San Antonio City Council Meeting – February 2, 2026

The San Antonio City Council met on February 2, 2026, at 10:02 a.m., with Councilmembers Castillo, González, White, and Gavito present. The meeting began with approval of the minutes and then heard public comments and presentations on two major agenda items: the Metro Health Oral Health Program and the Howard Peak Greenway Trails System. No formal votes were taken on the substantive items, but councilmembers expressed strong support and discussed future funding considerations.

Consent Calendar

• Minutes Approval: A motion was made and passed to approve the meeting minutes from the previous session. All councilmembers voted in favor.

Public Comments & Testimony

• Beatriz Six (retired teacher, 34 years in education): Expressed full support for the Oral Health Program, describing a $300,000 community grant from 2006 that funded case management and oral health services for children. She emphasized that oral health is essential to children's holistic well-being and urged continued funding.
• Lidia Almares (community specialist, 51 years of service): Shared decades of experience working with Metro Health to provide dental services for low-income children. She described children suffering in pain from untreated cavities and called on the council to continue the contract with Metro Health, stating the program is a preventive measure that makes the difference between a child suffering in silence and a child smiling without fear.
• David Singleton (retired dentist, 24 years of practice): Described his work with the program in schools, noting that many children experience chronic pain from cavities and that the program is the only available service for these children in San Antonio. He stressed the program is essential and that untreated baby teeth affect permanent teeth.

Discussion Items

• Oral Health Program Update (Agenda Item #2)
  • Presenter: Jacob from Metro Health, along with Rebecca Daventer (director), Meredith (program administrator), and Margin White (vision program).
  • Presentation Highlights:
    • The program has been serving San Antonio for over 50 years, adapting from transporting clients in vans to mobile clinics.
    • Data from Healthy People 2030 shows increasing need: for children ages 6–9 in San Antonio, 1 in 6 have untreated cavities; for third graders in Texas, 24.2% have untreated cavities; in San Antonio, approximately one-third of third graders have not received needed dental care.
    • National barriers include lack of insurance, high costs, language barriers, transportation, lack of dental education, and dental trauma fear.
    • The program provides services through Head Start, Early Head Start, and Miles of Smiles (school-based clinics across eight school districts).
    • In the past year, the program served thousands of children; one-third of children had decay, one-third had untreated conditions, and 4.5% needed urgent treatment. The pandemic led to an increase in severe decay.
    • Current funding includes a Medicaid waiver ($1.4 million) that expires in 2026, and other grants are being phased out. The program faces a gap of about $4.4 million from the general fund.
    • Councilmember White: Expressed strong support, noting hundreds of children in District 10 benefit. Asked about replacement funds. Jacob responded that they are exploring all options but no replacement is identified yet.
    • Councilmember González: Asked about potential partnerships with Pre-K 4 SA and suggested outreach to immigrant communities and mosques in District 8. Jacob agreed to follow up.
    • Councilmember Gavito: Thanked public speakers and asked about changes in treated teeth numbers pre- and post-pandemic. Staff noted that while urgent cases did not increase dramatically, each case became more urgent. Also asked about marketing and prevention efforts.
    • Councilmember Castillo: Thanked presenters and stressed that oral health is the foundation of overall health. Hoped that during budget discussions the program becomes a priority to avoid cuts and potentially expand to Pre-K 4 SA. Mentioned upcoming changes to food purchases (e.g., removing sugary items) that may help reduce decay.
• Howard Peak Greenway Trails System Update (Agenda Item #3)
  • Presenter: Homa Gorcía (director) and Brandon Rump.
  • Presentation Highlights:
    • The program began in 1998 and was supported by sales tax initiatives: $20 million (2000), $35 million (2005), $80 million (2018), $83.4 million from Bexar County (2021), and $103.5 million (2022). The program aims to improve quality of life, preserve open space, connect habitats, and provide pedestrian/bicycle infrastructure.
    • Completed 103 miles of trails, with 12.3 miles under construction, 30 miles in design, and 7 miles planned. The system includes Leon Creek (26.5 miles), Westside Creek (12 miles), Medina River (17.6 miles), and others.
    • Amenities include water stations, shade, public art, and mile markers. Maintenance is funded through the general fund.
    • Councilmember White: Highlighted the popularity of trails in District 10 and asked about long-term maintenance plans given the tight budget. Staff replied that they report each budget cycle and rely on general fund dollars.
    • Councilmember Gavito: Noted that trails are important for physical and mental health. Suggested using bond funds for expansion and asked about safety concerns (lighting, emergency boxes, ranger presence). Also raised the need for better coordination with police on trail markers for emergencies. Requested a community meeting on lighting.
    • Councilmember González: Supported the use of CIP dollars for restrooms and recommended colleagues do the same.
    • Councilmember Castillo: Pleased to hear about expansion to Martínez Street and noted that District 5 residents need better access. Expressed support for future expansions.
    • Councilmember (additional): Asked about long-term vision and cost to complete the entire system. Staff estimated at least $40–50 million for essential expansions, plus $30 million for San Antonio projects and continuation of ready-to-build projects. Mentioned potential bond funding for 2027.
    • Councilmember: Also asked about volunteer maintenance programs and whether a fee could be charged for non-residents using the trails. Staff stated it hasn't been considered but parking access could be controlled.

Key Outcomes

• No formal votes were taken on the oral health program or the trails program.
• Councilmembers expressed strong support for both programs and directed staff to explore funding solutions, including bond measures and partnerships.
• Staff from Metro Health will provide an updated list of schools served and data on family impact in February.
• The city will continue discussions on the 2027 bond process, with staff noting that the Greenway Trails system could be a candidate for bond funding.
• Councilmember Gavito requested a community meeting about trail lighting and safety components.
• The meeting adjourned at 11:15 a.m.