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A San Antonio City Council member is proposing rotating council meetings to different parts of the city instead of just downtown.
Most, if not all, city council meetings are held downtown at City Hall at 100 Military Plaza or city council chambers in the Municipal Plaza Building across the street at 114 W. Commerce Street. A council consideration request filed by District 5 Councilwoman Teri Castillo is recommending putting more of the city into the city council meeting.
While the council has multiple meetings each week in the form of smaller committee meetings, the larger full council meetings of all ten members and the mayor are referred to as A-Session or B-Session.
A-Session meetings are on most Thursdays at 9 a.m. This is where council holds the final vote on most city ordinances or policies, and that gathering is held in City Council Chambers.
B-Session is on most Wednesdays in City Hall around 2 p.m. This is a council work session often designed for one or two big items that are in the final stage before being voted on either the next day or in the coming weeks. B-session is also used to consider major updates from CPS Energy, the San Antonio Water System, VIA Metropolitan Transit, and other entities.
Once the B-Session is complete, there’s an open public comment session that begins at 5 p.m. Residents can address the council on any issue at that time.
Under her proposal, informally referred to as "City Hall to All," Castillo is asking that B-Session be held at different locations across the city for easier access.
“B session is when we get into the weeds of items before we take action on them. So it gives the public an opportunity to engage as council is getting briefed on items before we move forward,” she said.
The proposal was inspired by resident input, including regarding the difficulty in finding parking downtown or attending meetings during a workday.
“What we hear from residents who do have an opportunity to come to public comment is that city hall is often inaccessible, and while we do waive the parking fee, finding parking is a hassle in and of itself,” she said.
As for locations they could be held, the city has multiple facilities it owns including senior centers and community centers.
“I wasn't too prescriptive with the (council consideration request) because I'd like my colleagues to help shape what this looks like and what the pilot can look like if we move forward with it,” she said.
The council’s governance committee may consider the request at an upcoming meeting.
