Hey Denver, it's time for the weekly general session of your Denver City Council.

Tonight's coverage of Denver City Council starts now.

Join us for Denver City Council's meeting.

Today is Monday, December 8th, 2025.

Tonight's meeting is being interpreted into Spanish.

Sam or Jasmine, would you please introduce yourself and let our viewers know how to enable translation on their devices?

Yes, of course.

Thank you for having us.

Hello, everyone.

My name is Sam Guzman, the CLC, joining you virtually through Zoom.

And along with my colleague Lynette, tonight we will be interpreting today's meeting into Spanish.

Please allow me a quick minute to give instructions in Spanish on how to access interpretation.

Thank you very much, Sam.

Welcome to the Denver City Council meeting on Monday, December 8th, 2025.

Council members, please join me in the Pledge of Allegiance.

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

The Denver City Council honors and acknowledges the land on which we reside.

Thank you.

Madam Secretary Rocal.

Council members Albitres.

Are there any corrections to the minutes of December 1st?

Seeing none, the minutes stand approved.

Council announcements.

Are there any council announcements from members this afternoon?

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

Thank you, Council President.

Um, I wanted to share something exciting.

City Cast Denver Podcast is hosting the Denverist of Denver Awards and District 7 is all over it.

So I wanted to share that our very own Caitlin Braun and Blake David are nominated for awards for the work that they've been doing on South Broadway, particularly around the Excel failures on South Broadway.

The biggest um the best neighborhoods and streets has two competing district seven locations with South Broadway and my neighborhood of Athmar Park, which is exciting, and for the best artist of 2025, Amy Gowerlick from Chaos Bloom Theater, which is located on South Broadway, also earned a nomination.

And I also want to shout out our really dear neighbor at District 3, Trong Gifts.

They may be just outside District 7 and on the other side of Federal, but we're cheering on our neighbor.

And and shout out to District 3 on that one.

For the best bars and restaurant, we have Convivio Cafe, which is also which is located in District 1, but the owner happens to be one of my neighbors.

So check out and cast your vote for City Council Dember's Denverist Awards.

Thank you, Council President.

Thank you.

Councilmember Sawyer.

Thank you, Madam President.

Just wanted to give a shout out to DFD for their 10th annual holiday parade and toy drive.

So they're gonna be donating to children's hospital again this year, and they are collecting toys.

And I have heard a rumor that there is an empty box downstairs in the city and county building.

It is on the first floor near the security slash information desk.

So if you are able and willing to participate, please drop off a toy in DFD's box.

Um I am looking on my notes here, and I forgot to put on my reading glasses, so uh this is gonna be a little messy, but all donations will be picked up this Thursday, December 11th and delivered to children's hospital next Friday, December 12th.

So you have from now until Wednesday, please drop off um your donations in that box downstairs on the first floor by the security office um and information desk.

And just really want to say how much we appreciate um all of our first responder agencies who are doing tour toy drives to provide for what we know are families that are really struggling right now in a really really tough year.

So this is a really wonderful thing, and um please join us in participating.

Thank you so much.

Thank you.

Council Pro Timber Mario Campbell.

Thank you, Madam President.

Um, I just wanted to first start out by thanking the um seniors that are in District 4.

Uh, they came to the senior luncheon.

We had about 200 people who showed up, and it's always so joyful and wonderful to be able to connect.

Um, also a big thank you to the um commission on aging.

They were able to speak and connect um with folks at that particular event and the Colorado Symphony.

It was lovely.

Uh, the other event that we have coming up is gonna be at Eisenhower Rec Center on Saturday, and we are doing um, they are doing the donuts with a Grinch.

Um, and so we encourage people who want to come and take pictures with the Grinch to sign up on the website so that we can make sure that everybody can be accommodated for and nobody gets super Grinchy that day, and so it just helps with the flow.

Um, so if you are interested, Eisenhower Rec Center um at sign up at the Eisenhower Rec Center website.

The event is from what is it, uh 9:30 to 11 on Saturday.

And then uh Ross University Hills Library uh will be closed for renovations, and um I've been speaking a lot with folks in community.

Um we're super excited that those renovations are gonna happen, and we're very sad that it's gonna be closed.

However, um, it's closing on December 20th, which is next week, and so they have been working with us to uh accommodate and make sure that library services are still very close and local.

Uh next week there will be information regarding the new bookmobile schedule and how folks in District 4 can access library services.

So if you um we'll be sending out a lot of information through the website um and also posting things at the rec center for what that new schedule is gonna look like.

So just thank you everyone for your patience as those renovations happen, and we will be able to still make sure those library services happen.

So thank you.

Thank you, Madam President.

Thank you, Councilmember Lewis.

Thank you.

Um I have a few announcements, and I'll start with the first one, which is the uh 42nd annual and high 42nd annual Hiawatha Davis luncheon.

Um we are full, we are at capacity.

I have had your grandmothers and your grandfathers and your cousins all reached out to me asking if you can get a ticket.

Unfortunately, you cannot.

We are maxed out.

We have looked at every opportunity to be able to expand the um the space to be able to offer overflow, and unfortunately, we're not able to, and so if you got a ticket, hold it tightly because it's coveted.

Um, we are still looking for a volunteer, so if anyone is interested in volunteering on that day, that is this Saturday.

That's right, the hotest ticket in town.

That is this Saturday, um, December 13th, um, from 11 to 1 p.m.

If you're interested in volunteering.

In addition to that, I wanted to thank our 2025 luncheon sponsors, as this would not be possible without them.

And so our platinum sponsors are united.

Gold, Faith Bridge Silver, Councilwoman Stacy Gilmore and Waymo, our bronze, Councilwoman Serena Gonzalez Gutierrez, Next50, Montbello Organizing Committee, CRL Associates, CLEAR, RTD, the Denver Economic Development and Opportunity Office, Councilman Dara Watson, Excel Energy, and Loving Memory of Paula Green, and at our good neighbor level, Councilwoman Sarah Parity, Seawald, handling, excuse me, Public Affairs, Denver Water, and Denver Health.

Those are my announcements for the senior luncheon.

And I also wanted to make an announcement to District 8.

So I was made aware via email this morning of an update within Council District 8 that the city will be utilizing cold weather sheltering on 48 4380 Peoria Street.

And it's going to be activated regularly, approximately 130 nights throughout the cold weather season.

And this is the second thing that I have learned via email from the administration and the mayor's office, in which they didn't feel the decency to reach out to me first and have a conversation with me about what you all would be opening in my district.

And this has become a pattern that I am noticing that you all don't feel that it's necessary to consult with the councilwoman to bring these things into District 8.

And more specifically, what I'm noticing is that you all continue to concentrate poverty in District 8 when I'm working like Hill to figure out how we bring investment into District 8 in which communities and constituents are asking for.

And this is continuously unfair.

And I've continued to have this conversation with the mayor with the mayor's office.

And for some reason, I'm not sure if you all aren't hearing me or if you just don't respect my district.

And what I'm finding is that just like we're putting this in Montbello, we just recently put a cop shop in Park Hill, and no one thought to consult the councilwoman to consult the members that live within my communities to ask them are these things that you want in your communities?

And the answer is no, they have said it, which is why you would do this without having a conversation with the we without bringing in me to discuss and let you all know that my con that my constituents are sick of this pattern, are sick of you all putting things in our district without any transparency, without any conversation, any of the sorts.

And it makes it difficult for me to lead as a council person that was elected by this community.

When I am in the dark with information, that in turn means that my communities are in the dark with information.

So I will say publicly, because I have asked you all privately, and you don't appreciate that I have given you all that kind of love and respect privately.

So I'm asking you all publicly, when you are thinking about putting another shelter in council district eight, at minimum, can I get a text message, not an email informing me of what you all are going to be doing in my council district.

Thank you.

Thank you, Councilmember.

Um, so in light of some of the even though SNAP benefits have been reenacted, there's still a shortage.

So we're asking in Northwest Denver if you can please donate um to Oslan Rec Center.

They are accepting food for another week, and they also have an annual toy drive.

So if you could please stop by Oslan Rec Center, it's on 46th and Navajo.

Anything that you could give, it will help the kids giving the kids who live in the Sunnyside neighborhood, making sure that they get what they want on their wish list.

So if you have any other questions, please feel free to contact my council office.

Seeing no other community observed announcements, there are no presentations, there are no communications.

There is one proclamation being read this afternoon.

Councilmember Flynn and Hines, would you please read proclamation 2043?

Uh yes, Madam President, thank you.

Uh Proclamation 25-uh 2043, a proclamation honoring the service and sacrifice of fallen Denver police detective Donald L.

De Bruno on the 50th anniversary of his end of watch.

Whereas Donald Lee De Bruno was born in Denver on October 5, 1945, to Sam and Jenny De Bruno, and whereas he was born into a family where he was the youngest sibling, with a half-brother, Lee Feckabrino, half sister Mickey Tag, and another brother Roger.

And whereas Don grew up in North Denver, attending Brown elementary school and graduating from North High School in 1963, and whereas at age 18 and while attending North High School, he met his future wife Fran, then 17, and asked her for a date for homecoming, which thrilled Fran, who realized during that first date that Don would be the man she was going to marry.

And whereas Don and Fran were married in August 1966 and went on to have two children, daughter Jennifer and a son Donald.

And whereas Don attended the University of Colorado at Denver, working as a gas station attendant and later at the Denver Federal Center in a lab setting.

And whereas in 1969, Don successfully graduated from the Denver Police Academy, joining the department with badge number 69-40 and was assigned to the patrol division, and whereas Officer De Bruno was quickly recognized for his many talents and was promoted to the position of technician and later assigned to serve in the homicide division.

And whereas technician de Bruno, like many officers, would sometimes work two or three jobs off duty, and he and his good friend Officer Thomas Haney started a drywall business to help him help pay the family bills.

And whereas Don had many hobbies, including playing the trumpet, going to the mountains to fish, and riding motorcycles with Fran and other police officers and their wives.

And whereas Don was very well liked and was a family man who relished spending time with his wife and children and loved attending gatherings of family and friends.

And whereas he was a quiet man who was very open to everyone and had a reputation as someone who would listen when no one else would, and would give his all to those in need.

And whereas on the night of December 10th, 1975, Detective Bruno, De Bruno was shot and killed while he and his partner attempted to serve warrants on a man wanted for six thefts in Kentucky and the murder of a man in Toronto, Canada.

And whereas Detective De Bruno's death was met with great sorrow in our community with more than 1,400 people attending his memorial service.

Now, therefore, be a proclaimed by the Denver City Council, section one, that Denver City Council declares December 10th, 2025 is Donald L.

Bruno Memorial Day in Denver and acknowledges the sacrifice of fallen uh Denver police detective De Bruno for the citizens of the city and county of Denver and honors his family's resilience and love at the 50th anniversary of his end of watch.

Section two, that the clerk and recorder the city and county of Denver shall fix the seal of the city and county of Denver to this proclamation and that a copy be transmitted to the De Bruno family, the Denver Police Museum, and the Denver Police Department.

Thank you, Councilmember.

Your motion to adopt.

Thank you, Madam President.

I move that uh proclamation 20-2043 be adopted.

It has been moved and seconded.

Comments by members of council.

Councilmember Flynn and Heinz.

Thank you, Madam President.

Um, this occurred uh before I moved to Denver, and um when I came across this case and this proclamation about two weeks ago, I went back and read some of the news coverage from uh uh the early 70s on this on this matter was at the Greyhound bus station, I believe.

And it it was a lesson in how no matter how well you can plan, and they knew that this fellow coming in from Kentucky and had warrants, they knew he was coming in on this bus, and they intentionally waited until it it was outside the group setting of the bus station and outside.

Uh, but the uh uh the perpetrator saw the the tail that was following him and turned and drew and fired without any warning.

And I believe there were five total officers on scene, and uh so obviously I never had the opportunity to meet uh Detective De Bruno, but I did know uh Tom Haney, and know what a fine fellow he was, and for them to be partners, not just in serving on the department, but also in life and in the drywall business and trying to make ends meet through those early years.

Uh I have no doubt that Don was probably just very much like Tom.

And so uh with that, Madam President, I asked for support for this proclamation.

Thank you.

Councilmember Heights.

Thank you, Madam President, and uh Councilmember Flynn, I believe it was the Grehound bus station.

At the time, it was called the Denver bus station.

Right.

So uh, yep.

Um I uh I do have a uh a brief comment.

Um before the badge, before the uniform, there was a young man from North Denver, man with ordinary dreams, deep family bonds, and commitment to kindness.

Don was someone whose life blended hard work, gentle generosity, and genuine care, a husband, a father, a brother, a son, but also a confidant, a friend with a quiet light, and a quiet light in his community.

He answered a call to serve, not because of glory, but because he believed in protecting others in a challenging and dangerous job, he carried himself with integrity, compassion, and humility.

Colleagues remember him as the kind of officer who would take the time to listen when no one else would, or who offered when uh even when he wasn't asked, and who treated everyone in handcuffs or not, with the dignity he believed every human deserves.

Uh but Don was more than his duty.

He finished, uh he fished in Colorado's mountains, he rode motorcycles with his wife and fellow officers, relishing open work open roads and lively conversation.

He played the trumpet, enjoyed simple weekends, and loved being with his family through such simple acts, a laugh, a fishing line cast at sunset, a quiet moment at home.

He demonstrated that service doesn't just belong to police work, it is in it lives in how you treat neighbors, friends, and family.

When his life was abruptly cut short on December 10th, 1975, in the line of duty, Denver lost not just an officer, but a man whose kindness had touched community and home alike.

The grief that followed was deep, genuine, and citywide.

His memorial service drew hundreds, reflecting a community sorrow and respect.

As we observe this 50th anniversary, confirming his memory with a special day of recognition, we also renew our gratitude, not simply for his sacrifice, but for who he was: a humble servant, a devoted family man, a friend to many, and a protector of all.

May his memory inspire us to carry forward his values, compassion, duty, love, and service to others.

Thank you, Madam President.

Thank you both.

Um always appreciate learning about Denver's history and the sacrifices that um those who are called to serve give.

Madam Secretary, Wolcall.

Councilmember Albitris.

Gilmore.

Gonzalez Gutierrez.

I Heinz.

Hi.

Cashman.

Aye.

Lewis.

Aye.

Parity.

Aye.

Romero Campbell.

Aye.

Sawyer.

Aye.

Torres.

Aye.

Watson.

Aye.

Madam President Sandoval.

Aye.

Madam Secretary, close the voting and announce the results.

Thirteen ayes.

13 ayes, proclamation 2043 has been adopted.

We now have time for the proclamation acceptance.

Councilmember Flynn and Hines, who would you like to invite to accept the proclamation?

Uh thank you, Madam President.

I'd like to invite up the De Bruno family in Chief Thomas.

I believe I was told that Jen is going to speak, but Fran and Don, you're welcome to.

Fifty years is such a long time, but I bet it feels like yesterday.

So please come on up.

Chief.

Thank you, Councilmember.

Council President, members of council.

Um, I can't thank you enough for, you know, I think it was actually esteemed councilwoman Lewis who said that it's so important to give people their flowers while they're here.

And you all do that, I think, and allow us to do that uh pretty regularly.

Um this uh recognition I think has even greater meaning for me because you know when people fall uh uh on the Denver Police Department, we always say that they will never be forgotten.

And I can't think of um a greater way to to signify that.

You know, 50 years later, uh, we're recognizing uh uh uh Donnie De Bruno in his passing uh and reading a proclamation for his family.

So thank you again, and I'll yield the rest of my time to the De Bruno family.

Thank you.

Hi, my name is Jen Di Bruno Kawasaki.

This is my mom, Frano Kawasaki and my brother, my sorry friend of Bruno Sebastian, and my brother Donnie Nebruno.

And we just want to say from our family, thank you so much.

And truly, we have never been forgotten by the police department, has never forgotten us, and this is such a special dishonor for us to know that our dad, who has been holding post outside that bus station.

I'm telling you, for 50 years, he's been there and he's been holding post, and he will continue.

I'm certain of that.

And it's just such a blessing to our family, and we're so grateful and we will never forget, and we appreciate that you never have forgotten him.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Councilmember Lewis, we need a motion to suspend the rules of council to allow for the introduction of a late filing.

Thank you, Council President.

I move that the rules of procedure be suspended to allow for the introduction of council resolution 252062.

It has been moved and seconded.

Comments from members of council.

Um, so this was this contract right here is to help with the SNAP benefits.

So it's healthy food from kids.

Um, and we just need a little bit more money to help all of the residents in Denver.

So I hope my colleagues will um support getting this directly filed.

Council members, just a reminder: we need a unanimous approval for this motion to pass, which would allow for the late filing.

Madam Secretary, roll call, council members Albitris.

Aye, Flynn.

Gilmore.

Aye, Gonzalez Gutierrez.

Aye, Heinz.

Cashman.

Aye.

Lewis, aye.

Parity, aye.

Romero Campbell, aye.

Sawyer.

Aye.

Torres?

Aye.

Watson.

Aye.

Madam President Sandoval.

Aye.

Madam Secretary, close the voting announce the results.

11 ayes.

11 ayes.

Council resolution 2062 may be introduced.

Madam Secretary, please read the bills for introduction.

From the community planning and housing committee, 25-1992, a bill for an ordinance designating 1555 North Grant Street as a structure for preservation.

From the Finance and Business Committee, 25-1960, a bill for an ordinance making a rescission from an appropriation in the General Council, City Council General Fund to make a cash transfer to and appropriations in the City Council Special Revenue Fund.

Governance from the Governance and Intergovernmental Relations Committee 25-1556, a bill for an ordinance concerning implementation of the collective bargaining rights for certain city employees, and in connection therewith, amending chapter 18 of the code.

And from the Health and Safety Committee, 25-1917, a bill for an ordinance approving a fifth approving a proposed fifth amendatory agreement between the city and county of Denver and regents of the University of Colorado Children's Hospital Immunodeficiency Program to provide care treatment and supportive services to individuals living with HIV and AIDS in the Denver Transition Le Grant area.

Thank you, Madam Secretary.

Council members, this is your last item to call out, and this is your last opportunity to call out an item.

Councilmember Lewis, will you make the motions for us this evening?

Yes, Council President Sennibal.

Great.

Now we'll do a recap.

Under resolutions.

Council resolution 1925 has been called out for a vote by Councilmember Torres.

Council Resolution 1883 has been called out for a comment and vote by Councilmember Lewis.

Council Resolution 1938 has been called out for postponement pursuant to rule 3.6 by Councilmember Parity.

Council Resolution 1958 has been called out for questions, comments, and postponement pursuant to rule 3.6 by Councilmember Alvidres.

Council Resolution 1967 has been called out for comment by Councilmember Lewis.

Council resolution 1968 has been called out for questions and comments by Councilmember Parity.

Council Resolution 1881 has been called out for questions, comments, and a vote by Councilmember Parity.

And Council Resolution 1957 has been out been called out for questions, comments, and a vote by Councilmember Lewis.

Under bills for introduction, Council Bill 1992 has been called out for a vote by Councilmember Parity.

Council Bill 1960 has been called out for a vote by councilmember Lewis, and Councilmember Torres has called out Council Bill 1556 for amendment.

Under bills for final consideration, Council Bill 1891 has been called out for questions and comments by councilmember parity.

Under pending, no items have been called out.

Madam Secretary, please put the first item on our screens.

Council resolution 1925, a resolution approving a proposed contract between the city and county of Denver, Mark Young Construction LLC for the construction of a new park and recreation facility at Cornerbacca Park.

Councilmember Lewis, will you please put council resolution 1925 on the floor for adoption?

I move that council resolution 251925 be adopted.

It has been moved and seconded.

Questions and comments by member by members of council?

Councilmember Torres.

Thank you, Madam President.

We're requesting that council vote this down.

The resolution approving construction uh this contract for Cornovaca Park.

Um we just postponed the building plan to January 12th.

Councilman Flynn, thank you for bringing this to all of our attention.

Um, with the building plan not yet having been approved by council until January, it would be an appropriate to approve the construction contract beforehand.

Um so everyone's in alignment that this needs to be voted down and it will be refiled for a vote on January 12th.

Thank you.

Madam Secretary, we'll call on Council Resolution 1925.

Council members alvides no Flynn, Gilmore?

Nay.

Gonzalez Gutierrez?

Nay.

Heinz?

No.

Cashman?

Lewis?

Nay.

Parity?

Nay.

Romero Campbell?

Nay.

Sawyer?

No.

Torres?

Nay.

Watson?

No.

Madam President Sandoval?

Nay.

Madam Secretary, close the voting, announce the results.

13 nays.

13 nays.

Council resolution 1925 has failed.

Madam Secretary, please put the next item on our screens.

Council resolution 1883, a resolution of approving a proposed agreement between the city and county of Denver and Urban Alchemy to provide shelter operation and programmatic services at non-congregate shelter aspen in council district eight.

Councilmember Lewis, will you please put council resolution 1883 on the floor for adoption?

I move that council resolution 25183 be adopted.

It has been moved and seconded.

Questions and comments by members of council.

Councilmember Lewis?

Hi, thank you.

Um I'm not really even sure where to start with this, but I'll take you guys you all back for two years.

Um you all might recall that when the administration came, Mayor Mike Johnson came into office.

He announced his plan to house 1,000 people by the end of 2023.

And the majority of the sites that he had identified were in council district eight.

And since then, I have been working alongside with my staff as well as with consultants to collect information from our residents.

I pay for consultants to come through my council budget to be able to come up with a more cons comprehensive plan than what was being proposed by the administration because we are essentially warehousing folks in the way in which it was executed.

Um we have been on this journey for two years, and council district eight has not gone without some type of controversy as it pertains to the House 1000.

Do I believe that housing is a right?

Absolutely.

Do I think that we're doing a good job of executing in terms of getting folks housed and keeping folks abs house?

Absolutely not.

And I've worked pretty closely with the administration, at least I have tried to work closely with the administration to be responsive to the plans that they have put in council district eight.

This includes erecting the Quebec corridor task force, in which members of our community had the opportunity to opine on what they wanted to see in that corridor.

Um, this also includes us hiring be connected to be able to connect with residents to ask them what were their needs in terms of uh what they were looking for while they were staying in these shelters.

Um, and what bubbled up was was uh mental health services, um employment opportunities, um, and transportation and still with the amount of information and the data that we've been collecting.

For some reason, I don't know if the administration is not listening to my constituents, is not listening to me, but we continue to get it wrong.

You all might require you all might recall that the Salvation Army, who I have not who have been very vocal about in terms of their service in Council District 8, um, has had failed in these shelters, um, with the all in Mount High sites, particularly as it pertained to my district.

And so one of the things that I had asked, as well as the folks from a recommendation from the task force, was for us to look at other shelter providers and to figure out an opportunity to improve the process that currently exists, improve the conditions that currently exist within the all-in mile high sites.

And unfortunately, that hasn't happened.

So now we have before us as council members a contract for urban alchemy.

And I sent an email to the staff within the administration, and I sent them four articles that I had reviewed, and which there were concerns of other cities regarding this provider.

And I asked explicitly, hey, can you tell me how are we how are we planning for this?

How are we solving for this?

And the response that I received from the mayor's office is quote, hi councilwoman Lewis, yes, we were aware of those articles.

Urban Alchemy was awarded the contract through a competitive RFP process.

Have a nice weekend.

Now, maybe that's sufficient for someone else, but that is absolutely insufficient to send that to a council person when I am sending you articles about my concerns, and we've already had concerns regarding the Salvation Army, and we've gotten them out of there.

And my community deserves so much better than we what we are seeing from the administration to bring another contract to the tune of 30 million dollars, in which we are already seeing accusations and concerns, and there is no one, not one person from host who has told me how are we going to make sure that these things aren't repeated in our city?

And so I cannot in good conscience and in good faith move forward with this contract because I don't know.

And you might think, well, it's not the salvation army, so it's better than nothing bullshit.

I am sick of that mentality from my community.

We deserve better, and this is not giving us better.

And I have been a partner for the past two years.

I have been eaten shit from my community because of this planning that has come from the mayor's office.

And I have been kind, I have been patient, I have been a partner, and I have got nothing but disrespect, and this is disrespectful.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Madam Secretary, we'll call on Council Resolution 1883.

Councilman Torres, was that you in the queue?

Thank you.

Um just really quickly, I just wanted to see if host needed to speak to this.

Uh, it is a resolution, it's not um a first reading bill, uh, so it won't come back before us.

It's a 30 million dollar contract.

Um, what would happen if council were to vote this down tonight?

Thank you, Jeff.

Uh good afternoon, Jeff Kositsky, Deputy Director and Host.

Uh, if the if this were to get voted down tonight, uh, to be honest with you, Councilwoman, I'm not 100% sure what we would do.

We would have to seek out another provider.

There was not a great deal of interest when we pull out the RFP to operate this site, and we went with the provider, the panel went with the provider that they thought was the most qualified and the most able to operate the site.

We would have to regroup and we're very close to the transition period.

We need to have a new provider in place on January 1st because the agreement with Salvation Army ends on December 31st.

Got it.

Thank you, Jeff.

Thank you, Councilmember Cashman.

Thank you, Madam President.

There's a ton of very concerning legal mass related to urban alchemy in a number of cities.

Why don't we care about that?

I believe that we do care about that, and past performance when we're reviewing RFPs, you know, certainly comes into play.

We also have uh numerous letters from the mayors or council members in other cities and officials in other cities praising the work that Urban Alchemy has done.

Um Urban Alchemy is in the room today, and I think could answer more directly your questions about uh incidents that uh you know have occurred, they answered those questions to uh the panel satisfaction.

Um, but I would ask Urban Alchemy to speak more directly about any of the specific concerns that you might have.

Well, I've I have met with Urban Alchemy, um, and um I remain extremely concerned.

Uh the these are not 10 years ago, they're current, they continue to grow at a rapid pace, and I'm just not sure that this is the direction that Denver needs to go.

Um, how many other providers responded?

Uh to uh specifically operate the Aspen.

Um there were I'm sorry, I'll have to um give me a moment.

There were only the three respondents to operate any of the NCS, the non-congregate shelter hotel-based uh shelters, uh, Bayod, uh St.

Francis Center, and Urban Alchemy, each of which received one of the sites.

You're more experienced in this area than I am.

What is the challenge in getting an organization to do this work that doesn't run into this type of trouble city after city?

Yeah, I mean, in my experience doing this uh kind of work uh for decades, mostly in the nonprofit sector, uh the types of concerns and accusations that have come up with um urban alchemy, you know, are fairly common in the field uh that we work in.

We're working with people who've experienced um, you know, severe amounts of trauma in their lives.

The work is extremely difficult and issues do come up.

Uh organizations occasionally do get into trouble.

I feel like urban alchemy has grown very quickly and has received a lot of attention because of the unique nature of their model, and but in my experience, don't see that they have had more incidents occur in terms of you know problematic interactions with clients than any other organization that I've uh worked with in the past.

What are we doing in the way of if they were given this contract?

What I would think, um, while their um while they will present their side of why these charges, et cetera, came forth.

What are what would we do in the way of oversight?

I think we would provide the same uh oversight that we provide to all of our contractors.

Uh, we do regular visits, um, you know, monthly, you know, annual monitorings, uh, reviewing monthly reports and monthly invoices, uh, regular site visits.

We also are implementing uh customer satisfaction uh program in which guests will be able to on a daily basis if they want to say whether or not they're satisfied with the services that they're receiving.

I think in the past year, host um has and is continuing to improve our contracting practices and our monitoring practices and urban alchemy, would get uh the same scrutiny that all of our providers receive in terms of the quality of services that they are um providing, and would remind everyone that we also have the ability to terminate the contract.

Um, I believe with uh two weeks at the most 30 days' notice if we are not happy with the services that we're receiving.

Thank you, that's all, Madam President.

Thank you.

Councilmember Alviderez.

Uh thank you so much, Council President.

Um I will, Jeff, I would like to see those letters from the other mayors and council members for sure.

I think that would be helpful.

Um, but I did want to hear just from Urban Alchemy themselves about their response to some of these charges, allegations dismissed, and how they've been working through it and how they plan to do a better job here.

Great.

Good evening, counsel.

Ian Clark Johnson, practitioner at Urban Alchemy.

Um, here to answer any questions.

Grateful to be here this evening.

Great.

Um, my question is do you have a response to you know the articles and the scrutiny that Urban Alchemy has been under, and also um how do you plan to execute here in Denver in a way and work with us and work with the communities that you're in?

Yes, definitely.

Thank you for the question.

Accountability.

So accountability is number one for us.

Um we're here to be accountable for everything that we do, not just tonight, uh, provided the contract is passed, but in the future, we want to be accountable and transparent and be judged on the merits of the work that we're doing.

As it relates to any complaints, we take all complaints seriously.

Um, we have had bad actors in the past.

Uh, we've moved swiftly uh to terminate them and hold ourselves accountable.

Uh with city partners, we collaborate with you know the local police department, all local service providers.

Um, as it relates to, I know there was some lawsuits around wage theft as we grew early on and we expanded rapidly.

There were some mistakes and timekeeping that we made.

Uh, we've made a lot of improvements and added to the back end of our organization so that we have the proper measures in place in real time with our HRS system to make sure that those accounting measures are taken care of.

Uh recently, there was a tier two status named in San Francisco.

Um, that has since been removed, and I would also say one of the most recent articles in Austin, Texas around data misrepresenting, that was self-reported.

Um, that is part of some of the internal measures that we have in place, where we have a data quality team that's checking our data uh consistently, weekly, randomly and and monthly, and also cross-checking reports, and we were able to catch that data and accuracy before the quarterly report was submitted, self-reported, and you know, corrected it.

Thank you.

And what made you want to pursue and come to Denver in this way and um run the shelter here?

Yeah, thank you for that question.

So, Urban Alchemy, we're a community-based nonprofit.

We empower and provide workforce opportunities for men and women with lived experience, preferably experiences in the incarceration.

Myself, I was a former life in the California prison system, was given an opportunity as hourly employee, 1650 an hour as a practitioner to work and serve my community.

When we looked at Denver, we saw that there was an issue with homelessness, and also we know that there are a lot of men and women coming home with a lack of opportunity.

And so when we looked at Denver, we saw this as the perfect opportunity to empower men and women coming home, men and women getting on their feet, turning their life around.

They have a desire to want to get back and help people.

We believe that the people closest to the issues in the past can help other people get to the solutions and work through it together as a community.

We're here to illuminate community.

Also, want to make one thing kind of public is that the positions that we're offering are going to Denver residents.

To date, in preparation of our launch, we've already hired 72 Denver residents, 52 have successfully went through training.

We got another 20 training this week.

And so we're here to empower the Denver community.

Thank you.

Thank you so much.

Um that's all I have for the moment.

Thank you.

Thank you, Council President.

Thank you, Councilmember Sawyer.

Thank you, Madam President.

Um, thanks, you guys.

I don't have any questions for you, so really appreciate that.

Um this is a really tough call because I think that my fellow council members who have concerns um with the reputation of urban alchemy, they're real and they're fair, and it's not inappropriate to have those concerns at all.

Um, and I and I do not blame them for however it is that they choose to vote on this contract.

I am going to be a yes tonight, and that is because I do not want people out in the cold on our streets.

We are already hundreds of millions of dollars in to this house a thousand, all in mile high effort.

And we've already lost providers.

We only had three providers who were even interested in running our shelters at this point.

I think accountability is important.

I think Jeff has answered the question of how host is going to ensure that urban alchemy is accountable.

I think urban alchemy has stood up and been accountable and taken accountability for some of the things that have gone on in the past.

And I'm not sure that we can ask for more than that in a situation where the other option appears to be putting people back out on the street in the middle of winter again.

Last year we had zero outdoor deaths from homelessness in this city.

That is extraordinary, and I don't want to go back on that based on the work that we have already done.

So I feel a little bit like this is a Sophie's choice, right?

Like this is a really hard one.

I can see um the community concern, I can see the council member concern.

On the other hand, my concern is that we are out of options, and the only other option that we're gonna have at the end of the day here is to put people back out on the street in the freezing cold, and I am not willing to do that.

So I will be a yes tonight.

I appreciate host and urban alchemy taking accountability and having discussions about how oversight is going to work to ensure that some of the things that have happened as urban alchemy has started to grow don't happen in Denver.

Do I think everything is gonna be sunshine and rainbows?

I would be crazy if I stood up here and said that I did.

But I do think that there is a path forward with this organization that is trying to do great things in our city and offer support to our community, and so I will be a yes tonight.

Thank you.

Thank you, Councilmember Heights.

Thank you, Madam President.

I have a question for hosts.

And as you come forward, I'll start with a question.

The question is, uh, you had three applicants.

Um, all the applicants were deemed responsive because they all got a site.

Um, were they applying for one site, or could one of the other applicants um support two sites?

Yeah, um, council member, thank you for the question.

I am on a little bit shaky ground here because I am not a hundred percent sure what I am, and I'm not able to disclose about a procurement process, and don't know if there's a city attorney present that could advise me as to the details that I'm able to get into, but I will say that um, you know, there the providers who have taken on uh the existing hotels have also made it clear they were not interested in expanding beyond their their current footprint, you know, running a two, you know, 200 unit plus uh hotel is is challenging uh and taking that on sort of midstream all in an operating site that you know have uh admittedly experienced some challenges.

I understand why there's been, you know, unlimited interest in in taking on this challenge and uh and frankly, you know, taking on too many sites, uh, I think has uh led to problems in the past um but I'm not exactly sure what level of detail I'm able to to provide I I think um that the applicants were not interested in a second site is uh I think enough of the answer for me thank you thank you madam president thank you council member parody thank you madam president um sorry let me put up my notes here so uh one of the things that I just want to step back and say here is that I Jeff I um I really I respect your experience tremendously it is real um I've been grateful to have it in the city um and at the same time like it's not true that to sort of say that all providers um face accusations of misconduct to the same degree like organizational culture is incredibly real um and when you're dealing with vulnerable people um we should be more attentive to the culture of an organization and and how it does than than elsewhere and so that I just part of the reason that doesn't sit well with me is because um when I was practicing law the same employers would come up over and over and over again you know and people would come into my office and you would start to see a trend right like some grocery store chains have a different culture than others in Denver it turns out and that was extremely visible if you just spend enough time talking to impacted people.

That was how I felt about the Salvation Army so and we heard the same kind of things um frankly from POST about TSA over and over which is you know kind of this attitude that um either that we don't have other options and I it's not that I don't live in reality so I'll talk about that in a second but the idea that basically complaints are inevitable you know um problematic incidents are inevitable.

Well the incident that finally happened at the Salvation Army that was the straw that broke the camel's back was a horrendous sexual assault that many other residents overheard that was absolutely preventable because it was about screening practices.

And so that is a systems problem and we're part of that system.

I mean when we vote on these contracts those are the kind of high level accountability issues that we have to care about up here.

So with respect to urban alchemy um and with with respect in general to this RFP process I know that we always have a provision that we can end contracts with short notice.

In reality I've never really seen that triggered um within host and so that's an initial question that I have is has host ever moved to end a contract with any provider you know in recent history and what would it take to do that to actually end a contract early.

In in my recent history uh that has not occurred um and I know you're newer here than a lot of people so I totally I'm not trying to make you speak to things you don't know about not at all but um the process uh is fairly straightforward the contract has our contracts all have uh you know very clear termination clauses uh that allow us I I believe it's within two weeks or 10 days notice can terminate contract uh for any reason.

Okay.

I mean I think the issue is just that like we don't have we don't have a lot of clarity about why and when we would do that.

And to me that's such a huge problem when again um if there are um bad practices going on like with the example of um TSA's hiring screening we couldn't really harm people and so it just is a lot of deja vu we've been up here talking about provider contracts many times.

One thing I want to ask is with respect like a question that I've also continued to have or an example of when I'm saying about um different organizations having different backgrounds and to be clear I don't know urban alchemy well like everyone else I met with the executives and I resonate with and admire the vision of what they're trying to do.

So I'm not in any way prejudging this organization and I want those of you guys who are here from urban alchemy to hear that.

But within Denver if you were to talk about people's experiences staying at Salvation Army shelters versus the Dolores project, the gathering Place, some of our local homegrown, incredibly ethical organizations who are respectful of the people that stay in the organizations and don't believe that they're there to save them in some way, they were very I I would really doubt that they would have had those same kind of complaints and incidents.

And so I think there's probably some objective truth that we can get to about those kind of things.

And I don't know why those organizations, well, I do know why, because I've had conversations with a few of them now.

The empowerment project, the gathering place, you know, when you talk to those organizations, part of the reason they don't bid on our contracts is because of a mixture of sort of um, I think the relationships with the city, I suppose, but also things like worker pay.

You've been an advocate of us paying workers more under these contracts.

Our budgets are not unlimited, but if we're not getting, you know, bids from organizations that we trust, we should be fixing that.

I mean, if that's a budget issue or something like that.

Um Councilmember Sawyer has pointed out that we have a moral imperative to keep people indoors, and we do.

And so we need to figure out why we're not getting bids from contractors that we know and trust.

So, and the our only remedy is basically to vote these contracts down at times, right?

Like that was what it took to get the Salvation Army to stop running our shelters, and that was necessary.

And I will continue to say that.

I feel like Councilmember Lewis and I said that for a year before it finally happened, particularly Councilmember Lewis.

So I just um I think my question here is like at what point would you have reissued the RFP?

What kinds of questions did you actually ask Urban Alchemy as host about these kinds of reports from other cities?

And to Councilmember Lewis's point from her email that did not get a response, um, besides the idea that we could end a contract, what is our actual plan to watch for things that we may be concerned about, and at what point would we end a contract?

And that may not be a Jeff Kaczynski question.

I don't know if there's someone in the room that has the power to answer that question, but I'm really concerned about the answer to that question.

Um there were a few questions in there.

So uh the last one is just what would it take for us to end a contract, and what kind of um vetting did you do about sort of past incidents?

Okay.

Sorry.

Yeah, it's okay.

The question on the vetting about past incidents.

So I was not involved in the procurement process at all.

Uh there, you know, I was involved in, you know, and reviewed the RFP and know that score there was scoring based on past performance, but I cannot speak directly as to you know what questions were asked or what was in the proposal around the RFP process.

It's a you know, I believe a fair and independent process.

Um, and but I I was not involved in it, so I'm sorry I can't answer that question.

And as it should be, but um, you know, there well that it that's fine.

If you can't answer it, you can't answer it.

To just clarify one other thing about that, um, the three providers who bid on that combined RFP for three different shelters, did they express willingness to run one, two, or three shelters, only one, two?

Like, what was the I I do not know off the top of my head the response and the scoring or who who requested what?

Um it was an open-ended proposal where providers were allowed to check um a number of boxes.

One was do you want to run a microcommunity?

Do you want to run a non-congregate shelter?

Um, and then there was are there specific sites that you are interested in operating?

And then once the scoring occurred, uh the top scoring organizations were spoken to about what their interests were, which buildings they were interested in.

There were definitely providers who made it clear they were not interested in the aspen.

Um, but that that is how that process worked.

And again, I was not not directly involved in that process.

Okay, yeah, so when you said we're spoken to by whom?

By the people who are on the panel.

Okay, by the panel.

So I just because to Councilmember Torres's question is really important, like what would happen if we voted this contract down, right?

Um, and I just think that the we don't exactly know the answer to that if we don't know whether there were two other providers who had a willingness to potentially run two shelters.

The question about what would happen if we cancel the contract?

Yeah.

Yeah, so as you know, we've been working hard to improve the procurement process at hosts and are, you know, trying to get into an organized cycle of three-year RFPs in that process.

Uh, the way that these RFPs are written is that we could go back to one of the other providers who successfully was qualified to operate a shelter, and um ask them if they would be willing to do it.

Okay, that is a yeah, okay, I appreciate that answer.

Um, and then the other question was at what point who would make the decision that the that we were gonna end a contract, like literally who, and at what point would we end a contract over um any of the issues that we've seen in these news articles, whether that's financial mismanagement, you know, wage issues, which I do hope are cleared up, or even um things happening to people in shelters that should not happen.

Sure.

Um so I'm assuming that you know complaints would come to us through our program officer or our director of shelter operations or myself, uh, we would investigate what occurred, and then we would make a recommendation to the well now the interim uh director uh of host uh that the contract be terminated.

Uh we would consult with the city attorney, issue a letter and um terminate the contract.

Um I'm sure somewhere in there we would also look for another provider who would be able to step in and operate the site.

What kind of investigatory tools do we have under this contract?

Like how, you know, we ask a question, we don't get an answer.

What happens?

Well, the contracts are pretty clear that there are we are they're required to collect documentation uh in places that we require.

So for example, uh in the pulse for good customer satisfaction data, uh, there would be in the HMIS system uh client data, uh their accounting and financial systems.

We are we have right to receive and view any of those documents uh at any time we request.

Okay.

That's good to know, and that doesn't totally match my experience when we were talking about a number of um specific incidents and concerns at Salvation Army shelters, just being honest about that.

I mean, I there was a lot of um, it felt like there was a lot of stonewalling maybe from that particular organization, so that gives me a little bit of concern.

Um I think that's good enough for my questions.

I'm just gonna say that um I feel like out of respect for the district council member um and the fact that I don't think that um she was given real answers.

I mean, I'm looking at this email chain.

I I feel I feel like we have got to figure out how we can get a view into um after the an RFP like that is closed, so we're not impacting the independence or anything like that.

Um but we need that information is so important that for us to vote um when when we're sort of blind on the kind of scoring of past performance and things like that on an entity that's new to the city feels like a real miss.

That's not your fault or anything to do with you, Jeff.

Um, but I will be a no tonight.

And again, I hope Urban Alchemy that you have all the success in the world and um do right by the people that live at the Aspen, many of whom I know.

So thank you.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Councilmember González Gutierrez.

Thank you, Madam President, and this is probably a question for you, Jeff.

Um, I'm just curious about the communication that there has been with District 8 with Councilwoman Lewis's office about this new provider coming in after the after the RFP close and kind of going off of what councilman parody was saying.

Um was there any outreach to our office or conversations had about the new provider?

Uh yes, thank you for that question.

Um a couple of things.

I do know that uh urban alchemy staff had an opportunity to meet with uh councilwoman Lewis.

I also Urban Alchemy came to the committee hearing, which I believe was on October 14th, uh, and were there and uh um we were able to answer questions, no questions were asked of them at that time.

Um so there has been you know efforts to um for you know both at the committee and through individual outreach that they have done to speak to uh council members.

And in fact, until we got past that council, we were sort of on a pause until after that hearing, it seemed like it went okay, and then that's when we began the transition process.

Um we couldn't wait obviously until uh tonight to begin that process and have been working with Urban Alchemy, um, probably meeting with them daily uh to get this uh transition going.

And I believe that they have met with some of you, um, but I'm I'm not 100% sure about you know which ones of your offices they've been able to engage with.

Yeah, but can you pull your microphone?

Is that better?

Thank you.

Thank you for that.

Um I guess the you know, part of that, and and I, you know, had a my meeting today and was offered a meeting the Wednesday before the holiday and furlough, um, when this was originally up, then that following Monday, right?

So offering a meeting late on a Wednesday before holiday in a furlough day, um, for something that's up on Monday was a little bit frustrating, I'll just say, and something that is very consequential, right?

This is a huge contract um and a huge task.

And um I I'm like I think what I'm asking for at the end of the day is just better communication.

I appreciate when you all reached out to tell us that there would be um an RFP put out for for to look at new providers.

That was great.

That was great communication.

I would just ask that that kind of communication continue.

Um I am very concerned, and I expressed this, you know, to the folks at Urban Alchemy with um some of the reports that have been have come through.

Um, and you know, when we were dealing with this with Salvation Army, we did ask them to do better, and it didn't get better, right?

And you know, I I am somebody who likes to give folks a benefit of the doubt, and from what you expressed to me today about what measures you would take, I want to listen to that.

Um, but at the same time, I also am concerned that there is seems to be a little bit of a lag of com of communication um to council district eight's office to councilwoman Lewis, and that concerns me because that was one of the issues that we faced with the previous provider was that lack of communication and willingness to actually talk to her directly, and I want to make sure that that does not continue with the different provider, be if this goes forward today.

Um and so I do want to ask is what kind of communication will then what will that look like?

What will communication look like going forward if this were to pass tonight?

Uh between urban alchemy host and uh and district eight.

District eight, and I guess you could throw in the at-large offices.

Yeah, I mean, I think we are obviously more than willing to meet with you anytime you would like.

We could set up regular meetings.

I know that um Urban Alchemy has already met with uh both the guests at the site and has had listening sessions and been engaging with the guests and has also met with neighbors uh from the Quebec Street corridor.

Uh I know that they're committed to continuing going to those regular meetings uh with the neighbors and committed to holding uh which we're now requiring at least one monthly town hall meeting at all of our uh all in mile high shelters so that they're communicating with the guests as well.

Um and whatever we can do to um improve our communications with you uh we're we're all ears and would be happy to respond uh to any questions you have, regular meetings, regular briefings, um we would obviously be more than happy to um work on that with you.

Yeah, I just want to make sure that um knowing that there had been issues, which is really the reason that Councilman Lewis created or had convened the Quebec quarter task force was because of the concerns that were coming from her community um in that district, and it would be great to get out ahead of those things rather than have to react to them.

And so that's what I will compel for all of you for the provider, for um the administration, for host, is to be more effective in that communication.

Um and I will ask, like going forward, these kinds of big contracts, you know, um I know as a you know, a chair of a committee, I usually ask that council members get briefed on these things even before it goes to committee when it's something this big.

Um, you know, that there's outreach done in that way, and and having outreach as a late as we did.

Um I really just that was just a uh a pressure point, I guess I will just say on my end.

Thank you, Madam President.

Thank you.

Council Pro Tem Ramiro Campbell.

Thank you, Madam President.

Um, okay, Jeff, since you're up there, I'm just gonna ask you, um, so if we if this gets voted down this evening, what is the timeline to do?

Would you reissue an RFP?

Or what does that look like?

And do you have like a timeline of what that would be?

You know, just to be honest with you?

I I am not really sure.

I I can't answer that question right now.

I'd have to go back and consult with our uh interim director.

Uh we're um I'm but I'm not sure what the date is today, but we're three weeks away from um the transition.

We have no more contractual uh relationship with Salvation Army after that date.

Uh and again, after the committee hearing um in October went smoothly.

We moved forward with uh planning for the transition.

Perhaps uh we could have um and obviously should have done better communication, but given that there were no issues brought up during that committee hearing, we moved forward kind of full speed ahead.

Is because to be honest with you, three months isn't um is a pretty short period of time to transition such a large operation, and we really needed to um you know move quickly in again been meeting with Urban Alchemy Daily uh to plan for the transition.

Yeah, um I appreciate that.

I know the transition from Salvation Army to Bayod Works for the family shelter has been going on for a number of months, and I know that does take a while.

Uh how many how many individuals are served at the ASCAP?

Can you remind me?

200.

There's approximately 220 guests there right now.

Okay, thank you.

Uh that's all for my questioning for you.

Thank you.

I do have a question for Urban Alchemy real quick.

Councilmember.

Thank you.

Um I just wanted to ask a few things.

Um, it was brought up previously about culture and building culture here in Denver and what that looks like.

Can you speak to what you are doing to be able to address um some of the accusations and and um um stories that have been in other cities?

Right.

Thank you for the question.

So, first of all, to the culture piece.

The culture we hope to bring to Denver is the five-star experience for the guests at the facility.

Um, for us, it's about building community with them, uh, hearing a lot from them.

That we've had listening sessions, we've had a chance to connect with them, let them understand who we are, build a real interpersonal relationship.

Uh, we're hoping once we come in, we're able to share a little bit of who we are.

Um, the culture we want to bring is a culture of redemption.

Um some of us have backgrounds, we made mistakes.

I do want to make one thing, we'll put one thing out there is we do um vet for certain cases.

So if there's sexual related cases, unfortunately, we can't move forward hiring that individual because we're aware we're supporting a vulnerable population.

So for us, um I said it before, it's about having a transparent culture, it's about having a culture of redemption and providing a five-star service for the guests at the facility.

We do that by being answering any question about you know who we were before, talk about who we are today and the changes we've made in order to get here today.

Um, so any questions you have specifically, we're here to answer them.

And we hope that uh for some of us that are having this conversation initially tonight that this is, you know, provided this does pass that this is a beginning of a relationship because we know it has to be an interactive process with community uh with the electeds who are leading our community here, um, so that you know we're working together.

Thank you.

Um, you had mentioned, and I I was writing down some of the numbers.

Um you've already hired and trained.

How many people are how many do you have in the pipeline?

So we had 51 trained come through and trained hired and trained last week, and then we have an additional 20 this week, and we're looking to hire another 10 to 15 more.

Okay, just trying to do fast math.

I think we're what at 70 something, so we vote down the contract all of those positions, then well, there would be no contract.

Right.

Got it.

Okay.

Um thank you.

I don't have any other questions.

Thank you so much.

Thank you, madam president.

Thank you.

Councilmember Albidaris, do you mind if I go to Paul Cash?

Councilmember Cashman, no problem.

And then I'll put you back in the queue, because he hasn't gone.

Council Member Cashman.

Um, don't you go there because I'm looking for Shimon?

Microphone.

Okay, Councilmember Watson, you haven't been in the queue yet.

Thank you, I'll be good.

Thank you so much, uh, Council President.

Uh Jeff, can you come forward um again?

And and if you're not able to answer the question, John, unfortunately, I'm gonna ask this of you.

Um, we haven't get received a direct answer on what happens if this contract um is voted down with three weeks and no other provider available.

Can you provide a direct answer to that question?

Um yes, I can.

Thank you uh for the question, Councilmember.

Um we would have no operator for the site.

There's no scenario in which we would be able to contract uh with another provider at this point at this late stage in the game.

Um we ultimately, unless there was I mean, I think ultimately we would have to shut the shelter down.

Um I mean, obviously, like we would try very hard to find alternatives.

Uh, but I don't see how I could get 70 or 80, you know, city staff members who are already have jobs in a workforce that's already been uh depleted to be able to operate a 24-7 shelter.

Um, and the the people who are expert at this obviously work at host, and we don't even have enough staff at host.

That would be if you just took every host staff person uh in my division, the uh homelessness um response division, we wouldn't have enough people to operate uh operate the shelter.

So it it's but yeah, it would it would be it would be a very challenging problem.

And of course, we would do our best to not put people out on the streets.

That's what you know we do, that's what I've spent my life doing, but I don't know what we would.

I mean, my my response is I don't know what we would do.

Thank you, Jeff.

My second question is specific to what how long is the contract for the site?

What's the remaining time on that contract?

Uh they're all three-year contracts.

So there's three years still left on this is which site, Aspen?

Yes, yeah, all the contracts are three years starting January 1st, 2026.

Okay, thank you, Jeff.

No other question, Madam President.

Thank you, Councilmember Alviderez.

Oh, um, I want to turn your mic on.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Um I just wanted to uplift Council Moment Lewis's comments.

I think it's just terrible the communication that she has gotten and would would like to, you know, acknowledge that and hope that we can have better communication.

I have uh, you know, cold weather shelter and tiny home village in my district, and we aren't getting great communication either.

When my constituents are going through really hard things, and the administration is just saying literally nothing meaningful um to what we're supposed to do about the conditions, and so I uh I acknowledge that we need to open up something, and this isn't directly directed at you, Jeff.

You're just standing there.

Uh it's it is concerning, and I just want to share that.

You know, my constituents are also not feeling heard, not feeling cared for, and um, we're trying to turn a new leaf, we're trying to continue to build relationships and and it's a very uphill battle with the providers, and you're getting the brunt of that.

Uh Urban Alchemy because you're coming into a climate that has been very not trustworthy, no good communication since we were elected.

And it's very challenging, and I continue to try and give a chance and give a chance, and um, that is my nature.

And I am gonna give you a chance tonight, but I'm asking you, and I know that this is a lot of pressure on you because of all the failures that we have seen here as a city.

Like, please don't do us wrong.

Please do what you say you will, and please continue to communicate with us because we're we're on a short timeline now, and we're trying to do the best we can, and we're trying to get people indoors and and it and it's not an easy task, and I know you all know that, and I think all our providers understand that, and I think about councilwoman parity's questions, and it is a great to have small local providers, um, but uh we don't have the number of small local providers that we need, and I know that I hope and I and I have heard from hosts that you all are working on building up our providers.

Um, and I appreciate that, but I just want to say that the that my yes on this is not because um I think everything's fine and dandy, and uh and then not to dismiss my colleagues' concerns, um, but just to open the opportunity continue to to continue to work together in solving these really difficult challenges.

Thank you, Council President.

Thank you.

Councilmember Lewis.

Um, I have a few questions, and then I'm gonna then I have a comment as well, start with my comment.

One, I did not meet with Urban Alchemy.

I was stopped in the hallway, and while they were in town, and they asked me um if we could check.

That's not a meeting.

And so for you all to continue to characterize it as though I've met with them and that we had a meeting on the calendar is um as interesting at best.

Uh you all had a meet and greet on 10 15, in which we followed up with an email on 1017 inviting Urban Alchemy to meet with my council office, and which we did not hear response.

We followed up on 2010 22, and which we did not hear a response.

We actually didn't get a response back until I postponed the item last week.

And so to mischaracterize it as though my office or myself is not responsive is irresponsible.

And so I'd ask that you all um not do that.

I would also like to say that I'm not opposed to urban alchemy.

I understand it, and it would if you knew anything about my background, you would know that I have things in my background.

Twitter brings it up all the time.

And so I'm not a throw anyone away type of councilwoman.

And what makes this really difficult is that you all continue to put me in a situation where I'm having to choose between the livelihoods of people and their lives and doing what's best for my district, and that is incredibly unfair.

And so I'm not I don't disagree with councilwoman Sawyer here and your desire to move this forward because it does mean that people are going to be kicked out on the streets potentially because we don't have a plan.

And so I'm gonna ask a few questions to figure out where we might be able to find some um common ground because what we have before us is not acceptable for me.

And so I wanted to chat with I wanted to ask John.

I know we can't make amendments on the floor, but I was curious if it was possible for us to potentially look at a one-year contract and what would be the process that we would need to do in order um to be able to do that as council members as a consideration.

Uh Jonathan Griffin, Deputy Legislative Council.

So yes, what she said is correct.

Um council does not have the ability to amend contracts on the floor.

What can happen is that it could be this could be delayed and uh the count and council as a whole could work with hosts to possibly come up with a shorter term of contract and then bring that as an amendment to the file.

Right now, the way that our contracts are written, do you approve a resolution that makes reference to a filing number and the filing number would then be updated to change to reflect any change that you work with the administration to make?

Does that make sense?

Sorry.

No, it does.

It does.

Um Jeff, tell me how that lands on you in terms of potential pathways.

One for you all to look at the other providers who put their name in the hat as an opportunity to bring them forward, or two, to potentially look at a shorter contract that we might be able to put in place to address some of these concerns.

Yeah, I I think both of those are extremely difficult difficult options.

There's no way in which we would be able to renegotiate a contract and be able to get under contract with urban alchemy before they begin operations.

And um as as we've seen in the past, that's not something that's worked out well.

We want to have executed contracts before our providers begin work.

Um and I'm sorry, the other question.

What do you mean by renegotiate a contract?

We would have to reissue a contract.

Um we would have to start over again essentially and have a contract, you know, re-signed.

I don't know um if it would need to go back to committee.

Jonathan Griffin, deputy legislative council, that would be a discussion between the committee chair and and whomever if this the that's kind of if it doesn't need to, sorry, I can just be direct about that answer.

No, it would not need to go back through committee.

Um but at this point it would still be a time-consuming process.

I also just want to point out that again, even though these are three-year contracts, uh they're all subject to annual appropriation, uh, and they are all could be canceled uh with with two weeks' notice.

Um, so I'm not sure that um I think there are would be other options for us to uh and for the council to shorten the term of the contract um either through appropriations next year or uh host, of course, could cancel the contract uh at any time with the appropriate notice.

So what we have before us is approve the contract as is or don't.

I believe so, yes.

Okay, well, I'm gonna be a no then, and I do think that that when the mayor's office wants to get creative, they do, and they find a way in which they are able to find dollars that they are able to bring contracts to us timely or untimely.

Um, and so I'm gonna be a no on this because again, I feel like my community deserves better, and quite frankly, I am frustrated and fed up with being put into backed into a corner by the mayor's office saying that we have to do this thing when I know that it's not to the benefit of my entire council district.

We have eight to nine shelters in council district eight alone, and the service providers are incredibly important.

You all just sent me an email today with another shelter that's coming into council district eight.

And so I would encourage you all to get creative, I'll be a now.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Councilmember Cashman and Council Member Gilmore.

Just want to remind you, I'm gonna have to stop us in like three minutes for but general public comment.

Do you want me to stop now and have you chime in, or do you want me to keep going?

I'll be quick.

Okay.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Uh Jeff, if you this uh I asked some questions of host, this is the response I got, and I'd like you to just make sure you agree with this.

I asked um uh about uh contracts being canceled, uh, so let's see here.

And also for over sight.

So, as far as oversight, uh, we will do the following mandatory quarterly reporting, qualitative and quantitative, monthly operational meetings, regular partner meetings, and shelter success task force.

Quarterly programmatic site visits and regular unannounced informal visits, uh, monthly invoices and quarterly financial reviews, annual contract monitoring, regular RFP process that emphasizes past performance.

All sounds that's correct, right on.

Um, additionally, the Aspen non-congregate shelter contract will be utilizing performance-based contracting, which means if they are not hitting their goals set by host, they will not be getting paid.

Is that correct?

They will not be getting paid the full value of the contract.

Gotcha.

Thank you.

I'd like to ask um Alchemy uh a couple of questions real quick.

Yes, and I appreciated our meeting, but I always say, well, you know, it's always tough to tell when someone's trying to sell you something, how sincere they're being.

I don't know you guys.

I appreciated our meeting.

Um your training, can you do you said you've already trained 52 people?

How long is your training?

Training is 40 hours, five days.

And then they also come back for CPR first aid next week.

Right.

Then there's training that'll happen in January as well.

And is there an ongoing training program?

Or tell tell me what you can uh about that.

Yeah, so we have a full talent development team where there's training monthly minimum.

All new employees go through the new new employee uh orientation.

That's what I was referencing.

There's always training as it relates to the care coordinators that do for lack of better terms, sort of the case management and then navigation supporting the guests uh work towards housing.

They go through consistent training, specifically when we talk about some of the data reporting, we talk about trauma-informed practices, motivational interviewing, uh, and progressive engagement.

So we had trouble with another shelter complaining about the fact this crossroads uh I've had reports of two people overnight for an old facility with 300 people in it.

How many overnight staff would you envision if you took over the aspen?

Right now, we're looking at about 12 practitioners overnight.

Okay, last thing is um, don't need five-star, though there's definition, different definitions of what that would be.

When we met, I told you, I don't want A-, I want a plus.

We met with someone in a corrections facility the other day.

Her dream was not to be an astronaut and live in a big house.

She just didn't want to go back to jail, wanted an apartment and to work at McDonald's.

I I would expect whoever takes over Aspen to keep our people safe in a dignified environment.

Would you agree with that, sir?

Yes, sir.

A plus plus.

Thank you.

Thank you, Madam President.

Thank you.

Max, Councilman Gilmer.

Thank you.

Um, appreciate you being up there.

Um, thank you, Council President.

Um, I'm trying to track.

So, when did you start um hiring um out of those 70 people?

When when did you start that hiring process?

Yeah, we started making offerings just before like the week before Thanksgiving, with the aim to start training December first.

Okay, all right.

Okay, thank you.

I appreciate that.

Um, I um I'm concerned um I don't have any more questions for you all.

Um, I am concerned that there's work being done towards a contract.

The Denver City Council hasn't approved.

Um, that's a huge concern.

Uh, because the dates of the start of service should be um dates after that we approve the contract, and so that tells me that um the administration thinks that we're painted in a corner, and they think that we're going to be um pushed into approving this.

We might be, um, it might look like that, but um there's a lot of work that needs to be done.

I continue to hear from folks who reside in these shelters that they are concerned every single day for their safety.

And um, if we're not gonna have uh proper protocols followed um on a 30 million dollar contract and work being done before it's approved um at City Council, um, the only way for us to change that dynamic is to vote it down.

Thank you.

Thank you, Council President.

Thank you.

Thank you, all.

And tonight there will be a required public hearing.

So just for the public, we have public comment in like three minutes.

So I'm gonna go past all the called out bills and resolutions.

I'm gonna go into public comment and then we'll pick up where we left off, which is Bill 1883, a resolution with the proposed agreement between the city and county and urban alchemy.

So for those of you who are here for other agenda items, you can stay for public comment.

We have at capacity, we're at capacity in the room.

We have our overflow room open up right now.

We'll have to make room for people who are on the public comment list to get in and out and back and forth.

So if you're not here for public comment, I'm gonna ask if you could step out for a half an hour so we could have our public comment people come in, and then we'll reconvene with all of our work at 5 30.

Tonight there will be a required public hearing on council bill 1635, changing the zoning classification of 333 West Regis Boulevard and 551 through 5115 North Federal Boulevard and Regis and Council Bill 1636, changing the zoning classification for West 333 Regis Boulevard and Regis and a courtesy public hearing on Council Bill 1874.

Approving and accepting the far southwest area plan.

If you could keep your voice down while we're doing this, that'd be great.

So that people online can hear.

Which plan should become part of a comprehensive plan 2040 for the city and county of Denver pursuant to the provisions of section 12 through 61 of the Denver revised municipal code.

If there be no objections from members of council, we will recess until 5 30.

Before we reconvening the regular meeting, city council provide a half hour general public comment session to hear from the public on city matters, except for any matter that is scheduled for a legal or required public hearing.

Welcome to the general public comment session of December 8, 2025.

Tonight's session is being interpreted into Spanish.

Sam or Lynette, would you please introduce yourself and let our viewers know how to enable translation on their devices?

Yes, of course.

Thank you for having us.

Hello, everyone.

My name is Sam Guzman with the CLC, joining you virtually through Zoom.

And along with my colleague Lynette, we'll be interpreting today's meeting into Spanish.

Please allow me a quick minute while I give instructions in Spanish on how to access interpretation.

Thursday, December 11th.

We look forward to hearing from you again, and thank you for attending.

Council will now reconvene from our earlier session.

We will continue with the consideration of council resolution eighteen eighty-three.

I think we got through all of the speakers.

Colleagues, if you want to come in for another round, please get cued up, Councilmember Heinz.

Okay.

Thank you, Madam President.

Um I touched base with Mr.

Chandler um briefly in the interim.

I wonder if he has made it back to chambers.

Um, yeah, he is, so I know he's around.

He's probably in his way.

Yeah, okay.

We're just doing a transition.

Cole.

Cole sh Cole Chandler.

Thank you.

Cole, you're being called called to the front.

All right, Mr.

Chandler, thank you.

Um, uh thanks for coming back.

I I wonder if um uh if you could tell me a little bit more about urban alchemy, um, just as a uh uh because you are the our our homeless czar here in Denver, um what your uh knowledge is of them and your experience with them.

Yeah, thank you, Councilmember.

So Cole Chandler, mayor senior advisor on homelessness resolution, and it's good to be here tonight.

Um so I think it's helpful to just take a step back from this conversation for a second and just from my vantage point, um, this contract really represents a win for our city.

And so, so just to speak to that for a second, so um a lot of what I've heard over the last couple years as we've talked about how we can better serve people on the streets.

We've asked for more accountability, um, we've asked for stronger services, we've asked for those services to be initiated and led by people that have shared experiences.

Um, and so a couple of ways in particular that I see that reflected in this contract.

For one, as host um explained in the community planning and housing committee briefing on the 14th of October.

These contracts have a very new process where they are pay for performance-based contracts, and so there are new accountability measures that have never existed before.

And those are specifically in place because council advocated for those.

We listened um as you all talked about those for years.

Can you hold on one quick hey V, can you take the conversation outside?

Yeah, can we please have quiet?

It's hard to focus on what's happening when there's so much commotion in the chambers.

Thank you, Cole.

Yeah, thank you.

And Jeff Kazitski, who's been responding to a lot of the questions tonight, uh, is too humble to stand up here and say the ways that he worked to bring that.

He worked with national experts to bring something to Denver that we should be really proud of.

There are very few communities across the country that have contracts that are shaped in this way.

That's a huge win for our city.

It's because of the work that y'all have done, the advocacy that you've done, and the work that host has done to bring that forward.

And the other piece of that is urban alchemy.

And when you look at this this challenge of addressing street homelessness across the country, this is a very hard thing to work on.

And there are not service providers, they're not people that are just sticking their hands up and saying, I want to do this work.

Which, oh, by the way, doesn't happen for a profit.

It happens at cost.

Uh most organizations lose money on the work that they do on these contracts.

Urban alchemy has said we want to be a part of this.

We want to be a part of this answer in Denver.

I've spent two and a half, three years getting to know this organization.

I first met with them back in 2023.

I've had conversations with them at every level of their organization, from the CEO down to folks working in the field.

What I've seen all along the way is the kind of philosophy of service that Ian exemplified tonight before you.

An organization that's committed to peer-led leadership, committed to lived experience, um, leading the way and meeting people where they are in these shelters to provide quality service.

Urban Alchemy is going to be a strong part of this system in Denver, and I think we should be really proud of the opportunity to bring them here.

And so I just wanted to allow us to step back from what is a hard conversation for a minute and recognize really the progress that this represents.

So thank you for the question.

Thank you, Mr.

Chandler.

Um, one other question, uh, I know Mr.

Kazinski was kind of uh being well, he was being asked this uh before, but um perhaps you uh you can add color to the answer, or maybe you have a different perspective.

But uh let's say we give them a chance and they do not live up to expectations.

Um we have an out clause that's two weeks, but I mean, there's no way just as we are three weeks from the end of uh the current contract.

I mean, is there uh does this contract require them to in advance come up with an exit strategy, or is there is there anything along those lines?

So I would have to defer to city attorney on exactly what it um allows related to uh that being determined in advance.

But I can say, as Jeff did, that we have the power to terminate this contract any time we choose to do so.

And I think you've heard a firm commitment to accountability to uh ensuring uh performance measures, and we will have that conversation with Urban Alchemy and all providers uh if and when that difficult conversation is required.

Okay, um, if I were to vote yes on this contract, um I'm going to trust that the executive branch uh come up with whatever that exit strategy is, and it shouldn't just be for one vendor, it should be all um, you know, uh all of our vendors, so that we don't have to um, you know, if we if we take a chance and the chance was not warranted, that um we're not stuck with something um that is less than savory.

Is that a yes, sir?

That's reasonable, and we can certainly develop that contingency plan.

Great, thank you.

Thank you, Madam President.

Thank you, Councilmember Flynn.

Uh thank you, Madam President.

Uh I don't have any questions, just a comment, and I want to thank uh the folks from Urban Alchemy for setting up the briefing we had.

We sh I shared it with uh councilman Cashman.

I thought it was very productive because I did have a lot of questions and concerns about some of the publicity and the stories and the charges, and uh before and after that meeting, I had spent uh invested some time and digging deeper into those, and I know it's a hard history uh to overcome.

When uh the new mayor was elected two almost two and a half years ago, I told my uh constituents that uh I that you all elected him based on this platform of house 1000, which is now all in mile high.

So I intended at least for the time, the early time being to support whatever the resources were he said he needed because after all you voted for him, and and uh it's well known that I endorsed another candidate.

But the voice of the people was that Mike Johnston was gonna be the mayor, and this was his platform, and now it's called all in mile high.

And I'll tell you what, sometimes it feels like we're a mile deep, not a mile high.

How do we get out?

What's the exit strategy to expand on Councilman Heinz's exit strategy for this contract, but what's our exit strategy for everyone who is right now housed?

The one reason that I will, the principal reason that I will support this contract right now is somewhat similar to what Councilman Cashman was saying, although I'm not presupposing how what his vote will be, but he expressed the sentiment that we need A plus, is that we have changed our business model from paying for expenses that you invoice us for the month to a pay for success model.

And so the reimbursement on this isn't how much did you spend last month and here's the money for it, but it's how many successful exits did you have, how many interviews, how much training, how how much uh uh counseling, how much other services have been provided, and your pay is based on that.

And for the life of me, I don't see any other way out of digging the mile high, the mile, the mile deep hole deeper.

We have to go in the other direction and start coming out of that.

And so I think this could be part of this pay for performance or pay for success, can be part of that answer.

So I'm very happy that uh that host and the administration are moving in that direction.

I hope that it's successful, um, because I don't see the path we were on having any hope of reaching an exit point or an end strategy.

So uh with that, uh Madam President, I will support this tonight.

Thank you.

Thank you, Councilmember, Councilmember Lewis.

Thank you.

I have a few questions for hosts.

The first one being when you all came um to committee, were you all aware of the concerns that were circulating in other cities?

And um how soon before you all put this contract before us is when you learned about those concerns circulating in other cities.

Um uh sorry, councilwoman.

Could you repeat the question?

Yeah.

So when did you all learn about the concerns that are circulating in other cities about this provider?

Um I don't know the exact date, but we were aware when they submitted the when they submitted their proposal.

You said you you were aware when they submitted the proposal?

And talk to me about what when you all were thinking about the accountability metrics within the contract.

How did you use the information that you learned about the concerns that are in other cities in order to be able to strengthen this one coming into our city?

Sure, on the performance-based contracting.

Yeah, so um those issues are related but in in a large degree separate.

So the performance-based contracting is essentially we're paying our providers to uh perform you know certain tasks as we went over during the committee hearing.

There's still a whole other set of accountability measures that are in place uh that are exclusive of perform whether it was a performance-based contract or a cost reimbursement or a fee for service.

There is still a whole section um in our contracts about uh accountability, and um those uh really are universal across all of our contracts.

So we were thinking about you know regular monitoring, uh, informal visits, monthly plan visits, annual monitoring, invoices, uh regular reporting, um, that exists separate from the performance-based contracting.

Uh, sorry, I got loud because of the door.

You said it exists separately because of that.

I mean, not separately, it's just part of the contract, but it's whether it was a performance-based or whether it was a fee for service contract, the same accountability measures will are in place.

So you put additional uh accountability measures in place because of the concerns that were raised to you all.

No, we put in um the performance-based contracting uh, again, separate that was decided before we even selected a provider.

It's before we wrote the RFP is when we came up with uh performance-based contracting.

Yeah, it was it wasn't related to who we selected or ended up uh choosing as a provider.

So you all had knowledge about the concerns in other cities, but you did nothing to make sure that there were additional measures in place in order to be able to safeguard against some of the concerns that we saw that were raised.

I think we feel like the measures that we have in place now are um more than adequate for uh responding to any types of problems or issues that may come up with any of our providers.

With the performance-based contracting?

No, whether it's performance-based or fee for service or cost reimbursement.

I think the measures that we have in place, you know, are fairly robust with you know our program officers as well as our contract administrators um monitoring the contracts on a monthly basis.

And then the other thing that we have added, which will be new in 2026 is the, but again, this is uh not related to urban alchemy, but is the customers the customer feedback uh process that we'll have in place in 2026 where we're collecting daily feedback from guests and then reviewing that information to look for positive or negative trends uh based on provider and on site.

Who's the provider to collect that information?

That's a pulse for good.

Okay, and that will be at every single shelter.

Yes, and not only every shelter, but every host program.

Okay, thank you.

Yes, I have one more question, but not for you for Cole.

For Cole?

Yeah.

Thank you.

Cole, so you mentioned that um that this contract is a win for our city because of the new accountability measures, and that we should be really proud to bring this contract to the city.

And um, I wanted you to speak more about that because I um have worked closely when I'm able to with host with you specifically.

And so I'm curious as to how you arrived at a win for the city when it's not been inclusive of the council member.

Um thank you, Cole Chandler, senior advisor on homelessness in the mayor's office.

Um council member, I think this is a win because of the things that you've advocated for for the last two years.

Um I think that um the dialogue is one that you know we've been uh listening back and forth and trying to figure out how to best put it into policy and put it into contract.

Um I think back to conversations that you and I were having around this time last year about how we better listen to the community around the Quebec Corridor and your idea to bring forward the Quebec Corridor Task Force.

I think about the things that folks in that neighborhood advocated for, um, specifically increased services and uh services being provided for by a community that represents the people that are those services are for, and so um I think in many ways the wins that I was describing are wins that you have been the champion of and the pay for performance-based contracting in particular that host has developed because we had conversations and said, How do we take another look at the way we do contracting?

Um I think it's a giant step forward.

Yeah, so I appreciate that, and I appreciate you acknowledging that we've worked closely together, and so I think that's where my curiosity lies is that you all um that we would work together for the next two years, and then you would select a provider and not bring me into the conversation.

And so I appreciate your dialogue around it being a win, but if it's a win, I imagine that we'd have to bring that from the shadows and into the light.

And because you've kept it in the shadow, it makes me question at least what are the motives for not wanting to tell the councilwoman.

Did you not think that I had the capacity to be able to opine on the urban alchemy or to be able to work in partnership with the urban alchemy?

You know, I have a few questions there because I have shown you for the past two years what partnership looks like from my council office, even if that's not been responsive, responding to by the mayor's office.

And so I'm disappointed to see that we get to the end of the two years and it falls apart.

Yeah, I mean, I I don't think that it's falling apart.

I certainly hope it's not falling apart.

Um I feel like we've engaged in good faith to the best of our ability.

Um, and I can think back to, you know, opportunities that I set up to introduce urban alchemy and you and um think about conversations that we had along those time frames and um it you know hasn't been perfect by any means.

Um, but I I know that we've been working on dialogue, you've been committed to dialogue and we remain committed to it.

And I think when Jeff came up earlier and was asked clearly a question of can we have an improved communication?

Whatever when urban alchemy was asked the same question, they both committed to that, and so I think we have to figure out what that looks like.

But I know it's been a long road to get to here.

Um, and uh I'm grateful for the ways that you've led and engaged, and I commit to doing my best to do the same.

Thank you.

My final question is for Urban alchemy.

Councilmember Lewis.

Thank you for your time.

Can you tell me what engagement looks like with my council office moving forward?

It looks like uh sitting down having a conversation, jumping on a call, you coming by the site.

Uh we could show you better than we could tell you.

And I want to take this opportunity to apologize if you felt like there was any evasiveness or lack of wanting to connect with you.

Um we were proactively connecting, connected with members of your team, exchange phone numbers.

If there were any concerns, if there are any concerns moving forward, please reach out.

We would prefer to have a conversation, talk it through, walk it through, so that we can have a relationship.

We know collectively is the only way we could begin to address some of the issues that we see on our streets.

Yeah, I I'd like to remind you all that we did reach out in October when we first had conversations about this.

And again, I'm gonna restate the characterizing our meeting that drive-by that we had in the hallway as I was coming into these chambers, is not a meeting, and I would like to sit down and chat with you all about what it looks like to serve my district.

And and I'm sorry that the mayor's office has put you all off on the wrong foot with me as a council member because I do like to be in partnership with the folks who are working within my council within my council district within our city in general.

And unfortunately, that has not happened, and it's not um representative, I hope, of how you all operate, but maybe how the mayor's office has continued to operate when it comes to council districts.

Thank you all for your time.

Definitely, please, open if you did.

Well, I was just gonna say it's an open invitation.

Um, again, apologies if it appeared as we went dark.

I tried to go back while we're sitting there, didn't get back, but it looked like there was mutual conversation, so again, we apologized for not, you know, kind of being uh super assertive for a meeting.

We felt like we we connected, we had an understanding.

There even seemed to be some optimism about us potentially coming to town.

Sure.

And so again, we felt like there was kind of a relationship there, and we we were not aware of any concerns until recently, and that's why we reached back out.

I will tell you that I contacted Dominic Morero over the Thanksgiving holiday, um, to talk specifically about the concerns that I had from community, and I assume that that was communicated to you all, and it sounds like maybe that wasn't communicated to you, and so dialogue is happening maybe circularly, but nonetheless, it is happening.

And so I do appreciate um that you all are being willing to sit down and communicate.

I am concerned that there are things that I've found out during this conversation, such as hiring in my district, or that you all have connected with the residents within my district.

Um, and I haven't been a part of that, and I trust that that won't be the case moving forward.

Thank you for your time.

So thank you all for the conversation.

I have a question for urban alchemy.

I'm the council president, so I always have to go last.

How long have you been in Denver?

We've been so as far as operations.

I mean, I travel here.

We have two members of our team that are moving here full time, provided this contract is uh approved and executed.

Um I've been coming in and out of town now for you know leadership of urban alchemy, at least probably say four or five or six months just to connect with leadership of the city to understand the landscape.

And if you um will you have an office here?

Where would you be headquartered?

Yeah, well, right now we're pouring everything we can.

If again, if this contract is approved, we'll be at 4040 Quebec doing the work.

That'll be where we're at full-time.

Okay, boots on the ground.

When were you when were you founded?

We were founded in 2018.

Okay, and who is your founder?

Can you just tell a little story?

I mean, like, it gets super complicated because we talk about this contract, and for the public who are watching, they're like, Who is Urban Alchemy?

Okay, so Dr.

Lena Miller is our CEO and co-founder.

Uh Bay Ron Wilson, our chief operating officer is the other co-founder.

We were founded officially in 2018.

They've been doing the work in the community in San Francisco where we got our origins for over 25 years doing community work, uh, supporting uh workforce opportunities and also doing uh violence intervention and other programs to help the youth.

Um, this started as an opportunity to get people to work, specifically men and women coming home from prison.

Uh during, you know, it started with really started with us cleaning public toilets and activating spaces, and then moved into public engagement and then uh community engagement outreach and homeless outreach, and then during COVID, we got into the interim housing for the shelters during the shelter in place kind of boom.

Uh we stepped up and do the work.

We're in the people business.

Uh we're rooted in level respect.

Our mission is to transform spaces and people with level respect.

Okay, so one thing I hear I'm trying to figure out the through line throughout this whole entire conversation, is I hear a little bit of lack of transparency and um not communication.

So, uh, would you be willing to come quarterly to one of our committee meetings so that we could get an update so we can get to know you all?

Because you are a new service provider in this space, and I'll just say someone who's worked here for 13 years, when you Google urban alchemy, that what pro shows up would be concerning of any tax dollars, right?

These are public tax dollars, and we take an oath of office, office to make sure that we are being um good stewards of public dollars, and so we don't want to end up in litigation, we don't want to end up um going to court, we don't want Denver and Urban Alchemy to only have success stories.

So that's what I think the concern was for me.

Was when I Googled and I looked down um into the internet, which doesn't always surface the good as well.

I think the internet oftentimes just only portrays bad drama, everyone loves the drama, but who wants to talk about the good stories?

So if you would commit and if I could get a commitment from hosts to come so this next year over this next year, we could actually get to know urban alchemy, we can have the success stories of urban alchemy, and then I can check in with the councilwoman of this area, councilman Lewis, to make sure that there is some type of um conversation having happening because her council district is carrying the weight of um our people experiencing homelessness in Denver.

It really is, it's in council district eight, it's disproportionately in council district eight.

My council district has gentrified, so I don't have any of these places in Northwest Denver, even though I've offered them, but the land is too expensive, and I don't have um empty hotels, which we had a plethora of in council district eight.

So is that something that on the record we could get a commitment from you?

Without a doubt, you have our commitment to participate in any community engagement, civic engagement, to explain who we are and to really to get to know the community further.

Awesome, thank you.

Host, is there anyone from hosts who can make that commitment or the mayor's office on the other side?

So just so we have it on the record of what we would I would we would like to do.

Uh Jeff Kasitsky, Deputy Director and Host, and uh yes, uh Councilmember, we would be happy to meet with you all quarterly uh with Urban Alchemy or separately, whichever whichever worked best for you.

I think it would them being a new provider in this space.

I think it would be helpful to have them at the table, because what I've realized is there's lots of moving parts here, and so what my goal is as council president is always to get the decision makers at the table so we could hear it from them instead of having to say, hey, you're their conduit or where their conduit were voting on their contract side, prefer if everyone was around the table.

So, chair of the whichever um the how yes, community planning.

Um, can you please note that this we'd love this emails and while you were talking?

Thank you guys so much.

Thank you.

Thank you all for the um such a robust conversation.

$30 million is a lot of money for this important initiative.

Um, Madam Secretary, we'll call on council resolution 1883.

Council members Albiaz.

Nay, Flynn, aye.

Gilmore, nay.

Gonzalez Cutieris.

Aye.

Heinz.

All right.

Cashman.

Aye.

Lewis.

Nay.

Parity?

Nay.

Romero Campbell.

Aye.

Sawyer.

Aye.

Thoris.

Torres?

Aye.

Watson.

Aye.

Madam President Sandoval.

Aye.

Madam Secretary, close the voting announce the results.

Nine ayes.

Nine ayes, council resolution 1883.

Has been adopted.

Madam Secretary, please put the next item on our screen.

Council resolution 1881.

A resolution approving a proposed agreement between the city and county.

Wait, no, sorry, that was 1881.

Sorry.

Is this the same one?

It's a slightly different.

It's a slightly different.

A resolution approving a agreement between the city and county of Denver and Urban Alchemy to provide community ambassador services.

Councilmember Lewis, will you please put council resolution 1881 on the floor for adoption?

I move that council resolution 25 1881 be adopted.

It has been moved and seconded.

Comments by members of council.

Councilmember Parity, I have you cued up.

Yeah, so when this came before my committee last month, I was I think taken aback to see that we're um funding this ambassador contract through host.

Um host has now moved the funding source so it's not coming from homelessness resolution funds and is instead coming from um only host general funds.

Um but the fact remains that I don't even after the follow-up briefing that we got today that my team got today, um I am not seeing this as a housing type of service, and it's really raising my alarm bells that we have um reduced positions that we're funding on the number of street outreach collaborative.

We have reduced our in-house housing outreach positions, um, and we are shifting to funding these ambassador programs that as became clearing committee, and I don't think host is really contesting, um, are not um these are not housing navigators essentially, or housing outreach workers.

Um so the scope as I understand it, I was looking back at um committee notes, and it it talked about basically um these strike me as very similar to what our bids and jids tend to employ.

Um, and I do think this is for urban alchemy, this is intentional that you employ folks to do this kind of work.

Um so I'm not this is not like a hidden thing, um, but in terms of this coming from host funding for the city, it is a change.

Um what this reminds me of is our business improvement district uh teams who they keep the streets clean, which is deeply appreciated.

They will engage with visitors who need directions, they provide a presence, all of that kind of thing.

I don't disapprove of that.

Um, but to be adding such a large contract for that kind of function when um I think any unhouse person in the city would tell you that they need um outreach that results in services and that is very specially trained.

Like one thing I've really learned by engaging with the Roads to Recovery Program, um, ever since it started, and with the folks within the city who run that, um, is that the kind of outreach that's needed to help someone resolve homelessness, um, it just takes a huge amount of expertise and it is um it's hard.

You know, people's situations are incredibly individual.

You have to know the Denver ecosystem um over a long period of time, and if someone's primary function is to um be more of that like street presence ambassador kind of model, that's not their job, and that's not what someone that they come into contact with is gonna get.

So I'm I just think it's the wrong priority.

That's why I called it off.

Um I don't know that I have questions, um, but I called it off for a vote so that I could vote no.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Councilmember Cashman.

Uh yes, thank you.

Can I call it?

Can we turn on your mic, sir?

Cole or thank you very much.

Um the big part of this that gets people's heckles up is it's it's uh a service services for unhoused community, and then there's graffiti removal and street cleaning.

What what's that about?

Yeah.

Uh thank you, Councilmember Cole Chandler, senior advisor on homelessness in the mayor's office.

So um, if I may talk about what street engagement is and our approach to that, and so um street engagement is the umbrella term that we use to describe a spectrum that is housing focused street outreach, behavioral health-focused street outreach, community ambassador work, enforcement, and street cleaning.

Okay, okay.

And so I've intentionally situated it that way with community ambassador work right in the middle.

We have uh many different agencies that are responsible for our street engagement work, those are the folks that are going out helping get people connected to services, getting people indoors.

The more than 2,000 people that we've been moved that we moved indoors this year have happened through the street engagement work, especially on the housing and shelter-focused side of that.

Um we have had community ambassador services in Denver since 2023.

Um, and so all along we've had this full spectrum from housing-focused outreach all the way to the cleaning with community ambassador services.

Those of those that work has been conducted by Denver Dream Center and a smaller contract that came to council earlier this year.

As we looked at our system and how we bring it forward in 2026 during the budget-constrained environment that we were in, we really thought about how do we deliver efficiencies in our system, and how do we make sure that the right types of interaction are happening from the right types of teams constantly.

And so we've developed a whole system that's gonna go live early next year with a new um technology platform where all these teams are using the same one.

And so what I'm getting to with this is that um we really have changed the way that we're gonna be responding to needs at the street level right now.

The vast majority of 311 calls that come in around homelessness, they sort of by default end up being responded to by Denver police by the hot officers.

Um next year, we're really flipping that paradigm.

We're gonna have 70 or more percent of our calls being responded to first by service-oriented agencies, and so that will include the housing-focused outreach, the behavioral health focused outreach, and this community ambassador type of work.

And so the community ambassadors will be focused in key areas where we are constantly getting 3-1-1 calls about homelessness because we know that there is a demand in those areas, and we'll put those in those areas.

We will work with bids and JIDs where we need to, where they already have similar services to actually amplify what's taking place so that we have more hours of the day, more days of the week that we're covering.

And this will enable us to, in places where otherwise there might have been a law enforcement interaction coming into a 3-1-1 response to have actually a service-oriented uh person that works for Ian and his team having that first interaction in a proactive way.

Um, and so community ambassadors services really sit at the center of that.

Um, they do everything from get people placed into housing and shelter, get people connected to behavioral health services as needed, do some pro-social behavior training to educate on what behavior is appropriate in public spaces, and also pick up trash because that is something that's a service not just to the people that are on the streets, but to the surrounding community.

And so it's really a geographic-based approach that is focused on how do we serve the entire community.

There's been a great deal of research that's done on this that talks about the impacts on public safety through this form of community-based public safety.

And so um, happy to answer any follow-up questions, but wanted to provide that bit of an overview.

Yeah, well, I I appreciate that.

Um, I just don't I'm I'm having trouble wrapping my mind around why we wouldn't have uh the Department of Transportation Infrastructure that does all that, that does graffiti and does trash and all that and leave let these contracts be the focus of caring for the unhoused.

I mean, I understand that there are times it's helpful to the unhoused to clean things up and so on and so forth, but I'm hearing that uh that's good services.

I mean, if it's cleaning up a business district, needs to be done, but I think it confuses things.

And uh, so it I'm having trouble with that.

Yes, sir.

It's not just that.

So that's the point that I want to make.

These folks will have access to shelter beds, can get people connected directly to shelter, and so they'll be in key areas where we know we're gonna have a ton of calls so that they can proactively take those steps and get people that are interested in services connected to services and do other things as well.

And it's really effective and proven to be effective coming from folks with peer-based experience, lived experience to have those peer-to-peer conversations.

Um, and it's a job opportunity as well, and one that we think is important.

So, looking at it historically, this is three million dollar contract, um, so a million bucks a year.

It's a three it's a three-year contract, right?

So it's a million bucks a year approximately.

Yeah.

I'm wondering where I'm going, Cole.

Is 10% of that gonna get spent on these ambassador services, 60%?

What's history tell us?

So hosts should speak to the specifics of the contract.

Um, but could you say more about your specific question?

Yeah, I'm trying to figure out you're you're saying that a bunch of this ambassador contract is housing navigation.

Sure.

And I'm trying to find out is it 90% housing navigation, 10% cleanup, or is it, you know, 50%?

I'm trying to understand how the dollars get spent.

I think that the metrics that they'll be reporting on will demonstrate that every single day, the vast majority of what they're doing is having peer-to-peer conversations with people coming from homelessness about how to get them connected to services.

That is by far the vast majority of what will be happening during this contract.

Okay, thank you, Cole.

Uh, that's all uh Madam President of Pro Tem.

Thank you.

I'm gonna step in while Council President had to step out.

Um, Councilmember Al Vidris.

Um thank you so much, um, Council Pro Tem.

Uh I did want to ask maybe Cole just a little bit about uh what you're talking about with the pro-social behavior, if you could speak to that a little bit, uh thank you for the question, Cole Chandler, senior advisor on homelessness.

Um and Urban Alchemy may want to speak to this as well about what this looks like from their perspective.

But um, you know, we get 311 calls all the time about folks that are um loitering, folks that are passed out on South Broadway, folks that are sitting in front of a business, and an engagement with an individual like that, you know, the first thing we're gonna do is try to establish rapport.

Hey, how you doing?

What's your name?

This is my name.

Would you like a bottle of water?

Would you like a granola bar?

Let me tell you about some services that are available.

If the individual is not um interested or not ready at that moment to receive those services, it might be a simple conversation of hey, you don't have to go to those services today, but I want you to let you know what that you can't just sit in front of this doorway.

Um and uh you can't um, you know, can't use drugs in this space and that kind of thing.

And so it's pro-social behavior talking about what behaviors are acceptable, and so it's not about moving someone out because of their status or because of the who they are, it's talking about what is acceptable in public space and how do we make public space accessible and safe for everyone, and so that's some of what pro-social behavior um conversations look like.

I appreciate that.

Um, one of the people that came to public comment, Caitlin, um, who's a bartender on South Broadway, was chased down the street a couple weeks ago with a stick with nails sticking out of it, um, which is very terrifying.

Uh, she called 911.

She never got a response.

And so I would hope that this would help in that type of situation, but I don't think they're going to respond to 911, or how would we, you know, better support South Broadway?

So, part of what this contract does is provide that type of service proactively in spaces where we have a large volume of those types of calls.

So, we already have people and eyes on the street and people that are building relationships, networks of relationships, as was discussed earlier in that area.

And so she should still call 911 in that case, but what would be unique is that there might be a service provider that's there that's able to diffuse the situation in a safe way that actually increases public safety, and that's what the studies on this have shown in other cities.

And we have this in Denver already.

This is scaling it and helping us bring it to more neighborhoods.

And frankly, I wish we had more of these services even than we're bringing forward tonight.

And we will continue to hear calls from communities around the city saying we want these types of services, and so again, this is another great step forward for us as a city.

Um I I appreciate that.

Um, and I think that as a lot of the instances on Broadways, sometimes they aren't necessarily a crime.

Sometimes it isn't someone experiencing homelessness.

Sometimes it's someone else that is just out and maybe intoxicated.

There's bars, there's other things on Broadway, and so um do you believe that this would support overall in those types of instances where they're not maybe experiencing homelessness, where they may be housed and where maybe what they're doing isn't a crime, but just it is harmful to the community around them or people around them are scared or feel very uncomfortable with the behavior.

I mean I, yeah.

Yeah, I mean, part of the reason why we use the nomenclature of street engagement is that the first question they ask is not going to be someone's housing status.

The first question they ask is going to be, how can I help you?

Um, what if somebody is using drugs in public, they're in need of support.

If somebody is chasing somebody with a stick down South Broadway, that person's in need of support.

So regardless of their housing status, that's an opportunity to intervene in a positive way that promotes safety for the broader community.

Okay.

Thank you.

Thank you, Council President.

Or can yes, Council President.

Thank you.

Nick Stephi have a councilman Gonzalez Gutierrez.

Thank you, Madam President.

And I I don't want you to go too far, Cole, because it might be a question.

I'm sorry.

There's a there's a spot.

Okay.

Um, I am just trying to, I think, kind of similar to Councilman Cashman is just kind of wrap my head around in, and we spoke about this earlier today.

Um, we have through um street outreach and some of these other spaces that you indicated have maybe decreased, and so then this is a this wouldn't, you're saying this wouldn't be a duplication of what we're already doing.

Um, this like this the outreach that's happening here, this is it's going to be duplicative of what is already in place now through like street outreach, the post through.

So as we've moved forward to deploying the street engagement software that's gonna really take every single call and make sure that we're getting the right response.

Um I think right now we have some duplication, frankly, because we don't always know exactly who's going out on what call, and we don't really have accountability to ensure that a response took place.

The strategy next year will ensure that the right team is given every single 3-1-1 call, and these services will specifically be deployed in a proactive way.

So as to try to prevent those calls before they come in, so that before the constituent needs to call 3-1-1, we've actually had an engagement with that individual because we've deployed them to a key geography where we know we currently get a large call volume.

And so the uh the layers um allow for host and the uh host outreach workers, the Denver street outreach collaborative outreach workers to take about 75% of the calls that come in on a daily basis, but then in key areas to have these types of services doing more proactive outreach than might otherwise have happened by police.

Okay.

Um, as far as like the connection to services, so you there was a scenario described where if somebody, you know, you're trying to redirect or say um you can't sit in this spot because it's loitering, or somebody is, you know, actively engaging and using um, you know, in and out in the public, where are those people then being referred to?

What kinds of services are available to them?

Because I think you and I've had this conversation a lot, right?

Like there's we have a lack of services, right, to sometimes to connect people to.

So just curious if that person wants to then engage in that next step, where are they gonna go?

Yeah, so that's been another step of um really developing this strategy in a in a uh in a stronger way.

And so we'll have uh behavioral health focused outreach team from DDPHE that these folks, when they're having a tough conversation in the field and realize this person really needs services, that they can phone a friend and call in support in real time to get that team there and provide services to that individual.

Um the roads to recovery model, as you know well, is all about on-demand access to behavioral health services.

And so um it may not always mean that we have an inpatient treatment opportunity for an individual, but we always have the ability to deliver mat services and other types of services in the field and get people connected to services in real time.

And so these layers that we're adding, not necessarily, sorry, we're not adding layers, but the way that we're uh blending these layers together um allows for these teams of the community ambassadors to have additional services at their disposal to get people connected so that we're better utilizing our entire system and it's not gonna be perfect I'm not gonna we're not gonna suddenly wave a magic wand but it is this is definitively a step forward to better serving that individual that you just described.

Okay.

Do you know what our capacity is right now with folks in shelter are there are are there open beds?

So one of the things that we're covering in our all in mile high quarterly briefings this week um we'll be in committee next week um a little infomercial on that is uh the number of non-congregate shelter beds that we turn over on a monthly basis our average in the last quarter was a hundred seventy one per month so every single day that we're sending teams out to the field we have non-congregate shelter beds that we can connect people to that's also not our only option we're also working on connecting people to behavioral health services in real time we're working on doing family reunification getting people that already have a housing voucher into housing we're working on people getting access to congregate shelter um and so specifically 171 uh non-congregate shelter beds that we can place people into a month but always uh open capacity and all those other avenues that we can connect people to as well and then what happens if um the folks that that they that like you know the any of the outreach teams may come into contact with happens to be a family where will they go?

Um so there is a family focused outreach team um and they uh deploy across the city every single day um also our police uh have access to vouchers so if they encounter an individual they can put someone in a short-term hotel on a voucher and then host outreach team will follow up with them during the cold weather shelter activation process which we just wound down the first um 10 10 to 12 days of cold weather shelter um there's uh intake center at 2601 West Zunai and so between um our family sheltering uh program the uh police um and host outreach or hotel voucher program and then the cold weather sheltering program those are some of the options that we have available to families through uh the contact that's made by the host family outreach team so they will work with the family there um and not have refer them to like call the connection center so that's been an improvement um this year through the cold weather sheltering response in particular is that there's um an in-person opportunity so we don't just have people waiting on hold and waiting for call callbacks.

Okay and without the with without minus the cold weather sheltering just in kind of in a more general like right now since those have wound down um as you said or when we're not operating those um how do people then how how would that interaction happen?

Yeah I mean we do have limited numbers of uh family shelter beds and there you know are operat there are moments when uh that's a difficult thing to figure out how we're gonna triage that's part of why we have those resources for very temporary short term hotel stays so if we come across a family um we can get people um indoors in real time okay um thank you that's all I have thank you madam president thank you council member Lewis thank you um a few questions I wanted to know if you could talk a bit about what enforcement looks like um to host councilwoman yeah a host can speak to it or how can we can speak to it maybe both of you all can.

So I'm Cole Chandler from the mayor's office so um DPD is also here and so DPD and SET are the agencies that do enforcement.

Urban alchemy will not have a role in enforcement so I want to be clear about that and actually the gentleman I was sitting next to asked me are they gonna be making arrests and that sort of thing and the answer is no that's not what they're doing.

So they're getting people connected to services doing some pro-social behavior training doing some cleaning when needed for urban alchemy enforcement is done by DPD, specifically the hot team for the most part um that's and and DPD's enforcement practices and the hot teams in particular.

These are folks that work in this space that are passionate about this, are always leading with services.

But there are laws on the books that they are asked to enforce and that our constituents ask us to enforce as well.

And so uh that's what they are doing is seeking uh code compliance.

It always starts with uh asking for um voluntary compliance, uh educating and informing people on what the law is if they're uh breaking that asking for voluntary conformance compliance, progressing to a citation or warning, and then a citation, and then ultimately, you know, arrest if necessary, but that's a bit of what the enforcement process looks like by DPD and set.

But it sounds like that the urban alchemy would be the first point of contact, and so I'm curious as to what that pathway looks like.

If urban alchemy is the first point of contact, and it does have to be escalated.

How are they working with DPD?

How are they working with set?

Yeah, etc.

So all of our street engagement teams have direct communication to one another.

For one, we have a daily meeting that we all meet together and discuss our plans and approach for the day.

We have um a chat that we keep active and we work with one another and coordinate um in our teams chats throughout the day.

Um, we also pick up the phone and call our peers and that we have relationships with and ask for support when needed.

The new software that we'll have next year will make that more direct so that if someone needs support from another team, they can actually just put that in request in directly through the software and it will uh create a ticket and they'll respond to that.

So that's a bit of how we work together.

So urban alchemy, just like all of our providers working in the street engagement space, would be able to phone a friend and ask for support if needed.

So you don't anticipate that urban alchemy will ever be in a situation in which they would be asking someone to move along?

I think that part of pro-social behavior training, there could be a conversation where you know you educate someone on uh behaviors that are acceptable and not acceptable, and they say, you know, I don't care what you have to say, and I'm just gonna keep doing my thing, and they say, Well, we'd we'd really request that you do that elsewhere.

So I think that that's uh that's possible, and that's part of you know having a service to the broader and to the entire community, but uh their main uh mode is to connect with people where they are, build relationships as is part of their core mission and get people connected to services.

Yeah, I wanted to talk a bit about the relationship building that you've mentioned, as and that dynamic with dynamic with power, right?

If while I understand that they are an ambassadors and ideally we're speaking here to here, but there is a power dynamic that I think is important for us to uplift and to talk about, and so how are they in positions in which they ultimately are wanting to build relationships, but there is that power dynamic where they kind of have this relationship where they can enforce or can reach out to those that can enforce.

Yeah, I mean, any of us can reach out to police.

I just want to be clear, like anyone sitting in their home tonight can be.

But we're not ambassadors.

Come on.

Well, but they're like they don't have the power over police to ask police to respond in a scenario.

They'd be the first point of contact, which is what I started with, Cole.

So if they're the first point of contact, they are going to know what the circumstance is.

It could be a mental health crisis that someone might be in, it could be someone who's simply looking for housing, it could be someone who is living within a tent, and so they're going to be that first point of contact.

And so I'm curious as to how you're building relationships, but also understanding that there is that power dynamic because you are an employee that's going to be telling someone, hey, here's the law, here's what is acceptable, here's what's not acceptable.

Yeah, and I think we've seen this done extremely successfully in Denver and the neighborhoods that we've had it and downtown and in ballpark.

Um, I think we've seen it done extremely successfully in other places.

I mean, the data uh coming out of Stanford reports and things like that talks about a significant decrease in terms of calls for police service arrests in these areas, and so that is really promising data.

Um, but it is, as you said, all about relationship, and yeah, I mean, there is an inherent power dynamic anytime someone's being paid to perform a job and somebody's in need of services.

I mean, yes, I will uh acknowledge that that is a power dynamic for sure.

Yeah, and so my question is if there's this power di.

Can I can I speak to you from urban alchemy?

Council Member Lewis?

Hi, thank you.

I I want to speak to you all, as I know that you all are on the ground and you have that direct experience, and so I'm curious of a few things.

It's one, if you uh if you all are most interested in building the relationships and you have tasks that you all are responsible for, how you how have you in your previous contracts work with individuals to build that relationship of trust while also understanding that you are in a position of power and are going to be seen as someone who's in a position of power, right?

Thank you for that question, and it's a great point.

We train on a Lucifer effect, so we train to understand that perceived power dynamic and to not abuse that power dynamic.

For us, I'm a human being.

I'm not enforcement, I'm not the police, I can't make anyone do anything.

When I'm working as a practitioner in the space, I have to come with humility as a practitioner, and that starts with building an emotional bank account.

And so what that looks like is someone that hasn't been acknowledged, telling them good morning every morning.

When there is something, and they're in a walkway, and we could talk about ADA pathway and women and children coming down the street or even wheelchairs coming down the street.

I'm speaking to a human being, and so there is some common ground that I could establish.

Sometimes I might do that by saying, Hey, you want to come over here and get a cup of coffee?

Would you like some water?

I have to come with something to establish an emotional and social bank account.

So there are times when I have to double back and um withdraw from that bank account and make a request.

Humbly, please.

Um you could be here.

I'm just gonna ask you not to do that.

If we're talking about open air drug use, you're okay.

You know, if we could get over here, you're fine being here.

We just ask that you don't do that here, please.

With all due respect, there's women and children coming through.

So there's a way that I could build a relationship with someone, um, establish some, you know, some expectations, um, but also be held accountable in my position because I'm out there, you know, not 24-7, but 365, uh boots on the ground.

They're watching to see if I'm genuine, and they don't care what I know until they know how much I care.

And the first way I could do that is by cleaning up by acknowledging someone with some dignity, I first hand, know what it's like to be looked over, uh, to be disrespected.

And so to us, what we want to do is bring that to the work and flip the narrative and show folks that are sometimes seen as the least on the streets or are not acknowledged to reframe it, to acknowledge them as a human being, have a conversation, assess their needs.

Um, a lot of times, you know, there was a study recently I was reading on it takes 21 touch points for someone to engage in outreach.

And so for us in this model with being an ambassador on the streets, being present every day, I'm building that relationship by saying hello, good morning, have a good day.

The first conversation might be an F you, being honest, not taking it personal, that's okay, have a great day.

Um by day 21, there's a different narrative sometimes, and we've seen it work.

Uh Cole kind of alluded to it.

Stanford is doing a study on some of the work we've done in the Bay Area where crime has been reduced by 52%.

Okay.

Not displaced, but reduced by having conflict resolution conversations and building community by simply having a conversation and showing people that you care.

Yeah.

So we've had a few of these conversations, not um, obviously urban alchemy, um, but we've had conversations in the context of like bids, dids and metro districts, and it comes to private security, and some folks have um some folks are armed, some are armed with a granola bar as they have told us uh in these conversations.

So I'm curious as to what are the what are the things that you all carry?

Like, do you carry weapons or do you carry handcuffs?

Talk to me about what that looks like.

No weapons, usually a broom, a dustpan to do some cleanup, some gloves, and narcan.

I do want to share that uh while on the streets, I you know I've had a chance to participate in over 60 overdose reversals by having Narcan, we know that the open good epidemic is across the nation, and so being there and even showing someone that you care that much to do that, give CPR if needed, obviously we're gonna call 911 as well, uh, but really showing that you care about by putting some skin in the game, and that that's all we carry.

Okay, so council member um Alvides mentioned a situation earlier about um someone being chased, and so I'm curious is what you all's expectation is for your staff in terms of what intervention looks like when it's not um someone who might just be in crisis or looking for housing.

Right.

So, first and foremost, I would say, uh, I'm sorry to hear that story.

That sounds like a crime, I would make sure 9-1-1 is called.

We are trained to call 9-1-1 if we see a crime.

Uh, we would attempt to intervene.

We cannot put our hands on anybody.

The fastest way to lose your job at Urban Alchemy is to put your hands on somebody.

So unfortunately, in that situation, we can't put our hands on somebody, but we can't step up.

Yeah, hey, hey, stop.

Um, you know, a community intervention, and hey, police are on the way, and ma'am, come come with me.

Now, if someone comes at us, I can put my hands out to you know, prevent some some space, but we cannot put our hands on anybody.

But that would be what I would do in that situation without knowing the exact location and kind of what uh you know, ways we could egress and get out of there.

We want to create time and distance.

De-escalation, we train time and distance.

So in any escalated situation, we want to create create time and distance for the community members so that she feels safe coming down the street.

Yeah, so can you talk to me?

So it sounds like that you all have a very clear, we're not carrying weapons of any sort policy.

We um are treating folks with dignity, although there are some examples, right?

Of urban alchemy where folks have shot into a crowd, where there um are examples of um homeless folks being hosed down, and so I think the reason that I'm asking these questions is is because of that.

And so I'm curious as to one have you all had any interaction or have you interface with the folks who run our STAR program and the um the providers who run our star program because I probably not surprising.

Well, I appreciate that you all said that you contact the police.

That I am curious as to what else is in your toolbox when it comes to being able to be responsive to folks that might be in crisis.

Yeah, for us, we have not connected with STAR yet.

We've that that is on our list to connect, provided this contract is passed, and even now that the work of the shelter is passed, we want to connect with Star, and that that's a resource, that's a tool in our toolbox.

Okay.

Um, and then can you tell me from a budgetary standpoint?

What's what's in your catalog, if you will, of resources um to be able to provide for individuals that you all might be coming into contact with?

So whether that's food or um hotel vouchers, et cetera, et cetera.

There's no hotel vouchers on this.

I'm sorry, thank you for the question.

There's no hotel vouchers on this contract, but there is some direct client assistance um for us that can support with uh if there's a rapid exit that can happen, or if there's any immediate support that's needed, that's where the progressive engagement comes in.

And over time, having a relationship, remind you, it's individuals with lived experience that might have been in that circumstance in the past and they're able to connect, share experiences, talk it through, and we want to be ready when folks are ready, and we could be ready on the streets, and so it's leveraging whatever resource that is and making connections to other service providers and also in the aspen.

If we're able to, you know, if there's a referral, we can make we could talk about how we operate a shelter there.

We found that folks are interested in it, especially if there's trust built with urban alchemy.

Lovely, thank you.

Those are my only questions.

I might have a comment later, but that's it for now.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Councilmember Parity.

Yeah, a question for Cole or whoever from um the city side, and I'll just ask it while you're getting up here.

Where is Cole?

Oh, there he is.

Thanks, Cole.

Um, I just don't understand why are we not we cut several positions from our contract with Denver Street Outreach Collaborative, which is the organization that has been around for years and does already know a lot of the people that are living without housing.

I mean, it's it's three of our most um long-serving provider organizations together.

You know this, I'm saying this for the benefit of everyone else.

Why, why would we not just we've cut that contract, we've cut our in-house outreach staff who are often the best position to know what resources are available.

Why are we not just adding three million dollars to the DSOC contract?

I don't get it.

I don't get it.

Yeah.

Well, partly because we've reduced unsheltered homelessness by 45% over the last year and a half.

So that's arguable, but go ahead.

Okay, okay.

The Metro Denver Homelessness Initiative is the organization that does that data, and that's what their report says.

But the um the reality is we wanted a more efficient system.

And council members, you all ask me all the time to get street engagement teams out to areas.

Right now, my most, but stop right there.

Why wouldn't it be just as efficient to add three million dollars worth of DSOC outreach workers?

What I just it's a genuine question.

Because it's a different it's a different type of service, it's not a geographic-based service approach.

And I will say this: that could have this service could have been awarded to DSOC, but there was a competitive RFP process, and Urban alchemy was awarded that through the city's RFP process, they had the best bid, and they were selected by the committee that put that forward, and so um but that is.

So the contract was for, I'm sorry to cut you off.

I just want to make the point.

The RFP I assume was describing what you're calling ambassador services that would involve a whole lot of duties where you might sometimes come into contact with unhoused people in addition to tourists asking for directions or someone who is drunk after leaving the bars or all these other things.

So it's a different if what we want is housing outreach, we should be funding housing outreach.

I just don't and we are.

I mean, I I just did DSOC bid on the contract.

Yeah, I just I appreciate your questions.

I just I do want to acknowledge that and you know it's it's a dialogue and the you know position I'm in.

I'm forced to make decisions about how do we best um make sure that we have all the resources that we need to serve this need in our community.

And I'm asking you why this decision.

I mean, I I just don't know that there's still a lot of people in unsheltered homelessness, even regardless of how we measure the reduction, which is really tricky, as you very well know given when the point-in-time count takes place and all that stuff.

So that's the only reason I'm I I hope that we've reduced that as much as possible, but I have reason to take that with a grain of salt.

Regardless, there's still a lot of people experiencing unsheltered homelessness, and the number new people fall into that every day, right?

So why would we not emphasize because if we're doing this model where people are supposed to encounter an ambassador and then they're supposed to sort of call for backup, we know that in that gap people move on, and and we know that our DSOC workers already have the relationships.

They can they can't be everywhere all at once, and so this is a specific service that we and key areas.

We say, you know what, we need a little extra support in these areas, and we have folks that can get people connected to service effectively in those areas.

Um, and so it's really about how do we best utilize the resources that we have available?

Um, and you know what we're looking at from a call volume on a daily basis related to street engagement, is about 30 to 35 calls.

We have all the FTD we need to respond to every single one of those calls every single day, and this is a key piece of that strategy to help prevent some of those calls in key areas.

And so, I mean, you're asking why that's what calls specifically?

What kind of calls?

Every call related to homelessness that comes through 311 reports, chat, you know, things that people put in through the Sunnybot, um, those are all coming to this team, and we've developed a system that tries to strategically ensure a service-oriented response and best utilize city resources.

Is the person responding to the 311 caller or to the individual that the 311 caller is calling about?

To the individual, to the location in particular that uh is plotted on our map.

Okay, I think I mean it just feels like we're sort of circling around what's actually an issue of priorities and that we're prioritizing um a contract and a set of services that is not actually all about doing the most effective housing and services outreach that we can, but is instead about doing these other things like street presence, street cleaning, that it's just a value judgment as to which of those things we want to be funding and and it is a shift in funding.

And you mentioned that um despite the fact that we we've reduced the DSOC contract and we cut several city employees who were housing outreach workers, city employees, we cut their jobs in the layoffs.

Yeah, we we lost two.

I to I confirmed this with Polly after much back and forth.

I do not know of any street outreach workers that were cut in layoffs, positions.

I don't know that we laid anyone off, that may be correct.

It may have been the um those positions may have been open and they were reduced.

Regardless, if we are we are instead going to fund what has heretofore been funded by various bids and things like this, it's a different kind of contract.

There is no way that people that are supposed to wear that many hats are going to be um the same as the DSOC workers and housing outreach workers that we have lost, and the budget that we're paying for this out of, although it's now from general funds, is the host budget, not the DPD budget, despite the fact that we're consolidating, we're trying to do less DPD response.

If that's the goal, why are we spending money from the host budget for this?

And we didn't cut the DPD budget.

I it just doesn't uh anyway.

Anyway, I think that's it, thank you.

Thank you.

Council Pro Tem Romero Campbell.

Uh thank you, Madam President.

Um, a lot of the questions that I have have been answered.

Um, but I do have a sorry, Cole.

I'm gonna call you back.

There you go.

I haven't I have a question for you.

Um so one of the can you talk a little bit more about the 311 response calls and where the priority areas are?

Yeah, so the areas we we can plot a year of the data.

The areas that you're gonna see the largest volume of calls are in the downtown core in the key corridors of Colfax and Broadway and Quebec.

And so that's been consistent for the last 18 months or so.

Those are our highest call volume areas.

We look at it.

Uh we look back on six months of data, we look back on 12 months of data, we're always reflecting on that.

Those are the areas that we're seeing the highest call volumes, and so specifically in the RFP for community ambassador services, those are the areas that we said these are the types of areas that we would be deploying these services.

Thank you.

Um when you put out the RFP, you put out the we had had just a brief discussion about this, but um the RFP because of evidence are of success in other cities.

What is the success that's been happening in other cities?

I mean, I know that there's been the street outreach.

Um we talked about duplicated duplication of services, but what have other cities and what are the cities that have seen a change in this outreach?

Um, I'll actually speak from Denver, because we've had a contract like this doing this for the last um since 2023, which counsel I see Councilman Watson nodding, it's and it served his district with the Denver Dream Center.

That team connects people every single day.

They join our daily street engagement call, and every single day they're reporting on yesterday we made this reunification, yesterday we connected this uh individual to sober living.

Today we connected this family to uh uh shelter, today we connected this uh individual to an all-in-mile high site.

And so we're already seeing this success, and we're seeing um a positive uh impact in terms of the safety of the areas that they're serving, and we think that it's something that we want more of.

And I think it's gonna be something that you all continue to hear from constituents saying, hey, we like this service, we want more of it.

Um, do you have it?

Just trying to think of how how I ask this.

It's it's I feel like we've asked host to give us something different and to do something different or to innovate or to pilot and show us results.

Um I think we've also have wanted a different response so that it's not all police response.

So it's not all set teams, so it's not all our officers are going out or the hot team.

Um how many again would be hired for this particular contract?

So I believe they have funds to support about 16 FTE.

Um so that's about four times what we currently have deployed through the smaller contract that exists.

Um, and I think in similar way to I said before on the previous contract, if you really like step outside of this conversation and uh just think about it for a second.

Like I think this represents tremendous progress for our city in many of the ways that we've been dialoguing about.

As I said before, right now, the default to most 311 responses is police are the ones that are gonna show up seven days a week.

The system next year is gonna really flip that so that 70, 75% of our first interactions are service oriented.

I think that is aligned to what we've heard, and I think it's gonna produce positive outcomes for uh individuals experiencing homelessness and for the broader neighborhood and business context as well.

Okay, um, thank you.

Uh I don't have any other questions, and I know we have a lot of people in the queue, so thanks.

Thank you.

Thank you, Councilmember Watson.

Uh thank you, Madam President.

Uh Cole, if I've got one question for you on the technology piece, and then I I have a comment, so can you share really based on the improvements you're looking at 2026?

How would through this contract and kind of the innovation that host is putting forward?

How would that increase communication to ensure that the right support is for being provided for the right calls?

Can you talk through that a little bit?

And then I want to share with my colleagues what the pilot in um District 9 has demonstrated over the last two and a half years.

Yeah, so we've really gone through a whole process thanks to technology services and experts over there over the last year of identifying what types of response would we strategically want to what types of calls and how do we code those so that they go to the right teams?

And so uh our teams are now doing user acceptance testing, and I've learned way more about applications than I ever would have imagined.

But that's the process that we've been going uh throughout this year to ensure that the logic and strategy that we have on who we want responding to what is what's being coded through the system when uh reports or referrals come into the system.

Uh thank you so much, uh, Cole.

And and as an example of why I think this ambassador program is essential as part of a essential piece to the outreach.

Um, when I was first elected in 2023, um the outreach uh supports that my team was initially receiving, um, the minute we got sworn in in July, um, and we would call, or we would have work with community who would have support from the set team or from the hot team predominantly on weekends especially, um, reminding folks really how the uh center of downtown was um with the uh initial pilot contract um with an organization similar to urban outcome and this was an organization that had folks who were previously incarcerated, folks or previously unhoused prior to them getting involved and then doing that first touch.

Um we simply were moving folks around or creating processes where folks were getting um some type of notice from Denver police.

What the Dream Center did in those interactions since then, uh, was to connect um with individuals who had similar backgrounds, build that trust, and then also provide services.

So one of the first services, the first 30 days was identifying folks who didn't have driver's licenses, because they couldn't go through the rest of the service protocol to get really um to get to work or to get to housing.

Um the primary calls um that um Dream Center provided was connecting um folks to make sure they can get their driver's license and then connecting them with services.

That process continued to grow, and that iteration of that process has provided a kind of a spectrum of support that reduced the amount of um hot team or set team uh protocols that are our calls that are coming in.

How do we know this?

Um, through the daily calls.

They're heat mapping my district and demonstrating the number of calls in which Denver police are actually reporting directly to the number of calls that um outreach workers, so whether it's DSOC, whether it's um any of the outreach teams through host, or whether it's through Dream Center, or any of the bid JIDs that intersect and the streets where there aren't bids and jids, and especially on the weekends when there really aren't services within uh the city and county of Denver.

It's been highly effective with a team with new technology, new reporting.

I can only imagine um Broadway and other places that didn't have any of this where it's really calling the police, the set hot team and the START team is available, the START team shows up.

I think it's gonna be very effective.

So thank you so much, um Cole for communicating that.

Thanks for communicating the technology, um, which I think you couldn't.

The Dream Center did not have the ability to call into outreach workers and all of that stuff.

That was a missing link.

Um they had to come back, reach out to an outreach person when they got back to the Dream Center, and then they did the work.

This cuts that going back to any place.

They can call immediately and say, hey, we need help from this other outreach team, and that collaboration is heat mapped on a daily basis is reviewed, and then it's iterative and it continues changing.

Thank you, Cole.

Thank you, Madam President.

Thank you, Councilmember Sawyer.

Thanks, Madam President.

Um Cole, you do not have to get back up.

Thank you.

Um, I just wanted to say that I am supporting this contract, um, because what I hear from my residents in District 5 is why don't we have any outreach workers?

Why do we have to wait days knowing someone is living in a car on the border of Aurora and number and no one goes out to help them?

Um, and I think that's right, right?

And so hearing Cole to saying that this contract is going to allow for every call that is received every day in the city of Denver, barring any major drama, um, to be responded to immediately or within that day, that's a big deal to my residents.

Because my residents call regularly, but because we're not part of the city center, we don't get the response.

And our hot teams, the from district three, usually, who are fantastic, are the only ones who are there to respond.

So if we don't want the police to be responding to these calls, then we have to fund a contract to allow someone besides the police to be responding to these calls.

And so I just want to say thank you.

My residents will be very appreciative to hear that we are doing something proactive to address a challenge that we have seen in district five for the last six years that I've been here, um, that will actually make a difference to not only our residents in terms of feeling responded to, but in terms of our unhoused residents, most of whom in our case in district five are living in their cars or living in someone's laundry room.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Councilmember Parity.

Yeah, I just want to say I deeply respect and appreciate that for the council members whose districts are not basically nine and ten.

Um I still don't understand though why um this couldn't be a housing outreach contract.

Um so that question remains.

Um, and I think in particular, um, a few things that I'm concerned about that I've heard tonight.

Um anytime we talk about telling someone like you have to accept services or move along.

If we're not on the 16th Street Mall, we don't have a sit lie ordinance.

It is not illegal for people to be on a sidewalk.

So that raises alarm bells for me.

Um I don't understand, I mean, that's been happening outside St.

Francis Center on the daily, um, that people are being told to leave when they're perfectly legally in public space.

Um, so that language, Cole, it just concerns me.

Um, I also a question that I have for the folks from Urban Alchemy have you all met yet?

Um, you talk about carrying Narcan, and I'm really glad to hear that.

Have you um you can come up?

Thank you so much.

And I'm sorry that I don't know your name.

So if you want to say it again when you're up on the mic, I know that we met um about a year ago on Zoom, I think, but reintroduce yourself.

Me and Claire Johnson.

Okay, thanks, Ian.

Um, have you met yet with the harm reduction action center, which is on Broadway, which is one of the corridors you're talking about?

We met with them, um, not since being awarded a contract, but we did do some outreach to them early on, and we plan to work closely.

Okay, that would be a really good idea because they are serving um people who are injection drug users from a site on Broadway, um, and they do that incredibly effectively, and they do cleanups along that corridor already that is a requirement of people accessing their services.

So I hope that that meeting can happen.

I mean, that should be your first meeting, I would say.

Um, so you know, I also we could be funding harm reduction action center to do this kind of thing along Broadway, which they also already do very effectively.

Um the last thing I wanted to bring up, um, and sorry, let me just scroll back to it.

Is how at what point will people start actually um working in these roles like being out on the street if this contract passes?

Provided the contract passes.

Uh, we're scheduled to start January 1st.

Okay.

Um so that's in about three weeks.

I just worry about the level of training that it's gonna take to de-escalate someone who's wielding a stick.

Navigate the services environment in Denver is so complicated, and that's part of why the the little bit of magic that I have seen at times within the roads to recovery program, um, is that those the people that do that outreach know that service landscape and they can navigate, you know, someone who has kidney disease and is a fentanyl addict into what they need.

Um that is we're not gonna, I mean, that takes years, and so again, um I would be pretty interested to see what the training actually is, and I'm just worried that what we're funding is um is something to give 311 callers a response and that prioritizes um those people in the city because the other thing is Denver Street Outreach Collaborative is not a 3-1-1 response team.

They are outreach workers, they go and find people where they are, they know where to look, and so the idea that this is all completely driven by 3-1-1 calls and that the goal is to reduce calls, calls that's not the same as reducing homelessness.

We're gonna push people further out into Kevin Flynn's district or Aurora or wherever.

I mean, it's just not I I clearly object to the model, so I will just leave it at that.

I am very glad that you um know who Lisa Ravel is.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Councilman Gilmar.

Thank you, Council President.

Um, Cole, I had a couple clarifying questions for you.

Um, so we used to have STAR as a response tool, but you just stated that the default is police.

Is that accurate?

Um, Cole Chandler, senior advisor on homelessness.

Uh I was referring specifically to calls that come in through the 311 system.

STAR is still active and takes calls that come through the 911 system.

So 911 calls that are redirected, um, go to STAR.

So those are two different systems.

So somebody has to call 911 to get star, but if somebody calls 311 and says that there's somebody in need of services, you're just gonna send a police officer out there.

Um yeah, I think that is not what I was trying to say.

Um, and I think really, you know, this contract being about the future that this will create for us in 2026, will prevent that very fact pattern from having to happen.

Right now, there's not a sophisticated way to track who is going to what and whether or not that response occurred.

Um, and so the default as what I was saying is that uh PD hot works often seven days a week and is able to respond to calls that other teams may not respond to, um, and is just frankly more accountable to those calls than other teams have been in the past.

That's not the way the system is going to work in 2026, uh, but certainly STAR still exists for the primary purposes and mission of uh deflecting 911 calls and ensuring that a provider responds to those.

So that um sounds very odd that you're telling me that we don't have the capacity to split those calls up.

Um we spent a lot of money on the 911 call center to make sure that they had that capacity.

And I'm wondering if I might ask Chief Thomas to come up and give a little bit of a clarification on if somebody calls 311, let's say in Montbello, and they say that they've seen somebody out in a park for a long time with a stick, doing whatever.

We if they call, they have to call 911 to get star deployed, and there's no way to get star deployed, Chief, through 311.

I do actually think, sorry, uh Chief Thomas, Durham Police Department.

I do actually think that there is uh an opportunity for a 311 generated event to have a STAR response.

And so as uh Cole Chandler talked about, there is a regular convening.

I think it's actually two times a day convening to talk about the various um engagements through 311.

And so if there is an event that is identified through 311 where it is very clear that it is uh something that that star would um be the best response for, I think that that is something that we can that we can make happen.

Obviously, um uh star is not um as available as uh as an officer is unfortunately.

Um but there is there is capacity through the process that's been developed and hopefully also through the process that we're moving towards uh in 2026 for there to also be uh a star response to something that that emanates through the 311 system.

Okay, all right, thank you, Chief Thomas.

Um I don't have any other questions for you all.

Um I it seems curious that our housing are doesn't really understand who gets deployed with 311 or 911, especially when the support team assisted response is a nationally acclaimed program to lower law enforcement's involvement with someone in a crucial moment of their life versus now we're going to have a third party vendor that is out on the streets and their only option is to call 911 if something is happening.

So I'm very, very concerned that there's gonna be more engagement with police, and we all know that that is a very, very dangerous situation, and that's why we wanted to put those resources into the support team assisted response.

Um I'll be a no on this tonight because I can't, in good conscience, vote for this because if they're deployed in certain areas, that's one thing they can build relationships, but the moment that they're deployed in a new community and they start doing that in other neighborhoods, I'm gonna tell you right now it's gonna escalate very, very quickly, and I don't see good answers on how to de-escalate that.

Thank you.

Thank you, Council President.

Thank you, Councilmember Lewis.

Thank you.

Um I wanted to start with that.

I'm a no on this contract tonight, and my no vote is rooted in the recommendation of the Quebec Corridor Task Force who stated in the work that we did over the summer that they had a fundamental opposition to policing poverty.

They did not want gaming bans, they did not want police or private security to move folks along.

They wanted services first and foremost to help people out of poverty.

I understand that there has been some kind of communication that this contract does not include enforcement, but I am worried that the loose nature of this of what enforcement is in these in this context, that this will just be used to move people along.

Animating those concerns is the fact that we are seeing less folks moved out of the shelters we do have, creating a bottleneck.

If there is a bottleneck to getting people into services, then how else could this contract be utilized than to move folks along in the absence of services?

Thank you.

Thank you.

Um, seeing no other questions or comments, I'll just make a statement.

In Northwest Denver, even though I have an area that is close to downtown, um, by Commons Park off of Little Raven, I don't get complaints down there.

We have a private entity that has funding for off-duty security officers for Commons Park.

And so the only complaint I get in that area is around um the skate park, which I just don't think they like skateboarders.

I like skateboarders.

I go there and I talk to them, and so it's pretty simple.

My son went there and I say, Hey, have you gotten to talk to them?

I'm the kind of council person who, if I see something going on in my council district, I'll stop my car and I'll say, Hey, what's up?

What's going on here?

Um, I've lived here in the north side my whole life, so how can I help you?

Um, in this regard, my council district, similar to your councilman Sawyer, I don't get the um kind of response.

I do get a response, but it's not as much as I would like to see.

And so I actually think that along 46th Avenue, where we get a lot of concerns and complaints that this contract, I'd like to see this contract get up and working.

So Urban Alchemy, this is an open invitation for you to reach out to my council district, Amanda Sandoval, Northwest Denver District One, so that we could have a conversation and I can connect you with people in that area.

I can connect you with my council aides who have that area.

It's not along the urban core.

What it is is it's two beautiful parks, and people are constantly near them and they're right next to the border of Adams County.

And I always tell I live right there.

So I always tell everybody who calls my council district to complain about the people in Berkeley or Rocky Mountain Park.

If you were experiencing homelessness, wouldn't you want to be around these parks too?

I would.

If I didn't have any place to stay and I was staying in my car and I was scared, I would go into Northwest Denver.

It's a very it's gentrified, it's it's pretty safe place.

So I hope that we can um get your services into my neighborhood and figure out how to partner.

And I hope that you take this as an open invitation not to wait for the administration, meaning the mayor's office to have proactive outreach.

Email every single one of us.

Our emails are online or our emails, you can get them from the mayor's office and set up an individual briefing because we're all subject matter experts in our area.

I was born and raised in the north side, live there my whole life.

I could tell you what blocks I have problems on, what blocks I don't have problems on, who you can contact, who you, what area could you not, how you could be proactive.

So I uh what I even said today during committee, some of the hardest work being on city council is learning how to be proactive instead of reactive.

So this is my call and asking you to be please proactive, reach out to us.

We'll set up a meeting and we can get started.

And hopefully, once again, when you come quarterly for the other contract, you can give us an update on this contract so that we can help assist you as subject matter expertise in our area.

So I'll be supporting this this after this this evening.

Madam Secretary, we'll call on council resolution 1881.

Council members Albitres?

Aye.

Flynn?

Aye.

Gilmore.

Nay.

Gonzalez Gutierrez.

No.

Heinz?

Hi.

Cashman.

Aye.

Lewis.

Nay.

Parity.

Nay.

Romero Campbell.

Aye.

Sawyer.

Aye.

Torres?

Aye.

Watson.

Aye.

Madam President Sandoval.

Aye.

Madam Secretary, close the voting and announce the results.

Nine ayes.

Nine ayes.

Council resolution eighteen eighty-one has been adopted.

Madam Secretary, please put the next item on our screens.

Council resolution.

Oh little council resolution 1938, a resolution approving a proposed agreement between the city and county of Denver and Key Lime Air Corporation for a grant ground space lease and rates and charges to park equipment in support of their operation at Denver International Airport.

Councilmember Parity, what would you like to do with council resolution 1938?

I would like to um postpone it for one week under council rule 3.6.

No motion is required.

Council resolution 1938 has been postponed to the next regular council meeting.

Madam Secretary, please put the next item on our screens.

Council Resolution 1958, a resolution approving a proposed agreement between the city and county of Denver and Bayod Works LLC to operate a congregation cold weather shelter at 37 375 South Zunai Street.

Councilmember Alvidres, what would you like to do with council resolution 1958?

Thank you, Madam President.

Pursuant to Rule 3.6, I would like to postpone this item for one week to the next regular council meeting on Monday, December 15th, 2025.

No motion is required.

Council resolution 1958 has been postponed to the next regular council meeting.

Madam Madam Secretary, please put the next item on our screens.

Council resolution 1967, a resolution approving a proposed second amendatory agreement between the city and county of Denver and Axon Enterprise Inc.

for body worn cameras.

Tasers equipment software and cloud data storage for the use of safety agencies citywide.

Councilmember Lewis, please go ahead with your comments on resolution 1967.

Thank you.

So I just wanted to voice a few concerns about these contracts.

First of all, that I recognize that our hands are tied by the requirements under state law to have body cameras for our police officers and that there are a few players in the market.

Number one.

Because Exxon is essentially a monopoly in the market, and because we have a requirement that we have body worn cameras, we are beholden to whatever acts on sets the price to use the equipment.

Now for the concern, my second concern, the contract was done via a national procurement system that the city of Denver is subscribed to.

In this system, the city can simply jump on board with a request for proposal that is offered up by other jurisdictions.

In this case, the RFP came from Oklahoma and Denver, Colorado, and Oklahoma share widely different laws.

And so it seems to me, frankly, kind of a problem to jump on the RFP issued by Oklahoma for this contract.

I recognize that this system is used in other contexts and somewhat frequently by the city of Denver, but I would like to voice my concern about the use of it here.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Councilmember Parity, please go ahead.

Did I have you in the queue for this one or no?

No, I called off 1968.

And I think Councilmember Lewis was speaking out both.

But okay, thank you.

Madam Secretary, please put the next item on our screens.

Council resolution 1968, a resolution approving, okay.

Um approving a proposed agreement between the city and county of Denver and Axon Enterprise to provide body worn and interview room camera, tasers, equipment, software, and cloud data storage for use by the Denver Police, Sheriff, and fire departments.

Council Member Parity, please go ahead with your questions and comments on council resolution 1698.

Thank you, Council President.

Um, I just want to point out so this is a 27 million dollar contract with a single vendor of um police technology.

Um, when we started using this vendor um in 2017, it was about a million dollars a year, and now it's gonna be four million dollars a year averaged over the life of this contract extension.

Um I did not call it all for a vote because I, you know, we've dove into it fairly deeply.

Um, and I understand, for example, that um the replacement or new tasers that we'll be getting under this contract have a considerably lower voltage than our old tasers.

Um, so I certainly support that.

Um, that's something that we need.

Body worn cameras um, you know, are required by state law and are often a good thing.

Um, but I do have concerns about the overall contract cost, and I just want to make a record about that.

So, in particular, um, we're paying for single bay docking stations for officers to download the contents of their body worn cameras, um, and with the sort of justification that having to do that has led to officer overtime, but the amount as I understand it that we're paying for those docking stations over the life of the contract um is more than the overtime would likely be.

And also, um, at least some of that overtime is um because of the terms of um the agreement that we have when officers have outside employment.

They have been charging overtime to the city in some instances to download their body warns um in relation to outside employment.

And I don't think that taxpayers should be on the hook for that.

I don't know what proportion of those overtime costs that is, if it's small or whatever.

Um, so I feel like, you know, this expense for the single bay docking stations isn't sort of cost justified as compared to um shared docking stations at particular stations around the city.

Um, and then in addition to that, um we're going our sheriff's department has only deployed tasers 23 times in the last four years, and those have all been inside the jails.

So we are going to be adding tasers for sheriffs to carry when they're staffing locations outside the jail throughout the city, like when they're um there's there's sheriffs who staff city council, um, there's sheriffs who staff the courts and that kind of thing.

Um, but I I sort of fail to see the justification.

It's a really large expense.

It's um $3 million total for sheriff's department tasers, going from a total of 60 devices to 400 devices in a circumstance where we haven't seen a lot of need to use that kind of thing.

Um, I don't believe our courthouse security members carry tasers, so um, I'm, you know, I feel like that is more likely to lead to increased use of force rather than decreased.

Um, so I, you know, it has the feeling that with these large um purveyors of police technology, we use a certain ecosystem.

It's really hard to replace them.

There's a monopolistic element to it, um, and 27 million dollars is just a whole lot of money.

That said, um, just wanted to make those comments, and I do appreciate that there were some other efforts made to cut the overall cost of the contract by the team that negotiated it.

Thank you, madam president.

Thank you.

Madam Secretary, please put the next item on our screens.

Council resolution 1957, a resolution approving a proposed agreement between the city and county of Denver and Bay Ad Works LLC to operate a congregate cold weather shelter at 14.

Sorry, uh 4040 Quebec Street.

Councilmember Lewis, will you please put council resolution 1957 on the floor for adoption?

I move that council resolution 251957 be adopted.

It has been moved and seconded.

Questions and comments by members of council.

Councilmember Lewis.

Yeah, um, so I'm a no on this tonight, and I'm a no for a couple of reasons.

First, this site was opened in 2023 with the explicit understanding that it would not be used for a cold weather site.

It was believed at that time that the mix of overnight cold weather populations and the non-congregate residents would be an unwise move.

Well, the shelter has been listed as a potential site for cold weather sheltering.

It was removed from the use due to these concerns.

At least it was communicated to me that it was removed and maybe it was communicated and still in use.

This understanding was also reflected in the findings of the Quebec Corridor Task Force, which found that bringing a cold weather shelter to the aspen would not help improve conditions along the corridor.

And so I want to reiterate again that my district is already heavily over overrepresented with shelters with eight eight of them located in district eight.

This number is increasing again beyond what this item would create tonight.

As I mentioned at the beginning of this meeting, there is an additional cold weather shelter now being planned for 43rd in Peoria.

And you guessed it, Council District 8.

This is ridiculous.

And I will not be in support of this.

And I had the commitment of the mayor's office when I said yes to the House 1000 that this would not be used for cold weather sheltering.

And that was dishonest, clearly.

Thank you, Councilwoman.

Madam Secretary, roll call on council resolution 1957.

Council members albidades.

Nay.

Gilmore.

Nay.

Gonzalez Gutierrez.

No.

Heinz?

No.

Cashman.

I'm sorry, Councilman, can you repeat that?

Thank you.

Lewis?

Nay.

Parity?

Nay.

Romero Campbell.

Nay.

Sawyer?

Nay.

Torres?

Nay.

Watson.

Madam President Sandoval?

Nay.

Madam Secretary, close the vote and announce the results.

Two ayes, 11 nays.

Two ayes, eleven nays.

Council resolution 1957 has failed.

Madam Secretary, please put the next item on our screens.

Council Bill 1992, a bill for an ordinance designating 1555 North Grant Street as a structure for preservation.

Councilmember Lewis, will you please put Council Bill 1992 on the floor for publication?

I move that council bill 25 1992 be ordered published.

It has been moved in second.

Um comments by members of council.

Councilmember Parity.

Yeah, the applicants have withdrawn their application for landmark designation of 1555 North Grant Street.

So requesting a no vote from everyone because the application has been withdrawn.

Thank you.

Madam Secretary, roll call on Council Bill 1992.

Council members I'll be today?

I'm sorry, we are we being asked to vote no on this?

Yeah, this is no.

Thank you.

Flynn?

Nay.

Gilmore?

Nay.

Gonzalez Cutieres?

Nay.

Hines?

No.

Cashman.

Lewis.

Nay.

Parity?

Nay.

Romero Campbell?

Nay.

Sawyer?

No.

Torres?

Nay.

Watson?

Nay.

Madam President Sandoval?

Nay.

Madam Secretary, close the voting, announce the results.

13 nays.

13 nays.

Council Bill 1992 has failed.

Madam Secretary, please put the next item on our screens.

Council Bill 1960, a bill for an ordinance making a recession from, and appropriation in the general in me start over.

Council Bill 1960, a bill for an ordinance making recession from appropriation in the city council general fund to make a cash transfer to an to an appropriations in the city council special revenue fund.

Councilmember Lewis, will you please put Council Bill 1960 on the floor for publication?

I move that council bill 25, 1960 be ordered published.

It has been moved and seconded.

Comments by members of council.

Councilmember Lewis.

Um no comments, just in line with the vote that I did last week.

Thank you.

Madam Secretary, roll call.

Sorry, Madam President, I had also called this back.

I just wasn't quick enough to get in queue.

I called this off, I should say, for questions and comments.

Oh, sorry, I didn't see you in the no, you're totally fine.

I was like totally in the groove just a minute.

I was being too slow because I didn't realize the two members had both called it off for questions and comments.

So just quickly, the this is a large rescind from the general fund.

We tend to do these at the end of the year to, you know, true up um the ways the budgets don't always match what we predict.

Um, but I am concerned that the downtown safety costs and police overtime are exploding.

Um there, I had the understanding that um it increasing police patrols downtown was going to be covered by the downtown Denver.

I think that's the next.

Oh, I'm so sorry.

This is moving dollars in the special register.

You're good.

I see.

So council members, this is this is us moving our money that we donated to our special revenue account to city council so that we can use it for our workload.

Thanks, Ms.

President.

Not the big amount of money with the 11 million.

This is only 97,000 that we were able to get in our fund.

So this is us replenishing our special revenue fund for the um what is it called?

The uh professional services who are moving 97,500 from council district one, council district uh little.

I could tell you if I read the ordinance, all that our council districts um into our special revenue fund.

Councilmember Lewis, thank you for the clarity.

I was wondering why you called this out.

I should have called you.

Sorry.

Thank you.

Sorry.

Um, do we need a roll call vote on this?

No.

Y'all, we're good.

Okay, that's do we have to have a roll call vote if it's on the floor?

Or can we pull it off?

Drop your vote.

Oh, sorry.

Go ahead, Madam Secretary.

Do we need a vote?

Yes.

Because it's on the floor.

Yeah.

All right.

We're all gonna vote unanimously, please.

We move our money so we can spend our money.

Madam Secretary, roll call on Council Bill 1960.

Council members Albitres.

Hi.

Flynn.

Gilmore.

Gonzalez Cutieres.

Hi.

Heinz.

All right.

Cashman.

Lewis.

Aye.

Parity.

Aye.

Romera Campbell.

Aye.

Sawyer.

I.

Cotis.

Aye.

Watson.

Aye.

Madam President Sandoval.

Aye.

Madam Secretary, close the vote announce results.

13 eyes.

Aye, 13 eyes.

Great.

Thank you, everyone.

1960 has been ordered published.

Madam Secretary, please put the next item on our screens.

Council Bill 1891, a bill for an ordinance making recession.

We should rescind from the general fund contingency and making appropriations to the agency's general fund budget, special revenue funds, and authorizes a cash transfer.

Councilmember Parity, please go ahead with your questions and comments on Council Bill 1891.

And is this the one you wanted to call off for a vote?

Yes, it is.

You'll be shocked to hear that my comments are about.

So council member Lewis, I just have to change the script on the fly.

I got you.

Councilmember Lewis, will you please put council bill eighteen ninety-one on the floor for publication?

Um Madam President, it's for final consideration.

Or for final consideration.

I move that council bill eighteen eighty-one be moved for final consideration.

Is that going to be the secretary?

Okay, great.

Nice job, everyone.

Uh Councilmember Parity, please go on with your questions on comments on 1891.

Thank you so much.

Sorry about that.

Um, yeah, so essentially this is a rescission of almost 14 million dollars, not a mere 97,000, um, from general fund contingency, um, which again tends to happen towards the end of the year um as we true up budgets, it has a number of components to it.

Um, but one of the largest is um police overtime and so and a lot of that has apparently been driven by the increase in patrols downtown.

When that started, um we heard that um the downtown dumber partnership and other existing resources would cover those.

Um, but here we are um seeing, you know, an additional cost from contingency to that.

And so I'm concerned about that.

I'm also concerned um that we've seen DPD overtime, despite the fact that DPD this month is, as I understand it, 98% staffed in terms of uniform personnel.

Um we're seeing OT um increasing uh, you know, 2021 was less than 2022, was less than 2023, was less than 2024, both in hours and dollar values.

Um 2025, we have a year-to-date figure, and I don't know when it stops.

It's possible as Councilmember Flynn has rightly pointed out, we may end up lower in 2025 than 24, but that's not clear to me from the chart that I'm looking at.

So I just have concerns that we're not um, I don't understand what's driving that over time.

I've had trouble getting answers about that.

I know they're you know, people are working on getting me data, but um, if we're gonna keep seeing these kind of increases and these kinds of draws on contingency, we have to do better budgeting for it in advance and knowing what the drivers are.

So that's where I'm coming from.

Um in calling this off, and I wanted to make that comment.

Obviously, people have accrued over time.

We are going to pay them for it.

Thank you, Madam President.

Thank you, Councilmember Flynn.

Thank you, Madam President.

Is it too late to talk about the $95,000 one?

Yes, okay.

That passed unanimously.

I'll talk about this one then.

Uh actually, the only reason that we have police overtime in this um supplemental is because the 2025 budget uh clawed back 9.7 million dollars from the police salaries line item.

And so now we're asking to return a lesser amount, 7.5 million, had it not been for the efforts to try to balance the current year budget by reducing vacancy savings across all departments.

Uh, we wouldn't even be talking about this.

The police overtime would have been covered.

But I do want to point out that failure to do this supplemental and to balance all the line items that were passed in our appropriations bill would end up with the police uh salary showing a negative expenditure uh excess expenditures over the budget, and that is not a good thing to have when we get evaluated by uh uh budgetary authorities and uh the government finance officers association and others uh it's gonna be paid anyway, but it would come out of the fund balance.

Um so I think the uh as fiduciaries of the budget here in the city uh we need to cover this overtime.

It's been worked, most all of it has been paid to the people who worked it, and it's time to pay and uh and just to reinforce 7.5 million of this 13 uh is related to the overtime.

9.7 million was taken away from them at the beginning of the year.

This wouldn't even be on the floor had it not been for that need to balance uh the budget earlier.

And so uh with that I urge my colleagues not to uh not to show an imbalance in the budget and to use the supplemental.

It also includes, by the way, the supplemental for our own uh PTO payouts uh to a staff who have left this year.

That's another component of the of the supplemental.

Thank you, madam president.

Thank you.

Councilmember Parity.

Yeah, I just wanted to point out I didn't it's not called off for a vote, Councilmember Flynn.

I just wanted to make those comments.

Oh, it is for a vote.

All right, thank you.

Well then we should all vote yes.

I did not uh intend to call it off for a vote when I emailed earlier today.

Um, it's okay, we'll just have to vote.

It's fine.

It's like my remote.

I swear I didn't it's okay.

Madam Secretary, we'll call on council.

Anyone else?

Are we good?

Okay, Madam Secretary, we'll call on Council Bill 1891.

Councilmember Albitres.

Aye, Flynn, Gilmore.

Aye.

Gonzalez Cutieres.

I think Cashman.

Lewis.

Parity, aye.

Romara Campbell.

Aye.

Sawyer.

Aye.

Torres.

Aye.

Watson.

Aye.

Madam President Sandoval.

Aye.

Madam Secretary, close the voting answer results.

12 ayes.

Twelve ayes.

Council Bill 1891 has passed.

Madam Secretary, please put the next item on our screens.

Council Bill 1556, a bill for an ordinance concerning implementation of the collective bargaining rights for certain city employees, and in connection therewith amending chapter 18 of the code.

Councilmember Lewis, will you please put council bill 1556 on the floor for publication?

I move that council bill 1556 be ordered published.

It has been moved and seconded.

Councilmember Torres, your motion to amend.

Um thank you, Madam President.

Um I move to amend uh Bill 1556 and the following particulars on page 16, line 32, strike recognized bargaining agent and replaced with employee organization.

Number two, on line 17, line three, strike recognized recognized bargaining agent and replaced with employee organization.

And it's been moved and seconded.

Comments by members of council.

Councilmember Torres.

Uh thank you, Madam President.

Um, this particular amendment um just corrects a drafting error.

Um, it's important, I think, for us to correctly name uh the entities uh because our phases are really specific.

So an employee organization at the phase that we reference it needs to say employee organization and not recognized bargaining agent, which may come later in the process.

So I want to thank Labor for making sure that we got this right.

Thank you.

Madam Secretary, we'll call on amendment one to Council Bill 1556.

Council members albitres.

Aye.

Flynn?

Aye.

Gilmore.

Aye.

Gonzalez Cutieres.

Aye.

Heinz?

Aye.

Cashman.

Lewis.

Aye.

Parity.

Aye.

Romero Campbell.

Aye.

Sawyer?

Aye.

Torres?

Aye.

Watson.

Aye.

Madam President Sandoval.

Aye.

Madam Secretary, close the voting, announce the results.

13 ayes.

13 ayes.

Amendment one to council bill 1556 has passed.

Okay.

Due to the length of the next amendment, if no member objects, we are not going to read the amendment in full.

So I'm only gonna do it if you if you all object.

There are paper copies at the Secretary's desks, and the amendment is available via legislatar attached to item 1556.

Are there any objections?

I'm gonna look up and down.

No.

Okay.

Councilman Torres, I saved you.

Councilmember Torres, your motion to amend.

Thank you, Madam President.

I move that council bill 1556 be amended.

Okay, hold on.

Act uh.

It has been moved and seconded.

Comments by members of council.

Councilmember Torres.

Thank you so much.

And I'll also invite uh Councilwoman uh Parity uh to give any uh commentary here.

Um so this section um was uh eight section 18-862 in the uh in the original draft uh which uh outlines an individual process for filing an unfair labor practice claim.

Um and I'll pass to my colleague, Councilman Parity, uh, to describe how that section was built.

Um but I will say that it was pulled out of the draft so that we could vote on that independently of the rest of the uh ordinance because it has um a lot of uh uh opposition from the administration.

We just wanted to make it very clear how many council members were voting in favor of just that section before it gets added to the rest of the bill, which clearly did not have as much uh contention.

So councilwoman parody.

Yeah, thank you so much, Councilmember Torres.

Um, and I really appreciate I I think you all can see from the um length of this legislation, especially if we compare it to Anschul's first draft over the summer, how much time um John, folks on the administration side, including um Heidi, um Katie, Dominic have put into this, and then folks on the labor side, there's the stronger Demor Coalition has put in a huge amount of hours.

Um, so I just I want to note that about the draft as a whole.

Um this section has to do specifically with um what this draft terms and what is usually termed in labor law, unfair labor practices.

Those can be committed by um the city, those can be committed in some circumstances by unions, um, and the the um the sort of most important buckets of unfair labor practices um would be forms of retaliation.

Um and so you know, retaliation for organizing activity, retaliation for um participating in a union process or in bargaining and those kinds of things.

And so and those are very commonly defined.

Um, there's not any dispute about including those as unfair labor practices.

Um but the issue that we've run into is um, as you all will recall from committee because we flagged this at that time as something we were um trying to pin down.

Um, the way that most disputes um in you know the the unionization process um are handled, including if unfair labor practices occurred, is that either um a union once recognized as such, so once they are actually the bargaining agent for a group of city workers, or the city um can go to one of our panel of arbitrators and say that they believe a ULP has occurred.

Those can also include things like interfering with an election, you know, general bad behavior, I would say, on either side.

So the arbitrators are paid for jointly by that employee organization and then the city.

So those costs are split.

And arbitration is reasonably expensive.

You're paying hourly for the time of someone who's highly expert.

Everybody's nodding, that's kind of funny.

But it's not a cheap process, you know, it's not um, it's not like just going to our courts who are there every day and you know, we budget for.

So the question arose in our conversations with the administration, um, what how do we handle it?

Because some of these unfair labor practices are really things that are gonna impact an individual employee.

In some circumstances, a union may bring that to arbitration on behalf of their employee, but they don't have to.

And so if an individual employee has a concern, if they either they may not be represented by a union yet because the organizing may be underway, that's gonna be the case for almost all city workers for the next several years, given that we have a small number of bargaining units potentially coming online over time.

So most city workers for the next several years are gonna be in a position where they don't have a formally recognized union that could bring any retaliation type of claim to arbitration for them.

Um but even after the point where employees become recognized by a bargaining agent, um, the union may choose not to bring that claim forward for one reason or another.

Um there is an example, and from my private practice as an attorney where an employee who was part of a private sector union under the NLRA came to me and I ended up representing him because um his union chose not to pursue action on his behalf because he was complaining about rampant homophobia that he had experienced, and that his union steward had been participating in it.

And so his union did not pursue it on his behalf.

I don't like that example.

I know nobody in the room will ever do anything like that.

Um but these things can happen from time to time.

And so workers need a remedy, even if the point at which they have a recognized bargaining agent.

Another example might be where employees have decided that they're sort of trying on for size a different union.

They've been, they have a recognized union, but they're considering calling for a new election and switching unions.

Um, their existing union might not want to defend them for retaliation in those circumstances.

So we need this remedy.

It's extremely common throughout all kinds of, you know, the labor law schemes tend to come with this kind of accompanying employment law provision for obvious reasons because individual employees may have issues that they need to raise.

So we have uh within the city a structure for raising retaliation claims that is very well utilized and results in lots of written decisions, some of them very lengthy, and that is within Denver labor in the auditor's office, they very routinely handle complaints of retaliation for complaining about wage theft, as opposed to retaliation for trying to organize.

So retaliation for two different things, but retaliation investigations are pretty much retaliation investigations, especially because um it doesn't even matter in a wage case, if the employee complains about pay, they could be wrong about it and they're still protected from retaliation.

If an employee is organizing, they could be unsuccessful, or they could be, you know, as long as they're not violating work rules, they could be incorrect about something that they're saying, they're still protected from retaliation.

So a retaliation investigation is always gonna look at, you know, um someone has been disciplined, were were they really doing something wrong or were they not, that kind of thing.

Um, Denver labor does this day in and day out.

Um, and so in speaking to them, in order to save the potential cost of an individual employee being able to convene a panel of arbitrators, which the city and the union would then have to pay for, or which I suppose we could have we could make one side or the other pay for, or we could try to make the employee pay, they're never gonna be able to do that.

It doesn't work for individuals, that structure doesn't work for individual claims, it just doesn't.

It's too expensive, um, it's not, it's not structured to be that kind of thing, right?

Um, unless we just wanted to eat that cost.

Um instead, what we've done is what pretty much every other, you know, um retaliation kind of scheme does, which is um provide that people can complain to, in this case, Denver labor if they want to do that, they can file a complaint.

They in fact have to file a complaint with Denver labor if they ultimately want to be able to pursue a claim further in court.

Once they do that, Denver labor has the discretion in um whether to investigate or not.

So if things are if it's sort of obviously meritless or it's obvious that someone um is pursuing something that maybe their union didn't pursue for a very good reason, Denver labor doesn't have to expend any resources on that.

Um so they are confident that they can handle this new workload within their existing investigatory and um ALJ decision-making capacities because there's nothing mandatory about it for them.

The employee does have to file with them if they ever want to go to court, and then once Denver Labor says we've done whatever we want to do with your complaint, which could be investigating it, could even be taking it to an LJ if it was highly meritorious, like I like to think my client back in the day was with the homophobia.

Um or Denver Labor can just send them a letter and say you're free to go to court, and then if that person wants to pursue a claim, they're gonna have to find a private employment attorney, which is what I used to be, who will pursue it on their behalf.

Um that is not easy to do for a meritless claim.

So um we're utilizing existing systems that don't add any expense um to get rid of the potential for expensive arbitration, but to make sure that employees do have a remedy, which they absolutely need.

Like we we can't sort of send people out into their workplaces um with this new law to you know try to exercise their rights without this kind of protection.

We just cannot.

So I'm happy to answer questions.

Um Matt Fritzmaur, the head of Denver Labor, is here and available to answer questions.

Um I know that uh we have a lot of the whole stranger Denver coalition of Ask Me CWA and the Teamsters is in the room.

Um, and so there's various expertise among those folks, including I know Naomi Pereira, the CWA attorney, and um I believe Steve Kreisberg from Ask Me hopefully is on Zoom, um, although it's getting late and he's in DC.

So um I see Justin from asking me.

I know we've got a lot of union leadership here.

So um I will find out what people need to know about this amendment, um, rather than going on and on about it, but um fundamentally I don't see how we can um go forward with allowing our workforces, our workforce in the city to consider unionizing without this kind of protection in place.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Councilmember Flynn.

Uh thank Madam President.

Um this section and one other on midterm bargaining were not in the uh bill as it was authorized for filing by committee.

So I have a serious concern about including these major pro uh major sections between committee authorizing it and then filing.

Uh I would like to suggest that we defer this amendment and hear it in committee and amend it into the bill as a because I support the the original bill as vote of court in committee.

Um I only learned about this five uh five days ago uh when councilwoman parity texted me and then we had a phone call about it.

It's uh it's fairly major, and I have serious uh objection to the auditor's office being the agency to do investigating.

I don't believe it's in their uh within their purview.

I know Denver labor does a lot of wage theft and minimum wage and investigations on that, but this isn't that.

Um, this more properly I would suggest belongs in the with OHR, uh, to carry this out.

I I I don't I think it's not only uh not appropriate for the auditor to be doing this kind of work and this kind of scope, but it's actually inappropriate because the auditor's office could be subject uh to such a complaint.

And uh I don't know if that's that's right.

We can I I asked John Griffin uh earlier this evening, um we don't we can pass the bill as it is now without this amendment in it and consider this at our first meeting or so in January, but I think it ought to come into committee and have a full discussion on it.

But having learned about a significant uh addition to the bill after it left committee only five days ago, uh, is I don't believe it is appropriate uh lawmaking.

So I I will not support the amendment tonight, but I will gladly hear it out in committee in January and then amend it in if that's that's how it's to be.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Councilwoman Torres.

Thank you.

I just want to make sure we're clear.

Um, uh right now we're just discussing the amendment of 862, which is the ULP.

Um I think after we determine if that's going in or not, um, we can talk about what's in the rest of the draft, which is the midterm.

I just don't want to go down too much of a branch on midterm bargaining because it's not in this amendment.

Correct, and I wasn't referring, I wasn't referring to that, I was referring only to the unfair labor practice of this amendment.

Okay, thank you.

Thank you, Councilmember Parity.

Yeah, I just um Councilmember Flynn, it is absolutely true that this was not fully fleshed out in the draft as it went through committee, as you know, um for the bill as a whole, it we have an implementation deadline of the end of this month, and so councilmember Torres and I talked extensively about whether to keep our committee date or push off, and we didn't feel that we could.

Um but what I will say is that I um in committee, um, both on the slides and in our comments, um, we talked about the need for a different process for individual complaints.

Um, and so we, you know, this was sort of a known outstanding issue at that time.

Um, so understanding your comments though.

The the reason though that I don't um want to see this pushed off in time is that January 1st, the law is in effect, it's implemented.

Um, all these workplace um organizing rights go into effect, and from day one, our workers need this protection.

We cannot pass this in February or March because people um are gonna need this protection at the outset.

Um so I'll just leave that there.

Thank you.

Councilmember Watson.

Uh thank you, Council President.

And I have similar uh concerns.

Um I support uh the bill as we brought forward from um Denver City Council as written, um, specific to um unfair labor practices.

I also support OHR uh taking the lead on this, but uh I have a I do have a question um from um I'm looking to see Dominic is is here Dominic Moreno.

Um I know this has been work that you have done, and I am I I believe um from an uh a nascent uh understanding of really what OHR and uh Kathy Nesbitt and her team, what they do and their knowledge and understanding of uh unfair labor practices.

Uh it just makes sense that it comes through them.

Can you explain kind of what the genesis of this dialogue has been from your perspective?

Someone who works had has worked in this and I believe has been a part of these discussions.

Absolutely.

Good evening, uh Madam President, honorable members of Denver City Council, Councilman Watson, Dominic Moreno, Deputy Chief of Staff in the Mayor's Office.

Uh so we were first made aware of this language on November 18th when we received an updated draft from uh City Council's legislative council that included this language.

I will say, Councilmember Parity in the intergovernmental and government relations committee did reference that we were still trying to sort through this issue and working together on that.

Uh the language that you see in front of you, um, while the administration does oppose the language, some feedback has been incorporated, which we are grateful for, which is limiting the number of unfair labor practices that this remedy would apply to, because not all unfair labor practices are appropriate for uh or apply to an individual as this section outlines.

Uh the other is uh the original draft language included some minimum fine amounts that I don't see in the current draft.

So very uh grateful for those changes.

Um there is, however, uh already, I would say robust protections under career services rule 18-30, I believe it is, that uh outline uh uh the process for filing a grievance when it comes to discrimination, harassment, retaliation.

Um those are specific to offenses that happen uh to an employee when it's the employer.

So I don't want to give the impression that this covers everything that the amendment uh proposes to do, because the reality is that the amendment also allows an individual to file unfair labor practice against an employee organization as well as council member parity referenced.

Um but we do have a process for filing a grievance.

That's about the extent of my knowledge on it.

I would turn uh any further questions to the actual experts.

Uh, I know we have Kathy Nesbitt and Heidi Shram in the room.

And Madam President, if if if you may, I wanted to actually ask Cathy Nesbitt to come forward and please um if you don't mind elaborating on the protections that um city employees will have, whether it's in the interim of uh bargaining units being formed, et cetera.

Thank you.

Kathy Nesbitt, I am the director of the Office of Human Resources here of the City and County of Denver.

Um thank you, Madam President, and um City Council for allowing me to speak.

The question um that you asked, Councilman Um Watson is in regards to, as Dominic indicated, Section 18-30.

And we already have a very robust process.

The allegations can be raised against.

It is intended that it is the employer, and we do have a complete robust process for that.

That includes an appeal process, hearing officers, et cetera.

And those hearing officers do not report into the city.

So it creates that delineation between us as the employer and the board and the employee.

Thank you, Director Nasbett.

No further questions at this time.

Thank you, Councilmember Parity.

Yeah, I just wanted to respond that.

So I don't think there was any confusion on the mayor's office side that that's what was in drafting, even though the draft took time to get to because it was the last thing we did.

So I just do want to make that point.

And there was never a suggestion that it should be through HR instead.

It was a response to a concern that the administration raised about arbitration costs that we proposed as sponsors an individual remedy through Denver labor instead of through arbitration.

So we wouldn't be paying for arbitration.

And there was never a response that it could be through OHR.

The problem with a remedy through OHR is that I suspect a lot of complaints will be against OHR.

So we have exempted auditors' office employees from having a role in a complaint that is brought by a member of the same bargaining unit that they are or against the same uh bargaining unit that they're in.

Um and that's easy enough to do with respect to the auditor's office, we can bypass that process.

With respect to OHR, they're gonna be implicated in a huge number of complaints, inevitably.

I just that's the way it is.

Meritless or not, I mean meritorious or meritless.

Um I think the potential for stickiness there is just tremendous.

Thank you, Councilmember Sawyer.

Thank you, Madam President.

Um I have struggled with this one.

Um this one is hard for me.

I think I really truly see both sides of this.

I think, you know, our OHR team is absolutely fantastic and absolutely capable of doing this.

I also think our Denver labor team is absolutely fantastic and absolutely capable of doing this.

Um it's kind of a high class problem to have that we get to choose between two really great teams.

Um there are really kind of three things to my thinking um that are the reason why I'm gonna support this amendment.

So the first one is I think Councilmember Parity just said it.

Um, I am concerned about the conflicts of interest, um, whether meritorious claims or not that will exist um with OHR in this process.

So I think that that's totally reasonable, and I think that that is true.

Um, second, um, I support it because we have seen um changes to our career service rules, which can be unilaterally changed by the administration without any discussion um with anyone else.

And we've seen that happen over the course of this last year, and I think that that flexibility is important.

I think that OHR should have that flexibility.

I think the administration should have that flexibility, but I don't think that this bargaining process then makes sense to exist within that flexibility.

So I will say that.

And then um, third and final, we don't know what we don't know, right?

What we are doing here is creating an extraordinary change to our charter, to our entire system, to provide our workers with the rights that they deserve.

And that is amazing.

But we don't know what we don't know, right?

And this is our first stab at this.

So this is an ordinance, and if we need to, if we find that it is not working, um, that it needs to be changed, the great news is the legislative branch of government can go back and change it.

So um, I think this has to be done by January 1st.

We've got to get these rights in place.

We've got to get this solidified, and so um, for all of those reasons, I will be supportive of that tonight.

And I do think I have some trepidation about that.

I do.

I'm gonna be very honest, but I think in weighing the cost-benefit analysis of whether to hold on this amendment or whether to move forward with it.

I think that you know I come out in favor of moving forward with it, so I will be a yes tonight.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Councilmember Flynn.

Thank you, Madam President.

And after listening, I'll just reiterate, I support the bill as it came out of committee.

Um if this amendment passes, I won't vote for the bill to be published.

Uh simply because of this amendment.

I think we should be more deliberate and not take those steps precipitously.

If the administration saw this on November 18th, and I only saw it five days ago, I think that's a problem.

And so I just can't validate the process of putting something this major into the bill five days before we uh uh we publish it.

I believe we can be we can have the ordinance in place on January 1st.

We can deliberate on this in the month of January, add something in again.

I would support it if it were OHR.

I don't see a conflict of interest, frankly.

I see potential conflicts of interest with the auditor, plus I don't see it within the auditor's scope.

I don't believe that's an auditor office function.

It more properly belongs in OHR, and I would rather have a deliberative discussion about it, and I would gladly include it if it were in OHR.

Thank you, Madam President.

Thank you.

Um seeing no other colleagues in the queue, just want to say thank you to the um two appointed people who I appointed to work on this.

Councilmember Torres and Councilmember Parody.

I know that you have spent hours and hours on working on this on our behalf.

Just want to thank the administration and Dominic for also working on this.

I know that this is um had lots of conversations, um, and I know that all of you are doing your best to work on this.

Just want to also say thank you to Denver Labor, thank you, Matt, for taking my phone call this morning and make playing out all my scenarios.

Um I also have to Councilman Sawyer's point.

I have been going back and forth on this one to figure out what should I do, what should I do not do, what's in the best interest for the residents of Denver after this passes, and I still have questions out on this.

Um so tonight we are voting on this for unfair labor practice portion of the collective bargaining, and I totally support the other bill as a as introduced, and that's why I also ask the sponsors to um pull this out, or not the sponsors, but councilman Torres and Councilmember Um Parity to pull this out and so separate because this didn't come through committee, and I really do believe I'm like a stickler to our rules and saying, hey, I if it it's a big change, it should come through the committee process, and at the same time, we need to make sure that we have an ordinance implemented by January.

So tonight I won't be supporting this particular amendment, but just want you all to know that I do support um collective bargaining, I do support the auditor's office, I do think I do support Denver Labor.

I just have too many questions outstanding for this portion that I was not able to get um answered, and that's on me.

I took on a lot last week.

I think I'm working on four other ordinances to fix them for tonight and for next week.

And so I do have a lot on my plate.

And this one, as much as I attempted to get calls, I still have three calls out to other people that I don't have answers for.

But thank you all for working on this.

I really I cannot thank you all enough.

Madam Secretary, we'll call on amendment two to council bill 1556.

Council members Albitres.

Aye, Flynn, nay, Gilmore, aye, Gonzalez Gutierrez.

Aye, Heinz?

Aye.

Cashman, Lewis.

Aye.

Parity, aye.

Romero Campbell.

Sorry.

Um.

Sawyer.

Aye.

Torres?

Aye.

Watson?

Nay.

Madam President Sandoval.

Nay.

Madam Secretary, close the voting and announce the results.

Nine ayes.

Nine ayes, council bill.

Uh, hold on.

Nine ayes, amendment two to council bill fifteen fifty-six has passed.

Councilmember Lewis, will you please put council bill fifteen fifty-six on the floor for publication as amended?

I move that council bill twenty-five fifteen fifty-six be ordered public as published as amended.

It has been moved and seconded.

Are there any comments or questions by members of council on 1556 as amended?

Seeing none, Madam Secretary, we'll call on Council Bill 1556 as amended.

Council members Albitres.

Aye.

Flynn?

No more.

Aye.

Gonzalez Cutieres.

Aye.

Heinz?

Aye.

Cashman.

Lewis.

Aye.

Parity.

Aye.

Romera Campbell.

Aye.

Sawyer.

Aye.

Torres?

Aye.

Watson?

Nay.

Madam Present Sandoval?

Aye.

Madam Secretary, we'll call on.

I mean, Madam Secretary, close the voting announce the results.

Eleven ayes.

Eleven ayes.

Council Bill 1556 has been ordered published as amended.

This concludes the items to be called out.

All bills for introduction are ordered published.

Council members will council members.

Remember that this is a consent or block vote and you need to vote aye.

Otherwise, this is your last chance to call out an item for a separate vote.

Councilmember Lewis, will you please put the resolutions and proclamations for adoption and the bills on final consideration for final passage on the floor?

I move that the resolutions and proclamations be adopted and bills on final consideration be placed upon final consideration and do pass in a block for the following items.

25 1800 2518 82 25 19 31 25 19 39, 25, 19, 40, 25, 19, 41, 25, 19, 42, 25, 1943, 25, 19, 45, 25, 19, 46, 25, 19, 47, 25, 19, 48, 25, 19, 49, 25, 19, 50, 25, 1952, 25, 1953, 25, 1954, 25, 19, 55, 25, 19, 56, 25, 19, 21, 25, 19, 24, 25, 19, 29, 25, 19, 66, or 67, excuse me, 25, 19, 68, 25, 19, 18, 25, 19, 23, 25, 19, 59, 25, 18, 89, 25, 18, 93, 25, 19, 12, 25, 19, 19, 25, 19, 20, 25, 19, 22, 25, 19, 26, 25, 19, 27, 25, 19, 28, 25, 19, 30, 25, 19, 32, 25, 19, 33, 25, 19, 34, 25, 19, 35, 25, 19, 36, 25, 19, 37, 25, 20, 62, 25, 18, 77, 25, 18, 92, 25, 10, 31, 25, 1904, 25, 20, 46.

Thank you.

Thank you.

It has been moved and seconded.

Madam Secretary, we'll call.

Council Members Albitrais.

Aye.

Flynn.

Aye.

Gilmore.

Aye.

Gonzalez Cutieres.

Aye.

Heinz?

Aye.

Cashman.

Aye.

Lewis.

Aye.

Parity.

Aye.

Romera Campbell.

Aye.

Sawyer.

Aye.

Torres.

Aye.

Watson.

Aye.

Madam President Sandoval?

Aye.

Madam Secretary, close voting, announce the results.

13 ayes.

13 ayes.

The resolution and proclamations have been adopted and the bills have been placed upon final consideration and do pass.

There is one proclamation being read this evening.

Councilmember Lewis.

Would you please read proclamation 2045?

Yes, thank you.

Proclamation 20 25 2045, honoring the fifth anniversary of the Black Santa project.

Whereas the Black Santa Project was founded in 2021 by the Honorable Ayante Anderson, who previously served as the vice president of the Denver School Board.

Ayante answered a call from Brother Jeff of the Brother Jeff Cultural Center to embody the spirit of Black Santa by bringing representation, joy, and hope to Denver families during the holiday season.

And whereas what began as a single act of service and cultural affirmation has grown into a movement that uplifts the community, celebrates Black Joy, and ensures that every child sees themselves reflected in the magic of the holiday season.

And whereas over the past five years, the Black Santa Project has provided over 40,000 toys to children across Colorado and adopted families in need.

They created annual community-centered events such as the Black Santa 1000 School Supplies Drive, Dashing Through the Hood 5K, Holiday Pictures with Black Santa, and the Black Santa RB Slummer Jam, each reflecting a deep commitment to love, service, and representation.

And we're asked, through strong partnerships with schools, local businesses, and civic organizations, the Black Santa Project continues to unite the Denver community under the shared belief that the village made it happen, exemplifying the power of collective action to spread joy and advance equity.

And whereas the leadership of Ayante Anderson has inspired a new generation of volunteers and community advocates, transforming a local holiday outreach into a statewide symbol of compassion, hope, and cultural pride.

And we're asked the Black Santa Project stands as a beacon of what is possible when representation representation meets service, a reminder that when we lift up one another, we build a stronger, more inclusive Denver for all.

Now, therefore, be it proclaimed by the Denver City Council, Section 1, that the Denver City Council hereby recognizes and honors the Black Santa Project on the occasion of its fifth anniversary, commending its outstanding service and lasting impact on children, families, and communities throughout our city and our state.

Section two, that the clerk and recorder of the city and county of Denver shall affix the seal of the city and county of Denver to this proclamation and that a copy be transmitted to Ayante Anderson.

Thank you, Councilmember Lewis.

Your motion to adopt.

It has been moved and seconded.

Comments by members of council.

Councilmember Lewis.

Yes, thank you.

So I just wanted to say that the Black Santa Project was something that was started very organically in community and has been a response from the needs of community, where community members weren't seeing representation, and more specifically, as they were looking at the holiday season specifically for Christmas for our kiddos in our neighborhoods as they were going to different malls.

They didn't see a Black Santa.

And so community members Ayante Anderson took it upon himself to first start with having the Black Santa and having a space where families could come into the Brother Jeff Cultural Center and be able to take photos that they could take away with them with Black Santa.

And then it expanded into what was now then a toy drive for community for a toy drive for folks in our community who were in need during the holiday season where they didn't want to disappoint their children.

And so Ayante has really created this beautiful event for communities where parents and guardians and siblings or whatever community can come and get gifts for the children within their communities.

And they do so in a way that is joyful.

There's music, there's dancing, there's line dancing, there's food, and it's just a great event for people who might come into the holiday season not feeling great from a financial standpoint and being able to be able to uh receive the gifts and the joy and the resources that are necessary for their families.

In addition to that, um he has expanded his work and to ensure that kids have school supplies, and so truly coming from an organic place where communities have asked for a need, and community has figured out how to be able to mine the gaps that communities are seeing, whether that be school supplies, the lack of a Black Santa, or um the gift the toy drive.

I will say finally that Black Santa and Mrs.

Claus, although they it's a bit different this year, have historically come to the Hiawatha Davis senior luncheon, and our seniors absolutely love to see Mrs.

Claus and Black Santa um coming.

They often ask if they can sit on Santa's lap, if they can get photos with Santa.

So it's a fun um addition to our event with the Hiawatha Davis with the Hiawatha Davis senior luncheon.

And so just want to commend um Aonte Anderson for the work that he has done on behalf of community when he's not being paid for it, but he's answering the call to make sure that we're taking care of our communities during a hard time.

And this is exactly how um our Thanksgiving baskets were organically um provided through Daddy Bruce, and so I akin it to that.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Councilman Parody.

I just had to run in here and say that Black Santa is the only Santa my kids have ever met, and they really love him.

That's all.

Thank you.

Um Madam Secretary roll call.

Council members Albitrais.

Aye, Flynn.

Gilmore.

I was like, Oh, me?

Oh, I.

Lewis.

I think Parody.

I.

Aye.

Sawyer.

Tortoise.

Aye.

Watson.

Aye.

Madam President Sandoval.

Aye.

Madam Secretary, close the voting and announce the results.

Ten eyes.

Ten eyes proclamation 2045 has been adopted.

We now have five minutes for the proclamation acceptance.

Councilmember Lewis, who will you be inviting up for the proclamation?

I would like to call up the honorable Auntie Anderson.

I'm gonna take at least 30 seconds of that minute or those five minutes to catch my breath.

I think I just ran like four city blocks to try to get here because y'all run extremely fast.

So please just give me one second.

I talked as long as I could for you.

If I didn't get my steps in today, I'd tell you how that Santa just definitely, like I said, cleared four city blocks of Denver.

Um, Madam President and members of council, it's an honor to accept uh this proclamation on behalf of the work that we are doing in the Denver community.

This organization is not about an individual, it's not about social media likes, it's not about donations to fund an organization.

It's on the single premise of supporting our Denver community.

And as children, we all grew up with the story about how the Grinch stole Christmas, and how the Who's in Whoville woke up with no gifts, and that the Grinch's heart had to grow in order for the Who's to get their toys back.

That is unlike anything before.

See, our Grinch isn't a green fictional character, it's an administration that's changed out of DC.

This is the first year where our organization has been denied toys from the federal government's, Toys for Tots Foundation.

On the basis of the name, the Black Santa Project.

Being told that Santa is not black, and we should not ascribe a color to a Santa Claus or a fictional character.

The Grinch is not coming back down the hill with toys for the Black Santa Project, nor will they do it for any other community organization in any of your council districts.

While we are honored, blessed, and grateful to accept this proclamation today.

I would be remiss if I did not take this as an opportunity to ask for your help.

The Grinch has stolen our gifts, and we have over 3,000 children that have already signed up in our round one for this holiday season.

So this is where the who's in who will get together, and we say that the Grinch is not going to steal our Christmas.

And so from those here in the council chambers to those who are going to hear this either online, we need the who's and who will to stand up.

We must be able to deliver for the thousands of children that count on us.

We've never turned away a child child, and we've been able to provide 40,000 gifts to community in just four years.

And this year, due to the Grinch, we are 7,000 toys short of that goal.

So, this is a celebration for an organization.

But council members, we need your help.

Denver, we need your help.

On December 20th, we're planning to take over the Welton Street Corridor in partnership with the Five Points Bid, and we are going to give out every toy, every board game, every book.

I'm heading to Walmart right after this council meeting to fill up toy carts.

We are a registered 501c3 organization.

So we need your donations, whether it be monetary, or if you would be willing to put in your newsletter for your constituents to bring a toy to your office, we need your help.

Like I said, the Grinch stole Christmas, but I'll be damned if the Grinch steals Christmas from Denver kids.

So thank you for this honor.

Thank you for your ongoing belief.

But now to those in Chambers, Council, and the rest of Denver, it's time for the Who's to stand up for the Who children that need us very much this holiday season.

What's your website?

Thank you.

Oh, the website is the Black Santa Project.org.

You can go, we're a part of Colorado Gives Day as well tomorrow.

You can support us that way.

But right now, we like I said, we just need everybody to help us, and we hope that you'll come out and volunteer.

Uh this is this is an amazing moment for you to see the community come together in ways we don't ask if you voted for the Grinch or if you voted for Kamala Harris.

We don't ask how much money you make.

We don't ask, we don't even ask for our undocumented families.

We require zero paperwork.

We don't want anybody given a birth certificate or proof of residency.

It's show up.

You need toys, use the Google form, show up, and we're here to help you.

We have Spanish translation that is on site and available, and we have folks that are stepping up all across the community.

And this is an opportunity I think that we can pour in together.

So I'll end with that because I know it's been a long night.

Thank you, council.

Thank you.

All right.

We have two required public hearings and one courtesy public hearing tonight.

As a reminder, council members need to turn their video on during the vote.

For those participating in person when called upon, please come to the podium on the presentation monitor on the wall.

You will see your time counting down.

For those participating virtually when called upon, please wait until our meeting host promotes you to speaker.

When you're promoted, please accept the promotion.

Turn on your camera if you have one and your microphone.

All speakers should begin their remarks by telling council their names and cities of residence and if they feel comfortable doing so, their home addresses.

If you have signed up to answer questions only, state your name and note that you are available for questions of council.

Speakers will have three minutes.

There is no yielding of time.

If translation is needed, you will be given an additional three minutes for your comments to be interpreted.

Speakers must stay on topic of the hearing and must direct their comments to council as a whole.

Please refrain from profane or obscene speech and refrain from individual or personal attacks.

Council Member Lewis, will you please put council bill 1635 changing the zoning classification of 333 West Regis Boulevard and 551 through 5115 North Federal Boulevard?

I move that Regis on the floor for final passage.

Sorry about that.

No problem.

It has been moved.

And seconded.

The required public hearing for council bill 1635 is open.

May we please have the staff apart.

Yeah, good evening, council members.

My name is Tony Lechuga.

I'm a senior planner with community planning and development, and I'm here to present the change to the zoning classification at the listed addresses.

So we're gonna start uh with a broad explanation of what's being requested of you tonight, um, which is to change the zoning classification for the property outlined in red here.

Um it's roughly bordered by Federal Boulevard on the east, 52nd Avenue to the north, uh, and 50th Avenue, or in this part of the neighborhood as it's referred to, Regis Boulevard to the south.

Um, and the request is coming from the property owner, which is the university itself, and they are requesting to change the zoning classification from a couple of old code zone districts into a planned unit development or PUD.

And for anyone in the room who's unfamiliar with PUDs, what that means is that we're writing customized zoning.

So there's a couple of unique features that we're providing to this property.

Um, and we'll get into more detail of what exactly those are.

So the property itself is about 23 acres in size, which is fairly large, um, but it mostly contains surface parking and some dated strip mall commercial properties.

Um, there's a couple of drive-thru restaurants on the property.

Um, and then if you're looking closely at the map, you'll notice that Regis University actually operates a couple of ball fields as well.

So, in terms of uh broader location and context, this is located uh in North Denver, represented by Councilmember Sandoval.

And it's located in the Regis neighborhood, which is actually named after the university, which predates the construction of just about everything else in the neighborhood.

Um, if we're looking at the existing zoning, you can see that it's largely a couple of old district uh old code districts, which we'll describe.

Um, so as I mentioned before, the campus predates largely everything else around it.

Um the campus has existed for over a hundred years in this particular neighborhood and at this particular site.

Um, the Regis neighborhood generally lacks access to parks within the neighborhood boundary.

Um you'll notice there is um that park across Federal Boulevard in Chaffee Park, and then there are a couple of parks south of I 70, located um in the Berkeley neighborhood.

Um, those are a little more difficult for residents to access as there are limited access points across I-70.

Um, the Regis neighborhood also lacks its own rec center, its own library.

However, the university does provide many of those amenities by providing the public general access to its library.

Anyone in this room could go get a library card there.

Um, they also provide the general public access to their rec center in the same way that you could acquire a Denver public uh Denver uh Denver Parks and Recreation Rec Center membership.

So the zoning on the site currently, most of it is B3, which is an old code district that provides for shopping center commercial.

And that's largely what dominated this site for many years.

Um, notably for a long time, this site was uh the home of a Kmart and significant surface parking.

The R5 zoning that you notice at the northern edge of the property is actually the campus institutional uses district of our former chapter 59.

And then there's a small bucket there that you'll see is ECC3X.

And that is a Denver zoning code district that allows for commercial.

And it currently is the home of a McDonald's drive-thru.

In terms of the existing context and turn uh considering land use, you can see those purplish colors are areas that the university utilizes either for parking, ball fields, or some other institutional uses.

Otherwise, it's dominated by commercial retail, as I noted, the drive-through strip commercial.

You can see in the area, especially along federal and low, there is a more diverse mix of uses, including some commercial retail, offices, multi-unit residential, but largely the area between those two boulevards is dominated by low-scale single-unit residential.

It's important to note the existence of Federal Boulevard as one of the city's designated parkways.

Notably through this section of the parkway, it only requires a 10-foot setback along federal.

I want to note that the rest of the federal boulevard parkway actually requires a 20-foot setback from the city border to city border.

So this is kind of a unique part of the city where pieces of the parkway setback have been clawed away.

And importantly, part of the PUD that we're gonna get into in a second, tries to re-establish those parkway standards by pushing the parkway back to that 20-foot setback.