San Antonio City Council won’t reconsider Chick-fil-A airport decision

SAN ANTONIO-(KTSA News) – Efforts to revive the Chick-fil-A debate at city hall have failed.

Calling it a defining moment, City Councilman Greg Brockhouse Thursday made a motion to reconsider last month’s decision to exclude Chick-fil-A from the concessions contract at San Antonio International Airport.

Dozens of business owners and pastors, including John Hagee from Cornerstone church, showed up Thursday in hopes of voicing their support for Brockhouse’s motion, but because the item was not on the agenda, they were not allowed to speak.

“I want to bring it back up because it’s the right thing to do. It’s the right thing for our community,” said Brockhouse.

City Councilman Manny Pelaez questioned the timing of the proposal, which would put the Chick-fil-A item on the May 2 council agenda just two days before the city election.

Before Brockhouse read the motion, Mayor Ron Nirenberg said,”Regardless of the outcome of this vote, no business, any of those operating within the law, shall be barred from operating in the city of San Antonio.”

Councilwoman Shirley Gonzales said the decision on the airport concessions contract has been made and it’s time to move on.

“I find it very offensive that we’ve put the city in this position and that the mayor hasn’t taken control of this situation early on,” said Gonzales.

She says it’s time to focus on issues affecting her constituents.

“Making sure that people have appropriate housing, that people are not getting killed on our streets, that we are providing adequate food and resources for our community. That has been my priority,” Gonzales said.

She and five others voted against reconsidering the decision.

Here’s how the votes on Brockhouse’s proposal came down:

District 1-Robert Trevino -No
District 2-Art Hall-No
District 3-Rebecca Viagran-Yes
District 4-Rey Saldana-No
District 5-Shirley Gonzales-No
District 6-Greg Brockhouse-Yes
District 7-Ana Sandoval-No
District 8-Manny Pelaez-Yes
District 9-John Courage-Yes
District 10-Clayton Perry-Yes
Mayor-Ron Nirenberg -No

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SAN ANTONIO (KTSA News) – A motion to take another San Antonio City Council vote on the airport concessions contract has failed.

A group of pastors, business owners and members of the LGBTQ community crowded the chambers this morning as Councilman Greg Brockhouse made a motion to reconsider last month’s decision to ban Chick-fil-A from the airport concessions contract. It failed on a 6-5 vote.

City Council members Rebecca Viagran, Greg Brockhouse, Manny Pelaez, John Courage and Clayton Perry voted to put the item on the agenda May 2, but they were outnumbered by Mayor Ron Nirenberg, Roberto Trevino, Art Hall, Rey Saldana, Shirley Gonzales and Ana Sandoval.

This is a developing story.