Albuquerque City Council Meeting — October 20, 2026

The Albuquerque City Council held a regular meeting, described in the transcript as the 20th meeting of the 27th Council. The raw transcript opens with "Today is October 19th, 2026," while the meeting timestamp supplied for this summary is 2026-10-20 20:30:00+00:00; the title uses the instructed date. Councilor Baca arrived after the meeting opened. The session included administration Q&A, a proclamation, the city economist’s revenue report, general public comment, several legislative approvals, and one appointment.

Consent Calendar

• The Council approved the October 5 journal, the consent agenda, the letter of introduction, and committee reports by 8-0 roll-call votes.
• The committee-of-the-whole report from Land Use, Planning and Zoning (October 14, 2026) was accepted; EC280 and EC281 receipts were noted and O65 was reported as due pass as amended.
• The Council suspended rules to allow more than four proclamations per councilor per year and to place R73 and R76 on the agenda; each suspension passed 8-0.

Administration Question & Answer

• Councilor Feblecorn asked about the e-verify system. Director Stoker said the city is evaluating systems and processes; the proposed federal rule that would have made e-verify mandatory in October was postponed until December. The Councilor said the city had been promised implementation by the end of October and called the delay inconsistent with being an immigrant-friendly city. The administration said it is working on internal protocols and noted a stopgap partnership with CNM provides e-verify access for certain visa-related operations.
• Councilor Feblecorn requested an overdue status update on landlord-engagement programs. Chief Administrative Officer Single said a cross-department analysis was underway and expected by the end of October.
• Councilor Grout asked about the New Mexico Department of Transportation’s cancellation of the city’s interstate cleanup contract. Solid Waste Director Gallegos explained that NMDOT had paid about $2 million under the last iteration, that the city had handled litter, weeds, graffiti, mowing, landscaping, ramp and underpass maintenance, and encampment cleanups, and that NMDOT said it would assume the work because of budget reasons. NMDOT has not yet provided transition protocols. The city is logging 311 requests and sending daily spreadsheets to NMDOT. Councilor Rogers asked about public safety; Ms. Berunda reported that in the last 12 months ACS received 5,862 calls for service and APD received 8,650 priority-one calls in the I-25/I-40 corridor, and that public safety response will continue unchanged.

Proclamation and Revenue Presentation

• The Council issued a proclamation honoring Ron Reimers, a longtime member of the Cruising Task Force who passed away September 2, 2026; family members accepted and spoke about his community legacy.
• City Economist Christine Borner presented July 2026 gross receipts tax data. Total July GRT fell 4.6%, largely because the prior year’s July included a corrected hold-harmless distribution. Hold-harmless phase-out payments declined from 28% last fiscal year to 21% this fiscal year; excluding that effect, all business sectors grew 5.1%. Construction was a weak sector, while services, retail, and health care did well. Cannabis revenue rose 19% in July; August revenue appeared to be about 1.5% higher. Hold-harmless payments are scheduled to end in FY30. Councilor Lewis expressed concern about construction stagnation and asked for policy responses; the administration cited IDO reforms, permitting process improvements, and state advocacy.

Public Comments & Testimony

• Tad Yuminsky said impartial police oversight is essential to public trust.
• A speaker discussed First Amendment rights and urged residents to exercise speech, assembly, and petition rights.
• Tad Nemeiski alleged the city council was violating its own laws, including by handling a particular ordinance on the consent agenda.
• Francesco Artist accused institutions of complicity when they protect abusers.
• Miguel Alvarez talked about rising restaurant prices and praised local restaurants, including one that gives discounts to police, firefighters, and military.
• Lisa Christofferson opposed criminalizing homelessness, said a 17-officer squad is targeting unhoused people while only 14 detectives investigate murders and rapes, and demanded a winter moratorium on sweeps. Administration staff responded that the Neighborhood Engagement and Safety team has five sworn officers, not 17, and that a full cold-weather overnight shelter plan exists.
• Roger Shannon asked about the status of a condemned high-rise at San Mateo and Central and about renovation plans for another property; council staff said the relevant department would contact him.
• Ian Gates raised the Javon Given case, saying the family was not notified for 384 days and asking council to request a status update from APD on the independent investigation. Councilor Rogers said the African American Advisory Board has a subcommittee on missing and murdered Black people and would review the case.
• Renee Horvath defended West Side neighborhoods, said appeals are needed to protect open space and sensitive areas, and argued that limiting neighborhood involvement will not solve housing affordability.
• Anami Das asked for a north-south bus route on Tramway, praised native pottery bus designs, and asked the city not to put advertising on buses.
• Patricia Wilson said Albuquerque has an affordability crisis, not an availability crisis, and argued data-center construction diverts resources from housing.
• Joaquin Montoya, speaking for DFLOC New Mexico, said warrantless license-plate-reader searches violate the Fourth Amendment, that APD uses about 250 ALPR cameras and data platforms, and that the council should answer the judge’s question about mass surveillance.

Discussion Items

• O64 – Sickler Farms LEDA approval: The Council approved a Local Economic Development Act project for Sickler Farms LLC with a $100,000 appropriation to support year-round processing of chili and produce. Tim Sickler spoke in support, noting the family business just completed its 40th season. The city’s economic development director said there were no utility, wastewater, or air-permitting concerns. The vote was 8-0.
• OC21 – Accountability and Government Oversight Board appointment: The Council considered two applicants, John T. Major II and Lucas Abel Pedraza. A floor amendment corrected ex-officio term dates and passed 8-0. After balloting, the Council removed the item from the table and unanimously confirmed Lucas Abel Pedraza.
• R69 – Opioid settlement funds: Councilor Rogers moved approval of an opioid settlement fund appropriation. She described it as programmatic funding to connect people with opioid use disorder to behavioral health services, including $2 million for Gateway program connections. A lengthy debate focused on whether the spending was recurring, the sustainability of Gateway operations (about $26 million per year), and the APS Crossroads program. Councilor Feblecorn moved an amendment to remove the second-year APS appropriation. During debate, speakers cited $1.8 million in year-one APS funding, about $656,321 unspent, and $250,000 for wireless vape detectors; supporters cited outcomes including 1,251 prevention/intervention contacts with 1,020 students, 293 parent program sessions with a 76% non-recidivism rate, 5 post-overdose response activations, 6,028 individual therapy sessions to 2,74 students (sic), 31 suicide assessments, and 738 family-support contacts. The amendment was ultimately withdrawn, and R69 passed 8-0.
• O60 – Integrated Development Ordinance appeal fees: Councilor Lewis moved an ordinance amending ROA 1994, Section 14-16-4(F) to set appeal fees in the IDO: $1,000 ($925 filing plus $75 notice) for appeals of approved projects and $300 ($225 filing plus $75 notice) for appeals of denials, with a two-business-day payment deadline, an equity-based waiver process, and an annual appeals report to council. Public comment was split: neighborhood representatives opposed the higher approved-project fee as a barrier to community participation; a Home Builders Association representative explained cost impacts of delay and said fees should reflect real costs. The ordinance passed 5-4, with Champagne, Feblecorn, Grout, Lewis, and Teyas voting yes, and Baca, Bassan, Rogers, and Pena voting no.
• R57 – State capital outlay dedication: Councilor Feblecorn moved to withdraw the bill after saying the administration had begun working with her on using capital outlay funds for the projects for which they were raised. Tad Nemeiski made a brief public comment about district funding. Withdrawal passed 8-0.
• R73 – Capital Implementation Program amendment: Councilor Grout moved approval of amendments to the adopted CIP, adding state grants and Bernalillo County Geo Bond appropriations, including $300,000 in state grants for Northeast New Mexico fire mitigation and community workforce development. Floor Amendment 1 expanded the APD Northeast Area Substation Rehab project to include the Foothills area command, James Dwyer substation, and a canine facility; it passed 7-2. Floor Amendment 2 expanded the West Side Indoor Sports Complex project to include an indoor sports facility and outdoor soccer fields near the Jennifer Reardon Spark Kindness Sports Complex in District 1; it passed 8-1. The bill as amended passed unanimously (8-0).
• R76 – Uptown Connect lease: The Council unanimously approved the city’s execution as a party to the lease agreement between Bernalillo County and Uptown Connect Apartments LLLP for the Uptown Connect transit-oriented development. Councilor Feblecorn said the city signature was needed to finalize the project, which will provide affordable housing in District 7.

Key Outcomes

• Approved the consent calendar, journal, committee reports, and letter of introduction on unanimous 8-0 votes.
• Approved O64 (Sickler Farms LEDA) 8-0.
• Confirmed Lucas Abel Pedraza to the Accountability and Government Oversight Board unanimously.
• Approved R69 (opioid settlement funds) 8-0 after withdrawing a proposed amendment to cut APS funding.
• Approved O60 (IDO appeal fees) 5-4.
• Withdrew R57 8-0.
• Approved R73 (Capital Implementation Program amendment) unanimously as amended, after passing two floor amendments.
• Approved R76 (Uptown Connect lease) unanimously.
• The meeting adjourned after the final actions; no other business was conducted.