SAN ANTONIO — Six years after an ad hoc advisory committee was created to advocate in front of San Antonio city leaders on behalf of LGBTQ+ residents, City Council voted unanimously Thursday to turn that committee into an ongoing board.
The move effectively codifies a group of designees that has "a direct line" from the LGBTQ+ community to council members, ensuring its existence beyond Mayor Ron Nirenberg's administration when he leaves office in June 2025. First-term Councilman Marc Whyte abstained from the vote, saying that while he "will always support the LGBT community," he thought the creation of the board was ill-timed at a point when he said various other city board seats remain vacant.
“I simply don’t believe we need more bureaucracy," Whyte said. "We do not need any more of these boards or commissions, at least not until we can fill up all the ones we had.”
District 2 Councilman Jalen McKee-Rodriguez – the first gay Black man elected to any office in Texas – responded to Whyte by saying an advisory group already exists, adding he would "find it very challenging to consider a no vote not personal."
“I feel like a no vote for fear of increased bureaucracy is misguided," he said. "Each of us represents 150,000 people and counting. If you’re worried about vacancies, fill them."
Eventual approval of the item was met with brief applause from those in the chamber. The board will be made up of 13 members—three appointed by the mayor and one appointed by each of the 10 other City Council members, according to city presentation materials. The members are expected to be "reflective of and sensitive to the needs of LGBTQ+ communities' diverse populations," and will, among other things, coordinate educational programs; recommend ways to improve life for LGBTQ+ residents; and "work with other commissions to address intersectionality."
Board members will serve two-year terms, per city code, concurrent with the council member who appointed them.
Council discussion on the measure was preceded by public comment which saw several residents proclaiming support for creation of a permanent LGBTQ+ advisory board—even admitting they didn't expect to be speaking in the afternoon, given the item was presented more than four hours after City Council's typical 9 a.m. start time.
Aside from Whyte, every other City Council voiced support, with some either expressing that such an action was overdue or relieved that it would ensure LGBTQ+ voices would be heard beyond Nirenberg's time in office.
"This isn't a symbolic gesture," District 6 Councilwoman Melissa Cabello Havrda said. "These voices demand and deserve to be heard."
District 9 Councilman John Courage emphasized the importance of passing the measure now, given the committee in original current form could have been dissolved by a future mayor.
That committee was responsible for shepherding various LGBTQ-focused initiatives, including establishing gender-neutral bathrooms in city buildings and the public display of a Pride flag in June.
The creation of the board is effective immediately. Nirenberg called the vote "historic" in an afternoon post on X.
Responding to a resident who voiced opposition to the measure during public comment, District 8 Councilman Manny Pelaez said during discussion that “that represents hate, and that’s not us. Not at all.”
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