2026-09-10 - City Council A Session

Summary

Built from the official City Clerk minutes. No video was found, so there is no transcript or timing.

Regular A Session, 9:00 AM to 3:29 PM; all 11 present.
Salame confirmed Chief of Police 11-0; police labor agreement approved 10-1.
Public hearing on the 2026 tax rate and FY 2027 budget (9:53 to 10:18 AM) with seven speakers, led by Martinez's overview of the proposed budget.
The invocation was given by a guest pastor of Meza Gonzalez; minutes of five August meetings were approved 11-0. Walsh gave no report.
The order of business was changed to take Item 20 before the briefing on Item 9, because members of the public had signed up on it; the meeting recessed at 11:36 AM and reconvened at 11:52 AM, and recessed again 2:44 to 3:02 PM.
Midtown TIRZ extension approved as amended 7-2-2; Inner City, Mission Drive In and Northeast Corridor TIRZ extensions each 11-0.
Single-user restroom ordinance withdrawn; Workforce Solutions Alamo budget briefing.

Walsh recommended Salame after a national search with 30 applicants. Confirmed 11-0 on Whyte's motion, seconded by Castillo; the City Clerk swore him in.

Two speakers supported higher Development Services license fees for metal recyclers; a salvage yard owner opposed the increase and asked for less frequent inspections.

Two speakers asked for San Antonio Education Partnership funding; one also asked to hold Human Services delegate agency funding steady for FY 2027 and FY 2028. A speaker also asked for a 12-month infrastructure pilot (public restroom, trash receptacles) at a VIA transit station in District 5.

Eight speakers supported and seven opposed. Amendment by Mungia carried 10-1 (Jones opposed); main motion as amended 7-2-2 (Abstain Castillo, Galvan; No Jones, McKee-Rodriguez). The Mayor asked whether the $60 million Institute of Texan Culture purchase needs a term extension; the answer was no without the $30 million for cultural partners.

Briefing only. The minutes name the agency's executive director as Adrian Lopez [?]; one speaker supported the agency.

Child Care Services Quality Initiative grant up to $7,672,917; Texas Parks and Wildlife grant application up to $100,000; Airport aviation channeling contract extension to a total of $1,583,621.32; a $125,000 personal injury lawsuit settlement; La Villita lease amendments ($910,141.88 revenue); San Antonio Water System refunding obligations up to $417,935,000; a $837,223 a year vision plan contract (Frieda); a state health survey agreement increase of $28,933; Telos aviation channeling services extension to 2029 ($200,000 more); a Westside TIRZ Diversion Center pilot up to $638,370 (see Diversion Center Pilot Program); two Strategic Partnership Agreements with public improvement districts in the extraterritorial jurisdiction; a police toxicology lab contract at $325,000 a year. All 11-0.
Points of privilege: Hispanic Heritage Month and National Recovery Month proclamations, Senior Center Month, World Heritage Festival.