Welcome everyone.

Um today's April 6th, 2026, the eighth meeting of the 27th council will come to order.

All counselors are present this evening.

Counselor Rogers will be joining us shortly.

We will now go into a moment of silence and the pledge.

Madam President.

Yes.

Counselor Vice President Champine.

Yes, tonight's moment of silence is gonna be in honor of a former district eight coalition president, uh, Mr.

Bob Fass, who passed away recently.

He had Mr.

Bob Fast wore a lot of uh hats within our community and worked very closely with me uh when I became a counselor uh with parks and rec too.

Uh he was very adamant about not only about his neighborhood, but also about the uh the park that lived by uh Oso Grande Park that he lived by.

So please thank you.

Thank you, Vice President.

Vice President Champagne.

Thank you, Madam President.

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

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

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

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

Also, this evening is closed captioning, 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 council city council's website.

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

Please call 505-768-310 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.

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

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

The president will provide one warning to anyone causing a disruption.

Upon a second or continued disruption, that individual will be asked to leave the chambers.

If and if necessary, security will be asked to escort that person out of the chambers.

Such removal from the council chambers will be effective for the remainder of that night meeting.

If continued disruptions occur, the president may recess the meeting in order to uh restore order, and if necessary, may clear the chambers of persons participating in that disturbance.

This meeting will go a lot smoother if we are all respectful of one another.

This time we have administration question and answer period.

Counselors, do we have any questions for the administration?

Councilor Lewis.

Thank you, Mr.

Vice President.

Um I know this isn't a budget hearing, but uh um since the administration you know sent the budget down and did a press release and and uh you know introduced uh the the administration's budget, just had a few you know comments and some some questions for you all about it uh and just some things that have been you know written about it in the paper.

Obviously, we're gonna take the next few months and and uh and work on the budget, but uh Mr.

Will and you're representing the administration here tonight.

Uh council president counselor lewis, yes.

Is the CFO here?

Uh Council President and Counselor Lewis, she is not.

Okay, no problem.

We'll keep her busy, I'm sure, in the next next month here.

Um so Mr.

Willand, the the uh I mean what was what we read in the press and really how you all uh characterize the uh the budget that you sent to us this last week.

Wheeland the the uh I mean what was what we read in the press and really how you all characterize the uh the budget that you sent to us this last week um it uh you you talk about a 35 million dollar and and really how it was reported is that um the the budget that we're it was a cut you know that we're we're spending less uh than we were the year before and yet you also have a uh a 2.7 million dollar uh I'm sorry two point seven percent increase we're showing a projected increase of two point seven percent uh you just estimate that at about 25 million dollars in new revenues uh this year over last year and if you're you know saving about you know thirty five million dollars or not spending um another thirty five million dollars uh over last year which is how this is characterized um as I as I look through the budget and your proposal you know when when I hear that I would want to see um really what would be about a 50 to 60 million dollar uh reduction in either revenues that that revenues would be reduced by about that amount and we're spending it every everybody but that we have or about sixty million dollars that would go to the the fund reserve um but that's that's certainly not what it is in fact uh what if we have a 2.7 million or 2.7 percent increase year over year um and what it looks like to me and also an increase to our operational budget uh and so it it looks like that and it is that we have more money than we did last year um and we're really just moving some some money around so some questions for you um when you say 35 million in net savings how much of that is actual cuts versus moving money between funds council president and uh counselor lewis I'd have to look for those numbers and get that information for you okay my my look at it is it's not it's not all actual spending reductions in fact if you look at the overall budget there is no spending reduction I mean we're we're spending more than we did last year we have more revenue than we did last year and we're spending more than we did last year.

Would you know of that 35 million how much comes from the general fund the council president opinion and counselor Lewis I'll have to get that answer for you.

Okay.

So we do have our direct I guess I would say is is the core operating budget the general fund is it being reduced by 35 million dollars council president and counselor lewis who do have our directive Madam President and uh counsel Lewis yes we did have general fund reductions from the prior year but there's there's more in the general fund than there was last year.

The total amount is more in the general fund than there was last year.

I mean we can go over in detail all right so we'll just be some of the details and and and I'm sure we'll go through this in our budget hearings but I would expect that whether if the C CFO is here and whoever put that in this budget I mean these are some some very very general questions that we should just be able to answer off the top of our heads here.

If we're saving 35 million dollars why are the why why would the general fund revenues be going up I mean the general fund revenues aren't being reduced they're going up Madam President and Councilor Lewis we did take cuts to the general fund from the prior year.

There were it's just not what I'm seeing so I mean we'll I guess we'll we'll we'll dive into that so just want to be clear that the 35 million and in net savings it's not all cuts it includes reallocations changes across other funds which is why the core funding in the general fund can still increase and so all that to say is that we have we have projected revenues of another 25 million more than last year and when I look at this budget there there is no reduction in spending whatsoever we're we're we're spending more than we were last year.

Um, but when we put in the media and we put out there in the in the in the paper reports on this that we're we're cutting back and spending you know 35 million dollars less, that's that's that's actually just not the case.

And so as we're presenting this budget, certainly as we're talking about it, and the reason why I'm bringing it up right now is because this has been all over the media and there's stories written about it, and the story is uh that there are cuts to the budget.

Um, but there's really not.

I mean, there are we're spending more than we were last year.

We have more revenues than we did last year, and so I would ask that before we really dive in, you know, to our budget hearings that we really need an explanation of that because when you look at this budget, you look at the revenues, you look at the spending, um, there should be about a $60 million fund balance if if it goes it goes like this.

So, or we just need to be honest about what this budget actually is.

And it's okay.

I mean, if if if all this is, which is what it is, is that the mayor administration is is is reducing some budget in some departments and increasing it like to the tune of you know, HHH to the tune of 40 million dollars, and somehow finding an aviation 40 million dollars uh money that's really not there, but it was budgeted last year, but we're not gonna count it this year.

Um we cannot say that we're spending less than we were last year, that we somehow made some uh some spending reductions.

I can tell that you're not ready to answer any of those questions tonight, which is fine.

Um, but I would expect that the the clarification and answer those and really a truthful communication to the people of our city about what a proposed budget from the mayor actually does, and then and then we we take that budget and then we look at it and go, okay, uh $50 million to HH.

Um, you know, when uh when the mayor has absolutely nothing to show for it over the last eight years, uh when we look at gateway, and then this council has to decide whether we want to pour millions and millions of more dollars into gateway, even though you've shown literally zero um results uh from that program and program after program after program.

So I hope that our budget discussions would be uh centered around some real specifics and some real truth, you know, to what's being proposed, and I want to give you a chance to get started on that.

So thank thank you, Madam President.

Counselor Grove.

Thank you, Matt uh, Mr.

Vice President.

Um, my questions are for the CAO, but since she's not here, you're gonna get the questions, uh, Mr.

Wayland.

Um, I didn't realize that we um were hiring an executive director for public safety until just a couple of weeks ago.

So my question is was this position advertised council president and uh council grout.

Um I do believe it may have been advertised, but I'm not 100% sure.

Okay.

So you're not sure.

Okay.

Um what will be the role of this position?

Uh council president and councillor grout, this position will oversee our public safety departments to make sure of continuity and to make sure that we continue to provide the level of service that we always provide from our public safety departments, and they'll be able to focus on that.

So, why do the chiefs and the ACS director need another person to oversee them?

Uh council president and counselor group, which just we're moving departments, so they were already being overseen by either the CAO or another executive staff member, and now um we have the deputy director position, the deputy CAO position that is being used to really focus on public safety, so it's just a shifting of departments.

Okay.

Um thank you for that.

So I have just a couple more questions for Ms.

Sandoval with the finance department.

Thank you for being here this evening.

Um Ms.

Sandoval, we've been trying to uh get information on the schedule of opioid funding distributions.

Council made policy decisions based on the settlement distribution schedule in our 25128 that identified each year's payments from 22 to 38.

Page 15 of the resolution shows that schedule.

Council needs clarification about the actual payments to the city.

For example, um, we have been provided the following information on revenue.

The settlement distribution scheduled in our 25-128 shows we have received about 33 million dollars from 22 to 26.

The city's opioid dashboard shows 40 million dollars in actual revenue to date.

The DFS summary you sent me shows 38 million in the revenue to date.

The opioid settlement portal has actual payments to the city, but DFS has stated that it does not want to provide access to the portal, citing internal control purposes.

The point of that request was about obtaining information that counts that helps council uh make decisions, not as much about access to the portal.

You sent us a spreadsheet this afternoon.

It's right here, but council staff can access this city financial information already.

We need a further breakdown.

Outside council staff, or also outside council has sent us information showing that the portal has each payment that um has been made to the city with dates and amounts.

The outside council information also showed a section called projected allocation amount, and the city can click on that to download its projected allocations.

So my questions are can you provide council all payments that have been made and projections about future payments from the portal?

Madam President and Councillor Grout, yes.

Okay.

I gave you a summary level, but I can provide detail for every single year.

And they've been audited through fiscal year 25.

The information for 26 is current.

Okay.

So um, and then my second question is will you notify council of any new payments and changes to the settlement distribution schedule in our 25128 within five business days of the change?

Madam President and Councillor Grout, yes.

Thank you.

That's what we needed.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Sure.

Okay.

Councilor Passan.

Mr.

Vice President, uh uh Mr.

Whalen, are you able to provide an update on the application process for the city clerk and city attorney?

It's my understanding that those postings closed on March 31st.

Uh Council President and uh Councilor Bassan, we are going through the process of going through interviews and looking at applications as we do with all of our other positions.

And uh I would like to clarify something to council.

The position was the position was not advertised.

It's an unclassified position, so we can it's not a requirement to hire into the to go through that hiring process.

Thank you.

Uh Mr.

Whalen, coming coming back to this question, do you know how long the interview process will take and what we should expect for a timeline?

Uh Madam President and Councilor Business, we're working as quickly as we possibly can as we're hiring into several positions, and so it just depends on the candidates that we have.

But we should be getting that done here shortly.

Thank you.

Madam President, I believe that concludes administrative answers.

Yes, we can move on to proclamations.

Thank you, Madam President.

Get myself in order now.

Uh tonight's proclamation is recognizing uh for the month of April, uh recognizing sexual assault awareness month tonight.

I have uh a couple people here tonight to accept the proclamation.

I have Israel Morales, the outreach community education director for the rape crisis center of central New Mexico, and I have Jen Noel from the Clinic Clinical Specialist from the Albuquerque Sane unit, if you guys could step down.

Thank you for joining us tonight.

Thank you so much.

Thank you so much for the opportunity.

Thank you.

Whereas sexual violence is widespread preventive widespread preventable health public health problem in New Mexico, and whereas April 2026 marks the official 25th anniversary of the National Sexual Assault Awareness Month.

And whereas sexual violence is so preventable in our society that it affects 99% of us.

And if you personally are not a survivor, you most likely know someone who is.

And whereas nationally, one in three women and one in four men have experienced sexual violence involving physical contact during their lifetimes, and whereas nationally, one in eight female rape victims report their sexual assault occurred before the ages of 10 years old.

And one in four male rape victims also report it occurred before the age of 10.

And whereas in 2025, there were approximately 540 sex crimes reported in Albuquerque by Albuquerque Police Department Sex Crimes Unit.

And the statistics do not represent the true evidence and prevail prevalence for multiple reasons, including not all victims report the crime to law enforcement.

And whereas for 53 years, the rape crisis center of the central New Mexico has provided services to sexual assault survivors, and in 2025 assisted 1,336 sexual assault survivors, with the youngest survivor being 10 months old and the oldest being 81 years old.

Whereas per rape, the rape crisis center of New Mexico, this year's theme, 25 years stronger, looking back and moving forward, is both a reflection and a rally cry honoring the voices that pave the way while continuing the work to prevent harm, support healing, and build a safer community.

Be it proclaimed by the City Council, the governing body of the city of Albuquerque hereby proclaims that the month of April 2026, Sexual Assault Awareness Month in solidarity with all survivors of sexual abuse and assault.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Usually when we do proclamations, we we clap at the at the effort and in what we're acknowledging.

But before Madam President, I apologize that you didn't hit the gavel.

I I before our very nice audience did that, these people do so much work.

They work so closely with public safety uh with first responders in AFR and AFD that it's hard to clap for such a uh you clap for their work.

Um because that's hard, it's even hard to read when you read that that the the youngest, not only the youngest, but the oldest.

I mean, so I I thank you, thank you for everything that you do.

Um I reading that and seeing those numbers, I could I couldn't do it.

I I really couldn't.

I'd be in jail.

I'd be in jail for for acting upon seeing stuff like that.

And um, so I commend you, I really do.

We we feel the same, we would be too, but luckily training has taught us more, but thank you so much.

I mean, there's a lot of work to do, but this really helps because it lets people know that there's still fighting going and there's still more action that can be taken.

So thank you.

Thank you.

Um, please come up and uh say hi.

You leave the door, and I have a proclamation for you.

Madam President.

Vice President Champlain.

Yes, I believe uh Counselor Grout has a proclamation.

Thank you, Madam President, Mr.

Vice President.

Um, our next pre proclamation is recognizing the National Donate Life Month and ALD awareness.

And to accept this proclamation, we have Karina Loreto.

She is um the Native American Affairs Coordinator for New Mexico Donate for Life.

And then we have several donors that have or recipients that are here.

We have Lucy Reyes Salazar, Anna Mae Gurle Duran, Valerie Archelletta, Victoria Yochum, Daniel and Deborah Talavera, Austin and Kim Preston, Crystal and Deborah Griego, and Annette Chavez.

And I've asked Counselor Lewis to join me with this proclamation.

Thank you.

Thank you all.

It's always uh a privilege to do this proclamation every year uh and to raise awareness and just highlight the many of your stories.

Uh it was great to hear the other night uh many of your stories uh at Civic Plaza when we lit up City Hall blue and green.

Uh if you all have seen uh the colors on City Hall lately, you know what that's for.

And but just to hear the hear the stories and to um uh to be able to just raise awareness and to be able to help.

Uh one of the things that you know all of us have uh, you know, God gives us this amazing ability to help.

Uh and uh and we all have this.

We all have a need.

Every one of us has a need, and all of us have this ability to be able to help uh and meet a need.

And so thank you all.

Uh whereas by becoming a bone marrow organ eye and or tissue donor, one individual can save the lives of at least eight people and heal hundreds more.

And whereas across the nation, thousands of lives could be saved by a bone marrow, organ eye or tissue donor, and their selfless decision to say yes to donation.

And whereas right here in New Mexico, more than 400 uh people are currently waiting a life-saving transplant.

And whereas another person is added to the waiting list every eight minutes, and on average, 13 people die each day waiting in the United States.

And whereas adrenal leuko dystrophy or ALD is a rare genetic disorder that can lead to serious neurological complications if not detected early, but it is uh one of 60 over 65 diseases that can be treated with donated stem cells from blood or bone marrow.

And whereas the most effective way to save lives in our state and beyond is to educate and to encourage people to register as a bone marrow, organ eye, andor tissue donor in the National Bone Marrow Registry at nmdp.org, or the national organ donation registry at registerme.org, or at your local MVD and learn more about living donations at donatelife.net.

Be it proclaimed that the council, the governing body of the city of Albuquerque, declares that saving and healing lives through bone marrow, organ, eye and tissue donation is of such immediate importance that it is hereby declares April as national donate life month and encourages all residents to register their decisions and help save lives.

So thank you.

Miss Karina.

Thank you.

Greetings, Madam President and members of the City Council.

Today we honor the incredible healthcare professions whose care, compassion, and commitment to make organ donation possible.

And with New Mexico Donor Services, the team for carrying this mission forward across our state and to our great ambassadors who bravely share their stories to inspire others to say yes.

Thank you.

And today we also have Anna Marie Grudelet, a liver recipient that also wants to share some words.

Good evening, Madam President and Council members.

My name is Anna Marie Goudelet Duran that told me that took my whole time of the speech.

I appear you I appear before you today to share my experiences and to recognize the extraordinary impact of organ donation on individuals and families.

Three years ago, I was living an active and optimistic life, unaware that my health was steadily declining.

I was ultimately diagnosed with a genetic liver disease that greatly affects Hispanics, 49% of us.

However, Hispanics are only 15% of registered donors.

Waiting for an organ is a profound and frightening experience.

Each day brings hope while each night brings doubt, being reminded that your days are numbered.

On June 6, 2023, I received the call that changed everything.

Because one individual chose to become an organ donor.

I was given the gift of more time and more days with my family, more memories, and more life.

Today, many new Mexicans are still waiting for that same opportunity.

Unfortunately, only kidney transplants are done in New Mexico.

Any other transplants have to be done outside of New Mexico.

One decision made in advance or communicated through the family has the power to save lives and transform families.

Organ donation is not about death, it's about life, responsibility, and second chances.

If my journey encourages even one person to reflect on their health, to or consider organ donation, then that moment has meaningful purpose, especially to Hispanics who are unaware of liver disease that has been in our DNA for generations.

Thank you for your time, your consideration, and your commitment to the well-being of our community.

I am a liver recipient.

And then we we have Valerie who has uh donated a kidney.

Very cool.

So we just want to make sure that everyone understands the apartments of you.

I um I have a new appreciation for donors.

Um my grandson will need a stem cell transplant one day, hopefully not for a while.

But through that, um, we need um we have everything in order except we need a donor, uh stem cell donor.

You have to be between the ages of 18 and 35.

It's very simple, it's a cheek swab.

Um, and so if anybody, if you know anybody that um would consider doing that, um it's it would be you could would be a hero to somebody.

Um you would go into the you would be listed into the um registry, the national registry.

You might help somebody in Albuquerque, you might help somebody in a different state.

But I think um the opportunity to um I'm too old to do that, but I am not too old to be um a donor for uh an organ, and so um I have registered.

Um I have that new appreciation for what it what it can be, and and like you said, it can save a life.

Um I can't take it with me, so I might as well share it.

And I want to commend um I commend um uh counselor Lewis 25 years ago, he gave a kidney for his brother, and they are both here living living strong and healthy lives, and I I just um this little little girl down here, little crystal, she has a heart because somebody was selfless in their saddest day.

Um, but she but that sadness turned into life for somebody, and through that sadness, um that that family um brought frought life and and love and and happiness to your family.

So um thank you all for being here.

Thank you for standing up.

Um God bless you.

Thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you.

Council Lewis, yeah.

Real quick, and we want to we want you to come and shake your hands, but I I did want to say that um you know it's interesting that you know now kidney transplants are done in the state of New Mexico, and you mentioned that uh those are the only transplants that are where there's surgeries and that those transplants are done here in our state.

Um and I do find it we you it at very least I think a good next step, it'd be great to be able to see our state, our city be able to uh do liver transplants.

I mean, that makes so much sense.

Uh and I just want to say if there's um any if there's insight or anything that you all see as an organization that that as a city council is a city that we can do to create the kind of environment to really be able to push that forward uh to be able to see that type of uh expertise and technology and ability for our um you know our state to perform those kinds of surgeries.

I mean, I'd I'd love to be a part of uh helping to create that.

Would you like to have some insight?

One of two states that doesn't do multiple organs, so that you know is shocking in itself, I believe.

Certainly be something that uh would be uh great effort and worth our while to work on together.

So thank you all so much.

Counselor Rogers.

I think they're ready to shake hands.

I I worked at UNM hospital and I echo the same thing.

It's a matter of surgeons, technology, and we can absolutely call for that as as elected officials, and I think push our county partners who are over UNM hospital to help us get there because the county is over our hospitals, so they could actually help us.

We should make a push for that there.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Oh, my greatest.

Thank you.

Thank you so much.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Okay, good.

Okay, good.

Well, next move on to Councilor February.

Thank you, Mad uh Mr.

Vice President.

So tonight we've got um a little bit of a different flow from what we were doing right now.

We're going to talk about some of the great folks that work at AFR and the amazing work that they're doing in our community.

So I'd like to invite down EMS Battalion Chief Chris Ortez, training battalion chief Will McCullum, McMullen, Captains Daniel French, Nick Gallagher, Josh Cisneros, Lieutenants Chris Cruz, Antonio Romero, Adrian Breen, John Longdon, Mateo Martinez, Jesse Davis, drivers Adam Arviso, Ryan Patrick, Nathaniel Good, and Firefighter John Pugh.

And while they make their way down here, let me tell you why we are being thankful for them today.

Albuquerque Fire Rescue's training division has achieved something truly remarkable.

Over the course of just eight weeks, training staff successfully completed live fire suppression refresher training for all of AFR sworn personnel, more than 700 firefighters.

Twice a day, training staff took sworn personnel through AFR's burn building with live fire conditions to practice technical skills such as victim rescue and lost firefighter May Day operations in a retire but reality-based training environment.

This marks a historic first for AFR, as it is the first time in the department's history that all firefighters have been refreshed on live fire operations in a safe controlled training environment.

During this same period, training staff also instructed the 105th cadet class made up of over 40 cadets through both AFR's EMT basic certification course and the department's first ever advanced EMT course.

Thanks to the patience and expertise of AFR's EMS training division, the results speak for themselves.

All of this was accomplished while training staff simultaneously maintained their own monthly training requirements and stepped up to fill vac uh operational vacancies in the field.

These are long demanding days, and the dedication required to pull this off cannot be overstated.

AFR's training division represents some of the most cutting-edge, highest quality fire service training in the country.

Their commitment to excellence is a testament to how deeply they care about preparing AFR's firefighters to serve the public and to bring each other home safely.

Please join me in recognizing the outstanding men and women of AFR's training division.

And I believe Chief Aramio has a couple of words to say.

Council President and Councilor Fueblecorn, thank you for recognizing our staff.

And we'll be brief.

Something that is not done across the country, really.

You get your cadet training, and then you're you just rely on getting that training in the field.

So what they did was not really humanly possible, but somehow they made it, and they're still all smiling back here.

And then the last thing I'd like to add is um because we've been focusing on this type of live fire training.

We've been noticing our numbers of rescues going up on structure fires, rescuing victims, both both human and animal have been going up this year.

This actually probably trending for about the past two years since we started advanced fire operations.

So it's the work and that really it's driven by the staff who ask us to do this stuff.

So thank you for recognizing them.

And Dr.

Pruitt would like to just touch on the EMS training that they were able to accomplish.

And Madam President, members of the council, as the medical director for AFR, I honestly can't overstate on the EMS side what a heroic effort has been demonstrated by the EMS instructional staff over the last year, completing these two EMT classes in just eight weeks.

As you know, AFR members are not only excellently trained in firefighting, um, but also they each hold a medical license, and 80% of their calls are medical in nature.

And we truly have one of the busiest, but also the best EMS agencies in the country.

Uh, and that is large part due to our providers to their training, but also their compassion.

Um, I'm so proud of the way that they take care of patients and they love our community members.

For the last year, for the first time ever, our EMS training staff conducted an entry-level EMT basic class, specifically tailored for AFR applicants coming into the department who previously had no medical experience.

This class not only prepares cadets to take a national certification exam for their medical skills to get their EMS license, but it also gives them eight weeks to get to know each other to run calls within the department and to get in shape for the upcoming very physically rigorous fire suppression training that they're facing in a couple of months.

By conducting our own in-house EMT basic class last year under the umbrella of UNM, we noticed that eight weeks together that we gave these cadets learning EMS, getting their license, also improved their retention and their graduation rates to help increase our staffing in the field.

Not only that, but that was one year of success.

But then this year we decided that was too easy, so we added an intermediate class.

Uh this is um nothing short of a miracle in conjunction with the UNMEMS Academy.

Uh, this class was for applicants who come into the department that already hold a license.

So we're bringing up their level of licensure.

The fact that they could pull this off in just eight weeks, which is half of what it usually takes, with pass rates well above national average, is truly nothing short of a miracle.

I think it is a true testament to the dedication of this department and our staff and how much they um are willing to take care of citizens for this for the city.

Um, with the graduation of this class, we now have more firefighters who are going to be able to respond to 911 calls in an advanced capacity, starting IVs, treating pain, uh treating nausea, having advanced skills.

So I think it's it's um just a wonderful testament to the things they've been able to do.

Thank you.

Thank you, Mr.

Mr.

Vice President.

I just want to before you go, thank you all for everything you do.

We really need heroes in this community, and that's you.

So thank you for being here tonight to just hear a little bit from the community about how much we appreciate you.

Madam President, uh, I hope we keep the applause going because the next presentation is is uh the city economist.

So we need to make her feel welcome too.

Uh Miss Christine Bourner, who is again the city economist, who she's gonna present uh will give it a provide an update for on the cannabis and gross receipts tax Mr.

Vice Chairman, you made it funny.

I appreciate that.

Good afternoon, members of council.

I do have a GRT and cannabis revenue update for you.

Not sure it warrants the same applause.

Based on the state shard increment, January revenue grew 2.7 percent, which did pull the cumulative growth downwards slightly uh to 4.6 percent for the year.

Arts and entertainment, education, finance and insurance, information and professional and scientific services all did well this month, uh boasted positive gains over this time last year.

Health care management of companies, transportation all declined somewhat in January.

And while retail uh trade did increase 3.7 percent, whole take wholesale trade declined um about 14 percent, construction grew a modest one percent over this time last year.

Um, and we can move to the cannabis report.

So cannabis had been doing you know better these past few months, but this time it did decline 7.3 percent.

So that brought our cumulative growth to um a negative almost three percent for the year.

And so that really that's quickly sums up the report.

I can stand for questions.

Counselor Lewis Thank you, Mr.

Vice President.

So the what what's the percentage again of increase what we're projecting for this next year for the next budget year?

I'm sorry, will you repeat the question?

Mr.

Mr.

Vice President?

The percentage increase we're projecting in revenues for this next year.

For FY27?

That's right.

And you're looking at total general fund revenue.

I I have rep general fund revenue, I don't do the whole budget, it's kind of have a hyper focus.

So total general fund revenue for FY27 was projected to grow 2.5% or 21.7 million.

Okay.

And in uh the the mayor's proposed budget, are we at 2.7 or 2.5?

So I don't have two five, it reflects that, correct?

On the in the on page 25, it shows a 2.7, but that would be all revenue, not just the GRT.

Right.

So another what, 0.2 percent and other revenues that come from our enterprises, things like that, and other and Mr.

Vice Madam President, um the uh total GRT is projected to grow 1.9 percent in FY27 for a total of 11 and a half million.

So there's some growth in other revenues that we have as well.

But overall, the city's budget is is built on, well, at least the mayor's proposed budget is built on that.

So, but you know, bottom line is we're we're showing a good 20, 25 million dollars and increased revenue year over year.

Would that would that sound about right?

It's all right.

It's all right that that's the that's the number.

That's in the ballpark, yes.

So um, you know, and appreciate these numbers.

I mean, um, and appreciate you doing the report each each each month.

Um we uh but I just want to point out again that the again the mayor's proposed budget um shows an increase in revenue year over year uh and spending every every bit of it except for you know a portion that goes to the the fund balance, which I appreciate.

And there's there are some and I'd want to I want to say too, there's some good things.

I like the direction, and Mr.

Wheelan and your team and everybody that's put you know the time that you put into this.

I mean, uh there's a you know I like the direction that we're going on it.

Um if you're just right sizing some things, I mean there's some program savings and some other um you know adjustments that hey those are all good things, but you know, we we just you cannot say that this is a proposed budget that reduces spending or cuts anything, reduces anything.

Um it's uh it's a budget that shows increased revenue to the tune of 2025 million dollars, and a proposal that spends every penny of it that allocates every penny of it.

Uh and so uh as we go through our budget product, and that's important, it's important to know that number because I mean it might be three percent, you know, next month when we're in the we're in the budget might be three point five percent.

Um there's some uh uh so you know I think looking at program savings, looking at other areas where you know we don't have to show as revenue and a spending, you know, just eliminated.

I think we did that, you all did that with program savings, which is a good thing.

It just right sizes the budget and helps us understand it, helps people understand it better and helps us understand what's there and what's not there.

Um but you know, and if there's some of the media that's watching right now, I mean the paper, the news reports that have just reported on the fact that uh the mayor sent down a budget to us that cuts back on spending, um, it just doesn't.

It doesn't do any of that.

I mean, it spends more, it we have more revenue and it spends more than we did last year.

Uh and so that's just the that's just the fact of it.

Um if there are cuts, there are cuts to certain um you know positions that weren't there in the first place or uh some departments uh and then massive amounts that are given to other departments.

So it reflects the mayor's priorities.

Again, nothing wrong with that.

What's wrong with it is saying that somehow uh it's a it's a reduction in spending, it's just not thank you.

Counselor Rogers.

Thank you, Mr.

Vice President.

Does have a couple questions just looking at the whole medical, the state whole harmless was really high again.

And in the notes you had put before the phase out.

When is the phase out for that?

When is that date?

Um Madam President, Councilor Rogers, do you mean when did the phase out begin?

Or I'm just asking about your note it says before the phase out.

What did you mean by that?

Um I think what I'm meaning here is that when I when I put this report together, I'm looking at total gross receipts for both food hold harmless and medical hold harmless.

So it's not counting the phase out.

We're looking at total gross receipts.

Um the actual revenue, of course, is phased out, as you know.

So I'm want to make sure I'm explaining this correctly.

I want to know how exactly how much gross receipts related to those medical hold harmless we're actually receiving, even though we're not getting all the revenue associated.

Does that make sense?

That does make sense.

And just for the public watching, can you explain what the medical hold harmless is?

Ooh, um, it's been a it's been a while since I've looked at it.

Certain um hold harm certain medical um certain medical services um goods are not um subject to GRT, and um and the cities, the municipalities lost out on revenue when that happened, and so we were given phased out or we were given some hold harmless um to replace the lost GRT, and so that's what that's referring to.

Uh please don't ask me to list the exact I can come back to you with that later.

Thank you, Mr.

Vice President.

So my next question was just do you know what that amounts to for as far as funding to the city on this report?

When it says it's 135% increase, what is that in dollars?

Reimbursed back to the city for medical stuff.

Um I understand your question.

Are you wanting total like um Matt Mr.

President for like what annually we might be losing from that or what this particular increase meant?

Yeah, like what it meant.

Thank you, Mr.

President Vice President.

Um, I'm interested in because this is specifically pays for when I'm looking at our budget pays for some public safety things, and so just wondering how much revenue this is actually generating for our city on the medical hold harmless, because it is so much of a big difference.

So I'm just wondering is it how many how much money does that amount to for our budget?

Um increasingly less, Mr.

President, because it's so much of it is phased out.

I can I can check quickly if you'd like to I think just so.

Can I answer this question and get back to you?

Sure.

That would be great.

I'm just interested in that.

We talked about especially for what we just talked about for our donors and what funding comes in.

We're not in charge of that at the city as far as the you know uh holding our hospitals um accountable, but I'm interested in how much that's coming, how much is coming to the city in dollars and where we're putting those dollars?

Thank you.

Thank you.

Counselor Tayas.

Thank you, Mr.

Vice President.

Um, I just have a question um to Councilor Rogers' um point.

Um is what happens to the baseline once they're these are phased out.

Um Mr.

President, I'm gonna find a quick spreadsheet here and hopefully I'll be able to answer your question.

Okay.

Don't pay the Jeopardy music.

Okay, so I may have I may need to, Mr.

President, I may need to have you um restate your question, but just as an example, um if we weren't phasing the revenue out, food hold harmless and medical hold harmless um would total about 66.6 million dollars.

Um, but because of the hold uh harmless, because of the um phase out, that number for FY27 is reduced to just under 14 million.

So I mean that's the total impact of what these what the phase out has been like since 2016 when it began.

No, I apologize, I'm not sure I answered your specific question.

Yeah, I uh Mr.

Vice President, I just wondered how much of the current growth is influenced by the hold harmless distributions, and then what happens to the baseline when they're phased out?

Um, Mr.

President, uh Ms.

I'm so sorry, Madam President Um Member Tayas.

We lose about a little over two percent of revenue each each year because of this phase out.

And so when I'm talking when you're talking about the contribution, I mean it's we lose about four million dollars every year.

So that's the declining contribution.

Is that getting at your question?

Yeah, yeah.

Um, thank you.

And Mr.

Vice President, one more um quick question.

So it the communal cumulative growth is declining month to month.

Are you what's your confidence level of hitting the projections by the end of the fiscal year?

And Madam President, Member Tayas, when you um are you referring to the GRT growth?

Yeah, the the cumulative growth is at 4.6.

Correct.

And the expected growth actually, when you look at the FY26 budget is expected growth of 3.8% over the previous year.

So we're actually outpacing that right now.

But we're seeing a consistent decline month to month.

Um Madam Taylor or Member Tayas, that's correct.

However, we've seen um some instances of increased, right?

5.5%, 4.9, it looks like it is hovering up and and above and below the actual projection we're expecting.

I mean, I will say that the average growth at this point, when you don't count the really big first month because of the of that distribution, it's around three three three point three percent growth.

So you're right.

I mean, it's if that if that were to continue for the remainder of the year, we would probably not sustain this 4.6 percent.

Um, we'll be lucky to get that 3.8 that we're expecting.

Okay.

So right now we're at about confident we'll hit 3.3 maybe.

Um okay.

Uh thank you.

And I'm sorry, one more question, Mr.

Vice President.

Would can you tell me what sectors um are the most responsible for um sustained growth right now?

Um Madam President, Member Tayas.

Health care is one of the I believe that's the actual largest um sector.

It contributes a significant significant about amount, and it's been growing um strong.

Um professional services, a little bit smaller, but it's a high wage sector, and it's been doing very well over the over the past many months.

Uh and then if we were to look at cumulative growth, like I said, professional and scientific.

Um I think those were the big standouts.

Um retail service retail usually is is a big contributor.

It lagged for a while, although in recent months it's picked up a bit.

Thank you.

For the professional services and the gross receipts tax, is are we concerned about pyramiding at all on the gross receipts tax?

Um, Madam President, Member Tayas.

Yes, that's a concern, certainly at the state.

Um, and it impacts us.

Okay.

Thank you.

Thank you, Mr.

Vice President.

Councillor Rogers.

Thank you, Mr.

Vice President.

Just want to make sure I heard that correctly.

You said FY26, it was 66.7 million, and FY27, it's gonna be 14 million.

I Madam President, um, member Rogers, I need you to repeat.

I I that's the answer to a question.

I don't remember which question that's the answer to.

The numbers you just gave Councillor Teas for the revenue for for a medical hold harmless.

You said FY26 was 66.7 million, and FY27 is 14 million.

Oh, good heavens, no.

Um thank you.

Help me help me understand.

I'll help you, uh Madam President, member member Rogers.

I was giving you the 66 million is what we would have received if we weren't experiencing the phase out.

All right.

For FY27, I'm expecting about 10.7 million in food hold harmless and about 3.3 million in medical hold harmless when you when you take into consideration the phase out.

For FY27.

Correct.

And then FY26, what was it?

The estimate for FY26 was about 14 million in food hold harmless and 4.3 million in medical harmless.

Um Mr.

Um, Madam President, I want to make sure you want this is just going into general fund though.

I'm not okay, right?

Thank you.

I definitely understand that.

When so I'm I'm just I'm just trying to calculate what the percentage of our general fund that that is.

Um so that makes sense.

Thank you for clarifying that.

Thank you.

Madam President, I do believe that concludes proclamations and presentations.

Thank you, Vice President Champagne.

Um, we are now on to the journal.

I move approval of the March 16th journal.

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

All those in favor say yes and raise your hand.

Yes.

Opposed.

Motion passes unanimously.

Um next we are on to communications and introductions.

Are there any changes to the letter of introduction?

Councilor People Corn.

Madam President, I move that the rules be suspended for the purpose of placing R 14 on tonight's agenda for action.

R 14 is the third update to attachment one of R 2047 appropriating transportation infrastructure tax funds to expand the scope of the Cutler Avenue Complete Streets Project to include the San Pedro Complete Streets Project.

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

Are there any questions?

This will require two-thirds vote of the body.

Any questions?

No.

All those in favor say yes and raise your hand.

Yes.

Yes.

Opposed say motion.

Passes unanimously.

I move approval of the letter of introduction.

There's a motion, the second by Vice President Champaign.

All those in favor say yes and raise your hand.

Yes.

Opposed, no.

Motion passes unanimously, I would say.

Um, and then we are now on to reports of committee.

There are none.

Deferrals next deferrals and withdrawals.

Counselors, are there any deferrals or withdrawals at this time?

Seeing none, we are now on to the consent agenda.

Are there any changes to the consent agenda?

Counselor Grout.

Thank you, Madam President.

I pull item A, EC19 off the consent agenda.

EC19 is transmitting the mid-year update on fiscal year 2026 objectives.

Thank you, Councilor Grout.

Counselor Champ and Vice President Champagne.

Madam President, I'd like to pull EC40 off the consent agenda.

Uh and this is a follow-up to EC 25518.

Uh the recommendation in response to O 2595 amending the public purchase ordinance to simplify and streamline the process of affordable and transitioning housing.

And I also would like to pull EC42 off the consent agenda.

This is a recommendation of award of uh violence intervention therapeutic and trauma services.

Thank you, Counselor.

So now for the individuals on tonight's consent consent agenda who are being appointed to serve on a board or commission.

Um, thank you for your willingness.

I don't know if anyone's here or online, but thanks for your willingness to serve.

I move approval of the consent agenda.

There's a motion and a second by vice president Champagne.

All those in favor say yes and raise your hand.

Yes.

Opposed say motion.

Motion passes unanimously.

Um Councilor Grout, EC 19.

Thank you, Madam President.

Um EC 19 is the quarterly objectives mid-year update.

And I'm not sure who can answer these questions that I have.

Um, the gateway facilities, the sobering respite family, and the men's and women's housing navigation center, all accepting the maximum number of clients.

These are for objectives two, three, six, seven, and eight.

Council president and council grout.

We have y'all but removed here from what triple Harding.

Council President, Council people or I'm sorry, uh Council Grout.

So uh I think that generally covers two, three, six, seven, and eight, which the question is asking for full uh yes.

Currently, all of them are operational and receiving clients to the maximum capacity that they can are able to.

So they they do have uh maximum number of clients.

Are they full?

They're not full, but they're receiving full uh they are able to receive full since some of them had just stood up.

Yes.

Thank you.

Objective 10 for this fiscal year was to convert 200 hotel rooms into rental units.

Now that Juniper flats will not be purchased, how is the administration planning to accomplish that council present council grout in regards to that?

So um moving forward with the funding that was appropriate for Junior Flats property located at 25 Hotel Circle.

Umfortunately, we were unable to purchase this apartment complex because it was not the turnkey apartment uh facility that we thought it would be upon doing additional um investigation and our due diligence prior to that purchase.

We did uh identify that there were additional improvements uh that were needed and needed to be identified.

Once we identified that and had a cost estimate in regards to that, we presented an offer to the owner at a much lower price, and they refused it.

So therefore that was not uh completed.

Um now with this, we did pivot to identify alternatives that were available in the marketplace, although the city quickly identified a few other potential properties that could address the goal, uh identifying an objective 10 with the five million um state grant that was tied to Juniper Flats.

The city could not perform the necessary due diligence and issue a GRT bond in accordance and acquisition of another property within the narrow time frame that the money was appropriated to our department.

So as the grant and expenditure deadline is of June 30th, 2026.

However, should future state funding become available for a motel conversion project, the city will continue to explore those options.

We're in communication with the state in regards to what opportunities might be there and what funding accordingly for that project.

Thank you.

So for this fiscal year, we don't have any plans to convert any hotel rooms.

Is that where we're at?

Council President, Councillor Grout, unfortunately, we don't have a viable project in which the funding we have could be spent on now.

Thank you.

Um Triple H reported on objective 19 about the voucher dashboard, but it didn't identify the plan for how it would tie it into other related dashboards for opioid mental health and substance abuse.

Is there a plan to integrate these dashboards?

Council President, Councilor Ground.

Um, yes, so not all of these dashboards were necessarily driven and or funded by one entity.

I think the state in the partnership with their allocation of funding created one dashboard.

We've been working on the one with the uh voucher tracking bashboard, and of course the opioid funding.

So our full intent is to be able to look at the integrations necessary to make all three of them to obtain uh and reach this objective, um, and that is a focus for us now moving forward that we have these different platforms.

Um so we are reporting on data, we've built some and made some accomplishments in that, but we do still have some work to do and look at the integrations for all three to meet this object.

Okay, so you still need to plan to integrate these dashboards working on it.

Do you think you can get that accomplished this year?

I counselor president, uh Council President, Madam President, and Councillor Grout, I believe within this year's time, yes, and we still would have to identify the uh funding necessary for those integrations, but we are looking at it.

Okay, objective five under economic vitality says that OEI wasn't able to provide emergency assistance under the eviction prevention program because federal funding was eliminated.

How is this program different from the landlord engagement program?

Or was it a duplicate program?

Objective five.

Yes, reading that Madam President and Councillor Grout, I am sorry I can't answer that for OEI as far as the city eviction prevention report.

Council President, we have somebody here from our OEM department.

Hello, uh Madam President and Councillor Grout.

Uh can you go ahead and repeat that question?

Objective five under economic vitality says that OEI wasn't able to provide emergency assistance under its eviction prevention program because federal funding was eliminated.

So the questions are how is this program different from the landlord engagement program, or was this a duplicate program?

Um Madam President, Councillor Grout, um that program by my understanding predated my coming into this role as deputy director.

Uh there was a uh collective uh collaboration of several individuals that reported it during the ARPA funding.

Currently, that since that ARPA funding has uh ceased, uh there was no additional report uh created for uh FY 2025.

Okay, all right, thank you.

Thank you.

We'll probably have follow-up on that later.

Um thank you.

All right, and my final set of questions are um objective 12 under the governmental effectiveness goal called for um a report on the use of the Tyler Tech Tech software for more efficient hearings with the city councillor's office or city clerk's office.

However, the city clerk reported that the software was incompatible with the office's processes, it will no longer be used.

So hi, Mr.

Watson.

So I have four questions for you.

I hope I have four answers.

I hope you do too.

How much did we pay for the Tyler Tech software?

It was approximately I want offhand, I want to say around 100,000 for the 18 months we used it.

Okay.

Is it still in use for other functions in other areas of the city?

Tyler, the Tyler program is still being used by planning and environmental health.

Um there was what was the 100,000 was for was really the the hearing, the case management hearing component that my office was using.

Okay, thank you.

Is it functioning well in those areas?

I would defer to planning an EHD on that, to my knowledge it is, but we can have our planning director of Relvo cut down in our environmental health director, Mr.

Paul Rogers could be council president and councillor grout.

Uh yes, the ABQ plan, which is the rebranded version of Tyler Technology, is working very well with the planning department over the last uh year.

We have learned to modify it on as we go along and to make improvements.

It is much better than the program that we had before, and we're continuing to identify more and more efficiencies.

Uh, one of the programs that we introduced, for example, with Tyler that we couldn't under posse was the express permitting program for solar residential re-roofs and a few other items.

Uh we have uh approved permits for over 20 million dollars worth of projects doing that, and those are issued instantly, same day.

So it's working very, very well for the planning department.

The core competency of the program is for land use and planning.

Thank you.

I'm really glad to hear that because we waited a long time for it to get ready, and then um, so I'm glad to hear that it's helping.

So it's a good thing.

How about the um environmental health department?

How's it working in your department?

Madam President, Councillor Grout.

We are currently uh have it in full effect for the consumer health protection division part of the department.

It's working very well for them.

We're having some challenges integrating it into the air quality program that we're working through now, but for consumer health, it's it's working as expected.

Will you be able to work through those issues and get it working properly?

We have an analyst looking at that question as we speak.

Very good.

Thank you.

So my final question, Mr.

Watson, why isn't it working well in the city clerk's office?

There were a number of issues with I think sort of the sum of the assumptions in the software regarding the number of appeals that we would receive.

Um I think the software sort of assumes that most people would be appealing, and also that more um parties would have attorneys.

We tend to deal with a lot of pro se parties who um don't have attorneys, and so it was really not our experience.

Was that it was not working well for pro se parties, which is like the majority of what we deal with in animal welfare and um and the planning matters, the code enforcement.

We also um it was result, so we were spending a lot of time doing data entry and didn't have clear resolutions to that, so we um that was a real challenge.

The other issue we had is a lot of our hearings are heard by boards, so we we staffed the labor board, the personnel board, um, and the board of ethics, and the software wasn't really is really built for hearings by judges or hearing officers.

Okay, and there wasn't a clear way to integrate there wasn't a workable way for us to build an integration for those types of hearings, despite the fact that those are very important hearings that our offices hold.

So the other and the final issue I'll highlight was I think the software sort of assumes that there would be more appeals in the course of permits to our office, but the reality is that planning and EHD issue tons of permits that are never appealed, and so we had we had planned on having an integration with planning and EHD where there'd be sort of the seamless appeal process, but we just don't actually need to appeal that many hearings, and so it when deciding to whether to come before you and ask for money to continue it when I didn't feel like it well suited the department's needs.

I decided not to.

Okay, thank you.

Thank you.

Thank you all.

Um, with that, um, I would move receipt be noted.

There's a motion in effect.

There's there's a motion and second.

Yes, I got that.

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

Councilor Rogers.

Thank you.

I just had a question for the administration, and I know we're at budget time again, so I'll bring it up again and again and again in our budget hearings as well.

But I have to say it again here.

For the objectives, how what metric goes with each of these objectives to tell me that you're meeting them?

A narrative is nice, right?

And I'm just again reading through it again.

Um we need metrics that go with each of these objectives.

So over time I can see if we're meeting them.

Have your mid-year, I said that last time before we started this.

Has there been any discussion or work in our mid-year update about tying a metric to each of these objectives so I can easily plot that on a on a map on the thing and see over time if we're meeting those objectives.

Uh Madam President, Councillor Rogers, we're just continuing to work through those processes to try and get information based on the goals, and so we are continuing to work at trying to get metrics for some of our goals.

Thank you, Madam President.

So I would take that as a no.

We have no we've the because I don't see it reflected in this update.

Madam President, Council Rogers, this these are the metrics that we have for right now based on our goals and objectives.

Madam President, I would argue there is not one metric on the sheet.

I see objective statements.

I'll read one for APD.

Objective 10 to meet the goal that the public shares responsibility for maintaining a safe environment, conduct a minimum of 10 recruitment events annually, specifically targeting and uh and located and underrepresented communities in order to promote diversity within the department.

Report on steps taken to achieve this objective will be available in the second quarter of FY26.

So in the draft response, I would expect to see we've held nine out of ten events or five out of ten events.

Um I mean, so I would just like to see metrics tied to every single objective, because without that, I cannot see that the city is moving forward in any positive way.

I I can I know we are, and I don't that's not a disrespect to the amazing people doing work in our departments, because I know they are.

I just want to see it and be able to point to it, especially when we're talking about these are objectives tied to our budget also.

Um so as we talk about the budget on council, I'd like to see specific metrics for each of these objectives so I know which way we're moving in a positive direction or not.

Thank you, Madam President.

Thank you.

Um Madam President, uh Council Rogers, we our budget staff is looking going through the objectives right now, and we're trying to actually attach um measurable outcomes.

So that is something that we've started that we we've been doing it over the last couple years, but we're continually working so that the majority, if not all the objectives, will have something that actually has measurable outcomes so we can see if they're actually achieved or not.

Thank you, Madam President.

I'm excited that our team is taking that on, but I would also say that it's hard to do that without the people doing the work.

So if we don't involve the departments in those, and I'm sure our team is probably talking a lot back and forth with them.

But if they're not a part of that, I don't I would be hard for me to expect them to go to the metrics we've identified for them.

So I I'm sure our team is doing that though.

Um Madam President, Councilor Rogers, yes, we'll be reaching out to the departments and we're talking to them to see um working through this particular process.

Is that it?

Thank you, Councilor Rogers.

So there was a motion for a receipt be noted by uh Councilor Grout, and there was a second by Vice President Champaign.

All those in favor say yes and raise your hand.

Yes.

Opposed, say motion.

Motion passes unanimously.

We are now on to um Vice President Champagne.

Thank you, Madam President.

EC40, uh the follow-up to EC 25518 recommendation in response to 2595, amending the public purchase ordinance to simplify and streamline the process for affordable and transitioning housing development projects.

I simply have one question for just a simple clarification.

Uh in our analysis, it was it was noted in here that the anticipation of the receipt of more funding for affordable housing from state capital outlay workforce housing trust funds and other local funds.

HHH proposes that a portion of the outlay um of the funds awarded to be allocated to the administration costs again, also known as IDOH.

Uh in the past, no portion of these fundings uh sources for the administrative uh has been put toward administrative support.

It does note though that the HHH is working with City Legal to evaluate the legal requirements associated with allocating administrative cost to these fundings.

How is that process going?

And do we have a status of that evaluation?

Council President and Council Champion, we have Government Remires who can answer that question.

Madam President, uh Vice President, in regards to your question, I don't have the legal update, but I can give a little context as to the administrative costs.

So primarily our community division community development division um receives a federal grants in which there's an administrative like percent that's allowed for to be able to uh fund the staff that execute the contracts.

Um one thing we've identified now that we're getting appropriations directly from the state is that same administrative offset is not included in that, and therefore we're pulling staff from their dedicated jobs to be able to allow them to execute this type of work.

Um so just in preparation, one of the administrative changes we're asking around this is to look at and it's standard either 15 percent um and or lower, right?

Depending on the agreement amount, is that if there's an appropriation of a million dollars, a portion that would be allowed for offset for staff for the administration, reviewing the RFPs, working through the development agreements and contracts that need to be done.

So it's not official yet, but I do know the context as to why that was put in here and what we are trying to achieve with a little bit of the offset.

We also see this challenge with um the CIP appropriations from the state that we get as pass-throughs.

Um much of that work is added on to the staff of various departments who are executing that funding to be able to push it out to nonprofits, etc.

and others, but there's no administrative allowance for any of that funding, therefore it's uh additional work on behalf of the departments and the staff that have to do that.

Understandable.

Thank you, Georgia.

Um, but there's no update from legal of an opinion of this is allowable or not, even though it isn't done and we don't do it and it's burdensome to the administration at times.

Madam President, uh Vice President.

No, I don't have that update now that I'm aware of, no.

Perfect.

Councilor Rogers.

Thank you.

Thank you, Madam President.

Um, all your questions make me think of other questions.

So thank you.

Um just question for and this is specifically tied to affordable housing, right?

Not all like we're not talking about all capital, right?

Just reading the title.

Um, and so would this be applied to also the city's projects for affordable housing that we got capital dollars, like say this funding we're talking about from the state for Juniper Flats.

Um would we be charging ourselves for that as well?

On housing projects.

Yeah, uh Madam President, Councillor Rogers, I think the legal opinion would look at that to say is it allowable within that, we typically just execute the award and move it forward, and our staff internally assume the cost that it's necessary.

So what we are looking at is to see is it allowable within that for affordable housing anytime we have an appropriation of a grant to be able to appropriate a portion of that to the staff for the offset of the back end administration.

But I don't have the legal opinion on whether that's allowable on all ends.

This was specific for straight direct uh appropriations for affordable housing.

Thank you, madam president.

I would just want to caution that we don't do anything that drives up the cost.

Correct.

Right?

Like hard stop on anything that's going to drive up the housing prices.

Anything to build housing if it adds costs to that.

I of the opinion that the city should be afforded like absorbing that cost for the community, especially in a housing crisis that we're in.

So I I understand that we we're in a tough budget uh situation, clearly, because we're trying to raise GRT, we're trying to do all these things, right, to make up for a budget shortfall.

And I just don't want I just want to caution us from doing things that are going to make the cost of building affordable housing higher.

Just leave it at that.

And I would love to see this legal opinion when it comes, it doesn't always get to all the counselors.

So I just want to put it on the record.

I'd love to see that as well.

Thank you.

Sure.

Thank you.

Vice President Champagne.

Make a motion for approval.

Um sorry, I apologize.

So there's a motion and a second for approval by um Councillor Buckham.

Vice President Champagne and um Councilor Grout.

But um Councillor Buck had a question, sorry.

Thank you.

I I actually don't have questions.

Thank you, Madam President.

Um I just wanted folks to know that or my colleagues to know that uh uh this was part of 095, and we we working with Jennifer Bradley and some of our other staff and the administrative staff, um, we put a lot of time into this to really make sure it fit with what we were doing with the procurement code and getting money out uh quickly and without fees.

And so if folks recall, this was actually held back the for shoot two months ago, three months ago now.

Because we spent some more time working on this.

So just to put some folks at ease if there's any if they need it, if folks needed that.

So the kudos to to the administrative staff and Jennifer Bradley on our team for working on this so much.

So thank you.

Thank you.

So Vice President Champagne, there was a motion and a second.

Yes, ma'am.

So there was a motion and second for approval.

All those in favor say yes and raise your hand.

Yes.

Opposed say motion.

That passes.

Vice President Champagne EC 42.

Yes, ma'am.

EC42 recommendation of award for violence intervention, therapeutic and trauma services.

Again, just during my readings, I had a couple of questions.

For the administration.

The renewal term dates for three and four use years seem to be duplicative.

And certain uh whereas references eviction prevention and landlord incentive programs that are not aligned with the scope of violence intervention and therapeutic services.

Is there an explanation for the landlord incentive programs being a part of violence intervention?

Council President and Councilor Champagne.

We have our director of the Albuquerque Community Safety here who can answer the question.

Thank you.

Thank you, Director.

And Madam President, and just reading it and just kind of needing a little bit of clarification on where this is coming from.

Council President and Vice President, I'll have Jeffrey help us navigate the language of that.

Absolutely.

Thank you, Madam President, uh and Vice President Champaign.

So the logic behind that is this is the therapeutic services are the backbone of what was procured there, and sometimes in identification and support to the these, especially youth caught up in cycles of violence.

There is some identification of other needs, um household stability, employment assistance, things like that.

So we kind of leave just that open for those wraparound case management services.

Sometimes we do them, but the therapeutic services are the um prime focus of the procurement.

Okay.

Okay, thank you.

Uh the second question I had uh it goes into that the the clinical therapist position is currently vacant.

Um is there a timeline as far as when that's going to be filled?

Uh Madam President, Vice President Champaign, I believe that that is actually filled now.

They do have somebody identified it just at the point of drafting this legislation.

That was not the case.

But I will uh get with them and we can definitely get a confirmed answer to that.

Okay.

Perfect.

Thank you, madam president.

Um as nobody else has any questions.

I'll make a motion to uh for approval.

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

All those in favor of approval say yes and raise your hand.

Yes.

No same motion.

Motion passes unanimously.

We are now on to announcements.

Counselor Lewis.

Thank you, Madam President.

There'll be a finance government operations committee meeting on Monday, April 13th at 5 p.m.

in the council committee room, ninth floor suite 9003 of the Albuquerque Government Center.

Councilor Basson.

Madam President, there will be a land use planning and zoning committee meeting on Wednesday, April 15th at 5 p.m.

in the Vincent E.

Griango Chambers, basement level of the Albuquerque Government Center.

This will be a hybrid meeting.

Councilor Rogers.

Thank you, Madam President.

There will be a local governing government coordinating commission meeting on Thursday, April 16th at 5 p.m.

at APS in the John Millany community boardroom of the Alice and Bruce King Education Complex, located at 6400 Uptown Boulevard, Northeast, and this will be a hybrid meeting.

Thank you.

So that concludes announcements.

We are now on to financial instruments.

Councillor Grout.

Thank you, Madam President.

O 18 is by request.

It's authorizing the issuance and sale of the City of Albuquerque, New Mexico, gross receipts tax refunding revenue bonds.

Series 2026A in the maximum principal amount of 38 million twenty-five thousand to refin to finance the uh first the cost of refunding the city's outstanding gross receipts tax improvement revenue bonds, series 2015 A and outstanding gross receipts tax improvement revenue bonds, series 2016 C and two, by paying expenses related to there too providing for the payment of the series 2026 bonds from state shared gross receipts tax revenues, providing for the collection of state shared gross receipts tax revenues, approving the delegation of authority to make certain determinations regarding the sale of the series 2026 bonds pursuant to the supplemental public securities act, providing for the terms and other details concerning this series 2026 bonds.

26A in the maximum principal amount of 38,025 to refine to finance the uh first the cost of refunding the city's outstanding gross receipts tax improvement revenue bonds series 2015 A and outstanding gross receipts tax improvement revenue bonds series 2016 C and two by paying expenses related to there to providing for the payment of the series 2026 bonds from state shared gross receipts tax revenues providing for the collection of state shared gross receipts tax revenues approving the delegation of authority to make certain determinations regarding the sale of the series 2026 bonds pursuant to the supplemental public securities act providing for the terms and other details concerning this series 2026 bonds providing the documents pertaining to the series 2026 bonds ratifying action previously taken and repealing all actions inconsistent with this ordinance authorizing the tack taking of other actions in connection with the issuance and sale of the series 2026 a bonds I move a due pass so there's a motion and second by vice president um champine for a due pass looks like we have a floor substitute council grout yes ma'am we have a floor substitute that I would like to introduce um move pass there's a motion for a floor substitute second there's a second by counselor basan counselor grout um can I ask staff to go over this and Mr.

Mayorhead too thank you uh madam president counselors the floor substitute is simply to update two defined terms that weren't completed so the define the the ordinance that was introduced and it's in the packet is 99% the same thing the definition for the escrow agent and the escrow agreement which are documents related to the refunding uh needed to be revised and so that's the sole edit to the document in front of the sure typically when you introduce these bond these documents we always have it updated right before we do pass them correctly yes madam president council grout that there's ongoing review and discussion of the documents by all the professionals involved and multiple parties and so it's very common that that happens yes thank you I want to just read a brief summary of what this bill is this bill proposes to authorize the issuance and sale of the city of Albuquerque gross receipts tax refunding revenue bonds series 2026a in the principal not amount not to exceed 38 million twenty five thousand the purpose of the bonds is to refund the city's outstanding gross receipts tax improvement revenue bonds series 2015 a and series 2016a and to pay related in issuance expenses and the fiscal analysis maximum cost will be approximately 38 million twenty five thousand plus interest saving the city approximately three hundred thousand dollars a year okay are there any questions from counselors our staff city administration city attorney seeing none um there is a motion and second for um floor substitute all those in favor say yes and raise your hand yes oppose same motion motion passes unanimously we are now back on the bill as substituted councilor grout thank you madam president I move um I urge your support any other questions no um with that uh we are on the final bill as substituted all those in favor say yes and raise your hand yes opposed say motion motion passes unanimously okay councilor grout thank you madam president um okay oh 19 is also by request it's approving a project involving Mantis space incorporated pursuant to the LEDA uh local economic development act and city ordinance um floor sub zero four-10 the city's implement implementing implementing legislation for that act to support the lease construction and improvement of a facility to support advanced optics research and development and limited scale satellite component manufacturing for development of on-demand power in space to be located in Albuquerque New Mexico authorizing the execution of a project participation agreement and other documents in connection with the project making certain determinations and findings related to the project including the appropriations of funds ratifying certain actions taken previously and repealing all actions inconsistent with this ordinance I move a due pass second there's a motion and second by counselor Bassan for a due pass of 019 Madam President I do have a floor amendment uh floor amendment A or one we need to uh make a change in a dollar amount amend page two line 11 as follows the state economic development department and 5000 dollars are to be city funds this amendment corrects an error in the whereas clause of the amount funds that will be dispersed by to the company I move um I do pass second there's a motion and second for floor amendment number one by councilor basan um any questions all those in favor say yes and raise your hand yes opposed say money

And then page two, line 11 as follows.

The State Economic Development Department and $500,000 RTB city funds.

This amendment corrects an error in the whereas clause of the amount funds that will be just dispersed right to the company.

I move.

Second.

There's a motion and second for floor amendment number one by Councillor Passan.

Any questions?

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

Yes.

Opposed say motion.

Motion carries.

Councilor Graf.

Thank you.

Tell us all about this project.

Council President, Councillors, thank you very much.

You know, I haven't been able to say this in a while, but I am super stoked about this project.

Particularly in light of the Automus mission that I think we've all been watching.

So I I uh often tease the C-suite of this company that they're gonna put a bunch of gas stations into orbit.

It's actually a little bit more nuanced uh than that.

Um what Mantis does is they uh put into orbit fueling stations, and then they shoot lasers at uh space vehicles to fuel them up to load their batteries so those vehicles can do whatever it is they need to do.

And so there's maybe three considerations why this is so important.

Uh first of all, uh, for commercial uh space travel and activities for national security, but also, and we saw this with Automas, there's a lot of junk floating in orbit, which makes the ability for for us for humanity to benefit from space very, very difficult.

And a lot of that junk has to do with these large wings to collect solar energy to fuel large batteries.

What Mantis, what the proposition, what the value proposition of Mantis is, we can deploy into space into orbit smaller space vehicles, which larger payloads because they can be recharged by the kind of technology that Mantis is uh putting into orbit.

Uh super cool project.

Uh I will say uh Mantis is uh based in Atlanta, Georgia.

Uh they engaged in a national search to find a home for their manufacturing.

Uh they were so impressed by our partners at area, so impressed by our partners at the state and so impressed by the team at the city that within 26 days they made the decision not only to locate their manufacturing to New Mexico to Albuquerque, but to bring the headquarters uh to Albuquerque, which is a huge win for us.

Uh this project uh promises to hire 186 uh net new staff with an average salary of 180 grand.

And I will tell you, this company has already been to the state's JTIP board, the job training incentive program board.

Uh JTIP has been around for 50 years.

These are the highest salaries ever to have been presented in 50 years to the JTEP board.

So again, I want to thank the company for their investment into our city and to our state and to our community.

Uh Madam President, I do have with me a representative uh from the company as well as a representative from the state economic development department.

So at your pleasure, uh both of those individuals would like to say some words.

That would be wonderful, Director.

As long as you do the shooting, as long as you do the shooting sum one more time.

They can come up.

Good evening, Madam President, Council members.

Uh my name is Jeremy Scheer.

I am a co-founder and the chief operating officer for Mana Space, and I appreciate your time tonight to talk a little bit about Mana Space and what we are bringing to Albuquerque.

Um so, like Max had illustrated, I'll uh stop short of the laser sounds, is we are building space infrastructure.

Uh, this is specifically spacecraft components that allow safe transmission of power from our satellites to client satellites, and through that, it allows their life to be extended.

It allows them to have more operating capability and unlocks new missions like data centers in space.

Um, but what matters most is not specifically what we do but where we chose to do it, and we chose to do it in Albuquerque and place our headquarters here.

Um, and so it's really about more about uh what we're bringing to the uh location as well.

So what we are proposing and what we are delivering on presently is high wage, high-tech jobs in Albuquerque.

Um this, like uh Max had mentioned, or Mr.

Gunner, is average salaries on the order of 180,000 in compensation per year.

Um, I want to stress these are highly you know, uh advanced technical degrees, uh highly capable individuals, but we're sourcing that talent in Albuquerque.

We're recruiting talent to Albuquerque, and we intend to retain them and compete with industry uh with our headquarters located here.

Um so, like uh uh Mr.

Gunnar had mentioned, there was a national search.

We started out with 10 locations, we narrowed down that that list to uh a total of four, the short list, and that was Albuquerque, Atlanta, Austin, and LA.

Ultimately, we told uh chose Albuquerque, and they had to deal with uh strong ecosystem and strong partnerships.

Uh so in speaking about the ecosystem, I'd spoken of the technical talent.

Um, this is is the individuals that are resident here uh due to um or research institutes and do the educational organizations within Albuquerque.

Um but just important, just as important, there's an ecosystem here of supply chain vendors and other industry collaborators that we can partner with in producing um our solutions to market.

And really, what that allows us to do is it allows us to scale over the long term.

Um second is uh the partnership opportunities afforded here.

Um so we've had a great experience working with the city of Albuquerque, New Mexico's economic development department, and other organizations like STEM boomerang and Albuquerque's regional economic alliance uh area.

Um so that those organizations and many others uh helped us explore what it would be to build our company here and what a future might look like, and then also there are incentives.

Um economic incentives such as LEDA and also job training, like job training incentive program, JTIP, um allow us to not only uh hire talent faster, but train them to maintain their proficiency and grow, and then also to scale up our infrastructure uh uh more expediently uh to compete with other tech industry uh organizations.

So I want to emphasize that you know some of our goals are aspirational, but many of these we are doing and they are currently underway.

Um so presently we have 14 New Mexico employees.

Uh we're continuing to grow, and we're adding about one to two uh individuals per month.

Um also we have our headquarters uh uh facility under contracts or under lease uh for a seven-year period with a five-year option year period.

So this is a long-term commitment, and just in the next 12 months alone, we're planning to invest $7 million in capital investments to make that a state-of-the-art research and development facility.

Um that's what we're working on now in the future.

We're extending to a manufacturing facility, and we expect to grow up to roughly 200 highly skilled new Mexican jobs in uh the next seven to ten years.

Um, you know, I just want to reiterate that this is a long-term commitment.

Albuquerque started stood out to us for the people institutions and the willingness to partner with us, and we're very glad to be growing our future here.

Uh so we appreciate your time and support.

Thank you.

And I didn't get your name.

Madam President and Counselors, I'm Beth Waldrup, region three representative for State of New Mexico Economic Development.

Um this has been an economic economic developers dream project.

Um they reached out, we they we had a building ready for them.

So we always talk about having infrastructure in place.

And um, we closed this deal in 26 days.

We had an offer from the governor's office.

So $2.5 million commitment from the state.

Um, we hope that you support an additional contribution from the city.

And um, one thing that I would love to mention is that not only are they the highest wage LEDA and JTIP recipient, um, they offer 100% paid health care premiums, dental vision for not only their employees, but their employees' families.

They offer 16 weeks of parental leave as well.

So not only are they and they've been very active in reaching out to us and introducing us to new companies within their ecosystems and telling those companies that you need to be here in Albuquerque.

There's a lot of great things going on.

So they've just been a great partner to work with, and um, I hope you consider this.

Thank you.

Thank you, Councillor Lewis.

Madam President, thank you.

I guess director, you can talk about this.

These are, I mean, the the uh leader funds I know are are really passed through from the state that come through and where the we administer these and but would you would you describe the um the clawback uh provisions that are in the typically of all leader um you know processes like this, but how how do they apply specifically to the uh imagine there's some um uh some hiring um uh milestones that are related to those clawbacks, and if you could describe those for us.

We don't need any description of lasers or anything like that.

Yeah, you know, I was wondering how um my chum chum chum was transcribed, but I didn't look up quickly enough.

Um so as with uh Madam President Counselors, uh as with uh any project, uh the um both the reimbursements of the leader funds, both the state and the city leader funds are tied to uh performance measures.

So when a company uh in this case has hired certain kind of uh uh hiring uh milestones, they are eligible to request a reimbursement for expenses they have already incurred in land building and infrastructure.

The clawbacks work in the rebate uh in reverse of that.

So there is a uh curing period of six months, but essentially uh for every year that this company is uh in Albuquerque for the 10 year that this PPA, this contract uh is the governing um uh document, uh this company company has committed to hire certain number of people and make certain levels of investment.

Uh the um the um uh um uh hiring uh metrics are presented to the state and to the city on a quarterly basis.

The uh investment that the company has made is once a year through an annual report.

And then if if those two metrics are not achieved by the company, uh then there is the ability for the state and for the city to claw back in appropriate uh percentage of the leader uh uh monies that were disperse to the company.

So when when would be the the first disbursement?

Is that does it start the clock now as far as one year when the Yeah, so the line in the concrete is always uh the council vote, so essentially the passing of the ordinance.

So as of you know, in the world according to Max, as of this evening, uh the company is on the clock to achieve what they need to achieve.

Uh the first leader disbursement uh from the city has to do with uh an additional 25 full-time employees.

Uh the second uh disbursement uh uh is is triggered by a retention of those 25 and additional 50 employees, and then the clawbacks work in reverse of that if those um uh hiring milestones are not reached.

So the first first milestone, the first disbursement about a year from now or so correct.

Based on those milestones.

Okay, thank you, Madam President.

Thank you, Councillor Lewis, Councillor Grout.

Thank you.

I'm sorry.

Oh, Councilor Rogers.

Thank you.

Just one more question, and one of the questions I asked about some of the things in my district was and came from some of my constituents too around water usage.

Can you talk a little bit about that for this?

Uh uh Council President, uh, Councilor Rogers, Counselors.

Uh yes, as with any project that we bring uh to you, um there we have essentially three intake meetings for any of these projects.

The first intake meeting is always with our universities and community colleges because we want to make sure that we have a pipeline of correctly trained people to allow this company to be successful.

The uh second uh meeting always has to do with the incentives and the uh tax ecosystem within which a company is entering into, especially company that you know isn't born and raised in New Mexico, and then the third meeting is always with our utilities with PNM, the water authority, uh gas if necessary.

Uh I I don't have the specific water usage in front of me, but I will say it was uh unremarkable, both the amount of power and the amount of water and wastewater uh well within uh what is normal for uh uh the kind of zoning where this company is going to be located.

Thank you, Madam President.

And what is that?

What are what is well what what is the range that we need to be within?

Or maybe the people from the company can talk to them.

Yes, I think.

Uh Madam President, Councillor Rogers, uh we believe our facility will have water usage consistent with an office building with the same headcount of staff.

Um so we are not a uh an exceptional water consumer.

Um that's not the nature of the research that we do.

We do uh optical uh uh experimentation, so you could see this as sort of like a clean room laboratory setting uh with scientists working with measuring equipment and optics and lasers to do to gather data.

So the water usage is strictly what would be normal for a normal business doing, say, office work.

Yes.

Thank you, madam president.

For research and development, the same as an office building.

Okay.

For water consumption.

For water consumption, okay.

And okay.

Okay.

That's something I'll be really interested in.

I think that we need to be thinking about more as a community, especially because we're in the desert and we don't have a lot of water.

And I wish we would have talked about this when we did cannabis, but that's a whole another can of worms.

So just that's something we'll be watching.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Councilor Grout to close.

Thank you, Madam President.

Um, Mr.

Gruner, thank you for an excellent excellent presentation.

Um, I'm really thrilled that this um company has chosen Albuquerque and New Mexico to headquarter your your operation.

I think it's gonna be great.

I have just one.

Um counselor Lewis asked a lot of the questions that I was going to ask just to for people to understand uh what LEDA funds do and all of that, all of the things.

If the company fails short of its job creation but continues operating, what mechanism ensures the city is made whole.

Uh any uh Madam President, uh counselors, uh Council Grout, any uh leader um uh project, any project that avails itself of LEDA funds, whether they are state, uh county, or city, is required by statute to provide security, robust uh security uh in the form of there's a number of vehicles, a letter of credit, uh assurety bond.

Uh we love being in first place on a uh on a building, but we usually don't get that because usually the banks are in first place.

But yes, they are there's always and and there has been for the past decade plus, there's always a uh security collateralization vehicle uh that is equivalent to the uh amount of money dispersed to the company.

So in case of a clawback or a catastrophic failure of a company, there are some true assets that the uh city and the state or the county uh can claw back.

Okay, thank you for that.

I appreciate that.

I think um the information is very important.

Um with that, uh Madam President, I urge everybody's support.

I think this is great.

Thank you for bringing it to Albuquerque.

So there was a motion and second on 019.

Although as um as amended, this bill is amended once, so as amended.

All those in favor say yes and raise your hand.

Yes.

Opposed, say motion, motion carries.

Thank you.

Congratulations.

So now we are Madam President.

If I may, uh the company has a lapel pins for all the uh counselors, and I really think you want them.

Oh, okay.

Thank you so much.

We're now on to appeals.

Oh, do are you serious?

No, I think we'll just take an amendment.

AC, we are now on to appeals.

ACO2 is um Dalias Solis, applicant appeals the zoning hearing examiner's decision to deny a variance of three feet to install a six-foot perimeter still fence in the front yard for her prop property located at 237 Wyoming Boulevard Northeast, zone MXM, VA 2025 00162, and we have um our legal Mr.

Victor Hall here to explain the appeal.

Councilor President, Counselors, this appeal concerns a proposed variance of three feet to allow a six-foot-tall perimeter steel fence at the property located at 237 Wyoming Boulevard Northeast, uh 87123 zoned MXM.

Uh a small correction to the write-up we provided this is in council district six, not seven.

The issue in this appeal is whether ZAG's denial of the variance should be upheld.

Uh the ZAG denied the variance fine yet.

There are no special circumstances applicable to the subject property that are not self-imposed and are not applied generally to other property in the same zone and vicinity.

Uh the applicant uh appealed the ZHE's now the variance, citing generally that the property has undergone some increasing acts of vandalism resulting in lost business.

The uh council referred this appeal to its LUHO, and LUHO recommended City Council deny the appeal and uphold the ZHE's decision to deny the variance because the ZAG's findings that the uh applicant appellant failed to satisfy were supported by substantial factual evidence on the record, further concluding that they had not that the applicant appellant had not met their burden to show that the ZHE uh erred in application of the ADO to the facts.

Uh in fact, the applicant failed to rebut or show that the ZHE erred not only in her request for appeal, but also by failing to appear to the hearing before the Luho, despite evidence of notice of a hearing on the record, and retina tends by the Luho to contact the applicant appellant.

Um I'll stand for questioning.

Councilor Rogers.

Thank you, Madam President.

As this is in District 6 again.

Um couple questions.

So our I know just just gonna talk through this out loud.

Our new rules for IDO changes that we made to walls goes into effect April 20th.

Okay.

This application was submitted prior to that.

So if we deferred, are there any changes?

So I'm asking our legal team.

Uh Councilor President, Councilor Rogers, uh as to the specific section, which I believe was amended by the most recent IDO amendments, those dealt with non-residential or at least walls and fence heights within non-residential uh areas areas.

There's a specific language that talks about the um subject property receiving uh 10 percent of uh support by those uh folks who would be living within a non-residential area of the subject property um that if I recall correctly um must be on the same uh uh side as the street in question.

This property would not fall into that.

It's zoned for MXM and the subject property on the on all all of the borders is on uh Wyoming, which is all zone MXMA.

Thank you, Madam President.

And Madam President, just to jump into um offer a bit more context, um the uh version of the IDO that is applied to an application is whatever is in effect at the time the application is submitted.

Um and so uh the version that was in effect, I think 2020 end of 2025 is what applies to this application.

Thank you, Madam President.

So with that being said, the applicant could reapply under the new rules, or would they need a would they need a variance?

Councillor Penny, uh Council President Penny, Councillor Rogers, they would still need to apply for a variance.

The new rules would not affect what requirements they would need under these circumstances.

Thank you, Madam President.

I don't know if any of y'all have been around Wyoming and Central recently.

This is where I live as well.

I can understand why they would need extra security.

Um so this one's this one's a lot for me right now.

So I'm gonna take some time.

Okay, so I think we need a motion.

I mean, we can actually go to you can actually get us for a full hearing.

Um councilor Rogers, Counselor Teas has a question if while you're thinking.

Thank you, Madam President.

For legal team, um, this is the same five prong tests that we overruled in the past luho um case uphill, correct?

Councilor president, uh counselor Tees, yes, this is the same uh variance test under IDO uh 14166603A.

Uh or has five different different criteria, the first one being special circumstances, and then uh four more elements thereafter.

Okay, so thank you, madam president.

So um just to clarify, we've already set precedent that we could overrule the luho on this pronged five prong matter.

Uh councillor Penya, I'm sorry, Councilor President Penya, Councillor Teas.

Uh yes, the council has the following options.

They can either uh they can accept Luho recommendations and findings, they can accept Luho recommendations and adopt different findings, or they can uh reject Luho recommendations.

Okay, thank you.

Councilor Rogers.

Thank you, Madam President.

I would like to make a motion for a full hearing.

Second.

So I think the motion, Councilor Rogers, would be to reject the Luho recommendation.

Correct.

Uh Council President Pena, that would be correct.

Thank you, Madam President.

I would like to make a motion to reject the Luho's findings to have a full hearing.

So there's a motion second by Councillor Grout.

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

Yes.

Opposed, no.

That's a seven two.

Okay, is that okay?

So that motion passes.

So now we are on to, and we're not going to go on to this.

We are actually going to take a break.

We have some counselors here that are very hungry.

So we'll take a break and we will um convene back at 7 30.

Welcome back, everyone.

So we are now.

If you can take your seat, thank you.

We are now on general public comments.

Um the other counselors should be arriving shortly.

Thank you.

We're back in session.

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

Here are some of the public comment ground rules.

Each participant has one minute to present.

Comments are to be addressed to the counselors only through the council president.

Any disruptive conduct will result in removal from the meeting.

There is a one-minute time limit, and the bell will ring to indicate your time is up.

As a reminder, pursuant to our rules of procedure, Article 1, Section 8C, general public comment shall not be permitted on quasi judicial matters.

Please do not include your comment.

Anything related to quasi judicial matters, including city street renaming processes and a Luho appeal.

We just heard AC 2602.

Failure to comply with this rule may result in your comment being cut cut off.

Um please take this time now to edit your comments.

Mr.

Cornelius, would you please call the first speaker?

Thank you, Madam President.

Our first speaker is County Clerk Michelle Kavanaugh, followed by Kristen Cummings, followed by Justin Rogers.

Madam President and members of the council, thank you so much for having me this evening.

As the entity that administers elections for the city of Albuquerque, which uh you all know, but not everybody here may know.

Bernalio County does administer the elections for the city of Albuquerque.

We stand here before you in support of ranked choice voting.

Uh we feel like it's the right time to implement this here in the city of Albuquerque.

Um, if you're paying attention to any of the news lately, um, you'll know that runoffs are expensive.

During the 2025 regular local election, administering the runoff for the mayoral race and two city councils, which you all were probably paying somewhat attention to.

Um, it did cost the city about 1.8 million dollars.

And in any given runoff, you're looking at uh a bill of about $500,000 minimum.

May I continue?

Just I promise.

I won't take too long.

Thank you.

Uh thank you, madam president.

Um, now that's not a number that we came up with willy-nilly.

I promise you we are very prudent, and we do account for every dollar every election.

Now, the primary cost for that for those elections, staffing.

Okay, every polling location that we um we staff that we have open during election day and early voting, all of those folks need to get paid.

Um, and as we know, as as wages continue to go up as they should as minimum wage goes up.

Um, our our costs in turn go up.

Um, for site setup for ballot production, voting equipment, tabulation, and other operational expenses, more mandates from the state.

Um, we now have felon uh voting that has been implemented and um mandated by the state.

We also have open primaries, we have automatic voter registration through the MVD.

These are all mandates that we have from the state through the legislature.

Everything is getting more expensive.

Elections are going to be more expensive, whether they're local elections or um regular uh Madam President.

Local elections.

Vice President Champagne.

I apologize for the interruption.

Yeah, close.

Ma'am.

Sorry.

You've been way longer than one minute.

Madam President, in fairness to all the other public that I know have written two minutes and have to put them down to one minute.

This public speaker has gone way over the minute.

You gave her the leeway to speak a little bit past it, and is she, in my opinion, has abused it.

Uh, in fairness for the other people.

Thank you, Vice President.

If you could just finish with your comment, thank you.

Thank you very much, Madam President.

To close, we have a great working relationship with the city clerk, and we look forward to continuing that relationship.

Thank you very much.

Thank you.

We are just support.

Thank you.

Thank you.

No applause.

Kristen Cummings, followed by Justin Rogers, followed by Francesco Artist.

Might I have the overhead.

Okay.

This is a demonstration of ranked choice voting using Legos.

I know it's small.

The hand ranking their Fagar Legos belongs to a five-year-old.

That's right.

Demonstrators successfully explained how to rank a single vote to a kindergartner.

Yet some of our counselors would have us believe ranked choice voting is too difficult for pequeños to understand.

Santa Fe uses ranked choice voting.

So does Las Luce uh Las Cruces.

This city council also uses ranked choice voting internally to decide their own leadership.

So to the counselors who oppose this ask, I ask, how is it that ranked choice voting works for you, but it doesn't work for us?

If you can understand it, why is it too complicated for us?

Do you consider yourselves more intelligent than the people who elected you?

Surely you don't consider Bricanos less capable of understanding than a five-year-old.

Thank you.

Justin Rogers, followed by Francesco Artist, followed by Joe Cardillo.

Okay.

I will also use the overhead if I might.

Okay.

All right.

Uh good evening, Madam President, members of the council.

Thank you for hearing everyone tonight talking about this idea of instant runoffs or ranked choice voting.

I appreciate it being able to hear from the county clerk in a little bit of extra time because I think her her work that she does is very relevant to this saying that the county could handle this as they administer elections.

And this is what we've seen a couple of times.

District one and district five back in 2017.

However, I wanted to ask if say a general election has 10,000 voters in it, and then in the runoff, turnoff is much lower, and someone wins only 3,000 to 2,000.

Is that really a majority?

Or have we uh have we changed it by removing a bunch of voters?

So here's six other times out of the last eight elections where the eventual runoff winner did not reach 50% of the voters.

So I want you to consider how we might change this.

Francesco Artist, followed by Joe Cardillo, followed by Grace Dukes.

Okay, please get the overhead.

You don't get to take the moral high ground, an alleged criminal sexual contact that happened 60 years ago when in violation of the oath of office, including but not limited to criminal sexual contact here and now.

What happens when a badge with a gun gets bored and puts you spread equal in Albuquerque, exposes your breasts and gets his fingers up in your panties, telling you if you're nice to him, he won't arrest you.

Why no news conference to cancel, including but not limited to the women who shape our city that gave him a three-day timeout, put him back on the job while hiding the criminal sexual contact.

And not a single one of you said a word about it at the previous council meeting, plus paying to break every rule so that that same bad cop never steps foot in front of a judge in the matter of Mayor Collars illegal law.

Cowards.

Joe Cardillo, followed by Grace Dukes, followed by Dr.

Lisa Christofferson.

Good evening, Madam President, counselors.

I want to speak for just a moment about the importance of representation and I think in particular just bringing the temperature down in our political environment overall.

I think instant runoffs and ranked choice voting are a good example of a model for really helping people listen to each other and pay attention to each other.

You know, for a number of reasons.

One is that it cuts down on negative campaigning.

You know, there's research that shows that instant runoff elections actually kind of incentivize candidates to really seek support and seek consensus and really listen to the people around them and also listen to their fellow candidates, which I think is important.

Another thing that it does is it it encourages candidates to build coalitions and not just try to attack each other and to tech communities.

In this uh you know, this overall uh environment.

And I think you know, as New Mexicans, we really do see diversity and connection and community and fairness as our strengths, and so I think instant runoffs really brings that to the table.

Um I think finally I just want to say that you know when candidates do need broad support, extreme positions become a liability.

So it actually reduces those those kinds of extreme positions and creates you know connection and community.

So for that reason, I encourage this council to pass the instant runoffs, ranked choice voting.

Thank you.

Grace Dukes, followed by Dr.

Lisa Christofferson, followed by Christian Gott.

Counselors, my name is Grace Dukes.

I'm a resident of District One.

I'm transgender, and I'm proud.

I transitioned exactly five years ago today.

Five years ago today, I decided that living my life as my true self was more important than continuing to put up a facade.

I began my transition, a process that would ultimately lead me to the land of enchantment due to Ken Paxton's legal genocide against trans people in my then home state of Texas.

He declared that affirming the identities of trans kids like myself was child abuse and investigated the families of trans kids in the state.

My clinic was targeted by him and had to close.

The walls were closing in.

My family and I fled Texas and moved to Albuquerque in July 2023.

We chose Albuquerque because of its shield laws protecting people like me.

But now, with the constant attacks from the federal government, the walls are closing in again.

Five years after my transition, I worry for my safety and fear about the day that ICE will set its targets on me.

Please do more to protect your trans constituents before it is too late.

Thank you.

That will be the first warning.

Dr.

Lisa Christofferson, followed by Christian Gott, followed by Debbie Reynolds.

Hi.

Okay, sorry.

Okay, city counselors.

My name is Lisa Christofferson in D3.

I rise today to make public comment about the continual practice of sweeping humans because it's not working.

It is more costly, it is more cost costly to incarcerate.

ProPublica did an investigative report on this.

We do not have enough shelters.

We agree on that.

3,000 people, probably double that, are on the streets or living in their vehicles right now.

So what sort of moral deficits do we have in our humanity that we would knowingly sit in positions of power or with privilege with the authority to alleviate the suffering of 3,000 human beings, but we choose to put our energy and thought to present a bloated city budget that cuts transit.

And so our on-house neighbors are supposed to have some support in this city.

Ranked choice voting, we think might help us with that.

So as I leave, um, those of you who are in this room who support ranked choice voting, will you just raise your hand real quick?

Christian Gott, followed by Debbie Reynolds, followed by Paul Gesse.

Hello, uh City Council.

I'm here in support of the ranked choice voting um proposal.

The ranked choice voting typically allows for more broad variety of ideals to be proposed to the citizens in their candidates, typically results in less extreme ideologies being proposed, as well as a cheaper election in the end.

It in Minnesota, we saw as elections went from outwardly attacking with vicious remarks towards the opposing sides to elections where everybody was agreeing and being very respectful.

And I hope that that type of election, which I have not seen in my lifetime in to come back.

Our current system allows for a for parties to attack those they find different, yet not actually do anything to fix the problems.

And I hope that this ranked choice voting, even though it's only a small level, will improve the system.

Thank you.

Debbie Reynolds, followed by Paul Gessing, followed by Althea Matherton.

Thank you, Madam President and Counselors.

I'm here to voice opposition to the idea of ranked choice voting.

It's not going to save us money.

We just heard the county clerk go on and on about the expenses that are involved in runoff elections, and that's not going away.

Ranked choice voting, the propos or the proposal in it calls for education for voters so that we can be taught how to vote.

We know how to vote.

We all voted for council president in high school and prom queen, one person, one vote.

It's a simple process and it works.

In addition to the cost of educating all of us and the county employees, what about the machines, the tabulators that the county clerk uses to help us vote?

Do we have to buy new machines?

Do taxpayers have to bear that cost?

Do we have to buy new software?

We have to train those employees, and that will lead to a delay in results.

That's a certainty.

Thank you.

Paul Gessing, followed by Althea Atherton, followed by Jessica Reno.

Good evening, counselors.

My name is Paul Gessing.

I'm president of the Rio Grande Foundation.

I urge you to oppose ranked choice voting.

Instead, you should consider eliminating the runoffs that were adopted in a few years back to save money.

Our ranked choice voting is confusing for voters.

Not all of them are attending city council meetings.

They don't all have their top five candidates or six candidates listed out and are not able to necessarily do the research for that.

It's harder for election administrators because special election equipment is necessary to scan ballots and tabulate votes in RCV elections.

RC of V elections require multiple rounds of tabulation, relying on computers to make adjustments or discard ballots in each round.

There's no way to quickly confirm accuracy of the computer processes involved.

In fact, in California, data entry error went undetected, and the wrong winner was certified in an election.

Thank you very much.

Althea Atherton, followed by Jessica Reno, followed by Maureen Scorer.

President Pena, I had different remarks planned, but I would like to wax poetic about the future right now because I think we live in a city that is ready to move forward.

And when I say move forward, I both mean ranked choice voting, but mostly I mean our bus system.

These are 52 positions that we need to implement ABQ ride forward's recovery network, which is a three to five year implementation plan to recover our network from what it was before the pandemic.

And they're taking three to five years in 16 unique phases over those three to five years to implement a new bus network.

And this isn't even the bus network that advocates asked for.

We asked for a budget positive bus network that would actually give us more service.

My husband, I don't drive, but my husband spent $4.20 on gas at a same gas station.

He spent $2.70 last month.

We need transit in the city.

This budget is not okay.

Thank you.

Jessica Reno, followed by Maureen Scorin, followed by Janet Sayers.

Maureen Scorin, followed by Janet Sayers, followed by Anami Das.

Thank you.

My name is Maureen Scarin, and good evening, and thank you for your work.

I'm here to support ranked choice voting.

RCV would be a practical improvement to how Albuquerque already runs elections.

Today, when nobody gets majority, we hold a second election.

Ranked choice voting achieves the same majority result in one step without the cost and effort of a runoff, which can run up to a million dollars or more.

RCV would also mean more voters make the final decision because turnout is much higher in the first election than in a second one.

It's straightforward for voters.

They can rank candidates if they want, or they can just vote as they do now and just pick one.

It's a modest common sense FDA.

It saves money and keeps more voters involved.

I hope you'll support it.

Thank you.

Janet Sayers, followed by Anami Das, followed by Sarah Schuster.

Good evening, Madam President, members of the council.

I'm Janet Sayers.

And tonight I just want to talk about some things that are going well in Albuquerque.

Yesterday morning on my way to church, I saw a city bus going east on Manal at 8:30 in the morning.

Thank you to all of our bus drivers, our uh solid waste uh public safety who work holidays so that the rest of us can do whatever we want to do with our families.

Um District 7 on Saturday, we commemorated the fall of Bataan and the Bataan Death March and the young brave soldiers in 1942.

Uh April 18th, I invite you to be at the Ernie Pyle Library while we remember the life of Ernie Pyle, who was killed in action as a World War II correspondent.

Uh, we have a pop-up at the Taylor Ranch Library on April 25th.

Parks and recreation, we got a tree planted for Jerry Griego.

Uh our speaker series is going well, and in conclusion, thank you to Garrett Cornelius, who has the remarkable job of managing hundreds of us that are thank you.

Thank you very much.

Anami Das, followed by Sarah Schuster, followed by Jacob Trujillo.

Hi all.

Um, so for the last three years, there's been an effort to get folks living on the street, off of the street, and into the shelters.

Um I have collected a number of statements uh from unsheltered folks uh in that time.

Uh and part of that has been asking them why they choose not to go to the shelters.

In 70% of the responses, um they listed a lack of accountability structure built in to the shelter system.

Um currently, if you have a complaint and you're living at a shelter, you have to tell the shelter staff who might be the subject of that complaint about it, and then it is handled entirely internally.

The Office of Consumer Protection should be utilized to handle those uh complaints in the future.

I think that's all I have to say.

But Sarah Schuster, followed by Jacob Truheel, followed by our Tad Numinsky.

Hi.

Um, first of all, I wanted to start by saying that I'm a special education teacher who has taught um civics in US history in the past, and I've successfully used ranked choice voting in my classroom.

Also, students in high school use ranked choice voting to pick their electives, a rough version of it.

So I think most people will be able to understand it, and I think it is fairly easy to understand and explain.

Um second, ranked choice voting does help um incentivize candidates to actually um treat each other with dignity and respect.

Um recently the Republican office in Albuquerque was set on fire.

Um Democrats were shot by Solomon Pinett, and he was convicted, and he was running for office as well.

So on both sides, um the civility incivility is very harmful, and we just need to do everything we can to move it forward and make things better for people.

Um third, uh ranked choice voting does not have a party preference.

Um that's a myth.

So Wilson.

Jacob Truhil, followed by Tad Numsky, followed by Let's Otto.

Good afternoon, counselors.

My name is Jacob Trujill, and I'm a proud resident of District 2 and chair of the Democratic Party of Bernalillo County.

Thank you guys for your leadership.

At a time when trust in government is low, decisions like this matter.

Ranked choice voting is on your agenda tonight, and I urge you to support it.

This isn't about partisanship.

It's about doing what's right.

You've heard concerns that it's confusing, that it changes how campaigns work, and that it gives too much influence to smaller groups.

But what it really does is ask us to talk to more people.

That's not a weakness, that's democracy.

We don't have to guess how it works.

In the internal part of the Democratic Party, we already use ranked choice voting.

We've seen stronger participation, more consensus-driven outcomes, and leadership that actually reflects the diversity of our communities.

As a Hispanic voter, I also want to be clear.

Our communities are not confused, we are not incapable, and we are ready to engage fully for democracy.

Thank you all.

Okay, thank you.

My name is Ted Nemiski.

Here is flag.

Uh we have flag of New Mexico right here yellow.

This flag is 51 state of United State of America.

Highland students, holy flag.

Mexican flag.

Now let's go to 686 in the U bank.

Street Cat Hub.

That is veterinarian area of friends after me.

Private contact.

Eastern immediately, can you direct your comments through me?

Thank you so much.

I'm sorry.

Direct your comments through me.

Excuse me, nice time.

She needed it back.

Yeah.

They will give you some seconds back.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Now thank you.

Now you just threw what I was.

So anyway.

That's great.

Let's auto, followed by Brick Jonasy, followed by Susan Selwyn.

Overhead, please.

Madam President, Council members, I've already brought to you a story about the uh family advocacy center.

It's a private building where public entities are held.

There's a lotus management company that operates there, also at the public defender's office, where they think that they can protect the police by trespassing us from that building.

This is an incident that occurred for your enjoyment.

I'm only buying it.

You guys have the right to record any rock carrying by the shutting fire doors to come up to prevent me from going down a public hallway.

Because I said so.

What?

Because I said so.

Because I said so.

Better get a bigger broom if you're gonna try to sweep me.

In a public building.

At least that it holds public entities.

It might be a private building.

But goddamn it, I can go egress and ingress to that building.

Thank you so much.

You're welcome.

Brick Jonasy, followed by Susan Selbin, followed by Benjamin Bean.

I'm gonna need the overhead as well.

That's okay.

Thank you, sir.

Madam President.

Sacrificing some of your rights will hold myself as a police officer.

I have to hold myself to stand.

Well, you served as a police officer.

Yes.

Did you sign an oath when you signed up to be a police officer and now?

Did you sign an oath when you signed up to be a police officer and now?

Did you sign an oath when you signed up to be a police officer and now?

Did you sign an oath when you signed up to be a police officer now?

Did you sign an oath when you signed up to be a police officer now?

Did you sign an oath when you signed up to be a police officer and now?

Did you sign an oath when you signed up to be a police officer and now?

Did you sign an oath when you signed up to be a police officer and now?

Did you sign an oath when you signed up to be a police officer and now?

Every paper made it in front of me.

Did you sign an oath when you signed up to be a police officer now?

Papers made them in front of me.

Get the point.

No.

He's got to sign an oath.

There's some police officers in here.

They need to sign an oath.

You don't get the point?

Sign the fucking oath.

Susan Selbin, followed by uh Benjamin Bean, who I now see is in Zoom.

Um so we'll come to you, Benjamin, when we get to Zoom.

Susan Selbin, followed by James Freeman, followed by a Dale Rose Bennett Herrick.

James Freeman, followed by Adale Rose Bennett Herrick, followed by Eleanor Walther on Zoom.

Good evening, y'all.

I am still James Freeman from District 4.

I can't stay too late tonight, so I'm going to go and speak in support of R2611.

It's been my honor to serve as a lived experience member of the Housing Voucher Task Force since this body created it a little over a year ago.

I've attended nearly every meeting since that group was created, and I believe my feedback has been received respectively and constructively.

The city staff associated with the task force have worked diligently from Charlie, Jennifer Bradley, Abby, Govino, Flora, Tom, Rick, everyone has been phenomenal.

Extending the timeline for the completion of the objectives makes sense.

If I may make one suggestion, I suggest adding at least one more lived experienced member.

My lived experience is dated.

It's been a decade since I was homeless or living on a housing voucher here in Albuquerque.

I highly suggest adding Tiffany Ledger.

She is a frontline superstar in the community, and I think she would do a fantastic job.

Thank you.

Adale Rose Bennett Herrick, followed by Eleanor Walther, followed by Elizabeth Mack.

When I was young, I had a twist for punching babies with me fist.

And then I thought I would enlist in immigration customs enforcement.

Oh, to LaRu La Rue Leroo.

They're hunting for immigrants just above you with drones and phones and cameras, and Albuquerque has no clue.

Shot spotter records all day in all dark, and when there's a firework or a gunshot, it slurps up our water and farts out of gas.

And it is always exactly 50% correct.

To LaRue LaRue LaRue, a curse upon the white red blue that took our immigrant family with a paramilitary.

Now some of our counselors have been a bit naughty.

They sleep on the bus like a vagrant so haughty.

And the only crime is their bed is this wide to fit them.

And the Lyft and Uber lobby.

Do not defund transit.

Have a good night.

Eleanor Walther, followed by Elizabeth Mack, followed by Sarah Azebo.

You are muted, Eleanor.

It is has also not been reviewed in any committee since then.

Well, this may be allowed, it is not good governance.

This is now the second time an ordinance modifying the IDO has bypassed the established update process and voided committee review.

That limits transparency and shuts down meaningful public input.

There has been no urgency to justify this.

This is the fourth council meeting since introduction.

Constantly changing the IDO outside of normal process makes it difficult for the public to understand current regulations.

It also creates uncertainty for developers who may be forced to revise projects as rules shift.

Why hasn't this been sent to committee?

Are decision being made without fully considering public import?

Input.

Elizabeth Mack, followed by Sarah Azebo, followed by Nicole Finch.

Hello, my name is Elizabeth Mack.

I am an APS employee, and I am a full-time college student.

I'm in a public speaking class, and I'm actually getting extra credit just for speaking here today.

I just want to thank everyone for being here and what it took to organize everything.

Thank you so much.

Sarah Azebo, followed by Nicole Finch, followed by Marcelin Costiner.

Good evening, counselors.

Temperatures are climbing now with record-breaking heat.

People who are living in housing units with insufficient cooling units, as well as people who are houseless, are seeking relief from this heat.

A call to 311 directs us to the city website for this information.

This website differentiates families from unhoused, as though human beings have varying cooling needs based on their familial association.

This clearly separates us from one another, indicating pools, flash pads, parks, sprinklers.

All libraries and community centers are available only to families.

The unhoused section lists only four of the city's 18 public libraries as welcoming cooling spaces, along with five nonprofit organizations.

One of these is located near downtown, with the other four located in the southeast area.

And three of those are nearly non-operational for this need.

American Indian Center was shattered and demolished last year.

God's warehouse was closed by the city and is now only serving people for two hours each day.

Compassion Services Center was impacted by a fire last week.

This leaves very few spaces to cool to thousands of people who are unhoused in Albuquerque.

Please explore this website, update it, define what families are.

Um public libraries and public spaces citywide so that everyone has a place to be when it's hot outside and provide people with life-saving support and undo the harmful legislation like 02614 arrests and don't turn MDC into a cooling center.

Thank you.

Nicole Finch, followed by Marcelin Costner, followed by Layla Salon.

Madam President and counselors, I want to use my time tonight to appreciate the staff members of the Albuquerque Bernalio County Public Library.

They do incredible work for all of us in the city and the whole county.

They staff 19 branches and serve patrons who visited the library 1,636,000 303 times in fiscal year 2025.

Their hard work allows me to be lazy because I can pick up all the books and DVDs I want from the entire library system at my home branch library, Lomus Tramway in District 9.

The library staff puts the whole world at my fingertips, and they do that for everyone, rich or poor.

Albuquerque should be extremely proud of the public library system and especially its dedicated, hardworking staff.

Thank you.

Marcelyn Costner, followed by Layla Salim, followed by Benjamin Bean.

First of all, I want to say don't defund public transit.

That's insane.

It's insanely classic.

It destroys an entire way of getting around, getting to work.

Um this is insane.

Do not defund this.

There are very important jobs that are rolling this.

Reminiscent of his last attempt to ban people from being on sidewalks.

I think these are insane measures.

I think that they are based in hiding the homeless.

I think that they're based in trying to pretty up the streets for the centennial Route 66.

And I think it's disgusting that we're trying to pass more and more and more.

And we just don't understand.

We don't understand that this enforcement first is never gonna work.

You can't hide people forever.

Layla Salim, followed by Benjamin Bean.

Good evening, Madam President and Counselors.

My name is Layla Salem, and I urge you to support instant runoff voting.

Earlier commenters raised concerns that our voting machines aren't ready, but our elected officials, our election officials have already confirmed that they are capable of handling ranked choice ballots.

We know this because our machines are the same all around the state, and we have other places in the state that already do rank choice voting.

Um, Mr.

Gussing suggested that voters don't want to take the time to research all the candidates.

Um, and that I think that's ridiculous.

We know that Albuquerque voters already show up very informed, especially in these local races where choices matter really deeply, and his fear mongering about tabulation errors are completely untrue.

Our modern voting systems are tested, they're audited, and they're used successfully in those other cities across the state that use rank choice voting.

These concerns shouldn't hold us back from reforms that strengthen our democracy.

Uh instant runoff ensures that winners have majority support and not just a small plurality.

It allows voters to rank candidates honestly without worrying about spoiling the election.

I urge your support.

Thank you.

Good evening, Madam President and Councillors.

I apologize for not being there in person tonight.

I am calling to ask you to please support ranked choice voting in Albuquerque.

I want to bring two uh different uh realities that you could be living in.

Um you start in a reality where you live where you have ranked choice voting and your council is debating uh imposing first past the polls, changing to a first past the poll system.

And you tell your friend, I'm going to vote for this person, and your friend says, don't do that, you'll spoil your vote.

And now you have to worry about how the system is gained uh in order to vote so that one of the primary two candidates gets elected.

And the other reality, we're leaving in the first past the poll system, and your counselor is debating whether to uh use ranked choice voting.

And in this reality, you can just vote for who you want to without worrying about how the system is gained.

Thank you very much.

Madam President, that concludes public comment.

Thank you.

Thank you.

So we are now on to um approvals.

There are none.

Final now, next final actions.

Councilor Peoplecorn R 14.

Madam President, R 14 is the third update to attachment one of R2047 appropriating transportation infrastructure tax funds to expand the scope of the Cutler Avenue Complete Streets Project to include the San Pedro Complete Streets Project.

We move a due pass.

Second.

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

And we have some people signed up to speak.

Councilor February, did you want to open on your bill?

Sure.

Thank you, Madam President.

So this is just um an expansion of a project that we that actually my predecessor, um, Councillor Gibson had funded uh over on Cutler Avenue.

That is nearing completion, and we are going to have some funds uh remaining.

I know a budget that did not get eaten up by one project, and I'd like to move over some of that money to a second project in my district, uh, the San Pedro revitalization.

And so we are just expanding that scope to allow that second project to use the remainder of the funds.

Okay, so then we'll go on to pub public comment.

Mr.

Cornelius.

Thank you, Madam President.

Althea Atherton, followed by Adele Rose Bennett Herrick, followed by Grace Dukes.

I'm speaking in support of this bill.

Um the San Pedro Smiths that's right there on Lomas.

Um, my three-year-old calls it Big Smiths, because it's bigger than the one in our neighborhood.

And so we go there a lot, and I have to talk walk with children there a lot.

And I also um, you know, can tell you that I've had to cross the street uh um San Pedro to get um from one side of the bus to the other um when I've been training ambassadors um for our um ABQ ride ambassador volunteer program.

And that is the scariest part when I train people on the 11 is if that's where the buses are going to meet, which they often do, we have to cross the street there.

And if that is the scariest part of doing this kind of public engagement, I think we can do a very good job and make it safer to cross the street.

And I really applaud your uh leadership on this, Counselor Feeblecorn, um, to find money somewhere and put it to good use.

So thank you.

Adale Rose Bennett Herrick, followed by Grace Dukes, followed by Tad Numitsky.

Good evening, y'all.

Um, I always uh like uh San Pedro.

I like uh when we get to use money for good things, and um I urge your support basically.

Have a good one.

Grace Dukes, followed by Tad Numinsky, followed by Benjamin Bean on Zoom.

Counselors, I come before you as someone who frequently drives on that stretch of San Pedro.

I'm in support of the San Pedro Complete Streets Project.

I drove on that stretch on my way here, and I can tell you with full certainty that this project has the potential to turn that stretch of San Pedro into one of the most pedestrian-friendly stretches of road in the entire city.

We have a moral obligation to look out for all of our constituents, especially the ones who aren't in cars.

If we are going to cut transit, which is absolutely ridiculous, by the way, there's no need to cut public transit when we are not losing any revenue.

We need to invest in making our streets more pedestrian friendly, which is what this does.

I applaud Councillor February for bringing this forward in our cheat vote.

Yes.

Thank you.

Ted Numitsky, followed by Benjamin Bean.

Thank you.

So now any one of you been around, remember that.

Maybe you didn't then Louis only.

So anyway.

When 300 people signed up.

And we spoke two minutes each.

Then this idiot, Sanchez.

Well, his sponsor cut to thirty people.

Well limit three people, and then general public comment.

So minutes.

Now what's he doing?

This council.

They messaged with.

If it's limit, theory, leave it two minutes.

Simple as that.

And if you want to cut all the agenda that's fine.

Benjamin Bean on Zoom.

Again, and uh President and Counselors.

Um I want to urge your support on the complete streets projects and all of their forms, especially when they're not going to cost any more money than has already been appropriated.

Um it is a little bit ridiculous that we can assume that people in cars need to be safe, but we can't assume that people who are bicycling or walking need to be safe.

Those people need to be safe as well.

I started thinking about this more as I've been biking more around Albuquerque recently.

And a lot of our bike lanes, even the ones that I would consider good bike lanes for our city, I would not want to walk on them.

They're unsafe.

I would avoid them if I wasn't trying to actively get somewhere.

Um if you vote against this and you don't explain why, I'm going to have to assume that you want people who are walking and bicycling to die.

Thank you.

Madam President, let's conclude comment.

I don't know what that noise was.

Was that someone trying to get in?

No.

Okay.

Okay.

So I don't see any questions by counselors.

So counselor feeble corn to close.

Erdress part.

So there is a motion, a second by Counselor Rogers for a due pass of R 14.

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

Yes.

No, same motion.

Motion carries.

Unanimously.

We are now on to 03.

This is Counselors Baca, Rogers, Champagne, and Basan.

Who wants to be the charge?

Sure.

Thank you.

Thank you, Madam President.

Uh oh three.

Community, I'm sorry, committee substitute amending charter chapter 2, Article 11 of the revised ordinances of Albuquerque, New Mexico right away, 1994.

I move due pass.

There's a motion second by Councilor Rogers for a due pass of 03.

Are there any counselors that have any questions?

I know we do have one person signed up to speak.

There are five minutes.

And then she wants to speak.

Okay.

We'll go ahead and move the amendments first.

So we have four amendments.

They're labeled A through D.

And we'll start with floor amendment A, Councillor Feblecorn and Teus, and this will be number one.

Thank you, Madam President.

I'll move floor amendment number one on page six, beginning on line seven, amend section F3 as follows.

It's on the screen, but no additional administrative indirect or overhead cost, including but not limited to labor recovery supervisory or coordination outside of the calculated CIP IDOH rate for the applicable bond cycle shall be charged, transferred or otherwise applied to the counselor approved geobond or state capital outlay activities, and all costs charged shall be directly related to and consistent with the approved scope of the capital project.

Second.

Second.

Thank you, um, Madam President.

So this is just a clarification.

I um I've been very disappointed.

I've I've met with the administration to try to understand how they're calculating the IDOH on the various projects.

I got no answers.

Um I I sent in very specific requests, I didn't get a response.

Um it's just been very challenging for somebody that wants to understand something before they vote on it to get answers.

And so what I've determined is that the state of New Mexico does not allow us to charge uh ID to take IDOH out of state grants.

Um that is in the state administrative code.

And what we seem to be doing, because we're not allowed to take IDOH is changing the name of it to construction management fee and still taking IDOH out of state grants.

And um I I'm happy to be corrected, but I've asked this question many, many times.

I've gotten no answers.

Um, so this is just to clarify that if there is a state capital dollar that comes to one of our projects, that we will not be paying anything additional for that project.

Um, so that's what this is about.

Thank you, Councilor Papercorn.

Do any of the counselors have any questions?

I'd like to the administration uh to give them an opportunity to respond to this.

Madam President, we do have a way to calculate uh indirect overhead.

So we do have Ms.

Turner here from uh our municipal development department, but we can go through the amendments and then we can speak on the bill.

Oh, Donica to be called asking that not on the ball.

Yeah.

So you got that right because it was on the amendment, not the entire bill.

Yeah.

Okay.

Madam President and Counselor which question did you want me to answer on?

No, Madam President, I didn't have a question.

I want this amendment to pass because I've asked my questions and I've gotten no answers.

So I'm the one that had the question.

So I was just asking about the amendment and your position on this amendment, and why you think it's good or not good.

Um Madam President, um the CIP IDOH that we were proposing is five percent.

Um I have a support of how that's calculated.

It's actually more than five percent that would be applied to uh fiscal year 27.

Um I'm I'm happy to provide that.

Thank you.

That that really wasn't the question.

I think um Mr.

Willing, I think, Madam President, we don't support this bill or this amendment because some charges have to be charged because we do use staff to monitor these grants that aren't paid for by the grant.

So I do understand where the counselor is coming from, but I can't say that we would support this amendment.

Okay, I think it is still doesn't answer my question.

I think you know, if if counts this this amendment is saying that the state of New Mexico does not allow for us to make those charges and we're making those charges, so how do we justify um charging the capital from the city?

Uh Madam President, we have Jennifer Turner here who can answer that question.

Uh Madam President and Councillor Feblecorn.

So when the um when the city receives state capital outlay, in order for us to spend it, we have to seek what's called a notice of obligation from the state, which is based on a quote or proposal from a contractor that itemizes everything that we're going to be charged.

And so, no, we do not uh seek to charge against capital outlay impermissible expenses from capital projects because we would first it's illegal, but second, because we would never get um those funds made available from the state that we have to submit through an NOO process.

So then a follow-up question for me would be um because I I know you know, just doing some of these projects, even with the visitor center, you know, getting criticized that the cost of the project kept escalating every year, and it was on the news that you know the the price is going up, but it kept being that some of these costs were associated with it, right?

So how do we determine, and maybe this isn't for um Mr.

Wayland, but how do we determine what that indirect cost is?

Because I know that indirect costs are associated with projects because there is a uh an administrative cost associated with any of the projects that we have to carry out because they're so cumbersome in terms of who is the one that's actually going to the state and and asking for the money and to the county and who's putting it together and who's doing the grant stuff.

So I know there's administrative um requirements associated with it.

I was asking our staff how do how do we make that determination?

I know some cities um I was told don't charge any indirect.

I know um some entities have a 50% indirect, which is kind of outrageous.

And then I, you know, so have we ever worked on establishing an indirect, you know, look at comparable cities and and what the average is, because I know um there's lots of questions that we went from a 2.4 to all of a sudden to a 12%, and then back down.

So I think as counselors, it opens up a whole lot of questions for us, and I I know they're necessary.

I just wonder what is that amount, and and what do you do to get to that amount, or we do nothing, and maybe as a body we should do a policy that sets what that standard is.

Madam President, um, the way it's calculated is taking the most recently closed year for this case, it would be fiscal year 25 and all capital funds that were expended, and then taking um the administrative costs, which is mostly staff time that uh contribute to the success of those capital projects, which can include um project managers, it can include uh fiscal staff, um, that are all requirements to keep us um in compliance with any of those capital funds that we receive.

And taking a percentage.

Correct.

So my question would be have we ever studied what an indirect cost should be, other than this kind of floating number?

Well, um president.

I went back all the way to 2018 and then I looked at all outstanding active bonds.

Um we weren't even recovering some of those costs because it the percentage was below two percent.

That doesn't represent the cost that it actually took to manage those funds.

Um IRS guidelines allow for up to five percent for um tax exempt bonds.

Um so the standard would that I was going against was the five percent.

And if it was five above five percent in the past year, um it was to compensate for those outstanding bonds that have been so much lower than even two percent, and we weren't recovering those amounts.

But the federal guidelines say five percent.

Yes, IRS guidelines.

Okay, okay.

Thank you so much.

Um I don't know with our staff, if we I think you guys are asking some questions from some municipalities um just to find out.

So, Mr.

Motzko, can you just talk a little bit about that?

Sure, Madam President and Counselors.

Um, we're talking on the same page.

This is for our general obligation bonds that are taxpayer approved at an election every other year that we have very strict uh usage for.

Um we just want to make sure we're not um potentially risking our tax exempt status when it comes to these bonds, because then the projects would become much more expensive.

Um Mr.

Muirhead, our bond attorney is is here.

Uh he has much more knowledge about the 5% guideline from the IRS.

And uh I he's open to any questions also thank you, Mr.

Motzko.

Mr.

Mirhead, can you come down and answer this question?

I guess what I'm just trying to get at is I know that indirect costs are something that's needed because of the costs associated with some of the work that's done outside of the construction project, right?

Ministering, managing.

So do you have any idea?

I guess first your expertise, I'd like to know you know, if you have anything to add to what I'm saying, and then second, do you know what kind of an average is the municipalities charge for this indirect?

Yeah, madam president.

So what has been said is correct.

The internal revenue code sets a five percent of each bond proceeds, each bond issuance.

Five percent of that could be used for working capital, which would be inclusive of indirect overhead.

So at that point, you are looking at things that are directly tied to the project.

It is not a pool of 5% of the bond proceeds to be used for any kind of operations or maintenance or anything of that nature.

It needs to be uh overhead costs that tie to the specific projects that have been approved by voters, as Mr.

Motsko said.

So you're looking at it not only from a state law side, okay.

We have these geo bonds that have been approved for these nine or eleven questions.

Here's the scope of the project.

You look at that, is it fitting that the project?

Uh that would all be okay with the internal revenue code from the federal side.

But then you want to look at it and say, well, how much or what can we apply to indirect overhead from staff who is providing either construction management, accounting, legal services, whatever that ties to that specific project can go up to five percent.

And so if you add something issued in 2023 for 100 million, you'd have five million available where the internal revenue service would be okay if you can establish that it has tied to indirect costs or working capital for those approved projects.

Now, is there a standard number?

No, it would depend on.

I think the standard number needs to be five percent or less.

Um each particular project may have different facts, different factors that go into it, different municipalities looking at it, but the federal government and what we care about from the tax exempt bond side is what's the IRS say about this?

And Mr.

Motz goes correct.

The risk is you would lose your tax exempt financing, uh, which would be a significant setback.

Um but the IRS is saying five percent is fine.

Now, when within zero to five percent, it is a policy question for the governing body and for the administration to say here is how we would look at that and say, okay, we can defend and support that we tied these various working capital administrative costs uh to these projects, and they fall within that five percent that the IRS has said.

So again, the important thing is you fall with under the five percent for that bond series over that life of the bond.

Um how you calculate that five percent.

The important thing is one, should the IRS ever audit the city that you can substantiate how you've allocated that money.

And to do that, you are showing that these particular individuals, these particular departments worked on these projects and got paid X, and it was within that five percent.

Now, what the city decides to do within that from zero to five is a policy decision by this governing body and the administration, how you look at that.

But fundamentally, uh for that bond cycle, and again, the the importance of tying the particular overhead, indirect overhead or working capital you're looking at to the tax exempt bond projects.

I hope that answered your question.

It does.

I really appreciate your answer.

Um, just I just want to add one other thing or quite add another question to that is that so as part of a project that may be funded by city county um state, feds, does that five percent go as a total, or does that five percent get broken down as to the amendment that we're just just she has on the floor right now?

Madam President, what I'm concerned about, or what we're talking about here is the five the money that's produced by the general obligation bonds.

So if you have a pool of state money, uh city city available funds and general obligation bond proceeds, you're looking at just five percent of those geo bond proceeds that doesn't go five percent of the entirety of the money coming into the project.

Okay, thank you so much.

Vice President Champagne.

Thank you, Madam President.

Just while you're up here, sir.

Just a quick kind of clarification so I can understand.

So the IRS says five percent is the the cap, the the ceiling of it.

Um, but as we're at a 2.4 or 2.7 is what's being presented, uh, is it a sort of a risk tolerance to say that at 5% we are opening ourselves up to if we do get audit to justification, and that's a high risk in that justification.

Uh whereas like three to four is uh is more yellow, two to three is green, where we know we can justify that if an audit does come.

Yeah, Madam President, Council Champagne.

And what I would say is the IRS has said five percent is a safe harbor if you can support it.

So I wouldn't differentiate between three to five if you can support it and say they are tied to the projects.

Once you get over five, then you are in a presumption that okay, we're outside of what the IRS said is a safe harbor.

So certainly it's easier to justify two and a half percent than it is to say five, but if you can do that, if IRS is saying that that's fine and you have that safe harbor.

So on the one hand, practically, yeah, it's gonna be easier to establish that you've supported two and a half percent to three percent, but that doesn't mean that the five percent if you do that is illegal or uh in violation of the IRS.

Uh but I understand what you're saying.

You do maybe have a practical problem that the bar is raised that it's harder to substantiate five percent than three if that answers your your question.

So it is a sort of a risk tolerance.

Yeah, I would say I would agree with that.

Yes.

Thank you.

More of a policy decision.

Yeah, okay.

Thank you.

So um counselor Teas and then Councillor Rogers.

Thank you, Madam President.

Um, Mr.

Maher, can you explain the difference between the federal bonds and the geo bonds and how that applies with the five percent?

Yes, madam uh president, counselor tea is so uh looking at it uh and and just since you're new here, I'm happy to come and talk to you at any point about the whole bond program.

Um but uh your specific question uh the general obligation bonds are one of the forms of financing capital projects the city has.

Now you could do that in a way that you borrow more expensively, and the IRS would have no concern about it.

You're you don't care about the tax exemption.

So you have the geo bonds, you're using them for capital projects.

Municipalities have the benefit that the federal government is saying you can borrow at a lower interest rate for these governmental purposes, but when you do, the IRS has a concern that you're not abusing that or misusing it.

So it's still just the geobond program.

The federal part is because you're borrowing tax exempt that the federal government cares, but they are not different things.

There is the geo program, that is the capital projects, the tax exempt part is the mechanism to finance those at a lower cost, and because the federal government thinks it's providing a subsidy to you, they then have a booklet full of rules, including don't spend more than five percent on salaries and operations because it's supposed to go toward brick and mortar.

Does that answer your question?

Yes, thank you, Mr.

Mayor.

Counselor Rogers.

Thank you, Madam President.

I just want to real quick back up a little bit for folks, because you know, folks are saying, what what are y'all talking about?

And so I just want to make sure.

So I'm getting emails and like what is happening?

Yes, please, because my question, I'm just gonna get provide some context for the folks watching and then ask my question.

So, first of all, IDOH is indirect overhead, which you've heard, and so just think about building a house, right?

And you have costs to build that house.

You have lumber, concrete, labor, those are direct costs for the house, right?

Permitting office, the inspectors, accountants, project managers, those are all indirect costs.

We couldn't do the we couldn't build the house without those folks making sure we have the things we need, right?

So that's what we're talking about.

And for myself, wanting to work with my colleagues to fix this, is because I watch our accounts for district six, and this is specifically the bond money that each counselor gets to spend in their district very carefully.

The administration decided to just charge indirect costs at eight percent.

You're hearing Chris Muirhead say five percent is the cap from the RF.

Right, and then at one time it was 12 percent at one time.

It caused some of my council accounts to go in the red, right?

Because I wasn't expecting these charges to hit my account.

I wasn't expecting, I wasn't planning for them.

I asked very specifically, just like my other colleagues, how do you calculate this so that we can plan?

This is just about planning for my district with my specific set asides for from the geobond process, right?

Yeah, so look, let me finish.

Yes, ma'am.

Um, and so those accounts going in the red, of course, caused me to work with our budget team to figure out what was going on.

And then I found things being charged from projects from years ago, years back before I was even a counselor.

So my question to you, Mr.

Mirrorhead is does the IRS dictate the time frame in which IDOH can be charged?

Yes, a couple things, uh, Madam President, Counselor Rogers.

So getting in the weeds a little bit, so the five percent is is the cap, and so let's take a single bond issue, say it's a hundred million, you're looking at that five million that would fit indirect overhead.

That may be they're looking at the life of that bond not being over five percent.

So it is a there is a scenario where you might have eight percent in year one, two percent in year two, one percent in year three, but as a whole, that's under five percent.

And so that's again, we're in the weeds, and I'm not disagreeing with what you're saying, but there is a calculation where there is you can be above five in one year as long as over that life of the bond, you're under the the three percent or the five percent.

The second question you raise is very topical.

The IRS is looking at changing that in terms of saying that the reimbursement needs to be tied to closer to the time of issuance of the bonds under the current rules that you can kind of look at it over the life of the bonds no matter and and look at the end of the life and go back and say, okay, here's what we've done.

Proposed rules would change that to say you do need to have a temporal that it is uh allocated uh in those years that you're looking to do the appropriation.

So again, in the weeds of the regulations, which are you know difficult, but what I I do agree with what you're saying generally.

Thank you.

Thank you, Madam President.

I think that's the issue is as counselors.

We cannot predict because it continually changes, it doesn't allow us to plan.

Um and I think the other question is I have is tied to the budget.

And I know we don't want to get into the budget weeds right now, but this is directly affects this conversation.

We had conversations with the administration about what we were doing.

Our committee sub was published on March 16th, and we received a budget where you plan for IDOH at 5%, knowing that this was on the butt on the bat on the on the agenda at what we were wanting to baseline it at.

And so, why did the administration then use 5% for the budget when you know what we're intentions really are?

Yeah, I'm not the administration.

Sure, no, that's okay.

Um Madam President, Council Rogers don't attach that question too.

Madam President, uh, Councilor Rogers.

Um the way the legislation was worded is that the baseline was 2.75, and if we could justify that higher amount, which I can that's why we based the 27 budget with a 5%.

Thank you, Madam President.

And how did you justify that?

Because we've asked several of us have asked over and over again.

Just show us how you calculate it, be transparent about how you calculate that.

And I've never received that.

I I have it.

I'm I'm happy to share it at any time.

Thank you, Madam President.

Counselor Tayus.

Um just wanted to call a point of order to make sure that we're debating the amendment and not the bill right now.

Thank you.

Okay, so if there's no other questions from counselors, um, counselor cable corner close.

Thank you, madam president.

So I appreciated that debate on the bill, but I want to bring us back to what my amendment says, which is very clearly not at all about what the calculated IDOH rate should be, or what it should include, or how it should be presented.

My amendment, which was on the screen, and perhaps we could get it back on the screen since we've gone so far afield, simply states that no additional administrative costs or fees can be charged outside of the calculated CIP IDOH, whatever that ends up being after this bill that I did not write, and we are hearing tonight, is my amendment says that no additional administrative costs can be charged, and it clarifies that that is for geo bonds and for state capital outlay.

That is all the amendment before us does, and so I would urge your support on that clarification, because I know that we heard that we haven't had other kinds of fees, but I'm looking at a project detail page right here in front of me that clearly states that we are charging five percent you know management fees for one of my capital outlay projects from the state, and I think a management fee sounds a lot like an administrative fee.

So all I'm clarifying is that that will not be allowed.

That's the entirety before us, so urge your support with that.

There is a motion and second on floor amendment um that was labeled A that now became um floor amendment number one.

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

Yes, opposed, no, no.

So that um passes eight to one.

Next is floor amendment B.

Will become floor amendment um two.

Councilor Graff.

Thank you, Madam President.

Floor amendment two.

Um I'd like to introduce on page six after line three, insert the following new section.

Section five five fiscal year IDOH budget adjustment requirement within 14 days of from the effective date of this ordinance.

The administration shall submit an executive communication that provides a revision to the fiscal year 2027 budget consistent with the baseline capital program indirect overhead rate established herein.

The administration shall identify the resulting general fund difference between the fiscal year 2027 proposed IDOH revenue assumptions and the revised projections based on the baseline rate established herein.

The administration shall propose admit adjustments to expenditures or identify alternative funding sources as necessary to maintain the fiscal year 2027 proposed general fund balance as proposed, as proposed is very important, and shall not increase the IDOH revenue assumptions above the baseline rate established in this ordinance without city council approval.

I offer that as amendment number two.

There's a motion and a second um by vice president Champine for floor amendment number two.

Are there any questions, comments?

Um Councilor Bassan, followed by Councilor Peter.

Madam President, I hate IDOH.

I have hated it since day one, but I also understand there is some need for it.

I don't understand how we ended up with a last minute 12% increase last year that did catch us all off guard.

I had the same experiences.

I think we all did.

Not okay with it.

That's why I have agreed to co-sponsor uh this bill.

I will say full disclosure though, I had meetings with Donna Sandoval, and she explained to me her metric of how she landed on 5%.

Um I was a little preoccupied with some other things going on when this was in committee.

I don't sit on FGO.

It's currently at 2.75%.

I did say I think 5% seems reasonable as long as it's not 8% or 12% or 40% or whatever else might get us in the middle of the night.

So I I'm not going to support this amendment.

I don't think it's I also know that we did have this out there well in advance.

However, I think that there was, at least from my experience, some efforts to communicate the desire for 5%.

I think it's a compromise.

Again, I hate IDOH, but I think 5% seems reasonable.

I'm going to be offering an amendment here in a little while to change it to 5%.

I think that you know we hear all the time that the budget is now in the council's hands.

The mayor gave us this proposed budget.

Whether you want to say it's because he didn't listen to our proposed legislation in advance or not, or whatever fingers we want to point.

The fact is we have the budget, it's at 5%.

So for us to throw it back on the mayor now, how do we say that's our budget now?

So I'm not okay with that.

And I think that it's on us to figure out a solution.

And my solution will be to offer 5% in a little while.

Any other questions?

Councilor Peter Corn.

Thank you, Madam President.

Um, so it's my understanding from the bill.

I mean, again, I didn't write this bill, but um it clearly states on page three that it'll be 2.75 unless an alternative rate is justified pursuant to the criteria established in this section.

And and then it goes on to say that if the administration determines that an alternative IDOH rate is necessary, the city's Department of Finance Treasury and DMD CIP shall calculate the proposed rate using the criteria established in this section.

And so I don't read the bill before us as saying that it is 2.75 and it will remain that way.

Um, and I I don't have a problem, I don't think, with it being 5% either.

All I'm asking for is a calculation and not just a hey, we think it should be this.

And I sent in specific requests for the calculation for the list of um jobs that are being paid for with this, and I got nothing.

Um, and so I I question the need for this um proposal, not because I don't support what you're saying, but because all the administration has to do is come forward with an actual calculation, and and I'm pleased to hear that they've shared one with counselor Basan, but I would like them to share it with me.

So I think that we could get to a number that we could all agree to if somebody just shares their math.

That's all we're asking for.

So I won't be able to support this amendment, but I I do want to say I understand where it's coming from, the frustration is real.

Um, but I believe that there's got to be a calculation that's been done and that it should be shared with city council immediately.

Thank you.

Thank you, Councillor Roger.

Thank you.

Thank you, Madam President, and I think I agree.

I think we when we looked back at the IDOH numbers all the way back to FY15.

We never saw any more than two percent when we looked back because we did research to look back.

And so I I also um agree with Councilor Basan that the the uh the budget is with us now.

And so if we want to make these adjustments, we should do that here on council and not kick it back to the mayor because now it's up to us.

And I would never want to defer my power back to the mayor administration when they've done their work, and now it's time for us to do that work.

And I would love to help the cow chair in that and put my myself where my mouth is and help as well.

Okay, before we go to close, I'll just make some comments.

I think we're all on the same page.

I think we all just got shocked with that 12%, and knowing we're trying to get these projects done, and then we have to go back the next year for more capital outlay for whatever it is.

So I I do I think a five percent is reasonable.

Um, so like you know, I'll support the amendment, but then I'll support my sons later.

But um, but um I think we're all kind of just wanting to make sure that we have just clarity and know the numbers.

So um councilor grout to close.

Thank you.

I want to say the the reason um councilor Rogers had mentioned this um this ordinance had come before the administration to all of us some time ago before the budget was sent down to us, so they knew that it was there, and I haven't talked to counselors about what you know.

I I haven't talked to anybody, so I don't know where this stands, but um so I offered this based.

I have no idea how this is gonna go tonight.

Um, but again, working with them.

The can I yes, we can find the money and we'll find the change if it changes, we will find the difference.

But you might not like the difference that we come up with, and so that's why I wanted to give them an opportunity to find the extra savings that they may need in order to do that.

That's all, but it is stuck, it is with us, and that's fine, and we'll find it if we need to.

That's all.

I urge your support.

With that, there was a motion second by council rock, counselor Rogers for floor amendment number two.

All those in favor, raise your hand and count Councillor Grout.

Sorry.

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

Yes, yes.

Opposed, no.

No, so that's uh uh four or five.

That motion um fails.

So now we are floor amendment C will be labeled floor amendment now become floor amendment number four.

Counselor Bacca, Madam President.

This is just uh technical uh fix.

Uh section 18 to 21.

Um that's all it does.

There's a more motion and second for motion number three.

Um there's no questions.

All those in favor.

Oh, never mind.

There are three there are three changes on this.

Like the 18 to 21 three times though, in three different positions.

So we have to make sure that's specific in what we're saying.

Counselor Bach would you want to clarify that?

Thank you, Madam President.

Uh look to our staff.

Madam President, Councillor Bacca.

Uh, we just wanted to clarify that this is amendment number three, not four.

Oh, did I say four?

I'm sorry.

Okay, this is for amendment number three.

So all those in favor say yes and raise your hand.

Yes, oppose same motion, passes unanimously.

We are now madam president.

I didn't see everyone's hands.

I know who you're talking about.

I know I know who you're talking about.

You were just called out, counselor.

So we are now on floor amendment number four, which is labeled D in your packet, Councilor Teas.

Thank you, Madam President.

Um so floor amendment, did you say four?

Three four.

Yes, thank you.

Uh page five beginning on line 10 amend section D as follows IDOA rate rate.

Um, the Office of the Internal Audit shall conduct an annual audit of IDOH practices to ensure compliance with this section, including the review of calculation of the IDOH rate, allocation of costs, adherence to the criteria and requirements established herein, and whether costs charged are consistent with the approved scope of capital projects and shall report to its findings to council.

So, what this does there's a motion that's given by Councillor Feeblecorn.

Thank you, Councilor Feblecorn.

So this audit requirement gives us the verification that we need.

Uh, this requirement will allow us to get the information about what was charged, why was it charged, and to what project, so that we can have that data that we're all asking for.

Um that's what that's what this does.

It it ties uh objectives and outcomes to the budget so that we can have that data and make sure it is not going over those requirements.

So I urge your support.

Thank you.

Are there any questions?

I see the administration has their hands up.

Hand up.

Thank you, Council President.

You know, um getting focused on uh how we should work together with council.

We did send down a budget that had the higher percentage, but we also support reporting and calculating.

This bill has significantly changed since it was originally written at the originally at 4.75 percent, and then it sent and it was changed again by the committee to two 2.75.

So we're trying to work with you guys if we need to, but our budget was built on a five percent, so that's the budget that we proposed and sent down.

Okay, thank you.

What did that have to do with this?

Um council president, uh that we support calculating and reporting and having to do those things, and that's what this is when it turns out.

Thank you.

They're gonna help ask for us to calculate and report it.

So thank you.

You did you didn't add that.

So okay, thank you.

So, Councilor Bassan.

Madam President, I just I want to add that I know that the Office of Internal Audit comes out with their annual plan for what they're going to audit each year.

If this is something which I'm not opposed to, if this is something that happens, uh, then I think that we need to also make sure to look at any kind of increase in the budget for internal audit if they're going to need it in order to review if they just go to admin and have you all do the legwork and give it back without charging us indirect overhead.

I think that that would be great.

Okay, so um thank you, Councilor Bassan.

So, Councillor Tayas to close.

This is business, every every CPA, every CFE, every CGFM, any um financial uh government accountant, fiscal um, you know, who understands their fiscal responsibilities, know that effective internal controls are good for business and they're good for governance, and so that is what this is.

This is just ensuring that we are tracking our data.

This is in compliance with the COSO tread work treadway framework of internal controls, and it is we could request this type of test work every year if we wanted to directly with the state auditor, which if we don't pass this, then I would probably just go ahead and do that anyway.

So um, you know, I urge your support.

Thank you.

So there was a motion and second for floor amendment number four.

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

Yes, oppose, say motion.

Motion carries.

Thank you, Counselor Lewis.

So now we are on floor amendment um labeled E, and it's under your eye on the iPad.

So if you can display it, and this is Councilor Bassan.

Madam President, I move floor amendment five on page three, amend line 20 as follows rate of five percent, five per uh, and then five percent again, unless an alternative rate is justified pursuant to, and then it continues on as explained earlier.

This will be my solution to try to find balance so that we can end up moving forward with a moderate IDOH without it being too extreme one way or the other.

So there's a motion, is there a second?

I'll second that.

There's a motion and second for floor amendment E, or now labeled floor amendment number five.

So is there any discussion?

Seeing none, Councilor Basson to close.

I heard your support.

All those in favor of floor amendment number five, raise your hand and say yes.

Yes.

Opposed.

No.

Motion fails seven two.

So now we are on to floor amendment number uh labeled F.

Did you say you have another one?

And this is would be numbers floor amendment number six.

Yes, madam president.

Although I think that perhaps the one in the iPad says a different counselor is the sponsor, or maybe the one I have.

Okay.

So uh on page I would like to move floor amendment six on page three, line 32, section C4 will be admended as follows.

Strike beginning of 2026, the FY26 IDOH shall be recalculated within 60 days of the enactment date of this ordinance, and instead replace it with beginning with the 2027 bond cycle, the rate of IDOH shall be calculated by January 31st of the year following every bond election.

The calculated rate shall apply to the two-year bond cycle.

The rate shall be calculated solely based on the criteria below related to costs associated with the administration of the capital program.

So there's a motion for floor amendment number six.

Is there a second?

Oh second.

Thank you, Madam President.

This amendment removes the requirement for the IDOH recalculation to take place this fiscal year and the IDOH recalculation to take place January 31st, 2028.

Thank you.

Is there any discussion?

Any comments?

Councilor Tays.

Thank you, Madam President.

Um I just have a question just for this year.

Right.

Madam President, for this fiscal year.

So that way we have the balanced budget that has been presented to us, and then it will be recalculated when it comes to the next bond cycle.

Thank you.

Sorry, I needed to hear that.

Thank you.

Councillor February.

Thank you, Madam President.

Um so I'll just say, you know, I have I think I have 13 or 14 projects moving their way slowly through DMD.

And I'd like to not pay 8, 20, 20, 12, whatever that number is this year as well.

So I will not be able to support this because I do think that we everyone up here probably has that many projects, and we are being um you know penalized for bringing in money for projects for the city of Albuquerque because of the need to take capital dollars and make them into operating dollars.

And so I just I find that disturbing, and I wouldn't want to wait another year.

Any other questions?

Councillor Bassante.

So there's a motion and second for floor amendment number six.

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

Yes.

Yes.

Opposed, no.

That fails on a five four.

So okay.

So now we are back on the bill, and as amended six times, and we have one person signed up to speak.

Thank you, Madam President.

We have Barbara Taylor to speak after all that.

Uh so for those of you who haven't met me.

I was the administrator of the GOBOM program for something over 11 years.

Um, and I'm gonna try to shorten my remarks here based on what I've been hearing.

Um, first of all, IDOH is just government speak for administrative cost.

Um in the case of CIT, the the administrative costs are derived from the general obligation bond proceeds, and be the tax exempt bond proceeds, and because of that, they may only be spent to support the capital program.

They may not be spent on any operating maintenance or other non-bond related costs.

Um I've been hearing talk about CIP IDOH and the operating budget.

There's I'm sorry.

Madam President.

Yes, thank you.

Um there's a misunderstanding.

CIP IDOH is not revenue to the um the operating budget.

It is um geo bond money that is sequestered for the purpose of paying for those operating costs.

So the CIP division encompasses as an example, encompasses all of those.

They have people who um procure design and construction contracts.

They have construction managers and so on and so forth.

So the CIP division becomes um CIP IDOH.

There's a lawyer somewhere who spends part of his day looking at CIP contracts.

That would be um justified um bond proceeds.

It's really very important.

It's not, it's only tangentially related to the operating budget because, for example, CIP comes out of the operating budget and is paid for by bond proceeds.

So that's really um very important and goes to the importance of understanding the calculation.

It's exactly right that until 2018 there were 2%, never went over 2%.

And I can just rip off some numbers.

You had 180 million dollars geobond program last time.

If you have three million dollars of cost, you have 1.7%.

You divide the um administrative cost by the amount of the bond program to calculate the answer.

If you have four million, it's two point two uh 2.2%.

Put my glasses on.

If you have five million, it's 2.8%.

So it's it's pretty straightforward.

We're a lot of talk about 5% is reasonable.

Maybe maybe that's what the calculation adds up to.

But the bill defines that criteria.

Um I can imagine it would be over 2% these days because costs have gone up.

But I'm surprised that 5% is just sort of being considered as reasonable.

Okay, thank you so much.

Thanks for the time.

So are there any uh we're on the bill as amended six times, so are there any other questions, comments from the counselors?

If not, um counselors Baca, Rogers, Champagne, and Bassant to close Councilor Peoplecorn, I had questions.

Um, yes.

So um I I was told in an email last week after my meeting where I got no information that there are 51 positions that are funded through CIP IDOH, and I I asked for a list of what those positions were.

I got no response.

So, Mr.

Whalen, can you tell me why I didn't get a response and and how I would go about getting that list that I've asked for?

Council President, uh, Council of People Corn, we do have that list, and I know Don of Samble has those positions.

They're mainly in our CIP division, DMD.

Right.

I I understand where they mainly are.

I asked for a specific list of the each each position and where it was housed, and I haven't gotten that.

I know you have it.

I mean, I certainly hope you have it.

I'm asking how I get it.

Council President, uh Council People Corn, I'd don't understand.

Madam President and Councilor Feebord, I apologize.

Um I had prepped a memo.

Um I had all that information for you.

I still do.

I I can provide it.

It's it's a a little late.

Um I'm gonna be voting on this bill here in about five minutes.

And so I reached out to you and your boss weeks ago.

I tried to set up a meeting.

I I reminded your boss that I needed a meeting on this.

We had a meeting, I sent in follow-up questions, I didn't get anything.

And so I do want that information, but I just want it known that you know that might have changed my position on this bill had I gotten any of the information I asked for.

Um, so a couple of other questions.

Can somebody explain to me and to the public the difference between CIP recovery, IDOH, and construction management fees council President Council People Corn, uh Jennifer Turner or director of the MBWolves Madam President and Councilor February, can you repeat the I just want to make sure I get each of the buckets CIP recovery positions, so positions that are paid for out of CIP recovery, IDOH, and construction management fees.

Okay, so um the IDOH is the overhead, including what's in fiscal and the folks that kind of match up the scope scope of each project and proposed expenditures and capital funding guidelines.

It ties to like accounts payable and paying out invoices, receiving invoices, um, it's dealing in the guts of our financial system, if you will, reconciling transactions and also working on the 60-page FSR that it sounds like all of you are spending a lot of time reading and tracking your set asides.

Um it could include legal.

I heard it mentioned that you know, legal spends a lot of time reviewing all the contracts.

So it's really the IDOH rate, it supports those positions that are otherwise in the general fund positions.

So construction project management, it depends on the exact um bill that you're referring to.

Sometimes we get bills from architects that say construction management.

And so, and that will be them showing up to you know the job site, doing inspections, doing like making sure that the contractors are building what they're supposed to be building.

It could be line items from the general contractors managing the projects, or it could be like DMD project managers managing a project.

And so it it really kind of depends on context.

Regards in regards to capital recovered positions, those are positions that are tied directly to projects.

So if we had capital to build a pump station or drainage pond, for example, um you would have storm positions that would be billed out of that project money.

So thank you.

So the difference is that some of these positions are billing directly their hours to a project, whereas other positions are having an administrative kind of overhead calculation.

I am unclear on which positions are which because I haven't gotten any information on that.

Um I am concerned that they're the same positions based on comments that I've gotten.

And I I see a lot of head shakings now, it's a little too late to be shaking your head at me.

Um I've asked these questions time and time again.

So you know, one of the one of the examples that was given to me was that um staff that work directly on capital projects exceed six million dollars.

Um they're working directly on a capital project, they would be getting it out of CIP recovery.

They should not be covered by IDOH.

Am I misunderstanding that, Director?

Um Councillor Panya, um, Councilor Feblecorn, I think I'm gonna let Donna, because I think um the DFS is the one responding with that information, and so I don't want to speak for her.

Okay, Madam President and Council People Corn, they're not the same positions.

Okay, and so when you send me the list of the other positions, you're gonna send me a list of the capital of the recovery positions as well.

And they're not gonna be the same.

No, they are not.

Great.

Um, and then my I have so many other questions, but I'm just gonna um go through the couple of the ones.

This is just for the I I don't know, perhaps Mr.

Wayland.

Um, why is CIP called CIP instead of CID?

It's the capital implementation division.

Um, and we are defining it in this legislation as CIP.

CI um Madam President and Council People Corn CIP stands for construction and process.

We've used that acronym for many years.

I I know what it stands for, but it's in the budget, it's uh in the bill, it says under definition CIP is the capital implementation division of the Department of Municipal Development.

Um Madam President and Councilor People Korn, is that the legislation proposed by the council?

Okay.

Yes.

I I don't know why they use that.

I mean, we shouldn't do that.

Mr.

Motzko, can you answer that one?

Madam President, Councilor Feeblecorn, I will admit that I'm in my 22nd year at the city of Albuquerque.

And even that predates me.

It's always been the CIP division of either DFAS originally or the Department of Municipal Development since 2003.

Okay, thank you.

Um I'll stop.

I have to say I have serious problems with IDOH in general in a government in a government situation.

Um I ran a small business.

We had overhead that we charged out to our clients on a regular basis because somebody had to pay for you know one hundredth of the attorney that I used and one one hundredth of the accountants that I used.

And in a business setting, that makes a lot of sense.

In the government setting, I truly believe that every person that works for the city of Albuquerque should be included in the base budget, that this council approves, and they should be paid, period.

Um they're doing a job.

It's not like we're gonna say, oh, we didn't collect enough IDOH, so you aren't gonna get paid today.

Um that is that is just moving, it's a shell game, and it's a shell game specifically to take capital dollars, which are quite easier to get and turn them into operating dollars.

And we saw that last year when we moved from you know a low amount that I did not question to a 12% amount, which I very much do question.

Um and it was specifically even admitted, I believe, on the dias that you know we were short, we needed some money, and so um I I just have a philosophical problem with the whole concept.

I'm gonna support this bill.

I think it's as good as we can get given the lack of information that's been provided.

But I really do think that we should be working together more, answering questions on a timely basis more, and and just show your work so that this body can feel somewhat confident in the numbers that you were imposing on our capital projects in sp in particular.

So thank you.

Thank you.

So if there's no further questions, counselors Baca, Rogers, Champagne, Basan to close.

And this is um three as amended six times.

We urge your support.

All those in favor of O3 as amended six times, please raise your hand and say yes.

Yes, yes.

Opposed, no.

That's um passes on an A to one.

Thank you so much.

So now we are on O ten amending uh section 146-6-4, U5 of the integrated development ordinance to define the criteria for awarding appeal costs, and we have Mr.

Victor Hall to explain.

And we do have an amendment, so as he's um as he's work making his way to the seat, I make a motion for a do pass.

Was there a second?

Second.

There's a second by um Councillor Grout, and it's um and then we have a floor amendment.

So floor amendment A in your eye pads, and if someone can indulge me and read it, because I don't think I can find it.

I can read it.

Oh, can we read it right here?

Yes, right.

Oh, thank you so much.

Okay, so um floor amendment number one would be um amending section 14164 U5 of the integrated development ordinance to define the criteria for awarding appeal costs on page two line seven, amend section one as follows.

Section one, section fourteen um of the integrated development ordinance is hereby amended as follows.

And this is just a technical amendment that amends the title of this ordinance to correctly reflect the section being amended by this ordinance.

Um I move a due pass.

A second by Councillor Grout.

Any questions, comments?

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

Yes, opposed, no.

Motion carries.

So now we are back on on the bill.

Is there anyone signed up to speak, Mr.

Cornelius?

Okay, yes, sir, it's madam president.

First up is Francesco Artist, followed by Dr.

Lisa Christofferson, followed by Eleanor Walther on Zoom.

Overhead, please.

APD said an illegal tall wall was the contributing factor in the wrongful death of married father of three, KO A T news director Bob Wiggins.

It costs Albuquerque around $300,000 for failing to enforce city policies and the wall and fences IDO ordinance, which left a large cinder block wall blocking a clear view of the intersection.

Mayor Culler and City Council recently passing the unpopular citywide tall wall IDO update at midnight without proper notice that you all are being currently sued for is a bad way to govern and must be repealed with sanctions, Dr.

Lee Lisa Christopherson, followed by Eleanor Walter on Zoom.

I am sorry, I got a little lost on where we are, which one are we on?

Oh, 10.

Oh, 10.

Yes.

Okay, thank you so very much.

I I apologize.

It was such a long time on 263.

Um, so I want to tell you all that um I am in a dissociative state right now.

I really am really like we are or like you guys are agreeing.

This is like not how it's uh been for and so I'm really excited about this because uh this the feeling of cooperation and just focusing like on an issue regardless of partisanship is kind of what we need, right?

Um and we're like like I can't believe I'm agreeing with Lewis.

Oh my, I'm do like Pennya, these are great questions.

And it's so I'm that's why I'm like, yes, exactly.

What you all are saying is so how can we get more of this on, you know, because we don't always agree, and part of we have a long year to go, and quite frankly, we have weak leadership in our mayoral executive branch.

Uh so as citizens, you guys are who we need to talk to because uh so this appeal process, like it's sort of the same thing.

How can we get together as council and city?

We're not gonna agree on stuff, but how can we as community work on things so we can get this flavor of cooperation for everything?

Thank you, Eleanor Dwalther.

I urge you to vote against Open.

This is poor poorly written legislation.

It makes the awarding of appeal costs more subjective, not more objective.

All five new criteria are subjective.

For instance, the objective reasonables of claims and defenses asserted by the parties.

What are meritless claims?

The party that is opposing the variance is asking the ZHE to follow the IDO.

So how can their claim be meritless?

This is an opinion, and so it's subjective by nature.

Furthermore, why should fees only be assessed against the appellant if the appellant is not the party requesting the variance?

The party requesting the variance is asking permission to do something that is not allowed in the IDO.

Why is the party who is opposing the variance being punished if they lose the appeal and not the party requesting the variants?

Why penalize those who want the IDO followed?

If the IDO is going to be amended, then you should remove the awarding of any fees which only apply to the appellant.

Thank you.

Madam President, that concludes comment.

Thank you.

Thank you.

So, yes, Victor.

Mr.

Hall.

Uh Councilor President Penn, Counselors, uh, this bill adjusts the LUHO appeal structure in three principal ways.

First of which it uh clarifies language therein that uh these uh luho appeal structures also do with costs and fees in several instances, and fees was not in the current language of the bill that has been inserted by this.

Secondly, this bill uh presents several different factors to be considered by the Luho in making a finding of reasonableness of costs and fees up to a thousand dollars.

Uh those five factors include conduct of parties, objective reasonableness of claims and defenses asserted, extent to which an award of costs and fees would deter uh others from asserting good faith or meritless claims in the future, and objective reasonableness of the parties and diligence of parties during their proceedings.

Finally, this bill would amend the uh Luho uh appeal structure by clarifying that a cost and fees exemption may be granted, provided that the review of the criteria listed below that section is conducted administratively and compiled administratively by the planning department to be reviewed by Luho in the record proper.

Uh there are any questions?

Counselors seeing none, um, all those in favor of O 10, please say yes and raise your hand.

Yes, yes, opposed, no.

Motion carries.

That's it.

Did you get that from this material?

Okay.

So we are now on um 13, and this is Rogers, People Corn, and Tayas.

O three is oh, sorry, I'm on the wrong place.

O thirteen is adopting a ranked choice voting system, repealing and replacing Article 2, section 7 and 8 of the city charter, and directing the city clerk to develop education materials.

I move a due pass.

There's a motion and second by counselor Tayus.

So we are we will move on to did you want to open on the bill?

Okay.

Thank you, Madam President.

Um, so I just want to start with a problem statement of why we are doing this as uh counselors.

I think we heard from public commenters and folks um on this topic for the last two years that I've been in council, and I know before that with counselor feeble corn as well.

And I think the point is that I hear from many voters that their elections feel like they're choosing from the lesser of two evils.

I hear that over and over and over again.

And being a candidate who had to go through a runoff, um, as I knocked doors for my runoff, I was shocked at how many people didn't understand that they had to vote again.

Um and so I think that speaks to just education for voters, regardless of what system we choose.

Um educating voters is important regardless.

Ranked choice voting ensures winners have the majority of support.

We talked about that when we looked at the runoff, um, and our amazing statistician showed us some stats that showed even in a runoff, it's not a 50% uh or a majority vote for several years back that he looked at.

So ranked choice voting gives candidates an order an order of their preference.

So you can put your preference in this last marioral race.

I would have loved to be able to rank my candidates based on the order of preference.

Um, and just to speak to a couple of the commenters that said we would have to purchase new equipment and new ballot boxes and machines.

Um that is not true.

We checked with, of course, uh thank you to our county clerk for coming out and speaking in support, and we definitely met with her first and checked all of those things.

And no, we have Santa Fe in Las Cruces that's already on a ranked choice voting instant runoff uh process, and our voting machines can easily adapt to that very quickly.

The other point that I learned in my research about this was that a runoff election also does not allow our folks that are deployed on active duty the chance to vote in a runoff election.

It seriously shrinks the amount of time, and we heard directly from the folks who administer our elections that they see a major drop-off, not just on just regular voters, but our voters and armed forces, which means uh to me they should have more time to do to vote.

And if we did instant runoffs, they wouldn't need we won't need a runoff.

They can put the in the order of their preferences, and we can honor those.

Um, the other comment that I heard about the fact that it uh helps other other candidates versus other candidates.

Um, when you I watched the Santa Fe um ballot when they were going through counting on the last mayoral election, it was fascinating to watch.

You should watch it, it's transparent.

You can watch it on YouTube as they're going through the rounds, and the first round, it's if you don't get 50% of the vote on that first round, they still it's the process continues.

So it is way more transparent.

I don't have the privilege to go to the ballot box now or go watch where they're collecting all the ballots and counting all the ballots.

This allows transparency for you to see exactly how the ballots are being tabulated and counted.

Um, and so for me, that type of transparency is absolutely um would be I loved watching that process, and I would you could still go watch it online because it's there.

The other thing I want to point out is city council uses ranked choice voting when we all vote on our last like our CPOA director.

You are our staff gives us a little ballot and we write one, two, and three.

We use ranked choice voting.

So I would argue if it's good enough for us on city council to use it when we're making decisions.

Why wouldn't it be good enough for the voters of our city to use that process as well?

And so I can continue and go on and on because you know I'm for it, I'm helping sponsor it.

But in the interest of our time, I'll stop there.

Thank you, Madam President.

We will go on to public comment.

Thank you, Madam President.

Mr.

Garrison, Madam President, I'm just gonna go ahead and do this now.

It being 9 30, and we're going to 47 public comments before we even get to the debate of it.

Uh I'll make a motion to def to suspend the rules and extend this meeting to midnight.

There's a there's a motion in a second to extend the rule um to extend the meeting till midnight.

All those in favor say yes and raise your hand.

Yes.

Opposed, no, no.

So raise your hands again.

All those in favor of um extending the meeting until midnight, please raise your hand and say yes.

Yes.

Those opposed, no.

No.

Six three.

Thank you, Madam President.

Mr.

Care.

Thank you, Mr.

Bryce.

And Madam President.

Our first speaker is Cesar Marquez, followed by James Hernandez, followed by Molly Swank.

All right.

All right.

Uh good evening, Madam President, Councillors.

Uh, my name is Cesar Marquez, a voter in district from District 2, and I'm also the senior organizer with Common Cause New Mexico.

Today's a big day.

Uh for me as an organizer dedicated to democracy reform.

Today's vote will dictate how I spent the next few years of my life.

Ideally, I want to spend that time educating voters about ranked choice voting and helping implement a system that ensures majority winners and saves taxpayer dollars.

But if the vote doesn't go away, it doesn't go our way, we'll still be organizing.

Right now, the status quo, which includes the political consultants telling you how to vote on this issue, benefit from the fact that not enough people know about this issue.

But that is changing.

Over the last year, we build relationships with many people and organizations across Albuquerque who now care deeply about RCB, and that list is growing.

So the question becomes can we find 200, 500 or more voters who are frustrated that 1.8 million dollars of their taxpayer dollars was spent on our runoff election.

Can we find voters who want more collaborative leadership and more efficient use of our taxpayer dollars?

I believe the answer is yes.

Either way, the work continues.

James Hernandez, followed by Molly Swank, followed by Brenda Garcia.

Thank you, Council President Pain and Counselors.

Uh my name is James Hernandez.

I am a lifelong resident of Albuquerque, and I'm a proud supporter of ranked choice voting.

Uh the recent ranked choice voting, um, specifically the uh runoff election cost us 1.8 million dollars.

Money that could have gone towards housing, public transit, and more.

Ranked choice voting is a strong way to ensure that the majority winner can win without the extra costs that are in burdened on our city.

This is especially important considering all the talks that we have right now of our current budget shortfall.

At a time when so many of our people are losing faith in our government and our institutions.

Now, this is an issue that matters to me and for so many others in the city, and that is why I encourage all of you to support ranked choice voting.

Thank you.

Molly Swank, followed by Brenda Garcia, followed by Sila Abso, good evening.

I'm Molly Swank, and I'm here as a citizen from Council District 9.

The discussion around ranked choice voting has gotten ugly with f well financed political elites disseminating disinformation to community members across the city.

You already know how much RCB would save our city, and you've been talking quite a bit about saving city dollars tonight.

You you know instant runoffs would also save the headache, save voters the headache of additional month of toxic negative campaigning.

You know instant runoffs would ensure a winner is selected on election day and people wouldn't have to shift around their schedules to participate in a secondary election that sees drop-off and turnout.

But unfortunately, you also know that's how the political machine wants it wants things to run here in our city.

They want to make and spend more money and allow the minority of voters to choose their winners.

A recent poll uh found that nearly sixty percent of Albuquerque voters want RCB.

Uh voters are ready for instant runoffs.

They aren't as dumb as some of you have claimed publicly.

Please stand with the majority of voters and vote yes on ranked choice voting.

Brenda Garcia, followed by Sila Avso, followed by Kristen Cummings.

Good afternoon.

I'm a resident and future voter in the international district, and I just want to share something based on my experience as a part of this community.

In recent years, I've seen how our elections have become more expensive and more negative.

The last runoff election cost a fortune, and honestly, I think that money could be spent on things we actually use every day: streets, parks, safety, and services for families.

That's why I'm interested in ranked choice voting.

For me, it's a more practical way to choose a winner without having to pay for another election.

And besides, I think it helps make campaigns a little more positive because candidates have to seek broader support, not just attack each other.

I want leaders who unite, who listen to the entire community, and who work responsibly.

This issue is important to me.

Thank you.

Good evening.

Voters who don't want political elites, campaign managers telling us how to run our elections.

People who directly benefit from elections being extended because so do their contracts.

Campaign managers make more money in runoffs, whether it's privately or publicly funded by taxpayers.

In a moment where Albuquerque is 35 million dollars in the budget, we need to stop wasting millions of taxpayer dollars on runoff elections.

We are the ones who carry the burden.

Four months ago, Albuquerque spent 1.8 million dollars on yet another runoff election.

In the last nine years, we have had a runoff election every two years.

Five runoffs in nine years, totaling 4.1 million dollars.

Ranked choice voting saves money, and it's also more fair.

It actually prevents some voters from being disenfranchised from missing the runoff at a later date.

And contrary to objections, selecting only a first choice is completely valid under RCV.

It's equivalent to not participating in the runoff, except crucially under RCV, it is a conscious decision and not an accidental absence.

Ranked choice voting is nonpartisan.

In November 2025, Roswell elected a Democrat mayor, despite Republican candidates receiving a combined 55% of the vote.

RCV preserves plurality while removing the additional cost and loss of voter participation seen in second day runoffs.

Roswell would have greatly benefited from RCV.

Incumbents are elected at similar rates under RCV as under secondary runoffs.

Nationally, only six percent of elections under RCV have a come from behind winner.

Critically, the Bernalillo County Clerk's Office said our voting machines are already configured for ranked choice voting.

No new machines are necessary, and this can all be a reality in time for the 2027 election.

Albuquerque is ready for this, and I hope you will join us in making it possible.

In 2019, a group of concerned voters brought this policy to their councillors in districts two, four, and six, which led to the introduction of the RCV bill then.

Despite dozens of members of the public voicing support in the meeting, council voted against it.

In 2024, Councillors Lewis and Pena introduced a bill to establish plurality elections where most votes wins.

And I think Councillors Rogers, Februar, and Baca for backing an amendment to introduce RCV at that time as a solution to our traditional runoffs, as well as the dozens of public commenters at that time who spoke in support of RCV as well.

Here we are again.

Through the end of 2025 up until today, voters have been voicing their desire for RCV.

I think it's time we give it to them.

Thank you.

Justin Rogers, followed by Rosalinda Dorado, followed by Joe Cardillo.

Cardillo, sorry, Joe.

Could I use the overhead again, please?

Okay, um just bringing back my little statistics here to make the point that in six, actually, six of the last seven runoff elections, the candidate who eventually won did not get a majority of the votes that were cast in the general election.

The amount they got was less than 50% of that original number.

In fact, in four of these six, they got fewer votes than they did in the general.

They actually went down but won the election because of that.

So I think we have to have a better way.

Instant runoffs is a great way to have virtually the same turnout as we did in the general, right?

It's everybody except for those who don't fill up their ballot completely.

Um I was like um just to say also it's not that complicated.

Well, all we're asking is when two candidates, neither has a majority, we've got these other people.

It could be one candidate, it could be four others.

We're just asking like, hey, ask those folks, who do you want out of these two?

And whoever is ahead on their ballot is probably gonna end up winning.

Um someone else said you do not solve the whole ballot, like um you can just fill out your number one choice, and then the person you think uh the front runners will be there.

So I hope you support this.

Thanks.

Rosalinda Dorado, followed by Joe Cardillo, followed by Grace Dukes.

Joe Cardillo, followed by Grace Dukes, followed by Christina Herr.

Uh good evening, Madam President, uh, members of the council.

Um, runoff elections have cost close to five million dollars over the last you know decade plus.

Um I guess I just think of that as money that we could fund our solid waste workers who need a raise.

We could fund housing vouchers, which we need, we could fund basic community services like keeping our our teens on a good path and having the opportunity to access community centers, etc.

Um, you know, so anytime there's a chance to really take our money and use it wisely and be responsible.

I think that's something that we should do pretty simply.

I think any hardworking resident of Albuquerque feels that way.

I certainly do.

Um, and I'll just close by saying that I don't think there's any mystery here.

Um, instant runoffs are a fairly straightforward and simple system that most of us can support and get behind, and um I think this council should pass it.

Thank you.

Grace Dukes, followed by Christina Herr, followed by Martin Powell.

Rowell, excuse me.

Counselors, I come before you tonight as a Bricano and as a political consultant that supports ranked choice voting, also commonly referred to as instant runoffs.

The data is clear on this.

It saves taxpayer money.

We've wasted 4.6 million dollars over the six past runoffs, and in a budget crisis such as ours, every dollar counts.

So let's tell the truth if we are going to warn about the consequences of instant runoffs.

They discourage toxic scorched earth strategies and encouraged coalition building, civil campaigning, and broader voter engagement.

Unfortunately, some of my peers have chosen to pedal false narratives in an op-ed to protect a broken system that makes them richer.

Instant runoffs save money, strengthen our elections, and focus them on the people.

As a political consultant, I support the right of voters and am not threatened by instant runoffs like my peers.

I'm not afraid of missing out on extra paycheck because instant runoffs are implemented.

We can pave the way for broader conversations about instant runoffs right here, right now by voting yes.

Please stand with fiscal responsibility, election integrity, and the voters that elected you by voting yes on 02613.

Thank you.

Christina Herr, followed by Martin Raoul, followed by Michael Collins.

Hello, um Madam President.

Um my name is Christina Herr.

I live in District 5.

District 5.

Um I'm a small business owner, and I believe ranked choice voting is efficient, fair, and easy.

The 1.8 million taxpayer dollars plus time and resources spent on the recent mayoral runoff could have been used for our city in many more positive ways.

Please pass the ranked choice ordinance for the people of Albuquerque.

Thank you so much.

I appreciate all of you.

Martin Rowell, followed by Michael Collins, followed by William Orr.

Madam President, City Councilors, my name's Martin Rowell.

I live and vote in District 5.

As you've heard, ranked choice vote voting has many benefits like eliminating uh expensive runoff and increasing voter turnout.

But as it stands now, I sometimes have to vote twice anyway.

The general election and the runoff weeks later.

And I often wind up selecting my second choice.

I don't see much difference between that and an instant runoff.

Same choices, all in one place.

It's working in Santa Fe, Las Cruces, and here on the City Council.

Please pass ranked choice voting for Albuquerque.

Thank you.

Michael Collins, followed by William Orr, followed by Alfhea Atherton.

William Orr.

Oh, sorry, William Orr, followed by Althea Atherton, followed by Joseph Four.

Madam President, the rest of the council, thank you for letting me speak.

I will be very brief.

I want to make three different points.

First of all, I think it's really important that we not disenfranchise our veterans who in Albuquerque who live overseas and therefore cannot vote in the second election.

That seems highly unfair to me.

Secondly, as someone pointed out already, there's no evidence that ranked choice voting either favors the incumbent or favors the non-incumbent.

Data shows that the incumbents are elected at about the same rate in non in ranked choice voting as in general elections.

And the third point I want to make is I have spent some time in Northern Maine.

Northern Maine has ranked choice voting.

I'm disappointed to hear that you think the city citizens of Albuquerque are unable to do ranked choice votings where the citizens of Northern Maine are able to.

Thank you very much.

Alpha Atherton, followed by Joseph Ford, followed by Denise Ford.

Madam President, 10 reasons for ranked choice voting ranked, because number 10, ranking is hard.

And nine, who benefits from slow burn runoffs, not voters, as they'll tell you.

In eight, Santa Fe and Las Cruces, where it's a success.

Seven, candidates cross-campaigning, always adorable.

Six, C4s could endorse four horses, spreading those resources.

And oh hello, yeah, I know you already voted for John Doa once, but did you vote twice?

And did you vote this week?