OPENPUBLICA · PUBLIC MEETING RECORD
Record of Proceedings

City of San Antonio Governance Committee Meeting - October 15, 2025

Council Committees — Wednesday, October 15, 2025
BodySan Antonio, Texas
SessionCouncil Committees
DateWednesday, October 15, 2025
StatusFILED
Video Record
0:00 / 2:32:39

Transcript — Verbatim
0:05

All right, good morning.

0:06

The time is now uh 1007 a.m.

0:08

on Wednesday, October 15th, 2025, and the first meeting of the governance committee is now called to order.

0:14

Uh, Madam Clerk, please call roll.

0:17

Councilman Mickey Rodriguez.

0:19

Present.

0:20

Councilmember Via Gran.

0:21

Here.

0:22

Councilmember Mungia.

0:24

Present.

0:24

Chair.

0:25

Mayor Jones.

0:26

We have quorum.

0:27

Great.

0:28

I understand we have several um individuals that would like to speak this morning.

0:32

Uh, so I will allow public comment on all the items at the same time.

0:35

Um, and each individual will be able to speak for two minutes.

0:39

Um, so uh this was a bit of a last minute change here.

0:43

So for those of you that would like to speak, please make a line um at the microphone, and we'll begin the time uh once you state your name and your affiliation.

1:06

Nobody else was go ahead.

1:09

Go ahead.

1:11

Um, good morning, everybody.

1:12

So please forgive me if this is uh impromptu.

1:14

I'm not really good at uh thinking off the top of my head.

1:16

My name is Dale Hansen.

1:18

I'm with the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers, Local Union 60, and I'm here uh commenting upon item number 12, the creation of a trades advisory board.

1:26

Um I believe that even with the permanent, I believe that even with HB 2127 on the books at the state level.

1:33

I think if the council were to implement this, I think it would be a net positive because it would at least give workers a voice on city projects, especially things that are coming up in the future.

1:44

San Antonio is uh forecasted to grow immensely, and you know, as a worker myself, having built with my own hands some of the infrastructure in this uh in this great city, I think it's uh a wonderful idea for workers to at least have some input on how things are managed, especially if city funds are being used.

2:00

So I thank you for your time and attention.

2:04

Thank you.

2:11

Good morning.

2:12

Good morning.

2:13

Uh Mayor, appreciate the opportunity to speak on this item.

2:16

I'm also here in my capacity as president of the San Antonio AFL CIO Central Labor Council, and on behalf of working families represented by the labor council.

2:26

Um, we respectfully urge council members to support the creation of the San Antonio Trades Advisory Board, also known as TAB, as outlined in the CCR is submitted by councilwoman Terry Castillo and Councilman Jalen McKee Rodriguez.

2:40

The TAB is envisioned as a worker-centered advisory body tasked with providing formal input and recommendations on city projects, workforce policies, and economic development initiatives.

2:51

Its aim is to protect labor standards, ensure fair wages, and prioritize local workforce developments.

2:57

And by establishing this board, the City of San Antonio will really take a meaningful step towards ensuring that publicly funded projects benefit the local workforce and that public resources are spent in ways that reflect the city values of equity, accountability, and inclusion.

3:13

So we know that there is similar um setups in Harris County and in Durham, North Carolina, where worker-focused boards have really strengthened public accountability and equity.

3:25

And we ask that you vote in favor of the tab of today.

3:28

Um, I know that there is a recommendation that uh says that you should not support the tab.

3:35

However, we do understand that this is an advisory board and will um only advise council and the mayor in the spirit of other advisory boards that the city has created.

3:46

So we again urge you to um vote in favor of the tab.

3:50

Thank you.

3:59

For those of you that would like to speak, please line up behind the microphone so we can go through this fairly quickly.

4:05

Thank you.

4:06

James May, Smart uh regional business manager, also uh San Antonio Building Trades uh Council President.

4:14

We are also in favor of TAB.

4:16

Uh we see the importance of labor being represented when it comes to uh points of labor and construction.

4:25

Uh many people in this room are affected by every building or infrastructure built in this town.

4:31

That's why we're all here.

4:32

Uh we all feel the need to make our town better.

4:35

Um the only way of doing that is to have a little bit of insight and knowledge on the things that you're speaking about.

4:41

Uh we are in the trenches.

4:43

We got our blisters and our scars from building the infrastructure that the city sits on.

4:49

Uh we disrespectfully ask that you listen to the voice that does build what you stand on.

4:55

Thank you.

5:02

Hi, Mary Jones and esteemed colleagues.

5:04

My name is C say.

Discussion Breakdown — Share of Meeting
Budget█████████████13%
Public Education████████████12%
Workforce Development██████████10%
Artificial Intelligence█████████9%
Procedural████████8%
Public Engagement████████8%
Public Health████████8%
Affordable Housing██████6%
Transportation Infrastructure████4%
Summary of Proceedings

City of San Antonio Governance Committee Meeting - October 15, 2025

The Governance Committee of the San Antonio City Council met on Wednesday, October 15, 2025, at 10:07 a.m. to consider 11 council consideration requests (CCRs) from the previous term. The committee reviewed each item, heard public comments, and took actions including referrals to other committees, decisions to proceed with ceremonial proclamations, and continuation of some items for further legal and financial review. Votes were recorded and the meeting adjourned at 12:40 p.m.

Consent Calendar

  • Approval of Minutes: The minutes from April 16, 2025, were approved by voice vote with no corrections.

Public Comments & Testimony

  • Dale Hansen (International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers, Local Union 60) spoke in support of Item 12 (San Antonio Trades Advisory Board), stating that despite state law, the board would give workers a voice on city projects.
  • President of San Antonio AFL-CIO Central Labor Council urged support for Item 12, emphasizing that the board would be advisory and protect labor standards, fair wages, and local workforce development. He referenced similar boards in Harris County and Durham, North Carolina.
  • James May (Smart Regional Business Manager, San Antonio Building Trades Council President) expressed support for Item 12, arguing that workers who build the city's infrastructure deserve a voice.
  • C Say (San Antonio resident) spoke in support of Item 10 (Tracking and Preventing Heat Deaths), urging the committee to reject the staff recommendation of no further action and to collect data on heat-related deaths.

Discussion Items

  • Item 2: Tuskegee Airmen Memorial Way – A request to add a memorial street designation on Iowa Street. Staff recommended proceeding to an A session for approval. Councilmember McKee Rodriguez, the sponsor, moved to send to A session. The motion passed unanimously.
  • Item 3: Coach Popovich Day – A request to declare January 28, 2026, as Coach Greg Popovich Day with a call for acts of service. Staff recommended a ceremonial proclamation. Councilmember Castillo, the sponsor, supported. The motion passed unanimously.
  • Item 4: Utility and Fiber Projects Accountability Plan – A request for a streamlined communication process for utility and fiber projects. Staff recommended referral to the Transportation Infrastructure Committee (TIC). Councilmember Aldarete Gavito, the sponsor, spoke. The motion passed, with the understanding that further legal and financial analysis is needed.
  • Item 5: Enhancing Local Construction Trades – A request to develop an apprenticeship requirement policy for city-funded construction projects over $10 million. Staff recommended referral to the Economic and Workforce Development Committee (EWDC). Councilmember Castillo, the sponsor, supported. The motion passed, with discussion of a pilot program and stakeholder engagement.
  • Item 6: Housing Voucher Incentive Program – A request to create a program providing bridge and gap funding for landlords accepting housing vouchers. Staff recommended referral to the Planning and Community Development Committee (PCDC). Councilmember Castillo, the sponsor, spoke. The motion passed, with discussion of the $3.7 million estimated cost and the need to explore other incentives.
  • Item 7: City Support for Teachers and School Staff – A request to formalize a plan supporting teachers and school staff. Staff recommended referral to the Educational Opportunities Committee (EOC). Councilmember Aldarete Gavito, the sponsor, spoke. Councilmember Viegran opposed, citing it is not a city purview and that school districts should lead. The motion to refer failed with a 2-2 vote (Mayor opposed).
  • Item 8: Artificial Intelligence Integration Strategy – A request for a comprehensive AI plan. Staff recommended a B session briefing and noted existing work (draft strategy, policies, and prototypes). Councilmember White, the sponsor, spoke. The motion passed. The committee also requested quarterly B session updates, with the first briefing before the end of 2025.
  • Item 9: Taxpayer Impact Statement – A request to develop an annual taxpayer impact statement to be published in the budget. Staff recommended including it in the budget process. Councilmember White, the sponsor, spoke, advocating for a resolution or ordinance to codify the statement. Councilmember Mungia suggested a budget policy instead. The committee voted to continue the item to the next governance committee for further development of the statement's format and options for codification.
  • Item 10: Tracking and Preventing Heat Deaths – A request to standardize tracking of heat-related deaths. Staff recommended no further action, citing collaboration with the medical examiner and existing dashboards. Councilmembers McKee Rodriguez and Castillo, co-sponsors, spoke, urging referral to the Community Health Committee (CHC) for further discussion. The motion to refer to CHC passed, with the understanding that a partnership with UT Health Science Center could be explored.
  • Item 11: Dedicating San Antonio International Airport to Coach Greg Popovich – A request to rename the airport. Staff recommended no further action, noting the recent $1.5 million rebranding effort. The motion to approve staff recommendation passed unanimously.
  • Item 12: San Antonio Trades Advisory Board (TAB) – A request to create an advisory board for worker input on city projects. Staff recommended no further action, citing legal concerns that the board's scope as written could exceed advisory authority and would require additional staff. Councilmembers Castillo and McKee Rodriguez, co-sponsors, spoke in favor, arguing it would be advisory only and that the legal and fiscal issues could be addressed. Councilmember Viegran, chair of EWDC, committed to bringing the item to EWDC in December. The committee voted to continue the item to the next governance committee to receive a redlined version of Attachment A (to clarify advisory roles) and a financial impact analysis.

Key Outcomes

  • Item 2: Referred to A session (unanimous).
  • Item 3: Approved as ceremonial proclamation (unanimous).
  • Item 4: Referred to Transportation Infrastructure Committee (unanimous).
  • Item 5: Referred to Economic and Workforce Development Committee (unanimous).
  • Item 6: Referred to Planning and Community Development Committee (unanimous).
  • Item 7: Failed (2-2 vote, Mayor opposed).
  • Item 8: Referred to B session with quarterly updates (unanimous).
  • Item 9: Continued to next governance committee (unanimous).
  • Item 10: Referred to Community Health Committee (unanimous).
  • Item 11: No further action (unanimous).
  • Item 12: Continued to next governance committee for redline and financial analysis (unanimous).

Meeting Transcript

All right, good morning. The time is now uh 1007 a.m. on Wednesday, October 15th, 2025, and the first meeting of the governance committee is now called to order. Uh, Madam Clerk, please call roll. Councilman Mickey Rodriguez. Present. Councilmember Via Gran. Here. Councilmember Mungia. Present. Chair. Mayor Jones. We have quorum. Great. I understand we have several um individuals that would like to speak this morning. Uh, so I will allow public comment on all the items at the same time. Um, and each individual will be able to speak for two minutes. Um, so uh this was a bit of a last minute change here. So for those of you that would like to speak, please make a line um at the microphone, and we'll begin the time uh once you state your name and your affiliation. Nobody else was go ahead. Go ahead. Um, good morning, everybody. So please forgive me if this is uh impromptu. I'm not really good at uh thinking off the top of my head. My name is Dale Hansen. I'm with the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers, Local Union 60, and I'm here uh commenting upon item number 12, the creation of a trades advisory board. Um I believe that even with the permanent, I believe that even with HB 2127 on the books at the state level. I think if the council were to implement this, I think it would be a net positive because it would at least give workers a voice on city projects, especially things that are coming up in the future. San Antonio is uh forecasted to grow immensely, and you know, as a worker myself, having built with my own hands some of the infrastructure in this uh in this great city, I think it's uh a wonderful idea for workers to at least have some input on how things are managed, especially if city funds are being used. So I thank you for your time and attention. Thank you. Good morning. Good morning. Uh Mayor, appreciate the opportunity to speak on this item. I'm also here in my capacity as president of the San Antonio AFL CIO Central Labor Council, and on behalf of working families represented by the labor council. Um, we respectfully urge council members to support the creation of the San Antonio Trades Advisory Board, also known as TAB, as outlined in the CCR is submitted by councilwoman Terry Castillo and Councilman Jalen McKee Rodriguez. The TAB is envisioned as a worker-centered advisory body tasked with providing formal input and recommendations on city projects, workforce policies, and economic development initiatives. Its aim is to protect labor standards, ensure fair wages, and prioritize local workforce developments. And by establishing this board, the City of San Antonio will really take a meaningful step towards ensuring that publicly funded projects benefit the local workforce and that public resources are spent in ways that reflect the city values of equity, accountability, and inclusion. So we know that there is similar um setups in Harris County and in Durham, North Carolina, where worker-focused boards have really strengthened public accountability and equity. And we ask that you vote in favor of the tab of today. Um, I know that there is a recommendation that uh says that you should not support the tab. However, we do understand that this is an advisory board and will um only advise council and the mayor in the spirit of other advisory boards that the city has created. So we again urge you to um vote in favor of the tab. Thank you. For those of you that would like to speak, please line up behind the microphone so we can go through this fairly quickly. Thank you. James May, Smart uh regional business manager, also uh San Antonio Building Trades uh Council President. We are also in favor of TAB. Uh we see the importance of labor being represented when it comes to uh points of labor and construction.

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