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OPENPUBLICA · PUBLIC MEETING RECORD

Record of Proceedings

Denver City Council Regular Meeting - March 24, 2025

City Council — Monday, March 24, 2025

BodyDenver, Colorado

SessionCity Council

DateMonday, March 24, 2025

StatusFILED

Video Record

0:00 / 1:27:02

Transcript — VerbatimClick a timed line to jump · ⧉ to share it

0:03

Thank you for joining us this afternoon.

0:07

Tonight's meeting is being interpreted into Spanish.

0:10

Sam or Alejandro.

0:13

Actually, Sam, will you please introduce yourself and let our viewers know how to enable translation on their devices?

0:22

Yes, of course.

0:23

Thank you for having us once again.

0:26

Hello, everyone.

0:26

My name is Sam Guzman with the CLC, and along with my colleague Alejandro.

0:32

We will be interpreting today's meeting into Spanish.

0:38

Allow me a few minutes to give the instructions in Spanish on how to access interpretation.

1:34

Thank you very much.

1:37

Welcome to the Denver City Council meeting on Monday, March 24, 2025.

1:41

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

1:58

Under God is difficult with liberty and justice.

2:08

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

2:14

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

2:26

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

2:35

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

3:28

Here Cashman here Lewis present Parity.

3:34

Romero Campbell.

3:35

Here Sawyer.

3:41

Here.

3:42

Madam President.

3:43

Here.

3:57

Approval of the minutes.

3:58

Are there any corrections to the minutes of March 17th?

4:04

Seeing none.

4:05

Council announcements.

4:06

Are there any council announcements this afternoon?

4:14

Councilmember Lewis, why don't you start us off?

4:17

Thank you.

4:56

Thank you.

4:57

Councilmember Watson, go ahead.

5:01

On April 2nd, from 3 to 5 p.m.

5:04

Is your mic on, Councilmember?

5:05

I think I took it off.

5:07

I apologize.

5:07

No problem.

5:08

Thank you, Council President.

5:09

On April 2nd, um, from 3 to 5 p.m.

5:12

at the Blair Calwell African American Research Library 2401, Walton Street.

5:17

Um, we'll be um co-hosting with Councilmember Alvidras, um, the Global Children Financial Literacy Foundation um event where we're going to provide financial literacy um updates and support to community members in um in the fine district nine um really elevating a new book called Wesley Learns um Book Drive for National Financial Literacy Month.

5:43

Um we want to encourage um family and friends to come out.

5:46

We'll be providing 500 copies of the children's uh financial literacy book, as well as the foundation is gonna be providing um 2500 in um investment into an investment portfolio.

5:58

So teaching kids how to invest and actually helping them invest those funds on that day.

6:03

So once again, Wednesday, April 2nd, 3 to 5 p.m.

6:06

Blair Calwell African American Research Library at 2401 Welton Street, Denver, Colorado.

6:12

Thank you.

6:13

Thank you.

6:14

Councilmember Cashman.

6:15

Yeah, thank you, Madam President.

6:17

A couple of announcements.

6:18

Um on April 16th at Cook Park Recreation Center, 5 30 to 7 30 p.m.

6:25

Uh, District 6 will host our second annual uh academy in the community.

6:30

We'll have about three dozen city agencies and uh community partners present to uh answer your questions, take your uh compliments and concerns, and uh it's always uh a very valuable use of a couple hours.

6:48

I'm not gonna read all three dozen, but we'll have parks and rec, Denver Public Library, Transportation and Infrastructure, Community Planning and Development, Police Fire, Sheriff, XL, Denver Water.

7:00

Um, one thing that uh is really exciting.

7:03

We'll also have the Denver People's Budget on hand.

7:07

Uh Denver P Denver People's Budget is our city's version of participatory budgeting.

7:14

Every year we set aside a million to two million dollars for residents to directly decide how that money is spent.

Discussion Breakdown — Share of Meeting

Procedural█████████████████████████████████33%

Community Engagement██████████████14%

Public Safety██████████10%

Human Rights█████████9%

Public Engagement████████8%

Historic Preservation████████8%

Arts And Culture████████8%

Racial Equity██████6%

Homelessness██2%

Summary of Proceedings

Denver City Council Regular Meeting - March 24, 2025

The Denver City Council held its regular meeting on Monday, March 24, 2025, at 3:30 PM in the Cathy Reynolds City Council Chamber. Eleven members were present (Alvidrez, Flynn, Gilmore, Gonzales-Gutierrez, Hinds, Kashmann, Lewis, Romero Campbell, Sandoval, Torres, Watson), with Councilmembers Parady and Sawyer absent. The meeting included approval of minutes, proclamations, resolutions, and ordinances, with several items receiving individual debate and votes.

Proclamations

25-0398: A proclamation honoring the life and service of Susan G. (Knight) Berdine, a forensic scientist at the Denver Crime Lab, was adopted by an 11-0 vote.
25-0399: A proclamation recognizing Cesar Chavez Day (March 31) was adopted by a 9-0 vote (Councilmembers Alvidrez and Gilmore absent on the vote). The proclamation sparked remarks from multiple council members about labor rights and immigrant justice.

Consent Calendar

The following items were approved en bloc by an 11-0 vote:

25-0280: Purchase order with Daniels Long Automotive LLC for $1,415,613 to purchase electric vehicles for Denver International Airport (District 11).
25-0267: Third amendatory agreement with Xcel Energy to extend chilled water service at the Colorado Convention Center through June 30, 2026 (no cost change).
25-0268: Amendatory assignment agreement with Milender White for drywall repair services (no cost change).
25-0273: Reappointments to the Five Points Business Improvement District.
25-0274: Appointments/reappointments to the Colfax Avenue Business Improvement District.
25-0270 through 25-0279: Several alley and street dedications (public right-of-way) in Districts 1, 6, 7, and 10.
25-0293: Fourth amendatory agreement with Savio House to add $200,000 (total $808,000) for family preservation and adoption support services through September 30, 2025.
25-0396: Settlement of a claim against the Denver Police Department for $40,000.
25-0253: Intergovernmental agreement with Community College of Denver for $781,962 for the Denver Construction Careers Program Incumbent Worker Training.
25-0250: Classification and pay plan amendment (Classification Notice #1850) adjusting pay grades for recreation and golf positions.
25-0298: Appropriation of funds for Denver Health and Hospital Authority Tax Fund based on 2025 sales tax projections.
25-0260: Amendment to increase the emergency telephone charge (911 fee) up to the rate set by the Public Utilities Commission.
25-0221: Rescission and appropriation of $2,698,888.50 for acquisition of 1430 14th Street for parks.

Discussion Items

25-0251 – Mayor's Reappointments to Crime Prevention & Control Commission: Councilmember Lewis called for a "no" vote per the Mayor's office request to resubmit appointments individually. The resolution failed 0-11.
25-0231 – Agreement with The Salvation Army for Rapid Rehousing ($2.97M): Councilmember Lewis expressed safety concerns citing incidents at Salvation Army sites, and questioned the organization's ability to protect clients. The resolution failed 1-10 (only Flynn voting yes).
25-0306 – City Council Appointment of James Everett to Civil Service Commission: Councilmember Lewis moved to postpone to April 7, 2025, citing contradictory information about the commission. The postponement passed 11-0.
25-0261 – Designating Indigenous Peoples' Day as a City Holiday: Co-sponsored by multiple council members, the bill was celebrated with remarks from Councilmembers Gilmore, Torres, Gonzales-Gutierrez, Romero Campbell, Alvidrez, and Sandoval. It passed unanimously (11-0). The holiday will take effect in 2025, replacing the commemorative day with a paid holiday.

Key Outcomes

Failed Resolutions: The Crime Prevention & Control Commission reappointments (25-0251) and the Salvation Army rapid rehousing contract (25-0231) were both defeated.
Postponed: The Civil Service Commission appointment of James Everett was postponed to April 7, 2025.
Passed Unanimously: The Indigenous Peoples' Day holiday bill passed 11-0. All consent calendar items passed 11-0.
Proclamations: Both proclamations were adopted.
Bills for Introduction: Three ordinances (25-0299 for Buchtel and Evans Improvements land acquisition, 25-0269 for street vacation, 25-0276 for Marston Lakes flood control) were ordered published.
Next Steps: The council will reconvene on April 7, 2025, for the postponed Civil Service appointment and other pending items.

Meeting Transcript

Thank you for joining us this afternoon. Tonight's meeting is being interpreted into Spanish. Sam or Alejandro. Actually, Sam, will you please introduce yourself and let our viewers know how to enable translation on their devices? Yes, of course. Thank you for having us once again. Hello, everyone. My name is Sam Guzman with the CLC, and along with my colleague Alejandro. We will be interpreting today's meeting into Spanish. Allow me a few minutes to give the instructions in Spanish on how to access interpretation. Thank you very much. Welcome to the Denver City Council meeting on Monday, March 24, 2025. Council members and audience, please rise as you are able and join Councilmember Cashman in the Pledge of Allegiance. Under God is difficult with liberty and justice. Council members, please join Councilmember Cashman as they lead us to the 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 youth, 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. Here Cashman here Lewis present Parity. Romero Campbell. Here Sawyer. Here. Madam President. Here. Approval of the minutes. Are there any corrections to the minutes of March 17th? Seeing none. Council announcements. Are there any council announcements this afternoon? Councilmember Lewis, why don't you start us off? Thank you. Thank you. Councilmember Watson, go ahead. On April 2nd, from 3 to 5 p.m. Is your mic on, Councilmember? I think I took it off. I apologize. No problem. Thank you, Council President. On April 2nd, um, from 3 to 5 p.m. at the Blair Calwell African American Research Library 2401, Walton Street. Um, we'll be um co-hosting with Councilmember Alvidras, um, the Global Children Financial Literacy Foundation um event where we're going to provide financial literacy um updates and support to community members in um in the fine district nine um really elevating a new book called Wesley Learns um Book Drive for National Financial Literacy Month. Um we want to encourage um family and friends to come out. We'll be providing 500 copies of the children's uh financial literacy book, as well as the foundation is gonna be providing um 2500 in um investment into an investment portfolio. So teaching kids how to invest and actually helping them invest those funds on that day. So once again, Wednesday, April 2nd, 3 to 5 p.m. Blair Calwell African American Research Library at 2401 Welton Street, Denver, Colorado. Thank you. Thank you. Councilmember Cashman.

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