The City of San Antonio held a B session on Wednesday, October 1, 2025, at 2:02 p.m. The meeting focused on two major agenda items: a comprehensive briefing from the San Antonio Water System (SAWS) on water loss, infrastructure needs, and budget planning; and an update on the Riverwalk Capital Improvements Strategic Plan. Council members engaged in extensive discussion on both topics, emphasizing equity, affordability, conservation, and coordination.
No consent calendar items were presented.
No public testimony was heard during this session. The meeting was dedicated to briefings and council discussion.
Robert Puente (SAWS President/CEO), Doug Evanson (CFO), and Andrea Beamer (COO) presented a detailed overview of SAWS operations. Key points included:
Council members raised concerns about equity, affordability, and the impact of rate increases on low-income families. Several asked for data on program usage and eligibility criteria for the Uplift assistance program (home value cap of $300,000). Others requested mapping of aging infrastructure and pressure zones. The mayor noted that a tabletop exercise on federal budget cuts could inform future decisions, including a potential increase in the city's utility contribution from 4% to 5%.
Shannon Miller (Director of Office of Historic Preservation) presented the scope for a new Riverwalk strategic plan, the first since 2008. The Riverwalk Capital Improvements Advisory Board (composed of business owners, residents, and lessees) oversees a special fund derived from patio leases. The 2008 plan resulted in $18.7 million in improvements (six phases), including ADA ramps and elevators.
Justin Moon Lassy Sarknoon. The time is now 2 02 p.m. on Wednesday, October 1st, 2025, and the City of San Antonio session is uh B session is called to order. Um, Madam Clerk, please call the roll. Councilmember Corps. Councilmember McKee Rodriguez. Present. Councilmember Igran. Here. Councilmember Mungia. Present. Councilmember Castillo. Here. Councilmember Galvan. Here. Councilmember Alerete Gavito. Here. Councilmember Mesa Gonzalez. Here. Present. Councilmember Spears. Councilmember White. Mayor Jones. Mayor, we have quorum. Great. Thanks, Madam Clerk. As uh as we shared, the um we are now going to have um uh recurring meetings for the entire body on our municipalities, uh municipal utilities rather. Um, this is something that each of you um one have expressed to me your desire to understand more about, but it's also something that you all have identified as something that you are continually having to answer questions for, right? And so as we think about the strategic advantage that these municipalities are, we should also be thinking uh collectively about how we can strengthen that in light of some very significant um changes at both of them, both the you know how we accomplish the power generation plan at at CPS, um, but also how we in fact are going to um finance some significant uh delayed capital projects at SAWS. So I appreciate the um the SAS leadership team here to include uh chair of the board being here as well. Um we will also hear about the Riverwalk strategic plan, um, which I understand we have have not heard yet at this council, so it'll be good to get fresh feedback with fresh eyes on that. Um, Eric, over to you. Opening mayor. So I was just gonna add uh that um we we will have these utility briefings at the beginning of every month. Um, and uh and Mr. Puente was good enough to volunteer for the first one. So I'll I'll turn it over to him. Thank you, City Council. Welcome back, uh Councilman. Um it's a pleasure to be here in front of you. Uh it is our opportunity to tell you and your constituents what goes on at SAWs. That's obviously uh a very important function that we have. Uh your uh their utility, your utility, as the mayor said, a lot of questions are asked about what we're doing, how we're doing it, and so this is a hopefully other every other month opportunity to uh explain that to this council, and then therefore uh that information filters down to your constituents. Uh presenting today will be uh Doug Evanson, our CFO. Uh he's been at SAWS 20 years. As a matter of fact, he just got back from New York on a uh a bond issuance trip where uh we refinance some bonds, uh sold some bonds, and so that is a continuation of what we're trying to do as far as how we spend our capital dollars and how we fund our infrastructure. Uh behind me is Andrea Beamer, she's our chief operating officer. She is the first Hispanic woman to serve as COO of a utility as large as ours, and she's homegrown because she's from here from San Antonio, and the three of us are standing ready to answer any questions that you may have. Uh, thank you, Mayor. Thank you.