Good morning and welcome to the City of Colorado Springs Council meeting for Tuesday, May 12th, 2020.

Will the clerk please call the roll?

Councilmember Casey.

Here.

Councilmember Crow Iverson.

Here.

Councilmember Donaldson.

Excused.

Councilmember Gold.

Here I am.

Councilmember Henjam.

Present.

Councilmember Lionweaver.

Here.

Councilmember Rainey.

Here.

Member Risley.

Here.

Councilmember Williams.

Here.

Ain't present when excused.

Please stand for the invocation.

We have the pleasure today to have that with our CSPD chaplain McCormick.

Good morning and thank you.

I'm sure the mic is he makes sure the mic is turned on.

Yeah, we go.

Is that a little bit better?

There you go.

Yeah, sorry, now you have to listen to me.

Sorry.

Um good morning.

Um, and thank you for the honor and the privilege of praying the invocation this morning.

Today, two people will be sworn into their positions.

Uh, one is the city council, a city attorney, Miss Boaster, and one as the Parks Recreation and Cultural Services Director, Mr.

Rorobaugh.

Um, Mayor and Council members.

Um, I'd like you to recall your own swearing in ceremony under Judge Kane for a moment.

Um, the swearing in process is an official moment of transition from your being a private citizen to being a public official.

This is a constitutional requirement to uphold the laws of the United States of America, uh, the great state of Colorado and the charter for the fantastic city of Colorado Springs.

Um, in the swearing in, it's a legal foundation for the office.

The invocation, on the other hand, is the moral or solemn framing of that office.

The invocation represents a spiritual transcendent acknowledgement that your accountability isn't just to the voters, but to a higher law or a moral conscience that exists above politics.

While the oath is what you all must do, the invocation is how you should do it.

While the oath provides the tracks for the train, the invocation is meant to provide the spirit of the conductor.

Let us pray.

Dear God, we come before you this morning, invoke your presence at today's city council meeting, and especially during today's swearing in of Ms.

Booster and Mr.

Rorobaugh.

We believe that in all things you work for the good of those who love you and have been called according to your purpose.

We believe that those who hope in you will renew their strength and will soar on wings like eagles, and that they will run and not grow weary, and that they will walk and not be faint.

That if there is any consolation in you, God, if any comfort in love, if any fellowship of the spirit, if any affection and mercy, that they would all be cooperative with one another, like-minded, having the same love as you, being of one accord and of one mind.

Let nothing that they do be done through selfish ambition, partiality, favoritism, or conceit, but in lowliness of mind, let each esteem the other better than themselves, that they would do justice, love mercy, and walk humbly.

Let each of them look out not only for their own interests, but also for the interest of others.

Amen and thank you.

Amen.

Please join us with the pledge of allegiance.

I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America.

And to the Republic for which is under God, indivisible with liberty and justice for all.

We will now consider the consent calendar.

These items have been acted on as a whole, unless a specific item is called off by a discussion from a council member or a citizen wishing to address the council.

Is there anyone who wishes to pull any item off a consent calendar?

Uh yes, or for B E.

Thank you.

That's been pulled off.

I need to I have a motion from Councilman Williams and a second from Councilman Gold.

All in favor say aye.

Moving on to item 5A, will the clerk please read item 5A into the record?

Sorry.

A proclamation recognizing May 2026 is Mental Health Awareness Month.

Councilman Line Weber.

Yes.

Let me pull it up here really quick here.

I got to find it.

Technology, you know.

Well, good morning, everybody.

I'm excited to join you from close to Blue Mesa Reservoir, which is half full, and um is um kind of uh disappointing to have the water so low, but the fishing's been good, and so um anyway, um man, I had it, I had it up.

It's here, sorry, okay.

Here we go.

I got it.

I had to figure out where it was technology, right?

All right, well, hey, thank you for all uh for uh coming today, and I'm I'm excited to kind of share this proclamation.

It kind of is near and dear to me, and um anyway, um let me just kind of get started.

Um, this Mental Health Awareness Month is what this proclamation is about, uh, May 2026.

Whereas, mental health is fundamental to overall health and well-being, shaping how we think, love, work, and find meaning, and remains inseparable from our sense of purpose, belonging, and spiritual wholeness.

Whereas one in five adults and one in six youth in the United States experience a mental health condition each year, yet far too many never receive care, understanding or support they need.

Yet nearly half of children who need mental health care never receive it due to costs, access, or simply not knowing where to turn.

Whereas substance use and mental health are deeply connected, and nearly one in three people with a substance use disorder lives with co-occurring mental health condition, and addressing both together through integration and compassionate care is essential to our health of our community, and whereas Colorado ranks among the highest in the nation for mental health prevalence, and more than two hundred and sixty-six thousand adults in our states in our state report serious thoughts of suicide.

While nationally, one life is lost to suicide every 11 minutes.

A heartbreaking reminder of the urgency of this work, and whereas men represent 80 percent of all suicide deaths in the United States, despite making up half the population, and while and white males account for more than 68% of all suicide deaths, yet men remain the least likely to seek help, revealing a clear crisis and the need for more spaces where men can gather, speak honestly, and look out for one another, and whereas our hospitality and restaurant workers, the people who feed and welcome our community, carry significant and often invisible mental health burdens with some of the highest rates of substance use disorder and elevated suicide risk compared to any other industry, yet one in three has access, yet only one in three has access to employer-sponsored health care, and whereas older adults report feeling lonely and loneliness increase the risk of early death by more than 25%, creating a quiet crisis hidden in plain sight, and in each of our neighborhoods, whereas Colorado has a reason to celebrate, our youth suicide rate has fallen to its lowest level since 2007, cut nearly in half from its peak in 2020, showing that community commitment saves lives, yet every loss remains one too many, and the work of awareness prevention and connection must continue.

And whereas Colorado Springs is uniquely positioned to support mental well-being through access to Pike's Peak, Garden of the Gods, an extensive trail system, and abundant open space, and research confirms that even 10 minutes in nature can measurably reduce anxiety and stress, while children who spend one hour daily outdoors show a 50% lower risk to mental health challenges, and whereas the City of Colorado Springs has demonstrated a commitment to workforce mental health through hope certification, training more than 200 managers and supervisors in mental health awareness as it works towards gold level certification, and whereas community connection is itself a form of prevention and programs that meet people where they are, build belonging, and foster a culture of care, protect human health long before crisis ever occurs.

Now, therefore, Lynette Crow Iveson, president of Colorado Springs City Council, do hereby proclaim May as Mental Health Awareness Month in Colorado Springs and the other residents, we encourage all residents, organizations, and businesses, take a mental health training, uh QPR, mental health first aid, and assist are all available in our community and equip anyone to recognize the signs of struggle and connection to each other for care.

Talk openly about mental health and substance use to reduce stigma and build understanding, and go outside.

Check on someone, a co-worker in a service industry, a senior, who's a neighbor, a child in your life, and mean it, show up for the men in your life, ask the hard questions, and don't accept I'm fine as an answer.

Share the 988 Colorado Mental Health line, call or text 988 or visit 988 Colorado.com because no one should face the darkest moment alone, champion mental health every day, not just in May.

And we'll in witness thereof, I hereby set my hand and cause the great seal of Colorado Springs, fixing this all.

Lynette Crow Iverson.

Thank you, Lent, for being uh able to bring this kind of forward and um approving this.

Um I want to make a few comments and and then I've got three guests that are going to come forward to bring some testimony, and they could probably come forward now and get ready.

Um, as they come forward, I want to I want to let you know the importance of me being outside.

Um, I mean this is really kind of a um part of the whole experience is that you know, as I sit here at my campsite, it seems appropriate to discuss the values of nature when it comes to our mental health.

Um, a study by Clemson University uh researcher Matthew Browning found that just spending 15 minutes a day outside can reduce the average citizen's health care cost by 374 per year.

Now, if you multiply that across the city of 500,000, you're saving millions of dollars annually.

That's that's not just a wellness program, that's the fiscal policy, and something we should really lean into.

I mean, the science is clear.

A 2025 joint study by Harvard and Stanford published in the Journal of Natural Cities found that just 10 to 15 minutes in an urban green space measurably reduces anxiety, depression, stress, and fatigue.

This was done with 78 studies, nearly 6,000 participants in 20 countries.

The result is clear, and children who spend one hour a day outside show 50% lower risk of mental health challenges.

This is not anecdotal, it's it's peer review research, and it points to something that Colorado Springs can capitalize on the most because we have so many amenities here, and other cities just dream about what we have to offer, and that's our advantage.

Our advantage here is that we have Pike Speak, we have things like Garden the Gods, we have hundreds of miles of trails, and we're sitting on one of the greatest natural mental health resources in the country, and we should be treating it that way, not just some something to go out and get some exercise or or for tourists or whatever, but it's infrastructure for human well-being, and that's the challenge I want to kind of give is I want to personally challenge everyone listening this week, go outside, not to train for some race, not to check a box, but to go outside and sit with someone who's struggling, walk with a neighbor, take a veteran on a trail, invite the guy who seems fine, but probably is not connection plus nature is a combination that can save lives.

So when you feel that anxious moment coming on, resist reaching for a pill, and consider a slow walk around the pond, or next to the strain, or down a trail, and just take time to breathe.

So I'm pretty excited about this.

I have a couple of guests that are coming forward.

Liz Denson is this first one.

Why don't the three of you just kind of line up and then um go ahead and because of the technology piece?

Why don't each of you just kind of introduce yourself and um go ahead and make your presentation?

Just make sure your green buttons on so we can hear you.

Thank you.

Yes, ma'am, it's on.

Should we do introductions first or just get started?

Yeah, just go for it.

Great.

Good morning, and thank you to City Council, especially Councilman Lineweber for recognizing Mental Health Awareness Month and for creating space for this conversation.

I'm Liz Denson, president and CEO of Early Connections Learning Centers, a 129-year-old childcare organization serving hundreds of children each day with deeply embedded mental health program to support our youngest learners.

When most people hear the words mental health crisis, they picture teenagers in distress, adults struggling with anxiety or depression, or emergency behavioral health systems stretched beyond capacity.

But the truth is, mental health does not begin in adolescence.

It begins at birth, and many would argue in utero.

Long before a child ever walks into a school classroom, their brain is already being shaped by their relationships, environments, and experiences around them.

In fact, we know 90% of a child's brain develops by the time they're five years old.

That means that the foundation for emotional regulation, resilience, stress management, relationship building, and even future physical health is largely established in the earliest years of life.

And yet, we often treat early childhood as babysitting instead of brain building.

We wait until children are older to talk about mental health, even though the science tells us the architecture of mental wellness is being built during infancy and early childhood.

At Early Connections Learning Centers, we see this reality every day.

We are seeing more young children struggling with anxiety, emotional regulation, developmental delays, trauma exposure, and behavioral challenges than ever before.

In 2025 alone, 35% of the children we served, infants through preschoolers received services such as speech, occupational, physical, play, or behavioral therapies.

That represents a 28% increase since five years ago.

And I think it's important to pause there a moment.

These are not high school students.

These are babies, toddlers, three-year-olds, children whose brains are still forming at extraordinary speeds.

And what many people do not realize is that prolonged stress during these early years, especially stress tied to poverty, instability, neglect, violence, food insecurity, or trauma, doesn't just affect a child emotionally in that moment.

It can actually alter the architecture of a developing brain.

When young children live in a constant state of stress without consistent supportive relationships to buffer that stress, their brains and bodies adapt for survival.

Over time, that can impact emotional regulation, learning, impulse control, relationship building, physical health, and long-term mental health outcomes.

In other words, adversity in early childhood doesn't just go away because a child gets older.

Without appropriate support, it can follow them for decades.

The good news is that early child is also where intervention is the most powerful.

Young brains are remarkably adaptable.

When children experience safe, stable, nurturing relationships when families are supported, when teachers are trained, when behavioral health support is embedded early, we can change trajectories before challenges escalate into crisis.

And that is why this work matters so deeply.

At Early Connections, behavioral health is not a separate office down the hall.

It is embedded directly into classrooms, teacher coaching, family partnerships, and daily interactions because young children cannot separate learning from emotional safety.

A child who feels secure learns differently.

A child who can regulate emotions connects differently.

And a child who experiences stable relationships develops differently.

And when we support children early, we are not only helping them succeed in preschool, we are strengthening our future workforce, our schools, our healthcare systems, our economy, and our community.

Because untreated early childhood mental health challenges do not disappear.

They grow more expensive, more complex, and more painful over time.

The reality, as Councilman Lineweber referred to, is that nearly half of children who need mental health support never receive it, often because families cannot find services, cannot afford services, or simply don't know where to go.

In an effort to meet families where they their children are, the Family Friendly initiative has launched the embed project, which brings early childhood mental health consultants to child care centers around Colorado Springs.

This is an important effort because Early Connections is incredibly unique in our ability and dedication to provide high-quality, deeply embedded behavioral health supports into our early childhood classrooms.

So as we recognize Mental Health Awareness Month, I hope we expand how we think about mental health in our community.

Mental health is not only about a crisis response, it's about prevention, it's about early relationships, about supporting families, and it's about investing upstream.

And perhaps most importantly, it is about understanding that some of the most important mental health work happening in Colorado Springs today is happening in places filled with fingerprint, finger paint, story time, blocks, and nursery rhymes.

Thank you for the opportunity to share this message today, and thank you for your commitment to the well-being of our community.

Hello, thank you, uh David, for bringing me here today.

My name is Sarah Potter, and I'm representing Big Table.

Big Table is a nonprofit that supports the restaurant and hospitality sector.

The restaurant and hospitality sector is the lowest paying job roles and uh employment.

So they're individuals, back of house kitchen.

Uh when we think about the hospitality sector, it's easy to think about our server or the chef, but there's thousands and thousands of back of house individuals who are waking up every day not knowing how they're gonna pay their rent, buy food, and that is a mental health crisis.

If we do not know how we're going to pay our bills, how can we have a high quality of life?

The model of Big Table is a referral-based model, so we walk alongside individuals, we work with rental agencies, property owners, and industry owners themselves, managers, and the community, so that when you are out and you see an individual struggling, you refer them to us, we follow up with them, we meet with them for coffee, we walk alongside to make sure that they are being connected to their mental health resources.

We make sure they're being triaged so that they can pay their rent, they can pay their bills, and they have someone that's listening and that cares, and that can make someone's day.

The importance of being able to just walk alongside an individual is everything.

It's a person being heard, it's changing lives.

And as David stated before, the hospitality sector has one of the highest rates of suicide, and we can prevent that as well as alcohol and drugs and addiction due to the stressors and due to the imbalance of income.

Thank you all for allowing us to be here today.

Big Table is honored to be a part of Colorado Springs nonprofit network and be able to offer these services to our community.

Thank you.

All right.

Step Springs is a men's residential recovery program.

Um with four pillars of sobriety.

Where is my sobriety work accountability and community?

And I'm here today to share my story because I struggle with mental health issues, but also um addiction.

So when I was 13 years old, um, I started smoking crack cocaine, and by 14, I was um using IV heroin.

And I was molested as a kid when I was 13 years old, which really kind of caused a lot of confusion uh with me.

And uh just growing up, um, I didn't know how to deal with that, and I was just like very angry, which led to me going to prison for 10 years, um, multiple stays in uh county jails all across the US, and um multiple attempts on suicide.

Um, and the last one was August 26 to 22.

Um I was homeless for about two years at that point, living under a bridge uh in a tent.

Um I lost my three children due to my addiction to the state, and I was just feeling very depressed that day, uh, very lonely.

I didn't see a way out.

Um my wife at the time, she actually um invited me over to take a shower because it was really dirty, and um, I saw some bleach, and I shot up the bleach into my arm, trying to take my life.

Um, I just didn't see how I was gonna get better.

I had been to 18 other programs at that point in my life.

And nothing worked.

Where I kind of escaped from the hospital.

The cops would come get me.

And then they finally were bringing me to somewhere in Fort Collins, and I jumped out of an ambulance, which is crazy because I killed myself or tried to commit suicide based on the fact that I didn't want to live like that, but I was so afraid to get better, I felt like I couldn't do it.

A lot of fear around that.

But they did something different that day.

And after about three weeks, I started getting honest with the doctors and letting them know that hey, I am a drug addict.

I've been up for about um a week at that point, high on meth.

And they offered me this program called STEP.

And that's where the change happened for me.

And for the first time in my life, I felt connection.

I didn't feel like I was unique.

Everybody had similar problems that I was struggling with.

I was able to talk to these other men into the pure support community.

So the recovery support managers there, they've been through it.

So I'm not sitting across from somebody who, you know, read about it in the book.

I'm I'm sitting across from someone with lived experience.

And I had to get honest with myself and really kind of say it, you know, after being strapped down uh for seven days, um, I probably have a problem.

And you know, so I went to this program where I was taught um many different skill sets from how how to just be human again, right?

How to make sure get into the routine of showering, doing my laundry, um, learning about physical fitness, um, you know, with my mental health issues.

They were like, you know, they don't have it in-house, but they referred me to um a mental health professional, um, who I've been seeing for almost four years now on a weekly uh basis.

Um and we talked about nature earlier.

Um that's where I feel most connected, right?

Like when I'm out in nature, there's just something about it, right?

There's a feeling that I get in my body that makes me feel like everything's gonna be okay.

Um I learned how to um at step, they bring in a nutritionist where um I learned how to eat healthier meals, making sure I'm drinking enough water, it's funny how I feel cranky if I don't have my eight classes, how to get rest, right?

All those things that kind of help my mental health issues, right?

Because I have mental health issues, but when I'm using they're worse, and then sometimes it's the drugs, the alcohol that's creating the mental health issue.

And you know, I'm happy to announce August 26th, I'll have four years clean.

And about two weeks ago, a little over two weeks ago, I got custody of my three kids.

So if there's anyone that is struggling, right?

I know it's hard to ask for help, it's one of my biggest issues.

Right.

But um getting honest with yourself and, you know, really just being open to what people in the community is like what they're saying, right?

And finding that connection, right?

They say the opposite of addiction is connection.

But I think that's just true for all elements of life.

Right.

And today I found connection in my recovery community at step.

Um in church, right?

And I'm doing all these things that just makes me feel whole again.

And you know, I'm not on meds today.

Um, it's just my connection with others that help help me through this process.

Thank you for the opportunity to speak.

Um gotten more aware of the mental health crisis that we're really amongst.

And um, we need to find solutions within our city on how do we address this issue.

So anyway, thank you very much.

Lynn Ed, I'll turn it back over to you.

They'll bring it back up to the dais, Councilman Williams.

Thank you.

Um, I haven't had as much time to spend with early connections as I did the first time I was on council, but I was a very big champion.

And you're absolutely right.

Like one of the hard things that happened that was a big issue then that I'm sure is we had a lot of infant mortality in the community.

So trying to figure out how to bridge that gap and help people in early connections had a role in that.

Um in the process, I learned there's a documentary out there called Raising America, which basically says if we can figure out how to take care of our kids between zero and five, it makes life a lot better.

Six, seven, eight, nine, all the way up.

It's a lot harder and use the term upstream, that's the time to do it.

It's a lot harder when they're 18 and they've had 18 years of probably not the best living situation.

So thank you for that.

I'm excited to learn about big table.

And um, thank you for coming forward and and sharing your stories, because we are all in this together, and it's always easier to say, I'm all by myself, nobody cares, but I could probably bet everyone in this room cares.

You just have to, it's hard to take that first step.

And one of the things that um they taught us in health class that you don't think you need when you're in ninth grade is suicide is a permanent solution to a temporary problem.

So if we could just share that with each other, then I think we'd hopefully cut down on suicides.

And thank you, Councilmember Linewarver, for bringing this forward, and thank you, those of you who shared your stories.

And yes, it's a joint effort, and we have to work on it every single day.

And none of us is free.

We all have good days and bad days.

So tell your friends you love them and have everybody have a great day.

Moving on to item 5B, will the clerk please read item 5B into the record.

A resolution recognizing May 17 to May 23rd, 26 is National Public Works Week.

Councilman Henjam.

Thank you, Madam President.

And uh wow, that was very powerful proclamation and experience.

Thank you, Councilmember Lineweaver, for bringing that.

Very moved.

And some other things to really celebrate today.

And that is our public works department.

And I I want to say before bringing up Gail, is it going to be you or Rich that?

Okay, great.

Um we'll we'll bring you up in a moment, but I I want to say a few things first about our public works department.

Um, this is a group of individuals and as a team that are some of the finest public servants that I have ever known.

And I want to tell you all that uh they're so good, in fact, that in the time that I've been on council, there have been a couple of departments that have been moved into and underneath public works um for efficiency and and really for very good reasons, but I think also because the department has a reputation for being exceptionally well run, and um they do a lot with really very few resources.

In fact, um they are doing more with less all the time, and that's not to say um I don't appreciate every single person who has voted for 2C and for PPRTA, which are the tax dollars that really help to fuel the the majority of the work that they do.

Um, it's really really important, and thank you for recognizing the need for those tax dollars for these folks to um deploy and utilize in in a very very efficient effective and um and good way.

Um in this remember uh this this year, this 2026 budget year, we took a 31 million dollar budget cut in our general fund, and we have people on furlough over the course of the year.

It's what's five, six days of furlough, how many, Emily?

Seven.

Oh my gosh.

Seven days of furlough, which means they are they are not working and they're not getting paid for those days.

That's that's significant.

So our city is replete with um really outstanding civil servants, but today we are acknowledging those uh public servants in public works.

Um I want to mention just a couple more things and then we'll have our director of public works come up.

Um, but uh traffic uh engineering is under public works, and this Wednesday at Mann Middle School, they will be rolling out uh the school safety zone improvements at Mann Middle School and uh working on improving safety in our school zones, and I'm really appreciative of that work, so uh be on the lookout for news related to that.

They also received a significant accreditation this year, which I imagine we'll hear a little bit about from our Director of Public Works.

Um, but I just I just really want for people to know that I think when any one of us up on this dais uh receive a call or contact about anything related to sidewalks or potholes or curbs and gutter stormwater, uh you name it.

These folks do everything they can to be as responsive as they can as quickly as they can.

And so um please share your appreciation for for those who you see on the street working on on our on our roads and and our infrastructure.

So with that, um uh actually, yeah.

Let's go ahead and have you come up and then I will read the the resolution and we'll we'll do the vote.

Rich Mullady, our director of public works.

Um thank you so much.

Thank you for those kind words.

I really appreciate and the support.

Um good morning, uh, Council President Crow Iverson, um Council uh President Pro Tim Rosley and members of city council.

Um my name is Richard Millady, I'm the Public Works uh director, and I'm also supported here today with almost our entire leadership team from Public Works, and they're wonderful people, and so are the people that work in Public Works.

I just wanted to take two minutes or so and just read some thoughts that I have, if I could.

So today we are here to express our deeper appreciation for the extraordinary work that our team members within the City of Collar Springs Public Works Department does every single day.

As one of the largest departments in our city, Public Works carries a tremendous responsibility, and that's planning, maintaining, and growing the infrastructure that keeps our city, City of College Springs moving, thriving, and safe.

To our amazing teams, your efforts touch every corner of our lives.

You pave and plow their streets, ensuring that whether it's a sunny afternoon or a winter storm, our community can travel safely.

You maintain and manage our traffic signal network and manage our downtown parking system, helping residents and visitors to navigate our city with ease.

You keep our waterways operational, protecting our neighborhoods from flooding and keeping our environment healthy.

And through programs like 2C and PPRTA, and that you mentioned, and the project delivery programs within them, you continue to rebuild and strengthen the very roads that we rely on.

And that is the economic backbone of our city.

Your work doesn't stop there across many divisions, including the stormwater enterprise, the parking enterprise, operations and maintenance, Mount Metro Transit, traffic engineering, city engineering, forestry, code enforcement neighborhood services.

You provide essential services that often go unseen but never go unfelt.

From maintaining our urban forests and supporting our neighborhoods through keep it clean and code enforcement to operating our vast public transportation system to ensuring that new development meets the highest engineering standards.

Your impact is woven into the fabric of our city.

Pot hole repair.

Paho repair, and the ongoing 2C roadway improvements.

Your teams are out there in the toughest conditions, early mornings, late nights, and everything in between.

Making sure that our streets and waterways remain safe and functional.

Just wrapping up to every engineer, inspector, snow plow driver, transit operator, maintenance worker, arborist, parking officer, utility locator, support staff member, and many, many more.

Your resilience, your expertise, and your unwavering dedication to the people to the people of City Collar Springs is truly, I'm truly thankful for, and I know that our city is as well.

Our city is stronger, safer, and more connected because of you.

And then if I could just uh wrap up with, you know, and you mentioned it briefly, and that is we accomplished a national accreditation this year, which is a really big deal for public works.

Um that's the APWA, which is the national accreditation of public works departments, or you know, uh across the nation, I guess I said nationally, but that's a long process that we went through.

Many, many departments uh helped us in that accreditation.

Um Travis Easton actually uh began that effort many, many or about four years ago, and we carried it forward.

Um we're gonna bring that to council, and we'll have a representative nationally come and award the city, and that puts um our public works department um among the top-tier departments in the nation, and it really sets us above the rest.

And we'll tell you a little more when we bring that to council.

So with that, I really appreciate uh the time.

I want to thank um the leadership of Public Works and everybody within Public Works for all the hard work that they do every single day.

Thank you very much.

Thank you, Rich.

Thank you for all of that.

With that, I'll I'll read the resolution recognizing May 17th to May 23rd, 2026 as national Public's Works Week.

Whereas public works professionals focus on infrastructure, facilities, and services that are of vital importance to sustainable and resilient communities and the public health, high quality of life, and well-being of the people of the city of Colorado Springs.

And whereas these infrastructure facilities and services could not be provided without the dedicated efforts of public works professionals who are engineers, managers, and employees at all levels of government and the private sector, who are responsible for rebuilding, improving and protecting our city's transportation, stormwater management, street infrastructure, bridge system, public transportation, treescape, public parking, other structures and facilities essential for our citizens and provision of our neighborhood services and code enforcement.

And whereas the City of Colorado Springs public works team spent 2025 repairing over 78,000 potholes, removing over 724 cubic yards of debris from roadways, utilizing over 10,000 tons of asphalt for road repairs, installing nearly 1,300 pedestrian ramps, maintaining 720 traffic signals, pruning nearly 4,000 city-owned trees, engaging in dramatic stormwater projects to reduce flooding, closing over 17,000 cases from neighborhood services, providing over 3 million rides per mountain metro transit, completing capital projects, including the Circle Drive Bridges Replacement Project and Tejone Street Revitalization Project, and making tremendous progress on the Mark Shuffle and Road and Dublin Boulevard Improvement Projects.

And whereas it is in the public interest for the citizens, civic leaders, and children in the city of Colorado Springs to gain knowledge of and maintain an ongoing interest and understanding of the importance of public works and public works programs in their respective communities.

And whereas the year 2026 marks the 20 the 66th annual National Public Works Week sponsored by the American Public Works Association, Canadian Public Works Association.

Now, therefore, be it resolved by the City Council of the City of Colorado Springs.

We designate the week May 17th through 23rd as National Public Works Week, and we urge all citizens to join with representatives of the American Public Works Association and government agencies in activities, events, and ceremonies designed to pay tribute to our public work professionals, engineers, managers, and employees, and to recognize the substantial contributions they make to protecting our national health, safety, and advancing quality of life for all.

Wow.

Dated Colorado Springs, Colorado this 12th day of May by our council president Lynette Crow Iverson.

So bring it up to the dais for comments.

Councilman Williams.

Thank you.

Thank you, Councilmember Hansen, for reading that.

I do love all the departments of the city and all the departments of utilities, but I am a little biased being a civil engineer myself.

I absolutely love our public works department.

I love being able to call and speak the same language and work through issues, and congratulations on your national award.

It's been it's been well earned.

Um this department truly does do more with less, and they know it.

And at some point in time, they're just gonna do more with even less than they ever thought possible.

So they do their best to bring in monies from outside of this community to leverage uh every single nook and cranny that they know how to do, and then they know how to bring projects to fruition.

So thank you for all of your hard work.

I know you're gonna keep it up, and you know, once we get out of that 31 million dollar hole, you'll have a few more projects to build.

So thank you all.

Councilman Gold.

Thank you, Madam President, and thank you, Councilmember Hentum, for bringing this forward.

Also, thank you, Mr.

Castle, for that standing ovation because they do deserve it.

Um I have so much gratitude to this department.

Um more than I could ever express in a few seconds right now on the dais.

Um, I have to tell you all that that Gail has been out to District 4 to deal with some personally problematic areas that we're trying to get resolution on.

Um, Rich and Todd have heard my crazy stories and they entertain me every time and pick up the phone every time and are quick to return my call phone calls, text messages.

And I'm I'm just so grateful for you guys as the true unsung heroes of our city.

Um I think that, you know, everybody needs our infrastructure, and it's almost an expectation placed upon the team.

And we don't say thank you enough, and we we I think all of us collectively um will complain about potholes or things that are missing, and um, we don't just take time to stop and and just show gratitude for how amazing our infrastructure actually is.

There's always room for improvement, but you guys should know that you are appreciated, um, appreciate your dedication, your innovation, your responsiveness.

And on those hard days, I hope that you remember remember days like today, and um, and I'm I'm gonna start scheduling time to just randomly call to say thank you.

So truly, thank you for the work you do.

Councilman Henjam.

Uh thank you, Madam President.

I know I spoke a lot already, but I just had to say this.

I so appreciate councilmember um Williams' emphasis on more with less.

However, I gotta tell you at some point the maths don't work.

There's a point at which you can't do more with less, and I think we're kind of there, folks.

So appreciate 2C PPRTA, but we can't keep furloughing our employees and making 31 million dollar cuts in our budget and expect the level of service that we do from these folks.

So I just needed to say that.

So I'm done.

Thanks.

And I echo every one of my colleagues up here.

We appreciate you so much more than you know.

You you answer our emails quickly, and you you are the true workers out there.

Um, infrastructure is one of the central functions of government.

So it is very important to our citizens.

Um, yesterday we had a very thorough presentation from the Forest Treaty Department, and I learned there's such a thing as a noxious tree.

So you learned something new every day.

We knew there was noxious weeds, but now we have noxious trees.

Um, I have a motion from Councilman Gold and a second from Councilman Williams.

Let's vote.

And the motion passes a to zero.

So if all the public works um people meet us up front, we will take a celebratory picture.

I think council members will just stay up here because there's so many of them down there.

Well, I think we've got to get out, yes, yes, moving on to item 5C.

Will the clerk please read item 5C into the record?

Resolution recognizing May 2026 2026's National Wildfire Awareness Month.

Councilman Williams.

Thank you, President Crow Iverson.

Um, I think this one is more relevant now than, you know, it has been because for some reason Colorado forgot that we had winter this year.

I've never had plants survive the whole winter.

I've never had daffodils come up, yes, daffodils, in December, but they did.

So um we have a different set of problems because we're not California, we are Colorado.

So with that in mind, this is a resolution of the City Council recognizing May 2026 as National Wildfire Awareness Month.

Whereas the City of Colorado Springs has a well-documented history of significant impacts from wildfires, including loss of life, property damage, and long-term effects on community resilience.

And whereas wildfire remains one of the greatest natural hazards facing the Colorado Springs community due to its geography, climate, and proximity of development to natural wildland fuels, and whereas current fire danger remains high with environmental conditions that elevate the risk of ignition, rapid fire growth, and difficulty of suppression.

And whereas the region is experiencing record low moisture levels and persistent drought conditions, which further reduce fuel moisture, increase fire intensity potential, and heighten overall wildfire risk.

And whereas proactive public education, community preparedness, and mitigation efforts are critical in reducing wildfire impacts and improving community safety.

And whereas National Wildfire Awareness Month provides an important opportunity to raise awareness, encourage mitigation actions, and strengthen partnerships among residents, agencies, and organizations working to reduce wildfire risk.

Whereas sharing the responsibility is our wildfire mitigation program tagline.

And National Wildfire Awareness Month is an opportunity to remind our community of the importance of their involvement in wildfire mitigation.

Now, therefore, be it resolved by the City Council of the City of Colorado Springs.

City Council hereby recognizes the month of May 2026 as National Wildfire Awareness Month and encourages all residents to participate in wildfire preparedness activities, support mitigation efforts, and remain informed about wildfire risks throughout the year.

Dated at Colorado Springs, Colorado, this 12th day of May.

And at this time, Chris Cooper is going to make us all very aware.

Madam President, President Pro Tim, members of the Council, Chris Cooper Fire Marshal, Councilmember Williams.

Thank you for reading that proclamation.

I appreciate it.

As you all know, Colorado Springs is unfortunately no stranger to wildfire.

The Waldo Canyon Fire, Black Forest fires rank among the most devastating in Colorado history.

The Waldo Canyon fire was pivotal influencing wildfire mitigation efforts not only in Colorado Springs but across the state, the nation, and international.

In fact, Colorado Springs Fire WUI Code provisions were the foundation of the recently passed Colorado Wildfire Resiliency Code.

And thank you again for the vote this morning to pass our fire code updates to the wildfire code.

Our mitigation programs have been modeled by many communities over the years, and we continue to be looked at as leading the way in terms of our mitigation activities and efforts.

Back in the early 2000s when our wildfire mitigation program was established, the tagline sharing the responsibility was pinned.

These words were not simply a motto, but a call to action for all of us living in this community.

Wildfire is not just a fire department problem, not just a forest service problem.

It's a community problem that impacts us all.

Some stats over the last 15 years that we've done through our wildfire mitigation program.

We now partner with over 143 HOAs to provide education to their uh communities.

We educate thousands of homeowners through on-site consultations, provide thousands in stipend funding with matches to help mitigation efforts for homeowners who can't afford the mitigation work otherwise.

Over 62,000 homes have participated in our neighborhood shipping program.

That's resulted in over 27,000 acres of mitigation work across our community and over 11,000 tons of combustible waste removed from our delicate and highly flammable wildfire in urban interface area.

We've completed almost 4,000 acres of mitigation work in open space and public lands.

Much of this work is possible through the 20 million dollar in voter-approved funding for mitigation efforts through the 2D initiative.

But there's still a lot of work to be done.

So today is this resolution is read, recognizing me as a National Wildfire Awareness Month.

I ask every member of this community to consider this as a call to action.

Now's the time to take critical yet simple steps to protect our homes, your neighborhoods, and your community.

Our website, COS Wildfire Ready.org is a great resource and place to start getting that information.

As I close today, I want to reflect upon the words of your very wise philosopher Smoky the Bear.

Only you can prevent wildfire.

Thank you.

I don't see any comments, but Chris, I just want to thank you for your rain dance a couple weeks ago turned into a nice snow last week.

So keep up the dancing.

We have a motion from Councilman Hanchum and a second from Councilman Williams.

Let's vote.

Madam President, you have a uh comment from Councilmember Lineweber.

Oh.

Councilman Lineweber.

Sorry, I just had to bring in a little bit.

Hey, I just wanted to recognize that our fire department really does extraordinary work with fire mitigation.

And I wanted to highlight one thing that has happened.

And um this is very, very significant.

Um, our Forest Service takes their land very, very seriously, to the point that they rarely, matter of fact, never have ever given over leadership to any fire mitigation.

In other words, they have always taken the lead.

Well, this last fall, for the very first time, our fire department was given permission to come in and work on the forest and to take the leadership role because that's who they are.

They're leaders in this, and I just want to commend them for doing such great work that it was able to create this partnership with our national forest in order to take these uh wildfire mitigation efforts that are so desperately needed.

So I just wanted to make that comment that um we have an extraordinary group, and um I just wanted to raise um awareness that that they're just doing an outstanding job, so I really appreciate it.

Thanks.

Did you vote, Councilman Lineweber?

The motion passes eight to zero.

So we'll meet the fire department down front for a celebratory picture.

Moving on to item 5D, will the clerk please read item five D into the record?

Resolution honoring May 25th, 2026's Memorial Day.

Councilman Casey.

Thank you, Madam President.

Uh Memorial Day is very personal for me as I remember those who paid the ultimate sacrifice under my command of the first Combined Army's Battalion, 67th Armor Regiment in Mosul, Iraq.

On the morning of April 10th, 2009, one of my platoons left our Ford operating base on a reconnaissance patrol in southwestern Mosul and shortly after crossed pass with a suicide bomber driving a dump truck, which we would later learn was carrying the equivalent of 10,000 pounds of explosives.

The dump truck had blown past an army checkpoint, and the Iraqi soldier on duty fired his at the on the vehicle with his AK 47 rifle to no avail.

The truck was traveling the opposite direction of my platoon, heading towards an Iraqi police station, and my soldiers immediately fired on the dump truck and attempt to stop it.

My last vehicle patrol was able to open fire with the 50 caliber machine gun, killing the driver and disabling the truck before it could penetrate the wall of the Iraqi police headquarters and cause catastrophic damage.

The truck, however, exploded anyways, just feet for my soldiers, all of whom died instantly from the overpressure of the blast.

So Memorial Day and on many other days, I remember the bravery and self-sacrifice of those killed in the attack.

Sergeant First Class Brian Hall, Staff Sergeant Gary Woods Jr., Sergeant Edward Force, Corporal Jason Pouch, and Private First Class Bryce Katir.

And now I'll go ahead and read the resolution.

A resolution honoring May 25th, 2026 is Memorial Day, whereas our freedom in this country has been made possible through the efforts of American veterans who laid down their lives.

And whereas we proudly commemorate those heroic and honorable patriots who gave their all for the cause of freedom during some of history's darkest hours.

And whereas it is our responsibility to strive to ensure their noble acts of dedication to our country and the cause of freedom were not in vain and to comfort the families they have left behind who bear the heartbreak of their loss.

And whereas all residents of Colorado Springs should humbly honor these incredible patriots and firmly renew our abiding commitment to uphold the principles for which they paid the ultimate sacrifice.

And whereas on Memorial Day in every day, we honor them for their sacrifice, the knowledge of our internal debt to them.

We pray that their devotion to patriotism displayed through service to our country will never be forgotten.

Through their deeds, we have learned to appreciate the freedoms that are the legacy of their sacrifice.

Now, therefore, be it resolved by the city council of the Colorado Springs.

City Council honors May 25th, 2026 as Memorial Day, and all citizens should take the time to honor the men and women who died while serving the United States military.

Dated at Colorado Springs this 12th day of May, 2026, signed.

And with that, I'll turn it over to Andrea Finnegan Fossey, the commander of American Legion Post number five, named in honor of Medal of Honor recipient PFC Floyd K.

Lindstrom.

Hi, good morning, everyone.

First, I want to say that yes, Memorial Day is a federal holiday on the calendar.

But for those who truly understand, it's not.

It's a solemn day of remembrance.

For many families, this day is truly personal.

Behind every name on a monument is someone's child, parent, spouse, friend, or battle buddy who never came home.

Their absences are felt every single day, not just some date on a calendar.

I want to thank you, City Council, for taking the time to recognize on this memorial day those who gave their lives for our nation.

Acts of remembrance matter.

It's a reminder that freedom is never free.

I would also ask everybody here to please attend a memorial day ceremony, such as the one being held at Vatican's Memorial, May 25th at 11 a.m.

There are multiple ceremonies happening in town that day, different times in different locations.

Please attend one.

If you cannot attend, please take a quiet, a quiet moment, and truly think about what happened to our soldiers who go overseas.

Remind yourself of our fallen and remind the future generations that Memorial Day is more than just a day off.

Again, thank you, City Council, for recognizing the importance of this day and keeping the memory of our fallen heroes alive.

Next, I would like to introduce Russ Miller.

Um, good morning.

Uh Russ Miller, I'm the president and chairman of the Pikes Peak Veterans Council.

Uh we represent about 40 veteran service organizations and veteran centric organizations who who help families of veterans and the veterans themselves in our community.

It was uh 58 years ago, next Wednesday, that my parents uh received uh the knock at the door of a marine major and a navy lieutenant to inform them that uh my oldest brother had been killed.

And so this day, as Andrea just pointed out, carries a great deal of of uh solemn remembrance in all of our lives, all of us that have lost our fellow soldiers, marines, sailors, and airmen in combat.

It is a it's a day uh a very hard day to get through.

So thank you.

Hello, I'm Leroy Trust him with the Vietnam Veterans of America chapter here in Colorado Springs.

Uh going back to what David had presented regarding mental health.

Between 17 and 18 soldiers, veterans die each day from suicide.

With over 61% have who have died, at least in 2023, were not receiving the VA health care that year.

But with that, to start out, I want to start out with reading in Flanders Field.

It's uh John McCrae wrote this in Flanders Field, the poppies blow between the crosses, row on row, the mark our place and in the sky.

The larks still bravely singing fly.

Sacred heard among the guns below.

We are dead short days ago.

We lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow, loved and were loved, and now we lie in Flanders Fields.

Take up our quarrel with the foe to you from fall failing hands.

We throw the torch be yours to hold it high.

If ye break faith with us who die, we shall not sleep, though poppies grow in Flanders Fields.

When I went to Mark Twain Elementary about 60 some years ago, we were required to learn and memorize in Flanders Fields.

And as we learned of and prepared for decoration day, or as we know now, Memorial Day, we had we had to learn about what the poppy was.

And we would see these people wearing poppies through the holidays during that time and our annual trek out to Evergreen Cemetery.

But over the years of my military service, I visited the cemeteries in the Philippines, France, Belgium, and Luxembourg.

And I began to understand why we set this day this weekend aside.

The poppies before you that you have are ones that were provided by VFW Post 101.

What remained after we paid tribute to a Vietnam veteran who had passed.

As the poppies were laid on the casket, we were reminded the poppy flower symbolizes the blood shed by American service members from World War One and through all conflicts since.

So when you attach this poppy to your lapel, your shirt, or your hat, or see veterans organizations offering a poppy.

Remember the lives of all veterans who have served and passed on that gives us the freedoms that we enjoy.

Thank you.

Good morning, City Council members, veterans, and community.

My name is Ryan Hemhauser.

I'm a proud member of Post Five, founder of Disgruntled Veterans, Army Veteran, and a new dad.

And uh I want to apologize.

I have a beautiful speech that my wife helped me wrote, but I can't stop thinking about my new son.

Um, and how he's not gonna be able to meet friends of mine, that he will only know their stories, that he'll never have a handshake.

And they will only live through the stories that I have of them.

Memorial Day is extremely important to me.

Um, I've lost more friends that I care to count.

And today makes me or Memorial Day makes me feel visible.

It's so many days go by that we have to count that they're never going to be able to meet my son, be there for his first beer.

And I miss them.

And that's what today's about, or Memorial Day is about.

And I want to thank you for this proclamation for not only me, but everyone that's lost someone to combat or the war at home, because it's real people.

It's not a number, it's not a combat story.

It's your best friend sitting in the bunk next to you.

Thank you.

Thank you, Andrea, Russ, Leroy, and Ryan.

I appreciate that.

And with that, I'll turn it over to uh Madam President for any councilmember comments.

I'll bring it back up to that IS.

Um, Councilman Rainey.

Thank you, Madam President, and uh thank you, uh Councilmember Casey for the resolution.

Um, once again, uh, and it's been stated several times, the cost of freedom, it's uh it doesn't care what your political affiliation is, and it's not free.

Uh I will tell you, much as council member uh Casey has mentioned uh when you're in a combat zone and you are dealing with death, knowing that those individuals will not make it home, it's tough.

It is really tough.

So I do ask all of you to those that are watching, to members across this great nation, to make sure that we honor the sacrifice, to make sure that we remembered history, to make sure that we continue to support military families, and also to make sure that we promote unity and patriotism of this great nation.

Um, yes, it's a great time for families to get together.

It is a phenomenal time to celebrate the beginning of summer, but please never forget the reason why we take the time to remember those who have paid the ultimate sacrifice, the ultimate one.

And I can tell you as someone who was the chief of combat plans in Afghanistan, there's no greater burden than to tell someone that their loved one is not coming home.

So please, all I ask is that you take time, a moment of silence to remember those that have paid that ultimate sacrifice.

Thank you.

I have a motion from Councilman Rainey and a second from Councilman Gold, let's vote.

Motion passes eight to zero.

Um, if all of those who have joined us, whether you spoke or not up front for a celebratory picture, um, Councilman Casey, if you want to go down with the resolution, the rest of us will stay up here for space.

Okay, moving on to item six A.

Will the clerk please read item six A into the record?

Ordinance 26-17 appointing Stephanie Boster as city attorney and prescribing her duties, compensation, and tenure in office and superseding and repealing all prior ordinances inconsistent with the provisions of this ordinance.

Turn it over to Mr.

Mayor.

Thank you.

Thank you for recognizing our fallen and for remembering them.

And thank you also for recognizing my teammates, the fire department and our public works team.

And it feels uh fit into remind everyone that our city was named the most ease easiest city to navigate in the country this past March.

So what a fit in recognition.

Today I'm here to bring forward the appointment of Stephanie Boaster as our next city attorney and chief legal officer for the city of Colorado Springs.

Following a national search, Stephanie emerged as a clear choice.

She brings not only extensive legal expertise, but also a deep understanding of municipal law and a strong demonstrated commitment to public service.

Her experience as the deputy chief, as a deputy city attorney for the city of Fort Collins and city attorney for the city of Cheyenne has prepared her to serve our city at the highest level.

Throughout her career, Stephanie has advised elected officials, executive leadership, and city departments on complex legal and policy matters with professionalism, sound judgment, and unwavering integrity.

But beyond her impressive resume, what stood out most throughout this process was Stephanie's approach to leadership.

She is proactive, collaborative, responsive, and solutions oriented, qualities that are essential to modern city attorney and to the critical work ahead.

As a former local elected official herself, Stephanie understands firsthand the weight of public trust and the responsibility we carry as servants to the community.

She knows that effective legal counsel is not just about mitigating risk, it's also by helping an organization move forward thoughtfully, responsibly, and with service to our residents.

The city attorney's office, I think you would all agree with me.

Touches every part of government, and I'm confident Stephanie's leadership will strengthen our ability to deliver a service that is excellent, accountable, and transparent.

I also want to take this moment to thank uh Acton City Attorney Mark Smith for his steady leadership during this transition period and for the entire city attorney's office for ensuring continuity and excellence during an important time of transition for our organization.

Council members, thank you for your consideration today.

And I believe Stephanie will serve this city will with distinction, integrity, and excellence, and I respectfully ask for your consideration.

And it will be my honor to administer Stephanie's oath of office after your confirmation.

Back to you, Madam President.

So bring it back up to that dais.

We have a motion from Councilman Gold and a second from Councilman Rainey.

Let's vote.

And the motion passes a to zero.

Stephanie, raise your right hand and repeat after me.

I state your name.

I Stephanie Boster.

Do solemnly swear.

Do you solemnly swear that I will support the Constitution of the United States?

That I will support the Constitution in the United States.

Constitution of the State of Colorado.

The Constitution of the State of Colorado.

The laws of the state of Colorado.

The laws of the state of Colorado.

And the Charter of the City of Colorado Springs.

And the Charter of the City of Colorado Springs.

And we're faithfully performed.

And we'll faithfully perform.

The duties of city attorney for the city of Colorado Springs.

The duties of city attorney for the city of Colorado Springs.

Upon which I'm about to enter.

Upon which I'm about to enter.

To the best of my ability.

To the best of my ability.

Congratulations.

Thank you so much.

Thank you.

Good morning, Council President Iverson, President Pro Tim Risley, and members of the Colorado Springs City Council.

It's my pleasure to be here, Stephanie Boster.

I want to give a shout out to my friends and family in Casper, and also my colleagues with the Wyoming State Bar and throughout the state of Wyoming, and also my friends in Cheyenne and my colleagues at the City of Cheyenne and the city of Fort Collins specifically, the Fort Collins City Attorney's Office.

I wouldn't be here without them.

Fifteen years ago in 2011, I drove from Casper to Colorado Springs to interview with the City Attorney's Office for the Utilities attorney position.

I didn't get that job, but I'm happy to be here 15 years later as your city attorney.

And the current interim city attorney carried out that leadership as well.

I want to continue that legacy.

Thank you, Stephanie.

Councilman Henjam.

Uh thank you, Madam President.

Welcome, Ms.

Boster.

And uh I also uh uh uh want to agree with you about the city attorney's office and how hard they work and what an incredible staff that uh that Wyneta um built um that you get the privilege of leading.

Um and I really do specifically want to thank Mark Smith for um how well he led for a very long time as an interim um city attorney, and thank you, Mark, for for holding down the fort and um and I look forward to uh to moving forward with the entire legal department.

Thank you.

Moving on to item six b will the clerk please read item six B into the record.

A resolution confirmed the mayor's appointment of Skylaroba as the parks recreation and cultural services director.

Good morning again.

Next, I am pleased to bring forward the appointment of Schuyler Rorobaugh as the next director of Parks Recreation and Cultural Services for the City of Colorado Springs.

Skylar is no stranger to this community or to the important work of Steward and the places and experiences that makes our city so special.

Many of many of you know his leadership through Pike Speak America's Mountain, where he successfully managed one of the most iconic and visited destinations in the country, welcoming over one million visitors each year.

That level of responsibility requires vision, operational excellence, and strong collaboration.

And Skylar has consistently delivered.

With more than two decades of experience in parks, recreation, and historical services, and land management, Skylar brings both depth and experience.

What stood out most during this process was his ability to think strategically about the future while staying grounded in the everyday experiences of residents.

He understands parks, trails, and recreation programs and that open spaces are not just extra, they are essential to the quality of life, health, and vitality of our community, as Councilmember Line Weber pointed out.

Skylar also brings a solution-oriented and innovative approach that will help us strengthen partnerships, maximize resources, and continue delivering high quality experiences across Colorado Springs.

I also want to express my gratitude to Acton Director King King for her steady leadership during this transition and to the entire parks and red team for their commitment to the department and to team COS.

Council members, thank you for your consideration.

I am confident Skylar will serve our city with excellence, creativity, integrity, and I respectfully ask for your confirmation, and it will be my honor to administer Skylar's oath of office as well.

Thank you.

Bring it back to the dais.

We have a motion from Councilman Henchum and a second from Councilman Rainey.

Um Councilman Lineweber.

You're on mute.

There we go.

I got it.

Oh, I just want to speak to the fact that I've had the privilege of working with Skylar for uh several years now.

And um the collaborative nature that he has always demonstrated and the desire to find a solution has always been kind of forefront.

And um, and really just from a lived experience with his family who's participates um so often in all the the things that we offer as as a uh city.

Parks department is very, very vast, and um certainly um he will have a few things that he will need to learn, but I'm sure that uh Kim Gold will be right, not uh Kimber uh um not Kim Gold, um, the other one will be there in the next session, but anyway.

Um, anyway, I just wanted to really highlight the fact that um I am so excited about this, and um I really look forward to a great future for our city.

Councilman Henjam.

Thank you, Madam President.

Um, Skylar, congratulations.

Um, I'm gonna just tell a tiny little story.

I was really fortunate to be a part of your final interview just with the mayor.

I just so happened that day you were up since two in the morning to be at the top of America's mountain for good morning America, uh, which had you had snow and all kinds of challenges, and you also had prom coming up that night, I think, with kids going to prom.

And so you were looking at probably 24 hours without sleep, um, but one never would have known.

Um, I really enjoyed the conversation with you, that interview, and look forward to in particular your innovative leadership and helping our parks department form more partnerships and um engage the city in the in the important work of the parks.

So, congratulations.

Councilman Gold.

Thank you, Madam President.

I did want to affirm uh Councilmember Lineweber's statement, happy to assist any way I can.

Um, you can have not one but two Kims.

Thank you.

Congratulations.

And again, we have a motion from Councilman Hencham and a second from Councilman Rainey.

Let's vote.

And the motion passes a to zero.

There's your right hands or repeat after me.

Aye.

State grenade.

I Skylar Roarball.

To solemnly swear, do you solemnly swear?

By the ever-living God by the ever-living God that I will support the Constitution of the United States, that I will support the Constitution of the United States.

The constitution of the state of Colorado.

The Constitution of the State of Colorado.

The laws of the state of Colorado.

Laws of the state of Colorado.

And the charter of the city of Colorado Springs.

And the Charter of the City of Colorado Springs.

And we'll faithfully perform the duties, and we'll faithfully perform the duties of parts, recreation, and cultural services director of Parks Recreation and Cultural Services Director.

For the City of Colorado Springs for the City of Colorado Springs, upon which I'm about to enter, upon which I'm about to enter.

To the best of my ability, to the best of my ability.

Congratulations, Skyler.

Thank you, Mayor.

Thank you, Council President Crow Irison, Pro Tem Risley, Council members.

Really am humbled just about the opportunity to serve our city in this capacity for our parks recreation and cultural services as a director.

Just serving our community, each one of our districts.

They really instilled the hard working effort and ethic in me since I was a little kid.

And my wife has just been just a true blessing for my entire life, and really just supports me in each and every way.

And my son was not able to be here because he's taken an AP, I think, psychology test right now.

But just really appreciate my family, and just the support of the community, and want to thank Kim King for her acting director, just her participation in that, her dedication over many decades of service to our community, Matt Mayberry and Lana Thielen and Eric Becker, our leadership at PRCS.

Just looking forward to working with their team and all that leadership.

So really appreciate it.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Moving on to items called up consent calendar.

Ratification of Councilmember liaison, the city council appointed boards, commissions, and committees.

Councilman Henjam.

Thank you, Madam President.

Before we voted on this, I just uh thought it was important to not have this on consent.

Um and just simply for people to be aware that uh I don't know for how long, but certainly as long as I've been on council.

Um council member has been afforded the opportunity to appoint and uh and have a board member on the county public health board.

Um we received an email on May 4th from our uh boards and commissions program administer.

Uh just administrator, just letting us know that El Paso County uh recently shared with us that they are updating their process for how council members may be considered for appointments to the El Paso County Board of Health, meaning that if any of us choose to sit on the or would like I should say uh to sit on the El Paso County Board of Health, that we would need to apply just like anyone else in the community, and there will not be a seat for a city council person.

Um, I'm not sure they didn't give a rationale for why they were making that change.

It makes me curious um as to why the county would not want someone from the city council to serve on that board, given that uh 500,000 of the 750,000 people that live in El Paso County reside in the city of Colorado Springs.

So I just thought it was important.

I mean, they have every right to do it.

It's they're not doing anything untoward or illegal.

Um, but I do I do wonder about the rationale, and I I have absolutely no idea.

So uh if you if you want, you might want to ask your county commissioner uh what what the uh reason or rationale or uh someone on that board, um, of which, by the way, council member Donaldson uh is the board chair, and he's uh he's terming off of that board as of July, so he will no longer be serving in that position.

And that's all with that.

I um I'm happy to move to the vote.

Thank you.

I have a motion from council member gold and a second from council member Williams.

Let's vote.

The motion passes a to zero.

Moving on to item 9A.

Will the clerk please read item 9a into the record in ordinance amending multiple sections of Article 5, administration and enforcement of chapter 7, unified development code of the City of Colorado Springs 2001 is amended related procedural process.

Good morning, Dan.

Good morning, uh, Council President Crow Iverson, members of council.

Uh so today we have before you uh a proposed ordinance update to various provisions within Article 5.

Um, as we kind of discussed uh at work session uh on this item recently.

Um this provision is uh a separate effort from the city planning department's uh code scrubs of the adopted unified development code that was implemented in 2023.

Uh the need for these changes uh was determined as an urgent matter uh with regards to process uh procedures under code just to make sure that the bodies that were acting on decisions are on certain applications was was at the correct hierarchy.

Um additionally, we had hoped to present this to this body, but we had some last minute conversations with the city attorney's office uh in late April, which delayed us a little bit.

So we did make some additional uh adjustments and tweaks to that, but that's as part of the presentation here today.

Um so we will jump on forward here.

Uh these are the seven provisions of Article 5 that we'll be touching on at a high level uh in terms of the ordinance.

I did not uh include as part of the presentation uh snapshots of all the changes within the code because there is some redundancy, especially when we get into the non-use variance, use variance provisions.

Uh so it's there's a lot of similarities there, but we are going to be touching on some changes within the the sections on appeals, development plans, administrative adjustments, development standards adjustments, non-use variances, use variances, and then lastly, zone map amendments.

Uh so first and foremost uh in the appeal section, what we are are providing is clarifying language uh to the intent of this body as to who makes recommendations uh on certain matters before city council.

So we we revised some language in here and added some references to uh subordinate bodies uh of yours.

Uh so that's including planning commission, the form-based zone review board, which is the the downtown review board, uh, and historic preservation board.

They make recommendations to you on matters uh in many cases, um, when there's uh a zone, uh rezone or zone establishment that their body has oversight over.

Uh, but this again is just to reinform that they are making a recommendation to you, you maintain the final decision-making authority, okay.

Um the development plan changes uh section here.

What we are reaffirming is the the intent of the UDC, which was to create a more permissive environment for projects to move through decision making, uh, and specifically we're we're focusing in on applications that require a conditional use decision.

Um in old uh chapter seven prior to 2023, uh most uh decisions that involved conditional uses would have had a development plan or uh back then a concept plan elevated with it for the final decision-making body to act on.

So it is one big package.

Under the UDC.

The intent of that was to bifurcate or to give an option, I should say, to bifurcate the development plan uh decision from the conditional use itself, because from a use perspective, while there may be some overlap from a site-specific design or or uh constraint perspective, largely we're looking at whether the use is permissive uh or is permittable, I should say, on a specific property in a specific zone.

So what we did is we provided some clarifying language here to reaffirm that that bifurcat potentially bifurcated approach to keep a development plan at the administrative approval track and allowing for the conditional use to move up to planning commission for final uh decision making there.

Shifting then to the administrative adjustments and various variance provisions.

So cumulatively, what we determined, and again, it was not the intent of the UDC to limit where numerical provisions could be, or a property owner or developer could seek remedy of, in the sense that code says if you have a numerical standard, say a setback or a building height or something similar to that, uh, the intent of code was to allow an applicant or property owner to seek a varying of that dimensional standard if certain conditions or justification was provided.

You know, identifying that it's not a hardship they're creating, but it could be a site constraint where the property is topographically challenged or it has it's impacted by a creek or some other type of constraint that would warrant some consideration of remedy to reduce that dimensional standard.

Unintentionally, the provision the numerical standards, which are use-specific standards in 73.3, uh, were unintentionally excluded from seeking remedy of.

Since the adoption of the UDC, we have operated under an administrative interpretation that was reviewed by uh the city attorney's office to allow people to seek variances or remedy of those numerical standards.

Uh, but knowing that we were working on changes to this article, uh we saw that this is an opportune time to include uh a formalizing of that interpretation or policy uh into actual code language, giving uh greater kind of uh validity to those decision making or that those decisions that are being made.

So we've included 73.3 uh in uh the in terms of use-specific standards that have numerical dimension, the ability of a property owner to seek remedy of.

So really it it changes the threshold of decision making for just that one piece to ensure to give confidence and predictability to a property owner or developer that they can get that uh reduced or modified dimensional standard separately from the development plan.

Okay.

And then lastly, within these provisions, uh again, this was uh an error and omission, is that with the final decision making actions for these applications, uh it was unintentionally uh did not include an expiration period.

Now an initial reading of that was made logical sense because these had to be tied to a development plan, but because the intent was to allow the bifurcation of those, uh we needed to re-include or reincorporate an expiration uh parameter uh into the code for those actions.

Additionally, is you could have instances where an administrative adjustment, which is frequently processed by our department at the staff level, comes in with a building permit.

So there is no development plan with it, but still we don't want to rely on the uh expiration parameters of the building permit since that is administered by Pikes Peak Regional Building.

We're not part of that parameter for extension.

Uh so we needed to firm up from a city land use and zoning perspective, that expiration parameter.

Um then moving on to the zone map amendment.

Uh this is probably the most critical provision of the entire change that we've put before you today, uh, which is an attempt to eliminate the situation that you all were confronted with uh a month or so ago on a property that had uh a decision of denial by planning commission, um, and it was planning department's belief that that decision was a recommendation.

That was the belief of the attorney's office.

However, after further consideration of the language and code, it set the stage where if that property owner wanted to move forward with their zone change request, they would eventually uh essentially have to appeal the decision of planning commission.

That is not the intent of what code was uh originally structured at with the the update in 23.

So we've moved forward with some some strike throughs and edits within the provisions of the zone map amendment section that again reaffirms that all decisions of planning commission and any supporting body are a recommendation to you all as council, uh, which has that final decision making authority for any rezone or zone establishment.

Okay.

Um, and again, since this is uh an update or amendment to city code, uh, unique to chapter seven.

Is there's a distinct process for doing that?

This is uh an amendment to uh the unified development code.

There are specific criteria that I won't read before you, but I believe it's on your screen uh that you have to consider after staff's review of this uh consideration of it by planning commission.

Uh, it was deemed that all the criteria have been met.

Uh, and we do have um optional motions here for for your consideration of this ordinance today.

Thank you.

Councilman Henjam.

Thank you, Madam President.

Um, so uh my question is um chapter seven, we did the retool that was what three coming up on four years ago now?

Three years ago, yeah.

So um I get I guess my curiosity is the various changes that are being made, and um it's it was what 700 plus pages of code.

Um the reality being it would be impossible to know everything that might not work perfectly over over a course of time, right?

And that these changes have come to our attention by virtue of just simply using chapter seven, correct?

Correct, and um these changes are are the planning department and ultimately our uh flexibility and understanding where the code has not maybe worked in the way it has been desired.

Is that fair to make all of those statements?

Correct.

Okay, great.

Thank you.

Councilman Rainey.

Thank you, Madam President.

Uh, can we go back to I believe it was slide five or six?

I want to make sure I I understand which application.

Can you go back one more?

That would be the first one.

I might have jumped over it.

Okay, there was a comment you made about um an applicant and of that applicant uh based on some of these updates before they invest any more on a plan that they would have at least some inkling that this potentially can move forward before they put any more, I guess, resources forward.

Is that I want to make sure is that a process that we really want to get into by stating we will try to push the process a little bit further along before to almost not guarantee, I don't want to use the word guarantee, but to give you the warm fuzzy that this potentially will move forward before you invest any more money into the project.

Is that the change that we're asking on that one?

Can you provide me a little bit clarity on that?

Yeah, so I think I get where you're going is that I mean, that was one of the intents of the the unified development code when it was um ultimately implemented in 23 is to create a more permissive environment, was to create the the space where development could occur with greater predictive predictability and certainty of what they're what the code expects and if they're asking for something that deviates, can they get an answer on that ask before they front load before they have to front load all of that heavy design work and cost?

Um old chapter seven required everything to be bundled together.

So if we got a development plan and somebody wanted to do a non-use variance or an administrative adjustment with it, we had to funnel that up with the DP for a concurrent review and decision making.

Whereas under the UDC, the intent was to allow a bifurcation of that.

And it's a discretionary bifurcation, I will say, is because again, the manager still has the authority under the UDC to say, well, what you're asking is is too much.

And to be able to justify it, it has so many other layers to it.

We need you to bring that in with your full development plan.

So we still have the ability to ask for that and require that to occur, but it gives uh a lower point of entry for the developer applicant to seek that remedy, if that makes sense.

That makes perfect sense because what I take away from that comment now is that there is flexibility into not just providing a very direct answer when the applicant is requesting it, that there is flexibility to say, hey, we need to look at this a little bit deeper.

We need to bring in more resources to provide you the answer that you're looking for instead of right then in there.

So it sounds like there's a lot of flexibility here.

Yeah, and that and that flexibility occurs both at the administrative level and higher decision making.

So uh planning commission, so it's like what's up on your screen here with the development plan and conditional use, planning commission could say their action on the conditional use is too complicated, and we need to have more information, and they could also equally ask for that additional application to be elevated to them.

Um so again, yes, there's there's multiple backstops there.

No, thank you.

That answered my question.

Councilman Casey.

Thank you, Madam President.

Yeah, that's a good point too.

Because I remember, and specifically, you know, trying to evaluate a conditional use application on planning commission uh can be challenging without that development plan.

And and so the flexibility to be able to turn it back and say, well, really, I need to see a development plan for this.

We understand we don't want you know developers to go through you know a very expensive process and just be turned down for a you know, the conditional use part of it.

But I know in particular for the public comment uh for one uh conditional use.

You know, they were they brought up all you know, we really like to see more information about this before we can really opine on it kind of thing.

But I think overall the at least three of the four of these came up in planning commission over the past year where there was some, you know, confusion, and I think this greatly clear uh cleans it up the language for that, and I think that uh the adjustments allowing the manager flexibility on the development standards uh is is a good is a good thing, and you know I voted for this as well as the planning commission voted unanimously for this uh when it was brought to the planning commission.

Thank you.

Yeah.

I don't have any other comments for you.

We have a motion from Councilman Hingem and a second from Councilman Rainey.

Let's vote.

Motion passes a to zero.

You're welcome.

Moving on to one um citizens' comments for today's items not on today's agenda for the city council rules.

Citizens will have three minutes to share your comments.

I have a list of those who have signed up.

When I call your name, please come forward, introduce yourself and limit yourself to topics that are relevant and you're made to city business.

First up, we have Mr.

Charles Barber.

Good morning, Mr.

Barber.

We've missed you.

Good morning.

Honorable President Crow Iverson, President Pro Tem Risley, City Council members, and staff.

My name is Charles Barber.

I have lived here for many moons.

I want city wastewater users to clean their hair from the CSU cleaning system.

It takes 10 seconds, one toilet tissue square and a deliberate action to gather male electric shaving hair with the paper and dispose it in the trash by a 60-year-old.

Please strive to fill your trash can whenever possible by avoiding sink and bathtub water drains.

It is not difficult nor sophisticated.

It does place a conscious decision upon yourself to keep CSU's wastewater as clean as can be.

Many, many, many countries and regions around the world prohibit toilet paper in the toilet.

That is correct.

Write a note to self on the back of your left hand, Pap, down, down, thumbs down.

I have yet to find published standards publicized for forgetful violators.

It may be left to the discretion of municipal watchdogs, or perhaps.

Thank you for your time.

Keep smiling if you please.

Next up we have Peter Hernandez.

May I say something, Madam President?

Yes, of course.

Uh Charles, thank you for caring about our wastewater system.

Really, truly I appreciate it.

And I believe our CEO of Utilities probably does as well.

Folks work very hard and it is a challenging system to maintain, and the things that don't belong there, um, you know, shouldn't go down.

So I just I just want to say I appreciate you.

Um you caring.

Thank you.

Thank you.

I think most people in Colorado Springs are important.

Peter Hernandez.

Yeah, hello.

Okay.

Okay, it's not gonna work for me.

All right.

Uh hi, my name is Peter Hernandez.

Um, I'm a member of the local DSA chapter, but uh here I'm speaking as a citizen.

Uh today I'm here to speak about Project Taurus.

Uh, for those of you who may be unaware, Project Taurus is the largest AI data center in our city, which has been proposed to be put in a mile and a half from Garden of the Gods, uh, in a building that used to be occupied by a very loud uh Bitcoin mining facility.

Um, fortunately for the residents around there.

So around the country, we are seeing communities and legislators reject data centers and for very good reasons.

They roll the down promising long-term jobs that they do not deliver on.

We've seen it time and time again, they steal and poison water supplies like they did in Mafia, Georgia.

Uh, they raise the surrounding air temperature by degrees.

They come in promising that this is the future while raising our utility bills.

And from the hundreds of people that showed up to the developer community meeting a few weeks ago.

We really do not want this here.

Don't believe the hype of the closed loop system.

Don't believe what every salesman tells you.

Um, this is going to take a large amount of our water that we have exceedingly little of.

Uh, and despite what they tell you, it will need to be refilled.

This is going to be a continuous strain on us.

And I agree with uh council member uh Line Weber that nature is really important to our name to our mental health, and all the people who came and gave testimony today.

Um, so let's not let this what let's not put that at risk by putting in this data center that really does not give us anything.

So as the board of Colorado Springs Utilities, I encourage you to put a stop to this project.

Um, yeah, and keep in mind that constituents are watching, and remember that we've got another developer meeting this Thursday.

Thank you for your time.

Next up, we have Gwendolyn Henderson.

Whoops.

Good morning, counsel.

I'm going to read a letter here of Reperman.

And I thank you for allowing me to be here, President Crowley Everson and Pro Tim Risley.

Thank you for the continued service and for the diligence and care you bring to decisions that carry significant responsibilities from both governance and public trust.

We would also like to extend our sincere appreciation to President Crow Averson and President Pro Tim Risley for taking the time to meet with us, which is Pike Speak Southern Leadership Conference One, and I am the community liaison.

So meeting with us and discussing this matter regarding Ms.

Gold's reprimand, that conversation was both meaningful and helpful in understanding the board's perspective.

I am writing to respectfully request a measured reassessment of the reprimand issued to council member gold.

I recognize and appreciate the board's obligation and to uphold the established standards, ensure accountability, and maintain confidence in its process.

I also acknowledge that this decision likely reflects a range of sincerity held prospectively among board members.

That diversity of thought is both valued and necessary in navigating complex situations.

As members of the faith community, we are guided by principles that call us to pursue both truth and grace, to act justly while also extending mercy and to seek restoration where it is possible.

And it is that spirit that we approach this matter.

We are mindful that the situation has weighed heavily on many within the community, particularly giving proximity to Martin Luther King Jr.'s day, a time dedicated to reflection on unity, dignity, mutual respect, and reconciliation.

For many, this in this moment carries, excuse me, deeper significance that there is a sincere desire to see those values reflected not only in words, but also in how difficult situations are addressed and resolved.

Many community members also believe that the broader context surrounding this matter, including the actions and exchanges involving council member Donaldson that preceded council member goals, outbursts should be thoughtfully considered and evaluating the situation fairly and proportionately.

Recognizing the full context may help reassure the community that standards are being is my time up.

I lost my place.

Recognizing full context may help reassure the community that standards are being applied with consistency, balance, and compassion.

At the same time, principles such as fairness, proportionality, consistency, and full consideration of the context to remain essential to the integrity of any disciplinary action.

A reconsideration whether through rescinding or thoughtfully revising the reprimand could be reflect both accountability and grace, reinforcing confidence in the board's process while allowing space for unity and restoration.

Such step should not be diminished the seriousness of the board's original action, whether it would demonstrate a commitment to the careful reflection, humility and leadership, and responsiveness to the community.

Thank you.

Councilman Henjam.

Thank you, Madam President.

And I'll just go ahead and finish reading it.

This request is offered with sincere respect for each member's judgment and with a shared desire to support both the integrity of the board and the trust and unity of the community it serves.

Thank you for your time, your service, and your thoughtful consideration.

And thank you, Madam President, for recognizing me.

And thank you, leadership from the uh, the the letter that you sent, um uh all of council received um before you met with council leadership, and then again um after you met with council leadership.

And I I found it to be a profoundly uh respectful and thoughtful letter about something uh that you experienced um and others experienced as uh unjust or unfair, and and I wanted to um to highlight in particular um most of this council has been gifted a book called The Soul of Civility by a woman named uh Lexi Hudson, and it was gifted to us by Lisa Brant and Lori Leander, who uh started an organization in Colorado Springs called Reclaiming Civility, and they've hosted a number of conversations related to civility, and I wanted to take a moment and just uplift a little bit more what I saw and heard in your letter that you shared with uh with all of council.

Um, and she Lexi really um a couple of things that she defined civility as um uh it's more than mere politeness, it demands that we respect others enough to tell hard truths and respect ourselves enough to speak our mind and set boundaries.

It's not how we treat those we like or those we agree with and those who can do things for us in return, but how we treat the other, the stranger, the person we don't like, the person we disagree with, the person we may never see again, and the person who can never repay us.

And she goes on to say I'm not reading all of this, but I'm I'm what I'm going, it's very powerful, and she talks about um being unoffendable as the superpower of the 21st century.

She says, Unaffendability means reclaiming the power we each have to choose how we respond to another person's meanness.

And I think this is what you were writing to.

Um, we cannot control others.

We cannot control what they say or how they behave, whether they understand us fairly or whether they treat us with the dignity we deserve, but we can control ourselves.

We can decide what we will do with our hurt, our anger, our embarrassment, and our desire to retaliate.

Unaffendability is not weakness, it's not passivity, it is not pretending that cruelty does not hurt or that injustice does not matter.

Far from it.

Unaffendability is refusing to surrender our agency to the person who provokes us.

It is choosing ownership over our emotions and responses instead of letting another person's failure determine who we become in that moment.

There's more, I will stop.

Um I think it's very powerful, but what I heard you um requesting in the letter was that there was there was a member of council whose behavior um uh was offensive and is and either um that the letter of reprimand to Councilmember Gold be revoked, or that Councilmember Donaldson also receive a reprimand.

And I believe you were told by our council president that that would take a vote of five of us, and that's true, and I'm not sure if if we have those votes or not.

Um, but I I again I just simply want to thank you for continuing to bring this this forward and for I'm speaking the truth that is is true and meaningful for you, and um demonstrating how we um have difficult and hard conversations in our world today and right here in this city, um, in a very respectful, very, very respectful way.

So I appreciate that very much.

Um I see uh council member lineweber has something he wants to say.

Um, and before we're done, I I have actually a correction I need to make um about something I said prior.

But um, if the if the president would allow me that after council member line lumber says his uh piece after public comment.

Councilman Line.

Thanks.

Yeah, I just want to speak to this and in the fact that um I think history is getting a little bit rewritten on this.

Um, there could have been a letter to Dave Donaldson that was personally done internally, but we don't necessarily disclose that all the time, and a matter of fact, the letter that was published about councilman gold was not publicly put out there, it was done internally and wasn't meant for public consumption, it was Kimberly Gold who put that out there on social media, and part of the letter was addressing the fact that civility is the place where we need to start, and you start with hard conversations where you have one-on-one, and I respect so much that that um and I I didn't get your name.

I'm very sorry about that.

Um I just lost it.

Um but you reached out and met with President Crow Ivenson.

Well, it was asked upon Kimberly Gold to meet with Kimberly with uh President Pro Ives and she did not, she did not go there.

I mean, biblically speaking, it says if you have something against your brother, you go and talk to them first.

If they don't listen, then you go to the elders, and if they don't listen, then you go to you know, whatever.

And the issue here is that Kimberly Gold was taking things to social media and harming the reputation of council.

That's what the intent of the letter was about.

And I just cannot go along with this rewriting of history.

This was never meant to be a public retribution.

It was never done that way.

And how we dealt with Donaldson was on a separate personal level, to be honest, I went to Donaldson five minutes after he made that comment and said, Donaldson, what the heck are you doing?

And we talked it through, and he apologized to me.

So I went to Kimberly Gold and told her about the problems I was having, and she said nothing back to me.

And so that's the issue.

So right now, I can't trust Kimberly Gold because she will go to social media before she will come to me directly, and that's a big problem with civility.

Civility is about having hard conversations and good leadership.

And I'm taking a bold action here to state what the record actually was.

That letter again was never meant to be in public consumption.

Kimberly is the one that posted it on social media before she talked to council, the president Ironson and the rest of council, and that's the problem.

That is what it is.

It's a mutual respect, and I appreciate your respect that you brought.

And I just wanted to kind of clear the record that this was never about anything uh other than that.

It was all about the way that she was degrading and disrespecting how council is to work together.

And as Hinjam just announced, we have no power unless we get five votes.

We have to work together, and so you have to you have to bring coalitions together within council.

That's the very nature of it.

And anyone that operates isolated on their own, in their own world, will never get anything done because they aren't collaborating.

They aren't coming together and having that civility talk, the hard talk, which is really hard for me right now, to say, hey, let's work together on this problem.

Do you have something against me, or is there something going on?

And so I have been in fear of announcing anything or even saying what I am saying now, because I'll get blasted on social media again, and I'm likely going to.

So I'll have to take that risk.

But I just can't stand for rewriting history because that is not what happened.

So I just wanted to put on the record to make sure that we clarify what the history was.

The letter never was intended to go public.

It was meant to help Councilman Gold understand that she was hurting her reputation with fellow council members by degrading who we are.

Thank you.

Councilman Gold.

Thank you, Madam President.

I would like to say on the record that yes, Councilmember Dinal David, excuse me, David Lineweber, did have a conversation with me on January 21st in the 10 minutes from 1120 to excuse me, 120 to one, whatever time, the 10 minutes before our utilities board meeting.

Um it was uh I would consider a six-minute dial the six-minute monologue that did not offer an opportunity for us to have a conversation in the minutes before a utilities board meeting.

Um since then, council member David Leinweber has indeed unfortunately limited his interaction with me, and it's really nice to have an understanding of why that is now.

Um I would just like to say that as a body of nine, it is not our job to agree on everything.

It is our job to have diverse opinions because we have a very diverse Colorado Springs representing 500,000 people.

And as the District 4 council member representing large communities that have historically been marginalized, um, I will always stand up for those communities.

I will always speak because we are not always afforded a seat at the table, and a seat at the table is not enough.

We must have actual interaction, dialogue, and collaboration while we are at that table, and we need to continue to open said table up to more people.

I worry about civility and decorum.

I worry that sometimes systems of power use decorum and civility to uphold power instead of encouraging conversations of radical transparency, courageous conversation, and um, I hope as long as we have breath, there is opportunity to do better, and that is the days that I hope for, and I will continue to work for Councilman Hensham.

Uh thank you, Madam President.

I'm I'm actually uh reflecting back on the uh invocation from the police chaplain this morning, um, who gave uh I thought a very powerful invocation and uh recognition of the importance of these roles that we have as elected officials.

Um, and he ended with a uh a verse from Micah Six, which talks about doing justice, loving kindness and mocking humbly with our God, and I I believe that we are making our best attempt here in this conversation on the dais um to to do that.

Um, it is very uncomfortable, it's extremely uncomfortable, and you will never um get the all the nuances and the the conversations that that don't happen here on the dais to understand and people trying to justify actions and so forth.

I mean, it's very, very challenging.

Um, but I I really do need to say, and I I I hope, I hope that from this, that this body would be willing and open to inviting, and we have been offered um work with this uh reclaiming civility group to do the work ourselves of being civil with one another and disagreeing in a way that's respectful of each other and listening to one another, and I would like to think that we would be willing to do that work.

The three at-large members are holding a town hall using Braver Angels, which did some work with this civility same group, and I think that's fantastic.

I'm I'm so supportive of the fact that they're doing that.

And um, and and using Braver Angels, which is an organization that helps communities have civil conversations, and we have we have work to do ourselves as a council.

And and I would say that while it is true that letter was written as a private letter, and council member Gold chose to share that.

Um, there was no letter that was ever offered for me to sign for Councilmember Donaldson's behavior that day.

And the rules of decorum speak to how we treat our public as well as how we treat each other.

And I really do believe that one member was singled out over another.

And um, and that that council member Donaldson, yes, I know I know that Dave Limewover talked with him.

He told me we went to a uh opening or a celebration at the Garden of the God Center right after that meeting, and he shared with me what he said to Councilmember Donaldson, and I was grateful that he had that conversation with him directly.

It's very different to have a one-on-one conversation than it is to receive a formal letter from council leadership and have it signed by the majority of your council members.

Those are two very different things.

So again, this is uncomfortable, it's not easy.

I want to thank again uh Pastor Paul, you and your leadership for engaging respectfully with this body, meeting with the president and the pro tem and uh sharing your experience, which is as valid as council member Lineweber's as council, as any council member on this on this dais, as anyone in this room.

So not necessarily the best place to have this kind of work as a council, but here we are.

Thank you very much.

I will not impale myself on the microphone this time.

Uh thank you, madam president, city council.

My name is Nick Raven.

I'm everywhere and do everything.

I returned today as a Colorado Springs fanboy to talk about City Council pay.

Uh earlier this morning, this council welcomed in the new city attorney, and I wish Ms.

Boster the absolute best.

One thing that did seem to skip notice was that their pay per the ordinance hiring them 275,000 a year, joining several other city employees with salaries in the plump six figures.

Now I'm not arguing against this pay package.

I'm actually arguing the opposite.

We pay at or near market rate for the experience and talent the city needs to function.

Colorado Springs has a reputation for being thrifty, thanks to draconian budget controls like Tabor.

But we didn't seek a freshly graduated PPSE paralegal for our city attorney role, even if we could pay them dramatically less.

So why do we insist on settling on what is essentially a group of volunteers to serve as our more than full-time city council?

If you are so inclined, you can lampshade your credentials and say that the council member only needs a pulse and to be 25 years old to be elected.

But you are also the executive leadership that comprises our city's legislative branch and the board of our multi-billion dollar public utility.

Two weeks ago, I asked for a gift, which I forgot to wear this morning.

Uh, and that was an enamel city flag pin because I thought I love the city.

Today I return with my own gift, insight.

I believe five of you would refer would vote to refer respectable city council pay package to voters, but I also need city council leadership on board.

Here's the thing.

Even if this council's leadership is absolutely positively 100% opposed to city council pay, it behooves you to let residents vote on effective city council pay, even if you think it will fail.

You owe it to the future of our city to plant trees whose shade you will never enjoy.

That is what this job is.

This simple act would be seen as extremely endearing, especially to voters, and they might remember that when this leadership faces re-election in less than a year.

Thank you.

Next up, we have Taylor Gray.

Hi, Taylor Gray, District Five.

Um regular reminder, you know, our country's falling apart.

And, you know, I'm glad I never write anything because I love to talk about what's going on.

You know, Kimberly, I you're the best.

You're probably one of the only people not worried about being recalled.

I hope that everybody thinks about this, okay.

This is leadership.

This is new leadership.

This is someone recognizing the world that's going on.

The world that's going on would be a bunch of people secretly writing an evil letter, reprimanding someone in the background.

So, ha, you guys got caught.

Thank you for sharing that.

If I didn't know that, I wouldn't have had a lot of the thoughts that I have.

And in fact, my entire behavior has been like modeled from this.

Kimberly is amazing and has taken great care of me.

She has paid lots of attention.

I am afraid to bring her up because I don't want you guys to attack her.

So you're amazing.

You're amazing.

Nancy, you're amazing.

Everyone else is doing an okay job, okay?

Look, this is not about talking trash about everybody.

Like we we got a serious problem in our country.

Like, we're literally about to lose our country, our way of life.

And as it slowly disappears in the shadows where everyone secretly writes things, just remember we need brave people who are willing to put these things online and then let the citizens and community be able to talk about it.

The data center that's being built, like, let's just like put a hell no on that, guys.

Are you I think you're literally turning our welfare place where I go to vote into a data center, if I'm not mistaken.

But no, we don't need data centers here.

We don't, and um, you know, I've talked a lot about invisible light, which is spectrum, but sound, okay.

You put that data center by Garden of the Gods.

Do you understand that just because you can't hear a dog whistle?

That they can.

Okay, there's animals, there's heat, there's there's so much that needs to be taken care of there.

But we have a serious problem in this country, and the biggest problem is that everybody's doing a bunch of trash in the background.

So why don't you guys let us see?

Let us see.

Who else are you guys talking shit about?

Did you guys sign a bunch of stuff about anyone else?

I uh let's reprimand Brandy.

You know, I watched her talk trash about Kimberly, at least publicly, um, about asking questions, literally about asking questions.

I mean, come on.

And then I watched you sit there and eat.

Sit there and eat while the room blew up, like you sat back, like okay.

You guys ignore me most of the time.

I mean, last week you guys were on the edge of your seats at times because I mentioned the esoteric and satanic and all those harder things.

We need honesty and visibility, okay?

Leave Kimberly alone.

And in fact, you need to talk to her more.

She's the one who's leading this place.

Like, crow op guys.

Thinking.

Next up, we have Steve Lightfoot.

Good afternoon, counsel.

I'm the John Lennon man, the guy with the pink fan, you know, Lennon Murder Truth.com.

The biggest story since Christ.

Everyone's ignoring it.

Kind of makes you wonder about the human race, doesn't it?

Now, you need a guy like me on the world stage.

Why?

Because the junta virus on that ship was probably chemical warfare out of Iran to teach us what they can do.

In fact, they even advertise we're gonna pull out the big stuff we don't normally talk about, and then about two weeks later, on the open seas, as if in the Strait of Hormuz, a ship gets huntavirus.

It could probably kill 20% of the human race if it was properly released.

And meanwhile, we've got Trump who I helped get elected, saying things like, We're gonna be the biggest winners ever, ever, bigger, better ever than there ever was bigger winners.

Well, that's what we were saying when we kicked uh Saddam Hussein's ass.

And then 9-11 happened.

So no, the sign on the back of my van reads, Lennon killers can't win.

You don't have the karma to win.

You don't have the moral authority to win.

And they'll kick your ass if you think you can win the way you are.

Until Stephen King is taken off the streets and put in a jail cell and tried and executed.

You don't have any moral authority anymore, America.

You're a laughing stock to the world.

Look at those Americans.

They're letting Stephen King kill their hero and piss all over them.

They'll give up their constitution.

They gave up Lenin, didn't they?

That's what they're saying.

Yeah, you need Steve Lifet in your corner because only I.

Uh folk hero, organically grown out of the hinterland, born in Montana, can save you now.

Paul McCartney doesn't have the spine.

He has the profile, he has the platform, but he doesn't have the spine.

He endorsed me once.

I have it on tape.

That's about the world's speed.

Oh, the truth, the truth.

Oh, yeah, the truth.

But they don't want to fight for it.

Well, I just want to remind you when you see that sign on the back of my van all week or two.

No, Lennon killers.

And we all killed John Lennon with our apathy and our hypocrisy and our cowardliness and our boot-looking ways.

Oh God, they got John Lennon.

We just have to duck our heads and keep quiet.

We all killed John Lennon with that.

When you see my sign, Lennon killers can't win.

It means you're not gonna just trounce all over an ancient, ancient old civilization, have your way with them without getting junta virused into the I corner and beat up bad.

They can do anything they want to us if they wanted to.

Don't give them a reason.

Make me on the public stage.

I'll get Israel denuked.

I'll solve the Middle East problem.

I'll get the whole Middle East denuked, but you need me.

Thank you.

And that concludes public comment for today.

Um we need to Blanc, can you come up and readdress the item that was called off of consent today, the 4BE?

Um I may speak before Blanc Shaw, if I could be recognized.

Yes, Councilman Hinge.

Thank you.

Um, yeah, I just uh wanted to say I I did share earlier that uh the reason that I called this item off of consent is my understanding was that the county health board uh was not um allotting a seat any longer to city council.

Uh apparently I'm misunderstood um that communication, and so uh our boards and uh commissions administrator will explain to us what is exactly happening.

Thank you.

Good morning, council.

Um Blanc Sha Lindsey, legislative service, boards and commissions administrator.

Um I just like to clarify that um the city council still has a seat on the El Paso County Um Board of Health.

However, um the process by which um a council member is appointed um has changed.

Um it's at the discretion of the El Paso County Commissioners, they have sole uh pointing authority.

Um, and so to comply with um the board not being um the well the city council um not being appointing authority of it, um we just recommended to remove it from our ratified list, um, because um the ratified list has um consent from all council um on there, and because you know the El Paso County commissioners have appointing authority, it doesn't really meet that criteria.

I have some questions.

If I could then so uh are they reserving a seat for city council?

And if they are, how will we um ensure that we have at least one member applying for that board?

Yes, um, so there is a seat for city council on that board.

Um they will be taking applications from council members, so I urge um, you know, any interested council members to apply for that seat.

Um, and then since the um county commissioners have appointing authority, they will make the selection and um appoint a council member to their board.

If they committed to appointing a council member or if they don't like any of the applications, can they just choose not to appoint a city council member?

That is in their bylaws so they would need to change their bylaws in order to do that.

But currently there is a seat for city council members.

That that was not made clear okay thank you for that clarification.

Thank you.

Thank you Belancher for that clarification and I do believe there are council members who have applied okay thank you so much.

You're welcome.