San Antonio City Council Meeting - August 20, 2026

The San Antonio City Council met on August 20, 2026, at 9:11 AM. The meeting began with a roll call establishing a quorum, an invocation led by Councilmember Galván, and the pledge of allegiance. The council approved minutes from August 6, presented multiple proclamations, heard a city manager's report, and voted on several key items including a consent agenda and an ordinance to rename a portion of César Chávez Boulevard to Durango Boulevard.

Consent Calendar

• Minutes from August 6 were approved unanimously without objection (motion passed).
• The consent agenda included items 8 through 13 (item 12 was withdrawn). Notable items:
  • Item 6: Approval of a revenue bond of $220 million for reconstruction of terminals A and B at the San Antonio Airport. Councilmember Spears highlighted that the bond is solely for the airport, has no impact on property taxes, and is essential for economic development and tourism.
  • Item 8: Authorization of a $250,000 agreement with PWD Feature Film Partners for a film titled "Dog Walk".
  • A separate film project "Verona" was listed with a cost of $176,000.
• Councilmember Spears praised the airport project. The consent agenda was approved except item 12.

Public Comments & Testimony

• Jack M. Finger (public comment on consent agenda): Expressed strong opposition to the $250,000 film agreement for "Dog Walk" and the $176,000 for "Verona". He questioned the spending, suggesting the film plots were trivial, and implied Verona might involve pornography. He offered to produce similar content for half the cost.
• Rose Garcia (public comment on Item 5): Representing her family and West Side residents, she expressed full support for renaming César Chávez Boulevard to Durango Boulevard, emphasizing the historical and cultural connection to Mexican heritage (names like Monterrey, Saltillo, Durango).
• Jack M. Finger (public comment on Item 5): Expressed support for the renaming, criticizing César Chávez as a "hispanic hero" who had lost grace, and made a joking suggestion to name the street after himself.

Discussion Items

• Proclamations:
  • Recognized the 50th anniversary of Dignity San Antonio, an LGBTQ organization. Ruth Kenkin thanked the city for support.
  • Proclaimed August 21 as National Senior Citizens Day in San Antonio. Several councilmembers spoke about the importance of senior services, especially during a tight budget season. A representative from Meals on Wheels and the Gonzava Foundation expressed gratitude.
  • Recognized Overdose Awareness Day (August 31). Councilmember Castillo introduced a recovery team speaker, who emphasized education and tools for substance use recovery.
  • Honored a South Side business celebrating its 50th anniversary (Mike Taylor's shoe business).
• City Manager's Report (Eric):
  • Announced that Crystal Jones, Director of Arts and Culture, received a Women in Business award from a business journal.
  • Reported that U.S. Secretary of Transportation John Duffy visited yesterday and announced $31 million in federal funding for upgrades to the airport's FAA control tower technology. Since 2019, the San Antonio airport has received nearly $230 million in capital and operational funds.
• Item 5: Ordinance to rename César Chávez Boulevard to Durango Boulevard (between SW 36th Street and Hackberry Street):
  • Staff from the Development Services Department presented the request from District 5. Community engagement included surveys and meetings from April to June. The Planning Commission and Historic Design Review Commission both recommended approval. The change affects 295 addresses and will cost $374,000 from the FY2022 General Fund (signage $121,800, striping $250,000). Work will take 2 months for signage and 6-12 months for striping. The change will not affect voting in November, as confirmed in writing by Bexar County.
  • Council discussion: Councilmember Anderete Gavito thanked Councilmember Castillo for bringing the change, noting the importance of believing women who spoke out (alluding to allegations against César Chávez). Councilmember Castillo highlighted community support from residents along the boulevard who prioritized the name change due to deep Mexican roots (Durango is one of several streets with Mexican state names). Councilmember Munguía expressed a preference for memorials over street names and emphasized focusing on local San Antonio history.

Key Outcomes

• Consent agenda approved (except item 12) with majority vote.
• Item 5 (street renaming) approved (motion and second, passed by vote). The ordinance changes the name of a segment of César Chávez Boulevard to Durango Boulevard.