Albuquerque City Council Meeting Summary - December 1, 2025

The 26th Council held its 43rd meeting on December 1, 2025, focusing on fiscal oversight, transit security reforms, library operations, and park maintenance. The Council received the Office of Inspector General's annual whistleblower report and the Internal Auditor's annual report, though questions were raised regarding the timeline and staffing for OIG investigations. Significant debate occurred over amendments to the budget process ordinance (O25-067), including proposals for study sessions, direct financial system access, and grant reporting. The Council also addressed the safety of domestic violence resources, transit security classification changes, and the immediate funding needs of city parks. Public testimony highlighted concerns regarding whistleblower retaliation, the adoption of ranked-choice voting, and policing conduct at public facilities.

Consent Calendar

• Approved the November 17th journal unanimously (9-0).
• Approved the Letter of Introduction unanimously.
• Deferred Item O25-99 to December 15th unanimously.
• Approved the main Consent Agenda unanimously after removing items E25-538 (Domestic Violence Resource Center funding) and E25-535 (Quarterly Security Report) for separate discussion.

Public Comments & Testimony

• David Cordova (via spouse, Shannon Cordova): Expressed strong opposition to and concern regarding alleged negligence and misconduct by Bernalillo County Detention Center staff and legal counsel following a 2021 riot that injured her husband, a whistleblower. She urged the Council to investigate, stating she and her husband possess video and email evidence of illegal actions and evidence tampering, and noted she would not vote to fund projects until she trusts the government's fiscal operations.
• Mason Graham (Common Cause New Mexico): Expressed support for Ranked Choice Voting (RCV), arguing that runoff elections foster negative campaigning and divide the community.
• Cesar Marquez (Common Cause New Mexico): Provided a demonstration of how Instant Runoff Voting works to eliminate the need for costly runoffs.
• Francesco Artist: Expressed concern regarding potential legal improprieties and the handling of documents by the administration, stating that silence regarding known issues makes one complicit.
• Justin Rogers: Expressed full support for Ranked Choice Voting, citing the financial costs of runoffs and the fact that many council members were elected with fewer votes in runoffs than in general elections.
• Lisa Christofferson: Expressed appreciation for Southwestern Albuquerque firefighters and the Albuquerque Police Department for helping a family member, and requested access to a Domestic Violence Victim's packet that she could not locate online.
• Janet Sayers: Expressed appreciation for library funding efforts but questioned why library funding for advertising came from an outside donor rather than the city; she also noted the lack of Sunday hours at specific branches.
• Anami Das: Expressed opposition to the administration's legal action against "Quirky Books" following a homicide, arguing that resources should focus on broader safety issues rather than suing independent businesses.
• Michelle Guidellis: Expressed support for pedestrian safety measures and urged the prohibition of right turns on red near high-traffic university intersections.
• Miguel Alvarez: Expressed strong opposition to the conduct of private security personnel at the Legacy Building (Family Advocacy Center), alleging they attempted to trespass and harass individuals exercising their constitutional right to film in public and failed to respond adequately to reports of inappropriate behavior.
• Peter Martin: Express concern regarding the firing of two police officers involved in a fatal shooting and alleged discrepancies in federal funds for Central Avenue store owners and homeless assistance.
• Teresa Garcia: As a domestic violence survivor, expressed concern that the Council's approved single-provider contract for APD training would fail to meet the needs of a complex city, advocating instead for a collaborative, multi-provider model.
• James Freeman: Expressed support for Ranked Choice Voting and concern regarding police officers wearing masks during narcotics operations.
• Nicole Finch (Library Advisory Board): Clarified that library hours are constrained by staffing levels, noting Albuquerque has 162 employees for 19 branches compared to 500 in Baltimore County; expressed support for potential city funding for library resources.

Discussion Items

• Gross Receipts Tax (GRT) Update: City Economist Christine Berner reported that GRT growth was solid at 4% for September (cumulative 5.9% vs expected 3.8%), while the cannabis sector saw a 21% negative decline.
• Domestic Violence Funding (E25-538): Councilor Rogers questioned the capacity of the Domestic Violence Resource Center (DVRC) to provide citywide training and the procurement process. Commander Bernard clarified that the single organization was the sole respondent to the procurement and that the funding supports staffing and victim advocacy, not just training. Councilor Rogers also raised concerns about the accessibility of the Domestic Violence Commission's packet on the city website, which the CAO promised to address.
• Transit Security Report (E25-535): Councilor Champagne and others discussed the shift of transit security functions from Metro Security to APD Transit Safety Officers. Administration confirmed that proactive calls increased by 20% while reactive calls dropped significantly due to this shift. Clarification was provided that Metro Security is unarmed and observes/reports, while Transit Safety Officers are sworn APD officers.
• Inspector General Report (OC47): Councilor Lewis questioned the six-month delay in releasing audit reports regarding four specific investigations, citing a lack of transparency. Interim IG Mr. Pacheco explained delays were due to the need for an outside auditor (REDW) to complete a review, which concluded in October, and that the office is underfunded with only three employees.
• Internal Audit Report (OC48): Councilor Grout questioned the missing Gibson Gateway audit, noting the City Attorney's office has not yet provided necessary legal clarifications despite the audit being ongoing for three years. The City Auditor confirmed they have not utilized their subpoena power regarding this specific item yet.
• Budget Process Ordinance (O25-067):
  • Amendment 1 & 2: Passed unanimously to require the use of the comprehensive plan tool in goal setting and to define "salary savings" and "vacancy savings."
  • Amendment 3: Passed unanimously to require departments to provide answers to general budget questions within seven business days.
  • Amendment 4 (Study Sessions): Passed (7-2) to authorize informational study sessions mid-fiscal year with department directors, following the removal of a specific timeline to allow for flexibility.
  • Amendment 5 (Fund 265 Reporting): Passed (5-4) to require quarterly financial reports on active grants in Fund 265, following a reduction from monthly to quarterly frequency.
  • Amendment 6 (Financial System Access): Passed (6-3) to grant Council read-only access to financial system data.
  • Amendment 7 (Withdrawn): Withdrawn to allow for further discussion on preventing impediments to budget deadlines.
  • Amendment 8 (Withdrawn): Withdrawn regarding the budgeting of unclassified salaries in the Mayor's Office due to concerns about departmental cost transparency.
  • Amendment 9: Passed (8-1) to clarify the Mayor's budget proposal as a "draft" subject to Council amendment.
  • Amendment 10: Passed (8-0) to prohibit negative programmatic appropriations in the budget.
  • Amendment 11 (Withdrawn): Withdrawn regarding Council attendance at all budget hearings due to Open Meeting Act (OMA) concerns and the existence of study sessions.
  • Amendment 12 (Withdrawn): Withdrawn regarding Conference Committee composition pending clarification on Charter requirements.
  • Amendment 13: Passed unanimously to require measurable indicators for city goals.
• Emergency Parks Funding (R183): Passed (8-1) with amendments to allocate up to two million dollars in revert funds to the Parks and Recreation department for turf replacement. Councilor Lewis amended the distribution to be split equally among the three Parks Yard operations.
• MRA Designation (R204): Repealed the St. Joseph Hospital MRA designation unanimously.
• Rules of Procedure (RA8): Amended to clarify the order of business for items withdrawn from the Consent Agenda.

Key Outcomes

• Deferred:
  • O25-067 (Budget Process Ordinance) to December 15, 2025, to allow for review of the printed budget distribution logistics and potential additional amendments.
  • Several amendments to R183 and O25-067 were withdrawn for further work.
• Approved:
  • O25-067: Budget process amendments passed with a total of 10 amended sections, establishing study sessions and stricter reporting requirements.
  • R183: Resolution for emergency parks turf replacement funding passed, allocating funds to the three Parks Yards.
  • R204: Repeal of St. Joseph Hospital MRA designation passed.
  • RA8: Rules of Procedure amendments passed.
  • E25-538: Approval of Domestic Violence Resource Center funding for training programs (9-0).
  • E25-535: Acceptance of the Quarterly Security Report (8-0).
  • OC47 & OC48: Receipt of Inspector General and Internal Auditor annual reports.
• Vote Tallies:
  • Amendments to O25-067 saw mixed support, with Amendment 4 passing 7-2, Amendment 5 passing 5-4, and Amendment 9 passing 8-1.
  • R183 passed 8-1.
  • O25-067 as a whole was deferred pending further work.
• Directives:
  • CAO instructed to locate the Domestic Violence Victim's packet and ensure translation services are available.
  • Internal Auditor instructed to follow up on the City Attorney's Office regarding the Gibson Gateway audit.
  • Administration to clarify the printing distribution of the 2026 Budget to Council members and ensure staff flexibility for future amendments.
  • Council staff to investigate the specific security incidents at the Legacy Building discussed in public comment.