D7 News: Making Our District and City Healthier

Your District 7 Newsletter

VOLUME 5 | Aug. 30, 2017

Dear Neighbors,

Last Thursday, I had the privilege of chairing the first meeting of City Council's Community Health and Equity Committee. I want to share why this committee was established because its work will be important to District 7.

Its scope is broad – from libraries and parks to climate change and resiliency – and our mission is to make our city healthier and more equitable. So much of what city government does affects our overall health, directly and indirectly. Our committee will focus on policy and collaborations with community-based organizations to improve health equity in San Antonio.

We face a lot of challenges in District 7 and across our city. Last year, the Bexar County Community Health Needs Assessment identified a staggering 20-year difference in life expectancy between prosperous and poor neighborhoods in San Antonio. That disparity is avoidable. We know that housing, education, transportation, infrastructure, air and water quality, employment opportunities, and so many other elements play a role.

With the committed leadership of our committee and community partners, we can improve health outcomes across our city. Our success will benefit residents from all walks of life. We all need cleaner air and a strong transportation system. We need a healthy workforce because San Antonio’s prosperity depends on it.

If you have any questions about the committee and its work, please send us an email at [email protected].

Yours in public service,

Archbishop to Offer Invocation at City Council

Each City Council member has the privilege of inviting a local spiritual leader to provide the invocation at the weekly Council meeting. Next Thursday, Sept. 7, is District 7's first turn this term, and we are blessed to to have Archbishop Gustavo Garcia-Siller give the invocation. The archbishop's offices are located in District 7. If you would like to watch on your computer, tune in at http://www.sanantonio.gov/TVSA/liveontheweb at 9 a.m. on Sept. 7.

Learn More About the Seeling Channel Project

The City's Transportation and Capital Improvements Department is moving into the third phase of work on Seeling Channel to reduce flooding in the Woodlawn area of District 7.

We have asked TCI to host a community meeting on the work.

Specifically, TCI officials will discuss:

1) the schedule for wrapping up Phase 2

2) the timeline for revisions to the area's floodplain map

3) the schedule for Phase 3 design and when public can expect to see design

To learn more about this important, multiyear project, please plan to attend. The meeting will be Tuesday, June 5, from 6 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. at Madison Elementary School, 2900 W. Woodlawn Ave.

We hope to see you there!

Getting Up to Speed on the Annual Budget

Monday night, residents from the West and Northwest sides packed the Garza Community Center in District 7 to learn more about the City's proposed 2017-2018 budget. City Manager Sheryl Sculley presented the highlights, which include funding for 40 new police officers and 43 new firefighters, and additional tax dollars for street repairs in five districts with some of the worst roadways. The budget doesn't call for an increase in the City's property tax rate.

The final SA SpeakUp event on the proposed budget will be Spanish-only on September at 4838 Old Pearsall Rd. from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m.

I hope the turnout is as strong as it was Monday night!

Helping Victims of Hurricane Harvey

District 7 residents are coming through for fellow Texans caught up in the disaster that's unfolded over the last six days.

We're been collecting nonperishable food items, baby food, diapers, new clothing, and personal hygiene products for Hurricane Harvey evacuees at the District 7 field office at 4414 Centerview, Suite 160, from 9:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. The response from around the district has been phenomenal!

Thank you.

We will continue accepting donations at the field office, Monday through Friday, until further notice. One condition: please do not drop off used clothing.

A special thank-you to Mayor Ron Nirenberg and the San Antonio Food Bank for coordinating this effort with all 10 City Council offices.

Councilwoman Sandoval Joins MPO, Executive Committee

Councilwoman Sandoval officially joined the Alamo Area Metropolitan Planning Organization on Monday -- and was almost immediately elected to its executive committee.

The MPO directs federal highway dollars to local projects.

The Councilwoman is also a member of City Council's Transportation Committee. Reducing traffic congestion on Bandera Road, which links the northern and southern reaches of District 7, is one of her highest priorities.

In the photo above, Councilwoman Sandoval with Councilmen Rey Saldana (left) and Greg Brockhouse (right), also MPO members.

Labor Day Closings

City Hall and most municipal offices, including all District 7 offices , will be closed on Monday, September 4, 2017 to observe Labor Day. Public safety and emergency services will remain in operation. Other City services will operate as follows:

Open:

Recycling, organics recycling and garbage will be collected
Police will be on duty
Fire and EMS personnel will be on duty
3-1-1 Call Center will be operational from 8 a.m.-5 p.m.
Downtown visitors will enjoy a parking meter holiday
Dead animal collection crews will be on duty
Animal care officers will be on duty
San Antonio Botanical Garden
La Villita and Market Square shops
Parks & Recreation Department’s four regional swimming pools will be open from 1-7 p.m.: Heritage, Lady Bird Johnson, Southside Lions and Woodlawn
Bitters Complex (Brush Recycling), 1800 Wurzbach Parkway
Nelson Gardens Brush Recycling Center, 8963 Nelson Rd.

Closed:

Alamodome and Alamodome Box Office
Central Library and all branch libraries
Office of EastPoint
Spanish Governor’s Palace
All Metro Health clinics
Animal Care Services Lobby and Adoption Center
Bulky waste collection centers and household hazardous waste sites (Frio City Rd., Rigsby, & Culebra)
Municipal Court, 401 S. Frio
Pre-K 4 SA centers and corporate office
Carver Community Cultural Center, 226 N. Hackberry
Senior Comprehensive Centers
Senior Nutrition Sites (seniors or the general public may contact individual nutrition sites for holiday schedule information)
City of San Antonio Community Service Centers
Head Start administrative offices and school district sites
Child Care Services administrative offices
Office of the City Clerk, Passports, Vital Records and Municipal Archives and Records
SAPD’s Administration and Records Section
Fitness in the Park and Cultural Classes will not be held
Parks & Recreation Community Centers
Parks & Recreation Adult and Senior Centers
Enrique Barrera Community Fitness Center
McFarlin Tennis Center, 1503 San Pedro
San Antonio Natatorium, 1430 W. Cesar Chavez
La Villita Administrative Offices
Market Square Administrative Offices
Centro de Artes Gallery at Market Square
Culture Commons Gallery at Plaza de Armas
Willie C. Velasquez Emergency Services Center

We're Still in Stage 1 Water Restrictions

Stage 1 of the city’s drought plan is triggered when the 10-day average of the Edwards Aquifer drops to 660 feet or below. According to the city’s Aquifer Management Plan ordinance, coming out of drought stages can be considered 15 days after the aquifer is above the trigger.

Under Stage 1, outdoor watering with a sprinkler or irrigation system is allowed only before 11 a.m. and after 7 p.m., one day per week, as determined by the last number of your street address. See graph to the right to see when your watering days are.

Watering days begin and end at midnight; overnight watering is not allowed. Water waste, such as water running down the street, is prohibited year-round. However, watering with a handheld hose is still allowed any day, any time.

Help Us Make the D7 Newsletter Better!

We want to make the District 7 newsletter more user-friendly and more relevant to you. So we need your help.

We'll introduce two new weekly features -- Ask Ana Anything, in which Councilwoman Sandoval will answer a District 7 resident's question in depth, and My Neighborhood, in which a resident tells us in 200 words or less what's great about his or her neighborhood and what needs improvement.

If you have a burning question for Ana, please send an email to [email protected], and include "Ask Ana Anything" in the subject line.

If you'd like to tell the rest of District 7 about your neighborhood, please email us your 200-word profile to [email protected] and include "My Neighborhood" in the subject line.

We're looking forward to hearing from you!