San Antonio City Councilmember Marina Alderete Gavito today submitted a Council Consideration Request (CCR) to introduce a Utility and Fiber Projects Accountability Plan. The plan aims to enhance transparency and coordination among the City of San Antonio, utility providers like CPS Energy and SAWS, and fiber companies operating within city limits.

“Our neighbors deserve to know when and why work is being done on their streets, and when service interruptions may occur,” stated Councilmember Alderete Gavito. “This proposal is about partnership – ensuring that our city functions efficiently and effectively, and that our residents stay informed. We’re not reinventing the wheel – simply calling for a system that ensures all stakeholders are aligned before a project begins. This is about good governance. Our city needs fewer surprises and quicker, clearer communication to better serve our residents.”

The proposed Utility and Fiber Projects Accountability Plan advocates for a collaborative approach to develop a more consistent and coordinated communication system. Key objectives of the policy proposal include:

• Resident Notifications: Implementing public outreach through robocalls, social media, and printed flyers to inform residents of upcoming construction activity.
• Information Standards: Requiring communication from utility and fiber companies to include, at minimum, a dedicated contact phone number, projected project or outage timelines, details on work hours and approved variances, and potential impacts to residents (e.g., traffic delays, parking restrictions, service interruptions).
• Real-Time Communication with Council Offices: Establishing a formal requirement for ongoing communication between utility providers, fiber companies, and City Council offices to ensure timely dissemination of project and outage information to residents.
• Accountability Measures: Developing and implementing mechanisms to hold utility and fiber providers accountable for inadequate communication with residents, the City, or City Council offices.
• Coordination Agreements: Creating a formal agreement among the City of San Antonio, CPS Energy, SAWS, and fiber companies to coordinate infrastructure work whenever feasible to minimize disruption.