OPENPUBLICA · PUBLIC MEETING RECORD
Record of Proceedings

Albuquerque City Council Meeting - June 16, 2025

City Council — Monday, June 16, 2025
BodyAlbuquerque, New Mexico
SessionCity Council
DateMonday, June 16, 2025
StatusFILED
Video Record
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Transcript — Verbatim
0:07

Good evening, everyone.

0:09

DC.

0:09

It is June 16th, 2025.

0:12

This 34th meeting of the 26th Council will come to order.

0:16

All counselors will be present this evening.

0:18

A couple counselors are running late due to some traffic issues.

0:22

We're going to start this evening by a moment of silence, followed by the Pledge of Allegiance in English and in Spanish.

1:08

Civic Plaza parking passes are provided for members of the public.

1:12

You can obtain your parking pass from council staff at a table near the chamber's entrance.

1:17

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 GovTV on Comcast Channel 16, the Gov TV website, YouTube, and Zoom webinar.

1:29

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

1:33

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

1:41

The video recording of this and all past council meetings will remain available for viewing at any time on the city council's website.

1:47

Council staff is available via telephone if members of the public need assistance finding the videos online.

1:53

Please call 505 768 3100 for assistance during business hours Monday through Friday, 8 a.m.

1:59

to 5 p.m.

2:00

The council will take a break at approximately 7 p.m.

2:03

this evening if needed.

2:04

With regard to decorum in the chambers, we want tonight's proceedings to be as civil and respectful as possible.

2:10

Please do not make any personal attacks and please no applause, snapping, or other outbursts during the meeting.

2:15

This meeting will go a lot smoother if we all respect one another.

2:20

We're going to begin tonight with proclamations and presentations.

2:23

We do not have any proclamations this evening, but we will begin with a presentation from Dr.

2:27

Shell Sanchez, Director of Arts and Culture, who will provide a quarterly update on the Route 66th Centennial.

2:36

Good evening, Director.

2:38

Good evening, thank you, Counselor.

2:42

All right.

2:44

Okay, super.

2:46

Okay, three minutes, three slides.

2:48

Let's see.

2:49

Here we go.

2:51

Route 66 Centennial, just in case nobody's been paying attention.

2:56

It's six months away.

2:57

Starts uh 2026.

3:01

Um so right now our department is focused on what we're calling an art fueled road trip.

3:08

This is 20 stops along Route 66, starting um singing arrow open space all the way to the very top of 9 Mile Hill.

3:20

That includes the visitor center, the Route 66 Visitor Center, but the last stop is just beyond that at the very top of the hill.

3:29

Um we can't fit everything actually on two slides, but just to give you a sense of this.

3:38

This is um 18 miles, the first nine miles or so on the east side of town.

3:45

And um, we're gonna make a link available for everyone.

3:49

But you see that we're really trying to focus on having things all along the route.

3:56

So the Google map has our augmented reality stops, those are yellow, the revamped signs that we've invested in, those are purple.

4:06

Um, mural installations and artworks that are new, those are blue, and then the green is infrastructure and capital.

4:14

Um, so we've uh this map is not actually, some of it's cut off on this particular uh oops.

4:23

Sorry.

4:26

Where are we going?

4:27

There we go.

4:28

Um, some of it is cut off, but as you can see, it kind of goes all the way along.

4:33

Um I will just read you some of the stops.

4:36

So augmented reality, we've got at Singing Arrow Community Center, Tallin Market, the Guild Cinema, 66 Diners, Special Collections Library, Fourth and Central Intersection, the ABQ Biopark Botanic Garden, Route 66 Visit Visitor Center, and then the very top of Nine Mile Hill at West Central.

4:56

Murals and new art installations just for this initiative.

5:00

Murals and new art installations just for this initiative, East Central, Sign International District, Sign, Matucci's Bar Roma Triangle, at you know the triangle right there in Knob Hill, UNM Arts Lab on at UNM, 505 Food Hall, L Ray, Old Town ART station, and then infrastructure, and these are projects that have been finished in the last two years, real quick.

5:28

Improvements at the Terras Open Space, the Farolito Senior Community, Housing, Route 66 Flats, Somos Apartments, Casitos del Camino, International District Park is underway, rail trail improvements are starting, the Imperial Metropolitan Redevelopment, Arrive Hotel, Ex Novo, Asequia Madre Open Space, Nueva Etrisco, and then the purchase most recently of the UNSER property.

5:56

Almost got it.

5:58

All right, so that is what is either completed or well underway.

6:04

And we're looking forward to a very dynamic centennial.

6:09

And some of these projects will actually be launching this fall in September or early October.

6:15

Thank you, Director.

6:16

Counselors, any questions?

6:18

Councilor Sanchez.

Discussion Breakdown — Share of Meeting
Procedural████████████████████20%
Public Engagement███████████████15%
Economic Development████████████12%
Public Safety█████████9%
Affordable Housing████████8%
Workforce Development██████6%
Homelessness██████6%
Arts And Culture█████5%
Budget Equity Analysis████4%
Summary of Proceedings

Albuquerque City Council Meeting - June 16, 2025

The City Council convened for its 34th meeting of the 26th Council on Monday, June 16, 2025, at 5:00 PM in the Vincent E. Griego Chambers. All nine councilors were present. The meeting included presentations, a consent agenda, financial instruments, public comments, appointments, and line-item veto overrides. The meeting adjourned at 9:27 PM.

Consent Calendar

  • EC-25-407 (Hi-Way Hotel right-of-way vacation) was withdrawn by administration.
  • EC-25-408 (Hangar lease amendment) approved 9-0.
  • EC-25-409 (Early Head Start quarterly report) receipt noted 9-0.
  • EC-25-410 through EC-25-417 (Mayoral appointments to various boards and commissions) confirmed 9-0.
  • EC-25-422 (Amended Stadium Lease Agreement with DBH Albuquerque LLC) approved 9-0.
  • O-25-85 (Creating Albuquerque Permitting Office) withdrawn by sponsor 9-0.
  • R-25-147 (FY 2026-2027 Urban Enhancement Trust Fund Program) passed 9-0.
  • R-25-155 (Trails+ Grant acceptance) passed 9-0.
  • R-25-162 (Central/Highland/Upper Nob Hill MRA boundary amendment) withdrawn by sponsor 9-0.
  • R-25-163 (Planning Department permitting efficiency) passed 9-0.
  • R-25-164 (Bond election for November 4, 2025) passed 9-0.

Public Comments & Testimony

  • On O-25-87 (Sawmill IRB): Jack Corter expressed support for the project. Alexander Ubaez urged the council to require prevailing wages and affordable housing, calling the 70% tax abatement a "race to the bottom." Tiffany Cunningham (teacher) asked for union apprenticeships and affordable units for workers. James Shanley criticized gentrification and urged redirection of resources to neglected corridors. Rosendo Nahar (Carpenters Local 1319) argued for prevailing wage and apprenticeship language, noting that out-of-town workers are cheaper. Janice Cardenas urged a mandate for at least one-third low-income apartments and registered apprenticeships. Joan Baker (UA Local 412) called the IRB a "$227 million giveaway without worker protections." A local restaurant owner (Mr. Michaels) asked for a parking structure and more community-wide benefits.
  • General Public Comments: Several speakers addressed police oath issues, housing displacement from Barcelona Suites, cooling centers, youth programming, and the need for more transparency. Lisa Christofferson highlighted the displacement of individuals on city vouchers. Jack Corter (property manager) urged collaboration on housing laws. Janet Sayers provided historical context on the council. Anami Das expressed frustration with the council. Joshua Price flagged Flock Safety cameras. Trina Jellison (Cuidando Los Niños) noted that a $500,000 budget cut would destabilize 50 families. Sal Perdomo and Rihanna Samuel (NAOP New Mexico) supported R-25-163 for permitting efficiency.
  • On RA-25-5 (Committee Rules): Lisa Christofferson supported the transparency measure. Adeo Herrick also supported it.
  • On EC-25-424 (Heading Home Lease): James Freeman supported the lease, noting the agency's impact.
  • On EC-25-425 (Supportive Housing Services): Lisa Christofferson and James Freeman supported the agreements, suggesting the city provide the building to Heading Home rent-free.
  • On Line-Item Veto Overrides: No public comments were recorded for the override discussions.

Discussion Items

  • Route 66 Centennial Update: Dr. Shell Sanchez presented a map of 20 stops along Route 66, highlighting augmented reality, murals, and infrastructure projects. Councilor Sanchez expressed concerns about crime on Central Avenue, stating he sees 60–100 drug deals daily and that police presence is lacking. The director noted that a full report includes public safety efforts.
  • Gross Receipts Tax Update: Economist Christine Berner reported preliminary April GRT figures: negative 0.3% for the 1.225% rate, year-to-date growth of 2.5%. Construction was positive at 4.7%, but retail trade (-3.8%), arts and recreation (-10.6%), and professional services (-8.5%) were negative. She noted the loss of hold harmless caused the negative. Councilor Lewis requested trend analysis and comparisons with other cities. Councilor Rogers objected to the lack of transparency, asking that future presentations be deferred and sent to all councilors.
  • O-25-87 – Sawmill District IRB: The administration proposed $227.5 million in industrial revenue bonds for three projects: Sawmill Hotel ($76.3M, 115 rooms), Chaco Residences ($70.4M, 107 extended-stay units), and Sawmill Mixed Use ($80.8M, 140 apartments). The developer, Jim Long of Heritage Hotels, emphasized local hiring and small business opportunities. Public comment was divided. Councilor Peña introduced Amendment No. 1 to require prevailing wages as defined by HB6 (passed 8-1). Councilor Lewis argued the amendment was unnecessary, but Councilor Peña and Feibelkorn clarified it would take effect before HB6. After amendment, the ordinance passed 9-0.
  • R-25-165 (Sycamore Plaza Tax Abatement): Passed 9-0.
  • R-25-166 (Vassar & Phoenix Warehouse Tax Abatement): Passed 9-0.
  • RA-25-5 (Committee Rules of Procedure): Councilor Feibelkorn proposed allowing bill sponsors to attend committee meetings even if not members. Councilor Bassan opposed, arguing committees should be streamlined. The motion failed 2-7.
  • R-25-168 (CIP Amendment): Councilor Grout offered two amendments: Amendment 1 reduced Balloon Fiesta Park funding by $300,000 and reallocated to Renwood Hills Park ($75k), Mboto Hills Park ($75k), and Manzano Mesa Park security ($150k) – passed 9-0. Amendment 2 set aside $500,000 for the Wandebo to U Bank multi-use trail in District 9 – passed 8-1. The bill as amended passed 9-0.
  • Line-Item Veto Overrides (EC-25-418): Four vetoes were considered:
    • Veto 1 (Office of Permitting Language): Override failed 5-4.
    • Veto 2 (Condition on Economic Development Funding): Override failed 5-4.
    • Veto 3 (Cycling USA Masters Championship Funding): Override succeeded 6-3.
    • Veto 4 (Bands of Enchantment Funding): Override succeeded 7-2. During the debate on Veto 4, legal counsel discussed procurement exemptions and the separation of powers. Councilor Pena expressed concerns about naming specific organizations in the budget. Councilor Rogers noted that Bands of Enchantment is a for-profit company and the contract would require multiple procurement methods. The override passed.

Key Outcomes

  • Inspector General Selection: The council selected William Hoffman (6-0) after ranked-choice voting.
  • City Auditor Selection: The council selected Marisa Vargas (9-0) after ranked-choice voting.
  • Board of Ethics Appointments: Clayton King and Levi Green were confirmed (8-0).
  • Other Appointments: All mayoral appointments on the consent agenda were confirmed.
  • Approved Agreements: Lease with Heading Home (EC-25-424) and three social service agreements (EC-25-425) were approved 9-0.
  • Line-Item Vetoes: Overrides failed for two items (permitting language and economic development condition) and succeeded for two items (cycling championship and Bands of Enchantment). The council will need to reappropriate the funds for the successful overrides.
  • Prevailing Wage Amendment: The Sawmill district IRB now requires prevailing wages as defined in HB6, effective upon the ordinance's enactment.
  • Retirement Announcement: Kevin Soraso, a city attorney, was recognized for his upcoming retirement after 35 years of service.

Note: The meeting minutes and transcript are consistent on all votes and key decisions. No discrepancies were identified.

Meeting Transcript

Good evening, everyone. DC. It is June 16th, 2025. This 34th meeting of the 26th Council will come to order. All counselors will be present this evening. A couple counselors are running late due to some traffic issues. We're going to start this evening by a moment of silence, followed by the Pledge of Allegiance in English and in Spanish. Civic Plaza parking passes are provided for members of the public. You can obtain your parking pass from council staff at a table near the chamber's entrance. 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 GovTV on Comcast Channel 16, the Gov TV website, YouTube, and Zoom webinar. The live streams can be accessed from most smartphones, tablets, or computers. Also, this meeting is closed captioned, and you may enable you may enable the closed captioning services on your device or television at this time. The video recording of this and all past council meetings will remain available for viewing at any time on the city council's website. Council staff is available via telephone if members of the public need assistance finding the videos online. Please call 505 768 3100 for assistance during business hours Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. The council will take a break at approximately 7 p.m. this evening if needed. With regard to decorum in the chambers, we want tonight's proceedings to be as civil and respectful as possible. Please do not make any personal attacks and please no applause, snapping, or other outbursts during the meeting. This meeting will go a lot smoother if we all respect one another. We're going to begin tonight with proclamations and presentations. We do not have any proclamations this evening, but we will begin with a presentation from Dr. Shell Sanchez, Director of Arts and Culture, who will provide a quarterly update on the Route 66th Centennial. Good evening, Director. Good evening, thank you, Counselor. All right. Okay, super. Okay, three minutes, three slides. Let's see. Here we go. Route 66 Centennial, just in case nobody's been paying attention. It's six months away. Starts uh 2026. Um so right now our department is focused on what we're calling an art fueled road trip. This is 20 stops along Route 66, starting um singing arrow open space all the way to the very top of 9 Mile Hill. That includes the visitor center, the Route 66 Visitor Center, but the last stop is just beyond that at the very top of the hill. Um we can't fit everything actually on two slides, but just to give you a sense of this. This is um 18 miles, the first nine miles or so on the east side of town. And um, we're gonna make a link available for everyone. But you see that we're really trying to focus on having things all along the route. So the Google map has our augmented reality stops, those are yellow, the revamped signs that we've invested in, those are purple. Um, mural installations and artworks that are new, those are blue, and then the green is infrastructure and capital. Um, so we've uh this map is not actually, some of it's cut off on this particular uh oops. Sorry. Where are we going? There we go. Um, some of it is cut off, but as you can see, it kind of goes all the way along. Um I will just read you some of the stops. So augmented reality, we've got at Singing Arrow Community Center, Tallin Market, the Guild Cinema, 66 Diners, Special Collections Library, Fourth and Central Intersection, the ABQ Biopark Botanic Garden, Route 66 Visit Visitor Center, and then the very top of Nine Mile Hill at West Central.

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