Good evening, everyone.

Welcome.

Today is uh June 15th, 2026.

The 14th meeting of the 27th council will come to order.

Is the sound really odd?

There's a computer that has a sound.

Okay, thank you so much.

I kept hearing the echo.

All counselors are present this evening with Councilor Teas joining us via Zoom and Councilor Lewis will be here shortly.

So we'll start off with a moment of silence, followed by the pledge.

Please join us in the pledge.

I pledge allegiance.

So now Vice President Champagne.

Madam President, thank you.

Um just a quick announcement.

I had the distinct pleasure today, and this kind of an explanation of why I'm wearing this today, but uh I had the distinct pleasure to meet with uh ten international visitors from Mongolia.

In fact, the three western provinces, they have 21 provinces.

At the three western provinces, there was uh uh delegates from their government.

I got to sit down and chat with them for an hour or two and learn more about their system of government and discuss ours.

Uh and I was so honored when they at the end of the conversation they presented me with this hat, so I get to wear it tonight.

So that's what's that's why I'm wearing it.

Now down to business.

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.

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

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

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

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

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

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

Please call 505-768-310 for assistance during business hours, Monday through Friday, 8 a.m.

to 5 p.m.

Council will take a break at approximately 7 p.m.

this evening if needed.

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

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

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

Upon the second or continued disruption, that individual will be asked to leave the chambers, and if necessary, security will be asked to escort that person out of the chambers.

Such removal from the city council chambers will be effective for the remainder of this meeting.

If continued disruptions occur, the president may recess the meeting until order is restored, and if necessary, may clear the chambers of persons participating in that disturbance.

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

With that being said, counselors, do we have any questions for the administration?

Counselor Grout.

Thank you, Mr.

Vice President.

Um my first set of questions are for the Triple H department, Gilbert Ramirez.

Madam President, Councillor Grout, he doesn't seem to be in the room.

We will figure out where Triple H is and we'll okay.

We can circle back.

I'll come back to that then.

Okay, I have a few questions.

This has to do with our recently passed budget.

The first set of questions I have is for our council staff.

Ms.

Brokaw.

Did the city council modify modify the mayor's proposed general fund revenue forecast for fiscal year 27?

Madam President, Councillor Grout, no.

City Council did not modify the mayor's proposed forecast.

For example, the 1.9% GRT forecast that was originally proposed by the mayor remained unchanged in the approved budget.

Similarly, the franchise revenue at 2.3% included in the mayor's proposed budget was retained in the approved budget.

Thank you.

A follow-up question, Madam or Mr.

Vice President.

What response did the administration provide when asked in multiple meetings about overspending of appropriations in fiscal year 26?

Madam President, Councillor Grout admin stated that they would adjust spending to come in that budget, even though second quarter projections were to be overspent.

Okay, thank you for that clarification.

So Mr.

Vice President, my next question is for Madam CFO Martinez.

The mayor stated that the council's forecast is overly optimistic from the proposed budget.

What is the difference in the council's forecast?

I guess I'm not understanding your question about what's the difference between the councillors' forecast.

Are you talking about the revenue that Ms.

Sproka was just speaking about?

Yes.

So Mr.

Vice President, Madam CFO, the mayor recently said that the council's decision to build the budget around an overly optimistic forecast that could be that could put poor core services at risk.

So my question is what let's see.

Where did I put it?

Just had it here.

So again, it's what is the difference in the council's forecast?

Madam President and Councillor Grout, I I don't want to speak or speculate what the mayor's intentions were with the word forecast.

However, I think it goes back to the conversation that we had multiple times during the Cal hearings about our position on the 11 million dollars that council was relying upon that was unrealized.

Okay, thank you.

You're welcome.

All right.

Did you all find okay?

This will be pretty short.

Mr.

Our Director Ramirez, thank you for being here.

Thank you for being here.

Um HUD announced three weeks ago uh that they're changing the continuum of care homelessness assistance program to emphasize treatment and recovery programs paired with transitional housing and wraparound services.

I emailed you last week because of its its significant change from how we're doing things now.

Albuquerque has gotten around three million dollars of this money in the past.

It's all gone to permanent supportive housing vouchers.

So my question to you is what is Triple H doing to solve for the impact this is going to have on existing programs, and how are you building capacity and programs that focus on treatment and recovery?

Madam President, Councilor Grout, thank you for the question.

So, yes, um, we've been monitoring that really closely regards to the no-fall that was released, which is a notice of a financial opportunity.

There are going to be some impacts in regards to the funding structure and the percentage of the amount of money that can actually go to permanent supportive housing.

With that being said, we've been uh analyzing this to see what the impact will be as the funding transitions to other programs.

We do understand that any uh withdrawal of funding in the permit supportive housing area is gonna affect individuals' placements in their housing stability.

Um this is not localized just to Albuquerque, the state also has a COC and funding that uh is going to be impacted.

So I do appreciate that we're working in uh collaboration both with the state and here to see what that impact is and with the coalition and homelessness to see what that RFP and or opportunity will be for vetting individuals and projects.

I would say it's still evolving in regards to what the true impact is, and we're watching that.

Um I do uh plan to continue to keep you looped in in regards to your question and response as to what that impact would be in totality.

Um, if all the funding were to go away, how many individuals might be impacted by that, and also what programs and or agencies will be funded as a result of the new terms of the funding.

Um the CLC is working to qualify those vendors and look at what that programming would be and also what the funding will be.

Um, but right now I say it's still uh a little bit um I'd say too soon to tell what the full impact is given that we've been waiting for this NOFO to be dropped, and uh now that it is actually live, we're assessing what that impact would be.

Uh, but again, I would be probably uh fail if I would say there's gonna be an impact.

The true totality of what that's gonna be will depend on how much of the percentage of the funding will be allowed to continue to support individuals in actual housing and how much we'll move to transitional living, which is a much different type of service for individuals who have that need.

Thank you.

I just don't want us to leave any money on the table.

Oh no.

That money's there, and I think that we should consider shifting our focus too.

I think treatment and recovery is really important, and um, and it's a I I think it's super important.

There's money available.

We need to we need to pivot to you.

Thank you, Councilor Teas.

Thank you, Matt.

Mr.

Vice President.

I do have a theme question for if I can have um, I have some questions for council staff, just for the administration.

Go ahead, counselor.

Okay, great, thank you.

Um has city council historically had access to the primary budgeting system used to develop the uh city budget.

Madam President, Councilor TS, yes, city council previously had access to Hyperion, the budgeting system that was in place prior to UNA.

Okay, great.

And what is the benefit of granting city council access to UNA, the current budgeting system?

Madam President, Councilor Teas, the primary benefit is improved oversight as it allows council to independently monitor and review budget activity.

For example, if the administration reallocates funding from one program to another during budget preparation, the council will be able to view the full detail of the changes.

Wonderful, thank you.

I appreciate you.

Can we um I have some more questions, Mr.

Vice President, or uh city admin and our DSA ex director, um, Donna Sandoval?

Director Sandoval.

She's making her way up now.

Hi, Director Sandoval, how are you this evening?

Madam President and Counselor, just fine.

Great, thank you.

Okay, Madam President, Director Sandoval is the in currently working on getting city house for access to the inner.

Madam President and uh Councillor, you had asked for that access, and we've provided a response to you last Friday.

Um, we are happy to provide any kind of reports that you need from UNA.

Um, we saw it as a separation of powers.

Okay, thank you, Director Sanders.

Why is the software used to build and maintain the budget considered a service only for the administration?

Madam President and Counselor Teez, I would ask that our acting budget officer come up and answer because I think there is some misunderstanding about what benefit or what additional information would be received by giving access to the system.

Thank you, Madam President, Counselor Teez.

Um, I think in your original request you asked asking for access to raw data.

There's no raw data in UNA.

Uh, the reports that you have is exactly what you would see in UNA.

It just shows how we move from the originally fiscal years, the prior fiscal years approved budget to this year's current budget at the time it was proposed, now it's approved, and you would see just the changes in that in those reports that you received in the CAO summary, the budget worksheets, um, those those two items together show those changes.

So you would be getting re access to information that you already have.

Thank you, uh, director.

I you know I was asking for read-only access, isn't that correct?

You were asking for read-only access to raw data.

Correct.

And the read-only access would be to run the same reports that you've already received.

Yes, and uh, that's that's correct.

Isn't there a, but there would be a reason for that, right?

I mean, because it's manual, uh, you use manual application to pull that data.

Is that correct?

Um, madam chair, counselor Teyas, I'm sorry, could you repeat the question?

I don't understand.

Yeah, so when you run the when you run report in your system, you are at you are doing so uh by putting in annual information.

So let's give her a second to um reconnect.

I think what they're asking is, and and please um correct me if I'm wrong because I'm not involved in these conversations, but it seems like they're asking about access to the new software.

Does council have access to the new software?

Madam President, we do not have access.

We requested access, and we were told that that access was denied because it's a service that's being provided to the administration and therefore it is a separations of powers issue, and that's why we're not going to be granted access.

Um I guess I'd like the administration.

Oh, you're back, okay.

I'll I'm so sorry, Madam President, thank you so much.

I just making assumptions off of what I'm hearing, so I don't know if my questioning was correct or not.

Um, Counselor Teas, but I'll let you take over from here.

Thank you, Madam President.

I appreciate that.

Yes, uh so I'm just trying to understand um why maybe the administration um is considering council access to the Indona system considered a separation of powers.

Um Madam President, Councilor Teas, I I know that you're very familiar with accounting standards, COSO framework, and I think the way that the administration viewed this is governance versus management roles, and I think the other question as uh Mr.

Noel is trying, you know, has stated is that the information that you are receiving in reports is the information you would receive if you were gaining access.

So we're we're I think that's where we stand at this point.

Thank you, Madam President.

Um, yes, that is correct, but you when you run the reports in the system, your rest of the reports by entering your um requirements for the type of your report that you want manually.

Isn't that correct?

Madam Chair, Councilor Teez, yes, however, the reports, but specifically the CAO summary provides you that detail.

Sure.

And isn't it correct in accordance with the POSO framework and yellow book and dream work, the green book frameworks, which is what we're trying to kind of get around here, right?

Is the precisely the reason I ask for read-only access, because I do not want to confer administrative authority or interfere with executive functions.

And since I'm not requesting any authority over the administration's ongoing management of the funds, I am simply asking for read-only access so I can review the information within the system, which is appropriate in my oversight rule, counter-oversight rule.

Wouldn't it be appropriate for us to have uh read only access as requested with no separation of powers there?

Madam Chair, Counselor Teez, I'm not familiar with that the items that you cited.

However, as I said, um it'll be redundant.

Counselor Teas, are you still there?

Looks like we lost her.

Madam President, um, if while we're waiting for get her back up, may I ask just to kind of a question off of what her question was?

Yes.

Okay.

This is and just so I understand, and maybe the public will understand a little better.

The system that we're talking about is the systems you guys use to input money, dollars, accounting information, correct?

Madam Chair, Counselor and uh Counselor Champagne, yes.

Okay.

And it's the same budget, those numbers and everything is the same budget that you present to us, correct?

Madam Chair, Counselor Champagne, yes.

Okay, and it's the same numbers that we go over during committee of the whole.

Madam Chair, Counselor Champagne, yes.

Okay.

So sharing of that information would only streamline things and make it a little better.

Wouldn't you agree?

Madam Chair, Councillor Champagne, in this case, probably not, because that only in the sense that we just heard someone over here in the administration say it's gonna be the same report that you get from us.

So if it's just the same report, then what would it matter if we had access to read-only to see what you see and better understand it?

You don't have to answer it, it's rhetorical.

Okay, because if we're all trying to share the information and all trying to do better within our budget, you would think sharing and communication would help instead of we'll tell you what we want you to see, sort of incident.

Because that's the way it seems.

I I apologize.

Can you hear me now?

I apologize.

Yes, Councilor Teus.

Thank you, Mr.

Vice President, Madam President, uh Director Noel, yes.

I just thank you for those questions.

Um, Mr.

Vice President, that's that's pretty much what we were getting getting at here.

Um, the read-only access was intentional for oversight purposes.

Um again, I'm curious as to why the administration believes that it is a separation of powers, um, because again, we are read-only access.

I'm not trying to confer any uh of the administrative authority or interference executive function, and so we do not believe it is a separation of powers with ongoing management administration's ongoing management.

So again, just trying to understand why we are not being granted read-only access to the system.

Okay, Madam President and Councillor Teyas, I I think I'd like to try to summarize this conversation.

I think I heard you say you want oversight authority.

I think our question is what oversight authority are you attempting to receive by getting read-only access to a system that is being utilized by the administration to build the budget.

And the reports that you all receive would be the very same reports you would see in the system.

So I guess I'm unclear what access by receiving read only access, what additional oversight authority you are trying to gain.

Yes.

Well, it's the oversight authority that is granted to us within the city charter for oversight over the school, we have fiscal accountability here.

So I believe it is uh article seven of the charter that gives us our oversight over the appropriations and expenditures.

So we are what I'm making sure that we want to ensure, and and again, I am familiar with the yellow book green book standards, also uh internal control stand works, and one of the important critical distinctions here for getting these type of uh this type of information is to ensure that we are looking at the exact same information and not getting anything that might be sent to us that could potentially um be changed uh as of the information that you're requesting when you're running the report that's entered manually.

Madam President, Councilor Teez.

Um the way the process works though is that when we send the budget to council, we can't change it until council authorizes us to change it.

Thank you, Mr.

Noel.

Thank you, Madam President.

Yes, that's true.

We're not, but a reasonable concern from a you know oversight perspective, right, is uh the reviewed party control, so report generation rather than the reviewer having direct system access, right?

So several things become possible if we don't have read-only access to see the information and how these reports are developed and controlled and how the manual processes are entered because it could lead to potential selective report parameters that include relevant transactions, reliance on summaries or pre-aggregated views rather than the underlying transaction level details, potential general ledger detail.

So really, so this is more of a um, you know, a right to access versus a right to receive reports, and I think that's a meaningful distinction here, right?

So, with the read-only access, we're ensuring um that there is a there's more engagement and a lower level of risk that anything particularly happened to how the reports are provided to um to council, madam president and counselor Teez, um I I think it's a little hard to have a conversation about the system in abstract.

So I would offer and encourage that we'd be happy to sit down with you, walk through the system so Mr.

Noel can explain to you some of the data as he talks about the raw data, what reports get generated.

I think that might be helpful for purposes of this conversation.

Thank you.

Uh yes, Madam B.

Um PFO.

One last question, Madam President.

Um, is the current, when we were when we had access to Hyperion, did we also have access to the fraud data within that system?

Madam President, Councilor Teas, no.

And for, I have a question for our city attorney, Madam President.

Go ahead, Councilor Teyas.

Thank you, Mr.

Vice President.

So, um, can we get our city attorney to review whether this is truly a separation of powers issue?

I understand that article uh seven, section two of the city charter states that a representative of the council shall be allowed to participate in all meetings and have access to all information relating to the formation of the budget.

Madam President, Councilor Teas, I'd be happy to do that.

I think like some others here, I'm struggling a bit because I've never accessed this system.

I can't visualize it.

I'm not sure what's in it.

And so I think if I do that, you know, and then I then I could get an opinion for both parties on this issue.

Okay, I think that sounds fair.

I'd be happy to uh accommodate that.

Perhaps we can get that meeting schedule between the for all but say thank you, and a president, thank you.

Um to our education, thank you to council staff.

I'm sure we'll have more conversations around this.

Thank you, Councillor Teus.

Thank you.

At this time, we'll move on to proclamations and presentations.

Madam President, I move that the rules be suspended for the purposes of allowing more than two proclamations this evening.

Second, any of them Madam Clerk.

Councilor Backe.

Yes.

Councilor Passan.

Yes.

Vice President Champaign?

Yes.

Councilor People Corn?

Yes.

Councillor Grab.

Yes.

Councilor Teas.

Counselor Lewis.

Councilor Lewis?

Yes.

Councillor Rogers.

Yes.

President Penyan?

Yes.

Passes unanimously.

Madam President, the first proclamation is from you or Councillor Baco, whoever wants to give it.

I'll defer to Councillor Bacon.

Thank you, Madam President.

There's a proclamation recognizing the Mariachi Spectacular.

Jeanette Salazar Cultural Services Manager and Atrisco companies to accept.

And everyone else, I hope.

Read first.

Okay, so I'll start by reading the Praxis.

People who are going to be excepting the proclamation will come to the podium.

Thank you so much.

Whereas whereas Mariachi Spectacular de Albuquerque was founded in 1991, and for 35 years, has celebrated Mariachi music and culture while enriching the cultural life of Albuquerque in New Mexico, and whereas Mariachi Spectacular de Albuquerque has also grown into one of the nation's premier mariachi conferences and festivals, attracting students, educators, performers, and visitors from across the United States and around the world to Albuquerque each year.

And whereas through its acclaimed educational programs, concerts, competitions, and cultural events, Mariachi Spectacular de Albuquerque preserves and promotes the traditions of Mariachi music while inspiring future generations of musicians and cultural leaders and whereas the festivals helped establish Albuquerque as a national destination for Mariachi arts and education, generating significant cultural and economic benefits for the community, and whereas the atrisco companies by presenting the annual Mariachi spectacular, the Albuquerque honors a legacy of Mariachi music through educational programming and recognition of the arts, educators and cultural leaders who have shaped and advanced the art form.

And whereas the festival's continued success reflects the dedication of its founders, organizers, volunteers, educators, sponsors, and community partners whose efforts have strengthened Albuquerque's reputation at the Center for Cultural Excellence and Artistic Achievement.

Be it proclaimed that the council, the governing body of the city of Albuquerque, hereby recognizes and celebrates the 35th anniversary of Mariachi Spectacular de Albuquerque and extends its gratitude for 35 years of preserving cultural traditions, advancing it arts education, inspiring future generations of musicians, and enriching the cultural and economic vitality of our community.

Okay.

So we have with us here this evening, Jeanette Salazad, the cultural service manager, and the Tris to the Atristical Companies to accept.

And we have another gentleman that uh, if you want to say your name into the podium, and then Jeanette, if you want to say a few words in the case, my name is Antonio Reina.

So if you want to say a few words, yes.

Thank you so much, Counselors, distinguished guests.

We are honored to be here today with you this evening.

I just want to give a special recognition to our two board members who are here with us today, Randy Sanchez and Thadia Sincero, who are on our Trisco board and have been so, you know, just tremendously supportive of our Mariachi Spectacular event.

On behalf of Mariachi Spectacular, I'd like to thank you for this incredible recognition and proclamation for our 35th anniversary.

For more than three decades, Mariachi Spectacular has celebrated the rich cultural traditions of Mariachi music while bringing together students, families, educators, and artists from across the country and around the world here to our beautiful city in Albuquerque.

This proclamation honors not only our organization, but also the generations of musicians, volunteers, supporters, and community leaders who have helped preserve and elevate this important cultural art form.

We are also excited to share that we are currently working with the city of Albuquerque to bring the international Mariachi Music Hall of Fame and Museum to our city.

This world-class museum will celebrate the history, artistry, and global impact of Mariachi music, and we believe Albuquerque is the perfect home for this cultural treasure.

I would like to offer a special thank you to Councillor Dan Lewis and Madam President and Councilwoman Clarissa Pena for going above and beyond your support for Mariachi Spectacular and the Hall of Fame Museum.

Your advocacy, leadership, and commitment to preserving and celebrating our cultural heritage have meant so much to our organization and the community that we were that we serve.

Thank you to the entire city council for your support of the arts, our culture, education, and heritage here in Albuquerque.

We proudly accept this proclamation and look forward to continue continuing to serve the Albuquerque community for generations to come.

Thank you.

And on behalf of Mariachi Spectacular, we have just little gifts for you.

This is our 2026 poster.

It's a beautiful piece of art.

So I have a gift for each of you.

Thank you so much, Council members.

We appreciate it.

Thank you.

Thank you.

So do you if you want to come up and accept the proclamation?

Madam President, the next proclamation is again Councillor Vaca and yourself.

Thank you, Madam President.

Proclamation recognizing Mr.

Ernie C.

The Vaca.

Mr.

Sidavaka, President and CEO of Albuquerque's Hispano Chamber of Commerce to accept.

Yeah, if you want to make your way to the podium.

Okay, you want to get started.

Okay.

So whereas Ernie C.

The Vaca has devoted his career to fostering economic opportunity, supporting entrepreneurs, and building partnerships that strengthen Albuquerque's business community and regional economy, and whereas following a distinguished career with PNM resources, we served as Vice President of Governmental Affairs.

Ernie C the Vaca joined the Hispano Chamber of Commerce and later served as president and chief executive officer, leading the organization through a period of growth, innovation, and expanded community engagement.

And whereas his tenure, during his tenure, the Hispano Chamber broadened its programs and services, increased business participation, strengthened its roles as leading advocate for a Hispanic-owned businesses and entrepreneurs throughout New Mexico and whereas Ernie City Baca worked to elevate Albuquerque as a destination for business development, investment, cultural exchange by cultivating relationships with local, national, and international partners and promoting opportunities that benefit the city's economy.

Whereas his leadership has helped to advance initiatives that connected business with resources, encouraged workforce development, and expanded opportunities for underrepresented communities, including Hispanic indigenous business and business leaders.

And whereas Ernie City Baca's commitment to public service, economic development, community collaboration has left a lasting impact on Albuquerque and has helped create opportunities for future generations of business and civic leaders.

Be it proclaimed that the council, the governing body of the city of Albuquerque hereby recognizes and honors Ernie City Baca for his dedicated service, visionary leadership, significant contributions to economic development, business advocacy, and the prosperity of Albuquerque's community.

So congratulations.

Sure, thank you, Madam Chair, members of the city council.

I gosh, early 1990s.

I used to sit here back then when I was working at PM, and sometimes till like midnight, and I'd be like the only person.

And I remember Lawrence Royale coming up and says, What are you doing here?

I said, It's my job.

My boss told me as long as you all said that uh sat there, I had to sit up there.

So I'm honored, thank you.

I'm I'm honored and lucky to be um have this uh proclamation.

Um, I love my job, I love the chamber.

Everything about it is fantastic.

Thank you for saying everything uh that's in that proclamation, but it really belongs to my team here.

These are the folks that really uh have done the work.

You know, I get to include my boss of 50 years on August 7th.

She'll be my boss at 50 years, uh, Jerry.

So thank you, uh all for the great honor of being uh receiving this today.

Thank you so much.

That was very kind.

Thank you, Ernie.

You come up and accept the proclamation, and I'll just say as you're walking up that I'm just so proud of you and the work you've done over the years to make our community a better place.

So thank you for everything.

Congratulations.

What did I hear?

Thank you.

Councilor Teus is next in line.

Thank you, Mr.

Vice President.

Well, I have a proclamation here recognizing the 20th anniversary of World Elder Abuse Awareness Day.

Um, here to accept the proclamation.

I would like to introduce Dr.

Joseph Sanchez, the state director of AARC in New Mexico, and the associate state director of AARC in New Mexico.

Mr.

Sanchez, oh, they're making their way down here now, Councilor Teas.

Thank you, guys.

Thank you.

Councilor Teas, are you going to be reading it or?

We have uh it'll be me and uh Councillor Baca and Councillor Rogers.

So I just wanted to thank you, gentlemen, for being here as you know um world elder uh abuse awareness state.

It's just an important observance.

So let's get started with the proclamation.

Ah, okay, so whereas older adults deserve to be treated with respect and dignity to enable them to serve as leaders, mentors, volunteers, and vital participating members of our communities, and whereas in 2006, the International Network for the Prevention of Elder Abuse in support of the United Nations International Plan of Action, proclaimed a day to recognize the significance of elder abuse as a public health and human rights issue.

And whereas 2026 marks the 20th annual world elder abuse presentation day.

Its recognition will promote a better understanding of abuse and neglect of older adults and whereas the National Center on Elder Abuse and CEA and the AARP New Mexico recognize the importance of taking action to raise awareness, prevent and address elder abuse, and whereas as our population lives longer, we are presented with an opportunity to think about our collective needs and future as a nation.

And whereas ageism and social isolation are major causes of elder abuse in the United States and whereas recognizing that it is up to all of us to ensure that proper social structures exist so people can retain community and societal connections, reducing the likelihood of abuse, and preventing abuse of older adults through maintaining and improving social supports like senior centers, human services, and transportation will allow everyone to continue to live as independently as possible and contribute to the life and vibrancy of our communities.

And whereas where there is justice, there can be no abuse.

Therefore, NCEA urges all people to restore justice by honoring older adults, and whereas join us in our engaging and empowering movement to put an end to abuse.

Thank you all.

Thank you, Councilor Teus.

Gentlemen, yes, uh Madam President, uh Counselor, Council members, thank you for having us.

ARP is honored to accept this proclamation on behalf of older New Mexicans, older Albuquerque residents.

We really appreciate all the work that the city does and you all do to bring awareness and attention to this really important issue.

As the proclamation had stated, especially citizens that hold up old, you know, transportation and combat social isolation, uh, fight financial exploitation.

Um we're excited about efforts to uh bring awareness of fraud and scams, especially as they may impact and certainly see a proliferation of that uptick and affecting you know the financial wellness of older adults and their families, and so we we certainly applaud efforts to address that.

Um, and thank you so much for for this opportunity.

Thank you.

Gentlemen, if you'd like to come up and we have a proclamation for you.

Thank you.

Madam President, we will now have a presentation from Ms.

Turner, the DMD director, who will provide us an update with the vulnerable road users campaign and efforts.

Director Turner.

Okay, here we go.

So, Madam President, counselors, thank you for the opportunity to provide my sixth and final update on our traffic safety educational campaign.

The campaign will continue even though my PowerPoints will not.

Um, so turning to the reminder of key points from the traffic code updates.

Uh, first, flashing lights at crossings means stop for everyone.

It's the law.

This is particularly important because right now we're launching three new hawk signals around the city, two on East Central, and then one on San Mateo in front of ACS that will support the walking school bus.

And then we also have a brand new flashing beacon at Washington and Sunningdale.

So whenever you see any of these flashing lights around the city and folks crossing, always stop.

Also vulnerable road users, be safe and be seen, and then drivers, watch for VRUs when turning.

So next slide.

Turning to our ongoing campaign, Spanish language campaign that you heard about continues.

I'm really excited.

We have our campaign deployed on bus shelters and digital displays around the city.

On Friday, we launched our 12-minute webinar at cabq.gov forward slash stop.

So if you want a deep dive and everyone should be doing this, all my employees are going to be doing this, you can get a deep dive into our traffic code updates.

In front of you, you have our one-page flyer we completed and deployed drivers educational schools.

And then you'll also have our bike map, which highlights the campaign and that brand new bike map highlighting over 400 miles of trials around the city, can be you can get it from 311 or at various city facilities.

I'm happy to launch that.

Next slide.

And so again, 12 minutes, it will it will change your life by saving lives.

And then next slide, just the campaign next steps, uh continued community meetings and outreach.

If you want a meeting for your neighborhood association, you can request one through our campaign website page.

We'll be adding those flyers to reminder to our speed camera citations.

Um there'll be more displays around the city, and we'll be investing in more vulnerable road user safety projects like the Hawks and RRFB.

I just mentioned, and more information about those projects is at the website linked.

State law changes to better protect vulnerable road users and improve the speed camera legislation.

So lastly, I just want to provide thank yous for this campaign.

Um I'm a lawyer and I don't do PR.

Um, and so without the support of our consultants, Mood and 2540, folks from the Mayor's Office, Dan Mayfield, Ileana, vet, and Helica, um Parks, Eli Costco, Director Simon, and for my department, Valerie Hermanson and Jorge Gonzalez, they brought this campaign to life.

Thanks to all of you for unanimously passing the legislation.

And then I just want to close by thanking all of the advocates Melinda, Patrick, IKBQ, Ben Garland, Althea, and anyone who has fearlessly stood at this podium and advocated for safer streets.

It is why I am here today, and so I am grateful to all of you.

Thank you.

Counselors, do we have any questions for the director?

No director.

Great job.

Thank you very much.

We'll miss the presentation.

You can come back anytime you want to put some slides together and do it again.

It'll work out fine.

Thank you very much.

Thank you, Director.

Madam President, uh that concludes.

Oh, Councilor Feeper.

Sorry, Mr.

Vice President.

Um, just a quick question, and it's not for Dr.

Turner, um, perhaps for Dr.

Single.

I um would really, I'm very interested in if we can get that 12-minute webinar to everyone in the city, not just the employees of DMD.

Thank you.

Thank you, Councilor People.

Uh Madam President, that concludes proclamations and presentations.

Thank you, Vice President Champagne.

We are now on the journal.

I move approval of the June 1st journal.

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

All those in favor, pardon me, Madam Clerk, can you call the rule?

Councillor Backa.

Yes.

Councillor Passon.

Yes.

Vice President Champagne.

Yes.

Councilor Fablecorn.

Yes.

Councilor Grout.

Yes.

Counselor Lewis.

Yes.

Counselor Rogers.

Yes.

Counselor Teyas.

Yes.

President Pena.

Yes.

Passes unanimously.

Thank you.

We are now on to communications and introductions.

Are there any changes to the letter of introduction?

EC 180.

I move that the rules be suspended for the purpose of placing EC 180 on tonight's agenda for action.

EC 180 is the mayor's appointment of Benjamin Dowayas to the Human Rights Board.

And this will require a two-thirds vote.

So there was a motion and second by um committee of the whole chair.

Uh Grout.

Madam Clerk.

Councilor Baca?

Yes.

Councilor Bassan.

Yes.

Vice President Champagne?

Yes.

Counselor Febalcorn.

Yes.

Counselor Grout?

Yes.

Counselor Lewis?

Yes.

Councilor Rogers?

Yes.

Councilor Teas.

Yes.

President Pena.

Yes.

Passes unanimously.

Thank you.

Now EC 181.

I move that the rules be suspended for the purpose of placing EC 181 on tonight's agenda for action.

EC 181 is the mayor's appointment of Cecilia Navarete to the Albuquerque Museum Board of Trustees.

There's a motion in the second by Vice President Champagne.

Madam Clerk.

Councilor Baca.

Yes.

Councillor Bassan.

Yes.

Vice President Champagne?

Yes.

Counselor Feblecorn.

Yes.

Counselor Grout?

Yes.

Counselor Lewis.

Yes.

Counselor Rogers?

Yes.

Counselor Teas.

Yes.

President Pena.

Yes.

Passes unanimously.

Next, R 45.

I move the rules be suspended for the purpose of placing R 45 on tonight's agenda for action.

R45 is approving and authorizing the acceptance of a grant from the federal land and water conservation fund administered by this state of New Mexico Energy Minerals and Natural Resources Department.

A grant from the State of New Mexico Department of Finance and Administration for partial funding of the Prestview Bluffs Park Project.

There's the motion second by Vice President Champagne, Madam Clerk.

Councilor Baca?

Yes.

Councilor Passan.

Yes.

Vice President Champagne?

Yes.

Counselor February.

Yes.

Counselor Grout?

Yes.

Counselor Lewis?

Yes.

Councilor Rogers?

Yes.

Counselor Teez.

Yes.

President Pena?

Yes.

Passes unanimously.

Vice President Champagne.

Madam President, I make uh motion to move.

Move that the rules be suspended for the purpose of placing R50 on tonight's agenda for action.

R50 is adjusting the fiscal year 2027 appropriations for certain funds and programs.

Second.

There's a motion second by myself for R 50, Madam Clerk.

Councilor Baca?

Yes.

Councilor Bassan.

Yes.

Vice President Champagne?

Yes.

Counselor February.

Yes.

Councilor Grout?

Yes.

Counselor Lewis?

Yes.

Counselor Rogers?

Yes.

Counselor Teyas.

Yes.

President Pena?

Yes.

Passes unanimously.

Councilor Baca.

Thank you, Madam President.

R48.

I move that the rules be suspended for the purpose of placing R 48 on tonight's agenda for action.

R 488 is approving and authorizing the acceptance of grant funds for a violence intervention fund grant from the New Mexico Department of Health Office of Gun Violence Prevention and Grant Funds from the State of New Mexico Healthcare Authority Behavioral Health Regional Investment Act grant through an intergovernmental agreement with Bernoulli County.

Providing an appropriation to the Albuquerque Community Safety Department in fiscal year 2027.

Second.

There's a motion and a second by Councilor Bassan for R 48.

Madam Clerk.

Councilor Baca?

Yes.

Councilor Bassan.

Yes.

Vice President Champagne?

Yes.

Counselor Febricorn.

Yes.

Councilor Grout?

Yes.

Counselor Lewis?

Yes.

Counselor Rogers?

Yes.

Counselor Teez?

Yeah.

President Pena?

Yes.

Passes unanimously.

Thank you.

Um Councilor Baca.

R 49.

Thank you, Madam President.

R49.

I move that the rules be suspended for the purpose of placing R 49 on tonight's agenda for action.

R 49 is amending R25 177.

Enactment number R2025054 to adjust the funds for the Golden Forward Gizmo projects.

Okay.

There's a motion of second um by Councilor Rogers for R 49.

Madam Clerk.

Councilor Bacca?

Yes.

Councilor Bassan.

Yes.

Vice President Champaign?

Yes.

Counselor Feborn.

Yes.

Counselor Grout?

Yes.

Counselor Lewis?

Yes.

Councilor Rogers?

Yes.

Counselor Teyas.

Yes.

President Pena.

Yes.

Passes unanimously.

Thank you.

Counselor Rogers by request.

R44.

Thank you, Madam President.

R 44.

I move the rules be suspended for the purpose of placing R 44 on tonight's agenda for action.

R 44 is approving and authorizing a grant from the US Department of Housing and Urban Development for the federal fiscal year 2025 continuum of care grant and providing an appropriation to the Department of Health Housing and Homelessness for City Fiscal Year 2027.

Second.

Yes.

Counselor Bassan?

Yes.

Vice President Champagne?

Yes.

Counselor Peoplecorn.

Yes.

Councilor Grout?

Yes.

Councilor Lewis?

Yes.

Councilor Rogers?

Yes.

Counselor Teas.

Yes.

President Pena?

Yes.

Passes unanimously.

Councilor Peoplecorn E 174.

Madam President, I move that the rules be suspended for the purpose of placing EC 174 on tonight's agenda for action.

EC 174 is an update on city department efforts related to pollinator protection and conservation.

Second.

There's a motion and a second by Vice President Champagne to EC 174, Madam Clerk.

Counselor Bacca?

Yes.

Council Passan.

Yes.

Vice President Champagne?

Yes.

Counselor Peoplecorn.

Yes.

Councilor Grout?

Yes.

Counselor Lewis?

Yes.

Counselor Rogers?

Yes.

Counselor Teez.

Yes.

President Pena.

Yes.

Passes unanimously.

Thank you.

Councilor Peeblecorn by request.

R 46.

Madam President, I move that the rules be suspended for the purpose of placing R 46 on tonight's agenda for action.

R 46 is approving and authorizing a grant application from Dennis Friends Foundation and providing an appropriation to the City of Albuquerque Animal Welfare Department for fiscal year 2627.

Second.

There's a motion and second to R 46, Madam Clerk.

Councilor Baca?

Yes.

Councilor Passan?

Yes.

Vice President Champagne?

Yes.

Counselor February.

Yes.

Counselor Grout.

Yes.

Counselor Lewis?

Yes.

Councilor Rogers?

Yes.

Counselor Teez.

Yes.

President Pena.

Yes.

Passes unanimously.

Council Febalcorn by request R47.

I move that the rules be suspended for the purpose of placing R 47 on tonight's agenda for action.

R 47 is approving and authorizing a grant application from the PEP Smarts charities and providing an appropriation to the City of Albuquerque Animal Welfare Department in fiscal year 2627.

Second.

There's a motion and second by committee.

The whole chair.

Councilor Baca.

Yes.

Councilor Passan.

Yes.

Vice President Champagne?

Yes.

Counselor Peoplecorn.

Yes.

Councilor Grout.

Yes.

Counselor Lewis.

Yes.

Counselor Rogers.

Yes.

Counselor Teas.

Yes.

President Pena.

Yes.

Passes unanimously.

Thank you.

I move approval of the letter of introduction.

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

Madam Clerk.

Councilor Baca.

Yes.

Councilor Bassan.

Yes.

Vice President Champagne?

Yes.

Counselor Peoplecorn.

Yes.

Counselor Grout.

Yes.

Counselor Lewis.

Yes.

Counselor Rogers?

Yes.

Counselor Teez.

Yes.

President Pena.

Yes.

Passes unanimously.

Thank you.

We are now on to reports of committees.

Counselor Lewis.

The Finance Government Operations Committee met on Monday, June 8th, reports out the following items.

EC 160 approved.

OC 10, receiving noted.

O32, O40, O41, or R27, a due pass.

EC 116, EC 159, they be approved and asked bond of the meeting which they are reported matter of R26 that it due pass and be active on the meeting is which is recorded uh move to accept the committee reports.

There's a motion in a second by Councilor Bacca.

Madam Clerk.

Councilor Backa?

Yes.

Councilor Bassan.

Yes.

Vice President Champagne?

Yes.

Counselor Fabricorn.

Yes.

Councilor Grout?

Yes.

Counselor Lewis?

Yes.

Counselor Rogers?

Yes.

Counselor Teez.

Yes.

President Pena?

Yes.

Passes unanimously.

Counselor Bassan.

Madam President, the land use planning and zoning committee meeting committee met on Wednesday, June 10th, 2026, and reports out the following item in the matter of O39 that it do not pass.

I make a motion to accept the committee report.

There's a motion and second by Councilor People Corn.

Madam Clerk.

Councilor Baca.

Yes.

Councilor Bassan.

Yes.

Vice President Champaign?

Yes.

Councilor People Corne.

Yes.

Councilor Grout?

Yes.

Counselor Lewis.

Yes.

Councilor Rogers?

Yes.

Counselor Teyas.

Yes.

President Pena?

Yes.

Passes unanimously.

Thank you.

Councilor Grout.

Thank you, Madam President.

I make a motion to revive O2639.

We place this item on the August 3rd council agenda for action.

O39 is amending the integrated development ordinance to revive the regulations to revise the regulations for cannabis and nicotine retail uses in table 4-2-1.

Allowable uses and section 14-16-4-3.

Second.

There's a motion of second by Councilor Bassan for O2639.

Madam Clerk.

Councilor Baca.

Yes.

Councilor Basson.

Yes.

Vice President Champagne?

Yes.

Counselor Peoplecorn.

No.

Councilor Grout?

Yes.

Counselor Lewis?

Yes.

Councilor Rogers?

No.

Councilor Teez?

No.

President Pena?

Yes.

Passes on a 6-3 vote.

Thank you.

We're now.

We are now on deferrals and withdrawals.

Counselors, do we have any deferrals or withdrawals at this time?

Madam President.

Counselor or Vice President Champagne.

Thank you.

I'd like to make motion to defer P2 from tonight's agenda.

Second.

There's a motion and second by Councilor Bassan to defer P2 on tonight's agenda.

If anyone's following, please make note of that.

Madam Clerk, or do I need to looks like our attorney has a question?

Oh, do you the date?

Oh, to the first meeting in August.

Is it August 3rd?

Okay.

Is it August 3rd?

August 3rd.

Okay.

So the community knows till to August 3rd.

So Madam Clerk.

Counselor Bacca?

Yes.

Councilor Bassan.

Yes.

Vice President Champagne?

Yes.

Counselor Peoplecorn.

Yes.

Councilor Grout.

Yes.

Counselor Lewis.

Yes.

Councilor Rogers?

Yes.

Counselor Teez.

Yes.

President Pena?

Yes.

Passes unanimously.

Madam President.

Vice President Champagne.

Make a motion to defer R 30 till August 3rd's meeting.

Second.

There's a motion and second by committee of the whole chair.

Grout for deferral of R 32 August 2nd.

Madam third.

Counselor Bacca?

Yes.

Counselor Bassan.

Yes.

Vice President Champagne?

Yes.

Counselor Peoplecorn.

Yes.

Counselor Grout?

Yes.

Counselor Lewis?

Yes.

Counselor Rogers.

Yes.

Councillor Teez.

Yes.

President Pena?

Yes.

Passes unanimously.

Thank you.

So that's how we work around here.

We add a bunch of things to the agenda and then we take some off.

So we are now on the consent agenda.

Is there any change?

Are there any changes to the consent agenda?

Madam President.

Vice President Champagne.

Make a motion to remove letter U, R2648.

Any anything else?

No?

Okay.

For those of individuals on tonight's um consent agenda who are appointed to serve on a border commission.

Thank you for your willingness to serve.

And I move approval of the consent agenda.

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

Madam Clerk.

Councilor Bacca.

Yes.

Councilor Bassan.

Yes.

Vice President Champaign?

Yes.

Counselor Peoplecorn.

Yes.

Councillor Grout?

Yes.

Counselor Lewis.

Yes.

Counselor Rogers?

Yes.

Councilor Teas.

Yes.

President Pena?

Yes.

Passes unanimously.

Thank you.

Vice President Champagne.

Madam President, give me one second so I can find it.

It's basically I have a question for the administration about it.

And I think I read it further, but I kind of want to just kind of them to explain it.

In there it says it says $30,000 in indirect cost from the transfer of operating grants funds to the program of ACS.

And I'm just curious what the $30,000 is for.

Madam President.

Madam President, the ACS crew is here and can speak specifically.

Madam President, Councillor Champagne, my understanding is that is to given the parameters of the grant and the IDOH, the indirect cost that is required with it, it's just the transfer to ensure that that's covered as part of, like I mentioned, the grant parameters.

So it's IDOH coverage of that.

Is that correct?

Madam President, Councilor Champagne, it is the indirect cost overhead costs that we have been have applied to grants for the rest of the administrative costs, yes.

Okay.

Perfect.

That's all I needed to know then.

We have a motion.

I'll make a motion to accept R2648.

There's a motion and second by Councilor Rogers.

Madam Clerk.

Councilor Baca.

Yes.

Councilor Bassan.

Yes.

Vice President Champagne?

Yes.

Counselor Peoplecorn.

Yes.

Councillor Grout?

Yes.

Counselor Lewis.

Yes.

Counselor Rogers.

Yes.

Councillor Tees.

Yes.

President Pena?

Yes.

Passes unanimously.

Thank you.

We are.

Now on to announcements.

Councilor Rogers.

Thank you, Madam President.

The local govern government coordinating council commission on Thursday, June 18th at 5 p.m.

has been canceled.

And I have one other announcement.

We have our Juneteenth holiday on this Friday, June 19th.

So all there's city services that will be closed.

City offices are closed for the holiday.

But I'd like to invite everyone to come celebrate with us at Civic Plaza from 5 to 11.

It is not just for the black community, it's for everybody.

We weren't free during the Fourth of July.

But we still show up to the balloon fiesta park and go to all the cookouts on Fourth of July and celebrate too.

And we'd love for you to celebrate our liberation holiday when we were freed.

Um while the folks in Texas didn't know until two years after the emancipation proclamation.

They didn't tell us because we couldn't read to read the notices.

So the president actually had to send troops to tell folks in Texas that they were freed.

And we commemorate that every year.

And so we'd love for you to join us.

Friday, Civic Plaza, 5 p.m.

to 11 p.m.

We have a free health clinic.

You can get dental cleanings and eye exams, three-on-three basketball clinic, and a lot of amazing performers, including some African acrobats that are pretty phenomenal.

So please come and join us.

Thank you.

Thank you, Councillor Rogers.

We are now on to financial instruments.

Councilor Passan by request.

Madam President, 036 approving a project involving no Eden Pharmacy LLC pursuant to the local economic development act and city ordinance.

And the city's implementing legislation for that act to support the expansion of Eden Pharmacy Compounding Pharmacy and Fulfillment Center to be located in Albuquerque, New Mexico.

I move a due pass.

Second.

There's a motion and a second by Councilor People Corn for a due pass of 036.

Councilor Bassan.

Madam President, before I go to Director Gruner to really actually do an appropriate uh open for this, I would like to move amendment number one.

There's a motion and a second for what's labeled A in your packet now will be floor amendment number one by committee the Volkschair Grouch, Council Passan.

Madam President, this amendment adjusts the ordinance's title by correcting the organization's recognized business name and removing a typing error.

It will read on page one, beginning with line two, amend the title as follows: approving a project involving Eden Pharmaceuticals LLC pursuant to the Local Economic Development Act and City Ordinance FS 0410.

The city is implementing legislation for that act to support the expansion of Eden Pharmaceuticals, compounding pharmacy, and so on.

I would use support.

So is there any questions?

Seeing none, Councilor Basante closed.

She urged the support.

So did you want to?

We're on the amendment, so are you here to speak on the bill when we get back to the bill?

No, okay.

Madam Clerk.

Madam President, Councillor Passan.

Who is the second on that?

Counselor Baca?

Yes.

Councilor Bassan, yes.

Vice President Champagne?

Yes.

Counselor Fablecorn?

Yes.

Councilor Grout?

Yes.

Councillor Lewis?

Yes.

Counselor Rogers?

Yes.

Councillor Thayas.

Yeah.

President Pena?

Yes.

Passes unanimously.

Thank you.

Now we are back on the bill as amended.

Madam President.

Councilor Passan.

Madam President, I would like to have an request that Director Gruner does an open and also invites probably state economic development to speak on this as well, if we may.

Yes, Mr.

Gruner.

Madam President, Counselors, thank you very much for hearing this project.

This project is pertaining Eden Pharmacy, a compounding pharmacy.

This is an eligible LEDA project local economic development act.

We stand here today to request your support to serve as the fiscal agent for the state of New Mexico Economic Development for the amount of $300,000 for this project and an additional $100,000 from the city of Albuquerque.

And if it uh pleases, Madam President, I do have with me uh my colleague uh Daniel Schmuck for the uh formal staff analysis as well as Beth from the state and a representative from the company.

Yes, please.

Thank you, Madam President, members of the council.

My name is Frankie Hermosillo, and thank you for the opportunity to present this economic development project.

Tonight we are requesting the approval of 02636, a local economic development act project supporting the expansion of Eden Pharmacy in Albuquerque.

Eden Pharmacy is a rapidly growing health care and telehealth company, providing omni-channel health and wellness services across the United States with the focus on metabolic health, weight loss peptides, and longevity care.

The company is expanding its Albuquerque operations into a next generation compounding pharmacy and national fulfillment center that's located at 8300 Carmel Avenue Northeast.

The project will integrate suites 601 and 602 into approximately 7,000 square feet of operational space supporting sterile and non-sterile compounding, fulfillment packaging, shipping, quality assurance, and advanced pharmacy automation.

Staff finds this project qualifies both under the state local economic development act and the city's LEDA-enabling legislation.

The project includes approximately 2.7 million dollars in private capital investment for facility improvements, clean room infrastructure, automation systems, and operational enhancements.

Eden is requesting a combined LEDA investment of up to $400,000, including $300,000 in state lead of funds and $100,000 in LEDA city lead of funds.

LEDA is a performance-based economic development program.

Before any public funds are dispersed, the company must satisfy specific contractual requirements related to investment, job creation, reporting, and ongoing operations.

In Eden's case, those requirements include capital investment, job creation targets, and maintaining operations in Albuquerque.

It is also important to note that Eden is and will remain a small business.

This project is not supporting the relocation of the large national corporation.

Rather, it's helping a growing company scale its operations right here in Albuquerque.

In return for the lead investment, Eden is committing to create 56 new direct jobs in Albuquerque with an average annual wage of approximately 69,000.

These positions include pharmacists, pharmacy technicians, quality assurance, compliance specialists, automation technicians, operations personnel, and health care support staff.

This project is expected to generate approximately $3.86 million in payroll in year one, growing to more than $11 million annually by year three.

Staff reviewed the project for compliance with city plans and zoning requirements and found the proposed use to be consistent with the existing MXT zoning designation.

The project expands operations within an existing commercial facility and does not require a zoning change or new construction outside the existing building footprint.

The economic impact analysis estimates approximately $78 million in total economic impact over 10 years, with 56 direct jobs and an additional 79 indirect and induced jobs created through our economy.

Based on staff's review and project, the city, it meets the city's lead evaluation criteria, including the requirement that public investment be recouped within the 10-year compliance period.

For the reasons the staff recommends the approval of proposed ordinance 02636.

And at this time, Madam President, I would like to introduce Daniel Dietz with Eden Pharmacy to share more about the company, the project, and Eden's vision for Albuquerque.

Yes, thank you.

Thank you so much, Madam President, members of the council.

Thank you for your time this evening.

My name is Daniel Dietz.

I'm one of the co-founders and the chief operating officer of Eden.

With me are Rebecca Emps, our general manager in Chris Lovato, our pharmacist in charge here in Albuquerque.

We're here today for ask you for your approval of our LEDA package.

At its core, this is a jobs project for Albuquerque.

We're committing to 56 new direct jobs, roughly 135 with indirect employment, an average wage of $69,000.

These are high-wage technical roles with licensed pharmacists, automation engineers, QA officers, sterile compounding specialists.

We recruit from UNM and CNM, and we have enjoyed significant local talent, both within the entity that we purchased, along with those that we have hired since already.

We offer full benefits, including health, dental, vision retirement match, and career development pathways at Eden.

The installation of these certified clean rooms and cold chain logistics infrastructure are permanent structures.

We don't move these.

We're committed to Albuquerque as our home base for compounding for our national clinicians that we service.

These positions require state licensure and specialized trainings.

They can't be outsourced or automated, and demand for compounding has grown steadily over the last decade, driven by aging population and chronic disease management.

This is not a trend, it's a structural shift, and Eden supports that shift.

We're back in this with a 10-year operating commitment, clawback provisions tied to these jobs that we've promised.

Every dollar we earn comes from the patients and providers that we service around all 50 states, bringing net new jobs and revenue into the state of New Mexico as local salaries, vendor contracts, and tax payments.

Outside capital converts into in-state payroll.

I personally spent 11 years in Albuquerque and earned degrees at UNAM.

I know what stable high wage jobs do for the community, and I'm grateful for the opportunity to be able to provide those to others in this community.

I respectfully ask for your approval of this item, and I'm happy to stand along with Rebecca and Chris for any questions that you may have.

Thank you so much.

Madam President, I would urge support if there's no questions.

Councilor Rogers.

Thank you, Madam President.

I just want to ask more question about automation.

Does that mean it's replacing people doing jobs?

It doesn't quite work that way, so typically these machines just allow.

In fact, I might ask Rebecca what the impact of automation.

But in essence, when you have an automation device, it allows you to be more precise with monitoring and measurements.

Many of these tools are far superior than, for example, the human eye in measuring cloudiness and the nature of these, but they're all operated by a technician who is a specialized certified technician.

If you'll allow, I'd love Rebecca, our compounder, to uh speak on how these automation devices enhance how our technicians and our pharmacists work within our facility.

Thank you, Madam President.

I think that would be great because I I know a little bit about compounding with from nursing and oncology compounding, and there's some there's some interesting technology that could replace people.

So I'm just interested in what you're talking about.

Yeah, absolutely.

And Madam President, members of city council, thank you so much for having us here today.

So to answer your question about automation, we aim to have the highest quality assurance possible.

People can make mistakes, people can have all days, especially if you're in a sterile compounding lab.

So that doesn't mean that we're taking away a technician.

That technician can either be working this machine or they can be doing it all by hand.

If they're if they're working this machine, they're able to also produce more with more precision and higher output as well.

So we'll be able to serve more patients across the country with less footprint by doing so.

Thank you, Madam President.

Thank you.

Any additional questions?

Anything from the admin.

Thank you so much.

So how many jobs?

Oh, I'm sorry.

So Councillor Grout.

Thank you.

Thank you, Madam President.

I just wanted to say that I have a far um a prescription at your facility, and um it has always been um on time.

You all actually even deliver it too.

And I really like that service.

Um, but it uh has always come when it was supposed to, and um it's been very easy to through text and I'm I I've just really enjoyed it.

So I'm really glad that you're expanding here.

Congratulations.

I'm delighted to hear it.

Thank you so much.

Counselor Backen.

Thank you, Madam President.

I just want to make a quick pitch.

Um, downtown lost its pharmacy a couple years ago.

So if we look to expand even more, uh, we can use you.

I'll keep that in mind.

Thank you so much.

Just a quick question.

So, how many jobs are you proposing as part of this?

Uh 56 as part of the expansion.

56.

Okay.

Thank you so much.

Of course, Councilor Basson.

I urge your support.

So, Madam Clerk.

Councilor Baca?

Yes.

Councilor Bassan, yes.

Vice President Champagne.

Yes.

Councilor People Corn, yes.

Councillor Grout.

Yes.

Counselor Lewis.

Yes.

Counselor Rogers?

Yes.

Counselor Tiaz.

Yeah.

President Pinion?

Yes.

Passes unanimously.

Thank you.

Counselor Bassam by request or 37.

Madam President, authorizing the issuance and sale of the City of Albuquerque, New Mexico taxable industrial revenue bond, dreamcatcher journal, center hotel project, series 2026 and the maximum principal amount of 25 million eight thousand one hundred and eighteen dollars to provide funds to acquire, construct, equip, and prove the Dreamcatcher Journal Center Hotel, a home to suites by Hilton Hotel with an anticipated one hundred and three guest rooms.

I move a due pass.

There's a motion and a second by um committee to hold chair grout.

Um counselor Basson to open.

Madam President, I think that the Journal Center has become a place of live, work, and play more so than ever.

I'm very excited by what's been happening around there, but I would also like Director Gruner to do it even more justice for an introduction in open, please.

Uh Madam President, uh counselors.

Um, very excited to uh present to you this IRB.

Just as a quick reminder, an IRB is a uh tool that we have at the city, it's the industrial revenue bond to allow projects that would otherwise not pencil out to be developed.

Uh the development of uh this particular hotel at the journal center, I think similar to uh what Councillor Bassan said, it is one of those areas, and you'll remember we've brought a number of projects over the years that are really in this region.

I think the value proposition of that particular hotel really is for that business traveler.

And I have with me, if if it pleases, uh Madam President, uh, both uh my colleague Daniel Schmuck for the formal staff analysis as well as the uh developer and operator of this particular hotel.

Okay, thank you.

Madam President, counselors, thank you for allowing me to present this um development project uh to you this evening.

Um the information for this development, including a fiscal impact analysis was provided in the package we received ahead of the city council meeting.

The Dreamcatcher Journal Center Hotel Development is requesting 25 million and eight thousand one hundred eighteen dollars in city-issued taxable industrial revenue bonds.

The project will support construction of a new home to suits by Hilton Hotel at 5,910 Jefferson Street Northeast.

The development will include approximately 103 guest rooms.

The UNM Bureau of Business and Economic Research Fiscal Impact Analysis estimates the project will generate almost 4.3 million dollars in taxes by 2045.

The project is expected to remain tax positive throughout the bond term.

And the project will be legible for up to 20 years of property tax abatement on land, buildings, and equipment.

Equipment purchased with bond proceeds will be exempt from gross receipts or compensating taxes, and no city funds will be used, and the city's credit will not be pledged.

The project is a new construction on land currently controlled by the applicant.

The project is located in a federally designated opportunity zone, and the project supports redevelopment.

It renewed investment in an area prioritized under local economic development policies.

The project is expected to create approximately 32 to 37 permanent full-time and part-time jobs.

Positions will include professional, supervisory, clerical, and operational hospitality roles.

Elegible employees will receive access to medical, dental and vision insurance, with the employer covering 50% of health care premium costs.

The company will offer also a 401k plan with a 50% employer match on employee contributions, up to 3% of allegible compensation.

Madam President, based on the findings, staff recommends approval of IRB 0-26-37, as proposed in the project plan application.

And with that, I would like to hand it over if the council uh would like so to the particular developer of this project.

Sure, thank you.

Good afternoon, Madam President, Counselor.

My name is Deepesh Korodwala.

I am the CEO of Sun Capital Hotels.

I'm here to ask for your support for the Journal Center Hotel IRB project.

I care about three things.

One is Albuquerque tourism economy.

Two, growing the local family business, and three, creating a real career path for our team members.

I serve on the Visit Albuquerque board and lodgers tax board.

After COVID, when travel stopped, lodger's tax revenue dropped dramatically, and hotels were on the brink of shutting down.

I chaired the visit Albuquerque board year following COVID, and along with my board fellow board members, we worked with the mayor's office to secure 1.5 million of marketing dollars so that we can keep destination marketing going.

That investment paid off and helped support recovery of our industry.

Tourism matters for Albuquerque.

Visitors dine and shop at local businesses.

They come here and spend money.

That creates jobs, lodgers tax, gross receipt tax, and future investment in our community.

This is what I believe.

If you create a place people want to visit, you create a place where people want to live.

That's why quality of hotel matters.

For many visitors, the hotel is one of their first touch points with Albuquerque.

The Journal Center project serves a very practical need.

Journal Center is one of our major business areas.

Travelers want to have a place where they can have their meetings.

They don't want to fight the I-25 traffic in the morning, they want clean rooms, reliable service, and hotel close to where they need to be.

Both projects are very personal to me.

I grew up here in Albuquerque at Forth and Manal, not too far from here at Court John Motel.

I cleaned rooms there as a teenager.

I went to Garfield Middle School, I went to Valley High School, I went to UNM.

I live here, I hire here, I buy here, and our team supports local charities here.

This is just not about building a hotel, it's about continuing to build a local company that creates opportunity.

My son Sahil is here with me today.

He went to OSU, earned a degree in real estate and finance, and chose to come back home to join the family business.

Like a lot of young people from Albuquerque, he had options.

He could have gone to a bigger market, but he came back because he believes in Albuquerque.

At this point, I would like Sahel to say a few words about what he sees for the future.

Sal, you want to come up?

Thank you, Dad.

Madam President, members of the council.

My first exposure to the family business was not in an office.

I worked front desk shifts, helped during renovation, moved furniture and 100 degree connexes, helped get hotels open and filled in wherever labor was short.

This taught me a lot.

What I learned very quickly was that every business has a secret ingredient.

Hotels are all very similar to each other.

They all have a pool, Wi-Fi, comfortable beds, clean rooms.

But where I saw the big distinction was our people.

Our business follows one simple rule.

Take care of your people, and your people will take care of your customers.

Our secret ingredient is our team members.

I came back because I want to build things I can be proud of.

Hotels are part of that, but so are student housing, multifamily, mixed use, and other projects that bring people, activity, and investment into the city.

I want Albuquerque to be more vibrant, more walkable, more attractive to young people, and more competitive with other cities.

These hotel projects are one step in that bigger vision.

Thank you.

Thanks.

Halia Todd is also here with me.

Halia started with us in 2009 in an entry-level position.

Today she is our executive vice president over assets, construction, renovation, and capital expenditures.

Her story is exactly what hospitality can do when a local company grows.

We don't just create jobs, we create paths to leadership.

I'd like to have Halia come up and briefly speak about it.

Madam President, Councilor Bassan.

Madam President, with all due respect.

I would I would like us to please, if we can move on to counselor questions.

I'm sure you have a fabulous story.

I am in support of your project, but I think that with our agenda tonight and with some upcoming things, Madam President, if it's all right with you, we can move to counselor questions.

Yes, thank you.

Thank you.

Thank you.

And I'm I'm sorry to you, but I would be happy to hear your story another day.

Thank you.

Thank you.

So we do have Councillor Plata has a question.

Thank you, Madam President.

I don't know if this is more for uh Director Gruner.

I'm just curious on our decision or approval matrix.

Is there a section for community benefits and what might those be?

So at this point in the process, it is really a question of whether this project will pencil out and whether the um council is going to approve this particular uh tool.

Uh we are always happy to uh convene meetings with the cur with the community.

Um, you know, associated with any kind of project, and we've always done that.

We just finalized a community benefits agreement for the Media Academy.

Okay.

But but neither the state uh statute nor the uh city enabling statute requires a community um benefits agreement to get to this point in the process.

Okay, thank you.

Any additional questions?

Are you saying that that you wanted to add an amendment to this or are you just asking the question?

Okay.

Um Mr.

Cornelius, I don't think we have anyone signed up to speak this evening.

We do on 037.

I don't see anyone.

Okay, okay, we don't we do not have anyone signed up to speak, so then we're done with questions from counselors.

Council Passan to close.

Madam President, I do urge your support.

Thank you, Madam Clerk.

Councilman can have a seat.

Thank you so much.

Thank you.

Councillor Backer?

Yes.

Councilor Bassan, yes.

Vice President Champagne?

Yes.

Councillor People Corn.

Yes.

Councilor Grout?

Yes.

Councillor Lewis.

Yes.

Councillor Rogers.

Yes.

Counselor Teas.

Yes.

President Pena?

Yes.

Passes unanimously.

Thank you.

Um we are now on to um thirty-eight by request.

Counselor Backer.

Thank you, Madam President.

Oh 38 authorizing the issuance and sale of the city of Albuquerque, New Mexico Taxable Industrial Revenue Bond, Dreamcatcher Sawmill Hotel Project, Series 2026, and the maximum principal amount of 40 million 520,267 to provide funds to acquire, construct equipment, improve the Dreamcatcher Sawmill Hotel.

A dual branded Hampton Inn and Home 2 suites with an anticipated 135 guest rooms.

I move to pass.

Thank you.

There's a motion and second by committee the whole chair Grout.

Um Councillor Bucket to open.

Thank you, Madam President.

I think I'd like to hear from Director Gruner on this.

Thank you for considering this project.

Once again, much of what was said for the previous project applies to this project.

Also, we are proposing an IRB as one of the tools that allows this project to pencil out for the developer.

This is in a very economically active uh area of the city.

Other IRBs have been given for a similar projects in their general uh vicinity.

Uh, the other thing I wanted to point out uh this uh project is in the uh character protection overlay uh for the sawmill.

So there will be certain kind of uh permitting requirements as to the look of this project that will make this project uh commensurate with kind of the feel of that uh area.

Um similar uh madam president, if it pleases uh council, uh we have the developer um to uh say a few words about this project.

I don't want to talk.

You do um yes.

Oh, uh Madam President, my my bad.

Uh staff uh analysis.

Okay.

Councillor Backer, yes.

Madam President, President, thank you, Councillors.

Um thank you for the opportunity to present this uh second economic development project to you this evening.

Um the Dreamcatcher Sawment Hotel Development is requesting 40 million, 520,000, 267 dollars in city issued taxable industrial revenue bonds.

The project will support construction of a renewal dual-branded Hampton Inn and Home to Suits Hotel development at one thousand um one thousand eighteen street.

Uh the proposed development will include approximately 135 guest rooms with 72 Hampton Inn rooms and 73 home to suits rooms.

The development will include associated site improvements, including parking, landscaping, guest amenities, and supporting infrastructure.

Uh the UNM Bureau of Business and Economic Research Fiscal Impact Analysis estimates the project will generate general generate approximately six point two uh six point four million dollars in taxes by 2045, and the project is expected to remain tax positive throughout the bond term.

The project will be eligible for up to 20 years of property tax abatements on land buildings and equipment.

Equipment purchased with bond proceeds will be exempt from gross receipts or compensating taxes.

No city funds will be used, and the city's credit will not be pledged.

The site currently contains an approximately 25,600 square foot office building that has experienced limited leasing activity and is considered underutilized.

The project is also located within a metropolitan redevelopment area, an opportunity zone and the historically underutilized business zone.

The project supports redevelopment and renewed private investment in area prioritized under local and federal economic development policies.

Now, an overview of the jobs, the project is expected to create approximately 42 to 47 permanent and full-time, full-time permanent full-time and part-time jobs, and positions will include professional supervisory, clerical and operational hospitality roles.

Eligible employee employees will receive access to medical, dental, and vision insurance with the employer covering 50% of healthcare premium costs.

The company will offer a 41k retirement plan with 50% employer match on employee contributions, up to 3% of eligible compensation.

Madam President, counselors, based on the above findings, staff recommends approval of IRB 0-26-38 proposed as proposed in the project plan application.

If the council is okay with this, I would also like to uh let the developer say a few words.

Thank you.

Um I think we're going to go to public comment.

Okay, thank you so much.

So, Mr.

Cornelius, can you call up your speaker?

Thank you, Madam President.

Our first speaker is Senator Debbie O'Malley, followed by Pauline Barker.

Good evening, Madam Chair, Counselors.

My name is Debbie O'Malley, and I'm here to speak in opposition of O38.

I do so as the founder and volunteer advisor to the Sawmill Community Land Trust, the owner of 37 acres of property near the proposed hotel called out in this ordinance.

The CLT was founded over 20 years ago to preserve high-quality affordable housing in an area that was once a contaminated industrial site.

It's through the work of this community and private investors such as Heritage Hotels that have made Sawmill the destination it is today.

Both organizations organizations have been committed to high quality development and cultural preservation.

For example, the Flavingo Institute is on the trust.

The 130 unit five-story proposed hotel will bring more unwanted traffic to an area that already has a dangerous mix of pedestrian and vehicles.

It abuts old existing houses in a residential neighborhood, unlike other hotels of its kind, which are off major corridors.

I doubt the affected homeowners are even aware of this proposed project.

However, since the ordinance is about the approval of an IRB.

You can continue.

Thank you.

We feel strongly that it should not be granted.

While locally owned, it is a franchise hotel.

IRBs are meant to encourage high quality development and good jobs to an area that otherwise would not see any kind of investment.

It's not whether a project pencils.

The SAML has become a very desirable area to invest.

To approve an IRB for this franchise, sets a bad precedent and is a misuse of that IRB redevelopment tool.

Thank you, and we respectfully ask that you not approve this request.

That'll be whoever clapped your first warning.

Thank you so much.

Pauline Barker, followed by Juanita Ramirez.

Good evening, Madam President and Counselors.

My name is Pauline Bacca.

I'm a member of the Sonmill Community Land Trust.

I have a small business in the land trust area.

My husband and I live blocks away from this proposed hotel.

My family, in particular, my father, Max Ramides, was very involved years ago in organizing the community to clean up the contamination left by industry and bring back families and businesses, small businesses.

We are glad to see the sawmill area has success is being successful, but we are paying the price with traffic and safe streets.

This proposed hotel is gonna add a lot more traffic to the area where pedestrians cross the streets between museums, not to mention right next to homes and community, unlike other hotels nearby.

That being said, that being said, the IRB for proposed hotel listed listed this listed on this bill.

IRBs are supposed to be used for exceptional situations, not just any development.

There is nothing exceptional about this hotel.

It's another franchise hotel like Holiday and Express and town suites, both of which are very close by across the street from the Pueblo Cultural Center.

Please deny the request on the IRB.

Thank you for your consideration.

Good evening, Madam President and City Councils, Counselors.

My name is Juanita Ramirez.

I sit on the board of the Sawmill Community Lawn Trust.

I raised my family in the Sawmill neighborhood.

I also own a home not far not far from this hotel that wants an industrial revenue bond.

I agree with the speakers in opposing this bill.

This hotel is more appropriate on a major corridor with significant parking, like other franchise hotels of its kind.

Because of its size, it needs to be in an area that does not directly compete with patrestrian traffic.

We should not be giving giving tax breaks to development that does not benefit the community and will only cause future safety issues.

Please deny this request.

Thank you.

Madam President and Counselors, and thank you for giving us his voice tonight.

My name is Viola Martinez, and I serve as president of the Sawmill Community Land Trust Board.

The Land Trust has long been a responsible steward of the land it controls and a strong advocate to the homeowners, residents, and businesses it represents.

It's important to our residents that we continue to build on the strong foundation created over the years that includes the development of high quality housing, amenities, safe streets, and so on, while preserving the character and history of this unique area.

We are also a developer, and we understand the challenges affecting development, in particular the high cost labor and materials.

And that has been an enormous benefit to our residents as well as the community of Albuquerque.

Also, which has been mentioned previously, there is no tangible benefit to having this impactful of business off of a residential wide street with limited access in our community.

We don't see the benefit.

Our residents do not see the benefits.

It is extremely congested in that area, and I want you to reconsider.

Please deny this request.

It is an inappropriate use of an industrial revenue bond.

Please do not set a precedence.

Thank you for your time.

Thank you.

And we have just a minute for the public comment.

I'm I'm allowing you all to go over just because you are directly impacted by this, so um, just so that you know, and Council Bassan.

Madam President, I was going to ask for a point of order, and out of the sake of our decorum that we do limit the public comment to one minute or expand it to two for everyone.

Thank you, Councillor Bassant.

I think it's at the discretion we've been allowing that if the counselor asks for the person to finish the comment, then we usually allow for that.

So and I have been, you know, so sorry.

Um go ahead and proceed.

Yeah.

Um, I'm David Stryker.

I um thank you, madam president, members of the council, members of the public.

I'm the acting president of the Saw Mill Area Association, and I'm speaking against this motion.

Uh there's been very slick uh presentations beforehand, and since I'm limiting it, basically, we were not involved in any way with decisions regarding this.

We had no input into any kinds of zoning decisions.

I understand that signs were put up, they were well hidden because I never saw them, and I walk that neighborhood daily.

Um, and I would just say that if this is a five-story building, it's gonna be in the backyards of all the folks who are on 15th Street on the west side, and it will really destroy their houses.

And I would urge that you do not pass this bill.

One last thing in terms of jobs.

There was a uh office building there which had multiple jobs, probably as many as the hotel would provide.

Why can't you use that for the jobs?

Linnae Unterman followed by Adrian Perez.

Good evening, Madam President and Council members.

Thank you so much for all of your hard work and service to this community.

When a corporate development asked for 40 million dollars of our city's tax dollars to build a cookie cutter hotel in our most historic district, Albuquerque has the right and the responsibility to set the terms, other cities do it.

Local leadership in Sedona successfully mandated that even global corporations, after their iconic branding to preserve the high desert aesthetic, they prove that local culture is non-negotiable.

Albuquerque needs to show that same backbone for the sawmill and old town districts.

We cannot settle for mass produced corporate southwestern style decor.

Make Albuquerque Bridge history Spanish and Pueblo.

We demand that any approved public funding for our project be explicitly tied to strict local design covenants, true agriculture, architectural integration, direct structural nodes to our Spanish colonial roots, bridging the seamlessly into the historic old town landscape, authentic indigenous, visibly forcing corporate chains to remove past superficial gestures by commissioning permanent architectural features designed directly by local Pueblo and Indigenous artists.

So my suggestion is say 25% of that, they can then compromise and to fund the architecture, the culture of the old town to keep it true, to keep it authentic, to respect.

Thank you, ma'am, for your comments.

Thank you so much.

Adrian Perez, followed by Pamela Martaset on Zoom.

Madam President, Counselors, Adrian Pettis and the president, chief operating officer for heritage companies.

See if I can take 30 years and put it into one minute.

I'm gonna be respectful of your time.

So over the last 30 years, our company has worked extremely hard to try to protect the Some Mill district.

Uh it has been my work and my life's work to protect something that I think is very special in Albuquerque.

Multiple times we've had the opportunity to bring national brands in the district.

Happy to share with the council.

We own Hilton's, we own brands.

The reason our company exists today is because brands forced us to not be Native American, to not be Hispanic, to not be respectful of our culture, which is why we changed our renovation at Hotel Albuquerque when Sheraton told us we couldn't do that.

I'm happy to share those communications with you today.

We're currently in a fight with Hilton right now in Las Cruces over the same thing.

It is critical that we protect the district.

The district is something very, very special to Albuquerque community, and I hope we do what future generations will be proud of us for, and that's protect the district and do what's right for Albuquerque and make sure we celebrate our culture, not a national brand.

Thank you for letting me speak today.

Thank you.

Pamela Martasa.

Hi, good evening, Madam President and Counselors.

My name is Pamela Martocci, and I live on the Sawmill Community Land Trust.

One of the reasons I bought my house on the trust, aside from the affordability, was that it is a true neighborhood with neighborhood-sized parks.

It's a walkable community, so we are able to walk our bike to the sawmill market, the museums and other parks.

I am shocked actually that the planners who approve this project did not see the conflicts this project would have with pedestrians that are walking to the museums on 18th Street.

We have the um Albuquerque Museum of Natural History as well as the Explora, and this project is off of 18th Street, just behind the Explorer.

It is not a major corridor at all.

And the only way in and out of this hotel would be through 18th Street and Rio Grande, which probably everybody knows is really really congested.

I plead with you, please, to deny this IRB.

This project does not bring any benefit.

Did you find it?

Thank you.

Madam President, that concludes comment.

Thank you.

Madam President, can we also hear from the developer on this one?

It doesn't have to be right away.

Absolutely.

I'll keep it really brief, abbreviated.

I heard a few things here about the 40 million dollar bond size, the traffic, franchise, mid-scale.

What I want I want to uh address that.

So we are taking an existing office building that we will di demolish and build a hotel there.

I do think that it it improves the traffic situation because an office building is busy Monday through Friday during peak hours.

And hotel use is usually evening and weekends.

So I do think the traffic issue is going to be reduced, not increased.

As far as somebody met, you know, this is a 40 million dollar bond, that's how it's published, but we don't get any benefit.

No city's not writing us a check.

It's basically a tax abatement after we build what we say we're gonna build.

As far as franchise is concerned, our people love franchising because our people get trained and certified as Hilton, and that makes them more marketable, and they move around and they build their resume.

Franchising also brings safety, life, life security for guests that state.

They have standards, part of being Hilton family, and we don't have to spend millions of dollars, you know, advertising with Google.

Well, and Hilton does that job for us through franchising.

And another point about franchising is it's not a corporate hotel.

I own the hotel, I guarantee the loans, I build it.

Um it has nothing to do with corporation or Hilton owning this thing.

Um what you know, we spoke to a lot of local businesses in the area, and what they like especially about what we're doing is that we're intentionally designing a hotel that has no bars and no restaurants, and that will get people coming into the district and spending money in the restaurants and bars that are around the sawmill area.

And so business owners are very supportive, except one business owner.

Um it's not going to be urban box, it's not going to be a typical hotel that you're gonna see on a side of a highway.

We are looking at the the fabric of the neighborhood, the colors, the design cues, we're pulling that out of the sawmill area.

So this will be a very much southwestern industrial type of a look of a hotel.

I stand for any questions.

Councillor Balka.

Thank you, Madam President.

Um, so just for the record, I we did get several uh letters from local businesses.

Um I just wanted to into the record uh Indian country, Titan, Ponderosa Brewery, Co-Creations Candle, Enchanted Candle, ABQ Trolley, and Darlene Gomez Law, those are in support.

We also got one withdrawing support that's puzzled, puzzled business.

So I just wanted that to be on the record.

Um quick question, and maybe this starts with uh Director Gruner or or uh director um Bruner.

Um what type of community?

This is an MRA project.

Does this fall under MRA or Lita?

Uh Madam President, uh counselor.

Uh, this isn't an MRA district.

However, this is an economic development IRB.

Okay, okay, thank you.

Thank you.

So then my my question was gonna be about community benefits.

Do I assume then that like the previous hotel there was no community benefits agreement?

Uh at this point in uh the negotiations of whether this project is viable, there is no community benefits agreement.

This is really just a uh exercise to understand whether the uh capital stack is such that this particular developer can pursue this particular project.

Okay, is that something you'd be interested in working on with the community?

Uh Dupesh?

I'm sorry, can you repeat that question?

Would you be open to working with community in terms of community benefits or design and look and uh uh yes, sir?

I mean, we talked to uh counselor tell us and we said we would uh look at you know bringing people together and talk about what community benefits we could do, especially like the the exterior design and things like that.

We're open to that.

So that so you yeah, I'm asking if you'd meet with uh the land trust folks who it doesn't sound like you met with them at all.

I have not met with the land trust folks, no, sir.

Okay, I I did I do feel it is you know, it's old town.

It's kind of like Santa Fe where that everything looks a certain way for a reason, and I I feel it pretty strongly about that as far as hotels and everything.

Um what else did I have?

Yeah, I think it should fit the area.

Uh, traffic's a very real concern down there.

Although we have started um some traffic uh changes down there in terms of opening up some roads for residents.

I I don't think that's enough.

There needs to be more done on that.

And this isn't for you, sir.

This is just kind of getting that word out.

Um, okay, that's good for it.

That's it.

Okay, thank you so much.

Okay, yeah, I have her down.

Vice President Champagne.

All right, I think I'm ready.

Uh and I guess this is for Director Bruner.

Uh what's the results of the traffic studies?

Or what were the results of the traffic studies?

Yeah, properly.

Uh Madam President, uh, counselor, a traffic study was not required because there's an accessant building that has uh I'm doing this for memory, 140 uh parking spots.

This hotel uh at peak usage would be using a fewer parking spots, so uh there is no traffic uh study required.

Okay.

When's the last time that building was in use?

It was last use, December 2025.

And how many businesses were in that building?

There was just one tenant, sir.

With how many employees do we know?

I I don't know, but it had 140 office spaces, it was a state uh agency.

I'd be curious to see if we're talking that it only has, I mean, you're talking about parking spots that are being used and it didn't require a traffic study, but yet if that office only had seven people in it, this is going to be a huge influx of vehicles on one street.

I mean, it's Rio Grande or Mountain that's gonna get to it.

So I'm I'm kind of curious on why we didn't make the effort knowing that this was going to be an influx of vehicles.

Common sense would say that.

Uh Councilor Champaign, I would like to have uh Angela uh come to the podium.

She's modular architect and she's our land planner.

Would that be okay?

Yes, thank you.

Thank you, Madam President.

That's work.

Yes.

Good evening, uh, madam chair, president, counselor.

Um, I I am the CEO and managing partner of modulus architects and land use planning.

We are handling the approvals for this project that have not been submitted for site plan approval, however, we did submit the ITE trip generation scoping requirement to the city of Albuquerque.

The City of Albuquerque's traffic engineering division determined that this project would not uh create enough traffic to warrant a traffic study that's based off the ITE, and we have that sign scoping form from the City of Albuquerque Engineering Division.

Okay, thank you.

Um, Madam President, and I guess director.

Um it kind of goes into my second question.

What were the discussions with the neighborhoods and how did that go?

And the reason why I asked this is because you well, I'll I'll have you answer that first.

Thank you, Council Champaign.

Um, so right now we are in the process of developing the site plan and the architecture that um Depeche alluded to that has not been formalized yet.

We have not made an application to the city DFT yet for formal site plan approval that is ongoing.

Right now we're waiting for an availability statement once that is issued, then we will make the notices to the neighborhood associations as required, but we're not that far along yet in our process for approval with the city of Albuquerque on the site plan and the architecture.

Okay, but that will be coming shortly.

Okay, and the reason why I asked that is because I mean, if if you were looking to put the other location was a little different, Madam President.

It was it was in an industrial office of Jefferson.

There's a car dealership to the east of it, uh there's commercial on both sides of it.

This is going to be backed up to a neighborhood, and the entrance of into another apartment complex just south or north of it if I recall correctly.

I would think you would go above and beyond in that sense and saying I know this is going to influx people, that you would take in that consideration that doesn't require a traffic study, but being that we're going to be into a neighborhood, we would go and say we will do one anyway to see what it is.

Um, I would hope that that's your approach to it.

Um, but again, and I don't know the process apparently of we asked for tax abatement, we asked for this before we even start doing plans or discussing anything.

Because I guess if this doesn't go through, you don't go with this project.

Is that correct?

That would be correct.

Okay.

Okay.

Um, Director, this would be more for you, Madam President.

Director, um one of the things mentioned in here was the amount of people coming in, and what I've talked to about in the last few minutes of the amount of vehicles, the amount of cars, the the traffic.

How does this change?

How does this differ from uh the addition of that rail trail?

Uh, the neighborhoods in the comments talked about the they don't want a lot of traffic coming in, they don't want a lot of uh people and such, it's gonna be a large influx.

Isn't the rail trail gonna bring an influx of people as well?

Uh Madam President, uh, uh counselors, uh yes, uh, any development of any uh contained area is going to increase the desirability, the traffic, uh whether pedestrian bike or otherwise um the uh you know the uh three proposed additional developments by uh heritage hotels, uh this development, the rail trail in the aggregate, all of that is going to increase uh uh traffic in in the sawmill district.

There's no doubt about that.

Okay.

Uh and madam president.

I'm just kind of curious.

The two different locations-the the the buildings are similar.

Why is there a difference in the cost of the bond?

Uh one's at 25 and the other one's at 40.

Um the uh the bonds are calibrated against the actual costs of the construction.

So uh the construction cost of and the value, the the property value of one is significantly higher than the other.

Okay.

Okay.

And that leads me to my last question, Madam President.

The tax abatement agreement is is that we are we the way I understand tax abatement is that it sets the taxes, the property taxes, and freezes it at a set rate before the construction.

Uh and then the construction happens, and then those the future taxes, so before it's uh reevaluated to the new value, those are frozen for X amount of years.

Uh that is correct.

The um the way an IRB works is there's two ways to think about it.

There's a correct way to think about it and there's a useful way to think about it.

Uh the correct way to think about it is uh it's a hundred percent abatement of property taxes, and then there's a negotiated pilot payment, payment and lure of taxes.

In this case, and this is I think the useful way of thinking about it, it it's going to feel like a 70% abatement of property taxes and a 30% pilot payment back to the city to keep our special districts uh whole.

And in the city of Albuquerque and IRB is for 20 years.

Okay, and Madam President, I apologize.

Uh with that being said, and we've seen this happen, the tax abatement happened before.

Um before like Lomus in Third or in San Mateo and Central, and deals with not pencil correctly because you're having to take an existing structure.

Um, and renovate it uh and and take third and loomus.

I mean, that was an office complex.

It's got one bathroom per floor, and now you're wanting to put in eight bathrooms.

So why do these locations, one that doesn't have a building, um, and I guess I'm lumping the two in because the two are the same, uh they're two different locations of the same developers, but one doesn't is brand new construction needs an abatement, and the other one I guess is using the existing office structure to redo, and that's more money than the other one that's brand new construction.

So I'm kind of why the abatement?

Uh so the um the project in the sawmill uh that existent building is gonna be erased to the ground and a new building is gonna be constructed on the same site, uh similar footprint.

Uh the um state and the city enabling statute uh for IOBs have a but for clause in them.

So, but for this incentive tool, uh the developer will not um make this investment into the community, and that is true for both of those projects.

I uh I'm not sure whether I answered your question.

No, no, that makes sense.

You know, it's as clear as mud.

I appreciate it.

Thank you, Madam President.

Thank you, Vice President.

Um now we have Councilor Teas.

Thank you, Madam.

Thank you, everyone.

I think had a couple of questions.

Um, um yeah, our one purple uh director, EDD director here.

Um the um old old town sawmill error, yeah, have uh overlay requirement, Mr.

Brunner?

Uh that is correct.

Uh I I mentioned in my introduction for the sawmill project that um the uh for lack of a better term, the sawmill hotel falls squarely within the, and I apologize if I butcher the name, the historic uh preservation overlay uh district for the sawmill.

Uh so there are uh protections that ensure that any new development in that area uh adheres to um uh uh predetermined uh architectural standards that are commensurate with the with the district.

Thank you, Mr.

Brigard.

Um, and I understand that they go back to I believe like 1950 is the sort of design requirement style in the area.

Is that sound right?

Uh Madam President, uh Council, I cannot speak to uh the history of those requirements.

I'm ignorant of that.

Me too.

That's why we're here.

Um, thank you, uh Mr.

Gruner, Madam President.

Uh, with regard to the traffic traffic issues going on here, I am kind of curious about the parking supply, trail connectivity.

I believe that um the idea really is to uh increase what traffic, right?

And um that seems to be what this is gonna this project will lead to.

Is that something that's part of the plan really uh with more people walking in the area, car traffic might increase, but overall with this project and the rail trail, it could keep it lower than a big car oriented hotel would.

Um Madam President, Counselor, if I heard your question uh correctly, you are asking whether in the aggregate, given all the development, including the rail trail, the theory would be we would increase uh foot traffic and by extension decrease uh vehicular uh traffic.

Did I hear that correctly?

Yes.

Um, Madam President, counselors, I I mean it's always hard to speculate what the future will hold.

I will say that the um underlying theory of action of both of those hotels is to um have clients uh engage in the community for their for their food, for their drink, for their shopping, hence uh no amenities within the hotel proper.

Uh I will also say I think there's a real difference between the Journal Center Hotel and the Sawmill Hotel, in that the Journal Center Hotel really is a business hotel, and you would assume that most people would have cars because they're gonna spend their one, two, three days on the ground going to meetings.

Um the uh sawmill hotel, the theory is that this is really a mid-level hotel for families, and I think uh, you know, some will rent cars, uh others will Uber to the hotel and then walk in this very desirable uh neighborhood, which is both the sawmill and old town.

But I would I would be um not confident to go on the record as to what the net uh uh traffic result is gonna be five years from now, ten years from now.

I I just don't know.

Okay, well, do you think, Mr.

Gruner, do you think uh the or can you explain maybe how this hotel project is really expected to complement the rail trail and support increased pedestrian activity in the area, including those connections to nearby businesses and destinations?

Uh Madam President, uh counselor, I I would concur that the hope would be that this particular hotel and the rail trail would do exactly what you just said, which is increase foot traffic and uh um the uh small and local business ecosystem, yes.

Wonderful.

So Mr.

Drew, do you think that this type of project then would really um increase sort of the economic activity, walkability and that neighborhood connectivity as a positive outcome for the old town and the sawmill area?

Madam President, counselor, yes.

Thank you.

Is that it, Councillor Tiss?

Yes, Madam President.

Sorry, thank you.

Thank you, Councilor Rogers.

Thank you, Madam President.

I just was wondering if the sponsor would be interested in deferring a little bit on this.

I think um I think I heard that we would want to work together to come up with a plan with the neighborhood since we haven't talked to most of the neighborhood in the area.

Um I think, you know, I think obviously we can have different opinions on traffic.

I think we can also say we could say we want a traffic study as a part of this to make sure that we take the considerations into account.

All of those things, there's something we could do, so that we can get to, because I'm all I think I I think just looking at the landscape of Sawmill, right?

If I wanted to get a hotel, there's not a lot of mid-options for folks that like let's let's figure out.

Let's have both conversations.

There's not a lot of options for folks to not pay high-end hotel prices at place at places that we already have.

That's just the truth, right?

And so I think it would be good to have a more affordable option in this neighborhood for families who are visiting to stay.

Because I, for one, cannot, you know, hang out at Chaco in those places.

Just don't make that kind of money.

And that's okay.

We need those.

We need that, and we also need the mid-level.

But I think what I'm hearing is that we want to make sure that we're gonna do the same things that our current operators are doing, working with the community, making sure that a franchise doesn't dictate what things look like in neighborhoods.

And so I think my question is for the developer around what are those restrictions for the franchise to make how much freedom do they have to make those kinds of concessions for the neighborhood?

Or is it and I worked in hotels with Holiday Inn and Hilton, they're not usually not very um, they won't give a lot of wiggle room.

So I just wanted to ask the developer for this particular brand.

Is there wiggle room on the design, as you said before?

Just talk to me a little about the franchise specifically.

Do they allow you to make some of those changes, design changes here that the neighborhood might want?

I'd like you to pull up that picture if that's possible.

Thank you.

I some submitted a rendering of the hotel.

It's very early, but this is kind of the early rendition of what it might look like.

Um we do have flexibility within the design.

And um it is a mid-scale hotel.

It will be affordable.

Uh it's not going to be the luxury upscale that's currently out there.

Um, and so yeah, there is playroom in the flexibility of the design, and that's why we have Angela here.

We're going through the the formal DFT process with the city to make sure our site plans line up, uh, our building designs line up, and we will meet with the the neighborhoods to talk about what this would look like.

Thank you, madam president.

Thank you.

And I think my family sadly had to be in a hotel for three months because of an insurance issue with the water heater explosion.

And we stayed at one in uptown that looked a lot like that.

Um, and it was a great option for us.

But I think I'd ask the sponsor if he's willing to defer a little bit to work with our neighborhoods, figure out a plan with the DMD on the traffic situation, because that is I just did a panel about pedestrian deaths.

So for me, that's it's a that's a non-starter that we don't have a plan for traffic.

Um, and I think we can get there and figure that out if we had a little bit more time.

Thank you, Madam President.

Counselor, is there any other questions?

Counselor Buck.

Um Council People.

Sorry, Councilor Buck, Councilor Triple Corp.

I didn't see your list, so thank you.

Um, just real quick, I wanted to have I had a question for director um of the MRA Bruner, but I no longer see him, so I'm gonna ask the question and perhaps Dr.

Single or um Mr.

Gruner uh could answer it.

I was reading last week in the paper um about the new Albuquerque Metropolitan Redevelopment Area Agency's community benefits matrix, um, which sounds awesome, by the way.

Um, but I was looking in the documentation that we got about this project and all the projects, and I didn't see any of those community benefits matrix.

This one is in an MR area, and so I'm just curious if somebody can explain uh where that matrix is and if we can get a copy of it, uh madam president, counselors, uh this is in an MRA um area.

It is also in a uh historically um underutilized, economically underutilized area.

It's a it's in a lot of areas.

The IRB mechanism that economic development uses is really just to establish whether the uh capital uh deck allows the developer to proceed with this particular project.

Uh the developer still has to go through all of the permitting phases of four projects.

So this is really just uh I use the term exercise.

That's an exercise to understand whether there will be uh through approval from the uh from the uh city council, whether there will be a tax abatement that allows this this project to pencil.

Um, as with any IOB, if the answer to that is yes, and the project will actually proceed, then um all of the things you're asking for, the the community meetings, uh potential community benefits agreements, etc., uh, can be and will be pursued if that is something the community wants, which communities don't always want because a lot most projects I bring to you are in industrial areas with no adjoining uh uh residential uh neighborhoods.

So that would be the case here also.

But no, there's no, I want to be very clear there's no community benefits agreement at this point because it is not clear that this project will proceed.

Thank you, um, Madam President.

So I again I am just reading the paper like everyone else, and there was an op-ed from um oh from director Bruner from the Metropolitan Redevelopment Agency that says that projects receiving public support should provide real community value, and that's why we, the city, created the new community benefits matrix.

So this is not a community benefits agreement, it is a community benefits matrix.

Um this was just last week in the paper.

I read it.

I think it's great.

I'm very excited about it.

So I'm asking when this community benefits matrix will be completed for these projects that are in MR zone MR areas, and how I get a copy of it.

Great, madam chair, counselor.

So we've had the community benefits agreement in place for about three years now at MRA.

It's used for MRA supported projects, particularly the tax abatement.

That's how we have incorporated the community benefits agreement for our redevelopment tax abatement program, which is different from an industrial revenue bond.

They're two different financing techniques with different requirements.

We have had many discussions in the last two or three months with the economic development department about incorporating our matrix that we use into their work as well, and I think that's uh forthcoming.

We really want to see that happen.

Um I think uh we've got ours incorporated into 18 projects around the city right now that are specific metropolitan redevelopment area projects sponsored by our agency, but uh you know we have applied that to our programs, hasn't yet been adopted by Economic Development Department yet.

Um, so that's kind of how we're proceeding with it.

Thank you for that clarification.

Um, and I guess Madam Chair, if I can just say to the administration, um, you know, this sounds like a great tool.

I think we've heard from the community a lot tonight that uh they want some sort of community benefits agreement matrix, whatever we want to call it, um, but I do think that it would be helpful in the future, particularly when you're bringing forward a project that comes, you know, to us that is in the middle of a metropolitan redevelopment area that is really kind of you know what I think of as serious infill.

Um, that we had had some conversation around some of these things before it comes to us so that we could have these answers before we vote on approving an IRB.

Again, a lot of the things that the economic development department brings us are like Mr.

Gruner was saying, are not in fill in a very heavily dense um part of the city.

But when they are, I I think it would be really helpful if that community benefits matrix or a community benefits agreement or uh report on meetings that have happened with the community, whatever that looks like was actually done before it comes here, it would just make our job of reviewing the project a lot easier.

Thank you.

Madam President, Council Corn, we've had this similar conversation discussion about the value of the matrix and guiding our work going forward as a city broader than MRA, but want to evaluate where it makes sense and when it is a similar tool or sorry, that exact tool or a similar tool that would make more sense in terms of the type of incentive or capital project we're using it on.

So we we commit to doing similar work.

That's it.

Okay.

Thank you.

I just have a couple of questions and I have an amendment.

So I just wanted to say that you know this kind of conjures up a lot of thoughts about what we've done in the IDO, how we've kind of limited neighborhood association participation through a traffic through not having to do a traffic study.

It used to be like an automatic when um certain um thresholds were met and now it's not.

And then when we talk about a community matrix uh benefits matrix, it's not the same as a community benefits um agreement, which really involves um getting involved with the neighborhoods and you know coming up with some some real um things that the community wants um signed in.

So I I think I'll just I'll I'll leave that at that.

Um, but it did just kind of bring a lot of um thoughts to my head.

But I actually have an amendment, and the amendment is, and I should have done this on the last one, so I'm not sure if the maker of the last one would consider a reconsideration after um this amendment, but um this is floor amendment number one, and they're gonna I think put it up in the screen.

They just drafted it for me.

And this is as soon as I see it on the screen, I don't want to jump ahead of everyone, and this is an amendment that that I had did when we did the last IRB.

Um so this is on page six.

Um, this is the wrong one.

That's okay.

You guys just did this now, so I can go ahead and start reading it.

Well, no, I better not.

Thanks for your patience, everyone.

They just drafted this and are emailing it back and forth to each other, so thank you so much.

Okay, I think we have it.

There you go.

So this is floor amendment number one, um, to 02638.

And this is on page six after line three.

Insert a new section five as follows and renumber the remaining sections accordingly.

Section five prevailing wages of the approval of these industrial revenue bonds is contingent on the developer paying prevailing wages as defined in HB6 passed in 2025 legislative session.

This amendment adds a new section which requires the IRB to be contingent on the developer paying the prevailing wage, and this is the same amendment that was um put forth um when we did the last IRB in this area.

So um I would uh move approval.

Okay.

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

Any discussion?

Um, Councillor Feblecorn.

Thank you, Madam President.

Um, so I'm I I obviously love this, but we did pass HB6 in the 2025 regular session at the state that does this.

And so I'm just asking if if we have to put it in ours as well.

Or aren't all IRB recipients required to follow the state law.

Um we actually did, but since we did put it in the last one, I thought it was important um to add the language to this one.

So um Counselor Lewis.

Thank you, Madam President.

Yeah, the other I I seem to recall that the other reason why that was put in the last one was because there was a gap.

I think there was a month or two gap at the time, and then uh that would have been I think it was July first, and so uh then we went under that.

So it's I mean it seems I mean I I I understand the intent, it just seems a little un it seems unnecessary functionally.

Um thank you, Counselor Lewis.

Um so if there's any other additional questions, no, um I think I explained why just because it was in the other one, and I think it's important to have the same language if we're doing two different IRBs in the in the same area.

So um I urge your support, Madam Clerk, Councilor Baca, yes, Councilor Bassan, yes, Vice President Champagne?

Yes, Councilor Peoplecorn, no.

Councilor Grout, yes, Councilor Lewis, no.

Counselor Rogers, yes, Councilor Teez.

No.

President Pena?

Yes, passes on a six-three vote.

Thank you so much.

So um with that, Councilor Bacca to close.

Thank you, Madam President.

Um a few things here.

You know, I was thinking about, you know, you just brought up the point of treating this IRB like the previous IRB within the sawmill district.

I think that's that's a fair assessment, right?

We just approved or last I don't know, last summer we approved a hotel, uh, more than just one hotel, uh, several hotels, uh, as part of that.

Uh to treat this one differently seems, you know, doesn't sit well with me, I guess for lack of a better word.

Um also, you know, Councilor Rogers brought up affordability.

You know, sawmill land trust, what one of the things that makes it so great is affordability, like people can still move there and buy a house even if you're you're not wealthy, and and with and throughout Old Town and West Old Town now, gentrification is uh is a real thing.

So um having an affordable hotel in the affordable neighborhood um just seems like the right thing to do.

Um that said, it's Solomon Land Trust, like it is, you know, this is a group that that has worked hard to create that area, um and and they should and and they deserve to have not only deserve like it, I think it absolutely must have some say in what what gets done in the neighborhood.

Um not to say that they have carte blanche or anything like that because I don't think that's right.

Um traffic, I got plenty of thoughts on that.

But um I would, you know, I I think it is important that land trust folks get to have time to sit down with the developer on this one.

Um just to go through some of that, right?

We saw a drawing that I thought was great, or but that's just me, I don't really think about stuff like that.

I got scientists brain, um we're looking at numbers and so forth.

I have no aesthetic ability.

Um so with that I would I would I would like to move deferral till our next meeting in August, our first one.

Um I do support this project.

I'm not not you know, I think it's an affordable hotel within an area that's becoming increasingly expensive for for families to visit, is an important thing, but I also believe the land trust needs to have some say so I would move deferral.

There's a motion and second by counselor feeblecorn for a deferral.

Any questions?

Um, Madam Clerk.

Counselor Bacca?

Yes, Councilor Bassan, no, Vice President Champagne, yes, Councilor Feblecorn, yes.

Counselor Grout?

No.

Counselor Lewis, no.

Councilor Rogers, yes.

Counselor Teas.

Yes, yeah.

President Pena?

No.

Passes on a 5-4 vote.

So with that, we are deferring this to the August 3rd meeting.

So thank you so much, everyone.

So now we are on to Councilor Teas by request R35.

Thank you.

Matt President.

Yes, this is.

So this is approving the application and of whole C home in Mexico for formation of the Saviour Ridge Public Improvement District pursuant to the public improvement district as amended and city ordinance enactment.

Yes.

So three four.

There's a motion in the second by Councilor Lewis for O R 35.

Councilor Teus to open, but we're having a hard time hearing you.

I don't know if it's the connection.

Is that a little bit better?

Yes.

Okay, great.

Yes.

Can I um I also want to move the floor substitute, which is found in your iPads.

Madam President, move the floor sub.

So those um, I'll say the motion is by Counselor Tayus, and the second is by Counselor Lewis for a floor sub.

So are there any um questions on the floor sub?

Counselor Tayas, you want to open on the floor sub?

I'm so sorry.

I have one question.

That's okay.

Thank you, madam president.

Um, you know, I just want to support, I just want to start by saying I really support the the resolution.

Albuquerque obviously needs more housing, that's very important here.

Um, and at the same time, you know, uh, we just need to say we can't continue to say that we support affordability while opposing nearly every opportunity to increase our housing supply, right?

Because we need it, uh, but at the same time, we need to be able to ask really thoughtful questions about long-term public impacts through these processes, and throughout my review of this um resolution, I have raised a lot of questions.

Um, and I want to thank um, you know, uh attorney um Mirrorhead for helping me and answering a lot of those questions, um, regarding you know, life cycle, fiscal impacts, uh, long-term sustainability considerations, a lot of the PID framework, and how it works today.

And so the city's PID ordinance was adopted obviously more than 20 years ago.

Okay, so we've seen a lot of significant changes related to housing affordability, um infrastructure costs, and I think it's just appropriate to be asking these type of questions, but I realize right now at this point that the applicant has come before us under the rules that currently exist today and based on the information that's been presented, um, the proposal by Pulse appears to be consistent with existing ordinance, and so um I do while I do have concerns about modernizing our policies here as a reason, is not a reason to deny housing that is otherwise compliant with our current framework, and so I believe we should be supporting um this project while also committing ourselves, especially considering all the conversation we've been having so far this evening, um, that we need to update a lot of our our ordinances under frameworks.

Um, and so we have to have these future conversations about how we can strengthen transparency and protections and sustainability and community benefits within our PID policies moving forward within our MRA policies moving forward, um, whatever that might be.

But for all of those reasons, I am supporting this resolution while also encouraging, you know, that continued work to ensure our PID policies reflect our present day needs.

So I urge your support.

Thank you.

So are there any questions on the floor substitute?

I have one question.

Oh, Counselor Grout.

Councilor, uh thank you, madam president.

Um, I was just reading through the back page, and so if you will just, is it normal to put people's names in here in these resolutions?

Because we have actual names of people that are going to be serving on these terms, and some of these are for six-year terms.

Are these folks going to be around for six years?

But is it is it usual?

Is it normal to put in somebody's name?

Madam President, Counselor Brown.

Yes, the statute requires that you identify who's supposed to be on the board.

There is a rare exception that I've looked back and they've said they'll be designated in a post-resolution.

So the council is required to nominate or approve, appoint the initial five members of the board.

You routinely now see since these have been around for 20 years, resolutions come through generally on your consent agenda where you're approving new members to these various PIT boards.

Right.

Uh, which is the obligation of the council, but in terms of the initial approval, it does require names, and that actually is the floor substitute.

If that was going to be your question, Councilor February, that when it was introduced, those names were blank, and then in discussions with the developer with the various city council and planning who they wanted to be on that board, that's where these specific names go.

Thank you for that explanation.

Thank you.

Okay.

Any additional questions on the floor sub?

No.

Okay.

Um counselor Teas to close on the floor sub Counselor Lewis to close on the floor, subscribe.

I urge your support.

Madam Clerk.

Councilor Backa.

Yes.

Councilor Passon?

Yes.

Vice President Champagne.

Yes.

Counselor People Corn?

Yes.

Counselor Grout.

Yes.

Counselor Lewis?

Yes.

Counselor Rogers.

Yes.

Councillor Teas?

Yes.

President Penya.

Yes.

Passes unanimously.

So we're back on the bill as substituted.

So are there any um anyone signed up to speak?

Okay, Mr.

Cornelius.

Thank you, Madam President.

We have Lisa Christofferson to speak.

Hello.

Um hi, hello, counselors.

My name is Lisa Christofferson.

I am here to speak on a question that I have about what would be included or could it be included in this resolution?

2025 Pulti settled multiple federal lawsuits with 20 insurance companies, defective construction.

And I had several friends.

I myself had purchased a Pulti home at one time.

Defective construction is not the word for the roof, for the walls, for the shoddy work that judge, federal judge determined Pulti was at uh responsible for the lies, the shoddy work, the roofing, the walls, and they tried to avoid and avoid.

So I want to know what is in this resolution to protect Albuquerque constituents who might end up with a Pulti home if there is some sort of insurance claims for the shoddy work from the subcontractors.

Because there was nothing in Rio Rancho, and all those people lost their homes.

Thank you, Madam President.

That concludes comment.

Thank you.

So we are back on the bill.

Are there any questions from counselors?

Seeing none, Councilor Te has to close on R 35 as substituted.

Thank you, Madam President.

Yes, again, I just want to say, you know, I I appreciate that we are bringing more housing to Albuquerque, right?

We need to increase our housing supply.

We know that housing scarcity is driving up costs, um, limiting a lot of uh choices for families.

Um, and if possible, I before we close, I do want to um bring forward a quick floor amendment.

Um for this, am I able to do that um very quickly?

Even though we're on the on the close, I apologize.

Um counselor Teas, no, I apologize.

We closed you are on the close right now.

Thank you.

Thank you, Madam President.

We were trying to get it in before the close and we didn't quite we didn't quite make that, but what I will say here is can I ask you to hold on one second just so that I can ask the staff because if it's allowable from some protocol way, so we we did close.

Uh Madam President, it's uh within the discretion of the uh president and the body to allow um us to go back even though we've closed okay.

Go ahead, Councilor Teas.

Go ahead with your amendment.

Great.

Thank you.

So I do want to bring forth um one short amendment.

Um it doesn't, and let me see if everybody has it.

If not, we can bring it.

Um Garrett, are you able to Mr.

Cornelius bring it on to the Madam President?

Councilor Teas, yes, give me one moment, I'll bring it right up.

Thank you.

I appreciate you.

Thank you so much.

Okay, um, while we're bringing that up, I will just say, oh, here we go.

Thank you, Mr.

Cornelius.

I would like to move floor amendment A one to R2635, beginning on page four line 23 to add the following, whereas clauses um you can see, let's see, whereas the city recognizes the public improvement district ordinance was adopted in 2003, and that housing affordability, fiscal sustainability, water stewardship, conservation practices, and broader community priorities have evolved significantly since that time.

And whereas approval of this resolution resolution should not be construed as limiting the authority of the city council to consider future amendments to the city's public improvement district policies to better align with current community needs and policy um objectives.

I am bringing forth this amendment um to emphasize based off of our discussion that we've been having throughout this council meeting about the importance of proper guardrails on these different programs and all of these projects to bring them to pencil, especially considering um all voices that we've had we have heard that we should work as a council to modernize the efforts of the PID ordinance.

Um and that I'm making that very clear within um the these with this amendment.

So I uh move the amendment.

There's a motion in the second by Councilor Feeble Corn for floor amendment um one to R35 as substituted.

Uh Counselor Lewis.

Thank you, Madam President.

I guess I'd ask our staff.

Was this I mean, is this a is this a um amendment that you all helped.

I mean, are you familiar with those amendments?

Uh council President Pena, Counselor Lewis.

Uh yes, we just drafted it.

Okay.

Um and it's uh it just seems to be some, I mean, and whereas it's more of a policy statement.

I mean, is that typical?

I mean, this is a we're just following the statute here.

I mean, there are many of these all over the city, you know, Mesa del Seoul.

There's many in in my district, and and you really have to have a bill that just follows the statute.

Um, you know, this isn't this isn't about the developer, it's not about this is about homeowners, you know, having the ability to manage improvements uh, you know, to their uh to their area.

So it actually really gives you know the homeowners a lot of um you know a lot of say in that, but it's a very this is a very mechanical bill.

So I'm just concerned that if we throw in some policy statements into a bill like this, if it just sets a a precedent that you know we may not want.

Counselor president counselor lewis uh whereas clauses don't have any legally binding effect uh so as to the effect of these were clauses in this uh resolution there's no effect on the operative uh aspect of this resolution so madam president I mean therefore I don't know what it really does other than just like we can throw in whereas is to just about any uh bills and I and I think this would be one where I think it's just entirely inappropriate nothing against the sponsor you know it's just that uh again it's a very mechanical bill it follows a statute it's not meant to you know throw in any kind of you know policy statement it's really about exercising you know um uh the ability of formation of this public improvement district and that's really all it is that said I don't care either way thanks Madam President talked yourself into it counselor Rogers thank you Madam President I'm glad we're we opened it back up because I I'm I think the um I understand what counselor Lewis said about the amendment and I I agree I don't have an opinion one way or the other I do just want to go back to what our public commenter said about the quality of these homes and are there protections we could put in for that um I think that is more valuable than I think some of this stuff and I don't even know I am saying that out loud and everyone's looking at me like don't say that um because thank you madam president thank you counselor rogers I don't think people are saying not to put it in but we did already close so we're just allowing for this one amendment um that counselor teas so I think that was the the shaking of the heads so um seeing no other questions um madam clerk for floor amendment number one to our 35 as substituted counselor backa yes counselor no vice president champagne no counselor feeble corn yes counselor grout no counselor lewis no counselor rogers yes counselor teas yes president penya no bills on a four or five vote okay now we are closing for sure on our 35 as substituted councilor task urge your support madam clerk counselor backup yes counselor basan yes president champagne yes counselor people corn yes counselor grout yes counselor lewis yes counselor rogers yes counselor teas yes president penya yes passes unanimously thank you we are now on appeals and there are none so um next we are on general public comments before I read the public comment rules we I we are going to go till seven o'clock with public comments and then we're gonna take a break at oh it's eight yeah oh my lord oh my lord I need my glasses so we are gonna go to break right now so and then we'll do public comment thank you so much oh my god email welcome back everyone counselor champagne should be with us shortly welcome back everyone so we're now gonna go to general public comment mr cornelius can you call the first speaker thank you madam president, our first speaker is to bring back, followed by Bobby Curtis.

I'm gonna have some visuals, visual aids.

Where do I put things for uh okay I'm gonna do all right.

I'm gonna have some things that I'm gonna put here.

Is that okay?

Cool.

Thank you so much.

Madam president, City Councillors.

I am here tonight to talk about positive things that are happening on Central Avenue.

Thanks.

First, I want to give thanks to Mayor Keller, the Centennial Committee, Counselor Rogers, and her policy analyst, Ciara Kirksey, for the new neighborhood recognition banners for Highland, Silver Hill, and Sycamore neighborhoods.

Thanks also go to the ambassadors and poop patrol for keeping Central looking and smelling better.

Between Sycamore Street and University Boulevard, there are four new businesses, including, let me get that right for you all.

Between Sycamore Street and University Boulevard, there are four new businesses, including an auto repair shop and a Mexican restaurant that serves tortas and frescas.

We have two new murals and a third is in planning.

The Copper Lounge.

May I please continue?

Thank you so much, Rogers.

The Copper Lounge has a new bar with stunning decor.

There are Mother Road inspired specials at the 66th Diner, and Yasmin's Cafe has applied for Festoon Lights.

While passing out these petitions in support of that request, I have come to realize just how vitally important something as simple as festive lighting can be for small businesses.

I am here also to request that this application as well as similar applications for Central Avenue be expedited as part of a centennial celebration and to honor those small businesses and neighborhoods that call Central Avenue home.

Thank you.

And I'd like to show you.

Bobby Curtis, followed by Mike DeVenzio.

Hi, I serve as grassroots as the grassroots engagement director for Americans or Prosperity.

I am here today to respectfully ask you to vote no on placing the proposed gross receipts tax increase on the November ballot.

Before asking taxpayers for more, we should ensure existing tax dollars are being used as efficiently and effectively as possible.

New Mexico already has one of the highest gross receipts tax burdens in the nation, and increasing that burden stands the sends a wrong message to its residents and businesses alike.

This proposal is not just about small tax increases, it is about the cumulative impact on families who are already stretched thin.

I urge you to stand with Albuquerque taxpayers.

Vote no on placing this tax increase on the ballot and focus instead on responsible stewardship of the revenue already being collected.

Thank you for your time and for consideration.

Mike DeVenzio, followed by Dennis Curtis.

Thank you, Madam President, City Council members.

My wife and I are retired senior citizens on fixed income.

Understanding and we understand far too well the negative impact of any increase in expenses and taxes.

According to the U.S.

Census Bureau of Poverty Data, New Mexico is ranked third in the nation on the list of states with the highest poverty rates, and it's at 18.5%.

So in our state, we're an estimated 18.5% of our citizens are living in poverty, and gross receipts tax is frequently passed on to consumers.

Why would you want to add to the burden of our already strut citizens?

With this being an election year, I thought the focus was already on affordability, and an almost one half of one percent increase in the estimated uh taxes or 116 million dollars a year that flies in the face of the objective.

Better look forward to reducing our expenses and burdens.

Please vote the measure down.

Thank you.

Dennis Curtis, followed by Melanie Thomas.

Madam President, counselors.

Ordinance 2642, the hike of GRT.

I'm asking you to again vote no.

It's already been defeated once.

We don't want it on a ballot.

There's a $7 million swimming pool that turned into a $70 million swimming pool management fraud.

I don't know how that happened, but the GRT tax is going to earn about $113,000 annually for 21 years.

That's a lot of money for $38,000 needed for the completion of this pool.

We have a 4.2 national inflation rate right now.

We have a destructive minimum rate wage hike going on, and now a uh repressive tax on top of that.

Please vote no.

Budget, responsibly, lower taxes so that we can make Albuquerque more prosperous.

Thank you.

Melanie Thomas, followed by Noreen.

Gustafson, excuse me.

Madam President and City Councilors, I am here to ask you to vote no on the proposed community enhancement and local investment tax hike.

As you know, a gross receipts tax is regressive.

It hurts the most vulnerable and the least able to pay for these increases.

Like me, a senior citizen on a fixed income, every tax increase hurts.

It hurts the poor, it hurts our doctors, it hurts small businesses and restaurants.

And I was very upset when I learned about this tax hike.

I learned that also that we have that Domingo Baca community center swimming pool.

It was supposed to cost 17 million.

Now it's estimated at 70 million.

And I please urge you to vote no on those the ordinance 02642 and resolution 2643.

Thank you.

Norreen Gustafson, followed by Susan Martin.

Thank you, Madam President, and council members.

I am a widow and I'm also retired.

I'm on a very fixed income, and I absolutely cannot afford any form of tax increase.

Why should the taxpayers be expected to pay for this?

The new plans of this project when the old the original plans were agreed upon and budgeted.

Now with this new changes, they want us, the taxpayers, to use the regressive tax increase by raising gross receipts tax.

Let me think about this for a minute.

I hope you vote no.

Thank you.

Susan Martin, followed by Paul Gessing.

Madam President and member of council, my name is Susan Martin, and I am a grandmother raising grandchildren, and I work hard to keep up with everyday expenses.

I am unable to retire as life is unaffordable and inflation is out of control, and this will add additional financial burden.

Higher taxes affect family budgets, retirement budgets, household budgets throughout our community.

Please consider the impact of multiple generations in Albuquerque and vote no to this gross receipts tax, placing it on the proposal on the ballot.

Thank you.

Paul Gessing, followed by Brick Jonasy.

Good evening, Madam President, members of the council.

My name is Paul Gessling.

I'm president of the Rio Grande Foundation, an organization dedicated to free markets and individual liberty here in Albuquerque.

We oppose this particular plan to increase taxes.

Yes, you can say it's just a vote, but there's a lot of policies I would like to vote on that we never get a chance to vote on here at City Council in Albuquerque on the ballots.

This is a regressive tax, it hits the poor the hardest.

We're having we have still high rates of inflation.

And as we saw earlier in the meeting, we're talking about handing giveaways in the form of industrial revenue bonds to a few favored, well-heeled developers, while the rest of us could be bearing a higher tax burden.

It's unfair, it's not the way we should do business.

We should find another pot of money to make up for the 36 million dollars, not impose 113 million dollar annual new tax on citizens of this city.

Thank you.

Hi, Madam President Counselors.

Um police accountability, free speech, crime.

These are things that are very difficult to balance.

But you know, I want to talk a little bit about the free speech thing because with that, there's a lot of things that uh we don't like that said.

Sometimes it's because we don't understand what's going on.

Sometimes we just don't like what it is.

Uh, sometimes it's good.

Uh there are there's speech that actually isn't protected, uh, like fire in a crowded theater, these things, you know.

Um it's interesting.

You know, we we watched the 250th uh year of this nation going by, and it's uh it's pretty exciting.

Um see a young man from Albuquerque, went in uh a title fight at the UFC, you know, in DC.

That was really awesome.

Um, and I just want to say, because uh he made note of it, even though even though Michelle Obama may be a man, Donald Trump is a dull orange rhubarb.

So uh I hope everybody enjoys the holidays.

Please, please understand we're all Americans, and thank you so much.

Brick Jonas.

Oh, I'm sorry.

Uh let's auto, followed by Sarah Kelly, Madam Counselor, President, Council members, till my dying day, I'll be here at every city council meeting until you folks get your fucking act together.

I told you a year ago that your police officers are not signing their oaths of office as required by the New Mexico's constitution and the U.S.

constitution.

You folks have all signed an oath of office.

What makes the police and the non-elected officials so privileged is to not have to sign an oath of office.

They are supposed to sign an oath of office.

All these people that you want to have oversight over, they're supposed to sign an oath too.

Get your shit together.

Because you know, it's it does end up in lawsuits after a while.

You know what?

You can't say, well, nobody told me about it.

I'm telling you about it now, and I've been telling you about it, and you're gonna hear more about it.

Sarah Kelly, followed by Francesco Artists.

Thank you, so at various tran pardon, at various tourist or sales oriented parts of the rapid ride route, one can stop traffic and cross safely within a minute at the press of a button.

As majority of non-major, non-tierly consumer or less tour less and tourist focused crossings, if one arrives as a signal a second after the light is turned, save pedestrian crossing time will not be indicated.

And the light may be very short, depending upon how many vehicles also wish to cross.

Those pedestrians siding with safety and the social contract, those who, for any count of countless reasons, find themselves circumstantially weaker, who founding documents of this nation enticed with the promise of protection and opportunity of equal rights.

Those weaker individuals not qualifying for the victim de jour are left holding the bag, which may mean nearly half their weight in groceries or portable potable water that may mean missing the last bus or the bus that comes once an hour.

I understand the bricks have already been laid, the outside money making interest, infrastructure may not, pardon.

But I understand the bricks have already been laid.

The outside money-making interests, infrastructure maintenance is not part of the American dream or Albuquerque's constitution.

But the subsistence of lowly pedestrians does also contribute to the pyramid scheme that is government and would pay more.

Thank you, Matt.

We're better tended.

Thank you so much.

Thank you.

Francesco Artist, followed by Lisa Christofferson.

The purpose for discipline of lawmakers is the protection of the public, the profession, the administration of justice.

I have additional information for each city councilor, plus a courtesy package for the chief financial officer of the New Mexico Department of Justice, Chief Administrative Officer of the District Attorney, Chief of Staff of the New Mexico Attorney General, Deputy State Auditor, Certified Fraud Examiner, all beautifully wrapped up, and the current Albuquerque Chief Financial Officer, Madame CFO, attorney Carla Martinez, and top FBI guy in all of New Mexico, now in charge of Albuquerque Law and Order in the form of public safety executive director, Raul Bujana.

Sorry for mispronouncing that.

Receipt be noted, like you guys like to say.

And I look forward to a follow-up as soon as possible.

Lisa Christofferson, followed by Debbie Reynolds.

Hi, my name is Dr.

Lisa Christofferson.

Today I speak as the founder and managing director of New Mexico's stronger together coalition.

I speak to speak to three matters today.

Four murders, shots by cops, increased incarcerations of unhoused, unsheltered folks, and those with mental health issues and the discriminatory practices at city council meetings.

So four murders in two weeks.

APD is still the deadliest police force today, according to the Department of Justice and the FBI websites that I looked at again today.

These cops are not differentiating between any of the criminalization of poverty practices that have been passed by this city council and signed into law or let be law by our Mayor Keller.

So day after the sidewalk ordinance, people got tickets for sitting.

Now we got people who are getting yanked up off the uh off the sidewalks, and we have MDC officers who are getting uh hurt because they were left without resources and training over there at the MDC.

So we need to get some sort of mental health.

Uh, that's what I'm asking.

Could we please, in all of the things that you do, can you include mental health programming in your decisions?

Debbie Reynolds followed by Sue Grinnett.

Madam President and Counselors, thank you.

Thank you for your work.

I'm here again to speak against a tax increase.

You were all sensible enough to vote that down a month or more ago, and I would ask you to do the same again tonight, whether it be by ordinance or by resolution.

It seems unfair that people throughout the city, people in the international district, people on the west side have to fund something for the most elite part of the city.

Why should the West Side or the other people around town have to fund this?

It seems that we ought to be able to get a bond issue or some other means of taking care of this swimming pool.

And the fact of the cost overruns is just abhorrent from 17 to 70 million.

If this were my money, if this were my project, I would have something to say about that.

It is our project.

Does the city have anybody that has a construction background or some sort of information that could help them understand why this is happening?

We need to get it under control.

Please vote no.

Sue Gwynette, followed by Grace Dukes.

Madam President and members of the council, thank you for giving me this time.

I'm encouraging the council to reject putting the ordinance 2642 on the concerning the GRT tax on the ballot in November.

This GRT tax is a regressive tax with a sunset in 21 years.

One of the main objectives of this GRT is to finish the pool at North Domingo Baca.

That pool will be mostly benefiting people living in the Northeast heights.

There has to be a more equitable way to be to raise this money needed to finish this pool without taxing all of Albuquerque for the next 21 years.

Thank you.

Grace Dukes followed by Tiffany Cunningham.

Madam President you made it clear you don't want to hear from us public comment is the most important part of these meetings not the inconvenience you treat it as it is the one moment that people you serve get to look you in the eye and tell you what we think and what do y'all do with that?

You give us one minute you drag people out you play on your phones you sneak things through like nobody's watching well the internet's watching because it's not 1926.

And let's be clear about who gets cut off and who gets keep talking because it's never random.

Someone with money gets unlimited time and the benefit of the doubt as you proved earlier.

But anyone who never funded your rise you sick APD on them like a mob boss they get APD behind them.

They get dragged out for the crime of speaking the decorum rules here are enforced against those who you find inconvenient and are harmed by what you do.

That is suppression of our First Amendment rights in the name of keeping control that you don't have and I'll ask sincerely what deal would did you make with Dan Lewis to get that gavel?

Because how much more suffering how many more dragged out before you find the spine to serve the people who sent you here and end this government by the worst and most unqualified this cacistocracy.

Tiffany Cunningham followed by Keith Murray.

Keith Murray followed by Jonah Beardon.

Good evening Madam President, Council members I just wanted to readdress some things from our last uh conversation that we had here um asking about the way forward with some of the things such as your minimum wage hike that's going to come up in January um there's a little confusion I met with a couple people other business owners and um they're a little concerned about the the um the employees of the city they're making $80,000 or less with a possible 25% increase in their their um their cost of living expenses now that cost of living was interchanged with cost of living living wage and things like that they're all different types of uh mechanisms and we use the same verbiage for the exact same things so I I think you're looking at a 25% increase for your city employees which I commend you for that um they probably deserve it but it's gonna it's gonna impact all of us as as citizens as a small business owner we brought two businesses here to Albuquerque in the last two years we're going on year three now and I think it uh a 20 20 year uh a 21 year commitment for entitlements for having the uh the pool and everything else going, I think it's gonna be a little bit hard to swallow for everybody.

Thank you.

Jonah Beardon, followed by Mitchell Gibbs.

Mitchell Gibbs, followed by Paul Reardon.

Paul Reardon, followed by Ted Nimitzki.

Good evening, Madam President and members of the council.

I want to bring to your attention the impact of a family court system where delay itself becomes a strategy and deciding factor.

My name is Paul Reid and I'm a veteran of flight paramedic, and most importantly, a father of four children who were two, five, six, and nine when they were taken from my home while I was at work.

That was three years ago.

I contacted law enforcement, cited state statutes for felony custodial interference, and every agency told me that it was a civil matter.

So I turned to the courts, and orders were issued to preserve the status quo and protect my children, but they were never enforced.

For years I was separated extrajudiciously from my children while maintaining joint legal and physical custody in the eyes of the law.

Today there are five, eight, nine, and eleven.

The court recognized the initial disruption caused harm, but by the time that the case was heard, the passage of time would become more important than restoring the status quo.

I recognize the difficult work our judges do.

My concern is whether or not the system can act quickly enough with when childhood itself is passing.

What good are laws, court orders and procedures designed to protect children during litigation if they cannot be enforced in a time frame relevant to their childhood.

Three years of delay in a lawsuit is an inconvenience, three years of delay in a child's life is a childhood, and my youngest son's that's over half of his.

Thank you.

Ted Numinsky followed by Althea Atherton.

Okay.

So anyway, you can't commissioner basically business mine, not BS.

Here, city counselor, all about the screwed up people.

More rules of regulation, taxes, um, wages, etc.

etc.

Increases.

Against general public.

Again, mommy, daddy, brother, own small, separate businesses.

Daughter, increasing, wages, minimum of a 50%.

Huh, how you like it?

Now, big corporation, do not care.

Didn't them about people.

PNM, cover a thousand acres.

Weird glass panels.

What do we get?

Higher wages.

They get.

I got the nine-minute.

They get millions dollar of taxes.

That's a multi-billion dollar development.

Okay.

Isn't that Althea Atherton, followed by Mara Beck.

Madam President, congrats on almost making it to summer break.

Well, this fiscal year wraps up.

I have a few ideas I wanted to share to help make these council meetings more accessible and equitable.

One would be the meeting time.

Democracy dies in darkness is about freedom of the press.

But I can't tell you how many bedtimes I've missed to be here.

Always my toddlers, and often my own.

Consider starting earlier, or maybe meeting more frequently so we can um get to bed on time.

Um next would be transit equity.

I can't tell you how many times I've missed the last bus to be here for a decision about the bus.

In addition to parking passes, maybe tying meeting times to arts hours of service, or even providing ride share codes or more flexibly scheduled sunbans for people who need them would help bridge the transit gap.

And also child care.

After many attempts, um, I've figured out that my children are the wrong age to watch a Zoom meeting um on a computer.

Um, and so they hang out with their dads on Monday night, and I'm here.

But many single parents don't have that kind of help.

Um, and it would be helpful if there was a child care provided.

Also, food access, um, considering subsidizing the cafe to be open on council nights, having bio breaks every two hours, and I just wanted to say thank you for adding title to the public comment form, but I would love to also see pronouns too.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Would you mind leaving your suggestions with the staff?

That way we can look them over.

Thank you so much.

Followed by Sharon Eastvold on Zoom.

Sharon Eastfold on Zoom.

Is there a way I can uh screen share?

Unfortunately, there's not.

Okay.

All right.

Well, I sent you all a picture.

Um, Madam President and Counselors.

In speaking with several city staff members, it was clear that none of them had actually been out to the current GSI construction site on summer and La Veta Northeast.

This project began February 2nd of this year and was proposed to end July 15th.

It has already been extended to some time in August.

There will certainly be cost overruns to the combined total of 16 and a half million dollars already spent.

This project does not fit the definition in the ordinance nor the municipal development manual for green stormwater infrastructure.

No less destructive alternative was ever considered.

There is no demarcation between a simple GSI tree planting or small garden harvesting stormwater and this industrial strength version shown in the picture that I sent you earlier today.

Please vote no on ordinance 26.

Thank you very much.

Thank you.

Madam President, we had a couple withdrawals, and Sean Kinney, Nestor Lopez, and Darlene Gomez are not found in Zoom.

So that concludes general public comment.

Thank you.

Thank you so much.

So we are now on approvals.

Councillor Feeblecorn EC 174.

Thank you, Madam President.

EC 174 is an update on the city depart city department efforts related to pollinator protection and conservation.

Can they move a due pass?

Second.

There's a motion and a second by Councillor Basson for a due pass of the EC 174.

Mr.

Cornelius, we have someone signed up to speak.

Thank you, Madam President.

Alan Smith signed up to speak.

Thank you, counselors.

Just wanted to express my support for this.

I think there's a lot of good um things in here, and um just uh appreciate all the momentum around these programs.

Um I think you know strategies like integrated pest management and trying to plant more native plants are all good things and um are just good for the city long term.

So thank you.

Thank you.

Are there any questions?

Oh, I slipped over the I didn't know.

Okay, okay, anyone sayed up to speak.

Council people corn to close.

Thank you, Madam President.

So I um we've been waiting for this for a while.

I'm very glad it's finally here.

Thank you, Director Simon.

I saw you in the audience.

I do want to just make a couple of comments on this.

Um, one is that if you notice there were there have been three pollinator gardens um added under this program, Eric Cutler, Quigley, and Altura Park.

Those are all in my district, and I'm very, very thrilled to see that.

Um, and I will not bring Dr.

Director Simon up here, but I do want to just point out we just recently had a training with the Xersei Society on IPPM, which is integrated pest and pollinator management.

Um, but I am worried, Director or Dr.

Single Admin, that we are we've had this on the books for three years now.

I think we are doing some of the IPPM, but I think our books all still say IPM, and I don't think that we have added in pollinators into our standing up standard operating procedures, and I would like to see that.

But with that comment, I urge your support.

Thank you.

Madam Kirk.

Councilor Baca.

Yes.

Councilor Passan?

Yes.

Vice President Champagne.

Yes.

Councilor People Corn?

Yes.

Councillor Grout?

Yes.

Councillor Lewis.

Yes.

Councillor Rogers?

Yes.

Councillor Teas.

Yes.

President Pena?

Yes.

Passes unanimously.

Thank you.

So we are now on final actions.

I am going to move item I to the first item this evening.

And I know we have people from the Flamenco Institute.

And I don't want to have them wait till the end of the meeting.

So we are now on item I.

And Vice President Champagne, if you want to introduce that bill.

Thank you, Madam President.

R 2650 is adjusting the physical year 2027 appropriations for certain funds and programs within budget.

Looking for it now.

I'm going to move for a due pass, please.

Second by Councilor Bacca for a due pass of R 50.

Are there any?

I don't think anyone has signed up to speak.

Did anybody from the Institute sign up to speak?

Yes.

Okay, we'll go to that first.

Thank you, Madam President.

Our first speaker is Bianca Ortiz Gorthheim, followed by Marisol and Sineas.

Good evening, Madam President and members of the council.

Thank you so much for consideration of this funding and this um uh ordinance.

Um, it's resolution.

Um I serve on the board of the National Institute of Flamenco, and I am here in support of it.

Um, it is one of the Albuquerque's major cultural tourism assets, and over the last three years, for example, of the completed festivals, it generated approximately $13 million in economic impact and more than 7600 estimated overnight stays.

I am actually also a student of the institute.

I know, so we wouldn't be aha, but I still love it.

And I've been able to participate at the festival and the workshops and also participate and view the beautiful performances.

And when you're in the studio with other people, you know that this stat is true because we have individuals from Detroit, Oklahoma, and Texas, and other places.

So thank you so much for your consideration.

I appreciate it.

Marisol and Sinias, followed by Gabriela Bacher.

Madam President and Counselors, thank you.

My name is Marisol Encinas.

I'm the executive director of the National Institute of Flamenco, and I'm here to respectfully ask for your support of our 2650.

My mother Evan Sinias started Festival Flamenco in 1987.

For more than four decades, this work has helped make Albuquerque one of the most important flamenco communities in the world.

Festival Flamenco is not only a series of performances, it's the ear engine behind a year-round institution, a school, a professional company, youth programs, community education, outreach, and outreach across the state of New Mexico.

Over the last three years, as Bianca Ortiz mentioned, it's produced approximately 14 million dollars in economic impact, 8,000 overnight stays, supported 190 full-time equivalent jobs.

The National Institute of Flamenco currently employs 32 employees year-round, more than half of them being artists.

A $50,000 investment moves through this community many times over.

This year, over 100 students will receive scholarships to the festival.

It changes young people's lives.

Thank you.

This would be a one-time support, and it would protect a proven asset for Albuquerque.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Gabriella Baca followed by Fabian Cisneros on Fabian Cisneros on Zoom.

Good evening, my name is Flavian Cisnetos.

I am a teacher.

In 1998, as a young teenage boy, I found my way to a festival here in Albuquerque, and it radically changed my life.

I've become a flamenco dancer.

I've become a flamenco teacher, and hundreds uh without exaggeration have benefit from this uh opportunity that the festival uh presents to us.

I am also involved through the National Institute of Flamenco as the director for Wednesday, which is a program that's dedicated to uh serving young people in a very um high performance um intensive uh space.

I am also um uh pleased to say that um many of my students are benefiting from another scholarship program that might as well just refer to uh where the students get to see um um hundreds of uh performances in a year, um and so I I beg you guys to please uh uh consider consider uh supporting this endeavor.

Thank you, thank you, madam chair.

That concludes comment.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Any questions from counselors?

Seeing none, counselor bocket to close, I urge everyone support, Madam Clerk, Councillor Baca, yes, Councillor Passon, yes, Vice President Champagne, yes, Counselor People, yes, Councillor Grout, yes, Counselor Lewis, yes, Councilor Rogers, yes, Councilor Teas, yes, President Penya, yes passes unanimously.

Thank you.

So we are now on um under final actions item A R 43.

Uh Councilor Basan.

Madam President, R 43 adopting a proposition to be submitted to the voters at the next general election concerning the imposition of a.4875 municipal gross receipts tax for essential services to be known as the community enhancement and local investment tax and providing the form of a question and the designation claw for such question on the ballot.

I move a due pass.

Second.

There's a motion and second for due pass of R 43.

I was the second.

Would you like to open?

Yes, please, Madam President.

I actually would like to move the amendment first and then open if I may.

Madam President, I would like to move amendment one.

It is 100% technical and nothing substantive.

It is just formatting, and Miss Coolidan can answer any questions if any counselors have them.

I'll move amendment one.

Second, there's a motion and second for floor amendment number one to R43.

So did you want to?

It's Madam President.

The amendment is just a technical amendment for formatting.

If any counselors have questions, Ms.

Coolidon can answer them.

Yeah, any questions?

Seeing none, Councillor Bassant to close.

I urge your support.

Madam Clerk.

Councilor Baca.

Yes.

Counselor Passan.

Yes.

Vice President Champagne.

Yes.

Counselor People Corn.

Yes.

Councillor Grout?

Yes.

Counselor Lewis.

Yes.

Councillor Rogers.

Yes.

Councillor Teez.

Yes.

President Penya?

Yes.

Pass unanimously.

Thank you.

So we are back on our 43 as amended.

Councillor Passant to open.

Madam President, I want to.

Many of the comments that I had about a month ago remain the same.

I did not take the idea of proposing a tax increase very lightly.

It is not for just one project.

Instead, actually, in the bill, it's been made even more specific than it was the previous time, to where even included in the title are the details of the percentage and what it will go to, which will be the.4875 if if approved by voters in November, 0.4875 will be gross receipts tax will be imposed.

Half will go to operations, wages, and essentials, and then the other half will be split equitably 10 ways, not just for one district and one project, but 10 ways so that every council district and the mayor are able to choose a capital project or capital projects that would roughly uh get to and and accommodate uh create about 36 million dollars per district and the mayor.

Again, it's equitable, not equal, but each counselor would be able to decide what they would want to do uh for their district and for their priorities.

I did try uh since even the last time, even since before that, I tried every possible other opportunity when it came to capital.

But in addition to that, I think that with if I was going to do something like this, it was going to be have to be something for the whole city.

If the city's paying into it, it should not go to one district, it should go everywhere.

And I think that this is something that we keep struggling with catching up on certain things, or we want to see big change.

It was not a mismanaged project.

I think that everyone has said inflation has happened, particularly since 2020.

This project, every other project, every budget is no different.

It is for it's touching everyone, no matter their income level or not.

Um, and then I will say I did look up on the Office of Equity and Inclusion again, just to verify if the social vulnerability index that I used in 2020 and 2021 had changed.

It really hasn't changed much.

It might be in some details, but for district four, there still are some vulnerable populations in that district, and I do think that it is important that we shouldn't stereotype just one part of town, even if it is spread, um, and maybe a more affluent area, but there are this is going to meet the needs.

This project will meet the needs of the state in a lot of ways.

But most importantly, this project, or that not this project, but this bill is going to be able to make an impact if approved by voters in every single part of the city in whatever way each counselor would deem appropriate and within their um their preference.

I do uh, Madam President, I know that this is an open, but I do want to ask uh Mr.

Muirhead to come down and clarify a couple of things, please.

Yes, and then I also want to ask the administration their opinion about this gross receipts tax uh and whether or not and so I'll get to that.

But Mr.

Muirhead, I particularly there's been a concern over the 21-year sunset that was put in here, which by the way, uh, to you, Madam President, and the rest of the counselors was another concern last time was that we needed to have a sunset, it shouldn't be something in perpetuity.

So that has been written in here, and it was the intention last time as well.

But in working with you, Mr.

Mirrorhead, you had determined that 21 years is the reason that is the number that we could go with versus 20, and you had your reasons why.

If you can please maybe elaborate for the council as to as to that, as well as if we did decide too.

I'm giving you multi-levels on this, uh, we did decide too that this should be for projects that we can make happen.

Otherwise, we're gonna be chasing our tail again and again and again on things, and inflation is going to continue happening.

So I think every counselor has expressed that there are things to do in their district.

So that is why there is a deadline in there, but I don't think that any one of us will have a hard time picking something to be able to spend this this funding on.

But if you can please uh talk about the 21 year sunset, because that was a little odd for me too at first.

Okay, Madam President, Councillor Basson, the 21 years relates to uh giving time for a 20 year maturity of the bonds.

So at 20 years at 113 million produced annually produces about 360 million in a bond issuance, should this pass and should you decide to move forward?

This tax isn't going into effect until 27.

And so by the time the bonds are issued, you would need 20 years post that bond issuance to pay the tax.

So the 21 year sunset allows that one year of everything getting up and running, uh, for the tax being in place, revenues be produced to then issue the bonds, everybody get their projects identified in that period of time to issue the bonds and maximize that at the full 360 so that every district and the administration has a project that they determine that that happens in that year to year and a half, and then once those bonds are issued, uh the 20-year maturity maximizes uh the $113 million a year to the $360 million total uh that ties back to Council Basson's reference to $36 million for the 10 split.

Um, and that's really just driven to give the full 20 years for the bonds mature.

Thank you, Mr.

Muirhead.

And Madam CAO, can you weigh in on what the admin's position is on if this were to pass by the voters, what the admin thinks about the 10-way split about what it could do for the city of Albuquerque.

Uh thank you, Madam President, Councillor uh Kraut.

Man, it's already a long night.

Excuse me, Councillor Bassan.

Um, you know, I think we believe that sending this to the voters is an important um uh opportunity for the voters to weigh in and give us the ability to understand where they stand on this.

Um, you know, if this the way this is structured at this point, it allows for us as a city to uh prioritize projects within each district and ensure that each counselor council district and the mayor have the ability to work together and determine what we can get done in the in uh in a timely fashion and provide enhancement within uh all the way across the city in districts.

It also is organized um or structured in a way that allows for um operating funding related to cost of living, and I think that um we have had a lot of discussion here at City Council related to uh the pay for employees, um, the issues we have related to uh class and comp studies that we have done and ensuring that we are competitive in the market, and I believe that is the way this is organized.

Is to ensure that we have funding that relates to that and supporting us in that space.

Um, but you know, the reality is is um the voter with the way this is written, the voters sending this to the voters, uh, will allow for that decision to be made at the ballot box.

Thank you.

Thank you, madam president.

We have someone anyone signed up to speak.

Yes, we do, madam president.

First up, we have Christine Martinez, followed by Gerald Sim Nacho.

Excuse me.

Gerald Sim Knocker followed by Catherine Simlocker.

Good evening, yeah.

I was all prepared to talk about the North Domingo Bac swim project, and now actually this is just a lot of a lot of free money.

It's gonna be floating around for 21 years.

There's nothing no nothing committed, nothing written down, just 21 years of free money.

I don't understand.

Thank you.

Katherine Simnocker, followed by Cheryl Armstrong.

I'm Catherine Simnacker, and I was here the last time we voted this down that you voted this down.

I was very proud of you.

And I, Madam President, I missed your last meeting when the uh minimum wage issue was brought up.

And so all of this just drives me crazy that with our doctor shortage, this continues, and small businesses are only going to give it hurt worse more by this tax if you put this on the ballot and it gets passed with our very uninformed voters.

They don't say that word tax because it looks just like another bond, and they always either vote all no or all yes, and so I just see this as being a real double whammy on small businesses if it passes, and then the fact that I have this feeling that when the 21 years is up, it gets voted on again, just like all the other bonds forever.

Thank you.

Cheryl Armstrong followed by Joel via Ria.

Joel Via Real, followed by Augustine Romero.

Madam Chair, members of the council, my name is Joe Vierrial.

I represent the employees here within the city of Albuquerque, and I come here in support of resolution 263.

We are thankful to you all for the work that you did on the FY27 budget and finding a way to fund the needed services of our community, while also making our employees who run these services and programs valued by our community a priority in the budget, whether it be services provided for our seniors, shelter for our unhoused, our public transit, or animal control.

The message I heard from our community in these very chambers during the work during the budget workshops was that if anything, they want to see our city services increase and expanded, not to mention the economic projects which help attract jobs in our community.

But this is increasingly pitting these services against the very workers who run them.

It doesn't have to be this way, but it will inevitably require more funding.

This bill is not an approval of the GRT, but instead gives our community the choice of whether these services are important to us or not.

There's been criticism that this is a regressive tax, which is not true.

It's a flat tax.

In addition, our GRT also exempts food and medicine, dampening its impact on new Mexicans.

More importantly, it's the only real mechanism a city has to raise revenue in a city.

As a needs increase for the services, the responsible thing to do is make sure we can fund them.

Thank you.

Augustine Romero.

Good evening, Council President, City Council members.

Uh I'm here in support of the increase in funding our city employees and funding our institutions, funding everything that the public benefits from.

You know, it's really important when you live in a city and you take advantage of all the facilities.

Those facilities require people to work at them, they require maintenance, and basically this just allows us to invest in ourselves, and we all benefit from that.

Thank you.

Madam President, I'm unable to locate our Zoom speakers, so that concludes comment.

Thank you.

So any questions, comments from counselors?

Vice President Champagne.

Thank you, Madam President.

Um, this would be uh just a couple questions, and I don't know if it goes to uh the sponsor or the administration, but it says in there the purpose of the dedication of this tax revenue uh is to further a certain thing, but 50% will go to general municipal operations.

Can you explain what general municipal operations are?

Rock, paper, scissors.

Madam President, I don't know who you're asking, Counselor.

I think that either the sponsor or the administration, whoever wants to chime in.

Uh Madam President, um, Councilor Champagne, it would be related to based upon this description, it would be related to general fund expenses for the city related, for example, maintenance and operations of facilities that we already own and operate and have to maintain, as well as um it would be uh salaries, uh, employee salaries, that's what the cost of living portion of that um half of it is related to.

Okay, um, Madam President, the reason why I picked that one because it also says those things that you just defined it, so general municipal operations uh is the maintenance purposes and the cost of living for city employees, but it specifically says that operate that that thing and the maintenance purposes.

So it goes into general fund basically.

So half of this this proposed deal is going to what is the percentage breakdown of it?

What what percentage goes in the general municipal operation?

What percentage goes into maintenance purposes?

And I asked this because the other 50% is actually broken down, it's going to be evenly distributed between 10 parts.

So what is the percentage breakdown of the first 50%?

How much is going to go to the city employees?

Madam President, Councillor Champagne.

The language in terms of drafting it in terms of operation and maintenance is really in my view was just to distinguish it from capital.

And so uh you're you're summarizing it correctly that the 50% is going to go into city operations, not tied to capital improvements.

How that breakdown happens in terms of cost of living, I haven't I'm not involved in those discussions, so I wouldn't have an answer to that going forward, it would be part of the budget process.

Okay, but in terms of the language drafted here for the voters, in my view was meant to distinguish between capital projects and operation and maintenance, which in my world is the distinction.

Okay, Madam President, Madam CAO, so it would basically be the administration that decides what percentages go where.

Madam President, Councillor Champagne, um, as uh Mr.

Muirhead said it is through the budget process that that would be allocated.

So it would be the through the budget appropriation that occurs annually, but with city council, um, based upon um a mayor, whichever mayor would be in uh in office at the time annually.

Okay, madam president.

So this goes back to back to a further point we had earlier tonight in question of breakdowns and costs and uh I think a uh counting device that we don't have access to that the administration does, so this goes into budget.

So you guys would put this money in the budget, and you guys would decide that 15% goes to cost of living while 85% goes to municipal operations.

That could be a scenario, correct?

Uh Madam President, Councilor Champagne, we would have a proposed budget that would come before you all to consider and make those decisions.

Okay.

So that could be an operation, so that then to get this so we don't have a percentage breakdown, that does through the thing, and that would be decided by the administration through the process of uh of the budget.

So in some sense, the administration then goes and says, Okay, well, we'll get 50% of this tax, and then another 10% or 10% of the other 50% goes to the administration as well, or the mayor himself themselves to do other projects.

So, in a sense, we're going 60% operations and 40% to council and the other stuff that we're doing.

Uh Madam President, Councilor Champagne, I believe the way it is written is that 50% goes to capital projects.

So in its split 10 ways, um, and it would be a capital project would be one tenth of for the mayor's with the mayor for the citywide um perspective of what he's been uh the mayor has been elected to represent, and then the other 50% would be a proposed budget from the mayor, which is then sent to city council for you all to make final decisions on.

So it would be a proposal from the mayor annually, again, it whichever mayor is in the seat annually to be able to uh propose out in that budget for city council's uh, so madam president and madam CAO, thank you for the explanation.

So it's it seems like a lot of this goes to whoever's in control of the administration gets 50%, and then another 10% of the other 50%, which quick math is like eight, I think, seven.

Um, so fifty-seven percent actually goes to administration, and the other stuff comes to uh distributed the other seven percent throughout us, so um perfect.

Thank you, Councilor Bassan.

Madam President, I want to clarify a couple.

Which item are we on?

We are on item R 43.

Okay, I was a little confused that we've gone before two, and then I'm not proceeded to Councilor Bassan.

Madam President, I would like to clarify something for Councilor Champagne, if I may.

Yes.

So 50% would go to capital operation capital, not capital operations.

It would go to capital.

Split equitably 10 ways.