OPENPUBLICA · PUBLIC MEETING RECORD
Record of Proceedings

City of Albuquerque Committee of the Whole Meeting – May 9, 2024: FY2025 Budget Hearings and Public Comments

City Council — Thursday, May 9, 2024
BodyAlbuquerque, New Mexico
SessionCity Council
DateThursday, May 9, 2024
StatusFILED
Video Record
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Transcript — Verbatim
2:12

Welcome everyone.

2:13

I call this committee of the whole meeting to order.

2:16

All counselors are present, and we have a counselor on Zoom who will be joining us shortly.

2:21

And I apologize for the delay.

2:23

I spilled my water.

2:24

So counselor, Madam Vice President Grout.

2:28

Thank you, Madam Chair.

2:29

Members of the public, city staff, and the media have the ability to view this meeting in person and on live streams through four different platforms.

2:43

The live streams can be accessed from most smartphones, tablets, or computers.

2:49

Also, this meeting is closed captioned, and you may enable those closed captioning services on your television or devices at this time.

2:56

The video recording of this meeting will also remain available for viewing at any time on the council's website.

3:03

Council staff is available via telephone.

3:06

If members of the public need assistance finding the videos online, please call seven six eight thirty-five thirty-one hundred for assistance during business hours, which are Monday through Friday from eight to five PM.

3:19

Members of the public have the opportunity to address the committee if they have signed up to speak on an item per the rules published on the agenda and on our website Friday.

3:30

Tonight is the second of three public hearings the council is required to hold on the city's operating budget.

3:37

Tonight's meetings will focus on the city's physical goal budgets, which include municipal development, planning, general services, environmental health, transit, animal welfare, aviation, legal, solid waste, internal audit, inspector general, human resources, technology and innovation, finance and administration, and city support.

4:25

Live public comment and written comments will be accepted at the May 20th council meeting.

4:44

Members of the public are able to address the committee if they have signed up for an agenda item per the instructions published on the agenda and on our website.

5:00

Comments are to be addressed to the committee members only through the vice through the chair.

5:02

Any disruptive conduct or non-germane commentary will result in removal from the meeting.

5:08

So, Mr.

5:09

Cornelius, can you please name our first speaker?

5:12

Thank you, Madam Chair.

5:13

I'll now call agenda item R2436.

5:17

Our first speaker is Rudolph Serrano, followed by John Bell.

5:27

Madam President Penya, members of the council.

5:30

If you don't see me here, it doesn't mean I'm not watching you, but sometimes I live far away.

5:35

I have to be watching the from a far.

5:50

But now that we have the jail open, I can use it to fabricate and start shaping people out.

5:57

You know, I thank you.

6:03

Here one for each.

6:15

John Bell, followed by Hilma Chenovith.

6:20

Uh thank you, Counselors.

6:21

Thank you, Chair.

6:22

Uh, my name is John Bell, and thank you for the opportunity to speak tonight.

6:27

I run Next Now Digital, which is a marketing firm here that uh in Albuquerque that helps businesses and nonprofits grow through new digital practices.

6:36

And I'm also a proud member of the Explora board of directors.

6:40

And in my time on the Explorer board, uh I've seen how Explora makes Albuquerque a better place.

6:48

Explora asks us to imagine a world where there's uh no achievement gap between kids from underserved communities and those from uh better served or better advantaged communities overall.

7:02

Uh our STEAM education programs, improve student learning outcomes, and our new uh X studio teen center actually exposes students to STEAM careers and gives them the chance to choose one to for pursue in their lives.

7:24

Over seven, over 4,000, or I'm sorry, 7,000 teens, have actually experienced X Studio this year.

7:34

Our public-private partnerships and our public private partnership with the City of Albuquerque makes that possible, and we ask for your support.

7:43

So please, if you will, restore the 250,000 dollars needed to maintain Explorer's current fiscal year 24 funding levels.

7:55

Thank you all very much.

8:08

Thank you, counselors and chairwomen.

8:10

I appreciate the opportunity to speak with you this evening.

8:13

My name is Hilma Chinawith.

8:15

I am a business development professional, and I get to serve as the president of Explora's board of directors.

8:22

We are grateful for the support Explora has received from both the city council and the city administration for decades.

8:29

In fact, Explorer just celebrated the 20th anniversary at our mountain road location.

8:34

In that time, we have provided hands-on STEAM learning experiences for millions of children and millions of families, and sorry, and their families, and have supported the work of hundreds of schools and thousands of teachers.

8:49

Recently, incoming APS superintendent Dr.

8:52

Gabriella Duran Blakey told the business community, children need increased opportunities for background knowledge, for conceptual knowledge.

9:01

That is knowledge acquired outside the classroom that then informs their learning within the classroom.

9:07

That is what Explora does every day, and we need your continued support.

9:21

Excuse me, to maintain Explorer's funding at our current fiscal year 24 levels.

9:26

Thank you so much for your consideration and for your support.

9:34

Doug Montoya, followed by Anthony Zamora.

9:42

Madam Chairwoman and Steam members of the city council, my name is Doug Montoya.

9:45

I'm a co-artistic director of Carbor Playhouse Theatre Company, which owns and operates as the Box Performance Base downtown.

Discussion Breakdown — Share of Meeting
Engineering And Infrastructure███████████████15%
Cannabis Regulation█████████████13%
Fiscal Sustainability█████████9%
Personnel Matters████████8%
Public Transit███████7%
Community Engagement██████6%
Animal Welfare██████6%
Procedural████4%
Public Safety████4%
Summary of Proceedings

City of Albuquerque Committee of the Whole Meeting – May 9, 2024: FY2025 Budget Hearings and Public Comments

This was the second of three required public hearings on the City of Albuquerque's FY2025 operating budget. The meeting focused on physical goal department budgets, including Municipal Development, Planning, General Services, Environmental Health, Transit, Animal Welfare, Aviation, Legal, Solid Waste, Internal Audit, Inspector General, Human Resources, Technology and Innovation, Finance and Administration, and City Support. The council heard public comments on both the budget (R‑24‑36) and the one‑year objectives (R‑24‑40) and voted to postpone both items to a subsequent meeting on May 16, 2024. All nine councilors were present.

Public Comments & Testimony

  • Rudolph Serrano spoke about using the jail to shape people and thanked the council.
  • John Bell (Next Now Digital, Explora board) requested restoring $250,000 to maintain Explora’s current funding level, citing its STEAM education programs and the X Studio teen center that has served over 4,000 teens this year.
  • Hilma Chenowith (president of Explora’s board) supported maintaining Explora’s FY24 funding level, noting Explora provided hands‑on learning for millions of children over 20 years.
  • Doug Montoya (co‑artistic director, Cardboard Playhouse Theatre Company) sought support for the free youth arts program and facility improvements at the Box Performance Base downtown.
  • Anthony Zamora (veteran, community advocate) advocated for public libraries, specifically for temporary staff and IT budget to maintain digital access.
  • Miguel Titman (firefighter representative) recognized the COLA and pending negotiations, asking the council to adequately fund the fire department.
  • Natasha Garcia (founder/executive director, New Mexico Reentry Center) supported the ACS violence intervention program and re‑entry efforts.
  • Marcus I (Albuquerque Disc Golf Association) thanked the council for past support and requested continued work on a new 20‑hole course at Puerto Del Sol and improvements at Baca Grant Backer and Ladera Dam courses.
  • Terry Storch urged no cuts to rental assistance under CDBG and no reduction for affordable housing vouchers, citing the housing crisis.
  • Andrea Calderone encouraged increased funding for affordable housing, noting the high cost of production (~$275,000 per unit) and the need for an ecosystem of strategies beyond the $7.5 million workforce housing trust fund and $9.579 million allocated.
  • Anita Cordova (past president, Albuquerque Affordable Housing Coalition) urged full funding at least $20 million, stating housing is a cornerstone of dignity and stability.
  • Dr. Sarah McKinney (director of Explora’s Early Learning Center) asked to restore $250,000 to maintain FY24 funding for the center serving 25 two‑to‑five year olds with STEAM‑based childhood education.
  • Devante Watson supported the ACS model as a proactive public safety approach that addresses root causes of violence.
  • Andrea Calderone (on R‑24‑40) noted misalignment between desired community conditions and the objectives in the goals resolution, especially concerning non‑permanent solutions to homelessness.

Discussion Items

  • Municipal Development (Director Jennifer Turner): Presented $36.5M general fund budget. Council questions covered traffic calming studies (staffing insufficient), lighting issues on West Central (decorative lights removed due to structural issues, lawsuit pending), copper theft (overspent $3M projected for FY24, pilot projects armoring poles), and a correction to the gas tax road fund (revenue doubled in error, will be revised with $2M subsidy needed).
  • Planning (Director Alan Varela): $22.3M general fund budget. Highlights included expediting building permits, reducing permit review times (residential 71 days average, down from 112; commercial 114 days, down from 121 with 25‑day plan review). Code enforcement backlog reduced from 3,500 to ~500; 27 field officers. Engineers hardest to fill; vacancy rate now 9.5%.
  • General Services (Nathan Martinez): $23.4M general fund. Questions on security training improvements (diplomacy training) and fuel hedging (cost $18.2M in FY23, insurance strategy used for FY25). $2.7M spent on City Hall improvements (art gallery, elevator lobby).
  • Environmental Health (Interim Director Paul Rogers): $4.9M general fund. Discussion on the human feces cleanup program (R‑24‑3). $300K appropriated in FY24; $50K split with Solid Waste to expedite a citywide contract. Administration stated program will continue from existing contractual services budget in FY25 without a separate line item.
  • Transit (Leslie Keener): $65.4M operating budget. Staffing gains: net gain of 14 MCOs and 16 SunVan chauffeurs since November; vehicle servicer vacancy down from 67% to near 30%. Electric bus costs: $1.3M per bus vs. $718K for CNG; annual operating cost $46,900 vs. $69,400 for CNG. Security moved to APD budget. ABQ Ride Connect pilot (one year) started March 18, 2024. Network study phase three underway; first phase implementation targeted summer 2025.
  • Animal Welfare (Carolyn Ortega): $16.4M general fund. Food costs up 60% due to warehouse closure and third‑party vendor; exploring cheaper food and larger storage. Lucky Paws lease ($129K/year) ends Dec. 2024; renewal uncertain because of declined mall traffic. Street Cat Hub spayed/neutered 2,083 cats in 2024; budget increased to $500K (provider asked $700K).
  • Aviation (Richard McCurley): $85.7M operating budget. Terminal renovation (Dream of Flight) on schedule for Dec. 2024 completion. Concession program (Frescas) at 60% design; target opening for fall. Added 10 additional flights and three new routes in the past year.
  • Legal (Lauren Keefe): $8.1M general fund. 30 attorneys in budget, 22 civilians. Three attorney vacancies; labor market tight. Outside counsel spending: $1.2M in FY24, $1.5M in FY23. Office of Civil Rights investigation staff moved to OEI (one position combining civil rights and consumer protection at OEI). Domestic violence coordinator position moved to APD under Commander Hartsock.
  • Solid Waste (William Gallegos): $96.5M operating budget. Ambassador program: $405K for downtown (9‑10 staff), $185K for Nob Hill (3 staff plus supervisor) via Duke City Ambassadors (contract with MYDATT). Councilors debated extending ambassadors to other areas; administration cited safety and property rights limitations.
  • Internal Audit (Mark Correa): $1.1M general fund. Performance measure showing only $11K assessed mid‑year vs. $5M approved; explanation to follow.
  • Inspector General (Melissa Santiestevan): $723K general fund. Peer review due Dec. 2024; $5K requested for review.
  • Human Resources (Acting Director Ian Stoker): $5.8M general fund. Health insurance transition to UnitedHealthcare still allows access to Presbyterian providers per administration. City has 40 HR coordinators plus central team of 4‑6, meeting ratios.
  • Technology and Innovation (Mark Leach): $18.3M general fund. UPS in data center end‑of‑life; two of three converters operational. May seek federal funds. Cybersecurity budget ~2% of department; grant funded. Windows 11 upgrade ongoing with $500K PC refresh.
  • Finance and Administration (Donna Sandoval): $14.4M general fund. Office of Equity and Inclusion (OEI) budget moved to Fund 202 (marijuana equity and community reinvestment fund). Administration explained OEI’s entire scope is serving populations disproportionately impacted by historical marijuana criminalization; 42% of Fund 202 for OEI operations, 8% reserve, 50% for legislative programs (community grants). Councilors expressed concern that community wanted less than 50% for city operations. OEI director and three staff to be hired; program details pending. Office of Civil Rights and Consumer Protection position will be general‑fund funded within OEI, not from Fund 202.
  • City Support (Lawrence Davis, Kevin Noelle, CFO Carolos): $37.4M general fund. Budget growth projected at 1.7% increase, lower than surrounding jurisdictions, due to slowing economy, declining hold‑harmless payments, and diversion to TIDDs. Projected FY24 GRT growth 4.5%, but FY25 expected slower.

Key Outcomes

  • R‑24‑36 (FY2025 budget appropriation) – Motion to postpone to May 16, 2024 carried unanimously (9‑0).
  • R‑24‑40 (one‑year objectives) – Motion to postpone to May 16, 2024 carried unanimously (9‑0).
  • Council directed several departments to provide additional information: DMD to correct gas tax fund table; Transit to reconcile security funding; Animal Welfare to explore food cost reductions and report on Lucky Paws options; OEI to submit outstanding quarterly reports and a detailed breakdown of Fund 202 balance and spending plan; MRA to clarify budget figures for a redevelopment coordinator and on‑call contracts; City Economist to provide comparative revenue projections with other communities.

Meeting Transcript

Welcome everyone. I call this committee of the whole meeting to order. All counselors are present, and we have a counselor on Zoom who will be joining us shortly. And I apologize for the delay. I spilled my water. So counselor, Madam Vice President Grout. Thank you, Madam Chair. Members of the public, city staff, and the media have the ability to view this meeting in person and on live streams through four different platforms. The live streams can be accessed from most smartphones, tablets, or computers. Also, this meeting is closed captioned, and you may enable those closed captioning services on your television or devices at this time. The video recording of this meeting will also remain available for viewing at any time on the council's website. Council staff is available via telephone. If members of the public need assistance finding the videos online, please call seven six eight thirty-five thirty-one hundred for assistance during business hours, which are Monday through Friday from eight to five PM. Members of the public have the opportunity to address the committee if they have signed up to speak on an item per the rules published on the agenda and on our website Friday. Tonight is the second of three public hearings the council is required to hold on the city's operating budget. Tonight's meetings will focus on the city's physical goal budgets, which include municipal development, planning, general services, environmental health, transit, animal welfare, aviation, legal, solid waste, internal audit, inspector general, human resources, technology and innovation, finance and administration, and city support. Live public comment and written comments will be accepted at the May 20th council meeting. Members of the public are able to address the committee if they have signed up for an agenda item per the instructions published on the agenda and on our website. Comments are to be addressed to the committee members only through the vice through the chair. Any disruptive conduct or non-germane commentary will result in removal from the meeting. So, Mr. Cornelius, can you please name our first speaker? Thank you, Madam Chair. I'll now call agenda item R2436. Our first speaker is Rudolph Serrano, followed by John Bell. Madam President Penya, members of the council. If you don't see me here, it doesn't mean I'm not watching you, but sometimes I live far away. I have to be watching the from a far. But now that we have the jail open, I can use it to fabricate and start shaping people out. You know, I thank you. Here one for each. John Bell, followed by Hilma Chenovith. Uh thank you, Counselors. Thank you, Chair. Uh, my name is John Bell, and thank you for the opportunity to speak tonight. I run Next Now Digital, which is a marketing firm here that uh in Albuquerque that helps businesses and nonprofits grow through new digital practices. And I'm also a proud member of the Explora board of directors. And in my time on the Explorer board, uh I've seen how Explora makes Albuquerque a better place. Explora asks us to imagine a world where there's uh no achievement gap between kids from underserved communities and those from uh better served or better advantaged communities overall. Uh our STEAM education programs, improve student learning outcomes, and our new uh X studio teen center actually exposes students to STEAM careers and gives them the chance to choose one to for pursue in their lives. Over seven, over 4,000, or I'm sorry, 7,000 teens, have actually experienced X Studio this year. Our public-private partnerships and our public private partnership with the City of Albuquerque makes that possible, and we ask for your support. So please, if you will, restore the 250,000 dollars needed to maintain Explorer's current fiscal year 24 funding levels. Thank you all very much. Thank you, counselors and chairwomen. I appreciate the opportunity to speak with you this evening. My name is Hilma Chinawith. I am a business development professional, and I get to serve as the president of Explora's board of directors. We are grateful for the support Explora has received from both the city council and the city administration for decades. In fact, Explorer just celebrated the 20th anniversary at our mountain road location.

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