SAN ANTONIO — San Antonio Mayor Ron Nirenberg's hope when he assembled the 2021 Winter Storm Preparedness and Response Committee was that it would lead to answers.
“People want people to give them answers. We have to deal with a crisis that absolutely indicated that we did not do proper planning," said Committee Chair Reed Williams as the seven-member group met for the first time Friday. "We need to do better planning and execution during an event, and we need to understand how quickly we can recover."
The group consists of four current San Antonio City Council members, one former councilmember, a former housing commissioner and a retired U.S. Air Force general. The committee met for the first time Friday morning.
Williams says their first priority is to get the key questions answered first.
“We’ve got concerns that run the whole gamut. Why were we not ready? Why did we not let people know what was happening? Where were the failures between the different entities?” Williams says.
The committee chair says his group could have some of those answers posted to the City of San Antonio's website for the public to see within the next three to four weeks.
“I don’t think people have much patience these days. They’re tired of people saying, 'It’s coming, it’s coming,'" Williams said.
Once the committee gets the answers they’re looking for, their next steps will be towards planning and preparedness so the city isn't as devastated when the next major winter storm arrives.