Albuquerque City Council 21st Regular Meeting Summary - November 3, 2026

The Albuquerque City Council held its 21st regular meeting of the 27th Council. All nine councilors were present, with Councilors Bassan and Rogers joining via Zoom. The meeting opened with a moment of silence and the Pledge of Allegiance in memory of Albuquerque Fire Rescue Lieutenant Mike Sidio, followed by administration updates, a tax revenue presentation, a zoning appeal, and final votes on ordinances. Note: the supplied meeting timestamp is November 3, 2026, at 18:00 UTC, but the presiding officer opened by saying 'Today is November 2nd, 2026.' No agenda or minutes were provided with the transcript.

Consent Calendar and Procedural Approvals

• Approved the October 19 journal unanimously.
• Approved a rules suspension (R-78) to place a capital implementation program appropriations item on the agenda, then approved the letter of introduction unanimously.
• Accepted the Finance & Government Operations Committee report unanimously: EC-252 and EC-262 approved; EC-253 and EC-284 withdrawn; EC-062 do pass as amended; R-70, R-72, and R-75 do pass.
• Deferred EC-281 (Near North Valley Community Planning Area Assessment) to November 16, 2026, unanimously.
• Approved the consent agenda, including board and commission appointments, unanimously.

Public Comments and Testimony

• Britt Joseph urged the Council to treat residents as 'eyes and ears on the ground' and said ignoring community input wastes tax dollars.
• Janet Sayers and Nicole Finch, both associated with the Library Advisory Board, asked the Council to support capital outlay for the Main Library HVAC replacement and other library projects; Sayers also requested a proactive management plan for the International District Park.
• Miguel Alvarez described six years of advocacy for Blake Road sidewalks and stated Senator Padilla and Commissioner Baca had walked the area; he also raised concerns about APD enforcement and alleged profiling in Metro Court cases.
• Peggy Norton asked for answers on park closures, ADA access, and reopening timelines for Robinson Park, Benny Hargrove Park, and the circle across Park Avenue.
• Richard Sanchez and Joaquin Montoya raised privacy and civil-liberties concerns about ALPR cameras. Montoya said APD spends $639,000 per year on Peregrine Technologies and asked the Council to stop automatic renewal and disclose data access.
• Dr. Sharon Hassen, a planner and Near North Valley resident, said the CPAA did not reflect community input and expressed concern its policies would be copied into the comprehensive plan.
• Todd Reed presented a SPECT brain-imaging method, claiming it can help address criminal behavior, juvenile delinquency, and homelessness; a later anonymous speaker disputed those claims.
• Jonah Beardon gave restaurant price comparisons and recommendations, mostly unrelated to city policy.
• An anonymous speaker with lived experience of homelessness and schizophrenia called a prior SPECT brain-imaging presentation 'quack nonsense' and expressed support for the Heart Ordinance amendment banning glue traps.
• Ted Namiski made several critical comments about Council actions and, during O-66 public comment, said charter changes should be put to the public vote.
• Dr. Lisa Christofferson spoke in support of O-65's IDO amendment process and O-66's charter review task force, saying the public is 'not the enemy of the state.'

Administration Updates and Presentations

• Safe outdoor space: A little over $900,000 in capital dollars is identified, and an architect is doing design work; the project will likely need phasing.
• Blake Road sidewalk: The most feasible option is a south-side sidewalk. A contractor estimate was $1.3 million, but only $50,000 in capital outlay is currently available; DMD is value-engineering the cost and will continue seeking capital outlay.
• MLK bike lane pilot: DMD installed different physical bike-lane separators between Broadway and I-25 and is asking the public to drive, walk, or bike the corridor and vote online through the end of December.
• State highway corridor cleanliness: NMDOT took over underpass and overpass cleanup about two weeks earlier. The city is sending 311 requests to NMDOT. Councilor Rogers said she was noticing a service dip and would continue to advocate publicly.
• Senior meals: The administration is tracking daily participation and launched a breakfast waiver. Councilor Champagne said he had observed a stark drop in breakfast participation at senior centers and asked for a plan to reduce costs in the next budget.
• Firefighter memorial: AFR Chief Haramillo and Miguel Tipman honored Lt. Mike Sidio, who died of occupational cancer. The Chief said firefighters have a 9% higher risk of cancer diagnosis and a 14% higher risk of dying from cancer; Sidio's death is treated as a line-of-duty death.
• Parks and Recreation Advisory Board annual report: Chair Julie Radoslavich and Vice Chair Annie Montes presented the annual report. The board recommended more operations and maintenance funding, continuing the $80,000 park activation investment, and filling board vacancies for Districts 5, 8, and 9.
• Cannabis and GRT report: City economist Christine Warner reported cannabis revenue grew 18% in the first two months of FY27; August GRT grew 1.3%; construction fell 12.5% and other services fell 5.8%; underlying business-sector growth was 1.5%; and year-to-date GRT growth was negative 1.8%. She also said the FY26 hold harmless was estimated at $4.2 million, with a TRD sign error making the FY27 drop more pronounced.

Discussion Items and Final Actions

• R-74 (South Campus TID bonds): Staff explained that the short-term bond issuance of up to $160,000 is needed to preserve state GRT participation before the December 20, 2026 deadline; the state committed 56% of its GRT, while the city and county each committed 75%. Councilor Teas asked for information on reimbursed infrastructure, labor standards, and diverted increment; Councilor Rogers added that the $160,000 relates to land grading and that the master development agreement includes local hiring rules. R-74 passed unanimously.
• AC-08 (Sawmill Community Land Trust appeal): Legal staff presented the Land Use Hearing Officer's recommendation to deny the appeal. The appeal challenged the EPC's approval of a zoning map amendment from NRB to MXH for approximately 4.1 acres at 1050 18th Street NW. The LUHO found the EPC's decision supported by substantial evidence and not a spot zone. The Council voted 8-1 to accept the LUHO recommendation and uphold the EPC decision, with President Peña voting no.
• O-65 (IDO amendment process): Councilor Bassan said the bill replaces the biennial IDO update with two codification dates per year, while allowing Council to introduce amendments any time. Councilor Lewis opposed it, arguing it could create delay and that expectations of specific update windows should be eliminated. O-65 passed 8-1, with Councilor Lewis voting no.
• O-66 (Charter Review Task Force): The bill establishes a task force to review the city charter every 10 years. Councilor Teas's floor amendment changed the membership to nine council appointees, five mayoral appointees, a 15th chair chosen by the other members, a city clerk-selected professional consultant, independence restrictions, and a two-thirds vote for final recommendations. Debate centered on separation of powers. The amendment passed 5-4, and the bill as amended passed 5-4. Councilor Rogers declined to close, saying the bill was 'no longer mine' after being substantially changed.
• R-41 (Rules of procedure, order of business): The Council approved an amendment to Article 3, Section 4 regarding proclamations. Councilor Peoplecorn expressed the view that four proclamations per councilor is enough and that the suspension process works. R-41 passed 8-1, with Councilor Peoplecorn voting no.

Key Outcomes

• Unanimous approvals: journal, rules suspension, letter of introduction, FGO committee report, EC-281 deferral, consent agenda, and R-74 South Campus TID bond resolution.
• AC-08: 8-1 vote to accept LUHO recommendations and deny the Sawmill Community Land Trust appeal.
• O-65: passed 8-1.
• O-66: floor amendment passed 5-4; bill as amended passed 5-4.
• R-41: passed 8-1.
• The meeting adjourned after there was no other business.