Albuquerque City Council Regular Meeting - October 6, 2025
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Albuquerque City Council Regular Meeting - October 6, 2025
The council met in regular session on October 6, 2025, beginning with a moment of silence and the Pledge of Allegiance. The meeting featured two proclamations recognizing Disability Employment Awareness Month and Down Syndrome Awareness Month. Presentations included updates on gross receipts tax, opioid settlement funds, and the street crack-sealing program. The council took action on multiple resolutions and ordinances, including naming a multi-generational center, approving legislative priorities for the 2026 state session, and allocating opioid settlement funds. Several items were deferred or discussed at length, including a proposed emergency park turf fund and an aviation department capital improvement plan including a new observation deck at the Sunport.
Consent Calendar
- The council approved the journal of the September 15, 2025 meeting.
- Rules were suspended to add EC 492 (appointment to EMS Providers Advisory Committee), EC 493 (2026 administrative legislative requests), OC 51 (city council legislative program), and R 195 (lodgers tax bonds spending plan) to the agenda.
- The letter of introduction was approved.
- The committee report from the Land Use, Planning, and Zoning Committee was accepted.
- The consent agenda, with several items removed, was approved unanimously.
Public Comments & Testimony
- Brick Jonasi spoke against censorship and expressed concerns about police tactics downtown and officer conduct.
- Let's Otvo raised inconsistencies regarding video submissions for public comment and requested consistency.
- Lisa Christofferson urged the council to address ICE and National Guard actions, referencing the death of Javon Givens and calling for due process protections.
- Loretta Naranjo Lopez (Santa Barbara Martinez Town Neighborhood Association) asked the council to reject the LUPS report and amend the downtown MRA redevelopment plan regarding two parcels, citing lack of blight and questioning a councilor's participation.
- Jessica Saxton and Tanawa Downing (civil rights litigators) provided notice regarding violations of the U.S. Constitution in criminal charging procedures, urging the council to enforce constitutional guarantees.
- Janice Herrera highlighted the criminalization of homelessness and asked for housing instead of incarceration, noting many unsheltered people face misdemeanor charges.
- Tad Numitsky criticized the council for hiding items in the consent agenda and not allowing public discussion on certain items.
- James Shanley criticized city performance on homelessness and urged the council to demand measurable outcomes from administration initiatives.
- Janet Sayers (Library Advisory Board) reported on library operations, noting that 8 branches were open that day and all 19 would be open the next day, and thanked the council for continued support.
- Nicole Finch (Library Advisory Board) spoke about National Banned Books Week and commended librarians for maintaining diverse collections.
- Sarah Azebo raised concerns about the death of Javon Givens, unmarked SUVs driven by APS employees, the closure of Robinson Park, and thanked mutual aid groups. She also noted the end of hotel vouchers for homeless youth during Balloon Fiesta.
- Anami Goss echoed concerns about Javon Givens and called for APD to address the case.
Presentations & Proclamations
- Proclamation: Disability Employment Awareness Month – Councilor Peña proclaimed October 2025 as Disability Employment Awareness Month, highlighting the city's commitment to hiring people with disabilities and the recent Pathways to Public Service Program. Several stakeholders spoke in support, including Mandy's Farm and the Division of Vocational Rehabilitation.
- Proclamation: Down Syndrome Awareness Month – Councilor Champagne proclaimed October as Down Syndrome Awareness Month, recognizing the Rio Grande Down Syndrome Network and the achievements of individuals with Down syndrome.
- Gross Receipts Tax Update – City Economist Christine Berner reported on July 2025 GRT data. Monthly growth was 13.7% due to a state error in the hold harmless distribution; normalizing that, growth was about 4.5%. Retail (26% of total) and professional services showed gains; construction, accommodation/food, and other services declined. Cannabis excise tax revenue continued to decline, falling 14.4% in July.
- Opioid Settlement Fund Update – Acting Director Ellen Braden (HHH) and Dr. Wayne Lindstrom (County) presented the status of opioid settlement funds. The city has received approximately $32.5 million, with $28 million allocated and $18 million spent. Remaining unallocated funds total about $4.5 million. An RFP for capacity building received 21 submissions. An intergovernmental agreement with APS for $9.6 million was executed. A dashboard with financial and performance data will launch before the end of 2025.
- Crack Sealing Program Update – Director Jennifer Turner (Municipal Development) reported that the department maintains 4,600 lane miles, with a backlog of 1,000 cases and about 60 new requests daily. The city spends $650,000/year on materials and $667,000 on crew salaries, plus approximately $1.4 million on contractors. Full staffing would be 10 blue-collar positions; currently only 7 are filled. The backlog is expected to be cleared in 3-6 months with contractor support.
Discussion Items
- R173 – Naming the Conway Wood Northwest Multi-Generational Center – Councilor Lewis presented the resolution to name the new multi-generational center in District 5 after the late Conway Wood, a dedicated senior advocate. The family spoke, and the resolution passed unanimously.
- R183 – Emergency Park Grass and Turf Replacement Fund – Councilor Champagne proposed $2 million from FY25 fund balance to reseed dying park turf. During discussion, concerns were raised about the lack of a confirmed fund balance, competing priorities (such as COLA for staff and roads), and the timing of turf purchases. Councilor Lewis moved a two-week deferral, which passed unanimously.
- EC440 – Uptown Connect Project Development Agreement – Councilor Peña moved approval of the agreement. Discussion centered on parking enforcement in affordable housing developments and the need to avoid penalizing low-income residents. The council approved the agreement unanimously, with a commitment to explore a future ordinance addressing parking in affordable housing.
- EC486 – Fiscal Year Objectives Report – Councilor Grout moved to receive and note the report. Councilor Rogers requested clearer metrics for measuring objective completion. The council approved receipt unanimously.
- R171 – Aviation Department Capital Improvement Plan Amendment – Councilor Sanchez pulled this item from consent to discuss a $7 million allocation for a new observation deck at the Sunport (part of the Dream of Flight renovation). Acting Director Many Rodriguez explained the project (total cost potentially $14 million), the planned "Fly Side Pass" program for non-travelers to access the secure area, and the timeline. Councilor Sanchez moved a two-week deferral; the motion failed (3-6). The council then approved the resolution unanimously.
- OC51 – City Council Legislative Program for the 2026 State Session – Councilor Grout introduced the legislative priorities. Several floor amendments were offered and unanimously approved:
- Add councilor names to district headings.
- Update District 6 capital outlay requests (delete and replace several items, including removing multiple hygiene trailers, adding specific traffic calming streets, and correcting multi-generational center request).
- Add District 9 request for Gateway Youth Assistance and Housing Navigation Campus Phase 3.
- Add District 7 request for Middle Rio Grande Housing Collaborative funding.
- Replace District 7 firework restriction language to include social host ordinances.
- Add District 7 request for Fire Station 6 improvements.
- Add District 9 request to increase MRA bond tax abatement timelines for affordable housing.
- Add District 3 request for library improvements.
- Add District 3 request for Tower Road improvements. The amended OC51 then passed unanimously.
- EC493 – 2026 Administrative Legislative Requests – Received and noted unanimously after public comment.
- R083 – Flood Damage Prevention Ordinance – Repealed and replaced the existing flood hazard and drainage ordinances to comply with FEMA recommendations. Passed unanimously.
- R180 – Expanding Substance Use Disorder Services – Appropriated opioid settlement funds to expand ACS outreach navigators and recovery housing vouchers. Speakers from the Health Equity Council and UNM Mobile Medical Team supported the expansion, noting its effectiveness in providing housing and treatment. Passed unanimously.
- R195 – Lodgers Tax Bonds Spending Plan – Approved a detailed spending plan for $1 million in short-term lodgers tax improvement revenue bonds, funding Route 66 centennial preparation projects including lighting, banners, and public art. Passed unanimously.
Key Outcomes
- Proclamations for Disability Employment Awareness Month and Down Syndrome Awareness Month were adopted.
- R173 (Naming Conway Wood Multi-Generational Center) passed unanimously.
- R183 (Emergency Park Turf Fund) was deferred for two weeks, unanimously.
- EC440 (Uptown Connect agreement) passed unanimously.
- EC486 (Fiscal Year Objectives) received and noted.
- R171 (Aviation CIP) passed unanimously after a failed deferral motion (3-6).
- OC51 (Legislative Program) passed unanimously with nine amendments.
- EC493 (Admin Legislative Requests) received and noted.
- R083 (Flood Ordinance) passed unanimously.
- R180 (Opioid Settlement for Substance Use) passed unanimously.
- R195 (Lodgers Tax Bonds) passed unanimously.
- Administrative Q&A: Staff provided updates on Robinson Park closure (lawn rehabilitation), APD investigation into Javon Givens death (determined suicide, no foul play), HR data on position reclassifications (15-20 employees), whistleblower lawsuit data (to be provided), and compliance with the Gateway IGA (monthly data reports, public dashboard coming).
Meeting Transcript
Good evening, everyone. Good evening, everyone. It's the 39th meeting of the 26th Council, and we will come to order. All counselors are present this evening. We're going to begin with 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 a parking pass from council staff at the 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, Gov TV 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 your closed captioning services on your television or device 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 those 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 proceeding 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. I will provide one warning to anyone causing a disruption. Upon the second or continued disruption, that individual will be asked to leave the chambers and if necessary, security will be asked to escort that person out of the chambers. Such removal from the council chambers will be effective for the remainder of the meeting. If continued disruptions occur, I may recess the meeting until order is restored and if necessary may clear the chambers of persons participating in the disturbance. The meeting will go a lot smoother if we are respectful of one another. We are going to begin with proclamations and presentations this evening. Councilor Pena. Thank you, Madam President. I move that the rules be suspended for the purpose of allowing more than four proclamations per councilor per calendar year. Second. There's a motion and multiple seconds. Madam Clerk. We can just raise hands tonight. Oh, thank you for the reminder. All right, all those counselors in favor, raise your hand and say yes. Yes. Yes. Anyone opposed? That passes unanimously. Councillor Penya. Thank you, Madam President. So I'd like to ask the following people to come up to the podium. Peggy Graham with Mandy's Farm, Melissa McCook McHugh with Mandy's Farm, Alicia DeVargas with Mandy's Farm, Jeff Levine with the New Mexico Division of Vocational Rehabilit Rehabilitation, Chris Slov with Pomegranate Orchards LLC. So as you guys are making your way to the podium, I'm going to just start reading the uh proclamation. And thank you, Counselors, for joining me in this. Whereas October 2025 marks the 80th anniversary of National Disability Employment Awareness Month. And whereas the purpose of Disability Employment Awareness Month is to celebrate the contributions of workers with disabilities and to showcase supportive policies and practices that benefit employees and employers alike. And whereas the City of Albuquerque is committed to providing equal employment opportunities for individuals with disabilities through its dedication to the Americans with Disabilities Act. And whereas the City of Albuquerque treated the created an ADA Title II coordinator position in 2019 to address concerns about resident accessibility to city programs, services, and facilities. And whereas on August 17th, 2020, the City Council adopted R 2084, directing the City of Albuquerque's Office of Equity and Inclusion, Human Resources Department, and the Economic Development Department to collaborate with local disability employment providers to explore opportunities for creating employment opportunities among persons with disabilities. And whereas in September 2025, the City of Albuquerque created the Pathways to Public Service Program in partnership with LSG and Associates Inc. and New Mexico's Division of Vocational Rehabilitation, which onboards adults with disabilities through a 12 week paid volunteer rotation to introduce them to city departments and results in a two year internship placement.
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