DEPARTMENT: Center City Development & Operations
DEPARTMENT HEAD: John Jacks
COUNCIL DISTRICTS IMPACTED: 1, 5, 6 & 7
SUBJECT:
Amendment to the bylaws for the Westside Development Corporation
SUMMARY:
An Ordinance approving an amendment to the bylaws for the Westside Development Corporation, revising the membership categories that comprise the Board of Directors, as approved by the Board at its April 18, 2019 Regular Meeting.
BACKGROUND INFORMATION:
The City of San Antonio Westside Development Corporation, known as the Westside Development Corporation (“WDC”) was established in 2006 for the purpose of supporting the City’s community revitalization and economic development efforts within the near West Side of San Antonio. The WDC’s current scope of work includes small business retention and attraction; small business technical assistance; WDC loan program targeting small businesses and entities involved in the revitalization of the West sector of the city; WDC grant program; and, the Legacy Corridor Business Alliance program.
The WDC Board of Directors consists of 18 positions. Currently, members must be owners or employees of businesses located within the WDC Target Area, executives representing institutes of higher education located within the Target Area, executives representing public school districts located within the Target Area, an executive from the University Health System, real estate/housing developers, and residents.
Prior to the Board of Directors’ April 18, 2019 meeting, the Board was occupied by 13 members, consisting of eight identifying as male and five identifying as female. Seven board members identified as Hispanic, and the remaining six identified as non-Hispanic white.
Amendments to the WDC bylaws and appointments to the WDC Board of Directors require City Council action.
ISSUE:
The Westside Development Corporation Board of Directors occasionally examines its board composition and makeup to determine board capacity, board applications (interest) and board member attendance. It is a goal of the WDC to operate with no board vacancies given application interest. The Board determined to re-categorize its classifications to fill vacant board groups and accommodate new board interest.
At the Board’s April 18, 2019 meeting, the following changes to the bylaws were approved, amending the categories of membership eligible for appointment:
• Increased the number of Board members that shall be residents of a neighborhood located within the WDC Target Area from two (2) to three (3);
• Increased the number of community at-large positions from one (1) to two (2);
• Reduced the number of Board members that shall be owners of a small business located within the WDC Target Area from four (4) to three (3); and
• Removed the requirement that one (1) member shall be a housing developer.
A copy of the amendment to the bylaws as approved by the Board of Directors is an attachment to this item. Pending approval of the amendment to the bylaws, the revised roster for the Board of Directors is below:
|
|
Name |
Category |
|
1 |
Phillip Chavez |
Edgewood ISD Superintendent (Ex-Officio) |
|
2 |
Theresa De La Haya |
University Health System |
|
3 |
Jesse Zapata |
UTSA |
|
4 |
Rosalinda Garcia |
OLLU |
|
5 |
Leona Pallansch |
St. Mary’s University |
|
6 |
Daniel Yoxall |
Community At-Large |
|
7 |
Stephen O’Donnell |
Large Business |
|
8 |
Joseph Carreon |
Resident |
|
9 |
Hazel Davis |
Financial Institution |
|
10 |
Lauro De Leon, Jr. |
Resident |
|
11 |
Megan Legacy |
Non-Profit |
|
12 |
Donald Rattan |
Small Business |
|
13 |
Mark Hernandez |
Small Business |
|
14 |
Vacant |
Community At-Large |
|
15 |
Vacant |
Real Estate Developer |
|
16 |
Vacant |
Small Business |
|
17 |
Vacant |
Resident |
|
18 |
Vacant |
SAISD |
ALTERNATIVES:
The City Council may deny approval of the amendment to the bylaws, which may prolong vacancies within the WDC Board of Directors and limit the capacity of the Board to conduct business.
FISCAL IMPACT:
This request is administrative; there is no fiscal impact associated with this item.
RECOMMENDATION:
Staff recommends approval of the Ordinance amending the bylaws of the City of San Antonio Westside Development Corporation, revising the membership categories that comprise the Board of Directors, as approved by the Board at its April 18, 2019 Regular Meeting.