Albuquerque City Council Meeting Summary

On August 3, 2026, the 15th meeting of the 27th City Council convened with all nine councilors present (Councilor Lewis joining via Zoom). The meeting ran into the late evening, requiring two rule suspensions to extend beyond 11 p.m. The council addressed a packed agenda covering federal funding risk, litter enforcement, a senior center breakfast program, a hotel IRB, a cannabis retailer zoning ordinance, and multiple governance reforms. Over 70 public comment sign-ups were received, so public comment time was reduced from two minutes to one minute.

Consent Calendar

• Consent Agenda approved unanimously after Councilor Grout pulled EC 26160 (Homewise homeowner rehabilitation program agreement) for individual discussion. The remaining consent items were approved without objection.

Public Comments & Testimony

• Sawmill Hotel IRB (multiple speakers): Senator Debbie O'Malley (advisor to Sawmill Community Land Trust) stated the developer refuses to reduce from five stories and requested the council enforce MXM height standards and traffic amendments. David Stryker (President, Sawmill Area Neighborhood Association) opposed a five-story building but supported a hotel. Orlando Alvidres (Executive Director, Sawmill Community Land Trust) argued a five-story box abutting a single-family neighborhood is disrespectful and requested height/traffic conditions. Viola Martinez (President, Sawmill Land Trust) asked for traffic and height amendments as conditions of approval. Multiple supporters spoke, including hotel employees (Consuelo, Diana Peru, Robert Avalos, Bernice Guerrero), business owners (Jasper Riddle of Noisy Water Winery, Johnny Mangu, Pete Casetis), and a contractor (Douglas Wright), who cited local jobs, affordable lodging, and the developer's track record. Austin Scholl, a North Valley resident, supported the hotel as a mid-range affordable option. Haley Todd supported the IRB citing loyalty programs and convention competitiveness. Adrian Perez opposed the hotel, citing a KOAT investigation on Hilton properties denying local residents. Sean Chavez and Ray Strom also supported the project.
• General public comments included: Two El Dorado High School students (Jackson Simpkins and Matthew Hernandez) urged restrictions on flavored vapes, citing 1.45 million youth vapers nationally and 91% using flavored products. Speaker Grace Dukes criticized the council's summer break and Flock cameras. Mervyn Tilden asked for an MOU with the Navajo Nation regarding deaths of Native Americans. Speakers also raised concerns about cooling stations, mass surveillance, and the city's cannabis zoning ordinance. Janet Sayers presented "report cards" tracking 32 key council votes from January through June.
• Cannabis/nicotine ordinance (O 39): Grace Dukes opposed the ordinance as racially exclusionary zoning. Another speaker noted Albuquerque generated over $670 million in cumulative cannabis economic activity since April 2022. Tad Niemiski opposed smoke shop hour restrictions and argued the free market is solving the problem.
• Solid waste fee increase (O 35): Mervyn Tilden gave non-germane comments about a prior incident and was redirected by the chair.
• P 262 (city attorney/clerk charter amendment): One speaker (Francesco Artist) opposed the amendment, urging state bar reporting instead of charter changes.

Discussion Items

• Question time with administration: Councilor Grant raised concerns about delayed responses from the City Attorney's office regarding litigation updates. City Attorney Keefe acknowledged delays, attributed them to staffing changes, and stated she wants to continue direct communication with councilors. Councilor Baca asked about senior center breakfast price increases; Director Sanchez explained prices had not been adjusted in over 20 years, that the department still subsidizes about a third of each meal cost, and noted a revised menu was released Friday with positive feedback. Councilor Rogers conducted a multi-department litter-responsibility exercise with photos, finding that responsibility splits across Solid Waste, Transit, DMD, Code Enforcement, and Parks & Rec. She expressed frustration with living in filth and stated she pays contractors out of her own council set-asides to clean safe routes to school. Councilor Teas asked about the federal OMB's proposed uniform guidance rule changes, noting $26.7 million in discretionary federal grants could be at risk of termination without notice by October 1, 2026. The CFO stated the city has been in ongoing conversations with departments about contingency plans.
• Move In Mentor program presentation: Kara Unale (Catholic Charities) reported that between January and June 2026, $600,000 in city funding (half as direct financial assistance) helped 238 households with rent, move-in costs, and utilities. More than two-thirds of households served included children, 129 families were facing crisis from medical emergencies. The program also dedicated $25,000 to help Gateway West seniors. She cited research showing chronic homelessness costs taxpayers $50,000-$75,000 per person annually versus $12,800 in supportive housing, a savings of at least $37,000 per person annually.
• GRT and cannabis tax update: City Economist Christine Bourner reported May GRT growth of 3.2% (cumulative 5% for FY26), with construction declining 17.5% and retail flat; professional services grew 10.6%, health care 21.7%, manufacturing 16.7%. Cannabis growth was 16% (down from 33.7% last month), cumulative 6.5% for the year. Councilor Rogers requested the city economist receive TID market reports and the UNM BBER report.
• Homewise EC 26160 (deferred): Councilor Grout requested a two-week deferral to investigate expanding the "pockets of poverty" map, noting the RFP went out three years ago (September 2023). Councilor Rogers expressed strong opposition, citing that the previous $3 million contract took three years to disburse and had poor data. Mr. Davis of Homewise stated average income of recipients was $26K a year and all were below 80% AMI. Only one respondent responded to the RFP. Councilor Teas noted the pockets of poverty definition dates to a 1987 ordinance tied to a UDAG grant that no longer exists federally. Motion to defer passed 7-2.
• Sawmill Hotel IRB (038): Councilor Baca moved to defer to August 17th after hearing conflicting accounts about developer outreach. The deferral passed 7-2.
• O 32 (secondhand catalytic converter/copper ordinance): Councilor Grout and Peoplecorn presented amendments to expand the ordinance to copper and brass, add holding periods, and require payment by check for purchases over $50. Councilor Lewis opposed the check requirement, noting only five or six metal dealers exist in the city and no evidence of stolen property being sold to them. APD Commander Sanchez stated the check requirement aids investigations and deters theft. The bill passed 8-1 after six amendments.
• O 35 (solid waste fee increase): Director stated the cost of service shows the city subsidizes $19.69 per visit at $5 fee, and $12.69 at $12 fee. Roughly 42% of convenience center users are from outside the city, and the increase would generate about $1.1 million. Passed 8-1.
• O 39 (cannabis/nicotine retail regulations): The administration's bill would have increased buffer distances between cannabis and nicotine retailers, added distance from schools/daycares, and restricted hours. The committee amendment (increasing separation distances to 990 feet for cannabis from existing cannabis retail, from schools and daycares, and from nicotine retail) failed 4-5. Councilor Peoplecorn criticized the bill for targeting small businesses without data, noting the cannabis association of New Mexico opposed it. Councilor Rogers supported addressing root causes (e.g., EBT fraud) rather than blanket zoning. The bill failed 3-6.
• O 40 (consolidated accountability ordinance): Councilor Bassan moved a floor substitute making technical changes (e.g., changing "abuse" to "inefficient use," allowing mayor to review/comment on AGO policies, adding outside counsel selection provisions, 15-day report publication with 30-day extension for revisions, reporting of significant vacation/sick leave use, and law enforcement reporting for criminal activity). The floor substitute passed unanimously; the bill then passed unanimously after suspending rules.
• O 41 (whistleblower ordinance): Councilor Bassan summarized comprehensive changes to reporting procedures, investigator qualifications, confidentiality protections, and retaliation definitions. Councilor Teas added three amendments: (1) removing the clause denying protections to employees who report without following procedures, (2) adding a "protected disclosure" definition consistent with the NM Whistleblower Protection Act and altering the retaliation standard, and (3) emphasizing confidentiality and anonymity for reporting individuals. The first two passed (7-2 and 7-2); the third failed 4-5. The bill passed unanimously.
• P 262 and R 30 (charter amendment for city attorney/clerk): Vice President Champagne and Councilor Peoplecorn proposed charter amendments to change the appointment process for city attorney and city clerk, adding a committee selection process, 90-day appointment deadline, 270-day interim limit, and removal procedures. Three amendments were added to P 262 (removal authority, removing council from HR process, 270-day interim cap). P 262 passed 6-3. R 30 was tabled to allow city attorney review of consistency, then untabled and passed 5-3.
• R 56 (capital implementation program): Councilor Baca passed an amendment adding a district six food insecurity project. Passed unanimously.
• R 57 (state capital outlay funds): Councilor Peoplecorn expressed frustration that projects in her district were not being completed (one road project in 4.5 years). She added amendments requiring full council approval for scope changes and removed a work-order deadline. The CAO gave a public commitment to work on the projects. Councilor Peoplecorn deferred the bill for two weeks, which passed unanimously.

Key Outcomes

• EC 195 (NM Veterans Integration Centers social services agreement, $1.5M) passed unanimously.
• EC 196 (Albuquerque Behavioral Health substance abuse treatment voucher increase) passed unanimously.
• EC 197 (Engender Inc. substance abuse treatment voucher increase) passed unanimously.
• O 32 (expanded secondhand metal ordinance) passed 8-1 with amendments.
• O 35 (solid waste disposal fee increase for out-of-city residents) passed 8-1.
• O 39 (cannabis/nicotine retail separation ordinance) failed 3-6.
• O 40 (consolidated accountability ordinance) passed unanimously after floor substitute.
• O 41 (whistleblower ordinance) passed unanimously after three amendments (two passed, one failed).
• P 262 (city attorney/city clerk charter amendment) passed 6-3 after three amendments.
• R 30 (companion resolution) passed 5-3 after tabling and untabling.
• R 56 (capital implementation program) passed unanimously with amendment.
• R 57 (state capital outlay) deferred to August 17th meeting.
• EC 26160 (Homewise homeowner rehabilitation) deferred two weeks.
• F 038 (Sawmill Hotel IRB) deferred to August 17th.
• The meeting required two rule suspensions to extend past 11 p.m. (one to midnight, one to 12:30 a.m.); both passed on 6-2 votes after an initial failure.