OPENPUBLICA · PUBLIC MEETING RECORD
Record of Proceedings

Denver City Council Meeting – June 4, 2024: Contracts, Proclamations, and Zoning Changes

City Council — Tuesday, June 4, 2024
BodyDenver, Colorado
SessionCity Council
DateTuesday, June 4, 2024
StatusFILED
Video Record
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Transcript — Verbatim
0:01

Welcome to your Denver City Council.

0:08

Please stand by.

0:09

Full coverage of your Denver City Council begins now.

0:53

Thank you everyone for being here tonight.

0:56

We have a low tech council meeting going on tonight.

0:59

So thank you for all showing up in chambers.

1:05

We are not interpreting into Spanish because we don't have uh Zoom uh linked up.

1:11

So um just want to thank everyone for being here.

1:13

Welcome to Denver City Council meeting of Monday, June 3rd, 2024.

1:18

Uh Council members please rise as you're able and join Councilwoman Alvidres in the Pledge of Allegiance.

1:39

Thank you very much.

1:40

And Council members, please join Councilwoman Alvidres as she leads us in the Denver City Council land acknowledgement.

1:45

The Denver City Council honors and acknowledges that the land on which we reside is the traditional territory of the Ute Cheyenne and Arapaho peoples.

1:55

We also recognize the 48 contemporary tribal nations that are historically tied to the lands that make up the state of Colorado.

2:02

We honor our elders, past, present, and future, and those who have stewarded this land through generations.

2:09

We also recognize that government, academic, and cultural institutions were founded upon and continue to enact exclusions and erasures of indigenous people.

2:18

May this acknowledgement demonstrate a commitment to working to dismantle ongoing legacies of oppression and inequities and recognize the current and future contributions of indigenous communities in Denver.

2:31

Thank you very much.

2:32

Madam Secretary, roll call, please.

2:37

Here.

2:49

Lewis.

2:50

Present.

2:51

Parity.

2:53

Romero Campbell.

2:54

Here.

2:55

Sannibal.

2:56

Here.

2:56

Sawyer.

2:57

Here.

2:58

Watson.

2:58

Here.

2:59

Madam President.

3:00

Here.

3:01

Eleven members present.

3:03

Thank you.

3:03

There are 11 members present.

3:05

We have quorum.

3:06

Approval of the minutes.

3:07

Are there any corrections to the minutes of May 20th?

3:11

Seeing none, the minutes stand approved.

3:14

Council announcements.

3:16

Are there any announcements today?

3:24

We are able to broadcast on our traditional Channel 8.

3:28

So folks are able to still watch and listen along.

3:32

So just want to make sure folks know that we're still reaching community.

3:36

For my colleagues in the room, we will do uh just a traditional raise your hand cue if you want to get into queue to speak.

3:44

So Councilman Cashman, then Alvidres, then Romero Campbell.

3:48

Thank you, Madam President.

3:50

Unfortunately, I think most of us are probably aware that more than 120 people are uh lose their lives to gun violence every day of the year.

4:01

Hundreds more uh suffer severe injuries.

4:05

Um in uh January of 2013, a young Chicago girl named Daya Pendleton was shot and murdered.

4:15

Um her birthday is June 2nd, and in her honor, uh the June gun violence awareness month was declared gun violence awareness day, the first weekend in June.

4:31

Um we'll be doing a formal proclamation next um Monday, but uh the tradition is uh for people to wear orange in honor of gun violence awareness month, both as her favorite color and as the color that hunters wear for safety.

4:49

We will light the McNichols building in orange.

4:53

Uh this coming weekend city and county building will be lit in orange June 9th.

5:00

So we ask you all to take a moment and uh remember those who are lost uh to this epidemic uh every day of every year and do what we can to change those numbers, move them in a much more favorable direction.

5:16

Uh thank you, Madam President.

5:18

Thank you, Councilman.

5:19

Excuse me, I do have one more announcement.

5:22

And in this same line, uh, tomorrow night, June 4.

Discussion Breakdown — Share of Meeting
Land Use Zoning████████████████████20%
Procedural███████████████████19%
LGBTQIA Rights█████████████13%
Homelessness█████████9%
Public Safety████████8%
Worker Protections████4%
Youth Programs████4%
Contracts And Procurement███3%
Public Health Policy███3%
Summary of Proceedings

Denver City Council Meeting – June 4, 2024

Note on date discrepancy: The meeting agenda and minutes list Monday, June 3, 2024, but the provided timestamp indicates the meeting occurred on 2024-06-04 02:00:00+00:00. This summary uses the given date.

The Denver City Council convened at 3:30 PM (MDT) on June 4, 2024, with 11 members present (Alvidrez, Flynn, Gilmore, Gonzales-Gutierrez, Kashmann, Lewis, Romero Campbell, Sandoval, Sawyer, Torres, Watson) and two absent (Hinds, Parady). The meeting included a consent agenda, individual votes on security contracts, public comments, two proclamations, and three public hearings on zoning changes. The meeting adjourned at 6:42 PM.

Consent Calendar

  • Approval of minutes from May 20, 2024 (Resolution 24-0712).
  • En bloc adoption of 23 resolutions and bills, including:
    • 24-0450: Third amendment with McKinstry Essention for community solar and EV chargers ($10.9M addition).
    • 24-0624: Purchase of fire apparatus for Denver Fire Department ($3.79M).
    • 24-0625: Amendment with Linebarger Goggan for parking violation collections (contract extension).
    • 24-0626: Contract with Insituform for sanitary pipe rehabilitation ($5.39M).
    • 24-0627: Assignment of telelanguage contract to Propio LS.
    • 24-0628: Grant agreement with U.S. Department of Commerce for Build to Scale Grant ($750K).
    • 24-0629: Contract with Computer Sites for power systems maintenance ($700K).
    • 24-0631: Amendment with Alpine Metal Tech for airport firefighting simulator maintenance ($175.4K).
    • 24-0632: Contract with Maven Asset Management for airport asset management platform ($4M).
    • 24-0634: Dedicating a public alley near Cherokee Street and 45th Avenue.
    • 24-0635: Amendment with Kraemer North America for Broadway Station/I-25 improvements ($26.65M addition).
    • 24-0636: Appointment of Abby Schirmacher to Denver County Cultural Council.
    • 24-0637: Purchase order with CDW for police/sheriff computer terminals ($763.5K).
    • 24-0650, 24-0651, 24-0655, 24-0657, 24-0658, 24-0659, 24-0660: Dedicating various public alleys and streets.
    • 24-0652: Grant agreement with CDOT for Sheridan Blvd intersection safety improvements ($3M).
    • 24-0656: Reappointment of Jake Cohen to DOTI Advisory Board.
    • 24-0661: Mayoral appointments to Denver Immigrant and Refugee Commission.
    • 24-0662: Mayoral appointments to Denver Commission for People with Disabilities.
    • 24-0664: Mayoral appointment to Denver African American Commission.
    • 24-0665: Mayoral appointment to Denver American Indian Commission.
    • 24-0666: Amendment with Apex Systems for IT staffing ($1M addition).
    • 24-0667: Mayoral reappointments to Denver LGBTQ Commission.
    • 24-0668: Mayoral reappointment to Denver Asian American Pacific Islander Commission.
    • 24-0669: Master purchase order with Entenmann-Rovin for metal badges ($870K).
    • 24-0670: Agreement with Kaiser Foundation Health Plan for medical benefits ($188M).
    • 24-0671: Amendment with Network Infrastructure Construction for fiber optic maintenance (contract extension).
    • 24-0672: Master purchase order with Sea-Western for fire turnout gear ($6.5M).
    • 24-0673: Grant agreement with CDOT for Denver Trails to Transit Project ($1.44M).
    • 24-0675: Amendment with Public Service Company for Colorado Convention Center rooftop expansion ($125.4K).
    • 24-0677: Amendment with HID Global for airport identity management system ($355.8K).
    • 24-0678: Agreement with Amadeus for airport resource management system ($7M).
    • 24-0679: Contract with Semple Brown Design for Boettcher Concert Hall design ($2.38M).
    • 24-0343: Loan agreement with Mental Health Center of Denver (WellPower) for 60 affordable rental units ($3.1M).
    • 24-0713: Settlement of claim against Denver Fire Department ($80K).
    • 24-0714: Settlement of claim against Denver Police Department ($6K).
  • Bills for introduction ordered published: 24-0633 (sewer permit outside city limits), 24-0654 (easement vacation), 24-0681 (amendment with Mile High Flood District).

Public Comments & Testimony

  • General Public Comment (5:30 PM session):
    • Adal Raja (unhoused advocate): Expressed opposition to the SET (Street Enforcement Team) program, citing a report showing only 41 resources offered in 2,134 contacts. Called for redirecting funds to community providers and STAR program. Position: Opposed to SET, demanded its disbandment.
    • Andy McNulty (attorney, Newman McNulty): Argued that enforcement of laws criminalizing homelessness violates the Constitution, referencing a report by Housekeys Action Network Denver. Urged council to stop enforcement. Position: Supported ceasing enforcement of camping bans.
    • Jerry Burton (veteran, Housekeys Action Network): Stated that the camping ban enforcement has increased since 2023, criticized temporary housing, and called for permanent housing solutions. Position: Opposed to camping bans, supported permanent housing.
    • Semret Habte (DIA parking worker, 26 years): Voiced grave concerns about losing Kaiser health insurance and facing wage reductions from $33/hr to $22/hr under new contractor Laz. Also worried about loss of accrued vacation time and a required English test. Position: Opposed to wage and benefit cuts.
    • Carl Carpenter (DIA worker, 34 years): Stated he earns $33/hr and will be reduced to $22/hr, losing 5 weeks of vacation. Described harsh working conditions. Position: Opposed to pay reduction.
    • Gail Tipton (DIA worker): Complained that wages were promised to increase but are now being reset to new-hire level, and that PTO and health insurance are being cut. Alleged a $3,000 co-pay for ER visit. Position: Opposed to contractor Laz's changes, demanded respect.
    • Andy Cushin (resident, 1551 N High St): Criticized the former Chapter 59 zoning code for allowing excessive parking (e.g., 63 spaces for 15 luxury condos) and called for parking maximums. Position: Supported parking maximums to curb developer behavior.
    • Amy Beck (Council District 7): Described SET team harassment of a housed person and a recent sweep of a migrant camp with children. Called for disbanding SET. Position: Opposed to SET, demanded it be disbanded.
    • Unnamed speaker (male): Made allegations of widespread drug dealing and police informants, and requested $500 million for the African American community.
    • Yasser (resident): Criticized council for not speaking about Gaza civilian deaths while supporting youth voices. Position: Called on council to speak up against Israeli military actions.

Discussion Items

  • Security Contracts for Shelters (Resolutions 24-0647, 24-0648, 24-0649):
    • Councilmember Sawyer expressed discomfort approving contracts without seeing the full All In Denver budget, but voted yes to avoid risking shelter safety. Councilmember Lewis voted no, stating she disapproves of the approach.
    • Vote on 24-0647: 10 ayes (Alvidrez, Flynn, Gilmore, Gonzales-Gutierrez, Kashmann, Romero Campbell, Sandoval, Sawyer, Torres, Watson), 1 nay (Lewis).
    • Vote on 24-0648: 10 ayes, 1 nay (Lewis).
    • Vote on 24-0649: 10 ayes, 1 nay (Lewis).
  • Kaiser Health Plan (Resolution 24-0670):
    • Councilmember Lewis asked about long wait times for psychological appointments (3 months) and whether Denver Health was explored as an option. City staff responded that Denver Health will be an option in 2025 and will follow up on the wait time question.
  • Colorado Coalition for the Homeless Contract (Resolution 24-0595):
    • Councilmember Gonzales-Gutierrez raised concerns about Wi-Fi issues at Fusion Studios, where residents have been without reliable internet for weeks. Staff from DDPHE explained the contract includes a technology upgrade for Wi-Fi at Fusion Studios. The item was postponed one week under Council Rule 3.6 at Lewis's request.
  • Housing Connector Contract (Resolution 24-0676):
    • Councilmember Gonzales-Gutierrez moved to postpone to June 17 to allow the administration to brief council on the All In Mile High budget. Motion passed unanimously (11-0).
  • United Airlines Marketing Contract (Resolution 24-0680):
    • Postponed one week at Sawyer's request to allow due diligence.
  • Proclamations:
    • 24-0750 (Youth Voice and Civic Engagement): Adopted unanimously (11-0). Councilmember Torres commended the initiative. Youth speaker Carol Carter (16-year-old) addressed council, emphasizing the power of youth voices.
    • 24-0751 (50th Anniversary of Denver PRIDE): Adopted unanimously (11-0). Councilmembers Watson, Lewis, Alvidrez, Gilmore, and Sawyer shared personal reflections. Rex Fuller (Center on Colfax) and Alexander Limas (One Colorado) accepted the proclamation.
  • Public Hearings – Zoning Changes:
    • 24-0557 (Berkeley, Sunnyside, Sloan’s Lake rezoning): Postponed to June 24 due to internet outage preventing public participation. Motion passed 8-0 (Alvidrez, Hinds, Lewis, Parady, Watson absent).
    • 24-0514 (3358 York Street, Clayton): Rezoning from U-MS-2 & U-SU-A1 to U-MS-3. Staff report presented by Robert Haigh. No public speakers. Applicant Jack Ritchie described community outreach. Councilmember Watson expressed support. Passed 11-0.
    • 24-0515 (2081 South Gilpin Street, University): Rezoning from U-SU-C to U-MS-3. Staff report detailed transition analysis. Applicant architect Tom Gallagher described plans for a mixed-use residential building with 15 parking spaces. Councilmember Kashmann supported. Passed 11-0.

Key Outcomes

  • Adopted (all en bloc): 23 resolutions and bills, including contracts, appointments, grants, and settlements.
  • Individual votes on security contracts: Three security contracts for shelter sites passed 10-1 (Lewis dissenting on each).
  • Postponed items:
    • 24-0680 (United Airlines) postponed one week to June 10.
    • 24-0595 (CCH contract) postponed one week to June 10.
    • 24-0676 (Housing Connector) postponed to June 17.
    • 24-0557 (zoning) postponed to June 24.
  • Public hearings concluded: Two zoning map amendments (24-0514 and 24-0515) passed unanimously.
  • Proclamations adopted: Both 24-0750 and 24-0751 adopted unanimously.
  • Council announcements: Included gun violence awareness month, safety meetings, and a constituent incident at Councilmember Alvidrez's office.

Meeting Transcript

Welcome to your Denver City Council. Please stand by. Full coverage of your Denver City Council begins now. Thank you everyone for being here tonight. We have a low tech council meeting going on tonight. So thank you for all showing up in chambers. We are not interpreting into Spanish because we don't have uh Zoom uh linked up. So um just want to thank everyone for being here. Welcome to Denver City Council meeting of Monday, June 3rd, 2024. Uh Council members please rise as you're able and join Councilwoman Alvidres in the Pledge of Allegiance. Thank you very much. And Council members, please join Councilwoman Alvidres as she leads us in the Denver City Council land acknowledgement. The Denver City Council honors and acknowledges that the land on which we reside is the traditional territory of the Ute Cheyenne and Arapaho peoples. We also recognize the 48 contemporary tribal nations that are historically tied to the lands that make up the state of Colorado. We honor our elders, past, present, and future, and those who have stewarded this land through generations. We also recognize that government, academic, and cultural institutions were founded upon and continue to enact exclusions and erasures of indigenous people. May this acknowledgement demonstrate a commitment to working to dismantle ongoing legacies of oppression and inequities and recognize the current and future contributions of indigenous communities in Denver. Thank you very much. Madam Secretary, roll call, please. Here. Lewis. Present. Parity. Romero Campbell. Here. Sannibal. Here. Sawyer. Here. Watson. Here. Madam President. Here. Eleven members present. Thank you. There are 11 members present. We have quorum. Approval of the minutes. Are there any corrections to the minutes of May 20th? Seeing none, the minutes stand approved. Council announcements. Are there any announcements today? We are able to broadcast on our traditional Channel 8. So folks are able to still watch and listen along. So just want to make sure folks know that we're still reaching community. For my colleagues in the room, we will do uh just a traditional raise your hand cue if you want to get into queue to speak. So Councilman Cashman, then Alvidres, then Romero Campbell. Thank you, Madam President. Unfortunately, I think most of us are probably aware that more than 120 people are uh lose their lives to gun violence every day of the year. Hundreds more uh suffer severe injuries.

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