Good evening, everyone.

It's December 15th, 2025, the 44th meeting of the 26th Council will come to order.

All counselors are going to be present this evening.

Counselor Baca is joining us a little bit late.

We're going to begin with a moment of silence, followed by the Pledge of Allegiance in English and 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.

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Also, this meeting is closed captioned, and you may enable the 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 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 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 them out of the chambers.

Such removal from the council chambers will even be effective for the remainder of the meeting, and 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're going to begin with proclamations and presentations.

Counselor Grow.

Thank you, Madam President.

Um, I move that the rules be suspended for the purpose of allowing more than four proclamations per counselor per calendar year.

Second.

There's a motion and a second by Councillor Champagne.

Uh is do we have Councillor Baca on Zoom or no?

Okay, so he is excused right now.

All those in favor of the rule suspension, raise your hand and say yes.

Yes.

Anyone opposed?

That passes on an eight-zero vote.

Counselor Grow.

Thank you, Madam President.

I would um this proclamation is recognizing the Foothills APD's Foothills response team.

Accepting this evening is Sergeant Doug Moore and the Foothills PRT.

Would you all come on down to the front, please?

As they make their way down to the podium, Counselor, do you want to start reading the proclamation?

Yes, thank you.

Um, thank you all for being here.

Uh, whereas the Foothills Area Command's proactive response team is led by Sergeant Doug Moore and includes Officer Antonio Hernandez, Officer Ashley Martinez Lacone, Officer Derek Maines, Officer Eric Montoya, Officer Andrew Ramanowski, and Officer Kyle Salzburg.

And whereas the mission of the proactive response team is to address low-level crimes that impact the community's comfort and sense of safety through high visibility proactive enforcement.

And whereas APD's 2025 Uniform Officer of the Year is Ashley Martinez Lacone, who earned her bachelor's and master's degrees in criminal justice at New Mexico State University, and has been with APD's Field Service Bureau since 2017, where her positive attitude, sincere desire to help others, and solid work ethic have made her a model officer, accounting for 25% of the team's enforcement statistics, and 149 felony arrests, including 134 felony warrants, 77 misdemeanors, including 149 misdemeanor warrants, uh, through November of this year, earned a medal for outstanding service after jeopardizing your own safety to save the life of a citizen in October of 2020.

And whereas APD's 2024 uniform officer of the year was Eric Montoya, who has been with APD since 19, 2019, regularly leads the team in enforcement statistics and goes above and beyond the call of duty in every task he undertakes, earning the respect of his peers, the gratitude of citizens, and in his off-duty hours, he coaches a successful junior wrestling club.

And whereas Officer Kyle Salberg has made several high-profile arrests in the last few weeks, clearing multiple narcotic trafficking warrants, removing fentanyl pills and methamphetamine from our streets, and locating and arresting a home invasion offender, he spends his days off helping the impact detective unit by conducting investigations and completing cases.

And whereas several weeks ago, Officer Andrew Ramankowski single-handedly, single-handedly arrested a member of the Aryan Brotherhood Gang with a multiple felony warrants and several bags of methamphetamines and fentanyl.

And as a result of this arrest, this gang member is back behind bars to finish serving his 20-year sentence and face the judge for his other committed crimes.

And whereas, although officers Antonio Hernandez and Derek Maines are new to the team, they are making great contributions with Officer Hernandez, recently finding a murder suspect who had been on the run for over a year.

Whereas these officers work to locate criminal activity and enforce our laws before calls for service even come in.

They have removed an incalculable number of guns and narcotics from our streets.

And their work is aiding economic development, job growth, and the sense of safety for residents and business owners in the Foothills and Northeast Heights.

Therefore, be it proclaimed that the council, the governing body of the city of Albuquerque, hereby recognize the Foothills Proactive Response Team and thanks them for their service to the citizens of Albuquerque.

Thank you.

You guys know the Foothills.

Counselor Champagne and I are very lucky to have you all serving in our area.

We see you all the time, and you know every hill and every every um arroy, and you know you know the place, and we see the evidence of what you do.

Four years ago when I came in, um there were there were a lot of things going on that people saw daily.

And in the four years that I've been uh had the pleasure of working with you all, people have also seen the change that you're making.

And so I am very proud that three out of the last four years, officer of the year for APD has come out of the foothills.

That's that's pretty remarkable.

So you guys do it with grace, you do it with compassion, um, and you do it by the law.

Um you follow the law, and I appreciate that very much.

I want to also thank the leadership.

Um, Sergeant Doug Moore is outstanding.

He um leads um this fine team of officers, um, and I think that there's a great respect for what he does.

And Commander uh Witton, he has um he has been a um he's new to our area and he has just taken up where um commander Jones and Commander Garrett left him, and so he was he's been really lucky to have you.

DC Barker, I want to thank you for um for leading these folks and um letting them serve in our community.

I can tell you that the constituents in in District 9 and in District 8 are very grateful for everything that they've done.

And can I ask um you to say something, DC Barker, and then I want to just have Ashley talk a little bit.

And then I want to just have Ashley talk a little bit.

Sorry.

Thank you, Madam President and Counselor Grout, uh, Counselor Champagne and Counselors.

Um, I just want to one thank you for recognizing the wonderful work of these officers.

Um it's nearly on a daily basis where I'm reading SIG alerts that always include the Foothills PRT.

Um, and that is no exaggeration.

Um every day I'm sending them responses saying what a great job they do.

Um, and so I'm very appreciative of the work that they do.

Um, for anybody who doesn't know, in here we have a team like this in every area command, um, and we go to them for our hardest ass um for the hardest, and they're our hardest workers, and so I just really want to echo what you have already said um and thank them personally for the great work that they continue to do.

Officer Martinez, um, I've had the opportunity of working with you um as a supervisor for quite some time uh when you came as um out of the academy um and you continue to do fast fantastic work.

So thank you for all that you do um and keep up the great work.

Thank you.

Counselors, anything else that you would all like to add at all?

Counselor Champagne.

Thank you, madam president.

Um Doug's smiling at me, and I can say he's Doug because he was a recruit for a while that I was in the squad that I was in.

So um he's always been Doug, and now he's supervisor Doug, and he's I'm not surprised.

I mean, being a police officer is a calling, and it and it affects your life completely.

Uh and so you know it's in your heart, and you know you're trying to do the right thing day in and day out.

You always try to just end the day going, okay, I did more good than bad, and you can see it in this team that not only uh do you guys put forth your best efforts, but your supervisor allows you uh and gives you the freedom to do what you know is right in your heart, and that's amazing to see.

This is a great example of how uh leadership should be in the sense of trusting in their their officers and their team to do the right thing and guiding them when they're when they have questions.

Um but I'm not surprised that that that three out of the last four come out of the foothills.

I'm not surprised that two uh years in a row, it's coming out of this team.

You guys uh put forth your best effort, your supervisor sees it, he gives you that freedom to do what you need to do, and it goes further up the chain of command as far as the commander, the lieutenant, and the DC.

This is an example of how uh it should be run.

That your officers do their work.

Trust when they do it and support them.

So thank you guys.

I really appreciate it.

Counselor Sanchez.

Thank you.

I just want to say thanks to each and every one of you.

Um and also just throw a little clarification in there.

I know what it's like.

I actually was the Foothills commander at one point, so I actually know what it's like to work in the Foothills, and one of the biggest things that people don't realize is the foothills is a very, very difficult place to work.

There's a lot more going on in the foothills than you would think.

You would think that it's one of those areas that is not as rowdy or as radical, but I came from there.

When I retired, I saw it.

Um you guys are doing an exceptional job.

It's a huge area command.

It stretches a long way across the east city city limits, and I know how hard it is to navigate that, especially when you have uh officers on one side all the way to the other to make sure that you get that backup and that 82 over there.

So I just wanted to thank each and every one of you for what you've what you've done and those amazing accomplishments.

When you look at the uh the work that uh that counselor grout read out, I just want to point out that that's proactive police work.

That means these officers are out there doing the job that needs to be done without anybody telling them they're seeing the need and they're going in and taking care of it.

They're attacking the problem, and I appreciate that.

Um, one of the other things is is um is Deputy Chief said SIG alerts.

Um, what SIG alerts are, there's significant event alerts that go throughout the city.

Us as city counselors, we receive those SIG alerts and see what's going on.

So we know what significant events that you guys are doing and and handling.

So thank you for that as well.

And then also um next thing I wanted to talk about is the families.

I just wanted to say thank you to each and every one of your families for allowing you to work as hard as you do because it's a calling, just like uh counselor said, it's and it's an amazing thing that you guys are out there working as hard as you are.

So you know, you can't say it enough that the families and if your families are here, can you guys all wave and say hello?

Thank you.

Thank you so much for for putting up with all those long hours and the hard work that these that these people are putting in for the safety and the security of our department.

And last but not least, thank you for looking tip top.

And when you're out there doing a job and you're looking tip top, you get that respect, and I just appreciate that.

Have a wonderful day, everyone.

Thank you so much for your service.

And uh I miss doing it.

So um what's that?

Yes, go for it.

Called me out.

No, thank you, City Council, for inviting uh our team here tonight.

Um, that's I I wouldn't be able to do the things I do without the team.

We're we're like a this is my family.

I probably see them more than my own family, and I I appreciate appreciate them very much.

Um like you said, Councillor Sanchez, uh, I wouldn't, we wouldn't be able to do what we do without our our family, and I have my mom and my dad and my husband here, and I know our other teammates have some family, and uh I love you guys and I appreciate you very much.

Uh and again, I wouldn't we wouldn't be able to do what we do without uh our sergeant Sergeant Moore is um the best leader I know.

He's been my sergeant for many years now, and uh if we didn't have him advocating for us and supporting us, we wouldn't be able to do the job we do.

And again, it goes up the ranks even to Commander Witten, um, to our deputy chiefs, our chief.

Uh, thank you for just supporting us.

And um, once again, I wouldn't be able to do the stuff I do without the support of the team.

So thank you guys for everything you do too.

And thank you guys for inviting us and acknowledging us.

It's uh we're very grateful for that.

So thank you.

Thank you, Counselor Lewis.

Madam President, just fantastic job, a recognition that is uh well deserved.

Uh and the only thing I'll say is that I I hope that you feel and know uh that this is a city, and I hope we have more and more of a reputation that that has the back of our police officers, and we'll do everything that we can to support you uh to do the job that you're called to do.

So thank you.

Thank you very much.

We appreciate you so much.

Congratulations.

If you want to go ahead and walk through to shake our hands, we would we would be honored.

Thank you for the job.

Thank you for what you do.

Thank you.

Okay, so I want to take a thing from everybody off this now.

Thank you very much.

Thank you.

Thank you for your job.

Excellent work.

Excellent words.

Thanks.

Thank you.

All right.

Uh moving on, we're gonna have a presentation.

Uh Councilor Feblecorn.

Thank you, Madam President.

Um, wanted to invite uh Amy Kendrick down.

I did not see her.

Mr.

Cornelius, is she by any chance online?

Well, madam president, um, my presentation does not seem to be in the audience, so let's just move on.

Okay, well, maybe around the bend.

So with that, counselors, we're done with proclamations and presentations.

We will go to other business.

Uh the councils, I would move the to sorry, let's start over.

I moved to executive session to discuss matters related to NMSA 1978, Section 10151H7.

Discussion subject to attorney client privilege pertaining to Mayor Tim Keller versus Albuquerque City Council litigation matters.

We will need to do a roll call vote if I get a second.

There's a second by counselor Rogers, Madam Clerk, Councillor Shankheim, Counselor People Corn.

Yes, Councillor Graham.

Counselor Lewis.

Yes.

Counselor Penya?

Yes.

Councilor Rogers.

Yes.

Councillor Sanchez?

Yes.

President Basson.

Yes.

All right.

We are back from executive session.

I affirm that matters discussed in executive session were limited to those specified in the motion for closure.

And we are going to go on to some more announcements, I guess.

It's not formally announcements.

I missed it from before, but that's okay.

So I would like to take a minute to it's something I love doing, thanking people.

Thank you, Councillor Champagne for being an extremely awesome finance and government operations committee chair.

And thank you, Councillor Fablecorn for being an extremely awesome land use planning and zoning committee chair.

I also want to thank Councilor Pena for serving as an extremely awesome vice president of the council in 2025.

And does anybody have any remarks for Vice President Pena?

Now's your chance.

All right.

I would like to thank Counselor Sanchez for serving District One for four years.

Thank you so much.

Well done.

And I meant to compliment you on your new facial hair.

Oh does anybody have any remarks for Counselor Sanchez?

I do.

All right, Madam Vice President.

Thank you, Madam President.

I just want to congratulate you.

You've done an awesome job this four years, you know, working together on many issues that we have because we have a joining um boundaries.

I just really appreciate you anytime I asked you for anything, whether it be the street lights or for you know any of the um events that we kind of coordinated together, you're always there, and I think um the people of your district are gonna miss you dearly.

So thank you.

Thank you.

Counselor Rogers.

Thank you, madam chair.

I just wanted to say thank you for uh we we got to do a lot of great debates.

And I'm gonna miss that because we could always debate it out, but still be cool at the end.

And I really appreciate that.

And thank you for supporting things in my district, which you have, and I really appreciate you.

Uh even support, even with all that, we still supported each other.

And you put money in my district, so I appreciate you for that and teaching me good debates.

Thank you.

Thank you, Councillor Rogers.

Counselor Grout.

Thank you, Madam President.

Counselor Sanchez, it's been a pleasure sitting next to you and working with you and um getting to know you.

I think you and your family are fine, fine, fine people.

And I'm glad I got the opportunity.

Thank you for representing the the people in your district.

I know that you did it with heart.

Thank you.

And I look forward to um, I know that you look forward to the future and getting back to business.

Thank you.

Yes.

And making a living.

So thank you.

I hope you uh do everything.

Counselor Sanchez, this is this is your last meeting.

Oh, Counselor Lewis first, and then we'll go back to Council.

Uh yeah, big thank you to Councilor Sanchez, and really enjoyed serving with you uh the last four years and um especially as a West Side City Councilor.

And I think we got a lot done.

You got a lot of projects and things that I know you could be extremely proud of, and uh and many things that we worked on together.

Um and uh you know, on on the council, thanks for being a great voice.

Um, you know, you were always so reserved on this council, and not just a joke.

You know, um, you know, I think there's a tendency sometimes um uh for us you know to be a fly on the wall and maybe uh let things go and and and when sometimes when things need to be said and and brought up and and uh there's a tendency I think to do that, but I I I appreciate that you've uh um you know said things that are on your mind and and uh what you believe to be uh the best for the city and and uh pushing us forward and um this this wasn't you know four years of coming and just kind of watching and being a part of the council.

It was hey, I'm gonna I'm gonna be active and and jump in here and do what I can for the city and and uh uh so I I appreciate that.

Just think for your service.

You've got a great family.

I know you have a wonderful business too.

You're gonna continue to grow and um you know we just wish you the very best.

Thank you very much.

All right, Counselor Sanchez, as your last meeting tonight.

Do you want your own soapbox for a minute to say a few words?

Sure, I guess I'll say a few words.

Um I think one of the biggest thanks to all is is the council staff.

Um they were always there for me every single day and every step of the way.

And uh, without the council staff, I wouldn't be able to do what we've done, any of us.

And I think all of us don't give enough credit where credit is due.

And uh this staff that we have is just incredible, and they work tirelessly for us.

I want to thank uh Brandon, my uh policy analyst who has been there for me every step of the way.

Um we've worked really, really hard to do everything that we needed to do on our on council and within our within our district.

Brandon was answering numerous calls.

We were extremely busy.

Um I don't know, but I know we're one of the busiest districts in the in the city when it comes to phone calls and answering constituents.

Um I got to meet so many beautiful, wonderful people.

Um, the people that work that work in the office that work together, you know, being up here.

I've gained some great friendships with uh all the counselors, and that's one of the things I think was the biggest thing, and counselor Rogers uh touched on it a bit is the fact that all of us up here we all seem to be able to get along.

We all seem to be able to work together when the time comes.

Um, even though we disagree on certain things, it's always been um a good relationship.

We've always been able to get along and talk to each other and um and and actually communicate.

And I think that's one of the things that I think is probably the most important thing is to continue to communicate, continue to work with each other and work together to make sure that that things are going the way they need to go.

And and you know, it and for me, my biggest thing was accountability, um transparency, and um I hope that each and every one of you continue that trend with um ext expecting transparency and accountability.

It's something that's most and that's most important for all of us.

Did a lot of good work on the west side um in reference to I think we probably spent um you know with with legislative money with city state and local money, probably um close to a hundred million dollars in improvements on the west side, and that's with the help of each and every one of you, and it's also the help of uh our legislative uh partners and our federal partners, and it's just been a joy to make sure that we've done all that kind of work and done it together.

Also, every single park in district one was touched, every park had something put into it.

Uh so I'd like to thank um parks and rec, David, uh Floris, and Dave Simon for actually helping us.

Azizo was instrumental, and Aziza is part of the council staff to make sure that I've got my money spent.

Uh I made it a mandate that the money stays with the people.

So every single year that we've got our set aside and we got our legislative money, I made sure that every single dollar went back into the public and was used for public use.

Didn't hold on to anything, got it all out there to you and made sure that every single person was able to utilize that money.

And if there's anything left, I'm gonna come back and say we need to find a place to spend it.

Uh, again, I just want to say thanks to each and every one of you, everybody that was here.

Um, and uh everyone that was part of uh of me having a good time up here and and hanging out with everybody.

Um, like I said, it's been a really really wonderful and enjoyable time, but it's time to get back to work.

And what I mean by back to work, that means to to get back to business, and and that's what I intend to do.

So thanks everyone.

Thanks for this to the staff.

Brandon, thank you so much.

I really appreciate you.

And uh Aziza, thank you so much.

Thank you, Counselor.

Thank you so much.

Madam President, Madam Vice President, Madam President.

We wanna all thank you for your leadership this year.

I think you've done an outstanding job.

It's so obviously as a as a woman, and I think you've really provided clear, consistent messaging to us.

I love that you you know follow Robert's rules to the order.

Um and and it's just really uh refreshing to see um how you've been able to keep us all together and on track.

So thank you for your service.

Thank you very much.

Thank you all.

Thanks to all of you.

Thank you, thank you, thank you.

With that, we're moving on to the journal.

I move approval of the December 1st journal.

Second.

There's a second by counselor Rogers.

All those in favor, raise your hand and say yes.

Anyone opposed?

That passes on a nine-zero vote.

Communications and introductions.

I move that the rules be suspended to amend the letter of introduction to place OC 59 on the January 5th council agenda for action.

OC 59 is the request for immediate review of the city attorney conduct and compliance with conflict of interest requirements in mayor versus city council litigation.

There's a second by counselor champagne and Grout.

All those in favor of uh putting this on the January 5th agenda, raise your hand and say yes.

Anyone opposed?

That passes unanimously.

I also move that the rules be suspended for the purpose of placing EC548 on tonight's agenda for action.

EC548 is the approval of contract with ID IDEMA, IDEMIA to provide an AFES automated fingerprint identification system platform.

There's a second by Councilor Feblecorn.

All those in favor, raise your hand and say yes.

Yes.

Anyone opposed?

That passes unanimously.

Counselor Feblecorn.

Madam President, I move that the rules be suspended for the purpose of placing OC 57 on tonight's agenda for action.

OC57 is the appointment of a member to the open space advisory board.

There's a motion and a second by Madam Vice President.

All those in favor, uh raise your hand and say yes.

Yes.

Anyone opposed?

That passes unanimously.

Counselor Feeblecorn.

Madam President, I also move that the rules be suspended for the purpose of placing R219 on tonight's agenda for action.

R219 is establishing a one-time supplemental compensation payment for city employees based on ending fiscal year 25 general fund balance.

Second.

There's a motion and a second by Madam Vice President.

All those in favor, raise your hand and say yes.

Yes.

Anyone opposed?

That passes unanimously.

Counselor Grout.

Madam President, I move that the rules be suspended for the purpose of placing R215 on tonight's agenda for action.

R215 is adjusting fiscal year 2025 appropriations for certain funds and programs to provide for actual expenditures and adjusting fiscal year 2026 operation appropriations.

There's a motion and a second by councilor feeblecorn.

All those in favor, raise your hand and say yes.

Yes.

Anyone opposed?

That passes unanimously.

Councilor Grout.

Madam President, I move to amend the letter of introduction to withdraw a 25105 with an explanation.

Second.

There's a motion and a second from Madam Vice President.

Councilor Grout.

Thank you, Madam President.

I want to, in working in the spirit of cooperation, I I did meet with the mayor this this morning, and um we had a nice conversation.

And so at this time, I would like to withdraw.

I can always bring it back.

I look forward to working with the um new directors and this in the new year, and and hopefully things will go smoother and better.

And if if I can always bring it back.

There is a motion to withdraw our uh 105 from the letter of introduction.

All those in favor, raise your hand and say yes.

Yes.

Anyone opposed?

That passes unanimously.

Counselors, any other changes to the letter of introduction.

Seeing none, I move approval of the letter.

Second.

There's a motion and a second by councillor Grout and Champagne.

All those in favor, raise your hand and say yes.

Yes.

Anyone opposed?

That passes unanimously.

Uh we no longer have approvals since we went ahead and put it on the January uh agenda.

So we'll move.

Oh, we do have approvals.

We have uh EC 544, approval of risk first supplemental agreement to add funds for outside council legal services between Bardaki, Allison Miller, LLP, and the city of Albuquerque.

I move approval.

Second.

There's a motion and several seconds.

I don't think we have anybody signed up to speak on that one.

All right.

Councillors, any questions or comments?

All right.

Seeing none, the motion is to approve EC544.

All those in favor, raise your hand and say yes.

Yes.

Anyone opposed?

That passes unanimously.

We're moving on to reports of committees.

Counselor Champagne.

Thank you, Madam President.

I will turn on the mic on now.

There we go.

Thank you, Madam President.

Finance and Government Operations Committee met on Monday, uh December 8th, 2025, and reports out the following items.

In the matter of EC 482 and EC537, that they be approved.

In the matter of R202, R205, and R211 that they do pass.

In the matter of R209, that they do pass as amended, and in the matter of R212 that it failed as amended.

And I make a motion to accept the committee report.

There's a motion and a second by counselors Grout and Rogers.

All those in favor, raise your hand and say yes.

Yes.

Anyone opposed?

That passes unanimously.

Counselor Baca.

Thank you, Madam Chair.

I make a motion to revive R25-212 and place this item on the January 5th Council agenda for action.

R212 is relating to the approval of a redevelopment tax abatement for the fourth and La Plata multifamily residential development project developed by fourth and La Plata LC.

Second.

There's a motion and a second by Councillor Champagne.

All those in favor, raise your hand and say yes.

Yes.

Anyone opposed?

That passes unanimously.

We're moving on to deferrals and withdrawals.

Any deferrals or withdrawals at this time?

Counselor Rogers.

Thank you, Madam President.

I would like to with uh defer O-102 adopting the rental practice ordinance to codify provisions of the New Mexico State Senate 267 regarding rental practices, screening fees, fee disclosures, and late fees requiring owners to offer a no fee payment option.

Second.

There is a motion for a deferral to January 5th and a second from Madam Vice President.

Counselors, all those in favor, raise your hand and say yes.

Anyone opposed?

No.

One, two, three, four, five.

Four five.

Five four.

Should we do it again?

We're gonna wait to have confirmation from the clerk.

So that is deferred.

Okay.

So we went ahead and deferred.

Uh 0102.

Thank you.

Moving.

Are there any other deferrals or withdrawals, counselors?

No.

All right.

Moving on to the consent agenda.

Are there any changes to the consent agenda?

Seeing none for those individual individuals on tonight's consent agenda who are being appointed to serve on a board or commission.

Thank you for your willingness to serve.

I move approval of the consent agenda.

There's a second by councillor Grout.

All those in favor, raise your hand and say yes.

Yes.

Anyone opposed?

That passes unanimously.

We have no announcements, no financial instruments, no appeals, and now we are on to general public comments.

Members of the public can provide live public comments to the council in person or virtually if they have signed up for the public comment per the instructions published on the agenda and on our website Friday.

The public comment ground rules are that each participant will have two minutes to present.

Comments are to be addressed to the counselors only through the council president, and any disruptive conduct will result in removal from the meeting.

You will be called down, uh, and there will be a two-minute time limit, and a bell will ring to indicate your time is up.

If you are on deck, please start making your way to the front once Mr.

Cornelius calls your name.

Mr.

Cornelius, if you'll call the name of the first speaker.

Thank you, Madam President.

Our first speaker is Ellen Klein, followed by Kristen Cummings.

Yeah.

Kristen Cummings, followed by Shirley Field.

Okay.

Good evening.

My name is Kristen Cummings, and I'm here to speak to you about ranked choice voting.

One of the most common arguments against ranked choice voting is one person, one vote.

This fundamentally misunderstands how ranked choice works.

Under ranked choice, if a candidate receives 50% of the vote, they win immediately, just as they would now.

If the front runner receives less than that, say only 36% of the vote, then the candidate with the fewest votes is eliminated in the same way that the candidates who received one to 19% of the vote were just eliminated from the runoff in this year's Mayoral election.

The difference is that a vote for that candidate is redistributed to the voters' second choice.

If and only if their second choice is the next candidate with the least votes, does their choice come into play?

And so on until someone crosses that 50% threshold.

It's literally an instant runoff.

I had to vote twice in this last election.

Once in the general and once again in the runoff.

I had to vote for my second choice in the runoff.

Does that violate one person one vote?

Should my vote not have counted?

Another common argument is that it will be confusing, that there will be voided ballots if voters only pick one candidate.

You can already do that.

It's equivalent to voting in the general and skipping the runoff when your first choice doesn't make the cut.

Some people are only gonna connect with one candidate, and that's okay.

Good news for them, their vote still counts.

Santa Fe and Las Cruces are already proving that New Mexicans can understand ranked choice.

75% of Santa Fe voters rank two or more candidates in their November election.

59% ranked three or more.

The majority of both cities are in favor of keeping ranked choice, according to recent polls.

They like it.

Ranked choice voting is sensible, it saves money, and we need to stop insulting Barcanios by implying that they can't understand what their neighbors in Santa Fe and La Cruz Las Cruces can.

Thank you.

Shirley Field, followed by Perry Radford.

And hello, my name is Shirley Field, and I live in District 4.

Thank you for the upcommitte.

Let me share while why Albuquerque needs ranked choice voting.

Runoffs have a way lower turnout than in a general election.

For this last one, I met a shocking number of people who did not even realize a runoff was taking place.

People think they've already voted and don't realize they have to vote yet again.

That means we end up with a smaller, less representative group of voters choosing our leaders.

Our current system also puts further burden on council candidates.

Our district one and three candidates had to keep campaigning and fundraising for six more weeks while the others were able to rest.

Our election administrators had to prepare to run yet another election in the middle of the holiday season.

And for all this, we had to pay an additional 1.6 million dollars.

This isn't about politics.

Ranked choice voting is simply more practical.

It's fiscally way more responsible, much simpler for voters, and reduces election fatigue.

We don't even have to look far to see how it's working out in New Mexico.

Santa Fe in Las Cruces also do are already using ranked choice voting, and they knew who their mayor and counselors were in November while we had to wait for a second election.

So let's save taxpayer money, make elections more fair, and ensure that every vote counts the first time.

I urged the council to adopt ranked choice voting for Albuquerque.

Thank you.

Perry Radford, followed by Dylan Gibbs.

Thank you, Council President.

I'm here to share some facts about instant runoff voting and why it would be an asset to voters in Albuquerque.

Instant runoff voting is currently used by over 17 million Americans in state and local elections.

A growing body of research shows that IRB, also known as ranked choice voting, is liked by those that use it and easy to understand.

I've heard concerns about how implementing the system may be confusing for voters, but a survey of Maine voters when they used it for the first time showed that 90% of voters found it to be an excellent or good experience.

It's hard to get that high of a rating in this day and age.

Recent polling here in New Mexico shows similar results and a strong belief in majority-backed elections.

Without the hassle and cost of a runoff election.

Also said that our ranked choice ballot was simple to complete.

I want to be clear that these statistics are fairly consistent across jurisdictions in the U.S.

in terms of ease and preference.

It doesn't change a lot, even with great differences around political identity, other demographics, anything, you name it.

People tend to feel the same way about ranked choice voting.

Voters prefer this method of voting because it leads to majority-backed winners, focuses on policy instead of polarization, is easy to understand and it's efficient.

It's time for Albuquerque to get ranked choice voting and join our neighbors.

Thank you.

Dylan Gibbs, followed by Janet Sayers.

Janet Sayers, followed by Anami Das.

Good evening, Madam President Bassan, members of the council, city staff, and Madam CAO.

And I did want to acknowledge that today on the little calendar in the journal, it mentioned this is Bill of Rights Day.

This is uh in 1791.

The Bill of Rights was approved, the last state that had to ratify those 10 amendments.

So I I thought, well, this is a really significant part of our American history.

Again, uh, Councillor Sanchez, you join a list, an illustrious list of city council alumni for the last 45 plus plus years.

And yes, uh, best wishes to you and your family and your future.

Um, quick update.

Did I say oh, Janet Sayers I live in District 9?

Sorry.

Um I did want to another quick library update on the HVAC downtown.

Uh Senator Harold Pope from the West Side has uh made a commitment to help support with capital outlay, and also uh Representative Miguel uh Garcia, who rep who's starts at central and then and then goes south.

So we're really excited about where we are.

And lastly, I just wanted to say we have we have much much to be uh pleased about in our city of Albuquerque.

From uh the open space program, the trails program, our parks, um, our senior centers, and and I'm looking at 2026.

I'm gonna try to be positive about all the different things that are good about Albuquerque and and where we're heading in the future.

And I know that uh working together that there'll be a lot of issues that that can be solved, and I'm also thankful for our first responders for the solid waste drivers that came and got my trash this morning and recycling and for all of our city employees that work holidays so that the rest of us can benefit.

So thank you and uh Merry Christmas, happy holidays.

Anami Das, followed by Joe Cardillo.

Hi, y'all.

I just wanted to express my appreciation for the deferral on our 102.

Thank you.

Joe Cardillo, followed by Lisa Christofferson.

Uh good evening, Madam President and Council members.

So my name is Joe Cardillo.

I'm a resident of District 6, and I grew up here in Albuquerque.

Um, I work for a local nonprofit that does policy communications, and uh at times I have to track misleading content, rumorous myths, that sort of thing to try to have a real conversation about policy.

And I just wanted to briefly mention two recent examples and their impact.

Uh, the first one has just happened last week, Stephen Michael Casada, who most folks know, breaking bad star, Burnley Outy Commissioner, uh, posted on election day while polls were still open.

I quote, I hope that's not ICE at the polling location on 98th.

Of course, that's pretty scary to hear, um, especially when we know ICE is consistently detaining U.S.

citizens.

Uh, I heard directly from voters who were shaken by that post, um, even though Casada had provided no evidence, and when I checked with two people at that location, uh, they said that ICE was not there.

Um, a second example goes a little bit further back to the mayoral election.

Uh I'm sure folks in this room have heard the false claim that Albuquerque is the 20th most violent city in the world.

Um, it was even on one of the mayoral candidates' campaign handouts at a town hall.

Uh, this came from a tiny online survey taken by 200 people.

I took the survey myself.

Uh, it didn't ask if I was from Albuquerque, uh, so pretty much anybody around the world could take it.

And if you want to see that survey, you can look up the NumBO Crime Index Albuquerque to see for yourself.

Um, what's the impact of this type of thing?

You know, I won't go too deep into it, but I think I would just describe it as poisoning our information systems.

Uh, it breaks this kind of thing breaks the connection between neighbors, it fills us with fear, anger, and distrust, which is really not good for any of us in any of our neighborhoods.

Um, and it impacts more than politics.

It's really about how we live together, and I think whether we're going to choose to be neighborly at all.

And I think obviously, as city counselors, uh, I'm sure you all know how important that is in your your respective districts.

Um, so I would just close by saying that um hopefully going to the new year, folks will open a new page and let go of those kinds of things.

And also, uh, while I understand the government can't regulate that type of free speech, you all can hold each other accountable to a higher standard, and I certainly hope that you do, and uh wish you all a restful holiday break.

Thank you so much.

Lisa Christofferson, followed by Thomas Abeta.

Thank you.

It is with a sad heart and much disappointment that I stand here before you today.

My name is Lisa Christofferson.

I'm in District 3.

It is my belief that there was an intent to intimidate voters in district three from voting.

Um I have inquired as to how to file complaints with uh multiple agencies because I, as a person of color, as a person who is the first American on one side of my family, voting is fundamental to the democracy and to the civil rights that we have in this city and in this county and in this state.

And if you all do not do something about something that was so incredulous, so deplorable.

If I could have the I would I want to put this post up here.

District, if I could please.

District three is one of the brownest um districts in this city.

98th.

Uh, this was the post.

It says, I hope that's not ice at the polling location on 98th.

My mother is a naturalized citizen, and she works at that polling site.

She has been for the last two months trying to find her papers from 35 years ago of her becoming a citizen.

She did not work this voting election, the runoff, because she was scared that being there and serving her, her community would result in her being deported.

And then this gets posted.

Voting is one of the fundamental mechanisms within a democracy for members of a community.

So I'm having to pause because I'm not even sure how to respond to that.

I don't know what agency needs to hold that accountable, but I do look to you all to make some kind of a comment that this is not what we want in Albuquerque for our citizen tree.

Please.

Thomas Abeta, followed by Let's Otvo.

Let's Otva, followed by Brick Jonasy.

Good evening, Madam President, Council members.

As we enter into this holiday season and the close of business for 2025, I'd like to make it all uh in case you all didn't weren't aware, I'm sure most of you are.

We're coming to our 250th anniversary as a country.

Uh it does please me to see the uh the outpouring of individuals who are willing to serve within their government.

But I do want to express upon all of you folks in Albuquerque that have actually signed an oath to uphold the Constitution of this great United States of ours.

I won't direct my comments to anyone else other than Councilman Bassan, but what got myself involved in my community was something that happened to me with the police.

So when I begin to dig into why it happened, and rather than just finding the nugget out there, so I can say this is what it was, I found this unwanted gold mine of shit.

And I want to continue to dig.

If I go down in the so-called annals of history of cleaning up a city, then it's going to be on my name, on my watch, on my time.

So I'm just want to put y'all on notice.

Have a good holidays.

Thank you very much.

Appreciate your time.

Brick Jonasi, followed by Santiago Montoya.

Madam Councillor President and Counselors, thank you for serving this year.

Yeah, um, most of all, I want to thank uh Mr.

Letzab though for his service.

Umsive appreciation for that man.

Uh he served his country and he continues to serve and he inspires me to serve in what best capacity that I can serve.

Um my role as press and continued role as a First Amendment auditor.

Uh it's a prideful one.

I really appreciate uh everything that he's done for me and what he continues to do for me.

Um press being a fundamental right, a fundamental portion of the First Amendment.

It's a necessity.

It's a 100% necessity that any type of corruption be found by individuals in this capacity.

So when we bring you a story, we do expect 100% expect, because you too have signed an oath to honor that oath and dig and root it out as well.

Um I do appreciate that it is the holidays and want you guys to have the best of holidays.

We also want to have the best of holidays.

Um I do find it interesting that Officer Romkowski gets some type of award a year after violating my rights, Mr.

Letsotvo's rights, just prior to this award, in the same fashion, Officer Sidillo training someone to violate our rights in our official capacity as press.

So please continue in what is known as the good defense of our rights.

Thank you.

No police officer while I was in the hospital, no police officer came to my place of business, no police officer came to my home a month after I've been shot.

It took me to get on social media, it took me to continue to talk to different people to even have an officer come and talk to me about the situation.

I'm only here today because I do not want this to happen to another person.

So I'm okay with being shot downtown in Albuquerque.

But it's other businesses, business owners that's going through the same things and not having anyone to uh to help them.

And on the spark of this, a lot of domestic violence also going around where police officers aren't doing their follow-ups.

Like they should be, especially in the black and brown community.

I'm not here to try to say anything bad about the APD.

I'm just looking for accountability.

And knowing that I came, hoping that I came here to address y'all, something actually be changed.

Thank you for your time.

Councillor Champagne.

Yeah.

Madam President, thank you for the leeway on this.

Um, Madam CAO, can I get the Cavs in case for that?

42s on it.

Madam CAO, Madam President, Councilor Champagne.

Uh I only smiled because I was trying to catch the exact codes you were saying, but yes, we will absolutely follow up on it for and follow through.

Yeah, and then the president counselor champagne.

And I was I understand I was just trying to catch it.

Thank you.

Councillor Graph.

Thank you, Madam President.

Mr.

Brown, I'm sorry that you got shot.

It's not okay.

And um, I'm sorry that follow-up didn't happen as timely as it should have.

Um, there's no excuse.

But um, I think that we've got some eyes on it now, and we'll see what we can do so we can do better for other people.

So thank you for coming to speak and let us now bring it to our attention.

I'm sorry you got shot.

It's not okay.

Counselor Backa.

Thank you, madam chair.

Um, if you can copy me on the email there, uh Dr.

Single.

I think it's and I'm sorry, Mr.

Brown, that that all this has happened.

You know, we we just spent the last what six months listening to how things are better in Albuquerque, and yeah, in one of our most visible and prominent neighborhoods that everyone is paranoid about.

We don't get a follow-up.

I mean, that just seems ridiculous.

Um, any shooting should have a follow-up, obviously.

But the fact that he had to come down to city council to speak is is outrageous to be honest, at a minimum.

So thank you.

I think please forward it to everybody.

Kind of the standard ask on my end, please.

Counselor Rogers.

Thank you, Madam President.

I just wanted to add, I know JB didn't he was being nice.

Um, I just have to add that that there's serious issues with even evidence collection in this case, where he had a weapon that should have been processed.

Um, that I think has been since picked up.

Um, but the other thing is is this group, this barber shop where this happened, hosts uh mentorship program that I support with funding, that the city supports with funding.

Luckily, those youth weren't there that day, right?

But this has opened another conversation that these men are having to have with these youth who noticed when something happened to the gentleman where they come in his business to get mentored.

Um, and so I just this is a uh upstanding group of men who are doing their part to pour back into the youth and to have this happen.

And I just I'm so sorry.

I know you and I have been in contact, but I I assumed and expected that APD was following up.

So thank you for coming and voicing that here, and we'll definitely make sure that you get what you need.

Um, and thank you for standing up for all of the folks that you do stand up for also with the domestic violence part too.

Because you're you're right, we could do better there too.

Thank you.

Mr.

Cornelius.

Thank you, Madam President.

Patrick Barrett, followed by Marcelin Costner.

So Patrick Barrett's actually not here.

My name is Arthur Bell.

I would like to take his time in regards to the situation that happened with JB if that's okay with you all.

Please proceed.

Okay, so just to add a little context to what happened with JB.

There is literally a gunshot detector within 50 feet of where his business is.

He got shot in his barbershop, walked a block and a half to a neighboring business, got them to bandage him up, called the ambulance, the ambulance picked him up, he's on his way to the hospital.

The person who shot him is laying in his business.

The gun is not necessarily with that person.

Long story short, how is it that no APD officer made it down to the location?

Not only is the person still on Albuquerque streets, which puts everybody in harm's way, but like Nicole said, we host a men's group that talks to kids to prevent violence.

So the fact that that happened there, these same kids are looking at us a little different.

Now JB could have not been as strong as he was.

Like Nicole said, he's taking it easy on you.

We're done taking it easy.

Our kids deserve better.

JB deserves better.

Everybody in the city of Albuquerque deserves better.

Numbers lie.

I hear a lot of people always say numbers don't lie.

The numbers that Albuquerque is safer is a lie.

That proof.

Thank you.

Marcelin Costner, followed by Tad Numiski.

Hi.

My experience this week.

So earlier this week, a members of this administration came to a food distribution program I helped serve and asked us about covering for food for the rocket noon while they were closed because Tuesday through Friday, they serve 80 to 100 people.

80 to 100 people rely on those meals.

So out of our own pockets, out of our own work, we came together as a community with different groups, and we've been trying to feed folks while the Rock and Noon's been closed, down where they are.

We were told to go to the first Starvata Bridge.

The first day we went, cops swept people down the way.

We went to the Rocket Noon where people were, state police blocked off both ends of the road and swept folks out.

The next day we set up on an empty lot.

As I apologized, um cops came later and swept folks before we serve lunch.

The next day, cops swept us in the middle of serving lunch.

We will continue to be feeding people.

It does not matter.

But it feels like a waste of resources.

But they can show up and send six cars to move a bunch of people out who are in wheelchairs.

I mean, it's cold, it's winter.

What the hell are we doing here?

Um I also want to mention that housing folks in general makes our city safer.

People wouldn't be as desperate.

People wouldn't be robbing each other and trying to do curious things just to get there.

Food and housing is a really easy way to get over addiction and broader issues, and it's crazy.

It's fucking crazy that we live like this, and we allow people to freeze and die on our streets.

Please do better.

Please.

Anything possible, and I would hesitate to bet.

That's so fixed.

Now I commend state of New Mexico, federal government, Justice Department.

Look at this issue.

Now life.

What is life?

To me, that's process of learning.

From child, toddler all the way to hundreds years old.

Learning and doing right things, right way.

Not only for own self, but for others in communities speaking up.

What is right way?

Now what's happened to me?

Listing meetings.

When sort of and all council bodied.

That's it.

Help me.

I'm ready to go to course.

Thank you.

Augustine Romero, followed by Steven Verczynski.

Good evening, everybody.

My name is Augustine Romittle.

I'm the M series president for for the union, represent city employees.

I'm here as a reminder to just remind you guys that we had conversations six months ago about possibly getting a half percent raise.

Uh just want to make sure you guys don't forget about us again.

Thank you.

Steven Verczynski, followed by James Freeman.

Want to get over here.

Is that Charlie?

Madam Chair and members of the council.

Um I went up on November 5th to the state legislature in Santa Fe for specifically a presentation to the investments and pensions oversight committee.

Uh and it was given by Roxana Knight and Green Roney.

Um what they were addressing was New Mexico's public pension crisis and a case for restoring uh the cost of living allowances.

Um municipal employees pay into uh para as well as the city.

Um I am a uh para pensioner at this point in time, and I can tell you how difficult it is getting to be with regards to what's happening with regards to our um our pensions.

Uh just to give you an idea with the current colas, the value of a public retirees pension will shrink to just over half of its uh 2019 value in 25 years.

What this means is less money even coming into the community because and being spent in the community by the retirees and jeopardizing their ability to go ahead and stay in their homes, uh take care of um their own elderly, uh husband or wife, and so that's an issue that uh needs to be addressed.

This happened because of Senate Bill uh 7 uh 72, which was passed during COVID and uh signed off by the governor.

Um what then in essence uh did is it reduced uh regular members' actual colour, which was a non-compounding 2%, uh down to a half a percent uh for the years 2023-2024-2025.

So we've lost income that they're counting you know, people were counting on and promised by their employees by statute governing their work agreements, and for example, a sample.

We have it in a little bit more.

Thank you.

You can feel free to send that via email to all of the counselors though, and you can go ahead and take a look at it as well.

We'll do, I think it's important.

Thank you, sir.

James Freeman, followed by Simon Polakowski.

Thank you, Garrett.

Good evening, y'all.

I am still James Freeman from District 4.

First, I wanted to talk about an event that's coming up on a Wednesday.

This is the memorial vigil where we will start at 1 p.m.

at Albuquerque Healthcare for the homeless, and we'll march to Civic Plaza.

So many people have stepped up to make this an event a great event over the years.

Uh Councilor Backer donated a hundred burritos.

Thank you so much.

Albuquerque Healthcare for the homeless is donated is matching that with the 100 burritos.

The city is donating 50 burritos.

We got most of the fees waived as far as using Civic Plaza and using the sound system.

I can't believe how complicated and expensive it is to get all these things done, and it took months, but we finally got it done.

I'm today got done today.

So but I really wanted to thank the city for allowing us to do that last year.

Two of y'all came.

I'd like to see a little more than two if that's possible, I guess three, if counselor Bach is showed.

So that would be great.

Um I'd love to create get in trouble for making a quorum.

I'll I'll take the blame for that.

Um other thing I wanted to, you know, we are Christmas time, and we're thanking people.

I really want to thank the staff, um, Dr.

Singal, Matt Whalen, uh, really always taking the time to talk to me.

Um, all of all of y'all have met with eight out of nine of y'all uh privately had meetings or conversations or emails.

So I really wanted to thank you.

You have the most incredible policy analysts in the world over here.

I know them all.

Abby Styles, of course.

Um, so I just really wanted to say thank you.

Um I I feel fundamentally many systems in the city are broken, but we have the best people working on them.

So I think that's if there's a silver lining, you know, everything probably shouldn't take months to get approved.

Something so simple, but we have the best people.

Thank you.

Simon Polakowski, followed by Molly Swank on Zoom.

Uh Council President, Council.

I'm not as altruistic as the preceding uh speakers.

I've come here for very selfish reasons.

I've come here to ask you to vote unanimously unanimously on a resolution demanding an investigation, what went on in a meeting between the U.S.

ambassador in Israel and a convicted traitor to the United States, Jonathan J.

Pollard.

I'm doing this publicly because I don't want to be uh accused of being uh threatening anybody.

I'm asking you, as my representatives of the city I've lived in for over 50 years to ask our congressional representatives and Senate to have a public hearing into this matter.

Uh Mr.

Pollard was convicted of betraying our nation every day, every council meeting.

You all take a pledge of allegiance to the flag.

He violated that.

He was a government employee employed by naval intelligence, and he sold an incredible amount of very sensitive information uh about the United States defense process.

And that there hasn't been a public outrage uh befuddles me.

And oh, it scares me.

So I'm here for that selfish reason because I, as an ordinary citizen, cannot demand an interrogation of our ambassador, and what was uh said during this conversation between a representative of us, the people, and a traitor who betrayed us the people.

And so I'm asking again for you to unanimously unanimously pass a resolution demanding an investigation to this.

Thank you.

Molly Swank, followed by Jacob Chrujillo.

Thank you, Council members, for the opportunity to speak with you tonight, and I apologize I couldn't make it downtown in time to be there in person.

Um, my name is Molly Swank.

I'm the executive director for Common Cause New Mexico, and I'm sure it's no surprise that I'm here to speak in support of ranked choice voting, also known as instant runoffs for the city of Albuquerque.

Our city had our runoff elections last week, where only a third of registered voters turned out to vote for our city's highest ranking position.

The city hasn't released the numbers of how much was spent on the 30-day runoff process, but it was estimated to be over a million dollars for staffing, printing, rentals, trainings, etc.

Common cause is here again to ask you to support ranked choice voting, aka instant runoffs to save our taxpayer dollars and decrease voter fatigue across our city.

Runoffs mean 30 more days of campaign ads, campaign mailers, people knocking on doors, phone calls, all of that.

Ranked choice voting won't decrease the value of each voters' vote, but instead allows them to consider all candidates and their policy positions.

It's a simple process for voters and for our election administrators, and we hope that you'll support a measure to enact ranked choice voting in 2026 and allow our city to facilitate instant runoff elections moving forward.

Thank you so much.

Jacob Chuhil, followed by Nira Saxena.

Hi, sorry.

Uh good afternoon, Albuquerque City Council.

Thank you, Council President, members of the council.

My name is Jacob True, and I'm proud to serve as the chair of the Democratic Party of Burnley Oak County.

I'm joining virtually tonight because local government sets the tone for how democracy actually functions in people's lives.

At a time when trust and institutions and our national government is at an all-time low cities like Albuquerque have a real opportunity to strengthen participation and confidence in our elections.

One way to do that is by adapting ranked choice voting.

Across the county?

Across the country, sorry.

Cities have implemented ranked choice voting and are seeing higher voter engagement, more positive campaigns, and election outcomes that better reflect the will of the majority.

Albuquerque has already experienced low voter turnout elections and costly runoffs, just like the December 9th race.

That leave many voters feeling disengaged.

Ranked choice voting allows voters to express their preferences in a single election, reduces the needs for runoff, and ensures winners have broader support from the community.

As chair of the Democratic Party of Bernaleo County, I believe our democracy works best when more people participate and when our systems reward coalition building instead of division.

Ranked choice voting encourages exactly that.

I urge council to seriously consider and advance the adoption of rank choice voting for Albuquerque's municipal elections.

It's a practical reform that strengthens democracy and better serves our residents.

Thank you all for serving.

Thank you all for the hard work you do.

And I appreciate your time.

Thank you.

Nira Saxena.

Good evening, Counselors.

Um, thank you for the opportunity to speak.

Uh, my name is Nira Fagsenna.

I'm a resident of District 6, and I'm also a practicing pharmacist in the city of Albuquerque.

Um, I understand this decision has been deferred.

However, I speak in strong support of the rental practices ordinance.

Um, while Senate Bill 267 established important tenant protections at the state level, codifying these provisions in the city code is what makes them real and enforceable on the ground.

Um, things like transparent fees and limits on punitive practices.

These are not abstract issues.

They directly affect housing stability and displacement risk.

Um, I work with many of our unhoused citizens.

Um, as all of us know, there are way too many unhoused individuals in our city.

This is a huge problem that we need to take seriously.

Uh predatory renting or landlord protections do not serve our citizens.

I strongly urge the council not to defer this decision again, and not only to adopt the ordinance, but to ensure it is implemented and enforced in a way that meaningfully protects renters.

Thank you very much.

Madam President, I'm unable to locate Jordan McConnell in Zoom, and I say that just in case he's here.

Um, but that does conclude general public comment.

Thank you.

Thank you very much.

All right, we're gonna do one more item and then move for our break.

Uh under approvals, OC 57 is the appointment of member to the open space advisory board in accordance with the provision of section 2616 ROA 1994, Councilor Feblecorn has submitted the following two names as potential appointees to the open space advisory board.

Carl R.

Kaiser and Teresa, please forgive me.

Doria Riley.

I don't see that anyone is signed up to speak on this.

The two candidates I've been told are present this evening if council would like to hear from each of them.

Counselors, would you like to hear from anybody?

Okay.

So the council rules provide a procedure for appointments made by the council, and we are following that procedure tonight.

Ballots are being distributed by staff that lists the two candidates.

Counselors to indicate counselors are to indicate the order of their preference with a one for their first preference and two for their second preference.

Irony is not lost on me right now.

After councillors complete their ballots, staff will collect the ballots and tally the results.

Counselors, if you'll please mark your one and two, give it back to staff.

But first, I move to table this item.

There's a motion in a second by Councillor Champagne and Grout.

Uh, we're going to allow for staff to be able to do the tallies and figure it all out while we go to dinner.

So, all those in favor of tabling this item, raise your hand and say yes.

Anyone opposed?

The item is tabled.

We will be back here at 7:30.

All right, everyone, we are back from our break.

And I would like to remove OC fifty seven from the table, appointment of member to the open space advisory board.

There's a motion and several seconds.

All those in favor, raise your hand and say yes.

Anyone oppose?

Everyone's spunky.

Anyone opposed?

That passes unanimously.

All right.

So with that, and the tally from staff and our votes.

The new member of the open space advisory board is Carl R.

Kaiser.

I move confirmation.

There's a motion and a second by Counselor Feeblecorn.

All those in favor, raise your hand and say yes.

Yes.

Anyone opposed?

That passes on a 7-0 vote.

Welcome and congratulations to Mr.

Kaiser.

Thank you for your willingness to serve.

Okay, so now we're gonna bounce around and we're gonna go back to EC548, approval of contract with a I don't know, is it the acronym or is it IDEMIA edemia to provide AFIS automated fingerprint and identification system platform?

I move approval.

There's a motion and a second by Madam Vice President.

Any questions, counselors or comments?

All those uh in favor of approving EC548, raise your hand and say yes.

Anyone opposed?

It looks like that passes on a seven zero vote.

We're now on to final actions.

Councilor Pena, 067.

Thank you, madam president.

Thank you, Madam President.

O67 is committee sub-amending chapter two, article 11 of the City of Albuquerque Code of Ordinances to improve the city's budget proposal processes and strengthen oversight and accountability measures.

I move a due pass.

There's a motion and a second from counselor champagne.

Uh the uh okay, let's go to amendments first.

We have quite a packet, and then we will go we do have a public speaker.

So let's start with amendment A, which is counselors Lewis, Rogers, and Sanchez.

Counselor A is now number one in your packet.

A in your packet, number one for the amendment.

Thank you, Madam President.

I'd like to move floor amendment number one on the screen on page 13, beginning on line 14, amend section two-11-8.

Budget das contents and format by replacing paragraph D as whole as follows.

And it's a pretty long amendment, but the purpose uh of our amendment, and we talked about this last time, so we reworked it based on our discussion.

It requires clearer reporting for unclassified employees who report directly to the mayor or CAO.

It defines what constitutes a direct reporting relationship for budget presentation purposes, specifies that the salaries of these employees must be shown within the mayor's office or CAO budget sections, and requires organizational charts in the annual budget submissions to reflect both standard and departmental structures and any direct reporting relationships.

This amendment also requires updated charts when changes occur that affect how these positions are presented in the budget.

And then uh we're just a card.

There's a motion.

Is there a second?

There's a second by counselor feeblecorn.

Counselors, any questions or comments?

Anything from the administration.

I'll try to do like we did last time.

Thank you, Madam President.

Uh, this is I appreciate the work that went into clarifying this in the way that based upon our discussion in the last meeting, uh and understand the transparency that this provides and in understanding where folks are allocated within the budget and where they sit within our administration.

All right, anything further, counselors.

Seeing none, the motion is for amendment number one to committee sub-067.

All those in favor, raise your hand and say yes.

Yes, anyone opposed.

That passes unanimously.

Moving on to number two, which is B in your packet, Councilor Champagne.

I've got to get to B in my pack.

Hold on.

Thank you, Madam President.

Uh yes, amendment number two.

Beginning on page 19, line 29, amend the section 21 or 2113 budget amendments during fiscal year outside adoption of annual budget in paragraph uh and you see it in red.

This amendment basically revises the mid-year budget uh adjustment process by requiring the administration to brief council services before transmitting any mid-year budget adjustment request to the city council.

The briefing and accompanied materials must be included, detailing documentation and requires the general fund table.

Move for a due pass.

There's a motion and a second by councillor grout.

Counselors, any questions or comments on this?

Seeing none, how about the administration?

Thank you, Madam President.

Um, I understand that this adds the um providing the uh advice and information to council services that is within the documents, and that makes sense to me that we would discuss that.

All right, anything further, counselors.

Seeing none, I guess I keep I forgot I apologized to the previous counselors.

I didn't go back for a close.

Council Champagne to close.

Urge your support.

All those in favor of amendment number two to committee substitute 067.

Raise your hand and say yes.

Yes.

Anyone opposed?

That passes unanimously.

Moving on to C in your packet number three, Councilor Feblecorn.

Madam President, I'll move floor amendment number three on page five, line five, amend as follows.

Shall review the five-year goals and one-year objectives for the city, and then we're gonna add in the city council shall amend as necessary.

Move that.

There's a motion and a second by councilor Rogers.

Councilor Febocorn.

Thank you, Madam President.

So I just wanted to clarify that the mayor did not have the authority to amend the objectives or the goals without council approval.

So counselors, any questions or comments?

And the administration?

None.

Council Feblecorn opposed.

Urge your support.

All those in favor of amendment number three to 067.

Committee sub, raise your hand and say yes.

Yes.

Anyone opposed?

That passes unanimously.

Uh amendment number four D in your packets.

Council Feblecorn.

Thank you, Madam President.

I'll move floor amendment number four on page five, line 21.

Amend as follows.

These tasks may be delegated to, and we will say the mayor or their designee rather than mayor staff.

I'll move that.

There's a motion.

Is there a second?

Second.

There's a second by councilor Champagne.

Councilor Feblecorn.

Thank you, Madam President.

So just wanted to clarify that we are not doing any kind of separation of powers problem.

We are designated to the mayor, and then he can designate to designees as he wishes.

Any questions or comments from the administration?

None.

Council Feblecorn to close.

Erd your support.

All those in favor of amendment number four to committee sub 067.

Raise your hand and say yes.

Yes.

Anyone opposed?

That passes unanimously.

We are on to amendment number five, labeled E in your packet.

Council Feeblecorn.

Thank you, Madam President.

I'll move floor amendment number five on page nine, line 31.

Amend as followed.

And hold at least three public hearings is needed for the following.

This is just to make it the same as the reference to three Cal meetings later on on page 14.

I'll move that amendment.

There's a motion and a second by Councillor Grout.

Councilor Feblecorn.

Again, we just say in on page 14 that we're gonna have three.

I personally really appreciate all three of those, so I want to make sure that we have at least three budget hearings so we can ask all of our questions and learn all we need to learn.

So that's just making it consistent throughout the bill.

Counselors, any questions or comments?

Anything from the administration?

All right.

All those in favor of amendment number five to committee substitute 067, raise your hand and say yes.

Yes.

Anyone opposed?

That passes unanimously.

Uh amendment F number six.

Council Feblecorn.

Thank you, Madam President.

Floor amendment number six is on page 10 lines 19 through 31.

Um amend to say that we will have at least one study session and that it will be informal in nature.

Um I'll move that amendment.

There's a motion and a second by counselor grout.

Counselor Feblecorn.

Madam President, um, just wanting to clarify I really like the idea of um study sessions, and I want to make sure that we have one at least.

And then our discussion last um meeting was really trying to make sure that these were informal discussions with the department director so that we can ask all the questions we need to ask and get some informal time without making them do a lot of extra work during a busy time for them.

So just trying to make this um definitely happen and then happen in the least painful way possible for the department directors.

Counselors, any questions or comments?

Anything from the admin?

Madam CAO.

Thank you, Madam Chair.

I think um in discussion with the counselor and and others, I think the study sessions are gonna be useful for us to have the opportunity to have meaningful discussion about what's happening in the budget, what's happening in departments.

So I appreciate the way this is written.

It allows for that discussion to be um open and and give the opportunity for more learning.

All right, council people corn to close.

Urge your support.

All those in favor of amendment number six to committee sub 067, raise your hand and say yes.

Yes.

Anyone opposed that passes on an eight zero vote?

We're moving on to amendment uh seven, uh labeled G, Councilor Feblecorn.

Madam President, floor amendment number seven is on page 11, line 25, amend as follows.

Change city council department to city council staff.

Um I think that was just a typo that somehow got in with all the changes, so just making that clarification.

I'll move that.

There's a motion.

Is there a second?

There's a second from councilor grout.

Any questions or comments, Councillors?

Anything from the admin.

Council Febalcorn urge your support.

All those in favor of amendment number seven to committee sub 067, raise your hand and say yes.

Yes.

Anyone opposed?

That passes on an eight zero vote.

We are moving on to amendment number eight, counselor feeblecorn, H in your eye pad.

Madam President, I don't need to move H, so if it's all right, I'll move on to I.

All right, we are skipping H.

We're moving on to I.

Still, this will be number eight for amendments.

Thank you, Madam President.

Floor amendment number eight on page 14, lines one through six, and then the section as follows.

Um and it will now say a separate program strategy shall be included for any enterprise fund that received general fund resonues.

The program strategy shall include a description of general fund revenue uses and other funding sources as applicable.

I move that amendment.

There's a motion, is there a second?

There's a second from Councillor Grout.

Counselor Feblecorn.

Thank you, Madam President.

So we had some very specific um requirements for um uh transit, which I think were probably very much needed when transit was first getting set up in this, but I thought it might make sense that there were no other references to any of the other enterprise funds to make it a more generic statement that if we're gonna be spending um general fund dollars on any enterprise fund that we also need that program information in the budget.

Counselors, any questions or comments?

And from the admin, nothing to add, council feeble corn to close.

Urge your support.

All those in favor of amendment eight to committee sub-067, raise your hand and say yes.

Yes, anyone opposed?

That passes on an eight zero vote.

We are moving on to amendment number nine labeled J in your packet.

Thank you, Madam President.

Floor amendment number nine on page 22, lines 20 through 22.

Strike the sentence that says it shall be the responsibility of the mayor's administration to submit the quarter the report early enough to allow for timely committee referral and council consideration.

There's a motion, is there a second?

There's a second by Madam Vice President, Council Februar.

Thank you, Madam President.

So the sentence before this actually specifies exactly when it's required.

It's it's it's very clear in the sentence before that it has to be submitted no later than 60 calendar days after the end of the fiscal quarter.

So I think this sentence is no longer needed, and it's it's really confusing because the other one has an exact calendar timeline.

Any questions, counselors?

Comments?

Anything from the admin?

None.

Council Februar to close.

Urge your support.

All those in favor of amendment nine, raise your hand and say yes.

Yes.

Any opposed?

That passes unanimously.

We are on to amendment number 10, labeled K in your packet.

Councilor Grout.

Um Madam President, on uh floor amendment number 10.

Um on page 12, line 14, amend the following.

All budget call documents for each department um needs re uh request forms.

This kind of defines what the examples of what the documents and forms would be in the budget call.

There's a motion for amendment 10.

Is there a second?

Second from Council Champagne.

Anything to add, Councilor Grout?

No.

Counselors, any questions or comments?

And Councilor Feblecorn.

Thank you, Madam President.

This is why I didn't need to move mine because I think a better one was um brought forward, but I would like to just ask the administration if last time we had a conversation around, we're not really sure what this means.

Does this definition make sense to the folks that are actually preparing the the proposed budget?

Madam CAO.

Thank you, Madam President, and um councillor February.

I did speak with the councilor on about this specific language.

Um our team has looked at this language, and we believe every item that's in this list is um already being provided as part of the process between the amendment that was made by councillor Bason last meeting as well as within the budget documents that we submit.

So you know we believe this language is redundant in that regard.

Um, and I I recognize that my question last time caused us to want to talk to about this specific language.

Um the budget call document is a memo that essentially directs um departments to begin the work and to begin the process of what we will do to compile the proposed budget.

Um, and so you know for the sake of clarity, because we've been just working on clarity.

I would say this language is unnecessary, um, and it could remain as it is in it as it says uh the budget call documents for each department.

It would be one budget call that we provide for um so that you all would see that.

Council Feeblecorn.

Thank you, Madam President.

Council Grout.

So thank you, Madam President.

So uh what is a budget call?

That's what this defines is what is a budget call.

And so while I understand that all of the things that are in a previous amendment list all those things, this now says what it is.

And it's it's a call to you know, get ready to do your job, or you know, work and bring all the documents together.

So it's not it's not gonna hurt anything.

And it's a little bit more clear.

Thank you.

And did I see that Mr.

Mozgo or anybody from staff?

No, okay.

Council President, Mr.

Council Grout.

So really it's just once we send out the budget call, it's to complete a final document that is provided within the budget call document that we submit.

It's a lot of different working papers that they use to compile all that for that final product.

So we're already doing that and supplying that.

So we think it is kind of redundant.

Thank you.

All right, counselor, uh Madam Vice President.

Thank you, Madam President.

I guess I'd just like to ask our staff staff.

So there was reference to an amendment that was passed last week.

Is it redundant or is it not?

Ms.

Broka.

Madam President, Counselor Penya.

Usually we get some of the information from the CAO hearings, but we don't regularly get everything that is given through the budget call.

So there are there are some forms that we do get through the CAO hearing, but there are other forms we do not.

So I don't believe that it's redundant.

I think it's giving some examples of what that includes, but et cetera.

Meaning all of them.

Okay, thank you.

Thank you.

Any other questions or comments?

Mr.

Whelan?

Council President.

Uh what we do is we when we have a finalized information after our budget hearings with our departments, those are the documents that we already are willing to provide things that happened before that or that we discussed with departments, those are working documents that may not make it to the final budget.

Thank you.

Any other questions or comments?

Councilor Grout to close.

I urge your support.

Counselors, all those in favor of amendment 10 to a committee sub 067, raise your hand and say yes.

Yes.

Anyone opposed?

That passes unanimously.

Counselors, any other amendments that I don't know about.

All right.

Seeing none, let's go to public comment.

Although I'm not sure if Ms.

Doss is here.

But we'll give it a whirl.

Mr.

Cornelius.

Thank you, Madam President.

We have a Nami Doss to speak.

All right.

So we're back on the bill as amended.

Counselors, any questions or comments on O67 as amended.

All right.

Anything from the admin?

Madam CAO.

Thank you, Madam President.

Um, there's a couple items that were uh passed in amendments last meeting that I just want to um point out, just because um on page 13 line, I think I have these right, um, line 10 and 11.

Um there is specifically the amendment related to the language about uh no negative programmatic appropriations.

And I just wanted to speak to it.

I know um councillor Lewis passed this in the last meeting and or introduced it.

The issue of that where this can't came about was related to, and I think potentially counselor Bassan may remember this.

Um, previously, three counselors worked with us related to concerns around the sense of like there being a slush fund previously.

And the from what the staff has informed, uh, brought me back because I was not around when that occurred, and it was an attempt to work and to ensure that there was an understanding that when we have um vacancy savings in our in our budgets built based upon the staffing levels that we have built into the budget for you there to be more transparency actually around where we would be in a position that we need to use vacancy savings for programmatic um expenses.

If we were in a I'm gonna use an example, um, if we were in a position where there was a department that had had a hundred positions funded, um, and we know that that department typically is running at a vacancy rate of uh two to seven percent.

We'll say we'll pick seven percent.

We know they're gonna have seven positions vacant, and perhaps the hundred positions equals one million dollars is a bad math, but I'm trying to make it super simple.

What it allows for us is to know that if we were to be able to staff fully, we have the budget to staff because we believe that we need that we will need those positions.

But knowing perfectly well that when we have a built-in bait, we know we always have some vacancy rate, then we're gonna have this available funds.

This negative numbers allows us to make it transparent where we believe that that vacancy rate is going to exist, and then when we move funding between vacancy savings and programmatic, it obviously then shows up in other in our what would be considered like a bar our version of the bar, which is the mid-year cleanup bill.

So when we this was really truly implemented at during that um discussion with previous counselors around how do we get be more transparent with the and show that in the budget that that is where we're um projecting vacancy savings because we can we're never at a hundred percent full in our staffing models.

I mean we're never we are we depending on the position, we could be in a position where we have a much higher vacancy.

So I just wanted to point out that that is the mechanism, and there aren't a lot of good uh clear mechanisms because the other point is the number of positions are often negotiated and they're part of our contract negotiations.

So for us to just eliminate positions would have to be renegotiated with those with our our bargaining units in many cases, unless we're doing a forced uh RIF.

And so I just wanted to make sure that we point that out.

I think this is a tool for actual increasing transparency around what big where those vacancy savings are in the departments so that you can see that in the expectation.

Counselor Lewis Madam President, a couple of things.

Um it's not a couple issues with that.

It's not it's not called vacancy savings, it's called I think there's terms of program savings.

And um, and it's also not just for um the vacancy rate, you know, there there's other purposes that it's used for that are unexplainable in that regard.

And Mark, would you explain or Mr.

Motsko?

That is the case, right?

I mean, I I think if it were a simple uh vacancy rate and that was a line item in there, so you had a little cushion in there.

Um but even then in the budget, like let's say if you just had a vacancy rate, and that's not what this is.

If you um if you had a budget and you said um, you know, we're we're recognizing this vacancy weight rate, you're gonna leave that money in there as well.

And that's also not what's happening because in the budget you we're we're spending it some another place, right?

In the hopes that uh if we have more, then you know our mid-year major thing, then that's where it's gonna go.

And so there's just there's just a lot of I mean, there's a lot of things mixed into that to the point where it doesn't explain what that what it is, and there's not really a purpose for it, I think, after all that.

How would you characterize that, Mr.

Moscow?

Mr.

Motsko.

Madam Council President Bassan, Councillor Lewis, I think you just explained the unexplainable, as you said.

Uh last year, uh the former CFO said that it was not explicitly only vacancy savings, but he would not give us a clear definition of what those other savings in the programs included.

Um a previous amendment did clarify some definitions.

The administration uh will have to define salary savings and vacancy savings if this uh ordinance passes.

Okay.

So and Madam President, so with with uh with how it's written right now, um you all still have the freedom to be able to put vacancy savings within the budget.

Um but um but again, I I just think so.

You have some freedom there, you're not limited there.

Um, but it was very clear almost to the point where last year we had just these unexplainable discussions going on where you know, so then the best I understand is where the where the other part was wasn't the vacancy rate, it was just here's here's this chunk of money.

We're not gonna spend it because it's because we're spending it in other places, but we're just gonna put it there and this line item.

Um and the only possible reason would be like, hey, here's this average of the last 30 years, you know, of what we might have spent in here, and and we're not gonna spend that this year, and so um, you know, there's not really any purpose for it whatsoever.

So I think it's good like it stands.

I think it'd be a good way for us to start over.

I think it would it would make the budget much clearer, uh, and it would also make it more true to what um a real true budget should do, which should be a reflection of what we expect the spending in that department to be uh for that year.

And if there's some vacancy, you know, savings rate, I I really think that you you know we need to have the ability to be able to show hey, this budget might save a couple million dollars, um, but we're gonna leave it in there.

We're gonna recognize that it's still there so that so that you know we're in there, and then again it makes it makes a mid-year budget process a whole lot easier, or a cleanup process a whole lot easier uh to go back and uh um and make some make decisions on whether they were there or not.

Hey, if if we if we uh we hired those folks and so and it was budgeted and we we spent the money.

So that I mean that's how I would explain that.

I think it's still, you know, I I understand it's just kind of how we've been doing it, but I think it still gives you the freedom, you know, to um to capture the vacancy rate counselors, any other questions or comments?

Madam Vice President?

Um thank you, Madam President.

I think this was an amendment I didn't support because I thought there was um there was you know, with the amendment that we had passed with all the language, it kind of helped to alleviate that.

Can you help me because I feel like this does create some um redundancy?

Mr.

Motsko Madam Council President Bassan, Vice President Pena.

Um the administration sends down a budget with with a program savings or a prudent program savings already um implemented for the departments.

Um that from my staff's experience over the last two years, that doesn't give us a lot of um leeway to say working with the counselors to have the council say this is where we want this funding.

It's already taken off the top.

And that was the argument last year, the last two years between the former CFO and and counselor Lewis.

Thank you.

Counselors, any other questions or comments?

Anything further from the admin, Madam CAO.

Thank you, Madam President.

Um I I know I mentioned uh made uh mention of it at the last meeting, but what we're on the item again.

I want to make sure um I'm I believe that you know, in uh several places, um page 13's lines um one through eleven, and page 24 and 25, lines eight through 32 and one through six.

Um just broadly, and I know that when I we mentioned these things, it it uh is frustrating at times, but um the you know the direct directing the administration on how to formulate the proposed budget um to me is a general violation of the charter and how we think about the function of the executive versus the legislative.

It isn't intended to take anyone's authority away from them or anything in that regard.

It is my comment is specifically because when we talk about these matters where we are to turn over the uh the working papers or um exactly how we are formulating the budget in a in a functioning administrative executive fun way, um it it puts us in a position to um consistently believe it like blurs the lines between the legislative and the executive function in the budget.

Um we all have functioned as a city government where the mayor, the executive prepares a proposed budget and presents it to the legislative body for the but for your consideration, your modification and amendment and then passing.

And so it I just it's not something I need to continue to um argue over, but it is this language is um in many ways I think um very directive of the executive function in this space.

Counselors, any response, questions, comments, madam vice president.

Um thank you, um Madam President.

I don't know uh we don't have it in the form of an amendment, but would you consider an amendment to remove it, Counselor Lewis?

And and if not, what I would like to do is maybe um defer the bill, which would actually in essence it would die, but we would still have an opportunity for input from other counselors to um look at you know, look at um you know, additional input or any additional um amendments that may be needed just because and the only reason I'm saying that is because you know, we worked on this for a long time.

Um it's gonna it's a year now that you know we worked with the admin and and the um the council staff, and I think that you know, everything that they did, everybody operated in good faith, and for now that the admin comes to this um late stage, and then we make some I I think pretty pretty um important uh changes um that I think that we should at least give an opportunity to the admin to be able to um to work with us to see if we can you know make some additional changes.

So, Madam Vice President, just to clarify, I've madam CAL, the last part that you were talking about was different than the other issue with Counselor Lewis, correct?

Madam President, um it it was inclusive of that one, but it is also an in regards to multiple other areas where the language is broad.

Thank you.

And so uh counselors, just so that you know, and and hearing what you just said, if someone would like to, there's the and correct me if I'm wrong, madam clerk, there's the ability to suspend the rules to extend this bill beyond.

There's probably way better words beyond its life cycle, and for the rules that we have of the one year expiration, uh, and then if the council votes to extend and suspend those rules, then we can go ahead and then have a motion for deferral.

Should that be the will of the council councillor grout?

Thank you, Madam President.

I definitely don't think that we should let this die.

Um you all have done a lot of work over the last year coming to um and so I don't want that good work to go to waste.

Um I personally don't see anything wrong with um passing it tonight and then working on making changes, having some more continued discussion, but getting this started for the new year coming in and and process it so forth.

I know it doesn't actually take place until a year from now, but a year from now will come very soon.

And so um I would like to pass it tonight and then continue making changes if necessary, Madam Vice President.

So I agree with you, thank you.

It just because there's you know, because there was I really feel like people operated in good faith.

So um there is the other alternative motion to make to defer it to the beginning of the year, and that'll give time for the administration to work with counselor lewis on on those issues and see if they can come to consensus.

If not, we vote on it because I agree we worked really hard on this.

I mean they worked really hard on this.

So um, Madam Uh President, I don't know at what point now that we make the decision on whether to change the motion, are we you still asking questions?

Uh well there's still a lot, there's a couple okay.

There's another counselor that was waiting to speak, uh, and then we can come back to it if you'd like okay, thank you.

Counselor Lewis.

Thank you, Madam President.

Um yeah, I guess uh and Madam C Madam uh CAO that you uh admit uh yeah I I took that like you were mentioning some broad examples of multiple amendments and or multiple things in the bill.

Um I it it I I think we we did have a discussion over the specific language on the program savings, uh and I think we talked that out.

Um but if there's something I'm missing, I'm I'm I'm certainly you know open to if there is something I'm missing there, but I think again we addressed it as programs or as uh you know the vacancy rate.

I think you still have the ability to be able to address the vacancy rate within the budget.

Um but there's still not a real explanation um of a need for a program savings, I think.

And um, you know, I I guess you know I'm open if you can make that case um uh at some point of here here's why it's a necessary part of the of the budget.

Um I think I I think I know why, again, I think it's just because it's been used for a lot of years and it's a way to be able to say um, hey, we're uh we're reducing our spending here.

Um but but yet we're spending it somewhere else.

And so I just think it's a better way to start with when you when you give it to us to start with something that's a little more true to to where uh the dollars are expected to go.

And so um I mean that but I think again, I think that was a that was one part of other issues that that maybe you felt like was uh we're we're overstepping maybe with this budget bill.

Um so I mean in that case, I mean with the sponsor, I mean if we want to deal with all the other aspects of whether we might be overstepping um or if we've resolved that, then you know we're I think we're we're ready to vote on it.

Um I'm not sure how much how much further we can get as as far as any other changes on it, but thank you, Madam President.

Councilor People Corn.

Madam President, it is a process question.

So if this is deferred tonight, then it dies, but there's a new council at the very next meeting.

So it could be reintroduced at the next meeting.

Is that so true?

So it can't be deferred tonight because it will die because this bill will be expire upon one year, but there can be a motion made to suspend the rules of a bill dying after one year, and I believe it's with a two-thirds vote from the council in the affirmative, then those rules will be just suspended for this particular item, and then if that happens, then the council can then vote to defer to the January meeting.

Okay.

Thank you, Madam President.

But we could also just let it die and then reintroduce it at the very next meeting.

Because the next meeting is a new council.

Is that that's how it works?

If it's the will of the council, yes.

Thank you.

Councilor Rogers.

Thank you, Madam President.

Also a process question.

Would it be the bill as amended or reintroduced as it was the first time?

So I'm going to make sure that I see the head shake or nod as I do this, but at the same time, uh counselor, if we suspend the rules and defer this bill, it will be as amended as it is tonight and deferred, just like it would be if we deferred any other time.

If we let it die tonight and bring it back, it can come back as any shape form, any sponsor, any effort, any dialogue, any changes.

It's a it's a brand new baby.

Thank you, Madam President.

Um that is really important for my understanding of what what our options are.

Um process and think come back a bit more quick.

Councillors, any questions, comments, motions?

Councilor, um, Madam Vice President.

Um, thank you, Madam President.

So I'll take a stab at this.

So I'd like to suspend the rules to extend this bill for the next council meeting, which is January 5th.

January 5th.

So there's a motion to suspend the rules for bills to die upon a year.

And to extend this past that.

You're gonna make it way better for the record.

There is a motion for that.

Do you want to state it better, Miss Coolidon?

Uh Madam President, counselors.

The motion um could be uh to move that the rules be suspended to prevent CSO67 from dying on expiration and extend to the January 5th council meeting.

There you go.

It's a two for one.

Is there a second?

I will second it.

Councilor Rogers.

Thank you, Madam President.

Just process question.

Do we have to since we already had a motion on the floor?

Do we need to do something with that motion?

We had already had a motion on the floor for a due pass.

Uh since we haven't done anything with that motion yet, we can just proceed with the the secondary motion.

Madam President.

Thank you.

All right, there is a motion and a second.

Any additional comments or questions about suspending the rules for the expiration of a year for this bill.

All those in favor of suspending the rules, raise your hand and say yes.

Any opposed?

That fails on a seven to two vote.

We are back on the bill as amended.

Counselors, any other questions or comments?

Anything else from the admin.

All right, counselor uh Madam Vice President to close.

Um thank you, Madam President.

Um, I urge your support on this bill.

All those in favor of 067 as amended and substituted previously.

Raise your hand and say yes.

Yes.

Anyone opposed?

That passes on an eight to one vote.

Moving on to O 100, Councilor Feeblecorn by request.

Thank you, Madam President.

O100 is adopting a zoning map amendment from NRLM to MXM for three subject sites totaling approximately 19 acres, and from NRC to MXM for 13 subject sites totaling approximately 10.17 acres within the Manal Metropolitan Redevelopment Area Plan.

I move it due to pass.

There's a motion and a second by counselor Rogers.

O100 is a quasi-judicial request which requires special procedures to allow the applicant, staff, and the public the opportunity to speak.

This agenda item will proceed as follows.

Council planning staff will have a presentation of five minutes.

The applicants will present for 10 up to 10 minutes.

Testimony by public speakers will be limited to two minutes each.

There will be the option of or the ability for then a rebuttal by the applicant for five minutes, cross-examination by anyone who spoke during public comment for a new set of two minutes each.

Comments by the planning department, if any for five minutes, and the council planning staff closing comments, if any for five minutes.

City staff and the applicants must be sworn in.

If you are speaking to this item as a staff member or applicant, please raise your right hand.

All right.

All right, thank you.

Uh do you affirm under penalty of perjury that your testimony today will be true?

All right, I see yeses.

Thank you so much.

We're going to start with Miss Delgado if you want to begin with your introduction.

Thank you, Council President.

I am just uploading the presentation for council staff opening.

Okay.

Good evening, council.

Tonight we are listening.

Tonight we are the council is taking action on 025100.

It is the adoption of a zoning map amendment.

City council.

This item is a judiciary judiciary judiciary item prompting council to take action on a zone map amendment city council per the IDO.

What that means is any ZMAs that are more than 20 gross acres and that are within areas of change require uh council approval and EPC recommendation.

The request today is to rezone 13 approximately or rezone 13 subject properties, approximately 30 acres to mixed use medium intensity from non-residential light manufacturing or non-residential commercial.

The application is submitted by nine uh different property owners as well as uh council services collectively, the co-applicants, and with consensus planning as the agent on this project.

The map that you see uh here projected on the screen are um the properties within the Manal MRA.

All the the properties that are subject to this ZMA are highlighted with the yellow asterisk.

The subject properties are located entirely in an area of change that is the orange on the screen on the map, and uh again as well in the Minau Metropolitan Redevelopment Area, that's the dashed boundary on your screen.

The environmental planning commission heard this on September 18th and voted to voted a recommendation of approval to city council.

All the required notification was conducted.

That's notification to neighborhood associations within 660 feet, and all property owners within 100 feet of those subject properties.

Um staff did receive correspondence from the Martinez Town Neighborhood Association and from one business owner within the Manal MRA.

Um, those individuals contacted solely to request information.

In addition, uh, this item went through a period of public outreach with a minimum of two public stakeholder meetings in February and June of 2025.

Umperty owners were invited to those public meetings via mail mail to their physical address and mail to their mailing address, which uh our agent consensus planning will go into details.

Uh this ZMA is actually part of a larger redevelopment strategy for the Manal MRA.

Uh as the council knows, uh MRA plans are rank three plans in our city.

They're in our planning zoning framework.

They establish guidance goals and strategies for ultimate redevelopment and vibrancy in various areas of our city.

The Minal MRA plan has a simple vision, a vibrant and walkable district for hotel guests, workers, and residents alike.

It aims to achieve these goals through repurposing vacant abandoned and dilapidated properties, increasing the availability availability of housing, amending existing zoning to encourage a wider range of commercial and mixed use development, and decrease the amount of industrial zoning.

These images just show some of the conditions that are within the Manal MRA.

The Minal MRA has been analyzed through a market study and was analyzed through a market study in 2024 post the adoption of the MRA plan in order to understand market conditions of the various industries in this in this area.

So in terms of the real estate conditions, the area is made up of 60% hospitality, that's hotels.

It's about a little over 1,300 hotel keys in the area.

It's about 8% office, 13% commercial, and 19% industrial, and the map shows how the various industries are scattered throughout the district.

So in terms of the 1,300 hospitality keys or rooms in the area, zero have been built since 2015.

There's an average occupant occupancy rate of 49%, so less than 50% of those hotel rooms are occupied.

The average daily rate that was found in 2024 is 88 dollars per day.

The average for the city is about 114.

In terms of industrial development, zero square uh zero square feet of industrial development have been built since again 2015.

It is at a 0% vacancy rate and averages about $10 a square foot per average rent.

We like to see some type of vacancy somewhere between zero or somewhere between five to ten percent to allow for expansion of existing users.

In terms of commercial, there has been some commercial development.

Um, notably is the restaurant depot that we can see from uh I-25.

Um commercial development is averaging about 5.2% vacancy and averages about 14 square foot in the area.

Thank you, Miss Del Docato.

Did I go over my time?

Yes, thank you.

We are going to move on to the applicant's presentation.

10 minutes.

Good evening, Ms.

Fishman.

Okay.

Um I have a brief uh presentation.

If somebody could bring that up, that would be great.

I think that Miss Delgado has been.

All right.

Uh thank you, Madam President, and thank you, counselors.

My name is Jackie Fishman.

I'm uh speaking on behalf of consensus planning and uh the applicants that were part of this request to rezone uh the properties within the MRA along the Minol Corridor.

Uh as Ms.

Delgado explained, uh, the zone map amendments, uh, zone map amendments to MXM cover 16 parcels that are currently zone NRC or NRLM.

The entire Minol MR area is an area of change.

The basis of this request is the Minal MRA plan, which identified existing zoning as a regulatory constraint to redevelopment and reinvestment in the Minol Corridor.

This slide that you you've seen a couple times now shows the properties covered by this request with several of the major hotels in the area, which include the Crown Plaza, the Ramada, Red Roof Inn, and the La Quinta being applicants.

The properties total approximately 30 acres that will be rezoned to MXM in addition to the 10.4 acres of MXM on the east end of the Minol MRA area.

And you can see that that 10-acre premise is in brown on the slide.

Together, this totals about 41% of the MRA area will be zone MXM, which I think is a really good thing.

Keeping these properties on NRC and NRLM, especially really dooms them to failure and ensures that they stay underutilized and unimproved.

Next slide, please.

Somebody who if they could okay, there we go.

So to give you a little bit of background, I won't uh spend a lot of time on this, but uh the Minol MRA plan was the third phase of a three-phase project.

The consensus planning completed on behalf of City Council.

Uh phase one was the redevelopment study, which was a larger area than the MRA designated area.

The boundaries are shown on the on the slide.

The study focused on the non-residential properties and issues related to vacant buildings and properties, deteriorated conditions and crime, uh changing retail trends, and multimodal transportation systems.

It didn't include the large residential area between Carlisle and San Mateo north of Manol, and you can see that that area is not colored with with the zoning, and that that's why we we didn't study that area.

The next slide, please.

This slide shows the uh MR area that was designated by city council in 2022.

We we did a designation report, and um the area goes from I-25 to the North Diversion Channel and from I-40 to approximately Phoenix Avenue.

Next slide.

Okay.

Uh phase three was the creation of the Minol MRA plan, which was adopted by City Council in May of 2023.

I think several of the counselors were on council at that time.

The MRA plan uh identified 22 recommendations and uh actions uh sorted into the categories of redevelopment projects, infrastructure and transportation improvements, and support actions, which included zoning map amendments in aligning in alignment with the following related goals.

Uh goal number four from the MRA plan increase the amount of market rate and affordable housing within the MR area through the redevelopment of vacant and underutilized sites and the conversion of non-residential buildings, and then goal number six was amend the existing zoning to encourage a wider range of commercial and mixed use uh development and decrease the amount of industrial zoning.

So that's exactly what we're doing here tonight.

Uh this slide shows uh on the right shows the action plan that was included in the MRA plan under the category of support actions, which I've highlighted on the slide is action number 21, uh zone map amendments and comprehensive plan designations.

And I'm I'm sure you all you all recall uh council um did um approve a change for the Minal Corridor to be a major transit corridor and and all of these really uh dovetail together very nicely.

Um as far as um I think there's there should be well maybe not as far as uh I I think there's another slide.

Uh community engagement, um, as Ms.

Delgado explained, we held public meetings for each phase of the MR project for the rezoning effort.

We held two public meetings and met with several property owners individually, a couple of them are here tonight.

Um all prior to our submittal to the EPC.

Uh we sent out notices of the meetings uh not only to the property owner addresses but also the physical addresses of the businesses.

Uh to conclude tonight, uh we believe the zone changes are really an important step towards implementing this MRA plan and we'll help the community reclaim this area as a strong revenue generating business area that would also allow people to live there and have access to transit and the city's trail system.

With that, madam uh president and counselors, I stand ready for any questions you may have.

Thank you very much.

Next, we're going to go to testimony by public speakers.

I don't see that we have any, but I will get confirmation.

No.

Okay, so then I'm going to assume that probably the applicant doesn't have a rebuttal to the public speakers.

Okay.

Cross-examination by anyone who spoke during public comment, we'll skip that.

And we're going to go back to comments, or we're going to go to comments from the planning department.

No comments, no additional comments.

Okay.

And then back to council planning staff for closing comments, if any.

Madam President, no closing comments from council planning staff.

Thank you.

Councillors.

Any questions or comments on this?

Council Champagne?

Thank you, Madam President.

I just want to confirm that the area goes.

You said it goes to the Phoenix Street.

The north borders Phoenix.

Madam President and Councilor, yes, the the northern border of the MRA area goes to Phoenix.

Okay.

And the reason why I ask that is I know that the area is very industrial and commercial, and I do believe because it keyed in on something you said that it uh heavy machinery sales.

I did we confirm that there's not a lot of existing businesses in there already that are heavy machinery.

I I know there's a landscaping rock material, but I don't know if it goes north of Phoenix or is south of Phoenix, but I believe there's uh commercial uh like 18-wheel rig and and such sales in there and um uh madam chair and and counselor champagne.

Um we uh the Minol MRA area in uh covers some of those properties, but we focus the the zone changes on the properties that actually face Minol.

Um and so those uh businesses, the industrial businesses that you're speaking of to the north did not change.

They they weren't interested in in zone changes.

Okay.

We really focused on on the budding uh properties to the Manal.

Okay, perfect, thank you.

Thanks.

Any other questions or comments, counselors?

Council people can't oppose.

Urge your support.

The motion is for 0100.

Counselors, all those in favor, raise your hand and say yes.

Yes.

Anyone opposed?

That passes unanimously.

Thank you very much.

We're going to move on to another quasi-judicial item.

Councillor Rogers, O101.

Thank you, Madam President.

I'd like to move O101 adopting a zone map amendment from RMH to NRC for four subject sites and RMH and MXL to NRC for one subject site, totaling approximately 35 acres in the University of New Mexico South Campus within the Gibson Town Center.

I move for due pass.

There's a motion in a second by Councillor Backer.

O101 is a quasi-judicial request, which requires special procedures to allow the applicant staff and the public the opportunity to speak.

This agenda item will proceed as follows.

Five minutes for council planning staff presentation, ten minutes for the applicant's presentation, two minutes each for testimony by any public speakers, five minutes for a rebuttal by the applicant, two minutes for a cross-examination by anyone who spoke during public comment, five minutes from comments by the planning department, if any, and five minutes from council planning staff closing comments if any.

Thank you.

Do you affirm under penalty of perjury that your testimony today will be true?

All right, thank you so much, Mr.

Cox.

If you'll begin your with your introduction.

Oh it's your maiden voyage.

Welcome.

Good evening, Madam President and City Council.

I present to you O25101, uh, which is a proposed zone map amendment.

This zone man uh zone map amendment is to rezone five property parcels located north of Gibson Boulevard and east of I 25 to briefly situate the site.

The area is close to the stadiums that are on University Boulevard, uh south of Central Avenue.

The subject sites are currently zoned as RMH and MXL.

And the proposal of this ordinance is to rezone approximately 35 acres of undeveloped land to NRC zone district.

A brief background about the site.

The subject sites are part of the UNM South Campus TID district.

They are also within the Gibson Commercial Center as designated by the TID development plan, which has the primary goal of generating funds to support infrastructure development within the state area.

The Gibson Commercial Corridor, uh the Gibson Commercial Center is proposed to be developed with approximately 400,000 square foot of retail, 1200,000 square foot of restaurants, and 50,000 square foot of residential uses on the existing undeveloped land.

The subject site is also part of an employment center as identified by the comprehensive plan.

Employment centers are intended to remain predominantly industrial, business, and retail centers, creating future job opportunities.

They tend to be auto-oriented.

Sorry.

They tend to be auto-oriented and need to provide excellent access to road.

Once the employment center is at least 80% developed with non-residential uses, the comprehensive plan then supports for further additional residential uses.

This would allow for additional redevelopment options beyond those permitted in the existing zoning.

At present, the employment center has not yet reached the 80% non-residential development threshold.

The subject site is also wholly located in area of change.

And as per the ideal, the applicant has provided significant evidence to prove that the existing zoning is inappropriate, and a different zone, something like NRC zone, would be more advantageous to the community.

If approved, the zone map amendment will change the focus from a high density mixed multifamily residential and neighborhood scale mixed use development to a medium, large scale retail offices, commercial institution, and purely non-residential use.

The subject sites are currently owned by UNM, and as a state agency is not allowed to adhere to municipal zoning regulations.

But the plan is to resale these properties to private development after this zone map amendment.

The NRC zone will then further align with the development of large retail stores supporting strong businesses to grow and generate funds that can further be reinvested in the development of infrastructure within the state boundary.

The Environmental Planning Commission heard this case on October 16th and recommended to uh recommended approval to City Council.

This is a quasi-judicial matter and hence was not heard at Labs.

And is now you're at City Council to make further decisions.

And with that, I'm open to any questions if possible.

Thank you, Ms.

Bensell.

We're going to move on to the applicant's presentation for 10 minutes.

Good evening, Mr.

Scherzer.

Good evening.

Madam President, Counselors, my name is Jim Strozier, and it's a pleasure to be here this evening representing Lobo Development and UNM on this application.

I want to also thank staff and all the efforts that we took to get here, including the EPC process.

And I do have a presentation, I believe it is.

Oh, oh, okay.

Awesome.

All right.

So first slide, please.

All right.

With this presentation, I'm gonna try and go through this quickly because I know some of it was already covered.

But I think some of the key points I want to make tonight is that the EPC did recommend approval.

This uh application implements UNM's South Campus Master Plan and the 2025 UNM integrated campus plan, the ICP.

It helps fund and implement the South Campus TID.

It addresses the food and retail services desert that this property is kind of centrally located within, and it is consistent with the employment center policies and the comprehensive plan.

And then ultimately the question of zoning and why it matters.

Next slide.

So the 2025 UNM integrated campus plan and South Campus Master Plan, they designate this area for retail and retail and service uses.

The 2025 ICP calls for the South Campus to align with the planned TID land uses, which this does.

Multiple opportunities for mixed use and residential or other properties within the district exist.

So we can still address those uses as was discussed, and I'll talk a little bit more about this.

Once that employment center is more than 80% developed, there will be opportunities to look at those additional areas, whether they're a part of this site or in other parts of the South Campus District that can help meet those goals.

Next.

So the South Campus TID.

This is uh approximately 337 acres and includes a much larger area.

You can see the property that we're talking about is highlighted in yellow at the south end, closer to Gibson Boulevard.

Um anticipated it was adopted in 2021 by both the city and the university.

It create it's created to finance public infrastructure, and that's critical here because there's some really I know that one of the comments in the comprehensive plan is that these employment centers are auto-oriented.

But in this case, I think this provides some opportunities to do some things much much greater than that.

And that is, yes, we're going to make sure that it has great auto and truck access because of its proximity and access to Gibson, I-25 and University Boulevard, but it's also connected to a new pedestrian spine that's going to provide direct connection from this retail center to the north to the athletic facilities to University Boulevard.

There will be a new stoplight at University Boulevard.

This council just uh I believe at your last meeting approved uh plat vacation action that's going through the DHO process that will help facilitate these things.

All of these items are working together to make this happen.

There's transit improvements or sidewalk improvements, there's a lot of things, trails that this project is going to help facilitate that make it much more of a multimodal opportunity than strictly just auto auto-oriented.

Um then this uh zone map amendment will help facilitate the anticipated retail uses.

Um next slide.

So I talked at the beginning about the food and retail service desert.

This is really critical.

This area of town does not have good access to to groceries, good access to other retail services, restaurants, um, other opportunities that much of other parts of our city have access to.

And it's actually been designated.

Um the the top slide shows the designation of the food desert, and then the lower slide, uh the lower image shows the um retail service desert.

So these are areas that are underserved for these uses.

So this zone map amendment is gonna help address that as well.

Next slide.

And finally, the the comp plan um designates this once again as an employment center.

That employment center is really geared towards helping to promote retail uses, office, RD uses, job creation.

In this case, this is a little bit unique in that this employment center also includes a lot of athletic facilities within it that provide a lot of community services, a lot of jobs associated with that, and certainly um, as I was there yesterday, watching the Lobos win at the pit, is a great opportunity to bring the community together for these types of activities, and this will provide additional services and support for those athletic uses as well.

Um so once again, there are opportunities for um residential and mixed use in other parts of this South Campus district, and ultimately within the employment center.

So, next slide.

So, in terms of the zoning, get to the crux of this question today.

Um I would just start with the first part of the test when we look at changing zoning is is the existing zoning inappropriate?

And in this case, I'd say it is, because the existing zoning is residential, multifamily high RMH, and mixed use low intensity.

Neither of those zones support the goals and objectives of the employment center, the South Campus Master Plan, or the TID.

And so once we designate, once we understand that those existing zoning categories are not appropriate, what is the appropriate zoning?

And in this case, we feel strongly that it's NRC, as has been documented by staff.

This helps support those and provides opportunities for medium and large retail facilities, restaurant services that will support the community.

And yeah, that's that's it.

And with that, um, I thank you very much.

Appreciate your time this evening and urge your support.

Thank you.

Thank you very much.

We're going to move on to testimony by public speakers.

It looks as though we might have one, Mr.

Cornelius.

Thank you, Madam President.

I am not locating Jordan McConnell within Zoom at this time.

Thank you.

All right.

So I'm going to assume there's no rebuttal by the applicant.

No cross examination.

Any comments from the planning department?

I got a thumbs up.

I'm assuming.

Oh.

Sounds good.

All right.

How much are you all can hear me okay?

Um, planning staff would just like to add that we support the EBC's recommendation of approval for this request based on the record that you've all received.

Can you?

I'm so sorry.

Can you say that again but louder?

Planning staff would like to uh state that we support the recommendation by the environmental planning commission, which uh is reflected in the record that you received.

Thank you very much.

All right, and moving back to our council planning staff closing comments.

Ms.

Vencil.

No closing comments.

All right, counselors.

Any questions or comments?

Councilor Champagne.

I just have one question.

Um looking at the map that was supplied, uh it shows a bump out on the what I think is the east side.

And if I know correctly, that is the bus depot.

Is there a reason why there's a bump out for what I assume is a city owned property?

But I guess it's not because it's included in this.

And are we moving the bus depot or councillor?

Did you want Councilor Rogers to answer?

Or who would you like to ask?

Anyone who wants to chime in on this one.

Councilor Rogers.

Thank you, Madam President.

I'm excited to answer this one.

That is the Geneva Arroyo that's on the side.

That is I think that's what you're calling the line on the map.

Just want to make sure I think at the same time.

I'm seeing shaking heads.

So let's go to uh Ms.

Bensall or Mr.

Cox for that.

Um that bump out right there on the right side.

Yes, sir.

Yeah.

Um President Bassan, Councillor Champagne.

Um I assume for your um driving up and down Yale.

Um, recognize that as the bus depot.

That is part of the comprehensive plan employment center, and so that is something that is already locked in to the comp plan and that designation.

But for the zoning, um the South Tit campus plan uh and this rezoning map amendment uh only pertains to kind of the very southwest portion of that blue polygon that is part of that presentation.

Um is yeah, basically the zoning map amendment amendment will not affect uh the employment center boundaries uh that you see there.

Perfect.

Thank you for the clarification.

Definitely.

Councilor Rogers, do you have an amendment?

Thank you, Madam President.

Yes, I would like to move uh amendment number one.

We have in paper and also in your iPads.

It's on page 17, lines 25 through 30, and page 18, lines one through 26.

We're just removing a finding number 24 in its entirety and renumbering the subsequent findings.

And this finding is removed to address possible confusion between EPC's recommendation and the language in uh finding number 24.

So we just wanted to clarify that.

And Mr.

Cox can answer any specific questions about that.

There's a motion and a second by Councilor Fueblecorn.

Counselors, any questions on the amendment?

Mr.

Cox, anything to add?

All right, the motion is for amendment number one to 0101.

All those in favor, raise your hand and say yes.

Yes, yes, anyone opposed.

That passes on a nine-zero vote.

We're back on the bill as amended.

Any additional comments or questions, counselors?

Councilor Rogers to close.

Thank you, Madam President.

And I'm just gonna finish on the Geneva Arroyo because I was really excited and sorry that that wasn't the bump out you were talking about.

Sorry that I got to do that.

But it was it's something that our neighborhoods have been asking for for a lot of years, and I'm really grateful to the South Campus TID for agreeing to help us with that renovation of uh unused arroyo that we're actually really gonna um through this South Campus Tid.

I just am really grateful that they helped us with that renovation much quicker than I could raise the money to do for our neighborhood.

And so I'm just really grateful about that piece because it's really gonna add and something the neighborhoods are really excited about.

So I urge your support.

Thank you.

The motion is for 0101 as amended.

All those in favor, raise your hand and say yes.

Yes.

Anyone opposed?

That passes on a nine-zero vote.

Moving on to our 215, Councilor Grout by request.

Thank you, Madam President.

R215 is adjusting the fiscal year 2025 appropriations for certain funds and programs to provide for actual expenditures and adjusting fiscal year 2026 operating appropriations.

I move a due pass.

There's a motion and a second by Madam Vice President, Councilor Grout to open.

Well, this is that mid-year cleanup we talk about some.

And um, I would like to ask council staff to talk about it a little bit, and then we'll ask the administration to tell us more.

Mr.

Motsko, Mr.

Motsko, Ms.

Broka, welcome back.

Madam Council President, uh, Councillor Grout, thank you.

Um so as we discussed uh earlier with the 067.

This is the mid-year uh cleanup for FY25.

Uh the the city needs to get their information together and passed by city council so they can send it up to the state auditor for our um annual financial review, uh also known as the ACFER.

Um there are some technical adjustments in here.

Um departments, and I don't want to speak too much for the information, but for the benefit of the council, departments that overspent were uh reconciled with departments that underspent.

So those numbers uh balance.

Uh the most important thing obviously for the city by state laws to have a balanced budget.

So I don't want to get too far into the weeds, but that's what this this bill does.

Oh, and it is a budget bill, so we need two hearings.

This is the first hearing of two.

Thank you.

Thank you, Council Grout.

Thank you.

Thank you, Mr.

Motsko.

I appreciate that.

Um, Madam CAO, can you tell us more about this?

Madam CAO, Mr.

Whelan.

Council President and Council Grout.

Yes, um what Mr.

Mosco was saying, this is something that we do every year.

Uh we do it during our ACT for which is the annual financial comprehensive report while we're getting the audit closer to being finalized.

This year it did come down a little bit later due to the uh federal government shutdown.

Typically, we would have had our act for completed and submitted to the state auditor by last Friday the 13th, or because it's due on the 15th of December, but because of the shutdown, we didn't get compliance supplements that we normally would have gotten for our auditors to use.

So the state auditor and uh the federal uh requirements extended by one month so that we could have time to complete everything we needed to complete once we got the information we needed to be able to finish our audit.

So it's just the the cleanup bill that we technically do every year.

Thanks, Madam President.

Thank you for that explanation.

It's my understanding that we have until January 20th to get it to them, correct?

Madam Chair, uh Madam President and Council.

Yes, we have till the 20th.

However, we're completing most of the financial portion, uh, the single audit portion we're still doing because we just got those compliance supplements.

So we've been working with our auditors step in step with the requirements of the state auditor so that we can get all of it completed.

Very good, thank you.

And like uh Mr.

Motsko mentioned, we do because it is a budget uh bill, we have we need two hearings, and so we'll defer to next uh January 5th, and we would like to pass it that day because then it has to go through the process, and we want to make sure that we're on time getting it to the appropriate um folks.

Um there were several questions that we had sent down, budget staff had sent down to the finance department um last week, and um I had asked that we got the get the answers back by noon so we would have a chance to go over them before we came to to this meeting, and um we didn't get them until 4 32.

So um we need time to go over them.

Um, and so I hope that we get them when we ask ahead of time because it's so frustrating when we do get those questions, you know, right before we're going to our meeting.

That's not not gonna help us much, but um I appreciate um I know that you know having to adjust everything through the year.

This is very typical, and um I will when we're ready, I will defer ask for a deferral.

Madam CAO.

Thank you, Madam President.

Um, Councillor Crowd, I do want to acknowledge that uh that they did send it down this afternoon.

Um I think the request came in on Thursday afternoon.

I know other team worked a lot of hours on um some of what we sent down.

So in in a couple cases, it was making sure that they had the accurate information based upon the way that uh the questions came through.

So they actually provided as quickly as they could based upon the amount of time it took to prepare the answers.

So I didn't want you to think that anyone withheld anything.

Okay, um, it was very important to get it down today to you all, but they also wanted to ensure that it was accurate.

Um and I just wanted to mention, you know, in the resolution it does include the four-page memo that describes the changes.

Um so I think I just wanted to say that for the public and anyone else to know that in this document we add that the explanation by by program to ensure that we are speaking to those changes um for balancing the the budget council's any other questions or comments councillor grout to close.

Um I would like to thank you, madam president.

I would like to move deferral to January 5th, 2026.

The most there's a motion and a second by councilor feeblecorn.

All those in favor of a deferral to January 5th, 26th, raise your hand and say yes.

We have some amendments.

Uh there's been a motion now.

I will say though that I believe that staff also we had encouraged that we will do most amendments in January once everybody had time to digest everything, and since we had the two hearings, is my understanding.

That'll be fine.

Um, but we can still definitely do amendments at the January meeting.

So there's a motion and a second for a deferral.

All those in favor, raise your hand and say yes.

Yes.

Anyone opposed?

All right, that passes unanimously.

We're moving on to uh Council Feeblecorn, R219.

Madam President, our 219 is establishing a one-time supplemental compensation payment for the city employees based on ending fiscal year 25 general fund balance.

I move a due pass.

There's a motion and a second by Madam Vice President.

Councilor Feeblecorn.

Thank you, Madam President.

So you know, last meeting we passed basically a prepayment on turf needs for city parks.

And I just wanted to make sure that we have our city employees in mind as well.

And so this is following up on our promise to them when we were doing the budget originally.

We got them to a two and a half percent COLA.

We promised to try to get them more.

I'm not being, I have not been able to find enough recurring to do an actual cola increase, but we do seem to have enough money in the general fund to do a one-time payment that would equal a one an additional one percent of their um their salaries, and so that is what this is a proposal for.

It would take the funds out of the available fund balance when we hit that finalize.

Um and again, this is just supporting our staff with the pay increase that we did promise that we would look for, and just wanted to make sure we got this on the books.

Councillors, any additional questions or comments?

Counselor Lewis, and we do have one person signed up to speak.

You go okay.

Go ahead, Council Grout.

Thank you, Madam President.

I have a quite a few questions.

Um this sounds like a year-in bonus for employees because it's a one-time thing.

Is that legal?

Uh Mr.

Motzko, Ms.

Chuladon, Mr.

Motzko.

Um Madam Council President Bassan, Councilor Grout.

Um so it's it we don't want to call it a bonus, right?

And and it we have done one-time compensation adjustments before.

Uh there was one for I think 250,000 uh 200 that 250 dollars uh citywide during COVID that the administration started.

So this has been done before.

This money is not recurring, it is not, it doesn't go towards the employees para.

It's just a one-time equal to a one uh one half percent rate or one half percent raise for six months.

So it has been uh we have done one-time compensations before.

Yes.

Thank you.

Okay, Madam President, does this go against the anti-donation clause?

Mr.

Coolidon, Ms.

Cooladon.

We have uh, well, we can ask Ms.

Coolidon.

We also have Ms.

King here from City Legal.

Gosh, Madam President, counselors.

Um, to echo what Mr.

Motzko just described as past payments that was not an anti-donation clause issue, and so this would um likewise not be a problem in that way.

Okay, thank you, Ms.

King.

And um, I agree as well.

Okay, thank you.

And I have one more thing to say.

Um, we mean for the administration to spend its budget, and um I am reluctant to think that they might decide not to spend it all next year or the year, and I'm and it meet anybody um, and then all of a sudden we have extra money, and then you give it give it out as future bonuses.

So I I don't know that this is correct or you know the right way.

I do feel that we need to um see what our funds will be because we still don't know for sure.

Um and um this is just a one-time payment, it's not a cost of living adjustment um that they're looking for, and that I would like to give them.

Um, and then one more thing.

I did notice in here um that it would supersede any.

Um so it says um shall be the priority use of any certified available fund uh fiscal year 25 general fund balance and shall supersede any other fiscal year 25 general fund balance appropriations.

So that would mean that um that parks um would be put aside.

That's what that means.

So those are just my first thoughts.

I think that we should um be doing this at um we don't know the numbers yet.

I think we need to have the numbers, and I don't know that two two million is the right amount.

Is Mr.

Davis available?

Madam President, Councilor Grout.

Mr.

Davis, what is is two million enough?

And what are your thoughts?

Two million uh Madam President, Councilor Grout, two million off of our based on our analysis on the current PCDR as of uh December 1st, 2025.

It that amount seems a little low, especially for general fund.

Um we ran ours off of all active employees.

But our calculations, just general fund with uh FICA added in is about 2.8 million for general fund only.

Um all the other funds that would be impacted, it comes out to about 3.7.

Um and the general fund does subsidize some of these other funds that are on here.

So we'd probably need to work with council council staff on on their estimate, um, not knowing how they calculated theirs.

Okay.

Okay.

Thank you.

Counselor Grout, you're done.

I am for right now.

Okay.

Counselor Sanchez.

Thank you.

I'm a longtime city employee, been saying play for most of my whole career, then became a city counselor.

But if I was sitting here and I was and I was sitting there and I was looking at uh what's come what's coming by, I would be like, well, I thought we were gonna get a raise, and then now all of a sudden we're getting a bonus to get pacified.

Doesn't affect their it doesn't affect my para, is what I would be thinking.

And this is money that's not gonna be seen in the future.

So I was just I would be like, this is not worth it.

That would be me personally thinking that if I was sitting in the chair um and being involved in a situation where I was in I was in a bargaining unit like I was before, and uh I'd want us as counselors to bear down and make sure that we did it right for the for the employees that are doing the hard work, the rank and file, the individuals who are out there with their boots on the ground, and literally doing it the right way so that they do get that extra compensation and do have that pay raise instead of just a bump for just a pacifying bump.

I've been there, I've been in that side of it, and it's not fun.

And I feel for the uh individuals who have been in that situation and time again with city negotiations, and I think that uh the administration should just get with it and do it the right way.

These are your city employees, and you need to protect them and take care of them, and that's just the way I feel.

Thank you.

Councilor Lewis?

Thank you, Madam President.

Um this, and I guess just to clarify what counselor uh grout was saying.

So a few weeks ago, we passed a uh uh a bill that allocated these dollars uh for uh a park emergencies.

Um this would in effect uh if we if we were to pass this tonight, this would in effect eliminate that.

Would would it eliminate it?

Mr.

Moscow.

Mr.

Motzko?

Madam President, Councilor Lewis, it would it would put the parks um set as set aside in second place.

So this would supersede that one.

If there was enough four million dollars in fund balance, then both bills would be able to be funded.

But right now this this puts the cola first, not not the cola, sorry, the one-time payment, and then park second.

And and I think the the discussion, madam president, the the discussion has been around about you know uh two million dollars that could be um in you know still able to be allocated from again.

We're talking about six months ago from a budget that was from a year ago.

Um and so um I mean if there's any money in this at all, I mean uh uh what what this council did you know a few weeks ago as far as the park emergency fund seems like it would just be eliminated, and then if there's a if there's a few hundred thousand dollars or um if there's nothing, you know, I mean none of it would uh none of it would get funded anyways.

Um look, I I want to give I I would love to give this uh you know to specifically directly to city employees.

Um I I would I would have no problem with with voting for this right now.

In fact, last year's budget we had amendments that increased it um that I voted for.

Um but so in last year's budget, um you know we we could have done it, we we could have done it because but but you know the administration had other priorities and and put it into other things.

When you had a when you had a parks, the the the logic for the parks bill um was um we thought it was budgeted in there.

Uh we thought there was enough money.

The parks didn't spend it, so the parks didn't didn't spend the parks not only didn't didn't uh have enough to be able to do it, but then they didn't spend what they did have um, and we had a major critical emergency to to just put some dollars into you know all of our parks around the city.

Um but it it was it wasn't one of those things where hey, we just promised we promised we'd take care of this and we didn't do it.

I mean, this was one of those things where we actually we funded it.

Um and we just kind of put it back into there to ensure that they spent it in the parks rather than um when you get to the mid year just saying, oh well, we'll just we'll just we'll just make it shore up this other part of the budget, which is what it did.

Um so you know, again, I I voted for amendments that increase these salaries, you know, would have got them there last year.

Um we were we were tied in some ways on how we could find that because again the administration proposed uh pose it going to gateway and a million other things, you know, that that we just we were constricted on to be able to do.

And so um, you know, if we could counselor said, hey, uh let's let's do this.

I mean, we've been talking about um you know, figuring this out in the budget so we can give a reoccurring benchmark um that would that would be up to this that up to that kind of an increase every year.

So it would be not only this much, but more.

And so my commitment to the um uh you know to the city employees is we're gonna find that, you know, we're gonna we're gonna do that.

I'm gonna do everything I can in this next budget to make sure it's recurring and make sure it's uh a sensible, you know, common sense type of a raise that is is everything that they need that makes sense.

Um and so I'm willing to do that in this next year's budget.

Um if there's another, if there's another source that we have right now that we can find this and do it right now, I would I would vote for it right now and get it done.

Um if another counselor that wanted to propose like this, something like this, um uh you know it's just it's a difficult position because now you put us in a position where we're where we're just eliminating another bill that we just passed.

Um I mean I I guess you can do that.

I mean, that's how we we we do it, but I think a more productive way would have been you know, let's let's sit down, talk to the administration, get with our staff and figure out um uh a way to find any other source we can to be able to do that.

I would also be willing, I think, to in our in our in our budget year to see if we can make some of this retroactive, if that's even possible, and uh and cover this six month period that this would cover um uh or at least make up for it in our budget.

Um but I think I I think we can do it in a way that again it's reoccurring, it's more than what this would be and you know again.

I mean, it makes it difficult, I think, to be able to you know choose you know one thing over the other, you know.

I think maybe there's just been a better way, kind of puts us in a tough position.

Um so you know, I know there was some talk, maybe I I thought there was some talk about deferring this, and maybe in a deferral time we can maybe look at some other sources or figure out a way if there is a um a uh a brief uh a period that we can fill that in until we can deal with it in the budget.

So uh this is on this is going to eventually need to be deferred because it is uh one that requires two hearings, but I had you have one question, and there's several other counselors as well.

Mr.

Whalen, uh, where are we at with the do we know what the current FY25 fund balance is?

Uh council president, as I explained earlier, it would have been submitted by Friday the 13th, two days before the 15th, but we are still processing through it.

We're getting almost to the end of it, we're just waiting to complete the single audit to find out what adjustments may need to be made for our federal fundings that may need to be covered.

So we are um just because of the federal shutdown, we had to push back a month, and that's why the state auditor allowed us to do that.

That's why the federal government has allowed us to do that, and our auditors, that's the advice that we couldn't keep going until we had those that information.

So we don't have that information as of right now.

But uh the bill that's proposed um is gonna go to that 25 fund balance.

You can't blame a girl for asking again.

Council Rogers.

Thank you, Madam President.

That is the million dollar question that we're always asking.

What is the fund balance?

Um so I just I I think I can't sit here and not say the things that are on my heart.

We have to prioritize our people over grass.

Like just if we don't, then there's not gonna be anybody to aerate the grass.

There's not gonna be anybody to mow it, there's not gonna be able to fertilize it and make sure that it's what we want it to be.

If we do not take care of our people, so I want to call on this council to do the right thing by our people.

Next year's budget, our employees can't wait.

They cannot wait.

Um as a single mom in poverty right now, who makes similar as counselors to what a lot of our employees make, it is hard right now for the average working person to make ends meet with what's happening with rising costs.

So although I do love the beautiful green grass in my new filled Chicone Park, but I'm not gonna prioritize that over our people.

We cannot, as a council, say that we're prioritizing grass over our employees.

And I I agree that we need to figure out how to work with the administration to come up with a plan that makes this recurring so that it is not just a one-time thing.

But I'm positive speaking on behalf of our employees that they'd rather have something than nothing.

Um so I just have to echo that for the for the employees who work really hard and that they want to be prioritized above grass.

And I think that we should prioritize in this way.

If we have six million in the fund balance, then two you know the correct amount should go to our employees first, um, and then after that, grass.

Thank you, Madam President.

Councillor Backup.

Thank you, Madam President.

Uh I don't really have anything new to add here.

Other than what I do think it's it's important that our union reps and and staff know where I where I stand on this.

Um I'm you know, Councilor Sanchez is right.

We really need to do the hard work at budget time, make sure that we take care of our people 100%.

Um, I also know how hard it is at budget time to get that thing done.

Um I can't imagine anyone would ever turn down even a one-time payment because there's you know prices are up right now.

We all know that.

Um and most importantly, um, we all sat here was it six months ago, eight months ago, and said we were gonna do our best to take care of our people uh when we could, and so thank you, um Councilor Frieblecorn for bringing this bringing this up.

So with that said, I 100% support this.

Thank you.

Councilor Champagne.

Thank you, Madam President.

I I retract my time.

Madam President.

Uh Madam CAO, and then I have a couple others on the list, but I'll come back to you, Councilor Lewis.

Madam President, thank you.

Um I just want to make sure that to give credit where credit's due.

Um, this is Council PIBACORN's um bill.

So counselor Lewis, I'm sorry, Councillor Lewis and Councillor Sanchez.

Um, you know, the implication is that this is um administration's bill.

Um we did not, it is not by request, it is councilor feeblecorn's bill.

Um, and I want to say that I really appreciate that councillor February has brought this forward for us to have an opportunity to provide compensation to our employees.

I do fully agree that every employee is in a position that they would rather have something over nothing.

Um, and it is a it's an interesting time of year where it's even more relevant for folks as they think about coming into the end of the year and and a new year.

So I you know, I I want to commend the counselor for um bringing this in before you to consider as an opportunity for employees to receive uh what we can in it in uh the fund balance.

As we all know, we don't know what that is at this time.

Um, but I think uh you know making a move to say that if there's a failable fund balance back to the when the budget and the prioritization of the um pay to employees was stated.

Um I think I'll whether we like it or not, what's is said here is really that our employees pay attention and have been um eager to know if there is something.

So thank you to councillor people corn for putting this on the table so that we can all find a way to support uh the employees.

Counselor Grout.

Thank you, Madam President.

One of the documents that um finance department did send down.

Oh wait, we had asked what was the uh general fund available and uh unaudited fund balance, and it is 357,692 dollars.

That is the unaudited actual now.

Is it gonna go up?

We don't know.

Can you tell me anything about that?

Mr.

Willis, Council President and uh Council Grout, that is the unaudited balance because we have not completed the single audit because we didn't have the compliance supplements to do that.

Okay, so typically is adjustments made to our single audit funds.

Okay, and so that's the balance.

If uh some adjustments are made, we know that that's what we're gonna have.

We have to wait to see what auditors say for our single audit.

Madam President, does it typically go up from that number?

Council President, uh Council Grout, it's never a typical amount.

Um there is a portion that's in our single audit funds right now that it could be less, it could be more, but we have to wait till the the auditors look at the numbers and see in the past there's been times where we've had to make adjustments of up to a million dollars back to another fund because expenses weren't allowable costs according to the audit.

So we have to wait for that to happen.

As I said, we would have already been close this last week.

We would have submitted the our audited numbers to the state auditor, but we haven't had to be able to get that complete.

Right.

So one more follow-up.

When do you think we'll get that follow-up?

Council President, Council Grout, like I said, the deadline was extended a month from our auditors when all the when the federal government shut down.

We met with our auditors because they said we can't complete the complete audit until we get these supplements.

And we didn't know when the government was going to open back up.

So we adhered to what the state auditor said, which was we're going to give you guys more time because had they started doing the audit or done the work, they'd probably have to redo it because they didn't have the compliance supplements.

So it would have been doubling efforts.

So we had to schedule time with them because we had the time already scheduled, knowing that it was going to be extended.

We worked with them to get them available so that as soon as the compliance supplements were available and the government was back open, they could start the work.

Understand that.

Thank you for that explanation.

Understand.

When do you think that we will have a number?

Uh Council President, Council Grout, it's due on the 15th, I believe, of January.

Pretty sure they gave it a month.

Oh, I think it was the 20th, but 20th.

But so then when will we know?

When when we have a number so that we can do that.

We won't know until we they start the work and we they just are gonna start the work soon.

Okay.

Okay, follow up.

When how long does it typically take for us to hear?

Because we like we all want to know.

Uh council and president, council grout, we'd have to discuss that with our auditors because they'll have to tell us how long it's gonna take them to audit the programs that they are auditing.

Okay, thank you.

Counselor Lewis.

Thank you, Madam President.

Um, I I fully understood that this was Council Februar's bill.

Um and uh you know the administration opposed the the bill, the parks bill.

Um at the time this wasn't on the table.

Um, but now it competes with that.

Um I understand that this is how things happen.

I don't know if it somebody just thought about it Friday.

Um I think it's entirely just entirely just inappropriate to not you know talk to me about it at least and see if we can you know uh you know come up with a uh a source, you know, a better source, or even just you know, maybe I maybe I'd be open to maybe I mean I'm I'm I'm still you know open to it, and we'll see.

You know, let's give it a few weeks and and uh because it I guess it's required a few weeks anyways.

And um, you know, let's see if we can get these dollars and prioritize it to uh to parks.

Also, has someone as someone who has you know fought hard to increase you know budget increase or increases to employees, and I find it funny that now the administration is like, oh yeah, we're for this one though.

Um, even though that you could have the same arguments against it that you did for the parts department.

So I don't mean to be petty about this.

Um again, it's just uh it's a last minute bill that came up you know Friday and you know hadn't had any discussion about it.

Um but if we do it, I mean that's fine.

I mean, you know, I guess I guess if we um but again, counselors have to be but again, I think it's kind of an afterthought.

I think it's telling our city employees hey, it was an afterthought to you guys.

I know we passed all this, you know, going to here, but you know, we're actually gonna just do it here last minute as an afterthought.

Um I don't think that's the best way to do it, but hey, if that's if that'll get some money to them, then you know I'm again I'm I'm I I've been championing that the whole time.

Um but I do think there's a better way, and that is we should have started last year, and with the administration that all of a sudden supports it now, should have supported it uh back in March and April.

And uh again, I'm not being petty, I'm just saying this this is how these go.

Um there's other priorities last year than doing this.

Um the parks was a priority, they just didn't spend it, you know.

Um, but there was other priorities.

It was not it was not giving this race, you know.

That that was not the priority of the administration.

Um it is now, uh, which is great.

It's been my priority back then, you know.

I mean, we wanted to we had to add these, add these bonuses to it, you know.

Um so I don't appreciate how this came about, you know.

I mean, I think uh we could have some discussions that there might even be some other sources where we can where we can do this now and and and do even more.

Um so you know, I I mean I I'm open to talking about it over the next few weeks and see what we can see what we can do.

And certainly I'm open to um prioritizing in our budget this next year, which is gonna mean you know the administration saying um, hey, we can't just just you know fund everything more than we ever have before, but oh we're gonna we'll make you know the our employees um you know we're sure we'll short them and then in the hopes that the council will find it out on at the at the at the end of the year um over over different you know things.

So thanks, madam president.

We're gonna go to Council People Corn to close.

Thank you, Madam President.

Um so I will be moving for a deferral, but I have a few things to say first.

Um, first of all, this is not an afterthought.

We promised city staff when we passed the budget that we were going to find a way to get them an additional cola.

We promised it up here on this dais, and we didn't do it.

Um so also it's not an afterthought, it's a bill that I wrote and introduced, just like every other counselor up here has a right to do.

And so I really do not appreciate being insinuating that I just threw this together.

This was not thrown together.

I thought of it after we passed the parks bill because if we're gonna pre-spend money for parks, we sure as hell should be pre-spending money to pay our staff a living wage and make sure that they get what they need.

Now, I wanted it to be a cola, I did, I wanted that.

We promised them that, but working with my budget staff, we could not find recurring funds to do that, and so this is the next best thing.

I heard that it's not worth it.

Maybe not.

In my world, more than zero is always better than zero.

And so this is what we can come up with.

I do have some meetings, I'm open to thinking through a way to get some of this is recurring, but at the very least, I want to get an additional one percent payment to staff so that they can get the equivalent.

I know it's not, but the equivalent of a three and a half percent cola for this year.

We can't do that during the next budget session.

We need to do it now.

People need money now, and we promise them money now on this dais.

We all shook our head and said, yes, we are gonna do that.

So I'm just doing what I promised to do.

Um I heard that the administration should have put this in the budget to begin with.

I agree.

We should have also put it in the budget to begin with, and we didn't.

And so again, we have an opportunity now to fix a problem, and we can do that.

Um I just I just want to remind everybody the mayor sent down COLA of two percent.

We hobbled together 0.5% more.

So we really do need to do more for folks.

Um I do not agree that we should ever be pre-spending.

I voted against the bill for the parks because I think it's a very bad precedent to set that we pre-spend money that we don't really have, or we might not have, or we might have, but maybe not.

But if we're gonna do it for TERF, we should do it for humans that work really hard for our city.

Um, I think it's incredibly insulting to say that um now that this is about paying our staff more money.

That there's all these questions.

Do we have the money?

What's gonna be the balance?

How are we gonna pay for it?

Those questions weren't asked when we were trying to fund TERF.

I don't remember any of those questions being asked when we were trying to fund TERF.

We just said, hey, there's some reversions, we're gonna have millions and last last time we had this conversation, it was millions and millions and millions of dollars that were gonna be reverted, and there was gonna be plenty to pay for parks and for other stuff.

Um, and that was what gave some counselors the peace of mind to vote for the per the TURF emergency.

And so I don't know what changed in the last two weeks because we haven't gotten any new data to prove that there's gonna be less or more um money.

All I'm saying with this bill is that we should prioritize our staff, and then if there's additional money, it's fun TERF.

But I will always always put people over TERF.

So, with that, I'm gonna move for a deferral until January 5th.

The motion is for a deferral.

Is there a second?

There's a second from Councilor Grout.

All those in favor of a deferral to January 5th, raise your hand and say yes.

Yes.

Anyone opposed?

That passes unanimously.

Finishing final actions, we are now moving into administration QA.

Councillors, any questions for the admin?

Councilor Rogers.

Thank you, Madam President.

I just had a question, and I think I don't ever submit mine ahead of time, just because fundamentally I don't like doing that.

So I had I just wanted to request a breakdown for district six of spending for the centennial out of arts and culture.

I've been getting some feedback from folks in my district, um, specifically around art insulation projects that aren't gonna be installed on time.

So I just want to look at the matrix for my district and just get some updates on that so I can respond to some constituents' questions.

Um, and then I will, of course, I know uh Mr.

Whelan and I spoke about this today, but I definitely want to keep asking on the record for the breakdown of the gateway network operational budget.

And I know we touched base today and we're still making some edits, needed a couple more days, but I just want that on the record again.

Um and then also we had asked for the reports that we are responsible for sending the governor for the IGR for the money for gateway and our housing project.

So I would like to also get that.

And I'm asking because I was at the State Fair TID meeting with the governor, and she was very upset about what she was seeing in that data, and I couldn't answer any questions on behalf of the city because I don't get access to that information.

So I would like to be a team player and help um answer these questions that come um from our governor when I see her every month at the TID meeting.

And I quite frankly, she's pushing us as counselors to do more for accountability, and that will help us be able to do that if we had access to the same data that we're sending to the state.

Thank you, Madam President.

Madam CAO, Madam President, Counselor Rogers.

The November report was just finalized, I think today or yesterday or Friday, so it'll be coming to you all automatically.

All to all of you automatically.

Counselors, any other questions for the admin?

All right, well, well done, Counselor Sanchez.

Thank you.

There being no further business, this meeting is adjourned.