO KEEP DOING THAT.
OUR EXPERIENCE IN HAVING THOSE PRIOR DROUGHT PERIODS THAT I MENTIONED, SOME OF WHICH WENT ON FOR QUITE A LONG TIME, MATTERS IN BEING PREPARED FOR THIS ONE.
STEVE MENTIONED THE DROUGHT MANAGEMENT TEAM.
THAT REALLY NEVER STOPPED MEETING SINCE OUR LAST DROUGHT PERIOD.
WE JUST CHANGED THE FREQUENTLY AS CONDITIONS CHANGED.
THAT CROSS-DEPARTMENTAL TEAM WAS WATCHING THE CONDITIONALS AS WE WERE GOING INTO JANUARY AND FEBRUARY AND ALTHOUGH IT FELT NICE OUTSIDE, IT WAS PRETTY DRY, SO WE WERE WATCHING ALL OF THIS DEVELOP.
NOW, WHAT THAT MEANS FOR MY DEPARTMENT AND CONSERVATION IS THAT WE ALREADY HAD OUR STAFFING INCREASED BY THE TIME THE CONDITIONS WERE HAVING -- WE'RE HAVING TODAY ARRIVED.
SO THAT MEANS THAT BECAUSE OUR PHONE CALLS HAVE DOUBLED, WE'VE GOT PEOPLE READY TO ANSWER THE PHONE CALLS RIGHT AWAY.
WE HAVE ADDITIONAL PEOPLE READY TO PROCESS PROGRAM INFORMATION, PEOPLE WANT TO GET DURING TIMES WHEN IT'S HOT AND DRY.
WE HAVE ALREADY GOTTEN AUTHORIZATION TO DOUBLE THE NUMBER OF PART-TIME POLICE OFFICERS WHO PATROL FOR DROUGHT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE GETTING EVERYBODY ON THE SAME PAGE ABOUT WHAT THOSE RULES ARE.
WE'VE ALSO UPPED OUR GAME ON SOME OF THE TOOLS WE USE TO MANAGE OUR PROGRAMS AND PARTICULARLY TO TELL PEOPLE WHAT'S GOING ON.
IF YOU WERE TO GO TO THE FRONT PAGE OF SAWS.ORG YOU WOULD FIND AN ON-LINE REPORTING TOOL THAT WAS UPGRADED FROM THE LAST TIME YOU SAW IT.
YOU CAN GIVE US MORE DETAILED INFORMATION, EVEN UPLOAD A PICTURE IF YOU WANT TO AND ALL OF THAT FEEDS DIRECTLY INTO OUR PROGRAM MANAGEMENT SYSTEM WHICH ALLOWS US TO TURN AROUND, USUALLY WITHIN 24 HOURS, SENDING THE RESPONSIBLE PARTY AN EMAIL OR A LETTER NOTIFYING THEM, SAYING, HEY, SOMEBODY NOTICED YOU MIGHT HAVE A PROBLEM, HERE'S WHAT THE RULES ARE.
WHEN WE DO THAT, MOST PEOPLE RESPOND AND GET ON THE SAME PAGE AND FOLLOW THOSE RULES.
WE'VE HAD A LONG TIME, THOUGH, OF WORKING WITH OUR CUSTOMERS TO MAKE SURE THEY'RE READY FOR THESE HOT, DRY PERIODS.
IT'S NOT JUST ABOUT WHEN WE GET INTO A DROUGHT WE RAMP UP OUR EDUCATION.
IT'S SOMETHING THAT WE'RE DOING ALL THE TIME.
IN THE PAST SEVEN YEARS THE CONSERVATION DEPARTMENT HAS BEEN PARTICULARLY FOCUSED ON HELPING PEOPLE HAVE BEAUTIFUL LANDSCAPES THAT CAN GET THROUGH WHATEVER THE WEATHER BRINGS US IN SAN ANTONIO.
THERE'S A PICTURE HERE OF OUR GARDEN STYLE SAN ANTONIO WEB SITE THAT IS DEDICATED EXCLUSIVELY TO ALL THINGS BEAUTIFUL IN GARDENING IN SAN ANTONIO.
WE ARE SHOWING OFF OUR BEAUTIFUL OUR CITY IS AND WE'RE ENCOURAGING OUR BUSINESS AND OUR RESIDENTIAL CUSTOMERS TO INVEST IN THEIR LANDSCAPES, COUNT ON THEM TO BE AMENITIES.
IF YOU PLANT THEM RIGHT AND YOU CHOOSE FROM OUR EXTENSIVE PALLET OF PLANT MATERIAL YOU CAN HAVE THEM BASEBALL GORGEOUS AND NOT A HIGH WATER BILL.
HOW DO WE KNOW PEOPLE ARE ON SO INTERESTED? ONE WAY IS WE OFFER EDUCATION PROSECUTION YEAR-ROUND.
LAST YEAR OVER 100,000 PEOPLE PARTICIPATED IN THOSE.
WE HAVE A NEWSPAPERS SO THAT EACH WEEK WHEN WE UP-TO-DATE CONSENT ON GARDEN STYLE SAN ANTONIO WE BUNDLE THAT AND SEND IT OUT AND PUT IT IN YOUR IN-BOX.
THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE RECEIVE THAT, CLICK IT, READ IT AND GO TO THE WEB SITE EVERY MONTH.
WE HAVE A SERVICE AS WELL CALLED IRRIGATION CONSULTATIONS THAT HAS BECOME EXTRAORDINARILY POPULAR, SO MUCH SO THAT WE'VE STAFFED UP.
WE NOW HAVE SIX PEOPLE WHO OFFER THIS SERVICE FREE.
WHAT IS THAT? IT'S A ONE-HOUR VISIT TO YOUR HOME WHERE WE'LL GO THROUGH YOUR IRRIGATION SYSTEM.
THE PERSON WHO COMES IS A LICENSED IRRIGATOR WHO ALSO IS AN EXPERT IN PLANT MATERIAL.
WE GOT A COMPLIMENT POSTED ON SOCIAL MEDIA LAST NIGHT THAT KIND OF SAYS IT ALL.
A CUSTOMER SAID, "I LEARNED MORE FROM YOUR CONSULTANT IN ONE HOUR THAN I'VE LEARNED BEING A GARDNER AT MY HOUSE IN TEN YEARS." THAT'S WHAT I LOVE TO HERE.
NOT ONLY DO PEOPLE UNDERSTAND THEIR LANDSCAPE AND IRRIGATION BETTER BUT THEY CAN SHAVE A COUPLE THOUSAND GALLONS OF MONTH OFF THEIR WATER BILL.
I WON'T COVER ALL OF THEM BUT WANT TO HIGHLIGHT THE COUPONS WE'VE USED THE LAST COUPLE YEARS TO HELP PEOPLE BUILD THE BEAUTIFUL RESILIENT LANDSCAPE AND THEY'VE BEEN EXTREMELY POPULAR.
THE DOT MAP THAT WE HAVE UP ON THE SLIDE IS WHERE SINCE 2014 PEOPLE HAVE TAKEN ADVANTAGE OF THOSE COUPONS.
WHAT THEY'RE FOR IS REPLACING SOME OF YOUR GRASS WITH MORE DROUGHT RESILIENT BEAUTIFUL PLANTS OR PUTTING IN A PATIO SCAPE.
SO THIS IS A PROGRAM THAT WE'RE PROUD TO SAY HAS BEEN POPULAR ALL OVER SAN ANTONIO.
WE HAVE REPLACED 2.2 MILLION SQUARE FEET OF GRASS SINCE 2014 WHEN THIS PROGRAM TOOK OFF, AND IF YOU LOOK AT THE PICTURE, IT GIVES YOU A SENSE OF WHAT WE'RE HOPING PEOPLE CAN ACCOMPLISH FOR THEMSELVES.
THERE ARE MANY DIFFERENT STYLES OF LANDSCAPING.
IT USUALLY DOESN'T MEAN GETTING RID OF ALL OF THE GRASS.
IT JUST MEANS HAVING THE LANDSCAPE YOU WANT, SOMETHING TO LOOK AT THAT'S COLORFUL AND HAS TEXTURE AND SOMETHING TO ENJOY DURING EVERY SEASON NO MATTER HOW HOT AND DRY IT IS.
THIS YEAR WE'RE EXPANDING A NEW PROGRAM THAT I HOPE YOU'LL HELP US SPREAD THE WORD ON WHICH IS OUR WATER MONTHLY SMART REPORTS.
WE DID IN TO SEE WHAT WE'D GET FOR IT.
[01:55:01]
THE IDEA IS TO ASK A QUESTION, IF WE SEND OUT A PERSONALIZED REPORT THAT SUMMARIZES HOW YOU USE WATER AND COMPARES YOU TO HOUSEHOLDS LIKE YOURS, WILL THAT HELP YOU SAVE? WILL IT HELP DIRECT YOU TO PROGRAMS THAT WILL BE THE BEST ONES FOR YOU? THE ANSWER IS A RESOUNDING YES.WE TESTED DIGITAL REPORTS, PAPER REPORTS, WORKED WITH ALL TYPES OF CUSTOMERS IN OUR SYSTEM, SOME GREAT FINDINGS WERE THAT, WELL, MOST PEOPLE LIKE THE DIGITAL REPORTS.
WE ENROLLED THOUSANDS OF OUR AFFORDABILITY HOUSEHOLDS AND OFFERED THEM PAPER REPORTS.
THEY HAD A VERY HIGH RATE OF CONVERSION WANTING DIGITAL, WHICH WAS FASCINATING.
WE STILL OFFER PAPER REPORTS, BY THE WAY, SO IF WE HAVE HOUSEHOLDS THAT DO NOT WANT TO GET IT ON THEIR CELL PHONE OR THEIR COMPUTER, THEY CAN STILL GET A PAPER REPORT, BUT AN INTERESTING RESULT FROM IT WAS THAT WHEN WE ANALYZED THOSE AFFORDABILITY CUSTOMERS WHO USE THIS PROGRAM, THEY SAVED WATER BUT THEY ALSO ENGAGED ON THE DIGITAL DASHBOARD AT A HIGHER RATE THAN ANY OF OUR OTHER CUSTOMERS WHO WERE IN THAT PILOT.
SO WE'VE MADE SURE THAT WE HAVE PUSHED THIS PROGRAM OUT ALL OVER OUR SERVICE AREA, THE DOT MAP IS SHOWING YOU WHERE OUR SIGN-UPS ARE SO FAR THIS YEAR.
A THIRD OF THEM ARE PEOPLE WHO HAPPEN TO BE ENROLLED IN THE AFFORDABILITY PROGRAM.
SO IT'S SOMETHING GOOD FOR EVERYBODY.
WE'VE GOT ABOUT 8,000 SLOTS LEFT IN THAT 45,000, SO IF YOU WANT TO HELP US PUSH OUT SOME INFORMATION ON IT, YOU GO TO SAWS.ORG/HOMEREPORT TO SITE UP FOR IT.
MR. PUENTE ASKED ME TO KIND OF LOOK BACK TO WHAT WE HAVE ACCOMPLISHED IN THE PAST AND PUT IT IN PERSPECTIVE FOR ALL THE THINGS WE'RE STILL TRYING TO DO IN WATER CONSERVATION.
WHEN WE STARTED DOING CONSERVATION MANY YEARS AGO, ONE OF OUR BIG FOCAL POINTS WAS FINDING HIGH-FLOW FIXTURES AND REPLACING THEM WITH VERY HIGH-QUALITY ONES THAT WORKED EVEN BETTER THAN THE ONES THEY REPLACED.
THE NUMBER I HAVE UP HERE IS 325 HIGH-FLOW TOILETS THAT WERE REPLACED.
IF WE COUNT IN URINALS, FAUCETS AND SHOWER HEADS WE REPLACED 600,000 HIGH-FLOW FIXTURES.
AND WE WENT SEEKING THEM IN ALL OF THE OLD BUILDINGS WHERE THERE WAS OCCUPANCY, INCLUDING BUILDINGS AND HOMES ALL OVER SAN ANTONIO.
THE MAP YOU'RE LOOKING AT IS JUST THE TOILET REPLACEMENTS ALL OVER SAN ANTONIO.
NOW, WHY WOULD WE CARE ABOUT THAT? WELL, ONE REASON TO CARE IS THAT THE AVERAGE HOUSEHOLD THAT PARTICIPATED IN THOSE PROGRAMS TOOK DOWN THEIR WATER BOIL FOR ALL OF THEIR INDOOR USE BY -- BILL FOR ALL OF THEIR INDO USE BY 30%.
WHEN WE ADD UP A DECADE FOR GETTING RID OF HIGH FLOW FIXTURES ALL THE WATER SAVINGS ANNUALLY IS 26,000 ACRE-FEET.
THAT'S THE EQUIVALENT OF A SIZABLE WATER SUPPLY PROJECT, BROUGHT IN EARLY AND AT A GOOD COST.
SO I'M PROUD TO SAY THAT WE'RE GOING TO CONTINUE TO HAVE MORE CONSERVATION PROGRAMS WHERE WE'RE GOING TO SEE PARTICIPATION ALL OVER THE COMMUNITY, HELP PEOPLE MANAGE THEIR WATER BILLS, AND ADD UP THOSE SAVINGS TO CONTINUE TO BE ONE OF OUR WATER SUPPLIES THAT'S IN THAT 2017 WATER MANAGEMENT PLAN.
MR. PUENTE IS GOING TO COME BACK UP TO MAKE SURE WE ANSWER YOUR QUESTIONS FOR YOU.
>> IT'S HOT, IT'S DRY, THERE'S A LOT OF SUNSHINE OUT THERE.
PHOTOSYNTHESIS WILL HAPPEN, BUT WE HAVE A VERY ROBUST SUPPLY OF WATER.
WE HAVE A VERY ROBUST SYSTEM, SO WE'LL GET THROUGH IT, AND WE WILL NEVER TAKE OUR EYE OFF CONSERVATION.
WE KNOW THAT THE CHEAPEST SOURCE OF WATER IS THE WATER THANK YOU, MR. MAYOR, COUNCIL MEMBERS.
I WOULD LOVE TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS THAT YOU HAVE.
>> MAYOR NIRENBERG: THANK YOU ALL FOR THE PRESENTATION.
ROBERT, JUST FROM A BROAD PERSPECTIVE, YOU DIDN'T PRESENT THIS IN YOUR SLIDES, BUT IN TERMS OF OUR -- MY MIND IS ON GROWTH LATELY JUST BECAUSE OF THE CENSUS NUMBERS.
WHAT ARE OUR GROWTH PROJECTIONS TELLING YOU ABOUT THE AVAILABILITY OF WATER BASED ON OUR CURRENT SUPPLIES?
>> WELL, WE HAVE THE SAME CONCERN.
OBVIOUSLY WE'RE ALL SAN ANTONIANS.
I READ THE SAME ARTICLE THAT WE ARE THE FASTEST GROWING CITY RIGHT NOW, AND SO WE ARE CONFIDENT THAT OUR SUPPLY OF WATER, WHETHER IT'S ACCESS TO THE EDWARDS, WHETHER IT'S NEW SUPPLIES COMING ON-LINE, THAT WE CAN ADEQUATELY MEET AND MAKE SURE THAT THESE -- THAT WE, SAWS, WILL NEVER BE A HINDRANCE IN OUR CONTINUED GROWTH.
>> YOU WANT SPECIFICS ABOUT --
>> MAYOR NIRENBERG: YEAH, I MEAN, WHAT -- WHAT ARE WE SHOWING NOW BASED ON THE WATER SUPPLY THAT WE HAVE PROJECTED GIVEN THE NEW SUPPLIES THAT WE HAVE COMING ON-LINE AND WHAT --
>> [INAUDIBLE], IF YOU WANT TO COME UP ON SOME OF THESE.
WE HAVE A WATER MANAGEMENT PLAN, OBVIOUSLY, THAT'S A 50-YEAR PLAN THAT WAS ADOPTED JUST LAST YEAR.
WE SHOW SUPPLY -- PLENTY OF SUPPLY THROUGH 20 -- YOU WANT TO --
[02:00:01]
WE DO OUR PROJECTIONS OUT, AND THIS PAST WATER MANAGEMENT PLAN WE ALIGNED THAT WITH THE POPULATION OF THE CITY, AND SO WE HAVE THE SAME POPULATION AS THE CITY HAS IN OUR PLANNING PROCESS.THEY TALKED ABOUT THE WATER MANAGEMENT PLAN, AND WE PUT THAT AT THE SAME GROWTH RATE.
SO I THINK LAST YEAR WAS 35,000, ROUGHLY 30-SOMETHING THOUSAND, BUT WE HAVE THE SAME GROWTH PATTERNS AS THE CITY.
ONE OF THE SUPPLIES BEING THE ASR IN TIMES OF DROUGHT, SO THAT WAS THE FIRST TIME I HAD SEEN A SLIDE LIKE THAT WITH REGARD TO THE USE PATTERN OF ASR.
AND YOU'RE RECORDING OUR CURRENT AVAILABLE WATER AS 165,000 --
>> 165,000 ACRE-FEET THAT'S CURRENTLY STORED.
>> MAYOR NIRENBERG: AND BASED ON WHAT YOUR ENGINEERS ARE TELLING YOU, HOW MUCH OF THAT IS ACTUALLY USABLE WATER.
>> EVERY SINGLE -- WELL, USABLE WATER, EVERY SINGLE DROP.
NERD, WHEN WE PUT WATER IN THERE AND WE TAKE IT BACK OUT, WE'VE TESTED IT, IT HAS THE EDWARDS QUALITY, EDWARDS CHEMISTRY.
SO THE AGREEMENT WE HAVE WITH THE EVERGREEN WATER CONSERVATION DISTRICT THAT'S RIGHT ACROSS THE BORDER, THE COUNTY LINE, IS THAT EVERY SINGLE GALLON WE PUT IN WE CAN TAKE OUT.
AND SINCE YOU PRESENTED VISTA RIDGE EARLIER, ONE OF THE CONCERNS I HAVE HAD -- HAVE ALWAYS HAD IS THE ACQUISITION OF EASEMENTS.
>> AS FAR AS THE EASEMENTS OF THE PROJECT -- IN OTHER WORDS, BEXAR COUNTY NORTH, 100%, WE HAVE ACQUIRED THE EASEMENTS 100%, AND SO THOSE ARE ALL UNDER THE JURISDICTION OF THE CENTRAL TEXAS WATER SUPPLY CORPORATION, WHERE THEY'RE SUPPOSED TO BE.
ON THIS SIDE OF THE LEDGER, ON THIS SIDE OF THE METER, THEY'RE STILL ACTIVELY ACQUIRING THE EASEMENTS.
SO THE EASEMENT ISSUE AS FAR AS THE PROJECT COMPANY HAS ALL BEEN TAKEN CARE OF.
>> MAYOR NIRENBERG: AND HAVE THERE BEEN ANY ADDITIONAL DISCUSSIONS WITH THE JURISDICTIONS ALONG THE 35 CORRIDOR ABOUT POTENTIAL USE OF UNUSED WATER IN THE INTERIM?
>> YES, CONVERSATIONS ARE STILL BEING HELD.
HOWEVER, INTERNALLY WE'RE STILL MAKING THE DECISION OF HOW TO PROCEED -- IF WE'RE GOING TO PROCEED ON THE WHOLESALE BASIS.
OBVIOUSLY WE WANT TO INFORM OUR BOARD AND THIS COUNCIL WHERE WE'RE GOING WITH THAT, BUT INTERNALLY WE HAVE TO MAKE THAT DECISION.
AND WHAT ARE YOUR FOLKS TELLING YOU ABOUT THE NEED FOR US BEING IN STAGE 2 AND HOW LONG THAT WILL BE AND THE LIKELIHOOD OF US GOING FURTHER THAN THAT.
>> WELL, ONE OF THE FIRST SLIDES WAS THAT AS FAR AS 30-DAY PROJECTION, ONE-MONTH PROJECTIONS, IT'S GOING TO BE HOTTER THAN USUAL, DRIER THAN USUAL.
THERE IS SUPPOSED TO BE HOPEFULLY SOME RAIN COMING THIS WEEKEND, MORE SO ON MONDAY, THAN MAYBE FATHER'S DAY SUNDAY, SO THAT WILL BE A BIG RELIEF.
AS YOU ALL KNOW, IDEALLY IF IT RAINS IN MEDINA COUNTY IT'S JUST AS GOOD AS IF IT RAINS IN BEXAR COUNTY BECAUSE THAT'S WHERE A LOT OF THE RECHARGE IS, BUT REGARDLESS OF THOSE PROJECTIONS -- AND, YOU KNOW, YOU DON'T WANT TO GET WAY OUT THERE AS FAR AS PROJECTING PAST MAYBE 30 DAYS, BUT EVEN THE SIX-MONTH PROJECTION STILL IS HOTTER THAN DRIER THAN NORMAL, BUT AGAIN, AS OUR PRESENTATION SHOWED, WE FEEL THAT WE CAN MORE THAN ADEQUATELY MEET THAT.
SO STAGE 2 IS NOT SOMETHING THAT WE ARE OVERTLY CONCERNED WITH AS A UTILITY.
WE DO WANT OUR CUSTOMERS TO BE AWARE OF IT AND OBVIOUSLY TO ABIDE BY THOSE RESTRICTIONS.
I SHOULDN'T ASK YOU FOR A WEATHER PROJECTION BUT YOU'RE NOT SHOWING ANY RAIN THIS WEEKEND? WE'D RATHER AVOID RAIN ON SPAIN, YOU KNOW? [LAUGHTER]
>> THAT'S TRUE, THEY'RE COMING IN.
>> MAYOR NIRENBERG: AND I'LL JUST BRING UP FOR MY COLLEAGUES THAT I'VE MENTIONED IT TO A COUPLE OF YOU A FEW TIMES, BUT WHENEVER WE GET INTO EVEN A MINOR DROUGHT AND, YOU KNOW, IF 2018 TURNS OUT TO BE ANYTHING LIKE 2011, PEOPLE WILL BE THINKING ABOUT WHAT IS OUR CULTURE OF CONSERVATION, ARE WE DOING WELL ENOUGH ON GALLONS PER CAPITA PER USE PROJECTIONS AND US BUILDING, YOU KNOW, TOWARDS BEING STEWARDS OF WATER AS WE, YOU KNOW, ACQUIRE REGIONAL SUPPLIES.
WE PASSED THROUGH STAGE 1 QUICKER THAN I CAN EVER REMEMBER, AND I THINK IT IS TIME FOR US AGAIN TO TALK ABOUT WHETHER OR NOT FOR LONG-TERM STEWARDSHIP OF OUR WATER, NOTING THAT THERE IS SHORT-TERM POTENTIAL DETRIMENT, LONG-TERM IT WOULD MAKE SENSE FOR US TO ADOPT STAGE 1 WATERING USE AS PART OF OUR NORMAL COURSE OF BUSINESS.
I KNOW WE HAVE LOTS OF CONVERSATIONS IN THE PAST AND WE PROBABLY HAVE SOME MORE AHEAD OF US, BUT THAT WOULD STILL BE MY PREFERENCE, MY URGING OF THE COUNCIL.
[02:05:01]
PRESENTATION.AND IT WILL BE AN INTERESTING SUMMER.
THANKS FOR THE PRESENTATION, ALL OF YOU.
THIS WAS A REALLY GOOD BRIEFING AND I AM VERY PROUD OF THE DIVERSITY THAT WE HAVE OF OUR WATER SUPPLY AND KNOWING THAT IT'S GOING TO BE, YOU KNOW, TAKING CARE OF OUR COMMUNITY.
JUST TO FOLLOW UP FROM SOMETHING THE MAYOR STARTED ON, ON SLIDE NO. 9, TALKING ABOUT THE RESILIENCY, AND YOU TALKED ABOUT IF CERTAIN PUMPS OR WELLS OR PUMPS GO DOWN, THAT WE WOULD STILL BE ABLE TO DELIVER THE WATER TO OUR RESIDENTS, BUT GOING OFF OF WHAT HE MENTIONED, BUT WHAT ABOUT THE BUILDING IN THE NEW BUILD OF THE CITY? WHAT WOULD WE BE ABLE TO SUSTAIN IF NEW BUILDS ARE COMING OUT INTO THE CITY?
>> NEW BUILDINGS, NEW HOUSES, ALL OF THAT.
>> EVERYTHING IS WITHIN OUR PLANNING HORIZON.
IN OTHER WORDS, THE WAY WE HAVE CALCULATED THE WATER THAT WE HAVE TODAY, AND WE WILL HAVE IN THE FUTURE, IS BASED ON A WORST-CASE SCENARIO, A COMBINATION OF THE 1950S DROUGHT, WHICH WAS VERY LONG, AND THE DROUGHT OF 2011 AND GAP] THAT WAS SHORT BUT INTENSE.
WE MADE A HYBRID TO TAKE THE WORST OF BOTH, AND WE PLANNED FOR THAT.
SO WITH THE SUPPLIES THAT WE CURRENTLY HAVE AND THE SUPPLIES THAT WE'RE GOING TO BE HAVING ON-LINE, WE FULLY BELIEVE AND UNDERSTAND THAT WE WILL BE RIGHT THERE WITH THE CITY AND WITH ANY OTHER EMPLOYER HERE IN TOWN THAT CAN TELL ALL NEW RESIDENTS, COME ON OVER, COME IN, WE HAVE PLENTY OF WATER FOR YOUR -- FOR YOUR NEEDS, WHETHER IT'S A BUSINESS OR WHETHER IT'S INDIVIDUALS.
AND SO THAT THAT NEW COMPANY THAT WANTS TO BRING IN JOBS, WANTS TO BRING IN PEOPLE, THEY'RE GOING TO BE TALK TO GO THE MAYOR AND THIS COUNCIL, NOT ABOUT WATER SUPPLY BUT ABOUT OUR EDUCATIONAL SYSTEM, OUR LABOR FORCE, OTHER ISSUES RATHER THAN WATER.
ONE OF THE QUESTIONS THAT I HAVE -- WELL, IT KIND OF GOES OFF OF CONSERVATION AND THE PREPARATION THAT WE'RE DOING DURING THE SUMMER MONTHS AND WHAT WE GO THROUGH WITH EVERYTHING HAPPENING HERE.
I WILL SAY I WOULD BE VERY PROUD -- MY MOTHER -- Y'ALL WOULD BE VERY PROUD, MY MOTHER SETS HER TIMER WHEN SHE GOES AND HANDHOLDS AND WATERS OUTSIDE.
SO WE HAVE HER TRAINED VERY, VERY WELL IN WATERING HER LAWN AT THE APPROPRIATE DAYS, AT THE APPROPRIATE TIMES.
>> SHE'LL BE TRAINED TOO WELL BECAUSE IF YOU HAND WATER THERE'S NO RESTRICTIONS.
>> WELL, THERE YOU GO, SEE? [LAUGHTER] SHE'S DOING EVEN MORE SERVICE TO THE COMMUNITY FOR CONSERVATION.
BUT ON THAT NOTE TOO, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I'M GOING -- I HAVE TO SHARE WITH YOU IS SOMETHING THAT'S COME UP TO OUR OFFICE, AND IT WILL BE SPECIFICS IN THE WEEDS IN MY AREA, BUT I KNOW THAT JUST YESTERDAY OUR STAFF WENT OUT AND DID A SITE VISIT WITH SOME OF SAWS AND WITH COPS/METRO BECAUSE OF AN ODOR AND A SMELL THAT IS GOING OFF ON THE EASTERN SIDE OF 37 OUT IN THAT AREA, MANY OF THE PEOPLE IN THE COMMUNITY ARE COMPLAINING ABOUT THE PUNGENT SMELL THAT'S COMING OUT, AND IT'S FROM OUR SEWER LINES, BECAUSE WE ALL KNOW THAT EVERYTHING -- ALL THE EXCREMENT FLOWS SOUTH THROUGH -- EVERYTHING IN THE CITY FLOWS SOUTH TO DOS RIOS.
SO MY CONCERN ABOUT THIS IS ONE, WHAT ARE WE GOING TO DO AND WORK ON IT, ESPECIALLY WHEN WE'RE PUTTING ALL OF THIS NEW INVESTMENT AND HOW ARE WE GOING TO ADDRESS THOSE NEEDS CONTINUALLY, AND ESPECIALLY DURING THE SUMMER WHEN THERE'S HEAT AND WIND AND THE SMELL CARRIES.
AND THEN I HAVE AGAIN -- I ALSO HAVE QUESTIONS THAT I'D LIKE YOU TO FOLLOW UP WITH ME ON OLD CORPUS CHRISTI ROAD.
SAWS JUST DID A LOT OF IMPROVEMENTS IN THAT AREA, BUT IT SMELLS SO BAD, EVEN LAST WEEK AND THIS WEEK.
WE NEED TO FIND OUT WHY IS IT SMELLING AND WHAT IS HAPPENING, AND IT'S ADJACENT TO BROOKS AND IT'S ALSO ADJACENT TO SOUTH PRESA NEAR MISSION SAN JUAN, NOT FAR FROM MISSION SAN JUAN.
AND THEN FINALLY WITH THE STEM -- OR THE COLLEGE HIGH SCHOOL, OUR PUMPING STATION RIGHT THERE NEAR MEMORIAL STADIUM, IT'S STILL SMELLING, AND WE NEED TO DO -- WE NEED -- NEED TO DO WHAT WE NEED TO DO IN ORDER TO TAKE CARE OF THAT, AND ESPECIALLY THIS WEEKEND IF WE'RE GOING TO HAVE A KING AND A QUEEN COMING INTO THE WORLD HERITAGE AREA AND WE STILL HAVE THE SMELL COMING IN AROUND OUR WORLD HERITAGE AREA, I'D LIKE FOR YOU ALL TO MAKE SURE THAT THAT'S TAKEN CARE OF BEFORE THAT HAPPENS.
SO IT GOES OUT TO MY OTHER CONCERN IS, IF WE CAN'T TAKE CARE OF THIS NOW WITH OUR PIPES, WITH THE NEW LAY-DOWN
[02:10:01]
AT OLD CORPUS CHRISTI ROAD, HOW ARE WE GOING TO MAKE SURE THIS DOESN'T HAPPEN WITH THE REELING ROAD PROJECT.SO WE STILL NEED THESE ASSURANCES, SOMETHING FROM YOU ALL.
>> AND HOPEFULLY THE ASSURANCES WERE RELAYED TO YOU AND THIS COUNCIL THE LAST TIME WE WERE HERE FOR A RATE ADJUSTMENT.
>> RIGHT, BUT PART OF THAT IS THE MONEY INVOLVED TO GET THESE THINGS DONE.
AND SO THESE PROJECTS OBVIOUSLY TAKE A LONG TIME, AND I UNDERSTAND THAT YOU'VE BEEN ON US TO RESOLVE THIS ISSUE FOR A LONG TIME.
SO WE DON'T TAKE THAT LIGHTLY, AND I FULLY RECOGNIZE AND UNDERSTAND THAT THE SAN ANTONIO WATER SYSTEM, HALF OF OUR EMPLOYEES HALF OF OURIUM, HALF -- INCOME IS ON THE WASTEWATER SIDE, LET ALONE WATERSIDE.
JUST AS IMPORTANT AS IT'S IMPORTANT TO HAVE WATER FOR OUR GROWTH IT'S IMPORTANT TO HAVE WASTEWATER SERVICES FOR OUR GROWTH.
NOW, IF YOU WANT SPECIFIC ANSWERS TO CORPUS CHRISTI ROAD AND THOSE OTHER ISSUES THAT YOU BROUGHT UP, I'M GOING TO ASK STEVE KLAUS TO GIVE YOU SOME OF THOSE ANSWERS.
>> COUNCILWOMAN, YOU'RE CORRECT THAT OLD CORPUS CHRISTI ROAD IS NEWER INFRASTRUCTURE THAT WE'VE JUST COMPLETED, SO TO HEAR YOU SAY WE'RE HAVING A LOT OF ODORS OUT THERE, I PERSONALLY HAVEN'T BEEN BRIEFED ON THAT.
I WAS NOT AWARE THAT WE'VE HAD THAT PROBLEM.
>> AND IF WE DO HAVE THAT PROBLEM WE'LL DO WHAT WE DO IN MANY OF OUR OTHER APPLICATIONS, WHERE WE GO IN AND WE CAN ACTUALLY PUT A CHEMICAL FEED SYSTEM UPSTREAM OF ALL THAT SO THAT THE POTENTIAL FOR THOSE ODORS TO GENERATE -- FIRST OFF, WE HAVE TO KNOW HOW ARE THE ODORS GETTING OUT OF THE SYSTEM, WHAT'S GOING ON THERE, DO WE HAVE SOME SORT OF OPEN MANHOLE SOMEWHERE OR A VENT THAT'S GOT A PROBLEM FOR US, AND IF WE CAN'T FIND THAT, THEN THAT'S WHAT WE'LL DO, IS PUT ADDITIONAL ODOR TREATMENT IN THERE UPSTREAM OF THAT SITE.
>> MAYOR NIRENBERG: THANK YOU, COUNCILWOMAN VIAGRAN.
>> THANK YOU, MAYOR, THANK YOU, MR. PENTASE FOR SHOWING --E -- PUENTE AND THANKS TO YOUR TEAM.
ROBERT, CAN YOU TELL ME WHAT IS STAGE 3 AND WHAT IS STAGE 4? WHAT WOULD MY CONSTITUENTS BE IN STORE FOR?
>> I DO WANT TO FIRST OF ALL EMPHASIZE THAT THERE'S TWO SETS OF STAGES.
EAA, EDWARDS AQUIFER AUTHISSUESSTAGE 1, 2, 3 AND 4, S PART OF STATE LAW AND THAT'S FOR THE PUMPERS OF THE EDWARDS TO ABIDE BY STAGE 1, 2 AND 3.
THAT MEANS SAWS, FOR EXAMPLE, OBVIOUSLY HAS TO ABIDE BY STATE LAW.
THAT DOESN'T MEAN OUR RESIDENTS ARE UNDER THOSE STAGES AND HAVE TO ABIDE BY THAT, BECAUSE IT DOESN'T MANDATE THAT THE CITIZENS DO IT, IT'S THE UTILITY.
SO WHEN EAA DECLARES STAGE 3, THAT DOES NOT MEAN THAT SAWS HAS TO DECLARE STAGE 3, BECAUSE WITHIN OUR ORDINANCE, IT SPECIFICALLY SAYS THAT IN CONSULTATION WITH THE CITY, AND IF WE CAN SHOW THAT WE HAVE THE RESOURCES, MEANING THE -- THE WATER SUPPLIES, WEATHER FACTORS AND THE TIME OF YEAR, FOR EXAMPLE, ALL OF THOSE THINGS PUT TOGETHER MEANS THAT WE AS A UTILITY DO NOT HAVE TO FORCE OUR CUSTOMERS TO GO INTO STAGE 3.
AND SO WE HAVE DONE THAT BEFORE.
IN OTHER WORDS, IF YOU REMEMBER THE SLIDE THAT WAS UP HERE BEFORE, AND IF YOU DON'T MIND PUTTING IT UP, IT SHOWS THAT EAA DECLARED STAGE 3 BUT SAWS DID NOT, AND THE REASON WE DID NOT, BECAUSE WE HAD ADEQUATE WATER SUPPLIES, AND ONE OF THOSE TIMES, FOR EXAMPLE, WAS LATE IN THE YEAR, SEPTEMBER, OCTOBER, WEATHER PATTERNS DIFFER, OCTOBER USUALLY IS A RAINY MONTH, SO WE FELT COMFORTABLE NOT GOING INTO STAGE 3.
STAGE 3 IS ONCE EVERY OTHER WEEK WATERING.
THAT'S A VERY BIG DIFFERENCE THAN ONCE A WEEK WATERING.
AND SO WE HAVE NEVER -- BY THE WAY, THESE STAGES HAVE ONLY BEEN IN EXISTENCE SINCE 2008 AND IN THAT TEN-YEAR PERIOD SAWS HAS NEVER HAD TO GO INTO STAGE 3, AND WE DON'T ANTICIPATE GOING INTO STAGE 3 FOR OUR CUSTOMERS.
UNDER STATE LAW, YES, THE UTILITY WILL GO INTO STAGE 3.
>> AND STAGE 4 IS NO WATERING?
>> NO, NO, STAGE 4 IS EVERY OTHER WEEK WATERING PLUS THERE'S A SURCHARGE ON THOSE INDIVIDUALS THAT GO OVER A CERTAIN AMOUNT.
IS THAT CORRECT, KAREN? AND THAT MONEY, BY THE WAY, GOES INTO WATER CONSERVATION.
THAT SURCHARGE, THAT EXTRA PENALTY, IF YOU WILL.
>> PELAEZ: THANK YOU FOR THAT.
AND I DID CHECK OUT YOUR WEB SITE -- I CHECK OUT YOUR WEB SITE OFTEN, AND I LIKE WHAT YOU'VE BEEN DOING WITH IT LATELY AND IT SEEMS TO BE A MORE FRIENDLY, INVITING WEB SITE.
THAT'S NOT EASY TO DO, AND ESPECIALLY FOR A GOVERNMENT AGENCY, AND SO I RECOGNIZE THAT THAT LIFT IS A BIG ONE.
WHAT I DO SEE ON THE WEB SITE IS A LOT OF REALLY GOOD
[02:15:03]
INFORMATION OFFERED AS TO THIS IS HOW YOU SAVE MONEY, THIS IS HOW YOU SAVE WATER.WHAT I'M NOT SEEING A LOT OF IS THIS IS WHY YOU SHOULD, RIGHT? AND I DID SEE THAT THERE'S A SECTION AS TO CONSERVATION IS IMPORTANT TO US, RIGHT? BUT AGAIN, IT'S THIS IS HOW YOU CONSERVE AND THIS IS HOW WE'VE BEEN CONSERVING.
AND THEN WHENEVER WE TALK ABOUT CONSERVATION, ROBERT, WE ALWAYS TALK ABOUT, YOU KNOW, SAVING WATER -- OH, AND TO THE EXTENT THAT YOU DID DISCUSS IT, IT'S BECAUSE THE EDWARDS AQUIFER IS A PRECIOUS RESOURCE, RIGHT? AND IT SORT OF STOPS THERE.
AND SO TO THE EXTENT THAT I THINK THAT WE'RE MISSING AN OPPORTUNITY IS AN OPPORTUNITY OF NARRATIVE, RIGHT? AND SO YOU STARTED OFF THE CONVERSATION BY REMINDING US THAT PH PHOTOSYNTHESIS CONTINUES TO HAPPEN AND IT WILL STILL BE HAPPENING.
AND I'VE BEEN THINKING LATELY ABOUT, YOU KNOW, WHAT THAT MEANS, RIGHT? AND I'M GLAD YOU BROUGHT UP THE WORD BECAUSE PHOTOSYNTHESIS IS SOMETHING I THINK WE TAKE FOR GRANTED.
WE KEEP TALKING ABOUT THE IMPORTANCE OF CONSERVATION, RIGHT, BUT THERE IS AN ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT CONSEQUENCE TO, YOU KNOW, WHAT THAT REALLY IS, ROBERT.
AND SO, YOU KNOW, JUST FOR -- THOSE OF US THAT DON'T REMEMBER 8TH GRADE, RIGHT, PHOTOSYNTHESIS IS SIX MOLECULES OF CARBON, SIX MOLECULES OF WATER AND A LITTLE SUNLIGHT, AND FROM THAT YOU GET PLANTS.
PLANTS FEET LIVESTOCK, LIFE -- FEED LIVESTOCK, LIVESTOCK THAT NEEDS TO BE HEALTHY AND FAT IN ORDER FOR MEAT LOCKERS AND LOTS ON THE SOUTH SIDE TO KEEP THEIR JOBS.
AND WE'VE ALREADY HAD AN EXPERIENCE WHERE THERE WAS A LIVESTOCK COMPANY -- I'M SORRY, A MEAT PACKING COMPANY THAT GOOD AFTERNOON USED TO WORK -- HE WORKED AT THAT CLOSED DOWN BECAUSE THE COWS WERE TOO SKINNY.
THEY WERE PROSING 900 -- PROCESSING 900 COWS A DAY AND WE HAVE HUNDREDS OF PEOPLE WHO LOST THEIR JOBS BECAUSE OF A LACK OF PHOTOSYNTHESIS, RIGHT? NO GOLF COURSES, RIGHT? NO PARKS, RIGHT? WOULDN'T EXIST UNLESS WE HAVE THIS LITTLE, YOU KNOW, CHEMICAL REACTION HAPPENING.
I DON'T KNOW IF YOU ALL KNOW THIS, TOYOTA INSTALLED A BUNCH OF GRASS ON THOSE BERMS TO KEEP THE PREVAILING WINDS FROM BLOWING DUST INTO THE -- YOU KNOW, TO HAVE BUS RUIN THE PAINT PROCESS, AND THAT GRASS IS ESSENTIAL TO THAT OPERATION, YOU KNOW, RUNNING.
PEOPLE DON'T KNOW THAT, RIGHT? PEOPLE DON'T KNOW THAT, YOU KNOW, WHEN YOU HAVE MORE PLANTS AND MORE GREEN YOU'VE GOT BETTER AIR QUALITY IN YOUR CITY, YOU HAVE FEWER HEAT ISLANDS.
COUNCILMAN TREVINO AND -- YOU KNOW, YOUR EROSION EFFORT AND I ARE BIG FANS OF PURPLE MARTINS.
SO, YOU KNOW, I THINK A LOT ABOUT IT, BUT THE KEY MOLECULE IN PHOTOSYNTHESIS IS WATER, RIGHT? AND SO WE DON'T TELL THE STORY AND I'M BEING GEEKY AND WONKY ABOUT PHOTOSYNTHESIS, BUT TELLING THE STORY OF WHY, MY CONSTITUENTS ARE SMART PEOPLE AND IF YOU SIMPLY TELL THEM THE EDWARDS AQUIFER IS REALLY IMPORTANT AND THE MAYOR WANTS TO SAVE THIS MANY GALLON ACRES OF FEET, WATER ACRES, OR WHATEVER, RIGHT? THEY'RE LIKE, OKAY, BUT WHAT DOES THAT MEAN FOR ME? WELL, IT MEANS THAT, YOU KNOW, YOU'VE GOT PARKS AND AMENITIES AND, YOU KNOW, FREDERK IS BEAUTIFUL AND IT WILL STAY BEAUTIFUL BECAUSE THERE ARE LEAVES ON TREES AND WE WON'T END UP IN STAGE 5 WHICH WILL PROBABLY BE A SCENE OUT OF MAD MAX WHERE HE HAS A BOOMERANG AND I WEAR LEATHER JACKETS, I'M MAD MAX AND YOU'RE THE FERRELL CHILD.
I WANT TO TELL THAT STORY BECAUSE THAT NARRATIVE IS POWERFUL.
GREG BROCKHOUSE ISN'T HERE SO I FIGURED I'D TAKE UP HIS TIME.
>> MAYOR NIRENBERG: THANK YOU.
I REALLY ENJOYED THE PRESENTATION.
I THINK IT WAS VERY INFORMATIVE.
IT WILL ALLOW ME TO EXPLAIN BETTER THINGS TO PEOPLE WHO COME UP AND TALK WITH ME IN MY AREA.
BUT IN MY AREA WE'RE WORKING ON THE VISTA RIDGE RECEIVING CENTER, YOU KNOW.
WHAT'S THE PROGRESS ON THAT FACILITY?
>> IT'S GOING ACCORDING TO SCHEDULE.
IN OTHER WORDS, THE SITE WHERE THE WATER COMES IN, TWO LARGE WATER STORAGE TANKS ARE BEING BUILT, ONE TO RECEIVE THE WATER AND THEN -- TWO STORAGE TANKS, SO THAT'S ONGOING CURRENTLY UNDER CONSTRUCTION.
I WOULD LOVE FOR YOU TO GO OUT TO THE CONSTRUCTION SITE WITH US.
I THINK YOU'LL BE AMAZED AS JUST WHAT GOES INTO -- TO DELIVERING WATER TO OUR COMMUNITY.
CURRENTLY WE -- THE PIPELINE TO BE BUILT TO DELIVER THAT WATER TO THE REST OF OUR COMMUNITY, CONTRACTS ARE BEING LET OUT.
SO EVERYTHING IS GOING ACCORDING TO PLAN.
[02:20:01]
>> REMIND ME, WHAT'S THE COST V OF THAT PARTICULAR PART OF THE WHOLE PROJECT?
>> COURAGE: AND WHEN WILL THE CONSTRUCTION --
>> COURAGE: WHEN WILL THE CONSTRUCTION END OR BE COMPLETED? BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, PEOPLE AREN'T -- WE'VE GOT A NEW ROAD GOING IN THERE AND THERE'S A LOT OF TRAFFIC AND CONSTRUCTION.
>> THAT PARTICULAR -- THE CONSTRUCTION OVERALL WILL END BY JANUARY OF 2020, AND WHAT I'M TALKING ABOUT IS THE PROJECT ITSELF IS -- WILL END.
THE TERMINUS SITE PROBABLY BY THE END OF THIS YEAR -- CORRECT, DONOVAN? ROUGHLY THE END OF THIS YEAR? THE TERMINUS SIGHS?
>> THE CONSTRUCTION OF THE TERMINUS WILL START [INAUDIBLE]
>> COURAGE: AND THAT WILL WORK TIMELY WITH FINISHING THE ROAD AT THE END OF THIS YEAR AND WE'RE STARTING THE WORK ON THE PARK AND I WAS TRYING TO SEE IF ALL OF THIS MIGHT CONTINUE ON INTO NEXT YEAR.
>> WE'LL GIVE YOU A DETAILED CONSTRUCTION SCHEDULE.
I'LL ASK STAFF TO GIVE YOU A MONTHLY REPORT AS TO HOW THE CONSTRUCTION IS GOING.
>> COURAGE: NOW, I KNOW WE'RE THINKING DROUGHT BECAUSE IT'S SO DRY HERE.
YOU KNOW, WHEN VISTA RIDGE IS COMPLETED, WHAT IS THE PROCESS TO OBTAIN THE WATER DELIVERY RIGHTS AND THEN ACTUALLY DELIVER THE WATER DOWN THE PIPES TO US? WHAT'S THE PROCESS ON THE OTHER END FOR THAT?
>> OBTAINING THE WATER RIGHTS AND MAKING SURE THAT THE WATER IS PUT IN THE SYSTEM AND DELIVERED TO US.
>> THE WATER RIGHTS HAVE ALREADY BEEN OBTAINED BY THE INDIVIDUALS THAT HAVE THOSE LEASES.
IN OTHER WORDS, THEY HAVE AN AGREEMENT WITH THE LANDOWNER -- LANDOWNER TO OBTAIN THE LEASES -- LEASE OF THE WATER RIGHT.
THE WATER RIGHT HAS STAYED WITH THE LANDOWNER.
AND SO THOSE ARE BEING ESSENTIAL LEASED TO THE PROJECT COMPANY.
WATER GOES INTO THE SYSTEM AND MAKES ITS WAY DOWN TO SAN ANTONIO.
I HOPE I ANSWERED YOUR QUESTION.
>> COURAGE: WELL, AREN'T THERE GOVERNMENTAL AGENCIES THAT OVERSEE IF THAT WATER CAN ACTUALLY BE PUT INTO OUR PIPES AND DELIVERED?
>> THE POST OAKS SAVANNAH GROUNDWATER DISTRICT IS THE REGULATORY AUTHORITY IN THAT AREA.
THEY HAVE ISSUED PERMITS TO THE PROJECT COMPANY FOR 50,000 ACRE-FEET, SO THE PROJECT COMPANY HAS THE RIGHT -- THE AUTHORITY TO PUMP THAT MUCH WATER OUT.
HOWEVER, THE GROUNDWATER DISTRICT RETAINS THE AUTHORITY, OBVIOUSLY, TO CUT THEM BACK IF THEY FEEL THAT THERE'S EXCESS STRESS ON THE AQUIFER OR THERE'S OTHER PERMITS THAT THEY ALSO WANT TO GRANT TO OTHER LAND --
>> COURAGE: SO THEY COULD HAVE STAGES LIKE OUR EDWARDS DOES, AND IF THEY REACH CERTAIN STAGES THEY MAY SAY THE UTILITY NEEDS TO REDUCE THE FLOW OF WATER?
>> THE GROUNDWATER DISTRICT, IF IT CHOOSES TO DO SO, CAN DO THAT, AND THE PROJECT COMPANY WILL THEN HAVE TO ABIDE BY THOSE REGULATIONS, YES.
ANOTHER QUESTION I HAD IS HOW ARE WE MEETING OUR FEDERAL CONSENT AGREEMENT TO REMEDY THE SEWER OVERFLOW? YOU KNOW, WHAT PERCENT OF THAT IS COMPLETE?
>> STEVE, YOU MIGHT WANT TO HELP ME ON THAT, BUT EVERY SINGLE DEADLINE, EVERY SINGLE REPORT THAT'S BEEN DUE SINCE 2013 HAS BEEN MET.
SO WE ARE ON SCHEDULE TO MEET THAT TEN-YEAR CONSENT DECREE, AND WE'RE ON YEAR 5, BY THE WAY, ON THAT, SO THERE'S NOT ANY KIND OF LAG IN IT.
WE HAVE GONE FROM THE INITIAL PLANNING STAGES THROUGH THE DESIGN, AND RIGHT NOW AND INTO THE NEXT THREE OR FOUR YEARS A TREMENDOUS AMOUNT OF CONSTRUCTION WILL BE HAPPENING TO MAKE SURE WE STAY ON COURSE TO MEET THAT CONSENT DECREE.
>> COURAGE: SO THEN WE REALLY HAVEN'T DONE MUCH OF THE CONSTRUCTION PART, IT'S BEEN MORE OF THE DESIGN AND PLAN OVER THE FIRST FOUR OR FIVE YEARS?
AND SO HOW MUCH MORE IN SPENDING IS GOING TO BE REQUIRED BY SAWS TO COMPLETE THIS AND DO WE HAVE THE FUNDING SET ASIDE TO COMPLETE THIS WITHOUT ANY FUTURE RATE HIKES?
>> THE -- THE OVERALL FUNDING -- THE OVERALL PROJECT COST WE BELIEVE TO BE AT THE TIME IN 2013, WAS $1.1 BILLION.
IT'S STILL WITHIN THAT -- THAT RANGE, NOTHING OUT OF -- VERY MUCH OUT OF THE ORDINARY.
WHEN WE HAD THAT NUMBER IN FRONT OF CITY COUNCIL, THAT COUNCIL, 2013 COUNCIL, DID NOT GIVE US RATES FOR THOSE 1.1 BILLION.
THIS PARTICULAR COUNCIL LAST YEAR GAVE US ADDITIONAL RATES, BUT AGAIN, ONLY FOR THAT TIME PERIOD THAT WE ASKED THEM FOR, WHICH WAS FOR THE NEXT TWO YEARS.
SO COME -- SO AFTER THOSE TWO YEARS WE PROBABLY WILL HAVE TO COME BACK TO COUNCIL FOR ADDITIONAL FUNDING FOR THE CONSENT DECREE.
>> COURAGE: WHAT MIGHT BE THE AMOUNT OF FUNDING YOU'RE GOING TO NEED? GOING TO BE HALF A BILLION? THREE-QUARTERS OF A BILLION?
>> WE HAVE FUNDED ROUGHLY THE CONSTRUCTION -- THE CONSTRUCTION, ROUGHLY 500 MILLION OUT OF $1.5 BILLION, SO THERE'S SOME NEED, AS ROBERT SAID, FOR POTENTIAL ADDITIONAL RATE INCREASES.
[02:25:01]
WHAT WE'RE LOOKING AT, WE'RE JUST STARTING OUR BUDGET PROCESS FOR 2019 JUST AS THE CITY IS.IN THE MIDST OF THEIR BUDGET PROCESS.
WE WILL CONTINUE AND ALSO BE WORKING WITH BEEN GORZELL, ROUGHLY HUFF AND -- RUSSELL HUFF, TO LOOK -- I'M HOPEFUL WE DON'T NEED TO COME BACK AND ASK FOR ADDITIONAL RATE INCREASES FOR A PERIOD.
I KNOW WE WERE HERE LAST YEAR, GOT 2018, AND 2019 AS ROBERT TALKED ABOUT.
WE ALSO HAVE A PREAPPROVED WATER SUPPLY INCREASE THAT'S TO TAKE EFFECT IN 2020 TO ACCOMMODATE THE VISTA RIDGE WATER SUPPLY COMING ON-LINE.
SO WE'RE GOING THROUGH OUR BUDGET PROCESS.
RIGHT NOW I CAN'T TELL YOU EXACTLY WHAT WE HAVE, BUT WE DID HAVE IN SOME OF THE FORECASTS THAT WE'VE SHOWN -- WE HAVE SEEN SOME ADDITIONAL WASTEWATER-TYPE INCREASES TO SUPPORT THE CONSENT DECREE OUT INTO THE FUTURE.
BUT WE CAN GET YOU SOME BETTER DATA ON THAT AS WE GO THROUGH THE BUDGET PROCESS THIS YEAR.
>> BUT IT SOUNDED LIKE YOU SAID WE STILL NEED ABOUT A BILLION TO FINISH THE PROJECT.
>> THAT SO IT WAS -- WE GOT SOME OF THE O&M MONEY UP FRONT.
SOME OF THE OPERATING ACTIVITY, SOME OF THE LINE CLEANING, THE TELEVISING, ALL THE STUFF WE HAD TO DO WE DID UP FRONT.
SO THAT WAS KIND OF FRONT-LOADED.
NOW THAT ROLLS OFF AND SO WHILE WE DO NEED CLOSE TO A BILLION DOLLARS OF ADDITIONAL DOLLARS FOR CAPITAL, SOME OF THAT FUNDING IS ALREADY THERE BECAUSE WE GOT IT IN OUR O&M BUDGET.
SO AS SOON AS THAT O&M ROLLS OFF, THE -- IT'S DISPLACED WITH ADDITIONAL CAPITAL SPENDING.
YOU MENTIONED HAND WATER, AND WE CAN DO THAT ANYTIME?
>> COURAGE: I DO THAT WHEN IT'S NOT TOO HOT.
BUT WHAT ABOUT THINGS LIKE DRIP IRRIGATION? FOR EXAMPLE, YOUR TREES, YOUR SHRUBS, AROUND YOUR FOUNDATION, ARE THERE LIMITATIONS? WHAT KIND OF LIMITATIONS ON THAT?
>> DRIP IRRIGATION, THERE'S'S NO LIMITATIONS AS FAR AS WHEN YOU CAN DO THAT, CORRECT?
>> [INAUDIBLE] IRRIGATION IS STAGE 2 [INAUDIBLE] STAGE 1.
>> FOR STAGE 2 YOU CAN USE DRIP IRRIGATION ANY DAY OF THE WEEK BUT BETWEEN THE HOURS OF 7:00 TO 11:00 IN THE MORNING OR 7:00 TO 11:00 IN THE EVENING.
>> MAYOR NIRENBERG: THANK YOU, COUNCILMAN COURAGE.
>> GONZALES: THANK YOU, MAYOR, AND ROBERT, I JUST HAVE -- WELL, I JUST WANT TO PUBLICLY THANK YOU FOR YOUR HELP WITH MS. ROBERTS, ONE OF MY CONSTITUENTS, WHO HAD BEEN WITHOUT WATER FOR A COUPLE OF WEEKS, I UNDERSTAND, AND WE WERE ABLE TO UTILIZE PLUMBERS TO PEOPLE PROGRAM TO HELP HER GET WATER CONNECTIVITY AFTER -- AFTER I WENT TO GO VISIT HER I WAS VERY CONCERNED FOR HER BECAUSE IT WAS DURING THAT WEEK THAT IT WAS VERY, VERY HOT, AND WE LEFT HERE, COUNCIL, PROBABLY ON A THURSDAY, AND IT WAS A HUNDRED-PLUS.
AND I WAS VERY NERVOUS -- I KNEW THAT HER WATER HAD BEEN FIXED BUT I SUSPECTED SHE DIDN'T HAVE AC AND THAT MAYBE SHE WAS IN A DANGEROUS SITUATION.
SO I WENT TO GO VISIT HER, AND THE PLUMBERS WERE WRAPPING UP, AND SHE HAD A WHOLE TEAM OF PEOPLE THERE HELPING HER, AND THEY WERE SITTING IN THE KITCHEN HELPING HER GET ORGANIZED AND IN A NICE, COOL, AC-CONTROLLED ONE ROOM IN THE KITCHEN.
SO I WAS REALLY RELIEVED THAT SHE WAS OKAY, BECAUSE SHE WAS QUITE SENIOR AND ALSO VERY VULNERABLE.
SO I WANTED TO THANK YOU FOR HIM.
BUT IT DOES LEAD ME TO THE QUESTION THAT WAS GIVEN TO ME BY ONE OF OUR CONSTITUENTS HERE, THAT IF SAWS WILL THREATEN TO CUT OFF WATER TO FAMILIES WHO CAN'T PAY THEIR BILLS WHEN IT'S SO HOT LIKE IT IS, AND ALSO, MS. ROBERTS HAD AN 11 MONTH OLD GRANDDAUGHTER LIVING WITH HER, SO I THINK THAT WAS -- I WAS GRATEFUL THAT WE WERE ABLE TO WORK SOMETHING OUT FOR HER.
>> FIRST OF ALL, THANK YOU FOR THE COMPLIMENT, BUT WHAT IT REALLY TAKES IS COMMUNICATION FROM THE CONSTITUENT TO YOU AND FOR YOU TO LET US KNOW THAT THERE'S A PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED, AND SO WE'RE GLAD THAT WE WERE ABLE TO BE INVOLVED IN THE SOLVING OF THAT PROBLEM AND MAKING SURE THAT MRS. ROBERTS WAS TAKEN CARE OF.
NOW, YOUR OTHER QUESTION IS, DO WE THREATEN TO CUT OFF PEOPLE'S WATER UNDER THESE CIRCUMSTANCES? THE KEY TO ALL THIS, AGAIN, IS COMMUNICATION.
OBVIOUSLY WHEN A PERSON IS NOT PAYING THEIR WATER BILL, THEY GET NOTICE THAT THEY HAVEN'T PAID.
THEY GET A HAND-DELIVERED NOTICE ON THEIR DOOR THAT THEY HAVEN'T PAID THEIR WATER BILL AND THEY'RE ABOUT TO GET CUT OFF.
WHEN WE DO THAT WE DON'T KNOW WHO LIVES INSIDE THE HOUSE.
AND SOME OF THESE HOMES ARE IN THE DOMINION, SOME OF THEM ARE IN YOUR DISTRICT.
SO IT'S NOT AN ISSUE OF WE KNOW THAT THERE'S A VULNERABLE PERSON INSIDE THAT HOUSE.
BUT BELIEVE ME, IF THEY MAKE A PHONE CALL TO US, WE WILL BEND OVER BACKWARDS TO MAKE SURE THAT HEALTH AND SAFETY
[02:30:02]
IS THE PARAMOUNT CONCERN FOR OUR CONSTITUENTS.SO I -- HOPEFULLY THE PRESS WILL LET THE PEOPLE KNOW OUT THERE AND YOU IN YOUR NEWSLETTERS WILL LET PEOPLE KNOW OUT THERE, PLEASE JUST CALL US BEFORE THAT BILL GETS INTO A VERY DELINQUENT STATUS.
THE MORE IT GETS INTO DELINQUENT THE LESS OPPORTUNITIES WE HAVE -- OPTIONS WE HAVE TO HELP THEM, BUT WE MORE SO THAN WANT TO BE ABLE TO HELP THEM.
PUBLIC SAFETY AND PUBLIC HEALTH IS THE NUMBER ONE GOAL OF OURS.
WELL, THANK YOU AND HOPEFULLY WE CAN GET THAT MESSAGE OUT BECAUSE USUALLY THEY DON'T COME SEE US UNTIL IT'S ALREADY CUT OFF AND SOMETIMES THEY'VE ALREADY BEEN A COUPLE OF DAYS WITHOUT WATER.
SO WE WOULD HOPE THAT PEOPLE WOULD CONTACT US AS SOON AS THEY FIND THEMSELVES IN A VERY VULNERABLE SITUATION.
>> AND THAT'S THE KEY, TO JUST LET US KNOW AS SOON AS YOU KNOW THERE'S A PROBLEM, NOT YOU BUT OBVIOUSLY THE CONSTITUENT, THAT THERE'S A PROBLEM, THAT WE WILL TRY TO HELP.
>> MAYOR NIRENBERG: THANK YOU, COUNCILWOMAN GONZALES.
>> SANDOVAL: THANK YOU, MAYOR.
HI, MR. PUENTE, THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE.
I APOLOGIZE FOR MISSING YOUR ACTUAL PRESENTATION BUT JUST BEING HERE FOR THE GOOD PART, RIGHT? THE DIALOGUE.
SO I BELIEVE STARTING JUNE 27 THE CAPITAL ADVISORY COMMITTEE IS MEETING.
COULD YOU TELL ME A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT THAT?
>> THE CAPITAL ADVISORY COMMITTEE IS THE COMMITTEE THAT IS -- THEIR CHARGE IS TO TAKE IN INFORMATION ABOUT IMPACT FEES AND ESSENTIALLY RECOMMEND THE IMPACT FEES THAT WE ARE TO CHARGE FOR THE NEXT FIVE YEARS TO OUR BOARD, AND THEN ULTIMATELY THEY COME TO CITY COUNCIL.
>> SANDOVAL: AND EACH OF THE COUNCIL MEMBERS HAS AN APPOINTEE ON THERE, AND WHO ELSE MAKES UP THAT COMMITTEE?
>> WELL, THE COUNCIL APPOINTS, BUT UNDER STATE LAW 40% OF THE MEMBERSHIP OF THAT COMMITTEE HAS TO COME FROM THE REAL ESTATE COMMUNITY, DEVELOPMENT COMMUNITY, HOME BUILDERS, HOME BUILDERS, THOSE KINDS OF INDIVIDUALS.
SO IF THERE'S OPENINGS, AND RIGHT NOW THERE'S A LOT OF OPENINGS IN THE SENSE THAT INDIVIDUALS' TERMS HAVE EXPIRED, THERE IS AN OPPORTUNITY FOR THIS COUNCIL TO MAKE ITS FEELINGS KNOWN ON THAT COMMITTEE.
AND I'M NOT SURE IF I SHOULD CLARIFY THIS WITH THE CLERK OR THE CITY MANAGER.
SO IF THEY MEET ON THE 27TH, OUR APPOINTMENT HAS TO BE MADE BY THE 21ST? THE LAST COUNCIL MEETING DATE? IS THAT RIGHT?
SO HOW DO WE HANDLE THAT IF WE HAVEN'T MADE THAT APPOINTMENT?
>> I THINK YOU CAN JUST GO AHEAD AND SUBMIT IT AND WE CAN TRY TO GET IT ON THE AGENDA.
>> SANDOVAL: AND SO CAN THEY STILL -- IF FOR SOME REASON WE'RE NOT ABLE TO MAKE IT BY THEN, BECAUSE YOU NEED 72 HOURS TO PUT IT ON THE AGENDA, RIGHT, CAN THEY STILL PARTICIPATE IN THE MEETING OR IS THAT -- GOING TO GET IN THE WAY OF THE MEETING?
>> NO, NO, THESE ARE INITIAL MEETINGS.
OBVIOUSLY THEY'RE OPEN MEETINGS.
THE NEW MEMBERS, WE STAFF IT, AND SO WE WILL GIVE PRELIMINARY INFORMATION, INTRODUCTORY INFORMATION SO THAT THEY CAN GET CAUGHT UP TO SPEED, BECAUSE THE MEMBERSHIP OF THIS COMMITTEE TRADITIONALLY HAS, EVEN THOUGH ONLY 40% HAS TO BE, AS MUCH AS 90%, 80% HAVE BEEN BY THE REAL ESTATE COMMUNITY, SO THEY ARE ALREADY VERY WELL VERSED INTO WHAT GOES INTO SETTING AN IMPACT FEE.
BUT WE WANT TO START FRESH WHEN WE HAVE -- WHEN WE HAVE NEW APPOINTEES ON THERE, TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY'RE ON THE SAME TRACK.
THANK YOU FOR CLARIFYING THAT.
SO I -- I HAVE TO TELL YOU, WHEN YOU SAID, MR. PUENTE, EARLIER ABOUT NEW BUSINESSES COMING TO SAN ANTONIO AND YOU MADE IT -- YOU SAID WE HAVE PLENTY OF WATER FOR ALL OF YOUR NEEDS, I'M JUST WONDERING IF THAT'S THE RIGHT MESSAGE.
IT JUST DIDN'T SOUND LIKE THERE WAS ANY CONSERVATION MESSAGE IN THERE.
>> WELL, HOPEFULLY YOU HEARD KAREN'S PRESENTATION ABOUT WHAT WE'RE DOING FOR WATER CONSERVATION, BUT WE DO WANT AN EMPLOYEE TO KNOW THAT WE HAVE PLENTY OF WATER FOR THEIR NEEDS BUT WE ARE A COMMUNITY THAT TRULY VALUES WATER CONSERVATION, THAT OUR BUSINESS MODEL AT SAWS IS TO CONVINCE OUR CUSTOMERS TO BUY LESS OF OUR PRODUCT, AND IT PAYS.
KAREN MENTIONED THAT THROUGH THE PROGRAMS THAT SHE HAS OVERSEEN OVER THE LAST TEN YEARS, HER LAST SLIDE, IF YOU CAN -- SECOND-TO-THE-LAST SLIDE, IF YOU CAN SHOW THAT, OVER 600,000 FIXTURES HAVE BEEN CHANGED IN THIS COMMUNITY, AND IT HAS RESULTED IN OVER 26,000 ACRE-FEET OF WATER SAVED, NOT TOTAL, EVERY YEAR.
[02:35:02]
WHICH IS A 50,000 ACRE-FEET PROJECT.THAT'S WHY WE CONSIDER WATER CONSERVATION SO VALUABLE.
>> ACRE-FEET SAVED ON AVERAGE EVERY YEAR.
>> SANDOVAL: SO HALF OF VISTA RIDGE EVERY YEAR?
>> YEAH, WE -- SO IF WE HAD NOT DONE THAT 20 YEARS AGO, WE WOULD HAVE HAD TO HAVE A PROJECT LIKE VISTA RIDGE ON-LINE ALREADY.
>> SANDOVAL: THE MAYOR DID MENTION SOMETHING ABOUT CONSIDERING YEAR-ROUND WATERING, AND I KNOW JUST OVER A YEAR AGO YOU WERE HERE.
I THINK IT WAS DISCUSSED WITH THE COUNCIL THAT THERE DIDN'T SEEM TO BE TOO MANY TAKERS.
DO YOU THINK THIS YEAR IS DIFFERENT?
>> THIS YEAR IS DIFFERENT BECAUSE OUR MAYOR IS OUR MAYOR NOW.
[LAUGHTER] AND HE IS ADVOCATING FOR THIS, AND SO IT'S JUST A MATTER OF -- IT'S -- IT'S SOMETHING THAT SAWS NEED TO LET OUR BOARD KNOW WHAT WE'RE DOING, BUT ULTIMATELY IT'S A CITY COUNCIL DECISION BECAUSE IT'S A CITY ORDINANCE.
SO OBVIOUSLY IT'S IN YOU YOU ALL'S PURVIEW TO PASS AN ORDINANCE LIKE THAT.
SO THEN IT WOULD ONLY APPLY TO THE BOUNDARIES OF SAN ANTONIO.
WE WOULD HAVE TO WORK INDIVIDUALLY WITH EACH OF THE OTHER MUNICIPALITIES IF WE WANTED THAT?
>> ACTUALLY, IF I CAN TOOT MY OWN HORN, I PASSED A BILL WHEN I WAS IN LEGISLATURE THAT ALLOWS US TO HAVE THESE RULES IN THE EXTRATERRITORIAL JURISDICTION OF THE CITY.
SO IF WE WANTED TO -- WELL, IN YOUR OPINION, HOW POPULAR OR UNPOPULAR IS THAT WITH THE RATEPAYERS RIGHT NOW?
>> I THOUGHT YOU WERE GOING TO SEE ABOUT EXTRATERRITORIAL --
>> SANDOVAL: NO, NO, NO, JUST --
>> , YOU KNOW, THE STUDIES THAT WE'VE SHOWN, IT DEPENDS ON HOW YOU ASK THE QUESTION, BUT ROUGHLY IT'S 50/50, BUT YOU CAN SKEW IT IF YOU ASK THE QUESTION, JUST LIKE POLITICAL CAMPAIGNS.
IF YOU SKEW IT IN A PARTICULAR WAY YOU'LL -- YOU CAN MANIPULATE THE DATA.
BUT IF YOU'RE NEUTRAL ABOUT IT, IT'S ROUGHLY A 50/50 MIX OF RESPONSES.
SO I GUESS I THINK IT WOULD BE WORTHWHILE TO EXPLORE THAT OR MAYBE OTHER WATER CONSERVATION MEASURES.
YOU'LL BE HEARING FROM OUR STAFF, BUT WE WOULD LIKE TO INVITE YOU OR MS. GUS TO SPEAK TO THE COMMUNITY HEALTH COMMITTEE ABOUT OPTIONS FOR WATER CONSERVATION GOING FORWARD.
>> WE WOULD LOVE TO PARTICIPATE.
>> SANDOVAL: THAT WOULD BE IN AUGUST.
>> MAYOR NIRENBERG: THANK YOU COUNCILWOMAN SANDOVAL.
>> TREVINO: THANK YOU, MAYOR, AND TO PICK UP ON THE MAD MAX THEME -- NO, I'M KIDDING.
I MEAN, IF WE RUN OUT OF WATER WE'LL BE LIKE MAD MAX.
ACTUALLY, TO PICK UP ON COUNCILWOMAN SANDOVAL'S POINT OF CONSERVATION, YOU KNOW, WHEN WE TALK ABOUT ENERGY, FOR EXAMPLE, WE -- WE THINK ABOUT THINGS LIKE SOLAR PANELS AND PRODUCING MORE SUSTAINABLE ENERGY.
WE DON'T NECESSARILY THINK ABOUT NOT -- ABOUT USING LESS ENERGY OR OFFSETTING THE AMOUNT OF ENERGY THAT WE ACTUALLY USE.
AND SO I GUESS I WOULD TAKE THE SAME APPROACH IN TERMS OF WATER.
WHAT IS SAWS AND THE CITY DOING TO PARTNER WITH BUSINESS COMMUNITIES TO LOOK AT INNOVATIVE APPROACHES TO OFFSETTING THE USAGE ITSELF, RIGHT? SO I THINK ABOUT -- I SAW -- I'LL KIND OF LEAD A LITTLE BIT BY TALKING ABOUT THIS NEW PROJECT THAT'S GOING UP ON BROADWAY WITH THE CREDIT HUMAN BUILDING AND HOW 97% OF THAT, THE WATER IS RECAPTURED AND UTILIZED.
>> THIS IS LIKE THROWING A BEACH BALL AT KAREN AND SHE HAS A BIG OLD BAT READY TO SWING.
>> SO WE LOVE TO HEAR ABOUT PROJECTS LIKE THAT WHERE THEY'RE ALREADY COLLECTING THEIR GRAY WATER AND LOOKING TO OUR RECYCLED WATER.
WE HAVE A CUSTOM REBATE PROGRAM THAT WE ENCOURAGE BOTH EXISTING BUSINESSES THAT HAVE A NEW THING THEY WANT TO DO THAT'S INNOVATIVE, OR A NEW PROPERTY THAT'S GOING IN, TO COME AND TALK TO US, BECAUSE THE CUSTOM REBATE PROGRAM BASICALLY SAYS, LET'S MAKE A DEAL.
IF YOU CAN COME UP WITH A PERMANENT WATER SAVINGS THAT YOU CAN INVEST IN, THAT WE CAN DOCUMENT HOW MUCH THAT WATER SAVINGS IS GOING TO BE, THEN THE BOARD OF SAN ANTONIO WATER SYSTEM WILL AUTHORIZE A REBATE FOR IT SO THAT WE PAY FOR IT LIKE WE WOULD A WATER SUPPLY PROJECT.
SO WE ADD UP ALL OF THE SAVINGS OVER THE LIFE OF THE PROJECT, AND WE PUT A PRICE TAG ON IT THAT'S ROUGHLY WHAT THE AVERAGE OF ALL OUR NEW WATER SUPPLY COST IS, $1,100 AN ACRE FOOT, AND WE SIGN A CONTRACT FOR IT.
SO WE'VE SIGNED AGREEMENTS FOR THESE WITH HOMEOWNERS ASSOCIATIONS TO UPGRADE IRRIGATION TO SMART IRRIGATION SYSTEMS. WE'VE SIGNED WITH H.E.B., WITH VALERO.
WE'VE WORKED WITH A LOT OF THE MAJOR EMPLOYERS IN TOWN.
[02:40:02]
SO, YEAH, PLEASE SEND THOSE REFERRALS OUR WAY.>> TREVINO: WHAT ABOUT IRRIGATION COMPANIES OR LANDSCAPE ARCHITECTS? HAVE WE PARTNERED WITH THEM?
SO ONE OF THE THINGS THAT'S EXCITING IN THE FIELD OF LANDSCAPE IRRIGATION IS THAT THERE IS NEW TECHNOLOGY THAT HAS AUTOMATIC FLOW SENSORS AND CLOUD-BASED CONTROL.
WE HAVE SEVERAL LARGE PROPERTIES THAT HAVE RETROFITTED TO THAT AND REDUCED THEIR WATER USE BY 50% AND STILL MAINTAIN GORGEOUS LANDSCAPES.
SO BOTH IN NEW CONSTRUCTION AND IN RETROFITTING OLD, WE CAN SIGN THOSE CUSTOM REBATE AGREEMENTS, AND IT'S ONE OF THE WAYS THAT WE BRING IN A SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT OF OUR WATER SAVINGS EVERY YEAR.
>> TREVINO: I GUESS I'D LIKE TO MEASURE THAT.
I'D LIKE TO SEE WHAT KIND OF IMPACT IS THAT HAVING IN TERMS OF WHAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT TODAY?
>> TREVINO: I'D LIKE TO BE ABLE TO MEASURE THAT SO THAT WE CAN SAY, YOU KNOW, WITH ALL THE ENVIRONMENT THAT'S BUILT OUT, WHAT -- HOW MUCH OF THAT IS ACTUALLY MAKING A REAL IMPACT IN OUR COMMUNITY? I MEAN, WE'RE SEEING PROOF THAT HERE'S A BUILDING THAT IS 97% IS QUITE REMARKABLE.
SO IT'S ACHIEVABLE IN CERTAIN STAGES AS WELL.
>> TREVINO: SO THERE'S RETROFITS AND THEN THERE'S, YOU KNOW, COMPLETE BUILD-OUTS THAT WE CAN MAYBE LOOK AT.
SO I'D LIKE FOR US TO LOOK AT THAT.
SO I WOULD ASK, ARE YOU WORKING WITH THE CITY ON THIS? IS OUR SUSTAINABILITY DEPARTMENT WORKING WITH YOU ON THIS?
>> THE SUSTAINABILITY DEPARTMENT HAS MADE REFERRALS TO US SO THEY'VE BEEN HELPFUL.
WE END UP TALKING TO BUILDERS.
WE'VE TALKED TO SOME OF THE MAJOR COMPANIES, THE SAN ANTONIO MANUFACTURERS ASSOCIATION, THE BUILDERS ASSOCIATION.
SO WE -- WE TRY TO GET THE WORD OUT ABOUT THIS ALL OVER --E CAN, SO WE'RE ALWAYS RECEPTIVE TO GETTING MORE PEOPLE HEARING THAT, AH, THERE ARE THESE CUSTOM REBATE OPPORTUNITIES AND WE CAN TALK.
>> TREVINO: AND WHAT ABOUT OUR DEPARTMENT OF INNOVATION?
>> WE'VE TALKED TO THEM BEFORE.
WE'LL BE HAPPY TO DO IT AGAIN.
>> TREVINO: SO I THINK OF THOSE TWO IMMEDIATELY AND THINK, YOU KNOW, WE REALLY NEED TO THINK MORE ROBUSTLY.
IN FACT, -- OH, SHERYL, YOU WANT TO SAY SOMETHING?
>> JUST TO SAY THAT ROBERT PARTICIPATES ON OUR SMART CITIES INITIATIVE WITH OUR INTERDISCIPLINARY GROUPS, WITH SAWS AND CPS, SAN ANTONIO RIVER AUTHORITY, VIA, WE'RE ALL MEETING AND WORKING TOGETHER.
WE HAVE A TECHNICAL WORKING GROUP OF THE STAFFS AND THEN THE CEOS ALSO GET TOGETHER EVERY OTHER MONTH SO THAT WE CAN ADVANCE OUR SMART CITY INITIATIVE AND WORK ON THESE KINDS OF ISSUES TOGETHER.
WELL, THAT'S EXACTLY WHAT I WAS KIND OF GETTING AT.
AND, YOU KNOW, I THINK ANOTHER COMMITTEE THAT I'D LIKE TO SEE SAWS VISIT SO THAT THIS COULD GEL IS THE INNOVATION AND TECHNOLOGY COMMITTEE, BECAUSE THIS REALLY SPEAKS TO TECHNOLOGY WE KNOW ALREADY EXISTS, AND THERE'S EXAMPLES HAPPENING RIGHT HERE IN OUR OWN COMMUNITY, AND YOU'RE SHOWING US THAT WE NEED TO DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT YESTERDAY.
SO I THINK WE NEED TO -- WE NEED TO TACKLE THIS.
AND I'D LIKE TO SEE THIS GO TO THIS COMMITTEE NOT JUST FOR A BRIEFING BUT TO DISCUSS HOW CAN WE MANDATE THIS IN OUR CODE? I MEAN, THIS IS REALLY PART OF HOW WE'RE GOING TO MAKE IT HAPPEN IF WE CAN SHOW AND DEMONSTRATE THAT PART OF OUR CODE HERE IS TAKING ON A SERIOUS EFFORT TOWARDS CONSERVATION SO THAT OUR WATER CONCERNS OR WATER NEEDS ARE IMPLEMENTING ALL THE POTENTIAL STRATEGIES THAT DO EXIST.
AND I THINK THAT IS -- THAT IS GOING TO BE CRITICAL.
WE REALLY APPRECIATE ALL OF THOSE REFERRALS TO HELP CATALYZE GETTING THOSE THINGS OUT TO MORE PEOPLE TO GET MORE INNOVATION GOING.
>> TREVINO: THANK YOU, AND I THINK YOU GUYS ARE DOING GREAT WORK AND THAT'S A GREAT PRESENTATION.
YOU'VE MADE IT CLEAR THAT WE NEED TO DO QUITE A LOT.
YOU'VE DEMONSTRATED THAT WE HAVE A LOT IN MOTION.
MY HOPE IS THAT WE CAN MAYBE BRING SOME OF THIS TOGETHER WITH THE CITY AND PRIVATE SECTOR TO HELP CODIFY SOME REAL STRATEGIES THAT COULD INNOVATE TOWARDS SOME REAL SOLUTIONS.
>> YOU KNOW, WATER CONSERVATION IS TO IMPORTANT TO US.
COCA-COLA, H.E.B., BANKS, HOSPITALS, DENTISTS' OFFICES, OFFICES, HOSPITALS.
WE ACTUALLY PAY THEM PART I PARF THEIR INVESTMENTS INTO INFRASTRUCTURE WHERE THEY GET A REBATE FROM US AND HELP MAKE THAT RETURN OF INVESTMENT CALCULATION TO MAKE WHAT THEY'RE DOING MEETS THEIR BOTTOM LINE.
SO WE ARE VERY, VERY NEOVOIFT IN THE WATER -- YOU KNOW, VAIFT IN THE WATER INNOVATIVE IN THE WATER KEVINATION.
HER TRAVEL BUDGET, KAREN'S, SHE GETS ASKED TO GO TO DIFFERENT PLACES TO TELL THEM WHAT WE'RE DOING BUT SHE COMES BACK WITH
[02:45:01]
INFORMATION ALSO.>> TREVINO: WELL, I AGREE WITH THAT PHILOSOPHY.
WE REALLY NEED TO BE WELL INFORMED AND OUR DIFFERENT DEPARTMENTS NEED TO CONVENTIONS AND OTHER EXAMPLES OF INNOVATION AND TECHNOLOGY THAT CAN HELP US RIGHT HERE IN SAN ANTONIO.
I GUESS I -- I THINK WE SHOULD HUDDLE UP MORE OFTEN ABOUT IT.
>> MAYOR NIRENBERG: THANK YOU, COUNCILMAN TREVINO.
I APOLOGIZE FOR STRAYING OFF THE TOPIC OF DISCUSSION, WHICH IS MANAGEMENT STRATEGIES, BUT I DID WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE BYRON GIBSON WITH YOUR STAFF.
HE'S DONE OUTSTANDING WORK IN OUR COMMITTEE.
WE HAD AN ISSUE WITH ONE OF OUR CONSTITUENTS IN TERMS OF SMELL AND LEAKAGE, AND HE GOT TO WORK RIGHT AWAY.
SO I REALLY APPLAUD THE EFFORTS OF SAWS AND WHAT YOU'RE DOING WITH OUR STRENTS ALL -- CONSTITUENTS ALL THROUGHOUT THE CITY BUT PARTICULARLY IN D 2.
SO THANK YOU FOR WHAT YOU'RE DOING IN OUR COMMUNITIES.
>> THANK YOU FOR RECOGNIZING OUR EMPLOYEE.
>> MAYOR NIRENBERG: THANK YOU, COUNCILMAN SHAW.
>> SANDOVAL: THANK YOU, MAYOR.
JUST TO TAG ON TO WHAT COUNCILMAN TREVINO WAS SAYING, I THINK THOSE ARE GREAT IDEAS, AND I'M WONDERING IF AS A CITY WE HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO IMPLEMENT SOME OF THOSE STRATEGIES.
NOW WE'RE GOING TO BE SEEING THE REMODELING OF CITY HALL AND ALSO OF THE OLD FROST BUILDING.
SO I GUESS HOW WOULD WE -- HOW WOULD WE MAKE SURE THAT THOSE IDEAS GET CONSIDERED AND THAT THEIR FEASIBILITY IS EVALUATED AND MAYBE WE CAN CASH IN ON SOME REBATES.
>> AND GET KAREN INVOLVED FROM THE VERY BEGINNING.
>> IS THAT POSSIBLE, SHERYL? THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
>> SCULLEY: AND KAREN, YOU MAY ALREADY BE WORKING WITH THEM BUT IF NOT, WE'LL ENSURE SHE IS. YOU.
>> MAYOR NIRENBERG: I THINK THAT'S A GREAT POINT AND SIMILAR WITH CPS.
I THINK THIS IS THE PEOPLE'S HOUSE, SO AS MUCH AS WE CAN MODEL THE KINDS OF BEHAVIORS THAT WE HOPE TO SEE AND CODES THAT WE'D LIKE TO SEE IMPLEMENTED IN THE FUTURE, THE BETTER.
THANK YOU, ROBERT, AND THANK YOU TO THE SAWS TEAM FOR THE PRESENTATION.
WE ARE ADJOURNED.
* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.