San Antonio City Council Meeting - September 4, 2025

The San Antonio City Council met on September 4, 2025, at 9:04 AM, with Mayor Gina Ortiz Jones presiding and all council members present. The meeting opened with a musical performance by local artist Mi Pelote, followed by an invocation by Pastor Rick Godwin of Summit Church. The council addressed proclamations, adopted the consent agenda, and interviewed seven applicants for three vacancies on the San Antonio Water System (SAWS) Board of Trustees. The council recessed into executive session at 11:21 AM to deliberate on the appointments and reconvened at 2:11 PM, taking no further action and adjourning.

Proclamations

• SA Neighbors Together: Proclaimed October 7, 2025, as San Antonio Neighbors Together, an annual crime and drug prevention event. Chief McManus reported that 309 neighborhoods had already signed up, with a target to surpass the previous year. Multiple council members expressed support, emphasizing community-police partnerships.
• Attendance Matters Awareness Month: Proclaimed September 2025 as Attendance Matters Awareness Month. Presiding Judge Carla Obleto highlighted the court’s partnership with local school districts, including Edgewood, East Central, Harlandale, Northside, SAISD, South San, Southside, and Southwest ISD. Council members stressed the link between school attendance, academic success, and long-term community outcomes.

Point of Personal Privilege

• Councilman Castillo Angiano honored the memory of Tamara, a homeless woman who had lived on Walter Street for over a decade and passed away on September 1, 2025. He described her life, the community’s support, and the systemic challenges of homelessness, urging broader solutions.

Consent Calendar

• Items 5 through 36 were adopted collectively, with item 11 withdrawn by staff. The council voted by voice vote, with no opposition reported.
• Public comment: A speaker raised concerns about development over Edwards Aquifer recharge areas, requesting information on the impact of proposed easements.
• Council highlights:
  • Councilman Galvan recognized Richard Gonzalez’s appointment to the San Antonio Dieciséis de Septiembre Commission.
  • Councilwoman Mesa Gonzalez noted reappointments of Jamie Kowalski to Port SA, Dr. Linda Lopez George to the Parks and Recreation Board, and Anthony Medrano to the Dieciséis de Septiembre Commission.
  • Chair Aldrete Gabito highlighted appointments of Clementine Pryor to the Elderly Affairs Commission, Dan Wallace to the Small Business Economic Development Advocacy Committee, and Jason Vasquez to the Historic Compliance and Technical Advisory Board.
  • Councilwoman Castillo Angiano supported a dental screenings partnership between Metro Health, Head Start, and Avance, serving over 5,000 children.
  • Chair Viagran noted the Roosevelt Pedestrian project, funded through the 2017-2022 bond.

SAWS Board of Trustees Interviews

• Process: The city clerk opened applications 90 days before the May 31, 2025 term expiration. Thirty residents applied; an ad hoc committee (Mayor Jones, Councilwoman Viagran, Councilman Galvan) shortlisted seven applicants for three quadrant seats (Northeast, Northwest, Southwest). Each applicant gave a two-minute opening statement and answered four pre-determined questions with two-minute responses.
• Applicants interviewed:
  • Jeff Wurzburg (Northeast): Attorney, former government advisor. Emphasized aging infrastructure, non-revenue water loss (about 20%), drought, and the need for innovation like AI leak detection. Supported stronger coordination with the city.
  • Greg Mann (Northeast): Real estate and finance professional. Cited water leakage of nearly 17 billion gallons annually as the most urgent challenge. Called for capital investment in infrastructure and technology to reduce losses.
  • Dr. Jeremy Roberts (Northeast): CEO and college professor, currently chair of SAWS Community Experience and Dispute Resolution Committees. Stressed supply security, demand management, and water loss reduction. Advocated for stricter conservation rules in new developments.
  • Dr. Coda Rayo Garza (Northwest): Demographer and senior director at Every Texan. Highlighted population growth, climate variability, and aging infrastructure. Supported data-driven decisions and equitable service across the city.
  • Teresa Sapansky (Northwest): President/CEO of Community First Health Plans. Framed water as a health equity issue. Noted that two of three SAWS water plants were built in the 1960s and the newest in the 1980s. Emphasized fiscal discipline and public education.
  • Blake Porales (Southwest): Senior supplier relations manager at Niagara Bottling. Proposed partnering with irrigation equipment manufacturers to reduce water demand, similar to CPS Energy programs. Advocated for modernizing infrastructure and reducing water loss.
  • Dr. Adriana Rocha Garcia (Southwest): Former city council member, now CEO of the Center for Health Empowerment in South Texas. Focused on sustainability, cybersecurity threats, and succession planning. Raised concerns about PFAS contamination and the need for long-term planning.
• Council follow-up questions: Council members queried applicants on reducing water loss (over 21 billion gallons reported), improving coordination between SAWS and city departments (especially during construction), enhancing community outreach on conservation, and integrating conservation into development approvals.
• Deliberation: After interviews, the council recessed into executive session at 11:21 AM under Texas Government Code Sections 551.074 (personnel) and 551.071 (legal advice). The council reconvened at 2:11 PM, took no official action, and adjourned without appointing board members.

Key Outcomes

• The consent agenda was approved (voice vote).
• The council conducted interviews for the SAWS Board of Trustees but did not vote on appointments before adjourning. The three vacancies (Northeast, Northwest, Southwest quadrants) remained unfilled at the meeting’s conclusion.