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Record of Proceedings

Denver City Council Meeting – November 4, 2024: Budget Amendments and Proclamation

City Council — Monday, November 4, 2024
BodyDenver, Colorado
SessionCity Council
DateMonday, November 4, 2024
StatusFILED
Video Record
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Transcript — Verbatim
0:01

Welcome to the Denver City Council meeting of Monday, November 4th, 2024.

0:07

Council members, please rise as you are able and join Councilmember Gonzalez Gutierrez in the Pledge of Allegiance.

0:15

I pledge allegiance to the case.

0:20

And to the Republic for which it stands.

0:23

One nation under God, indivisible.

0:26

Liberty and justice for all.

0:33

Council members, please join Councilmember Gonzalez Gutierrez as they lead us in the Denver City Council land acknowledgement.

0:41

Thank you, Madam President.

0:42

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

0:51

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

0:59

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

1:06

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

1:16

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.

1:31

Thank you.

1:35

Madam Secretary, roll call.

1:41

Heinz.

1:42

Here Lewis.

1:47

Present Watson.

1:50

Here.

1:53

Here, Flynn.

1:55

Here.

1:55

Gilmore?

1:56

Here.

1:56

Gonzalez Gutierrez.

1:58

Here.

1:58

Cashman.

1:59

Here.

2:00

Parity.

2:02

Here.

2:03

Romero Campbell.

2:05

Here.

2:06

Sawyer.

2:07

Here.

2:08

Torres.

2:10

Here.

2:11

Madam President.

2:12

Here.

2:14

13 members present.

2:16

There are 13 members present.

2:18

Council has a quorum.

2:20

Councilmember Cashman.

2:23

I'm just going to use a moment of personal privilege.

2:26

If you all saw the agenda, I'm using my personal privilege as Council President to take certain things out of order.

2:33

So just bear with me.

2:35

Councilman Cashman, will you please put council proclamation 1584 on the floor to take out of order?

2:42

Uh yes, ma'am.

2:43

I move the proclamation 1584 be placed on the floor and taken out of order.

2:48

It has been moved and seconded.

2:52

Comments by member Councilmember Cashman, your comments.

3:02

Awesome.

3:05

With your vote, yes, you may.

3:07

Madam Secretary, roll call on taking council proclamation 1584 out of order.

3:19

Lewis.

3:27

Hi.

3:29

Lewis.

3:31

Aye.

3:33

Watson.

3:34

Happily aye.

3:41

Flynn.

3:47

Gilmore.

Discussion Breakdown — Share of Meeting
Public Safety██████████████████████22%
Homelessness██████████████████18%
Budget Equity Analysis████████████12%
Procedural█████████9%
Public Health Policy██████6%
Technology and Innovation█████5%
Community Planning█████5%
Behavioral Health████4%
Basic Income████4%
Summary of Proceedings

Denver City Council Meeting – November 4, 2024

The Denver City Council convened on Monday, November 4, 2024, at 10:30 a.m. for a regular session that included a proclamation honoring journalists, consideration of twelve amendments to the Mayor’s Proposed 2025 Budget, and a public hearing on a zoning change. All proposed budget amendments either failed or were withdrawn. The meeting also featured a block vote approving numerous resolutions and ordinances, and the adoption of a zoning map amendment.

Consent Calendar

  • Approved a consent calendar of over 30 resolutions and ordinances, including: amendatory agreements for HVAC, plumbing, electrical, painting, restoration, and sewer services; grant agreements for the Opportunity Now grant ($1,538,593), healthy food access programs (EKAR, Jovial Concepts, Urban Peak, Urban Symbiosis), and microtransit services ($5,991,681); affordable housing funding (bonds up to $29,000,000 for 4340 South Monaco Street, $1,020,000 for 1350 N. Logan Street, $810,365 for 1135 Logan Street); and appointments to the Commission on Aging and Asian American Pacific Islander Commission.

Public Comments & Testimony

  • Public Hearing on Council Bill 24-1209 (Zoning Change at 10353 East Mississippi Avenue):
    • Tim Dolander (Red Mountain Group) presented plans for a dental office, coffee shop, and pet vet; noted negotiations with the neighborhood and a CCNR restricting uses to two stories.
    • Eric White (Belco Credit Union) expressed support for the development.
    • Keith Singer (Rangeview RNO) thanked council and the developer for working with the community.
    • Jesse Parris (candidate for HD8) asked about AMI levels, traffic studies, and community benefits agreements.
    • Roger Miller (Rangeview RNO president) detailed the history of fighting inappropriate developments and asked for approval.
    • Michelle Palmquist (Rangeview RNO vice president) reported a formal poll showing 44 support, 1 oppose, 1 abstain; stated the RNO supports the rezoning with recorded use restrictions.

Discussion Items

  • Proclamation 24-1584: Honored former reporters Kevin Flynn (now councilmember) and Gary Gerhardt for their book The Silent Brotherhood about white nationalism and the Alan Berg murder. Councilmembers Kashmann and Watson sponsored. Kevin Flynn and Gary’s widow, Nancy Gerhardt, spoke. Adopted 12-0.
  • Budget Amendments (12 items):
    • Councilmember Parady proposed five amendments:
      • 1565 (Transfer Aid Center from ONS to DDPHE): Failed 5-8.
      • 1567 (Transfer Street Engagement Team to HOST): Failed 5-8.
      • 1573 (Reduce police academy funding by $3.2M): Failed 3-10.
      • 1572 (Additional $500K for STAR program): Withdrawn after Mayor’s office agreed to a supplemental.
      • (One further amendment withdrawn.)
    • Councilmembers Lewis, Parady, and Gonzalez-Gutierrez co-sponsored four amendments:
      • 1575 ($3M for library HVAC upgrades): Failed 3-9.
      • 1576 ($500K and 4 FTEs for behavioral health at All In Mile High sites): Failed 5-7.
      • 1577 ($2.5M for safe RV parking acquisition and $250K operations): Failed 3-9.
      • 1578 ($2.5M for Denver Basic Income Project from fund balance): Failed 6-6 (tie).
    • Councilmember Gonzalez-Gutierrez sponsored three amendments:
      • 1579 (Public health investigator): Withdrawn after agreement with Mayor’s office for $400K and two FTEs.
      • 1580 (Withdrawn).
      • 1587 ($233K for digital equity program): Failed 7-4.
    • Throughout, extensive debate occurred on public health vs. enforcement approaches, fund balance concerns, and program effectiveness.
  • Block Vote: Councilmember Gonzalez-Gutierrez moved adoption of resolutions and final passage of bills on the consent agenda. Passed 11-0.
  • Council Bill 24-1209 (Final Consideration): After the public hearing, Councilmember Sawyer moved final passage. Passed 10-0.

Key Outcomes

  • Proclamation 24-1584 adopted unanimously (12-0).
  • Mayor’s Proposed 2025 Budget passed as originally submitted; all amendments failed or were withdrawn. The final budget includes $1.538 million for electric vehicle training, $5.991 million for microtransit, $29 million in multifamily housing bonds, and $1.295 million for affordable housing rehabilitation.
  • Minutes of October 28, 2024, approved.
  • Bills for introduction ordered published.
  • Council Bill 24-1209 (rezoning 10353 East Mississippi Avenue from B-1 to S-MX-3) passed 10-0, with recorded use restrictions.
  • Pre-adjournment announcement: Required public hearings on December 2, 2024, for zoning cases 24-1373 (3719 North Wolff Street) and 24-1448 (1079 South Hooker Street). Protests must be filed by noon on November 25, 2024.

Meeting Transcript

Welcome to the Denver City Council meeting of Monday, November 4th, 2024. Council members, please rise as you are able and join Councilmember Gonzalez Gutierrez in the Pledge of Allegiance. I pledge allegiance to the case. And to the Republic for which it stands. One nation under God, indivisible. Liberty and justice for all. Council members, please join Councilmember Gonzalez Gutierrez as they lead us in the Denver City Council land acknowledgement. Thank you, Madam President. The Denver City Council honors and acknowledges that the land on which we reside is this net 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 elders past, present, and future, and those who have stewarded this land throughout generations. We also recognize that government, academic, and cultural institutions were founded upon and continue to enact exclusions and erasures of indigenous peoples. 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. Madam Secretary, roll call. Heinz. Here Lewis. Present Watson. Here. Here, Flynn. Here. Gilmore? Here. Gonzalez Gutierrez. Here. Cashman. Here. Parity. Here. Romero Campbell. Here. Sawyer. Here. Torres. Here. Madam President. Here. 13 members present. There are 13 members present. Council has a quorum. Councilmember Cashman. I'm just going to use a moment of personal privilege. If you all saw the agenda, I'm using my personal privilege as Council President to take certain things out of order. So just bear with me. Councilman Cashman, will you please put council proclamation 1584 on the floor to take out of order? Uh yes, ma'am. I move the proclamation 1584 be placed on the floor and taken out of order. It has been moved and seconded. Comments by member Councilmember Cashman, your comments. Awesome.

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