A rather sad farewell

Yesterday was the final City Council meeting for the current government of San Antonio. My own Councilman (and fraternity brother) Christopher "Chip" Haass and five other Council members will not be back on the dais in Council chambers on Main Plaza at the next meeting.

I attended the opening of this Council meeting, but not just due its being Chip's final one. At the San Antonio Conservation Society meeting in mid-month and again in the Wednesday Express-News word was out that the Witte Museum intended to destroy over a hundred trees in Brackenridge Park in order to erect a multi-story parking garage. I strongly wished to voice my strong objections to such destruction! When I arrived and looked at the printed agenda I could not find any item that seemed to be about this matter, and shortly afterward City Manager Scully and Councilman Wolff (whose District 9 includes the Witte and Brackenridge) set me straight on it, that it wasn't an agenda item and it wasn't the horror it had been portrayed as being.

But in the meantime I'd encountered an item requesting transfer of budgeted funds for a defunct summer youth program (which had been sponsored by UTSA) into on-going summer youth programs. I signed up to speak on this issue, with an "etc." afterward, in case I wanted to throw in a few words about the tree issue (or non-issue, as it were) or say "Farewell" to the departing Council members. However, after lengthy presentation and discussion (over half an hour) of the youth programs and proposed school sites for them there was no call for citizens to be heard on the matter before the call for vote.

I was shocked! Stunned! So much so that I couldn't even rally to holler "Point of order!" as had fellow citizen Jack Finger, who had almost been likewise passed over before the call to vote on the previous issue. I left Council chambers to go do errands. I was in a huff, feeling like I'd been slapped in the face by the one concern I'd had about this city government that was about to go out of office. They had been bad about sticking around for the final item of every Thursday meeting's agenda, the "citizens to be heard". And as I told His Honor (Mayor Hardberger) and my own Councilman, both of whom were chief offenders by absences, it gave the appearance that they didn't care to listen to the voice of the people. And now they hadn't even let me speak to a specific issue. So much for this being a good government for S.A., or so I concluded.

However, after riding bus with my best friend Joe Tovar on Zarzamora Street and then going to a late afternoon medical appointment with my VA-assigned P.A., Mr. Lothery in Loopland, I found I could return to Council chambers in time for both ceremonial recognitions and citizens to be heard. Recognitions involved, first, the up-coming Texas Folklife Festival, and then farewells to the six departing Council members. Of course, each departee had opportunity to give a farewell address. Hmmmm, were they mushy, gushing with emotion! A couple of them (men as well as women) came very close to breaking down in tears as they spoke about their service and accomplishments on the Council, and their admiration for their comrades on the dais (with emphasis on the other departees). Since Chip Haass represented District Ten, he was last. He began his comments by acknowledging his reputation for long-windedness and apologizing that is would probably be the longest farewell speech (which it probably was, 'tho I didn't time them all).

Listening to them all and especially to my frat brother Haass, I calmed down considerably from my huff of earlier in the day. I had signed up for "Citizens to be heard" to protest the earlier omission, but as I went up to the podium His Honor apologized for the accidental omission (seems he hadn't been given the correct sign-up sheet or something). I accepted his apology, and after briefly explaining what I had wanted to address that morning I got around to thanking the Council for their good service and wishing Godspeed to those leaving the Council.

So, a day that started in concern and quickly descended into anger, ended on a very positive note, if a sad one of farewell. These folks had their flaws (including the absenteeism for CtBH), but they were generally a very conscientious and efficient set of city leaders. I love every one of them, and most of them I consider to be truly my brother and sister Christians, "walking the talk". I truly shall miss seeing them in Council chambers on Council meeting Thursdays. And I do surely hope that Mayor Hardberger can get the city charter changed to allow longer terms of service than a mere two years with one allowed re-election! San Antonio deserves to have an excellent set of government leaders for more than just two years (in this case, June 2005 to June 2007)!